Sermons
Rooted: Psalm 1, 21 July 2024
21 07 24
Psalm 1: Rooted
Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
July 21, 2024
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: The quality of your life and destiny begin with your roots.
Before we dive into our sermon, I want to begin with a simple question: Why are you here? It’s a question I’ve been asking myself…with gratitude!
There are many good answers to this question, but I hope above the social benefits, the music team, serving others, and tradition is a desire to deepen your relationship with God in order to become a disciple—a follower, student, apprentice—of Jesus.
I was challenged many years ago by a friend who wondered whether or not discipleship occurs at all during the Sunday morning worship gathering. Since our mission is essentially to make disciples, I hope so! That’s what it means to love, equip, and send…in the name of Jesus Christ. He’s why we’re here.
As we open God’s Word, the Bible, together, I want to preach not merely for the sake of conveying information, and not even for inspiration, but ultimately for transformation. I can’t do that, but the Holy Spirit can take the scriptures and activate them in our lives.
Why are you here? Ultimately, I hope it’s about the glory of God. That’s why we’ve been placed on this planet…to know God and make Him known, to love Him and our neighbor as ourselves, to go and make disciples of all nations. As Pastor Ed said a few weeks ago, it’s all about Jesus!
We’re starting a series on the book of Psalms today. We won’t cover all 150 Psalms, but we’re going to tackle a different one each week. The Psalms are a fascinating collection of songs written by various lyricists, most notably King David. The subjects range from praise and worship to confession, despair, lament, and even outrage. As a musician, mobile DJ, and artist, I’m especially enamored with the Psalms, their artistry, and passion. Many are raw, honest, vulnerable, and real. We can be those with God.
The Psalms have five sections or books just like the Pentateuch, the first five books of Moses that begin the Old Testament, the Jewish Bible.
Today we’re beginning our series with Psalm…one! Its first letter is the first letter in the Hebrew alphabet. It begins…
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, (Psalm 1:1, NIV)
That’s a mouthful. Let’s back up and look at the word translated blessed. The original Hebrew word is “ashrey” and it’s actually in the plural, blessedness. Some English translations say “happy” or reference joy. Jesus began the famous Sermon on the Mount with this word (in Greek).
Blessed are the poor in spirit,…Blessed are those who mourn,…Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,…(Matthew 5:3-10, NIV)
Do you want to be blessed? Of course you do! A blessing is literally “God’s favor and protection.” Who doesn’t want that? While blessings may appear to be random, we’ll see true blessings are found in being rooted in the LORD.
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, (Psalm 1:1, NIV)
I used to tell my kids, “You are your friends. Choose wisely.” Perhaps you’ve heard, “Birds of a feather, flock together.” Paul, who wrote several books in the Bible, said, “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Cor. 15:33). We are all influenced by others, whether it’s family, friends, or even social media. Who do you hang with? Are they wicked? Do they sin without regret or repentance? Do they mock others? Are they filled with pride? What comes out of their mouth? Would it be appropriate around children?
The very first sentence of the very first Psalm says one is blessed not when they ask God to bless them, but rather when they avoid the influence of the wicked. There is effort involved. There is self-control involved. It may mean thinking twice about how you spend your time…with whom you spend your time!
This does not mean we should never develop relationships with non-Christians. It does mean in doing so we need to shine light into the darkness, not let our light get snuffed out by the darkness.
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, (Psalm 1:1, NIV)
Notice the progression: walk, stand, sit. The righteous don’t have time to stand around and mock and gossip because they’re delighting in the LORD.
But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. (Psalm 1:2, NLT)
This is a good “but!” This is what a blessed person does. If you want to experience joy, this is what you do. You fill your mind with truth. You meditate not on your navel or cable news, but on the scriptures!
According to numerous studies, biblical illiteracy has been on the increase for decades. Even many so-called Christians don’t know what the Bible says…or act like they don’t! I’ve been amazed—especially in the past few years—at the ungodly attitudes of so-called Christians. I expect the world to act like the world, but the lack of love, peace, compassion, empathy, courage, sacrifice, patience, and goodness of many who claim to follow Christ is evidence many simply don’t meditate on the Word of God. They’ve been more influenced by political parties or trendy ideas than on the law of the LORD.
Family, we need to meditate on the Bible day and night. Just reading it isn’t sufficient. Twenty minutes on Sunday morning is not enough. Most people I know eat more than one meal a week…more than one meal a day! We need to not only feed our bodies, we need to feed our minds and souls. We need to feast on God’s Word, especially when we’re exposed to countless lies every day on billboards, television, and the Internet.
But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. (Psalm 1:2, NLT)
The Hebrew word for meditate, hagah, means to moan, growl, ponder. The same word is found in Isaiah 3:14 for a lion’s low growling and later for the cooing of a dove. Perhaps you’ve tried to memorize something, repeating it quietly out loud. Day and night the blessed, the happy, the joyful marinate their minds on God’s Word. It is their delight. This isn’t Eastern meditation where you empty yourself so anything can wander in, but rather intentionally focusing on the truths of scripture. By the way, the Hebrew word for “law,” Torah, is more than just rules. It’s all of the stories, prophecies, and instructions in the Bible, provided for us to know and understand God and reality.
It's no wonder our world is filled with so many opinions and perspectives. People are reading different books…literally! What is your basis for faith? For truth? For understanding life?
We have several tools to help you meditate on God’s Word. The bulletin is full of them, including small groups and Sunday School. Many of you have the YouVersion app on your phone, which is incredible. Another tool Heather and I have found to be very useful is called Lectio 365. It offers guided prayer and Bible study each morning and evening. You can receive a free subscription to RightNow Media here.
Of course, there are many other ways to get God’s Word in your heart, letting it fill your mind. You can read it, listen to it on audio, and even take classes in-person or online. By the way, the best Bible translation is…the one you read! I like the New Living Translation and the New International Version, but if you prefer a different one, go for it!
Arguably the best chapter in the Bible about the Bible is Psalm 119. It’s the longest chapter in the Bible (176 verses!). If you want a great place to start meditating on God’s Word, read it slowly.
Those who delight in God’s Word, those who meditate on it…
They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. (Psalm 1:3, NLT)
Have you ever slowed down long enough to observe trees? God designed them to get nourishment through their roots and the results can be seen in the leaves and fruit. The roots determine the fruits. It seems like trees near water have an advantage! Even when the weather is dry, a tree near water is able to drink. They are able to bear fruit. I love fruit, especially fresh fruit! I think the only thing I might love more than fruit is ice cream…and when they’re combined…yum!
But have you ever had bad fruit? Moldy fruit? We throw it in the trash!
Those who feed on God’s Word, those who meditate on the LORD, who spend time with God will produce good fruit, the fruit of the Spirit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23a, NIV)
This is the fruit of doing life with God, filling our minds with truth and righteousness.
But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. (Psalm 1:4, NLT)
I’m no gardener, but I know the wheat and chaff are separated. One has value, the other is worthless trash. The kernel falls to the threshing floor and is saved while the chaff blows away. Imagine a watermelon. You eat the fruit and throw away the rind, right? You spit out the seeds. This is how God describes the wicked, those who ignore God and His wisdom. It gets worse.
They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. (Psalm 1:5, NLT)
Judgment Day is coming…for all humans. Are you ready? I know our culture is filled with gray, but scripture repeatedly talks about the sheep and the goats, the wide and narrow road, heaven and hell. There are two paths. Which have you taken? It’s never too late to repent, turn, and follow Jesus.
For the LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction. (Psalm 1:6, NLT)
Which path are you choosing?
Jesus once said,
He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28, NIV)
It’s not enough to hear it. It’s not enough to read it. We must live it!
So What?
Do you want to be blessed? There’s something you can do about it! To experience God’s favor, you need to seek and follow Him. It’s not enough to say, “Bless me, LORD!” You need to spend time with Him, meditate on His Word, surround yourselves with others who will speak the truth in love and model a Jesus lifestyle. Garbage in, garbage out. Good stuff in, good stuff out!
The message today is quite simple, yet we’re so easily enticed by the lies of this world and miss the pathway to blessings. It’s ultimately about seeking and following the LORD. It’s about building your life around Jesus. It requires intentionality. We need to pay attention. The quality of our life and destiny begins with your roots. Your roots determine your fruits. Are you rooted in God and His Word?
Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
July 21, 2024
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: The quality of your life and destiny begin with your roots.
Before we dive into our sermon, I want to begin with a simple question: Why are you here? It’s a question I’ve been asking myself…with gratitude!
There are many good answers to this question, but I hope above the social benefits, the music team, serving others, and tradition is a desire to deepen your relationship with God in order to become a disciple—a follower, student, apprentice—of Jesus.
I was challenged many years ago by a friend who wondered whether or not discipleship occurs at all during the Sunday morning worship gathering. Since our mission is essentially to make disciples, I hope so! That’s what it means to love, equip, and send…in the name of Jesus Christ. He’s why we’re here.
As we open God’s Word, the Bible, together, I want to preach not merely for the sake of conveying information, and not even for inspiration, but ultimately for transformation. I can’t do that, but the Holy Spirit can take the scriptures and activate them in our lives.
Why are you here? Ultimately, I hope it’s about the glory of God. That’s why we’ve been placed on this planet…to know God and make Him known, to love Him and our neighbor as ourselves, to go and make disciples of all nations. As Pastor Ed said a few weeks ago, it’s all about Jesus!
We’re starting a series on the book of Psalms today. We won’t cover all 150 Psalms, but we’re going to tackle a different one each week. The Psalms are a fascinating collection of songs written by various lyricists, most notably King David. The subjects range from praise and worship to confession, despair, lament, and even outrage. As a musician, mobile DJ, and artist, I’m especially enamored with the Psalms, their artistry, and passion. Many are raw, honest, vulnerable, and real. We can be those with God.
The Psalms have five sections or books just like the Pentateuch, the first five books of Moses that begin the Old Testament, the Jewish Bible.
Today we’re beginning our series with Psalm…one! Its first letter is the first letter in the Hebrew alphabet. It begins…
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, (Psalm 1:1, NIV)
That’s a mouthful. Let’s back up and look at the word translated blessed. The original Hebrew word is “ashrey” and it’s actually in the plural, blessedness. Some English translations say “happy” or reference joy. Jesus began the famous Sermon on the Mount with this word (in Greek).
Blessed are the poor in spirit,…Blessed are those who mourn,…Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,…(Matthew 5:3-10, NIV)
Do you want to be blessed? Of course you do! A blessing is literally “God’s favor and protection.” Who doesn’t want that? While blessings may appear to be random, we’ll see true blessings are found in being rooted in the LORD.
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, (Psalm 1:1, NIV)
I used to tell my kids, “You are your friends. Choose wisely.” Perhaps you’ve heard, “Birds of a feather, flock together.” Paul, who wrote several books in the Bible, said, “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Cor. 15:33). We are all influenced by others, whether it’s family, friends, or even social media. Who do you hang with? Are they wicked? Do they sin without regret or repentance? Do they mock others? Are they filled with pride? What comes out of their mouth? Would it be appropriate around children?
The very first sentence of the very first Psalm says one is blessed not when they ask God to bless them, but rather when they avoid the influence of the wicked. There is effort involved. There is self-control involved. It may mean thinking twice about how you spend your time…with whom you spend your time!
This does not mean we should never develop relationships with non-Christians. It does mean in doing so we need to shine light into the darkness, not let our light get snuffed out by the darkness.
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, (Psalm 1:1, NIV)
Notice the progression: walk, stand, sit. The righteous don’t have time to stand around and mock and gossip because they’re delighting in the LORD.
But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. (Psalm 1:2, NLT)
This is a good “but!” This is what a blessed person does. If you want to experience joy, this is what you do. You fill your mind with truth. You meditate not on your navel or cable news, but on the scriptures!
According to numerous studies, biblical illiteracy has been on the increase for decades. Even many so-called Christians don’t know what the Bible says…or act like they don’t! I’ve been amazed—especially in the past few years—at the ungodly attitudes of so-called Christians. I expect the world to act like the world, but the lack of love, peace, compassion, empathy, courage, sacrifice, patience, and goodness of many who claim to follow Christ is evidence many simply don’t meditate on the Word of God. They’ve been more influenced by political parties or trendy ideas than on the law of the LORD.
Family, we need to meditate on the Bible day and night. Just reading it isn’t sufficient. Twenty minutes on Sunday morning is not enough. Most people I know eat more than one meal a week…more than one meal a day! We need to not only feed our bodies, we need to feed our minds and souls. We need to feast on God’s Word, especially when we’re exposed to countless lies every day on billboards, television, and the Internet.
But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. (Psalm 1:2, NLT)
The Hebrew word for meditate, hagah, means to moan, growl, ponder. The same word is found in Isaiah 3:14 for a lion’s low growling and later for the cooing of a dove. Perhaps you’ve tried to memorize something, repeating it quietly out loud. Day and night the blessed, the happy, the joyful marinate their minds on God’s Word. It is their delight. This isn’t Eastern meditation where you empty yourself so anything can wander in, but rather intentionally focusing on the truths of scripture. By the way, the Hebrew word for “law,” Torah, is more than just rules. It’s all of the stories, prophecies, and instructions in the Bible, provided for us to know and understand God and reality.
It's no wonder our world is filled with so many opinions and perspectives. People are reading different books…literally! What is your basis for faith? For truth? For understanding life?
We have several tools to help you meditate on God’s Word. The bulletin is full of them, including small groups and Sunday School. Many of you have the YouVersion app on your phone, which is incredible. Another tool Heather and I have found to be very useful is called Lectio 365. It offers guided prayer and Bible study each morning and evening. You can receive a free subscription to RightNow Media here.
Of course, there are many other ways to get God’s Word in your heart, letting it fill your mind. You can read it, listen to it on audio, and even take classes in-person or online. By the way, the best Bible translation is…the one you read! I like the New Living Translation and the New International Version, but if you prefer a different one, go for it!
Arguably the best chapter in the Bible about the Bible is Psalm 119. It’s the longest chapter in the Bible (176 verses!). If you want a great place to start meditating on God’s Word, read it slowly.
Those who delight in God’s Word, those who meditate on it…
They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. (Psalm 1:3, NLT)
Have you ever slowed down long enough to observe trees? God designed them to get nourishment through their roots and the results can be seen in the leaves and fruit. The roots determine the fruits. It seems like trees near water have an advantage! Even when the weather is dry, a tree near water is able to drink. They are able to bear fruit. I love fruit, especially fresh fruit! I think the only thing I might love more than fruit is ice cream…and when they’re combined…yum!
But have you ever had bad fruit? Moldy fruit? We throw it in the trash!
Those who feed on God’s Word, those who meditate on the LORD, who spend time with God will produce good fruit, the fruit of the Spirit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23a, NIV)
This is the fruit of doing life with God, filling our minds with truth and righteousness.
But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. (Psalm 1:4, NLT)
I’m no gardener, but I know the wheat and chaff are separated. One has value, the other is worthless trash. The kernel falls to the threshing floor and is saved while the chaff blows away. Imagine a watermelon. You eat the fruit and throw away the rind, right? You spit out the seeds. This is how God describes the wicked, those who ignore God and His wisdom. It gets worse.
They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. (Psalm 1:5, NLT)
Judgment Day is coming…for all humans. Are you ready? I know our culture is filled with gray, but scripture repeatedly talks about the sheep and the goats, the wide and narrow road, heaven and hell. There are two paths. Which have you taken? It’s never too late to repent, turn, and follow Jesus.
For the LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction. (Psalm 1:6, NLT)
Which path are you choosing?
Jesus once said,
He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28, NIV)
It’s not enough to hear it. It’s not enough to read it. We must live it!
So What?
Do you want to be blessed? There’s something you can do about it! To experience God’s favor, you need to seek and follow Him. It’s not enough to say, “Bless me, LORD!” You need to spend time with Him, meditate on His Word, surround yourselves with others who will speak the truth in love and model a Jesus lifestyle. Garbage in, garbage out. Good stuff in, good stuff out!
The message today is quite simple, yet we’re so easily enticed by the lies of this world and miss the pathway to blessings. It’s ultimately about seeking and following the LORD. It’s about building your life around Jesus. It requires intentionality. We need to pay attention. The quality of our life and destiny begins with your roots. Your roots determine your fruits. Are you rooted in God and His Word?
Faithful God: Psalm 136, 7 July 2024
16 07 24
Faithful God: Psalm 136
Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: God’s faithful love endures forever!
We’re continuing concluding our series on the Psalms with a look at Psalm 136. We’re going to take it in sections, and I’d like you to stand and recite the refrain in each section. It is “His faithful love endures forever.”
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His faithful love endures forever. (Psalm 136:1-3, NLT)
We’re several months away from Thanksgiving, but this is a psalm of Thanksgiving, a song likely led by a Levitical song leader with responses from the choir. The refrain obviously speaks God’s faithful love and how it endures forever. That means even though this text was written about 2300 years ago, it is perfectly relevant since the message is literally timeless…forever. It has not only been sung and read today, but it was also a part of the dedication of Solomon’s Temple recorded in the book of 2 Chronicles.
When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple. 2 The priests could not enter the Temple of the LORD because the glorious presence of the LORD filled it. 3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire coming down and the glorious presence of the LORD filling the Temple, they fell face down on the ground and worshiped and praised the LORD, saying,
“He is good!
His faithful love endures forever!” (2 Chronicles 7:1-3, NLT)
Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices to the LORD. 5 King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. And so the king and all the people dedicated the Temple of God. 6 The priests took their assigned positions, and so did the Levites who were singing, “His faithful love endures forever!” They accompanied the singing with music from the instruments King David had made for praising the LORD. Across from the Levites, the priests blew the trumpets, while all Israel stood. (2 Chronicles 7:4-6, NLT)
Our God is good. He is the God of gods. He is the Lord of hosts. There’s no one like our God!
The theme is echoed again in chapter 20 of 2 Chronicles.
After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the LORD and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang:
“Give thanks to the LORD;
his faithful love endures forever!” (2 Chronicles 20:21, NLT)
Back to Psalm 136:
Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights—
His faithful love endures forever.
the sun to rule the day,
His faithful love endures forever.
and the moon and stars to rule the night.
His faithful love endures forever. (Psalm 136:4-9, NLT)
And you thought modern worship songs were repetitive! Our awesome God does mighty miracles. He made the heavens, the earth, the waters, the sun, the moon, and the stars. The recent eclipse caused moments of awe and wonder. That was just a glimpse of God showing off!
Now the psalmist recounts some of Israel’s history.
Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt.
His faithful love endures forever.
He brought Israel out of Egypt.
His faithful love endures forever.
He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea.
His faithful love endures forever.
He led Israel safely through,
His faithful love endures forever.
but he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness.
His faithful love endures forever. (Psalm 136:10-16, NLT)
We don’t like to talk about violence, but God always has good reasons for punishing those whose hearts are hard toward Him. He has a plan for all of our lives which we can choose to follow or fight. The only reason Heather and I are moving south is because we are choosing to follow (though I did a bit of fighting in the process, I must confess). The point is God was and is faithful to those who follow Him. Now we read some more history.
Give thanks to him who struck down mighty kings.
His faithful love endures forever.
He killed powerful kings—
His faithful love endures forever.
Sihon king of the Amorites,
His faithful love endures forever.
and Og king of Bashan.
His faithful love endures forever.
God gave the land of these kings as an inheritance—
His faithful love endures forever.
a special possession to his servant Israel.
His faithful love endures forever. (Psalm 136:17-22, NLT)
God is a deliverer. He did it for the enslaved in Egypt. He did it on the cross to liberate us from sin and death. He continues to bring freedom from addiction, sickness, and bondage today.
He remembered us in our weakness.
His faithful love endures forever.
He saved us from our enemies.
His faithful love endures forever.
He gives food to every living thing.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His faithful love endures forever. (Psalm 136:23-26, NLT)
What more can I say? This is our God. He invites us into a relationship with Himself and sends us on mission to restore His masterpieces…about 8 billion of them across the street and around the world. Family, I think it’s vital to briefly review why we’re here.
- Review Mission Statement
- Review Core Values
Closing Thoughts It might be cliche but appropriate to challenge you to go restore God’s masterpieces. That’s our mission as a church. How are you doing? How are we doing? I want to close by saying thank you. I love you, First Alliance family. You have blessed Heather and me in ways you cannot begin to understand.
I will cherish these years together and delight in knowing this is not goodbye, but simply “see you later.” We’re just 45 minutes down I-75!
I will continue to pray for you, your search for a new pastor, and my big four: Direction Protection Unity Passion LORD, may Your kingdom come and Your will be done at First Alliance as it is in heaven. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
The Blessing
Thank you, First Alliance! Shalom!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: God’s faithful love endures forever!
We’re continuing concluding our series on the Psalms with a look at Psalm 136. We’re going to take it in sections, and I’d like you to stand and recite the refrain in each section. It is “His faithful love endures forever.”
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His faithful love endures forever. (Psalm 136:1-3, NLT)
We’re several months away from Thanksgiving, but this is a psalm of Thanksgiving, a song likely led by a Levitical song leader with responses from the choir. The refrain obviously speaks God’s faithful love and how it endures forever. That means even though this text was written about 2300 years ago, it is perfectly relevant since the message is literally timeless…forever. It has not only been sung and read today, but it was also a part of the dedication of Solomon’s Temple recorded in the book of 2 Chronicles.
When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple. 2 The priests could not enter the Temple of the LORD because the glorious presence of the LORD filled it. 3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire coming down and the glorious presence of the LORD filling the Temple, they fell face down on the ground and worshiped and praised the LORD, saying,
“He is good!
His faithful love endures forever!” (2 Chronicles 7:1-3, NLT)
Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices to the LORD. 5 King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. And so the king and all the people dedicated the Temple of God. 6 The priests took their assigned positions, and so did the Levites who were singing, “His faithful love endures forever!” They accompanied the singing with music from the instruments King David had made for praising the LORD. Across from the Levites, the priests blew the trumpets, while all Israel stood. (2 Chronicles 7:4-6, NLT)
Our God is good. He is the God of gods. He is the Lord of hosts. There’s no one like our God!
The theme is echoed again in chapter 20 of 2 Chronicles.
After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the LORD and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang:
“Give thanks to the LORD;
his faithful love endures forever!” (2 Chronicles 20:21, NLT)
Back to Psalm 136:
Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights—
His faithful love endures forever.
the sun to rule the day,
His faithful love endures forever.
and the moon and stars to rule the night.
His faithful love endures forever. (Psalm 136:4-9, NLT)
And you thought modern worship songs were repetitive! Our awesome God does mighty miracles. He made the heavens, the earth, the waters, the sun, the moon, and the stars. The recent eclipse caused moments of awe and wonder. That was just a glimpse of God showing off!
Now the psalmist recounts some of Israel’s history.
Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt.
His faithful love endures forever.
He brought Israel out of Egypt.
His faithful love endures forever.
He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea.
His faithful love endures forever.
He led Israel safely through,
His faithful love endures forever.
but he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness.
His faithful love endures forever. (Psalm 136:10-16, NLT)
We don’t like to talk about violence, but God always has good reasons for punishing those whose hearts are hard toward Him. He has a plan for all of our lives which we can choose to follow or fight. The only reason Heather and I are moving south is because we are choosing to follow (though I did a bit of fighting in the process, I must confess). The point is God was and is faithful to those who follow Him. Now we read some more history.
Give thanks to him who struck down mighty kings.
His faithful love endures forever.
He killed powerful kings—
His faithful love endures forever.
Sihon king of the Amorites,
His faithful love endures forever.
and Og king of Bashan.
His faithful love endures forever.
God gave the land of these kings as an inheritance—
His faithful love endures forever.
a special possession to his servant Israel.
His faithful love endures forever. (Psalm 136:17-22, NLT)
God is a deliverer. He did it for the enslaved in Egypt. He did it on the cross to liberate us from sin and death. He continues to bring freedom from addiction, sickness, and bondage today.
He remembered us in our weakness.
His faithful love endures forever.
He saved us from our enemies.
His faithful love endures forever.
He gives food to every living thing.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His faithful love endures forever. (Psalm 136:23-26, NLT)
What more can I say? This is our God. He invites us into a relationship with Himself and sends us on mission to restore His masterpieces…about 8 billion of them across the street and around the world. Family, I think it’s vital to briefly review why we’re here.
- Review Mission Statement
- Review Core Values
Closing Thoughts It might be cliche but appropriate to challenge you to go restore God’s masterpieces. That’s our mission as a church. How are you doing? How are we doing? I want to close by saying thank you. I love you, First Alliance family. You have blessed Heather and me in ways you cannot begin to understand.
I will cherish these years together and delight in knowing this is not goodbye, but simply “see you later.” We’re just 45 minutes down I-75!
I will continue to pray for you, your search for a new pastor, and my big four: Direction Protection Unity Passion LORD, may Your kingdom come and Your will be done at First Alliance as it is in heaven. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
The Blessing
Thank you, First Alliance! Shalom!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Good, Good Father: Psalm 103, 16 June 2024
17 06 24
Good, Good Father: Psalm 103
Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: The LORD is a good, good Father to those who love and fear Him.
Several years ago, I shared about my dad’s funeral. It was one of the greatest days of my life, which may sound strange, but it was a tremendous honor to celebrate the life of the greatest man I ever knew, a life which was slowly extinguished through Lewy body dementia. Dad was not perfect, but he pointed me to the One who is, and on this Father’s Day in the middle of a series on the Psalms, it seems appropriate to examine Psalm 103 and what is written about our good, good Father.
Happy Father’s Day. I realize for many, it’s not. Death, abuse, or abandonment are but three reasons you might be struggling today as a dad or the child of a dad. Calling God “Father” is challenging for some who are triggered by the mention of dad rather than comforted by the word. If that’s you, I want to draw your attention to the truth of our heavenly Father and let that be your starting point rather than trying to associate God with your earthly one. It’s worth noting there are 22 verses in this psalm, corresponding with the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Charles Haddon Spurgeon said of Psalm 103, “There is too much in this Psalm for a thousand pens to write about.”
Psalm 103 begins with praise, much as our morning did today
Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. (Psalm 103:1, NLT)
God is worthy of our praise, our worship, our attention…all of it! Have you ever given someone your divided attention? I’m not a big fan of the telephone because I’m sometimes tempted to be multi-tasking…checking an e-mail, looking out the window, or surfing the Internet. If I have to look at you on a screen or face-to-face, I’m more likely to give you all of my attention.
That’s what God wants…all of us. All of our praise. Our whole heart. He’s holy and worthy. He deserves it!
In the past few years, we’ve seen the popularity of Taylor Swift skyrocket, with countless Swifties captivated by seemingly everything she says, does, and sings. They praise her with thunderous applause after each song. They spend millions of dollars on tickets, t-shirts, and recordings. She fills their thoughts, and perhaps even their dreams. One church even devoted a Sunday to her faith-filled lyrics and 1200 people showed up…and this is in Germany!
I’m not here to promote or critique Taylor Swift, but she’s a singer. How much more should we praise the LORD?!
Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me. (Psalm 103:2, NLT)
All that I am. What good things has He done for you? Tell someone now. If you needed help, here’s some ideas:
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! (Psalm 103:3-5, NLT)
That’s Someone worth praising and adoring! He forgives, heals, redeems or delivers, crowns, loves, fills, and renews. Hallelujah!
The LORD gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly. (Psalm 103:6, NLT)
Let’s pause for a moment and meditate on that verse. How does it make you feel? It gives me hope for those experiencing injustice. Think of a time when you were treated unfairly. It’s a helpless, angering thing. But God sees. He sees you today. Take comfort. Obviously, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t help the oppressed—quite the opposite—but God will right all wrongs…someday…maybe in this life, maybe in the next. He is a good Father. He loves His children. It doesn’t mean they always get what they want when they want it, but in the end, justice will be served.
He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel. (Psalm 103:7, NLT)
It’s impossible to overstate the work of God through the Exodus. He called Moses to lead the people out of Egyptian slavery and provided for them during their forty-year journey of disobedience and grumbling in the wilderness. This included parting the Red Sea, feeding them manna, and sending quail before bringing them to the Promised Land of Canaan.
The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. (Psalm 103:8, NLT)
God does get angry, and anger is not a sin. It’s a primary emotion which can result in sinful or righteous behavior. We should get angry about things like child abuse and sex trafficking. Tragically, many fathers are not compassionate, merciful, or loving, instead quick to get angry, but not our Heavenly Dad. He’s the perfect example for us earthly dads. These words weren’t David’s idea, but quoted from God Himself in Exodus 34:6
The LORD passed in front of Moses, calling out,
“Yahweh! The LORD!
The God of compassion and mercy!
I am slow to anger
and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. (Exodus 34:6, NLT)
At least nine times in the. Bible we’re told God is slow to anger. Aren’t you glad? I believe there are two common extremes when it comes to God the Father. The first is that He’s an old, weak creature in the sky who is asleep, distracted, or just plain disinterested in us. Because our prayers are not always answered in vending-machine style, people assume He doesn’t care. The other extreme is angry God, mean God, out-to-get-you God who is waiting for one slip up so He can zap you and make your life miserable. Both are destructive images of God.
What God wants more than anything is you! All of you. He wants your heart, soul, mind, and body. He wants your love, time, and worship. It’s not about manipulation, ego, or insecurity but relationship. He sometimes uses trials and suffering to get our attention, to get our minds off ourselves and onto Him, to remind us of His presence, power, and love.
He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. (Psalm 103:9-12, NLT)
It seems to me there are some Christians who love to emphasis God’s wrath and judgment. The other extreme—that He’s just a nice Mr. Rogers figure who is aloof and always gentle—is damaging, too, but look at these beautiful truths. God never changes. These words were true thousands of years ago and they’re true today. He backed them up by sending Jesus to die in our place, to forgive our sins, to reconcile us to our heavenly Father. In fact, I believe one of the primary reasons God hates sin is simply because he knows it always hurts us. When a loving parent says to a child, “Don’t touch the hot stove,” it’s not about them having power or being offended by the action, but rather they don’t want to see their child suffer.
Does God hate sin? Yes, because God hates to see His kids suffer, and sin inevitably leads to death of one kind or another.
Now we come to our scripture reading text, our Father’s Day passage, if you will. We’ve seen God’s compassion on His sinning people and now we turn to God’s compassion on His weak and frail children.
The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. (Psalm 103:13-15, NLT)
The LORD is a good, good Father!
The wind blows, and we are gone—as though we had never been here. But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments! (Psalm 103:16-18, NLT)
The LORD has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything. (Psalm 103:19, NLT)
Praise the LORD, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Yes, praise the LORD, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will! (Psalm 103:20-21, NLT)
Praise the LORD, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom.
Let all that I am praise the LORD. (Psalm 103:22, NLT)
We were created to know and praise the LORD.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: The LORD is a good, good Father to those who love and fear Him.
Several years ago, I shared about my dad’s funeral. It was one of the greatest days of my life, which may sound strange, but it was a tremendous honor to celebrate the life of the greatest man I ever knew, a life which was slowly extinguished through Lewy body dementia. Dad was not perfect, but he pointed me to the One who is, and on this Father’s Day in the middle of a series on the Psalms, it seems appropriate to examine Psalm 103 and what is written about our good, good Father.
Happy Father’s Day. I realize for many, it’s not. Death, abuse, or abandonment are but three reasons you might be struggling today as a dad or the child of a dad. Calling God “Father” is challenging for some who are triggered by the mention of dad rather than comforted by the word. If that’s you, I want to draw your attention to the truth of our heavenly Father and let that be your starting point rather than trying to associate God with your earthly one. It’s worth noting there are 22 verses in this psalm, corresponding with the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Charles Haddon Spurgeon said of Psalm 103, “There is too much in this Psalm for a thousand pens to write about.”
Psalm 103 begins with praise, much as our morning did today
Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. (Psalm 103:1, NLT)
God is worthy of our praise, our worship, our attention…all of it! Have you ever given someone your divided attention? I’m not a big fan of the telephone because I’m sometimes tempted to be multi-tasking…checking an e-mail, looking out the window, or surfing the Internet. If I have to look at you on a screen or face-to-face, I’m more likely to give you all of my attention.
That’s what God wants…all of us. All of our praise. Our whole heart. He’s holy and worthy. He deserves it!
In the past few years, we’ve seen the popularity of Taylor Swift skyrocket, with countless Swifties captivated by seemingly everything she says, does, and sings. They praise her with thunderous applause after each song. They spend millions of dollars on tickets, t-shirts, and recordings. She fills their thoughts, and perhaps even their dreams. One church even devoted a Sunday to her faith-filled lyrics and 1200 people showed up…and this is in Germany!
I’m not here to promote or critique Taylor Swift, but she’s a singer. How much more should we praise the LORD?!
Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me. (Psalm 103:2, NLT)
All that I am. What good things has He done for you? Tell someone now. If you needed help, here’s some ideas:
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! (Psalm 103:3-5, NLT)
That’s Someone worth praising and adoring! He forgives, heals, redeems or delivers, crowns, loves, fills, and renews. Hallelujah!
The LORD gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly. (Psalm 103:6, NLT)
Let’s pause for a moment and meditate on that verse. How does it make you feel? It gives me hope for those experiencing injustice. Think of a time when you were treated unfairly. It’s a helpless, angering thing. But God sees. He sees you today. Take comfort. Obviously, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t help the oppressed—quite the opposite—but God will right all wrongs…someday…maybe in this life, maybe in the next. He is a good Father. He loves His children. It doesn’t mean they always get what they want when they want it, but in the end, justice will be served.
He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel. (Psalm 103:7, NLT)
It’s impossible to overstate the work of God through the Exodus. He called Moses to lead the people out of Egyptian slavery and provided for them during their forty-year journey of disobedience and grumbling in the wilderness. This included parting the Red Sea, feeding them manna, and sending quail before bringing them to the Promised Land of Canaan.
The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. (Psalm 103:8, NLT)
God does get angry, and anger is not a sin. It’s a primary emotion which can result in sinful or righteous behavior. We should get angry about things like child abuse and sex trafficking. Tragically, many fathers are not compassionate, merciful, or loving, instead quick to get angry, but not our Heavenly Dad. He’s the perfect example for us earthly dads. These words weren’t David’s idea, but quoted from God Himself in Exodus 34:6
The LORD passed in front of Moses, calling out,
“Yahweh! The LORD!
The God of compassion and mercy!
I am slow to anger
and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. (Exodus 34:6, NLT)
At least nine times in the. Bible we’re told God is slow to anger. Aren’t you glad? I believe there are two common extremes when it comes to God the Father. The first is that He’s an old, weak creature in the sky who is asleep, distracted, or just plain disinterested in us. Because our prayers are not always answered in vending-machine style, people assume He doesn’t care. The other extreme is angry God, mean God, out-to-get-you God who is waiting for one slip up so He can zap you and make your life miserable. Both are destructive images of God.
What God wants more than anything is you! All of you. He wants your heart, soul, mind, and body. He wants your love, time, and worship. It’s not about manipulation, ego, or insecurity but relationship. He sometimes uses trials and suffering to get our attention, to get our minds off ourselves and onto Him, to remind us of His presence, power, and love.
He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. (Psalm 103:9-12, NLT)
It seems to me there are some Christians who love to emphasis God’s wrath and judgment. The other extreme—that He’s just a nice Mr. Rogers figure who is aloof and always gentle—is damaging, too, but look at these beautiful truths. God never changes. These words were true thousands of years ago and they’re true today. He backed them up by sending Jesus to die in our place, to forgive our sins, to reconcile us to our heavenly Father. In fact, I believe one of the primary reasons God hates sin is simply because he knows it always hurts us. When a loving parent says to a child, “Don’t touch the hot stove,” it’s not about them having power or being offended by the action, but rather they don’t want to see their child suffer.
Does God hate sin? Yes, because God hates to see His kids suffer, and sin inevitably leads to death of one kind or another.
Now we come to our scripture reading text, our Father’s Day passage, if you will. We’ve seen God’s compassion on His sinning people and now we turn to God’s compassion on His weak and frail children.
The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. (Psalm 103:13-15, NLT)
The LORD is a good, good Father!
The wind blows, and we are gone—as though we had never been here. But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments! (Psalm 103:16-18, NLT)
The LORD has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything. (Psalm 103:19, NLT)
Praise the LORD, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Yes, praise the LORD, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will! (Psalm 103:20-21, NLT)
Praise the LORD, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom.
Let all that I am praise the LORD. (Psalm 103:22, NLT)
We were created to know and praise the LORD.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The Crimson Worm: Psalm 22, 9 June 2024
10 06 24
The Crimson Worm: Psalm 22
Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: Psalm 22 is a remarkable portrait of the suffering Messiah centuries before his birth who is worthy of our worship and praise today.
On Friday, September 22, 2006, I was in one of the darkest moments of my life, living in a hospital with a sick child at the beginning of what would be a nine-year journey of pain and suffering, one which still impacts my life and family to this day in both good and tragic ways. My journal records me clinging to God, knowing that He is good and faithful and in control, and I was certainly out of control. Rather than play Bible Roulette and hope some inspiring scripture would appear as I randomly opened the book, I looked at the date, saw it was September 22, and turned to Psalm 22. I could hardly get beyond the first verse.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? (Psalm 22:1, NIV)
I shared this story several years ago, but as we continue our series on the Psalms, I wanted to return to this prophetic text which literally made me weep. Perhaps the words are familiar, not from the pen of King David, but the lips of King Jesus. The scene is the crucifixion of Jesus on the day we call Good Friday. He is hanging on the cross, nails in his wrists and feet, thorns on his head, and agony in his heart, body, and soul.
At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). (Mark 15:33-34, NIV)
Some might think my connection to these words had to do with my suffering, but instead it thrust me into an empathy with God the Father like never before. My child—and God’s son—were in tremendous agony, but they were not alone in their pain. It’s been said the worst thing a human can do is bury their child. One of the things near the top is parenting a suffering child.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? (Psalm 22:1, NIV)
Jesus knew the scriptures and quoted them from the cross. Psalm 22—like the rest of the psalms—was originally a song. We’re even told about the music.
For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David. (Psalm 22:0)
I wish I could hum the tune for you, but David failed to record it!
Jesus quoted the first verse of Psalm 22 on the cross, but we never need to fear about God forsaking us. The writer of Hebrews said,
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5, NIV)
That’s good news. That’s great news! When you’re hurting, lonely, afraid, rejected, anxious, discouraged, depressed, disappointed, or just sad, cling to this promise. A few psalms later, it says,
For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. (Psalm 37:28a, NIV)
God will not forsake you…ever. David felt forsaken by God, but it was never a reality.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish? (Psalm 22:1, NIV)
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest. (Psalm 22:2, NIV)
How many of you can relate to sleepless nights? It’s not just a new parent thing!
Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises. (Psalm 22:3, NIV)
I love how David shifts gears. This is common in his prayers and psalms. He’ll go from one extreme to the other, angry and then confident, depressed then hopeful. I think begins looking inward at his own circumstances and then looks up. Don’t miss this, though…we can pour out our heart to God.
I think this is one reason why David is called a man after God’s own heart…twice. He kept it real. He didn’t wear a mask or pretend everything was ok. He was fully present in the moment, honest about his God-given emotions, and held nothing back, but he didn’t remain in his misery. After getting things off his chest, he looked up to God and remembered his conversation partner.
Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises. (Psalm 22:3, NIV)
This is our God!
In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame. (Psalm 22:4-5, NIV)
We can trust God fully. I’m so glad. From generation to generation, God is faithful. He is trustworthy, and He’s the same God today as He was thousands of years ago when this was written.
Now David shifts again, this time returning to himself.
But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads. (Psalm 22:6-7, NIV)
I am a worm. What an interesting statement. We’ve already seen the prophetic nature of this psalm with echoes of Jesus on the cross.
What’s fascinating here is found in the original Hebrew language. A common worm or maggot is “rimmah,” but here the word for “worm” is “towla” or “tola’ath,” referencing a specific, crimson worm found in Israel. It’s actually a deep scarlet, the color of blood.
I heard a podcast about this crimson worm and almost drove my car off the road! A red dye was extracted from this worm, used for the curtains in the Tabernacle (Exodus 26:1) and the high priest’s garments. The dye was also used to purify a leper (Lev. 14:4-6). Listen to this:
When the female crimson worm is ready to lay her eggs, which happens only once in her life, she climbs up a tree or fence and attaches herself to it. With her body attached to the wooden tree, a hard crimson shell forms. It is a shell so hard and so secured to the wood that it can only be removed by tearing apart the body, which would kill the worm.
The female worm lays her eggs under her body, under the protective shell. When the larvae hatch, they remain under the mother’s protective shell so the baby worms can feed on the living body of the mother worm for three days. After three days, the mother worm dies, and her body excretes a crimson or scarlet dye that stains the wood to which she is attached and her baby worms. The baby worms remain crimson-colored for their entire lives. Thereby, they are identified as crimson worms.
On day four, the tail of the mother worm pulls up into her head, forming a heart-shaped body that is no longer crimson but has turned into a snow-white wax that looks like a patch of wool on the tree or fence. It then begins to flake off and drop to the ground looking like snow.
Isaiah 1:18 says,
“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool. (Isaiah 1:18, NIV)
Is that crazy or what? This is a picture of Jesus, dying on a tree to save us. Three days. Death. Heart-shaped body. Snow white…
500-1000 years before Jesus is crucified King David references a crimson worm with prophetic language. Amazing! Let’s return to the text:
“He trusts in the LORD,” they say,
“let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.” (Psalm 22:8, NIV)
Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
From birth I was cast on you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God. (Psalm 22:9-10, NIV)
David praises the LORD for His deliverance. He trusts God, even in the midst of trials.
Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help. (Psalm 22:11, NIV)
Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. (Psalm 22:12, NIV)
Roaring lions that tear their prey
open their mouths wide against me. (Psalm 22:13, NIV)
Yikes!
I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted within me. (Psalm 22:14, NIV)
My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death. (Psalm 22:15, NIV)
Have you ever felt like this?
Dogs surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce my hands and my feet. (Psalm 22:16, NIV)
Did you catch that reference to Jesus’ crucifixion?
All my bones are on display;
people stare and gloat over me. (Psalm 22:17, NIV)
They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment. (Psalm 22:18, NIV)
This happened to Jesus in John 19:24. This is a bleak picture that shifts yet again.
But you, LORD, do not be far from me.
You are my strength; come quickly to help me. (Psalm 22:19, NIV)
Deliver me from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs. (Psalm 22:20, NIV)
Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save me from the horns of the wild oxen. (Psalm 22:21, NIV)
I will declare your name to my people;
in the assembly I will praise you. (Psalm 22:22, NIV)
You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! (Psalm 22:23, NIV)
For he has not despised or scorned
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22:24, NIV)
God always hears His children. It’s hard to understand why He sometimes seems distant or even sleeping, but He will never forsake you. In the midst of your darkest suffering, He is present. And He understands.
Jesus knows suffering. He lived a perfect life, yet he was executed by that which he created.
From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows. (Psalm 22:25, NIV)
There are a few more verses.
The poor will eat and be satisfied;
those who seek the LORD will praise him—
may your hearts live forever! (Psalm 22:26, NIV)
All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
for dominion belongs to the LORD
and he rules over the nations. (Psalm 22:27-28, NIV)
All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive. (Psalm 22:29, NIV)
Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord. (Psalm 22:30, NIV)
They will proclaim his righteousness,
declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it! (Psalm 22:31, NIV)
Hallelujah!
So What?
The Bible is filled with prophecy, including over 300 Old Testament references that foreshadow Jesus hundreds of years before his birth. The crimson worm is an incredible symbol of Christ and his work on the cross to die for our sins and reconcile us to the Father. We see David’s gut-wrenching honesty followed by praise to the Almighty. Ultimately we see the LORD reigns over all and is worthy of our worship and devotion.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: Psalm 22 is a remarkable portrait of the suffering Messiah centuries before his birth who is worthy of our worship and praise today.
On Friday, September 22, 2006, I was in one of the darkest moments of my life, living in a hospital with a sick child at the beginning of what would be a nine-year journey of pain and suffering, one which still impacts my life and family to this day in both good and tragic ways. My journal records me clinging to God, knowing that He is good and faithful and in control, and I was certainly out of control. Rather than play Bible Roulette and hope some inspiring scripture would appear as I randomly opened the book, I looked at the date, saw it was September 22, and turned to Psalm 22. I could hardly get beyond the first verse.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? (Psalm 22:1, NIV)
I shared this story several years ago, but as we continue our series on the Psalms, I wanted to return to this prophetic text which literally made me weep. Perhaps the words are familiar, not from the pen of King David, but the lips of King Jesus. The scene is the crucifixion of Jesus on the day we call Good Friday. He is hanging on the cross, nails in his wrists and feet, thorns on his head, and agony in his heart, body, and soul.
At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). (Mark 15:33-34, NIV)
Some might think my connection to these words had to do with my suffering, but instead it thrust me into an empathy with God the Father like never before. My child—and God’s son—were in tremendous agony, but they were not alone in their pain. It’s been said the worst thing a human can do is bury their child. One of the things near the top is parenting a suffering child.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? (Psalm 22:1, NIV)
Jesus knew the scriptures and quoted them from the cross. Psalm 22—like the rest of the psalms—was originally a song. We’re even told about the music.
For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David. (Psalm 22:0)
I wish I could hum the tune for you, but David failed to record it!
Jesus quoted the first verse of Psalm 22 on the cross, but we never need to fear about God forsaking us. The writer of Hebrews said,
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5, NIV)
That’s good news. That’s great news! When you’re hurting, lonely, afraid, rejected, anxious, discouraged, depressed, disappointed, or just sad, cling to this promise. A few psalms later, it says,
For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. (Psalm 37:28a, NIV)
God will not forsake you…ever. David felt forsaken by God, but it was never a reality.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish? (Psalm 22:1, NIV)
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest. (Psalm 22:2, NIV)
How many of you can relate to sleepless nights? It’s not just a new parent thing!
Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises. (Psalm 22:3, NIV)
I love how David shifts gears. This is common in his prayers and psalms. He’ll go from one extreme to the other, angry and then confident, depressed then hopeful. I think begins looking inward at his own circumstances and then looks up. Don’t miss this, though…we can pour out our heart to God.
I think this is one reason why David is called a man after God’s own heart…twice. He kept it real. He didn’t wear a mask or pretend everything was ok. He was fully present in the moment, honest about his God-given emotions, and held nothing back, but he didn’t remain in his misery. After getting things off his chest, he looked up to God and remembered his conversation partner.
Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises. (Psalm 22:3, NIV)
This is our God!
In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame. (Psalm 22:4-5, NIV)
We can trust God fully. I’m so glad. From generation to generation, God is faithful. He is trustworthy, and He’s the same God today as He was thousands of years ago when this was written.
Now David shifts again, this time returning to himself.
But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads. (Psalm 22:6-7, NIV)
I am a worm. What an interesting statement. We’ve already seen the prophetic nature of this psalm with echoes of Jesus on the cross.
What’s fascinating here is found in the original Hebrew language. A common worm or maggot is “rimmah,” but here the word for “worm” is “towla” or “tola’ath,” referencing a specific, crimson worm found in Israel. It’s actually a deep scarlet, the color of blood.
I heard a podcast about this crimson worm and almost drove my car off the road! A red dye was extracted from this worm, used for the curtains in the Tabernacle (Exodus 26:1) and the high priest’s garments. The dye was also used to purify a leper (Lev. 14:4-6). Listen to this:
When the female crimson worm is ready to lay her eggs, which happens only once in her life, she climbs up a tree or fence and attaches herself to it. With her body attached to the wooden tree, a hard crimson shell forms. It is a shell so hard and so secured to the wood that it can only be removed by tearing apart the body, which would kill the worm.
The female worm lays her eggs under her body, under the protective shell. When the larvae hatch, they remain under the mother’s protective shell so the baby worms can feed on the living body of the mother worm for three days. After three days, the mother worm dies, and her body excretes a crimson or scarlet dye that stains the wood to which she is attached and her baby worms. The baby worms remain crimson-colored for their entire lives. Thereby, they are identified as crimson worms.
On day four, the tail of the mother worm pulls up into her head, forming a heart-shaped body that is no longer crimson but has turned into a snow-white wax that looks like a patch of wool on the tree or fence. It then begins to flake off and drop to the ground looking like snow.
Isaiah 1:18 says,
“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool. (Isaiah 1:18, NIV)
Is that crazy or what? This is a picture of Jesus, dying on a tree to save us. Three days. Death. Heart-shaped body. Snow white…
500-1000 years before Jesus is crucified King David references a crimson worm with prophetic language. Amazing! Let’s return to the text:
“He trusts in the LORD,” they say,
“let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.” (Psalm 22:8, NIV)
Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
From birth I was cast on you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God. (Psalm 22:9-10, NIV)
David praises the LORD for His deliverance. He trusts God, even in the midst of trials.
Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help. (Psalm 22:11, NIV)
Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. (Psalm 22:12, NIV)
Roaring lions that tear their prey
open their mouths wide against me. (Psalm 22:13, NIV)
Yikes!
I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted within me. (Psalm 22:14, NIV)
My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death. (Psalm 22:15, NIV)
Have you ever felt like this?
Dogs surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce my hands and my feet. (Psalm 22:16, NIV)
Did you catch that reference to Jesus’ crucifixion?
All my bones are on display;
people stare and gloat over me. (Psalm 22:17, NIV)
They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment. (Psalm 22:18, NIV)
This happened to Jesus in John 19:24. This is a bleak picture that shifts yet again.
But you, LORD, do not be far from me.
You are my strength; come quickly to help me. (Psalm 22:19, NIV)
Deliver me from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs. (Psalm 22:20, NIV)
Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save me from the horns of the wild oxen. (Psalm 22:21, NIV)
I will declare your name to my people;
in the assembly I will praise you. (Psalm 22:22, NIV)
You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! (Psalm 22:23, NIV)
For he has not despised or scorned
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22:24, NIV)
God always hears His children. It’s hard to understand why He sometimes seems distant or even sleeping, but He will never forsake you. In the midst of your darkest suffering, He is present. And He understands.
Jesus knows suffering. He lived a perfect life, yet he was executed by that which he created.
From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows. (Psalm 22:25, NIV)
There are a few more verses.
The poor will eat and be satisfied;
those who seek the LORD will praise him—
may your hearts live forever! (Psalm 22:26, NIV)
All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
for dominion belongs to the LORD
and he rules over the nations. (Psalm 22:27-28, NIV)
All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive. (Psalm 22:29, NIV)
Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord. (Psalm 22:30, NIV)
They will proclaim his righteousness,
declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it! (Psalm 22:31, NIV)
Hallelujah!
So What?
The Bible is filled with prophecy, including over 300 Old Testament references that foreshadow Jesus hundreds of years before his birth. The crimson worm is an incredible symbol of Christ and his work on the cross to die for our sins and reconcile us to the Father. We see David’s gut-wrenching honesty followed by praise to the Almighty. Ultimately we see the LORD reigns over all and is worthy of our worship and devotion.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Choosing Your Next Chapter, 19 May 2024
22 05 24
Choosing Your Next Chapter
Ruth: Finding God in the Ordinary
Ruth 4:1-12
Series Big Idea: God does extraordinary things in and through the ordinary.
Big Idea: Today’s decisions will determine tomorrow’s stories.
Today is the first day of the rest of your life! Isn’t that exciting? What are you going to do about it? If you’re like most people, you live moment to moment, day to day, hoping something will magically interrupt your routine and change your life. Unfortunately, life is filled with interruptions, but not always the “you’ve won a new car” or “you’re up for a promotion” or “we’re pregnant” kind.
Whether you know it or not, you and I are creating the future…every day. Today’s decisions will determine tomorrow’s stories. Our character and actions matter.
Nobody wakes up one morning and suddenly realizes they are a college graduate! There is a long process of application, registration, classes, and exams over several years which lead to a diploma.
Nobody wakes up one morning and suddenly realizes they are in great physical shape. There is a long process of visits to the fitness club, time on the treadmill, and weightlifting.
Nobody wakes up one morning and suddenly realizes they have a great marriage, respectful kids, and beautiful grandchildren. There is a long process of dating, sacrifice, sleepless nights, dirty diapers, and parent/teacher conferences, among other things!
We’re in the final chapter of the book of Ruth, a short yet powerful story of two widows and a man who God uses to bless one another and—ultimately—change the world. At the end of their lives, they had no idea how God would use their kindness and decisions to impact the future of human civilization…literally.
This book is filled with hesed…kindness, blessings done by and to all three characters. Hesed is a Hebrew word. I wish there was an English word that was more accurate than kindness or blessing, but it’s a beautiful thing done by and to humans…and God.
Naomi and her husband are from Bethlehem. A famine comes and they move to Moab, likely searching for food and a better way of life. Naomi’s husband and two sons die, leaving Naomi alive with her two daughters-in-law. She tells them to return to their families of origin. One does, but Ruth refuses, instead committing herself to Naomi. The two widows go to Bethlehem where Ruth gleans in the fields of a man named Boaz in hopes of avoiding starvation. Boaz hears about Ruth’s kindness and commitment toward Naomi and shows kindness to Ruth, including access to an abundance of food. Naomi instructs Ruth to essentially propose to Boaz, an act viewed by Boaz as kindness. He is very interested in marrying her, but according to the law, the closest male relative had the primary responsibility to marry a widow, and it wasn’t Boaz.
Boaz went to the town gate and took a seat there. (Ruth 4:1a, NLT)
Toledo doesn’t have a town gate, at least not one of which I’m aware. Back in the day, the city gate was the center of life, where all important business was done. Perhaps it was like our city hall…One Government Center…or even Franklin Park Mall before Amazon! The difference was almost everyone passed through the gate twice a day on their way to and from the fields.
When someone was praised in the gates, it was a sign they were being honored by the community. The woman in Proverbs 31 is one example.
Just then the family redeemer he had mentioned came by, so Boaz called out to him, “Come over here and sit down, friend. I want to talk to you.” So they sat down together. 2 Then Boaz called ten leaders from the town and asked them to sit as witnesses. 3 And Boaz said to the family redeemer, “You know Naomi, who came back from Moab. She is selling the land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. (Ruth 4:1b-3, NLT)
The South Asia Bible Commentary offers this helpful background:
Elimelek’s land would have been sold to someone outside the family when they left Bethlehem. When Naomi returned with Ruth, she probably did not have the means to reclaim it. So Naomi had land over which she had historical claim, but no actual ownership (an all-too-familiar situation in South Asia). The only way for her to get the land back was for it to be restored in the Year of Jubilee or redeemed by a kinsman-redeemer prepared to pay the full price.
I thought I should speak to you about it so that you can redeem it if you wish. If you want the land, then buy it here in the presence of these witnesses. But if you don’t want it, let me know right away, because I am next in line to redeem it after you.”
The man replied, “All right, I’ll redeem it.” (Ruth 4:4, NLT)
Deal! But there’s a catch to this land.
Then Boaz told him, “Of course, your purchase of the land from Naomi also requires that you marry Ruth, the Moabite widow. That way she can have children who will carry on her husband’s name and keep the land in the family.” (Ruth 4:5, NLT)
Land for sale…wife included! Of course! For some, this might be a bonus, but evidently this man said, “No deal.”
“Then I can’t redeem it,” the family redeemer replied, “because this might endanger my own estate. You redeem the land; I cannot do it.” (Ruth 4:6, NLT)
This deal would jeopardize his kids’ inheritance…we don’t know about the wife part, but he rejects the offer. His own kids would not get to inherit the land, something which might not make complete sense to us in our culture, but it was a big deal.
Now in those days it was the custom in Israel for anyone transferring a right of purchase to remove his sandal and hand it to the other party. This publicly validated the transaction. 8 So the other family redeemer drew off his sandal as he said to Boaz, “You buy the land.” (Ruth 4:7-8, NLT)
There were no notary publics or title companies, but they had their own ways of doing real estate transactions. It’s interesting that we never know the name of the man who had the first right of refusal. He’s the rightful heir to the land, yet he declines.
Then Boaz said to the elders and to the crowd standing around, “You are witnesses that today I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, Kilion, and Mahlon. 10 And with the land I have acquired Ruth, the Moabite widow of Mahlon, to be my wife. This way she can have a son to carry on the family name of her dead husband and to inherit the family property here in his hometown. You are all witnesses today.” (Ruth 4:9-10, NLT)
Boaz is a good man. He was respected in the community as was his family. He was a direct descendant of one of Israel’s greatest leaders, Nahshon. He wants to preserve the name of Naomi’s husband and relatives. He didn’t need more land. He didn’t need more power. His concern was for Ruth, not the land. His act seems to be one of generosity and kindness. Remember, Ruth was barren with her first husband who died, so talk of a son is wishful thinking or pure faith. Contrary to those who see Boaz as the hero of the story, he’s not. God is. Throughout this short book we’ve been introduced to Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz. They are an unlikely trinity God uses—each in a unique way—to execute His will, His plan, His purposes. But I love this move on the part of Boaz. He’s concerned not about himself, but saving the family of Elimelech, Naomi’s late husband. Jesus said,
`
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. (Matthew 16:25, NIV).
The Kingdom of God is an upside kingdom as I said on Resurrection Sunday. Blessings—God’s kindness, His “hesed” to use the Hebrew word without a clear English equivalent—often follow selfless acts.
When is the last time you sacrificed for another person? When did you stand up to injustice and defend the weak, the widow, the stranger, the orphan? When did you last take a faith-filled risk and do something that cost you something, that got you out of your comfort zone, that involved losing your life for God or another?
As I said, this book is filled with hesed…kindness, blessings done by and to all three characters. So much of this scene is not about any of them, but rather Elimelech and his legacy. Instead of merely starting a family, Boaz and Ruth will rescue a family. These three image bearers join God in saving the world, and we’re invited into that same mission. But it is rarely easy. It’s certainly not safe. But it’s worth it.
Do you remember the gate at the beginning of the chapter, the center of community life?
Then the elders and all the people standing in the gate replied, “We are witnesses! May the LORD make this woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, from whom all the nation of Israel descended! May you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12 And may the LORD give you descendants by this young woman who will be like those of our ancestor Perez, the son of Tamar and Judah.” (Ruth 4:11-12, NLT)
Author Carolyn Custis James notes,
Bethlehemites pray that, like Rachel and Leah, Ruth will be a nation builder too. More significantly, they connect Ruth to Tamar,1 the revered mother of their tribe. She and Ruth have a lot in common. Both were foreigners who married Israelite men. Both are widowed (Tamar twice) and exhibit deep familial loyalty by courageously breaking with social protocol (an understatement in Tamar’s case) to rescue their deceased husbands from extinction. As with Ruth, Tamar’s righteous actions had a profound spiritual impact on a man. She pulled her father-in-law, Judah, out of a spiritual ditch and back on the solid path, where he thereafter lived as a true son of Yahweh. Tamar was the mother of Perez, from whom Elimelech, Boaz, Mr. No-Name, and other Bethlehemites descended…Ruth’s family surpasses the glories of Perez…
But that’s for next week! Here’s a hint: Bethlehem!
So What?
Throughout the book of Ruth, we see examples of providence…the protective care of God. There are some who live life as if it all depends upon God and we’re just pawns who can do nothing to change the future…or even the present. After all, God is sovereign and in control of all things, so we should sit back and watch (although some of these people might make voting an exception!). Others—obviously atheists and agnostics are included—believe it all depends upon humans. We make the messes and we have to clean them up. Carolyn Custis James writes,
one of the central tenets of providence — concurrence — which is the fact that the “God in whom we confess faith invites us to participate with him in the completion of his program for the world.” His preferred method of getting things done is to work through his image bearers. We aren’t spectators to what God is doing in the world, but participants. Right from the beginning and still today, he is fulfilling his great plan for the world through our actions and efforts. It may come as a surprise to some, but providence is one of the strongest incentives God could give us for bold, vigorous activism.
I love that! We’ve been invited by Almighty God to co-create, to co-labor, to do life with God for the sake of the world. For example, when you pray, “LORD, please feed the starving children,” perhaps God is saying the same thing to us! We can sponsor a child with Compassion, International. We can serve food at Cherry Street’s Mac Café. We can foster or adopt a child and end food scarcity for one young life.
The book of Ruth is a story about God, but also Naomi and Ruth and Boaz. It’s almost as if God wrote the script and they are the actors on stage. You need both!
Today’s decisions will determine tomorrow’s stories. Every day we make choices which will impact ourselves…and others. Often we fail to see the influence we have, and perhaps that influence will not be known until after we die. What kind of legacy are you living and leaving?
This is a great moment to remind you of the importance of a will. Many people don’t have one, and if you have more than one dollar in the bank, it’s probably a good idea to get one. Our “give” page on the church website has some resources. Imagine the legacy you could leave if you left some of your wealth to the Alliance Great Commission Fund to support International Workers for decades to come. How different would First Alliance be if your passing could help fund a Dream Center where kids could meet Jesus and shoot hoops instead of guns. Wouldn’t it be great if people approach you in heaven and tell stories of how your generosity led to them to be there with you?
Those are but a few financial examples, but the same can be said of our time, talents, love, and kindness. Our world is desperate for hope, and we’re called to be hope dealers. Our world is desperate for love, and we are to be known for our love. Our world is desperate for relationships, and we were created for community.
Today’s decisions will determine tomorrow’s stories. What do you want that story to be?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Ruth: Finding God in the Ordinary
Ruth 4:1-12
Series Big Idea: God does extraordinary things in and through the ordinary.
Big Idea: Today’s decisions will determine tomorrow’s stories.
Today is the first day of the rest of your life! Isn’t that exciting? What are you going to do about it? If you’re like most people, you live moment to moment, day to day, hoping something will magically interrupt your routine and change your life. Unfortunately, life is filled with interruptions, but not always the “you’ve won a new car” or “you’re up for a promotion” or “we’re pregnant” kind.
Whether you know it or not, you and I are creating the future…every day. Today’s decisions will determine tomorrow’s stories. Our character and actions matter.
Nobody wakes up one morning and suddenly realizes they are a college graduate! There is a long process of application, registration, classes, and exams over several years which lead to a diploma.
Nobody wakes up one morning and suddenly realizes they are in great physical shape. There is a long process of visits to the fitness club, time on the treadmill, and weightlifting.
Nobody wakes up one morning and suddenly realizes they have a great marriage, respectful kids, and beautiful grandchildren. There is a long process of dating, sacrifice, sleepless nights, dirty diapers, and parent/teacher conferences, among other things!
We’re in the final chapter of the book of Ruth, a short yet powerful story of two widows and a man who God uses to bless one another and—ultimately—change the world. At the end of their lives, they had no idea how God would use their kindness and decisions to impact the future of human civilization…literally.
This book is filled with hesed…kindness, blessings done by and to all three characters. Hesed is a Hebrew word. I wish there was an English word that was more accurate than kindness or blessing, but it’s a beautiful thing done by and to humans…and God.
Naomi and her husband are from Bethlehem. A famine comes and they move to Moab, likely searching for food and a better way of life. Naomi’s husband and two sons die, leaving Naomi alive with her two daughters-in-law. She tells them to return to their families of origin. One does, but Ruth refuses, instead committing herself to Naomi. The two widows go to Bethlehem where Ruth gleans in the fields of a man named Boaz in hopes of avoiding starvation. Boaz hears about Ruth’s kindness and commitment toward Naomi and shows kindness to Ruth, including access to an abundance of food. Naomi instructs Ruth to essentially propose to Boaz, an act viewed by Boaz as kindness. He is very interested in marrying her, but according to the law, the closest male relative had the primary responsibility to marry a widow, and it wasn’t Boaz.
Boaz went to the town gate and took a seat there. (Ruth 4:1a, NLT)
Toledo doesn’t have a town gate, at least not one of which I’m aware. Back in the day, the city gate was the center of life, where all important business was done. Perhaps it was like our city hall…One Government Center…or even Franklin Park Mall before Amazon! The difference was almost everyone passed through the gate twice a day on their way to and from the fields.
When someone was praised in the gates, it was a sign they were being honored by the community. The woman in Proverbs 31 is one example.
Just then the family redeemer he had mentioned came by, so Boaz called out to him, “Come over here and sit down, friend. I want to talk to you.” So they sat down together. 2 Then Boaz called ten leaders from the town and asked them to sit as witnesses. 3 And Boaz said to the family redeemer, “You know Naomi, who came back from Moab. She is selling the land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. (Ruth 4:1b-3, NLT)
The South Asia Bible Commentary offers this helpful background:
Elimelek’s land would have been sold to someone outside the family when they left Bethlehem. When Naomi returned with Ruth, she probably did not have the means to reclaim it. So Naomi had land over which she had historical claim, but no actual ownership (an all-too-familiar situation in South Asia). The only way for her to get the land back was for it to be restored in the Year of Jubilee or redeemed by a kinsman-redeemer prepared to pay the full price.
I thought I should speak to you about it so that you can redeem it if you wish. If you want the land, then buy it here in the presence of these witnesses. But if you don’t want it, let me know right away, because I am next in line to redeem it after you.”
The man replied, “All right, I’ll redeem it.” (Ruth 4:4, NLT)
Deal! But there’s a catch to this land.
Then Boaz told him, “Of course, your purchase of the land from Naomi also requires that you marry Ruth, the Moabite widow. That way she can have children who will carry on her husband’s name and keep the land in the family.” (Ruth 4:5, NLT)
Land for sale…wife included! Of course! For some, this might be a bonus, but evidently this man said, “No deal.”
“Then I can’t redeem it,” the family redeemer replied, “because this might endanger my own estate. You redeem the land; I cannot do it.” (Ruth 4:6, NLT)
This deal would jeopardize his kids’ inheritance…we don’t know about the wife part, but he rejects the offer. His own kids would not get to inherit the land, something which might not make complete sense to us in our culture, but it was a big deal.
Now in those days it was the custom in Israel for anyone transferring a right of purchase to remove his sandal and hand it to the other party. This publicly validated the transaction. 8 So the other family redeemer drew off his sandal as he said to Boaz, “You buy the land.” (Ruth 4:7-8, NLT)
There were no notary publics or title companies, but they had their own ways of doing real estate transactions. It’s interesting that we never know the name of the man who had the first right of refusal. He’s the rightful heir to the land, yet he declines.
Then Boaz said to the elders and to the crowd standing around, “You are witnesses that today I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, Kilion, and Mahlon. 10 And with the land I have acquired Ruth, the Moabite widow of Mahlon, to be my wife. This way she can have a son to carry on the family name of her dead husband and to inherit the family property here in his hometown. You are all witnesses today.” (Ruth 4:9-10, NLT)
Boaz is a good man. He was respected in the community as was his family. He was a direct descendant of one of Israel’s greatest leaders, Nahshon. He wants to preserve the name of Naomi’s husband and relatives. He didn’t need more land. He didn’t need more power. His concern was for Ruth, not the land. His act seems to be one of generosity and kindness. Remember, Ruth was barren with her first husband who died, so talk of a son is wishful thinking or pure faith. Contrary to those who see Boaz as the hero of the story, he’s not. God is. Throughout this short book we’ve been introduced to Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz. They are an unlikely trinity God uses—each in a unique way—to execute His will, His plan, His purposes. But I love this move on the part of Boaz. He’s concerned not about himself, but saving the family of Elimelech, Naomi’s late husband. Jesus said,
`
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. (Matthew 16:25, NIV).
The Kingdom of God is an upside kingdom as I said on Resurrection Sunday. Blessings—God’s kindness, His “hesed” to use the Hebrew word without a clear English equivalent—often follow selfless acts.
When is the last time you sacrificed for another person? When did you stand up to injustice and defend the weak, the widow, the stranger, the orphan? When did you last take a faith-filled risk and do something that cost you something, that got you out of your comfort zone, that involved losing your life for God or another?
As I said, this book is filled with hesed…kindness, blessings done by and to all three characters. So much of this scene is not about any of them, but rather Elimelech and his legacy. Instead of merely starting a family, Boaz and Ruth will rescue a family. These three image bearers join God in saving the world, and we’re invited into that same mission. But it is rarely easy. It’s certainly not safe. But it’s worth it.
Do you remember the gate at the beginning of the chapter, the center of community life?
Then the elders and all the people standing in the gate replied, “We are witnesses! May the LORD make this woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, from whom all the nation of Israel descended! May you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12 And may the LORD give you descendants by this young woman who will be like those of our ancestor Perez, the son of Tamar and Judah.” (Ruth 4:11-12, NLT)
Author Carolyn Custis James notes,
Bethlehemites pray that, like Rachel and Leah, Ruth will be a nation builder too. More significantly, they connect Ruth to Tamar,1 the revered mother of their tribe. She and Ruth have a lot in common. Both were foreigners who married Israelite men. Both are widowed (Tamar twice) and exhibit deep familial loyalty by courageously breaking with social protocol (an understatement in Tamar’s case) to rescue their deceased husbands from extinction. As with Ruth, Tamar’s righteous actions had a profound spiritual impact on a man. She pulled her father-in-law, Judah, out of a spiritual ditch and back on the solid path, where he thereafter lived as a true son of Yahweh. Tamar was the mother of Perez, from whom Elimelech, Boaz, Mr. No-Name, and other Bethlehemites descended…Ruth’s family surpasses the glories of Perez…
But that’s for next week! Here’s a hint: Bethlehem!
So What?
Throughout the book of Ruth, we see examples of providence…the protective care of God. There are some who live life as if it all depends upon God and we’re just pawns who can do nothing to change the future…or even the present. After all, God is sovereign and in control of all things, so we should sit back and watch (although some of these people might make voting an exception!). Others—obviously atheists and agnostics are included—believe it all depends upon humans. We make the messes and we have to clean them up. Carolyn Custis James writes,
one of the central tenets of providence — concurrence — which is the fact that the “God in whom we confess faith invites us to participate with him in the completion of his program for the world.” His preferred method of getting things done is to work through his image bearers. We aren’t spectators to what God is doing in the world, but participants. Right from the beginning and still today, he is fulfilling his great plan for the world through our actions and efforts. It may come as a surprise to some, but providence is one of the strongest incentives God could give us for bold, vigorous activism.
I love that! We’ve been invited by Almighty God to co-create, to co-labor, to do life with God for the sake of the world. For example, when you pray, “LORD, please feed the starving children,” perhaps God is saying the same thing to us! We can sponsor a child with Compassion, International. We can serve food at Cherry Street’s Mac Café. We can foster or adopt a child and end food scarcity for one young life.
The book of Ruth is a story about God, but also Naomi and Ruth and Boaz. It’s almost as if God wrote the script and they are the actors on stage. You need both!
Today’s decisions will determine tomorrow’s stories. Every day we make choices which will impact ourselves…and others. Often we fail to see the influence we have, and perhaps that influence will not be known until after we die. What kind of legacy are you living and leaving?
This is a great moment to remind you of the importance of a will. Many people don’t have one, and if you have more than one dollar in the bank, it’s probably a good idea to get one. Our “give” page on the church website has some resources. Imagine the legacy you could leave if you left some of your wealth to the Alliance Great Commission Fund to support International Workers for decades to come. How different would First Alliance be if your passing could help fund a Dream Center where kids could meet Jesus and shoot hoops instead of guns. Wouldn’t it be great if people approach you in heaven and tell stories of how your generosity led to them to be there with you?
Those are but a few financial examples, but the same can be said of our time, talents, love, and kindness. Our world is desperate for hope, and we’re called to be hope dealers. Our world is desperate for love, and we are to be known for our love. Our world is desperate for relationships, and we were created for community.
Today’s decisions will determine tomorrow’s stories. What do you want that story to be?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Four Signs You Might Have a Keeper, 5 May 2024
05 05 24
Four Signs You Might Have a Keeper
Ruth: Finding God in the Ordinary
Ruth 2:10-23
Series Big Idea: God does extraordinary things in and through the ordinary.
Big Idea: If you want a good friend, be a good friend.
What qualities do you look for in a friend?
Which of those qualities are people born with?
Which of those qualities are character that is developed?
Today’ we’re returning to the book of Ruth, one of the most fascinating stories in the Bible. The first chapter of the book introduces us to a woman named Naomi. She’s from Bethlehem—yes, that Bethlehem, though centuries before the birth of Jesus—and her family leaves during a famine and lives in Moab for about a decade. While there, her husband and two sons died, leaving her without the three men in her life, surrounded by her two daughters-in-law who are also widows. Naomi tells them to return to their mothers. One does, but Ruth refuses to leave her mother-in-law despite the bleak prospects of two widows trying to survive.
In chapter two, Boaz is introduced as this wealthy and influential man who hears about Ruth’s commitment to Naomi and her commitment to God. The big idea two weeks ago was God will bless our faithfulness to Him and His people. It’s not a magic formula, but Ruth is a stellar example of someone faithful to God and Naomi and Ruth blessed by a relationship with Boaz. Spoiler alert: they get married, so today, we’re looking at four signs you might have a keeper. This not only applies to dating and marriage, but any friendship.
Before we get into the four signs of a keeper, let me say again if you want a good friend, be a good friend.
I used to wonder why I rarely had friends call me (some of you remember when you used a phone to talk to someone!) and then I realized I wasn’t initiating. Don’t expect a gift on your birthday if you don’t buy birthday gifts for others. Does this make sense? I’m not saying keep score. I am saying do to others what you want them to do to you.
If you want a good spouse, be a good spouse…be the type of person you want to attract. It sounds so obvious, but it’s amazing how many guys want a beautiful woman to show up on their doorstep while they are too lazy to bathe, have terrible manners, and won’t get a job!
What qualities do you look for in a friend? Do you have those qualities?
Today we’re going to explore four signs you might have a keeper, borrowed from Pastor Craig Groeschel of Life Church. I’ll tell them to you now:
Seeking Character (v.10-13)
Exploring Connection (v. 14)
Showing Consideration (v. 15-18)
Receiving Confirmation (v. 19-23)
Let’s go back and review. Ruth tells Naomi she’s going to glean, which means she’s going to look for grain stalks leftover from the harvesters. Boaz notices a new person in his field and shows her unusual kindness. In chapter two, verse ten, we’re told…
Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.” (Ruth 2:10, NLT)
“Yes, I know,” Boaz replied. “But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers. May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.” (Ruth 2:11-12, NLT)
Ruth is a woman of great character, and Boaz takes notice. He’s also a person of great character himself. Are you?
Seeking Character (v.10-13)
We’re never told anything about Ruth’s physical appearance, but her inward character. She is faithful, hard-working, and humble. We saw that two weeks ago. What about you? Are you a man or woman of character? Are you friends? You are your friends. How do you treat others? None of us is perfect, but are you seeking to become like Jesus? Are you devoted to God? Are you filled with the Holy Spirit? The test of that is not a particular gift or sign, but fruit.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! (Galatians 5:22-23, NLT)
How do you get this fruit? They don’t sell it at Wal-Mart, but it comes from repenting of your sins and failures, following Jesus, and surrendering to the power of God. As our relationship with Him grows, we’ll naturally see more good fruit in our lives as the Spirit makes us more like Jesus. Let’s be men and women of character.
Boaz hears about Ruth’s character, extends kindness and grace, and then Ruth says,
“I hope I continue to please you, sir,” she replied. “You have comforted me by speaking so kindly to me, even though I am not one of your workers.” (Ruth 2:13, NLT)
Their character led to a connection.
At mealtime Boaz called to her, “Come over here, and help yourself to some food. You can dip your bread in the sour wine.” So she sat with his harvesters, and Boaz gave her some roasted grain to eat. She ate all she wanted and still had some left over. (Ruth 2:14, NLT)
This is not normal. Something special is happening. It’s not necessarily romantic, but Ruth is getting special treatment from Boaz. It will continue.
When Ruth went back to work again, Boaz ordered his young men, “Let her gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her. 16 And pull out some heads of barley from the bundles and drop them on purpose for her. Let her pick them up, and don’t give her a hard time!” (Ruth 2:15-16, NLT)
I’m sure you’ll agree food is a necessity in life. We all need it and will literally die if we go several weeks without it. Food is readily available to all of us today in Toledo. Even if you can’t afford to buy food or don’t know how to cook food, there are food pantries and soup kitchens and the Mac Café at Cherry Street Mission to ensure we stay alive. You might say there are many safety nets in urban Toledo to make hunger unnecessary, though some still experience it.
Today in many parts of the world, no such safety nets exist. We’ve all seen pictures and videos of starving children and I was deeply moved a few years ago when Heather and I were in Burundi, Africa. We taught many who rarely experience more than one or two meals a day and often go without any food. We were a part of a special celebration and I watched Heather literally food a starving baby.
Ruth and Naomi are widows and without husbands, starvation was a real possibility. Gleaning leftovers as the only safety net, but Boaz is so impressed with Ruth and her character that he goes out of his way to ensure she gets plenty of food.
Boaz was Showing Consideration to Ruth.
So Ruth gathered barley there all day, and when she beat out the grain that evening, it filled an entire basket. (Ruth 2:17, NLT)
This basket was worth two weeks wages! That’s consideration.
If you want a Ruth, be a Boaz.
Character led to a connection which led to consideration and finally they were
Receiving Confirmation (v. 18-23)
She carried it back into town and showed it to her mother-in-law. Ruth also gave her the roasted grain that was left over from her meal. (Ruth 2:18, NLT)
That’s a lot of food! It’s like going to Monnettes and bringing back a Costco load!
Where did you gather all this grain today?” Naomi asked. “Where did you work? May the LORD bless the one who helped you!”
So Ruth told her mother-in-law about the man in whose field she had worked. She said, “The man I worked with today is named Boaz.” (Ruth 2:19, NLT)
Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, confirms Boaz is a good man. If you’re seeking a spouse, pay attention to what others say about your date. They might not always be right, but usually those who know and love us the most also know what’s best for us. Be very careful if you find yourself defending your date to your friends and family. They say love is blind, and it’s scientifically proven! We need to seek wise counsel from others in important life decisions, especially life partners.
“May the LORD bless him!” Naomi told her daughter-in-law. “He is showing his kindness to us as well as to your dead husband. That man is one of our closest relatives, one of our family redeemers.” (Ruth 2:20, NLT)
The Hebrew word here for kindness is hesed. It appears three times in the book of Ruth. There’s not a good English equivalent, but it refers to God’s plan for humans, the Golden Rule, love your neighbor as yourself…selfless, active caring for others which seems to be rare in our narcissistic, self-centered culture. Naomi is saying Boaz is essentially acting like Jesus, our example of what it means to be human (even though this was centuries before Jesus’ birth). It is God’s hesed which is the real story here.
A family redeemer is someone who provides for someone who has had a great loss. Some translations call them a guardian redeemer or a kinsman redeemer. This goes back to the book of Leviticus.
If one of your fellow Israelites falls into poverty and is forced to sell some family land, then a close relative should buy it back for him. (Leviticus 25:25, NLT)
Numbers chapter 27 explains it further if you want to study it.
Then Ruth said, “What’s more, Boaz even told me to come back and stay with his harvesters until the entire harvest is completed.” (Ruth 2:21, NLT)
“Good!” Naomi exclaimed. “Do as he said, my daughter. Stay with his young women right through the whole harvest. You might be harassed in other fields, but you’ll be safe with him.” (Ruth 2:22, NLT)
This is such a beautiful story. It reminds me again of last week’s big idea that God will bless our faithfulness to Him and His people. Ruth did not deserve any special treatment, especially being a foreigner from Moab, yet Boaz is gracious after learning about Ruth’s graciousness to Naomi, refusing to leave her alone.
So Ruth worked alongside the women in Boaz’s fields and gathered grain with them until the end of the barley harvest. Then she continued working with them through the wheat harvest in early summer. And all the while she lived with her mother-in-law. (Ruth 2:23, NLT)
This is hardly the end of the story. The best is yet to come!
So What?
Character, connection, consideration, and confirmation are four signs that you might have a keeper, whether it’s a spouse or a good friend. Pay attention. Men, be like Boaz. Women, be like Ruth. Be who you want to attract.
But before we close, I want to go back to Boaz as kinsman-redeemer or family-redeemer or guardian-redeemer. Boaz is not related to Naomi, but rather to her late husband. He was not the closest relative. Ruth is not even an Israelite, yet Boaz extends grace. He was motivated by love to redeem Ruth and Naomi.
We have a redeemer who protects, provides, and paid for our sins. His name is Jesus. He restores broken masterpieces. He loves you more than you can imagine. He doesn’t want you starving or even being stuck with the scraps and leftovers. He’s preparing a banquet feast for all who will follow him. Boaz is considered to be a “type” of Christ, a biblical character who prefigures or foreshadows Jesus. We’re going to see this more in the coming weeks but understand there are layers to this story. It’s not the typical boy meets girl, they fall in love, and life happily ever after. There are three main characters—Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz—plus God, the real star of the show! Do you know Him? Do you know God? Have you surrendered your life to Jesus? He gave everything for you, including his very life. You can return the favor by saying, “Jesus, I give you my life.”
One more thing
Today we’ve looked at four signs you might have a keeper, but what if it’s too late? What if you’re in a challenging marriage? Get help. Pray. Seek counseling (there’s a directory link at the bottom of the FAC Focus e-newsletter each Wednesday). Most of all, be the spouse you want to have. Demonstrate character. Show kindness. Extend grace. Display the fruit of the Spirit. Don’t tolerate abuse. If you’re in danger, get out. But when it’s hard, seek to be part of the solution rather than prolonging the problem. Be the bigger person and make the first move toward love, forgiveness, mercy, grace. It’s not easy, but we serve a big God who can do incredibly more than we can ever ask, dream, or imagine…if we remain faithful to Him and His people.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Ruth: Finding God in the Ordinary
Ruth 2:10-23
Series Big Idea: God does extraordinary things in and through the ordinary.
Big Idea: If you want a good friend, be a good friend.
What qualities do you look for in a friend?
Which of those qualities are people born with?
Which of those qualities are character that is developed?
Today’ we’re returning to the book of Ruth, one of the most fascinating stories in the Bible. The first chapter of the book introduces us to a woman named Naomi. She’s from Bethlehem—yes, that Bethlehem, though centuries before the birth of Jesus—and her family leaves during a famine and lives in Moab for about a decade. While there, her husband and two sons died, leaving her without the three men in her life, surrounded by her two daughters-in-law who are also widows. Naomi tells them to return to their mothers. One does, but Ruth refuses to leave her mother-in-law despite the bleak prospects of two widows trying to survive.
In chapter two, Boaz is introduced as this wealthy and influential man who hears about Ruth’s commitment to Naomi and her commitment to God. The big idea two weeks ago was God will bless our faithfulness to Him and His people. It’s not a magic formula, but Ruth is a stellar example of someone faithful to God and Naomi and Ruth blessed by a relationship with Boaz. Spoiler alert: they get married, so today, we’re looking at four signs you might have a keeper. This not only applies to dating and marriage, but any friendship.
Before we get into the four signs of a keeper, let me say again if you want a good friend, be a good friend.
I used to wonder why I rarely had friends call me (some of you remember when you used a phone to talk to someone!) and then I realized I wasn’t initiating. Don’t expect a gift on your birthday if you don’t buy birthday gifts for others. Does this make sense? I’m not saying keep score. I am saying do to others what you want them to do to you.
If you want a good spouse, be a good spouse…be the type of person you want to attract. It sounds so obvious, but it’s amazing how many guys want a beautiful woman to show up on their doorstep while they are too lazy to bathe, have terrible manners, and won’t get a job!
What qualities do you look for in a friend? Do you have those qualities?
Today we’re going to explore four signs you might have a keeper, borrowed from Pastor Craig Groeschel of Life Church. I’ll tell them to you now:
Seeking Character (v.10-13)
Exploring Connection (v. 14)
Showing Consideration (v. 15-18)
Receiving Confirmation (v. 19-23)
Let’s go back and review. Ruth tells Naomi she’s going to glean, which means she’s going to look for grain stalks leftover from the harvesters. Boaz notices a new person in his field and shows her unusual kindness. In chapter two, verse ten, we’re told…
Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.” (Ruth 2:10, NLT)
“Yes, I know,” Boaz replied. “But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers. May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.” (Ruth 2:11-12, NLT)
Ruth is a woman of great character, and Boaz takes notice. He’s also a person of great character himself. Are you?
Seeking Character (v.10-13)
We’re never told anything about Ruth’s physical appearance, but her inward character. She is faithful, hard-working, and humble. We saw that two weeks ago. What about you? Are you a man or woman of character? Are you friends? You are your friends. How do you treat others? None of us is perfect, but are you seeking to become like Jesus? Are you devoted to God? Are you filled with the Holy Spirit? The test of that is not a particular gift or sign, but fruit.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! (Galatians 5:22-23, NLT)
How do you get this fruit? They don’t sell it at Wal-Mart, but it comes from repenting of your sins and failures, following Jesus, and surrendering to the power of God. As our relationship with Him grows, we’ll naturally see more good fruit in our lives as the Spirit makes us more like Jesus. Let’s be men and women of character.
Boaz hears about Ruth’s character, extends kindness and grace, and then Ruth says,
“I hope I continue to please you, sir,” she replied. “You have comforted me by speaking so kindly to me, even though I am not one of your workers.” (Ruth 2:13, NLT)
Their character led to a connection.
At mealtime Boaz called to her, “Come over here, and help yourself to some food. You can dip your bread in the sour wine.” So she sat with his harvesters, and Boaz gave her some roasted grain to eat. She ate all she wanted and still had some left over. (Ruth 2:14, NLT)
This is not normal. Something special is happening. It’s not necessarily romantic, but Ruth is getting special treatment from Boaz. It will continue.
When Ruth went back to work again, Boaz ordered his young men, “Let her gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her. 16 And pull out some heads of barley from the bundles and drop them on purpose for her. Let her pick them up, and don’t give her a hard time!” (Ruth 2:15-16, NLT)
I’m sure you’ll agree food is a necessity in life. We all need it and will literally die if we go several weeks without it. Food is readily available to all of us today in Toledo. Even if you can’t afford to buy food or don’t know how to cook food, there are food pantries and soup kitchens and the Mac Café at Cherry Street Mission to ensure we stay alive. You might say there are many safety nets in urban Toledo to make hunger unnecessary, though some still experience it.
Today in many parts of the world, no such safety nets exist. We’ve all seen pictures and videos of starving children and I was deeply moved a few years ago when Heather and I were in Burundi, Africa. We taught many who rarely experience more than one or two meals a day and often go without any food. We were a part of a special celebration and I watched Heather literally food a starving baby.
Ruth and Naomi are widows and without husbands, starvation was a real possibility. Gleaning leftovers as the only safety net, but Boaz is so impressed with Ruth and her character that he goes out of his way to ensure she gets plenty of food.
Boaz was Showing Consideration to Ruth.
So Ruth gathered barley there all day, and when she beat out the grain that evening, it filled an entire basket. (Ruth 2:17, NLT)
This basket was worth two weeks wages! That’s consideration.
If you want a Ruth, be a Boaz.
Character led to a connection which led to consideration and finally they were
Receiving Confirmation (v. 18-23)
She carried it back into town and showed it to her mother-in-law. Ruth also gave her the roasted grain that was left over from her meal. (Ruth 2:18, NLT)
That’s a lot of food! It’s like going to Monnettes and bringing back a Costco load!
Where did you gather all this grain today?” Naomi asked. “Where did you work? May the LORD bless the one who helped you!”
So Ruth told her mother-in-law about the man in whose field she had worked. She said, “The man I worked with today is named Boaz.” (Ruth 2:19, NLT)
Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, confirms Boaz is a good man. If you’re seeking a spouse, pay attention to what others say about your date. They might not always be right, but usually those who know and love us the most also know what’s best for us. Be very careful if you find yourself defending your date to your friends and family. They say love is blind, and it’s scientifically proven! We need to seek wise counsel from others in important life decisions, especially life partners.
“May the LORD bless him!” Naomi told her daughter-in-law. “He is showing his kindness to us as well as to your dead husband. That man is one of our closest relatives, one of our family redeemers.” (Ruth 2:20, NLT)
The Hebrew word here for kindness is hesed. It appears three times in the book of Ruth. There’s not a good English equivalent, but it refers to God’s plan for humans, the Golden Rule, love your neighbor as yourself…selfless, active caring for others which seems to be rare in our narcissistic, self-centered culture. Naomi is saying Boaz is essentially acting like Jesus, our example of what it means to be human (even though this was centuries before Jesus’ birth). It is God’s hesed which is the real story here.
A family redeemer is someone who provides for someone who has had a great loss. Some translations call them a guardian redeemer or a kinsman redeemer. This goes back to the book of Leviticus.
If one of your fellow Israelites falls into poverty and is forced to sell some family land, then a close relative should buy it back for him. (Leviticus 25:25, NLT)
Numbers chapter 27 explains it further if you want to study it.
Then Ruth said, “What’s more, Boaz even told me to come back and stay with his harvesters until the entire harvest is completed.” (Ruth 2:21, NLT)
“Good!” Naomi exclaimed. “Do as he said, my daughter. Stay with his young women right through the whole harvest. You might be harassed in other fields, but you’ll be safe with him.” (Ruth 2:22, NLT)
This is such a beautiful story. It reminds me again of last week’s big idea that God will bless our faithfulness to Him and His people. Ruth did not deserve any special treatment, especially being a foreigner from Moab, yet Boaz is gracious after learning about Ruth’s graciousness to Naomi, refusing to leave her alone.
So Ruth worked alongside the women in Boaz’s fields and gathered grain with them until the end of the barley harvest. Then she continued working with them through the wheat harvest in early summer. And all the while she lived with her mother-in-law. (Ruth 2:23, NLT)
This is hardly the end of the story. The best is yet to come!
So What?
Character, connection, consideration, and confirmation are four signs that you might have a keeper, whether it’s a spouse or a good friend. Pay attention. Men, be like Boaz. Women, be like Ruth. Be who you want to attract.
But before we close, I want to go back to Boaz as kinsman-redeemer or family-redeemer or guardian-redeemer. Boaz is not related to Naomi, but rather to her late husband. He was not the closest relative. Ruth is not even an Israelite, yet Boaz extends grace. He was motivated by love to redeem Ruth and Naomi.
We have a redeemer who protects, provides, and paid for our sins. His name is Jesus. He restores broken masterpieces. He loves you more than you can imagine. He doesn’t want you starving or even being stuck with the scraps and leftovers. He’s preparing a banquet feast for all who will follow him. Boaz is considered to be a “type” of Christ, a biblical character who prefigures or foreshadows Jesus. We’re going to see this more in the coming weeks but understand there are layers to this story. It’s not the typical boy meets girl, they fall in love, and life happily ever after. There are three main characters—Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz—plus God, the real star of the show! Do you know Him? Do you know God? Have you surrendered your life to Jesus? He gave everything for you, including his very life. You can return the favor by saying, “Jesus, I give you my life.”
One more thing
Today we’ve looked at four signs you might have a keeper, but what if it’s too late? What if you’re in a challenging marriage? Get help. Pray. Seek counseling (there’s a directory link at the bottom of the FAC Focus e-newsletter each Wednesday). Most of all, be the spouse you want to have. Demonstrate character. Show kindness. Extend grace. Display the fruit of the Spirit. Don’t tolerate abuse. If you’re in danger, get out. But when it’s hard, seek to be part of the solution rather than prolonging the problem. Be the bigger person and make the first move toward love, forgiveness, mercy, grace. It’s not easy, but we serve a big God who can do incredibly more than we can ever ask, dream, or imagine…if we remain faithful to Him and His people.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Finding the Love You Want, 21 April 2024
21 04 24
Finding the Love You Want
Ruth: Finding God in the Ordinary
Ruth 1:19-2:14
Series Big Idea: God does extraordinary things in and through the ordinary.
Big Idea: God will bless our faithfulness to Him and His people.
Marriage has changed a lot in our culture, just in my lifetime. Its literal definition changed in 2015 in the USA. Cohabitation is seen as an alternative to marriage for many. In the last five decades, marriage rates have dropped nearly 60%. But our text today is about—spoiler alert—a woman meeting her future husband. They didn’t meet on a dating site or at a bar, but it’s a great story.
Two weeks ago, we began our series on the book of Ruth. If you missed Pastor Mike’s sermon, the first chapter of the book introduces us to a woman named Naomi. She’s from Bethlehem—yes, that Bethlehem, though centuries before the birth of Jesus—and her family leaves during a famine and lives in Moab for about a decade. While there, her husband and two sons died, leaving her without the three men in her life, surrounded by her two daughters-in-law who are also widows. Naomi tells them to return to their mothers. One does…
But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” 18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more. (Ruth 1:16-18, NLT)
Ruth and Naomi are widows, a great challenge in our day, but far more treacherous in their culture. Ruth is so committed to Naomi she gives up her cultural and religious identity to be with her. It’s possible she was impressed not only with Naomi, but her God. This vow is so compelling, Heather and I had it read at our wedding as a declaration of our dedication to one another.
Speaking of weddings, today’s message is entitled, “Finding the Love You Want.” We’re going to look at the incredible way God led Ruth to find a husband after the death of her first one. Before we continue, let me make a few important disclaimers. First, married life is not superior to single life. Some of you unmarried people like being single. Others think a spouse will “complete you” and idealize marriage. God doesn’t want everyone married, though it was His design for some of us to marry in order to reproduce, but with 8 billion people on the planet, I think we’re doing a pretty good job at that! There are many reasons why people are single, but it is not a curse. I’m deeply sorry for the way some church people have treated singles, whether it be unwanted match-making, a what’s-wrong-with-you attitude, or creating meat markets called “singles ministries.”
We are family, and we need one another. Singles can learn from marrieds and vice-versa and we need to do life together. Our Life Groups are a great tool for this…diverse, small communities where the young and old, married and unmarried, parents and those without kids, rich and poor…can experience life together, serving one another, loving one another. There are two single men in our church family who have each been “adopted” by a family and it brings me great joy to see them live life in such a community, despite not having a spouse. Paul wrote in the Bible,
Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. (1 Corinthians 7:8, NIV)
Jesus was unmarried. There’s no shame in singleness. But if you need help finding a mate, you might want to pay attention to this.
VIDEO
You’re welcome!
Ruth and her mother-in-law have lost their husbands…and they never had the privilege of seeing that video to aid in finding new ones!
So the two of them continued on their journey. When they came to Bethlehem, the entire town was excited by their arrival. “Is it really Naomi?” the women asked. (Ruth 1:19, NLT)
Naomi had lived here and must’ve made quite an impression for “the entire town” to be excited to see her.
“Don’t call me Naomi,” she responded. “Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. 21 I went away full, but the LORD has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the LORD has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?” (Ruth 1:20-21, NLT)
This is kind of dark, but I love her honesty. In this culture, names had tremendous meaning. Naomi’s life had changed so much she wanted to be called “bitter.” She felt God was punishing her, perhaps for leaving Bethlehem to live in a foreign country that worshipped other gods. While I can see why she felt it was a punishment, the Bible is filled with refugees, immigrants, and aliens and cares deeply for them. Guess what the name Ruth means? It means friendship or clinging. How appropriate! And Naomi? It means pleasant! Note in these two verses Naomi says, “I” or “me” eight times! She so fixated on herself she doesn’t even acknowledge the presence of Ruth, saying “the LORD has brought me home empty.”
It’s easy to pick on Naomi, but as Pastor Mike said two weeks ago, there’s much we don’t know about her, and there are things that reveal both her godliness and imperfections. One writer noted the similarities between her and Job. They both experienced tremendous loss and suffering, though Naomi did it as a woman, a widow, and a foreigner while living in Moab, things Job never experienced.
So Naomi returned from Moab, accompanied by her daughter-in-law Ruth, the young Moabite woman. They arrived in Bethlehem in late spring, at the beginning of the barley harvest. (Ruth 1:22, NLT)
Harvest time has always been important, but especially in an agrarian society. They couldn’t run up to Kroger and grab a frozen burrito or pick up fast food. If you don’t harvest, you die. Chapter one began with Naomi leaving Bethlehem and ends with her returning.
Now there was a wealthy and influential man in Bethlehem named Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi’s husband, Elimelech. (Ruth 2:1, NLT)
Hello Boaz! He’s a relative of Naomi’s late husband and is wealthy and influential. The book of Matthew mentions he is the son of Rahab, the former prostitute in Jericho who hid Israel’s spies in the book of Joshua.
One day Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go out into the harvest fields to pick up the stalks of grain left behind by anyone who is kind enough to let me do it.”
Naomi replied, “All right, my daughter, go ahead.” (Ruth 2:2, NLT)
They were hungry and needed food.
So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech. (Ruth 2:3, NLT)
“As it happened.” The author is telling us this is not chance or coincidence, but God’s providence. He is at work in this situation, and He’s far more active in our lives than we realize. Ruth is a hungry, desperate widow, but God sees her. God sees you, too. This story is remarkable, but the greatest impact of Ruth and Boaz will not occur in their lifetime. God is doing something that will impact generations for centuries…but I’m getting ahead of myself.
This process of picking up leftover grain was known as gleaning (see Leviticus 19:9-10). There’s a food bank in metro Detroit called Gleaners.
While she was there, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. “The LORD be with you!” he said.
“The LORD bless you!” the harvesters replied. (Ruth 2:4, NLT)
This seems like a nice guy! He’s a wealthy, influential man who takes time to greet the poor collecting his leftovers.
Then Boaz asked his foreman, “Who is that young woman over there? Who does she belong to?” (Ruth 2:5, NLT)
He notices Ruth…because she’s new? Because she’s young? Because she’s beautiful? The culture was patriarchal where every woman must belong to a man, whether it’s a husband or father. Unfortunately, some of these attitudes remain today, where women are treated as second-class citizens and single women are incomplete.
And the foreman replied, “She is the young woman from Moab who came back with Naomi. 7 She asked me this morning if she could gather grain behind the harvesters. She has been hard at work ever since, except for a few minutes’ rest in the shelter.” (Ruth 2:6-7, NLT)
She’s a hard worker. That’s a good character trait.
Boaz went over and said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don’t go to any other fields. Stay right behind the young women working in my field. 9 See which part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them. I have warned the young men not to treat you roughly. And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well.” (Ruth 2:8-9, NLT)
This is probably not typical treatment of a gleaner. Either Boaz is very kind, he has an interest in her, or both.
Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.” (Ruth 2:10, NLT)
Remember, Naomi was from Bethlehem, but Ruth was from Moab,
“Yes, I know,” Boaz replied. “But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers. May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.” (Ruth 2:11-12, NLT)
Boaz is kind, but he’s also heard about the kindness of Ruth…without social media! Could this be a match made in heaven? We’ll see!
“I hope I continue to please you, sir,” she replied. “You have comforted me by speaking so kindly to me, even though I am not one of your workers.” (Ruth 2:13, NLT)
All Ruth is seeking is food for her and her mother-in-law, Naomi. But she is a vulnerable widow, as is Naomi.
At mealtime Boaz called to her, “Come over here, and help yourself to some food. You can dip your bread in the sour wine.” So she sat with his harvesters, and Boaz gave her some roasted grain to eat. She ate all she wanted and still had some left over. (Ruth 2:14, NLT)
Now she has food, all right, but not from gleaning. These aren’t leftovers. She’s eating with the master of the house, so to speak. Not only did she have quality food, she’s dining at an all-you-can-eat buffet. I hope there’s a doggy bag for her to take some food to Naomi!
And that’s where we end today! Come back next time for the continuation of the story and see what happens between Ruth and Boaz.
So What?
The moral of this story is if you want to find love, glean from the nearest farm and hope the owner sees you and shows you favor! Not quite, but it is a truly remarkable story. It’s important to see that God is the main character. LORD—the all-caps sacred name for God—is mentioned several times. This is much more than a tragedy becoming hopeful or the search for a spouse.
There are some principles that apply not only to dating, but all friendships. First and foremost, God is sovereign. He is in control. Although He didn’t force these events to take place, He had a plan for Ruth…and Naomi…and Boaz…and an even bigger plan that we’ll see later in the series that impacts us today!
Second, God sees needs. He saw these widows. He hasn’t forgotten them. And He sees you, too. We have many actual widows in our First Alliance family. God sees you. We do, too, and want to love and serve you in your loss, grief, and loneliness. I read a remarkable statistic that 90% of wives will be widows for at least part of their lives. Throughout the Bible, we see three vulnerable people groups God instructs us to care for: widows, strangers, and orphans.
Third, God sees deeds. He not only sees our needs, He sees our deeds! Ruth showed radical love to her mother-in-law. She could’ve listen to Naomi who said, “Go find a husband. I don’t want to be a burden to you,” but instead, Ruth was committed to Naomi. God saw this, and others did, too, which is why Boaz heard about it and a primary reason why he showed such kindness to Ruth.
I’m not sure who needs to hear this today, but listen to these words from Paul:
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. (1 Corinthians 15:58, NLT)
Ruth didn’t explicitly stay with Naomi for the Lord, but her devotion was an expression of love. Ruth was a woman of faith who loved God. This was clear in verses 1:16 and again in 2:12.
It’s easy to feel hidden and unnoticed. Sometimes the work we do takes weeks, month, years, even decades before it’s noticed, but God is always watching…and in time, it’s likely that your good deeds will be noticed and rewarded. Don’t give up. Don’t worry about human applause. You will be rewarded for eternity for the things you do for the LORD.
By the way, we don’t do good works to get saved. We do good works because we’ve been saved. Faith without works is dead. As Dallas Willard said, God’s not opposed to effort. He’s opposed to earning. Serving God and others should be the natural response to the cross, the empty tomb, and God’s amazing grace toward us.
Ultimately, God will bless our faithfulness to Him and His people. That blessing may be finding the love of your life. It might be experiencing the joy of a deep friendship. What we do matters. Who we worship matters most of all…and my heart is full of gratitude for our amazing God and His faithfulness.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Ruth: Finding God in the Ordinary
Ruth 1:19-2:14
Series Big Idea: God does extraordinary things in and through the ordinary.
Big Idea: God will bless our faithfulness to Him and His people.
Marriage has changed a lot in our culture, just in my lifetime. Its literal definition changed in 2015 in the USA. Cohabitation is seen as an alternative to marriage for many. In the last five decades, marriage rates have dropped nearly 60%. But our text today is about—spoiler alert—a woman meeting her future husband. They didn’t meet on a dating site or at a bar, but it’s a great story.
Two weeks ago, we began our series on the book of Ruth. If you missed Pastor Mike’s sermon, the first chapter of the book introduces us to a woman named Naomi. She’s from Bethlehem—yes, that Bethlehem, though centuries before the birth of Jesus—and her family leaves during a famine and lives in Moab for about a decade. While there, her husband and two sons died, leaving her without the three men in her life, surrounded by her two daughters-in-law who are also widows. Naomi tells them to return to their mothers. One does…
But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” 18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more. (Ruth 1:16-18, NLT)
Ruth and Naomi are widows, a great challenge in our day, but far more treacherous in their culture. Ruth is so committed to Naomi she gives up her cultural and religious identity to be with her. It’s possible she was impressed not only with Naomi, but her God. This vow is so compelling, Heather and I had it read at our wedding as a declaration of our dedication to one another.
Speaking of weddings, today’s message is entitled, “Finding the Love You Want.” We’re going to look at the incredible way God led Ruth to find a husband after the death of her first one. Before we continue, let me make a few important disclaimers. First, married life is not superior to single life. Some of you unmarried people like being single. Others think a spouse will “complete you” and idealize marriage. God doesn’t want everyone married, though it was His design for some of us to marry in order to reproduce, but with 8 billion people on the planet, I think we’re doing a pretty good job at that! There are many reasons why people are single, but it is not a curse. I’m deeply sorry for the way some church people have treated singles, whether it be unwanted match-making, a what’s-wrong-with-you attitude, or creating meat markets called “singles ministries.”
We are family, and we need one another. Singles can learn from marrieds and vice-versa and we need to do life together. Our Life Groups are a great tool for this…diverse, small communities where the young and old, married and unmarried, parents and those without kids, rich and poor…can experience life together, serving one another, loving one another. There are two single men in our church family who have each been “adopted” by a family and it brings me great joy to see them live life in such a community, despite not having a spouse. Paul wrote in the Bible,
Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. (1 Corinthians 7:8, NIV)
Jesus was unmarried. There’s no shame in singleness. But if you need help finding a mate, you might want to pay attention to this.
VIDEO
You’re welcome!
Ruth and her mother-in-law have lost their husbands…and they never had the privilege of seeing that video to aid in finding new ones!
So the two of them continued on their journey. When they came to Bethlehem, the entire town was excited by their arrival. “Is it really Naomi?” the women asked. (Ruth 1:19, NLT)
Naomi had lived here and must’ve made quite an impression for “the entire town” to be excited to see her.
“Don’t call me Naomi,” she responded. “Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. 21 I went away full, but the LORD has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the LORD has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?” (Ruth 1:20-21, NLT)
This is kind of dark, but I love her honesty. In this culture, names had tremendous meaning. Naomi’s life had changed so much she wanted to be called “bitter.” She felt God was punishing her, perhaps for leaving Bethlehem to live in a foreign country that worshipped other gods. While I can see why she felt it was a punishment, the Bible is filled with refugees, immigrants, and aliens and cares deeply for them. Guess what the name Ruth means? It means friendship or clinging. How appropriate! And Naomi? It means pleasant! Note in these two verses Naomi says, “I” or “me” eight times! She so fixated on herself she doesn’t even acknowledge the presence of Ruth, saying “the LORD has brought me home empty.”
It’s easy to pick on Naomi, but as Pastor Mike said two weeks ago, there’s much we don’t know about her, and there are things that reveal both her godliness and imperfections. One writer noted the similarities between her and Job. They both experienced tremendous loss and suffering, though Naomi did it as a woman, a widow, and a foreigner while living in Moab, things Job never experienced.
So Naomi returned from Moab, accompanied by her daughter-in-law Ruth, the young Moabite woman. They arrived in Bethlehem in late spring, at the beginning of the barley harvest. (Ruth 1:22, NLT)
Harvest time has always been important, but especially in an agrarian society. They couldn’t run up to Kroger and grab a frozen burrito or pick up fast food. If you don’t harvest, you die. Chapter one began with Naomi leaving Bethlehem and ends with her returning.
Now there was a wealthy and influential man in Bethlehem named Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi’s husband, Elimelech. (Ruth 2:1, NLT)
Hello Boaz! He’s a relative of Naomi’s late husband and is wealthy and influential. The book of Matthew mentions he is the son of Rahab, the former prostitute in Jericho who hid Israel’s spies in the book of Joshua.
One day Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go out into the harvest fields to pick up the stalks of grain left behind by anyone who is kind enough to let me do it.”
Naomi replied, “All right, my daughter, go ahead.” (Ruth 2:2, NLT)
They were hungry and needed food.
So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech. (Ruth 2:3, NLT)
“As it happened.” The author is telling us this is not chance or coincidence, but God’s providence. He is at work in this situation, and He’s far more active in our lives than we realize. Ruth is a hungry, desperate widow, but God sees her. God sees you, too. This story is remarkable, but the greatest impact of Ruth and Boaz will not occur in their lifetime. God is doing something that will impact generations for centuries…but I’m getting ahead of myself.
This process of picking up leftover grain was known as gleaning (see Leviticus 19:9-10). There’s a food bank in metro Detroit called Gleaners.
While she was there, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. “The LORD be with you!” he said.
“The LORD bless you!” the harvesters replied. (Ruth 2:4, NLT)
This seems like a nice guy! He’s a wealthy, influential man who takes time to greet the poor collecting his leftovers.
Then Boaz asked his foreman, “Who is that young woman over there? Who does she belong to?” (Ruth 2:5, NLT)
He notices Ruth…because she’s new? Because she’s young? Because she’s beautiful? The culture was patriarchal where every woman must belong to a man, whether it’s a husband or father. Unfortunately, some of these attitudes remain today, where women are treated as second-class citizens and single women are incomplete.
And the foreman replied, “She is the young woman from Moab who came back with Naomi. 7 She asked me this morning if she could gather grain behind the harvesters. She has been hard at work ever since, except for a few minutes’ rest in the shelter.” (Ruth 2:6-7, NLT)
She’s a hard worker. That’s a good character trait.
Boaz went over and said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don’t go to any other fields. Stay right behind the young women working in my field. 9 See which part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them. I have warned the young men not to treat you roughly. And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well.” (Ruth 2:8-9, NLT)
This is probably not typical treatment of a gleaner. Either Boaz is very kind, he has an interest in her, or both.
Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.” (Ruth 2:10, NLT)
Remember, Naomi was from Bethlehem, but Ruth was from Moab,
“Yes, I know,” Boaz replied. “But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers. May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.” (Ruth 2:11-12, NLT)
Boaz is kind, but he’s also heard about the kindness of Ruth…without social media! Could this be a match made in heaven? We’ll see!
“I hope I continue to please you, sir,” she replied. “You have comforted me by speaking so kindly to me, even though I am not one of your workers.” (Ruth 2:13, NLT)
All Ruth is seeking is food for her and her mother-in-law, Naomi. But she is a vulnerable widow, as is Naomi.
At mealtime Boaz called to her, “Come over here, and help yourself to some food. You can dip your bread in the sour wine.” So she sat with his harvesters, and Boaz gave her some roasted grain to eat. She ate all she wanted and still had some left over. (Ruth 2:14, NLT)
Now she has food, all right, but not from gleaning. These aren’t leftovers. She’s eating with the master of the house, so to speak. Not only did she have quality food, she’s dining at an all-you-can-eat buffet. I hope there’s a doggy bag for her to take some food to Naomi!
And that’s where we end today! Come back next time for the continuation of the story and see what happens between Ruth and Boaz.
So What?
The moral of this story is if you want to find love, glean from the nearest farm and hope the owner sees you and shows you favor! Not quite, but it is a truly remarkable story. It’s important to see that God is the main character. LORD—the all-caps sacred name for God—is mentioned several times. This is much more than a tragedy becoming hopeful or the search for a spouse.
There are some principles that apply not only to dating, but all friendships. First and foremost, God is sovereign. He is in control. Although He didn’t force these events to take place, He had a plan for Ruth…and Naomi…and Boaz…and an even bigger plan that we’ll see later in the series that impacts us today!
Second, God sees needs. He saw these widows. He hasn’t forgotten them. And He sees you, too. We have many actual widows in our First Alliance family. God sees you. We do, too, and want to love and serve you in your loss, grief, and loneliness. I read a remarkable statistic that 90% of wives will be widows for at least part of their lives. Throughout the Bible, we see three vulnerable people groups God instructs us to care for: widows, strangers, and orphans.
Third, God sees deeds. He not only sees our needs, He sees our deeds! Ruth showed radical love to her mother-in-law. She could’ve listen to Naomi who said, “Go find a husband. I don’t want to be a burden to you,” but instead, Ruth was committed to Naomi. God saw this, and others did, too, which is why Boaz heard about it and a primary reason why he showed such kindness to Ruth.
I’m not sure who needs to hear this today, but listen to these words from Paul:
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. (1 Corinthians 15:58, NLT)
Ruth didn’t explicitly stay with Naomi for the Lord, but her devotion was an expression of love. Ruth was a woman of faith who loved God. This was clear in verses 1:16 and again in 2:12.
It’s easy to feel hidden and unnoticed. Sometimes the work we do takes weeks, month, years, even decades before it’s noticed, but God is always watching…and in time, it’s likely that your good deeds will be noticed and rewarded. Don’t give up. Don’t worry about human applause. You will be rewarded for eternity for the things you do for the LORD.
By the way, we don’t do good works to get saved. We do good works because we’ve been saved. Faith without works is dead. As Dallas Willard said, God’s not opposed to effort. He’s opposed to earning. Serving God and others should be the natural response to the cross, the empty tomb, and God’s amazing grace toward us.
Ultimately, God will bless our faithfulness to Him and His people. That blessing may be finding the love of your life. It might be experiencing the joy of a deep friendship. What we do matters. Who we worship matters most of all…and my heart is full of gratitude for our amazing God and His faithfulness.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Upside Down (Easter), 31 March 2024
03 04 24
Upside Down (Easter)
John 19:30
Big Idea: Because of the resurrection, our world and future are radically transformed.
I love roller coasters. As a young boy, they terrified me, but a $20 bribe from my grandpa got me convinced to ride one a few years later and I was hooked (on roller coasters, not the $20!!!). Despite my early love for roller coasters, there was one thing I wouldn’t ride…a coaster that goes upside down. I don’t know if I thought I would fall out or just thought it would be a weird sensation but I refused to do a loop for several years…until my grandpa bribed—no, he wasn’t involved this time, but when I was at King’s Island, I faced my fear and went upside down for the first time on a roller coaster, and while I didn’t want to stay upside down, I loved it!
We’re not here to talk about roller coasters (though I can’t wait to ride Top Thrill 2!), but the subject of Easter—of Resurrection Sunday—is filled with surprises, with irony, with upside down reality. It’s really a picture of life in the Kingdom of God, the life of a follower of Jesus. He is risen!
The resurrection of Jesus has been celebrated since…well, since it occurred in the first century. I wish we had time today to unpack all of the reasons why I believe in the resurrection. I do realize dead people do not usually come back to life…especially when they are exposed to the horror of crucifixion. Nobody’s been able to locate the place where Jesus’ body was placed or buried, so whether you believe Jesus rose from the dead or not, just imagine for a moment that he did. What if it’s true?
The subject of Resurrection Sunday is filled with surprises, with irony, with upside down reality. Our scripture reading text is filled with such moments!
Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. (Matthew 28:1, NLT)
Nothing special here.
Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. (Matthew 28:2-4, NLT)
Earthquake. Angel. Shining face and white clothing. Of course, the guards were afraid and fainted. Have you ever seen an angel? It seems like they always say the same thing…
Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” (Matthew 28:5-7, NLT)
The crucified don’t rise from the dead! That’s as upside down as it gets!
The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. (Matthew 28:8, NLT)
Frightened and joyful. That’s upside down!
The Kingdom of God is upside down from the kingdoms of this world.
But let’s back up. How did we get to this scene? Many of you know the story of Good Friday which we remembered two days ago. One of Jesus’ three best friends, John, wrote regarding Jesus on the cross…
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30, NIV)
I’m grateful to pastor Erwin McManus for introducing me to the true meaning of this simple verse and its relevance to Easter. Jesus did three things.
First, he said, “It is finished.” This was moments before he died, making this declaration look like one of defeat. It appears his life is finished. His friends certainly saw it that way. Usually when people die, it’s a tragedy. The Hebrew word for death does not mean the absence of life, but rather the separation of two things that never meant to be separated. Death feels wrong because it is. My father-in-law died on Monday and we’ve been surrounded by preparations for next Sunday’s funeral. But when Jesus said, “It is finished,” he wasn’t talking about the end of his life. He was referencing his completed mission to seek and save the lost. What appeared to be a failure was upside down. Jesus fulfilled the scriptures written centuries earlier. The cross was viewed as a symbol of powerlessness, but on the cross Jesus had total confidence in his power to accomplish the mission. At the cross, defeat is victory.
Then he bowed his head. This is the same language found when he said,
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20, NIV)
Jesus had no place to rest his head, but he did on the cross. There is rest at the cross. He takes an act of violence and turns things upside down, making it a place of peace.
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30, NIV)
Thirdly, the text says Jesus “gave up his spirit.” This doesn’t mean he lost it, but rather he gave it up, he made a choice—a decision—with his last act. Nobody took Jesus’ life, it was a gift, an act of grace, unmerited favor.
Do you see how upside down the story of Jesus is? In this one verse, we see defeat is victory, violence is peace, failure is conquest. It’s not the death of Jesus that makes Good Friday good. Yes, he died to offer forgiveness to every man, woman, and child that responds to his simple invitation, “Follow me.” But if there was no resurrection, we wouldn’t be celebrating today.
Some of you today are exploring what it means to follow Jesus. Welcome! We welcome people of all faiths, backgrounds, ethnicities, …all humans are welcome here! We’re not about becoming a big church or famous, but we are about helping people discover Jesus and what you might call the upside-down Kingdom of God. Our faith is not built on philosophy or someone’s dream or a dead person’s wisdom. It’s on the living person of Jesus, a real human who changed the world, who showed us what it means to be human.
In many ways, following Jesus is the opposite of following the world—both the religious world and the culture. Religious people have always tried to be good enough for a perfect God, but it doesn’t work. It’s always tempting to keep up with the Joneses, to pursue the American Dream, to just do it, to have it your way, to do you and be true to yourself (what slogans am I missing?!), but how’s that working for you? It’s no secret that we live in a cancel culture that then struggles with loneliness (I wonder why?!). Money, sex, and power are like a mirage in the desert, an illusion of satisfaction which quickly fades away. I like these words from the late J. Oswald Sanders:
“Because we children of Adam want to become great, He became small. Because we will not stoop, He humbled Himself. Because we want to rule, He came to serve.”
Jesus died for you and for me. His blood poured out of his beaten body, his head covered in a crown of thorns, nails in his wrists and feet, eventually a spear in his side. He took our punishment. That’s upside down!
Jesus left heaven to come to earth. That’s upside down!
His blood washes us white as snow. That’s upside down!
He brings us from darkness into light. That’s upside down!
And it wasn’t because we’re good people.
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8, NIV)
That’s really upside down! That’s the message of the gospel, the good news. Jesus died for us…not only to experience forgiveness and grace, but also a relationship with God.
Jesus turned everything upside-down. Consider a few of his choice statements:
Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. (Matt. 10:39, NIV)
Six chapters later, he says it again.
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. (Matt. 16:25, NIV)
Perhaps you’ve heard this one:
But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. Matt. 19:30
Perhaps the most radical of commands is found in chapter five of the same book.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matt. 5:43-44
Love your enemies? That’s so upside-down. It sounds ridiculous to our culture. Cancel your enemies. Harm your enemies. Treat them the way they treat you. At the very best ignore your enemies. But love them?
One of the things I love about Jesus is he gets us. Perhaps you’ve seen the tv commercials! But he really gets us. He spent 33 years on our planet, getting sick, cold, tempted, and enduring the most horrific pain imaginable on the cross.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
I love that so much! When he says things like “love your enemies,” he walks the talk.
When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. (Luke 23:33-34)
Paul, who had a life-transforming encounter with the risen Jesus, notes:
I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. (1 Corinthians 15:3-6, NLT)
It's not like one or two people had a hallucination or something!
The resurrection is everything to the follower of Jesus. Paul, who met Jesus, wrote,
And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. 16 And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:15-17, NLT)
Without the resurrection, our faith is useless.
Without the resurrection, we are guilty of our sins.
Without the resurrection, we have no hope.
Without the resurrection, we have no peace.
Without the resurrection, Christianity is just one of many religions trying to get to God.
Without the resurrection, we’re wasting our time praying to a dead God.
Without the resurrection, we have future of death.
Without the resurrection, this is as good as it gets (and that’s tragic!)
Without the resurrection, we have no purpose (he who dies with the most toys wins)
But because he lives, I’m alive!
Because he lives, I can face tomorrow
Because he lives, every fear is gone
So What?
In a moment we’re going to hear stories of people who have said, “Jesus, I give you my life.” If you’ve done that, let this be a moment to remember your surrender and recommit to follow Jesus and his upside-down, radical, alternative way of life.
If you’ve never said, “Jesus, I give you my life,” I urge you to do so today. It’s the most amazing experience to surrender, die to your own selfish ways, and be resurrected in Christ. When you do so, Christ lives in you! When you die, you can really live. That’s upside down…and it’s amazing!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
John 19:30
Big Idea: Because of the resurrection, our world and future are radically transformed.
I love roller coasters. As a young boy, they terrified me, but a $20 bribe from my grandpa got me convinced to ride one a few years later and I was hooked (on roller coasters, not the $20!!!). Despite my early love for roller coasters, there was one thing I wouldn’t ride…a coaster that goes upside down. I don’t know if I thought I would fall out or just thought it would be a weird sensation but I refused to do a loop for several years…until my grandpa bribed—no, he wasn’t involved this time, but when I was at King’s Island, I faced my fear and went upside down for the first time on a roller coaster, and while I didn’t want to stay upside down, I loved it!
We’re not here to talk about roller coasters (though I can’t wait to ride Top Thrill 2!), but the subject of Easter—of Resurrection Sunday—is filled with surprises, with irony, with upside down reality. It’s really a picture of life in the Kingdom of God, the life of a follower of Jesus. He is risen!
The resurrection of Jesus has been celebrated since…well, since it occurred in the first century. I wish we had time today to unpack all of the reasons why I believe in the resurrection. I do realize dead people do not usually come back to life…especially when they are exposed to the horror of crucifixion. Nobody’s been able to locate the place where Jesus’ body was placed or buried, so whether you believe Jesus rose from the dead or not, just imagine for a moment that he did. What if it’s true?
The subject of Resurrection Sunday is filled with surprises, with irony, with upside down reality. Our scripture reading text is filled with such moments!
Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. (Matthew 28:1, NLT)
Nothing special here.
Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. (Matthew 28:2-4, NLT)
Earthquake. Angel. Shining face and white clothing. Of course, the guards were afraid and fainted. Have you ever seen an angel? It seems like they always say the same thing…
Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” (Matthew 28:5-7, NLT)
The crucified don’t rise from the dead! That’s as upside down as it gets!
The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. (Matthew 28:8, NLT)
Frightened and joyful. That’s upside down!
The Kingdom of God is upside down from the kingdoms of this world.
But let’s back up. How did we get to this scene? Many of you know the story of Good Friday which we remembered two days ago. One of Jesus’ three best friends, John, wrote regarding Jesus on the cross…
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30, NIV)
I’m grateful to pastor Erwin McManus for introducing me to the true meaning of this simple verse and its relevance to Easter. Jesus did three things.
First, he said, “It is finished.” This was moments before he died, making this declaration look like one of defeat. It appears his life is finished. His friends certainly saw it that way. Usually when people die, it’s a tragedy. The Hebrew word for death does not mean the absence of life, but rather the separation of two things that never meant to be separated. Death feels wrong because it is. My father-in-law died on Monday and we’ve been surrounded by preparations for next Sunday’s funeral. But when Jesus said, “It is finished,” he wasn’t talking about the end of his life. He was referencing his completed mission to seek and save the lost. What appeared to be a failure was upside down. Jesus fulfilled the scriptures written centuries earlier. The cross was viewed as a symbol of powerlessness, but on the cross Jesus had total confidence in his power to accomplish the mission. At the cross, defeat is victory.
Then he bowed his head. This is the same language found when he said,
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20, NIV)
Jesus had no place to rest his head, but he did on the cross. There is rest at the cross. He takes an act of violence and turns things upside down, making it a place of peace.
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30, NIV)
Thirdly, the text says Jesus “gave up his spirit.” This doesn’t mean he lost it, but rather he gave it up, he made a choice—a decision—with his last act. Nobody took Jesus’ life, it was a gift, an act of grace, unmerited favor.
Do you see how upside down the story of Jesus is? In this one verse, we see defeat is victory, violence is peace, failure is conquest. It’s not the death of Jesus that makes Good Friday good. Yes, he died to offer forgiveness to every man, woman, and child that responds to his simple invitation, “Follow me.” But if there was no resurrection, we wouldn’t be celebrating today.
Some of you today are exploring what it means to follow Jesus. Welcome! We welcome people of all faiths, backgrounds, ethnicities, …all humans are welcome here! We’re not about becoming a big church or famous, but we are about helping people discover Jesus and what you might call the upside-down Kingdom of God. Our faith is not built on philosophy or someone’s dream or a dead person’s wisdom. It’s on the living person of Jesus, a real human who changed the world, who showed us what it means to be human.
In many ways, following Jesus is the opposite of following the world—both the religious world and the culture. Religious people have always tried to be good enough for a perfect God, but it doesn’t work. It’s always tempting to keep up with the Joneses, to pursue the American Dream, to just do it, to have it your way, to do you and be true to yourself (what slogans am I missing?!), but how’s that working for you? It’s no secret that we live in a cancel culture that then struggles with loneliness (I wonder why?!). Money, sex, and power are like a mirage in the desert, an illusion of satisfaction which quickly fades away. I like these words from the late J. Oswald Sanders:
“Because we children of Adam want to become great, He became small. Because we will not stoop, He humbled Himself. Because we want to rule, He came to serve.”
Jesus died for you and for me. His blood poured out of his beaten body, his head covered in a crown of thorns, nails in his wrists and feet, eventually a spear in his side. He took our punishment. That’s upside down!
Jesus left heaven to come to earth. That’s upside down!
His blood washes us white as snow. That’s upside down!
He brings us from darkness into light. That’s upside down!
And it wasn’t because we’re good people.
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8, NIV)
That’s really upside down! That’s the message of the gospel, the good news. Jesus died for us…not only to experience forgiveness and grace, but also a relationship with God.
Jesus turned everything upside-down. Consider a few of his choice statements:
Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. (Matt. 10:39, NIV)
Six chapters later, he says it again.
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. (Matt. 16:25, NIV)
Perhaps you’ve heard this one:
But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. Matt. 19:30
Perhaps the most radical of commands is found in chapter five of the same book.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matt. 5:43-44
Love your enemies? That’s so upside-down. It sounds ridiculous to our culture. Cancel your enemies. Harm your enemies. Treat them the way they treat you. At the very best ignore your enemies. But love them?
One of the things I love about Jesus is he gets us. Perhaps you’ve seen the tv commercials! But he really gets us. He spent 33 years on our planet, getting sick, cold, tempted, and enduring the most horrific pain imaginable on the cross.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
I love that so much! When he says things like “love your enemies,” he walks the talk.
When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. (Luke 23:33-34)
Paul, who had a life-transforming encounter with the risen Jesus, notes:
I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. (1 Corinthians 15:3-6, NLT)
It's not like one or two people had a hallucination or something!
The resurrection is everything to the follower of Jesus. Paul, who met Jesus, wrote,
And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. 16 And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:15-17, NLT)
Without the resurrection, our faith is useless.
Without the resurrection, we are guilty of our sins.
Without the resurrection, we have no hope.
Without the resurrection, we have no peace.
Without the resurrection, Christianity is just one of many religions trying to get to God.
Without the resurrection, we’re wasting our time praying to a dead God.
Without the resurrection, we have future of death.
Without the resurrection, this is as good as it gets (and that’s tragic!)
Without the resurrection, we have no purpose (he who dies with the most toys wins)
But because he lives, I’m alive!
Because he lives, I can face tomorrow
Because he lives, every fear is gone
So What?
In a moment we’re going to hear stories of people who have said, “Jesus, I give you my life.” If you’ve done that, let this be a moment to remember your surrender and recommit to follow Jesus and his upside-down, radical, alternative way of life.
If you’ve never said, “Jesus, I give you my life,” I urge you to do so today. It’s the most amazing experience to surrender, die to your own selfish ways, and be resurrected in Christ. When you do so, Christ lives in you! When you die, you can really live. That’s upside down…and it’s amazing!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The Greatest Investment, 17 March 2024
17 03 24
The Greatest Investment
God Cares More About Your Money Than You Do
Luke 12:13-34
Series Big Idea: Money matters…to God, to us, and to those we love.
Big Idea: The greatest investments will last forever.
Although I love this country, the older I get, the more I see its many flaws. No nation is perfect, of course, but despite our financial wealth, our culture has many weaknesses. One of them is we are impatient. Would you agree? When we stare at the microwave clock wishing it would cook faster…!!! Speaking of fast, have you driven on I-75 lately? If you’ve ever put money in the stock market, hoping the value would double overnight…It reminds me of my grandkids who once planted a garden and checked on it the next morning!
The late Dallas Willard famously gave this advice to his disciple, John Ortberg: “Ruthlessly eliminate hurry.” Good luck!
As we conclude our three-part series “God Cares More About Your Money Than You Do,” we are talking about the greatest investment.
What’s the greatest investment you’ve ever made?
I’m pretty happy with the Apple stock I bought in 2005 before I worked for the company. I bought 4 shares, spending $367. That $367 is now worth over $44,000. Imagine if I bought 100 shares instead of only 4! Truthfully, I’ve done very little investing in the stock market. Most of my very modest retirement account is in mutual funds.
All fruitful investments require time. By definition, the returns are not instantaneous. If you buy something from a vending machine, we call that a transaction. No waiting is required (unless the machine is broken and you have to kick it!). When you order fast food at a drive-thru, you hope and pray it won’t take an hour to receive your order!
But investments are different. There is no instant gratification. This is why many use financial investments to fund their retirement. They know it is years or decades away. They also recognize the value of compounding interest. The Bible has over 2000 references to money. Don’t worry, we’ll only look at half of them today!
God gives us many gifts for our good…that the enemy uses to destroy. Our planet was created filled with beauty, yet pollution taints its splendor. Relationships are God’s design, yet they often bring the greatest pain. Sex is a wonderful gift…within God-given boundaries designed to protect us. Money is another tool that can be used for good or harm.
In case you missed our message two weeks ago, we said
- If you spend less than you earn, you will never be broke.
- Work hard
- Spend wisely
- Give generously
Those are principles for building financial wealth. They also bring us great joy when we honor God with our money, no matter how much we possess…so long as our money doesn’t possess us.
I want to talk about another dimension of money and that is investing. Saving is not only a financial principle, it’s a healthy discipline. Because we live in an on-demand, have it now culture, the mere mention of the word “wait” might be enough to cause some of you anxiety. Who has time to wait?
The same is true with money. It’s hard to wait sometimes. We either see something we want, but it before we have the money, and pay outrageous interest fees (by the way, making the minimum monthly payment will rarely if ever lead to the payment of the debt!)…or we cash our paycheck and spend it all before the next one arrives…with no thought of savings, much less investment.
Many of you have heard of an emergency fund or a rainy day fund. So-called experts differ on exact formulas, but before you spend every penny you own, consider the fact that emergencies will arise. It’s a fact of life. Rain will fall (especially in Toledo). And all of us have a limited number of days on earth…and days when we are able to work.
I realize our church family is very diverse. Some of you know more about money than I do. Many of you have more money than I do! And some of us struggle to save even a little, much less invest. We are so focused on surviving today that we can’t even imagine planning for tomorrow. Then the rain comes and we’re in crisis mode.
I want to remind you of the “spend wisely” principle from two weeks ago. We need to differentiate between our wants and our needs. Advertisements are designed to destroy your contentment. People are paid to convince you that desires are necessities. And you need that new (fill in the blank) now! And if now won’t work, perhaps you can wait for Amazon to deliver tomorrow (or later today!).
Since each household is unique, I want to simply remind you that a budget brings freedom, not bondage…and savings should be in your budget. Whether you save $1/paycheck, 1%, 10%, or more, it’s essential to save…and then invest that money so it can grow.
Jesus told a great story about three men who were given money to invest. In the 25th chapter of Matthew, Jesus tells of a man going on a long trip.
He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. (Matthew 25:15, NLT)
“The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. (Matthew 25:16-18, NLT)
“After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ (Matthew 25:19-20, NLT)
“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ (Matthew 25:21, NLT)
“The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ (Matthew 25:22, NLT)
“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ (Matthew 25:23, NLT)
“Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ (Matthew 25:24-25, NLT)
“But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ (Matthew 25:26-27, NLT)
“Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matthew 25:28-30, NLT)
There’s so much that could be said about savings and investments. A great resource is https://faithandfinance.org, a ministry of the Christian & Missionary Alliance. Of course, some of you will be meeting with David Munn of Munn Wealth Management today at noon. His company is built upon biblical principles and has been extremely generous to First Alliance and many Christian organizations throughout our community. David is a personal friend and a great resource. There are many others, too, including the Ron Blue Institute which partners with Orchard Alliance.
But I want to go back to Jesus’ story of investing. It’s a great picture of investing money—silver—but the greatest investment in the world is people.
A biblical example of investment
Who wrote the book of Timothy? Actually, there are two books called Timothy…1st and 2nd Timothy…and they were written by…Paul. These short letters were written from a mentor to an apprentice, a teacher to a student, a discipler to a disciple.
Timothy, I thank God for you—the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. (2 Timothy 1:3, NLT)
Paul invested prayer. Night and day he prayed for Timothy.
I long to see you again, for I remember your tears as we parted. And I will be filled with joy when we are together again. (2 Timothy 1:4, NLT)
Paul invested passion. He cried when they parted and longs for a joyous reunion.
I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. (2 Timothy 1:5, NLT)
Grandma and mom invested, too.
This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. (2 Timothy 1:6, NLT)
The Holy Spirit invested in Timothy with a spiritual gift.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7, NLT)
That’s the fruit of the investment…power, love, and self-discipline. Who doesn’t want that?
A few verses later, Paul tells Timothy to…
Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. 14 Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you. (2 Timothy 1:13-14, NLT)
So What?
The greatest investment you can make is not in real estate, Bitcoin, or Microsoft. It’s in people. We do that through our time, talent, and treasures.
We must spend time with people. This is the core of discipleship, of investment, of friendship. Love is spelled t-i-m-e! There are no shortcuts or hacks. You simply need to invest time in people, listening to them, eating with them, having fun with them! When is the last time you chose to spend an hour with a non-Christian with no agenda, just to be with them?
Another way to invest in people is through your talents, your abilities. This might include volunteering with one of our Home Missions partners from last Sunday, cooking food for Dinner Church, assisting on the next Alpha Course, joining the music or tech teams, or any number of other things to get involved around here. What do you love to do? How can you do that with others, for others, for God’s glory?
You can also make a financial investment in people through giving your treasures to First Alliance, FAC Missions, and the Alliance Great Commission Fund. These three accounts are used to impact lives for eternity by supporting this local congregation, serving our ministry partners in our city and world through church planting, Home Missions, and Faith Missions, and contributing to the global work of our Christian & Missionary Alliance family, including Germany and the Dominican Republic.
Conclusion
Financial investments are great, especially as we age and become unable to work and earn income. Starbucks stock was worth more than eleven times its year 2000 value in 2016. Monster Beverage stock was worth 24 cents in 2001 and grew to $150 in 2015.
But despite the bumper sticker that says, “He who dies with the most toys wins,” there’s only one investment that’s eternal, and it’s not about money. It’s about people…and Jesus. The greatest investment you can make is investing in people, loving people, serving people, praying for people, introducing people to Jesus.
Several weeks ago, my sermon was entitled evangelize now, meaning “share good news now, tell others about Jesus now.” It is true that tomorrow could be too late…for you or them!
Investing in people always begins with prayer. Pray that God would lead you to the right people, that He would prepare their hearts, and that He would give you wisdom and words.
The next step is to listen…listen to them. Don’t bombard them with information. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
Eat with them. Grab coffee. There’s something powerful about food and relationships. The Bible is packed with examples, including the very manner in which we are to remember the death of Jesus.
Serve them. Put your faith into action.
Finally, share your story. After you’ve listened to theirs and served them, you’ve likely earned the right to share your story…God’s story. If you began the process with praying for them, there’s a good chance they’ll be interested in learning more.
B.L.E.S.S.
There's even a free BLESS app for your smart phone. Search for it.
But we must be intentional. It takes time. Sometimes years or decades! It requires sacrifice. This is true of all investments, but I promise you there is no greater investment than people. The returns are eternal!
British missionary C.T. Studd (what a great name!) penned a powerful poem entitled, “Only One Life, Twill Soon Be Past.” Here’s a sample:
God Cares More About Your Money Than You Do
Luke 12:13-34
Series Big Idea: Money matters…to God, to us, and to those we love.
Big Idea: The greatest investments will last forever.
Although I love this country, the older I get, the more I see its many flaws. No nation is perfect, of course, but despite our financial wealth, our culture has many weaknesses. One of them is we are impatient. Would you agree? When we stare at the microwave clock wishing it would cook faster…!!! Speaking of fast, have you driven on I-75 lately? If you’ve ever put money in the stock market, hoping the value would double overnight…It reminds me of my grandkids who once planted a garden and checked on it the next morning!
The late Dallas Willard famously gave this advice to his disciple, John Ortberg: “Ruthlessly eliminate hurry.” Good luck!
As we conclude our three-part series “God Cares More About Your Money Than You Do,” we are talking about the greatest investment.
What’s the greatest investment you’ve ever made?
I’m pretty happy with the Apple stock I bought in 2005 before I worked for the company. I bought 4 shares, spending $367. That $367 is now worth over $44,000. Imagine if I bought 100 shares instead of only 4! Truthfully, I’ve done very little investing in the stock market. Most of my very modest retirement account is in mutual funds.
All fruitful investments require time. By definition, the returns are not instantaneous. If you buy something from a vending machine, we call that a transaction. No waiting is required (unless the machine is broken and you have to kick it!). When you order fast food at a drive-thru, you hope and pray it won’t take an hour to receive your order!
But investments are different. There is no instant gratification. This is why many use financial investments to fund their retirement. They know it is years or decades away. They also recognize the value of compounding interest. The Bible has over 2000 references to money. Don’t worry, we’ll only look at half of them today!
God gives us many gifts for our good…that the enemy uses to destroy. Our planet was created filled with beauty, yet pollution taints its splendor. Relationships are God’s design, yet they often bring the greatest pain. Sex is a wonderful gift…within God-given boundaries designed to protect us. Money is another tool that can be used for good or harm.
In case you missed our message two weeks ago, we said
- If you spend less than you earn, you will never be broke.
- Work hard
- Spend wisely
- Give generously
Those are principles for building financial wealth. They also bring us great joy when we honor God with our money, no matter how much we possess…so long as our money doesn’t possess us.
I want to talk about another dimension of money and that is investing. Saving is not only a financial principle, it’s a healthy discipline. Because we live in an on-demand, have it now culture, the mere mention of the word “wait” might be enough to cause some of you anxiety. Who has time to wait?
The same is true with money. It’s hard to wait sometimes. We either see something we want, but it before we have the money, and pay outrageous interest fees (by the way, making the minimum monthly payment will rarely if ever lead to the payment of the debt!)…or we cash our paycheck and spend it all before the next one arrives…with no thought of savings, much less investment.
Many of you have heard of an emergency fund or a rainy day fund. So-called experts differ on exact formulas, but before you spend every penny you own, consider the fact that emergencies will arise. It’s a fact of life. Rain will fall (especially in Toledo). And all of us have a limited number of days on earth…and days when we are able to work.
I realize our church family is very diverse. Some of you know more about money than I do. Many of you have more money than I do! And some of us struggle to save even a little, much less invest. We are so focused on surviving today that we can’t even imagine planning for tomorrow. Then the rain comes and we’re in crisis mode.
I want to remind you of the “spend wisely” principle from two weeks ago. We need to differentiate between our wants and our needs. Advertisements are designed to destroy your contentment. People are paid to convince you that desires are necessities. And you need that new (fill in the blank) now! And if now won’t work, perhaps you can wait for Amazon to deliver tomorrow (or later today!).
Since each household is unique, I want to simply remind you that a budget brings freedom, not bondage…and savings should be in your budget. Whether you save $1/paycheck, 1%, 10%, or more, it’s essential to save…and then invest that money so it can grow.
Jesus told a great story about three men who were given money to invest. In the 25th chapter of Matthew, Jesus tells of a man going on a long trip.
He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. (Matthew 25:15, NLT)
“The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. (Matthew 25:16-18, NLT)
“After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ (Matthew 25:19-20, NLT)
“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ (Matthew 25:21, NLT)
“The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ (Matthew 25:22, NLT)
“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ (Matthew 25:23, NLT)
“Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ (Matthew 25:24-25, NLT)
“But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ (Matthew 25:26-27, NLT)
“Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matthew 25:28-30, NLT)
There’s so much that could be said about savings and investments. A great resource is https://faithandfinance.org, a ministry of the Christian & Missionary Alliance. Of course, some of you will be meeting with David Munn of Munn Wealth Management today at noon. His company is built upon biblical principles and has been extremely generous to First Alliance and many Christian organizations throughout our community. David is a personal friend and a great resource. There are many others, too, including the Ron Blue Institute which partners with Orchard Alliance.
But I want to go back to Jesus’ story of investing. It’s a great picture of investing money—silver—but the greatest investment in the world is people.
A biblical example of investment
Who wrote the book of Timothy? Actually, there are two books called Timothy…1st and 2nd Timothy…and they were written by…Paul. These short letters were written from a mentor to an apprentice, a teacher to a student, a discipler to a disciple.
Timothy, I thank God for you—the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. (2 Timothy 1:3, NLT)
Paul invested prayer. Night and day he prayed for Timothy.
I long to see you again, for I remember your tears as we parted. And I will be filled with joy when we are together again. (2 Timothy 1:4, NLT)
Paul invested passion. He cried when they parted and longs for a joyous reunion.
I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. (2 Timothy 1:5, NLT)
Grandma and mom invested, too.
This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. (2 Timothy 1:6, NLT)
The Holy Spirit invested in Timothy with a spiritual gift.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7, NLT)
That’s the fruit of the investment…power, love, and self-discipline. Who doesn’t want that?
A few verses later, Paul tells Timothy to…
Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. 14 Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you. (2 Timothy 1:13-14, NLT)
So What?
The greatest investment you can make is not in real estate, Bitcoin, or Microsoft. It’s in people. We do that through our time, talent, and treasures.
We must spend time with people. This is the core of discipleship, of investment, of friendship. Love is spelled t-i-m-e! There are no shortcuts or hacks. You simply need to invest time in people, listening to them, eating with them, having fun with them! When is the last time you chose to spend an hour with a non-Christian with no agenda, just to be with them?
Another way to invest in people is through your talents, your abilities. This might include volunteering with one of our Home Missions partners from last Sunday, cooking food for Dinner Church, assisting on the next Alpha Course, joining the music or tech teams, or any number of other things to get involved around here. What do you love to do? How can you do that with others, for others, for God’s glory?
You can also make a financial investment in people through giving your treasures to First Alliance, FAC Missions, and the Alliance Great Commission Fund. These three accounts are used to impact lives for eternity by supporting this local congregation, serving our ministry partners in our city and world through church planting, Home Missions, and Faith Missions, and contributing to the global work of our Christian & Missionary Alliance family, including Germany and the Dominican Republic.
Conclusion
Financial investments are great, especially as we age and become unable to work and earn income. Starbucks stock was worth more than eleven times its year 2000 value in 2016. Monster Beverage stock was worth 24 cents in 2001 and grew to $150 in 2015.
But despite the bumper sticker that says, “He who dies with the most toys wins,” there’s only one investment that’s eternal, and it’s not about money. It’s about people…and Jesus. The greatest investment you can make is investing in people, loving people, serving people, praying for people, introducing people to Jesus.
Several weeks ago, my sermon was entitled evangelize now, meaning “share good news now, tell others about Jesus now.” It is true that tomorrow could be too late…for you or them!
Investing in people always begins with prayer. Pray that God would lead you to the right people, that He would prepare their hearts, and that He would give you wisdom and words.
The next step is to listen…listen to them. Don’t bombard them with information. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
Eat with them. Grab coffee. There’s something powerful about food and relationships. The Bible is packed with examples, including the very manner in which we are to remember the death of Jesus.
Serve them. Put your faith into action.
Finally, share your story. After you’ve listened to theirs and served them, you’ve likely earned the right to share your story…God’s story. If you began the process with praying for them, there’s a good chance they’ll be interested in learning more.
B.L.E.S.S.
There's even a free BLESS app for your smart phone. Search for it.
But we must be intentional. It takes time. Sometimes years or decades! It requires sacrifice. This is true of all investments, but I promise you there is no greater investment than people. The returns are eternal!
British missionary C.T. Studd (what a great name!) penned a powerful poem entitled, “Only One Life, Twill Soon Be Past.” Here’s a sample:
Two little lines I heard one day,
Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,
And stand before His Judgement seat;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, the still small voice,
Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave,
And to God’s holy will to cleave;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, a few brief years,
Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its clays I must fulfill.
living for self or in His will;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
When this bright world would tempt me sore,
When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way,
Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Give me Father, a purpose deep,
In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife,
Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Oh let my love with fervor burn,
And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone,
Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one,
Now let me say, “Thy will be done”;
And when at last I’ll hear the call,
I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
How to Get Rich, 3 March 2024
04 03 24
How to Get Rich
God Cares More About Your Money Than You Do
1 Timothy 6:6-10, NLT
Series Big Idea: Money matters…to God, to us, and to those we love.
Big Idea: Intentionality is usually required to make us rich…financially and otherwise.
If you were offered one wish, what would it be? You can’t ask for more wishes!
A common wish people have is to get rich. Was that your wish? Today I’m going to tell you how to get rich…and I hope you’re paying attention!
Welcome to week two of our series God Cares More About Your Money Than You Do. It’s true. God loves you and wants you to flourish in this life—and the next—and money can be a tool for good…or an idol to destroy our lives.
It’s so easy to make money our god, our idol. It’s a common factor in divorce. It has split families and friendships. So is money evil?
No. It’s a tool, like food or a hammer or a book. It can be used for good or bad purposes. It can be used or abused. Paul wrote to his disciple Timothy and said,
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:10, NIV)
The love of money is the issue, just like the love of pleasure or power or any number of things can get in the way of our relationship with God…and others.
God is more concerned about the heart than the wallet.
One of the problems with the love of money is there never seems to be enough. One billionaire was asked how much was enough and he replied, “Just a little bit more.” The love of money will never lead to contentment. Perhaps that’s why in the book of Hebrews it says,
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5, NIV)
God wants us to trust Him, not money. Isn’t it ironic that our currency says, “In God We Trust” when most of us put our trust in money?
I’ve titled this sermon, “How to Get Rich.” So how much money do you need to be rich? By the world’s standards, must of us are already rich. What are we doing about it?
Two weeks ago, Pastor Donald said God owns, we possess. Do you have possessions or does what you have possess you?
One of the core values of our Alliance family says, “Everything we have belongs to God. We are His stewards.” God owns it all. Your health. Your job. Your retirement account. Your house, car, baseball card collection, wardrobe, …
W. Graham Scroggie said, “There are two ways in which a Christian may view his money--"How much of my money shall I use for God?" or "How much of God's money shall I use for myself?"
Back in November, I said,
“Wealth is an issue of the heart, and our attitude should be one of gratitude and generosity.”
On the subject of tithing—giving ten percent of your income to the LORD—I like to say don’t tithe on what you earn. Tithe on what you want to earn! No, I’m not guaranteeing a raise, but it’s amazing how many people think they’ll tithe on a million dollars but refuse to give ten percent of a hundred dollars.
But back to how to get rich. Here’s a simple principle, maybe step one in getting rich…financially. Are you ready?
If you spend less than you earn, you will never be broke.
My late grandfather gave me a silver dollar when I was a boy and said if I kept it, I’d never be broke!
It’s no secret USAmericans are drowning in debt. Mortgages, car payments, student loans, medical bills, and perhaps worst of all, credit card debt. I hate debt. It is not only costly financially due to interest, it is an emotional burden.
Addison H. Hallock once said, “Before borrowing money from a friend, decide which you need more!”
Proverbs says,
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. (Proverbs 22:7)
Many of you just said a silent, Amen!” I must confess we owe a small amount on our house, but we have no other debt. I wanted to say we’re blessed to have no other debt, but it’s not accidental. If I had three pieces of advice about money, I would say,
Work hard.
Spend wisely.
Give generously.
How’s that for a three-point sermon? Let’s go!
Work hard.
I know it’s politically incorrect to say, but some people are just lazy! I’m grateful for government programs and charities who help the disabled who are unable to work, but able-bodied people who choose not to work are stealing from taxpayers who work hard.
Paul wrote to a church in modern day Greece and said,
For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:7-10, NIV)
We were created to work. Adam and Eve were given the task of naming the animals and caring for the Garden of Eden before they sinned and disobeyed God. I’m quite confident that we will work in heaven, too. It won’t be boring work. We won’t have a mean boss! But we were created to work, to produce, to create, to serve.
We’ve had seasons in our nation when unemployment was high. It created hardships not only financially, but also mentally and emotionally. We were not created to watch tv or play video games or surf the Internet all day!
It’s no surprise to me that many people who retire early and move to Florida to play golf die early. Study after study has shown this. Able-bodied people—and I want to emphasize that again—need to work. It may or may not involve a paycheck. We have many retirees here in our First Alliance family who volunteer countless hours, enabling us to do things we could never afford to do if paid staff were required. Thank you!
I could preach an entire sermon series on work as worship. We spent much of our lives working, and beyond a paycheck, how we work matters. Paul wrote,
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Colossians 3:23-24)
Needless to say, hard work will often lead to raises, promotions, more money. So if you want to get rich, the first step is to work hard. The secret is not sports betting, the lottery, Hollywood Casino, or replying to that spam e-mail from Nigeria! It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme or running a shady business. It’s working hard…for the LORD…with rest…with sabbath…with quality time for family and friends…but work hard.
One more thing about work…in Matthew chapter 25, Jesus tells a parable about three workers. He says to two of them,
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:23)
He calls the third a “wicked, lazy servant” in verse 26. That’s not what I want Jesus to call me!
I want to slip in one Toledo reference. The seal of the city says in Latin, “To work is to pray.” The Alliance says, “Prayer is the primary work of God’s people.” It’s ok to ask God for a better job, more money, or favor with your boss. Virtually all of us experience emergencies in which we need help. It’s ok to ask God…and it’s ok to ask our church family, too. We have a Benevolence fund the Deacons administrate to assist with emergencies. Simply fill out the form in the lobby kiosk or at the bottom of Wednesdays’ FAC Focus e-newsletter. Family helps family.
Spend wisely.
This is a huge challenge in our consumer culture where every commercial is created to make discontent, conditioning us to want what we don’t have, promising eternal happiness if we just buy…now!
There used to be a time before credit cards when people would actually save up before buying a car or new furniture or even a tv! Contentment is a blessing…an attitude of gratitude. Instead of what you want, think about what you already have. Count your blessings. Many of the things we think we want or even need will end up in a garage sale—or dumpster—in a few years. Some money problems are related to income, but others are about consumption. Let me say it again
If you spend less than you earn, you will never be broke.
I have a helpful tool to help you. It’s called a…budget!
I used to struggle with budgets because my income changed from month to month. Then I learned a monthly budget might be more useful than an annual budget. I don’t want to insult anyone’s intelligence, but let me walk you through a simple budget.
Suppose you earn minimum wage…$10.45/hour. Most entry-level jobs pay more than that, but let’s use that. Your paycheck would be about $784 twice a month, so $1568/month. You can’t spend more than that or you’ll go into debt. Period.
The next step is to look at your expenses and, if necessary, find ways to reduce them. For example, housing is the largest expense for many of us. If you can’t find housing to fit your budget, you might consider a roommate (pets don’t count! They don’t share the bills!).
Food eats up much of our budgets (sorry for the pun). I’ve gone through seasons where instead of eating out, I made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (which are still affordable even with inflation!). Sure, it’s tempting to see an ad for Mancy’s or even fast food these days (which has skyrocketed in price), but your budget will thank you if you go to Aldi or Kroger instead. Use digital coupons. Look for sales and stock up. If you like to eat out, consider buying a Save-around coupon book in the lobby to support the Germany trip. My $25 investment pays off with two meals using the book.
Transportation is another huge expense. When it’s 70 degrees in February, consider walking! Take the bus. Hang on to the used car before racing to buy a new one with all of the fancy features you can’t afford. Consider reliability over frills. The job of transportation is to get you to your destination, not give you a day at the spa! Maybe a bicycle would fit the bill, especially if we keep having mild winters.
These are some simple examples, and as your income increases, so can your spending…but not until!
A budget brings freedom, not bondage.
Take the time to create one. Income on one side and expenses on the other. As one author says, a budget tells your money where to go. You never need to feel guilty about spending on something that’s in your budget.
Give generously.
I know this one doesn’t make logical sense, but Kingdom math—God math—is amazing! No, I’m not promising that if you stuff the Drop Box you will win the lottery. I’m not saying name it and claim it. I am saying—Jesus said—
You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:23b)
If we work hard, spend wisely, and live open-handed, God will bless. It might be unexpected financial blessings. Pastor Will Henderson told a great story last week of being given $10,000 out of the blue! That happens to those who are generous. I can tell personal stories of cash taped to my office door, cash appearing in our medicine cabinet, and my favorite story of all, the gift of a minivan hours after we prayed for one (and didn’t tell a soul!). Those stories all happened when we had little people, couldn’t afford to give away a dime, yet chose to take God at His Word and give at least ten percent of our income to our local church. Again, I’m not promising that $100 in the Drop Box will mean $100 will appear in your mailbox or Venmo account this week…but it might…or even more!
The only place I know God says, “Test Me” is in the last book of the Old Testament.
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. (Malachi 3:10, NIV)
There’s an old adage that says, “Pay it forward.” God math often works like that. You can’t outgive God. I dare you to try! It’s such a joy to give. I’ve often said I love giving, especially to First Alliance Church. I see how our frugal budget is invested and the return on investment is amazing…it’s eternal!
This is not a fundraising pitch. God doesn’t need your money…even though First Alliance could use it! This is about an attitude of gratitude that results in generosity and blessing. It might be financial blessing. It might be physical health, enriching relationships, and certainly grace, mercy, peace, forgiveness, hope, and eternal life with God.
Conclusion
If you were offered one wish, what would it be? You can’t ask for more wishes!
King David had a brilliant answer.
One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)
Getting rich—being rich—is about so much more than money. No amount of money can buy you true and lasting joy. Money can buy you temporary happiness, and you can experience great peace when you discover contentment and exercise generosity. Being a good steward of the riches you’ve been given brings glory to God. Ultimately, only a relationship with the living God can bring the meaning, purpose, and satisfaction we all seek.
So work hard, spend wisely, give generously, …and seek first the Kingdom of God. He’s where the joy is!
One more thing…
I’m not sure you really want to be financially rich. Many millionaires have expressed the burden of riches.
Actor Jim Carrey said, “I think everyone should get rich and famous and do everything they dreamed of so they can see that it is not the answer.”
“Two things I ask of you, LORD;
do not refuse me before I die:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God. (Proverbs 30:7-9)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
God Cares More About Your Money Than You Do
1 Timothy 6:6-10, NLT
Series Big Idea: Money matters…to God, to us, and to those we love.
Big Idea: Intentionality is usually required to make us rich…financially and otherwise.
If you were offered one wish, what would it be? You can’t ask for more wishes!
A common wish people have is to get rich. Was that your wish? Today I’m going to tell you how to get rich…and I hope you’re paying attention!
Welcome to week two of our series God Cares More About Your Money Than You Do. It’s true. God loves you and wants you to flourish in this life—and the next—and money can be a tool for good…or an idol to destroy our lives.
It’s so easy to make money our god, our idol. It’s a common factor in divorce. It has split families and friendships. So is money evil?
No. It’s a tool, like food or a hammer or a book. It can be used for good or bad purposes. It can be used or abused. Paul wrote to his disciple Timothy and said,
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:10, NIV)
The love of money is the issue, just like the love of pleasure or power or any number of things can get in the way of our relationship with God…and others.
God is more concerned about the heart than the wallet.
One of the problems with the love of money is there never seems to be enough. One billionaire was asked how much was enough and he replied, “Just a little bit more.” The love of money will never lead to contentment. Perhaps that’s why in the book of Hebrews it says,
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5, NIV)
God wants us to trust Him, not money. Isn’t it ironic that our currency says, “In God We Trust” when most of us put our trust in money?
I’ve titled this sermon, “How to Get Rich.” So how much money do you need to be rich? By the world’s standards, must of us are already rich. What are we doing about it?
Two weeks ago, Pastor Donald said God owns, we possess. Do you have possessions or does what you have possess you?
One of the core values of our Alliance family says, “Everything we have belongs to God. We are His stewards.” God owns it all. Your health. Your job. Your retirement account. Your house, car, baseball card collection, wardrobe, …
W. Graham Scroggie said, “There are two ways in which a Christian may view his money--"How much of my money shall I use for God?" or "How much of God's money shall I use for myself?"
Back in November, I said,
“Wealth is an issue of the heart, and our attitude should be one of gratitude and generosity.”
On the subject of tithing—giving ten percent of your income to the LORD—I like to say don’t tithe on what you earn. Tithe on what you want to earn! No, I’m not guaranteeing a raise, but it’s amazing how many people think they’ll tithe on a million dollars but refuse to give ten percent of a hundred dollars.
But back to how to get rich. Here’s a simple principle, maybe step one in getting rich…financially. Are you ready?
If you spend less than you earn, you will never be broke.
My late grandfather gave me a silver dollar when I was a boy and said if I kept it, I’d never be broke!
It’s no secret USAmericans are drowning in debt. Mortgages, car payments, student loans, medical bills, and perhaps worst of all, credit card debt. I hate debt. It is not only costly financially due to interest, it is an emotional burden.
Addison H. Hallock once said, “Before borrowing money from a friend, decide which you need more!”
Proverbs says,
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. (Proverbs 22:7)
Many of you just said a silent, Amen!” I must confess we owe a small amount on our house, but we have no other debt. I wanted to say we’re blessed to have no other debt, but it’s not accidental. If I had three pieces of advice about money, I would say,
Work hard.
Spend wisely.
Give generously.
How’s that for a three-point sermon? Let’s go!
Work hard.
I know it’s politically incorrect to say, but some people are just lazy! I’m grateful for government programs and charities who help the disabled who are unable to work, but able-bodied people who choose not to work are stealing from taxpayers who work hard.
Paul wrote to a church in modern day Greece and said,
For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:7-10, NIV)
We were created to work. Adam and Eve were given the task of naming the animals and caring for the Garden of Eden before they sinned and disobeyed God. I’m quite confident that we will work in heaven, too. It won’t be boring work. We won’t have a mean boss! But we were created to work, to produce, to create, to serve.
We’ve had seasons in our nation when unemployment was high. It created hardships not only financially, but also mentally and emotionally. We were not created to watch tv or play video games or surf the Internet all day!
It’s no surprise to me that many people who retire early and move to Florida to play golf die early. Study after study has shown this. Able-bodied people—and I want to emphasize that again—need to work. It may or may not involve a paycheck. We have many retirees here in our First Alliance family who volunteer countless hours, enabling us to do things we could never afford to do if paid staff were required. Thank you!
I could preach an entire sermon series on work as worship. We spent much of our lives working, and beyond a paycheck, how we work matters. Paul wrote,
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Colossians 3:23-24)
Needless to say, hard work will often lead to raises, promotions, more money. So if you want to get rich, the first step is to work hard. The secret is not sports betting, the lottery, Hollywood Casino, or replying to that spam e-mail from Nigeria! It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme or running a shady business. It’s working hard…for the LORD…with rest…with sabbath…with quality time for family and friends…but work hard.
One more thing about work…in Matthew chapter 25, Jesus tells a parable about three workers. He says to two of them,
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:23)
He calls the third a “wicked, lazy servant” in verse 26. That’s not what I want Jesus to call me!
I want to slip in one Toledo reference. The seal of the city says in Latin, “To work is to pray.” The Alliance says, “Prayer is the primary work of God’s people.” It’s ok to ask God for a better job, more money, or favor with your boss. Virtually all of us experience emergencies in which we need help. It’s ok to ask God…and it’s ok to ask our church family, too. We have a Benevolence fund the Deacons administrate to assist with emergencies. Simply fill out the form in the lobby kiosk or at the bottom of Wednesdays’ FAC Focus e-newsletter. Family helps family.
Spend wisely.
This is a huge challenge in our consumer culture where every commercial is created to make discontent, conditioning us to want what we don’t have, promising eternal happiness if we just buy…now!
There used to be a time before credit cards when people would actually save up before buying a car or new furniture or even a tv! Contentment is a blessing…an attitude of gratitude. Instead of what you want, think about what you already have. Count your blessings. Many of the things we think we want or even need will end up in a garage sale—or dumpster—in a few years. Some money problems are related to income, but others are about consumption. Let me say it again
If you spend less than you earn, you will never be broke.
I have a helpful tool to help you. It’s called a…budget!
I used to struggle with budgets because my income changed from month to month. Then I learned a monthly budget might be more useful than an annual budget. I don’t want to insult anyone’s intelligence, but let me walk you through a simple budget.
Suppose you earn minimum wage…$10.45/hour. Most entry-level jobs pay more than that, but let’s use that. Your paycheck would be about $784 twice a month, so $1568/month. You can’t spend more than that or you’ll go into debt. Period.
The next step is to look at your expenses and, if necessary, find ways to reduce them. For example, housing is the largest expense for many of us. If you can’t find housing to fit your budget, you might consider a roommate (pets don’t count! They don’t share the bills!).
Food eats up much of our budgets (sorry for the pun). I’ve gone through seasons where instead of eating out, I made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (which are still affordable even with inflation!). Sure, it’s tempting to see an ad for Mancy’s or even fast food these days (which has skyrocketed in price), but your budget will thank you if you go to Aldi or Kroger instead. Use digital coupons. Look for sales and stock up. If you like to eat out, consider buying a Save-around coupon book in the lobby to support the Germany trip. My $25 investment pays off with two meals using the book.
Transportation is another huge expense. When it’s 70 degrees in February, consider walking! Take the bus. Hang on to the used car before racing to buy a new one with all of the fancy features you can’t afford. Consider reliability over frills. The job of transportation is to get you to your destination, not give you a day at the spa! Maybe a bicycle would fit the bill, especially if we keep having mild winters.
These are some simple examples, and as your income increases, so can your spending…but not until!
A budget brings freedom, not bondage.
Take the time to create one. Income on one side and expenses on the other. As one author says, a budget tells your money where to go. You never need to feel guilty about spending on something that’s in your budget.
Give generously.
I know this one doesn’t make logical sense, but Kingdom math—God math—is amazing! No, I’m not promising that if you stuff the Drop Box you will win the lottery. I’m not saying name it and claim it. I am saying—Jesus said—
You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:23b)
If we work hard, spend wisely, and live open-handed, God will bless. It might be unexpected financial blessings. Pastor Will Henderson told a great story last week of being given $10,000 out of the blue! That happens to those who are generous. I can tell personal stories of cash taped to my office door, cash appearing in our medicine cabinet, and my favorite story of all, the gift of a minivan hours after we prayed for one (and didn’t tell a soul!). Those stories all happened when we had little people, couldn’t afford to give away a dime, yet chose to take God at His Word and give at least ten percent of our income to our local church. Again, I’m not promising that $100 in the Drop Box will mean $100 will appear in your mailbox or Venmo account this week…but it might…or even more!
The only place I know God says, “Test Me” is in the last book of the Old Testament.
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. (Malachi 3:10, NIV)
There’s an old adage that says, “Pay it forward.” God math often works like that. You can’t outgive God. I dare you to try! It’s such a joy to give. I’ve often said I love giving, especially to First Alliance Church. I see how our frugal budget is invested and the return on investment is amazing…it’s eternal!
This is not a fundraising pitch. God doesn’t need your money…even though First Alliance could use it! This is about an attitude of gratitude that results in generosity and blessing. It might be financial blessing. It might be physical health, enriching relationships, and certainly grace, mercy, peace, forgiveness, hope, and eternal life with God.
Conclusion
If you were offered one wish, what would it be? You can’t ask for more wishes!
King David had a brilliant answer.
One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)
Getting rich—being rich—is about so much more than money. No amount of money can buy you true and lasting joy. Money can buy you temporary happiness, and you can experience great peace when you discover contentment and exercise generosity. Being a good steward of the riches you’ve been given brings glory to God. Ultimately, only a relationship with the living God can bring the meaning, purpose, and satisfaction we all seek.
So work hard, spend wisely, give generously, …and seek first the Kingdom of God. He’s where the joy is!
One more thing…
I’m not sure you really want to be financially rich. Many millionaires have expressed the burden of riches.
Actor Jim Carrey said, “I think everyone should get rich and famous and do everything they dreamed of so they can see that it is not the answer.”
“Two things I ask of you, LORD;
do not refuse me before I die:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God. (Proverbs 30:7-9)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Evangelize now, 11 February 2024
15 02 24
Evangelize now
40 Days of Prayer
Matthew 28:18-20
Series Big Idea: We are beginning the new year on our knees, joining other Alliance churches for 40 Days of Prayer.
Big Idea: The “e-word” is not only a command of Jesus, it’s a joy…sharing good news.
“What would be good news in Toledo? What headline would you love to see in the Blade?”
I asked those questions to some of the most prominent people in our community several years ago when I was working on my doctoral thesis. What do you think? What would be good news to you? A big going-out-of-business sale at the mall? The birth of a baby? Your favorite team winning the big game? A job promotion with a big raise? A new car? An outstanding meal? A budding romance?
In 1985, there was a movie called Brewster’s Millions. Monty Brewster, a minor league baseball player, must choose between a $1 million inheritance upfront or an entire estate if he can spend $30 million in 30 days. There are several catches to the deal (he can’t give it away except for 5% to charity and 5% in gambling losses), but perhaps most challenging, he must keep it a secret.
Generally speaking, I don’t like secrets. I can keep a secret, but I usually don’t like to do so, especially when it’s good news. Good news needs to be shared!
Good news needs to be shared. Church people often talk about the gospel. We mentioned this last Sunday. Gospel simply means “good news.” Sharing the gospel, proclaiming the gospel is all about good news. When I interviewed people in UpTown about good news, I was trying to discern what it would mean to bring the gospel to our neighborhood. Many of the things shared answered that question. They spoke of jobs, safety, and health. Are those good? Yes! Does the gospel address them? Yes! Ultimately, the gospel is Jesus. Jesus is LORD. Jesus is King and wants all of humanity to submit to his Lordship, not because he wants to oppress us, but rather he wants to liberate us from the bondage of sin, addiction, poverty, and violence. He wants to be LORD of your life and mine…every day…every moment. Sometimes we let him!
The last recorded words in Matthew’s gospel—his biography of Jesus—say this:
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. (Matthew 28:18, NLT)
Jesus is LORD. This is the gospel. This is good news! He has been given all authority.
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19, NLT)
Because Jesus is LORD, because he has all authority, he can commission his friends to go. The original Greek word here is poreuomai. It means to traverse, to travel, to depart, to go! We can’t do it from our La-Z Boy recliners! We must take action, move, go! This is the calling of every follower of Jesus. This is the commission of every disciple of Jesus.
Which begs the question: what is a disciple? It is a student, an apprentice. I often hear people talk about how this football coach is a disciple of another one…a student becoming like his teacher. It was not uncommon in Jesus’ day for people to ask the rabbi to disciple them. It’s fascinating to me how Jesus chose his twelve rather than act upon their request.
The only way we can make disciples is by being a disciple. Who is discipling you? Who are you discipling? Do they know it?
Generally speaking, this can’t happen on Sunday morning. We gather to worship and study the Bible, which is great, but discipleship…spiritual formation…life transformation is “slow, incremental, over time, with others, and for others” as Alliance leader Richard Bush used to say.
What is the first step to becoming a disciple? It’s meeting Jesus!
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15, NLT)
Boom! There it is! Going and tell the gospel, the good news. That’s not written to professional clergy. That’s what disciples do. Disciples make disciples. Disciples share good news. Disciples go and make disciples…of all nations, which is why we’re so committed not only to Toledo but also Germany and the Dominican Republic and every nation, tribe and tongue…until all have heard the good news!
Imagine living your entire life and never tasting ice cream. I can’t imagine! How sad!
Imagine living your entire life having never experienced air conditioning or heat or running water or motorized transportation.
Imagine never hearing the name of Jesus, knowing nothing of this historical figure who changed the world. Imagine never knowing about the cross, the crucifixion, and the empty tomb. Imagine being completely clueless about God’s love, the invitation of salvation, the pathway to peace, and the opportunity to experience forgiveness and grace. I can’t imagine, but as I’ve traveled around the world, I’ve encountered people who have not rejected Jesus…they’ve never been introduced to him!
That’s our job! That’s our mission! The first part of disciple-making is evangelism, proclaiming good news, inviting people into the Kingdom of God, introducing them to Jesus!
I have two friends who were born in other countries and knew almost nothing about Jesus before we met. I can’t tell you how much joy I have sharing my story and His story. They are not my projects. I’m not trying to force anything upon them…but I want them to know my best friend. I want to faithfully represent what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and encourage them to follow him, too. It takes time. I’ve known one friend for several years, the other for almost a year. I love to get together with both of them, hang out, talk, play sports…It’s not scary or intimidating…it’s just being intentional. GO and make disciples.
What about you? How many unbelieving friends do you have? I’m not saying I have a lot, but I deeply love these two men and I’m committed to them…again, not because they’re projects, but they’re my friends. I like them! I like being with them! I have been praying for them and believe someday they will surrender their lives to Jesus and tell others, disciple others. That’s how we’ve gotten here after more than two thousand years…disciples making disciples, proclaiming Jesus in word and deed, living radical, alternative lifestyles filled with faith, hope, and love.
I know for some of you it’s hard to GO and make disciples. You’ll never travel to east Germany where less than 1% are Christians. Can you pray for our trip in June? Can you help us pay for the plane tickets? Can you volunteer at Mud Hens games and help us raise money for the trip?
Not all of you are called to go to Germany, but you can probably go next door. You can probably go across the street and meet your neighbor. It amazes me how many people don’t know their neighbors…even the people who live right next door!
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19, NLT)
GO and make disciples…of all nations. The Internet has certainly allowed us to reach people far away, and let’s not forget the hundreds (thousands?) of international students, immigrants, and refugees living right here in Toledo. You don’t need a passport to do global missions! Volunteering with Water for Ishmael would be a great first step.
The rest of Jesus’ commission says that once people are introduced to Jesus and surrender to him, then…
Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20, NLT)
Discipleship is more than praying a magic prayer so you can go to heaven when you die. It’s a lifestyle of obedience. Christianity is not a spectator sport! Disciples make disciples, and it begins with proclaiming good news…evangelism.
Author and pastor Ed Stetzer says of this text, “Jesus’ last words should be our first priority.” Family, we’re on a mission from God. The mission is not to sing a few songs and listen to a sermon once a week. It’s not to be busy distributing religious goods and services. We’re on a mission to make disciples, to restore God’s masterpieces, to love God and others well. The greatest way to love another human is to introduce them to Jesus, to share good news…evangelism!
As we finish our 40 Days of Prayer series with our Christian & Missionary Alliance family, our subject is Evangelize Now. The “e-word” is not only a command of Jesus, it’s a joy…sharing good news.
Sharing good news is a joy! Sure, there are those who are imprisoned, tortured, and even killed for their faith. I don’t want to make light of that. In fact, I want to pause and remember those who truly suffer for Jesus. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs is a classic collection of such stories, and Persecution.com has wonderful resources to help you pray for the persecuted church.
But we’ve been blessed with freedoms in this nation we must never take for granted. Instead, we should seize every opportunity to share good news. Not everyone will accept it, but that’s not the point. Sharing good news is a joy! I love to talk about my grandkids, even if the only person who is as excited as I am is their grandma!
We naturally talk about what we love—our family, pets, sports teams, hobbies…why not our faith? I know, we’re not supposed to talk about religion or politics, but what if it’s not about religion at all? What if it’s simply sharing the good news of what Jesus has done in our lives? We don’t need a megaphone. We don’t need to pressure anyone. Evangelism can be as easy as sharing our story…His story. At the end, I’m going to give you several tools to help you share good news, but first you need to see the urgency of doing so.
Our world is broken, desperate, and dark. People are lost, searching, and hopeless. I often say we are called to be hope dealers! Not everyone wants hope, but many people today are struggling with anxiety, fear, depression, loneliness, and a lack of purpose. We have the solution! We have good news! We have Jesus! I don’t know about you, but I’m so glad I’m living in this moment, this election year, this time in history where things seem to be falling apart. The darker the world, the brighter the light of Jesus can shine in and through us!
I used to hear people say the greatest time to introduce people to Jesus is when someone is in crisis…a divorce, a job loss, the death of a child…some life event that has them seeking, asking questions, looking for help. Sometimes that window is very small and once people get back to busyness, they won’t have time for or sense a need for God.
But right now, virtually everyone you meet is in crisis! COVID has been disorienting for all of us, but there’s more. In a 2018 Cigna health study—before the pandemic—nearly half of Americans said they sometimes or always feel alone (46 percent) or left out (47 percent). More than one in four (27 percent) rarely or never feel as though there are people who really understand them.
In fact, loneliness is so bad, the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said in terms of lifespan, loneliness is equivalent to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day! People are dying because they need a friend…just a friend!
Can you be a friend to someone? It’s not just going to happen. You can’t do it playing games on your phone. You need to go…and make disciples.
Before we get to some practical tools, let me remind you of the urgency. We need to evangelize now because people are dying…physically, but even more tragically physically. If you still don’t believe me, Barna released a report this past week which showed the top thing urban churches like ours can address is…loneliness. Church and unchurched people said loneliness is the top thing we can address…and the Surgeon General is urging faith communities to do so. We are uniquely equipped to meet one of the greatest needs in our city. Let’s go!
So What?
What now? How do I make a friend? How do I start a conversation? First, pray. Ask God to show you someone to love, to befriend. It might be someone next door, but it could be a co-worker, a family member, the cashier at the grocery store…it could be any human. Each is a masterpiece, and many are hurting, lonely, living in fear.
Last fall I was introduced to Heather and Ashley Holleman. Heather’s a professor at Penn State and she wrote a book called The Six Conversations. It might be the best tool I’ve seen for engaging people in relationships. This is for introverts and extroverts, by the way! She said the four most critical things to do to foster a warm and connected conversation are:
- Be curious
- Believe the best
- Express concern
- Share your life
It’s really a great book on how to ask good, engaging questions, build relationships, and love well. That’s the first step to evangelism. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. In our present day when the church has a PR crisis, we have to earn the right to be heard. Tragically, church and Christianity do not sound like good news to many in our culture. They sound like politics. They sound like judgment and condemnation. They sound like guilt and shame. They sound like boredom and stuffiness (as Kenny said last Sunday). Let’s change that, family!
Conclusion
“What would be good news in Toledo? The Gospel! Jesus is LORD! He loves and died for every man, woman, and child in our city and beyond. He offers abundant life, eternal life, forgiveness, mercy, grace, peace, meaning, and purpose. He’s not as concerned about where we’ve been but where we’re headed. He is the perfect example of what it means to be human, and he’s where the joy is!
I want to challenge you with three things:
1. List three names of people you know that need salvation. If you can’t, pray that God leads you to some. Pray for them.
2. Look for “divine appointments.” Commit to praying for them and asking God to provide you with an opportunity to share the gospel with them.
3. Go and evangelize to someone! Share your story. Invite them to Dinner Church and Celebrate Recovery. Invite them to our Easter celebration next month. Invite them to our next Alpha Course.
Family, we have good news to share. Don’t hoard it. Don’t keep it to yourself. Let’s let the whole world know in word and deed that Jesus is LORD!
Preach the gospel…it’s necessary to use words…and deeds!
You don’t have to have all of the answers to share the gospel. Just share your story. We just sang about it. Pray…Go…be intentional…take a risk…make a friend…share your story…share His story…for His glory!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
40 Days of Prayer
Matthew 28:18-20
Series Big Idea: We are beginning the new year on our knees, joining other Alliance churches for 40 Days of Prayer.
Big Idea: The “e-word” is not only a command of Jesus, it’s a joy…sharing good news.
“What would be good news in Toledo? What headline would you love to see in the Blade?”
I asked those questions to some of the most prominent people in our community several years ago when I was working on my doctoral thesis. What do you think? What would be good news to you? A big going-out-of-business sale at the mall? The birth of a baby? Your favorite team winning the big game? A job promotion with a big raise? A new car? An outstanding meal? A budding romance?
In 1985, there was a movie called Brewster’s Millions. Monty Brewster, a minor league baseball player, must choose between a $1 million inheritance upfront or an entire estate if he can spend $30 million in 30 days. There are several catches to the deal (he can’t give it away except for 5% to charity and 5% in gambling losses), but perhaps most challenging, he must keep it a secret.
Generally speaking, I don’t like secrets. I can keep a secret, but I usually don’t like to do so, especially when it’s good news. Good news needs to be shared!
Good news needs to be shared. Church people often talk about the gospel. We mentioned this last Sunday. Gospel simply means “good news.” Sharing the gospel, proclaiming the gospel is all about good news. When I interviewed people in UpTown about good news, I was trying to discern what it would mean to bring the gospel to our neighborhood. Many of the things shared answered that question. They spoke of jobs, safety, and health. Are those good? Yes! Does the gospel address them? Yes! Ultimately, the gospel is Jesus. Jesus is LORD. Jesus is King and wants all of humanity to submit to his Lordship, not because he wants to oppress us, but rather he wants to liberate us from the bondage of sin, addiction, poverty, and violence. He wants to be LORD of your life and mine…every day…every moment. Sometimes we let him!
The last recorded words in Matthew’s gospel—his biography of Jesus—say this:
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. (Matthew 28:18, NLT)
Jesus is LORD. This is the gospel. This is good news! He has been given all authority.
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19, NLT)
Because Jesus is LORD, because he has all authority, he can commission his friends to go. The original Greek word here is poreuomai. It means to traverse, to travel, to depart, to go! We can’t do it from our La-Z Boy recliners! We must take action, move, go! This is the calling of every follower of Jesus. This is the commission of every disciple of Jesus.
Which begs the question: what is a disciple? It is a student, an apprentice. I often hear people talk about how this football coach is a disciple of another one…a student becoming like his teacher. It was not uncommon in Jesus’ day for people to ask the rabbi to disciple them. It’s fascinating to me how Jesus chose his twelve rather than act upon their request.
The only way we can make disciples is by being a disciple. Who is discipling you? Who are you discipling? Do they know it?
Generally speaking, this can’t happen on Sunday morning. We gather to worship and study the Bible, which is great, but discipleship…spiritual formation…life transformation is “slow, incremental, over time, with others, and for others” as Alliance leader Richard Bush used to say.
What is the first step to becoming a disciple? It’s meeting Jesus!
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15, NLT)
Boom! There it is! Going and tell the gospel, the good news. That’s not written to professional clergy. That’s what disciples do. Disciples make disciples. Disciples share good news. Disciples go and make disciples…of all nations, which is why we’re so committed not only to Toledo but also Germany and the Dominican Republic and every nation, tribe and tongue…until all have heard the good news!
Imagine living your entire life and never tasting ice cream. I can’t imagine! How sad!
Imagine living your entire life having never experienced air conditioning or heat or running water or motorized transportation.
Imagine never hearing the name of Jesus, knowing nothing of this historical figure who changed the world. Imagine never knowing about the cross, the crucifixion, and the empty tomb. Imagine being completely clueless about God’s love, the invitation of salvation, the pathway to peace, and the opportunity to experience forgiveness and grace. I can’t imagine, but as I’ve traveled around the world, I’ve encountered people who have not rejected Jesus…they’ve never been introduced to him!
That’s our job! That’s our mission! The first part of disciple-making is evangelism, proclaiming good news, inviting people into the Kingdom of God, introducing them to Jesus!
I have two friends who were born in other countries and knew almost nothing about Jesus before we met. I can’t tell you how much joy I have sharing my story and His story. They are not my projects. I’m not trying to force anything upon them…but I want them to know my best friend. I want to faithfully represent what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and encourage them to follow him, too. It takes time. I’ve known one friend for several years, the other for almost a year. I love to get together with both of them, hang out, talk, play sports…It’s not scary or intimidating…it’s just being intentional. GO and make disciples.
What about you? How many unbelieving friends do you have? I’m not saying I have a lot, but I deeply love these two men and I’m committed to them…again, not because they’re projects, but they’re my friends. I like them! I like being with them! I have been praying for them and believe someday they will surrender their lives to Jesus and tell others, disciple others. That’s how we’ve gotten here after more than two thousand years…disciples making disciples, proclaiming Jesus in word and deed, living radical, alternative lifestyles filled with faith, hope, and love.
I know for some of you it’s hard to GO and make disciples. You’ll never travel to east Germany where less than 1% are Christians. Can you pray for our trip in June? Can you help us pay for the plane tickets? Can you volunteer at Mud Hens games and help us raise money for the trip?
Not all of you are called to go to Germany, but you can probably go next door. You can probably go across the street and meet your neighbor. It amazes me how many people don’t know their neighbors…even the people who live right next door!
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19, NLT)
GO and make disciples…of all nations. The Internet has certainly allowed us to reach people far away, and let’s not forget the hundreds (thousands?) of international students, immigrants, and refugees living right here in Toledo. You don’t need a passport to do global missions! Volunteering with Water for Ishmael would be a great first step.
The rest of Jesus’ commission says that once people are introduced to Jesus and surrender to him, then…
Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20, NLT)
Discipleship is more than praying a magic prayer so you can go to heaven when you die. It’s a lifestyle of obedience. Christianity is not a spectator sport! Disciples make disciples, and it begins with proclaiming good news…evangelism.
Author and pastor Ed Stetzer says of this text, “Jesus’ last words should be our first priority.” Family, we’re on a mission from God. The mission is not to sing a few songs and listen to a sermon once a week. It’s not to be busy distributing religious goods and services. We’re on a mission to make disciples, to restore God’s masterpieces, to love God and others well. The greatest way to love another human is to introduce them to Jesus, to share good news…evangelism!
As we finish our 40 Days of Prayer series with our Christian & Missionary Alliance family, our subject is Evangelize Now. The “e-word” is not only a command of Jesus, it’s a joy…sharing good news.
Sharing good news is a joy! Sure, there are those who are imprisoned, tortured, and even killed for their faith. I don’t want to make light of that. In fact, I want to pause and remember those who truly suffer for Jesus. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs is a classic collection of such stories, and Persecution.com has wonderful resources to help you pray for the persecuted church.
But we’ve been blessed with freedoms in this nation we must never take for granted. Instead, we should seize every opportunity to share good news. Not everyone will accept it, but that’s not the point. Sharing good news is a joy! I love to talk about my grandkids, even if the only person who is as excited as I am is their grandma!
We naturally talk about what we love—our family, pets, sports teams, hobbies…why not our faith? I know, we’re not supposed to talk about religion or politics, but what if it’s not about religion at all? What if it’s simply sharing the good news of what Jesus has done in our lives? We don’t need a megaphone. We don’t need to pressure anyone. Evangelism can be as easy as sharing our story…His story. At the end, I’m going to give you several tools to help you share good news, but first you need to see the urgency of doing so.
Our world is broken, desperate, and dark. People are lost, searching, and hopeless. I often say we are called to be hope dealers! Not everyone wants hope, but many people today are struggling with anxiety, fear, depression, loneliness, and a lack of purpose. We have the solution! We have good news! We have Jesus! I don’t know about you, but I’m so glad I’m living in this moment, this election year, this time in history where things seem to be falling apart. The darker the world, the brighter the light of Jesus can shine in and through us!
I used to hear people say the greatest time to introduce people to Jesus is when someone is in crisis…a divorce, a job loss, the death of a child…some life event that has them seeking, asking questions, looking for help. Sometimes that window is very small and once people get back to busyness, they won’t have time for or sense a need for God.
But right now, virtually everyone you meet is in crisis! COVID has been disorienting for all of us, but there’s more. In a 2018 Cigna health study—before the pandemic—nearly half of Americans said they sometimes or always feel alone (46 percent) or left out (47 percent). More than one in four (27 percent) rarely or never feel as though there are people who really understand them.
In fact, loneliness is so bad, the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said in terms of lifespan, loneliness is equivalent to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day! People are dying because they need a friend…just a friend!
Can you be a friend to someone? It’s not just going to happen. You can’t do it playing games on your phone. You need to go…and make disciples.
Before we get to some practical tools, let me remind you of the urgency. We need to evangelize now because people are dying…physically, but even more tragically physically. If you still don’t believe me, Barna released a report this past week which showed the top thing urban churches like ours can address is…loneliness. Church and unchurched people said loneliness is the top thing we can address…and the Surgeon General is urging faith communities to do so. We are uniquely equipped to meet one of the greatest needs in our city. Let’s go!
So What?
What now? How do I make a friend? How do I start a conversation? First, pray. Ask God to show you someone to love, to befriend. It might be someone next door, but it could be a co-worker, a family member, the cashier at the grocery store…it could be any human. Each is a masterpiece, and many are hurting, lonely, living in fear.
Last fall I was introduced to Heather and Ashley Holleman. Heather’s a professor at Penn State and she wrote a book called The Six Conversations. It might be the best tool I’ve seen for engaging people in relationships. This is for introverts and extroverts, by the way! She said the four most critical things to do to foster a warm and connected conversation are:
- Be curious
- Believe the best
- Express concern
- Share your life
It’s really a great book on how to ask good, engaging questions, build relationships, and love well. That’s the first step to evangelism. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. In our present day when the church has a PR crisis, we have to earn the right to be heard. Tragically, church and Christianity do not sound like good news to many in our culture. They sound like politics. They sound like judgment and condemnation. They sound like guilt and shame. They sound like boredom and stuffiness (as Kenny said last Sunday). Let’s change that, family!
Conclusion
“What would be good news in Toledo? The Gospel! Jesus is LORD! He loves and died for every man, woman, and child in our city and beyond. He offers abundant life, eternal life, forgiveness, mercy, grace, peace, meaning, and purpose. He’s not as concerned about where we’ve been but where we’re headed. He is the perfect example of what it means to be human, and he’s where the joy is!
I want to challenge you with three things:
1. List three names of people you know that need salvation. If you can’t, pray that God leads you to some. Pray for them.
2. Look for “divine appointments.” Commit to praying for them and asking God to provide you with an opportunity to share the gospel with them.
3. Go and evangelize to someone! Share your story. Invite them to Dinner Church and Celebrate Recovery. Invite them to our Easter celebration next month. Invite them to our next Alpha Course.
Family, we have good news to share. Don’t hoard it. Don’t keep it to yourself. Let’s let the whole world know in word and deed that Jesus is LORD!
Preach the gospel…it’s necessary to use words…and deeds!
You don’t have to have all of the answers to share the gospel. Just share your story. We just sang about it. Pray…Go…be intentional…take a risk…make a friend…share your story…share His story…for His glory!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
His now, 21 January 2024
15 02 24
His now
40 Days of Prayer
1 Peter 2:9-10
Series Big Idea: We are beginning the new year on our knees, joining other Alliance churches for 40 Days of Prayer.
Big Idea: You are His now because of Jesus and his work on the cross
When I was a boy, I remember asking my dad when I would be old enough to call him Jim! All of the adults I knew called him Jim, yet I was required to address him as dad.
Years later, I realized it was a privilege to call him dad. To this day, only four people—my sister and our spouses—had that unique relationship with him, a relationship I miss more than words can describe. He was my dad…and I was his son.
It did not take a lot of effort on my dad’s part for me to become his son, but my mom labored to make it a reality!
Most of you have a heavenly dad. It did not take a lot of physical effort on His part for you to become His child, but Jesus labored to make it a reality. You are His now because of Jesus and His work on the cross. You are His son or daughter. You are His. His now.
We’re in the middle of 40 Days of Prayer, joining with Christian & Missionary Alliance churches across the country in a season of devoted prayer…not merely talking to God or talking with God, but doing life with God…doing life with our heavenly dad, His son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit…one God in three Persons, a mystery we call the trinity.
This message is about identity…not who you are, but Whose you are. Much of our identity—for better or worse—comes from our family of origin. Generations ago, if you were a Vanderbilt or a Rockefeller or a Kennedy, people may have assumed you were powerful. The sons of LeBron James are becoming famous for their connection to their father…and are trying to follow in his footsteps. It really means something to be connected, to be related, to belong.
One of my favorite portrayals of this was in the story of little orphan Annie, transferred from a miserable orphanage to a family of wealth. She went from an outcast to a child of Daddy Warbucks…she became his.
No matter your family of origin, you have all been given an invitation to be adopted as sons and daughters of the most high God. Not everyone accepts the invitation, but those who do experience tremendous blessings and benefits, both now and in the life to come.
One of Jesus’ best friends, Peter, once wrote this to the early church:
…you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9, NIV)
There’s a lot packed into those two verses!
First, we are chosen. There’s an endless debate between Calvinists and Arminians, named after John Calvin and Jacobus Arminius. One of the differences is that Calvinists believe God chooses us (unconditional election) while Arminians (no relation to Armenians, of which I am!) believe we choose God (conditional election). Who is correct? We have both in our church family, and both views are welcome in The Alliance.
Do you want to know what I believe? Am I married because I asked Heather to marry me or because she said yes? They’re two sides of the same coin. It’s a dance that requires two partners, like any relationship. There are many scriptures that support both viewpoints, but I think we can manage whatever tension they create and bask in the reality that followers of Jesus are a chosen people.
Second, we’re a royal priesthood. You are a priest! Say with me, “I am a priest.” You don’t need a fancy robe or a seminary degree. You are royalty if you are a follower of Jesus. You are a King’s kid! We are all called to go and make disciples of all nations. It’s not just for professional Christians. Some have called this the priesthood of all believers. It’s a powerful reality I urge you to embrace. Christianity is not a spectator sport. It’s a family on mission, and everyone needs to participate, each in their own unique way using their unique spiritual gifts to glorify God.
Third, we’re a holy nation. We’ve been set apart to live an alternative lifestyle before a dying world, shining the light of Jesus. This isn’t about Christian nationalism or American patriotism. This is the people of God worldwide, set apart for God’s glory.
Fourth, we are God’s special possession. We are His now. We’ve been called out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:10, NIV)
Do you see the contrast, the before and after? Once we were not a people and had not received mercy, but now we are the people of God who have received mercy. How did this happen? Jesus died so we may live
You are His now because of Jesus and his work on the cross. Hallelujah!
So What?
Tragically, many have reduced the Christian faith to “Jesus died so you can go to heaven when you die.” There are elements to that statement which are true, but it’s missing so much. Please allow me to review some basic concepts of the scriptures.
First, heaven is where God is present. It’s not necessarily a place where angels with two wings fly around and hand out harps to people who pray a magical prayer. Heaven is where God is, which is why we can truly experience heaven on earth. In fact, Jesus said to pray that heaven comes down to earth.
Second and parenthetically, hell is where God is absent. It may or may not have eternal flames. The absence of God is more than enough torment, in my humble opinion. C.S. Lewis famously said everyone in hell chooses to be there because we all choose to be present or absent from God in this life, and that choice is honored in the next one.
Third, you were created to have a relationship with God…now. That’s the abundant life Jesus spoke of in John 10:10. Christians, please don’t sit around waiting to die so you can experience the abundant life. It’s yours now! Obviously the next life will be far better without sin and temptation and suffering, but you were created to have a relationship with God…now. This is why we talk so much about prayer (time with God) and Bible study (learning about God and His people).
The Bible begins “in the beginning God created.” He created our incredible universe, our planet, puppies, dolphins, birds, and even cats! He created you and me and He knew us in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139). He has incredible love for us, but our sin is a real problem. You might say God’s allergic to sin because He is holy, He is perfect, He is righteous, He never makes mistakes, yet sin is like poison in a glass of perfectly pure water. It’s intolerable.
Knowing we would sin and screw up, God sent Jesus to earth to die in our place, to pay our penalty, to remove the poison in the water, so to speak. In ten days, the Alpha Course is going to explore the question, “Why did Jesus die?” His friend Peter wrote,
“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24, NIV)
Many in our culture believe heaven is their destiny because they’re good people. That’s religion. It’s all about what you do, and millions—if not billions—of people are trying to appease the god or gods, hoping their good outweighs the bad. The problem is, God doesn’t grade on a curve! His standard is perfect, and none of us measure up. That’s why Jesus was sent to die so we might live. Religion is spelled d-o. It’s about what we do. The message of Jesus is d-o-n-e. It was done on the cross. Jesus cried out, “It is finished.”
When we follow Jesus, when we confess our sins, when we repent and turn away from our evil living, when we surrender to God, when we believe, a variety of things begin.
First, we become reconciled to God.
For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:19, NLT)
Second, we can experience freedom from sin.
We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. (Romans 6:6, NLT)
Third, we realize death was defeated.
O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:55-57, NLT)
Furthermore, we are adopted into God’s family. Yes, we were made by Him, for Him, and for His glory, but until our sin—the poison—is dealt with, we can’t enter His presence.
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. (Romans 8:15-17, NLT)
Family, this is just a sample of the things that we can experience because of the cross. We are His now. Our identity is in Him…not our ethnicity, political party, or football team. Our rights are His. We surrender control of our lives, knowing that His ways are higher than our ways.
I want to share with you one final passage of scripture, written by Paul to a church in Galatia, modern day Greece. He writes,
Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had. 2 They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set. 3 And that’s the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world. (Galatians 4:1-3, NLT)
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. (Galatians 4:4-7, NLT)
You’re His now. That means you have the benefits of being in His family as well as the responsibilities. You were bought at a price…the blood and body of Jesus. We are to honor God with our bodies. We are not to become slaves of the world, followers of culture, doing what everyone else is doing. We are children of the King. We are His now. We are children of the light, not the darkness. We are to declare the truth of the gospel in word and deed, shining the light of Christ to a broken, lonely, anxious world.
During these 40 Days of Prayer, it seems appropriate to pause for a time of prayer, giving thanks to God for adopting us as sons and daughters.
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE
Gratitude
As a follow-up to prayers of thanksgiving and praise, my friend, Jim Lange, introduced me to a new prayer last week at our Truth at Work group.
LORD, I want to give You everything You paid for.
That’s a prayer of surrender. That’s a prayer of devotion. That’s the prayer of an orphan who has been adopted into a wonderful family. That’s a prayer that acknowledges Jesus gave everything so that we might have him and be his now…and forever.
Conclusion
I miss my earthly dad. I love him deeply. I’m his son. I represent him as the next generation of “Mr. Schneemann.” I never want to do anything to tarnish the good name of our family. It’s an honor and a privilege to be his. I’m grateful, too, for my mom who brought me into this world and into my family.
I love my heavenly dad, too. I love him deeply. I’m his son. I never want to do anything to tarnish the good name of our family. It’s an honor and a privilege to be His. I’m grateful, too, for Jesus who brought me into my spiritual family through the cross and empty tomb and for the Holy Spirit who lives inside of me, helping me to become like Jesus.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
40 Days of Prayer
1 Peter 2:9-10
Series Big Idea: We are beginning the new year on our knees, joining other Alliance churches for 40 Days of Prayer.
Big Idea: You are His now because of Jesus and his work on the cross
When I was a boy, I remember asking my dad when I would be old enough to call him Jim! All of the adults I knew called him Jim, yet I was required to address him as dad.
Years later, I realized it was a privilege to call him dad. To this day, only four people—my sister and our spouses—had that unique relationship with him, a relationship I miss more than words can describe. He was my dad…and I was his son.
It did not take a lot of effort on my dad’s part for me to become his son, but my mom labored to make it a reality!
Most of you have a heavenly dad. It did not take a lot of physical effort on His part for you to become His child, but Jesus labored to make it a reality. You are His now because of Jesus and His work on the cross. You are His son or daughter. You are His. His now.
We’re in the middle of 40 Days of Prayer, joining with Christian & Missionary Alliance churches across the country in a season of devoted prayer…not merely talking to God or talking with God, but doing life with God…doing life with our heavenly dad, His son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit…one God in three Persons, a mystery we call the trinity.
This message is about identity…not who you are, but Whose you are. Much of our identity—for better or worse—comes from our family of origin. Generations ago, if you were a Vanderbilt or a Rockefeller or a Kennedy, people may have assumed you were powerful. The sons of LeBron James are becoming famous for their connection to their father…and are trying to follow in his footsteps. It really means something to be connected, to be related, to belong.
One of my favorite portrayals of this was in the story of little orphan Annie, transferred from a miserable orphanage to a family of wealth. She went from an outcast to a child of Daddy Warbucks…she became his.
No matter your family of origin, you have all been given an invitation to be adopted as sons and daughters of the most high God. Not everyone accepts the invitation, but those who do experience tremendous blessings and benefits, both now and in the life to come.
One of Jesus’ best friends, Peter, once wrote this to the early church:
…you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9, NIV)
There’s a lot packed into those two verses!
First, we are chosen. There’s an endless debate between Calvinists and Arminians, named after John Calvin and Jacobus Arminius. One of the differences is that Calvinists believe God chooses us (unconditional election) while Arminians (no relation to Armenians, of which I am!) believe we choose God (conditional election). Who is correct? We have both in our church family, and both views are welcome in The Alliance.
Do you want to know what I believe? Am I married because I asked Heather to marry me or because she said yes? They’re two sides of the same coin. It’s a dance that requires two partners, like any relationship. There are many scriptures that support both viewpoints, but I think we can manage whatever tension they create and bask in the reality that followers of Jesus are a chosen people.
Second, we’re a royal priesthood. You are a priest! Say with me, “I am a priest.” You don’t need a fancy robe or a seminary degree. You are royalty if you are a follower of Jesus. You are a King’s kid! We are all called to go and make disciples of all nations. It’s not just for professional Christians. Some have called this the priesthood of all believers. It’s a powerful reality I urge you to embrace. Christianity is not a spectator sport. It’s a family on mission, and everyone needs to participate, each in their own unique way using their unique spiritual gifts to glorify God.
Third, we’re a holy nation. We’ve been set apart to live an alternative lifestyle before a dying world, shining the light of Jesus. This isn’t about Christian nationalism or American patriotism. This is the people of God worldwide, set apart for God’s glory.
Fourth, we are God’s special possession. We are His now. We’ve been called out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:10, NIV)
Do you see the contrast, the before and after? Once we were not a people and had not received mercy, but now we are the people of God who have received mercy. How did this happen? Jesus died so we may live
You are His now because of Jesus and his work on the cross. Hallelujah!
So What?
Tragically, many have reduced the Christian faith to “Jesus died so you can go to heaven when you die.” There are elements to that statement which are true, but it’s missing so much. Please allow me to review some basic concepts of the scriptures.
First, heaven is where God is present. It’s not necessarily a place where angels with two wings fly around and hand out harps to people who pray a magical prayer. Heaven is where God is, which is why we can truly experience heaven on earth. In fact, Jesus said to pray that heaven comes down to earth.
Second and parenthetically, hell is where God is absent. It may or may not have eternal flames. The absence of God is more than enough torment, in my humble opinion. C.S. Lewis famously said everyone in hell chooses to be there because we all choose to be present or absent from God in this life, and that choice is honored in the next one.
Third, you were created to have a relationship with God…now. That’s the abundant life Jesus spoke of in John 10:10. Christians, please don’t sit around waiting to die so you can experience the abundant life. It’s yours now! Obviously the next life will be far better without sin and temptation and suffering, but you were created to have a relationship with God…now. This is why we talk so much about prayer (time with God) and Bible study (learning about God and His people).
The Bible begins “in the beginning God created.” He created our incredible universe, our planet, puppies, dolphins, birds, and even cats! He created you and me and He knew us in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139). He has incredible love for us, but our sin is a real problem. You might say God’s allergic to sin because He is holy, He is perfect, He is righteous, He never makes mistakes, yet sin is like poison in a glass of perfectly pure water. It’s intolerable.
Knowing we would sin and screw up, God sent Jesus to earth to die in our place, to pay our penalty, to remove the poison in the water, so to speak. In ten days, the Alpha Course is going to explore the question, “Why did Jesus die?” His friend Peter wrote,
“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24, NIV)
Many in our culture believe heaven is their destiny because they’re good people. That’s religion. It’s all about what you do, and millions—if not billions—of people are trying to appease the god or gods, hoping their good outweighs the bad. The problem is, God doesn’t grade on a curve! His standard is perfect, and none of us measure up. That’s why Jesus was sent to die so we might live. Religion is spelled d-o. It’s about what we do. The message of Jesus is d-o-n-e. It was done on the cross. Jesus cried out, “It is finished.”
When we follow Jesus, when we confess our sins, when we repent and turn away from our evil living, when we surrender to God, when we believe, a variety of things begin.
First, we become reconciled to God.
For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:19, NLT)
Second, we can experience freedom from sin.
We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. (Romans 6:6, NLT)
Third, we realize death was defeated.
O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:55-57, NLT)
Furthermore, we are adopted into God’s family. Yes, we were made by Him, for Him, and for His glory, but until our sin—the poison—is dealt with, we can’t enter His presence.
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. (Romans 8:15-17, NLT)
Family, this is just a sample of the things that we can experience because of the cross. We are His now. Our identity is in Him…not our ethnicity, political party, or football team. Our rights are His. We surrender control of our lives, knowing that His ways are higher than our ways.
I want to share with you one final passage of scripture, written by Paul to a church in Galatia, modern day Greece. He writes,
Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had. 2 They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set. 3 And that’s the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world. (Galatians 4:1-3, NLT)
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. (Galatians 4:4-7, NLT)
You’re His now. That means you have the benefits of being in His family as well as the responsibilities. You were bought at a price…the blood and body of Jesus. We are to honor God with our bodies. We are not to become slaves of the world, followers of culture, doing what everyone else is doing. We are children of the King. We are His now. We are children of the light, not the darkness. We are to declare the truth of the gospel in word and deed, shining the light of Christ to a broken, lonely, anxious world.
During these 40 Days of Prayer, it seems appropriate to pause for a time of prayer, giving thanks to God for adopting us as sons and daughters.
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE
Gratitude
As a follow-up to prayers of thanksgiving and praise, my friend, Jim Lange, introduced me to a new prayer last week at our Truth at Work group.
LORD, I want to give You everything You paid for.
That’s a prayer of surrender. That’s a prayer of devotion. That’s the prayer of an orphan who has been adopted into a wonderful family. That’s a prayer that acknowledges Jesus gave everything so that we might have him and be his now…and forever.
Conclusion
I miss my earthly dad. I love him deeply. I’m his son. I represent him as the next generation of “Mr. Schneemann.” I never want to do anything to tarnish the good name of our family. It’s an honor and a privilege to be his. I’m grateful, too, for my mom who brought me into this world and into my family.
I love my heavenly dad, too. I love him deeply. I’m his son. I never want to do anything to tarnish the good name of our family. It’s an honor and a privilege to be His. I’m grateful, too, for Jesus who brought me into my spiritual family through the cross and empty tomb and for the Holy Spirit who lives inside of me, helping me to become like Jesus.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Wake up now! 7 January 2024
09 01 24
Wake up now!
40 Days of Prayer
Romans 13
Series Big Idea: We are beginning the new year on our knees, joining other Alliance churches for 40 Days of Prayer.
Big Idea: We need to wake up, clean up, and grow up…now!
Wake up! Now! Did you get enough coffee this morning?!
We are beginning the new year on our knees, joining other Alliance churches for 40 Days of Prayer.
Imagine what would happen if we prayed together for the next 40 days and read through the Bible in 2024. Let’s do this! Who’s with me? If you’re looking for some new year’s resolutions (now that you’ve probably broken any you made!), these are two simple ones which will literally change your life. Guaranteed.
This year’s theme for 40 Days of Prayer and really the entire movement known as the Christian & Missionary Alliance—our tribe, our denomination—is now. There is a measure of urgency related to how we are to live our lives. We need to be intentional, focused, and disciplined because life is short. I’m not saying we can’t have fun in the process, rest well, and play hard. But our days are numbered, opportunities vanish, and tomorrow is not guaranteed.
A Senegalese proverb says, “The opportunity that God sends does not wake up those that are asleep.”
Our text for today is the thirteenth chapter of Romans. If you have a Bible, please turn to Romans 13. It begins with words many find challenging in our day.
Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. (Romans 13:1)
Several weeks ago, we looked at Paul’s instructions on marriage where he wrote, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21). We’re not fond of the word submit, are we? Don’t worry, this isn’t a sermon on politics, but these instructions seem universal, so long as following them doesn’t violate the holy scriptures.
So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. 3 For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. (Romans 13:2-3)
This was written to people in the Roman Empire, not exactly a godly society.
The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. 5 So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. (Romans 13:4-5)
Translation: obey the law…again, unless it violates God’s laws (see Acts 5:29).
There are three institutions God created for humanity—the family/home (Genesis 2:18-25), government (Genesis 9:1-17), and the church (Acts 2). All were created to be a blessing, yet all are capable of corruption and abuse. We’re all sinners and we need authority, we need to submit to others, we need accountability. In the case of government, even if you don’t like the person in office, we are to respect the office because God ordained government. It was His idea.
Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority. (Romans 13:6-7)
There’s a great scene in two of the gospels where religious leaders were trying to trap Jesus with this question:
Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
He saw through their duplicity and said to them,
“Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Luke 20:22-25, NIV)
What is God’s? All of our heart, soul, mind and strength! Back to Romans 13…
Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. (Romans 13:8-10)
Love. That’s the sign of spiritual maturity. That’s the sign of a true believer. That’s the sign of someone devoted to God.
Family, I’ve said this so many times that you may be sick of it, but the Great Commandments are to love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus said so. The writer of Romans said so. We must be people of love…because we’re people who have been loved…by God. Hallelujah!
While I’m incredibly embarrassed at the unloving behavior of many so-called Christians, the reality is I don’t always look out for the best interest of another person. 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter of the Bible, is not always a description of my life. We need more of God’s love in our hearts so we can express more love to others.
Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. (Romans 13:8)
Going back to this verse for a moment, some godly leaders like J. Hudson Taylor and Charles Spurgeon believed this means we are to have no financial debts. I’m not sure I would go that far—never say never—but debt is definitely a burden and something to be avoided at (almost) all costs. Regardless of your financial debt, we are always indebted to love others.
Now we have the context for today’s central message.
This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. (Romans 13:11)
Wake up now! Be alert. Get ready. We just celebrated the first advent, the first coming of Jesus to our planet. He is returning…soon! Are you ready? Are your friends and family ready? Tomorrow is not promised. Today is the first day of the rest of your life…and it could be your last. If our purpose in life was merely to pray a prayer to get a get out of hell free card, there’s nothing left to do…but there is! Every follower of Jesus has been commissioned by Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20 to go and make disciples. We use the phrase “restoring God’s masterpieces” from Ephesians 2:10, but the application is identical. We need to wake up! We need to urge others to wake up, too…both believers and not-yet followers of Jesus.
The greatest way to love our neighbors is to be hope dealers, preaching the good news of Jesus in word and deed. It’s not even about getting them ready to die so much as it is about showing them how to live…the abundant life that Jesus offers…a life filled with faith, hope, and love. Easy? No. Comfortable? Hardly. Exciting? Absolutely! Satisfying? More than anything this world can offer.
The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. (Romans 13:12)
What a brilliant metaphor. Get rid of your sin and walk in the light. Confess and repent your junk and let God forgive and redeem. We are to wake up…and clean up!
Let’s get a wardrobe makeover in 2024, getting rid of our sinful habits and prideful attitudes and put on the armor of God, the fruit of the Spirit, the robe of righteousness. Some of you trust God with what happens after you die, but you won’t let him be LORD before you die! It’s time to clean up, church! It’s time to stop acting like the world and live radical, alternative lives that ask people the reason for the hope we have. It’s about loving the unlovable, extending grace and forgiveness to the unworthy, and seeking first His Kingdom, not our own.
What’s your new year’s resolution? I hope it’s to join us in 40 Days of Prayer and reading through the Bible this year, but greater than those is to love well, to obey God, to live right.
Now we’re told to grow up!
Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. (Romans 13:13)
Thanks quite a list. Note some are visible like wild parties, while others like jealousy is more a matter of the heart. It’s worth mentioning again sexual immorality or promiscuity refers to virtually any sexual activity outside of a marriage between a husband and wife. Yes, I know it’s old school, but it’s what honors God. If you are a follower of Jesus, your body is not yours. Your possessions are not yours. Your future is not yours.
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20, NIV)
So we’re commanded to not participate in the darkness. What’s the alternative? Paul returns to a clothing metaphor.
Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires. (Romans 13:14)
Charles Spurgeon said, “The rags of sin must come off if we put on the robe of Christ.”
A few weeks ago, we looked at a similar passage with this “wake up now” message.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.
14 This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:8-14, NIV)
It’s easy for me to stand up here and say, “Love God, hate sin.” The truth is, most of us want to do the right things. We want to obey God. We want to love well. But life gets in the way. We get tempted…through friends, co-workers, family, and media. We hear, “Everybody’s doing it,” whether explicitly or implicitly. By the way, not everyone is doing it!
The first step in doing anything begins in the mind. We need to “know the truth and the truth will set us free,” Jesus said in John 8:31. This is why we need to be in the scriptures. We need to read them, listen to them, study them, and most of all obey them.
The expression “sleeper” in the original Greek is someone who is “indifferent to their salvation,” one who “yields to sloth and sin.” (Blue Letter Bible) Does that describe you?
The late Keith Green penned these song lyrics a few decades ago:
Oh, can't you see it's such sin? The world is sleeping in the dark That the church just can't fight 'cause it's asleep in the light How can you be so dead when you've been so well fed? Jesus rose from the grave And you, you can't even getta out of bed
Family, we’re on a mission from God. Restoring masterpieces doesn’t just happen. It takes prayer, intentionality, time, and effort. Many of you are actively engaged in making disciples, engaging in spiritual conversations, extending hospitality, surrendering your time, talents, and treasures. Well done, good and faithful servants!
Some of you have been sitting on the sidelines. Maybe it’s indifference. Perhaps you’re asleep. It’s possible that you want to engage but don’t know where to start. Let me offer a few next steps.
- Pray: online (Zoom), 9:30 AM Sundays, with 40 Days of Prayer devotional
- Study: The Bible Recap (how much time do you spend reading social media?)
- Give: take a faith-filled risk, up your giving (or start) and watch your investment grow
- Invite: Alpha beings 1/17
- Serve: graphics and communications, facilities, student ministries, Life Group hosts, Life Group leaders, musicians and tech, hospitality team, visitation
Wake up…now. Clean up…now. Grow up…now.
What if this is the year we pay attention, remain fully present in the moment, be intentional, and live with passion and purpose? Wake up!
What if this is the year we fully surrender, avoid temptation, embrace accountability, and say no to sin? Clean up!
What if this is the year we learn, study, pray, rest, sabbath? Grow up!
Our closing prayer today was written by Ciro Castro of The Alliance:
God, we pray for an awakening in our hearts. We pray for a deep hunger and a deep longing for You. We ask for a fresh anointing from You. We declare our lack of satisfaction in and rejection of the things that are causing us to drift off to sleep. Search us and know our hearts, God. Replace sloth with vigor, sin with holiness, and indifference with passion. Wake us up now. Amen.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
40 Days of Prayer
Romans 13
Series Big Idea: We are beginning the new year on our knees, joining other Alliance churches for 40 Days of Prayer.
Big Idea: We need to wake up, clean up, and grow up…now!
Wake up! Now! Did you get enough coffee this morning?!
We are beginning the new year on our knees, joining other Alliance churches for 40 Days of Prayer.
Imagine what would happen if we prayed together for the next 40 days and read through the Bible in 2024. Let’s do this! Who’s with me? If you’re looking for some new year’s resolutions (now that you’ve probably broken any you made!), these are two simple ones which will literally change your life. Guaranteed.
This year’s theme for 40 Days of Prayer and really the entire movement known as the Christian & Missionary Alliance—our tribe, our denomination—is now. There is a measure of urgency related to how we are to live our lives. We need to be intentional, focused, and disciplined because life is short. I’m not saying we can’t have fun in the process, rest well, and play hard. But our days are numbered, opportunities vanish, and tomorrow is not guaranteed.
A Senegalese proverb says, “The opportunity that God sends does not wake up those that are asleep.”
Our text for today is the thirteenth chapter of Romans. If you have a Bible, please turn to Romans 13. It begins with words many find challenging in our day.
Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. (Romans 13:1)
Several weeks ago, we looked at Paul’s instructions on marriage where he wrote, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21). We’re not fond of the word submit, are we? Don’t worry, this isn’t a sermon on politics, but these instructions seem universal, so long as following them doesn’t violate the holy scriptures.
So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. 3 For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. (Romans 13:2-3)
This was written to people in the Roman Empire, not exactly a godly society.
The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. 5 So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. (Romans 13:4-5)
Translation: obey the law…again, unless it violates God’s laws (see Acts 5:29).
There are three institutions God created for humanity—the family/home (Genesis 2:18-25), government (Genesis 9:1-17), and the church (Acts 2). All were created to be a blessing, yet all are capable of corruption and abuse. We’re all sinners and we need authority, we need to submit to others, we need accountability. In the case of government, even if you don’t like the person in office, we are to respect the office because God ordained government. It was His idea.
Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority. (Romans 13:6-7)
There’s a great scene in two of the gospels where religious leaders were trying to trap Jesus with this question:
Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
He saw through their duplicity and said to them,
“Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Luke 20:22-25, NIV)
What is God’s? All of our heart, soul, mind and strength! Back to Romans 13…
Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. (Romans 13:8-10)
Love. That’s the sign of spiritual maturity. That’s the sign of a true believer. That’s the sign of someone devoted to God.
Family, I’ve said this so many times that you may be sick of it, but the Great Commandments are to love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus said so. The writer of Romans said so. We must be people of love…because we’re people who have been loved…by God. Hallelujah!
While I’m incredibly embarrassed at the unloving behavior of many so-called Christians, the reality is I don’t always look out for the best interest of another person. 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter of the Bible, is not always a description of my life. We need more of God’s love in our hearts so we can express more love to others.
Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. (Romans 13:8)
Going back to this verse for a moment, some godly leaders like J. Hudson Taylor and Charles Spurgeon believed this means we are to have no financial debts. I’m not sure I would go that far—never say never—but debt is definitely a burden and something to be avoided at (almost) all costs. Regardless of your financial debt, we are always indebted to love others.
Now we have the context for today’s central message.
This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. (Romans 13:11)
Wake up now! Be alert. Get ready. We just celebrated the first advent, the first coming of Jesus to our planet. He is returning…soon! Are you ready? Are your friends and family ready? Tomorrow is not promised. Today is the first day of the rest of your life…and it could be your last. If our purpose in life was merely to pray a prayer to get a get out of hell free card, there’s nothing left to do…but there is! Every follower of Jesus has been commissioned by Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20 to go and make disciples. We use the phrase “restoring God’s masterpieces” from Ephesians 2:10, but the application is identical. We need to wake up! We need to urge others to wake up, too…both believers and not-yet followers of Jesus.
The greatest way to love our neighbors is to be hope dealers, preaching the good news of Jesus in word and deed. It’s not even about getting them ready to die so much as it is about showing them how to live…the abundant life that Jesus offers…a life filled with faith, hope, and love. Easy? No. Comfortable? Hardly. Exciting? Absolutely! Satisfying? More than anything this world can offer.
The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. (Romans 13:12)
What a brilliant metaphor. Get rid of your sin and walk in the light. Confess and repent your junk and let God forgive and redeem. We are to wake up…and clean up!
Let’s get a wardrobe makeover in 2024, getting rid of our sinful habits and prideful attitudes and put on the armor of God, the fruit of the Spirit, the robe of righteousness. Some of you trust God with what happens after you die, but you won’t let him be LORD before you die! It’s time to clean up, church! It’s time to stop acting like the world and live radical, alternative lives that ask people the reason for the hope we have. It’s about loving the unlovable, extending grace and forgiveness to the unworthy, and seeking first His Kingdom, not our own.
What’s your new year’s resolution? I hope it’s to join us in 40 Days of Prayer and reading through the Bible this year, but greater than those is to love well, to obey God, to live right.
Now we’re told to grow up!
Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. (Romans 13:13)
Thanks quite a list. Note some are visible like wild parties, while others like jealousy is more a matter of the heart. It’s worth mentioning again sexual immorality or promiscuity refers to virtually any sexual activity outside of a marriage between a husband and wife. Yes, I know it’s old school, but it’s what honors God. If you are a follower of Jesus, your body is not yours. Your possessions are not yours. Your future is not yours.
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20, NIV)
So we’re commanded to not participate in the darkness. What’s the alternative? Paul returns to a clothing metaphor.
Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires. (Romans 13:14)
Charles Spurgeon said, “The rags of sin must come off if we put on the robe of Christ.”
A few weeks ago, we looked at a similar passage with this “wake up now” message.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.
14 This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:8-14, NIV)
It’s easy for me to stand up here and say, “Love God, hate sin.” The truth is, most of us want to do the right things. We want to obey God. We want to love well. But life gets in the way. We get tempted…through friends, co-workers, family, and media. We hear, “Everybody’s doing it,” whether explicitly or implicitly. By the way, not everyone is doing it!
The first step in doing anything begins in the mind. We need to “know the truth and the truth will set us free,” Jesus said in John 8:31. This is why we need to be in the scriptures. We need to read them, listen to them, study them, and most of all obey them.
The expression “sleeper” in the original Greek is someone who is “indifferent to their salvation,” one who “yields to sloth and sin.” (Blue Letter Bible) Does that describe you?
The late Keith Green penned these song lyrics a few decades ago:
Oh, can't you see it's such sin? The world is sleeping in the dark That the church just can't fight 'cause it's asleep in the light How can you be so dead when you've been so well fed? Jesus rose from the grave And you, you can't even getta out of bed
Family, we’re on a mission from God. Restoring masterpieces doesn’t just happen. It takes prayer, intentionality, time, and effort. Many of you are actively engaged in making disciples, engaging in spiritual conversations, extending hospitality, surrendering your time, talents, and treasures. Well done, good and faithful servants!
Some of you have been sitting on the sidelines. Maybe it’s indifference. Perhaps you’re asleep. It’s possible that you want to engage but don’t know where to start. Let me offer a few next steps.
- Pray: online (Zoom), 9:30 AM Sundays, with 40 Days of Prayer devotional
- Study: The Bible Recap (how much time do you spend reading social media?)
- Give: take a faith-filled risk, up your giving (or start) and watch your investment grow
- Invite: Alpha beings 1/17
- Serve: graphics and communications, facilities, student ministries, Life Group hosts, Life Group leaders, musicians and tech, hospitality team, visitation
Wake up…now. Clean up…now. Grow up…now.
What if this is the year we pay attention, remain fully present in the moment, be intentional, and live with passion and purpose? Wake up!
What if this is the year we fully surrender, avoid temptation, embrace accountability, and say no to sin? Clean up!
What if this is the year we learn, study, pray, rest, sabbath? Grow up!
Our closing prayer today was written by Ciro Castro of The Alliance:
God, we pray for an awakening in our hearts. We pray for a deep hunger and a deep longing for You. We ask for a fresh anointing from You. We declare our lack of satisfaction in and rejection of the things that are causing us to drift off to sleep. Search us and know our hearts, God. Replace sloth with vigor, sin with holiness, and indifference with passion. Wake us up now. Amen.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Love, 24 December 2023
25 12 23
Love
The Season of Advent
Big Idea: The heart of Christmas is love…not a feeling, but a Person!
Merry Christmas Eve!
We’re in week four of our series The Season of Advent. We’re launching from the traditional candle theme of each Sunday, today being love…and tonight we will light the Christ Candle, the conclusion of Advent, a season of waiting, expecting, anticipating.
Love must be the most misunderstood word in the English language. It replaces multiple words in other languages. I love my friends. I love First Alliance. I love my wife. I love tacos. I love riding roller coasters. They hardly mean the same thing!
What do you think of when you hear the word love? One of my favorite definitions is “looking out for the best interest of another.” It requires more than candy hearts or mushy words. It’s certainly not mere lust or even a feeling. Love is a verb, a rugged commitment to a person, and it’s the best word to describe God.
When I was in high school, our youth group leader once told the story about how he searched for a good definition of love. He found a young lady he wanted to marry, but wanted to know what the Bible said about love. He came across these words:
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love (1 John 4:8, NIV).
God is the definition of love! That word in the original Greek, agape, means “affection or benevolence, charity, dear, love.”
Do you think of God as love…or do other images and words come to mind? I’ve often said the two most important questions in the world are “Who are you?” and “Who is God?” Tragically, many are afraid of God, thinking He’s out to get them, ready to zap them with lightning if they ever make a mistake. Others picture God as some cosmic grandpa who’s taking a nap in a rocking chair or too busy to notice what’s happening on our planet.
God is love, and the most famous verse in the Bible declares His rugged commitment to you and me, a commitment which involved the ultimate sacrifice, the most drastic action.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NIV)
God loved. He so loved. He loved the whole world…every gender, ethnicity, nation. He gave. Giving is a sign of love. Gifts are one of Gary Chapman’s five love languages. HE gave His son, His one and only son. He sent him away for 33 years to our planet…to show us what it means to be human, to love, to heal, to teach, and ultimately to die on purpose…for us…and then rose from the dead, conquering sin and death.
Do you know that one and only Son, Jesus Christ? He’s what this season is all about. It’s his birthday we celebrate tomorrow (what are you getting him for his birthday?).
Jesus embodied God’s love, being fully God and fully human. There’s more that John wrote.
God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:17, NLT)
That was his mission. He came to die for our mistakes, our sins, our rebellion, our selfishness and pride. He is the greatest gift you can ever receive. It comes with peace, joy, hope, meaning, purpose, and contentment. But a gift is only yours if you receive it. God’s love is only yours if you believe, if you trust, if you surrender. Without Jesus, we live in darkness, without hope.
“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” (John 3:18-21, NLT)
Light or darkness. You choose. That choice has consequences, both now and forever. You can choose to be with God now and forever…or choose to be without God now and forever.
As C.S. Lewis put it: sin is a human being saying to God throughout their life, “Go away and leave me alone.” Hell is God’s answer: “You may have your wish.” Lewis wrote, “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell, choose it” (The Great Divorce [New York: Macmillan, 1946], 72).
God loves you. Really. No matter who you are, no matter what you’ve done. He’s crazy in love with you, and nothing can change that love…but again, if you don’t receive it, you can’t experience it.
What are you getting Jesus for his birthday? What he wants most is you…your heart…your surrender…your acceptance…your obedience…your worship. Going back to the words of one of Jesus’ three closest friends:
And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. (1 John 2:3-6)
He continues later…
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. (1 John 4:9-10)
To summarize the reason for our faith in one sentence…
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19, NIV)
That’s what Christmas is all about…love…God’s love for us…our response of love toward Him…and others.
Two weeks ago, we looked at a story that occurred shortly after Jesus was born. His parents took him to the temple for the customary dedication. It was there that they met Simeon and Anna. Simeon was overjoyed at seeing the infant Messiah, an experience promised by the Holy Spirit. He most certainly spoke through tears of joy as he prayed.
“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” (Luke 2:29-32).
The text continues.
Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. 35 As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” (Luke 2:33-35)
What a bittersweet blessing! Now we come to the prophecy of Anna. Before we read, prophecy is a spiritual gift that is alive and well today to be used not for the prophet, but rather for the benefit of the Church. Bible.org notes:
Most prophecy is forth-telling, not foretelling. A Christian prophesying will normally “tell forth” God’s word as an encouragement or exhortation for the whole congregation. Only on rare occasions will prophecy predict some future event When it does, the biblical test is in the prophecy: fulfillment, or lack of it (Deut. 18:22).
Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. (Luke 2:36)
We’re about to see just how old she was.
Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. (Luke 2:37)
That’s a woman devoted to the LORD! One benefit to being single is the ability to invest your time and energy in the LORD rather than a spouse. For decades, Anna was serving the LORD.
She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem. (Luke 2:38)
True love requires action. Talk is cheap. Simeon and Anna were both great lovers…of the LORD. They experienced God’s love and responded accordingly. Although they weren’t at his birth, they gave Jesus special gifts of worship, devotion, time, prayer, energy, and attention. Think about how rare these gifts are today. We are so busy…doing what? Staring at screens? Buying things we don’t actually need? Worrying about outcomes which will never occur? Stressing about unnecessary tasks?
That’s just part of my list!
Jesus summarized every command in the Bible when…
He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27)
There’s that agape love again. God is agape love and we are to agape love Him. Always. With all of our being. The second part is often more challenging…loving others as we love ourselves. After all, Jesus clarified his statement by saying your neighbor may even be your enemy, yet they are to be loved…not because they deserve it, but rather because we’ve been so loved. Remember…
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19, NIV)
We love God because he first loved us.
We love our neighbors and enemies as we love ourselves because he first loved us.
So What?
Who do you need to love?
How do you need to love?
I mentioned Dr. Gary Chapman’s book The Five Love Languages. In it, he states we all have ways in which we want to receive love, and that’s how we usually express love. Those languages are
• Words of Affirmation: Expressing affection through spoken words, compliments, or words of appreciation.
• Acts of Service: Demonstrating love by performing actions or tasks that show consideration and thoughtfulness.
• Receiving Gifts: Expressing love through the giving and receiving of tangible gifts as symbols of affection.
• Quality Time: Spending meaningful and focused time together, giving each other undivided attention.
• Physical Touch: Showing love through physical gestures such as hugs, kisses, or other forms of physical intimacy.
These languages are spoken in marriage, with children and parents, among friends, and even with co-workers. Again, we normally give through the language(s) we like to receive, which might not make the other person feel as loved as we might desire.
The point is, Jesus said to love others, and these are practical ways in which we express love. He also said the greatest command is to love God, and one way we do that is by loving others.
Christmas is about love. It’s about God’s love, showing us how to love, setting a perfect example for us. Jesus said,
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13, NIV)
That’s what Jesus did for us. He came into our world in the humblest of circumstances, as a baby into a poor family. No hospital maternity ward. No car seats, Pampers, pacifiers, or bottle warmers! He became one of us, moved into the neighborhood and experienced the trials and thrills of life, the joys and sorrows, temptation and victory. This season is about so much more than Amazon boxes, letters to Santa, Mariah Carey songs, and gingerbread cookies (though I love gingerbread cookies!). The heart of Christmas is love…not a feeling, but a Person! His name is Jesus.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The Season of Advent
Big Idea: The heart of Christmas is love…not a feeling, but a Person!
Merry Christmas Eve!
We’re in week four of our series The Season of Advent. We’re launching from the traditional candle theme of each Sunday, today being love…and tonight we will light the Christ Candle, the conclusion of Advent, a season of waiting, expecting, anticipating.
Love must be the most misunderstood word in the English language. It replaces multiple words in other languages. I love my friends. I love First Alliance. I love my wife. I love tacos. I love riding roller coasters. They hardly mean the same thing!
What do you think of when you hear the word love? One of my favorite definitions is “looking out for the best interest of another.” It requires more than candy hearts or mushy words. It’s certainly not mere lust or even a feeling. Love is a verb, a rugged commitment to a person, and it’s the best word to describe God.
When I was in high school, our youth group leader once told the story about how he searched for a good definition of love. He found a young lady he wanted to marry, but wanted to know what the Bible said about love. He came across these words:
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love (1 John 4:8, NIV).
God is the definition of love! That word in the original Greek, agape, means “affection or benevolence, charity, dear, love.”
Do you think of God as love…or do other images and words come to mind? I’ve often said the two most important questions in the world are “Who are you?” and “Who is God?” Tragically, many are afraid of God, thinking He’s out to get them, ready to zap them with lightning if they ever make a mistake. Others picture God as some cosmic grandpa who’s taking a nap in a rocking chair or too busy to notice what’s happening on our planet.
God is love, and the most famous verse in the Bible declares His rugged commitment to you and me, a commitment which involved the ultimate sacrifice, the most drastic action.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NIV)
God loved. He so loved. He loved the whole world…every gender, ethnicity, nation. He gave. Giving is a sign of love. Gifts are one of Gary Chapman’s five love languages. HE gave His son, His one and only son. He sent him away for 33 years to our planet…to show us what it means to be human, to love, to heal, to teach, and ultimately to die on purpose…for us…and then rose from the dead, conquering sin and death.
Do you know that one and only Son, Jesus Christ? He’s what this season is all about. It’s his birthday we celebrate tomorrow (what are you getting him for his birthday?).
Jesus embodied God’s love, being fully God and fully human. There’s more that John wrote.
God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:17, NLT)
That was his mission. He came to die for our mistakes, our sins, our rebellion, our selfishness and pride. He is the greatest gift you can ever receive. It comes with peace, joy, hope, meaning, purpose, and contentment. But a gift is only yours if you receive it. God’s love is only yours if you believe, if you trust, if you surrender. Without Jesus, we live in darkness, without hope.
“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” (John 3:18-21, NLT)
Light or darkness. You choose. That choice has consequences, both now and forever. You can choose to be with God now and forever…or choose to be without God now and forever.
As C.S. Lewis put it: sin is a human being saying to God throughout their life, “Go away and leave me alone.” Hell is God’s answer: “You may have your wish.” Lewis wrote, “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell, choose it” (The Great Divorce [New York: Macmillan, 1946], 72).
God loves you. Really. No matter who you are, no matter what you’ve done. He’s crazy in love with you, and nothing can change that love…but again, if you don’t receive it, you can’t experience it.
What are you getting Jesus for his birthday? What he wants most is you…your heart…your surrender…your acceptance…your obedience…your worship. Going back to the words of one of Jesus’ three closest friends:
And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. (1 John 2:3-6)
He continues later…
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. (1 John 4:9-10)
To summarize the reason for our faith in one sentence…
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19, NIV)
That’s what Christmas is all about…love…God’s love for us…our response of love toward Him…and others.
Two weeks ago, we looked at a story that occurred shortly after Jesus was born. His parents took him to the temple for the customary dedication. It was there that they met Simeon and Anna. Simeon was overjoyed at seeing the infant Messiah, an experience promised by the Holy Spirit. He most certainly spoke through tears of joy as he prayed.
“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” (Luke 2:29-32).
The text continues.
Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. 35 As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” (Luke 2:33-35)
What a bittersweet blessing! Now we come to the prophecy of Anna. Before we read, prophecy is a spiritual gift that is alive and well today to be used not for the prophet, but rather for the benefit of the Church. Bible.org notes:
Most prophecy is forth-telling, not foretelling. A Christian prophesying will normally “tell forth” God’s word as an encouragement or exhortation for the whole congregation. Only on rare occasions will prophecy predict some future event When it does, the biblical test is in the prophecy: fulfillment, or lack of it (Deut. 18:22).
Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. (Luke 2:36)
We’re about to see just how old she was.
Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. (Luke 2:37)
That’s a woman devoted to the LORD! One benefit to being single is the ability to invest your time and energy in the LORD rather than a spouse. For decades, Anna was serving the LORD.
She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem. (Luke 2:38)
True love requires action. Talk is cheap. Simeon and Anna were both great lovers…of the LORD. They experienced God’s love and responded accordingly. Although they weren’t at his birth, they gave Jesus special gifts of worship, devotion, time, prayer, energy, and attention. Think about how rare these gifts are today. We are so busy…doing what? Staring at screens? Buying things we don’t actually need? Worrying about outcomes which will never occur? Stressing about unnecessary tasks?
That’s just part of my list!
Jesus summarized every command in the Bible when…
He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27)
There’s that agape love again. God is agape love and we are to agape love Him. Always. With all of our being. The second part is often more challenging…loving others as we love ourselves. After all, Jesus clarified his statement by saying your neighbor may even be your enemy, yet they are to be loved…not because they deserve it, but rather because we’ve been so loved. Remember…
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19, NIV)
We love God because he first loved us.
We love our neighbors and enemies as we love ourselves because he first loved us.
So What?
Who do you need to love?
How do you need to love?
I mentioned Dr. Gary Chapman’s book The Five Love Languages. In it, he states we all have ways in which we want to receive love, and that’s how we usually express love. Those languages are
• Words of Affirmation: Expressing affection through spoken words, compliments, or words of appreciation.
• Acts of Service: Demonstrating love by performing actions or tasks that show consideration and thoughtfulness.
• Receiving Gifts: Expressing love through the giving and receiving of tangible gifts as symbols of affection.
• Quality Time: Spending meaningful and focused time together, giving each other undivided attention.
• Physical Touch: Showing love through physical gestures such as hugs, kisses, or other forms of physical intimacy.
These languages are spoken in marriage, with children and parents, among friends, and even with co-workers. Again, we normally give through the language(s) we like to receive, which might not make the other person feel as loved as we might desire.
The point is, Jesus said to love others, and these are practical ways in which we express love. He also said the greatest command is to love God, and one way we do that is by loving others.
Christmas is about love. It’s about God’s love, showing us how to love, setting a perfect example for us. Jesus said,
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13, NIV)
That’s what Jesus did for us. He came into our world in the humblest of circumstances, as a baby into a poor family. No hospital maternity ward. No car seats, Pampers, pacifiers, or bottle warmers! He became one of us, moved into the neighborhood and experienced the trials and thrills of life, the joys and sorrows, temptation and victory. This season is about so much more than Amazon boxes, letters to Santa, Mariah Carey songs, and gingerbread cookies (though I love gingerbread cookies!). The heart of Christmas is love…not a feeling, but a Person! His name is Jesus.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Peace, 10 December 2023
10 12 23
Peace
The Season of Advent
Luke 2:22–35, Isaiah 26:3
Big Idea: Our world desperately needs to experience shalom…peace and well-being.
One of my favorite words in the world is shalom. It’s a popular Hebrew word for many reasons, often translated peace. Many of us have been praying for peace in the Middle East, particularly Jerusalem, especially during the war between the Jews and Palestinians.
But shalom is more than the absence of war and conflict. It is wholeness, well-being, completeness, and safety. Do you need more shalom in your life?
We’re in week two of our series The Season of Advent. We’re launching from the traditional candle theme of each Sunday, today being peace. Advent is not exactly Christmas, but rather a time of waiting, expecting, preparation, arrival, anticipating…much like children (and some adults) are looking forward to those gifts under the tree!
It seems like advent calendars have recently become popular in the USA, but when I was in Germany a few weeks ago, I was amazed at how widespread they are…and how many different “gifts” are offered each day…some small chocolates, others little toys, and still others things like clues to an escape room game, puzzles, and even beer!
As much as we may yearn for December 25, the Jewish people spent not days, weeks, months, or years waiting, but centuries…anticipating the promised Messiah. Can you imagine? Generation after generation had been looking forward to the arrival of Jesus Christ. They were waiting for God to user in His Kingdom and overthrow the kingdom of Caesar Augustus.
The second chapter of Luke records the birth of Jesus, but today’s text records what happened shortly after.
Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the LORD.” (Luke 2:22-23, NLT)
It was only a five mile journey from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. Today, we dedicate children to the LORD, following both the Old Testament example and that of Mary and Joseph…though we don’t sacrifice animals!
So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:24, NLT)
The creator of the universe was born into a family so poor, they could not afford the regular sacrifice of a lamb. A pair of birds was all they were able to bring. Dr. Luke includes this important detail. Jesus was not only born in a humble place, he was born into a poor family.
At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him 26 and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. (Luke 2:25-26, NLT)
Imagine God telling you that you will not die until you see something or someone. Wow! What a promise! Simeon was a special man who loved the LORD.
That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28 Simeon was there. (Luke 2:27-28a, NLT)
I love how the text says the Spirit led Simeon to the Temple. Did the Spirit lead you here today? I think so! About 33 years later in Acts chapter 2, the Holy Spirit would be given to all followers of Jesus to lead and guide us. It’s not always easy to discern the Spirit from our own minds, but I’m here to tell you God still speaks, and angels are not the only vehicle. In fact, the primary way God speaks today is through the Bible. We have been blessed with tremendous instructions, poetry, songs, history, and stories, yet we’re so easily distracted by other things. I think it’s amazing how the Spirit led Simeon to the Temple.
He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,
“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace,
as you have promised.
30 I have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared for all people.
32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations,
and he is the glory of your people Israel!” (Luke 2:28b-32, NLT)
Here, the word for peace is “eye-ray-nay” in Greek. It speaks of peace, quietness, rest, not unlike the R.I.P. we see on tombstones…rest in peace. Simeon is overjoyed that he was able to see and hold the Messiah, promised and prophesied for hundreds, thousands of years. I can’t imagine what could possibly come close today.
It’s easy for us to miss, but Simeon reveals God’s plan is both for the Jews—Israel—and us gentiles, the nations. This is so important, especially as Israel is back in the news. Jesus the Messiah is Jewish, yet he came to expand God’s family to include gentiles. For God so loved the…world. I’m so glad I don’t have to be Jewish to be God’s child.
A common question among Christians is why don’t the Jews view Jesus as the Messiah. If he was Jewish and fulfilled the prophecies, how did they miss him? There are many answers to that question, but one is simply that the prophecies speak of two different times in history…the first coming (as a baby) and the second coming (soon as the King of kings). Jesus disappointed many Jews by not overthrowing the Roman government and liberating them as they thought he would do the first time he walked the earth. As I’ve often said, we live between the two “comings” of Jesus. Christmas is the celebration of his first coming, and we are waiting for his promised return.
If you’re a parent, you know how wonderful it is when someone says something kind about your children. Imagine being Mary and Joseph hearing Simeon’s words, yet further confirmation that their baby is no ordinary boy.
Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. (Luke 2:33, NLT)
But the news was not all happy.
Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. 35 As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” (Luke 2:34-35, NLT)
I guess you could say Mary was warned! She would witness the torture and execution of this baby, arguably the most controversial person in history.
So What?
Simeon was able to rest in peace knowing that God’s promise to him had been fulfilled.
What about you? Is it well with your soul? Do you have peace? The prophet Isaiah said,
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (Isaiah 26:3, NLT)
The Hebrew word for peace is…shalom. True peace cannot come from politicians, treaties, or deals. It can only come from knowing Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Earlier in his book, Isaiah penned these words which are commonly recited at this time of year:
For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
Have we seen the complete fulfilment of this? Of course not, but the day is coming.
In the meantime, I want to go back to my question…do you have peace?
This past week I read an article that suggested what people in our culture—especially young people—need is inner peace. It’s no secret that mental health, addictions, isolation, anxiety, and despair are rampant in our nation. I think it’s easy to see why, with social media and even conventional media bombarding us with distorted messages, unrealistic expectations, and outright lies that lead to discontent and even suicide. The writer of the article, Mindy Caliguire, believes if those struggling would encounter Christians who have inner peace, it could lead to transformation. She wrote, “We could impact millions!” but then asked, “Are we marked by peace?”
Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” God’s Kingdom is filled with peace. Where God rules, there is peace. Where the enemy rules, there’s all of the stuff that makes the news every day. Family, we are here to bring about what is good, to help people experience God’s Kingdom now. As one person said, our mission is not to help people go to heaven when they die, but rather for them to experience heaven before they die. Heaven is where God is present, ruling, reigning. When we submit to King Jesus, we participate in Kingdom life.
Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament, said,
The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:6, NIV)
That’s Kingdom language. It all begins in our head…with our minds ruled by the same Spirit who spoke to Simeon all those years ago. We’re told the evidence or fruit of the Holy Spirit is
…love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22b-23a, NIV)
There it is…peace.
Know Jesus. Know peace.
No Jesus. No peace.
This does not mean Christians can’t struggle with loneliness, mental illness, or anxiety, but rather we have hope. We know the Prince of Peace. We are filled with the Holy Spirit. Paul also wrote these words:
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15, NIV)
We get to choose who rules our hearts. We can pay attention to cable news and social media or fill our minds with the truth and our souls with the Holy Spirit. Peace rules over toxic thoughts and anxious thinking. It’s the result of time with God in prayer, reflection, Bible study, and surrender. It’s not always instant, but over time—with God—we will experience an inner peace that will speak volumes to the anxious world around us.
Listen to these words of King David from Psalm 29:
Honor the LORD, you heavenly beings;
honor the LORD for his glory and strength.
Honor the LORD for the glory of his name.
Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. Psalm 29:1-2, NLT)
The voice of the LORD echoes above the sea.
The God of glory thunders.
The LORD thunders over the mighty sea.
The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is majestic. (Psalm 29:3-4, NLT)
The voice of the LORD splits the mighty cedars;
the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf;
he makes Mount Hermon leap like a young wild ox. (Psalm 29:5-6, NLT)
The voice of the LORD strikes
with bolts of lightning.
The voice of the LORD makes the barren wilderness quake;
the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. (Psalm 29:7-8, NLT)
The voice of the LORD twists mighty oaks
and strips the forests bare.
In his Temple everyone shouts, “Glory!” (Psalm 29:9, NLT)
The LORD rules over the floodwaters.
The LORD reigns as king forever.
The LORD gives his people strength.
The LORD blesses them with peace. (Psalm 29:10-11, NLT)
The LORD blesses those who seek, follow, and honor Him shalom…peace. It’s not only for us, though.
Peace is meant to be shared. Once it’s experienced, it needs to go viral. Peace on earth!
Now this prayer from Eli Pfau:
Father God, would You show me what it means to rest in You. Would the fragrance of Your peaceful Spirit continuously fill me as I seek Your face. Lord, as I lean into the peace that only You can give, draw me to Yourself more than anything. Allow me to come before You, humbled, grateful, and hopeful. I love You. Amen.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The Season of Advent
Luke 2:22–35, Isaiah 26:3
Big Idea: Our world desperately needs to experience shalom…peace and well-being.
One of my favorite words in the world is shalom. It’s a popular Hebrew word for many reasons, often translated peace. Many of us have been praying for peace in the Middle East, particularly Jerusalem, especially during the war between the Jews and Palestinians.
But shalom is more than the absence of war and conflict. It is wholeness, well-being, completeness, and safety. Do you need more shalom in your life?
We’re in week two of our series The Season of Advent. We’re launching from the traditional candle theme of each Sunday, today being peace. Advent is not exactly Christmas, but rather a time of waiting, expecting, preparation, arrival, anticipating…much like children (and some adults) are looking forward to those gifts under the tree!
It seems like advent calendars have recently become popular in the USA, but when I was in Germany a few weeks ago, I was amazed at how widespread they are…and how many different “gifts” are offered each day…some small chocolates, others little toys, and still others things like clues to an escape room game, puzzles, and even beer!
As much as we may yearn for December 25, the Jewish people spent not days, weeks, months, or years waiting, but centuries…anticipating the promised Messiah. Can you imagine? Generation after generation had been looking forward to the arrival of Jesus Christ. They were waiting for God to user in His Kingdom and overthrow the kingdom of Caesar Augustus.
The second chapter of Luke records the birth of Jesus, but today’s text records what happened shortly after.
Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the LORD.” (Luke 2:22-23, NLT)
It was only a five mile journey from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. Today, we dedicate children to the LORD, following both the Old Testament example and that of Mary and Joseph…though we don’t sacrifice animals!
So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:24, NLT)
The creator of the universe was born into a family so poor, they could not afford the regular sacrifice of a lamb. A pair of birds was all they were able to bring. Dr. Luke includes this important detail. Jesus was not only born in a humble place, he was born into a poor family.
At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him 26 and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. (Luke 2:25-26, NLT)
Imagine God telling you that you will not die until you see something or someone. Wow! What a promise! Simeon was a special man who loved the LORD.
That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28 Simeon was there. (Luke 2:27-28a, NLT)
I love how the text says the Spirit led Simeon to the Temple. Did the Spirit lead you here today? I think so! About 33 years later in Acts chapter 2, the Holy Spirit would be given to all followers of Jesus to lead and guide us. It’s not always easy to discern the Spirit from our own minds, but I’m here to tell you God still speaks, and angels are not the only vehicle. In fact, the primary way God speaks today is through the Bible. We have been blessed with tremendous instructions, poetry, songs, history, and stories, yet we’re so easily distracted by other things. I think it’s amazing how the Spirit led Simeon to the Temple.
He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,
“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace,
as you have promised.
30 I have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared for all people.
32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations,
and he is the glory of your people Israel!” (Luke 2:28b-32, NLT)
Here, the word for peace is “eye-ray-nay” in Greek. It speaks of peace, quietness, rest, not unlike the R.I.P. we see on tombstones…rest in peace. Simeon is overjoyed that he was able to see and hold the Messiah, promised and prophesied for hundreds, thousands of years. I can’t imagine what could possibly come close today.
It’s easy for us to miss, but Simeon reveals God’s plan is both for the Jews—Israel—and us gentiles, the nations. This is so important, especially as Israel is back in the news. Jesus the Messiah is Jewish, yet he came to expand God’s family to include gentiles. For God so loved the…world. I’m so glad I don’t have to be Jewish to be God’s child.
A common question among Christians is why don’t the Jews view Jesus as the Messiah. If he was Jewish and fulfilled the prophecies, how did they miss him? There are many answers to that question, but one is simply that the prophecies speak of two different times in history…the first coming (as a baby) and the second coming (soon as the King of kings). Jesus disappointed many Jews by not overthrowing the Roman government and liberating them as they thought he would do the first time he walked the earth. As I’ve often said, we live between the two “comings” of Jesus. Christmas is the celebration of his first coming, and we are waiting for his promised return.
If you’re a parent, you know how wonderful it is when someone says something kind about your children. Imagine being Mary and Joseph hearing Simeon’s words, yet further confirmation that their baby is no ordinary boy.
Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. (Luke 2:33, NLT)
But the news was not all happy.
Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. 35 As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” (Luke 2:34-35, NLT)
I guess you could say Mary was warned! She would witness the torture and execution of this baby, arguably the most controversial person in history.
So What?
Simeon was able to rest in peace knowing that God’s promise to him had been fulfilled.
What about you? Is it well with your soul? Do you have peace? The prophet Isaiah said,
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (Isaiah 26:3, NLT)
The Hebrew word for peace is…shalom. True peace cannot come from politicians, treaties, or deals. It can only come from knowing Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Earlier in his book, Isaiah penned these words which are commonly recited at this time of year:
For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
Have we seen the complete fulfilment of this? Of course not, but the day is coming.
In the meantime, I want to go back to my question…do you have peace?
This past week I read an article that suggested what people in our culture—especially young people—need is inner peace. It’s no secret that mental health, addictions, isolation, anxiety, and despair are rampant in our nation. I think it’s easy to see why, with social media and even conventional media bombarding us with distorted messages, unrealistic expectations, and outright lies that lead to discontent and even suicide. The writer of the article, Mindy Caliguire, believes if those struggling would encounter Christians who have inner peace, it could lead to transformation. She wrote, “We could impact millions!” but then asked, “Are we marked by peace?”
Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” God’s Kingdom is filled with peace. Where God rules, there is peace. Where the enemy rules, there’s all of the stuff that makes the news every day. Family, we are here to bring about what is good, to help people experience God’s Kingdom now. As one person said, our mission is not to help people go to heaven when they die, but rather for them to experience heaven before they die. Heaven is where God is present, ruling, reigning. When we submit to King Jesus, we participate in Kingdom life.
Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament, said,
The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:6, NIV)
That’s Kingdom language. It all begins in our head…with our minds ruled by the same Spirit who spoke to Simeon all those years ago. We’re told the evidence or fruit of the Holy Spirit is
…love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22b-23a, NIV)
There it is…peace.
Know Jesus. Know peace.
No Jesus. No peace.
This does not mean Christians can’t struggle with loneliness, mental illness, or anxiety, but rather we have hope. We know the Prince of Peace. We are filled with the Holy Spirit. Paul also wrote these words:
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15, NIV)
We get to choose who rules our hearts. We can pay attention to cable news and social media or fill our minds with the truth and our souls with the Holy Spirit. Peace rules over toxic thoughts and anxious thinking. It’s the result of time with God in prayer, reflection, Bible study, and surrender. It’s not always instant, but over time—with God—we will experience an inner peace that will speak volumes to the anxious world around us.
Listen to these words of King David from Psalm 29:
Honor the LORD, you heavenly beings;
honor the LORD for his glory and strength.
Honor the LORD for the glory of his name.
Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. Psalm 29:1-2, NLT)
The voice of the LORD echoes above the sea.
The God of glory thunders.
The LORD thunders over the mighty sea.
The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is majestic. (Psalm 29:3-4, NLT)
The voice of the LORD splits the mighty cedars;
the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf;
he makes Mount Hermon leap like a young wild ox. (Psalm 29:5-6, NLT)
The voice of the LORD strikes
with bolts of lightning.
The voice of the LORD makes the barren wilderness quake;
the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. (Psalm 29:7-8, NLT)
The voice of the LORD twists mighty oaks
and strips the forests bare.
In his Temple everyone shouts, “Glory!” (Psalm 29:9, NLT)
The LORD rules over the floodwaters.
The LORD reigns as king forever.
The LORD gives his people strength.
The LORD blesses them with peace. (Psalm 29:10-11, NLT)
The LORD blesses those who seek, follow, and honor Him shalom…peace. It’s not only for us, though.
Peace is meant to be shared. Once it’s experienced, it needs to go viral. Peace on earth!
Now this prayer from Eli Pfau:
Father God, would You show me what it means to rest in You. Would the fragrance of Your peaceful Spirit continuously fill me as I seek Your face. Lord, as I lean into the peace that only You can give, draw me to Yourself more than anything. Allow me to come before You, humbled, grateful, and hopeful. I love You. Amen.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Gratitude & Generosity, 26 November 2023
26 11 23
Gratitude & Generosity
Luke 17
Big Idea: Every day is an opportunity to give thanks for our many blessings.
The year was 2004. I was in San Diego, California at the National Pastor’s Convention at the beautiful Town & Country Resort. Although I barely had a dollar in my bank account, I felt like a millionaire staying that this fancy place. I have many great memories of the event, but one that I likely never forget occurred in a breakout session with Dr. Tony Campolo, a sociologist who has done a lot of work with the poor, especially in Latin America. I don’t agree with everything he believes, but during a Q&A, someone asked, “Dr. Campolo, how can you talk about the poor while we’re staying in this luxurious resort.?”
I was on the edge of my seat! For years, I had struggled with being a USAmerican with virtually unlimited access to clean water, food, and shelter while millions are on the brink of starvation. I had felt some guilt about my religious freedoms knowing I have spiritual siblings imprisoned, tortured, and even martyred by the same faith I possess. What if the money I spent on this conference (actually, it was on someone else’s dime!) was used to print Bibles or feed hungry children? I loved the audacity of this man’s question and then Campolo responded something like this…
For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)
He added something like…
“A time to stay in a fancy resort and a time to live and work among the least of these.
Wealth is an issue of the heart, and our attitude should be one of gratitude and generosity.”
Wow! I thought his response was brilliant, and it has stayed with me for nearly twenty years.
A lot has been said about the diversity of our First Alliance family. That diversity relates to age, ethnicity, education, zip code, spiritual background…and certainly income. Some of you own your home debt-free while others are unhoused. Some arrived in nice, newer vehicles while others wondered if they would have to push theirs to get here today…and still others took the shuttle. The issue of wealth is not what you possess, but what possesses you, and it’s our subject today.
As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12 As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, 13 crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17:11-13)
Leprosy is a terrible disease, one so dreadful that it often required total quarantine…in another village! Perhaps the only thing worse than the physical agony of leprosy was the social toll it took. You remember lockdown three years ago and how lonely and awkward it was for all of us. Imagine being sent away to another village, leaving all of your family and friends and having no way to communicate with them…no FaceTime, e-mail, phone, or even letter. These ten men were desperate.
He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy. (Luke 17:14)
Were they healed at that moment in the presence of Jesus? No! One of the fascinating things about Jesus is he rarely healed the same way twice. Sometimes he touched a person, but sometimes they were not present. His instruction to these ten men was simply to go to the priests, the ones who declared people clean or unclean. Departing Jesus’ presence was probably an act of faith, and certainly going to the priest was, since the priest could not touch a leper. “As they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy,” a brilliant miracle!
Have you ever been healed? Have you ever had God answer a prayer…perhaps for a physical healing, but maybe a relational healing, a financial situation, a prayer for a job, car, housing, food, spouse, or child?
We are all blessed. We are all rich, by the world’s standards.
According to the Global Rich List last year, if you have an annual income of $32,500, you are in the top 1% of global earners. This does not mean you’re in the top 1% in the USA, but globally, you are among the world’s richest 1%. If you earn $16/hour, that’s you! That’s most of us. If you earn $12,000 or $1000/month, you’re in the top ten percent!
Even if you have zero income, you are here today, have clothes, food, access to shelter, freedoms many in the world would envy, and greatest of all the opportunity to have a relationship with the Creator of the universe! You are blessed!
In our text for today, these ten men were blessed. Their lives were transformed from outcasts to recipients of healing and wholeness.
One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” (Luke 17:15)
One out of ten.
He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. (Luke 17:16)
One out of ten gave thanks. Luke tells his readers he was a Samaritan, a half-breed, a despised one, yet he was another example of a “good” Samaritan.
Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.” (Luke 17:17-19)
We always need an attitude of gratitude. This isn’t just a November thing. I hope you were able to celebrate Thanksgiving this past week. It’s one of my favorite days of the year (despite spending it in Germany this year!). It’s a day to pause and give thanks…to God, and maybe others, too.
The challenge for many of us is the pause. We’re so busy. We’re not only busy in work and entertainment and parenting and activity, we’re busy comparing ourselves to others. Comparison kills. Our screens scream at us every day…look at that car, that vacation photo, that new outfit, that new gadget, that house, that beautiful person, that…
We’ve been blessed. You’ve been blessed. We need to count our blessings…daily. I have a friend who used social media to list his blessings…I think it was five per day. Think about your blessings.
Researchers have discovered the power of gratitude. When we focus on what we don’t have, it’s easy to become discouraged, discontent, and even depressed. When we pause and give thanks, the opposite occurs. As usual, “science” confirms the truth of the ancient scriptures. King David declared,
I will thank the LORD because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. (Psalm 7:17, NLT)
Paul wrote,
Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NLT)
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. (Philippians 4:6, NLT)
The Bible is filled with instructions to give thanks. It’s also filled with instructions to give. Remember, wealth is an issue of the heart, and our attitude should be one of gratitude and generosity.
We are to give thanks, but we can also give. We can share. We can take what we have and be generous. Maybe it’s something as simple as a smile or a kind word. It might be taking someone out for coffee. Generosity might look like time, truly listening to someone’s story rather than being distracted by your phone.
We’ve all been blessed to be a blessing. The one thing we must never do with our gifts is hoard them. Jesus famously said,
‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35b, NLT)
As I sat in that San Diego resort all those years ago, a sense of relief and mission came over me. I was relieved because I didn’t have to go home, sell my clunker of a car, and ride a bicycle to work in the winter snow! I didn’t have to feel guilty about the blessings I had received. Instead, I needed to have an attitude of gratitude. I also had a mission of generosity. It really is more blessed to give than to receive. I love to give. I love to give to First Alliance Church because I know every dollar is invested carefully in God’s Kingdom. It’s a joy to support the work here. As our income grew with Heather’s new job, we’ve been able to give even more. We’ve had occasions to take faith-filed risks financially, and it’s exciting! You can’t outgive God!
In this season of Thanksgiving (before Amazon and the mall begin telling you about all of the things you “need!”), let’s commit to being grateful and generous rather than greedy and fearful. Everything we have belongs to God. We are His stewards. Jesus said if we’re faithful in the small things, more will be given to us (Matthew 25). You may recall a young boy who only had a small lunch of bread and fish, yet when he was generous, thousands were fed…and he probably had the day of his life!
Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” (Luke 6:38, NLT).
Video: Extend Hope (Alliance Christmas Offering)
Wealth is an issue of the heart, and our attitude should be one of gratitude and generosity.
Even blogger Seth Godin came to this conclusion!
I pray that as we enter the season of consumerism, we will experience contentment, gratitude, and generosity.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Luke 17
Big Idea: Every day is an opportunity to give thanks for our many blessings.
The year was 2004. I was in San Diego, California at the National Pastor’s Convention at the beautiful Town & Country Resort. Although I barely had a dollar in my bank account, I felt like a millionaire staying that this fancy place. I have many great memories of the event, but one that I likely never forget occurred in a breakout session with Dr. Tony Campolo, a sociologist who has done a lot of work with the poor, especially in Latin America. I don’t agree with everything he believes, but during a Q&A, someone asked, “Dr. Campolo, how can you talk about the poor while we’re staying in this luxurious resort.?”
I was on the edge of my seat! For years, I had struggled with being a USAmerican with virtually unlimited access to clean water, food, and shelter while millions are on the brink of starvation. I had felt some guilt about my religious freedoms knowing I have spiritual siblings imprisoned, tortured, and even martyred by the same faith I possess. What if the money I spent on this conference (actually, it was on someone else’s dime!) was used to print Bibles or feed hungry children? I loved the audacity of this man’s question and then Campolo responded something like this…
For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)
He added something like…
“A time to stay in a fancy resort and a time to live and work among the least of these.
Wealth is an issue of the heart, and our attitude should be one of gratitude and generosity.”
Wow! I thought his response was brilliant, and it has stayed with me for nearly twenty years.
A lot has been said about the diversity of our First Alliance family. That diversity relates to age, ethnicity, education, zip code, spiritual background…and certainly income. Some of you own your home debt-free while others are unhoused. Some arrived in nice, newer vehicles while others wondered if they would have to push theirs to get here today…and still others took the shuttle. The issue of wealth is not what you possess, but what possesses you, and it’s our subject today.
As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12 As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, 13 crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17:11-13)
Leprosy is a terrible disease, one so dreadful that it often required total quarantine…in another village! Perhaps the only thing worse than the physical agony of leprosy was the social toll it took. You remember lockdown three years ago and how lonely and awkward it was for all of us. Imagine being sent away to another village, leaving all of your family and friends and having no way to communicate with them…no FaceTime, e-mail, phone, or even letter. These ten men were desperate.
He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy. (Luke 17:14)
Were they healed at that moment in the presence of Jesus? No! One of the fascinating things about Jesus is he rarely healed the same way twice. Sometimes he touched a person, but sometimes they were not present. His instruction to these ten men was simply to go to the priests, the ones who declared people clean or unclean. Departing Jesus’ presence was probably an act of faith, and certainly going to the priest was, since the priest could not touch a leper. “As they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy,” a brilliant miracle!
Have you ever been healed? Have you ever had God answer a prayer…perhaps for a physical healing, but maybe a relational healing, a financial situation, a prayer for a job, car, housing, food, spouse, or child?
We are all blessed. We are all rich, by the world’s standards.
According to the Global Rich List last year, if you have an annual income of $32,500, you are in the top 1% of global earners. This does not mean you’re in the top 1% in the USA, but globally, you are among the world’s richest 1%. If you earn $16/hour, that’s you! That’s most of us. If you earn $12,000 or $1000/month, you’re in the top ten percent!
Even if you have zero income, you are here today, have clothes, food, access to shelter, freedoms many in the world would envy, and greatest of all the opportunity to have a relationship with the Creator of the universe! You are blessed!
In our text for today, these ten men were blessed. Their lives were transformed from outcasts to recipients of healing and wholeness.
One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” (Luke 17:15)
One out of ten.
He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. (Luke 17:16)
One out of ten gave thanks. Luke tells his readers he was a Samaritan, a half-breed, a despised one, yet he was another example of a “good” Samaritan.
Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.” (Luke 17:17-19)
We always need an attitude of gratitude. This isn’t just a November thing. I hope you were able to celebrate Thanksgiving this past week. It’s one of my favorite days of the year (despite spending it in Germany this year!). It’s a day to pause and give thanks…to God, and maybe others, too.
The challenge for many of us is the pause. We’re so busy. We’re not only busy in work and entertainment and parenting and activity, we’re busy comparing ourselves to others. Comparison kills. Our screens scream at us every day…look at that car, that vacation photo, that new outfit, that new gadget, that house, that beautiful person, that…
We’ve been blessed. You’ve been blessed. We need to count our blessings…daily. I have a friend who used social media to list his blessings…I think it was five per day. Think about your blessings.
Researchers have discovered the power of gratitude. When we focus on what we don’t have, it’s easy to become discouraged, discontent, and even depressed. When we pause and give thanks, the opposite occurs. As usual, “science” confirms the truth of the ancient scriptures. King David declared,
I will thank the LORD because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. (Psalm 7:17, NLT)
Paul wrote,
Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NLT)
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. (Philippians 4:6, NLT)
The Bible is filled with instructions to give thanks. It’s also filled with instructions to give. Remember, wealth is an issue of the heart, and our attitude should be one of gratitude and generosity.
We are to give thanks, but we can also give. We can share. We can take what we have and be generous. Maybe it’s something as simple as a smile or a kind word. It might be taking someone out for coffee. Generosity might look like time, truly listening to someone’s story rather than being distracted by your phone.
We’ve all been blessed to be a blessing. The one thing we must never do with our gifts is hoard them. Jesus famously said,
‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35b, NLT)
As I sat in that San Diego resort all those years ago, a sense of relief and mission came over me. I was relieved because I didn’t have to go home, sell my clunker of a car, and ride a bicycle to work in the winter snow! I didn’t have to feel guilty about the blessings I had received. Instead, I needed to have an attitude of gratitude. I also had a mission of generosity. It really is more blessed to give than to receive. I love to give. I love to give to First Alliance Church because I know every dollar is invested carefully in God’s Kingdom. It’s a joy to support the work here. As our income grew with Heather’s new job, we’ve been able to give even more. We’ve had occasions to take faith-filed risks financially, and it’s exciting! You can’t outgive God!
In this season of Thanksgiving (before Amazon and the mall begin telling you about all of the things you “need!”), let’s commit to being grateful and generous rather than greedy and fearful. Everything we have belongs to God. We are His stewards. Jesus said if we’re faithful in the small things, more will be given to us (Matthew 25). You may recall a young boy who only had a small lunch of bread and fish, yet when he was generous, thousands were fed…and he probably had the day of his life!
Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” (Luke 6:38, NLT).
Video: Extend Hope (Alliance Christmas Offering)
Wealth is an issue of the heart, and our attitude should be one of gratitude and generosity.
Even blogger Seth Godin came to this conclusion!
I pray that as we enter the season of consumerism, we will experience contentment, gratitude, and generosity.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Armor, 5 November 2023
05 11 23
Armor
Ephesians: Finding Our True Identity
Ephesians 6:7-24
Series Big Idea: The book of Ephesians reveals our true identity…in Christ!
Big Idea: We need to fight the good fight of faith with armor…on our knees.
Today we’re finishing our series on the book of Ephesians! We’ve been looking at this letter written by Paul to a church in modern day Turkey, and it’s a doozy! If we could embrace even a fraction of the instructions, we would be a healthier, more fruitful, and more satisfied congregation…so let’s pay attention!
Two weeks ago we looked at this gem:
And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21, NLT)
We saw how that related to husbands and wives, submitting to one another. Last Sunday Sue shared how this relates to parents and children—children are to obey and fathers are to avoid provoking their children to anger. The next section relates to slaves and masters, though it’s not exactly the Civil War era antebellum slavery we imagine, but rather servants who often had to work off a debt. In our context, a parallel would be workers and bosses.
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. 6 Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. 7 Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 8 Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free. (Ephesians 6:5-8, NLT)
Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Don’t threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites. (Ephesians 6:9, NLT)
Masters and slaves are hardly equals, but they are both worthy of dignity and respect if they are followers of Jesus. We could devote an entire sermon to this, but we must move on to our subject today, the Armor of God.
The Bible is filled with metaphors, parables, and images designed to help us understand spiritual concepts through the lens of physical objects. Paul’s final teaching in Ephesians introduces a battle motif.
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10, NLT)
We all want to be strong. Action movies are filled with men and women with bulging muscles, powerful weapons, and a mission to conquer the bad guys. Notice Paul doesn’t stop with “be strong,” but continues “in the Lord and in his mighty power.” None of us have what it takes to do battle on our own. It’s only in the LORD and in His power that we can stand a chance against the forces of sin, evil, and destruction.
Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. (Ephesians 6:11, NLT)
The devil is our enemy. He’s powerful. He’s very powerful. We see it in the news every day. Death. Abuse. Hunger. Corruption. Racism. Injustice. Violence. The list goes on and on.
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12, NLT)
This is where I want to focus. You can’t see the enemy, but the enemy is real. There are spiritual forces that want steal, kill, destroy, and lie and they are powerful. It says they are mighty powers. We often refer to them as demons. I’ve always found it interesting that more people believe in angels than in demons, but both are realities according to the Bible. The enemy is real, but unseen. The enemy is not flesh-and blood. That means…
- Our government leaders are not the enemy
- The gang leaders are not the enemy
- Drug dealers are not the enemy
- Sex traffickers are not the enemy
- Abortionists are not the enemy
They are all masterpieces created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth…broken by sin, pawns of the enemy, at times, but not the enemy.
Family, we must get this. I must get this. Every time I look into the eyes of another human, I’m looking at a masterpiece. Sure, they need work. They need restoration. So do you and I. It occurred to me there may have been times when I was a pawn of the enemy, falling into temptation, failing to love others, thinking impure thoughts, dishonoring the God I claim to love and serve. Put another way, there’s a beautiful lyric in the musical Les Miserables that says, “To love another person is to see the face of God.”
I need to linger here for a moment, especially during election season. It’s so tempting to demonize the other, whoever or whatever is the other. I expect the world to be arrogant, disrespectful, and filled with hate, but real Christians don’t hate. Real Christians love. Who has ever changed their mind about something because someone yelled at them…or worse?
Can I be real with you? I’m so sick of politics. I’ve got people telling me we’re too political and others telling me we’re not political enough. I refuse to talk partisan politics because we serve the Lion and the Lamb, not an elephant or donkey. Here’s the bottom line: we need to follow Jesus and do what would bring him glory.
This means caring for and protecting life, from the womb to the tomb. This is why we support the fine work of Bella Vita and the Pregnancy Center, who not only provide alternatives to abortion, they equip parents with the resources they need to thrive.
This means caring for the least of these—the widow, the stranger, the orphan, the poor. This is why we support the fine work of Water for Ishmael, Cherry Street Mission, and Toledo Gospel Rescue Mission.
This means speaking up for those whose voice is not heard, whether it’s the unborn, children, the elderly, the refugee, or the disabled.
Do you want me to continue? I feel like I’m preaching to the choir!
This means loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves…in every circumstance.
Family, sin is rampant in our world, but people are not the enemy. They are pawns in a cosmic battle between good and evil. Should you vote? Absolutely. It’s a privilege. But do your homework. Don’t blindly believe a tv commercial or lawn sign. Stand up for what is good, beautiful, and true. But no matter the results of the election, God is on the throne, fear not, and love your neighbor…and enemy.
But there’s so much more we can do…so much more we need to do…
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. (Ephesians 6:13, NLT)
We need to put on every piece. An hour on Sunday is not enough. A quick prayer before bedtime is insufficient. We’re in a war, family! War is not a hobby or part-time endeavor. It’s a lifestyle.
Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. (Ephesians 6:14, NLT)
We need truth, righteousness (not self-righteousness!), justice. The Christian message isn’t true because it works, but it works because it’s true. Jesus declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” (John 14:6)
For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. (Ephesians 6:15, NLT)
We have good news to proclaim: King Jesus is LORD! The Prince of Peace will return soon, and sent the Holy Spirit to bring comfort and peace in the midst of the chaos in this world. We bring the gospel of peace wherever we go.
In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. (Ephesians 6:16, NLT)
These aren’t just arrows from the archery range. They’re fiery! We need faith to guard against temptation, despair, adversity, lies, hateful thoughts, pride, etc.
Back in the day, the shield was made of wood, covered with leather, and about 2’ by 4’. It was common in the day for soldiers to bring their shields together, forming a wall and even a covering to defend against flaming arrows.
Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17, NLT)
The helmet protects the mind, where our actions begin. The sword of the Spirit is the one offensive weapon, piercing the heart. It brings healing and life…except when we cripple the enemy. Note there’s no covering for the back side. That means we’re to advance…never retreat! We must be strong…in the LORD…and in His mighty power!
These images are great, especially with children. Sue is probably dressing them up right now in Glass City Kids! God has given us the armor, the tools, but we must wear them. We must use them. When you put it all together, it sounds a lot like king Jesus. He is the Truth, our righteousness, our peace, our salvation, the Word of God, the faithful one. We are “in Christ” and we are to put on Christ each day, living for him and his glory, never our own. Now Paul gives us the real secret sauce.
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. (Ephesians 6:18, NLT)
At all times. On every occasion. For all the saints. The real battle is fought on our knees.
Paul wrote to his apprentice, Timothy…
Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:12, NLT)
We need to fight the good fight of faith with armor…on our knees.
I want to invite you to Zoom Prayer, weekday mornings at 9 AM.
I want to invite you to Sunday morning prayer here at 9:30 AM.
I want to invite you to pray with your Life Group, your spouse, your family.
I know many of you are fearful of the future. Let me restate the big idea of my first sermon here eight years ago: Fear not. Fear God.
Remember, what you fear most is your god.
Consider these profound words from one of Jesus’ three best friends…
But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. (1 John 4:4, NLT)
We’re on the winning side! We know how the battle ends. There will be casualties. There will be losses, especially if we’re not alert and armed. But we win! Our God is greater, our God is stronger, the enemy is a fraud! He has power, but can’t hold a candle to King Jesus. He proved that on resurrection Sunday!
Fear is a powerful motivator, and media is filled with hype and alarm. That’s how they make money! When you feel afraid, get on your knees and do something about it!
Paul continues…
And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. 20 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should. (Ephesians 6:19-20, NLT)
When we go through a book of the Bible, I like to make sure every word is read, so here are Paul’s final greetings.
To bring you up to date, Tychicus will give you a full report about what I am doing and how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper in the Lord’s work. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you. (Ephesians 6:21-22, NLT)
One of the things I love about the Bible is it’s a library of books written by real people in real places.
Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. 24 May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 6:23-24, NLT)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Ephesians: Finding Our True Identity
Ephesians 6:7-24
Series Big Idea: The book of Ephesians reveals our true identity…in Christ!
Big Idea: We need to fight the good fight of faith with armor…on our knees.
Today we’re finishing our series on the book of Ephesians! We’ve been looking at this letter written by Paul to a church in modern day Turkey, and it’s a doozy! If we could embrace even a fraction of the instructions, we would be a healthier, more fruitful, and more satisfied congregation…so let’s pay attention!
Two weeks ago we looked at this gem:
And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21, NLT)
We saw how that related to husbands and wives, submitting to one another. Last Sunday Sue shared how this relates to parents and children—children are to obey and fathers are to avoid provoking their children to anger. The next section relates to slaves and masters, though it’s not exactly the Civil War era antebellum slavery we imagine, but rather servants who often had to work off a debt. In our context, a parallel would be workers and bosses.
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. 6 Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. 7 Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 8 Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free. (Ephesians 6:5-8, NLT)
Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Don’t threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites. (Ephesians 6:9, NLT)
Masters and slaves are hardly equals, but they are both worthy of dignity and respect if they are followers of Jesus. We could devote an entire sermon to this, but we must move on to our subject today, the Armor of God.
The Bible is filled with metaphors, parables, and images designed to help us understand spiritual concepts through the lens of physical objects. Paul’s final teaching in Ephesians introduces a battle motif.
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10, NLT)
We all want to be strong. Action movies are filled with men and women with bulging muscles, powerful weapons, and a mission to conquer the bad guys. Notice Paul doesn’t stop with “be strong,” but continues “in the Lord and in his mighty power.” None of us have what it takes to do battle on our own. It’s only in the LORD and in His power that we can stand a chance against the forces of sin, evil, and destruction.
Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. (Ephesians 6:11, NLT)
The devil is our enemy. He’s powerful. He’s very powerful. We see it in the news every day. Death. Abuse. Hunger. Corruption. Racism. Injustice. Violence. The list goes on and on.
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12, NLT)
This is where I want to focus. You can’t see the enemy, but the enemy is real. There are spiritual forces that want steal, kill, destroy, and lie and they are powerful. It says they are mighty powers. We often refer to them as demons. I’ve always found it interesting that more people believe in angels than in demons, but both are realities according to the Bible. The enemy is real, but unseen. The enemy is not flesh-and blood. That means…
- Our government leaders are not the enemy
- The gang leaders are not the enemy
- Drug dealers are not the enemy
- Sex traffickers are not the enemy
- Abortionists are not the enemy
They are all masterpieces created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth…broken by sin, pawns of the enemy, at times, but not the enemy.
Family, we must get this. I must get this. Every time I look into the eyes of another human, I’m looking at a masterpiece. Sure, they need work. They need restoration. So do you and I. It occurred to me there may have been times when I was a pawn of the enemy, falling into temptation, failing to love others, thinking impure thoughts, dishonoring the God I claim to love and serve. Put another way, there’s a beautiful lyric in the musical Les Miserables that says, “To love another person is to see the face of God.”
I need to linger here for a moment, especially during election season. It’s so tempting to demonize the other, whoever or whatever is the other. I expect the world to be arrogant, disrespectful, and filled with hate, but real Christians don’t hate. Real Christians love. Who has ever changed their mind about something because someone yelled at them…or worse?
Can I be real with you? I’m so sick of politics. I’ve got people telling me we’re too political and others telling me we’re not political enough. I refuse to talk partisan politics because we serve the Lion and the Lamb, not an elephant or donkey. Here’s the bottom line: we need to follow Jesus and do what would bring him glory.
This means caring for and protecting life, from the womb to the tomb. This is why we support the fine work of Bella Vita and the Pregnancy Center, who not only provide alternatives to abortion, they equip parents with the resources they need to thrive.
This means caring for the least of these—the widow, the stranger, the orphan, the poor. This is why we support the fine work of Water for Ishmael, Cherry Street Mission, and Toledo Gospel Rescue Mission.
This means speaking up for those whose voice is not heard, whether it’s the unborn, children, the elderly, the refugee, or the disabled.
Do you want me to continue? I feel like I’m preaching to the choir!
This means loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves…in every circumstance.
Family, sin is rampant in our world, but people are not the enemy. They are pawns in a cosmic battle between good and evil. Should you vote? Absolutely. It’s a privilege. But do your homework. Don’t blindly believe a tv commercial or lawn sign. Stand up for what is good, beautiful, and true. But no matter the results of the election, God is on the throne, fear not, and love your neighbor…and enemy.
But there’s so much more we can do…so much more we need to do…
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. (Ephesians 6:13, NLT)
We need to put on every piece. An hour on Sunday is not enough. A quick prayer before bedtime is insufficient. We’re in a war, family! War is not a hobby or part-time endeavor. It’s a lifestyle.
Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. (Ephesians 6:14, NLT)
We need truth, righteousness (not self-righteousness!), justice. The Christian message isn’t true because it works, but it works because it’s true. Jesus declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” (John 14:6)
For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. (Ephesians 6:15, NLT)
We have good news to proclaim: King Jesus is LORD! The Prince of Peace will return soon, and sent the Holy Spirit to bring comfort and peace in the midst of the chaos in this world. We bring the gospel of peace wherever we go.
In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. (Ephesians 6:16, NLT)
These aren’t just arrows from the archery range. They’re fiery! We need faith to guard against temptation, despair, adversity, lies, hateful thoughts, pride, etc.
Back in the day, the shield was made of wood, covered with leather, and about 2’ by 4’. It was common in the day for soldiers to bring their shields together, forming a wall and even a covering to defend against flaming arrows.
Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17, NLT)
The helmet protects the mind, where our actions begin. The sword of the Spirit is the one offensive weapon, piercing the heart. It brings healing and life…except when we cripple the enemy. Note there’s no covering for the back side. That means we’re to advance…never retreat! We must be strong…in the LORD…and in His mighty power!
These images are great, especially with children. Sue is probably dressing them up right now in Glass City Kids! God has given us the armor, the tools, but we must wear them. We must use them. When you put it all together, it sounds a lot like king Jesus. He is the Truth, our righteousness, our peace, our salvation, the Word of God, the faithful one. We are “in Christ” and we are to put on Christ each day, living for him and his glory, never our own. Now Paul gives us the real secret sauce.
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. (Ephesians 6:18, NLT)
At all times. On every occasion. For all the saints. The real battle is fought on our knees.
Paul wrote to his apprentice, Timothy…
Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:12, NLT)
We need to fight the good fight of faith with armor…on our knees.
I want to invite you to Zoom Prayer, weekday mornings at 9 AM.
I want to invite you to Sunday morning prayer here at 9:30 AM.
I want to invite you to pray with your Life Group, your spouse, your family.
I know many of you are fearful of the future. Let me restate the big idea of my first sermon here eight years ago: Fear not. Fear God.
Remember, what you fear most is your god.
Consider these profound words from one of Jesus’ three best friends…
But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. (1 John 4:4, NLT)
We’re on the winning side! We know how the battle ends. There will be casualties. There will be losses, especially if we’re not alert and armed. But we win! Our God is greater, our God is stronger, the enemy is a fraud! He has power, but can’t hold a candle to King Jesus. He proved that on resurrection Sunday!
Fear is a powerful motivator, and media is filled with hype and alarm. That’s how they make money! When you feel afraid, get on your knees and do something about it!
Paul continues…
And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. 20 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should. (Ephesians 6:19-20, NLT)
When we go through a book of the Bible, I like to make sure every word is read, so here are Paul’s final greetings.
To bring you up to date, Tychicus will give you a full report about what I am doing and how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper in the Lord’s work. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you. (Ephesians 6:21-22, NLT)
One of the things I love about the Bible is it’s a library of books written by real people in real places.
Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. 24 May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 6:23-24, NLT)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The "S" Word, 22 October 2023
19 10 23
The "S" Word
Ephesians: Finding Our True Identity
Ephesians 5:21-33
Series Big Idea: The book of Ephesians reveals our true identity…in Christ!
Big Idea: We are to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Although my primary identity is found in Christ, I’m a citizen of the United States. I love this country. There’s a spirit of creativity, innovation, and risk-taking that has made us a world leader in business, education, science, military, and entertainment. But every strength has a weakness, and one of the negatives about our pioneering spirit is we are almost certainly the most individualistic nation in the history of the world. Rugged individualism has value, but also a huge downside. You may recall God said, “It’s not good for the man to be alone” in Genesis. Is it any wonder so many today are lonely? Cancel culture has run amok, divorce has split many families, and in our “pursuit of happiness,” we are tempted to ignore those around us.
As we continue in our series on the book of Ephesians—a letter written by Paul to a church in modern-day Turkey—we will see what is possibly the most offensive word in our individualized culture.
Before we dive in to our text, I want to remind you of the ending of Pastor Mike’s text from two weeks ago.
So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:15-20, NLT)
This is all possible when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, controlled by the Holy Spirit, surrendered to the Holy Spirit. Now we begin.
And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21, NLT)
There it is! Did you see it? Submit! How does that make you feel?
The original Greek word, hupotasso (hoop-ot-as’-so) means, “to subordinate; to obey; subdue unto, submit self unto.” In other words, it means what you think it means!
Submission is not popular in our culture. It was hardly popular 2000 years ago in the midst of the Roman Empire when Paul was writing. Although racism and discrimination are very real today, we live in a nation that, at least in writing, believes “all men are created equal.” There was not such philosophy in Rome. Abuse was rampant. Women were slaves. In fact, going much farther back to the opening chapter of the Bible we read,
Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. (Genesis 1:26a, NLT)
Notice the Trinity, the plural, us…one God in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God created the first man, Adam (which means “man” in Hebrew) and woman and all was well until the Fall when Adam and Eve sinned. Hierarchy emerged after the Fall when God said to Eve,
And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16b, NLT)
Do you see the tension? Ever since, men have been trying to domineer over women (and men). Women have been striving to even the score. Humans have been trying to get others to obey, to submit. We love power and control, don’t we? Sin is so common, we often don’t even recognize it when we commit it.
And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21, NLT)
But notice Paul didn’t just say, “Submit!” In fact, he didn’t even say, “Submit to God.” He says, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
We’re going to see how this related to marriage in a moment, but note this verse is not addressed to couples. It’s for all of us. We don’t blindly submit to one another, but in our quest to glorify God and revere Christ, we love one another and submit to one another. The Greek word for reverence, phobos, is where we get the word “phobia.” It means to be put in fear, alarm or fright, to be afraid. This doesn’t mean to avoid, but to recognize the power of, to be in awe of, to revere. We are to be in awe of Jesus, to make him LORD and Master of our lives. To fear someone or something often involves terror, causing us to run away. Fear of the LORD means awe and wonder, drawing us closer to God like the awe and wonder of the Grand Canyon. To put it simply, what you fear is your God.
For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:22, NLT)
Did I see some women wince? Remember, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Yield to each other out of love. It’s not about hierarchy or power but bringing God glory in and through our relationships. One commentator says, “All it asks is that wives give up self-centeredness, take seriously their mutuality with their husbands, and promote the benefit of their husbands.”
In Paul’s day, women were considered not only inferior to men, but also impure.
For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. 24 As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:23-24, NLT)
Tragically, this passage has been abused by men seeking power. Ladies, this does not mean be a doormat, tolerate abuse of any kind, or engage in sinful behavior (which would not be out of reverence to Christ).
Listen to N.T. Wright on this text:
Paul assumes, as do most cultures, that there are significant differences between men and women, differences that go far beyond mere biological and reproductive function. Their relations and roles must therefore be mutually complementary, rather than identical. Equality in voting rights, and in employment opportunities and remuneration (which is still not a reality in many places), should not be taken to imply such identity. And, within marriage, the guideline is clear. The husband is to take the lead - though he is to do so fully mindful of the self-sacrificial model which the Messiah has provided. As soon as 'taking the lead' becomes bullying or arrogant, the whole thing collapses.
I fully realize Paul is not politically correct, but is our culture offering a better model for men and women? It seems that our world is plagued by broken homes, broken marriages, broken relationships…could it be that we have abandoned God’s design for family? This is not an attack on those of you who are not in healthy marriages—far from it—but I wonder if we would embrace our differences, celebrate them, and submit to one another if we wouldn’t be vastly better off.
As the church submits to Christ, so wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Tragically, this passage has been abused by men seeking power which I believe is what started the rejection of God’s design for marriage. I’ve heard so many stories of women rejecting and even hating men after suffering evil abuse. Ladies, if you find it hard to imagine submitting to a man, consider the next verse.
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her (Ephesians 5:25, NLT)
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Husbands, Jesus died for the church. Are you willing to die for your wife? That’s the point. Such dedication would never make selfish demands. It would never harm or abuse. Godly husbands love sacrificially, making submission a joy.
Husbands, Jesus is to be your role model. Not Hugh Hefner or Lebron James, Neil Armstrong, Nelson Mandela, or Bear Grylls. Jesus was not married, but the church is his bride, the king’s wife. He gave us his life for her and we are to give up our lives for our wives (hey, that rhymes!).
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church…unto death!
A few years ago I was speaking with one of our senior saints and asked him, “How many times have you ever played the submit card?” In other words, how many times did you take charge, telling your wife to obey? He paused and said, “Zero!”
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Paul elaborates:
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. 28
(Ephesians 5:25-27, NLT)
This is a beautiful vision of what Jesus has done for us, the church. Hallelujah!
In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. 29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. 30 And we are members of his body. (Ephesians 5:28-30, NLT)
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
One of my favorite passages to read at wedding says,
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3, NLT)
This isn’t rocket science. Jesus summarized the entire Bible in two commands: love God and love your neighbor (or spouse) as yourself. You take care of your body. You eat. You bathe. You see a doctor when you’re in pain. Imagine what would happen if spouses cared for one another like they care for themselves. Of course, this need not be restricted to marriages. This verse applies to all of us, a brilliant vision of life together. Warren Wiersbe notes,
When the Christian wife submits herself to Christ and lets Him be the Lord of her life, she will have no difficulty submitting to her husband. This does not mean that she becomes a slave, for the husband is also to submit to Christ. And if both are living under the lordship of Christ, there can be only harmony. Headship is not dictatorship. “Each for the other, both for the Lord.” The Christian husband and wife should pray together and spend time in the Word, so that they might know God’s will for their individual lives and for their home. Most of the marital conflicts I have dealt with as a pastor have stemmed from failure of the husband and/or wife to submit to Christ, spend time in His Word, and seek to do His will each day.
To conclude, Paul goes all the way back to Genesis 2:24:
As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” 32 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. (Ephesians 5:31-32, NLT)
There’s two things going on simultaneously here. Do you see it? A husband and wife are united into one. This is true of Jesus and his bride, the Church.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Family, I’ve seen two extremes. I’ve seen men rule over their wives which is clearly not submission. I’ve also seen men afraid to exercise servant leadership, so passive that they become doormats.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
God’s design for marriage is a man and woman complement one another…different yet equal. We don’t need to embrace societal stereotypes that say the man does the outdoor work and the woman does the inside work…unless that’s what is agreed upon mutually. I’ve heard some preachers say the women must stay home with the kids while the man brings home a paycheck…but I’ve seen healthy examples where the roles are reversed…if that’s what is agreed upon mutually. Obviously our economy makes it challenging—but not impossible—to live on one income. But you need to find what works for your marriage.
As a simple example, we decided early in our marriage that whoever cooks, the other cleans. For 33 years I do dishes about 360 days a year! Some men love to cook, which is great. Do what works for you. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. (Ephesians 5:33, NLT)
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. It’s worth noting the man is to love his wife and the woman is to respect her husband. For further reading on this, see loveandrespect.com (not necessarily an endorsement!). I believe the overarching point is men and women are different…by design.
A husband must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. I’m sure this is how Adam and Eve originally behaved before the Fall. We need the Holy Spirit to make us like Jesus, filled with sacrificial, agape love for one another. When we love or respect one another, it fuels the spouse to reciprocate. Tragically, when one is not loved or respected, it can short-circuit the relationship. In other words, when a wife shows respect to her husband, he is more likely to respond with love and vice versa. The challenge when you’re stuck is who goes first?
Honor Marriages
Celebrate Singles
Jesus was single. Paul said it’s better to not marry.
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NLT)
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ in love.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Ephesians: Finding Our True Identity
Ephesians 5:21-33
Series Big Idea: The book of Ephesians reveals our true identity…in Christ!
Big Idea: We are to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Although my primary identity is found in Christ, I’m a citizen of the United States. I love this country. There’s a spirit of creativity, innovation, and risk-taking that has made us a world leader in business, education, science, military, and entertainment. But every strength has a weakness, and one of the negatives about our pioneering spirit is we are almost certainly the most individualistic nation in the history of the world. Rugged individualism has value, but also a huge downside. You may recall God said, “It’s not good for the man to be alone” in Genesis. Is it any wonder so many today are lonely? Cancel culture has run amok, divorce has split many families, and in our “pursuit of happiness,” we are tempted to ignore those around us.
As we continue in our series on the book of Ephesians—a letter written by Paul to a church in modern-day Turkey—we will see what is possibly the most offensive word in our individualized culture.
Before we dive in to our text, I want to remind you of the ending of Pastor Mike’s text from two weeks ago.
So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:15-20, NLT)
This is all possible when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, controlled by the Holy Spirit, surrendered to the Holy Spirit. Now we begin.
And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21, NLT)
There it is! Did you see it? Submit! How does that make you feel?
The original Greek word, hupotasso (hoop-ot-as’-so) means, “to subordinate; to obey; subdue unto, submit self unto.” In other words, it means what you think it means!
Submission is not popular in our culture. It was hardly popular 2000 years ago in the midst of the Roman Empire when Paul was writing. Although racism and discrimination are very real today, we live in a nation that, at least in writing, believes “all men are created equal.” There was not such philosophy in Rome. Abuse was rampant. Women were slaves. In fact, going much farther back to the opening chapter of the Bible we read,
Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. (Genesis 1:26a, NLT)
Notice the Trinity, the plural, us…one God in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God created the first man, Adam (which means “man” in Hebrew) and woman and all was well until the Fall when Adam and Eve sinned. Hierarchy emerged after the Fall when God said to Eve,
And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16b, NLT)
Do you see the tension? Ever since, men have been trying to domineer over women (and men). Women have been striving to even the score. Humans have been trying to get others to obey, to submit. We love power and control, don’t we? Sin is so common, we often don’t even recognize it when we commit it.
And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21, NLT)
But notice Paul didn’t just say, “Submit!” In fact, he didn’t even say, “Submit to God.” He says, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
We’re going to see how this related to marriage in a moment, but note this verse is not addressed to couples. It’s for all of us. We don’t blindly submit to one another, but in our quest to glorify God and revere Christ, we love one another and submit to one another. The Greek word for reverence, phobos, is where we get the word “phobia.” It means to be put in fear, alarm or fright, to be afraid. This doesn’t mean to avoid, but to recognize the power of, to be in awe of, to revere. We are to be in awe of Jesus, to make him LORD and Master of our lives. To fear someone or something often involves terror, causing us to run away. Fear of the LORD means awe and wonder, drawing us closer to God like the awe and wonder of the Grand Canyon. To put it simply, what you fear is your God.
For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:22, NLT)
Did I see some women wince? Remember, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Yield to each other out of love. It’s not about hierarchy or power but bringing God glory in and through our relationships. One commentator says, “All it asks is that wives give up self-centeredness, take seriously their mutuality with their husbands, and promote the benefit of their husbands.”
In Paul’s day, women were considered not only inferior to men, but also impure.
For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. 24 As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:23-24, NLT)
Tragically, this passage has been abused by men seeking power. Ladies, this does not mean be a doormat, tolerate abuse of any kind, or engage in sinful behavior (which would not be out of reverence to Christ).
Listen to N.T. Wright on this text:
Paul assumes, as do most cultures, that there are significant differences between men and women, differences that go far beyond mere biological and reproductive function. Their relations and roles must therefore be mutually complementary, rather than identical. Equality in voting rights, and in employment opportunities and remuneration (which is still not a reality in many places), should not be taken to imply such identity. And, within marriage, the guideline is clear. The husband is to take the lead - though he is to do so fully mindful of the self-sacrificial model which the Messiah has provided. As soon as 'taking the lead' becomes bullying or arrogant, the whole thing collapses.
I fully realize Paul is not politically correct, but is our culture offering a better model for men and women? It seems that our world is plagued by broken homes, broken marriages, broken relationships…could it be that we have abandoned God’s design for family? This is not an attack on those of you who are not in healthy marriages—far from it—but I wonder if we would embrace our differences, celebrate them, and submit to one another if we wouldn’t be vastly better off.
As the church submits to Christ, so wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Tragically, this passage has been abused by men seeking power which I believe is what started the rejection of God’s design for marriage. I’ve heard so many stories of women rejecting and even hating men after suffering evil abuse. Ladies, if you find it hard to imagine submitting to a man, consider the next verse.
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her (Ephesians 5:25, NLT)
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Husbands, Jesus died for the church. Are you willing to die for your wife? That’s the point. Such dedication would never make selfish demands. It would never harm or abuse. Godly husbands love sacrificially, making submission a joy.
Husbands, Jesus is to be your role model. Not Hugh Hefner or Lebron James, Neil Armstrong, Nelson Mandela, or Bear Grylls. Jesus was not married, but the church is his bride, the king’s wife. He gave us his life for her and we are to give up our lives for our wives (hey, that rhymes!).
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church…unto death!
A few years ago I was speaking with one of our senior saints and asked him, “How many times have you ever played the submit card?” In other words, how many times did you take charge, telling your wife to obey? He paused and said, “Zero!”
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Paul elaborates:
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. 28
(Ephesians 5:25-27, NLT)
This is a beautiful vision of what Jesus has done for us, the church. Hallelujah!
In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. 29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. 30 And we are members of his body. (Ephesians 5:28-30, NLT)
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
One of my favorite passages to read at wedding says,
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3, NLT)
This isn’t rocket science. Jesus summarized the entire Bible in two commands: love God and love your neighbor (or spouse) as yourself. You take care of your body. You eat. You bathe. You see a doctor when you’re in pain. Imagine what would happen if spouses cared for one another like they care for themselves. Of course, this need not be restricted to marriages. This verse applies to all of us, a brilliant vision of life together. Warren Wiersbe notes,
When the Christian wife submits herself to Christ and lets Him be the Lord of her life, she will have no difficulty submitting to her husband. This does not mean that she becomes a slave, for the husband is also to submit to Christ. And if both are living under the lordship of Christ, there can be only harmony. Headship is not dictatorship. “Each for the other, both for the Lord.” The Christian husband and wife should pray together and spend time in the Word, so that they might know God’s will for their individual lives and for their home. Most of the marital conflicts I have dealt with as a pastor have stemmed from failure of the husband and/or wife to submit to Christ, spend time in His Word, and seek to do His will each day.
To conclude, Paul goes all the way back to Genesis 2:24:
As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” 32 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. (Ephesians 5:31-32, NLT)
There’s two things going on simultaneously here. Do you see it? A husband and wife are united into one. This is true of Jesus and his bride, the Church.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Family, I’ve seen two extremes. I’ve seen men rule over their wives which is clearly not submission. I’ve also seen men afraid to exercise servant leadership, so passive that they become doormats.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
God’s design for marriage is a man and woman complement one another…different yet equal. We don’t need to embrace societal stereotypes that say the man does the outdoor work and the woman does the inside work…unless that’s what is agreed upon mutually. I’ve heard some preachers say the women must stay home with the kids while the man brings home a paycheck…but I’ve seen healthy examples where the roles are reversed…if that’s what is agreed upon mutually. Obviously our economy makes it challenging—but not impossible—to live on one income. But you need to find what works for your marriage.
As a simple example, we decided early in our marriage that whoever cooks, the other cleans. For 33 years I do dishes about 360 days a year! Some men love to cook, which is great. Do what works for you. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. (Ephesians 5:33, NLT)
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. It’s worth noting the man is to love his wife and the woman is to respect her husband. For further reading on this, see loveandrespect.com (not necessarily an endorsement!). I believe the overarching point is men and women are different…by design.
A husband must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. I’m sure this is how Adam and Eve originally behaved before the Fall. We need the Holy Spirit to make us like Jesus, filled with sacrificial, agape love for one another. When we love or respect one another, it fuels the spouse to reciprocate. Tragically, when one is not loved or respected, it can short-circuit the relationship. In other words, when a wife shows respect to her husband, he is more likely to respond with love and vice versa. The challenge when you’re stuck is who goes first?
Honor Marriages
Celebrate Singles
Jesus was single. Paul said it’s better to not marry.
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NLT)
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ in love.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
One, 17 September 2023
04 10 23
One
Ephesians: Finding Our True Identity
Ephesians 4:1-16
Series Big Idea: The book of Ephesians reveals our true identity…in Christ!
Big Idea: The Church of Jesus Christ is to be one family, united not in our politics, ethnicity, age, or income but in faith, all loving and serving together for God’s glory.
One of the six core values of First Alliance Church states,
Family. We are a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together. (1 Corinthians 12:4-31; Romans 12:10; Revelation 7:9)
I love mosaics. The don’t usually look all that great up close. In fact, most individual pieces are anything but attractive, typically broken glass fragments. When an artist is able to bring together a variety of shards of glass, the results can be stunning.
We’re in the middle of series on the book of Ephesians, finding our true identity. Whether it’s due to Hollywood, social media, our families of origin, or the expectations of ourselves or others, it’s easy to be confused about our identity. Who are we? Whose are we? Why are we? Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus in modern day Turkey addresses these questions, and today’s text in chapter four is packed with compelling instructions on what it means to be a part of the Body of Christ, the family of God, the Church…a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together.
What’s the first thing you think of when I say the word family? Is it positive or negative? We’ve all seen various families portrayed on tv and the movies, whether positively or negatively. What are some famous families?
Regardless of your own family of origin, it’s possible to imagine some of those ideal families, whether they’re realistic or not.
My personal experience with family is quite positive, but I must admit there are no perfect families, and even the best of them can be complicated and messy. Where two or more are gathered together…there’s the potential for conflict! The very thing that makes relationships interesting—diversity—is also the source of our tensions. How boring would it be if we all looked, dressed, voted, and behaved the same? Yet many of us have been taught to question or even hate those who are different.
God created you unique and special, with dignity, value and worth. He knew you in your mother’s womb and He sees you, He hears you, He loves you. I believe somebody needs to hear that today!
We all have a lot in common, yet we’re all different. Our theme today is one…unity…not uniformity, but unity. It wasn’t long ago that I heard unity and diversity are the two words that form the word university…a place where different people and opinions can come together (though that’s not always the case!).
As we noted three weeks ago, there was a huge divide between Jews and Gentiles which Jesus died to remove, unifying them into one family. We are one in Christ. It’s a spiritual reality we need to guard and protect. It’s also fragile which is why unity is one of the four prayers I pray regularly for First Alliance Church (echoing the prayer Jesus prayed for us in John 17).
Are you ready to dive in?
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. (Ephesians 4:1)
What’s the therefore there for? The first three chapters of the book are about doctrine, right beliefs, orthodoxy. The second half of the book is about duty, about right actions, orthopraxy. It’s not enough to know the right things if you can’t apply them. Our enemy, satan, knows the truth. He believes in Jesus and saw him before and after the resurrection. He probably knows the Bible better than you or I.
We’ve been invited into God’s family. If you receive the invitation, you become an adopted son or daughter of the Creator of the Universe. The King of kings. The LORD of all. Paul says if this is true, if you are now royalty, if you are on God’s team, act like it! Lead a life worthy of your calling. Our faith cannot stop with our head. It needs to transform our hearts and hands, too.
I get so frustrated when people claim the name of Jesus but act nothing like him. Christian means “little Christ.” So what does that look like?
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. (Ephesians 4:2)
I didn’t say this was easy! Always be humble and gentle. Has anyone mastered this? I. haven’t!
Before we go any farther, let me remind you that this behavior is not the result of trying harder. It’s about surrender and letting the Holy Spirit take over. This may look like daily times of Bible study, prayer, silence, reflection, and simply saying, “Holy Spirit, take control.”
I’ll be the first to admit I don’t like slow and quiet. I like to go, produce, succeed, get ‘er done! Sabbatical interrupted my rhythms…and lowered my speed! When I get busy and excited, I find it harder to be humble and gentle. I want people to notice me and my accomplishments, and I’m tempted to tell everyone how right I am about everything! This may be fine if I’m alone, but as soon as I’m with another person…
This is why Paul says to be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your…love. Because of God’s love in you. Again, it’s not about trying harder. It’s about being filled with the Holy Spirit, emptying ourselves of our pride, selfishness, and sin and being open to God working in and through us.
If we could master this one verse, it would only be a matter of time before our campus would be overflowing with people. Humble and gentle? Patient? Who does this? Jesus followers.
Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. (Ephesians 4:3)
United. Unity. One. That’s the result of being filled with the Holy Spirit.
For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. (Ephesians 4:4)
One. That’s our theme today. Many broken pieces of glass together form one beautiful mosaic. Many parts form one body. Jesus prayed in John 17 that we would be one. Again, not uniformity, but unity.
I’ve told the story before, but on my wedding day, I was excited to watch my beautiful bride walk down the aisle to meet her groom (me!). If the same woman came down the aisle in pieces (eyeballs rolling, foot hopping, hands wiggling), it would’ve been horrifying! Same parts, just not one. The biblical vision of the Church of Jesus Christ is one body of diverse parts joined together not by our politics or skin color or favorite football team, but rather by the LORD.
There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 one God and Father of all,
who is over all, in all, and living through all. (Ephesians 4:5-6)
I like to say we’re all related by blood…the blood of Jesus. Likewise, we’re all equal at the foot of the cross. We all need Jesus.
However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. That is why the Scriptures say,
“When he ascended to the heights,
he led a crowd of captives
and gave gifts to his people.” (Ephesians 4:7-8)
This is a quote from Psalm 68 and likely referring to Jesus’ victory through his death and resurrection, setting us free from the law of sin and death. We’ll get to the gifts in a moment.
Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. 10 And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself. (Ephesians 4:9-10)
Jesus descended from heaven to earth about 2000 years ago, ascended into heaven and promised to return…soon! In the meantime, the Holy Spirit came (and you can read about that in Acts 2) and is alive in our world today, living in every believer, though many seem unaware of His presence and the command to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit, continually surrendering our will and desires and pursuing His. Jesus’ mission is to rule over everything. He is King of kings and LORD of lords.
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. (Ephesians 4:11)
Some have called this the fivefold ministry, though others see pastors and teachers combined. A frequent acronym is APEST: apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd or pastor, and teacher. Let’s look at these gifts.
In the New Testament, the Apostles were a special group of people who spent time with Jesus. Obviously, none of them exist today, but apostles (small a) are sent ones, entrepreneurs and church planters that think about new ways to reach new people with the good news of the gospel.
Prophets are not necessarily future tellers, but forth tellers. They know God’s will and bring correction and challenge, questioning the status quo. Biblical prophets were generally not popular, and not much is different today!
Evangelists recruit, communicate good news, and introduce people to Jesus.
Shepherds or pastors care for people, protecting the flocks and leading others toward maturity.
Teachers teach! They communicate God’s truth.
In our culture, professional Christians who may fall into one or more of these categories are typically given the title pastor or reverend or clergy, which kind of defeats the distinction of the fivefold gifting of APEST, of church leaders. Why are the gifts given?
Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:12)
Their responsibility is not to do the ministry, but to equip God’s people to do the ministry. Do you see this? One of the most important things I want you to understand is you are called by God to be a minister, a disciple-maker. It’s not just for professional Christians! Ministry is acts of service to bring glory to God, which could be plumbing, lawn care, factory work, whatever…it can all be done for God’s glory. When Paul was writing, there weren’t paid and unpaid Christians. There were leaders and followers. One of the greatest strategies of our enemy is to make people think only the clergy can do ministry. That’s wiping out 99% of the army of God!
Imagine if a football team thought the job of the coach was to play on the field while the players sat back and watched! Do you think any football coach by himself or herself could beat an entire football team? Of course not! It’s the job of the coach to equip the team to win the game. Likewise, it’s my job and the job of our staff to recruit and equip you to win the game, to make disciples, to launch Life Groups, to serve the poor, to disciple our children and youth, to lead worship, to care for our physical campus, to manage the finances, to lead people to Jesus, and all of the other things involved in restoring God’s masterpieces.
This idea is known as the priesthood of all believers, and a few years ago one of our elders at the time, Doug Oliver, alerted me to the reason it’s such a challenge. As you may know, the King James Version of the Bible has been influential since its translation in 1611. It says
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (Ephesians 4:11-12, KJV)
It says it’s the job of the pastors and clergy to do the work of the ministry. It was corrected in the New King James Version which states:
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, (Ephesians 4:11-12, NKJV)
It’s the difference between a semicolon and a comma, and it makes a huge difference! If I had to do all of the work of the ministry, I would burn out like so many clergy have done in recent days. If our job as staff is to equip you (which we do through Sunday gatherings, Life Groups, online resources, discipleship Huddles, Right Now Media, and other tools), we can all get in the game, loving God, loving our neighbors as ourselves, and making disciples of all nations. Let me say it again, you are called by God to be a minister, a disciple-maker. First Alliance isn’t about a Sunday gathering. It’s about an army of love getting equipped to be Jesus with skin on 168 hours a week.
It's worth noting there are other parts of the New Testament which speak about spiritual gifts such as healing, hospitality, and tongues, but in this case Paul mentions people…people to equip the body.
13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. (Ephesians 4:13)
There it is again. Unity…in Christ.
Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. (Ephesians 4:14-16)
I could preach another sermon just on those verses, but here’s the big idea:
The Church of Jesus Christ is to be one family, united not in our politics, ethnicity, age, or income but in faith, all loving and serving together for God’s glory.
We’re different. We need one another. We need apostles like Will Henderson to start new churches like LEAD Community Church. We need prophets like Jason Horton to challenge us and make us uncomfortable through the proclamation of God’s Word. We need evangelists like Hollywood to share the good news of Jesus with people who are not yet following Christ. We need pastors and shepherds like Pastor Donald and his wife, Joyce, who can visit the sick, care for the needy, and love on people. We need teachers like Pastor Mike and the others on our teaching team to instruct us in the Bible and show us what it means to follow Jesus.
Paul is talking about the rule of Jesus over everything, and to do so he has given the church leaders to equip his people to serve and glorify him and make him known everywhere, all the time, not just in a building on Sunday morning.
We’re all different…by design. That can be challenging, at times, which is why Paul began by saying,
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. (Ephesians 4:2)
Family, let’s surrender to the LORD, allowing the Holy Spirit to work in and through each of us as we restore God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory. He is worthy of our worship, our praise, our time, our talents, and our treasures. Amen!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Ephesians: Finding Our True Identity
Ephesians 4:1-16
Series Big Idea: The book of Ephesians reveals our true identity…in Christ!
Big Idea: The Church of Jesus Christ is to be one family, united not in our politics, ethnicity, age, or income but in faith, all loving and serving together for God’s glory.
One of the six core values of First Alliance Church states,
Family. We are a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together. (1 Corinthians 12:4-31; Romans 12:10; Revelation 7:9)
I love mosaics. The don’t usually look all that great up close. In fact, most individual pieces are anything but attractive, typically broken glass fragments. When an artist is able to bring together a variety of shards of glass, the results can be stunning.
We’re in the middle of series on the book of Ephesians, finding our true identity. Whether it’s due to Hollywood, social media, our families of origin, or the expectations of ourselves or others, it’s easy to be confused about our identity. Who are we? Whose are we? Why are we? Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus in modern day Turkey addresses these questions, and today’s text in chapter four is packed with compelling instructions on what it means to be a part of the Body of Christ, the family of God, the Church…a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together.
What’s the first thing you think of when I say the word family? Is it positive or negative? We’ve all seen various families portrayed on tv and the movies, whether positively or negatively. What are some famous families?
Regardless of your own family of origin, it’s possible to imagine some of those ideal families, whether they’re realistic or not.
My personal experience with family is quite positive, but I must admit there are no perfect families, and even the best of them can be complicated and messy. Where two or more are gathered together…there’s the potential for conflict! The very thing that makes relationships interesting—diversity—is also the source of our tensions. How boring would it be if we all looked, dressed, voted, and behaved the same? Yet many of us have been taught to question or even hate those who are different.
God created you unique and special, with dignity, value and worth. He knew you in your mother’s womb and He sees you, He hears you, He loves you. I believe somebody needs to hear that today!
We all have a lot in common, yet we’re all different. Our theme today is one…unity…not uniformity, but unity. It wasn’t long ago that I heard unity and diversity are the two words that form the word university…a place where different people and opinions can come together (though that’s not always the case!).
As we noted three weeks ago, there was a huge divide between Jews and Gentiles which Jesus died to remove, unifying them into one family. We are one in Christ. It’s a spiritual reality we need to guard and protect. It’s also fragile which is why unity is one of the four prayers I pray regularly for First Alliance Church (echoing the prayer Jesus prayed for us in John 17).
Are you ready to dive in?
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. (Ephesians 4:1)
What’s the therefore there for? The first three chapters of the book are about doctrine, right beliefs, orthodoxy. The second half of the book is about duty, about right actions, orthopraxy. It’s not enough to know the right things if you can’t apply them. Our enemy, satan, knows the truth. He believes in Jesus and saw him before and after the resurrection. He probably knows the Bible better than you or I.
We’ve been invited into God’s family. If you receive the invitation, you become an adopted son or daughter of the Creator of the Universe. The King of kings. The LORD of all. Paul says if this is true, if you are now royalty, if you are on God’s team, act like it! Lead a life worthy of your calling. Our faith cannot stop with our head. It needs to transform our hearts and hands, too.
I get so frustrated when people claim the name of Jesus but act nothing like him. Christian means “little Christ.” So what does that look like?
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. (Ephesians 4:2)
I didn’t say this was easy! Always be humble and gentle. Has anyone mastered this? I. haven’t!
Before we go any farther, let me remind you that this behavior is not the result of trying harder. It’s about surrender and letting the Holy Spirit take over. This may look like daily times of Bible study, prayer, silence, reflection, and simply saying, “Holy Spirit, take control.”
I’ll be the first to admit I don’t like slow and quiet. I like to go, produce, succeed, get ‘er done! Sabbatical interrupted my rhythms…and lowered my speed! When I get busy and excited, I find it harder to be humble and gentle. I want people to notice me and my accomplishments, and I’m tempted to tell everyone how right I am about everything! This may be fine if I’m alone, but as soon as I’m with another person…
This is why Paul says to be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your…love. Because of God’s love in you. Again, it’s not about trying harder. It’s about being filled with the Holy Spirit, emptying ourselves of our pride, selfishness, and sin and being open to God working in and through us.
If we could master this one verse, it would only be a matter of time before our campus would be overflowing with people. Humble and gentle? Patient? Who does this? Jesus followers.
Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. (Ephesians 4:3)
United. Unity. One. That’s the result of being filled with the Holy Spirit.
For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. (Ephesians 4:4)
One. That’s our theme today. Many broken pieces of glass together form one beautiful mosaic. Many parts form one body. Jesus prayed in John 17 that we would be one. Again, not uniformity, but unity.
I’ve told the story before, but on my wedding day, I was excited to watch my beautiful bride walk down the aisle to meet her groom (me!). If the same woman came down the aisle in pieces (eyeballs rolling, foot hopping, hands wiggling), it would’ve been horrifying! Same parts, just not one. The biblical vision of the Church of Jesus Christ is one body of diverse parts joined together not by our politics or skin color or favorite football team, but rather by the LORD.
There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 one God and Father of all,
who is over all, in all, and living through all. (Ephesians 4:5-6)
I like to say we’re all related by blood…the blood of Jesus. Likewise, we’re all equal at the foot of the cross. We all need Jesus.
However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. That is why the Scriptures say,
“When he ascended to the heights,
he led a crowd of captives
and gave gifts to his people.” (Ephesians 4:7-8)
This is a quote from Psalm 68 and likely referring to Jesus’ victory through his death and resurrection, setting us free from the law of sin and death. We’ll get to the gifts in a moment.
Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. 10 And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself. (Ephesians 4:9-10)
Jesus descended from heaven to earth about 2000 years ago, ascended into heaven and promised to return…soon! In the meantime, the Holy Spirit came (and you can read about that in Acts 2) and is alive in our world today, living in every believer, though many seem unaware of His presence and the command to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit, continually surrendering our will and desires and pursuing His. Jesus’ mission is to rule over everything. He is King of kings and LORD of lords.
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. (Ephesians 4:11)
Some have called this the fivefold ministry, though others see pastors and teachers combined. A frequent acronym is APEST: apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd or pastor, and teacher. Let’s look at these gifts.
In the New Testament, the Apostles were a special group of people who spent time with Jesus. Obviously, none of them exist today, but apostles (small a) are sent ones, entrepreneurs and church planters that think about new ways to reach new people with the good news of the gospel.
Prophets are not necessarily future tellers, but forth tellers. They know God’s will and bring correction and challenge, questioning the status quo. Biblical prophets were generally not popular, and not much is different today!
Evangelists recruit, communicate good news, and introduce people to Jesus.
Shepherds or pastors care for people, protecting the flocks and leading others toward maturity.
Teachers teach! They communicate God’s truth.
In our culture, professional Christians who may fall into one or more of these categories are typically given the title pastor or reverend or clergy, which kind of defeats the distinction of the fivefold gifting of APEST, of church leaders. Why are the gifts given?
Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:12)
Their responsibility is not to do the ministry, but to equip God’s people to do the ministry. Do you see this? One of the most important things I want you to understand is you are called by God to be a minister, a disciple-maker. It’s not just for professional Christians! Ministry is acts of service to bring glory to God, which could be plumbing, lawn care, factory work, whatever…it can all be done for God’s glory. When Paul was writing, there weren’t paid and unpaid Christians. There were leaders and followers. One of the greatest strategies of our enemy is to make people think only the clergy can do ministry. That’s wiping out 99% of the army of God!
Imagine if a football team thought the job of the coach was to play on the field while the players sat back and watched! Do you think any football coach by himself or herself could beat an entire football team? Of course not! It’s the job of the coach to equip the team to win the game. Likewise, it’s my job and the job of our staff to recruit and equip you to win the game, to make disciples, to launch Life Groups, to serve the poor, to disciple our children and youth, to lead worship, to care for our physical campus, to manage the finances, to lead people to Jesus, and all of the other things involved in restoring God’s masterpieces.
This idea is known as the priesthood of all believers, and a few years ago one of our elders at the time, Doug Oliver, alerted me to the reason it’s such a challenge. As you may know, the King James Version of the Bible has been influential since its translation in 1611. It says
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (Ephesians 4:11-12, KJV)
It says it’s the job of the pastors and clergy to do the work of the ministry. It was corrected in the New King James Version which states:
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, (Ephesians 4:11-12, NKJV)
It’s the difference between a semicolon and a comma, and it makes a huge difference! If I had to do all of the work of the ministry, I would burn out like so many clergy have done in recent days. If our job as staff is to equip you (which we do through Sunday gatherings, Life Groups, online resources, discipleship Huddles, Right Now Media, and other tools), we can all get in the game, loving God, loving our neighbors as ourselves, and making disciples of all nations. Let me say it again, you are called by God to be a minister, a disciple-maker. First Alliance isn’t about a Sunday gathering. It’s about an army of love getting equipped to be Jesus with skin on 168 hours a week.
It's worth noting there are other parts of the New Testament which speak about spiritual gifts such as healing, hospitality, and tongues, but in this case Paul mentions people…people to equip the body.
13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. (Ephesians 4:13)
There it is again. Unity…in Christ.
Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. (Ephesians 4:14-16)
I could preach another sermon just on those verses, but here’s the big idea:
The Church of Jesus Christ is to be one family, united not in our politics, ethnicity, age, or income but in faith, all loving and serving together for God’s glory.
We’re different. We need one another. We need apostles like Will Henderson to start new churches like LEAD Community Church. We need prophets like Jason Horton to challenge us and make us uncomfortable through the proclamation of God’s Word. We need evangelists like Hollywood to share the good news of Jesus with people who are not yet following Christ. We need pastors and shepherds like Pastor Donald and his wife, Joyce, who can visit the sick, care for the needy, and love on people. We need teachers like Pastor Mike and the others on our teaching team to instruct us in the Bible and show us what it means to follow Jesus.
Paul is talking about the rule of Jesus over everything, and to do so he has given the church leaders to equip his people to serve and glorify him and make him known everywhere, all the time, not just in a building on Sunday morning.
We’re all different…by design. That can be challenging, at times, which is why Paul began by saying,
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. (Ephesians 4:2)
Family, let’s surrender to the LORD, allowing the Holy Spirit to work in and through each of us as we restore God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory. He is worthy of our worship, our praise, our time, our talents, and our treasures. Amen!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
How to Live, 1 October 2023
02 10 23
How to Live
Ephesians: Finding Our True Identity
Ephesians 4:29-32
Series Big Idea: The book of Ephesians reveals our true identity…in Christ!
Big Idea: Life in the Kingdom of God is radically different than in the world around us.
Who are you?
We’ve been going verse-by-verse through the book of Ephesians, a letter sent to a church in modern day Turkey that reveals our true identity…in Christ! Tragically, many draw their identity from their job, politics, education, net worth, sexual orientation, friends, addiction, worst mistake, or even family. Those things contribute to who we are, but our primary identity should come from being in Christ. Thirteen times in the NIV translation of Ephesians, the phrase “in Christ” is used. Paul used the idea more than 200 times in his writings. Do you know what those two words mean? One pastor wrote,
“As Christians, we live from our identity, not for our identity. We are defined by who we are in Christ, not what we do or fail to do for Christ. Christ defines who we are by who he is and what he’s done for us, in us, and through us. Understanding this information is the key to your transformation.”
We are in Christ or in idolatry…anything that takes a higher priority. I’m saying all of this as an introduction because we’re about to read some challenging words which we cannot follow, at least not on our own. We need a higher power. We need God…because life in the Kingdom of God is radically different than in the world around us.
Don’t use foul or abusive language. (Ephesians 4:29a, NLT)
What does this really mean? The New International Version translates it this way:
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, (Ephesians 4:29a, NIV)
Foul language. Abusive language. Unwholesome talk. The entertainment industry has assembled a list of words that it deems inappropriate, at least for children. They can change a G-rated movie into a PG, PG-13, or even an R just by those words alone.
When our kids were younger, we had some good conversations about language. Why are some words acceptable and others not? Are “Christian swear words” ok? Is it really such a big deal when everyone is saying it? How did some words that even appear in the Bible become profanity?
The issue isn’t so much the articulation of one word or another. It’s about the meaning of the words. A word in one culture may have a different meaning in another. I infamously used a word in a sermon years ago with multiple meanings, one of which was unsuitable for a sermon…or any other usage! I had no idea and went on an apology tour the next week!
In college, I went on a trip to England where I used a particular word which I was told meant something quite different across the pond than it does in the USA!
The thing about language is it’s a communication tool. What are you communicating? What do you intend to communicate? What is in your heart…and will it be received that way? The verse continues…
Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. (Ephesians 4:29b)
My parents used to say, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” I think that’s generally good advice, and the point Paul is making to this church. Let every word that comes out of your mouth be good, helpful, and encouraging. The message isn’t simply, “Don’t cuss.” It means don’t gossip. Don’t be unnecessarily critical. Or as we used to joke in youth group, “Edify, stupid!”
That was only a joke, but that reminds me of something my dad used to tell me all the time when I got in trouble: it’s not what you said, it’s how you said it. Some researchers believe 60-70 percent of human communication is non-verbal…loudness, pitch, style, tone…to say nothing of eye contact, gestures, and body language. There’s a huge difference between a child (sweetly) saying, “I’m sorry” and (yelling) “I’m sorry!!!”
Human speech can communicate virtually any emotion, and be constructive or destructive in the process. Do you remember the old line, “Sticks and stones will break my bones but…words will never hurt me”? What a lie! Words can be devastatingly toxic…or they can transform a life for the good.
I imagine most of you can recall something said many years ago that was encouraging or destructive. Maybe it was a parent, teacher, or friend. To this day, my mom still offers encouraging words to me, while others I know never knew such positivity, struggling to even believe they are loved…by God or anyone else.
Jesus literally got to the heart of the matter in one of his famous interactions with the religious Pharisees.
You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34, ESV)
Let’s take a look at a bit of the context:
“A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. 34 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 35 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. 36 And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. 37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” (Matthew 12:33-37, NLT)
Words are powerful. They convey meaning. Communication is built through them. Yet today, it seems harder and harder to find words that are good, beautiful, and true. From fake news to racist song lyrics, from profanity saturated tv shows and movies to slander and lies online, Paul’s letter sounds almost prudish, if not unimaginable.
Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. (Ephesians 4:29b)
This is another example where Christ-followers can live the ultimate alternative lifestyle. When people tell inappropriate jokes, we need not repeat them. When music contains parental warnings, we can opt to listen to something else. When “everybody’s doing it,” we can choose to consume and produce the good, helpful, and encouraging.
It sounds simple, right? I can’t say I’ve heard much profanity on Sunday mornings here, but what about Monday morning? The message is not simply, “stop cussing.” Jesus said out of the heart the mouth speaks, so get to the heart of the matter. Fill your mind and heart with the good, beautiful, and true. But know growth and maturity take time.
One of the great myths of the Christian faith is you need to clean up your act in order to come to Jesus. What a lie from the pit of hell! The amazing thing about our faith is all are welcome…come as you are…but don’t stay there. Grow! We’re all on a journey. Where you are today is less important than where you’re headed…what you’re becoming…how you are growing. My twelve week-old grandson should be filling his diapers…but if he’s wearing them when he’s twelve years old, we’ve got a problem! If you’re new in your faith, of course you’re going to sin and screw up, but hopefully as you spend more time with Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, your head, heart, and hands will begin to change.
The book of Romans offers us a glimpse at spiritual maturity regarding the mouth.
Before Christ,
“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” (Romans 3:14)
Then
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. (Romans 10:9-10)
A changed heart will result in changed speech…from profanity to praise, from gossip to glorifying God, from hatred to holiness, from bitterness to blessing, from…you get the idea! The Bible is filled with examples of transformation, which is why we believe people can change. We know people can change! Masterpieces can be and are being restored. Hallelujah! But as I often say, it’s not about striving, but surrender. It’s about letting the Holy Spirit fill you with good fruit and gifts. But it’s also about making good choices.
It has been said you are your friends. Choose wisely. Garbage in, garbage out. If you hang out with people who encourage and bless, chances are you’ll do the same. If you fill you mind with trashy entertainment, don’t be surprised if it leaks out of you. Jesus said,
A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. (Matthew 7:17-18, NLT)
The word bad used here in the original Greek referred to rotten fruit. It might not be poisonous, but it’s worthless. We need to fill our hearts and minds with Jesus, with the truth of the Bible, with the encouragement of godly friends, and with that which is good and beautiful. The overall message of verse 29 is not to have a swear jar to penalize yourself every time you say a bad word. It’s to fill your heart with good fruit, good ideas, good words, constructive messages to bless others. For more on the tongue, see James chapter three. Our words are powerful, for good or bad. Let’s re-present Jesus well with our lips.
Now that we’ve finished the first verse of today’s sermon, let’s continue!
And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30, NLT)
Some translations say don’t grieve the Spirit. This reminds me of the parent who said to their child, “Whatever you do is a reflection upon our family.” People are watching us…even if you don’t have a fish on the rear bumper of your car! When you surrendered your life to Jesus—if you have, and I urge you to do so if you haven’t yet—you became his. Jesus wants to be LORD, Master, not just buddy or consultant. We are Christ’s ambassadors. We’ve been called to re-present God to the world. If our words aren’t constructive, we give God a bad name.
We can grieve or glorify God by the way we live. If you have more than one child, you know that awful feeling when your kids don’t get along, fighting and arguing. You may also know the joy of seeing them get along. Imagine our Heavenly Father and what He feels when He sees how we live with one another.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. (Ephesians 4:31, NLT)
Bitterness. It’s like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die! I read an amazing story from Warren Wiersbe.
A handsome elderly man stopped at my study one day and asked me if I would perform a wedding for him. I suggested that he bring the bride in so that we might chat together and get better acquainted, since I hesitate to marry strangers. “Before she comes in,” he said, “let me explain this wedding to you. Both of us have been married before—to each other! Over thirty years ago, we got into an argument, I got mad, and we separated. Then we did a stupid thing and got a divorce. I guess we were both too proud to apologize. Well, all these years we’ve lived alone, and now we see how foolish we’ve been. Our bitterness has robbed us of the joys of life, and now we want to remarry and see if the Lord won’t give us a few years of happiness before we die.” Bitterness and anger, usually over trivial things, make havoc of homes, churches, and friendships.
Bitterness, rage, anger (which is not necessarily a sin, by the way). Paul has already spoken about our words. If our actions and words aren’t enough, he throws in “all types of evil behavior.” Stop it! How? Begin spiritual habits, simple rhythms. Join a Life Group. Read a chapter a day in the Bible (maybe start in Ephesians or John). Invite someone out for coffee to engage in a spiritual conversation. Access the free Right Now Media subscription resources. Download the YouVersion app and begin a Bible reading plan. Take one small step toward growth. If all else fails, send me an e-mail and we’ll discuss it together.
Remember, though, “spiritual formation is slow, incremental, over time, with others, and for others” (Richard Bush).
We’ve seen the negative list. Here’s a positive vision for how Christians are to behave.
Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32, NLT)
What a vision! Who wants to be a part of a family like that?
Perhaps the opposite of bitterness is forgiveness, and this is a radical thing in our culture where we are prone to either cancel someone or take them to court. There may be a time and place for that, but forgiveness takes things to another level. We can’t forgive people on our own strength, but when we see how God has forgiven us, with His power we can forgive. The most famous prayer in history states, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Paul is echoing that here in verse 32. What if we don’t forgive? First, it will probably harm us more than the other person.
We all love the idea of forgiveness…until we have someone to forgive. Who do you need to forgive? They don’t deserve it. Forgiveness is never earned. It’s a choice you make to set them—and yourself—free. It doesn’t mean you trust them. It doesn’t mean everything goes back to the way it used to be, but it means you’re done with bitterness. You’re letting go.
Family, we’re always going to hurt one another. Hopefully there will never be harmful intent, but where two or more are gathered, there is bound to be conflict. If you hurt me, you want forgiveness, right? We need to be a community of faith, hope, and especially love filled with grace and forgiveness. We need to silence the lie of the enemy that wants us trapped in the pain of the past and press on toward the abundant life Jesus promised us. This is not easy. It might involve professional help. The wounds will take time to heal. But we can choose, declare, decide God will be the judge and we can forgive them because we’ve been forgiven so much by God. Let it go! For God’s sake, forgive!
Conclusion
I would love to stand in front of you each week and encourage, sharing good news. The reality is, sin is a part of each of our lives. We need to be reminded of the bad and the good, the prohibitions and the positive instructions.
Life in the Kingdom of God is radically different than in the world around us.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Ephesians: Finding Our True Identity
Ephesians 4:29-32
Series Big Idea: The book of Ephesians reveals our true identity…in Christ!
Big Idea: Life in the Kingdom of God is radically different than in the world around us.
Who are you?
We’ve been going verse-by-verse through the book of Ephesians, a letter sent to a church in modern day Turkey that reveals our true identity…in Christ! Tragically, many draw their identity from their job, politics, education, net worth, sexual orientation, friends, addiction, worst mistake, or even family. Those things contribute to who we are, but our primary identity should come from being in Christ. Thirteen times in the NIV translation of Ephesians, the phrase “in Christ” is used. Paul used the idea more than 200 times in his writings. Do you know what those two words mean? One pastor wrote,
“As Christians, we live from our identity, not for our identity. We are defined by who we are in Christ, not what we do or fail to do for Christ. Christ defines who we are by who he is and what he’s done for us, in us, and through us. Understanding this information is the key to your transformation.”
We are in Christ or in idolatry…anything that takes a higher priority. I’m saying all of this as an introduction because we’re about to read some challenging words which we cannot follow, at least not on our own. We need a higher power. We need God…because life in the Kingdom of God is radically different than in the world around us.
Don’t use foul or abusive language. (Ephesians 4:29a, NLT)
What does this really mean? The New International Version translates it this way:
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, (Ephesians 4:29a, NIV)
Foul language. Abusive language. Unwholesome talk. The entertainment industry has assembled a list of words that it deems inappropriate, at least for children. They can change a G-rated movie into a PG, PG-13, or even an R just by those words alone.
When our kids were younger, we had some good conversations about language. Why are some words acceptable and others not? Are “Christian swear words” ok? Is it really such a big deal when everyone is saying it? How did some words that even appear in the Bible become profanity?
The issue isn’t so much the articulation of one word or another. It’s about the meaning of the words. A word in one culture may have a different meaning in another. I infamously used a word in a sermon years ago with multiple meanings, one of which was unsuitable for a sermon…or any other usage! I had no idea and went on an apology tour the next week!
In college, I went on a trip to England where I used a particular word which I was told meant something quite different across the pond than it does in the USA!
The thing about language is it’s a communication tool. What are you communicating? What do you intend to communicate? What is in your heart…and will it be received that way? The verse continues…
Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. (Ephesians 4:29b)
My parents used to say, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” I think that’s generally good advice, and the point Paul is making to this church. Let every word that comes out of your mouth be good, helpful, and encouraging. The message isn’t simply, “Don’t cuss.” It means don’t gossip. Don’t be unnecessarily critical. Or as we used to joke in youth group, “Edify, stupid!”
That was only a joke, but that reminds me of something my dad used to tell me all the time when I got in trouble: it’s not what you said, it’s how you said it. Some researchers believe 60-70 percent of human communication is non-verbal…loudness, pitch, style, tone…to say nothing of eye contact, gestures, and body language. There’s a huge difference between a child (sweetly) saying, “I’m sorry” and (yelling) “I’m sorry!!!”
Human speech can communicate virtually any emotion, and be constructive or destructive in the process. Do you remember the old line, “Sticks and stones will break my bones but…words will never hurt me”? What a lie! Words can be devastatingly toxic…or they can transform a life for the good.
I imagine most of you can recall something said many years ago that was encouraging or destructive. Maybe it was a parent, teacher, or friend. To this day, my mom still offers encouraging words to me, while others I know never knew such positivity, struggling to even believe they are loved…by God or anyone else.
Jesus literally got to the heart of the matter in one of his famous interactions with the religious Pharisees.
You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34, ESV)
Let’s take a look at a bit of the context:
“A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. 34 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 35 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. 36 And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. 37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” (Matthew 12:33-37, NLT)
Words are powerful. They convey meaning. Communication is built through them. Yet today, it seems harder and harder to find words that are good, beautiful, and true. From fake news to racist song lyrics, from profanity saturated tv shows and movies to slander and lies online, Paul’s letter sounds almost prudish, if not unimaginable.
Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. (Ephesians 4:29b)
This is another example where Christ-followers can live the ultimate alternative lifestyle. When people tell inappropriate jokes, we need not repeat them. When music contains parental warnings, we can opt to listen to something else. When “everybody’s doing it,” we can choose to consume and produce the good, helpful, and encouraging.
It sounds simple, right? I can’t say I’ve heard much profanity on Sunday mornings here, but what about Monday morning? The message is not simply, “stop cussing.” Jesus said out of the heart the mouth speaks, so get to the heart of the matter. Fill your mind and heart with the good, beautiful, and true. But know growth and maturity take time.
One of the great myths of the Christian faith is you need to clean up your act in order to come to Jesus. What a lie from the pit of hell! The amazing thing about our faith is all are welcome…come as you are…but don’t stay there. Grow! We’re all on a journey. Where you are today is less important than where you’re headed…what you’re becoming…how you are growing. My twelve week-old grandson should be filling his diapers…but if he’s wearing them when he’s twelve years old, we’ve got a problem! If you’re new in your faith, of course you’re going to sin and screw up, but hopefully as you spend more time with Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, your head, heart, and hands will begin to change.
The book of Romans offers us a glimpse at spiritual maturity regarding the mouth.
Before Christ,
“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” (Romans 3:14)
Then
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. (Romans 10:9-10)
A changed heart will result in changed speech…from profanity to praise, from gossip to glorifying God, from hatred to holiness, from bitterness to blessing, from…you get the idea! The Bible is filled with examples of transformation, which is why we believe people can change. We know people can change! Masterpieces can be and are being restored. Hallelujah! But as I often say, it’s not about striving, but surrender. It’s about letting the Holy Spirit fill you with good fruit and gifts. But it’s also about making good choices.
It has been said you are your friends. Choose wisely. Garbage in, garbage out. If you hang out with people who encourage and bless, chances are you’ll do the same. If you fill you mind with trashy entertainment, don’t be surprised if it leaks out of you. Jesus said,
A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. (Matthew 7:17-18, NLT)
The word bad used here in the original Greek referred to rotten fruit. It might not be poisonous, but it’s worthless. We need to fill our hearts and minds with Jesus, with the truth of the Bible, with the encouragement of godly friends, and with that which is good and beautiful. The overall message of verse 29 is not to have a swear jar to penalize yourself every time you say a bad word. It’s to fill your heart with good fruit, good ideas, good words, constructive messages to bless others. For more on the tongue, see James chapter three. Our words are powerful, for good or bad. Let’s re-present Jesus well with our lips.
Now that we’ve finished the first verse of today’s sermon, let’s continue!
And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30, NLT)
Some translations say don’t grieve the Spirit. This reminds me of the parent who said to their child, “Whatever you do is a reflection upon our family.” People are watching us…even if you don’t have a fish on the rear bumper of your car! When you surrendered your life to Jesus—if you have, and I urge you to do so if you haven’t yet—you became his. Jesus wants to be LORD, Master, not just buddy or consultant. We are Christ’s ambassadors. We’ve been called to re-present God to the world. If our words aren’t constructive, we give God a bad name.
We can grieve or glorify God by the way we live. If you have more than one child, you know that awful feeling when your kids don’t get along, fighting and arguing. You may also know the joy of seeing them get along. Imagine our Heavenly Father and what He feels when He sees how we live with one another.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. (Ephesians 4:31, NLT)
Bitterness. It’s like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die! I read an amazing story from Warren Wiersbe.
A handsome elderly man stopped at my study one day and asked me if I would perform a wedding for him. I suggested that he bring the bride in so that we might chat together and get better acquainted, since I hesitate to marry strangers. “Before she comes in,” he said, “let me explain this wedding to you. Both of us have been married before—to each other! Over thirty years ago, we got into an argument, I got mad, and we separated. Then we did a stupid thing and got a divorce. I guess we were both too proud to apologize. Well, all these years we’ve lived alone, and now we see how foolish we’ve been. Our bitterness has robbed us of the joys of life, and now we want to remarry and see if the Lord won’t give us a few years of happiness before we die.” Bitterness and anger, usually over trivial things, make havoc of homes, churches, and friendships.
Bitterness, rage, anger (which is not necessarily a sin, by the way). Paul has already spoken about our words. If our actions and words aren’t enough, he throws in “all types of evil behavior.” Stop it! How? Begin spiritual habits, simple rhythms. Join a Life Group. Read a chapter a day in the Bible (maybe start in Ephesians or John). Invite someone out for coffee to engage in a spiritual conversation. Access the free Right Now Media subscription resources. Download the YouVersion app and begin a Bible reading plan. Take one small step toward growth. If all else fails, send me an e-mail and we’ll discuss it together.
Remember, though, “spiritual formation is slow, incremental, over time, with others, and for others” (Richard Bush).
We’ve seen the negative list. Here’s a positive vision for how Christians are to behave.
Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32, NLT)
What a vision! Who wants to be a part of a family like that?
Perhaps the opposite of bitterness is forgiveness, and this is a radical thing in our culture where we are prone to either cancel someone or take them to court. There may be a time and place for that, but forgiveness takes things to another level. We can’t forgive people on our own strength, but when we see how God has forgiven us, with His power we can forgive. The most famous prayer in history states, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Paul is echoing that here in verse 32. What if we don’t forgive? First, it will probably harm us more than the other person.
We all love the idea of forgiveness…until we have someone to forgive. Who do you need to forgive? They don’t deserve it. Forgiveness is never earned. It’s a choice you make to set them—and yourself—free. It doesn’t mean you trust them. It doesn’t mean everything goes back to the way it used to be, but it means you’re done with bitterness. You’re letting go.
Family, we’re always going to hurt one another. Hopefully there will never be harmful intent, but where two or more are gathered, there is bound to be conflict. If you hurt me, you want forgiveness, right? We need to be a community of faith, hope, and especially love filled with grace and forgiveness. We need to silence the lie of the enemy that wants us trapped in the pain of the past and press on toward the abundant life Jesus promised us. This is not easy. It might involve professional help. The wounds will take time to heal. But we can choose, declare, decide God will be the judge and we can forgive them because we’ve been forgiven so much by God. Let it go! For God’s sake, forgive!
Conclusion
I would love to stand in front of you each week and encourage, sharing good news. The reality is, sin is a part of each of our lives. We need to be reminded of the bad and the good, the prohibitions and the positive instructions.
Life in the Kingdom of God is radically different than in the world around us.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Mission of Peace, 27 August 2023
27 08 23
Mission of Peace
Ephesians: Finding Our True Identity
Ephesians 2:11-22
Series Big Idea: The book of Ephesians reveals our true identity…in Christ!
Big Idea: Gentiles have been invited to join Jews in God’s beautiful but messy family, uniting in a mission of peace.
Earlier this year, I did some work with a counselor, a coach. One of the exercises we went through was called 10 Most Painful Life Events. I’ll spare you the details, but one of the things it revealed was my childhood was relatively easy and trauma-free. There are few things I remember that were painful, but one constant involved my athletic abilities…or lack thereof. I was slow. I am slow. This was evident for all to see on field day, and often when teams were being picked for team sports. Can you relate? Do you remember wanting to be picked on a particular team…and hoping you weren’t the last one picked?!
Throughout the Bible, there are two groups of people—Jews, God’s chosen people, and everyone else, known as Gentiles. Needless to say, they didn’t always get along with one another. You could almost think of them as two rival teams. A major part of Jesus’ mission while here on earth was to bring those groups together. Most of us today are Gentiles, and while our text will probably not have the impact it did on first-century Gentiles, the message and mission of peace is both relevant and timeless.
Before we get into today’s text, I want to highlight two things. First, we’re going verse-by-verse through the book of Ephesians, a letter written to a church in the city of Ephesus in modern-day Turkey. I’ve been there, and it’s one of the most incredible archaeological sites in the world, complete with a 25,000 seat coliseum! The Bible is not a book of fairy tales, but rather an historical document written by real people in real places. Paul, a highly decorated Jew, had a remarkable encounter with Jesus which resulted in a mission for him to preach to Gentiles, hardly a politically-correct assignment! Nevertheless, Paul obeys.
We’re in Ephesians chapter two, beginning at verse eleven, but I must first go back to verse ten. Ephesians 2:10 is a very special verse for First Alliance Church as it contains an important element of our church mission statement.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
Ephesians 2:10 says,
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10, NLT)
In Ephesians 2:10, Paul uses the Greek word poiema, which literally means God’s poetry. When poiema is translated as “handiwork” or “workmanship” it misses the following important point. Poetry in scripture does not rhyme sounds; it follows the Hebrew pattern and rhymes thoughts. This means that as God’s poetry, our thoughts can rhyme with our Heavenly Father’s. That is amazing! How can it work? We know that as we become intimate with someone, we begin to finish each other’s sentences and thoughts. In a deep, authentic, mutual-mind state, we actually don’t know where our thoughts stop and the other person’s thoughts begin. This is exactly what can happen between God and us too. A mutual-mind state with God results in an emulation of His character and heart; we are showing the world the poet behind the poetry. As our mutual-mind state becomes stronger, we are able to live out our purpose of being created for good works. It is important to note here that our “good works” do not save us. Good works flow from thinking like our Creator; we rhyme God’s actions and not just His thoughts.
- Wilder, E James; Kang, Anna; Loppnow, John; Loppnow, Sungshim. Joyful Journey: Listening to Immanuel
Isn’t that beautiful? OK, now we begin today’s text!
Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. (Ephesians 2:11, NLT)
One of the marks, literally, of a Jewish man is circumcision. It dates back to Abraham, a command of God still practiced today. It was meant to be an outward symbol of an inward commitment to Yahweh, the God of the Bible. Like many Old Testament practices, circumcision is not required of “New Testament Christians,” though many Gentiles are circumcised today. Jews were forbidden in the Old Testament from eating pork, yet that is no longer the case for Christians since the New Testament.
The point of this verse is racism has been a part of our world for thousands of years. Paul is reminding the Gentiles in Ephesus that they used to be outsiders, mocked, despised by the proud Jews. Jesus changed all of that.
In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. (Ephesians 2:12, NLT)
What a bleak existence! It’s been said you can live 3 minutes without air, 3 days without water, 40 days without food, but only one second without hope. I can’t imagine a second without God or without hope. Tragically, there are billions of people today who live without God. We have the privilege of introducing them to Him! Gentiles were without God and hope…
But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13, NLT)
Hallelujah! We are all related by blood…the precious blood of Jesus!
For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. 15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. 16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. (Ephesians 2:14-16, NLT)
The cross is obviously a symbol of the death of Jesus, but many have noted its two dimensions, vertical and horizontal. This execution device is a reminder of the work of reconciliation done by Jesus on it, reconciling us to God (vertical) and to one another (horizontal).
The Hebrew word for peace, shalom, is more than the absence of violence. It’s wholeness, harmony, completeness, prosperity, welfare, and tranquility. It’s greater than tolerance. It’s blessing.
It’s hard to appreciate how radical this coming together of Jews and Gentiles was two thousand years ago. Today, both groups have been united into one family of Jesus-followers, but it was almost unimaginable in the first century.
Perhaps the closest analogy would be to imagine Republicans and Democrats united, working together to serve the American people! That would be a miracle, right?!
Jesus created one new people from the two groups, Jews and Gentiles. It’s worth noting there are two types of Jewish followers of Yeshua (Jesus). There are Messianic Jews who engage in Jewish practices such as Passover and Yom Kippur…and others who would simply call themselves Christians, detached from Hebrew traditions like kosher eating. Regardless, all followers of Jesus are one. This is, in many ways, the realization of Jesus’ prayer in John 17:
I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. (John 17:9-11, NIV)
Later in the chapter, Jesus prays for us…”those who will believe.” In a world with over 40,000 Christian denominations, I wonder how much more divided we would be if Jesus wasn’t praying for our unity! Back to the text.
He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. (Ephesians 2:17-18, NLT)
Here we see again Jesus’ mission of peace. It’s a mission of unity. He wants all of us to get along! We all have the same Father. We all have Jesus as our brother. We all have the same Holy Spirit. Unity does not mean uniformity. We are different and we can celebrate our differences, but we must remember we have more in common than not if Jesus is our LORD.
So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. (Ephesians 2:19, NLT)
Family, isn’t it great to be a part of God’s family? Earthly families can be messy. It’s been said some put the fun in dysfunctional! Seriously, though, because we’re human, we hurt even when we don’t mean to harm. We fail one another. No child or parent is perfect…except when it comes to our heavenly Father.
I’ve always loved the story of Little Orphan Annie, going from rags to riches (not that riches themselves bring true satisfaction). This girl living in an orphanage is chosen, embraced, loved, and given a new family. That’s a picture of all of us, spiritual orphans adopted into God’s family. We are all children of the King. Those of us who are Gentiles have been grafted into God’s holy people.
20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit. (Ephesians 2:20-22, NLT)
Where is God’s house? Right here (us). He no longer lives exclusively behind a curtain in a special place. That curtain was torn from top to bottom when Jesus died. Hallelujah! We are his dwelling place. When people encounter you, they should be encountering God.
This is why our bodies matter. If God lives in us, we must care for the temple. When Jesus said to pick up our cross and follow him, he meant we are to die. Your body is not yours if you follow Jesus. It’s his.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, NIV)
Paul wrote these words to another church. This is why our sexuality matters. We can’t just do whatever we want with whomever we want. We are to be a holy temple for the LORD. We are to love the LORD with all of our strength…our bodies. Wellness, nutrition, exercise, …these things matter. You can’t fulfill your mission of making disciples if you’re six feet under! Some have been mistakenly taught that our bodies are bad and evil, a heresy known as Gnosticism. Others have made idols of their bodies, seeking to glorify themselves in the process. Worship the LORD with your bodies, don’t worship bodies (or anyone else’s!).
Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit. (Ephesians 2:20-22, NLT)
The thought of God dwelling in us should be both encouraging and challenging to all of us. Notice it says, “together, we are his house.” We are joined together in Jesus. To restate the theme of today’s text, Gentiles have been invited to join Jews in God’s beautiful but messy family, uniting in a mission of peace.
I want to close with another writing from Paul, this one to the church in Galatia, also in modern Turkey.
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28, NIV)
There are no second-class citizens in the family of God. You are welcome, regardless of your family of origin, skin color, zip code, or income bracket. We are all united at the foot of the cross. We all need to die to our selfish desires, surrendering all of our heart, all of our souls, all of our minds, and all of our strengths/bodies to the LORD. When we do, we create a beautiful house for God to dwell and bear witness to His goodness, presence, and power in our world for His glory. May we be one as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Ephesians: Finding Our True Identity
Ephesians 2:11-22
Series Big Idea: The book of Ephesians reveals our true identity…in Christ!
Big Idea: Gentiles have been invited to join Jews in God’s beautiful but messy family, uniting in a mission of peace.
Earlier this year, I did some work with a counselor, a coach. One of the exercises we went through was called 10 Most Painful Life Events. I’ll spare you the details, but one of the things it revealed was my childhood was relatively easy and trauma-free. There are few things I remember that were painful, but one constant involved my athletic abilities…or lack thereof. I was slow. I am slow. This was evident for all to see on field day, and often when teams were being picked for team sports. Can you relate? Do you remember wanting to be picked on a particular team…and hoping you weren’t the last one picked?!
Throughout the Bible, there are two groups of people—Jews, God’s chosen people, and everyone else, known as Gentiles. Needless to say, they didn’t always get along with one another. You could almost think of them as two rival teams. A major part of Jesus’ mission while here on earth was to bring those groups together. Most of us today are Gentiles, and while our text will probably not have the impact it did on first-century Gentiles, the message and mission of peace is both relevant and timeless.
Before we get into today’s text, I want to highlight two things. First, we’re going verse-by-verse through the book of Ephesians, a letter written to a church in the city of Ephesus in modern-day Turkey. I’ve been there, and it’s one of the most incredible archaeological sites in the world, complete with a 25,000 seat coliseum! The Bible is not a book of fairy tales, but rather an historical document written by real people in real places. Paul, a highly decorated Jew, had a remarkable encounter with Jesus which resulted in a mission for him to preach to Gentiles, hardly a politically-correct assignment! Nevertheless, Paul obeys.
We’re in Ephesians chapter two, beginning at verse eleven, but I must first go back to verse ten. Ephesians 2:10 is a very special verse for First Alliance Church as it contains an important element of our church mission statement.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
Ephesians 2:10 says,
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10, NLT)
In Ephesians 2:10, Paul uses the Greek word poiema, which literally means God’s poetry. When poiema is translated as “handiwork” or “workmanship” it misses the following important point. Poetry in scripture does not rhyme sounds; it follows the Hebrew pattern and rhymes thoughts. This means that as God’s poetry, our thoughts can rhyme with our Heavenly Father’s. That is amazing! How can it work? We know that as we become intimate with someone, we begin to finish each other’s sentences and thoughts. In a deep, authentic, mutual-mind state, we actually don’t know where our thoughts stop and the other person’s thoughts begin. This is exactly what can happen between God and us too. A mutual-mind state with God results in an emulation of His character and heart; we are showing the world the poet behind the poetry. As our mutual-mind state becomes stronger, we are able to live out our purpose of being created for good works. It is important to note here that our “good works” do not save us. Good works flow from thinking like our Creator; we rhyme God’s actions and not just His thoughts.
- Wilder, E James; Kang, Anna; Loppnow, John; Loppnow, Sungshim. Joyful Journey: Listening to Immanuel
Isn’t that beautiful? OK, now we begin today’s text!
Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. (Ephesians 2:11, NLT)
One of the marks, literally, of a Jewish man is circumcision. It dates back to Abraham, a command of God still practiced today. It was meant to be an outward symbol of an inward commitment to Yahweh, the God of the Bible. Like many Old Testament practices, circumcision is not required of “New Testament Christians,” though many Gentiles are circumcised today. Jews were forbidden in the Old Testament from eating pork, yet that is no longer the case for Christians since the New Testament.
The point of this verse is racism has been a part of our world for thousands of years. Paul is reminding the Gentiles in Ephesus that they used to be outsiders, mocked, despised by the proud Jews. Jesus changed all of that.
In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. (Ephesians 2:12, NLT)
What a bleak existence! It’s been said you can live 3 minutes without air, 3 days without water, 40 days without food, but only one second without hope. I can’t imagine a second without God or without hope. Tragically, there are billions of people today who live without God. We have the privilege of introducing them to Him! Gentiles were without God and hope…
But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13, NLT)
Hallelujah! We are all related by blood…the precious blood of Jesus!
For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. 15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. 16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. (Ephesians 2:14-16, NLT)
The cross is obviously a symbol of the death of Jesus, but many have noted its two dimensions, vertical and horizontal. This execution device is a reminder of the work of reconciliation done by Jesus on it, reconciling us to God (vertical) and to one another (horizontal).
The Hebrew word for peace, shalom, is more than the absence of violence. It’s wholeness, harmony, completeness, prosperity, welfare, and tranquility. It’s greater than tolerance. It’s blessing.
It’s hard to appreciate how radical this coming together of Jews and Gentiles was two thousand years ago. Today, both groups have been united into one family of Jesus-followers, but it was almost unimaginable in the first century.
Perhaps the closest analogy would be to imagine Republicans and Democrats united, working together to serve the American people! That would be a miracle, right?!
Jesus created one new people from the two groups, Jews and Gentiles. It’s worth noting there are two types of Jewish followers of Yeshua (Jesus). There are Messianic Jews who engage in Jewish practices such as Passover and Yom Kippur…and others who would simply call themselves Christians, detached from Hebrew traditions like kosher eating. Regardless, all followers of Jesus are one. This is, in many ways, the realization of Jesus’ prayer in John 17:
I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. (John 17:9-11, NIV)
Later in the chapter, Jesus prays for us…”those who will believe.” In a world with over 40,000 Christian denominations, I wonder how much more divided we would be if Jesus wasn’t praying for our unity! Back to the text.
He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. (Ephesians 2:17-18, NLT)
Here we see again Jesus’ mission of peace. It’s a mission of unity. He wants all of us to get along! We all have the same Father. We all have Jesus as our brother. We all have the same Holy Spirit. Unity does not mean uniformity. We are different and we can celebrate our differences, but we must remember we have more in common than not if Jesus is our LORD.
So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. (Ephesians 2:19, NLT)
Family, isn’t it great to be a part of God’s family? Earthly families can be messy. It’s been said some put the fun in dysfunctional! Seriously, though, because we’re human, we hurt even when we don’t mean to harm. We fail one another. No child or parent is perfect…except when it comes to our heavenly Father.
I’ve always loved the story of Little Orphan Annie, going from rags to riches (not that riches themselves bring true satisfaction). This girl living in an orphanage is chosen, embraced, loved, and given a new family. That’s a picture of all of us, spiritual orphans adopted into God’s family. We are all children of the King. Those of us who are Gentiles have been grafted into God’s holy people.
20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit. (Ephesians 2:20-22, NLT)
Where is God’s house? Right here (us). He no longer lives exclusively behind a curtain in a special place. That curtain was torn from top to bottom when Jesus died. Hallelujah! We are his dwelling place. When people encounter you, they should be encountering God.
This is why our bodies matter. If God lives in us, we must care for the temple. When Jesus said to pick up our cross and follow him, he meant we are to die. Your body is not yours if you follow Jesus. It’s his.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, NIV)
Paul wrote these words to another church. This is why our sexuality matters. We can’t just do whatever we want with whomever we want. We are to be a holy temple for the LORD. We are to love the LORD with all of our strength…our bodies. Wellness, nutrition, exercise, …these things matter. You can’t fulfill your mission of making disciples if you’re six feet under! Some have been mistakenly taught that our bodies are bad and evil, a heresy known as Gnosticism. Others have made idols of their bodies, seeking to glorify themselves in the process. Worship the LORD with your bodies, don’t worship bodies (or anyone else’s!).
Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit. (Ephesians 2:20-22, NLT)
The thought of God dwelling in us should be both encouraging and challenging to all of us. Notice it says, “together, we are his house.” We are joined together in Jesus. To restate the theme of today’s text, Gentiles have been invited to join Jews in God’s beautiful but messy family, uniting in a mission of peace.
I want to close with another writing from Paul, this one to the church in Galatia, also in modern Turkey.
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28, NIV)
There are no second-class citizens in the family of God. You are welcome, regardless of your family of origin, skin color, zip code, or income bracket. We are all united at the foot of the cross. We all need to die to our selfish desires, surrendering all of our heart, all of our souls, all of our minds, and all of our strengths/bodies to the LORD. When we do, we create a beautiful house for God to dwell and bear witness to His goodness, presence, and power in our world for His glory. May we be one as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Great Commission Day, 14 May 2023
15 05 23
Great Commission Day
Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8
Big Idea: The Great Commission— the act of global disciple-making—is for every follower of Jesus,
The first words I spoke from this stage as your pastor more than seven years ago were a question.
Why are you here?
Why are you here this morning?
If we’re honest, there are probably multiple answers to the question, some more “spiritual” than others. One of the hardest things for me as a pastor is when someone leaves our congregation for another one. Sometimes the answer is obvious: they moved to another state. When the answer is more subjective, I wonder what attracted them in the first place. Was it the music? The preaching? The location? The staff? Friends?
Why are you here? Why are you here on this planet? Why are you?
Today is Great Commission Day and I want to be crystal clear about what the Great Commission is and how you can participate in God’s mission on planet earth.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20, NIV)
These were Jesus’ final words as recorded by Matthew. Last words are important, right? The words of someone on their death bed, the last sentence or two as someone heads off on a trip, even the last words of a parent to the babysitter before going on a date are often the most important words spoken.
In this text, known as the Great Commission, we read what Jesus said to his closest friends as he prepared to ascend into heaven. Let’s unpack this.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18, NIV)
First, Jesus has all authority. He has been given all authority in heaven. He has been given all authority on earth.
Authority and responsibility go together. If you’ve ever been given responsibility to do something without the authority to do it, you’ve surely been frustrated. If you have authority but no responsibility, there’s nothing to do! Jesus has all authority, and as he prepares to exit the earth, he is essentially passing the baton, granting his authority to his friends. Here’s the mission:
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:18-20a, NIV)
We know what the therefore is there for! Go. That requires action, movement. You can’t stay and go at the same time!
Make disciples. What’s a disciple? A disciple is a follower, an imitator, an apprentice. it’s a learner. Jesus did not say start programs, teach lessons, or distribute religious goods and services. He said make disciples. Follow Jesus and train others to do the same. A disciple is not someone who is merely spiritual. It’s not just someone in a church building on Sunday mornings. It’s someone who truly loves God with their heart, soul, mind, and strength…and who loves others as they love themselves. It’s someone who is developing their character and discovering their calling.
I must admit I love church planting. I’m an entrepreneur, and it’s a joy for me to start new things and help others start new things. I love the idea of forming new communities of faith to reach the unchurched. Helping launch Visible Church and L.E.A.D. Community Church last year were not only highlights of 2022, they will surely go down as highlights of the decade!
But Jesus never said to plant churches. He said to make disciples. If you plant a church, it’s possible to do religious activity without seeing people truly follow Jesus. On the other hand, if you follow Jesus and help others to do the same, eventually a group of people will emerge and a new church might naturally form.
Traditionally, churches in our culture have said, “Come and see.” Come to our Sunday services, give money, and maybe help out in the nursery or as a greeter. The focus is on the stage, the professional, the event. I’m very glad you’re here today, and I love to be with you in this context, but Sunday morning attendance does not make you a disciple. The Great Commission is Go and Be. Making disciples, therefore, requires more than a few songs and a good sermon. It’s a 24/7/365 lifestyle all of us are invited to experience, with Jesus as our leader, our Master, our LORD. You were created to go and be a disciple…a disciple-maker.
In our cultural context, people often think a church needs a building, a professional pastor, and lots of structure. Making disciples is something any Jesus-follower can do at home, work, or play. Recently I was thrilled to hear the story of Jennifer and how Betty Kasubski and Lois Eddy discipled her, showing her what it means to surrender her life to Jesus. Betty and Lois did not start a church. They do not pastor a congregation. But they loved Jennifer well. They poured their life into hers. It’s usually much easier to sing a few songs, teach the Bible, and say a closing prayer than it is to be fully present with another person over months, years, and even decades. We are called to Launch Presence, to be with people. To do life together. Our primary tool for this is called Life Groups, clusters of people doing life together.
But did you know people are messy? People can be slow. People can be frustrating. I’m sure there are people who find you and me to be challenging, at times! The thing about discipleship is, in the words of the late Richard Bush,
Discipleship is slow, incremental, over time, with others, and for others.
But this the mission. This is the commission. This is what Jesus instructed his followers, his disciples. Are you a follower of Jesus? Are you a disciple? Disciples go and make disciples.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:18-20a, NIV)
We noted the verb go (some have said the original Greek meaning is like “as you are going,” as you are living your life) and make disciples. Note it says “of all nations,” which we’ll come back to in a moment. Baptizing is the next verb, ensuring they obey Jesus and go public with their faith. The final verb is teaching. Jesus doesn’t just say teach but teach them to obey. Obedience is God’s love language.
If you want a good metaphor for discipleship, it’s parenting. The role of a parent is to help a little person develop into a mature, productive, godly adult. It doesn’t happen overnight! It requires time, energy, patience, and work! Making disciples is essentially spiritual parenting.
Who are you discipling? Do they know it?
This is not a question merely for the paid staff. It’s for all of us. We’re all called to help others become more like Jesus. Some do it one-on-one which is fine, though Jesus seemed to spend most of his time with twelve…and especially with a small group of three. Again, our Life Groups are designed to help you grow to become more like Jesus…in community with others, doing life together.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:18-20a, NIV)
Then Jesus concludes with a beautiful promise, one of the most comforting sentences in the Bible.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b, NIV)
We are never alone. Jesus is with us, by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are unable to make disciples in our own strength. We can’t change another person’s behavior, let alone their heart and motivation. But we can partner with God to build relationships, engage in spiritual conversations, share our story, listen to the journey of others, and invite people to give their lives to Jesus. When they do, we can help them grow to know, love, and share Christ. Again, it’s a process. It takes time. But it’s so important, the commission was among his final words spoken on earth.
The heart of our mission is restoring God’s masterpieces. Ephesians 2:10 says,
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10, NLT)
God’s mission—the Great Commission—is to…go and make disciples…students of Jesus. I was with a group of friends recently and someone said the Great Commission is only found in Matthew’s gospel, but the extended version of Mark includes it, too.
And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:15, NLT)
This is discipleship, a process that begins with evangelism, proclaiming Good News. Again, we can do this one-on-one. We can do this through these Sunday gatherings. We can do this through Dinner Church (are you coming tonight?). Perhaps our best discipleship vehicle is Life Groups, which is why our goal is to see every one of you participate in a Life Group…not just to obtain information through a Bible study, but to be transformed through community, doing life together.
But what about people that do not live near us? Do we have a responsibility beyond Toledo? Yes! Jesus spoke plainly about this, too. Luke records these words of Christ in the beginning of the book of Acts, a book that is essentially the history of the early Church.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, NIV)
The Holy Spirit came the next chapter, Acts chapter two. Jesus tells them the good news needs to go beyond Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. We have home missions partners which serve our Judea. We have faith missions partners which go beyond to serve our Samaria. The ends of the earth are being reached by our global Alliance family through the Great Commission Fund.
Some of you have been to churches where missionaries from other countries visit and ask for money. The Christian & Missionary Alliance has created opportunities for you to support individual workers and families overseas, but the Great Commission Fund is one big pot that helps fund all of our international work. We have over 700 family members scattered around the world making disciples, proclaiming Good News, and extending faith, hope, and love to masterpieces young and old.
So What?
The Great Commission— the act of global disciple-making—is for every follower of Jesus. We’re all invited to participate. This is not just for pastors. It’s not just for smart people or talented people or rich people. We all can be involved in making disciples, across the street and around the world. Here are some simple next steps:
1. Pray. Pray for your neighbors. Pray for our church, city, state, and nation. Pray for our world. The founder of First Alliance, A.B. Simpson, was once seen by a guest in his house praying at his desk, holding a globe, and weeping as he prayed for the nations. God, give us all that passion for Your people around the world.
2. Go. That’s part of the command: go and make disciples. Go meet someone for coffee. Go invite a neighbor to Dinner Church. Go meet people at the gym or join a sports team. Go have a backyard BBQ. Go on an international missions trip.
3. Give. Some ministry fundraising can be confusing. Heather and I give to First Alliance Church first and foremost, and then we give to the Great Commission Fund because I’ve seen the way it is used to impact lives in Germany, in the Dominican Republic, and across the globe.
Why are you here? Why were you created? To know God, love God, obey God, and love others as you love yourself. You and I have been commissioned by Almighty God to proclaim good news in word and deed to every one of the 8 billion masterpieces on earth. Through our Alliance family, the Great Commission is being fulfilled for God’s glory.
While I believe the coming sabbatical months will be valuable for me, I’m equally excited about how my absence will create new opportunities for you to “get in the game.” It has never been the paid staff’s role to “do” the ministry, but rather we are paid to “equip the saints to do the work of the ministry.” This is something I’ve repeatedly communicated, noting that if only the professionals do ministry, 99% of our workforce is deactivated.
Family, I challenge you to become a disciple, a learner, a follower, an apprentice of Jesus. I challenge you to go—as you go—make disciples. Share your story. Invite someone out for coffee and listen to their story. Become a Life Group apprentice. Serve at Sports & Arts Camp next month. Most of all, be present…with others and most of all with Jesus. I look forward to hearing great stories in August about how you have launched presence, made disciples, restored masterpieces, and loved well.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8
Big Idea: The Great Commission— the act of global disciple-making—is for every follower of Jesus,
The first words I spoke from this stage as your pastor more than seven years ago were a question.
Why are you here?
Why are you here this morning?
If we’re honest, there are probably multiple answers to the question, some more “spiritual” than others. One of the hardest things for me as a pastor is when someone leaves our congregation for another one. Sometimes the answer is obvious: they moved to another state. When the answer is more subjective, I wonder what attracted them in the first place. Was it the music? The preaching? The location? The staff? Friends?
Why are you here? Why are you here on this planet? Why are you?
Today is Great Commission Day and I want to be crystal clear about what the Great Commission is and how you can participate in God’s mission on planet earth.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20, NIV)
These were Jesus’ final words as recorded by Matthew. Last words are important, right? The words of someone on their death bed, the last sentence or two as someone heads off on a trip, even the last words of a parent to the babysitter before going on a date are often the most important words spoken.
In this text, known as the Great Commission, we read what Jesus said to his closest friends as he prepared to ascend into heaven. Let’s unpack this.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18, NIV)
First, Jesus has all authority. He has been given all authority in heaven. He has been given all authority on earth.
Authority and responsibility go together. If you’ve ever been given responsibility to do something without the authority to do it, you’ve surely been frustrated. If you have authority but no responsibility, there’s nothing to do! Jesus has all authority, and as he prepares to exit the earth, he is essentially passing the baton, granting his authority to his friends. Here’s the mission:
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:18-20a, NIV)
We know what the therefore is there for! Go. That requires action, movement. You can’t stay and go at the same time!
Make disciples. What’s a disciple? A disciple is a follower, an imitator, an apprentice. it’s a learner. Jesus did not say start programs, teach lessons, or distribute religious goods and services. He said make disciples. Follow Jesus and train others to do the same. A disciple is not someone who is merely spiritual. It’s not just someone in a church building on Sunday mornings. It’s someone who truly loves God with their heart, soul, mind, and strength…and who loves others as they love themselves. It’s someone who is developing their character and discovering their calling.
I must admit I love church planting. I’m an entrepreneur, and it’s a joy for me to start new things and help others start new things. I love the idea of forming new communities of faith to reach the unchurched. Helping launch Visible Church and L.E.A.D. Community Church last year were not only highlights of 2022, they will surely go down as highlights of the decade!
But Jesus never said to plant churches. He said to make disciples. If you plant a church, it’s possible to do religious activity without seeing people truly follow Jesus. On the other hand, if you follow Jesus and help others to do the same, eventually a group of people will emerge and a new church might naturally form.
Traditionally, churches in our culture have said, “Come and see.” Come to our Sunday services, give money, and maybe help out in the nursery or as a greeter. The focus is on the stage, the professional, the event. I’m very glad you’re here today, and I love to be with you in this context, but Sunday morning attendance does not make you a disciple. The Great Commission is Go and Be. Making disciples, therefore, requires more than a few songs and a good sermon. It’s a 24/7/365 lifestyle all of us are invited to experience, with Jesus as our leader, our Master, our LORD. You were created to go and be a disciple…a disciple-maker.
In our cultural context, people often think a church needs a building, a professional pastor, and lots of structure. Making disciples is something any Jesus-follower can do at home, work, or play. Recently I was thrilled to hear the story of Jennifer and how Betty Kasubski and Lois Eddy discipled her, showing her what it means to surrender her life to Jesus. Betty and Lois did not start a church. They do not pastor a congregation. But they loved Jennifer well. They poured their life into hers. It’s usually much easier to sing a few songs, teach the Bible, and say a closing prayer than it is to be fully present with another person over months, years, and even decades. We are called to Launch Presence, to be with people. To do life together. Our primary tool for this is called Life Groups, clusters of people doing life together.
But did you know people are messy? People can be slow. People can be frustrating. I’m sure there are people who find you and me to be challenging, at times! The thing about discipleship is, in the words of the late Richard Bush,
Discipleship is slow, incremental, over time, with others, and for others.
But this the mission. This is the commission. This is what Jesus instructed his followers, his disciples. Are you a follower of Jesus? Are you a disciple? Disciples go and make disciples.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:18-20a, NIV)
We noted the verb go (some have said the original Greek meaning is like “as you are going,” as you are living your life) and make disciples. Note it says “of all nations,” which we’ll come back to in a moment. Baptizing is the next verb, ensuring they obey Jesus and go public with their faith. The final verb is teaching. Jesus doesn’t just say teach but teach them to obey. Obedience is God’s love language.
If you want a good metaphor for discipleship, it’s parenting. The role of a parent is to help a little person develop into a mature, productive, godly adult. It doesn’t happen overnight! It requires time, energy, patience, and work! Making disciples is essentially spiritual parenting.
Who are you discipling? Do they know it?
This is not a question merely for the paid staff. It’s for all of us. We’re all called to help others become more like Jesus. Some do it one-on-one which is fine, though Jesus seemed to spend most of his time with twelve…and especially with a small group of three. Again, our Life Groups are designed to help you grow to become more like Jesus…in community with others, doing life together.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:18-20a, NIV)
Then Jesus concludes with a beautiful promise, one of the most comforting sentences in the Bible.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b, NIV)
We are never alone. Jesus is with us, by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are unable to make disciples in our own strength. We can’t change another person’s behavior, let alone their heart and motivation. But we can partner with God to build relationships, engage in spiritual conversations, share our story, listen to the journey of others, and invite people to give their lives to Jesus. When they do, we can help them grow to know, love, and share Christ. Again, it’s a process. It takes time. But it’s so important, the commission was among his final words spoken on earth.
The heart of our mission is restoring God’s masterpieces. Ephesians 2:10 says,
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10, NLT)
God’s mission—the Great Commission—is to…go and make disciples…students of Jesus. I was with a group of friends recently and someone said the Great Commission is only found in Matthew’s gospel, but the extended version of Mark includes it, too.
And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:15, NLT)
This is discipleship, a process that begins with evangelism, proclaiming Good News. Again, we can do this one-on-one. We can do this through these Sunday gatherings. We can do this through Dinner Church (are you coming tonight?). Perhaps our best discipleship vehicle is Life Groups, which is why our goal is to see every one of you participate in a Life Group…not just to obtain information through a Bible study, but to be transformed through community, doing life together.
But what about people that do not live near us? Do we have a responsibility beyond Toledo? Yes! Jesus spoke plainly about this, too. Luke records these words of Christ in the beginning of the book of Acts, a book that is essentially the history of the early Church.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, NIV)
The Holy Spirit came the next chapter, Acts chapter two. Jesus tells them the good news needs to go beyond Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. We have home missions partners which serve our Judea. We have faith missions partners which go beyond to serve our Samaria. The ends of the earth are being reached by our global Alliance family through the Great Commission Fund.
Some of you have been to churches where missionaries from other countries visit and ask for money. The Christian & Missionary Alliance has created opportunities for you to support individual workers and families overseas, but the Great Commission Fund is one big pot that helps fund all of our international work. We have over 700 family members scattered around the world making disciples, proclaiming Good News, and extending faith, hope, and love to masterpieces young and old.
So What?
The Great Commission— the act of global disciple-making—is for every follower of Jesus. We’re all invited to participate. This is not just for pastors. It’s not just for smart people or talented people or rich people. We all can be involved in making disciples, across the street and around the world. Here are some simple next steps:
1. Pray. Pray for your neighbors. Pray for our church, city, state, and nation. Pray for our world. The founder of First Alliance, A.B. Simpson, was once seen by a guest in his house praying at his desk, holding a globe, and weeping as he prayed for the nations. God, give us all that passion for Your people around the world.
2. Go. That’s part of the command: go and make disciples. Go meet someone for coffee. Go invite a neighbor to Dinner Church. Go meet people at the gym or join a sports team. Go have a backyard BBQ. Go on an international missions trip.
3. Give. Some ministry fundraising can be confusing. Heather and I give to First Alliance Church first and foremost, and then we give to the Great Commission Fund because I’ve seen the way it is used to impact lives in Germany, in the Dominican Republic, and across the globe.
Why are you here? Why were you created? To know God, love God, obey God, and love others as you love yourself. You and I have been commissioned by Almighty God to proclaim good news in word and deed to every one of the 8 billion masterpieces on earth. Through our Alliance family, the Great Commission is being fulfilled for God’s glory.
While I believe the coming sabbatical months will be valuable for me, I’m equally excited about how my absence will create new opportunities for you to “get in the game.” It has never been the paid staff’s role to “do” the ministry, but rather we are paid to “equip the saints to do the work of the ministry.” This is something I’ve repeatedly communicated, noting that if only the professionals do ministry, 99% of our workforce is deactivated.
Family, I challenge you to become a disciple, a learner, a follower, an apprentice of Jesus. I challenge you to go—as you go—make disciples. Share your story. Invite someone out for coffee and listen to their story. Become a Life Group apprentice. Serve at Sports & Arts Camp next month. Most of all, be present…with others and most of all with Jesus. I look forward to hearing great stories in August about how you have launched presence, made disciples, restored masterpieces, and loved well.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Worthy is the Lamb, 30 April 2023
30 04 23
Worthy is the Lamb that Was Slain
Handel’s Messiah
Revelation 5:9-14
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: Jesus the Messiah, the Lamb that was slain for us, is worthy of our eternal worship, praise, and devotion.
Today’s the day, the grand finale, the big conclusion to our series on Handel’s Messiah that began with Advent last year and resumed on Resurrection Sunday. Hallelujah! If you’re new around here, Handel created this magnificent work around lyrics taken from the Bible. Virtually every word is scripture! For years I had this crazy idea to do a sermon series on it and we finish it today…and get a glimpse of the future!
Of all of the sermon requests I get, perhaps none is greater than people wanting to hear about Revelation. There is no book more fascinating, mysterious, or misunderstood than the last book of the Bible. Some of you may recall several weeks ago a woman interrupting my sermon to say nothing in Revelation has happened yet, despite that it begins with John writing to the seven churches in the province of Asia…about 2000 years ago! Much of Revelation may lie in the future, including our text for today, but it’s worth noting the context before we dive in. Revelation is a special type of literature called apocalyptic which means revelation or unveiling. You read it differently than Romans, for instance, a teaching on theology, or Matthew which is essentially a biography of Jesus.
We all understand science fiction is not to be understood the same as The Toledo Blade, right? You don’t interpret The Babylon Bee the same as The Wall Street Journal. Poetry is read differently than a science textbook, and comic book has a different purpose than a car owner’s manual. You might say that how you read depends upon where you are in the library. The Bible is a library, and we can’t read Genesis, Song of Solomon, James, and Revelation the same way. They’re all God-inspired, valuable, and true, but understanding them and applying them vary from book to book.
I said Revelation is apocalyptic literature. Here’s The Bible Project explaining what that means.
Although much of Revelation is challenging and controversial, today’s text is rather clear. It speaks of Jesus as the lamb mentioned in the video. He is sometimes depicted as a lion (you may know C.S. Lewis used a lion named Aslan to be a symbol for Jesus in the Narnia series) and sometimes a lamb, causing me to often say during election time our allegiance is not to an elephant or a donkey, but to the Lion of Judah who is also the Lamb of God.
In Revelation chapter five, there is a wonderful scene that is a preview of what is to come.
Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: “Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it. (Revelation 5:1-3, NLT)
Jesus’ friend John continues…
Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. 5 But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:4-5, NLT)
Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth. 7 He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. 8 And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. (Revelation 5:6-8, NLT)
The video said sometimes symbolism is identified. Here, gold bowls filled with incense are the prayers of God’s people. Did you know that about your prayers?
Many have used Revelation like a treasure map or a secret decoder ring, trying to solve every mystery and make it into a simple story, often using numerology to predict events and dates. This is where people often get off track…and why many are fascinated with Revelation.
Another challenging factor is this was written about 2000 years ago. Imagine 2000 years from now there is a political cartoon which shows a crying bald eagle with the numbers 9/11 below. We understand the bald eagle as representing the United States and the tears representing the tragedy of September 11, 2001, Similarly, there are images and symbols in Revelation that are literally thousands of years old. John’s original readers likely understood them better than we can, at least at first glance.
Is Jesus returning this year? Is so-and-so the anti-Christ? Are we living in the last days? Is that new Amazon technology the mark of the beast? One of the most popular books in the 1980s was 88 Reasons Why The Rapture Will Be in 1988. There was a big sale on them in 1989! By the way, Jesus himself said he didn’t know when he would return. He said…
However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. (Mark 13:32, NLT)
If someone tells you a date, they think they’re greater than Jesus! Run!
And by the way, rapture is a word that isn’t even found in the Bible. It is common in one eschatology or end times theory known as dispensationalism which sees history as divided into multiple ages or "dispensations" in which God acts with humanity in different ways.
This theological system began in 1833 with writings by John Nelson Darby and was spurred on by Cyrus Scofield who added study notes to the King James Bible in 1909 which essentially became the first study Bible. Tragically, some people confused the notes with the scriptures themselves! Many believe the Scofield Bible was the single most influential Bible in American History.
I’m not going to say everything written by Scofield was wrong. I’m certainly not going to say everything her wrote is right. What I am saying is since many didn’t understand the difference between scripture and his notes, those notes became very influential.
If you want a quick summary of how this dispensational theory spread, Israel becoming a nation in 1948 was a catalyst for people trying to see modern events in the book of Revelation. Hal Lindsay’s The Late Great Planet Earth became the best-selling non-fiction book of the 1970s and was the subject of a television special in 1974 and 1975 and even a 1978 film. The Left Behind books introduced in 1995 have sold more than 65 million copies.
I’m not necessarily saying these theories are wrong, but they are certainly controversial and relatively new way of viewing Revelation…and they have made publishers very rich!
Dispensationalism is a theory and must always be treated as such. The problems people have with the Bible and theology and God often have nothing to do with the Bible and God…and everything to do with our interpretation of the Bible.
I must admit there are parts of the Bible which are difficult to understand, which is why we were meant to be in community, to study the Bible together. First Alliance has Elders to help discern what God is saying to us, both through the Bible and through circumstances. It’s really more than one person can handle.
Mark Twain famously said, ““It ain't the parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it's the parts that I do understand.”
Love God. Love your neighbor as yourself. Go and make disciples of all nations. Don’t worry about when Jesus will return. Just get ready…and help others get ready.
If you’re still fascinated with Revelation, I have two and a half books to recommend to you. The first is Reading Revelation Responsibly by Michael Gorman. Gorman notes several problems with the “Left Behind” approach including (and I quote):
The series misunderstands the NT references to the “end times.” For the NT, the “end times” is the period between the first and second coming of Jesus.
It reduces the primary reason for conversion to fear.
It is escapist and therefore has no ongoing ethic of life between the times, between the first and second comings. There is no compulsion to love one’s neighbor, practice deeds of mercy, work for peace and justice, etc. Contrast the hope of imminent return and the ethic in 1 Thessalonians, which actually has an ethic for life in the hope of the second coming.
The second book I would recommend is Revelation for the Rest of Us by one of my seminary professors, Scot McKnight. Neither Gormon nor Mcknight claims to be the sole, perfect authority, but they present a broader understanding of various interpretations of Revelation.
I said two and a half books. I say half because The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism by Daniel Hummel will not be released until May 4, but I’ve read excerpts from it and it sounds enlightening.
The point is there are many different views on Revelation, here are some you may not have encountered, and don’t become overly concerned about the future. We’re one day closer than yesterday.
The purpose of Revelation—and all of the Bible—is to bring comfort and help us prepare for the future. Get ready! These things will happen someday. We don’t know when. It could be today. It could be 1000 years from now. But get ready…and now we’re ready for our text for today from Handel’s Messiah.
And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:9-10, NIV)
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. (Revelation 5:11, NIV)
Can you imagine? What a sight! What a sound!
In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!” (Revelation 5:12, NIV)
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!” (Revelation 5:13, NIV)
Don’t miss this: it says every creature. This isn’t just an announcement from an angel. These aren’t words spoken by a group of saints. It says every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea. Does that mean fish and birds and giraffes and puppy dogs will declare this?
There may be many things we don’t understand about Revelation, but the Lamb that was Slain is certainly Jesus the Messiah, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, who came, lived, died, and rose again. He is worthy—worth—all power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. Hallelujah! Praise the LORD!
The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped. (Revelation 5:14, NIV)
That’s the natural response to an encounter with God…humility and worship. That’s one reason we gather each week…to be reminded He’s God and we’re not and He deserves our worship, our allegiance, our time, our talents, and our treasures. He is in control, we’re not. He is LORD. He is worthy of our worship.
Do you want to know when all this will happen? I don’t know, but we’re done day closer to it today than yesterday…and it will be amazing!
Amen. Yes, LORD. Let it be!
Jesus the Messiah, the Lamb that was slain for us, is worthy of our eternal worship, praise, and devotion.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Handel’s Messiah
Revelation 5:9-14
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: Jesus the Messiah, the Lamb that was slain for us, is worthy of our eternal worship, praise, and devotion.
Today’s the day, the grand finale, the big conclusion to our series on Handel’s Messiah that began with Advent last year and resumed on Resurrection Sunday. Hallelujah! If you’re new around here, Handel created this magnificent work around lyrics taken from the Bible. Virtually every word is scripture! For years I had this crazy idea to do a sermon series on it and we finish it today…and get a glimpse of the future!
Of all of the sermon requests I get, perhaps none is greater than people wanting to hear about Revelation. There is no book more fascinating, mysterious, or misunderstood than the last book of the Bible. Some of you may recall several weeks ago a woman interrupting my sermon to say nothing in Revelation has happened yet, despite that it begins with John writing to the seven churches in the province of Asia…about 2000 years ago! Much of Revelation may lie in the future, including our text for today, but it’s worth noting the context before we dive in. Revelation is a special type of literature called apocalyptic which means revelation or unveiling. You read it differently than Romans, for instance, a teaching on theology, or Matthew which is essentially a biography of Jesus.
We all understand science fiction is not to be understood the same as The Toledo Blade, right? You don’t interpret The Babylon Bee the same as The Wall Street Journal. Poetry is read differently than a science textbook, and comic book has a different purpose than a car owner’s manual. You might say that how you read depends upon where you are in the library. The Bible is a library, and we can’t read Genesis, Song of Solomon, James, and Revelation the same way. They’re all God-inspired, valuable, and true, but understanding them and applying them vary from book to book.
I said Revelation is apocalyptic literature. Here’s The Bible Project explaining what that means.
Although much of Revelation is challenging and controversial, today’s text is rather clear. It speaks of Jesus as the lamb mentioned in the video. He is sometimes depicted as a lion (you may know C.S. Lewis used a lion named Aslan to be a symbol for Jesus in the Narnia series) and sometimes a lamb, causing me to often say during election time our allegiance is not to an elephant or a donkey, but to the Lion of Judah who is also the Lamb of God.
In Revelation chapter five, there is a wonderful scene that is a preview of what is to come.
Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: “Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it. (Revelation 5:1-3, NLT)
Jesus’ friend John continues…
Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. 5 But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:4-5, NLT)
Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth. 7 He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. 8 And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. (Revelation 5:6-8, NLT)
The video said sometimes symbolism is identified. Here, gold bowls filled with incense are the prayers of God’s people. Did you know that about your prayers?
Many have used Revelation like a treasure map or a secret decoder ring, trying to solve every mystery and make it into a simple story, often using numerology to predict events and dates. This is where people often get off track…and why many are fascinated with Revelation.
Another challenging factor is this was written about 2000 years ago. Imagine 2000 years from now there is a political cartoon which shows a crying bald eagle with the numbers 9/11 below. We understand the bald eagle as representing the United States and the tears representing the tragedy of September 11, 2001, Similarly, there are images and symbols in Revelation that are literally thousands of years old. John’s original readers likely understood them better than we can, at least at first glance.
Is Jesus returning this year? Is so-and-so the anti-Christ? Are we living in the last days? Is that new Amazon technology the mark of the beast? One of the most popular books in the 1980s was 88 Reasons Why The Rapture Will Be in 1988. There was a big sale on them in 1989! By the way, Jesus himself said he didn’t know when he would return. He said…
However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. (Mark 13:32, NLT)
If someone tells you a date, they think they’re greater than Jesus! Run!
And by the way, rapture is a word that isn’t even found in the Bible. It is common in one eschatology or end times theory known as dispensationalism which sees history as divided into multiple ages or "dispensations" in which God acts with humanity in different ways.
This theological system began in 1833 with writings by John Nelson Darby and was spurred on by Cyrus Scofield who added study notes to the King James Bible in 1909 which essentially became the first study Bible. Tragically, some people confused the notes with the scriptures themselves! Many believe the Scofield Bible was the single most influential Bible in American History.
I’m not going to say everything written by Scofield was wrong. I’m certainly not going to say everything her wrote is right. What I am saying is since many didn’t understand the difference between scripture and his notes, those notes became very influential.
If you want a quick summary of how this dispensational theory spread, Israel becoming a nation in 1948 was a catalyst for people trying to see modern events in the book of Revelation. Hal Lindsay’s The Late Great Planet Earth became the best-selling non-fiction book of the 1970s and was the subject of a television special in 1974 and 1975 and even a 1978 film. The Left Behind books introduced in 1995 have sold more than 65 million copies.
I’m not necessarily saying these theories are wrong, but they are certainly controversial and relatively new way of viewing Revelation…and they have made publishers very rich!
Dispensationalism is a theory and must always be treated as such. The problems people have with the Bible and theology and God often have nothing to do with the Bible and God…and everything to do with our interpretation of the Bible.
I must admit there are parts of the Bible which are difficult to understand, which is why we were meant to be in community, to study the Bible together. First Alliance has Elders to help discern what God is saying to us, both through the Bible and through circumstances. It’s really more than one person can handle.
Mark Twain famously said, ““It ain't the parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it's the parts that I do understand.”
Love God. Love your neighbor as yourself. Go and make disciples of all nations. Don’t worry about when Jesus will return. Just get ready…and help others get ready.
If you’re still fascinated with Revelation, I have two and a half books to recommend to you. The first is Reading Revelation Responsibly by Michael Gorman. Gorman notes several problems with the “Left Behind” approach including (and I quote):
The series misunderstands the NT references to the “end times.” For the NT, the “end times” is the period between the first and second coming of Jesus.
It reduces the primary reason for conversion to fear.
It is escapist and therefore has no ongoing ethic of life between the times, between the first and second comings. There is no compulsion to love one’s neighbor, practice deeds of mercy, work for peace and justice, etc. Contrast the hope of imminent return and the ethic in 1 Thessalonians, which actually has an ethic for life in the hope of the second coming.
The second book I would recommend is Revelation for the Rest of Us by one of my seminary professors, Scot McKnight. Neither Gormon nor Mcknight claims to be the sole, perfect authority, but they present a broader understanding of various interpretations of Revelation.
I said two and a half books. I say half because The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism by Daniel Hummel will not be released until May 4, but I’ve read excerpts from it and it sounds enlightening.
The point is there are many different views on Revelation, here are some you may not have encountered, and don’t become overly concerned about the future. We’re one day closer than yesterday.
The purpose of Revelation—and all of the Bible—is to bring comfort and help us prepare for the future. Get ready! These things will happen someday. We don’t know when. It could be today. It could be 1000 years from now. But get ready…and now we’re ready for our text for today from Handel’s Messiah.
And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:9-10, NIV)
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. (Revelation 5:11, NIV)
Can you imagine? What a sight! What a sound!
In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!” (Revelation 5:12, NIV)
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!” (Revelation 5:13, NIV)
Don’t miss this: it says every creature. This isn’t just an announcement from an angel. These aren’t words spoken by a group of saints. It says every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea. Does that mean fish and birds and giraffes and puppy dogs will declare this?
There may be many things we don’t understand about Revelation, but the Lamb that was Slain is certainly Jesus the Messiah, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, who came, lived, died, and rose again. He is worthy—worth—all power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. Hallelujah! Praise the LORD!
The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped. (Revelation 5:14, NIV)
That’s the natural response to an encounter with God…humility and worship. That’s one reason we gather each week…to be reminded He’s God and we’re not and He deserves our worship, our allegiance, our time, our talents, and our treasures. He is in control, we’re not. He is LORD. He is worthy of our worship.
Do you want to know when all this will happen? I don’t know, but we’re done day closer to it today than yesterday…and it will be amazing!
Amen. Yes, LORD. Let it be!
Jesus the Messiah, the Lamb that was slain for us, is worthy of our eternal worship, praise, and devotion.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The Trumpet Shall Sound, 23 April 2023
23 04 23
The Trumpet Shall Sound
Handel’s Messiah
1 Corinthians 15:51-53
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: Transformation is coming soon…get ready!
High school. For some, it’s filled with wonderful memories of making the homecoming court, scoring the winning touchdown, or winning the spelling bee. For others, it’s social awkwardness, struggling through final exam week, or a long list of poor choices. I went to Brighton High School in Michigan and graduated in nineteen-something! The best thing that happened to me in high school occurred in my senior year when I met the love of my life, an amazing girl named Heather.
The second best memory of high school is band…symphonic band, jazz band, and most of all marching band. I played the trumpet and our trumpet section was so passionate, we made t-shirts that said, “Trumpets Jam.” I don’t have the t-shirt, but I still have the trumpet! The greatest thrill was when four of us were featured at the Detroit Lions halftime show at the old Pontiac Silverdome, hearing my name over the PA system in front of 80,000 fans (most of whom were at the concession stands or bathrooms!).
Today we’re continuing our series on Handel’s Messiah, arguably the greatest piece of music ever composed…with lyrics taken directly from the Bible. Today’s song is The Trumpet Shall Sound. The text is taken from 1 Corinthians 15:51-53. The New King James Version reads,
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:51-53, NKJV)
Is this good news? Absolutely!
Let’s look at the passage again, this time from a modern translation.
But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. (1 Corinthians 15:51-53, NLT)
There is so much we don’t know about the future, but this hopeful text reveals many things. First, transformation is coming. I’m too old to have played with Transformers, but I know of their ability to change from one thing to another. That’s the idea of transformation. A caterpillar is transformed into a…butterfly. Our physical campus is in the midst of several transformations. The garage across the street has been leveled and will soon be transformed to green space. Our children’s wing was first transformed by a car flying into our nursery and is now being transformed again with new flooring, murals, and decorating to become vibrant space for kids to encounter Jesus. You get the idea!
We all realize change can be hard, especially when loss is involved, but in the case of our campus—and the case of our bodies—transformation is a beautiful thing. I said two weeks ago the odd of you dying are about 100%. This text seems to make an exception for some in the future who will not die. There will be a brief moment when a trumpet is blown, the dead will be raised, and our mortal bodies will be transformed. Transformation is coming.
Second, we must prepare for the transformation. There will be no advance notice. It will happen suddenly…in the blink of an eye. That’s fast! Nobody knows when this event will occur, not even Jesus (so don’t waste your time with people claiming to know)!
Our transformed bodies will be like Jesus’ resurrected body. I mentioned it will be immortal. Jesus ate after the resurrection, so we will eat…but perhaps we won’t have to count calories! There was at least one moment when Jesus seemed to defy the laws of physics and enter a room without going through a door or window.
Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. (John 20:26, NLT)
That’s kind of fun! Resurrection Sunday is about more than just Jesus’ resurrection. It’s a preview of coming attractions for his followers, too. We will have our own resurrection day soon (well, after we die!).
But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. (1 Corinthians 15:51-53, NLT)
Compare our current bodies from our resurrected ones:
Perishable imperishable
Sown in dishonor raised in glory
Sown in weakness raised in power
Sown a natural body raised a spiritual body (1 cor. 15:35-54)
Sickness and death no sickness or death
There’s more to the transformation than just the physical flesh and blood which will decay and die. Our sinful nature is in rebellion against God. It’s not suitable for the new world that is to come, the new creation
If we read a bit more…
Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55, NLT)
I love those words. Those are fightin’ words! Death, you won’t have the last word. Your time is coming to an end. Jesus defeated you, and someday we will, too!
Paul quotes from two Old Testament prophets, Isaiah (25) and Hosea (13). But if you look at the entire library we call the Bible, you will see the themes of creation, death, and new creation. What God did in Jesus the Messiah He will do for all of Jesus’ followers. Through Jesus, we’ve been given victory over sin and death. It has been given, it will be given, and in the here and now it is being given to us.
For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:56-57, NLT)
Like much of scripture, it is a present and future reality, now and not yet. Sure, we look to the future, but don’t miss the present reality, the mission, the calling to make disciples and restore masterpieces now. Jesus didn’t come so we can go to heaven when we die. He came so we could experience moments of heaven now—Thy Kingdom come and Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven—and in a more complete way in the future. Perhaps you were taught that the value of Christianity begins when you die. Paul…and Jesus…and I would vehemently disagree.
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. (1 Corinthians 15:58, NLT)
The things we do in this life matter for eternity, good or bad. Paul is saying specifically the things we do for the LORD are not in vain, they are never useless. This is an important thing for us to remember. We have a present responsibility, an opportunity today.
All this talk of resurrected bodies and new creation are wonderful…for followers of Jesus. But tragically, there is an alternative destination for those in rebellion against God. From Matthew 25 to 2 Thessalonians 1 to Revelation 20, we see judgment is coming and without Jesus as Savior, they are without hope. We must tell them. We must show them. We must proclaim good news in word and deed. Family, one of my four prayers for us is passion…passion for the things that matter to God…passion for the lost. I have family members, friends, and neighbors I love who are facing an eternity without God. I can’t imagine such a hell! My heart aches when I think about them living without God now, too, and how they’re missing out on a life of peace, joy, and meaning.
But ministry is hard. I don’t mean professional ministry. Any ministry, any discipleship, any outreach, any investment we make in people…because people are people. They are messy. They wander. They betray. They deny. They leave. They backslide. They sin (just like all of us!). Discouragement is rampant among anyone trying to make disciples, restore masterpieces, love their neighbor as themselves. You’re heard the old adage “no good deed goes unpunished.” It’s not biblical, but it seems true sometimes.
First Alliance Church, be strong. Be immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the LORD. Nothing you do for God’s Kingdom is in vain. Even if people quit your Life Group. Even if your ministry struggles. Even if the person you are discipling seems clueless. Even when that student you poured your life into makes poor choices. Even when your own children or grandchildren walk away from the faith. Don’t quit. Don’t give up. You matter. Your Kingdom work matters. We’re all called into the disciple-making ministry and it’s hard. It’s rarely convenient. It will stretch you and take you out of your comfort zones…but God will meet you there, and there’s nothing better than that!
I love these words from N.T. Wright:
How God will take our prayer, our art, our love, our writing, our political action, our music, our honesty, our daily work, our pastoral care, our teaching, our whole selves – how God will take this and weave its varied strands into the glorious tapestry of his new creation, we can at present have no idea. That he will do so is part of the truth of the resurrection, and perhaps one of the most comforting parts of all.
Wright, N. T.. Paul for Everyone: 1 Corinthians (The New Testament for Everyone) (p. 228). Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. Kindle Edition.
Family, I love you, and I’m so proud of you. Many of you have served around here for decades, pouring your time, talent, and treasures into God’s work here and around the world. A day is coming when you will receive your reward. It will be greater than any paycheck or new car or lottery winning. Your new body alone will be worth it, to say nothing of eternity with the LORD.
The day is coming. The trumpet will sound. The dead will be raised. We will be transformed. Are you ready?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Handel’s Messiah
1 Corinthians 15:51-53
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: Transformation is coming soon…get ready!
High school. For some, it’s filled with wonderful memories of making the homecoming court, scoring the winning touchdown, or winning the spelling bee. For others, it’s social awkwardness, struggling through final exam week, or a long list of poor choices. I went to Brighton High School in Michigan and graduated in nineteen-something! The best thing that happened to me in high school occurred in my senior year when I met the love of my life, an amazing girl named Heather.
The second best memory of high school is band…symphonic band, jazz band, and most of all marching band. I played the trumpet and our trumpet section was so passionate, we made t-shirts that said, “Trumpets Jam.” I don’t have the t-shirt, but I still have the trumpet! The greatest thrill was when four of us were featured at the Detroit Lions halftime show at the old Pontiac Silverdome, hearing my name over the PA system in front of 80,000 fans (most of whom were at the concession stands or bathrooms!).
Today we’re continuing our series on Handel’s Messiah, arguably the greatest piece of music ever composed…with lyrics taken directly from the Bible. Today’s song is The Trumpet Shall Sound. The text is taken from 1 Corinthians 15:51-53. The New King James Version reads,
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:51-53, NKJV)
Is this good news? Absolutely!
Let’s look at the passage again, this time from a modern translation.
But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. (1 Corinthians 15:51-53, NLT)
There is so much we don’t know about the future, but this hopeful text reveals many things. First, transformation is coming. I’m too old to have played with Transformers, but I know of their ability to change from one thing to another. That’s the idea of transformation. A caterpillar is transformed into a…butterfly. Our physical campus is in the midst of several transformations. The garage across the street has been leveled and will soon be transformed to green space. Our children’s wing was first transformed by a car flying into our nursery and is now being transformed again with new flooring, murals, and decorating to become vibrant space for kids to encounter Jesus. You get the idea!
We all realize change can be hard, especially when loss is involved, but in the case of our campus—and the case of our bodies—transformation is a beautiful thing. I said two weeks ago the odd of you dying are about 100%. This text seems to make an exception for some in the future who will not die. There will be a brief moment when a trumpet is blown, the dead will be raised, and our mortal bodies will be transformed. Transformation is coming.
Second, we must prepare for the transformation. There will be no advance notice. It will happen suddenly…in the blink of an eye. That’s fast! Nobody knows when this event will occur, not even Jesus (so don’t waste your time with people claiming to know)!
Our transformed bodies will be like Jesus’ resurrected body. I mentioned it will be immortal. Jesus ate after the resurrection, so we will eat…but perhaps we won’t have to count calories! There was at least one moment when Jesus seemed to defy the laws of physics and enter a room without going through a door or window.
Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. (John 20:26, NLT)
That’s kind of fun! Resurrection Sunday is about more than just Jesus’ resurrection. It’s a preview of coming attractions for his followers, too. We will have our own resurrection day soon (well, after we die!).
But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. (1 Corinthians 15:51-53, NLT)
Compare our current bodies from our resurrected ones:
Perishable imperishable
Sown in dishonor raised in glory
Sown in weakness raised in power
Sown a natural body raised a spiritual body (1 cor. 15:35-54)
Sickness and death no sickness or death
There’s more to the transformation than just the physical flesh and blood which will decay and die. Our sinful nature is in rebellion against God. It’s not suitable for the new world that is to come, the new creation
If we read a bit more…
Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55, NLT)
I love those words. Those are fightin’ words! Death, you won’t have the last word. Your time is coming to an end. Jesus defeated you, and someday we will, too!
Paul quotes from two Old Testament prophets, Isaiah (25) and Hosea (13). But if you look at the entire library we call the Bible, you will see the themes of creation, death, and new creation. What God did in Jesus the Messiah He will do for all of Jesus’ followers. Through Jesus, we’ve been given victory over sin and death. It has been given, it will be given, and in the here and now it is being given to us.
For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:56-57, NLT)
Like much of scripture, it is a present and future reality, now and not yet. Sure, we look to the future, but don’t miss the present reality, the mission, the calling to make disciples and restore masterpieces now. Jesus didn’t come so we can go to heaven when we die. He came so we could experience moments of heaven now—Thy Kingdom come and Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven—and in a more complete way in the future. Perhaps you were taught that the value of Christianity begins when you die. Paul…and Jesus…and I would vehemently disagree.
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. (1 Corinthians 15:58, NLT)
The things we do in this life matter for eternity, good or bad. Paul is saying specifically the things we do for the LORD are not in vain, they are never useless. This is an important thing for us to remember. We have a present responsibility, an opportunity today.
All this talk of resurrected bodies and new creation are wonderful…for followers of Jesus. But tragically, there is an alternative destination for those in rebellion against God. From Matthew 25 to 2 Thessalonians 1 to Revelation 20, we see judgment is coming and without Jesus as Savior, they are without hope. We must tell them. We must show them. We must proclaim good news in word and deed. Family, one of my four prayers for us is passion…passion for the things that matter to God…passion for the lost. I have family members, friends, and neighbors I love who are facing an eternity without God. I can’t imagine such a hell! My heart aches when I think about them living without God now, too, and how they’re missing out on a life of peace, joy, and meaning.
But ministry is hard. I don’t mean professional ministry. Any ministry, any discipleship, any outreach, any investment we make in people…because people are people. They are messy. They wander. They betray. They deny. They leave. They backslide. They sin (just like all of us!). Discouragement is rampant among anyone trying to make disciples, restore masterpieces, love their neighbor as themselves. You’re heard the old adage “no good deed goes unpunished.” It’s not biblical, but it seems true sometimes.
First Alliance Church, be strong. Be immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the LORD. Nothing you do for God’s Kingdom is in vain. Even if people quit your Life Group. Even if your ministry struggles. Even if the person you are discipling seems clueless. Even when that student you poured your life into makes poor choices. Even when your own children or grandchildren walk away from the faith. Don’t quit. Don’t give up. You matter. Your Kingdom work matters. We’re all called into the disciple-making ministry and it’s hard. It’s rarely convenient. It will stretch you and take you out of your comfort zones…but God will meet you there, and there’s nothing better than that!
I love these words from N.T. Wright:
How God will take our prayer, our art, our love, our writing, our political action, our music, our honesty, our daily work, our pastoral care, our teaching, our whole selves – how God will take this and weave its varied strands into the glorious tapestry of his new creation, we can at present have no idea. That he will do so is part of the truth of the resurrection, and perhaps one of the most comforting parts of all.
Wright, N. T.. Paul for Everyone: 1 Corinthians (The New Testament for Everyone) (p. 228). Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. Kindle Edition.
Family, I love you, and I’m so proud of you. Many of you have served around here for decades, pouring your time, talent, and treasures into God’s work here and around the world. A day is coming when you will receive your reward. It will be greater than any paycheck or new car or lottery winning. Your new body alone will be worth it, to say nothing of eternity with the LORD.
The day is coming. The trumpet will sound. The dead will be raised. We will be transformed. Are you ready?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
I Know that My Redeemer Lives, 9 April 2023
09 04 23
I Know that My Redeemer Lives
Handel's Messiah
Job 19:25-27; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: The resurrection is at the heart of our faith, a wonderful miracle with countless effects.
Welcome to Resurrection Sunday! Welcome to Easter! This is the greatest day of the year and begins what should be a season of great joy and a celebration of life. The life of Jesus. Abundant life. Eternal life.
This past Advent, we began a sermon series examining the songs and lyrics of Handel’s Messiah. The first part of the magnificent work of music speaks of the Incarnation, the events of Christmastime. We will complete our study over the next four Sundays incorporating the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus the Messiah and glimpses of the future.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
The book of Job may seem like an odd place to go for our Easter text. It might be the oldest book in the library we call the Bible. It’s the story of a righteous man whose faith is tested by a variety of tragedies and pain, from physical suffering to the loss of his children. In the midst of recorded dialogue with God…
Then Job replied:
“How long will you torment me and crush me with words? Ten times now you have reproached me; shamelessly you attack me. (Job 19:1-2)
Have you ever felt like God is against you? Have you ever felt crushed by the storms of life? One of the most important messages from the book of Job is the difference between testing and punishment. Sometimes our suffering is the result of sin…ours or that of others. For example, if you fail to pay your taxes and end up in prison, don’t blame God. Pay your taxes (which are due next week!).
Sometimes our suffering is the result of strengthening…a testing of our faith.
Jesus’ half brother, James, wrote,
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (James 1:2-3, NIV)
Athletes understand this well. They endure great pain in practice so they can finish well in the race or game. There is a testing that takes place, pushing sometimes beyond what is even thought possible. The old expression “no pain, no gain” often applies to an intentional workout.
Perhaps the most common spiritual question people ask is, “Why does God allow suffering?” It’s a valid question, one I think every human has considered. Why did God allow that hurricane to destroy, those children to die, that saint to develop cancer, that family to get hit by the drunk driver’s car, …
One of my dearest friends and mentors, our District Superintendent Rev. Thomas George, says, “Don’t ask ‘why,’ but ask, ‘What are you up to, LORD?’”
We all understand suffering, whether it’s the result of sin or strengthening. Perhaps when written, nobody understood suffering like Job. In a short period of time, he experienced financial loss (1:14-15), the loss of his children (1:18-19), physical anguish (2:7-8), loneliness (19:13-19), loss of his reputation (12:4), and even his wife was challenging his faith (2:9). Returning to Job chapter 19…
He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; he has shrouded my paths in darkness. (Job 19:8)
He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head. (Job 19:9)
He tears me down on every side till I am gone; he uproots my hope like a tree. (Job 19:10)
His anger burns against me; he counts me among his enemies. (Job 19:11)
Job is honest about his suffering and how he feels about God’s testing. There’s more…
My breath is offensive to my wife; I am loathsome to my own family. (Job 19:17)
Even the little boys scorn me; when I appear, they ridicule me. (Job 19:18)
All my intimate friends detest me; those I love have turned against me. (Job 19:19)
I am nothing but skin and bones; I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth. (Job 19:20)
“Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me. (Job 19:21)
Why do you pursue me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh? (Job 19:22)
Have you ever felt like that?
Then a few verses later after expressing all of his anguish, he declares,
I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. (Job 19:25)
And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:26-27)
I know that my redeemer lives.
Redeemer is one of those church, biblical words you rarely hear in our culture, but it’s incredible.
To redeem is to exchange. When I was a kid, I remember collecting cereal box tops and redeemed them for prizes in the mail. More recently, I have redeemed gift cards, entered redemption codes…one definition of “redeem” is to turn in and receive something in exchange.
Another meaning of redeem is to pay off, like a debt or promissory note. A few years ago I had a friend who had clothes at the dry cleaner’s, but he didn’t have twelve dollars to get them. I told him I would pay the debt—the bill—and he was able to retrieve his items.
Is there anyone perfect here? You’ve never told a white lie, cheated, lusted, coveted, driven over the speed limit…!!! We’ve all sinned, and according to God we must be penalized. That’s only fair, right? Justice means restitution must be made for evil, making good for damage, loss, or injury. A simple example would be paying a parking ticket or a speeding ticket.
Imagine you received a ticket from God for every sin you committed, every bad deed, every failure to love well, every evil thought. That would be an expensive ticket, right?! How would you feel about paying it?
Now imagine God comes along and says, “I’ll pay it.” How would that make you feel?
That’s redemption. That’s a redeemer. That’s grace…unmerited favor.
Job wrote centuries before Jesus walked the earth. While we can view his words as somewhat prophetic, he had no knowledge of the Messiah’s death and resurrection. He was not only on the other side of Easter, Job was on the other side of Christmas! But even in his agony, he had faith to believe the God would eventually intervene, that he would be vindicated, that whether in life or death, he would see God.
I know that my redeemer lives.
Job wrote those words hundreds of years before the first arrival of the redeemer, Jesus the Messiah, to our world.
At First Alliance, we’re passionate about Jesus…because Jesus is passionate about us! He know none of our good works could ever be good enough to pay for our sins. God doesn’t grade on a curve. A perfect God demands perfection, and only Jesus lived a perfect life. Then he died…willingly, purposefully, to offer payment, redemption for those who follow him. This is the reason Good Friday is good…for us.
But if Jesus remained dead, there would be no reason for faith. We would have no hope. Death would win.
But he is risen! He is risen indeed!
But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. (1 Corinthians 15:20, NLT)
Job’s words, “I know that my redeemer lives,” were prophetic. They were a vision of the resurrection.
I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. (Job 19:25)
And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:26-27)
Someday we’re all going to die. It might be today. It might be decades from now, but the odds of your death are…one hundred percent! What happens after we die is worth considering.
So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. (1 Corinthians 15:21-22, NLT)
Death entered the world when Adam and Eve sinned. But because Jesus was raised from the dead, so also his followers will be given new life…eternal life.
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NLT)
You and I can have eternal life because Jesus is alive. Do you know that the Redeemer lives? Is Jesus your redeemer?
The resurrection is at the heart of our faith, a wonderful miracle with countless effects. The Christian faith rises and falls with it. If Jesus is dead, we have no hope. If Jesus is not your redeemer, your savior, your LORD, you have no hope.
Paul wrote to the church in Rome,
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)
He didn’t deny the present, the pain, the sufferings, but put them into perspective…an eternal perspective. Perhaps you’re in the middle of a trial that feels like death, like Good Friday. As author Tony Campolo famously said, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming!” If you know Jesus, there is always hope. Jesus knows suffering. Jesus knows pain and death. But
He is risen. He is risen indeed!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Handel's Messiah
Job 19:25-27; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: The resurrection is at the heart of our faith, a wonderful miracle with countless effects.
Welcome to Resurrection Sunday! Welcome to Easter! This is the greatest day of the year and begins what should be a season of great joy and a celebration of life. The life of Jesus. Abundant life. Eternal life.
This past Advent, we began a sermon series examining the songs and lyrics of Handel’s Messiah. The first part of the magnificent work of music speaks of the Incarnation, the events of Christmastime. We will complete our study over the next four Sundays incorporating the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus the Messiah and glimpses of the future.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
The book of Job may seem like an odd place to go for our Easter text. It might be the oldest book in the library we call the Bible. It’s the story of a righteous man whose faith is tested by a variety of tragedies and pain, from physical suffering to the loss of his children. In the midst of recorded dialogue with God…
Then Job replied:
“How long will you torment me and crush me with words? Ten times now you have reproached me; shamelessly you attack me. (Job 19:1-2)
Have you ever felt like God is against you? Have you ever felt crushed by the storms of life? One of the most important messages from the book of Job is the difference between testing and punishment. Sometimes our suffering is the result of sin…ours or that of others. For example, if you fail to pay your taxes and end up in prison, don’t blame God. Pay your taxes (which are due next week!).
Sometimes our suffering is the result of strengthening…a testing of our faith.
Jesus’ half brother, James, wrote,
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (James 1:2-3, NIV)
Athletes understand this well. They endure great pain in practice so they can finish well in the race or game. There is a testing that takes place, pushing sometimes beyond what is even thought possible. The old expression “no pain, no gain” often applies to an intentional workout.
Perhaps the most common spiritual question people ask is, “Why does God allow suffering?” It’s a valid question, one I think every human has considered. Why did God allow that hurricane to destroy, those children to die, that saint to develop cancer, that family to get hit by the drunk driver’s car, …
One of my dearest friends and mentors, our District Superintendent Rev. Thomas George, says, “Don’t ask ‘why,’ but ask, ‘What are you up to, LORD?’”
We all understand suffering, whether it’s the result of sin or strengthening. Perhaps when written, nobody understood suffering like Job. In a short period of time, he experienced financial loss (1:14-15), the loss of his children (1:18-19), physical anguish (2:7-8), loneliness (19:13-19), loss of his reputation (12:4), and even his wife was challenging his faith (2:9). Returning to Job chapter 19…
He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; he has shrouded my paths in darkness. (Job 19:8)
He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head. (Job 19:9)
He tears me down on every side till I am gone; he uproots my hope like a tree. (Job 19:10)
His anger burns against me; he counts me among his enemies. (Job 19:11)
Job is honest about his suffering and how he feels about God’s testing. There’s more…
My breath is offensive to my wife; I am loathsome to my own family. (Job 19:17)
Even the little boys scorn me; when I appear, they ridicule me. (Job 19:18)
All my intimate friends detest me; those I love have turned against me. (Job 19:19)
I am nothing but skin and bones; I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth. (Job 19:20)
“Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me. (Job 19:21)
Why do you pursue me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh? (Job 19:22)
Have you ever felt like that?
Then a few verses later after expressing all of his anguish, he declares,
I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. (Job 19:25)
And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:26-27)
I know that my redeemer lives.
Redeemer is one of those church, biblical words you rarely hear in our culture, but it’s incredible.
To redeem is to exchange. When I was a kid, I remember collecting cereal box tops and redeemed them for prizes in the mail. More recently, I have redeemed gift cards, entered redemption codes…one definition of “redeem” is to turn in and receive something in exchange.
Another meaning of redeem is to pay off, like a debt or promissory note. A few years ago I had a friend who had clothes at the dry cleaner’s, but he didn’t have twelve dollars to get them. I told him I would pay the debt—the bill—and he was able to retrieve his items.
Is there anyone perfect here? You’ve never told a white lie, cheated, lusted, coveted, driven over the speed limit…!!! We’ve all sinned, and according to God we must be penalized. That’s only fair, right? Justice means restitution must be made for evil, making good for damage, loss, or injury. A simple example would be paying a parking ticket or a speeding ticket.
Imagine you received a ticket from God for every sin you committed, every bad deed, every failure to love well, every evil thought. That would be an expensive ticket, right?! How would you feel about paying it?
Now imagine God comes along and says, “I’ll pay it.” How would that make you feel?
That’s redemption. That’s a redeemer. That’s grace…unmerited favor.
Job wrote centuries before Jesus walked the earth. While we can view his words as somewhat prophetic, he had no knowledge of the Messiah’s death and resurrection. He was not only on the other side of Easter, Job was on the other side of Christmas! But even in his agony, he had faith to believe the God would eventually intervene, that he would be vindicated, that whether in life or death, he would see God.
I know that my redeemer lives.
Job wrote those words hundreds of years before the first arrival of the redeemer, Jesus the Messiah, to our world.
At First Alliance, we’re passionate about Jesus…because Jesus is passionate about us! He know none of our good works could ever be good enough to pay for our sins. God doesn’t grade on a curve. A perfect God demands perfection, and only Jesus lived a perfect life. Then he died…willingly, purposefully, to offer payment, redemption for those who follow him. This is the reason Good Friday is good…for us.
But if Jesus remained dead, there would be no reason for faith. We would have no hope. Death would win.
But he is risen! He is risen indeed!
But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. (1 Corinthians 15:20, NLT)
Job’s words, “I know that my redeemer lives,” were prophetic. They were a vision of the resurrection.
I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. (Job 19:25)
And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:26-27)
Someday we’re all going to die. It might be today. It might be decades from now, but the odds of your death are…one hundred percent! What happens after we die is worth considering.
So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. (1 Corinthians 15:21-22, NLT)
Death entered the world when Adam and Eve sinned. But because Jesus was raised from the dead, so also his followers will be given new life…eternal life.
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NLT)
You and I can have eternal life because Jesus is alive. Do you know that the Redeemer lives? Is Jesus your redeemer?
The resurrection is at the heart of our faith, a wonderful miracle with countless effects. The Christian faith rises and falls with it. If Jesus is dead, we have no hope. If Jesus is not your redeemer, your savior, your LORD, you have no hope.
Paul wrote to the church in Rome,
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)
He didn’t deny the present, the pain, the sufferings, but put them into perspective…an eternal perspective. Perhaps you’re in the middle of a trial that feels like death, like Good Friday. As author Tony Campolo famously said, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming!” If you know Jesus, there is always hope. Jesus knows suffering. Jesus knows pain and death. But
He is risen. He is risen indeed!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Day of the LORD, 26 March 2023
12 03 23
Day of the LORD
Honor: The Book of Malachi
Malachi 4
Series Big Idea: The last book of the Jewish Bible (Old Testament) offers challenging words about bringing honor to the LORD.
Big Idea: God’s final judgment is coming for each of us on the day of the LORD…get ready!
When I was a kid growing up in the Church, one of the most popular songs declared,
This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24, NKJV)
Are we rejoicing? Are we glad?
Today we’re concluding our verse-by-verse exploration of the last book of the Jewish Bible—the Old Testament—written by the prophet Malachi. This is the day the LORD has made, but today we are going to look at the day of the LORD, something referenced throughout the Bible.
PRAY
The day of the LORD. The Hebrew word yom means “day.” It’s one of the most common nouns in the Old Testament. You’ve probably heard of Yom Kippur, day of atonement. Yom Yahweh is the day of the LORD. This isn’t a reference to what some call the LORD’s day, the sabbath, the day of rest, but rather a period of time, not necessarily 24 hours. It could mean the daylight hours or a special event. Part of the challenge in defining the day of the LORD is it means different things throughout the Bible. Here are some examples of its usage:
Scream in terror, for the day of the LORD has arrived—the time for the Almighty to destroy. (Isaiah 13:6, NLT)
For this is the day of the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, a day of vengeance on his enemies. (Jeremiah 46:10a, NLT)
for the terrible day is almost here—the day of the LORD! It is a day of clouds and gloom, a day of despair for the nations. (Ezekiel 30:3, NLT)
The day of the LORD is near, the day when destruction comes from the Almighty. How terrible that day will be! (Joel 1:15, NLT)
Yes, the day of the LORD will be dark and hopeless, without a ray of joy or hope. (Amos 5:20, NLT)
“That terrible day of the LORD is near. Swiftly it comes—a day of bitter tears, a day when even strong men will cry out. (Zephaniah 1:14, NLT)
Let’s take a look at some New Testament references:
The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the LORD arrives. (Acts 2:20, NLT)
But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. (1 Thessalonians 5:4, NLT)
Before we address today’s text, know this: God’s final judgment is coming for each of us on the day of the LORD…get ready! This is an urgent message for every generation. The prophet Malachi begins his final chapter:
The LORD of Heaven’s Armies says, “The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed—roots, branches, and all. (Malachi 4:1, NLT)
For centuries, people have debated whether or not the evil will be exposed to literal fire or if they will burn “like” a furnace. Will the torment be eternal, or will humans somehow be annihilated? The details are not as important as the big idea: sin kills and we need Jesus.
“But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. (Malachi 4:2, NLT)
This is a prophetic vision of the Messiah, of Jesus Christ, the Sun of Righteousness.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. (Psalm 84:11, NIV)
Jesus the Messiah brings more than just forgiveness of sins, but victory and healing.
“But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. (Malachi 4:2, NLT)
This is where I wish the book ended, with joy and leaping!
Have you ever seen calves let out to pasture? It’s nothing like straw being burned up!
VIDEO
This is the fate of those who fear the name of the LORD, who know and love God, who are obedient, faithful, and righteous. They will go free, leaping with joy! But there’s more.
On the day when I act, you will tread upon the wicked as if they were dust under your feet,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. (Malachi 4:3, NLT)
How would you like God to walk all over you? In this life, there seem to be few things that are black and white, but plenty of gray. The day of the LORD, however, appears to be binary: the wicked and the righteous, with two very different outcomes. Which group describes you, wicked or righteous?
“Remember to obey the Law of Moses, my servant—all the decrees and regulations that I gave him on Mount Sinai for all Israel. (Malachi 4:4, NLT)
This describes the righteous, those who obey God’s law, those how love God and speak His love language of obedience. We can obey or suffer.
Now we come to the end of the chapter, the end of the book, the end of the Old Testament.
“Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the LORD arrives. (Malachi 4:5 NLT)
John the Baptist was the prophet sent, according to Jesus in Matthew 11:14. He prepared the way for Jesus the Messiah. But some see this as the second coming of Elijah. Regardless, God desperately wants to give everyone ample opportunity to follow Him. He’s not tricky or deceitful.
He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. (2 Peter 3:9b, NLT)
He has given each of us the mission—the commission—to proclaim good news as we go and make disciples. We want to give every man, woman, and child in this world not only a chance to escape eternity without God, but also eternity with God. Look what Peter says next:
But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. (2 Peter 3:10, NLT)
Are you ready for the day of the LORD? Are you preparing others for the day of the LORD?
“Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the LORD arrives. (Malachi 4:5 NLT)
His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. (Malachi 4:6a NLT)
The angel of the LORD quotes this when telling Zechariah about his forthcoming son, John the Baptist.
He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.” (Luke 1:17, NLT)
His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.” (Malachi 4:6, NLT)
And thus ends the book of Malachi and the Old Testament. It ends with a curse!
There were about four hundreds of years of silence between Malachi and John the Baptist and Jesus the Messiah.
So What?
Understanding biblical prophecy can be challenging. Much of it is focused upon Jesus the Messiah…His first coming about 2000 years ago, His return, …or perhaps even both! Many of the things in Revelation, for example, were fulfilled when the temple was destroyed in AD 70, though some have yet to occur (though Revelation is more apocalyptic than prophet, but that’s for another discussion). Does the mention of Elijah in today’s text literally mean Elijah, the prophet who never died (he was taken into heaven in a whirlwind)? Was it actually speaking of John the Baptist? Or both! Applying prophetic writings to our lives can be challenging, but some things are universal, including the unchanging God Pastor Donald spoke of last Sunday.
Two weeks ago I reminded you that judgment day is coming…for everyone. It’s a sobering reality, and I feel like each time we gather, it’s important to be reminded of who God is, who we are, and how our present impacts our future.
Some have said the Day of the LORD is similar to a coin with two sides, one positive and one negative. We’ve seen here in Malachi chapter four the Day of the LORD will be good for some and terrible for others, perhaps not unlike final exam week!
For the true members of God’s people, the Day of the LORD is blessing. For those who are not God’s people, it is judgment. Amazingly, the Old Testament is filled with passages which suggest it will be a day of judgment for Israel. They will not be alone, of course, as both then and now men and women have ignored or even rejected the Almighty, thinking themselves beyond the need for a relationship with God. The Day of the LORD refers to a variety of things, judgments, blessings, seasons, and the upcoming time when He will reestablish His rule over the earth.
Throughout our study of Malachi, we’ve seen a people who have robbed God by their greed and lack of stewardship. We’ve encountered rationalization…calling evil good. We’ve seen offerings of leftovers rather than the first fruits, their best. The Jews have been unfaithful despite the faithfulness of God. In many ways, it sounds like the Church in the United States today. I’m not trying to be critical. I want to be part of the solution, not the problem, both personally and professionally.
I think this challenging book gives us all a lot to reflect upon and consider. Where are you? I know you’re in this room or watching on a screen, but where are you? Where are you in your relationship with God? The first question in the Bible (Genesis 3:9) was God asking Adam and Eve, “Where are you?” It wasn’t that God couldn’t find them. He’s God. He wanted them to identify where they were relationally.
Where are you? It matters both now and for eternity.
You may think a church gathering would be an odd place to ask these questions. After all, most of you would say Jesus is your Savior and LORD. But saying so isn’t enough. Jesus asked,
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? (Luke 6:46, NIV)
47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” (Luke 6:47-49, NIV)
The Day of the LORD will bring blessing for the true believers, but judgment for the self-sufficient, the busy, the unfaithful, the wicked.
Family, I don’t want any of you to be in that later category. I love you. I plead with you to surrender and follow Jesus with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Worship with your time, talents, and treasures. Love God and your neighbor and yourself well. Knowledge is not enough. Our actions provide evidence for our faith. Today is the first day of the rest of your life.
God’s final judgment is coming for each of us on the day of the LORD…get ready! Get others ready!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Honor: The Book of Malachi
Malachi 4
Series Big Idea: The last book of the Jewish Bible (Old Testament) offers challenging words about bringing honor to the LORD.
Big Idea: God’s final judgment is coming for each of us on the day of the LORD…get ready!
When I was a kid growing up in the Church, one of the most popular songs declared,
This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24, NKJV)
Are we rejoicing? Are we glad?
Today we’re concluding our verse-by-verse exploration of the last book of the Jewish Bible—the Old Testament—written by the prophet Malachi. This is the day the LORD has made, but today we are going to look at the day of the LORD, something referenced throughout the Bible.
PRAY
The day of the LORD. The Hebrew word yom means “day.” It’s one of the most common nouns in the Old Testament. You’ve probably heard of Yom Kippur, day of atonement. Yom Yahweh is the day of the LORD. This isn’t a reference to what some call the LORD’s day, the sabbath, the day of rest, but rather a period of time, not necessarily 24 hours. It could mean the daylight hours or a special event. Part of the challenge in defining the day of the LORD is it means different things throughout the Bible. Here are some examples of its usage:
Scream in terror, for the day of the LORD has arrived—the time for the Almighty to destroy. (Isaiah 13:6, NLT)
For this is the day of the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, a day of vengeance on his enemies. (Jeremiah 46:10a, NLT)
for the terrible day is almost here—the day of the LORD! It is a day of clouds and gloom, a day of despair for the nations. (Ezekiel 30:3, NLT)
The day of the LORD is near, the day when destruction comes from the Almighty. How terrible that day will be! (Joel 1:15, NLT)
Yes, the day of the LORD will be dark and hopeless, without a ray of joy or hope. (Amos 5:20, NLT)
“That terrible day of the LORD is near. Swiftly it comes—a day of bitter tears, a day when even strong men will cry out. (Zephaniah 1:14, NLT)
Let’s take a look at some New Testament references:
The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the LORD arrives. (Acts 2:20, NLT)
But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. (1 Thessalonians 5:4, NLT)
Before we address today’s text, know this: God’s final judgment is coming for each of us on the day of the LORD…get ready! This is an urgent message for every generation. The prophet Malachi begins his final chapter:
The LORD of Heaven’s Armies says, “The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed—roots, branches, and all. (Malachi 4:1, NLT)
For centuries, people have debated whether or not the evil will be exposed to literal fire or if they will burn “like” a furnace. Will the torment be eternal, or will humans somehow be annihilated? The details are not as important as the big idea: sin kills and we need Jesus.
“But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. (Malachi 4:2, NLT)
This is a prophetic vision of the Messiah, of Jesus Christ, the Sun of Righteousness.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. (Psalm 84:11, NIV)
Jesus the Messiah brings more than just forgiveness of sins, but victory and healing.
“But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. (Malachi 4:2, NLT)
This is where I wish the book ended, with joy and leaping!
Have you ever seen calves let out to pasture? It’s nothing like straw being burned up!
VIDEO
This is the fate of those who fear the name of the LORD, who know and love God, who are obedient, faithful, and righteous. They will go free, leaping with joy! But there’s more.
On the day when I act, you will tread upon the wicked as if they were dust under your feet,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. (Malachi 4:3, NLT)
How would you like God to walk all over you? In this life, there seem to be few things that are black and white, but plenty of gray. The day of the LORD, however, appears to be binary: the wicked and the righteous, with two very different outcomes. Which group describes you, wicked or righteous?
“Remember to obey the Law of Moses, my servant—all the decrees and regulations that I gave him on Mount Sinai for all Israel. (Malachi 4:4, NLT)
This describes the righteous, those who obey God’s law, those how love God and speak His love language of obedience. We can obey or suffer.
Now we come to the end of the chapter, the end of the book, the end of the Old Testament.
“Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the LORD arrives. (Malachi 4:5 NLT)
John the Baptist was the prophet sent, according to Jesus in Matthew 11:14. He prepared the way for Jesus the Messiah. But some see this as the second coming of Elijah. Regardless, God desperately wants to give everyone ample opportunity to follow Him. He’s not tricky or deceitful.
He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. (2 Peter 3:9b, NLT)
He has given each of us the mission—the commission—to proclaim good news as we go and make disciples. We want to give every man, woman, and child in this world not only a chance to escape eternity without God, but also eternity with God. Look what Peter says next:
But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. (2 Peter 3:10, NLT)
Are you ready for the day of the LORD? Are you preparing others for the day of the LORD?
“Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the LORD arrives. (Malachi 4:5 NLT)
His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. (Malachi 4:6a NLT)
The angel of the LORD quotes this when telling Zechariah about his forthcoming son, John the Baptist.
He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.” (Luke 1:17, NLT)
His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.” (Malachi 4:6, NLT)
And thus ends the book of Malachi and the Old Testament. It ends with a curse!
There were about four hundreds of years of silence between Malachi and John the Baptist and Jesus the Messiah.
So What?
Understanding biblical prophecy can be challenging. Much of it is focused upon Jesus the Messiah…His first coming about 2000 years ago, His return, …or perhaps even both! Many of the things in Revelation, for example, were fulfilled when the temple was destroyed in AD 70, though some have yet to occur (though Revelation is more apocalyptic than prophet, but that’s for another discussion). Does the mention of Elijah in today’s text literally mean Elijah, the prophet who never died (he was taken into heaven in a whirlwind)? Was it actually speaking of John the Baptist? Or both! Applying prophetic writings to our lives can be challenging, but some things are universal, including the unchanging God Pastor Donald spoke of last Sunday.
Two weeks ago I reminded you that judgment day is coming…for everyone. It’s a sobering reality, and I feel like each time we gather, it’s important to be reminded of who God is, who we are, and how our present impacts our future.
Some have said the Day of the LORD is similar to a coin with two sides, one positive and one negative. We’ve seen here in Malachi chapter four the Day of the LORD will be good for some and terrible for others, perhaps not unlike final exam week!
For the true members of God’s people, the Day of the LORD is blessing. For those who are not God’s people, it is judgment. Amazingly, the Old Testament is filled with passages which suggest it will be a day of judgment for Israel. They will not be alone, of course, as both then and now men and women have ignored or even rejected the Almighty, thinking themselves beyond the need for a relationship with God. The Day of the LORD refers to a variety of things, judgments, blessings, seasons, and the upcoming time when He will reestablish His rule over the earth.
Throughout our study of Malachi, we’ve seen a people who have robbed God by their greed and lack of stewardship. We’ve encountered rationalization…calling evil good. We’ve seen offerings of leftovers rather than the first fruits, their best. The Jews have been unfaithful despite the faithfulness of God. In many ways, it sounds like the Church in the United States today. I’m not trying to be critical. I want to be part of the solution, not the problem, both personally and professionally.
I think this challenging book gives us all a lot to reflect upon and consider. Where are you? I know you’re in this room or watching on a screen, but where are you? Where are you in your relationship with God? The first question in the Bible (Genesis 3:9) was God asking Adam and Eve, “Where are you?” It wasn’t that God couldn’t find them. He’s God. He wanted them to identify where they were relationally.
Where are you? It matters both now and for eternity.
You may think a church gathering would be an odd place to ask these questions. After all, most of you would say Jesus is your Savior and LORD. But saying so isn’t enough. Jesus asked,
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? (Luke 6:46, NIV)
47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” (Luke 6:47-49, NIV)
The Day of the LORD will bring blessing for the true believers, but judgment for the self-sufficient, the busy, the unfaithful, the wicked.
Family, I don’t want any of you to be in that later category. I love you. I plead with you to surrender and follow Jesus with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Worship with your time, talents, and treasures. Love God and your neighbor and yourself well. Knowledge is not enough. Our actions provide evidence for our faith. Today is the first day of the rest of your life.
God’s final judgment is coming for each of us on the day of the LORD…get ready! Get others ready!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Judgment, 12 March 2023
12 03 23
Judgment
Honor: The Book of Malachi
Malachi 2:17-3:5
Series Big Idea: The last book of the Jewish Bible (Old Testament) offers challenging words about bringing honor to the LORD.
Big Idea: The God of justice will judge, and we need to be ready.
When I was in seminary, one of my professors said he likes to preach verse-by-verse through the Bible. This is known as expository preaching, as opposed to topical. One of the reasons, he said, is it can be tempting to skip around the Bible, finding popular passages and ignoring those which are more controversial, uncomfortable, or even offensive. Although we do some topical messages—especially around Holy Week and Advent—much of our preaching is expository. We’re in the middle of one such series on the book of Malachi, the last book of the Jewish Bible or Old Testament. It’s written by the prophet Malachi, and biblical prophets rarely made people happy!
It's always important to understand our text today was not written to us, but it’s very valuable for us…a glimpse into the heart of God and what happens when His people forget or even forsake God. It’s usually a slow fade, but one which inevitably results in God’s judgment, not because He doesn’t like us, but precisely because He loves us and He wants us to return to Him.
PRAY
Two weeks ago we looked at Pastor John Soper’s summary of much of the Old Testament:
Israel forgets God >>> Israel forsakes God >>> Israel worships other gods >>> God sends judgment upon Israel >>> Israel cries out to God >>> God raises up a deliverer >>> God saves Israel >>> Israel pledges to serve God >>> [repeat]
Again I ask, where are you?
This past week a friend mentioned someone whose life is a wreck, they are experiencing God’s judgment or—at the very least—the dire consequences of many poor choices, yet they have refused to cry out to God and surrender.
God has ways of getting our attention, doesn’t He? Malachi is God’s prophet, trying to get the attention of His people, the Jews. The last verse of chapter two begins…
You have wearied the LORD with your words.
“How have we wearied him?” you ask. (Malachi 2:17a, NLT)
They pretend ignorance and declare innocence. This is the fifth sarcastic question they ask. God has an answer.
You have wearied him by saying that all who do evil are good in the LORD’s sight, and he is pleased with them. You have wearied him by asking, “Where is the God of justice?” (Malachi 2:17b, NLT)
God is weary over two things the people were saying.
First, they were saying that all who do evil are good in the LORD’s sight, and he is pleased with them. You might call this a new morality. It happened in Noah’s day. It happened in the period of the judges. Twice in the book of Judges (17;6; 21:25), it says,
In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. (Judges 17:6; 21:25, NLT)
You can rationalize anything.
Throughout history, Christians have used the Bible to justify everything from misogyny to slavery. Satan even used it to tempt Jesus! We like to start with what we want, what we desire, what we think is fair, rather than beginning with a careful study of the Holy Scriptures and aligning ourselves with God’s will. Perhaps one reason we don’t read the Bible more frequently is we don’t want to be responsible for what it says!
We must be careful because
There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. (Proverbs 14:12, NLT)
I feel like this hits very close to home in our day, in our nation. It’s one thing to tolerate sin, but quite another to celebrate it with parades and celebrations. God must weep when He sees how even Christians have embraced alternative lifestyles, abortion, greed, gossip, pride, the pursuit of power and wealth, …the list goes on and on. It’s one thing for the world to act like the world, but when so-called Christians look just like everybody else, falling for whatever’s hip and cool and trendy, we have real problems. Politically correct does not necessarily mean biblically correct. In fact, the world is often diametrically opposed to godliness. There’s a war raging between good and evil, God and satan, the flesh and the truth.
Jesus said,
21 For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.” (Mark 7:21-23, NLT)
This is nothing new. One of the things that makes me chuckle is when people say, “We are a New Testament church!” Which one? Laodicea? Ephesus? They were all filled with sinners…just like ours! The church in Corinth was hardly exempt:
I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you—something that even pagans don’t do. I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother. (1 Corinthians 5:1, NLT)
Do we want details on that one?! If you need a definition, sexual immorality is any sexual activity outside of the marriage of a husband and wife. It’s mentioned more than a dozen times in the New Testament, including the lips of Jesus and the writings of Paul and John. Jesus said even lust was adultery.
Let me add there seem to be acceptable sins in the church…even so-called conservative churches.
- Pride often runs rampant, the original sin.
- Fear, the opposite of love, is used to bring people to Jesus and paralyzes many decisions, both in homes and churches
- Gluttony…hey, we only have potlucks on 5th Sundays!
- Worry…Jesus condemned it (Matthew 6:25-34), but I’m very guilty!
- Lying…you’ve never told a lie, right?
- Favoritism…we like to hang around people like us, don’t we?
- Greed is demonstrated by stingy giving
Christians nationwide are giving 2.5% of their income…one quarter of what is known as the tithe, 10%, a good starting point for generosity. One 2023 report said only 5% tithe. Most of you tip your barista far more than you give to your God.
https://nonprofitssource.com/online-giving-statistics/
I’m not a perfect example, but I am seeking to follow Christ, not merely avoiding sin, but loving Jesus. The point is the Jews were celebrating sin, not unlike many Christians today.
You have wearied him by saying that all who do evil are good in the LORD’s sight, and he is pleased with them. You have wearied him by asking, “Where is the God of justice?” (Malachi 2:17b, NLT)
Second, they were asking, “Where is the God of justice?” Have you ever heard someone blame God for their problems? Where is the God of justice?…while their poor choices have done them in. No wonder God was weary! In a moment we’ll see how God addresses the claim that He is either absent or unjust.
Now that we’ve looked at that verse, let’s move on to chapter 3! It doesn’t get any easier. God warns of the coming judgment.
“Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. (Malachi 3:1, NLT)
This sounds like good news, right? God’s messenger is coming! Actually, there seem to be two messengers. Jesus quotes this passage in Matthew 11:9-10 and Luke 7:27, referring to John the Baptist, the one who will prepare the way. Then the messenger of the covenant will come. This appears to be none other than Jesus the Messiah, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. Malachi describes the second coming of Christ.
“But who will be able to endure it when he comes? Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes. 3 He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the LORD. (Malachi 3:2-3, NLT)
This is a sobering, powerful message, family. Clean hands and a pure heart are what God seeks, and purification is necessary, a refiner’s fire.
The Refiner’s Fire
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: ‘He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.’ (Malachi 3:3) She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, ‘How do you know when the silver is fully refined?’ He smiled at her and answered, ‘Oh, that’s easy — when I see my image in it.’
This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God’” (Zechariah 13:9).
“See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction” (Isaiah 48:10).
The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart (Proverbs 17:3).
For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver (Psalm 66:10).
Purify (testing/fire) and cleanse (soap) like silver and gold.
After the purifying…
Then once more the LORD will accept the offerings brought to him by the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as he did in the past. (Malachi 3:4, NLT)
Hallelujah! The worshipers are purified and cleansed, acceptable to the LORD. But there’s more. They want the God of justice? He’s going to judge!
“At that time I will put you on trial. I am eager to witness against all sorcerers and adulterers and liars. I will speak against those who cheat employees of their wages, who oppress widows and orphans, or who deprive the foreigners living among you of justice, for these people do not fear me,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. (Malachi 3:5, NLT)
He's going to judge, and He mentions four things in particular: sorcerers, adulterers, liars, and oppressors, those who treat employees, widows, orphans, or foreigners/immigrants poorly. These things are still detestable to God, and we see it all over, don’t we? The occult is celebrated in many ways. Adultery sounds like an old-fashioned term for what everybody’s doing. We don’t like liars, but only tell “little white lies,” right? How have we treated laborers, widows, orphans, refugees?
Judgment is coming…for all of us. Are you ready?
So What?
There’s good news and bad news. The good news is that the Father sent Jesus to die on the cross to make forgiveness and purification possible. We all sin and fall short of God’s standard, but He has made a way for us to be reconciled to Him—and one another—through Jesus.
The bad news is so many have rejected God…even people who think they are Christians or “saved” because they prayed a prayer as a child. The invitation of Jesus is not pray a prayer so you can go to heaven when you die. It’s follow me, be with me, do life with me…it’s about a relationship. How’s that going for you? How is your soul?
Remember from two weeks ago in chapter 2, the Jews had intermarried with people from other religions. They had abandoned God and turned to sorcery, adultery, and lies. Every day is a new opportunity to follow Jesus or ignore Him. It’s like a marriage. It doesn’t end when you say, “I do.” That’s only the beginning, and the relationship must be cultivated every day.
Perhaps you’ve been going through the motions, mailing it in, so to speak. I’ve found myself doing that, at times. Just because I avoid doing bad things doesn’t mean I’ve necessarily been obedient, either. Following Jesus is more than just playing by the rules, avoiding murder, adultery, lying, and the like. It also means loving well…God and others. It means caring for the widow, stranger, and orphan. It involved surrendering my time, talents, and treasures for His glory, His Kingdom, His Church. Following Jesus even means surrendering my body, my dreams, and my comforts.
The good news, of course, is God’s grace. Forgiveness is available to every one of you. There’s nothing you’ve done that’s beyond God’s mercy. Each time we gather is an opportunity to be reminded that He’s God and we’re not, that we all fall short and miss the mark, and that we have a loving Father with arms wide open to extend grace and forgiveness if we come to Him, if we repent, if we turn from our sin, and do life with Jesus.
Family, I love you and I want what’s best for you. So does God. I don’t get it right all of the time, but that’s my desire. What is your next step in following Jesus? What do you need to surrender?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Honor: The Book of Malachi
Malachi 2:17-3:5
Series Big Idea: The last book of the Jewish Bible (Old Testament) offers challenging words about bringing honor to the LORD.
Big Idea: The God of justice will judge, and we need to be ready.
When I was in seminary, one of my professors said he likes to preach verse-by-verse through the Bible. This is known as expository preaching, as opposed to topical. One of the reasons, he said, is it can be tempting to skip around the Bible, finding popular passages and ignoring those which are more controversial, uncomfortable, or even offensive. Although we do some topical messages—especially around Holy Week and Advent—much of our preaching is expository. We’re in the middle of one such series on the book of Malachi, the last book of the Jewish Bible or Old Testament. It’s written by the prophet Malachi, and biblical prophets rarely made people happy!
It's always important to understand our text today was not written to us, but it’s very valuable for us…a glimpse into the heart of God and what happens when His people forget or even forsake God. It’s usually a slow fade, but one which inevitably results in God’s judgment, not because He doesn’t like us, but precisely because He loves us and He wants us to return to Him.
PRAY
Two weeks ago we looked at Pastor John Soper’s summary of much of the Old Testament:
Israel forgets God >>> Israel forsakes God >>> Israel worships other gods >>> God sends judgment upon Israel >>> Israel cries out to God >>> God raises up a deliverer >>> God saves Israel >>> Israel pledges to serve God >>> [repeat]
Again I ask, where are you?
This past week a friend mentioned someone whose life is a wreck, they are experiencing God’s judgment or—at the very least—the dire consequences of many poor choices, yet they have refused to cry out to God and surrender.
God has ways of getting our attention, doesn’t He? Malachi is God’s prophet, trying to get the attention of His people, the Jews. The last verse of chapter two begins…
You have wearied the LORD with your words.
“How have we wearied him?” you ask. (Malachi 2:17a, NLT)
They pretend ignorance and declare innocence. This is the fifth sarcastic question they ask. God has an answer.
You have wearied him by saying that all who do evil are good in the LORD’s sight, and he is pleased with them. You have wearied him by asking, “Where is the God of justice?” (Malachi 2:17b, NLT)
God is weary over two things the people were saying.
First, they were saying that all who do evil are good in the LORD’s sight, and he is pleased with them. You might call this a new morality. It happened in Noah’s day. It happened in the period of the judges. Twice in the book of Judges (17;6; 21:25), it says,
In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. (Judges 17:6; 21:25, NLT)
You can rationalize anything.
Throughout history, Christians have used the Bible to justify everything from misogyny to slavery. Satan even used it to tempt Jesus! We like to start with what we want, what we desire, what we think is fair, rather than beginning with a careful study of the Holy Scriptures and aligning ourselves with God’s will. Perhaps one reason we don’t read the Bible more frequently is we don’t want to be responsible for what it says!
We must be careful because
There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. (Proverbs 14:12, NLT)
I feel like this hits very close to home in our day, in our nation. It’s one thing to tolerate sin, but quite another to celebrate it with parades and celebrations. God must weep when He sees how even Christians have embraced alternative lifestyles, abortion, greed, gossip, pride, the pursuit of power and wealth, …the list goes on and on. It’s one thing for the world to act like the world, but when so-called Christians look just like everybody else, falling for whatever’s hip and cool and trendy, we have real problems. Politically correct does not necessarily mean biblically correct. In fact, the world is often diametrically opposed to godliness. There’s a war raging between good and evil, God and satan, the flesh and the truth.
Jesus said,
21 For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.” (Mark 7:21-23, NLT)
This is nothing new. One of the things that makes me chuckle is when people say, “We are a New Testament church!” Which one? Laodicea? Ephesus? They were all filled with sinners…just like ours! The church in Corinth was hardly exempt:
I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you—something that even pagans don’t do. I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother. (1 Corinthians 5:1, NLT)
Do we want details on that one?! If you need a definition, sexual immorality is any sexual activity outside of the marriage of a husband and wife. It’s mentioned more than a dozen times in the New Testament, including the lips of Jesus and the writings of Paul and John. Jesus said even lust was adultery.
Let me add there seem to be acceptable sins in the church…even so-called conservative churches.
- Pride often runs rampant, the original sin.
- Fear, the opposite of love, is used to bring people to Jesus and paralyzes many decisions, both in homes and churches
- Gluttony…hey, we only have potlucks on 5th Sundays!
- Worry…Jesus condemned it (Matthew 6:25-34), but I’m very guilty!
- Lying…you’ve never told a lie, right?
- Favoritism…we like to hang around people like us, don’t we?
- Greed is demonstrated by stingy giving
Christians nationwide are giving 2.5% of their income…one quarter of what is known as the tithe, 10%, a good starting point for generosity. One 2023 report said only 5% tithe. Most of you tip your barista far more than you give to your God.
https://nonprofitssource.com/online-giving-statistics/
I’m not a perfect example, but I am seeking to follow Christ, not merely avoiding sin, but loving Jesus. The point is the Jews were celebrating sin, not unlike many Christians today.
You have wearied him by saying that all who do evil are good in the LORD’s sight, and he is pleased with them. You have wearied him by asking, “Where is the God of justice?” (Malachi 2:17b, NLT)
Second, they were asking, “Where is the God of justice?” Have you ever heard someone blame God for their problems? Where is the God of justice?…while their poor choices have done them in. No wonder God was weary! In a moment we’ll see how God addresses the claim that He is either absent or unjust.
Now that we’ve looked at that verse, let’s move on to chapter 3! It doesn’t get any easier. God warns of the coming judgment.
“Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. (Malachi 3:1, NLT)
This sounds like good news, right? God’s messenger is coming! Actually, there seem to be two messengers. Jesus quotes this passage in Matthew 11:9-10 and Luke 7:27, referring to John the Baptist, the one who will prepare the way. Then the messenger of the covenant will come. This appears to be none other than Jesus the Messiah, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. Malachi describes the second coming of Christ.
“But who will be able to endure it when he comes? Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes. 3 He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the LORD. (Malachi 3:2-3, NLT)
This is a sobering, powerful message, family. Clean hands and a pure heart are what God seeks, and purification is necessary, a refiner’s fire.
The Refiner’s Fire
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: ‘He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.’ (Malachi 3:3) She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, ‘How do you know when the silver is fully refined?’ He smiled at her and answered, ‘Oh, that’s easy — when I see my image in it.’
This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God’” (Zechariah 13:9).
“See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction” (Isaiah 48:10).
The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart (Proverbs 17:3).
For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver (Psalm 66:10).
Purify (testing/fire) and cleanse (soap) like silver and gold.
After the purifying…
Then once more the LORD will accept the offerings brought to him by the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as he did in the past. (Malachi 3:4, NLT)
Hallelujah! The worshipers are purified and cleansed, acceptable to the LORD. But there’s more. They want the God of justice? He’s going to judge!
“At that time I will put you on trial. I am eager to witness against all sorcerers and adulterers and liars. I will speak against those who cheat employees of their wages, who oppress widows and orphans, or who deprive the foreigners living among you of justice, for these people do not fear me,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. (Malachi 3:5, NLT)
He's going to judge, and He mentions four things in particular: sorcerers, adulterers, liars, and oppressors, those who treat employees, widows, orphans, or foreigners/immigrants poorly. These things are still detestable to God, and we see it all over, don’t we? The occult is celebrated in many ways. Adultery sounds like an old-fashioned term for what everybody’s doing. We don’t like liars, but only tell “little white lies,” right? How have we treated laborers, widows, orphans, refugees?
Judgment is coming…for all of us. Are you ready?
So What?
There’s good news and bad news. The good news is that the Father sent Jesus to die on the cross to make forgiveness and purification possible. We all sin and fall short of God’s standard, but He has made a way for us to be reconciled to Him—and one another—through Jesus.
The bad news is so many have rejected God…even people who think they are Christians or “saved” because they prayed a prayer as a child. The invitation of Jesus is not pray a prayer so you can go to heaven when you die. It’s follow me, be with me, do life with me…it’s about a relationship. How’s that going for you? How is your soul?
Remember from two weeks ago in chapter 2, the Jews had intermarried with people from other religions. They had abandoned God and turned to sorcery, adultery, and lies. Every day is a new opportunity to follow Jesus or ignore Him. It’s like a marriage. It doesn’t end when you say, “I do.” That’s only the beginning, and the relationship must be cultivated every day.
Perhaps you’ve been going through the motions, mailing it in, so to speak. I’ve found myself doing that, at times. Just because I avoid doing bad things doesn’t mean I’ve necessarily been obedient, either. Following Jesus is more than just playing by the rules, avoiding murder, adultery, lying, and the like. It also means loving well…God and others. It means caring for the widow, stranger, and orphan. It involved surrendering my time, talents, and treasures for His glory, His Kingdom, His Church. Following Jesus even means surrendering my body, my dreams, and my comforts.
The good news, of course, is God’s grace. Forgiveness is available to every one of you. There’s nothing you’ve done that’s beyond God’s mercy. Each time we gather is an opportunity to be reminded that He’s God and we’re not, that we all fall short and miss the mark, and that we have a loving Father with arms wide open to extend grace and forgiveness if we come to Him, if we repent, if we turn from our sin, and do life with Jesus.
Family, I love you and I want what’s best for you. So does God. I don’t get it right all of the time, but that’s my desire. What is your next step in following Jesus? What do you need to surrender?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Unfaithful, 26 February 2023
28 02 23
Unfaithful
Honor: The Book of Malachi
Malachi 2:1-16
Series Big Idea: The last book of the Jewish Bible (Old Testament) offers challenging words about bringing honor to the LORD.
Big Idea: Our faithful God calls us to be faithful…to Him and one another.
What is your favorite attribute of God? We know God is love. He is holy. He is righteous and just. He is ever-present, all-powerful, and all-knowing. My favorite aspect of God’s character is His faithfulness. My favorite hymn declares Great is Thy Faithfulness.
Faithful. Full of faith. Remaining loyal and steadfast. True. Devoted. Unwavering. Constant. Does that describe God? Does that describe you?
Last Sunday, Pastor Donald kicked off Honor, our series on the book of Malachi, the last book in the Jewish Bible, the Old Testament. It’s important to understand the context. Malachi is a powerful, prophetic message to God’s people who have been unfaithful to Him…and chapter two begins with a warning to the priests.
“Listen, you priests—this command is for you! (Malachi 2:1, NLT)
I wish priests, pastors, Christian leaders were known as the most godly people in the community. It breaks my heart every time I hear of the moral failure of minister…and yet I know I fall short. I’m not perfect. I need God’s forgiveness, grace, and mercy for my pride, my selfishness, my lack of faith, my worry,…
Listen to me and make up your minds to honor my name,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “or I will bring a terrible curse against you. I will curse even the blessings you receive. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you have not taken my warning to heart. (Malachi 2:2, NLT)
One role of Old Testament priests was pronouncing blessings on God’s people, but God threatens to turn them into curses.
I will punish your descendants and splatter your faces with the manure from your festival sacrifices, and I will throw you on the manure pile. 4 Then at last you will know it was I who sent you this warning so that my covenant with the Levites can continue,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. (Malachi 2:3-4, NLT)
God doesn’t sound happy! God hates religion, or at least half-hearted, when-it’s-convenient, going-through-the-motions activity. Have you ever done this? Maybe you’re there right now…here not to truly pursue God, but to do your religious duty for the week. The priests were not honoring God, so God was threatening to make them unclean, literally and figuratively.
This text was not written to us, obviously. It was written to a people almost 2500 years ago, but there are common patterns humans seem to engage, regardless of time or culture.
Back in November, I mentioned Pastor Soper’s summary of the cycle the people of Israel went through during the Old Testament.
Israel forgets God >>> Israel forsakes God >>> Israel worships other gods >>> God sends judgment upon Israel >>> Israel cries out to God >>> God raises up a deliverer >>> God saves Israel >>> Israel pledges to serve God >>> [repeat]
Perhaps this same cycle is relevant today. If so, where are we? Where are you?
I want to stress we’re still looking at warnings to the priests.
“The purpose of my covenant with the Levites was to bring life and peace, and that is what I gave them. This required reverence from them, and they greatly revered me and stood in awe of my name. 6 They passed on to the people the truth of the instructions they received from me. They did not lie or cheat; they walked with me, living good and righteous lives, and they turned many from lives of sin. (Malachi 2:5-6, NLT)
That’s what Old Testament priests were supposed to do. They were to teach the Law and acts as messengers of God. Today, the role of the priests and clergy is first to set an example for others to follow (“Follow me as I follow Christ,” Paul wrote) and then to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry. This is known as the priesthood of all believers. We are all called to be priests, to be missionaries, to make disciples, to worship God with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, and all of our strength. We are all called to love our neighbors as ourselves.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10, NLT)
But back to the Old Testament priests…
“The words of a priest’s lips should preserve knowledge of God, and people should go to him for instruction, for the priest is the messenger of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. (Malachi 2:7, NLT)
Then we have that all-too common preposition.
But you priests have left God’s paths. Your instructions have caused many to stumble into sin. You have corrupted the covenant I made with the Levites,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 9 “So I have made you despised and humiliated in the eyes of all the people. For you have not obeyed me but have shown favoritism in the way you carry out my instructions.” (Malachi 2:8-9, NLT)
This is sobering, especially for a professional Christian like me! But this is relevant for you, too. Have you caused anyone to sin? Have you wandered from the LORD? Is your life one worth imitating?
Now the message shifts from the priests to all believers, what is known as the third oracle of Malachi…three questions.
Are we not all children of the same Father? Are we not all created by the same God? Then why do we betray each other, violating the covenant of our ancestors? (Malachi 2:10, NLT)
These people have one Father, a reference to God or possibly Abraham. They are all masterpieces created by the same God, but they’ve been unfaithful not only to God, but to one another.
Judah has been unfaithful, and a detestable thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. The men of Judah have defiled the LORD’s beloved sanctuary by marrying women who worship idols. 12 May the LORD cut off from the nation of Israel every last man who has done this and yet brings an offering to the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. (Malachi 2:11-12, NLT)
They have been detestable! History is filled with people—men and women—who have been led astray by their spouses. The Jews were not to marry those of other faiths because God knew their hearts would be led astray. There are many examples of this, both then and now, and the penalty was strict…cut off from the nation, either a literal death or that they would have no descendants. The reference to offerings is yet another declaration that religious activity without obedience is worthless. To obey is better than sacrifice. God wants all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength…24/7/365, not just an hour on Sunday. But let’s go back to the point of this detestable thing…intermarrying with pagans, with those who worship other gods. You are your friends. Choose wisely. This is why Paul wrote,
Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14, NLT)
We often apply this to dating, forbidding Christians from marrying non-Christians. This is so vital. There are some unusual examples of “missionary dating” being successful, but too often well-meaning Christians dating non-Christians are lured into abandoning their faith. This command could be relevant in other relationships, too. This does not mean we are to avoid unbelievers. We are simply not to be influenced by them. Light should penetrate the darkness, not the other way around. Someone said, “When Jesus hung out with sinners…they changed. He didn’t.” We are to be in the world, but not of it.
When we talk about the holiness of God, we’re speaking of how He is set apart, distinct, different. It is our calling, too…all of us. We are not supposed to act like the world. We are not supposed to do what they do, but rather live an alternative lifestyle of righteousness, integrity, generosity, compassion, and most of all love.
I get angry when I hear accounts of so-called Christians behaving just like the world, seeking power for their sake, ignoring those in need, embracing lifestyles forbidden in scripture, spewing pride, and even promoting violence. There’s a great scene in the tenth chapter of Mark. James and John, two of the disciples, asked Jesus if they could sit on his right and left in his glory.
Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. (Mark 10:42, NIV)
Power is seductive. It is attractive. It’s one of the greatest temptations. Jesus continues,
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:43-45, NIV)
The Bible is true. Every word. Problems arise when we ignore the Bible or misunderstand it. Some statements—especially in the Old Testament—applied to particular people in a particular time, but Jesus’ words are usually universal, and this is clearly the case here.
Most of us love the idea of being a servant…until we’re treated like one! Jesus is our perfect example, and its only by knowing Jesus and being filled with the Holy Spirit that we can become like Jesus. It’s not about trying harder. It’s not the result of a new year’s resolution or a self-help book. You are your friends. Choose wisely. Choose Jesus. Now another subject emerges.
Here is another thing you do. You cover the LORD’s altar with tears, weeping and groaning because he pays no attention to your offerings and doesn’t accept them with pleasure. (Malachi 2:13, NLT)
When is the last time you cried out to God? What makes you weep? What causes you to groan in desperation? Sometimes God’s response to our prayers is related to our obedience…or disobedience. I am not saying if you’re a good boy or girl God will grant your every wish. I’m not saying if your prayers aren’t answered how and when you want, it’s the result of sin. But in this case, God identifies the problem with their worship. Their crocodile tears are not the result of sincere worship. They have been unfaithful.
You cry out, “Why doesn’t the LORD accept my worship?” I’ll tell you why! Because the LORD witnessed the vows you and your wife made when you were young. But you have been unfaithful to her, though she remained your faithful partner, the wife of your marriage vows. (Malachi 2:14, NLT)
Wait, God cares about my marriage? He cares about my faithfulness to my spouse? In a word, yes!
Didn’t the LORD make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth. (Malachi 2:15, NLT)
Most of you who are married made vows, not only to your spouse, but also to God. It’s one thing to break a promise to a person, but another to be unfaithful to God.
If you’re married, are you honoring your vows? Are you faithful in sickness and in health? I have to admit when I spoke those words almost 33 years ago, I didn’t imagine pushing a wheelchair all winter. I never imagined COVID. I didn’t anticipate surgeries. And I have no regrets!
Better or worse. We never really think about the worse part. What if a child is seriously sick. What happens when a career change is made, a job relocation, a car breakdown, or mental illness in the family? How do you respond when your husband drives over your foot with your Jeep in front of the church building?!
Richer or poorer. I suppose this one is easy for young couples to envision since they’re often poor as church mice like Heather and I were when we got married.
Married people, guard your heart. Protect your marriage. Kindle your romance. Remain loyal to your spouse…even when you don’t feel like it. Be faithful.
I want to pause for a moment and address those of you who are not married. If you’ve never been married, I want to say I’m sorry…not because you’re single, but because of the way Christians and churches often treat singleness as some kind of disease…when the Bible clearly teaches it is better for some not to marry. Marriage is not the fix-all, cure-all guaranteed to “complete you.” It’s hard work. It can take your focus off God if you’re not careful. There’s nothing wrong with you if you’re single, whether you choose it or haven’t met the right person yet. Married people, let’s stop treating singles as second-class citizens. Instead, let’s welcome them into our families. Let’s do life with them.
Some of you are unmarried as a result of death. I’m so sorry for your loss and pray God floods your life with peace and comfort.
Some of you are unmarried as a result of divorce. Malachi addresses you, too.
“For I hate divorce!” says the LORD, the God of Israel. “To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. “So guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to your wife.” (Malachi 2:16, NLT)
God hates divorce, but He does not hate divorcees. There are many reasons why people get divorced, some permitted by scripture, others not. Many divorcees never wanted a divorce. Those seeking divorce to end all of their problems are often disappointed. Divorce is messy…and expensive…and often inevitable. God hates it because He knows the pain it causes. It violates His plan for a man and woman to be one and, frequently, create a family together. Marriage is a beautiful symbol of His relationship with His people.
If you’re married, guard your heart and be faithful to your spouse.
If you’re single, embrace the benefits of your marital status. Single parents, I realize this is especially challenging. You have the toughest job in the world, but remember you’re a part of a family. Get connected to a Life Group. Take some initiative. If you’re new around here, come to the After Party today. We see you. God sees you. You don’t have to do this by yourself. You weren’t meant to do this by yourself. We were all created for community. We are different part of the body of Christ and we need one another, We need to be faithful to one another, and faithful to God.
If you are seeking a perfect mate, focus on being the perfect mate…and be patient.
If you’re divorced, receive God’s grace, mercy, and healing.
God hates divorce because it hurts people. It may be necessary, but it still causes pain.
God’s vision is for family is clear from the opening pages of the Bible: one man and one woman may marry, which often leads to children. Single people are to remain committed to celibacy.
But the message of this text is more than the faithfulness of a husband and wife. It’s about the relationship between God and Israel. The prophets spoke numerous times about God divorcing Israel, His “wife,” for unfaithfulness.
Our faithful God calls all of us to be faithful…to Him and one another. He is good. Hallelujah!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Honor: The Book of Malachi
Malachi 2:1-16
Series Big Idea: The last book of the Jewish Bible (Old Testament) offers challenging words about bringing honor to the LORD.
Big Idea: Our faithful God calls us to be faithful…to Him and one another.
What is your favorite attribute of God? We know God is love. He is holy. He is righteous and just. He is ever-present, all-powerful, and all-knowing. My favorite aspect of God’s character is His faithfulness. My favorite hymn declares Great is Thy Faithfulness.
Faithful. Full of faith. Remaining loyal and steadfast. True. Devoted. Unwavering. Constant. Does that describe God? Does that describe you?
Last Sunday, Pastor Donald kicked off Honor, our series on the book of Malachi, the last book in the Jewish Bible, the Old Testament. It’s important to understand the context. Malachi is a powerful, prophetic message to God’s people who have been unfaithful to Him…and chapter two begins with a warning to the priests.
“Listen, you priests—this command is for you! (Malachi 2:1, NLT)
I wish priests, pastors, Christian leaders were known as the most godly people in the community. It breaks my heart every time I hear of the moral failure of minister…and yet I know I fall short. I’m not perfect. I need God’s forgiveness, grace, and mercy for my pride, my selfishness, my lack of faith, my worry,…
Listen to me and make up your minds to honor my name,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “or I will bring a terrible curse against you. I will curse even the blessings you receive. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you have not taken my warning to heart. (Malachi 2:2, NLT)
One role of Old Testament priests was pronouncing blessings on God’s people, but God threatens to turn them into curses.
I will punish your descendants and splatter your faces with the manure from your festival sacrifices, and I will throw you on the manure pile. 4 Then at last you will know it was I who sent you this warning so that my covenant with the Levites can continue,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. (Malachi 2:3-4, NLT)
God doesn’t sound happy! God hates religion, or at least half-hearted, when-it’s-convenient, going-through-the-motions activity. Have you ever done this? Maybe you’re there right now…here not to truly pursue God, but to do your religious duty for the week. The priests were not honoring God, so God was threatening to make them unclean, literally and figuratively.
This text was not written to us, obviously. It was written to a people almost 2500 years ago, but there are common patterns humans seem to engage, regardless of time or culture.
Back in November, I mentioned Pastor Soper’s summary of the cycle the people of Israel went through during the Old Testament.
Israel forgets God >>> Israel forsakes God >>> Israel worships other gods >>> God sends judgment upon Israel >>> Israel cries out to God >>> God raises up a deliverer >>> God saves Israel >>> Israel pledges to serve God >>> [repeat]
Perhaps this same cycle is relevant today. If so, where are we? Where are you?
I want to stress we’re still looking at warnings to the priests.
“The purpose of my covenant with the Levites was to bring life and peace, and that is what I gave them. This required reverence from them, and they greatly revered me and stood in awe of my name. 6 They passed on to the people the truth of the instructions they received from me. They did not lie or cheat; they walked with me, living good and righteous lives, and they turned many from lives of sin. (Malachi 2:5-6, NLT)
That’s what Old Testament priests were supposed to do. They were to teach the Law and acts as messengers of God. Today, the role of the priests and clergy is first to set an example for others to follow (“Follow me as I follow Christ,” Paul wrote) and then to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry. This is known as the priesthood of all believers. We are all called to be priests, to be missionaries, to make disciples, to worship God with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, and all of our strength. We are all called to love our neighbors as ourselves.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10, NLT)
But back to the Old Testament priests…
“The words of a priest’s lips should preserve knowledge of God, and people should go to him for instruction, for the priest is the messenger of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. (Malachi 2:7, NLT)
Then we have that all-too common preposition.
But you priests have left God’s paths. Your instructions have caused many to stumble into sin. You have corrupted the covenant I made with the Levites,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 9 “So I have made you despised and humiliated in the eyes of all the people. For you have not obeyed me but have shown favoritism in the way you carry out my instructions.” (Malachi 2:8-9, NLT)
This is sobering, especially for a professional Christian like me! But this is relevant for you, too. Have you caused anyone to sin? Have you wandered from the LORD? Is your life one worth imitating?
Now the message shifts from the priests to all believers, what is known as the third oracle of Malachi…three questions.
Are we not all children of the same Father? Are we not all created by the same God? Then why do we betray each other, violating the covenant of our ancestors? (Malachi 2:10, NLT)
These people have one Father, a reference to God or possibly Abraham. They are all masterpieces created by the same God, but they’ve been unfaithful not only to God, but to one another.
Judah has been unfaithful, and a detestable thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. The men of Judah have defiled the LORD’s beloved sanctuary by marrying women who worship idols. 12 May the LORD cut off from the nation of Israel every last man who has done this and yet brings an offering to the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. (Malachi 2:11-12, NLT)
They have been detestable! History is filled with people—men and women—who have been led astray by their spouses. The Jews were not to marry those of other faiths because God knew their hearts would be led astray. There are many examples of this, both then and now, and the penalty was strict…cut off from the nation, either a literal death or that they would have no descendants. The reference to offerings is yet another declaration that religious activity without obedience is worthless. To obey is better than sacrifice. God wants all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength…24/7/365, not just an hour on Sunday. But let’s go back to the point of this detestable thing…intermarrying with pagans, with those who worship other gods. You are your friends. Choose wisely. This is why Paul wrote,
Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14, NLT)
We often apply this to dating, forbidding Christians from marrying non-Christians. This is so vital. There are some unusual examples of “missionary dating” being successful, but too often well-meaning Christians dating non-Christians are lured into abandoning their faith. This command could be relevant in other relationships, too. This does not mean we are to avoid unbelievers. We are simply not to be influenced by them. Light should penetrate the darkness, not the other way around. Someone said, “When Jesus hung out with sinners…they changed. He didn’t.” We are to be in the world, but not of it.
When we talk about the holiness of God, we’re speaking of how He is set apart, distinct, different. It is our calling, too…all of us. We are not supposed to act like the world. We are not supposed to do what they do, but rather live an alternative lifestyle of righteousness, integrity, generosity, compassion, and most of all love.
I get angry when I hear accounts of so-called Christians behaving just like the world, seeking power for their sake, ignoring those in need, embracing lifestyles forbidden in scripture, spewing pride, and even promoting violence. There’s a great scene in the tenth chapter of Mark. James and John, two of the disciples, asked Jesus if they could sit on his right and left in his glory.
Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. (Mark 10:42, NIV)
Power is seductive. It is attractive. It’s one of the greatest temptations. Jesus continues,
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:43-45, NIV)
The Bible is true. Every word. Problems arise when we ignore the Bible or misunderstand it. Some statements—especially in the Old Testament—applied to particular people in a particular time, but Jesus’ words are usually universal, and this is clearly the case here.
Most of us love the idea of being a servant…until we’re treated like one! Jesus is our perfect example, and its only by knowing Jesus and being filled with the Holy Spirit that we can become like Jesus. It’s not about trying harder. It’s not the result of a new year’s resolution or a self-help book. You are your friends. Choose wisely. Choose Jesus. Now another subject emerges.
Here is another thing you do. You cover the LORD’s altar with tears, weeping and groaning because he pays no attention to your offerings and doesn’t accept them with pleasure. (Malachi 2:13, NLT)
When is the last time you cried out to God? What makes you weep? What causes you to groan in desperation? Sometimes God’s response to our prayers is related to our obedience…or disobedience. I am not saying if you’re a good boy or girl God will grant your every wish. I’m not saying if your prayers aren’t answered how and when you want, it’s the result of sin. But in this case, God identifies the problem with their worship. Their crocodile tears are not the result of sincere worship. They have been unfaithful.
You cry out, “Why doesn’t the LORD accept my worship?” I’ll tell you why! Because the LORD witnessed the vows you and your wife made when you were young. But you have been unfaithful to her, though she remained your faithful partner, the wife of your marriage vows. (Malachi 2:14, NLT)
Wait, God cares about my marriage? He cares about my faithfulness to my spouse? In a word, yes!
Didn’t the LORD make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth. (Malachi 2:15, NLT)
Most of you who are married made vows, not only to your spouse, but also to God. It’s one thing to break a promise to a person, but another to be unfaithful to God.
If you’re married, are you honoring your vows? Are you faithful in sickness and in health? I have to admit when I spoke those words almost 33 years ago, I didn’t imagine pushing a wheelchair all winter. I never imagined COVID. I didn’t anticipate surgeries. And I have no regrets!
Better or worse. We never really think about the worse part. What if a child is seriously sick. What happens when a career change is made, a job relocation, a car breakdown, or mental illness in the family? How do you respond when your husband drives over your foot with your Jeep in front of the church building?!
Richer or poorer. I suppose this one is easy for young couples to envision since they’re often poor as church mice like Heather and I were when we got married.
Married people, guard your heart. Protect your marriage. Kindle your romance. Remain loyal to your spouse…even when you don’t feel like it. Be faithful.
I want to pause for a moment and address those of you who are not married. If you’ve never been married, I want to say I’m sorry…not because you’re single, but because of the way Christians and churches often treat singleness as some kind of disease…when the Bible clearly teaches it is better for some not to marry. Marriage is not the fix-all, cure-all guaranteed to “complete you.” It’s hard work. It can take your focus off God if you’re not careful. There’s nothing wrong with you if you’re single, whether you choose it or haven’t met the right person yet. Married people, let’s stop treating singles as second-class citizens. Instead, let’s welcome them into our families. Let’s do life with them.
Some of you are unmarried as a result of death. I’m so sorry for your loss and pray God floods your life with peace and comfort.
Some of you are unmarried as a result of divorce. Malachi addresses you, too.
“For I hate divorce!” says the LORD, the God of Israel. “To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. “So guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to your wife.” (Malachi 2:16, NLT)
God hates divorce, but He does not hate divorcees. There are many reasons why people get divorced, some permitted by scripture, others not. Many divorcees never wanted a divorce. Those seeking divorce to end all of their problems are often disappointed. Divorce is messy…and expensive…and often inevitable. God hates it because He knows the pain it causes. It violates His plan for a man and woman to be one and, frequently, create a family together. Marriage is a beautiful symbol of His relationship with His people.
If you’re married, guard your heart and be faithful to your spouse.
If you’re single, embrace the benefits of your marital status. Single parents, I realize this is especially challenging. You have the toughest job in the world, but remember you’re a part of a family. Get connected to a Life Group. Take some initiative. If you’re new around here, come to the After Party today. We see you. God sees you. You don’t have to do this by yourself. You weren’t meant to do this by yourself. We were all created for community. We are different part of the body of Christ and we need one another, We need to be faithful to one another, and faithful to God.
If you are seeking a perfect mate, focus on being the perfect mate…and be patient.
If you’re divorced, receive God’s grace, mercy, and healing.
God hates divorce because it hurts people. It may be necessary, but it still causes pain.
God’s vision is for family is clear from the opening pages of the Bible: one man and one woman may marry, which often leads to children. Single people are to remain committed to celibacy.
But the message of this text is more than the faithfulness of a husband and wife. It’s about the relationship between God and Israel. The prophets spoke numerous times about God divorcing Israel, His “wife,” for unfaithfulness.
Our faithful God calls all of us to be faithful…to Him and one another. He is good. Hallelujah!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Prayer as an Expression of Hope, 5 February 2023
06 02 23
Prayer as an Expression of Hope
40 Days of Prayer
Matthew 6:13b; Mark 13:24-26
Series Big Idea: We are beginning the new year on our knees, joining other Alliance churches for 40 Days of Prayer.
Big Idea: Prayer produces hope as we are reminded of the power and glory of God.
Someone has said humans can go
40 days without food
3 days without water
8 minutes without air
1 second without hope
Author Lewis B. Smedes put it this way:
Hope is to our spirits what oxygen is to our lungs. Lose hope and you die. They may not bury you for a while, but without hope you are dead inside. The only way to face the future is to fly straight into it on the wings of hope…hope is the energy of the soul. Hope is the power of tomorrow.
Who could use a little more hope?
What exactly is hope? It is a verb. I can say, “I hope the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl next Sunday.” It is also a noun. We can be full of hope. The Greek word for hope used in the Bible is”elpis,” meaning to anticipate, usually with pleasure; expectation or confidence.
Like faith, the power of hope lies not in the person hoping, but rather the object of hope. I can hope this chair will hold me up, but I have no bearing on whether or not it breaks. That belongs to the chair and its strength.
You can hope for anything…a new car, a perfect spouse, a wonderful job, 80 degrees and sunny! In the business world, it has been said that hope is not a strategy…”I hope we start to make some sales so we don’t go bankrupt.”
Today we finish our 40 Days of Prayer series with our Christian & Missionary Alliance family.
We’ve been looking at the LORD’s Prayer, the prayer Jesus taught His disciples to pray.
We began with prayer as Worship:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name;
Then prayer as Kingdom Partnership:
thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.
Prayer as Petition:
Give us this day our daily bread.
Prayer as Confession:
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
Prayer as Spiritual Warfare:
And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
One of my frustrations about prayer is when people make it about a list instead of a relationship. Jason did a great job a few weeks ago preaching about “give us this day our daily bread.” We are to ask God for things. He’s a good, good Father who gives good gifts to His children. But a wish list is not a relationship. We were created to know God and be known by Him. Prayer is not just talking to God. It’s not just talking with God. I submit to you that prayer is doing life with God.
Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica,
Never stop praying. (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NLT)
How can we do that?
If I close my eyes and fold my hands while I drive my car…
How can I pray when I’m asleep?
How can I pray when I’m at work focusing on a project?
If prayer is something we do, we must surely stop.
If prayer is something we are, we can never stop praying.
Allow me to explain what I mean. Ever since I married Heather, I have been involved in a marriage. Date nights are a part of marriage. Phone calls and texts are a part of marriage. But I’m still married when I’m asleep. I’m still married when I’m out of town. I’m still married when I’m at the office. Why? Because marriage is about a relationship.
I have a different relationship with the barista at Biggby Coffee. I go there for a transaction…I ask for tea, I pay the barista, and they give me tea. Period.
Tragically, many treat prayer like a barista transaction. God, this is what I want. Give it to me. Now, please. If not, I will be angry, doubt You, or even abandon You.
Prayer is not about a transaction. Prayer is about a relationship, and relationships are not just what we do, but who we are.
It is vital for us to have “dates” with God where we set aside everything and focus on Him. For many, closing the eyes, bowing the head, and folding the hands can aid in that focus. But prayer doesn’t end when we say amen. Our relationship with God continues throughout the day and night.
Never stop praying. (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NLT)
Today’s theme is Prayer as an Expression of Hope:
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Why is this an expression of hope?
God and His Kingdom are forever.
Last week I was driving around my old stomping grounds in Ann Arbor. It’s been about seven and a half years since we moved from Michigan to Toledo, and in less than a decade, so much has changed. New people live in many of the homes in our old neighborhood. Stores I used to frequent have closed. I ate breakfast in a new restaurant in space that used to be a different establishment.
I drove by The Big House—Michigan Stadium—and what used to be a cutting edge, high tech video board has been taken down, most likely to be replaced by an even brighter, higher-definition one.
Everywhere we look, our world is changing. Few people stay at the same company throughout their career. Little people grow up to become big people. The weather is constantly changing. People even change spouses when their marriages fail.
It’s no wonder people are desperate for hope. One pastor recently wrote, “We no longer trust the government, the medical profession, the judicial system, our academic institutions, or our churches.”
But God and His Kingdom are forever! That’s real hope. One of Jesus’ best friends, Peter, wrote,
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (1 Peter 1:3, NIV)
A living hope. Jesus died to give us hope, forgiveness, peace, reconciliation to our heavenly Father, but then rose from the dead. That’s real power! That’s real hope!
When we hope in temporary things, we’ll always be disappointed. They become false hope. Paul said to his apprentice, Timothy…
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. (1 Timothy 6:17, NIV)
Followers of Jesus view their resources as something to steward, to share, not something to worship. Where is your hope today?
Even in the midst of trials, we can have hope. In fact, it is through trails that we encounter hope. Listen to these words:
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:3-5, NLT)
When is the last time you rejoiced over your problems and trials? It sounds crazy, right, but you can trust God’s Word to be true. None of us enjoy suffering, but suffering shapes us. It develops our character. It makes us stronger.
For the past five weeks or so, Heather has been using crutches due to a broken foot. The crutches are uncomfortable and she is using her arms in ways she’s never done before, but those muscles are getting stronger. In the same way, when we are tested, our character grows. Furthermore, we’re reminded of our weaknesses, how little we can control, and the hope of heaven. The hope of salvation. The hope of eternity with God.
Some of you are struggling right now, and I want to encourage you and tell you two things:
1. You are seen. God sees you. If you’ve shared with others, they see you. You are loved. You are accepted. You matter. You belong here. You are family. No matter what you’ve done.
2. Your story is not over. If you are a follower of Jesus, the best is yet to come. I promise! Here’s a glimpse of what’s ahead:
“At that time, after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory. (Mark 13:24-26, NLT)
That’s hope! That’s what we have to look forward to very soon! Be encouraged, family. This prayer in Romans perfectly describes how I feel about you.
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13, NLT)
Please open your Bibles to Matthew chapter 6. We’re going to look at the end of verse 13.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. (Matthew 6:13b, NKJV)
How many of you see that? How many of you don’t? This is called the doxology, and it’s missing in many Bible translations, though there’s probably a footnote somewhere. Let Dr. Scot McKnight explain:
Readers of most editions of the Bible will find a note that the best and earliest manuscripts do not have the commonly recited doxology at the end of the Lord’s Prayer: “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen” (KJV). Neither does Luke’s version of the Lord’s Prayer in Luke 11:1 – 4 have a doxology. Those words appear to have been formed on the basis of 1 Chronicles 29:11 – 13 by someone later than Jesus and the writing of the gospel of Matthew; the doxology was added to the Lord’s Prayer in public prayer, and then was gradually added to the text of the New Testament itself. We recite them today because the public recitation of the Lord’s Prayer seems incomplete without such an ending.
(The Story of God Bible Commentary)
It’s a fitting conclusion to the prayer, reminding us that God is worthy of our praise. He is all-powerful. There is evidence of His Kingdom breaking forth here on earth, but more is to come.
As we pray, we can praise and prepare for eternity.
The next life will be filled with music, praise, and adoration. I don’t expect to play a harp on a cloud, but we will certainly worship Almighty God. When we sing, we prepare. When we look back at Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and the miraculous resurrection, we are reminded of who he is and why he is worthy.
Jesus Messiah
All our hope is in you, Jesus, the light of the world!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
40 Days of Prayer
Matthew 6:13b; Mark 13:24-26
Series Big Idea: We are beginning the new year on our knees, joining other Alliance churches for 40 Days of Prayer.
Big Idea: Prayer produces hope as we are reminded of the power and glory of God.
Someone has said humans can go
40 days without food
3 days without water
8 minutes without air
1 second without hope
Author Lewis B. Smedes put it this way:
Hope is to our spirits what oxygen is to our lungs. Lose hope and you die. They may not bury you for a while, but without hope you are dead inside. The only way to face the future is to fly straight into it on the wings of hope…hope is the energy of the soul. Hope is the power of tomorrow.
Who could use a little more hope?
What exactly is hope? It is a verb. I can say, “I hope the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl next Sunday.” It is also a noun. We can be full of hope. The Greek word for hope used in the Bible is”elpis,” meaning to anticipate, usually with pleasure; expectation or confidence.
Like faith, the power of hope lies not in the person hoping, but rather the object of hope. I can hope this chair will hold me up, but I have no bearing on whether or not it breaks. That belongs to the chair and its strength.
You can hope for anything…a new car, a perfect spouse, a wonderful job, 80 degrees and sunny! In the business world, it has been said that hope is not a strategy…”I hope we start to make some sales so we don’t go bankrupt.”
Today we finish our 40 Days of Prayer series with our Christian & Missionary Alliance family.
We’ve been looking at the LORD’s Prayer, the prayer Jesus taught His disciples to pray.
We began with prayer as Worship:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name;
Then prayer as Kingdom Partnership:
thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.
Prayer as Petition:
Give us this day our daily bread.
Prayer as Confession:
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
Prayer as Spiritual Warfare:
And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
One of my frustrations about prayer is when people make it about a list instead of a relationship. Jason did a great job a few weeks ago preaching about “give us this day our daily bread.” We are to ask God for things. He’s a good, good Father who gives good gifts to His children. But a wish list is not a relationship. We were created to know God and be known by Him. Prayer is not just talking to God. It’s not just talking with God. I submit to you that prayer is doing life with God.
Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica,
Never stop praying. (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NLT)
How can we do that?
If I close my eyes and fold my hands while I drive my car…
How can I pray when I’m asleep?
How can I pray when I’m at work focusing on a project?
If prayer is something we do, we must surely stop.
If prayer is something we are, we can never stop praying.
Allow me to explain what I mean. Ever since I married Heather, I have been involved in a marriage. Date nights are a part of marriage. Phone calls and texts are a part of marriage. But I’m still married when I’m asleep. I’m still married when I’m out of town. I’m still married when I’m at the office. Why? Because marriage is about a relationship.
I have a different relationship with the barista at Biggby Coffee. I go there for a transaction…I ask for tea, I pay the barista, and they give me tea. Period.
Tragically, many treat prayer like a barista transaction. God, this is what I want. Give it to me. Now, please. If not, I will be angry, doubt You, or even abandon You.
Prayer is not about a transaction. Prayer is about a relationship, and relationships are not just what we do, but who we are.
It is vital for us to have “dates” with God where we set aside everything and focus on Him. For many, closing the eyes, bowing the head, and folding the hands can aid in that focus. But prayer doesn’t end when we say amen. Our relationship with God continues throughout the day and night.
Never stop praying. (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NLT)
Today’s theme is Prayer as an Expression of Hope:
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Why is this an expression of hope?
God and His Kingdom are forever.
Last week I was driving around my old stomping grounds in Ann Arbor. It’s been about seven and a half years since we moved from Michigan to Toledo, and in less than a decade, so much has changed. New people live in many of the homes in our old neighborhood. Stores I used to frequent have closed. I ate breakfast in a new restaurant in space that used to be a different establishment.
I drove by The Big House—Michigan Stadium—and what used to be a cutting edge, high tech video board has been taken down, most likely to be replaced by an even brighter, higher-definition one.
Everywhere we look, our world is changing. Few people stay at the same company throughout their career. Little people grow up to become big people. The weather is constantly changing. People even change spouses when their marriages fail.
It’s no wonder people are desperate for hope. One pastor recently wrote, “We no longer trust the government, the medical profession, the judicial system, our academic institutions, or our churches.”
But God and His Kingdom are forever! That’s real hope. One of Jesus’ best friends, Peter, wrote,
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (1 Peter 1:3, NIV)
A living hope. Jesus died to give us hope, forgiveness, peace, reconciliation to our heavenly Father, but then rose from the dead. That’s real power! That’s real hope!
When we hope in temporary things, we’ll always be disappointed. They become false hope. Paul said to his apprentice, Timothy…
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. (1 Timothy 6:17, NIV)
Followers of Jesus view their resources as something to steward, to share, not something to worship. Where is your hope today?
Even in the midst of trials, we can have hope. In fact, it is through trails that we encounter hope. Listen to these words:
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:3-5, NLT)
When is the last time you rejoiced over your problems and trials? It sounds crazy, right, but you can trust God’s Word to be true. None of us enjoy suffering, but suffering shapes us. It develops our character. It makes us stronger.
For the past five weeks or so, Heather has been using crutches due to a broken foot. The crutches are uncomfortable and she is using her arms in ways she’s never done before, but those muscles are getting stronger. In the same way, when we are tested, our character grows. Furthermore, we’re reminded of our weaknesses, how little we can control, and the hope of heaven. The hope of salvation. The hope of eternity with God.
Some of you are struggling right now, and I want to encourage you and tell you two things:
1. You are seen. God sees you. If you’ve shared with others, they see you. You are loved. You are accepted. You matter. You belong here. You are family. No matter what you’ve done.
2. Your story is not over. If you are a follower of Jesus, the best is yet to come. I promise! Here’s a glimpse of what’s ahead:
“At that time, after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory. (Mark 13:24-26, NLT)
That’s hope! That’s what we have to look forward to very soon! Be encouraged, family. This prayer in Romans perfectly describes how I feel about you.
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13, NLT)
Please open your Bibles to Matthew chapter 6. We’re going to look at the end of verse 13.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. (Matthew 6:13b, NKJV)
How many of you see that? How many of you don’t? This is called the doxology, and it’s missing in many Bible translations, though there’s probably a footnote somewhere. Let Dr. Scot McKnight explain:
Readers of most editions of the Bible will find a note that the best and earliest manuscripts do not have the commonly recited doxology at the end of the Lord’s Prayer: “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen” (KJV). Neither does Luke’s version of the Lord’s Prayer in Luke 11:1 – 4 have a doxology. Those words appear to have been formed on the basis of 1 Chronicles 29:11 – 13 by someone later than Jesus and the writing of the gospel of Matthew; the doxology was added to the Lord’s Prayer in public prayer, and then was gradually added to the text of the New Testament itself. We recite them today because the public recitation of the Lord’s Prayer seems incomplete without such an ending.
(The Story of God Bible Commentary)
It’s a fitting conclusion to the prayer, reminding us that God is worthy of our praise. He is all-powerful. There is evidence of His Kingdom breaking forth here on earth, but more is to come.
As we pray, we can praise and prepare for eternity.
The next life will be filled with music, praise, and adoration. I don’t expect to play a harp on a cloud, but we will certainly worship Almighty God. When we sing, we prepare. When we look back at Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and the miraculous resurrection, we are reminded of who he is and why he is worthy.
Jesus Messiah
All our hope is in you, Jesus, the light of the world!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Prayer as Confession, 22 January 2023
29 01 23
Prayer as Confession
40 Days of Prayer
2 Samuel 11; Matthew 6:12; Psalm 51:1-17
Series Big Idea: We are beginning the new year on our knees, joining other Alliance churches for 40 Days of Prayer.
Big Idea: Confession is a vital, liberating component of prayer.
What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done? Cheery question, right?! You’re in good company. The book of Romans says,
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. (Romans 3:23, NLT)
Sin is “any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God” (1 John 3:4; Rom. 4:15), in the inward state and habit of the soul, as well as in the outward conduct of the life, whether by omission or commission (Rom. 6:12-17; 7:5-24). (Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary)
What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done? All sin leads to death. All sin is harmful…to us and/or others. All sin is an offense against God. While any sin is enough to break the intended relationship between us and God, not all sins have equal consequences in this life. Going 61 miles an hour in a 60 will not have the same impact on our lives as going 100 miles an hour and crashing into a church nursery!
What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done? Whatever it is, you’re in good company.
Jacob was a cheater.
Peter had a temper and denied Jesus.
Noah got drunk.
Jonah ran from God.
Paul was responsible for murder.
Miriam was a gossip.
Martha was a worrier.
Samson was a womanizer.
Rahab was a prostitute.
But one of the greatest figures in human history was involved in lust, likely rape, adultery, fathering a child out of wedlock, getting someone drunk, lying, and pre-meditated murder…in one story…and was still forgiven. His name: King David.
PRAY
The story is epic.
In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 11:1, NLT)
Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 3 He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4 Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. 5 Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.” In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 11:2-5, NLT)
This is the second time we’re told David stayed behind in Jerusalem…and plans a cover-up.
Then David sent word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent him to David. 7 When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the army were getting along and how the war was progressing. 8 Then he told Uriah, “Go on home and relax.” David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace. 9 But Uriah didn’t go home. He slept that night at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard. (2 Samuel 11:6-9, NLT)
When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he summoned him and asked, “What’s the matter? Why didn’t you go home last night after being away for so long?” (2 Samuel 11:10, NLT)
Uriah replied, “The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents, and Joab and my master’s men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife? I swear that I would never do such a thing.” (2 Samuel 11:11, NLT)
“Well, stay here today,” David told him, “and tomorrow you may return to the army.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn’t get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard. (2 Samuel 11:12-13, NLT)
So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. 15 The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” 16 So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting. 17 And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers. (2 Samuel 11:14-17, NLT)
Lust, likely rape, adultery, fathering a child out of wedlock, getting someone drunk, lying, and pre-meditated murder. What follows—after a confrontation by Nathan the prophet—is confession…and forgiveness.
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin. (Psalm 51:1-2, NIV)
What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done? Imagine it is blotted out. Imagine God washes it away. Imagine He no longer even knows what you’re talking about! That’s what King David was seeking. That’s what we all desire, right?
The king (eventually) acknowledged his sin. He confessed it. He came clean.
Do you find confession to be easy? Why or why not? I often find it easier to rationalize, to be defensive, to excuse my sins…it’s not that big of a deal…I didn’t kill anyone…people on TV do worse things…
But there’s freedom when we ‘fess up.
Confession is a vital, liberating component of prayer.
It’s the pathway to forgiveness . One of the most beautiful promises in the Bible says,
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9, NIV)
This is a conditional promise. If we confess. The psalmist offers a brilliant picture of that forgiveness.
as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12, NIV)
Is that good news? It’s why Jesus came, died, and rose.
We all experience the guilt associated with our sins. The number one reason people feel guilty is…because they’re guilty! But there’s hope for the person who has surrendered their life to Jesus Christ, accepted the reality of his life, death, and resurrection. What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
I could talk about this for hours! The reason the cross has become the symbol of our faith is because it represents both the incredible sacrifice of Jesus and the incredible hope for us. Hallelujah!
Confession is vital, but there’s more. We must repent, turn, change.
Have you ever heard a parent say to a child, “Say you’re sorry” and the child responded, “Sorry!”?
Have you ever had someone apologize to you for the same thing…over and over?
It’s easy to question the sincerity. “Sorry” is not a magic word. True reconciliation is rooted in authenticity and sincerity. This doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll never do it again, but we must genuinely seek change. This is why we offer Celebrate Recovery on Wednesday nights. It’s usually not enough to try harder. We need help. We need support. We need prayer. We need others. We certainly need the power of God.
In Psalm 51, David doesn’t just say, “Sorry.” A few verses later he says,
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
He wants restoration. Our mission is “restoring God’s masterpieces.” He wants the relationship with God that was broken by sin to be mended. He doesn’t stop there. He is changed by forgiveness.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.
He wants others to confess and experience the joy of forgiveness. Good news needs to be shared! If you’ve been forgiven, let others know the same freedom and cleansing is available to them.
David offers praise and worship to God as a result of our forgiveness, and we should, too.
That’s all background for today’s scripture!!!
As we continue our 40 Days of Prayer series on what we call the LORD’s Prayer, out text for today simply says,
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. (Matthew 6:12, NIV)
Another translation says,
and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. (Matthew 6:12, NLT)
Debts. Sins. Trespasses. They can generally be used interchangeably. This is a fascinating verse. We are to ask God to forgive us our sins, but there’s more. There’s an understanding—an assumption— that we have forgiven others. It’s as if Jesus is saying forgiveness is available, but don’t hoard it.
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:9, NIV)
We’ve been blessed to be a blessing.
We’ve been forgiven in order to be able to forgive.
We have a role to play in forgiveness. It begins with confession, but it seems greater than that.
I’ve noticed when it comes to prayer, we often want God to do all of the work. We might pray, “Feed the hungry, LORD” and God says, “You feed the hungry!” We may pray, “LORD, help me ace the exam tomorrow” and He responds, “Did you study?!”
Some of you have bought this lie of what some call cheap grace. It goes something like this: pray this magical prayer and then do whatever you want for the rest of your life. That’s not following Jesus. That’s not true repentance, turning from your sin. That’s not sincere confession.
I am not suggesting we have to walk on eggshells or worry about our salvation, but I am saying the deeper life with Jesus is not passive. We are invited to participate, by loving God, by loving our neighbor as ourselves, by making disciples of all nations, by picking up our cross daily and following Jesus, …and by forgiving. We don’t earn forgiveness by forgiving, but if we have experienced God’s forgiveness, we will be ready to forgive others. One writer notes, “Forgiveness of others is proof that that disciple’s sins are forgiven and he or she possesses salvation.” (NIV Application Commentary) Jesus said,
Matt. 6:14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:14-15, NIV)
Wow! Someone said forgiveness is easy…until you have someone to forgive!
“But they don’t deserve to be forgiven.” True. Neither do you.
“But they hurt me.” True. Sin hurts.
“But I don’t have the power to forgive.” True. That’s why you need God and His forgiveness. You can’t give what you don’t have. Forgiven people forgive others.
One of Jesus’ best friends had a remarkable conversation with him.
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:21-22, NIV)
That doesn’t mean 490. Jesus meant for us to keep forgiving others as long as we want to be forgiven. The rest of Matthew 18 has more of Jesus’ teachings on forgiveness.
So What?
The message of our text is simple, but not easy.
and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. (Matthew 6:12, NLT)
God is quick to forgive, but he wants us to confess, to repent and turn away from sin, and to pass on forgiveness to others. What do you need to do today? Maybe you need to confess, to come clean, to get right with God. Perhaps you’re sick of confessing the same thing over and over and it’s time to take some serious action, to go to Celebrate Recovery, to share your struggle with a friend, to receive prayer from our elders. Some of you simply need to forgive…yourself or others. Jesus died to make that possible. Forgiveness brings freedom.
What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?
Maybe it’s refusing to forgive someone. Refusing to forgive is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. They might not even know you’re bitter. Today’s the day to forgive and get free. It doesn’t necessarily mean to trust, nor does it mean to forget, but it means to pass on the forgiveness you’ve received to others.
Maybe the worst thing you’ve ever done is refusing to forgive yourself. Is God a liar?
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. (1 John 1:9, NLT)
We’ve been forgiven and, therefore, have the power to forgive others and ourselves. Hallelujah!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
40 Days of Prayer
2 Samuel 11; Matthew 6:12; Psalm 51:1-17
Series Big Idea: We are beginning the new year on our knees, joining other Alliance churches for 40 Days of Prayer.
Big Idea: Confession is a vital, liberating component of prayer.
What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done? Cheery question, right?! You’re in good company. The book of Romans says,
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. (Romans 3:23, NLT)
Sin is “any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God” (1 John 3:4; Rom. 4:15), in the inward state and habit of the soul, as well as in the outward conduct of the life, whether by omission or commission (Rom. 6:12-17; 7:5-24). (Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary)
What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done? All sin leads to death. All sin is harmful…to us and/or others. All sin is an offense against God. While any sin is enough to break the intended relationship between us and God, not all sins have equal consequences in this life. Going 61 miles an hour in a 60 will not have the same impact on our lives as going 100 miles an hour and crashing into a church nursery!
What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done? Whatever it is, you’re in good company.
Jacob was a cheater.
Peter had a temper and denied Jesus.
Noah got drunk.
Jonah ran from God.
Paul was responsible for murder.
Miriam was a gossip.
Martha was a worrier.
Samson was a womanizer.
Rahab was a prostitute.
But one of the greatest figures in human history was involved in lust, likely rape, adultery, fathering a child out of wedlock, getting someone drunk, lying, and pre-meditated murder…in one story…and was still forgiven. His name: King David.
PRAY
The story is epic.
In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 11:1, NLT)
Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 3 He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4 Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. 5 Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.” In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 11:2-5, NLT)
This is the second time we’re told David stayed behind in Jerusalem…and plans a cover-up.
Then David sent word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent him to David. 7 When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the army were getting along and how the war was progressing. 8 Then he told Uriah, “Go on home and relax.” David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace. 9 But Uriah didn’t go home. He slept that night at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard. (2 Samuel 11:6-9, NLT)
When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he summoned him and asked, “What’s the matter? Why didn’t you go home last night after being away for so long?” (2 Samuel 11:10, NLT)
Uriah replied, “The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents, and Joab and my master’s men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife? I swear that I would never do such a thing.” (2 Samuel 11:11, NLT)
“Well, stay here today,” David told him, “and tomorrow you may return to the army.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn’t get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard. (2 Samuel 11:12-13, NLT)
So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. 15 The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” 16 So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting. 17 And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers. (2 Samuel 11:14-17, NLT)
Lust, likely rape, adultery, fathering a child out of wedlock, getting someone drunk, lying, and pre-meditated murder. What follows—after a confrontation by Nathan the prophet—is confession…and forgiveness.
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin. (Psalm 51:1-2, NIV)
What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done? Imagine it is blotted out. Imagine God washes it away. Imagine He no longer even knows what you’re talking about! That’s what King David was seeking. That’s what we all desire, right?
The king (eventually) acknowledged his sin. He confessed it. He came clean.
Do you find confession to be easy? Why or why not? I often find it easier to rationalize, to be defensive, to excuse my sins…it’s not that big of a deal…I didn’t kill anyone…people on TV do worse things…
But there’s freedom when we ‘fess up.
Confession is a vital, liberating component of prayer.
It’s the pathway to forgiveness . One of the most beautiful promises in the Bible says,
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9, NIV)
This is a conditional promise. If we confess. The psalmist offers a brilliant picture of that forgiveness.
as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12, NIV)
Is that good news? It’s why Jesus came, died, and rose.
We all experience the guilt associated with our sins. The number one reason people feel guilty is…because they’re guilty! But there’s hope for the person who has surrendered their life to Jesus Christ, accepted the reality of his life, death, and resurrection. What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
I could talk about this for hours! The reason the cross has become the symbol of our faith is because it represents both the incredible sacrifice of Jesus and the incredible hope for us. Hallelujah!
Confession is vital, but there’s more. We must repent, turn, change.
Have you ever heard a parent say to a child, “Say you’re sorry” and the child responded, “Sorry!”?
Have you ever had someone apologize to you for the same thing…over and over?
It’s easy to question the sincerity. “Sorry” is not a magic word. True reconciliation is rooted in authenticity and sincerity. This doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll never do it again, but we must genuinely seek change. This is why we offer Celebrate Recovery on Wednesday nights. It’s usually not enough to try harder. We need help. We need support. We need prayer. We need others. We certainly need the power of God.
In Psalm 51, David doesn’t just say, “Sorry.” A few verses later he says,
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
He wants restoration. Our mission is “restoring God’s masterpieces.” He wants the relationship with God that was broken by sin to be mended. He doesn’t stop there. He is changed by forgiveness.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.
He wants others to confess and experience the joy of forgiveness. Good news needs to be shared! If you’ve been forgiven, let others know the same freedom and cleansing is available to them.
David offers praise and worship to God as a result of our forgiveness, and we should, too.
That’s all background for today’s scripture!!!
As we continue our 40 Days of Prayer series on what we call the LORD’s Prayer, out text for today simply says,
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. (Matthew 6:12, NIV)
Another translation says,
and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. (Matthew 6:12, NLT)
Debts. Sins. Trespasses. They can generally be used interchangeably. This is a fascinating verse. We are to ask God to forgive us our sins, but there’s more. There’s an understanding—an assumption— that we have forgiven others. It’s as if Jesus is saying forgiveness is available, but don’t hoard it.
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:9, NIV)
We’ve been blessed to be a blessing.
We’ve been forgiven in order to be able to forgive.
We have a role to play in forgiveness. It begins with confession, but it seems greater than that.
I’ve noticed when it comes to prayer, we often want God to do all of the work. We might pray, “Feed the hungry, LORD” and God says, “You feed the hungry!” We may pray, “LORD, help me ace the exam tomorrow” and He responds, “Did you study?!”
Some of you have bought this lie of what some call cheap grace. It goes something like this: pray this magical prayer and then do whatever you want for the rest of your life. That’s not following Jesus. That’s not true repentance, turning from your sin. That’s not sincere confession.
I am not suggesting we have to walk on eggshells or worry about our salvation, but I am saying the deeper life with Jesus is not passive. We are invited to participate, by loving God, by loving our neighbor as ourselves, by making disciples of all nations, by picking up our cross daily and following Jesus, …and by forgiving. We don’t earn forgiveness by forgiving, but if we have experienced God’s forgiveness, we will be ready to forgive others. One writer notes, “Forgiveness of others is proof that that disciple’s sins are forgiven and he or she possesses salvation.” (NIV Application Commentary) Jesus said,
Matt. 6:14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:14-15, NIV)
Wow! Someone said forgiveness is easy…until you have someone to forgive!
“But they don’t deserve to be forgiven.” True. Neither do you.
“But they hurt me.” True. Sin hurts.
“But I don’t have the power to forgive.” True. That’s why you need God and His forgiveness. You can’t give what you don’t have. Forgiven people forgive others.
One of Jesus’ best friends had a remarkable conversation with him.
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:21-22, NIV)
That doesn’t mean 490. Jesus meant for us to keep forgiving others as long as we want to be forgiven. The rest of Matthew 18 has more of Jesus’ teachings on forgiveness.
So What?
The message of our text is simple, but not easy.
and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. (Matthew 6:12, NLT)
God is quick to forgive, but he wants us to confess, to repent and turn away from sin, and to pass on forgiveness to others. What do you need to do today? Maybe you need to confess, to come clean, to get right with God. Perhaps you’re sick of confessing the same thing over and over and it’s time to take some serious action, to go to Celebrate Recovery, to share your struggle with a friend, to receive prayer from our elders. Some of you simply need to forgive…yourself or others. Jesus died to make that possible. Forgiveness brings freedom.
What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?
Maybe it’s refusing to forgive someone. Refusing to forgive is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. They might not even know you’re bitter. Today’s the day to forgive and get free. It doesn’t necessarily mean to trust, nor does it mean to forget, but it means to pass on the forgiveness you’ve received to others.
Maybe the worst thing you’ve ever done is refusing to forgive yourself. Is God a liar?
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. (1 John 1:9, NLT)
We’ve been forgiven and, therefore, have the power to forgive others and ourselves. Hallelujah!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Prayer as Kingdom Partnership, 8 January 2023
12 01 23
Prayer as Kingdom Partnership
40 Days of Prayer
Matthew 6:10, Colossians 1:13-14; Romans 14:17
Series Big Idea: We are beginning the new year on our knees, joining other Alliance churches for 40 Days of Prayer.
Big Idea: King Jesus wants us to experience God’s Kingdom and share it with others.
What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word kingdom? Maybe Disney or the animal kingdom or the United Kingdom or even Burger King! Unless we’re speaking of something historical or foreign, we don’t often think about a kingdom, yet it’s the English word used to describe what may be the primary subject of Jesus’ teachings…the Kingdom of God.
Today we begin week two of 40 Days of Prayer, a nationwide series with our global family, the Christian & Missionary Alliance. There are daily devotionals, weekly online gatherings, and our sermon series designed to get us on our knees as we begin 2023. If you’re paying attention, the series itself is a study of what we call the Lord’s Prayer. Last week Pastor Donald spoke on prayer as worship:
“ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, (Matthew 6:9, NIV)
Today’s text continues:
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10, NIV)
God’s Kingdom. What is it? Where is it? Few words have been more misunderstood among Christians than this word kingdom.
One of my favorite professors, Scot McKnight, wrote a book on the subject entitled Kingdom Conspiracy. In it, he notes these five elements to the meaning of kingdom in the Bible:
a kingdom (1) has a king who (2) rules both by way of redemption and governing, and this king rules (3) over a people [Israel, church] through the revelation of (4) the law [Torah, teachings of Jesus and the apostles], and this king rules (5) in a land. All five of these elements are needed to speak biblically about kingdom, and all five are needed to be a kingdom-mission church.
Many reduce kingdom to only one or two elements, which is insufficient. Kingdom is ultimately a people, and that people is Israel expanded, the Church. The Kingdom of God is not a church building. It’s not a church service. It’s not merely a local congregation. When we speak of the Kingdom of God, we’re referring to the global people under the rule of King Jesus, the Holy Scriptures, and the land they inhabit.
Jesus used the word kingdom well over 100 times. To a first-century Jew, “kingdom” always meant “Israel.” To us, it should mean…well, us! The capital-C Church. It’s more than just good deeds. It’s more than salvation. It’s about us, who we are, and what we do under the Lordship of King Jesus. Perhaps the greatest challenge in understanding the Kingdom is it is now and not yet. Jesus recognized this. In the first chapter of Mark’s gospel or “good news” biography of Jesus, he said
The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” (Mark 1:15, NLT)
King Jesus was on the scene.
One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the Kingdom of God come?”
Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs. You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you.” (Luke 17:20-21, NLT)
The rule and reign of Jesus was present, and that included miracles, healings, signs, and wonders. These did not cease when Jesus ascended into heaven, but actually exploded onto the scene in Acts 2, the early Church. The entire book of Acts—and much of the New Testament—is filled with accounts of love winning over hate, life conquering death, health dominating disease, and truth prevailing over lies. My favorite definition of heaven is it’s where God is present. Hell is the one place God is absent. Never mind playing harps on clouds. Don’t focus on pitchforks and fire.
Heaven is where God is present.
Hell is where God is absent.
It’s interesting how often people speak of heaven and hell, though the words heaven and hell never occur together in the Bible, though heaven and earth are often together. Regardless, heaven is where God is present, hell is where God is absent, and that’s really all you need to know…except that we experience aspects of both today. We see people who have rejected God and live as if He is absent…hoping He is absent. Some day they’ll be in for a rude awakening, but C.S. Lewis famously said, “All that are in hell choose it.” Keep God out of your life now, He’ll honor that decision for eternity. It’s your choice.
But let’s shift toward heaven for a moment, the spaces where God is present, or particularly visible. When Jesus said to pray
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10, NIV)
He’s saying to welcome God, submit to the LORD, live under the rule and reign of King Jesus, and seek moments where heaven kisses earth.
Family, this still happens today. I’ve seen God heal the sick, restore broken relationships, provide in times of desperation, and transform lives from darkness to light. If it weren’t for such God-things, I’d quit my job and go drive a brown truck for UPS or something!
For he has rescued us from the kindom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. (Colossians 1:13-14, NLT)
The kingdom of God includes salvation, but it’s so much more than just praying a prayer. It’s the ultimate alternative lifestyle!
Unfortunately, many so-called Christians live dull, lifeless, faithless lives without experiencing the power of God through the Holy Spirit. It’s just religion. The writer or Romans, in contrast, said,
For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17, NLT)
Some have taken the other extreme and had phony encounters, but kingdom people should be seeking the experiencing the power of God…not simply for our pleasure, but the benefit of others.
Personally, I want more of God. Is anyone with me? Maybe my new year’s resolution is summarized in an old song that said, “More love, more power, more of You in my life.” There are moments when the kingdom of God is visible now, and it’s a wonderful thing.
The late Dallas Willard said, “Discipleship is learning how to live in heaven before you die.” I love that. Some of you have been taught to just tolerate this life, but Jesus said to
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Matthew 6:33, NLT)
In doing so, we will be doing life with God, living in the Kingdom of God, experiencing the fruit of godly choices, and knowing the abundant life Jesus promised his followers. It does not mean life will be easy and happy-happy-happy, but you will find peace, contentment, and joy.
If we’re honest, the problem isn’t God, it’s us. No matter how holy or mature, righteous, or religious, we all mess up…a lot! All of the problems in our world are the result of sin…ours or someone else’s. I often pray,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10, NIV)
…but then I sometimes want it my way. My will. Sometimes He allows it, which leads to…regret.
I said the kingdom of God is now and not yet. We experience the rule and reign of God from time to time, but the earth is not fully submitted to the lordship of King Jesus. That’s obvious. In chapter 19, Dr. Luke records,
The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told them a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away. (Luke 19:11, NLT)
We experience moments of the Kingdom of God now, but someday it will be all we know. John records in Revelation,
I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” (Revelation 21:3-4, NLT)
That’s what we have to look forward to…but we can seek and experience it now, too. The now and the not yet. It’s a tension. We are called to be light in our dark world. We are on a mission from God to participate in His kingdom now, bringing faith, hope, and love to our friends, family, neighbors, and even enemies. The Church is to offer a sneak preview of the kingdom to the lost world. We are not to be known for our rules, our politics, or our condemnation, but rather our love, our joy, our peace.
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10, NIV)
The kingdom is God in action. The Church is God in action. You can’t see the wind, but you can see it’s activity. People can’t see God, but they can see Him at work in and through us. Right?!
To put things into historical context, many have viewed reality as a play with multiple acts. If you’ve ever been to a multi-act play, you know each act is different, but each fits the greater story. If it’s a play about the Civil War, you wouldn’t expect to have Lebron James in a scene or spaceships on stage! There are a few different outlines, but consider this as one example of the biblical story:
I. Act 1: Creation and the Fall
God creates a magnificent world for us to enjoy, and then sin ruins it.
II. Act 2: Israel
I mentioned this is what first-century Jews knew of kingdom, God leading his people through Moses, Joshua, King David, and others. The Psalms and the Old Testament record Act 2.
III. Act 3: Jesus Brings Us into the Kingdom
King Jesus makes his first appearance on our planet, showing us what it means to be human while accomplishing his mission of seeking and saving the lost through his death
IV. Act 4: The Church
The Holy Spirit arrives fully in Acts 2, guiding those in the Kingdom to become like Jesus and live out God’s Kingdom on earth…now!
Lord, let Your Kingdom come on earth! Now!
The Beatitudes in Matthew chapter 5 give us a vision for God’s Kingdom on earth.
Matt. 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Let’s pray that God’s Kingdom is evident in our lives, that people see God in action through us. I pray that our lives are so different, so attractive, that people want to join our family, they want to taste the Kingdom, they want to follow King Jesus.
IV. Act 5: Completed Redemption
This is the reward for following Jesus, the fulfilment of God’s Kingdom, the new heaven and a new earth.
After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. 10 And they were shouting with a great roar,
“Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne
and from the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10, NLT)
But it all begins now. This week. This month. This year. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Will you submit to the lordship of King Jesus? Will you seek first his kingdom? Will you pray for his will to be done here on earth as it is in heaven? Will you surrender your time, talents, and treasures to him? When people pray, they usually tell God what they want Him to do. Jesus taught us to pray, LORD…
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10, NIV)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
40 Days of Prayer
Matthew 6:10, Colossians 1:13-14; Romans 14:17
Series Big Idea: We are beginning the new year on our knees, joining other Alliance churches for 40 Days of Prayer.
Big Idea: King Jesus wants us to experience God’s Kingdom and share it with others.
What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word kingdom? Maybe Disney or the animal kingdom or the United Kingdom or even Burger King! Unless we’re speaking of something historical or foreign, we don’t often think about a kingdom, yet it’s the English word used to describe what may be the primary subject of Jesus’ teachings…the Kingdom of God.
Today we begin week two of 40 Days of Prayer, a nationwide series with our global family, the Christian & Missionary Alliance. There are daily devotionals, weekly online gatherings, and our sermon series designed to get us on our knees as we begin 2023. If you’re paying attention, the series itself is a study of what we call the Lord’s Prayer. Last week Pastor Donald spoke on prayer as worship:
“ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, (Matthew 6:9, NIV)
Today’s text continues:
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10, NIV)
God’s Kingdom. What is it? Where is it? Few words have been more misunderstood among Christians than this word kingdom.
One of my favorite professors, Scot McKnight, wrote a book on the subject entitled Kingdom Conspiracy. In it, he notes these five elements to the meaning of kingdom in the Bible:
a kingdom (1) has a king who (2) rules both by way of redemption and governing, and this king rules (3) over a people [Israel, church] through the revelation of (4) the law [Torah, teachings of Jesus and the apostles], and this king rules (5) in a land. All five of these elements are needed to speak biblically about kingdom, and all five are needed to be a kingdom-mission church.
Many reduce kingdom to only one or two elements, which is insufficient. Kingdom is ultimately a people, and that people is Israel expanded, the Church. The Kingdom of God is not a church building. It’s not a church service. It’s not merely a local congregation. When we speak of the Kingdom of God, we’re referring to the global people under the rule of King Jesus, the Holy Scriptures, and the land they inhabit.
Jesus used the word kingdom well over 100 times. To a first-century Jew, “kingdom” always meant “Israel.” To us, it should mean…well, us! The capital-C Church. It’s more than just good deeds. It’s more than salvation. It’s about us, who we are, and what we do under the Lordship of King Jesus. Perhaps the greatest challenge in understanding the Kingdom is it is now and not yet. Jesus recognized this. In the first chapter of Mark’s gospel or “good news” biography of Jesus, he said
The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” (Mark 1:15, NLT)
King Jesus was on the scene.
One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the Kingdom of God come?”
Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs. You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you.” (Luke 17:20-21, NLT)
The rule and reign of Jesus was present, and that included miracles, healings, signs, and wonders. These did not cease when Jesus ascended into heaven, but actually exploded onto the scene in Acts 2, the early Church. The entire book of Acts—and much of the New Testament—is filled with accounts of love winning over hate, life conquering death, health dominating disease, and truth prevailing over lies. My favorite definition of heaven is it’s where God is present. Hell is the one place God is absent. Never mind playing harps on clouds. Don’t focus on pitchforks and fire.
Heaven is where God is present.
Hell is where God is absent.
It’s interesting how often people speak of heaven and hell, though the words heaven and hell never occur together in the Bible, though heaven and earth are often together. Regardless, heaven is where God is present, hell is where God is absent, and that’s really all you need to know…except that we experience aspects of both today. We see people who have rejected God and live as if He is absent…hoping He is absent. Some day they’ll be in for a rude awakening, but C.S. Lewis famously said, “All that are in hell choose it.” Keep God out of your life now, He’ll honor that decision for eternity. It’s your choice.
But let’s shift toward heaven for a moment, the spaces where God is present, or particularly visible. When Jesus said to pray
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10, NIV)
He’s saying to welcome God, submit to the LORD, live under the rule and reign of King Jesus, and seek moments where heaven kisses earth.
Family, this still happens today. I’ve seen God heal the sick, restore broken relationships, provide in times of desperation, and transform lives from darkness to light. If it weren’t for such God-things, I’d quit my job and go drive a brown truck for UPS or something!
For he has rescued us from the kindom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. (Colossians 1:13-14, NLT)
The kingdom of God includes salvation, but it’s so much more than just praying a prayer. It’s the ultimate alternative lifestyle!
Unfortunately, many so-called Christians live dull, lifeless, faithless lives without experiencing the power of God through the Holy Spirit. It’s just religion. The writer or Romans, in contrast, said,
For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17, NLT)
Some have taken the other extreme and had phony encounters, but kingdom people should be seeking the experiencing the power of God…not simply for our pleasure, but the benefit of others.
Personally, I want more of God. Is anyone with me? Maybe my new year’s resolution is summarized in an old song that said, “More love, more power, more of You in my life.” There are moments when the kingdom of God is visible now, and it’s a wonderful thing.
The late Dallas Willard said, “Discipleship is learning how to live in heaven before you die.” I love that. Some of you have been taught to just tolerate this life, but Jesus said to
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Matthew 6:33, NLT)
In doing so, we will be doing life with God, living in the Kingdom of God, experiencing the fruit of godly choices, and knowing the abundant life Jesus promised his followers. It does not mean life will be easy and happy-happy-happy, but you will find peace, contentment, and joy.
If we’re honest, the problem isn’t God, it’s us. No matter how holy or mature, righteous, or religious, we all mess up…a lot! All of the problems in our world are the result of sin…ours or someone else’s. I often pray,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10, NIV)
…but then I sometimes want it my way. My will. Sometimes He allows it, which leads to…regret.
I said the kingdom of God is now and not yet. We experience the rule and reign of God from time to time, but the earth is not fully submitted to the lordship of King Jesus. That’s obvious. In chapter 19, Dr. Luke records,
The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told them a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away. (Luke 19:11, NLT)
We experience moments of the Kingdom of God now, but someday it will be all we know. John records in Revelation,
I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” (Revelation 21:3-4, NLT)
That’s what we have to look forward to…but we can seek and experience it now, too. The now and the not yet. It’s a tension. We are called to be light in our dark world. We are on a mission from God to participate in His kingdom now, bringing faith, hope, and love to our friends, family, neighbors, and even enemies. The Church is to offer a sneak preview of the kingdom to the lost world. We are not to be known for our rules, our politics, or our condemnation, but rather our love, our joy, our peace.
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10, NIV)
The kingdom is God in action. The Church is God in action. You can’t see the wind, but you can see it’s activity. People can’t see God, but they can see Him at work in and through us. Right?!
To put things into historical context, many have viewed reality as a play with multiple acts. If you’ve ever been to a multi-act play, you know each act is different, but each fits the greater story. If it’s a play about the Civil War, you wouldn’t expect to have Lebron James in a scene or spaceships on stage! There are a few different outlines, but consider this as one example of the biblical story:
I. Act 1: Creation and the Fall
God creates a magnificent world for us to enjoy, and then sin ruins it.
II. Act 2: Israel
I mentioned this is what first-century Jews knew of kingdom, God leading his people through Moses, Joshua, King David, and others. The Psalms and the Old Testament record Act 2.
III. Act 3: Jesus Brings Us into the Kingdom
King Jesus makes his first appearance on our planet, showing us what it means to be human while accomplishing his mission of seeking and saving the lost through his death
IV. Act 4: The Church
The Holy Spirit arrives fully in Acts 2, guiding those in the Kingdom to become like Jesus and live out God’s Kingdom on earth…now!
Lord, let Your Kingdom come on earth! Now!
The Beatitudes in Matthew chapter 5 give us a vision for God’s Kingdom on earth.
Matt. 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Let’s pray that God’s Kingdom is evident in our lives, that people see God in action through us. I pray that our lives are so different, so attractive, that people want to join our family, they want to taste the Kingdom, they want to follow King Jesus.
IV. Act 5: Completed Redemption
This is the reward for following Jesus, the fulfilment of God’s Kingdom, the new heaven and a new earth.
After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. 10 And they were shouting with a great roar,
“Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne
and from the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10, NLT)
But it all begins now. This week. This month. This year. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Will you submit to the lordship of King Jesus? Will you seek first his kingdom? Will you pray for his will to be done here on earth as it is in heaven? Will you surrender your time, talents, and treasures to him? When people pray, they usually tell God what they want Him to do. Jesus taught us to pray, LORD…
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10, NIV)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Hallelujah, 25 December 2022
23 12 22
Hallelujah!
Handel's Messiah
Zechariah 9:9-10
Revelation 19:6; 11:15; 19:16
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: The Messiah is King of kings and LORD of lords…hallelujah!
Throughout this season of Advent—waiting, arrival—we’ve been looking at various scriptures through the lens of Handel’s Messiah. If you go to a live performance of the musical masterpiece, you will likely get something called a libretto, a booklet with notes. The first time I experienced it live, I was struck by how the libretto was entirely Bible passages!
We’re going to look at two songs on this the day we celebrate the birth of the Messiah. The first one is Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion. Like much of Part One of Handel’s Messiah, the text is from an ancient prophet, this time Zechariah:
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
And the horse from Jerusalem;
The battle bow shall be cut off.
He shall speak peace to the nations;
His dominion shall be “from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth.’ (Zechariah 9:9-10. NKJV)
What does this mean? These prophecies were fulfilled hundreds of years later when Jesus entered Jerusalem on the day we call Palm Sunday.
Matthew the tax collector recorded the following:
As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2 “Go into the village over there,” he said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.” (Matthew 21:1-3, NLT)
This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said,
“Tell the people of Jerusalem,
‘Look, your King is coming to you.
He is humble, riding on a donkey—
riding on a donkey’s colt.’” (Matthew 21:4-5, NLT)
As I’ve said before, one of the reasons I believe the Bible is true is because of the fulfilled prophecies, especially those pertaining to Jesus the Messiah. There are more than 300 Messianic prophecies Jesus fulfilled. According to Christianity.com, the chances of one person fulfilling eight of them are one in 100,000,000,000,000,000. The odds of fulfilling 48 of the 300+ would be one in ten to the 157th power!
Before we look at our final song for this part of Handel’s Messiah, I want to jump back to the Zechariah passage. It ends,
His realm will stretch from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah 9:10b, NLT)
We find ourselves between the first and second comings of Jesus. Zechariah wrote around 500 BC…about 500 years before the first Christmas. We’re 2000 years on the other side of it awaiting his return. He’s not coming back as a baby. He won’t be riding on a donkey. There will be no arrest or crucifixion next time. We live in the awkward in-between with the Bible and Holy Spirit to guide us, yet a great day is coming…for those who follow Jesus.
Is that you today? A few weeks ago we saw how Judgment Day is coming for us all. We either bear the penalty for our sins and mistakes or trust Jesus’ death and resurrection to pay for us…but that requires surrender, followership, devotion to Jesus.
The greatest gift you can give Jesus for his birthday is your heart. Actually, your heart, soul, mind, and strength. He doesn’t need something from WalMart! He wants you!
The most famous verse in the Bible says,
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NIV).
That word “believe” doesn’t mean intellectually agree. The original Greek word pisteuo means to have faith in, to trust, to commit. We live in a culture that tells us every day it’s all about us. The message might as well be we’re gods and don’t need God. We don’t want someone telling us how to live our lives, even if He wrote the instruction manual and knows what’s best!
God gave. The Father gave the Son, Jesus. Jesus gave His life. When he left earth after he rose from the dead, he sent the Holy Spirit to live inside every disciple, every follower.
There are actually three parts to Handel’s Messiah. The first is what we might call the Christmas portion. Part two we’ll cover as we approach Holy Week, the death of Jesus for the sins of the world. Part three is about the resurrection of the Messiah and the resurrection of our bodies when he returns. Our final song today—the last song of 2022 for First Alliance Church—speaks not of 2000 years ago or even the present, but the future. The texts come from the book of Revelation where John the apostle records a vision from the LORD.
And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! (Revelation 19:6, NKJV)
This is a picture of the coming King, the return of the Messiah. The word “Alleluia” or “Hallelujah” means “praise the LORD.” It is the same in languages around the world.
I’ve been in big crowds, but none have sounded like many waters and mighty thunderings. This is some choir! The word “omnipotent” means all-powerful. God may seem distant from you today. You may wonder if He hears your prayers (He does!). You probably ask, “Why?” a lot like I do, but He is at work, often behind-the-scenes. He’s waiting, perhaps for us to finish the mission of letting 8 billion people know they are loved by their Creator who wants them to surrender and follow Jesus.
Do you know Jesus? Do you know the Messiah? There’s no other agenda or purpose or mission we have at First Alliance Church than proclaiming the gospel, the good news, that Jesus is LORD. It’s all about the Messiah. He wants every man, woman, and child to trust and love him with all of their heart, all of their soul, all of their mind, and all of their strength…and then love others as they love themselves.
Let me say again, what are you getting Jesus for his birthday? He wants you! When he returns, you’ll be on the winning team! Listen…
Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Revelation 11:15, NKJV)
He shall reign…forever…and ever! That’s a long time! Here’s another description:
And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:16, NKJV)
I did not put this in all-caps. It’s how it’s written! Jesus the Messiah is greater than any king, president, CEO, movie star, social media influencer, athlete, or author. He’s greater than any angel, demon, and definitely greater than satan. He’s greater than communism, capitalism, religion, or political party. He’s truly the GOAT: the greatest of all time. And he’s returning soon. Are you ready?
The most famous song in Handel’s Messiah celebrates in lyric and music.
If you’ve ever attended a performance of Handel’s Messiah, you know everyone stands when the Hallelujah Chorus begins. Tradition says this is because King George II stood up during the song in the 1743 London premiere, so moved by the music that he stood in reverence. Regardless, we conclude our first series on Handel’s Messiah and our Advent series by singing…the Hallelujah Chorus.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Handel's Messiah
Zechariah 9:9-10
Revelation 19:6; 11:15; 19:16
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: The Messiah is King of kings and LORD of lords…hallelujah!
Throughout this season of Advent—waiting, arrival—we’ve been looking at various scriptures through the lens of Handel’s Messiah. If you go to a live performance of the musical masterpiece, you will likely get something called a libretto, a booklet with notes. The first time I experienced it live, I was struck by how the libretto was entirely Bible passages!
We’re going to look at two songs on this the day we celebrate the birth of the Messiah. The first one is Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion. Like much of Part One of Handel’s Messiah, the text is from an ancient prophet, this time Zechariah:
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
And the horse from Jerusalem;
The battle bow shall be cut off.
He shall speak peace to the nations;
His dominion shall be “from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth.’ (Zechariah 9:9-10. NKJV)
What does this mean? These prophecies were fulfilled hundreds of years later when Jesus entered Jerusalem on the day we call Palm Sunday.
Matthew the tax collector recorded the following:
As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2 “Go into the village over there,” he said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.” (Matthew 21:1-3, NLT)
This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said,
“Tell the people of Jerusalem,
‘Look, your King is coming to you.
He is humble, riding on a donkey—
riding on a donkey’s colt.’” (Matthew 21:4-5, NLT)
As I’ve said before, one of the reasons I believe the Bible is true is because of the fulfilled prophecies, especially those pertaining to Jesus the Messiah. There are more than 300 Messianic prophecies Jesus fulfilled. According to Christianity.com, the chances of one person fulfilling eight of them are one in 100,000,000,000,000,000. The odds of fulfilling 48 of the 300+ would be one in ten to the 157th power!
Before we look at our final song for this part of Handel’s Messiah, I want to jump back to the Zechariah passage. It ends,
His realm will stretch from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah 9:10b, NLT)
We find ourselves between the first and second comings of Jesus. Zechariah wrote around 500 BC…about 500 years before the first Christmas. We’re 2000 years on the other side of it awaiting his return. He’s not coming back as a baby. He won’t be riding on a donkey. There will be no arrest or crucifixion next time. We live in the awkward in-between with the Bible and Holy Spirit to guide us, yet a great day is coming…for those who follow Jesus.
Is that you today? A few weeks ago we saw how Judgment Day is coming for us all. We either bear the penalty for our sins and mistakes or trust Jesus’ death and resurrection to pay for us…but that requires surrender, followership, devotion to Jesus.
The greatest gift you can give Jesus for his birthday is your heart. Actually, your heart, soul, mind, and strength. He doesn’t need something from WalMart! He wants you!
The most famous verse in the Bible says,
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NIV).
That word “believe” doesn’t mean intellectually agree. The original Greek word pisteuo means to have faith in, to trust, to commit. We live in a culture that tells us every day it’s all about us. The message might as well be we’re gods and don’t need God. We don’t want someone telling us how to live our lives, even if He wrote the instruction manual and knows what’s best!
God gave. The Father gave the Son, Jesus. Jesus gave His life. When he left earth after he rose from the dead, he sent the Holy Spirit to live inside every disciple, every follower.
There are actually three parts to Handel’s Messiah. The first is what we might call the Christmas portion. Part two we’ll cover as we approach Holy Week, the death of Jesus for the sins of the world. Part three is about the resurrection of the Messiah and the resurrection of our bodies when he returns. Our final song today—the last song of 2022 for First Alliance Church—speaks not of 2000 years ago or even the present, but the future. The texts come from the book of Revelation where John the apostle records a vision from the LORD.
And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! (Revelation 19:6, NKJV)
This is a picture of the coming King, the return of the Messiah. The word “Alleluia” or “Hallelujah” means “praise the LORD.” It is the same in languages around the world.
I’ve been in big crowds, but none have sounded like many waters and mighty thunderings. This is some choir! The word “omnipotent” means all-powerful. God may seem distant from you today. You may wonder if He hears your prayers (He does!). You probably ask, “Why?” a lot like I do, but He is at work, often behind-the-scenes. He’s waiting, perhaps for us to finish the mission of letting 8 billion people know they are loved by their Creator who wants them to surrender and follow Jesus.
Do you know Jesus? Do you know the Messiah? There’s no other agenda or purpose or mission we have at First Alliance Church than proclaiming the gospel, the good news, that Jesus is LORD. It’s all about the Messiah. He wants every man, woman, and child to trust and love him with all of their heart, all of their soul, all of their mind, and all of their strength…and then love others as they love themselves.
Let me say again, what are you getting Jesus for his birthday? He wants you! When he returns, you’ll be on the winning team! Listen…
Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Revelation 11:15, NKJV)
He shall reign…forever…and ever! That’s a long time! Here’s another description:
And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:16, NKJV)
I did not put this in all-caps. It’s how it’s written! Jesus the Messiah is greater than any king, president, CEO, movie star, social media influencer, athlete, or author. He’s greater than any angel, demon, and definitely greater than satan. He’s greater than communism, capitalism, religion, or political party. He’s truly the GOAT: the greatest of all time. And he’s returning soon. Are you ready?
The most famous song in Handel’s Messiah celebrates in lyric and music.
If you’ve ever attended a performance of Handel’s Messiah, you know everyone stands when the Hallelujah Chorus begins. Tradition says this is because King George II stood up during the song in the 1743 London premiere, so moved by the music that he stood in reverence. Regardless, we conclude our first series on Handel’s Messiah and our Advent series by singing…the Hallelujah Chorus.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Shepherd, 11 December 2022
14 12 22
Shepherd (part of the Family Christmas Program)
Handel's Messiah
Isaiah 40:9-11; 60:1; Matthew 11:28-29
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: The Messiah is our Good Shepherd.
One of the most vivid images in the Christmas story is the shepherds. I don’t know if they wore bathrobes or not, but I find it fascinating the angels announced the arrival of the Good Shepherd to lowly shepherds. The birth announcement was not on CNN, Instagram, or Tik Tok, but through music!
This Advent, we’re looking at the scriptures in Handel’s Messiah pertaining to the first arrival of Jesus. The prophet Isaiah spoke about the Messiah.
O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him. (Isaiah 40:9-10, NKJV)
Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. (Isaiah 60:1, NKJV)
Here's a sample of Stevie Wonder and Take 6 singing Handel’s music.
https://youtu.be/3UHW1mvlGxU
The next verse talks Jesus the Good Shepherd.
He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young. (Isaiah 40:11, NKJV)
Here’s Steven Curtis Chapman and Sandi Patti.
https://youtu.be/rXUIQAFa84w
Jesus the Messiah said,
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:28-29, NKJV)
Psalm 23 begins, “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.” During this Christmas season when we put together wish lists and are bombarded by commercials, I want to remind you nothing satisfies like Jesus. There is no greater present than presence of God. I know many of you are heavy laden…you have heavy hearts. Take Jesus at his word.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29, NLT)
Jesus the Good Shepherd offers rest for your soul.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Handel's Messiah
Isaiah 40:9-11; 60:1; Matthew 11:28-29
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: The Messiah is our Good Shepherd.
One of the most vivid images in the Christmas story is the shepherds. I don’t know if they wore bathrobes or not, but I find it fascinating the angels announced the arrival of the Good Shepherd to lowly shepherds. The birth announcement was not on CNN, Instagram, or Tik Tok, but through music!
This Advent, we’re looking at the scriptures in Handel’s Messiah pertaining to the first arrival of Jesus. The prophet Isaiah spoke about the Messiah.
O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him. (Isaiah 40:9-10, NKJV)
Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. (Isaiah 60:1, NKJV)
Here's a sample of Stevie Wonder and Take 6 singing Handel’s music.
https://youtu.be/3UHW1mvlGxU
The next verse talks Jesus the Good Shepherd.
He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young. (Isaiah 40:11, NKJV)
Here’s Steven Curtis Chapman and Sandi Patti.
https://youtu.be/rXUIQAFa84w
Jesus the Messiah said,
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:28-29, NKJV)
Psalm 23 begins, “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.” During this Christmas season when we put together wish lists and are bombarded by commercials, I want to remind you nothing satisfies like Jesus. There is no greater present than presence of God. I know many of you are heavy laden…you have heavy hearts. Take Jesus at his word.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29, NLT)
Jesus the Good Shepherd offers rest for your soul.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Comforter, 27 November 2022
27 11 22
Comforter
Handel’s Messiah
Isaiah 40:1-5
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: The Messiah is our comforter.
Welcome to the season of Advent! Some say this is the most wonderful time of the year. For others, it’s a challenging season for any number of reasons. Though we usually use the word “Christmas” to describe the next several weeks, the word “Advent” is becoming increasingly popular, perhaps because of the proliferation of advent calendars.
Advent is all about arrival. For hundreds of years, prophets spoke of a coming Messiah, the promised deliverer of the Jews. This season celebrates His arrival about two thousand years ago.
It’s beyond cliché to say Jesus is the reason for the season, but it’s true. Amazon, Target, and the mall can’t wait to get your money. Your calendar may be filling up with parties, concerts, and seasonal events. But in the consumption of time and money, I want to challenge you to keep your focus not on exchanging presents, but rather experience His presence, the presence of Jesus, God in the flesh, becoming one of us. I still can’t grasp the incarnation, the shocking truth that the Messiah visited this planet, moved into the neighborhood, and understands every temptation and struggle we face.
Did you know…
There are over 100 Old Testament prophecies uniquely fulfilled by the Messiah.
There are many reasons I believe in Jesus, but one involves biblical prophecy. No person could possibly fulfill these prophecies unless they were legitimate. We’re going to look at a few of them through what might be the greatest music of all time, a collection of songs known as Handel’s Messiah.
When I saw The Messiah performed at the University of Michigan many years ago, I was struck by how much scripture was contained in the lyrics. It’s basically all scripture! Mr. Handel wrote his extraordinary music under the inspiration of numerous passages of the Bible assembled by a man named Charles Jennens.
Check out this VIDEO that explains the background.
Handel’s Messiah has three parts, the first of which covers the themes of Christmastime, the arrival of Jesus to our planet. The second and third parts deal with Holy Week, the death and resurrection of Jesus which we’ll revisit when Easter approaches.
The Messiah begins with three songs from Isaiah 40:1-5. I want to share samples of them with you today. But first, a bit of context.
Isaiah is a prophet who wrote the book that bears his name around 700 BC. The people of Israel were struggling under the expansion of the Assyrian empire. Like much of the Jewish Bible—the Old Testament—themes of God’s salvation and judgment abound. God goes to extraordinary lengths to show his love for humanity, we turn away from Him, and things go south! Pastor Soper notes the cycle like this:
Israel forgets God >>>
Israel forsakes God >>>
Israel worships other gods >>>
God sends judgment upon Israel >>>
Israel cries out to God >>>
God raises up a deliverer >>>
God saves Israel >>>
Israel pledges to serve God >>>
Israel forgets God >>>
Repeat!
Why don’t we learn?!
As Isaiah’s writing, God’s people are in bad shape.
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. (Isaiah 40:1, NIV)
Whenever you see something repeated in scripture, take notice. Ancient scrolls and languages did not have bold, italics, or different colors to get our attention. They had to literally spell it out! God tells His people they will be comforted in the midst of their bondage. Deliverance is coming, and it came most profoundly about 700 years later in the first coming of the Messiah.
VIDEO: Comfort Ye, Newark-Granville Symphony
I want to thank the Newark-Granville Symphony for the video clips today.
I realize some of you may not be fans of classical music…yet! I must confess I rarely listen to my symphonic recordings of The Messiah. In 1990, a group of Christian singers and musicians came together for an updated version of The Messiah, simply called Handel’s Young Messiah.
Here’s Matthew Ward’s rendition of “Comfort Ye.”
Strangely, three years later, The New Young Messiah was released with a different group of artists.
Here’s Wayne Watson.
My favorite recording of this music is 1992’s Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration. Quincy Jones brought together an all-star cast of African-American artists ranging from Take 6 and Dianne Reeves to Patti Austin, Stevie Wonder, Al Jarreau and the Richard Smallwood Singers.
Here’s Vanessa Bell Armstrong & Daryl Coley
Jesus brings comfort to our lives, whatever the circumstances. He is present through the Holy Spirit in every believer. Do you need comfort today? Call out to Jesus.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’S hand double for all her sins. (Isaiah 40:2, NIV)
Jerusalem had been held captive for seventy years. The trial was the result of their sin, but that is coming to an end. Now Isaiah speaks of John the Baptist, a New Testament figure who will come on the seen about 700 years later.
A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Isaiah 40:3, NIV)
This is a vivid description of John the Baptist who prepared the way for Jesus. The book of Mark is explicit.
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way” —
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’ ”
And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 1:1-4, NIV)
Verse 4…
Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. (Isaiah 40:4, NIV)
Raising and lowering was a metaphor for preparing a road for a dignitary. We might call this today, “Rolling out the red carpet.” Get ready for the Messiah, people! Isaiah said it then about the first arrival. We can proclaim it today as the return of Christ is near.
Handel's Young Messiah video
This is one of my favorite songs on the Soulful Celebration album.
Audio: Every Valley, Soulful Celebration
And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:5, NIV)
The bottom line of First Alliance’s mission statement is God’s glory. I want that to be the bottom line of my life. In the midst of suffering, Isaiah declared God’s glory would be revealed. These days, it seems like nobody is paying attention to the LORD God Almighty, but just you wait!
Video: And the Glory of the LORD, Sandi Patti
So What?
Today, we wait for the return, the second arrival of Jesus.
He’s coming soon. He promised! Are you ready? Do you know him? He’s the reason we’re here!
Actually, God is with us…now! The Holy Spirit is here until Jesus returns. Sure, you can’t touch the Holy Spirit, but that doesn’t diminish the power or reality of the One who is at work making us more like Christ, preparing us for the Messiah’s promised return, filling us with gifts and fruit, and bringing comfort to us in our dark days.
My prayer is that this season we would center ourselves on Jesus the Messiah. Rather than giving into fear, we can experience the Prince of Peace, the God of comfort.
I want to encourage all of you to experience Handel’s Messiah, too. You can attend a Toledo Choral Society performance next weekend (flyers are at the Information Center), stream the songs, watch video performances, visit websites about the musical masterpiece, or just show up next Sunday as we continue the series.
The music is beautiful. The lyrics…well, they’re taken directly from scripture, so they’re beautiful. The Advent story is beautiful…and even has a present reality as we await the return of the King.
We’re going to close with the song Beautiful Things because God is an artist. We are made in His image and can create songs, meals, paintings, organizations, and so many other things, but you are a masterpiece! As we focus on Handel’s masterpiece, you are God’s masterpiece! Don’t forget that this season. You are more valuable than anything found online or in a store! You matter to God…and you matter to us.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Handel’s Messiah
Isaiah 40:1-5
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: The Messiah is our comforter.
Welcome to the season of Advent! Some say this is the most wonderful time of the year. For others, it’s a challenging season for any number of reasons. Though we usually use the word “Christmas” to describe the next several weeks, the word “Advent” is becoming increasingly popular, perhaps because of the proliferation of advent calendars.
Advent is all about arrival. For hundreds of years, prophets spoke of a coming Messiah, the promised deliverer of the Jews. This season celebrates His arrival about two thousand years ago.
It’s beyond cliché to say Jesus is the reason for the season, but it’s true. Amazon, Target, and the mall can’t wait to get your money. Your calendar may be filling up with parties, concerts, and seasonal events. But in the consumption of time and money, I want to challenge you to keep your focus not on exchanging presents, but rather experience His presence, the presence of Jesus, God in the flesh, becoming one of us. I still can’t grasp the incarnation, the shocking truth that the Messiah visited this planet, moved into the neighborhood, and understands every temptation and struggle we face.
Did you know…
There are over 100 Old Testament prophecies uniquely fulfilled by the Messiah.
There are many reasons I believe in Jesus, but one involves biblical prophecy. No person could possibly fulfill these prophecies unless they were legitimate. We’re going to look at a few of them through what might be the greatest music of all time, a collection of songs known as Handel’s Messiah.
When I saw The Messiah performed at the University of Michigan many years ago, I was struck by how much scripture was contained in the lyrics. It’s basically all scripture! Mr. Handel wrote his extraordinary music under the inspiration of numerous passages of the Bible assembled by a man named Charles Jennens.
Check out this VIDEO that explains the background.
Handel’s Messiah has three parts, the first of which covers the themes of Christmastime, the arrival of Jesus to our planet. The second and third parts deal with Holy Week, the death and resurrection of Jesus which we’ll revisit when Easter approaches.
The Messiah begins with three songs from Isaiah 40:1-5. I want to share samples of them with you today. But first, a bit of context.
Isaiah is a prophet who wrote the book that bears his name around 700 BC. The people of Israel were struggling under the expansion of the Assyrian empire. Like much of the Jewish Bible—the Old Testament—themes of God’s salvation and judgment abound. God goes to extraordinary lengths to show his love for humanity, we turn away from Him, and things go south! Pastor Soper notes the cycle like this:
Israel forgets God >>>
Israel forsakes God >>>
Israel worships other gods >>>
God sends judgment upon Israel >>>
Israel cries out to God >>>
God raises up a deliverer >>>
God saves Israel >>>
Israel pledges to serve God >>>
Israel forgets God >>>
Repeat!
Why don’t we learn?!
As Isaiah’s writing, God’s people are in bad shape.
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. (Isaiah 40:1, NIV)
Whenever you see something repeated in scripture, take notice. Ancient scrolls and languages did not have bold, italics, or different colors to get our attention. They had to literally spell it out! God tells His people they will be comforted in the midst of their bondage. Deliverance is coming, and it came most profoundly about 700 years later in the first coming of the Messiah.
VIDEO: Comfort Ye, Newark-Granville Symphony
I want to thank the Newark-Granville Symphony for the video clips today.
I realize some of you may not be fans of classical music…yet! I must confess I rarely listen to my symphonic recordings of The Messiah. In 1990, a group of Christian singers and musicians came together for an updated version of The Messiah, simply called Handel’s Young Messiah.
Here’s Matthew Ward’s rendition of “Comfort Ye.”
Strangely, three years later, The New Young Messiah was released with a different group of artists.
Here’s Wayne Watson.
My favorite recording of this music is 1992’s Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration. Quincy Jones brought together an all-star cast of African-American artists ranging from Take 6 and Dianne Reeves to Patti Austin, Stevie Wonder, Al Jarreau and the Richard Smallwood Singers.
Here’s Vanessa Bell Armstrong & Daryl Coley
Jesus brings comfort to our lives, whatever the circumstances. He is present through the Holy Spirit in every believer. Do you need comfort today? Call out to Jesus.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’S hand double for all her sins. (Isaiah 40:2, NIV)
Jerusalem had been held captive for seventy years. The trial was the result of their sin, but that is coming to an end. Now Isaiah speaks of John the Baptist, a New Testament figure who will come on the seen about 700 years later.
A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Isaiah 40:3, NIV)
This is a vivid description of John the Baptist who prepared the way for Jesus. The book of Mark is explicit.
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way” —
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’ ”
And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 1:1-4, NIV)
Verse 4…
Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. (Isaiah 40:4, NIV)
Raising and lowering was a metaphor for preparing a road for a dignitary. We might call this today, “Rolling out the red carpet.” Get ready for the Messiah, people! Isaiah said it then about the first arrival. We can proclaim it today as the return of Christ is near.
Handel's Young Messiah video
This is one of my favorite songs on the Soulful Celebration album.
Audio: Every Valley, Soulful Celebration
And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:5, NIV)
The bottom line of First Alliance’s mission statement is God’s glory. I want that to be the bottom line of my life. In the midst of suffering, Isaiah declared God’s glory would be revealed. These days, it seems like nobody is paying attention to the LORD God Almighty, but just you wait!
Video: And the Glory of the LORD, Sandi Patti
So What?
Today, we wait for the return, the second arrival of Jesus.
He’s coming soon. He promised! Are you ready? Do you know him? He’s the reason we’re here!
Actually, God is with us…now! The Holy Spirit is here until Jesus returns. Sure, you can’t touch the Holy Spirit, but that doesn’t diminish the power or reality of the One who is at work making us more like Christ, preparing us for the Messiah’s promised return, filling us with gifts and fruit, and bringing comfort to us in our dark days.
My prayer is that this season we would center ourselves on Jesus the Messiah. Rather than giving into fear, we can experience the Prince of Peace, the God of comfort.
I want to encourage all of you to experience Handel’s Messiah, too. You can attend a Toledo Choral Society performance next weekend (flyers are at the Information Center), stream the songs, watch video performances, visit websites about the musical masterpiece, or just show up next Sunday as we continue the series.
The music is beautiful. The lyrics…well, they’re taken directly from scripture, so they’re beautiful. The Advent story is beautiful…and even has a present reality as we await the return of the King.
We’re going to close with the song Beautiful Things because God is an artist. We are made in His image and can create songs, meals, paintings, organizations, and so many other things, but you are a masterpiece! As we focus on Handel’s masterpiece, you are God’s masterpiece! Don’t forget that this season. You are more valuable than anything found online or in a store! You matter to God…and you matter to us.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Citizens, 13 November 2022
15 11 22
Citizens
JOY: The book of Philippians
Philippians 3:17-4:9
Series Big Idea: Paul’s letter from prison to the church in Philippi is filled with joy.
Big Idea: Paul challenges followers of Jesus to live as citizens of heaven, filled with joy, prayer, and peace.
Have you ever been in another country? Maybe you’ve taken the Ambassador Bridge or the tunnel to Windsor. It’s usually not a huge transition, but customs, the red maple leaves on signs, and the currency are constant reminders you’re not in the USA.
Mexico, though bordering the USA, is an even more radical experience. Once I was in San Diego and I rode the trolley train south to the border where I was a able to simply walk into Tijuana without any effort. Once there, the language, the music, and the food were noticeably different…and getting back into the USA was a minor ordeal!
I’ve been privileged to have been able to travel around the world, and whether it’s Bolivia, Burundi, or Britain, there’s no place like home, where I know the language, the culture, and where I am a citizen.
Home is a special place. Where do you call home?
If you’re new around here, welcome! We’ve been examining a letter written by Paul—one of the early Church leaders—wrote to a congregation he started in the city of Philippi in Greece. He’s covered a number of topics and today’s text begins with pastoral words.
Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. (Philippians 3:17, NLT)
Those are bold words! Do you want others to live like you?
I don’t think Paul’s saying he’s perfect, but he’s a follower of Jesus and followers of Jesus are called to not only follow Jesus, but also help others follow Jesus. We call this…discipleship.
Most of you are familiar with Jesus’ final words in the book of Matthew. It’s known as the Great Commission. It’s not a suggestion. It’s not an optional thing. Discipleship is not only for professional Christians. It’s the mission—the commission—of everyone who claims to follow Jesus. He said,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18b-20, NIV)
Go and make disciples. That’s the mandate, the assignment. A disciple is a devoted follower—an apprentice—and part of being a disciple is making disciples…following Jesus and helping others follow Jesus.
Who are you following? Who influences you? We all have people who influence us, and we probably all have people we influence. Side note: my favorite definition of leadership is influence. That makes us all leaders. You might not have a title or position, but if you influence, you lead. It might be a friend or co-worker or a child, but if you have influence, you lead.
When Paul says, “Pattern your lives after mine,” that’s a high level of influence. Let me ask again, who influences you? Who are you influencing?
Jesus’ simple invitation was, “Follow me.” He didn’t force it. There were no seminary degrees required, no tests to take, no pre-requisites. John Mark records several examples.
Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” (Mark 1:17, NLT)
As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him. (Mark 2:14, NLT)
Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. (Mark 8:34, NLT)
This whole thing—First Alliance Church, the Christian & Missionary Alliance, Christianity—is all about following Jesus…and helping other people follow Jesus. Paul seemed to do this quite well. What about you?
Who is influencing and discipling you?
Who are you influencing and discipling?
I dream of a day when every person in our First Alliance family is engaging in the lives of others, both as a disciple and discipler. I’m doing my best to equip and disciple you on Sunday mornings, but I can’t disciple each of you intimately in this large-group environment.
Discipleship and spiritual formation—according to the late Richard Bush—is slow, incremental, over time, with others, and for others.
Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. (Philippians 3:17, NLT)
I could easily do a sermon on verse 17 alone! Paul explains why he wants them to follow his example:
For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. (Philippians 3:18-19, NLT)
Just because you read it on the Internet doesn’t mean it’s true.
Just because someone called themselves a Christian doesn’t mean it’s true.
I hate to say this, but there are many so-called Christians and even pastors who are not following Jesus. But by the grace of God so go I. This is why Jesus said
“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. (Mark 8:34b, NLT)
You can’t follow Jesus and your desires. Which is it?
Family, I love you. I must warn you there are a lot of dangerous pastors and Christian celebrities out there. There are people trying to sell books, make money, become famous, and Paul would say “they are really enemies of the cross of Christ.”
But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control. (Philippians 3:20-21, NLT)
Are you following your desires or Jesus?
Are you a citizen of this world or a citizen of heaven?
There’s so much talk about heaven…what it will be like, when we get to go there, who will be there with us,…I did an entire sermon series on heaven a few years ago, but here’s my simple definition of heaven:
Heaven is where God lives. Paul says that explicitly in verse 20. If heaven without God sounds attractive, you don’t belong there. Seriously. Heaven is where God lives, and that’s why Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” There are moments when heaven kisses earth, where God’s presence is unmistakable. Understand, God is omni-present, meaning He’s everywhere at once, but there are special times when you know He’s real.
But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control. (Philippians 3:20-21, NLT)
If heaven is where God lives, are you doing life with God or are you merely a citizen of the USA? I love this country, but this body and this country will not last. I’m looking forward to a glorious body and the new earth. How about you? Chapter four begins…
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work. (Philippians 4:1, NLT)
Now we know what the therefore is there for! Church family, I feel the same way about you. Stay true to the LORD. Many are abandoning the faith these days. Deconstructing is what all of the cool kids are doing, and deconstruction itself is not a bad thing. We need to regularly pause and take inventory of our lives, our beliefs, our heart. Why do we do the things we do? Why are you here this morning? But stay true to the LORD. You can deconstruct religion, but don’t leave Jesus. Don’t buy into the prideful lie of satan that you are somehow above the Almighty. Someone recent said the problem with our country is we are one nation over God instead of under God.
Stay true to the Lord. I love you. You are my joy. I appreciate you. Thank you!
Now Paul offers more notes about his friends.
Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. 3 And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life. (Philippians 4:2-3, NLT)
These two women had been proclaiming the gospel, the good news, but as so often happens, they experienced conflict. Paul’s saying, “Don’t cancel one another! Work it out. Extend grace. Love well.” Could we use that message today?
Now he returns to simple, clear instructions.
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! (Philippians 4:4, NLT)
Paul is under house arrest while writing this letter. He’s not at the beach! Yet he emphasizes the theme of this entire letter: joy. Are you full of joy? It doesn’t come from trying harder, but rather from being with Jesus. Joy…in the LORD! Despite circumstances, we can have joy knowing we are loved, forgiven, accepted, and adopted as sons and daughters of the Most High God. We have hope. We have a guaranteed future with the LORD forever in paradise. We have meaning and purpose. That’s what people need today. They’re searching…often in strange places! We are called to be hope dealers, and it begins with our attitude, with our time with Jesus, with experiencing joy and contagiously sharing it with others.
Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. (Philippians 4:5, NLT)
Would people say you are considerate? There were a lot of so-called Christians who weren’t exactly considerate during last week’s election!
Paul reminds them the Lord is coming soon. I know, it’s been 2000 years, but we need to be ready. We need to get others ready. Jesus is coming soon.
Now Paul issues one of the most challenging statements:
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. (Philippians 4:6a, NLT)
Do you ever worry? I do! Heather had to put a sign in our bathroom to remind me of this simple message. I worry. It’s a sin. It shows my lack of faith. I take matters into my own hands rather than trusting God, praying, seeking His help. This would be a great passage to memorize.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6b-7, NLT)
What a great passage for this month of Thanksgiving! Thank him. Then we’ll experience peace.
Our world desperately needs peace. Our government needs peace. Our streets and homes need peace. It is found in Jesus, and it comes by living in Christ Jesus. I think the rest of today’s text offers a pathway to peace.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9, NLT)
Did you catch that? Think about good stuff, follow Paul who followed Jesus, and the God of peace will be with you. You want a formula, there you go!
Think well. Find peace.
So What?
There’s so much in this passage! Let’s review:
Discipleship is not only for professional Christians.
Who is influencing and discipling you?
Who are you influencing and discipling?
“Spiritual formation (discipleship) is slow, incremental, over time, with others, and for others.”
– Richard Bush
You can’t follow Jesus and your desires. Which is it?
Heaven is where God lives.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Think well. Find peace.
Which of these is the most radical? The most challenging?
Maybe you’ve thought discipleship is only for the paid staff instead of getting in the game. Perhaps you’ve been influenced and discipled by social media or your co-workers or classmates rather than godly men and women. Maybe you’ve become impatient with the growth of others or even yourself, frustrated by sins or addictions. Your desires win over Jesus’ desires. It could be that—like me—you worry when you could be praying. Very often our problem boils down to our thoughts which stem from what we watch, read, hear, or surf. Shut off the junk, think well, and find peace.
This is not how the world lives, but we’re primarily citizens of heaven. We shouldn’t live like everyone else. It’s not about striving, but rather surrender. We don’t have to be in control because God is in control. We are called to be in this world, but not of it, citizens of heaven on God’s mission on earth to make disciples of all nations.
Honestly, it’s an impossible task…apart from God’s supernatural love. I don’t know about you, but I need more faith. I need to be with you each week to be reminded God will come through, no matter the challenges before me. We’ve been given an incredible assignment to proclaim good news, but sometimes I’m afraid. I can even freak out about the news of this world, yet joy and peace are hallmarks of the Kingdom of God. We serve a God of miracles who is on the throne inviting us to enjoy Him and challenging us to go and make disciples.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
JOY: The book of Philippians
Philippians 3:17-4:9
Series Big Idea: Paul’s letter from prison to the church in Philippi is filled with joy.
Big Idea: Paul challenges followers of Jesus to live as citizens of heaven, filled with joy, prayer, and peace.
Have you ever been in another country? Maybe you’ve taken the Ambassador Bridge or the tunnel to Windsor. It’s usually not a huge transition, but customs, the red maple leaves on signs, and the currency are constant reminders you’re not in the USA.
Mexico, though bordering the USA, is an even more radical experience. Once I was in San Diego and I rode the trolley train south to the border where I was a able to simply walk into Tijuana without any effort. Once there, the language, the music, and the food were noticeably different…and getting back into the USA was a minor ordeal!
I’ve been privileged to have been able to travel around the world, and whether it’s Bolivia, Burundi, or Britain, there’s no place like home, where I know the language, the culture, and where I am a citizen.
Home is a special place. Where do you call home?
If you’re new around here, welcome! We’ve been examining a letter written by Paul—one of the early Church leaders—wrote to a congregation he started in the city of Philippi in Greece. He’s covered a number of topics and today’s text begins with pastoral words.
Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. (Philippians 3:17, NLT)
Those are bold words! Do you want others to live like you?
I don’t think Paul’s saying he’s perfect, but he’s a follower of Jesus and followers of Jesus are called to not only follow Jesus, but also help others follow Jesus. We call this…discipleship.
Most of you are familiar with Jesus’ final words in the book of Matthew. It’s known as the Great Commission. It’s not a suggestion. It’s not an optional thing. Discipleship is not only for professional Christians. It’s the mission—the commission—of everyone who claims to follow Jesus. He said,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18b-20, NIV)
Go and make disciples. That’s the mandate, the assignment. A disciple is a devoted follower—an apprentice—and part of being a disciple is making disciples…following Jesus and helping others follow Jesus.
Who are you following? Who influences you? We all have people who influence us, and we probably all have people we influence. Side note: my favorite definition of leadership is influence. That makes us all leaders. You might not have a title or position, but if you influence, you lead. It might be a friend or co-worker or a child, but if you have influence, you lead.
When Paul says, “Pattern your lives after mine,” that’s a high level of influence. Let me ask again, who influences you? Who are you influencing?
Jesus’ simple invitation was, “Follow me.” He didn’t force it. There were no seminary degrees required, no tests to take, no pre-requisites. John Mark records several examples.
Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” (Mark 1:17, NLT)
As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him. (Mark 2:14, NLT)
Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. (Mark 8:34, NLT)
This whole thing—First Alliance Church, the Christian & Missionary Alliance, Christianity—is all about following Jesus…and helping other people follow Jesus. Paul seemed to do this quite well. What about you?
Who is influencing and discipling you?
Who are you influencing and discipling?
I dream of a day when every person in our First Alliance family is engaging in the lives of others, both as a disciple and discipler. I’m doing my best to equip and disciple you on Sunday mornings, but I can’t disciple each of you intimately in this large-group environment.
Discipleship and spiritual formation—according to the late Richard Bush—is slow, incremental, over time, with others, and for others.
Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. (Philippians 3:17, NLT)
I could easily do a sermon on verse 17 alone! Paul explains why he wants them to follow his example:
For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. (Philippians 3:18-19, NLT)
Just because you read it on the Internet doesn’t mean it’s true.
Just because someone called themselves a Christian doesn’t mean it’s true.
I hate to say this, but there are many so-called Christians and even pastors who are not following Jesus. But by the grace of God so go I. This is why Jesus said
“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. (Mark 8:34b, NLT)
You can’t follow Jesus and your desires. Which is it?
Family, I love you. I must warn you there are a lot of dangerous pastors and Christian celebrities out there. There are people trying to sell books, make money, become famous, and Paul would say “they are really enemies of the cross of Christ.”
But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control. (Philippians 3:20-21, NLT)
Are you following your desires or Jesus?
Are you a citizen of this world or a citizen of heaven?
There’s so much talk about heaven…what it will be like, when we get to go there, who will be there with us,…I did an entire sermon series on heaven a few years ago, but here’s my simple definition of heaven:
Heaven is where God lives. Paul says that explicitly in verse 20. If heaven without God sounds attractive, you don’t belong there. Seriously. Heaven is where God lives, and that’s why Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” There are moments when heaven kisses earth, where God’s presence is unmistakable. Understand, God is omni-present, meaning He’s everywhere at once, but there are special times when you know He’s real.
But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control. (Philippians 3:20-21, NLT)
If heaven is where God lives, are you doing life with God or are you merely a citizen of the USA? I love this country, but this body and this country will not last. I’m looking forward to a glorious body and the new earth. How about you? Chapter four begins…
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work. (Philippians 4:1, NLT)
Now we know what the therefore is there for! Church family, I feel the same way about you. Stay true to the LORD. Many are abandoning the faith these days. Deconstructing is what all of the cool kids are doing, and deconstruction itself is not a bad thing. We need to regularly pause and take inventory of our lives, our beliefs, our heart. Why do we do the things we do? Why are you here this morning? But stay true to the LORD. You can deconstruct religion, but don’t leave Jesus. Don’t buy into the prideful lie of satan that you are somehow above the Almighty. Someone recent said the problem with our country is we are one nation over God instead of under God.
Stay true to the Lord. I love you. You are my joy. I appreciate you. Thank you!
Now Paul offers more notes about his friends.
Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. 3 And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life. (Philippians 4:2-3, NLT)
These two women had been proclaiming the gospel, the good news, but as so often happens, they experienced conflict. Paul’s saying, “Don’t cancel one another! Work it out. Extend grace. Love well.” Could we use that message today?
Now he returns to simple, clear instructions.
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! (Philippians 4:4, NLT)
Paul is under house arrest while writing this letter. He’s not at the beach! Yet he emphasizes the theme of this entire letter: joy. Are you full of joy? It doesn’t come from trying harder, but rather from being with Jesus. Joy…in the LORD! Despite circumstances, we can have joy knowing we are loved, forgiven, accepted, and adopted as sons and daughters of the Most High God. We have hope. We have a guaranteed future with the LORD forever in paradise. We have meaning and purpose. That’s what people need today. They’re searching…often in strange places! We are called to be hope dealers, and it begins with our attitude, with our time with Jesus, with experiencing joy and contagiously sharing it with others.
Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. (Philippians 4:5, NLT)
Would people say you are considerate? There were a lot of so-called Christians who weren’t exactly considerate during last week’s election!
Paul reminds them the Lord is coming soon. I know, it’s been 2000 years, but we need to be ready. We need to get others ready. Jesus is coming soon.
Now Paul issues one of the most challenging statements:
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. (Philippians 4:6a, NLT)
Do you ever worry? I do! Heather had to put a sign in our bathroom to remind me of this simple message. I worry. It’s a sin. It shows my lack of faith. I take matters into my own hands rather than trusting God, praying, seeking His help. This would be a great passage to memorize.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6b-7, NLT)
What a great passage for this month of Thanksgiving! Thank him. Then we’ll experience peace.
Our world desperately needs peace. Our government needs peace. Our streets and homes need peace. It is found in Jesus, and it comes by living in Christ Jesus. I think the rest of today’s text offers a pathway to peace.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9, NLT)
Did you catch that? Think about good stuff, follow Paul who followed Jesus, and the God of peace will be with you. You want a formula, there you go!
Think well. Find peace.
So What?
There’s so much in this passage! Let’s review:
Discipleship is not only for professional Christians.
Who is influencing and discipling you?
Who are you influencing and discipling?
“Spiritual formation (discipleship) is slow, incremental, over time, with others, and for others.”
– Richard Bush
You can’t follow Jesus and your desires. Which is it?
Heaven is where God lives.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Think well. Find peace.
Which of these is the most radical? The most challenging?
Maybe you’ve thought discipleship is only for the paid staff instead of getting in the game. Perhaps you’ve been influenced and discipled by social media or your co-workers or classmates rather than godly men and women. Maybe you’ve become impatient with the growth of others or even yourself, frustrated by sins or addictions. Your desires win over Jesus’ desires. It could be that—like me—you worry when you could be praying. Very often our problem boils down to our thoughts which stem from what we watch, read, hear, or surf. Shut off the junk, think well, and find peace.
This is not how the world lives, but we’re primarily citizens of heaven. We shouldn’t live like everyone else. It’s not about striving, but rather surrender. We don’t have to be in control because God is in control. We are called to be in this world, but not of it, citizens of heaven on God’s mission on earth to make disciples of all nations.
Honestly, it’s an impossible task…apart from God’s supernatural love. I don’t know about you, but I need more faith. I need to be with you each week to be reminded God will come through, no matter the challenges before me. We’ve been given an incredible assignment to proclaim good news, but sometimes I’m afraid. I can even freak out about the news of this world, yet joy and peace are hallmarks of the Kingdom of God. We serve a God of miracles who is on the throne inviting us to enjoy Him and challenging us to go and make disciples.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Messengers, 30 October 2022
14 11 22
Messengers
JOY: The book of Philippians
Philippians 2:19-30
Series Big Idea: Paul’s letter from prison to the church in Philippi is filled with joy.
Big Idea: Pastor Paul had friends who discovered and used their spiritual gifts.
Scripture Reading
It’s been a while since you’ve seen it on the screen, but one of my favorite questions when looking at a passage from the Bible is…
So What?
Maybe you asked that after listening to that reading. Paul’s talking about two of his friends. What’s that got to do with me two thousand years later?
Let’s take a step back and review for a moment. The Bible is not a book. It’s actually a library, a collection of 66 books, written by many people in multiple languages on several continents over hundreds of years. It truly is a library.
One of the great things about a library is its diversity. If you go to the downtown library— which is one of the gems of Toledo, by the way—you’ll find dictionaries and novels, biographies and mysteries, how-to manuals and ancient writings. They’re all created for different purposes with different audiences in mind. You don’t write a graphic novel the same way you’d write your autobiography…I hope! The purpose of an encyclopedia is not the same as a collection of poetry.
We’re in the middle of a series on the book of Philippians, a short letter or epistle written by Paul to a church he started in the Greek town of Philippi. He’s writing from prison for preaching about Jesus, essentially, and he’s giving instructions on how to do life as followers of Jesus. Here are some of the things he has said:
…live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. (Philippians 1:27b, NLT)
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. (Philippians 2:3-4, NLT)
Do everything without complaining and arguing, (Philippians 2:14, NLT)
Then he interrupts his words of instructions and encouragement with what appears to be a commercial break or, more accurately, an update on his friends, Timothy and Epaphroditus.
Who’s your best friend? Why?
One of the greatest strengths and weaknesses of our USAmerican culture is rugged individualism. Most of us were raised to be independent, free-thinking people…who can get prideful, selfish, and believe the lie that we don’t need others…and then wonder why we’re lonely!
In the second chapter of the entire Bible,
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18, NIV)
A few weeks ago, we talked about how God exists in community, one God in three Persons—Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit.
The very nature of what we call “church” is from the Greek word ekklesia, a gathering, an assembly of people. We are an interdependent family, which can certainly be messy, but also very rewarding. We need a lot of grace, a lot of forgiveness, a lot of patience, and a lot of love!
In our text we see two of Paul’s friends who were messengers, delivering the good news of the gospel to others, and setting a great example for each of us to follow.
PRAY
The theme of this short epistle—or letter—is joy. Paul writes from prison, of all places, and offers encouragement and guidance to those in what may be the first European church in history. Imagine you were the founder of an organization—a business, a non-profit, a school—and you were imprisoned and wanted to communicate to the team. As I’ve said before, my primary message would be, “Get me out of here!” but Paul has other things to say. If you haven’t yet read through the short book, I encourage you to do so. It’s a powerful letter and it’s best understood in one reading rather than chopped up over months as we are doing in our study together.
A few weeks ago in looking at chapter one, verse twenty-seven, I said “conduct matters.” Actually, Paul said it! I want to go back to that for just a moment because I ran out of time and never finished my thought. Paul has a clear desire for his audience, which is not us (it was written to a church two thousand years ago), but it can certainly apply to us. It’s the same desire Jesus has for us.
His desire for all of us is simple: follow him. Love him. Love others. This is not done by trying harder. The goal isn’t to merely avoid doing bad things. It begins with surrender, with letting go, with giving Jesus your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Like the five people baptized last month, it’s dying to yourself so you can be made new in Christ.
Religion is all about trying harder, trying to earn God’s approval by your good deeds, which is impossible. Nobody is that good…and God doesn’t grade on a curve!
Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we can receive grace, unmerited favor. It’s unearned and undeserved. It’s a gift to be received. Have you received it?
The reason Paul said conduct matters is because if you’ve truly encountered Jesus, you will be changed…for the better! It’s a lifelong journey of change we call discipleship. It’s the journey of becoming like Jesus…not by trying harder, but by spending time with Jesus through prayer and studying the Bible and by hanging out with others who are seeking to follow Jesus. You are your friends…choose wisely.
One of the things I love about the Bible is it’s filled with real people in real places describing real events. In our text, Paul first talks about Timothy, who is referenced in the first verse of Philippians and also the recipient of two other letters from Paul.
If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along. 20 I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. 21 All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. 22 But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News. 23 I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here. 24 And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon. (Philippians 2:19-24, NLT)
I don’t think there’s a lot to analyze here. It’s pretty clear what he’s saying. He loves his friend, Timothy, and he commends him to the Philippians, hoping to see them, himself, soon. Next he turns to Epaphroditus (which is not in this year’s top ten baby names for boys!).
Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need. 26 I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill. 27 And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another. (Philippians 2:25-27, NLT)
So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you. 29 Welcome him in the Lord’s love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve. 30 For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn’t do from far away. (Philippians 2:28-30, NLT)
Again, a description and commendation of his friend and instructions to welcome him.
So what?
What shall we do with that this week as we live our lives in Toledo in 2022? How does this help us love God and love others as ourselves? In what way can this lead us toward making more and better disciples of Jesus?
First, this text reminds us that our faith is the result of real, historical events in real places with real people and a real God. It’s not grounded in someone’s dream. The Bible is not a collection of fiction. It’s not fairytales. Paul, Timothy, Epaphroditus…they walked this earth and modeled for us what it mean to follow Jesus—the way, the truth, and the life.
Pastor Paul had friends who discovered and used their spiritual gifts.
Ministry is not just for the professionals. The role of pastors is not to preach, lead meetings, visit the sick, do weddings and funerals, counsel, and 100 other things and for the congregation to watch (and critique!). According to Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus,
Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:12, NLT)
Did you catch that? It’s my job to equip you to do God’s work.
Some of you are passionately engaged in God’s work. You love God. You love your neighbor. You are making disciples, spending time with others, serving, giving, and glorifying God with your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Thank you!
Some of you come week after week to watch. We’re glad you’re here, but it’s more fun to play than watch the game.
I mentioned earlier this year how one of the greatest strategies of the enemy has been to get the 99% of unpaid Christians to watch the 1% professionals/pastors/clergy do all of the ministry. In many parts of the world, this is not even possible, but here so many expect the paid professionals to do it all. Our job—the role of our staff—is to equip you to love God, love people, and make disciples.
Several years ago, Princeton Alliance in New Jersey hired a consultant to work with their team. The staff was told they could not do any hands-on ministry for several months—only equipping volunteers—and they grew from 500 to 2000 people! The goal is not to have a big church, but rather to engage every follower of Jesus in meaningful ministry.
This is why we have Life Groups.
This is why we offer Dinner Church.
This is why we are involved in Celebrate Recovery.
This is why we started Masterpiece Mentors.
This is why we are involved in ten area ministries, our Home Missions Partners.
This is why we are engaging in Germany and the Dominican Republic.
If you’re looking for a place to start, take the free SHAPE assessment online at FreeShapeTest.com. It will help you discover your purpose and how God has uniquely created you, with gifts and passions and experiences to serve others.
Another next step involves apprenticeship. Paul had several apprentices, including Timothy and Epaphroditus. Every leader should have an apprentice leader. Ask any leader, “Can I be your apprentice?” This isn’t the only way to get involved, but it’s a great way to learn from an established leader, help, and explore a possible leadership opportunity in the future.
Ask Sue Trumbull if you can help her with kids.
Ask Pastor Mike if you can help with Alliance Youth.
Ask Hollywood if you can help with Celebrate Recovery.
Ask your Life Group leader if you can apprentice with them.
I dream of a day when every leader has an apprentice, where everybody is serving, and where ministry is exploding from this campus across our city, state, nation, and world.
This isn’t a recruiting speech. This is an invitation to discover and live out your purpose! God has created you with unique gifts and passions which I need, which we need. Every part of the body is important, and you’re a vital part.
When Jesus said,
…go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:18, NLT)
he wasn’t at a pastor’s conference! The Great Commission is for every Jesus-follower.
Timothy and Epaphroditus were friends, co-workers with Paul. They began as apprentices and over time gained more experience, skill, and confidence to become engaged in greater ministry opportunities.
While we’re on the subject, if you know any high school or college students interested in ministry, we have paid internship opportunities available. Check out our website. Yes, I catch the irony of mentioning a paid role while promoting volunteer ministry!
By the way, some of our greatest needs presently are Life Group leaders, social media and digital storytelling, graphic arts, sound, IT, and communications. If any of those are of interest, please see me or contact the church office.
Conclusion
Pastor Paul had friends who discovered and used their spiritual gifts. What about you?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
JOY: The book of Philippians
Philippians 2:19-30
Series Big Idea: Paul’s letter from prison to the church in Philippi is filled with joy.
Big Idea: Pastor Paul had friends who discovered and used their spiritual gifts.
Scripture Reading
It’s been a while since you’ve seen it on the screen, but one of my favorite questions when looking at a passage from the Bible is…
So What?
Maybe you asked that after listening to that reading. Paul’s talking about two of his friends. What’s that got to do with me two thousand years later?
Let’s take a step back and review for a moment. The Bible is not a book. It’s actually a library, a collection of 66 books, written by many people in multiple languages on several continents over hundreds of years. It truly is a library.
One of the great things about a library is its diversity. If you go to the downtown library— which is one of the gems of Toledo, by the way—you’ll find dictionaries and novels, biographies and mysteries, how-to manuals and ancient writings. They’re all created for different purposes with different audiences in mind. You don’t write a graphic novel the same way you’d write your autobiography…I hope! The purpose of an encyclopedia is not the same as a collection of poetry.
We’re in the middle of a series on the book of Philippians, a short letter or epistle written by Paul to a church he started in the Greek town of Philippi. He’s writing from prison for preaching about Jesus, essentially, and he’s giving instructions on how to do life as followers of Jesus. Here are some of the things he has said:
…live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. (Philippians 1:27b, NLT)
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. (Philippians 2:3-4, NLT)
Do everything without complaining and arguing, (Philippians 2:14, NLT)
Then he interrupts his words of instructions and encouragement with what appears to be a commercial break or, more accurately, an update on his friends, Timothy and Epaphroditus.
Who’s your best friend? Why?
One of the greatest strengths and weaknesses of our USAmerican culture is rugged individualism. Most of us were raised to be independent, free-thinking people…who can get prideful, selfish, and believe the lie that we don’t need others…and then wonder why we’re lonely!
In the second chapter of the entire Bible,
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18, NIV)
A few weeks ago, we talked about how God exists in community, one God in three Persons—Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit.
The very nature of what we call “church” is from the Greek word ekklesia, a gathering, an assembly of people. We are an interdependent family, which can certainly be messy, but also very rewarding. We need a lot of grace, a lot of forgiveness, a lot of patience, and a lot of love!
In our text we see two of Paul’s friends who were messengers, delivering the good news of the gospel to others, and setting a great example for each of us to follow.
PRAY
The theme of this short epistle—or letter—is joy. Paul writes from prison, of all places, and offers encouragement and guidance to those in what may be the first European church in history. Imagine you were the founder of an organization—a business, a non-profit, a school—and you were imprisoned and wanted to communicate to the team. As I’ve said before, my primary message would be, “Get me out of here!” but Paul has other things to say. If you haven’t yet read through the short book, I encourage you to do so. It’s a powerful letter and it’s best understood in one reading rather than chopped up over months as we are doing in our study together.
A few weeks ago in looking at chapter one, verse twenty-seven, I said “conduct matters.” Actually, Paul said it! I want to go back to that for just a moment because I ran out of time and never finished my thought. Paul has a clear desire for his audience, which is not us (it was written to a church two thousand years ago), but it can certainly apply to us. It’s the same desire Jesus has for us.
His desire for all of us is simple: follow him. Love him. Love others. This is not done by trying harder. The goal isn’t to merely avoid doing bad things. It begins with surrender, with letting go, with giving Jesus your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Like the five people baptized last month, it’s dying to yourself so you can be made new in Christ.
Religion is all about trying harder, trying to earn God’s approval by your good deeds, which is impossible. Nobody is that good…and God doesn’t grade on a curve!
Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we can receive grace, unmerited favor. It’s unearned and undeserved. It’s a gift to be received. Have you received it?
The reason Paul said conduct matters is because if you’ve truly encountered Jesus, you will be changed…for the better! It’s a lifelong journey of change we call discipleship. It’s the journey of becoming like Jesus…not by trying harder, but by spending time with Jesus through prayer and studying the Bible and by hanging out with others who are seeking to follow Jesus. You are your friends…choose wisely.
One of the things I love about the Bible is it’s filled with real people in real places describing real events. In our text, Paul first talks about Timothy, who is referenced in the first verse of Philippians and also the recipient of two other letters from Paul.
If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along. 20 I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. 21 All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. 22 But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News. 23 I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here. 24 And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon. (Philippians 2:19-24, NLT)
I don’t think there’s a lot to analyze here. It’s pretty clear what he’s saying. He loves his friend, Timothy, and he commends him to the Philippians, hoping to see them, himself, soon. Next he turns to Epaphroditus (which is not in this year’s top ten baby names for boys!).
Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need. 26 I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill. 27 And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another. (Philippians 2:25-27, NLT)
So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you. 29 Welcome him in the Lord’s love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve. 30 For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn’t do from far away. (Philippians 2:28-30, NLT)
Again, a description and commendation of his friend and instructions to welcome him.
So what?
What shall we do with that this week as we live our lives in Toledo in 2022? How does this help us love God and love others as ourselves? In what way can this lead us toward making more and better disciples of Jesus?
First, this text reminds us that our faith is the result of real, historical events in real places with real people and a real God. It’s not grounded in someone’s dream. The Bible is not a collection of fiction. It’s not fairytales. Paul, Timothy, Epaphroditus…they walked this earth and modeled for us what it mean to follow Jesus—the way, the truth, and the life.
Pastor Paul had friends who discovered and used their spiritual gifts.
Ministry is not just for the professionals. The role of pastors is not to preach, lead meetings, visit the sick, do weddings and funerals, counsel, and 100 other things and for the congregation to watch (and critique!). According to Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus,
Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:12, NLT)
Did you catch that? It’s my job to equip you to do God’s work.
Some of you are passionately engaged in God’s work. You love God. You love your neighbor. You are making disciples, spending time with others, serving, giving, and glorifying God with your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Thank you!
Some of you come week after week to watch. We’re glad you’re here, but it’s more fun to play than watch the game.
I mentioned earlier this year how one of the greatest strategies of the enemy has been to get the 99% of unpaid Christians to watch the 1% professionals/pastors/clergy do all of the ministry. In many parts of the world, this is not even possible, but here so many expect the paid professionals to do it all. Our job—the role of our staff—is to equip you to love God, love people, and make disciples.
Several years ago, Princeton Alliance in New Jersey hired a consultant to work with their team. The staff was told they could not do any hands-on ministry for several months—only equipping volunteers—and they grew from 500 to 2000 people! The goal is not to have a big church, but rather to engage every follower of Jesus in meaningful ministry.
This is why we have Life Groups.
This is why we offer Dinner Church.
This is why we are involved in Celebrate Recovery.
This is why we started Masterpiece Mentors.
This is why we are involved in ten area ministries, our Home Missions Partners.
This is why we are engaging in Germany and the Dominican Republic.
If you’re looking for a place to start, take the free SHAPE assessment online at FreeShapeTest.com. It will help you discover your purpose and how God has uniquely created you, with gifts and passions and experiences to serve others.
Another next step involves apprenticeship. Paul had several apprentices, including Timothy and Epaphroditus. Every leader should have an apprentice leader. Ask any leader, “Can I be your apprentice?” This isn’t the only way to get involved, but it’s a great way to learn from an established leader, help, and explore a possible leadership opportunity in the future.
Ask Sue Trumbull if you can help her with kids.
Ask Pastor Mike if you can help with Alliance Youth.
Ask Hollywood if you can help with Celebrate Recovery.
Ask your Life Group leader if you can apprentice with them.
I dream of a day when every leader has an apprentice, where everybody is serving, and where ministry is exploding from this campus across our city, state, nation, and world.
This isn’t a recruiting speech. This is an invitation to discover and live out your purpose! God has created you with unique gifts and passions which I need, which we need. Every part of the body is important, and you’re a vital part.
When Jesus said,
…go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:18, NLT)
he wasn’t at a pastor’s conference! The Great Commission is for every Jesus-follower.
Timothy and Epaphroditus were friends, co-workers with Paul. They began as apprentices and over time gained more experience, skill, and confidence to become engaged in greater ministry opportunities.
While we’re on the subject, if you know any high school or college students interested in ministry, we have paid internship opportunities available. Check out our website. Yes, I catch the irony of mentioning a paid role while promoting volunteer ministry!
By the way, some of our greatest needs presently are Life Group leaders, social media and digital storytelling, graphic arts, sound, IT, and communications. If any of those are of interest, please see me or contact the church office.
Conclusion
Pastor Paul had friends who discovered and used their spiritual gifts. What about you?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Unity, 9 October 2022
10 10 22
Unity
Series—JOY: The Book of Philippians
Philippians 1:27-2:4
Series Big Idea: Paul’s letter from prison to the church in Philippi is filled with joy.
Big Idea: Paul echoes Jesus’ prayer for unity in the church.
For the past seven years—well, actually it will be seven years on Wednesday—I’ve been praying four prayers for First Alliance Church: direction, protection, passion, and unity.
I pray for direction because this is God’s church. It’s not mine. It’s not yours. It’s not ours. It’s His church and where He leads, we must follow.
I pray for protection, knowing there is a real enemy that wants to steal, kill, destroy, and lie. He can’t create anything, but if we’re not fitted with the armor of God (Ephesians 6) and on our knees, we will be destroyed…but our God is greater!
I pray for passion for the things that God cares about…the lost, the widow, the stranger, the orphan, the poor…along with justice, righteousness, and peace.
I pray for unity because it is fragile, it’s what Jesus prayed for us, and it’s our theme today.
We’re in the middle of a series on the book of Philippians, a letter from imprisoned Paul to the church in Philippi in Greece which he started. This is a letter from a pastor to a congregation. We begin in Philippians chapter one, verse 27.
Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. (Philippians 1:27, NLT)
Above all. This is the most important thing Paul wants this church to know. First, he tells them to live as citizens of heaven. He was writing to Roman citizens, but he’s saying they have a higher citizenship. Most of us are citizens of the United States, but that will only be useful for a hundred years or so. For citizens of heaven, conduct matters.
First Alliance, your conduct matters. People are watching you. They’re watching us. They want to know if we just talk about Jesus or walk like Jesus. We all know actions speak louder than words. Paul’s not sure if he will even see these people again, but he knows conduct matters. They—and we—may be the only Bible people read. Hypocrisy can hurt the spread of the gospel. So can division, racism, hate, idolatry, and the countless other sins that are giving the movement of Jesus a bad reputation in our day.
The gospel simply means “good news,” and one unknown writer wrote,
Series—JOY: The Book of Philippians
Philippians 1:27-2:4
Series Big Idea: Paul’s letter from prison to the church in Philippi is filled with joy.
Big Idea: Paul echoes Jesus’ prayer for unity in the church.
For the past seven years—well, actually it will be seven years on Wednesday—I’ve been praying four prayers for First Alliance Church: direction, protection, passion, and unity.
I pray for direction because this is God’s church. It’s not mine. It’s not yours. It’s not ours. It’s His church and where He leads, we must follow.
I pray for protection, knowing there is a real enemy that wants to steal, kill, destroy, and lie. He can’t create anything, but if we’re not fitted with the armor of God (Ephesians 6) and on our knees, we will be destroyed…but our God is greater!
I pray for passion for the things that God cares about…the lost, the widow, the stranger, the orphan, the poor…along with justice, righteousness, and peace.
I pray for unity because it is fragile, it’s what Jesus prayed for us, and it’s our theme today.
We’re in the middle of a series on the book of Philippians, a letter from imprisoned Paul to the church in Philippi in Greece which he started. This is a letter from a pastor to a congregation. We begin in Philippians chapter one, verse 27.
Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. (Philippians 1:27, NLT)
Above all. This is the most important thing Paul wants this church to know. First, he tells them to live as citizens of heaven. He was writing to Roman citizens, but he’s saying they have a higher citizenship. Most of us are citizens of the United States, but that will only be useful for a hundred years or so. For citizens of heaven, conduct matters.
First Alliance, your conduct matters. People are watching you. They’re watching us. They want to know if we just talk about Jesus or walk like Jesus. We all know actions speak louder than words. Paul’s not sure if he will even see these people again, but he knows conduct matters. They—and we—may be the only Bible people read. Hypocrisy can hurt the spread of the gospel. So can division, racism, hate, idolatry, and the countless other sins that are giving the movement of Jesus a bad reputation in our day.
The gospel simply means “good news,” and one unknown writer wrote,
You are writing a gospel,
A chapter each day,
By the deeds that you do
And the words that you say.
Men read what you write,
Whether faithful or true:
Just what is the gospel
According to you?
Paul described it this way in his letter to the church in Corinth:
You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. (2 Corinthians 3:2, NIV)
Unfortunately, the gospel many people are reading from so-called Christians is not good news. It’s not attractive. Young people especially are leaving the Church, perhaps because they can’t find Jesus there!
Can I tell you about something exciting, though, that gives me some hope? The largest Christian media campaign in history is underway. It’s called He Gets Us. Have you seen it? Here’s an example of one of the ads.
Video: He Gets Us
Our church is one of thousands around the country receiving prayer requests from people responding to this campaign which is right now all over social media, television, and billboards. There will be Super Bowl ads, race car sponsorships, and more. I think it’s exciting and I pray it stimulates a revival in our nation, especially among young people, the target audience. As hundreds of millions of dollars are being invested, tremendous research has been done and the majority of people in our nation are open to learning more about Jesus. The issue isn’t Christ, but Christians who don’t conduct themselves well, who don’t act like the one they claim to follow. This is nothing new. Notice what Paul says about them.
Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. (Philippians 1:27, NLT)
One spirit. One purpose. Fighting together. That’s unity! Paul wants this church to fight together for the gospel, the good news. He wants them to be like that group in the video, a gang of love, following Jesus together. Conduct matters. It doesn’t save us—only Jesus can do that—but it’s the evidence that we’re saved. Not perfect, but growing in Christ-likeness.
Paul continues.
Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. (Philippians 1:28, NLT)
Have you ever been intimidated? How does that feel? I’ve spoken with many people who seem intimidated by enemies of Jesus, whether they are politicians or people of other religions or even people from other countries. In case you forgot, our God is greater!
…the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4b, NIV)
Family, we are to fight…on our knees. We are to be warriors…of love. We are to unite together…at the foot of the cross. We are to encourage one another…especially when we are afraid. Following Jesus isn’t easy. It’s a battle. That’s why one of my four prayers is protection. Ephesians 6 talks about the armor of God. We have to put it on. You don’t wage war in your pajamas!
For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. (Philippians 1:29, NLT)
Have you ever thought of suffering as a privilege? Paul did. Remember, he’s writing from prison…for his faith. Suffering is remarkable. It breeds empathy. Military veterans—especially those wounded—have a unique bond with one another. In a similar way, those who suffer for Jesus can identify in a small way with the tremendous suffering Jesus endured for us. We can reach out to God for comfort and strength. Most of us don’t like to ask for help, but we can do far more with God’s help than we can on our own. Most of us have never experienced true persecution, but many of our brothers and sisters around the world experience it every day. We need to pray for them…and prepare for persecution which may be in our future. If it comes, it will reveal the true believers from the fakers…the Sunday morning Christians from the fully devoted.
Paul told Timothy,
Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. (2 Timothy 3:12, NLT)
How many of you memorized this verse?! This shouldn’t surprise us. Jesus was persecuted and his followers will be, too. He lived a radical, counter-cultural life and the world always hates those who refuse to follow the status quo and the politically-correct. We must remember Jesus identifies with those who suffer, and though he promised us trouble, he also promised to be with us and said he has overcome the world (John 16:33). Suffering for Christ always has a purpose…for our good and God’s glory, even though we may avoid it.
Paul reminds them…
We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it. (Philippians 1:30, NLT)
Unity. They are in it together. Family, we need to follow Jesus together. We need to love one another well, believe the best in one another, extend grace to one another, be quick to forgive one another, refuse to gossip about one another, serve one another, pray for one another, and you know what else? Get to know one another!
In a growing church like ours, I don’t even know everyone, but I want to personally invite you to Bruce’s Bonfire on October 22 and our all-church potluck on October 30. These two events were created especially for you to get to know one another. Mark your calendars. Make it a priority.
Perhaps the best way to really get to know one another is by joining a Life Group, doing life together with others. It’s not always easy. People can be messy. We can all be challenging, at times, but that’s why we need one another.
One of the reasons the early church grew so quickly was because messy ragamuffins were welcomed by followers of Jesus. It wasn’t a country club for the rich and famous, but a tribe of broken people seeking faith, hope, and love.
I said a few weeks ago there’s only one Church in Toledo. We need one another. We were created to need one another. There will always be things we disagree about, but followers of Jesus are called to come together, to present one message to the world: Jesus is LORD!
Paul’s not done with his unity remarks.
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. (Philippians 2:1-2, NLT)
What’s Paul’s message? Unity! Agree. Love, Work together. One mind and purpose. This is what the Church is supposed to be. What a vision! As one of your pastors, let me say First Alliance, “Make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose!”
Amen! You know that’s hard, right? That’s why there are more than 41,000 Christian denominations in our world! Yet Jesus prayed for us—for us—that we would be one.
“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. (John 17:20-21, NLT)
Jesus also said neither a divided kingdom nor a divided house can stand (Mark 3:24-25). Our real enemy wants to divide and conquer. He doesn’t want us to be one, but 41,000+!!! One writer said, “Unity is the hallmark of the gospel.” This isn’t about uniformity, about us all looking and acting exactly the same. Unity is being coming together to follow Jesus. There’s an African proverb which says, “Threads united can tie even a lion.” There’s power when we unite, when we come together, when we avoid the temptation to cancel one another and, instead, extend grace, listen to one another, seek understanding, and love well.
Why do we struggle with unity? Two words: selfishness and pride.
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. (Philippians 2:3-4, NLT)
Don’t be selfish. Is that clear? I like the New International Version’s translation.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4, NIV)
Do nothing out of selfish ambition.
What is the sin that causes us to try to impress others, vain conceit? Pride. It’s the root of all sin, the original sin. It plagues all of us in a variety of destructive ways, from arrogance to false humility to hating ourselves and calling God’s masterpiece junk, as if you know better than the Creator! The opposite of pride is…humility.
Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. It’s thinking of Jesus and others more. It’s having the posture of a servant. We all like the idea of being a servant until we’re treated like one! Jesus’ example for us was characterized by humility and obedience. If anyone deserved to act like he was God…!!!
One obvious expression of humility Paul states is looking out for others. It’s having concern for our city and caring for the widow, the stranger, and the orphan. This is especially hard in our individualistic, materialistic, me-first culture. Humility was not valued in the ancient world, and it seems uncommon among the celebrities of our day, yet it is the way of Jesus.
Family, this is a struggle for me. I am selfish. I am proud. I want my own way. I don’t like to wait for others. I think of myself far too often. Even listening can be challenging for me. But would you agree this is a beautiful vision? If we could just get this right, how incredible would that be?
I think it begins with a careful look at Jesus. Imagine he walked in the room. Instant humility! The more time I spent with the LORD, the more I realize how sinful and weak I am. It’s not a popular thing in our culture to admit, but it’s not about me! It’s all about Jesus.
His desire for all of us is simple: follow him. Love him. Love others. This is not done by trying harder. The goal isn’t to merely avoid doing bad things. It begins with surrender, with letting go, with giving Jesus your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Like the five people baptized last week, it’s dying to yourself so you can be made new in Christ.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Thanks, 25 September 2022
02 10 22
Thanks
Series—JOY: The Book of Philippians
Series Big Idea: Paul’s letter from prison to the church in Philippi is filled with joy.
Big Idea: Paul greets the people of Philippi with blessings, prayers, and thanks.
Thanks! There are few words more powerful to say. There are few words more encouraging to hear. In a hurried culture filled with self-obsessed, materialistic individuals, it’s refreshing to experience a “thank you.” I must admit I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the number of people that thank me when I usher at the Stranahan Theater. You might say it has restored my faith in humanity a bit!
We’re still two months away from Thanksgiving, but thanks is our theme this morning. Today we begin a new series on the book of Philippians. It’s called an epistle, a short letter written by Paul and Timothy to the church in Philippi, a town in modern-day Greece which you can visit to this day.
One thing I love about the Bible and our faith is it’s based upon real events in real places throughout history. Several years ago Heather and I were able to travel to Philippi where Paul founded the first European Christian church around AD 50.
If you look closely at the logo of our series, it shows a person in handcuffs. The book of Philippians was written in prison!
Have you ever been to a prison? Some of you have been as residents, others as visitors. Regardless, it’s not the most uplifting of environments! Our modern-day prisons can’t even begin to compare to those in the first century Roman Empire.
Paul was in prison for preaching the good news of Jesus. It still amazes me how people then—and now—can be persecuted for peacefully speaking the truth. Freedom of religion and freedom of speech are precious gifts we enjoy in the United States.
If you were in prison—for honoring God—what would your message be to your friends? I can think of three words: get me out! I would surely be tempted to whine, complain, describe the horrors of sharing my dwelling with other creatures, great and small. The smell, the food, the sounds, the sights…a multi-sensory nightmare, to be sure. But those ideas cannot be found in Philippians. In fact, quite the opposite. If there’s one word to describe the book, it’s joy!
Thanks is our theme today, but the theme of this book is joy. Our nation talks a lot about the pursuit of happiness, but joy is not dependent upon circumstances. It’s part of the fruit of the Spirit. It’s a deeper contentment, found in knowing Jesus. Joy is something I desire for myself and for you and I believe this series will help us experience God’s joy to a greater degree.
Philippians begins with a clear announcement of its authors.
This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:1a, NLT)
Paul and Timothy describe themselves as slaves of Christ Jesus. They don’t identify as prisoners here. There’s no description of their surroundings. They don’t even use titles such as pastor or apostle or even “mister.” They are slaves…of Christ Jesus.
Are you a slave of Christ Jesus? Obviously the word “slave” has terrible connotations, especially given both our nation’s history and the current trafficking in our society (a UN Report this month shows modern slavery is at an all-time high, tragically). But the original Greek word, doulos, can also be translated “servant,” someone devoted to another, one pledged or bound to serve. These men were not kidnapped. They chose to follow Jesus, and their identification as slaves makes clear their commitment to following Jesus.
Again I ask, are you a slave of Christ Jesus? That’s the invitation. When Jesus says, “Follow me,” he’s not looking for part-time lovers. It’s not enough to give him an hour on Sunday morning and a quick prayer at mealtime. Praying a sinner’s prayer isn’t the end. Jesus is looking for men, women, and children to give up everything to follow him…and many have done so (including Paul and Timothy).
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was arrested, imprisoned, sent to a concentration camp, and eventually hanged in for his refusal to follow Hitler, said, “Whenever Christ calls us, his call leads us to death.”
Who wants to follow Jesus?
Before you turn away, let me remind you of something Jesus himself said.
Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:38-39, NIV)
We live in a world where people are trying desperately to find life, to find meaning, to discover purpose, to define their identity, to experience satisfaction, to achieve peace. Not surprisingly, their pursuit of money, sex, power, and pleasure leaves them anxious, frustrated, and discontent.
You were made for a relationship to God, and any other quest will fail you. It might make you happy for a while, but any idol—anything you give your attention to other than God—will ultimately leave you seeking more.
Today we’ll witness several people entering a water grave, symbolically dying to their own selfish desires before being resurrected as a new creation in Jesus Christ. It’s a public declaration that they are now slaves of Christ Jesus, committed to following him and not the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16).
Christianity is not primarily a set of beliefs or a religion, but a way of living a life filled with the Holy Spirit shaped around the death and resurrection of Jesus.
I often compare following Jesus to marriage. My wedding day was the beginning, not the end of the journey. I’m not married only when we’re on a date, but marriage is a 24/7/365 adventure (and what an adventure it has been!). I am committed to my wife, for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health…until death! That’s what it means to follow Jesus. Baptism doesn’t make you “saved” any more than a wedding ring makes you married. It’s an outward declaration of an inward commitment.
This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:1a, NLT)
Are you a slave of Christ Jesus? Are you committed to following Jesus, 24/7/365? Paul and Timothy made such a statement. It’s bold, brash, and radical. Jesus isn’t seeking fans. He’s not about getting “likes” on social media. He is inviting men, women, and children to take up their crosses—daily—to surrender everything so they can be fully devoted to him.
I must confess this is a struggle for me. Every day is filled with countless opportunities to live for myself or Jesus. My calendar, checkbook, and credit card bill reflect what truly matters to me. What about you?
I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and deacons. (Philippians 1:1b, NLT)
Paul’s writing to the people, the holy people, the set-apart people in this church he started, specifically mentioning the leaders.
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. (Philippians 1:2, NLT)
Grace and peace was a common greeting and one rich in meaning.
Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. (Philippians 1:3, NLT)
There it is: thanks. Paul is thankful for this church, for these people. First Alliance, I thank God for you…and I’m not even in prison! You have become family…you are family. I love you.
Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. (Philippians 1:4-5, NLT)
Joy. We’ll see that word throughout the letter. The original Greek work is chara (khar-ah), cheerfulness, gladness, calm delight, joy. The church in Philippi has been supporting Paul with love, prayers, finances, and perhaps even letters.
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (Philippians 1:6, NLT)
I love this verse. He is certain that God will finish what He started with them, and I believe the same is true for you. God’s not done with you yet!
So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:7-8, NLT)
This is a love letter from Pastor Paul to the people in Philippi.
I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. (Philippians 1:9, NLT)
This is my prayer for you, too, First Alliance. I identify so much with this letter! No matter if you’re a new Christian or you’ve been a saint for decades, I long for you to keep on growing!
For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. (Philippians 1:10, NLT)
What really matters? What matters to our world? Money, sex, and power? What really matters to you? It’s obvious what matters to Paul…Jesus Christ. In next week’s text, Paul will say,
For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. (Philippians 1:21, NLT).
Jesus was everything to Paul, regardless of whether he died in prison or lived for decades longer. Jesus was the center, the purpose, the foundation, the direction, and power, and the meaning of his life. Does that sound radical? Does it describe you?
For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. (Philippians 1:10, NLT)
What really mattered to Paul was Jesus, and he wanted Jesus to be so real in the lives of his readers and listeners that they would live pure and blameless lives until Christ returned. Pure and blameless. Does that sound old fashioned to you? Does anyone live pure and blameless? I hope so! That’s what it means to follow Jesus. I believe obedience is God’s love language. More than that, it’s what’s best for us. I don’t mean boring, dull lives. I mean a wild, exciting relationship with God filled with challenges and adventures beyond your wildest dreams.
Earlier this month I was in New Orleans and I took a walk with two friends through Bourbon Street on a Friday night. I knew it would be terrible, and it was! In addition to the noise, the smell, the crowds, and the witchcraft, there were even live snakes, which made me literally feel like I was walking through hell. There was nothing appealing to me at all, yet for thousands of people this was the purpose of their travels from around the world. This was what really mattered to them…getting drunk, high, and whatever else they would probably regret doing hours later.
In care you’re curious, the purpose of our trip was to watch our alma mater, Eastern Michigan University, play the University of Louisiana in football (which was a great, wholesome experience besides a brutal defeat of EMU!).
What really matters to you? Paul concludes today’s text:
May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. (Philippians 1:11, NLT)
It’s not about trying harder. It’s not about being perfect and saying no to fun. It’s about being filled with the Holy Spirit, abiding with Jesus, growing in your relationship with Christ, and becoming like him. Why? For God’s glory. That’s the bottom line of First Alliance’s mission statement…God’s glory. That’s why we’re here. It’s not about me, my sermons, singing your favorite songs, or even obtaining Bible knowledge. It’s about loving God, loving others, and making disciples…for God’s glory.
God is good. God is great. He is everything to me. He was everything to Paul. Over the next several weeks, we’ll read the rest of this letter from a pastor to a church. He begins by giving thanks to God for them and encouraging them to make Jesus what really matters. I feel the same way!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—JOY: The Book of Philippians
Series Big Idea: Paul’s letter from prison to the church in Philippi is filled with joy.
Big Idea: Paul greets the people of Philippi with blessings, prayers, and thanks.
Thanks! There are few words more powerful to say. There are few words more encouraging to hear. In a hurried culture filled with self-obsessed, materialistic individuals, it’s refreshing to experience a “thank you.” I must admit I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the number of people that thank me when I usher at the Stranahan Theater. You might say it has restored my faith in humanity a bit!
We’re still two months away from Thanksgiving, but thanks is our theme this morning. Today we begin a new series on the book of Philippians. It’s called an epistle, a short letter written by Paul and Timothy to the church in Philippi, a town in modern-day Greece which you can visit to this day.
One thing I love about the Bible and our faith is it’s based upon real events in real places throughout history. Several years ago Heather and I were able to travel to Philippi where Paul founded the first European Christian church around AD 50.
If you look closely at the logo of our series, it shows a person in handcuffs. The book of Philippians was written in prison!
Have you ever been to a prison? Some of you have been as residents, others as visitors. Regardless, it’s not the most uplifting of environments! Our modern-day prisons can’t even begin to compare to those in the first century Roman Empire.
Paul was in prison for preaching the good news of Jesus. It still amazes me how people then—and now—can be persecuted for peacefully speaking the truth. Freedom of religion and freedom of speech are precious gifts we enjoy in the United States.
If you were in prison—for honoring God—what would your message be to your friends? I can think of three words: get me out! I would surely be tempted to whine, complain, describe the horrors of sharing my dwelling with other creatures, great and small. The smell, the food, the sounds, the sights…a multi-sensory nightmare, to be sure. But those ideas cannot be found in Philippians. In fact, quite the opposite. If there’s one word to describe the book, it’s joy!
Thanks is our theme today, but the theme of this book is joy. Our nation talks a lot about the pursuit of happiness, but joy is not dependent upon circumstances. It’s part of the fruit of the Spirit. It’s a deeper contentment, found in knowing Jesus. Joy is something I desire for myself and for you and I believe this series will help us experience God’s joy to a greater degree.
Philippians begins with a clear announcement of its authors.
This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:1a, NLT)
Paul and Timothy describe themselves as slaves of Christ Jesus. They don’t identify as prisoners here. There’s no description of their surroundings. They don’t even use titles such as pastor or apostle or even “mister.” They are slaves…of Christ Jesus.
Are you a slave of Christ Jesus? Obviously the word “slave” has terrible connotations, especially given both our nation’s history and the current trafficking in our society (a UN Report this month shows modern slavery is at an all-time high, tragically). But the original Greek word, doulos, can also be translated “servant,” someone devoted to another, one pledged or bound to serve. These men were not kidnapped. They chose to follow Jesus, and their identification as slaves makes clear their commitment to following Jesus.
Again I ask, are you a slave of Christ Jesus? That’s the invitation. When Jesus says, “Follow me,” he’s not looking for part-time lovers. It’s not enough to give him an hour on Sunday morning and a quick prayer at mealtime. Praying a sinner’s prayer isn’t the end. Jesus is looking for men, women, and children to give up everything to follow him…and many have done so (including Paul and Timothy).
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was arrested, imprisoned, sent to a concentration camp, and eventually hanged in for his refusal to follow Hitler, said, “Whenever Christ calls us, his call leads us to death.”
Who wants to follow Jesus?
Before you turn away, let me remind you of something Jesus himself said.
Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:38-39, NIV)
We live in a world where people are trying desperately to find life, to find meaning, to discover purpose, to define their identity, to experience satisfaction, to achieve peace. Not surprisingly, their pursuit of money, sex, power, and pleasure leaves them anxious, frustrated, and discontent.
You were made for a relationship to God, and any other quest will fail you. It might make you happy for a while, but any idol—anything you give your attention to other than God—will ultimately leave you seeking more.
Today we’ll witness several people entering a water grave, symbolically dying to their own selfish desires before being resurrected as a new creation in Jesus Christ. It’s a public declaration that they are now slaves of Christ Jesus, committed to following him and not the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16).
Christianity is not primarily a set of beliefs or a religion, but a way of living a life filled with the Holy Spirit shaped around the death and resurrection of Jesus.
I often compare following Jesus to marriage. My wedding day was the beginning, not the end of the journey. I’m not married only when we’re on a date, but marriage is a 24/7/365 adventure (and what an adventure it has been!). I am committed to my wife, for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health…until death! That’s what it means to follow Jesus. Baptism doesn’t make you “saved” any more than a wedding ring makes you married. It’s an outward declaration of an inward commitment.
This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:1a, NLT)
Are you a slave of Christ Jesus? Are you committed to following Jesus, 24/7/365? Paul and Timothy made such a statement. It’s bold, brash, and radical. Jesus isn’t seeking fans. He’s not about getting “likes” on social media. He is inviting men, women, and children to take up their crosses—daily—to surrender everything so they can be fully devoted to him.
I must confess this is a struggle for me. Every day is filled with countless opportunities to live for myself or Jesus. My calendar, checkbook, and credit card bill reflect what truly matters to me. What about you?
I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and deacons. (Philippians 1:1b, NLT)
Paul’s writing to the people, the holy people, the set-apart people in this church he started, specifically mentioning the leaders.
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. (Philippians 1:2, NLT)
Grace and peace was a common greeting and one rich in meaning.
Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. (Philippians 1:3, NLT)
There it is: thanks. Paul is thankful for this church, for these people. First Alliance, I thank God for you…and I’m not even in prison! You have become family…you are family. I love you.
Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. (Philippians 1:4-5, NLT)
Joy. We’ll see that word throughout the letter. The original Greek work is chara (khar-ah), cheerfulness, gladness, calm delight, joy. The church in Philippi has been supporting Paul with love, prayers, finances, and perhaps even letters.
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (Philippians 1:6, NLT)
I love this verse. He is certain that God will finish what He started with them, and I believe the same is true for you. God’s not done with you yet!
So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:7-8, NLT)
This is a love letter from Pastor Paul to the people in Philippi.
I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. (Philippians 1:9, NLT)
This is my prayer for you, too, First Alliance. I identify so much with this letter! No matter if you’re a new Christian or you’ve been a saint for decades, I long for you to keep on growing!
For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. (Philippians 1:10, NLT)
What really matters? What matters to our world? Money, sex, and power? What really matters to you? It’s obvious what matters to Paul…Jesus Christ. In next week’s text, Paul will say,
For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. (Philippians 1:21, NLT).
Jesus was everything to Paul, regardless of whether he died in prison or lived for decades longer. Jesus was the center, the purpose, the foundation, the direction, and power, and the meaning of his life. Does that sound radical? Does it describe you?
For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. (Philippians 1:10, NLT)
What really mattered to Paul was Jesus, and he wanted Jesus to be so real in the lives of his readers and listeners that they would live pure and blameless lives until Christ returned. Pure and blameless. Does that sound old fashioned to you? Does anyone live pure and blameless? I hope so! That’s what it means to follow Jesus. I believe obedience is God’s love language. More than that, it’s what’s best for us. I don’t mean boring, dull lives. I mean a wild, exciting relationship with God filled with challenges and adventures beyond your wildest dreams.
Earlier this month I was in New Orleans and I took a walk with two friends through Bourbon Street on a Friday night. I knew it would be terrible, and it was! In addition to the noise, the smell, the crowds, and the witchcraft, there were even live snakes, which made me literally feel like I was walking through hell. There was nothing appealing to me at all, yet for thousands of people this was the purpose of their travels from around the world. This was what really mattered to them…getting drunk, high, and whatever else they would probably regret doing hours later.
In care you’re curious, the purpose of our trip was to watch our alma mater, Eastern Michigan University, play the University of Louisiana in football (which was a great, wholesome experience besides a brutal defeat of EMU!).
What really matters to you? Paul concludes today’s text:
May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. (Philippians 1:11, NLT)
It’s not about trying harder. It’s not about being perfect and saying no to fun. It’s about being filled with the Holy Spirit, abiding with Jesus, growing in your relationship with Christ, and becoming like him. Why? For God’s glory. That’s the bottom line of First Alliance’s mission statement…God’s glory. That’s why we’re here. It’s not about me, my sermons, singing your favorite songs, or even obtaining Bible knowledge. It’s about loving God, loving others, and making disciples…for God’s glory.
God is good. God is great. He is everything to me. He was everything to Paul. Over the next several weeks, we’ll read the rest of this letter from a pastor to a church. He begins by giving thanks to God for them and encouraging them to make Jesus what really matters. I feel the same way!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Psalm 148: Praise, 4 September 2022
04 09 22
Psalm 148: Praise!
Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: Let all of creation praise the Creator!
Praise the LORD! That’s the simple message of today’s scripture reading. Praise the LORD!
The original Hebrew word, which will be explained more fully later in a video, means to give glory, to sing praises, to go mad, to make fools, to boast. It has a connection to wedding songs and one reference says, “acted insanely.”
When is the last time you went bananas? When did you last embarrass yourself with your unbridled joy and enthusiasm?
Last night there were more than 100,000 people in Columbus giving praise to young adults who were passing a pigskin. They sang praises. They boasted about their team. They gave glory to a university athletic program. To some, they appeared to be going mad, and to others they looked like fools.
Praise requires effort, passion, and energy…and an object. Praise the LORD!
This summer we’re in the book of Psalms, the song book of the Bible. We’ve looked at several themes about our relationship with God which all lead to praising Him.
Are you ready?
The heavens praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts. Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. (Psalm 148:1-4)
Have you ever witnessed this? I think you have! We might not see angels and heavenly hosts, but the sun and moon are quite spectacular, right? Were they created just for us, or could their movements actually be an expression of praise to their Creator?
What about the shining stars? We’ve mentioned them throughout this summer series. The more I learn about the stars and galaxies, the smaller I feel!
I’ve shared the story before, but
William Beebe, the naturalist, used to tell this story about Teddy Roosevelt. At Sagamore Hill, after an evening of talk, the two would go out on the lawn and search the skies for a certain spot of star-like light near the lower left-hand corner of the Great Square of Pegasus. Then Roosevelt would recite: “That is the Spiral Galaxy in Andromeda. It is as large as our Milky Way. It is one of a hundred million galaxies. It consists of one hundred billion suns, each larger than our sun.” Then Roosevelt would grin and say, “Now I think we are small enough! Let’s go to bed.” (https://bible.org/illustration/now-we-are-small-enough)
Let them praise the name of the LORD, for at his command they were created, and he established them for ever and ever—he issued a decree that will never pass away. (Psalm 148:5-6)
The name of the LORD is to be praised. It’s holy. It’s sacred. It’s powerful.
The earth and sea praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding, (Psalm 148:7-8)
…you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds, kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and women, old men and children. (Psalm 148:9-12)
That includes you and me! The late Dallas Willard said,
“Sometimes we get caught up in trying to glorify God by praising what He can do and we lose sight of the practical point of what He actually does do.”
God is awesome. He can do great things, but He also does great things that deserve our praise. God is good…all the time! All the time…God is good!
We need to be reminded of this. We need to remember…because we so easily forget. We get freaked out by the news. Social media can cause anxiety. Life is filled with stress and trials and problems…and some are quick to blame God for all of their troubles rather than the sin which plagues our world.
All of creation—everything—is to praise the LORD!
Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens. (Psalm 148:13)
We sang earlier about the name of the LORD. There are actually several names for God. We often reference three because there is one God in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We call this the Trinity. This is a mystery
The ancient Greek Fathers of the Church likened the Trinity to a dance. A weaving in and out, back and forth with a harmony of Spirit and a unity of purpose.
I like this statement from InterVarsity’s website which speaks of the Dance of Equality:
There is no hierarchy in the Trinity. The Son glorifies the Father and the Father glorifies the Son. The Spirit glories Jesus. The gospel of John paints this picture of equality powerfully for us.
The Trinitarian doctrine that we affirm proclaims the one God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit full of love and glory. Did you catch that in the doctrinal basis? “Full of love and glory.”
The Son and Spirit don’t lack glory. The Father doesn’t lack love. Far from it! The New Testament says he lavishes his love on us by sending his Son! They highlight and spotlight and exalt and serve each other. The ancients called the relationship perichoresis, but the best way to describe it is to think of it as a dance. They spin and whirl in a wild dance of love and trust until you can’t tell who’s leading and who’s following and all you know is that a great time is being had.
https://collegiateministries.intervarsity.org/blog/trinitarian-dance
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:1-3)
The Trinity is certainly a mystery. I suppose if we completely understood God, we would be God!
The Bible gives numerous descriptions of the roles of the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. For whatever reason, I used to imagine the Father as the One who created everything, but John clearly states otherwise. Then again, Genesis 1:26 tells us that God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.” If that doesn’t sound like more than one Person…
We praise the Father. We praise the Son. We praise the Spirit. They are all God. They are God. But on this communion Sunday as we prepare to remember the work of Jesus on the cross, I want to show you references to Jesus specifically in Psalm 148.
Jesus the Messiah can be seen in this psalm. He is the
- Creator of all things (John 1:1-3; Col. 1:16-17)
- Captain of the hosts of the LORD (Joshua 5:14)
- Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2; Luke 1:78)
- Morning Star (Revelation 22:16)
He demonstrated power over
- Storms (Matthew 8:23-27; 14:23-33)
- Trees (Matthew 21:18-22)
- Animals (Mark 1:13; 11:1-3)
And he has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his faithful servants, of Israel, the people close to his heart.
Praise the LORD. (Psalm 148:14)
Credits: some ideas from Warren Wiersbe
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: Let all of creation praise the Creator!
Praise the LORD! That’s the simple message of today’s scripture reading. Praise the LORD!
The original Hebrew word, which will be explained more fully later in a video, means to give glory, to sing praises, to go mad, to make fools, to boast. It has a connection to wedding songs and one reference says, “acted insanely.”
When is the last time you went bananas? When did you last embarrass yourself with your unbridled joy and enthusiasm?
Last night there were more than 100,000 people in Columbus giving praise to young adults who were passing a pigskin. They sang praises. They boasted about their team. They gave glory to a university athletic program. To some, they appeared to be going mad, and to others they looked like fools.
Praise requires effort, passion, and energy…and an object. Praise the LORD!
This summer we’re in the book of Psalms, the song book of the Bible. We’ve looked at several themes about our relationship with God which all lead to praising Him.
Are you ready?
The heavens praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts. Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. (Psalm 148:1-4)
Have you ever witnessed this? I think you have! We might not see angels and heavenly hosts, but the sun and moon are quite spectacular, right? Were they created just for us, or could their movements actually be an expression of praise to their Creator?
What about the shining stars? We’ve mentioned them throughout this summer series. The more I learn about the stars and galaxies, the smaller I feel!
I’ve shared the story before, but
William Beebe, the naturalist, used to tell this story about Teddy Roosevelt. At Sagamore Hill, after an evening of talk, the two would go out on the lawn and search the skies for a certain spot of star-like light near the lower left-hand corner of the Great Square of Pegasus. Then Roosevelt would recite: “That is the Spiral Galaxy in Andromeda. It is as large as our Milky Way. It is one of a hundred million galaxies. It consists of one hundred billion suns, each larger than our sun.” Then Roosevelt would grin and say, “Now I think we are small enough! Let’s go to bed.” (https://bible.org/illustration/now-we-are-small-enough)
Let them praise the name of the LORD, for at his command they were created, and he established them for ever and ever—he issued a decree that will never pass away. (Psalm 148:5-6)
The name of the LORD is to be praised. It’s holy. It’s sacred. It’s powerful.
The earth and sea praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding, (Psalm 148:7-8)
…you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds, kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and women, old men and children. (Psalm 148:9-12)
That includes you and me! The late Dallas Willard said,
“Sometimes we get caught up in trying to glorify God by praising what He can do and we lose sight of the practical point of what He actually does do.”
God is awesome. He can do great things, but He also does great things that deserve our praise. God is good…all the time! All the time…God is good!
We need to be reminded of this. We need to remember…because we so easily forget. We get freaked out by the news. Social media can cause anxiety. Life is filled with stress and trials and problems…and some are quick to blame God for all of their troubles rather than the sin which plagues our world.
All of creation—everything—is to praise the LORD!
Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens. (Psalm 148:13)
We sang earlier about the name of the LORD. There are actually several names for God. We often reference three because there is one God in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We call this the Trinity. This is a mystery
The ancient Greek Fathers of the Church likened the Trinity to a dance. A weaving in and out, back and forth with a harmony of Spirit and a unity of purpose.
I like this statement from InterVarsity’s website which speaks of the Dance of Equality:
There is no hierarchy in the Trinity. The Son glorifies the Father and the Father glorifies the Son. The Spirit glories Jesus. The gospel of John paints this picture of equality powerfully for us.
The Trinitarian doctrine that we affirm proclaims the one God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit full of love and glory. Did you catch that in the doctrinal basis? “Full of love and glory.”
The Son and Spirit don’t lack glory. The Father doesn’t lack love. Far from it! The New Testament says he lavishes his love on us by sending his Son! They highlight and spotlight and exalt and serve each other. The ancients called the relationship perichoresis, but the best way to describe it is to think of it as a dance. They spin and whirl in a wild dance of love and trust until you can’t tell who’s leading and who’s following and all you know is that a great time is being had.
https://collegiateministries.intervarsity.org/blog/trinitarian-dance
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:1-3)
The Trinity is certainly a mystery. I suppose if we completely understood God, we would be God!
The Bible gives numerous descriptions of the roles of the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. For whatever reason, I used to imagine the Father as the One who created everything, but John clearly states otherwise. Then again, Genesis 1:26 tells us that God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.” If that doesn’t sound like more than one Person…
We praise the Father. We praise the Son. We praise the Spirit. They are all God. They are God. But on this communion Sunday as we prepare to remember the work of Jesus on the cross, I want to show you references to Jesus specifically in Psalm 148.
Jesus the Messiah can be seen in this psalm. He is the
- Creator of all things (John 1:1-3; Col. 1:16-17)
- Captain of the hosts of the LORD (Joshua 5:14)
- Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2; Luke 1:78)
- Morning Star (Revelation 22:16)
He demonstrated power over
- Storms (Matthew 8:23-27; 14:23-33)
- Trees (Matthew 21:18-22)
- Animals (Mark 1:13; 11:1-3)
And he has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his faithful servants, of Israel, the people close to his heart.
Praise the LORD. (Psalm 148:14)
Credits: some ideas from Warren Wiersbe
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Psalm 46: Fortress, 14 August 2022
16 08 22
Psalm 46: Fortress
Series—Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: God is our refuge, strength, help, and fortress in a broken world.
The movement of Jesus began with…Jesus! The Jewish Messiah gained Gentile followers of the years, becoming the first multi-ethnic faith in the world. In 1054, the global Christian Church split in two—Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox—following the East-West Schism. About 500 years later, the Protestant Reformation protested many practices of the Roman Catholic Church, further dividing Christians into Catholic and Protestant in addition to Orthodox. One of the leading figures of the Reformation was a priest named Martin Luther, the figure behind the Lutheran Church today.
Luther wrote the song we sang earlier, A Mighty Fortress is Our God. It was often called “Battle Hymn of the Reformation” and is based on our text today, Psalm 46 which begins
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)
We’re in the middle of a summer series on the Psalms, songs written thousands of years ago, yet writings which are amazingly relevant today. Some things never change!
It’s like that Psalm 46 was written as a response to the deliverance of Jerusalem from the Assyrians during King Hezekiah’s reign (2 Kings 18-19; 2 Chron. 32; Isaiah 36-37). Some believe the king himself wrote this psalm, and the next two.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)
This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible for many reasons, not the least of which is the last word: trouble. If I know anything about you, I know you’ve experienced trouble, you’re experiencing trouble now, or you will experience it in the future…or all three!
The original Hebrew word is tsarah and it means distress, affliction, anguish, trouble.
There’s an old song that say, “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen/Nobody knows but Jesus.”
Jesus himself said,
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
Maybe some of you have been told if you love God, everything will be happy, happy, happy. If so, you were told a lie! Isaiah prophesied about Jesus the Messiah hundreds of years before his birth:
He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. (Isaiah 53:3)
Does that sound happy, happy, happy to you?!
I don’t claim to be an expert on world religions, but I know of no other faith that follows a suffering servant. If you are going through trouble today, Jesus understands. He knows loneliness, betrayal, disappointment, rejection, …and he really knows pain. He promised trouble in this world, but then added
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
Jesus conquered sin and death, pain and trouble. His followers will, too…in time. We all know trouble of one kind or another, which leads us back to our text for today in Psalm 46.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)
When we’re in trouble, we want help.
When we’re in trouble, we want strength.
When we’re in trouble, we want a refuge, a safe haven, safety, protection, a fortress, a shelter, a tower.
That’s God! He’s not just help, He’s an ever-present help. That’s good news! That’s gospel!
I want to pause for a moment and lead you in a time of prayer.
- Prayer for those in trouble.
- Prayer for those who know someone in trouble.
Thank You, LORD! He is our refuge, our strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. (Psalm 46:2-3)
Fear is an interesting thing. I may be afraid of something that bring you no fear.
How many of you are afraid of snakes?
How many of you like snakes?
How many of you like snakes behind glass rather than crawling up your leg?
I’m not a big fan of snakes, but people have no fear of them at all. If you know something is harmless or if you are protected from it, there’s less fear…maybe none. I am not afraid of snakes at the zoo. The glass is a refuge, a fortress from any harm that could come my way from the source of the fear, the snake.
Because God is our refuge, our strength, our help, even if the world around us is out of control—and it is—we will not fear. We will exercise faith.
Whatever you fear has mastery over your life, which is why we are told to fear God and only God. When God is your master, every other fear will lose its control over you. Pastor Erwin McManus says,
“When all your fear is directed at God, his perfect love casts out all the fear and now you can live a life that’s truly free.” – Erwin McManus
Who doesn’t want that?
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. (Psalm 46:4) God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. (Psalm 46:5)
This is not a literal body of water, but a poetic image of God’s presence. Jerusalem was the Holy City which God set apart, yet unlike most cities, Jerusalem has no river. God’s blessings provided more value and help than any river. If they trust in the LORD, it will become almost like the Garden of Eden. In these days, God’s presence was usually contained in the Jerusalem temple. How blessed we are that the curtain the kept that presence in the Holy of holies was torn from top to bottom when Jesus died…and since the Holy Spirit was unleashed upon believers in Acts 2, we can experience God’s presence and power wherever we go. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. (Psalm 46:6) Here's another brilliant image. Imagine the earth melting at the sounds of God’s voice. It’s really not a stretch since the earth was created at the sound of God’s voice!
The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46:7) There are two distinct messages here. The first is incarnation…Emmanuel…God with us. He’s with us, family! You can’t see Him or touch Him, but just like the invisible wind, you can see His activity. When do you feel closest to God? For me, it’s nature and the arts, especially music. Some feel close to God while studying the Bible, others in serving the poor, and still others engaging in justice and righteousness activities. The message of Christmas is God is here. The message of Acts chapter 2 is God is here, the Holy Spirit, living within us. What a beautiful mystery!
God is also our fortress. We don’t often see a fortress in modern architecture. The closest thing some have is a safe room in their house…or a basement for tornados. A fortress or refuge is a place of safety. God is that for us.
Our God is a mighty fortress! He is a shelter in the time of storm. He is our refuge and strength. He is our protector. Last Sunday we were reminded that He is our shepherd (Yahweh-Rohi). He is the strong one who sees (El-Roi). He is God Almighty (El-Shaddai-Rohi). He is the everlasting God (El-Olam). He is the most high God (El-Elyon). He is our provider (Yahweh-Jireh). He is the Lord over all (Adonai). He is the Lord who is present (Yahweh-Shammah). That’s just a few of the names of God!
What is your favorite name for God? Come and see what the LORD has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. (Psalm 46:8)
That sounds rather dark, but the scene is the fields surrounding Jerusalem, filled with the destruction of the Assyrian army the LORD defeated.
He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. (Psalm 46:9)
God is God. He is the definition of justice…and yet He is also merciful, hallelujah! We don’t want what we deserve from God! As the psalmists describe God’s power, the tone changes in verse ten. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10) Be still and know that I am God.
Be still, and know that I am
Be still, and know that
Be still, and know
Be still, and
Be still,
Be
If you’re like me, it’s hard to be still. Noise surrounds us. Activity never ends. Even when my head hits the pillow, my mind often runs endlessly.
Maybe you’ve asked God to speak and heard nothing. Could it be you’re too busy to hear? He speaks primarily through His Word. Are you reading it daily? He’ll never contradict it.
If your brain feasts on cable news, you’ll forget He is God.
If your mind is filled with social media, God will diminish.
If your calendar is packed with activity, your love for God will grow cold.
If your life is lived at a non-stop pace, you will fail to worship the LORD.
I’m guilty! I don’t like slow. I struggle with still. I spent three years engaging in the Life on Life Retreat Experience specifically because I needed help…and I still do…even as I lead Life on Life Retreats! One of the practices, one of the rhythms is so be still, to be quiet, to rest, to Sabbath…not to gaze at our navels, but to fix our eyes on Jesus, to know that He is God. Be still! The phrase literally means, “Take your hands off! Relax!” Jacob got in trouble taking matters into his own hands rather than trusting the LORD. Have you ever done that? Be still. Keep calm. Trust God. It doesn’t mean be inactive, but don’t worry…pray…and obey!
Check out this recent interview with John Eldredge (start at 4:40) and his 3-minute tool that could literally restore your soul.
The verse also says, “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
For God so loved the…United States of America?
For God so loved the…English-speaking people?
For God so loved…the world! The nations!
One of the most beautiful visions in the Bible is from the book of Revelation. John wrote,
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. (Revelation 7:9a)
God will be exalted among the nations, exalted in the earth.
The final verse declares,
The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46:11)
This is a perfect summary of the chapter.
The LORD. There is none like Him.
The LORD Almighty. He’s greater than any trouble, enemy, fear, army, addiction, or disease.
The LORD Almighty is with us. He is present. He is here. He’s not just out there. The Holy Spirit lives inside every follower of Jesus.
The God of Jacob is our fortress. He’s known as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. From generation to generation, He remains faithful. What He did then, He can do now.
God is our refuge, strength, help, and fortress in a broken world. Hallelujah!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: God is our refuge, strength, help, and fortress in a broken world.
The movement of Jesus began with…Jesus! The Jewish Messiah gained Gentile followers of the years, becoming the first multi-ethnic faith in the world. In 1054, the global Christian Church split in two—Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox—following the East-West Schism. About 500 years later, the Protestant Reformation protested many practices of the Roman Catholic Church, further dividing Christians into Catholic and Protestant in addition to Orthodox. One of the leading figures of the Reformation was a priest named Martin Luther, the figure behind the Lutheran Church today.
Luther wrote the song we sang earlier, A Mighty Fortress is Our God. It was often called “Battle Hymn of the Reformation” and is based on our text today, Psalm 46 which begins
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)
We’re in the middle of a summer series on the Psalms, songs written thousands of years ago, yet writings which are amazingly relevant today. Some things never change!
It’s like that Psalm 46 was written as a response to the deliverance of Jerusalem from the Assyrians during King Hezekiah’s reign (2 Kings 18-19; 2 Chron. 32; Isaiah 36-37). Some believe the king himself wrote this psalm, and the next two.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)
This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible for many reasons, not the least of which is the last word: trouble. If I know anything about you, I know you’ve experienced trouble, you’re experiencing trouble now, or you will experience it in the future…or all three!
The original Hebrew word is tsarah and it means distress, affliction, anguish, trouble.
There’s an old song that say, “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen/Nobody knows but Jesus.”
Jesus himself said,
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
Maybe some of you have been told if you love God, everything will be happy, happy, happy. If so, you were told a lie! Isaiah prophesied about Jesus the Messiah hundreds of years before his birth:
He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. (Isaiah 53:3)
Does that sound happy, happy, happy to you?!
I don’t claim to be an expert on world religions, but I know of no other faith that follows a suffering servant. If you are going through trouble today, Jesus understands. He knows loneliness, betrayal, disappointment, rejection, …and he really knows pain. He promised trouble in this world, but then added
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
Jesus conquered sin and death, pain and trouble. His followers will, too…in time. We all know trouble of one kind or another, which leads us back to our text for today in Psalm 46.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)
When we’re in trouble, we want help.
When we’re in trouble, we want strength.
When we’re in trouble, we want a refuge, a safe haven, safety, protection, a fortress, a shelter, a tower.
That’s God! He’s not just help, He’s an ever-present help. That’s good news! That’s gospel!
I want to pause for a moment and lead you in a time of prayer.
- Prayer for those in trouble.
- Prayer for those who know someone in trouble.
Thank You, LORD! He is our refuge, our strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. (Psalm 46:2-3)
Fear is an interesting thing. I may be afraid of something that bring you no fear.
How many of you are afraid of snakes?
How many of you like snakes?
How many of you like snakes behind glass rather than crawling up your leg?
I’m not a big fan of snakes, but people have no fear of them at all. If you know something is harmless or if you are protected from it, there’s less fear…maybe none. I am not afraid of snakes at the zoo. The glass is a refuge, a fortress from any harm that could come my way from the source of the fear, the snake.
Because God is our refuge, our strength, our help, even if the world around us is out of control—and it is—we will not fear. We will exercise faith.
Whatever you fear has mastery over your life, which is why we are told to fear God and only God. When God is your master, every other fear will lose its control over you. Pastor Erwin McManus says,
“When all your fear is directed at God, his perfect love casts out all the fear and now you can live a life that’s truly free.” – Erwin McManus
Who doesn’t want that?
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. (Psalm 46:4) God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. (Psalm 46:5)
This is not a literal body of water, but a poetic image of God’s presence. Jerusalem was the Holy City which God set apart, yet unlike most cities, Jerusalem has no river. God’s blessings provided more value and help than any river. If they trust in the LORD, it will become almost like the Garden of Eden. In these days, God’s presence was usually contained in the Jerusalem temple. How blessed we are that the curtain the kept that presence in the Holy of holies was torn from top to bottom when Jesus died…and since the Holy Spirit was unleashed upon believers in Acts 2, we can experience God’s presence and power wherever we go. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. (Psalm 46:6) Here's another brilliant image. Imagine the earth melting at the sounds of God’s voice. It’s really not a stretch since the earth was created at the sound of God’s voice!
The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46:7) There are two distinct messages here. The first is incarnation…Emmanuel…God with us. He’s with us, family! You can’t see Him or touch Him, but just like the invisible wind, you can see His activity. When do you feel closest to God? For me, it’s nature and the arts, especially music. Some feel close to God while studying the Bible, others in serving the poor, and still others engaging in justice and righteousness activities. The message of Christmas is God is here. The message of Acts chapter 2 is God is here, the Holy Spirit, living within us. What a beautiful mystery!
God is also our fortress. We don’t often see a fortress in modern architecture. The closest thing some have is a safe room in their house…or a basement for tornados. A fortress or refuge is a place of safety. God is that for us.
Our God is a mighty fortress! He is a shelter in the time of storm. He is our refuge and strength. He is our protector. Last Sunday we were reminded that He is our shepherd (Yahweh-Rohi). He is the strong one who sees (El-Roi). He is God Almighty (El-Shaddai-Rohi). He is the everlasting God (El-Olam). He is the most high God (El-Elyon). He is our provider (Yahweh-Jireh). He is the Lord over all (Adonai). He is the Lord who is present (Yahweh-Shammah). That’s just a few of the names of God!
What is your favorite name for God? Come and see what the LORD has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. (Psalm 46:8)
That sounds rather dark, but the scene is the fields surrounding Jerusalem, filled with the destruction of the Assyrian army the LORD defeated.
He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. (Psalm 46:9)
God is God. He is the definition of justice…and yet He is also merciful, hallelujah! We don’t want what we deserve from God! As the psalmists describe God’s power, the tone changes in verse ten. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10) Be still and know that I am God.
Be still, and know that I am
Be still, and know that
Be still, and know
Be still, and
Be still,
Be
If you’re like me, it’s hard to be still. Noise surrounds us. Activity never ends. Even when my head hits the pillow, my mind often runs endlessly.
Maybe you’ve asked God to speak and heard nothing. Could it be you’re too busy to hear? He speaks primarily through His Word. Are you reading it daily? He’ll never contradict it.
If your brain feasts on cable news, you’ll forget He is God.
If your mind is filled with social media, God will diminish.
If your calendar is packed with activity, your love for God will grow cold.
If your life is lived at a non-stop pace, you will fail to worship the LORD.
I’m guilty! I don’t like slow. I struggle with still. I spent three years engaging in the Life on Life Retreat Experience specifically because I needed help…and I still do…even as I lead Life on Life Retreats! One of the practices, one of the rhythms is so be still, to be quiet, to rest, to Sabbath…not to gaze at our navels, but to fix our eyes on Jesus, to know that He is God. Be still! The phrase literally means, “Take your hands off! Relax!” Jacob got in trouble taking matters into his own hands rather than trusting the LORD. Have you ever done that? Be still. Keep calm. Trust God. It doesn’t mean be inactive, but don’t worry…pray…and obey!
Check out this recent interview with John Eldredge (start at 4:40) and his 3-minute tool that could literally restore your soul.
The verse also says, “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
For God so loved the…United States of America?
For God so loved the…English-speaking people?
For God so loved…the world! The nations!
One of the most beautiful visions in the Bible is from the book of Revelation. John wrote,
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. (Revelation 7:9a)
God will be exalted among the nations, exalted in the earth.
The final verse declares,
The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46:11)
This is a perfect summary of the chapter.
The LORD. There is none like Him.
The LORD Almighty. He’s greater than any trouble, enemy, fear, army, addiction, or disease.
The LORD Almighty is with us. He is present. He is here. He’s not just out there. The Holy Spirit lives inside every follower of Jesus.
The God of Jacob is our fortress. He’s known as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. From generation to generation, He remains faithful. What He did then, He can do now.
God is our refuge, strength, help, and fortress in a broken world. Hallelujah!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Psalm 8: Majestic, 31 July 2022
06 08 22
Psalm 8: Majestic
Series—Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: Our God is majestic and worthy of praise.
I often say the two most important questions might be
Who is God?
Who are you?
How you answer those questions will tell me a lot about you, your identity, your values, and your worldview. Today we’re going to look at the first question, and I hope it impacts the second for you.
Who is God? Who are you?
Although God created us in His image, many have unfortunately returned the favor! We tell God what is fair. We define what is right and wrong. We jump in the driver’s seat and put Him in the trunk. I’ve got a very offensive thing to say to you today:
You are not God!
It’s tempting for all of us to want to be in control, to do things our way, to turn to God only when we need something from Him, and to make an idol out of ourselves, our needs, our desires. We do this out of pride and arrogance, but I wonder if there isn’t another reason. Could it be that our God is too small?
We don’t see too many visual depictions of God, but He is often seen as weak, angry, stupid, or sleeping. After all, why is the world out of control if God is truly sovereign and in control?
The short answer is He has chosen, for whatever reason, to allow satan and demons to tempt us for a season, but it won’t be forever. It might end when every man, woman, and child has heard the good news that Jesus is LORD. That’s our mission!
Today we’re continuing our series on the book of Psalms, the songbook of the Bible. It’s important to recognize the psalms are not a history book. They are not a science textbook. The psalms are poetry, art, lyric.
The first course I took in seminary was called hermeneutics. It simply means interpreting the Bible. Our textbook was How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Fee & Stuart. Perhaps the most profound statement in the book is:
A text cannot mean what it never meant to its author or his or her readers.
It’s amazing how many people read the Bible as if it was written in English in 2022 and jump to application today. We begin with what it originally meant. The technical term is exegesis. Then, we examine what it means for us today…hermeneutics. Then, we seek to apply it to our lives. Sometimes this process is quick and easy. For example, in the book of Exodus, Moses records this command of the LORD:
“You shall not murder.” (Exodus 10:13)
Looking at the context—the Ten Commandments—and the repetition of this message elsewhere in the time period, it’s safe to assume God meant to communicate to His people they should not murder.
What does this verse mean for us today? Was it written only for people thousands of years ago? Was the message found in the New Testament? Did Jesus support the teaching? Yes! Could it mean we should not murder in 2022? I’m confident in saying yes. The application, then, is we should not murder!
If only every verse in the Bible was so simple and clear!
As we look at Psalm 8, notice the context is not instructions or history or even narrative story. It’s a songwriter trying to describe and worship God. This video from The Bible Project will help us understand Psalm 8. Psalm 8 is the first praise psalm and the only one addressed entirely to the Lord.
LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:1a, NIV)
What comes to mind when you think of the word “majestic?” The original Hebrew word is “adder,” meaning majestic, glorious, magnificent, mighty, powerful, stately.
One dictionary describes the adjective “majestic” as
1. Impressive or beautiful in a dignified or inspiring way. synonym: grand.
2. Possessing or exhibiting majesty; of august dignity, stateliness, or imposing grandeur; lofty; noble; grand.
3. Having qualities of splendor or royalty.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
I don’t think there’s anything in USAmerican culture that compares to British royalty. The wedding, birthday, and anniversary celebrations are spectacular. The crowns and palaces associated with the royal family are truly majestic.
Can you imagine the majesty of God? The psalmist begins by associating majesty with the name of the LORD. His name alone is majestic. In fact, it’s so sacred, Jewish people refuse to speak it aloud. I once asked my Messianic Jewish friend if the Hebrew name was pronounced Yahweh. He said somewhat gingerly, “That’s very close!”
The name of the LORD is holy, sacred, majestic. You may be aware just a few verses before the prohibition of murder, it is stated in command number three:
“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. (Exodus 20:7)
If you never speak the name—the thinking goes—you cannot misuse it or use it in vain. Tragically, Hollywood has turned God’s name—and Jesus, in particular—as a curse word. It is holy! It is majestic!
LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:1a, NIV)
It’s not just a Jewish thing. It’s not just an American thing. His name is majestic in all the earth! For all people. He is our LORD! While we’re examining these words, the all-cap LORD is that sacred name, YHWH (Yahweh). The second Lord is Adonai, the more generic term for God or lord, literally “master.”
Did I mention you are not God?! You are special, loved, created in God’s image, but we are but dust, broken sinners in need of restoration, weak lumps of clay desperate for God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness.
Family, if we could get the focus off of ourselves and onto our majestic Lord, I believe our fear, worry, and anxiety would diminish. As pastor Donald said last Sunday, God is good…all the time. All the time…God is good! Taste and see that the LORD is good. King David continues,
You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. (Psalm 8:1b-2, NIV)
The bottom line of our church’s mission statement is God’s glory. It can be seen in the heavens or the sky. Children and infants praise the LORD. Maybe that’s what they’re trying to say when they cry!!! Jesus referenced this verse in Matthew 21:16 while welcoming the praise of children and silencing Jesus’ enemies as predicted here. God’s power and glory are greater than we can imagine. As I mentioned, He is allowing sin on the earth now, but someday soon, Jesus will return to rule and reign forever. Death will be defeated. Satan and his friends will be destroyed. Even now, demons tremble at the sound of the name of Jesus.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? (Psalm 8:3-4, NIV)
Have you ever admired a sunrise or sunset? Have you ever paused to stare at the stars in the sky? It’s hard in the city, but rural areas provide an amazing experience. The writer of Romans said,
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)
It really takes effort to believe the universe was one big accident.
You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. (Psalm 8:5, NIV)
This is referring to mankind, to humans. Although it says angels, the original word, elohimˆ means God. Instead of being a little higher than animals, David is saying we’re a little lower than God. It’s truly incredible that God would be mindful of us, that He would care for us, that He would create us for a purpose, for a relationship with Him. It’s truly awesome that He would love you and me…warts and all! Our value is determined by God, not social media, family, or our neighbors. He has created you to serve Him and share in His glory.
You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. (Psalm 8:6-8, NIV)
There’s a prevailing message in our culture that we’re just animals. In fact, many seem to value animals over human life. I was recently selected to serve as a juror in a case that involved a murdered man and an injured dog. Some seemed more concerned about the cruelty to the animal than the death of the human! I love animals, but they were not created in the image of God. They were placed under the authority and stewardship of humans. The first book of the Bible—the first chapter of the Bible—makes this clear.
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (Genesis 1:26, NIV)
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27, NIV)
I know it’s not politically correct, but it is biblically correct to say God created humans male and female in His image. I never thought such a statement would be controversial, but people have drifted so far from God’s design, it’s no wonder we live in a land of confusion. We are to love all humans and offer compassion to those who are suffering and struggling, but our source of truth must always be God and His Word, not what we might “feel” at a particular moment. I’m deeply saddened by the despair and desperation expressed by those who live without the LORD. Taste and see that the LORD is good…all the time!
OK, back to the main point, we are greater than other animals, according to God.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28, NIV)
We are to care for creation, not destroy it.
The psalm ends the way it begins.
LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:9, NIV)
This is the theme of this song, this psalm. The LORD is majestic…in all the earth. The name of the LORD is majestic…in all the earth!
In summarizing Psalm 8, Warren Wiersbe notes,
God the Father created us to be kings, but the disobedience of our first parents robbed us of our crowns. God the Son came to earth and redeemed us to be kings (Rev. 1:5–6), and today the Holy Spirit of God can empower us to “reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:17). When you crown Jesus Christ Lord of all, you are a sovereign and not a slave, a victor and not a victim. “O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” (Ps. 8:9).
Let’s proclaim his majesty to every living creature and declare the goodness of the LORD!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: Our God is majestic and worthy of praise.
I often say the two most important questions might be
Who is God?
Who are you?
How you answer those questions will tell me a lot about you, your identity, your values, and your worldview. Today we’re going to look at the first question, and I hope it impacts the second for you.
Who is God? Who are you?
Although God created us in His image, many have unfortunately returned the favor! We tell God what is fair. We define what is right and wrong. We jump in the driver’s seat and put Him in the trunk. I’ve got a very offensive thing to say to you today:
You are not God!
It’s tempting for all of us to want to be in control, to do things our way, to turn to God only when we need something from Him, and to make an idol out of ourselves, our needs, our desires. We do this out of pride and arrogance, but I wonder if there isn’t another reason. Could it be that our God is too small?
We don’t see too many visual depictions of God, but He is often seen as weak, angry, stupid, or sleeping. After all, why is the world out of control if God is truly sovereign and in control?
The short answer is He has chosen, for whatever reason, to allow satan and demons to tempt us for a season, but it won’t be forever. It might end when every man, woman, and child has heard the good news that Jesus is LORD. That’s our mission!
Today we’re continuing our series on the book of Psalms, the songbook of the Bible. It’s important to recognize the psalms are not a history book. They are not a science textbook. The psalms are poetry, art, lyric.
The first course I took in seminary was called hermeneutics. It simply means interpreting the Bible. Our textbook was How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Fee & Stuart. Perhaps the most profound statement in the book is:
A text cannot mean what it never meant to its author or his or her readers.
It’s amazing how many people read the Bible as if it was written in English in 2022 and jump to application today. We begin with what it originally meant. The technical term is exegesis. Then, we examine what it means for us today…hermeneutics. Then, we seek to apply it to our lives. Sometimes this process is quick and easy. For example, in the book of Exodus, Moses records this command of the LORD:
“You shall not murder.” (Exodus 10:13)
Looking at the context—the Ten Commandments—and the repetition of this message elsewhere in the time period, it’s safe to assume God meant to communicate to His people they should not murder.
What does this verse mean for us today? Was it written only for people thousands of years ago? Was the message found in the New Testament? Did Jesus support the teaching? Yes! Could it mean we should not murder in 2022? I’m confident in saying yes. The application, then, is we should not murder!
If only every verse in the Bible was so simple and clear!
As we look at Psalm 8, notice the context is not instructions or history or even narrative story. It’s a songwriter trying to describe and worship God. This video from The Bible Project will help us understand Psalm 8. Psalm 8 is the first praise psalm and the only one addressed entirely to the Lord.
LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:1a, NIV)
What comes to mind when you think of the word “majestic?” The original Hebrew word is “adder,” meaning majestic, glorious, magnificent, mighty, powerful, stately.
One dictionary describes the adjective “majestic” as
1. Impressive or beautiful in a dignified or inspiring way. synonym: grand.
2. Possessing or exhibiting majesty; of august dignity, stateliness, or imposing grandeur; lofty; noble; grand.
3. Having qualities of splendor or royalty.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
I don’t think there’s anything in USAmerican culture that compares to British royalty. The wedding, birthday, and anniversary celebrations are spectacular. The crowns and palaces associated with the royal family are truly majestic.
Can you imagine the majesty of God? The psalmist begins by associating majesty with the name of the LORD. His name alone is majestic. In fact, it’s so sacred, Jewish people refuse to speak it aloud. I once asked my Messianic Jewish friend if the Hebrew name was pronounced Yahweh. He said somewhat gingerly, “That’s very close!”
The name of the LORD is holy, sacred, majestic. You may be aware just a few verses before the prohibition of murder, it is stated in command number three:
“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. (Exodus 20:7)
If you never speak the name—the thinking goes—you cannot misuse it or use it in vain. Tragically, Hollywood has turned God’s name—and Jesus, in particular—as a curse word. It is holy! It is majestic!
LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:1a, NIV)
It’s not just a Jewish thing. It’s not just an American thing. His name is majestic in all the earth! For all people. He is our LORD! While we’re examining these words, the all-cap LORD is that sacred name, YHWH (Yahweh). The second Lord is Adonai, the more generic term for God or lord, literally “master.”
Did I mention you are not God?! You are special, loved, created in God’s image, but we are but dust, broken sinners in need of restoration, weak lumps of clay desperate for God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness.
Family, if we could get the focus off of ourselves and onto our majestic Lord, I believe our fear, worry, and anxiety would diminish. As pastor Donald said last Sunday, God is good…all the time. All the time…God is good! Taste and see that the LORD is good. King David continues,
You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. (Psalm 8:1b-2, NIV)
The bottom line of our church’s mission statement is God’s glory. It can be seen in the heavens or the sky. Children and infants praise the LORD. Maybe that’s what they’re trying to say when they cry!!! Jesus referenced this verse in Matthew 21:16 while welcoming the praise of children and silencing Jesus’ enemies as predicted here. God’s power and glory are greater than we can imagine. As I mentioned, He is allowing sin on the earth now, but someday soon, Jesus will return to rule and reign forever. Death will be defeated. Satan and his friends will be destroyed. Even now, demons tremble at the sound of the name of Jesus.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? (Psalm 8:3-4, NIV)
Have you ever admired a sunrise or sunset? Have you ever paused to stare at the stars in the sky? It’s hard in the city, but rural areas provide an amazing experience. The writer of Romans said,
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)
It really takes effort to believe the universe was one big accident.
You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. (Psalm 8:5, NIV)
This is referring to mankind, to humans. Although it says angels, the original word, elohimˆ means God. Instead of being a little higher than animals, David is saying we’re a little lower than God. It’s truly incredible that God would be mindful of us, that He would care for us, that He would create us for a purpose, for a relationship with Him. It’s truly awesome that He would love you and me…warts and all! Our value is determined by God, not social media, family, or our neighbors. He has created you to serve Him and share in His glory.
You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. (Psalm 8:6-8, NIV)
There’s a prevailing message in our culture that we’re just animals. In fact, many seem to value animals over human life. I was recently selected to serve as a juror in a case that involved a murdered man and an injured dog. Some seemed more concerned about the cruelty to the animal than the death of the human! I love animals, but they were not created in the image of God. They were placed under the authority and stewardship of humans. The first book of the Bible—the first chapter of the Bible—makes this clear.
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (Genesis 1:26, NIV)
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27, NIV)
I know it’s not politically correct, but it is biblically correct to say God created humans male and female in His image. I never thought such a statement would be controversial, but people have drifted so far from God’s design, it’s no wonder we live in a land of confusion. We are to love all humans and offer compassion to those who are suffering and struggling, but our source of truth must always be God and His Word, not what we might “feel” at a particular moment. I’m deeply saddened by the despair and desperation expressed by those who live without the LORD. Taste and see that the LORD is good…all the time!
OK, back to the main point, we are greater than other animals, according to God.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28, NIV)
We are to care for creation, not destroy it.
The psalm ends the way it begins.
LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:9, NIV)
This is the theme of this song, this psalm. The LORD is majestic…in all the earth. The name of the LORD is majestic…in all the earth!
In summarizing Psalm 8, Warren Wiersbe notes,
God the Father created us to be kings, but the disobedience of our first parents robbed us of our crowns. God the Son came to earth and redeemed us to be kings (Rev. 1:5–6), and today the Holy Spirit of God can empower us to “reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:17). When you crown Jesus Christ Lord of all, you are a sovereign and not a slave, a victor and not a victim. “O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” (Ps. 8:9).
Let’s proclaim his majesty to every living creature and declare the goodness of the LORD!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Psalm 1: Blessed, 3 July 2022
04 07 22
Psalm 1: Blessed
Series—Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: True blessings are found in seeking and following the LORD.
Shortcuts. We all love short cuts. The modern expression is hacks. How can do have it our way…now? Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die. Everybody wants to be rich, but nobody wants to work. Everybody wants a fit spouse, but nobody wants to be the one going to the gym. Everybody wants a degree, but nobody wants to study. Everybody wants to play the piano, but nobody wants to practice.
I realize everybody and nobody are exaggerations, but it’s true, right? We all want hacks to make life easier. Here’s one for you:
Everybody wants to be blessed, but nobody wants to obey the LORD.
Today we’re beginning a summer series on the Psalms called “restoring your soul.” Psalms may be my favorite book of the Bible. It is the songbook of scripture, though we don’t have the original music, unfortunately. I recently learned of an Australian musical group called The Sons of Korah who are trying to put all 150 psalms to music! They have dozens completed thus far.
The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul from a number of different writers. It is my prayer that they will speak not only to your mind, but also your heart and soul
A blessing is literally “God’s favor and protection.” Who doesn’t want that?
Today we’re beginning our series with Psalm…one! Its first letter is the first letter in the Hebrew alphabet. I learned in studying for this sermon the Psalms have five sections or books just like the Pentateuch, the first five books of Moses that begin the Old Testament, the Jewish Bible. Psalm one is something of an introduction to the entire songbook, but it’s a simple yet profound piece of wisdom. The big idea is true blessings are found in seeking and following the LORD. Don’t look for shortcuts. You can pray for blessings—for yourself or others—but we can participate with our lives.
The New International Version of Psalm 1 begins
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, (Psalm 1:1, NIV)
That’s a mouthful. We’re going to use the New Living Translation this morning, but I want you to catch the “blessed.” Some versions say “happy.” The original Hebrew word is “Asheri.” That doesn’t mean much to most of you, but the NLT translates it
Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. (Psalm 1:1, NLT)
I used to tell my kids, “You are your friends. Choose wisely.” Perhaps you’ve heard, “Birds of a feather, flock together.” Paul said, “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Cor. 15:33). We are all influenced by others, whether it’s family, friends, or even social media. Who do you hang with? Are they wicked? Do they sin without regret or repentance? Do they mock others? Are they filled with pride? What comes out of their mouth? Would it be appropriate around children?
The very first sentence of the very first Psalm says one is blessed not when they ask God to bless them, but rather when they don’t let the wicked influence them. There is effort involved. There is self-control involved. It may mean thinking twice about how you spend your time…with whom you spend your time!
This does not mean we should never develop relationships with non-Christians. It does mean in doing so we need to shine light into the darkness, not let our light get snuffed out by the darkness. Notice the progression: walk/follow, stand, sit/join. The righteous don’t have time to stand around and mock and gossip because they’re delighting in the LORD.
The LORD said to Joshua,
Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8)
You’ll be blessed!
The psalmist continues the thought in verse two:
But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. (Psalm 1:2, NLT)
This is what a blessed person does. If you want to experience joy, this is what you do. You fill your mind with truth. You meditate not on your navel, but on the scriptures! According to numerous studies, biblical illiteracy has been on the increase for decades. Even many so-called Christians don’t know what the Bible says…or act like they don’t! I’ve been amazed—especially in the past few years—at the ungodly attitudes of so-called Christians. I expect the world to act like the world, but the lack of love, peace, compassion, empathy, courage, sacrifice, patience, and goodness of many who claim to follow Christ is evidence many simply don’t meditate on the Word of God. They’ve been more influenced by political parties or trendy ideas than on the law of the LORD.
Family, we need to meditate on the Bible day and night. Just reading it isn’t sufficient. Thirty minutes on Sunday morning is not enough. Most people I know eat more than one meal a week…more than one meal a day! We need to not only feed our bodies, we need to feed our minds. We need to feast on God’s Word, especially when we’re exposed to countless lies every day on billboards, television, and the Internet.
The Hebrew word for meditate, hagah, means to moan, growl, ponder. The same word is found in Isaiah 3:14 for a lion’s low growling and later for the cooing of a dove. Perhaps you’ve tried to memorize something, repeating it quietly out loud. Day and night the blessed, the happy, the joyful marinate their minds on God’s Word. It is their delight. By the way, the Hebrew word for “law,” Torah, is more than just rules. It’s all of the stories, prophecies, and instructions in the Bible, provided for us to know and understand God and reality.
It's no wonder our world is filled with so many opinions and perspectives. People are reading different books…literally! What is your basis for faith? For truth? For understanding life?
We’ve given you several tools to help you meditate on God’s Word. Let me remind you of some of them:
1. Mission 119. This free app will guide you through the entire Bible over about 20 months. Alliance Pastor John Soper will give you scriptures and offer a daily audio commentary on the passage, which is especially helpful in those difficult texts. I’m doing it for the third time now and it’s one of the best habits I’ve ever done.
2. Lectio 365. This is another free app which has both a morning and an evening meditation on God’s Word. It provides space for prayer and reflection as well as biblical content. Heather and I do it most every day together and it’s one of the best investments we’ve made in ourselves and our marriage.
3. RightNow Media. First Alliance pays for you to have a free subscription to this huge library of videos, all available on your mobile device or streaming box. There are resources for children, small groups, and personal Bible study from some of the best teachers on the planet.
4. YouVersion. This is so much more than a Bible app. It’s packed with Bible reading plans, videos, a verse of the day, and the “live” section has First Alliance Church each week!
5. Life Groups. The heart of First Alliance is not actually Sunday morning in rows, but in circles with small groups. It’s difficult to interact with my preaching live (unless you’re online; chat away!), but doing life together with others is a terrific environment to not only feed on the Bible but also digest it into your soul.
Of course, there are many other ways to get God’s Word in your heart, letting it fill your mind. The best Bible translation is…the one you read! I like the New Living Translation and the New International Version, but if you prefer a different one, go for it! I like my NIV Study Bible and my Life Application Bible.
One core value of our Alliance family states, “Knowing and obeying God’s Word is fundamental to all true success.”
One of this church’s core values says, “We are committed to prayer, the Word of God, and following Jesus.” Don’t miss that last part. It’s not enough to know it in your head. It needs to leak into your heart and hands, too!
Arguably the best chapter in the Bible about the Bible is Psalm 119. It’s the longest chapter in the Bible (176 verses!). If you want a great place to start meditating on God’s Word, read it slowly. Those who delight in God’s Word, those who meditate on it…
They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. (Psalm 1:3, NLT)
Have you ever slowed down long enough to observe trees? God designed them to get nourishment through their roots and the results can be seen in the leaves. It seems like trees near water have an advantage! Even when the weather is dry, a tree near water is able to drink. They are able to bear fruit. I love fruit, especially fresh fruit!
But have you ever had bad fruit? Moldy fruit? Those who feed on God’s Word, those who meditate on the LORD, will produce good fruit, the fruit of the Spirit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23a, NIV)
This is the fruit of doing life with God, filling our minds with truth and righteousness. Note trees don’t eat their own fruit, but produce it to benefit others. That’s true for the righteous.
But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. (Psalm 1:4, NLT)
I’m no gardener, but I know the wheat and chaff are separated. One has value, the other is worthless trash. The kernel falls to the threshing floor and saved while the chaff blows away. Imagine a watermelon. You eat the fruit and throw away the rind, right? This is how God describes the wicked, those who ignore God and His wisdom. It gets worse.
They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. (Psalm 1:5, NLT)
Judgment Day is coming…for all humans. Are you ready? I know our culture is filled with gray, but scripture repeatedly talks about the sheep and the goats, the wide and narrow road, heaven and hell. There are two paths. Which have you taken? It’s never too late to repent, turn, and follow Jesus.
For the LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction. (Psalm 1:6, NLT)
Which path are you choosing?
Jesus once said,
He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28, NIV)
It’s not enough to hear it. It’s not enough to read it. We must live it!
Conclusion
Do you want to be blessed? There’s something you can do about it! To experience God’s favor, you need to seek and follow Him. It’s not enough to say, “Bless me, LORD!” There are no shortcuts. You need to spend time with Him, meditate on His Word, surround yourselves with others who will speak the truth in love and model a Jesus lifestyle. Garbage in, garbage out. Good stuff in, good stuff out!
The message today is quite simple, yet we’re so easily enticed by the lies of this world and miss the pathway to blessings. It’s ultimately about seeking and following the LORD. It’s about building your life around Jesus. It’s about Christ being our cornerstone…our life!
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. (Psalm 33:12, NIV)
May God bless the United States of America this week as we celebrate our freedom…and may He bless every nation on earth!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: True blessings are found in seeking and following the LORD.
Shortcuts. We all love short cuts. The modern expression is hacks. How can do have it our way…now? Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die. Everybody wants to be rich, but nobody wants to work. Everybody wants a fit spouse, but nobody wants to be the one going to the gym. Everybody wants a degree, but nobody wants to study. Everybody wants to play the piano, but nobody wants to practice.
I realize everybody and nobody are exaggerations, but it’s true, right? We all want hacks to make life easier. Here’s one for you:
Everybody wants to be blessed, but nobody wants to obey the LORD.
Today we’re beginning a summer series on the Psalms called “restoring your soul.” Psalms may be my favorite book of the Bible. It is the songbook of scripture, though we don’t have the original music, unfortunately. I recently learned of an Australian musical group called The Sons of Korah who are trying to put all 150 psalms to music! They have dozens completed thus far.
The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul from a number of different writers. It is my prayer that they will speak not only to your mind, but also your heart and soul
A blessing is literally “God’s favor and protection.” Who doesn’t want that?
Today we’re beginning our series with Psalm…one! Its first letter is the first letter in the Hebrew alphabet. I learned in studying for this sermon the Psalms have five sections or books just like the Pentateuch, the first five books of Moses that begin the Old Testament, the Jewish Bible. Psalm one is something of an introduction to the entire songbook, but it’s a simple yet profound piece of wisdom. The big idea is true blessings are found in seeking and following the LORD. Don’t look for shortcuts. You can pray for blessings—for yourself or others—but we can participate with our lives.
The New International Version of Psalm 1 begins
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, (Psalm 1:1, NIV)
That’s a mouthful. We’re going to use the New Living Translation this morning, but I want you to catch the “blessed.” Some versions say “happy.” The original Hebrew word is “Asheri.” That doesn’t mean much to most of you, but the NLT translates it
Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. (Psalm 1:1, NLT)
I used to tell my kids, “You are your friends. Choose wisely.” Perhaps you’ve heard, “Birds of a feather, flock together.” Paul said, “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Cor. 15:33). We are all influenced by others, whether it’s family, friends, or even social media. Who do you hang with? Are they wicked? Do they sin without regret or repentance? Do they mock others? Are they filled with pride? What comes out of their mouth? Would it be appropriate around children?
The very first sentence of the very first Psalm says one is blessed not when they ask God to bless them, but rather when they don’t let the wicked influence them. There is effort involved. There is self-control involved. It may mean thinking twice about how you spend your time…with whom you spend your time!
This does not mean we should never develop relationships with non-Christians. It does mean in doing so we need to shine light into the darkness, not let our light get snuffed out by the darkness. Notice the progression: walk/follow, stand, sit/join. The righteous don’t have time to stand around and mock and gossip because they’re delighting in the LORD.
The LORD said to Joshua,
Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8)
You’ll be blessed!
The psalmist continues the thought in verse two:
But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. (Psalm 1:2, NLT)
This is what a blessed person does. If you want to experience joy, this is what you do. You fill your mind with truth. You meditate not on your navel, but on the scriptures! According to numerous studies, biblical illiteracy has been on the increase for decades. Even many so-called Christians don’t know what the Bible says…or act like they don’t! I’ve been amazed—especially in the past few years—at the ungodly attitudes of so-called Christians. I expect the world to act like the world, but the lack of love, peace, compassion, empathy, courage, sacrifice, patience, and goodness of many who claim to follow Christ is evidence many simply don’t meditate on the Word of God. They’ve been more influenced by political parties or trendy ideas than on the law of the LORD.
Family, we need to meditate on the Bible day and night. Just reading it isn’t sufficient. Thirty minutes on Sunday morning is not enough. Most people I know eat more than one meal a week…more than one meal a day! We need to not only feed our bodies, we need to feed our minds. We need to feast on God’s Word, especially when we’re exposed to countless lies every day on billboards, television, and the Internet.
The Hebrew word for meditate, hagah, means to moan, growl, ponder. The same word is found in Isaiah 3:14 for a lion’s low growling and later for the cooing of a dove. Perhaps you’ve tried to memorize something, repeating it quietly out loud. Day and night the blessed, the happy, the joyful marinate their minds on God’s Word. It is their delight. By the way, the Hebrew word for “law,” Torah, is more than just rules. It’s all of the stories, prophecies, and instructions in the Bible, provided for us to know and understand God and reality.
It's no wonder our world is filled with so many opinions and perspectives. People are reading different books…literally! What is your basis for faith? For truth? For understanding life?
We’ve given you several tools to help you meditate on God’s Word. Let me remind you of some of them:
1. Mission 119. This free app will guide you through the entire Bible over about 20 months. Alliance Pastor John Soper will give you scriptures and offer a daily audio commentary on the passage, which is especially helpful in those difficult texts. I’m doing it for the third time now and it’s one of the best habits I’ve ever done.
2. Lectio 365. This is another free app which has both a morning and an evening meditation on God’s Word. It provides space for prayer and reflection as well as biblical content. Heather and I do it most every day together and it’s one of the best investments we’ve made in ourselves and our marriage.
3. RightNow Media. First Alliance pays for you to have a free subscription to this huge library of videos, all available on your mobile device or streaming box. There are resources for children, small groups, and personal Bible study from some of the best teachers on the planet.
4. YouVersion. This is so much more than a Bible app. It’s packed with Bible reading plans, videos, a verse of the day, and the “live” section has First Alliance Church each week!
5. Life Groups. The heart of First Alliance is not actually Sunday morning in rows, but in circles with small groups. It’s difficult to interact with my preaching live (unless you’re online; chat away!), but doing life together with others is a terrific environment to not only feed on the Bible but also digest it into your soul.
Of course, there are many other ways to get God’s Word in your heart, letting it fill your mind. The best Bible translation is…the one you read! I like the New Living Translation and the New International Version, but if you prefer a different one, go for it! I like my NIV Study Bible and my Life Application Bible.
One core value of our Alliance family states, “Knowing and obeying God’s Word is fundamental to all true success.”
One of this church’s core values says, “We are committed to prayer, the Word of God, and following Jesus.” Don’t miss that last part. It’s not enough to know it in your head. It needs to leak into your heart and hands, too!
Arguably the best chapter in the Bible about the Bible is Psalm 119. It’s the longest chapter in the Bible (176 verses!). If you want a great place to start meditating on God’s Word, read it slowly. Those who delight in God’s Word, those who meditate on it…
They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. (Psalm 1:3, NLT)
Have you ever slowed down long enough to observe trees? God designed them to get nourishment through their roots and the results can be seen in the leaves. It seems like trees near water have an advantage! Even when the weather is dry, a tree near water is able to drink. They are able to bear fruit. I love fruit, especially fresh fruit!
But have you ever had bad fruit? Moldy fruit? Those who feed on God’s Word, those who meditate on the LORD, will produce good fruit, the fruit of the Spirit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23a, NIV)
This is the fruit of doing life with God, filling our minds with truth and righteousness. Note trees don’t eat their own fruit, but produce it to benefit others. That’s true for the righteous.
But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. (Psalm 1:4, NLT)
I’m no gardener, but I know the wheat and chaff are separated. One has value, the other is worthless trash. The kernel falls to the threshing floor and saved while the chaff blows away. Imagine a watermelon. You eat the fruit and throw away the rind, right? This is how God describes the wicked, those who ignore God and His wisdom. It gets worse.
They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. (Psalm 1:5, NLT)
Judgment Day is coming…for all humans. Are you ready? I know our culture is filled with gray, but scripture repeatedly talks about the sheep and the goats, the wide and narrow road, heaven and hell. There are two paths. Which have you taken? It’s never too late to repent, turn, and follow Jesus.
For the LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction. (Psalm 1:6, NLT)
Which path are you choosing?
Jesus once said,
He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28, NIV)
It’s not enough to hear it. It’s not enough to read it. We must live it!
Conclusion
Do you want to be blessed? There’s something you can do about it! To experience God’s favor, you need to seek and follow Him. It’s not enough to say, “Bless me, LORD!” There are no shortcuts. You need to spend time with Him, meditate on His Word, surround yourselves with others who will speak the truth in love and model a Jesus lifestyle. Garbage in, garbage out. Good stuff in, good stuff out!
The message today is quite simple, yet we’re so easily enticed by the lies of this world and miss the pathway to blessings. It’s ultimately about seeking and following the LORD. It’s about building your life around Jesus. It’s about Christ being our cornerstone…our life!
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. (Psalm 33:12, NIV)
May God bless the United States of America this week as we celebrate our freedom…and may He bless every nation on earth!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Racism: Part 3, 26 June 2022
26 06 22
Racism
Series Big Idea: Racism is a thoroughly biblical subject which continues to plague our world.
Big Idea: Racism is sin which requires repentance and lament.
I have some good news and some bad news. First, the good news. Although First Alliance is an imperfect church led by imperfect people under the authority of a perfect LORD and Savior, our topic of racism today is not a reaction to things I have seen and heard around here. Rather, I’ve been thrilled to not only watch this congregation diversify, many of various backgrounds and ethnicities have told me they feel loved, respected, and accepted here. Praise God! I love what God is doing here!
The bad news, as you might expect, is racism is not dead. Pastor Derwin Gray is often asked why he talks about race frequently. He replies, “Because the Bible does.” He writes in his book How to Heal Our Racial Divide, “Racial reconciliation in Christ is not peripheral to the gospel, an optional ‘nice to have’ or a fad issue, but central to Christ’s mission and God’s plan.” I wholeheartedly agree.
When most people today in our nation think of racism, they think of black versus white, slavery generations ago, George Floyd, and maybe the names of those who died because of the color of their skin. But the Bible shows us throughout its 66 books people have been prejudice from nearly its first pages. Our enemy knows how to divide and conquer. Jesus himself said,
“Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. (Luke 11:17b)
We see this virtually every day in our political system, to say nothing of the other things that cause people to cancel one another. Perhaps the most glaring biblical example of division is the distinction between Jew and Gentile, something we hardly think about, but it was every bit as daunting—if not more co—than any ethnic conflicts in our nation’s history. Yet Paul wrote to the church in Galatia,
For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you. (Galatians 3:26-29)
Pastor Donald is a tough act to follow! He asked me to give this message, part three of a series he began last fall and continued last Sunday. While I have no stories of being the victim of ethnic prejudice, I feel qualified to challenge us to view every person as a masterpiece created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth. The first chapter in the Bible makes this clear.
Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” (Genesis 1:26, NLT)
We already saw…
There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
But consider these words of Paul to another church:
But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites. (Colossians 3:25)
Dr. N.T. Wright notes,
“The theology and praxis of a church united across the traditional boundaries of ethnic, class, and gender distinctions was never for Paul a secondary matter; it was at the very heart. Otherwise, one would in effect be saying that the Messiah did not after all defeat (through his death) the powers of darkness that divide and corrupt the human race.”
Peter had the same message:
Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. (Acts 10:34)
The book of Romans says,
For God does not show favoritism. (Romans 2:11)
Back in the Old Testament Moses declares,
For the LORD your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed. (Deuteronomy 10:17)
I could go on and on with examples. The Bible paints a beautiful picture of a new community, a multi-ethnic family formed around King Jesus.
My guess is most—hopefully all—of you believe “we are all one in Christ Jesus” as Paul said. You reject the satanic belief that one’s skin color makes them superior or inferior to another. To all of my lighter hue brothers and sisters, I hope you’ve discovered racism didn’t end with Abraham Lincoln or Juneteenth or the election of President Obama or George Floyd. None of my African-American friends want to go back in history. Progress has been made. But there’s much work to do in the arena of reconciliation among all peoples and ethnicities. We’re all members of one race, the human race.
Pew Research Center data shows a full three-quarters of Black Americans say opposing racism is essential to their faith or sense of morality. My guess—and hope—is you all recognize the evil of racism…and probably wonder what to do about it. What can I possibly do about “those racists?”
I’m so glad you asked! Regardless of your skin color or background, I want to offer several next steps that I believe will help us become part of the solution rather than part of the problem. We’re not going to eliminate racism in our nation this week, but there are proactive things we can all do. I’m borrowing this outline from Derwin Gray’s book mentioned earlier, How to Heal Our Racial Divide. Derwin is a pastor in Carolina who worked on his Doctorate at Northern Seminary the same time I did (in a different cohort).
1. Trust the supremacy of Christ
We’ve heard a lot about white supremacy in the news. Dr. Martin Luther King once said,
“[W]e must never substitute a doctrine of black supremacy for white supremacy. For the doctrine of black supremacy is as dangerous as white supremacy. God is not interested merely in the freedom of black men and brown men and yellow men but God is interested in the freedom of the whole human race, the creation of a society where all. Men will live together as brothers.”
King Jesus is supreme. He is the greatest. He is above all. Jesus is LORD! Satan loves to tempt each of us into pride, seeing ourselves somehow better than another, whether it’s our skin color, education, wealth, appearance, or abilities.
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)
It doesn’t say anything about Jews or Gentiles, black or white or brown. This is love. This is what Christians do. This is who we are. Why? It’s who Jesus is, and following Jesus means loving like Jesus loved. When we say Jesus is LORD, we mean He is our Master. He’s the boss. We trust and obey, not matter the cost.
Following Jesus is not the American dream. You have no rights. It’s not your body. We are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices. It’s not your wealth. Everything we have belongs to God. It’s not about you and your comfort and your convenience or even your safety. It’s all about Jesus! Jesus is LORD!
One of the most disturbing books I’ve read is The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby. The subtitle is The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism. It’s a thoroughly researched book about the evil acts of so-called Christians.
Jesus is LORD! Not whites. Not blacks. Not browns. Not Republicans. Not Democrats. Not Independents. Not Americans. Not Buckeyes. Not even Wolverines!
Jesus is LORD, and every person you meet this week is a masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10) created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth.
2. Engage in Difficult Conversations
First, engage in conversations. Someone said once you’ve heard someone’s story, they can never be your enemy. I desperately want to hear Putin’s story!
But seriously, empathy is formed when we listen. Last month I was on jury duty on a case that ended up in the conviction of a woman for murder, animal cruelty, and arson. As I watched this woman during three days of testimony, I couldn’t help but think years ago I would’ve judged her for her evil acts. Technically, I did judge her along with my jury mates, but as we were seeking justice, I began to imagine the life she has lived, her childhood, her friends, the circumstances that led to her abominable actions. It would not excuse her behavior, but it would surely help explain it.
Similarly, we need to listen to others…people of other ethnicities, other faiths, other political perspectives, and other generations. We can learn so much by seeking to understand rather than only trying to be understood.
Last year, Bishop Culp from First Church of God down the street invited me and several other black and white pastors to read The Color of Compromise together. We’ve been meeting consistently and my favorite part of the experience has been hearing the stories of my brothers of a darker hue. We are related by blood—the blood of Jesus—yet they’ve had countless experiences I can only imagine as a person in the majority culture. As we’ve begun to discuss how we collectively can attack racism, it has led to some clearly different viewpoints, yet we’ve learned to trust and love one another after dozens of conversations.
One thing that makes these conversations difficult is language. Do I call you black or African-American? What do you mean by racism? What about our Hispanic brothers and sisters? And Asians? Should we say Black Lives Matter when the organization was started with non-biblical principles…or do you mean the message of the slogan, not the organization? Am I really white, or some shade of peach? Why can blacks use the N-word but nobody else? Is that word ever appropriate? Why do most rappers cuss in all of their songs? Should I feel bad for being born in the majority culture? What can I do to make this world a better place?
Relationships move at the speed of trust. Love is spelled t-i-m-e. I encourage you to get to know someone different from you, listen, learn, and extend grace when you have awkward or difficult moments. We don’t know what we don’t know and we all need help understanding one another. We are family. Family can be messy, but it can also be so good!
3. Collectively Mourn Injustice
Most Christians I know like happy songs, happy sermons, happy, happy, happy. To be honest, I’m a pretty optimistic person, but although we are told to think about whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8), it doesn’t mean we never pause to mourn, to lament, to acknowledge the injustice and seek ways to change ourselves, our culture, our world. I’ve been involved in powerful moments of recognizing injustice, times of confession and repentance, reconciliation exercises, and sessions of sorrow and grief. I’ve done it around the unborn. I’ve done it around issues of racism. It’s not fun, but it can be powerful. The Psalms are filled with lament.
4. Display Gospel Character
Moments ago, I used the word “grace.” It means unmerited favor. It’s undeserved. We all seek God’s amazing grace, and we need to be generous in extending it to others. This is where we need to look at the culture and do the exact opposite. We don’t hate. We don’t cancel. We don’t hold a grudge. We don’t gossip or tell inappropriate jokes or pre-judge people, not matter what we see on the surface. We love. That’s the Jesus way.
5. Affirm the Reconciler’s Creed
Derwin Gray created this five-part creed:
1. Worship: We will relentlessly worship God by loving our brothers and sisters of different ethnicities in Christ (Matthew 22:37-40). According to Jesus, loving God and loving others are the greatest commandments, and they go together.
2. Justification: We will relentlessly see our brothers and sisters of other ethnicities as the righteousness of God in Christ (Romans 3:22). We are all covered in the same justifying blood.
3. Holiness: We will relentlessly ask God the Holy Spirit to purge us of any prejudices that we have in our hearts (Romans 8:28-29; Galatians 4:19). Honest self-examination is vital to healing and maturity.
4. Unity: We will relentlessly pursue and live in the unity Jesus secured through the bloody cross (Ephesians 2:14-16). We do not work for unity; we live from unity in Christ.
5. Guard: We will relentlessly guard our unity in Christ (Ephesians 4:1-6). Our unity in Christ is, gift and treasure that must be guarded. Demonic powers and those under the power of the evil one want to divide God's people. Our unity displays the beauty of our risen Redeemer; our disunity is a poor witness.
Listen to these beautiful words from Paul to the church in Corinth:
And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:18-21, NLT)
One thing I’ve heard people say is they are colorblind. We need to see color. Derwin Gray calls it being color blessed! We need to see our differences…and celebrate them, learn from them, use them as opportunities to grow, to listen, to demonstrate patience and humility. Our differences are not an accident. As one of our core values states,
We are a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together.
I love it!
“Diversity is inviting people to the party, inclusion is asking them to dance” – Verna Myers
THE DECLARATION OF RECONCILIATION (Derwin Gray)
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
Blessed King of the universe,
in your eternal Son, Messiah Jesus,
the King of kings,
the one who is grace upon grace and
who created a new race, made of all of the human race,
through his life, death, and resurrection—
in his name, by the Holy Spirit's power,
we offer ourselves as living sacrifices, dwelling places of God
King Jesus, we affirm that you purchased a richly diverse
people for your Father,
a people declared righteous by your blood,
a people who are one, yet many.
Your blood binds us to you and to each other as
a beautiful mosaic.
We worship you by loving one another.
We are the family of the redeemed.
We belong to the King.
We pledge our allegiance to King Jesus, the Lamb of God
who sits on the throne.
May we live from and guard the unity Jesus secured on
the cross.
As we grow in holiness, Spirit, empower us to reflect Jesus
more and more.
Way the world see we love Jesus by the way we love each other.
May we treasure our brothers and sisters more than we treasure economic interests, political affiliations, fears, or cultural customs.
In your name, King Jesus, we pray.
Amen
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series Big Idea: Racism is a thoroughly biblical subject which continues to plague our world.
Big Idea: Racism is sin which requires repentance and lament.
I have some good news and some bad news. First, the good news. Although First Alliance is an imperfect church led by imperfect people under the authority of a perfect LORD and Savior, our topic of racism today is not a reaction to things I have seen and heard around here. Rather, I’ve been thrilled to not only watch this congregation diversify, many of various backgrounds and ethnicities have told me they feel loved, respected, and accepted here. Praise God! I love what God is doing here!
The bad news, as you might expect, is racism is not dead. Pastor Derwin Gray is often asked why he talks about race frequently. He replies, “Because the Bible does.” He writes in his book How to Heal Our Racial Divide, “Racial reconciliation in Christ is not peripheral to the gospel, an optional ‘nice to have’ or a fad issue, but central to Christ’s mission and God’s plan.” I wholeheartedly agree.
When most people today in our nation think of racism, they think of black versus white, slavery generations ago, George Floyd, and maybe the names of those who died because of the color of their skin. But the Bible shows us throughout its 66 books people have been prejudice from nearly its first pages. Our enemy knows how to divide and conquer. Jesus himself said,
“Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. (Luke 11:17b)
We see this virtually every day in our political system, to say nothing of the other things that cause people to cancel one another. Perhaps the most glaring biblical example of division is the distinction between Jew and Gentile, something we hardly think about, but it was every bit as daunting—if not more co—than any ethnic conflicts in our nation’s history. Yet Paul wrote to the church in Galatia,
For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you. (Galatians 3:26-29)
Pastor Donald is a tough act to follow! He asked me to give this message, part three of a series he began last fall and continued last Sunday. While I have no stories of being the victim of ethnic prejudice, I feel qualified to challenge us to view every person as a masterpiece created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth. The first chapter in the Bible makes this clear.
Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” (Genesis 1:26, NLT)
We already saw…
There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
But consider these words of Paul to another church:
But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites. (Colossians 3:25)
Dr. N.T. Wright notes,
“The theology and praxis of a church united across the traditional boundaries of ethnic, class, and gender distinctions was never for Paul a secondary matter; it was at the very heart. Otherwise, one would in effect be saying that the Messiah did not after all defeat (through his death) the powers of darkness that divide and corrupt the human race.”
Peter had the same message:
Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. (Acts 10:34)
The book of Romans says,
For God does not show favoritism. (Romans 2:11)
Back in the Old Testament Moses declares,
For the LORD your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed. (Deuteronomy 10:17)
I could go on and on with examples. The Bible paints a beautiful picture of a new community, a multi-ethnic family formed around King Jesus.
My guess is most—hopefully all—of you believe “we are all one in Christ Jesus” as Paul said. You reject the satanic belief that one’s skin color makes them superior or inferior to another. To all of my lighter hue brothers and sisters, I hope you’ve discovered racism didn’t end with Abraham Lincoln or Juneteenth or the election of President Obama or George Floyd. None of my African-American friends want to go back in history. Progress has been made. But there’s much work to do in the arena of reconciliation among all peoples and ethnicities. We’re all members of one race, the human race.
Pew Research Center data shows a full three-quarters of Black Americans say opposing racism is essential to their faith or sense of morality. My guess—and hope—is you all recognize the evil of racism…and probably wonder what to do about it. What can I possibly do about “those racists?”
I’m so glad you asked! Regardless of your skin color or background, I want to offer several next steps that I believe will help us become part of the solution rather than part of the problem. We’re not going to eliminate racism in our nation this week, but there are proactive things we can all do. I’m borrowing this outline from Derwin Gray’s book mentioned earlier, How to Heal Our Racial Divide. Derwin is a pastor in Carolina who worked on his Doctorate at Northern Seminary the same time I did (in a different cohort).
1. Trust the supremacy of Christ
We’ve heard a lot about white supremacy in the news. Dr. Martin Luther King once said,
“[W]e must never substitute a doctrine of black supremacy for white supremacy. For the doctrine of black supremacy is as dangerous as white supremacy. God is not interested merely in the freedom of black men and brown men and yellow men but God is interested in the freedom of the whole human race, the creation of a society where all. Men will live together as brothers.”
King Jesus is supreme. He is the greatest. He is above all. Jesus is LORD! Satan loves to tempt each of us into pride, seeing ourselves somehow better than another, whether it’s our skin color, education, wealth, appearance, or abilities.
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)
It doesn’t say anything about Jews or Gentiles, black or white or brown. This is love. This is what Christians do. This is who we are. Why? It’s who Jesus is, and following Jesus means loving like Jesus loved. When we say Jesus is LORD, we mean He is our Master. He’s the boss. We trust and obey, not matter the cost.
Following Jesus is not the American dream. You have no rights. It’s not your body. We are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices. It’s not your wealth. Everything we have belongs to God. It’s not about you and your comfort and your convenience or even your safety. It’s all about Jesus! Jesus is LORD!
One of the most disturbing books I’ve read is The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby. The subtitle is The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism. It’s a thoroughly researched book about the evil acts of so-called Christians.
Jesus is LORD! Not whites. Not blacks. Not browns. Not Republicans. Not Democrats. Not Independents. Not Americans. Not Buckeyes. Not even Wolverines!
Jesus is LORD, and every person you meet this week is a masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10) created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth.
2. Engage in Difficult Conversations
First, engage in conversations. Someone said once you’ve heard someone’s story, they can never be your enemy. I desperately want to hear Putin’s story!
But seriously, empathy is formed when we listen. Last month I was on jury duty on a case that ended up in the conviction of a woman for murder, animal cruelty, and arson. As I watched this woman during three days of testimony, I couldn’t help but think years ago I would’ve judged her for her evil acts. Technically, I did judge her along with my jury mates, but as we were seeking justice, I began to imagine the life she has lived, her childhood, her friends, the circumstances that led to her abominable actions. It would not excuse her behavior, but it would surely help explain it.
Similarly, we need to listen to others…people of other ethnicities, other faiths, other political perspectives, and other generations. We can learn so much by seeking to understand rather than only trying to be understood.
Last year, Bishop Culp from First Church of God down the street invited me and several other black and white pastors to read The Color of Compromise together. We’ve been meeting consistently and my favorite part of the experience has been hearing the stories of my brothers of a darker hue. We are related by blood—the blood of Jesus—yet they’ve had countless experiences I can only imagine as a person in the majority culture. As we’ve begun to discuss how we collectively can attack racism, it has led to some clearly different viewpoints, yet we’ve learned to trust and love one another after dozens of conversations.
One thing that makes these conversations difficult is language. Do I call you black or African-American? What do you mean by racism? What about our Hispanic brothers and sisters? And Asians? Should we say Black Lives Matter when the organization was started with non-biblical principles…or do you mean the message of the slogan, not the organization? Am I really white, or some shade of peach? Why can blacks use the N-word but nobody else? Is that word ever appropriate? Why do most rappers cuss in all of their songs? Should I feel bad for being born in the majority culture? What can I do to make this world a better place?
Relationships move at the speed of trust. Love is spelled t-i-m-e. I encourage you to get to know someone different from you, listen, learn, and extend grace when you have awkward or difficult moments. We don’t know what we don’t know and we all need help understanding one another. We are family. Family can be messy, but it can also be so good!
3. Collectively Mourn Injustice
Most Christians I know like happy songs, happy sermons, happy, happy, happy. To be honest, I’m a pretty optimistic person, but although we are told to think about whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8), it doesn’t mean we never pause to mourn, to lament, to acknowledge the injustice and seek ways to change ourselves, our culture, our world. I’ve been involved in powerful moments of recognizing injustice, times of confession and repentance, reconciliation exercises, and sessions of sorrow and grief. I’ve done it around the unborn. I’ve done it around issues of racism. It’s not fun, but it can be powerful. The Psalms are filled with lament.
4. Display Gospel Character
Moments ago, I used the word “grace.” It means unmerited favor. It’s undeserved. We all seek God’s amazing grace, and we need to be generous in extending it to others. This is where we need to look at the culture and do the exact opposite. We don’t hate. We don’t cancel. We don’t hold a grudge. We don’t gossip or tell inappropriate jokes or pre-judge people, not matter what we see on the surface. We love. That’s the Jesus way.
5. Affirm the Reconciler’s Creed
Derwin Gray created this five-part creed:
1. Worship: We will relentlessly worship God by loving our brothers and sisters of different ethnicities in Christ (Matthew 22:37-40). According to Jesus, loving God and loving others are the greatest commandments, and they go together.
2. Justification: We will relentlessly see our brothers and sisters of other ethnicities as the righteousness of God in Christ (Romans 3:22). We are all covered in the same justifying blood.
3. Holiness: We will relentlessly ask God the Holy Spirit to purge us of any prejudices that we have in our hearts (Romans 8:28-29; Galatians 4:19). Honest self-examination is vital to healing and maturity.
4. Unity: We will relentlessly pursue and live in the unity Jesus secured through the bloody cross (Ephesians 2:14-16). We do not work for unity; we live from unity in Christ.
5. Guard: We will relentlessly guard our unity in Christ (Ephesians 4:1-6). Our unity in Christ is, gift and treasure that must be guarded. Demonic powers and those under the power of the evil one want to divide God's people. Our unity displays the beauty of our risen Redeemer; our disunity is a poor witness.
Listen to these beautiful words from Paul to the church in Corinth:
And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:18-21, NLT)
One thing I’ve heard people say is they are colorblind. We need to see color. Derwin Gray calls it being color blessed! We need to see our differences…and celebrate them, learn from them, use them as opportunities to grow, to listen, to demonstrate patience and humility. Our differences are not an accident. As one of our core values states,
We are a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together.
I love it!
“Diversity is inviting people to the party, inclusion is asking them to dance” – Verna Myers
THE DECLARATION OF RECONCILIATION (Derwin Gray)
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
Blessed King of the universe,
in your eternal Son, Messiah Jesus,
the King of kings,
the one who is grace upon grace and
who created a new race, made of all of the human race,
through his life, death, and resurrection—
in his name, by the Holy Spirit's power,
we offer ourselves as living sacrifices, dwelling places of God
King Jesus, we affirm that you purchased a richly diverse
people for your Father,
a people declared righteous by your blood,
a people who are one, yet many.
Your blood binds us to you and to each other as
a beautiful mosaic.
We worship you by loving one another.
We are the family of the redeemed.
We belong to the King.
We pledge our allegiance to King Jesus, the Lamb of God
who sits on the throne.
May we live from and guard the unity Jesus secured on
the cross.
As we grow in holiness, Spirit, empower us to reflect Jesus
more and more.
Way the world see we love Jesus by the way we love each other.
May we treasure our brothers and sisters more than we treasure economic interests, political affiliations, fears, or cultural customs.
In your name, King Jesus, we pray.
Amen
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Get on Your Knees, 29 May 2022
30 05 22
Get on Your Knees!
Series—Alliance Core Values
Philippians 4:6-7
Series Big Idea: After a 2021 reveal of our First Alliance Core Values, this series is a presentation of the Christian & Missionary Alliance Core Values.
Big Idea: Prayer is the primary work of God’s people.
The year was 1988 and musician Bobby McFerrin hit big with a little ditty called Don’t Worry, Be Happy. Nobody in 1988 could imagine the amount of worry people in 2022 would be facing. Anxiety is running rampant. Mental health professionals have seemingly endless job security. Fear continues to rise over COVID, inflation, Ukraine, …and now monkeypox?! Wouldn’t it be great if we could simply stop worrying and become happy?
Our scripture text for today conveys a similar message, but one with much more power. Don’t worry…pray! That’s essentially what Paul said to the church in Philippi, a city in modern-day Greece.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. (Philippians 4:6a, NLT)
That would be a great verse to memorize…or shall I say half of a verse. These words are on the wall of our bathroom at home. They comfort me—and sometimes convict me—in my moments of worry.
What about you? Are you prone to fear…or faith? Worry or prayer? Anxiety or petition?
Prayer is one of those things everyone knows is a good idea, but most find challenging. How many of you eat your veggies? Floss your teeth? Exercise?
Prayer is work. The city of Toledo logo says as much…to work is to pray. Sure, a quick prayer before a meal is simple, but how do we pray when life gets hard?
We’ve been going through a series on the core values of the Christian & Missionary Alliance, our global family. We have previously noted
- Lost people matter to God. He wants them found. Luke 19:10
- Everything we have belongs to God; we are His stewards. 1 Chronicles 29:14
- Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple. Matthew 28:19
- Knowing and obeying God’s Word is fundamental to all true success. Joshua 1:8
Today’s core value states
- Prayer is the primary work of God’s people. Philippians 4:6-7
I said it’s work, but that’s because all relationships are work. They require time. They involve effort. I’ve never met a couple that said, “We’ve had a great marriage for decades. We never really talk or do anything together, but we are so close!” Never. Marriage is hard work, but it’s worth it.
Friendship can be hard work, too. I was recently in a meeting with a good friend and he said and did some things which made me feel like my input was worthless. I was tempted to let it go, but it was really bothering me and I knew my friend was clueless about his actions. After an hour or two of prayer and planning, I confronted him as graciously as I could and lovingly confronted his behavior. He apologized, thanked me for drawing it to his attention, and we hugged. It was work, but it was so worth it.
By the way, the enemy loves to steal, kill, and destroy…especially relationships. Just look at our cancel culture today. If you really want to kick the enemy in the teeth, work on reconciling a broken relationship. Not all relationships are mendable, but if you speak the truth in love and experiencing restoration, it’s an amazing feeling! Relationships are work, but they’re worth it.
Prayer is work, but what really is prayer? I used to think it was talking to God, but it’s more than that. For years I thought it was talking with God, but it’s more than even that. I submit to you prayer is doing life with God. Marriage is not just talking to or with someone. It’s doing life with them. Life is what we do. It’s non-stop. Perhaps that’s why Paul wrote elsewhere,
Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NIV)
Pray continually. Talk with God continually. Do life with God continually. How?
There’s actually more to verse six in Philippians chapter four:
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. (Philippians 4:6, NLT)
Don’t worry. Pray. I wish I could tell you I’ve mastered this, but I’m a fellow pilgrim on the journey toward a worry-free life! I want to be in control…or think I’m in control! Many of the things I fear never even occur. What a waste of energy…energy that could’ve been spent praying for others or just being with the LORD.
How do we pray, then? We could do an entire sermon series on prayer. Countless books have been written on the subject. The scriptures are filled with examples (though most are rather short). We’ll scratch the surface today, but examining our text, it says, “Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Of course, He knows already, but He loves to hear your voice. I think your voice is the most beautiful sound to Him. The next verse tells us what happens when we pray:
Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7, NLT)
Who wants peace in their life? How many of you want God’s peace? This might be one of the few formulas in the Bible, but it’s clear. Prayer leads to peace. Our world needs more peace, doesn’t it? We try negotiation tactics, call on law enforcement, hire mediators, defend ourselves, …but there’s nothing like God and His peace.
Notice Philippians 4:7 says God’s peace will guard our hearts and minds. That’s God’s protective custody. How does that work? When we thank God, we’re reminded of His goodness, power, and thankfulness. Our problems often seem small once we realize God is great. Someone said, ““Kneeling to pray is what gives you the strength to stand.”
This should be obvious, but the power of prayer is not in the person praying, but the Person to whom they are praying. You can pray to a volleyball (Tom Hanks almost did in Castaway!) but nothing will change. I’m fascinated with the popularity of meditation in our society. It’s huge! Scripture is filled with encouragement to meditate, but the real issue is the object of our meditation…on nothing, ourselves, or God and His Word? The same is true for prayer. It’s about doing life with our Creator. Prayer is an alternative lifestyle! We simply need to work, take time, be present with God.
"Most Christians want to experience spiritual transformation. But many are frustrated by the limited progress of our spiritual self-improvement efforts. We find our praying burdened by a sense of obligation and failure. But prayer is not merely something we do; prayer is what God does in us. Prayer is not just communication with God; it is communion with God. As we open ourselves to him, God does the spiritual work of transformation in us." - David G. Benner
I think too many people think of prayer as a magic power to get God to do what we want…and then we get disappointed when He doesn’t serve us on demand. “Prayer,” said Robert Law, “is not getting man’s will done in heaven. It’s getting God’s will done on earth.” It’s all about a relationship. I think prayer is a lot like marriage.
I’m married to my wife. I’m always married to my wife, 24/7/365. I’m married without ceasing. It’s a state of being as well as a state of doing. I’m still married when I’m not with her. I obviously feel more connected when we’re having dinner together, but sometimes we connect via text, phone, or FaceTime. Sometimes we’re physically together but not even communicating, like when we watch a movie together or even when we take a drive in the car and say nothing. Marriage is all about communication, honesty, and experimentation…and so is prayer.
Obviously, prayer involves communication. Honesty is a given with God (uh, He knows everything!). And it’s important to experiment with prayer. I want to give you some tools to get you started.
ACTS. This is a popular acronym to guide your prayers. Begin with Adoration, praise, worship. Tell God how awesome He is! This is not to butter Him up, but to remind yourself who it is you’re talking with.
C is confession. Get real with God. Again, He knows it all. There can be great joy and freedom in confessing, agreeing with God how you’ve sinned, and being reminded of the joy of forgiveness.
T is thanksgiving. We spoke of this earlier. It’s not just an annual holiday! It should be a part of our rhythms to be grateful.
S stands for supplication or requests or petitions. Tell God what you want. Pray for others. Pray for yourself. He’s a good, good Father who loves to give gifts to His children…though not always when and how we desire. Daddy knows best!
Another prayer tool is a journal. Write out your prayers…on paper or a laptop. I hate to burst your bubble, but I don’t spend three hours each moment on my knees with my eyes closed in prayer. It would quickly become a nap! Some of my best times of prayer involve me essentially writing a letter to God. It keeps me focused…and I can go back and see how God responded to my prayers.
Praying with others is another thing I do. It’s harder to fall asleep praying when you are with others! We have Zoom Prayer every weekday from 9 AM to 9:30 AM. You’re all invited! It’s a great way to meet people and love well, praying prayers of blessing, hope, and healing over one another. Life Groups are another great forum for prayer.
Listening is another prayer tool. I know that might sound unusual, but we need to give God an opportunity to speak, too! What has God been saying to you? What are you going to do about it?
I’d be the first to admit I’ve never heard God speak audibly, but He does speak…through other people, circumstances, dreams, and sometimes an internal prompting. But the primary way God speaks is through the Bible. If you’re not reading it, don’t be surprised if you’re not hearing from God.
If we’re honest, sometimes we don’t want God to speak to us! Maybe we choose to live busy, noisy lives in hopes that He doesn’t speak! Such an attitude says a lot about our view of God. He’s a good, good Father who loves His children. Yes, He does discipline us, but He always has our best interest at heart. Really!
I realize a relationship with God can be challenging. After all, you can’t see Him, hear Him, or even text Him! But He has created you first and foremost for a love relationship with Him. Prayer is work. Relationships are work. They take time and effort. They’re don’t always feel warm and fuzzy! But they’re worth the effort.
Perhaps you’ve been told Christianity is just about praying a prayer so you can go to heaven when you die. If so, I’m deeply sorry! It’s a tragedy to think prayer is a one-time thing…or even something we do at bedtime or at meals as a ritual. It’s a rhythm of life!
“Jesus tells us to pray for daily bread, but we’d rather have a Costco relationship with God. We’d rather have stuff in bulk so as not to come back to God so often. But we can’t live without daily dependence.” – Rich Villodas
God wants to do life with you! The Creator of the universe wants to spend every moment of your life with you! How cool is that?! Will you make yourself available for Him? Will you get on your knees?
Prayer is the primary work of God’s people. Philippians 4:6-7
I want to offer one final tool before we close. It’s a free app called Lectio 365. I may have mentioned it before, but it’s a simple way to make room for God, to be fully present. It takes about ten minutes in the morning and about ten minutes at night to be still and listen to these guided prayers with scriptural meditations. It’s probably the best tool Heather and I have found to develop our spiritual life together. We use it most every day. They have an acronym, too…PRAY.
Pause to be still
Rejoice and reflect
Ask for God's help
Yield to His will
There’s so much that can be said about prayer—and so much has been said—but know it is work, but anything worth having is worth the investment. It is how we do life with God, and that relationship is at the core of the meaning of life.
Prayer is the primary work of God’s people. Philippians 4:6-7
“Don’t worry, be happy.” – Bobby McFerrin
“Pray and let God worry.” – Martin Luther
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Alliance Core Values
Philippians 4:6-7
Series Big Idea: After a 2021 reveal of our First Alliance Core Values, this series is a presentation of the Christian & Missionary Alliance Core Values.
Big Idea: Prayer is the primary work of God’s people.
The year was 1988 and musician Bobby McFerrin hit big with a little ditty called Don’t Worry, Be Happy. Nobody in 1988 could imagine the amount of worry people in 2022 would be facing. Anxiety is running rampant. Mental health professionals have seemingly endless job security. Fear continues to rise over COVID, inflation, Ukraine, …and now monkeypox?! Wouldn’t it be great if we could simply stop worrying and become happy?
Our scripture text for today conveys a similar message, but one with much more power. Don’t worry…pray! That’s essentially what Paul said to the church in Philippi, a city in modern-day Greece.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. (Philippians 4:6a, NLT)
That would be a great verse to memorize…or shall I say half of a verse. These words are on the wall of our bathroom at home. They comfort me—and sometimes convict me—in my moments of worry.
What about you? Are you prone to fear…or faith? Worry or prayer? Anxiety or petition?
Prayer is one of those things everyone knows is a good idea, but most find challenging. How many of you eat your veggies? Floss your teeth? Exercise?
Prayer is work. The city of Toledo logo says as much…to work is to pray. Sure, a quick prayer before a meal is simple, but how do we pray when life gets hard?
We’ve been going through a series on the core values of the Christian & Missionary Alliance, our global family. We have previously noted
- Lost people matter to God. He wants them found. Luke 19:10
- Everything we have belongs to God; we are His stewards. 1 Chronicles 29:14
- Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple. Matthew 28:19
- Knowing and obeying God’s Word is fundamental to all true success. Joshua 1:8
Today’s core value states
- Prayer is the primary work of God’s people. Philippians 4:6-7
I said it’s work, but that’s because all relationships are work. They require time. They involve effort. I’ve never met a couple that said, “We’ve had a great marriage for decades. We never really talk or do anything together, but we are so close!” Never. Marriage is hard work, but it’s worth it.
Friendship can be hard work, too. I was recently in a meeting with a good friend and he said and did some things which made me feel like my input was worthless. I was tempted to let it go, but it was really bothering me and I knew my friend was clueless about his actions. After an hour or two of prayer and planning, I confronted him as graciously as I could and lovingly confronted his behavior. He apologized, thanked me for drawing it to his attention, and we hugged. It was work, but it was so worth it.
By the way, the enemy loves to steal, kill, and destroy…especially relationships. Just look at our cancel culture today. If you really want to kick the enemy in the teeth, work on reconciling a broken relationship. Not all relationships are mendable, but if you speak the truth in love and experiencing restoration, it’s an amazing feeling! Relationships are work, but they’re worth it.
Prayer is work, but what really is prayer? I used to think it was talking to God, but it’s more than that. For years I thought it was talking with God, but it’s more than even that. I submit to you prayer is doing life with God. Marriage is not just talking to or with someone. It’s doing life with them. Life is what we do. It’s non-stop. Perhaps that’s why Paul wrote elsewhere,
Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NIV)
Pray continually. Talk with God continually. Do life with God continually. How?
There’s actually more to verse six in Philippians chapter four:
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. (Philippians 4:6, NLT)
Don’t worry. Pray. I wish I could tell you I’ve mastered this, but I’m a fellow pilgrim on the journey toward a worry-free life! I want to be in control…or think I’m in control! Many of the things I fear never even occur. What a waste of energy…energy that could’ve been spent praying for others or just being with the LORD.
How do we pray, then? We could do an entire sermon series on prayer. Countless books have been written on the subject. The scriptures are filled with examples (though most are rather short). We’ll scratch the surface today, but examining our text, it says, “Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Of course, He knows already, but He loves to hear your voice. I think your voice is the most beautiful sound to Him. The next verse tells us what happens when we pray:
Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7, NLT)
Who wants peace in their life? How many of you want God’s peace? This might be one of the few formulas in the Bible, but it’s clear. Prayer leads to peace. Our world needs more peace, doesn’t it? We try negotiation tactics, call on law enforcement, hire mediators, defend ourselves, …but there’s nothing like God and His peace.
Notice Philippians 4:7 says God’s peace will guard our hearts and minds. That’s God’s protective custody. How does that work? When we thank God, we’re reminded of His goodness, power, and thankfulness. Our problems often seem small once we realize God is great. Someone said, ““Kneeling to pray is what gives you the strength to stand.”
This should be obvious, but the power of prayer is not in the person praying, but the Person to whom they are praying. You can pray to a volleyball (Tom Hanks almost did in Castaway!) but nothing will change. I’m fascinated with the popularity of meditation in our society. It’s huge! Scripture is filled with encouragement to meditate, but the real issue is the object of our meditation…on nothing, ourselves, or God and His Word? The same is true for prayer. It’s about doing life with our Creator. Prayer is an alternative lifestyle! We simply need to work, take time, be present with God.
"Most Christians want to experience spiritual transformation. But many are frustrated by the limited progress of our spiritual self-improvement efforts. We find our praying burdened by a sense of obligation and failure. But prayer is not merely something we do; prayer is what God does in us. Prayer is not just communication with God; it is communion with God. As we open ourselves to him, God does the spiritual work of transformation in us." - David G. Benner
I think too many people think of prayer as a magic power to get God to do what we want…and then we get disappointed when He doesn’t serve us on demand. “Prayer,” said Robert Law, “is not getting man’s will done in heaven. It’s getting God’s will done on earth.” It’s all about a relationship. I think prayer is a lot like marriage.
I’m married to my wife. I’m always married to my wife, 24/7/365. I’m married without ceasing. It’s a state of being as well as a state of doing. I’m still married when I’m not with her. I obviously feel more connected when we’re having dinner together, but sometimes we connect via text, phone, or FaceTime. Sometimes we’re physically together but not even communicating, like when we watch a movie together or even when we take a drive in the car and say nothing. Marriage is all about communication, honesty, and experimentation…and so is prayer.
Obviously, prayer involves communication. Honesty is a given with God (uh, He knows everything!). And it’s important to experiment with prayer. I want to give you some tools to get you started.
ACTS. This is a popular acronym to guide your prayers. Begin with Adoration, praise, worship. Tell God how awesome He is! This is not to butter Him up, but to remind yourself who it is you’re talking with.
C is confession. Get real with God. Again, He knows it all. There can be great joy and freedom in confessing, agreeing with God how you’ve sinned, and being reminded of the joy of forgiveness.
T is thanksgiving. We spoke of this earlier. It’s not just an annual holiday! It should be a part of our rhythms to be grateful.
S stands for supplication or requests or petitions. Tell God what you want. Pray for others. Pray for yourself. He’s a good, good Father who loves to give gifts to His children…though not always when and how we desire. Daddy knows best!
Another prayer tool is a journal. Write out your prayers…on paper or a laptop. I hate to burst your bubble, but I don’t spend three hours each moment on my knees with my eyes closed in prayer. It would quickly become a nap! Some of my best times of prayer involve me essentially writing a letter to God. It keeps me focused…and I can go back and see how God responded to my prayers.
Praying with others is another thing I do. It’s harder to fall asleep praying when you are with others! We have Zoom Prayer every weekday from 9 AM to 9:30 AM. You’re all invited! It’s a great way to meet people and love well, praying prayers of blessing, hope, and healing over one another. Life Groups are another great forum for prayer.
Listening is another prayer tool. I know that might sound unusual, but we need to give God an opportunity to speak, too! What has God been saying to you? What are you going to do about it?
I’d be the first to admit I’ve never heard God speak audibly, but He does speak…through other people, circumstances, dreams, and sometimes an internal prompting. But the primary way God speaks is through the Bible. If you’re not reading it, don’t be surprised if you’re not hearing from God.
If we’re honest, sometimes we don’t want God to speak to us! Maybe we choose to live busy, noisy lives in hopes that He doesn’t speak! Such an attitude says a lot about our view of God. He’s a good, good Father who loves His children. Yes, He does discipline us, but He always has our best interest at heart. Really!
I realize a relationship with God can be challenging. After all, you can’t see Him, hear Him, or even text Him! But He has created you first and foremost for a love relationship with Him. Prayer is work. Relationships are work. They take time and effort. They’re don’t always feel warm and fuzzy! But they’re worth the effort.
Perhaps you’ve been told Christianity is just about praying a prayer so you can go to heaven when you die. If so, I’m deeply sorry! It’s a tragedy to think prayer is a one-time thing…or even something we do at bedtime or at meals as a ritual. It’s a rhythm of life!
“Jesus tells us to pray for daily bread, but we’d rather have a Costco relationship with God. We’d rather have stuff in bulk so as not to come back to God so often. But we can’t live without daily dependence.” – Rich Villodas
God wants to do life with you! The Creator of the universe wants to spend every moment of your life with you! How cool is that?! Will you make yourself available for Him? Will you get on your knees?
Prayer is the primary work of God’s people. Philippians 4:6-7
I want to offer one final tool before we close. It’s a free app called Lectio 365. I may have mentioned it before, but it’s a simple way to make room for God, to be fully present. It takes about ten minutes in the morning and about ten minutes at night to be still and listen to these guided prayers with scriptural meditations. It’s probably the best tool Heather and I have found to develop our spiritual life together. We use it most every day. They have an acronym, too…PRAY.
Pause to be still
Rejoice and reflect
Ask for God's help
Yield to His will
There’s so much that can be said about prayer—and so much has been said—but know it is work, but anything worth having is worth the investment. It is how we do life with God, and that relationship is at the core of the meaning of life.
Prayer is the primary work of God’s people. Philippians 4:6-7
“Don’t worry, be happy.” – Bobby McFerrin
“Pray and let God worry.” – Martin Luther
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Get in the Game, 15 May 2022
15 05 22
Get in the Game!
Series—Alliance Core Values
Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 4:11-12
Series Big Idea: After a 2021 reveal of our First Alliance Core Values, this series is a presentation of the Christian & Missionary Alliance Core Values.
Series—Alliance Core Values
Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 4:11-12
Series Big Idea: After a 2021 reveal of our First Alliance Core Values, this series is a presentation of the Christian & Missionary Alliance Core Values.
Big Idea: Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple.
How many of you like sports…any sports? There are two types of sports fans…those who watch and those who play. Which do you prefer?
Someone once said football is 22 people on the field who need rest and 22,000 people in the stands who need exercise!”
Tragically, many churches are a single pastor who needs rest and a congregation of people who need to get in the game! Not only is ministry a team sport, it was designed to involve everyone who claims to be a Christian. It’s not exclusively for professionals. In fact, as we’ve noted previously, it’s the task of the professionals to equip the saints.
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-12, NLT)
Today we’re continuing our series on the Alliance Core Values, those foundational principles that our Christian & Missionary Alliance family values which we also believe describe Jesus’ values.
We began by saying,
Lost people matter to God. He wants them found.
Last week Pastor Mike reminded us that
Everything we have belongs to God; we are His stewards.
It’s not that ten percent belongs to God. Everything we have belongs to God, including all of our time, talents and treasures. Today’s core value states,
Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple.
There are some churchy words there, so I want to be crystal clear about what this means. Working backward, a disciple is a student, a follower, a protégé. Therefore, a fully-devoted disciple is someone devoted to following Jesus…what you might call a “real” Christian, not a CINO: Christian in name only.
Are you a disciple of Jesus? If not, I urge you to consider making Jesus the leader of your life. He is wiser, stronger, and loves you more than any celebrity, social media personality, or philosopher. I’m not a perfect disciple, but I’m seeking to build my life around the teachings and leadership of Jesus.
The Great Commission was read earlier in our scripture reading. It’s one of the most famous passages in the Bible. Jesus commissions his followers—his disciples—before ascending into heaven.
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18, NLT)
The Great Commission will be completed when there are disciples or followers of Jesus of all the nations. Jesus has all authority and he promises us his presence, which is fantastic. The key verbs are go and make. Make disciples. Reproduce the life of Jesus in others. Jesus passed the baton, to use a sports metaphor, to his disciples who have been passing it for generations to us. We don’t want to be the generation that drops the baton!
The Great Commission is the work involved in sharing good news and seeing men, women, and children of all the nations obey Jesus, follow Jesus…and that includes helping others obey and follow Jesus. This is not a command just for pastors. That would mean only about one percent would be engaged. The enemy would love that! No,
Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple.
If you are a disciple—a follower of Jesus—discipleship is your mission, your commission. It’s what life is all about…knowing God and making Him known. My primary role is to disciple our staff and leaders to disciple the rest of you to disciple others until every person on the planet has been invited to the party, has heard the good news, has been given a chance to follow or reject Jesus, his love, his death and resurrection.
We need you to get in the game! For too long, too many so-called Christians have been content to watch. Following Jesus is not a spectator sport! We need every fully-devoted disciple making disciples. I hope that means you!
We often talk about a triangle: Up, In, and Out. A disciple of Jesus has a relationship with God…up. They also have a relationship with others in the Church…in. There’s also an outward relationship with those Jesus called the lost…the unchurched, those who are not yet followers of Jesus. We have the privilege of sharing good news and introducing them to Jesus. Discipleship is helping people develop Up, In, and Out relationships.
The Great Commission is about making disciples…restoring God’s masterpieces. Every person you encounter this week is a broken masterpiece in need of restoration. That’s God’s work, yet we get to be a part of the process.
Jesus said,
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Let’s work backwards: the ends of the earth. This is what most people think of when they hear “missions” or “missionaries.” There are many ways to get in the game with global missions. We’ll look at seven today. The most obvious is to
Go
- Germany video
- Heather: Germany
- Explore next steps with the Alliance (CMAlliance.org/serve)
- Participate in an overseas trip with Envision (WeAreEnvision.org/trips)
We’re praying for God to call men and women and children from First Alliance to go. We want to be a sending church. There’s so much more you can do to get in the game with global missions. You can
Pray
- LIFE Conference
- Alliance International Workers
- The Lost
Mobilize
- Take the Perspectives.org course
- Join the Missions Committee
- Subscribe to Alliance Life magazine
- Participate in our Global Missions events
Send
- Give to the Great Commission Fund
- Give to FAC Missions which includes Faith Missions (our Samaria)
- Support special short-term trips
You can also reach people from around the world without a passport. You can…
Welcome
- Befriend an international in Toledo
- Volunteer at Water for Ishmael
- Engage with the Afghan Resettlement Team (ART)
Serve
- Home Missions partners (our Judea)
- We’re excited about sending the Pollocks this fall to launch Visible Church in Toledo.
Our Jerusalem is here…First Alliance. You can serve in many ways here at First Alliance.
- Leadership at First Alliance (Elders, Deacons, Deaconesses, Trustees)
- Volunteer with Kids Club United, or Alliance Youth
- Sports & Arts Camp
- Life Groups
- Dinner Church
- Celebrate Recovery
- Worship teams
- Masterpiece Mentors (NEW!)
- FreeShapeTest.com is a free tool to help you discover how you might best best able to serve. Please take it and share the results with us.
I have one final way you can get in the game, participating in the Great Commission.
Eat
The Great Commission is all about relationships. Ministry is all about relationships. God’s mission to seek and save the lost is all about relationships. Although we have a variety of activities at First Alliance, we never want to overload the calendar to prevent you from inviting a neighbor over for a BBQ, meeting a co-worker for coffee, or engaging with others in hobbies. We need to be present with others.
When was the last time you sat across the table with a non-Christian? I didn’t even say share your faith…just had a conversation! Months ago I talked about how Bowling Green Alliance is challenging their congregation to have meals with people…inside or outside of the church…in or out. It requires intentionality and I know some are more naturally suited to invite people to coffee or lunch, but eating and drinking are wonderful activities for conversation (and survival!). I want to challenge you—and myself—to have one conversation this week with someone over a drink or meal. Invite someone into your home, to Rustbelt or Black Kite Coffee, to grab breakfast at your favorite greasy spoon or even a trip to DQ or Mr. Freeze.
Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple.
It all begins with relationships. Conversations. Words…and deeds. Be present.
I love First Alliance Church. I love our global family, the Christian & Missionary Alliance. Missionary is our middle name! What is your next step in obeying Jesus, in fulfilling the Great Commission, in making disciples…here and around the world?
Don’t let the professionals have all of the fun! Get out of the stands and get in the game!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Lost and Found, 1 May 2022
03 05 22
Lost and Found
Series—Alliance Core Values
Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 15; 19:10; Romans 10:14-15
Series Big Idea: After a 2021 reveal of our First Alliance Core Values, this series is a presentation of the Christian & Missionary Alliance Core Values.
Big Idea: Lost People Matter to God. He Wants Them Found.
Have you ever been lost? I’m sure we have all had such an experience, whether it was as a child in a store, hiking in the woods, or even driving in a strange city. Think about one such moment. How did you feel? Anxious? Scared? Ready for an adventurous challenge?
How did you feel when you were no longer lost? Relieved? Happy? Overjoyed? Our theme today is lost and found.
Last year we introduced the newly-created core values of First Alliance Church. Today we begin a series presenting the core values of our Christian & Missionary Alliance family. Although the Alliance is not among the largest denominations in the US like the Catholics, Southern Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, or Presbyterians, it is a thriving, global movement guided by seven dynamic values which provide clarity and focus to our mission as followers of Jesus. These are not only the Alliance Core Values. I think they are values of Jesus.
Although they are presented in no particular order, our first core value states, “Lost people matter to God. He wants them found.”
Lost people are those who do not have a relationship with Jesus.
I confess I can’t imagine life without Jesus. I was raised in a Christian home and was introduced to Jesus as a child. I was told Jesus loved me, lived a perfect life, died to pay the penalty for my sins and failures, rose from the dead, and invites me to follow him, to love him, and to love others. A relationship with God is the essence of life’s meaning and purpose.
Some lost people don’t know they’re lost.
They think this life is all there is. They’ve heard he or she who dies with the most toys wins. What hope does this world offer? Suicide statistics show many are so desperate they can’t even tolerate this life (if you’re thinking about it, please tell somebody and call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255). I believe especially today people are searching for peace, for hope, for meaning, for purpose. If we’ve learned anything in the past two years, it’s that science can’t fix everything, politics can barely fix anything, evil is all around us, and nothing of this world is secure. Come to think of it, I think most people on the planet at least know humanity is lost!
All of us were lost at one time.
As I said, I was a child when I began my journey with Jesus. I can barely remember being “lost,” but I was. When we say “lost people matter to God,” it’s important to remember it’s not us versus them. We’re not looking down at “those people.” Because of the sins of our ancestors, Adam and Eve, we’re all born with a sin nature, a rebellious streak, selfish and prideful. We all need forgiveness. We all need mercy. We all need Jesus.
Saul persecuted Christians before his miraculous conversion. He wrote to the church in Ephesus,
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (Ephesians 5:8)
There’s an old song that says,
I once was lost/but now I’m found/was blind but now I see
All of us were lost at one time.
The Pharisees in Jesus’ day were a group of religious people who criticized and condemned “those people,” unaware of their own sinful self-righteousness.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. (Matthew 23:25-26, NIV)
Our attitude toward the lost should never be judgment, but love. That’s how Jesus approached us.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8, NIV)
Hallelujah!
It’s important to realize…
Some lost people don’t want to be found.
This is true for some kids lost in the woods and it’s true for the spiritually lost, too. Many have heard the “good news,” the gospel, and rejected it. There are those who simply want to live life their way, on their terms. They think they can control life…and do so effectively.
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. (Psalm 14:1, NIV)
Ouch! I don’t write the news…I just deliver it!
It’s not our job to convert people, to pressure or coerce or sell. Only the Holy Spirit can change a human heart, but He uses ordinary people to deliver the message.
The example of Saul—whose name was changed to Paul—is a reminder no person is beyond God’s reach. We can pray for those who are far from God in hopes that they will desire a relationship with God.
Perhaps the most important message I have for you today is…
It is a joy to seek and find the lost.
This was Jesus’ mission. It is found throughout the Bible, but especially in Luke chapter 15 where He teaches about the lost sheep, the lost coin, and most famously the lost or prodigal son. Jesus said of himself,
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. (Luke 19:10)
Obviously, our mission is not to die on a cross and rise from the dead, but it is to deliver good news, to offer a map to the lost, so to speak. You know the old adage you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink. We can lead people to Jesus but we can’t make them follow him. We can’t force conversions. We can’t change a human heart. We can’t manipulate someone to surrender their lives and make Jesus the leader of their lives.
But we can make an introduction. We can extend an invitation. Then the ball’s in their court.
One of the most disturbing words for many Christians is “evangelism.” It comes from the Greek word euangelion, announcing good news. The word “angel” is inside the word. An angel is a messenger.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15, NIV)
At this point you might be thinking, “That’s the job of the pastor, the missionary, the professional Christian. I could never preach. I could never lead someone to Jesus. I don’t have the gift of evangelism. I’m not qualified to talk about Jesus.”
One of the great lies of the enemy is seeking the lost is only the work of clergy…pastors. If it’s up to clergy—and we are surrounded by Christians all day—the lost don’t stand a chance to be found! You are qualified. Jesus’ final words recorded by Matthew were to a group of men and women, none of whom to my knowledge were professional Christians. We call this the Great Commission:
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Jesus didn’t say make converts or “do evangelism.” He said make disciples, but the first step in discipleship is repenting and making Jesus LORD. That can only happen when someone is introduced to Jesus and invited to follow him.
What do you love? Your family? Your hobbies? Maybe sports or entertainment. Do you talk about those things? Sure. We talk about the things we love. It’s natural.
Do you love Jesus? Do you talk about Jesus? I know, we’re told to avoid talking about politics and religion…that doesn’t seem to stop people, does it…at least politics?
If you love Jesus, it should be natural to talk about Jesus. I want to give you a few tips (write them down):
1. Build relationships with non-Christians (the lost).
2. Pray for your friends (they are not projects!).
3. Share your story. Nobody can argue with it. It’s personal.
4. Listen to their story. Find ways to connect theirs to yours…and God’s
5. People in crisis are especially open to help from God. We are all in crisis!
6. Share the gospel, the good news, the love of God. Here are key points:
a. We were created for a purpose…to know our Creator
b. God is holy and perfect and our sin and failures destroyed the relationship
c. Jesus lived a perfect life and died to reconcile us to God
d. Jesus rose from the dead, offers forgiveness and new life to those who follow him
e. You can make Jesus the leader of your life
f. Trusting Jesus with your life and repenting—turning away—from your sin does not mean an easy life, but guarantees an exciting, satisfying, and eternal life filled with faith, love, hope, peace, and joy
7. Involve others, if desired, including our church leaders.
8. Don’t worry about having all of the answers. None of us does.
9. Be patient. It usually takes time for people to surrender to Jesus.
10. Have fun! You’re delivering good news! You’re introducing people to Jesus. You’re a potentially a part of changing their eternal destiny! What could be better?!
Let me say it again,
It is a joy to seek and find the lost.
It’s not an obligation. There’s no guilt or shame involved. It’s a privilege. I admit my list of non-Christian friends is short, but I love making new friends and I love talking about Jesus.
Don’t you like good news? Don’t you like it when people tell you good news? How would you feel about me if I gave you a website where you could download a free $100 gift card? Sorry, I don’t have one!
But I can give you something far better than a gift card…I can give you life…abundant…eternal! I can introduce you to the Author of joy, love, peace, and satisfaction. I can tell you about the meaning of life and announce you are loved and forgiven because Jesus died and rose from the dead to prove his love to you and he wants to lead your life. This isn’t about a magic prayer to simply go to heaven when you die. It’s about experiencing real life NOW!
Two weeks ago, we celebrated the resurrection. He is risen! He is risen indeed! Jesus is alive! He will one day return and every man, woman, and child will stand before God and declare their eternal destiny, either eternity with God through Jesus’ death and resurrection or eternity without God. He will honor our choice, our decision, made in this life.
Tragically, many have never heard the good news. Maybe they’ve never heard about Jesus…or maybe all they heard was religion and hypocrisy. We have the joy and privilege to share good news and introduce people not to religion or even church, but Jesus. The lost who have been found sing hallelujah, which means praise the LORD. Let’s do everything we can to make that chorus as loud as possible…for their sake and the sake of our LORD. Lost people matter to God. He wants them found.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Alliance Core Values
Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 15; 19:10; Romans 10:14-15
Series Big Idea: After a 2021 reveal of our First Alliance Core Values, this series is a presentation of the Christian & Missionary Alliance Core Values.
Big Idea: Lost People Matter to God. He Wants Them Found.
Have you ever been lost? I’m sure we have all had such an experience, whether it was as a child in a store, hiking in the woods, or even driving in a strange city. Think about one such moment. How did you feel? Anxious? Scared? Ready for an adventurous challenge?
How did you feel when you were no longer lost? Relieved? Happy? Overjoyed? Our theme today is lost and found.
Last year we introduced the newly-created core values of First Alliance Church. Today we begin a series presenting the core values of our Christian & Missionary Alliance family. Although the Alliance is not among the largest denominations in the US like the Catholics, Southern Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, or Presbyterians, it is a thriving, global movement guided by seven dynamic values which provide clarity and focus to our mission as followers of Jesus. These are not only the Alliance Core Values. I think they are values of Jesus.
Although they are presented in no particular order, our first core value states, “Lost people matter to God. He wants them found.”
Lost people are those who do not have a relationship with Jesus.
I confess I can’t imagine life without Jesus. I was raised in a Christian home and was introduced to Jesus as a child. I was told Jesus loved me, lived a perfect life, died to pay the penalty for my sins and failures, rose from the dead, and invites me to follow him, to love him, and to love others. A relationship with God is the essence of life’s meaning and purpose.
Some lost people don’t know they’re lost.
They think this life is all there is. They’ve heard he or she who dies with the most toys wins. What hope does this world offer? Suicide statistics show many are so desperate they can’t even tolerate this life (if you’re thinking about it, please tell somebody and call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255). I believe especially today people are searching for peace, for hope, for meaning, for purpose. If we’ve learned anything in the past two years, it’s that science can’t fix everything, politics can barely fix anything, evil is all around us, and nothing of this world is secure. Come to think of it, I think most people on the planet at least know humanity is lost!
All of us were lost at one time.
As I said, I was a child when I began my journey with Jesus. I can barely remember being “lost,” but I was. When we say “lost people matter to God,” it’s important to remember it’s not us versus them. We’re not looking down at “those people.” Because of the sins of our ancestors, Adam and Eve, we’re all born with a sin nature, a rebellious streak, selfish and prideful. We all need forgiveness. We all need mercy. We all need Jesus.
Saul persecuted Christians before his miraculous conversion. He wrote to the church in Ephesus,
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (Ephesians 5:8)
There’s an old song that says,
I once was lost/but now I’m found/was blind but now I see
All of us were lost at one time.
The Pharisees in Jesus’ day were a group of religious people who criticized and condemned “those people,” unaware of their own sinful self-righteousness.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. (Matthew 23:25-26, NIV)
Our attitude toward the lost should never be judgment, but love. That’s how Jesus approached us.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8, NIV)
Hallelujah!
It’s important to realize…
Some lost people don’t want to be found.
This is true for some kids lost in the woods and it’s true for the spiritually lost, too. Many have heard the “good news,” the gospel, and rejected it. There are those who simply want to live life their way, on their terms. They think they can control life…and do so effectively.
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. (Psalm 14:1, NIV)
Ouch! I don’t write the news…I just deliver it!
It’s not our job to convert people, to pressure or coerce or sell. Only the Holy Spirit can change a human heart, but He uses ordinary people to deliver the message.
The example of Saul—whose name was changed to Paul—is a reminder no person is beyond God’s reach. We can pray for those who are far from God in hopes that they will desire a relationship with God.
Perhaps the most important message I have for you today is…
It is a joy to seek and find the lost.
This was Jesus’ mission. It is found throughout the Bible, but especially in Luke chapter 15 where He teaches about the lost sheep, the lost coin, and most famously the lost or prodigal son. Jesus said of himself,
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. (Luke 19:10)
Obviously, our mission is not to die on a cross and rise from the dead, but it is to deliver good news, to offer a map to the lost, so to speak. You know the old adage you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink. We can lead people to Jesus but we can’t make them follow him. We can’t force conversions. We can’t change a human heart. We can’t manipulate someone to surrender their lives and make Jesus the leader of their lives.
But we can make an introduction. We can extend an invitation. Then the ball’s in their court.
One of the most disturbing words for many Christians is “evangelism.” It comes from the Greek word euangelion, announcing good news. The word “angel” is inside the word. An angel is a messenger.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15, NIV)
At this point you might be thinking, “That’s the job of the pastor, the missionary, the professional Christian. I could never preach. I could never lead someone to Jesus. I don’t have the gift of evangelism. I’m not qualified to talk about Jesus.”
One of the great lies of the enemy is seeking the lost is only the work of clergy…pastors. If it’s up to clergy—and we are surrounded by Christians all day—the lost don’t stand a chance to be found! You are qualified. Jesus’ final words recorded by Matthew were to a group of men and women, none of whom to my knowledge were professional Christians. We call this the Great Commission:
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Jesus didn’t say make converts or “do evangelism.” He said make disciples, but the first step in discipleship is repenting and making Jesus LORD. That can only happen when someone is introduced to Jesus and invited to follow him.
What do you love? Your family? Your hobbies? Maybe sports or entertainment. Do you talk about those things? Sure. We talk about the things we love. It’s natural.
Do you love Jesus? Do you talk about Jesus? I know, we’re told to avoid talking about politics and religion…that doesn’t seem to stop people, does it…at least politics?
If you love Jesus, it should be natural to talk about Jesus. I want to give you a few tips (write them down):
1. Build relationships with non-Christians (the lost).
2. Pray for your friends (they are not projects!).
3. Share your story. Nobody can argue with it. It’s personal.
4. Listen to their story. Find ways to connect theirs to yours…and God’s
5. People in crisis are especially open to help from God. We are all in crisis!
6. Share the gospel, the good news, the love of God. Here are key points:
a. We were created for a purpose…to know our Creator
b. God is holy and perfect and our sin and failures destroyed the relationship
c. Jesus lived a perfect life and died to reconcile us to God
d. Jesus rose from the dead, offers forgiveness and new life to those who follow him
e. You can make Jesus the leader of your life
f. Trusting Jesus with your life and repenting—turning away—from your sin does not mean an easy life, but guarantees an exciting, satisfying, and eternal life filled with faith, love, hope, peace, and joy
7. Involve others, if desired, including our church leaders.
8. Don’t worry about having all of the answers. None of us does.
9. Be patient. It usually takes time for people to surrender to Jesus.
10. Have fun! You’re delivering good news! You’re introducing people to Jesus. You’re a potentially a part of changing their eternal destiny! What could be better?!
Let me say it again,
It is a joy to seek and find the lost.
It’s not an obligation. There’s no guilt or shame involved. It’s a privilege. I admit my list of non-Christian friends is short, but I love making new friends and I love talking about Jesus.
Don’t you like good news? Don’t you like it when people tell you good news? How would you feel about me if I gave you a website where you could download a free $100 gift card? Sorry, I don’t have one!
But I can give you something far better than a gift card…I can give you life…abundant…eternal! I can introduce you to the Author of joy, love, peace, and satisfaction. I can tell you about the meaning of life and announce you are loved and forgiven because Jesus died and rose from the dead to prove his love to you and he wants to lead your life. This isn’t about a magic prayer to simply go to heaven when you die. It’s about experiencing real life NOW!
Two weeks ago, we celebrated the resurrection. He is risen! He is risen indeed! Jesus is alive! He will one day return and every man, woman, and child will stand before God and declare their eternal destiny, either eternity with God through Jesus’ death and resurrection or eternity without God. He will honor our choice, our decision, made in this life.
Tragically, many have never heard the good news. Maybe they’ve never heard about Jesus…or maybe all they heard was religion and hypocrisy. We have the joy and privilege to share good news and introduce people not to religion or even church, but Jesus. The lost who have been found sing hallelujah, which means praise the LORD. Let’s do everything we can to make that chorus as loud as possible…for their sake and the sake of our LORD. Lost people matter to God. He wants them found.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Resurrection Sunday, 17 April 2022
18 04 22
Resurrection Sunday
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 16:1-8
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: The resurrection changes everything for the Christian.
How will we live today? How will you live today? We live in a world filled with death. We’ve had church family members die recently. We see the horror of death in Ukraine on our screens. Good Friday two days ago was a remembrance of the death of Jesus. Yet perhaps the only thing more tragic than the death of a person is a person who never truly lives.
Are you alive today? Are you fully alive? How will we live today? How will you live today?
I believe there are two types of people in this world: people who will watch a movie repeatedly and people who will only watch it once. Which are you?
Although there are exceptions, I generally watch a movie only once. More than that and the suspense is gone…the mystery, the intrigue, the excitement. I like to be on the edge of my seat, preparing for a surprise.
You only get one chance to be surprised by the story of the resurrection. The characters at the first Easter were certainly not prepared for the miracle we celebrate today. Yet one question looms large today for all of us…
So What?
Easter is a matter of life and death…not only for Jesus, but also us.
We’ve been going verse-by-verse through the book, the gospel of Mark, a biography of Jesus written by a man named John Mark drawn largely from the eyewitness accounts of Peter, one of Jesus’ three best friends. You may recall the scene Pastor Mike described last Sunday from the 15th chapter of Mark. After emotional torture, Jesus experienced physical and spiritual anguish leading to not only his death, but the death of his movement, his crusade, his mission…or so it was thought.
Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. (Mark 16:1, NLT)
Our treatment of corpses today is far more sophisticated than in days before electricity and other technologies. These three women had to wait until the end of the Sabbath—since all business is closed on the Sabbath, even today in Israel. They bought what was likely many pounds of spices to anoint the crucified body of Jesus. I’m sure they were depressed, devastated, still in shock and horror that the so-called Messiah who was going to liberate their people instead was dead. Jesus had raised people from the dead, and now his life was gone…and so were all of their hopes for the future…or so they thought!
Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb. 3 On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” (Mark 16:2-3, NLT)
This was a great question since the stone may have been large and extremely heavy. We know from other books it was a guarded tomb, too.
But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside. (Mark 16:4, NLT)
Who rolled the stone? Again, most of you know the story and have heard it many times, but it imagine this is your first time watching the movie. Imagine you’re in the movie!
When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. (Mark 16:5-6, NLT)
This is the greatest news ever! These three women were the first eyewitnesses at the empty tomb.
Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.” (Mark 16:7, NLT)
These women were to be the first evangelists—proclaimers of good news—of the resurrection of Jesus. The one who was most certainly killed had conquered death.
The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing to anyone because they were too frightened. (Mark 16:8, NLT)
It’s impossible to imagine what they must have felt…and thought. Who moved the stone? Who was that young man clothed in a white robe? Where was the body of Jesus? Is he really alive? Dead people don’t rise from the dead…or do they?
I want to acknowledge some Bibles contain another three verses that may or may not have been in the original manuscripts pertaining to Mary Magdalene. Scholars debate their authenticity, but they do not in any way impact the reality of the resurrection.
Let’s return to that question, “So What?”
So Jesus died and rose from the dead. Great story. Cool miracle. But what does that have to do with me in 2022 when I’m trying to afford to fill my gas tank…or even afford a car? Why difference does the resurrection have on my relationships? Is it possible that a two thousand year old event can impact my mental health?
First, the resurrection changes everything for the Christian. The symbol of Christianity is the cross, but it really should be the empty tomb. I just don’t know how to make a gold necklace out of a tomb! Jesus paid for our sin on the cross. He died so we might live. He was the perfect sacrifice. But if we serve a dead God…here’s what Paul, one of the leaders of the early Church, said:
And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. 18 In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! 19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. (1 Corinthians 15:16-19, NLT)
But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. (1 Corinthians 15:20a, NLT)
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
The resurrection is everything for the Christian. One popular religion respects Jesus, but they don’t believe he died…so the resurrection is irrelevant. If Jesus died, we have no forgiveness of sins, no ability to know our Creator, no hope for the future or even the present…which leads me to ask again:
Are you fully alive? How will we live today? How will you live today?
Because of the resurrection, you can be fully alive today. We can experience the abundant life Jesus promised in John chapter ten. I don’t know how true followers of Jesus can be dull, boring, or gloomy. Sure, many struggle with mental illness and we all have bad days, but the resurrection is all about life. Jesus is all about life. It can be well with your soul even if it’s not well with your circumstances…because Jesus is alive. In fact, he’s praying for you and me right now.
Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. (Romans 8:34, NLT)
It took me decades to fully recognize this incredible truth! Jesus is praying, pleading, interceding for us at the Father’s right hand. How cool is that?!
But there’s another “so what” in the resurrection I want to declare today. Because of the resurrection, your story is not over. As Tony Campolo famously said, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming.” No matter what today looks like, today is not the end of your story. Part of the thrill of life is we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. It might be the day your prayers of months or even years is answered. Do you have any of those? I do! Tomorrow might be the day you get an unexpected check in the mail, the raise you’ve been waiting for, a lead on a new job, or good news about a loved one. The resurrection means tomorrow might be better—radically better—than today!
I love Paul’s words to the church in Galatia,
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)
Your story is not over. Turn the page! These past two years have been challenging for all of us. I remember recording my Easter sermon in 2020 and hoping people would watch it online when our building was locked-down. We’ve been dealing with not only the COVID-19 pandemic but racial and political pandemics…to say nothing of the economic challenges of inflation, non-stop negative news, and a host of other challenges. But your story is not over. It may be Friday, but Sunday’s coming!
Because of the resurrection, another life awaits. There is life beyond the grave. Jesus proved that. His resurrected body gives us a sneak preview of what ours will become someday…free of sickness and disease and even possessing what we might call supernatural abilities. The next life will be free of tears, temptation, suffering, and death…for the Christian.
I said the resurrection changes everything for the Christian. Are you a Christian? It frustrates me how the word has been corrupted to mean an American or a member of a political party or even a religious person. A Christian is someone like Christ. It’s a follower of Jesus. It’s someone who has said, “Jesus, I give you my life.” It’s about surrender, truly “letting go and letting God.” My guess is not all of you have fully surrendered your lives to Jesus. Not just Easter morning. Not just Sundays. 24/7/365.
Jesus didn’t give part of his body. He gave everything…his very life to provide his love, to rescue you and me from a life of misery, hopelessness, fear, and death. He came not to take us to heaven when we die, but to help us experience heaven on earth before we die…life with God. We will rise someday, but the message of Easter is not just for the next life. It’s for this one! Followers of Jesus can live with the assurance of salvation, with peace and contentment, with a personal relationship with their Creator, with the hope of heaven, and living a rich and satisfying life now…not necessarily easy or comfortable, but satisfying.
Again I ask, are you a Christian? Have you surrendered your life to following the one who conquered sin and death, who proved he was God by rising from the dead? Two thousand years later billions of people follow Jesus the Messiah.
Perhaps you’ve never made Jesus the leader of your life and today is the day of salvation, the day to have your sins—past, present, and future—forgiven. This might be your spiritual birthday, the day you begin your journey with Jesus as LORD, as Master, as the one who is in charge. I can tell you there’s no greater way to live, and it begins by saying, “Jesus, I’m a sinner. I’m far from perfect. I believe you died and rose from the dead to offer me a life filled with grace, peace, love, forgiveness, and hope. I repent of my sins, turn away from my prideful, selfish life and surrender to you. I give you my life today. Amen.”
Maybe you’ve prayed a prayer like that in the past, but you haven’t been living for Jesus. You’re a vampire Christian who’s been using Jesus for his blood, wanting him to be Savior but not LORD. You’ve been living life on your terms, your way, for yourself. How’s that working out? Today would be a fantastic day to re-commit, to re-surrender your life to Jesus.
I know we all want to do it our way, but I promise you living for Jesus is filled with freedom, joy, and life. In a world filled with death, followers of Jesus can live like nobody else!
He. Is risen! He is risen indeed!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 16:1-8
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: The resurrection changes everything for the Christian.
How will we live today? How will you live today? We live in a world filled with death. We’ve had church family members die recently. We see the horror of death in Ukraine on our screens. Good Friday two days ago was a remembrance of the death of Jesus. Yet perhaps the only thing more tragic than the death of a person is a person who never truly lives.
Are you alive today? Are you fully alive? How will we live today? How will you live today?
I believe there are two types of people in this world: people who will watch a movie repeatedly and people who will only watch it once. Which are you?
Although there are exceptions, I generally watch a movie only once. More than that and the suspense is gone…the mystery, the intrigue, the excitement. I like to be on the edge of my seat, preparing for a surprise.
You only get one chance to be surprised by the story of the resurrection. The characters at the first Easter were certainly not prepared for the miracle we celebrate today. Yet one question looms large today for all of us…
So What?
Easter is a matter of life and death…not only for Jesus, but also us.
We’ve been going verse-by-verse through the book, the gospel of Mark, a biography of Jesus written by a man named John Mark drawn largely from the eyewitness accounts of Peter, one of Jesus’ three best friends. You may recall the scene Pastor Mike described last Sunday from the 15th chapter of Mark. After emotional torture, Jesus experienced physical and spiritual anguish leading to not only his death, but the death of his movement, his crusade, his mission…or so it was thought.
Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. (Mark 16:1, NLT)
Our treatment of corpses today is far more sophisticated than in days before electricity and other technologies. These three women had to wait until the end of the Sabbath—since all business is closed on the Sabbath, even today in Israel. They bought what was likely many pounds of spices to anoint the crucified body of Jesus. I’m sure they were depressed, devastated, still in shock and horror that the so-called Messiah who was going to liberate their people instead was dead. Jesus had raised people from the dead, and now his life was gone…and so were all of their hopes for the future…or so they thought!
Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb. 3 On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” (Mark 16:2-3, NLT)
This was a great question since the stone may have been large and extremely heavy. We know from other books it was a guarded tomb, too.
But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside. (Mark 16:4, NLT)
Who rolled the stone? Again, most of you know the story and have heard it many times, but it imagine this is your first time watching the movie. Imagine you’re in the movie!
When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. (Mark 16:5-6, NLT)
This is the greatest news ever! These three women were the first eyewitnesses at the empty tomb.
Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.” (Mark 16:7, NLT)
These women were to be the first evangelists—proclaimers of good news—of the resurrection of Jesus. The one who was most certainly killed had conquered death.
The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing to anyone because they were too frightened. (Mark 16:8, NLT)
It’s impossible to imagine what they must have felt…and thought. Who moved the stone? Who was that young man clothed in a white robe? Where was the body of Jesus? Is he really alive? Dead people don’t rise from the dead…or do they?
I want to acknowledge some Bibles contain another three verses that may or may not have been in the original manuscripts pertaining to Mary Magdalene. Scholars debate their authenticity, but they do not in any way impact the reality of the resurrection.
Let’s return to that question, “So What?”
So Jesus died and rose from the dead. Great story. Cool miracle. But what does that have to do with me in 2022 when I’m trying to afford to fill my gas tank…or even afford a car? Why difference does the resurrection have on my relationships? Is it possible that a two thousand year old event can impact my mental health?
First, the resurrection changes everything for the Christian. The symbol of Christianity is the cross, but it really should be the empty tomb. I just don’t know how to make a gold necklace out of a tomb! Jesus paid for our sin on the cross. He died so we might live. He was the perfect sacrifice. But if we serve a dead God…here’s what Paul, one of the leaders of the early Church, said:
And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. 18 In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! 19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. (1 Corinthians 15:16-19, NLT)
But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. (1 Corinthians 15:20a, NLT)
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
The resurrection is everything for the Christian. One popular religion respects Jesus, but they don’t believe he died…so the resurrection is irrelevant. If Jesus died, we have no forgiveness of sins, no ability to know our Creator, no hope for the future or even the present…which leads me to ask again:
Are you fully alive? How will we live today? How will you live today?
Because of the resurrection, you can be fully alive today. We can experience the abundant life Jesus promised in John chapter ten. I don’t know how true followers of Jesus can be dull, boring, or gloomy. Sure, many struggle with mental illness and we all have bad days, but the resurrection is all about life. Jesus is all about life. It can be well with your soul even if it’s not well with your circumstances…because Jesus is alive. In fact, he’s praying for you and me right now.
Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. (Romans 8:34, NLT)
It took me decades to fully recognize this incredible truth! Jesus is praying, pleading, interceding for us at the Father’s right hand. How cool is that?!
But there’s another “so what” in the resurrection I want to declare today. Because of the resurrection, your story is not over. As Tony Campolo famously said, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming.” No matter what today looks like, today is not the end of your story. Part of the thrill of life is we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. It might be the day your prayers of months or even years is answered. Do you have any of those? I do! Tomorrow might be the day you get an unexpected check in the mail, the raise you’ve been waiting for, a lead on a new job, or good news about a loved one. The resurrection means tomorrow might be better—radically better—than today!
I love Paul’s words to the church in Galatia,
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)
Your story is not over. Turn the page! These past two years have been challenging for all of us. I remember recording my Easter sermon in 2020 and hoping people would watch it online when our building was locked-down. We’ve been dealing with not only the COVID-19 pandemic but racial and political pandemics…to say nothing of the economic challenges of inflation, non-stop negative news, and a host of other challenges. But your story is not over. It may be Friday, but Sunday’s coming!
Because of the resurrection, another life awaits. There is life beyond the grave. Jesus proved that. His resurrected body gives us a sneak preview of what ours will become someday…free of sickness and disease and even possessing what we might call supernatural abilities. The next life will be free of tears, temptation, suffering, and death…for the Christian.
I said the resurrection changes everything for the Christian. Are you a Christian? It frustrates me how the word has been corrupted to mean an American or a member of a political party or even a religious person. A Christian is someone like Christ. It’s a follower of Jesus. It’s someone who has said, “Jesus, I give you my life.” It’s about surrender, truly “letting go and letting God.” My guess is not all of you have fully surrendered your lives to Jesus. Not just Easter morning. Not just Sundays. 24/7/365.
Jesus didn’t give part of his body. He gave everything…his very life to provide his love, to rescue you and me from a life of misery, hopelessness, fear, and death. He came not to take us to heaven when we die, but to help us experience heaven on earth before we die…life with God. We will rise someday, but the message of Easter is not just for the next life. It’s for this one! Followers of Jesus can live with the assurance of salvation, with peace and contentment, with a personal relationship with their Creator, with the hope of heaven, and living a rich and satisfying life now…not necessarily easy or comfortable, but satisfying.
Again I ask, are you a Christian? Have you surrendered your life to following the one who conquered sin and death, who proved he was God by rising from the dead? Two thousand years later billions of people follow Jesus the Messiah.
Perhaps you’ve never made Jesus the leader of your life and today is the day of salvation, the day to have your sins—past, present, and future—forgiven. This might be your spiritual birthday, the day you begin your journey with Jesus as LORD, as Master, as the one who is in charge. I can tell you there’s no greater way to live, and it begins by saying, “Jesus, I’m a sinner. I’m far from perfect. I believe you died and rose from the dead to offer me a life filled with grace, peace, love, forgiveness, and hope. I repent of my sins, turn away from my prideful, selfish life and surrender to you. I give you my life today. Amen.”
Maybe you’ve prayed a prayer like that in the past, but you haven’t been living for Jesus. You’re a vampire Christian who’s been using Jesus for his blood, wanting him to be Savior but not LORD. You’ve been living life on your terms, your way, for yourself. How’s that working out? Today would be a fantastic day to re-commit, to re-surrender your life to Jesus.
I know we all want to do it our way, but I promise you living for Jesus is filled with freedom, joy, and life. In a world filled with death, followers of Jesus can live like nobody else!
He. Is risen! He is risen indeed!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
First Communion, 3 April 2022
18 04 22
First Communion
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 14:12-72
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Be on guard! Be alert! Keep watch!
Scripture Readers’ Theater
Did anything surprise you about that reading…besides the length?!
Holy Week is right around the corner. For those of you unfamiliar with that expression, it’s essentially the last week of Jesus’ life…before the Resurrection! It begins with Palm Sunday, events described back in Mark chapter eleven and traditionally celebrated next Sunday.
Our scripture passage today covers what’s known as Maundy Thursday, the last supper and the day before Good Friday, our subject for next Sunday’s sermon. That day, of course, while good for us is the most horrific day for Jesus. But we’ll save that for next Sunday.
Our text today is a preview…preparation for Jesus’ death. While Jesus is the central figure, there are many other characters in the story, most notably Judas, Peter, and the high priest, none of whom are particularly admirable!
We could go verse by verse and dissect every word—which would take some time—but today I want you to get a feel of the narrative, the big picture. It’s a haunting story. A soundtrack composer working on a screenplay of this writing would fill the score with minor chords, dark tones, and heavy textures. This is anything but a party, and each scene gets progressively more hostile and terrifying.
You know the rest of the story, but what if you didn’t? Jesus told his friends repeatedly what would happen, but they failed to comprehend it, no doubt surprised at his arrest and crucifixion, to say nothing of the resurrection. Let’s look at the various scenes.
The Last Supper (Mark 14:12-25)
Mark 14:12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go to prepare the Passover meal for you?”
Mark 14:13 So Jesus sent two of them into Jerusalem with these instructions: “As you go into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 At the house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ 15 He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is where you should prepare our meal.” 16 So the two disciples went into the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover meal there.
Mark 14:17 In the evening Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18 As they were at the table eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, one of you eating with me here will betray me.”
Mark 14:19 Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one?”
Mark 14:20 He replied, “It is one of you twelve who is eating from this bowl with me. 21 For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”
Mark 14:22 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it, for this is my body.”
Mark 14:23 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many. 25 I tell you the truth, I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”
Mark 14:26 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.
Mark 14:27 On the way, Jesus told them, “All of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say,
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
‘God will strike the Shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.’
Mark 14:28 But after I am raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”
Mark 14:29 Peter said to him, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will.”
Mark 14:30 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.”
Mark 14:31 “No!” Peter declared emphatically. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the others vowed the same.
Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
Mark 14:32 They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.” 33 He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and distressed. 34 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
Mark 14:35 He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. 36 “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
Mark 14:37 Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? 38 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
Mark 14:39 Then Jesus left them again and prayed the same prayer as before. 40 When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. And they didn’t know what to say.
Mark 14:41 When he returned to them the third time, he said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But no—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”
Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested
Mark 14:43 And immediately, even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders. 44 The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss. Then you can take him away under guard.” 45 As soon as they arrived, Judas walked up to Jesus. “Rabbi!” he exclaimed, and gave him the kiss.
Mark 14:46 Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 47 But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear.
Mark 14:48 Jesus asked them, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? 49 Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there among you teaching every day. But these things are happening to fulfill what the Scriptures say about me.”
Mark 14:50 Then all his disciples deserted him and ran away. 51 One young man following behind was clothed only in a long linen shirt. When the mob tried to grab him, 52 he slipped out of his shirt and ran away naked.
Jesus before the Council
Mark 14:53 They took Jesus to the high priest’s home where the leading priests, the elders, and the teachers of religious law had gathered. 54 Meanwhile, Peter followed him at a distance and went right into the high priest’s courtyard. There he sat with the guards, warming himself by the fire.
Mark 14:55 Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find evidence against Jesus, so they could put him to death. But they couldn’t find any. 56 Many false witnesses spoke against him, but they contradicted each other. 57 Finally, some men stood up and gave this false testimony: 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this Temple made with human hands, and in three days I will build another, made without human hands.’” 59 But even then they didn’t get their stories straight!
Mark 14:60 Then the high priest stood up before the others and asked Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?” 61 But Jesus was silent and made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
Mark 14:62 Jesus said, “I AM. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Mark 14:63 Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Why do we need other witnesses? 64 You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?”
“Guilty!” they all cried. “He deserves to die!”
Mark 14:65 Then some of them began to spit at him, and they blindfolded him and beat him with their fists. “Prophesy to us,” they jeered. And the guards slapped him as they took him away.
Peter Denies Jesus
Mark 14:66 Meanwhile, Peter was in the courtyard below. One of the servant girls who worked for the high priest came by 67 and noticed Peter warming himself at the fire. She looked at him closely and said, “You were one of those with Jesus of Nazareth.”
Mark 14:68 But Peter denied it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, and he went out into the entryway. Just then, a rooster crowed.
Mark 14:69 When the servant girl saw him standing there, she began telling the others, “This man is definitely one of them!” 70 But Peter denied it again.
A little later some of the other bystanders confronted Peter and said, “You must be one of them, because you are a Galilean.”
Mark 14:71 Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know this man you’re talking about!” 72 And immediately the rooster crowed the second time.
Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he broke down and wept. (NLT)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 14:12-72
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Be on guard! Be alert! Keep watch!
Scripture Readers’ Theater
Did anything surprise you about that reading…besides the length?!
Holy Week is right around the corner. For those of you unfamiliar with that expression, it’s essentially the last week of Jesus’ life…before the Resurrection! It begins with Palm Sunday, events described back in Mark chapter eleven and traditionally celebrated next Sunday.
Our scripture passage today covers what’s known as Maundy Thursday, the last supper and the day before Good Friday, our subject for next Sunday’s sermon. That day, of course, while good for us is the most horrific day for Jesus. But we’ll save that for next Sunday.
Our text today is a preview…preparation for Jesus’ death. While Jesus is the central figure, there are many other characters in the story, most notably Judas, Peter, and the high priest, none of whom are particularly admirable!
We could go verse by verse and dissect every word—which would take some time—but today I want you to get a feel of the narrative, the big picture. It’s a haunting story. A soundtrack composer working on a screenplay of this writing would fill the score with minor chords, dark tones, and heavy textures. This is anything but a party, and each scene gets progressively more hostile and terrifying.
You know the rest of the story, but what if you didn’t? Jesus told his friends repeatedly what would happen, but they failed to comprehend it, no doubt surprised at his arrest and crucifixion, to say nothing of the resurrection. Let’s look at the various scenes.
The Last Supper (Mark 14:12-25)
Mark 14:12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go to prepare the Passover meal for you?”
Mark 14:13 So Jesus sent two of them into Jerusalem with these instructions: “As you go into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 At the house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ 15 He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is where you should prepare our meal.” 16 So the two disciples went into the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover meal there.
Mark 14:17 In the evening Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18 As they were at the table eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, one of you eating with me here will betray me.”
Mark 14:19 Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one?”
Mark 14:20 He replied, “It is one of you twelve who is eating from this bowl with me. 21 For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”
Mark 14:22 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it, for this is my body.”
Mark 14:23 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many. 25 I tell you the truth, I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”
Mark 14:26 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.
Mark 14:27 On the way, Jesus told them, “All of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say,
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
‘God will strike the Shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.’
Mark 14:28 But after I am raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”
Mark 14:29 Peter said to him, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will.”
Mark 14:30 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.”
Mark 14:31 “No!” Peter declared emphatically. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the others vowed the same.
Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
Mark 14:32 They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.” 33 He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and distressed. 34 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
Mark 14:35 He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. 36 “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
Mark 14:37 Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? 38 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
Mark 14:39 Then Jesus left them again and prayed the same prayer as before. 40 When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. And they didn’t know what to say.
Mark 14:41 When he returned to them the third time, he said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But no—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”
Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested
Mark 14:43 And immediately, even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders. 44 The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss. Then you can take him away under guard.” 45 As soon as they arrived, Judas walked up to Jesus. “Rabbi!” he exclaimed, and gave him the kiss.
Mark 14:46 Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 47 But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear.
Mark 14:48 Jesus asked them, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? 49 Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there among you teaching every day. But these things are happening to fulfill what the Scriptures say about me.”
Mark 14:50 Then all his disciples deserted him and ran away. 51 One young man following behind was clothed only in a long linen shirt. When the mob tried to grab him, 52 he slipped out of his shirt and ran away naked.
Jesus before the Council
Mark 14:53 They took Jesus to the high priest’s home where the leading priests, the elders, and the teachers of religious law had gathered. 54 Meanwhile, Peter followed him at a distance and went right into the high priest’s courtyard. There he sat with the guards, warming himself by the fire.
Mark 14:55 Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find evidence against Jesus, so they could put him to death. But they couldn’t find any. 56 Many false witnesses spoke against him, but they contradicted each other. 57 Finally, some men stood up and gave this false testimony: 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this Temple made with human hands, and in three days I will build another, made without human hands.’” 59 But even then they didn’t get their stories straight!
Mark 14:60 Then the high priest stood up before the others and asked Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?” 61 But Jesus was silent and made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
Mark 14:62 Jesus said, “I AM. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Mark 14:63 Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Why do we need other witnesses? 64 You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?”
“Guilty!” they all cried. “He deserves to die!”
Mark 14:65 Then some of them began to spit at him, and they blindfolded him and beat him with their fists. “Prophesy to us,” they jeered. And the guards slapped him as they took him away.
Peter Denies Jesus
Mark 14:66 Meanwhile, Peter was in the courtyard below. One of the servant girls who worked for the high priest came by 67 and noticed Peter warming himself at the fire. She looked at him closely and said, “You were one of those with Jesus of Nazareth.”
Mark 14:68 But Peter denied it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, and he went out into the entryway. Just then, a rooster crowed.
Mark 14:69 When the servant girl saw him standing there, she began telling the others, “This man is definitely one of them!” 70 But Peter denied it again.
A little later some of the other bystanders confronted Peter and said, “You must be one of them, because you are a Galilean.”
Mark 14:71 Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know this man you’re talking about!” 72 And immediately the rooster crowed the second time.
Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he broke down and wept. (NLT)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Faith, 13 March 2022
18 03 22
Faith
Series—Faith Works: The Book of James
James 5:13-20
Series Big Idea: Jesus’ half-brother, James, offers us timeless instructions for living a God-honoring life.
Big Idea: Faith works when we pray, praise, profess, and pursue.
Faith works! That’s been the message throughout our series on the book of James which we conclude today.
For centuries there has been a tension between faith and works. Many believe if you have enough good works, they will cancel one’s sins and earn you eternity with God in heaven. Much of the Protestant Reformation was an attack on this “works” heresy, emphasizing Paul’s words to the church in Ephesus:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)
Praise the LORD for His amazing grace, His gift, for Jesus. If we are good enough to earn God’s approval, Jesus suffered and died needlessly!
The book of Romans declares,
…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:23-24, NIV)
And yet Jesus’ half-brother, James, boldly states,
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (James 2:26, NIV)
We are not saved by our works, but they are evidence of genuine faith. So many have misunderstood the “believe” in John 3:16 to mean if they mentally agree with historical statements, they can do whatever they want. James’ response:
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. (James 2:19, NIV)
Family, that’s one of the most sobering verses in the Bible! To say you believe Jesus died and rose again is not enough, according to James, because satan himself witnessed the events. He knows it’s history, but he has refused Jesus’ simple invitation to “follow me.” Have you?
PRAY
Dallas Willard once said, “Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning.” Faith works! Grace works! How? The conclusion of this short yet powerful book offers four action steps. For those of you who like alliteration, this is your day! First,
Pray when you suffer.
Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. (James 5:13a, NLT)
Simple, right…but is that always your first response? When I’m sick, sometimes I go right for the Tylenol. When someone hurts me, I want to lash back—or at the very least tell others about how I’ve been wronged. When I suffer anxiety over the news, I’m prone to panic, strategize, worry, or try to control situations far beyond my control.
Last week, Pastor Mike talked about suffering. It’s a part of life. Dare I say it’s a part of God’s plan, often, to build our character. If you ever hear prosperity heresy saying God wants you happy, healthy, and wealthy at all times, turn them off! Jesus knows suffering. He promised we’d know it, too…yet we’re so shocked when it happens. Gas prices go up and we freak out while people in Ukraine are running for their lives. We bellyache when our favorite brand of toilet paper is sold out at the store or when winter weather is…cold! Many of us have no idea what true suffering is all about—though many of us do. The point is simply this: pray!
Last Sunday at a First Alliance reunion, one person shared of their incredible suffering, calling it both their “high” and “low.” How can suffering be a high? It has drawn them closer to God.
When things are going well, it’s easy to forget God. I believe that’s one of the reasons why the movement of Jesus seems to be in decline in our nation. We haven’t needed God. Yet what message have you seen and heard more than any other during the war overseas? Pray for Ukraine. I’m told 70% of Ukranians are Christians…and I wouldn’t be surprised if that number is growing! They need God! They have nothing else! Their homes are being destroyed. Their valuables are being abandoned as they flee for their lives. I doubt any are calling their Internet provider to complain about slow downloads!
Pray when you suffer. Can we do that now?
PRAY
The rest of verse thirteen says,
Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. (James 5:13b)
He doesn’t say only praise when you’re happy. God is always worthy of our praise. He is good…all the time! But all of us have moments of suffering and moments of happiness. God wants us to share both—with Him and with one another. Romans again:
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15, NIV)
It’s interesting how Christians seem to be good at the second part, but not the first part! The point is,
Praise when you are happy.
By the way, this is why we sing on Sundays…and elsewhere. It’s a command! Whether you’re a singer or not is beside the point. The word “sing” appears over one hundred times in the Bible. It doesn’t matter if you sing like an angel or can’t carry a tune in a paper bag…make a joyful noise! We sing for the LORD! We sing to the LORD! It's all about Him!
I know a guy in another city who purposely shows up thirty minutes late to his church to skip the music because he says he doesn’t like worship music. But God does!!!
Just to review verse 13,
Pray when you suffer.
Praise when you are happy.
Now James circles back to suffering and prayer.
Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. (James 5:14-15, NLT)
We believe in the power of prayer! Each week our elders are available at the conclusion of our gathering to pray for the sick. We’ve seen God heal! Miracles have not ceased! He doesn’t always answer when and how we desired, but as James said earlier,
You do not have because you do not ask God. (James 4:2b, NIV)
Again, when we suffer, when we are sick, pray! God is not a genie offering on-demand responses to our petitions, but He does hear and He always answers…in His perfect timing. I have tons of questions for God. I have doubts, at times. But I know God is good. I know He can be trusted. I’ve suffered for many years with various challenges, yet I am here to declare God’s faithfulness.
Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. (James 5:15, NLT)
Don’t miss the last part. I believe the greatest miracle is not cancer cured or even broken marriages restored, but forgiveness…salvation. If all God ever did for us was send Jesus, that would be more than enough. Family, this life is so short. Followers of Jesus will be with him forever. Forever! How does that compare to 80 or even 100 years? If the sickness is related to sin—which is possible—it can be forgiven.
Pray when you suffer.
Praise when you are happy.
Profess your sins.
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. (James 5:16a, NLT)
It doesn’t say confess to a priest. It doesn’t even say confess to God. He knows! It says confess to and pray for each other…so that you may be healed. Scientists are discovering what the Bible has said for generations: our mind impacts our body. Bitterness can cause physical problems. Buried guilt and shame can make us sick. And let’s not forget sometimes our suffering is the result of our sin. This is not always the case, but many of our ailments and pain are the consequences of sin—ours or those of someone else. This is why God hates sin!
The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. (James 5:16b, NLT)
First Alliance is as church of prayer. One of our core values states,
Faithfulness. We are devoted to prayer, the Word of God, and following Jesus.
We have Zoom Prayer each weekday at 9 AM. Elders are available each Sunday morning.
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. (James 5:16a, NLT)
Our Life Groups are perhaps the best prayer gathering we have as people do life together, confessing sins and praying for one another.
The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. (James 5:16b, NLT)
I could spend all day telling stories of the prayers of righteous people producing wonderful results. Hallelujah!
James uses Elijah as an example of the power of prayer.
Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops. (James 5:17-18, NLT)
That’s the power of prayer! You can read all about it and other miracles in 1 Kings chapter 18.
Pray when you suffer.
Praise when you are happy.
Profess your sins.
Lastly, James says we are to
Pursue the wanderer.
We live in a culture that seems to be increasingly independent. People don’t want to get involved in the affairs of others, and often for good reason. I must admit I’m not a huge fan of confrontation. But I’m often reminded of a wonderful book title by Lewis Smedes: Caring Enough to Confront. James says,
My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins. (James 5:19-20, NLT)
This isn’t about self-righteously judging others, but rather loving…looking out for the best interest of another. It’s not always “nice.” Sometimes love can look rather harsh. It can even inflict pain! Why did I vaccinate my children? Love. Did it hurt? You bet! Did it harm? Quite the opposite.
Nice is not love. Tolerance is not love, either. How would you feel if I sent you a card that said, “I tolerate you!” Love gets involved. Love shows kindness, compassion, and empathy. Love believes in a preferred future and takes risks to protect another. Jesus said,
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. (Matthew 18:15, NIV)
That’s not easy…especially if they don’t listen!
But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matthew 18:16-17, NIV)
By the way, it never says gossip to others. It never says tell Facebook! The goal is always restoration and reconciliation, and that’s James’ point.
My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins. (James 5:19-20, NLT)
This is not easy. It’s risky. You might be misunderstood. Your motives must be checked. James is not condoning condemnation. It is about helping a brother or sister get back on the path. Questions are helpful rather than attacks. One of my favorite tools is, “Help me understand.”
It seems as though people are wandering in record numbers. It’s trendy to “deconstruct” one’s faith, which is fine, so long as it is reconstructed and not abandoned. I recently saw a post which said,
Many people reject Jesus because of bad experiences with religious people. But, here’s the thing…Jesus had bad experiences with religious people, too. In fact, they killed him. People will let you down. Jesus won’t.
I pray that we can lovingly bring back wanderers to the faith. I am praying for several prodigals to return to their first love, Jesus. It’s a thrill to see someone repent of their sins and surrender to Christ.
Pursue the wanderer.
This is how James ends his important book. To summarize,
Pray when you suffer.
Praise when you are happy.
Profess your sins.
Pursue the wanderer.
What is your next step? Do you need to pray? Praise? Confess and profess your sins? Pursue a prodigal?
Throughout this book, Jesus’ half-brother, James, offers us timeless instructions for living a God-honoring life because…faith works!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Faith Works: The Book of James
James 5:13-20
Series Big Idea: Jesus’ half-brother, James, offers us timeless instructions for living a God-honoring life.
Big Idea: Faith works when we pray, praise, profess, and pursue.
Faith works! That’s been the message throughout our series on the book of James which we conclude today.
For centuries there has been a tension between faith and works. Many believe if you have enough good works, they will cancel one’s sins and earn you eternity with God in heaven. Much of the Protestant Reformation was an attack on this “works” heresy, emphasizing Paul’s words to the church in Ephesus:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)
Praise the LORD for His amazing grace, His gift, for Jesus. If we are good enough to earn God’s approval, Jesus suffered and died needlessly!
The book of Romans declares,
…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:23-24, NIV)
And yet Jesus’ half-brother, James, boldly states,
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (James 2:26, NIV)
We are not saved by our works, but they are evidence of genuine faith. So many have misunderstood the “believe” in John 3:16 to mean if they mentally agree with historical statements, they can do whatever they want. James’ response:
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. (James 2:19, NIV)
Family, that’s one of the most sobering verses in the Bible! To say you believe Jesus died and rose again is not enough, according to James, because satan himself witnessed the events. He knows it’s history, but he has refused Jesus’ simple invitation to “follow me.” Have you?
PRAY
Dallas Willard once said, “Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning.” Faith works! Grace works! How? The conclusion of this short yet powerful book offers four action steps. For those of you who like alliteration, this is your day! First,
Pray when you suffer.
Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. (James 5:13a, NLT)
Simple, right…but is that always your first response? When I’m sick, sometimes I go right for the Tylenol. When someone hurts me, I want to lash back—or at the very least tell others about how I’ve been wronged. When I suffer anxiety over the news, I’m prone to panic, strategize, worry, or try to control situations far beyond my control.
Last week, Pastor Mike talked about suffering. It’s a part of life. Dare I say it’s a part of God’s plan, often, to build our character. If you ever hear prosperity heresy saying God wants you happy, healthy, and wealthy at all times, turn them off! Jesus knows suffering. He promised we’d know it, too…yet we’re so shocked when it happens. Gas prices go up and we freak out while people in Ukraine are running for their lives. We bellyache when our favorite brand of toilet paper is sold out at the store or when winter weather is…cold! Many of us have no idea what true suffering is all about—though many of us do. The point is simply this: pray!
Last Sunday at a First Alliance reunion, one person shared of their incredible suffering, calling it both their “high” and “low.” How can suffering be a high? It has drawn them closer to God.
When things are going well, it’s easy to forget God. I believe that’s one of the reasons why the movement of Jesus seems to be in decline in our nation. We haven’t needed God. Yet what message have you seen and heard more than any other during the war overseas? Pray for Ukraine. I’m told 70% of Ukranians are Christians…and I wouldn’t be surprised if that number is growing! They need God! They have nothing else! Their homes are being destroyed. Their valuables are being abandoned as they flee for their lives. I doubt any are calling their Internet provider to complain about slow downloads!
Pray when you suffer. Can we do that now?
PRAY
The rest of verse thirteen says,
Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. (James 5:13b)
He doesn’t say only praise when you’re happy. God is always worthy of our praise. He is good…all the time! But all of us have moments of suffering and moments of happiness. God wants us to share both—with Him and with one another. Romans again:
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15, NIV)
It’s interesting how Christians seem to be good at the second part, but not the first part! The point is,
Praise when you are happy.
By the way, this is why we sing on Sundays…and elsewhere. It’s a command! Whether you’re a singer or not is beside the point. The word “sing” appears over one hundred times in the Bible. It doesn’t matter if you sing like an angel or can’t carry a tune in a paper bag…make a joyful noise! We sing for the LORD! We sing to the LORD! It's all about Him!
I know a guy in another city who purposely shows up thirty minutes late to his church to skip the music because he says he doesn’t like worship music. But God does!!!
Just to review verse 13,
Pray when you suffer.
Praise when you are happy.
Now James circles back to suffering and prayer.
Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. (James 5:14-15, NLT)
We believe in the power of prayer! Each week our elders are available at the conclusion of our gathering to pray for the sick. We’ve seen God heal! Miracles have not ceased! He doesn’t always answer when and how we desired, but as James said earlier,
You do not have because you do not ask God. (James 4:2b, NIV)
Again, when we suffer, when we are sick, pray! God is not a genie offering on-demand responses to our petitions, but He does hear and He always answers…in His perfect timing. I have tons of questions for God. I have doubts, at times. But I know God is good. I know He can be trusted. I’ve suffered for many years with various challenges, yet I am here to declare God’s faithfulness.
Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. (James 5:15, NLT)
Don’t miss the last part. I believe the greatest miracle is not cancer cured or even broken marriages restored, but forgiveness…salvation. If all God ever did for us was send Jesus, that would be more than enough. Family, this life is so short. Followers of Jesus will be with him forever. Forever! How does that compare to 80 or even 100 years? If the sickness is related to sin—which is possible—it can be forgiven.
Pray when you suffer.
Praise when you are happy.
Profess your sins.
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. (James 5:16a, NLT)
It doesn’t say confess to a priest. It doesn’t even say confess to God. He knows! It says confess to and pray for each other…so that you may be healed. Scientists are discovering what the Bible has said for generations: our mind impacts our body. Bitterness can cause physical problems. Buried guilt and shame can make us sick. And let’s not forget sometimes our suffering is the result of our sin. This is not always the case, but many of our ailments and pain are the consequences of sin—ours or those of someone else. This is why God hates sin!
The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. (James 5:16b, NLT)
First Alliance is as church of prayer. One of our core values states,
Faithfulness. We are devoted to prayer, the Word of God, and following Jesus.
We have Zoom Prayer each weekday at 9 AM. Elders are available each Sunday morning.
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. (James 5:16a, NLT)
Our Life Groups are perhaps the best prayer gathering we have as people do life together, confessing sins and praying for one another.
The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. (James 5:16b, NLT)
I could spend all day telling stories of the prayers of righteous people producing wonderful results. Hallelujah!
James uses Elijah as an example of the power of prayer.
Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops. (James 5:17-18, NLT)
That’s the power of prayer! You can read all about it and other miracles in 1 Kings chapter 18.
Pray when you suffer.
Praise when you are happy.
Profess your sins.
Lastly, James says we are to
Pursue the wanderer.
We live in a culture that seems to be increasingly independent. People don’t want to get involved in the affairs of others, and often for good reason. I must admit I’m not a huge fan of confrontation. But I’m often reminded of a wonderful book title by Lewis Smedes: Caring Enough to Confront. James says,
My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins. (James 5:19-20, NLT)
This isn’t about self-righteously judging others, but rather loving…looking out for the best interest of another. It’s not always “nice.” Sometimes love can look rather harsh. It can even inflict pain! Why did I vaccinate my children? Love. Did it hurt? You bet! Did it harm? Quite the opposite.
Nice is not love. Tolerance is not love, either. How would you feel if I sent you a card that said, “I tolerate you!” Love gets involved. Love shows kindness, compassion, and empathy. Love believes in a preferred future and takes risks to protect another. Jesus said,
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. (Matthew 18:15, NIV)
That’s not easy…especially if they don’t listen!
But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matthew 18:16-17, NIV)
By the way, it never says gossip to others. It never says tell Facebook! The goal is always restoration and reconciliation, and that’s James’ point.
My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins. (James 5:19-20, NLT)
This is not easy. It’s risky. You might be misunderstood. Your motives must be checked. James is not condoning condemnation. It is about helping a brother or sister get back on the path. Questions are helpful rather than attacks. One of my favorite tools is, “Help me understand.”
It seems as though people are wandering in record numbers. It’s trendy to “deconstruct” one’s faith, which is fine, so long as it is reconstructed and not abandoned. I recently saw a post which said,
Many people reject Jesus because of bad experiences with religious people. But, here’s the thing…Jesus had bad experiences with religious people, too. In fact, they killed him. People will let you down. Jesus won’t.
I pray that we can lovingly bring back wanderers to the faith. I am praying for several prodigals to return to their first love, Jesus. It’s a thrill to see someone repent of their sins and surrender to Christ.
Pursue the wanderer.
This is how James ends his important book. To summarize,
Pray when you suffer.
Praise when you are happy.
Profess your sins.
Pursue the wanderer.
What is your next step? Do you need to pray? Praise? Confess and profess your sins? Pursue a prodigal?
Throughout this book, Jesus’ half-brother, James, offers us timeless instructions for living a God-honoring life because…faith works!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Arrogance, 27 February 2022
18 03 22
Arrogance
Series—Faith Works: The Book of James
James 4:13-5:6
Series Big Idea: Jesus’ half-brother James offers us timeless instructions for living a God-honoring life.
Big Idea: The wise seek God’s will in humility rather than lusting after power and wealth.
I believe I was seven years old when I had my first public musical performance. I may have been eight or even nine, I don’t remember for sure, but I do remember a conversation that took place after I played a piano solo at church. A woman approached me and said, “You play piano very well, young man,” to which I replied, “I know!”
Moments later, my dad taught me the meaning of arrogance, our subject today!
After a three-month break, we’re returning to the book of James, one of my favorite books, perhaps because it’s short, perhaps because it’s incredibly practical. The entire book, written by Jesus’ half-brother, can be read in a matter of minutes.
Who is the most arrogant person you know? Who is the most arrogant person in the world? It’s easy for us to see the pride in others, isn’t it? But what about ourselves? Do you need a mirror?
Some of you can surely relate to my story of arrogance, boasting about your abilities, appearance, wealth, or status…thinking more highly of yourself than you ought.
But there’s another side to the same coin of pride which is self-loathing. Have you ever met someone whose mantra is, “I’m not worthy?” While none of us deserve God’s love, salvation, forgiveness, mercy, and grace, our identity must be rooted in Him and who He says we are, not our feelings of arrogance…or self-hatred.
Author Brad Jersak notes,
“rejecting the forgiveness of God “because I’m not worthy” is totally prideful but the pride is so often obscured by our self-loathing. We think that if we condemn ourselves that it can’t possibly be pride. But what does self-loathing reveal except that the ego has become so deluded that it imagines it has usurped Christ from his throne and his judgment seat and has replaced the all-merciful Judge with itself. The ego, in this case, is a self-righteous inner Pharisee—and now it condemns you for embarrassing its perfectionism.”
It’s important to recognize pride may be the root of all sins. It was the sin that got Lucifer (satan) kicked out of heaven. It’s the original and most deadly of the seven deadly sins. It is ultimately seeing ourselves as God. If we’re honest, we all are tempted to be God. We want to be in control. Because it was satan’s fall, it’s no surprise it became his first temptation to humans.
You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5, NLT)
I have some news for all of you today: you’re not God! We are not God! N.T. Wright said, “There is only one lawgiver, only one judge; and he can either rescue or destroy.”
Let’s take a look at our text for today.
Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” (James 4:13, NLT)
I like how James says, “Look here!” Some translation say, “Now listen!”
How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. (James 4:14, NLT)
That’s true, right? One of the things that surprised me about moving to Toledo was all of the fog delays for schools. We know fog! But it never lasts.
Note Greek, the original language, doesn’t have question marks. He’s speaking to business people who think the world revolves around them and their plans. Let me say it again, you are not God! The reason the Ten Commandments are so hard for me to follow is not so much the “thou shall not murder” or “thou shall not covet” so much as the first one…no other Gods (Ex. 20:3)…including acting like I’m God! He is eternal. For us, each day is a precious gift.
What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil. (James 4:15-16, NLT)
The Latin phrase is Deo volente, DV, God willing.
“Don’t worry, everything will be ok. I promise!” Have you ever heard that? Have you ever said that? There’s not much we can truly promise, at least circumstantially. It has been said the only thing you can control is your attitude.
We all make plans. You probably had a plan to be here today. You most certainly have plans for this afternoon, this week, or later this year. If the pandemic has taught us one thing, it’s that plans can change! People can get sick. Events can be canceled.
I don’t think James is literally saying we need to tack on “if the Lord wants us to” before everything we say. Maybe you’ve heard people talk that way. “Are you going to the hockey game?” “If the LORD wants me to!” But it’s important to recognize we are not God. The concern is not planning, but arrogance, boasting about one’s plans.
In the book of Luke, Jesus tells a chilling story of a rich farmer boasting about how he had so many crops.
He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ (Luke 12:17-19, NLT)
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ (Luke 12:20, NLT)
Tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us. We need to live fully dependent upon God, for He is the one who provides every breath we take. James adds,
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. (James 4:17, NLT)
We could camp out on this verse all day! That might be a definition of sin. We often think of sin as something evil a person does, like murder or theft, but James tells us there are sins of omission, things we fail to do. That might be a longer list for some of you than the sins of commission that you commit. We are to spend time communing with God in prayer, listening to God in Scripture, and fellowshipping with others. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves, make disciples, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
It is a prideful act to disobey God, setting ourselves in His place. Do not worry or panic about this verse, but don’t ignore it, either. What is God saying to you? What are you going to do about it? Obedience is God’s love language.
Now James offers a sobering warning.
Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. (James 5:1, NLT)
James again says, “Look here!” “Now listen!”
Are you rich? Let me help you…yes! Even the poorest among us are rich globally.
Over 800 million people worldwide go to bed hungry each night…yet there are three free meals served every day of the year…seven blocks away!
To be clear, James did not write this letter to you and me. It is certainly relevant and for us, but James has in mind the Jerusalem elite here, the religious leaders, chief priests and Sadducees who loved Temple power. You may recall they had Jesus killed!
Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. (James 5:2, NLT)
That happens, right? That great outfit you loved wears out…or goes out of style…or no longer fits!
Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. (James 5:3, NLT)
You can’t take it with you! I’ve never seen a U-Haul behind a hearse!
For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. (James 5:4, NLT)
William Shiell said these early Christians need to “begin to see Christ as owner and their role as steward of the company” who are now “entrusted with workers who are equally valued as ‘coworkers.’”
James and his family were poor. They received generosity and they were surely exploited, too. Tragically, the human heart has not changed in two thousand years! We live in a world filled with greed, injustice, and evil.
We need generous, godly men and women in business, creating jobs, caring for their employees, and supporting ministries. Money is not the root of all kinds of evil, but the love of money.
There are many in our culture who say wealth is bad. Ironically, many of them are wealthy politicians! There’s nothing inherently wrong with wealth, but rather the motivation for and the use of wealth.
I don’t have access to the giving records to know who gives what here, but thank you to those of you who are generous. This is a generous church. I recently heard 70% of church goers give less than $1 a week to their church. A dollar a week!
I once heard someone say Christians should make as much money as possible and keep as little as necessary. In other words, be wildly generous! Some of you are wildly generous, and your giving is not only transforming lives today, it will be rewarded for eternity. Your investments at First Alliance Church, the Alliance Great Commission Fund, and our ministry partners will pay dividends for generations.
Can I tell you a secret? Your wealth…it’s not yours to keep. It’s a gift to be stewarded. Your health…it’s also a gift to be stewarded. Both can be lost quickly! We’ve been blessed to be a blessing. We will all stand before God someday and give an account for what we did with our wealth, our health, our gifts, our freedoms, our time, our treasures. It all belongs to God! Tithe means ten percent, but all we have—one hundred percent—belongs to God.
I love hearing stories of people who give 90% and live off of a tithe. Giving ten percent is a good place to start in generosity. I’m not saying this to be a fundraiser, but to let you know generosity is one of our core values as a church, and it’s a joy to give! I love giving to First Alliance! And every time I give, I kick the money monster in the teeth! You know, that voice that says just a little bit more will make you happy. Giving is a declaration that in God I trust, not the money. It’s a statement of faith, putting money where your mouth is. It’s a reminder that God owns it all…and I’m not God. In contrast to generosity, James continues,
You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you. (James 5:5-6, NLT)
“Innocent people” likely refers to those suffering for following Jesus, for righteous living, possibly the unpaid or poorly-paid workers of the merchants,
These are strong words! Judgment Day is coming…for all of us. Are you ready?
So What?
I find it easy to act like God, to feel entitled, to boast about my accomplishments, or even go to the other extreme and feel worthless at times.
I’m prone to make plans, believing I’m in control of my calendar…which we all know can be altered by a virus…or even the weather.
I’m tempted to think about my money and how I’ve earned it without recognizing the gifts and opportunities which have allowed me to get an education, to acquire jobs, and the health to sustain working.
So how do we rid ourselves of arrogance and pride? How do we relinquish control? How do we avoid the lure of greed and the love of money? I have one word for you: humility.
The wise seek God’s will in humility rather than lusting after power and wealth.
James spoke of humility back in chapter four.
And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)
He is referring to Proverbs 3:34, a text Peter also quotes in his first book (1 Peter 5:5).
The LORD mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble. (Proverbs 3:34)
In case you didn’t get the message, James says in the next verse…
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
Three verses later…
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. (James 4:10, NLT)
Humility is a greatly misunderstood word. It doesn’t mean to think less of yourself, but rather to think of yourself less. It’s to think rightly, seeing what God sees, a broken masterpiece in need of restoration. It’s recognizing you’re not in control, you’re not God, and we’re called to follow Jesus, not command God to obey us.
Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. (Luke 9:23, NLT)
That’s the path to greatness! It’s radical. It’s unpopular. But it’s the only way to experience pure joy and satisfaction.
Daily. Let God be God. Submit. Obey. It’s ok, He can be trusted. His love has your best interest at heart, even when the journey includes storms. He’s with you there, too.
The only reason I was able to play that song as a child—and the only reason I can play today—is God gave me gifts to develop…for His glory. Without Him, I can do nothing. But…
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13, NLT)
He is God. He is LORD. He deserves our worship, our attention, our praise. Jesus said it so well.
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Matthew 6:33, NLT)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Faith Works: The Book of James
James 4:13-5:6
Series Big Idea: Jesus’ half-brother James offers us timeless instructions for living a God-honoring life.
Big Idea: The wise seek God’s will in humility rather than lusting after power and wealth.
I believe I was seven years old when I had my first public musical performance. I may have been eight or even nine, I don’t remember for sure, but I do remember a conversation that took place after I played a piano solo at church. A woman approached me and said, “You play piano very well, young man,” to which I replied, “I know!”
Moments later, my dad taught me the meaning of arrogance, our subject today!
After a three-month break, we’re returning to the book of James, one of my favorite books, perhaps because it’s short, perhaps because it’s incredibly practical. The entire book, written by Jesus’ half-brother, can be read in a matter of minutes.
Who is the most arrogant person you know? Who is the most arrogant person in the world? It’s easy for us to see the pride in others, isn’t it? But what about ourselves? Do you need a mirror?
Some of you can surely relate to my story of arrogance, boasting about your abilities, appearance, wealth, or status…thinking more highly of yourself than you ought.
But there’s another side to the same coin of pride which is self-loathing. Have you ever met someone whose mantra is, “I’m not worthy?” While none of us deserve God’s love, salvation, forgiveness, mercy, and grace, our identity must be rooted in Him and who He says we are, not our feelings of arrogance…or self-hatred.
Author Brad Jersak notes,
“rejecting the forgiveness of God “because I’m not worthy” is totally prideful but the pride is so often obscured by our self-loathing. We think that if we condemn ourselves that it can’t possibly be pride. But what does self-loathing reveal except that the ego has become so deluded that it imagines it has usurped Christ from his throne and his judgment seat and has replaced the all-merciful Judge with itself. The ego, in this case, is a self-righteous inner Pharisee—and now it condemns you for embarrassing its perfectionism.”
It’s important to recognize pride may be the root of all sins. It was the sin that got Lucifer (satan) kicked out of heaven. It’s the original and most deadly of the seven deadly sins. It is ultimately seeing ourselves as God. If we’re honest, we all are tempted to be God. We want to be in control. Because it was satan’s fall, it’s no surprise it became his first temptation to humans.
You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5, NLT)
I have some news for all of you today: you’re not God! We are not God! N.T. Wright said, “There is only one lawgiver, only one judge; and he can either rescue or destroy.”
Let’s take a look at our text for today.
Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” (James 4:13, NLT)
I like how James says, “Look here!” Some translation say, “Now listen!”
How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. (James 4:14, NLT)
That’s true, right? One of the things that surprised me about moving to Toledo was all of the fog delays for schools. We know fog! But it never lasts.
Note Greek, the original language, doesn’t have question marks. He’s speaking to business people who think the world revolves around them and their plans. Let me say it again, you are not God! The reason the Ten Commandments are so hard for me to follow is not so much the “thou shall not murder” or “thou shall not covet” so much as the first one…no other Gods (Ex. 20:3)…including acting like I’m God! He is eternal. For us, each day is a precious gift.
What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil. (James 4:15-16, NLT)
The Latin phrase is Deo volente, DV, God willing.
“Don’t worry, everything will be ok. I promise!” Have you ever heard that? Have you ever said that? There’s not much we can truly promise, at least circumstantially. It has been said the only thing you can control is your attitude.
We all make plans. You probably had a plan to be here today. You most certainly have plans for this afternoon, this week, or later this year. If the pandemic has taught us one thing, it’s that plans can change! People can get sick. Events can be canceled.
I don’t think James is literally saying we need to tack on “if the Lord wants us to” before everything we say. Maybe you’ve heard people talk that way. “Are you going to the hockey game?” “If the LORD wants me to!” But it’s important to recognize we are not God. The concern is not planning, but arrogance, boasting about one’s plans.
In the book of Luke, Jesus tells a chilling story of a rich farmer boasting about how he had so many crops.
He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ (Luke 12:17-19, NLT)
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ (Luke 12:20, NLT)
Tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us. We need to live fully dependent upon God, for He is the one who provides every breath we take. James adds,
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. (James 4:17, NLT)
We could camp out on this verse all day! That might be a definition of sin. We often think of sin as something evil a person does, like murder or theft, but James tells us there are sins of omission, things we fail to do. That might be a longer list for some of you than the sins of commission that you commit. We are to spend time communing with God in prayer, listening to God in Scripture, and fellowshipping with others. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves, make disciples, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
It is a prideful act to disobey God, setting ourselves in His place. Do not worry or panic about this verse, but don’t ignore it, either. What is God saying to you? What are you going to do about it? Obedience is God’s love language.
Now James offers a sobering warning.
Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. (James 5:1, NLT)
James again says, “Look here!” “Now listen!”
Are you rich? Let me help you…yes! Even the poorest among us are rich globally.
Over 800 million people worldwide go to bed hungry each night…yet there are three free meals served every day of the year…seven blocks away!
To be clear, James did not write this letter to you and me. It is certainly relevant and for us, but James has in mind the Jerusalem elite here, the religious leaders, chief priests and Sadducees who loved Temple power. You may recall they had Jesus killed!
Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. (James 5:2, NLT)
That happens, right? That great outfit you loved wears out…or goes out of style…or no longer fits!
Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. (James 5:3, NLT)
You can’t take it with you! I’ve never seen a U-Haul behind a hearse!
For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. (James 5:4, NLT)
William Shiell said these early Christians need to “begin to see Christ as owner and their role as steward of the company” who are now “entrusted with workers who are equally valued as ‘coworkers.’”
James and his family were poor. They received generosity and they were surely exploited, too. Tragically, the human heart has not changed in two thousand years! We live in a world filled with greed, injustice, and evil.
We need generous, godly men and women in business, creating jobs, caring for their employees, and supporting ministries. Money is not the root of all kinds of evil, but the love of money.
There are many in our culture who say wealth is bad. Ironically, many of them are wealthy politicians! There’s nothing inherently wrong with wealth, but rather the motivation for and the use of wealth.
I don’t have access to the giving records to know who gives what here, but thank you to those of you who are generous. This is a generous church. I recently heard 70% of church goers give less than $1 a week to their church. A dollar a week!
I once heard someone say Christians should make as much money as possible and keep as little as necessary. In other words, be wildly generous! Some of you are wildly generous, and your giving is not only transforming lives today, it will be rewarded for eternity. Your investments at First Alliance Church, the Alliance Great Commission Fund, and our ministry partners will pay dividends for generations.
Can I tell you a secret? Your wealth…it’s not yours to keep. It’s a gift to be stewarded. Your health…it’s also a gift to be stewarded. Both can be lost quickly! We’ve been blessed to be a blessing. We will all stand before God someday and give an account for what we did with our wealth, our health, our gifts, our freedoms, our time, our treasures. It all belongs to God! Tithe means ten percent, but all we have—one hundred percent—belongs to God.
I love hearing stories of people who give 90% and live off of a tithe. Giving ten percent is a good place to start in generosity. I’m not saying this to be a fundraiser, but to let you know generosity is one of our core values as a church, and it’s a joy to give! I love giving to First Alliance! And every time I give, I kick the money monster in the teeth! You know, that voice that says just a little bit more will make you happy. Giving is a declaration that in God I trust, not the money. It’s a statement of faith, putting money where your mouth is. It’s a reminder that God owns it all…and I’m not God. In contrast to generosity, James continues,
You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you. (James 5:5-6, NLT)
“Innocent people” likely refers to those suffering for following Jesus, for righteous living, possibly the unpaid or poorly-paid workers of the merchants,
These are strong words! Judgment Day is coming…for all of us. Are you ready?
So What?
I find it easy to act like God, to feel entitled, to boast about my accomplishments, or even go to the other extreme and feel worthless at times.
I’m prone to make plans, believing I’m in control of my calendar…which we all know can be altered by a virus…or even the weather.
I’m tempted to think about my money and how I’ve earned it without recognizing the gifts and opportunities which have allowed me to get an education, to acquire jobs, and the health to sustain working.
So how do we rid ourselves of arrogance and pride? How do we relinquish control? How do we avoid the lure of greed and the love of money? I have one word for you: humility.
The wise seek God’s will in humility rather than lusting after power and wealth.
James spoke of humility back in chapter four.
And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)
He is referring to Proverbs 3:34, a text Peter also quotes in his first book (1 Peter 5:5).
The LORD mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble. (Proverbs 3:34)
In case you didn’t get the message, James says in the next verse…
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
Three verses later…
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. (James 4:10, NLT)
Humility is a greatly misunderstood word. It doesn’t mean to think less of yourself, but rather to think of yourself less. It’s to think rightly, seeing what God sees, a broken masterpiece in need of restoration. It’s recognizing you’re not in control, you’re not God, and we’re called to follow Jesus, not command God to obey us.
Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. (Luke 9:23, NLT)
That’s the path to greatness! It’s radical. It’s unpopular. But it’s the only way to experience pure joy and satisfaction.
Daily. Let God be God. Submit. Obey. It’s ok, He can be trusted. His love has your best interest at heart, even when the journey includes storms. He’s with you there, too.
The only reason I was able to play that song as a child—and the only reason I can play today—is God gave me gifts to develop…for His glory. Without Him, I can do nothing. But…
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13, NLT)
He is God. He is LORD. He deserves our worship, our attention, our praise. Jesus said it so well.
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Matthew 6:33, NLT)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Reawakening to the Mission of Christ, 30 January 2022
30 01 22
Reawakening to the Mission of Christ
Series—40 Days of Prayer with The Alliance
Luke 14:12-23
Series Big Idea: The aim of this 40-day focus is to fix our gaze on Jesus, remember who He is, what He has done, what He has given us to do, and what He will do in the future.
Big Idea: We’ve been invited to join Jesus on his mission to seek and save the lost.
My all-time favorite movie is The Blues Brothers (the TV version!). I love music, comedy, and Chicago and it blends them together seamlessly. Perhaps the most famous line in the movie is the mantra of John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd: “We’re on a mission from God.”
What is your mission? Why on earth are you here? What is your calling?
Today we’re continuing our 40 Days of Prayer series with The Alliance. The theme is awakening and we’ve talked about awakening to the glory of Christ, the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, the Spirit of Christ, and the Church of Christ. Today we’re going to reawaken to the mission of Christ…and you might reawaken to your mission in the process.
Many of you know the story of Zacchaeus, the wee little man who was the chief tax collector in the region, a rich, greedy, despised man who climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see Jesus over the crowd. How surprised he must’ve been when Jesus not only sees him but invites himself to Zacchaeus’ house.
Have you ever invited yourself to someone’s house?!
Has anyone ever invited themselves to yours?!
Zacchaeus has a truly life-changing encounter with Jesus, declares his intention to pay back everyone he has cheated four times and give half of his wealth to the poor. Is that a transformation or what?!
Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” (Luke 19:9-10, NLT)
Did you catch it?
The mission of Christ is to seek and save the lost.
I realize lost can be a negative term, but it’s the most common English translation of the Greek word apollumi used by Jesus, a word also indicating destroy, die, lose, mar, perish. They are the ones Jesus came to seek and save. They were his mission. They are his mission today. If you can sing the words of Amazing Grace—“I once was lost/but now am found”—it’s your mission, too.
The mission of Christ is to seek and save the lost.
The mission of Christ’s followers is to seek and save the lost.
Obviously, you and I can’t save the lost on our own, but we can introduce them to the one who lived, died, and rose from the dead, offering them an opportunity to be with God for eternity and inviting them to the greatest party in history!
Why don’t we have the reputation of being the greatest partiers on the planet? It seems like Christians are known as the most boring, judgmental, self-righteous people! How did that happen?
For thousands of years, the Jews have thrown some of the best parties, measured not in hours, but days! In the eighth chapter of 1 Kings, there’s an account of a week-long party to celebrate the temple’s dedication. Then it was extended another week! Have you ever been to a fourteen-day party?
I’ve run a DJ business for more than eighteen years as a side hustle and I can tell you my favorite events are Jewish weddings…by far!
The mission of Christ is to seek and save the lost.
The heart of his message is literally an invitation to a party, a feast, something the book of Revelation calls “the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Some have said his first miracle—turning water into wine at a wedding in John chapter two—was an example of the marriage feast. Jesus himself tells a similar story in Luke chapter 14 while he is at a fancy dinner.
Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. (Luke 14:12, NLT)
Back in the day—and often still today—hosts invited guests either to pay them back for a past invitation or to put them under their debt in order to receive an invitation in the future. The motivation was not selfless hospitality, but rather social status.
Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. (Luke 14:13, NLT)
What? Who does that? Kingdom people! People on the mission of Christ. In the first century, it was not proper to invite the handicapped and poor to a public banquet…or women, by the way! Jesus’ teaching is radical! What kind of repayment can these outcasts offer to the host?
Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.” (Luke 14:14, NLT)
Someone once said, “You can’t get your reward twice!” We either earn the applause of people or God.
Not long ago I was asked to do a favor. It wasn’t a huge deal, but it was inconvenient and involved some expense of time. I wrestled with whether to say yes or not and then I thought of that word I mentioned a few weeks ago…die. Someone told me they’ve now made that their word for the year! Death is the first step in following Jesus, but we don’t remain dead. When we give, serve, love, sacrifice for others, God sees. There may be no financial benefit or social reward now, but God sees everything we do…even those done in secret. This is what separates worldly people from Jesus people. They are motivated by present returns rather than eternal treasures.
Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!” (Luke 14:15, NLT)
Amen! Family, this is a sneak preview of what’s ahead for us. Remember three weeks ago I said although are present is not certain, our future is! Many think heaven will be angels playing harps on clouds! Jesus’ Jewish peers saw the future kingdom as a great banquet featuring Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophets at the table.
Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ (Luke 14:16-17, NLT)
In Jesus’ day, invitations stated the day, but not the hour of the meal. The host needed people to RSVP so he knew how many animals and food to prepare. The guests in this parable had already said they were coming.
What was the servant’s job? Was it to get people to come to the banquet? No! It was to let people know the banquet was ready. The master did the heavy lifting, buying the food and preparing the great feast. He represents God in the story. We are the servants told to let people know it’s time to party! Who wouldn’t respond to that, right?
But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ (Luke 14:18-20, NLT)
You’ve got to be kidding! These people are choosing to miss this great feast? What an insult to the host! It’s not like they got a flat tire on the way! They were given plenty of notice. The invitations were sent out days ago, probably weeks ago. Maybe longer. But they made excuses. Lame excuses! Billy Sunday once said an excuse is the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie!
“The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ (Luke 14:21, NLT)
Did you catch the emotion of the host—of God? He’s furious! God gets angry. He never sins, but those who reject His invitation will suffer the consequences.
This food will not be wasted! The show must go on, with or without the invited guests. If they’re too busy, it’s their loss! I’m fascinated that it doesn’t say go and invite anyone. It specifically says the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. Maybe even Gentiles!
That’s the Kingdom of God!
The reason Jesus cautioned the rich is because they can become busy with their wealth and toys. They can turn money into an idol, a tool for power, an object of pride. The people in the parable making excuses were consumed by their field, their oxen, their marriage. Like so many today, there’s no room in their lives for God.
The poor can certainly make money and other things idols, too, yet they often recognize their needs more readily than those insulated by comfortable living. Is it any surprise the early church grew largely through down-and-outers being shown love and compassion? Steve Taylor once sang, “Jesus is for losers,” and he’s right, though winners are welcome to follow him, too.
So What?
Jim Sappia, an Alliance International Worker, notes three things about this passage. First, we are invited to the party (Luke 14:16-17), and what a party it will be! He wants you there. He wants everyone there (1 Timothy 2:4). God so loved the world, not just Americans or people from a particular class. You are invited to the table, the place where we can connect with Almighty God. Jesus said,
“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. (Revelation 3:20)
Have you opened the door? Have you responded to the invitation? Do you have a relationship with God? If not, you can begin by simply saying, “Jesus, I give you my life.” Doing so won’t make your life instantly easy, but it will launch the greatest adventure imaginable. Life with Jesus is…the greatest!
Many make excuses. Believe me, no job, spouse, child, hobby, addiction, tv show, social media app, or treasure can compare to the Jesus journey. As I said a few weeks ago, let go and let God. Joining God’s family, coming to His party is the greatest blessing. Remember what the man said?
Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!” (Luke 14:15, NLT)
Secondly, we are sent to be a blessing (Luke 14:21).
There’s no need for a scarcity mentality. We don’t need to hoard it like toilet paper or N95 masks! There is no end to the abundance, the banquet, the party! It’s a never-ending, all-you-can-eat buffet! The greatest gift you can give another human is an invitation to the party. The greatest blessing to others—and us—is introducing people to Jesus. I love that God shows no favoritism. You don’t have to be special to receive an invitation…and yet so many have never received theirs. Many have no clue a party is being prepared at this very moment. Billions have never even heard the name of Jesus! That’s why…
Finally, we are called to go and compel (Luke 14:23). The servant invited the poor, crippled, blind, and lame.
After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. (Luke 14:22-23, NLT)
We are to go! Jesus said in Matthew 28 to “go” and make disciples…of all nations. That’s what we do in the Alliance. You might need to go around the world, fly across the country, …or simply walk across the street. There’s a place for mail, e-mail, and texting, but the master said to go…and urge them to come. The NIV translation says compel them to come. We can’t force them, but we can implore them. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth:
So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” (2 Corinthians 5:20, NLT)
He wants everyone at the feast. You. The poor. The rich. The lame. The doctors. The orphans. The single parents. The widows. The refugees and immigrants. Even the Republicans and Democrats!
God wants us to go and take the invitation to everyone…both here and around the world.
We’ve been invited to join Jesus on his mission to seek and save the lost.
Will you respond?
One more thing…
Tony Campolo story read by Mark Clark: https://youtu.be/JMWa24DdY2Y
We’re on a mission from God. Maybe you need to go…throw some parties. Warren Wiersbe wrote, “The Christian life is a feast, not a funeral, and all are invited to come.” We all need to go invite people to the ultimate party.
Invite people to dinner. Invite them to your table, whether that’s at the Mac Café, in your home, the school cafeteria, or your favorite restaurant. Meals are one of the greatest places to share stories, to listen well, to love well, and to share God’s story. Sharing meals makes disciples.
Our friends at Bowling Green Alliance are planning to share 1000 meals this year, mostly just inviting friends and neighbors over for dinner. We could do the same.
In addition, you can invite people to our Dinner Church table on the second Sunday of the month. We have an exciting opportunity to welcome Afghan refugees to our tables in partnership with Water for Ishmael (contact the office for details).
I confess I don’t know a lot of people to invite, so this month I took on a new, very part-time job for the purpose of rubbing shoulders with non-Christians and inviting them to meals and parties.
For God so loved the world. I’m so glad that includes you and me…and our neighbors.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—40 Days of Prayer with The Alliance
Luke 14:12-23
Series Big Idea: The aim of this 40-day focus is to fix our gaze on Jesus, remember who He is, what He has done, what He has given us to do, and what He will do in the future.
Big Idea: We’ve been invited to join Jesus on his mission to seek and save the lost.
My all-time favorite movie is The Blues Brothers (the TV version!). I love music, comedy, and Chicago and it blends them together seamlessly. Perhaps the most famous line in the movie is the mantra of John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd: “We’re on a mission from God.”
What is your mission? Why on earth are you here? What is your calling?
Today we’re continuing our 40 Days of Prayer series with The Alliance. The theme is awakening and we’ve talked about awakening to the glory of Christ, the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, the Spirit of Christ, and the Church of Christ. Today we’re going to reawaken to the mission of Christ…and you might reawaken to your mission in the process.
Many of you know the story of Zacchaeus, the wee little man who was the chief tax collector in the region, a rich, greedy, despised man who climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see Jesus over the crowd. How surprised he must’ve been when Jesus not only sees him but invites himself to Zacchaeus’ house.
Have you ever invited yourself to someone’s house?!
Has anyone ever invited themselves to yours?!
Zacchaeus has a truly life-changing encounter with Jesus, declares his intention to pay back everyone he has cheated four times and give half of his wealth to the poor. Is that a transformation or what?!
Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” (Luke 19:9-10, NLT)
Did you catch it?
The mission of Christ is to seek and save the lost.
I realize lost can be a negative term, but it’s the most common English translation of the Greek word apollumi used by Jesus, a word also indicating destroy, die, lose, mar, perish. They are the ones Jesus came to seek and save. They were his mission. They are his mission today. If you can sing the words of Amazing Grace—“I once was lost/but now am found”—it’s your mission, too.
The mission of Christ is to seek and save the lost.
The mission of Christ’s followers is to seek and save the lost.
Obviously, you and I can’t save the lost on our own, but we can introduce them to the one who lived, died, and rose from the dead, offering them an opportunity to be with God for eternity and inviting them to the greatest party in history!
Why don’t we have the reputation of being the greatest partiers on the planet? It seems like Christians are known as the most boring, judgmental, self-righteous people! How did that happen?
For thousands of years, the Jews have thrown some of the best parties, measured not in hours, but days! In the eighth chapter of 1 Kings, there’s an account of a week-long party to celebrate the temple’s dedication. Then it was extended another week! Have you ever been to a fourteen-day party?
I’ve run a DJ business for more than eighteen years as a side hustle and I can tell you my favorite events are Jewish weddings…by far!
The mission of Christ is to seek and save the lost.
The heart of his message is literally an invitation to a party, a feast, something the book of Revelation calls “the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Some have said his first miracle—turning water into wine at a wedding in John chapter two—was an example of the marriage feast. Jesus himself tells a similar story in Luke chapter 14 while he is at a fancy dinner.
Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. (Luke 14:12, NLT)
Back in the day—and often still today—hosts invited guests either to pay them back for a past invitation or to put them under their debt in order to receive an invitation in the future. The motivation was not selfless hospitality, but rather social status.
Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. (Luke 14:13, NLT)
What? Who does that? Kingdom people! People on the mission of Christ. In the first century, it was not proper to invite the handicapped and poor to a public banquet…or women, by the way! Jesus’ teaching is radical! What kind of repayment can these outcasts offer to the host?
Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.” (Luke 14:14, NLT)
Someone once said, “You can’t get your reward twice!” We either earn the applause of people or God.
Not long ago I was asked to do a favor. It wasn’t a huge deal, but it was inconvenient and involved some expense of time. I wrestled with whether to say yes or not and then I thought of that word I mentioned a few weeks ago…die. Someone told me they’ve now made that their word for the year! Death is the first step in following Jesus, but we don’t remain dead. When we give, serve, love, sacrifice for others, God sees. There may be no financial benefit or social reward now, but God sees everything we do…even those done in secret. This is what separates worldly people from Jesus people. They are motivated by present returns rather than eternal treasures.
Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!” (Luke 14:15, NLT)
Amen! Family, this is a sneak preview of what’s ahead for us. Remember three weeks ago I said although are present is not certain, our future is! Many think heaven will be angels playing harps on clouds! Jesus’ Jewish peers saw the future kingdom as a great banquet featuring Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophets at the table.
Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ (Luke 14:16-17, NLT)
In Jesus’ day, invitations stated the day, but not the hour of the meal. The host needed people to RSVP so he knew how many animals and food to prepare. The guests in this parable had already said they were coming.
What was the servant’s job? Was it to get people to come to the banquet? No! It was to let people know the banquet was ready. The master did the heavy lifting, buying the food and preparing the great feast. He represents God in the story. We are the servants told to let people know it’s time to party! Who wouldn’t respond to that, right?
But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ (Luke 14:18-20, NLT)
You’ve got to be kidding! These people are choosing to miss this great feast? What an insult to the host! It’s not like they got a flat tire on the way! They were given plenty of notice. The invitations were sent out days ago, probably weeks ago. Maybe longer. But they made excuses. Lame excuses! Billy Sunday once said an excuse is the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie!
“The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ (Luke 14:21, NLT)
Did you catch the emotion of the host—of God? He’s furious! God gets angry. He never sins, but those who reject His invitation will suffer the consequences.
This food will not be wasted! The show must go on, with or without the invited guests. If they’re too busy, it’s their loss! I’m fascinated that it doesn’t say go and invite anyone. It specifically says the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. Maybe even Gentiles!
That’s the Kingdom of God!
The reason Jesus cautioned the rich is because they can become busy with their wealth and toys. They can turn money into an idol, a tool for power, an object of pride. The people in the parable making excuses were consumed by their field, their oxen, their marriage. Like so many today, there’s no room in their lives for God.
The poor can certainly make money and other things idols, too, yet they often recognize their needs more readily than those insulated by comfortable living. Is it any surprise the early church grew largely through down-and-outers being shown love and compassion? Steve Taylor once sang, “Jesus is for losers,” and he’s right, though winners are welcome to follow him, too.
So What?
Jim Sappia, an Alliance International Worker, notes three things about this passage. First, we are invited to the party (Luke 14:16-17), and what a party it will be! He wants you there. He wants everyone there (1 Timothy 2:4). God so loved the world, not just Americans or people from a particular class. You are invited to the table, the place where we can connect with Almighty God. Jesus said,
“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. (Revelation 3:20)
Have you opened the door? Have you responded to the invitation? Do you have a relationship with God? If not, you can begin by simply saying, “Jesus, I give you my life.” Doing so won’t make your life instantly easy, but it will launch the greatest adventure imaginable. Life with Jesus is…the greatest!
Many make excuses. Believe me, no job, spouse, child, hobby, addiction, tv show, social media app, or treasure can compare to the Jesus journey. As I said a few weeks ago, let go and let God. Joining God’s family, coming to His party is the greatest blessing. Remember what the man said?
Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!” (Luke 14:15, NLT)
Secondly, we are sent to be a blessing (Luke 14:21).
There’s no need for a scarcity mentality. We don’t need to hoard it like toilet paper or N95 masks! There is no end to the abundance, the banquet, the party! It’s a never-ending, all-you-can-eat buffet! The greatest gift you can give another human is an invitation to the party. The greatest blessing to others—and us—is introducing people to Jesus. I love that God shows no favoritism. You don’t have to be special to receive an invitation…and yet so many have never received theirs. Many have no clue a party is being prepared at this very moment. Billions have never even heard the name of Jesus! That’s why…
Finally, we are called to go and compel (Luke 14:23). The servant invited the poor, crippled, blind, and lame.
After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. (Luke 14:22-23, NLT)
We are to go! Jesus said in Matthew 28 to “go” and make disciples…of all nations. That’s what we do in the Alliance. You might need to go around the world, fly across the country, …or simply walk across the street. There’s a place for mail, e-mail, and texting, but the master said to go…and urge them to come. The NIV translation says compel them to come. We can’t force them, but we can implore them. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth:
So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” (2 Corinthians 5:20, NLT)
He wants everyone at the feast. You. The poor. The rich. The lame. The doctors. The orphans. The single parents. The widows. The refugees and immigrants. Even the Republicans and Democrats!
God wants us to go and take the invitation to everyone…both here and around the world.
We’ve been invited to join Jesus on his mission to seek and save the lost.
Will you respond?
One more thing…
Tony Campolo story read by Mark Clark: https://youtu.be/JMWa24DdY2Y
We’re on a mission from God. Maybe you need to go…throw some parties. Warren Wiersbe wrote, “The Christian life is a feast, not a funeral, and all are invited to come.” We all need to go invite people to the ultimate party.
Invite people to dinner. Invite them to your table, whether that’s at the Mac Café, in your home, the school cafeteria, or your favorite restaurant. Meals are one of the greatest places to share stories, to listen well, to love well, and to share God’s story. Sharing meals makes disciples.
Our friends at Bowling Green Alliance are planning to share 1000 meals this year, mostly just inviting friends and neighbors over for dinner. We could do the same.
In addition, you can invite people to our Dinner Church table on the second Sunday of the month. We have an exciting opportunity to welcome Afghan refugees to our tables in partnership with Water for Ishmael (contact the office for details).
I confess I don’t know a lot of people to invite, so this month I took on a new, very part-time job for the purpose of rubbing shoulders with non-Christians and inviting them to meals and parties.
For God so loved the world. I’m so glad that includes you and me…and our neighbors.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Reawakening to the Life, Death, & Resurrection of Christ, 9 January 2022
10 01 22
Reawakening to the Life, Death, & Resurrection of Christ
Series—40 Days of Prayer with The Alliance
Hebrews 2:10-18; 9:11-15; 10:12-14, 19-25
Series Big Idea: The aim of this 40-day focus is to fix our gaze on Jesus, remember who He is, what He has done, what He has given us to do, and what He will do in the future.
Big Idea: The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are an example for us to appreciate and follow.
Today we’re beginning week 2 of 40 Days of Prayer with The Alliance. Last week we talked about reawakening to the glory of Christ. We said you can seek your glory or God’s glory, but not both. I believe the reason the Church in America is so weak, anemic, asleep is that we try to sprinkle a little Jesus into our lives. If we just give God an hour on Sunday or a quick prayer before meals or like an Instagram post of a scripture or listen to a few Christian songs on the radio, we’ll experience a little more happiness in our lives.
NO! Jesus’ message was to die…so we can truly live. I think the reason so many Christians live miserable lives is because they’re still trying to be in control, do things their way, play the role of God. We must die first. We must pick up our cross daily and follow Jesus. Then we are ready to experience true joy, peace, and contentment. The resurrected life is infinitely greater than any tweaking or self-improvement of our sinful lives.
Speaking of resurrected life, today we’re jumping ahead to Holy Week. Our topic is reawakening to the Life, Death, & Resurrection of Christ. You’ve heard of Christmas in July? This is Easter in January! I’m thankful for Steve Grusendorf’s sermon outline as we fix our gaze on Jesus today.
If you’re uncomfortable with the idea of dying—and aren’t we all?!—remember Jesus set the perfect example for us. He never asks us to do anything he hasn’t already done for us. That’s what it means to follow someone, right?
Jesus isn’t looking for fans. He doesn’t need casual friends. He’s looking for followers, and he’s inviting you and me to follow him…daily. The challenge is Jesus is not safe…but he’s good!
Tragically, many have been told the lie that the safest place to be is the center of God’s will. It’s the most dangerous place to be…but also the most rewarding. If you remain close to Jesus, you will experience both death and resurrection more fully than if you’re just a spectator. Paul wrote to the church in Philippi,
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
There is no Easter without Good Friday.
There is no resurrection without a death.
There are no shortcuts for followers of Jesus. He wants all of you!
The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are an example for us to follow. This is NOT the American Dream! It’s not popular or politically correct. But it’s the greatest way to live. It’s the way to truly be human. It’s the pathway to true peace, hope, and joy.
I must admit God’s plan for us—for humanity—is not what I would’ve imagined. If I wanted to rescue the world from its sin and death, I probably would’ve tried to create something or someone to do the dirty work, to fight the battle, to pay the price. Instead, God sent His one and only son, Jesus, the uncreated one to not only die and resurrect, but also to live for more than three decades in our world, experiencing the same temptations, trials, triumphs, and tragedies we face every day.
I. Jesus lived with us so that He could relate to us in our uncertain lives. (Hebrews 2:10–18).
The writer of Hebrews describes it like this:
God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation. (Hebrews 2:10, NLT)
Not only were you made by God and for God, everything was made by God and for God…and He invites us into glory.
I was struck by the second sentence about Jesus’ suffering. In our culture, we will do just about anything to avoid suffering, yet in God’s vision, suffering has a purpose. God doesn’t waste anything! As a student of leadership, I’m fascinated by the link between suffering and leadership here. At its core, leadership is not about a title or position, but rather influence. Suffering was the preparation for Jesus’ mission…and I believe it’s true for all great leaders. Suffering reminds us of our weakness, of our dependency upon God. It forces us to slow down, reflect, get on our knees, and become passionate for God. It is never pleasant in the moment, but it often produces wonderful fruit in the lives of those seeking God’s glory above their own.
So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. For he said to God,
“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.
I will praise you among your assembled people.” (Hebrews 2:11-12, NLT)
If you are a follower of Jesus, he calls you a brother or sister. We have the same Father. Isn’t that amazing?!
He also said,
“I will put my trust in him,”
that is, “I and the children God has given me.” (Hebrews 2:13, NLT)
I find these to be words of intimacy, of relationship. Jesus truly is our big brother and he not only loves us, he proved it by going to the cross.
Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. (Hebrews 2:14a, NLT)
That’s the message of the incarnation. Jesus took on flesh. He became one of us.
For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. (Hebrews 2:14b-15, NLT)
Hallelujah! This is wonderful news!
We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. (Hebrews 2:16, NLT)
I love that!
Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:17, NLT)
What a plan! What a mission! What a God!
Let me say again to anyone out there who thinks you deserve to go to heaven when you die because you’re a good person, if you’re good enough—which requires perfection, by the way—it was foolish for Jesus to come, live, and die. Jesus even asked for Plan B when he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane,
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)
There’s one more verse in Hebrews chapter two we must not miss.
Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested. (Hebrews 2:18, NLT)
One of the most abused and sometimes offensive statements in our culture is, “I know how you feel.” Really? We can have empathy for others, but unless we’ve had a similar experience, we really don’t know. I don’t know what it’s like to give birth to a baby…but many of you ladies do! I don’t know what it’s like to break my collarbone…but some of you do. I do know what it’s like to have a sick child for years, to lose a parent, to be laid off from a job, to see a negative balance in the checkbook…and therefore I can help others in similar situations.
Our FAC family has lost several members in recent years to death. One person who lost a spouse told me they recently spoke to a widow in our congregation to offer a word of sympathy, comfort, and encouragement. They understand what it’s like! They can help others in a similar situation.
Jesus has gone through suffering, testing and temptation to help us in ours. He understands! He gets it! I know of no other religion or faith or philosophy with such connection, compassion, and comfort. Jesus can uniquely help us in our trials and temptations because He’s been here and done that!
Hebrews has much more to say about the death of Jesus and what it accomplished.
So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. 12 With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. (Hebrews 9:11-12, NLT)
The book of Hebrews has some significant connections with the book of Leviticus, including references to the Jewish sacrifices. Jed Ostoich notes,
“The argument in Exodus and Leviticus was simply that humans could reenter God’s presence in costly fashion. The argument of Hebrews is that Jesus paid that high cost and more.”
Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. (Hebrews 9:13, NLT)
Can you imagine life before Jesus?!
Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. (Hebrews 9:14, NLT)
Jesus is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (see John 1:29). He is the perfect sacrifice. God died for you! I still can hardly believe such love!
That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant. (Hebrews 9:15, NLT)
II. Jesus sacrificed Himself in order to secure our heavenly future (Hebrews 9:11–15).
Jesus’ death and resurrection make our future more certain than our present. Think about that for a moment! We don’t know when the pandemic will end or if the Walleye will win tonight, but our heavenly future is secure. We have a certain future which gives us hope in the present.
There are three types of people listening to me.
First, there are those who are investigating the claims of Jesus as LORD. I want to urge you to give your life to Jesus…today! He came to show us what it means to be human and demonstrated his genius through the greatest teachings in history. He died to prove his humanity and his love for you, offering to forgive your sins—past, present, and future. Then, as if that weren’t enough, he proved his deity by conquering death, rising from the dead, appearing to hundreds of people, ascending into heaven, and promising to return. What more could Jesus do to prove himself to you? Take it from me, Jesus is the greatest! He is everything to me! I have made him the leader of my life and I urge you to do the same, not for my sake but yours! His glory is magnificent. His grace is amazing. His love is unending. His mercies are new every morning. His faithfulness stretches to the skies. His kindness is beyond description, …I could go on all day!
Second, there are some of you who have experience the glory and wonder of Jesus and have said yes to his invitation to follow him. It’s not an easy life, but it’s an exciting one! The benefits will last for eternity, and there’s nothing in this world which satisfies like Jesus.
But there’s a third group and, honestly, I often find myself here. It’s the comfortable, casual, and familiar. It has been said that familiarity breeds contempt, and it’s so easy to think of this death and resurrection thing as yesterday’s news. It’s easy to forget the radical sacrifice of God himself for pillars of dust like you and me. This is why Jesus said, “Remember me.” It’s why we celebrate communion on the first Sunday of the month. It’s why we gather to sing, to give, to serve, to praise, to study, to worship.
We need to reawaken to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. I can’t do that for you, though I can encourage you. I can’t force it upon you, though I can invite you to experience it. Finally,
III. Jesus resurrected Himself in order that He might support us in our uncertainties today (Hebrews 10:12–14, 19–25).
There’s so much we don’t know about this crazy world, but if we fix our eyes on Jesus rather than social media and cable news, we’ll find hope, joy, and peace. Right now, Jesus is seated next to the Father, praying for us (Romans 8:34). How cool is that?!
Jesus is our Savior, but also our sanctifier, healer, and coming King. We have a hope. We have a future! We also have the Holy Spirit with us now to comfort, guide, and lead us.
Let me remind you again of what Jesus has done.
But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy. (Hebrews 10:12-14, NLT)
So What?
Jesus suffered for us. He died for us. He knows pain, storms, loss, grief, and uncertainty. He wants to be with us in the storms and the victories of life. It’s just a question of whether or not we will trust and follow Him.
I’ll let Hebrews wrap us up. It needs no explanation.
And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:19-22, NLT)
This is such good news!
Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. (Hebrews 10:23, NLT)
Amen! Here’s more…
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24, NLT)
There’s your homework for this week! Finally,
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. (Hebrews 10:25, NLT)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—40 Days of Prayer with The Alliance
Hebrews 2:10-18; 9:11-15; 10:12-14, 19-25
Series Big Idea: The aim of this 40-day focus is to fix our gaze on Jesus, remember who He is, what He has done, what He has given us to do, and what He will do in the future.
Big Idea: The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are an example for us to appreciate and follow.
Today we’re beginning week 2 of 40 Days of Prayer with The Alliance. Last week we talked about reawakening to the glory of Christ. We said you can seek your glory or God’s glory, but not both. I believe the reason the Church in America is so weak, anemic, asleep is that we try to sprinkle a little Jesus into our lives. If we just give God an hour on Sunday or a quick prayer before meals or like an Instagram post of a scripture or listen to a few Christian songs on the radio, we’ll experience a little more happiness in our lives.
NO! Jesus’ message was to die…so we can truly live. I think the reason so many Christians live miserable lives is because they’re still trying to be in control, do things their way, play the role of God. We must die first. We must pick up our cross daily and follow Jesus. Then we are ready to experience true joy, peace, and contentment. The resurrected life is infinitely greater than any tweaking or self-improvement of our sinful lives.
Speaking of resurrected life, today we’re jumping ahead to Holy Week. Our topic is reawakening to the Life, Death, & Resurrection of Christ. You’ve heard of Christmas in July? This is Easter in January! I’m thankful for Steve Grusendorf’s sermon outline as we fix our gaze on Jesus today.
If you’re uncomfortable with the idea of dying—and aren’t we all?!—remember Jesus set the perfect example for us. He never asks us to do anything he hasn’t already done for us. That’s what it means to follow someone, right?
Jesus isn’t looking for fans. He doesn’t need casual friends. He’s looking for followers, and he’s inviting you and me to follow him…daily. The challenge is Jesus is not safe…but he’s good!
Tragically, many have been told the lie that the safest place to be is the center of God’s will. It’s the most dangerous place to be…but also the most rewarding. If you remain close to Jesus, you will experience both death and resurrection more fully than if you’re just a spectator. Paul wrote to the church in Philippi,
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
There is no Easter without Good Friday.
There is no resurrection without a death.
There are no shortcuts for followers of Jesus. He wants all of you!
The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are an example for us to follow. This is NOT the American Dream! It’s not popular or politically correct. But it’s the greatest way to live. It’s the way to truly be human. It’s the pathway to true peace, hope, and joy.
I must admit God’s plan for us—for humanity—is not what I would’ve imagined. If I wanted to rescue the world from its sin and death, I probably would’ve tried to create something or someone to do the dirty work, to fight the battle, to pay the price. Instead, God sent His one and only son, Jesus, the uncreated one to not only die and resurrect, but also to live for more than three decades in our world, experiencing the same temptations, trials, triumphs, and tragedies we face every day.
I. Jesus lived with us so that He could relate to us in our uncertain lives. (Hebrews 2:10–18).
The writer of Hebrews describes it like this:
God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation. (Hebrews 2:10, NLT)
Not only were you made by God and for God, everything was made by God and for God…and He invites us into glory.
I was struck by the second sentence about Jesus’ suffering. In our culture, we will do just about anything to avoid suffering, yet in God’s vision, suffering has a purpose. God doesn’t waste anything! As a student of leadership, I’m fascinated by the link between suffering and leadership here. At its core, leadership is not about a title or position, but rather influence. Suffering was the preparation for Jesus’ mission…and I believe it’s true for all great leaders. Suffering reminds us of our weakness, of our dependency upon God. It forces us to slow down, reflect, get on our knees, and become passionate for God. It is never pleasant in the moment, but it often produces wonderful fruit in the lives of those seeking God’s glory above their own.
So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. For he said to God,
“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.
I will praise you among your assembled people.” (Hebrews 2:11-12, NLT)
If you are a follower of Jesus, he calls you a brother or sister. We have the same Father. Isn’t that amazing?!
He also said,
“I will put my trust in him,”
that is, “I and the children God has given me.” (Hebrews 2:13, NLT)
I find these to be words of intimacy, of relationship. Jesus truly is our big brother and he not only loves us, he proved it by going to the cross.
Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. (Hebrews 2:14a, NLT)
That’s the message of the incarnation. Jesus took on flesh. He became one of us.
For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. (Hebrews 2:14b-15, NLT)
Hallelujah! This is wonderful news!
We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. (Hebrews 2:16, NLT)
I love that!
Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:17, NLT)
What a plan! What a mission! What a God!
Let me say again to anyone out there who thinks you deserve to go to heaven when you die because you’re a good person, if you’re good enough—which requires perfection, by the way—it was foolish for Jesus to come, live, and die. Jesus even asked for Plan B when he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane,
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)
There’s one more verse in Hebrews chapter two we must not miss.
Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested. (Hebrews 2:18, NLT)
One of the most abused and sometimes offensive statements in our culture is, “I know how you feel.” Really? We can have empathy for others, but unless we’ve had a similar experience, we really don’t know. I don’t know what it’s like to give birth to a baby…but many of you ladies do! I don’t know what it’s like to break my collarbone…but some of you do. I do know what it’s like to have a sick child for years, to lose a parent, to be laid off from a job, to see a negative balance in the checkbook…and therefore I can help others in similar situations.
Our FAC family has lost several members in recent years to death. One person who lost a spouse told me they recently spoke to a widow in our congregation to offer a word of sympathy, comfort, and encouragement. They understand what it’s like! They can help others in a similar situation.
Jesus has gone through suffering, testing and temptation to help us in ours. He understands! He gets it! I know of no other religion or faith or philosophy with such connection, compassion, and comfort. Jesus can uniquely help us in our trials and temptations because He’s been here and done that!
Hebrews has much more to say about the death of Jesus and what it accomplished.
So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. 12 With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. (Hebrews 9:11-12, NLT)
The book of Hebrews has some significant connections with the book of Leviticus, including references to the Jewish sacrifices. Jed Ostoich notes,
“The argument in Exodus and Leviticus was simply that humans could reenter God’s presence in costly fashion. The argument of Hebrews is that Jesus paid that high cost and more.”
Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. (Hebrews 9:13, NLT)
Can you imagine life before Jesus?!
Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. (Hebrews 9:14, NLT)
Jesus is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (see John 1:29). He is the perfect sacrifice. God died for you! I still can hardly believe such love!
That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant. (Hebrews 9:15, NLT)
II. Jesus sacrificed Himself in order to secure our heavenly future (Hebrews 9:11–15).
Jesus’ death and resurrection make our future more certain than our present. Think about that for a moment! We don’t know when the pandemic will end or if the Walleye will win tonight, but our heavenly future is secure. We have a certain future which gives us hope in the present.
There are three types of people listening to me.
First, there are those who are investigating the claims of Jesus as LORD. I want to urge you to give your life to Jesus…today! He came to show us what it means to be human and demonstrated his genius through the greatest teachings in history. He died to prove his humanity and his love for you, offering to forgive your sins—past, present, and future. Then, as if that weren’t enough, he proved his deity by conquering death, rising from the dead, appearing to hundreds of people, ascending into heaven, and promising to return. What more could Jesus do to prove himself to you? Take it from me, Jesus is the greatest! He is everything to me! I have made him the leader of my life and I urge you to do the same, not for my sake but yours! His glory is magnificent. His grace is amazing. His love is unending. His mercies are new every morning. His faithfulness stretches to the skies. His kindness is beyond description, …I could go on all day!
Second, there are some of you who have experience the glory and wonder of Jesus and have said yes to his invitation to follow him. It’s not an easy life, but it’s an exciting one! The benefits will last for eternity, and there’s nothing in this world which satisfies like Jesus.
But there’s a third group and, honestly, I often find myself here. It’s the comfortable, casual, and familiar. It has been said that familiarity breeds contempt, and it’s so easy to think of this death and resurrection thing as yesterday’s news. It’s easy to forget the radical sacrifice of God himself for pillars of dust like you and me. This is why Jesus said, “Remember me.” It’s why we celebrate communion on the first Sunday of the month. It’s why we gather to sing, to give, to serve, to praise, to study, to worship.
We need to reawaken to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. I can’t do that for you, though I can encourage you. I can’t force it upon you, though I can invite you to experience it. Finally,
III. Jesus resurrected Himself in order that He might support us in our uncertainties today (Hebrews 10:12–14, 19–25).
There’s so much we don’t know about this crazy world, but if we fix our eyes on Jesus rather than social media and cable news, we’ll find hope, joy, and peace. Right now, Jesus is seated next to the Father, praying for us (Romans 8:34). How cool is that?!
Jesus is our Savior, but also our sanctifier, healer, and coming King. We have a hope. We have a future! We also have the Holy Spirit with us now to comfort, guide, and lead us.
Let me remind you again of what Jesus has done.
But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy. (Hebrews 10:12-14, NLT)
So What?
Jesus suffered for us. He died for us. He knows pain, storms, loss, grief, and uncertainty. He wants to be with us in the storms and the victories of life. It’s just a question of whether or not we will trust and follow Him.
I’ll let Hebrews wrap us up. It needs no explanation.
And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:19-22, NLT)
This is such good news!
Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. (Hebrews 10:23, NLT)
Amen! Here’s more…
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24, NLT)
There’s your homework for this week! Finally,
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. (Hebrews 10:25, NLT)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Reawakening to the Glory of Christ, 2 January 2022
02 01 22
Reawakening to the Glory of Christ
Series—40 Days of Prayer with The Alliance
Matthew 19:27-30; Exodus 20:3; Habakkuk 3:2
Series Big Idea: The aim of this 40-day focus is to fix our gaze on Jesus, remember who He is, what He has done, what He has given us to do, and what He will do in the future.
Big Idea: The bottom line of our mission is God’s glory, not ours.
What’s the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen, the most majestic, beautiful, splendid thing? Maybe it was a vibrant sunset, the birth of a child, the Grand Canyon, or a starry night away from the city. There are things so beautiful, so honorable, so incredible words can’t begin to describe them. You might say they are glorious.
Happy New Year!
We’re beginning 2022 on our knees…literally. Today we begin a series along with Christian & Missionary Alliance churches across the country. For the next forty days, we’re going to pray like never before. One of the Alliance Core Values says “Prayer is the primary work of God’s people.” For the next 40 Days we’re going to fix our gaze on Jesus, remember who He is, what He has done, what He has given us to do, and what He will do in the future. We often say around here it’s all about Jesus…not religion or rules or being perfect, but Jesus.
I’m frequently heartbroken when I hear the tragic stories of people walking away from the faith because of an abusive priest, a corrupt pastor, or other sins committed by so-called Christians. If that’s you, I’m deeply sorry. But no matter what has been done to you or those you love, I can assure you Jesus has never harmed you. In fact, he was harmed for you! We don’t worship tradition or even the Bible, but Jesus Christ who lived, died, and rose from the dead…for you and me. That’s amazing! That’s marvelous! That’s glorious!
Much of what I plan to say today I’ve said before, but it bears repeating…especially as we begin a new year. Much of what I plan to say is incredibly challenging…especially for me! So let’s begin with prayer!
The key word during these 40 Days is reawakening. It means to emerge or cause to emerge again; awaken again. I think that’s obvious looking at the word. It implies sleep or slumber followed by a renewal of an interest or feeling.
The late Keith Green penned these prophetic lyrics in his song Asleep in the Light:
Do you see, do you see all the people sinking down? Don't you care, don't you care are you gonna let them drown? How can you be so numb not to care if they come? You close your eyes and pretend the job's done Open up, open up and give yourself away You see the need, you hear the cries so how can you delay? God's calling and you're the one but like Jonah you run He's told you to speak but you keep holding it in Can't you see it's such a sin? The world is sleeping in the dark that the church just can't fight 'Cause it's asleep in the light How can you be so dead, when you've been so well fed Jesus rose from the grave and you, you can't even get out of bed
I believe the problem in our world today is not the world, but the Church. We can complain about the evil and darkness “out there,” but the world is simply acting like the world. The problem is the Church is, too! We’ve fallen for the idols of money, sex, pleasure, and power. We’ve become obsessed with our rights rather than loving others well. By many measures, the Church in the United States is dead…just like the world…filled with individualistic, narcissistic, consumeristic people who will do anything possible to be happy. If we’re not dead, we’re at least asleep, apathetic…maybe even pathetic!
We need an awakening! We need to wake up from our comfortable, selfish ways of living. [I’m sorry, hopefully I’m just preaching to myself!]
Perhaps you’ve heard of the Great Awakenings in our nation’s history. God used people like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield to wake up the lukewarm Christians, convict the godless, and stir the first of two major revivals in the US and England. The stories are remarkable. Christianity.com notes,
The Great Awakening in America in the 1730s and 1740s had tremendous results. The number of people in the church multiplied, and the lives of the converted manifested true Christian piety. Denominational barriers broke down as Christians of all persuasions worked together in the cause of the gospel. There was a renewed concern with missions, and work among the Indians increased. As more young men prepared for service as Christian ministers, a concern for higher education grew. Princeton, Rutgers, Brown, and Dartmouth universities were all established as a direct result of the Great Awakening. Some have even seen a connection between the Great Awakening and the American Revolution --Christians enjoying spiritual liberty in Christ would come to crave political liberty. The Great Awakening not only revived the American church but reinvigorated American society as well.
If I have one prayer for 2022, it’s that we would experience a spiritual awakening. By “we,” I mean First Alliance Church. I mean the Church of Toledo. I mean the USA. I mean our world. I’ve been praying for spiritual awakening for years, but I was especially hopeful when the pandemic began nearly two years ago. I thought the fear, sickness, death, uncertainty, and chaos of COVID-19 would be the perfect opportunity for the light of Jesus to shine through His Church, for His people to come together and unite to bless the unchurched, to offer faith, hope, and love to a desperate world.
Instead, …well, you know what happened. Tragically, the world sees the Church as part of the problem rather than part of the solution! I often go back to one fundamental question: do we look like Jesus? That’s what a Christian is! Does my life and yours look like Jesus? If not, we need to change our lives…or our label!
I don’t mean to beat up anyone—except perhaps myself—but I do want to acknowledge the state we’re in. It’s not good. I have four prayers I’ve been praying for years…direction, protection, unity, and passion. I want God to lead us. We need protection from the very real enemy who wants to steal, kill, and destroy. He loves to bring division—and he’s doing a very good job these days—which is why I specifically pray for unity (which was also Jesus’ prayer for us in John 17). Finally, I pray for passion, a hunger for God, a thirst for righteousness and justice, a zeal for the widow, the stranger, and the orphan. I long to see us known as the most humble, kind, generous, loving people on the planet!
I believe praying for awakening is the first step, but we can’t stop there. Prayer is not simply asking a genie for wishes. It’s so much more than talking to God. It’s even more than talking with God. Prayer is doing life with God. It’s relational, not religious. It’s about knowing and obeying God, trusting that He has a better vision for our lives than we could ever imagine. When it comes to spiritual awakening, I can pray, but I also need to take action.
There’s an old story about a man who prayed, “God, why don’t you feed the hungry people in the world?” to which God replied, “Sir, why don’t you feed the hungry people in the world?” We must pray for spiritual awakening, but we’ve also been invited to participate with God in His plan for the renewal of all things. In a famous interaction with Jesus,
Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?” (Matthew 19:27, NLT)
This is a classic, selfish, human response, isn’t it? What’s in it for me? What do I get out of the deal? Why should I follow you, Jesus? I want to do things my way!
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28, NIV)
I love that phrase “the renewal of all things” in the NIV translation. The original Greek word for renewal, paliggenesia, (pal-ing-ghen-es-ee-ah) is from two words:
paling, “again”
genesia, “beginning”
Jesus is speaking of the world made new, recreated. It’s not a picture of clouds in the sky, but all things being renewed, including our planet. Scripture refers to new heavens and a new earth (Is. 65:17, 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13; Rev. 21:1).
Jesus is saying a day is coming when there will be no more sickness, pain, viruses, political stalemates, violence, tears, hatred, homelessness, injustice, or apathy. Jesus will sit on his glorious throne, and for all followers of Jesus, it will be glorious! He invited his followers—and continues to invite his followers today—to participate with him in the renewal of all things.
And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. (Matthew 19:29, NLT)
Jesus is casting an eternal vision for them, saying if they truly surrender their lives to following Jesus, they will ultimately experience something truly remarkable…for eternity! It will be glorious! Then he utters these famous words:
But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then. (Matthew 19:30, NLT)
We all like that verse…until we are the ones going last! We like the idea of loving our enemies…until we have one to love. We all believe in the value of forgiveness…until there’s someone to forgive. What Jesus is really saying—and what his overall message was—is summarized in one, simple, three-letter word. I believe this is the secret to true satisfaction. It’s the pathway to meaning and purpose. It’s the way to experience the abundant life Jesus spoke of, and the most important step in following him. It’s a very unpopular word, but if you can grasp it, you will be able to not only experience reawakening and renewal in your life, it will be contagious for the benefit of others, too. If we can take this one step, it will change everything for us in 2022…and beyond. Are you ready?
Die!
Happy New Year! I know death is the one thing most of us avoid at all costs—except for those struggling with suicidal ideation (please call 800.273.8255). Of course, I’m not speaking of physical death. That will eventually happen for all of us. I’m speaking of dying to yourself.
I haven’t heard much about it recently, but there have been some court cases over the Ten Commandments and their placement in certain public places. We don’t have time to explore God’s Top Ten today except to say I struggle with the first one…every day! No, it’s not “thou shall not murder.” You can relax, it’s not “thou shall not steal.” It’s actually the first one:
“You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3)
I want to be God. I want to be in control. I want it my way. I want to be happy at all times and do whatever possible to avoid suffering and pain. But despite my ability to fool myself, I’ve recognized I’m not god! Hopefully you’ve come to the same realization about yourself! No offense! Here’s the mantra of my boss and dear friend, Rev. Thomas George, our District Superintendent:
You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
Most of you can probably accept that you were made by God. Even if you believe in certain types of evolution, every creation has a creator, and God the Artist created you in his image with dignity, value, and worth. For details, see Psalm 139.
You were made for God. That means you have a purpose, which is greater than your own desires. It’s not that God doesn’t want you to be happy, but His higher priority is for you to be holy, to be set apart, to trust and obey, not because He’s a control freak, but because Daddy knows best. His will and plans for you are far greater than anything you could imagine.
There have been numerous movies about robots taking over the world, somehow gaining enough intelligence to overrule their programming to cause destruction rather than assistance. If you had the ability to design a robot, how frightening would it be if it turned against you and did whatever it desired?
God has created us. He has designed us. Yet we’re not robots. He has given us free will, the ability to make choices. Just like I can’t make you love me, so God can’t make us love Him, obey Him, follow Him…but that’s His desire for us. There’s nothing God wants more than your heart. In fact, every commandment, rule, and law in the Bible was summarized by Jesus.
He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27)
That’s my new year’s resolution! But I’ve learned it’s not about trying harder. I can’t achieve it on my own strength. Even though spiritual practices such as prayer, Bible study, and fasting are useful tools, the first step is to die.
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)
I have the hardest time with the word “daily” here! I wish I could say a magical prayer, get a Get Out of Hell Free Card, and be done with it, but that’s not what it mean to follow Jesus. It means every day we are to pick up our cross…die to ourselves, our rights, our will…and follow Jesus.
The good news—the great news—is that following Jesus is the pathway to true greatness, true purpose, true meaning, true life. He’s not out to get you, but rather died to prove his love for you. The message of Christmas is that God became one of us, lived on our planet, showed us what it means to be human, gave everything for us, and shows us the pathway to enlightenment, wisdom, peace, freedom, hope, and joy. Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people come to life.
I know of no greater picture of this than baptism. Some churches sprinkle, which is fine, I guess, but the ancient tradition involves dunking a person completely in what is symbolically a water grave. They die to their old self, their sinful nature, and then are resurrected with Jesus, new life in Christ, recreated, reawakened. In one sense, we need to die daily…and be renewed daily.
To borrow a phrase, we need to let go and let God. Some of you have been trying so hard to be good, striving, and struggling. You can’t impress God. You can’t manipulate God. You certainly can’t compete with God. But you can love Him. You can let go and surrender. You can trust and obey. You can seek first His Kingdom rather than your pleasure.
You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
As long as you pursue your own glory, you’ll be frustrated. Despite what all of the self-help gurus want you to believe, it’s not all about you. It’s all about God! We need to reawaken to the glory of Jesus, and what a glory it is!
In the Old Testament, the word for glory is hod. It means splendor, majesty, beauty, vigor, authority. The prophet Habakkuk wrote,
LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy. (Habakkuk 3:2, NIV)
I can’t think of a more timely prayer…and that was written around the 7th century BC!
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
The bottom line of First Alliance Church’s mission statement is the glory of God.
As we begin this new year, I want to challenge you to make God’s glory your highest priority. It goes against everything the media and social media want you to believe. It is counter-cultural. It is radical. It is the true alternative lifestyle!
Yet I believe if we reawaken to the glory of Jesus rather than our own glory, it will transform our lives, it will transform this church, it might transform our city, and it could even change the world. Jesus said,
…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16, NIV)
You can seek your glory or God’s glory, but not both! What will you choose in 2022?
The Wonderful Cross (song)
O the wonderful cross bids me come and die and find that I may truly live
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—40 Days of Prayer with The Alliance
Matthew 19:27-30; Exodus 20:3; Habakkuk 3:2
Series Big Idea: The aim of this 40-day focus is to fix our gaze on Jesus, remember who He is, what He has done, what He has given us to do, and what He will do in the future.
Big Idea: The bottom line of our mission is God’s glory, not ours.
What’s the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen, the most majestic, beautiful, splendid thing? Maybe it was a vibrant sunset, the birth of a child, the Grand Canyon, or a starry night away from the city. There are things so beautiful, so honorable, so incredible words can’t begin to describe them. You might say they are glorious.
Happy New Year!
We’re beginning 2022 on our knees…literally. Today we begin a series along with Christian & Missionary Alliance churches across the country. For the next forty days, we’re going to pray like never before. One of the Alliance Core Values says “Prayer is the primary work of God’s people.” For the next 40 Days we’re going to fix our gaze on Jesus, remember who He is, what He has done, what He has given us to do, and what He will do in the future. We often say around here it’s all about Jesus…not religion or rules or being perfect, but Jesus.
I’m frequently heartbroken when I hear the tragic stories of people walking away from the faith because of an abusive priest, a corrupt pastor, or other sins committed by so-called Christians. If that’s you, I’m deeply sorry. But no matter what has been done to you or those you love, I can assure you Jesus has never harmed you. In fact, he was harmed for you! We don’t worship tradition or even the Bible, but Jesus Christ who lived, died, and rose from the dead…for you and me. That’s amazing! That’s marvelous! That’s glorious!
Much of what I plan to say today I’ve said before, but it bears repeating…especially as we begin a new year. Much of what I plan to say is incredibly challenging…especially for me! So let’s begin with prayer!
The key word during these 40 Days is reawakening. It means to emerge or cause to emerge again; awaken again. I think that’s obvious looking at the word. It implies sleep or slumber followed by a renewal of an interest or feeling.
The late Keith Green penned these prophetic lyrics in his song Asleep in the Light:
Do you see, do you see all the people sinking down? Don't you care, don't you care are you gonna let them drown? How can you be so numb not to care if they come? You close your eyes and pretend the job's done Open up, open up and give yourself away You see the need, you hear the cries so how can you delay? God's calling and you're the one but like Jonah you run He's told you to speak but you keep holding it in Can't you see it's such a sin? The world is sleeping in the dark that the church just can't fight 'Cause it's asleep in the light How can you be so dead, when you've been so well fed Jesus rose from the grave and you, you can't even get out of bed
I believe the problem in our world today is not the world, but the Church. We can complain about the evil and darkness “out there,” but the world is simply acting like the world. The problem is the Church is, too! We’ve fallen for the idols of money, sex, pleasure, and power. We’ve become obsessed with our rights rather than loving others well. By many measures, the Church in the United States is dead…just like the world…filled with individualistic, narcissistic, consumeristic people who will do anything possible to be happy. If we’re not dead, we’re at least asleep, apathetic…maybe even pathetic!
We need an awakening! We need to wake up from our comfortable, selfish ways of living. [I’m sorry, hopefully I’m just preaching to myself!]
Perhaps you’ve heard of the Great Awakenings in our nation’s history. God used people like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield to wake up the lukewarm Christians, convict the godless, and stir the first of two major revivals in the US and England. The stories are remarkable. Christianity.com notes,
The Great Awakening in America in the 1730s and 1740s had tremendous results. The number of people in the church multiplied, and the lives of the converted manifested true Christian piety. Denominational barriers broke down as Christians of all persuasions worked together in the cause of the gospel. There was a renewed concern with missions, and work among the Indians increased. As more young men prepared for service as Christian ministers, a concern for higher education grew. Princeton, Rutgers, Brown, and Dartmouth universities were all established as a direct result of the Great Awakening. Some have even seen a connection between the Great Awakening and the American Revolution --Christians enjoying spiritual liberty in Christ would come to crave political liberty. The Great Awakening not only revived the American church but reinvigorated American society as well.
If I have one prayer for 2022, it’s that we would experience a spiritual awakening. By “we,” I mean First Alliance Church. I mean the Church of Toledo. I mean the USA. I mean our world. I’ve been praying for spiritual awakening for years, but I was especially hopeful when the pandemic began nearly two years ago. I thought the fear, sickness, death, uncertainty, and chaos of COVID-19 would be the perfect opportunity for the light of Jesus to shine through His Church, for His people to come together and unite to bless the unchurched, to offer faith, hope, and love to a desperate world.
Instead, …well, you know what happened. Tragically, the world sees the Church as part of the problem rather than part of the solution! I often go back to one fundamental question: do we look like Jesus? That’s what a Christian is! Does my life and yours look like Jesus? If not, we need to change our lives…or our label!
I don’t mean to beat up anyone—except perhaps myself—but I do want to acknowledge the state we’re in. It’s not good. I have four prayers I’ve been praying for years…direction, protection, unity, and passion. I want God to lead us. We need protection from the very real enemy who wants to steal, kill, and destroy. He loves to bring division—and he’s doing a very good job these days—which is why I specifically pray for unity (which was also Jesus’ prayer for us in John 17). Finally, I pray for passion, a hunger for God, a thirst for righteousness and justice, a zeal for the widow, the stranger, and the orphan. I long to see us known as the most humble, kind, generous, loving people on the planet!
I believe praying for awakening is the first step, but we can’t stop there. Prayer is not simply asking a genie for wishes. It’s so much more than talking to God. It’s even more than talking with God. Prayer is doing life with God. It’s relational, not religious. It’s about knowing and obeying God, trusting that He has a better vision for our lives than we could ever imagine. When it comes to spiritual awakening, I can pray, but I also need to take action.
There’s an old story about a man who prayed, “God, why don’t you feed the hungry people in the world?” to which God replied, “Sir, why don’t you feed the hungry people in the world?” We must pray for spiritual awakening, but we’ve also been invited to participate with God in His plan for the renewal of all things. In a famous interaction with Jesus,
Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?” (Matthew 19:27, NLT)
This is a classic, selfish, human response, isn’t it? What’s in it for me? What do I get out of the deal? Why should I follow you, Jesus? I want to do things my way!
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28, NIV)
I love that phrase “the renewal of all things” in the NIV translation. The original Greek word for renewal, paliggenesia, (pal-ing-ghen-es-ee-ah) is from two words:
paling, “again”
genesia, “beginning”
Jesus is speaking of the world made new, recreated. It’s not a picture of clouds in the sky, but all things being renewed, including our planet. Scripture refers to new heavens and a new earth (Is. 65:17, 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13; Rev. 21:1).
Jesus is saying a day is coming when there will be no more sickness, pain, viruses, political stalemates, violence, tears, hatred, homelessness, injustice, or apathy. Jesus will sit on his glorious throne, and for all followers of Jesus, it will be glorious! He invited his followers—and continues to invite his followers today—to participate with him in the renewal of all things.
And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. (Matthew 19:29, NLT)
Jesus is casting an eternal vision for them, saying if they truly surrender their lives to following Jesus, they will ultimately experience something truly remarkable…for eternity! It will be glorious! Then he utters these famous words:
But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then. (Matthew 19:30, NLT)
We all like that verse…until we are the ones going last! We like the idea of loving our enemies…until we have one to love. We all believe in the value of forgiveness…until there’s someone to forgive. What Jesus is really saying—and what his overall message was—is summarized in one, simple, three-letter word. I believe this is the secret to true satisfaction. It’s the pathway to meaning and purpose. It’s the way to experience the abundant life Jesus spoke of, and the most important step in following him. It’s a very unpopular word, but if you can grasp it, you will be able to not only experience reawakening and renewal in your life, it will be contagious for the benefit of others, too. If we can take this one step, it will change everything for us in 2022…and beyond. Are you ready?
Die!
Happy New Year! I know death is the one thing most of us avoid at all costs—except for those struggling with suicidal ideation (please call 800.273.8255). Of course, I’m not speaking of physical death. That will eventually happen for all of us. I’m speaking of dying to yourself.
I haven’t heard much about it recently, but there have been some court cases over the Ten Commandments and their placement in certain public places. We don’t have time to explore God’s Top Ten today except to say I struggle with the first one…every day! No, it’s not “thou shall not murder.” You can relax, it’s not “thou shall not steal.” It’s actually the first one:
“You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3)
I want to be God. I want to be in control. I want it my way. I want to be happy at all times and do whatever possible to avoid suffering and pain. But despite my ability to fool myself, I’ve recognized I’m not god! Hopefully you’ve come to the same realization about yourself! No offense! Here’s the mantra of my boss and dear friend, Rev. Thomas George, our District Superintendent:
You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
Most of you can probably accept that you were made by God. Even if you believe in certain types of evolution, every creation has a creator, and God the Artist created you in his image with dignity, value, and worth. For details, see Psalm 139.
You were made for God. That means you have a purpose, which is greater than your own desires. It’s not that God doesn’t want you to be happy, but His higher priority is for you to be holy, to be set apart, to trust and obey, not because He’s a control freak, but because Daddy knows best. His will and plans for you are far greater than anything you could imagine.
There have been numerous movies about robots taking over the world, somehow gaining enough intelligence to overrule their programming to cause destruction rather than assistance. If you had the ability to design a robot, how frightening would it be if it turned against you and did whatever it desired?
God has created us. He has designed us. Yet we’re not robots. He has given us free will, the ability to make choices. Just like I can’t make you love me, so God can’t make us love Him, obey Him, follow Him…but that’s His desire for us. There’s nothing God wants more than your heart. In fact, every commandment, rule, and law in the Bible was summarized by Jesus.
He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27)
That’s my new year’s resolution! But I’ve learned it’s not about trying harder. I can’t achieve it on my own strength. Even though spiritual practices such as prayer, Bible study, and fasting are useful tools, the first step is to die.
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)
I have the hardest time with the word “daily” here! I wish I could say a magical prayer, get a Get Out of Hell Free Card, and be done with it, but that’s not what it mean to follow Jesus. It means every day we are to pick up our cross…die to ourselves, our rights, our will…and follow Jesus.
The good news—the great news—is that following Jesus is the pathway to true greatness, true purpose, true meaning, true life. He’s not out to get you, but rather died to prove his love for you. The message of Christmas is that God became one of us, lived on our planet, showed us what it means to be human, gave everything for us, and shows us the pathway to enlightenment, wisdom, peace, freedom, hope, and joy. Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people come to life.
I know of no greater picture of this than baptism. Some churches sprinkle, which is fine, I guess, but the ancient tradition involves dunking a person completely in what is symbolically a water grave. They die to their old self, their sinful nature, and then are resurrected with Jesus, new life in Christ, recreated, reawakened. In one sense, we need to die daily…and be renewed daily.
To borrow a phrase, we need to let go and let God. Some of you have been trying so hard to be good, striving, and struggling. You can’t impress God. You can’t manipulate God. You certainly can’t compete with God. But you can love Him. You can let go and surrender. You can trust and obey. You can seek first His Kingdom rather than your pleasure.
You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
As long as you pursue your own glory, you’ll be frustrated. Despite what all of the self-help gurus want you to believe, it’s not all about you. It’s all about God! We need to reawaken to the glory of Jesus, and what a glory it is!
In the Old Testament, the word for glory is hod. It means splendor, majesty, beauty, vigor, authority. The prophet Habakkuk wrote,
LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy. (Habakkuk 3:2, NIV)
I can’t think of a more timely prayer…and that was written around the 7th century BC!
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
The bottom line of First Alliance Church’s mission statement is the glory of God.
As we begin this new year, I want to challenge you to make God’s glory your highest priority. It goes against everything the media and social media want you to believe. It is counter-cultural. It is radical. It is the true alternative lifestyle!
Yet I believe if we reawaken to the glory of Jesus rather than our own glory, it will transform our lives, it will transform this church, it might transform our city, and it could even change the world. Jesus said,
…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16, NIV)
You can seek your glory or God’s glory, but not both! What will you choose in 2022?
The Wonderful Cross (song)
O the wonderful cross bids me come and die and find that I may truly live
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Joy to the World , 12 December 2021
08 12 21
Joy to the World
Series—Carols
Luke 2:8-11; Psalm 96:9-13; Psalm 98
Series Big Idea: Carols are the soundtrack of the season as we celebrate Advent.
Big Idea: Baby Jesus brought joy to the world, and his life continues to transform lives today.
Joy to the world! It’s one of my favorite Christmas carols. It’s hard to sing it with a frown on your face! It has a certain energy, a simple melody, and positive, uplifting lyrics. Are you joyful…and triumphant?
Today is week three of Advent and our Advent series, Carols. In the first two weeks, we looked at two somewhat obscure songs. In contrast, today’s carol, Joy to the World, is the most-published Christmas hymn in North America! It was written in 1719 by an English hymnwriter and minister named Isaac Watts and the music comes from an 1848 arrangement by American Lowell Mason (side note: the first four notes are identical to those in “Lift up your heads” from Handel’s Messiah). While we’re giving credits, Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, and Matt Gilder wrote the modern chorus we sang earlier.
The theme of the carol is obviously…joy. What exactly is joy…and how does the world experience it? We’re about to find out!
In today’s scripture reading from the second chapter of Luke, an angel delivered a message to terrified shepherds who were watching their flocks at night.
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:10b-11)
The announcement stated the good news would cause “great” joy…for all the people. Let’s unpack this.
First, “good news.” The original Greek word is euaggelizo (yoo-ang-ghel-id’-zo) which means to announce good news (“evangelize”) especially the gospel. It’s to declare/bring/show glad or good tidings, to preach the gospel, which means “good news.”
Today in church circles, there’s a lot of discussion about the gospel, what it is and what it isn’t. In three words, I believe the gospel is, “Jesus is LORD.” That’s good news. It’s great news if you understand who Jesus is, and what a thrill it is to call him not just Savior, but LORD, Master, King, the Boss! There are some today who say the gospel is about praying a prayer so you can go to heaven when you die, but nobody in the early church would’ve thought that at all. It doesn’t begin with me, but with Jesus.
The gospel is good news, which could vary from person to person, right? Think back to that football game a few weeks ago! But in this case, the gospel is good news for all people.
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:10b-11)
The angel said, “…great joy for all the people.” That’s tremendously important.
The Jewish people were known as God’s chosen people, so much so that they copped an attitude toward Gentiles, those who were not Jewish. I think it’s incredible how God used the Jewish Messiah to cause great joy for all the people, all nations. Jesus was not an American! I don’t think he was white, he didn’t speak English, and he certainly wasn’t born into wealth, freedom, or power.
Speaking of which, I don’t want to miss the shepherds in this story. They were, after all, the ones to whom the angel spoke. They were lowly caretakers of lambs and considered untrustworthy and ceremonially unclean because of their work. Yet their lambs would be used for temple sacrifices in Jerusalem. Dr. Tony Evans notes,
The shepherds were responsible for making sure that newborn lambs had no defects since the sacrificial animals had to be without spot or wrinkle. So the shepherds would tightly wrap the lambs in cloth to keep them from becoming blemished and injuring themselves. This explains why Luke makes the point that Jesus was wrapped tightly in cloth, since at his birth he was the sinless Lamb of God whose substitutionary sacrifice would take away the sin of the entire world (see John 1:29; 2 Cor 5:21; 1 Pet 1:19-20; 1 John 2:2).
Virtually everything about the arrival of King Jesus was the opposite of any other royal birth. God has a special place in His heart for the outcasts, the stranger, the widow, the poor, the orphan. I hope this is an encouragement to many of you…even those of you who consider yourselves average, normal, unremarkable. God sees you. If you’re in the sanctuary this morning, I see you! You matter. You belong here. Your life has meaning and a purpose. You were created in the image of the Almighty with dignity, value, and worth. Next Sunday evening, the kids will sing,
Good News for to the poor!
Good News for the broken hearts!
Good News for the captives.
Good News for those who cry!
That’s all of us, family! We’re all captives to sin. We’ve all experienced pain, suffering, and broken hearts. We’ve all been poor, if not financially, then emotionally, spiritually, relationally. This is one of the things I love about our faith…it’s for everyone! Young, old, rich, poor, immigrant, refugee, black, brown, peach, American, Asian, African, European, male, female, …everyone!
Some have called Christian an exclusive religion. Jesus did say,
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
But the gift, Jesus, is inclusive. He came for everyone, yet many have refused to accept the gift. No gift is truly yours until you take it. If I sent you a brand new Apple Watch and you left it in your mailbox, it’s really not yours. Jesus is the gospel, the good news. Jesus is LORD is good news…for all people! We don’t have to wallow in our fear, shame, addictions, habits, insecurities, anxiety, or depression. Jesus came to give us life, freedom, hope, peace, love, and joy!
That’s the word of the day, so what does it really mean? We often compare and contrast it with happiness. After all, Thomas Jefferson said we have the right to the pursuit of happiness…right?! As a culture, we obsess about happiness, doing whatever makes us happy and avoiding anything that would involve pain, suffering, inconvenience, or sacrifice. Sheryl Crow even had a hit song years ago singing, “If it makes you happy.” In a culture where truth is what I feel and I have to feel good and happy, people are making some crazy choices. Add the trauma of the multiple crises in our land and it’s understandable why everyone seems to be on edge, stressed, anxious, and fearful.
Don’t get me wrong, I love to be happy, but it was never God’s design that our ultimate pursuit be happiness. That would make it an idol. Our ultimate pursuit should be the LORD and His glory.
The original Greek word for joy in our text, chara (khar-ah), means joy (of course), calm delight, cheerfulness, gladness, and in some cases “greatly joyful.” Joy is a part of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians chapter 5. It’s used throughout the book of Philippians by Paul who—despite being in prison—is filled with joy.
It is possible to have inner joy in the midst of external suffering…and we need to express sadness, anger, and other negative emotions. Even in the midst of trials, we can experience hope and strength through the joy of the LORD (Nehemiah 8:10). I think the most amazing verse about joy speaks of Jesus’ purpose in becoming Emmanuel, God with us. The writer of the book of Hebrews says,
For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2b)
I don’t think Jesus was happy hanging on a cross, but even during the crucifixion, he had hope. He chose joy. He knew there was more to his story. He was obedient and faithful to the Father and had you and me in mind when he endured the cross.
Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
The birth of Jesus never made CNN, FOX News, or Facebook, but eventually word would spread that the Messiah, the LORD had come, had arrived.
Let Earth receive her King;
Jesus is not merely the King or Rome or England or Scotland, but the King of the Earth! He is the King of kings and the LORD of lords. He rules and reigns, and though he is allowing satan this season to be the prince of this world, the King is coming back soon!
Let every heart prepare him room,
We talked about this last Sunday, making room in our hearts—and calendar, budgets, minds, and lives—for Jesus. I failed to mention last week how this is a struggle for me, too. I wrestle with busyness, to-do lists, distractions, and temptations which keep me from fully abiding and remaining with Jesus. Whenever I slip into fear instead of faith, I’m not making room. Whenever I think I selfishly deserve something rather than seeking to steward my many blessings, I’m not making room. Whenever I do things my way rather than seeking first His Kingdom, I’m not making room. I’m a living example of someone trying to follow Jesus, but I’m not a perfect example.
Is there room in your heart and life for Jesus?
Unfortunately, two thousand years later, billions of people still haven’t heard about the birth of Jesus, the death of Jesus, the resurrection of Jesus, or anything about Jesus! They are living in darkness, hopeless and lost. We’re on a mission to make disciples, to restore God’s masterpieces, to proclaim the gospel, the good news, that Jesus is LORD.
And what’s the natural response of those who have encountered the joy of Jesus?
And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
I love these verses from Psalm 96:
9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.”
The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.
11 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
12 Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
13 Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes,
he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples in his faithfulness. (Psalm 96:9-13)
He rules the world with truth and grace. King Jesus is LORD of all creatures, heaven and earth, land and sea. No wonder we are commanded to sing in Psalm 98:
Psa. 98:1 Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
2 The LORD has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
3 He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
4 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
5 make music to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
shout for joy before the LORD, the King.
7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
9 let them sing before the LORD,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity. (Psalm 98:1-9)
That’s good news. That’s joy-inducing truth. That’s something worth telling on the mountain and everywhere!
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:10b-11)
The last verse of Joy to the World declares,
He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love, And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders, of His love.
King Jesus rules.
King Jesus reigns.
King Jesus loves.
King Jesus lives.
Let’s receive our King this Christmas…and spread joy to the world!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Carols
Luke 2:8-11; Psalm 96:9-13; Psalm 98
Series Big Idea: Carols are the soundtrack of the season as we celebrate Advent.
Big Idea: Baby Jesus brought joy to the world, and his life continues to transform lives today.
Joy to the world! It’s one of my favorite Christmas carols. It’s hard to sing it with a frown on your face! It has a certain energy, a simple melody, and positive, uplifting lyrics. Are you joyful…and triumphant?
Today is week three of Advent and our Advent series, Carols. In the first two weeks, we looked at two somewhat obscure songs. In contrast, today’s carol, Joy to the World, is the most-published Christmas hymn in North America! It was written in 1719 by an English hymnwriter and minister named Isaac Watts and the music comes from an 1848 arrangement by American Lowell Mason (side note: the first four notes are identical to those in “Lift up your heads” from Handel’s Messiah). While we’re giving credits, Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, and Matt Gilder wrote the modern chorus we sang earlier.
The theme of the carol is obviously…joy. What exactly is joy…and how does the world experience it? We’re about to find out!
In today’s scripture reading from the second chapter of Luke, an angel delivered a message to terrified shepherds who were watching their flocks at night.
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:10b-11)
The announcement stated the good news would cause “great” joy…for all the people. Let’s unpack this.
First, “good news.” The original Greek word is euaggelizo (yoo-ang-ghel-id’-zo) which means to announce good news (“evangelize”) especially the gospel. It’s to declare/bring/show glad or good tidings, to preach the gospel, which means “good news.”
Today in church circles, there’s a lot of discussion about the gospel, what it is and what it isn’t. In three words, I believe the gospel is, “Jesus is LORD.” That’s good news. It’s great news if you understand who Jesus is, and what a thrill it is to call him not just Savior, but LORD, Master, King, the Boss! There are some today who say the gospel is about praying a prayer so you can go to heaven when you die, but nobody in the early church would’ve thought that at all. It doesn’t begin with me, but with Jesus.
The gospel is good news, which could vary from person to person, right? Think back to that football game a few weeks ago! But in this case, the gospel is good news for all people.
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:10b-11)
The angel said, “…great joy for all the people.” That’s tremendously important.
The Jewish people were known as God’s chosen people, so much so that they copped an attitude toward Gentiles, those who were not Jewish. I think it’s incredible how God used the Jewish Messiah to cause great joy for all the people, all nations. Jesus was not an American! I don’t think he was white, he didn’t speak English, and he certainly wasn’t born into wealth, freedom, or power.
Speaking of which, I don’t want to miss the shepherds in this story. They were, after all, the ones to whom the angel spoke. They were lowly caretakers of lambs and considered untrustworthy and ceremonially unclean because of their work. Yet their lambs would be used for temple sacrifices in Jerusalem. Dr. Tony Evans notes,
The shepherds were responsible for making sure that newborn lambs had no defects since the sacrificial animals had to be without spot or wrinkle. So the shepherds would tightly wrap the lambs in cloth to keep them from becoming blemished and injuring themselves. This explains why Luke makes the point that Jesus was wrapped tightly in cloth, since at his birth he was the sinless Lamb of God whose substitutionary sacrifice would take away the sin of the entire world (see John 1:29; 2 Cor 5:21; 1 Pet 1:19-20; 1 John 2:2).
Virtually everything about the arrival of King Jesus was the opposite of any other royal birth. God has a special place in His heart for the outcasts, the stranger, the widow, the poor, the orphan. I hope this is an encouragement to many of you…even those of you who consider yourselves average, normal, unremarkable. God sees you. If you’re in the sanctuary this morning, I see you! You matter. You belong here. Your life has meaning and a purpose. You were created in the image of the Almighty with dignity, value, and worth. Next Sunday evening, the kids will sing,
Good News for to the poor!
Good News for the broken hearts!
Good News for the captives.
Good News for those who cry!
That’s all of us, family! We’re all captives to sin. We’ve all experienced pain, suffering, and broken hearts. We’ve all been poor, if not financially, then emotionally, spiritually, relationally. This is one of the things I love about our faith…it’s for everyone! Young, old, rich, poor, immigrant, refugee, black, brown, peach, American, Asian, African, European, male, female, …everyone!
Some have called Christian an exclusive religion. Jesus did say,
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
But the gift, Jesus, is inclusive. He came for everyone, yet many have refused to accept the gift. No gift is truly yours until you take it. If I sent you a brand new Apple Watch and you left it in your mailbox, it’s really not yours. Jesus is the gospel, the good news. Jesus is LORD is good news…for all people! We don’t have to wallow in our fear, shame, addictions, habits, insecurities, anxiety, or depression. Jesus came to give us life, freedom, hope, peace, love, and joy!
That’s the word of the day, so what does it really mean? We often compare and contrast it with happiness. After all, Thomas Jefferson said we have the right to the pursuit of happiness…right?! As a culture, we obsess about happiness, doing whatever makes us happy and avoiding anything that would involve pain, suffering, inconvenience, or sacrifice. Sheryl Crow even had a hit song years ago singing, “If it makes you happy.” In a culture where truth is what I feel and I have to feel good and happy, people are making some crazy choices. Add the trauma of the multiple crises in our land and it’s understandable why everyone seems to be on edge, stressed, anxious, and fearful.
Don’t get me wrong, I love to be happy, but it was never God’s design that our ultimate pursuit be happiness. That would make it an idol. Our ultimate pursuit should be the LORD and His glory.
The original Greek word for joy in our text, chara (khar-ah), means joy (of course), calm delight, cheerfulness, gladness, and in some cases “greatly joyful.” Joy is a part of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians chapter 5. It’s used throughout the book of Philippians by Paul who—despite being in prison—is filled with joy.
It is possible to have inner joy in the midst of external suffering…and we need to express sadness, anger, and other negative emotions. Even in the midst of trials, we can experience hope and strength through the joy of the LORD (Nehemiah 8:10). I think the most amazing verse about joy speaks of Jesus’ purpose in becoming Emmanuel, God with us. The writer of the book of Hebrews says,
For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2b)
I don’t think Jesus was happy hanging on a cross, but even during the crucifixion, he had hope. He chose joy. He knew there was more to his story. He was obedient and faithful to the Father and had you and me in mind when he endured the cross.
Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
The birth of Jesus never made CNN, FOX News, or Facebook, but eventually word would spread that the Messiah, the LORD had come, had arrived.
Let Earth receive her King;
Jesus is not merely the King or Rome or England or Scotland, but the King of the Earth! He is the King of kings and the LORD of lords. He rules and reigns, and though he is allowing satan this season to be the prince of this world, the King is coming back soon!
Let every heart prepare him room,
We talked about this last Sunday, making room in our hearts—and calendar, budgets, minds, and lives—for Jesus. I failed to mention last week how this is a struggle for me, too. I wrestle with busyness, to-do lists, distractions, and temptations which keep me from fully abiding and remaining with Jesus. Whenever I slip into fear instead of faith, I’m not making room. Whenever I think I selfishly deserve something rather than seeking to steward my many blessings, I’m not making room. Whenever I do things my way rather than seeking first His Kingdom, I’m not making room. I’m a living example of someone trying to follow Jesus, but I’m not a perfect example.
Is there room in your heart and life for Jesus?
Unfortunately, two thousand years later, billions of people still haven’t heard about the birth of Jesus, the death of Jesus, the resurrection of Jesus, or anything about Jesus! They are living in darkness, hopeless and lost. We’re on a mission to make disciples, to restore God’s masterpieces, to proclaim the gospel, the good news, that Jesus is LORD.
And what’s the natural response of those who have encountered the joy of Jesus?
And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
I love these verses from Psalm 96:
9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.”
The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.
11 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
12 Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
13 Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes,
he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples in his faithfulness. (Psalm 96:9-13)
He rules the world with truth and grace. King Jesus is LORD of all creatures, heaven and earth, land and sea. No wonder we are commanded to sing in Psalm 98:
Psa. 98:1 Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
2 The LORD has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
3 He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
4 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
5 make music to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
shout for joy before the LORD, the King.
7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
9 let them sing before the LORD,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity. (Psalm 98:1-9)
That’s good news. That’s joy-inducing truth. That’s something worth telling on the mountain and everywhere!
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:10b-11)
The last verse of Joy to the World declares,
He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love, And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders, of His love.
King Jesus rules.
King Jesus reigns.
King Jesus loves.
King Jesus lives.
Let’s receive our King this Christmas…and spread joy to the world!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne, 5 December 2021
05 12 21
Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne
Series—Carols
Luke 2:1-7
Series Big Idea: Carols are the soundtrack of the season as we celebrate Advent.
Big Idea: Is there room in your life for the One who made room in his life for you?
I can remember it like it was yesterday. My wife and daughters flew from Detroit to Seattle on a red-eye which was delayed. It must’ve been around 3 AM when I drove our rental car to the hotel I had reserved—with a credit card—eager to catch some much-needed sleep before our two-hour drive to visit friends. I walked to the front desk to check-in when the person at the front desk said the two words no weary traveler wants to hear:
NO ROOM
I was shocked! After all, I had reserved a room! I had made payment—or at least a deposit—on a room. I was tired and cranky and I needed a room, not only for myself but my ladies. When I appealed, I was told
NO ROOM
What do you mean, no room? Surely you’ve got some place we can rest! I was told a room might be available around 10 AM if I wanted to check in for the next day and night. I didn’t need a room in seven hours! I needed one now!
Have you ever felt stuck between a rock and a hard place? I literally had no idea what to do at 3 in the morning on the other side of the country with a wife and two little girls, knowing our friends weren’t expecting us until 9 AM…six hours later. Did I mention I was tired and cranky?!
NO ROOM
Have you ever had a similar experience? Maybe it was trying to find a seat on the bus, a concert ticket, registering for a college class, or simply a parking spot.
NO ROOM
How did it make you feel?
Today we’re continuing our Advent series, Carols. We actually begin it last year at Christmastime and this year we have four new songs we’re examining. Actually, they’re not new, but rather quite old! Last week Mykel preached a great sermon based upon the theme of The People that in Darkness Sat. Today we’re exploring the scriptures behind the carol Thou Did’st Leave Thy Throne. The Shakespearean-sounding title alerts us that it’s hardly a new song, yet its lyrics are timeless.
Thou didst leave thy throne and thy kingly crown
So begins this carol. It’s obviously speaking of Jesus, the King of kings. What would cause a king to leave his throne? Why would a king set aside his crown? Even though we’re quite unfamiliar with royalty—aside from the occasional gossip from England—the idea of a king stepping down seems remarkable. After all, many lust for power and will do just about anything to obtain it…or keep it. Yet our own nation’s history contains a brilliant account of one choosing to give up power.
George Washington faithfully served the United States until his resignation on December 23, 1783. When asked what Washington would do, King George III was told Washington would return to his farm, leading the king to famously declare, “If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world.”
It takes a great person to willingly surrender power, and one even greater than Washington stepped down from a far greater position. As we sang last week,
Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness
We could say, “Creator of the universe, You left heaven’s splendor to spend thirty-three years on this beautiful yet broken planet.”
Thou didst leave thy throne and thy kingly crown
Why? Did have nothing better to do? Was he bored with the entertainment options in heaven? Did Jesus get into an argument with the Father and the Holy Spirit and need a break?! Hardly!
Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown, When Thou camest to earth for me
YOU are the reason Jesus left his throne! He came to earth for YOU! He made a special, rather-lengthy trip for YOU! What amazing love!
How far have you ever traveled for another person? We drove about twelve hours each way to visit family over Thanksgiving. That was a lot of time, gas, and effort to see my grandma, aunt, uncle, and my sister’s family, but it’s nothing like the journey Jesus made from heaven to earth. I know the story is familiar to most of you, but imagine making such a journey and hearing those two awful words
NO ROOM
But in Bethlehem's home was there found no room For Thy holy nativity.
Nativity simply refers to the birth of Jesus described in the gospels or “good news” of Matthew and Luke. Speaking of Mary, the New King James Version says,
And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7, NKJV)
NO ROOM
It’s worth noting they were not trying to get a room at the Holiday Inn! There are many myths and misunderstandings that have developed over the years about the birth of Jesus, not the least of which is this reference to an inn. The New Living Translation says, “There was no lodging available for them” and the NIV says, “There was no guest room available for them.”
Back in the day, people would live upstairs with animals on the ground floor. Although a manger is present, no animals are mentioned by Dr. Luke. The significance of the manger may not be much aside from it being a signpost given by the angel (a few verses later) to help the shepherds identify the Messiah.
To understand what’s happening, we need to go back to the beginning of this chapter.
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. (Luke 2:1-3)
Every fourteen years, Rome took a census for tax and military purposes. Each Jewish male had to return to his father’s city. Imagine doing that today! It helps explain why the house was full, forcing the couple and their newborn downstairs.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:4-7)
NO ROOM
Joseph and Mary had traveled about ninety miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem…without a DVD player, a heater, or even a car! Imagine walking from here to the Cleveland airport. How imagine you arrive and you’re told
NO ROOM
Did I mention Mary was nine months pregnant? And that being an unwed mother was not exactly politically or socially correct?
I know God had His reasons, but the birth of Jesus has got to be one of the most unusual, counter-intuitive plans of the Almighty. Kings are born in palaces…or at least hospitals. What am I saying?! Kings don’t leave their thrones! Nobody chooses to be born on our planet, right?
Emily Elizabeth Steele Elliott (1836-1897) was born in Brighton, England. She was the daughter of an Anglican clergyman and the niece of Charlotte Elliott (1789-1871), the author of the famous hymn, “Just as I am.”
Emily published a collection of 48 hymns called Under the Pillow for those sick in hospitals, infirmaries, or at home. She wrote, “Thou didst leave thy throne” separately, however, to help children understand the meaning of the nativity—the birth of Christ—and Advent, this season of expectant waiting. After explaining the rejection of Jesus’ parents, she contrasts it with her own treatment of the Messiah.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, There is room in my heart for Thee. Is there room in your heart for Jesus? You all know the right answer, especially on Sunday morning, but be honest. Is there room in your heart for Jesus? Is there room in your life for Jesus? Is there room in your calendar for Jesus?
It seems as though most in our culture are quite used to saying
NO ROOM
At an hour in which the majority of people in our land were once gathered to worship the LORD, many are comfortable…in bed, on social media, watching tv, putting up Christmas decorations, or buying stuff. Several so-called experts have said a “regular church attendee” shows up once a month. Once a month! They can’t even make room for God for an hour a week. Can one hour a month be considered devotion?
Of course, I’m not saying church attendance is the gauge for making room in your heart for Jesus. Far from it! If anything, it’s simply the public expression of one’s faith on a regular basis. I’m obviously preaching to the choir since you’re listening to me, but
Is there room in your heart for Jesus?
Is there room tomorrow? Is there room throughout this week? Is there room throughout Advent…and beyond?
That’s asking a lot, right? Hardly! Jesus was asked later in the book of Luke what must be done to inherit eternal life.
He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27)
That’s a lot! Jesus doesn’t want an hour on Sunday. He wants all of you! All your heart…soul, strength, and mind. He wants you to love others—even your enemies—as yourself. He wants nothing less than everything. All of you. Why? Because that’s what he gave you…all of himself. King Jesus left his throne for you. That’s not a half-hearted move. It’s not a passive, if it’s convenient maneuver. He gave everything for you…and he asks the same in return.
Earlier we sang,
Heaven's arches rang
When the angels sang
Proclaiming Thy royal degree
But in lowly birth
Didst Thou come to earth
And in great humility
He came in the most humble way possible…and stayed there. Paul wrote,
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)
One time Jesus told a potential follower,
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Luke 9:58)
In other words, following Jesus offers no guarantees of a comfortable life…or even a roof over your head. This is surely what inspired verse three of our carol.
The foxes found rest
And the birds their nest
In the shade of the forest tree
But Thy couch was the sod
O Thou Son of God
In the deserts of Galilee
Our selfish, narcissistic culture seems to base everything around one question: how does it make me feel? If it makes me feel good, it must be true. If it requires any discomfort, any sacrifice, any inconvenience, any pain, it must be rejected.
I’m so glad Jesus didn’t take that approach. We would all be hopeless in a world of money, pleasure, and power-grabbing individuals with little regard for others.
Last week, Mykel asked why we celebrate Christmas. After all, the death and the resurrection are the highlight reel of Jesus’ life. Yet it all began with a baby in a manger, no crib for his bed.
Today we not only look at his birth, we consider in verse four his mission.
Thou camest O Lord
With the living word
That should set Thy people free
But with mocking scorn
And with crown of thorn
They bore Thee to Calvary
COMMUNION
The story of Jesus is not over. Far from it! Do you know how long eternity lasts?! Today in this season of Advent we remember those who waited expectedly for the Messiah about two thousand years ago. We also wait expectedly for his promised return.
When the heavens shall ring
And the angels sing
At Thy coming to victory
Let Thy voice call me home
Saying yet there is room
There is room at My side for thee
Is there room in your heart—in your life—for Jesus? He made room in his life for you.
Recommended resource: Make Room by Jonathan McReynolds
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Carols
Luke 2:1-7
Series Big Idea: Carols are the soundtrack of the season as we celebrate Advent.
Big Idea: Is there room in your life for the One who made room in his life for you?
I can remember it like it was yesterday. My wife and daughters flew from Detroit to Seattle on a red-eye which was delayed. It must’ve been around 3 AM when I drove our rental car to the hotel I had reserved—with a credit card—eager to catch some much-needed sleep before our two-hour drive to visit friends. I walked to the front desk to check-in when the person at the front desk said the two words no weary traveler wants to hear:
NO ROOM
I was shocked! After all, I had reserved a room! I had made payment—or at least a deposit—on a room. I was tired and cranky and I needed a room, not only for myself but my ladies. When I appealed, I was told
NO ROOM
What do you mean, no room? Surely you’ve got some place we can rest! I was told a room might be available around 10 AM if I wanted to check in for the next day and night. I didn’t need a room in seven hours! I needed one now!
Have you ever felt stuck between a rock and a hard place? I literally had no idea what to do at 3 in the morning on the other side of the country with a wife and two little girls, knowing our friends weren’t expecting us until 9 AM…six hours later. Did I mention I was tired and cranky?!
NO ROOM
Have you ever had a similar experience? Maybe it was trying to find a seat on the bus, a concert ticket, registering for a college class, or simply a parking spot.
NO ROOM
How did it make you feel?
Today we’re continuing our Advent series, Carols. We actually begin it last year at Christmastime and this year we have four new songs we’re examining. Actually, they’re not new, but rather quite old! Last week Mykel preached a great sermon based upon the theme of The People that in Darkness Sat. Today we’re exploring the scriptures behind the carol Thou Did’st Leave Thy Throne. The Shakespearean-sounding title alerts us that it’s hardly a new song, yet its lyrics are timeless.
Thou didst leave thy throne and thy kingly crown
So begins this carol. It’s obviously speaking of Jesus, the King of kings. What would cause a king to leave his throne? Why would a king set aside his crown? Even though we’re quite unfamiliar with royalty—aside from the occasional gossip from England—the idea of a king stepping down seems remarkable. After all, many lust for power and will do just about anything to obtain it…or keep it. Yet our own nation’s history contains a brilliant account of one choosing to give up power.
George Washington faithfully served the United States until his resignation on December 23, 1783. When asked what Washington would do, King George III was told Washington would return to his farm, leading the king to famously declare, “If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world.”
It takes a great person to willingly surrender power, and one even greater than Washington stepped down from a far greater position. As we sang last week,
Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness
We could say, “Creator of the universe, You left heaven’s splendor to spend thirty-three years on this beautiful yet broken planet.”
Thou didst leave thy throne and thy kingly crown
Why? Did have nothing better to do? Was he bored with the entertainment options in heaven? Did Jesus get into an argument with the Father and the Holy Spirit and need a break?! Hardly!
Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown, When Thou camest to earth for me
YOU are the reason Jesus left his throne! He came to earth for YOU! He made a special, rather-lengthy trip for YOU! What amazing love!
How far have you ever traveled for another person? We drove about twelve hours each way to visit family over Thanksgiving. That was a lot of time, gas, and effort to see my grandma, aunt, uncle, and my sister’s family, but it’s nothing like the journey Jesus made from heaven to earth. I know the story is familiar to most of you, but imagine making such a journey and hearing those two awful words
NO ROOM
But in Bethlehem's home was there found no room For Thy holy nativity.
Nativity simply refers to the birth of Jesus described in the gospels or “good news” of Matthew and Luke. Speaking of Mary, the New King James Version says,
And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7, NKJV)
NO ROOM
It’s worth noting they were not trying to get a room at the Holiday Inn! There are many myths and misunderstandings that have developed over the years about the birth of Jesus, not the least of which is this reference to an inn. The New Living Translation says, “There was no lodging available for them” and the NIV says, “There was no guest room available for them.”
Back in the day, people would live upstairs with animals on the ground floor. Although a manger is present, no animals are mentioned by Dr. Luke. The significance of the manger may not be much aside from it being a signpost given by the angel (a few verses later) to help the shepherds identify the Messiah.
To understand what’s happening, we need to go back to the beginning of this chapter.
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. (Luke 2:1-3)
Every fourteen years, Rome took a census for tax and military purposes. Each Jewish male had to return to his father’s city. Imagine doing that today! It helps explain why the house was full, forcing the couple and their newborn downstairs.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:4-7)
NO ROOM
Joseph and Mary had traveled about ninety miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem…without a DVD player, a heater, or even a car! Imagine walking from here to the Cleveland airport. How imagine you arrive and you’re told
NO ROOM
Did I mention Mary was nine months pregnant? And that being an unwed mother was not exactly politically or socially correct?
I know God had His reasons, but the birth of Jesus has got to be one of the most unusual, counter-intuitive plans of the Almighty. Kings are born in palaces…or at least hospitals. What am I saying?! Kings don’t leave their thrones! Nobody chooses to be born on our planet, right?
Emily Elizabeth Steele Elliott (1836-1897) was born in Brighton, England. She was the daughter of an Anglican clergyman and the niece of Charlotte Elliott (1789-1871), the author of the famous hymn, “Just as I am.”
Emily published a collection of 48 hymns called Under the Pillow for those sick in hospitals, infirmaries, or at home. She wrote, “Thou didst leave thy throne” separately, however, to help children understand the meaning of the nativity—the birth of Christ—and Advent, this season of expectant waiting. After explaining the rejection of Jesus’ parents, she contrasts it with her own treatment of the Messiah.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, There is room in my heart for Thee. Is there room in your heart for Jesus? You all know the right answer, especially on Sunday morning, but be honest. Is there room in your heart for Jesus? Is there room in your life for Jesus? Is there room in your calendar for Jesus?
It seems as though most in our culture are quite used to saying
NO ROOM
At an hour in which the majority of people in our land were once gathered to worship the LORD, many are comfortable…in bed, on social media, watching tv, putting up Christmas decorations, or buying stuff. Several so-called experts have said a “regular church attendee” shows up once a month. Once a month! They can’t even make room for God for an hour a week. Can one hour a month be considered devotion?
Of course, I’m not saying church attendance is the gauge for making room in your heart for Jesus. Far from it! If anything, it’s simply the public expression of one’s faith on a regular basis. I’m obviously preaching to the choir since you’re listening to me, but
Is there room in your heart for Jesus?
Is there room tomorrow? Is there room throughout this week? Is there room throughout Advent…and beyond?
That’s asking a lot, right? Hardly! Jesus was asked later in the book of Luke what must be done to inherit eternal life.
He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27)
That’s a lot! Jesus doesn’t want an hour on Sunday. He wants all of you! All your heart…soul, strength, and mind. He wants you to love others—even your enemies—as yourself. He wants nothing less than everything. All of you. Why? Because that’s what he gave you…all of himself. King Jesus left his throne for you. That’s not a half-hearted move. It’s not a passive, if it’s convenient maneuver. He gave everything for you…and he asks the same in return.
Earlier we sang,
Heaven's arches rang
When the angels sang
Proclaiming Thy royal degree
But in lowly birth
Didst Thou come to earth
And in great humility
He came in the most humble way possible…and stayed there. Paul wrote,
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)
One time Jesus told a potential follower,
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Luke 9:58)
In other words, following Jesus offers no guarantees of a comfortable life…or even a roof over your head. This is surely what inspired verse three of our carol.
The foxes found rest
And the birds their nest
In the shade of the forest tree
But Thy couch was the sod
O Thou Son of God
In the deserts of Galilee
Our selfish, narcissistic culture seems to base everything around one question: how does it make me feel? If it makes me feel good, it must be true. If it requires any discomfort, any sacrifice, any inconvenience, any pain, it must be rejected.
I’m so glad Jesus didn’t take that approach. We would all be hopeless in a world of money, pleasure, and power-grabbing individuals with little regard for others.
Last week, Mykel asked why we celebrate Christmas. After all, the death and the resurrection are the highlight reel of Jesus’ life. Yet it all began with a baby in a manger, no crib for his bed.
Today we not only look at his birth, we consider in verse four his mission.
Thou camest O Lord
With the living word
That should set Thy people free
But with mocking scorn
And with crown of thorn
They bore Thee to Calvary
COMMUNION
The story of Jesus is not over. Far from it! Do you know how long eternity lasts?! Today in this season of Advent we remember those who waited expectedly for the Messiah about two thousand years ago. We also wait expectedly for his promised return.
When the heavens shall ring
And the angels sing
At Thy coming to victory
Let Thy voice call me home
Saying yet there is room
There is room at My side for thee
Is there room in your heart—in your life—for Jesus? He made room in his life for you.
Recommended resource: Make Room by Jonathan McReynolds
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Wisdom, 14 November 2021
15 11 21
Wisdom
Series—Faith Works: The book of James
James 3:13-18
Series Big Idea: Jesus’ half brother James offers us timeless instructions for living a God-honoring life.
Big Idea: The truly wise seek heavenly wisdom rather than human understanding.
What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word “wisdom?”
I must admit in a world of fake news, I often struggle to deal with knowledge, much less the application of knowledge! Take COVID, for example. The only thing I know for sure about COVID-19 20 months after the lockdown is I don’t know anything for sure about COVID! Social media and conventional media have made things so binary and adversarial that it’s hard to know what’s really true…and then I heard fake news travels six times faster than the truth…or is that statement fake news?!
Am I the only one struggling to know what’s true anymore?! Christians will often jump to, “Jesus is the Truth…” and he is, but how am I supposed to live my life in a way that glorifies God? What does it mean to be not only smart, but wise? I’ll tell you the big idea of today’s message right now: The truly wise seek heavenly wisdom rather than human understanding.
One of the great tensions for followers of Jesus is we are in the world, but we are not to be of the world. God has placed us here to be salt and light, to seek and save the lost through the power of the Holy Spirit, to restore God’s masterpieces. We’re all on a mission, and although God’s Kingdom is breaking forth now, it is not fully realized (as we can see from the news!).
We’re in the middle of a series called Faith Works where we’re going verse-by-verse through the book of James, a short work penned by Jesus’ half-brother. James chapter 3 verse 13 begins…
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:13)
I could easily preach this two-hour sermon (!) on this verse alone! Who among you is wise? How has understanding?
The wisest man in the world was…Jesus! Other than Jesus, many would regard Solomon as the wisest man in the world. When God essentially said he would grant Solomon one wish, Solomon asked for…a heart of understanding!
At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” (1 Kings 3:5)
I’m still waiting for God to make that offer to me!
But seriously, how would you respond? Solomon replied,
So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours? (1 Kings 3:9)
In a word, Solomon sought wisdom. The next verse says,
The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. (1 Kings 3:10)
Wisdom is priceless…and seemingly rare. We all need it, but I believe those in leadership are especially in need of it. I’ve heard people pray for presidents—past and present. Sometimes the intensity of those prayers is dictated by one’s political preferences, but my prayer for all presidents, governors, mayors, judges, and other leaders is simply for them to bow their knee and seek God’s wisdom rather than human understanding.
We’ve all seen ungodly leaders who are arrogant, power-hungry, self-serving, or simply ignorant. We’re all aware of the mixed motives behind decisions that impact the lives of others. In this current moment, I’ve been desperate for God to grant me wisdom to make decisions that impact hundreds of lives here. I can’t imagine being responsible for hundreds of millions of people!
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:13)
Humility comes from wisdom. I find this a fascinating truth. The fruit of wisdom is a good life, humble deeds. What does that say about many of our leaders? What does that say about so-called experts who are on perpetual self-promotion tours? Humility is the hallmark of the wise. It takes a humble person to seek godly wisdom in the first place. The independent, autonomous person has no need for God…or anyone else. Perhaps that’s why scripture says,
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2)
I’ve often confessed my pride. No, I’m not proud of my pride! But ever since I was a little boy, I’ve found myself crossing over the line between confidence and cockiness. Many trials in life have literally brought me to my knees and revealed my desperate need for God and His wisdom…but I’m frequently tempted to do it my way, to be in control.
Can you relate?
Pride is the original sin, the one that is believed to have gotten satan kicked out of heaven (Isaiah 14:7-15; Luke 10:18; Revelation 9:1). It’s not wonder James continues,
But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. (James 3:14)
Now James is calling out what it means to follow earthly wisdom. The fruit of the world includes envy, strife, and boasting. False wisdom reveals itself through envy and selfish ambition. Our culture today is all about building a brand, getting a platform, and promoting yourself. That’s the exact oppose of Jesus’ life…and he was worth promoting! The world exalts man and woman while the Kingdom always points to God and His glory.
Strife—a word found in some translations in verse 14—is literally a party spirit, getting people to support you while creating rivalry and division. There’s a lot of strife in our political system today!
Boasting is obviously an expression of pride, and Warren Wiersbe notes, “Nothing is prouder than the wisdom of men.” Have you ever heard an interview with an “expert,” using promoting a new book or film? They boast of their great intellect and knowledge. There’s nothing wrong with intellect and knowledge—Jesus was the greatest genius in human history—but boasting about it is quite another thing.
Many of you have heard the story of Muhammad Ali, one of the greatest boxers of all time…and probably one of the greatest boasters of all time, too! A flight attendant asked him to buckle his seatbelt on an airplane to which he replied, “Superman don’t need no seatbelt.” The wise flight attendant replied, “Superman don’t need no airplane!”
Boasting is great for TV entertainment, but it’s not an expression of heavenly wisdom. It usually involves lies, too. In fact, James notes,
Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. (James 3:15-16)
Those are strong words! Pride is satanic! It is demonic! Envy and selfish ambition are not from the LORD! Yet think about how many famous people are wrapped up in themselves, their popularity, their celebrity. Envy. Selfish ambition. Boasting. Deceit. It’s all there! It’s all over social media, mainstream media, marketing and advertising…and it has no place in the life of a follower of Jesus Christ!
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:17)
Here’s another list, this one describing heavenly wisdom. We saw back in verse 13 that godly wisdom is humble.
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:13)
Some translations use the word meekness which is not weakness, but power under control. The original Greek word describes a horse that had been broken. It is the right use of power, and the right use of knowledge is wisdom. They go together.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:17)
Here in verse 17 James says wisdom is first of all pure. It is holy. God is holy and everything He does is holy, set apart, pure. We will read in the next chapter that we are to purify our hearts. It saddens me that purity is often mocked as being old-fashioned, yet I doubt too many people would want to drink water that is 90% or even 99% pure!
Godly wisdom is also filled with peace, a peace rooted not in compromise but holiness. If the church is pure, we will experience peace. This is not about turning a blind eye or sweeping sin under the carpet. That’s the way of the world…hide, cover up, mask.
The next element is gentleness or being considerate. It’s not about being a doormat or simply “nice,” but rather what one man called “sweet reasonableness.” Abraham Lincoln was described by Carl Sandburg as a man of “velvet steel.”
The fruit of the Spirit includes peace and gentleness.
The list in James also includes submissive or compliance. Earthly wisdom makes a person stubborn, but a truly wise person listens to all sides and can disagree without being disagreeable. This is a foreign concept in today’s cancel culture. Obviously one can’t agree with everyone and make everyone happy, but you can be respectful and kind in the process. “Yielding to persuasion” is one translation of the word, which brings to mind Ephesians 5:21
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
This is wise, godly compliance.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:17)
Next, James speaks of mercy. He actually says heavenly wisdom is full of it! It is controlled by mercy. God does not give us the punishment we deserve, hallelujah! We are to show mercy to others as the Good Samaritan did in Luke chapter ten.
James speaks of good fruits, the visible result of heavenly wisdom. What kind of fruit is your life bearing? Jesus said in John 15 that he is the vine and we are the branches, and we bear fruit based upon what we’re connected to, what feeds us. Tragically, many so-called Christians spend more time filling their minds with social media and depressing news than they do abiding and remaining with Jesus. Faithful people are fruitful. Is the fruit of the Spirit visible in your life? Here’s the full list:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
James adds that heavenly wisdom is impartial and sincere.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:17)
It is single-minded and decisive. Wiersbe notes, “Wisdom from above brings strength from above.” When we are seeking God’s wisdom, we can be confident in our decisions, knowing if they are pure and not self-serving, they will be impartial. They are also sincere. The original Greek word for hypocrite is “one who wears a mask” like an actor. That’s the way of the world. It’s phony, flashy, full of hype, and insincere. Heavenly wisdom is filled with love, honesty, and integrity.
James adds one final statement which summarizes much of what we’ve examined.
Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. (James 3:18)
Is this true? Of course! This is godly wisdom. It might not make you popular in the eyes of the world, but you’ll be a champion in the eyes of the LORD.
Paul described it this way:
Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 5:8)
My question(s) for you today is:
Do you seek wisdom? Where?
When given the choice on Sunday morning between earthly and heavenly wisdom, the answer is obvious. Monday morning is where it counts, though. We have a real enemy who knows our weaknesses and lures us into trouble, envy, strife, confusion, and evil. I wish that could only be said about “those people” who don’t yet know Christ, but if we’re honest, they probably describe all of us at times. Why? Perhaps it’s simply the result of attention, our focus, the things we watch, hear, and experience. This is why we need to be in the Word, reading and listening to scripture, filling our minds with the truth that can set us free…from the lies of the world.
Those lies are nothing new. The Bible is filled with stories of men and women promoting themselves, arguing about who was the greatest, trying to build a tower reaching heaven, putting armor on a young boy, trying to dismiss a hungry crowd on the verge of a miracle, …the list goes on and on. There’s nothing wrong with seeking advice from others, but make sure your wise council is seeking godly wisdom.
Heavenly wisdom produces blessing, good fruit, abundant life, eternal life.
Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, (Proverbs 3:13)
It begins with seeking wisdom. The truly wise seek heavenly wisdom rather than human understanding. Jesus said,
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)
Here’s my paraphrase: seek God and his kingdom and his righteousness and his wisdom…and you will be blessed beyond measure. It doesn’t mean life will be easy, but it will be full and satisfying and a life worth living.
It all begins with surrender. It begins with laying down our agendas and pride and inviting the Holy Spirit to lead us, to guide us, to produce fruit in and through our lives.
Homework: review the lists in this text one by one and see what fruits are being produced by your life
For extra credit, do the assignment my dad gave me once as a punishment: write out by hand every verse in the book of Proverbs that talks about wisdom!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Faith Works: The book of James
James 3:13-18
Series Big Idea: Jesus’ half brother James offers us timeless instructions for living a God-honoring life.
Big Idea: The truly wise seek heavenly wisdom rather than human understanding.
What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word “wisdom?”
I must admit in a world of fake news, I often struggle to deal with knowledge, much less the application of knowledge! Take COVID, for example. The only thing I know for sure about COVID-19 20 months after the lockdown is I don’t know anything for sure about COVID! Social media and conventional media have made things so binary and adversarial that it’s hard to know what’s really true…and then I heard fake news travels six times faster than the truth…or is that statement fake news?!
Am I the only one struggling to know what’s true anymore?! Christians will often jump to, “Jesus is the Truth…” and he is, but how am I supposed to live my life in a way that glorifies God? What does it mean to be not only smart, but wise? I’ll tell you the big idea of today’s message right now: The truly wise seek heavenly wisdom rather than human understanding.
One of the great tensions for followers of Jesus is we are in the world, but we are not to be of the world. God has placed us here to be salt and light, to seek and save the lost through the power of the Holy Spirit, to restore God’s masterpieces. We’re all on a mission, and although God’s Kingdom is breaking forth now, it is not fully realized (as we can see from the news!).
We’re in the middle of a series called Faith Works where we’re going verse-by-verse through the book of James, a short work penned by Jesus’ half-brother. James chapter 3 verse 13 begins…
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:13)
I could easily preach this two-hour sermon (!) on this verse alone! Who among you is wise? How has understanding?
The wisest man in the world was…Jesus! Other than Jesus, many would regard Solomon as the wisest man in the world. When God essentially said he would grant Solomon one wish, Solomon asked for…a heart of understanding!
At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” (1 Kings 3:5)
I’m still waiting for God to make that offer to me!
But seriously, how would you respond? Solomon replied,
So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours? (1 Kings 3:9)
In a word, Solomon sought wisdom. The next verse says,
The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. (1 Kings 3:10)
Wisdom is priceless…and seemingly rare. We all need it, but I believe those in leadership are especially in need of it. I’ve heard people pray for presidents—past and present. Sometimes the intensity of those prayers is dictated by one’s political preferences, but my prayer for all presidents, governors, mayors, judges, and other leaders is simply for them to bow their knee and seek God’s wisdom rather than human understanding.
We’ve all seen ungodly leaders who are arrogant, power-hungry, self-serving, or simply ignorant. We’re all aware of the mixed motives behind decisions that impact the lives of others. In this current moment, I’ve been desperate for God to grant me wisdom to make decisions that impact hundreds of lives here. I can’t imagine being responsible for hundreds of millions of people!
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:13)
Humility comes from wisdom. I find this a fascinating truth. The fruit of wisdom is a good life, humble deeds. What does that say about many of our leaders? What does that say about so-called experts who are on perpetual self-promotion tours? Humility is the hallmark of the wise. It takes a humble person to seek godly wisdom in the first place. The independent, autonomous person has no need for God…or anyone else. Perhaps that’s why scripture says,
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2)
I’ve often confessed my pride. No, I’m not proud of my pride! But ever since I was a little boy, I’ve found myself crossing over the line between confidence and cockiness. Many trials in life have literally brought me to my knees and revealed my desperate need for God and His wisdom…but I’m frequently tempted to do it my way, to be in control.
Can you relate?
Pride is the original sin, the one that is believed to have gotten satan kicked out of heaven (Isaiah 14:7-15; Luke 10:18; Revelation 9:1). It’s not wonder James continues,
But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. (James 3:14)
Now James is calling out what it means to follow earthly wisdom. The fruit of the world includes envy, strife, and boasting. False wisdom reveals itself through envy and selfish ambition. Our culture today is all about building a brand, getting a platform, and promoting yourself. That’s the exact oppose of Jesus’ life…and he was worth promoting! The world exalts man and woman while the Kingdom always points to God and His glory.
Strife—a word found in some translations in verse 14—is literally a party spirit, getting people to support you while creating rivalry and division. There’s a lot of strife in our political system today!
Boasting is obviously an expression of pride, and Warren Wiersbe notes, “Nothing is prouder than the wisdom of men.” Have you ever heard an interview with an “expert,” using promoting a new book or film? They boast of their great intellect and knowledge. There’s nothing wrong with intellect and knowledge—Jesus was the greatest genius in human history—but boasting about it is quite another thing.
Many of you have heard the story of Muhammad Ali, one of the greatest boxers of all time…and probably one of the greatest boasters of all time, too! A flight attendant asked him to buckle his seatbelt on an airplane to which he replied, “Superman don’t need no seatbelt.” The wise flight attendant replied, “Superman don’t need no airplane!”
Boasting is great for TV entertainment, but it’s not an expression of heavenly wisdom. It usually involves lies, too. In fact, James notes,
Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. (James 3:15-16)
Those are strong words! Pride is satanic! It is demonic! Envy and selfish ambition are not from the LORD! Yet think about how many famous people are wrapped up in themselves, their popularity, their celebrity. Envy. Selfish ambition. Boasting. Deceit. It’s all there! It’s all over social media, mainstream media, marketing and advertising…and it has no place in the life of a follower of Jesus Christ!
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:17)
Here’s another list, this one describing heavenly wisdom. We saw back in verse 13 that godly wisdom is humble.
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:13)
Some translations use the word meekness which is not weakness, but power under control. The original Greek word describes a horse that had been broken. It is the right use of power, and the right use of knowledge is wisdom. They go together.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:17)
Here in verse 17 James says wisdom is first of all pure. It is holy. God is holy and everything He does is holy, set apart, pure. We will read in the next chapter that we are to purify our hearts. It saddens me that purity is often mocked as being old-fashioned, yet I doubt too many people would want to drink water that is 90% or even 99% pure!
Godly wisdom is also filled with peace, a peace rooted not in compromise but holiness. If the church is pure, we will experience peace. This is not about turning a blind eye or sweeping sin under the carpet. That’s the way of the world…hide, cover up, mask.
The next element is gentleness or being considerate. It’s not about being a doormat or simply “nice,” but rather what one man called “sweet reasonableness.” Abraham Lincoln was described by Carl Sandburg as a man of “velvet steel.”
The fruit of the Spirit includes peace and gentleness.
The list in James also includes submissive or compliance. Earthly wisdom makes a person stubborn, but a truly wise person listens to all sides and can disagree without being disagreeable. This is a foreign concept in today’s cancel culture. Obviously one can’t agree with everyone and make everyone happy, but you can be respectful and kind in the process. “Yielding to persuasion” is one translation of the word, which brings to mind Ephesians 5:21
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
This is wise, godly compliance.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:17)
Next, James speaks of mercy. He actually says heavenly wisdom is full of it! It is controlled by mercy. God does not give us the punishment we deserve, hallelujah! We are to show mercy to others as the Good Samaritan did in Luke chapter ten.
James speaks of good fruits, the visible result of heavenly wisdom. What kind of fruit is your life bearing? Jesus said in John 15 that he is the vine and we are the branches, and we bear fruit based upon what we’re connected to, what feeds us. Tragically, many so-called Christians spend more time filling their minds with social media and depressing news than they do abiding and remaining with Jesus. Faithful people are fruitful. Is the fruit of the Spirit visible in your life? Here’s the full list:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
James adds that heavenly wisdom is impartial and sincere.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:17)
It is single-minded and decisive. Wiersbe notes, “Wisdom from above brings strength from above.” When we are seeking God’s wisdom, we can be confident in our decisions, knowing if they are pure and not self-serving, they will be impartial. They are also sincere. The original Greek word for hypocrite is “one who wears a mask” like an actor. That’s the way of the world. It’s phony, flashy, full of hype, and insincere. Heavenly wisdom is filled with love, honesty, and integrity.
James adds one final statement which summarizes much of what we’ve examined.
Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. (James 3:18)
Is this true? Of course! This is godly wisdom. It might not make you popular in the eyes of the world, but you’ll be a champion in the eyes of the LORD.
Paul described it this way:
Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 5:8)
My question(s) for you today is:
Do you seek wisdom? Where?
When given the choice on Sunday morning between earthly and heavenly wisdom, the answer is obvious. Monday morning is where it counts, though. We have a real enemy who knows our weaknesses and lures us into trouble, envy, strife, confusion, and evil. I wish that could only be said about “those people” who don’t yet know Christ, but if we’re honest, they probably describe all of us at times. Why? Perhaps it’s simply the result of attention, our focus, the things we watch, hear, and experience. This is why we need to be in the Word, reading and listening to scripture, filling our minds with the truth that can set us free…from the lies of the world.
Those lies are nothing new. The Bible is filled with stories of men and women promoting themselves, arguing about who was the greatest, trying to build a tower reaching heaven, putting armor on a young boy, trying to dismiss a hungry crowd on the verge of a miracle, …the list goes on and on. There’s nothing wrong with seeking advice from others, but make sure your wise council is seeking godly wisdom.
Heavenly wisdom produces blessing, good fruit, abundant life, eternal life.
Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, (Proverbs 3:13)
It begins with seeking wisdom. The truly wise seek heavenly wisdom rather than human understanding. Jesus said,
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)
Here’s my paraphrase: seek God and his kingdom and his righteousness and his wisdom…and you will be blessed beyond measure. It doesn’t mean life will be easy, but it will be full and satisfying and a life worth living.
It all begins with surrender. It begins with laying down our agendas and pride and inviting the Holy Spirit to lead us, to guide us, to produce fruit in and through our lives.
Homework: review the lists in this text one by one and see what fruits are being produced by your life
For extra credit, do the assignment my dad gave me once as a punishment: write out by hand every verse in the book of Proverbs that talks about wisdom!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Favoritism, 24 October 2021
24 10 21
Favoritism
Series—Faith Works: The book of James
James 2:1-13
Series Big Idea: Jesus’ half brother James offers us timeless instructions for living a God-honoring life.
Big Idea: We are to show love and respect to all…period!
There are three types of kids in this world. There are those picked first on the playground for the kickball, basketball, volleyball, or whatever team. These are the athletes, the skilled ones, the ones with speed. Some are naturally gifted while others have spent time developing their abilities. There are those middle-of-the-pack kids who are good players on a team. And then there’s that kid picked last. Nobody wants them, either because they are slow, clumsy, or just unliked.
Where did you find yourself?
Depending upon the sport, I think I’ve been in all three groups. I was solid at kickball in elementary school, but remember being among the last to finish the running on field day, watching the school buses pull up to the school, anxious that they might leave before I could finish my race! I was cut from the seventh-grade basketball team and couldn’t make the team in eighth grade, either.
Today we’re continuing our series Faith Works, the message of James. It’s perhaps the most practical book of the Bible, written by Jesus’ half-brother James. Chapter two begins with important instructions related to favoritism and the simple message that We are to show love and respect to all…period!
Prejudice is simply pre-judging someone. It’s a pre-conceived idea or opinion based not on experience or rational thought, but rather appearances and impressions. Prejudice can occur based upon the color of a person’s skin, their attire, or even their accent. In one sense it is very understandable. After all, when we encounter a person for the first time, we have limited data…and use what little information we have to form thoughts. It’s natural. However, like the temptation we spoke of last week, we must be careful what to do with those impressions while we seek to truly understand the masterpiece in front of us.
The heading for chapter two in the NIV version of the book of James says it all:
Favoritism Forbidden
The text begins…
My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. (James 2:1)
Any questions? That’s pretty clear, but James elaborates.
Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (James 2:2-4)
Favoritism is a sin. Again, it’s nearly possible to not pre-judge someone…yet looks can be deceiving. Often the person who looks wealthy with a fancy car and nice house is actually just using items that belong to the bank! So many people who look rich are actually in debt up to their eyeballs!
The opposite may be true, too. I have a friend who’s a multi-millionaire after selling his successful business, yet he often looks like he just came in from chopping wood! One time he went into a car dealership with tens of thousands of dollars in cash, ready to buy a car, and he couldn’t get anyone to pay attention to him!
We all want the best seats at the concert or movie or sporting event. In our culture, people can pay extra to have VIP seats, but in church? Actually, church might be the only place where people don’t want to sit up front, close to the action. What’s up with that?! Regardless of your wealth, you can sit in the front row of most any church in America (just don’t show up late and distract every person in the house!).
We looked at the end of chapter one back in July, but the verse the precedes our text for today says,
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27)
That’s true religion. The Pharisees had it all wrong, looking impressive on the outside while having proud hearts. We are to look after the orphans and widows. Are they poor? They frequently are. We are not to become polluted by the world, acting like the culture. That’s what they were doing in James’ day…and sadly today, too. James is saying regardless of what happens “out there,” we should never discriminate in here, in the family. Every part of the body is valuable. Every member is important. We’re all sinners saved by God’s amazing grace. We’re all hopeless apart from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
One of the things I love about First Alliance is we are a mosaic, a diverse family. Doctors sit next to homeless people who sit next to single moms who sit next to attorneys who sit next to ex-cons. Some are rich, others poor. Some are educated, some are high school dropouts. Some are young and others quite elderly. We have widows and widowers. We are here to serve orphans. All are welcome. Everyone belongs here. The only rule is no perfect people allowed!
James’ half-brother, Jesus, had a lot to say about the poor…and the rich.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)
This doesn’t necessarily mean poor in finances, but any use of the word “poor” implies a lack, a need. This is why James continues in verse five…
Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? (James 2:5)
It’s worth noting there are many reasons people may be poor. Some have experienced unusual hardship such as a disability. Others are the victim of injustice. Many lack basic education, struggle with mental illness, some are simply lazy, and there are some poor who prefer doing life on their terms, no matter the results. This is why Jesus famously asked an invalid in John chapter 5…
When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6)
There are some poor persons who don’t want to get well. They want free stuff. They want to milk the system. They want sympathy. But they’re not willing to take the courageous steps necessary to change.
Many in our First Alliance family want to get well, and they prove it every Wednesday at Celebrate Recovery. They demonstrate it by their involvement in one of our fifteen Life Groups. They welcome accountability. I’m excited to announce we’ve been working behind-the-scenes for many months on a system to help people who truly want to get well. It’s not quite finished, but we’ll be looking for life coaches or mentors to come alongside men and women coming out of prison, homelessness, addiction, poverty, or just lacking basic skills such as money management or parenting. Stay tuned for details.
I don’t want to make too much out of this, nor do I want to make too little. In our culture—and apparently the first century, too—the rich were used to getting the best seats in the house, the best service from the host, the most attention. Yet God has a special place in His heart for the poor, the needy, those truly seeking help.
James continues,
But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong? (James 2:6-7)
In the first century, many of the rich were nervous about this new messianic movement we now call Christianity. They had no respect for King Jesus.
Our political system is very binary, right or left, conservative or progressive. One preacher recently described it something like this:
The right says the rich are good and the poor are lazy.
The left says the rich are greedy and the poor deserve the money of the rich.
The fact of the matter is there are not two categories—good or bad—but four. There are “good” rich people who are generous and create jobs and there are “bad” rich people who are greedy. Likewise, there are “good” poor people who try hard when experience hardships and there are “bad” people who are entitled and refuse to work.
James has obviously encountered some “bad” rich who were exploiting, suing, and blaspheming the holy name of Jesus. He adds,
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. (James 2:8)
Jesus said the instructions of the entire Bible can be summarized in two commands: love God and love your neighbor as yourself. That’s the true test of your faith, your maturity, the caliber of your discipleship. Note, too, that we are not merely to obey the law, but to keep it. That means we are to put it into practice. So often we judge ourselves based upon the sins we don’t do or commit, but what about the sins of omission? What about our lack of love for others? What about our lack of generosity, compassion, or kindness? What about our indifference, our self-righteousness?
I’m getting convicted here!
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. (James 2:9)
Obviously, favoritism is not a way to show love! Sometimes it’s done unconsciously. I know none of YOU would ever deliberately show favoritism, right?! Nobody at First Alliance has EVER been biased, prejudiced, racist, discriminated, or shown favoritism, right?!
The first step in change is awareness of the need. If I had a nickel for every justification and rationalization I’ve heard for favoritism, prejudice, or any sin, for that matter. I’ve been guilty, too. But what would happen if we truly viewed every person as a masterpiece created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth? Broken? Yes! In need of restoration? Yes! That’s why we’re here! That’s why we partner with the Creator of the universe to restore His masterpieces! And even the best of us are also a work in progress. I love these words from the late Dallas Willard,
Saints use up more grace than sinners. Many Christians view God’s grace as something only for sinners. That is just not true. God’s grace is better defined as God’s power at work within us to do what we normally can’t do on our own. The reality is that saints burn through grace like a 747 burns through Jet-Fuel.
We are not to show favoritism because we all need God’s grace. We all need love. We all want to be picked for the team, welcomed in the family, and given a chance.
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. (James 2:10-11)
I love that! Can you imagine someone appearing before a judge for murder and their defense is, “I didn’t sleep with anyone!”? Someone once said the law is like a sheet of glass. Once it’s broken, it’s broken. It doesn’t help to say it’s only a little bit broken! When we sin, we break the law, we are no longer perfect, we need God’s amazing grace and mercy, offered by Jesus’ death and resurrection. Hallelujah!
The point is favoritism is a sin, just like adultery and murder. They may all have different consequences, but James is saying, “Stop it!” Christians are “little Christs,” and Jesus did not show favoritism. He did not commit adultery or murder, either!
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. (James 2:12-13)
Oh how I need God’s mercy. I don’t want what I deserve, punishment for my sins. That’s mercy, it’s not getting the punishment deserved. N.T. Wright says,
‘Mercy’ isn’t the same as a shoulder-shrugging ‘tolerance’, an ‘anything goes’ attitude to life. ‘Anything’ doesn’t ‘go’. ‘Anything’ includes arrogance, corruption, blasphemy, favouritism and lawbreaking of all kinds. If God was ‘merciful’ to that lot, he would be deeply unmerciful to the poor, the helpless, the innocent and the victims. And the whole gospel insists that in precisely those cases his mercy shines out most particularly. So must ours.
In other words,
The true measure of our faith is how we speak, act, show mercy, and love.
We are to show love and respect to all…period!
You will never encounter a person Jesus doesn’t love. You will never meet a person His blood can’t forgive. You will never see or hear a human who is not a masterpiece, no matter what you see or hear.
When we show favoritism, we insult the dignity of others and judge them. By doing so, we set ourselves up for being judged by God, and that’s a terrifying thought.
Instead of judging, what if we showed mercy?
Instead of hatred, what if we loved?
Instead of curses, what if we extended blessing?
We can’t all be picked first on the team. Even if we’re the captain, we can’t pick everyone first. But we can speak, act, show mercy, and love in a way that honors people and glorifies God. Instead of cursing, criticism, and favoritism, we can offer blessing.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Faith Works: The book of James
James 2:1-13
Series Big Idea: Jesus’ half brother James offers us timeless instructions for living a God-honoring life.
Big Idea: We are to show love and respect to all…period!
There are three types of kids in this world. There are those picked first on the playground for the kickball, basketball, volleyball, or whatever team. These are the athletes, the skilled ones, the ones with speed. Some are naturally gifted while others have spent time developing their abilities. There are those middle-of-the-pack kids who are good players on a team. And then there’s that kid picked last. Nobody wants them, either because they are slow, clumsy, or just unliked.
Where did you find yourself?
Depending upon the sport, I think I’ve been in all three groups. I was solid at kickball in elementary school, but remember being among the last to finish the running on field day, watching the school buses pull up to the school, anxious that they might leave before I could finish my race! I was cut from the seventh-grade basketball team and couldn’t make the team in eighth grade, either.
Today we’re continuing our series Faith Works, the message of James. It’s perhaps the most practical book of the Bible, written by Jesus’ half-brother James. Chapter two begins with important instructions related to favoritism and the simple message that We are to show love and respect to all…period!
Prejudice is simply pre-judging someone. It’s a pre-conceived idea or opinion based not on experience or rational thought, but rather appearances and impressions. Prejudice can occur based upon the color of a person’s skin, their attire, or even their accent. In one sense it is very understandable. After all, when we encounter a person for the first time, we have limited data…and use what little information we have to form thoughts. It’s natural. However, like the temptation we spoke of last week, we must be careful what to do with those impressions while we seek to truly understand the masterpiece in front of us.
The heading for chapter two in the NIV version of the book of James says it all:
Favoritism Forbidden
The text begins…
My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. (James 2:1)
Any questions? That’s pretty clear, but James elaborates.
Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (James 2:2-4)
Favoritism is a sin. Again, it’s nearly possible to not pre-judge someone…yet looks can be deceiving. Often the person who looks wealthy with a fancy car and nice house is actually just using items that belong to the bank! So many people who look rich are actually in debt up to their eyeballs!
The opposite may be true, too. I have a friend who’s a multi-millionaire after selling his successful business, yet he often looks like he just came in from chopping wood! One time he went into a car dealership with tens of thousands of dollars in cash, ready to buy a car, and he couldn’t get anyone to pay attention to him!
We all want the best seats at the concert or movie or sporting event. In our culture, people can pay extra to have VIP seats, but in church? Actually, church might be the only place where people don’t want to sit up front, close to the action. What’s up with that?! Regardless of your wealth, you can sit in the front row of most any church in America (just don’t show up late and distract every person in the house!).
We looked at the end of chapter one back in July, but the verse the precedes our text for today says,
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27)
That’s true religion. The Pharisees had it all wrong, looking impressive on the outside while having proud hearts. We are to look after the orphans and widows. Are they poor? They frequently are. We are not to become polluted by the world, acting like the culture. That’s what they were doing in James’ day…and sadly today, too. James is saying regardless of what happens “out there,” we should never discriminate in here, in the family. Every part of the body is valuable. Every member is important. We’re all sinners saved by God’s amazing grace. We’re all hopeless apart from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
One of the things I love about First Alliance is we are a mosaic, a diverse family. Doctors sit next to homeless people who sit next to single moms who sit next to attorneys who sit next to ex-cons. Some are rich, others poor. Some are educated, some are high school dropouts. Some are young and others quite elderly. We have widows and widowers. We are here to serve orphans. All are welcome. Everyone belongs here. The only rule is no perfect people allowed!
James’ half-brother, Jesus, had a lot to say about the poor…and the rich.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)
This doesn’t necessarily mean poor in finances, but any use of the word “poor” implies a lack, a need. This is why James continues in verse five…
Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? (James 2:5)
It’s worth noting there are many reasons people may be poor. Some have experienced unusual hardship such as a disability. Others are the victim of injustice. Many lack basic education, struggle with mental illness, some are simply lazy, and there are some poor who prefer doing life on their terms, no matter the results. This is why Jesus famously asked an invalid in John chapter 5…
When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6)
There are some poor persons who don’t want to get well. They want free stuff. They want to milk the system. They want sympathy. But they’re not willing to take the courageous steps necessary to change.
Many in our First Alliance family want to get well, and they prove it every Wednesday at Celebrate Recovery. They demonstrate it by their involvement in one of our fifteen Life Groups. They welcome accountability. I’m excited to announce we’ve been working behind-the-scenes for many months on a system to help people who truly want to get well. It’s not quite finished, but we’ll be looking for life coaches or mentors to come alongside men and women coming out of prison, homelessness, addiction, poverty, or just lacking basic skills such as money management or parenting. Stay tuned for details.
I don’t want to make too much out of this, nor do I want to make too little. In our culture—and apparently the first century, too—the rich were used to getting the best seats in the house, the best service from the host, the most attention. Yet God has a special place in His heart for the poor, the needy, those truly seeking help.
James continues,
But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong? (James 2:6-7)
In the first century, many of the rich were nervous about this new messianic movement we now call Christianity. They had no respect for King Jesus.
Our political system is very binary, right or left, conservative or progressive. One preacher recently described it something like this:
The right says the rich are good and the poor are lazy.
The left says the rich are greedy and the poor deserve the money of the rich.
The fact of the matter is there are not two categories—good or bad—but four. There are “good” rich people who are generous and create jobs and there are “bad” rich people who are greedy. Likewise, there are “good” poor people who try hard when experience hardships and there are “bad” people who are entitled and refuse to work.
James has obviously encountered some “bad” rich who were exploiting, suing, and blaspheming the holy name of Jesus. He adds,
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. (James 2:8)
Jesus said the instructions of the entire Bible can be summarized in two commands: love God and love your neighbor as yourself. That’s the true test of your faith, your maturity, the caliber of your discipleship. Note, too, that we are not merely to obey the law, but to keep it. That means we are to put it into practice. So often we judge ourselves based upon the sins we don’t do or commit, but what about the sins of omission? What about our lack of love for others? What about our lack of generosity, compassion, or kindness? What about our indifference, our self-righteousness?
I’m getting convicted here!
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. (James 2:9)
Obviously, favoritism is not a way to show love! Sometimes it’s done unconsciously. I know none of YOU would ever deliberately show favoritism, right?! Nobody at First Alliance has EVER been biased, prejudiced, racist, discriminated, or shown favoritism, right?!
The first step in change is awareness of the need. If I had a nickel for every justification and rationalization I’ve heard for favoritism, prejudice, or any sin, for that matter. I’ve been guilty, too. But what would happen if we truly viewed every person as a masterpiece created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth? Broken? Yes! In need of restoration? Yes! That’s why we’re here! That’s why we partner with the Creator of the universe to restore His masterpieces! And even the best of us are also a work in progress. I love these words from the late Dallas Willard,
Saints use up more grace than sinners. Many Christians view God’s grace as something only for sinners. That is just not true. God’s grace is better defined as God’s power at work within us to do what we normally can’t do on our own. The reality is that saints burn through grace like a 747 burns through Jet-Fuel.
We are not to show favoritism because we all need God’s grace. We all need love. We all want to be picked for the team, welcomed in the family, and given a chance.
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. (James 2:10-11)
I love that! Can you imagine someone appearing before a judge for murder and their defense is, “I didn’t sleep with anyone!”? Someone once said the law is like a sheet of glass. Once it’s broken, it’s broken. It doesn’t help to say it’s only a little bit broken! When we sin, we break the law, we are no longer perfect, we need God’s amazing grace and mercy, offered by Jesus’ death and resurrection. Hallelujah!
The point is favoritism is a sin, just like adultery and murder. They may all have different consequences, but James is saying, “Stop it!” Christians are “little Christs,” and Jesus did not show favoritism. He did not commit adultery or murder, either!
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. (James 2:12-13)
Oh how I need God’s mercy. I don’t want what I deserve, punishment for my sins. That’s mercy, it’s not getting the punishment deserved. N.T. Wright says,
‘Mercy’ isn’t the same as a shoulder-shrugging ‘tolerance’, an ‘anything goes’ attitude to life. ‘Anything’ doesn’t ‘go’. ‘Anything’ includes arrogance, corruption, blasphemy, favouritism and lawbreaking of all kinds. If God was ‘merciful’ to that lot, he would be deeply unmerciful to the poor, the helpless, the innocent and the victims. And the whole gospel insists that in precisely those cases his mercy shines out most particularly. So must ours.
In other words,
The true measure of our faith is how we speak, act, show mercy, and love.
We are to show love and respect to all…period!
You will never encounter a person Jesus doesn’t love. You will never meet a person His blood can’t forgive. You will never see or hear a human who is not a masterpiece, no matter what you see or hear.
When we show favoritism, we insult the dignity of others and judge them. By doing so, we set ourselves up for being judged by God, and that’s a terrifying thought.
Instead of judging, what if we showed mercy?
Instead of hatred, what if we loved?
Instead of curses, what if we extended blessing?
We can’t all be picked first on the team. Even if we’re the captain, we can’t pick everyone first. But we can speak, act, show mercy, and love in a way that honors people and glorifies God. Instead of cursing, criticism, and favoritism, we can offer blessing.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Temptation, 17 October 2021
18 10 21
Temptation
Series—Faith Works: The book of James
James 1:13-18
Series Big Idea: Jesus’ half-brother James offers us timeless instructions for living a God-honoring life.
Big Idea: God is good, the giver of every good and perfect gift.
Today we’re back in the book of James, arguably the most practical book in the Bible. In between Global Missions Sundays and Advent, we’re going to continue going verse-by-verse through this short but powerful book. As a refresher, James is believed to have been written by Jesus’ half-brother who went from a skeptic to one of the leaders of the early Church. Dr. Tony Evans says, “James is the in-your-face, no -holds-barred apostle. He says in essence, ‘If you are going to be a Christian, be a real one.’”
I couldn’t agree more. The reputation of Christians in our current culture is…tragic! Instead of being known for faith, hope, and love we seem to have a reputation for politics, ignorance, and arrogance. We need real Christians, men, women and children who speak the truth in love, who are strong and courageous, who lead rather than follow, and whose hearts are set on the LORD Jesus Christ. It’s not about how much you know. The Pharisees were among the most knowledgeable people of their day, yet they missed the forest through the trees. Not only did they not look like Jesus, they had him killed!
Are you a Christian, a real Christian? The short book of James is a great litmus test.
We looked at the first twelve verses of the book several months ago and James’ writings about trials. Trials are right up there with death and taxes as certainties in life. We all experience them, yet we are to consider them “pure joy” because they test our faith, producing perseverance and maturity. Verse 12 says,
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)
We all want to be blessed. I usually sign my e-mails, “Blessings, Kirk.” It’s not one of those automatic signatures, but something I manually type each time. I truly want to bless others. I want you to be blessed. I want God to bless you…not only when you sneeze!
We often think of blessings as a new car, a promotion at work, or an attractive mate, but blessed or “happy” as some translations say is about our ability to experience, enjoy, and extend God’s goodness. It’s not about what happens around us as much as what happens internally, our ability to experience joy and growth.
There’s a big difference between trials and temptations, though they come from the same Greek word, peirazo. God allows trials to strengthen us. Athletes often compete in “time trials” which are races designed to test their abilities. In doing so, the runners are challenged and strengthened.
Temptation comes from satan who tries to cause us to fail. God’s testing and satan’s tempting can occur in the same event, but God does not tempt anyone, though He allows trials.
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; (James 1:13)
I think that’s clear. God does not tempt anyone, nor is He tempted by evil…though Jesus was tempted while on earth before his death and resurrection. Notice the progression that occurs:
but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:14-15)
Satan tempts through desire which leads to sin and death.
Satan cannot make you sin, but he can tempt you. He hates you and wants to destroy you…or perhaps wants you to destroy you! Jesus said,
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
Do you see the contrast?
Family, we are engaged in a spiritual battle. We have a very real enemy. He knows your weaknesses. He knows how to appeal to your desires, leading you into sin and death. He’s very good…but God is greater!
We’ve all heard countless stories of leaders—inside and outside of the church—who have had moral failures. I doubt any of them ever thought, “Someday I want to have an affair and destroy my marriage, family, and career.” It all began with a desire and rationalization which led to sin and ultimately death…the death of their integrity, reputation, and like all sin, separation from fellowship with God.
I must add God forgives.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
Hallelujah! But we may still live with the consequences of our sin. All sin leads to death, whether it’s the death of relationships, trust, or in some cases literal physical death.
What can we do to avoid death? Don’t sin.
What can we do to avoid sin? Avoid desire and temptation.
How do we do that? Be alert!
Peter wrote,
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
Where are you vulnerable? We all have different desires and weaknesses. Some of you struggle with alcohol, others porn, still others food. You may battle pride and self-righteousness (that’s been one of my vices since childhood). Fear is a seductive sin when the most common command in the Bible is, “Fear not.” You know the old saying, “If you play with fire you’ll get burned.” Where are you vulnerable? The enemy knows!
Most of us are tempted in the areas of identity (which we discussed last month), acceptance, significance, and security. Jesus was tempted by satan in each in Matthew chapter four…yet never sinned. It’s important to note temptation is not a sin—only when we give in to the temptation. One of my favorite verses in the Bible says,
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
It’s easy to think Jesus doesn’t understand pain or trials or testing or temptation…but he surely does! He was able to resist temptation because he knew his enemy, his focus was on the will of the Father, and he knew where and when he was vulnerable.
When are you vulnerable? One of my favorite acronyms, HALT, describes the four times we are especially likely to sin:
Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired
We need to be alert, especially when we are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. I have learned to be extra alert to temptation when one or more of these describe my condition. Often more than one is present.
Don’t hear what I’m not saying. This is not about trying harder. It’s not about striving to be perfect. It’s recognizing all sin leads to death, the enemy is tricky, we need to be alert, and we need to call upon the LORD for help in times of trouble. I’m grateful for Paul’s words:
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
You can make excuses and rationalize sin all day long, but the truth is you are not an uncontrollable animal. If you are a follower of Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit living inside you.
My friend and coach, Bruce Terpstra, notes in his book Three Passions of the Soul,
The power of temptation is that it has appeal to your soul. Jesus was tempted in every way just like us, and yet was able not to sin (Heb 4:15). He was able to throw off the temptation because there was nothing in him that was attracted to sin. What attracts us to sin? Our souls are sick. They have been corrupted. But there is hope because we are not under the power of sin any longer. We are not bound. Sin is not our destiny. Christ has rescued us and set us free. We are free indeed.
Last week at staff meeting we were discussing a definition of a disciple. A disciple of Jesus is, quite simply, someone who looks and acts like Jesus, someone filled with the Holy Spirit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
The Holy Spirit gives self-control. Ask God for it! We need to pray!
I realize sin is a struggle for all of us, myself include. As I’ve often said, I’m a recovering Pharisee…among other things. Sanctification—becoming like Jesus—is a lifelong process. There are successes and failures along the way. Staying alert helps. Prayer helps.
In addition, journeying with others help. We need to do life together. We have fifteen Life Groups to help you. Celebrate Recovery gathers each Wednesday at 7 PM to help you with hurts, habits, and hang ups, which is all of us!
I know this is politically incorrect, but not only is it not all about you, you can’t do it alone. We were not created to be independent individuals. We were made for interdependent community. We all have blind spots and weaknesses which others can reveal and help us avoid. As we’ll see later in James, we are to
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)
We need to confess our sins to each other.
We need to pray for each other.
We need to speak the truth in love to one another.
We need to love and encourage one another.
If you don’t have people in your life doing that, it’s no wonder you struggle with temptation and sin. I urge you to get in a Life Group. Serve on one of our ministry teams. Get connected…not because we need you to join anything, but because we need one another.
I want to say again that God may test, but He never tempts. In fact, Pope Francis recently made a slight change to the Lord’s Prayer for Catholics to underscore this point. We commonly say, “Lead us not into temptation,” but the Catholic Church now says, “Do not let us fall into temptation.” I like that, because God never tempts. He does test, guide and protect.
James chapter one continues,
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:16-17)
God may test, but never tempts. He only gives good gifts.
God is good, the giver of every good and perfect gift.
The enemy wants you to believe God is bad, that He hates you, that He is out to get you, that He could never love you. That’s a lie!
God only gives good gifts and every good and perfect gift is from God. When you are tempted—not if—focus on the goodness of God and His character. He is the Father of lights. He never changes. He always shines. He is truth. He is sovereign and in control. He is love.
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. (James 1:18)
He made us His children so we can be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.
There’s a big difference between trials and temptations.
God does not tempt anyone, though He allows trials.
Satan tempts through desire which leads to sin and death.
We need to be alert, especially when we are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.
We need to pray. We need to do life together.
Finally, God is good, the giver of every good and perfect gift. You are so valuable to Him, a child of the Most High God, His first fruits, the very best. You are a treasure.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Faith Works: The book of James
James 1:13-18
Series Big Idea: Jesus’ half-brother James offers us timeless instructions for living a God-honoring life.
Big Idea: God is good, the giver of every good and perfect gift.
Today we’re back in the book of James, arguably the most practical book in the Bible. In between Global Missions Sundays and Advent, we’re going to continue going verse-by-verse through this short but powerful book. As a refresher, James is believed to have been written by Jesus’ half-brother who went from a skeptic to one of the leaders of the early Church. Dr. Tony Evans says, “James is the in-your-face, no -holds-barred apostle. He says in essence, ‘If you are going to be a Christian, be a real one.’”
I couldn’t agree more. The reputation of Christians in our current culture is…tragic! Instead of being known for faith, hope, and love we seem to have a reputation for politics, ignorance, and arrogance. We need real Christians, men, women and children who speak the truth in love, who are strong and courageous, who lead rather than follow, and whose hearts are set on the LORD Jesus Christ. It’s not about how much you know. The Pharisees were among the most knowledgeable people of their day, yet they missed the forest through the trees. Not only did they not look like Jesus, they had him killed!
Are you a Christian, a real Christian? The short book of James is a great litmus test.
We looked at the first twelve verses of the book several months ago and James’ writings about trials. Trials are right up there with death and taxes as certainties in life. We all experience them, yet we are to consider them “pure joy” because they test our faith, producing perseverance and maturity. Verse 12 says,
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)
We all want to be blessed. I usually sign my e-mails, “Blessings, Kirk.” It’s not one of those automatic signatures, but something I manually type each time. I truly want to bless others. I want you to be blessed. I want God to bless you…not only when you sneeze!
We often think of blessings as a new car, a promotion at work, or an attractive mate, but blessed or “happy” as some translations say is about our ability to experience, enjoy, and extend God’s goodness. It’s not about what happens around us as much as what happens internally, our ability to experience joy and growth.
There’s a big difference between trials and temptations, though they come from the same Greek word, peirazo. God allows trials to strengthen us. Athletes often compete in “time trials” which are races designed to test their abilities. In doing so, the runners are challenged and strengthened.
Temptation comes from satan who tries to cause us to fail. God’s testing and satan’s tempting can occur in the same event, but God does not tempt anyone, though He allows trials.
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; (James 1:13)
I think that’s clear. God does not tempt anyone, nor is He tempted by evil…though Jesus was tempted while on earth before his death and resurrection. Notice the progression that occurs:
but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:14-15)
Satan tempts through desire which leads to sin and death.
Satan cannot make you sin, but he can tempt you. He hates you and wants to destroy you…or perhaps wants you to destroy you! Jesus said,
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
Do you see the contrast?
Family, we are engaged in a spiritual battle. We have a very real enemy. He knows your weaknesses. He knows how to appeal to your desires, leading you into sin and death. He’s very good…but God is greater!
We’ve all heard countless stories of leaders—inside and outside of the church—who have had moral failures. I doubt any of them ever thought, “Someday I want to have an affair and destroy my marriage, family, and career.” It all began with a desire and rationalization which led to sin and ultimately death…the death of their integrity, reputation, and like all sin, separation from fellowship with God.
I must add God forgives.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
Hallelujah! But we may still live with the consequences of our sin. All sin leads to death, whether it’s the death of relationships, trust, or in some cases literal physical death.
What can we do to avoid death? Don’t sin.
What can we do to avoid sin? Avoid desire and temptation.
How do we do that? Be alert!
Peter wrote,
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
Where are you vulnerable? We all have different desires and weaknesses. Some of you struggle with alcohol, others porn, still others food. You may battle pride and self-righteousness (that’s been one of my vices since childhood). Fear is a seductive sin when the most common command in the Bible is, “Fear not.” You know the old saying, “If you play with fire you’ll get burned.” Where are you vulnerable? The enemy knows!
Most of us are tempted in the areas of identity (which we discussed last month), acceptance, significance, and security. Jesus was tempted by satan in each in Matthew chapter four…yet never sinned. It’s important to note temptation is not a sin—only when we give in to the temptation. One of my favorite verses in the Bible says,
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
It’s easy to think Jesus doesn’t understand pain or trials or testing or temptation…but he surely does! He was able to resist temptation because he knew his enemy, his focus was on the will of the Father, and he knew where and when he was vulnerable.
When are you vulnerable? One of my favorite acronyms, HALT, describes the four times we are especially likely to sin:
Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired
We need to be alert, especially when we are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. I have learned to be extra alert to temptation when one or more of these describe my condition. Often more than one is present.
Don’t hear what I’m not saying. This is not about trying harder. It’s not about striving to be perfect. It’s recognizing all sin leads to death, the enemy is tricky, we need to be alert, and we need to call upon the LORD for help in times of trouble. I’m grateful for Paul’s words:
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
You can make excuses and rationalize sin all day long, but the truth is you are not an uncontrollable animal. If you are a follower of Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit living inside you.
My friend and coach, Bruce Terpstra, notes in his book Three Passions of the Soul,
The power of temptation is that it has appeal to your soul. Jesus was tempted in every way just like us, and yet was able not to sin (Heb 4:15). He was able to throw off the temptation because there was nothing in him that was attracted to sin. What attracts us to sin? Our souls are sick. They have been corrupted. But there is hope because we are not under the power of sin any longer. We are not bound. Sin is not our destiny. Christ has rescued us and set us free. We are free indeed.
Last week at staff meeting we were discussing a definition of a disciple. A disciple of Jesus is, quite simply, someone who looks and acts like Jesus, someone filled with the Holy Spirit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
The Holy Spirit gives self-control. Ask God for it! We need to pray!
I realize sin is a struggle for all of us, myself include. As I’ve often said, I’m a recovering Pharisee…among other things. Sanctification—becoming like Jesus—is a lifelong process. There are successes and failures along the way. Staying alert helps. Prayer helps.
In addition, journeying with others help. We need to do life together. We have fifteen Life Groups to help you. Celebrate Recovery gathers each Wednesday at 7 PM to help you with hurts, habits, and hang ups, which is all of us!
I know this is politically incorrect, but not only is it not all about you, you can’t do it alone. We were not created to be independent individuals. We were made for interdependent community. We all have blind spots and weaknesses which others can reveal and help us avoid. As we’ll see later in James, we are to
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)
We need to confess our sins to each other.
We need to pray for each other.
We need to speak the truth in love to one another.
We need to love and encourage one another.
If you don’t have people in your life doing that, it’s no wonder you struggle with temptation and sin. I urge you to get in a Life Group. Serve on one of our ministry teams. Get connected…not because we need you to join anything, but because we need one another.
I want to say again that God may test, but He never tempts. In fact, Pope Francis recently made a slight change to the Lord’s Prayer for Catholics to underscore this point. We commonly say, “Lead us not into temptation,” but the Catholic Church now says, “Do not let us fall into temptation.” I like that, because God never tempts. He does test, guide and protect.
James chapter one continues,
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:16-17)
God may test, but never tempts. He only gives good gifts.
God is good, the giver of every good and perfect gift.
The enemy wants you to believe God is bad, that He hates you, that He is out to get you, that He could never love you. That’s a lie!
God only gives good gifts and every good and perfect gift is from God. When you are tempted—not if—focus on the goodness of God and His character. He is the Father of lights. He never changes. He always shines. He is truth. He is sovereign and in control. He is love.
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. (James 1:18)
He made us His children so we can be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.
There’s a big difference between trials and temptations.
God does not tempt anyone, though He allows trials.
Satan tempts through desire which leads to sin and death.
We need to be alert, especially when we are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.
We need to pray. We need to do life together.
Finally, God is good, the giver of every good and perfect gift. You are so valuable to Him, a child of the Most High God, His first fruits, the very best. You are a treasure.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Why are You Here? 26 September 2021
26 09 21
Why are You Here?
Series—Fingerprint: Discovering Your True Identity
Colossians 1:16-18; Isaiah 43:6b-7; Ephesians 2:10; Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Peter 4:10-11; 1 Corinthians 12
Series Big Idea: You’re a masterpiece created unique and special to glorify God and bless others.
Big Idea: You’ve been given gifts, passions, and talents to discover, develop and share.
I believe the two most important questions in life are:
Who is God?
Who are you?
Every Sunday is an exploration of the first question. We will never be able to fully know and understand God, but it’s a wonderful journey! How great is our God!
Last Sunday, Pastor Mike addressed the second question. If you are a follower of Jesus, your identity is first and foremost as a child of the Most High God. You’ve been adopted into His family and like the Prodigal Son, nothing you can do can make God love you more than He already does…and nothing you can do can make God love you less. That’s unconditional love. That’s amazing grace!
Once we know who we are—and Whose we are—the next logical question is, “Now what? Why are we here?”
One of the best-selling books of all time is called The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren. What’s your purpose? Why were you created? There are two answers to that question. The first is a general response applicable to each of us. The other is unique for every person.
You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. This has been the mantra of our District Superintendent, Rev. Thomas George, for years. Paul wrote these glorious words about Jesus in the book of Colossians:
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. (Colossians 1:16-18)
All things have been created through Jesus. All things have been created for Jesus.
We could stop right now. You were made by God and for God. You have a purpose. You’re not an accident. But you’re also not God!
As I have said previously, the essence of satanism is not the worship of satan, but the worship of self. We live in a narcissistic, self-worshipping culture. The world says, “It’s all about you. You deserve. You choose. Have it your way. Whatever makes you happy. Truth is whatever you feel.”
It’s not all about you! You didn’t make this world. You didn’t create yourself. You are not in control. You are not God.
This is the inconvenient truth…and the reason there are empty seats in churches around the world today. Surrender and submission to God is offensive to the self-absorbed person who thinks the world revolves around them. Imagine more than seven billion people living for their own pleasures. No wonder our world is so broken!
You were made by God. Human life is such a miracle. I wish I knew how many former atheists were established in the delivery room of hospitals! It’s nearly impossible to look at the miracle of life and call it an accident, random chance, the results of something emerging from nothing. For further study, meditate on Psalm 139. You were made by God.
You were made for God. He is before all things. He holds everything together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning. He is supreme. It’s all about Jesus!
You were made for God’s glory. The LORD said to the prophet Isaiah:
Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” (Isaiah 43:6b-7)
You were not made for your glory. You were made for God’s.
When a painter paints a masterpiece, it reveals the beauty and creativity of the artist. You are a masterpiece. Like me, you are a broken masterpiece in need of restoration, created with a purpose. Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus:
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10, NLT)
The heart of our church’s mission statement is restoring God’s masterpieces. We were all created—and recreated in Christ Jesus—to do the good things he planned for us long ago. What are those things? I’m glad you asked!
But first, let me say it once again: you were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
I tell this to myself all of the time, especially when I don’t get what I want, when I want it…especially when life feels out of control…especially when I want my circumstances to change…especially when…well, you get the point!
It’s amazing how quickly my perspective changes when I reflect upon this simple mantra.
What are You up to, LORD? How can you get glory through my suffering? How can you be strong in my weakness? How can I decrease and you increase in my life? How can my life reflect You and Your glory? It’s not about me!
These are daily questions. Jesus said,
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)
It doesn’t mean that your needs and desires are unimportant, but they’re not the most important. Last Sunday we witnessed four people dying—to their old lives—and making Jesus their priority, their LORD. It’s not a one-time event, though. It’s a daily—hourly—moment-by-moment surrender.
You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. We all were!
But while that can be said about more than seven billion people, you are unique among the human population. Your fingerprint is special. There’s nobody else exactly like you…even if you have a twin or triplet! This begs the question, “Why are you here?”
You are a unique masterpiece created for a purpose.
You’ve heard us talk about a tool called FreeShapeTest.com. I highly recommend you set aside some time this week and check it out. There’s nothing magical about it, but it’s a helpful assessment that will ask you questions about you. This is one test you can’t fail! God has wired each of us up with a unique personality and heart. We have different abilities and experiences that shape us for loving others. He has also given every believer at least one spiritual gift to use to serve others. Several texts in the Bible talk about spiritual gifts. Romans 12 says,
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:3-8)
We are all different! Nobody has all of the spiritual gifts. We need one another. Every part of the body is important. I need you. You need me. If you haven’t discovered your gift or gifts and started using them, what are you waiting for?! This isn’t a pitch for volunteers, it’s an invitation to join the family, to get engaged, to experience the thrill of being used by God to bless others. It is truly better to give than to receive. Some of you love kids and are gifted to equip the next generation. Some of you can’t stand kids. You didn’t like yourself as a kid! Don’t serve in Kids Church! Please!
But maybe you’re gifted with singing, construction, finances, cooking, hospitality, sports, graphic arts, social media, technology, sound engineering, transportation, …the list goes on and on. We are a family and every member is important. Every member is to do the work of the ministry, …which reminds me of a remarkable scripture one of our elders discussed with me recently. I’d like to invite Doug Oliver up for a brief lesson on Bible translation.
Doug Oliver
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (Ephesians 4:11-12, KJV)
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, (Ephesians 4:11-12, NKJV)
As I have often said, the role of the church staff is not to be the professional Christians doing the ministry. It’s to equip you—the saints—for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. I think the confusion behind this has been one of the greatest tools of the enemy to limit and even destroy the Church. If only the professionals could love, serve, make disciples, visit the sick, pray for the needy, and minister, we’d all be in trouble! Our staff would burn out and you’d miss out on the joy of ministry! Peter said,
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:10-11)
To God be the glory! Keep in mind, too, there were few professional Christians in the early Church…or even today in many parts of the world. I feel extremely blessed to make ministry a vocation, but that doesn’t make me more spiritual than you. It just means God has called me to equip you to discover your purpose and live it out, which is what this sermon series is all about.
God has called us all to minister to one another and the world through our spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences.
We looked at 1 Corinthians 12 in our last series on our core values when discussing First Alliance as a family, but let me remind you…
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
And yet I will show you the most excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12:27-31)
That most excellent way is what follows: 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter of the Bible.
You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
You are a unique masterpiece created for a purpose.
God has called us all to minister to one another and the world through our spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences.
Take My Life and Let It Be
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Fingerprint: Discovering Your True Identity
Colossians 1:16-18; Isaiah 43:6b-7; Ephesians 2:10; Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Peter 4:10-11; 1 Corinthians 12
Series Big Idea: You’re a masterpiece created unique and special to glorify God and bless others.
Big Idea: You’ve been given gifts, passions, and talents to discover, develop and share.
I believe the two most important questions in life are:
Who is God?
Who are you?
Every Sunday is an exploration of the first question. We will never be able to fully know and understand God, but it’s a wonderful journey! How great is our God!
Last Sunday, Pastor Mike addressed the second question. If you are a follower of Jesus, your identity is first and foremost as a child of the Most High God. You’ve been adopted into His family and like the Prodigal Son, nothing you can do can make God love you more than He already does…and nothing you can do can make God love you less. That’s unconditional love. That’s amazing grace!
Once we know who we are—and Whose we are—the next logical question is, “Now what? Why are we here?”
One of the best-selling books of all time is called The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren. What’s your purpose? Why were you created? There are two answers to that question. The first is a general response applicable to each of us. The other is unique for every person.
You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. This has been the mantra of our District Superintendent, Rev. Thomas George, for years. Paul wrote these glorious words about Jesus in the book of Colossians:
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. (Colossians 1:16-18)
All things have been created through Jesus. All things have been created for Jesus.
We could stop right now. You were made by God and for God. You have a purpose. You’re not an accident. But you’re also not God!
As I have said previously, the essence of satanism is not the worship of satan, but the worship of self. We live in a narcissistic, self-worshipping culture. The world says, “It’s all about you. You deserve. You choose. Have it your way. Whatever makes you happy. Truth is whatever you feel.”
It’s not all about you! You didn’t make this world. You didn’t create yourself. You are not in control. You are not God.
This is the inconvenient truth…and the reason there are empty seats in churches around the world today. Surrender and submission to God is offensive to the self-absorbed person who thinks the world revolves around them. Imagine more than seven billion people living for their own pleasures. No wonder our world is so broken!
You were made by God. Human life is such a miracle. I wish I knew how many former atheists were established in the delivery room of hospitals! It’s nearly impossible to look at the miracle of life and call it an accident, random chance, the results of something emerging from nothing. For further study, meditate on Psalm 139. You were made by God.
You were made for God. He is before all things. He holds everything together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning. He is supreme. It’s all about Jesus!
You were made for God’s glory. The LORD said to the prophet Isaiah:
Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” (Isaiah 43:6b-7)
You were not made for your glory. You were made for God’s.
When a painter paints a masterpiece, it reveals the beauty and creativity of the artist. You are a masterpiece. Like me, you are a broken masterpiece in need of restoration, created with a purpose. Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus:
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10, NLT)
The heart of our church’s mission statement is restoring God’s masterpieces. We were all created—and recreated in Christ Jesus—to do the good things he planned for us long ago. What are those things? I’m glad you asked!
But first, let me say it once again: you were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
I tell this to myself all of the time, especially when I don’t get what I want, when I want it…especially when life feels out of control…especially when I want my circumstances to change…especially when…well, you get the point!
It’s amazing how quickly my perspective changes when I reflect upon this simple mantra.
What are You up to, LORD? How can you get glory through my suffering? How can you be strong in my weakness? How can I decrease and you increase in my life? How can my life reflect You and Your glory? It’s not about me!
These are daily questions. Jesus said,
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)
It doesn’t mean that your needs and desires are unimportant, but they’re not the most important. Last Sunday we witnessed four people dying—to their old lives—and making Jesus their priority, their LORD. It’s not a one-time event, though. It’s a daily—hourly—moment-by-moment surrender.
You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. We all were!
But while that can be said about more than seven billion people, you are unique among the human population. Your fingerprint is special. There’s nobody else exactly like you…even if you have a twin or triplet! This begs the question, “Why are you here?”
You are a unique masterpiece created for a purpose.
You’ve heard us talk about a tool called FreeShapeTest.com. I highly recommend you set aside some time this week and check it out. There’s nothing magical about it, but it’s a helpful assessment that will ask you questions about you. This is one test you can’t fail! God has wired each of us up with a unique personality and heart. We have different abilities and experiences that shape us for loving others. He has also given every believer at least one spiritual gift to use to serve others. Several texts in the Bible talk about spiritual gifts. Romans 12 says,
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:3-8)
We are all different! Nobody has all of the spiritual gifts. We need one another. Every part of the body is important. I need you. You need me. If you haven’t discovered your gift or gifts and started using them, what are you waiting for?! This isn’t a pitch for volunteers, it’s an invitation to join the family, to get engaged, to experience the thrill of being used by God to bless others. It is truly better to give than to receive. Some of you love kids and are gifted to equip the next generation. Some of you can’t stand kids. You didn’t like yourself as a kid! Don’t serve in Kids Church! Please!
But maybe you’re gifted with singing, construction, finances, cooking, hospitality, sports, graphic arts, social media, technology, sound engineering, transportation, …the list goes on and on. We are a family and every member is important. Every member is to do the work of the ministry, …which reminds me of a remarkable scripture one of our elders discussed with me recently. I’d like to invite Doug Oliver up for a brief lesson on Bible translation.
Doug Oliver
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (Ephesians 4:11-12, KJV)
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, (Ephesians 4:11-12, NKJV)
As I have often said, the role of the church staff is not to be the professional Christians doing the ministry. It’s to equip you—the saints—for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. I think the confusion behind this has been one of the greatest tools of the enemy to limit and even destroy the Church. If only the professionals could love, serve, make disciples, visit the sick, pray for the needy, and minister, we’d all be in trouble! Our staff would burn out and you’d miss out on the joy of ministry! Peter said,
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:10-11)
To God be the glory! Keep in mind, too, there were few professional Christians in the early Church…or even today in many parts of the world. I feel extremely blessed to make ministry a vocation, but that doesn’t make me more spiritual than you. It just means God has called me to equip you to discover your purpose and live it out, which is what this sermon series is all about.
God has called us all to minister to one another and the world through our spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences.
We looked at 1 Corinthians 12 in our last series on our core values when discussing First Alliance as a family, but let me remind you…
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
And yet I will show you the most excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12:27-31)
That most excellent way is what follows: 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter of the Bible.
You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
You are a unique masterpiece created for a purpose.
God has called us all to minister to one another and the world through our spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences.
Take My Life and Let It Be
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Synergy, 29 August 2021
30 08 21
Synergy
Series—Getting to the Core (values)
Matthew 18:19-20; John 17:20-23; 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Series Big Idea: Our core values guide us in our mission of family restoring God’s masterpieces for His glory.
Big Idea: We collaborate for the sake of the Kingdom of God.
Why are you here? Why are we here? That’s really the question we’ve been asking for the past several weeks in our series Getting to the Core. As we reboot and prepare for a post-pandemic reality (which is taking longer than any of us expected!), what is God’s unique call for First Alliance Church?
In week one we said one of our core values is
Equipping…the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission
Pastor Donald challenged us to
Faithfulness…to prayer, the Word of God, and following Jesus
We talked about how we are a
Family…a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together
Then Pastor Donald talked about the value of
Generosity…trusting God with open hands and open hearts
Last Sunday we said we are
Missional…taking faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors
And sixth and final word, our final core value in no particular order is
Synergy…collaborating for the sake of the Kingdom of God
The word synergy is derived from the Greek word sunergi which denotes cooperation and is based upon the word sunergos which means working together.
Synergy is the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects. For all of you mathematics scholar, synergy can be summarized in the following equation:
1 + 1 > 2
Our world is filled with examples. Hydrogen (two unites) plus oxygen equals…water.
Milk plus Nesquik equals…yummy chocolate milk.
If you’ve ever made stew, you know the combination of ingredients is certainly better than eating them one at a time.
Is anyone else getting hungry?!
Before we get into the ways in which we collaborate for the sake of the Kingdom of God, let’s state the obvious:
God + anything > anything without God
That’s the ultimate synergy. Paul famously said,
I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)
God plus broken masterpieces like us is greater than anything the world can offer. I find it totally amazing that Almighty God wants us on His team, that He chose us to be His sons and daughters, and that He has entrusted His Kingdom to us! After three years of earthly ministry, Jesus passed the baton to His small group of followers who have continued to pass it over the past two thousand years to us. One of the core values of our global family, the Christian & Missionary Alliance, says,
Without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, we can accomplish nothing.
We collaborate first and foremost with God. When we say the heart of our mission is to “restore God’s masterpieces,” it’s not a work we do, but a work we do with God, with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, supported by the prayers of Jesus seated at the right hand of the Father. I said it last Sunday, the work we’re trying to accomplish we cannot do…without God. He is the great Restorer, Redeemer, Transformer.
For 133 years, we’ve been collaborating with God to make disciples of Jesus Christ. We’ve seen broken marriages restored, physical bodies healed, addicted people set free, and the lost found. Hallelujah! But we’ve often done that in partnership with others.
One of my favorites quotes says,
It is amazing what can be accomplished when nobody cares about who gets the credit. - Robert Yates
I actually care who gets the credit, but it’s not us. It’s Jesus!
Synergy: We collaborate for the sake of the Kingdom of God.
It’s not for our sake. Our mission is not to be the biggest church in Toledo. You might say that our mission is to serve the Church in Toledo, the capital C Church. Our competition is not The Tabernacle, the Vineyard Church, Westgate Chapel, or Harvest Lane Alliance. Our competition is the pillow, the screens, and the golf course. We need other churches and ministry partners to bring in the harvest.
Without partnerships with others, our impact will be limited.
We can only do so much as a local church, yet when we collaborate, synergy is the result.
A few weeks ago when we talked about the diversity of our local church family, we said we’re a mosaic of different, interdependent parts, drawing from 1 Corinthians 12.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14)
Every part is important. Some are more visible than others, but each is essential, and each needs to be connected to the body. Years ago my uncle sliced off a part of his finger and though it was a small part, the pain was immense, and once it was detached from his body, it was no longer useful.
I used to think Paul’s metaphor of the body meant one person is the elbow, another is the big toe, someone else is an ear, etc. I still believe that’s what he meant, but what if the body was not a local church but rather a community? What if First Alliance Church is the nose, First Church of God is an ear, Washington Church is an eye, and Cedar Creek is the knee? We need one another. We can’t disciple a city or region on our own. We have different styles and traditions, but one LORD, one faith, and one baptism.
Acts 1:8 is a favorite verse of our Alliance family. Jesus says,
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Acts 1:8 describes the expansion of God’s Kingdom. We are to be involved in making disciples in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. We have partners in each realm.
Our Jerusalem is obviously Toledo. It’s our epicenter, our base of operations. One of our partners here is a group of pastors and ministry leaders called MERGE.
Jerusalem First Alliance and MERGE
Our Judea is beyond our immediate neighborhood and includes the Great Lakes District of the Christian & Missionary Alliance as well as our Home Missions partners.
Judea : Home Missions Partners and the Great Lakes District of the C&MA
You will hear from five of our ten Home Missions partners in two weeks, but I want to say thank you on behalf of the Toledo Public School teachers who have been impacted by your generous Showers of Blessings contributions to the Teacher School Supplies Pantry and the support of Rosa Parks Elementary teachers. This past week, Sue Trumbull had an amazing time of prayer and conversation with several of them. One teacher was considering quitting and had asked God for a sign and felt our coming to her room to pray for her was her sign!
If we stayed huddled in this building waiting for people to come to us, that never would’ve happened. In the Great Commission in the last chapter of the book of Matthew, Jesus said to “go” and make disciples. We do ministry with the Great Lakes District and our Home Missions partners all across our city and region. It’s a joy to participate in the Kingdom of God with groups such as Cherry Street Mission, the Pregnancy Center, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Water for Ishmael.
Samaria: Faith Missions Partners
Ends of the Earth: Alliance Missions
Jesus’ prayer for us in John 17 was unity.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23)
We have a real enemy who loves to divide and conquer, and he has done a great job, especially during this pandemic. When we all argue, fight, and cancel each other, nothing productive can be accomplished. A dismembered body can accomplish nothing. A house divided cannot stand.
But when we come together, beautiful things are created. Sure, it’s messy. It’s challenging. It takes time and communication. But it’s worth it. Jesus said,
“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:19)
There’s an old saying that if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others.
One of our core values and something that makes us distinct from some churches is
Synergy…collaborating for the sake of the Kingdom of God
We play well with others! One of my favorite recent examples of this was our Sports & Arts Camp last month, done in partnership with The Tabernacle. Pastors Dr. Calvin and Christine Sweeney sent me a note which says,
Thank you so much for your friendship and for your partnership not only for this past month, but for this past year. Through your generosity and the generosity of your congregation, we have invested countless hours of love, attention and assistance to more than 150 children and their families. The effects of our efforts, I believe, will yield an eternal return and we’re so thankful we could do it with you. We love and appreciate you!
It's been said that a single draft horse can pull up to 8000 pounds. You would think two draft horses together would be able to pull 16,000 pounds, but it’s actually 24,000 pounds. When they’re trained together, they can pull 32,000 pounds! That’s synergy. That’s the value of collaboration.
Synergy: We collaborate for the sake of the Kingdom of God.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Getting to the Core (values)
Matthew 18:19-20; John 17:20-23; 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Series Big Idea: Our core values guide us in our mission of family restoring God’s masterpieces for His glory.
Big Idea: We collaborate for the sake of the Kingdom of God.
Why are you here? Why are we here? That’s really the question we’ve been asking for the past several weeks in our series Getting to the Core. As we reboot and prepare for a post-pandemic reality (which is taking longer than any of us expected!), what is God’s unique call for First Alliance Church?
In week one we said one of our core values is
Equipping…the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission
Pastor Donald challenged us to
Faithfulness…to prayer, the Word of God, and following Jesus
We talked about how we are a
Family…a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together
Then Pastor Donald talked about the value of
Generosity…trusting God with open hands and open hearts
Last Sunday we said we are
Missional…taking faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors
And sixth and final word, our final core value in no particular order is
Synergy…collaborating for the sake of the Kingdom of God
The word synergy is derived from the Greek word sunergi which denotes cooperation and is based upon the word sunergos which means working together.
Synergy is the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects. For all of you mathematics scholar, synergy can be summarized in the following equation:
1 + 1 > 2
Our world is filled with examples. Hydrogen (two unites) plus oxygen equals…water.
Milk plus Nesquik equals…yummy chocolate milk.
If you’ve ever made stew, you know the combination of ingredients is certainly better than eating them one at a time.
Is anyone else getting hungry?!
Before we get into the ways in which we collaborate for the sake of the Kingdom of God, let’s state the obvious:
God + anything > anything without God
That’s the ultimate synergy. Paul famously said,
I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)
God plus broken masterpieces like us is greater than anything the world can offer. I find it totally amazing that Almighty God wants us on His team, that He chose us to be His sons and daughters, and that He has entrusted His Kingdom to us! After three years of earthly ministry, Jesus passed the baton to His small group of followers who have continued to pass it over the past two thousand years to us. One of the core values of our global family, the Christian & Missionary Alliance, says,
Without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, we can accomplish nothing.
We collaborate first and foremost with God. When we say the heart of our mission is to “restore God’s masterpieces,” it’s not a work we do, but a work we do with God, with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, supported by the prayers of Jesus seated at the right hand of the Father. I said it last Sunday, the work we’re trying to accomplish we cannot do…without God. He is the great Restorer, Redeemer, Transformer.
For 133 years, we’ve been collaborating with God to make disciples of Jesus Christ. We’ve seen broken marriages restored, physical bodies healed, addicted people set free, and the lost found. Hallelujah! But we’ve often done that in partnership with others.
One of my favorites quotes says,
It is amazing what can be accomplished when nobody cares about who gets the credit. - Robert Yates
I actually care who gets the credit, but it’s not us. It’s Jesus!
Synergy: We collaborate for the sake of the Kingdom of God.
It’s not for our sake. Our mission is not to be the biggest church in Toledo. You might say that our mission is to serve the Church in Toledo, the capital C Church. Our competition is not The Tabernacle, the Vineyard Church, Westgate Chapel, or Harvest Lane Alliance. Our competition is the pillow, the screens, and the golf course. We need other churches and ministry partners to bring in the harvest.
Without partnerships with others, our impact will be limited.
We can only do so much as a local church, yet when we collaborate, synergy is the result.
A few weeks ago when we talked about the diversity of our local church family, we said we’re a mosaic of different, interdependent parts, drawing from 1 Corinthians 12.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14)
Every part is important. Some are more visible than others, but each is essential, and each needs to be connected to the body. Years ago my uncle sliced off a part of his finger and though it was a small part, the pain was immense, and once it was detached from his body, it was no longer useful.
I used to think Paul’s metaphor of the body meant one person is the elbow, another is the big toe, someone else is an ear, etc. I still believe that’s what he meant, but what if the body was not a local church but rather a community? What if First Alliance Church is the nose, First Church of God is an ear, Washington Church is an eye, and Cedar Creek is the knee? We need one another. We can’t disciple a city or region on our own. We have different styles and traditions, but one LORD, one faith, and one baptism.
Acts 1:8 is a favorite verse of our Alliance family. Jesus says,
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Acts 1:8 describes the expansion of God’s Kingdom. We are to be involved in making disciples in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. We have partners in each realm.
Our Jerusalem is obviously Toledo. It’s our epicenter, our base of operations. One of our partners here is a group of pastors and ministry leaders called MERGE.
Jerusalem First Alliance and MERGE
Our Judea is beyond our immediate neighborhood and includes the Great Lakes District of the Christian & Missionary Alliance as well as our Home Missions partners.
Judea : Home Missions Partners and the Great Lakes District of the C&MA
You will hear from five of our ten Home Missions partners in two weeks, but I want to say thank you on behalf of the Toledo Public School teachers who have been impacted by your generous Showers of Blessings contributions to the Teacher School Supplies Pantry and the support of Rosa Parks Elementary teachers. This past week, Sue Trumbull had an amazing time of prayer and conversation with several of them. One teacher was considering quitting and had asked God for a sign and felt our coming to her room to pray for her was her sign!
If we stayed huddled in this building waiting for people to come to us, that never would’ve happened. In the Great Commission in the last chapter of the book of Matthew, Jesus said to “go” and make disciples. We do ministry with the Great Lakes District and our Home Missions partners all across our city and region. It’s a joy to participate in the Kingdom of God with groups such as Cherry Street Mission, the Pregnancy Center, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Water for Ishmael.
Samaria: Faith Missions Partners
Ends of the Earth: Alliance Missions
Jesus’ prayer for us in John 17 was unity.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23)
We have a real enemy who loves to divide and conquer, and he has done a great job, especially during this pandemic. When we all argue, fight, and cancel each other, nothing productive can be accomplished. A dismembered body can accomplish nothing. A house divided cannot stand.
But when we come together, beautiful things are created. Sure, it’s messy. It’s challenging. It takes time and communication. But it’s worth it. Jesus said,
“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:19)
There’s an old saying that if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others.
One of our core values and something that makes us distinct from some churches is
Synergy…collaborating for the sake of the Kingdom of God
We play well with others! One of my favorite recent examples of this was our Sports & Arts Camp last month, done in partnership with The Tabernacle. Pastors Dr. Calvin and Christine Sweeney sent me a note which says,
Thank you so much for your friendship and for your partnership not only for this past month, but for this past year. Through your generosity and the generosity of your congregation, we have invested countless hours of love, attention and assistance to more than 150 children and their families. The effects of our efforts, I believe, will yield an eternal return and we’re so thankful we could do it with you. We love and appreciate you!
It's been said that a single draft horse can pull up to 8000 pounds. You would think two draft horses together would be able to pull 16,000 pounds, but it’s actually 24,000 pounds. When they’re trained together, they can pull 32,000 pounds! That’s synergy. That’s the value of collaboration.
Synergy: We collaborate for the sake of the Kingdom of God.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Missional, 22 August 2021
22 08 21
Missional
Series—Getting to the Core (values)
Isaiah 43:19; Luke 5:36-39, Luke 15
Series Big Idea: Our core values guide us in our mission of family restoring God’s masterpieces for His glory.
Big Idea: We take faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors.
Why are you here? Why are we here? That’s really the question we’ve been asking for the past several weeks in our series Getting to the Core. As we reboot and prepare for a post-pandemic reality (which is taking longer than any of us expected!), what is God’s unique call for First Alliance Church?
In week one we said one of our core values is
Equipping…the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission
Pastor Donald challenged us to
Faithfulness…to prayer, the Word of God, and following Jesus
We talked about how we are a
Family…a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together
Last Sunday Pastor Donald talked about the value of
Generosity…trusting God with open hands and open hearts
We have two left. Before I introduce today’s word, I want to share a story with you.
I’m a member of Truth at Work, a group of local Christian leaders who meet once a month for roundtable discussions of personal, professional, and spiritual matters. Because First Alliance Church has been a pillar in the city for more than a century, I shared with my group what was five proposed core values when more than one person said, “You’re missing one!” I was so surprised, but I quickly discovered they were correct. Today’s core value is
Missional…taking faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors
Jesus summarized the entire Bible with two simple commands:
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” (Mark 12:28)
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)
Love God. Love your neighbor as yourself.
One of the ways we love God is by loving our neighbors, so we can actually kill two birds with one stone (but let’s not kill birds!).
Missional…taking faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors
There are many ways we can love our neighbors, but perhaps the greatest thing we can do is introduce them to Jesus. The Great Commission, which we’ve looked at repeatedly, contains the mission.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
We are missional. We are on a mission. God’s mission has a church. The mission is to make disciples. It’s to join God in seeking and saving the lost (Luke 15; 19:10). As we focus on that, new ministries and churches will be the result. Faith is required. Faith-filled risks are required.
Missional…taking faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors
Throughout our history, we have had an entrepreneurial spirit that has produced church plants, sent international workers, trained pastors, and launched organizations such as Proclaim FM, Toledo Christian Schools, WLMB-TV, and Cherry Street Mission, just to name a few.
I hate to say it, but many churches are exclusively inward focused, seeking to make the members comfortable with little regard for what is going on outside of the four walls. Their focus may be on survival, maintaining the status quo, idolizing tradition. The future of such cultures is always the same…decline and death. There’s actually a place in our city where we preserve things from the past…a museum!
We are not called to be a museum of the past. We are called to be a hospital restoring masterpieces today and tomorrow.
That can be intimidating. It can be scary. We like what we can control. But let’s never seek to control God! He said in the book of Isaiah,
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. (Isaiah 43:19)
God is always doing a new thing. Our world is changing. Our world is growing. We must always be changing our methods, but never change our message.
There are two ways to reach a changing world. One is to adapt.
My wife recently discovered she was allergic to dairy. This made me troubled as an ice cream lover. Who wants to eat alone? Fortunately, Dairy Queen and other ice cream vendors have realized others are allergic to dairy, too, and have created dairy-free ice cream (often using coconut cream). They adapted.
We must always be adapting. Today we have a parking lot, air conditioning, video projection, livestreaming, a podcast, a website, an e-newsletter, and many other things that were not present a hundred years ago. In fact, I’ve been told our use of radio was cutting-edge…in 1966!
The other way to reach a changing world is to launch something new. Sometimes it’s more effective to start from scratch than it is to remodel or adapt.
Our global family, the Christian & Missionary Alliance, has had its US headquarters in Colorado Springs since the late 1980s. Recently, they decided to relocate to Reynoldsburg, Ohio near Columbus to be more effective in their mission. They finalized a deal on property containing a closed Kmart store and have determined it would be better to demolish and build new than to retrofit the building for the new headquarters.
Sometimes we adapt. Sometimes we start fresh and launch. We plant new churches. We start new ministries. Jesus once told his followers a story
He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’ ” (Luke 5:36-39)
God is always doing a new thing. We need to adapt and also launch new endeavors, new wineskins for new wine. I’m honored to be a part of church with such a rich history of launch new churches and ministries…and I’m certain that legacy must continue. The Kingdom of God is advancing at First Alliance Church…and will soon be advancing through the church plant we will help Mykel & Jeanine Pollock launch next year. I’ve had conversations with others who are interested in planting churches or ministries or even Christ-centered businesses. The marketplace calls these pioneers entrepreneurs. The Bible refers to them as apostles.
There are actually two types of apostles. The capital-A Apostles are generally thought to be only those early church leaders who spent time with Jesus, including. Obviously, they all died two thousand years ago.
A small-a apostle, however, is an emissary, literally “one who is sent off,” a messenger.
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (Ephesians 4:11-12)
This text from Paul to the church in Ephesus is often called the five-fold ministry or APEST: apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers. Many lump them together under the title “pastor,” but they are each unique. I like to think of apostles as the spiritual entrepreneurs launching new works.
There are few apostles greater than our church and denomination’s founder, A.B. Simpson. With such an apostle as our founder, it’s not surprising one of the core values of the alliance states
Achieving God’s purposes involves taking faithful-filled risks. This always involves change.
We borrowed liberally from this Alliance value when crafting today’s First Alliance core value:
Missional…taking faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors
We are missional. God has given us a mission…to love Him, our neighbors, and make disciples. There are plenty of churches in Toledo, but I believe most people in our city are not fully engaged in one. Why? Maybe they’re looking for something unique that has yet to be created. Research has repeatedly shown the average new church gains most of its new members (60-80%) from the unchurched, while churches more than 15 years old get 80-90% of their new members from other congregations. (https://www.acts29.com/why-church-planting/)
Every generation needs new churches, new wineskins for new wine. I’m not suggesting every church should be mono-generational, but I am saying we need fresh expressions of the gospel to reach the unchurched.
That’s why we started Dinner Church! From the beginning, we said Dinner Church was for the unchurched, not you! Dinner Church was a faith-filled risk to love our neighbors who aren’t here on Sunday morning, for whatever reason. It’s one of our primary “out” movements, serving our community. Honestly, it wasn’t a huge risk for us, but it has been remarkably fruitful, praise God!
In the coming days, we will take more faith-filled risks, not for the sake of change or simply for the fun of it, but because God’s mission requires it to love our neighbors who are not yet in a faith community, following Jesus.
Imagine Toledo without Cherry Street Mission, without the Toledo Gospel Rescue Mission, without Proclaim FM or WLMB-TV or Toledo Christians or…First Alliance Church. We were a church plant once upon a time! We were a faith-filled risk…in 1887! The book of Hebrews tells us,
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
Do you love God? Do you seek to please God? Faith is required. You believe in God? Prove it! Trust Him! Take a step of faith (not necessarily a leap of faith). As a church, we’ve done that repeatedly. Some of our initiatives have lasted for generations. Others, like Claro Coffee Bar, were short-lived, yet the provided outstanding opportunities to learn, build relationships, and grow. There’s no guarantee that every Life Group, church, or ministry we launch will last for a century, but then again, they might! Everything has a life cycle, whether it’s short or long. The key is to be obedient, to be faithful, to be missional, living out God’s mission in our world.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
Why are you here? Why are we here? We’re on a mission from God! One of the things that makes us unique is we are
Missional…taking faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors
We’re all unique. Some are entrepreneurial pioneers—apostles—who God has called to launch new things. Others join later in the process, helping to build and maintain. Still others are cautious and wait until there is more certainty.
As a church, we want to be on the cutting edge of what God is doing. The Kingdom requires it. Our neighbors need it. Our world is desperate for it.
Missional…taking faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors
What faith-filled risks do YOU need to take to love your neighbors?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Getting to the Core (values)
Isaiah 43:19; Luke 5:36-39, Luke 15
Series Big Idea: Our core values guide us in our mission of family restoring God’s masterpieces for His glory.
Big Idea: We take faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors.
Why are you here? Why are we here? That’s really the question we’ve been asking for the past several weeks in our series Getting to the Core. As we reboot and prepare for a post-pandemic reality (which is taking longer than any of us expected!), what is God’s unique call for First Alliance Church?
In week one we said one of our core values is
Equipping…the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission
Pastor Donald challenged us to
Faithfulness…to prayer, the Word of God, and following Jesus
We talked about how we are a
Family…a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together
Last Sunday Pastor Donald talked about the value of
Generosity…trusting God with open hands and open hearts
We have two left. Before I introduce today’s word, I want to share a story with you.
I’m a member of Truth at Work, a group of local Christian leaders who meet once a month for roundtable discussions of personal, professional, and spiritual matters. Because First Alliance Church has been a pillar in the city for more than a century, I shared with my group what was five proposed core values when more than one person said, “You’re missing one!” I was so surprised, but I quickly discovered they were correct. Today’s core value is
Missional…taking faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors
Jesus summarized the entire Bible with two simple commands:
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” (Mark 12:28)
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)
Love God. Love your neighbor as yourself.
One of the ways we love God is by loving our neighbors, so we can actually kill two birds with one stone (but let’s not kill birds!).
Missional…taking faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors
There are many ways we can love our neighbors, but perhaps the greatest thing we can do is introduce them to Jesus. The Great Commission, which we’ve looked at repeatedly, contains the mission.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
We are missional. We are on a mission. God’s mission has a church. The mission is to make disciples. It’s to join God in seeking and saving the lost (Luke 15; 19:10). As we focus on that, new ministries and churches will be the result. Faith is required. Faith-filled risks are required.
Missional…taking faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors
Throughout our history, we have had an entrepreneurial spirit that has produced church plants, sent international workers, trained pastors, and launched organizations such as Proclaim FM, Toledo Christian Schools, WLMB-TV, and Cherry Street Mission, just to name a few.
I hate to say it, but many churches are exclusively inward focused, seeking to make the members comfortable with little regard for what is going on outside of the four walls. Their focus may be on survival, maintaining the status quo, idolizing tradition. The future of such cultures is always the same…decline and death. There’s actually a place in our city where we preserve things from the past…a museum!
We are not called to be a museum of the past. We are called to be a hospital restoring masterpieces today and tomorrow.
That can be intimidating. It can be scary. We like what we can control. But let’s never seek to control God! He said in the book of Isaiah,
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. (Isaiah 43:19)
God is always doing a new thing. Our world is changing. Our world is growing. We must always be changing our methods, but never change our message.
There are two ways to reach a changing world. One is to adapt.
My wife recently discovered she was allergic to dairy. This made me troubled as an ice cream lover. Who wants to eat alone? Fortunately, Dairy Queen and other ice cream vendors have realized others are allergic to dairy, too, and have created dairy-free ice cream (often using coconut cream). They adapted.
We must always be adapting. Today we have a parking lot, air conditioning, video projection, livestreaming, a podcast, a website, an e-newsletter, and many other things that were not present a hundred years ago. In fact, I’ve been told our use of radio was cutting-edge…in 1966!
The other way to reach a changing world is to launch something new. Sometimes it’s more effective to start from scratch than it is to remodel or adapt.
Our global family, the Christian & Missionary Alliance, has had its US headquarters in Colorado Springs since the late 1980s. Recently, they decided to relocate to Reynoldsburg, Ohio near Columbus to be more effective in their mission. They finalized a deal on property containing a closed Kmart store and have determined it would be better to demolish and build new than to retrofit the building for the new headquarters.
Sometimes we adapt. Sometimes we start fresh and launch. We plant new churches. We start new ministries. Jesus once told his followers a story
He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’ ” (Luke 5:36-39)
God is always doing a new thing. We need to adapt and also launch new endeavors, new wineskins for new wine. I’m honored to be a part of church with such a rich history of launch new churches and ministries…and I’m certain that legacy must continue. The Kingdom of God is advancing at First Alliance Church…and will soon be advancing through the church plant we will help Mykel & Jeanine Pollock launch next year. I’ve had conversations with others who are interested in planting churches or ministries or even Christ-centered businesses. The marketplace calls these pioneers entrepreneurs. The Bible refers to them as apostles.
There are actually two types of apostles. The capital-A Apostles are generally thought to be only those early church leaders who spent time with Jesus, including. Obviously, they all died two thousand years ago.
A small-a apostle, however, is an emissary, literally “one who is sent off,” a messenger.
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (Ephesians 4:11-12)
This text from Paul to the church in Ephesus is often called the five-fold ministry or APEST: apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers. Many lump them together under the title “pastor,” but they are each unique. I like to think of apostles as the spiritual entrepreneurs launching new works.
There are few apostles greater than our church and denomination’s founder, A.B. Simpson. With such an apostle as our founder, it’s not surprising one of the core values of the alliance states
Achieving God’s purposes involves taking faithful-filled risks. This always involves change.
We borrowed liberally from this Alliance value when crafting today’s First Alliance core value:
Missional…taking faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors
We are missional. God has given us a mission…to love Him, our neighbors, and make disciples. There are plenty of churches in Toledo, but I believe most people in our city are not fully engaged in one. Why? Maybe they’re looking for something unique that has yet to be created. Research has repeatedly shown the average new church gains most of its new members (60-80%) from the unchurched, while churches more than 15 years old get 80-90% of their new members from other congregations. (https://www.acts29.com/why-church-planting/)
Every generation needs new churches, new wineskins for new wine. I’m not suggesting every church should be mono-generational, but I am saying we need fresh expressions of the gospel to reach the unchurched.
That’s why we started Dinner Church! From the beginning, we said Dinner Church was for the unchurched, not you! Dinner Church was a faith-filled risk to love our neighbors who aren’t here on Sunday morning, for whatever reason. It’s one of our primary “out” movements, serving our community. Honestly, it wasn’t a huge risk for us, but it has been remarkably fruitful, praise God!
In the coming days, we will take more faith-filled risks, not for the sake of change or simply for the fun of it, but because God’s mission requires it to love our neighbors who are not yet in a faith community, following Jesus.
Imagine Toledo without Cherry Street Mission, without the Toledo Gospel Rescue Mission, without Proclaim FM or WLMB-TV or Toledo Christians or…First Alliance Church. We were a church plant once upon a time! We were a faith-filled risk…in 1887! The book of Hebrews tells us,
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
Do you love God? Do you seek to please God? Faith is required. You believe in God? Prove it! Trust Him! Take a step of faith (not necessarily a leap of faith). As a church, we’ve done that repeatedly. Some of our initiatives have lasted for generations. Others, like Claro Coffee Bar, were short-lived, yet the provided outstanding opportunities to learn, build relationships, and grow. There’s no guarantee that every Life Group, church, or ministry we launch will last for a century, but then again, they might! Everything has a life cycle, whether it’s short or long. The key is to be obedient, to be faithful, to be missional, living out God’s mission in our world.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
Why are you here? Why are we here? We’re on a mission from God! One of the things that makes us unique is we are
Missional…taking faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors
We’re all unique. Some are entrepreneurial pioneers—apostles—who God has called to launch new things. Others join later in the process, helping to build and maintain. Still others are cautious and wait until there is more certainty.
As a church, we want to be on the cutting edge of what God is doing. The Kingdom requires it. Our neighbors need it. Our world is desperate for it.
Missional…taking faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors
What faith-filled risks do YOU need to take to love your neighbors?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Family, 8 August 2021
10 08 21
Family
Series—Getting to the Core (values)
1 Corinthians 12:4-31; Romans 12:10; Revelation 7:9
Series Big Idea: Our core values guide us in our mission of family restoring God’s masterpieces for His glory.
Big Idea: We are a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together.
Alliance Core Value: Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple. Matthew 28:19
What is the first thing you think of when I say…family? Some of you may picture a husband and wife, their 1.96 children, and a dog! Others may imagine a large family reunion with dozens of people gathered together. Still others think of a broken family tree, perhaps an abusive childhood and great pain. Regardless of your family, I believe most of us can at least imagine a healthy family filled with love, acceptance, and respect…a family that does life together…a family that works through conflict and is there for one another…a family that is safe and promotes flourishing.
We are all a part of a family. Actually, we’re all a part of several different families…a biological family, a community at work or school or play, and a spiritual family.
We’re in the middle of series called Getting to the Core After years of research, conversations, and prayer, our staff and elders have gotten clarity around what we believe is God’s direction for First Alliance, including our core values:
Equipping…the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission
Faithfulness…to prayer, the Word of God, and following Jesus
Family…a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together
Generosity…trusting God with open hands and open hearts
Missional…taking faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors
Synergy…collaborating for the sake of the Kingdom of God
It’s who we’ve been.
It’s who we are.
It’s where we’re going.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
All followers of Jesus are part of the global family of God, sons and daughters of the Most High God. We’re related by blood…the blood of Jesus.
Our denomination, the Christian & Missionary Alliance, calls itself a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family. Acts 1:8 is a reference to Jesus’ words before leaving our planet.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
The Alliance is a family. First Alliance Church Toledo is also a family. Being family is one of our core values:
Family…a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together
One definition of family calls it a group of one or more parents and their children living together as a unit. If you look at the end of our statement, it says doing life together. First Alliance Church is a group of people doing life together. If we are truly living out this value, last year’s lockdown wouldn’t be a big deal. After all, the Church is the people of God, wherever they are. Pandemic or not, the people of First Alliance not only worship together on Sunday mornings, they pray for one another, pray with one another, eat with one another, serve with one another, study the Bible with one another, encourage one another, take trips with one another, and most of all love one another.
That last one is critical. We love one another. Or we should! The thing about family is when it’s good, it’s really good…and when it’s bad, it’s really bad. Although I’ve been a part of some not-so-great church families, I must say as we head toward our fall kickoff at the end of the month, I’m really encouraged by what I see in First Alliance. There is a growing sense of unity and love for one another. God has even used COVID-19 to draw us together through things like Zoom Prayer. I recently called one family to see how they were doing in the midst of a difficult trial and was told, “Pastor, we’re doing fine. The people of First Alliance have been praying, delivering meals, and calling. We’re so blessed.”
Heather and I are blessed to call this church family. I believe we are the only Schneemanns in the state of Ohio and it’s a special thing to do life together with you. Sundays are great, but the real action takes place outside of this room…in coffee shops, dining rooms, businesses, and car rides. I love hearing stories of family members visiting shut-ins together. Our worship team serves together. Our elected officers meet together. We do life together.
Perhaps as I say that, you feel left out. Lonely. Disconnected. On the margin. I have three invitations for you:
To truly be a part of a family, you have to participate. You must engage. For decades I’ve heard people say, “Nobody cares about me” only to discover they’ve never made an effort to care about or even get to know others. Friendship is a two-way street. You can’t hide and complain that nobody sees you!
I urge you to join a Life Group. Join a serving team. Attend FAC 101 on October 3.
Family…a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together
We are a family doing life together but also a family loving God. That’s what brings us together. We are united at the foot of the cross, children of God. We love God. Together. That’s the primary reason we gather on Sunday mornings online and on campus. We like to say our focus is “up.” Our strategy is quite simple:
Up-In-Out
We gather to worship, to pray, to study the Bible, to connect with God. Up.
We also gather to get to know one another, to do life together. This is done in Life Groups, but ideally a Life Group is more than just a weekly meeting. A healthy Life Group does all of the “one anothers” I mentioned…they serve one another, visit one another, deliver meals to one another, call or text one another, love God together, love one another. We call this “In.”
The final piece of our strategy is “Out.” We reach out and serve, whether it’s through Sports & Art Camp, Dinner Church, Celebrate Recovery, or student ministry, working with one of our Home Missions partners, or some other community engagement.
Ideally, everyone in the family is connecting up, in, and out…worshipping together on Sunday mornings, doing life together during the week, and serving together. Nobody worships alone. Nobody serves alone. We are family. We are people loving God and doing life together. But there’s one more vital element to our core value of family.
We are a mosaic. We are a diverse family. This is significant. Many churches are homogeneous, meaning they are filled with people all alike, whether it be ethnicity, age, or socio-economic. We all understand the global family of God is diverse, but First Alliance Church Toledo is diverse…and growing in its diversity.
Diversity is not without its challenges, but our different help us grow…while uniting around what brings us together…our mission, our core values, the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ. I truly love that our family looks different. We have whites, blacks, and browns in our family. We have people with black hair, brown hair, gray hair, …and some with no hair! Our First Alliance family is filled with Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. We have Buckeyes and Wolverines, suburbanites and city-dwellers, and even theologically we have Arminians and Calvinists (if you don’t know what that means, look it up…or ask me later!). Again, our differences can get messy, but at a time in our culture where everyone seems to be cancelling one another and dividing over the silliest things, the Church is formed around a person…Jesus Christ. We have different incomes, educational backgrounds, musical preferences, hobbies, and zip codes, but one LORD, one faith, one baptism.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
What brings us together is Jesus and His mission. But we’re all different. We’re a mosaic…and beautiful collection of broken pieces assembled together so light can shine through. Isn’t that a perfect description of what the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ, the Church is supposed to be? We are all broken, yet God assembles us together and the light of Jesus shines through us creating a beautiful masterpiece.
Paul wrote this to the church in Corinth in modern-day Greece:
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)
God has created each of us unique and special. He has given all of us different kinds of gifts.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:7-10)
This is not the only list of spiritual gifts, but it’s a good one! We believe in all of the gifts even though not everyone necessarily knows or uses their gifts. We’ll get to that in a moment.
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Corinthians 12:11)
If you don’t like your gift, blame God! He has created each of us different. Some have a supernatural gift of wisdom, others knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues, and interpretation. Other gifts include helps, preaching, leadership, teaching, and the creative arts. God has gifted some with the gift of evangelism, others mercy. The key is to discover, develop, and deploy your gift(s) for God’s glory.
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14)
One body, many parts. All different. Each part is critical. If you’ve ever stubbed your toe, you know the importance of every part of your body!
Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. (1 Corinthians 12:15-20)
Do you get the picture? If not, Paul will make sure you understand!
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (1 Corinthians 12:21-26)
That’s family. You need me. I need you. My gifts aren’t better than yours. Every gift is necessary. And there should be no division. We should have equal concern for one another. When one of us suffers, we all suffer. When one of us is honored, we all rejoice. That’s the Body. That’s the Church. That’s family.
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
And yet I will show you the most excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12:27-31)
What follows is the love chapter of the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13. Love is the hallmark of family. Romans 12:10 says,
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10)
That’s the kind of family God is building at First Alliance. Do you want to see what it will look like in the future?
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. (Revelation 7:9)
That’s the global family. Jesus didn’t come to earth to start a white religion or even an American movement. The Body of Christ is a mosaic from every nation, tribe, people, and language and we’ll spend eternity together. We might as well celebrate our differences and unite around Jesus now! I love Toledo because it allows us to do life together with different people, even people from other nations!
You’re invited
Maybe you’re not a part of the family. I don’t mean the First Alliance family. I mean the family of God. I want to invite you to join the family. The table is a beautiful symbol of family. It’s the gathering place. It’s home. No matter who you are or what you’ve done, you are welcome to join the family. Come to the table.
One more thing…
One of the core values of the Christian & Missionary Alliance states,
Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple. Matthew 28:19
We looked at that scripture two weeks ago where we saw the Great Commission is essentially the mission of the Church…to go and make disciples of all nations, reproducing the life of Jesus. It requires all of us, every fully-devoted disciple. I hope that includes you! I can’t stress this enough…get connected.
You’re not going to feel part of the family until you participate with the family, until you engage. I know some of you are introverts and that’s great. Join us on Facebook and Instagram. Send me an e-mail with your questions or comments. Take a risk and ask someone out for a cup of coffee…or let our office know you’re interested in connecting with a new friend.
I want to end with one final challenge: get in SHAPE. No, I don’t mean go to the gym. Go to FreeShapeTest.com. Don’t worry, this is one test you can’t fail! It’s a free assessment that will help you better understand how God’s wired you up, your spiritual gifts, your passion and heart. If you send the results to our office (office@factoledo.org), we can help you get connected to a serving team where you can worship God, bless others, and experience the joy of doing life together. We’ll talk more about SHAPE this fall, but if you’d like to get a head-start, check it out.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Getting to the Core (values)
1 Corinthians 12:4-31; Romans 12:10; Revelation 7:9
Series Big Idea: Our core values guide us in our mission of family restoring God’s masterpieces for His glory.
Big Idea: We are a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together.
Alliance Core Value: Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple. Matthew 28:19
What is the first thing you think of when I say…family? Some of you may picture a husband and wife, their 1.96 children, and a dog! Others may imagine a large family reunion with dozens of people gathered together. Still others think of a broken family tree, perhaps an abusive childhood and great pain. Regardless of your family, I believe most of us can at least imagine a healthy family filled with love, acceptance, and respect…a family that does life together…a family that works through conflict and is there for one another…a family that is safe and promotes flourishing.
We are all a part of a family. Actually, we’re all a part of several different families…a biological family, a community at work or school or play, and a spiritual family.
We’re in the middle of series called Getting to the Core After years of research, conversations, and prayer, our staff and elders have gotten clarity around what we believe is God’s direction for First Alliance, including our core values:
Equipping…the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission
Faithfulness…to prayer, the Word of God, and following Jesus
Family…a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together
Generosity…trusting God with open hands and open hearts
Missional…taking faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors
Synergy…collaborating for the sake of the Kingdom of God
It’s who we’ve been.
It’s who we are.
It’s where we’re going.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
All followers of Jesus are part of the global family of God, sons and daughters of the Most High God. We’re related by blood…the blood of Jesus.
Our denomination, the Christian & Missionary Alliance, calls itself a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family. Acts 1:8 is a reference to Jesus’ words before leaving our planet.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
The Alliance is a family. First Alliance Church Toledo is also a family. Being family is one of our core values:
Family…a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together
One definition of family calls it a group of one or more parents and their children living together as a unit. If you look at the end of our statement, it says doing life together. First Alliance Church is a group of people doing life together. If we are truly living out this value, last year’s lockdown wouldn’t be a big deal. After all, the Church is the people of God, wherever they are. Pandemic or not, the people of First Alliance not only worship together on Sunday mornings, they pray for one another, pray with one another, eat with one another, serve with one another, study the Bible with one another, encourage one another, take trips with one another, and most of all love one another.
That last one is critical. We love one another. Or we should! The thing about family is when it’s good, it’s really good…and when it’s bad, it’s really bad. Although I’ve been a part of some not-so-great church families, I must say as we head toward our fall kickoff at the end of the month, I’m really encouraged by what I see in First Alliance. There is a growing sense of unity and love for one another. God has even used COVID-19 to draw us together through things like Zoom Prayer. I recently called one family to see how they were doing in the midst of a difficult trial and was told, “Pastor, we’re doing fine. The people of First Alliance have been praying, delivering meals, and calling. We’re so blessed.”
Heather and I are blessed to call this church family. I believe we are the only Schneemanns in the state of Ohio and it’s a special thing to do life together with you. Sundays are great, but the real action takes place outside of this room…in coffee shops, dining rooms, businesses, and car rides. I love hearing stories of family members visiting shut-ins together. Our worship team serves together. Our elected officers meet together. We do life together.
Perhaps as I say that, you feel left out. Lonely. Disconnected. On the margin. I have three invitations for you:
- 1. Join a Life Group.
- 2. Join a serving team.
- 3. Attend FAC 101 on October 3 at noon
To truly be a part of a family, you have to participate. You must engage. For decades I’ve heard people say, “Nobody cares about me” only to discover they’ve never made an effort to care about or even get to know others. Friendship is a two-way street. You can’t hide and complain that nobody sees you!
I urge you to join a Life Group. Join a serving team. Attend FAC 101 on October 3.
Family…a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together
We are a family doing life together but also a family loving God. That’s what brings us together. We are united at the foot of the cross, children of God. We love God. Together. That’s the primary reason we gather on Sunday mornings online and on campus. We like to say our focus is “up.” Our strategy is quite simple:
Up-In-Out
We gather to worship, to pray, to study the Bible, to connect with God. Up.
We also gather to get to know one another, to do life together. This is done in Life Groups, but ideally a Life Group is more than just a weekly meeting. A healthy Life Group does all of the “one anothers” I mentioned…they serve one another, visit one another, deliver meals to one another, call or text one another, love God together, love one another. We call this “In.”
The final piece of our strategy is “Out.” We reach out and serve, whether it’s through Sports & Art Camp, Dinner Church, Celebrate Recovery, or student ministry, working with one of our Home Missions partners, or some other community engagement.
Ideally, everyone in the family is connecting up, in, and out…worshipping together on Sunday mornings, doing life together during the week, and serving together. Nobody worships alone. Nobody serves alone. We are family. We are people loving God and doing life together. But there’s one more vital element to our core value of family.
We are a mosaic. We are a diverse family. This is significant. Many churches are homogeneous, meaning they are filled with people all alike, whether it be ethnicity, age, or socio-economic. We all understand the global family of God is diverse, but First Alliance Church Toledo is diverse…and growing in its diversity.
Diversity is not without its challenges, but our different help us grow…while uniting around what brings us together…our mission, our core values, the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ. I truly love that our family looks different. We have whites, blacks, and browns in our family. We have people with black hair, brown hair, gray hair, …and some with no hair! Our First Alliance family is filled with Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. We have Buckeyes and Wolverines, suburbanites and city-dwellers, and even theologically we have Arminians and Calvinists (if you don’t know what that means, look it up…or ask me later!). Again, our differences can get messy, but at a time in our culture where everyone seems to be cancelling one another and dividing over the silliest things, the Church is formed around a person…Jesus Christ. We have different incomes, educational backgrounds, musical preferences, hobbies, and zip codes, but one LORD, one faith, one baptism.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
What brings us together is Jesus and His mission. But we’re all different. We’re a mosaic…and beautiful collection of broken pieces assembled together so light can shine through. Isn’t that a perfect description of what the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ, the Church is supposed to be? We are all broken, yet God assembles us together and the light of Jesus shines through us creating a beautiful masterpiece.
Paul wrote this to the church in Corinth in modern-day Greece:
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)
God has created each of us unique and special. He has given all of us different kinds of gifts.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:7-10)
This is not the only list of spiritual gifts, but it’s a good one! We believe in all of the gifts even though not everyone necessarily knows or uses their gifts. We’ll get to that in a moment.
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Corinthians 12:11)
If you don’t like your gift, blame God! He has created each of us different. Some have a supernatural gift of wisdom, others knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues, and interpretation. Other gifts include helps, preaching, leadership, teaching, and the creative arts. God has gifted some with the gift of evangelism, others mercy. The key is to discover, develop, and deploy your gift(s) for God’s glory.
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14)
One body, many parts. All different. Each part is critical. If you’ve ever stubbed your toe, you know the importance of every part of your body!
Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. (1 Corinthians 12:15-20)
Do you get the picture? If not, Paul will make sure you understand!
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (1 Corinthians 12:21-26)
That’s family. You need me. I need you. My gifts aren’t better than yours. Every gift is necessary. And there should be no division. We should have equal concern for one another. When one of us suffers, we all suffer. When one of us is honored, we all rejoice. That’s the Body. That’s the Church. That’s family.
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
And yet I will show you the most excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12:27-31)
What follows is the love chapter of the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13. Love is the hallmark of family. Romans 12:10 says,
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10)
That’s the kind of family God is building at First Alliance. Do you want to see what it will look like in the future?
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. (Revelation 7:9)
That’s the global family. Jesus didn’t come to earth to start a white religion or even an American movement. The Body of Christ is a mosaic from every nation, tribe, people, and language and we’ll spend eternity together. We might as well celebrate our differences and unite around Jesus now! I love Toledo because it allows us to do life together with different people, even people from other nations!
You’re invited
Maybe you’re not a part of the family. I don’t mean the First Alliance family. I mean the family of God. I want to invite you to join the family. The table is a beautiful symbol of family. It’s the gathering place. It’s home. No matter who you are or what you’ve done, you are welcome to join the family. Come to the table.
One more thing…
One of the core values of the Christian & Missionary Alliance states,
Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple. Matthew 28:19
We looked at that scripture two weeks ago where we saw the Great Commission is essentially the mission of the Church…to go and make disciples of all nations, reproducing the life of Jesus. It requires all of us, every fully-devoted disciple. I hope that includes you! I can’t stress this enough…get connected.
- 1. Join a Life Group.
- 2. Join a serving team.
- 3. Attend FAC 101 on October 3 at noon
You’re not going to feel part of the family until you participate with the family, until you engage. I know some of you are introverts and that’s great. Join us on Facebook and Instagram. Send me an e-mail with your questions or comments. Take a risk and ask someone out for a cup of coffee…or let our office know you’re interested in connecting with a new friend.
I want to end with one final challenge: get in SHAPE. No, I don’t mean go to the gym. Go to FreeShapeTest.com. Don’t worry, this is one test you can’t fail! It’s a free assessment that will help you better understand how God’s wired you up, your spiritual gifts, your passion and heart. If you send the results to our office (office@factoledo.org), we can help you get connected to a serving team where you can worship God, bless others, and experience the joy of doing life together. We’ll talk more about SHAPE this fall, but if you’d like to get a head-start, check it out.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Equipping the Next Generation, 25 July 2021
26 07 21
Equipping
Series—Getting to the Core (values)
Matthew 28:18-20, Ephesians 4:12; 2 Timothy 2:2
Series Big Idea: Our core values guide us in our mission of family restoring God’s masterpieces for His glory.
Big Idea: We mobilize the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission.
What is First Alliance Church? It’s more than a building. It’s about people…on mission. God’s mission. It’s about knowing God and making Him known. It’s about loving God, one another, and others. It’s about making disciples.
But that should be said of every church…and there’s a lot of churches in Toledo!
So what’s special about First Alliance? What did A.B. Simpson envision when he started a Bible study in Toledo in 1887? What is God’s unique plan for this church? What is our vision? How will we get there?
After years of research, conversations, and prayer, our staff and elders have gotten clarity around what we believe is God’s direction for First Alliance, including our core values:
Equipping…the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission
Faithfulness…to prayer, the Word of God, and following Jesus
Family…a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together
Generosity…trusting God with open hands and open hearts
Missional…taking faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors
Synergy…collaborating for the sake of the Kingdom of God
It’s who we’ve been.
It’s who we are.
It’s where we’re going.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
Are you ready?
Let’s go!
The first words I spoke on this stage nearly six years ago were, “Why are you here?” Why? Simon Sinek’s bestselling book is titled, “Start with Why.”
It’s important to understand the “why” of things. Children love to ask the question. Sometimes we’re embarrassed by the answer. Why are you here? Why are we here?
Today we’re going to look at the first of six core values. Our value this week is equipping:
We mobilize the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission.
Let’s work our way backward.
The Great Commission is a famous mandate given by Jesus Christ. You might say it was the assignment he gave his followers as he was preparing to ascend into heaven.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
This is one of the most important scriptures in the Bible. Entire sermons have been written on it. Entire books have been written on it! At its core, it says we are to go and make disciples. A disciple is a follower, much like a student or protege. Jesus is saying reproduce him in others. Go—that’s an action word!—and make disciples, students. Follow Jesus and—by definition—get others to follow Jesus, too.
How do we know we’ve made a disciple? They are baptized: they make a public confession of faith. They are taught to obey God’s Word. They look like Jesus!
Who discipled you?
Who is discipling you?
Who are you discipling?
Discipleship is not a program. It’s not a book. It’s the life-long process of becoming like Jesus.
It’s important to recognize Jesus was given all authority…and promised to always be with us. Discipleship is about surrender, not striving. It’s about letting God lead and control our lives…and inviting others to let go and let God. It is impossible to overemphasize the importance of the Great Commission. It’s our assignment. It’s our mission. We are to go and make disciples. It’s what we’re all called to do…and throughout this series there will be some next-steps for you to take in making disciples.
This is not a church staff thing. Paul said to a church in modern-day Turkey,
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13)
Equipping is a vital function of a healthy church. The leaders are to equip the people to do ministry. They’re not professional Christians paid to do the ministry, but rather equippers who equip others who equip others.
There may be no more clearer verse about discipleship than Paul’s words to Timothy.
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)
How many generations are in this scripture? Four! Paul tells Timothy to entrust to people who will teach others. 2 Timothy 2:2 covers four generations. This is a picture of discipleship. It’s a portrait of equipping. It’s a vision for ministry, for obedience to the Great Commission.
Our first core value is equipping: we mobilize the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission.
The Church is one generation away from extinction. This isn’t news. It has always been true. I’m amazed that God has sustained this church for more than thirteen decades. The baton of faith has been passed from one generation to another many times…praise God! We need to be intentional about passing it on to the next.
When we say “next generation,” we mean two things:
- the next spiritual generation
- the next biological generation
I’ve observed many things in thirty-one years of vocation ministry and one is how easy it is to focus on one’s own needs without looking out for others. You can call it selfishness or consumerism or whatever, but it’s easy to forget it’s not all about us! Paul didn’t tell Timothy to be a good person. He said find reliable people who will teach others…who will teach others…who will teach others.
By the way, teach didn’t mean Zoom calls. It didn’t mean a classroom or chalk board or even a school. The method of training in Jesus’ day was life on life. It was personal discipleship. Jesus did it with a group. He did life with them. Show and tell was his method.
Family, we need to look out for the next generation. We need to value the next generation of Christians. One of the core values of The Alliance describes it this way:
Alliance: Lost people matter to God. He wants them found.
Jesus tells three stories in Luke chapter 15. One is about a lost sheep. Another is about a lost coin. The third is about a lost son, known as the Prodigal Son. The message is the same: God loves the lost. He goes after the lost. His love is extravagant and even appears reckless for the lost. Jesus said of himself,
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
We value lost people—the next generation—because Jesus values lost people.
I pray we fill our baptism this year…with new converts!
We’re committed to reaching the next generation of Christ-followers, including
- Celebrate Recovery, Wednesdays at 7 PM
- Dinner Church, 2nd Sundays
- Jeep Fest outreach, August 7
- Soulmates for Life this fall/winter
- Alpha Course?
There’s another way to describe the next generation and it’s biological.
Equipping: we mobilize the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission.
We are committed to equipping our children and youth so they can make disciples. Remember, the church is always one generation away from extinction…and right now the numbers don’t look good in our nation.
There has been a consistent generation gap of faith between the Builders to the Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials. In 2018, only 49% of those born between 1981 and 1996 identified as Christians (versus 84% for those born before 1946). Perhaps the most alarming headline I’ve read this year said, “43 percent of Millennials Don’t Know If, Care or Believe God Exists.” (Arizona Christian University). That number is 28% for Boomers.
I don’t think I’m “crying wolf” to say we’re losing the next generation. We’re losing the next generations. We’re losing our own kids and grandchildren. Why?
Could it be our faith is not attractive?
Last week I was talking with a friend from First Alliance and they said their adult child who grew up here wouldn’t even visit with them here because of the past legalistic culture. This is a person who loves Jesus but was so damaged by religion here they wouldn’t even attend…years later! I hope a lot has changed.
I don’t say that to critique our past, but to simply say our faith has not always been attractive. The next generation will not blindly follow the faith of previous generations. They want to know if our faith is real. Does it work? Does it have answers for the big questions of life? Or are we really just a bunch of hate-filled, close-minded, science-denying, racist, bigoted, homophobic, self-righteous hypocrites?
May it never be! I declare and decree
We mobilize the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission.
We must…or we have no future. We have no present! Our youth and children are not the church of tomorrow. They are the church of today!
This is why we have made tremendous investments in our children’s ministry.
Sue Trumbull has been faithfully serving the next generation for nearly sixteen years, equipping not only students but also adult leaders and parents. Under her leadership, we are equipping through
- Kids Church
- Kids Club United
- Vacation Bible School
- Sports & Art Camp
- Right Now Media
We took a faith-filled risk last month to hire a full-time, ordained Associate Pastor, Mike Pierce, to lead our Junior High, Senior High, and college students. Our investment in Pastor Mike is proof that we’re serious about the next generation. In addition to youth group on Wednesday nights, the students are already preparing for next year’s LIFE Conference in Orlando. We are praying for God to raise up future entrepreneurs, international workers, government leaders, and pastors.
In addition, we continue to equip the next generation through
- After School Klub
- Act 2 Productions
According to extensive research, by the time someone turns eighteen, the chances of them following Jesus are slim. Most people become Christians as a minor.
Efforts at evangelizing adults are not futile, but challenging.
So What?
Give! When you support First Alliance, you support our investment in the next generation.
Grace. Grandparents, what would you do for your grandchildren to know Jesus? Would you give up some money? Would you donate some time? Would you give up your musical preference on Sundays? Don’t worry, we’re not adding a disco ball to the sanctuary, but valuing the next generation may mean helping First Alliance become their church and not just yours. I hope in the coming days your children and grandchildren would beg you to bring them here…and not just here, but also to any gathering of the church.
Serve. We are always looking for volunteers to equip the next generation. Tomorrow begins the fourth and final week of Sports & Art Camp.
Research shows one of the most important features of young adults who love Jesus is an adult mentor who’s not a parent. It takes a village. Discipleship is primarily done in the home, but others vital to the spiritual development of the next generation.
Pray! We need to pray for our students and the students in our city. I pray God would raise up a radical generation of young people who would put us to shame spiritually! I pray for revival among our students. I pray for God to give us wisdom in how to equip and disciple them.
Sue Trumbull's prayer requests:
VBS workers for August, Fall Kids' Club United volunteers - Bible lesson teachers and Shop workers (Pinewood Derbys, and wood working projects, etc.) Elementary Helpers or Bible teachers for Sunday Worship Hour.
Pastor Mike's prayer requests, hopes and dream for students (EVERYWHERE).
+ That they say yes to Jesus even if that leads them to places they’ve never been
+ That they know who they are matters more than what they do
+ That they know how important they are to the church and how important the church is to them (in other words, that they need others and others need them)
+ That the view and live life with/ from an eternal perspective
+ That they hate sin
Pastor Mike's prayer requests, hopes and dreams for our specific students at FAC.
+ Of course all of the above!
+ Build relationships and understanding with other local youth groups/ community
+ Every student is involved in long term discipleship/ mentoring with an adult
+ That they are active in serving and using their gifts to build God’s Kingdom
Pastor Mike's prayer requests, hopes and dreams for our leaders at FAC.
+ That our leaders love Jesus
+ That our team would be like minded in what God is calling the youth ministry to be and do
+ That our leaders open up and share their lives with our students
+ That our leaders model to our students what it looks like to pursue Jesus
+ That our leaders use their gifts and serve the church/ community/ God’s Kingdom
Personally, I have a heart for the next generation of leaders…equipping and sending church planters, international workers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, government officials, teachers, scientists, etc.
Honestly, the research on the next generations is discouraging. No, it’s downright depressing! But God is able! It has never been about us or our programs. The only thing that can change a human heart is the power of God. If we are ready to truly love these younger masterpieces, God will do the rest.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Getting to the Core (values)
Matthew 28:18-20, Ephesians 4:12; 2 Timothy 2:2
Series Big Idea: Our core values guide us in our mission of family restoring God’s masterpieces for His glory.
Big Idea: We mobilize the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission.
What is First Alliance Church? It’s more than a building. It’s about people…on mission. God’s mission. It’s about knowing God and making Him known. It’s about loving God, one another, and others. It’s about making disciples.
But that should be said of every church…and there’s a lot of churches in Toledo!
So what’s special about First Alliance? What did A.B. Simpson envision when he started a Bible study in Toledo in 1887? What is God’s unique plan for this church? What is our vision? How will we get there?
After years of research, conversations, and prayer, our staff and elders have gotten clarity around what we believe is God’s direction for First Alliance, including our core values:
Equipping…the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission
Faithfulness…to prayer, the Word of God, and following Jesus
Family…a mosaic of people loving God and doing life together
Generosity…trusting God with open hands and open hearts
Missional…taking faith-filled risks in launching new ministries to love our neighbors
Synergy…collaborating for the sake of the Kingdom of God
It’s who we’ve been.
It’s who we are.
It’s where we’re going.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
Are you ready?
Let’s go!
The first words I spoke on this stage nearly six years ago were, “Why are you here?” Why? Simon Sinek’s bestselling book is titled, “Start with Why.”
It’s important to understand the “why” of things. Children love to ask the question. Sometimes we’re embarrassed by the answer. Why are you here? Why are we here?
Today we’re going to look at the first of six core values. Our value this week is equipping:
We mobilize the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission.
Let’s work our way backward.
The Great Commission is a famous mandate given by Jesus Christ. You might say it was the assignment he gave his followers as he was preparing to ascend into heaven.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
This is one of the most important scriptures in the Bible. Entire sermons have been written on it. Entire books have been written on it! At its core, it says we are to go and make disciples. A disciple is a follower, much like a student or protege. Jesus is saying reproduce him in others. Go—that’s an action word!—and make disciples, students. Follow Jesus and—by definition—get others to follow Jesus, too.
How do we know we’ve made a disciple? They are baptized: they make a public confession of faith. They are taught to obey God’s Word. They look like Jesus!
Who discipled you?
Who is discipling you?
Who are you discipling?
Discipleship is not a program. It’s not a book. It’s the life-long process of becoming like Jesus.
It’s important to recognize Jesus was given all authority…and promised to always be with us. Discipleship is about surrender, not striving. It’s about letting God lead and control our lives…and inviting others to let go and let God. It is impossible to overemphasize the importance of the Great Commission. It’s our assignment. It’s our mission. We are to go and make disciples. It’s what we’re all called to do…and throughout this series there will be some next-steps for you to take in making disciples.
This is not a church staff thing. Paul said to a church in modern-day Turkey,
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13)
Equipping is a vital function of a healthy church. The leaders are to equip the people to do ministry. They’re not professional Christians paid to do the ministry, but rather equippers who equip others who equip others.
There may be no more clearer verse about discipleship than Paul’s words to Timothy.
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)
How many generations are in this scripture? Four! Paul tells Timothy to entrust to people who will teach others. 2 Timothy 2:2 covers four generations. This is a picture of discipleship. It’s a portrait of equipping. It’s a vision for ministry, for obedience to the Great Commission.
Our first core value is equipping: we mobilize the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission.
The Church is one generation away from extinction. This isn’t news. It has always been true. I’m amazed that God has sustained this church for more than thirteen decades. The baton of faith has been passed from one generation to another many times…praise God! We need to be intentional about passing it on to the next.
When we say “next generation,” we mean two things:
- the next spiritual generation
- the next biological generation
I’ve observed many things in thirty-one years of vocation ministry and one is how easy it is to focus on one’s own needs without looking out for others. You can call it selfishness or consumerism or whatever, but it’s easy to forget it’s not all about us! Paul didn’t tell Timothy to be a good person. He said find reliable people who will teach others…who will teach others…who will teach others.
By the way, teach didn’t mean Zoom calls. It didn’t mean a classroom or chalk board or even a school. The method of training in Jesus’ day was life on life. It was personal discipleship. Jesus did it with a group. He did life with them. Show and tell was his method.
Family, we need to look out for the next generation. We need to value the next generation of Christians. One of the core values of The Alliance describes it this way:
Alliance: Lost people matter to God. He wants them found.
Jesus tells three stories in Luke chapter 15. One is about a lost sheep. Another is about a lost coin. The third is about a lost son, known as the Prodigal Son. The message is the same: God loves the lost. He goes after the lost. His love is extravagant and even appears reckless for the lost. Jesus said of himself,
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
We value lost people—the next generation—because Jesus values lost people.
I pray we fill our baptism this year…with new converts!
We’re committed to reaching the next generation of Christ-followers, including
- Celebrate Recovery, Wednesdays at 7 PM
- Dinner Church, 2nd Sundays
- Jeep Fest outreach, August 7
- Soulmates for Life this fall/winter
- Alpha Course?
There’s another way to describe the next generation and it’s biological.
Equipping: we mobilize the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission.
We are committed to equipping our children and youth so they can make disciples. Remember, the church is always one generation away from extinction…and right now the numbers don’t look good in our nation.
There has been a consistent generation gap of faith between the Builders to the Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials. In 2018, only 49% of those born between 1981 and 1996 identified as Christians (versus 84% for those born before 1946). Perhaps the most alarming headline I’ve read this year said, “43 percent of Millennials Don’t Know If, Care or Believe God Exists.” (Arizona Christian University). That number is 28% for Boomers.
I don’t think I’m “crying wolf” to say we’re losing the next generation. We’re losing the next generations. We’re losing our own kids and grandchildren. Why?
Could it be our faith is not attractive?
Last week I was talking with a friend from First Alliance and they said their adult child who grew up here wouldn’t even visit with them here because of the past legalistic culture. This is a person who loves Jesus but was so damaged by religion here they wouldn’t even attend…years later! I hope a lot has changed.
I don’t say that to critique our past, but to simply say our faith has not always been attractive. The next generation will not blindly follow the faith of previous generations. They want to know if our faith is real. Does it work? Does it have answers for the big questions of life? Or are we really just a bunch of hate-filled, close-minded, science-denying, racist, bigoted, homophobic, self-righteous hypocrites?
May it never be! I declare and decree
We mobilize the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission.
We must…or we have no future. We have no present! Our youth and children are not the church of tomorrow. They are the church of today!
This is why we have made tremendous investments in our children’s ministry.
Sue Trumbull has been faithfully serving the next generation for nearly sixteen years, equipping not only students but also adult leaders and parents. Under her leadership, we are equipping through
- Kids Church
- Kids Club United
- Vacation Bible School
- Sports & Art Camp
- Right Now Media
We took a faith-filled risk last month to hire a full-time, ordained Associate Pastor, Mike Pierce, to lead our Junior High, Senior High, and college students. Our investment in Pastor Mike is proof that we’re serious about the next generation. In addition to youth group on Wednesday nights, the students are already preparing for next year’s LIFE Conference in Orlando. We are praying for God to raise up future entrepreneurs, international workers, government leaders, and pastors.
In addition, we continue to equip the next generation through
- After School Klub
- Act 2 Productions
According to extensive research, by the time someone turns eighteen, the chances of them following Jesus are slim. Most people become Christians as a minor.
Efforts at evangelizing adults are not futile, but challenging.
So What?
Give! When you support First Alliance, you support our investment in the next generation.
Grace. Grandparents, what would you do for your grandchildren to know Jesus? Would you give up some money? Would you donate some time? Would you give up your musical preference on Sundays? Don’t worry, we’re not adding a disco ball to the sanctuary, but valuing the next generation may mean helping First Alliance become their church and not just yours. I hope in the coming days your children and grandchildren would beg you to bring them here…and not just here, but also to any gathering of the church.
Serve. We are always looking for volunteers to equip the next generation. Tomorrow begins the fourth and final week of Sports & Art Camp.
Research shows one of the most important features of young adults who love Jesus is an adult mentor who’s not a parent. It takes a village. Discipleship is primarily done in the home, but others vital to the spiritual development of the next generation.
Pray! We need to pray for our students and the students in our city. I pray God would raise up a radical generation of young people who would put us to shame spiritually! I pray for revival among our students. I pray for God to give us wisdom in how to equip and disciple them.
Sue Trumbull's prayer requests:
VBS workers for August, Fall Kids' Club United volunteers - Bible lesson teachers and Shop workers (Pinewood Derbys, and wood working projects, etc.) Elementary Helpers or Bible teachers for Sunday Worship Hour.
Pastor Mike's prayer requests, hopes and dream for students (EVERYWHERE).
+ That they say yes to Jesus even if that leads them to places they’ve never been
+ That they know who they are matters more than what they do
+ That they know how important they are to the church and how important the church is to them (in other words, that they need others and others need them)
+ That the view and live life with/ from an eternal perspective
+ That they hate sin
Pastor Mike's prayer requests, hopes and dreams for our specific students at FAC.
+ Of course all of the above!
+ Build relationships and understanding with other local youth groups/ community
+ Every student is involved in long term discipleship/ mentoring with an adult
+ That they are active in serving and using their gifts to build God’s Kingdom
Pastor Mike's prayer requests, hopes and dreams for our leaders at FAC.
+ That our leaders love Jesus
+ That our team would be like minded in what God is calling the youth ministry to be and do
+ That our leaders open up and share their lives with our students
+ That our leaders model to our students what it looks like to pursue Jesus
+ That our leaders use their gifts and serve the church/ community/ God’s Kingdom
Personally, I have a heart for the next generation of leaders…equipping and sending church planters, international workers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, government officials, teachers, scientists, etc.
Honestly, the research on the next generations is discouraging. No, it’s downright depressing! But God is able! It has never been about us or our programs. The only thing that can change a human heart is the power of God. If we are ready to truly love these younger masterpieces, God will do the rest.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Better Wise Up, 18 July 2021
18 07 21
Better Wise Up
Series—Faith Works: The book of James
James 1:1-12
Series Big Idea: Jesus’ half brother James offers us timeless instructions for living a God-honoring life.
Big Idea: Wisdom is one of God’s greatest gifts, available for the asking.
If you could have anything in the world, what would you wish for? It sounds like something out of a Disney movie, but it really happened. The first book of Kings says,
At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” (1 Kings 3:5)
This is King David’s son Solomon. How would you respond?
Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. (1 Kings 3:6)
OK, Solomon, answer the question!
“Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. (1 Kings 3:7)
We’re still waiting!
Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. (1 Kings 3:8)
He finally answers the question!
So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” (1 Kings 3:9)
Solomon asks for a discerning heart, a heart of understanding. Some would call this—in a word—wisdom. I can think of no greater answer, especially from a leader responsible for making countless decisions that affect many lives. Oh that our leaders today would make such a request of the Lord! It’s obvious that Solomon made an excellent choice.The text says so!
The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. (1 Kings 3:10)
So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. (1 Kings 3:11-12)
Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” (1 Kings 3:13-14)
Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream. (1 Kings 3:15a)
And what a dream it was!
Today we’re continuing our series on the book of James: Faith Works. Our topic today is wisdom…and you better wise up!
Two weeks ago Jason Horton tackled the first four verses of the book of James. This is arguably the most practical book in the Bible, penned by Jesus’ half-brother. To review, the book begins:
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
Greetings. (James 1:1)
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)
If you missed Jason’s sermon, please go to our app, website, YouTube channel, or Vimeo page. It was excellent. The subject of trials forms the context of what follows.
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5)
This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. It’s a promise. It’s not directed at a particular person, but rather “any of you” among the twelve tribes scattered among the nations.
The original Greek word for wisdom is sophia. I had a boss once named Sophia. She was…pretty wise, I suppose! It’s not just that God grants wisdom, but that he gives it generously, bountifully, liberally. That’s His nature, especially with His children. He is a good, good Father.
This is especially true in the midst of trials when we often lack wisdom, those moments in which we are out of control. If you’ve ever asked God, “Why?” you know what I mean. Our District Superintendent, Thomas George, has encouraged me to change, “Why?” to “What are You up to, LORD?” “Help me see what You see.” “I need Your perspective and wisdom, Father.” Trials are for God's glory and our growth.
James is saying ask God for wisdom and it will be given to you. Period. Well, almost period! There’s a dreaded “but” which follows, though it’s not all that dreaded, actually.
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. (James 1:6-8)
To obtain wisdom, we need faith or, actually, commitment to God. James isn’t talk about someone who is uncertain God will answer their request or a person struggling with faith. Instead, it’s the person who is double-minded, a person who is not truly committed to God. They want to be successful in this world and want God to bless them now while also hoping to go to heaven when they die. They want to have their cake and eat it, too.
A close equivalent to this double-minded person is found in Psalm 12.
Help, LORD, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from the human race. Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts. (Psalm 12:1-2)
Hypocrisy is nothing new! Does it describe you? Again this isn’t someone who is truly seeking God and asking for faith. It’s a reference to Sunday-only Christians who use God rather than worship Him. God will grant wisdom to those truly committed to Him who ask. Don’t ask for wisdom if you’re not prepared to act on it.
Knowledge used to be valuable, but you can find just about anything on Google or YouTube. Wisdom, on the other hand, is the right application of knowledge. Who needs wisdom? I certainly do. This past year and a half has demanded more wisdom from leaders than perhaps any time in our lifetime. Should we close? Should we open? Should we encourage masks? Should we mandate masks? Should we get vaccinated? Should we require the staff to get vaccinated? Should we use the drinking fountains?
When people ask how they can pray for me, my most common response is, “Wisdom.” I need God’s wisdom. Not conventional wisdom. Not politically-correct responses. Not tickle-the-ears advise. I desperate need God’s wisdom…in my professional and personal life.
It’s really hard following Jesus in our culture. There is a constant temptation to live like everybody else, despite the fact that everybody else seems to be so confused, so fickle, so selfish, and so unreliable.
Recently Bible scholar N.T. Wright was on the Catalyst Podcast and offered an outstanding explanation of our current society, Listen…
It seems to me we are in a very confused culture with a highly moralistic culture of one sort that our world—the western world—has sort of invented new moralisms to take the place of the old ones, but the trouble with the new moralisms is that there is never any redemption. If you’re caught out saying accidentally something which somebody else says was racist or crypto-Nazi or whatever it is then that’s it, you’re out, you’re cancelled, you’re in social hell, even atheist hell if you like. There’s no way back, there’s no chance for repentance or forgiveness and so on. That’s a very cruel culture.
People used to object to Christians banging on about sin but the point of banging on about sin was to say there’s a way back to God from the darkness of sin as the old hymn says it and to say we’re all sinners was actually a positive doctrine because the answer is we’ve got a diagnosis for the problem and what’s more we have a solution, we have a remedy, God has provided the remedy, whereas in the present social and culture climate everyone is nervous about tripping up over some hidden “thou shalt not” in the culture whether it’s about gender rights of one sort or another or issues to do with race and so on and the rules keep on changing and as the rules change, when you’re my age, it’s very hard to keep up with them. It reminds me of that Roman emperor
Who made new rules and printed them out or stuck them out very small and had them stuck on high walls where nobody could read them and then would punish people for not obeying these rules and sometimes our contemporary culture feels like that and we have to argue for the importance of genuine morality, yes, but what we have at the moment is a sort of pseudo-morality of this victim culture where if somebody feels upset by something somebody else has quite innocently said then they can blame the person who’s done it and once you blame them there is no way back, they are non-persons or they’re damned or whatever, so how we respond to that as Christians is very different from the kind of stuff that most of us grew up with which was assuming that most people around us were sort of crypto-Pelagians thinking they could behave themselves and, therefore, go to heaven when they die. That’s not what people are thinking out there on the street now and we have to get used to articulating the message of Jesus in a very, very different context.
I know that’s a lot, but I believe it’s a lot of wisdom. I love how Wright is able to wisely assess our cancel culture and contrast it so poignantly with the Kingdom of God, an alternative way of life filled with love, hope, forgiveness, and redemption.
I confess sometimes I get caught up in the issues of our day, filled with fear and uncertainty rather than wisely seeking the Truth in God and His Word. Although our nation may be one exception in the last half of the twentieth century, most societies throughout history have not Christian foundations. The world has always acted like the world and will always act like the world. We are called—as citizens of the Kingdom of God—to live differently, to be filled with love rather than fear, to exercise grace not revenge, to seek after those who make us uncomfortable when we’d rather play video games or watch movies.
I can’t say this enough: I need wisdom. You need wisdom. Following Jesus in our day requires supernatural wisdom, and the good news is it is promised to us…if we ask and believe.
Would you commit to praying for me? I need wisdom. Our staff and elders need wisdom, especially during these next several weeks as we prepare for our fall kickoff on August 29. Next week we’ll begin what may be the most important sermon series I’ve ever preached for First Alliance Church. We’re going to present our six core values, the result of literally years of prayer, research, and discussion. God has answered our cries for wisdom. He has given us a compelling mission, an exciting vision, and a fresh strategy to reach our city and world as we more or less relaunch First Alliance this fall. As excited as I am about our future, I don’t want to take a single step forward without God’s direction, God’s protection, unity, and passion—my four prayers for FAC. As our society considers a post-COVID world in the future, we’ve been working behind-the-scenes to be optimally ready for whatever opportunities God provides for us. It is my prayer that our most fruitful days are ahead, that our baptistry would get worn out, that God would raise up men and women to serve Him here and around the world.
Perhaps my greatest fear is that I get in the way of what God wants to do, which is why I pray for and ask for your prayers for wisdom. Since it’s promised, we can pray with confidence and eager expectation. I better wise up. You better wise up!
There are four more verses I want to look at before we conclude today that relate to wisdom.
Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. (James 1:9)
Does that even make sense? It does in the upside-down Kingdom of God where the first shall be last and where saving your life means losing it for Christ’s sake. A few chapters later, James will say,
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (James 4:10)
The world says you need a platform. Get famous on Tik Tok. Make a career out of YouTube movies. Grab as much money, sex, and power as you can. It’s all about you!
God says, “Surrender to me and I will lift you up.”
Some of you find yourselves in humble circumstances. Several in our church family are homeless, jobless, spouse-less, or even penniless. Take pride in your high position. Humble yourselves before the Lord. He sees you. He knows you. He loves you. Your story’s not over. Seek help. You are a masterpiece in need of restoration…like me and the rest of us. God’s doing beautiful work through Celebrate Recovery here on Wednesdays at 7 PM. Do life together with others in a Life Group. We have several new groups launching this fall and some meeting now.
But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business. (James 1:10-11)
There’s a weather event in the Middle East called a sirocco. It is a very devastating hot wind that blows from the southern desert into Palestine, destroying flowers and plants. What an image!
Money is not the root of all kinds of evil. The love of money is. James reminds the rich—which is most of us compared to people around the world—it will all pass away someday. You can’t take it with you.
It reminds me of the man who was granted one wish—like Solomon—and he asked to see the next day’s newspaper so he could see the sports section and bet on the horse race. It was a great plan to get rich…until he noticed his name in the obituaries!
Rich or poor, young or old, black or white, wolverine or buckeye (!), …
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)
James speaks often of trials because he knows they make us grow, they humble us, they bring us to our knees, and they develop our character. As he said at the beginning of the book,
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)
Erwin McManus recently said,
I’ve always wondered why the Bible says the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.
Why do we want to fear God?
Whatever you fear has mastery of your life.
Whatever you are afraid of, that’s your master.
If you only fear God, then only God is your master.
Every other fear will use that fear to hold you captive.
But when you fear God, He destroys the fear because it says that perfect love casts out all fear.
When all your fear is directed at God, His perfect love casts out all the fear and now you can live a life that’s truly free.
Some of you have made a mess of your life. You haven’t made wise choices and you’re suffering the consequences. There’s no shame in that, but redemption is possible. God takes our failures and brokenness and restores us into masterpieces. If we humble ourselves, He will lift us up. If we seek His wisdom and Kingdom and will, like will not always be easy, but it will be satisfying in this life…and the next.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Faith Works: The book of James
James 1:1-12
Series Big Idea: Jesus’ half brother James offers us timeless instructions for living a God-honoring life.
Big Idea: Wisdom is one of God’s greatest gifts, available for the asking.
If you could have anything in the world, what would you wish for? It sounds like something out of a Disney movie, but it really happened. The first book of Kings says,
At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” (1 Kings 3:5)
This is King David’s son Solomon. How would you respond?
Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. (1 Kings 3:6)
OK, Solomon, answer the question!
“Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. (1 Kings 3:7)
We’re still waiting!
Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. (1 Kings 3:8)
He finally answers the question!
So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” (1 Kings 3:9)
Solomon asks for a discerning heart, a heart of understanding. Some would call this—in a word—wisdom. I can think of no greater answer, especially from a leader responsible for making countless decisions that affect many lives. Oh that our leaders today would make such a request of the Lord! It’s obvious that Solomon made an excellent choice.The text says so!
The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. (1 Kings 3:10)
So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. (1 Kings 3:11-12)
Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” (1 Kings 3:13-14)
Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream. (1 Kings 3:15a)
And what a dream it was!
Today we’re continuing our series on the book of James: Faith Works. Our topic today is wisdom…and you better wise up!
Two weeks ago Jason Horton tackled the first four verses of the book of James. This is arguably the most practical book in the Bible, penned by Jesus’ half-brother. To review, the book begins:
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
Greetings. (James 1:1)
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)
If you missed Jason’s sermon, please go to our app, website, YouTube channel, or Vimeo page. It was excellent. The subject of trials forms the context of what follows.
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5)
This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. It’s a promise. It’s not directed at a particular person, but rather “any of you” among the twelve tribes scattered among the nations.
The original Greek word for wisdom is sophia. I had a boss once named Sophia. She was…pretty wise, I suppose! It’s not just that God grants wisdom, but that he gives it generously, bountifully, liberally. That’s His nature, especially with His children. He is a good, good Father.
This is especially true in the midst of trials when we often lack wisdom, those moments in which we are out of control. If you’ve ever asked God, “Why?” you know what I mean. Our District Superintendent, Thomas George, has encouraged me to change, “Why?” to “What are You up to, LORD?” “Help me see what You see.” “I need Your perspective and wisdom, Father.” Trials are for God's glory and our growth.
James is saying ask God for wisdom and it will be given to you. Period. Well, almost period! There’s a dreaded “but” which follows, though it’s not all that dreaded, actually.
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. (James 1:6-8)
To obtain wisdom, we need faith or, actually, commitment to God. James isn’t talk about someone who is uncertain God will answer their request or a person struggling with faith. Instead, it’s the person who is double-minded, a person who is not truly committed to God. They want to be successful in this world and want God to bless them now while also hoping to go to heaven when they die. They want to have their cake and eat it, too.
A close equivalent to this double-minded person is found in Psalm 12.
Help, LORD, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from the human race. Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts. (Psalm 12:1-2)
Hypocrisy is nothing new! Does it describe you? Again this isn’t someone who is truly seeking God and asking for faith. It’s a reference to Sunday-only Christians who use God rather than worship Him. God will grant wisdom to those truly committed to Him who ask. Don’t ask for wisdom if you’re not prepared to act on it.
Knowledge used to be valuable, but you can find just about anything on Google or YouTube. Wisdom, on the other hand, is the right application of knowledge. Who needs wisdom? I certainly do. This past year and a half has demanded more wisdom from leaders than perhaps any time in our lifetime. Should we close? Should we open? Should we encourage masks? Should we mandate masks? Should we get vaccinated? Should we require the staff to get vaccinated? Should we use the drinking fountains?
When people ask how they can pray for me, my most common response is, “Wisdom.” I need God’s wisdom. Not conventional wisdom. Not politically-correct responses. Not tickle-the-ears advise. I desperate need God’s wisdom…in my professional and personal life.
It’s really hard following Jesus in our culture. There is a constant temptation to live like everybody else, despite the fact that everybody else seems to be so confused, so fickle, so selfish, and so unreliable.
Recently Bible scholar N.T. Wright was on the Catalyst Podcast and offered an outstanding explanation of our current society, Listen…
It seems to me we are in a very confused culture with a highly moralistic culture of one sort that our world—the western world—has sort of invented new moralisms to take the place of the old ones, but the trouble with the new moralisms is that there is never any redemption. If you’re caught out saying accidentally something which somebody else says was racist or crypto-Nazi or whatever it is then that’s it, you’re out, you’re cancelled, you’re in social hell, even atheist hell if you like. There’s no way back, there’s no chance for repentance or forgiveness and so on. That’s a very cruel culture.
People used to object to Christians banging on about sin but the point of banging on about sin was to say there’s a way back to God from the darkness of sin as the old hymn says it and to say we’re all sinners was actually a positive doctrine because the answer is we’ve got a diagnosis for the problem and what’s more we have a solution, we have a remedy, God has provided the remedy, whereas in the present social and culture climate everyone is nervous about tripping up over some hidden “thou shalt not” in the culture whether it’s about gender rights of one sort or another or issues to do with race and so on and the rules keep on changing and as the rules change, when you’re my age, it’s very hard to keep up with them. It reminds me of that Roman emperor
Who made new rules and printed them out or stuck them out very small and had them stuck on high walls where nobody could read them and then would punish people for not obeying these rules and sometimes our contemporary culture feels like that and we have to argue for the importance of genuine morality, yes, but what we have at the moment is a sort of pseudo-morality of this victim culture where if somebody feels upset by something somebody else has quite innocently said then they can blame the person who’s done it and once you blame them there is no way back, they are non-persons or they’re damned or whatever, so how we respond to that as Christians is very different from the kind of stuff that most of us grew up with which was assuming that most people around us were sort of crypto-Pelagians thinking they could behave themselves and, therefore, go to heaven when they die. That’s not what people are thinking out there on the street now and we have to get used to articulating the message of Jesus in a very, very different context.
I know that’s a lot, but I believe it’s a lot of wisdom. I love how Wright is able to wisely assess our cancel culture and contrast it so poignantly with the Kingdom of God, an alternative way of life filled with love, hope, forgiveness, and redemption.
I confess sometimes I get caught up in the issues of our day, filled with fear and uncertainty rather than wisely seeking the Truth in God and His Word. Although our nation may be one exception in the last half of the twentieth century, most societies throughout history have not Christian foundations. The world has always acted like the world and will always act like the world. We are called—as citizens of the Kingdom of God—to live differently, to be filled with love rather than fear, to exercise grace not revenge, to seek after those who make us uncomfortable when we’d rather play video games or watch movies.
I can’t say this enough: I need wisdom. You need wisdom. Following Jesus in our day requires supernatural wisdom, and the good news is it is promised to us…if we ask and believe.
Would you commit to praying for me? I need wisdom. Our staff and elders need wisdom, especially during these next several weeks as we prepare for our fall kickoff on August 29. Next week we’ll begin what may be the most important sermon series I’ve ever preached for First Alliance Church. We’re going to present our six core values, the result of literally years of prayer, research, and discussion. God has answered our cries for wisdom. He has given us a compelling mission, an exciting vision, and a fresh strategy to reach our city and world as we more or less relaunch First Alliance this fall. As excited as I am about our future, I don’t want to take a single step forward without God’s direction, God’s protection, unity, and passion—my four prayers for FAC. As our society considers a post-COVID world in the future, we’ve been working behind-the-scenes to be optimally ready for whatever opportunities God provides for us. It is my prayer that our most fruitful days are ahead, that our baptistry would get worn out, that God would raise up men and women to serve Him here and around the world.
Perhaps my greatest fear is that I get in the way of what God wants to do, which is why I pray for and ask for your prayers for wisdom. Since it’s promised, we can pray with confidence and eager expectation. I better wise up. You better wise up!
There are four more verses I want to look at before we conclude today that relate to wisdom.
Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. (James 1:9)
Does that even make sense? It does in the upside-down Kingdom of God where the first shall be last and where saving your life means losing it for Christ’s sake. A few chapters later, James will say,
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (James 4:10)
The world says you need a platform. Get famous on Tik Tok. Make a career out of YouTube movies. Grab as much money, sex, and power as you can. It’s all about you!
God says, “Surrender to me and I will lift you up.”
Some of you find yourselves in humble circumstances. Several in our church family are homeless, jobless, spouse-less, or even penniless. Take pride in your high position. Humble yourselves before the Lord. He sees you. He knows you. He loves you. Your story’s not over. Seek help. You are a masterpiece in need of restoration…like me and the rest of us. God’s doing beautiful work through Celebrate Recovery here on Wednesdays at 7 PM. Do life together with others in a Life Group. We have several new groups launching this fall and some meeting now.
But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business. (James 1:10-11)
There’s a weather event in the Middle East called a sirocco. It is a very devastating hot wind that blows from the southern desert into Palestine, destroying flowers and plants. What an image!
Money is not the root of all kinds of evil. The love of money is. James reminds the rich—which is most of us compared to people around the world—it will all pass away someday. You can’t take it with you.
It reminds me of the man who was granted one wish—like Solomon—and he asked to see the next day’s newspaper so he could see the sports section and bet on the horse race. It was a great plan to get rich…until he noticed his name in the obituaries!
Rich or poor, young or old, black or white, wolverine or buckeye (!), …
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)
James speaks often of trials because he knows they make us grow, they humble us, they bring us to our knees, and they develop our character. As he said at the beginning of the book,
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)
Erwin McManus recently said,
I’ve always wondered why the Bible says the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.
Why do we want to fear God?
Whatever you fear has mastery of your life.
Whatever you are afraid of, that’s your master.
If you only fear God, then only God is your master.
Every other fear will use that fear to hold you captive.
But when you fear God, He destroys the fear because it says that perfect love casts out all fear.
When all your fear is directed at God, His perfect love casts out all the fear and now you can live a life that’s truly free.
Some of you have made a mess of your life. You haven’t made wise choices and you’re suffering the consequences. There’s no shame in that, but redemption is possible. God takes our failures and brokenness and restores us into masterpieces. If we humble ourselves, He will lift us up. If we seek His wisdom and Kingdom and will, like will not always be easy, but it will be satisfying in this life…and the next.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The Glory of God's Presence, 27 June 2021
29 06 21
The Glory of God’s Presence
Series—Exodus: Journey to Freedom
Exodus 40
Series Big Idea: The book of Exodus describes God’s gracious liberation of the Jews from slavery to freedom.
Big Idea: We are blessed to be invited into God’s presence.
What’s the most incredible experience you’ve ever had in your life? For some it might be their first time seeing Cinderella’s Castle at Disney World or the green grass at a Mud Hens game. A visit to the Grand Canyon or skydiving would be amazing. There might’ve been a defining moment such as a graduation or new job. Maybe it was the birth of a baby or your wedding day. Last Sunday we looked at what may have been the prophet Isaiah’s most incredible experience.
Isaiah 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
Isaiah 6:4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
Isaiah 6:5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”
Isaiah was wrecked by the glory of God’s presence…and aware of his own sin and inadequacy. We said God is holy, and remarkably He calls us to be holy, too, something made possible not by our goodness by His amazing grace through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Hallelujah!
Today as we conclude our month-long series on Exodus, we’re exploring God’s presence. We saw in Exodus 3 Moses saw a burning bush and was told to take off his sandals for he was standing on holy ground. Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God. The experiences of both Isaiah and Moses teach us that…
God’s presence is truly awesome!
PRAY
Where is God?
In a word…everywhere! God is omnipresent. Psalm 139 asks,
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
God appears in the first verse of the Bible.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
We understand the earth, but the heavens are not as clear. The original Hebrew word, shamayim, refers to the sky, air, and indicates something lofty. The scriptures describe God in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve until The Fall, the disobedience which brought sin into the world and with it the death of our intimacy with God. He speaks to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and later Moses who led the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt to the edge of the Promised Land. That journey we call the Exodus, also the name of our book of study in June. It was during those forty years of wandering in the wilderness that…
God’s presence was usually confined to the Tabernacle.
God is everywhere, but His manifest presence was especially present in the Tabernacle. Exodus 40 gives a detailed account of the Tabernacle. It was known as the tent of meeting and required more than a little setup!
Then the LORD said to Moses: 2 “Set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, on the first day of the first month. 3 Place the ark of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain. 4 Bring in the table and set out what belongs on it. Then bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. (Exodus 40:1-4)
The next verses were filled with detailed instructions for setting up the tabernacle.
“Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water. 13 Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest. 14 Bring his sons and dress them in tunics. 15 Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so they may serve me as priests. Their anointing will be to a priesthood that will continue throughout their generations.” 16 Moses did everything just as the LORD commanded him. (Exodus 40:12-16)
Then we’re told additional details about Moses setting up the tabernacle, preparing the special place for God’s presence. If you owned a house and learned the Mayor or Governor or President were coming over, would you take a moment to clean, to prepare? Of course! In this case, God told Moses how to prepare a special house, a special place for His glory.
Then he put up the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle. 29 He set the altar of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered on it burnt offerings and grain offerings, as the LORD commanded him. (Exodus 40:28-29)
He placed the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, 31 and Moses and Aaron and his sons used it to wash their hands and feet. 32 They washed whenever they entered the tent of meeting or approached the altar, as the LORD commanded Moses. (Exodus 40:30-32)
Then Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work. (Exodus 40:33)
Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. (Exodus 40:34-35)
I can’t imagine the incredible experience of God’s glory. Wow! The tabernacle was portable and the people moved it as God guided.
In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels. (Exodus 40:36-38)
The writer of Hebrews gives us some details about the tabernacle.
A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4 which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. (Hebrews 9:2-4)
A few verses later we’re told,
But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. (Hebrews 9:7)
Eventually Joshua led the people into the Promised Land in what we now call Israel. Generations later,
God’s presence was moved to the Temple.
King David assembled the materials and his son, Solomon, led the construction of the Temple
Solomon covered the inside of the temple with pure gold, and he extended gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, which was overlaid with gold. (1 Kings 6:21)
At the dedication of both the tabernacle and the temple, God’s glory appeared in a powerful way, demonstrating His presence.
Last month we talked a bit about the temple, the center of Jewish life, one of the wonders of the ancient world. It was a most impressive structure with a variety of designated areas, including the Most Holy Place.
Despite its grandeur and beauty, it was destroyed in AD 70 by the Romans just as Jesus had predicted. While that was a devastating time for the Jews, the impact for the first Christians was somewhat less because the Temple was no longer the sole location of God’s presence. You might say that years earlier on Good Friday, God left the building! It occurred as Jesus breathed his last breath. Matthew tells us…
Matthew 27:50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
Matthew 27:51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
That’s an incredible experience I’d love to witness…even if it would scare the stuffing out of me! I’ve been through some mild earthquakes, but I’ve never seen rocks split. I’ve certainly never seen tombs open and zombies roam a city, if you can say that!!! This was literally the walking dead, raised to life in the midst of Jesus’ death. But perhaps the most important aspect of this scene was the curtain of the temple torn in two from top to bottom.
God’s presence was unleashed on Good Friday…and Pentecost
Jesus said,
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Acts 2 tells of the coming of the Holy Spirit who dwells inside every follower of Jesus. In fact, Paul told the church in Colossi,
To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27)
God lives inside each believer. Where is God? In us! We are the temples of God.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
This is why we need to pay attention to our bodies, our physical health, and our sexuality. If you are a follower of Jesus, your body is not your own. It belongs to the LORD. Although it’s a radical thing to say in our culture, you are not permitted to do whatever you want with your body. You were made by God. You were made for God. You were made for God’s glory.
I can understand God showing up in the Garden to hang out with His creations Adam and Eve before they rebelled and sinned.
I can understand a holy God dwelling in a sacred part of the tabernacle and later the temple.
I can somewhat understand the sacrifice of Jesus granting us access to the Most Holy Place and making possible a relationship with Almighty God.
I find it nearly impossible to understand God dwelling inside of me, living in me, making my body His temple. This, of course, does not me that I am a God, but rather that God chooses to make His home in my heart…if I make room for Him.
So What?
I want to close with two quick thoughts. First,
God’s presence doesn’t mean we will not suffer, but we are never alone.
Where is God when it hurts? Where was God when you were suffering? He was with you.
Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”
I know that raises the question, “If God was with me, why didn’t He stop the pain?” I can only say when we hurt, God hurts. He grants us free will, including the ability to hurt one another. He has a habit of redeeming pain and using it for our good, but beyond that I don’t have any quick, easy answers…but I trust God. Your story’s not over. Perhaps soon you’ll understand. I have many stories of understanding weeks, months, and even years later the purpose for pain in my life. I found this paragraph at GotQuestions.org:
Our lives are like a quilt. If you look at the back side of a quilt, all you see is a mess of knots and loose ends hanging out all over. It is very unattractive, and there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the work. Yet when you turn the quilt over, you see how the maker has craftily woven together each strand to form a beautiful creation, much like the life of a believer (Isaiah 64:8). We live with a limited understanding of the things of God, yet a day is coming when we will know and understand all things (Job 37:5; Isaiah 40:28; Ecclesiastes 11:5; 1 Corinthians 13:12; 1 John 3:2). Where is God when it hurts? The message to take with you in hard times is that when you cannot see His hand, trust His heart, and know for certain that He has not forsaken you. When you seem to have no strength of your own, that is when you can most fully rest in His presence and know that His strength is made perfect in your weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). –
Be comforted to know God is with you. He has not left you. He has not abandoned you. And nobody knows pain like Jesus. If you doubt me, watch The Passion of the Christ again…or for the first time.
And finally,
Someday we will experience God’s presence in unimaginable ways.
1Corinthians 2:6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived” —
the things God has prepared for those who love him—
1Corinthians 2:10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
One day we will see God face to face.
One day there will be no more suffering or pain or tears.
One day we will experience the full glory of God’s presence…forever!
In the meantime, let’s enjoy every moment when heaven kisses earth, where God’s Kingdom comes and His will is done on earth as it is in heaven…the place where God dwells.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
God is Holy, 20 June 2021
19 06 21
God is Holy
Series—Exodus: Journey to Freedom
Series Big Idea: The book of Exodus describes God’s gracious liberation of the Jews from slavery to freedom.
Big Idea: God is holy and deserving of our worship…and holiness.
The Bible is filled with amazing stories. They are so remarkable, they’re often referenced by non-Christians such as David and Goliath or even Noah and the ark. One of the most vivid occurs in the third chapter of Exodus, the book we’re studying this month.
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” (Exodus 3:1-3)
When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
And Moses said, “Here I am.” (Exodus 3:4)
“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:5)
Holy ground. What is holy ground? How does a piece of wilderness become holy? What does it even mean when we sing, “Holy, Holy, Holy?”
The original Hebrew word here for holy in Exodus 3 is qodesh. It’s used over 400 times and means to be clean, ceremonially or morally. The idea is to appoint, bide, consecrate, dedicate, purify, distinct, set apart.
Growing up, we had everyday dishes and the special ones. Most nights I would see beige Pfaltzgraff plates and common silverware (that probably weren’t even silver!). But when company came over for a special dinner, the white china was used with the fancy silverware from the special silverware box! You might say it was holy, set apart, special.
I probably doubt I have to convince you that God is holy. He’s God! Of course He’s special, purified, set apart. He never sins. He never forget. He never sleeps. He never fails. His love is unlimited. His power is never-ending. His presence is everywhere.
We’re told in 1 Samuel…
“There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. (1 Samuel 2:2)
There are two things I hope to communicate today. First, we need to expand our vision of God.
He is not your homeboy! He’s not your buddy. He’s God! He’s the Creator of the universe. We don’t worship an idol or a statue or a dead person or the sun and moon or the greatest idol…ourselves. No, we worship the holy God, the One unlike any other, the Rock. I’m reminded of the old Broadway Musical, Your Arms Too Short to Box with God!
He is God. You’re not. If we could just understand that simple truth, life would be radically different…and better. We say, “Jesus take the wheel” and then become a backseat driver! We love power. We crave control. We want it our way.
That’s an option! God has given us free will, the ability to make choices. How’s that working out for you? We see all around us evidence that making gods of ourselves is a catastrophe. COVID or not, depression and anxiety have skyrocketed as our churches have emptied. Homelessness and poverty are rampant in what may be the world’s most wealthy country. Incarcerations and injustice are off the charts. Violence in our land makes most nations look peaceful. We’ve rejected God and I don’t believe He’s punishing us so much as we’re simply suffering the consequences of that rejection.
The prophet Isaiah spoke of those who ignore God and do life on their own arrogant terms before saying,
But the LORD Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will be proved holy by his righteous acts. (Isaiah 5:16)
I don’t know about you, but I need God! I need His wisdom. I need His love. I need His power. I need His grace. I need His joy and mercy and peace and kindness and…
Some of you don’t need God…until you do! I’m urging you, surrender to God! Daddy knows best! He can be trusted. Listen to these words from Psalm 99…
Psalms 99:1 The LORD reigns,
let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim,
let the earth shake.
2 Great is the LORD in Zion;
he is exalted over all the nations.
3 Let them praise your great and awesome name—
he is holy.
4 The King is mighty, he loves justice—
you have established equity;
in Jacob you have done
what is just and right.
5 Exalt the LORD our God
and worship at his footstool;
he is holy.
6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
Samuel was among those who called on his name;
they called on the LORD
and he answered them.
7 He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud;
they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.
8 LORD our God,
you answered them;
you were to Israel a forgiving God,
though you punished their misdeeds.
9 Exalt the LORD our God
and worship at his holy mountain,
for the LORD our God is holy.
This is not news to most of you, but we need to be reminded of Who it is that we are talking about, talking to, talking with, worshipping. We don’t sing on Sundays because we’re some glee club! A holy God deserves a response.
Last week the president met with Queen Elizabeth. He didn’t show up wearing flip flops and a graphic tee! Even though he is the leader of our nation, he recognized he was in the presence of royalty. He dressed, spoke, and behaved accordingly.
I’m not suggesting that God demands a dress code, but He is worthy of our respect, our attention, our worship. Our English word worship comes from the (Anglo Saxon) word worth-ship (or Old English woerthship), to ascribe worth to something. God deserves our praise, our allegiance, our time, our talents, our treasures, and our devotion.
Do you worship God? I don’t mean do you attend a weekly worship gathering on Sunday morning. I mean does your life reflect God is worthy of your whole self? Although the numbers seem to be declining, most people in our country would say they believe in God, but that’s not what I’m talking about here. The Bible says even demons believe in God (James 2:19)! They used to work for Him! A holy God is worthy of our worship, 24/7/365.
I think most people are simply too busy for God, obsessed with acceptance, significance, and security from everyplace except the true source, our Holy God. They’ll run to God when they’re in crisis, but otherwise they want to be in control and feel they don’t need God. Even in crisis, they treat God as a cosmic Santa Clause. Tragically, so many turn away from God when they don’t get their way, when trials come, when life gets hard…as if God owes us anything.
I don’t want what I deserve from God! My sin, rebellion, selfishness, and pride make me intolerable to a holy God. I deserve eternal punishment for my unholy behavior.
But that’s where Jesus comes in! Jesus did live a perfect life and died in our place. That’s love. That’s grace. That’s something we could never deserve. It’s also why we love and worship Jesus. God could’ve been satisfied with watching us die in our sins, but out of His love and mercy He sent Jesus to show us what it means to be human, to die, and to rise from the dead.
We need to expand our vision of God. We need to get Him out of the box, restore the mystery, and be captivated by our Good, Good Father. One of the ways we can do that is simply to read and study the Bible. I must confess I often get to comfortable and complacent with God. I get disappointed when He doesn’t do what I want, when I want. Then I feel justified in ignoring Him…or worse.
God created us in His image…and we’ve returned the favor!
The last book of the Bible offers some brilliant images that the best CGI in Hollywood could never begin to adequately capture. One of my favorite verses says,
Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“ ‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’
who was, and is, and is to come.” (Revelation 4:8)
There is so much to that verse I can hardly imagine! What I know is God is awesome—Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. Supernatural creatures declare this day and night and never stop! You think our songs are repetitious!!!
That’s not the first time this refrain is mentioned in the Bible. Isaiah the prophet tells this story…
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:1-3)
That’s quite a sight, right? Isaiah saw it. But that’s not all.
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. (Isaiah 6:4)
This was a multi-sensory extravaganza! Not even Disney World can create experiences like this! Here’s how Isaiah responded…
“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:5)
The Hebrew word here in Isaiah for holy is slightly different than the first word I mentioned, qodesh. That meant distinct or set apart. The word in this verse, used 118 times, is qadosh. It means sacred, morally separate, pure, or unstained. God’s perfection sets him apart. That’s why Isaiah said he was ruined. It wasn’t just that God was set apart, He is perfectly pure.
That’s a proper response. In the presence of a holy God, we are all ruined. We are all unclean. We’re unworthy to even speak to the Almighty, much less have a relationship with Him.
Again, that’s where Jesus comes in. He’s the path to the Father. His sacrifice grants us access. Hallelujah! We don’t worship a book. We’re not about religion. We’re not here for guilt and shame. We’re all about a Person…Jesus!
So What?
God is holy, yet He calls us to be holy. God told Moses,
“Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2)
We’ve already said we’re not perfect, so how can we be holy? Just as we need to expand our vision of God, we need to examine our vision of ourselves.
We’re not perfect.
We don’t have all of the answers.
We have limited knowledge, even with Google!
We have not only weak bodies susceptible to viruses, we have weak minds.
We need God.
We need Jesus.
We are called to be holy, to be set apart, to be different…but also pure.
It’s no secret that Christianity is on the decline in the western world—though it’s growing in the developing world. The problem is not that the world is being the world, but rather that the Church is not being the Church. More precisely, the Church is being too much like the world. We’re not different. We’re not set apart. We’re not offering an alternative lifestyle to the broken, greedy, narcissistic, individualistic, consumeristic culture in which we live. If we live like everyone else and pretend to be holy for an hour on Sunday, we might as well just skip the Sunday charade and eat, drink and be merry…and suffer the consequences.
Family, we are called by God to be holy, to be set apart, to be pure. You and I were created by God to be masterpieces (Ephesians 2:10), special, sacred…not the everyday stuff, but the good stuff! His seeking holiness in us is not because He simply has rules He wants us to follow. It’s because all sin ends in destruction and pain.
I know there are some strange laws in our land, but God’s laws are all for our good and His glory. He is the definition of love and, therefore, has our best interest at heart. He’s calling us to a higher standard then the mediocrity of the world. That means we are to put away our idols, our pride, our selfishness, sexual immorality, prejudice, hatred, and greed. He doesn’t want us to live like everyone else because He knows what’s best for us. Like a good Father, He doesn’t want us to ruin our lives…yet He gives us the freedom to make—and hopefully learn from—our mistakes.
In a world that says truth is whatever you feel, God calls us to something objective, to something greater, to something real…holiness. Righteousness. A life devoted to His glory, not our own.
God is holy. He is set apart. He is pure. He is sacred. Any He invites us to follow Him, to do life with Him, to worship Him, to love Him and others well, and to experience what it truly means to be human…to be holy.
God declared the wilderness in which Moses was standing holy ground. This is holy ground, too, for the LORD is here and where He is is holy.
We close today with a song that declares God’s holiness, but remember worship is more than a song. It’s a lifestyle that reflect God’s holiness to Him and the watching world…not for our glory, but His. Worship and obedience are the natural response to a Holy God who invites us to be His sons and daughters.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Exodus: Journey to Freedom
Series Big Idea: The book of Exodus describes God’s gracious liberation of the Jews from slavery to freedom.
Big Idea: God is holy and deserving of our worship…and holiness.
The Bible is filled with amazing stories. They are so remarkable, they’re often referenced by non-Christians such as David and Goliath or even Noah and the ark. One of the most vivid occurs in the third chapter of Exodus, the book we’re studying this month.
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” (Exodus 3:1-3)
When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
And Moses said, “Here I am.” (Exodus 3:4)
“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:5)
Holy ground. What is holy ground? How does a piece of wilderness become holy? What does it even mean when we sing, “Holy, Holy, Holy?”
The original Hebrew word here for holy in Exodus 3 is qodesh. It’s used over 400 times and means to be clean, ceremonially or morally. The idea is to appoint, bide, consecrate, dedicate, purify, distinct, set apart.
Growing up, we had everyday dishes and the special ones. Most nights I would see beige Pfaltzgraff plates and common silverware (that probably weren’t even silver!). But when company came over for a special dinner, the white china was used with the fancy silverware from the special silverware box! You might say it was holy, set apart, special.
I probably doubt I have to convince you that God is holy. He’s God! Of course He’s special, purified, set apart. He never sins. He never forget. He never sleeps. He never fails. His love is unlimited. His power is never-ending. His presence is everywhere.
We’re told in 1 Samuel…
“There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. (1 Samuel 2:2)
There are two things I hope to communicate today. First, we need to expand our vision of God.
He is not your homeboy! He’s not your buddy. He’s God! He’s the Creator of the universe. We don’t worship an idol or a statue or a dead person or the sun and moon or the greatest idol…ourselves. No, we worship the holy God, the One unlike any other, the Rock. I’m reminded of the old Broadway Musical, Your Arms Too Short to Box with God!
He is God. You’re not. If we could just understand that simple truth, life would be radically different…and better. We say, “Jesus take the wheel” and then become a backseat driver! We love power. We crave control. We want it our way.
That’s an option! God has given us free will, the ability to make choices. How’s that working out for you? We see all around us evidence that making gods of ourselves is a catastrophe. COVID or not, depression and anxiety have skyrocketed as our churches have emptied. Homelessness and poverty are rampant in what may be the world’s most wealthy country. Incarcerations and injustice are off the charts. Violence in our land makes most nations look peaceful. We’ve rejected God and I don’t believe He’s punishing us so much as we’re simply suffering the consequences of that rejection.
The prophet Isaiah spoke of those who ignore God and do life on their own arrogant terms before saying,
But the LORD Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will be proved holy by his righteous acts. (Isaiah 5:16)
I don’t know about you, but I need God! I need His wisdom. I need His love. I need His power. I need His grace. I need His joy and mercy and peace and kindness and…
Some of you don’t need God…until you do! I’m urging you, surrender to God! Daddy knows best! He can be trusted. Listen to these words from Psalm 99…
Psalms 99:1 The LORD reigns,
let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim,
let the earth shake.
2 Great is the LORD in Zion;
he is exalted over all the nations.
3 Let them praise your great and awesome name—
he is holy.
4 The King is mighty, he loves justice—
you have established equity;
in Jacob you have done
what is just and right.
5 Exalt the LORD our God
and worship at his footstool;
he is holy.
6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
Samuel was among those who called on his name;
they called on the LORD
and he answered them.
7 He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud;
they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.
8 LORD our God,
you answered them;
you were to Israel a forgiving God,
though you punished their misdeeds.
9 Exalt the LORD our God
and worship at his holy mountain,
for the LORD our God is holy.
This is not news to most of you, but we need to be reminded of Who it is that we are talking about, talking to, talking with, worshipping. We don’t sing on Sundays because we’re some glee club! A holy God deserves a response.
Last week the president met with Queen Elizabeth. He didn’t show up wearing flip flops and a graphic tee! Even though he is the leader of our nation, he recognized he was in the presence of royalty. He dressed, spoke, and behaved accordingly.
I’m not suggesting that God demands a dress code, but He is worthy of our respect, our attention, our worship. Our English word worship comes from the (Anglo Saxon) word worth-ship (or Old English woerthship), to ascribe worth to something. God deserves our praise, our allegiance, our time, our talents, our treasures, and our devotion.
Do you worship God? I don’t mean do you attend a weekly worship gathering on Sunday morning. I mean does your life reflect God is worthy of your whole self? Although the numbers seem to be declining, most people in our country would say they believe in God, but that’s not what I’m talking about here. The Bible says even demons believe in God (James 2:19)! They used to work for Him! A holy God is worthy of our worship, 24/7/365.
I think most people are simply too busy for God, obsessed with acceptance, significance, and security from everyplace except the true source, our Holy God. They’ll run to God when they’re in crisis, but otherwise they want to be in control and feel they don’t need God. Even in crisis, they treat God as a cosmic Santa Clause. Tragically, so many turn away from God when they don’t get their way, when trials come, when life gets hard…as if God owes us anything.
I don’t want what I deserve from God! My sin, rebellion, selfishness, and pride make me intolerable to a holy God. I deserve eternal punishment for my unholy behavior.
But that’s where Jesus comes in! Jesus did live a perfect life and died in our place. That’s love. That’s grace. That’s something we could never deserve. It’s also why we love and worship Jesus. God could’ve been satisfied with watching us die in our sins, but out of His love and mercy He sent Jesus to show us what it means to be human, to die, and to rise from the dead.
We need to expand our vision of God. We need to get Him out of the box, restore the mystery, and be captivated by our Good, Good Father. One of the ways we can do that is simply to read and study the Bible. I must confess I often get to comfortable and complacent with God. I get disappointed when He doesn’t do what I want, when I want. Then I feel justified in ignoring Him…or worse.
God created us in His image…and we’ve returned the favor!
The last book of the Bible offers some brilliant images that the best CGI in Hollywood could never begin to adequately capture. One of my favorite verses says,
Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“ ‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’
who was, and is, and is to come.” (Revelation 4:8)
There is so much to that verse I can hardly imagine! What I know is God is awesome—Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. Supernatural creatures declare this day and night and never stop! You think our songs are repetitious!!!
That’s not the first time this refrain is mentioned in the Bible. Isaiah the prophet tells this story…
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:1-3)
That’s quite a sight, right? Isaiah saw it. But that’s not all.
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. (Isaiah 6:4)
This was a multi-sensory extravaganza! Not even Disney World can create experiences like this! Here’s how Isaiah responded…
“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:5)
The Hebrew word here in Isaiah for holy is slightly different than the first word I mentioned, qodesh. That meant distinct or set apart. The word in this verse, used 118 times, is qadosh. It means sacred, morally separate, pure, or unstained. God’s perfection sets him apart. That’s why Isaiah said he was ruined. It wasn’t just that God was set apart, He is perfectly pure.
That’s a proper response. In the presence of a holy God, we are all ruined. We are all unclean. We’re unworthy to even speak to the Almighty, much less have a relationship with Him.
Again, that’s where Jesus comes in. He’s the path to the Father. His sacrifice grants us access. Hallelujah! We don’t worship a book. We’re not about religion. We’re not here for guilt and shame. We’re all about a Person…Jesus!
So What?
God is holy, yet He calls us to be holy. God told Moses,
“Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2)
We’ve already said we’re not perfect, so how can we be holy? Just as we need to expand our vision of God, we need to examine our vision of ourselves.
We’re not perfect.
We don’t have all of the answers.
We have limited knowledge, even with Google!
We have not only weak bodies susceptible to viruses, we have weak minds.
We need God.
We need Jesus.
We are called to be holy, to be set apart, to be different…but also pure.
It’s no secret that Christianity is on the decline in the western world—though it’s growing in the developing world. The problem is not that the world is being the world, but rather that the Church is not being the Church. More precisely, the Church is being too much like the world. We’re not different. We’re not set apart. We’re not offering an alternative lifestyle to the broken, greedy, narcissistic, individualistic, consumeristic culture in which we live. If we live like everyone else and pretend to be holy for an hour on Sunday, we might as well just skip the Sunday charade and eat, drink and be merry…and suffer the consequences.
Family, we are called by God to be holy, to be set apart, to be pure. You and I were created by God to be masterpieces (Ephesians 2:10), special, sacred…not the everyday stuff, but the good stuff! His seeking holiness in us is not because He simply has rules He wants us to follow. It’s because all sin ends in destruction and pain.
I know there are some strange laws in our land, but God’s laws are all for our good and His glory. He is the definition of love and, therefore, has our best interest at heart. He’s calling us to a higher standard then the mediocrity of the world. That means we are to put away our idols, our pride, our selfishness, sexual immorality, prejudice, hatred, and greed. He doesn’t want us to live like everyone else because He knows what’s best for us. Like a good Father, He doesn’t want us to ruin our lives…yet He gives us the freedom to make—and hopefully learn from—our mistakes.
In a world that says truth is whatever you feel, God calls us to something objective, to something greater, to something real…holiness. Righteousness. A life devoted to His glory, not our own.
God is holy. He is set apart. He is pure. He is sacred. Any He invites us to follow Him, to do life with Him, to worship Him, to love Him and others well, and to experience what it truly means to be human…to be holy.
God declared the wilderness in which Moses was standing holy ground. This is holy ground, too, for the LORD is here and where He is is holy.
We close today with a song that declares God’s holiness, but remember worship is more than a song. It’s a lifestyle that reflect God’s holiness to Him and the watching world…not for our glory, but His. Worship and obedience are the natural response to a Holy God who invites us to be His sons and daughters.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
More Signs of the End, 30 May 2021
29 05 21
More Signs of the End
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 13:14-37
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Keep watch, for the end of the world is coming…soon!
Open your eyes! Look around! Be on guard! Be alert! Get ready! Keep watch! Watch!
This morning we continue and conclude Mark chapter thirteen, what is known as the Olivet Discourse, words spoken by Jesus on the Mount of Olives about the future. The chapter begins
As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” (Mark 13:1)
The temple was the most sacred place, essentially the center of the world for the Jews. I can’t imagine something comparable in our culture…maybe the US Capital or, in Toledo, 5/3 Field…just kidding! But the temple was arguably the most important and majestic structure on the planet.
“Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” (Mark 13:2)
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” (Mark 13:3-4)
They ask two questions: when and what will be the sign. He spends verses 5-13 describing what will happen first, including wars, natural disasters, persecution, and the preaching of the gospel—or good news—to all nations. Today we’ll see more details about when this—the destruction of the temple—will occur…though it also appears he is speaking about the end of all things and his return.
Today I’m going to do my best to give you a crash course in biblical prophecy. I can almost guarantee you it will frustrate you, if only because my sermon will last nine hours! Just kidding! But to understand today’s text, some background is necessary.
The prophet Daniel in the Old Testament used a peculiar phrase three times (9:27, 11:31, 12:11) in his short book: “abomination that causes desolation.” It speaks of the Gentiles polluting the Jewish temple with idolatry. It was defiled in 167 BC by Antiochus IV (Epiphanes) with pig’s blood poured on the altar in an offering to Zeus, an event predicted in Daniel 11:31. It led to three and a half years of intense persecution for the Jews.
“His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. (Daniel 11:31)
The temple was defiled again in AD 70 by the Romans when they destroyed the city of Jerusalem.
Paul Carter notes, “The catastrophe of AD 69-70 is, in a sense, a foreshadowing of the catastrophe of satan’s little season or the Great Tribulation…just as Rome encircled Jerusalem, so shall the antichrist encircle the people of God in the last days.”
Jesus said in last week’s text there will be many signs of the beginning of the end, but they’re not the end. They’re like a woman with birth pains—having contractions. That doesn’t mean the baby has arrived. It’s just a signal that the process has started. In many ways, our world has been in the midst of tribulation since Jesus ascended into heaven. We have seen wars and famines and earthquakes—and pandemics! The past 2000 years have been a season of tribulation. It has hard for Jesus. It has been hard for his followers who have been persecuted, tortured, and even martyred.
Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. (Mark 13:13)
Remember, following Jesus is dangerous…but worth it. Saved people persevere.
Now we come to the most controversial part of the chapter. Is Jesus speaking of the events that would occur in AD 70 with the destruction of temple, or something further into the future…perhaps even things have not yet occurred in the past 2000 years? Or both?
“When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (Mark 13:14)
This was a sign, a signal. “Let the reader understand” is a way of saying, “This is Bible code. There’s a message here. Don’t miss it!” The first part of the chapter said to stand firm, but now Jesus says when you see these things, go. Flee! Jewish Christians heeded this warning and they did leave Jerusalem before it was destroyed in AD 70, saving many lives.
In AD 69, there was a succession of four Roman emperors‑Nero, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian—filled with murder, violence, and civil war. Then in AD 70 during the destruction, people starved, practiced cannibalism, and fought for food scraps. Titus burnt the temple and crucified thousands of Jews. Yet more Jews were killed by other Jews than by the Roman invaders. It was a brutal time.
Matthew Henry notes, “The Jews had rejected Christ as an abomination, though he would have been their salvation, and now God brought on them an abomination that would be their desolation, an abomination that was spoken about in this way by Daniel the prophet (9:27), and that would bring about a cessation of the sacrifices offered under the Law of Moses.”
Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. (Mark 13:15-16)
Survival is more important than stuff.
How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! (Mark 13:17)
They will be the most vulnerable. They usually are!
Pray that this will not take place in winter, because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again. (Mark 13:18-19)
Jesus doesn’t say when this will happen, but urges them to pray.
Again, Christians fled Jerusalem in AD 70 when it was invaded. Many took refuge at Pella in the Transjordanian mountains.
“If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. (Mark 13:20)
Praise the LORD! God is sovereign and in control. We may question why God allows certain things, but don’t think for a moment that He is out of control He has given us free will to make choices, but He always has the last world. He may have given us—and satan—freedom, but there are limits.
At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time. (Mark 13:21-23)
Jesus is warning them—and, perhaps, us. Watch out! Get ready! Don’t be deceived. Then he seems to shift to his second coming. He uses apocalyptic language and quotes Isaiah 13:10 and 34:4…
“But in those days, following that distress,
“ ‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ (Mark 13:24-25)
Can you imagine? And this wasn’t even the end of the world, though it would be the end of their world.
“At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. (Mark 13:26)
The Son of Man is a reference to Daniel 7:13. Those are glory clouds, not rain clouds! This will be a great moment! Jesus’ complete vindication. John saw something similar in his revelation…
“Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen. (Revelation 1:7)
Paul used similar language in his letter to the Thessalonian church…
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
Encouraging words, indeed! Back to Jesus’ words in Mark…
And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. (Mark 13:27)
A great harvest will occur which will include not only Jews, but Gentiles, too. We are called to make disciples “of all nations.” Now Jesus tells a parable.
“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. (Mark 13:28-29)
The disciples wanted signs. Jesus gives them one.
Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. (Mark 13:30-31)
This will last no longer than forty years, the typical length of a biblical generation. But wait, Jesus says “this generation?” Some believe that meant the events up to verse 23, excluding his second coming from verses 24-27. Others think it refers to “this race” as in the Jewish people, not Jesus’ contemporaries. If that’s the case, “all these things” includes both the temple’s destruction and the second coming. Jesus guarantees these things will occur. Jesus always keeps his promises.
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. (Mark 13:32)
It’s ridiculous—and quite frankly a waste of time—to predict when this will happen since Jesus doesn’t even know! Anyone arrogant enough to give a date thinks they’re greater than the Messiah! What’s the point? It’s certainly not to make predictions!
Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. (Mark 13:33)
Be on guard! Be alert!
It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. (Mark 13:34)
Keep watch!
“Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. (Mark 13:35-36)
Keep watch!
What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ ” (Mark 13:37)
Watch!
So What?
Be on guard! Be alert! Keep watch!
That’s it. That’s the message. It’s an old message that is extremely relevant today. As I said last week, we’re one day closer than yesterday!
Jesus doesn’t say worry about the antichrist. He doesn’t say be anxious about the mark of the beast. He doesn’t even say get stressed about satan. He simply says tribulation is coming, get ready, and what follows will be wonderful for those who remain faithful to God. Jesus is coming back soon. Are you ready?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 13:14-37
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Keep watch, for the end of the world is coming…soon!
Open your eyes! Look around! Be on guard! Be alert! Get ready! Keep watch! Watch!
This morning we continue and conclude Mark chapter thirteen, what is known as the Olivet Discourse, words spoken by Jesus on the Mount of Olives about the future. The chapter begins
As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” (Mark 13:1)
The temple was the most sacred place, essentially the center of the world for the Jews. I can’t imagine something comparable in our culture…maybe the US Capital or, in Toledo, 5/3 Field…just kidding! But the temple was arguably the most important and majestic structure on the planet.
“Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” (Mark 13:2)
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” (Mark 13:3-4)
They ask two questions: when and what will be the sign. He spends verses 5-13 describing what will happen first, including wars, natural disasters, persecution, and the preaching of the gospel—or good news—to all nations. Today we’ll see more details about when this—the destruction of the temple—will occur…though it also appears he is speaking about the end of all things and his return.
Today I’m going to do my best to give you a crash course in biblical prophecy. I can almost guarantee you it will frustrate you, if only because my sermon will last nine hours! Just kidding! But to understand today’s text, some background is necessary.
The prophet Daniel in the Old Testament used a peculiar phrase three times (9:27, 11:31, 12:11) in his short book: “abomination that causes desolation.” It speaks of the Gentiles polluting the Jewish temple with idolatry. It was defiled in 167 BC by Antiochus IV (Epiphanes) with pig’s blood poured on the altar in an offering to Zeus, an event predicted in Daniel 11:31. It led to three and a half years of intense persecution for the Jews.
“His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. (Daniel 11:31)
The temple was defiled again in AD 70 by the Romans when they destroyed the city of Jerusalem.
Paul Carter notes, “The catastrophe of AD 69-70 is, in a sense, a foreshadowing of the catastrophe of satan’s little season or the Great Tribulation…just as Rome encircled Jerusalem, so shall the antichrist encircle the people of God in the last days.”
Jesus said in last week’s text there will be many signs of the beginning of the end, but they’re not the end. They’re like a woman with birth pains—having contractions. That doesn’t mean the baby has arrived. It’s just a signal that the process has started. In many ways, our world has been in the midst of tribulation since Jesus ascended into heaven. We have seen wars and famines and earthquakes—and pandemics! The past 2000 years have been a season of tribulation. It has hard for Jesus. It has been hard for his followers who have been persecuted, tortured, and even martyred.
Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. (Mark 13:13)
Remember, following Jesus is dangerous…but worth it. Saved people persevere.
Now we come to the most controversial part of the chapter. Is Jesus speaking of the events that would occur in AD 70 with the destruction of temple, or something further into the future…perhaps even things have not yet occurred in the past 2000 years? Or both?
“When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (Mark 13:14)
This was a sign, a signal. “Let the reader understand” is a way of saying, “This is Bible code. There’s a message here. Don’t miss it!” The first part of the chapter said to stand firm, but now Jesus says when you see these things, go. Flee! Jewish Christians heeded this warning and they did leave Jerusalem before it was destroyed in AD 70, saving many lives.
In AD 69, there was a succession of four Roman emperors‑Nero, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian—filled with murder, violence, and civil war. Then in AD 70 during the destruction, people starved, practiced cannibalism, and fought for food scraps. Titus burnt the temple and crucified thousands of Jews. Yet more Jews were killed by other Jews than by the Roman invaders. It was a brutal time.
Matthew Henry notes, “The Jews had rejected Christ as an abomination, though he would have been their salvation, and now God brought on them an abomination that would be their desolation, an abomination that was spoken about in this way by Daniel the prophet (9:27), and that would bring about a cessation of the sacrifices offered under the Law of Moses.”
Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. (Mark 13:15-16)
Survival is more important than stuff.
How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! (Mark 13:17)
They will be the most vulnerable. They usually are!
Pray that this will not take place in winter, because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again. (Mark 13:18-19)
Jesus doesn’t say when this will happen, but urges them to pray.
Again, Christians fled Jerusalem in AD 70 when it was invaded. Many took refuge at Pella in the Transjordanian mountains.
“If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. (Mark 13:20)
Praise the LORD! God is sovereign and in control. We may question why God allows certain things, but don’t think for a moment that He is out of control He has given us free will to make choices, but He always has the last world. He may have given us—and satan—freedom, but there are limits.
At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time. (Mark 13:21-23)
Jesus is warning them—and, perhaps, us. Watch out! Get ready! Don’t be deceived. Then he seems to shift to his second coming. He uses apocalyptic language and quotes Isaiah 13:10 and 34:4…
“But in those days, following that distress,
“ ‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ (Mark 13:24-25)
Can you imagine? And this wasn’t even the end of the world, though it would be the end of their world.
“At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. (Mark 13:26)
The Son of Man is a reference to Daniel 7:13. Those are glory clouds, not rain clouds! This will be a great moment! Jesus’ complete vindication. John saw something similar in his revelation…
“Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen. (Revelation 1:7)
Paul used similar language in his letter to the Thessalonian church…
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
Encouraging words, indeed! Back to Jesus’ words in Mark…
And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. (Mark 13:27)
A great harvest will occur which will include not only Jews, but Gentiles, too. We are called to make disciples “of all nations.” Now Jesus tells a parable.
“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. (Mark 13:28-29)
The disciples wanted signs. Jesus gives them one.
Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. (Mark 13:30-31)
This will last no longer than forty years, the typical length of a biblical generation. But wait, Jesus says “this generation?” Some believe that meant the events up to verse 23, excluding his second coming from verses 24-27. Others think it refers to “this race” as in the Jewish people, not Jesus’ contemporaries. If that’s the case, “all these things” includes both the temple’s destruction and the second coming. Jesus guarantees these things will occur. Jesus always keeps his promises.
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. (Mark 13:32)
It’s ridiculous—and quite frankly a waste of time—to predict when this will happen since Jesus doesn’t even know! Anyone arrogant enough to give a date thinks they’re greater than the Messiah! What’s the point? It’s certainly not to make predictions!
Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. (Mark 13:33)
Be on guard! Be alert!
It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. (Mark 13:34)
Keep watch!
“Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. (Mark 13:35-36)
Keep watch!
What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ ” (Mark 13:37)
Watch!
So What?
Be on guard! Be alert! Keep watch!
That’s it. That’s the message. It’s an old message that is extremely relevant today. As I said last week, we’re one day closer than yesterday!
Jesus doesn’t say worry about the antichrist. He doesn’t say be anxious about the mark of the beast. He doesn’t even say get stressed about satan. He simply says tribulation is coming, get ready, and what follows will be wonderful for those who remain faithful to God. Jesus is coming back soon. Are you ready?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Signs of the End, 23 May 2021
23 05 21
Signs of the End
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 13:1-13
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Get ready, for the end of the world is coming…soon!
One of the most common questions I get as a pastor is, “When will Jesus return?” The broader culture describes it as “the end of the world.”
You may recall about a decade ago many were saying the end of the world would coincide with the Mayan calendar’s ending on December 21, 2012. 12-21-12.
Wikipedia is packed with past predictions of the end of the world, beginning with the Jewish Essene sect in 66-70, Some thought it would end on January 1, 1000.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses predicted the end in 1941 in the middle of four dates given by Herbert W. Armstrong. Then there was Jim Jones in 1967, Charles Manson in 1969, the Jehovah’s Witnesses again in 1975, Pat Robertson said 1982, Edgar C. Whisenant in 1988 (88 Reasons Why the Rapture Could Be in 1988), Louis Farrakhan in 1991, Harold Camping in 1994 (and 1995!), and Nostradamus 1999.
Many of you were around at Y2K and experienced great commotion at the turn of the millennium. Jerry Falwell, Tim LaHaye, Jerry Jenkins, and even Jonathan Edwards thought 1.1.2000 would be the big day.
Unfortunately, the predictions continue to this day. I only have two responses:
Today we’re back in the book of Mark, the shortest of the four gospels, “good news,” that tell about the life of Jesus. He’s why we’re here. He’s our guide, our leader, our Savior, our LORD, our Senior Pastor. When you focus on Jesus, you can forget all of the religious mumbo jumbo, conspiracy theories, cults, and heretics. Jesus is our authority. This is why we talk about him, sing to him, and love him with our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Today and next Sunday we’re in Mark chapter 13 in what is known as the Olivet Discourse, also found in Matthew 24-25 and Luke 21. It is sometimes called the Little Apocalypse because of its apocalyptic or literally “uncovering” language.
One of the challenges with apocalyptic language (besides pronouncing it!) is the questions raised, specifically whether it speaks of a past, present, or future event. Biblical prophecy often has more than one meaning in view. It can be challenging to discern whether what we’re reading is something in the future or a past event that followed the prediction…or both!
If you were drive west on the Ohio Turnpike and stay on I-80, eventually you’ll see what looks to be a large mountain ahead, maybe a hundred miles in the distance. As you get closer to the Rocky Mountains, however, you’ll discover what looked like one mountain is actually a series of mountains. What looks like rock 150 miles away may also include peaks 160, 170, perhaps 200 miles away. There is no definitive point of the Rocky Mountains (unless you count the gift shop at Rocky Mountain National Park!).
The same can be said about biblical predictions of the future. Many people think they know what exact day or event is being described, but it might be a reference to more than one. Broadly, many of the prophecies of Jesus were fulfilled about 2000 years ago during his first coming…while many will not occur until he returns…soon!
The context of Mark chapter 13 is Jesus’ rising popularity with the crowds and the growing hatred of him by the religious leaders. In chapter four, Jesus talked about “hearing.” In this discourse, the them is “watching,” watching out for the way evil will materialize. The images are not always pretty. Pastor Keith spoke of suffering last week, and persecution has been a way of life for so many followers of Jesus throughout the ages. But Jesus will have the last word! I’ve read the end of the book!
As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” (Mark 13:1)
The temple was incredible, one of the wonders of the Roman world. It covered one-sixth of the city! The Babylonians destroyed the original temple of Solomon. The book of Ezra describes the smaller replacement. Now centuries later in our text, Herod Antipas was still completing the edifice started by his father, Herod the Great.
Imagine this temple, twice the size of the Athens Acropolis. It covered thirty-five acres. Perhaps most impressive were the stones mentioned here, some 45 feet long, 11 feet high, and 12 feet thick!
If you go to Jerusalem today, you can see the remains at the Temple Mount.
“Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” (Mark 13:2)
That’s a jolting statement! What do you mean, Jesus? Will there be an earthquake? A tornado? How do you know?
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” (Mark 13:3-4)
Like so many today, they wanted to know about end times. Jesus had given them valuable real estate advice! Don’t buy those building! They won’t last!
They wanted to know when. Give us a date, Jesus! Maybe we’ll go on vacation that week and avoid the destruction. They also wanted a sign.
Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. (Mark 13:5-6)
Jesus says watch for imposters who will deceive. Has this ever happened in history? Absolutely! False messiahs have formed cults and led many astray. Jesus is warning them of what is ahead, though he gives no dates.
When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. (Mark 13:7)
He tells them to watch for calamities of human origin: wars and rumors of wars. Has this every happened in history? Of course! Tragically, there have been wars somewhere on the planet since…well almost since Adam and Eve! For the most part, USAmericans are unfamiliar with war, at least on our soil. It’s hard to imagine what it would be like to live in Israel today in the midst of the conflict…or other places where war is ensuing.
Jesus says wars must happen. Why? He knows the human heart. He knows our lust for power, for money, for domination over another. He knows our enemy and the death and destruction he always leaves in his path. He says, “Do not be alarmed. Keep calm!”
Jesus says watch out for calamities of human origin.
Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. (Mark 13:8)
This is actually the place to start to understand our text for today. Jesus says watch out for natural calamities like earthquakes, famines, …pandemics?! He doesn’t say these are signs of the end, though. They are just the beginning.
Now Jesus moves to the next sign: persecution.
“You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. (Mark 13:9)
The book of Acts is filled with the fulfilment of these prophecies. While they most certainly asked, “Why, LORD?” during their persecution, it prompted the spread of the gospel to other peoples. God had a plan. God always has a plan!
And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. (Mark 13:10)
The parallel in the book of Matthew says,
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
One of the driving passions of our church and denomination’s founder, A.B. Simpson, was to see the Great Commission completed so that Jesus could return. He took this verse at face value.
Is it a statement of what will occur or a condition for Jesus’ return.
A New York Journal reporter approached Dr. Simpson with the question, "Do you know when the Lord is coming?"
"Yes," he replied, "and I will tell you if you promise to print just what I say, references and all."
The reporter's poised notebook gave the ready promise.
"Then put this down: 'This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto the nations and then shall the end come.' Matthew 24:14. Have you written the reference?"
"Yes, what more?"
"Nothing more."
The reporter lowered his pencil and said, "Do you mean to say that you believe that when the Gospel is preached to all nations Jesus will return?"
“Just that.”
"I think I begin to see daylight," answered the reporter. "I see the motivation and the motive power in this movement."
"Then," said the Alliance leader, "You see more than some of the doctors of divinity."
And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. (Mark 13:10)
It’s a bit of a chicken-and-the-egg scenario. Which comes first? Can we actually make the end come sooner by preaching the gospel to all nations? It seems like Jesus is stating what will occur rather than a precondition for his return, but I maybe wrong. Regardless, we are all called to make disciples, to love others well, to always be prepared to give a reason for the hope we have, to share good news.
Jesus continues…
Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. (Mark 13:11)
I would imagine the disciples found this to be incredibly encouraging.
Today we desperately need the Holy Spirit. I need the Holy Spirit each time I stand before you, and I pray He speaks through me. My wisdom is not worth much, believe me!
The persecution would expand beyond the government.
“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. (Mark 13:12)
Jesus is warning them of the cross they must pick up daily to follow him. The enemy will divide families. Two thousand years of history have born this out. It’s heartbreaking to hear of people rejected by their families when they begin to follow Jesus, but it should come as no surprise. Following Jesus is dangerous…but worth it.
Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. (Mark 13:13)
That’s a troubling yet comforting sentence! I’ve never met anyone who wants to be hated, but entering the kingdom of heaven will be worth it. All believers will someday be vindicated. Jesus never breaks a promise!
So What?
I know some of you have been told this passage is about the second coming of Jesus. Others believe it’s about the end of the world. Where does this fit into the Millennial reign of Christ? Was all of this fulfilled in AD 70 when the Romans destroyed the temple? I actually believe the latter, but I could be wrong.
Again, biblical prophecy can be challenging to understand. We do know Jesus will return someday. We are told repeatedly to be ready…and to get others ready. For centuries, our brothers and sisters in the faith have faced tremendous suffering and even martyrdom, and that may be our fate someday, too.
In our text for today, Jesus says do not be alarmed. He says those who stand firm will be saved. If we seek God’s glory instead of our own, His Kingdom will come and His will will be done. I’ve always been amazed that the persecution we avoid is often the very thing that results in the spread of the gospel, the good news. What Jesus said here came to pass as recorded in the book of Acts and Philippians 1. Tertullian said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.”
We need to get ready…for the return of Christ.
We need to get ready…for the possibility of suffering.
Tom Wright notes, “…those Christians who don’t face persecution often face the opposite temptation, to stagnate, to become cynical, to suppose that nothing much is happening, that the kingdom of God is just a pious dream.”
We also need to get others ready. Everyone deserves a chance to know Jesus.
Jesus never breaks a promise! He not only made predictions about the destruction of the most beautiful building in the world, he promised the coming of the Holy Spirit. He said in verse 11 that the Holy Spirit would come and give them words to speak when they were arrested and on trial.
Next week we’ll see Jesus address when the destruction of the temple will occur and more signs of the end, even if today’s passage merely described the events leading up to the end of the temple.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 13:1-13
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Get ready, for the end of the world is coming…soon!
One of the most common questions I get as a pastor is, “When will Jesus return?” The broader culture describes it as “the end of the world.”
You may recall about a decade ago many were saying the end of the world would coincide with the Mayan calendar’s ending on December 21, 2012. 12-21-12.
Wikipedia is packed with past predictions of the end of the world, beginning with the Jewish Essene sect in 66-70, Some thought it would end on January 1, 1000.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses predicted the end in 1941 in the middle of four dates given by Herbert W. Armstrong. Then there was Jim Jones in 1967, Charles Manson in 1969, the Jehovah’s Witnesses again in 1975, Pat Robertson said 1982, Edgar C. Whisenant in 1988 (88 Reasons Why the Rapture Could Be in 1988), Louis Farrakhan in 1991, Harold Camping in 1994 (and 1995!), and Nostradamus 1999.
Many of you were around at Y2K and experienced great commotion at the turn of the millennium. Jerry Falwell, Tim LaHaye, Jerry Jenkins, and even Jonathan Edwards thought 1.1.2000 would be the big day.
Unfortunately, the predictions continue to this day. I only have two responses:
- 1. We’re one day closer than yesterday.
- 2. Get ready!
Today we’re back in the book of Mark, the shortest of the four gospels, “good news,” that tell about the life of Jesus. He’s why we’re here. He’s our guide, our leader, our Savior, our LORD, our Senior Pastor. When you focus on Jesus, you can forget all of the religious mumbo jumbo, conspiracy theories, cults, and heretics. Jesus is our authority. This is why we talk about him, sing to him, and love him with our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Today and next Sunday we’re in Mark chapter 13 in what is known as the Olivet Discourse, also found in Matthew 24-25 and Luke 21. It is sometimes called the Little Apocalypse because of its apocalyptic or literally “uncovering” language.
One of the challenges with apocalyptic language (besides pronouncing it!) is the questions raised, specifically whether it speaks of a past, present, or future event. Biblical prophecy often has more than one meaning in view. It can be challenging to discern whether what we’re reading is something in the future or a past event that followed the prediction…or both!
If you were drive west on the Ohio Turnpike and stay on I-80, eventually you’ll see what looks to be a large mountain ahead, maybe a hundred miles in the distance. As you get closer to the Rocky Mountains, however, you’ll discover what looked like one mountain is actually a series of mountains. What looks like rock 150 miles away may also include peaks 160, 170, perhaps 200 miles away. There is no definitive point of the Rocky Mountains (unless you count the gift shop at Rocky Mountain National Park!).
The same can be said about biblical predictions of the future. Many people think they know what exact day or event is being described, but it might be a reference to more than one. Broadly, many of the prophecies of Jesus were fulfilled about 2000 years ago during his first coming…while many will not occur until he returns…soon!
The context of Mark chapter 13 is Jesus’ rising popularity with the crowds and the growing hatred of him by the religious leaders. In chapter four, Jesus talked about “hearing.” In this discourse, the them is “watching,” watching out for the way evil will materialize. The images are not always pretty. Pastor Keith spoke of suffering last week, and persecution has been a way of life for so many followers of Jesus throughout the ages. But Jesus will have the last word! I’ve read the end of the book!
As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” (Mark 13:1)
The temple was incredible, one of the wonders of the Roman world. It covered one-sixth of the city! The Babylonians destroyed the original temple of Solomon. The book of Ezra describes the smaller replacement. Now centuries later in our text, Herod Antipas was still completing the edifice started by his father, Herod the Great.
Imagine this temple, twice the size of the Athens Acropolis. It covered thirty-five acres. Perhaps most impressive were the stones mentioned here, some 45 feet long, 11 feet high, and 12 feet thick!
If you go to Jerusalem today, you can see the remains at the Temple Mount.
“Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” (Mark 13:2)
That’s a jolting statement! What do you mean, Jesus? Will there be an earthquake? A tornado? How do you know?
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” (Mark 13:3-4)
Like so many today, they wanted to know about end times. Jesus had given them valuable real estate advice! Don’t buy those building! They won’t last!
They wanted to know when. Give us a date, Jesus! Maybe we’ll go on vacation that week and avoid the destruction. They also wanted a sign.
Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. (Mark 13:5-6)
Jesus says watch for imposters who will deceive. Has this ever happened in history? Absolutely! False messiahs have formed cults and led many astray. Jesus is warning them of what is ahead, though he gives no dates.
When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. (Mark 13:7)
He tells them to watch for calamities of human origin: wars and rumors of wars. Has this every happened in history? Of course! Tragically, there have been wars somewhere on the planet since…well almost since Adam and Eve! For the most part, USAmericans are unfamiliar with war, at least on our soil. It’s hard to imagine what it would be like to live in Israel today in the midst of the conflict…or other places where war is ensuing.
Jesus says wars must happen. Why? He knows the human heart. He knows our lust for power, for money, for domination over another. He knows our enemy and the death and destruction he always leaves in his path. He says, “Do not be alarmed. Keep calm!”
Jesus says watch out for calamities of human origin.
Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. (Mark 13:8)
This is actually the place to start to understand our text for today. Jesus says watch out for natural calamities like earthquakes, famines, …pandemics?! He doesn’t say these are signs of the end, though. They are just the beginning.
Now Jesus moves to the next sign: persecution.
“You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. (Mark 13:9)
The book of Acts is filled with the fulfilment of these prophecies. While they most certainly asked, “Why, LORD?” during their persecution, it prompted the spread of the gospel to other peoples. God had a plan. God always has a plan!
And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. (Mark 13:10)
The parallel in the book of Matthew says,
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
One of the driving passions of our church and denomination’s founder, A.B. Simpson, was to see the Great Commission completed so that Jesus could return. He took this verse at face value.
Is it a statement of what will occur or a condition for Jesus’ return.
A New York Journal reporter approached Dr. Simpson with the question, "Do you know when the Lord is coming?"
"Yes," he replied, "and I will tell you if you promise to print just what I say, references and all."
The reporter's poised notebook gave the ready promise.
"Then put this down: 'This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto the nations and then shall the end come.' Matthew 24:14. Have you written the reference?"
"Yes, what more?"
"Nothing more."
The reporter lowered his pencil and said, "Do you mean to say that you believe that when the Gospel is preached to all nations Jesus will return?"
“Just that.”
"I think I begin to see daylight," answered the reporter. "I see the motivation and the motive power in this movement."
"Then," said the Alliance leader, "You see more than some of the doctors of divinity."
And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. (Mark 13:10)
It’s a bit of a chicken-and-the-egg scenario. Which comes first? Can we actually make the end come sooner by preaching the gospel to all nations? It seems like Jesus is stating what will occur rather than a precondition for his return, but I maybe wrong. Regardless, we are all called to make disciples, to love others well, to always be prepared to give a reason for the hope we have, to share good news.
Jesus continues…
Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. (Mark 13:11)
I would imagine the disciples found this to be incredibly encouraging.
Today we desperately need the Holy Spirit. I need the Holy Spirit each time I stand before you, and I pray He speaks through me. My wisdom is not worth much, believe me!
The persecution would expand beyond the government.
“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. (Mark 13:12)
Jesus is warning them of the cross they must pick up daily to follow him. The enemy will divide families. Two thousand years of history have born this out. It’s heartbreaking to hear of people rejected by their families when they begin to follow Jesus, but it should come as no surprise. Following Jesus is dangerous…but worth it.
Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. (Mark 13:13)
That’s a troubling yet comforting sentence! I’ve never met anyone who wants to be hated, but entering the kingdom of heaven will be worth it. All believers will someday be vindicated. Jesus never breaks a promise!
So What?
I know some of you have been told this passage is about the second coming of Jesus. Others believe it’s about the end of the world. Where does this fit into the Millennial reign of Christ? Was all of this fulfilled in AD 70 when the Romans destroyed the temple? I actually believe the latter, but I could be wrong.
Again, biblical prophecy can be challenging to understand. We do know Jesus will return someday. We are told repeatedly to be ready…and to get others ready. For centuries, our brothers and sisters in the faith have faced tremendous suffering and even martyrdom, and that may be our fate someday, too.
In our text for today, Jesus says do not be alarmed. He says those who stand firm will be saved. If we seek God’s glory instead of our own, His Kingdom will come and His will will be done. I’ve always been amazed that the persecution we avoid is often the very thing that results in the spread of the gospel, the good news. What Jesus said here came to pass as recorded in the book of Acts and Philippians 1. Tertullian said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.”
We need to get ready…for the return of Christ.
We need to get ready…for the possibility of suffering.
Tom Wright notes, “…those Christians who don’t face persecution often face the opposite temptation, to stagnate, to become cynical, to suppose that nothing much is happening, that the kingdom of God is just a pious dream.”
We also need to get others ready. Everyone deserves a chance to know Jesus.
Jesus never breaks a promise! He not only made predictions about the destruction of the most beautiful building in the world, he promised the coming of the Holy Spirit. He said in verse 11 that the Holy Spirit would come and give them words to speak when they were arrested and on trial.
Next week we’ll see Jesus address when the destruction of the temple will occur and more signs of the end, even if today’s passage merely described the events leading up to the end of the temple.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Temple Talk, 9 May 2021
06 05 21
Temple Talk
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 12:35-44
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Jesus has choice words about the heart of God and the heart of humans.
We’ve been exploring the life and teachings of Jesus as recorded by John Mark in his gospel or “good news” biography of Christ. Perhaps our greatest quest in this extensive sermon series is to more fully answer the question, “Who is Jesus?” Since our church, our Alliance family, all of Christianity is based upon Jesus, the more we can understand his life, teachings, example, death, and resurrection, the more vibrant and authentic our faith.
If you’ve been with us throughout this series, Jesus’ popularity is causing great envy among the religious leaders. They were so jealous, they were devising plans to have him killed. The crowds loved him, though, and so they devised questions to try to trap Jesus and discredit him among the general public. In our text for today, Jesus turns the tables, so to speak, and presents questions of his own.
King David wrote,
The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.” (Psalm 110:1, NLT)
This is known as a prophetic song following a revelation from God. It is quoted in Acts 2:34-35 and Hebrews 11:13. It also appears in our text for today.
While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? (Mark 12:35)
Jesus is in Jerusalem and he challenges the religious leaders about the promised Messiah. He would be a son or descendent of David, yet Psalm 110 reveals something rather remarkable. Jesus explains.
David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:
“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ (Mark 12:36)
Now Jesus asks his question.
David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” (Mark 12:37a)
How can Jesus be David’s son and David’s LORD?
This is a mystery, yet it was announced hundreds of years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem (see Psalm 2, 89, 2 Samuel 7).
Jesus is fully human, the son of David.
Jesus is fully deity, the son of God.
Jesus poses a question nobody answers. He is unique. He is virgin-born. He is the fulfillment of centuries of prophecies. He is the Messiah! He is uniquely prophet, priest, and king. Here in the temple, he declares his authority over the Temple, over Israel, over the world.
Although Mark tells us nothing about the speechless religious leaders, he says,
The large crowd listened to him with delight. (Mark 12:37b)
I wonder, do you listen to Jesus with delight? Do you read the Bible with delight? Do you delight in your life with God? He delights in you. He sings over you. He loves to hear your voice in prayer.
King David wrote,
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)
I know it’s sometimes hard to have a relationship with Someone you cannot see or hear or touch, but we’re blessed with sixty-six books to enjoy, the Holy Spirit living inside of us, and a God who is active, listening, and present 24/7/365.
The large crowd listened to him with delight. (Mark 12:37b)
Notice the common people loved him! Now Jesus finishes his public teaching.
As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. (Mark 12:38-39)
Have you ever met an entitled person? They feel they deserve special privileges and treatment. They can be found in most any culture, including our own.
I did a little research and came across a few modern examples.
- "My daughter worked at Sephora, and once — when the checkout line was really long — a woman cut in front of everyone saying, ‘I need to go first because I just know I’m spending more money today than the lot of you.'"
- "A woman called our dentist office and requested an appointment at a specific date and time. When I told her there was already someone scheduled at that time, she had the audacity to say, 'Well, can’t you just MOVE them?'”
- "I work at a restaurant, and one of our servers complimented a woman on her purse hanging over her chair. The woman responded, 'Oh, honey, you’ll never be able to afford this.'"
- "I work reception at a vet and we had a puppy rushed in who wasn't breathing. A guy who was waiting asked me how long he'd have to wait for his pet's appointment and I apologized and explained about the puppy. He huffed and said, 'It's taking a long time, isn't it?!' His appointment was for his guinea pig to have a nail trim."
Jesus calls out the teachers of the law…the scribes…the religious scholars. If they were here today, they would surely wear fancy clothes, drive fancy cars…or be driven in fancy cars! They were impressive and loved the attention of their power, their prestige, their position. Jesus is issuing a warning about them, no doubt further enraging them. He’s not done!
They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.” (Mark 12:40)
The King James Version says they “shall receive greater damnation.” Ouch! Hypocrites will be given great condemnation, perhaps the greatest.
Widows were often destitute without a working husband. The Bible gives instructions on how to care for them, particularly in Paul’s first letter to Timothy. The teachers of the law clearly had no respect for them, perhaps because they were unable to make big donations to their cause.
The mention of lengthy prayers is explicit: it’s just a show for people rather than communication with God.
I can just hear the disciples: “Jesus, you might want to zip it! You’re going to get yourself killed!”
He did!
This marks the end of Jesus’ public ministry in Jerusalem. What follows involves only his disciples and is not found in the parallel account in Matthew chapter 23.
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. (Mark 12:41)
How does Mark know the rich threw in large amounts? They did it publicly! They put on a show. They wanted everyone to know how rich they were. They wanted everyone to know how generous they were.
Have you ever heard about a multi-millionaire making a large donation to a charity? I love to hear about generous people, but often the amount is not as significant as it may appear. If a billionaire gives away a million dollars, it’s only 1/10 of 1% of their wealth! If you earn $50,000, it’s like giving away $50!
But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. (Mark 12:42)
I imagine those religious leaders paid no attention to this offering. Remember, Jesus had just talked about how they treated poor widows. But who were the better worshippers, the teachers of the law or this widow?
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. (Mark 12:43)
How could a few cents be more than the offerings of the rich?
They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:44)
Jesus saw what she kept for herself. Nothing!
How much do you keep for yourself? How much do you really love Jesus?
The ultimate giving is sacrificial. It costs something.
The rich gave what was extra. The woman gave everything. It reminds me of the story of the chicken and the pig. They are both asked to provide for a breakfast plate. The chicken offered an egg which was easily spared. The pig’s contribution required everything!
Last Sunday, Pastor Donald taught on the Great Commandment from the previous passage of Mark.
Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)
One of the ways we love God is with our generosity. We worship through giving. We declare our allegiance to the LORD through the stewardship of our wealth, our money, no matter how much we have.
I’ve had people over the years ask me if tithing is a command for us today. Tithe literally means ten percent and it was prescribed in Old Testament worship, not only of cash but crops.
“ ‘A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD. (Leviticus 27:30)
I believe that was the starting point, the minimum…ten percent. In the last book of the Old Testament, the prophet Malachi recorded this:
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. (Malachi 3:10)
The people weren’t even giving ten percent, yet God made a promise to them. I believe this is the only time God says, “Test me.”
This is not a subtle fundraising speech. We’re not desperate for money around here. But I want you to take Jesus’ words seriously.
Some of you have very little money…and yet some of you are very generous with what little you have. Others of you think nothing of buying expensive clothes, toys, cars, or even homes…yet you struggle to give more than a percent or two to God…if that!
I don’t know who gives what, but I’m told we have church members who didn’t give a dime last year! Again, it’s not that I’m begging for your money. I’m simply concerned that you’re missing out on the thrill of giving, of investing in God’s Kingdom, and the blessings God grants those who are obedient.
In today’s text, Jesus contrasts the impressive yet entitled religious leaders with the generosity of a poor widow. Who loved God more? Who was the most generous? Who was the better steward?
Once again, I’m reminded of God’s message to Samuel:
“The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7b)
How is your heart? Where is your heart?
One More Thing
Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all. (Proverbs 22:2)
I love the mosaic God is creating that we call the First Alliance family. It’s easy to see black, brown, and white, but we have people who are homeless and people who have beautiful homes. We have doctors, lawyers, and those who make minimum wage. Some of us haven’t graduated from high school while others have their doctorate degree. But we’re family. We’re a Jesus-centered family. We do life together. We need one another. We love and serve and pray for one another. Where else can you find such a group of different types of people together? That’s the Kingdom of God! It’s beautiful!
Before we close, I want to remind you of our benevolence fund. It’s used to serve family members in need. You can give to it anytime…and if you find yourself in need, you can fill out a Benevolence Form which can be found in our lobby kiosk or at the bottom of the FAC Focus e-newsletter each Sunday morning. Please take advantage of this opportunity to give and receive, to love one another, to be good stewards and share together in the blessings of God.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 12:35-44
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Jesus has choice words about the heart of God and the heart of humans.
We’ve been exploring the life and teachings of Jesus as recorded by John Mark in his gospel or “good news” biography of Christ. Perhaps our greatest quest in this extensive sermon series is to more fully answer the question, “Who is Jesus?” Since our church, our Alliance family, all of Christianity is based upon Jesus, the more we can understand his life, teachings, example, death, and resurrection, the more vibrant and authentic our faith.
If you’ve been with us throughout this series, Jesus’ popularity is causing great envy among the religious leaders. They were so jealous, they were devising plans to have him killed. The crowds loved him, though, and so they devised questions to try to trap Jesus and discredit him among the general public. In our text for today, Jesus turns the tables, so to speak, and presents questions of his own.
King David wrote,
The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.” (Psalm 110:1, NLT)
This is known as a prophetic song following a revelation from God. It is quoted in Acts 2:34-35 and Hebrews 11:13. It also appears in our text for today.
While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? (Mark 12:35)
Jesus is in Jerusalem and he challenges the religious leaders about the promised Messiah. He would be a son or descendent of David, yet Psalm 110 reveals something rather remarkable. Jesus explains.
David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:
“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ (Mark 12:36)
Now Jesus asks his question.
David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” (Mark 12:37a)
How can Jesus be David’s son and David’s LORD?
This is a mystery, yet it was announced hundreds of years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem (see Psalm 2, 89, 2 Samuel 7).
Jesus is fully human, the son of David.
Jesus is fully deity, the son of God.
Jesus poses a question nobody answers. He is unique. He is virgin-born. He is the fulfillment of centuries of prophecies. He is the Messiah! He is uniquely prophet, priest, and king. Here in the temple, he declares his authority over the Temple, over Israel, over the world.
Although Mark tells us nothing about the speechless religious leaders, he says,
The large crowd listened to him with delight. (Mark 12:37b)
I wonder, do you listen to Jesus with delight? Do you read the Bible with delight? Do you delight in your life with God? He delights in you. He sings over you. He loves to hear your voice in prayer.
King David wrote,
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)
I know it’s sometimes hard to have a relationship with Someone you cannot see or hear or touch, but we’re blessed with sixty-six books to enjoy, the Holy Spirit living inside of us, and a God who is active, listening, and present 24/7/365.
The large crowd listened to him with delight. (Mark 12:37b)
Notice the common people loved him! Now Jesus finishes his public teaching.
As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. (Mark 12:38-39)
Have you ever met an entitled person? They feel they deserve special privileges and treatment. They can be found in most any culture, including our own.
I did a little research and came across a few modern examples.
- "My daughter worked at Sephora, and once — when the checkout line was really long — a woman cut in front of everyone saying, ‘I need to go first because I just know I’m spending more money today than the lot of you.'"
- "A woman called our dentist office and requested an appointment at a specific date and time. When I told her there was already someone scheduled at that time, she had the audacity to say, 'Well, can’t you just MOVE them?'”
- "I work at a restaurant, and one of our servers complimented a woman on her purse hanging over her chair. The woman responded, 'Oh, honey, you’ll never be able to afford this.'"
- "I work reception at a vet and we had a puppy rushed in who wasn't breathing. A guy who was waiting asked me how long he'd have to wait for his pet's appointment and I apologized and explained about the puppy. He huffed and said, 'It's taking a long time, isn't it?!' His appointment was for his guinea pig to have a nail trim."
Jesus calls out the teachers of the law…the scribes…the religious scholars. If they were here today, they would surely wear fancy clothes, drive fancy cars…or be driven in fancy cars! They were impressive and loved the attention of their power, their prestige, their position. Jesus is issuing a warning about them, no doubt further enraging them. He’s not done!
They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.” (Mark 12:40)
The King James Version says they “shall receive greater damnation.” Ouch! Hypocrites will be given great condemnation, perhaps the greatest.
Widows were often destitute without a working husband. The Bible gives instructions on how to care for them, particularly in Paul’s first letter to Timothy. The teachers of the law clearly had no respect for them, perhaps because they were unable to make big donations to their cause.
The mention of lengthy prayers is explicit: it’s just a show for people rather than communication with God.
I can just hear the disciples: “Jesus, you might want to zip it! You’re going to get yourself killed!”
He did!
This marks the end of Jesus’ public ministry in Jerusalem. What follows involves only his disciples and is not found in the parallel account in Matthew chapter 23.
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. (Mark 12:41)
How does Mark know the rich threw in large amounts? They did it publicly! They put on a show. They wanted everyone to know how rich they were. They wanted everyone to know how generous they were.
Have you ever heard about a multi-millionaire making a large donation to a charity? I love to hear about generous people, but often the amount is not as significant as it may appear. If a billionaire gives away a million dollars, it’s only 1/10 of 1% of their wealth! If you earn $50,000, it’s like giving away $50!
But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. (Mark 12:42)
I imagine those religious leaders paid no attention to this offering. Remember, Jesus had just talked about how they treated poor widows. But who were the better worshippers, the teachers of the law or this widow?
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. (Mark 12:43)
How could a few cents be more than the offerings of the rich?
They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:44)
Jesus saw what she kept for herself. Nothing!
How much do you keep for yourself? How much do you really love Jesus?
The ultimate giving is sacrificial. It costs something.
The rich gave what was extra. The woman gave everything. It reminds me of the story of the chicken and the pig. They are both asked to provide for a breakfast plate. The chicken offered an egg which was easily spared. The pig’s contribution required everything!
Last Sunday, Pastor Donald taught on the Great Commandment from the previous passage of Mark.
Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)
One of the ways we love God is with our generosity. We worship through giving. We declare our allegiance to the LORD through the stewardship of our wealth, our money, no matter how much we have.
I’ve had people over the years ask me if tithing is a command for us today. Tithe literally means ten percent and it was prescribed in Old Testament worship, not only of cash but crops.
“ ‘A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD. (Leviticus 27:30)
I believe that was the starting point, the minimum…ten percent. In the last book of the Old Testament, the prophet Malachi recorded this:
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. (Malachi 3:10)
The people weren’t even giving ten percent, yet God made a promise to them. I believe this is the only time God says, “Test me.”
This is not a subtle fundraising speech. We’re not desperate for money around here. But I want you to take Jesus’ words seriously.
Some of you have very little money…and yet some of you are very generous with what little you have. Others of you think nothing of buying expensive clothes, toys, cars, or even homes…yet you struggle to give more than a percent or two to God…if that!
I don’t know who gives what, but I’m told we have church members who didn’t give a dime last year! Again, it’s not that I’m begging for your money. I’m simply concerned that you’re missing out on the thrill of giving, of investing in God’s Kingdom, and the blessings God grants those who are obedient.
In today’s text, Jesus contrasts the impressive yet entitled religious leaders with the generosity of a poor widow. Who loved God more? Who was the most generous? Who was the better steward?
Once again, I’m reminded of God’s message to Samuel:
“The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7b)
How is your heart? Where is your heart?
One More Thing
Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all. (Proverbs 22:2)
I love the mosaic God is creating that we call the First Alliance family. It’s easy to see black, brown, and white, but we have people who are homeless and people who have beautiful homes. We have doctors, lawyers, and those who make minimum wage. Some of us haven’t graduated from high school while others have their doctorate degree. But we’re family. We’re a Jesus-centered family. We do life together. We need one another. We love and serve and pray for one another. Where else can you find such a group of different types of people together? That’s the Kingdom of God! It’s beautiful!
Before we close, I want to remind you of our benevolence fund. It’s used to serve family members in need. You can give to it anytime…and if you find yourself in need, you can fill out a Benevolence Form which can be found in our lobby kiosk or at the bottom of the FAC Focus e-newsletter each Sunday morning. Please take advantage of this opportunity to give and receive, to love one another, to be good stewards and share together in the blessings of God.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The Resurrection, 25 April 2021
25 04 21
The Resurrection
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 12:18-27
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Someday all of the dead will be resurrected…are you ready?
Life is filled with questions and mysteries. How long will the COVID-19 last? Will the Cleveland Browns or Detroit Lions ever win a Super Bowl? What came first, the chicken or the egg? Is breakfast cereal soup?
Perhaps the greatest question of all-time is, “What happens after you die?” Religions and philosophers have an abundance of answers, but even the Bible leaves plenty of mystery.
This morning we’re talking about resurrection. No, not the Resurrection that we celebrated three weeks ago. We’re actually going to look at your resurrection. I know what you’re thinking…I’m not dead…yet! There’s a good chance that someday you will die…and then what? In our text for today, Jesus gives us a glimpse of what’s on the other side of the grave and why it matters.
I often stress the importance of context. We’re in the middle of the book of Mark, the shortest of the four gospels—or good news—that tell us about Jesus. He has predicted his own death and the religious leaders are getting riled up over Jesus’ popularity and audacious claims to be God. The Pharisees and Herodians failed to trap Jesus in last week’s text. Mark chapter twelve, verse eighteen says,
Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. (Mark 12:18)
The Pharisees get a lot of attention in the Bible, but the Sadducees were a different group of religious leaders. The high priests Caiaphas and Annas were first-century Sadducees. They only believed in the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible and there is no mention of the resurrection in those books of Moses. As Mark plainly states, they didn’t believe in the resurrection of the dead, leading some people to conclude without hope of the resurrection, were “sad, you see.” They viewed the resurrection as a new, dangerous idea that depended upon dubious books like Daniel and groups like the Pharisees.
To better understand, listen to these words from N.T. Wright:
…the Sadducees saw belief in resurrection as politically risky. It had become popular particularly during the revolutionary movements of the second century BC, as a way of affirming that the martyrs had a glorious future awaiting them, not immediately after death, but in the eventual resurrection when they would be given new bodies. This belief was based on the fundamental idea of God as the maker, and therefore the remaker, of the world. People who believe that God is going to recreate the whole world, including Israel, and even including their own dead bodies, are much more likely to do daring and risky things. Wealthy ruling classes prefer people not to think thoughts like that.
Dr. Luke tells us in the book of Acts:
(The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.) (Acts 23:8)
Now they setup their question.
“Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. (Mark 12:19)
This is a fascinating instruction given by Moses. Obviously, it’s not something we follow today, nor are we obligated to do so since we are no longer under the 613 laws of Moses, the Mosaic Law. This particular command would certainly be practical a culture where women rarely earned income and Social Security did not exist. What’s a widow to do with her kids?
Genesis 38:8 and Deuteronomy 25:5-10 describe a scenario in which a man dies and his brother marries the widow. But now they offer an absurd scenario, seemingly in an attempt to discredit Jesus and other Jews who believed in the afterlife. You might call them skeptics.
Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. (Mark 12:20-22)
At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?” (Mark 12:23)
Do you see how they were trying to twist the truth? Maybe they were even giggling. They put Jesus in the middle of a theological controversy between the Sadducees and Pharisees (who believed in the resurrection).
Perhaps you’ve had someone challenge your faith with a question like, “Can God create a rock so heavy He cannot lift it? (the answer is no because He cannot make a contradiction).
You can’t trick Jesus!
Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? (Mark 12:24)
Before Jesus addresses their question, he addresses their ignorance. They didn’t understand the power of God, denying the supernatural world of spirits and angels. They also didn’t understand the Scriptures. They refused to believe anything they couldn’t see.
This is true of many today, deists who believe in a Creator, they believe in God, but they deny miracles or supernatural activity today. Famous deists include Benjamin Franklin, Neil Armstrong, John Adams, Thomas Edison, Victor Hugo, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, Mark Twain, and perhaps even Abraham Lincoln.
Our faith is not based upon merely a Creator, but the vital work of Jesus Christ the Messiah, dying for us, conquering sin and death, and the resurrection. The Sadducees ignored most of the Jewish Bible and failed to understand miracles and God’s power.
I don’t worship a weak God!
I don’t worship a dead God!
I don’t worship a God who is sleeping or distracted!
I worship a God who is omnipotent and all-powerful!
I worship a God who is omnipresent and with me always!
I worship a God who is omniscient and all-knowing!
Jesus answers their question—after asking one himself—and just like his response to the Pharisees in last week’s text, he amazes them. It’s mic-drop time!
When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. (Mark 12:25)
I love that phrase, “When the dead rise.” That’s hope! He doesn’t say, “If.” He’s very clear. The dead will rise!
Notice what Jesus doesn’t say. He doesn’t say we will become angels, get wings, fly, play the harp, or sit on a cloud. The only reference to angels is that the resurrected will not marry or be given in marriage.
He doesn’t say there won’t be married people in heaven.
He doesn’t say we will be without gender.
He never explicitly says spouses won’t be together in heaven or even that there won’t be marriage in heaven. He simply says there won’t be weddings in heaven. There won’t be new marriages.
If you examine the purpose of marriage, one of the primary purposes is procreation. In the beginning, God made us male and female (Genesis 1:27) and said, “Be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:22).” People in heaven are eternal and there will be no need to procreate in order to continue the family line as we do today (which was the point of the law about the widow marrying the brother).
Resurrection means transformation with a new and improved body.
Resurrection means a new, embodied life in the future…not necessarily at the moment of our death.
Resurrection is the reversal of death to enjoy life in the new heaven and the new earth. What God has created, He will recreate. That is good news indeed!
Again, there are many things we don’t know about the next life. Great mystery remains, but what is clear is the Sadducees were wrong. There will be a resurrection, and Jesus goes back to one of their five books—Exodus chapter 3—to show them.
Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? (Mark 12:26)
Here Jesus is confronting their ignorance of the Book of Moses. If God is the God of these deceased men, these men must continue to exist in some form. Their bodies may be dead, but not their souls.
He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!” (Mark 12:27)
Jesus is trash-talking. Okay, maybe not exactly, but he clearly corrects them. “You are badly mistaken!”
But actions speak louder than words. I’m sure Jesus’ teaching was informative, but his own resurrection was transformative.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
I can’t overstate the importance of the resurrection—both Jesus’ resurrection and ours. Paul said it so plainly to the church in Corinth:
But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19, NLT)
The Christian faith rises and falls on the resurrection. The reason I get so excited about Resurrection Sunday and the empty tomb is because without it, we have a dead faith. Literally.
The old hymn “He Lives” contains these lyrics:
I serve a risen Savior/He’s in the world today
I know that He is living, whatever men may say.
I see His hand of mercy/I hear His voice of cheer
And just the time I need Him/He’s always near
He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life’s narrow way
He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart.
So What?
For thousands of years, there have been people who believed in God but not the supernatural. Deists have a reverence for a Creator, but no relationship. I can’t imagine such a life, such a faith. If this life is all there is, we might as well just eat, drink, and be merry. But if there is a resurrection…if there is a Judgment Day…if there is eternal life waiting for us on the other side of the grave, we must seize every opportunity to get ready and get others ready for the resurrection.
Are you ready?
Are you getting others ready?
I want us to be people of the resurrection, celebrating Christ’s resurrection and anticipating our own and that of our loved ones.
Life is filled with questions and mysteries, but one thing is clear: Jesus is alive!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 12:18-27
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Someday all of the dead will be resurrected…are you ready?
Life is filled with questions and mysteries. How long will the COVID-19 last? Will the Cleveland Browns or Detroit Lions ever win a Super Bowl? What came first, the chicken or the egg? Is breakfast cereal soup?
Perhaps the greatest question of all-time is, “What happens after you die?” Religions and philosophers have an abundance of answers, but even the Bible leaves plenty of mystery.
This morning we’re talking about resurrection. No, not the Resurrection that we celebrated three weeks ago. We’re actually going to look at your resurrection. I know what you’re thinking…I’m not dead…yet! There’s a good chance that someday you will die…and then what? In our text for today, Jesus gives us a glimpse of what’s on the other side of the grave and why it matters.
I often stress the importance of context. We’re in the middle of the book of Mark, the shortest of the four gospels—or good news—that tell us about Jesus. He has predicted his own death and the religious leaders are getting riled up over Jesus’ popularity and audacious claims to be God. The Pharisees and Herodians failed to trap Jesus in last week’s text. Mark chapter twelve, verse eighteen says,
Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. (Mark 12:18)
The Pharisees get a lot of attention in the Bible, but the Sadducees were a different group of religious leaders. The high priests Caiaphas and Annas were first-century Sadducees. They only believed in the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible and there is no mention of the resurrection in those books of Moses. As Mark plainly states, they didn’t believe in the resurrection of the dead, leading some people to conclude without hope of the resurrection, were “sad, you see.” They viewed the resurrection as a new, dangerous idea that depended upon dubious books like Daniel and groups like the Pharisees.
To better understand, listen to these words from N.T. Wright:
…the Sadducees saw belief in resurrection as politically risky. It had become popular particularly during the revolutionary movements of the second century BC, as a way of affirming that the martyrs had a glorious future awaiting them, not immediately after death, but in the eventual resurrection when they would be given new bodies. This belief was based on the fundamental idea of God as the maker, and therefore the remaker, of the world. People who believe that God is going to recreate the whole world, including Israel, and even including their own dead bodies, are much more likely to do daring and risky things. Wealthy ruling classes prefer people not to think thoughts like that.
Dr. Luke tells us in the book of Acts:
(The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.) (Acts 23:8)
Now they setup their question.
“Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. (Mark 12:19)
This is a fascinating instruction given by Moses. Obviously, it’s not something we follow today, nor are we obligated to do so since we are no longer under the 613 laws of Moses, the Mosaic Law. This particular command would certainly be practical a culture where women rarely earned income and Social Security did not exist. What’s a widow to do with her kids?
Genesis 38:8 and Deuteronomy 25:5-10 describe a scenario in which a man dies and his brother marries the widow. But now they offer an absurd scenario, seemingly in an attempt to discredit Jesus and other Jews who believed in the afterlife. You might call them skeptics.
Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. (Mark 12:20-22)
At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?” (Mark 12:23)
Do you see how they were trying to twist the truth? Maybe they were even giggling. They put Jesus in the middle of a theological controversy between the Sadducees and Pharisees (who believed in the resurrection).
Perhaps you’ve had someone challenge your faith with a question like, “Can God create a rock so heavy He cannot lift it? (the answer is no because He cannot make a contradiction).
You can’t trick Jesus!
Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? (Mark 12:24)
Before Jesus addresses their question, he addresses their ignorance. They didn’t understand the power of God, denying the supernatural world of spirits and angels. They also didn’t understand the Scriptures. They refused to believe anything they couldn’t see.
This is true of many today, deists who believe in a Creator, they believe in God, but they deny miracles or supernatural activity today. Famous deists include Benjamin Franklin, Neil Armstrong, John Adams, Thomas Edison, Victor Hugo, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, Mark Twain, and perhaps even Abraham Lincoln.
Our faith is not based upon merely a Creator, but the vital work of Jesus Christ the Messiah, dying for us, conquering sin and death, and the resurrection. The Sadducees ignored most of the Jewish Bible and failed to understand miracles and God’s power.
I don’t worship a weak God!
I don’t worship a dead God!
I don’t worship a God who is sleeping or distracted!
I worship a God who is omnipotent and all-powerful!
I worship a God who is omnipresent and with me always!
I worship a God who is omniscient and all-knowing!
Jesus answers their question—after asking one himself—and just like his response to the Pharisees in last week’s text, he amazes them. It’s mic-drop time!
When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. (Mark 12:25)
I love that phrase, “When the dead rise.” That’s hope! He doesn’t say, “If.” He’s very clear. The dead will rise!
Notice what Jesus doesn’t say. He doesn’t say we will become angels, get wings, fly, play the harp, or sit on a cloud. The only reference to angels is that the resurrected will not marry or be given in marriage.
He doesn’t say there won’t be married people in heaven.
He doesn’t say we will be without gender.
He never explicitly says spouses won’t be together in heaven or even that there won’t be marriage in heaven. He simply says there won’t be weddings in heaven. There won’t be new marriages.
If you examine the purpose of marriage, one of the primary purposes is procreation. In the beginning, God made us male and female (Genesis 1:27) and said, “Be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:22).” People in heaven are eternal and there will be no need to procreate in order to continue the family line as we do today (which was the point of the law about the widow marrying the brother).
Resurrection means transformation with a new and improved body.
Resurrection means a new, embodied life in the future…not necessarily at the moment of our death.
Resurrection is the reversal of death to enjoy life in the new heaven and the new earth. What God has created, He will recreate. That is good news indeed!
Again, there are many things we don’t know about the next life. Great mystery remains, but what is clear is the Sadducees were wrong. There will be a resurrection, and Jesus goes back to one of their five books—Exodus chapter 3—to show them.
Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? (Mark 12:26)
Here Jesus is confronting their ignorance of the Book of Moses. If God is the God of these deceased men, these men must continue to exist in some form. Their bodies may be dead, but not their souls.
He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!” (Mark 12:27)
Jesus is trash-talking. Okay, maybe not exactly, but he clearly corrects them. “You are badly mistaken!”
But actions speak louder than words. I’m sure Jesus’ teaching was informative, but his own resurrection was transformative.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
I can’t overstate the importance of the resurrection—both Jesus’ resurrection and ours. Paul said it so plainly to the church in Corinth:
But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19, NLT)
The Christian faith rises and falls on the resurrection. The reason I get so excited about Resurrection Sunday and the empty tomb is because without it, we have a dead faith. Literally.
The old hymn “He Lives” contains these lyrics:
I serve a risen Savior/He’s in the world today
I know that He is living, whatever men may say.
I see His hand of mercy/I hear His voice of cheer
And just the time I need Him/He’s always near
He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life’s narrow way
He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart.
So What?
For thousands of years, there have been people who believed in God but not the supernatural. Deists have a reverence for a Creator, but no relationship. I can’t imagine such a life, such a faith. If this life is all there is, we might as well just eat, drink, and be merry. But if there is a resurrection…if there is a Judgment Day…if there is eternal life waiting for us on the other side of the grave, we must seize every opportunity to get ready and get others ready for the resurrection.
Are you ready?
Are you getting others ready?
I want us to be people of the resurrection, celebrating Christ’s resurrection and anticipating our own and that of our loved ones.
Life is filled with questions and mysteries, but one thing is clear: Jesus is alive!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Church & State, 18 April 2021
17 04 21
Church & State
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 12:13-17
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Ultimately, everything we have belongs to the King of kings.
We’ve been going verse-by-verse through the book of Mark, the shortest of the four gospels or “good news” that tell the story of Jesus.
If you joined us last week, Jesus retold an ancient parable to the religious leaders, making them the bad guys in what Isaiah prophesied about Israel. Put simply, Jesus called them out, adding fuel to the fire of these wicked leaders who wanted to see the Messiah killed. They were successful in getting Christ crucified, but their victory was short-lived.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Our text today is short…only five verses. Before we look at them, it’s helpful to understand some historical background. As a Jew, Jesus spent most of his life and ministry among Jews living under Roman rule in a culture that had many gods. The people of Israel were somewhat unique in their monotheism, their belief in one God.
The shema—the most essential prayer in Judaism, often prayed each morning and evening—begins
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. (Deuteronomy 6:4)
One God…who exists in three Person: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
In Jesus’ day, some leaders were considered gods. This may seem odd in our culture, but that’s how much power they possessed among the people. Caesar was not an elected official like we have presidents and governors. But he ruled and taxed and was not exactly admired by the Jews!
Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. (Mark 12:13).
We’ve heard about the Pharisees. They were the conservative, legalistic Jewish leaders. Here Mark also mentions the Herodians. They were a political group who supported Herod. The Pharisees and Herodians are strange bedfellows! It’s amazing how people can come together over a common enemy, in this case Jesus. These religious leaders are ruthless! They have already determined to kill Jesus. They are doing everything possible to destroy his credibility, to “catch him in his words.”
Have you ever had someone “out to get you?” Do you walk on eggshells, so to speak, when you’re around certain people? Imagine your greatest critics were literally seeking to kill you!
In our text for today, a question is brought to Jesus, but they were not seeking knowledge. They were trying to trap Jesus.
Why do you do the things you do? I’m a big fan of the “why?” Motives matter. We often do things without even realizing why we’re doing them. Good and bad habits dictate many of our actions. It’s possible to even do good things with bad motives. This is a perfect example. Mark tells us from the beginning the “why.”
They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. (Mark 12:14a)
Notice they begin by buttering him up, praising him for his integrity. Their sarcasm—or anger in a clown suit!—is actually true. Jesus is a man of integrity. He wasn’t swayed by others. He taught the way of God in accordance with the truth. They were masquerading as genuine followers of Jesus and the truth, but they weren’t. Are you ready for the question?
Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” (Mark 12:14b-15a)
You have to admit it’s a good question! After all, the law of Moses written hundreds of years earlier which guided Jewish conduct knew nothing of Rome or Caesar or imperial taxes. It was a different era, much in the same way we face questions today which are not explicitly spelled out in the Bible.
Again, it’s a practical question, but it was asked with impure motives. I’m sure they were excited, placing Jesus in a no-win situation. Or so they thought!
But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” (Mark 12:15b)
There are a lot of people who look, act, and sound impressive. They know the Bible. They go to church. They have the perfect family. Everyone knows about their generosity. But some simply know how to put on a show. The word for “hypocrite” is from the same root word as “actor.” Jesus knew their hearts…and he knows ours, too. One of my favorite verses in the Bible involves the selection of the next king of Israel.
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1Samuel 16:7)
As I’ve said, these religious leaders were impressive. Their books were on the bestseller list. They had thousands of followers of social media. Their podcasts were hugely popular. Their tv shows had great ratings. But their hearts were wicked.
By the way, some things never change. Like many of you, I’ve been deeply disappointed seeing various Christian leaders fail over the years. They are impressive, but fail to finish the race well. Their charisma attracts great crowds, but their character is corrupt. The outside of the cup is shiny, but inside it’s filthy.
Jesus asks them for what we would call a penny. He may not have even had one himself. He had no credit cards!
They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied. (Mark 12:16)
If Jesus said give to Tiberius Caesar, the Roman emperor, that would imply Caesar was greater than Moses, and they would’ve accused him of idolatry. If he said don’t give to Caesar, the Roman authority would have great concern! That would be insurrection. One response would offend the Pharisees, the other the Herodians.
You may know the Jews were not allowed to make carved images, yet the Roman coin had Caesar’s image on it…along with writing that said in Latin, “Augustus Tiberius, son of the divine Augustus.” On the other side, it said, “High Priest.” This coin was more than just a way to buy goods and services. It was a statement of power the Jews found downright offensive.
Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
God is sovereign and in control over all, including Caesar!
And they were amazed at him. (Mark 12:17)
I’m sure they were also very disappointed for their trap failed. They were flooded in divine wisdom regarding stewardship, but found no evidence to support their quest to end his life.
Jesus is amazing! Jesus’ teachings are amazing. His life and death and resurrection are amazing. His prayers and intercession for us now are amazing. His return will be amazing. Best of all, spending eternity with Jesus will be amazing!
So What?
- We have a responsibility to government.
Paul wrote to the church in Rome:
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13:1)
Obviously there have been times throughout history when a choice must be made between following Jesus and following the government. Our first allegiance must be to God, but He has created three institutions for human flourishing: the family, the Church, and government. As much as we criticize government, we would be far worse without a defense, schools, roads, and other services they provide. I rarely hear people say their taxes are too low, but they are needed to fund the government.
Jesus said to give to Caesar—or the government—what belongs to Caesar.
Columbus takes 7% of nearly everything we buy. Lucas County takes ¼% of our purchases. Washington DC takes…too much!
But the message is about more than money. It may include obeying laws, including speed limits! We may have a responsibility to the government to apply for the draft when such a thing is required. We give our time to the government and to one another when we vote. Good citizens can do many things to partner with and serve the government for the sake of the community.
One of the challenges in our culture is hyper individualism. The attitude of many is it’s all about them. We’ve even brought this into the church, saying Christianity is all about me and my personal relationship with Jesus. A personal relationship with Jesus is incredibly important, but we were created for community. Following Christ is a team sport. That’s why we have the Church.
- We have a responsibility to the Church. We are to give. We are to serve. We are to love one another. We are to do life together. When it’s good, it’s really good! I admit when we get it wrong, it’s really ugly. In fact, the gossip, judging, condemnation, hypocrisy, and even hatred of so-called Christians has called many to end their pursuit of God. Few things break my heart more than hearing of people who have walked away from God because of a bad experience with the Church.
If you’ve been hurt by Christians—and we all have—I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Please forgive us. Saying we’re not perfect is no excuse, though it’s true! We all need Jesus. I sometimes wonder why God entrusted His Kingdom to broken ragamuffins like us instead of Jesus spending more than three years of ministry here on earth.
But we have responsibility to one another. I need you. You need me. None of us has all of the spiritual gifts. Give to the church what belongs to the church. Yes, that includes not only time but also talents and treasures. Now that we’re opening up more, I encourage you to get in a Life Group, serve on the Hospitality Team, join the Music or Tech Teams, …and support God’s work here and around the world with your finances.
Some religions have what are essentially dues in order to participate. We don’t sell tickets around here! But one of our newly adopted core values as a church which we’ll reveal in the coming months is generosity. God is generous. He gave us the most precious possible gift…His son Jesus. Jesus gave us his life. What more could he give? The Holy Spirit fills the planet in every follower of Jesus.
Again, the message from today’s text is more than just money, but it certainly includes money. In a few weeks we’ll look at Jesus’ teaching on investing in God’s Kingdom.
I’ve had people over the years ask me if tithing is a command for us today. Tithe literally means ten percent and it was prescribed in Old Testament worship, not only of cash but crops. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth:
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)
We are a generous church. We have people that give dozens of volunteer hours each month. We have people generously sharing their talents and expertise. We have people who use their wealth to give extravagantly to bless our community.
I think ten percent is a good starting point for generosity, but it is by no means the max. Honestly, I can’t think of a better investment of finances than First Alliance Church and its work in Jerusalem, Judea & Samaria, and the ends of the earth through our Home Missions, Faith Missions, and Great Commission Fund partners. I love investing here!
By the way, in addition to giving cash online or in person, we can accept other assets and potentially save you substantial money on your taxes. If you have stocks, bonds, real estate, cattle, a business, or most any asset, we have the means of receiving them and using them for God’s glory.
As I said, the government, church, and family are the three institutions God created.
- We have a responsibility to our family. Parents, train your children in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6). Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus:
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—“so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:1-3)
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)
Spouses,
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
Ultimately all of our responsibility to government, church, and family can be summarized in one command we’ll look at in two weeks:
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:31)
I realize that verse is missing a bit of context…and it relates to our greatest responsibility…our responsibility to God.
Everything is created by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
If we are to properly give to Caesar’s, what do we give to God? When asked which of the commandments is the greatest…
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:29-30)
Did you catch Jesus quoting the shema? The Lord is one. We worship one God. How do we worship Him? With everything! All of our heart. All of our soul. All of our mind. All of our strength.
One hundred percent of our time, talents, and treasures belong to God. They’re on loan. We must be good stewards of what’s He’s entrusted to us.
How do your finances bring God glory?
How does your calendar bring God glory?
How does your physical body bring God glory?
How does your mind bring God glory?
What do I need to submit to God? Where is Jesus not LORD in my life?
Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar…and give to God what belongs to God…which is everything…including Caesar!
One more thing
You might think God is awfully demanding. You mean I have to give up everything to follow Jesus? Yes! You mean I have to die to myself and my desires and passions to serve God? Yes!
“Why would I give up everything for God?” Because He gave up everything for you. He loves you. He knows you. He created you. He knows your name. He wants nothing but the very best for you, even when it doesn’t feel good, even when the storms come, even when it’s not popular or politically-correct. God’s ways are perfect and so much higher than ours. He can be trusted.
We can do life our way. We can hoard our money. We can cheat on our taxes. We can rob God. We can be selfish with our talents and time. But disobeying God harms us more than anyone else. Eventually we’ll discover we don’t have all of the answers. We really need God. We need love.
I want to encourage you…you are loved, you are known, God is here, and He wants everything from you…and He wants to be your everything.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 12:13-17
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Ultimately, everything we have belongs to the King of kings.
We’ve been going verse-by-verse through the book of Mark, the shortest of the four gospels or “good news” that tell the story of Jesus.
If you joined us last week, Jesus retold an ancient parable to the religious leaders, making them the bad guys in what Isaiah prophesied about Israel. Put simply, Jesus called them out, adding fuel to the fire of these wicked leaders who wanted to see the Messiah killed. They were successful in getting Christ crucified, but their victory was short-lived.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Our text today is short…only five verses. Before we look at them, it’s helpful to understand some historical background. As a Jew, Jesus spent most of his life and ministry among Jews living under Roman rule in a culture that had many gods. The people of Israel were somewhat unique in their monotheism, their belief in one God.
The shema—the most essential prayer in Judaism, often prayed each morning and evening—begins
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. (Deuteronomy 6:4)
One God…who exists in three Person: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
In Jesus’ day, some leaders were considered gods. This may seem odd in our culture, but that’s how much power they possessed among the people. Caesar was not an elected official like we have presidents and governors. But he ruled and taxed and was not exactly admired by the Jews!
Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. (Mark 12:13).
We’ve heard about the Pharisees. They were the conservative, legalistic Jewish leaders. Here Mark also mentions the Herodians. They were a political group who supported Herod. The Pharisees and Herodians are strange bedfellows! It’s amazing how people can come together over a common enemy, in this case Jesus. These religious leaders are ruthless! They have already determined to kill Jesus. They are doing everything possible to destroy his credibility, to “catch him in his words.”
Have you ever had someone “out to get you?” Do you walk on eggshells, so to speak, when you’re around certain people? Imagine your greatest critics were literally seeking to kill you!
In our text for today, a question is brought to Jesus, but they were not seeking knowledge. They were trying to trap Jesus.
Why do you do the things you do? I’m a big fan of the “why?” Motives matter. We often do things without even realizing why we’re doing them. Good and bad habits dictate many of our actions. It’s possible to even do good things with bad motives. This is a perfect example. Mark tells us from the beginning the “why.”
They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. (Mark 12:14a)
Notice they begin by buttering him up, praising him for his integrity. Their sarcasm—or anger in a clown suit!—is actually true. Jesus is a man of integrity. He wasn’t swayed by others. He taught the way of God in accordance with the truth. They were masquerading as genuine followers of Jesus and the truth, but they weren’t. Are you ready for the question?
Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” (Mark 12:14b-15a)
You have to admit it’s a good question! After all, the law of Moses written hundreds of years earlier which guided Jewish conduct knew nothing of Rome or Caesar or imperial taxes. It was a different era, much in the same way we face questions today which are not explicitly spelled out in the Bible.
Again, it’s a practical question, but it was asked with impure motives. I’m sure they were excited, placing Jesus in a no-win situation. Or so they thought!
But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” (Mark 12:15b)
There are a lot of people who look, act, and sound impressive. They know the Bible. They go to church. They have the perfect family. Everyone knows about their generosity. But some simply know how to put on a show. The word for “hypocrite” is from the same root word as “actor.” Jesus knew their hearts…and he knows ours, too. One of my favorite verses in the Bible involves the selection of the next king of Israel.
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1Samuel 16:7)
As I’ve said, these religious leaders were impressive. Their books were on the bestseller list. They had thousands of followers of social media. Their podcasts were hugely popular. Their tv shows had great ratings. But their hearts were wicked.
By the way, some things never change. Like many of you, I’ve been deeply disappointed seeing various Christian leaders fail over the years. They are impressive, but fail to finish the race well. Their charisma attracts great crowds, but their character is corrupt. The outside of the cup is shiny, but inside it’s filthy.
Jesus asks them for what we would call a penny. He may not have even had one himself. He had no credit cards!
They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied. (Mark 12:16)
If Jesus said give to Tiberius Caesar, the Roman emperor, that would imply Caesar was greater than Moses, and they would’ve accused him of idolatry. If he said don’t give to Caesar, the Roman authority would have great concern! That would be insurrection. One response would offend the Pharisees, the other the Herodians.
You may know the Jews were not allowed to make carved images, yet the Roman coin had Caesar’s image on it…along with writing that said in Latin, “Augustus Tiberius, son of the divine Augustus.” On the other side, it said, “High Priest.” This coin was more than just a way to buy goods and services. It was a statement of power the Jews found downright offensive.
Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
God is sovereign and in control over all, including Caesar!
And they were amazed at him. (Mark 12:17)
I’m sure they were also very disappointed for their trap failed. They were flooded in divine wisdom regarding stewardship, but found no evidence to support their quest to end his life.
Jesus is amazing! Jesus’ teachings are amazing. His life and death and resurrection are amazing. His prayers and intercession for us now are amazing. His return will be amazing. Best of all, spending eternity with Jesus will be amazing!
So What?
- We have a responsibility to government.
Paul wrote to the church in Rome:
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13:1)
Obviously there have been times throughout history when a choice must be made between following Jesus and following the government. Our first allegiance must be to God, but He has created three institutions for human flourishing: the family, the Church, and government. As much as we criticize government, we would be far worse without a defense, schools, roads, and other services they provide. I rarely hear people say their taxes are too low, but they are needed to fund the government.
Jesus said to give to Caesar—or the government—what belongs to Caesar.
Columbus takes 7% of nearly everything we buy. Lucas County takes ¼% of our purchases. Washington DC takes…too much!
But the message is about more than money. It may include obeying laws, including speed limits! We may have a responsibility to the government to apply for the draft when such a thing is required. We give our time to the government and to one another when we vote. Good citizens can do many things to partner with and serve the government for the sake of the community.
One of the challenges in our culture is hyper individualism. The attitude of many is it’s all about them. We’ve even brought this into the church, saying Christianity is all about me and my personal relationship with Jesus. A personal relationship with Jesus is incredibly important, but we were created for community. Following Christ is a team sport. That’s why we have the Church.
- We have a responsibility to the Church. We are to give. We are to serve. We are to love one another. We are to do life together. When it’s good, it’s really good! I admit when we get it wrong, it’s really ugly. In fact, the gossip, judging, condemnation, hypocrisy, and even hatred of so-called Christians has called many to end their pursuit of God. Few things break my heart more than hearing of people who have walked away from God because of a bad experience with the Church.
If you’ve been hurt by Christians—and we all have—I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Please forgive us. Saying we’re not perfect is no excuse, though it’s true! We all need Jesus. I sometimes wonder why God entrusted His Kingdom to broken ragamuffins like us instead of Jesus spending more than three years of ministry here on earth.
But we have responsibility to one another. I need you. You need me. None of us has all of the spiritual gifts. Give to the church what belongs to the church. Yes, that includes not only time but also talents and treasures. Now that we’re opening up more, I encourage you to get in a Life Group, serve on the Hospitality Team, join the Music or Tech Teams, …and support God’s work here and around the world with your finances.
Some religions have what are essentially dues in order to participate. We don’t sell tickets around here! But one of our newly adopted core values as a church which we’ll reveal in the coming months is generosity. God is generous. He gave us the most precious possible gift…His son Jesus. Jesus gave us his life. What more could he give? The Holy Spirit fills the planet in every follower of Jesus.
Again, the message from today’s text is more than just money, but it certainly includes money. In a few weeks we’ll look at Jesus’ teaching on investing in God’s Kingdom.
I’ve had people over the years ask me if tithing is a command for us today. Tithe literally means ten percent and it was prescribed in Old Testament worship, not only of cash but crops. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth:
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)
We are a generous church. We have people that give dozens of volunteer hours each month. We have people generously sharing their talents and expertise. We have people who use their wealth to give extravagantly to bless our community.
I think ten percent is a good starting point for generosity, but it is by no means the max. Honestly, I can’t think of a better investment of finances than First Alliance Church and its work in Jerusalem, Judea & Samaria, and the ends of the earth through our Home Missions, Faith Missions, and Great Commission Fund partners. I love investing here!
By the way, in addition to giving cash online or in person, we can accept other assets and potentially save you substantial money on your taxes. If you have stocks, bonds, real estate, cattle, a business, or most any asset, we have the means of receiving them and using them for God’s glory.
As I said, the government, church, and family are the three institutions God created.
- We have a responsibility to our family. Parents, train your children in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6). Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus:
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—“so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:1-3)
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)
Spouses,
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
Ultimately all of our responsibility to government, church, and family can be summarized in one command we’ll look at in two weeks:
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:31)
I realize that verse is missing a bit of context…and it relates to our greatest responsibility…our responsibility to God.
Everything is created by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
If we are to properly give to Caesar’s, what do we give to God? When asked which of the commandments is the greatest…
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:29-30)
Did you catch Jesus quoting the shema? The Lord is one. We worship one God. How do we worship Him? With everything! All of our heart. All of our soul. All of our mind. All of our strength.
One hundred percent of our time, talents, and treasures belong to God. They’re on loan. We must be good stewards of what’s He’s entrusted to us.
How do your finances bring God glory?
How does your calendar bring God glory?
How does your physical body bring God glory?
How does your mind bring God glory?
What do I need to submit to God? Where is Jesus not LORD in my life?
Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar…and give to God what belongs to God…which is everything…including Caesar!
One more thing
You might think God is awfully demanding. You mean I have to give up everything to follow Jesus? Yes! You mean I have to die to myself and my desires and passions to serve God? Yes!
“Why would I give up everything for God?” Because He gave up everything for you. He loves you. He knows you. He created you. He knows your name. He wants nothing but the very best for you, even when it doesn’t feel good, even when the storms come, even when it’s not popular or politically-correct. God’s ways are perfect and so much higher than ours. He can be trusted.
We can do life our way. We can hoard our money. We can cheat on our taxes. We can rob God. We can be selfish with our talents and time. But disobeying God harms us more than anyone else. Eventually we’ll discover we don’t have all of the answers. We really need God. We need love.
I want to encourage you…you are loved, you are known, God is here, and He wants everything from you…and He wants to be your everything.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The Tenants, 11 April 2021
12 04 21
The Tenants
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 12:1-12
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Jesus—the rejected cornerstone—challenges religion once again while predicting his own death.
I love stories! Do you? There’s nothing like a great story…especially one with surprises. There are few things more exciting than suspense…and few thing more boring than a predictable plot. I think that’s one reason I rarely watch a movie more than once. If I know the ending, there’s no mystery to solve.
The Bible is packed with stories. After all, it’s not a book, but a library…of 66 books! Some parts of the Bible are filled with poetry, others with instructions, and still others with history. Today we’re returning to Mark’s story, gospel, good news, biography of Jesus. Chapter twelve is between Palm Sunday and Good Friday. The religious leaders are becoming so envious and agitated with Jesus that they are literally finding a way to kill him. In the previous chapter, Mark tells us
The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. (Mark 11:18)
The Jews were God’s chosen people, but they were frequently led astray by corrupt kings and self-righteous religious leaders who were more concerned about their own glory than God’s. Jesus repeatedly confronted them, leading to their hostility. Spoiler alert: they succeed in killing the Messiah. But…
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
The Jewish chief priests and teachers of the law knew the scriptures we call the Old Testament. You could call it the Jewish Bible. Many memorized long sections and even entire books. They were so passionate about the rules they often missed the purpose behind the rules…a deeper relationship with God.
Jesus repeatedly spoke of the law and the prophets in reference to the Hebrew Bible. The five books of Moses—known as the Pentateuch—are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The prophets covered the other books, though some put the psalms or other writings in a third category.
Before we look at Jesus’ words in Mark, I want to examine a passage from the prophet Isaiah. This is a poem…a love song.
Isaiah 5:1 (NLT) Now I will sing for the one I love
a song about his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
on a rich and fertile hill.
2 He plowed the land, cleared its stones,
and planted it with the best vines.
In the middle he built a watchtower
and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks.
Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes,
but the grapes that grew were bitter.
Isaiah 5:3 Now, you people of Jerusalem and Judah,
you judge between me and my vineyard.
4 What more could I have done for my vineyard
that I have not already done?
When I expected sweet grapes,
why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes?
Isaiah 5:5 Now let me tell you
what I will do to my vineyard:
I will tear down its hedges
and let it be destroyed.
I will break down its walls
and let the animals trample it.
6 I will make it a wild place
where the vines are not pruned and the ground is not hoed,
a place overgrown with briers and thorns.
I will command the clouds
to drop no rain on it.
Isaiah 5:7 The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.
The people of Judah are his pleasant garden.
He expected a crop of justice,
but instead he found oppression.
He expected to find righteousness,
but instead he heard cries of violence.
In case you missed it, the vineyard owner is God and the vineyard is Israel. The vineyard failed to produce good fruit in the same way the people of Israel abandoned justice and righteousness for oppression and violence. It sounds a bit like our world today, doesn’t it?
It’s likely that this passage had been memorized by some of Jesus’ audience when
Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. (Mark 12:1)
I’m sure they were saying to themselves, “We know this story. We know how it ends. We can reenact it right now.”
This was actually a common arrangement. Vineyard owners would rent their land to farmers in return for a share of the harvest.
There’s a lot of talk these days about tenants, people who rent land or property from a landlord. The COVID-19 pandemic led the government to make it more difficult for landlords to evict tenants who lost their jobs and were unable to pay their rent.
The relationship between tenant and landlord can often be a little tricky. As I mentioned last month, expectations are crucial in any relationship. This is why we have contracts that spell out the arrangement.
At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. (Mark 12:2)
There is no surprise here. This was exactly what was supposed to happen.
But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. (Mark 12:3)
This was not supposed to happen! What kind of tenants would do such a thing?
Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. (Mark 12:4)
The original Greek word for “struck on the head” is similar to the word for beheaded, which could be a subtle reference to John the Baptist.
He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed. (Mark 12:5)
These tenants are ruthless! They not only pay the crops to the vineyard owner, they violently attack every member of the collection agency!
“He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ (Mark 12:6)
Does this seem a little naïve? The owner is going to send his son? His only son? His son whom he loved? In the culture, a family member of a wealthy household would be respected far more than a servant.
If the son shows up, the tenants might assume the owner is dead.
“But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. (Mark 12:7-8)
These are evil tenants! How dare they reject the son! They surely thought they would lay claim to the property if the owner and His son are dead. In the Jewish culture, squatters could claim the property of a deceased person who had no inheritor.
In this case they not only killed the owner’s only son, they threw him unburied, a terrible offense to Jews.
“What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. (Mark 12:9)
Is that harsh? Is that fair? In Isaiah, God punished the vineyard or Israel for not producing good fruit. Here, the tenants are clearly to blame. The religious leaders caused Israel’s corruption…and now they will be removed.
10 Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture:
“ ‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
11 the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” (Mark 12:10-11)
This is another Old Testament quote, this time from Psalm 118:22. Many believe this was sung at the dedication of the second Temple or Jerusalem’s rebuilt walls. It was sung on Palm Sunday in the previous chapter!
If you haven’t figured it out yet, Jesus is the son. The stone was a symbol for the Messiah. God sent his son to earth, knowing he would be killed. Jesus is the rejected one. He is the cornerstone. Up until this point, the religious leaders thought the tenants were the evil Romans, but now they realize Jesus is saying they are the tenants, the violent ones in charge of the vineyard (Israel). The tenants in the story are the leaders of Israel.
The surprise in the story is the good guys—or at least the righteous-looking religious leaders—are actually the bad guys. The servants in the story, by the way, are the prophets sent by God. If you know anything about biblical prophets, they were hated and persecuted.
There are three special offices or positions in the Old Testament: prophet, priest, and king. Jesus is all three…the greatest prophet, our great high priest, and the King of kings.
Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away. (Mark 12:12)
The religious leaders would kill Jesus soon. He would die. But he is risen! He is risen indeed!
So What?
I wrestled for a while this past week trying to discern what relevance this story has for us today. Here are a few reflections:
The fruit we owe the owner—God—is our obedience. We are to be an accepting, prayerful, devoted, forgiving, and loving fellowship built around Jesus, the cornerstone that binds everything together. Otherwise, we may face God’s judgment. Good fruit comes from being connected to vine…Jesus (John 15).
The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the LORD has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes. (Psalm 118:22-23)
Jesus was hated and rejected. He was pierced, crushed, and crucified. But he conquered sin and death. He is risen! He is risen indeed! The LORD has done this! It is marvelous! This is the greatest story ever told!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 12:1-12
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Jesus—the rejected cornerstone—challenges religion once again while predicting his own death.
I love stories! Do you? There’s nothing like a great story…especially one with surprises. There are few things more exciting than suspense…and few thing more boring than a predictable plot. I think that’s one reason I rarely watch a movie more than once. If I know the ending, there’s no mystery to solve.
The Bible is packed with stories. After all, it’s not a book, but a library…of 66 books! Some parts of the Bible are filled with poetry, others with instructions, and still others with history. Today we’re returning to Mark’s story, gospel, good news, biography of Jesus. Chapter twelve is between Palm Sunday and Good Friday. The religious leaders are becoming so envious and agitated with Jesus that they are literally finding a way to kill him. In the previous chapter, Mark tells us
The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. (Mark 11:18)
The Jews were God’s chosen people, but they were frequently led astray by corrupt kings and self-righteous religious leaders who were more concerned about their own glory than God’s. Jesus repeatedly confronted them, leading to their hostility. Spoiler alert: they succeed in killing the Messiah. But…
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
The Jewish chief priests and teachers of the law knew the scriptures we call the Old Testament. You could call it the Jewish Bible. Many memorized long sections and even entire books. They were so passionate about the rules they often missed the purpose behind the rules…a deeper relationship with God.
Jesus repeatedly spoke of the law and the prophets in reference to the Hebrew Bible. The five books of Moses—known as the Pentateuch—are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The prophets covered the other books, though some put the psalms or other writings in a third category.
Before we look at Jesus’ words in Mark, I want to examine a passage from the prophet Isaiah. This is a poem…a love song.
Isaiah 5:1 (NLT) Now I will sing for the one I love
a song about his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
on a rich and fertile hill.
2 He plowed the land, cleared its stones,
and planted it with the best vines.
In the middle he built a watchtower
and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks.
Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes,
but the grapes that grew were bitter.
Isaiah 5:3 Now, you people of Jerusalem and Judah,
you judge between me and my vineyard.
4 What more could I have done for my vineyard
that I have not already done?
When I expected sweet grapes,
why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes?
Isaiah 5:5 Now let me tell you
what I will do to my vineyard:
I will tear down its hedges
and let it be destroyed.
I will break down its walls
and let the animals trample it.
6 I will make it a wild place
where the vines are not pruned and the ground is not hoed,
a place overgrown with briers and thorns.
I will command the clouds
to drop no rain on it.
Isaiah 5:7 The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.
The people of Judah are his pleasant garden.
He expected a crop of justice,
but instead he found oppression.
He expected to find righteousness,
but instead he heard cries of violence.
In case you missed it, the vineyard owner is God and the vineyard is Israel. The vineyard failed to produce good fruit in the same way the people of Israel abandoned justice and righteousness for oppression and violence. It sounds a bit like our world today, doesn’t it?
It’s likely that this passage had been memorized by some of Jesus’ audience when
Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. (Mark 12:1)
I’m sure they were saying to themselves, “We know this story. We know how it ends. We can reenact it right now.”
This was actually a common arrangement. Vineyard owners would rent their land to farmers in return for a share of the harvest.
There’s a lot of talk these days about tenants, people who rent land or property from a landlord. The COVID-19 pandemic led the government to make it more difficult for landlords to evict tenants who lost their jobs and were unable to pay their rent.
The relationship between tenant and landlord can often be a little tricky. As I mentioned last month, expectations are crucial in any relationship. This is why we have contracts that spell out the arrangement.
At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. (Mark 12:2)
There is no surprise here. This was exactly what was supposed to happen.
But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. (Mark 12:3)
This was not supposed to happen! What kind of tenants would do such a thing?
Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. (Mark 12:4)
The original Greek word for “struck on the head” is similar to the word for beheaded, which could be a subtle reference to John the Baptist.
He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed. (Mark 12:5)
These tenants are ruthless! They not only pay the crops to the vineyard owner, they violently attack every member of the collection agency!
“He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ (Mark 12:6)
Does this seem a little naïve? The owner is going to send his son? His only son? His son whom he loved? In the culture, a family member of a wealthy household would be respected far more than a servant.
If the son shows up, the tenants might assume the owner is dead.
“But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. (Mark 12:7-8)
These are evil tenants! How dare they reject the son! They surely thought they would lay claim to the property if the owner and His son are dead. In the Jewish culture, squatters could claim the property of a deceased person who had no inheritor.
In this case they not only killed the owner’s only son, they threw him unburied, a terrible offense to Jews.
“What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. (Mark 12:9)
Is that harsh? Is that fair? In Isaiah, God punished the vineyard or Israel for not producing good fruit. Here, the tenants are clearly to blame. The religious leaders caused Israel’s corruption…and now they will be removed.
10 Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture:
“ ‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
11 the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” (Mark 12:10-11)
This is another Old Testament quote, this time from Psalm 118:22. Many believe this was sung at the dedication of the second Temple or Jerusalem’s rebuilt walls. It was sung on Palm Sunday in the previous chapter!
If you haven’t figured it out yet, Jesus is the son. The stone was a symbol for the Messiah. God sent his son to earth, knowing he would be killed. Jesus is the rejected one. He is the cornerstone. Up until this point, the religious leaders thought the tenants were the evil Romans, but now they realize Jesus is saying they are the tenants, the violent ones in charge of the vineyard (Israel). The tenants in the story are the leaders of Israel.
The surprise in the story is the good guys—or at least the righteous-looking religious leaders—are actually the bad guys. The servants in the story, by the way, are the prophets sent by God. If you know anything about biblical prophets, they were hated and persecuted.
There are three special offices or positions in the Old Testament: prophet, priest, and king. Jesus is all three…the greatest prophet, our great high priest, and the King of kings.
Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away. (Mark 12:12)
The religious leaders would kill Jesus soon. He would die. But he is risen! He is risen indeed!
So What?
I wrestled for a while this past week trying to discern what relevance this story has for us today. Here are a few reflections:
- 1. The Old and New Testaments are two parts of the same story. This might not be news to some of you, but Jesus updating Isaiah’s story shows both his knowledge of the ancient account and his masterful use of retelling.
- 2. Biblical prophecy gives credibility to the Bible. This is one of many account in which Jesus predicted his own death. This parable became reality on Good Friday. We don’t worship the Bible. We worship Jesus, but the Bible is a reliable tool we have to know and understand God and His plan for humanity. It’s not just a bunch of fairy tales or the result of a dream (or indigestion). It’s a historically accurate, archaeologically-verifiable library of books assembled in multiple languages from multiple continents over hundreds of years…with one overarching metanarrative of God’s love for us and His desire for us to respond in obedience.
- 3. God wants a relationship with us. He wants a relationship with you. Does He have one? This is where the religious leaders missed the boat. They tried to be good, moral people but failed to do the only two things God requires: love God and love your neighbor as yourself.
- 4. In the story, the Jews were God’s chosen people. They were the fruitless vineyard. Today, the Church is understood to be God’s people. God—the vineyard owner—gave the vineyard to the Church. If we are God’s vineyard today, what kind of fruit are we bearing? What kind of fruit are you bearing? If you look at the passages that surround today’s text, you’ll get an idea of what God requires of us.
- a. Our place of worship is to be a house of prayer for all nations (Mark 11:17)
- b. We are to be a forgiving family (11:25)
- c. We are to give to God what belongs to God (12:17)
- d. We are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (12:30)
- e. We are to love our neighbors as ourselves (12:31)
The fruit we owe the owner—God—is our obedience. We are to be an accepting, prayerful, devoted, forgiving, and loving fellowship built around Jesus, the cornerstone that binds everything together. Otherwise, we may face God’s judgment. Good fruit comes from being connected to vine…Jesus (John 15).
The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the LORD has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes. (Psalm 118:22-23)
Jesus was hated and rejected. He was pierced, crushed, and crucified. But he conquered sin and death. He is risen! He is risen indeed! The LORD has done this! It is marvelous! This is the greatest story ever told!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Palm Sunday, 28 March 2021
28 03 21
Palm Sunday
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Kirk Schneemann
First Alliance Church
March 28, 2021
Mark 11:1-11
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Palm Sunday reminds us Jesus is LORD even in the midst of disillusionment.
Welcome to Holy Week! This is the time of year when we remember the events surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection. Just a reminder, our Good Friday Service at 6 PM with our friends at The Tabernacle will be a time to remember Jesus’ death for us on the cross. It’s not a happy service, but while it was horrible for Christ, it was good for us. Hallelujah!
Palm Sunday was significant for several reasons which we'll explore today in the eleventh chapter of the book of Mark.
Jesus and his friends travel from Jericho to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. That might not sound significant, but the dozen-mile-or-so journey involved a long, hard climb from the lowest city on earth—over 800 feet below sea level—to nearly 3000 feet above sea level.
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’ ” (Mark 11:1-3)
This has always fascinated me. Jesus tells them to steal a donkey! Actually, he only intended to borrow it, but notice he never tells them to ask permission to untie this colt. He anticipates objections, though.
A colt never ridden means this is something of a wild animal. It’s young so not necessarily dangerous, but it’s not used to riders, obviously. Jesus knows this. Maybe he knows the owner. Perhaps he had already rented it…or he simply had divine knowledge from the Holy Spirit. It’s obvious he doesn’t plan on keeping it, but it’s for a special purpose.
They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?”They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. (Mark 11:4-6)
If the story ended there, I think it’d be pretty cool! Jesus gives them a command. They obey. He tells them what might happen and it does…exactly “as Jesus had told them.” Mission accomplished! Jesus is amazing!
What’s also amazing is his selection of a donkey instead of the warhorse typically used by royalty. God’s Kingdom is different than earthly kingdoms.
When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it.
(Mark 11:7)
Jesus is now the colt’s first rider. It submits, showing Jesus’ authority over creation. The cloaks or coats or robes may have been a makeshift saddle, perhaps making the ride easier for both the animal and its passenger. What happens next is quite a scene.
Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. (Mark 11:8)
We call today Palm Sunday because we envision palm branches which are plentiful in the Middle East, but other plants such as corn may have been used to create a path for Jesus’ entry into the city of Jerusalem. This was their version of the red carpet Hollywood stars use on special occasions! Only royalty received such treatment.
Jesus’ arrival was a big deal! He was known for his teaching and miracles. The envy of the religious leaders surely made him even more famous and controversial. The Jews had been waiting centuries for the Messiah, and rumors were swirling that he was the One. Just as Moses delivered their ancestors out of Egypt, it was their hope that Jesus would save them from the oppression of the Roman government. Their King was coming! King Jesus is the Messiah!
Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Mark 11:9-10)
This is their song. This is their chant. This is their hope. “Save us, now!” or “Please save!” is the meaning of “hosanna,” a Greek transliteration of a Hebrew phrase. They were crying out for liberation. They praised King Jesus with eager expectation. They were desperate, quoting Psalm 118:
LORD, save us! LORD, grant us success! (Psalm 118:25)
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you. (Psalm 118:26)
In Hebrew and Aramaic, this is how you say, “Welcome!” These people were in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, the saving of the people of Israel from slavery. They were excited, singing Hallel psalms used in festive processions and at the Passover meal. Their prayers were being fulfilled.
I sometimes wonder why we aren’t more passionate about Jesus. Sure, he’s not physically here, but he’s our audience when we sing. He’s the one we claim to follow. He’s the object of our worship. On Palm Sunday, the city was elected when Jesus entered. Could the same be said of us each time we gather? Should it?
Maybe we’ve become too comfortable with God. The longer you know Him, the more you take Him for granted, perhaps? This is not unique with God. I’ve met couples who’ve been married for years and they barely tolerate each other. What happened to the spark that caused them to marry in the first place? Where did the love go?
I used to think the voices shouting “Hosanna” on Palm Sunday were the same ones yelling, “Crucify him” five days later. I’m not sure. Maybe. I’m quite sure they quickly became disappointed, though. Why did he ride a lowly donkey instead of a majestic horse? Was he going to overthrow the government? Would the ancient prophecies of the Messiah ruling and reigning forever be realized now? How did they feel when the object of their hope was being nailed to a cross?
Life is filled with disappointments. Following Jesus doesn’t mean everything becomes easy. In fact, sometimes it creates new challenges. A few years ago, New York magazine published an article on the science of disappointment which stated rather obviously “the feeling of being let down is actually one of life’s toughest emotional experiences.” But more than just emotional, it is physiological, linked to dopamine levels in the brain. Jonathan Merritt explains how it works in his fascinating piece on Palm Sunday and the Gift of Disillusionment:
Hereʼs how it works: Your brain generates expectations about the future. Often these expectations are based on what you want. Something you perceive as good has happened in the past, so you begin to expect it will happen in the future. Before it even happens, your dopamine levels begin to rise in the rush of anticipation. Then, when that good thing actually occurs, you get a double shot of dopamine.
Do you know what happens when the good thing doesn’t happen? The dopamine levels crash. We don’t get what we wanted and we experience the displeasure of being wrong.
We’ve all been disappointed with life. We’ve all had people fail us. Sometimes they don’t even know they failed us…we just had expectations.
When I do premarital counseling, I tell couples I believe the secret to a great marriage is…realistic expectations. I know, you’re supposed to say Jesus, but we all know of couples who are happily married without Jesus…and miserable couples who claim to follow Jesus.
If you expect my sermon to last under an hour and I decide to preach for two hours, even if it’s a good message, you’ll probably be disappointed because you expected to eat lunch before 2 PM!
If you expect your basketball team to win the championship—which is always a high expectation—and they don’t, you’re disappointed.
Let’s face it, we like to be in control. We like to have things our way. We like people to do what we want them to do…and we’re quick to acknowledge when they fail to do so.
Hang with me for just a moment. Steven Covey in his classic The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People wrote, “Our behavior is a function of our decisions, not our conditions. We can subordinate feelings to values. We have the initiative and the responsibility to make things happen…responsibility—“response-ability”—the ability to choose your response.
Have you ever heard someone say, “They make me so angry!”? They are letting their emotional life be governed by something outside their control. We can choose our response to situations. We can be response-able. Let me try to connect the dots.
I’ve often said God created us in His image…and we often return the favor! We are tempted to think the purpose of God is to make us happy…and when He fails us, we may question, doubt, or abandon Him completely.
Disappointment with God is normal. We are disappointed when we have expectations that are unfulfilled.
If you’ve ever asked Pastor Donald how he’s doing, you’ve probably heard him say, “Better than I deserve.” What does he deserve? What do you deserve?
God is God…and you’re not. It’s perfectly acceptable to honest with God about your feelings, your doubts, your fears, and your hopes…but trust in God means…we trust Him. We follow Him. We seek His will, His plan, His understanding.
I’ve mentioned before how our District Superintendent, Thomas George, encouraged me to change my prayers from, “Why, God? to, “What are you up to, LORD?”
When we’re disappointed with God, instead of demanding our way like a child who can’t take every toy home from the store, we need to draw near to God and seek first His Kingdom. It’s a lot better than anything you or I could create! Just wait!
Another common emotion is disillusionment. We often view it in the same negative light as disappointment, but consider these words from Jonathan Merritt,
“Disillusionment occurs when God shatters our fantasies, tears down our idols, and dismantles our cardboard cutouts. It occurs when we discover that God does not conform to our expectations but rather exists as a mystery beyond those expectations.” – Jonathan Merritt, Learning to Speak God from Scratch
Disillusionment destroys the illusion that it’s all about us, that we’re in control, that we can put God in a box, that He was created in our image for our glory. Disillusionment helps us trade our will for His. It allows God to be who He is, not who we wish He was, making our expectations an idol.
On the first Palm Sunday, the crowd was excited to see Jesus, but they were surely disappointed…disillusioned…perhaps even angry to the point of yelling, “Crucify Him!”
In our current cancel culture, that’s essentially what people are yelling today. If you don’t conform to the latest trend, they’ll cancel you. Unfriend you. Boycott you. In some cases threaten to kill you. The people who preach tolerance seem to only tolerate those who agree with them. This past week people were calling for a basketball team to be kicked out of the NCAA tournament because the school believes in traditional marriage.
It’s easy for me to point fingers, but I don’t always behave well when I don’t get what I want…from God, my wife, my friends, …you!
It would be easy to dismiss this historic event as another nice story Mark tells us about Jesus, but there may be more going on than just a parade. It really comes down to a simple question Jesus once asked his friend Peter. “Who do you say that I am?”
Who do you say Jesus is? The crowds said he was the Messiah who would deliver them from Roman oppression. They were half-right. He is the Messiah, but his first visit to our planet involved a different mission. Rather than freeing us from Rome, he came to free us from the law of sin and death. He came to reconcile us to our heavenly Father. He came to offer eternal life, not merely make us comfortable for eighty years or so.
Who do you say Jesus is? C.S. Lewis said your options are liar, lunatic, or Lord. You can’t dismiss him. He has influenced our planet more than any other person. His claims are radical. His followers legendary. His message transformational. His death epic. His resurrection…well, we’ll talk about that next Sunday!
The last verse of our passage says,
Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve. (Mark 11:11)
He made his appearance, saw what was going on in the temple courts (which we talked about two weeks ago), and moved out of the city into Bethany for the night, a village less than two miles to the east of Jerusalem. Days later, he would be arrested and crucified on the day we call Good Friday.
Who do you say Jesus is? I say he is the Messiah, the King of kings!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Kirk Schneemann
First Alliance Church
March 28, 2021
Mark 11:1-11
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Palm Sunday reminds us Jesus is LORD even in the midst of disillusionment.
Welcome to Holy Week! This is the time of year when we remember the events surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection. Just a reminder, our Good Friday Service at 6 PM with our friends at The Tabernacle will be a time to remember Jesus’ death for us on the cross. It’s not a happy service, but while it was horrible for Christ, it was good for us. Hallelujah!
Palm Sunday was significant for several reasons which we'll explore today in the eleventh chapter of the book of Mark.
Jesus and his friends travel from Jericho to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. That might not sound significant, but the dozen-mile-or-so journey involved a long, hard climb from the lowest city on earth—over 800 feet below sea level—to nearly 3000 feet above sea level.
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’ ” (Mark 11:1-3)
This has always fascinated me. Jesus tells them to steal a donkey! Actually, he only intended to borrow it, but notice he never tells them to ask permission to untie this colt. He anticipates objections, though.
A colt never ridden means this is something of a wild animal. It’s young so not necessarily dangerous, but it’s not used to riders, obviously. Jesus knows this. Maybe he knows the owner. Perhaps he had already rented it…or he simply had divine knowledge from the Holy Spirit. It’s obvious he doesn’t plan on keeping it, but it’s for a special purpose.
They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?”They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. (Mark 11:4-6)
If the story ended there, I think it’d be pretty cool! Jesus gives them a command. They obey. He tells them what might happen and it does…exactly “as Jesus had told them.” Mission accomplished! Jesus is amazing!
What’s also amazing is his selection of a donkey instead of the warhorse typically used by royalty. God’s Kingdom is different than earthly kingdoms.
When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it.
(Mark 11:7)
Jesus is now the colt’s first rider. It submits, showing Jesus’ authority over creation. The cloaks or coats or robes may have been a makeshift saddle, perhaps making the ride easier for both the animal and its passenger. What happens next is quite a scene.
Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. (Mark 11:8)
We call today Palm Sunday because we envision palm branches which are plentiful in the Middle East, but other plants such as corn may have been used to create a path for Jesus’ entry into the city of Jerusalem. This was their version of the red carpet Hollywood stars use on special occasions! Only royalty received such treatment.
Jesus’ arrival was a big deal! He was known for his teaching and miracles. The envy of the religious leaders surely made him even more famous and controversial. The Jews had been waiting centuries for the Messiah, and rumors were swirling that he was the One. Just as Moses delivered their ancestors out of Egypt, it was their hope that Jesus would save them from the oppression of the Roman government. Their King was coming! King Jesus is the Messiah!
Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Mark 11:9-10)
This is their song. This is their chant. This is their hope. “Save us, now!” or “Please save!” is the meaning of “hosanna,” a Greek transliteration of a Hebrew phrase. They were crying out for liberation. They praised King Jesus with eager expectation. They were desperate, quoting Psalm 118:
LORD, save us! LORD, grant us success! (Psalm 118:25)
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you. (Psalm 118:26)
In Hebrew and Aramaic, this is how you say, “Welcome!” These people were in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, the saving of the people of Israel from slavery. They were excited, singing Hallel psalms used in festive processions and at the Passover meal. Their prayers were being fulfilled.
I sometimes wonder why we aren’t more passionate about Jesus. Sure, he’s not physically here, but he’s our audience when we sing. He’s the one we claim to follow. He’s the object of our worship. On Palm Sunday, the city was elected when Jesus entered. Could the same be said of us each time we gather? Should it?
Maybe we’ve become too comfortable with God. The longer you know Him, the more you take Him for granted, perhaps? This is not unique with God. I’ve met couples who’ve been married for years and they barely tolerate each other. What happened to the spark that caused them to marry in the first place? Where did the love go?
I used to think the voices shouting “Hosanna” on Palm Sunday were the same ones yelling, “Crucify him” five days later. I’m not sure. Maybe. I’m quite sure they quickly became disappointed, though. Why did he ride a lowly donkey instead of a majestic horse? Was he going to overthrow the government? Would the ancient prophecies of the Messiah ruling and reigning forever be realized now? How did they feel when the object of their hope was being nailed to a cross?
Life is filled with disappointments. Following Jesus doesn’t mean everything becomes easy. In fact, sometimes it creates new challenges. A few years ago, New York magazine published an article on the science of disappointment which stated rather obviously “the feeling of being let down is actually one of life’s toughest emotional experiences.” But more than just emotional, it is physiological, linked to dopamine levels in the brain. Jonathan Merritt explains how it works in his fascinating piece on Palm Sunday and the Gift of Disillusionment:
Hereʼs how it works: Your brain generates expectations about the future. Often these expectations are based on what you want. Something you perceive as good has happened in the past, so you begin to expect it will happen in the future. Before it even happens, your dopamine levels begin to rise in the rush of anticipation. Then, when that good thing actually occurs, you get a double shot of dopamine.
Do you know what happens when the good thing doesn’t happen? The dopamine levels crash. We don’t get what we wanted and we experience the displeasure of being wrong.
We’ve all been disappointed with life. We’ve all had people fail us. Sometimes they don’t even know they failed us…we just had expectations.
When I do premarital counseling, I tell couples I believe the secret to a great marriage is…realistic expectations. I know, you’re supposed to say Jesus, but we all know of couples who are happily married without Jesus…and miserable couples who claim to follow Jesus.
If you expect my sermon to last under an hour and I decide to preach for two hours, even if it’s a good message, you’ll probably be disappointed because you expected to eat lunch before 2 PM!
If you expect your basketball team to win the championship—which is always a high expectation—and they don’t, you’re disappointed.
Let’s face it, we like to be in control. We like to have things our way. We like people to do what we want them to do…and we’re quick to acknowledge when they fail to do so.
Hang with me for just a moment. Steven Covey in his classic The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People wrote, “Our behavior is a function of our decisions, not our conditions. We can subordinate feelings to values. We have the initiative and the responsibility to make things happen…responsibility—“response-ability”—the ability to choose your response.
Have you ever heard someone say, “They make me so angry!”? They are letting their emotional life be governed by something outside their control. We can choose our response to situations. We can be response-able. Let me try to connect the dots.
I’ve often said God created us in His image…and we often return the favor! We are tempted to think the purpose of God is to make us happy…and when He fails us, we may question, doubt, or abandon Him completely.
Disappointment with God is normal. We are disappointed when we have expectations that are unfulfilled.
If you’ve ever asked Pastor Donald how he’s doing, you’ve probably heard him say, “Better than I deserve.” What does he deserve? What do you deserve?
God is God…and you’re not. It’s perfectly acceptable to honest with God about your feelings, your doubts, your fears, and your hopes…but trust in God means…we trust Him. We follow Him. We seek His will, His plan, His understanding.
I’ve mentioned before how our District Superintendent, Thomas George, encouraged me to change my prayers from, “Why, God? to, “What are you up to, LORD?”
When we’re disappointed with God, instead of demanding our way like a child who can’t take every toy home from the store, we need to draw near to God and seek first His Kingdom. It’s a lot better than anything you or I could create! Just wait!
Another common emotion is disillusionment. We often view it in the same negative light as disappointment, but consider these words from Jonathan Merritt,
“Disillusionment occurs when God shatters our fantasies, tears down our idols, and dismantles our cardboard cutouts. It occurs when we discover that God does not conform to our expectations but rather exists as a mystery beyond those expectations.” – Jonathan Merritt, Learning to Speak God from Scratch
Disillusionment destroys the illusion that it’s all about us, that we’re in control, that we can put God in a box, that He was created in our image for our glory. Disillusionment helps us trade our will for His. It allows God to be who He is, not who we wish He was, making our expectations an idol.
On the first Palm Sunday, the crowd was excited to see Jesus, but they were surely disappointed…disillusioned…perhaps even angry to the point of yelling, “Crucify Him!”
In our current cancel culture, that’s essentially what people are yelling today. If you don’t conform to the latest trend, they’ll cancel you. Unfriend you. Boycott you. In some cases threaten to kill you. The people who preach tolerance seem to only tolerate those who agree with them. This past week people were calling for a basketball team to be kicked out of the NCAA tournament because the school believes in traditional marriage.
It’s easy for me to point fingers, but I don’t always behave well when I don’t get what I want…from God, my wife, my friends, …you!
It would be easy to dismiss this historic event as another nice story Mark tells us about Jesus, but there may be more going on than just a parade. It really comes down to a simple question Jesus once asked his friend Peter. “Who do you say that I am?”
Who do you say Jesus is? The crowds said he was the Messiah who would deliver them from Roman oppression. They were half-right. He is the Messiah, but his first visit to our planet involved a different mission. Rather than freeing us from Rome, he came to free us from the law of sin and death. He came to reconcile us to our heavenly Father. He came to offer eternal life, not merely make us comfortable for eighty years or so.
Who do you say Jesus is? C.S. Lewis said your options are liar, lunatic, or Lord. You can’t dismiss him. He has influenced our planet more than any other person. His claims are radical. His followers legendary. His message transformational. His death epic. His resurrection…well, we’ll talk about that next Sunday!
The last verse of our passage says,
Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve. (Mark 11:11)
He made his appearance, saw what was going on in the temple courts (which we talked about two weeks ago), and moved out of the city into Bethany for the night, a village less than two miles to the east of Jerusalem. Days later, he would be arrested and crucified on the day we call Good Friday.
Who do you say Jesus is? I say he is the Messiah, the King of kings!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Authority, 21 March 2021
21 03 21
Authority
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 11:27-33
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and on earth…and he has given it to us for God’s glory.
When one of our children was little, they were given a time-out for poor behavior. Not long after, my wife discovered they had gotten up with plans to return to playtime. Heather said, “Who told you to get up from your time-out?” They replied, “God!”
While I doubt God really did that, it’s a perfect introduction to today’s topic: authority.
When I think back to my own childhood, I can remember asking, “Who gave you permission?” to do something. Maybe you’ve said, “Who put you in charge?” or even, “Who made you God?”
As we’ve been looking at the life and teachings of Jesus—our example, the one we follow, the whole purpose of First Alliance Church—we’re blessed to be able to eavesdrop on some of his conversations. As we saw last week, they’re not always cordial! When he finds the sacred temple in Jerusalem turned into something of a shopping mall, he expresses his anger—without sinning—in words and deeds. Although he addressed inappropriate behavior, he was especially confronting the wicked hearts of the religious leaders who—consequently—wanted to have him killed. The crucifixion on Good Friday was no accident. It was all part of God’s plan to seek and save humanity.
Before we look at today’s text in Mark chapter eleven, I want to declare
Jesus was the smartest man who ever lived. He studied and knew the Jewish Bible, amazed the religious teachers when he was only twelve years old (Luke 2:47), and the first chapter of this gospel or “good news” of Mark told us
The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. (Mark 1:22)
Ouch…for the teachers of the law! Jesus possessed authority. Not only were his words filled with truth and wisdom, they came with authority.
If you have truth but no authority, you’re like a little boy trying to direct traffic at a busy intersection. Good luck!
If you have authority with no truth, you’re likely to be corrupt and act unjustly.
Truth and authority, however, is a powerful combination that can lead to transformation.
We need authority in our world. Without it, we’d have chaos. Imagine if drivers were allowed to drive as fast and reckless as they desired without any threat from police (or speed cameras!). How could we have March Madness without a little authority from the refs in the striped shirts? What would happen in the home or school if children did as they pleased? Imagine a workplace with no boss to enforce the employee handbook. It would be anarchy before long.
There’s a popular saying in our culture from Rich Remender which says, “There is no authority but yourself.” How long can civilization survive with that mantra?
We’re told in the book of Romans,
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13:1)
God is the ultimate authority. Jesus is God. Therefore, Jesus has the ultimate authority. This word, authority, in the original Greek is exousia (ex-oo-see-ah). It means jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength, …authority.
Let’s look at our text for today in Mark chapter eleven.
They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?” (Mark 11:27-28)
They’re challenging Jesus. We learned last week they were afraid of Jesus because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. They wanted to do anything possible to discredit him…including killing him. In modern terms, they were probably saying, “Who do you think you are, God or something?”
One of Jesus’ favorite tools was to respond to a question with a question.
Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. (Mark 11:29)
One question. That’s reasonable, right?
John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!” (Mark 11:30)
Zinger! If you don’t understand the question, don’t worry. Mark explains.
They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ …” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.) (Mark 11:31-32)
Jesus set them up. Remember, he’s the smartest man who ever lived! More than an intellectual argument, he was really concerned about their hearts. He knew they were up to no good.
So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” (Mark 11:33a)
At least they were honest!
Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.” (Mark 11:33b)
Jesus sounds a little snarky, doesn’t he? That’s not very nice, Jesus. But perhaps it was necessary to get their attention…or get them even more riled up to kill him!
Jesus possessed authority in heaven and on earth.
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:16-18)
Followers of King Jesus are under his authority.
This might be the primary difference between the world and Christians. The world will always act like the world. They’ll do what they want…or what they can get away with.
Followers of Jesus submit…to God’s authority. Paul wrote,
You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19b-20)
You don’t have to like everything in the Bible, but by definition, followers obey. We are told to pick up our cross daily and follow Christ. In other words, we die to ourselves, our agendas, our sin and seek first God’s Kingdom, His will, His ways.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18)
We are under the authority of King Jesus who then said,
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
We call this the Great Commission because they are the instructions Jesus gave to his followers before leaving earth, ascending into heaven. It’s our mandate, our purpose, our mission.
John records these powerful words from Jesus:
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (John 14:15-21)
Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” (John 14:22)
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. (John 14:23-24)
In this passage, Jesus declares his authority comes from the Father. He also repeatedly states love equals obedience.
If you love me, keep my commands.
Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.
Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.
Do you love Jesus? Do you really love Jesus? If so, we need to obey his commands. While the two greatest are general—love God and love your neighbor as yourself—the Great Commission brings some clarity, some specificity.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
This is the assignment. Jesus has the authority—all authority—and this is what he does with it. He tells us to go and make disciples of all nations.
What does that mean? Ultimately, it means we are to become followers of Jesus who help others become followers of Jesus. We are to live like Jesus, become like Jesus, and guide others to Jesus.
There are two parts to this idea of discipleship. First, we are to live like Jesus. It begins with surrender. There are no shortcuts. It’s a daily rhythm of dying to yourself and seeking first God’s Kingdom. This is especially hard in our culture where we’re bombarded by messages from social media, billboards, and nearly omnipresent advertising about how it’s all about us. But it’s not! The way of Jesus is the way of the cross. It’s not about our desires, our rights, our pleasure. I’m not saying self care is wrong, but self-worship is!
Satanism is a real thing. Its essence is not the worship of satan as some believe, but the worship of self. Here’s a quote from a website about Satanism:
“…instead of relying on some moral code meant for those who belong to religion, the Satanist is free to choose who they will love or who deserves their punishment. This places the satanist at the center of their own world, their own universe with the self being the most important aspect of all.” (Satanismtoday.net)
Our culture is obsessed with self worship. It’s as old as satan himself, the prideful one who began his tempting spree with Eve and Adam in the Garden. He told Eve,
“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5)
It’s the top two commandments again: no other gods, no idols (Exodus 20). Who’s the leader of your life? Who’s in charge? What drives your decisions? What inspires your words, your budget, your social media activity, your calendar? Most people do what they want to do with little regard for others and less regard for God. That’s why any talk of restraint, self-control, obedience, submission, or discipline is met with horror and disdain. We all want to be gods! We all want it our way! Tragically, I don’t think people inside the church are often all that different from the world. We just follow what everyone else is doing to “keep up with the Joneses” and fit in.
But that’s not the way of Jesus. That’s not discipleship. That’s not what it means to live under God’s authority. I know this sounds harsh. I know sounds radical. It is! While it may make you feel uncomfortable, I will make you a promise: you will ultimately not regret following Jesus.
Jesus is the smartest human ever. You’re not. Sorry!
Jesus is the wisest human ever. Not even Solomon can claim that.
Jesus is the most powerful human ever. He has all authority. Our president doesn’t.
Jesus is God. He didn’t try to self-actualize or evolve into a god. He is God. Capital G!
And he is good. His ways are good. His life is good. His teachings are good. His love is good. He is the only one worth following in this world.
In our current culture, authenticity is the new authority. The constant message is let your emotions dictate your actions. Do what feels right. Get what you want. It’s all about you. Be true to yourself. You do you. Speak your truth. Tragically, we often do what we think others want, what will get the most likes on social media, what is trending. Popularity won’t last! Following your momentary emotions and desires will not lead you to lasting happiness.
Your authentic self is who you were created to become. You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. God was not made by you for your glory!
We all need an external guide in order to experience human flourishing. We need something to build our lives upon. We need the rock of Jesus Christ, the one true authority who loves us, proved it, the way, the truth, and the life who will lead us into all truth, all peace, all joy. We need Jesus!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 11:27-33
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and on earth…and he has given it to us for God’s glory.
When one of our children was little, they were given a time-out for poor behavior. Not long after, my wife discovered they had gotten up with plans to return to playtime. Heather said, “Who told you to get up from your time-out?” They replied, “God!”
While I doubt God really did that, it’s a perfect introduction to today’s topic: authority.
When I think back to my own childhood, I can remember asking, “Who gave you permission?” to do something. Maybe you’ve said, “Who put you in charge?” or even, “Who made you God?”
As we’ve been looking at the life and teachings of Jesus—our example, the one we follow, the whole purpose of First Alliance Church—we’re blessed to be able to eavesdrop on some of his conversations. As we saw last week, they’re not always cordial! When he finds the sacred temple in Jerusalem turned into something of a shopping mall, he expresses his anger—without sinning—in words and deeds. Although he addressed inappropriate behavior, he was especially confronting the wicked hearts of the religious leaders who—consequently—wanted to have him killed. The crucifixion on Good Friday was no accident. It was all part of God’s plan to seek and save humanity.
Before we look at today’s text in Mark chapter eleven, I want to declare
Jesus was the smartest man who ever lived. He studied and knew the Jewish Bible, amazed the religious teachers when he was only twelve years old (Luke 2:47), and the first chapter of this gospel or “good news” of Mark told us
The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. (Mark 1:22)
Ouch…for the teachers of the law! Jesus possessed authority. Not only were his words filled with truth and wisdom, they came with authority.
If you have truth but no authority, you’re like a little boy trying to direct traffic at a busy intersection. Good luck!
If you have authority with no truth, you’re likely to be corrupt and act unjustly.
Truth and authority, however, is a powerful combination that can lead to transformation.
We need authority in our world. Without it, we’d have chaos. Imagine if drivers were allowed to drive as fast and reckless as they desired without any threat from police (or speed cameras!). How could we have March Madness without a little authority from the refs in the striped shirts? What would happen in the home or school if children did as they pleased? Imagine a workplace with no boss to enforce the employee handbook. It would be anarchy before long.
There’s a popular saying in our culture from Rich Remender which says, “There is no authority but yourself.” How long can civilization survive with that mantra?
We’re told in the book of Romans,
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13:1)
God is the ultimate authority. Jesus is God. Therefore, Jesus has the ultimate authority. This word, authority, in the original Greek is exousia (ex-oo-see-ah). It means jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength, …authority.
Let’s look at our text for today in Mark chapter eleven.
They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?” (Mark 11:27-28)
They’re challenging Jesus. We learned last week they were afraid of Jesus because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. They wanted to do anything possible to discredit him…including killing him. In modern terms, they were probably saying, “Who do you think you are, God or something?”
One of Jesus’ favorite tools was to respond to a question with a question.
Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. (Mark 11:29)
One question. That’s reasonable, right?
John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!” (Mark 11:30)
Zinger! If you don’t understand the question, don’t worry. Mark explains.
They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ …” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.) (Mark 11:31-32)
Jesus set them up. Remember, he’s the smartest man who ever lived! More than an intellectual argument, he was really concerned about their hearts. He knew they were up to no good.
So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” (Mark 11:33a)
At least they were honest!
Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.” (Mark 11:33b)
Jesus sounds a little snarky, doesn’t he? That’s not very nice, Jesus. But perhaps it was necessary to get their attention…or get them even more riled up to kill him!
Jesus possessed authority in heaven and on earth.
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:16-18)
Followers of King Jesus are under his authority.
This might be the primary difference between the world and Christians. The world will always act like the world. They’ll do what they want…or what they can get away with.
Followers of Jesus submit…to God’s authority. Paul wrote,
You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19b-20)
You don’t have to like everything in the Bible, but by definition, followers obey. We are told to pick up our cross daily and follow Christ. In other words, we die to ourselves, our agendas, our sin and seek first God’s Kingdom, His will, His ways.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18)
We are under the authority of King Jesus who then said,
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
We call this the Great Commission because they are the instructions Jesus gave to his followers before leaving earth, ascending into heaven. It’s our mandate, our purpose, our mission.
John records these powerful words from Jesus:
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (John 14:15-21)
Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” (John 14:22)
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. (John 14:23-24)
In this passage, Jesus declares his authority comes from the Father. He also repeatedly states love equals obedience.
If you love me, keep my commands.
Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.
Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.
Do you love Jesus? Do you really love Jesus? If so, we need to obey his commands. While the two greatest are general—love God and love your neighbor as yourself—the Great Commission brings some clarity, some specificity.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
This is the assignment. Jesus has the authority—all authority—and this is what he does with it. He tells us to go and make disciples of all nations.
What does that mean? Ultimately, it means we are to become followers of Jesus who help others become followers of Jesus. We are to live like Jesus, become like Jesus, and guide others to Jesus.
There are two parts to this idea of discipleship. First, we are to live like Jesus. It begins with surrender. There are no shortcuts. It’s a daily rhythm of dying to yourself and seeking first God’s Kingdom. This is especially hard in our culture where we’re bombarded by messages from social media, billboards, and nearly omnipresent advertising about how it’s all about us. But it’s not! The way of Jesus is the way of the cross. It’s not about our desires, our rights, our pleasure. I’m not saying self care is wrong, but self-worship is!
Satanism is a real thing. Its essence is not the worship of satan as some believe, but the worship of self. Here’s a quote from a website about Satanism:
“…instead of relying on some moral code meant for those who belong to religion, the Satanist is free to choose who they will love or who deserves their punishment. This places the satanist at the center of their own world, their own universe with the self being the most important aspect of all.” (Satanismtoday.net)
Our culture is obsessed with self worship. It’s as old as satan himself, the prideful one who began his tempting spree with Eve and Adam in the Garden. He told Eve,
“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5)
It’s the top two commandments again: no other gods, no idols (Exodus 20). Who’s the leader of your life? Who’s in charge? What drives your decisions? What inspires your words, your budget, your social media activity, your calendar? Most people do what they want to do with little regard for others and less regard for God. That’s why any talk of restraint, self-control, obedience, submission, or discipline is met with horror and disdain. We all want to be gods! We all want it our way! Tragically, I don’t think people inside the church are often all that different from the world. We just follow what everyone else is doing to “keep up with the Joneses” and fit in.
But that’s not the way of Jesus. That’s not discipleship. That’s not what it means to live under God’s authority. I know this sounds harsh. I know sounds radical. It is! While it may make you feel uncomfortable, I will make you a promise: you will ultimately not regret following Jesus.
Jesus is the smartest human ever. You’re not. Sorry!
Jesus is the wisest human ever. Not even Solomon can claim that.
Jesus is the most powerful human ever. He has all authority. Our president doesn’t.
Jesus is God. He didn’t try to self-actualize or evolve into a god. He is God. Capital G!
And he is good. His ways are good. His life is good. His teachings are good. His love is good. He is the only one worth following in this world.
In our current culture, authenticity is the new authority. The constant message is let your emotions dictate your actions. Do what feels right. Get what you want. It’s all about you. Be true to yourself. You do you. Speak your truth. Tragically, we often do what we think others want, what will get the most likes on social media, what is trending. Popularity won’t last! Following your momentary emotions and desires will not lead you to lasting happiness.
Your authentic self is who you were created to become. You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. God was not made by you for your glory!
We all need an external guide in order to experience human flourishing. We need something to build our lives upon. We need the rock of Jesus Christ, the one true authority who loves us, proved it, the way, the truth, and the life who will lead us into all truth, all peace, all joy. We need Jesus!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
House Cleaning, 14 March 2021
14 03 21
House Cleaning
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 11:12-26
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Contrary to popular opinion, Jesus wasn’t always “nice,” but he never sinned.
When you think of Jesus, what comes to mind? What does he look like? What kind of voice does he have? How would you describe his personality?
For two thousand years, peoples from various cultures and civilizations have depicted him a number of ways.
As a boy, I always envisioned Jesus as being nice. Would he kill a mosquito? Raise his voice? Get angry? Criticize someone? Of course not! He’s nice Jesus…or is he?
We are told in scripture that Jesus—our perfect example of what it means to be human—never sinned. This is more than a trivial point since only a perfect sacrifice could pay the price for our sins, our failures, our offenses.
Paul wrote,
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Peter, referencing Isaiah 53:9, said,
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” (1 Peter 2:22)
John affirms this truth:
But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. (1 John 3:5)
Before we look at today’s text as we continue our study of the book of Mark, it’s essential for us to see Jesus as perfect, as committing no sin. Jesus and his disciples were in Bethany, just outside Jerusalem. If you’re really observant, you may have noticed we skipped the beginning of Mark chapter eleven, the account of Palm Sunday which we’ll cover on Palm Sunday in two weeks.
The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. (Mark 11:12)
This is a reasonable situation. We’ve all been hungry. Jesus knows hunger, too.
Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. (Mark 11:13)
Jesus, you don’t pick apples in March. You don’t pick pumpkins in December. You don’t pick figs in April when the fruit doesn’t arrive until May.
Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. (Mark 11:14)
That’s not a “nice” thing to say to a tree! Is it the tree’s fault that Jesus wanted figs out of season? Remember, Jesus never sinned, yet this is a moment of conflict, perhaps of anger. This is not something Mr. Rogers would ever do!
But to truly understand the account, we need to back up. Why would Mark begin this text telling us about a fig tree? In the Old Testament, a fig tree was sometimes used as a symbol for the nation of Israel. This is essentially a parable. The tree looked alive, but it was barren. Israel and its religious leaders similarly looked good on the outside, yet they were corrupt, they lacked faith, and they produced no good fruit for God. Like modern Christians who have Bible knowledge but demonstrate no love toward others, they are spiritually barren. Jesus confronts loveless religion…and he will pay a dear price for it.
We’ll come back to the fig tree in a moment.
On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. (Mark 11:15-16)
This is definitely not a nice thing to do! He is full-blown furious…but why? Does he feel personally violated? Is he protecting his own selfish interests? Is he offended for his own sake?
And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” (Mark 11:17)
Jesus’ concern is for his Father’s glory, his Father’s house. We were made by God, for God, and for God's glory. That's the bottom line of our mission statement and it's the bottom line of life as a follower of Jesus—God's glory. Jesus says in the book of John,
By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. (John 5:30)
He repeats the thought in the very next chapter.
For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. (John 6:38)
In the book of John, this phrase “who sent me” is spoken by Jesus 23 times! He was on a mission from God, literally, even as Jesus himself is God, one third of what we call the Trinity, one God in three Persons.
It’s one thing to be angry when someone offends us, but it’s something else entirely when we are looking out for the best interest of others. We should be angry about sex trafficking. We should be angry about racism. We should be angry about injustice, murder, child abuse, domestic violence, and other evils that plague our world.
Jesus was not always nice. The temple which was constructed for the worship of God had become something of a shopping mall for people to sell overpriced animals for religious sacrifices. The Passover was big business for these merchants…and we all know what happens to people when they lose their jobs. It’s not a pretty picture.
And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” (Mark 11:17)
Jesus is quoting Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11. Instead of making room for non-Jews (who were not allowed in the central sanctuary) to pray and worship God, it became a market for greedy merchants. Religion became big business.
Once again, the response of the religious leaders is the opposite of the crowd.
The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. (Mark 11:18)
The people love Jesus, while the insecure chief priests and teachers of the law are threatened by his popularity…so much so that they plot to kill him! That’s radical envy and jealousy!
Holy Week is right around the corner for us this year. We’ll gather here on Good Friday with The Tabernacle at 6 PM and remember the end result of these religious leaders and their quest to kill Jesus.
What have learned so far? Jesus confronts loveless religion. He is willing to confront injustice. His agenda is not his will, but the will of the Father. He is not always nice, but always right…always righteous. After all, why would someone want to kill a person who is merely “nice?”
Listen to the words of N.T. Wright:
The purpose of the Temple was to be the place of sacrifice. Hour by hour worshippers came to the Temple, changed money into the official coinage, bought animals that were guaranteed perfect for sacrifice (if you brought an animal from some distance, there was a good chance it might be attacked on the way and so no longer be a perfect specimen, able to be sacrificed), and brought them to the priests who completed the killing and offering. The sacrificial system, and with it the reason for the Temple’s existence, depended on money-changing and animal purchase. By stopping the entire process, even just for a short but deeply symbolic moment, Jesus was saying, more powerfully than any words could express: the Temple is under God’s judgment. Its reason for existing is being taken away.
The Temple was the most epic of all places in the Jewish world. It was where God resided, in the Holy of Holies behind a curtain. It was sacred space, yet it had become contaminated by people lusting after money and power.
N.T. Wright adds,
The sacrificial system was therefore doubly redundant. It was part of the Temple system which had come to stand for the wrong things; it was part of the signpost system set up by God to draw the eye to the climactic achievement of Jesus himself on the cross.
But our story is not over.
When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city. (Mark 11:19)
Thus ends their day!
In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. (Mark 11:20)
The tree was not withered the day before. It was merely out of season for fruit.
Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” (Mark 11:21)
Why did it wither? It’s a reminder of God’s judgment on Israel (Isaiah 34:4; Joel 1:7-12; Amos 4:9). It’s a picture of what happens when people lose their faith in God, putting it, instead, in money and power.
“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. (Mark 11:22)
The object of our faith must never be money or power, religion or politics, people or possessions. Our faith must be in God and God alone.
“Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. (Mark 11:23)
We’ve been given power and authority as followers of Jesus. This does not mean God is a genie in a bottle who will grant us our every wish. It does not mean if we have enough faith we’ll be rich and happy. Rather, Jesus is stating the power of prayer when we seek first His Kingdom, not our own. When we set aside our agendas and pursue God’s will, we can be confident it will be done.
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24)
Some faith healers and prosperity gospel preachers have taken this verse out of context. Jesus has just confronted the sin of religion…in a not-so-nice way. Like the prophets of old, he is announcing God’s judgment upon those who have lost their first love and corrupted the entire Jewish faith.
Prayer is powerful when we pray according to God’s will. Faith in Jesus is greater than any religious structure, nation, or temple. But we need more than faith. We need to forgive.
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” (Mark 11:25)
As Tony Evans notes, “Unrepentant sin blocks God’s power.” We all sin. It’s what we do with our sin that matters. Are we proud of our sins? Do we rationalize away our failures? Do we hold grudges against others?
There’s one additional verse found in some ancient manuscripts and absent in others. This is one of a small number of differences which are notable and yet insignificant to the message of the text. The New King James Version includes verse 26.
But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” (Mark 11:26, NKJV)
So What?
I’ve been accused of being too nice. I know that sounds like one of those strengths disguised as a weakness, but there are times when we must confront others…in love. Love is not always nice. One thing I used to tell my kids when I disciplined them is, “I love you too much to let you get away with this behavior.” Their actions were harmful to themselves and/or others.
In a similar way, God disciplines us because He loves us. He cannot tolerate sin. He would bring judgment upon the Jews for their idolatry and abandonment of the true purpose of the Temple. As I said last month, it all goes back to the first two commandments in Exodus 20: no other gods and no idols. Yet it’s so easy to get distracted by our culture. We’ve seen in recent days so-called Christians embracing nationalism, misogyny, partisan politics, and sexism while covering up racism, abuse, and immorality.
This past week I heard two different authors talk about how Christians have used Jesus' anger in the Temple to justify their outlandish behavior on social media. May it never be! The scene may have been part of God's sovereign plan leading to the crucifixion. Remember, Jesus never sinned. His anger was righteous and selfless. He forgave the very people he confronted. He was not defending an ideology, political party, or politician, but rather the heart of God. We are to speak up for those who have no voice, but demanding our rights is not how we love our neighbor well…or how we love God well.
At the dawn of the Christian Church in Acts 2:42,
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:42)
That’s a picture of the Kingdom of God. It’s radical. It’s counter-cultural. It’s selfless and others-centered…God-centered. It welcomes everyone. It’s all about Jesus.
It’s Jesus we’re studying throughout this series. He wasn’t always nice, but he always loved well. He lived a perfect life and never sinned.
It’s Jesus we worship, both for who he is and for what he has done for us by being the perfect sacrifice, the Lamb of God who takes away our sins, offering forgiveness to anyone who repents and follows him.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 11:12-26
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Contrary to popular opinion, Jesus wasn’t always “nice,” but he never sinned.
When you think of Jesus, what comes to mind? What does he look like? What kind of voice does he have? How would you describe his personality?
For two thousand years, peoples from various cultures and civilizations have depicted him a number of ways.
As a boy, I always envisioned Jesus as being nice. Would he kill a mosquito? Raise his voice? Get angry? Criticize someone? Of course not! He’s nice Jesus…or is he?
We are told in scripture that Jesus—our perfect example of what it means to be human—never sinned. This is more than a trivial point since only a perfect sacrifice could pay the price for our sins, our failures, our offenses.
Paul wrote,
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Peter, referencing Isaiah 53:9, said,
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” (1 Peter 2:22)
John affirms this truth:
But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. (1 John 3:5)
Before we look at today’s text as we continue our study of the book of Mark, it’s essential for us to see Jesus as perfect, as committing no sin. Jesus and his disciples were in Bethany, just outside Jerusalem. If you’re really observant, you may have noticed we skipped the beginning of Mark chapter eleven, the account of Palm Sunday which we’ll cover on Palm Sunday in two weeks.
The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. (Mark 11:12)
This is a reasonable situation. We’ve all been hungry. Jesus knows hunger, too.
Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. (Mark 11:13)
Jesus, you don’t pick apples in March. You don’t pick pumpkins in December. You don’t pick figs in April when the fruit doesn’t arrive until May.
Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. (Mark 11:14)
That’s not a “nice” thing to say to a tree! Is it the tree’s fault that Jesus wanted figs out of season? Remember, Jesus never sinned, yet this is a moment of conflict, perhaps of anger. This is not something Mr. Rogers would ever do!
But to truly understand the account, we need to back up. Why would Mark begin this text telling us about a fig tree? In the Old Testament, a fig tree was sometimes used as a symbol for the nation of Israel. This is essentially a parable. The tree looked alive, but it was barren. Israel and its religious leaders similarly looked good on the outside, yet they were corrupt, they lacked faith, and they produced no good fruit for God. Like modern Christians who have Bible knowledge but demonstrate no love toward others, they are spiritually barren. Jesus confronts loveless religion…and he will pay a dear price for it.
We’ll come back to the fig tree in a moment.
On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. (Mark 11:15-16)
This is definitely not a nice thing to do! He is full-blown furious…but why? Does he feel personally violated? Is he protecting his own selfish interests? Is he offended for his own sake?
And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” (Mark 11:17)
Jesus’ concern is for his Father’s glory, his Father’s house. We were made by God, for God, and for God's glory. That's the bottom line of our mission statement and it's the bottom line of life as a follower of Jesus—God's glory. Jesus says in the book of John,
By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. (John 5:30)
He repeats the thought in the very next chapter.
For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. (John 6:38)
In the book of John, this phrase “who sent me” is spoken by Jesus 23 times! He was on a mission from God, literally, even as Jesus himself is God, one third of what we call the Trinity, one God in three Persons.
It’s one thing to be angry when someone offends us, but it’s something else entirely when we are looking out for the best interest of others. We should be angry about sex trafficking. We should be angry about racism. We should be angry about injustice, murder, child abuse, domestic violence, and other evils that plague our world.
Jesus was not always nice. The temple which was constructed for the worship of God had become something of a shopping mall for people to sell overpriced animals for religious sacrifices. The Passover was big business for these merchants…and we all know what happens to people when they lose their jobs. It’s not a pretty picture.
And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” (Mark 11:17)
Jesus is quoting Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11. Instead of making room for non-Jews (who were not allowed in the central sanctuary) to pray and worship God, it became a market for greedy merchants. Religion became big business.
Once again, the response of the religious leaders is the opposite of the crowd.
The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. (Mark 11:18)
The people love Jesus, while the insecure chief priests and teachers of the law are threatened by his popularity…so much so that they plot to kill him! That’s radical envy and jealousy!
Holy Week is right around the corner for us this year. We’ll gather here on Good Friday with The Tabernacle at 6 PM and remember the end result of these religious leaders and their quest to kill Jesus.
What have learned so far? Jesus confronts loveless religion. He is willing to confront injustice. His agenda is not his will, but the will of the Father. He is not always nice, but always right…always righteous. After all, why would someone want to kill a person who is merely “nice?”
Listen to the words of N.T. Wright:
The purpose of the Temple was to be the place of sacrifice. Hour by hour worshippers came to the Temple, changed money into the official coinage, bought animals that were guaranteed perfect for sacrifice (if you brought an animal from some distance, there was a good chance it might be attacked on the way and so no longer be a perfect specimen, able to be sacrificed), and brought them to the priests who completed the killing and offering. The sacrificial system, and with it the reason for the Temple’s existence, depended on money-changing and animal purchase. By stopping the entire process, even just for a short but deeply symbolic moment, Jesus was saying, more powerfully than any words could express: the Temple is under God’s judgment. Its reason for existing is being taken away.
The Temple was the most epic of all places in the Jewish world. It was where God resided, in the Holy of Holies behind a curtain. It was sacred space, yet it had become contaminated by people lusting after money and power.
N.T. Wright adds,
The sacrificial system was therefore doubly redundant. It was part of the Temple system which had come to stand for the wrong things; it was part of the signpost system set up by God to draw the eye to the climactic achievement of Jesus himself on the cross.
But our story is not over.
When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city. (Mark 11:19)
Thus ends their day!
In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. (Mark 11:20)
The tree was not withered the day before. It was merely out of season for fruit.
Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” (Mark 11:21)
Why did it wither? It’s a reminder of God’s judgment on Israel (Isaiah 34:4; Joel 1:7-12; Amos 4:9). It’s a picture of what happens when people lose their faith in God, putting it, instead, in money and power.
“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. (Mark 11:22)
The object of our faith must never be money or power, religion or politics, people or possessions. Our faith must be in God and God alone.
“Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. (Mark 11:23)
We’ve been given power and authority as followers of Jesus. This does not mean God is a genie in a bottle who will grant us our every wish. It does not mean if we have enough faith we’ll be rich and happy. Rather, Jesus is stating the power of prayer when we seek first His Kingdom, not our own. When we set aside our agendas and pursue God’s will, we can be confident it will be done.
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24)
Some faith healers and prosperity gospel preachers have taken this verse out of context. Jesus has just confronted the sin of religion…in a not-so-nice way. Like the prophets of old, he is announcing God’s judgment upon those who have lost their first love and corrupted the entire Jewish faith.
Prayer is powerful when we pray according to God’s will. Faith in Jesus is greater than any religious structure, nation, or temple. But we need more than faith. We need to forgive.
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” (Mark 11:25)
As Tony Evans notes, “Unrepentant sin blocks God’s power.” We all sin. It’s what we do with our sin that matters. Are we proud of our sins? Do we rationalize away our failures? Do we hold grudges against others?
There’s one additional verse found in some ancient manuscripts and absent in others. This is one of a small number of differences which are notable and yet insignificant to the message of the text. The New King James Version includes verse 26.
But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” (Mark 11:26, NKJV)
So What?
I’ve been accused of being too nice. I know that sounds like one of those strengths disguised as a weakness, but there are times when we must confront others…in love. Love is not always nice. One thing I used to tell my kids when I disciplined them is, “I love you too much to let you get away with this behavior.” Their actions were harmful to themselves and/or others.
In a similar way, God disciplines us because He loves us. He cannot tolerate sin. He would bring judgment upon the Jews for their idolatry and abandonment of the true purpose of the Temple. As I said last month, it all goes back to the first two commandments in Exodus 20: no other gods and no idols. Yet it’s so easy to get distracted by our culture. We’ve seen in recent days so-called Christians embracing nationalism, misogyny, partisan politics, and sexism while covering up racism, abuse, and immorality.
This past week I heard two different authors talk about how Christians have used Jesus' anger in the Temple to justify their outlandish behavior on social media. May it never be! The scene may have been part of God's sovereign plan leading to the crucifixion. Remember, Jesus never sinned. His anger was righteous and selfless. He forgave the very people he confronted. He was not defending an ideology, political party, or politician, but rather the heart of God. We are to speak up for those who have no voice, but demanding our rights is not how we love our neighbor well…or how we love God well.
At the dawn of the Christian Church in Acts 2:42,
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:42)
That’s a picture of the Kingdom of God. It’s radical. It’s counter-cultural. It’s selfless and others-centered…God-centered. It welcomes everyone. It’s all about Jesus.
It’s Jesus we’re studying throughout this series. He wasn’t always nice, but he always loved well. He lived a perfect life and never sinned.
It’s Jesus we worship, both for who he is and for what he has done for us by being the perfect sacrifice, the Lamb of God who takes away our sins, offering forgiveness to anyone who repents and follows him.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The Quest for Power, 28 February 2021
28 02 21
The Quest for Power
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 10:32-45
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: The Kingdom of God is upside-down where the greatest serve.
What comes to mind when you think of power? What is power? Is power good or evil? Yes!
It seems that some want power, some are afraid of power, some need power, …and we all have a certain measure of power, though all of us have limited power.
Andy Crouch has called power “the ability to make something of the world.” I think we all want to make something of the world…and so does God!
Last Sunday we returned to our study of Jesus from the book of Mark. The more we know about Jesus, the more we will know Jesus. He came to earth to create a path not for religion, but relationships. Do you know Jesus? He wants to be known, yet there are so many obstacles that stand in the way, most notably our other gods and idols we discussed last week, such as our love for money, sex, and power.
John Mark, the writer of this gospel or “good news,” tells us
They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. (Mark 10:32)
The Passover celebration is near. Jesus is with his disciples and others. He had told them twice already that he would die, though they will seem to be clueless about the prophecies later. He tells them a third time…
“We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” (Mark 10:33-34)
No wonder there was astonishment and fear. Jesus couldn’t be more clear about what was going the happen, and everything occurred exactly the way he predicted.
I understand there are skeptics who may think Mark simply took historical events and wrote Jesus’ words back into the story. While that may technically be possible, it is impossible for ancient prophets centuries earlier to rewrite the events. One of the greatest proofs of our faith is Jesus and the multiple prophecies he uniquely fulfilled. God knows the future. God is omniscient—all-knowing. The crucifixion was no accident. It was part of God’s plan, even though it didn’t make any sense at the time to the disciples.
This is true in our day, too. Josh Kaiser—pastor of OneHope Church—was telling me last week how one of his goals is to communicate God’s goodness to his congregation and generation. God is good…all the time. All the time…God is good!
“But how can God be good when I’m going through this…?” I don’t know, but your story is not over. As Tony Campolo famously said, “It’s Friday…but Sunday’s coming!”
God is good. God can be trusted. It’s okay if it doesn’t feel like it in this moment. You’ll see! In the meantime, faith fills in the gaps. “I believe, LORD. Help me in my unbelief.”
Now we move to a most interesting conversation.
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” (Mark 10:35)
They want a blank check! Can you imagine?! What audacity! Jesus is willing to play along.
“What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. (Mark 10:36)
They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” (Mark 10:37)
Translation: we want the two best seats in heaven, in the next life. To be fair, James and John were two of Jesus’ three best friends, along with Peter. But this is quite the request.
“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” (Mark 10:38)
Jesus knows what lies ahead for himself…death. Following Jesus—being with Jesus—means following him everywhere…including the cross. Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people come alive. It’s not all fun and games. You take the good with the bad, the hard with the easy, the suffering with the comfort, the pain with the glory. But whatever price you pay in this life for following Jesus will be rewarded in the next…for eternity!
“We can,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, (Mark 10:39)
Jesus says they will suffer and die…and they did. It’s believed that all of the disciples died as martyrs except John…who was boiled in hot oil. Jesus doesn’t invite us to a life of pleasure and parties. The invitation is come and die…so you can truly live. Any sacrifice for Christ will be worth it…for eternity. James and John died for their faith…
but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” (Mark 10:40)
We don’t know who will sit beside Jesus…or if it really matters.
When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. (Mark 10:41)
Can you blame them? I would be angry, too! Now Jesus seizes this incredible teaching moment.
Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. (Mark 10:42)
If you thought the lust for political power is a new thing, you haven’t been reading the Bible! Two thousand years ago, people were seeking to rule over others. They had agendas they wanted to implement, power they wanted to exert, and most likely people they wanted to oppress. This is the way of the world…money, sex, and power.
It’s easy to criticize politicians, but don’t you want power, too? Have you ever put someone else down so you could feel better about yourself? Have you ever silently thought you’re glad you're not like that person? Have you ever felt justified cutting in line or cheating because you felt better than another? Have you ever experienced a feeling of entitlement?
I thought so! Me, too! But Jesus says,
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. (Mark 10:43-44)
God’s Kingdom is upside down. Jesus turns the tables. In his world, the greatest serve. The first are last. The word “slave” here is not like our nation’s understanding of slave, but rather a bondservant, someone who is working off a debt for a specific time. They often owned property and could obtain freedom.
Jesus always backs up his words with action. He practices what he preaches!
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
Here’s Jesus with his disciples on the way to his crucifixion. He has just told them exactly what would happen. He knows his life will be given for theirs, a ransom or payment for their sins…and ours. God became flesh and spent more than three decades serving. God served us! What kind of God would do that? Furthermore, God died for us! Show me any religion with that love, that mercy, that grace!
Only a God like You/could be worthy of my praise/and all my hope and faith
That’s our God! That’s our King!
So What?
In his book Playing God: Redeeming the gift of Power, Andy Crouch writes,
Power is all about image bearing—reflecting and refracting the creative power of the world’s Maker into the very good creation. And image bearing is for flourishing. But as idolatry fills the world with false images, and as those false images proliferate, the image bearers lose their capacity to bear the true image. The more the image bearers lose this capacity, the more creation itself is diminished, reduced to utilitarian means to bitter ends. Idolatry is the true failure of power.
This flows perfectly with last Sunday’s sermon on money. Our hearts are drawn to money, sex, and power…for our benefit. There’s actually nothing inherently wrong with any of them. Money can be used to bless others. Sex is one of God’s most wonderful ideas, a remarkable experience for a husband and wife in bonding and celebration of their relationship, to say nothing of procreation. Power can bring about freedom for the powerless and justice for the weak.
The issue is the heart. Why do you want money? Is it for yourself or others?
Why do you want sex? Is it for your personal pleasure or strengthening your marriage?
Why do you want power? Is it to bless or oppress others?
Andy Crouch adds,
Every Maundy Thursday, the night before Good Friday in the Western liturgical calendar, Christians around the world gather to wash one another’s feet. Two thousand years after the Teacher and Lord knelt with a towel around his waist, his followers, servants and messengers continue to imitate his example. There is no act of culture-making power more extraordinary than creating a ritual, an act that continues to bear witness to truth from generation to generation, long after the first persons who experienced it lay in the dust of death. The persistence down to this day of the act Jesus performed at that table, and the acts from that night that the other Gospels report—taking, blessing, breaking and giving the bread and wine—is the ultimate test and sign of his power. In this moment, Jesus creates culture, forever transforming the meaning of towel, loaf and cup, forever altering the way teachers and masters will see their roles, and the way their students and servants will see them.
Following Jesus means following his example of service, of washing feet, of daily sacrifice, of putting others first, of praying for one’s enemies, of blessing those who curse you. Could anything be more counter-cultural?
I wish I could say Christians model this well, that we never seek power, that we put others above ourselves, that we are content to go last, that we are known as servants.
The great theologian (!) Jimi Hendrix famously said, "When the power of love takes over the love of power, that's when things will change.”
Tony Campolo notes, “A basic sociological principle is you can’t express love and power at the same time. Whenever you love, you lose power. Love makes you vulnerable … We have a God who loves us so much he was willing to become vulnerable.”
I have to admit I’ve been embarrassed by so-called Christians who clamored for power, especially during this past political season, as if either candidate was the Messiah, the Savior, the answer to the world’s problems…and that somehow their guy would give them power. Washington’s got nothing on the Kingdom of God! I know politics is messy, but our allegiance must never be to a president but to a Priest, the great high Priest, who is also a Prophet, and King, Jesus Christ. His mission wasn’t to seek power for himself. He came with all authority on heaven and earth. He came for the world. In fact, he gave us his power and authority…for the sake of others.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18)
What does Jesus do with power? He sends his followers on a mission.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
One final passage from Andy Crouch:
There is no point in this story where Jesus gives up power—instead, it is the culmination and demonstration of his power. What Jesus gives up in this story is not power but privilege and status…
For those of us preoccupied with protecting our privilege and raising our status, this indifference of Jesus is terrifying. It prompts the kind of outburst that came from Peter. It is holy power, utterly purified, without an ounce of self-protection or self-regard. Jesus’ only use of power was to create, never to protect himself or to exalt himself. Perhaps this is the deepest explanation of his nonviolence. Violence, even when used in justifiable self-defense, does nothing to restore, redeem or create. It only damages in return. And Jesus simply never had a thought except to restore, redeem and create a new community among whom power would be used always and only for flourishing. In such a community, privilege and status can only be disdained and discarded. They are distractions from the real calling of image bearers: to be fruitful and multiply, far as the curse is found.
To follow Jesus means rejecting the world. It involves dying to self. It requires you to think—and act—differently. There’s no keeping up with the Joneses, giving them what they had coming to them, or even telling them to pick themselves up by their bootstraps. Some people don’t have bootstraps!
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. (Proverbs 31:8)
This includes the unborn, yes, but it also includes the marginalized, the forgotten, the poor, the widow, the orphan, the stranger, the refugee. We all have a certain measure of power, given not for our own sake, but for the sake of others. We’ve been blessed to be a blessing. Everything we have—our money, time, talents, energy, power, influence, relationships—is a gift, on loan from God. We are to be good stewards and will one day given an account for what we did with what we’ve been given.
This is not a message about trying harder. It’s not a message about abusing yourself and being a doormat, either. Love your neighbor…as yourself.
It is a message of surrender, of letting go, of leveraging what you have for others, as Jesus did.
The Kingdom of God is upside-down where the greatest serve, where the first are last, and where power is poured out for others as Jesus poured out his life—and blood—for us.
Christianity stands or falls with its revolutionary protest against violence, arbitrariness and pride of power and with its plea for the weak. Christians are doing too little to make these points clear rather than too much. Christendom adjusts itself far too easily to the worship of power. Christians should give more offense, shock the world far more, than they are doing now. Christian should take a stronger stand in favor of the weak rather than considering first the possible right of the strong.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
One more thing…
I want to offer a final challenge to you today. Last week I said generosity kills the money monster, the temptation of greed. Likewise, there are three spiritual practices which kill the power monster, the temptation to selfishly use power. They are solitude, silence, and fasting. These classical disciplines—along with sabbath rest—allow us to disconnect from busyness, achievement, and striving and put our faith and trust into action. Dallas Willard’s classic The Spirit of the Disciplines and John Ortberg’s book The Life You’ve Always Wanted are two recommended titles.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 10:32-45
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: The Kingdom of God is upside-down where the greatest serve.
What comes to mind when you think of power? What is power? Is power good or evil? Yes!
It seems that some want power, some are afraid of power, some need power, …and we all have a certain measure of power, though all of us have limited power.
Andy Crouch has called power “the ability to make something of the world.” I think we all want to make something of the world…and so does God!
Last Sunday we returned to our study of Jesus from the book of Mark. The more we know about Jesus, the more we will know Jesus. He came to earth to create a path not for religion, but relationships. Do you know Jesus? He wants to be known, yet there are so many obstacles that stand in the way, most notably our other gods and idols we discussed last week, such as our love for money, sex, and power.
John Mark, the writer of this gospel or “good news,” tells us
They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. (Mark 10:32)
The Passover celebration is near. Jesus is with his disciples and others. He had told them twice already that he would die, though they will seem to be clueless about the prophecies later. He tells them a third time…
“We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” (Mark 10:33-34)
No wonder there was astonishment and fear. Jesus couldn’t be more clear about what was going the happen, and everything occurred exactly the way he predicted.
I understand there are skeptics who may think Mark simply took historical events and wrote Jesus’ words back into the story. While that may technically be possible, it is impossible for ancient prophets centuries earlier to rewrite the events. One of the greatest proofs of our faith is Jesus and the multiple prophecies he uniquely fulfilled. God knows the future. God is omniscient—all-knowing. The crucifixion was no accident. It was part of God’s plan, even though it didn’t make any sense at the time to the disciples.
This is true in our day, too. Josh Kaiser—pastor of OneHope Church—was telling me last week how one of his goals is to communicate God’s goodness to his congregation and generation. God is good…all the time. All the time…God is good!
“But how can God be good when I’m going through this…?” I don’t know, but your story is not over. As Tony Campolo famously said, “It’s Friday…but Sunday’s coming!”
God is good. God can be trusted. It’s okay if it doesn’t feel like it in this moment. You’ll see! In the meantime, faith fills in the gaps. “I believe, LORD. Help me in my unbelief.”
Now we move to a most interesting conversation.
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” (Mark 10:35)
They want a blank check! Can you imagine?! What audacity! Jesus is willing to play along.
“What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. (Mark 10:36)
They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” (Mark 10:37)
Translation: we want the two best seats in heaven, in the next life. To be fair, James and John were two of Jesus’ three best friends, along with Peter. But this is quite the request.
“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” (Mark 10:38)
Jesus knows what lies ahead for himself…death. Following Jesus—being with Jesus—means following him everywhere…including the cross. Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people come alive. It’s not all fun and games. You take the good with the bad, the hard with the easy, the suffering with the comfort, the pain with the glory. But whatever price you pay in this life for following Jesus will be rewarded in the next…for eternity!
“We can,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, (Mark 10:39)
Jesus says they will suffer and die…and they did. It’s believed that all of the disciples died as martyrs except John…who was boiled in hot oil. Jesus doesn’t invite us to a life of pleasure and parties. The invitation is come and die…so you can truly live. Any sacrifice for Christ will be worth it…for eternity. James and John died for their faith…
but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” (Mark 10:40)
We don’t know who will sit beside Jesus…or if it really matters.
When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. (Mark 10:41)
Can you blame them? I would be angry, too! Now Jesus seizes this incredible teaching moment.
Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. (Mark 10:42)
If you thought the lust for political power is a new thing, you haven’t been reading the Bible! Two thousand years ago, people were seeking to rule over others. They had agendas they wanted to implement, power they wanted to exert, and most likely people they wanted to oppress. This is the way of the world…money, sex, and power.
It’s easy to criticize politicians, but don’t you want power, too? Have you ever put someone else down so you could feel better about yourself? Have you ever silently thought you’re glad you're not like that person? Have you ever felt justified cutting in line or cheating because you felt better than another? Have you ever experienced a feeling of entitlement?
I thought so! Me, too! But Jesus says,
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. (Mark 10:43-44)
God’s Kingdom is upside down. Jesus turns the tables. In his world, the greatest serve. The first are last. The word “slave” here is not like our nation’s understanding of slave, but rather a bondservant, someone who is working off a debt for a specific time. They often owned property and could obtain freedom.
Jesus always backs up his words with action. He practices what he preaches!
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
Here’s Jesus with his disciples on the way to his crucifixion. He has just told them exactly what would happen. He knows his life will be given for theirs, a ransom or payment for their sins…and ours. God became flesh and spent more than three decades serving. God served us! What kind of God would do that? Furthermore, God died for us! Show me any religion with that love, that mercy, that grace!
Only a God like You/could be worthy of my praise/and all my hope and faith
That’s our God! That’s our King!
So What?
In his book Playing God: Redeeming the gift of Power, Andy Crouch writes,
Power is all about image bearing—reflecting and refracting the creative power of the world’s Maker into the very good creation. And image bearing is for flourishing. But as idolatry fills the world with false images, and as those false images proliferate, the image bearers lose their capacity to bear the true image. The more the image bearers lose this capacity, the more creation itself is diminished, reduced to utilitarian means to bitter ends. Idolatry is the true failure of power.
This flows perfectly with last Sunday’s sermon on money. Our hearts are drawn to money, sex, and power…for our benefit. There’s actually nothing inherently wrong with any of them. Money can be used to bless others. Sex is one of God’s most wonderful ideas, a remarkable experience for a husband and wife in bonding and celebration of their relationship, to say nothing of procreation. Power can bring about freedom for the powerless and justice for the weak.
The issue is the heart. Why do you want money? Is it for yourself or others?
Why do you want sex? Is it for your personal pleasure or strengthening your marriage?
Why do you want power? Is it to bless or oppress others?
Andy Crouch adds,
Every Maundy Thursday, the night before Good Friday in the Western liturgical calendar, Christians around the world gather to wash one another’s feet. Two thousand years after the Teacher and Lord knelt with a towel around his waist, his followers, servants and messengers continue to imitate his example. There is no act of culture-making power more extraordinary than creating a ritual, an act that continues to bear witness to truth from generation to generation, long after the first persons who experienced it lay in the dust of death. The persistence down to this day of the act Jesus performed at that table, and the acts from that night that the other Gospels report—taking, blessing, breaking and giving the bread and wine—is the ultimate test and sign of his power. In this moment, Jesus creates culture, forever transforming the meaning of towel, loaf and cup, forever altering the way teachers and masters will see their roles, and the way their students and servants will see them.
Following Jesus means following his example of service, of washing feet, of daily sacrifice, of putting others first, of praying for one’s enemies, of blessing those who curse you. Could anything be more counter-cultural?
I wish I could say Christians model this well, that we never seek power, that we put others above ourselves, that we are content to go last, that we are known as servants.
The great theologian (!) Jimi Hendrix famously said, "When the power of love takes over the love of power, that's when things will change.”
Tony Campolo notes, “A basic sociological principle is you can’t express love and power at the same time. Whenever you love, you lose power. Love makes you vulnerable … We have a God who loves us so much he was willing to become vulnerable.”
I have to admit I’ve been embarrassed by so-called Christians who clamored for power, especially during this past political season, as if either candidate was the Messiah, the Savior, the answer to the world’s problems…and that somehow their guy would give them power. Washington’s got nothing on the Kingdom of God! I know politics is messy, but our allegiance must never be to a president but to a Priest, the great high Priest, who is also a Prophet, and King, Jesus Christ. His mission wasn’t to seek power for himself. He came with all authority on heaven and earth. He came for the world. In fact, he gave us his power and authority…for the sake of others.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18)
What does Jesus do with power? He sends his followers on a mission.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
One final passage from Andy Crouch:
There is no point in this story where Jesus gives up power—instead, it is the culmination and demonstration of his power. What Jesus gives up in this story is not power but privilege and status…
For those of us preoccupied with protecting our privilege and raising our status, this indifference of Jesus is terrifying. It prompts the kind of outburst that came from Peter. It is holy power, utterly purified, without an ounce of self-protection or self-regard. Jesus’ only use of power was to create, never to protect himself or to exalt himself. Perhaps this is the deepest explanation of his nonviolence. Violence, even when used in justifiable self-defense, does nothing to restore, redeem or create. It only damages in return. And Jesus simply never had a thought except to restore, redeem and create a new community among whom power would be used always and only for flourishing. In such a community, privilege and status can only be disdained and discarded. They are distractions from the real calling of image bearers: to be fruitful and multiply, far as the curse is found.
To follow Jesus means rejecting the world. It involves dying to self. It requires you to think—and act—differently. There’s no keeping up with the Joneses, giving them what they had coming to them, or even telling them to pick themselves up by their bootstraps. Some people don’t have bootstraps!
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. (Proverbs 31:8)
This includes the unborn, yes, but it also includes the marginalized, the forgotten, the poor, the widow, the orphan, the stranger, the refugee. We all have a certain measure of power, given not for our own sake, but for the sake of others. We’ve been blessed to be a blessing. Everything we have—our money, time, talents, energy, power, influence, relationships—is a gift, on loan from God. We are to be good stewards and will one day given an account for what we did with what we’ve been given.
This is not a message about trying harder. It’s not a message about abusing yourself and being a doormat, either. Love your neighbor…as yourself.
It is a message of surrender, of letting go, of leveraging what you have for others, as Jesus did.
The Kingdom of God is upside-down where the greatest serve, where the first are last, and where power is poured out for others as Jesus poured out his life—and blood—for us.
Christianity stands or falls with its revolutionary protest against violence, arbitrariness and pride of power and with its plea for the weak. Christians are doing too little to make these points clear rather than too much. Christendom adjusts itself far too easily to the worship of power. Christians should give more offense, shock the world far more, than they are doing now. Christian should take a stronger stand in favor of the weak rather than considering first the possible right of the strong.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
One more thing…
I want to offer a final challenge to you today. Last week I said generosity kills the money monster, the temptation of greed. Likewise, there are three spiritual practices which kill the power monster, the temptation to selfishly use power. They are solitude, silence, and fasting. These classical disciplines—along with sabbath rest—allow us to disconnect from busyness, achievement, and striving and put our faith and trust into action. Dallas Willard’s classic The Spirit of the Disciplines and John Ortberg’s book The Life You’ve Always Wanted are two recommended titles.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The Rich Young Ruler, 21 February 2021
21 02 21
The Rich Young Ruler
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 10:17-31
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Following Jesus involves total surrender, not just a one-time prayer.
Nearly four years ago we began a series called Mark, the Real Jesus. We’ve been going verse-by-verse through the shortest of the gospels or “good news,” the four biographies of Jesus that include Matthew, Luke, and John. The purpose of the series is to know Jesus…not just know about him, but to know him, to have a relationship with him, to become like him by the power of the Holy Spirit we talked about last Sunday.
Before we look at today’s text in Mark chapter ten, we’re going to go back—way back—to the second book of the Bible. In Exodus chapter twenty, God delivers His Top Ten List, the Ten Commandments. How many of them can you name?
And God spoke all these words: (Exodus 20:1)
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. (Exodus 20:2)
“You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3)
That’s the first one: no other gods. What is most important to you? Who is most important to you? What is the foundation of your life? What or who truly matters most?
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. (Exodus 20:4)
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, (Exodus 20:5)
but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:6)
The second one is no idols. We often think of idols as religious statues, but it’s anything we love and worship more than God. Notice God makes incredible promises concerning these commands. He gives us great freedom, but there are consequences to both obedience and disobedience.
If you’re keeping score, the rest involve misusing the name of the LORD, sabbath, honoring one’s parents, and the “shall nots” of murder, adultery, stealing, false testimony, and coveting.
Today, though, our focus will be on the first two commandments as we look at the gospel of Mark.
Are you rich? Whether you feel like it or not, most of you are rich. Sure, we are all rich in God’s love, but I mean financially rich. You’ve heard of the one-percent, those wealthy Americans who are frequently demonized in the media (despite many create jobs and opportunities for others as business owners). To be in the top one percent in the USA, you need to earn about $500,000 a year. For the record, that is NOT me!!!
To be in the top one percent in the world, you need to earn about $60,000 a year. If you earn $45,000, you are in the top two percent, and if you only earn $38,000, you are in the top three percent of the richest people in the world. If you earn only $19,000 a year, you’re in the top ten percent.
Most of us are rich compared to the rest of the world. With blessings comes responsibility…and temptation.
We’re in the tenth chapter of Mark, beginning at verse 17.
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17)
This guy sounds sincere. He runs to Jesus, falls on his knees, proclaims him to be a good teacher, and asks what it takes to inherit eternal life.
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. (Mark 10:18)
Maybe the man realized Jesus was God!
Think for a moment about Jesus’ statement. If only God is good, we’re not. Sure, compared to some people we might be good, but we all sin. We are all deserving of eternal punishment for our wicked deeds. None of us is perfect, which is God’s standard for goodness, found only in Jesus, the sinless one.
You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” (Mark 10:19)
These are commandments 6-9 if you’re keeping score, plus “don’t defraud,” and then 5. He skips 1-4 and 10…for now!
“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” (Mark 10:20)
That’s a pretty bold statement, but the man didn’t list all ten. Like us, he was self-deceived. He overestimated his goodness after Jesus told him only God is good.
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21)
I always missed the first sentence. Jesus loved him. Jesus loves sinners. It’s out of love that Jesus addresses the commandments related to God first. no idols, and covetousness or greed.
N.T. Wright notes,
When Jesus says ‘You will have treasure in heaven’, he doesn’t mean that the young man must go to heaven to get it; he means that God will keep it stored up for him until the time when, in the Age to Come, all is revealed. The reason you have money in the bank is not so that you can spend it in the bank but so that you can take it out and spend it somewhere else. The reason you have treasure in heaven, God’s storehouse, is so that you can enjoy it in the Age to Come when God brings heaven and earth together at last. And ‘eternal life’, as most translations put it, doesn’t mean ‘life in a timeless, otherworldly dimension’, but ‘the life of the Age to Come’ (the word ‘eternal’ translates a word which means ‘belonging to the Age’).
(Mark for Everyone, Westminster John Knox Press)
At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. (Mark 10:22)
The rich, young ruler had good feelings for God, but loved wealth more. It’s important to remember most of us have great wealth, too. The world says that’s good, but it can become an obstacle. Do you possess money or does your money possess you?
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23)
I’ve seen a number of people lately writing about downsizing and eliminating clutter in our lives. The more we have, the more we must work to protect, insure, store, and steward. Some in our church family are homeless, which is not a popular or comfortable position to be in, but there are certainly benefits to its simplicity.
As I said, sometimes we demonize the rich, as if their success is somehow evil. Perhaps it’s actually envy that leads to such criticisms.
One of my favorite passages of scripture is found in Proverbs 30. It reads,
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God. (Proverbs 30:8-9)
Do you recall someone teaching his friends to pray for daily bread? It’s in Jesus’ model we call the LORD’s Prayer (Matthew 6:11; Luke 11:3). It’s taken from these words by Agur son of Jakeh, a wise man indeed.
The rich are tempted to feel secure in their wealth and ignore God.
The poor are tempted to steal and dishonor God.
We are to pray for daily bread.
Back to Jesus,
The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:24-25)
That’s a sobering statement, especially for USAmericans. We often think of the kingdom of God as a disembodied heaven, but rather it’s here on earth where God rules. Jesus taught us to pray for his kingdom to come now, on earth as it is in heaven. We don’t walk on streets of gold, but the Age to Come is emerging here and now, like a baby chick with its beak sticking through the egg shell, as N.T. Wright says. We are in-between.
The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” (Mark 10:26)
Many in Jesus’ day thought wealth was a sign of God’s favor and blessing, and that a place in the Age to Come could be purchased somehow. If the rich can’t get in, who can?
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27)
Many of you have heard that expression, “All things are possible with God.” But look at the context. It’s about salvation. It’s about the rich entering the kingdom of God. We are saved by grace. It’s a gift. Praise God we have hope because of Jesus, his death, and resurrection!
Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!” (Mark 10:28)
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:29-31)
What a promise! This life—eighty years or so, on average—is so short compared to eternity. Why are we so attached to the cares of this world when it’s all so temporary? God’s kingdom is not of this world. It’s the upside-down kingdom. Jesus is saying anything we sacrifice for him will be worth it, both in the present age and in the age to come. He is inviting them—and us—to put away our idols and greed and follow him with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, and all of our strength. There’s a price to pay for following Jesus, but it’s worth it.
So What?
Is money evil? No. Money is a tool used for centuries, a means of exchange. It can be used for good or bad.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:10)
The love of money is dangerous. It is one of the most common idols in our culture. Most of us want more. In fact, one millionaire was asked how much money was enough and he replied, “Just a little bit more.” That’s because money will never truly satisfy, especially if your goal is to hoard it.
Contrast that with generosity. I remember hearing a wise man years ago say his goal was to make as much money as possible and keep as little as necessary for himself. He delighted in giving.
During my five years here at First Alliance I’ve seen many examples of radical generosity. God has blessed us with some wealthy members, and although I don’t see who gives what, I know our budget is met through men and women who are good stewards of their wealth, making eternal investments through their tithes—ten percent-and offerings week after week. But I’ve heard stories of anonymous homeless people giving generously, too. The best way to destroy the money monster—the greed machine, the idol of wealth—is generosity. Giving is a gift. Paul instructed the church in Corinth,
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Do you want to be loved by God? Give! This isn’t a fundraising pitch, but an encouragement to share your wealth, invest your money, be generous. To those of you with little financial wealth, give something! If ten percent seems too much, start with one percent. Columbus takes seven percent! The federal government takes even more! What if you took a faith-filled risk and sowed some seeds, upped your giving, made a wild investment in God’s work, or simply began the godly discipline of generosity? Remember, everything we have belongs to God, not just ten percent.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)
We can see from today’s text how money easily becomes an idol. It becomes more important than God. In fact, I believe the reason Christianity has been in decline in the western world for decades isn’t politics or technology or education, but simply wealth. We don’t need God. We have doctors when we’re sick, heaters when we’re cold (until we lose power!), iPhones when we’re lonely, and entertainment when we’re bored. Who needs God? Who has time for God?
It’s amazing how different things are in the developing world. When they are sick, they pray. For many, there is no plan B. For our brothers and sisters around the world without religious freedom, they have no power or rights, but they trust completely on God. Many of us are so comfortable that truly pursuing God seems like work or an obligation rather than a privilege to commune with the Creator of the universe!
Is God first in your life? What idols are between you and God? It might be money, but it could be your career, family, hobbies, or even religion. Anything more important to you than God is a sinful idol. Period. Those are God’s words…Old and New Testament!
Consider these words from the book of Hebrews:
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
Think about that for a moment. If we have God, what more do we really need? True contentment can only be found in God in the first place.
Listen to Paul’s instructions to Timothy:
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. (2Timothy 3:1-5)
If this doesn’t sound like our country, I don’t know what does. But we’re called to be different! We’re called to follow Jesus, not the world. We’re called to live lives of contentment, peace, faith, hope, and love. We’re called to fully rely on God, not our 401k or bank account.
Conclusion
No other Gods. No idols. No covetousness or greed. Perhaps that’s why Jesus said the greatest commandment was:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
May it be said of each of us, “In God We Trust,” not the money upon which it is stated.
What is your foundation? What or who is your God. What is your first love?
We can build our lives on the stock market, but it can crash.
We can build our lives on a dream home, but a storm can destroy it.
We can build our lives on a career, but it can be lost in a pandemic.
“Build My Life”
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 10:17-31
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Following Jesus involves total surrender, not just a one-time prayer.
Nearly four years ago we began a series called Mark, the Real Jesus. We’ve been going verse-by-verse through the shortest of the gospels or “good news,” the four biographies of Jesus that include Matthew, Luke, and John. The purpose of the series is to know Jesus…not just know about him, but to know him, to have a relationship with him, to become like him by the power of the Holy Spirit we talked about last Sunday.
Before we look at today’s text in Mark chapter ten, we’re going to go back—way back—to the second book of the Bible. In Exodus chapter twenty, God delivers His Top Ten List, the Ten Commandments. How many of them can you name?
And God spoke all these words: (Exodus 20:1)
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. (Exodus 20:2)
“You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3)
That’s the first one: no other gods. What is most important to you? Who is most important to you? What is the foundation of your life? What or who truly matters most?
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. (Exodus 20:4)
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, (Exodus 20:5)
but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:6)
The second one is no idols. We often think of idols as religious statues, but it’s anything we love and worship more than God. Notice God makes incredible promises concerning these commands. He gives us great freedom, but there are consequences to both obedience and disobedience.
If you’re keeping score, the rest involve misusing the name of the LORD, sabbath, honoring one’s parents, and the “shall nots” of murder, adultery, stealing, false testimony, and coveting.
Today, though, our focus will be on the first two commandments as we look at the gospel of Mark.
Are you rich? Whether you feel like it or not, most of you are rich. Sure, we are all rich in God’s love, but I mean financially rich. You’ve heard of the one-percent, those wealthy Americans who are frequently demonized in the media (despite many create jobs and opportunities for others as business owners). To be in the top one percent in the USA, you need to earn about $500,000 a year. For the record, that is NOT me!!!
To be in the top one percent in the world, you need to earn about $60,000 a year. If you earn $45,000, you are in the top two percent, and if you only earn $38,000, you are in the top three percent of the richest people in the world. If you earn only $19,000 a year, you’re in the top ten percent.
Most of us are rich compared to the rest of the world. With blessings comes responsibility…and temptation.
We’re in the tenth chapter of Mark, beginning at verse 17.
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17)
This guy sounds sincere. He runs to Jesus, falls on his knees, proclaims him to be a good teacher, and asks what it takes to inherit eternal life.
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. (Mark 10:18)
Maybe the man realized Jesus was God!
Think for a moment about Jesus’ statement. If only God is good, we’re not. Sure, compared to some people we might be good, but we all sin. We are all deserving of eternal punishment for our wicked deeds. None of us is perfect, which is God’s standard for goodness, found only in Jesus, the sinless one.
You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” (Mark 10:19)
These are commandments 6-9 if you’re keeping score, plus “don’t defraud,” and then 5. He skips 1-4 and 10…for now!
“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” (Mark 10:20)
That’s a pretty bold statement, but the man didn’t list all ten. Like us, he was self-deceived. He overestimated his goodness after Jesus told him only God is good.
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21)
I always missed the first sentence. Jesus loved him. Jesus loves sinners. It’s out of love that Jesus addresses the commandments related to God first. no idols, and covetousness or greed.
N.T. Wright notes,
When Jesus says ‘You will have treasure in heaven’, he doesn’t mean that the young man must go to heaven to get it; he means that God will keep it stored up for him until the time when, in the Age to Come, all is revealed. The reason you have money in the bank is not so that you can spend it in the bank but so that you can take it out and spend it somewhere else. The reason you have treasure in heaven, God’s storehouse, is so that you can enjoy it in the Age to Come when God brings heaven and earth together at last. And ‘eternal life’, as most translations put it, doesn’t mean ‘life in a timeless, otherworldly dimension’, but ‘the life of the Age to Come’ (the word ‘eternal’ translates a word which means ‘belonging to the Age’).
(Mark for Everyone, Westminster John Knox Press)
At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. (Mark 10:22)
The rich, young ruler had good feelings for God, but loved wealth more. It’s important to remember most of us have great wealth, too. The world says that’s good, but it can become an obstacle. Do you possess money or does your money possess you?
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23)
I’ve seen a number of people lately writing about downsizing and eliminating clutter in our lives. The more we have, the more we must work to protect, insure, store, and steward. Some in our church family are homeless, which is not a popular or comfortable position to be in, but there are certainly benefits to its simplicity.
As I said, sometimes we demonize the rich, as if their success is somehow evil. Perhaps it’s actually envy that leads to such criticisms.
One of my favorite passages of scripture is found in Proverbs 30. It reads,
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God. (Proverbs 30:8-9)
Do you recall someone teaching his friends to pray for daily bread? It’s in Jesus’ model we call the LORD’s Prayer (Matthew 6:11; Luke 11:3). It’s taken from these words by Agur son of Jakeh, a wise man indeed.
The rich are tempted to feel secure in their wealth and ignore God.
The poor are tempted to steal and dishonor God.
We are to pray for daily bread.
Back to Jesus,
The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:24-25)
That’s a sobering statement, especially for USAmericans. We often think of the kingdom of God as a disembodied heaven, but rather it’s here on earth where God rules. Jesus taught us to pray for his kingdom to come now, on earth as it is in heaven. We don’t walk on streets of gold, but the Age to Come is emerging here and now, like a baby chick with its beak sticking through the egg shell, as N.T. Wright says. We are in-between.
The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” (Mark 10:26)
Many in Jesus’ day thought wealth was a sign of God’s favor and blessing, and that a place in the Age to Come could be purchased somehow. If the rich can’t get in, who can?
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27)
Many of you have heard that expression, “All things are possible with God.” But look at the context. It’s about salvation. It’s about the rich entering the kingdom of God. We are saved by grace. It’s a gift. Praise God we have hope because of Jesus, his death, and resurrection!
Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!” (Mark 10:28)
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:29-31)
What a promise! This life—eighty years or so, on average—is so short compared to eternity. Why are we so attached to the cares of this world when it’s all so temporary? God’s kingdom is not of this world. It’s the upside-down kingdom. Jesus is saying anything we sacrifice for him will be worth it, both in the present age and in the age to come. He is inviting them—and us—to put away our idols and greed and follow him with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, and all of our strength. There’s a price to pay for following Jesus, but it’s worth it.
So What?
Is money evil? No. Money is a tool used for centuries, a means of exchange. It can be used for good or bad.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:10)
The love of money is dangerous. It is one of the most common idols in our culture. Most of us want more. In fact, one millionaire was asked how much money was enough and he replied, “Just a little bit more.” That’s because money will never truly satisfy, especially if your goal is to hoard it.
Contrast that with generosity. I remember hearing a wise man years ago say his goal was to make as much money as possible and keep as little as necessary for himself. He delighted in giving.
During my five years here at First Alliance I’ve seen many examples of radical generosity. God has blessed us with some wealthy members, and although I don’t see who gives what, I know our budget is met through men and women who are good stewards of their wealth, making eternal investments through their tithes—ten percent-and offerings week after week. But I’ve heard stories of anonymous homeless people giving generously, too. The best way to destroy the money monster—the greed machine, the idol of wealth—is generosity. Giving is a gift. Paul instructed the church in Corinth,
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Do you want to be loved by God? Give! This isn’t a fundraising pitch, but an encouragement to share your wealth, invest your money, be generous. To those of you with little financial wealth, give something! If ten percent seems too much, start with one percent. Columbus takes seven percent! The federal government takes even more! What if you took a faith-filled risk and sowed some seeds, upped your giving, made a wild investment in God’s work, or simply began the godly discipline of generosity? Remember, everything we have belongs to God, not just ten percent.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)
We can see from today’s text how money easily becomes an idol. It becomes more important than God. In fact, I believe the reason Christianity has been in decline in the western world for decades isn’t politics or technology or education, but simply wealth. We don’t need God. We have doctors when we’re sick, heaters when we’re cold (until we lose power!), iPhones when we’re lonely, and entertainment when we’re bored. Who needs God? Who has time for God?
It’s amazing how different things are in the developing world. When they are sick, they pray. For many, there is no plan B. For our brothers and sisters around the world without religious freedom, they have no power or rights, but they trust completely on God. Many of us are so comfortable that truly pursuing God seems like work or an obligation rather than a privilege to commune with the Creator of the universe!
Is God first in your life? What idols are between you and God? It might be money, but it could be your career, family, hobbies, or even religion. Anything more important to you than God is a sinful idol. Period. Those are God’s words…Old and New Testament!
Consider these words from the book of Hebrews:
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
Think about that for a moment. If we have God, what more do we really need? True contentment can only be found in God in the first place.
Listen to Paul’s instructions to Timothy:
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. (2Timothy 3:1-5)
If this doesn’t sound like our country, I don’t know what does. But we’re called to be different! We’re called to follow Jesus, not the world. We’re called to live lives of contentment, peace, faith, hope, and love. We’re called to fully rely on God, not our 401k or bank account.
Conclusion
No other Gods. No idols. No covetousness or greed. Perhaps that’s why Jesus said the greatest commandment was:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
May it be said of each of us, “In God We Trust,” not the money upon which it is stated.
What is your foundation? What or who is your God. What is your first love?
We can build our lives on the stock market, but it can crash.
We can build our lives on a dream home, but a storm can destroy it.
We can build our lives on a career, but it can be lost in a pandemic.
“Build My Life”
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The Holy Spirit, 14 February 2021
14 02 21
The Holy Spirit
Series—40 Days of Prayer with The Alliance
Romans 8:1-6
Series Big Idea: We are beginning—and spending—the year on our knees seeking God’s direction, protection, passion, and unity.
Big Idea: We can live our lives according to the flesh or the Holy Spirit.
Have you experienced God’s love and life-giving Holy Spirit?
Although 40 Days of Prayer officially ended Thursday—we missed a sermon due to Home Missions Sunday—I couldn’t skip the Holy Spirit. After all, the Holy Spirit is the most underrated, mysterious, and misunderstood Member of the Trinity. We serve one God who exists in three Persons…Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We sing songs about God the Father. There are countless hymns written about Jesus. But try to find one about the Holy Spirit. The closest hymn in our repertoire I could find is the one we sang…Holy, Holy, Holy.
The Holy Spirit is a Person, not a force or a ghost, though some use the expression Holy Ghost.
Most of us have some idea of God the Father who sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to earth about 2000 years ago to teach, heal, serve, die, and rise from the dead. Jesus literally separates history for us. The Old Testament is the Jewish Bible describing creation until the prophets. The New Testament begins with four gospels—or good news—about the life of Jesus. As the video said, the Holy Spirit is present in both Testaments, but in the second chapter of Acts, the Holy Spirit was unleashed upon multiple believers in multiple places. No longer was God confined to the temple or the Person of Jesus. God moved from a building to the hearts of men, women, and children. If you are a follower of Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit, too!
When I was a kid, I wanted my mom to buy what we called “sugar cereals” at the grocery store. What was your favorite? Mine was Apple Jacks. As much as I enjoyed the sweet goodness of those little circles, there was usually another reason I wanted them. The prize at the bottom! Often that was better than the cereal!
I know it’s a stretch, but just as some people ignore the prize while consuming the cereal, so some are so focused on Jesus, they ignore the Holy Spirit. If you are a follower of Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit, too!
We’ve been looking at Acts 1:8 the past two weeks where Jesus tells his disciples,
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
The Holy Spirit arrives in the second chapter of Acts in dramatic fashion.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4)
If you read on, this was not the heavenly language that some speak, but known languages. Imagine if suddenly we all started speaking French, Spanish, Mandarin, and Arabic in a room full of people from all over the world. It was a miraculous moment Jesus predicted about 40 days prior.
What was even more surprising to the first Christians—who were mostly Jewish—was the Holy Spirit coming upon Gentiles. Let me say it one more time: If you are a follower of Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit, too!
There’s no way we can say everything about the Holy Spirit in thirty minutes, but I want to look at a passage in the letter written to the church in Rome. Paul is talking about the tension between good and evil, God’s law and our sinful nature. He begins chapter eight with a staggering statement.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, (Romans 8:1)
If you are a follower of Jesus, you are no longer declared guilty of your sins. Jesus paid it all!
because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)
O how I love Jesus/O how I love Jesus/O how I love Jesus/Because He first loved me!
I’m not perfect. You’re not perfect. But Jesus is perfect and He died for us on the cross.
The Jewish religion was all about following the law of Moses. Sure, doing so was good for the individuals and the community, but it was impossible to get it all right. The Jews had to slaughter animals and make sacrifices to atone for their sins, to make amends. I’m so glad our gatherings don’t require a butcher!
Only Jesus lived a sinless life, which is also why he was uniquely qualified to die in our place and satisfy the wrath of God we deserve for our mistakes and failures. He is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:3-4)
Each day—each moment—we make choices. We’ve been given freedom by God to do good or evil, to follow Him or follow the lust, the flesh, the world, our own selfish desired. Have you ever felt the tension? Paul certainly did! In the previous chapter, he talked about the struggle, the battle, the war raging within him and within us. It’s a war we sometimes win and sometimes lose, but Jesus will ultimately be the Victor. Hallelujah!
What causes you to choose the right thing? Why do you mess up sometimes? How can we do better? It’s not by trying harder, but rather it’s by letting go and letting God. It’s about surrender to the Holy Spirit. It’s about confessing your sins and inviting the Holy Spirit to take control. The late Bill Bright called this spiritual breathing. We exhale and admit our sins and failures and we inhale, welcoming the Holy Spirit into our lives.
Religion and rules and regulations condemn us every time we make a mistake, but we have freedom and forgiveness when we live according to the Holy Spirit, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote to a church in modern-day Turkey,
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:18-20)
We are to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The word “filled” is not a one-time thing, but the Greek word implies a continual activity, just like breathing. It’s a daily, hourly, constant activity. We are to do life with the Holy Spirit, influenced with the Spirit like a drunk is influenced by alcohol. I love that one of the results of being filled with the Spirit is an overflow of music, of worship, of thanksgiving.
Have you ever met someone obsessed with social media? They spend hours on their screens, posting and commenting. They live for it!
Others are consumed by sports. They wake up early, workout, practice, and devote their lives to making the team, earning a medal, or winning the championship.
Tragically, many are controlled by their addictions, whether it’s alcohol or drugs or porn or food or work or whatever rules their life. By the way, if that’s you, Celebrate Recovery meets Wednesdays at 7 PM in the Fellowship Hall. But it’s not just for addicts. Anyone who is dealing with grief, loss, depression, hurts, habits, or hangups of any kind is welcome. We could all benefit from it…and I have!
What if your life was truly led by God? Imagine if you wanted to do what’s right? What if prayer, love, praise, and studying the Bible came naturally to you? I can’t promise a quick fix, but when we’re filled with the Holy Spirit, when we’re surrendered to the Holy Spirit, our lives begin to change. Day by day, we become more like Jesus, a process called sanctification.
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. (Romans 8:5)
Where’s your mind? Who are living for, or where’s your focus?
The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:6)
It’s your choice! Death or life and peace?
How do you know if someone is governed by the flesh?
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)
What’s the result of being filled with the Holy Spirit? Paul mentioned peace. He repeats it again to the church in Galatia, also in modern day Turkey.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 (Galatians 5:22-23)
Here’s the key.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:24-25)
We need to be filled with the Spirit, to live by the Spirit. We can feed our soul with the flesh or the Spirit.
What are you consuming…on social media? Music? Television?
Are your friends following Jesus or the world? You are your friends…choose wisely.
We can live our lives according to the flesh or the Holy Spirit. Which will you choose?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—40 Days of Prayer with The Alliance
Romans 8:1-6
Series Big Idea: We are beginning—and spending—the year on our knees seeking God’s direction, protection, passion, and unity.
Big Idea: We can live our lives according to the flesh or the Holy Spirit.
Have you experienced God’s love and life-giving Holy Spirit?
Although 40 Days of Prayer officially ended Thursday—we missed a sermon due to Home Missions Sunday—I couldn’t skip the Holy Spirit. After all, the Holy Spirit is the most underrated, mysterious, and misunderstood Member of the Trinity. We serve one God who exists in three Persons…Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We sing songs about God the Father. There are countless hymns written about Jesus. But try to find one about the Holy Spirit. The closest hymn in our repertoire I could find is the one we sang…Holy, Holy, Holy.
The Holy Spirit is a Person, not a force or a ghost, though some use the expression Holy Ghost.
Most of us have some idea of God the Father who sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to earth about 2000 years ago to teach, heal, serve, die, and rise from the dead. Jesus literally separates history for us. The Old Testament is the Jewish Bible describing creation until the prophets. The New Testament begins with four gospels—or good news—about the life of Jesus. As the video said, the Holy Spirit is present in both Testaments, but in the second chapter of Acts, the Holy Spirit was unleashed upon multiple believers in multiple places. No longer was God confined to the temple or the Person of Jesus. God moved from a building to the hearts of men, women, and children. If you are a follower of Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit, too!
When I was a kid, I wanted my mom to buy what we called “sugar cereals” at the grocery store. What was your favorite? Mine was Apple Jacks. As much as I enjoyed the sweet goodness of those little circles, there was usually another reason I wanted them. The prize at the bottom! Often that was better than the cereal!
I know it’s a stretch, but just as some people ignore the prize while consuming the cereal, so some are so focused on Jesus, they ignore the Holy Spirit. If you are a follower of Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit, too!
We’ve been looking at Acts 1:8 the past two weeks where Jesus tells his disciples,
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
The Holy Spirit arrives in the second chapter of Acts in dramatic fashion.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4)
If you read on, this was not the heavenly language that some speak, but known languages. Imagine if suddenly we all started speaking French, Spanish, Mandarin, and Arabic in a room full of people from all over the world. It was a miraculous moment Jesus predicted about 40 days prior.
What was even more surprising to the first Christians—who were mostly Jewish—was the Holy Spirit coming upon Gentiles. Let me say it one more time: If you are a follower of Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit, too!
There’s no way we can say everything about the Holy Spirit in thirty minutes, but I want to look at a passage in the letter written to the church in Rome. Paul is talking about the tension between good and evil, God’s law and our sinful nature. He begins chapter eight with a staggering statement.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, (Romans 8:1)
If you are a follower of Jesus, you are no longer declared guilty of your sins. Jesus paid it all!
because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)
O how I love Jesus/O how I love Jesus/O how I love Jesus/Because He first loved me!
I’m not perfect. You’re not perfect. But Jesus is perfect and He died for us on the cross.
The Jewish religion was all about following the law of Moses. Sure, doing so was good for the individuals and the community, but it was impossible to get it all right. The Jews had to slaughter animals and make sacrifices to atone for their sins, to make amends. I’m so glad our gatherings don’t require a butcher!
Only Jesus lived a sinless life, which is also why he was uniquely qualified to die in our place and satisfy the wrath of God we deserve for our mistakes and failures. He is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:3-4)
Each day—each moment—we make choices. We’ve been given freedom by God to do good or evil, to follow Him or follow the lust, the flesh, the world, our own selfish desired. Have you ever felt the tension? Paul certainly did! In the previous chapter, he talked about the struggle, the battle, the war raging within him and within us. It’s a war we sometimes win and sometimes lose, but Jesus will ultimately be the Victor. Hallelujah!
What causes you to choose the right thing? Why do you mess up sometimes? How can we do better? It’s not by trying harder, but rather it’s by letting go and letting God. It’s about surrender to the Holy Spirit. It’s about confessing your sins and inviting the Holy Spirit to take control. The late Bill Bright called this spiritual breathing. We exhale and admit our sins and failures and we inhale, welcoming the Holy Spirit into our lives.
Religion and rules and regulations condemn us every time we make a mistake, but we have freedom and forgiveness when we live according to the Holy Spirit, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote to a church in modern-day Turkey,
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:18-20)
We are to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The word “filled” is not a one-time thing, but the Greek word implies a continual activity, just like breathing. It’s a daily, hourly, constant activity. We are to do life with the Holy Spirit, influenced with the Spirit like a drunk is influenced by alcohol. I love that one of the results of being filled with the Spirit is an overflow of music, of worship, of thanksgiving.
Have you ever met someone obsessed with social media? They spend hours on their screens, posting and commenting. They live for it!
Others are consumed by sports. They wake up early, workout, practice, and devote their lives to making the team, earning a medal, or winning the championship.
Tragically, many are controlled by their addictions, whether it’s alcohol or drugs or porn or food or work or whatever rules their life. By the way, if that’s you, Celebrate Recovery meets Wednesdays at 7 PM in the Fellowship Hall. But it’s not just for addicts. Anyone who is dealing with grief, loss, depression, hurts, habits, or hangups of any kind is welcome. We could all benefit from it…and I have!
What if your life was truly led by God? Imagine if you wanted to do what’s right? What if prayer, love, praise, and studying the Bible came naturally to you? I can’t promise a quick fix, but when we’re filled with the Holy Spirit, when we’re surrendered to the Holy Spirit, our lives begin to change. Day by day, we become more like Jesus, a process called sanctification.
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. (Romans 8:5)
Where’s your mind? Who are living for, or where’s your focus?
The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:6)
It’s your choice! Death or life and peace?
How do you know if someone is governed by the flesh?
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)
What’s the result of being filled with the Holy Spirit? Paul mentioned peace. He repeats it again to the church in Galatia, also in modern day Turkey.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 (Galatians 5:22-23)
Here’s the key.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:24-25)
We need to be filled with the Spirit, to live by the Spirit. We can feed our soul with the flesh or the Spirit.
What are you consuming…on social media? Music? Television?
Are your friends following Jesus or the world? You are your friends…choose wisely.
We can live our lives according to the flesh or the Holy Spirit. Which will you choose?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Alliance Missions, 7 February 2021
07 02 21
Repentance
Series—40 Days of Prayer with The Alliance
Series Big Idea: We are beginning—and spending—the year on our knees seeking God’s direction, protection, passion, and unity.
Big Idea: God invites each of us to participate in His mission…here and around the world.
You were made by God.
You were made for God.
You were made for God’s glory.
The same can be said about First Alliance Church. When Albert Benjamin Simpson came to Toledo in 1887, it wasn’t about making a name for himself. It was about creating a God-glorifying community that would impact our city, our region, our nation, and our world. It’s all about Jesus.
We looked at Acts 1:8 last Sunday. Jesus tells his followers,
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Toledo is our Jerusalem. It’s where we live, work, and play. We are all called to be missionaries here, to make disciples here, to love our neighbors, to serve our city.
Judea is the next ring as we move outward. I like to think of it as our Home Missions partners who serve beyond our church campus to impact the region.
Last Sunday we talked about Samaria, the marginalized people who struggle to fit in, perhaps because of their ethnicity, country of origin, language, marital status, education, or wealth.
Today we finish our emphasis on Acts 1:8 by talking about the ends of the earth. The Christian & Missionary Alliance has always been about missions. It’s our middle name!
Missions is in our Alliance DNA. What’s remarkable about that video is it’s not from an American. The Alliance is now a global movement. We send international workers from the US to other nations, but other nations have their own Alliance churches who are also reaching other countries.
In the US, we have 1913 churches with 427,680 worshipers that speak 38 languages and dialects.
We presently have 734 international workers serving 70+ people groups in 138 cities. Last year we added 39 new international workers. aXcess missionaries proclaim the gospel and multiply networks of faith communities among the least-reached of the world.
Alliance Missions also includes Marketplace Ministries which facilitates marketplace professionals who bring their expertise to a community to disciple those around them.
CAMA—Compassion & Mercy Associates—responds to disasters globally and partners locally to restore communities and alleviate poverty.
Envision identifies and develops missional leaders through short-term missions experiences and innovative ministry strategies in 22 locations around the globe.
When you give to the Great Commission Fund, you are supporting all four of these ministries who are reaching the ends of the earth.
The Global Alliance
Because of the great work done by previous generations of Alliance workers, 90% of our Alliance family lives outside of the United States! The Alliance World Fellowship represents over six million people speaking 180 languages in over 22,000 churches!
- • Every four minutes, someone prays to receive Christ.
- • Every hour, three patients receive physical and spiritual care through Alliance medical ministries.
- • Every day through 43 radio broadcasts, people without a gospel witness hear the good news.
- • Every week, over 3,500 new believers are baptized.
- • Every month, 250 new groups or churches join the Alliance worldwide family.
- • Every year, 10,000 students are trained and equipped for ministry through more than 125 Alliance theological schools.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
We are to make disciples of Jesus here…and beyond.
That’s why our church mission states:
We are a Jesus-centered family
Restoring God’s masterpieces
In Toledo and beyond
For His glory.
To God be the glory!
Why Missions?
You might ask, “Why worry about the ends of the earth? Don’t we have enough problems here? Don’t USAmericans need Jesus?”
Yes, of course, but Jesus’ commission in Acts 1:8 was not an either/or, but a both/and. There are nearly eight billion people on the planet and each one is a masterpiece God loves. Each and every life—black, white, brown—matters.
All Christians are called to be missionaries. God calls some to be missionaries in Toledo…in homes, schools, and businesses. Some of us are called to serve through the Pregnancy Center, Cherry Street Mission, Water for Ishmael, or other Home Missions Partners. God has sent our Faith Missions partners to northern Michigan, the Dominican Republic, and to other people groups through the Jesus Film Project. He calls some of us to distant lands, learning new languages, and introducing Jesus to people who have never even heard his name. I pray God will call some of you to become international workers with The Alliance. Over the years, more than 125 missionaries, pastors, pastors’ wives, and other full-time Christian workers have been called to ministry and “sent” from this church. We’re not done yet! I’d like to think we’re just getting started!
We have said the gospel—good news—needs to be shared. We can’t keep Jesus to ourselves! We can’t be selfish with our faith. Our world—our whole world—needs Jesus. This is why although I love our country, I get uncomfortable when Christians put too much emphasis on our nation while ignoring our current and future brothers and sisters abroad. I want God to bless America, but I also want God to bless Bolivia, Belgium, Bangladesh, Brazil, and Burundi. We are not all called to travel overseas, but we can be involved in reaching the ends of the earth through giving to the Great Commission Fund…and through prayer. After all, this is a series on prayer! Paul wrote to the church in Corinth,
I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. (1 Corinthians 3:6-9)
Some are called to stay, others are called to go. Some plant the seeds, some water, some harvest the fruit. Some pray, others give, and still others go. Everyone plays a role in God’s Kingdom. As I said, all Christians are called to be missionaries.
In Luke 10, Jesus gathers a group of his followers and as he sends them
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. (Luke 10:2)
All ministry must begin with prayer. The work we do—here and abroad—cannot be accomplished without a miraculous move of God. Only God can cause a human heart to change, to submit, to surrender.
I find prayer so remarkable. First, we can do life with the Creator of the universe! I’m still just amazed that He hears my voice…and yours. I’m also amazed at how we can participate in God’s Kingdom not only here but on the other side of the world…on our knees. We can be a part of the transformed lives of men, women and children we won’t meet until heaven by simply praying.
So we’re going to do that now. It seems pointless to talk about prayer and not do it! On Zoom prayer each weekday at 9 AM I encourage the participants rather than spending most of the time sharing prayer requests, let’s just pray!
Family, I’d like to guide you into some prayers today. This is a little different from what we typically do on Sunday morning, but maybe it shouldn’t be! Let’s pray for
- the lost without Jesus
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
- unreached people groups (3.4 billion people, 4000 people groups)
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15)
- Alliance International Workers and their families
I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. (Romans 15:30)
- aXcess
- Marketplace Ministries
- Envision
- CAMA—Compassion & Mercy Associates
- New Workers to be raised up
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
- Breakthrough for financial support
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:7-8)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Marginalized People, 31 January 2021
31 01 21
Marginalized People
Series—40 Days of Prayer with The Alliance
Luke 18:1-8
Series Big Idea: We are beginning—and spending—the year on our knees seeking God’s direction, protection, passion, and unity.
Big Idea: We are to pray for and serve those who are unlike us, including those who make us feel uncomfortable.
What comes to mind when you think of marginalized people? Jesus announced to his friends in Acts 1:8.
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Last Sunday we talked about the e-word: evangelism. We said evangelism is proclaiming good news. It’s about introducing others to know our best friend, Jesus Christ. We’re inviting people to an eternal party. That often occurs in our Jerusalem—where we live, work, and play. Where is your Jerusalem? Where do you do life? Chances are, much of your time is spent with people who look, act, speak, and earn like you.
Many people are content to stop there, being witnesses in their Jerusalem. Honestly, I wish more followers of Jesus were committed to their Jerusalem, proclaiming good news to their friends and neighbors where they feel comfortable. But there’s more. Judea meant the next step beyond, not unlike our Home Missions Sunday two weeks ago. Samaria to Jesus’ listeners in Acts 1:8 meant the marginalized people, those who make us uncomfortable.
Jews and Samaritans did not get along. I’m not sure what the modern-day equivalent would be, but religious Jews saw Samaritans as impure and second-class. Most of us are familiar with the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke chapter 10 and how this supposedly ungodly man showed more compassion and love toward a stranger than the two religious Jews that saw him first and ignored him in his hour of need.
Who makes you uncomfortable? For some of you, the wealthy make you uncomfortable. You might be put off by the successful CEO, the corrupt politician, or the flamboyant celebrity.
When we think of the marginalized, it’s often someone on the margins of society, someone who doesn’t fit in with the mainstream. It could be a person from another country or another faith. The man covered in tattoos and piercings? The person with poor hygiene? The lady with the cardboard sign at the exit ramp? The members of the LGBTQ+ community? A woman who doesn’t speak English? An angry protestor?
Marginalized people are God’s masterpieces. Jesus died for them. Jesus loves them. Following Jesus means we are to love them, too…even if they make us uncomfortable.
But this is series on prayer. Our text for today is the beginning of Luke chapter 18.
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. (Luke 18:1)
Dr. Luke tells us what’s about to happen. Jesus is going to tell a parable—a story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. Before recording even a word of the parable, Luke tells us the big idea of the parable.
We should always pray and not give up. We could stop right now! Always pray. Never give up. Why would Jesus want us to understand this? It’s because we don’t always pray and we often give up, we grow impatient or tired, we think God doesn’t hear us, we assume He’s ignoring us or saying, “No.”
I suppose if there’s one thing I want you to get out of these 40 Days of Prayer it’s simply this: pray! Develop a habit of prayer, a rhythm of prayer. Pray continually as we said last week. Always pray and never give up.
He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. (Luke 18:2)
Jesus taught us to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. This judge neither loved God nor his neighbors. He did life his way.
And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ (Luke 18:3)
Widows today in our culture face great challenges, but in Jesus’ day, they may have been even greater. Without family or remarriage, they could easily become destitute. The fact that this woman was fighting for justice makes her condition even more dire.
Have you ever been a victim of injustice? We hear a lot about injustice in our world today, yet it’s tragically nothing new. Social media has allowed some injustice to be exposed—which can be good—but it has also allowed fake news to spread, creating new expressions of injustice.
At this moment, there are men, women, and children crying out to God, begging for justice, for help. It might be you! Many of us are marginalized. Perhaps it’s a single mom overwhelmed by the mess inherited after her husband abandoned her and her children. It could be the homeless person who lost everything after a lie convicted them of a felony and turned their life upside down. Maybe it’s the woman struggling with same-sex attraction after multiple men abused her and left her fearful of any male.
I’ve heard that once you’ve heard someone’s story, they can never be an enemy. God told the prophet Samuel,
The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7b)
I find it so easy to look at someone’s outside and make conclusions about what’s inside. We call this prejudice…pre-judging. I think we all do it, at times. If you don’t know what’s inside, all you can go on is what you see. We must be careful. Sometimes things are not as they appear…or even if they are, there’s a story that may need to be heard.
The person may be felon, but could’ve been wrongfully accused.
The atheist doesn’t believe in God, but may have lost their faith after being abused by a priest.
The annoying co-worker may be arrogant and narcissistic, but may have struggled their entirely life to get attention from parents who abandoned them.
Suffice it to say every human is a masterpiece with a story and a need for God. We’ll never know the silent prayers of others, yet so many pray for justice daily. If we stop and listen, we may discover we have more in common with “that person” than differences.
In Jesus’ parable, this likely-marginalized widow keeps coming to the judge for justice.
“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ” (Luke 18:4-5)
I never noticed these last two words! I knew the judge became sick of her petitions, but he’s worried she’ll attack him if he doesn’t get her justice!
And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. (Luke 18:6)
I’ve often interpreted this parable to mean we are to bug God until He answers our prayers the way we desire. Certainly the message is to always pray and not give up, but there’s another angle to this. After all, God’s not worried about us attacking Him!
I’m reminded of Jesus’ words a few chapters back in Luke 11.
“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13)
If evil fathers love their children, imagine how much our Heavenly Father loves us.
If unjust judges are willing to honor the persistence of a victim of injustice, imagine how much our just Heavenly Father will respond to cries for help. Always pray and don’t give up.
And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? (Luke 18:7)
Why does God allow injustice in the first place? How could a loving God permit the abuse, violence, poverty, and hatred in our world? There are mysterious we can’t easily explain, but God wastes nothing, including opportunities for His followers to be agents of blessing, healing, reconciliation, and restoration. The real question is how could God love any of us?
Fortunately, this life is short…compared to eternity. Someday, God will bring about justice for His chosen ones, those who cry out to Him in prayer. We are often comforted by the words of Revelation 21 which says someday in the new heaven and the new earth,
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
But what about now? Does God care for victims of injustice today? Does He do anything about the cries of the widow, the stranger, and the orphan? Can He hear the silent screams of the unborn who are never given a chance to live? Is He unaware of the wrongfully accused who are rotting away in a prison cell despite being innocent? Does He see the violence committed in our streets?
I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)
The issue isn’t God’s justice but our perseverance in prayer…and obedience.
A man prayed, “God, why don’t you feed the starving children of the world” to which God replied, “Why don’t you feed the starving children of the world.”
We are to pray for the marginalized…and be prepared to be the answer to the prayer.
It’s the same with evangelism. We are to pray for the lost, but also proclaim good news. We need to get in the game! We need to get on our knees…and then obey what the LORD instructs us to do. It might be share our story or listen to theirs. It could be take someone out for lunch, help them fix their broken car or house, or babysit their kids. Maybe God wants you to volunteer, give money, or just spend time with someone very different from you.
Obviously we can’t be involved in the lives of every person on the planet, but could we start with one? Could you befriend one person who is different, hear their story, and help them out? One of my favorite quotes from Pastor Andy Stanley is, “Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone.”
Can you solve world hunger, racism, injustice, despair, homelessness, and hopelessness? Of course not, but you might be able to help someone.
So What?
We all have bad days. Life is hard. Jesus promised his followers trouble (John 16:33). But some of us have spent most or all of our lives on the margins of society, trying to fit in, get ahead, given an opportunity, or even find a friend. Every day God hears the cries for justice among the least of these Jesus spoke of, including the widow, the stranger, and the orphan.
The news is filled with stories of immigrants—legal and illegal—who are all masterpieces in need of restoration. I don’t have the answers to the challenges facing lawmakers, but I know there are refugees—many of whom are our Christian brothers and sisters—who are literally fleeing for their lives. Again, I’m not trying to get political because some issues are complicated, but can we recognize every masterpiece—every human—as created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth? Can we pray for their peace and safety? Can we ask God how we can help? Can we get involved?
It might be as simple as volunteering with Water for Ishmael to help an English student in Toledo. They are always looking for conversation partners. Toledo is filled with people from other countries who are here to study at the university or simply taking refuge legally from persecution abroad. They are lonely. Many are scared. Many will eventually return to their homelands without a single American friend, which is tragic!
They are praying. Maybe we are the answer to their prayers. They may be as close as the person sitting next to you right now.
Some of you do this so well. You pray. You give. You serve. You love. Thank you!
Others of us—myself included—have some work to do. The message isn’t, “Try harder.” It’s trust God more. Trust God more fully with your time, talents, and treasures. Trust Him with your fears, insecurities, and discomfort. Trust that still, small voice which may be nudging you right now to take one step toward a marginalized person. Trust Him to provide the words you need to say or hear.
We can pray for others. We can answer the prayer of others. We can stand with the marginalized and speak up for those without a voice…the unborn, the oppressed, the violated, the abandoned, the afflicted, the suffering. We’ve been blessed to be a blessing.
One more thing…
Jesus was marginalized. The prophet Isaiah said of the Messiah
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. (Isaiah 53:2b-3a)
Is it any wonder that he said of our treatment of the marginalized,
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)
When we love others well, we love Jesus well.
Credits: some ideas taken from Rosilio Roman and The Alliance
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—40 Days of Prayer with The Alliance
Luke 18:1-8
Series Big Idea: We are beginning—and spending—the year on our knees seeking God’s direction, protection, passion, and unity.
Big Idea: We are to pray for and serve those who are unlike us, including those who make us feel uncomfortable.
What comes to mind when you think of marginalized people? Jesus announced to his friends in Acts 1:8.
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Last Sunday we talked about the e-word: evangelism. We said evangelism is proclaiming good news. It’s about introducing others to know our best friend, Jesus Christ. We’re inviting people to an eternal party. That often occurs in our Jerusalem—where we live, work, and play. Where is your Jerusalem? Where do you do life? Chances are, much of your time is spent with people who look, act, speak, and earn like you.
Many people are content to stop there, being witnesses in their Jerusalem. Honestly, I wish more followers of Jesus were committed to their Jerusalem, proclaiming good news to their friends and neighbors where they feel comfortable. But there’s more. Judea meant the next step beyond, not unlike our Home Missions Sunday two weeks ago. Samaria to Jesus’ listeners in Acts 1:8 meant the marginalized people, those who make us uncomfortable.
Jews and Samaritans did not get along. I’m not sure what the modern-day equivalent would be, but religious Jews saw Samaritans as impure and second-class. Most of us are familiar with the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke chapter 10 and how this supposedly ungodly man showed more compassion and love toward a stranger than the two religious Jews that saw him first and ignored him in his hour of need.
Who makes you uncomfortable? For some of you, the wealthy make you uncomfortable. You might be put off by the successful CEO, the corrupt politician, or the flamboyant celebrity.
When we think of the marginalized, it’s often someone on the margins of society, someone who doesn’t fit in with the mainstream. It could be a person from another country or another faith. The man covered in tattoos and piercings? The person with poor hygiene? The lady with the cardboard sign at the exit ramp? The members of the LGBTQ+ community? A woman who doesn’t speak English? An angry protestor?
Marginalized people are God’s masterpieces. Jesus died for them. Jesus loves them. Following Jesus means we are to love them, too…even if they make us uncomfortable.
But this is series on prayer. Our text for today is the beginning of Luke chapter 18.
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. (Luke 18:1)
Dr. Luke tells us what’s about to happen. Jesus is going to tell a parable—a story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. Before recording even a word of the parable, Luke tells us the big idea of the parable.
We should always pray and not give up. We could stop right now! Always pray. Never give up. Why would Jesus want us to understand this? It’s because we don’t always pray and we often give up, we grow impatient or tired, we think God doesn’t hear us, we assume He’s ignoring us or saying, “No.”
I suppose if there’s one thing I want you to get out of these 40 Days of Prayer it’s simply this: pray! Develop a habit of prayer, a rhythm of prayer. Pray continually as we said last week. Always pray and never give up.
He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. (Luke 18:2)
Jesus taught us to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. This judge neither loved God nor his neighbors. He did life his way.
And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ (Luke 18:3)
Widows today in our culture face great challenges, but in Jesus’ day, they may have been even greater. Without family or remarriage, they could easily become destitute. The fact that this woman was fighting for justice makes her condition even more dire.
Have you ever been a victim of injustice? We hear a lot about injustice in our world today, yet it’s tragically nothing new. Social media has allowed some injustice to be exposed—which can be good—but it has also allowed fake news to spread, creating new expressions of injustice.
At this moment, there are men, women, and children crying out to God, begging for justice, for help. It might be you! Many of us are marginalized. Perhaps it’s a single mom overwhelmed by the mess inherited after her husband abandoned her and her children. It could be the homeless person who lost everything after a lie convicted them of a felony and turned their life upside down. Maybe it’s the woman struggling with same-sex attraction after multiple men abused her and left her fearful of any male.
I’ve heard that once you’ve heard someone’s story, they can never be an enemy. God told the prophet Samuel,
The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7b)
I find it so easy to look at someone’s outside and make conclusions about what’s inside. We call this prejudice…pre-judging. I think we all do it, at times. If you don’t know what’s inside, all you can go on is what you see. We must be careful. Sometimes things are not as they appear…or even if they are, there’s a story that may need to be heard.
The person may be felon, but could’ve been wrongfully accused.
The atheist doesn’t believe in God, but may have lost their faith after being abused by a priest.
The annoying co-worker may be arrogant and narcissistic, but may have struggled their entirely life to get attention from parents who abandoned them.
Suffice it to say every human is a masterpiece with a story and a need for God. We’ll never know the silent prayers of others, yet so many pray for justice daily. If we stop and listen, we may discover we have more in common with “that person” than differences.
In Jesus’ parable, this likely-marginalized widow keeps coming to the judge for justice.
“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ” (Luke 18:4-5)
I never noticed these last two words! I knew the judge became sick of her petitions, but he’s worried she’ll attack him if he doesn’t get her justice!
And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. (Luke 18:6)
I’ve often interpreted this parable to mean we are to bug God until He answers our prayers the way we desire. Certainly the message is to always pray and not give up, but there’s another angle to this. After all, God’s not worried about us attacking Him!
I’m reminded of Jesus’ words a few chapters back in Luke 11.
“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13)
If evil fathers love their children, imagine how much our Heavenly Father loves us.
If unjust judges are willing to honor the persistence of a victim of injustice, imagine how much our just Heavenly Father will respond to cries for help. Always pray and don’t give up.
And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? (Luke 18:7)
Why does God allow injustice in the first place? How could a loving God permit the abuse, violence, poverty, and hatred in our world? There are mysterious we can’t easily explain, but God wastes nothing, including opportunities for His followers to be agents of blessing, healing, reconciliation, and restoration. The real question is how could God love any of us?
Fortunately, this life is short…compared to eternity. Someday, God will bring about justice for His chosen ones, those who cry out to Him in prayer. We are often comforted by the words of Revelation 21 which says someday in the new heaven and the new earth,
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
But what about now? Does God care for victims of injustice today? Does He do anything about the cries of the widow, the stranger, and the orphan? Can He hear the silent screams of the unborn who are never given a chance to live? Is He unaware of the wrongfully accused who are rotting away in a prison cell despite being innocent? Does He see the violence committed in our streets?
I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)
The issue isn’t God’s justice but our perseverance in prayer…and obedience.
A man prayed, “God, why don’t you feed the starving children of the world” to which God replied, “Why don’t you feed the starving children of the world.”
We are to pray for the marginalized…and be prepared to be the answer to the prayer.
It’s the same with evangelism. We are to pray for the lost, but also proclaim good news. We need to get in the game! We need to get on our knees…and then obey what the LORD instructs us to do. It might be share our story or listen to theirs. It could be take someone out for lunch, help them fix their broken car or house, or babysit their kids. Maybe God wants you to volunteer, give money, or just spend time with someone very different from you.
Obviously we can’t be involved in the lives of every person on the planet, but could we start with one? Could you befriend one person who is different, hear their story, and help them out? One of my favorite quotes from Pastor Andy Stanley is, “Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone.”
Can you solve world hunger, racism, injustice, despair, homelessness, and hopelessness? Of course not, but you might be able to help someone.
So What?
We all have bad days. Life is hard. Jesus promised his followers trouble (John 16:33). But some of us have spent most or all of our lives on the margins of society, trying to fit in, get ahead, given an opportunity, or even find a friend. Every day God hears the cries for justice among the least of these Jesus spoke of, including the widow, the stranger, and the orphan.
The news is filled with stories of immigrants—legal and illegal—who are all masterpieces in need of restoration. I don’t have the answers to the challenges facing lawmakers, but I know there are refugees—many of whom are our Christian brothers and sisters—who are literally fleeing for their lives. Again, I’m not trying to get political because some issues are complicated, but can we recognize every masterpiece—every human—as created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth? Can we pray for their peace and safety? Can we ask God how we can help? Can we get involved?
It might be as simple as volunteering with Water for Ishmael to help an English student in Toledo. They are always looking for conversation partners. Toledo is filled with people from other countries who are here to study at the university or simply taking refuge legally from persecution abroad. They are lonely. Many are scared. Many will eventually return to their homelands without a single American friend, which is tragic!
They are praying. Maybe we are the answer to their prayers. They may be as close as the person sitting next to you right now.
Some of you do this so well. You pray. You give. You serve. You love. Thank you!
Others of us—myself included—have some work to do. The message isn’t, “Try harder.” It’s trust God more. Trust God more fully with your time, talents, and treasures. Trust Him with your fears, insecurities, and discomfort. Trust that still, small voice which may be nudging you right now to take one step toward a marginalized person. Trust Him to provide the words you need to say or hear.
We can pray for others. We can answer the prayer of others. We can stand with the marginalized and speak up for those without a voice…the unborn, the oppressed, the violated, the abandoned, the afflicted, the suffering. We’ve been blessed to be a blessing.
One more thing…
Jesus was marginalized. The prophet Isaiah said of the Messiah
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. (Isaiah 53:2b-3a)
Is it any wonder that he said of our treatment of the marginalized,
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)
When we love others well, we love Jesus well.
Credits: some ideas taken from Rosilio Roman and The Alliance
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The e-word, 24 January 2021
24 01 21
The e-word: Evangelism
Series—40 Days of Prayer with The Alliance
Colossians 4:2-6
Series Big Idea: We are beginning—and spending—the year on our knees seeking God’s direction, protection, passion, and unity.
Big Idea: It is a joy to pray for and proclaim good news to the lost.
After a break for Home Missions Sunday last week, we’re returning to our 40 Days of Prayer campaign with the Christian & Missionary Alliance. I hope you’ve been enjoying the adult, youth, and children devotionals, Wednesday online prayer gatherings, and our Sunday topics.
Today’s topic is one that makes many uncomfortable. I call it the e-word. It is… evangelism. What comes to mind when you hear the word evangelism? It’s another “church” word uncommon in our cultural vocabulary. Maybe you picture door-to-door harassing, aggressive preachers with megaphones, or simply fear of not knowing what to say.
Evangelism is proclaiming good news. Many years ago, Guy Kawasaki was hired to be an Apple evangelist. His passion for their computers led him to make promoting Apple his vocation. Sure, there were Windows users uninterested in his message, but he considered it an honor to proclaim good news about the products he loved.
Have you experienced the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ? If so, why would you keep it to yourself? Why would you deprive others of the life you’ve encountered, the joy, the peace, the love? Why wouldn’t you be a Jesus evangelist, proclaiming good news—great news—to those around you?
Our text today is from Colossians chapter four. Paul is writing from prison to a church in modern-day Turkey.
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2)
What a fitting verse during 40 Days of Prayer! He doesn’t say pray. He says to be devoted to prayer. Are you devoted to prayer? What would that look like?
In another letter, Paul wrote,
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Pray continually. That’s being devoted to prayer! We often think of prayer as a highly formal, religious activity with closed eyes and folded hands. You can certainly take that posture, but it’s not necessary. I used to think prayer was talking to God. Then I began to see prayer as talking with God…a conversation. Now I view prayer as life with God, a 24/7/365 relationship in which I am pouring out my heart to God and I’m listening for His voice, seeking to discern His will. There are times when I pray without distraction, giving God my undivided attention, often through journaling. At other times, I’m aware of His presence and grateful for the relationship we have. I’ve never heard His audible voice, but He speaks loudly through His Word, the Bible, as well as through people, circumstances, dreams, and occasional spiritual hunches which may require confirmation from others to determine if it’s from God or bad pizza!
While we’re on the subject of God’s will, some see it as this highly mysterious plan in which God picks out your socks each morning, tells you what to eat for breakfast, and what toothpaste to buy. I’m not sure He cares too much about that, but there is a brilliant way to discover God’s will contained in these three verses. God wants you to rejoice…always. He wants you to pray continually. He wants you to give thanks in all circumstances. That’s God’s will! Of course, there’s more, but that’s a great start. How are you doing with those? Back to Colossians…
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. (Colossians 4:3)
If you were in prison asking people to pray, what would you request? “Get me out of here!” Paul doesn’t say that. He doesn’t even write, “Send me a care package” or “stop by and pay me a visit.” He says pray for opportunities to proclaim good news, to evangelize, to do the very thing that got him into prison in the first place! Is this guy crazy? He’s passionate.
Paul had an encounter years earlier which changed his life. It prompted repentance, a u-turn. It led him to set aside his religious agenda and devote the rest of his life to promoting Jesus Christ, to letting the world know they are loved by a God who proved it on the cross. Paul says pray so he can evangelize, so he can proclaim good news.
Have you ever asked someone to pray for you so you could be effective in sharing your faith with others, so you can proclaim good news? If you’re going to evangelize, prayer is the best place to start.
Jason Horton delivered a powerful message last Sunday on evangelism, on sharing good news. Somehow we’ve got this idea that it’s a scary thing. Well, it got Paul in prison, but in our culture, we’re blessed with freedom of religion and freedom of speech. Do you take advantage of it?
Evangelism is not sales. I worked a sales job in college…on straight commission. I sold carpet, tile, and blinds and some weeks my sales were so bad, they had to pay me minimum wage because my sales weren’t even enough to cover the $3.35/hour!
Evangelism is not sales. There is no manipulation, shame, or pressure required. Evangelism is an invitation. It’s proclaiming good news and inviting people into a relationship with Jesus, the one who loves them and proved it.
Jesus Christ is the greatest thing that ever happened to me. The more I understand how sinful I am and how incredible God is, the more I love Jesus and want others to follow him.
I think most people share what they love. Don’t you? All of my friends know I love my wife, ice cream, roller coasters, music, …and Jesus. They don’t have to love those things, but if they haven’t experienced them, I want them to do so.
This might be a stretch, but although I rarely drink pop (not soda!), Vernors is my favorite. I realize not everyone likes it, but everyone should at least try it once to make an informed decision about whether or not they like it. How can you reject something you’ve never tried…and yet people reject Jesus all the time. I’m amazed at people who say they don’t believe the Bible…but they’ve never read it! Come on!
Tragically, many people haven’t rejected Jesus because they’ve never even heard his name. We’ll talk more about that in the next two weeks. What I want you to understand is evangelism is an invitation…to a relationship…to a lifestyle of abundance…to a party that will last for eternity.
Honestly, I don’t understand how someone could reject the love of Jesus…except that the enemy has blinded the eyes of people. His mission is to steal, kill, and destroy and that’s physical and spiritual. I think it takes satan to keep someone from following Jesus…and unfortunately, he does a good job!
Evangelism is an invitation, but there are spiritual forces at work urging people to reject Jesus and do whatever makes them happy for the moment. You can follow God or yourself, but not both. No one can serve two masters. In order to overcome the spiritual forces, we…pray! Paul says to pray for open doors. We might call that open hearts.
I was with a group of friends last week and I asked them what keeps them from proclaiming good news, for sharing their faith, for evangelizing. The number one response was fear of failure. What if I invite someone into a personal relationship with Jesus and they say no? My response: move on! Jesus’ response: move on! See Matthew 10:14. We begin by praying for open doors. Some people simply aren’t ready to experience the love, joy, peace, and purpose found in a relationship with Jesus. They’re too busy trying to do life their way. But many people are searching for answers…for the Answer. It would be so selfish, so cruel to deny them the opportunity to be forgiven, to be reconciled to their Heavenly Father, to know abundant life. Evangelism is a joy. Proclaiming good news is an invitation, but don’t take rejection personally. Most people rejected Jesus Himself! But many people right now are open. Pray for open doors, open hearts.
Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. (Colossians 4:4)
He says pray for clarity. Pray for the right words. Have you ever tried to communicate an idea to someone and they just didn’t get it? Maybe you were in sales and the potential customer had no interest. Maybe you tried to communicate a difficult concept to a child who simply couldn’t understand. Or maybe, like me, you process out loud, use too many words, and struggle to get to the point!
Paul is very specific. He’s saying, “I’m in prison for sharing good news. I want to reach more people, and I want the message to be clear. It’s more than information, though. It’s a life-transforming announcement that Jesus is LORD…not Caesar, not money, not your own feelings or pleasures.” It’s a polarizing message drawing followers and opponents who have thrown him into prison.
Two thousand years later, there are people in prison for proclaiming good news. We have brothers and sisters who are tortured for simply inviting people into a relationship with their Creator. It seems crazy, but it’s true. We often think we’ve got it rough, but we’ve been given so many resources, freedoms, and opportunities. We need to proclaim Jesus Christ clearly.
Perhaps the best way to do that is to share your story. Nobody can argue with it. You don’t need to prove anything historical. “I once was blind, but now I see.” If you don’t have a story, you have nothing to proclaim…and I’d love to talk with you about what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus.
He loves you. He proved it by dying on the cross and rising from the dead. He offers forgiveness for everything you’ve done wrong, He is the ultimate example of what it means to be human, and He’s inviting you into a life-giving relationship filled with meaning, purpose, freedom, hope, and joy. You can choose to continue to do life your way, on your terms, with you in control…or experience life the way it was meant to be lived, following the wisdom of your Creator. Would you like to give your life to Jesus?
Was that clear? Was it in invitation. Actually, that wasn’t even my story. He’s my story, which is another way to proclaim good news:
I grew up in a religious home. I was taught to always do the right thing. I believed in God and went to church, but although I knew a lot about God, I didn’t know God personally. I didn’t really follow God, just my parents’ instructions. When I was a teenager, I encounter peers who really followed God. They found ancient wisdom and life in studying the Bible. They discovered prayer is not just talking to God, but with God. They encouraged me to make Jesus the leader of my life and ever since, I’ve been seeking to know and follow Jesus, the One who proved his love for me by coming to earth, dying for my sins and failures, and rising from the dead. It’s not about religion and what we do. It’s about a relationship and what Jesus has done. I love Jesus and I’d love to invite you to follow Jesus, too.
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. (Colossians 4:5)
Actions speak louder than words, and sometimes the messenger is the message. One of the top obstacles to people proclaiming good news is they don’t want to be a hypocrite…or they’re concerned about the reputation of Christians. This is a huge one for me. It’s absolutely evil that we are known for politics, self-righteousness, and even hate rather than the love we were instructed to exhibit. I’m not saying every Christ-follower is guilty, but many so-called Christians have not acted well toward outsiders, toward those Jesus called the lost, the unbeliever, the non-Christian. Jesus is our focus. Jesus is our message. But if our lives are not attractive, nobody will want to hear. We are to pray for the right actions…and love well. Peter wrote,
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (1 Peter 2:12)
We are to be in the world but not of the world. Paul’s concerned about their behavior not only within the church, but also among non-Christians who he calls “outsiders.” Rather than telling them to ignore them and stay in a holy huddle, he tells them to be intentional, to engage, to seize every opportunity…to do what? To proclaim good news. To evangelize!
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:6)
In other words, love others so well that they ask questions. Faith is expressed in actions and words. Another top obstacle to sharing one’s faith is fear of not having the right answers. There’s a simple solution: pray for the right answers! That’s Paul’s point, speak and act with love. People can tell if you care or if you’re just trying to earn points or make a sale. Again, tell your story. Invite them into a relationship with Jesus. If they ask a question you don’t know, say, “That’s a great question. I don’t know. I’d love to do some research and get back with you.”
Most people aren’t going to respond to an invitation with philosophical arguments or demands for archaeological proofs. If they do, there are great responses. There’s fantastic evidence for our faith. Christianity is filled with some of the most brilliant minds, the most successful resumes, the most creative arts, and the most loving people. Ultimately, it’s all about Jesus. The gospel is Jesus. Jesus is LORD. That’s the message we proclaim. Christianity is not a religion. It’s a relationship with a Person who is inviting every man, woman, and child of every nation, race, religion, sexual orientation, political party, and language give up control and follow him.
Who is your best friend? If I’ve spent any time with you at all, I’ve probably heard about your best friend, especially if you are married. It’s natural to talk about our spouse, our kids, our best friend. If you know Jesus, he should naturally show up in your conversations, too. I want everyone to meet my wife because I think she’s the most amazing woman on the planet. Even more, I want everyone to meet Jesus because he’s the most amazing human in history…and he lived not only for his sake, but ours.
A Confession
Perhaps this subject of proclaiming good news causes you to feel guilt and shame. I’m with you! I struggle with evangelism, not because I’m necessarily afraid, but because most of my conversations are with Christians. That tends to happen when you work at a church! I love to talk about Jesus, but I rarely get the opportunity. Or I rarely take the opportunity. I confess that to you and ask you to pray for me, that God would open doors for me to proclaim good news.
I’ve heard research studies which say the longer one is a Christian, the fewer non-Christian friends they have as they hang around with Christians. We certainly need one another, but we must never neglect the lost, the hurting, the broken, the hopeless around us. It goes back to praying for open doors…and being prepared to take action. One of my favorite conversation starters is, “Where are you at on your spiritual journey?” You could begin with, “What do you think of Jesus?” or “What do you think our world needs more than anything?” If you want to go really deep, ask, “What do you think is the meaning of life?” And listen! Discover where someone is before you suggest a path for them to take.
God is on the move. Jesus is the answer for the world today, and many are seeking answers. If we don’t offer Jesus, they’ll stumble into any number of false gods, religions, philosophies, or simply follow the path of consumerism, individualism, and narcissism. Pray for open doors. Pray for clarity. Pray that the Holy Spirit would fill you with attractive fruit and God-honoring actions, and pray for the right words in your conversations. We need actions and words. When we are weak, He is so strong! It all begins on our knees.
Benediction: It is a joy to pray for and proclaim good news to the lost.
Credits: some ideas taken from Ivån Marti’ and The Alliance
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—40 Days of Prayer with The Alliance
Colossians 4:2-6
Series Big Idea: We are beginning—and spending—the year on our knees seeking God’s direction, protection, passion, and unity.
Big Idea: It is a joy to pray for and proclaim good news to the lost.
After a break for Home Missions Sunday last week, we’re returning to our 40 Days of Prayer campaign with the Christian & Missionary Alliance. I hope you’ve been enjoying the adult, youth, and children devotionals, Wednesday online prayer gatherings, and our Sunday topics.
Today’s topic is one that makes many uncomfortable. I call it the e-word. It is… evangelism. What comes to mind when you hear the word evangelism? It’s another “church” word uncommon in our cultural vocabulary. Maybe you picture door-to-door harassing, aggressive preachers with megaphones, or simply fear of not knowing what to say.
Evangelism is proclaiming good news. Many years ago, Guy Kawasaki was hired to be an Apple evangelist. His passion for their computers led him to make promoting Apple his vocation. Sure, there were Windows users uninterested in his message, but he considered it an honor to proclaim good news about the products he loved.
Have you experienced the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ? If so, why would you keep it to yourself? Why would you deprive others of the life you’ve encountered, the joy, the peace, the love? Why wouldn’t you be a Jesus evangelist, proclaiming good news—great news—to those around you?
Our text today is from Colossians chapter four. Paul is writing from prison to a church in modern-day Turkey.
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2)
What a fitting verse during 40 Days of Prayer! He doesn’t say pray. He says to be devoted to prayer. Are you devoted to prayer? What would that look like?
In another letter, Paul wrote,
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Pray continually. That’s being devoted to prayer! We often think of prayer as a highly formal, religious activity with closed eyes and folded hands. You can certainly take that posture, but it’s not necessary. I used to think prayer was talking to God. Then I began to see prayer as talking with God…a conversation. Now I view prayer as life with God, a 24/7/365 relationship in which I am pouring out my heart to God and I’m listening for His voice, seeking to discern His will. There are times when I pray without distraction, giving God my undivided attention, often through journaling. At other times, I’m aware of His presence and grateful for the relationship we have. I’ve never heard His audible voice, but He speaks loudly through His Word, the Bible, as well as through people, circumstances, dreams, and occasional spiritual hunches which may require confirmation from others to determine if it’s from God or bad pizza!
While we’re on the subject of God’s will, some see it as this highly mysterious plan in which God picks out your socks each morning, tells you what to eat for breakfast, and what toothpaste to buy. I’m not sure He cares too much about that, but there is a brilliant way to discover God’s will contained in these three verses. God wants you to rejoice…always. He wants you to pray continually. He wants you to give thanks in all circumstances. That’s God’s will! Of course, there’s more, but that’s a great start. How are you doing with those? Back to Colossians…
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. (Colossians 4:3)
If you were in prison asking people to pray, what would you request? “Get me out of here!” Paul doesn’t say that. He doesn’t even write, “Send me a care package” or “stop by and pay me a visit.” He says pray for opportunities to proclaim good news, to evangelize, to do the very thing that got him into prison in the first place! Is this guy crazy? He’s passionate.
Paul had an encounter years earlier which changed his life. It prompted repentance, a u-turn. It led him to set aside his religious agenda and devote the rest of his life to promoting Jesus Christ, to letting the world know they are loved by a God who proved it on the cross. Paul says pray so he can evangelize, so he can proclaim good news.
Have you ever asked someone to pray for you so you could be effective in sharing your faith with others, so you can proclaim good news? If you’re going to evangelize, prayer is the best place to start.
Jason Horton delivered a powerful message last Sunday on evangelism, on sharing good news. Somehow we’ve got this idea that it’s a scary thing. Well, it got Paul in prison, but in our culture, we’re blessed with freedom of religion and freedom of speech. Do you take advantage of it?
Evangelism is not sales. I worked a sales job in college…on straight commission. I sold carpet, tile, and blinds and some weeks my sales were so bad, they had to pay me minimum wage because my sales weren’t even enough to cover the $3.35/hour!
Evangelism is not sales. There is no manipulation, shame, or pressure required. Evangelism is an invitation. It’s proclaiming good news and inviting people into a relationship with Jesus, the one who loves them and proved it.
Jesus Christ is the greatest thing that ever happened to me. The more I understand how sinful I am and how incredible God is, the more I love Jesus and want others to follow him.
I think most people share what they love. Don’t you? All of my friends know I love my wife, ice cream, roller coasters, music, …and Jesus. They don’t have to love those things, but if they haven’t experienced them, I want them to do so.
This might be a stretch, but although I rarely drink pop (not soda!), Vernors is my favorite. I realize not everyone likes it, but everyone should at least try it once to make an informed decision about whether or not they like it. How can you reject something you’ve never tried…and yet people reject Jesus all the time. I’m amazed at people who say they don’t believe the Bible…but they’ve never read it! Come on!
Tragically, many people haven’t rejected Jesus because they’ve never even heard his name. We’ll talk more about that in the next two weeks. What I want you to understand is evangelism is an invitation…to a relationship…to a lifestyle of abundance…to a party that will last for eternity.
Honestly, I don’t understand how someone could reject the love of Jesus…except that the enemy has blinded the eyes of people. His mission is to steal, kill, and destroy and that’s physical and spiritual. I think it takes satan to keep someone from following Jesus…and unfortunately, he does a good job!
Evangelism is an invitation, but there are spiritual forces at work urging people to reject Jesus and do whatever makes them happy for the moment. You can follow God or yourself, but not both. No one can serve two masters. In order to overcome the spiritual forces, we…pray! Paul says to pray for open doors. We might call that open hearts.
I was with a group of friends last week and I asked them what keeps them from proclaiming good news, for sharing their faith, for evangelizing. The number one response was fear of failure. What if I invite someone into a personal relationship with Jesus and they say no? My response: move on! Jesus’ response: move on! See Matthew 10:14. We begin by praying for open doors. Some people simply aren’t ready to experience the love, joy, peace, and purpose found in a relationship with Jesus. They’re too busy trying to do life their way. But many people are searching for answers…for the Answer. It would be so selfish, so cruel to deny them the opportunity to be forgiven, to be reconciled to their Heavenly Father, to know abundant life. Evangelism is a joy. Proclaiming good news is an invitation, but don’t take rejection personally. Most people rejected Jesus Himself! But many people right now are open. Pray for open doors, open hearts.
Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. (Colossians 4:4)
He says pray for clarity. Pray for the right words. Have you ever tried to communicate an idea to someone and they just didn’t get it? Maybe you were in sales and the potential customer had no interest. Maybe you tried to communicate a difficult concept to a child who simply couldn’t understand. Or maybe, like me, you process out loud, use too many words, and struggle to get to the point!
Paul is very specific. He’s saying, “I’m in prison for sharing good news. I want to reach more people, and I want the message to be clear. It’s more than information, though. It’s a life-transforming announcement that Jesus is LORD…not Caesar, not money, not your own feelings or pleasures.” It’s a polarizing message drawing followers and opponents who have thrown him into prison.
Two thousand years later, there are people in prison for proclaiming good news. We have brothers and sisters who are tortured for simply inviting people into a relationship with their Creator. It seems crazy, but it’s true. We often think we’ve got it rough, but we’ve been given so many resources, freedoms, and opportunities. We need to proclaim Jesus Christ clearly.
Perhaps the best way to do that is to share your story. Nobody can argue with it. You don’t need to prove anything historical. “I once was blind, but now I see.” If you don’t have a story, you have nothing to proclaim…and I’d love to talk with you about what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus.
He loves you. He proved it by dying on the cross and rising from the dead. He offers forgiveness for everything you’ve done wrong, He is the ultimate example of what it means to be human, and He’s inviting you into a life-giving relationship filled with meaning, purpose, freedom, hope, and joy. You can choose to continue to do life your way, on your terms, with you in control…or experience life the way it was meant to be lived, following the wisdom of your Creator. Would you like to give your life to Jesus?
Was that clear? Was it in invitation. Actually, that wasn’t even my story. He’s my story, which is another way to proclaim good news:
I grew up in a religious home. I was taught to always do the right thing. I believed in God and went to church, but although I knew a lot about God, I didn’t know God personally. I didn’t really follow God, just my parents’ instructions. When I was a teenager, I encounter peers who really followed God. They found ancient wisdom and life in studying the Bible. They discovered prayer is not just talking to God, but with God. They encouraged me to make Jesus the leader of my life and ever since, I’ve been seeking to know and follow Jesus, the One who proved his love for me by coming to earth, dying for my sins and failures, and rising from the dead. It’s not about religion and what we do. It’s about a relationship and what Jesus has done. I love Jesus and I’d love to invite you to follow Jesus, too.
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. (Colossians 4:5)
Actions speak louder than words, and sometimes the messenger is the message. One of the top obstacles to people proclaiming good news is they don’t want to be a hypocrite…or they’re concerned about the reputation of Christians. This is a huge one for me. It’s absolutely evil that we are known for politics, self-righteousness, and even hate rather than the love we were instructed to exhibit. I’m not saying every Christ-follower is guilty, but many so-called Christians have not acted well toward outsiders, toward those Jesus called the lost, the unbeliever, the non-Christian. Jesus is our focus. Jesus is our message. But if our lives are not attractive, nobody will want to hear. We are to pray for the right actions…and love well. Peter wrote,
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (1 Peter 2:12)
We are to be in the world but not of the world. Paul’s concerned about their behavior not only within the church, but also among non-Christians who he calls “outsiders.” Rather than telling them to ignore them and stay in a holy huddle, he tells them to be intentional, to engage, to seize every opportunity…to do what? To proclaim good news. To evangelize!
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:6)
In other words, love others so well that they ask questions. Faith is expressed in actions and words. Another top obstacle to sharing one’s faith is fear of not having the right answers. There’s a simple solution: pray for the right answers! That’s Paul’s point, speak and act with love. People can tell if you care or if you’re just trying to earn points or make a sale. Again, tell your story. Invite them into a relationship with Jesus. If they ask a question you don’t know, say, “That’s a great question. I don’t know. I’d love to do some research and get back with you.”
Most people aren’t going to respond to an invitation with philosophical arguments or demands for archaeological proofs. If they do, there are great responses. There’s fantastic evidence for our faith. Christianity is filled with some of the most brilliant minds, the most successful resumes, the most creative arts, and the most loving people. Ultimately, it’s all about Jesus. The gospel is Jesus. Jesus is LORD. That’s the message we proclaim. Christianity is not a religion. It’s a relationship with a Person who is inviting every man, woman, and child of every nation, race, religion, sexual orientation, political party, and language give up control and follow him.
Who is your best friend? If I’ve spent any time with you at all, I’ve probably heard about your best friend, especially if you are married. It’s natural to talk about our spouse, our kids, our best friend. If you know Jesus, he should naturally show up in your conversations, too. I want everyone to meet my wife because I think she’s the most amazing woman on the planet. Even more, I want everyone to meet Jesus because he’s the most amazing human in history…and he lived not only for his sake, but ours.
A Confession
Perhaps this subject of proclaiming good news causes you to feel guilt and shame. I’m with you! I struggle with evangelism, not because I’m necessarily afraid, but because most of my conversations are with Christians. That tends to happen when you work at a church! I love to talk about Jesus, but I rarely get the opportunity. Or I rarely take the opportunity. I confess that to you and ask you to pray for me, that God would open doors for me to proclaim good news.
I’ve heard research studies which say the longer one is a Christian, the fewer non-Christian friends they have as they hang around with Christians. We certainly need one another, but we must never neglect the lost, the hurting, the broken, the hopeless around us. It goes back to praying for open doors…and being prepared to take action. One of my favorite conversation starters is, “Where are you at on your spiritual journey?” You could begin with, “What do you think of Jesus?” or “What do you think our world needs more than anything?” If you want to go really deep, ask, “What do you think is the meaning of life?” And listen! Discover where someone is before you suggest a path for them to take.
God is on the move. Jesus is the answer for the world today, and many are seeking answers. If we don’t offer Jesus, they’ll stumble into any number of false gods, religions, philosophies, or simply follow the path of consumerism, individualism, and narcissism. Pray for open doors. Pray for clarity. Pray that the Holy Spirit would fill you with attractive fruit and God-honoring actions, and pray for the right words in your conversations. We need actions and words. When we are weak, He is so strong! It all begins on our knees.
Benediction: It is a joy to pray for and proclaim good news to the lost.
Credits: some ideas taken from Ivån Marti’ and The Alliance
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Repentance, 10 January 2021
10 01 21
Repentance
Series—40 Days of Prayer with The Alliance
Revelation 1-3
Series Big Idea: We are beginning—and spending—the year on our knees seeking God’s direction, protection, passion, and unity.
Big Idea: “Be holy, for I am holy.” Repentance can help us turn toward holiness.
I’m so grateful to the leaders of the Christian & Missionary Alliance to call us to 40 Days of Prayer to begin 2021. Last year was a challenging year for all of us, and the events of Wednesday in our nation’s capital proved the new year did not magically fix everything. We are broken people desperately in need of a Savior. Some thought our president was that savior. Others have given their allegiance to the next one. The hopes of herd immunity to rid the world of COVID-19 are everywhere. If we can just get those $2000 checks, eliminate racism, stop global warming, develop a source of accurate news, beat Alabama tomorrow night…!!!
Ever since Adam and Eve ate from the fruit in the Garden of Eden, our world has been plagued by sin. We are plagued by sin. It’s easy to point fingers at people on TV, but as the song says, “let there be peace on earth and let it begin with…me.” I can’t control the outcome of elections, the behavior of blasphemers, the attitude of adulterers, the liars, the haters, the murderers, the…
It begins with me. It begins with you. It begins with us…on our knees.
Last Sunday we began our series talking about God’s holiness. Alliance pastor A.W. Tozer said,
God's holiness is not simply the best we know infinitely bettered. We know nothing like the divine holiness. It stands apart, unique, unapproachable, incomprehensible and unattainable. The natural man is blind to it. He may fear God's power and admire His wisdom, but His holiness he cannot even imagine.
The Tozer Devotional adds…
Until we have seen ourselves as God sees us, we are not likely to be much disturbed over conditions around us as long as they do not get so far out of hand as to threaten our comfortable way of life.
We underestimate God’s power and holiness while overestimating our goodness. He is God…and we are not. We don’t deserve to even gain an audience with Him, yet He loves us, proved it, and invites into an eternal relationship with Him. Jesus models for us what it truly means to be human—and holy.
Do you want to be like Jesus? That’s essentially the definition of discipleship—becoming like Christ.
We know that’s his desire for us, which is why I get so frustrated when my life—or the lives of others who claim to follow Christ—doesn’t look like Jesus.
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:14-16)
Are you holy? It’s sort of a trick question. On the one hand, we are made holy because of the cross. Hebrews tells us about God’s will.
And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10)
We are set apart. We are purified, consecrated, set apart, sanctified.
But on the other hand we’re not perfect. We sin, fail, rebel, and disobey. Our lives do not always look like Jesus. He is our example, our teacher, our model, our hero. Just because we don’t get it right every time doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. Dallas Willard said, “Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning.”
God says, “Be holy, for I am holy.” How do we do that? Repentance is required. Repentance is another one of those religious words we don’t often here in the broader culture and it’s often confused with confession.
Confession is a statement. Repentance requires action.
Confession is admitting wrongdoing. It might involve remorse and an apology, but at its most basic level, confession is saying, “I did it.”
Repentance is something we do. It’s a verb. Eugene Peterson wrote,
You don’t repent by taking a deep breath and then feel better. You only repent when you turn around and go back or toward God. It doesn’t make any difference how you feel. You can have the feeling, or you don’t have to have the feeling. What’s essential is that you do something. The call to repentance is not a call to feel the remorse of your sins. It’s a call to turn around so that God can do something about them.
Repentance is to do a u-turn, to turn around, to move in a different direction.
I’m grateful for GPS when I drive. Some of us old people remember the days of pulling maps out of the glove box (did anyone ever have room for their gloves in the glove box?) to get directions. We’d fumble around with this huge piece of paper until we could discover our place, our destination, and the path between them.
Now we just tell Siri where to go and she tells us where to go! Occasionally I find myself disobeying her commands! Recently on the expressway I had to make a pit stop at an exit and she wanted to re-route me. Turn around! You’re going the wrong way! Get back on the right road!
Many of us have been moving in the wrong direction…and therefore, we’re not in the right place. We’re not experiencing the abundant life Jesus promised. We’re living with anxiety, fear, regret, or guilt. We’re ashamed of where we’ve gone and we don’t know how to turn around.
I need to stop right here and say that’s where Jesus comes in! That’s why God’s grace is so amazing. Forgiveness is always available. It’s never too late to turn around, to repent, to turn around, to get right with God, to follow Jesus. He said,
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15)
The good news—the gospel—is that Jesus is LORD, and he invites us to follow him, to experiencing forgiveness and salvation not because of what we do, but because of what he’s done for us on the cross, proving his love and commitment to us by dying for us, for our sins, and reconciling us to our Holy, Heavenly Father.
But we must repent. We must turn. We must change…not by trying harder, but by surrendering to God and letting the Holy Spirit work in and through us.
Jesus didn’t say confess and believe. He didn’t tell us to say a little prayer and go back to normal life. He said repent—turn, change—and believe. The Greek word, pisteuo, for believe means to commit, to put in trust with, to have faith. Like repentance, it involves action.
Why Repent?
You might be asking yourself why we need to repent. If Jesus paid it all, can’t I take my “get out of hell free” card and do it my way? There are several reasons why repentance is essential. The first chapter of the last book of the Bible—Revelation—reveals several. Jesus’ best friend, John, had a revelation from God. He wrote,
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. (Revelation 1:3)
I repent because I am blessed.
I have a friend who has a reputation for giving candy to children at his church. It’s not a creepy thing, but a kind gesture that the area dentists love! He’s a magnet for kids who know that turning toward him will result in a blessing. We’ve been blessed by God and it should be natural to want to be with Him, to follow Him.
Two verses later, John greets his readers with grace and peace…
and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, (Revelation 1:5)
I repent because I am in awe of Jesus’ work on the cross.
After decades of knowing Jesus, I still am in awe of his sacrifice. Last Sunday we celebrated communion together, remembering the cross and the empty tomb. We turn away from sin, repent, and follow Jesus because of all that he has done for us.
The next verse continues by saying that Jesus
and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. (Revelation 1:6)
I repent because I am a priest.
I don’t mean a pastor. That’s my job title. But Jesus has made all of his followers to be priests, serving God. I don’t even understand completely what that means, but I know I can’t bring him glory if I’ve wandered away from Him…which leads to a fourth reason to repent.
I repent because I am able to walk away from holiness and need a wake-up call. (Revelation 1:11-3:22)
Sin has consequences, both from God and from everyday life. You reap what you sow. No matter how passionate and sincere you may be today, it’s possible to wander tomorrow. This is why sanctification is both an action and a process. Repentance is not once-and-done, but like driving a car, a constant steering of our lives, making adjustments, and sometimes making significant corrections.
Many students of the book of Revelation love to search for meanings in the symbolism and apocalyptic messages of the book, but the first three chapters require little interpretation. Jesus speaks to seven churches in cities you can visit to this day. Here’s a quick summary:
“Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.” (Revelation 2:5)
“Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” (Revelation 2:16)
“So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.” (Revelation 2:22–23)
So What?
It can be interesting to read the accounts of others and their sins, but what about you? At this moment, do you need to repent? Fill in the blank:
I need to repent from ______________
Maybe it’s idolatry. You’ve given more of your time, talents, treasures, and love to something or someone other than God. It might be a good thing like family or a destructive habit like drugs. Politics has clearly become an idol for many in our day. The church in Ephesus had lost their first love, Jesus. Have you?
Maybe it’s sexual sin like those in Pergamum. Porn, adultery, …any sexual activity that isn’t between a husband and wife. Our culture says it’s no big deal, even celebrating it, but it’s unholy. It’s settling. It’s sin.
Maybe it’s something related to disunity like the Thyatirans. Gossip, slander, criticism, half-truths, judging others, divisiveness.
Maybe it’s a dead faith like the church in Sardis. Maybe it’s not your actions but your inaction that needs to change. When is the last time you really prayed, studied the Bible, shared your faith, gave sacrificially of your time or talents or treasure? You say you believe, but is there evidence…or do you just go through the motions on Sunday morning?
Maybe it’s the self-sufficiency and materialism of the Laodician church. This is especially common among many in our nation who think they don’t need God. We have money, hospitals, cars, the Internet…who has time or need for God? Do you really trust God…or your bank account, career, or power?
Where do you need to repent, to turn, to change? Again, the good news—the great news—is that God offers forgiveness and grace to all of us. Nothing you can do can make God love you more, and nothing you can do can make God love you less.
But until you repent, you won’t be following Jesus. Until you turn away from your sins, you won’t experience true peace. Until you choose to make Jesus LORD and not just Savior, you will never know true intimacy with your Creator and the fruit of the Spirit.
Where do we need to repent as a church? What sin are we tolerating? Where do we exalt wrong teaching or worldly philosophy? Where are we allowing division to creep in? Where have we started to become dead or lukewarm in caring about our community and the world? Where have we become confident in our own wealth and power? Are we even able to suffer?
LORD, Have Mercy
Credits: some ideas taken from Amy Roedding and The Alliance
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—40 Days of Prayer with The Alliance
Revelation 1-3
Series Big Idea: We are beginning—and spending—the year on our knees seeking God’s direction, protection, passion, and unity.
Big Idea: “Be holy, for I am holy.” Repentance can help us turn toward holiness.
I’m so grateful to the leaders of the Christian & Missionary Alliance to call us to 40 Days of Prayer to begin 2021. Last year was a challenging year for all of us, and the events of Wednesday in our nation’s capital proved the new year did not magically fix everything. We are broken people desperately in need of a Savior. Some thought our president was that savior. Others have given their allegiance to the next one. The hopes of herd immunity to rid the world of COVID-19 are everywhere. If we can just get those $2000 checks, eliminate racism, stop global warming, develop a source of accurate news, beat Alabama tomorrow night…!!!
Ever since Adam and Eve ate from the fruit in the Garden of Eden, our world has been plagued by sin. We are plagued by sin. It’s easy to point fingers at people on TV, but as the song says, “let there be peace on earth and let it begin with…me.” I can’t control the outcome of elections, the behavior of blasphemers, the attitude of adulterers, the liars, the haters, the murderers, the…
It begins with me. It begins with you. It begins with us…on our knees.
Last Sunday we began our series talking about God’s holiness. Alliance pastor A.W. Tozer said,
God's holiness is not simply the best we know infinitely bettered. We know nothing like the divine holiness. It stands apart, unique, unapproachable, incomprehensible and unattainable. The natural man is blind to it. He may fear God's power and admire His wisdom, but His holiness he cannot even imagine.
The Tozer Devotional adds…
Until we have seen ourselves as God sees us, we are not likely to be much disturbed over conditions around us as long as they do not get so far out of hand as to threaten our comfortable way of life.
We underestimate God’s power and holiness while overestimating our goodness. He is God…and we are not. We don’t deserve to even gain an audience with Him, yet He loves us, proved it, and invites into an eternal relationship with Him. Jesus models for us what it truly means to be human—and holy.
Do you want to be like Jesus? That’s essentially the definition of discipleship—becoming like Christ.
We know that’s his desire for us, which is why I get so frustrated when my life—or the lives of others who claim to follow Christ—doesn’t look like Jesus.
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:14-16)
Are you holy? It’s sort of a trick question. On the one hand, we are made holy because of the cross. Hebrews tells us about God’s will.
And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10)
We are set apart. We are purified, consecrated, set apart, sanctified.
But on the other hand we’re not perfect. We sin, fail, rebel, and disobey. Our lives do not always look like Jesus. He is our example, our teacher, our model, our hero. Just because we don’t get it right every time doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. Dallas Willard said, “Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning.”
God says, “Be holy, for I am holy.” How do we do that? Repentance is required. Repentance is another one of those religious words we don’t often here in the broader culture and it’s often confused with confession.
Confession is a statement. Repentance requires action.
Confession is admitting wrongdoing. It might involve remorse and an apology, but at its most basic level, confession is saying, “I did it.”
Repentance is something we do. It’s a verb. Eugene Peterson wrote,
You don’t repent by taking a deep breath and then feel better. You only repent when you turn around and go back or toward God. It doesn’t make any difference how you feel. You can have the feeling, or you don’t have to have the feeling. What’s essential is that you do something. The call to repentance is not a call to feel the remorse of your sins. It’s a call to turn around so that God can do something about them.
Repentance is to do a u-turn, to turn around, to move in a different direction.
I’m grateful for GPS when I drive. Some of us old people remember the days of pulling maps out of the glove box (did anyone ever have room for their gloves in the glove box?) to get directions. We’d fumble around with this huge piece of paper until we could discover our place, our destination, and the path between them.
Now we just tell Siri where to go and she tells us where to go! Occasionally I find myself disobeying her commands! Recently on the expressway I had to make a pit stop at an exit and she wanted to re-route me. Turn around! You’re going the wrong way! Get back on the right road!
Many of us have been moving in the wrong direction…and therefore, we’re not in the right place. We’re not experiencing the abundant life Jesus promised. We’re living with anxiety, fear, regret, or guilt. We’re ashamed of where we’ve gone and we don’t know how to turn around.
I need to stop right here and say that’s where Jesus comes in! That’s why God’s grace is so amazing. Forgiveness is always available. It’s never too late to turn around, to repent, to turn around, to get right with God, to follow Jesus. He said,
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15)
The good news—the gospel—is that Jesus is LORD, and he invites us to follow him, to experiencing forgiveness and salvation not because of what we do, but because of what he’s done for us on the cross, proving his love and commitment to us by dying for us, for our sins, and reconciling us to our Holy, Heavenly Father.
But we must repent. We must turn. We must change…not by trying harder, but by surrendering to God and letting the Holy Spirit work in and through us.
Jesus didn’t say confess and believe. He didn’t tell us to say a little prayer and go back to normal life. He said repent—turn, change—and believe. The Greek word, pisteuo, for believe means to commit, to put in trust with, to have faith. Like repentance, it involves action.
Why Repent?
You might be asking yourself why we need to repent. If Jesus paid it all, can’t I take my “get out of hell free” card and do it my way? There are several reasons why repentance is essential. The first chapter of the last book of the Bible—Revelation—reveals several. Jesus’ best friend, John, had a revelation from God. He wrote,
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. (Revelation 1:3)
I repent because I am blessed.
I have a friend who has a reputation for giving candy to children at his church. It’s not a creepy thing, but a kind gesture that the area dentists love! He’s a magnet for kids who know that turning toward him will result in a blessing. We’ve been blessed by God and it should be natural to want to be with Him, to follow Him.
Two verses later, John greets his readers with grace and peace…
and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, (Revelation 1:5)
I repent because I am in awe of Jesus’ work on the cross.
After decades of knowing Jesus, I still am in awe of his sacrifice. Last Sunday we celebrated communion together, remembering the cross and the empty tomb. We turn away from sin, repent, and follow Jesus because of all that he has done for us.
The next verse continues by saying that Jesus
and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. (Revelation 1:6)
I repent because I am a priest.
I don’t mean a pastor. That’s my job title. But Jesus has made all of his followers to be priests, serving God. I don’t even understand completely what that means, but I know I can’t bring him glory if I’ve wandered away from Him…which leads to a fourth reason to repent.
I repent because I am able to walk away from holiness and need a wake-up call. (Revelation 1:11-3:22)
Sin has consequences, both from God and from everyday life. You reap what you sow. No matter how passionate and sincere you may be today, it’s possible to wander tomorrow. This is why sanctification is both an action and a process. Repentance is not once-and-done, but like driving a car, a constant steering of our lives, making adjustments, and sometimes making significant corrections.
Many students of the book of Revelation love to search for meanings in the symbolism and apocalyptic messages of the book, but the first three chapters require little interpretation. Jesus speaks to seven churches in cities you can visit to this day. Here’s a quick summary:
- 1. Ephesus: Repent from Idolatry
“Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.” (Revelation 2:5)
- 2. Smyrna: No repentance warning; suffering produces holiness
- 3. Pergamum: Repent from tolerating false teaching and sexual sin
“Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” (Revelation 2:16)
- 4. Thyatira: Repent from tolerating sexual immorality and idolatry taught by false prophetess, causing disunity
“So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.” (Revelation 2:22–23)
- 5. Sardis: Repent from dead faith and lack of deeds
- 6. Philadelphia: No repentance warning; suffering produces holiness
- 7. Laodicia: Repent from self-sufficiency, materialism, and lukewarm faith
So What?
It can be interesting to read the accounts of others and their sins, but what about you? At this moment, do you need to repent? Fill in the blank:
I need to repent from ______________
Maybe it’s idolatry. You’ve given more of your time, talents, treasures, and love to something or someone other than God. It might be a good thing like family or a destructive habit like drugs. Politics has clearly become an idol for many in our day. The church in Ephesus had lost their first love, Jesus. Have you?
Maybe it’s sexual sin like those in Pergamum. Porn, adultery, …any sexual activity that isn’t between a husband and wife. Our culture says it’s no big deal, even celebrating it, but it’s unholy. It’s settling. It’s sin.
Maybe it’s something related to disunity like the Thyatirans. Gossip, slander, criticism, half-truths, judging others, divisiveness.
Maybe it’s a dead faith like the church in Sardis. Maybe it’s not your actions but your inaction that needs to change. When is the last time you really prayed, studied the Bible, shared your faith, gave sacrificially of your time or talents or treasure? You say you believe, but is there evidence…or do you just go through the motions on Sunday morning?
Maybe it’s the self-sufficiency and materialism of the Laodician church. This is especially common among many in our nation who think they don’t need God. We have money, hospitals, cars, the Internet…who has time or need for God? Do you really trust God…or your bank account, career, or power?
Where do you need to repent, to turn, to change? Again, the good news—the great news—is that God offers forgiveness and grace to all of us. Nothing you can do can make God love you more, and nothing you can do can make God love you less.
But until you repent, you won’t be following Jesus. Until you turn away from your sins, you won’t experience true peace. Until you choose to make Jesus LORD and not just Savior, you will never know true intimacy with your Creator and the fruit of the Spirit.
Where do we need to repent as a church? What sin are we tolerating? Where do we exalt wrong teaching or worldly philosophy? Where are we allowing division to creep in? Where have we started to become dead or lukewarm in caring about our community and the world? Where have we become confident in our own wealth and power? Are we even able to suffer?
LORD, Have Mercy
Credits: some ideas taken from Amy Roedding and The Alliance
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The Holiness of God, 3 January 2021
03 01 21
The Holiness of God
Series—40 Days of Prayer with The Alliance
Isaiah 6:1-8
Series Big Idea: We are beginning—and spending—the year on our knees seeking God’s direction, protection, passion, and unity.
Big Idea: God’s holiness will lead us to worship…with our head, heart, and hands.
Happy New Year! Aren’t you glad to get rid of 2020? Actually, if you joined us for our virtual New Year’s Eve celebration, you’ll know that God was faithful in 2020 despite all of the chaos…and I promise you, He will be faithful in 2021!
Today we’re beginning not only a sermon series but a forty-day campaign with the Christian & Missionary Alliance…40 Days of Prayer.
I can’t imagine a better way to start a new year than on our knees. Our world is in transition with the pandemic, our nation is in transition in Washington DC, our church is in transition with new staff members, …we need God! I continue to pray that God would bring us—all of us—Christians and non-Christians—to our knees, seeking first His Kingdom, His will, His righteousness.
Today’s theme is holiness, and few things will bring you to your knees like experiencing the awe and wonder of God’s holiness.
What come to mind when you hear the word holiness?
The original Hebrew word for holy is qadosh. It means ceremonially or morally sacred. It is set apart. Wayne Grudem defines holiness as “the doctrine that God is separated from sin and devoted to seeking his own glory.” Holy is consecrated, hallowed, sanctified, venerated, revered.
The prophet Isaiah had an incredible experience he records in chapter six.
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. (Isaiah 6:1)
How do you imagine God? I’m quite sure Isaiah wasn’t able to see God’s face. God told Moses,
But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” (Exodus 33:20)
Isaiah was able to see God’s glory, His throne. It must’ve been an awesome sight, yet there’s more.
Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. (Isaiah 6:2)
The word “seraphim” means “fiery ones” to indicate their burning love. The appear to have been human with the addition of wings, which might be why angels are often depicted with wings. Isaiah’s eyes must’ve been overwhelmed. But this was more than a visual experience.
And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:3)
The repetition may very well be a reference to the Trinity, one God in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. (Isaiah 6:4)
This was a scene unlike any New Year’s Eve spectacular! I wish he had a video camera! This was no theatrical production, though. It’s just God. He is holy.
Holiness is displayed by God’s power.
There is no one like our God! He is holy, set apart, without equal, supreme. He is free from sin and Master of all. The seraphim declared it, and last book of the Bible tell us the refrain continues.
Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“ ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.” (Revelation 4:8)
This is God stuff. We can’t fully comprehend it. It will require our resurrected bodies to be able to contain it. This is our God.
Holiness is displayed by God’s personification.
God is a Person. Isaiah doesn’t describe God as a force or spirit. He mentions God is seated on a throne dressed in a robe. He is above all, high and lifted up.
Holiness is displayed in God’s praise.
Only God is worthy of continuous worship and adoration, both by humans and other creatures such as the seraphim. This text is truly awe-inspiring. There’s more to the story, but first I want to stop and focus on these words: holy, holy, holy.
Isaiah has this incredible encounter with the Almighty. It engaged all of his senses except, possibly, taste. He saw, felt, smelled, and heard God and His glory, leading him to say,
“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:5)
When you’re in the presence of greatness, it’s humbling.
When I was a young boy, my dad took me to a Detroit Pistons game on church night. After the game, there was a special event featuring the spiritual testimonies of some of the players. Somehow I noticed an empty seat in the audience next to 6’ 10” Kent Benson and I asked my dad if I could fill it. After gaining his approval, I sat next to this gigantic NBA star and could hardly contain my excitement. At one point we were asked to stand and I remember straining my neck just to see his head! I was humbled in the presence of greatness.
The greatness of God is infinitely greater than any athlete. Isaiah recognized not only his physical weakness, but his sinfulness in the presence of our holy God. The New Living Translation describes him saying,
Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.” (Isaiah 6:5, NLT)
That’s a proper response to the LORD…and to our own sin. We are doomed. We are wrecked. I don’t care how good you think you are, compared to God, you are but dust. You and I have no hope before a holy God…apart from God’s grace and mercy.
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” (Isaiah 6:6-7)
Atone is an uncommon word in modern English, but it means to make amends or reparation. It’s making restitution. Isaiah is aware of his sin and unworthiness, yet God had mercy. This is an unusual event, yet the message is clear.
God offers forgiveness.
Jesus made forgiveness possible for all of us when he died on the cross. At one moment Jesus atoned for our sins. You might say he bridged the canyon that existed between a holy God and sinners like us. Regardless of what you’ve done, forgiveness is available through the death and resurrection of Jesus. No matter what you did in 2020—or even the first days of 2021—God offers forgiveness.
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. (1 John 1:8-10)
Make no mistake, someday we will all stand before a holy God and give an account for our lives, but followers of Jesus will not stand alone. We stand with Christ…forgiven. Hallelujah! We celebrate that death, resurrection, and forgiveness today through communion.
God offers forgiveness. We respond with worship.
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)
We often reduce worship to singing songs as we did a moment ago, but worship is declaring God is worthy. It is showing honor and reverence to our awesome and holy God. We can worship with our lips in song. We can worship with our head in study. We can worship with our hands in service to others.
Isaiah had a truly awesome encounter with the holy God, it brought him to his knees, and led him to offer his life.
Have you encountered the holiness of God? If so, worship and service are the only appropriate responses. If we truly realize the extent of God’s holiness, power, and grace, we can’t help but declare, “I surrender all. Here am I. Send me!”
I can’t think of a better way to begin this year than on our knees in devotion to God. We may not have the experience the prophet had, but we can imagine the splendor and majesty of our God and responding in brokenness and humility like Isaiah did. God’s holiness will lead us to worship…with our head, heart, and hands.
Credits: some ideas taken from Steve Grusendorf and The Alliance
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—40 Days of Prayer with The Alliance
Isaiah 6:1-8
Series Big Idea: We are beginning—and spending—the year on our knees seeking God’s direction, protection, passion, and unity.
Big Idea: God’s holiness will lead us to worship…with our head, heart, and hands.
Happy New Year! Aren’t you glad to get rid of 2020? Actually, if you joined us for our virtual New Year’s Eve celebration, you’ll know that God was faithful in 2020 despite all of the chaos…and I promise you, He will be faithful in 2021!
Today we’re beginning not only a sermon series but a forty-day campaign with the Christian & Missionary Alliance…40 Days of Prayer.
I can’t imagine a better way to start a new year than on our knees. Our world is in transition with the pandemic, our nation is in transition in Washington DC, our church is in transition with new staff members, …we need God! I continue to pray that God would bring us—all of us—Christians and non-Christians—to our knees, seeking first His Kingdom, His will, His righteousness.
Today’s theme is holiness, and few things will bring you to your knees like experiencing the awe and wonder of God’s holiness.
What come to mind when you hear the word holiness?
The original Hebrew word for holy is qadosh. It means ceremonially or morally sacred. It is set apart. Wayne Grudem defines holiness as “the doctrine that God is separated from sin and devoted to seeking his own glory.” Holy is consecrated, hallowed, sanctified, venerated, revered.
The prophet Isaiah had an incredible experience he records in chapter six.
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. (Isaiah 6:1)
How do you imagine God? I’m quite sure Isaiah wasn’t able to see God’s face. God told Moses,
But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” (Exodus 33:20)
Isaiah was able to see God’s glory, His throne. It must’ve been an awesome sight, yet there’s more.
Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. (Isaiah 6:2)
The word “seraphim” means “fiery ones” to indicate their burning love. The appear to have been human with the addition of wings, which might be why angels are often depicted with wings. Isaiah’s eyes must’ve been overwhelmed. But this was more than a visual experience.
And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:3)
The repetition may very well be a reference to the Trinity, one God in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. (Isaiah 6:4)
This was a scene unlike any New Year’s Eve spectacular! I wish he had a video camera! This was no theatrical production, though. It’s just God. He is holy.
Holiness is displayed by God’s power.
There is no one like our God! He is holy, set apart, without equal, supreme. He is free from sin and Master of all. The seraphim declared it, and last book of the Bible tell us the refrain continues.
Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“ ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.” (Revelation 4:8)
This is God stuff. We can’t fully comprehend it. It will require our resurrected bodies to be able to contain it. This is our God.
Holiness is displayed by God’s personification.
God is a Person. Isaiah doesn’t describe God as a force or spirit. He mentions God is seated on a throne dressed in a robe. He is above all, high and lifted up.
Holiness is displayed in God’s praise.
Only God is worthy of continuous worship and adoration, both by humans and other creatures such as the seraphim. This text is truly awe-inspiring. There’s more to the story, but first I want to stop and focus on these words: holy, holy, holy.
Isaiah has this incredible encounter with the Almighty. It engaged all of his senses except, possibly, taste. He saw, felt, smelled, and heard God and His glory, leading him to say,
“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:5)
When you’re in the presence of greatness, it’s humbling.
When I was a young boy, my dad took me to a Detroit Pistons game on church night. After the game, there was a special event featuring the spiritual testimonies of some of the players. Somehow I noticed an empty seat in the audience next to 6’ 10” Kent Benson and I asked my dad if I could fill it. After gaining his approval, I sat next to this gigantic NBA star and could hardly contain my excitement. At one point we were asked to stand and I remember straining my neck just to see his head! I was humbled in the presence of greatness.
The greatness of God is infinitely greater than any athlete. Isaiah recognized not only his physical weakness, but his sinfulness in the presence of our holy God. The New Living Translation describes him saying,
Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.” (Isaiah 6:5, NLT)
That’s a proper response to the LORD…and to our own sin. We are doomed. We are wrecked. I don’t care how good you think you are, compared to God, you are but dust. You and I have no hope before a holy God…apart from God’s grace and mercy.
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” (Isaiah 6:6-7)
Atone is an uncommon word in modern English, but it means to make amends or reparation. It’s making restitution. Isaiah is aware of his sin and unworthiness, yet God had mercy. This is an unusual event, yet the message is clear.
God offers forgiveness.
Jesus made forgiveness possible for all of us when he died on the cross. At one moment Jesus atoned for our sins. You might say he bridged the canyon that existed between a holy God and sinners like us. Regardless of what you’ve done, forgiveness is available through the death and resurrection of Jesus. No matter what you did in 2020—or even the first days of 2021—God offers forgiveness.
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. (1 John 1:8-10)
Make no mistake, someday we will all stand before a holy God and give an account for our lives, but followers of Jesus will not stand alone. We stand with Christ…forgiven. Hallelujah! We celebrate that death, resurrection, and forgiveness today through communion.
God offers forgiveness. We respond with worship.
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)
We often reduce worship to singing songs as we did a moment ago, but worship is declaring God is worthy. It is showing honor and reverence to our awesome and holy God. We can worship with our lips in song. We can worship with our head in study. We can worship with our hands in service to others.
Isaiah had a truly awesome encounter with the holy God, it brought him to his knees, and led him to offer his life.
Have you encountered the holiness of God? If so, worship and service are the only appropriate responses. If we truly realize the extent of God’s holiness, power, and grace, we can’t help but declare, “I surrender all. Here am I. Send me!”
I can’t think of a better way to begin this year than on our knees in devotion to God. We may not have the experience the prophet had, but we can imagine the splendor and majesty of our God and responding in brokenness and humility like Isaiah did. God’s holiness will lead us to worship…with our head, heart, and hands.
Credits: some ideas taken from Steve Grusendorf and The Alliance
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Fit for the King, 27 December 2020
27 12 20
Fit for a King
Mark 12:30
Big Idea: We are to glorify God not only with our heart, soul, and mind but also our bodies.
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. It was great to worship with many of you, both here on campus and with those who participated online.
Here we are…that awkward time between Christmas and New Year’s. Gifts are returned. Decorations come down. Toys are broken! And if you’re like me, you may have eaten too many Christmas cookies which leads to those dreadful new year’s resolutions! I think our entire world is looking forward to Friday, though the calendar change will not end the pandemic, political chaos, and division in our land, unfortunately. But a new year is a chance to develop a new you, to maybe set some goals, begin some new habits, and get a fresh start.
I want to challenge you with two things:
According to YouGov, 28% of Americans planned to make New Year’s resolutions last year: 39% of Millennials, 30% of us GenXers, and 19% of Baby Boomers. The most popular resolutions are
(https://www.theactivetimes.com/home/most-popular-new-years-resolutions/slide-15)
I think they are all noble quests, but I found the first seven especially fascinating because they all fit into two categories: money (2, 7) and body (1, 3, 4, 5, 6).
We’ll talk about money in the future, but today’s focus is on the body, becoming Fit for the King.
The Jewish Bible we call the Old Testament is loaded with hundreds of rules and commands about everything from relationships to animal sacrifices. Religious leaders would add their own rules, traditions, and interpretations to suit their preferences and ensure others would be impressed by their outward piety (despite their prideful, unseen hearts).
During Jesus’ years on earth teaching and modeling what it means to be human and glorify God, he was asked which of the laws was most important. He replied,
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
I think most people understand what it means to love with your heart. After all, a heart is the symbol of love. The original Greek word here for heart, kardia, refers to feelings. We can emote love to God. Loving God with all your soul is different. It involves the spirit, something a bit more abstract, perhaps. The Greek word psuche literally means breath. Many in the western world understand loving God with our mind. We read and study the Bible. We develop statements of faith and talk theology, helping one another understand a knowable yet mysterious Creator God. Loving God with our mind can involve our imagination and understanding in addition to mere facts and data.
But then there’s the last one. How do we love the Lord with all our strength, our might, our ability, our power? This certainly takes on a physical dimension. First, a little church history lesson.
In the early days of Christianity, there were some who believed the body and all material reality are evil. This was called Gnosticism. These people thought only the spiritual was good, and salvation was achieved by moving toward a purely spiritual state, transcending the body. Even today, some churches see the body as just a temporary skin that will burn up, a vehicle for our journey on earth until the bus to heaven comes. All that matters, they teach, is the spirit, the soul.
The opening pages of the Bible in the book of Genesis reveal everything as created by God, for God, and for God’s glory…including you and your body. God’s reaction to His work was repeatedly “very good.” Obviously sin has corrupted God’s beautiful work, but that never classified the material world as evil.
Our celebration of the birth of Jesus is testimony to this. He came as Emmanuel, God with in what we call the incarnation. God became flesh. Jesus came into our world with a real body like ours. His presence. To quote writer Ragan Sutterfield,
Early theologians saw this as a work by which Christ was renewing creation, restoring the bodily life through resurrection. Christ’s mission was not to rescue spirits for an ephemeral heaven, but rather to bring resurrection to a created order that had been trapped by the powers of Death. For Christians, the body is not a thing to transcend, but to resurrect.
Someday our bodies will be like the resurrected body of Jesus, but a physical body nonetheless. Our bodies are not evil. In fact, Paul gave a wonderful teaching to the church in Corinth about our bodies. He said,
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)
Where is God? God is everywhere, but God’s Spirit which used to appear in different places throughout scripture was unleashed in the second chapter of Acts. The Jewish temple in Israel was destroyed, but now God lives within every follower of Jesus.
We are God’s temple.
What a remarkable reality! God’s house is not this building. It’s us! This might be why we sometimes talk about letting Jesus come into our heart. We invite God to dwell, to make His home in us. It doesn’t mean that we are God or become God, but that God lives in us.
You were made by God.
You were made for God.
You were made for God’s glory. This includes your body.
Your body is a gift from God. No matter how it compares to supermodels or professional athletes, you were created by God in His image with dignity, value, and worth. All of our bodies are different—and they change over time—but we’ve been given them to bring glory to God.
How do we love God with our body?
We can glorify God with what we put into our bodies.
I’m not going to shame you for your holiday feasting, but think about your fuel. If you put Mountain Dew in a car’s gas tank, how long would it run? If you feed a dog nothing but Cheetos, how healthy would it become?
When I was a kid growing up in church, I used to hear people say, “Don’t smoke. Your body is a temple.” We know now that tobacco use can harm our bodies, leading to cancer and other ailments. But do you know what the number one killer in the USA is?
Presently, it’s COVID-19…so please wear a mask to protect those around you. It’s a simple way to possibly save lives.
The number two killer—and the number one killer in most years—is heart disease. I always found it ironic when an overweight, potluck-loving preacher told people to avoid tobacco while he ate his way toward death! One large Christian comedian remarked, “If the body is a temple, I’m a megachurch!”
I think we all realize obesity, COVID-19, cigarettes, and drug abuse can be harmful to our temples. What we are learning more about is nutrition and the effects of chemicals in our foods. I’m not a nutritionist, but good information is easy to find. One of our church members, Nancy Pickens, is a great resource on nutrition.
We can glorify God with what we do with our bodies.
I asked for some input on this sermon from Nancy and her husband, Dr. Michael Pickens. Here’s what he said:
Loving God with all our strength means using our body to show God you love Him. This means directly loving Him through our worship and by giving Him the first fruits of our labors, both of which require using our bodies. And, it involves loving others as Jesus commanded us - being His hands and feet, which also involves using our physical bodies.
Therefore, we are to “enthusiastically” use our physical bodies, the “temple” of the Holy Spirit, to show God we love Him. How are we going to be able to do this foggy headed, tired/exhausted, and sick all of the time, because we are eating refined and nutritionally deficient artificial foods and not exercising? We can’t! How can we give abundantly from the fruits of our labor if we are spending a huge chunk of our income on doctors’ visits, drugs and hospital stays? We can’t!
To “run the race”, to “fight the good fight”, we need to get back to nourishing our bodies with the bounty that nature provides. God’s nature. Fruits and a lot of veggies in a rainbow of colors, with smaller amounts of meat and grains… Who would want to fly in an airplane made out of parts from a junk yard?
And, we have to get out of our chairs and move! That doesn’t mean tedious hours on end on the elliptical trainer or pumping iron for endless hours in the gym, unless you like to do those things. Walk, bike, swim. You can play games, such as tennis or pickle ball. Make it fun! Just do it on a regular basis. Make arms and legs of steel, instead of spaghetti, to serve our God with all your strength!
I couldn’t have said it better myself!
There’s not much in the Bible about working out at the gym, swimming, or playing pickle ball, but that’s because they didn’t spend 93% of their time indoors…or driving cars! I doubt Jesus and his friends lacked exercise.
That reminds of one of my favorite stories. Entertainer John Davidson was told by his dad that he could have the keys to the car for the upcoming prom if he got straight A’s in school, read the Bible every day, and cut his hair. On the night of the prom, he asked his dad if he could drive the car. His dad said, “You had to do three things.” John replied, “I got straight A’s and read my Bible every day.” His dad said, “Son, you didn’t cut your hair.” John said, “Dad, Jesus had long hair,” to which his dad wisely added, “Jesus walked everywhere he went!”
We can glorify God with what we do with our bodies…and that includes rest. We are human beings, not human doings. We need good rest daily. We need to sabbath weekly, taking a day off to enjoy God and those things which bring us joy and delight. We need to use our vacation days, recharging not only our bodies, but our brains. I’ve heard many say the pandemic has caused them to slow down, which can be a good thing, especially when we’re driven to be so busy. I find it’s easier to focus, care for others, pray, and work well when I’m well-rested. Self-care is vital, and that includes rest.
There’s another issue related to what we do with our bodies that Paul addressed to that church in Corinth. He said,
Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:16-17)
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
As I’ve said before, sexual immorality is essentially any sexual activity outside of a marriage between a man and woman. I know, it’s not politically correct, but that’s God’s plan. Making Jesus Lord means making him master, following his wisdom, obeying his commands. We’re given the freedom to make choices about what we put into our bodies and what we do with our bodies, but those decisions have consequences. I don’t mean to be simplistic, but Daddy knows best. God can be trusted…even with your body. I’ve never met someone who kept themselves pure and regretted it, but there are plenty of examples of people who did whatever felt good at the time, only to find themselves with unwanted pregnancies, diseases, or memories.
If you are a follower of Jesus, God lives in your body. Honor God with your body.
There’s one more thing I want to mention about loving God with our bodies.
We are the hands and feet of Jesus to those we encounter.
People can’t see your heart, your soul, or your mind. They only see our bodies. We are to be Jesus with skin on, the hands and feet of Jesus. It’s been said that you are the only Bible some people will ever read. Whether you know it or not, people are watching you if you call yourself a Christian. They’re evaluating whether you’re real or a faker. Do you act like Jesus or just talk religious? How you treat your body and use it to serve others matters. Actions speak louder than words, and when we love well, it will be noticed.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
You can’t have a part-time Lord. He’s master and controller…or not. Following Jesus is not a Sunday-thing. It’s a 24/7/365 devotion to your Maker. Jesus calls us to love him with all of our heart and with all of our soul and with all of our mind…and with all of our strength…our body.
So What?
What’s your next step today? Perhaps you should make some new year’s resolutions to better take care of the temple. I’ve been trying to do ten pushups a day. It’s not much, but it’s a start. Maybe you need to reduce the food products with ingredients you can’t pronounce, order the small instead of the large portion, or simply eat more fruits and vegetables. Some of you need to choose once and for all to honor God with your body in the bedroom. I believe rest some of us need more rest, whether it’s sleep, taking a weekly sabbath, or using all of your vacation days (I said “some of us!”). We could probably all do more to use our bodies to serve, bless, and love others. Jesus said the most important command was to love God, but then he added,
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:31)
My prayer for you and me is that we would honor God with our bodies in 2021, loving God well and loving others well. To God be the glory!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Mark 12:30
Big Idea: We are to glorify God not only with our heart, soul, and mind but also our bodies.
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. It was great to worship with many of you, both here on campus and with those who participated online.
Here we are…that awkward time between Christmas and New Year’s. Gifts are returned. Decorations come down. Toys are broken! And if you’re like me, you may have eaten too many Christmas cookies which leads to those dreadful new year’s resolutions! I think our entire world is looking forward to Friday, though the calendar change will not end the pandemic, political chaos, and division in our land, unfortunately. But a new year is a chance to develop a new you, to maybe set some goals, begin some new habits, and get a fresh start.
I want to challenge you with two things:
- 1. Mission:119 (Mission119.org)
- 2. 40 Days of Prayer (https://mailchi.mp/cmalliance.org/40daysofprayer-signup)
According to YouGov, 28% of Americans planned to make New Year’s resolutions last year: 39% of Millennials, 30% of us GenXers, and 19% of Baby Boomers. The most popular resolutions are
- 1. Exercise more (50%)
- 2. Save money (49%)
- 3. Eat more healthily (43%)
- 4. Lose weight (37%)
- 5. Reduce stress (34%)
- 6. Get more sleep (30%)
- 7. Stick to a budget (30%)
- 8. Focus on spiritual growth (28%)
- 9. Travel more (25%)
- 10. Learn a new skill (25%)
(https://www.theactivetimes.com/home/most-popular-new-years-resolutions/slide-15)
I think they are all noble quests, but I found the first seven especially fascinating because they all fit into two categories: money (2, 7) and body (1, 3, 4, 5, 6).
We’ll talk about money in the future, but today’s focus is on the body, becoming Fit for the King.
The Jewish Bible we call the Old Testament is loaded with hundreds of rules and commands about everything from relationships to animal sacrifices. Religious leaders would add their own rules, traditions, and interpretations to suit their preferences and ensure others would be impressed by their outward piety (despite their prideful, unseen hearts).
During Jesus’ years on earth teaching and modeling what it means to be human and glorify God, he was asked which of the laws was most important. He replied,
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
I think most people understand what it means to love with your heart. After all, a heart is the symbol of love. The original Greek word here for heart, kardia, refers to feelings. We can emote love to God. Loving God with all your soul is different. It involves the spirit, something a bit more abstract, perhaps. The Greek word psuche literally means breath. Many in the western world understand loving God with our mind. We read and study the Bible. We develop statements of faith and talk theology, helping one another understand a knowable yet mysterious Creator God. Loving God with our mind can involve our imagination and understanding in addition to mere facts and data.
But then there’s the last one. How do we love the Lord with all our strength, our might, our ability, our power? This certainly takes on a physical dimension. First, a little church history lesson.
In the early days of Christianity, there were some who believed the body and all material reality are evil. This was called Gnosticism. These people thought only the spiritual was good, and salvation was achieved by moving toward a purely spiritual state, transcending the body. Even today, some churches see the body as just a temporary skin that will burn up, a vehicle for our journey on earth until the bus to heaven comes. All that matters, they teach, is the spirit, the soul.
The opening pages of the Bible in the book of Genesis reveal everything as created by God, for God, and for God’s glory…including you and your body. God’s reaction to His work was repeatedly “very good.” Obviously sin has corrupted God’s beautiful work, but that never classified the material world as evil.
Our celebration of the birth of Jesus is testimony to this. He came as Emmanuel, God with in what we call the incarnation. God became flesh. Jesus came into our world with a real body like ours. His presence. To quote writer Ragan Sutterfield,
Early theologians saw this as a work by which Christ was renewing creation, restoring the bodily life through resurrection. Christ’s mission was not to rescue spirits for an ephemeral heaven, but rather to bring resurrection to a created order that had been trapped by the powers of Death. For Christians, the body is not a thing to transcend, but to resurrect.
Someday our bodies will be like the resurrected body of Jesus, but a physical body nonetheless. Our bodies are not evil. In fact, Paul gave a wonderful teaching to the church in Corinth about our bodies. He said,
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)
Where is God? God is everywhere, but God’s Spirit which used to appear in different places throughout scripture was unleashed in the second chapter of Acts. The Jewish temple in Israel was destroyed, but now God lives within every follower of Jesus.
We are God’s temple.
What a remarkable reality! God’s house is not this building. It’s us! This might be why we sometimes talk about letting Jesus come into our heart. We invite God to dwell, to make His home in us. It doesn’t mean that we are God or become God, but that God lives in us.
You were made by God.
You were made for God.
You were made for God’s glory. This includes your body.
Your body is a gift from God. No matter how it compares to supermodels or professional athletes, you were created by God in His image with dignity, value, and worth. All of our bodies are different—and they change over time—but we’ve been given them to bring glory to God.
How do we love God with our body?
We can glorify God with what we put into our bodies.
I’m not going to shame you for your holiday feasting, but think about your fuel. If you put Mountain Dew in a car’s gas tank, how long would it run? If you feed a dog nothing but Cheetos, how healthy would it become?
When I was a kid growing up in church, I used to hear people say, “Don’t smoke. Your body is a temple.” We know now that tobacco use can harm our bodies, leading to cancer and other ailments. But do you know what the number one killer in the USA is?
Presently, it’s COVID-19…so please wear a mask to protect those around you. It’s a simple way to possibly save lives.
The number two killer—and the number one killer in most years—is heart disease. I always found it ironic when an overweight, potluck-loving preacher told people to avoid tobacco while he ate his way toward death! One large Christian comedian remarked, “If the body is a temple, I’m a megachurch!”
I think we all realize obesity, COVID-19, cigarettes, and drug abuse can be harmful to our temples. What we are learning more about is nutrition and the effects of chemicals in our foods. I’m not a nutritionist, but good information is easy to find. One of our church members, Nancy Pickens, is a great resource on nutrition.
We can glorify God with what we do with our bodies.
I asked for some input on this sermon from Nancy and her husband, Dr. Michael Pickens. Here’s what he said:
Loving God with all our strength means using our body to show God you love Him. This means directly loving Him through our worship and by giving Him the first fruits of our labors, both of which require using our bodies. And, it involves loving others as Jesus commanded us - being His hands and feet, which also involves using our physical bodies.
Therefore, we are to “enthusiastically” use our physical bodies, the “temple” of the Holy Spirit, to show God we love Him. How are we going to be able to do this foggy headed, tired/exhausted, and sick all of the time, because we are eating refined and nutritionally deficient artificial foods and not exercising? We can’t! How can we give abundantly from the fruits of our labor if we are spending a huge chunk of our income on doctors’ visits, drugs and hospital stays? We can’t!
To “run the race”, to “fight the good fight”, we need to get back to nourishing our bodies with the bounty that nature provides. God’s nature. Fruits and a lot of veggies in a rainbow of colors, with smaller amounts of meat and grains… Who would want to fly in an airplane made out of parts from a junk yard?
And, we have to get out of our chairs and move! That doesn’t mean tedious hours on end on the elliptical trainer or pumping iron for endless hours in the gym, unless you like to do those things. Walk, bike, swim. You can play games, such as tennis or pickle ball. Make it fun! Just do it on a regular basis. Make arms and legs of steel, instead of spaghetti, to serve our God with all your strength!
I couldn’t have said it better myself!
There’s not much in the Bible about working out at the gym, swimming, or playing pickle ball, but that’s because they didn’t spend 93% of their time indoors…or driving cars! I doubt Jesus and his friends lacked exercise.
That reminds of one of my favorite stories. Entertainer John Davidson was told by his dad that he could have the keys to the car for the upcoming prom if he got straight A’s in school, read the Bible every day, and cut his hair. On the night of the prom, he asked his dad if he could drive the car. His dad said, “You had to do three things.” John replied, “I got straight A’s and read my Bible every day.” His dad said, “Son, you didn’t cut your hair.” John said, “Dad, Jesus had long hair,” to which his dad wisely added, “Jesus walked everywhere he went!”
We can glorify God with what we do with our bodies…and that includes rest. We are human beings, not human doings. We need good rest daily. We need to sabbath weekly, taking a day off to enjoy God and those things which bring us joy and delight. We need to use our vacation days, recharging not only our bodies, but our brains. I’ve heard many say the pandemic has caused them to slow down, which can be a good thing, especially when we’re driven to be so busy. I find it’s easier to focus, care for others, pray, and work well when I’m well-rested. Self-care is vital, and that includes rest.
There’s another issue related to what we do with our bodies that Paul addressed to that church in Corinth. He said,
Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:16-17)
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
As I’ve said before, sexual immorality is essentially any sexual activity outside of a marriage between a man and woman. I know, it’s not politically correct, but that’s God’s plan. Making Jesus Lord means making him master, following his wisdom, obeying his commands. We’re given the freedom to make choices about what we put into our bodies and what we do with our bodies, but those decisions have consequences. I don’t mean to be simplistic, but Daddy knows best. God can be trusted…even with your body. I’ve never met someone who kept themselves pure and regretted it, but there are plenty of examples of people who did whatever felt good at the time, only to find themselves with unwanted pregnancies, diseases, or memories.
If you are a follower of Jesus, God lives in your body. Honor God with your body.
There’s one more thing I want to mention about loving God with our bodies.
We are the hands and feet of Jesus to those we encounter.
People can’t see your heart, your soul, or your mind. They only see our bodies. We are to be Jesus with skin on, the hands and feet of Jesus. It’s been said that you are the only Bible some people will ever read. Whether you know it or not, people are watching you if you call yourself a Christian. They’re evaluating whether you’re real or a faker. Do you act like Jesus or just talk religious? How you treat your body and use it to serve others matters. Actions speak louder than words, and when we love well, it will be noticed.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
You can’t have a part-time Lord. He’s master and controller…or not. Following Jesus is not a Sunday-thing. It’s a 24/7/365 devotion to your Maker. Jesus calls us to love him with all of our heart and with all of our soul and with all of our mind…and with all of our strength…our body.
So What?
What’s your next step today? Perhaps you should make some new year’s resolutions to better take care of the temple. I’ve been trying to do ten pushups a day. It’s not much, but it’s a start. Maybe you need to reduce the food products with ingredients you can’t pronounce, order the small instead of the large portion, or simply eat more fruits and vegetables. Some of you need to choose once and for all to honor God with your body in the bedroom. I believe rest some of us need more rest, whether it’s sleep, taking a weekly sabbath, or using all of your vacation days (I said “some of us!”). We could probably all do more to use our bodies to serve, bless, and love others. Jesus said the most important command was to love God, but then he added,
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:31)
My prayer for you and me is that we would honor God with our bodies in 2021, loving God well and loving others well. To God be the glory!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Away in a Manger, 20 December 2020
20 12 20
Away in a Manger
Series—Carols
Luke 2:16-20
Series Big Idea: Carols are the soundtrack of the season as we celebrate Advent.
Big Idea: Baby Jesus in the manager is now LORD of lords, calling us to surrender.
Around 700 BC, the prophet Isaiah wrote these words:
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
Our Advent candle this week is peace (Isaiah 9:6). Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. It’s a little ironic that we lit the peace candle between our two angel songs that terrified the shepherds in their fields!
The Messiah has many names. In that one verse, Isaiah mentions several. What is your favorite name for God? Our Advent series is called Carols and our song of the day, Away in a Manger, features one of the most important yet often ignored word…LORD.
There are countless images that depict the birth of the Messiah. In addition to paintings, we have three-dimensional models we call…nativity scenes or…creches.
For as long as I can remember, our home has always had a nativity scene. It’s tradition for us to set up Mary, Joseph, the animals…and hide baby Jesus until Christmas morning. It’s part of the Advent celebration, the waiting for the coming, the arrival.
We’ve noted before how many nativity scenes are historically inaccurate. After all, the wise men or Magi from the east arrived later, perhaps two years later! Matthew chapter two records that event. If you have a creche at home, you might want to move the wise men…to your backyard!
Side note: there are many myths about the Christmas story that are completely unbiblical…but that’s probably for another time!
Two weeks ago looked at the beginning of the second chapter of Luke’s gospel account of the life of Jesus the Messiah and the shepherds’ encounter with the angels. Verse sixteen continues…
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. (Luke 2:16)
Obviously the manger is featured in Away in a Manger.
Away in a manger no crib for a bed
The King of kings had no thousand-dollar stroller. He was not born in a hospital—modern or ancient. There was no mention of his birth in the Jerusalem Daily News. He was not placed in a $700 crib…but rather a manger…a food trough. How royal!
Nativity scenes often show the manger as a wooden vessel with straw, but first-century mangers may have looked like this (cement). I took this picture in Israel. Would you put your baby—or grandbaby—in that? I suppose if you had no other choice, you would.
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head
Obviously Jesus was little…and apparently His head was sweet! How can you argue with that?
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay
That’s a beautiful image, isn’t it? Stars shining down upon a baby sleeping on a pile of hay.
Away in a Manger was published in the late nineteenth century. For years people thought it was the work of Martin Luther, it is now believed to be an American song with music written by William J. Kirkpatrick (1895) and James Ramsey Murray (1887).
In 1945, Richard Hill suggested Away in a Manger might have originated in "a little play for children to act or a story about Luther celebrating Christmas with his children," likely connected with the 400th anniversary of the reformer's birth in 1883. This might explain why it was called Luther’s Cradle Song.
The cattle are lowing the Baby awakes
Quick quiz: lowing means
But little Lord Jesus no crying He makes
This is the line I question. It’s a quaint notion, but most babies cry when they are suddenly woken. But I wasn’t there! If the point is Jesus never cried, it’s blatantly false. He was fully human and babies cry!
There is a heresy called Docetism which states Jesus was God but not human. I can’t explain it, but Jesus is fully human and fully God. Last week we noted John 1:14…
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
Jesus being human is vital for several reasons. First, his death and resurrection would certainly be questioned if he wasn’t human. Second, his perfect example of what it means to be human would be lost. Furthermore, his humanity allows him to understand what it’s like to be sick, tired, tempted, angry, and joyful.
Speaking of Jesus, the book of Hebrews declares,
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
This is wonderful news. Not only is God with us, Emmanuel, but He understands all of the dynamics of life on earth. He’s been here! He’s faced all of the challenges we face.
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)
What a beautiful promise! We can have a relationship with God. We can pour out our hearts in prayer. We can be real with God.
We are to respect God, but we don’t need to be overly formal. Religion often keeps God at a distance, requiring special places, words, or rituals in order to get His attention.
He’s right here. He’s with us. He’s not out to get you. He’s not sleeping. He knows life is hard. He grieves when we grieve. He shares our joys and sorrows. He loves you. He proved it by dying for you! How are we to respond?
I love Thee Lord Jesus look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle 'til morning is nigh
We love Him because He first loved us.
It didn’t take the shepherds long to love Jesus. They were the first evangelists, proclaimers of good news.
When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2:17-18)
There are so many dimensions to the Christmas story. We’ve mentioned the manger. There was Joseph. Jesus. The angels. The shepherds. Those who heard about the birth from the shepherds. And, of course, Jesus’ mother.
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)
We looked at Mary’s tragic and triumphant life two years ago during Advent. She experienced the joy of bringing the Messiah into the world, but she endured shame as an unwed mom, gave birth in an inadequate place, would watch the horror of her son’s death, and after he rose from the dead, departing earth weeks later. This was a moment she would treasure, though, as she held God with skin on in her arms.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:20)
We have followed this pattern ever since. We gather to glorify and praise God. We worship with our heart, soul, mind, and strength. He deserves it. He is worthy!
Be near me Lord Jesus I ask Thee to stay Close by me forever and love me I pray Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care And fit us for heaven to live with Thee there
Jesus is called “lord” more than 700 times in the New Testament (though I didn’t actually count!)! The Greek word for Lord is kurios, meaning supreme in authority, controller, Master, God. It is not a casual or passive term, but one demanding devotion.
Jesus is not only Savior, but also Lord.
We have a problem with Lord. As I’ve often said, there are vampire Christians who only want Jesus for his blood. They want to use Jesus as Savior, grateful for the cross and the get-out-of-hell-free card they imagine obtaining, but they aren’t followers of Jesus. They may give him an hour on Sunday, but the rest of the week is theirs to live however they feel…whatever makes them happy. After all, we’re Americans and we have the right to do whatever we want so long as we don’t hurt anyone, right?
Not if you have Lord.
You follow a Lord.
You obey a Lord.
You submit to a Lord.
If every Christian truly made Jesus Lord, the Church would look so different. The world would look so different!
You may recall the angel declared Jesus is Lord to the shepherds.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)
It’s not enough to call Jesus your Lord. Jesus said,
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? (Luke 6:46)
My favorite scripture in the Bible says,
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
All your heart. All your ways. Do you trust the LORD? Can you prove it? God can be trusted. He’s not a control freak demanding your obedience, but a loving Father who knows what’s best for us, even when we sometimes don’t understand at the moment what He’s doing. Most of us trust God in some areas. He is lord in certain “rooms” of our house, so to speak. But usually we don’t trust God in the areas in which we do not know Him, the rooms in which we’ve never let Him in. We think we’ll trust God after He proves to be trustworthy, but we really need to reverse it. He is trustworthy. He does know best. He is at work in the universe and He wants a relationship with you. But first you must let go. You must surrender. That can be scary, especially for those of you who have had trauma and trust issues with humans. But I promise you, Jesus can be trusted. The consequences of making Jesus Lord are not only immediate, but also eternal.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
Those are sobering words, and they were spoken by Lord Jesus. Calling Jesus Lord does not make Jesus Lord.
So What?
Jesus may be your friend.
Jesus may be your Savior.
Is Jesus your Lord?
We don’t make Jesus Lord. He is. We choose to surrender to His control…or not.
Where have you not fully surrendered to the Lord Jesus?
What’s holding you back?
What next steps do you need to take to more fully surrender to Christ?
When you surrender your life, you discover your life (Matthew 10:39).
Conclusion
Away in a Manger is a classic Christmas carol. It draws our attention to a little baby asleep on the hay, but that baby didn’t stay in the manger. He grew, taught, healed, modeled for us what it means to be human, forgave sins, died a brutal death, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and he’s coming back. Advent is about celebrating his first visit to our planet…and awaiting his second coming soon. He will rule and reign forever and ever. He is the King of kings. He is the LORD of lords.
As we sing this song today—and as you hear it throughout the season—I encourage you to focus on Lord Jesus…and make him your Lord.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Carols
Luke 2:16-20
Series Big Idea: Carols are the soundtrack of the season as we celebrate Advent.
Big Idea: Baby Jesus in the manager is now LORD of lords, calling us to surrender.
Around 700 BC, the prophet Isaiah wrote these words:
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
Our Advent candle this week is peace (Isaiah 9:6). Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. It’s a little ironic that we lit the peace candle between our two angel songs that terrified the shepherds in their fields!
The Messiah has many names. In that one verse, Isaiah mentions several. What is your favorite name for God? Our Advent series is called Carols and our song of the day, Away in a Manger, features one of the most important yet often ignored word…LORD.
There are countless images that depict the birth of the Messiah. In addition to paintings, we have three-dimensional models we call…nativity scenes or…creches.
For as long as I can remember, our home has always had a nativity scene. It’s tradition for us to set up Mary, Joseph, the animals…and hide baby Jesus until Christmas morning. It’s part of the Advent celebration, the waiting for the coming, the arrival.
We’ve noted before how many nativity scenes are historically inaccurate. After all, the wise men or Magi from the east arrived later, perhaps two years later! Matthew chapter two records that event. If you have a creche at home, you might want to move the wise men…to your backyard!
Side note: there are many myths about the Christmas story that are completely unbiblical…but that’s probably for another time!
Two weeks ago looked at the beginning of the second chapter of Luke’s gospel account of the life of Jesus the Messiah and the shepherds’ encounter with the angels. Verse sixteen continues…
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. (Luke 2:16)
Obviously the manger is featured in Away in a Manger.
Away in a manger no crib for a bed
The King of kings had no thousand-dollar stroller. He was not born in a hospital—modern or ancient. There was no mention of his birth in the Jerusalem Daily News. He was not placed in a $700 crib…but rather a manger…a food trough. How royal!
Nativity scenes often show the manger as a wooden vessel with straw, but first-century mangers may have looked like this (cement). I took this picture in Israel. Would you put your baby—or grandbaby—in that? I suppose if you had no other choice, you would.
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head
Obviously Jesus was little…and apparently His head was sweet! How can you argue with that?
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay
That’s a beautiful image, isn’t it? Stars shining down upon a baby sleeping on a pile of hay.
Away in a Manger was published in the late nineteenth century. For years people thought it was the work of Martin Luther, it is now believed to be an American song with music written by William J. Kirkpatrick (1895) and James Ramsey Murray (1887).
In 1945, Richard Hill suggested Away in a Manger might have originated in "a little play for children to act or a story about Luther celebrating Christmas with his children," likely connected with the 400th anniversary of the reformer's birth in 1883. This might explain why it was called Luther’s Cradle Song.
The cattle are lowing the Baby awakes
Quick quiz: lowing means
- a. The position of the cattle’s head
- b. Another term for grazing
- c. A sound cattle make
But little Lord Jesus no crying He makes
This is the line I question. It’s a quaint notion, but most babies cry when they are suddenly woken. But I wasn’t there! If the point is Jesus never cried, it’s blatantly false. He was fully human and babies cry!
There is a heresy called Docetism which states Jesus was God but not human. I can’t explain it, but Jesus is fully human and fully God. Last week we noted John 1:14…
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
Jesus being human is vital for several reasons. First, his death and resurrection would certainly be questioned if he wasn’t human. Second, his perfect example of what it means to be human would be lost. Furthermore, his humanity allows him to understand what it’s like to be sick, tired, tempted, angry, and joyful.
Speaking of Jesus, the book of Hebrews declares,
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
This is wonderful news. Not only is God with us, Emmanuel, but He understands all of the dynamics of life on earth. He’s been here! He’s faced all of the challenges we face.
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)
What a beautiful promise! We can have a relationship with God. We can pour out our hearts in prayer. We can be real with God.
We are to respect God, but we don’t need to be overly formal. Religion often keeps God at a distance, requiring special places, words, or rituals in order to get His attention.
He’s right here. He’s with us. He’s not out to get you. He’s not sleeping. He knows life is hard. He grieves when we grieve. He shares our joys and sorrows. He loves you. He proved it by dying for you! How are we to respond?
I love Thee Lord Jesus look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle 'til morning is nigh
We love Him because He first loved us.
It didn’t take the shepherds long to love Jesus. They were the first evangelists, proclaimers of good news.
When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2:17-18)
There are so many dimensions to the Christmas story. We’ve mentioned the manger. There was Joseph. Jesus. The angels. The shepherds. Those who heard about the birth from the shepherds. And, of course, Jesus’ mother.
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)
We looked at Mary’s tragic and triumphant life two years ago during Advent. She experienced the joy of bringing the Messiah into the world, but she endured shame as an unwed mom, gave birth in an inadequate place, would watch the horror of her son’s death, and after he rose from the dead, departing earth weeks later. This was a moment she would treasure, though, as she held God with skin on in her arms.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:20)
We have followed this pattern ever since. We gather to glorify and praise God. We worship with our heart, soul, mind, and strength. He deserves it. He is worthy!
Be near me Lord Jesus I ask Thee to stay Close by me forever and love me I pray Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care And fit us for heaven to live with Thee there
Jesus is called “lord” more than 700 times in the New Testament (though I didn’t actually count!)! The Greek word for Lord is kurios, meaning supreme in authority, controller, Master, God. It is not a casual or passive term, but one demanding devotion.
Jesus is not only Savior, but also Lord.
We have a problem with Lord. As I’ve often said, there are vampire Christians who only want Jesus for his blood. They want to use Jesus as Savior, grateful for the cross and the get-out-of-hell-free card they imagine obtaining, but they aren’t followers of Jesus. They may give him an hour on Sunday, but the rest of the week is theirs to live however they feel…whatever makes them happy. After all, we’re Americans and we have the right to do whatever we want so long as we don’t hurt anyone, right?
Not if you have Lord.
You follow a Lord.
You obey a Lord.
You submit to a Lord.
If every Christian truly made Jesus Lord, the Church would look so different. The world would look so different!
You may recall the angel declared Jesus is Lord to the shepherds.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)
It’s not enough to call Jesus your Lord. Jesus said,
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? (Luke 6:46)
My favorite scripture in the Bible says,
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
All your heart. All your ways. Do you trust the LORD? Can you prove it? God can be trusted. He’s not a control freak demanding your obedience, but a loving Father who knows what’s best for us, even when we sometimes don’t understand at the moment what He’s doing. Most of us trust God in some areas. He is lord in certain “rooms” of our house, so to speak. But usually we don’t trust God in the areas in which we do not know Him, the rooms in which we’ve never let Him in. We think we’ll trust God after He proves to be trustworthy, but we really need to reverse it. He is trustworthy. He does know best. He is at work in the universe and He wants a relationship with you. But first you must let go. You must surrender. That can be scary, especially for those of you who have had trauma and trust issues with humans. But I promise you, Jesus can be trusted. The consequences of making Jesus Lord are not only immediate, but also eternal.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
Those are sobering words, and they were spoken by Lord Jesus. Calling Jesus Lord does not make Jesus Lord.
So What?
Jesus may be your friend.
Jesus may be your Savior.
Is Jesus your Lord?
We don’t make Jesus Lord. He is. We choose to surrender to His control…or not.
Where have you not fully surrendered to the Lord Jesus?
What’s holding you back?
What next steps do you need to take to more fully surrender to Christ?
When you surrender your life, you discover your life (Matthew 10:39).
Conclusion
Away in a Manger is a classic Christmas carol. It draws our attention to a little baby asleep on the hay, but that baby didn’t stay in the manger. He grew, taught, healed, modeled for us what it means to be human, forgave sins, died a brutal death, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and he’s coming back. Advent is about celebrating his first visit to our planet…and awaiting his second coming soon. He will rule and reign forever and ever. He is the King of kings. He is the LORD of lords.
As we sing this song today—and as you hear it throughout the season—I encourage you to focus on Lord Jesus…and make him your Lord.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
O Come, All Ye Faithful, 13 December 2020
13 12 20
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Series—Carols
Series Big Idea: Carols are the soundtrack of the season as we celebrate Advent.
Big Idea: Joy is the result of focusing our attention upon Jesus the Messiah who is worthy of our adoration.
Last week we began our Advent series, Carols. This season has its own soundtrack, a diverse collection of songs ranging from the silly (Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer) to the sacred (last Sunday’s theme, O Holy Night). Today we’re going to look at a seventeenth century song originally written in Latin, Adeste Fideles. We know it as O Come, All Ye Faithful.
What do you think about when hear the word “faithful?” Couples promise on their wedding day to be faithful to one another until death. We sing “Great is Thy Faithfulness” as we worship our trustworthy LORD.
Dictionary.com lists these definitions for the adjective faithful:
Then it lists the definitions of the noun faithful:
True. Steady. Loyal. Reliable. Trusted. Believed. Accurate. Do these words describe you? Do they describe us? If so, come. O Come, All Ye Faithful.
The root of the word faithful is…faith. There is a belief, a conviction behind the faithful. The faithful are full of faith. Are you?
One of my favorite stories in the Bible involves a boy possessed by a spirit. He would be thrown to the ground, foam a the mouth, gnash his teeth, and become rigid. It’s a disturbing situation. John Mark writes about his encounter with Jesus.
So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. (Mark 9:20)
Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered.
“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” (Mark 9:21-22)
“ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” (Mark 9:23)
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
This is one of my personal prayers—I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief.
Put another way, LORD, help me trust You more. Give me faith. Strengthen my faithfulness and loyalty to you.
The challenge to faithfulness is distraction. This is true for a married person whose eyes wander. It is true for the religious person who explores another faith. It can be true for Christians who become more devoted to the things of this world rather than the things of God.
One of the most famous Christmas carols begins
O come all ye faithful
Are you among the faithful? Are you a fully-devoted follower of Jesus Christ? Based upon my aforementioned prayer, I want to be, though I sometimes fail. The next line describes the manner in which God’s faithful people are to come.
Joyful and triumphant
Our Advent candle this week is joy. We are taught by the Declaration of Independence to pursue happiness. I want to be happy, but it’s hard to sustain. It comes and goes. It’s usually based upon circumstances, many of which we cannot control.
I am very happy today because my Michigan Wolverines did not lose to that team down south yesterday!
Unfortunately, a loss in the future is inevitable and I will be unhappy!
But joy is different. Happiness is external, where joy is more internal. The Greek word, chara, means gladness, calm delight. We can pursue joy. We can choose it. C.S. Lewis said,
“No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened.”
He called joy “the serious business of heaven,” noting, “Joy is never in our power and pleasure often is,” wondering, “whether all pleasures are not substitutes for joy.” In our text last week, we read,
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. (Luke 2:10)
Nehemiah famously said in the book (8:10) that bears his name, “The joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Joy is found in the LORD, not shopping malls or Hallmark Christmas movies! C.S Lewis wrote,
“If you want to get warm you must stand near the fire: if you want to be wet you must get into the water. If you want joy, power, peace, eternal life, you must get close to, or even into, the thing that has them. They are not a sort of prize which God could, if He chose, just hand out to anyone.”
The faithful are joyful and triumphant. Although it didn’t look like it as Jesus was crucified, he was actually winning, destroying sin and death forever. He is the victor, the champion, the greatest…and being with him, being for him, being faithful to him allows us to be joyful and triumphant.
Joy is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). If you want joy, you must get close to the LORD. The message of today’s carol is just that…get close to the LORD, come and behold God in a manger.
O come ye O come ye to Bethlehem Come and behold Him Born the King of angels
Obviously, we are not instructed to fly to Israel and visit Bethlehem, though you can. It’s a real city. The message is for God’s faithful to come and worship.
O come let us adore Him O come let us adore Him O come let us adore Him Christ the Lord
What do you adore? What do you worship or honor or admire? What do you think about, spend time on, give your money to, focus your energies upon? “You are what you love (James K. A. Smith).”
The original Latin version of O Come, All Ye Faithful may have been written by St. Bonaventure, John Francis Wade, John Reading, King John IV of Portugal, or anonymous Cistercian monks somewhere between the 13th and 18th century. We are more certain that the English translation was done by the English Catholic priest Frederick Oakeley in 1841, with three additional verses added by William Thomas Brooke. First published in Murray’s Hymnal in 1852, Oakeley originally called the song, “Ye Faithful, approach ye.” The musical tune has been attributed to several musicians.
My favorite part of the song has always been the dynamics of the chorus. After joyfully singing the verses, there is a hush when the chorus begins, O come let us adore Him, then getting louder each time until the crescendo of the song’s subject, Christ the LORD. Our response to knowing God is worship and adoration.
The second verse reflects the second chapter of Luke we examined last Sunday.
Sing choirs of angels Sing in exultation O sing all ye bright Hosts of heav'n above Glory to God all Glory in the highest
What a site that must’ve been for the shepherds who witnessed it.
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, (Luke 2:13)
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14)
There’s a difference between Advent songs and Christmas songs. We are in the middle of Advent, the season of waiting for the coming, a time of anticipation. We are expecting the return of Jesus soon, though we also reflect back upon those who were waiting for his first coming. Perhaps the most famous Advent song is “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” The title says it all. Come, LORD! We are waiting, we are anticipating. We are waiting until December 25…waiting to open presents, waiting for Christmas dinner, waiting for the day we celebrate Jesus’ birthday. O Come, All Ye Faithful is best sung on that day, especially the third verse.
Yea Lord we greet Thee Born this happy morning Jesus to Thee be all glory giv'n Word of the Father Now in flesh appearing
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
Eugene Peterson captured this so brilliantly in The Message when he translated,
The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish. (John 1:14, The Message)
Emmanuel, God with us. Flesh and blood. One of us. God with skin on. Amazing!
So What?
Once again, our response to knowing God is worship and adoration. When we ponder who He is and all that He has done, how can we not praise Him? How can we not come and adore Him?
I know some of you love to sing…and others would just as soon skip to the sermon! Worship is so much more than singing songs. It is one way we adore the LORD, and the angels set a great example on the night of Jesus’ birth.
Last week we talked about posture, particularly the humble act of kneeling. I’ve been in places where the awe of God has caused people to clap, raise their hands, kneel, lie on the floor, dance, weep, and shout. I’m not talking about putting on a show, drawing attention to one’s self, being a charismaniac, or feeling peer pressure to perform for others. I’m simply talking about our response to God.
There’s a powerful scene in Luke’s gospel where Jesus is having dinner at the home of a religious Pharisee.
A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. (Luke 7:37-38)
This disturbed the host who was quick to label her a “sinner,” as if he wasn’t! Jesus used it as a teaching moment.
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” (Luke 7:44-47)
Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:48)
The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” (Luke 7:49)
Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:50)
She was faithful. She was full of faith. She came to adore Jesus.
She also had many sins. She received great forgiveness. She expressed great love.
That describes some of you. You know what it’s like to be at the bottom of the barrel, and you’ve experienced the thrill of forgiveness, the outlandish—some call it reckless—love of God. You can’t help but sing, shout, wail, dance in response to all God has done for you.
Some of you are more…reserved! It may be culture. It may be tradition. It may be your personality. That’s fine. But perhaps it’s because you’ve simply lost the awe, wonder, mystery, and majesty of Almighty God. You’ve forgotten the price paid for your salvation. You’ve reduced your faith to some beliefs in your head rather than a transformation of your heart. I want to encourage you to take time this Advent to read, reflect, and become captivated by the joy of the Messiah, the wonder of the season, the love that came down at Christmas. We are told to remember because we so easily forget, we get comfortable, things become familiar and we lose our passion.
We’ve all sinned—a lot—and our reflection upon the manger, the cross, and the empty tomb should lead us to fall to our knees, to be joyful and triumphant, to come and adore Him! He is worthy!
O Come, All Ye Faithful
One more thing…
Worship and adoration is more than singing songs on Sunday morning. It’s how we live our lives, what we do with our time, talents, and treasures. We worship through our generosity, kindness, love…heart, soul, mind, and strength. Family, go worship the King!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Carols
Series Big Idea: Carols are the soundtrack of the season as we celebrate Advent.
Big Idea: Joy is the result of focusing our attention upon Jesus the Messiah who is worthy of our adoration.
Last week we began our Advent series, Carols. This season has its own soundtrack, a diverse collection of songs ranging from the silly (Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer) to the sacred (last Sunday’s theme, O Holy Night). Today we’re going to look at a seventeenth century song originally written in Latin, Adeste Fideles. We know it as O Come, All Ye Faithful.
What do you think about when hear the word “faithful?” Couples promise on their wedding day to be faithful to one another until death. We sing “Great is Thy Faithfulness” as we worship our trustworthy LORD.
Dictionary.com lists these definitions for the adjective faithful:
- - Strict or thorough in the performance of duty
- - True to one’s word, promises, vows, etc.
- - Steady in allegiance or affection; loyal; constant
- - Reliable, trusted, or believed
- - Adhering or true to fact, a standard, or an original; accurate
Then it lists the definitions of the noun faithful:
- - The believers, especially members of a Christian church or adherents of Islam
- - The body of loyal members of any party or group
True. Steady. Loyal. Reliable. Trusted. Believed. Accurate. Do these words describe you? Do they describe us? If so, come. O Come, All Ye Faithful.
The root of the word faithful is…faith. There is a belief, a conviction behind the faithful. The faithful are full of faith. Are you?
One of my favorite stories in the Bible involves a boy possessed by a spirit. He would be thrown to the ground, foam a the mouth, gnash his teeth, and become rigid. It’s a disturbing situation. John Mark writes about his encounter with Jesus.
So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. (Mark 9:20)
Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered.
“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” (Mark 9:21-22)
“ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” (Mark 9:23)
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
This is one of my personal prayers—I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief.
Put another way, LORD, help me trust You more. Give me faith. Strengthen my faithfulness and loyalty to you.
The challenge to faithfulness is distraction. This is true for a married person whose eyes wander. It is true for the religious person who explores another faith. It can be true for Christians who become more devoted to the things of this world rather than the things of God.
One of the most famous Christmas carols begins
O come all ye faithful
Are you among the faithful? Are you a fully-devoted follower of Jesus Christ? Based upon my aforementioned prayer, I want to be, though I sometimes fail. The next line describes the manner in which God’s faithful people are to come.
Joyful and triumphant
Our Advent candle this week is joy. We are taught by the Declaration of Independence to pursue happiness. I want to be happy, but it’s hard to sustain. It comes and goes. It’s usually based upon circumstances, many of which we cannot control.
I am very happy today because my Michigan Wolverines did not lose to that team down south yesterday!
Unfortunately, a loss in the future is inevitable and I will be unhappy!
But joy is different. Happiness is external, where joy is more internal. The Greek word, chara, means gladness, calm delight. We can pursue joy. We can choose it. C.S. Lewis said,
“No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened.”
He called joy “the serious business of heaven,” noting, “Joy is never in our power and pleasure often is,” wondering, “whether all pleasures are not substitutes for joy.” In our text last week, we read,
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. (Luke 2:10)
Nehemiah famously said in the book (8:10) that bears his name, “The joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Joy is found in the LORD, not shopping malls or Hallmark Christmas movies! C.S Lewis wrote,
“If you want to get warm you must stand near the fire: if you want to be wet you must get into the water. If you want joy, power, peace, eternal life, you must get close to, or even into, the thing that has them. They are not a sort of prize which God could, if He chose, just hand out to anyone.”
The faithful are joyful and triumphant. Although it didn’t look like it as Jesus was crucified, he was actually winning, destroying sin and death forever. He is the victor, the champion, the greatest…and being with him, being for him, being faithful to him allows us to be joyful and triumphant.
Joy is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). If you want joy, you must get close to the LORD. The message of today’s carol is just that…get close to the LORD, come and behold God in a manger.
O come ye O come ye to Bethlehem Come and behold Him Born the King of angels
Obviously, we are not instructed to fly to Israel and visit Bethlehem, though you can. It’s a real city. The message is for God’s faithful to come and worship.
O come let us adore Him O come let us adore Him O come let us adore Him Christ the Lord
What do you adore? What do you worship or honor or admire? What do you think about, spend time on, give your money to, focus your energies upon? “You are what you love (James K. A. Smith).”
The original Latin version of O Come, All Ye Faithful may have been written by St. Bonaventure, John Francis Wade, John Reading, King John IV of Portugal, or anonymous Cistercian monks somewhere between the 13th and 18th century. We are more certain that the English translation was done by the English Catholic priest Frederick Oakeley in 1841, with three additional verses added by William Thomas Brooke. First published in Murray’s Hymnal in 1852, Oakeley originally called the song, “Ye Faithful, approach ye.” The musical tune has been attributed to several musicians.
My favorite part of the song has always been the dynamics of the chorus. After joyfully singing the verses, there is a hush when the chorus begins, O come let us adore Him, then getting louder each time until the crescendo of the song’s subject, Christ the LORD. Our response to knowing God is worship and adoration.
The second verse reflects the second chapter of Luke we examined last Sunday.
Sing choirs of angels Sing in exultation O sing all ye bright Hosts of heav'n above Glory to God all Glory in the highest
What a site that must’ve been for the shepherds who witnessed it.
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, (Luke 2:13)
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14)
There’s a difference between Advent songs and Christmas songs. We are in the middle of Advent, the season of waiting for the coming, a time of anticipation. We are expecting the return of Jesus soon, though we also reflect back upon those who were waiting for his first coming. Perhaps the most famous Advent song is “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” The title says it all. Come, LORD! We are waiting, we are anticipating. We are waiting until December 25…waiting to open presents, waiting for Christmas dinner, waiting for the day we celebrate Jesus’ birthday. O Come, All Ye Faithful is best sung on that day, especially the third verse.
Yea Lord we greet Thee Born this happy morning Jesus to Thee be all glory giv'n Word of the Father Now in flesh appearing
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
Eugene Peterson captured this so brilliantly in The Message when he translated,
The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish. (John 1:14, The Message)
Emmanuel, God with us. Flesh and blood. One of us. God with skin on. Amazing!
So What?
Once again, our response to knowing God is worship and adoration. When we ponder who He is and all that He has done, how can we not praise Him? How can we not come and adore Him?
I know some of you love to sing…and others would just as soon skip to the sermon! Worship is so much more than singing songs. It is one way we adore the LORD, and the angels set a great example on the night of Jesus’ birth.
Last week we talked about posture, particularly the humble act of kneeling. I’ve been in places where the awe of God has caused people to clap, raise their hands, kneel, lie on the floor, dance, weep, and shout. I’m not talking about putting on a show, drawing attention to one’s self, being a charismaniac, or feeling peer pressure to perform for others. I’m simply talking about our response to God.
There’s a powerful scene in Luke’s gospel where Jesus is having dinner at the home of a religious Pharisee.
A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. (Luke 7:37-38)
This disturbed the host who was quick to label her a “sinner,” as if he wasn’t! Jesus used it as a teaching moment.
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” (Luke 7:44-47)
Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:48)
The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” (Luke 7:49)
Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:50)
She was faithful. She was full of faith. She came to adore Jesus.
She also had many sins. She received great forgiveness. She expressed great love.
That describes some of you. You know what it’s like to be at the bottom of the barrel, and you’ve experienced the thrill of forgiveness, the outlandish—some call it reckless—love of God. You can’t help but sing, shout, wail, dance in response to all God has done for you.
Some of you are more…reserved! It may be culture. It may be tradition. It may be your personality. That’s fine. But perhaps it’s because you’ve simply lost the awe, wonder, mystery, and majesty of Almighty God. You’ve forgotten the price paid for your salvation. You’ve reduced your faith to some beliefs in your head rather than a transformation of your heart. I want to encourage you to take time this Advent to read, reflect, and become captivated by the joy of the Messiah, the wonder of the season, the love that came down at Christmas. We are told to remember because we so easily forget, we get comfortable, things become familiar and we lose our passion.
We’ve all sinned—a lot—and our reflection upon the manger, the cross, and the empty tomb should lead us to fall to our knees, to be joyful and triumphant, to come and adore Him! He is worthy!
O Come, All Ye Faithful
One more thing…
Worship and adoration is more than singing songs on Sunday morning. It’s how we live our lives, what we do with our time, talents, and treasures. We worship through our generosity, kindness, love…heart, soul, mind, and strength. Family, go worship the King!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
O Holy Night, 6 December 2020
28 11 20
O Holy Night
Series—Carols
Luke 2:6-14
Series Big Idea: Carols are the soundtrack of the season as we celebrate Advent.
Big Idea: Jesus brings a thrill of hope to a weary world, prompting us to fall to our knees in worship.
I love music! There are few things I enjoy more than playing, composing, and singing music. Whether it’s nurture, nature, or both, music has been a vital part of my life for as long as I can remember. My grandpa could play virtually every instrument in the orchestra. My dad could, too. I’m a third-generation musician, and our son, Trevor, carries the baton today.
Music is powerful. It can energize us during a workout, bring tears to our eyes, or relax us before we drift off to sleep. A song can excite a crowd at a concert or transport us back to nostalgic moments of childhood. Perhaps the coolest thing I’ve ever heard is that some Jewish rabbis believed when God created the universe, He sung it into existence! Imagine our world the result of a song!
Although it will be unusual this year, I love Christmas. I like buying gifts for family and friends (especially when I find a deal!). I enjoy the parties…especially white elephant exchanges! Christmas cookies are amazing…especially gingerbread! But perhaps my favorite thing about Christmas besides people is the music. No other holiday has a soundtrack so robust, whether it’s “I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas” or “Silent Night.”
What is your favorite Christmas carol? Comment online.
Most of you are familiar with the Christmas story, but this year we’re going to look at it from the perspective of composers who put the scriptures to song. We begin this morning with what might be my all-time favorite Christmas carol: “O Holy Night.”
In 1843, the church organ in the French city of Roquemaure was completely renovated. To celebrate the newly finished organ, the parish priest had the local poet, wine merchant, and mayor, Placide Cappeau write a poem. Cappeau was an interesting fellow. A fireworks accident blew up his right hand at age eight, and he was known to “enjoy the bottle,” so to speak. This French poet was moved by Luke chapter two…
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:6-7)
This is a familiar text to anyone who’s ever attending a church at Christmastime. What would it be like to be an eyewitness of this moment? This is what Cappeau considered as he wrote his poem.
We’re in the season of Advent, a season based upon the Latin word “adventus” or “coming.” It’s a time of preparation for the coming of the LORD Jesus Christ. We look back at those who were anticipating his first entry into our world. Timing is everything, they say, and Dr. Luke includes this detail that “the time came for the baby to be born.” Imagine waiting hundreds of years for something. The Messiah had been prophesied throughout the pages of the Jewish Bible, and Luke records this historic moment.
What are you anticipating? Maybe it’s a COVID-19 vaccine or recovery from the virus. Perhaps you are waiting for a prodigal son or daughter to come home. Children can’t wait to open those presents under the tree. God’s timing is perfect. I often say He’s never late but rarely early! While we look back at the first coming of Jesus, we look forward to his return. He is coming—soon—but rather than a baby, he will coming as a king…the King of kings, the LORD of lords. I don’t know anyone who likes to wait, but I know Jesus will be worth the wait!
Luke continues…
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. (Luke 2:8)
This was unremarkable. The land was likely filled with shepherds and flocks. But then something incredible happens!
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. (Luke 2:9)
Angels are real. They are found throughout the Bible.
Have you ever encountered an angel? I’ve heard stories of angels appearing as ordinary humans, only to suddenly disappear. This is not one of those occasions! This angel appears along with the glory of the LORD. It was terrifying! For the shepherds, this was not a silent night, but a scary night!
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12)
This would’ve been enough to get my attention…but there’s more!
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, (Luke 2:13)
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14)
Imagine the sights! Imagine the sounds! This is what Cappeau was pondering when he wrote his poem.
O Holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
What a night.
What a light.
What a sight.
What delight!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
This is an odd phrase to the modern reader. To “pine” means to long for something. The world was filled with sin and error. Hope was scarce. The world was pining or longing for something…for someone.
'Til He appears and the soul felt its worth
The Messiah changed everything! No person has ever had such a transformational impact on our planet. I can’t even imagine life without Jesus. The next phrase might be the most fantastic lyric in this or any other carol.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
Could there be a more relevant declaration in this moment, in 2020? Our world is weary. It is broken. It is suffering in so many ways. I love Cappeau’s line “a thrill of hope.” Pastor Keith spoke of hope last week, also the theme of the first Advent candle.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
Followers of Jesus can experience a thrill of hope…and rejoice! Pastor Keith said hope is “holding onto promises earnestly.”
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
What thrills you? Some people like watching thriller movies. I love the thrill rides at Cedar Point! But there’s nothing more thrilling than hope, especially in the midst of despair.
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
In the distance…up ahead…yonder…breaks a new and glorious morn. It’s coming! It’s around the corner. Get ready!
The prophet Jeremiah wrote in 586 BC
I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.
Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
Because of the LORD’S great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD. (Lamentations 3:20-26)
Fall on your knees; O hear the Angel voices!
The shepherds were terrified when they heard and saw the angel. I’m quite sure their knees hit the ground. We’re not a culture that’s used to bowing, to kneeling, to stooping down. Posture matters.
If you’re physically able, fall on your knees right now, wherever you are. How does it feel? Do you feel a loss of power? Do you feel in control? Is it a humbling position?
My frequent prayer—especially this year—has been for our nation and its leaders to fall on our knees, to cry out to God, to be awestruck by His power and wisdom and humbly recognize our own frailty and inadequacy. I don’t care who the mayor, governor, or president is, I pray for them to fall on their knees. And I want that for you, too…and myself. Kneeling is not comfortable, but it’s effective! It will shift your perspective in a hurry.
Ever since the pandemic began, I’ve been praying that this might be the moment God uses to get our attention, to spark a spiritual awakening, to prompt a revival, to free us from the bondage of our idolatry of money, sex, and power and instill in us awe and wonder of the LORD God Almighty.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but politics has not been the answer. Education has not been the answer. Entertainment has not been the answer. Science has not been the answer. The economy has not been the answer.
Only Jesus is the answer. Only the Messiah can bring real hope. Our desperation and God’s awesome presence should cause us to fall on our knees.
O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night, O Holy night, O night divine!
Cappeau captured the scene so vividly from Luke 2. What a night. What a holy, divine night!
There’s actually quite a bit more to the story of “O Holy Night.” Composer Adolphe Adam was approached to compose music for the poem. Adam was a Jew! He was asked to write music for a poem about the Messiah and it was composed within a day!
On Christmas Eve, 1847, the song was sung and was so well-received that it spread throughout the community. When the church leaders learned about who wrote it, they tried to shut it down! Religion can destroy just about anything! Fortunately, it couldn’t stop this song. It eventually made its way from France to England and a man named John Sullivan Dwight brought it to the USA. Dwight was a Harvard graduate and a minister, but he had panic attacks whenever he preached. He resigned as a pastor and created a journal of music. He took the French poem and translated it into English in the mid-1850s. Do you know what was happening in our nation in the mid-1850’s? There was a little debate going on about the issue of slavery. Let’s return to the song.
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is Peace
Jesus taught us to not only love God, but to love others…even our enemies. Most of us see law as a heavy or negative word, but what would happen if love was the law? The gospel or “good news” is peace.
Hope. Love. Peace. Could we use a little bit of that today? Family, this might be the moment our world has been anticipating. We serve the God of hope. Our trademark is supposed to be love. We follow the Prince of Peace. We have what the world needs more than a vaccine! We have life…the way, the truth, the life! We have Jesus! We need to share Jesus, proclaim Jesus, follow Jesus!
As if the song couldn’t get more relevant, the next line says,
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother
Do remember Dwight, the man who translated the French into English? He was a strong abolitionist. He recognized the sin of slavery.
And in His name, all oppression shall cease
The Black Lives Matter organization will not solve racism. Laws won’t change wicked hearts. Sin has invaded all of our lives…but there is power in the name of Jesus. There is salvation in the name of Jesus. There is healing in the name of Jesus. Demons tremble at the sound of the name of Jesus. In His name, all oppression will end. Prejudice. Racism. Injustice. Slavery. Bondage. Sin. Death.
So What?
How shall we respond?
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us Praise His Holy name
Christ is the Lord; O praise His name forever!
His power and glory evermore proclaim
His power and glory evermore proclaim
In 1870, there was war in Europe, On Christmas Eve, a French soldier leaped out of his trench and started singing this (in French). This led a German soldier to start singing a German carol. In the midst of the conflict, they had three days of peace. O Holy Night brought peace in the midst of the war. Maybe it’s exactly what our world needs today.
There’s one more story. In 1906, a man named Marconi invented…the radio. The technology was so primitive it only transmitted morse code signals! Reginald Fessenden was trying to increase the range of the radio. On Christmas Eve 1906, people were listening for morse code but, instead, heard the Luke 2 passage read and then Fessenden playing this song on the violin…the first song ever transmitted on radio!
This song was requested by a forgotten priest
Written by an irreligious poet
Put to music by a Jewish composer
Translated into English by a minister unable to speak
It interrupted a war
And became the first song ever heard on radio!
Some of those men knew the story of Jesus, but they didn’t know Jesus. Do you? Family, this season is a reminder of the thrill of hope that our weary world desperately needs. It should cause us to fall to our knees in worship, in adoration, in praise. Christ is the LORD. O praise his name forever! He is here. He is Emmanuel, God with us. Hallelujah! Let us worship Him…every day!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Carols
Luke 2:6-14
Series Big Idea: Carols are the soundtrack of the season as we celebrate Advent.
Big Idea: Jesus brings a thrill of hope to a weary world, prompting us to fall to our knees in worship.
I love music! There are few things I enjoy more than playing, composing, and singing music. Whether it’s nurture, nature, or both, music has been a vital part of my life for as long as I can remember. My grandpa could play virtually every instrument in the orchestra. My dad could, too. I’m a third-generation musician, and our son, Trevor, carries the baton today.
Music is powerful. It can energize us during a workout, bring tears to our eyes, or relax us before we drift off to sleep. A song can excite a crowd at a concert or transport us back to nostalgic moments of childhood. Perhaps the coolest thing I’ve ever heard is that some Jewish rabbis believed when God created the universe, He sung it into existence! Imagine our world the result of a song!
Although it will be unusual this year, I love Christmas. I like buying gifts for family and friends (especially when I find a deal!). I enjoy the parties…especially white elephant exchanges! Christmas cookies are amazing…especially gingerbread! But perhaps my favorite thing about Christmas besides people is the music. No other holiday has a soundtrack so robust, whether it’s “I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas” or “Silent Night.”
What is your favorite Christmas carol? Comment online.
Most of you are familiar with the Christmas story, but this year we’re going to look at it from the perspective of composers who put the scriptures to song. We begin this morning with what might be my all-time favorite Christmas carol: “O Holy Night.”
In 1843, the church organ in the French city of Roquemaure was completely renovated. To celebrate the newly finished organ, the parish priest had the local poet, wine merchant, and mayor, Placide Cappeau write a poem. Cappeau was an interesting fellow. A fireworks accident blew up his right hand at age eight, and he was known to “enjoy the bottle,” so to speak. This French poet was moved by Luke chapter two…
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:6-7)
This is a familiar text to anyone who’s ever attending a church at Christmastime. What would it be like to be an eyewitness of this moment? This is what Cappeau considered as he wrote his poem.
We’re in the season of Advent, a season based upon the Latin word “adventus” or “coming.” It’s a time of preparation for the coming of the LORD Jesus Christ. We look back at those who were anticipating his first entry into our world. Timing is everything, they say, and Dr. Luke includes this detail that “the time came for the baby to be born.” Imagine waiting hundreds of years for something. The Messiah had been prophesied throughout the pages of the Jewish Bible, and Luke records this historic moment.
What are you anticipating? Maybe it’s a COVID-19 vaccine or recovery from the virus. Perhaps you are waiting for a prodigal son or daughter to come home. Children can’t wait to open those presents under the tree. God’s timing is perfect. I often say He’s never late but rarely early! While we look back at the first coming of Jesus, we look forward to his return. He is coming—soon—but rather than a baby, he will coming as a king…the King of kings, the LORD of lords. I don’t know anyone who likes to wait, but I know Jesus will be worth the wait!
Luke continues…
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. (Luke 2:8)
This was unremarkable. The land was likely filled with shepherds and flocks. But then something incredible happens!
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. (Luke 2:9)
Angels are real. They are found throughout the Bible.
Have you ever encountered an angel? I’ve heard stories of angels appearing as ordinary humans, only to suddenly disappear. This is not one of those occasions! This angel appears along with the glory of the LORD. It was terrifying! For the shepherds, this was not a silent night, but a scary night!
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12)
This would’ve been enough to get my attention…but there’s more!
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, (Luke 2:13)
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14)
Imagine the sights! Imagine the sounds! This is what Cappeau was pondering when he wrote his poem.
O Holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
What a night.
What a light.
What a sight.
What delight!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
This is an odd phrase to the modern reader. To “pine” means to long for something. The world was filled with sin and error. Hope was scarce. The world was pining or longing for something…for someone.
'Til He appears and the soul felt its worth
The Messiah changed everything! No person has ever had such a transformational impact on our planet. I can’t even imagine life without Jesus. The next phrase might be the most fantastic lyric in this or any other carol.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
Could there be a more relevant declaration in this moment, in 2020? Our world is weary. It is broken. It is suffering in so many ways. I love Cappeau’s line “a thrill of hope.” Pastor Keith spoke of hope last week, also the theme of the first Advent candle.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
Followers of Jesus can experience a thrill of hope…and rejoice! Pastor Keith said hope is “holding onto promises earnestly.”
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
What thrills you? Some people like watching thriller movies. I love the thrill rides at Cedar Point! But there’s nothing more thrilling than hope, especially in the midst of despair.
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
In the distance…up ahead…yonder…breaks a new and glorious morn. It’s coming! It’s around the corner. Get ready!
The prophet Jeremiah wrote in 586 BC
I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.
Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
Because of the LORD’S great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD. (Lamentations 3:20-26)
Fall on your knees; O hear the Angel voices!
The shepherds were terrified when they heard and saw the angel. I’m quite sure their knees hit the ground. We’re not a culture that’s used to bowing, to kneeling, to stooping down. Posture matters.
If you’re physically able, fall on your knees right now, wherever you are. How does it feel? Do you feel a loss of power? Do you feel in control? Is it a humbling position?
My frequent prayer—especially this year—has been for our nation and its leaders to fall on our knees, to cry out to God, to be awestruck by His power and wisdom and humbly recognize our own frailty and inadequacy. I don’t care who the mayor, governor, or president is, I pray for them to fall on their knees. And I want that for you, too…and myself. Kneeling is not comfortable, but it’s effective! It will shift your perspective in a hurry.
Ever since the pandemic began, I’ve been praying that this might be the moment God uses to get our attention, to spark a spiritual awakening, to prompt a revival, to free us from the bondage of our idolatry of money, sex, and power and instill in us awe and wonder of the LORD God Almighty.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but politics has not been the answer. Education has not been the answer. Entertainment has not been the answer. Science has not been the answer. The economy has not been the answer.
Only Jesus is the answer. Only the Messiah can bring real hope. Our desperation and God’s awesome presence should cause us to fall on our knees.
O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night, O Holy night, O night divine!
Cappeau captured the scene so vividly from Luke 2. What a night. What a holy, divine night!
There’s actually quite a bit more to the story of “O Holy Night.” Composer Adolphe Adam was approached to compose music for the poem. Adam was a Jew! He was asked to write music for a poem about the Messiah and it was composed within a day!
On Christmas Eve, 1847, the song was sung and was so well-received that it spread throughout the community. When the church leaders learned about who wrote it, they tried to shut it down! Religion can destroy just about anything! Fortunately, it couldn’t stop this song. It eventually made its way from France to England and a man named John Sullivan Dwight brought it to the USA. Dwight was a Harvard graduate and a minister, but he had panic attacks whenever he preached. He resigned as a pastor and created a journal of music. He took the French poem and translated it into English in the mid-1850s. Do you know what was happening in our nation in the mid-1850’s? There was a little debate going on about the issue of slavery. Let’s return to the song.
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is Peace
Jesus taught us to not only love God, but to love others…even our enemies. Most of us see law as a heavy or negative word, but what would happen if love was the law? The gospel or “good news” is peace.
Hope. Love. Peace. Could we use a little bit of that today? Family, this might be the moment our world has been anticipating. We serve the God of hope. Our trademark is supposed to be love. We follow the Prince of Peace. We have what the world needs more than a vaccine! We have life…the way, the truth, the life! We have Jesus! We need to share Jesus, proclaim Jesus, follow Jesus!
As if the song couldn’t get more relevant, the next line says,
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother
Do remember Dwight, the man who translated the French into English? He was a strong abolitionist. He recognized the sin of slavery.
And in His name, all oppression shall cease
The Black Lives Matter organization will not solve racism. Laws won’t change wicked hearts. Sin has invaded all of our lives…but there is power in the name of Jesus. There is salvation in the name of Jesus. There is healing in the name of Jesus. Demons tremble at the sound of the name of Jesus. In His name, all oppression will end. Prejudice. Racism. Injustice. Slavery. Bondage. Sin. Death.
So What?
How shall we respond?
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us Praise His Holy name
Christ is the Lord; O praise His name forever!
His power and glory evermore proclaim
His power and glory evermore proclaim
In 1870, there was war in Europe, On Christmas Eve, a French soldier leaped out of his trench and started singing this (in French). This led a German soldier to start singing a German carol. In the midst of the conflict, they had three days of peace. O Holy Night brought peace in the midst of the war. Maybe it’s exactly what our world needs today.
There’s one more story. In 1906, a man named Marconi invented…the radio. The technology was so primitive it only transmitted morse code signals! Reginald Fessenden was trying to increase the range of the radio. On Christmas Eve 1906, people were listening for morse code but, instead, heard the Luke 2 passage read and then Fessenden playing this song on the violin…the first song ever transmitted on radio!
This song was requested by a forgotten priest
Written by an irreligious poet
Put to music by a Jewish composer
Translated into English by a minister unable to speak
It interrupted a war
And became the first song ever heard on radio!
Some of those men knew the story of Jesus, but they didn’t know Jesus. Do you? Family, this season is a reminder of the thrill of hope that our weary world desperately needs. It should cause us to fall to our knees in worship, in adoration, in praise. Christ is the LORD. O praise his name forever! He is here. He is Emmanuel, God with us. Hallelujah! Let us worship Him…every day!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Jesus on Divorce, 8 November 2020
09 11 20
Jesus on Divorce
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 10:1-16
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: God designed marriage and family for our flourishing, not our frustration.
I guess I’m a glutton for punishment! It’s not enough to talk about politics, race, theological differences, and hell! Today we’re talking about divorce. Actually, Jesus is talking about divorce.
One of my professors told me years ago, “Always put the Bible between you and your audience so when they’re offended, they’re offended by the Bible, not by you and your opinions.” Great advice! You don’t have to always agree with me. In fact, I’d be worried if you did! There are many things in the Bible that simply aren’t clear. My boyhood pastor once said, “There are some things the Bible is silent about, and we should be, too.” Some things are debatable and others essential and indisputable.
If you didn’t know by now, my favorite biblical character is…Jesus! I love the book of Mark because it’s the shortest, most to-the-point of the four gospels, the good news of the Messiah. Many of your Bibles have words in the color red, indicating they are the words of Jesus, the teachings of Jesus, the challenging, counter-cultural wisdom of God.
Today we’re looking at what Jesus said about divorce in Mark chapter ten.
In the beginning, God created marriage. Well, first man was created. Then, …
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18)
A few verses later Genesis reads,
So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. (Genesis 2:21-22)
The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
for she was taken out of man.” (Genesis 2:23)
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. (Genesis 2:24)
Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. (Genesis 2:25)
The two were one flesh, both physically and emotionally. They complemented one another. Loneliness was shattered. Community was established. And one of the most beautiful realities of their differences allowed them to reproduce and form a family…father, mother, child. This is God’s design. It makes perfect sense. For thousands of years, the biological family of father, mother, and child has been the foundation of societies from every nation, tribe, and tongue.
The family—biological and spiritual—is vital for everyone.
I wish the story ended there, a naked husband and wife experiencing paradise, free from shame, sin, and sorrow. Unfortunately, the very next verse in Genesis introduces the tragic event known as The Fall when Adam and Eve sinned, felt shame, were expelled from the Garden of Eden, and experienced punishment…not the least of which was marital conflict which leads us to today’s text in Mark 10.
Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them. (Mark 10:1)
Mark is giving us details which might seem trivial, but this district was under the rule of Herod Antipas, the one John the Baptist preached against due to his adulterous marriage—marrying his brother’s wife—which might be one reason for the question that follows.
Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” (Mark 10:2)
There are several reasons why we ask questions. Often, it’s out of genuine curiosity. Sometimes, we are seeking clarification or confirmation. In this instance, Mark tells us these religious leaders were testing Jesus. Divorce was a controversial subject, and the original Greek verbs convey the idea that they kept asking Jesus, trying to get him to say something incriminating. As is often the case, Jesus responds to a question with a question, knowing their impure hearts.
“What did Moses command you?” he replied. (Mark 10:3)
Rather than debating rabbinical schools of thought, Jesus went right to the scriptures. It is believed that the first five books of the Bible, known as the Pentateuch, were written by Moses. When he led the Jewish people out of Egypt toward the Promised Land, hundreds of laws were written to instruct the people on everything from diets and hygiene to murder and rest. One of the topics was divorce.
They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” (Mark 10:4)
Moses never commanded divorce. He merely allowed it to protect the vulnerable women from exploitation. Deuteronomy 24:1-4 offers a provision for divorce when there is “some uncleanness.” Rabbi Hillel and his followers interpreted that to mean a man could divorce his wife for any reason, even burning his food! Rabbi Shimmai taught this only applied to premarital sin, such as discovering his new bride was not a virgin.
The provision for divorce was not to encourage it, but rather to protect the wife if her husband scorned her. Jewish women could not divorce their husbands. If a woman was rejected, she was often destitute. The certificate of divorce declared her free to remarry. Remarriage of the woman was expected for her survival. The question was, “What are the legal grounds for the man to divorce his bride?” Adultery was not grounds for divorce because it resulted in the stoning of both the adulterer and adulteress (Deut. 22:22; Lev. 20:10; John 8:1-11)!
“It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. (Mark 10:5)
Marriage is not a contract. A covenant is an unbreakable commitment. Obviously, some covenants are broken, causing great harm to everyone involved. Since marriage is a picture of God’s covenant with His people (Hebrews 9:15), divorce made a mockery of the covenant relationship. In fact, the relationship between Jesus and us—the Church—is used to illustrate that of a husband and wife in Ephesians 5.
Jesus continues…
“But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ (Mark 10:6)
I never imagined the day when this would be a radical, controversial statement! This article speaks volumes! If we’re all just random accidents—blobs of tissue with no value—I suppose we can think and do whatever we want because we have no purpose, no destiny, no meaning. But if we were created, if we have value, if we are masterpieces, then we must submit to the Creator.
But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ (Romans 9:20)
I don’t want to get on a soapbox here, but the story of the Bible is so beautiful, so creative, so redemptive, so unbelievably good! If it’s true—and I’m betting my life on it—we are not God. We don’t write the rules.
I know the Bible isn’t politically correct, but if it is followed carefully, it results in human flourishing like nothing else. God made us male and female. He made us to complement one another. He made husband to become one with his wife for the purpose of pro-creation, the establishment of family, mutual submission, pleasure, love and respect, a reflection of Jesus and the Church.
Obviously when the Bible is not followed carefully, abuse emerges. Sin affects us all on a daily basis. We see signs of it all around us, yet it’s not God’s fault. The plan is perfect. It’s the poor execution that results in pain, injustice, hatred, violence, deceit, misogyny, corruption, and the like. God has given us free will, the ability to make choices. All of the brokenness in our world is the result of poor choices…sin.
Let me explain it this way: Heather and I have been watching a show called Nailed It. The baking show gives three contestants a cake to make in an hour or two. They are presented with the model cake and are asked to recreate it. The recipe and ingredients are provided. The results are usually hilarious!
I am no baker! I might be able to buy one of those tubes of cookie dough and make some simple cookies, but these Nailed It cakes are truly works of art. The baffling thing to me, though, is when the bakers ignore the recipe, make up their own measurements, or even substitute ingredients! One person decided baking a cake was too difficult and, instead, found a Rice Krispie treat and decorated it!
The Nailed It bakers are given the freedom to do whatever they want, but the winners are the ones who play by the rules and follow the recipe.
The same is true for life. You can argue about God’s rules—and He has given you the freedom to ignore them—but I promise you the results will never be as good as if you obey the Master, the Author of life.
Back to our text, Jesus echoes the words of Genesis when he says,
7 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” (Mark 10:7-9)
I often think of marriage like super gluing two pieces of paper together. Don’t do it if you want to separate them! Use Post-It notes for that! If you super glue two papers together, it will be nearly impossible to separate them without damage to them both.
That’s a pathetic metaphor for marriage, I know, but hopefully you get the point. Marriage is intended to glue two people together…to become one…for life…’til death. Married people are not supposed to separate, but sometimes they do…and it is always painful and unfortunate.
When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11 He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12 And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.” (Mark 10:10-12)
Jewish women could not divorce their husbands, but Roman women could. Adultery was a pretty big deal. It’s in God’s top ten list, the Ten Commandments. It’s still a big deal today because it destroys trust, the foundation of any relationship.
Adultery—like all sin—hurts us and offends God.
All sin leads to death, whether it’s physical, relational, emotional, financial, spiritual, etc.
Can divorce be forgiven? Absolutely.
Can adultery be forgiven? Yes!
Does divorce solve every problem in a broken marriage? Of course not.
Is it sometimes unavoidable? Yes, in certain circumstances.
God hates divorce, but not divorcees.
I think everyone hates divorce…except, perhaps, for divorce attorneys! It’s not the way it’s supposed to be…like so much of life.
So What?
Marriage was God’s design, intended for life.
This is seen throughout the Bible, including Romans 7:2 and 1 Corinthians 7:39. Can people survive in “alternative lifestyles?” Sure. But living outside of God’s plan will never allow you to truly thrive. I didn’t write the book, but I’ve read it and I’ve experienced it. It works!
God designed marriage and family for our flourishing, not our frustration.
I know it’s cool and edgy and progressive to be into polygamy, polyamory, fornication, adultery, gay marriage, orgies, BDSM, pedophilia, and other forbidden arrangements often described under the heading of “sexual immorality” (mentioned more than twenty times throughout the Bible; e.g. Numbers 25:1; Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21; Acts 15:20, 29; Ephesians 5:3; Jude 7; Revelation 9:21). But why settle when you can have the best? Daddy knows best, He loves you, and He wants the best for you.
Let me be clear: following Jesus is not always easy. It’s certainly not popular. God has given us the freedom to make choices, and with freedom comes responsibility and with actions comes consequences. You’ll get the best performance out of life if you follow the recipe, read the owner’s manual, obey God’s instructions in the Bible (which is also why it’s so important to read and study it to know what’s in there!).
If you’re involved in any form of sexual immorality, God doesn’t hate you. I don’t hate you. Quite the opposite. God’s love desires for you to experience the ultimate satisfaction and joy. I want the best for you. I’m not here to judge you or condemn you, but simply point you to Jesus where you can find forgiveness, freedom, and true peace.
If you’re struggling with any form of sexual issue, I urge you to seek help. Celebrate Recovery and Christian counseling are two things offered here on our campus. I’d love to talk with you or you can even talk to Karen Thompson, our office manager, in confidence. She attends another church so you need not worry about seeing her here on Sundays. I’ve given her resources to share with anyone seeking help.
In addition, if you are struggling in your marriage, help is available. Divorce will not fix everything. Again, contact the office and either ask for me or, if you prefer anonymity, get some resources from Karen our office manager. We are here to serve you…and our God is the God of miracles! Several years ago friends of ours came to Heather and I shared the dreadful news that their marriage had been violated by not only pornography and affairs, but prostitutes. This good Christian couple with the perfect family was on the verge of collapse. The woman had every right to seek a lawyer, but by God’s grace she chose forgiveness and a very long, very painful road of reconciliation and restoration. Today, they help other couples on the brink of divorce and have a beautiful marriage, a brilliant portrait of redemption and healing.
I said earlier,
God hates divorce, but not divorcees.
Some people picture God as this angry judge out to get us. Yes, Judgment Day is coming for all of us…and followers of Jesus have a wonderful ally to help us. But I think often the consequences of sin are enough on their own. Like a judge telling a parent who accidentally killed their child they have suffered enough, I wonder if the pain of divorce needs any additional penalty from God. I can’t prove that, but it’s just a thought. I’ve not been divorced, but I have yet to meet someone who enjoyed it. One person expressed this online: “That’s the horrific loss in divorce, it’s not losing your spouse - that’s just a breakup - it’s the loss of that new family you created, it’s devastating beyond words.” Sadly, many divorcees never had a say in the matter. Others were hasty in getting divorced and now live with regret.
Let me add,
God hates sin, but not sinners.
We’re all sinners. Every one of us has struggles, and the enemy wants to deceive us into thinking we’re the only ones. If you think you’re the only one listening to me struggling with porn, same-sex attraction, lust, fornication, divorce, adultery, or the like, you are mistaken! The first step in experiencing freedom is to admit it, confess it, get help. The reason our mission involves “restoring God’s masterpieces” is because you are a masterpiece, but a broken one. Me, too. God wants the best for us, but He has also given us freedom…and sometimes we don’t make the best use of that freedom.
If you want to get married, choose wisely.
Many single people don’t want to marry, and Paul says it’s better if you don’t marry (1 Corinthians 7:8). If you are seeking a spouse, remember it’s for life. Do your homework. Pray like crazy. Seek input from wise counsel. Don’t rush into it.
One more thing
Divorce is devastating for the husband and wife…and also the children, even adult children. Now they enter the picture…literally.
People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. (Mark 10:13-16)
Children are a blessing from God.
There’s nothing quite like kids! There is an innocence, a humility, a vulnerability that allows them to have precious faith. They have no filter, which is wonderful when it comes to intimacy with God. They are trusting and have the most incredible curiosity. We are to approach our Heavenly Father like a child, filled with awe and wonder, desperate and surrendered. We are not to be childish, but childlike!
May God bless all of our families, marriages, singles, and children.
The Christian & Missionary Alliance statement on divorce:
https://www.cmalliance.org/about/beliefs/perspectives/divorce
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 10:1-16
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: God designed marriage and family for our flourishing, not our frustration.
I guess I’m a glutton for punishment! It’s not enough to talk about politics, race, theological differences, and hell! Today we’re talking about divorce. Actually, Jesus is talking about divorce.
One of my professors told me years ago, “Always put the Bible between you and your audience so when they’re offended, they’re offended by the Bible, not by you and your opinions.” Great advice! You don’t have to always agree with me. In fact, I’d be worried if you did! There are many things in the Bible that simply aren’t clear. My boyhood pastor once said, “There are some things the Bible is silent about, and we should be, too.” Some things are debatable and others essential and indisputable.
If you didn’t know by now, my favorite biblical character is…Jesus! I love the book of Mark because it’s the shortest, most to-the-point of the four gospels, the good news of the Messiah. Many of your Bibles have words in the color red, indicating they are the words of Jesus, the teachings of Jesus, the challenging, counter-cultural wisdom of God.
Today we’re looking at what Jesus said about divorce in Mark chapter ten.
In the beginning, God created marriage. Well, first man was created. Then, …
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18)
A few verses later Genesis reads,
So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. (Genesis 2:21-22)
The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
for she was taken out of man.” (Genesis 2:23)
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. (Genesis 2:24)
Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. (Genesis 2:25)
The two were one flesh, both physically and emotionally. They complemented one another. Loneliness was shattered. Community was established. And one of the most beautiful realities of their differences allowed them to reproduce and form a family…father, mother, child. This is God’s design. It makes perfect sense. For thousands of years, the biological family of father, mother, and child has been the foundation of societies from every nation, tribe, and tongue.
The family—biological and spiritual—is vital for everyone.
I wish the story ended there, a naked husband and wife experiencing paradise, free from shame, sin, and sorrow. Unfortunately, the very next verse in Genesis introduces the tragic event known as The Fall when Adam and Eve sinned, felt shame, were expelled from the Garden of Eden, and experienced punishment…not the least of which was marital conflict which leads us to today’s text in Mark 10.
Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them. (Mark 10:1)
Mark is giving us details which might seem trivial, but this district was under the rule of Herod Antipas, the one John the Baptist preached against due to his adulterous marriage—marrying his brother’s wife—which might be one reason for the question that follows.
Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” (Mark 10:2)
There are several reasons why we ask questions. Often, it’s out of genuine curiosity. Sometimes, we are seeking clarification or confirmation. In this instance, Mark tells us these religious leaders were testing Jesus. Divorce was a controversial subject, and the original Greek verbs convey the idea that they kept asking Jesus, trying to get him to say something incriminating. As is often the case, Jesus responds to a question with a question, knowing their impure hearts.
“What did Moses command you?” he replied. (Mark 10:3)
Rather than debating rabbinical schools of thought, Jesus went right to the scriptures. It is believed that the first five books of the Bible, known as the Pentateuch, were written by Moses. When he led the Jewish people out of Egypt toward the Promised Land, hundreds of laws were written to instruct the people on everything from diets and hygiene to murder and rest. One of the topics was divorce.
They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” (Mark 10:4)
Moses never commanded divorce. He merely allowed it to protect the vulnerable women from exploitation. Deuteronomy 24:1-4 offers a provision for divorce when there is “some uncleanness.” Rabbi Hillel and his followers interpreted that to mean a man could divorce his wife for any reason, even burning his food! Rabbi Shimmai taught this only applied to premarital sin, such as discovering his new bride was not a virgin.
The provision for divorce was not to encourage it, but rather to protect the wife if her husband scorned her. Jewish women could not divorce their husbands. If a woman was rejected, she was often destitute. The certificate of divorce declared her free to remarry. Remarriage of the woman was expected for her survival. The question was, “What are the legal grounds for the man to divorce his bride?” Adultery was not grounds for divorce because it resulted in the stoning of both the adulterer and adulteress (Deut. 22:22; Lev. 20:10; John 8:1-11)!
“It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. (Mark 10:5)
Marriage is not a contract. A covenant is an unbreakable commitment. Obviously, some covenants are broken, causing great harm to everyone involved. Since marriage is a picture of God’s covenant with His people (Hebrews 9:15), divorce made a mockery of the covenant relationship. In fact, the relationship between Jesus and us—the Church—is used to illustrate that of a husband and wife in Ephesians 5.
Jesus continues…
“But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ (Mark 10:6)
I never imagined the day when this would be a radical, controversial statement! This article speaks volumes! If we’re all just random accidents—blobs of tissue with no value—I suppose we can think and do whatever we want because we have no purpose, no destiny, no meaning. But if we were created, if we have value, if we are masterpieces, then we must submit to the Creator.
But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ (Romans 9:20)
I don’t want to get on a soapbox here, but the story of the Bible is so beautiful, so creative, so redemptive, so unbelievably good! If it’s true—and I’m betting my life on it—we are not God. We don’t write the rules.
I know the Bible isn’t politically correct, but if it is followed carefully, it results in human flourishing like nothing else. God made us male and female. He made us to complement one another. He made husband to become one with his wife for the purpose of pro-creation, the establishment of family, mutual submission, pleasure, love and respect, a reflection of Jesus and the Church.
Obviously when the Bible is not followed carefully, abuse emerges. Sin affects us all on a daily basis. We see signs of it all around us, yet it’s not God’s fault. The plan is perfect. It’s the poor execution that results in pain, injustice, hatred, violence, deceit, misogyny, corruption, and the like. God has given us free will, the ability to make choices. All of the brokenness in our world is the result of poor choices…sin.
Let me explain it this way: Heather and I have been watching a show called Nailed It. The baking show gives three contestants a cake to make in an hour or two. They are presented with the model cake and are asked to recreate it. The recipe and ingredients are provided. The results are usually hilarious!
I am no baker! I might be able to buy one of those tubes of cookie dough and make some simple cookies, but these Nailed It cakes are truly works of art. The baffling thing to me, though, is when the bakers ignore the recipe, make up their own measurements, or even substitute ingredients! One person decided baking a cake was too difficult and, instead, found a Rice Krispie treat and decorated it!
The Nailed It bakers are given the freedom to do whatever they want, but the winners are the ones who play by the rules and follow the recipe.
The same is true for life. You can argue about God’s rules—and He has given you the freedom to ignore them—but I promise you the results will never be as good as if you obey the Master, the Author of life.
Back to our text, Jesus echoes the words of Genesis when he says,
7 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” (Mark 10:7-9)
I often think of marriage like super gluing two pieces of paper together. Don’t do it if you want to separate them! Use Post-It notes for that! If you super glue two papers together, it will be nearly impossible to separate them without damage to them both.
That’s a pathetic metaphor for marriage, I know, but hopefully you get the point. Marriage is intended to glue two people together…to become one…for life…’til death. Married people are not supposed to separate, but sometimes they do…and it is always painful and unfortunate.
When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11 He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12 And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.” (Mark 10:10-12)
Jewish women could not divorce their husbands, but Roman women could. Adultery was a pretty big deal. It’s in God’s top ten list, the Ten Commandments. It’s still a big deal today because it destroys trust, the foundation of any relationship.
Adultery—like all sin—hurts us and offends God.
All sin leads to death, whether it’s physical, relational, emotional, financial, spiritual, etc.
Can divorce be forgiven? Absolutely.
Can adultery be forgiven? Yes!
Does divorce solve every problem in a broken marriage? Of course not.
Is it sometimes unavoidable? Yes, in certain circumstances.
God hates divorce, but not divorcees.
I think everyone hates divorce…except, perhaps, for divorce attorneys! It’s not the way it’s supposed to be…like so much of life.
So What?
Marriage was God’s design, intended for life.
This is seen throughout the Bible, including Romans 7:2 and 1 Corinthians 7:39. Can people survive in “alternative lifestyles?” Sure. But living outside of God’s plan will never allow you to truly thrive. I didn’t write the book, but I’ve read it and I’ve experienced it. It works!
God designed marriage and family for our flourishing, not our frustration.
I know it’s cool and edgy and progressive to be into polygamy, polyamory, fornication, adultery, gay marriage, orgies, BDSM, pedophilia, and other forbidden arrangements often described under the heading of “sexual immorality” (mentioned more than twenty times throughout the Bible; e.g. Numbers 25:1; Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21; Acts 15:20, 29; Ephesians 5:3; Jude 7; Revelation 9:21). But why settle when you can have the best? Daddy knows best, He loves you, and He wants the best for you.
Let me be clear: following Jesus is not always easy. It’s certainly not popular. God has given us the freedom to make choices, and with freedom comes responsibility and with actions comes consequences. You’ll get the best performance out of life if you follow the recipe, read the owner’s manual, obey God’s instructions in the Bible (which is also why it’s so important to read and study it to know what’s in there!).
If you’re involved in any form of sexual immorality, God doesn’t hate you. I don’t hate you. Quite the opposite. God’s love desires for you to experience the ultimate satisfaction and joy. I want the best for you. I’m not here to judge you or condemn you, but simply point you to Jesus where you can find forgiveness, freedom, and true peace.
If you’re struggling with any form of sexual issue, I urge you to seek help. Celebrate Recovery and Christian counseling are two things offered here on our campus. I’d love to talk with you or you can even talk to Karen Thompson, our office manager, in confidence. She attends another church so you need not worry about seeing her here on Sundays. I’ve given her resources to share with anyone seeking help.
In addition, if you are struggling in your marriage, help is available. Divorce will not fix everything. Again, contact the office and either ask for me or, if you prefer anonymity, get some resources from Karen our office manager. We are here to serve you…and our God is the God of miracles! Several years ago friends of ours came to Heather and I shared the dreadful news that their marriage had been violated by not only pornography and affairs, but prostitutes. This good Christian couple with the perfect family was on the verge of collapse. The woman had every right to seek a lawyer, but by God’s grace she chose forgiveness and a very long, very painful road of reconciliation and restoration. Today, they help other couples on the brink of divorce and have a beautiful marriage, a brilliant portrait of redemption and healing.
I said earlier,
God hates divorce, but not divorcees.
Some people picture God as this angry judge out to get us. Yes, Judgment Day is coming for all of us…and followers of Jesus have a wonderful ally to help us. But I think often the consequences of sin are enough on their own. Like a judge telling a parent who accidentally killed their child they have suffered enough, I wonder if the pain of divorce needs any additional penalty from God. I can’t prove that, but it’s just a thought. I’ve not been divorced, but I have yet to meet someone who enjoyed it. One person expressed this online: “That’s the horrific loss in divorce, it’s not losing your spouse - that’s just a breakup - it’s the loss of that new family you created, it’s devastating beyond words.” Sadly, many divorcees never had a say in the matter. Others were hasty in getting divorced and now live with regret.
Let me add,
God hates sin, but not sinners.
We’re all sinners. Every one of us has struggles, and the enemy wants to deceive us into thinking we’re the only ones. If you think you’re the only one listening to me struggling with porn, same-sex attraction, lust, fornication, divorce, adultery, or the like, you are mistaken! The first step in experiencing freedom is to admit it, confess it, get help. The reason our mission involves “restoring God’s masterpieces” is because you are a masterpiece, but a broken one. Me, too. God wants the best for us, but He has also given us freedom…and sometimes we don’t make the best use of that freedom.
If you want to get married, choose wisely.
Many single people don’t want to marry, and Paul says it’s better if you don’t marry (1 Corinthians 7:8). If you are seeking a spouse, remember it’s for life. Do your homework. Pray like crazy. Seek input from wise counsel. Don’t rush into it.
One more thing
Divorce is devastating for the husband and wife…and also the children, even adult children. Now they enter the picture…literally.
People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. (Mark 10:13-16)
Children are a blessing from God.
There’s nothing quite like kids! There is an innocence, a humility, a vulnerability that allows them to have precious faith. They have no filter, which is wonderful when it comes to intimacy with God. They are trusting and have the most incredible curiosity. We are to approach our Heavenly Father like a child, filled with awe and wonder, desperate and surrendered. We are not to be childish, but childlike!
May God bless all of our families, marriages, singles, and children.
The Christian & Missionary Alliance statement on divorce:
https://www.cmalliance.org/about/beliefs/perspectives/divorce
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Hell is for Real, 1 November 2020
01 11 20
Hell is for Real
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 9:38-50
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Hell is real…and avoidable!
Hell. There are few words which conjure up more images, more controversy, more fear. It’s a word found in English Bibles which has been used both as the name of a Michigan community and a swear word.
There are a lot of myths about hell, and while we won’t probably answer every question, our text today as we continue in the book of Mark will reveal some of Jesus’ teachings on hell.
More people believe in heaven than believe in hell.
More people believe in angels than believe in demons.
More people believe in God than believe in satan.
What does that tell you? We are optimists!
It may not be politically correct, but the Bible is abundantly clear that there are two roads, two teams, two sides, two armies at war with one another…good and evil. Spiritual warfare is real, and we’re in the middle of it every day.
However, there is much we don’t know for certain about the spiritual world. There are many things we don’t know about heaven and hell. Theories about the afterlife abound, but the Bible is not as clear about some things as we may have been led to believe.
Let’s begin with our scripture for today.
“Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.” (Mark 9:38)
John is worries about someone performing an exorcism. I can just see it: “Jesus, the guy is from a different denomination! He’s not on our team! He probably hasn’t even been ordained yet or gone to seminary! We need to stop this, right?”
“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. (Mark 9:39-40)
Wait, is it “whoever is not against us is for us” or “whoever is not for us is against us?”
Twice Jesus says, “Whoever is not against you/us is for you/us,” here and in Luke 9:50.
Twice Jesus says, “Whoever is not with me is against me” (Matthew 12:30, Luke 11:23).
Which is it, Jesus? Actually, the context matters. “Whoever is not against you is for you” applies to other believers, while “whoever is not with me is against me” is a reference to those who are anti-Christian. The point is, you cannot be neutral about Jesus. Are you with Jesus or against Jesus?
It’s not a question of do you like Jesus or do you believe intellectually some events in history. The question is are you with him. If so, you need to be all in…heart, soul, mind, and strength; time, talents, and treasures; 24/7/365. He’s not looking for fans. He is seeking followers. Disciples.
Back to our text, Jesus continues,
Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward. (Mark 9:39-41)
I think this is a statement of unity. As we stated last Sunday, there are theological arguments which separate followers of Jesus, yet we are all children of God. We will spend eternity with God and one another. We need to be careful about judging other believers simply because we have disagreements. But that doesn’t mean we can be careless about our theology, our study of God.
“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. (Mark 9:42)
A quick read may cause you to think of children, but I think the reference is to those new to the faith. A biblical millstone was huge. Jesus is graphic about the consequence of causing others to stumble, to fall into sin. Now Jesus gets even more graphic.
If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. (Mark 9:43)
Some people have taken this verse literally! The message is following Jesus demands sacrifice. Anything that gets in the way of following Christ must go. Jesus is saying the consequences of sin are real. Hell is for real.
The original Greek word translated here as “hell” is “geena” from the valley of [ge] Hinnon or Gehenna in southwest Jerusalem, used figuratively as a place or state of everlasting punishment. I’ve been there! Gehenna was the place where idolatrous Jews sacrificed their children to the pagan god Molech, and later where bodies of the dead were disposed. In the first-century, it was a garbage dump with everything set on fire, hence Jesus’ phrase, “Where the fire never goes out.”
Does this mean hell is a literal lake of fire that will burn forever? Maybe.
Much of our understand of hell—fire and brimstone—comes not from the Bible, but rather from art and an Italian poem by Dante called Divine Comedy. Inferno is the first part, describing Dante’s journey through hell with vivid language.
Jesus spoke of the kingdom of heaven as a present reality, not merely something in the afterlife. In the same way, our choices now can create what many call “hell on earth.” Sin has consequences. Hell is real, I don’t want anyone to experience it. God doesn’t want anyone to experience it. Jesus’ friend Peter wrote,
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
C.S. Lewis said,
“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, “Thy will be done”, and those to whom God says, in the end, “Thy will be done.” All that are in hell choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find to those who knock, it is opened.”
There are so many things we don’t know about heaven and hell, but my simplest definitions are
Heaven is where God is present.
Hell is where God is absent.
To restate C.S. Lewis,
God does not send people to hell. We choose to be present with God now and for eternity or we choose to ignore God now and He will honor that choice for eternity.
Some of your Bibles are missing verse 44. That’s because many of the oldest manuscripts of the Bible lack this phrase:
where
“Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’ (Mark 9:44, NKJV)
This is a quotation from Isaiah 66:24. Some believe the worm represents internal suffering and the fire external. This is added detail to verse 43. Together they read in the NKJV,
It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— where
“Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’ (Mark 9:43b-44, NKJV)
Let’s look at a few more verses and you’ll understand why there are missing verses.
And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. (Mark 9:45)
Verse 46 is missing in most translations, too. The NKJV reads exactly the same:
where
“Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’ (Mark 9:46, NKJV)
Finally,
And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where
“ ‘the worms that eat them do not die,
and the fire is not quenched.’ (Mark 9:47-48)
Verses 44, 46, and 48 are exactly the same in the NKJV. The translators likely added 44 and 46. The meaning of the text doesn’t change with or without them. It’s as if the NKJV did a copy-and-paste for emphasis. This is one of a small number of textual discrepancies in the Bible. Since we don’t have the original manuscripts, there are some variations, but virtually all of them are like this, having no bearing on the meaning. If someone tells you the Bible is full of errors, they are literally correct, but those errors are inconsequential to the meaning, reliability, and authority of the Bible. Out of 66 books, there are a few occasions where the copyist was unsure whether something was a semi-colon or a comma with a speck of dust on the page. No big deal.
To my knowledge—I am not an expert on the original, ancient documents—there are absolutely no controversies surrounding any essential truths of our faith such as the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Any problems are extremely minor such as punctuation.
Tony Evans says hands represent things we handle, the foot represents where we go, and the eye symbolizes things we look at, all potential doors to sin. Jesus continues,
Everyone will be salted with fire. (Mark 9:49)
Fire can destroy, but it can also test and purify. Salt purifies, too. Old Testament sacrifices were offered with salt, which both preserves and purifies.
“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” (Mark 9:50)
So What?
The Alliance Statement of Faith says,
Man was originally created in the image and likeness of God: he fell through disobedience, incurring thereby both physical and spiritual death. All men are born with a sinful nature, are separated from the life of God, and can be saved only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The portion of the unrepentant and unbelieving is existence forever in conscious torment; and that of the believer, in everlasting joy and bliss.
The verse used to support “the portion of the unrepentant and unbelieving is existence forever in conscious torment” is Revelation 21:8…
“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)
My purpose today isn’t to debate nuances of hell, but merely to encourage you to avoid it! The Bible never describes it as a wild party for demons and rock stars. It’s the one place in the universe where God is absent. I can’t imagine how dreadful it is. You think this world is bad?! Imagine our planet without God. Literal or figurative fire, eternal or temporary…does it really matter?!
Alliance pastor Skye Jethani writes, “An afterlife in heaven or hell is the residue of tradition, but it is decidedly not the emphasis of the New Testament. Scripture has a far more physical and terrestrial vision of the future. It depicts a renewed earth in which God dwells with his resurrected people in a redeemed, glorified creation. The Lord is focused on redeeming his world, not abandoning it to the enemy. The goal of the New Testament is not disembodied souls escaping the earth and occupying a celestial heaven for eternity…Its emphasis is not heaven or hell but on a choice between life or death.”
I know this isn’t the most uplifting of subjects, but there’s good news. That’s the meaning of the word “gospel.” The good news or gospel is Jesus.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:16-17)
Without Christ, our sins would automatically condemn us to hell, separation from God. He is allergic to sin. But Jesus died to pay for our sins, to forgive us, to wipe the slate clean, to reconcile us to the Father. If we choose to follow Jesus, we will not perish, but will have everlasting life. Could there be any greater news?
Today we remember the sacrifice Jesus made, leaving heaven to come to earth for about thirty-three years to live, die, and resurrect.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Hallelujah!
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
Hallelujah! Hell is for real…and avoidable…not because we are good enough, but because of Jesus.
But as I said, Jesus isn’t looking for fans. He wants followers. If you want Jesus simply for a “get out of hell free” card, you’re in the wrong place. He wants to give you life—abundant life, everlasting life, real life…now and forever. You simply need to say “yes” and respond to his gift, the gift of himself. Repent and turn away from your sins…and follow Jesus.
While there is much we don’t know about hell, one thing is certain: God will judge evil.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
You are not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 9:38-50
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Hell is real…and avoidable!
Hell. There are few words which conjure up more images, more controversy, more fear. It’s a word found in English Bibles which has been used both as the name of a Michigan community and a swear word.
There are a lot of myths about hell, and while we won’t probably answer every question, our text today as we continue in the book of Mark will reveal some of Jesus’ teachings on hell.
More people believe in heaven than believe in hell.
More people believe in angels than believe in demons.
More people believe in God than believe in satan.
What does that tell you? We are optimists!
It may not be politically correct, but the Bible is abundantly clear that there are two roads, two teams, two sides, two armies at war with one another…good and evil. Spiritual warfare is real, and we’re in the middle of it every day.
However, there is much we don’t know for certain about the spiritual world. There are many things we don’t know about heaven and hell. Theories about the afterlife abound, but the Bible is not as clear about some things as we may have been led to believe.
Let’s begin with our scripture for today.
“Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.” (Mark 9:38)
John is worries about someone performing an exorcism. I can just see it: “Jesus, the guy is from a different denomination! He’s not on our team! He probably hasn’t even been ordained yet or gone to seminary! We need to stop this, right?”
“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. (Mark 9:39-40)
Wait, is it “whoever is not against us is for us” or “whoever is not for us is against us?”
Twice Jesus says, “Whoever is not against you/us is for you/us,” here and in Luke 9:50.
Twice Jesus says, “Whoever is not with me is against me” (Matthew 12:30, Luke 11:23).
Which is it, Jesus? Actually, the context matters. “Whoever is not against you is for you” applies to other believers, while “whoever is not with me is against me” is a reference to those who are anti-Christian. The point is, you cannot be neutral about Jesus. Are you with Jesus or against Jesus?
It’s not a question of do you like Jesus or do you believe intellectually some events in history. The question is are you with him. If so, you need to be all in…heart, soul, mind, and strength; time, talents, and treasures; 24/7/365. He’s not looking for fans. He is seeking followers. Disciples.
Back to our text, Jesus continues,
Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward. (Mark 9:39-41)
I think this is a statement of unity. As we stated last Sunday, there are theological arguments which separate followers of Jesus, yet we are all children of God. We will spend eternity with God and one another. We need to be careful about judging other believers simply because we have disagreements. But that doesn’t mean we can be careless about our theology, our study of God.
“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. (Mark 9:42)
A quick read may cause you to think of children, but I think the reference is to those new to the faith. A biblical millstone was huge. Jesus is graphic about the consequence of causing others to stumble, to fall into sin. Now Jesus gets even more graphic.
If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. (Mark 9:43)
Some people have taken this verse literally! The message is following Jesus demands sacrifice. Anything that gets in the way of following Christ must go. Jesus is saying the consequences of sin are real. Hell is for real.
The original Greek word translated here as “hell” is “geena” from the valley of [ge] Hinnon or Gehenna in southwest Jerusalem, used figuratively as a place or state of everlasting punishment. I’ve been there! Gehenna was the place where idolatrous Jews sacrificed their children to the pagan god Molech, and later where bodies of the dead were disposed. In the first-century, it was a garbage dump with everything set on fire, hence Jesus’ phrase, “Where the fire never goes out.”
Does this mean hell is a literal lake of fire that will burn forever? Maybe.
Much of our understand of hell—fire and brimstone—comes not from the Bible, but rather from art and an Italian poem by Dante called Divine Comedy. Inferno is the first part, describing Dante’s journey through hell with vivid language.
Jesus spoke of the kingdom of heaven as a present reality, not merely something in the afterlife. In the same way, our choices now can create what many call “hell on earth.” Sin has consequences. Hell is real, I don’t want anyone to experience it. God doesn’t want anyone to experience it. Jesus’ friend Peter wrote,
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
C.S. Lewis said,
“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, “Thy will be done”, and those to whom God says, in the end, “Thy will be done.” All that are in hell choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find to those who knock, it is opened.”
There are so many things we don’t know about heaven and hell, but my simplest definitions are
Heaven is where God is present.
Hell is where God is absent.
To restate C.S. Lewis,
God does not send people to hell. We choose to be present with God now and for eternity or we choose to ignore God now and He will honor that choice for eternity.
Some of your Bibles are missing verse 44. That’s because many of the oldest manuscripts of the Bible lack this phrase:
where
“Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’ (Mark 9:44, NKJV)
This is a quotation from Isaiah 66:24. Some believe the worm represents internal suffering and the fire external. This is added detail to verse 43. Together they read in the NKJV,
It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— where
“Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’ (Mark 9:43b-44, NKJV)
Let’s look at a few more verses and you’ll understand why there are missing verses.
And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. (Mark 9:45)
Verse 46 is missing in most translations, too. The NKJV reads exactly the same:
where
“Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.’ (Mark 9:46, NKJV)
Finally,
And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where
“ ‘the worms that eat them do not die,
and the fire is not quenched.’ (Mark 9:47-48)
Verses 44, 46, and 48 are exactly the same in the NKJV. The translators likely added 44 and 46. The meaning of the text doesn’t change with or without them. It’s as if the NKJV did a copy-and-paste for emphasis. This is one of a small number of textual discrepancies in the Bible. Since we don’t have the original manuscripts, there are some variations, but virtually all of them are like this, having no bearing on the meaning. If someone tells you the Bible is full of errors, they are literally correct, but those errors are inconsequential to the meaning, reliability, and authority of the Bible. Out of 66 books, there are a few occasions where the copyist was unsure whether something was a semi-colon or a comma with a speck of dust on the page. No big deal.
To my knowledge—I am not an expert on the original, ancient documents—there are absolutely no controversies surrounding any essential truths of our faith such as the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Any problems are extremely minor such as punctuation.
Tony Evans says hands represent things we handle, the foot represents where we go, and the eye symbolizes things we look at, all potential doors to sin. Jesus continues,
Everyone will be salted with fire. (Mark 9:49)
Fire can destroy, but it can also test and purify. Salt purifies, too. Old Testament sacrifices were offered with salt, which both preserves and purifies.
“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” (Mark 9:50)
So What?
The Alliance Statement of Faith says,
Man was originally created in the image and likeness of God: he fell through disobedience, incurring thereby both physical and spiritual death. All men are born with a sinful nature, are separated from the life of God, and can be saved only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The portion of the unrepentant and unbelieving is existence forever in conscious torment; and that of the believer, in everlasting joy and bliss.
The verse used to support “the portion of the unrepentant and unbelieving is existence forever in conscious torment” is Revelation 21:8…
“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)
My purpose today isn’t to debate nuances of hell, but merely to encourage you to avoid it! The Bible never describes it as a wild party for demons and rock stars. It’s the one place in the universe where God is absent. I can’t imagine how dreadful it is. You think this world is bad?! Imagine our planet without God. Literal or figurative fire, eternal or temporary…does it really matter?!
Alliance pastor Skye Jethani writes, “An afterlife in heaven or hell is the residue of tradition, but it is decidedly not the emphasis of the New Testament. Scripture has a far more physical and terrestrial vision of the future. It depicts a renewed earth in which God dwells with his resurrected people in a redeemed, glorified creation. The Lord is focused on redeeming his world, not abandoning it to the enemy. The goal of the New Testament is not disembodied souls escaping the earth and occupying a celestial heaven for eternity…Its emphasis is not heaven or hell but on a choice between life or death.”
I know this isn’t the most uplifting of subjects, but there’s good news. That’s the meaning of the word “gospel.” The good news or gospel is Jesus.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:16-17)
Without Christ, our sins would automatically condemn us to hell, separation from God. He is allergic to sin. But Jesus died to pay for our sins, to forgive us, to wipe the slate clean, to reconcile us to the Father. If we choose to follow Jesus, we will not perish, but will have everlasting life. Could there be any greater news?
Today we remember the sacrifice Jesus made, leaving heaven to come to earth for about thirty-three years to live, die, and resurrect.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Hallelujah!
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
Hallelujah! Hell is for real…and avoidable…not because we are good enough, but because of Jesus.
But as I said, Jesus isn’t looking for fans. He wants followers. If you want Jesus simply for a “get out of hell free” card, you’re in the wrong place. He wants to give you life—abundant life, everlasting life, real life…now and forever. You simply need to say “yes” and respond to his gift, the gift of himself. Repent and turn away from your sins…and follow Jesus.
While there is much we don’t know about hell, one thing is certain: God will judge evil.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
You are not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The Relational Divide, 25 October 2020
25 10 20
The Relational Divide (We Need One Another)
Series—The Great Divide
Series Big Idea: Our world is filled with division, yet Jesus prayed that we would be one.
Big Idea: The Kingdom of God is diverse, multi-generational, and beautiful
Today we conclude our series “The Great Divide.” We began with the political divide and said our focus must be on the Lion and the Lamb, not the elephant or donkey. We are a politically diverse family and we need to offer respect, grace, and love to one another. Period.
Last Sunday we talked about the racial divide. We noted how there is only one race, the human race, and although we are all created with equal value, we are not all treated with equal value.
[I hope you took some time this past week to educate yourself through the Phil Vischer videos]
Today we’re going to talk about the relational divide…those other things which come between us as spiritual siblings…and how we can overcome them by building bridges.
The mission of First Alliance Church is to be a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
It’s important to note the church doesn’t actually have a mission, but rather God’s mission has a Church! We are here for God’s glory. That’s the bottom line. We’re not a social club for the benefit of its members. We are not to be consumers of religious goods and services. We are a family on mission. We are here to glorify God. What does it look like to bring glory to God? Jesus said to the Father,
My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23)
I often reference this essential scripture, but why does Jesus pray this? Is it to give us more work to do? Is it about making peace in the family? The bottom line is God’s glory, that the world will know Jesus and God’s love.
I know I’ve said this many times before, but if we did our job, I believe the world would be in much better shape. The world is going to sin, create division, hate, judge, lie, condemn, …but while we are in the world, we are not to be of the world. We are to be Kingdom people, citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20).
Eleven times we’re commanded to “love one another.” That’s more than a suggestion!
Unity does not mean uniformity. We are all different…by design. Like musicians in a trio or quartet, we must learn to play our notes in harmony with one another, complementing one another, adding to the beauty, not causing conflict or division.
What is the root of all division? I believe it is pride, arguably the root of all sin. Think for a moment about any tension, any conflict, any disagreement. Imagine if one of the persons put this into practice:
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10)
or…
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
Imagine if both people put that into practice! I said last week…
We are all created with equal value, but we are not all treated with equal value.
Even inside the Church, inside the family, it’s tempting to show favoritism, to look down on some people, to judge or condemn or simply avoid a brother or sister. But we can’t let the enemy win! We are spiritual siblings. We must love well, not only for our sake, not only for the sake of others in the family, but for the sake of the gospel, the good news, Jesus! Loving well brings God glory. In His eyes…
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
Besides politics and race, what divides us? What keeps us from experiencing full, agape love with one another? What threatens unity? First, I think it’s our focus.
C.S. Lewis said, “Seek Unity and you will find neither Unity nor Truth. Seek the light of truth, and you will find Unity and Truth.” Indeed, we must focus on Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit, guided by the holy scriptures, and seeking the glory of God.
We need to focus on Jesus, not ourselves. Not our favorite candidate or author. Jesus. The enemy wants us divided. A house divided cannot stand.
So besides losing our focus on Jesus, what problems create divisions in the family? We’re going to briefly look at nine…and some practical solutions.
Problem: gossip
Solution: Matthew 18
It is amazing how gossip can spread…even innocently…even in a prayer meeting…even out of genuine concern. I love Dave Ramsey’s take on gossip. It’s poison. He has a no-gossip policy at his company, and I have one for our church family. Ramsey defines gossip as discussing anything negative with someone who can’t help solve the problem. The solution is simple. It’s found in Matthew 18.
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matthew 18:15-17)
The next one is closely related.
Problem: lies
Solution: truth
Someone recently asked me a question about some gossip they heard. It was a total lie! Had the original person simply come to me or someone who could answer the question rather than guess and accuse, countless people would’ve be spared of misinformation which was negative and alarming. Get the facts. That goes for social media, too. Don’t believe everything you read online…especially if it’s from the Babylon Bee (which is a satire site!). It seems so obvious to tell the truth, but intentionally or accidentally, so much division is caused by data that is simply not true.
Problem: judging
Solution: help me understand
I think we’re all guilty of judging others, despite the clear commands of scripture. Even non-Christians like Jesus’ words in Matthew 7…
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Matthew 7:1-2)
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said,
Judgement is the forbidden objectivization of the other person which destroys single-minded love. I am not forbidden to have my own thoughts about the other person, to realize his shortcomings, but only to the extent that it offers to me an occasion for forgiveness and unconditional love, as Jesus proves to me.
What do we do when we smell something fishy, pastor? Here are three words: help me understand. We are so quick to make assumptions without knowing the full story.
Problem: worship preferences
Solution: submit to one another
This one gets personal. Let’s face it, we all like certain songs, certain styles of music, certain fashion, certain types of sermons, certain expressions of worship, certain volume levels, certain lengths of sermons, …
There’s no perfect church. There’s no perfect pastor…or sermon or worship leader or…
The larger the family, the more we must love well, compromise, and even submit to one another.
We don’t like that word “submit.” It goes against our rugged individualism. Frank Sinatra sang, “I Did It My Way!” But the Bible said something entirely different.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
When is the last time you took a deep breath and shift the focus from your preferences to…Jesus? I remember the “worship wars” of the 90’s…and probably every generation. Hymns, no choruses. Modern, no ancient. Slow, no fast. Worship’s not for you!!! Again, where is your focus? We’re here for Jesus! It shouldn’t matter if we repeat the song fifty times…it’s not for us! OK, actually, I do sometimes tire of endless repetition of song lyrics, but then again, we’re told of each of the four living creatures in Revelation,
Day and night they never stop saying:
“ ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.” (Revelation 4:8b)
Problem: cultural differences
Solution: celebrate diversity
This often gets lumped into the race conversation. Is the issue skin color or economic class or cultural differences. Regardless, we can celebrate our diversity. I admit, I’m weird! I’m a variety junkie. My favorite restaurant is the one I’ve never been to before. I’d rather travel to a new place than a frequented one. I love people, and I’m especially drawn to the—uh—unique ones. Birds of a feather…!!!
I’m glad we’re different! It can create conflicts, but it can also create growth, understanding, and friendships. How boring would it be if everyone was just like me?! God created each of us unique and special. Let’s celebrate His masterpieces!
Problem: bitterness
Solution: forgiveness
This one’s a biggie. We obviously can’t unpack this fully today, but so much of the relational divide in our society involves bitterness. Sometimes the offense—or the alleged offense—occurred decades ago, yet the wedge of bitterness remains, penalizing both parties with a missing relationship.
The solution is forgiveness. Nobody deserves to be forgiven. It’s a choice. When the choice is made, beautiful things begin…for both people. Forgiveness doesn’t mean trust. It doesn’t mean forget. It means let go of the grudge. It means move on. Often this is a miracle only possible by the Holy Spirit, but we serve the God of the impossible!
Problem: theological differences
Solution: grace and essentials
There’s a great line that says, In necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas. If, like me, you don’t know Latin, it means, “in necessary things unity; in uncertain things liberty; in all things charity.” It’s often attributed to Augustine, but it was likely first used in 1617 by Archbishop Marco Antonio de Dominis. There are open-handed and closed-handed issues when we talk about God. Although we often debate which are open and which are closed, there are some things like the virgin birth, the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the reliability of the Bible which we would say are essential, non-negotiables, while some matters such as the age of the earth, whether or not there will be pets in heaven, and appropriate alcohol use we might call important but not essential. The point being “in all things charity.” We need to exercise grace with one another and focus on the essentials.
One thing I love about the Christian & Missionary Alliance is its theological diversity. We have a lot of opinions about a lot of things and we are free to respectfully discuss them while maintaining a statement of faith which is biblical and simple.
Problem: busyness
Solution: sabbath
In many relationships, the greatest divide is time. We’re so busy, we simply fail to take the time to get to know one another. We need rest, we need sabbath, we need to slow down, grab a cup of coffee or tea, and be together. Love is often spelled t-i-m-e.
Problem: generation gaps
Solution: mentoring (both benefit)
Finally, generation gaps often create division between people, even Christians. Some of this may be cultural differences or worship preferences, but just like it’s easy to stereotype based upon ethnicity, it’s also common to think or say, “Oh you Millennials” or “You old people” or “You amazing GenXers!” This has even resulted in single-generation churches of twentysomethings or retirees rather than a multi-generational congregation in which mentoring is active, the older teaching the younger. This was commonplace in the early church. Paul told Titus to teach the older women so they can mentor the younger women (Titus 2:3-5). Spiritual parenting or even grandparenting can be mutually beneficial and enhance the life of any congregation, bridging generation gaps with love, dignity, respect, and understanding.
So What?
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:2-6)
Benediction:
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5-6)
For Further Reading
The Fellowship of Differents by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—The Great Divide
Series Big Idea: Our world is filled with division, yet Jesus prayed that we would be one.
Big Idea: The Kingdom of God is diverse, multi-generational, and beautiful
Today we conclude our series “The Great Divide.” We began with the political divide and said our focus must be on the Lion and the Lamb, not the elephant or donkey. We are a politically diverse family and we need to offer respect, grace, and love to one another. Period.
Last Sunday we talked about the racial divide. We noted how there is only one race, the human race, and although we are all created with equal value, we are not all treated with equal value.
[I hope you took some time this past week to educate yourself through the Phil Vischer videos]
Today we’re going to talk about the relational divide…those other things which come between us as spiritual siblings…and how we can overcome them by building bridges.
The mission of First Alliance Church is to be a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
It’s important to note the church doesn’t actually have a mission, but rather God’s mission has a Church! We are here for God’s glory. That’s the bottom line. We’re not a social club for the benefit of its members. We are not to be consumers of religious goods and services. We are a family on mission. We are here to glorify God. What does it look like to bring glory to God? Jesus said to the Father,
My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23)
I often reference this essential scripture, but why does Jesus pray this? Is it to give us more work to do? Is it about making peace in the family? The bottom line is God’s glory, that the world will know Jesus and God’s love.
I know I’ve said this many times before, but if we did our job, I believe the world would be in much better shape. The world is going to sin, create division, hate, judge, lie, condemn, …but while we are in the world, we are not to be of the world. We are to be Kingdom people, citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20).
Eleven times we’re commanded to “love one another.” That’s more than a suggestion!
Unity does not mean uniformity. We are all different…by design. Like musicians in a trio or quartet, we must learn to play our notes in harmony with one another, complementing one another, adding to the beauty, not causing conflict or division.
What is the root of all division? I believe it is pride, arguably the root of all sin. Think for a moment about any tension, any conflict, any disagreement. Imagine if one of the persons put this into practice:
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10)
or…
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
Imagine if both people put that into practice! I said last week…
We are all created with equal value, but we are not all treated with equal value.
Even inside the Church, inside the family, it’s tempting to show favoritism, to look down on some people, to judge or condemn or simply avoid a brother or sister. But we can’t let the enemy win! We are spiritual siblings. We must love well, not only for our sake, not only for the sake of others in the family, but for the sake of the gospel, the good news, Jesus! Loving well brings God glory. In His eyes…
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
Besides politics and race, what divides us? What keeps us from experiencing full, agape love with one another? What threatens unity? First, I think it’s our focus.
C.S. Lewis said, “Seek Unity and you will find neither Unity nor Truth. Seek the light of truth, and you will find Unity and Truth.” Indeed, we must focus on Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit, guided by the holy scriptures, and seeking the glory of God.
We need to focus on Jesus, not ourselves. Not our favorite candidate or author. Jesus. The enemy wants us divided. A house divided cannot stand.
So besides losing our focus on Jesus, what problems create divisions in the family? We’re going to briefly look at nine…and some practical solutions.
Problem: gossip
Solution: Matthew 18
It is amazing how gossip can spread…even innocently…even in a prayer meeting…even out of genuine concern. I love Dave Ramsey’s take on gossip. It’s poison. He has a no-gossip policy at his company, and I have one for our church family. Ramsey defines gossip as discussing anything negative with someone who can’t help solve the problem. The solution is simple. It’s found in Matthew 18.
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matthew 18:15-17)
The next one is closely related.
Problem: lies
Solution: truth
Someone recently asked me a question about some gossip they heard. It was a total lie! Had the original person simply come to me or someone who could answer the question rather than guess and accuse, countless people would’ve be spared of misinformation which was negative and alarming. Get the facts. That goes for social media, too. Don’t believe everything you read online…especially if it’s from the Babylon Bee (which is a satire site!). It seems so obvious to tell the truth, but intentionally or accidentally, so much division is caused by data that is simply not true.
Problem: judging
Solution: help me understand
I think we’re all guilty of judging others, despite the clear commands of scripture. Even non-Christians like Jesus’ words in Matthew 7…
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Matthew 7:1-2)
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said,
Judgement is the forbidden objectivization of the other person which destroys single-minded love. I am not forbidden to have my own thoughts about the other person, to realize his shortcomings, but only to the extent that it offers to me an occasion for forgiveness and unconditional love, as Jesus proves to me.
What do we do when we smell something fishy, pastor? Here are three words: help me understand. We are so quick to make assumptions without knowing the full story.
Problem: worship preferences
Solution: submit to one another
This one gets personal. Let’s face it, we all like certain songs, certain styles of music, certain fashion, certain types of sermons, certain expressions of worship, certain volume levels, certain lengths of sermons, …
There’s no perfect church. There’s no perfect pastor…or sermon or worship leader or…
The larger the family, the more we must love well, compromise, and even submit to one another.
We don’t like that word “submit.” It goes against our rugged individualism. Frank Sinatra sang, “I Did It My Way!” But the Bible said something entirely different.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
When is the last time you took a deep breath and shift the focus from your preferences to…Jesus? I remember the “worship wars” of the 90’s…and probably every generation. Hymns, no choruses. Modern, no ancient. Slow, no fast. Worship’s not for you!!! Again, where is your focus? We’re here for Jesus! It shouldn’t matter if we repeat the song fifty times…it’s not for us! OK, actually, I do sometimes tire of endless repetition of song lyrics, but then again, we’re told of each of the four living creatures in Revelation,
Day and night they never stop saying:
“ ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.” (Revelation 4:8b)
Problem: cultural differences
Solution: celebrate diversity
This often gets lumped into the race conversation. Is the issue skin color or economic class or cultural differences. Regardless, we can celebrate our diversity. I admit, I’m weird! I’m a variety junkie. My favorite restaurant is the one I’ve never been to before. I’d rather travel to a new place than a frequented one. I love people, and I’m especially drawn to the—uh—unique ones. Birds of a feather…!!!
I’m glad we’re different! It can create conflicts, but it can also create growth, understanding, and friendships. How boring would it be if everyone was just like me?! God created each of us unique and special. Let’s celebrate His masterpieces!
Problem: bitterness
Solution: forgiveness
This one’s a biggie. We obviously can’t unpack this fully today, but so much of the relational divide in our society involves bitterness. Sometimes the offense—or the alleged offense—occurred decades ago, yet the wedge of bitterness remains, penalizing both parties with a missing relationship.
The solution is forgiveness. Nobody deserves to be forgiven. It’s a choice. When the choice is made, beautiful things begin…for both people. Forgiveness doesn’t mean trust. It doesn’t mean forget. It means let go of the grudge. It means move on. Often this is a miracle only possible by the Holy Spirit, but we serve the God of the impossible!
Problem: theological differences
Solution: grace and essentials
There’s a great line that says, In necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas. If, like me, you don’t know Latin, it means, “in necessary things unity; in uncertain things liberty; in all things charity.” It’s often attributed to Augustine, but it was likely first used in 1617 by Archbishop Marco Antonio de Dominis. There are open-handed and closed-handed issues when we talk about God. Although we often debate which are open and which are closed, there are some things like the virgin birth, the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the reliability of the Bible which we would say are essential, non-negotiables, while some matters such as the age of the earth, whether or not there will be pets in heaven, and appropriate alcohol use we might call important but not essential. The point being “in all things charity.” We need to exercise grace with one another and focus on the essentials.
One thing I love about the Christian & Missionary Alliance is its theological diversity. We have a lot of opinions about a lot of things and we are free to respectfully discuss them while maintaining a statement of faith which is biblical and simple.
Problem: busyness
Solution: sabbath
In many relationships, the greatest divide is time. We’re so busy, we simply fail to take the time to get to know one another. We need rest, we need sabbath, we need to slow down, grab a cup of coffee or tea, and be together. Love is often spelled t-i-m-e.
Problem: generation gaps
Solution: mentoring (both benefit)
Finally, generation gaps often create division between people, even Christians. Some of this may be cultural differences or worship preferences, but just like it’s easy to stereotype based upon ethnicity, it’s also common to think or say, “Oh you Millennials” or “You old people” or “You amazing GenXers!” This has even resulted in single-generation churches of twentysomethings or retirees rather than a multi-generational congregation in which mentoring is active, the older teaching the younger. This was commonplace in the early church. Paul told Titus to teach the older women so they can mentor the younger women (Titus 2:3-5). Spiritual parenting or even grandparenting can be mutually beneficial and enhance the life of any congregation, bridging generation gaps with love, dignity, respect, and understanding.
So What?
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:2-6)
Benediction:
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5-6)
For Further Reading
The Fellowship of Differents by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The Racial Divide, 18 October 2020
18 10 20
The Racial Divide (One Race: Human)
Series—The Great Divide
Series Big Idea: Our world is filled with division, yet Jesus prayed that we would be one.
Big Idea: Man looks at outward appearances, but God looks at the heart.
Last week we began our series, The Great Divide, with a topic free from any controversy or disagreement…politics! It’s amazing you all came back after that! If you missed it, the bottom line was our focus must not be on a donkey or elephant, but the Lion and the Lamb. There are flaws in every candidate and party. We need to fix our eyes on Jesus. Always. Especially during this crazy election season. I have appreciated individuals and organizations seeking to call out the anti-Christian views of candidates and parties, yet even if the imperfections of our alternatives were completely exposed and fixed, no politician can ever approach the wisdom, the power, the justice, the love of King Jesus!
Today we’re going to tackle a subject that many have connected with politics…race. Our authority, as always, is not me, not even The Christian & Missionary Alliance, but Jesus and the Holy Scriptures. God told Samuel the prophet,
“People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7b).
I want to make a few disclaimers up front. First, we’re not going to solve the racial issues in our community—much less our nation or world—in thirty minutes. As I did last week, I’ll offer some resources for you to consider, but the views expressed in them do not necessarily represent me or First Alliance Church. They are offered for your consideration, education, and contemplation. Only the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ is flawless. I’m not perfect. My theology is not perfect. I often quote Dr. Leonard Sweet who said, “20% of my theology is wrong. I just don’t know what 20%!”
Second—and this may come as a surprise to you—I’m white! I don’t know what it’s like to be a minority in this country, though I have been in the minority in Africa. I am seeking empathy, and I want to leverage whatever influence I have for the benefit of others. We’re told,
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. (Proverbs 31:8-9)
Third, this series is about understanding, about building bridges, about listening and loving well. After all, there is only one race…the human race.
In Jesus’ day, the tension between Jew and Gentile was arguably far worse than any black and white divisions we’ve experienced in this country. Yet Paul wrote,
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
We are one in Christ Jesus! All of us! Black, brown, and white. Men, women, and children. Homeless and homeowner. PhD and GED. We are all part of the human race. We are all sons and daughters of the Most High God. Paul told the church in Corinth,
For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (1 Corinthians 12:13)
Fourth, let me say again this is not a sermon on politics. One prominent pastor said whenever he preaches on race, people accuse him of being a progressive. This is not about being liberal or conservative. It’s about being human. Black lives do matter—all of them, including the unborn black lives. It frustrates me that such a positive statement has been co-opted by an organization of the same name with anti-Christian values. Once again, the enemy is desperately trying to steal, kill, destroy, and divide.
(OK, are you ready?!)
The issue of race is relevant, not simply because it’s in the news, but because it affects family. Our family.
We are all created with equal value, but we are not all treated with equal value.
This cannot be overstated, though those in the majority culture are often unaware of the significance of such a statement. We are a family. We are a diverse family. We are all different parts of the body, the body of Christ. Paul said,
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (1 Corinthians 12:26)
If we can’t love one another well—within the family—there’s little hope for us loving our neighbors, much less our enemies as Jesus clearly instructed us to do…through the power of the Holy Spirit (it’s impossible without God).
We have family members who are suffering…every time racism rears its ugly head, which is more than I understand as some who has never been pulled over for DWB (driving while black), stalked in a store, or been called the n-word. I can’t begin to count how many stories I’ve heard from my brothers and sisters regarding discrimination and hatred over their ethnicity. One was followed for 45 minutes by a police officer while jogging in their own neighborhood. This past week I was talking to a friend who said they were asked to sit in a different section of their church sanctuary because of their ethnicity.
We are family! We are all related by blood…the blood of Jesus. We were all created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth. By the way, I seriously doubt Adam and Eve were white! I’m quite sure Jesus didn’t have blond hair and blue eyes! Every life is precious…white, brown, black, …in the womb, refugee, immigrant, orphan, rich, poor,…all masterpieces!
We are all created with equal value, but we are not all treated with equal value.
I was once having lunch with my mom. She was concerned about changes in our culture and I asked her, “Do you wish we could go back to the 1950s?”
(I wasn’t even an idea in the 1950’s!)
She exclaimed, “Oh yes!”
I said, “I don’t have a single African-American friend who wishes we could go back to the 1950’s!”
I believe things have improved through things such as the civil rights movement, but clearly we are far from realizing Dr. King’s dream of people being judged by the content of their character, not by the color of their skin. Our world—and even the Church—is filled with favoritism, a practice condemned repeatedly in scripture (see 1 Timothy 5:21, James 2:1-8, Romans 2:11, Acts 10:34, etc.).
Today I want you to hear three short videos from Phil Vischer. He’s the creator of Veggie Tales, a life-long Christian & Missionary “Alliancer,” and the co-host of the Holy Post podcast. Again, I don’t necessarily agree with everything he says, but he has done extensive research on what’s behind some of the racial issues in our day. I highly recommend his video Race in America. He had a follow-up video which I’ve been given permission to share clips from today, and he most recently made a fascinating video entitled, “Why do White Christians Vote Republican, and Black Christians Vote Democrat?”
But I said today is not about politics…and it’s not. It’s about people. It’s about family. It’s about us. When I say us, I mean us. This raises what is perhaps the biggest objection I’ve received whenever we talk about racism…
[Video: Phil Vischer, excerpt from "Race in America, Part 2"]
We must recognize both individual and societal sins…and repent.
It’s important to remember,
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)
We have all pre-judged others for one reason or another (it’s called prejudice). We are all guilty of disrespecting image-bearers. We all fail to live up to the example of Jesus—a Jew—who prayed for the very enemies—Roman soldiers—who were nailing him to a cross. Each of us misses the mark when it comes to loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves. I must admit I often stop at verse 23, but there’s a comma, not a period. It continues,
and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:24)
The New Living Translation says it a little smoother:
Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. (Romans 3:24, NLT)
Hallelujah!
Jesus died for all of us! “Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight.” I know the lyrics might not be politically correct, but the message is biblically correct.
So What?
I’ve certainly struggled with what I can do about this issue which seems so—uh—black and white. There is no place for hatred or favoritism or injustice in the Kingdom of God.
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, (Romans 10:12)
We’re going to spend eternity together with the LORD. The scene in Revelation is fantastic!
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. (Revelation 7:9)
We’re not going to have black churches in heaven.
We’re not going to have white churches in heaven.
I don’t think we’re even going to have English or Spanish or Mandarin churches in heaven.
The Kingdom of God is diverse. It’s the beautiful mosaic we mentioned last week.
So what do we do now? Here’s Phil again:
[Video: Phil Vischer, excerpt from "Race in America, Part 2"]
Did you find that interesting? Racism is but one of many sins in our world. We can’t fix it overnight. But we can do something. Like the child throwing washed-up starfish from the beach back into the ocean, we can help one person. We can show kindness to someone who looks different than us. We can offer generosity to the “other.” We can smile or share a kind word. In a word, we can love! I am continually challenged by two verses in the book of Philippians:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
How could applying those verses impact our church, our city, our nation, our world? This might be the most radical scripture in the Bible, at least according to our selfish, prideful, narcissistic, consumeristic culture that has influenced each of us. Jesus’ friend John said,
We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. (1 John 4:19-21)
We must love well, and loving mean listening.
We said it last week…
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. (James 1:19-20)
I appreciate you listening to me today, hopefully with an open mind and heart. Listen to understand, not to argue. People of my hue are so defensive about racial issues. Instead of hearing the experiences of others, they’re too busy trying to prove their own innocence, which is an adventure in missing the point.
If your neighbor’s house is on fire and you didn’t do it, do you feel like you should do anything? Get the kids out of the house! Again, we are family, and we need to listen and understand the struggles and sorrows of our spiritual siblings.
My favorite singer as a boy, Andrae Crouch, sang, “Jesus is the answer/for the world today/above Him there’s no other/Jesus is the way.” Jesus is the answer to all of the world’s problems. If we all loved and obeyed Jesus, …I can hardly imagine it!
Jesus is the answer. Check this out!
[Video: Phil Vischer, excerpt from "Race in America, Part 2"]
Family, let’s love well. Love is not how you feel, but how you act. Racism is not your fault, but you could be part of the solution. Let’s look out for one another. Let’s listen to one another. Let’s refuse to stereotype, pre-judge, or make assumptions about others. Let’s get to know one another. We’ll be stretched. We’ll be challenged. We’ll grow…and I believe the world will take notice. Remember, Jesus said,
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
Phil Vischer videos
Race in America
Race in America, Part 2
Why do White Christians Vote Republican, and Black Christians Vote Democrat?
Recommended Books
- Dream with Me by John Perkins
- Be the Bridge by Latasha Morrison
- White Awake by Daniel Hill
- Rediscipling the White Church by David Swanson
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—The Great Divide
Series Big Idea: Our world is filled with division, yet Jesus prayed that we would be one.
Big Idea: Man looks at outward appearances, but God looks at the heart.
Last week we began our series, The Great Divide, with a topic free from any controversy or disagreement…politics! It’s amazing you all came back after that! If you missed it, the bottom line was our focus must not be on a donkey or elephant, but the Lion and the Lamb. There are flaws in every candidate and party. We need to fix our eyes on Jesus. Always. Especially during this crazy election season. I have appreciated individuals and organizations seeking to call out the anti-Christian views of candidates and parties, yet even if the imperfections of our alternatives were completely exposed and fixed, no politician can ever approach the wisdom, the power, the justice, the love of King Jesus!
Today we’re going to tackle a subject that many have connected with politics…race. Our authority, as always, is not me, not even The Christian & Missionary Alliance, but Jesus and the Holy Scriptures. God told Samuel the prophet,
“People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7b).
I want to make a few disclaimers up front. First, we’re not going to solve the racial issues in our community—much less our nation or world—in thirty minutes. As I did last week, I’ll offer some resources for you to consider, but the views expressed in them do not necessarily represent me or First Alliance Church. They are offered for your consideration, education, and contemplation. Only the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ is flawless. I’m not perfect. My theology is not perfect. I often quote Dr. Leonard Sweet who said, “20% of my theology is wrong. I just don’t know what 20%!”
Second—and this may come as a surprise to you—I’m white! I don’t know what it’s like to be a minority in this country, though I have been in the minority in Africa. I am seeking empathy, and I want to leverage whatever influence I have for the benefit of others. We’re told,
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. (Proverbs 31:8-9)
Third, this series is about understanding, about building bridges, about listening and loving well. After all, there is only one race…the human race.
In Jesus’ day, the tension between Jew and Gentile was arguably far worse than any black and white divisions we’ve experienced in this country. Yet Paul wrote,
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
We are one in Christ Jesus! All of us! Black, brown, and white. Men, women, and children. Homeless and homeowner. PhD and GED. We are all part of the human race. We are all sons and daughters of the Most High God. Paul told the church in Corinth,
For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (1 Corinthians 12:13)
Fourth, let me say again this is not a sermon on politics. One prominent pastor said whenever he preaches on race, people accuse him of being a progressive. This is not about being liberal or conservative. It’s about being human. Black lives do matter—all of them, including the unborn black lives. It frustrates me that such a positive statement has been co-opted by an organization of the same name with anti-Christian values. Once again, the enemy is desperately trying to steal, kill, destroy, and divide.
(OK, are you ready?!)
The issue of race is relevant, not simply because it’s in the news, but because it affects family. Our family.
We are all created with equal value, but we are not all treated with equal value.
This cannot be overstated, though those in the majority culture are often unaware of the significance of such a statement. We are a family. We are a diverse family. We are all different parts of the body, the body of Christ. Paul said,
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (1 Corinthians 12:26)
If we can’t love one another well—within the family—there’s little hope for us loving our neighbors, much less our enemies as Jesus clearly instructed us to do…through the power of the Holy Spirit (it’s impossible without God).
We have family members who are suffering…every time racism rears its ugly head, which is more than I understand as some who has never been pulled over for DWB (driving while black), stalked in a store, or been called the n-word. I can’t begin to count how many stories I’ve heard from my brothers and sisters regarding discrimination and hatred over their ethnicity. One was followed for 45 minutes by a police officer while jogging in their own neighborhood. This past week I was talking to a friend who said they were asked to sit in a different section of their church sanctuary because of their ethnicity.
We are family! We are all related by blood…the blood of Jesus. We were all created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth. By the way, I seriously doubt Adam and Eve were white! I’m quite sure Jesus didn’t have blond hair and blue eyes! Every life is precious…white, brown, black, …in the womb, refugee, immigrant, orphan, rich, poor,…all masterpieces!
We are all created with equal value, but we are not all treated with equal value.
I was once having lunch with my mom. She was concerned about changes in our culture and I asked her, “Do you wish we could go back to the 1950s?”
(I wasn’t even an idea in the 1950’s!)
She exclaimed, “Oh yes!”
I said, “I don’t have a single African-American friend who wishes we could go back to the 1950’s!”
I believe things have improved through things such as the civil rights movement, but clearly we are far from realizing Dr. King’s dream of people being judged by the content of their character, not by the color of their skin. Our world—and even the Church—is filled with favoritism, a practice condemned repeatedly in scripture (see 1 Timothy 5:21, James 2:1-8, Romans 2:11, Acts 10:34, etc.).
Today I want you to hear three short videos from Phil Vischer. He’s the creator of Veggie Tales, a life-long Christian & Missionary “Alliancer,” and the co-host of the Holy Post podcast. Again, I don’t necessarily agree with everything he says, but he has done extensive research on what’s behind some of the racial issues in our day. I highly recommend his video Race in America. He had a follow-up video which I’ve been given permission to share clips from today, and he most recently made a fascinating video entitled, “Why do White Christians Vote Republican, and Black Christians Vote Democrat?”
But I said today is not about politics…and it’s not. It’s about people. It’s about family. It’s about us. When I say us, I mean us. This raises what is perhaps the biggest objection I’ve received whenever we talk about racism…
[Video: Phil Vischer, excerpt from "Race in America, Part 2"]
We must recognize both individual and societal sins…and repent.
It’s important to remember,
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)
We have all pre-judged others for one reason or another (it’s called prejudice). We are all guilty of disrespecting image-bearers. We all fail to live up to the example of Jesus—a Jew—who prayed for the very enemies—Roman soldiers—who were nailing him to a cross. Each of us misses the mark when it comes to loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves. I must admit I often stop at verse 23, but there’s a comma, not a period. It continues,
and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:24)
The New Living Translation says it a little smoother:
Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. (Romans 3:24, NLT)
Hallelujah!
Jesus died for all of us! “Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight.” I know the lyrics might not be politically correct, but the message is biblically correct.
So What?
I’ve certainly struggled with what I can do about this issue which seems so—uh—black and white. There is no place for hatred or favoritism or injustice in the Kingdom of God.
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, (Romans 10:12)
We’re going to spend eternity together with the LORD. The scene in Revelation is fantastic!
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. (Revelation 7:9)
We’re not going to have black churches in heaven.
We’re not going to have white churches in heaven.
I don’t think we’re even going to have English or Spanish or Mandarin churches in heaven.
The Kingdom of God is diverse. It’s the beautiful mosaic we mentioned last week.
So what do we do now? Here’s Phil again:
[Video: Phil Vischer, excerpt from "Race in America, Part 2"]
Did you find that interesting? Racism is but one of many sins in our world. We can’t fix it overnight. But we can do something. Like the child throwing washed-up starfish from the beach back into the ocean, we can help one person. We can show kindness to someone who looks different than us. We can offer generosity to the “other.” We can smile or share a kind word. In a word, we can love! I am continually challenged by two verses in the book of Philippians:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
How could applying those verses impact our church, our city, our nation, our world? This might be the most radical scripture in the Bible, at least according to our selfish, prideful, narcissistic, consumeristic culture that has influenced each of us. Jesus’ friend John said,
We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. (1 John 4:19-21)
We must love well, and loving mean listening.
We said it last week…
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. (James 1:19-20)
I appreciate you listening to me today, hopefully with an open mind and heart. Listen to understand, not to argue. People of my hue are so defensive about racial issues. Instead of hearing the experiences of others, they’re too busy trying to prove their own innocence, which is an adventure in missing the point.
If your neighbor’s house is on fire and you didn’t do it, do you feel like you should do anything? Get the kids out of the house! Again, we are family, and we need to listen and understand the struggles and sorrows of our spiritual siblings.
My favorite singer as a boy, Andrae Crouch, sang, “Jesus is the answer/for the world today/above Him there’s no other/Jesus is the way.” Jesus is the answer to all of the world’s problems. If we all loved and obeyed Jesus, …I can hardly imagine it!
Jesus is the answer. Check this out!
[Video: Phil Vischer, excerpt from "Race in America, Part 2"]
Family, let’s love well. Love is not how you feel, but how you act. Racism is not your fault, but you could be part of the solution. Let’s look out for one another. Let’s listen to one another. Let’s refuse to stereotype, pre-judge, or make assumptions about others. Let’s get to know one another. We’ll be stretched. We’ll be challenged. We’ll grow…and I believe the world will take notice. Remember, Jesus said,
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
Phil Vischer videos
Race in America
Race in America, Part 2
Why do White Christians Vote Republican, and Black Christians Vote Democrat?
Recommended Books
- Dream with Me by John Perkins
- Be the Bridge by Latasha Morrison
- White Awake by Daniel Hill
- Rediscipling the White Church by David Swanson
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The Political Divide, 11 October 2020
11 10 20
The Political Divide (Jesus for President)
Series—The Great Divide
Series Big Idea: Our world is filled with division, yet Jesus prayed that we would be one as we share faith, hope and love.
Big Idea: Every leader has good and bad qualities and our allegiance must never be to a candidate or party, but to Jesus the Messiah.
The Great Divide video by Dan Stevers
You are loved!
In a world of division, controversy, cancel culture, us versus them, perhaps the most important message for our times is “You are loved.”
What did you think of that video? I found parts of it disturbing, others heart-warming. Every person—black, white, blue, citizen, immigrant, conservative, progressive, young, old, gay, straight, rich, and poor is a masterpiece…a broken masterpiece…an imperfect, sinful masterpiece. We exist to proclaim that simple message: you are loved. Period.
Today we begin a series called The Great Divide. 2020 will be remembered for two things: COVID and division. What began as “we’re all in this together” has become a raging war over face masks, political candidates, racism, …and the real battle between Michigan and Ohio State isn’t until December 12!
Our world is filled with division—even in the Church—yet Jesus prayed that we would be one as we share faith, hope and love. In fact, the only time I believe Jesus prayed specifically for us in 2020 was in the seventeenth chapter of John:
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23)
LORD, make us one! That was Jesus’ prayer for us. It’s one of the four prayers I pray for First Alliance Church: direction, protection, passion…and unity. By unity, I don’t mean uniformity. In fact, harmony might be a better word: different notes played together creating a beautiful sound. My favorite metaphor for the Church is a mosaic—broken, diverse pieces assembled together so light can shine through and reveal beauty.
The goal of this series is simple: build bridges. It’s easy to build walls. Staying with your team in the echo chamber of thoughts—and villainizing “those people—is the way of the world. But the way of Jesus is love, grace, invitation, mercy, forgiveness, and hope.
In one of the most popular illustrations of the gospel—or good news—God is on one side of a chasm or canyon that we call sin. God is allergic to sin, we all sin, and therefore this is a space between us and God dating back to the Garden of Eden, the rebellion of Adam and Eve. Religion is the human quest to get to God, to earn God’s favor, to receive His blessing. But nothing we can do can bridge the great divide. It’s as if the best we can do is try to jump across the Grand Canyon. You can practice. You can train. You can get better, but no human could ever jump across safely.
This is called the bridge illustration because Jesus comes along and his death and resurrection create a bridge, a way to God. It’s not forced, though it’s available to everyone. We choose to ignore it or walk across and experience restoration, healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, and a relationship with our Creator. It’s truly amazing!
In a similar—but far less significant—way, we are going to attempt to build bridges throughout this series. These bridges are valuable between the Church and the world, but also within the Church. We may all claim to follow Jesus, but our family of origin, geography, education, ethnicity, culture, and experiences make unity—and harmony—challenging.
We’re going to tackle three softball topics in this series: politics, racism, and generation gaps. Today, we begin with politics.
Once upon a time, God told a man named Abram that he would be the father of many nations (Genesis 17:4). His grandson, Jacob, was renamed Israel (Genesis 32:28) and his offspring became known as the twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 49:28). Generations later when they were slaves in Egypt, Moses was called by God to lead the people out of Egypt to the Promised Land, what we know today as Israel. God was the faithful leader of the Jewish people, yet as time passed, they wanted a human king like the other nations. Samuel urged them to follow God and God alone, but they said, “No! We want a king over us” (1 Samuel 8:19).
Ever since, virtually every human on earth has been ruled by kings, queens, presidents, and prime ministers. All have been imperfect. All have had agendas. All have had mixed motives. Some have sought wisdom from God. None have been able to provide the perfect leadership of the Almighty…which is why we’re in the political mess we’re in!
Let me set some expectations to either ease or heighten your anxiety!
You will not hear me endorse a candidate today. Many of you wish I would. Others just breathed a sigh of relief.
You will not hear me endorse a political party today. Again, that will make some of you happy, others upset.
I will say I think this is a great yet flawed nation. As individuals and as a society, we’ve done good and evil. I’m grateful for our founding fathers and those who have sacrificed for our freedoms. I pray for God to bless the USA…and every nation on earth. Next month we have the privilege of expressing our voice through voting. If you don’t vote, don’t complain. But while voting is an important choice, we make choices every day which are often far more significant.
As an example, I consider myself pro-life. Like most labels, “pro-life” has multiple meanings. To some, it simply means overturning Roe v. Wade. To others, it is a recognition that all life is precious, from the womb to the tomb, including the disabled, the refugee, the minority, the unborn, the mentally ill, the incarcerated, those with dementia,…and yes, even politicians!
It’s easy to vote once every four years for a person who says they are against abortion, but the decision to adopt, be a foster parent, volunteer with Water for Ishmael, serve at the Pregnancy Center helping new parents, participate in Kairos Prison Ministry, tutor students at the After School Club, give to Cherry Street Mission, …those decisions are pro-life!
Psalm 139 says,
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:13-16)
I believe God is pro-life. He creates life. He should determine when and how it ends. It is our job to love well. Always.
Loving well means respecting those who disagree with you. Jesus went as far as saying, “Love your enemies.” That sounds absurd. In fact, I dare say it’s impossible…without God.
Family, we will have disagreements about politics—and other things. It’s okay to dialog, but let’s be careful about debates. I don’t even want to think about the first presidential debate, but typically in a debate two people talk at one another, refuse to listen, and try to win at the expense of the other. Dialog begins with, “Help me understand.” It involves listening.
In our day, I believe listening is one of the greatest things we can do to show love and respect. It’s so rare in our culture to actually hear someone. Jesus’ half-brother wrote,
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. (James 1:19-21)
We could spend all morning on these three verses! Most of us are quick to speak, slow to listen, and quick to become angry. We’re easily baited by social media posts or angered by cable news. People are making millions out of keeping us in silos, portraying the “other” as the enemy, and creating doom and gloom scenarios if our team doesn’t win.
Every four years we are told this is the most important election ever! Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t, but the sun will rise on November 4, regardless of who wins. We’ve survived four and even eight years under Republican presidents and Democrat presidents.
My first sermon here five years ago was simply entitled, “Fear not. Fear God.” The most common command in the Bible is “fear not.” The media feeds on fear. It’s their fuel. Go vote, but realize that’s the extent of your control over this election. You have far greater control over how you live your life every day, how you love, how you give, how you serve.
God has created three institutions: family, government, and church. They are all important. Each has the capability of promoting human flourishing…and each can be dysfunction and destructive. Simply put, families, government, and churches are filled with people who have the potential to do great good and great evil. That includes you and me. How are you living your life? How are you using your influence?
A few years ago, I was at a church function talking with an international worker with the Alliance. I mentioned how passionate many at First Alliance are about politics. As if on cue, someone came up to us and asked, “Pastor, how could a Christian ever be a Democrat?” Allow me to take a quick stab at that!
In Larry Hertado’s book Destroyer of the Gods, he writes about the early church social project. In the first century, the Church was a minority. It didn’t have power. It was looked upon with disdain. Hertado describes five traits of the early church:
1. Multi-ethnic (first multi-ethnic religion) 2. Oriented to the poor (economic justice) 3. Conciliatory (forgiveness, bridge-building) 4. Pro-life (against infanticide and abortion) 5. Believed sex was only between a man and woman in marriage
1 and 2 sound Democratic.
4 and 5 sound Republican.
3 is found in neither!
There is no perfect party or politician, not matter what you’ve been told. We simply live in a fallen, broken world with a real enemy who is out to destroy our unity, our joy, our love, our witness, and our peace. He loves to divide and conquer…and we can’t let him win!
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. (Mark 3:24-25)
My great concern is not the binary, polarizing, cancel culture in our world. That’s the world. The kingdom of darkness is always filled with wars and conflict. When I see it in the Church, that’s when I become alarmed. There has never been a better time for us to extend grace, to seek to understand the other, the show kindness and gentleness.
We are not to act like the world! Jesus set forth a different agenda, a different path, a different way.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
Unless Jesus returns and runs for president, we will probably have differing opinions on election day…and that’s ok. What’s not ok is attacking, condemning, judging, disrespecting, hating, or arrogantly seeking to overpower one another.
Fortunately, I haven’t witnessed much of that around here lately…and I hope I don’t! I like a healthy, robust discussion as much as anyone, but it must always be done with love, humility, and a commitment to the relationship. I’ve witnessed this with our staff. I’ve experienced it with our elders. We are different. We think differently, vote differently, and even behave differently, …and that’s a good thing so long as we love well.
Jesus said,
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
Life. A full, abundant life. No politician can deliver that, but Jesus can.
A Vision for Kingdom Living
We live in the United States of America. But we are citizens of heaven. We’ve been sent here on a mission, not to win an election or gain power, but to serve, to restore God’s masterpieces. We’ve been given authority from God almighty to go and make disciples, to love God, and to love our neighbor as ourself.
It’s fine to have political preferences, but our focus must be on the Lion and the Lamb, not an elephant or donkey.
The answer to the problems in our world is not a politician, but the only One who is a prophet, priest, and king. His name is Jesus. He is Lord of lords, King of kings, and President of presidents. He will rule and reign for four years? No! For eight year? No! Forever!
If we spent as much time reading the Bible as they do political news, our world would be a different place.
If we spent as much time talking about Jesus as we do the presidential candidates, our world would be a different place.
If we spent as much time listening as we did talking, posting, and arguing, our world would be a different place…and we would be different people!
Some of you are going to be happy on November 4—or whenever they tally the votes—and others will be disappointed. But we need to come together. We need to love and respect one another. We need to show the world there’s a better way to live than on opposite sides of the great divide of politics.
After RBG’s death, the stories of her and Judge Scalia were widespread. Two very different human beings with opposing political and ideological views were able to maintain a close friendship. They didn’t tolerate one another, they had genuine love and respect for each other.
First Alliance, I want us to model that kind of humanity, decency, and dignity. We need to honor one another, serve one another, and get beyond our external differences to see each other as brother and sister, related by blood, the blood of Jesus. We have far more in common than we will ever have different.
Let’s take the next month or so to pray, to listen, to learn, to love. Let’s remember Romans 13 which begins,
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13:1)
God will not be surprised on November 4. He’s already been there! He is in control. Not you. Not even the president. God is in control!
I’m glad my eternal destiny is not in the hands of any candidate. Truthfully, I think every president in history has made some good decisions and some bad ones. Whoever gets elected, we need to pray for them. My prayer for past, present, and future leaders is simple: LORD, may they humbly seek Your will, Your Kingdom.
Family, don’t buy into the lies that the election will save or ruin your life. We’re only here for eighty or so years, but what awaits us is eternity with God.
A president before I was born said, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” You can vote, which is important, but it’s far more important to share faith, hope, and love every day. We can never put our faith in politicians. We can never put our hope in political parties.
Our faith, our hope, our future, our life is in Jesus Christ, the Lion and the Lamb!
PRAY for the election
PRAY for our current leaders
PRAY for our future leaders
Remember, you are loved! You are a masterpiece…and so is everyone you encounter this week. Let’s build bridges and love well…in Jesus’ Name.
Recommended Resources
NAE For the Health statement
Not in It to Win It by Andy Stanley
The Church of Us vs. Them by David Fitch
BuckeyeBallot.com
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—The Great Divide
Series Big Idea: Our world is filled with division, yet Jesus prayed that we would be one as we share faith, hope and love.
Big Idea: Every leader has good and bad qualities and our allegiance must never be to a candidate or party, but to Jesus the Messiah.
The Great Divide video by Dan Stevers
You are loved!
In a world of division, controversy, cancel culture, us versus them, perhaps the most important message for our times is “You are loved.”
What did you think of that video? I found parts of it disturbing, others heart-warming. Every person—black, white, blue, citizen, immigrant, conservative, progressive, young, old, gay, straight, rich, and poor is a masterpiece…a broken masterpiece…an imperfect, sinful masterpiece. We exist to proclaim that simple message: you are loved. Period.
Today we begin a series called The Great Divide. 2020 will be remembered for two things: COVID and division. What began as “we’re all in this together” has become a raging war over face masks, political candidates, racism, …and the real battle between Michigan and Ohio State isn’t until December 12!
Our world is filled with division—even in the Church—yet Jesus prayed that we would be one as we share faith, hope and love. In fact, the only time I believe Jesus prayed specifically for us in 2020 was in the seventeenth chapter of John:
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23)
LORD, make us one! That was Jesus’ prayer for us. It’s one of the four prayers I pray for First Alliance Church: direction, protection, passion…and unity. By unity, I don’t mean uniformity. In fact, harmony might be a better word: different notes played together creating a beautiful sound. My favorite metaphor for the Church is a mosaic—broken, diverse pieces assembled together so light can shine through and reveal beauty.
The goal of this series is simple: build bridges. It’s easy to build walls. Staying with your team in the echo chamber of thoughts—and villainizing “those people—is the way of the world. But the way of Jesus is love, grace, invitation, mercy, forgiveness, and hope.
In one of the most popular illustrations of the gospel—or good news—God is on one side of a chasm or canyon that we call sin. God is allergic to sin, we all sin, and therefore this is a space between us and God dating back to the Garden of Eden, the rebellion of Adam and Eve. Religion is the human quest to get to God, to earn God’s favor, to receive His blessing. But nothing we can do can bridge the great divide. It’s as if the best we can do is try to jump across the Grand Canyon. You can practice. You can train. You can get better, but no human could ever jump across safely.
This is called the bridge illustration because Jesus comes along and his death and resurrection create a bridge, a way to God. It’s not forced, though it’s available to everyone. We choose to ignore it or walk across and experience restoration, healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, and a relationship with our Creator. It’s truly amazing!
In a similar—but far less significant—way, we are going to attempt to build bridges throughout this series. These bridges are valuable between the Church and the world, but also within the Church. We may all claim to follow Jesus, but our family of origin, geography, education, ethnicity, culture, and experiences make unity—and harmony—challenging.
We’re going to tackle three softball topics in this series: politics, racism, and generation gaps. Today, we begin with politics.
Once upon a time, God told a man named Abram that he would be the father of many nations (Genesis 17:4). His grandson, Jacob, was renamed Israel (Genesis 32:28) and his offspring became known as the twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 49:28). Generations later when they were slaves in Egypt, Moses was called by God to lead the people out of Egypt to the Promised Land, what we know today as Israel. God was the faithful leader of the Jewish people, yet as time passed, they wanted a human king like the other nations. Samuel urged them to follow God and God alone, but they said, “No! We want a king over us” (1 Samuel 8:19).
Ever since, virtually every human on earth has been ruled by kings, queens, presidents, and prime ministers. All have been imperfect. All have had agendas. All have had mixed motives. Some have sought wisdom from God. None have been able to provide the perfect leadership of the Almighty…which is why we’re in the political mess we’re in!
Let me set some expectations to either ease or heighten your anxiety!
You will not hear me endorse a candidate today. Many of you wish I would. Others just breathed a sigh of relief.
You will not hear me endorse a political party today. Again, that will make some of you happy, others upset.
I will say I think this is a great yet flawed nation. As individuals and as a society, we’ve done good and evil. I’m grateful for our founding fathers and those who have sacrificed for our freedoms. I pray for God to bless the USA…and every nation on earth. Next month we have the privilege of expressing our voice through voting. If you don’t vote, don’t complain. But while voting is an important choice, we make choices every day which are often far more significant.
As an example, I consider myself pro-life. Like most labels, “pro-life” has multiple meanings. To some, it simply means overturning Roe v. Wade. To others, it is a recognition that all life is precious, from the womb to the tomb, including the disabled, the refugee, the minority, the unborn, the mentally ill, the incarcerated, those with dementia,…and yes, even politicians!
It’s easy to vote once every four years for a person who says they are against abortion, but the decision to adopt, be a foster parent, volunteer with Water for Ishmael, serve at the Pregnancy Center helping new parents, participate in Kairos Prison Ministry, tutor students at the After School Club, give to Cherry Street Mission, …those decisions are pro-life!
Psalm 139 says,
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:13-16)
I believe God is pro-life. He creates life. He should determine when and how it ends. It is our job to love well. Always.
Loving well means respecting those who disagree with you. Jesus went as far as saying, “Love your enemies.” That sounds absurd. In fact, I dare say it’s impossible…without God.
Family, we will have disagreements about politics—and other things. It’s okay to dialog, but let’s be careful about debates. I don’t even want to think about the first presidential debate, but typically in a debate two people talk at one another, refuse to listen, and try to win at the expense of the other. Dialog begins with, “Help me understand.” It involves listening.
In our day, I believe listening is one of the greatest things we can do to show love and respect. It’s so rare in our culture to actually hear someone. Jesus’ half-brother wrote,
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. (James 1:19-21)
We could spend all morning on these three verses! Most of us are quick to speak, slow to listen, and quick to become angry. We’re easily baited by social media posts or angered by cable news. People are making millions out of keeping us in silos, portraying the “other” as the enemy, and creating doom and gloom scenarios if our team doesn’t win.
Every four years we are told this is the most important election ever! Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t, but the sun will rise on November 4, regardless of who wins. We’ve survived four and even eight years under Republican presidents and Democrat presidents.
My first sermon here five years ago was simply entitled, “Fear not. Fear God.” The most common command in the Bible is “fear not.” The media feeds on fear. It’s their fuel. Go vote, but realize that’s the extent of your control over this election. You have far greater control over how you live your life every day, how you love, how you give, how you serve.
God has created three institutions: family, government, and church. They are all important. Each has the capability of promoting human flourishing…and each can be dysfunction and destructive. Simply put, families, government, and churches are filled with people who have the potential to do great good and great evil. That includes you and me. How are you living your life? How are you using your influence?
A few years ago, I was at a church function talking with an international worker with the Alliance. I mentioned how passionate many at First Alliance are about politics. As if on cue, someone came up to us and asked, “Pastor, how could a Christian ever be a Democrat?” Allow me to take a quick stab at that!
In Larry Hertado’s book Destroyer of the Gods, he writes about the early church social project. In the first century, the Church was a minority. It didn’t have power. It was looked upon with disdain. Hertado describes five traits of the early church:
1 and 2 sound Democratic.
4 and 5 sound Republican.
3 is found in neither!
There is no perfect party or politician, not matter what you’ve been told. We simply live in a fallen, broken world with a real enemy who is out to destroy our unity, our joy, our love, our witness, and our peace. He loves to divide and conquer…and we can’t let him win!
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. (Mark 3:24-25)
My great concern is not the binary, polarizing, cancel culture in our world. That’s the world. The kingdom of darkness is always filled with wars and conflict. When I see it in the Church, that’s when I become alarmed. There has never been a better time for us to extend grace, to seek to understand the other, the show kindness and gentleness.
We are not to act like the world! Jesus set forth a different agenda, a different path, a different way.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
Unless Jesus returns and runs for president, we will probably have differing opinions on election day…and that’s ok. What’s not ok is attacking, condemning, judging, disrespecting, hating, or arrogantly seeking to overpower one another.
Fortunately, I haven’t witnessed much of that around here lately…and I hope I don’t! I like a healthy, robust discussion as much as anyone, but it must always be done with love, humility, and a commitment to the relationship. I’ve witnessed this with our staff. I’ve experienced it with our elders. We are different. We think differently, vote differently, and even behave differently, …and that’s a good thing so long as we love well.
Jesus said,
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
Life. A full, abundant life. No politician can deliver that, but Jesus can.
A Vision for Kingdom Living
We live in the United States of America. But we are citizens of heaven. We’ve been sent here on a mission, not to win an election or gain power, but to serve, to restore God’s masterpieces. We’ve been given authority from God almighty to go and make disciples, to love God, and to love our neighbor as ourself.
It’s fine to have political preferences, but our focus must be on the Lion and the Lamb, not an elephant or donkey.
The answer to the problems in our world is not a politician, but the only One who is a prophet, priest, and king. His name is Jesus. He is Lord of lords, King of kings, and President of presidents. He will rule and reign for four years? No! For eight year? No! Forever!
If we spent as much time reading the Bible as they do political news, our world would be a different place.
If we spent as much time talking about Jesus as we do the presidential candidates, our world would be a different place.
If we spent as much time listening as we did talking, posting, and arguing, our world would be a different place…and we would be different people!
Some of you are going to be happy on November 4—or whenever they tally the votes—and others will be disappointed. But we need to come together. We need to love and respect one another. We need to show the world there’s a better way to live than on opposite sides of the great divide of politics.
After RBG’s death, the stories of her and Judge Scalia were widespread. Two very different human beings with opposing political and ideological views were able to maintain a close friendship. They didn’t tolerate one another, they had genuine love and respect for each other.
First Alliance, I want us to model that kind of humanity, decency, and dignity. We need to honor one another, serve one another, and get beyond our external differences to see each other as brother and sister, related by blood, the blood of Jesus. We have far more in common than we will ever have different.
Let’s take the next month or so to pray, to listen, to learn, to love. Let’s remember Romans 13 which begins,
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13:1)
God will not be surprised on November 4. He’s already been there! He is in control. Not you. Not even the president. God is in control!
I’m glad my eternal destiny is not in the hands of any candidate. Truthfully, I think every president in history has made some good decisions and some bad ones. Whoever gets elected, we need to pray for them. My prayer for past, present, and future leaders is simple: LORD, may they humbly seek Your will, Your Kingdom.
Family, don’t buy into the lies that the election will save or ruin your life. We’re only here for eighty or so years, but what awaits us is eternity with God.
A president before I was born said, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” You can vote, which is important, but it’s far more important to share faith, hope, and love every day. We can never put our faith in politicians. We can never put our hope in political parties.
Our faith, our hope, our future, our life is in Jesus Christ, the Lion and the Lamb!
PRAY for the election
PRAY for our current leaders
PRAY for our future leaders
Remember, you are loved! You are a masterpiece…and so is everyone you encounter this week. Let’s build bridges and love well…in Jesus’ Name.
Recommended Resources
NAE For the Health statement
Not in It to Win It by Andy Stanley
The Church of Us vs. Them by David Fitch
BuckeyeBallot.com
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
The G.O.A.T., 27 September 2020
27 09 20
GOAT: Greatest of All Time
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 9:33-37
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Jesus is the Greatest of All Time, though the path to greatness is a paradox.
There’s a lot of discussion lately about the GOAT: the greatest of all time. In basketball, the debate is LeBron James versus Michael Jordan. In football, Brady or Manning. Hockey fans can’t agree on Gretsky or Hull. Debates rage in soccer over Renaldo or Messi. Golfers argue over Woods or Nicholas.
Muhammad Ali was never shy about being called “the Greatest.” He was not only a great boxer, he is considered by many to be the most important athlete of the 20th century. He was named the Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC and became a legend in and outside of the boxing ring.
Just before takeoff on an airplane flight, the stewardess reminded Ali to fasten his seat belt. “Superman don’t need no seat belt,” replied Ali. Legend has it that the stewardess retorted, ”Superman don’t need no airplane.”
H.G. Wells said, “I am an historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history.”
I doubt I would have trouble convincing most of you that Jesus Christ is the greatest human of all time. But who’s next? Who’s the second-greatest human in history? What about in the Bible?
Today we’re returning to the book of Mark, the shortest gospel or “good news” of Jesus Christ. It’s a fascinating biography of the Messiah, and our text today speaks volumes about true greatness.
In the eighth chapter of Mark, it is said of Jesus…
He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. (Mark 8:31)
Jesus predicts his death. It is so clear that Peter rebukes Jesus which results in a teaching moment for Jesus! A few verses later…
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Mark 8:34)
These are not easy words…and I’m not convinced anything has changed. To follow the world, we can pursue happiness, money, sex, power, and pleasure…but following Jesus means the death of our sinful, false self. It means surrender and sacrifice. Paul connects Jesus’ example to our calling.
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:15)
Jesus continues…
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. (Mark 8:35)
This is known as a paradox—“a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true,” Whoever wants to save their life will lose it. Whoever loses their life for Jesus will save it. Missionary and martyr Jim Elliot famously said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. (Mark 9:30-32)
This is the second time Jesus predicts his death in the book of Mark. The disciples were clueless, but Jesus is teaching them about greatness. He’s the greatest, and yet his mission is not to be served, but to serve.
Don’t you wish our politicians could try this?!
Our passage for today, Mark 9:33-37, begins…
They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. (Mark 9:33-34)
Jesus hears them arguing, which is never a good sign! When he confronts them, they probably tried to change the subject! They know they’ve been caught in the act!
Numbers 32:23 says, “…be sure that your sin will find you out.” It’s one thing that they’re arguing. It’s another that they’re arguing about who’s the greatest.
It should be noted that God isn’t always fair. It’s not fair that some are born into great wealth and comfort while others have refugee parents. It’s not fair that some are born with natural beauty while others have less-attractive features. It’s not fair that some are born in this great country with freedoms and liberties while others are monitored 24/7 like lab rats by their government.
Likewise, it’s not fair that Jesus picked twelve to be his special followers. It’s not fair that Peter, James, and John were in Jesus’ inner circle, privileged with unique opportunities. It’s believed that John was Jesus’ favorite among the three. Maybe this was the topic of conversation that Jesus overheard. What we know for sure is Jesus was not pleased with this argument, though it’s a debate that rages to this day. Who’s the greatest? Whose rank or status in society is at the top? It’s no secret that there are the rich, famous, and powerful on one extreme and the sick, poor, disabled, homeless, foreigner on the other. It’s human nature to pre-judge based upon what we see, whether it’s a shiny, new sports car or worn-out shoes with holes in them.
I’m guessing the argument was not about who was the greatest among the Roman leaders. They probably weren’t conversing about the greatest athletes in the upcoming Olympic Games. No, my guess is they were all trying to one-up one another, comparing stories of encounters with Jesus to see who he loved the most.
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35)
Mic drop! Here’s another paradox, another radical, revolutionary, counter-cultural declaration. In our world today, alternative has become another word for cool, edgy, trendy, and different. The ultimate alternative lifestyle is following Jesus. It’s extreme, outrageous, …and oh so rewarding! It’s not the pathway to comfort and pleasure, but the peace of Christ from an obedient relationship with him is priceless. When you don’t have to pretend and wear masks to cover up your flaws, when you don’t have to worry about pleasing people because you’re pleasing God, when you don’t worry about—well, anything—that’s the road to contentment. Servanthood is the pathway to true satisfaction.
For many of this, this statement of Jesus to serve almost sounds cliché, but imagine the Creator of the universe washing your feet! Imagine the Son of God dying for you! Imagine the greatest human in history loving you with a perfect, unconditional love!
If we’re honest, we all want to be great. We’re conditioned that fame and fortune will lead to happiness, though history proves that lie! We want to be in control. We lust after power. We want it our way. We like to be served, admired, complimented, and praised. But Jesus says if you want to be great—if you want to be first—you must be last, you must serve, you must die to your self, your pride, your will…and seek first God’s Kingdom.
Greatness is not about power.
Greatness is not about possessions.
Greatness is not about position or prestige or performance or any other p-word!
Greatness is a humble servant, dying to self, obeying God, loving well.
By the way, Christians love the idea of being a servant…until they’re treated like one! Are you living as a servant or king/queen? Are you seeking a cross or a throne?
It’s interesting to note Jesus sits when he teaches, the opposite of our culture where the teacher stands and the students sit. In Jesus’ day, the teacher sat as they were worthy of respect. This small detail underscores the significance of Jesus’ words. He is deliberating teaching them something very important.
What follows is no coincidence. It is the “so what” of his brief teaching.
He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” (Mark 9:36-37)
This was scandalous! In the culture, children were not cute, idolized creatures who were spoiled with extravagant birthday parties, designer clothes, and expensive video games. Children were nothing more than a nuisance. They were to be seen and not heard. In the original language, the word “child” could also mean “servant.” This is another example of the extraordinary Kingdom of God. This child has nothing to offer. They don’t have money. They don’t have power. They don’t have connections. They can’t produce with physical labor. Yet Jesus welcomes them.
Jesus values hospitality—welcoming the stranger, the powerless, the other. He serves those who should be serving him. He died for the very ones—you and me—who deserved death. He sees every human as a masterpiece.
Diversity
One of my favorite things about First Alliance Church is its growing diversity. We have people of all different shapes and sizes, colors and creeds, education and ethnicity. Everyone is welcome.
I found a sign that said,
We welcome
All races and ethnicities
All religions
All countries of origin
All gender identities
All sexual orientations
All abilities and disabilities
All spoken languages
All ages
Everyone.
Here’s how Paul said:
Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. (Colossians 3:11)
That’s the message of Jesus. All are welcome. All saints. All sinners. We don’t celebrate sin, of course, but we recognize we all sin, we all fall short of God’s glory, we all need His amazing grace and forgiveness, He so loved the whole world that He sent Jesus.
I’m glad you are different than me. This world can only handle one Kirk Schneemann!
I’m thrilled we are all different. We can learn from one another. We can learn patience by being with one another! We can learn new skills, new ideas, and new perspectives through doing life together. I need you. I really do! You need me. That’s family!
This past week Heather and I watched a documentary called The Social Dilemma. It exposes the manipulation of social media to feed us information just like those things we click. If you watch YouTube videos about fishing, they will recommend other videos about fishing. If you click on fake news about the earth being flat, suddenly other conspiracy theories will be presented to you. If you are a progressive, you’ll be encouraged to consume more news and media that support left-leaning ideology. The filmmakers of this documentary present a compelling argument that our nation is divided because we never hear from the other side, whether it’s a different cable news channel, a different set of Facebook posts, or a different type of podcast.
Tragically, this is nothing new. Decades ago in 1955, Donald McGavran promoted the homogeneous unit principle, the idea that, “Men like to become Christians without crossing racial, linguistic, or class barriers.” In other words, we need white churches for white people, black churches for black people, fancy churches for rich people, etc. It’s a good marketing strategy, but a terrible expression of faith. Revelation tells us twice that every nation, tribe, people, and language is included in God’s plan for humanity. Jesus prayed that we would be one, united family (John 17). Only satan could bring about the division, the injustice, the hatred that exists both inside and outside the church today.
Next month we’re doing a sermon series along with some other area churches called The Great Divide. In God’s Kingdom, age is not an issue, as evidenced by Jesus’ love for children. In God’s Kingdom, politics is not an issue. It’s all about King Jesus, not a donkey or elephant. In God’s Kingdom, ethnicity is not an issue. We’re all part of the human race, all created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth, no matter your skin color, national citizenship, zip code, or language.
It sounds so basic, so simple, so obvious, yet time and time again I hear about people—often pastors—who fail to value or sometimes even recognize the “other.” Every person you meet this week is a masterpiece! That includes those noisy kids that are going stir-crazy from staring at computer screens all day. That includes the person with the cardboard sign, the annoying co-worker, the harsh boss, the nagging spouse, the lunatic driving 70 on the Trail, and yes, those politicians you despise from the other party.
For the record, I still content Michael Jordan is the GOAT, the greatest of all time in the game of basketball. If you disagree, I can respect that. But the ultimate GOAT, the greatest human of all time is undeniably Jesus the Messiah. His teaching was great. His example was great. His love was great. His death and resurrection were great. Thousands of years later, he remains the most powerful, most influential person in history.
We love him—and others— because he first loved us.
We serve others because he served us.
We are hospitable and welcome the stranger because he welcomes us into his family.
We die to ourselves so we can live as new creations.
Jesus is the greatest, and he is worthy of our praise and worship, both in word and deed, all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, all of our strength.
Family, be great! Humbly serve. Extend hospitality. Love well. It’s the Jesus way to live.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 9:33-37
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Jesus is the Greatest of All Time, though the path to greatness is a paradox.
There’s a lot of discussion lately about the GOAT: the greatest of all time. In basketball, the debate is LeBron James versus Michael Jordan. In football, Brady or Manning. Hockey fans can’t agree on Gretsky or Hull. Debates rage in soccer over Renaldo or Messi. Golfers argue over Woods or Nicholas.
Muhammad Ali was never shy about being called “the Greatest.” He was not only a great boxer, he is considered by many to be the most important athlete of the 20th century. He was named the Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC and became a legend in and outside of the boxing ring.
Just before takeoff on an airplane flight, the stewardess reminded Ali to fasten his seat belt. “Superman don’t need no seat belt,” replied Ali. Legend has it that the stewardess retorted, ”Superman don’t need no airplane.”
H.G. Wells said, “I am an historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history.”
I doubt I would have trouble convincing most of you that Jesus Christ is the greatest human of all time. But who’s next? Who’s the second-greatest human in history? What about in the Bible?
Today we’re returning to the book of Mark, the shortest gospel or “good news” of Jesus Christ. It’s a fascinating biography of the Messiah, and our text today speaks volumes about true greatness.
In the eighth chapter of Mark, it is said of Jesus…
He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. (Mark 8:31)
Jesus predicts his death. It is so clear that Peter rebukes Jesus which results in a teaching moment for Jesus! A few verses later…
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Mark 8:34)
These are not easy words…and I’m not convinced anything has changed. To follow the world, we can pursue happiness, money, sex, power, and pleasure…but following Jesus means the death of our sinful, false self. It means surrender and sacrifice. Paul connects Jesus’ example to our calling.
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:15)
Jesus continues…
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. (Mark 8:35)
This is known as a paradox—“a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true,” Whoever wants to save their life will lose it. Whoever loses their life for Jesus will save it. Missionary and martyr Jim Elliot famously said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. (Mark 9:30-32)
This is the second time Jesus predicts his death in the book of Mark. The disciples were clueless, but Jesus is teaching them about greatness. He’s the greatest, and yet his mission is not to be served, but to serve.
Don’t you wish our politicians could try this?!
Our passage for today, Mark 9:33-37, begins…
They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. (Mark 9:33-34)
Jesus hears them arguing, which is never a good sign! When he confronts them, they probably tried to change the subject! They know they’ve been caught in the act!
Numbers 32:23 says, “…be sure that your sin will find you out.” It’s one thing that they’re arguing. It’s another that they’re arguing about who’s the greatest.
It should be noted that God isn’t always fair. It’s not fair that some are born into great wealth and comfort while others have refugee parents. It’s not fair that some are born with natural beauty while others have less-attractive features. It’s not fair that some are born in this great country with freedoms and liberties while others are monitored 24/7 like lab rats by their government.
Likewise, it’s not fair that Jesus picked twelve to be his special followers. It’s not fair that Peter, James, and John were in Jesus’ inner circle, privileged with unique opportunities. It’s believed that John was Jesus’ favorite among the three. Maybe this was the topic of conversation that Jesus overheard. What we know for sure is Jesus was not pleased with this argument, though it’s a debate that rages to this day. Who’s the greatest? Whose rank or status in society is at the top? It’s no secret that there are the rich, famous, and powerful on one extreme and the sick, poor, disabled, homeless, foreigner on the other. It’s human nature to pre-judge based upon what we see, whether it’s a shiny, new sports car or worn-out shoes with holes in them.
I’m guessing the argument was not about who was the greatest among the Roman leaders. They probably weren’t conversing about the greatest athletes in the upcoming Olympic Games. No, my guess is they were all trying to one-up one another, comparing stories of encounters with Jesus to see who he loved the most.
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35)
Mic drop! Here’s another paradox, another radical, revolutionary, counter-cultural declaration. In our world today, alternative has become another word for cool, edgy, trendy, and different. The ultimate alternative lifestyle is following Jesus. It’s extreme, outrageous, …and oh so rewarding! It’s not the pathway to comfort and pleasure, but the peace of Christ from an obedient relationship with him is priceless. When you don’t have to pretend and wear masks to cover up your flaws, when you don’t have to worry about pleasing people because you’re pleasing God, when you don’t worry about—well, anything—that’s the road to contentment. Servanthood is the pathway to true satisfaction.
For many of this, this statement of Jesus to serve almost sounds cliché, but imagine the Creator of the universe washing your feet! Imagine the Son of God dying for you! Imagine the greatest human in history loving you with a perfect, unconditional love!
If we’re honest, we all want to be great. We’re conditioned that fame and fortune will lead to happiness, though history proves that lie! We want to be in control. We lust after power. We want it our way. We like to be served, admired, complimented, and praised. But Jesus says if you want to be great—if you want to be first—you must be last, you must serve, you must die to your self, your pride, your will…and seek first God’s Kingdom.
Greatness is not about power.
Greatness is not about possessions.
Greatness is not about position or prestige or performance or any other p-word!
Greatness is a humble servant, dying to self, obeying God, loving well.
By the way, Christians love the idea of being a servant…until they’re treated like one! Are you living as a servant or king/queen? Are you seeking a cross or a throne?
It’s interesting to note Jesus sits when he teaches, the opposite of our culture where the teacher stands and the students sit. In Jesus’ day, the teacher sat as they were worthy of respect. This small detail underscores the significance of Jesus’ words. He is deliberating teaching them something very important.
What follows is no coincidence. It is the “so what” of his brief teaching.
He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” (Mark 9:36-37)
This was scandalous! In the culture, children were not cute, idolized creatures who were spoiled with extravagant birthday parties, designer clothes, and expensive video games. Children were nothing more than a nuisance. They were to be seen and not heard. In the original language, the word “child” could also mean “servant.” This is another example of the extraordinary Kingdom of God. This child has nothing to offer. They don’t have money. They don’t have power. They don’t have connections. They can’t produce with physical labor. Yet Jesus welcomes them.
Jesus values hospitality—welcoming the stranger, the powerless, the other. He serves those who should be serving him. He died for the very ones—you and me—who deserved death. He sees every human as a masterpiece.
Diversity
One of my favorite things about First Alliance Church is its growing diversity. We have people of all different shapes and sizes, colors and creeds, education and ethnicity. Everyone is welcome.
I found a sign that said,
We welcome
All races and ethnicities
All religions
All countries of origin
All gender identities
All sexual orientations
All abilities and disabilities
All spoken languages
All ages
Everyone.
Here’s how Paul said:
Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. (Colossians 3:11)
That’s the message of Jesus. All are welcome. All saints. All sinners. We don’t celebrate sin, of course, but we recognize we all sin, we all fall short of God’s glory, we all need His amazing grace and forgiveness, He so loved the whole world that He sent Jesus.
I’m glad you are different than me. This world can only handle one Kirk Schneemann!
I’m thrilled we are all different. We can learn from one another. We can learn patience by being with one another! We can learn new skills, new ideas, and new perspectives through doing life together. I need you. I really do! You need me. That’s family!
This past week Heather and I watched a documentary called The Social Dilemma. It exposes the manipulation of social media to feed us information just like those things we click. If you watch YouTube videos about fishing, they will recommend other videos about fishing. If you click on fake news about the earth being flat, suddenly other conspiracy theories will be presented to you. If you are a progressive, you’ll be encouraged to consume more news and media that support left-leaning ideology. The filmmakers of this documentary present a compelling argument that our nation is divided because we never hear from the other side, whether it’s a different cable news channel, a different set of Facebook posts, or a different type of podcast.
Tragically, this is nothing new. Decades ago in 1955, Donald McGavran promoted the homogeneous unit principle, the idea that, “Men like to become Christians without crossing racial, linguistic, or class barriers.” In other words, we need white churches for white people, black churches for black people, fancy churches for rich people, etc. It’s a good marketing strategy, but a terrible expression of faith. Revelation tells us twice that every nation, tribe, people, and language is included in God’s plan for humanity. Jesus prayed that we would be one, united family (John 17). Only satan could bring about the division, the injustice, the hatred that exists both inside and outside the church today.
Next month we’re doing a sermon series along with some other area churches called The Great Divide. In God’s Kingdom, age is not an issue, as evidenced by Jesus’ love for children. In God’s Kingdom, politics is not an issue. It’s all about King Jesus, not a donkey or elephant. In God’s Kingdom, ethnicity is not an issue. We’re all part of the human race, all created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth, no matter your skin color, national citizenship, zip code, or language.
It sounds so basic, so simple, so obvious, yet time and time again I hear about people—often pastors—who fail to value or sometimes even recognize the “other.” Every person you meet this week is a masterpiece! That includes those noisy kids that are going stir-crazy from staring at computer screens all day. That includes the person with the cardboard sign, the annoying co-worker, the harsh boss, the nagging spouse, the lunatic driving 70 on the Trail, and yes, those politicians you despise from the other party.
For the record, I still content Michael Jordan is the GOAT, the greatest of all time in the game of basketball. If you disagree, I can respect that. But the ultimate GOAT, the greatest human of all time is undeniably Jesus the Messiah. His teaching was great. His example was great. His love was great. His death and resurrection were great. Thousands of years later, he remains the most powerful, most influential person in history.
We love him—and others— because he first loved us.
We serve others because he served us.
We are hospitable and welcome the stranger because he welcomes us into his family.
We die to ourselves so we can live as new creations.
Jesus is the greatest, and he is worthy of our praise and worship, both in word and deed, all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, all of our strength.
Family, be great! Humbly serve. Extend hospitality. Love well. It’s the Jesus way to live.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Beyond 2020: Vision Sunday, 20, September 2020
20 09 20
Beyond 2020: Vision Sunday
Big Idea: God is leading us to multiply and do life together.
On September 15, 2019, I presented a message entitled, Back to our Roots: 2020 Vision. Like many pastors across the country, I shared my excited about the year ahead, our new mission statement, and our commitment to The Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ. With our experimental Dinner Church taking off, new people were joining our church family, lives were being transformed, ministries were growing, unity was rising, …and then COVID.
Like many of you, I was concerned about the physical impact of the pandemic. To date, about 200,000 USAmericans have died because of this invisible virus and millions more sick. The lockdown created a devastating financial impact to many, though some actually benefitted through $1200 checks and extra unemployment payments. Our entertainment options were virtually eliminated unless it involved a screen.
My prayer during the initial days of COVID-19 was, “LORD, may this pandemic bring revival in our nation and world. May people fall to their knees, crying out for help, and seeking life in Jesus-centered churches. We are ready to share faith, hope, and love and this is the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be salt and light, to live out your mission to seek and save the lost.”
Instead of seizing the opportunity to BE the church, “politics and social unrest have divided congregations and social media has intensified the hostilities,” to quote Lifeway Research. Here are three responses to their survey of pastors:
“People’s attitudes have split very much on partisan lines. Half the church is opposed to any reopening. Half the church is frustrated that we haven’t long since reopened.”
“I am aware that people are growing weary of the entire pandemic. Some are scared to death, while others are convinced it is a hoax. Trying to minister to both ends of the spectrum is exhausting.”
“Many of our congregants are still scared and unwilling to come out of their houses. No matter what we choose to do for safety, or choose not do, we are told by some group that it is too much/not enough.”
I’d like to think First Alliance Church would be the exception, but we’ve had our fair share of division, mumbling and complaining, rebellion, and some even leaving the church. It’s as if the very opportunity to love well and fulfil our mission has been a season of negativity, abandonment, controversy, and division.
We can’t let the enemy win! There are lives at stake! There are eternities at stake! Our city and state and nation are at stake! I’m not talking about the election. I’m talking about you and me, fixing our eyes on Jesus, lifting our arms in surrender, listening to the still, small voice of the LORD, using our hands to heal, our wallets to bless, our hearts to care, and our lives to love.
Through all of this, I’ve never been more excited about the future of First Alliance. The opportunities have been growing. God has been moving. And I can’t wait to share what’s ahead!
I love First Alliance Church. God has been moving in and through this congregation for generations. We have a rich heritage, a storied history, and an exciting future. When I was interviewed for the lead pastor position in the summer of 2015, I was told, “We want change,” which I knew was not entirely true! Change can be difficult, yet it’s often necessary.
I remember being asked repeatedly during my first days here, “What’s your vision for First Alliance, pastor?” At the time, I had no vision. I didn’t even know where I was! It took a solid year just to realize I wasn’t in Ann Arbor anymore! Throughout these nearly five years, I’ve rejoiced as we’ve welcomed new members and new believers. I’ve celebrated countless wins with our staff, elders, and all of you. I’ve been deeply saddened when people have left…some due to death, others to relocation, and still others due to a different vision.
Throughout this half-decade, we’ve sought direction, protection, passion, and unity as we look to Jesus, our Senior Pastor, to guide us. This is His Church! We’re all going to leave it someday, but he will be here for future generations, LORD-willing. He promised to build his Church and said the gates of hell would not overcome it (Matthew 16:18).
During my time in Toledo, it has been my desire to develop a mission, vision, and strategy for First Alliance that would bring clarity, focus, and alignment for us. Setting aside personal preferences, where is Jesus leading us?
By definition, Jesus doesn’t lead us to stay the same. Personal growth is hard. It is incremental, over time, with people, and for people. There are growing pains. We find ourselves challenged, pushed beyond what we believe to be our limits, and even feel alone, at times.
The same is true for First Alliance. Jesus is leading us to new places with an unchanging message. Change can be hard, especially when it disrupts our comfort. He is raising up an army of love, not a tribe of beach bums (I love the beach, but the only thing that grows at the beach is your waistline!)! I know many of us long for the good old days—which, by the way, were never as good as we remember them. But God is doing a new thing. He is expanding our vision. He is clarifying our mission. He is building His Church…and you’re invited!
One of the most exciting moments this year came on February 13 when Dr. Bruce Terpstra, director of Church Advance for the Great Lakes District of the Christian & Missionary Alliance, a member of Rev. Thomas George’s team, offered to be my mentor and coach. He suggested a book called Church Unique as a tool in discerning our unique calling as a church. Toledo is filled with great churches. It has several Alliance churches. But where is God leading First Alliance Church?
Coincidentally—or not—I started using the book a few years ago and even introduced many of our leaders to its questions in a quest to better understand our community—our “Jerusalem”—(Acts 1:8) as well as our church history and present resources and opportunities. Many of you contributed to the process and I’m grateful for all of your input.
One of the first milestones of the process was developing a mission statement which was introduced last year:
We are a Jesus-centered family who?
restoring God’s masterpieces what?
in Toledo and beyond where?
for His glory. (Ephesians 2:10) why?
The bottom line is God’s glory. Period. End of story. It’s not about being a big church or a famous church or having the coolest website in the world, it’s about Christ. It’s not about my preferences or your convenience, but it’s all about Jesus. The unique phrase of our mission is taken from Ephesians 2:10…
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10, NLT)
You are a masterpiece. You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. Like me, the brilliance that reflects God’s image is covered with sin…which we cover with masks. When we get vulnerable and allow God to chisel away the false self, the masterpiece inside is exposed, the diamond in the rough is able to shine.
That’s what we’re about as a church—helping people take off the masks, repent of their sins, and live into the unique masterpiece God created them to become. That includes me. That includes you. It’s a long, slow, messy process called sanctification, but the end result is stunning.
Everything we do must be with this in mind. Our budget, our facilities, our staff, and our calendar are designed with this in mind.
Although the pandemic has been tragic in many ways—including my arms which are aching from not being able to squeeze my granddaughter as she prepares to be a big sister next month—it has also been a gift for our future. During the lockdown, our physical campus closed and as we moved everything online, it provided a perfect opportunity to assess everything we put on the calendar and its connection to our mission. It has been a time to start new things, restart other things, and leave some things behind, not because they’re bad, but because they don’t optimally serve our mission.
Life Together
About twenty-five years ago, I was at a conference where the speaker asked, “If your church couldn’t gather together for six months, how would you survive?” He had no idea COVID-19 would make that hypothetical question real!
Scholars believe the early church did life together in groups of 30-40 people with no buildings, no professional Christians, persecution…and they exploded in numbers! Much like the Church in China and other parts of the world today, there was no organized religion. It was just life together, 24/7/365. Discipleship wasn’t a class or a program, but a life-on-life experience.
Many churches will close permanently because of the pandemic. The ones that have been most effective were structured no around buildings and large gatherings, but small groups doing life together. That has included doing church online together.
I love our beautiful campus. I’m grateful for this fantastic building and our other two facilities. I am thankful for the freedom we have to assemble here for weekly family reunions…but the building is not the church. This event is not the church. We are the church…wherever and whenever we gather.
I’ve been so encouraged by people who have said they feel more connected to First Alliance now than before COVID-19. As we’ve gathered online, sent letters of encouragement, prayed for one another, served one another, eaten in homes with one another, and called one another, we’ve discovered the joy of life together.
I wish the pandemic was over and we could be guarantee safe gatherings for everyone, but that’s not going to happen anytime soon. It’s possible things will get worse before they get better. But the church has never been a building. The building is nothing more than a tool used to accomplish God’s mission for His church.
Out of respect for our senior saints who have been together for decades at 9 AM, we have restarted their Sunday School class at 9 AM in the Youth Center. But I want to suggest a slightly different next-step for the rest of you…Life Groups.
I really want to call them Life Together Groups, but that’s awkward! Rather than a class where you take notes for an hour, a Life Group is a 168 hour/week family. Many of you have been a part of small groups in the past, and this isn’t necessarily different, but the focus is not just a weekly meeting, but life together. They can meet on Sundays at 9 AM on our campus, in homes in the evening, at coffee shops or schools or wherever and whenever the group wants to study the Bible together, pray for one another, and serve together. If the focus of First Alliance is on an hour a week, we will be spiritually malnourished. If we can conceive of doing life together, discipleship will become a way of life.
We’ve often talked about the triangle: connecting with God (up), one another (in), and our world (out). Life Groups do all three. They are committed to worship, prayer, and scripture. They engage in life-on-life discipleship. They also serve together, whether it’s once a month at Cherry Street Mission as Jerry Olah’s group has done or helping a neighbor in need, hosting a Dinner Church gathering when we resume them, or any number of selfless activities to bless others.
There’s one other component of Life Groups which is vital and that leads to our other word for the day…
Multiply
The first command of the Bible is “be fruitful and multiply.” Healthy things grow and reproduce. In recent history, much church activity has centered around addition…getting people to come to classes, services, concerts, conferences, and events. That’s great, but what’s even more powerful than addition is multiplication.
The Great Commission is one of our guiding scriptures.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Jesus said to go and make disciples. Discipleship is making disciples. It is a follower. Disciples of Jesus—by definition—make disciples. It’s easy to see how he did it. He called a dozen men to live with him for three years. Most of us don’t have that luxury—though parents, you have about eighteen years to disciple your children.
My favorite verse on discipleship is in 2 Timothy 2:2 where Paul says to his apprentice, Timothy…
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)
There are four generations in this one verse! Paul to Timothy to reliable people to others. We are all called to make disciples who make disciples. This isn’t a pastor or clergy thing. It’s all of our calling, and it’s what restoring God’s masterpieces is all about…reproducing the life of Jesus in others.
Each Life Group has a leader and an apprentice leader for the purpose of multiplying the group. We want Life Groups to welcome new members, grow, and reproduce. An apprentice leader will receive training, experience, and be equipped to either start a new Life Group or take over the group as the leader launches a new Life Group. We will provide training for Life Group leaders and apprentices.
Groups often fear multiplication because they like to be together. However, without reproducing new groups, we can never grow. We need to develop new leaders who can launch new groups to disciple more people. The best way to develop new leaders is to have them serve as apprentice leaders with the intention of someday leading their own group. When Life Groups multiply, there’s no rule that says they can’t get together to serve…or just have a party!
We want to start—and restart—Life Groups this fall. To do so, we need Life Group leaders and apprentices. No experience necessary! A love for Jesus and a love for people is required. We’ll provide the resources. Being a leader or apprentice does not necessarily obligate you to be a host, either. We’d love to see some of you open your homes or offices to host Life Groups. You can have them here on our church campus, too.
A simple next step is to click here to say you’re interested in hosting, leading, apprenticing, or participating in a Life Group. You can also notify the church office. If you’re already in a Life Group, please let us know that, too. We’d love to see everyone in our First Alliance family connected not only on Sunday morning but throughout the week, too.
This idea of multiply is critical for our future. If we fail to multiply Life Groups…and leaders, ministries, and even churches, we will eventually cease to exist.
I’ve been praying for a future filled with the launch of new groups, churches, ministries, and international workers. To accomplish this, we need interns, residents, and apprentice leaders who can not only assist, but prepare to lead.
The Road Ahead
John Maxwell says everything rises and falls on leadership. I want to devote the rest of my life to developing leaders. I may not be the most skilled, but after thirty years of vocational ministry—and plenty of gray hair—I at least have some experience. I want to equip the next generation of pastors, church planters, and missionaries, both local and global. We’ve had interns in the past who have gone on to do great things, and we want more.
I’m really grateful for our staff. Karen Thompson is more than a secretary. She’s our office manager. Sue Trumbull’s dedication to children and families and Hayden Bewley’s work with our youth and artists is inspiring. Josh Hens continues to take care of our physical campus along with our Trustees, and our newest team member, Abby Kolinski, has been our digital storyteller online and on video. Most of their work has been done behind-the-scenes, yet they are all committed to serving you, equipping you and your family, and restoring God’s masterpieces.
I’m excited to announce the Great Lakes District has connected us to someone the elders interviewed last week to be a church planter in residence. He has a compelling vision for fresh expressions of faith and plans to move here this fall from the east coast to join our team part-time, with funds provided by church planting, the District, a possible grant, and a generous donor. His passion is to multiply disciples of Jesus Christ, restoring God’s masterpieces.
Last week you heard about Abby Segura, the new director of the After School Klub. I’m thrilled about her hiring by Toledo Urban Impact to invest in the next generation.
As we read many of your responses to the Church Unique questions, it was obvious that ministering to students in this neighborhood is near and dear to your hearts. Rosa Parks, the After School Klub, and Sports & Arts Camp were frequently mentioned as significant ministries…and we’ve been invited into an opportunity which may involve them all!
We’ve been invited to host Toledo Public School students, assisting them with their school work, serving them lunch, and providing a loving atmosphere for learning. The schools are coming to church! Details are being finalized, but we need volunteers to invest in the next generation…through the After School Club, these new Community Learning Centers, and Kids Worship which we want to launch during the Sunday sermon.
So What?
Please prayerfully consider joining, leading, hosting, or apprenticing a Life Group.
Please prayerfully consider volunteering with our students, whether it’s Sunday mornings during the sermon, with the After School Klub next month, supporting Rosa Parks Elementary, or through the upcoming Community Learning Center.
Next Sunday at 10 AM, we will have a brief membership meeting to elect two members to the Nominating Committee. If you are an official church member, we urge you to notify the office of any names you would like submitted for the election to the Nominating Committee. The elders have already appointed Rich Bradish and Greg Papp to join me in preparing the ballot for 2021 officers.
Family, these are crazy times, but they’re not unprecedented. We just haven’t seen them in our lifetime. As the world around is gets more chaotic, I pray they will seek truth…the Way, the Truth, and the Life…Jesus Christ! We are a family centered on Jesus, all about His glory, doing life together, reproducing disciples and groups to let the world know Jesus is LORD.
Please pray for First Alliance Church. Pray that we faithfully follow Jesus. Pray for passion, unity, direction, and protection. Pray for our staff and elders as we navigate through these foggy, messy days and remain focused on our mission to restore God’s masterpieces. They’re all around us. They are increasingly fearful, desperate, and needy. They live without faith, hope, and love. They are the reason we are here. He is the reason we are here!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Big Idea: God is leading us to multiply and do life together.
On September 15, 2019, I presented a message entitled, Back to our Roots: 2020 Vision. Like many pastors across the country, I shared my excited about the year ahead, our new mission statement, and our commitment to The Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ. With our experimental Dinner Church taking off, new people were joining our church family, lives were being transformed, ministries were growing, unity was rising, …and then COVID.
Like many of you, I was concerned about the physical impact of the pandemic. To date, about 200,000 USAmericans have died because of this invisible virus and millions more sick. The lockdown created a devastating financial impact to many, though some actually benefitted through $1200 checks and extra unemployment payments. Our entertainment options were virtually eliminated unless it involved a screen.
My prayer during the initial days of COVID-19 was, “LORD, may this pandemic bring revival in our nation and world. May people fall to their knees, crying out for help, and seeking life in Jesus-centered churches. We are ready to share faith, hope, and love and this is the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be salt and light, to live out your mission to seek and save the lost.”
Instead of seizing the opportunity to BE the church, “politics and social unrest have divided congregations and social media has intensified the hostilities,” to quote Lifeway Research. Here are three responses to their survey of pastors:
“People’s attitudes have split very much on partisan lines. Half the church is opposed to any reopening. Half the church is frustrated that we haven’t long since reopened.”
“I am aware that people are growing weary of the entire pandemic. Some are scared to death, while others are convinced it is a hoax. Trying to minister to both ends of the spectrum is exhausting.”
“Many of our congregants are still scared and unwilling to come out of their houses. No matter what we choose to do for safety, or choose not do, we are told by some group that it is too much/not enough.”
I’d like to think First Alliance Church would be the exception, but we’ve had our fair share of division, mumbling and complaining, rebellion, and some even leaving the church. It’s as if the very opportunity to love well and fulfil our mission has been a season of negativity, abandonment, controversy, and division.
We can’t let the enemy win! There are lives at stake! There are eternities at stake! Our city and state and nation are at stake! I’m not talking about the election. I’m talking about you and me, fixing our eyes on Jesus, lifting our arms in surrender, listening to the still, small voice of the LORD, using our hands to heal, our wallets to bless, our hearts to care, and our lives to love.
Through all of this, I’ve never been more excited about the future of First Alliance. The opportunities have been growing. God has been moving. And I can’t wait to share what’s ahead!
I love First Alliance Church. God has been moving in and through this congregation for generations. We have a rich heritage, a storied history, and an exciting future. When I was interviewed for the lead pastor position in the summer of 2015, I was told, “We want change,” which I knew was not entirely true! Change can be difficult, yet it’s often necessary.
I remember being asked repeatedly during my first days here, “What’s your vision for First Alliance, pastor?” At the time, I had no vision. I didn’t even know where I was! It took a solid year just to realize I wasn’t in Ann Arbor anymore! Throughout these nearly five years, I’ve rejoiced as we’ve welcomed new members and new believers. I’ve celebrated countless wins with our staff, elders, and all of you. I’ve been deeply saddened when people have left…some due to death, others to relocation, and still others due to a different vision.
Throughout this half-decade, we’ve sought direction, protection, passion, and unity as we look to Jesus, our Senior Pastor, to guide us. This is His Church! We’re all going to leave it someday, but he will be here for future generations, LORD-willing. He promised to build his Church and said the gates of hell would not overcome it (Matthew 16:18).
During my time in Toledo, it has been my desire to develop a mission, vision, and strategy for First Alliance that would bring clarity, focus, and alignment for us. Setting aside personal preferences, where is Jesus leading us?
By definition, Jesus doesn’t lead us to stay the same. Personal growth is hard. It is incremental, over time, with people, and for people. There are growing pains. We find ourselves challenged, pushed beyond what we believe to be our limits, and even feel alone, at times.
The same is true for First Alliance. Jesus is leading us to new places with an unchanging message. Change can be hard, especially when it disrupts our comfort. He is raising up an army of love, not a tribe of beach bums (I love the beach, but the only thing that grows at the beach is your waistline!)! I know many of us long for the good old days—which, by the way, were never as good as we remember them. But God is doing a new thing. He is expanding our vision. He is clarifying our mission. He is building His Church…and you’re invited!
One of the most exciting moments this year came on February 13 when Dr. Bruce Terpstra, director of Church Advance for the Great Lakes District of the Christian & Missionary Alliance, a member of Rev. Thomas George’s team, offered to be my mentor and coach. He suggested a book called Church Unique as a tool in discerning our unique calling as a church. Toledo is filled with great churches. It has several Alliance churches. But where is God leading First Alliance Church?
Coincidentally—or not—I started using the book a few years ago and even introduced many of our leaders to its questions in a quest to better understand our community—our “Jerusalem”—(Acts 1:8) as well as our church history and present resources and opportunities. Many of you contributed to the process and I’m grateful for all of your input.
One of the first milestones of the process was developing a mission statement which was introduced last year:
We are a Jesus-centered family who?
restoring God’s masterpieces what?
in Toledo and beyond where?
for His glory. (Ephesians 2:10) why?
The bottom line is God’s glory. Period. End of story. It’s not about being a big church or a famous church or having the coolest website in the world, it’s about Christ. It’s not about my preferences or your convenience, but it’s all about Jesus. The unique phrase of our mission is taken from Ephesians 2:10…
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10, NLT)
You are a masterpiece. You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. Like me, the brilliance that reflects God’s image is covered with sin…which we cover with masks. When we get vulnerable and allow God to chisel away the false self, the masterpiece inside is exposed, the diamond in the rough is able to shine.
That’s what we’re about as a church—helping people take off the masks, repent of their sins, and live into the unique masterpiece God created them to become. That includes me. That includes you. It’s a long, slow, messy process called sanctification, but the end result is stunning.
Everything we do must be with this in mind. Our budget, our facilities, our staff, and our calendar are designed with this in mind.
Although the pandemic has been tragic in many ways—including my arms which are aching from not being able to squeeze my granddaughter as she prepares to be a big sister next month—it has also been a gift for our future. During the lockdown, our physical campus closed and as we moved everything online, it provided a perfect opportunity to assess everything we put on the calendar and its connection to our mission. It has been a time to start new things, restart other things, and leave some things behind, not because they’re bad, but because they don’t optimally serve our mission.
Life Together
About twenty-five years ago, I was at a conference where the speaker asked, “If your church couldn’t gather together for six months, how would you survive?” He had no idea COVID-19 would make that hypothetical question real!
Scholars believe the early church did life together in groups of 30-40 people with no buildings, no professional Christians, persecution…and they exploded in numbers! Much like the Church in China and other parts of the world today, there was no organized religion. It was just life together, 24/7/365. Discipleship wasn’t a class or a program, but a life-on-life experience.
Many churches will close permanently because of the pandemic. The ones that have been most effective were structured no around buildings and large gatherings, but small groups doing life together. That has included doing church online together.
I love our beautiful campus. I’m grateful for this fantastic building and our other two facilities. I am thankful for the freedom we have to assemble here for weekly family reunions…but the building is not the church. This event is not the church. We are the church…wherever and whenever we gather.
I’ve been so encouraged by people who have said they feel more connected to First Alliance now than before COVID-19. As we’ve gathered online, sent letters of encouragement, prayed for one another, served one another, eaten in homes with one another, and called one another, we’ve discovered the joy of life together.
I wish the pandemic was over and we could be guarantee safe gatherings for everyone, but that’s not going to happen anytime soon. It’s possible things will get worse before they get better. But the church has never been a building. The building is nothing more than a tool used to accomplish God’s mission for His church.
Out of respect for our senior saints who have been together for decades at 9 AM, we have restarted their Sunday School class at 9 AM in the Youth Center. But I want to suggest a slightly different next-step for the rest of you…Life Groups.
I really want to call them Life Together Groups, but that’s awkward! Rather than a class where you take notes for an hour, a Life Group is a 168 hour/week family. Many of you have been a part of small groups in the past, and this isn’t necessarily different, but the focus is not just a weekly meeting, but life together. They can meet on Sundays at 9 AM on our campus, in homes in the evening, at coffee shops or schools or wherever and whenever the group wants to study the Bible together, pray for one another, and serve together. If the focus of First Alliance is on an hour a week, we will be spiritually malnourished. If we can conceive of doing life together, discipleship will become a way of life.
We’ve often talked about the triangle: connecting with God (up), one another (in), and our world (out). Life Groups do all three. They are committed to worship, prayer, and scripture. They engage in life-on-life discipleship. They also serve together, whether it’s once a month at Cherry Street Mission as Jerry Olah’s group has done or helping a neighbor in need, hosting a Dinner Church gathering when we resume them, or any number of selfless activities to bless others.
There’s one other component of Life Groups which is vital and that leads to our other word for the day…
Multiply
The first command of the Bible is “be fruitful and multiply.” Healthy things grow and reproduce. In recent history, much church activity has centered around addition…getting people to come to classes, services, concerts, conferences, and events. That’s great, but what’s even more powerful than addition is multiplication.
The Great Commission is one of our guiding scriptures.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Jesus said to go and make disciples. Discipleship is making disciples. It is a follower. Disciples of Jesus—by definition—make disciples. It’s easy to see how he did it. He called a dozen men to live with him for three years. Most of us don’t have that luxury—though parents, you have about eighteen years to disciple your children.
My favorite verse on discipleship is in 2 Timothy 2:2 where Paul says to his apprentice, Timothy…
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)
There are four generations in this one verse! Paul to Timothy to reliable people to others. We are all called to make disciples who make disciples. This isn’t a pastor or clergy thing. It’s all of our calling, and it’s what restoring God’s masterpieces is all about…reproducing the life of Jesus in others.
Each Life Group has a leader and an apprentice leader for the purpose of multiplying the group. We want Life Groups to welcome new members, grow, and reproduce. An apprentice leader will receive training, experience, and be equipped to either start a new Life Group or take over the group as the leader launches a new Life Group. We will provide training for Life Group leaders and apprentices.
Groups often fear multiplication because they like to be together. However, without reproducing new groups, we can never grow. We need to develop new leaders who can launch new groups to disciple more people. The best way to develop new leaders is to have them serve as apprentice leaders with the intention of someday leading their own group. When Life Groups multiply, there’s no rule that says they can’t get together to serve…or just have a party!
We want to start—and restart—Life Groups this fall. To do so, we need Life Group leaders and apprentices. No experience necessary! A love for Jesus and a love for people is required. We’ll provide the resources. Being a leader or apprentice does not necessarily obligate you to be a host, either. We’d love to see some of you open your homes or offices to host Life Groups. You can have them here on our church campus, too.
A simple next step is to click here to say you’re interested in hosting, leading, apprenticing, or participating in a Life Group. You can also notify the church office. If you’re already in a Life Group, please let us know that, too. We’d love to see everyone in our First Alliance family connected not only on Sunday morning but throughout the week, too.
This idea of multiply is critical for our future. If we fail to multiply Life Groups…and leaders, ministries, and even churches, we will eventually cease to exist.
I’ve been praying for a future filled with the launch of new groups, churches, ministries, and international workers. To accomplish this, we need interns, residents, and apprentice leaders who can not only assist, but prepare to lead.
The Road Ahead
John Maxwell says everything rises and falls on leadership. I want to devote the rest of my life to developing leaders. I may not be the most skilled, but after thirty years of vocational ministry—and plenty of gray hair—I at least have some experience. I want to equip the next generation of pastors, church planters, and missionaries, both local and global. We’ve had interns in the past who have gone on to do great things, and we want more.
I’m really grateful for our staff. Karen Thompson is more than a secretary. She’s our office manager. Sue Trumbull’s dedication to children and families and Hayden Bewley’s work with our youth and artists is inspiring. Josh Hens continues to take care of our physical campus along with our Trustees, and our newest team member, Abby Kolinski, has been our digital storyteller online and on video. Most of their work has been done behind-the-scenes, yet they are all committed to serving you, equipping you and your family, and restoring God’s masterpieces.
I’m excited to announce the Great Lakes District has connected us to someone the elders interviewed last week to be a church planter in residence. He has a compelling vision for fresh expressions of faith and plans to move here this fall from the east coast to join our team part-time, with funds provided by church planting, the District, a possible grant, and a generous donor. His passion is to multiply disciples of Jesus Christ, restoring God’s masterpieces.
Last week you heard about Abby Segura, the new director of the After School Klub. I’m thrilled about her hiring by Toledo Urban Impact to invest in the next generation.
As we read many of your responses to the Church Unique questions, it was obvious that ministering to students in this neighborhood is near and dear to your hearts. Rosa Parks, the After School Klub, and Sports & Arts Camp were frequently mentioned as significant ministries…and we’ve been invited into an opportunity which may involve them all!
We’ve been invited to host Toledo Public School students, assisting them with their school work, serving them lunch, and providing a loving atmosphere for learning. The schools are coming to church! Details are being finalized, but we need volunteers to invest in the next generation…through the After School Club, these new Community Learning Centers, and Kids Worship which we want to launch during the Sunday sermon.
So What?
Please prayerfully consider joining, leading, hosting, or apprenticing a Life Group.
Please prayerfully consider volunteering with our students, whether it’s Sunday mornings during the sermon, with the After School Klub next month, supporting Rosa Parks Elementary, or through the upcoming Community Learning Center.
Next Sunday at 10 AM, we will have a brief membership meeting to elect two members to the Nominating Committee. If you are an official church member, we urge you to notify the office of any names you would like submitted for the election to the Nominating Committee. The elders have already appointed Rich Bradish and Greg Papp to join me in preparing the ballot for 2021 officers.
Family, these are crazy times, but they’re not unprecedented. We just haven’t seen them in our lifetime. As the world around is gets more chaotic, I pray they will seek truth…the Way, the Truth, and the Life…Jesus Christ! We are a family centered on Jesus, all about His glory, doing life together, reproducing disciples and groups to let the world know Jesus is LORD.
Please pray for First Alliance Church. Pray that we faithfully follow Jesus. Pray for passion, unity, direction, and protection. Pray for our staff and elders as we navigate through these foggy, messy days and remain focused on our mission to restore God’s masterpieces. They’re all around us. They are increasingly fearful, desperate, and needy. They live without faith, hope, and love. They are the reason we are here. He is the reason we are here!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Salt & Light, 6 September 2020
07 09 20
Salt & Light
Matthew 5:13-16
Big Idea: Jesus follows the beatitudes with a vision for the Church to be salt and light to our sinful world.
Last Sunday we finished our series on the Beatitudes, the blessings announced by Jesus in the fifth chapter of Matthew. Today we’re going to look at the next four verses which continue his famous Sermon on the Mount, a message delivered on a hill near the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus offers a vision for us—his followers—and in doing so an invitation to participate in his redemption and renewal of all things.
Our world is in trouble. I know, that’s hardly news! In fact, it has been in trouble since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden thousands of years ago. You don’t need the Internet or even a TV to know sin is rampant, our enemy satan is on the move, and we see evidence daily of his schemes to steal, kill, and destroy.
At the same time, God is on the move, too. Chronicles of Narnia fans know Aslan is on the move! We’ve been enlisted in God’s army to be soldiers of love, makers of peace, examples of joy, mediators of mercy, and agents of redemption.
To refresh our memories of what Jesus has spoken, here’s a review of the beatitudes from the New Living Translation:
“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 God blesses those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 God blesses those who are humble,
for they will inherit the whole earth.
6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they will be satisfied.
7 God blesses those who are merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God.
9 God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God.
10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. (Matthew 5:3-10)
Remember, these are not instructions to follow, but announcements of the reality of the Kingdom of God, now and in the future. After elaborating on the blessing that comes from persecution, Jesus says,
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. (Matthew 5:13)
What’s the first thing you think of when salt is mentioned? French fries? Icy roads in the winter? Ocean water in your mouth? A doctor’s orders to reduce it in your diet?
Salt is a necessary ingredient in life. It serves many purposes, but in the context of this text, the purpose of salt is preserving.
Imagine a world without freezers, refrigerators, or even dry ice. If you’ve ever been to the Middle East, you know natural ice is hard to find! If you purchased a piece of meat at the market, it would not last long in the hot sun. The best way to ensure it didn’t go bad was to use salt. The purpose wasn’t to melt snow or even to make food taste better, but rather to keep it from spoiling.
Our world is spoiling. It is decaying. We hear about death, destruction, and despair daily. We are on a mission from God to preserve God beautiful creation. This includes the physical planet, yes, but also the message and mission of Jesus…seeking and saving the lost, the renewal of all things, sharing good news in word and deed, representing God and embodying His goodness, holiness, grace, and justice in the world.
Salt is useless in the salt shaker.
My grandma used to collect salt and pepper shakers. They were fun to look at, especially a pair of pigs with magnetic noses that stuck together. I loved that as a kid.
While salt shakers may be decorative, their real value is what they contain…salt. Salt itself is useless unless it is distributed, unless it exits the shaker and makes contact with meat or whatever it is preserving.
When Jesus said we are the salt of the earth, the original language seems to indicate he was speaking of the literal earth, the land of Israel. His mission included the Jewish people. Jesus was a Jewish rabbi. Part of our mission is to reach out to the Jews and help them see Jesus as Messiah. They don’t have to give up their Jewishness, but rather embrace Yeshua—Jesus—as LORD. The Messianic Jewish movement that resurfaced about fifty years ago is actively becoming salt among the people of Israel and continuing the mission of Christ.
Now Jesus turns his attention to light.
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
The purpose of light is visibility. Everything is invisible in total darkness, but light shines brightest in the dark.
We all understand this. The reason we turn off the lights in a movie theater is to make the light of the film more visible. I’ve never been to a drive-in movie theater at noon!
Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12). He declared,
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
In the next chapter of John, he says it again.
While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:5)
When predicting his own death,
Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them. (John 12:35-36)
A few verses later Jesus said,
I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. (John 12:46)
Since Adam and Eve at the fruit, this world has been in a state of darkness. It desperately needs light. The Bible and ancient world saw light as related to truth, knowledge, revelation, and love. It describes the good things we do. You might know John 3:16, but listen to what follows:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (John 3:16-21)
Jesus is the light of the world. When we follow him, when we re-present him, we offer light in the darkness. I like to say that we are called to be the moon. I’ve often been amazed at the brightness of the moon on a clear night. It not only lights up the sky, it lights up the earth! A full moon away from the electric lights of a city is especially vibrant. In some instances, you don’t even need a flashlight!
We are not the light, in and of ourselves. We shine the light of Jesus. We reflect the light. We are containers of the light as the Holy Spirit dwells within us. I like to think of us as the moon because the closer the moon is to the light and the more focused and aligned, the brighter it will shine.
If you and I are close to Jesus, we will shine brightly. Our lives will pierce the darkness. The enemy won’t stand a chance!
St. John of the Cross, a 16th century Spanish priest and poet, wrote about light and darkness. He pictured our physical bodies as stained-glass windows through which the interior presence of God shines…Christ in us, the hope of glory. His divine light appears through our lives. Jesus said, “When you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father.” In a similar way, followers of Jesus are the temple of God where He dwells on earth. We are tabernacles of the living God. Where is God? Here! What a truly awesome thought!
Jesus tells his disciples, “You are the light of the world.” He is commissioning them, giving them an assignment, inviting them into his mission. The word “world” speaks of the Gentiles. Followers of Jesus are to be salt and light…reaching Jews and Gentiles.
Warnings
There are warnings in both the passage on salt and that of light. Saltless salt is thrown out. It is “road dust” as John Stott called it. Our salt, sodium chloride, does not lose its saltiness, but first-century Palestinian salt could.
Covered lights have no value, either.
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
So What?
We are the salt of the earth. We are the light of the world. That’s what it means to follow Jesus, to participate in his mission, to be his agents of reconciliation and redemption. It makes me so sad when I hear Christians talk about how they’re just waiting for Jesus to return when, in fact, he may be waiting for us to get busy, to be salt, to shine. We’re on a mission from God, love crusade to seek and save the lost, to proclaim good news, to love others, to extend grace, and to deliver shalom.
All of the blessings in the beatitudes were a prelude to the assignment he has given us to be salt and light.
Are you?
Maybe you are salt that likes to stay in the salt shaker. It may be comfortable, but salt is useless until it is poured out.
Maybe you’ve covered your light. You’ve been ashamed of Jesus, perhaps fearful of the persecution we discussed last Sunday. Or maybe you’re simply like those lamps at the home improvement store, a huge collection of lights with no real purpose. Lights need to be in places where it’s dark. We are not to be of the world, but we need to be in it. We need to get to know our neighbors. We need to interact with co-workers and classmates. We can’t constantly surround ourselves with Christians.
I confess I’m not the best at this. Working at a church is an occupational hazard for evangelism! That’s why we need one another. I’m here to equip you, to charge up your batteries so your light can shine brightly this week.
Family, our world desperately needs salt and light. They need to experience Jesus in word and deed in our lives. They’re never going to find what they’re looking for in technology, politics, business, or entertainment. The world needs Jesus, and we are his agents. We must impact other people for His glory.
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)
The Church doesn’t have a mission. God’s mission has a Church! That’s us! Let’s be salt. Let’s shine the light of Jesus. Let’s be faithful and obedient in following Jesus. The world will be better for it…and so will we.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Matthew 5:13-16
Big Idea: Jesus follows the beatitudes with a vision for the Church to be salt and light to our sinful world.
Last Sunday we finished our series on the Beatitudes, the blessings announced by Jesus in the fifth chapter of Matthew. Today we’re going to look at the next four verses which continue his famous Sermon on the Mount, a message delivered on a hill near the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus offers a vision for us—his followers—and in doing so an invitation to participate in his redemption and renewal of all things.
Our world is in trouble. I know, that’s hardly news! In fact, it has been in trouble since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden thousands of years ago. You don’t need the Internet or even a TV to know sin is rampant, our enemy satan is on the move, and we see evidence daily of his schemes to steal, kill, and destroy.
At the same time, God is on the move, too. Chronicles of Narnia fans know Aslan is on the move! We’ve been enlisted in God’s army to be soldiers of love, makers of peace, examples of joy, mediators of mercy, and agents of redemption.
To refresh our memories of what Jesus has spoken, here’s a review of the beatitudes from the New Living Translation:
“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 God blesses those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 God blesses those who are humble,
for they will inherit the whole earth.
6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they will be satisfied.
7 God blesses those who are merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God.
9 God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God.
10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. (Matthew 5:3-10)
Remember, these are not instructions to follow, but announcements of the reality of the Kingdom of God, now and in the future. After elaborating on the blessing that comes from persecution, Jesus says,
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. (Matthew 5:13)
What’s the first thing you think of when salt is mentioned? French fries? Icy roads in the winter? Ocean water in your mouth? A doctor’s orders to reduce it in your diet?
Salt is a necessary ingredient in life. It serves many purposes, but in the context of this text, the purpose of salt is preserving.
Imagine a world without freezers, refrigerators, or even dry ice. If you’ve ever been to the Middle East, you know natural ice is hard to find! If you purchased a piece of meat at the market, it would not last long in the hot sun. The best way to ensure it didn’t go bad was to use salt. The purpose wasn’t to melt snow or even to make food taste better, but rather to keep it from spoiling.
Our world is spoiling. It is decaying. We hear about death, destruction, and despair daily. We are on a mission from God to preserve God beautiful creation. This includes the physical planet, yes, but also the message and mission of Jesus…seeking and saving the lost, the renewal of all things, sharing good news in word and deed, representing God and embodying His goodness, holiness, grace, and justice in the world.
Salt is useless in the salt shaker.
My grandma used to collect salt and pepper shakers. They were fun to look at, especially a pair of pigs with magnetic noses that stuck together. I loved that as a kid.
While salt shakers may be decorative, their real value is what they contain…salt. Salt itself is useless unless it is distributed, unless it exits the shaker and makes contact with meat or whatever it is preserving.
When Jesus said we are the salt of the earth, the original language seems to indicate he was speaking of the literal earth, the land of Israel. His mission included the Jewish people. Jesus was a Jewish rabbi. Part of our mission is to reach out to the Jews and help them see Jesus as Messiah. They don’t have to give up their Jewishness, but rather embrace Yeshua—Jesus—as LORD. The Messianic Jewish movement that resurfaced about fifty years ago is actively becoming salt among the people of Israel and continuing the mission of Christ.
Now Jesus turns his attention to light.
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
The purpose of light is visibility. Everything is invisible in total darkness, but light shines brightest in the dark.
We all understand this. The reason we turn off the lights in a movie theater is to make the light of the film more visible. I’ve never been to a drive-in movie theater at noon!
Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12). He declared,
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
In the next chapter of John, he says it again.
While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:5)
When predicting his own death,
Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them. (John 12:35-36)
A few verses later Jesus said,
I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. (John 12:46)
Since Adam and Eve at the fruit, this world has been in a state of darkness. It desperately needs light. The Bible and ancient world saw light as related to truth, knowledge, revelation, and love. It describes the good things we do. You might know John 3:16, but listen to what follows:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (John 3:16-21)
Jesus is the light of the world. When we follow him, when we re-present him, we offer light in the darkness. I like to say that we are called to be the moon. I’ve often been amazed at the brightness of the moon on a clear night. It not only lights up the sky, it lights up the earth! A full moon away from the electric lights of a city is especially vibrant. In some instances, you don’t even need a flashlight!
We are not the light, in and of ourselves. We shine the light of Jesus. We reflect the light. We are containers of the light as the Holy Spirit dwells within us. I like to think of us as the moon because the closer the moon is to the light and the more focused and aligned, the brighter it will shine.
If you and I are close to Jesus, we will shine brightly. Our lives will pierce the darkness. The enemy won’t stand a chance!
St. John of the Cross, a 16th century Spanish priest and poet, wrote about light and darkness. He pictured our physical bodies as stained-glass windows through which the interior presence of God shines…Christ in us, the hope of glory. His divine light appears through our lives. Jesus said, “When you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father.” In a similar way, followers of Jesus are the temple of God where He dwells on earth. We are tabernacles of the living God. Where is God? Here! What a truly awesome thought!
Jesus tells his disciples, “You are the light of the world.” He is commissioning them, giving them an assignment, inviting them into his mission. The word “world” speaks of the Gentiles. Followers of Jesus are to be salt and light…reaching Jews and Gentiles.
Warnings
There are warnings in both the passage on salt and that of light. Saltless salt is thrown out. It is “road dust” as John Stott called it. Our salt, sodium chloride, does not lose its saltiness, but first-century Palestinian salt could.
Covered lights have no value, either.
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
So What?
We are the salt of the earth. We are the light of the world. That’s what it means to follow Jesus, to participate in his mission, to be his agents of reconciliation and redemption. It makes me so sad when I hear Christians talk about how they’re just waiting for Jesus to return when, in fact, he may be waiting for us to get busy, to be salt, to shine. We’re on a mission from God, love crusade to seek and save the lost, to proclaim good news, to love others, to extend grace, and to deliver shalom.
All of the blessings in the beatitudes were a prelude to the assignment he has given us to be salt and light.
Are you?
Maybe you are salt that likes to stay in the salt shaker. It may be comfortable, but salt is useless until it is poured out.
Maybe you’ve covered your light. You’ve been ashamed of Jesus, perhaps fearful of the persecution we discussed last Sunday. Or maybe you’re simply like those lamps at the home improvement store, a huge collection of lights with no real purpose. Lights need to be in places where it’s dark. We are not to be of the world, but we need to be in it. We need to get to know our neighbors. We need to interact with co-workers and classmates. We can’t constantly surround ourselves with Christians.
I confess I’m not the best at this. Working at a church is an occupational hazard for evangelism! That’s why we need one another. I’m here to equip you, to charge up your batteries so your light can shine brightly this week.
Family, our world desperately needs salt and light. They need to experience Jesus in word and deed in our lives. They’re never going to find what they’re looking for in technology, politics, business, or entertainment. The world needs Jesus, and we are his agents. We must impact other people for His glory.
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)
The Church doesn’t have a mission. God’s mission has a Church! That’s us! Let’s be salt. Let’s shine the light of Jesus. Let’s be faithful and obedient in following Jesus. The world will be better for it…and so will we.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Persecuted, 30 August 2020
30 08 20
Blessed are Those Who are Persecuted Because of Righteousness
Blessed: The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:10-12
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: Persecution is often a part of following Jesus, but He is worth it.
NIV: Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)
NLT: God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. (Matthew 5:10)
NKJV: Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)
The Message: “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom. (Matthew 5:10)
Today we conclude our eight-week series on the Beatitudes, the blessings announced by Jesus at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. As a review, here’s what we’ve covered thus far:
Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Today’s text might be somewhat irrelevant to us today in the United States of America, though some of you watching in other countries might be able to relate…and the future is uncertain.
NIV: Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)
There’s a scene in the movie Courageous where an employee is asked to lie about a shipment. He’s told he will receive a promotion if he does so. He refuses, putting his job on the line, only to discover it was only a test. His integrity results in a raise and new responsibility with the company. It’s a powerful example of honesty, truth, and righteousness.
But what if the outcome were different? What if Javier lost his job for being disloyal to the company? What if he was persecuted because of doing the right thing?
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)
According to Jesus, the kingdom of heaven would be his. Unfortunately, we presently live in the kingdom of this world, a planet plagued by sin, death, and destruction. Jesus said the kingdom of heaven belonged to those poor in spirit (the first beatitude) and the persecuted.
Have you ever been persecuted because of righteousness? Wearing a mask to love your neighbor is not persecution. Someone saying, “Happy holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” doesn’t count! I mean have you ever paid a steep price for doing the right thing? It’s been said that no good deed goes unpunished, and yet God will have the final word on Judgment Day.
It’s important to remember Jesus isn’t saying you have to be persecuted in order to experience the kingdom of heaven. The beatitudes are not instructions to follow, but rather announcements of reality. It seems like some people throughout history have acted like fools in order to be persecuted, as if foolishness is noble. If you stand on a street corner and yell at people, people will mock you, not because of your righteousness, but because of your lack of love. We are not to seek out persecution, but neither are to be surprised if we genuinely encounter it due to our obedience to Jesus.
This verse has served as a comfort to our brothers in sisters for the past two thousand years ago, those tortured and even martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)
Jesus adds a bit more to his declaration.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)
The words “be glad” literally mean “leap much!” I love that! We are to rejoice and leap much when we are persecuted.
We’re in the midst of an ongoing, spiritual battle between God and satan, good and evil. Sometimes we follow Jesus, other times the ways of the world. Make no mistake, though, they are polar opposites. God’s story is upside-down from the world.
Jesus never promised us happiness, or even the pursuit of happiness. He never said, “Fight for your rights,” “You deserve a break today at McDonald’s” or “Have it your way at Burger King.” The American Dream is not in the Bible! I often confuse my calling with our culture. It’s easy to forget God’s Kingdom while building our own. As USAmericans, we feel entitled to certain liberties and freedoms, and for good reason, but they’re not promised to us by God. Jesus said the opposite.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
The blessings—the real blessings—is not health and wealth. It’s not name it and claim it. It’s not financially prosperity, feel-good spirituality, self-actualization, or comfort on earth. As we’ve said throughout the series, the real blessing is God’s presence and favor. The greatest thing about heaven is God’s presence. Period. Are you pursuing God or pleasure?
Is anyone else uncomfortable? We might need to do more study on the Sermon on the Mount. It’s not for the faint of heart. He basically says do the opposite of our culture. Here are some examples:
And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:22b)
If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. (Matthew 5:29)
But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Matthew 5:32)
Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. (Matthew 5:42)
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (Matthew 5:44)
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)
But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:15)
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” (Matthew 7:1)
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)
Wow! Maybe we should skip that Sermon on the Mount stuff! Jesus couldn’t be serious, right? Let’s get back to our text.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)
I want to offer a few thoughts on persecution.
We need to pray for our brothers and sisters who are being persecuted.
In the decade of the 2000s, there were over 1.6 million Christian martyrs. Many predict at least one million will be killed because of their faith in Jesus in this decade. Can we put a human face on those who are suffering? God is present to those who are persecuted. That’s the blessing. Can we be present? To learn more about the Persecuted Church, go to Persecution.com.
We need to expect persecution.
I’m not suggesting we should seek persecution, but we need to expect it. Paul told Timothy,
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, (2 Timothy 3:12)
Jesus was certainly persecuted! Following Jesus means following him into death, too, whether it’s literal or figurative. It’s not about us. It’s about Jesus. He said,
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. (John 15:18-20)
We need to endure persecution.
Paul wrote,
We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment. (1 Corinthians 4:12)
This would not be a good recruiting tool for Christianity on a billboard! But this is what it means to follow Jesus.
We need to embrace persecution.
Peter set a great example for us. It is believed that when he was martyred, he was supposed to be crucified like Jesus, but he didn’t feel worthy so he requested that he be crucified upside down! He wrote,
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:12-13)
However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. (1 Peter 4:16)
So What?
Are we conspiring with the things of this world—money, sex, power—or God?
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2)
People often ask about how to know God’s will. There it is! Turn away from the world, fill your mind with Jesus, and you will be able to test and approve God’s will. It might be messy. It could cost you your job. It’s possible that your life will be disrupted. But it will be so worth it in the end.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)
Holy troublemakers live with prophetic imagination. They refuse to go with the crowd. They take the high road, do the right thing, love well, and honor God in everything they do.
If you were on trial for following Jesus, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Stu G of The Beatitudes Project asks some great questions:
Who and what am I colluding with? The dominant powers at play in the world—or the one who shared the message of the Beatitudes?
What am I resisting?
Are there situations in everyday life where I’m being forced to go with the flow? What would happen if I said no?
Who am I speaking out for? The homeless in my town? The woman at work on the receiving end of sexual jibes? The effeminate guy at school who’s getting bullied?
If I speak out—if I resist—am I willing to suffer for it? Because it might just happen.
One holy troublemaker, Mother Teresa, had this pinned to her wall in India:
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)
Live a life worthy of persecution. And remember, no matter what the cost, Jesus is worth it. You are blessed. God is on your side.
Credits: Some ideas from The Beatitudes Project, Life.Church
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Peacemakers, 23 August 2020
16 08 20
Blessed are the Peacemakers
Blessed: The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:9
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: God is on your side when you are complete in Him and help others experience shalom.
NIV: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9)
NLT: God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. (Matthew 5:9)
NKJV: Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)
The Message: “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family. (Matthew 5:9)
Shalom!
It’s not only a greeting, it’s one of my favorite words. Many simply translate it as “peace,” thinking, perhaps, of Richard Nixon fingers or a groovy, tie-dyed, hippie saying. Shalom is so much more than the absence of conflict. Shalom is more than peace. It means wholeness, completeness, everything in its right place, mutual flourishing.
We’ve been looking at the Beatitudes this summer, eight invitations, eight announcements of blessing from the lips of Jesus. These are not instructions to follow, but rather they are declarations of reality, both present and future. What does it mean to be blessed? The greatest blessing is the presence and favor of God.
NIV: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9)
Blessed are the wholeness-makers.
Blessed are the shalom-creators.
What comes to mind when you think of peace? I may have tainted your answer by referencing images from the 1960s and 70s! Quite often we think of the opposite of war. Maybe you picture a quiet place near water—a peaceful location. A dove is a popular symbol for peace.
We’ve been blessed to live in a country that has been relatively peaceful for the past century or so. Pearl Harbor and 9/11 are the only physical attacks I’m aware of on our soil since the 19th century. War is a foreign concept to most of us (and to those of you who have served in the military, thank you).
Let me say again, peace is not merely the absence of war or conflict. True shalom means wholeness, completeness, everything in its right place, mutual flourishing.
Inner Peace
We often sing a song called “It is Well.” Is it well with your soul today? Do you feel whole, complete, at peace? Before we talk about peacemaking, let’s begin with ourselves. If you don’t have peace, you can’t make peace. You can’t give away something you don’t possess.
Our mission, our hope, our purpose, our life as First Alliance Church is all about Jesus. We worship a Person, not a book. We are about a relationship, not a religion. As we saw last week, it begins with what’s inside—our heart—not a bunch of rules to follow. We are to be known for our love, not our politics.
Whenever I think about Christian maturity, I’m constantly drawn to the fifth chapter of the book of Galatians where it says the fruit of the Spirit is
…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23a, NLT)
Where do we get love? It begins with God. God is love. You can’t create love, but you can receive and share it.
How can we experience joy? The joy of the LORD is our strength. Dallas Willard said, “God is the happiest, most joyful being in the universe. God is not mean, but He is dangerous.”
How do we experience inner peace? The prophet Isaiah wrote,
You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you.
Trust in the LORD forever,
for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal. (Isaiah 26:3-4)
Trust in God is the pathway to true, personal peace. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Paul said, “He himself is our peace” in Ephesians 2:14). He has made peace between a holy God and sinners like us.
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)
Followers of Jesus are engaged in a process called sanctification, becoming like our Teacher and Master. It’s a lifelong journey of death to our ego and agendas. It’s a process of growth, suffering, redemption, and maturity. It begins with time with God. You are your friends. You can’t follow someone you don’t know. This is why prayer, Bible study, and worship are so important. They are three of the many habits we engage in to know God…not just about God, but truly know Him. As we know Him, we trust, surrender, and become like Jesus.
George MacDonald wrote,
Christ died to save us, not from suffering, but from ourselves; not from injustice, far less from justice, but from being unjust. He died that we might live—but live as he lives, by dying as he died who died to himself that he might live unto God. If we do not die to ourselves, we cannot live to God, and he that does not live to God, is dead.
Put another way, Satan and God both want us dead…for different reasons!
Is it well with your soul? Do you have peace? If not, tell Jesus, the Prince of Peace. I don’t promise that a five-second prayer will instantly fix everything, but surrender is the first start, welcoming Jesus into your life. Additional steps may include eliminating certain media and social media, fellowship with other Christ-followers, Celebrate Recovery, and/or biblical counseling.
Making Peace
Once we have peace with ourselves, we begin to look at our relationships. Much of our own inner turmoil is due to unresolved conflict with others. Who do you need to forgive? Who needs to forgive you?
We cannot guarantee peace, but we can work toward it. You and I have a responsibility in our relationships, but we’re never one hundred percent responsible for the health of those relationships. It takes two to tango!
I’ve spent years working on reconciling broken relationships. It’s not fun! It’s not easy! It’s included a lot of prayer. I want to rush the process. I want to fix it. I’ve been encouraged by Paul’s letter to the church in Rome.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18)
We might not live a peace with everyone, but we can try. We can refuse to hold grudges. We can reject bitterness. We can extend grace. We can seek to understand. But sometimes peace is not possible.
Thankfully, we serve the God of the impossible!
My Story: Lynn Kampfer
Peacemaking is costly, but ultimately worth it.
You can hear that in Lynn’s story. Driving to Wisconsin is costly enough (do you know how expensive the tollways are, to say nothing of gas?!). The emotional expense was far greater, yet God clearly rewarded her for her efforts.
Peacemaking can be messy. If you think about it, most anytime you make something, you create something, you get involved with something, there is risk and sacrifice. If you make a cake, it takes time, money, and some dishes to clean! If you make a campfire, you may get slivers or encounter wildlife as you acquire wood…and may even burn yourself lighting it. Relationships are arguably the most risky, complicated, messy things we can create, yet nothing has a greater reward. There is no great gift you can offer than yourself.
Peacemakers are countercultural, accepting God’s invitation to join Him in the upside-down reality. When we engage as peacemakers, we are blessed, but clearly others experience the joy of reconciliation, of wholeness and completeness, of shalom, too.
The Telos Group
I was introduced to The Telos Group through Stu G and The Beatitudes Project. They are a stunning example of peacemaking. Their mission is to “form communities of American peacemakers across lines of difference, and equip them to help reconcile seemingly intractable conflicts at home and abroad. In the Middle East, they are pro-peace, Pro-Israeli, and pro-Palestinian.
So What?
Your next step today might not be to travel to the Middle East and make peace between Israelis and Palestinians! But I can’t let you off the hook, either.
Like each of these Beatitudes, the applications are endless…and unique. Begin with yourself. Where is it not well with your soul? Where are you experiencing conflict, tension, unrest? What keeps you up at night? What makes you anxious? Who do you need to forgive? What broken relationship needs to be reconciled?
Thinking beyond yourself, where do you see or find yourself in the midst of conflict? It might be at work, in your home, or even on social media. How can you promote listening, respect, dignity, and even love among others, perhaps even among enemies? This is especially timely as two political parties and their followers are at war with one another. Cancel culture frames everything into binary categories. Nuance is eliminated and attacks are made, often without any basis in fact or reality.
I think about the old song, “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” C.S. Lewis said, “The fingerprint of God is in the present.” It is now. In this moment we can know God and be transformed by the peacemaking God who is the God of peace.
Shalom—wholeness—and healing are both incremental processes. They take time. It’s a journey of a million miles that begins with one step What is your next step?
The first place to start, of course, is on our knees, praying not only for God to bring peace, but for Him to reveal how we can participate, how we can respond to this invitation, how we can be an answer to our own prayer…and that of so many others.
Family, now is a brilliant time for true believers in Jesus Christ to put down our weapons of “rightness,” debate, and attack against whomever you consider the enemy…and set an example of peace, of love, of grace. I’m not saying there’s no place for healthy, respectful dialog, but even if you’re right, an arrogant spirit will repel rather than engage another.
Children of God
NIV: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9)
There is no greater title or identity than child of God. This is the reward. This is the promise.
Your primary identity is not in your occupation, ethnicity, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or even citizenship. You are a child of the Most High God, created in His image with dignity, value, and worth. That identity is affirmed and confirmed when we are peacemakers. As we become like the Prince of Peace, we experience, keep, and make peace.
You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family. (Matthew 5:9, The Message)
God is on your side when you are complete in Him and help others experience shalom.
Prayer
LORD, bring more wholeness and healing into my heart that I might live in more harmony with others, that I could be self-giving and others-centered just as Jesus, the Prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6), did. LORD, may our hearts be filled with shalom, the multi-faceted wholeness you want to bring to us and through us to the world. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Credits: Some ideas from The Beatitudes Project
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Blessed: The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:9
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: God is on your side when you are complete in Him and help others experience shalom.
NIV: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9)
NLT: God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. (Matthew 5:9)
NKJV: Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)
The Message: “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family. (Matthew 5:9)
Shalom!
It’s not only a greeting, it’s one of my favorite words. Many simply translate it as “peace,” thinking, perhaps, of Richard Nixon fingers or a groovy, tie-dyed, hippie saying. Shalom is so much more than the absence of conflict. Shalom is more than peace. It means wholeness, completeness, everything in its right place, mutual flourishing.
We’ve been looking at the Beatitudes this summer, eight invitations, eight announcements of blessing from the lips of Jesus. These are not instructions to follow, but rather they are declarations of reality, both present and future. What does it mean to be blessed? The greatest blessing is the presence and favor of God.
NIV: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9)
Blessed are the wholeness-makers.
Blessed are the shalom-creators.
What comes to mind when you think of peace? I may have tainted your answer by referencing images from the 1960s and 70s! Quite often we think of the opposite of war. Maybe you picture a quiet place near water—a peaceful location. A dove is a popular symbol for peace.
We’ve been blessed to live in a country that has been relatively peaceful for the past century or so. Pearl Harbor and 9/11 are the only physical attacks I’m aware of on our soil since the 19th century. War is a foreign concept to most of us (and to those of you who have served in the military, thank you).
Let me say again, peace is not merely the absence of war or conflict. True shalom means wholeness, completeness, everything in its right place, mutual flourishing.
Inner Peace
We often sing a song called “It is Well.” Is it well with your soul today? Do you feel whole, complete, at peace? Before we talk about peacemaking, let’s begin with ourselves. If you don’t have peace, you can’t make peace. You can’t give away something you don’t possess.
Our mission, our hope, our purpose, our life as First Alliance Church is all about Jesus. We worship a Person, not a book. We are about a relationship, not a religion. As we saw last week, it begins with what’s inside—our heart—not a bunch of rules to follow. We are to be known for our love, not our politics.
Whenever I think about Christian maturity, I’m constantly drawn to the fifth chapter of the book of Galatians where it says the fruit of the Spirit is
…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23a, NLT)
Where do we get love? It begins with God. God is love. You can’t create love, but you can receive and share it.
How can we experience joy? The joy of the LORD is our strength. Dallas Willard said, “God is the happiest, most joyful being in the universe. God is not mean, but He is dangerous.”
How do we experience inner peace? The prophet Isaiah wrote,
You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you.
Trust in the LORD forever,
for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal. (Isaiah 26:3-4)
Trust in God is the pathway to true, personal peace. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Paul said, “He himself is our peace” in Ephesians 2:14). He has made peace between a holy God and sinners like us.
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)
Followers of Jesus are engaged in a process called sanctification, becoming like our Teacher and Master. It’s a lifelong journey of death to our ego and agendas. It’s a process of growth, suffering, redemption, and maturity. It begins with time with God. You are your friends. You can’t follow someone you don’t know. This is why prayer, Bible study, and worship are so important. They are three of the many habits we engage in to know God…not just about God, but truly know Him. As we know Him, we trust, surrender, and become like Jesus.
George MacDonald wrote,
Christ died to save us, not from suffering, but from ourselves; not from injustice, far less from justice, but from being unjust. He died that we might live—but live as he lives, by dying as he died who died to himself that he might live unto God. If we do not die to ourselves, we cannot live to God, and he that does not live to God, is dead.
Put another way, Satan and God both want us dead…for different reasons!
Is it well with your soul? Do you have peace? If not, tell Jesus, the Prince of Peace. I don’t promise that a five-second prayer will instantly fix everything, but surrender is the first start, welcoming Jesus into your life. Additional steps may include eliminating certain media and social media, fellowship with other Christ-followers, Celebrate Recovery, and/or biblical counseling.
Making Peace
Once we have peace with ourselves, we begin to look at our relationships. Much of our own inner turmoil is due to unresolved conflict with others. Who do you need to forgive? Who needs to forgive you?
We cannot guarantee peace, but we can work toward it. You and I have a responsibility in our relationships, but we’re never one hundred percent responsible for the health of those relationships. It takes two to tango!
I’ve spent years working on reconciling broken relationships. It’s not fun! It’s not easy! It’s included a lot of prayer. I want to rush the process. I want to fix it. I’ve been encouraged by Paul’s letter to the church in Rome.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18)
We might not live a peace with everyone, but we can try. We can refuse to hold grudges. We can reject bitterness. We can extend grace. We can seek to understand. But sometimes peace is not possible.
Thankfully, we serve the God of the impossible!
My Story: Lynn Kampfer
Peacemaking is costly, but ultimately worth it.
You can hear that in Lynn’s story. Driving to Wisconsin is costly enough (do you know how expensive the tollways are, to say nothing of gas?!). The emotional expense was far greater, yet God clearly rewarded her for her efforts.
Peacemaking can be messy. If you think about it, most anytime you make something, you create something, you get involved with something, there is risk and sacrifice. If you make a cake, it takes time, money, and some dishes to clean! If you make a campfire, you may get slivers or encounter wildlife as you acquire wood…and may even burn yourself lighting it. Relationships are arguably the most risky, complicated, messy things we can create, yet nothing has a greater reward. There is no great gift you can offer than yourself.
Peacemakers are countercultural, accepting God’s invitation to join Him in the upside-down reality. When we engage as peacemakers, we are blessed, but clearly others experience the joy of reconciliation, of wholeness and completeness, of shalom, too.
The Telos Group
I was introduced to The Telos Group through Stu G and The Beatitudes Project. They are a stunning example of peacemaking. Their mission is to “form communities of American peacemakers across lines of difference, and equip them to help reconcile seemingly intractable conflicts at home and abroad. In the Middle East, they are pro-peace, Pro-Israeli, and pro-Palestinian.
So What?
Your next step today might not be to travel to the Middle East and make peace between Israelis and Palestinians! But I can’t let you off the hook, either.
Like each of these Beatitudes, the applications are endless…and unique. Begin with yourself. Where is it not well with your soul? Where are you experiencing conflict, tension, unrest? What keeps you up at night? What makes you anxious? Who do you need to forgive? What broken relationship needs to be reconciled?
Thinking beyond yourself, where do you see or find yourself in the midst of conflict? It might be at work, in your home, or even on social media. How can you promote listening, respect, dignity, and even love among others, perhaps even among enemies? This is especially timely as two political parties and their followers are at war with one another. Cancel culture frames everything into binary categories. Nuance is eliminated and attacks are made, often without any basis in fact or reality.
I think about the old song, “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” C.S. Lewis said, “The fingerprint of God is in the present.” It is now. In this moment we can know God and be transformed by the peacemaking God who is the God of peace.
Shalom—wholeness—and healing are both incremental processes. They take time. It’s a journey of a million miles that begins with one step What is your next step?
The first place to start, of course, is on our knees, praying not only for God to bring peace, but for Him to reveal how we can participate, how we can respond to this invitation, how we can be an answer to our own prayer…and that of so many others.
Family, now is a brilliant time for true believers in Jesus Christ to put down our weapons of “rightness,” debate, and attack against whomever you consider the enemy…and set an example of peace, of love, of grace. I’m not saying there’s no place for healthy, respectful dialog, but even if you’re right, an arrogant spirit will repel rather than engage another.
Children of God
NIV: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9)
There is no greater title or identity than child of God. This is the reward. This is the promise.
Your primary identity is not in your occupation, ethnicity, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or even citizenship. You are a child of the Most High God, created in His image with dignity, value, and worth. That identity is affirmed and confirmed when we are peacemakers. As we become like the Prince of Peace, we experience, keep, and make peace.
You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family. (Matthew 5:9, The Message)
God is on your side when you are complete in Him and help others experience shalom.
Prayer
LORD, bring more wholeness and healing into my heart that I might live in more harmony with others, that I could be self-giving and others-centered just as Jesus, the Prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6), did. LORD, may our hearts be filled with shalom, the multi-faceted wholeness you want to bring to us and through us to the world. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Credits: Some ideas from The Beatitudes Project
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Pure in Heart, 16 August 2020
16 08 20
Blessed are the Pure in Heart
Blessed: The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:8
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: God is on your side when you’re pure in heart, when you stop playing games and come clean with the real you.
NIV: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
NLT: God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
NKJV: Blessed are the pure in heart, they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8)
The Message: “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. (Matthew 5:8)
When I was a little boy, one of my favorite things to do at my grandma’s house was take a bath. I know, some kids like to get dirty. It’s not that I didn’t like to get dirty, but grandma always played this little game where she’d put a wet washrag on my back and I had to reach back and try to get it off.
I can vaguely remember the sights and sounds of those interactions, but I’ve been told the most triggering sense is smell. To this day, whenever I smell Ivory soap, I’m transported back twenty—thirty—ok, more than forty years ago to time with my grandma.
It seems like everyone in my generation had a grandma that used Ivory soap. Oddly enough, I never remember it in my house growing up, but it was grandma’s soap. Developed in 1879 by Harley Proctor (who started a little business with his friend Mr. Gamble!) it still floats and boasts that it is 99.44% pure.
What does it mean to be pure? As we continue our series on the Beatitudes or blessings announced by Jesus in Matthew chapter five, we read these words,
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
I love God! I really love God. There’s one significant challenge to a relationship with God: we cannot experience Him with our senses.
You can’t smell God, though I love to smell the beautiful flowers He has created.
You can’t touch God, though you can touch a human created in His image.
You can’t taste God, even though the scriptures metaphorically say, “Taste and see that the LORD is good.” (Psalm 34:8)
You can’t hear God, though He speaks through the Bible and, occasionally, in other ways.
You can’t see God, though according to this verse those who are pure in heart will see God.
Would you like to see God? People saw God the Son, Jesus Christ, for thirty-three years. The glory of the Father, however, is more than our eyes could behold.
There’s a great story in the Old Testament book of Exodus where God is pleased with Moses.
Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”
And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”
Then the LORD said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.” (Exodus 33:18-23)
We cannot see God’s face in these bodies, with these eyes. I’ve often thought it would be like staring at the sun. You can physically do it, but it will have terrible consequences.
Someday, we will have new, resurrected bodies that will be able to experience God in new ways. That’s part of our hope for the next life, a deeper, more sensory encounter with our Creator.
Job, in the midst of his terrible suffering in what many consider to be the oldest book in the Bible, said,
I know that my redeemer lives,
and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God;
I myself will see him
with my own eyes—I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:25-27)
He wants to see God. He yearns for deeper intimacy with the Almighty. Do you? If you do, pay attention to this announcement from Jesus, this declaration of reality:
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
Let’s go back to pure. One dictionary defines purity as, “not mixed or adulterated with any other substance or material.” The Greek word used here, katharos, means clean or clear or pure.
Not long ago we started hearing about “clean eating.” The idea behind it is avoiding artificial ingredients and processed foods, instead eating real foods, things you can pronounce! If you’ve ever looked at the ingredients in convenience store snacks, it sounds more like a science experiment than body fuel! I must confess after exposure to clean eating, I occasionally want to nibble on some “dirty” food!
I think that leads to Jesus’ point here. It’s not always easy or natural to be clean and pure. Temptation comes our way each day, seemingly each moment. We are not perfect. We’ve all sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23), His standard of perfection found only in Jesus. As we’ve noted previously, this left us hopeless until Jesus came, lived a perfect life, died for us offering forgiveness, and rose from the dead, conquering sin and death.
We cannot be pure on our own efforts. I’m not perfect. I’m not pure. But because of Jesus, we can be clean. Natalie Grant sings in her recent song, “Clean,”
There's nothing too dirty That You can't make worthy You wash me in mercy I am clean Washed in the blood of Your sacrifice Your blood flowed red and made me white My dirty rags are purified I am clean
Being clean is good. The people around us generally prefer us to be clean! We know the importance of clean hands, especially during COVID-19. We wash our cars, brush our teeth, and even bathe our pets because we want them clean.
But sometimes things—or people—appear to be clean, but they’re not pure. They’re not the same inside as outside. They have a divided heart. A divided heart can never be pure.
I love children. I loved being daddy to three little people who are now grown up and having their own little people. I really love being Papa! Our grandson is due to arrive this fall, just weeks before our granddaughter turns two.
Perhaps the best and worst thing about children is their lack of filters. You always know how they feel! They don’t censor themselves…even when you wish they would! If they’re angry, their whole body will declare it to the world! If they are sad, it’s time to find a box of Kleenex! When they are happy, they fill their environment with joy. What you see on the outside reflects what is going on inside. There are no masks or edits. They have an undivided heart. They have no false self…only their true self.
Jesus was a friend of sinners, yet he was an enemy to many of the religious. This is a very sobering reality for me as a pastor! Once when Jesus was talking to a group of pious Pharisees, he said,
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. (Matthew 23:25-26)
Have you ever opened a cupboard and grabbed a mug or bowl…only to find leftover food inside? It might look great on the outside, but you put it in the sink and find a clean vessel.
We often think of purity as living a set of rules perfectly. C.S. Lewis said,
“If anyone thinks that Christians regard unchastity as the supreme vice, he is quite wrong. The sins of the flesh are bad, but they are the least bad of all sins. . . . According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.”
The thing about pride, of course, is it can be masked. For literally thousands of years, religious people have found ways to look good on the outside…while being dirty inside. Since we can’t see someone’s heart, we assess based upon what we can see…clothing, church attendance, moral behavior, etc. There’s nothing wrong with righteous living, of course, but if we are not consistent—our clean presentation is actually deceitful. We live a lie.
Dr. Michael Wilkin notes,
“Purity or cleanliness was an important religious theme in Jesus’ day. Observing all the Old Testament laws of being clean could bypass the most important purity of all, purity of the heart. Jesus declares here that a pure heart is what produces external purity, not vice versa.”
Who is the most authentic person in your life? Who’s brutally honest? Who refuses to sugar-coat, to pretend, to cover up and get defensive?
I mentioned children and their transparency, but often the most consistent adults are those who have been broken—by addiction, grief, loss,…life!—and experienced grace, healing, and forgiveness. The masks no longer fit. What you see is what you get. It’s not that they boast of their sins and failures, but they’ve gotten past guilt and shame, pretending and hiding. They see themselves as a broken masterpiece in the midst of restoration. It’s messy, hopeful, and beautiful.
Some people can’t deal with uncomfortable. They’d rather pretend everything’s ok than expose their true self. Their pride leads them toward independence rather than humbly acknowledging we need one another. Wearing a mask can be exhausting…and lonely. We weren’t created to be autonomous. We were made for community.
Life Groups
This has been especially clear during the pandemic. Several of you have expressed your desire for deeper relationships. You recognize an hour on Sunday staring at the back of someone’s head is not enough. We call ourselves a family, but if family is nothing more than a weekly gathering, is it really functional?
Celebrate Recovery meets each Wednesday at 7 PM in our Fellowship Hall. It’s designed to be a safe place where you can share your hurts, hangups, and habits. Every one of you would find it beneficial. I’ve been! It is filled with some of the most authentic, honest people you will ever meet.
This fall, I’d love to see community expand beyond Sunday morning and Celebrate Recovery. I believe the most effective churches through COVID-19 have been the ones doing life together. They are not churches with small groups, but churches of small groups. They view church not as a building or gathering, but a 24/7/365 family on mission together, doing life together.
You’ll be hearing more about new Life Groups in the coming weeks. For now, if you’re interested in a small group of people doing life together—not just a weekly Bible study, but a small group committed to meeting together, serving together, growing together, and being family together, would you text your name to 419.381.2066? You’re not signing up for a class. This is for people who want to connect with others this fall, ideally once a week, but then available for one another the rest of the week. Life Groups. (Real) life together.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
The pure in heart have an undivided heart. Like Ivory soap, they are the same on the inside and outside.
Religion is concerned about externals, making a good impression, putting on a show, looking the part. Jesus constantly spoke of the heart. It was the center of his teaching. He never said, “Blessed are the intellectuals.” He didn’t say, “Blessed are the achievers.” His declaration was not, “Blessed are the impressive or those who look good on the surface.” He said, “Blessed are the pure in heart.”
Perhaps when you hear “pure in heart” you feel dirty. We’ve all messed up, which is why we need Jesus. He doesn’t just power wash our exterior. He cleans us up from the inside out. We can’t do it on our own. If we could be good enough, Jesus never needed to die.
No matter who you are or what you’ve done, you can be pure. You can be forgiven. You can be clean!
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
But we don’t stop there. We repent. We turn. We change. We cry out to God for help. We let Him take control. We surrender. We’re all a work in progress. The Holy Spirit lives inside every follower of Jesus. We simply need to let go and let God…take over.
If this is new to you, that’s another reason to get in a Life Group this fall. There are people in our family that would love to help you take next steps on your journey.
Please understand, I’m not perfectly pure. None of us is. But we’ve been forgiven, we’ve been cleansed, we’ve received mercy, …and as we do life with Jesus, we become like Jesus. You are your friends. Choose wisely.
As we are drawn away from our sinful flesh and toward Jesus, we will want to do what pleases him. We will want to obey. As we grow and submit to the Holy Spirit, we will be sanctified, becoming like Jesus. It’s a journey…a lifelong process. We will fail. Rather than covering up like Adam and Eve in the Garden, we can be real. We can acknowledge our sins, get clean, and try again. The worst thing we can do is be overcome by pride, pretend it didn’t happen, fake it, and try to impress people. God sees it all!
Family, I hope we’re a community that’s real. There’s no need to impress…me or anyone else. The sooner we admit our flaws, the sooner we can fix them, grow, and experience the freedom of forgiveness.
D.A. Carson writes, ”You can start trying to clean your heart, but at the end of your long life it will be as black as it was at the beginning, perhaps blacker. No! It is God alone who can do it, and , thank God, He has promised to do it. The only way in which we can have a clean heart is for the Holy Spirit to enter into us and to cleanse it for us. Only his indwelling and working within can purify the heart and He does it by working in us ‘both to will and to do of his good pleasure.’” This doesn’t mean we ignore our sin. Rather, it reminds us of our need for a Savior, our dependency upon God, …and that we haven’t arrived!
The Message translates our verse,
“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. (Matthew 5:8, The Message)
Jesus announces that God is on your side when you’re pure in heart, when you stop playing games and come clean with the real you. We need to return to childlike wonder, admit the reality of our brokenness, and reach out to Jesus for healing, for wholeness, for shalom, for forgiveness, for cleansing. The psalmist wrote,
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)
Although I rarely take a bath, there’s nothing like a hot shower on a cold winter morning…or a cool one after a workout in the summer. There’s something refreshing about being clean…for your sake and those around you! But the most important clean—the most important purity—is a pure heart. A consistent heart. An undivided heart.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
As followers of Jesus, we see God in nature. We see God throughout history. We see God at work transforming people to become like Jesus. And yes, one day we will see Him face to face as we enjoy Him forever. Hallelujah!
Credits: Some ideas from The Beatitudes Project and D.A. Carson
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Blessed: The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:8
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: God is on your side when you’re pure in heart, when you stop playing games and come clean with the real you.
NIV: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
NLT: God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
NKJV: Blessed are the pure in heart, they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8)
The Message: “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. (Matthew 5:8)
When I was a little boy, one of my favorite things to do at my grandma’s house was take a bath. I know, some kids like to get dirty. It’s not that I didn’t like to get dirty, but grandma always played this little game where she’d put a wet washrag on my back and I had to reach back and try to get it off.
I can vaguely remember the sights and sounds of those interactions, but I’ve been told the most triggering sense is smell. To this day, whenever I smell Ivory soap, I’m transported back twenty—thirty—ok, more than forty years ago to time with my grandma.
It seems like everyone in my generation had a grandma that used Ivory soap. Oddly enough, I never remember it in my house growing up, but it was grandma’s soap. Developed in 1879 by Harley Proctor (who started a little business with his friend Mr. Gamble!) it still floats and boasts that it is 99.44% pure.
What does it mean to be pure? As we continue our series on the Beatitudes or blessings announced by Jesus in Matthew chapter five, we read these words,
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
I love God! I really love God. There’s one significant challenge to a relationship with God: we cannot experience Him with our senses.
You can’t smell God, though I love to smell the beautiful flowers He has created.
You can’t touch God, though you can touch a human created in His image.
You can’t taste God, even though the scriptures metaphorically say, “Taste and see that the LORD is good.” (Psalm 34:8)
You can’t hear God, though He speaks through the Bible and, occasionally, in other ways.
You can’t see God, though according to this verse those who are pure in heart will see God.
Would you like to see God? People saw God the Son, Jesus Christ, for thirty-three years. The glory of the Father, however, is more than our eyes could behold.
There’s a great story in the Old Testament book of Exodus where God is pleased with Moses.
Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”
And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”
Then the LORD said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.” (Exodus 33:18-23)
We cannot see God’s face in these bodies, with these eyes. I’ve often thought it would be like staring at the sun. You can physically do it, but it will have terrible consequences.
Someday, we will have new, resurrected bodies that will be able to experience God in new ways. That’s part of our hope for the next life, a deeper, more sensory encounter with our Creator.
Job, in the midst of his terrible suffering in what many consider to be the oldest book in the Bible, said,
I know that my redeemer lives,
and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God;
I myself will see him
with my own eyes—I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:25-27)
He wants to see God. He yearns for deeper intimacy with the Almighty. Do you? If you do, pay attention to this announcement from Jesus, this declaration of reality:
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
Let’s go back to pure. One dictionary defines purity as, “not mixed or adulterated with any other substance or material.” The Greek word used here, katharos, means clean or clear or pure.
Not long ago we started hearing about “clean eating.” The idea behind it is avoiding artificial ingredients and processed foods, instead eating real foods, things you can pronounce! If you’ve ever looked at the ingredients in convenience store snacks, it sounds more like a science experiment than body fuel! I must confess after exposure to clean eating, I occasionally want to nibble on some “dirty” food!
I think that leads to Jesus’ point here. It’s not always easy or natural to be clean and pure. Temptation comes our way each day, seemingly each moment. We are not perfect. We’ve all sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23), His standard of perfection found only in Jesus. As we’ve noted previously, this left us hopeless until Jesus came, lived a perfect life, died for us offering forgiveness, and rose from the dead, conquering sin and death.
We cannot be pure on our own efforts. I’m not perfect. I’m not pure. But because of Jesus, we can be clean. Natalie Grant sings in her recent song, “Clean,”
There's nothing too dirty That You can't make worthy You wash me in mercy I am clean Washed in the blood of Your sacrifice Your blood flowed red and made me white My dirty rags are purified I am clean
Being clean is good. The people around us generally prefer us to be clean! We know the importance of clean hands, especially during COVID-19. We wash our cars, brush our teeth, and even bathe our pets because we want them clean.
But sometimes things—or people—appear to be clean, but they’re not pure. They’re not the same inside as outside. They have a divided heart. A divided heart can never be pure.
I love children. I loved being daddy to three little people who are now grown up and having their own little people. I really love being Papa! Our grandson is due to arrive this fall, just weeks before our granddaughter turns two.
Perhaps the best and worst thing about children is their lack of filters. You always know how they feel! They don’t censor themselves…even when you wish they would! If they’re angry, their whole body will declare it to the world! If they are sad, it’s time to find a box of Kleenex! When they are happy, they fill their environment with joy. What you see on the outside reflects what is going on inside. There are no masks or edits. They have an undivided heart. They have no false self…only their true self.
Jesus was a friend of sinners, yet he was an enemy to many of the religious. This is a very sobering reality for me as a pastor! Once when Jesus was talking to a group of pious Pharisees, he said,
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. (Matthew 23:25-26)
Have you ever opened a cupboard and grabbed a mug or bowl…only to find leftover food inside? It might look great on the outside, but you put it in the sink and find a clean vessel.
We often think of purity as living a set of rules perfectly. C.S. Lewis said,
“If anyone thinks that Christians regard unchastity as the supreme vice, he is quite wrong. The sins of the flesh are bad, but they are the least bad of all sins. . . . According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.”
The thing about pride, of course, is it can be masked. For literally thousands of years, religious people have found ways to look good on the outside…while being dirty inside. Since we can’t see someone’s heart, we assess based upon what we can see…clothing, church attendance, moral behavior, etc. There’s nothing wrong with righteous living, of course, but if we are not consistent—our clean presentation is actually deceitful. We live a lie.
Dr. Michael Wilkin notes,
“Purity or cleanliness was an important religious theme in Jesus’ day. Observing all the Old Testament laws of being clean could bypass the most important purity of all, purity of the heart. Jesus declares here that a pure heart is what produces external purity, not vice versa.”
Who is the most authentic person in your life? Who’s brutally honest? Who refuses to sugar-coat, to pretend, to cover up and get defensive?
I mentioned children and their transparency, but often the most consistent adults are those who have been broken—by addiction, grief, loss,…life!—and experienced grace, healing, and forgiveness. The masks no longer fit. What you see is what you get. It’s not that they boast of their sins and failures, but they’ve gotten past guilt and shame, pretending and hiding. They see themselves as a broken masterpiece in the midst of restoration. It’s messy, hopeful, and beautiful.
Some people can’t deal with uncomfortable. They’d rather pretend everything’s ok than expose their true self. Their pride leads them toward independence rather than humbly acknowledging we need one another. Wearing a mask can be exhausting…and lonely. We weren’t created to be autonomous. We were made for community.
Life Groups
This has been especially clear during the pandemic. Several of you have expressed your desire for deeper relationships. You recognize an hour on Sunday staring at the back of someone’s head is not enough. We call ourselves a family, but if family is nothing more than a weekly gathering, is it really functional?
Celebrate Recovery meets each Wednesday at 7 PM in our Fellowship Hall. It’s designed to be a safe place where you can share your hurts, hangups, and habits. Every one of you would find it beneficial. I’ve been! It is filled with some of the most authentic, honest people you will ever meet.
This fall, I’d love to see community expand beyond Sunday morning and Celebrate Recovery. I believe the most effective churches through COVID-19 have been the ones doing life together. They are not churches with small groups, but churches of small groups. They view church not as a building or gathering, but a 24/7/365 family on mission together, doing life together.
You’ll be hearing more about new Life Groups in the coming weeks. For now, if you’re interested in a small group of people doing life together—not just a weekly Bible study, but a small group committed to meeting together, serving together, growing together, and being family together, would you text your name to 419.381.2066? You’re not signing up for a class. This is for people who want to connect with others this fall, ideally once a week, but then available for one another the rest of the week. Life Groups. (Real) life together.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
The pure in heart have an undivided heart. Like Ivory soap, they are the same on the inside and outside.
Religion is concerned about externals, making a good impression, putting on a show, looking the part. Jesus constantly spoke of the heart. It was the center of his teaching. He never said, “Blessed are the intellectuals.” He didn’t say, “Blessed are the achievers.” His declaration was not, “Blessed are the impressive or those who look good on the surface.” He said, “Blessed are the pure in heart.”
Perhaps when you hear “pure in heart” you feel dirty. We’ve all messed up, which is why we need Jesus. He doesn’t just power wash our exterior. He cleans us up from the inside out. We can’t do it on our own. If we could be good enough, Jesus never needed to die.
No matter who you are or what you’ve done, you can be pure. You can be forgiven. You can be clean!
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
But we don’t stop there. We repent. We turn. We change. We cry out to God for help. We let Him take control. We surrender. We’re all a work in progress. The Holy Spirit lives inside every follower of Jesus. We simply need to let go and let God…take over.
If this is new to you, that’s another reason to get in a Life Group this fall. There are people in our family that would love to help you take next steps on your journey.
Please understand, I’m not perfectly pure. None of us is. But we’ve been forgiven, we’ve been cleansed, we’ve received mercy, …and as we do life with Jesus, we become like Jesus. You are your friends. Choose wisely.
As we are drawn away from our sinful flesh and toward Jesus, we will want to do what pleases him. We will want to obey. As we grow and submit to the Holy Spirit, we will be sanctified, becoming like Jesus. It’s a journey…a lifelong process. We will fail. Rather than covering up like Adam and Eve in the Garden, we can be real. We can acknowledge our sins, get clean, and try again. The worst thing we can do is be overcome by pride, pretend it didn’t happen, fake it, and try to impress people. God sees it all!
Family, I hope we’re a community that’s real. There’s no need to impress…me or anyone else. The sooner we admit our flaws, the sooner we can fix them, grow, and experience the freedom of forgiveness.
D.A. Carson writes, ”You can start trying to clean your heart, but at the end of your long life it will be as black as it was at the beginning, perhaps blacker. No! It is God alone who can do it, and , thank God, He has promised to do it. The only way in which we can have a clean heart is for the Holy Spirit to enter into us and to cleanse it for us. Only his indwelling and working within can purify the heart and He does it by working in us ‘both to will and to do of his good pleasure.’” This doesn’t mean we ignore our sin. Rather, it reminds us of our need for a Savior, our dependency upon God, …and that we haven’t arrived!
The Message translates our verse,
“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. (Matthew 5:8, The Message)
Jesus announces that God is on your side when you’re pure in heart, when you stop playing games and come clean with the real you. We need to return to childlike wonder, admit the reality of our brokenness, and reach out to Jesus for healing, for wholeness, for shalom, for forgiveness, for cleansing. The psalmist wrote,
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)
Although I rarely take a bath, there’s nothing like a hot shower on a cold winter morning…or a cool one after a workout in the summer. There’s something refreshing about being clean…for your sake and those around you! But the most important clean—the most important purity—is a pure heart. A consistent heart. An undivided heart.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
As followers of Jesus, we see God in nature. We see God throughout history. We see God at work transforming people to become like Jesus. And yes, one day we will see Him face to face as we enjoy Him forever. Hallelujah!
Credits: Some ideas from The Beatitudes Project and D.A. Carson
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Merciful, 9 August 2020
09 08 20
Blessed are the Merciful
Blessed: The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:7
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: Mercy is an undeserved gift to experience and share.
NIV: Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
NLT: God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
NKJV: Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
The Message: “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘carefull,’ you find yourselves cared for. (Matthew 5:7)
Mercy is an uncommon word in our vocabulary and a foreign concept in our culture. I think it has become a “churchy” word that is easily dismissed without pondering its meaning. We say “LORD have mercy” or read “grace and mercy” without pausing to reflect upon what’s being communicated.
Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. – Oxford Dictionary
Synonyms include leniency, clemency, compassion, grace, pity, and charity.
It’s different than forgiveness. You deserve to punish them, but you don’t.
It’s different than grace. D.A. Carson notes, “Grace answers to the undeserving; mercy answers to the miserable.”
The original Greek word for merciful, eleemon, means actively compassionate. Interestingly, the Hebrew word for mercy, rachamim, contains within it a three-letter word which means “womb,” that which is the most powerful and sacred female reality, denoting birthing and bearing mother love. One rabbi has thus related mercy to God’s womb-love for His people (remember, male and female were both created in the image of God).
Before we talk about being merciful, let’s look at our own lives for a moment. It’s unpleasant to hear, but we all need compassion. We’re all sinners. We’ve all failed, offended God, messed up, and rebelled against our Creator.
We don’t want what we deserve from God!
I often grow weary of people talking about what they deserve, their rights, their entitlements. According to the Bible, what I deserve is eternal separation from a holy God because of my sin. Romans 3:23 tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” and Romans 6:23 says, “the wages of sin is death.”
We all deserve death, both physical and spiritual, temporal and eternal. You may be a better person than the person who lives down the road, but you’re not perfect…and that’s God’s standard. Good isn’t good enough! That’s why we need mercy. I need mercy.
Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. – Oxford Dictionary
It is within God’s power to punish me…and you. Instead, He chose to offer a way for us to experience mercy and compassion. The reason we’re so into Jesus is he accepted the Father’s mission to leave heaven, come to our planet, and die to pay the penalty we deserved to pay for our sins. He proved his sacrifice was adequate by rising from the dead, conquering sin and death and reconciling us to our Heavenly Father.
Part of the gospel or the “good news” is we can experience mercy. We can be forgiven. We can receive compassion. We all need it!
There’s an ancient Christian prayer called “kyrie, eleison.” It’s especially common in Eastern churches and found in several psalms and three times in the book of Matthew. In English, it’s translated, “Lord, have mercy.”
Earlier in our reading of Psalm 136 (NKJV), we repeatedly read, “His mercy endures forever.”
You can’t give something you don’t possess. If you haven’t experienced love, how can you love? Until you’ve received mercy, it’s hard to discuss sharing it.
Part of Christian worship for the past two thousand years has involved confession…acknowledging our sins and our need for mercy. One recent song expressed “kyrie, eleison” beautifully and I invite you to sing it with me.
LORD, Have Mercy
If you are a follower of Jesus, you have received forgiveness and mercy. If you are not yet a follower of Jesus, I want to encourage you to simply pray, “Jesus, I give you my life.” By surrendering your life and making Jesus your LORD and leader, you can receive the joy of forgiveness, eternal life, and perfect peace. Following Jesus doesn’t make life easy, but it makes it satisfying because you are blessed by His presence and favor. You are free from the laws of sin and death. You can know your Heavenly Father. You can begin a journey that allows Him to lead as you follow.
Many of us fail to recognize the significance of God’s mercy in our own lives. Maybe we don’t think we need much compassion because we’re such good people, but we’re all desperately in need of mercy. The most religious among us probably need it the most!
Carson notes, “It is sometimes said that an alcoholic who won’t admit he’s an alcoholic hates all other alcoholics. Similarly, it is generally true that the sinner who won’t face up to his sin hates all other sinners. But the person who has recognized his own helplessness and wretchedness is grateful for whatever mercy is shown him; and he learns to be merciful toward others.”
So What?
There are three ways we can respond to God’s mercy.
This may seem obvious, but it’s easy to forget, to get busy, to move on with life. We need to regularly pause and give thanks, not only on communion Sunday, but ideally as part of our daily rhythms. Because of the cross and the empty tomb, we’ve been given so much. It’s worth celebrating. It’s one of the reasons we worship.
A second way you can respond to God’s mercy is to
While some Christians think too much of themselves, others have the opposite problem. They believe they are worthless trash. That message sometimes comes from a parent. It could be spoken by a teacher, a classmate, or a boss. Tragically, some pastors have communicated the heresy that God hates them. He hates our sin, but you were created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth. You are unique and special, worthy of love. Jesus went to extraordinary lengths—even death—to prove his love to you. If he loves you, forgives you, shows you mercy, and accepts you, doing otherwise to yourself makes him out to be a fool. Jesus is no fool! Remember who you are…and Whose you are. You are a cherished child of the most high God! Someone once said, “The only time you find God in a box is when He crawls into ours to meet us.” That box may be made out of pain, abuse, and neglect.”
Of course, the heart of this beatitude or blessing announced by Jesus is to
We’ve been blessed to be a blessing.
We’ve been loved so we can love.
We’ve been shown mercy so we can show it to others.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
Salvation is not the result of being merciful.
Being merciful is the result of your salvation.
Are you a merciful person? Are you compassionate?
Perhaps the best illustration of mercy in the Bible—besides the cross—is found in the tenth chapter of Luke. Jesus tells as shocking story which we cannot fully appreciate in our culture. A man is conversing with Jesus about the command to love one’s neighbor.
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29)
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. (Luke 10:30)
A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. (Luke 10:31)
So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. (Luke 10:32)
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. (Luke 10:33)
He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. (Luke 10:34)
The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ (Luke 10:35)
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” (Luke 10:36)
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37)
Dr. Matt Carter notes there things about this story:
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
Mercy is a feeling that moves you to action.
Mercy is when you see the need, feel the need, and act.
Are you a merciful person? It’s more than just something you do in your head. It involves your heart and your hands.
Who do you assume the worst about? It might an individual or a group. Maybe it’s a political party or government official. Are they beyond God’s love? What would mercy and compassion look like toward them?
Are you holding a grudge against anyone? What would mercy and compassion look like toward them?
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
Jesus’ teachings were not meant to be hypothetical. The Beatitudes are not impossible ideals meant for God alone. They are announcements of both present and future realities as the Kingdom of God and the will of God is expressed on earth as it is in heaven. These are not things to do, but declarations of what it means to be, to follow Jesus, to live a radical, counter-cultural life.
The LORD’s Prayer asks God to forgive us as we forgive others. We receive and we give. We show mercy and will be shown mercy. It’s a both-and.
But mercy always costs something. Time. Money. Reputation. Comfort. It cost Jesus his life!
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
God is on your side when there’s no reason He should be on your side…and we are to be on the side of others who don’t deserve it.
A few notes on forgiveness from Lysa TerKeurst from the Global Leadership Summit 2020
The real payoff of forgiveness is that you deserve to stop suffering because of what other people have done to you.
Forgiveness is that God’s forgiveness has flowed to me and now we cooperate with it and let if flow through us. It’s not made because of my determination but because of my cooperation with what Jesus has already done.
Sever your suffering by making a choice to forgive. You have the right to make this decision. You’ve changed even if they haven’t changed. Your healing is not tied to them.
“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘carefull,’ you find yourselves cared for. (Matthew 5:7, The Message)
Finally, meditate on these ancient words from the prophet Micah:
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)
Credits: Some ideas from The Beatitudes Project, D.A. Carson, Lysa TerKeurst, and Dr. Matt Carter.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Blessed: The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:7
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: Mercy is an undeserved gift to experience and share.
NIV: Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
NLT: God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
NKJV: Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
The Message: “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘carefull,’ you find yourselves cared for. (Matthew 5:7)
Mercy is an uncommon word in our vocabulary and a foreign concept in our culture. I think it has become a “churchy” word that is easily dismissed without pondering its meaning. We say “LORD have mercy” or read “grace and mercy” without pausing to reflect upon what’s being communicated.
Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. – Oxford Dictionary
Synonyms include leniency, clemency, compassion, grace, pity, and charity.
It’s different than forgiveness. You deserve to punish them, but you don’t.
It’s different than grace. D.A. Carson notes, “Grace answers to the undeserving; mercy answers to the miserable.”
The original Greek word for merciful, eleemon, means actively compassionate. Interestingly, the Hebrew word for mercy, rachamim, contains within it a three-letter word which means “womb,” that which is the most powerful and sacred female reality, denoting birthing and bearing mother love. One rabbi has thus related mercy to God’s womb-love for His people (remember, male and female were both created in the image of God).
Before we talk about being merciful, let’s look at our own lives for a moment. It’s unpleasant to hear, but we all need compassion. We’re all sinners. We’ve all failed, offended God, messed up, and rebelled against our Creator.
We don’t want what we deserve from God!
I often grow weary of people talking about what they deserve, their rights, their entitlements. According to the Bible, what I deserve is eternal separation from a holy God because of my sin. Romans 3:23 tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” and Romans 6:23 says, “the wages of sin is death.”
We all deserve death, both physical and spiritual, temporal and eternal. You may be a better person than the person who lives down the road, but you’re not perfect…and that’s God’s standard. Good isn’t good enough! That’s why we need mercy. I need mercy.
Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. – Oxford Dictionary
It is within God’s power to punish me…and you. Instead, He chose to offer a way for us to experience mercy and compassion. The reason we’re so into Jesus is he accepted the Father’s mission to leave heaven, come to our planet, and die to pay the penalty we deserved to pay for our sins. He proved his sacrifice was adequate by rising from the dead, conquering sin and death and reconciling us to our Heavenly Father.
Part of the gospel or the “good news” is we can experience mercy. We can be forgiven. We can receive compassion. We all need it!
There’s an ancient Christian prayer called “kyrie, eleison.” It’s especially common in Eastern churches and found in several psalms and three times in the book of Matthew. In English, it’s translated, “Lord, have mercy.”
Earlier in our reading of Psalm 136 (NKJV), we repeatedly read, “His mercy endures forever.”
You can’t give something you don’t possess. If you haven’t experienced love, how can you love? Until you’ve received mercy, it’s hard to discuss sharing it.
Part of Christian worship for the past two thousand years has involved confession…acknowledging our sins and our need for mercy. One recent song expressed “kyrie, eleison” beautifully and I invite you to sing it with me.
LORD, Have Mercy
If you are a follower of Jesus, you have received forgiveness and mercy. If you are not yet a follower of Jesus, I want to encourage you to simply pray, “Jesus, I give you my life.” By surrendering your life and making Jesus your LORD and leader, you can receive the joy of forgiveness, eternal life, and perfect peace. Following Jesus doesn’t make life easy, but it makes it satisfying because you are blessed by His presence and favor. You are free from the laws of sin and death. You can know your Heavenly Father. You can begin a journey that allows Him to lead as you follow.
Many of us fail to recognize the significance of God’s mercy in our own lives. Maybe we don’t think we need much compassion because we’re such good people, but we’re all desperately in need of mercy. The most religious among us probably need it the most!
Carson notes, “It is sometimes said that an alcoholic who won’t admit he’s an alcoholic hates all other alcoholics. Similarly, it is generally true that the sinner who won’t face up to his sin hates all other sinners. But the person who has recognized his own helplessness and wretchedness is grateful for whatever mercy is shown him; and he learns to be merciful toward others.”
So What?
There are three ways we can respond to God’s mercy.
- 1. Express thanks to God for His mercy.
This may seem obvious, but it’s easy to forget, to get busy, to move on with life. We need to regularly pause and give thanks, not only on communion Sunday, but ideally as part of our daily rhythms. Because of the cross and the empty tomb, we’ve been given so much. It’s worth celebrating. It’s one of the reasons we worship.
A second way you can respond to God’s mercy is to
- 2. Show mercy to yourself.
While some Christians think too much of themselves, others have the opposite problem. They believe they are worthless trash. That message sometimes comes from a parent. It could be spoken by a teacher, a classmate, or a boss. Tragically, some pastors have communicated the heresy that God hates them. He hates our sin, but you were created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth. You are unique and special, worthy of love. Jesus went to extraordinary lengths—even death—to prove his love to you. If he loves you, forgives you, shows you mercy, and accepts you, doing otherwise to yourself makes him out to be a fool. Jesus is no fool! Remember who you are…and Whose you are. You are a cherished child of the most high God! Someone once said, “The only time you find God in a box is when He crawls into ours to meet us.” That box may be made out of pain, abuse, and neglect.”
Of course, the heart of this beatitude or blessing announced by Jesus is to
- 3. Extend mercy to others.
We’ve been blessed to be a blessing.
We’ve been loved so we can love.
We’ve been shown mercy so we can show it to others.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
Salvation is not the result of being merciful.
Being merciful is the result of your salvation.
Are you a merciful person? Are you compassionate?
Perhaps the best illustration of mercy in the Bible—besides the cross—is found in the tenth chapter of Luke. Jesus tells as shocking story which we cannot fully appreciate in our culture. A man is conversing with Jesus about the command to love one’s neighbor.
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29)
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. (Luke 10:30)
A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. (Luke 10:31)
So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. (Luke 10:32)
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. (Luke 10:33)
He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. (Luke 10:34)
The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ (Luke 10:35)
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” (Luke 10:36)
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37)
Dr. Matt Carter notes there things about this story:
- a. Mercy sees. When he “saw him,” he had compassion. It begins with our eyes.
- b. Mercy feels. He felt compassion. We often skip this step. We need to empathize. Jesus had compassion on us. He had sympathy.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
- c. Mercy acts
Mercy is a feeling that moves you to action.
Mercy is when you see the need, feel the need, and act.
Are you a merciful person? It’s more than just something you do in your head. It involves your heart and your hands.
Who do you assume the worst about? It might an individual or a group. Maybe it’s a political party or government official. Are they beyond God’s love? What would mercy and compassion look like toward them?
Are you holding a grudge against anyone? What would mercy and compassion look like toward them?
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
Jesus’ teachings were not meant to be hypothetical. The Beatitudes are not impossible ideals meant for God alone. They are announcements of both present and future realities as the Kingdom of God and the will of God is expressed on earth as it is in heaven. These are not things to do, but declarations of what it means to be, to follow Jesus, to live a radical, counter-cultural life.
The LORD’s Prayer asks God to forgive us as we forgive others. We receive and we give. We show mercy and will be shown mercy. It’s a both-and.
But mercy always costs something. Time. Money. Reputation. Comfort. It cost Jesus his life!
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
God is on your side when there’s no reason He should be on your side…and we are to be on the side of others who don’t deserve it.
A few notes on forgiveness from Lysa TerKeurst from the Global Leadership Summit 2020
The real payoff of forgiveness is that you deserve to stop suffering because of what other people have done to you.
Forgiveness is that God’s forgiveness has flowed to me and now we cooperate with it and let if flow through us. It’s not made because of my determination but because of my cooperation with what Jesus has already done.
Sever your suffering by making a choice to forgive. You have the right to make this decision. You’ve changed even if they haven’t changed. Your healing is not tied to them.
“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘carefull,’ you find yourselves cared for. (Matthew 5:7, The Message)
Finally, meditate on these ancient words from the prophet Micah:
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)
Credits: Some ideas from The Beatitudes Project, D.A. Carson, Lysa TerKeurst, and Dr. Matt Carter.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Righteousness, 2 August 2020
02 08 20
Blessed are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness
Blessed: The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:6
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: You are blessed and satisfied when your passions are for God, righteousness, and justice.
NIV: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6)
NLT: God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. (Matthew 5:6)
NKJV: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6)
The Message: You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat. (Matthew 5:6)
What are your greatest passions? What do you love to do? What are your hobbies. What do you sing about? What do you dream about? What do you cry about?
As we continue in our series on the Beatitudes—the blessings announced by Jesus—Matthew chapter five verse six says,
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6)
Have you ever been hungry? I mean really hungry! Maybe you were fasting, financially broke, or simply unable to find food. In those moments, you’d consider eating just about anything…and do just about anything for food!
One of the most famous stories of hunger involves two brothers, Jacob and Esau. As the firstborn, Esau was in line to receive a great inheritance, a birthright. In Genesis 25, we read…
Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom) (Genesis 25:29-30)
Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” (Genesis 25:31)
“Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?” (Genesis 25:32)
But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. (Genesis 25:33)
Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left.
So Esau despised his birthright. (Genesis 25:34)
This may have been the worst trade in human history. Hebrews 12 condemns Esau for his stupidity, trading his birthright for a bowl of stew. He must’ve really been hungry!
Jesus and others have gone without food for forty days, but we cannot live long without water. Can you think of a time when you were thirsty? The body aches. The mind can go fuzzy. Our energy drains. There are times when we’d do almost anything—and maybe should do almost anything—for a drink.
In order to understand our scripture for today, we need to think about deep hunger and deep thirst, about craving. The word I used to begin this morning was passion. What really matters to you? What are you devoted to, committed to, willing to do most anything to obtain?
For some, their passion is their work. They’ll spend crazy hours at the office (do you remember when people worked at offices instead of their homes?!), ignoring their family, sometimes destroying their family for the sake of a promotion.
There are people whose passion is their hobby. It might be sports, travel, games, music, shopping, or exercise. They devote their time, money, thoughts, and energy toward them.
One website listing the most popular hobbies as
5. Fishing
4. Going to movies
3. Family time
2. Watching tv
1. Reading
Family can be a passion, spending time with one’s spouse and/or kids.
We need hobbies. It’s great to have passions. There’s nothing wrong with self-care and entertainment. We need breaks from work. But remember, anything you want more than God is an idol. It’s easy to make even good things the most important thing.
Many of you know I have four prayers for First Alliance Church: direction, protection, unity, and passion.
Obviously I don’t want us to have just any old passion, but a passion for God and the things that matter to God. I pray that Jesus would be our LORD, our Master, our King, our Leader, the object of our greatest passion, love, joy, and desire. When Jesus is LORD, we want to spend time with him, we want to worship, give, serve, and love.
About twenty years ago I was leading a church in Ann Arbor and asked a friend to consult with us. I wanted to find my blind spots as a leader and do whatever possible to help the church flourish. He suggested a tool called Natural Church Development which I think was used at FAC, too. After assessing our church, my friend shared the results with me. They revealed our greatest weakness was “passionate spirituality.” We lacked a hunger and thirst for God. I asked what I could do to increase our passion and the only response was prayer. That’s when I began praying for passion for that church…and why I pray for passion for us.
I can model passion for God.
I can preach on passion for God.
But I can’t manufacture passion for God. I can’t create it in you. So I pray.
I can only imagine how different First Alliance Church and other churches would be if we all had a deep, gut-level passion for God and things of God. If you want a picture of what true passion looks like, you only need to look at the origin of the word.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines passion as “the sufferings of Christ between the night of the Last Supper and his death.” We think of it as a strong emotion, but Jesus’ passion was demonstrated through action. He expressed his love for you and me by sacrificing his own life, his body. He literally gave everything for us. That’s passion. It’s no wonder that he said to his followers,
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)
That’s passion. It’s not a once-in-a-lifetime decision or action, but rather a daily death to ourselves, an ongoing surrender, 24/7/365 commitment.
I’m sure that’s why so many of his followers abandoned him. He wanted too much from them. He wanted everything! He still does! Hunger and thirst are not one-time desires, but appetites that occur regularly. Likewise, the pursuit of God cannot be occasional. It’s a lifestyle. Following Jesus is more than an hour on Sunday and ten percent of your paycheck. It’s a radical obedience in the direction of Jesus. God doesn’t want to be your hobby. He wants to be your life!
He doesn’t want to be a piece of the pie. He wants to be the crust that touches every part of your being and holds everything together. God’s passion for us caused him to give everything, and he invites us to return the favor and be wholly devoted, completely passionate for him.
What does it mean to be passionate for God? What does it mean to hunger and thirst for God? Jesus says
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6)
We often think of righteousness as doing the right thing. If we desire to be good people, we are blessed and filled? Well, that’s a start.
The Greek word, dikaiosune means righteousness and justice. It refers to equity of character or act, specially justification. It’s the idea of being made right, or making something right. In the Old Testament, righteousness and justice frequently appear together. The New Testament Greek word sees them as one. One writer says whenever you see “righteousness” in the New Testament you should add “and justice.”
Jesus said in the next chapter,
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)
We are to pursue the kingdom of God, the things of God, and his righteousness and justice.
We’ve heard a lot about injustice in recent days. We witnessed the murder of George Floyd in what can only be described as an act of injustice, yet that’s hardly the first and will certainly not be the last example of injustice.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6)
Righteousness and justice flow from who God is. God is righteous. God is just. Justice is a central part of the gospel, the good news, the rule and reign of Jesus as LORD.
The Beatitudes are not instructions of how to live as much as they declarations, announcements of the reality of God’s kingdom now and in the future. Paul wrote to the church in Colossae,
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)
Jesus came to our broken world to reconcile to himself all things. The cross shattered not only the body of Jesus, but also sin and death. It released us from bondage. It reconciled us to our heavenly Father. The death of Jesus on the cross changed everything. Jesus came not only to die and rise from the dead, but also to initiate the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. We’re in the middle of the process. It’s certainly not finished, but as we follow Jesus, we become agents of reconciliation and peace. We are his representatives here and now. God’s desire is for righteousness and justice to rule and reign over a world plagued by sin and injustice.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6)
As Stu G of The Beatitudes Project says, “It’s not about trying to be super holy, but living in the famine and desperation for God’s righteousness and justice.”
God is the source of all righteousness and justice. When our passions are for God, they will naturally be for righteousness and justice, and when we see them absent, we will yearn to be present.
Jesus came to reconcile to himself all things.
He has passed the baton to us.
On a global level we see mass shootings, COVID-19, starvation, the greatest refugee crisis since WWII, pollution, wars, fake news, and divisions of every kind.
On a local level, we see political corruption, opioid addiction, homelessness, domestic violence, and poverty.
On a personal level, we struggle with addictions, comparison, insecurity, fear, and scarcity.
There is an aching for shalom, for the broken to be made whole, for justice to prevail.
So What?
What can we do? Weakness forces us to look to God. He’s right here with us. We need to pause, recognize our brokenness and desperation, and seek first God’s kingdom, His power, His wisdom, His strength.
What do you ache for? What is your holy discontent? That might reveal a clue as to what He wants you to do. For each of us, it will look different. Promoting righteousness and justice might look like more quiet time in God’s Word and prayer. It could take on an activist expression that writes letters, participates in peaceful protests, or raises awareness on behalf of the poor and powerless. Maybe God wants you to use your time and talents to volunteer with Cherry Street Mission, Water for Ishmael, Toledo Gospel Rescue Mission, or The Pregnancy Center. Perhaps He is leading you to gather together some friends and serve together. If you need help, please contact Karen at our office.
This world isn’t what it’s supposed to be…yet. All things will be made new and restored. We can participate! God’s righteousness and justice put things in their right place. God wants to bring light to the dark places in our heart and world. It’s not going to be fixed overnight, but as we hunger and thirst for righteousness and justice, we will find blessing and satisfaction in Him.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6)
We are blessed, we experience God’s presence when we are passionate for righteousness and justice, when we get involved, when we take action, when we crave God’s rule and reign, the reconciliation of all things to God. In that activity we will be filled, satisfied. The Greek word here for filled means “to gorge,” to feed, to have an abundance of food. Blessed are those who are starving for God and things of God for they will eat and drink until they are stuffed!
What is your greatest passion? Nothing will truly satisfy but the pursuit of God and His Kingdom. Dr. Tony Evans notes, “Discontentment will give way to satisfaction in God.”
The psalmist wrote,
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? (Psalm 42:1-2)
“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.” ― Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude
LORD, I want to want You. Grant all of us a passion for you, for righteousness, and justice.
You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat. (Matthew 5:6, The Message)
Credits: Some ideas from The Beatitudes Project.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Meek, 26 July 2020
28 07 20
Blessed are the Meek
Blessed: The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:5
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: The humble who use their power to bless others will be blessed.
NIV: Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)
NLT: God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. (Matthew 5:5)
NKJV: Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)
The Message: “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought. (Matthew 5:5)
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word…power? Is it a corrupt politician? Maybe it’s something you are seeking. It could be a force like electricity or even a tornado.
Someone said power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, but is it possible to use rather than abuse power?
Today we’re continuing our series on the Beatitudes, the blessings announced by Jesus. We are in Matthew’s gospel or “good news,” chapter five. In our previous weeks, we examined
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3)
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4)
Our text for today says,
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)
Meek is an uncommon word in our modern vocabulary. In might conjure up images of weak, frail, and powerless. One definition calls the meek, “quiet, gentle, and easily imposed upon; submissive.” The doormats will inherit the earth?!
The Beatitudes—or blessings—taught by Jesus are not instructions to follow or things to achieve, but rather simple statements of reality. They announce what God is doing. They offer declarations about our present world and what is to come. In fact, many of them are filled with prophetic imagination, a vision of the future when there will be no tears, pain, or suffering.
It seems hard to image the weak inheriting the earth. But actually, that’s not at all what Jesus says. Meekness is not weakness. It’s quite the opposite. The original Greek word for meek used by Jesus, praus, means power under control. It was used to describe a broken horse, one trained to be ridden or used to pull a vehicle. A wild horse does what it pleases, but a broken horse exhibits strength under control. It has the same power as a wild horse, but it’s used for the good of its rider.
Meekness is displayed in our lives through self-control. Have you ever met someone who lacked self-control? We often describe them as childish because children are often selfish, doing whatever they please. Unfortunately, many adults are concerned only about their needs and desires, thinking nothing of others.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)
The humble, the self-controlled are blessed.
One of the most challenging verses in the entire Bible states,
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
Those are strong words from Paul: do nothing out of selfish ambition. Don’t be selfish. Instead, be meek. Use your power for the benefit of others, not yourself. Avoid the temptation to make it all about you, and seek the good of others.
Professor D.A. Carson says, “Meekness is a controlled desire to see the other’s interests advance ahead of one’s own.” It is gentle and humble in heart, but it is others-centered. The meek do get angry, but not because they are personally offended, but rather when they see others treated unjustly.
There could be no greater time to meditate on these words than at this moment in our lifetime. The pandemic has been an inconvenience for us all, a catastrophe for some, and a great opportunity for others. Many of you received a $1200 check a few months ago you didn’t expect when the year began. Some of you have received unemployment benefits, some greater than your previous paycheck. While some businesses were closing, others have been booming, hiring, and even offering bonuses to workers. What does it look like to use our power for the benefit of others?
The second major story this year, of course, has been the cries of injustice. Though nothing new, the evil of racism has been exposed in fresh ways, reminding us that while we’re all created equal, we’re not all treated equal. Power is not distributed evenly…and while the temptation is always to abuse power, the meek will use it to bless and serve others. Any oppressed group—whether it’s workers in sweat shops, persecuted Christians, victims of prejudice, underpaid women—needs advocates who possess the power to liberate. What does it look like to use our power for the benefit of others?
Andy Crouch, one of the most thoughtful writers of my generation, wrote a book entitled, Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power. His definition of power is, “the ability to make something of the world…the ability to participate in that stuff-making, sense-making process that is the most distinctive thing that human beings do.” He goes on to say, “Privilege is the ongoing benefit we receive from past successful acts of power.”
Our city has been rocked by two power scandals recently, one involving councilmen using their power inappropriately and another involved the Ohio House speaker over corruption allegations…ironically involved nuclear power. I’m not here to judge them, but they stand as obvious examples of people with power who used it for their gain rather than serving those who granted them the power in the first place.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)
That hardly sounds like our materialistic, consumeristic, every person for themselves culture! Do you remember shopping for toilet paper a few months ago?!
Those who can control themselves, those who utilize power well, they are blessed and will inherit the earth. The Message reads,
“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought. (Matthew 5:5, The Message)
One of the blessings of being meek is contentment. Why do we always seem to want more? Why do we silently envy those with more power? Why can’t appreciate what we have and who we are?
For one thing, comparison kills. How can I be satisfied if I see you have more toys or power than I have? It’s only an issue when my eyes are on you rather than on Jesus. Last week we said anything you want more than God is an idol. Period. It can be money, pleasure, popularity, sex, your children or grandchildren, your marriage, your career, sports, entertainment, power…anything you want more than God is an idol.
Power isn’t bad, in and of itself. Just like money, it can be used and abused. We can use our reputation, resources, relationships, opportunities, education, and experience for our benefit…or the benefit of others. Power is a gift. It can be used selfishly or generously. It’s a blessing, but you know the old adage it’s better to give than to receive.
Who do you know that is meek, that uses power well? I often think of Abraham Lincoln as another meek person who used his power well. He was not a perfect man, but he blessed others. Another one of my personal “small-h” heroes is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Again, he was not perfect, but he gave his life for the freedoms and rights of others. Literally. Note: the meek often get killed! Blessing others can be costly. No good deed goes unpunished!
Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones notes, “The man who is truly meek is the one who is amazed that God and man can think of him as well as they do and treat him as well as they do…We are to leave everything—ourselves, our rights, our cause, our whole future—in the hands of God, and especially so if we feel we are suffering unjustly.”
What would it look like for you to use your power for the benefit of others, even to the point of suffering?
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)
What does it mean to inherit the earth? The earth or land is a common subject throughout the Bible, especially the Old Testament, the Jewish Bible. God promised land to Abram in Genesis 12. The Israelites spent forty years in the wilderness in their journey to that place. Hundreds of years before Jesus’ declaration, the psalmist wrote,
A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity. (Psalm 37:10-11)
Later in that same psalm it says,
those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be destroyed. (Psalm 37:22)
and
Hope in the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it. (Psalm 37:34)
For a first-century Jew, land meant Israel. It meant peace in their special land. For us, we can think of the new heaven and new earth promised in Revelation 21:1. Jesus says the meek will inherit the earth.
What does it look like to use our power for the benefit of others?
Abraham chose to give his nephew, Lot, the first choice of land in the book of Genesis chapter 13. Moses repeatedly demonstrated his meekness by refusing to defend himself and speaking to God on behalf of the wayward Israelites. Followers of Jesus are to…follow Jesus. We are to act like Jesus. We are to treat others the way Jesus treated people. Followers of Jesus are not here to be served, but to serve.
The greatest model of meekness was, of course, Jesus himself. James and John asked if they could sit beside Jesus in glory, an audacious request.
When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:41-45)
The God who has all power gives life and creates. He is others-centered. He not only created us, He recreates us through the cross, the empty tomb, and the Holy Spirit. All power in heaven and on earth was given to him (Matthew 28:18), yet he did not come to be served, but to serve…and offer the greatest act of service: his own life.
That’s great news for us…as well as a challenging example for us to follow.
So What?
Perhaps you question whether you even have power, but every one of you has been blessed with power, with presence, with opportunities many on our planet could only imagine. Somehow you were able to access this sermon. You may not have a title or position, but you have influence.
If we’re honest, we all want more, yet we believe others misuse theirs without giving a thought to the possibility that we could do the same. It’s so easy to criticize “those people” without realizing we might actually be “those people.”
Who are the powerless? Who are those with “less power?” Whose presence is ignored in our society? The invisible ones might be the elderly, the mentally ill, or the disabled. Our neighborhood is filled with people living below the poverty line, the homeless, the abused, the neglected. We partner with Cherry Street Mission and Toledo Gospel Rescue Mission to serve the powerless…with love, dignity and respect.
When I think of the powerless, one of the most significant groups is immigrants and refugees. Our Home Missions partner Water for Ishmael is devoted to caring for, loving, and educating those from other nations, many of whom have escaped wars and atrocities, desperate for survival, highly vetted, yet searching for hope, for opportunity, for a friend. Most of you can volunteer or give money to Water for Ishmael. It might be as simple as becoming a conversation partner, being a friend to someone from another country. We can all pray for them!
The poor. The powerless. Immigrants and refugees. “Pastor, do you have a political agenda?” This is not about elephants and donkeys, but about the Lion and the Lamb. These are kingdom of God issues. When Jesus says the meek will inherit the earth, its yet another example of his upside-down kingdom. It’s not about ascending the power structures of this world to dominate others as we’ve seen not only in business and politics but also throughout church history. It’s about the kingdom of heaven kissing earth, breaking in, the already-but-not-yet. The kingdom of God is here, but not fully here. We usher it in. We reveal it to the world. When we care for the least of these, when we serve others, when we love well, when we live counter-cultural, selfless lives, we offer glimpses of God’s kingdom to others.
Listen to the stories of others who don’t look, act, vote, smell, or sound like you. Once you’ve heard someone’s story, it’s nearly impossible for them to be your enemy.
Ask God to show you people who are invisible to you. It might be a neighbor, an entry-level worker at the grocery store or gas station, or even someone on the street. Notice them. Look them in the eye. Smile. Say hello. Thank them for their good work. Ask them about their life. Invite them to join us for Wednesday’s Ice Cream Sequel from 7-8 PM!
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)
Blessed are those whose power is under control.
We live in possibly the most individualistic culture in history. I’m not critiquing it, but simply acknowledging it. We have tremendous freedoms thanks to the wisdom, sacrifice, and even death of others. But with freedom comes responsibility. We need to be good stewards of all of our gifts…time, talent, treasures, and freedoms.
The current pandemic is unlike any season in our lifetime. The information we have been given has been inconsistent, at times contradictory, in some instances outright lies, and at the very least a work in progress. It can be challenging to know what is true, what is right, and what to do. Every news source seems skeptical of every other news source. Cancel culture is stripping away nuance for the sake dangerous, binary thinking.
Nevertheless, anything you want more than God is an idol. This includes your own rights. The command of Jesus was not to love self, then love others, then love God. It was to love God first and foremost, and right below it to love others as you love yourself.
What does it look like to use our power for the benefit of others?
It’s easy to buy into the messages of our culture that it’s all about us, we deserve this and that, we have rights that we must defend, we’ve worked hard to earn our stuff so don’t ask me to share, …do I need to go on? Instead of following Jesus, too many of us are following nationalism, capitalism, or consumerism. We look and act just like our non-Christian neighbors when Jesus plainly tells us to be different, to live radical lives that are others-centered. That doesn’t mean we avoid self-care, but our highest purpose should be God’s glory. That’s the bottom line of our mission statement.
Family, I want to challenge you to use your power, your wealth, your education, your experience, your relationships for the benefit of others. Seeking first His Kingdom means being a good steward of all of your blessings.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)
The blessing for the meek is two-fold. First, we said they can experience contentment. They accept that it’s not all about them. They already have everything…in Jesus. Second, they will one day encounter the fullness of their inheritance…in the new heaven and the new earth…the presence of God…for eternity! Hallelujah!
Credits: Some ideas from The Beatitudes Project, Dr. Matt Carter
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Mourn, 19 July 2020
19 07 20
Blessed are Those Who Mourn
Blessed: The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:3
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: We are blessed and comforted when we mourn and mourn with others.
NIV: Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
NLT: God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
NKJV: Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
The Message: “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
Think about your greatest loss. I know, it’s not the most uplifting way to begin today! Life is full of loss. It might be a job, your health, or your marriage. What is your greatest loss? Athletes might think of a championship they nearly won. Children might recall a favorite pet who died. What is your greatest loss? It might be a spouse or child or even your memory and mind.
As we continue our series on the Beatitudes, Blessed, we’re going to look at what Jesus said about loss and grief. The subject is often dark, yet Jesus offers hope and encouragement for those who mourn, which just might be you at this very moment.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4, NIV)
We mourn our losses.
We will do most anything to avoid loss. Some professional sports teams have gone to great lengths to cheat in order to win games. The medical community has incredible tools for extending one’s life. We now have electronic devices to prevent us from losing our keys and computers. The only thing we like to lose is weight!
Yet our world is full of loss, which usually elicits the emotion of mourning. The original Greek word for mourn here, pentheo, refers to the feeling or act of mourning or wailing.
Whenever I think of wailing, I think of one of the most famous sites in Israel: the Wailing Wall. It’s in the Old City of Jerusalem, also known as the Western Wall, the only remains of the Jewish Temple destroyed in 70 AD, the holiest place where Jews are permitted to pray. It’s called the Wailing Wall because of the weeping at the site over the Temple’s destruction. More than a million prayers on pieces of paper are placed in the wall crevices each year.
Talking about grief, loss, mourning, and wailing is unpleasant. It can make us uncomfortable, yet Jesus calls those who mourn “blessed.” Last week we said this word, makarios, means “happy, fortunate, well off, supremely blest” which makes no sense to us, at least on the surface. Can you imagine visiting funeral homes and announcing to the mourners they are blessed?
Last Sunday I gave my rough definition of blessing: having God’s presence and favor. I think we all want God’s presence and favor, but often we are distracted by other things. I submit to you anything you want more than God is an idol. It’s sinful. We can make idols out of good things: our children, our spouses and friends, food, pleasure, money, power, …just about anything can take God’s rightful place in our lives.
Sometimes God allows us to lose those things precious to us, not necessarily to punish us, but to draw us back to Him. These can be painful lessons, yet we are to live not for our glory but His. When God is all you have, you discover He’s really all you need.
I am not in any way making light of the anguish caused by loss. I’ve experienced some tremendous losses in my life and grieve them regularly, even events from years ago. But part of the blessing of loss is experiencing God’s presence and favor.
Psalm 34:18 says,
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)
That sounds so sweet, doesn’t it? What poet wrote those words? They were probably sitting in a meadow on a sunny, spring afternoon trying to encourage a suffering friend, right? Hardly! This is the writing of David while he was being hunted by King Saul!
Psalm 34 is a powerful song of God’s deliverance in the midst of agony. The verse before eighteen says,
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. (Psalm 34:17)
Perhaps most remarkable of all is how the psalm begins:
I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:1-4)
Remember, this is from a man fleeing for his life! David realized despite his problematic circumstance, God was present and worthy of worship. This is one reason we sing at funerals. We are to remember
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).
This life is filled with death and loss. It’s the tragic result of sin. We’re quick to blame God every time we experience pain, but it’s in those moments where God is often the most real. We can—and should—praise Him in the storm, not because we like the storm, but because He is near, He is present, He is with us. He remains worthy. We might not understand, but by faith we can trust He has a plan. Unfortunately, we’re often so busy pursuing our own interests that we completely ignore God. We make life about us instead of about glorifying Him.
You were made by God.
You were made for God.
You were made for God’s glory.
Before we get too convicted (!), let’s return to our text for today.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4, NIV)
We mourn our losses.
The loss of anything valuable produces mourning. We need to grieve. Sorrow must be embraced. There are no—healthy—shortcuts. Jesus wept. It’s alright to cry, as the old song says. Everybody’s journey always finds its way to sorrow.
I get concerned when I see overly-happy people in the midst of great loss. Getting spiritual and quoting Bible verses won’t erase the emotional pain. We need to be present with our pain. We need to pay attention to those God-given emotions inside, like Job, David, Jesus, and so many others in the scriptures. Pete Scazzero writes,
Limits are behind all loss. We cannot do or be anything we want. God has placed enormous limits around even the most gifted of us. Why? To keep us grounded, to keep us humble. In fact, the very meaning of the word humility has its root in the Latin humus, meaning “of the earth.” (Emotionally Healthy Spirituality)
We must mourn. We must be present with your grief. Failing to do so can have dire consequences on our health. Tragically, many numb their pain through denial, addiction, blaming, avoidance, or rationalizations. If we can embrace the pain and mourn the loss, we will likely discover God’s presence. He often shows up at the most unexpected moments. One modern translation of the Bible says,
“You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. (Matthew 5:4, The Message)
Jesus doesn’t simply say mourners are blessed. He offers a promise of hope, a preferred future. They will be comforted.
Last week’s beatitude was in the present tense.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3, NIV)
Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Now. Today.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4, NIV)
Jesus says those who mourn will be comforted. Comfort. What a contrast to mourning! We love comfort. We love to be comfortable. We buy comforters for our beds. We enjoy comfort food.
The original word for comforted, parakaleo, is from the same root as the word Jesus used when we promised the Holy Spirit, parakletos, the Advocate, the intercessor, consoler, comforter (John 16:7).
While I can’t imagine anything better than being in the presence of Jesus, he told his disciples,
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)
We have the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter living inside of us if we are followers of Jesus. God is with us…here…now! When we ignore our need for comfort, we fail to invite the Comforter into our lives and we miss out on the blessing of God’s presence.
Although we are not always happy, we can experience the joy of the LORD at all times (Nehemiah 8:10). We can give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18). We can be filled with hope knowing God is with us and we have a future with Him forever. Hallelujah!
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4, NIV)
The word “mourn” is used more than a hundred times in the Bible! The writers understood grief and loss! Paul wrote to the church in Rome,
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15)
We mourn with others.
Loving well means we celebrate with those who a rejoicing and we grieve with those who are mourning. This can be very uncomfortable. I think the most common questions are, “What do I do?” and “What do I say?” Often the best thing we can do is be present and silent. See someone else’s pain without trying to fix them.
In this pandemic, it’s especially challenging to be physically present, and sometimes impossible. Any message which says, “I’m here. I’m with you. I’m for you. I’m praying for you. I’m available.”
When it comes to talking, often less is more. Silence can be golden. Actions speak louder than words. And as I’ve said before, please avoid quoting Romans 8:28! It is true that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose,” but people need to mourn and grieve. We can’t rush the process. Grieving is a necessity of life. There is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4).
Funerals are the most obvious time to mourn, but we can grieve lesser losses, too. Even good things like a child going off to college or getting married and moving out of the house can be a loss. We lose our dreams, our youthfulness, our innocence. Acknowledge it. Share it. Tell God about it. Christian counseling and Celebrate Recovery Wednesdays at 7 PM can be outlets for grief.
We are all in the midst of a significant loss at this moment. The coronavirus has disrupted our lives, cancelling sporting events, graduation ceremonies, family reunions, and a host of other events. It has caused the loss of jobs, vacations, and even human lives. We need to acknowledge the loss, grieve what is gone, and comfort one another.
We mourn with others.
There is a Jewish tradition called shiva which is a seven-day period of grieving where mourners sit at home on low stools for a week following the burial of a loved one. That may sound extreme, but what a beautiful tradition! They say that time heals all wounds, but I don’t think you ever fully recover from the death of someone close to you.
Family, we need one another. We need to love one another well. We need to mourn with one another, rejoice with one another, pray for one another, and perhaps most of all be present for one another. Jesus came as Emmanuel—God with us—and when we are present for others, we become the hands and feet of Jesus. We are Jesus with skin on! What a blessing!
We mourn our loss.
We mourn with others.
One more thing…
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4, NIV)
I was surprised in my study to discover one writer who mentioned how we mourn over our sins. We all sin. We rebel against God. We harm others. We create idols. We are prideful and selfish.
When is the last time you grieved over your own sin? Being forgiven by the work of Jesus on the cross doesn’t mean we gloss over our offenses. Sin means a loss of relationship, of intimacy with God and others. It means missed opportunities and blessings. Many of our sins have temporary or even permanent consequences which are regrettable. When we pause to grieve, when we repent, it creates space for God’s peace, and comfort to come alive in us.
When we celebrate communion on the first Sunday of each month, we remember our sins, Christ’s sacrifice, and amazing grace. We are comforted by the discovery and appropriation of God’s pardon. When we mourn our sin, we yearn for purity, righteousness, and godliness as we seek first God’s kingdom and follow Jesus. We all need to change. Something within us needs to die…so we can truly live.
We can mourn and repent not only of our own sins, but also those of our society. No culture is perfect. There has never been a truly Christian nation. It’s important to repent on behalf of our country, our lack of concern for the poor, our murder of precious lives through abortion, systemic racism and injustice, and other human activities which devalue or destroy God’s creation.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4, NIV)
Family, it’s not about you. It’s about God. He is sovereign and in control. He gives good gifts and allows pain. We don’t always understand why, but I promise you He can be trusted. He is good and faithful, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
If you are mourning today, I truly want to fix it and make it better. I want to bring back whatever you’ve lost, whether it’s a job, a loved one, a relationship, or your health. I can’t do that, obviously, but I can remind you God never wastes anything. Mourn. Grieve. Allow others to comfort you. Allow the Holy Spirit to comfort you, to strengthen you as the Latin root of comfort implies.
Come near to God and he will come near to you. (James 4:8a)
Ian Cron said, “In that experience of grief—of mourning—the presence of God is felt most acutely.”
Blessed Be The Name
Gerald Sittser notes the quickest way to reach the sun and the light of day is not to run west chasing after it, but to head east into the darkness until you finally reach the sunrise (A Grace Disguised).
Wholeness and healing are incremental processes. It’s a daily journey. It takes time. You’re not alone. You’re never alone. God is on your side. Your family is here—just a phone call away. We all mourn. Let’s mourn well. Let’s mourn with one another. Let’s comfort one another…and experience the presence of the Comforter.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4, NIV)
Credits: Some ideas from The Beatitudes Project.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Blessed: The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:3
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: We are blessed and comforted when we mourn and mourn with others.
NIV: Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
NLT: God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
NKJV: Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
The Message: “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
Think about your greatest loss. I know, it’s not the most uplifting way to begin today! Life is full of loss. It might be a job, your health, or your marriage. What is your greatest loss? Athletes might think of a championship they nearly won. Children might recall a favorite pet who died. What is your greatest loss? It might be a spouse or child or even your memory and mind.
As we continue our series on the Beatitudes, Blessed, we’re going to look at what Jesus said about loss and grief. The subject is often dark, yet Jesus offers hope and encouragement for those who mourn, which just might be you at this very moment.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4, NIV)
We mourn our losses.
We will do most anything to avoid loss. Some professional sports teams have gone to great lengths to cheat in order to win games. The medical community has incredible tools for extending one’s life. We now have electronic devices to prevent us from losing our keys and computers. The only thing we like to lose is weight!
Yet our world is full of loss, which usually elicits the emotion of mourning. The original Greek word for mourn here, pentheo, refers to the feeling or act of mourning or wailing.
Whenever I think of wailing, I think of one of the most famous sites in Israel: the Wailing Wall. It’s in the Old City of Jerusalem, also known as the Western Wall, the only remains of the Jewish Temple destroyed in 70 AD, the holiest place where Jews are permitted to pray. It’s called the Wailing Wall because of the weeping at the site over the Temple’s destruction. More than a million prayers on pieces of paper are placed in the wall crevices each year.
Talking about grief, loss, mourning, and wailing is unpleasant. It can make us uncomfortable, yet Jesus calls those who mourn “blessed.” Last week we said this word, makarios, means “happy, fortunate, well off, supremely blest” which makes no sense to us, at least on the surface. Can you imagine visiting funeral homes and announcing to the mourners they are blessed?
Last Sunday I gave my rough definition of blessing: having God’s presence and favor. I think we all want God’s presence and favor, but often we are distracted by other things. I submit to you anything you want more than God is an idol. It’s sinful. We can make idols out of good things: our children, our spouses and friends, food, pleasure, money, power, …just about anything can take God’s rightful place in our lives.
Sometimes God allows us to lose those things precious to us, not necessarily to punish us, but to draw us back to Him. These can be painful lessons, yet we are to live not for our glory but His. When God is all you have, you discover He’s really all you need.
I am not in any way making light of the anguish caused by loss. I’ve experienced some tremendous losses in my life and grieve them regularly, even events from years ago. But part of the blessing of loss is experiencing God’s presence and favor.
Psalm 34:18 says,
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)
That sounds so sweet, doesn’t it? What poet wrote those words? They were probably sitting in a meadow on a sunny, spring afternoon trying to encourage a suffering friend, right? Hardly! This is the writing of David while he was being hunted by King Saul!
Psalm 34 is a powerful song of God’s deliverance in the midst of agony. The verse before eighteen says,
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. (Psalm 34:17)
Perhaps most remarkable of all is how the psalm begins:
I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:1-4)
Remember, this is from a man fleeing for his life! David realized despite his problematic circumstance, God was present and worthy of worship. This is one reason we sing at funerals. We are to remember
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).
This life is filled with death and loss. It’s the tragic result of sin. We’re quick to blame God every time we experience pain, but it’s in those moments where God is often the most real. We can—and should—praise Him in the storm, not because we like the storm, but because He is near, He is present, He is with us. He remains worthy. We might not understand, but by faith we can trust He has a plan. Unfortunately, we’re often so busy pursuing our own interests that we completely ignore God. We make life about us instead of about glorifying Him.
You were made by God.
You were made for God.
You were made for God’s glory.
Before we get too convicted (!), let’s return to our text for today.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4, NIV)
We mourn our losses.
The loss of anything valuable produces mourning. We need to grieve. Sorrow must be embraced. There are no—healthy—shortcuts. Jesus wept. It’s alright to cry, as the old song says. Everybody’s journey always finds its way to sorrow.
I get concerned when I see overly-happy people in the midst of great loss. Getting spiritual and quoting Bible verses won’t erase the emotional pain. We need to be present with our pain. We need to pay attention to those God-given emotions inside, like Job, David, Jesus, and so many others in the scriptures. Pete Scazzero writes,
Limits are behind all loss. We cannot do or be anything we want. God has placed enormous limits around even the most gifted of us. Why? To keep us grounded, to keep us humble. In fact, the very meaning of the word humility has its root in the Latin humus, meaning “of the earth.” (Emotionally Healthy Spirituality)
We must mourn. We must be present with your grief. Failing to do so can have dire consequences on our health. Tragically, many numb their pain through denial, addiction, blaming, avoidance, or rationalizations. If we can embrace the pain and mourn the loss, we will likely discover God’s presence. He often shows up at the most unexpected moments. One modern translation of the Bible says,
“You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. (Matthew 5:4, The Message)
Jesus doesn’t simply say mourners are blessed. He offers a promise of hope, a preferred future. They will be comforted.
Last week’s beatitude was in the present tense.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3, NIV)
Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Now. Today.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4, NIV)
Jesus says those who mourn will be comforted. Comfort. What a contrast to mourning! We love comfort. We love to be comfortable. We buy comforters for our beds. We enjoy comfort food.
The original word for comforted, parakaleo, is from the same root as the word Jesus used when we promised the Holy Spirit, parakletos, the Advocate, the intercessor, consoler, comforter (John 16:7).
While I can’t imagine anything better than being in the presence of Jesus, he told his disciples,
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)
We have the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter living inside of us if we are followers of Jesus. God is with us…here…now! When we ignore our need for comfort, we fail to invite the Comforter into our lives and we miss out on the blessing of God’s presence.
Although we are not always happy, we can experience the joy of the LORD at all times (Nehemiah 8:10). We can give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18). We can be filled with hope knowing God is with us and we have a future with Him forever. Hallelujah!
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4, NIV)
The word “mourn” is used more than a hundred times in the Bible! The writers understood grief and loss! Paul wrote to the church in Rome,
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15)
We mourn with others.
Loving well means we celebrate with those who a rejoicing and we grieve with those who are mourning. This can be very uncomfortable. I think the most common questions are, “What do I do?” and “What do I say?” Often the best thing we can do is be present and silent. See someone else’s pain without trying to fix them.
In this pandemic, it’s especially challenging to be physically present, and sometimes impossible. Any message which says, “I’m here. I’m with you. I’m for you. I’m praying for you. I’m available.”
When it comes to talking, often less is more. Silence can be golden. Actions speak louder than words. And as I’ve said before, please avoid quoting Romans 8:28! It is true that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose,” but people need to mourn and grieve. We can’t rush the process. Grieving is a necessity of life. There is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4).
Funerals are the most obvious time to mourn, but we can grieve lesser losses, too. Even good things like a child going off to college or getting married and moving out of the house can be a loss. We lose our dreams, our youthfulness, our innocence. Acknowledge it. Share it. Tell God about it. Christian counseling and Celebrate Recovery Wednesdays at 7 PM can be outlets for grief.
We are all in the midst of a significant loss at this moment. The coronavirus has disrupted our lives, cancelling sporting events, graduation ceremonies, family reunions, and a host of other events. It has caused the loss of jobs, vacations, and even human lives. We need to acknowledge the loss, grieve what is gone, and comfort one another.
We mourn with others.
There is a Jewish tradition called shiva which is a seven-day period of grieving where mourners sit at home on low stools for a week following the burial of a loved one. That may sound extreme, but what a beautiful tradition! They say that time heals all wounds, but I don’t think you ever fully recover from the death of someone close to you.
Family, we need one another. We need to love one another well. We need to mourn with one another, rejoice with one another, pray for one another, and perhaps most of all be present for one another. Jesus came as Emmanuel—God with us—and when we are present for others, we become the hands and feet of Jesus. We are Jesus with skin on! What a blessing!
We mourn our loss.
We mourn with others.
One more thing…
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4, NIV)
I was surprised in my study to discover one writer who mentioned how we mourn over our sins. We all sin. We rebel against God. We harm others. We create idols. We are prideful and selfish.
When is the last time you grieved over your own sin? Being forgiven by the work of Jesus on the cross doesn’t mean we gloss over our offenses. Sin means a loss of relationship, of intimacy with God and others. It means missed opportunities and blessings. Many of our sins have temporary or even permanent consequences which are regrettable. When we pause to grieve, when we repent, it creates space for God’s peace, and comfort to come alive in us.
When we celebrate communion on the first Sunday of each month, we remember our sins, Christ’s sacrifice, and amazing grace. We are comforted by the discovery and appropriation of God’s pardon. When we mourn our sin, we yearn for purity, righteousness, and godliness as we seek first God’s kingdom and follow Jesus. We all need to change. Something within us needs to die…so we can truly live.
We can mourn and repent not only of our own sins, but also those of our society. No culture is perfect. There has never been a truly Christian nation. It’s important to repent on behalf of our country, our lack of concern for the poor, our murder of precious lives through abortion, systemic racism and injustice, and other human activities which devalue or destroy God’s creation.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4, NIV)
Family, it’s not about you. It’s about God. He is sovereign and in control. He gives good gifts and allows pain. We don’t always understand why, but I promise you He can be trusted. He is good and faithful, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
If you are mourning today, I truly want to fix it and make it better. I want to bring back whatever you’ve lost, whether it’s a job, a loved one, a relationship, or your health. I can’t do that, obviously, but I can remind you God never wastes anything. Mourn. Grieve. Allow others to comfort you. Allow the Holy Spirit to comfort you, to strengthen you as the Latin root of comfort implies.
Come near to God and he will come near to you. (James 4:8a)
Ian Cron said, “In that experience of grief—of mourning—the presence of God is felt most acutely.”
Blessed Be The Name
Gerald Sittser notes the quickest way to reach the sun and the light of day is not to run west chasing after it, but to head east into the darkness until you finally reach the sunrise (A Grace Disguised).
Wholeness and healing are incremental processes. It’s a daily journey. It takes time. You’re not alone. You’re never alone. God is on your side. Your family is here—just a phone call away. We all mourn. Let’s mourn well. Let’s mourn with one another. Let’s comfort one another…and experience the presence of the Comforter.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4, NIV)
Credits: Some ideas from The Beatitudes Project.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Poor in Spirit, 12 July 2020
15 07 20
Blessed are the Poor in Spirit
Blessed: The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:3
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: Although we avoid the poor—and being poor—God can fill whatever we lack.
The date was March 11, 1994. After working in my home office in the basement of our duplex in metro Detroit, I went upstairs to have lunch with my bride. With a toddler and a newborn in the background, Heather turned Focus on the Family on the radio and we listened to George Barna and Dieter Zander talk about this up-and-coming generation we know today as Generation X. It was a moment that forever changed my life.
God used the voice of Dieter Zander to create within me a vision to plant the church that years later would become Frontline Church, Ann Arbor. I could easily write a small book just about my relationship with Dieter, who became my mentor during the four years that followed when we both lived in Chicagoland. Each time we met, Dieter seemed to reach deep into my soul and expose my insecurities, my ambitions, and my passions.
Perhaps the most tangible influence of Dieter decades later can be found in my e-mails. That might sound odd, but I remember him ending his e-mail with “Blessings and peace, Dieter.” I thought that sounded cooler than “In Him” or “Sincerely” and began using it. To this day, most of my e-mail close, “Blessings, Kirk.” It is not a signature that is automatically generated by my e-mail app, but instead I manually type it each time, intentionally sending a blessing to my reader.
What does it mean to be blessed? How can we experience more of God’s blessings? How can we be a blessing to others? These are the questions we’ll address throughout our new series, “Blessed,” a study of the Beatitudes, the beginning of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.
Do you want to be blessed? Why?
When someone sneezes, what do we do? Nowadays, we jump as far away from the person as possible! COVID! We say, “God bless you” or “bless you.”
When I greet someone with a “how’s it going?” I sometimes hear, “I’m blessed.”
I usually end our Sunday gatherings with a benediction which begins, “May God bless you and keep you.”
What does it mean to be blessed?
The original Greek word used in Matthew 5, makarios, means “supremely blest; fortunate, well off, happy.” It doesn’t necessarily speak of material wealth, though we might say a millionaire is blessed with money, a supermodel is blessed with good looks, or an athlete is blessed with physical strength.”
The Hebrew word for blessed is barak. It suggests thanks, a gift, praise, and rejoicing. We are told throughout scripture that God blesses…and also that we are to bless God. Perhaps the most famous example is Psalm 103 which begins
Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! (Psalm 103:1, NKJV)
What does that really mean? The New International Version translates it,
Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. (Psalm 103:1, NIV)
Like our English word love, bless has different meanings according to the context. When we ask God to bless someone, we don’t usually think of God praising them, but we want His favor, gift, goodness. A blessing indicates a state of joy or happiness.
I’m going to give you my definition: blessed is having God’s presence and favor. There’s nothing greater than God’s presence. If there’s anything you want more in heaven than being with God, it’s an idol. I can’t wait to have a pain-free body, a sinless existence, and streets of gold. I’m looking forward to a reunion with my dad, mother-in-law, and grandparents, but what I want to do more than anything in heaven is run to Jesus! I can’t wait to be in the eternal presence of God.
Sadly, many Christians want money, pleasure, and power more than God. They are willing to settle for temporary things which may bring a moment of happiness, but no lasting joy. This will become so obvious as we look at The Beatitudes, a word meaning blessings. We all want to be blessed…or do we?
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.
He said: (Matthew 5:1-2)
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3, NIV)
The New Living Translation reads,
“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. (Matthew 5:3, NLT)
Blessed are the poor. Why the poor? They look the least blessed. We seemingly do just about anything to avoid being poor. If we’re honest, we may even avoid the poor. It’s such a negative word, poor. It’s at the bottom of most survey responses—from excellent to poor. Maybe you saw the word on your report card. It may conjure up the image of someone begging. The original Greek word, ptochos, means to crouch, a beggar, distressed, cringing. What could that possibly have to do with God and His blessing?
I’d like us to consider today Eugene Peterson’s translation from The Message.
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. (Matthew 5:3, The Message)
When is the last time you were at the end of your rope? Maybe it was that time you were sick in the hospital. Perhaps it was when a relationship ended. It could’ve been losing the job, filing for bankruptcy, or your bank account getting hacked (as mine did two weeks ago!). It’s possible you’re at the end of your rope at this moment, perhaps due to COVID-19, directly or indirectly. This is a challenging season for all of us.
Jesus doesn’t say blessed are the financially poor. He uses the phrase “poor in spirit.” It’s a hole, something missing, a lack. You can be one of the 800 billionaires in the United States and be poor in spirit. You can be a world-class marathoner and be poor in spirit. You can be famous and powerful and yet poor in spirit. We’ve all found ourselves at the end of our rope. And then what?
It’s common for us to complain. Maybe we blame. It surely can’t be our fault! If you’re like me, after whining, you’ll remember to pray. It could be God’s goal for our poverty in the first place!
I’ve heard a lot of people over the years talking about the decline of Christianity in the West. Thousands of churches in the United States close every year (which is one reason why we need to plant new churches). Research consistently shows church attendance and biblical literacy on the decline. I think there are two reasons people in our culture aren’t passionately pursuing Jesus. The first is simply that we’re too busy, distracted by our screens and entertainment. The second is simple: we don’t need God. Or more accurately, we don’t think we need God.
Who has time or energy for God when you’re in the middle of your rope, when things are going great, when the money’s flowing, the relationships are healthy, the body’s in shape, and all is well? Need I remind you money, people, and health can all be idols?
Eventually it hits the fan. Nobody lives a perfect life. We get the phone call from the doctor. The boss gives us a pink slip. The spouse files for divorce. The car breaks down. It might take a while, but eventually, many people turn to God. They are desperate. They are searching for answers. They need help…and are willing to acknowledge it. I’ve been praying that coronavirus might lead our nation and world from our idols to God.
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. (Matthew 5:3, The Message)
It sounds so simple, yet it’s profoundly true. In the next chapter of Matthew, Jesus said,
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matthew 6:24)
It can be all about you or all about God, but not both! You can allow God to be in control or pretend you’re in the driver’s seat, but you can’t have God as your co-pilot!
Jesus did not say blessed are the poor who have no money. He says blessed are the poor in spirit, those who need God. His kingdom belongs to them because they seek it, they find it, and they experience it.
Who wouldn’t want the kingdom of heaven? Simply, those who don’t need God. They love this world too much. They feel self-sufficient. Their arrogance keeps them from bowing their knee and pursuing God. Just as there must be emptiness before fullness, so becoming poor in spirit must precede the grace and riches of the kingdom of God.
Later in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 6, he will say,
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:31-34)
Think about all of the times you’ve experienced fear or worry this past week. We don’t often think of fear or worry as sins, but they are repeatedly forbidden…except for the fear and reverence of God. I doubt I’m the only one who finds themselves afraid or anxious. What do you worry about? If you’re like me, you worry about
If our focus is on Jesus, it leaves little room for worry. When we seek God’s kingdom, everything will be ok. We might get sick, but God is our healer. We might need money, but God is our provider. We might be in danger, but God is our protector. We might experience conflict, but God is our peace.
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. (Matthew 5:3, The Message)
I want to suggest to you that the root of all of our distance from God is pride. It’s what got satan kicked out of heaven. It’s what creates walls between us and others. Pride says it’s all about me, I have no needs, I’m in control…and it’s ultimately a lonely place to be.
Do you want more of God or more of yourself? That’s the bottom line. When it’s all about God, temporary trials matter less than eternal treasures.
I have four prayers for First Alliance Church: direction, protection, unity, and passion. I want God to guide us, shelter us from evil, keep us together in harmony, and that last one: passionate, zealous for God and for others, loving well, looking beyond ourselves to bless God and others.
My Story
Although we avoid the poor—and being poor—God can fill whatever we lack. I’ve never prayed for sickness, a pink slip, my bank account to be hacked, theft, broken relationships, or the death of loved ones, but I’ve experienced them all. In each instance, I found myself desperate, broken…poor in spirit.
The most profound part of my story involves nine years of treating a sick child in five states for multiple conditions. It drove me to my knees. Some of the effects continue, but at a moment when the storms were calming, I remembering praying, “LORD, I don’t want to lose my intimacy with You. I want more of You and less of me. I want to turn my petitions into praises and remain close to You.”
Honestly, my prayer life hasn’t always been as vibrant and passionate as those days living in the Cleveland Ronald McDonald House or when my family was separated by thousands of miles. I truly experienced the blessing of God’s kingdom and presence during my most desperate days.
We need not wait for trials to be passionate for God. We can begin right now in blessing God, in praising God. We can offer up our thanksgiving, acknowledge our dependency, recognize without Him, we can do nothing. Sunday worship is a weekly rhythm to remind us that He is God and we are not. We don’t gather simply to sing songs and endure a lecture! This experience is but one of the ways we admit our weakness and declare His strength, confess our sins and receive His forgiveness, expose our poverty and receive His riches.
It’s not about you! It’s all about Jesus!
This morning, you are either in a storm, coming out of a storm, or about to enter a storm. God’s blessing is His presence—always, even in the storms, especially in storms. He says, “I’m on your side. I’m with you. I’m for you.” Sure, we want Him to instantly calm the storm. Sometimes He calms the storm, and sometimes He calms His child. The promise is His presence. You might feel like a spiritual zero, as Dallas Willard called it. Maybe you’re at the end of your rope due to an addiction or a failing marriage. You might be financially broke, overwhelmed with depression, or debilitated by anxiety. Your physical body may be failing you. God doesn’t promise to instantly fix everything broke in our lives, but He promises to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He’s with us in the storm. Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. But it begins with surrender, with recognizing our poverty, and turning to God.
And if all is well in your life, praise God…and remember without Him, you can do nothing. We are all sinners saved by the wonderful grace of our LORD.
LORD, I Need You
I can’t think of a better way to end than to declare our need for God, our personal poverty, the fact that we don’t have it all together and we’re not in control.
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. (Matthew 5:3, The Message)
We are all blessed. We simply need to open our eyes and see God’s work all around us. Religion, health, fame, and fortune will always let us down. There’s nothing greater than God’s love, peace, and presence.
Credits: Some ideas from The Beatitudes Project.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Blessed: The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:3
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: Although we avoid the poor—and being poor—God can fill whatever we lack.
The date was March 11, 1994. After working in my home office in the basement of our duplex in metro Detroit, I went upstairs to have lunch with my bride. With a toddler and a newborn in the background, Heather turned Focus on the Family on the radio and we listened to George Barna and Dieter Zander talk about this up-and-coming generation we know today as Generation X. It was a moment that forever changed my life.
God used the voice of Dieter Zander to create within me a vision to plant the church that years later would become Frontline Church, Ann Arbor. I could easily write a small book just about my relationship with Dieter, who became my mentor during the four years that followed when we both lived in Chicagoland. Each time we met, Dieter seemed to reach deep into my soul and expose my insecurities, my ambitions, and my passions.
Perhaps the most tangible influence of Dieter decades later can be found in my e-mails. That might sound odd, but I remember him ending his e-mail with “Blessings and peace, Dieter.” I thought that sounded cooler than “In Him” or “Sincerely” and began using it. To this day, most of my e-mail close, “Blessings, Kirk.” It is not a signature that is automatically generated by my e-mail app, but instead I manually type it each time, intentionally sending a blessing to my reader.
What does it mean to be blessed? How can we experience more of God’s blessings? How can we be a blessing to others? These are the questions we’ll address throughout our new series, “Blessed,” a study of the Beatitudes, the beginning of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.
Do you want to be blessed? Why?
When someone sneezes, what do we do? Nowadays, we jump as far away from the person as possible! COVID! We say, “God bless you” or “bless you.”
When I greet someone with a “how’s it going?” I sometimes hear, “I’m blessed.”
I usually end our Sunday gatherings with a benediction which begins, “May God bless you and keep you.”
What does it mean to be blessed?
The original Greek word used in Matthew 5, makarios, means “supremely blest; fortunate, well off, happy.” It doesn’t necessarily speak of material wealth, though we might say a millionaire is blessed with money, a supermodel is blessed with good looks, or an athlete is blessed with physical strength.”
The Hebrew word for blessed is barak. It suggests thanks, a gift, praise, and rejoicing. We are told throughout scripture that God blesses…and also that we are to bless God. Perhaps the most famous example is Psalm 103 which begins
Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! (Psalm 103:1, NKJV)
What does that really mean? The New International Version translates it,
Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. (Psalm 103:1, NIV)
Like our English word love, bless has different meanings according to the context. When we ask God to bless someone, we don’t usually think of God praising them, but we want His favor, gift, goodness. A blessing indicates a state of joy or happiness.
I’m going to give you my definition: blessed is having God’s presence and favor. There’s nothing greater than God’s presence. If there’s anything you want more in heaven than being with God, it’s an idol. I can’t wait to have a pain-free body, a sinless existence, and streets of gold. I’m looking forward to a reunion with my dad, mother-in-law, and grandparents, but what I want to do more than anything in heaven is run to Jesus! I can’t wait to be in the eternal presence of God.
Sadly, many Christians want money, pleasure, and power more than God. They are willing to settle for temporary things which may bring a moment of happiness, but no lasting joy. This will become so obvious as we look at The Beatitudes, a word meaning blessings. We all want to be blessed…or do we?
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.
He said: (Matthew 5:1-2)
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3, NIV)
The New Living Translation reads,
“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. (Matthew 5:3, NLT)
Blessed are the poor. Why the poor? They look the least blessed. We seemingly do just about anything to avoid being poor. If we’re honest, we may even avoid the poor. It’s such a negative word, poor. It’s at the bottom of most survey responses—from excellent to poor. Maybe you saw the word on your report card. It may conjure up the image of someone begging. The original Greek word, ptochos, means to crouch, a beggar, distressed, cringing. What could that possibly have to do with God and His blessing?
I’d like us to consider today Eugene Peterson’s translation from The Message.
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. (Matthew 5:3, The Message)
When is the last time you were at the end of your rope? Maybe it was that time you were sick in the hospital. Perhaps it was when a relationship ended. It could’ve been losing the job, filing for bankruptcy, or your bank account getting hacked (as mine did two weeks ago!). It’s possible you’re at the end of your rope at this moment, perhaps due to COVID-19, directly or indirectly. This is a challenging season for all of us.
Jesus doesn’t say blessed are the financially poor. He uses the phrase “poor in spirit.” It’s a hole, something missing, a lack. You can be one of the 800 billionaires in the United States and be poor in spirit. You can be a world-class marathoner and be poor in spirit. You can be famous and powerful and yet poor in spirit. We’ve all found ourselves at the end of our rope. And then what?
It’s common for us to complain. Maybe we blame. It surely can’t be our fault! If you’re like me, after whining, you’ll remember to pray. It could be God’s goal for our poverty in the first place!
I’ve heard a lot of people over the years talking about the decline of Christianity in the West. Thousands of churches in the United States close every year (which is one reason why we need to plant new churches). Research consistently shows church attendance and biblical literacy on the decline. I think there are two reasons people in our culture aren’t passionately pursuing Jesus. The first is simply that we’re too busy, distracted by our screens and entertainment. The second is simple: we don’t need God. Or more accurately, we don’t think we need God.
Who has time or energy for God when you’re in the middle of your rope, when things are going great, when the money’s flowing, the relationships are healthy, the body’s in shape, and all is well? Need I remind you money, people, and health can all be idols?
Eventually it hits the fan. Nobody lives a perfect life. We get the phone call from the doctor. The boss gives us a pink slip. The spouse files for divorce. The car breaks down. It might take a while, but eventually, many people turn to God. They are desperate. They are searching for answers. They need help…and are willing to acknowledge it. I’ve been praying that coronavirus might lead our nation and world from our idols to God.
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. (Matthew 5:3, The Message)
It sounds so simple, yet it’s profoundly true. In the next chapter of Matthew, Jesus said,
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matthew 6:24)
It can be all about you or all about God, but not both! You can allow God to be in control or pretend you’re in the driver’s seat, but you can’t have God as your co-pilot!
Jesus did not say blessed are the poor who have no money. He says blessed are the poor in spirit, those who need God. His kingdom belongs to them because they seek it, they find it, and they experience it.
Who wouldn’t want the kingdom of heaven? Simply, those who don’t need God. They love this world too much. They feel self-sufficient. Their arrogance keeps them from bowing their knee and pursuing God. Just as there must be emptiness before fullness, so becoming poor in spirit must precede the grace and riches of the kingdom of God.
Later in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 6, he will say,
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:31-34)
Think about all of the times you’ve experienced fear or worry this past week. We don’t often think of fear or worry as sins, but they are repeatedly forbidden…except for the fear and reverence of God. I doubt I’m the only one who finds themselves afraid or anxious. What do you worry about? If you’re like me, you worry about
- - Health
- - Money
- - Safety
- - Relationships
If our focus is on Jesus, it leaves little room for worry. When we seek God’s kingdom, everything will be ok. We might get sick, but God is our healer. We might need money, but God is our provider. We might be in danger, but God is our protector. We might experience conflict, but God is our peace.
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. (Matthew 5:3, The Message)
I want to suggest to you that the root of all of our distance from God is pride. It’s what got satan kicked out of heaven. It’s what creates walls between us and others. Pride says it’s all about me, I have no needs, I’m in control…and it’s ultimately a lonely place to be.
Do you want more of God or more of yourself? That’s the bottom line. When it’s all about God, temporary trials matter less than eternal treasures.
I have four prayers for First Alliance Church: direction, protection, unity, and passion. I want God to guide us, shelter us from evil, keep us together in harmony, and that last one: passionate, zealous for God and for others, loving well, looking beyond ourselves to bless God and others.
My Story
Although we avoid the poor—and being poor—God can fill whatever we lack. I’ve never prayed for sickness, a pink slip, my bank account to be hacked, theft, broken relationships, or the death of loved ones, but I’ve experienced them all. In each instance, I found myself desperate, broken…poor in spirit.
The most profound part of my story involves nine years of treating a sick child in five states for multiple conditions. It drove me to my knees. Some of the effects continue, but at a moment when the storms were calming, I remembering praying, “LORD, I don’t want to lose my intimacy with You. I want more of You and less of me. I want to turn my petitions into praises and remain close to You.”
Honestly, my prayer life hasn’t always been as vibrant and passionate as those days living in the Cleveland Ronald McDonald House or when my family was separated by thousands of miles. I truly experienced the blessing of God’s kingdom and presence during my most desperate days.
We need not wait for trials to be passionate for God. We can begin right now in blessing God, in praising God. We can offer up our thanksgiving, acknowledge our dependency, recognize without Him, we can do nothing. Sunday worship is a weekly rhythm to remind us that He is God and we are not. We don’t gather simply to sing songs and endure a lecture! This experience is but one of the ways we admit our weakness and declare His strength, confess our sins and receive His forgiveness, expose our poverty and receive His riches.
It’s not about you! It’s all about Jesus!
This morning, you are either in a storm, coming out of a storm, or about to enter a storm. God’s blessing is His presence—always, even in the storms, especially in storms. He says, “I’m on your side. I’m with you. I’m for you.” Sure, we want Him to instantly calm the storm. Sometimes He calms the storm, and sometimes He calms His child. The promise is His presence. You might feel like a spiritual zero, as Dallas Willard called it. Maybe you’re at the end of your rope due to an addiction or a failing marriage. You might be financially broke, overwhelmed with depression, or debilitated by anxiety. Your physical body may be failing you. God doesn’t promise to instantly fix everything broke in our lives, but He promises to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He’s with us in the storm. Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. But it begins with surrender, with recognizing our poverty, and turning to God.
And if all is well in your life, praise God…and remember without Him, you can do nothing. We are all sinners saved by the wonderful grace of our LORD.
LORD, I Need You
I can’t think of a better way to end than to declare our need for God, our personal poverty, the fact that we don’t have it all together and we’re not in control.
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. (Matthew 5:3, The Message)
We are all blessed. We simply need to open our eyes and see God’s work all around us. Religion, health, fame, and fortune will always let us down. There’s nothing greater than God’s love, peace, and presence.
Credits: Some ideas from The Beatitudes Project.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Be the Change, 28 June 2020
30 06 20
Be the Change
Series—What in the World is Going On?
Big Idea: God has placed us here for such a time as this to love well.
What in the world is going on? If you’re like me, you’ve asked that question a lot lately.
The deadly coronavirus is one thing. The lockdowns and ensuring chaos have been—at least for many—even worse.
The senseless killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd are one thing. The ensuring protests and violence are—at least for many—even worse.
What in the world is going on? Are these the last days? Is Jesus coming back soon? If so, what difference does it make?
Our world is a mess. But this is actually not a new thing. Read the Bible! Ever since Adam and Eve ate the fruit in the Garden, we’ve all been involved in the deadliest force in the universe…sin.
Throughout our series this month, we’ve looked at injustice, the end times, and our good, good Father. As we conclude today, I want to equip you with tools to make a difference, to impact the world, to be the change.
I don’t know about you, but I want to fix our planet. I want to live in a world free of violence, division, and hatred. I want my grandkids to inherit a better, more peaceful world than the one we know today. I want to see people transform to become more like Jesus and less like satan. I want to make a difference! I want to do something!
But what can I do? What can one person do? How can I best use my 76.1 years as a US male? The problems are so overwhelming, it’s tempting to throw up your arms and give up.
Be The Change
There’s a famous quote that says, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” It’s attributed to…Gandhi…but Gandhi didn’t actually ever say it (josephranseth.com). Gandhi did say,
We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.
Of course, we’re not here to follow Gandhi. We’re here to follow Jesus. He practiced what he preached. There was a consistency—an authenticity—which seems rare among those who bear the name of Christ…Christians.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22)
Be the change.
Single people, instead of looking for the perfect mate, focus on being the perfect mate.
Married people, instead of waiting for your spouse to love/serve/respect/give, make the first move.
Instead of getting angry at the misbehavior of others, set an example. It makes me think of Paul. He was repeatedly in prison, flogged, beaten with rods, pelted with stones, shipwrecked three times…(2 Corinthians 11:22-28). You think you’ve got problems! But instead of complaining, he was determined to press on, to be the change, to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.
That’s risky. It takes courage. Effort is required. Action is necessary.
Paul told his disciple Timothy,
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12)
He told Titus essentially the same thing.
Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. (Titus 2:6-8)
It’s easy to complain. It takes little effort to criticize. It’s tempting to feel overwhelmed, afraid, and out of control. What in the world is going on?
I want to challenge you to be a part of the solution, not part of the problem.
I want to challenge you to set an example for others to follow.
I want to challenge you to be the change? Here’s why:
Jesus famously said,
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. (Luke 6:37)
Well, Jesus didn’t really mean that, right? I mean, he meant it for someone else. Judging is my spiritual gift!
A few verses later, he made his point vividly clear.
How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Luke 6:42)
Love the sinner, hate your own sin!
I’m quite sure you like control. You might not label yourself a control freak, but COVID-19 has demonstrated how little control we actually have…and how frustrated we can become as a result.
I’ve often said the only thing we can control is our attitude.
You can’t control another person, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, you can be self-controlled (Galatians 5:23).
Jesus changed the world without the Internet. His eleven friends turned it upside down without radio or television. History is filled with people like MLK, JFK, and the founder of KFC whose lives we remember for a variety of reasons. They took action. Ask not what your world can do for you; ask what you can do for your world. In a word: love.
So What? How?
There are so many ways to love well. We’re all uniquely created with different passions, gifts, and personalities. Some of you love to write letters, others prefer the phone, text, or face-to-face. Dr. Gary Chapman has famously said there are five “love languages” we use to express and receive love:
Words of affirmation
Physical touch
Receiving Gifts
Quality time
Acts of service
There are countless next steps to take in order to be the change, but I want to highlight three.
I mentioned this in week one of this series as we discussed injustice. Listen to understand, not respond. Many of us—myself included—feel educated and experienced. We’ll rarely admit it, but inside we feel like we know it all. We will even say, “I know how you feel” to someone who’s experiencing pain unlike any we’ve encountered.
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. (James 1:19-20)
It’s interesting how James says to be slow…to speak and to become angry. We are often quick to speak, quick to become angry, and slow to listen. In a relationship, this can often be described as a misunderstanding. We jump to conclusions, judge, think more about what we’re going to say than what the other person is trying to communicate.
Look people in the eye. Keep your phone in your pocket. Make the other person feel like they’re the most important thing in the world to you in that moment. They should be!
Listen can also include reading, watching videos, and listening to podcasts. This past week I was listening to Dr. Anita Philipps on The Grove Podcast. I feel decently educated about Black History and injustice, yet I learned so much from this brilliant sister in Christ. It was fascinating and humbling.
Be the change and listen. Listen is a verb!
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15)
This is relatively foreign to most of us. When there’s a problem, we fix it. When there’s a loss, we try to replace or say, “You’ll get over it” or “God works all things for the good.” We need to let people grieve and mourn when there is pain and loss. Celebrate Recovery is a great venue for such expressions and it relaunches this Wednesday in the Fellowship Hall.
Family, these are difficult days…for all of us. Many of you are stuck in your home right now, yearning to be physically present. Others are sick. Some are afraid. We have family members who are afraid they or someone they love might be the next victim of injustice…or coronavirus.
It’s awkward to be silent with someone, and yet that’s often the best thing to do…be silent and be with. Nobody expects you to cure COVID, wipe out racism, or bring peace to Jerusalem, but your quiet presence, your empathy, your compassion can be a source of healing, of hope, and of restoration.
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16b)
Family, there’s arguably nothing more important we can do to be the change, to create change, to promote peace, to show love, to restore masterpieces than pray. We are not in control, but our God is!
One of the highlights of my day is Zoom Prayer, weekdays at 9 AM. You’re invited!
Sometimes we don’t even know what to pray!
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. (Romans 8:26)
My most frequent request of God is wisdom. I’m encouraged by the words of James:
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5)
I lack wisdom. I ask for it. I need it!
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. (James 1:6-8)
The Starfish
One day, an old man was walking along a beach that was littered with thousands of starfish that had been washed ashore by the high tide. As he walked, he came upon a young boy who was eagerly throwing the starfish back into the ocean, one by one.
Puzzled, the man looked at the boy and asked what he was doing. Without looking up from his task, the boy simply replied, “I’m saving these starfish, Sir”.
The old man chuckled aloud, “Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?”
The boy picked up a starfish, gently tossed it into the water and turning to the man, said, “I made a difference to that one!”
One more thing…
Be the change. It’s a catchy phrase. It sounds positive and action-oriented. But remember, we are human beings, not human doings. Our actions matter, but our “being,” our character, our essence matters, too. If you’re like me, you want to be productive. You love accomplishing things. It’s exciting to cross things off your to-do list. But we must never let busyness keep us from becoming.
Jesus had a powerful message for Martha when she was too busy (Luke 10:38-42). The psalmist said of God,
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)
Family, let’s be the change. Let’s passionate follow Jesus. Let’s love well. Let’s trust God. No matter how crazy our world becomes, our Heavenly Dad’s got this! We simply need to trust Him and obey Him, following Jesus until He returns. The best is yet to come!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—What in the World is Going On?
Big Idea: God has placed us here for such a time as this to love well.
What in the world is going on? If you’re like me, you’ve asked that question a lot lately.
The deadly coronavirus is one thing. The lockdowns and ensuring chaos have been—at least for many—even worse.
The senseless killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd are one thing. The ensuring protests and violence are—at least for many—even worse.
What in the world is going on? Are these the last days? Is Jesus coming back soon? If so, what difference does it make?
Our world is a mess. But this is actually not a new thing. Read the Bible! Ever since Adam and Eve ate the fruit in the Garden, we’ve all been involved in the deadliest force in the universe…sin.
Throughout our series this month, we’ve looked at injustice, the end times, and our good, good Father. As we conclude today, I want to equip you with tools to make a difference, to impact the world, to be the change.
I don’t know about you, but I want to fix our planet. I want to live in a world free of violence, division, and hatred. I want my grandkids to inherit a better, more peaceful world than the one we know today. I want to see people transform to become more like Jesus and less like satan. I want to make a difference! I want to do something!
But what can I do? What can one person do? How can I best use my 76.1 years as a US male? The problems are so overwhelming, it’s tempting to throw up your arms and give up.
Be The Change
There’s a famous quote that says, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” It’s attributed to…Gandhi…but Gandhi didn’t actually ever say it (josephranseth.com). Gandhi did say,
We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.
Of course, we’re not here to follow Gandhi. We’re here to follow Jesus. He practiced what he preached. There was a consistency—an authenticity—which seems rare among those who bear the name of Christ…Christians.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22)
Be the change.
Single people, instead of looking for the perfect mate, focus on being the perfect mate.
Married people, instead of waiting for your spouse to love/serve/respect/give, make the first move.
Instead of getting angry at the misbehavior of others, set an example. It makes me think of Paul. He was repeatedly in prison, flogged, beaten with rods, pelted with stones, shipwrecked three times…(2 Corinthians 11:22-28). You think you’ve got problems! But instead of complaining, he was determined to press on, to be the change, to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.
That’s risky. It takes courage. Effort is required. Action is necessary.
Paul told his disciple Timothy,
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12)
He told Titus essentially the same thing.
Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. (Titus 2:6-8)
It’s easy to complain. It takes little effort to criticize. It’s tempting to feel overwhelmed, afraid, and out of control. What in the world is going on?
I want to challenge you to be a part of the solution, not part of the problem.
I want to challenge you to set an example for others to follow.
I want to challenge you to be the change? Here’s why:
- 1. Be the change stops us from judging others.
Jesus famously said,
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. (Luke 6:37)
Well, Jesus didn’t really mean that, right? I mean, he meant it for someone else. Judging is my spiritual gift!
A few verses later, he made his point vividly clear.
How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Luke 6:42)
Love the sinner, hate your own sin!
- 2. Be the change allows us a measure of control.
I’m quite sure you like control. You might not label yourself a control freak, but COVID-19 has demonstrated how little control we actually have…and how frustrated we can become as a result.
I’ve often said the only thing we can control is our attitude.
You can’t control another person, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, you can be self-controlled (Galatians 5:23).
- 3. Be the change empowers us to make a difference.
Jesus changed the world without the Internet. His eleven friends turned it upside down without radio or television. History is filled with people like MLK, JFK, and the founder of KFC whose lives we remember for a variety of reasons. They took action. Ask not what your world can do for you; ask what you can do for your world. In a word: love.
So What? How?
There are so many ways to love well. We’re all uniquely created with different passions, gifts, and personalities. Some of you love to write letters, others prefer the phone, text, or face-to-face. Dr. Gary Chapman has famously said there are five “love languages” we use to express and receive love:
Words of affirmation
Physical touch
Receiving Gifts
Quality time
Acts of service
There are countless next steps to take in order to be the change, but I want to highlight three.
- 1. Listen.
I mentioned this in week one of this series as we discussed injustice. Listen to understand, not respond. Many of us—myself included—feel educated and experienced. We’ll rarely admit it, but inside we feel like we know it all. We will even say, “I know how you feel” to someone who’s experiencing pain unlike any we’ve encountered.
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. (James 1:19-20)
It’s interesting how James says to be slow…to speak and to become angry. We are often quick to speak, quick to become angry, and slow to listen. In a relationship, this can often be described as a misunderstanding. We jump to conclusions, judge, think more about what we’re going to say than what the other person is trying to communicate.
Look people in the eye. Keep your phone in your pocket. Make the other person feel like they’re the most important thing in the world to you in that moment. They should be!
Listen can also include reading, watching videos, and listening to podcasts. This past week I was listening to Dr. Anita Philipps on The Grove Podcast. I feel decently educated about Black History and injustice, yet I learned so much from this brilliant sister in Christ. It was fascinating and humbling.
Be the change and listen. Listen is a verb!
- 2. Mourn
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15)
This is relatively foreign to most of us. When there’s a problem, we fix it. When there’s a loss, we try to replace or say, “You’ll get over it” or “God works all things for the good.” We need to let people grieve and mourn when there is pain and loss. Celebrate Recovery is a great venue for such expressions and it relaunches this Wednesday in the Fellowship Hall.
Family, these are difficult days…for all of us. Many of you are stuck in your home right now, yearning to be physically present. Others are sick. Some are afraid. We have family members who are afraid they or someone they love might be the next victim of injustice…or coronavirus.
It’s awkward to be silent with someone, and yet that’s often the best thing to do…be silent and be with. Nobody expects you to cure COVID, wipe out racism, or bring peace to Jerusalem, but your quiet presence, your empathy, your compassion can be a source of healing, of hope, and of restoration.
- 3. Pray
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16b)
Family, there’s arguably nothing more important we can do to be the change, to create change, to promote peace, to show love, to restore masterpieces than pray. We are not in control, but our God is!
One of the highlights of my day is Zoom Prayer, weekdays at 9 AM. You’re invited!
Sometimes we don’t even know what to pray!
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. (Romans 8:26)
My most frequent request of God is wisdom. I’m encouraged by the words of James:
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5)
I lack wisdom. I ask for it. I need it!
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. (James 1:6-8)
The Starfish
One day, an old man was walking along a beach that was littered with thousands of starfish that had been washed ashore by the high tide. As he walked, he came upon a young boy who was eagerly throwing the starfish back into the ocean, one by one.
Puzzled, the man looked at the boy and asked what he was doing. Without looking up from his task, the boy simply replied, “I’m saving these starfish, Sir”.
The old man chuckled aloud, “Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?”
The boy picked up a starfish, gently tossed it into the water and turning to the man, said, “I made a difference to that one!”
One more thing…
Be the change. It’s a catchy phrase. It sounds positive and action-oriented. But remember, we are human beings, not human doings. Our actions matter, but our “being,” our character, our essence matters, too. If you’re like me, you want to be productive. You love accomplishing things. It’s exciting to cross things off your to-do list. But we must never let busyness keep us from becoming.
Jesus had a powerful message for Martha when she was too busy (Luke 10:38-42). The psalmist said of God,
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)
Family, let’s be the change. Let’s passionate follow Jesus. Let’s love well. Let’s trust God. No matter how crazy our world becomes, our Heavenly Dad’s got this! We simply need to trust Him and obey Him, following Jesus until He returns. The best is yet to come!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Good, Good Father, 21 June 2020
22 06 20
Good, Good Father
Series—What in the World is Going On?
Big Idea: In the midst of our chaotic world, our Father is good, loving, and trustworthy.
What in the world is going on? If you’re like me, you’ve asked that question a lot lately.
The deadly coronavirus is one thing. The lockdowns and ensuring chaos have been—at least for many—even worse.
The senseless killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd are one thing. The ensuring protests and violence are—at least for many—even worse.
What in the world is going on?
Our world is a mess. But this is actually not a new thing. Read the Bible! Ever since Adam and Eve ate the fruit in the Garden, we’ve all been involved in the deadliest force in the universe…sin.
Sin is ugly and evil in all of its forms—blatant and subtle—and the antidote is love…and a great Dad!
Happy Father’s Day!
Like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day can be bittersweet. Perhaps like me, your father is deceased and you’re left with memories, perhaps good, possible not-so-good. Maybe you never knew your dad…or he was abusive. Some of you are dads, and your heart breaks for your wayward, prodigal child.
Today I want to talk about a good Father. A good, good Father. Actually, He’s great, He’s awesome, He’s positively perfect! Yes, I’m talking about our heavenly Dad.
If the word “father” carries baggage, I encourage you to imagine the best dad you know…or maybe even the best parent you know. It might be a friend’s dad or even one from a movie or television show. No matter how ideal that dad is, our heavenly Dad is so much greater.
I have one simple prayer for today: that you would begin to understand how much your heavenly Dad really loves you. I know what you’re thinking: I know God loves me. But you can’t imagine how loved you really are. I can’t imagine. Why? Because none of us have experienced such extravagant love from a human. It is transformational. It is unconditional. It is life-giving. It is grace-filled.
Grace. Unmerited favor.
Nothing you can do can make God love you more than He does right now.
Nothing you can do can make God love you less than He does right now.
I want to be a dad like that. I want my kids—and grandkids—to be secure in my unconditional love for them. I love them. Period.
I don’t love them more if they get straight As.
I don’t love them more if they are the starting quarterback.
I don’t love them more if they become a CEO, launch a non-profit, or become a billionaire.
I don’t love them less if they flunk calculus.
I don’t love them less if they get cut from the basketball team.
I don’t love them less if they get addicted to opioids or end up in prison or get divorced.
Now imagine how much greater God’s love is for them…for me…for you!
God doesn’t love you more if you read the Bible every single day for the rest of your life.
God doesn’t love you more if you “go to church” every Sunday.
God doesn’t love you more if you go on a missions trip, live off 10% of your income, or lead a thousand people to follow Jesus.
God doesn’t love you less if you struggle with porn or alcohol.
God doesn’t love you less if you get arrested for speeding on I-75.
God doesn’t love you less if you get an abortion, are attracted to someone of the same sex, or commit adultery.
“But pastor, that’s not how a good Christian is supposed to behave!”
True, but have you ever met a truly good Christian? We all sin. We all miss the mark. We all fall short. We can compare ourselves to others, but the reality is we’re all sinners. We don’t want what we deserve from God…trust me! How many times did God threaten to wipe us all out? He did once—with Noah! Even then, God’s love won the day. There’s nothing like a good Father’s love.
For quite some time, churches have promoted the notion of sin management. We need to try harder to be a good person and stop doing bad things so God will like us.
In their book True Faced, Thrall, McNicol, and Lynch ask a rather provocative question:
Is it more important to please God or trust God?
The authors state quite properly, in my humble opinion,
Motives —> Values —> Actions
Pleasing God
God’s done so much for us. The least we can do is please Him, right? We need to work on our sin, engage in spiritual disciplines, and try not to mess up. We need to strive to be better, try harder, and certainly look good in front of others. It’s important to manage our sin, celebrate our progress, and make sure nobody knows the struggle, the secrets, the guilt and shame.
Pleasing God: the least we can do is please Him after all He’s done for us; good intentions (impressive, passionate people…wearing masks), working on their sin and disciplines; God loves you always, but He likes you a lot less when you mess up; God’s glad you’re doing your to-do list, but He’s not happy about your thoughts; nobody knows what’s behind the mask; you don’t believe you can really please God for a minute; you’re exhausted from faking;
Many Christians are motivated to please God. I’m not suggesting we should try to displease God, but if our primary motive is to please God, we will value perfection, realize our imperfection, and inevitably fake it. We join others with masks, believing God loves us, but He likes us a lot less when we mess up. He likes it when we read the Bible and pray, but He’s not happy about our thoughts. If we just try harder, if we just strive, if we do more…
More right behavior + less wrong behavior = Godliness
Right?
Motives —> Values —> Actions
If your motivation is to please God, you’ll value perfection and pursue it at all costs, even if it means pretending.
Trusting God
But there’s another option. It’s to trust God. It’s not as impressive, but it is infinitely more inviting. There’s not much to do. There are no masks to put on or people to please. It’s messy but honest and real. It’s about grace. The message on this road is God is delighted with you, wild about you regardless of how you behave. God loves you and likes you all the time, even when you mess up. God is here in the midst of your mess, enjoying you. He’s big enough to handle your stuff, and He’s never surprised when you fall. He says, “I am crazy in love with you…on your very worst day. I just want you to trust Me with who I say you are.” Embracing such love and acceptance is transformational…and contagious.
Jesus gave us a mission in Matthew 28:18-20 to go and make disciples, students, followers of Jesus. Discipleship is about being more than doing. It’s about becoming like Jesus, not impressing others. The true test of discipleship is how well you love…God and others. That doesn’t come from a seminar or sermon. It comes from being…with Jesus and with others who love Jesus.
Some of you are still stuck on pleasing God versus trusting God. Aren’t we supposed to please God? Yes! It is written,
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
Trusting God pleases God!
We are to trust and obey, not obey and trust.
Some of you think faith is simply believing Jesus died 2000 years ago for your sins. That’s part of it, but it’s so much more. It’s trusting God…with everything! It’s jumping out of the airplane believing when you pull the parachute string, He’ll be there. It’s taking a risk and loving someone who intimidates you. It’s being wildly generous and believing you can’t outgive God. It’s letting go of your bitterness and forgiving that evil person who tried to destroy you years ago. It’s refusing to believe the lies that you’re worthless, shameful, unlovable, or simply a loser.
I’m NOT saying we should take sin lightly. It always leads to death. Every time we sin, relationships are broken. God doesn’t want that for us any more than a parent would want to visit their child in jail.
But motives matter. They determine our values which lead to our actions, our behavior. We can’t begin with behavior because we will always fail and fake. We need to trust God and what He says about us, living out of our true identity as sons and daughters of the Most High God, our good, good Father.
The authors of TrueFaced note, “Scientifically, according to every test, including DNA, (a caterpillar) is fully and completely a butterfly.”
I know, you don’t look like a butterfly today. Neither do I! We have warts and wrinkles, literally and figuratively! Inside, we’re full of pride, selfish ambition, and evil thoughts. The enemy loves to remind us of our failures and flood us with accusations and shame. We look at those around us with their beautiful masks and think we’ll never measure up, unaware that they are just as insecure and impure as we are, they’ve just become better at hiding.
Family, our heavenly Dad loves you. Period. We don’t need to please God to earn His love, His favor. He’s already nuts about us! How else could you explain sending Jesus? He didn’t even do it because we were good. He knows we’re not!
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
If our motive is pleasing God, we will strive to earn His approval.
If our motive is trusting God, we will live out of who God says we are.
This is the difference between religion and a vibrant relationship with God.
It’s the difference between works and grace.
It’s the difference between doing and being.
Should we sin? No! Never! It’s deadly!
But the goal isn’t to sin less. It’s to know Jesus more. It’s to follow him. It’s to do life with him. John 15 talks about abiding, being rooted in him, experiencing the joy of fellowship, relationship, freedom, and peace.
I could talk about the Father’s love all day, but I want to take five minutes and let Him tell you!
The Father’s Love Letter
https://www.fathersloveletter.com/
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16-19)
Paul wanted the church in Ephesus to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is God’s love. It’s nearly unbelievable!
Good dads love their kids. One of the things they do is give good gifts. As a dad, I love giving gifts to my kids and grandkid. It might be a hug, a word of wisdom, encouragement, or yes, even something from Amazon! Love gives. Jesus said,
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:11)
Dr. Luke recorded something similar from Jesus:
If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13)
God doesn’t just say, “I love you.” He proves it!
Psalm 103 says,
8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:8-14)
That’s great news, family! He’s a good, good Father!
In the middle of our crazy world, despite our sins and failures, we can trust God. We can run to our good, good Father whose arms are wide open. He was there after David committed murder and adultery. He was there when the prodigal son destroyed his life and returned home. He was there after Peter denied Jesus three times. He was there after Saul was involved in martyring Christians.
He’s here for you, too. Run into his arms! Trust and obey. Your Daddy loves you…forever!!!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Is The End Near? 14 June 2020
14 06 20
Is the End Near?
Series—What in the World is Going On?
Big Idea: Are you ready for the return of Jesus? Are others?
What in the world is going on? If you’re like me, you’ve asked that question a lot lately.
The deadly coronavirus is one thing. The lockdowns and ensuring chaos have been—at least for many—even worse.
The senseless killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd are one thing. The ensuring protests and violence are—at least for many—even worse.
What in the world is going on? Are these the last days? Is Jesus coming back soon? If so, what difference does it make?
Last week I mentioned one of the most common questions I get is, “Are we living in the end times? Are these the last days? Paul wrote these words to his disciple, Timothy:
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
Does that describe our world today? I think so!
Does that describe Paul and Timothy’s day in the first century? Yes!
The Bible is not always the easiest book to understand. I think we can discern the meaning of Exodus 20:13. It says,
“You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:13)
But what about those other passages which talk about beasts and horns and fire? It can be confusing…and even scary.
The Bible is not a book. It’s a collection of books…sixty-six books written over hundreds of years in multiple languages by a variety of authors…yet they fit together as one beautiful story. When we study the Bible, we must ask three questions:
(Note: a great resource for hermeneutics—studying the Bible—is Fee and Stuart’s How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth)
This is a simple process, but not necessarily easy!
One of the key factors in reading the Bible is understanding the type of literature. If you go into a bookstore (remember those?!), you can find graphic novels, reference volumes, comic books, biographies, and satire. If you don’t understand the difference, you’ll almost certainly end up with some crazy conclusions!
In the same way, we cannot read the poetry of the Psalms the same way we read the laws of Leviticus. The stories of the prophets are different from Paul’s personal letters. There’s one type of literature that is especially fascinating and misunderstood: apocalyptic.
VIDEO: Apocalyptic Literature, https://bibleproject.com/videos/apocalyptic-literature/
One of the most provocative chapters in the Bible is Matthew 24. Jesus responds to his disciples’ questions about the end of the age.
Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. (Matthew 24:4-8)
He’s speaking of the end, right? Actually, he says in verse six these “things must happen, but the end is still to come.” When will all of this occur? It already has! I can prove it!
“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. (Matthew 24:9)
He’s not speaking to us. He’s talking to his followers about 2000 years ago! They all died in the first century, nearly all of them martyred.
At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. (Matthew 24:10-13)
Matthew is writing to a Jewish audience looking for signs of the Messiah. You may have heard this is about a future event, but it’s obvious Jesus is speaking about first-century events, specifically the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in AD 70.
This past week I was listening to the Alliance’s EquippingU podcast where they were discussing the moral decline of our nation, the marginalization of Christianity, and opposition to the views of the Church. These verses in Matthew sound a lot like our present day. One person said that we no longer have home-field advantage, to which the other speaker said those in the first century would remark that we still have it easy compared to their experience living under Roman rule.
If we read the Bible as if it was written to us, we’ll end up with some radically different conclusions than if we understand it was written for us. These events Jesus is describing already occurred…yet we can relate to them today.
Some have said there are four approaches to apocalyptic texts:
Preterist these events occurred around the time the text was written (“past”)
Idealist this describes the ongoing conflict between good and evil
Historicist this helps us understand God’s perspective in human history
Futurist these describe events in the future, before and during the end times
Which approach is the best? It depends! In some cases, more than one might be useful.
Despite the difficult conditions of the early church in the first century, the Holy Spirit came (Acts 2) and did incredible things, moving the Church from Jerusalem to regions across the known world. Jesus predicted that, too!
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
This is a famous verse in the Christian & Missionary Alliance. It has been understood by some to mean when everyone on the planet hears the good news of Jesus, Christ will return. If we evangelize the whole world, we can go home!
I’m not saying that’s necessarily wrong, but it’s not what Jesus was referencing. This was fulfilled nineteen centuries ago!
It is possible that it speaks of two eras, one in the past and one in the future. This is true for some prophecy even about the Messiah. Some speak of the first coming of Jesus, others his return, and perhaps some describe both!
So What?
Are these the end times? Yes…but they began around AD 70! Actually, the war began in 66 AD until 70 AD.
Is the anti-Christ alive today? It’s possible, but previous generations said the same thing. Does it really matter?
Is Jesus returning soon? Absolutely! He said so…about two thousand years ago!
It can be fascinating to listen to predictions, look for prophetic fulfillment in the news, and get excited about the Second Coming of Christ, but there’s really only two things we must do:
Get Ready. Jesus said later in Matthew 24,
So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24:44)
Jesus is coming. When? Soon! In our lifetime? I have no idea! All I know is we’re one day closer than we were yesterday! The point is to get ready. If you want to study this chapter, many believe the first 35 verses were fulfilled in 70 AD (preterist), while verses 36-51 speak of the future (futurist)
Someday this body will die. It might be from COVID, cancer, or a car accident. We don’t know when, but the odds are pretty good! Only one generation will be alive when Jesus returns. It might be ours, it might be thousands of years from now.
I’m afraid too many people waste time and energy trying to figure out the when instead of focusing on the Who.
After describing many great men and women of faith, the writer of Hebrews continues,
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3)
Family, we need to fix our eyes—and our attention—on Jesus. Will there be trials? Absolutely! Will people hate us? In every generation. Will we be martyrs? It’s always possible, and not historically unusual.
We need to turn our eyes away from the tv news and social media and toward Jesus. Followers of Jesus have no reason to fear. None. Zero. Zip! When we look to him, we will not grow weary and lose heart. We will not freak out about chaos in the world, instead preparing for the new heaven and new earth. We must be ready for our end…and get others ready, too. Tomorrow may be too late.
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Family, we need to keep our eyes on Jesus. He’s the reason we’re here. He’s our hope—not our economy, politicians, or popularity. From Genesis until the end of Revelation, God is in control. He’s got this! We need to get ready…and we need to help others get ready, too. Now is the time to share good news with our family, friends, and even strangers. We need to pray, engage in spiritual conversations, and tell our story. Perhaps the best way to love well is to introduce people not to religion, but to Jesus.
These are crazy times. Are these the last days? Maybe. We’ve been in the end times for two thousand years, but someday Jesus will return. Are you ready? Are your friends ready?
Family, our world is out of control. Coronavirus. Racism. Political divisions. Fear. Anxiety.
The world needs Jesus! He’s coming soon. Let’s get ready. Let’s get others ready. Let’s keep our eyes on Jesus.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—What in the World is Going On?
Big Idea: Are you ready for the return of Jesus? Are others?
What in the world is going on? If you’re like me, you’ve asked that question a lot lately.
The deadly coronavirus is one thing. The lockdowns and ensuring chaos have been—at least for many—even worse.
The senseless killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd are one thing. The ensuring protests and violence are—at least for many—even worse.
What in the world is going on? Are these the last days? Is Jesus coming back soon? If so, what difference does it make?
Last week I mentioned one of the most common questions I get is, “Are we living in the end times? Are these the last days? Paul wrote these words to his disciple, Timothy:
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
Does that describe our world today? I think so!
Does that describe Paul and Timothy’s day in the first century? Yes!
The Bible is not always the easiest book to understand. I think we can discern the meaning of Exodus 20:13. It says,
“You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:13)
But what about those other passages which talk about beasts and horns and fire? It can be confusing…and even scary.
The Bible is not a book. It’s a collection of books…sixty-six books written over hundreds of years in multiple languages by a variety of authors…yet they fit together as one beautiful story. When we study the Bible, we must ask three questions:
- - What did it mean then? This is known as exegesis. It is important to discover the original, intended meaning of a passage because a text cannot mean what it never meant.
- - What does it mean now? This is known as hermeneutics.
- - How do we apply it to our lives? So what?
(Note: a great resource for hermeneutics—studying the Bible—is Fee and Stuart’s How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth)
This is a simple process, but not necessarily easy!
One of the key factors in reading the Bible is understanding the type of literature. If you go into a bookstore (remember those?!), you can find graphic novels, reference volumes, comic books, biographies, and satire. If you don’t understand the difference, you’ll almost certainly end up with some crazy conclusions!
In the same way, we cannot read the poetry of the Psalms the same way we read the laws of Leviticus. The stories of the prophets are different from Paul’s personal letters. There’s one type of literature that is especially fascinating and misunderstood: apocalyptic.
VIDEO: Apocalyptic Literature, https://bibleproject.com/videos/apocalyptic-literature/
One of the most provocative chapters in the Bible is Matthew 24. Jesus responds to his disciples’ questions about the end of the age.
Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. (Matthew 24:4-8)
He’s speaking of the end, right? Actually, he says in verse six these “things must happen, but the end is still to come.” When will all of this occur? It already has! I can prove it!
“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. (Matthew 24:9)
He’s not speaking to us. He’s talking to his followers about 2000 years ago! They all died in the first century, nearly all of them martyred.
At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. (Matthew 24:10-13)
Matthew is writing to a Jewish audience looking for signs of the Messiah. You may have heard this is about a future event, but it’s obvious Jesus is speaking about first-century events, specifically the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in AD 70.
This past week I was listening to the Alliance’s EquippingU podcast where they were discussing the moral decline of our nation, the marginalization of Christianity, and opposition to the views of the Church. These verses in Matthew sound a lot like our present day. One person said that we no longer have home-field advantage, to which the other speaker said those in the first century would remark that we still have it easy compared to their experience living under Roman rule.
If we read the Bible as if it was written to us, we’ll end up with some radically different conclusions than if we understand it was written for us. These events Jesus is describing already occurred…yet we can relate to them today.
Some have said there are four approaches to apocalyptic texts:
Preterist these events occurred around the time the text was written (“past”)
Idealist this describes the ongoing conflict between good and evil
Historicist this helps us understand God’s perspective in human history
Futurist these describe events in the future, before and during the end times
Which approach is the best? It depends! In some cases, more than one might be useful.
Despite the difficult conditions of the early church in the first century, the Holy Spirit came (Acts 2) and did incredible things, moving the Church from Jerusalem to regions across the known world. Jesus predicted that, too!
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
This is a famous verse in the Christian & Missionary Alliance. It has been understood by some to mean when everyone on the planet hears the good news of Jesus, Christ will return. If we evangelize the whole world, we can go home!
I’m not saying that’s necessarily wrong, but it’s not what Jesus was referencing. This was fulfilled nineteen centuries ago!
It is possible that it speaks of two eras, one in the past and one in the future. This is true for some prophecy even about the Messiah. Some speak of the first coming of Jesus, others his return, and perhaps some describe both!
So What?
Are these the end times? Yes…but they began around AD 70! Actually, the war began in 66 AD until 70 AD.
Is the anti-Christ alive today? It’s possible, but previous generations said the same thing. Does it really matter?
Is Jesus returning soon? Absolutely! He said so…about two thousand years ago!
It can be fascinating to listen to predictions, look for prophetic fulfillment in the news, and get excited about the Second Coming of Christ, but there’s really only two things we must do:
- 1. Get ready.
- 2. Get others ready.
Get Ready. Jesus said later in Matthew 24,
So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24:44)
Jesus is coming. When? Soon! In our lifetime? I have no idea! All I know is we’re one day closer than we were yesterday! The point is to get ready. If you want to study this chapter, many believe the first 35 verses were fulfilled in 70 AD (preterist), while verses 36-51 speak of the future (futurist)
Someday this body will die. It might be from COVID, cancer, or a car accident. We don’t know when, but the odds are pretty good! Only one generation will be alive when Jesus returns. It might be ours, it might be thousands of years from now.
I’m afraid too many people waste time and energy trying to figure out the when instead of focusing on the Who.
After describing many great men and women of faith, the writer of Hebrews continues,
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3)
Family, we need to fix our eyes—and our attention—on Jesus. Will there be trials? Absolutely! Will people hate us? In every generation. Will we be martyrs? It’s always possible, and not historically unusual.
We need to turn our eyes away from the tv news and social media and toward Jesus. Followers of Jesus have no reason to fear. None. Zero. Zip! When we look to him, we will not grow weary and lose heart. We will not freak out about chaos in the world, instead preparing for the new heaven and new earth. We must be ready for our end…and get others ready, too. Tomorrow may be too late.
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Family, we need to keep our eyes on Jesus. He’s the reason we’re here. He’s our hope—not our economy, politicians, or popularity. From Genesis until the end of Revelation, God is in control. He’s got this! We need to get ready…and we need to help others get ready, too. Now is the time to share good news with our family, friends, and even strangers. We need to pray, engage in spiritual conversations, and tell our story. Perhaps the best way to love well is to introduce people not to religion, but to Jesus.
These are crazy times. Are these the last days? Maybe. We’ve been in the end times for two thousand years, but someday Jesus will return. Are you ready? Are your friends ready?
Family, our world is out of control. Coronavirus. Racism. Political divisions. Fear. Anxiety.
The world needs Jesus! He’s coming soon. Let’s get ready. Let’s get others ready. Let’s keep our eyes on Jesus.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Racism & Injustice, 7 June 2020
08 06 20
Racism and Injustice
Series—What in the World is Going On?
Featuring special guest Pastor Donald Smith
Big Idea: Sin is ugly and evil in all of its forms—blatant and subtle—and the antidote is love.
What in the world is going on? If you’re like me, you’ve asked that question a lot lately.
The deadly coronavirus is one thing. The lockdowns and ensuring chaos have been—at least for many—even worse.
The senseless killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd are one thing. The ensuring protests and violence are—at least for many—even worse.
What in the world is going on? Are these the last days? Is Jesus coming back soon? If so, what difference does it make?
Our world is a mess. But this is actually not a new thing. Read the Bible! Ever since Adam and Eve ate the fruit in the Garden, we’ve all been involved in the deadliest force in the universe…sin.
Sin is ugly and evil in all of its forms—blatant and subtle—and the antidote is love.
Family, we are engaged in a war! We’re in the middle of a battle! It’s easy to forget that sometimes in our air-conditioned cars and houses with our flat-screen TVs, and La-Z-Boy recliners. We enjoy prosperity and freedoms in this country others on our planet can’t even imagine.
Sin is ugly and evil in all of its forms—blatant and subtle—and the antidote is love.
We’ve seen blatant sin in full-color. We watched a man murdered. We witnessed violence toward police, civilians, whites, and blacks. We’ve seen buildings burned, businesses looted, …and there are a hundred different narratives to describe these disturbing events.
Tragically, it’s nothing new. Racism isn’t new. Pandemics aren’t new. Hatred and violence aren’t new. They’re simply signs of our enemy, satan.
Paul wrote these famous words to the church in the city of Ephesus in what is modern-day Turkey:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:10-12)
The enemy loves to steal, kill, and destroy. Sin leads to death, and it’s the hallmark of satan.
Years ago, I heard Ravi Zacharias respond to whether the decline of Christianity in the West or the rise of it in the developing world was more significant. He said they balance each other out.
That makes sense to me. I don’t believe angels or demons reproduce. According to my math, there are two angels for every demon. We will win the war, but the battles are real.
Two weeks ago, I gave a sermon entitled, “Love Well.” In it, I reflected upon the fact that as a church family, we are diverse. We are different. We have a huge variety of views on politics, football teams, theology, fashion, and music. But we’re family. We’re a Jesus-centered family. We exist for God’s glory, not our own.
We are a Jesus-centered family
Restoring God's masterpieces
In Toledo and beyond
For His Glory.
I’m really glad we’re different. It would be so boring if everyone thought and acted like me! Sure, I have opinions and preferences, but when my focus is on God’s glory, I can set them aside. Sometimes I actually do!
Jesus said,
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
That phrase “love one another” was echoed in the book of Romans (13:8). Peter preached it (1 Peter 1:22; 3:8) John restated it (1 John 3:11, 23; 4:7, 11; 2 John 5).
We are to love one another, even when we disagree. I think we were created to disagree! Again, it would be boring if we were all the same, but our differences allow us to be stretched, challenged, and grow. As someone once said, the purpose of marriage is not to make you happy, but to make you holy. I think that’s true for family, too.
Today I want to put some action behind this idea of love well, of loving one another. In the book of 1 Corinthians, Paul uses the analogy of a body to describe the Church, the family of believers. It’s a brilliant metaphor vividly showing how we are all different, we’re supposed to be different, and when we are united, beautiful things emerge. When we are divided, of course, things get ugly…quick. Paul wraps up his instructions by saying,
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (1 Corinthians 12:26)
If you stub your toe, your whole body suffers. If you have a sliver in your finger, attention is drawn to it. When you have a migraine…
Family, we have some parts who are suffering. It’s not a new pain, but one they have known since birth. It’s a suffering I can’t understand, but I can empathize. Just like I’ll never know the pain of giving birth, I can appreciate the agony as I hear it described (or by being an eyewitness three times!).
It’s easy for people in the majority culture to dismiss the struggle of those in the minority, whatever the situation. I’ve heard people of the lighter hue for years talk about how there’s equal opportunity, everyone should pick themselves up by their bootstraps, look at Oprah and Obama, and turn the other way whenever racial issues are presented.
Racism is not a political issue. It’s a biblical issue. It’s a human issue. Jesus died for all masterpieces. We are all created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth. All of us.
Pastor David Swanson writes, “It is deeply disturbing that so many Christians think that racial reconciliation is some kind of liberal, politically motivated social agenda that has nothing to do with their faith as followers of Jesus Christ.”
Tragically, some Christians seem to have more in common with those who share their race than those who share their faith. Some are more influenced by politics than Jesus.
Racism is not a political issue. It’s a biblical issue.
Proverbs, the book of wisdom, includes this important instruction:
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy. (Proverbs 31:8-9)
I’ve often heard that verse used by the pro-life movement, which is appropriate. Dr. Tony Evans said this week that God, “Wants to protect the life of the unborn in the womb, but wants to see justice of the life once born to the tomb. God wants a whole life agenda, not a term agenda.”
Evans said, “We’re in a medical pandemic. Simultaneously, we’re in a cultural pandemic because we’re seeing the devolution of our society…and we’re in a cultural pandemic because we’re in a spiritual pandemic.”
Family, I’ve spent countless hours these past several days praying, reading, and listening. Again, I confess I simply want to fix it! How? Should I run for political office? Will a great sermon do the job? What can I do on social media to make a statement? Is peaceful protest the answer?
One of my best friends on the planet, Dr. Calvin Sweeny, offered three suggestions for me:
1. Listen to understand, not respond 2. Learn about racial injustices 3. Lead your congregations toward solutions (not just response) bathed in prayer
I’ve been focusing on steps one and two. Today is the beginning of step three.
I prayed about how to address this issue today, knowing we’re not going to fix it in sixty minutes, but we can’t be silent, either. I spoke to many friends of color this past week—including many of you—and felt led to invite Pastor Donald Smith to join me today. Reverend Smith is the pastor of Sylvania Community Church, our sister Alliance congregation. He’s been here before for joint worship gatherings and I’ve asked him to speak to us today. Please, listen to understand, not respond.
Interview with Pastor Donald Smith
You can download our Next Steps resource guide here.
You can watch a panel discussion on race, justice, and the Church's response led by Alliance President Dr. John Stumbo here.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Series—What in the World is Going On?
Featuring special guest Pastor Donald Smith
Big Idea: Sin is ugly and evil in all of its forms—blatant and subtle—and the antidote is love.
What in the world is going on? If you’re like me, you’ve asked that question a lot lately.
The deadly coronavirus is one thing. The lockdowns and ensuring chaos have been—at least for many—even worse.
The senseless killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd are one thing. The ensuring protests and violence are—at least for many—even worse.
What in the world is going on? Are these the last days? Is Jesus coming back soon? If so, what difference does it make?
Our world is a mess. But this is actually not a new thing. Read the Bible! Ever since Adam and Eve ate the fruit in the Garden, we’ve all been involved in the deadliest force in the universe…sin.
Sin is ugly and evil in all of its forms—blatant and subtle—and the antidote is love.
Family, we are engaged in a war! We’re in the middle of a battle! It’s easy to forget that sometimes in our air-conditioned cars and houses with our flat-screen TVs, and La-Z-Boy recliners. We enjoy prosperity and freedoms in this country others on our planet can’t even imagine.
Sin is ugly and evil in all of its forms—blatant and subtle—and the antidote is love.
We’ve seen blatant sin in full-color. We watched a man murdered. We witnessed violence toward police, civilians, whites, and blacks. We’ve seen buildings burned, businesses looted, …and there are a hundred different narratives to describe these disturbing events.
Tragically, it’s nothing new. Racism isn’t new. Pandemics aren’t new. Hatred and violence aren’t new. They’re simply signs of our enemy, satan.
Paul wrote these famous words to the church in the city of Ephesus in what is modern-day Turkey:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:10-12)
The enemy loves to steal, kill, and destroy. Sin leads to death, and it’s the hallmark of satan.
Years ago, I heard Ravi Zacharias respond to whether the decline of Christianity in the West or the rise of it in the developing world was more significant. He said they balance each other out.
That makes sense to me. I don’t believe angels or demons reproduce. According to my math, there are two angels for every demon. We will win the war, but the battles are real.
Two weeks ago, I gave a sermon entitled, “Love Well.” In it, I reflected upon the fact that as a church family, we are diverse. We are different. We have a huge variety of views on politics, football teams, theology, fashion, and music. But we’re family. We’re a Jesus-centered family. We exist for God’s glory, not our own.
We are a Jesus-centered family
Restoring God's masterpieces
In Toledo and beyond
For His Glory.
I’m really glad we’re different. It would be so boring if everyone thought and acted like me! Sure, I have opinions and preferences, but when my focus is on God’s glory, I can set them aside. Sometimes I actually do!
Jesus said,
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
That phrase “love one another” was echoed in the book of Romans (13:8). Peter preached it (1 Peter 1:22; 3:8) John restated it (1 John 3:11, 23; 4:7, 11; 2 John 5).
We are to love one another, even when we disagree. I think we were created to disagree! Again, it would be boring if we were all the same, but our differences allow us to be stretched, challenged, and grow. As someone once said, the purpose of marriage is not to make you happy, but to make you holy. I think that’s true for family, too.
Today I want to put some action behind this idea of love well, of loving one another. In the book of 1 Corinthians, Paul uses the analogy of a body to describe the Church, the family of believers. It’s a brilliant metaphor vividly showing how we are all different, we’re supposed to be different, and when we are united, beautiful things emerge. When we are divided, of course, things get ugly…quick. Paul wraps up his instructions by saying,
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (1 Corinthians 12:26)
If you stub your toe, your whole body suffers. If you have a sliver in your finger, attention is drawn to it. When you have a migraine…
Family, we have some parts who are suffering. It’s not a new pain, but one they have known since birth. It’s a suffering I can’t understand, but I can empathize. Just like I’ll never know the pain of giving birth, I can appreciate the agony as I hear it described (or by being an eyewitness three times!).
It’s easy for people in the majority culture to dismiss the struggle of those in the minority, whatever the situation. I’ve heard people of the lighter hue for years talk about how there’s equal opportunity, everyone should pick themselves up by their bootstraps, look at Oprah and Obama, and turn the other way whenever racial issues are presented.
Racism is not a political issue. It’s a biblical issue. It’s a human issue. Jesus died for all masterpieces. We are all created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth. All of us.
Pastor David Swanson writes, “It is deeply disturbing that so many Christians think that racial reconciliation is some kind of liberal, politically motivated social agenda that has nothing to do with their faith as followers of Jesus Christ.”
Tragically, some Christians seem to have more in common with those who share their race than those who share their faith. Some are more influenced by politics than Jesus.
Racism is not a political issue. It’s a biblical issue.
Proverbs, the book of wisdom, includes this important instruction:
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy. (Proverbs 31:8-9)
I’ve often heard that verse used by the pro-life movement, which is appropriate. Dr. Tony Evans said this week that God, “Wants to protect the life of the unborn in the womb, but wants to see justice of the life once born to the tomb. God wants a whole life agenda, not a term agenda.”
Evans said, “We’re in a medical pandemic. Simultaneously, we’re in a cultural pandemic because we’re seeing the devolution of our society…and we’re in a cultural pandemic because we’re in a spiritual pandemic.”
Family, I’ve spent countless hours these past several days praying, reading, and listening. Again, I confess I simply want to fix it! How? Should I run for political office? Will a great sermon do the job? What can I do on social media to make a statement? Is peaceful protest the answer?
One of my best friends on the planet, Dr. Calvin Sweeny, offered three suggestions for me:
I’ve been focusing on steps one and two. Today is the beginning of step three.
I prayed about how to address this issue today, knowing we’re not going to fix it in sixty minutes, but we can’t be silent, either. I spoke to many friends of color this past week—including many of you—and felt led to invite Pastor Donald Smith to join me today. Reverend Smith is the pastor of Sylvania Community Church, our sister Alliance congregation. He’s been here before for joint worship gatherings and I’ve asked him to speak to us today. Please, listen to understand, not respond.
Interview with Pastor Donald Smith
You can download our Next Steps resource guide here.
You can watch a panel discussion on race, justice, and the Church's response led by Alliance President Dr. John Stumbo here.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Come, Holy Spirit, 31 May 2020
31 05 20
Come, Holy Spirit
Acts 2
Big Idea: We must be filled with and led by the Holy Spirit.
Video: Holy Spirit (The Bible Project)
Today is Pentecost Sunday, the day we remember the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the early Church in Acts 2 as found in today’s scripture reading. It’s a profoundly important moment in history.
Today is significant to First Alliance Church because it’s the first time many of you have been able to see each other face to face. Letters are great, texts are fine, phone calls are nice, and I’m grateful for FaceTime and Zoom, but there’s nothing like being physically present with someone.
Have you ever wished you could spend some time with Jesus? I mean physically be with Jesus. Let’s face it, prayer is wonderful and the Bible is fantastic, but haven’t you had those moments when you longed to see Jesus face to face?
Imagine you were a disciple of Jesus. You traveled with him. You ate with him. You saw him heal the sick, raise the dead, feed the thousands, and preach incredible sermons. Life with Jesus literally transformed your life. Now imagine in the middle of three years with him, he drops this bomb:
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)
You’re leaving us, Jesus? You’re going away? How can you call this good? We like you! What could be better than having you lead our team?
Jesus said it was for their good that he would go away. That was partially a reference to Good Friday when he would leave his friends and die for them…and us. But it was also a reference to his ascension when he left our planet, paving the way for the Holy Spirit.
N.T. Wright in at least two of his books describes history as a five-act play. Act One is creation, seen in the opening pages of the Bible in Genesis. What follows, Act Two, is the Fall of Adam and Eve, sinning in the Garden of Eden and creating chaos for all of creation from that day forward. Act Three is Israel, God’s chosen people beginning with His covenant with Abraham which continued throughout Jewish Bible we call the Old Testament. Act Four is Jesus, chronicled in the four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Act Five begins in the book of Acts, the emergence of the Church, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, events that continue to this day.
We worship one God in three Persons, a mystery known as the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been present throughout all five acts. In fact, Pentecost began as an Old Testament celebration called the Feast of Harvest or the Feast of Weeks. We think of Pentecost as the day the Holy Spirit birthed the Church with power, adding 3000 new believers in Acts 2. Prior to Pentecost, we see the Spirit in one place at a time. What made Pentecost so special was the distribution of God’s presence among multiple people.
Throughout act three—Israel—God’s presence on earth was most visible in a special part of the temple called the holy of holies where God dwelled behind a curtain. The day Jesus was crucified,
The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. (Mark 15:38)
You might say God’s presence escaped the temple. God left the building. It wasn’t that God wasn’t present in the temple, but that the temple could not hold Him. No longer would people have to travel to a particular place to encounter the living God. Let’s look at what happened on Pentecost Sunday.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4)
This was no ordinary day. This was a multi-media extravaganza! The Holy Spirit filled all of those gathered. They started speaking known languages they had never learned, a reversal of the Tower of Babel when God confused the people with multiple languages (Genesis 11:9). Author John Gill notes,
“Through this baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire, the apostles became more knowing, and had a greater understanding of the mysteries of the Gospel, and were more qualified to preach it to people of all nations and languages.”
For many of these believers, they loved Jesus, grieved his death, celebrated his resurrection, watching him ascend into heaven, grieved his departure, and then became temples of God as the Holy Spirit arrived.
It’s a little ironic talking about Pentecost on the day we return to our physical campus. First Alliance Church never closed. Our buildings were shut, but these buildings are not the house of the LORD. They are not the temple. God’s presence and power dwells in each follower of Jesus since Acts 2. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth,
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? (1 Corinthians 3:16)
All of this. Had been prophesied. Jesus, of course, had announced the future coming of the Holy Spirit.
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (John 14:26)
He also said,
When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. (John 16:8-11)
He gave even more details in the first chapter of the book of Acts.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
This all came to pass in the very next chapter.
Jesus was not the first to predict the events of Pentecost. The prophet Joel declared God’s words.
And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. (Joel 2:28)
Peter quotes this text in the second chapter of Acts. What follows is nothing short of miraculous. The capital-C Church was born, a group of Spirit-filled believers who literally changed the world. I never get sick of reading this passage. Acts 2:41 says because of the movement of the Holy Spirit and Peter’s preaching,
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. (Acts 2:41)
Wow! That’s what I call church growth! Those numbers are impressive, but that’s not all.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)
Years ago, I worked at a church called 2|42 Community Church. Its name came from this text. It’s a wonderful picture of church. Again, the temple is mentioned, but church was not a building or a service, but a family of people who did life together. They were devoted to
They experienced miracles. They did life together, sharing everything. This occurred every day, not merely an hour a week. Much of their lives were spent in homes.
This sounds a little like the past two and a half months for First Alliance Church! We’ve not been in large groups, but people have been meeting together both online and in person in small groups. Meals have been shared. Prayer have been prayed…and answered! Teaching and equipping are occurring. It has been very different, but the Holy Spirit has been at work in and through us.
I’ve heard many pastors say they want a “New Testament church.” The problem is, there are many mentioned, including seven called out in the beginning of the book of Revelation. They were all messed up. Each had issues, just like ours. There is no perfect church, only a perfect Senior Pastor whose name is Jesus.
Acts 2 sounds amazing—and it was—but Jesus promised following him would not always be easy.
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
A moment ago, we looked at his words in Acts 1:8. The Alliance calls itself a “Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family.” This is a pretty important passage!
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
The original Greek word for witnesses, martus, means “martyrs.” Many of these early believers who were filled with the Holy Spirit were persecuted for their faith. Many died as martyrs. Their passion was real. Church wasn’t something they did, it was who they were.
So What?
What about you? What about us? Where do we go from here? As we create the future, we desperately need the Holy Spirit. If you think I’m smart enough to guide us, you’re fooling yourself! If you think the elders possess the necessary wisdom, you’re mistaken. We need the Holy Spirit. Individually. Corporately.
When you give your life to Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit, too. Unfortunately, many are not filled with the Spirit. Some are afraid of the Holy Spirit because they think the Spirit will make them bark like a dog or do something weird. Others have dismissed the Spirit, practically seeing the Trinity as the Father, Son, and Holy Bible. Because certain gifts of the Spirit have been abused, they conclude we don’t need them…though the enemy is capable of distorting all of God’s good gifts.
The Holy Spirit gives gifts, not for our selfish use, but rather for the benefit of the Body, the Church. Nobody has all of the gifts. There’s no one gift that every believer possesses. Some of the gifts include teaching, giving, mercy, service, healing, wisdom, faith, tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophecy, helps, leadership, and miracles. There are four primary lists of spiritual gifts found in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Timothy 4. As a Christian & Missionary Alliance church we believe in all of the gifts and their proper use to serve the Body of Christ.
The Holy Spirit also produces fruit in our lives.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Show me someone who is growing in those areas and I’ll show you someone who is filled with the Holy Spirit. The true test is Christ-likeness, not any particular gift.
We are to be filled with the Spirit.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:18-20)
Being filled with the Spirit is something we must continually do, like breathing. You don’t stop! That’s the meaning of the words “be filled” in Ephesians 5:18.
How can you be filled with the Holy Spirit? It involves surrender, picking up your cross daily to follow Jesus, setting aside your agenda and rights, inviting the Spirit to live in and through you.
If you’re a follower of Jesus, the Spirit is already living inside of you, but might not be fully activated, much like you can have central air conditioning in your house but it won’t cool your home until it’s turned on.
There’s so much that can be said about the Holy Spirit, but here’s the bottom line:
We need God. We need the Holy Spirit. We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
I don’t know what lies ahead for First Alliance Church, but the Spirit knows.
I don’t know how we can restore God’s masterpieces in Toledo, but the Spirit does.
I don’t have the power to change a life, a marriage, a broken body, a hurting heart, but the Spirit does.
I don’t possess all of the gifts necessary to be Jesus to our city, but together if we are filled with the Spirit, we do.
The Holy Spirit descended upon the city of Jerusalem about 2000 years ago and the world has never been the same as men, women and children around the world have been conduits of God’s blessing, presence, and power.
I am praying for the Holy Spirit to descend upon the city of Toledo, equipping us and our spiritual siblings at The Tabernacle, The Vineyard, Harvest Lane Alliance, Perrysburg Alliance, Westgate Chapel, Cedar Creek, and others to become more like Jesus, to be transformed by faith, hope, and love.
This is a critical moment in history. We’re not going back. God is doing a new thing. Now more than ever, we need the Holy Spirit to guide and provide, to encourage and give us courage, to direct and protect.
Come, Holy Spirit. You are welcome here!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Acts 2
Big Idea: We must be filled with and led by the Holy Spirit.
Video: Holy Spirit (The Bible Project)
Today is Pentecost Sunday, the day we remember the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the early Church in Acts 2 as found in today’s scripture reading. It’s a profoundly important moment in history.
Today is significant to First Alliance Church because it’s the first time many of you have been able to see each other face to face. Letters are great, texts are fine, phone calls are nice, and I’m grateful for FaceTime and Zoom, but there’s nothing like being physically present with someone.
Have you ever wished you could spend some time with Jesus? I mean physically be with Jesus. Let’s face it, prayer is wonderful and the Bible is fantastic, but haven’t you had those moments when you longed to see Jesus face to face?
Imagine you were a disciple of Jesus. You traveled with him. You ate with him. You saw him heal the sick, raise the dead, feed the thousands, and preach incredible sermons. Life with Jesus literally transformed your life. Now imagine in the middle of three years with him, he drops this bomb:
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)
You’re leaving us, Jesus? You’re going away? How can you call this good? We like you! What could be better than having you lead our team?
Jesus said it was for their good that he would go away. That was partially a reference to Good Friday when he would leave his friends and die for them…and us. But it was also a reference to his ascension when he left our planet, paving the way for the Holy Spirit.
N.T. Wright in at least two of his books describes history as a five-act play. Act One is creation, seen in the opening pages of the Bible in Genesis. What follows, Act Two, is the Fall of Adam and Eve, sinning in the Garden of Eden and creating chaos for all of creation from that day forward. Act Three is Israel, God’s chosen people beginning with His covenant with Abraham which continued throughout Jewish Bible we call the Old Testament. Act Four is Jesus, chronicled in the four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Act Five begins in the book of Acts, the emergence of the Church, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, events that continue to this day.
We worship one God in three Persons, a mystery known as the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been present throughout all five acts. In fact, Pentecost began as an Old Testament celebration called the Feast of Harvest or the Feast of Weeks. We think of Pentecost as the day the Holy Spirit birthed the Church with power, adding 3000 new believers in Acts 2. Prior to Pentecost, we see the Spirit in one place at a time. What made Pentecost so special was the distribution of God’s presence among multiple people.
Throughout act three—Israel—God’s presence on earth was most visible in a special part of the temple called the holy of holies where God dwelled behind a curtain. The day Jesus was crucified,
The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. (Mark 15:38)
You might say God’s presence escaped the temple. God left the building. It wasn’t that God wasn’t present in the temple, but that the temple could not hold Him. No longer would people have to travel to a particular place to encounter the living God. Let’s look at what happened on Pentecost Sunday.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4)
This was no ordinary day. This was a multi-media extravaganza! The Holy Spirit filled all of those gathered. They started speaking known languages they had never learned, a reversal of the Tower of Babel when God confused the people with multiple languages (Genesis 11:9). Author John Gill notes,
“Through this baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire, the apostles became more knowing, and had a greater understanding of the mysteries of the Gospel, and were more qualified to preach it to people of all nations and languages.”
For many of these believers, they loved Jesus, grieved his death, celebrated his resurrection, watching him ascend into heaven, grieved his departure, and then became temples of God as the Holy Spirit arrived.
It’s a little ironic talking about Pentecost on the day we return to our physical campus. First Alliance Church never closed. Our buildings were shut, but these buildings are not the house of the LORD. They are not the temple. God’s presence and power dwells in each follower of Jesus since Acts 2. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth,
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? (1 Corinthians 3:16)
All of this. Had been prophesied. Jesus, of course, had announced the future coming of the Holy Spirit.
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (John 14:26)
He also said,
When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. (John 16:8-11)
He gave even more details in the first chapter of the book of Acts.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
This all came to pass in the very next chapter.
Jesus was not the first to predict the events of Pentecost. The prophet Joel declared God’s words.
And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. (Joel 2:28)
Peter quotes this text in the second chapter of Acts. What follows is nothing short of miraculous. The capital-C Church was born, a group of Spirit-filled believers who literally changed the world. I never get sick of reading this passage. Acts 2:41 says because of the movement of the Holy Spirit and Peter’s preaching,
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. (Acts 2:41)
Wow! That’s what I call church growth! Those numbers are impressive, but that’s not all.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)
Years ago, I worked at a church called 2|42 Community Church. Its name came from this text. It’s a wonderful picture of church. Again, the temple is mentioned, but church was not a building or a service, but a family of people who did life together. They were devoted to
- - Teaching
- - Fellowship
- - Community meals
- - Prayer
They experienced miracles. They did life together, sharing everything. This occurred every day, not merely an hour a week. Much of their lives were spent in homes.
This sounds a little like the past two and a half months for First Alliance Church! We’ve not been in large groups, but people have been meeting together both online and in person in small groups. Meals have been shared. Prayer have been prayed…and answered! Teaching and equipping are occurring. It has been very different, but the Holy Spirit has been at work in and through us.
I’ve heard many pastors say they want a “New Testament church.” The problem is, there are many mentioned, including seven called out in the beginning of the book of Revelation. They were all messed up. Each had issues, just like ours. There is no perfect church, only a perfect Senior Pastor whose name is Jesus.
Acts 2 sounds amazing—and it was—but Jesus promised following him would not always be easy.
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
A moment ago, we looked at his words in Acts 1:8. The Alliance calls itself a “Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family.” This is a pretty important passage!
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
The original Greek word for witnesses, martus, means “martyrs.” Many of these early believers who were filled with the Holy Spirit were persecuted for their faith. Many died as martyrs. Their passion was real. Church wasn’t something they did, it was who they were.
So What?
What about you? What about us? Where do we go from here? As we create the future, we desperately need the Holy Spirit. If you think I’m smart enough to guide us, you’re fooling yourself! If you think the elders possess the necessary wisdom, you’re mistaken. We need the Holy Spirit. Individually. Corporately.
When you give your life to Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit, too. Unfortunately, many are not filled with the Spirit. Some are afraid of the Holy Spirit because they think the Spirit will make them bark like a dog or do something weird. Others have dismissed the Spirit, practically seeing the Trinity as the Father, Son, and Holy Bible. Because certain gifts of the Spirit have been abused, they conclude we don’t need them…though the enemy is capable of distorting all of God’s good gifts.
The Holy Spirit gives gifts, not for our selfish use, but rather for the benefit of the Body, the Church. Nobody has all of the gifts. There’s no one gift that every believer possesses. Some of the gifts include teaching, giving, mercy, service, healing, wisdom, faith, tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophecy, helps, leadership, and miracles. There are four primary lists of spiritual gifts found in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Timothy 4. As a Christian & Missionary Alliance church we believe in all of the gifts and their proper use to serve the Body of Christ.
The Holy Spirit also produces fruit in our lives.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Show me someone who is growing in those areas and I’ll show you someone who is filled with the Holy Spirit. The true test is Christ-likeness, not any particular gift.
We are to be filled with the Spirit.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:18-20)
Being filled with the Spirit is something we must continually do, like breathing. You don’t stop! That’s the meaning of the words “be filled” in Ephesians 5:18.
How can you be filled with the Holy Spirit? It involves surrender, picking up your cross daily to follow Jesus, setting aside your agenda and rights, inviting the Spirit to live in and through you.
If you’re a follower of Jesus, the Spirit is already living inside of you, but might not be fully activated, much like you can have central air conditioning in your house but it won’t cool your home until it’s turned on.
There’s so much that can be said about the Holy Spirit, but here’s the bottom line:
We need God. We need the Holy Spirit. We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
I don’t know what lies ahead for First Alliance Church, but the Spirit knows.
I don’t know how we can restore God’s masterpieces in Toledo, but the Spirit does.
I don’t have the power to change a life, a marriage, a broken body, a hurting heart, but the Spirit does.
I don’t possess all of the gifts necessary to be Jesus to our city, but together if we are filled with the Spirit, we do.
The Holy Spirit descended upon the city of Jerusalem about 2000 years ago and the world has never been the same as men, women and children around the world have been conduits of God’s blessing, presence, and power.
I am praying for the Holy Spirit to descend upon the city of Toledo, equipping us and our spiritual siblings at The Tabernacle, The Vineyard, Harvest Lane Alliance, Perrysburg Alliance, Westgate Chapel, Cedar Creek, and others to become more like Jesus, to be transformed by faith, hope, and love.
This is a critical moment in history. We’re not going back. God is doing a new thing. Now more than ever, we need the Holy Spirit to guide and provide, to encourage and give us courage, to direct and protect.
Come, Holy Spirit. You are welcome here!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Love Well, 24 May 2020
24 05 20
Love Well
Big Idea: We must love—God, ourselves, one another, and others—well.
Scripture Reading: John 13:34-35; 1 John 3:11
Love. It can be such a mushy word. Perhaps you’re sick and tired of me saying love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Blame Jesus! He’s the one who said those two commandments summarize the entire Law and the Prophets, the Jewish Bible, the Old Testament.
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
We often depict our love with a triangle (credit: Mike Breen, 3DM).
In our scripture reading for today, Doug Oliver read,
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
When we love one another well, we prove our faith. It’s how people identify us as true believers, followers of Jesus. Healthy families love one another. Godly families love one another.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory. (Ephesians 2:10)
While this pandemic has been tragic for many and trying for all of us, I’ve seen God use it for His glory.
One man told me of incredible conversations he’s having with people in the marketplace as people search for hope. Several people have said they feel more connected to our First Alliance family than before the lockdown. We’ve been equipping you and your family with fresh, spiritual content six days a week. Corporate prayer has engaged more people, more often. People have seized opportunities to tutor children, feed the hungry, and help those in need…loving our neighbor as ourselves. Family, we have been living out our mission beautifully during these past two months. I thank you and praise God!
Our video question of the week for this upcoming week is, “How has God used the pandemic in your life?” Make a short, landscape (not portrait) video and send it to abigail@factoledo.org using wispeo.com.
Church is not a building. It’s not an event. It’s a family. You don’t “go to” family. You don’t “close” family. First Alliance Church has never closed! As I’ve said, this season may be one of the most fruitful. This “reset” has allowed us to examine everything we do in light of our mission. Our goal moving forward is not to return to the way things used to be. Everything we add to our menu must be driven by our mission. There are new things we need to create, old things we need to revive, and some things we simply need to leave behind. We need to begin with “why?” Does it further or distract from our mission?
In March, nearly everything on our menu was wiped out, immediately replaced with three items:
Soon afterward, we added three more:
Our entire staff has been hard at work providing these six ministry vehicles as well as personal discipleship and preparations for the future, and I’m very proud of and grateful for them as well as our Elders, Deacons, Deaconesses, and Trustees who have continued to serve behind the scenes. Thanks not only to our leaders, but everyone who has been praying, supporting financially, and participating in the life of FAC.
On Tuesday, our Elders met to discuss—among other things—reopening our physical campus. We closed it in March not because the government required it, but rather because we believed it was the best interest of the health and safety of you and our neighbors. The church left the building because we love people, which is also one of the best ways we love God.
When COVID-19 began, I was encouraged by the unity that I heard as people proclaimed, “We’re all in this together.” Tragically, fake news, conspiracy theories, politics, pride, and fear have brought division…especially within the church.
I have four prayers I pray for First Alliance Church:
I’m aware of only one prayer Jesus prayed specifically for us, his future followers.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23)
Imagine you and I were as close as Jesus and the Father! It wasn’t necessarily easy and it required effort and prayer, but Jesus and the Father were on the same page. Along with the Holy Spirit, they are one God in three Persons, a mystery we call the Trinity. Jesus wants us to be like this…one church, one body in many persons. He wants us to be one.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know the Church—the Bride of Christ—is not known for its unity. There are literally thousands of Christian denominations that have split off from what once was one church. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for Jesus to see his Bride so divided. I’ve often said my dream is for the global Church to be so unified and beautiful that Jesus would turn to the Father and beg Him to return to earth for us! Right now, we must look like a dismembered mess!
It’s not uncommon for such disunity to appear within a local church. Where two or more are gathered together, there’s bound to be conflict. Family is messy. When it’s hard, it’s really hard…and when it’s good, it’s SO good!
They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, and while many of you have been engaging passionately online, many of us long to be physically together. We were created for community, and while a letter is good, a phone call is better, and a video chat is better still, and being in the same room is even better.
As you may know, there are vast opinions about the pandemic, its legitimacy, and its consequences. Anyone who says they know and understand coronavirus is crazy! New discoveries are being made each day, and this is unlike anything in our lifetime. I’ve prayed more for our President and Governor this year than probably any year of my life! They are in a no-win situation, not matter what they say or do. In a small way, I’ve felt that, too. That’s one of the challenges of leadership. However, I don’t operate in a vacuum. We are led by a team of Elders of which I am the non-voting chair person. I’m grateful for the wisdom of our Elder Team: Rich Bradish, Jim Kirkman, Caine Kolinski, Jim Kujawski, Jim MacDonald, Doug Oliver.
Much like our church survey results, there’s a great diversity of views on COVID-19. Some of you wondered why we ever closed our physical campus and others are willing to wait a year or longer until a vaccine is available before resuming in-person worship. After surveying you and consulting with other churches, the Great Lakes District, the Governor’s office, a wide variety of medical experts, we met Tuesday and adopted Phase One of our campus reopening plan.
We began with the “why?” Does a physical gathering for worship further our mission? We said, “Yes,” especially for those who are tech-less and have been unable to connect with the FAC family. I miss our family members from Ohio Link, Cherry Street Mission, and others who may not have access to the Internet.
The next question was “how?” One of our elders shared his three goals: safety, credibility to the unreached, and a quality experience. Put another way, we obviously don’t want people to become sick–or worse—by anything we do together, we don’t want to hurt our witness to our community by acting out of selfishness, recklessness, or rebellion, and we want to continue to create meaningful experiences for people, albeit different from what we did months ago.
Then we wrestled with the “when” question, the one so many of you have been anxiously awaiting.
Beginning next Sunday, we will have Sunday worship in three venues. Next Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, the day we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. It’s one of the most sacred days on the Church calendar, and one I can’t wait to commemorate. Our reopening coincides with the Catholic Church in Ohio and other congregations, as well.
Next Sunday at 10:30 AM we will offer three options. These three options reflect both the three different groups that presently exist within our family and allow for social distancing (we can’t all fit in the sanctuary together safely). Here are your options:
Safe. Youth Center Assembly Hall. Live stream. Touchless. Social distancing. Masks highly recommended, not for you, but for those around you. It is a proven tool for reducing the spread of disease to others. We love with masks! We will have them available if you don’t have your own.
Safer. Sanctuary. Live. Touchless. Social distancing. Masks required…and provided. This is a safer option, but still has risks. Spending an hour in a room full of people is not the same as being in a grocery store for a few minutes or picking up a pizza. Nobody knows exactly what the risks are, so we will continue to offer a third option.
Safest. Online. Live streaming. No restrictions. If you want to shake hands, hug, and socialize, have a watch party at your home! Likewise, if you are elderly, diabetic, or otherwise at risk, we urge you to stay home. We have no plans to ever discontinue FAC Online Worship. It will be our safest option for your physical health, and it will be your only option when you’re unable to reach our physical campus.
We plan to offer these three options for the foreseeable future.
This will obviously be a different experience than anything in the past. There will be no child care. The restrooms will be available for emergencies, but our goal is for everyone to touch nothing but their individual seats. The new Sunday edition of the FAC Focus will serve as your bulletin. We’ll have offering boxes as you exit (or you can give online).
We won’t be in Phase One forever. We won’t worship in three venues forever. But this is what Sunday mornings will look like for a while. Thank you in advance for your grace, your patience, your prayers, and most of all your love for one another. We love God by loving others…well. Let’s love well, family!
How do we love well? Let me close with some suggestions:
Family, let’s love well. Next Sunday will be a real test of our love, not only for God, but also for one another. None of us knows everything about COVID-19, but we know the One who does! As we gather next Sunday online and on our campus, let’s go the extra mile to extend grace, to respect one another, to do everything possible to set aside our own preferences and rights and privileges to humbly love others well.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory. (Ephesians 2:10)
I love you, family. Next Sunday is the beginning of a new First Alliance Church. It’s going to be different. The future is going to look different. But the best is yet to come!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this online worship experience here.
Big Idea: We must love—God, ourselves, one another, and others—well.
Scripture Reading: John 13:34-35; 1 John 3:11
Love. It can be such a mushy word. Perhaps you’re sick and tired of me saying love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Blame Jesus! He’s the one who said those two commandments summarize the entire Law and the Prophets, the Jewish Bible, the Old Testament.
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
We often depict our love with a triangle (credit: Mike Breen, 3DM).
Love God (up). Love others (as we love ourselves; out). Love one another (in).
We’re taking a break from our series on the Gospel of Mark to examine some important and timely topics. Pastor Keith shared a good message with us last Sunday. Today I want to talk about what it means to love well.
We love God. I hope that’s obvious…not only to us, but to the world. We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). We are to love God well, our “up” relationship.
On the surface, it can be easy to love God. Sing Him a song. Give Him an hour of your week on Sunday morning. Give a portion of your income. Spend some time in prayer and Bible study.
I want to suggest one of the primary ways we love God is much more challenging: love your neighbor as yourself. If you like your neighbor, that might not be a big deal. We have great neighbors who live on either side of our house. I’m sad one family is moving away (they will either sell or possibly rent it; let me know if you want to be my neighbor!). The thing about loving others is you can sometimes get away from them! You can avoid other people in many cases. Tolerance—which is almost the opposite of love—is usually possible. We are to love others well, our “out” relationship.
Often the hardest people to love are…family—biological or spiritually, our “in” relationship. John wrote,
Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. (1 John 4:20-21)
We are a family. Family can be messy. People typically don’t leave family. They learn to do life together. In a spiritual family, our love for one another does three things:
- 1. It shows our love for God.
- 2. It shows our love for one another.
- 3. It is a witness to others, the watching world.
In our scripture reading for today, Doug Oliver read,
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
When we love one another well, we prove our faith. It’s how people identify us as true believers, followers of Jesus. Healthy families love one another. Godly families love one another.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory. (Ephesians 2:10)
While this pandemic has been tragic for many and trying for all of us, I’ve seen God use it for His glory.
One man told me of incredible conversations he’s having with people in the marketplace as people search for hope. Several people have said they feel more connected to our First Alliance family than before the lockdown. We’ve been equipping you and your family with fresh, spiritual content six days a week. Corporate prayer has engaged more people, more often. People have seized opportunities to tutor children, feed the hungry, and help those in need…loving our neighbor as ourselves. Family, we have been living out our mission beautifully during these past two months. I thank you and praise God!
Our video question of the week for this upcoming week is, “How has God used the pandemic in your life?” Make a short, landscape (not portrait) video and send it to abigail@factoledo.org using wispeo.com.
Church is not a building. It’s not an event. It’s a family. You don’t “go to” family. You don’t “close” family. First Alliance Church has never closed! As I’ve said, this season may be one of the most fruitful. This “reset” has allowed us to examine everything we do in light of our mission. Our goal moving forward is not to return to the way things used to be. Everything we add to our menu must be driven by our mission. There are new things we need to create, old things we need to revive, and some things we simply need to leave behind. We need to begin with “why?” Does it further or distract from our mission?
In March, nearly everything on our menu was wiped out, immediately replaced with three items:
- - FAC Online Worship
- - Zoom Prayer (weekdays at 9 AM)
- - Pastor Kirk’s Daily Briefing (4 PM weekdays on Facebook Live)
Soon afterward, we added three more:
- - Zoom Small Groups
- - Kids Club United Online (Wednesdays on Zoom)
- - Elevate Youth Online (Thursdays on Zoom)
Our entire staff has been hard at work providing these six ministry vehicles as well as personal discipleship and preparations for the future, and I’m very proud of and grateful for them as well as our Elders, Deacons, Deaconesses, and Trustees who have continued to serve behind the scenes. Thanks not only to our leaders, but everyone who has been praying, supporting financially, and participating in the life of FAC.
On Tuesday, our Elders met to discuss—among other things—reopening our physical campus. We closed it in March not because the government required it, but rather because we believed it was the best interest of the health and safety of you and our neighbors. The church left the building because we love people, which is also one of the best ways we love God.
When COVID-19 began, I was encouraged by the unity that I heard as people proclaimed, “We’re all in this together.” Tragically, fake news, conspiracy theories, politics, pride, and fear have brought division…especially within the church.
I have four prayers I pray for First Alliance Church:
- 1. Direction. Jesus Christ is our Senior Pastor. We want to be led by the Holy Spirit. I am not the boss! Our staff and elders seek God’s wisdom, guidance, and will. We begin every meeting by celebrating wins and engaging in open-ended prayer. This is not my church. This is not our church. First Alliance Church is God’s.
- 2. Protection. We have a real enemy who wants to steal, kill, destroy, lie, and divide. He’s having a field day right now, not only here but also around the country. I pray God would protect us from the physical, mental, emotional, financial, and relational pain of the coronavirus.
- 3. Passion. I want to want God! I want my heart to sync with His. I want God to give all of us His heart for the lost, the unborn, the least of these, the widow, the stranger, and the orphan.
- 4. Unity. This is where I want to focus for a few moments.
I’m aware of only one prayer Jesus prayed specifically for us, his future followers.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23)
Imagine you and I were as close as Jesus and the Father! It wasn’t necessarily easy and it required effort and prayer, but Jesus and the Father were on the same page. Along with the Holy Spirit, they are one God in three Persons, a mystery we call the Trinity. Jesus wants us to be like this…one church, one body in many persons. He wants us to be one.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know the Church—the Bride of Christ—is not known for its unity. There are literally thousands of Christian denominations that have split off from what once was one church. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for Jesus to see his Bride so divided. I’ve often said my dream is for the global Church to be so unified and beautiful that Jesus would turn to the Father and beg Him to return to earth for us! Right now, we must look like a dismembered mess!
It’s not uncommon for such disunity to appear within a local church. Where two or more are gathered together, there’s bound to be conflict. Family is messy. When it’s hard, it’s really hard…and when it’s good, it’s SO good!
They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, and while many of you have been engaging passionately online, many of us long to be physically together. We were created for community, and while a letter is good, a phone call is better, and a video chat is better still, and being in the same room is even better.
As you may know, there are vast opinions about the pandemic, its legitimacy, and its consequences. Anyone who says they know and understand coronavirus is crazy! New discoveries are being made each day, and this is unlike anything in our lifetime. I’ve prayed more for our President and Governor this year than probably any year of my life! They are in a no-win situation, not matter what they say or do. In a small way, I’ve felt that, too. That’s one of the challenges of leadership. However, I don’t operate in a vacuum. We are led by a team of Elders of which I am the non-voting chair person. I’m grateful for the wisdom of our Elder Team: Rich Bradish, Jim Kirkman, Caine Kolinski, Jim Kujawski, Jim MacDonald, Doug Oliver.
Much like our church survey results, there’s a great diversity of views on COVID-19. Some of you wondered why we ever closed our physical campus and others are willing to wait a year or longer until a vaccine is available before resuming in-person worship. After surveying you and consulting with other churches, the Great Lakes District, the Governor’s office, a wide variety of medical experts, we met Tuesday and adopted Phase One of our campus reopening plan.
We began with the “why?” Does a physical gathering for worship further our mission? We said, “Yes,” especially for those who are tech-less and have been unable to connect with the FAC family. I miss our family members from Ohio Link, Cherry Street Mission, and others who may not have access to the Internet.
The next question was “how?” One of our elders shared his three goals: safety, credibility to the unreached, and a quality experience. Put another way, we obviously don’t want people to become sick–or worse—by anything we do together, we don’t want to hurt our witness to our community by acting out of selfishness, recklessness, or rebellion, and we want to continue to create meaningful experiences for people, albeit different from what we did months ago.
Then we wrestled with the “when” question, the one so many of you have been anxiously awaiting.
Beginning next Sunday, we will have Sunday worship in three venues. Next Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, the day we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. It’s one of the most sacred days on the Church calendar, and one I can’t wait to commemorate. Our reopening coincides with the Catholic Church in Ohio and other congregations, as well.
Next Sunday at 10:30 AM we will offer three options. These three options reflect both the three different groups that presently exist within our family and allow for social distancing (we can’t all fit in the sanctuary together safely). Here are your options:
Safe. Youth Center Assembly Hall. Live stream. Touchless. Social distancing. Masks highly recommended, not for you, but for those around you. It is a proven tool for reducing the spread of disease to others. We love with masks! We will have them available if you don’t have your own.
Safer. Sanctuary. Live. Touchless. Social distancing. Masks required…and provided. This is a safer option, but still has risks. Spending an hour in a room full of people is not the same as being in a grocery store for a few minutes or picking up a pizza. Nobody knows exactly what the risks are, so we will continue to offer a third option.
Safest. Online. Live streaming. No restrictions. If you want to shake hands, hug, and socialize, have a watch party at your home! Likewise, if you are elderly, diabetic, or otherwise at risk, we urge you to stay home. We have no plans to ever discontinue FAC Online Worship. It will be our safest option for your physical health, and it will be your only option when you’re unable to reach our physical campus.
We plan to offer these three options for the foreseeable future.
This will obviously be a different experience than anything in the past. There will be no child care. The restrooms will be available for emergencies, but our goal is for everyone to touch nothing but their individual seats. The new Sunday edition of the FAC Focus will serve as your bulletin. We’ll have offering boxes as you exit (or you can give online).
We won’t be in Phase One forever. We won’t worship in three venues forever. But this is what Sunday mornings will look like for a while. Thank you in advance for your grace, your patience, your prayers, and most of all your love for one another. We love God by loving others…well. Let’s love well, family!
How do we love well? Let me close with some suggestions:
- 1. Pray. There may be no greater way to love others than prayer. The FAC Focus which will be in your e-mailbox in a few minutes always has a link to our Prayer Connection. Let our office know how we can pray for you. We have Zoom Prayer each weekday at 9 AM and it will continue for the foreseeable future.
- 2. Give. I love the stories of how people have been giving meals to one another, giving time to one another, and even sharing resources via the Benevolence fund. Our family is so generous, and if you have a need, please let our office know.
- 3. Here’s a new one. Masks. There are conflicting reports about a great many things, but one of the most consistent things I’ve heard is masks protect others. They don’t necessarily help you, but they make it harder for you to spread germs and viruses to others. I know they can be uncomfortable. I recognize it’s not necessarily easy to sing with one. They limit non-verbals which is frustrating. But masks send a message that we love others, that we love one another.
- 4. Listen. We all have opinions on the pandemic. It’s easy to look at someone with whom you disagree and condemn them for being too fearful, reckless, cautious, or ignorant. One of the reasons we are offering three venues next week is you told us there are three distinct groups within our family when it comes to gathering together. We’re blessed to have the resources to serve all three during this season.
Family, let’s love well. Next Sunday will be a real test of our love, not only for God, but also for one another. None of us knows everything about COVID-19, but we know the One who does! As we gather next Sunday online and on our campus, let’s go the extra mile to extend grace, to respect one another, to do everything possible to set aside our own preferences and rights and privileges to humbly love others well.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory. (Ephesians 2:10)
I love you, family. Next Sunday is the beginning of a new First Alliance Church. It’s going to be different. The future is going to look different. But the best is yet to come!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this online worship experience here.
God of the Impossible, 10 May 2020
10 05 20
God of the Impossible
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 9:2-32
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Nothing is impossible with our great and awesome God.
On the fringes of what has been known for decades as contemporary Christian music is a band called Daniel Amos. In 1988, they formed an anonymous spinoff called The Swirling Eddies. Some of their more interesting song titles include “Coco the talking guitar,” “Arthur Fhardy’s yodeling party,” “Outdoor Elvis,” and maybe my all-time favorite song title, “Hide the beer, the pastor’s here!”
In the midst of their playful satire and comedy, one song has stuck with me for decades. It’s entitled, “Yer’ Little Gawd.”
i don't want to speak to yer little gawd i don't want to drink to yer little gawd interface or link with yer little gawd
How big is your God?
We’re in the middle of a series called Mark: The Real Jesus. We’re looking at his life from the gospel—good news—of Mark. Perhaps the pivotal question in the entire book was when Jesus asked Peter, “Who do you say I am?” in the previous chapter.
Today’s text is packed with startling stories that bring clarity to the question of whether Jesus is fully God or fully human. The answer is yes! And he’s great!
After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. (Mark 9:2-4)
This must’ve been an incredible sight…and sound! Can you imagine the conversation? Elijah represented the prophets and Moses the law. Both are fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah. A masquerade is an outward change that does not come from within, while transfigured describes an outward change that comes from within.
Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (Mark 9:5)
Peter’s mouth is always getting him in trouble! I love John Mark’s commentary that follows in parenthesis.
(He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) (Mark 9:5-6)
Has that ever happened to you? When is the last time you were speechless…or should’ve been speechless and you couldn’t stop talking?!
Some people question whether the Bible is authentic or a bunch of fairy tales. If you were to write fiction, you wouldn’t include accounts such as Peter’s clumsy suggestions! I’m sure Peter was embarrassed about many of the things written about him, but they only show God’s amazing power to redeem and restore blemished masterpieces for His glory.
Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (Mark 9:7)
What is the most astonishing thing about this encounter? Everything! This is multi-media extravaganza! God the Father identifies Jesus once again (Mark 1:11) as His Son. The command to the three disciples is simple: listen to him!
This is a timeless message. We need to listen to Jesus. We need to obey his commands, his teachings, the “red letters” in many Bibles. We are to follow his example of loving even our enemies. We are to re-present Jesus to the world, bearing witness to the reality of God and His Kingdom, praying for it to become a reality here on earth as it is in heaven.
Family, I know we all long to be physically together again soon, but First Alliance Church is not a building or even a gathering. We are not in the business of distributing religious goods and services. Our mission is to restore God’s masterpieces. It’s to make disciples. It’s to become like Jesus and help others become like Jesus…something which is best done in small groups rather than large gatherings. Although much of Jesus’ ministry occurred with twelve disciples—a group larger than the ten we are encouraged to stay within at this present moment—his deepest work was done in the lives of these three men—Peter, James and John. Jesus did not lead a megachurch. There’s actually few references to him teaching in the synagogues. He did attract crowds—largely due to the hope of healings. But discipleship seems to happen best in smaller groups that do life together.
I’m grateful for all of our small group leaders who disciple others through Zoom, in-person socially-distanced gatherings, and one-on-one interactions. We are to listen to Jesus. We are to follow Jesus. That’s what First Alliance Church is all about, and it’s what the Father has commanded us to do…we must listen to and obey Jesus.
Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. (Mark 9:8)
The show’s over! It’s time to go home. I’m so glad there were three witnesses because I’m sure a solo observer would’ve thought they were hallucinating!
It’s worth noting nobody saw Elijah or Moses die. Elijah was taken up in a whirlwind and Moses died alone, buried by God Himself according to Deuteronomy 34:5-6.
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant. (Mark 9:9-10).
Here’s another example of Jesus predicting his death and resurrection…yet they still didn’t catch on.
And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” (Mark 9:11)
They’re talking about prophecy and the future. Elijah and Moses prepared the way for Jesus the Messiah.
Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.” (Mark 9:12-13)
Jesus tells them again that He’s the Messiah, the Son of God, the Son of Man, and that he will die. Now the scene comes to a close and a new one begins.
When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. (Mark 9:14-15)
“What are you arguing with them about?” he asked. (Mark 9:16)
A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” (Mark 9:17-18)
When is the last time you saw someone possessed by a spirit? Have you ever seen someone foaming at the mouth and gnashing their teeth?
I’ve long been fascinated by the role of the supernatural here in the west versus spirituality in other countries. I once spoke with a man who travels all over the world. He said in some parts of the planet, both demons and healings are common. The spiritual world is understood. However, he said he sees fewer demons and healings in the United States. I can’t fully explain why this may be, but I think it has something to do with our love for logic, facts, reasoning, and science which can remove the mystical, the mysterious, and the supernatural.
Are demons real? Absolutely!
Are angels real? Absolutely!
Does God still heal today? Absolutely, though sometimes God often uses doctors and medicine. But sometimes He shows up and confounds the experts with the miraculous.
Jesus often exorcised demons, offering liberation for the oppressed.
This text makes is clear there are different degrees of demons. The disciples had driven out demons before, but they were unable to drive out this one. Was it their lack of faith?
“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” (Mark 9:19)
Jesus is so real! He’s so emotionally healthy, able to express his frustration without sinning.
So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. (Mark 9:20)
There is power in the presence of Jesus. There is power in the name of Jesus!
Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” (Mark 9:21)
“From childhood,” he answered.
“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” (Mark 9:22)
Spiritual warfare is real. We have a real enemy that wants to steal, kill, and destroy. In this case, a demon repeatedly tried to kill this boy. I don’t understand all of the factors that lead to murder, self-harm, suicide, or domestic violence, but they are not from God. There are signs of the enemy all over our communities, making our job of demonstrating faith, hope, and love so vital.
To be clear, I’m not blaming every bad thing on satan—and mental illness is real—but sin leads to death, while God is the author of life, the source of every good and perfect gift, the healer and lilberator.
“ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” (Mark 9:23)
I love Jesus’ response: if you can? The father’s hesitation is understandable. After all, the disciples couldn’t help. Loving parents will do virtually anything to help their children. One of the reasons we love our mothers is their devotion, their commitment, their desire to care and seek healing for their offspring. This father had a similar passion, yet he was surely disappointed at the failure of the disciples.
This verse contains the key sentence in our scripture for today. Everything is possible for one who believes. I looked up the original Greek word for everything. The word is pas and it means…everything, whole, whatsoever, thoroughly, all. This declaration by Jesus echoes his words in Matthew 19:26…With God, all things are possible.
Did you know Ohio is the only state in the USA with a biblical motto? This is it: with God, all things are possible.
“Everything is possible for one who believes.” (Mark 9:23b)
We love, worship, serve, obey, and love the God of the impossible.
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
There it is, one of my favorite prayers in the Bible!
When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” (Mark 9:25)
Jesus didn’t want to create a scene, perhaps for both his sake and these two men.
I love Jesus’ command to not only leave, but to never return!
The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. (Mark 9:26-27)
Peter, James and John had seen everything now! First, the transfiguration of Jesus with Elijah and Moses in a supernatural moment of glory, and now a manifestation of supernatural evil. If they thought they were hallucinating before…
After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” (Mark 9:28)
He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” (Mark 9:29)
Wait! Does it ever say Jesus prayed? There’s no mention of him closing his eyes and talking to the Father. He doesn’t spit on the boy as he did with one of his earlier healings. He simply speaks with authority…an authority that comes through his ongoing relationship with the Father, praying without ceasing, not only praying to the Father or talking with the Father but doing life with the Father.
Jesus never says the disciples don’t have enough faith. He doesn’t say miracles are reserved for the Messiah. He has received the power and the authority to cast out demons from the Father, through prayer.
One of my favorite passages of scripture is known as the Great Commission where Jesus tells his followers to go and make disciples of all nations. We often forget how it begins.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18)
Jesus was given all authority…and he passed it on to his followers. Our text for today concludes…
They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. (Mark 9:30-32)
Again, he plainly tells them he will die and rise, but they were clueless.
So What?
How big is your God? Is He the sky fairy, a good luck charm, a comfort piece like a stuffed animal?
Is he the big guy upstairs who punched your ticket so you can go to heaven when you die?
Or is Jesus LORD, Messiah, King of Kings, all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present?
Family, our God is the God of the impossible. He’s the one who raises the dead, heals the sick, mends the broken, frees the oppressed, and offers hope to the hopeless. He has conquered sin, death, demons, and satan. He loves you with an everlasting love.
This isn’t positive thinking or psychobabble! Our God is awesome! He is powerful! Paul declared to a church in modern-day Turkey,
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
He can do what we ask.
He can do what we imagine.
He can do more than we ask or imagine.
He can do more than all we ask or imagine.
He can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine!
He is the God of the impossible!
Sometimes He says, “Wait.”
Sometimes He says, “No.”
Sometimes nothing happens because we simply don’t ask! Jesus’ half-brother once wrote,
What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (James 4:1-3)
We must ask. We must pray. We must follow Jesus every day, not just Sunday morning. And then we must thank and praise Him for His faithfulness and goodness.
Last Thursday was the National Day of Prayer. I participated in several online events. Perhaps there’s never been a better time in our lifetime to bow our heads and kneel before Almighty God and pray…for the impossible!
How big is your God?
When we seek first His Kingdom, His will, His plan, we can ask the God of the impossible and expect great things…because He is a great and awesome God!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this online worship experience here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 9:2-32
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Nothing is impossible with our great and awesome God.
On the fringes of what has been known for decades as contemporary Christian music is a band called Daniel Amos. In 1988, they formed an anonymous spinoff called The Swirling Eddies. Some of their more interesting song titles include “Coco the talking guitar,” “Arthur Fhardy’s yodeling party,” “Outdoor Elvis,” and maybe my all-time favorite song title, “Hide the beer, the pastor’s here!”
In the midst of their playful satire and comedy, one song has stuck with me for decades. It’s entitled, “Yer’ Little Gawd.”
i don't want to speak to yer little gawd i don't want to drink to yer little gawd interface or link with yer little gawd
How big is your God?
We’re in the middle of a series called Mark: The Real Jesus. We’re looking at his life from the gospel—good news—of Mark. Perhaps the pivotal question in the entire book was when Jesus asked Peter, “Who do you say I am?” in the previous chapter.
Today’s text is packed with startling stories that bring clarity to the question of whether Jesus is fully God or fully human. The answer is yes! And he’s great!
After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. (Mark 9:2-4)
This must’ve been an incredible sight…and sound! Can you imagine the conversation? Elijah represented the prophets and Moses the law. Both are fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah. A masquerade is an outward change that does not come from within, while transfigured describes an outward change that comes from within.
Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (Mark 9:5)
Peter’s mouth is always getting him in trouble! I love John Mark’s commentary that follows in parenthesis.
(He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) (Mark 9:5-6)
Has that ever happened to you? When is the last time you were speechless…or should’ve been speechless and you couldn’t stop talking?!
Some people question whether the Bible is authentic or a bunch of fairy tales. If you were to write fiction, you wouldn’t include accounts such as Peter’s clumsy suggestions! I’m sure Peter was embarrassed about many of the things written about him, but they only show God’s amazing power to redeem and restore blemished masterpieces for His glory.
Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (Mark 9:7)
What is the most astonishing thing about this encounter? Everything! This is multi-media extravaganza! God the Father identifies Jesus once again (Mark 1:11) as His Son. The command to the three disciples is simple: listen to him!
This is a timeless message. We need to listen to Jesus. We need to obey his commands, his teachings, the “red letters” in many Bibles. We are to follow his example of loving even our enemies. We are to re-present Jesus to the world, bearing witness to the reality of God and His Kingdom, praying for it to become a reality here on earth as it is in heaven.
Family, I know we all long to be physically together again soon, but First Alliance Church is not a building or even a gathering. We are not in the business of distributing religious goods and services. Our mission is to restore God’s masterpieces. It’s to make disciples. It’s to become like Jesus and help others become like Jesus…something which is best done in small groups rather than large gatherings. Although much of Jesus’ ministry occurred with twelve disciples—a group larger than the ten we are encouraged to stay within at this present moment—his deepest work was done in the lives of these three men—Peter, James and John. Jesus did not lead a megachurch. There’s actually few references to him teaching in the synagogues. He did attract crowds—largely due to the hope of healings. But discipleship seems to happen best in smaller groups that do life together.
I’m grateful for all of our small group leaders who disciple others through Zoom, in-person socially-distanced gatherings, and one-on-one interactions. We are to listen to Jesus. We are to follow Jesus. That’s what First Alliance Church is all about, and it’s what the Father has commanded us to do…we must listen to and obey Jesus.
Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. (Mark 9:8)
The show’s over! It’s time to go home. I’m so glad there were three witnesses because I’m sure a solo observer would’ve thought they were hallucinating!
It’s worth noting nobody saw Elijah or Moses die. Elijah was taken up in a whirlwind and Moses died alone, buried by God Himself according to Deuteronomy 34:5-6.
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant. (Mark 9:9-10).
Here’s another example of Jesus predicting his death and resurrection…yet they still didn’t catch on.
And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” (Mark 9:11)
They’re talking about prophecy and the future. Elijah and Moses prepared the way for Jesus the Messiah.
Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.” (Mark 9:12-13)
Jesus tells them again that He’s the Messiah, the Son of God, the Son of Man, and that he will die. Now the scene comes to a close and a new one begins.
When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. (Mark 9:14-15)
“What are you arguing with them about?” he asked. (Mark 9:16)
A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” (Mark 9:17-18)
When is the last time you saw someone possessed by a spirit? Have you ever seen someone foaming at the mouth and gnashing their teeth?
I’ve long been fascinated by the role of the supernatural here in the west versus spirituality in other countries. I once spoke with a man who travels all over the world. He said in some parts of the planet, both demons and healings are common. The spiritual world is understood. However, he said he sees fewer demons and healings in the United States. I can’t fully explain why this may be, but I think it has something to do with our love for logic, facts, reasoning, and science which can remove the mystical, the mysterious, and the supernatural.
Are demons real? Absolutely!
Are angels real? Absolutely!
Does God still heal today? Absolutely, though sometimes God often uses doctors and medicine. But sometimes He shows up and confounds the experts with the miraculous.
Jesus often exorcised demons, offering liberation for the oppressed.
This text makes is clear there are different degrees of demons. The disciples had driven out demons before, but they were unable to drive out this one. Was it their lack of faith?
“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” (Mark 9:19)
Jesus is so real! He’s so emotionally healthy, able to express his frustration without sinning.
So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. (Mark 9:20)
There is power in the presence of Jesus. There is power in the name of Jesus!
Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” (Mark 9:21)
“From childhood,” he answered.
“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” (Mark 9:22)
Spiritual warfare is real. We have a real enemy that wants to steal, kill, and destroy. In this case, a demon repeatedly tried to kill this boy. I don’t understand all of the factors that lead to murder, self-harm, suicide, or domestic violence, but they are not from God. There are signs of the enemy all over our communities, making our job of demonstrating faith, hope, and love so vital.
To be clear, I’m not blaming every bad thing on satan—and mental illness is real—but sin leads to death, while God is the author of life, the source of every good and perfect gift, the healer and lilberator.
“ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” (Mark 9:23)
I love Jesus’ response: if you can? The father’s hesitation is understandable. After all, the disciples couldn’t help. Loving parents will do virtually anything to help their children. One of the reasons we love our mothers is their devotion, their commitment, their desire to care and seek healing for their offspring. This father had a similar passion, yet he was surely disappointed at the failure of the disciples.
This verse contains the key sentence in our scripture for today. Everything is possible for one who believes. I looked up the original Greek word for everything. The word is pas and it means…everything, whole, whatsoever, thoroughly, all. This declaration by Jesus echoes his words in Matthew 19:26…With God, all things are possible.
Did you know Ohio is the only state in the USA with a biblical motto? This is it: with God, all things are possible.
“Everything is possible for one who believes.” (Mark 9:23b)
We love, worship, serve, obey, and love the God of the impossible.
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
There it is, one of my favorite prayers in the Bible!
When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” (Mark 9:25)
Jesus didn’t want to create a scene, perhaps for both his sake and these two men.
I love Jesus’ command to not only leave, but to never return!
The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. (Mark 9:26-27)
Peter, James and John had seen everything now! First, the transfiguration of Jesus with Elijah and Moses in a supernatural moment of glory, and now a manifestation of supernatural evil. If they thought they were hallucinating before…
After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” (Mark 9:28)
He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” (Mark 9:29)
Wait! Does it ever say Jesus prayed? There’s no mention of him closing his eyes and talking to the Father. He doesn’t spit on the boy as he did with one of his earlier healings. He simply speaks with authority…an authority that comes through his ongoing relationship with the Father, praying without ceasing, not only praying to the Father or talking with the Father but doing life with the Father.
Jesus never says the disciples don’t have enough faith. He doesn’t say miracles are reserved for the Messiah. He has received the power and the authority to cast out demons from the Father, through prayer.
One of my favorite passages of scripture is known as the Great Commission where Jesus tells his followers to go and make disciples of all nations. We often forget how it begins.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18)
Jesus was given all authority…and he passed it on to his followers. Our text for today concludes…
They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. (Mark 9:30-32)
Again, he plainly tells them he will die and rise, but they were clueless.
So What?
How big is your God? Is He the sky fairy, a good luck charm, a comfort piece like a stuffed animal?
Is he the big guy upstairs who punched your ticket so you can go to heaven when you die?
Or is Jesus LORD, Messiah, King of Kings, all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present?
Family, our God is the God of the impossible. He’s the one who raises the dead, heals the sick, mends the broken, frees the oppressed, and offers hope to the hopeless. He has conquered sin, death, demons, and satan. He loves you with an everlasting love.
This isn’t positive thinking or psychobabble! Our God is awesome! He is powerful! Paul declared to a church in modern-day Turkey,
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
He can do what we ask.
He can do what we imagine.
He can do more than we ask or imagine.
He can do more than all we ask or imagine.
He can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine!
He is the God of the impossible!
Sometimes He says, “Wait.”
Sometimes He says, “No.”
Sometimes nothing happens because we simply don’t ask! Jesus’ half-brother once wrote,
What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (James 4:1-3)
We must ask. We must pray. We must follow Jesus every day, not just Sunday morning. And then we must thank and praise Him for His faithfulness and goodness.
Last Thursday was the National Day of Prayer. I participated in several online events. Perhaps there’s never been a better time in our lifetime to bow our heads and kneel before Almighty God and pray…for the impossible!
How big is your God?
When we seek first His Kingdom, His will, His plan, we can ask the God of the impossible and expect great things…because He is a great and awesome God!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this online worship experience here.
Dead Man's Journey, 3 May 2020
03 05 20
Dead Man’s Journey
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 8:31-9:1
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Following this King is a death sentence…which leads to abundant life.
Unlike you, my dad has not been affected by coronavirus. He’s not been worried about losing his job. Not once has toilet paper been a concern. There’s no fear of catching or spreading the virus. He hasn’t even given a thought to death. Why?
He died six years ago this week!
I miss my dad terribly. He was the greatest man I ever knew. The best thing about my dad was his love for God and the way he followed Jesus. He loved the LORD. He worshipped with his time, talents, and treasures. He surrendered most everything to God, living not for himself, but for Jesus. You might say he died long before his death…and we should, too.
Jesus was the greatest teacher who ever lived. His investment in a small group of people forever changed the world. His words are quoted every day by people from most every nation, tribe, and tongue. The wisdom he delivered is revered, even by those of other religions.
As I’ve studied Jesus’ teachings, I’ve come to the conclusion that many are difficult, if not impossible. Love your neighbor as yourself is daunting, even if you have a good neighbor! The first shall be last is curious, to be sure. But our scripture today includes what may be the most radical and controversial of all of his statements: die…in order to live.
In the eighth chapter of Mark’s gospel—good news—Jesus has just healed a blind man and listened to Peter’s declaration of faith, that Jesus is the Messiah, the King. Verse thirty stated,
Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. (Mark 8:30)
It wasn’t time for his true identity to be revealed to the world. He already had people trying to kill him. There were things he needed to tell his friends.
He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. (Mark 8:31)
Jesus predicted his own death…and resurrection! He told the disciples exactly what would happen, and how. They got the message about suffering, but they all seemed to forget the resurrection prediction, but that’s for another sermon!
They were clearly confused. Why would the Messiah suffer? He’s supposed to reign. Some rabbis even thought there would be two Messiahs, one who would suffer and one who would reign. We now understand the fascinating relationship between the cross and the crown. God transformed suffering into glory while satan tempted Jesus to experience glory without suffering.
Not only did Jesus tell them what would happen in the near future,…
He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. (Mark 8:32)
Say what you want about Peter, he’s not afraid to speak him mind! He rebukes Jesus!
He has just proclaimed Jesus is the Messiah and he can’t believe the King of the Jews is going to suffer. Kings don’t give themselves up to be killed. And dead people certainly don’t come back three days later!
But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” (Mark 8:33)
Do you think Peter meant well? He was seeing with physical eyes rather than seeking spiritual vision. God had a plan, albeit unexpected.
Sometimes I take matters into my own hands instead seeking first His kingdom. Proverbs tells us to seek wise counsel, but sometimes God leads us to do things that violate conventional wisdom. Following Jesus might mean learning a new language and moving to the others side of the world. It could involve radical generosity.
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Mark 8:34)
Mic drop!
Jesus, I thought you died so I could go to heaven when I die and all I need to do is pray a prayer!
Family, a Christian is not someone who simply prays a prayer. A Christian is not another word for American, though much of the world tragically thinks they’re synonymous. A Christian is not someone that goes to church—or engages online! A Christian is not someone with Bible knowledge, mental belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus, or even someone who gives money to a local church.
A Christian is someone who follows Jesus. The word literally means “little Christ.” It’s a disciple, a student, a protégé, an apprentice, an imitator of Jesus. Jesus is defining what it means to follow him:
- deny themselves; surrender to our will and determine to obey his
- take up their cross (as in suffering and death!)
- follow Jesus obediently, wherever he leads
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Mark 8:34)
Jesus, you can’t be serious. You want me to die?
God wants us to die…to ourselves. He wants us to let go of our ego, our agenda, and even the illusion we have of control.
Just to clarify, Jesus continued,…
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. (Mark 8:35)
It’s been said that you only live once, but I disagree. In this life, sixty, eighty, or even a hundred years seem like forever, but it’s not.
Think about the pandemic. It hasn’t even been two months, yet for some of us it feels like two years!
This life is short. Compared to eternity, you couldn’t even see it on a timeline. How we live this life will impact the life to come.
This verse is one of the hardest statements in the entire Bible. It’s one of the most challenging verses ever written, and yet it’s not only true, it’s liberating.
If we die for Jesus—figuratively or even literally as millions of martyrs have done—we don’t have to worry about this life. We can let go and let God. What’s the worst thing that can happen to you? What’s the worst thing that can happen during this pandemic?
If you live for yourself, you might lose your job, your money, your health, even your life.
If you live for Jesus, you recognize everything in life is a gift, on loan from God. You don’t deserve your job, even if you worked hard to acquire it. The same goes for your money, but how quickly can your 401k become a 201k? Every good and perfect gift is from above, from God (James 1:17).
Jesus isn’t promoting suicide. He’s not saying you shouldn’t have fun, pleasure, hobbies, or recreation. He is saying…
What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? (Mark 8:36-37)
The eternal matters. The next life is infinitely longer than this one! If your entire focus is on this life, this world, this body, it’s not going to matter in a hundred years. We have all come from dust and to dust we will return. That’s the message of Lent. Again, it can all be gone in a moment.
If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38)
Yikes! That’s more than a little scary, isn’t it?
Jesus was speaking to a group of people, most of whom would become martyrs. They would die for their faith. We’ve enjoyed bountiful religious freedom in this country since its founding, but many of our brothers and sisters haven’t enjoyed such liberty.
Millions of men, women and children have been martyred—killed for their faith in Jesus, a faith that was proven by action and a willingness to die.
Jesus never asks us to do anything he doesn’t model for us. He hung up for you and me. Can we stand up for him?
It’s easier when you have nothing to live for…except Jesus. Dead people don’t fear death.
Many years ago, the gold vehicle I was driving began to take on more of a rust color! To say it was falling apart would be about right. Every member of my family urged me to get rid of it (I’m not sure if it was because they were embarrassed by its looks or afraid it would break down in the middle of nowhere!).
I liked the vehicle. I’m not even ashamed to admit it was an old minivan. I liked the sleek design and didn’t even mind the gold color. It previously belonged to my grandfather, so it had a little sentimental value. The fact that it was paid for was certainly endearing. But maybe what I loved most about it was the fact that I wasn’t afraid of getting in an accident. If someone ran into me, I wouldn’t be out much! As long as it ran, I didn’t worry about it getting scratched or damaged or even stolen. It was nearly dead so there wasn’t much to lose.
Contrast that with minivan I rented on vacation a few years ago. After getting the keys and starting it up, I looked at the odometer and I think it read about 80 miles. This was a brand new car, worth ten times more than my bank account! I drove so carefully, aware that I could actually be a perfect driver and still return it totaled if someone else was careless.
If we have nothing to lose—if we’ve already died to ourselves—there’s no fear in loss, in death.
If we have everything to lose, we live in fear, anxiety, and scarcity.
In the final verse for today, Jesus said to them,…
And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.” (Mark 9:1)
Eleven of Jesus’ twelve disciples saw the resurrected Christ. They got a sneak preview of what their future bodies will be like, and they saw satan and death defeated, hallelujah!
So What?
Our world is in turmoil. Fear abounds. Anxiety is running rampant. One report said half of the restaurants closed will never reopen. People have labored for years building businesses that are vanishing because of something that began on the other side of the world. Perhaps you’re among those who are at the end of your rope, at the bottom of the barrel, desperate. Maybe you’re engaging online right now because you don’t know where else to turn. I’ve got great news!
You can’t lose what’s not yours…and nothing is truly ours. It’s all a gift on loan from God. Our health. Our jobs. Our family. Our skills. Our talents. Our dreams.
If we truly let go and let God, we can let go of worry, fear, and anxiety. This doesn’t mean we sit around all day playing video games, but we can seek first God’s agenda, His plan, and watch Him do what only He can do.
Perhaps today is your day to let go and let God, to die to yourself and allow Jesus to give you a new life, a new heart, a new future, a new destiny. If you want to begin to follow Jesus today, you can “raise your hand” on the church online platform. If that’s you, please let us know your phone or e-mail so we can give us you some free resourced to help you get started with Jesus. Dying doesn’t sound like an attractive proposition, but it’s the only path to really living, letting Jesus “take the wheel” and be the leader of your life.
Communion
As I said, Jesus never asks us to do something he has not already modeled for us. He died…so we could live. He was the least-deserving person in history to die, much less be crucified, yet it was part of God’s plan to redeem us, to restore us, to reconcile us to Himself.
As we sing this next song together, The Wonderful Cross, if you’re a follower of Jesus, this is the time to eat the bread and drink the cup, reminders of Jesus’ body and blood sacrificed for you and me.
As we survey the wondrous cross, I want to call your attention to these lyrics:
Oh the wonderful cross
Oh the wonderful cross
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live
This is an incredible paradox, yet it’s so true.
The Wonderful Cross
What does it mean for you to deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow Jesus this week? It might mean a financial sacrifice, an extravagant gift, a kind note, or a generous act of service to someone in need. It might be putting others above yourself, wearing a mask when you don’t want to (they won’t make you safe but they might protect others). Denying yourself could involve listening when you want to speak, reading the Bible when you’d rather post on social media, or seeking forgiveness from someone you have wronged.
Someday, it might involve a greater sacrifice, a greater death to yourself. Maybe God will call you to relocate, change careers, or maybe—just maybe—die for your faith.
The dirty little secret about Christian martyrs is they really do go to a better place!
We can live for ourselves or we can live for Jesus. It’s a choice we make every day.
Family, I haven’t mastered this. It’s a daily struggle. I want to be in control. I want to be my own god. I want it my way. But when I stop, trust God, surrender, put things into His hands, and let go, there’s so much relief, satisfaction, peace, and joy.
This entire message can be described with two simple gestures. A closed fist represents our desire to hold on, to cling, to protect, to hoard. That’s what it’s like to do life in the flesh. An open hand releases everything, it signifies surrender, it’s scary because it allows everything we have to be taken away…yet it also creates space for God to bring new blessings into our lives.
Perhaps a more familiar image is water baptism, which I hope we will be able to do soon. It’s a beautiful symbol of a person dying (in a water grave) of their old life, their sinful, selfish nature and then coming out of the water resurrected, a new life in Jesus, proclaiming in word and deed that Jesus is LORD.
I want to close with two scriptures. Jesus said,
Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. (John 12:24)
Paul wrote,
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
Death is not the end. It’s only the beginning. What follows death for every follower of Jesus is live…abundant life…freedom…and ultimately resurrection.
Following Jesus is more than a prayer and a few adjustments in our ordinary lives. It’s a dangerous adventure filled with risk…and eternal rewards.
Jim Elliot—who was a Christian martyr—said,
He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.
Someday this life, this body will end. Salvation through Jesus Christ is forever.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this online worship experience here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 8:31-9:1
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Following this King is a death sentence…which leads to abundant life.
Unlike you, my dad has not been affected by coronavirus. He’s not been worried about losing his job. Not once has toilet paper been a concern. There’s no fear of catching or spreading the virus. He hasn’t even given a thought to death. Why?
He died six years ago this week!
I miss my dad terribly. He was the greatest man I ever knew. The best thing about my dad was his love for God and the way he followed Jesus. He loved the LORD. He worshipped with his time, talents, and treasures. He surrendered most everything to God, living not for himself, but for Jesus. You might say he died long before his death…and we should, too.
Jesus was the greatest teacher who ever lived. His investment in a small group of people forever changed the world. His words are quoted every day by people from most every nation, tribe, and tongue. The wisdom he delivered is revered, even by those of other religions.
As I’ve studied Jesus’ teachings, I’ve come to the conclusion that many are difficult, if not impossible. Love your neighbor as yourself is daunting, even if you have a good neighbor! The first shall be last is curious, to be sure. But our scripture today includes what may be the most radical and controversial of all of his statements: die…in order to live.
In the eighth chapter of Mark’s gospel—good news—Jesus has just healed a blind man and listened to Peter’s declaration of faith, that Jesus is the Messiah, the King. Verse thirty stated,
Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. (Mark 8:30)
It wasn’t time for his true identity to be revealed to the world. He already had people trying to kill him. There were things he needed to tell his friends.
He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. (Mark 8:31)
Jesus predicted his own death…and resurrection! He told the disciples exactly what would happen, and how. They got the message about suffering, but they all seemed to forget the resurrection prediction, but that’s for another sermon!
They were clearly confused. Why would the Messiah suffer? He’s supposed to reign. Some rabbis even thought there would be two Messiahs, one who would suffer and one who would reign. We now understand the fascinating relationship between the cross and the crown. God transformed suffering into glory while satan tempted Jesus to experience glory without suffering.
Not only did Jesus tell them what would happen in the near future,…
He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. (Mark 8:32)
Say what you want about Peter, he’s not afraid to speak him mind! He rebukes Jesus!
He has just proclaimed Jesus is the Messiah and he can’t believe the King of the Jews is going to suffer. Kings don’t give themselves up to be killed. And dead people certainly don’t come back three days later!
But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” (Mark 8:33)
Do you think Peter meant well? He was seeing with physical eyes rather than seeking spiritual vision. God had a plan, albeit unexpected.
Sometimes I take matters into my own hands instead seeking first His kingdom. Proverbs tells us to seek wise counsel, but sometimes God leads us to do things that violate conventional wisdom. Following Jesus might mean learning a new language and moving to the others side of the world. It could involve radical generosity.
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Mark 8:34)
Mic drop!
Jesus, I thought you died so I could go to heaven when I die and all I need to do is pray a prayer!
Family, a Christian is not someone who simply prays a prayer. A Christian is not another word for American, though much of the world tragically thinks they’re synonymous. A Christian is not someone that goes to church—or engages online! A Christian is not someone with Bible knowledge, mental belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus, or even someone who gives money to a local church.
A Christian is someone who follows Jesus. The word literally means “little Christ.” It’s a disciple, a student, a protégé, an apprentice, an imitator of Jesus. Jesus is defining what it means to follow him:
- deny themselves; surrender to our will and determine to obey his
- take up their cross (as in suffering and death!)
- follow Jesus obediently, wherever he leads
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Mark 8:34)
Jesus, you can’t be serious. You want me to die?
God wants us to die…to ourselves. He wants us to let go of our ego, our agenda, and even the illusion we have of control.
Just to clarify, Jesus continued,…
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. (Mark 8:35)
It’s been said that you only live once, but I disagree. In this life, sixty, eighty, or even a hundred years seem like forever, but it’s not.
Think about the pandemic. It hasn’t even been two months, yet for some of us it feels like two years!
This life is short. Compared to eternity, you couldn’t even see it on a timeline. How we live this life will impact the life to come.
This verse is one of the hardest statements in the entire Bible. It’s one of the most challenging verses ever written, and yet it’s not only true, it’s liberating.
If we die for Jesus—figuratively or even literally as millions of martyrs have done—we don’t have to worry about this life. We can let go and let God. What’s the worst thing that can happen to you? What’s the worst thing that can happen during this pandemic?
If you live for yourself, you might lose your job, your money, your health, even your life.
If you live for Jesus, you recognize everything in life is a gift, on loan from God. You don’t deserve your job, even if you worked hard to acquire it. The same goes for your money, but how quickly can your 401k become a 201k? Every good and perfect gift is from above, from God (James 1:17).
Jesus isn’t promoting suicide. He’s not saying you shouldn’t have fun, pleasure, hobbies, or recreation. He is saying…
What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? (Mark 8:36-37)
The eternal matters. The next life is infinitely longer than this one! If your entire focus is on this life, this world, this body, it’s not going to matter in a hundred years. We have all come from dust and to dust we will return. That’s the message of Lent. Again, it can all be gone in a moment.
If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38)
Yikes! That’s more than a little scary, isn’t it?
Jesus was speaking to a group of people, most of whom would become martyrs. They would die for their faith. We’ve enjoyed bountiful religious freedom in this country since its founding, but many of our brothers and sisters haven’t enjoyed such liberty.
Millions of men, women and children have been martyred—killed for their faith in Jesus, a faith that was proven by action and a willingness to die.
Jesus never asks us to do anything he doesn’t model for us. He hung up for you and me. Can we stand up for him?
It’s easier when you have nothing to live for…except Jesus. Dead people don’t fear death.
Many years ago, the gold vehicle I was driving began to take on more of a rust color! To say it was falling apart would be about right. Every member of my family urged me to get rid of it (I’m not sure if it was because they were embarrassed by its looks or afraid it would break down in the middle of nowhere!).
I liked the vehicle. I’m not even ashamed to admit it was an old minivan. I liked the sleek design and didn’t even mind the gold color. It previously belonged to my grandfather, so it had a little sentimental value. The fact that it was paid for was certainly endearing. But maybe what I loved most about it was the fact that I wasn’t afraid of getting in an accident. If someone ran into me, I wouldn’t be out much! As long as it ran, I didn’t worry about it getting scratched or damaged or even stolen. It was nearly dead so there wasn’t much to lose.
Contrast that with minivan I rented on vacation a few years ago. After getting the keys and starting it up, I looked at the odometer and I think it read about 80 miles. This was a brand new car, worth ten times more than my bank account! I drove so carefully, aware that I could actually be a perfect driver and still return it totaled if someone else was careless.
If we have nothing to lose—if we’ve already died to ourselves—there’s no fear in loss, in death.
If we have everything to lose, we live in fear, anxiety, and scarcity.
In the final verse for today, Jesus said to them,…
And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.” (Mark 9:1)
Eleven of Jesus’ twelve disciples saw the resurrected Christ. They got a sneak preview of what their future bodies will be like, and they saw satan and death defeated, hallelujah!
So What?
Our world is in turmoil. Fear abounds. Anxiety is running rampant. One report said half of the restaurants closed will never reopen. People have labored for years building businesses that are vanishing because of something that began on the other side of the world. Perhaps you’re among those who are at the end of your rope, at the bottom of the barrel, desperate. Maybe you’re engaging online right now because you don’t know where else to turn. I’ve got great news!
You can’t lose what’s not yours…and nothing is truly ours. It’s all a gift on loan from God. Our health. Our jobs. Our family. Our skills. Our talents. Our dreams.
If we truly let go and let God, we can let go of worry, fear, and anxiety. This doesn’t mean we sit around all day playing video games, but we can seek first God’s agenda, His plan, and watch Him do what only He can do.
Perhaps today is your day to let go and let God, to die to yourself and allow Jesus to give you a new life, a new heart, a new future, a new destiny. If you want to begin to follow Jesus today, you can “raise your hand” on the church online platform. If that’s you, please let us know your phone or e-mail so we can give us you some free resourced to help you get started with Jesus. Dying doesn’t sound like an attractive proposition, but it’s the only path to really living, letting Jesus “take the wheel” and be the leader of your life.
Communion
As I said, Jesus never asks us to do something he has not already modeled for us. He died…so we could live. He was the least-deserving person in history to die, much less be crucified, yet it was part of God’s plan to redeem us, to restore us, to reconcile us to Himself.
As we sing this next song together, The Wonderful Cross, if you’re a follower of Jesus, this is the time to eat the bread and drink the cup, reminders of Jesus’ body and blood sacrificed for you and me.
As we survey the wondrous cross, I want to call your attention to these lyrics:
Oh the wonderful cross
Oh the wonderful cross
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live
This is an incredible paradox, yet it’s so true.
The Wonderful Cross
What does it mean for you to deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow Jesus this week? It might mean a financial sacrifice, an extravagant gift, a kind note, or a generous act of service to someone in need. It might be putting others above yourself, wearing a mask when you don’t want to (they won’t make you safe but they might protect others). Denying yourself could involve listening when you want to speak, reading the Bible when you’d rather post on social media, or seeking forgiveness from someone you have wronged.
Someday, it might involve a greater sacrifice, a greater death to yourself. Maybe God will call you to relocate, change careers, or maybe—just maybe—die for your faith.
The dirty little secret about Christian martyrs is they really do go to a better place!
We can live for ourselves or we can live for Jesus. It’s a choice we make every day.
Family, I haven’t mastered this. It’s a daily struggle. I want to be in control. I want to be my own god. I want it my way. But when I stop, trust God, surrender, put things into His hands, and let go, there’s so much relief, satisfaction, peace, and joy.
This entire message can be described with two simple gestures. A closed fist represents our desire to hold on, to cling, to protect, to hoard. That’s what it’s like to do life in the flesh. An open hand releases everything, it signifies surrender, it’s scary because it allows everything we have to be taken away…yet it also creates space for God to bring new blessings into our lives.
Perhaps a more familiar image is water baptism, which I hope we will be able to do soon. It’s a beautiful symbol of a person dying (in a water grave) of their old life, their sinful, selfish nature and then coming out of the water resurrected, a new life in Jesus, proclaiming in word and deed that Jesus is LORD.
I want to close with two scriptures. Jesus said,
Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. (John 12:24)
Paul wrote,
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
Death is not the end. It’s only the beginning. What follows death for every follower of Jesus is live…abundant life…freedom…and ultimately resurrection.
Following Jesus is more than a prayer and a few adjustments in our ordinary lives. It’s a dangerous adventure filled with risk…and eternal rewards.
Jim Elliot—who was a Christian martyr—said,
He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.
Someday this life, this body will end. Salvation through Jesus Christ is forever.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this online worship experience here.
New Normal, 26 April 2020
26 04 20
New Normal
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 8:22-30
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: A blind man and Peter are both transformed by encounters with Jesus…and we can be, too.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it a number of buzzwords and phrases that will forever remind us of this season of life: social distancing, quarantine, and flatten the curve, for example. But there’s one phrase that is rising in popularity…and uncertainty: new normal.
There are defining moments in all of our lives which forever change how we live. Some occur on a societal level such as removing your shoes before flying since 9/11. Others are personal in nature, such as my daughter’s amputation or even my wedding day. I’ve never been the same since.
Nobody knows what life will look like on May 1, much less June, September, or January 1. One thing’s for sure: life will be forever different after coronavirus.
Today we’re going to look at defining moments in the lives of two very different people, one a stranger to Jesus and the other one of his three best friends.
We’re in the middle of a series on the book of Mark: The Real Jesus. This biography is packed with compelling stories about the life of Jesus, and our text in chapter eight is no exception.
The disciples have been traveling with Jesus and
They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” (Mark 8:22-23)
Did the blind man want to be healed? I know that seems like a crazy question, but nowhere are we told it’s his desire. People brought him to Jesus and begged Jesus to touch him. It doesn’t even say they wanted him healed, though I t seems obvious enough to us.
Jesus leads the man outside the village. That’s interesting. Couldn’t he heal the man in Bethsaida? Was he trying to get away from the crowds? Did Jesus want to heal in private?
We’re told elsewhere that the people of Bethsaida were an unbelieving bunch (Matthew 11:21). Jesus spoke “woe” and grief over them. The city was destroyed in AD 115 by an earthquake and was never rebuilt. Anyhow, just as Jesus often withdrew with his disciples away from the lake and crowds, so here Jesus leaves the village.
His healing technique was definitely unique! He spit on the guy! He spit on the man’s eyes! “Jesus, this is not sanitary!” It’s actually quite gross!
It should be noted that Jesus healed different people in different ways. Some people have formulas for prayer, hoping to manipulate God with certain words or behaviors. God’s so much bigger than rituals. He wants to know our heart. The Holy Spirit is alive and active in and through followers of Jesus.
Then the blind man is asked if he sees anything.
He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” (Mark 8:24)
Jesus, you’re off to a good start, but he’s not quite healed.
If he recognized trees, it’s possible he was not born blind, but lost his sight through an accident or disease.
Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.” (Mark 8:25-26)
Jesus heals the man. He can see! He’ll no longer be the blind guy, but the guy who used to be blind! I can’t imagine the new normal he experienced from that day forward.
We’ve noted before how Jesus is not eager to become famous. We saw last week how the Pharisees were after him, testing him and trying to ultimately kill him. This was not the time for his true identity to be revealed. He had compassion on people, but didn’t want to be the object of paparazzi! Jesus warns the man to avoid the crowds, to stay away from the village, to go home quietly…as if he could hide his vision for long!
The once-blind man could see. His new normal was filled with light…and life.
LORD, open our eyes to see what You are doing, even in this pandemic.
Open our ears to hear Your still, small voice leading and guiding us.
Open our hearts to receive all You want us to know and experience.
Most people fear change. They avoid it at all costs. Sometimes they will actually choose a worse outcome rather than a “new and improved” option out of comfort and security. But sometimes the “new normal” is actually better. It certainly was for the blind man! I can’t help but think of those precious words in Amazing Grace:
I once was lost, but now I am found
Was blind, but now I see
Ironically, the blind man in Mark 8 wasn’t the only one who couldn’t see. The disciples were often blind, clueless, unable to see and understand who they were following. After Jesus heals the blind man, he leads his friends twenty-five miles north.
Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” (Mark 8:27)
Caesarea Philippi was named after Augustus Caesar and Herod Philip. Its citizens would often declare, “Caesar is lord!” It was a pagan place filled with temples devoted to various gods. I don’t think it was an accident that Jesus asked this question in such a religious place where an emperor and even a goat were worshiped!
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” (Mark 8:28)
There was a similar list in chapter six (verse 14). Jesus was nothing like John the Baptist! He was more like Jeremiah, the weeping prophet who was rejected by his own people, called out the false religious leaders, and persecuted by those in authority.
Who do people say I am?
Much like today, many of the people in Jesus’ day didn’t understand who he was, and perhaps they didn’t really care. Public opinion was defined by Elbert Hubbard as “the judgment of the incapable many, as opposed to that of the discerning few.” Doesn’t that sound like our culture today?
There are two problems with following the crowd. First, the crowd rarely, if ever, follows God. When we do what everyone’s doing, we’re almost certainly breaking the first two Commandments to have no other gods or idols. The second problem with following the crowd is the crowd is always changing. Look at fashion. Look at architecture. Look at what is politically correct.
The Bible is old school. God never changes. He’s doing new things, but He never changes.
He provided for Abraham.
He was trustworthy for Elijah.
He was faithful to the disciples.
He continues to be good…so good!
Every day we make choices to do what’s popular or follow God.
Now Jesus gets personal with Peter.
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” (Mark 8:29a)
Here was Peter’s response:
Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” (Mark 8:29b)
This is the first use of the word “Messiah” in the book of Mark since the first sentence:
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, (Mark 1:1)
Messiah was more than a title. It was a politically dangerous declaration, stating Jesus is the true King of Israel. It meant he was the “anointed one.” Jesus is more than a prophet announcing the kingdom of God; he’s the king! Such pronouncements could get Jesus killed. They did! Such pronouncements could get Peter killed. That happened, too! It’s no wonder that…
Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. (Mark 8:30)
We often look at Jesus as this wonderful, perfect person of peace who brought nothing but wisdom, healing, hope, and forgiveness to the world. He did, but even good things are threatening to evil. Life is threatening to death. Jesus is threatening to satan.
So What?
The blind man and the disciples experience a new normal. The blind man goes from darkness to seeing people like trees to seeing things clearly.
The disciples go from seeing Jesus as a rabbi to seeing him as a prophet to seeing him as the Messiah.
Where are you at today? Who do you say Jesus is? It matters. I think it’s the most important question in life. Perhaps you’re thinking, “He’s my Savior.” Great! But there’s so much more to Jesus than the cross and being saved from the penalty of your sins. Author, pastor, and professor David Fitch notes,
“The shift from accepting Jesus as Savior (and Lord) to submitting to (putting complete trust in) Jesus as Lord (and Savior) fundamentally changes the phenomenology (experience) of salvation. Salvation is reframed ... from seeing/experiencing God at work in me (first) to seeing God at work in the world (first) governing all things in Christ for His purposes. Into this I am saved (and find "me" all over again).” – David Fitch
In other words, we need to go from seeing Jesus as a great teacher to seeing him as savior to making him LORD. The boss. Our leader.
If you haven’t figured it out by now, you’re really not in control of much in this life. One event on the other side of the world can quarantine you, cost you your job, make toilet paper scarce, and wipe out your sports channels.
Some of you say you believe in God, but you’re not following him. He’s not leading your life. How’s that working out for you?
Jesus wants to be LORD. Nothing less. He wants your complete surrender and allegiance…not because he’s a control freak, but because he’s got a better way, a better plan. He loves you. He proved it by dying for you. Who else has ever died for you? His message to the disciples was simple: follow me. That remains his invitation today.
I urge you…make Jesus LORD…today…and tomorrow…and this week. What does that mean? It begins with time in the Bible, discovering his plans for your life. It begins with prayer, talking with God. It begins with seeking first his will and kingdom and plan rather than doing whatever you want. By the way, his rules are never meant to harm you or take away your fun. They’re only there for your benefit, for your flourishing.
Conclusion
There’s no doubt our future will be different than the past. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Open your eyes and see Jesus is LORD…and declare it with your life. If you haven’t already done so, give your life to Jesus. Simply says, “Jesus, I give you my life.” When you do, you not only get Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit who is able to guide, comfort, and fill you, making you more like Jesus. We don’t become like Jesus by trying harder. It begins with surrender. It continues with pursuit. It takes a lifetime, but what a journey! What an adventure! A new…better normal!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this online worship experience here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 8:22-30
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: A blind man and Peter are both transformed by encounters with Jesus…and we can be, too.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it a number of buzzwords and phrases that will forever remind us of this season of life: social distancing, quarantine, and flatten the curve, for example. But there’s one phrase that is rising in popularity…and uncertainty: new normal.
There are defining moments in all of our lives which forever change how we live. Some occur on a societal level such as removing your shoes before flying since 9/11. Others are personal in nature, such as my daughter’s amputation or even my wedding day. I’ve never been the same since.
Nobody knows what life will look like on May 1, much less June, September, or January 1. One thing’s for sure: life will be forever different after coronavirus.
Today we’re going to look at defining moments in the lives of two very different people, one a stranger to Jesus and the other one of his three best friends.
We’re in the middle of a series on the book of Mark: The Real Jesus. This biography is packed with compelling stories about the life of Jesus, and our text in chapter eight is no exception.
The disciples have been traveling with Jesus and
They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” (Mark 8:22-23)
Did the blind man want to be healed? I know that seems like a crazy question, but nowhere are we told it’s his desire. People brought him to Jesus and begged Jesus to touch him. It doesn’t even say they wanted him healed, though I t seems obvious enough to us.
Jesus leads the man outside the village. That’s interesting. Couldn’t he heal the man in Bethsaida? Was he trying to get away from the crowds? Did Jesus want to heal in private?
We’re told elsewhere that the people of Bethsaida were an unbelieving bunch (Matthew 11:21). Jesus spoke “woe” and grief over them. The city was destroyed in AD 115 by an earthquake and was never rebuilt. Anyhow, just as Jesus often withdrew with his disciples away from the lake and crowds, so here Jesus leaves the village.
His healing technique was definitely unique! He spit on the guy! He spit on the man’s eyes! “Jesus, this is not sanitary!” It’s actually quite gross!
It should be noted that Jesus healed different people in different ways. Some people have formulas for prayer, hoping to manipulate God with certain words or behaviors. God’s so much bigger than rituals. He wants to know our heart. The Holy Spirit is alive and active in and through followers of Jesus.
Then the blind man is asked if he sees anything.
He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” (Mark 8:24)
Jesus, you’re off to a good start, but he’s not quite healed.
If he recognized trees, it’s possible he was not born blind, but lost his sight through an accident or disease.
Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.” (Mark 8:25-26)
Jesus heals the man. He can see! He’ll no longer be the blind guy, but the guy who used to be blind! I can’t imagine the new normal he experienced from that day forward.
We’ve noted before how Jesus is not eager to become famous. We saw last week how the Pharisees were after him, testing him and trying to ultimately kill him. This was not the time for his true identity to be revealed. He had compassion on people, but didn’t want to be the object of paparazzi! Jesus warns the man to avoid the crowds, to stay away from the village, to go home quietly…as if he could hide his vision for long!
The once-blind man could see. His new normal was filled with light…and life.
LORD, open our eyes to see what You are doing, even in this pandemic.
Open our ears to hear Your still, small voice leading and guiding us.
Open our hearts to receive all You want us to know and experience.
Most people fear change. They avoid it at all costs. Sometimes they will actually choose a worse outcome rather than a “new and improved” option out of comfort and security. But sometimes the “new normal” is actually better. It certainly was for the blind man! I can’t help but think of those precious words in Amazing Grace:
I once was lost, but now I am found
Was blind, but now I see
Ironically, the blind man in Mark 8 wasn’t the only one who couldn’t see. The disciples were often blind, clueless, unable to see and understand who they were following. After Jesus heals the blind man, he leads his friends twenty-five miles north.
Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” (Mark 8:27)
Caesarea Philippi was named after Augustus Caesar and Herod Philip. Its citizens would often declare, “Caesar is lord!” It was a pagan place filled with temples devoted to various gods. I don’t think it was an accident that Jesus asked this question in such a religious place where an emperor and even a goat were worshiped!
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” (Mark 8:28)
There was a similar list in chapter six (verse 14). Jesus was nothing like John the Baptist! He was more like Jeremiah, the weeping prophet who was rejected by his own people, called out the false religious leaders, and persecuted by those in authority.
Who do people say I am?
Much like today, many of the people in Jesus’ day didn’t understand who he was, and perhaps they didn’t really care. Public opinion was defined by Elbert Hubbard as “the judgment of the incapable many, as opposed to that of the discerning few.” Doesn’t that sound like our culture today?
There are two problems with following the crowd. First, the crowd rarely, if ever, follows God. When we do what everyone’s doing, we’re almost certainly breaking the first two Commandments to have no other gods or idols. The second problem with following the crowd is the crowd is always changing. Look at fashion. Look at architecture. Look at what is politically correct.
The Bible is old school. God never changes. He’s doing new things, but He never changes.
He provided for Abraham.
He was trustworthy for Elijah.
He was faithful to the disciples.
He continues to be good…so good!
Every day we make choices to do what’s popular or follow God.
Now Jesus gets personal with Peter.
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” (Mark 8:29a)
Here was Peter’s response:
Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” (Mark 8:29b)
This is the first use of the word “Messiah” in the book of Mark since the first sentence:
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, (Mark 1:1)
Messiah was more than a title. It was a politically dangerous declaration, stating Jesus is the true King of Israel. It meant he was the “anointed one.” Jesus is more than a prophet announcing the kingdom of God; he’s the king! Such pronouncements could get Jesus killed. They did! Such pronouncements could get Peter killed. That happened, too! It’s no wonder that…
Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. (Mark 8:30)
We often look at Jesus as this wonderful, perfect person of peace who brought nothing but wisdom, healing, hope, and forgiveness to the world. He did, but even good things are threatening to evil. Life is threatening to death. Jesus is threatening to satan.
So What?
The blind man and the disciples experience a new normal. The blind man goes from darkness to seeing people like trees to seeing things clearly.
The disciples go from seeing Jesus as a rabbi to seeing him as a prophet to seeing him as the Messiah.
Where are you at today? Who do you say Jesus is? It matters. I think it’s the most important question in life. Perhaps you’re thinking, “He’s my Savior.” Great! But there’s so much more to Jesus than the cross and being saved from the penalty of your sins. Author, pastor, and professor David Fitch notes,
“The shift from accepting Jesus as Savior (and Lord) to submitting to (putting complete trust in) Jesus as Lord (and Savior) fundamentally changes the phenomenology (experience) of salvation. Salvation is reframed ... from seeing/experiencing God at work in me (first) to seeing God at work in the world (first) governing all things in Christ for His purposes. Into this I am saved (and find "me" all over again).” – David Fitch
In other words, we need to go from seeing Jesus as a great teacher to seeing him as savior to making him LORD. The boss. Our leader.
If you haven’t figured it out by now, you’re really not in control of much in this life. One event on the other side of the world can quarantine you, cost you your job, make toilet paper scarce, and wipe out your sports channels.
Some of you say you believe in God, but you’re not following him. He’s not leading your life. How’s that working out for you?
Jesus wants to be LORD. Nothing less. He wants your complete surrender and allegiance…not because he’s a control freak, but because he’s got a better way, a better plan. He loves you. He proved it by dying for you. Who else has ever died for you? His message to the disciples was simple: follow me. That remains his invitation today.
I urge you…make Jesus LORD…today…and tomorrow…and this week. What does that mean? It begins with time in the Bible, discovering his plans for your life. It begins with prayer, talking with God. It begins with seeking first his will and kingdom and plan rather than doing whatever you want. By the way, his rules are never meant to harm you or take away your fun. They’re only there for your benefit, for your flourishing.
Conclusion
There’s no doubt our future will be different than the past. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Open your eyes and see Jesus is LORD…and declare it with your life. If you haven’t already done so, give your life to Jesus. Simply says, “Jesus, I give you my life.” When you do, you not only get Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit who is able to guide, comfort, and fill you, making you more like Jesus. We don’t become like Jesus by trying harder. It begins with surrender. It continues with pursuit. It takes a lifetime, but what a journey! What an adventure! A new…better normal!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this online worship experience here.
Bread & Signs, 19 April 2020
20 04 20
Bread and Signs
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 8:1-21
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: We must never forget God’s abilities…or evil’s capabilities.
Many years ago, I saw a television special featuring comedian Bill Engvall. His debut comedy album was entitled, “Here’s Your Sign.” This is what Wikipedia says about it:
The title of this album refers to a routine framework commonly used by Engvall, which began with his stating that stupid people should have to wear warning signs that simply state "I'm stupid" so that no one will rely on them or ask them anything. He would then go on to tell several anecdotes in which someone asks an (obviously) asinine question, and the question is then answered sarcastically, followed by the statement: "Here's your sign!" For example, a trucker gets his truck stuck under an overpass, and the responding policeman asks "Hey, you get your truck stuck?" The trucker answers, "No sir, I was delivering that overpass and I ran out of gas. Here's your sign!"
Here are some other examples I found online:
It’s like before my wife and I moved. Our house was full of boxes and there was a U-Haul truck in our driveway. My neighbor comes over and says, “Hey, you moving?” “Nope. We just pack our stuff up once or twice a week to see how many boxes it takes. Here’s your sign.”
A couple of months ago I went fishing with a buddy of mine, we pulled his boat into the dock, I lifted up this big ol’ stringer of bass and this idiot on the dock goes, “Hey, y’all catch all them fish?” “Nope. Talked ’em into giving up. Here’s your sign.”
Last time I had a flat tire, I pulled my truck into one of those side-of-the-road gas stations. The attendant walks out, looks at my truck, looks at me, and I SWEAR he said, “Tire go flat?” I couldn’t resist. I said, “Nope. I was driving around and those other three just swelled right up on me. Here’s your sign.”
It may seem odd to follow Resurrection Sunday with a study of the life of Jesus before Holy Week, but we’ve been looking at Mark’s gospel—or good news—of Jesus for literally years now—with many breaks—and we’re going to pick up where we left off…at Mark chapter 8. Here we will see Jesus encounter two groups of people, one receiving a sign and another seeking one.
Today we’re looking at signs…from heaven.
During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.” (Mark 8:1-3)
Two weeks ago, the drama team of H2—Heather and Hank—had a discussion about Jesus feeding 5000 or 4000 people. He did both! In Mark chapter six, Jesus feeds a crowd of five thousand men—plus women and children—with one boy’s lunch after a long day of teaching. Here, Jesus must be doing a three-day conference! The people are hungry, and Jesus wants to feed them. He’s a gracious host! He’s compassionate.
His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?” (Mark 8:4)
Jesus fed a huge crowd two chapters earlier with a boy’s lunch! Hello? Did we already forget God’s power? Who’s in charge here?
“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.
“Seven,” they replied. (Mark 8:5)
I wonder if the light bulb went on. When did they realize the table was set for another miracle, another sign from God, another moment of heaven kissing earth?
He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. (Mark 8:6-7)
I love how Jesus involves the disciples. He’s the greatest leader in history! His investment in eleven ragamuffins in just three years changed the world!
I love his process. If you are a leader or parent or teacher, here’s the best way to transfer knowledge, to “pass the baton.”
I do. You watch.
I do. You help.
You do. I watch.
You do. Someone else watches and I celebrate.
Mike Breen of 3DM, creator of LifeShapes, describes the discipleship square like this:
Jesus and his disciples leave the scene of this miraculous feeding and head in a boat to Dalmanutha (nobody is exactly sure where this is located along the Sea of Galilee).
The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side. (Mark 8:11:13)
That was a short scene! Jesus gives thousands of people a clear sign of his deity and then the religious folk test him. I love the NIV translation in verse twelve: he sighed deeply. The Pharisees are demanding Jesus to prove he is God, yet they are clueless. Jesus won’t play their games. If they can’t figure it out on their own, he’s not about to waste his time and energy pandering to his critics. He doesn’t give them another sign (the Greek word semeion means miracle, sign, token, or wonder). Faith does not ask for signs, much less demand them.
Some people today say they’d believe in God if they could see Him. I doubt it. Jesus spent three years performing miracles and while some believed, others didn’t. While some followed, others had him killed.
It sounds good to say you only believe in science, but what is science? It’s ever-changing. What do we know absolutely about COVID-19? The data seems to be evolving, the questions growing.
I’m not against science. I’m grateful for it. There are some things we know with a high degree of certainty, like if I drop a bowling ball above my shoe, I will likely experience pain as gravity moves the ball toward my foot. Or if I run over my wife’s foot with her car…
But some people use science as a justification for their unbelief, their rejection of God. Let’s face it, we all know facts intellectually which we reject practically.
We know Twinkies and Mountain Dew and smoking and drugs can damage our bodies. We know flossing our teeth will reduce cavities. We know rest is important. We know we shouldn’t hoard toilet paper! See, data is not enough. Signs or miracles aren’t enough, either. Faith does not ask for signs. It seeks truth.
Please understand, I’m not talking about blind faith. I’m not talking about a leap of faith. I’m simply saying if you look at the evidence, you’ll discover as many former atheists have that the Bible checks out, the resurrection is a reality, and the real question is will we respond in obedience or rebellion to God.
If you have sincere questions, please ask them. Send me an e-mail. Call our office. We’re here to serve you and help you on your journey. But if your arms are folded and you just want to make demands of God, don’t be surprised if He’s quiet.
The ultimate sign—the ultimate miracle—was Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (Acts 2:22-26; 3:12-26) and that wasn’t enough for many (see also Luke 16:22-31).
For followers of Jesus, we are to remember God’s provision. He taught us to pray for daily bread (echoing Proverbs 30:8). He can not only provide for us, He loves to involve us in the process, whether it’s getting a job so we can feed our families or blessing us with resources to share with others. Jesus could’ve had food fall from the sky (that happened before!), but he allowed the disciples to participate, and he invites us to participate, too. This is why, for example, we have a Benevolence Fund to take care of family members in need.
By the way, sometimes people paint Jesus as this weak, soft, pushover. He was not! He was kind and compassionate—especially to the weak, poor, and hurting—but he did get angry (in the temple with the money changers, for example). He wasn’t afraid to speak the truth, call out hypocrisy, or confront sin…in love.
Now the thirteen men get back in the boat for a ride across the sea, but there’s a problem.
The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. (Mark 8:14)
Here we go again! They’re short on bread. They left seven basketfuls back at the shore. What will they do? Will they starve? Hardly! Jesus ignores their hunger and utilizes the bread as an object lesson.
“Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.” (Mark 8:15)
Jesus rarely said, “Beware” or “be careful,” but when he did, he meant it.
Examples of leaven or yeast include false doctrine (Galatians 5:1-9), hypocrisy (Luke 12:1), and unaddressed sin (1 Corinthians 5). Of course, the Pharisees were guilty of hypocrisy, while the Herodians followed Herod and his vision for the Jews. They both asked for signs (Luke 23:8).
For Jesus, this is a teachable moment. Bread was on their minds, and he used it as a metaphor. Leaven or yeast was forbidden at certain times in the Jewish festivals, not because it was unhealthy, but because of symbolism related to the Exodus.
We are to remember God’s purity. His Word is true. His ways are perfect. Be careful of false doctrine, hypocrisy, and unaddressed sin, church. Beware of pride, self-righteousness, and the things of this world.
Jesus is teaching the disciples to be avoid sin, and all they can think about is their bread shortage.
They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.” (Mark 8:16)
Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”
“Twelve,” they replied. (Mark 8:17-19)
“And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls eof pieces did you pick up?”
They answered, “Seven.” (Mark 8:20)
He said to them, “Do you still not understand?” (Mark 8:21)
Mark had written after the feeding of the 5000, the disciples
…had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. (Mark 6:52).
That’s the key…the heart. The disciples watch Jesus perform miracles right before their eyes, but they were clueless and filled with unbelief.
The disciples were almost as blind as the Pharisees…with dull minds, hard hearts, and deaf ears (Mark 4:11-12). Ironically, Jesus will heal the blind (8:22-26) and the deaf (8:32-35) later in this chapter.
We are to remember God’s promises. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. He has assured us of his forgiveness. He proved His love during Holy Week. So many of our problems arise from failing to know and claim His promises, instead living in fear and plagued by anxiety. You want a sign? The Bible is packed with them!
So What?
Every day we make choices, to trust God or ignore Him. To follow God or abandon Him. To live by faith or be consumed by fear. To remember His promises or forget His faithfulness.
He said to them, “Do you still not understand?” (Mark 8:21)
I’m sure God asks me this question all the time.
“Kirk, I’ve proven myself over and over, yet you worry.”
“I’ve provided again and again, yet you’re anxious.”
“I’ve taken care of you throughout your life, yet you wonder if I can handle your concern.”
That’s why I pray, “LORD, I believe. Help me in my unbelief (Mark 9:24).”
In our text today, Jesus provided a sign from heaven, a miracle, a bounty of bread. One writer—J. Vernon McGee—noted, “When God is in it, you will notice, there is always a surplus.” God provided.
We also saw unbelieving people demanding a sign, religious people with no interest in a relationship with God, obedience, and surrender. God is perfect, holy, and pure.
Finally, we see the clueless disciples who can’t understand the history unfolding right in front of them, forgetting God’s goodness and bounty. He always keeps His promises.
In a word, remember. Why? We easily forget!
Psalm 103 says,
1 Praise the LORD, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the LORD, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalm 103:1-5)
We are to remember God’s provision.
We are to remember God’s purity.
We are to remember God’s promises.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this online worship experience here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 8:1-21
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: We must never forget God’s abilities…or evil’s capabilities.
Many years ago, I saw a television special featuring comedian Bill Engvall. His debut comedy album was entitled, “Here’s Your Sign.” This is what Wikipedia says about it:
The title of this album refers to a routine framework commonly used by Engvall, which began with his stating that stupid people should have to wear warning signs that simply state "I'm stupid" so that no one will rely on them or ask them anything. He would then go on to tell several anecdotes in which someone asks an (obviously) asinine question, and the question is then answered sarcastically, followed by the statement: "Here's your sign!" For example, a trucker gets his truck stuck under an overpass, and the responding policeman asks "Hey, you get your truck stuck?" The trucker answers, "No sir, I was delivering that overpass and I ran out of gas. Here's your sign!"
Here are some other examples I found online:
It’s like before my wife and I moved. Our house was full of boxes and there was a U-Haul truck in our driveway. My neighbor comes over and says, “Hey, you moving?” “Nope. We just pack our stuff up once or twice a week to see how many boxes it takes. Here’s your sign.”
A couple of months ago I went fishing with a buddy of mine, we pulled his boat into the dock, I lifted up this big ol’ stringer of bass and this idiot on the dock goes, “Hey, y’all catch all them fish?” “Nope. Talked ’em into giving up. Here’s your sign.”
Last time I had a flat tire, I pulled my truck into one of those side-of-the-road gas stations. The attendant walks out, looks at my truck, looks at me, and I SWEAR he said, “Tire go flat?” I couldn’t resist. I said, “Nope. I was driving around and those other three just swelled right up on me. Here’s your sign.”
It may seem odd to follow Resurrection Sunday with a study of the life of Jesus before Holy Week, but we’ve been looking at Mark’s gospel—or good news—of Jesus for literally years now—with many breaks—and we’re going to pick up where we left off…at Mark chapter 8. Here we will see Jesus encounter two groups of people, one receiving a sign and another seeking one.
Today we’re looking at signs…from heaven.
During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.” (Mark 8:1-3)
Two weeks ago, the drama team of H2—Heather and Hank—had a discussion about Jesus feeding 5000 or 4000 people. He did both! In Mark chapter six, Jesus feeds a crowd of five thousand men—plus women and children—with one boy’s lunch after a long day of teaching. Here, Jesus must be doing a three-day conference! The people are hungry, and Jesus wants to feed them. He’s a gracious host! He’s compassionate.
His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?” (Mark 8:4)
Jesus fed a huge crowd two chapters earlier with a boy’s lunch! Hello? Did we already forget God’s power? Who’s in charge here?
“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.
“Seven,” they replied. (Mark 8:5)
I wonder if the light bulb went on. When did they realize the table was set for another miracle, another sign from God, another moment of heaven kissing earth?
He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. (Mark 8:6-7)
I love how Jesus involves the disciples. He’s the greatest leader in history! His investment in eleven ragamuffins in just three years changed the world!
I love his process. If you are a leader or parent or teacher, here’s the best way to transfer knowledge, to “pass the baton.”
I do. You watch.
I do. You help.
You do. I watch.
You do. Someone else watches and I celebrate.
Mike Breen of 3DM, creator of LifeShapes, describes the discipleship square like this:
Where are they at in this story? Step 2. Jesus is doing and they help. Can you imagine helping Jesus?!
The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. About four thousand were present. After he had sent them away, he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha. (Mark 8:8 -10)
Much could be said about the numbers in this story. Just like standing “six feet away” means more to us than some random distance, the number seven—fish and basketfuls of leftovers—would have had special significance to both the participants in and readers of this account. The number seven is one of the most important numbers in the Bible, as is twelve from the feeding of the 5000. Some have said the twelve baskets represented the twelve tribes of Israel while the seven represents the Gentile world of 70 nations.
Jesus feeds four thousand people who ate and were satisfied. I’m quite sure many saw this miracle as a sign that the long-awaited Messiah was in their presence, though some may have been unaware of the miracle, the sign, the wonder that occurred in their midst. The crowd received three days of transformational teaching from the Messiah…and got a free meal, too!
Just for fun, here’s a comparison of the two feeding miracles.
Mark 6:35-44 | Mark 8:1-9 |
| 5000 | 4000 |
| One day | Three days |
| Food concerns was money | Food concern was remote location |
| Five loaves, two fish | Seven loaves, a few fish |
| Twelve small wicker lunch baskets left | Seven large hampers of food left |
| “You give them something to eat.” | “How many loaves do you have?” |
| Sit on the green grass | Sit on the ground |
Jesus and his disciples leave the scene of this miraculous feeding and head in a boat to Dalmanutha (nobody is exactly sure where this is located along the Sea of Galilee).
The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side. (Mark 8:11:13)
That was a short scene! Jesus gives thousands of people a clear sign of his deity and then the religious folk test him. I love the NIV translation in verse twelve: he sighed deeply. The Pharisees are demanding Jesus to prove he is God, yet they are clueless. Jesus won’t play their games. If they can’t figure it out on their own, he’s not about to waste his time and energy pandering to his critics. He doesn’t give them another sign (the Greek word semeion means miracle, sign, token, or wonder). Faith does not ask for signs, much less demand them.
Some people today say they’d believe in God if they could see Him. I doubt it. Jesus spent three years performing miracles and while some believed, others didn’t. While some followed, others had him killed.
It sounds good to say you only believe in science, but what is science? It’s ever-changing. What do we know absolutely about COVID-19? The data seems to be evolving, the questions growing.
I’m not against science. I’m grateful for it. There are some things we know with a high degree of certainty, like if I drop a bowling ball above my shoe, I will likely experience pain as gravity moves the ball toward my foot. Or if I run over my wife’s foot with her car…
But some people use science as a justification for their unbelief, their rejection of God. Let’s face it, we all know facts intellectually which we reject practically.
We know Twinkies and Mountain Dew and smoking and drugs can damage our bodies. We know flossing our teeth will reduce cavities. We know rest is important. We know we shouldn’t hoard toilet paper! See, data is not enough. Signs or miracles aren’t enough, either. Faith does not ask for signs. It seeks truth.
Please understand, I’m not talking about blind faith. I’m not talking about a leap of faith. I’m simply saying if you look at the evidence, you’ll discover as many former atheists have that the Bible checks out, the resurrection is a reality, and the real question is will we respond in obedience or rebellion to God.
If you have sincere questions, please ask them. Send me an e-mail. Call our office. We’re here to serve you and help you on your journey. But if your arms are folded and you just want to make demands of God, don’t be surprised if He’s quiet.
The ultimate sign—the ultimate miracle—was Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (Acts 2:22-26; 3:12-26) and that wasn’t enough for many (see also Luke 16:22-31).
For followers of Jesus, we are to remember God’s provision. He taught us to pray for daily bread (echoing Proverbs 30:8). He can not only provide for us, He loves to involve us in the process, whether it’s getting a job so we can feed our families or blessing us with resources to share with others. Jesus could’ve had food fall from the sky (that happened before!), but he allowed the disciples to participate, and he invites us to participate, too. This is why, for example, we have a Benevolence Fund to take care of family members in need.
By the way, sometimes people paint Jesus as this weak, soft, pushover. He was not! He was kind and compassionate—especially to the weak, poor, and hurting—but he did get angry (in the temple with the money changers, for example). He wasn’t afraid to speak the truth, call out hypocrisy, or confront sin…in love.
Now the thirteen men get back in the boat for a ride across the sea, but there’s a problem.
The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. (Mark 8:14)
Here we go again! They’re short on bread. They left seven basketfuls back at the shore. What will they do? Will they starve? Hardly! Jesus ignores their hunger and utilizes the bread as an object lesson.
“Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.” (Mark 8:15)
Jesus rarely said, “Beware” or “be careful,” but when he did, he meant it.
Examples of leaven or yeast include false doctrine (Galatians 5:1-9), hypocrisy (Luke 12:1), and unaddressed sin (1 Corinthians 5). Of course, the Pharisees were guilty of hypocrisy, while the Herodians followed Herod and his vision for the Jews. They both asked for signs (Luke 23:8).
For Jesus, this is a teachable moment. Bread was on their minds, and he used it as a metaphor. Leaven or yeast was forbidden at certain times in the Jewish festivals, not because it was unhealthy, but because of symbolism related to the Exodus.
We are to remember God’s purity. His Word is true. His ways are perfect. Be careful of false doctrine, hypocrisy, and unaddressed sin, church. Beware of pride, self-righteousness, and the things of this world.
Jesus is teaching the disciples to be avoid sin, and all they can think about is their bread shortage.
They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.” (Mark 8:16)
Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”
“Twelve,” they replied. (Mark 8:17-19)
“And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls eof pieces did you pick up?”
They answered, “Seven.” (Mark 8:20)
He said to them, “Do you still not understand?” (Mark 8:21)
Mark had written after the feeding of the 5000, the disciples
…had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. (Mark 6:52).
That’s the key…the heart. The disciples watch Jesus perform miracles right before their eyes, but they were clueless and filled with unbelief.
The disciples were almost as blind as the Pharisees…with dull minds, hard hearts, and deaf ears (Mark 4:11-12). Ironically, Jesus will heal the blind (8:22-26) and the deaf (8:32-35) later in this chapter.
We are to remember God’s promises. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. He has assured us of his forgiveness. He proved His love during Holy Week. So many of our problems arise from failing to know and claim His promises, instead living in fear and plagued by anxiety. You want a sign? The Bible is packed with them!
So What?
Every day we make choices, to trust God or ignore Him. To follow God or abandon Him. To live by faith or be consumed by fear. To remember His promises or forget His faithfulness.
He said to them, “Do you still not understand?” (Mark 8:21)
I’m sure God asks me this question all the time.
“Kirk, I’ve proven myself over and over, yet you worry.”
“I’ve provided again and again, yet you’re anxious.”
“I’ve taken care of you throughout your life, yet you wonder if I can handle your concern.”
That’s why I pray, “LORD, I believe. Help me in my unbelief (Mark 9:24).”
In our text today, Jesus provided a sign from heaven, a miracle, a bounty of bread. One writer—J. Vernon McGee—noted, “When God is in it, you will notice, there is always a surplus.” God provided.
We also saw unbelieving people demanding a sign, religious people with no interest in a relationship with God, obedience, and surrender. God is perfect, holy, and pure.
Finally, we see the clueless disciples who can’t understand the history unfolding right in front of them, forgetting God’s goodness and bounty. He always keeps His promises.
In a word, remember. Why? We easily forget!
Psalm 103 says,
1 Praise the LORD, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the LORD, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalm 103:1-5)
We are to remember God’s provision.
We are to remember God’s purity.
We are to remember God’s promises.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this online worship experience here.
Resurrection Sunday: Finding the Cure, 12 April 2020
13 04 20
Resurrection Sunday: Finding the Cure
Big idea: Resurrection Sunday is all about a cure for sin and death.
Welcome to First Alliance Church Online Worship on this Resurrection Sunday. On Friday, we remembered Jesus experiencing death, a brutal crucifixion on the cross.
Many of you are experiencing pain, loss, and grief today. Jesus certainly knows those emotions. He understands.
You may be filled with fear and anxiety. Today we want to fill you with hope. The message of Easter is that God is with us, miracles do happen, eternal and abundant life is available, and Jesus is alive!
My name is Kirk and this morning our parking lot is empty.
Our sanctuary seats are empty.
But so is the tomb of Jesus Christ!
He is Risen! He is risen, indeed!
We want you to not only watch today…we want you to engage. You can chat, request prayer, give, even raise your hand online. Just for fun, can you chat your zip code right now. I think it’ll be fun to see who’s with us this morning.
I want to offer a warm welcome to our First Alliance family. I miss being with you in person, but great things are happening online. A special shout-out goes to family and friends joining us today, including international friends from the University of Toledo. Go Rockets!
COVID-19 has postponed the baseball season. It has cancelled the British Open golf tournament and the Wimbledon tennis tournament. It has disrupted all of our lives. But it can’t change the greatest story ever told, a story that continues to transform lives thousands of years later, for people all over the globe. Welcome to Resurrection Sunday!
It’s time to celebrate! It’s time to sing! Wherever you are, please join us!
Introduction
If you could be famous for one thing right now in our world, what would you want it to be? In these interesting times, being a great actor doesn’t really matter. Athletes are irrelevant at the moment. Politicians should be worried about serving people rather than…well, let’s not go there! If you want to earn the attention and praise of humanity, there’s one simple thing you need to do: discover a cure for the virus.
Can you imagine what it would be like to find the cure? I don’t mean a vaccine, but a cure. Lives would be saved. Fear would diminish. The economy would rebound. We could find toilet paper! Perhaps best of all, I could see and hug our granddaughter again!
Although it’s hard to believe, there is something more devastating to our planet than coronavirus. It not only impacts every person on the planet, it has affected every human who has ever been on earth. It’s so common, we often fail to recognize it, though we encounter it every single day. The word itself has drifted from our vocabulary, yet its presence has never been more real. The greatest problem in our world is…sin. And there’s something greater than a vaccine. There’s a cure!
Pastor Kirk, it’s Easter and you want to talk about sin? Yes! It’s the reason we have Easter. Let me back up just a bit.
Why are you here…on this planet? Have you ever stopped to think about the meaning of life? Until recently, most of us have been so busy going to work, watching sports, being with friends, attending concerts, catching a show at the movies…do you remember those things?!?!?
We’ve been so busy…yet now (I’m told!) many people have extra time on their hands, time which inevitably leads us to think, to ask questions, to consider the deeper things in life. Why are you here?
Despite my workload growing through the pandemic, I’ve been pondering the meaning of life more recently. I’m grateful to have answers, but perhaps you’ve discovered there’s more to your identity than your job, hobbies, friends, or wealth.
Though it has its critics, I’ve found the Bible to be the best explanation for reality, the finest source of wisdom, the greatest collection of timeless stories, and the most satisfying book of hope.
In the beginning, God created. That’s how the Bible begins (Genesis 1:1). God made everything we see, from the sun and moon to the trees, dogs, and ants. Then He made man and woman…to take care of creation and—most of all—to have a relationship with us. We were created to know God. I don’t mean know God like we know about our governor or we know about Thomas Edison or we know about Tiger Woods. I mean we were created to know God like we know our best friend or favorite relative.
It seems hard to believe the Almighty would want to have a relationship with us, but that’s at the heart of why we’re here, why we were created, the meaning of life.
One famous document, the Westminster Shorter Catechism from 1648 states the chief end of man “is to glorify God and to enjoy him for ever.” Here are some of the supporting verses:
All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name. (Psalm 86:9)
For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. (Romans 11:36)
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” (Revelation 4:11)
Unfortunately, relationships can be broken. You probably have experienced that in your own life. Is there anything more painful than a broken relationship?
Our relationship with God was broken by sin. The book of Genesis talks about how God created Adam and Eve and they had a wonderful relationship until the tragic event known as The Fall, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, eating fruit from the one tree in the beautiful Garden of Eden that was forbidden. The sinned, they rebelled, and that broke the relationship. It introduced pain and suffering for humanity. It started the mess we know in our world, a planet filled with hunger, homelessness, violence, and—yes—viruses.
We were created to know God, but sin destroyed that relationship. Our sin is worse than any virus.
There are vaccines for virus’. We all know many men and women are hard at work right now trying to develop a vaccine for COVID-19, something that will make our bodies resistant to the virus.
But no vaccine has ever been developed for sin. We all sin. None of us is perfect. We all fail, mess up, forget, fall, rebel, make mistakes…sin. We rationalize it and call it a little white lie. We justify it by saying everyone does it. We mask it by pretending it wasn’t that big of a deal. We blame by saying it was someone else’s fault.
But we all sin. I sin. You sin. And the problem with sin is it eventually leads to death. The sin of a drunk driver might lead to the death of a human body. The sin of adultery might lead to the death of a marriage. The sin of a gambling addiction might lead to the death of a bank account. Worse of all, sin leads to the death of our relationship with God because He is intolerant of sin. He is holy and perfect…He’s God! He can’t get within six feet—within six yards–within six miles of sin!
There’s no vaccine for sin, but there’s a cure. Jesus is the cure. He is the only person who was perfect, who was sinless. He came not only to teach and set an example for us of what it means to be human, He came to die for us, to become the cure for sin. His death on the cross paid the price, the penalty for our sin. The most famous verse in the Bible says,
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
The cross is the symbol of Christianity. It reminds us of the suffering and agony Jesus endured, not because he did anything wrong, but because we did. He died to offer forgiveness to us. He died to reconcile us to our heavenly Dad. When he died, it looked like hope was lost. It appeared that sin had won. It seemed that evil would rule. But that was Friday.
Jesus’ friends and family who watched him suffer and die didn’t understand what was taking place before their eyes. They didn’t realize death couldn’t hold him. They didn’t know the grave couldn’t keep him. They couldn’t imagine Sunday was coming!!! Here’s what happened…
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. (Matthew 28:1)
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. (Matthew 28:2-4)
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” (Matthew 28:5-7)
Jesus defeated death.
Jesus defeated sin.
Jesus is the cure.
Here’s what Paul wrote to a church in modern-day Turkey…
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:13-15)
Jesus destroyed death
He shamed sin!
He made a spectacle of satan.
He eliminated evil.
Jesus is the cure for sin.
Here’s the thing about cures: they don’t happen automatically. You need to receive the cure. Usually that means taking medicine, receiving a shot, or undergoing a treatment.
Jesus is the cure for sin, but you must experience the cure. You must believe Jesus died for you and rose from the dead…and prove that belief by following Jesus, making him not only Savior but also LORD. The cure is not simply about going to heaven when you die. It’s about experiencing heaven—God’s presence—before you die.
You can experience the cure for sin by simply receiving the gift, by saying, “Jesus, I give you my life.” Jesus’ invitation was simple, “Follow me.” Have you experienced the cure? If not, today is a fantastic day to do so. As we celebrate Jesus conquering death, it’s a perfect day for you to experience abundant, eternal life.
I know many of you have been too busy for God. You’ve had no need for God. But now? It’s amazing how one virus can change our world…and us.
I urge you today to experience the cure. Say yes to Jesus. Surrender your life. Repent—turn away—from your sins and follow Jesus. I’m not talking about religion. It’s all about that relationship with God, the meaning of life, the purpose of our creation.
You were made by God.
You were made for God.
You were made for God’s glory.
Some of you have experienced the cure. Maybe you prayed a prayer decades ago in Sunday School or at church camp. Maybe you’ve let your relationship with God drift and it’s time to reconnect. Today would be a great day to do that!
Regardless of where you on your spiritual journey, I want to encourage you to share the cure. Imagine if someone had the cure for COVID-19 and decided to keep it to themselves. How selfish! How stupid!
Followers of Jesus have the cure for sin, Jesus Christ. We can’t keep it to ourselves. We need to share it—especially now! People all around us are dying—literally and figuratively. Our neighbors are searching for hope. Our friends are desperate for peace. Our families are filled with fear. Jesus is hope. Jesus is the Prince of peace. Jesus is the cure for fear and sin.
Share the cure. Share this video. Share your story. Share God’s story.
I want to give you an action step. On your screen, you can raise your hand. If you’d like to begin your journey today and experience the cure for the first time, please raise your hand now.
If you’ve experienced the cure but your relationship has drifted and you want to reconnect with God, raise your hand now.
If you’ve experienced the cure but kept it to yourself and you want to share it with others, raise your hand now.
Before you go, we want you to know God loves you—that’s what the cross and the empty tomb are all about. Jesus proved his love for you, now you just need to experience and share it.
We love you, too. Our campus is closed, but our staff and leaders remain committed to serving you and your family. More than anything, we want to help you get to know and become like Jesus.
If you’re not on our e-mail list, you can text your e-mail to 419.318.2066.
We have Zoom prayer each weekday morning at 9 AM.
I do a devotional each weekday at 4 PM on Facebook Live…and have some special guests joining me in the coming weeks.
We’ll be back here for FAC Online Worship next Sunday at 10:30 AM, continuing our series on the life of Jesus from the book of Mark.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here. You can watch this online worship experience here.
Big idea: Resurrection Sunday is all about a cure for sin and death.
Welcome to First Alliance Church Online Worship on this Resurrection Sunday. On Friday, we remembered Jesus experiencing death, a brutal crucifixion on the cross.
Many of you are experiencing pain, loss, and grief today. Jesus certainly knows those emotions. He understands.
You may be filled with fear and anxiety. Today we want to fill you with hope. The message of Easter is that God is with us, miracles do happen, eternal and abundant life is available, and Jesus is alive!
My name is Kirk and this morning our parking lot is empty.
Our sanctuary seats are empty.
But so is the tomb of Jesus Christ!
He is Risen! He is risen, indeed!
We want you to not only watch today…we want you to engage. You can chat, request prayer, give, even raise your hand online. Just for fun, can you chat your zip code right now. I think it’ll be fun to see who’s with us this morning.
I want to offer a warm welcome to our First Alliance family. I miss being with you in person, but great things are happening online. A special shout-out goes to family and friends joining us today, including international friends from the University of Toledo. Go Rockets!
COVID-19 has postponed the baseball season. It has cancelled the British Open golf tournament and the Wimbledon tennis tournament. It has disrupted all of our lives. But it can’t change the greatest story ever told, a story that continues to transform lives thousands of years later, for people all over the globe. Welcome to Resurrection Sunday!
It’s time to celebrate! It’s time to sing! Wherever you are, please join us!
Introduction
If you could be famous for one thing right now in our world, what would you want it to be? In these interesting times, being a great actor doesn’t really matter. Athletes are irrelevant at the moment. Politicians should be worried about serving people rather than…well, let’s not go there! If you want to earn the attention and praise of humanity, there’s one simple thing you need to do: discover a cure for the virus.
Can you imagine what it would be like to find the cure? I don’t mean a vaccine, but a cure. Lives would be saved. Fear would diminish. The economy would rebound. We could find toilet paper! Perhaps best of all, I could see and hug our granddaughter again!
Although it’s hard to believe, there is something more devastating to our planet than coronavirus. It not only impacts every person on the planet, it has affected every human who has ever been on earth. It’s so common, we often fail to recognize it, though we encounter it every single day. The word itself has drifted from our vocabulary, yet its presence has never been more real. The greatest problem in our world is…sin. And there’s something greater than a vaccine. There’s a cure!
Pastor Kirk, it’s Easter and you want to talk about sin? Yes! It’s the reason we have Easter. Let me back up just a bit.
Why are you here…on this planet? Have you ever stopped to think about the meaning of life? Until recently, most of us have been so busy going to work, watching sports, being with friends, attending concerts, catching a show at the movies…do you remember those things?!?!?
We’ve been so busy…yet now (I’m told!) many people have extra time on their hands, time which inevitably leads us to think, to ask questions, to consider the deeper things in life. Why are you here?
Despite my workload growing through the pandemic, I’ve been pondering the meaning of life more recently. I’m grateful to have answers, but perhaps you’ve discovered there’s more to your identity than your job, hobbies, friends, or wealth.
Though it has its critics, I’ve found the Bible to be the best explanation for reality, the finest source of wisdom, the greatest collection of timeless stories, and the most satisfying book of hope.
In the beginning, God created. That’s how the Bible begins (Genesis 1:1). God made everything we see, from the sun and moon to the trees, dogs, and ants. Then He made man and woman…to take care of creation and—most of all—to have a relationship with us. We were created to know God. I don’t mean know God like we know about our governor or we know about Thomas Edison or we know about Tiger Woods. I mean we were created to know God like we know our best friend or favorite relative.
It seems hard to believe the Almighty would want to have a relationship with us, but that’s at the heart of why we’re here, why we were created, the meaning of life.
One famous document, the Westminster Shorter Catechism from 1648 states the chief end of man “is to glorify God and to enjoy him for ever.” Here are some of the supporting verses:
All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name. (Psalm 86:9)
For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. (Romans 11:36)
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” (Revelation 4:11)
Unfortunately, relationships can be broken. You probably have experienced that in your own life. Is there anything more painful than a broken relationship?
Our relationship with God was broken by sin. The book of Genesis talks about how God created Adam and Eve and they had a wonderful relationship until the tragic event known as The Fall, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, eating fruit from the one tree in the beautiful Garden of Eden that was forbidden. The sinned, they rebelled, and that broke the relationship. It introduced pain and suffering for humanity. It started the mess we know in our world, a planet filled with hunger, homelessness, violence, and—yes—viruses.
We were created to know God, but sin destroyed that relationship. Our sin is worse than any virus.
There are vaccines for virus’. We all know many men and women are hard at work right now trying to develop a vaccine for COVID-19, something that will make our bodies resistant to the virus.
But no vaccine has ever been developed for sin. We all sin. None of us is perfect. We all fail, mess up, forget, fall, rebel, make mistakes…sin. We rationalize it and call it a little white lie. We justify it by saying everyone does it. We mask it by pretending it wasn’t that big of a deal. We blame by saying it was someone else’s fault.
But we all sin. I sin. You sin. And the problem with sin is it eventually leads to death. The sin of a drunk driver might lead to the death of a human body. The sin of adultery might lead to the death of a marriage. The sin of a gambling addiction might lead to the death of a bank account. Worse of all, sin leads to the death of our relationship with God because He is intolerant of sin. He is holy and perfect…He’s God! He can’t get within six feet—within six yards–within six miles of sin!
There’s no vaccine for sin, but there’s a cure. Jesus is the cure. He is the only person who was perfect, who was sinless. He came not only to teach and set an example for us of what it means to be human, He came to die for us, to become the cure for sin. His death on the cross paid the price, the penalty for our sin. The most famous verse in the Bible says,
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
The cross is the symbol of Christianity. It reminds us of the suffering and agony Jesus endured, not because he did anything wrong, but because we did. He died to offer forgiveness to us. He died to reconcile us to our heavenly Dad. When he died, it looked like hope was lost. It appeared that sin had won. It seemed that evil would rule. But that was Friday.
Jesus’ friends and family who watched him suffer and die didn’t understand what was taking place before their eyes. They didn’t realize death couldn’t hold him. They didn’t know the grave couldn’t keep him. They couldn’t imagine Sunday was coming!!! Here’s what happened…
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. (Matthew 28:1)
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. (Matthew 28:2-4)
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” (Matthew 28:5-7)
Jesus defeated death.
Jesus defeated sin.
Jesus is the cure.
Here’s what Paul wrote to a church in modern-day Turkey…
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:13-15)
Jesus destroyed death
He shamed sin!
He made a spectacle of satan.
He eliminated evil.
Jesus is the cure for sin.
Here’s the thing about cures: they don’t happen automatically. You need to receive the cure. Usually that means taking medicine, receiving a shot, or undergoing a treatment.
Jesus is the cure for sin, but you must experience the cure. You must believe Jesus died for you and rose from the dead…and prove that belief by following Jesus, making him not only Savior but also LORD. The cure is not simply about going to heaven when you die. It’s about experiencing heaven—God’s presence—before you die.
You can experience the cure for sin by simply receiving the gift, by saying, “Jesus, I give you my life.” Jesus’ invitation was simple, “Follow me.” Have you experienced the cure? If not, today is a fantastic day to do so. As we celebrate Jesus conquering death, it’s a perfect day for you to experience abundant, eternal life.
I know many of you have been too busy for God. You’ve had no need for God. But now? It’s amazing how one virus can change our world…and us.
I urge you today to experience the cure. Say yes to Jesus. Surrender your life. Repent—turn away—from your sins and follow Jesus. I’m not talking about religion. It’s all about that relationship with God, the meaning of life, the purpose of our creation.
You were made by God.
You were made for God.
You were made for God’s glory.
Some of you have experienced the cure. Maybe you prayed a prayer decades ago in Sunday School or at church camp. Maybe you’ve let your relationship with God drift and it’s time to reconnect. Today would be a great day to do that!
Regardless of where you on your spiritual journey, I want to encourage you to share the cure. Imagine if someone had the cure for COVID-19 and decided to keep it to themselves. How selfish! How stupid!
Followers of Jesus have the cure for sin, Jesus Christ. We can’t keep it to ourselves. We need to share it—especially now! People all around us are dying—literally and figuratively. Our neighbors are searching for hope. Our friends are desperate for peace. Our families are filled with fear. Jesus is hope. Jesus is the Prince of peace. Jesus is the cure for fear and sin.
Share the cure. Share this video. Share your story. Share God’s story.
I want to give you an action step. On your screen, you can raise your hand. If you’d like to begin your journey today and experience the cure for the first time, please raise your hand now.
If you’ve experienced the cure but your relationship has drifted and you want to reconnect with God, raise your hand now.
If you’ve experienced the cure but kept it to yourself and you want to share it with others, raise your hand now.
Before you go, we want you to know God loves you—that’s what the cross and the empty tomb are all about. Jesus proved his love for you, now you just need to experience and share it.
We love you, too. Our campus is closed, but our staff and leaders remain committed to serving you and your family. More than anything, we want to help you get to know and become like Jesus.
If you’re not on our e-mail list, you can text your e-mail to 419.318.2066.
We have Zoom prayer each weekday morning at 9 AM.
I do a devotional each weekday at 4 PM on Facebook Live…and have some special guests joining me in the coming weeks.
We’ll be back here for FAC Online Worship next Sunday at 10:30 AM, continuing our series on the life of Jesus from the book of Mark.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Palm Sunday: Welcoming Jesus, 5 April 2020
06 04 20
Palm Sunday: Welcoming Jesus
Matthew 21:1-11
Big idea: We choose each day whether to welcome or reject King Jesus in our lives.
I’ve lived my entire life in the Midwest, where winter means snow, summer means swimming in the lake, and spring and fall are cool and crisp.
I’ll never forget my first moments in California. I was a young boy, our family got off the plane and we exited the airport. The warm air was a sharp contrast to the Michigan weather I left behind. But the thing that was most memorable was seeing palm trees.
One feature of humans is we tend to take things for granted. If you’re watching this from Florida or California or a tropical climate, you probably don’t even notice the palm trees that dot the landscape…any more than I notice the oak, maple, and pine trees in my neighborhood.
Palm trees are special to me because they signal a special place, usually a vacation in a warm climate. Israel is a warm climate and it’s full of palm trees.
Hopefully the drama gave you a clear explanation of Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week which includes Good Friday—the day we remember the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross—and Resurrection Sunday, the greatest day on the Christian calendar.
Palm Sunday is a fascinating story of a crowd in Jerusalem and their reception of Jesus the Messiah.
Image about two million people gathered in Jerusalem for the Jewish Passover celebration. News about Jesus had spread far and wide. The religious leaders were trying to kill him. Many of the people loved him, especially his miracles. The story of him raising Lazarus from the dead was especially captivating.
Jesus is with his followers and…
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” (Matthew 21:1-3)
This is an interesting assignment. Jesus usually walks, but now he tells two of his disciples to go steal two animals, a donkey and her colt! No, it wasn’t theft…but an interesting loan, to say the least. Then again, if someone told you LeBron James or the Pope or Taylor Swift needed to borrow your car, you probably wouldn’t argue. But there’s more to this request than random transportation.
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
“Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” (Matthew 21:4-5, quoting Zechariah 9:9)
In this scene, there are two animals. Jesus sat on the colt and (foal) and the mother donkey walked beside. People often note how Jesus entered on a lowly donkey but will return someday on a white horse (Revelation 6:2; 19:11). A donkey was actually the royal animal of Jewish monarchs (1 Kings 2:32-40). It was a symbol of peace. A horse was associated with war (and there weren’t many horses in the area).
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. (Matthew 21:6-7)
The book of Mark (11:2) tells us this colt had never been ridden, yet King Jesus was able to control the beast. But notice the first sentence:
“The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.”
They didn’t protest or complain, they simply obeyed Jesus, even though borrowing a donkey and a colt may have been an unusual request. Since there was no saddle, cloaks were placed on the animals for Jesus. Now the story gets especially interesting:
A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. (Matthew 21:8)
There’s the palm branches! A similar incident had occurred about two hundreds years prior when the victorious Judas Maccabaeus arrived in Jerusalem after defeating Israel’s enemies.
A path of cloaks is laid before Jesus, much like the actions taken for the anointing of King Jehu (2 Kings 9:12-13). It’s also reminiscent of a tale regarding Sir Walter Raleigh who may or may not have taken off his coat and placed it over a muddy path so Queen Elizabeth I could walk without getting dirty.
The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:9)
The people didn’t just sing, they shouted. They declared Jesus the Son of David…in the city of David! They were waiting for hundreds of years for the Messiah to rescue them from Roman oppression. The people were suffering…for generations. They wanted a Savior. They were desperate for help. We sang “Hosanna” earlier. It means, “Save now!” This was another ancient prophesy fulfilled. Psalm 118:25-26 says,
LORD, save us! LORD, grant us success!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you. (Psalm 118:25-26)
Later in the week, Jesus will quote Psalm 118:22-23; Matthew 21:42).
I used to think the crowds who welcomed Jesus were the same ones who would yell, “Crucify him” days later. Actually, there were at least three different groups of people in the crowd: the people who saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead (John 12:17-18), the crowd from Galilee, and Jewish residents of Jerusalem. Jesus is the most controversial figure on earth at the time…and still today!
Some wanted him king, some wanted him killed. Make no mistake, Jesus would triumph (that comes next Sunday!), but only after a shocking and horrifying week.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” (Matthew 21:10)
This is the question. Who is Jesus? There might not be a more important question in human history, including today.
The Jews failed to recognize their Messiah. Many wanted him killed…and they got their wish! The subject of hundreds of prophecies enters Jerusalem on a colt, yet some have no idea what’s happening.
The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” (Matthew 21:11)
It’s an amazing scene, and yet I wonder what would happen if Jesus were to arrive on our planet today. Would we welcome him or reject him? N.T. Wright notes,
People turn to God, notoriously, when there is something they want very badly. Of course, that’s like finally deciding to learn to use a telephone only when you urgently need to call an ambulance; it would have been sensible to find out how to do it earlier, when it wasn’t so important. But that’s how people are. Church attendance goes up in leaps and bounds when a major crisis strikes – a war, say, or an earthquake. Suddenly everyone wants to ask the big, hard questions. Suddenly everyone wants Jesus, in terms of this story, to ride into the city and become the sort of king they want him to be. Give us peace, now! Pay my bills, and hurry! Save the life of my sick child, and do it right away! Give me a job by this time tomorrow! And – perhaps the most common prayer of all – Help!
Fortunately for us, Jesus has come to seek and save the lost, the broken, the sick, the messed up. He is a God of love, grace, forgiveness, and compassion. But He’s God…and we’re not. He will not always do what we want, when we want…not because He doesn’t love us, but because He does. He has a plan. It doesn’t always make sense to us. Good Friday certainly didn’t make sense. This king the people welcomed into Jerusalem would be hanging on a cross less than a week later, dashing all of their hopes and dreams…until…
The people made demands of Jesus: save now!
We make demands of God, too. Heal now! Get rid of the virus now! Get us back to work now!
So What?
Palm Sunday is really about the tension between our expectations and God’s actions. Perhaps you’re watching today because God’s got your attention. You’re bored, you’ve watched everything on Netflix, every place is closed, …and maybe you’re getting desperate. Maybe you’re asking bigger questions than, “What’s for lunch?” or “What shall we buy on Amazon?”
Jesus did save, but not in the way they expected. They wanted Jesus to take over the government…and someday the King of kings will rule and reign forever.
What do you expect from God? Are you blaming Him for the problems in your life? Have you lost your faith? Are you filled with questions and doubts? That’s ok. Tell Him! He’s listening! But remember, He’s God and you’re not. Yes, He wants to save, but He also wants to be LORD. Leader. God!
We choose each day whether to welcome or reject King Jesus in our lives.
Moses’ successor, Joshua, once made this famous declaration to the people of Israel:
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)
Will you be like the crowds, demanding God operate on your terms? Or will you be like Joshua, seeking to serve the LORD, to worship God, to welcome King Jesus into your life?
Credits: Some material from N.T. Wright and Warren Wiersbe
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here. You can watch this online worship experience here.
Matthew 21:1-11
Big idea: We choose each day whether to welcome or reject King Jesus in our lives.
I’ve lived my entire life in the Midwest, where winter means snow, summer means swimming in the lake, and spring and fall are cool and crisp.
I’ll never forget my first moments in California. I was a young boy, our family got off the plane and we exited the airport. The warm air was a sharp contrast to the Michigan weather I left behind. But the thing that was most memorable was seeing palm trees.
One feature of humans is we tend to take things for granted. If you’re watching this from Florida or California or a tropical climate, you probably don’t even notice the palm trees that dot the landscape…any more than I notice the oak, maple, and pine trees in my neighborhood.
Palm trees are special to me because they signal a special place, usually a vacation in a warm climate. Israel is a warm climate and it’s full of palm trees.
Hopefully the drama gave you a clear explanation of Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week which includes Good Friday—the day we remember the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross—and Resurrection Sunday, the greatest day on the Christian calendar.
Palm Sunday is a fascinating story of a crowd in Jerusalem and their reception of Jesus the Messiah.
Image about two million people gathered in Jerusalem for the Jewish Passover celebration. News about Jesus had spread far and wide. The religious leaders were trying to kill him. Many of the people loved him, especially his miracles. The story of him raising Lazarus from the dead was especially captivating.
Jesus is with his followers and…
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” (Matthew 21:1-3)
This is an interesting assignment. Jesus usually walks, but now he tells two of his disciples to go steal two animals, a donkey and her colt! No, it wasn’t theft…but an interesting loan, to say the least. Then again, if someone told you LeBron James or the Pope or Taylor Swift needed to borrow your car, you probably wouldn’t argue. But there’s more to this request than random transportation.
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
“Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” (Matthew 21:4-5, quoting Zechariah 9:9)
In this scene, there are two animals. Jesus sat on the colt and (foal) and the mother donkey walked beside. People often note how Jesus entered on a lowly donkey but will return someday on a white horse (Revelation 6:2; 19:11). A donkey was actually the royal animal of Jewish monarchs (1 Kings 2:32-40). It was a symbol of peace. A horse was associated with war (and there weren’t many horses in the area).
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. (Matthew 21:6-7)
The book of Mark (11:2) tells us this colt had never been ridden, yet King Jesus was able to control the beast. But notice the first sentence:
“The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.”
They didn’t protest or complain, they simply obeyed Jesus, even though borrowing a donkey and a colt may have been an unusual request. Since there was no saddle, cloaks were placed on the animals for Jesus. Now the story gets especially interesting:
A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. (Matthew 21:8)
There’s the palm branches! A similar incident had occurred about two hundreds years prior when the victorious Judas Maccabaeus arrived in Jerusalem after defeating Israel’s enemies.
A path of cloaks is laid before Jesus, much like the actions taken for the anointing of King Jehu (2 Kings 9:12-13). It’s also reminiscent of a tale regarding Sir Walter Raleigh who may or may not have taken off his coat and placed it over a muddy path so Queen Elizabeth I could walk without getting dirty.
The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:9)
The people didn’t just sing, they shouted. They declared Jesus the Son of David…in the city of David! They were waiting for hundreds of years for the Messiah to rescue them from Roman oppression. The people were suffering…for generations. They wanted a Savior. They were desperate for help. We sang “Hosanna” earlier. It means, “Save now!” This was another ancient prophesy fulfilled. Psalm 118:25-26 says,
LORD, save us! LORD, grant us success!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you. (Psalm 118:25-26)
Later in the week, Jesus will quote Psalm 118:22-23; Matthew 21:42).
I used to think the crowds who welcomed Jesus were the same ones who would yell, “Crucify him” days later. Actually, there were at least three different groups of people in the crowd: the people who saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead (John 12:17-18), the crowd from Galilee, and Jewish residents of Jerusalem. Jesus is the most controversial figure on earth at the time…and still today!
Some wanted him king, some wanted him killed. Make no mistake, Jesus would triumph (that comes next Sunday!), but only after a shocking and horrifying week.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” (Matthew 21:10)
This is the question. Who is Jesus? There might not be a more important question in human history, including today.
The Jews failed to recognize their Messiah. Many wanted him killed…and they got their wish! The subject of hundreds of prophecies enters Jerusalem on a colt, yet some have no idea what’s happening.
The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” (Matthew 21:11)
It’s an amazing scene, and yet I wonder what would happen if Jesus were to arrive on our planet today. Would we welcome him or reject him? N.T. Wright notes,
People turn to God, notoriously, when there is something they want very badly. Of course, that’s like finally deciding to learn to use a telephone only when you urgently need to call an ambulance; it would have been sensible to find out how to do it earlier, when it wasn’t so important. But that’s how people are. Church attendance goes up in leaps and bounds when a major crisis strikes – a war, say, or an earthquake. Suddenly everyone wants to ask the big, hard questions. Suddenly everyone wants Jesus, in terms of this story, to ride into the city and become the sort of king they want him to be. Give us peace, now! Pay my bills, and hurry! Save the life of my sick child, and do it right away! Give me a job by this time tomorrow! And – perhaps the most common prayer of all – Help!
Fortunately for us, Jesus has come to seek and save the lost, the broken, the sick, the messed up. He is a God of love, grace, forgiveness, and compassion. But He’s God…and we’re not. He will not always do what we want, when we want…not because He doesn’t love us, but because He does. He has a plan. It doesn’t always make sense to us. Good Friday certainly didn’t make sense. This king the people welcomed into Jerusalem would be hanging on a cross less than a week later, dashing all of their hopes and dreams…until…
The people made demands of Jesus: save now!
We make demands of God, too. Heal now! Get rid of the virus now! Get us back to work now!
So What?
Palm Sunday is really about the tension between our expectations and God’s actions. Perhaps you’re watching today because God’s got your attention. You’re bored, you’ve watched everything on Netflix, every place is closed, …and maybe you’re getting desperate. Maybe you’re asking bigger questions than, “What’s for lunch?” or “What shall we buy on Amazon?”
Jesus did save, but not in the way they expected. They wanted Jesus to take over the government…and someday the King of kings will rule and reign forever.
What do you expect from God? Are you blaming Him for the problems in your life? Have you lost your faith? Are you filled with questions and doubts? That’s ok. Tell Him! He’s listening! But remember, He’s God and you’re not. Yes, He wants to save, but He also wants to be LORD. Leader. God!
We choose each day whether to welcome or reject King Jesus in our lives.
Moses’ successor, Joshua, once made this famous declaration to the people of Israel:
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)
Will you be like the crowds, demanding God operate on your terms? Or will you be like Joshua, seeking to serve the LORD, to worship God, to welcome King Jesus into your life?
Credits: Some material from N.T. Wright and Warren Wiersbe
Hope in God’s Promise, 29 March 2020
31 03 20
Joyfully Hope in God’s Promise
Series—Jeremiah: Called to Faithfulness
Jeremiah 31
Series Big Idea: Jeremiah was faithful despite his difficult prophetic task.
Big Idea: God has promised a wonderful future for those who follow and obey Him.
I did it! It took a while, but I finally did it. I know I was given an extension, but seeing those two letters from the federal government for days—weeks?—led me to just do it. I went online and did the US Census!
I couldn’t remember what questions would be asked. It’s been ten years! I expected to answer my name and address. I wasn’t surprised by the race question. I marked the “White” box. But then it asked me for more detail. The Census website says,
The category “White” includes all individuals who identify with one or more nationalities or ethnic groups originating in Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa. These groups include, but are not limited to, German, Irish, English, Italian, Lebanese, Egyptian, Polish, French, Iranian, Slavic, Cajun, and Chaldean.
There was a blank under “White” and it wanted more detail. German? Yes. Irish? I don’t think so. Of course, many have been surprised by their AncestryDNA.com results. I’ve never taken one of those tests, but I’m fairly confident of the ethnic heritage of both of my parents.
What is your ethnicity? Do you know much about your family of origin, your nationality?
By the way, I believe there’s only one “race…” the human race!
Few people groups on the planet have endured more hardship and persecution than the Jews. They’ve had and lost land. They’ve had and lost their temple. Thousands of years after God’s covenant with Abraham, the Jews continue to follow and break that covenant. Fortunately, there’s a new covenant…and Jews and Gentiles alike are invited to participate in it.
This month we’ve been looking at the book of Jeremiah. The prophet Jeremiah was called by God to speak some uncomfortable truths to the Jewish people. After Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses, God led the people of Israel to the Promised Land. The Jewish nation divided and became the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah (1 Kings 11-12). Even worse than their relationship with one another was their relationship with God. It seemed to change like the weather. There were moments when they worshipped God and moments when they turned to worship idols…sometimes even in God’s temple! There were times when they were repentant of their sins—ashamed of their behavior—and other times when they were proud of their rebellion and evil. Like a roller coaster, their righteousness went up and down, and along with it, their relationship with God.
The remarkable thing about God is grace. He is a God of second-chances. He is a God of mercy and forgiveness. But we must repent. We must turn away from our sin and return to God. When we repent and return, He will restore us into a right relationship with Him. That’s where we find true joy—not in circumstances, but in a relationship with God.
Some people flippantly say God loves everyone. While that’s true—for God so loved the world—a relationship requires two parties. I may love you, but if you reject me, we won’t have fellowship. We’re all on God’s “bad list” until we repent and obey.
God and the Israelites have had a complicated history, a relationship that is sometimes hot, but usually cold. Quite simply, the people were usually more concerned about being like their neighbors than living a radical, counter-cultural lifestyle devoted to the LORD.
This might sound familiar. This might describe our nation. Whether or not we were ever a “Christian nation,” we seem to trust the money which bears the slogan “In God We Trust” more than God. That was, at least, until COVID-19. Is God getting our attention? Is God getting your attention?
He has a way of doing that! He gives us freedom. We weren’t created to be robots. Every day we choose whether to follow God or the world. Every hour we make such decisions.
Our text today is from the book of Jeremiah, chapter 31. God has expressed His displeasure with the people and begins to cast a vision for the future, for a time when the people will return to Him, trust Him, make Him LORD, and obey.
“At that time,” declares the LORD, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:1)
He declares they will be a united people. The sins of King Solomon and his foolish son Rehoboam which divided the Jewish nation will be reunited. The land will be restored. People will accept responsibility for their sins.
The next nineteen verses speak of a restored Israel. In the end times, God will restore the Jews to their land (Ephraim is a reference to the northern kingdom of Israel). Verses 21-26 talk about a restored Judah. People will experience the blessing of the LORD as people come together in harmony despite their past differences.
Are you with me? It’s about to get good!
“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 31:31-32)
God had made a covenant with the Jews, but they repeatedly broke it. Unlike a contract, a covenant is a solemn commitment. In biblical times, it usually involved the sacrifice of an animal, the shedding of blood. God made such a covenant with Abraham. Abraham and his descendants would be God’s people, and through the Jewish people, all nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:1-3). The old covenant was made with Abraham, but now God describes a new covenant, a future relationship.
“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. (Jeremiah 31:33)
This was God’s plan from the beginning, to be LORD, to be their guide. In the old covenant, people would receive temporary blessings as they turned back to God (as they did under Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Hezekiah and Josiah). They had moments of revival, but they didn’t last.
The great evangelist Billy Sunday was once told revivals weren’t necessary because they didn’t last. He replied, “A bath doesn’t last, but it’s good to have one occasionally.”
This new covenant is more than just renewal or revival. It’s not just something for the people to obey, but something in both their minds and hearts, not on stone tablets. It’s personal. Instead of focusing on conduct, the new covenant changes character. God is saying in the future, a beautiful relationship will emerge.
The new covenant is internalized in minds and hearts.
No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Jeremiah 31:34)
All the people will know God…not just about God, but actually know God, be in a relationship with God. The Hebrew word here for “know” is “yada,” implying a relationship more than just facts. Within that relationship, God will forgive—and forget—their sins. That’s good news! That’s great news!
The new covenant involves the forgiveness of sin.
I need to pause and say these words were not written to us, but they were written for us. Remember, God is speaking to the Jewish people.
This is what the LORD says,
he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the LORD Almighty is his name:
“Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,” declares the LORD, “will Israel ever cease being a nation before me.” (Jeremiah 31:35-36)
If you know the story of the Prodigal Son, you know God is a loving Father who never gives up on His children, even when they walk away and break His heart.
This is what the LORD says:
“Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done,” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 31:37)
The imagery is beautiful. God will never break His promises to Israel.
The new covenant involves a new city, a new Jerusalem.
“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when this city will be rebuilt for me from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. The measuring line will stretch from there straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to Goah. The whole valley where dead bodies and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate, will be holy to the LORD. The city will never again be uprooted or demolished.” (Jeremiah 31:38-40)
When I visited South Korea many years ago, I was surprised to learn the small peninsula had been invaded many times throughout history, some saying as many as 2000 times! While many historians disagree, South Koreans live with an awareness of both past invasions and the potential for a future disruption, demolition, uprooting.
The Jewish people were well-aware of such upheaval throughout their history. This prophecy is wonderful, the promise of God filled with hope.
So What?
The book of Jeremiah was written around 600 BC, so it’s about 2600 years old. Did God keep His promises to the Jews?
Yes…and not yet.
One of the challenges with biblical prophecy is discerning what has been fulfilled and what remains to be fulfilled. The story of humanity is not complete, as I hope you know! There are many events described in the Bible which remain in the future.
The great marker in history was Jesus. He ushered in the new covenant on the cross (Matthew 26:27-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-20). Gentiles have been grafted in with the Jews to participate in the new covenant (Romans 11:12-32; Ephesians 3:1-6), which is why these ancient words have relevance for non-Jews today. All followers of Jesus share in the new covenant (Hebrews 8:6-13; 10:14-18). They are born again, made new, alive in Christ, new creations, regenerated into the family of God (John 3:1-21; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:11; Ephesians 2:13).
I mentioned biblical covenants involved blood. Jesus’ death on the cross involved blood. He was the perfect sacrifice. I often say First Alliance Church is not about religion, but a relationship…with Jesus. It’s all about Jesus.
Do you know Jesus? I don’t mean do you know about Jesus, but do you know him? He came to connect us to our heavenly Father. He showed us what it means to be human. He taught timeless truths which have literally changed the world. His death and resurrection conquered sin and shame, making it possible for all of our failures to be forgotten, all of our mistakes erased, all of our brokenness mended.
Jesus is the Messiah the Jews were anticipating. He’s the one prophesied in the Old Testament. Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He’s seated now at the right hand of the Father (Luke 22:69; Ephesians 1:20), awaiting the moment when he is instructed to return to earth, not as a baby in a manger, but a triumphant king to rule and reign forever.
Some treat the gospel—the good news—as going to heaven when you die. If that’s the case, what do we do in the meantime? The gospel—the good news—is Jesus is LORD, and we get to go to heaven before we die. We get to experience joy, peace, meaning, satisfaction, and love now. Heaven is where God is, and He wants to do life with us now! He wants to lead us now! He wants to be with us now! When you follow Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit, too, God the Spirit living inside you to fill you with gifts and fruit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
Many of the things described in Jeremiah have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ, yet some things remain.
It might be simplistic to say, but the Old Testament was about the old covenant, given to Moses. The New Testament was about the new covenant, rooted in Jesus.
One thing that remains is God has promised a wonderful future for those who follow and obey Him. I’m glad—especially as a Gentile—that I’m living on this side of the cross, a participant in the new covenant. I love grace—unmerited favor—and need a lot of it! I’m grateful for the cross and empty tomb and the forgiveness and freedom it offers.
I’m reminded of Jesus’ friend John who said,
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. (1 John 1:8-9)
This pandemic will eventually be over, but the greater enemy in our world is sin. The good news is there is a cure that can wipe away all of our sins…Jesus. He is inviting you and me today into a relationship with him that will last for eternity, both now and in the life to come.
Tragically, many people have rejected God. They did it in Jeremiah’s day and they do it in ours. They think they’re wiser and smarter than God, or they simply want to do things their way. I urge you, don’t be like the fools in the Bible who rejected God. Repent and receive the abundant life Jesus offers. Choose today, tomorrow, and every day to surrender to Jesus.
I don’t understand why COVID-19 is ravaging our planet, but I know who does. I think God might be trying to get our attention, reminding us of the things that really matter, and inviting us into a deeper relationship with Him.
The vision God paints for Jeremiah is beautiful…unity, righteous living, forgiven sins, a new city, and most of all a relationship with Him. Our scripture today is packed with hope for those who follow Jesus, the Messiah who ushered in the new covenant available to every man, woman and child on earth.
Today can be your day to begin your spiritual journey…or get back on the path. Don’t wait another moment to get right with God. He knows you, He loves you, He’s inviting you to do life with Him. God has promised a wonderful future for those who follow and obey Him. The best is yet to come.
Credits: some ideas from D6, Warren Wiersbe
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here. You can watch this online worship experience here.
Series—Jeremiah: Called to Faithfulness
Jeremiah 31
Series Big Idea: Jeremiah was faithful despite his difficult prophetic task.
Big Idea: God has promised a wonderful future for those who follow and obey Him.
I did it! It took a while, but I finally did it. I know I was given an extension, but seeing those two letters from the federal government for days—weeks?—led me to just do it. I went online and did the US Census!
I couldn’t remember what questions would be asked. It’s been ten years! I expected to answer my name and address. I wasn’t surprised by the race question. I marked the “White” box. But then it asked me for more detail. The Census website says,
The category “White” includes all individuals who identify with one or more nationalities or ethnic groups originating in Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa. These groups include, but are not limited to, German, Irish, English, Italian, Lebanese, Egyptian, Polish, French, Iranian, Slavic, Cajun, and Chaldean.
There was a blank under “White” and it wanted more detail. German? Yes. Irish? I don’t think so. Of course, many have been surprised by their AncestryDNA.com results. I’ve never taken one of those tests, but I’m fairly confident of the ethnic heritage of both of my parents.
What is your ethnicity? Do you know much about your family of origin, your nationality?
By the way, I believe there’s only one “race…” the human race!
Few people groups on the planet have endured more hardship and persecution than the Jews. They’ve had and lost land. They’ve had and lost their temple. Thousands of years after God’s covenant with Abraham, the Jews continue to follow and break that covenant. Fortunately, there’s a new covenant…and Jews and Gentiles alike are invited to participate in it.
This month we’ve been looking at the book of Jeremiah. The prophet Jeremiah was called by God to speak some uncomfortable truths to the Jewish people. After Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses, God led the people of Israel to the Promised Land. The Jewish nation divided and became the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah (1 Kings 11-12). Even worse than their relationship with one another was their relationship with God. It seemed to change like the weather. There were moments when they worshipped God and moments when they turned to worship idols…sometimes even in God’s temple! There were times when they were repentant of their sins—ashamed of their behavior—and other times when they were proud of their rebellion and evil. Like a roller coaster, their righteousness went up and down, and along with it, their relationship with God.
The remarkable thing about God is grace. He is a God of second-chances. He is a God of mercy and forgiveness. But we must repent. We must turn away from our sin and return to God. When we repent and return, He will restore us into a right relationship with Him. That’s where we find true joy—not in circumstances, but in a relationship with God.
Some people flippantly say God loves everyone. While that’s true—for God so loved the world—a relationship requires two parties. I may love you, but if you reject me, we won’t have fellowship. We’re all on God’s “bad list” until we repent and obey.
God and the Israelites have had a complicated history, a relationship that is sometimes hot, but usually cold. Quite simply, the people were usually more concerned about being like their neighbors than living a radical, counter-cultural lifestyle devoted to the LORD.
This might sound familiar. This might describe our nation. Whether or not we were ever a “Christian nation,” we seem to trust the money which bears the slogan “In God We Trust” more than God. That was, at least, until COVID-19. Is God getting our attention? Is God getting your attention?
He has a way of doing that! He gives us freedom. We weren’t created to be robots. Every day we choose whether to follow God or the world. Every hour we make such decisions.
Our text today is from the book of Jeremiah, chapter 31. God has expressed His displeasure with the people and begins to cast a vision for the future, for a time when the people will return to Him, trust Him, make Him LORD, and obey.
“At that time,” declares the LORD, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:1)
He declares they will be a united people. The sins of King Solomon and his foolish son Rehoboam which divided the Jewish nation will be reunited. The land will be restored. People will accept responsibility for their sins.
The next nineteen verses speak of a restored Israel. In the end times, God will restore the Jews to their land (Ephraim is a reference to the northern kingdom of Israel). Verses 21-26 talk about a restored Judah. People will experience the blessing of the LORD as people come together in harmony despite their past differences.
Are you with me? It’s about to get good!
“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 31:31-32)
God had made a covenant with the Jews, but they repeatedly broke it. Unlike a contract, a covenant is a solemn commitment. In biblical times, it usually involved the sacrifice of an animal, the shedding of blood. God made such a covenant with Abraham. Abraham and his descendants would be God’s people, and through the Jewish people, all nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:1-3). The old covenant was made with Abraham, but now God describes a new covenant, a future relationship.
“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. (Jeremiah 31:33)
This was God’s plan from the beginning, to be LORD, to be their guide. In the old covenant, people would receive temporary blessings as they turned back to God (as they did under Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Hezekiah and Josiah). They had moments of revival, but they didn’t last.
The great evangelist Billy Sunday was once told revivals weren’t necessary because they didn’t last. He replied, “A bath doesn’t last, but it’s good to have one occasionally.”
This new covenant is more than just renewal or revival. It’s not just something for the people to obey, but something in both their minds and hearts, not on stone tablets. It’s personal. Instead of focusing on conduct, the new covenant changes character. God is saying in the future, a beautiful relationship will emerge.
The new covenant is internalized in minds and hearts.
No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Jeremiah 31:34)
All the people will know God…not just about God, but actually know God, be in a relationship with God. The Hebrew word here for “know” is “yada,” implying a relationship more than just facts. Within that relationship, God will forgive—and forget—their sins. That’s good news! That’s great news!
The new covenant involves the forgiveness of sin.
I need to pause and say these words were not written to us, but they were written for us. Remember, God is speaking to the Jewish people.
This is what the LORD says,
he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the LORD Almighty is his name:
“Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,” declares the LORD, “will Israel ever cease being a nation before me.” (Jeremiah 31:35-36)
If you know the story of the Prodigal Son, you know God is a loving Father who never gives up on His children, even when they walk away and break His heart.
This is what the LORD says:
“Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done,” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 31:37)
The imagery is beautiful. God will never break His promises to Israel.
The new covenant involves a new city, a new Jerusalem.
“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when this city will be rebuilt for me from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. The measuring line will stretch from there straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to Goah. The whole valley where dead bodies and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate, will be holy to the LORD. The city will never again be uprooted or demolished.” (Jeremiah 31:38-40)
When I visited South Korea many years ago, I was surprised to learn the small peninsula had been invaded many times throughout history, some saying as many as 2000 times! While many historians disagree, South Koreans live with an awareness of both past invasions and the potential for a future disruption, demolition, uprooting.
The Jewish people were well-aware of such upheaval throughout their history. This prophecy is wonderful, the promise of God filled with hope.
So What?
The book of Jeremiah was written around 600 BC, so it’s about 2600 years old. Did God keep His promises to the Jews?
Yes…and not yet.
One of the challenges with biblical prophecy is discerning what has been fulfilled and what remains to be fulfilled. The story of humanity is not complete, as I hope you know! There are many events described in the Bible which remain in the future.
The great marker in history was Jesus. He ushered in the new covenant on the cross (Matthew 26:27-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-20). Gentiles have been grafted in with the Jews to participate in the new covenant (Romans 11:12-32; Ephesians 3:1-6), which is why these ancient words have relevance for non-Jews today. All followers of Jesus share in the new covenant (Hebrews 8:6-13; 10:14-18). They are born again, made new, alive in Christ, new creations, regenerated into the family of God (John 3:1-21; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:11; Ephesians 2:13).
I mentioned biblical covenants involved blood. Jesus’ death on the cross involved blood. He was the perfect sacrifice. I often say First Alliance Church is not about religion, but a relationship…with Jesus. It’s all about Jesus.
Do you know Jesus? I don’t mean do you know about Jesus, but do you know him? He came to connect us to our heavenly Father. He showed us what it means to be human. He taught timeless truths which have literally changed the world. His death and resurrection conquered sin and shame, making it possible for all of our failures to be forgotten, all of our mistakes erased, all of our brokenness mended.
Jesus is the Messiah the Jews were anticipating. He’s the one prophesied in the Old Testament. Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He’s seated now at the right hand of the Father (Luke 22:69; Ephesians 1:20), awaiting the moment when he is instructed to return to earth, not as a baby in a manger, but a triumphant king to rule and reign forever.
Some treat the gospel—the good news—as going to heaven when you die. If that’s the case, what do we do in the meantime? The gospel—the good news—is Jesus is LORD, and we get to go to heaven before we die. We get to experience joy, peace, meaning, satisfaction, and love now. Heaven is where God is, and He wants to do life with us now! He wants to lead us now! He wants to be with us now! When you follow Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit, too, God the Spirit living inside you to fill you with gifts and fruit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
Many of the things described in Jeremiah have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ, yet some things remain.
It might be simplistic to say, but the Old Testament was about the old covenant, given to Moses. The New Testament was about the new covenant, rooted in Jesus.
One thing that remains is God has promised a wonderful future for those who follow and obey Him. I’m glad—especially as a Gentile—that I’m living on this side of the cross, a participant in the new covenant. I love grace—unmerited favor—and need a lot of it! I’m grateful for the cross and empty tomb and the forgiveness and freedom it offers.
I’m reminded of Jesus’ friend John who said,
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. (1 John 1:8-9)
This pandemic will eventually be over, but the greater enemy in our world is sin. The good news is there is a cure that can wipe away all of our sins…Jesus. He is inviting you and me today into a relationship with him that will last for eternity, both now and in the life to come.
Tragically, many people have rejected God. They did it in Jeremiah’s day and they do it in ours. They think they’re wiser and smarter than God, or they simply want to do things their way. I urge you, don’t be like the fools in the Bible who rejected God. Repent and receive the abundant life Jesus offers. Choose today, tomorrow, and every day to surrender to Jesus.
I don’t understand why COVID-19 is ravaging our planet, but I know who does. I think God might be trying to get our attention, reminding us of the things that really matter, and inviting us into a deeper relationship with Him.
The vision God paints for Jeremiah is beautiful…unity, righteous living, forgiven sins, a new city, and most of all a relationship with Him. Our scripture today is packed with hope for those who follow Jesus, the Messiah who ushered in the new covenant available to every man, woman and child on earth.
Today can be your day to begin your spiritual journey…or get back on the path. Don’t wait another moment to get right with God. He knows you, He loves you, He’s inviting you to do life with Him. God has promised a wonderful future for those who follow and obey Him. The best is yet to come.
Credits: some ideas from D6, Warren Wiersbe
Trust God's Sovereignty, 22 March 2020
23 03 20
Patiently Trust God’s Sovereignty
Series—Jeremiah: Called to Faithfulness
Jeremiah 12
Series Big Idea: Jeremiah was faithful despite his difficult prophetic task.
Big Idea: God is sovereign and He can be trusted, despite what we see, think, or feel today.
Why? It might be the most common question asked by children.
Why do I have to get out of bed?
Why do I have to brush my teeth?
Why do I have to eat breakfast?
Why do I have to go to school?
Come to think of it, these are all questions adults ask, too!
One of the most universal questions throughout history has been, “Why do good things happen to bad people?” I’ve asked it. I’m sure you’ve wondered it. Job did (12; 21). The psalmists (37; 49; 73) and Habakkuk (chapter 1) and Malachi (2:17; 3:15) did. Jeremiah did, too.
I hope today we can answer that important question…and draw closer to Almighty God.
We’re in the middle of a series on the book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah was a bullfrog…and a prophet! God’s chosen people, the Jews, had repeatedly broken their covenant with God. Last Sunday we looked at their disgraceful practice in the temple, worshiping other gods. The difficult life of a prophet involved speaking for God to disobedient people, warning them of the consequences of their actions.
In chapter one, Jeremiah was understandably reluctant to accept God’s call for him to be a prophet and obey the LORD. Last week in chapter seven, Jeremiah told the people their sins and evil were too much for God. They had willfully chosen to walk away from God.
Today we’re in chapter twelve. It begins,
You are always righteous, LORD, when I bring a case before you. (Jeremiah 12:1)
This is a great start. Jeremiah understands God is right. God is always right. God is always righteous. That’s His nature, His character. He can do no wrong. He cannot sin. He cannot fail or make a mistake. He is perfect in all of His ways.
It’s vitally important for all of us to understand God, to know God. We cannot fully comprehend Him, of course, but He is knowable. He wants to be known by us. He has given us the Bible to discover His wonderful attributes, including his righteousness.
I realize you might not agree with Jeremiah. You may think He’s forgotten you, made a mistake, or failed you. I can assure you though it may feel that way, you will someday understand why…
Jeremiah acknowledged that God is always righteous, always right when a case is brought before Him. Now Jeremiah does just that; he brings a case before the LORD.
Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? (Jeremiah 12:1b)
There it is! Why do good things happen to bad people? Jeremiah admits God is righteous, but is He a God of justice?
It’s ok to question God. Some have been taught they should never doubt or question, but this is one of many good, honest questions directed toward God. He wants to hear from us. He can handle anything we throw at Him! He’s God!
Jeremiah continues,
You have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit. You are always on their lips but far from their hearts. (Jeremiah 12:2)
They talk about You, but they’re far from You, LORD. Don’t you see what’s going on? They are religious but not righteous. They’re fakers, actors, hypocrites. Why don’t you punish them?
Yet you know me, LORD; you see me and test my thoughts about you. Drag them off like sheep to be butchered! Set them apart for the day of slaughter! (Jeremiah 12:3)
How do you really feel, Jeremiah?! Jeremiah was set apart by God and he wants God to set apart the wicked…for their day of slaughter!
How long will the land lie parched and the grass in every field be withered? Because those who live in it are wicked, the animals and birds have perished. Moreover, the people are saying, “He will not see what happens to us.” (Jeremiah 12:4)
God had sent a drought, yet the people refused to acknowledge their sin and God’s judgment.
Why do you permit it, LORD? Perhaps a better question than, “Why?” is, “What are You up to, LORD? He is sovereign and in control, even when it doesn’t seem like it. He’s good and faithful, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
I’ve heard it said that you shouldn’t ask a question for which you don’t want the answer! God responds to Jeremiah…and it’s not what he expected.
“If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan? (Jeremiah 12:5)
God says, “Jeremiah, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!”
Your relatives, members of your own family—even they have betrayed you; they have raised a loud cry against you. Do not trust them, though they speak well of you. (Jeremiah 12:6)
This is a disturbing verse. God warns Jeremiah to not trust his own family…or their words.
Warren Wiersbe notes, “Jeremiah was asking, ‘How can I get out of this?’ But he should have been asking, ‘What can I get out of this?’”
We are to live by God’s promises, not explanations. Of course, we don’t understand everything that happens in this world. If so, we’d be God!
We like easy, comfortable, and safe. We like sunny days at the beach, but the only thing that grows at the beach is your waistline! Growth requires testing, discipline, pain, challenge, and…change. Often the very things we want removed from our lives are the very things God is using to grow us, mature us, shape us, and make us like Jesus.
And life’s trials should always draw us back to God, enhancing our relationship with and dependency upon God. Maybe today’s trials are designed to create tomorrow’s miracles. Singer/songwriter Laura Story penned these words in her song Blessings:
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops/ What if Your healing comes through tears/ What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near/ What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
Trials are an opportunity to trust.
Trials are an opportunity for others to pray and support us.
Trails are an opportunity for God to show His power.
Trials are an opportunity for us to grow.
But I still don’t like them…and neither did Jeremiah! God continues,
“I will forsake my house, abandon my inheritance; I will give the one I love into the hands of her enemies. (Jeremiah 12:7)
This may not seem like love, but sometimes love has to let go. For God, sin cannot be tolerated.
I know of someone who recently broke up with his girlfriend, not because he didn’t love her, but because he did. He knew he couldn’t meet her expectations and released her to pursue her desires. I think that’s what God is doing here. The people had broken their covenant with God. They turned their backs on Him. He tried and tried and tried to get their attention and urged them to repent—to turn back toward Him. They refused and chose to follow the ways of their ungodly friends and neighbors and finally God says enough. It’s sad. It’s tragic!
My inheritance has become to me like a lion in the forest. She roars at me; therefore I hate her. (Jeremiah 12:8)
They have been opposing God and He’s had enough. The Hebrew word for hate can also mean turn against. The people roared at God like an angry lion.
Has not my inheritance become to me like a speckled bird of prey that other birds of prey surround and attack? Go and gather all the wild beasts; bring them to devour. (Jeremiah 12:9)
Speckled or colored birds stood out from the other birds, and consequently the others would surround and attack the odd creature. This is Judah.
Now there’s a series of images God uses to describe the devastation that lies ahead.
10 Many shepherds will ruin my vineyard
and trample down my field;
they will turn my pleasant field
into a desolate wasteland.
11 It will be made a wasteland,
parched and desolate before me;
the whole land will be laid waste
because there is no one who cares.
12 Over all the barren heights in the desert
destroyers will swarm,
for the sword of the LORD will devour
from one end of the land to the other;
no one will be safe.
13 They will sow wheat but reap thorns;
they will wear themselves out but gain nothing.
They will bear the shame of their harvest
because of the LORD’S fierce anger.”
Can you image God saying these words to us? I sometimes wonder if He’s not! Our money says, “In God We Trust” but we seem to trust more in our money than in our God. We’ve marginalized faith in the public square, passed laws that are in direct violation of scripture, and become so self-absorbed that there’s no time or energy left for the relationship we were created to have with our Creator.
Is God angry with the USA? Is He angry with the world? Is the coronavirus a punishment? The best answer I can give is “maybe.” Keep in mind, this passage was not written to 21st century Christians in Toledo…but it was written for us. We’re told that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). We’re told that if we disown Jesus, he will disown us before the Father (Matthew 10:33).
I have a pastor friend who posted this last week:
Pestilences (pandemics) and plagues don't come from satan. They come from God. There is not one instance in the 130+ mentions of pestilences and plagues in the Bible where they are attributed to the demonic realm. EVERY one is said to have come from God, even if it's by the agency of angels. We don't rebuke pestilences and plagues. We REPENT. (Joe Sazyc Sr.)
That’s what the Jewish people failed to do…repent. Will we?
This is what the LORD says: “As for all my wicked neighbors who seize the inheritance I gave my people Israel, I will uproot them from their lands and I will uproot the people of Judah from among them. (Jeremiah 12:14)
Is anybody ready for some good news?
But after I uproot them, I will again have compassion and will bring each of them back to their own inheritance and their own country. (Jeremiah 12:15)
God has remembered the land. It’s His land, only loaned to the Jews. The people would spend seventy years in captivity and then be allowed to return to their land and restore the nation and temple…and their worship of God.
And if they learn well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the LORD lives’—even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal—then they will be established among my people. But if any nation does not listen, I will completely uproot and destroy it,” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 12:16-17)
In this instance, God is pro-choice! He gives the people the choice to follow Him or the false god Baal. They get to determine their own destiny, the consequences of their allegiance. Even today, nation who follow Jesus receive a certain blessing, while those who ignore Him will pay the price…now and/or in the future
So What?
What in the world can we learn from this dark chapter in a book written thousands of years ago? First,
We all experience suffering because of sin.
The good and the bad both experience pain, loss, and suffering. It’s easy to be envious of the wealth, pleasure, or power of others. The grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence, right?! But as long as sin is a part of the human condition, we will be hurt and we will hurt others. Social media begs us to compare ourselves to the highlight reels of others, but that’s the point…we only see the highlights…the smiles…the Instagrammable photos. I promise you, ever person you’ve ever met or seen has suffered. They may be in agony at this moment, just unwilling to be honest and vulnerable.
Perhaps you could care less about others. You’re struggling now. You’re doubting or questioning God now. God for it! He’s listening. He cares. It might not feel like it, but He’s at work. He’s up to something.
Your story is not over.
Every good story has a moment of tension—the climax. Have you ever heard a good story where the main character is just happy, happy, happy from beginning to end? No! There are moments of suspense or crisis that are followed by resolution. The same is true for your story.
When you ask, “God, what are You up to?” you open up to the opportunity to see how God will heal, redeem, restore, or otherwise answer your prayers. We don’t like moments of trial, but that’s how we grow. Today may be excruciating, but there’s bright hope for tomorrow…and He is with you today, whether you like/know/acknowledge/feel it or not.
The same can be said for the wicked. Their story is not over. Judgment Day is coming…for all of us. “Vengeance is mine,” says the LORD (Romans 12:19). The bottom line is…
God is sovereign. He can be trusted, despite what we see, think, or feel today.
Conclusion
If anyone had a right to ask why good things happen to bad people, it was Jesus. After all, he was the only truly “good” human to walk this earth. The people who denied, betrayed, sentenced, and executed him could all be considered “bad,” yet he loved them and prayed for them.
Jesus never asks us to do anything he wasn’t willing to do…and we have the same Holy Spirit to give us the love, grace, courage, and strength to do it.
There’s a question more common than, “Why do good things happen to bad people?” and that’s, “Why do bad things happen to good people.” The worst possible thing happened to the only good person as he was beaten, mocked, and crucified for you and me. We often say it’s all about Jesus and as we’ve gathered here to worship Jesus, we close with a song which talks about his life, death, and victory…a victory which is ours as we trust God and follow Jesus, regardless of the temporary injustices we may see around us. The best is yet to come!
Credits: some ideas from D6, Warren Wiersbe
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Jeremiah: Called to Faithfulness
Jeremiah 12
Series Big Idea: Jeremiah was faithful despite his difficult prophetic task.
Big Idea: God is sovereign and He can be trusted, despite what we see, think, or feel today.
Why? It might be the most common question asked by children.
Why do I have to get out of bed?
Why do I have to brush my teeth?
Why do I have to eat breakfast?
Why do I have to go to school?
Come to think of it, these are all questions adults ask, too!
One of the most universal questions throughout history has been, “Why do good things happen to bad people?” I’ve asked it. I’m sure you’ve wondered it. Job did (12; 21). The psalmists (37; 49; 73) and Habakkuk (chapter 1) and Malachi (2:17; 3:15) did. Jeremiah did, too.
I hope today we can answer that important question…and draw closer to Almighty God.
We’re in the middle of a series on the book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah was a bullfrog…and a prophet! God’s chosen people, the Jews, had repeatedly broken their covenant with God. Last Sunday we looked at their disgraceful practice in the temple, worshiping other gods. The difficult life of a prophet involved speaking for God to disobedient people, warning them of the consequences of their actions.
In chapter one, Jeremiah was understandably reluctant to accept God’s call for him to be a prophet and obey the LORD. Last week in chapter seven, Jeremiah told the people their sins and evil were too much for God. They had willfully chosen to walk away from God.
Today we’re in chapter twelve. It begins,
You are always righteous, LORD, when I bring a case before you. (Jeremiah 12:1)
This is a great start. Jeremiah understands God is right. God is always right. God is always righteous. That’s His nature, His character. He can do no wrong. He cannot sin. He cannot fail or make a mistake. He is perfect in all of His ways.
It’s vitally important for all of us to understand God, to know God. We cannot fully comprehend Him, of course, but He is knowable. He wants to be known by us. He has given us the Bible to discover His wonderful attributes, including his righteousness.
I realize you might not agree with Jeremiah. You may think He’s forgotten you, made a mistake, or failed you. I can assure you though it may feel that way, you will someday understand why…
- - Your loved one died
- - You lost the job you loved
- - That relationship failed
- - You were born with those challenges
- - There’s no toilet paper at the store!
Jeremiah acknowledged that God is always righteous, always right when a case is brought before Him. Now Jeremiah does just that; he brings a case before the LORD.
Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? (Jeremiah 12:1b)
There it is! Why do good things happen to bad people? Jeremiah admits God is righteous, but is He a God of justice?
It’s ok to question God. Some have been taught they should never doubt or question, but this is one of many good, honest questions directed toward God. He wants to hear from us. He can handle anything we throw at Him! He’s God!
Jeremiah continues,
You have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit. You are always on their lips but far from their hearts. (Jeremiah 12:2)
They talk about You, but they’re far from You, LORD. Don’t you see what’s going on? They are religious but not righteous. They’re fakers, actors, hypocrites. Why don’t you punish them?
Yet you know me, LORD; you see me and test my thoughts about you. Drag them off like sheep to be butchered! Set them apart for the day of slaughter! (Jeremiah 12:3)
How do you really feel, Jeremiah?! Jeremiah was set apart by God and he wants God to set apart the wicked…for their day of slaughter!
How long will the land lie parched and the grass in every field be withered? Because those who live in it are wicked, the animals and birds have perished. Moreover, the people are saying, “He will not see what happens to us.” (Jeremiah 12:4)
God had sent a drought, yet the people refused to acknowledge their sin and God’s judgment.
Why do you permit it, LORD? Perhaps a better question than, “Why?” is, “What are You up to, LORD? He is sovereign and in control, even when it doesn’t seem like it. He’s good and faithful, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
I’ve heard it said that you shouldn’t ask a question for which you don’t want the answer! God responds to Jeremiah…and it’s not what he expected.
“If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan? (Jeremiah 12:5)
God says, “Jeremiah, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!”
Your relatives, members of your own family—even they have betrayed you; they have raised a loud cry against you. Do not trust them, though they speak well of you. (Jeremiah 12:6)
This is a disturbing verse. God warns Jeremiah to not trust his own family…or their words.
Warren Wiersbe notes, “Jeremiah was asking, ‘How can I get out of this?’ But he should have been asking, ‘What can I get out of this?’”
We are to live by God’s promises, not explanations. Of course, we don’t understand everything that happens in this world. If so, we’d be God!
We like easy, comfortable, and safe. We like sunny days at the beach, but the only thing that grows at the beach is your waistline! Growth requires testing, discipline, pain, challenge, and…change. Often the very things we want removed from our lives are the very things God is using to grow us, mature us, shape us, and make us like Jesus.
And life’s trials should always draw us back to God, enhancing our relationship with and dependency upon God. Maybe today’s trials are designed to create tomorrow’s miracles. Singer/songwriter Laura Story penned these words in her song Blessings:
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops/ What if Your healing comes through tears/ What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near/ What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
Trials are an opportunity to trust.
Trials are an opportunity for others to pray and support us.
Trails are an opportunity for God to show His power.
Trials are an opportunity for us to grow.
But I still don’t like them…and neither did Jeremiah! God continues,
“I will forsake my house, abandon my inheritance; I will give the one I love into the hands of her enemies. (Jeremiah 12:7)
This may not seem like love, but sometimes love has to let go. For God, sin cannot be tolerated.
I know of someone who recently broke up with his girlfriend, not because he didn’t love her, but because he did. He knew he couldn’t meet her expectations and released her to pursue her desires. I think that’s what God is doing here. The people had broken their covenant with God. They turned their backs on Him. He tried and tried and tried to get their attention and urged them to repent—to turn back toward Him. They refused and chose to follow the ways of their ungodly friends and neighbors and finally God says enough. It’s sad. It’s tragic!
My inheritance has become to me like a lion in the forest. She roars at me; therefore I hate her. (Jeremiah 12:8)
They have been opposing God and He’s had enough. The Hebrew word for hate can also mean turn against. The people roared at God like an angry lion.
Has not my inheritance become to me like a speckled bird of prey that other birds of prey surround and attack? Go and gather all the wild beasts; bring them to devour. (Jeremiah 12:9)
Speckled or colored birds stood out from the other birds, and consequently the others would surround and attack the odd creature. This is Judah.
Now there’s a series of images God uses to describe the devastation that lies ahead.
10 Many shepherds will ruin my vineyard
and trample down my field;
they will turn my pleasant field
into a desolate wasteland.
11 It will be made a wasteland,
parched and desolate before me;
the whole land will be laid waste
because there is no one who cares.
12 Over all the barren heights in the desert
destroyers will swarm,
for the sword of the LORD will devour
from one end of the land to the other;
no one will be safe.
13 They will sow wheat but reap thorns;
they will wear themselves out but gain nothing.
They will bear the shame of their harvest
because of the LORD’S fierce anger.”
Can you image God saying these words to us? I sometimes wonder if He’s not! Our money says, “In God We Trust” but we seem to trust more in our money than in our God. We’ve marginalized faith in the public square, passed laws that are in direct violation of scripture, and become so self-absorbed that there’s no time or energy left for the relationship we were created to have with our Creator.
Is God angry with the USA? Is He angry with the world? Is the coronavirus a punishment? The best answer I can give is “maybe.” Keep in mind, this passage was not written to 21st century Christians in Toledo…but it was written for us. We’re told that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). We’re told that if we disown Jesus, he will disown us before the Father (Matthew 10:33).
I have a pastor friend who posted this last week:
Pestilences (pandemics) and plagues don't come from satan. They come from God. There is not one instance in the 130+ mentions of pestilences and plagues in the Bible where they are attributed to the demonic realm. EVERY one is said to have come from God, even if it's by the agency of angels. We don't rebuke pestilences and plagues. We REPENT. (Joe Sazyc Sr.)
That’s what the Jewish people failed to do…repent. Will we?
This is what the LORD says: “As for all my wicked neighbors who seize the inheritance I gave my people Israel, I will uproot them from their lands and I will uproot the people of Judah from among them. (Jeremiah 12:14)
Is anybody ready for some good news?
But after I uproot them, I will again have compassion and will bring each of them back to their own inheritance and their own country. (Jeremiah 12:15)
God has remembered the land. It’s His land, only loaned to the Jews. The people would spend seventy years in captivity and then be allowed to return to their land and restore the nation and temple…and their worship of God.
And if they learn well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the LORD lives’—even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal—then they will be established among my people. But if any nation does not listen, I will completely uproot and destroy it,” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 12:16-17)
In this instance, God is pro-choice! He gives the people the choice to follow Him or the false god Baal. They get to determine their own destiny, the consequences of their allegiance. Even today, nation who follow Jesus receive a certain blessing, while those who ignore Him will pay the price…now and/or in the future
So What?
What in the world can we learn from this dark chapter in a book written thousands of years ago? First,
We all experience suffering because of sin.
The good and the bad both experience pain, loss, and suffering. It’s easy to be envious of the wealth, pleasure, or power of others. The grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence, right?! But as long as sin is a part of the human condition, we will be hurt and we will hurt others. Social media begs us to compare ourselves to the highlight reels of others, but that’s the point…we only see the highlights…the smiles…the Instagrammable photos. I promise you, ever person you’ve ever met or seen has suffered. They may be in agony at this moment, just unwilling to be honest and vulnerable.
Perhaps you could care less about others. You’re struggling now. You’re doubting or questioning God now. God for it! He’s listening. He cares. It might not feel like it, but He’s at work. He’s up to something.
Your story is not over.
Every good story has a moment of tension—the climax. Have you ever heard a good story where the main character is just happy, happy, happy from beginning to end? No! There are moments of suspense or crisis that are followed by resolution. The same is true for your story.
When you ask, “God, what are You up to?” you open up to the opportunity to see how God will heal, redeem, restore, or otherwise answer your prayers. We don’t like moments of trial, but that’s how we grow. Today may be excruciating, but there’s bright hope for tomorrow…and He is with you today, whether you like/know/acknowledge/feel it or not.
The same can be said for the wicked. Their story is not over. Judgment Day is coming…for all of us. “Vengeance is mine,” says the LORD (Romans 12:19). The bottom line is…
God is sovereign. He can be trusted, despite what we see, think, or feel today.
Conclusion
If anyone had a right to ask why good things happen to bad people, it was Jesus. After all, he was the only truly “good” human to walk this earth. The people who denied, betrayed, sentenced, and executed him could all be considered “bad,” yet he loved them and prayed for them.
Jesus never asks us to do anything he wasn’t willing to do…and we have the same Holy Spirit to give us the love, grace, courage, and strength to do it.
There’s a question more common than, “Why do good things happen to bad people?” and that’s, “Why do bad things happen to good people.” The worst possible thing happened to the only good person as he was beaten, mocked, and crucified for you and me. We often say it’s all about Jesus and as we’ve gathered here to worship Jesus, we close with a song which talks about his life, death, and victory…a victory which is ours as we trust God and follow Jesus, regardless of the temporary injustices we may see around us. The best is yet to come!
Credits: some ideas from D6, Warren Wiersbe
Temple of Doom, 8 March 2020
08 03 20
Temple of Doom
Series—Jeremiah: Called to Faithfulness
Jeremiah 7:1-15
Series Big Idea: Jeremiah was faithful despite his difficult prophetic task.
Big Idea: God wants our heart, soul, mind, and strength…24/7/365.
Are you superstitious? This Friday is Friday the…13th! That number is superstitious to some. On a recent trip overseas, I was surprised to see a thirteenth-floor button in the elevator!
People are superstitious about many things…black cats, rabbit’s feet, …even religious practices. Have you ever heard of people superstitious about a building, one which would offer absolute protection? It’s in the Bible, and you might be surprised at how you can relate.
My name is Kirk and last Sunday we began a look at the book of Jeremiah…not your friend, the bullfrog, but the prophet from long ago. God told Jeremiah to confront the Jews after they wandered away from God, pursuing things of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
I often say context is critical in understand the Bible…or any writing, for that matter. Here’s some additional background leading up to Jeremiah chapter 7:
God made a covenant with the Jews, promising to guide and protect them so long as they followed Him and not the gods of their neighbors. He wanted to be their king, but they insisted on a human king, so Saul became the first king of Israel, followed by David, Solomon, and a host of no-so-good kings who led the people away from God and into idolatry and other evil practices.
Josiah was a good king, concerned about his people. He was a godly king—one of the few—who had a wonderful relationship with God. By the time he had become king, the temple had become a shambles.
King Josiah initiated the cleansing and restoration of the temple and removed the idols. While doing so, the book of the law of God was found and the people began to return to God. Unfortunately, King Josiah was wounded in a battle with Egypt God warned him about and taken to Jerusalem where he died (2 Chron. 35:20-27).
Josiah’s son Jehoahaz was on the throne for three months before being replaced by his brother Eliakim who the Egyptian king named “Jehoiakim.” He reigned for eleven years, leading the people of Judah back into idolatry.
Josiah removed the idols and his son welcomes them back, bringing idolatry into the temple courts, making the LORD one of the many gods the people worshipped.
Although the people realized the error of their ways, they felt unstoppable because they thought nothing bad could happen so long as they were in the city of God’s holy temple. They were, after all, God’s chosen people, so they were invincible…or so they thought! They superstitiously believed the temple would protect them, even if they disobeyed God.
The first chapter of Jeremiah tells of God’s call to the prophet. He is to alert the people of their sin and God’s displeasure.
Chapters 2-6 record prophecies Jeremiah gave during the first 5 years of his ministry, beginning when he was around 20 years old. Chapter seven begins with a series of prophecies given after finding the law in the temple after it was cleansed under King Josiah’s rule.
I want to warn you, this is a challenging passage. Let’s begin:
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: “Stand at the gate of the LORD’S house and there proclaim this message:
“ ‘Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the LORD. (Jeremiah 7:1-2)
The focus of this prophecy is on the people, of course, and the temple. After restoring the temple, it became a center of activity, but not all of it was good.
This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. (Jeremiah 7:3)
The people of Judah were returning to the temple, but it had no impact on their lives the rest of the week. It was nothing more than a religious activity, going through the motions.
Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!” (Jeremiah 7:4)
The people of Judah were excited about the temple, but not the LORD! It was like a giant good-luck charm or talisman to them. Buildings are great—I like ours—but they are merely one place where we worship, they are not what we worship.
If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever. (Jeremiah 7:5-7)
That’s good, right? God is saying, “Change and everything will be okay. Return to me. Stop oppressing the foreigner, the orphan, the widow. Stop your violence and bloodshed. Most of all, get rid of your idols and worship of other gods.
But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. (Jeremiah 7:8)
The people thought they could do whatever they desired so long as they had—and visited—the temple. This seems crazy to us, but like so many things, it’s easy to get caught up in the culture, political-correctness, the leadership, in this case the evil king.
Jeremiah’s audience had a false security in
Does that sound at all familiar? Here we are gathered together wearing our “Sunday best,” doing our religious duty, giving God His hour or so, perhaps making mom or grandma happy,…so we don’t feel so guilty about what we do the rest of the week.
Don’t worry, I’m not talking about you…or am I?
This whole church thing, this whole God thing, this whole Bible thing is not about religion and ritual. It’s not about superstition or super-spirituality.
It’s about a relationship with your Creator. It’s about Jesus! Our faith is all about knowing, loving, and obeying Jesus.
That last one’s tough. Sure, we all want to know and love Jesus. He’s the most famous person to ever walk the earth. He loved people, healed people, and taught with great wisdom. He died and rose from the dead to forgive us of our sins. Who doesn’t like that? It’s easy to say, “Jesus, save me.”
But talk is cheap. See, Jesus wants to be your Savior, but also your LORD. That means he wants to change you…to become like him. He wants you to obey.
Our culture hates this. We want it our way, whatever makes us happy, whatever we feel or “identify” or led to do. Just when I think our society can’t get any more bizarre, I read of some radical new self-expression exalted on a pedestal that all of us are supposed to bow down to, have a parade for, celebrate, or honor with an award.
Family, that’s fine for the world. It makes sense for the world to act like the world, but we’re the people of God, which mean we are to obey God. We are to repent—turn away from our sin—and live not for ourselves and our pleasures, but for Christ. Jesus said,
The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15)
Repent means to turn. Believe here means to do, to entrust, to take action. It’s not a nice thought in your head, but living proof that you are a follower of Jesus, no longer a slave to sin and selfishness.
The Jews thought if they went to the temple, they’d be saved.
Some people today mistakenly think if they go to church, they’ll be saved.
What God desired for them and what He desires for us today is one thing: relationship. That’s why we were created! If you have a child who constantly disobeys, it’s hard to have a right relationship with them. The same is true for our Heavenly Father. It’s not that He wants to spoil our fun with a bunch of rules, but rather that Daddy knows best. He knows how this life thing works. He wants us to experience the ultimate joy, peace, and satisfaction in life, which can only come from knowing Him, loving Him, and obeying Him.
The prophet Isaiah wrote of true worshippers:
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” (Isaiah 56:7b)
Jesus referred to this text when he went postal on the money changers in the temple centuries later.
“It is written,” he said to them, “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” (Matthew 21:13)
The people of Jerusalem had done this, too. Jeremiah continues,
“ ‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 7:9-11)
The people didn’t change their ways. They continued to sin, even following other gods!
They thought the temple would protect them, using it for their gain. Only God could protect them, for His glory.
They had broken at least five of the Ten Commandments, yet they were told the temple would bring them blessing and protection from God. This isn’t salvation, it’s superstition! The people were making the temple unholy rather than being made holy in the temple. God’s holy temple had become a den of thieves. It had become a temple of doom.
Warren Wiersbe notes, “Any theology that minimizes God’s holiness and tolerates people’s deliberate sinfulness is a false theology.”
God wanted the people to repent, to turn, to change, to flee their sin both to escape His judgment and the avoid the consequences of their sins. He didn’t want fake, empty worship. He didn’t want religion for an hour or two a week. He wanted 24/7 obedience, and that’s what He wants from us today.
We can all see how you behave here on Sunday morning. That’s easy.
How do you live at home?
How do you live at the office or school?
How do you live on social media?
Where were you last night?
How will you live out your faith this week?
Jeremiahs words don’t get any easier. God tells him,
“ ‘Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel. While you were doing all these things, declares the LORD, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer. (Jeremiah 7:12-13)
I wonder how many times I miss God’s calling. We live in a noisy world filled with distractions. There are so many messages bombarding us, whether it’s on a billboard, the radio, social media, television, or even our friends and family. Sometimes we get busy because we’re afraid of what we might discover if we are still and quiet.
Silence and solitude are two ancient spiritual practices or disciplines which quickly reveal the condition of our souls before God.
He is speaking. Are you listening? Remember, the primary way God speaks today is through the Bible. Are you reading? Are you studying? He’s got great news for you! His Word will set you free from fear and anxiety. The scriptures are packed with promises of His patient love for you. Those who seek Him will find Him, but those who ignore Him will find themselves distant (Matthew 7:7; 25:31-46).
God says,
Therefore, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears my Name, the temple you trust in, the place I gave to you and your ancestors. I will thrust you from my presence, just as I did all your fellow Israelites, the people of Ephraim.’ (Jeremiah 7:14-15)
Archeologists believe the village of Shiloh was destroyed about 1050 BC, likely by the Philistines. God is saying what happened to Shiloh He would do to the temple.
In chapter 7, the LORD tells Jeremiah four things:
The people of Judah had abandoned God—even though they looked religious—and God was going to respect their choice and thrust them from His presence. What a tragedy!
So What?
It’s hard not to think about the Pharisees and religious leaders from Mark chapter 7 when reading about these people. They looked good on the outside, but their hearts were detached from their worship. The LORD became one of many gods.
What would God say to us? To you? To me? What is He saying?
I hope the application is obvious. Are you going through the motions, devoting an hour or two a week to God, or do you live for God…24/7?
I’m glad you’re here. I think God’s glad you’re here, too. But Sunday morning’s not enough. He wants all of you.
Some of you have given your whole heart to God, but you’ve lost your way. Maybe you’ve been attending here for fifty years but you’ve lost your first love. My guess is some of you have wandered off the path. You might be the only one who knows it. You might just now be aware of it. It’s time to recommit your life to Jesus. It’s time to return to your first love, Jesus.
Maybe you feel inadequate and unworthy to have a relationship with God. You are, which is why Jesus came and died…to reconcile you to the Father. His arms are wide-open to welcome you home.
As we said last week, God is looking for men and women who will say yes to God and His calling. It doesn’t begin by being a missionary in Africa or going to seminary. It starts with simply giving God your heart, …and your soul, mind, and strength. The greatest command? Jesus said,
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
I Give You My Heart
Credits: some ideas from D6, Warren Wiersbe
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Jeremiah: Called to Faithfulness
Jeremiah 7:1-15
Series Big Idea: Jeremiah was faithful despite his difficult prophetic task.
Big Idea: God wants our heart, soul, mind, and strength…24/7/365.
Are you superstitious? This Friday is Friday the…13th! That number is superstitious to some. On a recent trip overseas, I was surprised to see a thirteenth-floor button in the elevator!
People are superstitious about many things…black cats, rabbit’s feet, …even religious practices. Have you ever heard of people superstitious about a building, one which would offer absolute protection? It’s in the Bible, and you might be surprised at how you can relate.
My name is Kirk and last Sunday we began a look at the book of Jeremiah…not your friend, the bullfrog, but the prophet from long ago. God told Jeremiah to confront the Jews after they wandered away from God, pursuing things of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
I often say context is critical in understand the Bible…or any writing, for that matter. Here’s some additional background leading up to Jeremiah chapter 7:
God made a covenant with the Jews, promising to guide and protect them so long as they followed Him and not the gods of their neighbors. He wanted to be their king, but they insisted on a human king, so Saul became the first king of Israel, followed by David, Solomon, and a host of no-so-good kings who led the people away from God and into idolatry and other evil practices.
Josiah was a good king, concerned about his people. He was a godly king—one of the few—who had a wonderful relationship with God. By the time he had become king, the temple had become a shambles.
King Josiah initiated the cleansing and restoration of the temple and removed the idols. While doing so, the book of the law of God was found and the people began to return to God. Unfortunately, King Josiah was wounded in a battle with Egypt God warned him about and taken to Jerusalem where he died (2 Chron. 35:20-27).
Josiah’s son Jehoahaz was on the throne for three months before being replaced by his brother Eliakim who the Egyptian king named “Jehoiakim.” He reigned for eleven years, leading the people of Judah back into idolatry.
Josiah removed the idols and his son welcomes them back, bringing idolatry into the temple courts, making the LORD one of the many gods the people worshipped.
Although the people realized the error of their ways, they felt unstoppable because they thought nothing bad could happen so long as they were in the city of God’s holy temple. They were, after all, God’s chosen people, so they were invincible…or so they thought! They superstitiously believed the temple would protect them, even if they disobeyed God.
The first chapter of Jeremiah tells of God’s call to the prophet. He is to alert the people of their sin and God’s displeasure.
Chapters 2-6 record prophecies Jeremiah gave during the first 5 years of his ministry, beginning when he was around 20 years old. Chapter seven begins with a series of prophecies given after finding the law in the temple after it was cleansed under King Josiah’s rule.
I want to warn you, this is a challenging passage. Let’s begin:
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: “Stand at the gate of the LORD’S house and there proclaim this message:
“ ‘Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the LORD. (Jeremiah 7:1-2)
The focus of this prophecy is on the people, of course, and the temple. After restoring the temple, it became a center of activity, but not all of it was good.
This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. (Jeremiah 7:3)
The people of Judah were returning to the temple, but it had no impact on their lives the rest of the week. It was nothing more than a religious activity, going through the motions.
Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!” (Jeremiah 7:4)
The people of Judah were excited about the temple, but not the LORD! It was like a giant good-luck charm or talisman to them. Buildings are great—I like ours—but they are merely one place where we worship, they are not what we worship.
If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever. (Jeremiah 7:5-7)
That’s good, right? God is saying, “Change and everything will be okay. Return to me. Stop oppressing the foreigner, the orphan, the widow. Stop your violence and bloodshed. Most of all, get rid of your idols and worship of other gods.
But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. (Jeremiah 7:8)
The people thought they could do whatever they desired so long as they had—and visited—the temple. This seems crazy to us, but like so many things, it’s easy to get caught up in the culture, political-correctness, the leadership, in this case the evil king.
Jeremiah’s audience had a false security in
- - The temple
- - Religious activities and rituals
- - Emotional experiences
- - Godly heritage
- - Knowledge of the scripture
- - Faith in God without true repentance (deceptive words)
Does that sound at all familiar? Here we are gathered together wearing our “Sunday best,” doing our religious duty, giving God His hour or so, perhaps making mom or grandma happy,…so we don’t feel so guilty about what we do the rest of the week.
Don’t worry, I’m not talking about you…or am I?
This whole church thing, this whole God thing, this whole Bible thing is not about religion and ritual. It’s not about superstition or super-spirituality.
It’s about a relationship with your Creator. It’s about Jesus! Our faith is all about knowing, loving, and obeying Jesus.
That last one’s tough. Sure, we all want to know and love Jesus. He’s the most famous person to ever walk the earth. He loved people, healed people, and taught with great wisdom. He died and rose from the dead to forgive us of our sins. Who doesn’t like that? It’s easy to say, “Jesus, save me.”
But talk is cheap. See, Jesus wants to be your Savior, but also your LORD. That means he wants to change you…to become like him. He wants you to obey.
Our culture hates this. We want it our way, whatever makes us happy, whatever we feel or “identify” or led to do. Just when I think our society can’t get any more bizarre, I read of some radical new self-expression exalted on a pedestal that all of us are supposed to bow down to, have a parade for, celebrate, or honor with an award.
Family, that’s fine for the world. It makes sense for the world to act like the world, but we’re the people of God, which mean we are to obey God. We are to repent—turn away from our sin—and live not for ourselves and our pleasures, but for Christ. Jesus said,
The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15)
Repent means to turn. Believe here means to do, to entrust, to take action. It’s not a nice thought in your head, but living proof that you are a follower of Jesus, no longer a slave to sin and selfishness.
The Jews thought if they went to the temple, they’d be saved.
Some people today mistakenly think if they go to church, they’ll be saved.
What God desired for them and what He desires for us today is one thing: relationship. That’s why we were created! If you have a child who constantly disobeys, it’s hard to have a right relationship with them. The same is true for our Heavenly Father. It’s not that He wants to spoil our fun with a bunch of rules, but rather that Daddy knows best. He knows how this life thing works. He wants us to experience the ultimate joy, peace, and satisfaction in life, which can only come from knowing Him, loving Him, and obeying Him.
The prophet Isaiah wrote of true worshippers:
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” (Isaiah 56:7b)
Jesus referred to this text when he went postal on the money changers in the temple centuries later.
“It is written,” he said to them, “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” (Matthew 21:13)
The people of Jerusalem had done this, too. Jeremiah continues,
“ ‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 7:9-11)
The people didn’t change their ways. They continued to sin, even following other gods!
They thought the temple would protect them, using it for their gain. Only God could protect them, for His glory.
They had broken at least five of the Ten Commandments, yet they were told the temple would bring them blessing and protection from God. This isn’t salvation, it’s superstition! The people were making the temple unholy rather than being made holy in the temple. God’s holy temple had become a den of thieves. It had become a temple of doom.
Warren Wiersbe notes, “Any theology that minimizes God’s holiness and tolerates people’s deliberate sinfulness is a false theology.”
God wanted the people to repent, to turn, to change, to flee their sin both to escape His judgment and the avoid the consequences of their sins. He didn’t want fake, empty worship. He didn’t want religion for an hour or two a week. He wanted 24/7 obedience, and that’s what He wants from us today.
We can all see how you behave here on Sunday morning. That’s easy.
How do you live at home?
How do you live at the office or school?
How do you live on social media?
Where were you last night?
How will you live out your faith this week?
Jeremiahs words don’t get any easier. God tells him,
“ ‘Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel. While you were doing all these things, declares the LORD, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer. (Jeremiah 7:12-13)
I wonder how many times I miss God’s calling. We live in a noisy world filled with distractions. There are so many messages bombarding us, whether it’s on a billboard, the radio, social media, television, or even our friends and family. Sometimes we get busy because we’re afraid of what we might discover if we are still and quiet.
Silence and solitude are two ancient spiritual practices or disciplines which quickly reveal the condition of our souls before God.
He is speaking. Are you listening? Remember, the primary way God speaks today is through the Bible. Are you reading? Are you studying? He’s got great news for you! His Word will set you free from fear and anxiety. The scriptures are packed with promises of His patient love for you. Those who seek Him will find Him, but those who ignore Him will find themselves distant (Matthew 7:7; 25:31-46).
God says,
Therefore, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears my Name, the temple you trust in, the place I gave to you and your ancestors. I will thrust you from my presence, just as I did all your fellow Israelites, the people of Ephraim.’ (Jeremiah 7:14-15)
Archeologists believe the village of Shiloh was destroyed about 1050 BC, likely by the Philistines. God is saying what happened to Shiloh He would do to the temple.
In chapter 7, the LORD tells Jeremiah four things:
- 1. “Their worship does no good” (1-15)
- 2. “Your prayers will do them no good” (16-20)
- 3. “Their sacrifices will do them no good” (21-26)
- 4. “My discipline and correction do them no good” (7:27-8:3)
The people of Judah had abandoned God—even though they looked religious—and God was going to respect their choice and thrust them from His presence. What a tragedy!
So What?
It’s hard not to think about the Pharisees and religious leaders from Mark chapter 7 when reading about these people. They looked good on the outside, but their hearts were detached from their worship. The LORD became one of many gods.
What would God say to us? To you? To me? What is He saying?
I hope the application is obvious. Are you going through the motions, devoting an hour or two a week to God, or do you live for God…24/7?
I’m glad you’re here. I think God’s glad you’re here, too. But Sunday morning’s not enough. He wants all of you.
Some of you have given your whole heart to God, but you’ve lost your way. Maybe you’ve been attending here for fifty years but you’ve lost your first love. My guess is some of you have wandered off the path. You might be the only one who knows it. You might just now be aware of it. It’s time to recommit your life to Jesus. It’s time to return to your first love, Jesus.
Maybe you feel inadequate and unworthy to have a relationship with God. You are, which is why Jesus came and died…to reconcile you to the Father. His arms are wide-open to welcome you home.
As we said last week, God is looking for men and women who will say yes to God and His calling. It doesn’t begin by being a missionary in Africa or going to seminary. It starts with simply giving God your heart, …and your soul, mind, and strength. The greatest command? Jesus said,
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
I Give You My Heart
Credits: some ideas from D6, Warren Wiersbe
Boldly Answer God’s Call , 1 March 2020
01 03 20
Boldly Answer God’s Call
Series—Jeremiah: Called to Faithfulness
Jeremiah 1
Series Big Idea: Jeremiah was faithful despite his difficult prophetic task.
Big Idea: Obey God’s calling on your life, whatever it may be.
Mark Twain said that the two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.
Why are you here…on this planet? What is your purpose? What is your calling?
Welcome to March! We’re going to spend the next four weeks looking at the life and book of Jeremiah. Although Psalms has more verses, Jeremiah has more words and thus can be considered the longest book in the Bible. It would easily take us the rest of the year to go verse-by-verse through the entire book, but we’re going to examine four key chapters in this book, but first, a little introduction.
VIDEO
The book of Jeremiah begins…
The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. The word of the LORD came to him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah, and through the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, down to the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile. (Jeremiah 1:1-3)
That’s historical background, but the point is God comes to Jeremiah.
The word of the LORD came to me, saying,
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:4-5)
I love those ten words: before I formed you in the womb I knew you.
Parents have several milestones before they every meet their child. The first is obviously conception, though that moment is not known until the second milestone: the positive pregnancy test.
I’ll never forget the Sunday afternoon when my bride exited the bathroom and said, “It’s pink!” I had no idea what she was talking about until she said the pregnancy test revealed we would have a baby. I’ve rarely had so many emotions at one time! Thrilled would be an understatement. My world changed that day.
The next milestone came when we were able to hear the baby’s heartbeat. Wow! A real, human life was growing inside my wife. I had sonic proof I was going to be a daddy!
The ultrasound appointment literally showed us the baby and, in many cases, the gender (we didn’t want to know with our first two but caved on our third!). Gazing at our otherwise invisible baby is nearly miraculous.
These days, so much takes place in preparation for a baby—gender reveal parties, nursery prep—the birth might almost seem to be anti-climactic, though it’s amazing!
I had hopes and dreams for my children before I ever met them. In fact, we started praying not only for them, but their spouses…before they were even conceived! In a sense, I knew our children before they were born.
The same is true with God, our heavenly Dad. God knew you before you were formed in your mother’s womb. He didn’t need an ultrasound machine or even a pregnancy test! My favorite psalm says,
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:13-16)
Before you were born, you were seen by God. You were known by God. You were not a surprise or an unwanted child of God!
He also had a plan for you and your life. It’s different for each of us. God’s calling on your life might be for you to become an incredible school teacher, raising the next generation of leaders in our city and world. Others may have that same mission in the home as stay-at-home parents. Some are called by God to be successful in business, building wealth and generously funding God’s work at home and abroad. Still others are sent to the Jeep plant, the courthouse, the coffeeshop, or the hospital to fulfill their calling.
I don’t upset easily, but I get angry whenever I hear Christians neglecting their calling or considering it less spiritual than mine. If God calls you to be a pastor, be a pastor. If He calls you to go overseas and be an Alliance International Worker, do it. But don’t think for a minute that being a professional, vocational Christian is any more or less important than another calling.
We are all called to full-time ministry, but we’re not all called to vocational ministry.
God has created you with a plan, with a purpose, with potential. Don’t ever settle for anything less…or different! He knows you. He loves you. He wants to do life with you. We’re even told…
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. (Ephesians 1:4a)
You’ve been invited to follow Jesus. You’ve been commissioned to make disciples…wherever you live, work, and play. We need disciple-makers—missionaries—all over our city and region.
Where is God calling you to minister? He told Jeremiah plainly.
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:4-5)
The Hebrew word for “formed” here is the same word used to describe the creation of Adam (Genesis 2:7). It is a word that conveys close, careful, personal effort. The word “knew” is earlier used to describe the face-to-face relationship between God and Moses (Deut. 34:10). There intimacy between God and Jeremiah…and God desires intimacy with us, too.
You may think a calling to be a prophet to the nations is a big deal…and it was, but it wasn’t an easy assignment. A prophet declared God’s messages to the people, something we rarely see in our day, partly because we have God’s written word, the Bible, to guide us. Listen to Jeremiah’s response from God.
“Alas, Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” (Jeremiah 1:6)
When God called Moses, he had a similar reply.
Moses said to the LORD, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” (Exodus 4:10)
God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called.
The only appropriate response to a calling from God is…yes!!! God knows our weaknesses…and often chooses us because of our them…so He can get the glory.
God used Noah, a drunkard.
God used Rahab, a prostitute.
God used David, an adulterer and murderer.
God used Jonah, a man who ran away.
God used Matthew, a tax collector.
God’s not looking for successful people. He’s looking for surrendered people.
But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 1:7-8)
These verses include two of the most common and most important statements in the entire Bible:
- Fear not.
- I am with you.
Do you see the connection?
If God is for me, who can be against me?
If God is with me, whom shall I fear?
If God is in control, I don’t have to be.
Last week we simply said God can be trusted. If you rebel and do your own thing, it will eventually catch up with you. I guarantee it!
If you obey God, you’ll never regret it. Sure, it won’t always be easy, but you’ll never be alone. You’ll never be out of God’s will. You’ll find peace even in the middle of life’s storms. There’s nothing greater than the presence of God.
Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” (Jeremiah 1:9-10)
God’s equipping Jeremiah for His assignment. Where God guides, He provides. You might not have what you need now, but He’ll equip you…with wisdom, resources, people, vision, whatever you need to accomplish His plans…for His glory.
The problem is so often we’re concerned about our glory. We worry about our reputation. We focus on our success. We fear our failures.
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve thought about how I need to preach a good sermon, I’d be a rich man! If I could have back every minute I’ve thought about success, I’d probably have time to write a book! If I could harness the energy wasted on worrying about what people thought of me, I could probably power a small town!
When we serve the King, it’s His responsibility.
When we serve the King, it’s His battle.
When we serve the King, it’s His reputation.
God made promises to Jeremiah…and He always keeps His promises.
God has made promises to you and me…and He always keeps His promises.
What’s your excuse? Is your God too small to provide what you need to do what He wants you to do?
I sat in the office of our District Superintendent not long ago and said I’m inadequate to lead First Alliance Church. He said, “If you ever feel adequate, let me know so I can remove you from your position.” He was serious…and I was thankful.
I can’t do my job. I can’t make disciples. I can’t transform people to become like Jesus. Sure, I can play a song on the piano. I can give a lecture. I can even lead a staff meeting, but my mission is not to be a manager. I’m not called to maintain an organization. He’s called me—and you—to make disciples. He’s called us to become like Jesus and help others to become like Jesus. The problem is, we can’t…apart from the Holy Spirit. We can’t…apart from God. We can’t…apart from divine intervention.
I’m grateful for our beautiful, debt-free campus.
I’m grateful for our competent staff.
I’m grateful for all of you showing up today and all of the volunteers who serve.
But we’re not here to distribute religious goods and services. We’re here to restore God’s masterpieces. We’re here to be conduits of blessing to our city. We’re here to change the world, one life at a time. We are inadequate—all of us—but when we are weak, He is strong (2 Cor. 12:10)! We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil. 4:13)!
Now God begins to give Jeremiah his assignment. It won’t be glamorous. It will, in fact, be downright offensive, but when God gives you an assignment, it’s not your place to judge it, critique it, or walk away from it. Just do it!
The word of the LORD came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”
“I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied.
The LORD said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.” (Jeremiah 1:11-12)
The first tree to blossom and bear fruit was the almond tree.
The word of the LORD came to me again: “What do you see?”
“I see a pot that is boiling,” I answered. “It is tilting toward us from the north.” (Jeremiah 1:13)
Jeremiah must be thinking, “LORD, what’s going on?”
The LORD said to me, “From the north disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land. I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms,” declares the LORD.
“Their kings will come and set up their thrones in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem; they will come against all her surrounding walls and against all the towns of Judah. (Jeremiah 1:14-15)
Disaster was coming because the people had done disastrous evil by forsaking God.
I will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made. (Jeremiah 1:16)
God’s not happy, and when God’s not happy…
God calls Jeremiah to call out the people, to pronounce judgments, to warn them of the consequences of their sin. Does this sound like a fun assignment to you? God continues,
“Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 1:17-19)
The next 51 chapters describe what happens as Jeremiah responds to God’s calling.
So What?
Obey God’s calling on your life, whatever it may be.
There are three types of people. There are those who have heard God’s call and said no. How’s that working out for you? There are those who have heard God’s call and said yes. Well done. There are those who want to hear God’s call but haven’t…or you’re not sure. Be patient. Seek. Pray. Ask. Knock. Share your thoughts with a trusted friend. I’d love to talk with you.
Some of you may be waiting for a calling with global impact while you fail to influence those around you now. Maybe you feel like you’re “only” a stay-at-home mom or only a mechanic or only a student or only a retail clerk. Be faithful in the small things and God may give you more (Luke 16:10).
Maybe He’s calling you into a new assignment, into deeper waters. Perhaps you’re resisting because you feel inadequate and unworthy. You are! Let Him do the heavy lifting. Start by saying yes and leave the results up to God.
One more thing…
Jesus was given the most difficult assignment of all. His calling was to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). His mission was to leave heaven and hang out here for three decades for the purpose of dying the most brutal, agonizing death imaginable…for the junk, mistakes, rebellion, pride, and sins in our lives.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Jeremiah: Called to Faithfulness
Jeremiah 1
Series Big Idea: Jeremiah was faithful despite his difficult prophetic task.
Big Idea: Obey God’s calling on your life, whatever it may be.
Mark Twain said that the two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.
Why are you here…on this planet? What is your purpose? What is your calling?
Welcome to March! We’re going to spend the next four weeks looking at the life and book of Jeremiah. Although Psalms has more verses, Jeremiah has more words and thus can be considered the longest book in the Bible. It would easily take us the rest of the year to go verse-by-verse through the entire book, but we’re going to examine four key chapters in this book, but first, a little introduction.
VIDEO
The book of Jeremiah begins…
The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. The word of the LORD came to him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah, and through the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, down to the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile. (Jeremiah 1:1-3)
That’s historical background, but the point is God comes to Jeremiah.
The word of the LORD came to me, saying,
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:4-5)
I love those ten words: before I formed you in the womb I knew you.
Parents have several milestones before they every meet their child. The first is obviously conception, though that moment is not known until the second milestone: the positive pregnancy test.
I’ll never forget the Sunday afternoon when my bride exited the bathroom and said, “It’s pink!” I had no idea what she was talking about until she said the pregnancy test revealed we would have a baby. I’ve rarely had so many emotions at one time! Thrilled would be an understatement. My world changed that day.
The next milestone came when we were able to hear the baby’s heartbeat. Wow! A real, human life was growing inside my wife. I had sonic proof I was going to be a daddy!
The ultrasound appointment literally showed us the baby and, in many cases, the gender (we didn’t want to know with our first two but caved on our third!). Gazing at our otherwise invisible baby is nearly miraculous.
These days, so much takes place in preparation for a baby—gender reveal parties, nursery prep—the birth might almost seem to be anti-climactic, though it’s amazing!
I had hopes and dreams for my children before I ever met them. In fact, we started praying not only for them, but their spouses…before they were even conceived! In a sense, I knew our children before they were born.
The same is true with God, our heavenly Dad. God knew you before you were formed in your mother’s womb. He didn’t need an ultrasound machine or even a pregnancy test! My favorite psalm says,
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:13-16)
Before you were born, you were seen by God. You were known by God. You were not a surprise or an unwanted child of God!
He also had a plan for you and your life. It’s different for each of us. God’s calling on your life might be for you to become an incredible school teacher, raising the next generation of leaders in our city and world. Others may have that same mission in the home as stay-at-home parents. Some are called by God to be successful in business, building wealth and generously funding God’s work at home and abroad. Still others are sent to the Jeep plant, the courthouse, the coffeeshop, or the hospital to fulfill their calling.
I don’t upset easily, but I get angry whenever I hear Christians neglecting their calling or considering it less spiritual than mine. If God calls you to be a pastor, be a pastor. If He calls you to go overseas and be an Alliance International Worker, do it. But don’t think for a minute that being a professional, vocational Christian is any more or less important than another calling.
We are all called to full-time ministry, but we’re not all called to vocational ministry.
God has created you with a plan, with a purpose, with potential. Don’t ever settle for anything less…or different! He knows you. He loves you. He wants to do life with you. We’re even told…
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. (Ephesians 1:4a)
You’ve been invited to follow Jesus. You’ve been commissioned to make disciples…wherever you live, work, and play. We need disciple-makers—missionaries—all over our city and region.
Where is God calling you to minister? He told Jeremiah plainly.
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:4-5)
The Hebrew word for “formed” here is the same word used to describe the creation of Adam (Genesis 2:7). It is a word that conveys close, careful, personal effort. The word “knew” is earlier used to describe the face-to-face relationship between God and Moses (Deut. 34:10). There intimacy between God and Jeremiah…and God desires intimacy with us, too.
You may think a calling to be a prophet to the nations is a big deal…and it was, but it wasn’t an easy assignment. A prophet declared God’s messages to the people, something we rarely see in our day, partly because we have God’s written word, the Bible, to guide us. Listen to Jeremiah’s response from God.
“Alas, Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” (Jeremiah 1:6)
When God called Moses, he had a similar reply.
Moses said to the LORD, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” (Exodus 4:10)
God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called.
The only appropriate response to a calling from God is…yes!!! God knows our weaknesses…and often chooses us because of our them…so He can get the glory.
God used Noah, a drunkard.
God used Rahab, a prostitute.
God used David, an adulterer and murderer.
God used Jonah, a man who ran away.
God used Matthew, a tax collector.
God’s not looking for successful people. He’s looking for surrendered people.
But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 1:7-8)
These verses include two of the most common and most important statements in the entire Bible:
- Fear not.
- I am with you.
Do you see the connection?
If God is for me, who can be against me?
If God is with me, whom shall I fear?
If God is in control, I don’t have to be.
Last week we simply said God can be trusted. If you rebel and do your own thing, it will eventually catch up with you. I guarantee it!
If you obey God, you’ll never regret it. Sure, it won’t always be easy, but you’ll never be alone. You’ll never be out of God’s will. You’ll find peace even in the middle of life’s storms. There’s nothing greater than the presence of God.
Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” (Jeremiah 1:9-10)
God’s equipping Jeremiah for His assignment. Where God guides, He provides. You might not have what you need now, but He’ll equip you…with wisdom, resources, people, vision, whatever you need to accomplish His plans…for His glory.
The problem is so often we’re concerned about our glory. We worry about our reputation. We focus on our success. We fear our failures.
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve thought about how I need to preach a good sermon, I’d be a rich man! If I could have back every minute I’ve thought about success, I’d probably have time to write a book! If I could harness the energy wasted on worrying about what people thought of me, I could probably power a small town!
When we serve the King, it’s His responsibility.
When we serve the King, it’s His battle.
When we serve the King, it’s His reputation.
God made promises to Jeremiah…and He always keeps His promises.
God has made promises to you and me…and He always keeps His promises.
What’s your excuse? Is your God too small to provide what you need to do what He wants you to do?
I sat in the office of our District Superintendent not long ago and said I’m inadequate to lead First Alliance Church. He said, “If you ever feel adequate, let me know so I can remove you from your position.” He was serious…and I was thankful.
I can’t do my job. I can’t make disciples. I can’t transform people to become like Jesus. Sure, I can play a song on the piano. I can give a lecture. I can even lead a staff meeting, but my mission is not to be a manager. I’m not called to maintain an organization. He’s called me—and you—to make disciples. He’s called us to become like Jesus and help others to become like Jesus. The problem is, we can’t…apart from the Holy Spirit. We can’t…apart from God. We can’t…apart from divine intervention.
I’m grateful for our beautiful, debt-free campus.
I’m grateful for our competent staff.
I’m grateful for all of you showing up today and all of the volunteers who serve.
But we’re not here to distribute religious goods and services. We’re here to restore God’s masterpieces. We’re here to be conduits of blessing to our city. We’re here to change the world, one life at a time. We are inadequate—all of us—but when we are weak, He is strong (2 Cor. 12:10)! We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil. 4:13)!
Now God begins to give Jeremiah his assignment. It won’t be glamorous. It will, in fact, be downright offensive, but when God gives you an assignment, it’s not your place to judge it, critique it, or walk away from it. Just do it!
The word of the LORD came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”
“I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied.
The LORD said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.” (Jeremiah 1:11-12)
The first tree to blossom and bear fruit was the almond tree.
The word of the LORD came to me again: “What do you see?”
“I see a pot that is boiling,” I answered. “It is tilting toward us from the north.” (Jeremiah 1:13)
Jeremiah must be thinking, “LORD, what’s going on?”
The LORD said to me, “From the north disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land. I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms,” declares the LORD.
“Their kings will come and set up their thrones in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem; they will come against all her surrounding walls and against all the towns of Judah. (Jeremiah 1:14-15)
Disaster was coming because the people had done disastrous evil by forsaking God.
I will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made. (Jeremiah 1:16)
God’s not happy, and when God’s not happy…
God calls Jeremiah to call out the people, to pronounce judgments, to warn them of the consequences of their sin. Does this sound like a fun assignment to you? God continues,
“Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 1:17-19)
The next 51 chapters describe what happens as Jeremiah responds to God’s calling.
So What?
Obey God’s calling on your life, whatever it may be.
There are three types of people. There are those who have heard God’s call and said no. How’s that working out for you? There are those who have heard God’s call and said yes. Well done. There are those who want to hear God’s call but haven’t…or you’re not sure. Be patient. Seek. Pray. Ask. Knock. Share your thoughts with a trusted friend. I’d love to talk with you.
Some of you may be waiting for a calling with global impact while you fail to influence those around you now. Maybe you feel like you’re “only” a stay-at-home mom or only a mechanic or only a student or only a retail clerk. Be faithful in the small things and God may give you more (Luke 16:10).
Maybe He’s calling you into a new assignment, into deeper waters. Perhaps you’re resisting because you feel inadequate and unworthy. You are! Let Him do the heavy lifting. Start by saying yes and leave the results up to God.
One more thing…
Jesus was given the most difficult assignment of all. His calling was to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). His mission was to leave heaven and hang out here for three decades for the purpose of dying the most brutal, agonizing death imaginable…for the junk, mistakes, rebellion, pride, and sins in our lives.
Dogs & Deaf, 23 February 2020
24 02 20
Dogs and Deaf
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 7:24-37
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: God is perfect, His timing is perfect, and His plans are perfect.
Do you trust God? We all know the spiritual, Sunday morning answer to the question, but what about Monday morning? If you’re like me, you are fully of questions for God, and most of them begin with “why?” It’s rather audacious to think we could understand anything better than the Creator of the universe. It’s okay to ask God questions. You can be real with God. I encourage you to pour out your heart to God…every day. He can handle it…and all of life’s trials.
Although we occasionally have topical sermons, most of the time we go verse-by-verse through the Bible, something known as expository preaching. We start with the text and ask three questions of it: What did it mean? What does it mean? So what?
When we go through books of the Bible—as we’ve been doing with the book of Mark—it’s tempting to skip over difficult passages or those texts which may seem less interesting or relevant. I must confess the seventh chapter of Mark is not my favorite chapter in the Bible, but as we’ve seen the past two weeks, there are some important things Mark wants us to know about Jesus. As we finish the chapter, we see two different encounters with Jesus. The first is with a Gentile woman and the other with a deaf man.
Let’s dive in…
Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. Mark 7:24)
Tyre is a city in Lebanon and is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities on the planet. This is the only biblical mention of Jesus leaving Palestine.
Why would he want to hide? There are several possibilities:
Jesus was led by his mission, not the crowds. He knew what to do and did it. God is perfect.
Jesus is arguably the most famous person to ever walk the face of the earth. He was on a mission to change the world, which he surely did. Nevertheless, he had an agenda, a plan, an intentional strategy for doing so. His mission was to seek and save the lost, not necessarily gain the biggest crowd as quickly as possible. In our culture, we assume the more fans and followers the better, but building a social media platform is different than transforming humanity!
I used to think the only thing that mattered was the “what.” I’ve becoming increasingly concerned about the “how of a situation.” It’s been said that timing is everything, so the “when” is also vital in any action plan.
So another reason Jesus may have not wanted to find him is it wasn’t the right time for him to go public.
God’s timing is perfect. He’s never late, though rarely early. He knows when to act.
This was true for Jesus and his ministry. It’s also true when we pray. Can you trust God’s timing?
In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet. (Mark 7:25)
Do you believe in angels? Do you believe in demons? They are both real, spiritual beings. Demon possession is real. We discount it in our hyper-scientific culture, but you don’t have to travel far around the world to see the supernatural world on full display. There is an unseen, spiritual dimension to reality. Angels and demons are mentioned hundreds of times in the Bible.
She falls at the feet of Jesus. She’s desperate. She loves her little daughter, yet this demon was wreaking havoc. She needs an exorcism.
Demons are real. Demon possession is real. But God is greater. Hallelujah!
The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. (Mark 7:26)
She’s a Canaanite. She’s not Jewish. She’s a Gentile. Last week we talked about the huge tension between Jews and Gentiles. It is at the heart of Jesus’ response.
“First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” (Mark 7:27)
What? Does Jesus call this woman a dog?
There are a few different understandings of this metaphor. Some have suggested the children refers to Jesus’ disciples and the bread is his ministry, his teachings. It likely is a reference to the Jewish people. Jesus was a Jew and his first priority was to the Jews. The dogs refers not to women, but the Gentiles.
There are two Greek words for dogs. One is a negative word that we might call an ugly creature or a violent dog (like the two German Shepherds who bit me when I was a boy). Jews would sometimes use this scavenger dog word to describe Gentiles. The word Jesus uses here, though, refers to a household animal. We love our children. We love our pet puppies! Is there a priority? Yes, but both are loved.
Jesus is not always fair, but he loves equally.
John 3:16 tells us that God so loved the world that He gave us Jesus. There’s an old song which says Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. He died for every child—and every man and woman—who responds to his invitation to follow him, to make him LORD, to surrender control of their lives to their Creator and the one who proved his love by laying down his life on the cross…and rising from the dead, conquering sin and death.
But Jesus is not always fair. Just look around! We’ve all been given different gifts, childhoods, opportunities, and talents. Hundreds of people followed Jesus, but his focus was on a dozen…and really on three: Peter, James, and John. How do you think the other nine felt when they heard stories of Jesus and his best friends?
Our culture emphasizes fairness and equality, but listen…you don’t want fair. You don’t want to give you what you deserve. You and I deserve death and eternal punishment for our sins. Without Jesus we’re hopeless, lost, and separated from God. The scandal in Christianity is not God’s judgment, but God’s mercy. The scandal is an innocent, holy, perfect God was killed for selfish, arrogant, rebellious sinners like us. The most unfair thing in the universe is that God loves us…and proved it. It’s like Dave Ramsey says when asked how he’s doing: “better than I deserve.”
I don’t always understand God and how He works, what He’s doing. I have many questions for Him, but I know I’m loved, I know Daddy knows best, and the rest is faith, it’s trusting that the God of the universe understands reality better than I do.
God’s plan was to begin with the Jews, but not stop there. In the first book of the Bible, it is revealed that,
Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. (Genesis 18:18)
Not Jew only, but Jew first. Is that fair? It doesn’t matter. It’s God’s plan…and you’re in it!
By the way, Jesus said,
But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:31)
Could this apply to the order of the Jews and Gentiles?! Today, Gentiles are not dogs, but rather children alongside the Jews.
This woman doesn’t go away and give up. She presses in.
“Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” (Mark 7:28)
She knows God’s love is not exclusively for the Jews, even if it begins with them. Children and dogs both get food…at the same time. She just wants a crumb, a small miracle, a simple expression of grace.
Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.” (Mark 7:29)
He performs a miracle. It’s already done!
Jesus is impressed with her faith…and tenacity. What about you? Do you pray once and give up? It’s okay to be real with God. Jesus never scolds her for persevering. He praises her for it. Often our prayers are not answered on-demand. God’s timing is usually different than ours. He loves to hear you pray. I believe your voice is the most beautiful sound in the universe to God. Really.
I love my kids. I love it when they text. Calling is even better. FaceTime is better still. The best is when we’re together, in person. I love my kids. I love interacting with my kids. God does, too. He wants us to engage, to ask, to persevere, to pour out our heart.
It may seem like God is playing hard-to-get, hiding, or just ignoring you, but I assure you He’s at work. He hears you. He’s responding, but His timing is not always ours. While we get impatient and want everything now, He’s got all the time in the world. Literally. He’s at work in us as well as through us, refining our character, teaching us, and writing a story on our hearts that usually takes many decades to tell.
Ask…and keep asking. It will be worth it. It was for this woman. The demon left her daughter. Her prayer was answered.
She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. (Mark 7:30)
Have you given up on God? Have you quit praying that prayer? Have you put your faith on auto-pilot? Are you just going through the motions, defeated by disappointment with God? I want to challenge you to persevere, to keep praying.
Years ago, someone gave me a beautiful image of a giant parachute hanging from the ceiling like a big bowl. He said when he prays, he imagines writing his prayers on paper and placing them in the parachute. Each prayer causes the parachute to get heavier and heavier until it eventually bursts. It might be that your next prayer is the one—after hundreds or thousands or millions—which will lead to that breakthrough. Don’t give up!
Mark continues with a different story in a different place with different people.
Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him. (Mark 7:31-32)
Jesus was gaining a reputation as a healer. Who doesn’t want free health care?! Here’s a deaf man who could hardly talk, and his friends beg Jesus to heal him.
After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). (Mark 7:33-34)
Is this how you’re supposed to heal, Jesus? Does he really want your spit in his mouth?
We like formulas. Pray these magic words and all of your dreams will come true! Jesus heals different people differently. In the case of the woman’s demon-possessed daughter, he didn’t even meet the girl, he just declared her healed. With this man, he takes him away from the crowd and sticks his fingers in his ears and tongue to open them with one word.
Jesus’ plans are always perfect, even when they seem odd.
At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. (Mark 7:35)
No speech class is required. What a beautiful miracle. Then Jesus does something that would drive any public relations director crazy.
Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” (Mark 7:36-37)
Was Jesus using reverse psychology, telling the people to be quiet in hopes that they would rebel and spread the word of his amazing power? I used to think that, but I believe Jesus was sincere. As we saw earlier, he had a mission, a timetable, a plan. He needed to disciple his…disciples. There were sermons he needed to preach, people he needed to encounter. He knew the sooner he became famous, the sooner the religious leaders would want him killed.
The prophet Isaiah said,
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. (Isaiah 35:5-6a)
The Messiah is here!
God is perfect. (what)
God’s timing is perfect. (when)
God’s plans are perfect. (how)
Yet we have the audacity to ask why. We question the Creator of the universe. And He’s actually ok with that, so long as we don’t give up…so long as we engage with Him.
Matthew records Jesus saying,
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)
This doesn’t mean we always get what we want, and it certainly doesn’t mean we get it when we want it, but we are encouraged in more than one place to ask, to seek, to knock, to engage with God. He wants us to pray. Yes, He knows what we want before we ask, but He wants us to ask. Every good Dad loves to give gifts to his kids, but they don’t want to be a vending machine. They want a relationship.
So What?
Perhaps the message in both of these stories is to ask and keep asking. You can analyze the woman’s story and compare children and dogs. You can discuss the irony of a loud crowd trying to help a man who couldn’t talk followed by the man talking and Jesus telling the crowd not to talk.
God sees you. He knows your name. He knew you before the creation of the universe! He saw you in your mother’s womb. He knows the number of hairs on your head (or how many used to be on your head!). He sees every tear you cry and every smile on your face.
God hears you. He hears every prayer, every word. He listens, too. He cares.
Do you trust God? Do you trust His plans? Do you trust His timing?
I know it can be hard. I’ve been praying for years for things, for people, for healing, for reconciliation. I don’t understand why it’s taking so long, but I’m seeking to trust God. Instead of why, I’ve been asking, “What are you up to, LORD?”
God is perfect, His timing is perfect, and His plans are perfect. God can be trusted.
Prayer: I believe. Help me in my unbelief.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 7:24-37
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: God is perfect, His timing is perfect, and His plans are perfect.
Do you trust God? We all know the spiritual, Sunday morning answer to the question, but what about Monday morning? If you’re like me, you are fully of questions for God, and most of them begin with “why?” It’s rather audacious to think we could understand anything better than the Creator of the universe. It’s okay to ask God questions. You can be real with God. I encourage you to pour out your heart to God…every day. He can handle it…and all of life’s trials.
Although we occasionally have topical sermons, most of the time we go verse-by-verse through the Bible, something known as expository preaching. We start with the text and ask three questions of it: What did it mean? What does it mean? So what?
When we go through books of the Bible—as we’ve been doing with the book of Mark—it’s tempting to skip over difficult passages or those texts which may seem less interesting or relevant. I must confess the seventh chapter of Mark is not my favorite chapter in the Bible, but as we’ve seen the past two weeks, there are some important things Mark wants us to know about Jesus. As we finish the chapter, we see two different encounters with Jesus. The first is with a Gentile woman and the other with a deaf man.
Let’s dive in…
Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. Mark 7:24)
Tyre is a city in Lebanon and is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities on the planet. This is the only biblical mention of Jesus leaving Palestine.
Why would he want to hide? There are several possibilities:
- He wanted to avoid the crowds who wanted to use Jesus for their own purposes
- He needed to get alone with his followers/disciples and teach them
- He was simply tired and needed some privacy and rest
Jesus was led by his mission, not the crowds. He knew what to do and did it. God is perfect.
Jesus is arguably the most famous person to ever walk the face of the earth. He was on a mission to change the world, which he surely did. Nevertheless, he had an agenda, a plan, an intentional strategy for doing so. His mission was to seek and save the lost, not necessarily gain the biggest crowd as quickly as possible. In our culture, we assume the more fans and followers the better, but building a social media platform is different than transforming humanity!
I used to think the only thing that mattered was the “what.” I’ve becoming increasingly concerned about the “how of a situation.” It’s been said that timing is everything, so the “when” is also vital in any action plan.
So another reason Jesus may have not wanted to find him is it wasn’t the right time for him to go public.
God’s timing is perfect. He’s never late, though rarely early. He knows when to act.
This was true for Jesus and his ministry. It’s also true when we pray. Can you trust God’s timing?
In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet. (Mark 7:25)
Do you believe in angels? Do you believe in demons? They are both real, spiritual beings. Demon possession is real. We discount it in our hyper-scientific culture, but you don’t have to travel far around the world to see the supernatural world on full display. There is an unseen, spiritual dimension to reality. Angels and demons are mentioned hundreds of times in the Bible.
She falls at the feet of Jesus. She’s desperate. She loves her little daughter, yet this demon was wreaking havoc. She needs an exorcism.
Demons are real. Demon possession is real. But God is greater. Hallelujah!
The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. (Mark 7:26)
She’s a Canaanite. She’s not Jewish. She’s a Gentile. Last week we talked about the huge tension between Jews and Gentiles. It is at the heart of Jesus’ response.
“First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” (Mark 7:27)
What? Does Jesus call this woman a dog?
There are a few different understandings of this metaphor. Some have suggested the children refers to Jesus’ disciples and the bread is his ministry, his teachings. It likely is a reference to the Jewish people. Jesus was a Jew and his first priority was to the Jews. The dogs refers not to women, but the Gentiles.
There are two Greek words for dogs. One is a negative word that we might call an ugly creature or a violent dog (like the two German Shepherds who bit me when I was a boy). Jews would sometimes use this scavenger dog word to describe Gentiles. The word Jesus uses here, though, refers to a household animal. We love our children. We love our pet puppies! Is there a priority? Yes, but both are loved.
Jesus is not always fair, but he loves equally.
John 3:16 tells us that God so loved the world that He gave us Jesus. There’s an old song which says Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. He died for every child—and every man and woman—who responds to his invitation to follow him, to make him LORD, to surrender control of their lives to their Creator and the one who proved his love by laying down his life on the cross…and rising from the dead, conquering sin and death.
But Jesus is not always fair. Just look around! We’ve all been given different gifts, childhoods, opportunities, and talents. Hundreds of people followed Jesus, but his focus was on a dozen…and really on three: Peter, James, and John. How do you think the other nine felt when they heard stories of Jesus and his best friends?
Our culture emphasizes fairness and equality, but listen…you don’t want fair. You don’t want to give you what you deserve. You and I deserve death and eternal punishment for our sins. Without Jesus we’re hopeless, lost, and separated from God. The scandal in Christianity is not God’s judgment, but God’s mercy. The scandal is an innocent, holy, perfect God was killed for selfish, arrogant, rebellious sinners like us. The most unfair thing in the universe is that God loves us…and proved it. It’s like Dave Ramsey says when asked how he’s doing: “better than I deserve.”
I don’t always understand God and how He works, what He’s doing. I have many questions for Him, but I know I’m loved, I know Daddy knows best, and the rest is faith, it’s trusting that the God of the universe understands reality better than I do.
God’s plan was to begin with the Jews, but not stop there. In the first book of the Bible, it is revealed that,
Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. (Genesis 18:18)
Not Jew only, but Jew first. Is that fair? It doesn’t matter. It’s God’s plan…and you’re in it!
By the way, Jesus said,
But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:31)
Could this apply to the order of the Jews and Gentiles?! Today, Gentiles are not dogs, but rather children alongside the Jews.
This woman doesn’t go away and give up. She presses in.
“Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” (Mark 7:28)
She knows God’s love is not exclusively for the Jews, even if it begins with them. Children and dogs both get food…at the same time. She just wants a crumb, a small miracle, a simple expression of grace.
Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.” (Mark 7:29)
He performs a miracle. It’s already done!
Jesus is impressed with her faith…and tenacity. What about you? Do you pray once and give up? It’s okay to be real with God. Jesus never scolds her for persevering. He praises her for it. Often our prayers are not answered on-demand. God’s timing is usually different than ours. He loves to hear you pray. I believe your voice is the most beautiful sound in the universe to God. Really.
I love my kids. I love it when they text. Calling is even better. FaceTime is better still. The best is when we’re together, in person. I love my kids. I love interacting with my kids. God does, too. He wants us to engage, to ask, to persevere, to pour out our heart.
It may seem like God is playing hard-to-get, hiding, or just ignoring you, but I assure you He’s at work. He hears you. He’s responding, but His timing is not always ours. While we get impatient and want everything now, He’s got all the time in the world. Literally. He’s at work in us as well as through us, refining our character, teaching us, and writing a story on our hearts that usually takes many decades to tell.
Ask…and keep asking. It will be worth it. It was for this woman. The demon left her daughter. Her prayer was answered.
She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. (Mark 7:30)
Have you given up on God? Have you quit praying that prayer? Have you put your faith on auto-pilot? Are you just going through the motions, defeated by disappointment with God? I want to challenge you to persevere, to keep praying.
Years ago, someone gave me a beautiful image of a giant parachute hanging from the ceiling like a big bowl. He said when he prays, he imagines writing his prayers on paper and placing them in the parachute. Each prayer causes the parachute to get heavier and heavier until it eventually bursts. It might be that your next prayer is the one—after hundreds or thousands or millions—which will lead to that breakthrough. Don’t give up!
Mark continues with a different story in a different place with different people.
Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him. (Mark 7:31-32)
Jesus was gaining a reputation as a healer. Who doesn’t want free health care?! Here’s a deaf man who could hardly talk, and his friends beg Jesus to heal him.
After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). (Mark 7:33-34)
Is this how you’re supposed to heal, Jesus? Does he really want your spit in his mouth?
We like formulas. Pray these magic words and all of your dreams will come true! Jesus heals different people differently. In the case of the woman’s demon-possessed daughter, he didn’t even meet the girl, he just declared her healed. With this man, he takes him away from the crowd and sticks his fingers in his ears and tongue to open them with one word.
Jesus’ plans are always perfect, even when they seem odd.
At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. (Mark 7:35)
No speech class is required. What a beautiful miracle. Then Jesus does something that would drive any public relations director crazy.
Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” (Mark 7:36-37)
Was Jesus using reverse psychology, telling the people to be quiet in hopes that they would rebel and spread the word of his amazing power? I used to think that, but I believe Jesus was sincere. As we saw earlier, he had a mission, a timetable, a plan. He needed to disciple his…disciples. There were sermons he needed to preach, people he needed to encounter. He knew the sooner he became famous, the sooner the religious leaders would want him killed.
The prophet Isaiah said,
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. (Isaiah 35:5-6a)
The Messiah is here!
God is perfect. (what)
God’s timing is perfect. (when)
God’s plans are perfect. (how)
Yet we have the audacity to ask why. We question the Creator of the universe. And He’s actually ok with that, so long as we don’t give up…so long as we engage with Him.
Matthew records Jesus saying,
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)
This doesn’t mean we always get what we want, and it certainly doesn’t mean we get it when we want it, but we are encouraged in more than one place to ask, to seek, to knock, to engage with God. He wants us to pray. Yes, He knows what we want before we ask, but He wants us to ask. Every good Dad loves to give gifts to his kids, but they don’t want to be a vending machine. They want a relationship.
So What?
Perhaps the message in both of these stories is to ask and keep asking. You can analyze the woman’s story and compare children and dogs. You can discuss the irony of a loud crowd trying to help a man who couldn’t talk followed by the man talking and Jesus telling the crowd not to talk.
God sees you. He knows your name. He knew you before the creation of the universe! He saw you in your mother’s womb. He knows the number of hairs on your head (or how many used to be on your head!). He sees every tear you cry and every smile on your face.
God hears you. He hears every prayer, every word. He listens, too. He cares.
Do you trust God? Do you trust His plans? Do you trust His timing?
I know it can be hard. I’ve been praying for years for things, for people, for healing, for reconciliation. I don’t understand why it’s taking so long, but I’m seeking to trust God. Instead of why, I’ve been asking, “What are you up to, LORD?”
God is perfect, His timing is perfect, and His plans are perfect. God can be trusted.
Prayer: I believe. Help me in my unbelief.
Clean & Unclean, 16 February 2020
17 02 20
Clean and Unclean
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 7:14-23
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Looks can be deceiving, especially when it involves matters of the heart.
Are you are rule-keeper or a rule-breaker?
Whether you like them or not, laws are a part of life. There are scientific laws like the law of gravity which says if you drop a bowling ball on your foot, it’s going to hurt. There are human laws, those rules designed to help us flourish such as stop at a red light, pay your taxes, and don’t hurt animals.
Some laws have a shelf-life and become outdated over time. For example,
In Missouri, you can't drive down the highway with an uncaged bear in your car.
When parking your elephant at a meter in Orlando Florida, you must deposit the same amount of change as you would for a regular motor vehicle.
It's against the law in North Dakota to serve beer and pretzels at the same time.
In Winona Lake, Wisconsin, it is illegal to eat ice cream at a counter on Sunday.
In Arizona, it is illegal for donkeys to sleep in bathtubs.
In Michigan, it’s illegal for women to cut their own hair without their husband’s permission.
In Ohio, it is illegal to get a fish drunk.
Last Sunday we returned to our study on Mark’s biography of Jesus and looked at the Pharisees and religious leaders who were so devoted to tradition and laws that they missed God in the process…especially when he was standing in their midst! They were determined to stop Jesus…at all costs.
Our text for today in Mark 7 is discussion of clean and unclean. Those words in our culture might describe one’s clothes or car, but here it’s a reference to the Jewish laws which governed everything from diet to fabrics to a woman’s menstrual cycle. Are you clean or unclean? Looks can be deceiving, especially when it involves matters of the heart.
We live in a binary world of us versus them. Black or white. Republican or Democrat. Love or hate. In or out. Our divisions usually pale compared to the Jew and Gentile separation. The laws created by God to enhance the welfare of the Jewish people became—over time—nothing more than a checklist of external rules to obey with little regard to the internal heart or love for God. Last week we saw Jesus address the issue of hand-washing. There were religious customs for hand-washing that had nothing to do with hygiene and everything to do with determining who’s in and who’s out, who is a Jew and who is a Gentile.
One of the most common ways Jews distinguish themselves is through their diet. Today we call it…kosher. It’s based upon Old Testament restrictions on certain animals including pork and shellfish. Halal among Muslims is somewhat similar. Keep in mind, the issue behind the dietary laws is not necessarily physical health, but rather distinguishing one’s self from others. We said last Sunday the word “Pharisee” meant “separated ones.”
Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” (Mark 7:14-15)
This was a radical statement, one of many that would rile up the Pharisees and religious leaders. Though it is not explained to the crowd here, Jesus is declaring the entire kosher system null and void. As we’ll see, it’s not that the laws were bad, but they were for a season…and Jesus’ arrival signaled a new season. It goes without saying that Jesus changed the world. He changed how we relate to God…and one another.
I must admit Old Testament laws can be confusing, especially to modern Christians. Much of the New Testament controversies and debates in the early church dealt with the role of Jewish laws for Christians. These matters are still discussed today. Recently, Pastor Andy Stanley wrote a somewhat controversial book, Irresistible, which examined the role of the Old Testament and its laws on modern Christians.
Verse 16
If you’re paying close attention, some of you may notice verse sixteen is missing from some of your Bibles. What happened? We don’t have the original writings or autographs of the Bible books. We do, however, have very reliable copies. Before the invention of the printing press, people would hand-copy the Bible for their occupation, often on scrolls. Every letter was crucial, and if a mistake was made, they would often destroy their work and start over.
Over the years, the Bible has come under tremendous scrutiny…more than any other text in history. There is tremendous evidence to conclude it is about 99% reliable with perhaps thirty or forty errors. Pastor Soper discussed this on Friday’s Mission119.org devotional. Thirty or forty errors might sound like a lot, but when you consider that’s less than one per book and most of the errors involved a piece of punctuation, spelling, or a slight numerical variation, you quickly realize there is no historical book even remotely close to the reliability of the Bible. In fact, there are more errors and discrepancies in Shakespeare’s works than in the Bible.
Some—but not all—manuscripts of the book of Mark include verse sixteen which adds Jesus saying,
If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Mark 7:16, NKJV)
This was a common expression which Jesus said on more than one occasion, including Mark 4:23. Did he say it again here or was it added by the copyists? We’re not sure. Does it change the meaning of the text? Not one bit…nor do the other minor errors scholars have found after comparing about 5000 different manuscripts of the books of the Bible.
(Back to our story!)
Jesus spoke in parables, simple stories used by Jesus to teach a moral or spiritual lesson. It was not uncommon for him to tell a story his disciples failed to understand. It may seem obvious to us, but the Jewish traditions were so ingrained in the disciples, they were clueless about any alternative.
After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. (Mark 7:17)
I’d like to give them the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps they were clarifying the meaning of Jesus’ teachings or they wanted to hear more, but Jesus’ response makes it obvious they missed the point.
“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? (Mark 7:18)
In case you didn’t know, Jesus is fully human. He’s fully God, too, but he’s fully human. We often picture him as some flakey, angelic white guy with blonde hair and blue eyes whose feet never really touch the ground, but that’s just artistic fantasy. He’s a real person with real emotions. He has never sinned, but he was not always “nice.” Sometimes tough love is necessary in relationships. Often we do things to get the attention of others. In this instance, he spoke the truth plainly, calling out their ignorance.
“Are you so dull?” I love that!
For those of you who like the Shakespearean King James, it says,
Are ye so without understanding also? (Mark 7:18a, KJV)
The New King James reads,
“Are you thus without understanding also? (Mark 7:18a, NKJV)
The New Living Translation says,
“Don’t you understand either?” he asked. (Mark 7:18a, NLT)
I like the New International Version, though!
“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? (Mark 7:18)
You’ve probably heard the expression, “Garbage in, garbage out.” If you fill your body with junk food, you’ll probably regret it…eventually. If you fill your mind with trash, most likely trash will come out of your mouth and life.
The Jewish culture—especially the religious people like the Pharisees—were less concerned about physical health, though, and more concerned about how other people viewed them. One writer put it this way: the old legalism was, “What’s in your refrigerator?” If you had pork or shellfish or anything non-kosher, you were considered unclean, tainted, a bad Jew. Kosher became a test, not about one’s relationship with God, but rather one’s relationship with the religion.
Similarly, many legalistic Christians have forbidden any use of alcohol…and condemned anyone who has even a sip of wine at a special occasion.
I’m not encouraging the consumption of alcohol. I can’t stand the taste of alcohol, but the Bible never explicitly prohibits alcohol. In fact, Jesus made some great wine (John 2)! Under-age drinking is a sin. It’s against the law. Drunkenness is a sin…and if you can’t stop with one glass, don’t start! But some judgmental Christians will put you in one of two categories: drinker or non-drinker, sinner or saint. It’s not about the health benefits of alcohol, but what they personally think about you and your character as a result of your beverage preference. This attitude was similar to that of the Pharisees and their dietary laws.
By the way, the writer who called old legalism “what’s in your refrigerator?” describes the new legalism as “what’s in your driveway?” Think about that for a moment.
Back to our text,
“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? (Mark 7:18)
For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) (Mark 7:19)
This was a radical statement Mark makes to his readers. Kosher is no longer necessary. The traditions related to diet were no longer relevant because the rules were no longer the pathway to God. Jesus was! Matthew records him saying,
“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. (Matthew 5:17)
Jesus brought the Old Testament to a new completion, a new fulfillment. The laws were signposts. When you arrive at your destination, you don’t need signposts, not because they have no value, but because they were correct. The laws led to Jesus the Messiah.
We don’t need to offer animal sacrifices in the temple, thank goodness. We don’t need to avoid eating pig (though I do since I’m allergic to pork!). We are no longer under the Old Testament laws, not that they are bad or wrong, but they’re obsolete.
I encourage you to follow the Ten Commandments, but if you break the Sabbath, you need not fear the death penalty given to Old Testament Jews who did so. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6), hallelujah! We’re not saved by our good works, our mastery of the law, our outward perfection. We’re saved by God’s grace through the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Does this mean we should eat, drink and be merry, doing whatever we want? Hardly! It does mean we start from the inside, not the outside. We begin with our hearts. What matters most is the inside, not the outside.
It’s Black History Month in the USA and I’m reminded of Dr. King’s brilliant statement,
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
I think Jesus would say,
I have a dream that my friends will one day live in a world where they will not be judged by the food in their refrigerator, but by the content of their character.
He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. (Mark 7:20-22)
This is not a comprehensive list of sins, of course, but what we might call a dirty dozen.
Sexual immorality is all kinds of inappropriate sexual activity outside of marriage. Theft and murder are obvious. Adultery is sexual immorality by a married person with someone other than their spouse. Greed or coveting involves inappropriate cravings for what belongs to another. Malice is another term for wickedness or simply evil.
Deceit is trickery, cheating, or dishonesty. Lewdness is lustful, rude or profane desires. Envy is similar to greed and jealousy. Slander is hurting someone or God with your words. Arrogance is pride, exalting yourself above others. Folly is moral and spiritual insensitivity or foolishness.
None of these just happen. They begin in our heart.
All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” (Mark 7:23)
Elsewhere, Jesus said,
A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. (Luke 6:45)
Sin begins inside, not outside. It begins with temptation, a thought, an idea. You don’t accidentally walk up to someone and murder them. You don’t randomly commit adultery. You don’t rob a bank without a plan (unless you want to get caught!).
Jesus’ half-brother, James, described the four-step process of sin:
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:13-15)
Desire – deception – disobedience – death
It’s not a pretty picture…and it describes all of us. So many people today talk about getting in touch with your feelings, listening to your heart, being true to yourself, finding yourself. That’s a certain path to destruction, family, because our hearts are dark and depraved. The problem in our world is not them, it’s me. The solution is not trying harder because the solution is not within me. It’s Jesus. True holiness is internal, not external, and it begins with surrender, making Jesus LORD.
What Jesus is addressing with all of these statements is religion. Religion is human attempts to earn God’s favor. It involves personal expressions of perfection and a holier-than-thou attitude which elevates one’s self while putting down those around you. It usually involves pride, judgment of others, and an attitude which isolates. The New Testament if filled with accounts of the self-righteous, and I’m not aware of a single instance where Jesus praises their behavior.
On the contrary, Jesus highlighted the humility of the broken. He applauded the meek and weak. He encouraged the sinner to pursue righteousness, but never promoted religion. He simply invited people to follow him, to make him both Savior and LORD. He’s still doing that today. He said all of the laws of the Old Testament and the 613 laws of Moses could be summarized in two: love God and love your neighbor as yourself.
Perhaps you’ve made a mess out of your life. I’ve got great news for you! Nothing you can do can make God love you any more than He already does, and nothing you can do can make God love you less than He already does. He made you, He knows you, He loves you, and His arms are open wide to welcome you into His family, to forgive you, to heal you, to make you new. What do you say? I know, it sounds too good to be true, but that’s grace. That’s why Jesus came. He knew we couldn’t perfectly follow all of the rules, no matter how hard we might try. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to obey God and become like Jesus. He came to die for us…lost sinners…all of us!
Perhaps you’ve tried to follow all of the rules, and done pretty well. Nobody’s perfect, but most people think you are. It feels good to be around sinners because you are so superior. Unfortunately, in the eyes of God your pride undermines all of your good works. As I said again last week, I’m a recovering Pharisee. I’ve struggled with pride, a sin which can be hidden from others.
We all need repentance. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, His standard of perfection. Big sins or little sins all lead to death. They separate us from God and others. They may be visible or invisible sins. They made be sins of commission which we commit or sins of omission, failing to not do the right thing.
This isn’t just about individuals. As a church, we’ve sinned, too. I’ve heard so many stories about the great things First Alliance Church has done. We’ve held onto the truths of the Bible while other churches have “watered down the gospel.” If that’s true, it’s a good thing, but how easy it is to take pride in our good deeds, our good theology, our righteousness (see Isaiah 64:6). As we saw in last week’s text, it’s easy to make our human-made traditions more important than God’s timeless Word. We can easily slip into legalism and drive away the very people who are seeking God.
God’s desire for First Alliance Church is a broken and contrite family, a religion-free church, a group of humble, desperate, God-fearing, masterpiece-restoring, Jesus-following men, women and children who are more concerned about their own hearts than the behavior of others. They begin inside, with themselves. King David wrote,
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. (Psalm 139:23)
He also wrote these famous words when he acknowledged his sin with Bathsheba,
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)
You can wash your hands with water, but the only way you can have a clean, pure heart is through repentance and Jesus.
The world says you are what you do. Jesus says you do what you are. It begins with your heart.
How is your heart. Clean or unclean?
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 7:14-23
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Looks can be deceiving, especially when it involves matters of the heart.
Are you are rule-keeper or a rule-breaker?
Whether you like them or not, laws are a part of life. There are scientific laws like the law of gravity which says if you drop a bowling ball on your foot, it’s going to hurt. There are human laws, those rules designed to help us flourish such as stop at a red light, pay your taxes, and don’t hurt animals.
Some laws have a shelf-life and become outdated over time. For example,
In Missouri, you can't drive down the highway with an uncaged bear in your car.
When parking your elephant at a meter in Orlando Florida, you must deposit the same amount of change as you would for a regular motor vehicle.
It's against the law in North Dakota to serve beer and pretzels at the same time.
In Winona Lake, Wisconsin, it is illegal to eat ice cream at a counter on Sunday.
In Arizona, it is illegal for donkeys to sleep in bathtubs.
In Michigan, it’s illegal for women to cut their own hair without their husband’s permission.
In Ohio, it is illegal to get a fish drunk.
Last Sunday we returned to our study on Mark’s biography of Jesus and looked at the Pharisees and religious leaders who were so devoted to tradition and laws that they missed God in the process…especially when he was standing in their midst! They were determined to stop Jesus…at all costs.
Our text for today in Mark 7 is discussion of clean and unclean. Those words in our culture might describe one’s clothes or car, but here it’s a reference to the Jewish laws which governed everything from diet to fabrics to a woman’s menstrual cycle. Are you clean or unclean? Looks can be deceiving, especially when it involves matters of the heart.
We live in a binary world of us versus them. Black or white. Republican or Democrat. Love or hate. In or out. Our divisions usually pale compared to the Jew and Gentile separation. The laws created by God to enhance the welfare of the Jewish people became—over time—nothing more than a checklist of external rules to obey with little regard to the internal heart or love for God. Last week we saw Jesus address the issue of hand-washing. There were religious customs for hand-washing that had nothing to do with hygiene and everything to do with determining who’s in and who’s out, who is a Jew and who is a Gentile.
One of the most common ways Jews distinguish themselves is through their diet. Today we call it…kosher. It’s based upon Old Testament restrictions on certain animals including pork and shellfish. Halal among Muslims is somewhat similar. Keep in mind, the issue behind the dietary laws is not necessarily physical health, but rather distinguishing one’s self from others. We said last Sunday the word “Pharisee” meant “separated ones.”
Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” (Mark 7:14-15)
This was a radical statement, one of many that would rile up the Pharisees and religious leaders. Though it is not explained to the crowd here, Jesus is declaring the entire kosher system null and void. As we’ll see, it’s not that the laws were bad, but they were for a season…and Jesus’ arrival signaled a new season. It goes without saying that Jesus changed the world. He changed how we relate to God…and one another.
I must admit Old Testament laws can be confusing, especially to modern Christians. Much of the New Testament controversies and debates in the early church dealt with the role of Jewish laws for Christians. These matters are still discussed today. Recently, Pastor Andy Stanley wrote a somewhat controversial book, Irresistible, which examined the role of the Old Testament and its laws on modern Christians.
Verse 16
If you’re paying close attention, some of you may notice verse sixteen is missing from some of your Bibles. What happened? We don’t have the original writings or autographs of the Bible books. We do, however, have very reliable copies. Before the invention of the printing press, people would hand-copy the Bible for their occupation, often on scrolls. Every letter was crucial, and if a mistake was made, they would often destroy their work and start over.
Over the years, the Bible has come under tremendous scrutiny…more than any other text in history. There is tremendous evidence to conclude it is about 99% reliable with perhaps thirty or forty errors. Pastor Soper discussed this on Friday’s Mission119.org devotional. Thirty or forty errors might sound like a lot, but when you consider that’s less than one per book and most of the errors involved a piece of punctuation, spelling, or a slight numerical variation, you quickly realize there is no historical book even remotely close to the reliability of the Bible. In fact, there are more errors and discrepancies in Shakespeare’s works than in the Bible.
Some—but not all—manuscripts of the book of Mark include verse sixteen which adds Jesus saying,
If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Mark 7:16, NKJV)
This was a common expression which Jesus said on more than one occasion, including Mark 4:23. Did he say it again here or was it added by the copyists? We’re not sure. Does it change the meaning of the text? Not one bit…nor do the other minor errors scholars have found after comparing about 5000 different manuscripts of the books of the Bible.
(Back to our story!)
Jesus spoke in parables, simple stories used by Jesus to teach a moral or spiritual lesson. It was not uncommon for him to tell a story his disciples failed to understand. It may seem obvious to us, but the Jewish traditions were so ingrained in the disciples, they were clueless about any alternative.
After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. (Mark 7:17)
I’d like to give them the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps they were clarifying the meaning of Jesus’ teachings or they wanted to hear more, but Jesus’ response makes it obvious they missed the point.
“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? (Mark 7:18)
In case you didn’t know, Jesus is fully human. He’s fully God, too, but he’s fully human. We often picture him as some flakey, angelic white guy with blonde hair and blue eyes whose feet never really touch the ground, but that’s just artistic fantasy. He’s a real person with real emotions. He has never sinned, but he was not always “nice.” Sometimes tough love is necessary in relationships. Often we do things to get the attention of others. In this instance, he spoke the truth plainly, calling out their ignorance.
“Are you so dull?” I love that!
For those of you who like the Shakespearean King James, it says,
Are ye so without understanding also? (Mark 7:18a, KJV)
The New King James reads,
“Are you thus without understanding also? (Mark 7:18a, NKJV)
The New Living Translation says,
“Don’t you understand either?” he asked. (Mark 7:18a, NLT)
I like the New International Version, though!
“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? (Mark 7:18)
You’ve probably heard the expression, “Garbage in, garbage out.” If you fill your body with junk food, you’ll probably regret it…eventually. If you fill your mind with trash, most likely trash will come out of your mouth and life.
The Jewish culture—especially the religious people like the Pharisees—were less concerned about physical health, though, and more concerned about how other people viewed them. One writer put it this way: the old legalism was, “What’s in your refrigerator?” If you had pork or shellfish or anything non-kosher, you were considered unclean, tainted, a bad Jew. Kosher became a test, not about one’s relationship with God, but rather one’s relationship with the religion.
Similarly, many legalistic Christians have forbidden any use of alcohol…and condemned anyone who has even a sip of wine at a special occasion.
I’m not encouraging the consumption of alcohol. I can’t stand the taste of alcohol, but the Bible never explicitly prohibits alcohol. In fact, Jesus made some great wine (John 2)! Under-age drinking is a sin. It’s against the law. Drunkenness is a sin…and if you can’t stop with one glass, don’t start! But some judgmental Christians will put you in one of two categories: drinker or non-drinker, sinner or saint. It’s not about the health benefits of alcohol, but what they personally think about you and your character as a result of your beverage preference. This attitude was similar to that of the Pharisees and their dietary laws.
By the way, the writer who called old legalism “what’s in your refrigerator?” describes the new legalism as “what’s in your driveway?” Think about that for a moment.
Back to our text,
“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? (Mark 7:18)
For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) (Mark 7:19)
This was a radical statement Mark makes to his readers. Kosher is no longer necessary. The traditions related to diet were no longer relevant because the rules were no longer the pathway to God. Jesus was! Matthew records him saying,
“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. (Matthew 5:17)
Jesus brought the Old Testament to a new completion, a new fulfillment. The laws were signposts. When you arrive at your destination, you don’t need signposts, not because they have no value, but because they were correct. The laws led to Jesus the Messiah.
We don’t need to offer animal sacrifices in the temple, thank goodness. We don’t need to avoid eating pig (though I do since I’m allergic to pork!). We are no longer under the Old Testament laws, not that they are bad or wrong, but they’re obsolete.
I encourage you to follow the Ten Commandments, but if you break the Sabbath, you need not fear the death penalty given to Old Testament Jews who did so. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6), hallelujah! We’re not saved by our good works, our mastery of the law, our outward perfection. We’re saved by God’s grace through the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Does this mean we should eat, drink and be merry, doing whatever we want? Hardly! It does mean we start from the inside, not the outside. We begin with our hearts. What matters most is the inside, not the outside.
It’s Black History Month in the USA and I’m reminded of Dr. King’s brilliant statement,
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
I think Jesus would say,
I have a dream that my friends will one day live in a world where they will not be judged by the food in their refrigerator, but by the content of their character.
He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. (Mark 7:20-22)
This is not a comprehensive list of sins, of course, but what we might call a dirty dozen.
Sexual immorality is all kinds of inappropriate sexual activity outside of marriage. Theft and murder are obvious. Adultery is sexual immorality by a married person with someone other than their spouse. Greed or coveting involves inappropriate cravings for what belongs to another. Malice is another term for wickedness or simply evil.
Deceit is trickery, cheating, or dishonesty. Lewdness is lustful, rude or profane desires. Envy is similar to greed and jealousy. Slander is hurting someone or God with your words. Arrogance is pride, exalting yourself above others. Folly is moral and spiritual insensitivity or foolishness.
None of these just happen. They begin in our heart.
All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” (Mark 7:23)
Elsewhere, Jesus said,
A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. (Luke 6:45)
Sin begins inside, not outside. It begins with temptation, a thought, an idea. You don’t accidentally walk up to someone and murder them. You don’t randomly commit adultery. You don’t rob a bank without a plan (unless you want to get caught!).
Jesus’ half-brother, James, described the four-step process of sin:
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:13-15)
Desire – deception – disobedience – death
It’s not a pretty picture…and it describes all of us. So many people today talk about getting in touch with your feelings, listening to your heart, being true to yourself, finding yourself. That’s a certain path to destruction, family, because our hearts are dark and depraved. The problem in our world is not them, it’s me. The solution is not trying harder because the solution is not within me. It’s Jesus. True holiness is internal, not external, and it begins with surrender, making Jesus LORD.
What Jesus is addressing with all of these statements is religion. Religion is human attempts to earn God’s favor. It involves personal expressions of perfection and a holier-than-thou attitude which elevates one’s self while putting down those around you. It usually involves pride, judgment of others, and an attitude which isolates. The New Testament if filled with accounts of the self-righteous, and I’m not aware of a single instance where Jesus praises their behavior.
On the contrary, Jesus highlighted the humility of the broken. He applauded the meek and weak. He encouraged the sinner to pursue righteousness, but never promoted religion. He simply invited people to follow him, to make him both Savior and LORD. He’s still doing that today. He said all of the laws of the Old Testament and the 613 laws of Moses could be summarized in two: love God and love your neighbor as yourself.
Perhaps you’ve made a mess out of your life. I’ve got great news for you! Nothing you can do can make God love you any more than He already does, and nothing you can do can make God love you less than He already does. He made you, He knows you, He loves you, and His arms are open wide to welcome you into His family, to forgive you, to heal you, to make you new. What do you say? I know, it sounds too good to be true, but that’s grace. That’s why Jesus came. He knew we couldn’t perfectly follow all of the rules, no matter how hard we might try. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to obey God and become like Jesus. He came to die for us…lost sinners…all of us!
Perhaps you’ve tried to follow all of the rules, and done pretty well. Nobody’s perfect, but most people think you are. It feels good to be around sinners because you are so superior. Unfortunately, in the eyes of God your pride undermines all of your good works. As I said again last week, I’m a recovering Pharisee. I’ve struggled with pride, a sin which can be hidden from others.
We all need repentance. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, His standard of perfection. Big sins or little sins all lead to death. They separate us from God and others. They may be visible or invisible sins. They made be sins of commission which we commit or sins of omission, failing to not do the right thing.
This isn’t just about individuals. As a church, we’ve sinned, too. I’ve heard so many stories about the great things First Alliance Church has done. We’ve held onto the truths of the Bible while other churches have “watered down the gospel.” If that’s true, it’s a good thing, but how easy it is to take pride in our good deeds, our good theology, our righteousness (see Isaiah 64:6). As we saw in last week’s text, it’s easy to make our human-made traditions more important than God’s timeless Word. We can easily slip into legalism and drive away the very people who are seeking God.
God’s desire for First Alliance Church is a broken and contrite family, a religion-free church, a group of humble, desperate, God-fearing, masterpiece-restoring, Jesus-following men, women and children who are more concerned about their own hearts than the behavior of others. They begin inside, with themselves. King David wrote,
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. (Psalm 139:23)
He also wrote these famous words when he acknowledged his sin with Bathsheba,
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)
You can wash your hands with water, but the only way you can have a clean, pure heart is through repentance and Jesus.
The world says you are what you do. Jesus says you do what you are. It begins with your heart.
How is your heart. Clean or unclean?
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
Tradition Rules, 9 February 2020
09 02 20
Tradition Rules
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 7:1-13
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Motives matter and tradition should never be more important than obedience to God.
I love Celebrate Recovery! I’m so grateful for Sherry and Hollywood and the others who lead this vital ministry on Wednesdays at 7 PM. I’m grateful, too, for the team at Saddleback Church who took the 12 Steps and enhanced them with a robust biblical foundation. Although Celebrate Recovery is perfect for anyone struggling with grief, loss, and pain, it may best be known for its ability to help those dealing with any form of addiction.
Arguably the most important step of the twelve is the first one, to admit we are powerless and that we have a problem. No transformation can begin while denial is present, so let me begin with this admission…
My name is Kirk and I’m a recovering Pharisee.
This month we’re returning to our series from the gospel of Mark. It’s the shortest of the four gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the biographies of Jesus. It’s clear and concise. We began this series in 2017 and have taken quite a few breaks along the way! I doubt we’ll finish it this year, though I encourage you to read the book of Mark this year…and every year! Over the years, we have looked at every verse in the first six chapters, bringing us to chapter seven. Our text today revolves around one word…tradition!
It begins,
The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) (Mark 7:1-4)
What is a Pharisee and why do I consider myself a recovering Pharisee? I’m glad you asked!
There are actually many debates about this group of religious leaders, but here are a few things we know:
Is this a good thing? Yes. Can it become a bad thing? Yes.
We usually think of Pharisees as legalistic, self-righteous, hypocritical bigots who look for the speck in the eyes of others while ignoring the 2x4 plank of pride in their own. But that wasn’t necessarily the case for all Pharisees, and it certainly wasn’t their intention.
In fact, hardly any group of people are always bad…or always good. This is important to remember, especially in our day of division and stereotype. There are few things that can be said about ALL Republicans or ALL Democrats or ALL refugees or ALL African-Americans or Asians or ALL rich people or ALL Christians or ALL Catholics or ALL doctors or ALL Buckeyes! Labeling is harmful. Period. We need to look at each person as an individual masterpiece in need of varying amounts of restoration.
Josephus, a first-century Jewish writer, said the Pharisees were
When we mention the Pharisees, we often think of zealots, likely an extreme form of Pharisaism. Saul—who became known as Paul in the New Testament—was a zealot. He was so passionate about preserving the Jewish nation that he oversaw the killing of early Christians who began following Jesus rather than Judaism. To that end, Dr. Scot McKnight makes these observations:
1. Pharisees, with others, opposed John and Jesus for their kingdom ministry (Matt 3:7). 2. Pharisees had a “righteousness” that Jesus said was inadequate (Matt 5:20). 3. Pharisees opposed Jesus and his followers for eating with the wrong sorts (Matt 9:11). 4. Pharisees had a different fasting routine (Matt 9:14). 5. Pharisees accused Jesus of exorcising demons in allegiance with Satan (Matt 9:34). 6. Pharisees opposed Jesus and his followers for their sabbath practices (Matt 12:2). 7. Pharisees wanted Jesus to attest to his vocation with a sign (Matt 12:38). 8. Pharisees opposed Jesus and his followers for their lack of handwashing before meals (Matt 15:1-20). 9. Pharisees taught things Jesus thought were contrary to God’s will (Matt 16:6, 12). 10. Pharisees tested Jesus’ “theology”/”practice” on divorce (Matt 19:3). 11. Pharisees wanted Jesus put away (Matt 22:15) and Jesus knew it (Matt 21:33-45). 12. Pharisees were accused of hypocrisy by Jesus (Matt 23). 13. Pharisees are nearly absent in the trial scenes of Jesus. [They did not have the power to put him to death.]
They had a clear interpretation of the Jewish Bible, the Torah, and opposed any other interpretation or practice related to it, which explains their conflicts with Jesus. They obviously thought they were right and, therefore, anyone who didn’t believe and behave exactly like they did was a heretic, an enemy. They had a noble motive to protect the nation of Israel.
Here’s the real issue: The Pharisees saw the Torah largely as a comprehensive rule book which must be followed in order to please God. Jesus taught the Torah was about loving God and loving others.
Now let’s return to our text.
The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) (Mark 7:1-4)
Washing hands is a very good practice, especially before eating or touching any part of your face. The Mayo Clinic says the number one way to avoid the cold and flu (or coronavirus) is to…stay away from sick people! They add, “Don’t put your fingers into your eyes, nose or mouth” and “wash your hands frequently, especially when out in public.”
Actually, the issue here was not related to physical health, but rather tradition. They didn’t literally wash their hands, but merely rinsed them (Mark 7:3-4). There’s nothing wrong with tradition in and of itself. We have many traditions here. For decades, First Alliance Church has gathered on Sunday mornings. Why not Tuesday at 11 PM?
We take communion on the first Sunday of the month. We take a benevolence offering on the second Sunday of the month. We sing at least one hymn each Sunday. We have a group of men who pray each Tuesday morning. We have activities on Wednesday evenings. We have annual services on Good Friday and Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Why? Tradition!
The problem arises when tradition becomes an idol, more important than Jesus. The Bible itself can become simply a tradition if it becomes more important than Jesus. Our faith is based upon a person, not a book.
In the context of this scene, the Pharisees had built an agenda which was both political and religious. Does that sound familiar? Scripture was being interpreted and applied through an agenda related to revolt against Rome. God’s Word got polluted.
So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” (Mark 7:5)
The Jewish religious leaders began with accusation. Their question is literally, “Why don’t your disciples walk…?” Why are they not following tradition? The religious leaders loved to find fault in others, especially someone as popular and threatening to them as Jesus. The issue really wasn’t hygiene, but rather tradition given to the people to add to their burdens (Matthew 23:4). Jesus had already broken their fasting and Sabbath traditions (Mark 2:23-3:5) and now they’re looking for more evidence to discredit him and elevate their own status. At issue was these teachers had access to the written Torah, but they also relied upon the oral traditions of their forefathers.
A little bit of background is necessary to grasp this event. The Jews—as God’s chosen people—saw themselves as special. They sought to distinguish themselves from Gentiles—or worse, Samaritans. By ceremonially washing, they announced they were special while others were “unclean.” What was once a good reminder that they were God’s elect became an empty ritual filled with pride and religious separation. Such washings were tangible and visible.
Jesus taught that while externals matter, it’s possible to do the right things externally while having a sinful interior life. For Jesus, the focus was always about loving God and loving people. These two commands would summarize the 613 laws in the Jewish tradition.
He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
“ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’
You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” (Mark 7:6-8)
The word “hypocrite” means “play actor.” These religious people would often perform for crowds their good deeds despite their wicked hearts.
Have you ever done something you didn’t feel like doing? It can be easy to pretend with people, but God always knows our hearts. He knows our thoughts. He knows our attitudes.
It reminds me of a little boy whose mother kept insisting he sit down in his highchair. When he finally unlocked his knees and plopped into the seat, he declared, “I may be sitting down on the outside, but I'm still standing up on the inside!”
The Pharisees knew how to impress people by their actions, but on the inside they were becoming prideful. They were more concerned about human traditions than the commands of God. It’s easy to fall into this trap, especially in our consumer culture where we are assaulted with the message that it’s all about us. “This is MY church and I want things done MY way, regardless of what the Bible does or doesn’t say.”
The Pharisees generally began with good motives, but they lost their focus. Instead of knowing and loving God, they became more concerned about looking good for others and even thinking their good works would win them favor with God. We call that religion.
I like to think of religion as anything we do to try to make God like us, but He already loves us. That’s why He sent Jesus to live and die and resurrect for us. We can’t earn salvation. We can’t get to heaven—now or after we die—by following the rules. We’re saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).
And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! (Mark 7:9)
If you wear a fancy suit on Sunday but fail to love your neighbor…
If you have memorized the book of Mark but fail to love your neighbor…
If you attend a church service every Sunday but fail to love your neighbor…
If you wash your hand or your face or your car or your clothes but fail to love…
Don’t believe me? Here’s what Paul, the former Pharisee, said,
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)
The Pharisees had abandoned God’s commands while keeping human tradition.
Back to Jesus…
For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” (Mark 7:10-13)
These Jewish leaders begin with teaching tradition as God’s Word (Mark 7:7), setting aside God’s Word (7:8), rejecting God’s Word (7:9), and robbing God’s Word of its power (7:13). It doesn’t matter how sincere you are or how religious you are or how pious you appear to others, God sees your heart.
Jesus says they do many religious things. They do many traditional things, yet they miss the point…love God and love others as they love themselves. While they claim to love God, they don’t even love their own parents, breaking the fifth Commandment. They dedicated their wealth to God while failing to support their parents. They place tradition above God’s Word.
Let me say again traditions aren’t necessarily bad, but when tradition rules above God, when preference rules above the Bible, when we do the right things for the wrong reasons with bad motives, we risk becoming like the prideful, self-righteous Pharisees.
And I’m a recovering Pharisee. You might be one, too.
I used to not only follow the rules but judge others who didn’t behave just like me. I still do, sometimes, which is why I’m recovering.
I used to get nervous when someone didn’t worship exactly like me, dress like me, or think just like me. I still do, sometimes, which is why I’m recovering.
My focus needs to always be on Jesus. What would make Jesus smile?
I’m a recovering Pharisee. I sometimes want people to see how good I am. I don’t smoke, chew, or go out with girls that do! Look at me, mister holier-than-thou.
It amazes me how much the religious people seemed to dislike Jesus…and vice-versa. You can serve God or religion. You can follow the Bible or tradition.
Motives matter. Underneath everything we do is an attitude, good or bad, self-serving or God-serving, prideful or humble.
Are you a Pharisee? Are you, like me, a recovering Pharisee?
How is your heart? Why do you do the things you do? Is it to make yourself happy? Is it to impress others? Or is it to honor God?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 7:1-13
Series Big Idea: Mark’s gospel is the most concise biography of Jesus.
Big Idea: Motives matter and tradition should never be more important than obedience to God.
I love Celebrate Recovery! I’m so grateful for Sherry and Hollywood and the others who lead this vital ministry on Wednesdays at 7 PM. I’m grateful, too, for the team at Saddleback Church who took the 12 Steps and enhanced them with a robust biblical foundation. Although Celebrate Recovery is perfect for anyone struggling with grief, loss, and pain, it may best be known for its ability to help those dealing with any form of addiction.
Arguably the most important step of the twelve is the first one, to admit we are powerless and that we have a problem. No transformation can begin while denial is present, so let me begin with this admission…
My name is Kirk and I’m a recovering Pharisee.
This month we’re returning to our series from the gospel of Mark. It’s the shortest of the four gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the biographies of Jesus. It’s clear and concise. We began this series in 2017 and have taken quite a few breaks along the way! I doubt we’ll finish it this year, though I encourage you to read the book of Mark this year…and every year! Over the years, we have looked at every verse in the first six chapters, bringing us to chapter seven. Our text today revolves around one word…tradition!
It begins,
The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) (Mark 7:1-4)
What is a Pharisee and why do I consider myself a recovering Pharisee? I’m glad you asked!
There are actually many debates about this group of religious leaders, but here are a few things we know:
- 1. They were the authorized teachers of Jesus’ time
- 2. Many of them were politically active
- 3. They were significant, popular, and influential in Israel
- 4. They were the largest of the groups within Judaism, possibly numbering 6000 members during Jesus’ life
- 5. They promoted not only their own holiness but also that of other Jews
- 6. Their chief concern was purity within the story and tradition of being Jews, God’s elect people
- 7. They were highly religious and devout
Is this a good thing? Yes. Can it become a bad thing? Yes.
We usually think of Pharisees as legalistic, self-righteous, hypocritical bigots who look for the speck in the eyes of others while ignoring the 2x4 plank of pride in their own. But that wasn’t necessarily the case for all Pharisees, and it certainly wasn’t their intention.
In fact, hardly any group of people are always bad…or always good. This is important to remember, especially in our day of division and stereotype. There are few things that can be said about ALL Republicans or ALL Democrats or ALL refugees or ALL African-Americans or Asians or ALL rich people or ALL Christians or ALL Catholics or ALL doctors or ALL Buckeyes! Labeling is harmful. Period. We need to look at each person as an individual masterpiece in need of varying amounts of restoration.
Josephus, a first-century Jewish writer, said the Pharisees were
- - considered “the most accurate interpreters of the laws”
- - the leading sect of the Jews and “extremely influential among the townsfolk”
- - devoted to Torah—the Law, the Jewish Bible—to its interpretation, and living according to the Torah
When we mention the Pharisees, we often think of zealots, likely an extreme form of Pharisaism. Saul—who became known as Paul in the New Testament—was a zealot. He was so passionate about preserving the Jewish nation that he oversaw the killing of early Christians who began following Jesus rather than Judaism. To that end, Dr. Scot McKnight makes these observations:
1. Pharisees, with others, opposed John and Jesus for their kingdom ministry (Matt 3:7). 2. Pharisees had a “righteousness” that Jesus said was inadequate (Matt 5:20). 3. Pharisees opposed Jesus and his followers for eating with the wrong sorts (Matt 9:11). 4. Pharisees had a different fasting routine (Matt 9:14). 5. Pharisees accused Jesus of exorcising demons in allegiance with Satan (Matt 9:34). 6. Pharisees opposed Jesus and his followers for their sabbath practices (Matt 12:2). 7. Pharisees wanted Jesus to attest to his vocation with a sign (Matt 12:38). 8. Pharisees opposed Jesus and his followers for their lack of handwashing before meals (Matt 15:1-20). 9. Pharisees taught things Jesus thought were contrary to God’s will (Matt 16:6, 12). 10. Pharisees tested Jesus’ “theology”/”practice” on divorce (Matt 19:3). 11. Pharisees wanted Jesus put away (Matt 22:15) and Jesus knew it (Matt 21:33-45). 12. Pharisees were accused of hypocrisy by Jesus (Matt 23). 13. Pharisees are nearly absent in the trial scenes of Jesus. [They did not have the power to put him to death.]
They had a clear interpretation of the Jewish Bible, the Torah, and opposed any other interpretation or practice related to it, which explains their conflicts with Jesus. They obviously thought they were right and, therefore, anyone who didn’t believe and behave exactly like they did was a heretic, an enemy. They had a noble motive to protect the nation of Israel.
Here’s the real issue: The Pharisees saw the Torah largely as a comprehensive rule book which must be followed in order to please God. Jesus taught the Torah was about loving God and loving others.
Now let’s return to our text.
The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) (Mark 7:1-4)
Washing hands is a very good practice, especially before eating or touching any part of your face. The Mayo Clinic says the number one way to avoid the cold and flu (or coronavirus) is to…stay away from sick people! They add, “Don’t put your fingers into your eyes, nose or mouth” and “wash your hands frequently, especially when out in public.”
Actually, the issue here was not related to physical health, but rather tradition. They didn’t literally wash their hands, but merely rinsed them (Mark 7:3-4). There’s nothing wrong with tradition in and of itself. We have many traditions here. For decades, First Alliance Church has gathered on Sunday mornings. Why not Tuesday at 11 PM?
We take communion on the first Sunday of the month. We take a benevolence offering on the second Sunday of the month. We sing at least one hymn each Sunday. We have a group of men who pray each Tuesday morning. We have activities on Wednesday evenings. We have annual services on Good Friday and Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Why? Tradition!
The problem arises when tradition becomes an idol, more important than Jesus. The Bible itself can become simply a tradition if it becomes more important than Jesus. Our faith is based upon a person, not a book.
In the context of this scene, the Pharisees had built an agenda which was both political and religious. Does that sound familiar? Scripture was being interpreted and applied through an agenda related to revolt against Rome. God’s Word got polluted.
So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” (Mark 7:5)
The Jewish religious leaders began with accusation. Their question is literally, “Why don’t your disciples walk…?” Why are they not following tradition? The religious leaders loved to find fault in others, especially someone as popular and threatening to them as Jesus. The issue really wasn’t hygiene, but rather tradition given to the people to add to their burdens (Matthew 23:4). Jesus had already broken their fasting and Sabbath traditions (Mark 2:23-3:5) and now they’re looking for more evidence to discredit him and elevate their own status. At issue was these teachers had access to the written Torah, but they also relied upon the oral traditions of their forefathers.
A little bit of background is necessary to grasp this event. The Jews—as God’s chosen people—saw themselves as special. They sought to distinguish themselves from Gentiles—or worse, Samaritans. By ceremonially washing, they announced they were special while others were “unclean.” What was once a good reminder that they were God’s elect became an empty ritual filled with pride and religious separation. Such washings were tangible and visible.
Jesus taught that while externals matter, it’s possible to do the right things externally while having a sinful interior life. For Jesus, the focus was always about loving God and loving people. These two commands would summarize the 613 laws in the Jewish tradition.
He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
“ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’
You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” (Mark 7:6-8)
The word “hypocrite” means “play actor.” These religious people would often perform for crowds their good deeds despite their wicked hearts.
Have you ever done something you didn’t feel like doing? It can be easy to pretend with people, but God always knows our hearts. He knows our thoughts. He knows our attitudes.
It reminds me of a little boy whose mother kept insisting he sit down in his highchair. When he finally unlocked his knees and plopped into the seat, he declared, “I may be sitting down on the outside, but I'm still standing up on the inside!”
The Pharisees knew how to impress people by their actions, but on the inside they were becoming prideful. They were more concerned about human traditions than the commands of God. It’s easy to fall into this trap, especially in our consumer culture where we are assaulted with the message that it’s all about us. “This is MY church and I want things done MY way, regardless of what the Bible does or doesn’t say.”
The Pharisees generally began with good motives, but they lost their focus. Instead of knowing and loving God, they became more concerned about looking good for others and even thinking their good works would win them favor with God. We call that religion.
I like to think of religion as anything we do to try to make God like us, but He already loves us. That’s why He sent Jesus to live and die and resurrect for us. We can’t earn salvation. We can’t get to heaven—now or after we die—by following the rules. We’re saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).
And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! (Mark 7:9)
If you wear a fancy suit on Sunday but fail to love your neighbor…
If you have memorized the book of Mark but fail to love your neighbor…
If you attend a church service every Sunday but fail to love your neighbor…
If you wash your hand or your face or your car or your clothes but fail to love…
Don’t believe me? Here’s what Paul, the former Pharisee, said,
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)
The Pharisees had abandoned God’s commands while keeping human tradition.
Back to Jesus…
For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” (Mark 7:10-13)
These Jewish leaders begin with teaching tradition as God’s Word (Mark 7:7), setting aside God’s Word (7:8), rejecting God’s Word (7:9), and robbing God’s Word of its power (7:13). It doesn’t matter how sincere you are or how religious you are or how pious you appear to others, God sees your heart.
Jesus says they do many religious things. They do many traditional things, yet they miss the point…love God and love others as they love themselves. While they claim to love God, they don’t even love their own parents, breaking the fifth Commandment. They dedicated their wealth to God while failing to support their parents. They place tradition above God’s Word.
Let me say again traditions aren’t necessarily bad, but when tradition rules above God, when preference rules above the Bible, when we do the right things for the wrong reasons with bad motives, we risk becoming like the prideful, self-righteous Pharisees.
And I’m a recovering Pharisee. You might be one, too.
I used to not only follow the rules but judge others who didn’t behave just like me. I still do, sometimes, which is why I’m recovering.
I used to get nervous when someone didn’t worship exactly like me, dress like me, or think just like me. I still do, sometimes, which is why I’m recovering.
My focus needs to always be on Jesus. What would make Jesus smile?
I’m a recovering Pharisee. I sometimes want people to see how good I am. I don’t smoke, chew, or go out with girls that do! Look at me, mister holier-than-thou.
It amazes me how much the religious people seemed to dislike Jesus…and vice-versa. You can serve God or religion. You can follow the Bible or tradition.
Motives matter. Underneath everything we do is an attitude, good or bad, self-serving or God-serving, prideful or humble.
Are you a Pharisee? Are you, like me, a recovering Pharisee?
How is your heart? Why do you do the things you do? Is it to make yourself happy? Is it to impress others? Or is it to honor God?
Take Away, 12 January 2020
12 01 20
Take Away (start doing)
Series—A Fresh Start
Series Big Idea: As we begin this new year/decade, it’s out with the old, in with the new.
Big Idea: There are many things we need to start doing in order to love God and others.
Several years ago I attended a conference. At the end, each person was given two Post-It Notes. We were instructed to use one to list one or two things that we wanted to leave behind. The other was used to list things we wanted to take away from the event.
Last Sunday we began a two-week series, A Fresh Start. We said that most of us have to-do lists, but few people take the time to create a stop-doing list. We need to leave behind some things from the past as we enter 2020. Maybe you want to leave behind those extra pounds you gained eating Christmas cookies! Perhaps you want to leave behind a bad habit such as biting your nails, smoking, or maxing out the credit card. In order to begin new habits or rhythms, we often have to let go of some things to make room in our lives for the things we want to start doing, which is our subject this morning.
Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Do you want it to matter?
I think deep inside of us, we all want to make a difference. We want our lives to count. We want something on our tombstone besides, “He lived and died.” How will you live your dash…that space between your birth and death?
It all begins today! Well, not exactly…but today can be a new beginning. As I took time to reflect upon 2019, I thought about what I want to be said at the end of this year. What will I do? Where will I go? Who will I meet? Most of all, who will I become…and worship.
One of our scriptures from last Sunday says,
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. (Ephesians 4:31)
We want to leave behind sin.
We want to leave behind all bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, and malice. Right?!
Paul continues,
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)
We said last week it’s nearly impossible to just stop doing something cold turkey. You need to replace a behavior with a behavior. Paul’s saying stop treating others as enemies and then presents an alternative: be kind, compassionate, and forgiving. This sounds good, right? But how? The key is at the end of the verse. Do you see it? We can only be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to the extent that we have experienced the kindness, compassion, and forgiveness of Jesus.
You can’t share something you don’t possess. Have you experienced Jesus? Does your life reflect it?
We’re only twelve days into the new year. Now is a great time to start spiritual rhythms, to develop good habits (which often take 21 days), to cultivate our character. I want to offer a vision for what this might look like in your life. This may be familiar to many of you, but just imagine if you could look back at 2020 and say you have more of this:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
We call that good fruit, the fruit of the Spirit, the result of doing life with God. Galatians chapter 5 provides us with this portrait of a mature follower of Jesus.
How do we get more of this fruit? We must let go and let God. We must surrender. We must follow Jesus. We must obey Jesus’ command to
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30)
We all love the idea of love. We certainly love the idea of people loving us. I think most of us would say would want to love God. Hating God is a dangerous proposition, though indifference is also risky. The fact that you’re here today shows some desire on your part to know God, to love God. But what does Jesus mean when he says to love God with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, and all of our strength? It means to love God with everything.
The reason most people make new year’s resolutions is because they want to improve themselves. They want to look better. They want to feel better. They want to have more money, more time, or improved health. Right?
There’s nothing inherently wrong with trying to improve yourself, but it should never be the primary goal of life. In his book SoulTalk, author Larry Crabb writes,
“…our first order of business is not to pursue satisfaction, but to identify what’s getting in the way of the deepest satisfaction available to the human soul.”
What is that? It's communion with God.
Too often we use God for our purposes. We give Him an hour on Sunday and otherwise ignore Him until we lose control. We seek His cooperation to improve our lives and a lifetime of blessings. If we do a few religious things, God owes us, right?
Anything that gets in the way of knowing, trusting, and following God is idolatry.
This includes church attendance, time with your family, serving those in need, giving money to charity, working on a degree, exercise, …anything!
To borrow Larry Crabb’s words, the world says, “I want to do something that will make my life better.” That’s good, but it’s secondary to the deepest satisfaction available to the human soul, which says, “I want to experience God through whatever means he provides and keep trusting him whether life gets better or not.”
Trust and obedience go hand in hand. I often say obedience is God’s love language. The number one command in the Bible is
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30)
If you can do this, I promise you it will be better than losing all of the weight, gaining all of the muscle, eliminating all of the debt, and whatever else you might resolve to do this year.
I want to suggest three practical ways to love God in 2020 and beyond. This is not about you and your pleasure, but you will be blessed. This might not produce the immediate results you might get from giving up sugar or working out an hour a day. But if you want to experience the deepest satisfaction available to the human soul, it begins with loving God with all of you.
1. Love God with your time. I know, you’re so busy. We all get the same 24 hours each day. The average person spends 30 minutes in the bathroom. If we spent 8 hours working, 8 hours sleeping, and 90 minutes eating, that leaves six hours to…
What would happen if you spent one hour—or one additional hour—a week in prayer? That’s less than ten minutes a day. Pour out your heart to God. You can journal your prayers. You can pray out loud in a car or closet. You can silently pray anywhere.
What would happen if you spent one hour—or one additional hour—a week in God’s Word? Read it. Listen to it. Study it. Let it feed your soul.
What if you devoted two hours a week to attending the Alpha Course on Thursdays to really explore what it means to know and follow Jesus? If you’ve already been through Christianity 101, how about being a helper on the Alpha Course and helping others know and follow Jesus?
What would happen if you spent one hour—or one additional hour—a week in solitude, listening to God, being still, slowing down, resting, being fully present?
By the way, being here matters. Really. Many people are too busy to be here today. I chuckle when people talk as if another church is our competition. If they love Jesus, we’re on the same team! Our competition is the pillow, the golf course, the Internet, Netflix.
Love God with your time. Show me your calendar and I’ll show you what you really love.
2. Love God with your talents. We all have gifts and abilities.
What would happen if you spent one hour a week volunteering? You could serve in the nursery, prepare a meal for a family in need, listen to a shut-in tell their story, sing in the choir, or help at the Rosa Parks Teacher Pantry. One hour…out of 168. It would total 50 hours this year. Imagine how much impact 50 hours would have on the lives of others. It doesn’t have to be here on the campus of First Alliance Church, but we have so many ways for you to get connected, to bless others, …and nobody serves alone. One of the great things about joining a team at First Alliance is you get to serve alongside other people, making new friends. Each week the Connection Card is filled with opportunities ranging from ushering and greeting to leading a small group to serving on the kitchen committee to serving our students. We are always looking for artists, web designers, photographers, and digital storytellers. Our Trustees need help maintaining our beautiful campus buildings and grounds. What do you love to do? Do it for God! Love God with your talents.
3. Love God with your treasures.
This is where things really get interesting. Does your wallet or checkbook or online bank account reflect your love for God? Everything we have is a gift from God. Whether you have a penny to your name or a huge stock portfolio, all of our treasures are from God…on loan from God. He allows us to be stewards—overseers, managers—of stuff…money. The Bible never says we should give a certain dollar amount of money, but there is a concept in the Old Testament, the Jewish Bible, known as the tithe. Tithe simply means ten percent. We have sales tax, which means 7.25 percent in Ohio.
Actually, the state sales tax is 5.75% but we pay 7.25% because of county and city taxes (Michigan’s sales tax rate is 6%).
Whether you’re at Dollar Tree or Macy’s, you have to pay taxes on most everything you buy. The tithe is not a tax. It’s not a max, either. It was something of a starting point for generosity before Jesus.
There’s a fascinating passage in the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, in which God makes some incredible statements to the people of Israel. He says,
You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. (Malachi 3:9)
It’s one thing to think you’ve been cursed, but it’s quite another to have God tell you you’re under a curse! Imagine God came to you and said you are robbing Him. Wow! In the previous verse, the people ask God, “How are we robbing You? What do you mean?” God continues,
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. (Malachi 3:10)
I think this is the only place in the Bible where God says, “Test Me.” The original Hebrew word, bahan, means “to test, try, probe, examine,” like seeing if a metal is pure.
Some tv preachers have manipulated this verse to say if you give them all of your money, God will make you rich. Actually, if you give them all of your money, you will make them rich! But that’s not the point.
God is saying be generous. Invest in eternal things. Support your church.
This does not mean if you put twenty dollars in the offering plate today you’ll find a twenty in your pants pocket tomorrow (though you might!). It does mean that you will be blessed when you bless God, when you surrender to God, when you love God with your treasures. The text continues,
I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the LORD Almighty. “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the LORD Almighty. (Malachi 3:11-12)
My parents taught me to tithe when I was a young boy. I have given at least ten percent of my income to God my entire life. I love to do it! Over the years, that’s added up to quite a bit of cash, but I don’t view it as money I’ve lost or spent. It’s money I’ve invested…in God’s Kingdom. He has blessed me with jobs, health, friends, and most of all Jesus. I could never begin to repay Him for His goodness and faithfulness to me. That doesn’t mean I’ve always been happy, healthy, and wealthy, but I have tested God in this area and He has never let me down.
I don’t have access to what people give around here, but I’ve been told many of you don’t give a dime. I feel bad for you. Really. Never mind what you give McDonald’s or Starbucks or Amazon or Kroger. You give to Columbus every day! A percentage of your money is given to our government, and I’m grateful for our government. But you’re missing out on the blessing of giving to God. He says, “Test Me!” Test Him!
If you don’t have much, you don’t have to give much. The tithe is a percentage thing. If you’ve got ten bucks, put one in the plate. If you’ve got a thousand, drop a Franklin! You can give online. You can text to give. You can do bill pay with your bank. We accept cash, checks, and even alpacas! On our website you can donate stocks and real estate and baseball cards and anything of value. This isn’t a fundraising pitch for First Alliance Church, but it is a challenge to test God, to invest in what He’s doing here in Toledo and around the world. There are a lot of great organizations out there, but First Alliance Church serves you AND others.
When you give here, you support Dinner Church, Sports & Arts Camp, and Elevate Student Ministry. Lives are being changed. People are being healed. Hope is being delivered. Masterpieces are being restored.
In this new year, I want to challenge you to love God with your treasures. If you give, great! What would it look like to test God and increase your giving? It seems like every time I increase my giving, I get an increase in my income somehow. It’s amazing! Again, I’m not making a promise that God will refund your money tomorrow if you give today, but the older I get, the more I believe you can’t out-give God.
Giving is fun, too! Sometimes we’ll get extra money when Heather works extra hours or when we get a Christmas gift and I love giving extra money to God. It really is better to give than to receive, and if you don’t know what I’m talking about, try it. Test God. Write a check. Give some cash. Invest in God’s work. I don’t know a better place to put your money.
I know some of you would love to give, but your finances are a wreck. We have a variety of resources to help you with finding a job, putting together a budget, and even saving money. You can call the office, send us an e-mail, or just write “Money Help” on your Connection Card.
Right Now Media has some great, free financial resources you can watch today on your phone, tablet, or tv. We can send you a free subscription if you request one on a Connection Card. Our sister church, Westgate Chapel, has invited us to their Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University course beginning this Wednesday. You can find details on our Facebook page.
You say you love God? Prove it! Loving God is more than just having positive thoughts in our mind. Love requires action. Show me your time, talents, and treasures and I’ll show you what you love. It might be your girlfriend, movies, pizza, work, football, or Jesus, but your calendar and checkbook will show what you really love.
My prayer for you—and me—in this new year is that we would go beyond good intentions and be intentional. We need to leave some things behind, stop doing them. We need to develop some new practices and start doing some healthy habits. Here are a few suggestions:
Generosity. Grace. Kindness. Exercise. Love. Healthy eating. Honesty. Forgiveness. Volunteering. Listening.
These don’t all directly show our love for God, but when we love others as we love ourselves, we declare our love for God. I want to close with one of the most important passages in the Bible, written by Jesus’ close friend John.
For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. (1 John 3:11)
Do you know what this means, family? Treat one another the way you want to be treated. It’s not rocket science, but it requires thought, action, and effort. This next section seems a little extreme, to be honest. I hope this doesn’t apply to anyone in this room!
Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. (1 John 3:12-15)
Those are strong worlds. I know none of you would ever say, “I hate so-and-so,” right? But do we really love one another?
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. (1 John 3:16)
Many people know John 3:16. This is 1 John 3:16. It sounds good, right? Love one another. But love is more than a feeling.
If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:17-18)
Here’s what I want you to take away today: love with actions. Love God with actions—your time, talents, and treasures. Love others with actions—your generosity, your kindness, your listening ear, your undivided attention.
What’s your next step? What’s one thing you can do this week—and each week this year—that will show your love for God and others?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—A Fresh Start
Series Big Idea: As we begin this new year/decade, it’s out with the old, in with the new.
Big Idea: There are many things we need to start doing in order to love God and others.
Several years ago I attended a conference. At the end, each person was given two Post-It Notes. We were instructed to use one to list one or two things that we wanted to leave behind. The other was used to list things we wanted to take away from the event.
Last Sunday we began a two-week series, A Fresh Start. We said that most of us have to-do lists, but few people take the time to create a stop-doing list. We need to leave behind some things from the past as we enter 2020. Maybe you want to leave behind those extra pounds you gained eating Christmas cookies! Perhaps you want to leave behind a bad habit such as biting your nails, smoking, or maxing out the credit card. In order to begin new habits or rhythms, we often have to let go of some things to make room in our lives for the things we want to start doing, which is our subject this morning.
Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Do you want it to matter?
I think deep inside of us, we all want to make a difference. We want our lives to count. We want something on our tombstone besides, “He lived and died.” How will you live your dash…that space between your birth and death?
It all begins today! Well, not exactly…but today can be a new beginning. As I took time to reflect upon 2019, I thought about what I want to be said at the end of this year. What will I do? Where will I go? Who will I meet? Most of all, who will I become…and worship.
One of our scriptures from last Sunday says,
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. (Ephesians 4:31)
We want to leave behind sin.
We want to leave behind all bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, and malice. Right?!
Paul continues,
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)
We said last week it’s nearly impossible to just stop doing something cold turkey. You need to replace a behavior with a behavior. Paul’s saying stop treating others as enemies and then presents an alternative: be kind, compassionate, and forgiving. This sounds good, right? But how? The key is at the end of the verse. Do you see it? We can only be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to the extent that we have experienced the kindness, compassion, and forgiveness of Jesus.
You can’t share something you don’t possess. Have you experienced Jesus? Does your life reflect it?
We’re only twelve days into the new year. Now is a great time to start spiritual rhythms, to develop good habits (which often take 21 days), to cultivate our character. I want to offer a vision for what this might look like in your life. This may be familiar to many of you, but just imagine if you could look back at 2020 and say you have more of this:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
We call that good fruit, the fruit of the Spirit, the result of doing life with God. Galatians chapter 5 provides us with this portrait of a mature follower of Jesus.
How do we get more of this fruit? We must let go and let God. We must surrender. We must follow Jesus. We must obey Jesus’ command to
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30)
We all love the idea of love. We certainly love the idea of people loving us. I think most of us would say would want to love God. Hating God is a dangerous proposition, though indifference is also risky. The fact that you’re here today shows some desire on your part to know God, to love God. But what does Jesus mean when he says to love God with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, and all of our strength? It means to love God with everything.
The reason most people make new year’s resolutions is because they want to improve themselves. They want to look better. They want to feel better. They want to have more money, more time, or improved health. Right?
There’s nothing inherently wrong with trying to improve yourself, but it should never be the primary goal of life. In his book SoulTalk, author Larry Crabb writes,
“…our first order of business is not to pursue satisfaction, but to identify what’s getting in the way of the deepest satisfaction available to the human soul.”
What is that? It's communion with God.
Too often we use God for our purposes. We give Him an hour on Sunday and otherwise ignore Him until we lose control. We seek His cooperation to improve our lives and a lifetime of blessings. If we do a few religious things, God owes us, right?
Anything that gets in the way of knowing, trusting, and following God is idolatry.
This includes church attendance, time with your family, serving those in need, giving money to charity, working on a degree, exercise, …anything!
To borrow Larry Crabb’s words, the world says, “I want to do something that will make my life better.” That’s good, but it’s secondary to the deepest satisfaction available to the human soul, which says, “I want to experience God through whatever means he provides and keep trusting him whether life gets better or not.”
Trust and obedience go hand in hand. I often say obedience is God’s love language. The number one command in the Bible is
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30)
If you can do this, I promise you it will be better than losing all of the weight, gaining all of the muscle, eliminating all of the debt, and whatever else you might resolve to do this year.
I want to suggest three practical ways to love God in 2020 and beyond. This is not about you and your pleasure, but you will be blessed. This might not produce the immediate results you might get from giving up sugar or working out an hour a day. But if you want to experience the deepest satisfaction available to the human soul, it begins with loving God with all of you.
1. Love God with your time. I know, you’re so busy. We all get the same 24 hours each day. The average person spends 30 minutes in the bathroom. If we spent 8 hours working, 8 hours sleeping, and 90 minutes eating, that leaves six hours to…
What would happen if you spent one hour—or one additional hour—a week in prayer? That’s less than ten minutes a day. Pour out your heart to God. You can journal your prayers. You can pray out loud in a car or closet. You can silently pray anywhere.
What would happen if you spent one hour—or one additional hour—a week in God’s Word? Read it. Listen to it. Study it. Let it feed your soul.
What if you devoted two hours a week to attending the Alpha Course on Thursdays to really explore what it means to know and follow Jesus? If you’ve already been through Christianity 101, how about being a helper on the Alpha Course and helping others know and follow Jesus?
What would happen if you spent one hour—or one additional hour—a week in solitude, listening to God, being still, slowing down, resting, being fully present?
By the way, being here matters. Really. Many people are too busy to be here today. I chuckle when people talk as if another church is our competition. If they love Jesus, we’re on the same team! Our competition is the pillow, the golf course, the Internet, Netflix.
Love God with your time. Show me your calendar and I’ll show you what you really love.
2. Love God with your talents. We all have gifts and abilities.
What would happen if you spent one hour a week volunteering? You could serve in the nursery, prepare a meal for a family in need, listen to a shut-in tell their story, sing in the choir, or help at the Rosa Parks Teacher Pantry. One hour…out of 168. It would total 50 hours this year. Imagine how much impact 50 hours would have on the lives of others. It doesn’t have to be here on the campus of First Alliance Church, but we have so many ways for you to get connected, to bless others, …and nobody serves alone. One of the great things about joining a team at First Alliance is you get to serve alongside other people, making new friends. Each week the Connection Card is filled with opportunities ranging from ushering and greeting to leading a small group to serving on the kitchen committee to serving our students. We are always looking for artists, web designers, photographers, and digital storytellers. Our Trustees need help maintaining our beautiful campus buildings and grounds. What do you love to do? Do it for God! Love God with your talents.
3. Love God with your treasures.
This is where things really get interesting. Does your wallet or checkbook or online bank account reflect your love for God? Everything we have is a gift from God. Whether you have a penny to your name or a huge stock portfolio, all of our treasures are from God…on loan from God. He allows us to be stewards—overseers, managers—of stuff…money. The Bible never says we should give a certain dollar amount of money, but there is a concept in the Old Testament, the Jewish Bible, known as the tithe. Tithe simply means ten percent. We have sales tax, which means 7.25 percent in Ohio.
Actually, the state sales tax is 5.75% but we pay 7.25% because of county and city taxes (Michigan’s sales tax rate is 6%).
Whether you’re at Dollar Tree or Macy’s, you have to pay taxes on most everything you buy. The tithe is not a tax. It’s not a max, either. It was something of a starting point for generosity before Jesus.
There’s a fascinating passage in the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, in which God makes some incredible statements to the people of Israel. He says,
You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. (Malachi 3:9)
It’s one thing to think you’ve been cursed, but it’s quite another to have God tell you you’re under a curse! Imagine God came to you and said you are robbing Him. Wow! In the previous verse, the people ask God, “How are we robbing You? What do you mean?” God continues,
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. (Malachi 3:10)
I think this is the only place in the Bible where God says, “Test Me.” The original Hebrew word, bahan, means “to test, try, probe, examine,” like seeing if a metal is pure.
Some tv preachers have manipulated this verse to say if you give them all of your money, God will make you rich. Actually, if you give them all of your money, you will make them rich! But that’s not the point.
God is saying be generous. Invest in eternal things. Support your church.
This does not mean if you put twenty dollars in the offering plate today you’ll find a twenty in your pants pocket tomorrow (though you might!). It does mean that you will be blessed when you bless God, when you surrender to God, when you love God with your treasures. The text continues,
I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the LORD Almighty. “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the LORD Almighty. (Malachi 3:11-12)
My parents taught me to tithe when I was a young boy. I have given at least ten percent of my income to God my entire life. I love to do it! Over the years, that’s added up to quite a bit of cash, but I don’t view it as money I’ve lost or spent. It’s money I’ve invested…in God’s Kingdom. He has blessed me with jobs, health, friends, and most of all Jesus. I could never begin to repay Him for His goodness and faithfulness to me. That doesn’t mean I’ve always been happy, healthy, and wealthy, but I have tested God in this area and He has never let me down.
I don’t have access to what people give around here, but I’ve been told many of you don’t give a dime. I feel bad for you. Really. Never mind what you give McDonald’s or Starbucks or Amazon or Kroger. You give to Columbus every day! A percentage of your money is given to our government, and I’m grateful for our government. But you’re missing out on the blessing of giving to God. He says, “Test Me!” Test Him!
If you don’t have much, you don’t have to give much. The tithe is a percentage thing. If you’ve got ten bucks, put one in the plate. If you’ve got a thousand, drop a Franklin! You can give online. You can text to give. You can do bill pay with your bank. We accept cash, checks, and even alpacas! On our website you can donate stocks and real estate and baseball cards and anything of value. This isn’t a fundraising pitch for First Alliance Church, but it is a challenge to test God, to invest in what He’s doing here in Toledo and around the world. There are a lot of great organizations out there, but First Alliance Church serves you AND others.
When you give here, you support Dinner Church, Sports & Arts Camp, and Elevate Student Ministry. Lives are being changed. People are being healed. Hope is being delivered. Masterpieces are being restored.
In this new year, I want to challenge you to love God with your treasures. If you give, great! What would it look like to test God and increase your giving? It seems like every time I increase my giving, I get an increase in my income somehow. It’s amazing! Again, I’m not making a promise that God will refund your money tomorrow if you give today, but the older I get, the more I believe you can’t out-give God.
Giving is fun, too! Sometimes we’ll get extra money when Heather works extra hours or when we get a Christmas gift and I love giving extra money to God. It really is better to give than to receive, and if you don’t know what I’m talking about, try it. Test God. Write a check. Give some cash. Invest in God’s work. I don’t know a better place to put your money.
I know some of you would love to give, but your finances are a wreck. We have a variety of resources to help you with finding a job, putting together a budget, and even saving money. You can call the office, send us an e-mail, or just write “Money Help” on your Connection Card.
Right Now Media has some great, free financial resources you can watch today on your phone, tablet, or tv. We can send you a free subscription if you request one on a Connection Card. Our sister church, Westgate Chapel, has invited us to their Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University course beginning this Wednesday. You can find details on our Facebook page.
You say you love God? Prove it! Loving God is more than just having positive thoughts in our mind. Love requires action. Show me your time, talents, and treasures and I’ll show you what you love. It might be your girlfriend, movies, pizza, work, football, or Jesus, but your calendar and checkbook will show what you really love.
My prayer for you—and me—in this new year is that we would go beyond good intentions and be intentional. We need to leave some things behind, stop doing them. We need to develop some new practices and start doing some healthy habits. Here are a few suggestions:
Generosity. Grace. Kindness. Exercise. Love. Healthy eating. Honesty. Forgiveness. Volunteering. Listening.
These don’t all directly show our love for God, but when we love others as we love ourselves, we declare our love for God. I want to close with one of the most important passages in the Bible, written by Jesus’ close friend John.
For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. (1 John 3:11)
Do you know what this means, family? Treat one another the way you want to be treated. It’s not rocket science, but it requires thought, action, and effort. This next section seems a little extreme, to be honest. I hope this doesn’t apply to anyone in this room!
Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. (1 John 3:12-15)
Those are strong worlds. I know none of you would ever say, “I hate so-and-so,” right? But do we really love one another?
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. (1 John 3:16)
Many people know John 3:16. This is 1 John 3:16. It sounds good, right? Love one another. But love is more than a feeling.
If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:17-18)
Here’s what I want you to take away today: love with actions. Love God with actions—your time, talents, and treasures. Love others with actions—your generosity, your kindness, your listening ear, your undivided attention.
What’s your next step? What’s one thing you can do this week—and each week this year—that will show your love for God and others?
Leave Behind, 5 January 2020
05 01 20
Leave Behind (stop doing)
Series—A Fresh Start
Series Big Idea: As we begin this new year/decade, it’s out with the old, in with the new.
Big Idea: There are many things we need to stop doing in order to love God and others.
Welcome to Sunday. Welcome to 2020. Welcome to the Roaring 20’s!
A new year is a time for new beginnings, whether it’s a new diet, exercise plan, or goal. Who’s still going on their new year’s resolutions?!
If you’re like me, you’ve spent some time these past few days reflecting upon the past and pondering the future.
Dave Ramsey encourages entrepreneurs to work in their business, but also work on their business. Do you see the difference? Working in my business might mean making coffee, selling shoes, or repairing cars. Working on my business might involve creating a website, meeting with my accountant, or brainstorming ideas for a new product. The problem many in business have is they’re so busy dealing with the day-to-day operations of working in their business, they forget to step back and assess the big picture. They’re too busy to reflect, dream, think, or even pray.
The same can be said with life. We are so busy and distracted that if we don’t stop, we’ll find our lives only becoming more chaotic. So today I want to offer you a challenge: develop a stop doing list.
How many of you have a to-do list? How many of you have a stop doing list?
I got this idea from best-selling author Jim Collins. He says since we are finite humans, if we add things to our lives, we must also remove them. For example, he decided on day to stop watching television and was thrilled at the time it created for reading and thinking. Before we talk about new year’s resolutions and goals, I want to challenge you to develop a stop doing list.
Author Bob Goff often talks about how he quits something every Thursday. I’m not sure I could do that, but he claims it has changed his life.
Sure, we could just say, “Stop sinning” and be done! But think for a moment about what you’d like to stop doing. What do you want to leave behind as you begin 2020?
I must confess it’s easier for me to add things to my to-do list than it is to delete. One of the most rewarding things in the past year and a half for me has been the Alliance Life on Life retreats. I’m not terribly good at slowing down, listening, solitude, silence, or even prayer. I know they’re important, but if I don’t get results in the first five seconds, I begin to wonder if I’m wasting my time.
I want to look at a few passages of scripture which talk about stopping, quitting, leaving behind. Jesus’ half-brother, James, is quite clear when he writes,
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. (James 1:19-21)
We could easily camp out on this for the rest of the morning.
Quick to listen. Stop distractions.
If I could master this, I’d be thrilled. So would you! It’s sometimes hard for me to listen, especially if someone is speaking slowly. I listen to most podcasts at double-speed and love it. I’m trying to maximize, but it can backfire, especially if I’m trying to consume too much at once and I miss important nuggets. Listening means I am fully present. I give you my undivided attention. I look you in the eye. I feel like this is a rare art form in our culture, yet we have the power to make it common again.
Slow to speak. Stop talking.
I only want wholesome words coming out of my mouth. “Umm” doesn’t count! Recently I caught a few minutes of Jerry Seinfeld when he was at the Stranahan. He was talking about one of his pet peeve phrases: “it is what it is.” I say that all the time, yet does it really add any value to the conversation?
I’ve often been the one to fill silence just to avoid the awkwardness that often comes with silence, unaware that some relish every moment of the quiet it offers.
Slow to become angry. Stop (sinful) anger.
This is easier said than done, right? Just stop it (to quote Bob Newhart). Why do you get angry? When do you get angry?
Anger is not a sin, but it often expresses itself as a sin. We should be angry about injustice such as sex trafficking, but how we deal with it is the issue. Jesus got angry when he realized the sacred Temple had been turned into a flea market (Matthew 21, Mark 11, John 2), but he never sinned. Note he wasn’t particularly “nice,” either! Paul wrote,
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, (Ephesians 4:26)
Jesus managed to deal with the sin of others without sinning himself.
Get rid of all moral filth. Stop evil.
The Greek word for filth means pollution. We don’t hear the word filth much anymore. Maybe it’s not politically correct to call something trash. Get rid of filth…porn, gossip, grumbling, violence, profanity, racism, pride, arrogance, pride…!
The passage ends with something for the to-do list!
Humbly accept the word (Bible).
Read it. Listen to it. Study it. Mission119.org is a great, free tool to assist you.
So What?
There are many things from the past we need to stop doing. Debt. Bitterness. Striving. Addictions. Regret. Worry. Fear. Many times, we dismiss them because they’re so common.
For example, can you imagine going a week without worrying…yet it’s clearly a sin! It might be considered an acceptable sin—unlike adultery—but it’s still a sin. I’ll prove it to you. When is the last time worry added value and energy to your life? Jesus repeatedly said, “Don’t worry.”
“Great,” you say, “how do I leave it behind? How do I stop doing X? How do I stop sinning?”
First,
Realize you can’t stop sinning…on your own!
There’s only one human who has never sinned. Jesus. The rest of us turn to sin as a temporary relief from anxiety. Temptation isn’t sin, but we often succumb to it. Apart from God’s power, we are hopeless. We need the Holy Spirit to overcome our sin addiction. Take responsibility for your sin. Don’t play the blame game.
Receive God’s grace and forgiveness
When you fail, confess—admit it—and repent—turn away.
I almost surprised myself last week during Dinner Church with this simple statement: Because of Jesus, we don’t have to be perfect, but we do have to say yes to God. We have to trust Jesus as not only our Savior but our LORD.
Spend time with God
You are your friends. Choose wisely. When we cease striving and meditate on God, our attitudes and thoughts will shift. It’s not impossible, but it’s hard to sin in the middle of a Bible study. This is why scripture says to cease striving (Psalm 46:10). The NIV translation reads:
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)
Dwell on the LORD. Worship Him. Praise Him. Declare His goodness and faithfulness. Be fully present.
Put on the Armor
Ephesians 6 tells us about the armor we can wear to fight the enemy and his lies.
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. (Ephesians 6:13)
Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:13-17)
Belt of truth
Boots of peace
Shield of faith
Helmet of salvation
Sword of the Spirit
Pray
Ephesians 6 continues,
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. (Ephesians 6:18)
Ask God for strength. Jesus taught us to pray for God to deliver us from the evil one. The Holy Spirit can enable us to let go and let God.
Know your weaknesses
I’m a fan of the acronym HALT. I am must vulnerable to sin when I am hungry, angry (together they make hangry!), lonely, or tired. I am also the most grumpy!
Phone a friend
Let someone know your struggle. Invite them to challenge you, to hold you accountable.
Just do (stop) it!
It’s nearly impossible to quit a habit cold turkey. You need to replace it with something. Recovering alcoholics often smoke. Recovering smokers often chew gum. Recovering gum chewers often…
When I was a kid, there was a movement to burn rock and roll record albums because people said rock music was created by the devil. By the way, satan does not have the power to create anything! He can only mess up the good things God has created. Many people in the 1980’s burned their music only to later buy it all back again! For many, it was Led Zeppelin or Lawrence Welk! Instead, they could’ve replaced their rock music with Christian rock…similar sounds which glorify God.
If you want to quit worry, begin a journal of gratitude.
If you want to quit judging others, start listing your own sins.
If you want to quit debt, focus on the material blessings you already own.
If you want to quit hurry, set your alarm for 5 minutes and be still. Then increase it.
Press On
When the enemy reminds you of your past, remind him of his future!
If you think you’ve done some bad things, consider Paul. He supervised the murder of Christians! Years later, he wrote,
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14)
When you fall, get up! Keep running to Jesus. He’s not angry with you. He’s just hoping next time you’ll go even further without falling, much like a loving parent with a baby beginning to walk. His arms are outstretched to love you, to encourage you, never to celebrate your sin, but to offer forgiveness and hope and encouragement.
It’s my prayer for all of us that we would leave behind sin in this new year. We can’t sorta stop! We can’t simply sin less. We need to leave it behind, leave it in 2019.
I pray we would leave behind shame from our past. I pray we would leave behind bitterness and unforgiveness. I pray we would leave behind bad habits which lead to debt and poor health, instead developing new positive habits which we’ll talk about next Sunday.
Family, I love you. I want to see you thrive in this new year, not only for your personal peace and satisfaction but also for God’s glory. We’re all been commissioned by Him to go and make disciples, to love Him, and to love others as we love ourselves.
We cannot think like everyone else!
We cannot live like everyone else!
We re-present Jesus every day! People are watching us. They want to know if Jesus is real, if he really is the answer, if we live lives worth living and following, if Jesus makes any real difference.
We can’t do that well if we’re burdened by guilt and greed, debt and defeat, selfishness and sin, distractions and discouragement. Obviously none of us is perfect, but we must be intentional. We’re saved by faith, yes, but as Dallas Willard once remarked,
“Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning. Earning is an attitude. Effort is an action. Grace, you know, does not just have to do with forgiveness of sins alone.”
We need to make the effort to
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. (Ephesians 4:31)
Finally,
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:15-17)
Someday we’re going to leave this world behind, so we might as well leave behind the desires of this world…to make room for greater things (which we’ll talk about next Sunday).
Recommended Resource(s): Overcomer by David Jeremiah.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—A Fresh Start
Series Big Idea: As we begin this new year/decade, it’s out with the old, in with the new.
Big Idea: There are many things we need to stop doing in order to love God and others.
Welcome to Sunday. Welcome to 2020. Welcome to the Roaring 20’s!
A new year is a time for new beginnings, whether it’s a new diet, exercise plan, or goal. Who’s still going on their new year’s resolutions?!
If you’re like me, you’ve spent some time these past few days reflecting upon the past and pondering the future.
Dave Ramsey encourages entrepreneurs to work in their business, but also work on their business. Do you see the difference? Working in my business might mean making coffee, selling shoes, or repairing cars. Working on my business might involve creating a website, meeting with my accountant, or brainstorming ideas for a new product. The problem many in business have is they’re so busy dealing with the day-to-day operations of working in their business, they forget to step back and assess the big picture. They’re too busy to reflect, dream, think, or even pray.
The same can be said with life. We are so busy and distracted that if we don’t stop, we’ll find our lives only becoming more chaotic. So today I want to offer you a challenge: develop a stop doing list.
How many of you have a to-do list? How many of you have a stop doing list?
I got this idea from best-selling author Jim Collins. He says since we are finite humans, if we add things to our lives, we must also remove them. For example, he decided on day to stop watching television and was thrilled at the time it created for reading and thinking. Before we talk about new year’s resolutions and goals, I want to challenge you to develop a stop doing list.
Author Bob Goff often talks about how he quits something every Thursday. I’m not sure I could do that, but he claims it has changed his life.
Sure, we could just say, “Stop sinning” and be done! But think for a moment about what you’d like to stop doing. What do you want to leave behind as you begin 2020?
I must confess it’s easier for me to add things to my to-do list than it is to delete. One of the most rewarding things in the past year and a half for me has been the Alliance Life on Life retreats. I’m not terribly good at slowing down, listening, solitude, silence, or even prayer. I know they’re important, but if I don’t get results in the first five seconds, I begin to wonder if I’m wasting my time.
I want to look at a few passages of scripture which talk about stopping, quitting, leaving behind. Jesus’ half-brother, James, is quite clear when he writes,
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. (James 1:19-21)
We could easily camp out on this for the rest of the morning.
Quick to listen. Stop distractions.
If I could master this, I’d be thrilled. So would you! It’s sometimes hard for me to listen, especially if someone is speaking slowly. I listen to most podcasts at double-speed and love it. I’m trying to maximize, but it can backfire, especially if I’m trying to consume too much at once and I miss important nuggets. Listening means I am fully present. I give you my undivided attention. I look you in the eye. I feel like this is a rare art form in our culture, yet we have the power to make it common again.
Slow to speak. Stop talking.
I only want wholesome words coming out of my mouth. “Umm” doesn’t count! Recently I caught a few minutes of Jerry Seinfeld when he was at the Stranahan. He was talking about one of his pet peeve phrases: “it is what it is.” I say that all the time, yet does it really add any value to the conversation?
I’ve often been the one to fill silence just to avoid the awkwardness that often comes with silence, unaware that some relish every moment of the quiet it offers.
Slow to become angry. Stop (sinful) anger.
This is easier said than done, right? Just stop it (to quote Bob Newhart). Why do you get angry? When do you get angry?
Anger is not a sin, but it often expresses itself as a sin. We should be angry about injustice such as sex trafficking, but how we deal with it is the issue. Jesus got angry when he realized the sacred Temple had been turned into a flea market (Matthew 21, Mark 11, John 2), but he never sinned. Note he wasn’t particularly “nice,” either! Paul wrote,
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, (Ephesians 4:26)
Jesus managed to deal with the sin of others without sinning himself.
Get rid of all moral filth. Stop evil.
The Greek word for filth means pollution. We don’t hear the word filth much anymore. Maybe it’s not politically correct to call something trash. Get rid of filth…porn, gossip, grumbling, violence, profanity, racism, pride, arrogance, pride…!
The passage ends with something for the to-do list!
Humbly accept the word (Bible).
Read it. Listen to it. Study it. Mission119.org is a great, free tool to assist you.
So What?
There are many things from the past we need to stop doing. Debt. Bitterness. Striving. Addictions. Regret. Worry. Fear. Many times, we dismiss them because they’re so common.
For example, can you imagine going a week without worrying…yet it’s clearly a sin! It might be considered an acceptable sin—unlike adultery—but it’s still a sin. I’ll prove it to you. When is the last time worry added value and energy to your life? Jesus repeatedly said, “Don’t worry.”
“Great,” you say, “how do I leave it behind? How do I stop doing X? How do I stop sinning?”
First,
Realize you can’t stop sinning…on your own!
There’s only one human who has never sinned. Jesus. The rest of us turn to sin as a temporary relief from anxiety. Temptation isn’t sin, but we often succumb to it. Apart from God’s power, we are hopeless. We need the Holy Spirit to overcome our sin addiction. Take responsibility for your sin. Don’t play the blame game.
Receive God’s grace and forgiveness
When you fail, confess—admit it—and repent—turn away.
I almost surprised myself last week during Dinner Church with this simple statement: Because of Jesus, we don’t have to be perfect, but we do have to say yes to God. We have to trust Jesus as not only our Savior but our LORD.
Spend time with God
You are your friends. Choose wisely. When we cease striving and meditate on God, our attitudes and thoughts will shift. It’s not impossible, but it’s hard to sin in the middle of a Bible study. This is why scripture says to cease striving (Psalm 46:10). The NIV translation reads:
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)
Dwell on the LORD. Worship Him. Praise Him. Declare His goodness and faithfulness. Be fully present.
Put on the Armor
Ephesians 6 tells us about the armor we can wear to fight the enemy and his lies.
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. (Ephesians 6:13)
Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:13-17)
Belt of truth
Boots of peace
Shield of faith
Helmet of salvation
Sword of the Spirit
Pray
Ephesians 6 continues,
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. (Ephesians 6:18)
Ask God for strength. Jesus taught us to pray for God to deliver us from the evil one. The Holy Spirit can enable us to let go and let God.
Know your weaknesses
I’m a fan of the acronym HALT. I am must vulnerable to sin when I am hungry, angry (together they make hangry!), lonely, or tired. I am also the most grumpy!
Phone a friend
Let someone know your struggle. Invite them to challenge you, to hold you accountable.
Just do (stop) it!
It’s nearly impossible to quit a habit cold turkey. You need to replace it with something. Recovering alcoholics often smoke. Recovering smokers often chew gum. Recovering gum chewers often…
When I was a kid, there was a movement to burn rock and roll record albums because people said rock music was created by the devil. By the way, satan does not have the power to create anything! He can only mess up the good things God has created. Many people in the 1980’s burned their music only to later buy it all back again! For many, it was Led Zeppelin or Lawrence Welk! Instead, they could’ve replaced their rock music with Christian rock…similar sounds which glorify God.
If you want to quit worry, begin a journal of gratitude.
If you want to quit judging others, start listing your own sins.
If you want to quit debt, focus on the material blessings you already own.
If you want to quit hurry, set your alarm for 5 minutes and be still. Then increase it.
Press On
When the enemy reminds you of your past, remind him of his future!
If you think you’ve done some bad things, consider Paul. He supervised the murder of Christians! Years later, he wrote,
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14)
When you fall, get up! Keep running to Jesus. He’s not angry with you. He’s just hoping next time you’ll go even further without falling, much like a loving parent with a baby beginning to walk. His arms are outstretched to love you, to encourage you, never to celebrate your sin, but to offer forgiveness and hope and encouragement.
It’s my prayer for all of us that we would leave behind sin in this new year. We can’t sorta stop! We can’t simply sin less. We need to leave it behind, leave it in 2019.
I pray we would leave behind shame from our past. I pray we would leave behind bitterness and unforgiveness. I pray we would leave behind bad habits which lead to debt and poor health, instead developing new positive habits which we’ll talk about next Sunday.
Family, I love you. I want to see you thrive in this new year, not only for your personal peace and satisfaction but also for God’s glory. We’re all been commissioned by Him to go and make disciples, to love Him, and to love others as we love ourselves.
We cannot think like everyone else!
We cannot live like everyone else!
We re-present Jesus every day! People are watching us. They want to know if Jesus is real, if he really is the answer, if we live lives worth living and following, if Jesus makes any real difference.
We can’t do that well if we’re burdened by guilt and greed, debt and defeat, selfishness and sin, distractions and discouragement. Obviously none of us is perfect, but we must be intentional. We’re saved by faith, yes, but as Dallas Willard once remarked,
“Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning. Earning is an attitude. Effort is an action. Grace, you know, does not just have to do with forgiveness of sins alone.”
We need to make the effort to
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. (Ephesians 4:31)
Finally,
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:15-17)
Someday we’re going to leave this world behind, so we might as well leave behind the desires of this world…to make room for greater things (which we’ll talk about next Sunday).
Recommended Resource(s): Overcomer by David Jeremiah.
Wise Man, 29 December 2019
30 12 19
Wise Man: Christ
Series—Away in a Manger
Matthew 2:1-12
Matthew 1:1, Luke 2:11, Luke 2:22-39, Leviticus 12:1-8, Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:6, Matthew 27:19, Matthew 27:29, Matthew 27:45, Matthew 27:54
Series Big Idea: The Skit Guys have provided us with resources to view Advent from five different perspectives.
Big Idea: Wise men and women still seek truth…and bring him presence.
I know what you’re thinking. Isn’t Christmas over? We blew out Jesus’ birthday candles days ago. Sure, we haven’t taken down the tree yet, but it’s time to move on, to get ready for New Year’s Eve, the ball drop, the football bowl games…
Here’s a thought: Jesus is the reason for the season…every season! And wise men—and women—still seek truth…and bring him gifts.
We don’t know Jesus’ exact birthday. We know it was about 2000 years ago but there’s a 1-in-365 chance that Jesus was born on December 25. Mary and Joseph were there. Shepherds were there. Animals and angels were there. The three kings or wise men? Not a chance!
Here’s the story from Matthew’s gospel—“good news”:
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)
These are Magi from the east. It says nothing about kings. The names of the Magi—Caspar, Balthazar, and Melchior—and their status as kings from the east or “Orient” are based upon legend and tradition, not the Bible. So what are Magi? They are learned Gentile men. They may have come from Arbia, Ethiopia, Persia, or even India. They were likely astrologers, paying attention to the stars, which was easier to do then—before electricity and lights! It may seem odd to us that people took cues from what they saw in the sky, but they believed everything we interconnected. When a something special appeared in the sky, they assumed something special was occurring on earth. Scholars aren’t sure what the Magi saw exactly, but some think it may have been the planets Jupiter and Saturn. Jupiter was the royal, kingly planet and Saturn was thought, by some, to represent the Jews. They came to Jerusalem, the Jewish capital, looking for the king of the Jews. However, Matthew wants us to know his rule is not limited to the Jews.
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. (Matthew 2:3-4)
No king wants to be overthrown. It is my understanding that the Romans were fine with the Jews so long as they were good, law-abiding, tax-paying citizens. When stars announce a new king, that can be threatening! Herod was not someone you wanted to threaten, as he murdered his wife, his three sons, his mother-in-law, brother-in-law, uncle, and many others. And soon he would slaughter baby boys, too. He was not a descendant of David…or even Jacob, but rather Esau, causing hatred from most of the Jews.
Notice how a simple question from the Magi disturbs not only King Herod—the fake king of the Jews—but all Jerusalem.
“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
“ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:5-6)
I still find it remarkable that the birthplace of Jesus was prophesied about 700 years before his birthday (Micah 5:2, 2 Samuel 5:2)!
It says “a ruler who will shepherd.” How many kings and rulers actually care for their people?
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” (Matthew 2:7-8)
Why did Herod call the Magi secretly? He was obviously scheming since he had no intention of worshipping this child…this king…or anyone!
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. (Matthew 2:9)
The star in the east reappears to the Magi. Though some believe these were actually planets, others think maybe it was the Shekinah glory of God that led the people of Israel for forty years in the wilderness as a pillar of fire and cloud.
When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. (Matthew 2:10)
We talked about joy last Sunday. They had great joy. They saw the star. It was moving until it reached the place where the child Jesus was, about five miles south of Jerusalem.
When I toured Israel many years ago, our tour guide told us to consider not only the historical buildings, fields, and bodies of water, but also the sky above us. Angels sung above Bethlehem. In this account, a star guided the Magi as they traveled and stopped above Jesus.
There’s a passage in the book of Isaiah that may prophesy this occasion.
Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the LORD. (Isaiah 60:6)
Gold, incense, and praise. Where have I heard that before?
Psalm 72 makes some references which may be relevant.
May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts. (Psalm 72:10)
Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long. (Psalm 72:15)
Jewish tradition and the early church saw this as pertaining to the Messiah.
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11)
We don’t know how many Magi were present; maybe two, maybe twenty. We sing “we three kings” because there were three gifts mentioned and those three men with three gifts look so nice in the nativity scene! The Roman Catholic Church states Orient tradition would favor at least twelve Magi. This is the only verse in the New Testament that lists the gifts given to Jesus.
We usually see Magi in Nativity scenes carrying small “samples” of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Magi were high-level dignitaries who likely brought great quantities of these gifts, perhaps even a whole train of pack animals loaded with them. When the Queen of Sheba brought a gift to king Solomon, for example, she gave 9000 pounds of gold (2 Chronicles 9:2)!
It's possible that these gifts had special significance. They were appropriate presents for kings or even gods. Gold might reflect Jesus’ deity or purity, frankincense the fragrance of his life, and myrrh —which is used to embalm the dead—a foreshadowing of his death on the cross. It’s likely is these gifts provided the resources needed to flee to and live in Egypt until Herod died.
It’s worth noting years later, Pilate’s soldiers will be the first Gentiles wince the Magi to call Jesus the king of the Jews, though his crown would be made of thorns, his throne a cross, and instead of a star, darkness would cover the land while a Gentile man declares Jesus to really be God’s son.
We don’t know when the Magi arrived, either. It is probably months, possibly days, but it may have been up to two years since Herod wanted all baby boys up to two years old killed on a not-so-silent night. Matthew tells us the family was in a house, so this was definitely not Jesus’ birthday.
Every time the child Jesus and Mary are mentioned together, Jesus is mentioned first. Notice Matthew calls him a child now rather than a newborn infant.
Our text for today concludes,
And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:12)
What followed was Joseph taking his family to Egypt to escape King Herod’s slaughter of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under.
So What?
Great, powerful men traveled far bringing gifts to a royal baby, one whose mission was to die. Other kings rule and reign, and when Jesus returns, that’s exactly what he will do…forever! He is the Lord of lords. He is the King of kings.
But as we look back at history, we see the most unlikely birth of a king. We see the most unexpected death of a king. We see here the king of the Jews pursued by wise Gentiles.
The wise men were searching for truth. Are you?
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Jesus is the truth. What he says is offensive to many, yet timeless and true. If we read and listened to Jesus as much as we do the news, I believe we would be different, to say nothing of the other 7+ billion people in this world.
The wise men were searching for truth. Are you?
One of the most searched, quoted, and misquoted verses in the Bible is Jeremiah 29:11.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
The problem with this verse comes when you take it out of context. God is speaking to the Israelites exiled in Babylon. It’s not something to cut and paste onto a t-shirt. I’m not suggesting God wants to harm you, but that there’s more to the message. It continues:
Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. (Jeremiah 29:12)
God’s inviting the people of Israel to get involved, to pursue, to pray. Then God adds:
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)
Wise men still seek him. Wise women, too!
Jesus said,
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:33-34)
Finally,
The wise men brought gifts? Did you?
I must confess I always thought the gifts of the Magi were small samples that could fit in the palm of your hand. While that makes for a nice Nativity scene, it’s highly unlikely. Kings were given great, extravagant gifts. If you’re going to travel a distance, why not bring the best?
What did you get Jesus for his birthday? No, it’s not too late! Every day is a day worth celebrating the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
You might wonder what you can give? One of my favorite Christmas songs—perhaps because it’s about a musician—is The Little Drummer Boy. If you omit the “rum pump um pum,” you’re left with these words:
Come they told me A newborn King to see Our finest gifts we bring To lay before the King
I am a poor boy too I have no gift to bring That's fit to give a King
I played my drum for Him I played my best for Him Then He smiled at me Me and my drum
What’s the message? A poor boy brought what he had…his drum…his best.
Some of you have great financial wealth. Give Jesus your best. Invest in his church.
Some of you have great talents. Give Jesus your best. Sing. Dance. Serve. Design. Paint. Lead. Invite. Love.
Some of you have great quantities of time. Pray. Visit. Read. Encourage.
We all need to give of our time and talent and treasures…and give our best. It will look different for each person, but the point is we need to give God our very best. We’ll talk more about this next Sunday, but for now, think about your gift to the King of kings.
Do you know what he wants more than anything? You can’t get it at Walmart! He wants you! He wants your heart, your obedience, your worship, your witness.
I think he also wants you to seek him, to pursue him, to be fully present with him. Not just now. Not just on Sundays. Not just at Christmastime. Every day. Every hour. Every moment. I believe if Jesus walked into this room and we gave him one wish from us, he would say the same thing he said to his friends:
Follow me.
He says it six times in the book of Matthew (Matthew 4:19, 8:22, 9:9; 10:38, 16:24, 19:21) and numerous times in Mark, Luke, and John.
Wise men and women still seek truth…and bring him presence.
They are present. They pursue. They listen. They read. They pray. They slow down. They love. They worship. They follow.
My prayer for all of us as we draw near the end of this year and decade is that we would seek truth, seek God’s Kingdom, and give all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, and all of our strength to the King of kings.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
Credits: Some ideas from The Skit Guys.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Away in a Manger
Matthew 2:1-12
Matthew 1:1, Luke 2:11, Luke 2:22-39, Leviticus 12:1-8, Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:6, Matthew 27:19, Matthew 27:29, Matthew 27:45, Matthew 27:54
Series Big Idea: The Skit Guys have provided us with resources to view Advent from five different perspectives.
Big Idea: Wise men and women still seek truth…and bring him presence.
I know what you’re thinking. Isn’t Christmas over? We blew out Jesus’ birthday candles days ago. Sure, we haven’t taken down the tree yet, but it’s time to move on, to get ready for New Year’s Eve, the ball drop, the football bowl games…
Here’s a thought: Jesus is the reason for the season…every season! And wise men—and women—still seek truth…and bring him gifts.
We don’t know Jesus’ exact birthday. We know it was about 2000 years ago but there’s a 1-in-365 chance that Jesus was born on December 25. Mary and Joseph were there. Shepherds were there. Animals and angels were there. The three kings or wise men? Not a chance!
Here’s the story from Matthew’s gospel—“good news”:
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)
These are Magi from the east. It says nothing about kings. The names of the Magi—Caspar, Balthazar, and Melchior—and their status as kings from the east or “Orient” are based upon legend and tradition, not the Bible. So what are Magi? They are learned Gentile men. They may have come from Arbia, Ethiopia, Persia, or even India. They were likely astrologers, paying attention to the stars, which was easier to do then—before electricity and lights! It may seem odd to us that people took cues from what they saw in the sky, but they believed everything we interconnected. When a something special appeared in the sky, they assumed something special was occurring on earth. Scholars aren’t sure what the Magi saw exactly, but some think it may have been the planets Jupiter and Saturn. Jupiter was the royal, kingly planet and Saturn was thought, by some, to represent the Jews. They came to Jerusalem, the Jewish capital, looking for the king of the Jews. However, Matthew wants us to know his rule is not limited to the Jews.
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. (Matthew 2:3-4)
No king wants to be overthrown. It is my understanding that the Romans were fine with the Jews so long as they were good, law-abiding, tax-paying citizens. When stars announce a new king, that can be threatening! Herod was not someone you wanted to threaten, as he murdered his wife, his three sons, his mother-in-law, brother-in-law, uncle, and many others. And soon he would slaughter baby boys, too. He was not a descendant of David…or even Jacob, but rather Esau, causing hatred from most of the Jews.
Notice how a simple question from the Magi disturbs not only King Herod—the fake king of the Jews—but all Jerusalem.
“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
“ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:5-6)
I still find it remarkable that the birthplace of Jesus was prophesied about 700 years before his birthday (Micah 5:2, 2 Samuel 5:2)!
It says “a ruler who will shepherd.” How many kings and rulers actually care for their people?
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” (Matthew 2:7-8)
Why did Herod call the Magi secretly? He was obviously scheming since he had no intention of worshipping this child…this king…or anyone!
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. (Matthew 2:9)
The star in the east reappears to the Magi. Though some believe these were actually planets, others think maybe it was the Shekinah glory of God that led the people of Israel for forty years in the wilderness as a pillar of fire and cloud.
When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. (Matthew 2:10)
We talked about joy last Sunday. They had great joy. They saw the star. It was moving until it reached the place where the child Jesus was, about five miles south of Jerusalem.
When I toured Israel many years ago, our tour guide told us to consider not only the historical buildings, fields, and bodies of water, but also the sky above us. Angels sung above Bethlehem. In this account, a star guided the Magi as they traveled and stopped above Jesus.
There’s a passage in the book of Isaiah that may prophesy this occasion.
Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the LORD. (Isaiah 60:6)
Gold, incense, and praise. Where have I heard that before?
Psalm 72 makes some references which may be relevant.
May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts. (Psalm 72:10)
Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long. (Psalm 72:15)
Jewish tradition and the early church saw this as pertaining to the Messiah.
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11)
We don’t know how many Magi were present; maybe two, maybe twenty. We sing “we three kings” because there were three gifts mentioned and those three men with three gifts look so nice in the nativity scene! The Roman Catholic Church states Orient tradition would favor at least twelve Magi. This is the only verse in the New Testament that lists the gifts given to Jesus.
We usually see Magi in Nativity scenes carrying small “samples” of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Magi were high-level dignitaries who likely brought great quantities of these gifts, perhaps even a whole train of pack animals loaded with them. When the Queen of Sheba brought a gift to king Solomon, for example, she gave 9000 pounds of gold (2 Chronicles 9:2)!
It's possible that these gifts had special significance. They were appropriate presents for kings or even gods. Gold might reflect Jesus’ deity or purity, frankincense the fragrance of his life, and myrrh —which is used to embalm the dead—a foreshadowing of his death on the cross. It’s likely is these gifts provided the resources needed to flee to and live in Egypt until Herod died.
It’s worth noting years later, Pilate’s soldiers will be the first Gentiles wince the Magi to call Jesus the king of the Jews, though his crown would be made of thorns, his throne a cross, and instead of a star, darkness would cover the land while a Gentile man declares Jesus to really be God’s son.
We don’t know when the Magi arrived, either. It is probably months, possibly days, but it may have been up to two years since Herod wanted all baby boys up to two years old killed on a not-so-silent night. Matthew tells us the family was in a house, so this was definitely not Jesus’ birthday.
Every time the child Jesus and Mary are mentioned together, Jesus is mentioned first. Notice Matthew calls him a child now rather than a newborn infant.
Our text for today concludes,
And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:12)
What followed was Joseph taking his family to Egypt to escape King Herod’s slaughter of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under.
So What?
Great, powerful men traveled far bringing gifts to a royal baby, one whose mission was to die. Other kings rule and reign, and when Jesus returns, that’s exactly what he will do…forever! He is the Lord of lords. He is the King of kings.
But as we look back at history, we see the most unlikely birth of a king. We see the most unexpected death of a king. We see here the king of the Jews pursued by wise Gentiles.
The wise men were searching for truth. Are you?
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Jesus is the truth. What he says is offensive to many, yet timeless and true. If we read and listened to Jesus as much as we do the news, I believe we would be different, to say nothing of the other 7+ billion people in this world.
The wise men were searching for truth. Are you?
One of the most searched, quoted, and misquoted verses in the Bible is Jeremiah 29:11.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
The problem with this verse comes when you take it out of context. God is speaking to the Israelites exiled in Babylon. It’s not something to cut and paste onto a t-shirt. I’m not suggesting God wants to harm you, but that there’s more to the message. It continues:
Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. (Jeremiah 29:12)
God’s inviting the people of Israel to get involved, to pursue, to pray. Then God adds:
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)
Wise men still seek him. Wise women, too!
Jesus said,
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:33-34)
Finally,
The wise men brought gifts? Did you?
I must confess I always thought the gifts of the Magi were small samples that could fit in the palm of your hand. While that makes for a nice Nativity scene, it’s highly unlikely. Kings were given great, extravagant gifts. If you’re going to travel a distance, why not bring the best?
What did you get Jesus for his birthday? No, it’s not too late! Every day is a day worth celebrating the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
You might wonder what you can give? One of my favorite Christmas songs—perhaps because it’s about a musician—is The Little Drummer Boy. If you omit the “rum pump um pum,” you’re left with these words:
Come they told me A newborn King to see Our finest gifts we bring To lay before the King
I am a poor boy too I have no gift to bring That's fit to give a King
I played my drum for Him I played my best for Him Then He smiled at me Me and my drum
What’s the message? A poor boy brought what he had…his drum…his best.
Some of you have great financial wealth. Give Jesus your best. Invest in his church.
Some of you have great talents. Give Jesus your best. Sing. Dance. Serve. Design. Paint. Lead. Invite. Love.
Some of you have great quantities of time. Pray. Visit. Read. Encourage.
We all need to give of our time and talent and treasures…and give our best. It will look different for each person, but the point is we need to give God our very best. We’ll talk more about this next Sunday, but for now, think about your gift to the King of kings.
Do you know what he wants more than anything? You can’t get it at Walmart! He wants you! He wants your heart, your obedience, your worship, your witness.
I think he also wants you to seek him, to pursue him, to be fully present with him. Not just now. Not just on Sundays. Not just at Christmastime. Every day. Every hour. Every moment. I believe if Jesus walked into this room and we gave him one wish from us, he would say the same thing he said to his friends:
Follow me.
He says it six times in the book of Matthew (Matthew 4:19, 8:22, 9:9; 10:38, 16:24, 19:21) and numerous times in Mark, Luke, and John.
Wise men and women still seek truth…and bring him presence.
They are present. They pursue. They listen. They read. They pray. They slow down. They love. They worship. They follow.
My prayer for all of us as we draw near the end of this year and decade is that we would seek truth, seek God’s Kingdom, and give all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, and all of our strength to the King of kings.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
Credits: Some ideas from The Skit Guys.
Joseph: Joy, 22 December 2019
22 12 19
Joseph: Joy
Series—Away in a Manger
Luke 2:10, 21; John 16:33; Hebrews 12:2; Matthew 1:20-24; 2 Corinthians 11:23b-27
Philippians 4:4, 8; 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
Series Big Idea: The Skit Guys have provided us with resources to view Advent from five different perspectives.
Big Idea: Although they experienced pain and suffering, Joseph and Jesus were both filled with joy.
Does Jesus bring you joy?
I can tell you my first child brought me joy. Although we had been together for more than six years, the first time my wife saw me bawl like a baby was when I held our baby for the first time. Sheer joy! I did the same with our other two kids…and our grandbaby last year!
Joy. It’s one of those Christmas words we don’t often mention the rest of the year. We’re all pursuing happiness. That’s our right in this country, according to the Declaration of Independence.
But joy is different. Much different. We sing “Joy to the World,” but what does that really mean?
We have sanitized the Christmas story. I don’t know if it’s the Christmas pageants at churches with girls dressed in blue bathrobes or sweet songs like Silent Night or even beautiful stained glass and paintings depicting Mary riding gently on a donkey with her man, Joseph, at her side, but the scene was hardly one of comfort…though there was joy. Great joy.
Joy has been defined as,
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. (Luke 2:10)
The word “joy” mentioned here in Luke 2 by the angel is the Greek word “chara” (khar-ah) which means cheerfulness, calm delight, gladness, exceeding joy.
What makes you glad?
Who makes you cheerful?
When do you experience calm delight?
We are so often disappointed in our pursuit of happiness because life isn’t fair. Bad things happen. People let us down. Our expectations are not met. This is especially true this time of year.
This past week I learned of a pastor friend in Chicagoland who had a Blue Christmas service at his church yesterday, the longest night of the year. They called it, “A time to name and offer our darkness and grief to the God of Advent hope.” I love that. While it is “the most wonderful time of the year” for many, others are struggling—even now…in this room—with loneliness, financial concerns, stress, and anxiety. Many will sing along to Elvis about their Blue Christmas. But that doesn’t make joy impossible.
Joy stems not from life’s circumstances, but the knowledge that although our world is broken, God is in control. In a rare example of a good “but,” Jesus said
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
We looked at this passage last Sunday when we focused on peace. But there’s great joy knowing Jesus has overcome the world. God’s light is greater than the world’s darkness. God’s truth is greater than all human lies. God’s love is greater than death.
One of the most amazing verses in the entire Bible says of Jesus,
For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2b)
Joy and cross don’t usually belong in the same sentence. What this means is while Jesus was tortured and brutally murdered, he experienced joy. Not happiness. Not comfort. Not pleasure. But joy. He was able to look beyond his momentary troubles and recognize God the Father was up to something good. Redemption was coming for all humanity, along with reconciliation, forgiveness, salvation, and shalom.
Yesterday many of us gathered to mourn and grieve the loss of our dear brother Willie Heidebrink. He was a great man who loved Jesus, loved his family, and added value to so many lives. We hurt. We cry. We struggle. But we have joy looking beyond ourselves to Willie’s new reality. We have joy looking beyond this moment of grief—and we must grieve!—and anticipate a future reunion.
Author Mike Frost notes, “The message of Christmas is that God’s love comes to shine light into our darkness. That knowledge might not eliminate the darkness you’re struggling with now, but I trust it reminds you that God knows the despair, the pain, the anguish you’re currently enduring.” He is with us, which raises the question, “If God’s here, why doesn’t He do something about this pain/loss/grief/situation?”
He does. He’s given us the Holy Spirit. He’s given us one another to be the hands and feet of Jesus. He’s given us hope for an incredible eternity with Him. He’s giving us opportunities to trust, to identify with Jesus, the suffering servant. I don’t usually understand why, but I know God has a plan. He never wastes anything. He’s up to something. I believe He’s inviting us all to trust Him. In fact, if He’s spoken anything to me in 2019, it’s two words: “trust Me.”
I’ve heard them in the midst of some of the darkest moments of my vocational life this year. I’ve heard them as I am estranged from two family members. I’ve heard them as I seek the right words to share with you.
Choose Joy
There’s not much we can truly control in life, but we can control our attitude. We can choose joy. Henry Nouwen wrote,
To choose joy does not mean to choose happy feelings or an artificial atmosphere of hilarity. But it does mean the determination to let whatever takes place bring us one step closer to the God of life. Maybe this is what is so important about quiet moments of meditation and prayer. They allow me to take a critical look at my moods and to move from victimization to free choice.
Pain is not an end. It’s not permanent. It’s temporary. It’s an invitation to world without pain. Joy is knowing there’s more to life than this moment. There’s more to reality than this world. This does not mean to deny our pain, but to remember we can have joy in the midst of it—just like Jesus—if our perspective is right.
In today’s scripture reading (Matthew 1:20-24), Joseph learns he is having a son…not from an ultrasound, but from an angel!
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:22-23)
We don’t give Joseph much credit. Sure, he walked for about 90 miles to Bethlehem while Mary rode on a donkey—at least that’s what some painters think—but he was more than chivalrous.
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. (Matthew 1:24)
Joseph trusted God. He stayed with Mary and married her—which was no easy task given the culture’s take on babies out of wedlock. He was willing to be stepdad to the Messiah. He accepted the name given to him for his stepson. He would obey God’s orders to become flee to Egypt to spare the life of Jesus and making refugees out of his family. Yes, Jesus was a refugee. But that’s not until the second chapter of Matthew!
Jesus had joy, even while enduring the cross.
Joseph had joy, even though this baby wasn’t biologically his.
In both cases, joy was based upon obedience and bringing glory to the Father rather than happiness in the moment.
Paul is another example of a joy-filled man despite difficult circumstances. Not only did he have a mysterious “thorn in the flesh” which tormented him every day of his life (2 Cor. 12:7), he wrote that he had
“…been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.” (2 Corinthians 11:23b-27, MSG)
Through all of Paul’s sufferings, he was a man of joy. He said,
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Philippians 4:4)
The entire book of Philippians is about joy, not from Paul’s circumstances, but because he had confidence in God’s sovereignty and a hope in heaven. He had joy because of his focus, his perspective.
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)
Where are your eyes? Where’s your focus? Is your glass half-full or half-empty? Are you thinking about the things you don’t have or the blessings you do? Can you choose joy or do you prefer to complain and compare?
Paul’s joy began in his head, with his thoughts. He famously said,
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
There was joy at the birth of Jesus. The long-awaited Messiah had arrived. Nobody delivers joy like a baby.
The story doesn’t end there.
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived. (Luke 2:21)
We usually end the story with the newborn King in the manger, but there was surely great joy for Joseph just days later as Jewish sons became included in the covenant relationship with God on their eighth day. This tradition called b’rit milah would set Jesus apart for God following Genesis chapter seventeen. The circumcision occurred on the eighth day since God worked six days, rested on the seventh, and day eight is a new cycle of a new week of new life set apart for the glory of God.
Baby Jesus wouldn’t remember the occasion, but Joseph surely did. It was a special moment for families to welcome their Jewish son into the covenant God had established with all of Israel throughout the generations. While there was, for Jesus, a moment of pain—hurt, not harm—joy surely filled Joseph’s heart.
One writer (Skit Guys) put it this way:
It was the joy of Joseph to call his son’s name “Jesus” during the covenant of circumcision celebration. As Joseph looked into the face of Jesus, the first time his son would bleed and cry out in pain, He would be looking into the eyes of His earthly father as Jesus was being welcomed into the covenant of God’s people. The final time Jesus would bleed would be thirty-three years later. Upon a Roman cross, Jesus would cry out for the last time while looking up toward the eyes of His Heavenly Father as He made a way for all people to enter into a covenant with God throughout eternity.
God saves.
Jesus saves.
And the joy of a father, both on earth and in heaven, remains more than we possibly can imagine this Christmas. But rest assured, the hopes and fears through all the years still are met in Jesus tonight, because he still saves. And it still is His joy to do so today.
The question is,
Does Jesus bring you joy?
We used to sing this song, “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.” True and lasting joy won’t come from the new Star Wars movie or good seats at a Walleye game. You won’t find it under the Christmas tree or even on Amazon.
Real joy comes from seeking God’s glory, knowing He is with us—Emmanuel—even when we feel alone.
Real joy comes from knowing our story’s not over. There are more chapters to be written and the best is yet to come.
Real joy comes from serving others, knowing you are serving Jesus at the same time.
Real joy comes from surrendering control rather than fighting for something unattainable.
Real joy comes from the Son of God who came as a baby but will return soon as King of kings and LORD of lords.
In the meantime, as we wait for Advent—his second coming—we can fix our eyes on Jesus. We can stand amazed at his love for us—broken, imperfect sinners he left heaven for, he died for, he rose for, and that at this moment he is praying for.
How marvelous!
How wonderful!
How amazing!
Hallelujah!
Credits: Some ideas from The Skit Guys.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Away in a Manger
Luke 2:10, 21; John 16:33; Hebrews 12:2; Matthew 1:20-24; 2 Corinthians 11:23b-27
Philippians 4:4, 8; 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
Series Big Idea: The Skit Guys have provided us with resources to view Advent from five different perspectives.
Big Idea: Although they experienced pain and suffering, Joseph and Jesus were both filled with joy.
Does Jesus bring you joy?
I can tell you my first child brought me joy. Although we had been together for more than six years, the first time my wife saw me bawl like a baby was when I held our baby for the first time. Sheer joy! I did the same with our other two kids…and our grandbaby last year!
Joy. It’s one of those Christmas words we don’t often mention the rest of the year. We’re all pursuing happiness. That’s our right in this country, according to the Declaration of Independence.
But joy is different. Much different. We sing “Joy to the World,” but what does that really mean?
We have sanitized the Christmas story. I don’t know if it’s the Christmas pageants at churches with girls dressed in blue bathrobes or sweet songs like Silent Night or even beautiful stained glass and paintings depicting Mary riding gently on a donkey with her man, Joseph, at her side, but the scene was hardly one of comfort…though there was joy. Great joy.
Joy has been defined as,
- - the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation
- - a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated
- - the expression or display of glad feeling; festive gaiety.
- - a state of happiness or felicity.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. (Luke 2:10)
The word “joy” mentioned here in Luke 2 by the angel is the Greek word “chara” (khar-ah) which means cheerfulness, calm delight, gladness, exceeding joy.
What makes you glad?
Who makes you cheerful?
When do you experience calm delight?
We are so often disappointed in our pursuit of happiness because life isn’t fair. Bad things happen. People let us down. Our expectations are not met. This is especially true this time of year.
This past week I learned of a pastor friend in Chicagoland who had a Blue Christmas service at his church yesterday, the longest night of the year. They called it, “A time to name and offer our darkness and grief to the God of Advent hope.” I love that. While it is “the most wonderful time of the year” for many, others are struggling—even now…in this room—with loneliness, financial concerns, stress, and anxiety. Many will sing along to Elvis about their Blue Christmas. But that doesn’t make joy impossible.
Joy stems not from life’s circumstances, but the knowledge that although our world is broken, God is in control. In a rare example of a good “but,” Jesus said
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
We looked at this passage last Sunday when we focused on peace. But there’s great joy knowing Jesus has overcome the world. God’s light is greater than the world’s darkness. God’s truth is greater than all human lies. God’s love is greater than death.
One of the most amazing verses in the entire Bible says of Jesus,
For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2b)
Joy and cross don’t usually belong in the same sentence. What this means is while Jesus was tortured and brutally murdered, he experienced joy. Not happiness. Not comfort. Not pleasure. But joy. He was able to look beyond his momentary troubles and recognize God the Father was up to something good. Redemption was coming for all humanity, along with reconciliation, forgiveness, salvation, and shalom.
Yesterday many of us gathered to mourn and grieve the loss of our dear brother Willie Heidebrink. He was a great man who loved Jesus, loved his family, and added value to so many lives. We hurt. We cry. We struggle. But we have joy looking beyond ourselves to Willie’s new reality. We have joy looking beyond this moment of grief—and we must grieve!—and anticipate a future reunion.
Author Mike Frost notes, “The message of Christmas is that God’s love comes to shine light into our darkness. That knowledge might not eliminate the darkness you’re struggling with now, but I trust it reminds you that God knows the despair, the pain, the anguish you’re currently enduring.” He is with us, which raises the question, “If God’s here, why doesn’t He do something about this pain/loss/grief/situation?”
He does. He’s given us the Holy Spirit. He’s given us one another to be the hands and feet of Jesus. He’s given us hope for an incredible eternity with Him. He’s giving us opportunities to trust, to identify with Jesus, the suffering servant. I don’t usually understand why, but I know God has a plan. He never wastes anything. He’s up to something. I believe He’s inviting us all to trust Him. In fact, if He’s spoken anything to me in 2019, it’s two words: “trust Me.”
I’ve heard them in the midst of some of the darkest moments of my vocational life this year. I’ve heard them as I am estranged from two family members. I’ve heard them as I seek the right words to share with you.
Choose Joy
There’s not much we can truly control in life, but we can control our attitude. We can choose joy. Henry Nouwen wrote,
To choose joy does not mean to choose happy feelings or an artificial atmosphere of hilarity. But it does mean the determination to let whatever takes place bring us one step closer to the God of life. Maybe this is what is so important about quiet moments of meditation and prayer. They allow me to take a critical look at my moods and to move from victimization to free choice.
Pain is not an end. It’s not permanent. It’s temporary. It’s an invitation to world without pain. Joy is knowing there’s more to life than this moment. There’s more to reality than this world. This does not mean to deny our pain, but to remember we can have joy in the midst of it—just like Jesus—if our perspective is right.
In today’s scripture reading (Matthew 1:20-24), Joseph learns he is having a son…not from an ultrasound, but from an angel!
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:22-23)
We don’t give Joseph much credit. Sure, he walked for about 90 miles to Bethlehem while Mary rode on a donkey—at least that’s what some painters think—but he was more than chivalrous.
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. (Matthew 1:24)
Joseph trusted God. He stayed with Mary and married her—which was no easy task given the culture’s take on babies out of wedlock. He was willing to be stepdad to the Messiah. He accepted the name given to him for his stepson. He would obey God’s orders to become flee to Egypt to spare the life of Jesus and making refugees out of his family. Yes, Jesus was a refugee. But that’s not until the second chapter of Matthew!
Jesus had joy, even while enduring the cross.
Joseph had joy, even though this baby wasn’t biologically his.
In both cases, joy was based upon obedience and bringing glory to the Father rather than happiness in the moment.
Paul is another example of a joy-filled man despite difficult circumstances. Not only did he have a mysterious “thorn in the flesh” which tormented him every day of his life (2 Cor. 12:7), he wrote that he had
“…been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.” (2 Corinthians 11:23b-27, MSG)
Through all of Paul’s sufferings, he was a man of joy. He said,
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Philippians 4:4)
The entire book of Philippians is about joy, not from Paul’s circumstances, but because he had confidence in God’s sovereignty and a hope in heaven. He had joy because of his focus, his perspective.
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)
Where are your eyes? Where’s your focus? Is your glass half-full or half-empty? Are you thinking about the things you don’t have or the blessings you do? Can you choose joy or do you prefer to complain and compare?
Paul’s joy began in his head, with his thoughts. He famously said,
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
There was joy at the birth of Jesus. The long-awaited Messiah had arrived. Nobody delivers joy like a baby.
The story doesn’t end there.
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived. (Luke 2:21)
We usually end the story with the newborn King in the manger, but there was surely great joy for Joseph just days later as Jewish sons became included in the covenant relationship with God on their eighth day. This tradition called b’rit milah would set Jesus apart for God following Genesis chapter seventeen. The circumcision occurred on the eighth day since God worked six days, rested on the seventh, and day eight is a new cycle of a new week of new life set apart for the glory of God.
Baby Jesus wouldn’t remember the occasion, but Joseph surely did. It was a special moment for families to welcome their Jewish son into the covenant God had established with all of Israel throughout the generations. While there was, for Jesus, a moment of pain—hurt, not harm—joy surely filled Joseph’s heart.
One writer (Skit Guys) put it this way:
It was the joy of Joseph to call his son’s name “Jesus” during the covenant of circumcision celebration. As Joseph looked into the face of Jesus, the first time his son would bleed and cry out in pain, He would be looking into the eyes of His earthly father as Jesus was being welcomed into the covenant of God’s people. The final time Jesus would bleed would be thirty-three years later. Upon a Roman cross, Jesus would cry out for the last time while looking up toward the eyes of His Heavenly Father as He made a way for all people to enter into a covenant with God throughout eternity.
God saves.
Jesus saves.
And the joy of a father, both on earth and in heaven, remains more than we possibly can imagine this Christmas. But rest assured, the hopes and fears through all the years still are met in Jesus tonight, because he still saves. And it still is His joy to do so today.
The question is,
Does Jesus bring you joy?
We used to sing this song, “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.” True and lasting joy won’t come from the new Star Wars movie or good seats at a Walleye game. You won’t find it under the Christmas tree or even on Amazon.
Real joy comes from seeking God’s glory, knowing He is with us—Emmanuel—even when we feel alone.
Real joy comes from knowing our story’s not over. There are more chapters to be written and the best is yet to come.
Real joy comes from serving others, knowing you are serving Jesus at the same time.
Real joy comes from surrendering control rather than fighting for something unattainable.
Real joy comes from the Son of God who came as a baby but will return soon as King of kings and LORD of lords.
In the meantime, as we wait for Advent—his second coming—we can fix our eyes on Jesus. We can stand amazed at his love for us—broken, imperfect sinners he left heaven for, he died for, he rose for, and that at this moment he is praying for.
How marvelous!
How wonderful!
How amazing!
Hallelujah!
Credits: Some ideas from The Skit Guys.
Shepherd: Peace, 15 December 2019
15 12 19
Shepherd: Peace
Series—Away in a Manger
Luke 2:4-20, 1 John 3:5-8, Isaiah 9:2,6-7, Isaiah 53:5, Luke 1:76-79, Ephesians 2:13-17, Philippians 4:6-7
Series Big Idea: The Skit Guys have provided us with resources to view Advent from five different perspectives.
Big Idea: Jesus is the Prince of Peace and desperately needed in our hearts and world.
Shalom!
The shepherd in the drama said it’s more than peace. It’s God’s highest and most complete good.
God’s peace on the earth…His highest and most complete good. Isn’t that what we all want? Jesus taught us to pray,
“your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)
That’s shalom, and it’s our subject today in our Advent series Away in a Manger.
Our world is in chaos. Have you noticed? I’m grateful we don’t find ourselves in the middle of a war on our soil today. There are presently 28 countries at war, but even more staggering is a recent report—the Global Peace Index—which stated there are “just ten countries which can be considered completely free from conflict.” The USA is at war in seven countries right now! In fact, we are ranked as the 128th most peaceful country in the world (Afghanistan is 163, Iceland is number one).
Locally, it’s no surprise to anyone that we live in a city and region in chaos. It seems like every day there’s another report in The Blade of a shooting, robbery, overdose, or protest. Despite our beautiful Metroparks, community services, industries, and world-class attractions like the zoo and art museum, violence and crime thrive.
Even closer to home, there’s a lack of internal peace. The statistics for ulcers, depression, and anxiety are overwhelming. Suicide is rampant, especially among young people.
Could we use peace on earth?
The older I get, the more I seek perspective. There are always optimists talking about how the world is getting better—and it is—and pessimists who say the world is getting worse—and it is.
There’s an irony in the Christmas story. Dr. Luke describes it this way:
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. (Luke 2:8)
This was common. A shepherd’s job is to watch over the sheep.
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. (Luke 2:9)
One angel shining with the glory of the LORD appears and terrifies the shepherds.
I’ve heard many stories of people who encountered angels. It may have been someone who helped with a car broken-down on the side of the road, only to disappear. Perhaps it’s a stranger who offered an encouraging word at the perfect moment, then suddenly gone. Frequently the angel is identified as an angel after their appearance.
The shepherds had no doubt this was an angel! While we often think of angels as nice and helpful and gentle and quiet, this one terrified the shepherds.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. (Luke 2:10)
Don’t be afraid. Easy for you to say, angel! The angel delivered good news—the gospel! We all love good news, and this good news was for all the people. All the people. Shepherds and kings. Jews and Gentiles. Rich and poor. What’s the good news?
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:11-12)
The long-awaited Messiah has been born…to you! The description was necessary since this was not the way a king normally enters the world…wrapped in rags and lying in an animal’s food trough. Now the story develops.
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:13-14)
Suddenly. Why are people always sneaking up on these poor shepherds?! This disruptive group of supernatural creatures announces peace in the midst of disturbing the shepherds who were just minding their own business in the fields! The original Greek word for peace here, eirene (i-ray-nay), means one, peace, quietness, rest.
Not this night! There was nothing quiet or restful or peaceful about these angelic visitors, but once they changed their underwear (!), I’m sure they didn’t mind. After all, they were privileged to be among the first to meet the Messiah.
Leave it to God to invite common shepherds to the delivery room of His son! Most royalty enter the world surrounded by powerful and famous, with paparazzi trying to get the best photo and story. Not the Messiah.
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2:15)
What a brilliant idea! The shepherds may have been common, but they weren’t stupid!
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2:16-18)
The shepherds were the first (human) evangelists, spreading good news about the arrival of the Messiah, the advent of Jesus, God moving into the neighborhood with flesh and blood. All who heard it were amazed. It amazes me two thousand years later.
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:19-20)
Jesus. Prince of peace. Shalom arrived in person!
Two weeks ago we looked at the prophet Isaiah and how his words hundreds of years before Christ were perfectly fulfilled through Jesus the Messiah.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)
When we read phrases like “Prince of Peace” and “of the greatness of his government and peace there will be end,” it may not seem terribly significant. After all, every nativity scene seems to depict a tranquil gathering of people and animals around baby Jesus. “All is calm, all is bright…sleep in heavenly peace.” Jesus came in the midst of nice people who lived in a nice neighborhood with nice neighbors and a nice government, right?
Hardly! This is the Roman empire! Herod would order the death of Jesus and all of the other baby boys under two years old. This is a culture that didn’t use lethal injection for criminals. They were crucified! Battles were common. Oppression was normal. Peace? For some, it was unimaginable.
Jesus. Prince of Peace. Paul would later write about the Messiah.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13)
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. (Ephesians 2:14-17)
Jesus is our peace. He brings together Jews and Gentiles, black and white, rich and poor, young and old. But remember, shalom peace is more than the absence of conflict. It’s God’s highest and most complete good.
There was a day when God’s shalom ruled the earth. Everything and everyone were at peace. There was no death or hatred or selfishness or pride. It was paradise, a garden called Eden. Until sin entered the world. Until Adam and Eve disobeyed God. The serpent—who knows how to lie, steal, kill, and destroy better than anyone—introduced evil and rebellion and war to our world, shattering shalom. Peace was broken…to pieces.
The only solution to our sin, to violence, to wars, to brokenness was Jesus. He is our peace. He rescues. He restores. He reconciles. He redeems. He renews. He revives. One writer has said,
“The peace of God is a full, satisfying, rich, and juicy fruit of His Spirit to His people and creation. The shalom of God is intended for relational goodness and harmony through and through. Peace is the original order of creation and remains in the heart of God for all His creation.” (Skit Guys)
Isn’t that beautiful? What a vision! I want to experience that. I want you to experience that. I want City Council and Columbus and Washington and Syria and North Korea to experience that. I want every man, woman and child on the planet to experience shalom, wholeness, completeness, relational goodness and harmony through and through.
It won’t come through an election, though.
It won’t come through new laws.
It won’t come through the perfect enforcement of old laws.
It won’t come through more jobs, more education, or more money.
It won’t come through religion and traditions and striving.
Shalom only comes through God. It is manifest through Jesus. It comes through the Holy Spirit being given space to work in us, making us more like Christ. It comes through surrender, giving up control, hitting rock bottom and letting Jesus take the wheel. As the old song says, “Let there be peace on earth…and let it begin with me.”
The Bible begins with peace during creation (Genesis 1-2) and ends with peace in New Jerusalem in Revelation 21-22. We’re living in the awkward in-between, seeking to know God and His shalom in a world fixated on its own happiness and pleasure. And it’s why what happened in Bethlehem was a strategic initiative by God to bring us peace—shalom—in the midst of a chaotic world. Listen to one of Jesus’ best friends, John:
But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. (1 John 3:5-8)
We know the devil’s work. We see it every day. Addictions. Racism. Hatred. Greed. Disease. Bitterness. Envy. Insecurity. Pride. Despair. Fear. Worry.
Jesus came to destroy them! The sweet baby Jesus didn’t remain in the manger. He grew. He showed us what it means to be human. He died and rose again, conquering sin and death. He literally destroyed the devil’s work. Hallelujah!
Although some were surprised on Resurrection Sunday, it was prophesied—not by Isaiah or Micah or even Moses, but God in the third chapter of the Bible. After the devil tempted Adam and Eve,
So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,
“Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:14-15)
Jesus would be born of a woman. Satan would strike his heel…but Jesus would crush his head! God knew all of this. His plan was perfect, even though we’re not. All pain and suffering is not God’s fault, but rather the result of our choices, our free will. When we screwed up, God sent a Savior, a Healer, a Restorer, a Rebuilder…the Prince of Peace.
We have all been enlisted to join him on his mission to seek and save the lost, to be hope dealers, to love, to make disciples. The purpose of Christmas was Good Friday…and Easter. The word “Savior” in Greek, soter, can be translated “preserver” or “deliverer.” Jesus came to deliver people from the devil’s work, to preserve the shalom peace of God so that we might experience the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. Obviously, we are not experiencing the fullness of heaven now, but there are moments when heaven kisses earth, when love conquers hate, when peace prevails.
So What?
So what are we to do? How do we experience peace in a world of chaos? First, we need to be part of the problem, not part of the solution.
“Let there be peace on earth…and let it begin with me.”
Peace is broken not just by others, but often by ourselves. We often make a mess and blame God. Here are some examples of how we break peace:
Maybe you’re not experiencing peace simply because you’re not choosing peace. Call yourself whatever you want, perhaps you’re following some of the works of the devil rather than pursuing selfless, humble love for God and others.
Many of you have lived lives of peace. You’ve made good choices and served others, yet injustice has followed you home. You think, “It’s not fair!” You’re right. It’s not fair when others sin against you, and what is even more unfair is that Jesus would leave heaven and live here…so he could die for our mess!
The baby in the manger would experience death, the ultimate loss of shalom. Yet his death brings us life, forgiveness, hope, …peace. He said,
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27)
Later, he said,
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
So what do we do when our peace is broken? After examining ourselves,
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
In a word, trust. Give it to God. Let it go.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
I’m still working on this, but over the years I’m starting to make a little progress. As the sign in my bathroom says, “Worry about nothing. Pray about everything.”
Finally,
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18)
It takes two to tango. You can’t control the behavior of others. The best you can do is pray and love. Some relationships will never be peaceful. Some are not even safe. Love and leave the results to God.
Conclusion
Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He is alive. He is still at work. Through the Holy Spirit, God’s shalom is brought from heaven to earth. God’s highest and most complete good is available if we seek first His Kingdom, if we trust and obey. Like the shepherds, we can join the angels in bringing honor and glory to the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Prince of Peace.
May you know the peace of Christ this Christmas and experience God’s highest and most complete good. May he bring peace to each of us so that He might work peace through us for His glory.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15)
Amen!
Credits: Some ideas from The Skit Guys.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Away in a Manger
Luke 2:4-20, 1 John 3:5-8, Isaiah 9:2,6-7, Isaiah 53:5, Luke 1:76-79, Ephesians 2:13-17, Philippians 4:6-7
Series Big Idea: The Skit Guys have provided us with resources to view Advent from five different perspectives.
Big Idea: Jesus is the Prince of Peace and desperately needed in our hearts and world.
Shalom!
The shepherd in the drama said it’s more than peace. It’s God’s highest and most complete good.
God’s peace on the earth…His highest and most complete good. Isn’t that what we all want? Jesus taught us to pray,
“your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)
That’s shalom, and it’s our subject today in our Advent series Away in a Manger.
Our world is in chaos. Have you noticed? I’m grateful we don’t find ourselves in the middle of a war on our soil today. There are presently 28 countries at war, but even more staggering is a recent report—the Global Peace Index—which stated there are “just ten countries which can be considered completely free from conflict.” The USA is at war in seven countries right now! In fact, we are ranked as the 128th most peaceful country in the world (Afghanistan is 163, Iceland is number one).
Locally, it’s no surprise to anyone that we live in a city and region in chaos. It seems like every day there’s another report in The Blade of a shooting, robbery, overdose, or protest. Despite our beautiful Metroparks, community services, industries, and world-class attractions like the zoo and art museum, violence and crime thrive.
Even closer to home, there’s a lack of internal peace. The statistics for ulcers, depression, and anxiety are overwhelming. Suicide is rampant, especially among young people.
Could we use peace on earth?
The older I get, the more I seek perspective. There are always optimists talking about how the world is getting better—and it is—and pessimists who say the world is getting worse—and it is.
There’s an irony in the Christmas story. Dr. Luke describes it this way:
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. (Luke 2:8)
This was common. A shepherd’s job is to watch over the sheep.
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. (Luke 2:9)
One angel shining with the glory of the LORD appears and terrifies the shepherds.
I’ve heard many stories of people who encountered angels. It may have been someone who helped with a car broken-down on the side of the road, only to disappear. Perhaps it’s a stranger who offered an encouraging word at the perfect moment, then suddenly gone. Frequently the angel is identified as an angel after their appearance.
The shepherds had no doubt this was an angel! While we often think of angels as nice and helpful and gentle and quiet, this one terrified the shepherds.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. (Luke 2:10)
Don’t be afraid. Easy for you to say, angel! The angel delivered good news—the gospel! We all love good news, and this good news was for all the people. All the people. Shepherds and kings. Jews and Gentiles. Rich and poor. What’s the good news?
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:11-12)
The long-awaited Messiah has been born…to you! The description was necessary since this was not the way a king normally enters the world…wrapped in rags and lying in an animal’s food trough. Now the story develops.
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:13-14)
Suddenly. Why are people always sneaking up on these poor shepherds?! This disruptive group of supernatural creatures announces peace in the midst of disturbing the shepherds who were just minding their own business in the fields! The original Greek word for peace here, eirene (i-ray-nay), means one, peace, quietness, rest.
Not this night! There was nothing quiet or restful or peaceful about these angelic visitors, but once they changed their underwear (!), I’m sure they didn’t mind. After all, they were privileged to be among the first to meet the Messiah.
Leave it to God to invite common shepherds to the delivery room of His son! Most royalty enter the world surrounded by powerful and famous, with paparazzi trying to get the best photo and story. Not the Messiah.
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2:15)
What a brilliant idea! The shepherds may have been common, but they weren’t stupid!
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2:16-18)
The shepherds were the first (human) evangelists, spreading good news about the arrival of the Messiah, the advent of Jesus, God moving into the neighborhood with flesh and blood. All who heard it were amazed. It amazes me two thousand years later.
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:19-20)
Jesus. Prince of peace. Shalom arrived in person!
Two weeks ago we looked at the prophet Isaiah and how his words hundreds of years before Christ were perfectly fulfilled through Jesus the Messiah.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)
When we read phrases like “Prince of Peace” and “of the greatness of his government and peace there will be end,” it may not seem terribly significant. After all, every nativity scene seems to depict a tranquil gathering of people and animals around baby Jesus. “All is calm, all is bright…sleep in heavenly peace.” Jesus came in the midst of nice people who lived in a nice neighborhood with nice neighbors and a nice government, right?
Hardly! This is the Roman empire! Herod would order the death of Jesus and all of the other baby boys under two years old. This is a culture that didn’t use lethal injection for criminals. They were crucified! Battles were common. Oppression was normal. Peace? For some, it was unimaginable.
Jesus. Prince of Peace. Paul would later write about the Messiah.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13)
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. (Ephesians 2:14-17)
Jesus is our peace. He brings together Jews and Gentiles, black and white, rich and poor, young and old. But remember, shalom peace is more than the absence of conflict. It’s God’s highest and most complete good.
There was a day when God’s shalom ruled the earth. Everything and everyone were at peace. There was no death or hatred or selfishness or pride. It was paradise, a garden called Eden. Until sin entered the world. Until Adam and Eve disobeyed God. The serpent—who knows how to lie, steal, kill, and destroy better than anyone—introduced evil and rebellion and war to our world, shattering shalom. Peace was broken…to pieces.
The only solution to our sin, to violence, to wars, to brokenness was Jesus. He is our peace. He rescues. He restores. He reconciles. He redeems. He renews. He revives. One writer has said,
“The peace of God is a full, satisfying, rich, and juicy fruit of His Spirit to His people and creation. The shalom of God is intended for relational goodness and harmony through and through. Peace is the original order of creation and remains in the heart of God for all His creation.” (Skit Guys)
Isn’t that beautiful? What a vision! I want to experience that. I want you to experience that. I want City Council and Columbus and Washington and Syria and North Korea to experience that. I want every man, woman and child on the planet to experience shalom, wholeness, completeness, relational goodness and harmony through and through.
It won’t come through an election, though.
It won’t come through new laws.
It won’t come through the perfect enforcement of old laws.
It won’t come through more jobs, more education, or more money.
It won’t come through religion and traditions and striving.
Shalom only comes through God. It is manifest through Jesus. It comes through the Holy Spirit being given space to work in us, making us more like Christ. It comes through surrender, giving up control, hitting rock bottom and letting Jesus take the wheel. As the old song says, “Let there be peace on earth…and let it begin with me.”
The Bible begins with peace during creation (Genesis 1-2) and ends with peace in New Jerusalem in Revelation 21-22. We’re living in the awkward in-between, seeking to know God and His shalom in a world fixated on its own happiness and pleasure. And it’s why what happened in Bethlehem was a strategic initiative by God to bring us peace—shalom—in the midst of a chaotic world. Listen to one of Jesus’ best friends, John:
But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. (1 John 3:5-8)
We know the devil’s work. We see it every day. Addictions. Racism. Hatred. Greed. Disease. Bitterness. Envy. Insecurity. Pride. Despair. Fear. Worry.
Jesus came to destroy them! The sweet baby Jesus didn’t remain in the manger. He grew. He showed us what it means to be human. He died and rose again, conquering sin and death. He literally destroyed the devil’s work. Hallelujah!
Although some were surprised on Resurrection Sunday, it was prophesied—not by Isaiah or Micah or even Moses, but God in the third chapter of the Bible. After the devil tempted Adam and Eve,
So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,
“Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:14-15)
Jesus would be born of a woman. Satan would strike his heel…but Jesus would crush his head! God knew all of this. His plan was perfect, even though we’re not. All pain and suffering is not God’s fault, but rather the result of our choices, our free will. When we screwed up, God sent a Savior, a Healer, a Restorer, a Rebuilder…the Prince of Peace.
We have all been enlisted to join him on his mission to seek and save the lost, to be hope dealers, to love, to make disciples. The purpose of Christmas was Good Friday…and Easter. The word “Savior” in Greek, soter, can be translated “preserver” or “deliverer.” Jesus came to deliver people from the devil’s work, to preserve the shalom peace of God so that we might experience the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. Obviously, we are not experiencing the fullness of heaven now, but there are moments when heaven kisses earth, when love conquers hate, when peace prevails.
So What?
So what are we to do? How do we experience peace in a world of chaos? First, we need to be part of the problem, not part of the solution.
“Let there be peace on earth…and let it begin with me.”
Peace is broken not just by others, but often by ourselves. We often make a mess and blame God. Here are some examples of how we break peace:
- - When we spend more than we make, leading to debt and financial bondage
- - When we read, post, and say negative words instead of encouragement
- - When we mask our true self and hiding rather than courageously being truthful
- - When we shade the truth and tell lies
- - When we take and hoard rather than give and share
- - When we are envious of others rather than being grateful
- - When we gossip to others rather than caring enough to lovingly confront
- - When we rationalize our sinful behavior rather than confessing and repenting
- - When we value our comfort over doing the right thing
Maybe you’re not experiencing peace simply because you’re not choosing peace. Call yourself whatever you want, perhaps you’re following some of the works of the devil rather than pursuing selfless, humble love for God and others.
Many of you have lived lives of peace. You’ve made good choices and served others, yet injustice has followed you home. You think, “It’s not fair!” You’re right. It’s not fair when others sin against you, and what is even more unfair is that Jesus would leave heaven and live here…so he could die for our mess!
The baby in the manger would experience death, the ultimate loss of shalom. Yet his death brings us life, forgiveness, hope, …peace. He said,
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27)
Later, he said,
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
So what do we do when our peace is broken? After examining ourselves,
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
In a word, trust. Give it to God. Let it go.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
I’m still working on this, but over the years I’m starting to make a little progress. As the sign in my bathroom says, “Worry about nothing. Pray about everything.”
Finally,
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18)
It takes two to tango. You can’t control the behavior of others. The best you can do is pray and love. Some relationships will never be peaceful. Some are not even safe. Love and leave the results to God.
Conclusion
Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He is alive. He is still at work. Through the Holy Spirit, God’s shalom is brought from heaven to earth. God’s highest and most complete good is available if we seek first His Kingdom, if we trust and obey. Like the shepherds, we can join the angels in bringing honor and glory to the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Prince of Peace.
May you know the peace of Christ this Christmas and experience God’s highest and most complete good. May he bring peace to each of us so that He might work peace through us for His glory.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15)
Amen!
Credits: Some ideas from The Skit Guys.
Mary: Love, 8 December 2019
07 12 19
Mary: Love
Series—Away in a Manger
John 3:16, 1 John 4:7-11, 19, Luke 2:16-19, Luke 2:21-24
Series Big Idea: The Skit Guys have provided us with resources to view Advent from five different perspectives.
Big Idea: Mary provides us with a beautiful portrait of true love to God and people through her devotion and presence.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7-8)
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:9-11)
Love. It’s the heart of Christmas. It’s the heart of God.
We talk about love a lot at First Alliance Church. We should. The word appears more than 600 times in the Bible. Jesus used it about 50 times in the four gospels, the biographies about him.
If you’re new around here, welcome! You belong here!
We talk about love a lot because God is love. He’s the definition of love. Did you hear that in the scripture reading? God is love.
Unfortunately, love is one of the most confusing words in the dictionary, especially the English dictionary.
I love God.
I love my grandbaby.
I love ice cream.
A few days ago I saw a fortune cookie fortune which said, “Love is the first feeling people feel, because love is nice.” Wow! That’s deep!
I repeat once again Dr. Scot McKnight’s definition:
Love is a rugged commitment to be with other people, to be for other people, and to grow together in Christ-likeness. – Scot McKnight
This is what it means when I say I love you, family. I am committed to be with you. I’m committed to be for you. I’m committed to grow with you to follow and become like Jesus, the ultimate example of what it means to be human.
Jesus lived a life of love. It was more than words. It never involved lust. It was never cliché or trite. It was a choice, a decision, a rugged commitment to look out for the best interest of others.
God is love. He proved it.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Love gives. Bob Goff says love does.
As we continue our series Away in a Manger, our theme is obviously love, expressed beautifully in the character of Mary, the mother of Jesus. We devoted our entire 2018 Advent series to her. She is not only one of the most remarkable women in the Bible, she’s one of the most remarkable humans…in history! No sermon could ever begin to help us experience the shame this unwed mother endured, the courage this teenage girl expressed, the obedience this faithful saint demonstrated. If Roman Catholics think too highly of her—as some Protestants have suggested—she us surely the most underrated Bible character among Protestants. Some Christians have all but ignored her entirely for fear of worshipping her, yet there is so much to take from her life and story. Her love was expressed both to baby Jesus and the suffering Messiah, literally from the cradle to the grave…and beyond!
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves!
Jesus summarized all of the teachings in the Bible into two statements:
Love God.
Love people.
Mary is a terrific example of someone who did both.
In his book Soul Talk, Larry Crabb writes,
Every follower of Jesus has two sets of desires: the desire to know God and to experience intimate communion with the Trinity, and the desire to hear the specific calling of the Spirit in our life, to be so anchored in the hope of eternal joy and to be so in love with Jesus now that we endure every hardship as a privilege and as an opportunity to become more like Christ.
What did he say? Our love for God must be so great that suffering for Christ would be considered a privilege. Sacrifice for the LORD would be welcome in our lives. Obedience and faithfulness to our Creator would be prioritized above anything and anyone…even our own pleasures and comfort. That’s love! That’s a rugged commitment to another Person.
Does that describe my love for God? I want it to, though if I’m honest, no, at least most of the time. Often I love myself first, then if I feel like it, I’ll love others and God. I love God because He makes me happy, takes care of me, helps me be successful. Right? Don’t we use God? This is not love, or at the very best it’s conditional love. God, I will love you if…
Larry Crabb continues,
Jesus taught that the core longing of our soul is the desire to know God, not the desire to feel loved, not the desire to experience meaning, not the desire for the pleasures of family, friends, or success, but the passion to know God as high and lifted up and to place ourselves beneath him, resting in his goodness and available for his purposes.
This is what it means to follow Jesus.
This is what it means to love God.
The central battle in the souls of Jesus followers is the battle to keep the first-thing desire in first place and second-thing desires in second place.
John wrote,
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
Notice this is in the past-tense. Does God love us today? Yes, absolutely! But He has already loved us so much that an eternity of devotion to Him will never begin to equal His love.
The whole point of Christmas is not God gave us a gift so we can go to heaven when we die. The real message is God loved us, wanted a relationship with us, we screwed it up through our sin and rebellion, the only solution to restore our relationship with our Creator was the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, and while the cross and empty tomb are the defining moments in human history, it’s all about a relationship now…and for eternity. Our faith is based upon past events, but it also about today…and tomorrow.
And I don’t just mean after we die. Last week I mentioned one of my favorite names for the Messiah is Emmanuel, God with us. Jesus came here. He lived among us. Eugene Peterson famously said of Jesus,
The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood. (John 1:14a)
He didn’t come simply to keep you out of Hell. His mission was to restore a relationship.
“The biblical story is about God making a world where God wants to come and live with people in His world so that the final act in Revelation Is not saved souls going up to heaven but the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven to earth and a voice is heard saying, ‘The dwelling of God is among humans.’” - N.T. Wright
Do you see the difference?
Love requires relationship.
Love requires time.
Love requires presence.
Love requires sacrifice.
Love requires commitment.
This is why slogans such as “Toledo loves love” can be confusing. True love is not about what I can get from another person. It’s not about my feeling good. In fact, it’s not really about me at all. It’s about the One I love.
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
Mary loved Jesus. Sure, she was his mom and all moms love their children, right?!
But Mary loved God long before Jesus was born. She accepted a costly assignment. She suffered greatly for her LORD.
There was a social cost during her pregnancy, the scandal of a baby out of wedlock.
There was a physical cost during the birth. They call it labor!
There was a relational cost during the early years as the family became refugees in Egypt.
There was an emotional cost as she watched him crucified, dying before her eyes.
That’s love! It’s a rugged commitment to be with other people, to be for other people, and to grow together in Christ-likeness.
She welcomed Jesus into her life, into her heart, into her world.
Relationships
Jesus didn’t come to start a new religion. He came to restore a relationship. He wants to do life with you. Loving God is not about an hour on Sunday or even a daily quiet time or a generous end-of-the-year donation. Loving God means being fully present with Him, keeping Him first in everything—time, talent, treasures. It is demonstrated by your calendar and your checkbook. It’s visible in how you relate to others.
“The central battle in the souls of Jesus followers is the battle to keep the first-thing desire in first place and second-thing desires in second place.” – Larry Crabb
What would it look like for you to truly love God?
I’ve often said I want to want God. I believe, but I need help with my unbelief, my lack of faith, my fear, my wavering trust, my selfishness. I want to desire God above all else, yet my flesh puts up a fight.
Most of us know there were shepherds in the Christmas story who were told of the Messiah’s birth by angels. Talk about a cool birth announcement!
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2:16-18)
I think the shepherds loved Jesus. They knew this was a special baby and they loved others enough to “spread the word” about the Messiah’s arrival. “All who heard it were amazed.” The scene was incredible, but Dr. Luke adds a profound statement in the next verse.
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)
That’s love. She treasured the encounters. She treasured the conversations. She treasured the relationships. She treasured the privilege of knowing both God and people. She had all of the emotions of a new mom, yet she knew her son was special. She knew the biblical prophecies. She understood suffering was part of the package, yet her ultimate focus was on knowing God and being obedient. As Larry Crabb said, she was willing to endure every hardship as a privilege and as an opportunity to become more like the Christ she would mother.
Jesus would say,
“If you love me, keep my commands.” (John 14:15)
and
Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. (John 14:24a)
Is that clear?
Again, love is more than a feeling. It requires action. Mary not only loved Jesus as any good mother would love her son, she loved God and accepted a difficult assignment. Even her first moments of motherhood were filled with strangers making an unannounced visit to see her child. Rather than complaining, she treasured up these things, these people, these moments.
One translation of this verse says,
Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. (Luke 2:19, The Message)
I want that kind of devotion, intentionality, engagement. I want to be fully present in every moment, with you and God. I want to be captivated by the majesty of God. I want to love Him so much all of my other desires pale in comparison. I want that love to be obvious to everyone who meets me…not because of a slogan on a t-shirt or a fish on a bumper sticker, but because of my life.
James K.A. Smith says you are what you love. I want to become like Jesus. I want you to become like Jesus. I want all who call themselves Christians to become like Christ.
You are what you love.
The message today is not shame on you for not being a good Christian.
The message today is not try harder and be better.
The message today is love God. Be with God. Respond to His love for you. Treasure the things He has done to show—to prove—His love for you. Ponder them in your heart. Meditate on the scriptures. Slow down. Reflect. Be still and know He is God. Open yourself up to the Holy Spirit.
Paul said it this way:
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (Galatians 5:16-18)
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:24-25)
Love is so much more than a feeling. It’s a rugged commitment to be with other people, to be for other people, and to grow together in Christ-likeness.
Be present with God.
Be present with people.
Many years ago I was having dinner with a best-selling author and world-class speaker and I asked for his definition of success. After some hesitation, he said, “Being fully present in the moment.” I’ve never forgotten that. Be present. That’s what people need. That’s what I need. That’s what your family and friends need. Presence is powerful, especially in our world of non-stop screens, distractions, multi-tasking, and hurry.
Love God.
Love people.
They both require action…or maybe inaction.
They both require attention…our attention to be fully present with others.
So What?
Perhaps the greatest gift we can give this season is Christmas presence.
Spend quality time with God. Spend quality time with others. Slow down. Turn off the noise. Shut off the screens. Ponder deeply what God is doing in and through you. Listen to those around you. Set aside your desires to truly seek first God’s Kingdom, His will, His desires.
Be with God and others.
Be for God and others.
Let’s grow together in Christ-likeness.
Let’s love!
Credits: Some ideas from The Skit Guys.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Away in a Manger
John 3:16, 1 John 4:7-11, 19, Luke 2:16-19, Luke 2:21-24
Series Big Idea: The Skit Guys have provided us with resources to view Advent from five different perspectives.
Big Idea: Mary provides us with a beautiful portrait of true love to God and people through her devotion and presence.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7-8)
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:9-11)
Love. It’s the heart of Christmas. It’s the heart of God.
We talk about love a lot at First Alliance Church. We should. The word appears more than 600 times in the Bible. Jesus used it about 50 times in the four gospels, the biographies about him.
If you’re new around here, welcome! You belong here!
We talk about love a lot because God is love. He’s the definition of love. Did you hear that in the scripture reading? God is love.
Unfortunately, love is one of the most confusing words in the dictionary, especially the English dictionary.
I love God.
I love my grandbaby.
I love ice cream.
A few days ago I saw a fortune cookie fortune which said, “Love is the first feeling people feel, because love is nice.” Wow! That’s deep!
I repeat once again Dr. Scot McKnight’s definition:
Love is a rugged commitment to be with other people, to be for other people, and to grow together in Christ-likeness. – Scot McKnight
This is what it means when I say I love you, family. I am committed to be with you. I’m committed to be for you. I’m committed to grow with you to follow and become like Jesus, the ultimate example of what it means to be human.
Jesus lived a life of love. It was more than words. It never involved lust. It was never cliché or trite. It was a choice, a decision, a rugged commitment to look out for the best interest of others.
God is love. He proved it.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Love gives. Bob Goff says love does.
As we continue our series Away in a Manger, our theme is obviously love, expressed beautifully in the character of Mary, the mother of Jesus. We devoted our entire 2018 Advent series to her. She is not only one of the most remarkable women in the Bible, she’s one of the most remarkable humans…in history! No sermon could ever begin to help us experience the shame this unwed mother endured, the courage this teenage girl expressed, the obedience this faithful saint demonstrated. If Roman Catholics think too highly of her—as some Protestants have suggested—she us surely the most underrated Bible character among Protestants. Some Christians have all but ignored her entirely for fear of worshipping her, yet there is so much to take from her life and story. Her love was expressed both to baby Jesus and the suffering Messiah, literally from the cradle to the grave…and beyond!
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves!
Jesus summarized all of the teachings in the Bible into two statements:
Love God.
Love people.
Mary is a terrific example of someone who did both.
In his book Soul Talk, Larry Crabb writes,
Every follower of Jesus has two sets of desires: the desire to know God and to experience intimate communion with the Trinity, and the desire to hear the specific calling of the Spirit in our life, to be so anchored in the hope of eternal joy and to be so in love with Jesus now that we endure every hardship as a privilege and as an opportunity to become more like Christ.
What did he say? Our love for God must be so great that suffering for Christ would be considered a privilege. Sacrifice for the LORD would be welcome in our lives. Obedience and faithfulness to our Creator would be prioritized above anything and anyone…even our own pleasures and comfort. That’s love! That’s a rugged commitment to another Person.
Does that describe my love for God? I want it to, though if I’m honest, no, at least most of the time. Often I love myself first, then if I feel like it, I’ll love others and God. I love God because He makes me happy, takes care of me, helps me be successful. Right? Don’t we use God? This is not love, or at the very best it’s conditional love. God, I will love you if…
Larry Crabb continues,
Jesus taught that the core longing of our soul is the desire to know God, not the desire to feel loved, not the desire to experience meaning, not the desire for the pleasures of family, friends, or success, but the passion to know God as high and lifted up and to place ourselves beneath him, resting in his goodness and available for his purposes.
This is what it means to follow Jesus.
This is what it means to love God.
The central battle in the souls of Jesus followers is the battle to keep the first-thing desire in first place and second-thing desires in second place.
John wrote,
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
Notice this is in the past-tense. Does God love us today? Yes, absolutely! But He has already loved us so much that an eternity of devotion to Him will never begin to equal His love.
The whole point of Christmas is not God gave us a gift so we can go to heaven when we die. The real message is God loved us, wanted a relationship with us, we screwed it up through our sin and rebellion, the only solution to restore our relationship with our Creator was the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, and while the cross and empty tomb are the defining moments in human history, it’s all about a relationship now…and for eternity. Our faith is based upon past events, but it also about today…and tomorrow.
And I don’t just mean after we die. Last week I mentioned one of my favorite names for the Messiah is Emmanuel, God with us. Jesus came here. He lived among us. Eugene Peterson famously said of Jesus,
The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood. (John 1:14a)
He didn’t come simply to keep you out of Hell. His mission was to restore a relationship.
“The biblical story is about God making a world where God wants to come and live with people in His world so that the final act in Revelation Is not saved souls going up to heaven but the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven to earth and a voice is heard saying, ‘The dwelling of God is among humans.’” - N.T. Wright
Do you see the difference?
Love requires relationship.
Love requires time.
Love requires presence.
Love requires sacrifice.
Love requires commitment.
This is why slogans such as “Toledo loves love” can be confusing. True love is not about what I can get from another person. It’s not about my feeling good. In fact, it’s not really about me at all. It’s about the One I love.
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
Mary loved Jesus. Sure, she was his mom and all moms love their children, right?!
But Mary loved God long before Jesus was born. She accepted a costly assignment. She suffered greatly for her LORD.
There was a social cost during her pregnancy, the scandal of a baby out of wedlock.
There was a physical cost during the birth. They call it labor!
There was a relational cost during the early years as the family became refugees in Egypt.
There was an emotional cost as she watched him crucified, dying before her eyes.
That’s love! It’s a rugged commitment to be with other people, to be for other people, and to grow together in Christ-likeness.
She welcomed Jesus into her life, into her heart, into her world.
Relationships
Jesus didn’t come to start a new religion. He came to restore a relationship. He wants to do life with you. Loving God is not about an hour on Sunday or even a daily quiet time or a generous end-of-the-year donation. Loving God means being fully present with Him, keeping Him first in everything—time, talent, treasures. It is demonstrated by your calendar and your checkbook. It’s visible in how you relate to others.
“The central battle in the souls of Jesus followers is the battle to keep the first-thing desire in first place and second-thing desires in second place.” – Larry Crabb
What would it look like for you to truly love God?
I’ve often said I want to want God. I believe, but I need help with my unbelief, my lack of faith, my fear, my wavering trust, my selfishness. I want to desire God above all else, yet my flesh puts up a fight.
Most of us know there were shepherds in the Christmas story who were told of the Messiah’s birth by angels. Talk about a cool birth announcement!
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2:16-18)
I think the shepherds loved Jesus. They knew this was a special baby and they loved others enough to “spread the word” about the Messiah’s arrival. “All who heard it were amazed.” The scene was incredible, but Dr. Luke adds a profound statement in the next verse.
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)
That’s love. She treasured the encounters. She treasured the conversations. She treasured the relationships. She treasured the privilege of knowing both God and people. She had all of the emotions of a new mom, yet she knew her son was special. She knew the biblical prophecies. She understood suffering was part of the package, yet her ultimate focus was on knowing God and being obedient. As Larry Crabb said, she was willing to endure every hardship as a privilege and as an opportunity to become more like the Christ she would mother.
Jesus would say,
“If you love me, keep my commands.” (John 14:15)
and
Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. (John 14:24a)
Is that clear?
Again, love is more than a feeling. It requires action. Mary not only loved Jesus as any good mother would love her son, she loved God and accepted a difficult assignment. Even her first moments of motherhood were filled with strangers making an unannounced visit to see her child. Rather than complaining, she treasured up these things, these people, these moments.
One translation of this verse says,
Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. (Luke 2:19, The Message)
I want that kind of devotion, intentionality, engagement. I want to be fully present in every moment, with you and God. I want to be captivated by the majesty of God. I want to love Him so much all of my other desires pale in comparison. I want that love to be obvious to everyone who meets me…not because of a slogan on a t-shirt or a fish on a bumper sticker, but because of my life.
James K.A. Smith says you are what you love. I want to become like Jesus. I want you to become like Jesus. I want all who call themselves Christians to become like Christ.
You are what you love.
The message today is not shame on you for not being a good Christian.
The message today is not try harder and be better.
The message today is love God. Be with God. Respond to His love for you. Treasure the things He has done to show—to prove—His love for you. Ponder them in your heart. Meditate on the scriptures. Slow down. Reflect. Be still and know He is God. Open yourself up to the Holy Spirit.
Paul said it this way:
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (Galatians 5:16-18)
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:24-25)
Love is so much more than a feeling. It’s a rugged commitment to be with other people, to be for other people, and to grow together in Christ-likeness.
Be present with God.
Be present with people.
Many years ago I was having dinner with a best-selling author and world-class speaker and I asked for his definition of success. After some hesitation, he said, “Being fully present in the moment.” I’ve never forgotten that. Be present. That’s what people need. That’s what I need. That’s what your family and friends need. Presence is powerful, especially in our world of non-stop screens, distractions, multi-tasking, and hurry.
Love God.
Love people.
They both require action…or maybe inaction.
They both require attention…our attention to be fully present with others.
So What?
Perhaps the greatest gift we can give this season is Christmas presence.
Spend quality time with God. Spend quality time with others. Slow down. Turn off the noise. Shut off the screens. Ponder deeply what God is doing in and through you. Listen to those around you. Set aside your desires to truly seek first God’s Kingdom, His will, His desires.
Be with God and others.
Be for God and others.
Let’s grow together in Christ-likeness.
Let’s love!
Credits: Some ideas from The Skit Guys.
Isaiah: Hope, 1 December 2019
02 12 19
Isaiah: Hope
Series—Away in a Manger
Isaiah 40:3-5, Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 61:1, Isaiah 52:13-53:12, Isaiah 60:2-3, Isaiah 9:2, 6-7, Matthew 1:20-25
Series Big Idea: The Skit Guys have provided us with resources to view Advent from five different perspectives.
Big Idea: Isaiah’s people were exiles in need of hope, not unlike our captivity to sin and need of salvation today.
It’s finally here! The turkey has been put away, the credit cards are maxed out, The Game is over, and Advent has begun, this season of expectant waiting and preparing for both the celebration of Jesus’ first arrival to our world and his promised return. The word “advent” comes from a Latin word meaning “coming,” and we’re spending this month focused on the first and second comings of the Messiah.
Throughout our series Away in a Manger, we’re going to look at the nativity of Jesus from the perspectives of various characters in the story, covering the five themes of Advent in the five Sundays of December. Today’s theme is hope and our character is a prophet who wrote about 700 years before the birth of Jesus, yet his predictions were spot-on, giving tremendous credibility to both the Holy Bible and our faith.
Do you like music? Do you like Christmas music? I love Christmas music, though I always wait until I see Santa in the Thanksgiving Day parade before I listen to it. One of the things that makes Christmastime so special is how it engages all of our senses: we hear the carols, eat the gingerbread, touch the ornaments, smell the pine tree, and see the lights. Perhaps the greatest soundtrack of the season was composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel…The Messiah. How many have attended a performance of it?
If you’re familiar with it, you surely recognized our scripture reading today from the book of Isaiah, whose name means “the salvation of Yahweh” or “the salvation of God”:
A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:3-5)
Every Valley Shall Be Exalted (2 versions)
Most every year at this time I think about doing a sermon series on Handel’s Messiah. Interestingly, it covers more of the Good Friday events than the Christmas story, so maybe this spring…!!!
Back to Isaiah, he made at least nineteen different prophecies that were fulfilled centuries later by Jesus the Messiah.
(You can find a chart of them here.)
Although Handel tied it together with chapter 40, it says in chapter 52
See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. (Isaiah 52:13)
Jesus said,
And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:32)
Paul said of Jesus,
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)
Perhaps the most famous prophesy related to Advent states,
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
This was echoed by Matthew when he wrote his gospel or “good news” about Jesus.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:22-23)
I might add “Immanuel” is one of my favorite words for Jesus. He came and become one of us. Although it occurred two thousand years ago, God came to earth. He laughed and cried, knew joy and hardship, was tempted in every way, and understands pain of the most horrific kind. While Jesus is physically beyond our planet, he knows suffering. He can relate to whatever trial you are facing today. He was with us, he is with us by the Holy Spirit who lives in every follower of Jesus, and one day soon he will be with us again when he returns, the second “coming” which we remember during Advent.
When Isaiah wrote his prophecies, the people of God had become unruly and disobedient. Their sins brought death and destruction and their abandonment of God brought about devastation. Isaiah understood the only way the people could experience peace was through repentance, turning away from their sin and rebellion and returning to God.
I believe that message is spot-on in our nation today. Other than Christmas, it seems the only time we hear the name of Jesus outside of a church gathering is when it’s used as a swear word.
(When did it ever occur to someone to use Jesus as profanity? Why not Pinocchio or Hitler or even satan?)
We are a divided nation, an anxious nation, a fearful nation. Is it any wonder? Life apart from God will always break down eventually. We’re simply not wise enough our own. We were created for relationship with God and one another, yet it seems like every day we’re bombarded with another message stating it’s all about us.
In Isaiah’s day, foreign nations such as Assyria and Babylon overtook God’s people and eventually led them into exile. That means they were taken from their homes and land. Imagine being kicked out of your home this afternoon, maybe sent to a different city, state, or even country. Some of you know what displacement is all about.
People that experience exile for any length of time hope for survival and rescue. When we read the news today—whether we’re in our homes or not—it’s obvious we’re not following God. Our cities are filled with abuse, violence, corruption, human trafficking, addiction, exploitation, divorce, pornography, disease, debt, depression, and other signs the enemy is experiencing some victories.
What we need is hope!
When we were preparing to distribute goodie bags with Saturate Toledo, I reminded our teams not to worry about soliciting. We weren’t soliciting. I told them they were delivering good news. They were hope dealers!
Isaiah offered hope to those in exile, proclaiming the coming of Messiah. One of my favorite prophecies is found in chapter 61:
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, (Isaiah 61:1)
That’s what Jesus did, and today we re-present Jesus to our world. We are to be his hands and feet, proclaiming good news to the poor…and rich. We are called to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.
We do that through Cherry Street Mission.
We do that through Kairos Prison Ministry.
We do that through Dinner Church.
We are hope dealers!
We aren’t the hope, but we deal it, we deliver it, we proclaim it. Jesus is the hope of the world!
Hollywood’s not the hope.
Government’s not the hope.
Our school systems are not the hope.
Science isn’t the hope.
Jesus is the hope of the world! He was. He is. He will always be.
Listen to these hopeful words from Isaiah:
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. (Isaiah 9:2)
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
Could we use that today?
Could you use a Wonderful Counselor?
Could you use a Mighty God?
Could you use an Everlasting Father?
Could you use a Prince of Peace?
Hope came about 700 years after Isaiah prophesied these things. His name, Jesus, means “God saves.” About 700 year after Jesus was born, a group of monks sang a song which would become “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” Here’s a little background on the song from Eric Metaxas:
“I want you to imagine yourself in a monastery in the 8th century. It’s December 17th and you’ve gathered with your brothers for Vespers, the sun-set prayer service. As with all Vespers, at the heart of the service is the chanting of select psalms, each of them preceded and followed by what is known as an antiphon, a sung or recited response. What sets December 17th apart, and the six nights that follow it, are the seven antiphons used only on these nights. Each one is a name of Christ – specifically, they are Messianic titles from the book of Isaiah: Sapieta (wisdom), Adonai (Lord), Radix (Root of Jesse), Clavis (Key of David), Oriens (Dayspring), Rex (King of the Nations), and Emmanuel.
Because each of these titles is preceded by the word “O,” they are known as the “O Antiphones.” If this sounds familiar, it should. I have just given you a glimpse into the origins of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” – the greatest Advent, or should I say, Christian Hymn of all time. While I asked you to imagine an 8th-century monastery, the O Antiphons predate the 8th century. The Roman philosopher Boethius, who lived in the late 5th and early 6th centuries, alludes to them in his writings. It’s reasonable to suppose, as one scholar put it, that ‘in some fashion, the O Antiphons have been part of our liturgical tradition since the very early church.’
But it’s what they teach us, and not just their antiquity, that gives them their power. The composer and musicologist Robert Greenberg has noted that if you take the first letter of each of the Messianic titles in reverse order, by December 23rd, you have the Latin phrase ERO CRAS which means, ‘Tomorrow I will come.’”
While yesterday in exile may have been bad and today may not seem to be much better, we have hope knowing that if not tomorrow, soon, He will come again. The second Advent is closer than we may realize even if we feel like exile has lasted far too long from our vantage point of life. If we feel like we are still in exile, may we join with the monks and the many throughout the ages who have sung the song of advent hope: “O Come, O Come Emmanuel. And ransom captive Israel.”
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Credits: Some ideas from The Skit Guys.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Away in a Manger
Isaiah 40:3-5, Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 61:1, Isaiah 52:13-53:12, Isaiah 60:2-3, Isaiah 9:2, 6-7, Matthew 1:20-25
Series Big Idea: The Skit Guys have provided us with resources to view Advent from five different perspectives.
Big Idea: Isaiah’s people were exiles in need of hope, not unlike our captivity to sin and need of salvation today.
It’s finally here! The turkey has been put away, the credit cards are maxed out, The Game is over, and Advent has begun, this season of expectant waiting and preparing for both the celebration of Jesus’ first arrival to our world and his promised return. The word “advent” comes from a Latin word meaning “coming,” and we’re spending this month focused on the first and second comings of the Messiah.
Throughout our series Away in a Manger, we’re going to look at the nativity of Jesus from the perspectives of various characters in the story, covering the five themes of Advent in the five Sundays of December. Today’s theme is hope and our character is a prophet who wrote about 700 years before the birth of Jesus, yet his predictions were spot-on, giving tremendous credibility to both the Holy Bible and our faith.
Do you like music? Do you like Christmas music? I love Christmas music, though I always wait until I see Santa in the Thanksgiving Day parade before I listen to it. One of the things that makes Christmastime so special is how it engages all of our senses: we hear the carols, eat the gingerbread, touch the ornaments, smell the pine tree, and see the lights. Perhaps the greatest soundtrack of the season was composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel…The Messiah. How many have attended a performance of it?
If you’re familiar with it, you surely recognized our scripture reading today from the book of Isaiah, whose name means “the salvation of Yahweh” or “the salvation of God”:
A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:3-5)
Every Valley Shall Be Exalted (2 versions)
Most every year at this time I think about doing a sermon series on Handel’s Messiah. Interestingly, it covers more of the Good Friday events than the Christmas story, so maybe this spring…!!!
Back to Isaiah, he made at least nineteen different prophecies that were fulfilled centuries later by Jesus the Messiah.
(You can find a chart of them here.)
Although Handel tied it together with chapter 40, it says in chapter 52
See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. (Isaiah 52:13)
Jesus said,
And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:32)
Paul said of Jesus,
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)
Perhaps the most famous prophesy related to Advent states,
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
This was echoed by Matthew when he wrote his gospel or “good news” about Jesus.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:22-23)
I might add “Immanuel” is one of my favorite words for Jesus. He came and become one of us. Although it occurred two thousand years ago, God came to earth. He laughed and cried, knew joy and hardship, was tempted in every way, and understands pain of the most horrific kind. While Jesus is physically beyond our planet, he knows suffering. He can relate to whatever trial you are facing today. He was with us, he is with us by the Holy Spirit who lives in every follower of Jesus, and one day soon he will be with us again when he returns, the second “coming” which we remember during Advent.
When Isaiah wrote his prophecies, the people of God had become unruly and disobedient. Their sins brought death and destruction and their abandonment of God brought about devastation. Isaiah understood the only way the people could experience peace was through repentance, turning away from their sin and rebellion and returning to God.
I believe that message is spot-on in our nation today. Other than Christmas, it seems the only time we hear the name of Jesus outside of a church gathering is when it’s used as a swear word.
(When did it ever occur to someone to use Jesus as profanity? Why not Pinocchio or Hitler or even satan?)
We are a divided nation, an anxious nation, a fearful nation. Is it any wonder? Life apart from God will always break down eventually. We’re simply not wise enough our own. We were created for relationship with God and one another, yet it seems like every day we’re bombarded with another message stating it’s all about us.
In Isaiah’s day, foreign nations such as Assyria and Babylon overtook God’s people and eventually led them into exile. That means they were taken from their homes and land. Imagine being kicked out of your home this afternoon, maybe sent to a different city, state, or even country. Some of you know what displacement is all about.
People that experience exile for any length of time hope for survival and rescue. When we read the news today—whether we’re in our homes or not—it’s obvious we’re not following God. Our cities are filled with abuse, violence, corruption, human trafficking, addiction, exploitation, divorce, pornography, disease, debt, depression, and other signs the enemy is experiencing some victories.
What we need is hope!
When we were preparing to distribute goodie bags with Saturate Toledo, I reminded our teams not to worry about soliciting. We weren’t soliciting. I told them they were delivering good news. They were hope dealers!
Isaiah offered hope to those in exile, proclaiming the coming of Messiah. One of my favorite prophecies is found in chapter 61:
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, (Isaiah 61:1)
That’s what Jesus did, and today we re-present Jesus to our world. We are to be his hands and feet, proclaiming good news to the poor…and rich. We are called to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.
We do that through Cherry Street Mission.
We do that through Kairos Prison Ministry.
We do that through Dinner Church.
We are hope dealers!
We aren’t the hope, but we deal it, we deliver it, we proclaim it. Jesus is the hope of the world!
Hollywood’s not the hope.
Government’s not the hope.
Our school systems are not the hope.
Science isn’t the hope.
Jesus is the hope of the world! He was. He is. He will always be.
Listen to these hopeful words from Isaiah:
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. (Isaiah 9:2)
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
Could we use that today?
Could you use a Wonderful Counselor?
Could you use a Mighty God?
Could you use an Everlasting Father?
Could you use a Prince of Peace?
Hope came about 700 years after Isaiah prophesied these things. His name, Jesus, means “God saves.” About 700 year after Jesus was born, a group of monks sang a song which would become “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” Here’s a little background on the song from Eric Metaxas:
“I want you to imagine yourself in a monastery in the 8th century. It’s December 17th and you’ve gathered with your brothers for Vespers, the sun-set prayer service. As with all Vespers, at the heart of the service is the chanting of select psalms, each of them preceded and followed by what is known as an antiphon, a sung or recited response. What sets December 17th apart, and the six nights that follow it, are the seven antiphons used only on these nights. Each one is a name of Christ – specifically, they are Messianic titles from the book of Isaiah: Sapieta (wisdom), Adonai (Lord), Radix (Root of Jesse), Clavis (Key of David), Oriens (Dayspring), Rex (King of the Nations), and Emmanuel.
Because each of these titles is preceded by the word “O,” they are known as the “O Antiphones.” If this sounds familiar, it should. I have just given you a glimpse into the origins of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” – the greatest Advent, or should I say, Christian Hymn of all time. While I asked you to imagine an 8th-century monastery, the O Antiphons predate the 8th century. The Roman philosopher Boethius, who lived in the late 5th and early 6th centuries, alludes to them in his writings. It’s reasonable to suppose, as one scholar put it, that ‘in some fashion, the O Antiphons have been part of our liturgical tradition since the very early church.’
But it’s what they teach us, and not just their antiquity, that gives them their power. The composer and musicologist Robert Greenberg has noted that if you take the first letter of each of the Messianic titles in reverse order, by December 23rd, you have the Latin phrase ERO CRAS which means, ‘Tomorrow I will come.’”
While yesterday in exile may have been bad and today may not seem to be much better, we have hope knowing that if not tomorrow, soon, He will come again. The second Advent is closer than we may realize even if we feel like exile has lasted far too long from our vantage point of life. If we feel like we are still in exile, may we join with the monks and the many throughout the ages who have sung the song of advent hope: “O Come, O Come Emmanuel. And ransom captive Israel.”
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Credits: Some ideas from The Skit Guys.
Modeling the Faith, 24 November 2019
25 11 19
Modeling the Faith
Series—Links in the Chain (Discipleship)
Titus 2:1-8
Series Big Idea: The Great Commission is all about becoming like Jesus…and helping others become like Christ.
Big Idea: Discipleship is more than a program or class, but a 24/7/365 lifestyle involving others.
This morning we’re concluding our series on discipleship, Links in the Chain. The movement of Jesus, the people of God, the Church is always one generation away from extinction.
Jesus spent three years on our planet revolutionizing what it means to be human. His teachings reformed our view of God from distant to intimate, inviting us to call Him “Abba” or “Daddy.” To make sure a relationship possible, he willingly sacrificed his life, dying on the cross to offer forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with our Father. His resurrection shattered the boundaries of death, proving not only his deity but his power. As he was about to ascend into heaven where he presently sits beside the Father, he gathered his friends together and said,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Here we are! For two thousand years, men and women have been passing the baton of faith, making disciples (followers, students, protégés) of Jesus. This is why we exist: to follow Jesus and help others follow Jesus, experiencing the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
We’re all at different places in our life journey, our spiritual journey. My prayer each Sunday is that I can help you take your next step toward becoming like Jesus. In week one of our series, we talked about the importance of discipleship in the home. In Deuteronomy chapter six, Moses declares…
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. (Deuteronomy 6:4)
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5)
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)
This is everyday discipleship…life with God…a life of love.
In week two, we looked at the treasure we have in God’s Word. We take the Bible for granted in our nation, yet many literally weep and dance and celebrate when they are presented with it in their own language for the first time. Jesus’ commission says,
“…and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:20a)
We need to read the Word, study the Word, know the Word, and obey the Word. This isn’t about guilt or obligation or duty, but rather out of our pursuit of life…abundant life!
Our text for today is a letter from Paul to his protégé Titus, his spiritual son. Paul warns Titus about “rebellious people” who are religious, but not righteous. He says,
They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. (Titus 1:16)
Ouch! Love is not always “nice,” but it always rejoices with the truth. Have you ever met someone who claimed to know God, but acted nothing like Jesus?
Mahatma Gandhi famously said, “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
Perhaps the greatest problem in the world is there are 2.3 billion Christians in the world, many of whom are so unlike Jesus. That goes for me sometimes, too! If we would look more like Jesus than the world, the world would eventually look more like Jesus! How do we get Christians to become like Christ? That’s discipleship.
Paul continues,
You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. (Titus 2:1-2)
In our culture, when we think of “teach,” a classroom often comes to mind. For the past several hundred years, our understanding of information has often come from a lecture, a blackboard (or whiteboard), and a room full of students trying to memorize data.
In New Testament times, the classroom was often a home, a public square, a temple, anywhere! You don’t learn respect and self-control from a textbook. You learn it from a life, a mentor, a model.
I was recently with a friend whose children are approaching the age of dating. He said he will be his daughter’s first date, showing her how a young man should behave. Likewise, his wife will be their son’s first date, giving him an opportunity to role-play how to treat a young lady. What a great idea! Needless to say, both parents have spent years modeling for their children what a loving relationship between a man and a woman looks like.
I can stand here and give speeches week after week, but if my life doesn’t match what I’m saying, I’m a…hypocrite. The original Greek word “hypokrites” means “an actor.” I’m just playing a role if I don’t practice what I preach.
I’ve been shaped by many sermons I’ve heard. I’ve been formed by books I have read. But I’m quite sure the most influential people in my life have not been preachers or authors, but family members and friends.
My parents modeled a vibrant faith. My grandparents, aunts, and uncles followed Jesus and loved God and people before my watching eyes. Mentors showed me what it means to be a leader, a husband, a pastor, a friend.
Discipleship is not a program.
Discipleship is not a class.
Discipleship is life on life!
Practically, what does this look like? Mike Breen, creator of LifeShapes, describes the discipleship square like this:
Organized religion as we think of it today as a distribution of religious goods and services was never God’s design. Jesus came to model a life of love so others could spread the love virus. He didn’t just talk about love…he loved! Returning to Paul’s instructions to Titus:
Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. (Titus 2:3-5)
Teaching. Modeling. Mentoring. Reproducing. Imitating. The home is where this historically has taken place, but today so many children are raised with few good role models. Often the parents or guardians are working, abusive, are simply absent. This is where the local church can step in.
It’s not the job of our children’s and student ministries to disciple our next generation. That’s the job of the parents. We equip parents and guardians to disciple their kids, but obviously that’s not always possible. In the absence of parents and guardians who are following Jesus, our church family can step up and love, serve, invest, mentor, teach, disciple.
This is not only relevant with young people, but adults, too. Many of you have never been discipled, by a parent or friend. There are formal and informal relationships, and we need both. We have a list of small groups, Bible studies, and Sunday School classes available at the bottom of the FAC Focus e-newsletter each week and in the information kiosk in the lobby. We are always looking for new group leaders and apprentice leaders to create more opportunities for people to do life together. Please let me or one of the leaders know if you’re interested. Groups are not the only tool for discipleship, but they are our primary vehicle and we are always exploring new ways to make disciples. We hope to announce soon details of a new Alpha course on Thursday nights at Rustbelt Coffee a few blocks down the street beginning in February.
We are here to equip you, but discipleship is not a program or something you do on Sunday morning or Wednesday night. It’s a 24/7/365 journey of becoming like Jesus.
Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. (Titus 2:6-8)
Titus is on the island of Crete, the mythical birthplace of Zeus. The people there were known for their lies and laziness. In contrast, do you see Jesus in Paul’s instructions? Passing the baton of faith is the essence of discipleship, becoming like Jesus and helping others become like Jesus.
One obvious challenge to discipleship in our culture is the lack of disciple-makers. The number of USAmerican adults simply describing themselves as Christians is down twelve percent in the past decade, according to the latest Pew Research study. The decline in Christianity crosses all demographics, too. Only 65% of USAmerican adults describe themselves as Christian, down from 77% in 2009.
So we need you! We need you to be discipled, to join a group, to pursue Jesus, to even ask someone you respect to mentor you.
We also need you to disciple, to mentor, to invest in others, not as a perfect example, but as a living example.
Discipleship takes place each Wednesday night—except this one due to the holiday—at Celebrate Recovery in our Fellowship Hall at 7 PM for anyone with hurts, habits, and hangups, which is all of us.
We have a wonderfully diverse group that meets Sunday at 9 AM in the same Fellowship Hall across Monroe Street. It’s a great place to connect and begin relationships with people in various places on the spiritual journey.
I am not a perfect example, but I’m a living example. I have had several people in my life who have discipled me. They have mentored me. They have helped me know Jesus. It’s my desire to disciple others, training them and modeling for them what it means to imitate Jesus.
I’ve been very influenced by a book by Mike Breen called Building a Discipling Culture. It has helped me focus on the way of Jesus who chose his disciples, met with them as a group, prepared them for ministry, and then sent them out to do what he did.
So What?
Are you a disciple? Absolutely! We all imitate others, be it our parents, friends, celebrities,…or Jesus. The question is, whose disciple are you?
Are you a disciple-maker? Who is imitating you?
Paul said,
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1)
That’s discipleship. It doesn’t happen overnight. It literally takes a lifetime…one day at a time. Everyday discipleship. Not just Sunday. Not just an hour or two a week. Discipleship is following Jesus 24/7/365.
I want to conclude with two questions:
Who is discipling you? Who are you imitating? Perhaps it would be worth the risk to ask someone to be your mentor, to teach you, to disciple you.
Who are you discipling? If you’re new to the faith, it may seem premature to consider such a question, but each day that you follow Jesus is one day in which you are growing to love and serve him. Many Christians have kept their faith private rather than sharing it with others, investing in younger believers, inviting others into their life. Some of you have so much to offer, especially those of you who are empty-nesters. Jesus said, “Follow me.” Paul said, “Follow my example.” We don’t have to be perfect examples, but we can offer ourselves to the next generation as we follow the example of Jesus.
At the end of the day, it’s all about growing to become like Jesus, to look like Jesus, to act like Jesus, to follow Jesus.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Links in the Chain (Discipleship)
Titus 2:1-8
Series Big Idea: The Great Commission is all about becoming like Jesus…and helping others become like Christ.
Big Idea: Discipleship is more than a program or class, but a 24/7/365 lifestyle involving others.
This morning we’re concluding our series on discipleship, Links in the Chain. The movement of Jesus, the people of God, the Church is always one generation away from extinction.
Jesus spent three years on our planet revolutionizing what it means to be human. His teachings reformed our view of God from distant to intimate, inviting us to call Him “Abba” or “Daddy.” To make sure a relationship possible, he willingly sacrificed his life, dying on the cross to offer forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with our Father. His resurrection shattered the boundaries of death, proving not only his deity but his power. As he was about to ascend into heaven where he presently sits beside the Father, he gathered his friends together and said,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Here we are! For two thousand years, men and women have been passing the baton of faith, making disciples (followers, students, protégés) of Jesus. This is why we exist: to follow Jesus and help others follow Jesus, experiencing the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
We’re all at different places in our life journey, our spiritual journey. My prayer each Sunday is that I can help you take your next step toward becoming like Jesus. In week one of our series, we talked about the importance of discipleship in the home. In Deuteronomy chapter six, Moses declares…
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. (Deuteronomy 6:4)
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5)
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)
This is everyday discipleship…life with God…a life of love.
In week two, we looked at the treasure we have in God’s Word. We take the Bible for granted in our nation, yet many literally weep and dance and celebrate when they are presented with it in their own language for the first time. Jesus’ commission says,
“…and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:20a)
We need to read the Word, study the Word, know the Word, and obey the Word. This isn’t about guilt or obligation or duty, but rather out of our pursuit of life…abundant life!
Our text for today is a letter from Paul to his protégé Titus, his spiritual son. Paul warns Titus about “rebellious people” who are religious, but not righteous. He says,
They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. (Titus 1:16)
Ouch! Love is not always “nice,” but it always rejoices with the truth. Have you ever met someone who claimed to know God, but acted nothing like Jesus?
Mahatma Gandhi famously said, “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
Perhaps the greatest problem in the world is there are 2.3 billion Christians in the world, many of whom are so unlike Jesus. That goes for me sometimes, too! If we would look more like Jesus than the world, the world would eventually look more like Jesus! How do we get Christians to become like Christ? That’s discipleship.
Paul continues,
You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. (Titus 2:1-2)
In our culture, when we think of “teach,” a classroom often comes to mind. For the past several hundred years, our understanding of information has often come from a lecture, a blackboard (or whiteboard), and a room full of students trying to memorize data.
In New Testament times, the classroom was often a home, a public square, a temple, anywhere! You don’t learn respect and self-control from a textbook. You learn it from a life, a mentor, a model.
I was recently with a friend whose children are approaching the age of dating. He said he will be his daughter’s first date, showing her how a young man should behave. Likewise, his wife will be their son’s first date, giving him an opportunity to role-play how to treat a young lady. What a great idea! Needless to say, both parents have spent years modeling for their children what a loving relationship between a man and a woman looks like.
I can stand here and give speeches week after week, but if my life doesn’t match what I’m saying, I’m a…hypocrite. The original Greek word “hypokrites” means “an actor.” I’m just playing a role if I don’t practice what I preach.
I’ve been shaped by many sermons I’ve heard. I’ve been formed by books I have read. But I’m quite sure the most influential people in my life have not been preachers or authors, but family members and friends.
My parents modeled a vibrant faith. My grandparents, aunts, and uncles followed Jesus and loved God and people before my watching eyes. Mentors showed me what it means to be a leader, a husband, a pastor, a friend.
Discipleship is not a program.
Discipleship is not a class.
Discipleship is life on life!
Practically, what does this look like? Mike Breen, creator of LifeShapes, describes the discipleship square like this:
Organized religion as we think of it today as a distribution of religious goods and services was never God’s design. Jesus came to model a life of love so others could spread the love virus. He didn’t just talk about love…he loved! Returning to Paul’s instructions to Titus:
Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. (Titus 2:3-5)
Teaching. Modeling. Mentoring. Reproducing. Imitating. The home is where this historically has taken place, but today so many children are raised with few good role models. Often the parents or guardians are working, abusive, are simply absent. This is where the local church can step in.
It’s not the job of our children’s and student ministries to disciple our next generation. That’s the job of the parents. We equip parents and guardians to disciple their kids, but obviously that’s not always possible. In the absence of parents and guardians who are following Jesus, our church family can step up and love, serve, invest, mentor, teach, disciple.
This is not only relevant with young people, but adults, too. Many of you have never been discipled, by a parent or friend. There are formal and informal relationships, and we need both. We have a list of small groups, Bible studies, and Sunday School classes available at the bottom of the FAC Focus e-newsletter each week and in the information kiosk in the lobby. We are always looking for new group leaders and apprentice leaders to create more opportunities for people to do life together. Please let me or one of the leaders know if you’re interested. Groups are not the only tool for discipleship, but they are our primary vehicle and we are always exploring new ways to make disciples. We hope to announce soon details of a new Alpha course on Thursday nights at Rustbelt Coffee a few blocks down the street beginning in February.
We are here to equip you, but discipleship is not a program or something you do on Sunday morning or Wednesday night. It’s a 24/7/365 journey of becoming like Jesus.
Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. (Titus 2:6-8)
Titus is on the island of Crete, the mythical birthplace of Zeus. The people there were known for their lies and laziness. In contrast, do you see Jesus in Paul’s instructions? Passing the baton of faith is the essence of discipleship, becoming like Jesus and helping others become like Jesus.
One obvious challenge to discipleship in our culture is the lack of disciple-makers. The number of USAmerican adults simply describing themselves as Christians is down twelve percent in the past decade, according to the latest Pew Research study. The decline in Christianity crosses all demographics, too. Only 65% of USAmerican adults describe themselves as Christian, down from 77% in 2009.
So we need you! We need you to be discipled, to join a group, to pursue Jesus, to even ask someone you respect to mentor you.
We also need you to disciple, to mentor, to invest in others, not as a perfect example, but as a living example.
Discipleship takes place each Wednesday night—except this one due to the holiday—at Celebrate Recovery in our Fellowship Hall at 7 PM for anyone with hurts, habits, and hangups, which is all of us.
We have a wonderfully diverse group that meets Sunday at 9 AM in the same Fellowship Hall across Monroe Street. It’s a great place to connect and begin relationships with people in various places on the spiritual journey.
I am not a perfect example, but I’m a living example. I have had several people in my life who have discipled me. They have mentored me. They have helped me know Jesus. It’s my desire to disciple others, training them and modeling for them what it means to imitate Jesus.
I’ve been very influenced by a book by Mike Breen called Building a Discipling Culture. It has helped me focus on the way of Jesus who chose his disciples, met with them as a group, prepared them for ministry, and then sent them out to do what he did.
So What?
Are you a disciple? Absolutely! We all imitate others, be it our parents, friends, celebrities,…or Jesus. The question is, whose disciple are you?
Are you a disciple-maker? Who is imitating you?
Paul said,
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1)
That’s discipleship. It doesn’t happen overnight. It literally takes a lifetime…one day at a time. Everyday discipleship. Not just Sunday. Not just an hour or two a week. Discipleship is following Jesus 24/7/365.
I want to conclude with two questions:
Who is discipling you? Who are you imitating? Perhaps it would be worth the risk to ask someone to be your mentor, to teach you, to disciple you.
Who are you discipling? If you’re new to the faith, it may seem premature to consider such a question, but each day that you follow Jesus is one day in which you are growing to love and serve him. Many Christians have kept their faith private rather than sharing it with others, investing in younger believers, inviting others into their life. Some of you have so much to offer, especially those of you who are empty-nesters. Jesus said, “Follow me.” Paul said, “Follow my example.” We don’t have to be perfect examples, but we can offer ourselves to the next generation as we follow the example of Jesus.
At the end of the day, it’s all about growing to become like Jesus, to look like Jesus, to act like Jesus, to follow Jesus.
Honoring God’s Word, 10 November 2019
10 11 19
Honoring God’s Word
Series—Links in the Chain (Discipleship)
Nehemiah 8:1-18
Series Big Idea: The Great Commission is all about becoming like Jesus…and helping others become like Christ.
Big Idea: Read—and obey—God’s Word.
When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, (Nehemiah 7:73)
all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel. (Nehemiah 8:1)
So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. (Nehemiah 8:2-3)
What a scene! Can you imagine all the people of a nation gathering together in one place…to listen to the reading of a book?
In our nation’s history, the Gettysburg address was legendary. We’ve been riveted by speeches delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and JFK. The television and phone offer us portals through which to view historic events and receive vital messages.
But the scene in the book of Nehemiah is extraordinary. This is not a ten-minute speech or even an hour-long sermon like today (!). A book is read from daybreak until noon…and all the people listened attentively. What book? The Hebrew Bible.
I must confess I struggle to read a book—any book—for more than an hour. If a podcast goes longer than an hour—and I usually listen to them at double speed—I sometimes begin to tune out. I have found my attention span declining—no doubt due to technology—even in viewing a movie for more than two hours.
All the people listened attentively to the reading of the Bible from daybreak till noon. Wow! I can’t think of any other book which would be so captivating, so life-giving, so riveting. Today we continue our series on discipleship entitled Links in the Chain. The Church is always one generation away from extinction. We have a great inheritance of faith from those who have gone before us, and we must pass it on to future generations.
Let’s continue in the eighth chapter of Nehemiah. To appreciate the story, you must understand the context. Babylon took over the Kingdom of Judah in 586 B.C. The temple was destroyed. The people were exiled.
A generation later, King Cyrus of Persia allows the people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. These people didn’t know the Law of the LORD, much less follow it. You might say their Bible had been lost. Now God’s Word is presented to the people…in their own language! They were eager to learn about God in order to know and obey God.
Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam. (Nehemiah 8:4)
Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. (Nehemiah 8:5-6)
There are many physical descriptions in these verses. Some people see following Jesus as nothing more than a spiritual endeavor, but Jesus said,
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
Did he forget anything?!
God has given us incredible bodies…and they are to used for God’s glory. We are to love God with our bodies, with our strength. That doesn’t simply mean we should all be weight lifters for Jesus! Rather, we treat our bodies as the holy temples of God they are, not worshipping our bodies, but using our bodies in worship.
Note first the physicality of the scene. Ezra is above the people so he can be seen. He’s also elevated to show the book to the people. They stood in reverence to the sacred scriptures, much like we stand as the scripture is being read on Sunday mornings. Standing doesn’t change the Bible, but it changes us. It shows respect. It communicates honor. We can use our bodies to declare something—or someone—is special. We stand for the National Anthem or the Pledge of Allegiance.
As Ezra praised God, the people stood there with their hands in their pockets. No! They lifted their hands. They bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
Your posture matters. Your body matters. The scriptures are filled with worship instructions: sing, stand, shout, clap, kneel, bow…I don’t think it ever says to sit!
The point is these people were excited about God and His word. They didn’t have it in the pockets as we do on our smart phones. They didn’t even have a paper copy in their homes!
The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read. (Nehemiah 8:7-8)
These Levites had studied the Law and helped Ezra interpret and teach it. One of my goals when I preach is to make the Bible clear, to make it meaningful, and to help you understand it…even the difficult parts. Always remember the Bible is our authority, not necessarily the teaching of the Bible. There have always been false teachers who use the Bible for their own gain. It is a sobering thing to teach the Bible and I take the responsibility seriously. You don’t have to be a scholar to study the Bible, but you do have to be a diligent student.
Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. (Nehemiah 8:9)
These people are really excited about the Law! They can’t contain their emotion! They mourned when they realized how they had disobeyed God. They also wept for joy because they heard God’s Word. What an emotional day it must have been.
It kind of reminds of a video I saw about a decade ago of the Kimyal community in West Papua, Indonesia when they received the first copies of the New Testament in their language. Today, about 1.5 billion people don’t have access to the Bible in their first language.
Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)
Many of you have quoted that last phrase, but do you see how context matters? It’s stated in the midst of celebration. The Jews knew how to celebrate. They still do to this day!
The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.” (Nehemiah 8:11)
Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them. (Nehemiah 8:12)
The Word of the LORD had brought about transformation. They heard from God! They were no longer unsure of God’s plans, provisions, and purposes.
On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law. They found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written. (Nehemiah 8:13-15)
So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate and the one by the Gate of Ephraim. The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great. (Nehemiah 8:16-17)
The “links in the chain” had been broken. The baton of faith had been dropped. People had no idea what God desired…until they heard it read. This included not only issues of right and wrong, but also mandated celebrations such as the festival of booths, dating back to Moses. This celebration also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot in Hebrew, was the last of the fall festivals, held at harvest time. It commemorates the forty years God provided for the Jews as they wandered in the wilderness. Sukkot is still remembered today, held this year October 13-20.
Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly. (Nehemiah 8:18)
They read the Law for a week! What have you ever done for a week? When is the last time you had a seven-day celebration for anything?!
So What?
Discipleship is the process of becoming like someone. In our context, that someone is Jesus. How do we know about Jesus? How do we know Jesus? The primary tool we have for knowing God and His will and plan for our lives is the Bible. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not a big book of rules forbidding fun! Nor Is it a book of hate.
Abdu Murray speaks at universities across the country and said one of the top three questions he is asked by young people is, “Isn’t the Bible sexist, homophobic, racist?” In a word, no! It has been manipulated for the self-serving purposes of people who act nothing like Jesus, but the Bible is a book of freedom and liberation. It contains songs, poems, and the most riveting stories ever written. It overflows with timeless wisdom showing us how to experience the most exciting, satisfying, and meaningful life imaginable…both now and beyond the grave. The Bible is no ordinary book! Actually, it’s a collection of 66 life-transforming books.
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
What’s your attitude toward the Bible? Maybe you read it daily…out of obligation or ritual. Perhaps you only experience it on Sunday mornings, choosing social media, television, magazines, and other reading materials to the best-selling book of all time. My point is not to shame you or make you feel guilty, but rather to encourage you and offer some next-steps for your spiritual journey.
Billions of people do not own a Bible. It’s banned in many countries. It’s unavailable in certain languages. In our land, so many sit buried under a pile of dust…and we wonder why despite information overload, we lack wisdom, common sense, decency, or hope.
We are so blessed to not only have the Holy Bible in our own language, it’s available in a multitude of translations and forms. There are even videos of much of the Bible if you prefer to watch it!
…the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:2b)
That’s what we’re all about!
We don’t worship the Bible, but we worship the God of the Bible. The psalmist wrote,
How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey. Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life.
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. (Psalms 119:103-105, NLT)
One more thing…
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Links in the Chain (Discipleship)
Nehemiah 8:1-18
Series Big Idea: The Great Commission is all about becoming like Jesus…and helping others become like Christ.
Big Idea: Read—and obey—God’s Word.
When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, (Nehemiah 7:73)
all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel. (Nehemiah 8:1)
So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. (Nehemiah 8:2-3)
What a scene! Can you imagine all the people of a nation gathering together in one place…to listen to the reading of a book?
In our nation’s history, the Gettysburg address was legendary. We’ve been riveted by speeches delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and JFK. The television and phone offer us portals through which to view historic events and receive vital messages.
But the scene in the book of Nehemiah is extraordinary. This is not a ten-minute speech or even an hour-long sermon like today (!). A book is read from daybreak until noon…and all the people listened attentively. What book? The Hebrew Bible.
I must confess I struggle to read a book—any book—for more than an hour. If a podcast goes longer than an hour—and I usually listen to them at double speed—I sometimes begin to tune out. I have found my attention span declining—no doubt due to technology—even in viewing a movie for more than two hours.
All the people listened attentively to the reading of the Bible from daybreak till noon. Wow! I can’t think of any other book which would be so captivating, so life-giving, so riveting. Today we continue our series on discipleship entitled Links in the Chain. The Church is always one generation away from extinction. We have a great inheritance of faith from those who have gone before us, and we must pass it on to future generations.
Let’s continue in the eighth chapter of Nehemiah. To appreciate the story, you must understand the context. Babylon took over the Kingdom of Judah in 586 B.C. The temple was destroyed. The people were exiled.
A generation later, King Cyrus of Persia allows the people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. These people didn’t know the Law of the LORD, much less follow it. You might say their Bible had been lost. Now God’s Word is presented to the people…in their own language! They were eager to learn about God in order to know and obey God.
Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam. (Nehemiah 8:4)
Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. (Nehemiah 8:5-6)
There are many physical descriptions in these verses. Some people see following Jesus as nothing more than a spiritual endeavor, but Jesus said,
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
Did he forget anything?!
God has given us incredible bodies…and they are to used for God’s glory. We are to love God with our bodies, with our strength. That doesn’t simply mean we should all be weight lifters for Jesus! Rather, we treat our bodies as the holy temples of God they are, not worshipping our bodies, but using our bodies in worship.
Note first the physicality of the scene. Ezra is above the people so he can be seen. He’s also elevated to show the book to the people. They stood in reverence to the sacred scriptures, much like we stand as the scripture is being read on Sunday mornings. Standing doesn’t change the Bible, but it changes us. It shows respect. It communicates honor. We can use our bodies to declare something—or someone—is special. We stand for the National Anthem or the Pledge of Allegiance.
As Ezra praised God, the people stood there with their hands in their pockets. No! They lifted their hands. They bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
Your posture matters. Your body matters. The scriptures are filled with worship instructions: sing, stand, shout, clap, kneel, bow…I don’t think it ever says to sit!
The point is these people were excited about God and His word. They didn’t have it in the pockets as we do on our smart phones. They didn’t even have a paper copy in their homes!
The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read. (Nehemiah 8:7-8)
These Levites had studied the Law and helped Ezra interpret and teach it. One of my goals when I preach is to make the Bible clear, to make it meaningful, and to help you understand it…even the difficult parts. Always remember the Bible is our authority, not necessarily the teaching of the Bible. There have always been false teachers who use the Bible for their own gain. It is a sobering thing to teach the Bible and I take the responsibility seriously. You don’t have to be a scholar to study the Bible, but you do have to be a diligent student.
Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. (Nehemiah 8:9)
These people are really excited about the Law! They can’t contain their emotion! They mourned when they realized how they had disobeyed God. They also wept for joy because they heard God’s Word. What an emotional day it must have been.
It kind of reminds of a video I saw about a decade ago of the Kimyal community in West Papua, Indonesia when they received the first copies of the New Testament in their language. Today, about 1.5 billion people don’t have access to the Bible in their first language.
Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)
Many of you have quoted that last phrase, but do you see how context matters? It’s stated in the midst of celebration. The Jews knew how to celebrate. They still do to this day!
The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.” (Nehemiah 8:11)
Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them. (Nehemiah 8:12)
The Word of the LORD had brought about transformation. They heard from God! They were no longer unsure of God’s plans, provisions, and purposes.
On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law. They found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written. (Nehemiah 8:13-15)
So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate and the one by the Gate of Ephraim. The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great. (Nehemiah 8:16-17)
The “links in the chain” had been broken. The baton of faith had been dropped. People had no idea what God desired…until they heard it read. This included not only issues of right and wrong, but also mandated celebrations such as the festival of booths, dating back to Moses. This celebration also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot in Hebrew, was the last of the fall festivals, held at harvest time. It commemorates the forty years God provided for the Jews as they wandered in the wilderness. Sukkot is still remembered today, held this year October 13-20.
Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly. (Nehemiah 8:18)
They read the Law for a week! What have you ever done for a week? When is the last time you had a seven-day celebration for anything?!
So What?
Discipleship is the process of becoming like someone. In our context, that someone is Jesus. How do we know about Jesus? How do we know Jesus? The primary tool we have for knowing God and His will and plan for our lives is the Bible. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not a big book of rules forbidding fun! Nor Is it a book of hate.
Abdu Murray speaks at universities across the country and said one of the top three questions he is asked by young people is, “Isn’t the Bible sexist, homophobic, racist?” In a word, no! It has been manipulated for the self-serving purposes of people who act nothing like Jesus, but the Bible is a book of freedom and liberation. It contains songs, poems, and the most riveting stories ever written. It overflows with timeless wisdom showing us how to experience the most exciting, satisfying, and meaningful life imaginable…both now and beyond the grave. The Bible is no ordinary book! Actually, it’s a collection of 66 life-transforming books.
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
What’s your attitude toward the Bible? Maybe you read it daily…out of obligation or ritual. Perhaps you only experience it on Sunday mornings, choosing social media, television, magazines, and other reading materials to the best-selling book of all time. My point is not to shame you or make you feel guilty, but rather to encourage you and offer some next-steps for your spiritual journey.
- 1. Download the free YouVersion app.
- 2. Find a Bible you can understand. My favorite for daily reading is the New Living Translation.
- 3. Better yet, invest in a study Bible. Some of my favorites are The NIV Study Bible and The Life Application Study Bible.
- 4. Read it…or listen to it. Audio Bibles are great, too. Some people read while listening, stimulating two different senses simultaneously.
- 5. Memorize it.
- 6. Engage it with others (small groups, Bible studies, Sunday School).
- 7. Mission119.org
- 8. A daily devotional (YouVersion)
- 9. A daily reading plan (YouVersion)
- 10. Meditate on the Word. Quality and quantity. Don’t rush. Focus on a daily message/verse.
Billions of people do not own a Bible. It’s banned in many countries. It’s unavailable in certain languages. In our land, so many sit buried under a pile of dust…and we wonder why despite information overload, we lack wisdom, common sense, decency, or hope.
We are so blessed to not only have the Holy Bible in our own language, it’s available in a multitude of translations and forms. There are even videos of much of the Bible if you prefer to watch it!
…the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:2b)
That’s what we’re all about!
We don’t worship the Bible, but we worship the God of the Bible. The psalmist wrote,
How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey. Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life.
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. (Psalms 119:103-105, NLT)
One more thing…
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22)
Everyday Discipleship, 3 November 2019
03 11 19
Everyday Discipleship
Series—Links in the Chain (Discipleship)
Deuteronomy 6:1-9; Luke 9:23
Series Big Idea: The Great Commission is all about becoming like Jesus…and helping others become like Christ.
Big Idea: Discipleship begins in the home…but doesn’t stay there.
Kingdom over everything.
Living in light of eternity.
What do you do every day?
Wake up.
Get dressed.
Eat.
Brush your teeth.
Floss?
Go online.
Breathe!
Pray?
Today we begin a new series, Links in the Chain. Our topic is discipleship. Discipleship is one of those words commonly found in the church, yet rarely used in our culture. What is discipleship? How do I become a disciple? How do I make disciples? We’re going to answer these and other questions throughout this series.
PRAY
As Jesus was preparing to ascend into heaven, he gathered his friends together and said,
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
This is one of the most famous passages in the entire Bible. It’s often called the Great Commission. Jesus gave marching orders to his followers, and they remain relevant and mandatory for us, too.
Make disciples. What’s a disciple? How do we make one?
A disciple is simply a student, a protégé. Jesus is saying become like him. A student often becomes like their teacher. That’s usually the goal.
We’ve come a long way since Jesus called the Twelve to follow him, and that’s not necessarily a good thing! The culture two thousand years ago in the Middle East was certainly different than it is today here in Toledo.
Discipleship was a common practice among the Jews. A young man would pursue a rabbi and essentially watch and follow their every move for several years, shadowing him in hopes of becoming like him. Listen to this description from John Daugherty:
In the days of Jesus, all young boys were taught the Torah and the Prophets beginning at age 5; meaning that at age 5, they began to memorize the Torah and the Prophets! Every day they would rehearse the Scriptures until it came to them by rote. At the age of 12, after 7 years of memorizing the Bible, boys were apprenticed to craftsmen. Some became carpenters, some stone masons and others farmers; but those that were exceptional in their studies of the Scripture were apprenticed to a Sage. His trade was to become a Rabbi. He would leave his home and move in with the Sage. He studied everything about him! Not just his thoughts on the Scripture, but He studied the Sage’s marriage, his business affairs, the way he judged certain cases—everything! It’s the belief of the Sage that the Torah affects every aspect of life, so the disciple is learning to imitate his Master’s disciplined life in order to mimic it in every regard! This is Biblical discipleship.
To a disciple, his Master is more than just a teacher. In fact, a disciple’s Master was regarded more highly than his own father. This is because an earthly father brought you into this world in which we live, but the Sage was able to usher you into the World-to-Come, or Paradise. The Sage became the new Father of the disciple, hence we find in the rabbinic writings references to the “House of Hillel”, or the “House of Shammai”. The Sage was seen as Father, and his a disciples were his well-trained sons. It’s not that the disciple’s family was abandoned, but his family loyalties took second place to his Master. This sentiment is echoed in the words of our Master, Jesus:
“If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yea even his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” (Lk. 14:26)
The language of “hate” employed in this verse is not hatred like we generally think of it. Jesus is using a Hebraic idiom that demonstrates comparative language. In other words, the love for the Master must be so great, that all familial love (usually our strongest love) must look like hatred in comparison. Each and every one of us is called to this radical practice of discipleship! We can’t be disciples of Jesus because our family has a strong Christian tradition. And we can’t be disciples of Jesus because of cultural pressures. We can only be a disciple of Jesus if we’re willing to abandon all other affections to second place, setting Jesus the Messiah squarely in the preeminent role of our lives!
Wow! Jesus’ Great Commission to go and make disciples is a far cry from what one person has called “The functional Great Commission”
“Go into all the world and make more worship attenders, baptizing them in the name of small groups and teaching them to volunteer a few hours a month.”
Doing church stuff is not the same as following Jesus. Yes, I’m thrilled you’re here on Sunday morning. Yes, small groups are a primary tool of discipleship and community, doing life together. Yes, we need volunteers to accomplish our mission of restoring God’s masterpieces.
But discipleship should never be relegated to a class or program. It’s not ultimately about acquiring information, but about experiencing transformation. Discipleship is becoming like Jesus, imitating Jesus…and helping others become like Jesus.
D6
Some of you know we have been using a curriculum for our student ministries and some of our small groups called D6. I have often used the scriptures in my sermons to synchronize the content across all ages so children, youth, and adults have a common topic to discuss on Sunday afternoon and throughout the week. The name “D6” comes from the book of Deuteronomy, the fifth and final book of the Pentateuch, a collection of books written by Moses. Deuteronomy chapter six begins…
These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, promised you. (Deuteronomy 6:1-3)
Moses is speaking to the people of Israel before they entered the Promised Land. These are critical instructions for God’s people. He wants everyone to know them—men, women, and children. God wants them to obey, and in order to obey, you must know the instructions. Discipleship is both learning and teaching. It’s more than a Bible study; it’s a way of life. What follows is arguably the most important passage in the Old Testament, the Jewish Bible. It is known as the Shema, which means “hear” or “listen.” It’s a Jewish prayer said in the morning and evening:
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. (Deuteronomy 6:4)
Throughout history, civilizations have worshipped multiple gods, also known as polytheism. Israel’s neighbors worshipped the sun god, the moon god, the god of fertility, and countless others. God wanted the Jews to know there is only one God, the LORD. He exists in three Person—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This reality called the Trinity can be confusing—one God in three Persons—but they are one, “echad” in the original Hebrew.”
The rest of the prayer—including a passage quoted by Jesus in Mark 12:28-30—says,
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5)
Moses continues,
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)
Today if you go to Israel, you will see multiple expressions of these commands. Homes and even hotel rooms have small scrolls—called a mezuzah—in the doorframes with these instructions.
Some Jewish men wear scriptures in little leather boxes called phylacteries on their left arms close to their heart and on their heads, close to their minds.
The point is God’s commandments must never be forgotten. The faith is always one generation from extinction, and each parent and grandparent and great grandparent who follows God must pass along their faith, in word and deed, teaching and example. This is discipleship. Moses, who wrote these words in Deuteronomy, would transmit his faith and leadership to Joshua to passed it onto the elders to passed it to the prophets and so on.
The sages and rabbis of Israel had disciples they taught and mentored. One of the most famous, Hillel, was said to have had 70 disciples. Rabbi Yeshua HaNatzerim (Jesus of Nazareth) had twelve main disciples and many more who followed him to hear his teachings. He said,
The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. (Luke 6:40)
Discipleship is the art of imitation. It often occurs within a biological family, but practically occurs when any person follows Jesus and helps others follow Jesus.
Discipleship is about following Jesus, but it’s also about helping others follow Jesus. My favorite discipleship verse is spoken by Paul to his protégé Timothy:
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)
How many generations are in this verse? Four: Paul, Timothy, reliable people, others. Who disciples you? Who are you discipling?
I must confess I usually stop at verse two, but the next verse sounds a lot like Jesus.
Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:3)
Join me in suffering? What kind of invitation is that? It’s the path of Jesus. That’s what it means to deny yourself, to pick up your cross, to be a disciple.
One of the core verses of the Christian & Missionary Alliance is another message from Jesus to his friends:
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
The word “witnesses” in Greek means martyr.
If you want to be a disciple, you must count the cost. Jesus doesn’t want fans. He’s not looking for likes. He’s seeking disciples who will call him LORD. Jesus said,
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)
Jesus offers two challenges to disciples. First, they need to deny themselves, take up their cross, be willing to surrender everything, and follow Jesus. That’s a huge commitment. That’s discipline. That means Jesus is not just Savior but LORD. King. Master. He’s the boss! Second, this is something we must do daily. The original Greek word means…daily, a 24-hour period. Discipleship is not a Sunday thing but a way of life. Everyday discipleship. There’s no other kind.
Following Jesus for many is something they did years ago. Maybe they are disciples on Sunday mornings or whenever they feel like it. But that’s not discipleship. Disciples follow Jesus every day. They deny themselves and set aside their preferences and pleasures daily.
Die daily. That won’t sell many books or attract many crowds, but that’s what Jesus said. That’s what Jesus requires. That’s everyday discipleship.
I am not a perfect example, but I’m a living example. I have had several people in my life who have discipled me. They have mentored me. They have helped me know Jesus. It’s my desire to disciple others, training them and modeling for them what it means to imitate Jesus.
I’ve been very influenced by a book by Mike Breen called Building a Discipling Culture. It has helped me focus on the way of Jesus who chose his disciples, met with them as a group, prepared them for ministry, and then sent them out to do what he did.
So What?
Are you a disciple? Absolutely! We all imitate others, be it our parents, friends, celebrities,…or Jesus. The question is, whose disciple are you?
Are you a disciple-maker? Who is imitating you?
Paul said,
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1)
That’s discipleship.
Throughout this month, we’re going to talk about Links in the Chain, tools for discipleship. I want to equip you to equip others to become like Jesus. It doesn’t happen overnight. It literally takes a lifetime…one day at a time. Everyday discipleship. Not just Sunday. Not just an hour or two a week. Discipleship is following Jesus 24/7/365.
I want to conclude with two questions:
Who is discipling you? Who are you imitating? Perhaps it would be worth the risk to ask someone to be your mentor, to teach you, to disciple you.
Who are you discipling? If you’re new to the faith, it may seem premature to consider such a question, but each day that you follow Jesus is one day in which you are growing to love and serve him. Many Christians have kept their faith private rather than sharing it with others, investing in younger believers, inviting others into their life. Some of you have so much to offer, especially those of you who are empty-nesters. Jesus said, “Follow me.” Paul said, “Follow my example.” We don’t have to be perfect examples, but we can offer ourselves to the next generation as we follow the example of Jesus.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Links in the Chain (Discipleship)
Deuteronomy 6:1-9; Luke 9:23
Series Big Idea: The Great Commission is all about becoming like Jesus…and helping others become like Christ.
Big Idea: Discipleship begins in the home…but doesn’t stay there.
Kingdom over everything.
Living in light of eternity.
What do you do every day?
Wake up.
Get dressed.
Eat.
Brush your teeth.
Floss?
Go online.
Breathe!
Pray?
Today we begin a new series, Links in the Chain. Our topic is discipleship. Discipleship is one of those words commonly found in the church, yet rarely used in our culture. What is discipleship? How do I become a disciple? How do I make disciples? We’re going to answer these and other questions throughout this series.
PRAY
As Jesus was preparing to ascend into heaven, he gathered his friends together and said,
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
This is one of the most famous passages in the entire Bible. It’s often called the Great Commission. Jesus gave marching orders to his followers, and they remain relevant and mandatory for us, too.
Make disciples. What’s a disciple? How do we make one?
A disciple is simply a student, a protégé. Jesus is saying become like him. A student often becomes like their teacher. That’s usually the goal.
We’ve come a long way since Jesus called the Twelve to follow him, and that’s not necessarily a good thing! The culture two thousand years ago in the Middle East was certainly different than it is today here in Toledo.
Discipleship was a common practice among the Jews. A young man would pursue a rabbi and essentially watch and follow their every move for several years, shadowing him in hopes of becoming like him. Listen to this description from John Daugherty:
In the days of Jesus, all young boys were taught the Torah and the Prophets beginning at age 5; meaning that at age 5, they began to memorize the Torah and the Prophets! Every day they would rehearse the Scriptures until it came to them by rote. At the age of 12, after 7 years of memorizing the Bible, boys were apprenticed to craftsmen. Some became carpenters, some stone masons and others farmers; but those that were exceptional in their studies of the Scripture were apprenticed to a Sage. His trade was to become a Rabbi. He would leave his home and move in with the Sage. He studied everything about him! Not just his thoughts on the Scripture, but He studied the Sage’s marriage, his business affairs, the way he judged certain cases—everything! It’s the belief of the Sage that the Torah affects every aspect of life, so the disciple is learning to imitate his Master’s disciplined life in order to mimic it in every regard! This is Biblical discipleship.
To a disciple, his Master is more than just a teacher. In fact, a disciple’s Master was regarded more highly than his own father. This is because an earthly father brought you into this world in which we live, but the Sage was able to usher you into the World-to-Come, or Paradise. The Sage became the new Father of the disciple, hence we find in the rabbinic writings references to the “House of Hillel”, or the “House of Shammai”. The Sage was seen as Father, and his a disciples were his well-trained sons. It’s not that the disciple’s family was abandoned, but his family loyalties took second place to his Master. This sentiment is echoed in the words of our Master, Jesus:
“If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yea even his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” (Lk. 14:26)
The language of “hate” employed in this verse is not hatred like we generally think of it. Jesus is using a Hebraic idiom that demonstrates comparative language. In other words, the love for the Master must be so great, that all familial love (usually our strongest love) must look like hatred in comparison. Each and every one of us is called to this radical practice of discipleship! We can’t be disciples of Jesus because our family has a strong Christian tradition. And we can’t be disciples of Jesus because of cultural pressures. We can only be a disciple of Jesus if we’re willing to abandon all other affections to second place, setting Jesus the Messiah squarely in the preeminent role of our lives!
Wow! Jesus’ Great Commission to go and make disciples is a far cry from what one person has called “The functional Great Commission”
“Go into all the world and make more worship attenders, baptizing them in the name of small groups and teaching them to volunteer a few hours a month.”
Doing church stuff is not the same as following Jesus. Yes, I’m thrilled you’re here on Sunday morning. Yes, small groups are a primary tool of discipleship and community, doing life together. Yes, we need volunteers to accomplish our mission of restoring God’s masterpieces.
But discipleship should never be relegated to a class or program. It’s not ultimately about acquiring information, but about experiencing transformation. Discipleship is becoming like Jesus, imitating Jesus…and helping others become like Jesus.
D6
Some of you know we have been using a curriculum for our student ministries and some of our small groups called D6. I have often used the scriptures in my sermons to synchronize the content across all ages so children, youth, and adults have a common topic to discuss on Sunday afternoon and throughout the week. The name “D6” comes from the book of Deuteronomy, the fifth and final book of the Pentateuch, a collection of books written by Moses. Deuteronomy chapter six begins…
These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, promised you. (Deuteronomy 6:1-3)
Moses is speaking to the people of Israel before they entered the Promised Land. These are critical instructions for God’s people. He wants everyone to know them—men, women, and children. God wants them to obey, and in order to obey, you must know the instructions. Discipleship is both learning and teaching. It’s more than a Bible study; it’s a way of life. What follows is arguably the most important passage in the Old Testament, the Jewish Bible. It is known as the Shema, which means “hear” or “listen.” It’s a Jewish prayer said in the morning and evening:
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. (Deuteronomy 6:4)
Throughout history, civilizations have worshipped multiple gods, also known as polytheism. Israel’s neighbors worshipped the sun god, the moon god, the god of fertility, and countless others. God wanted the Jews to know there is only one God, the LORD. He exists in three Person—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This reality called the Trinity can be confusing—one God in three Persons—but they are one, “echad” in the original Hebrew.”
The rest of the prayer—including a passage quoted by Jesus in Mark 12:28-30—says,
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5)
Moses continues,
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)
Today if you go to Israel, you will see multiple expressions of these commands. Homes and even hotel rooms have small scrolls—called a mezuzah—in the doorframes with these instructions.
Some Jewish men wear scriptures in little leather boxes called phylacteries on their left arms close to their heart and on their heads, close to their minds.
The point is God’s commandments must never be forgotten. The faith is always one generation from extinction, and each parent and grandparent and great grandparent who follows God must pass along their faith, in word and deed, teaching and example. This is discipleship. Moses, who wrote these words in Deuteronomy, would transmit his faith and leadership to Joshua to passed it onto the elders to passed it to the prophets and so on.
The sages and rabbis of Israel had disciples they taught and mentored. One of the most famous, Hillel, was said to have had 70 disciples. Rabbi Yeshua HaNatzerim (Jesus of Nazareth) had twelve main disciples and many more who followed him to hear his teachings. He said,
The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. (Luke 6:40)
Discipleship is the art of imitation. It often occurs within a biological family, but practically occurs when any person follows Jesus and helps others follow Jesus.
Discipleship is about following Jesus, but it’s also about helping others follow Jesus. My favorite discipleship verse is spoken by Paul to his protégé Timothy:
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)
How many generations are in this verse? Four: Paul, Timothy, reliable people, others. Who disciples you? Who are you discipling?
I must confess I usually stop at verse two, but the next verse sounds a lot like Jesus.
Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:3)
Join me in suffering? What kind of invitation is that? It’s the path of Jesus. That’s what it means to deny yourself, to pick up your cross, to be a disciple.
One of the core verses of the Christian & Missionary Alliance is another message from Jesus to his friends:
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
The word “witnesses” in Greek means martyr.
If you want to be a disciple, you must count the cost. Jesus doesn’t want fans. He’s not looking for likes. He’s seeking disciples who will call him LORD. Jesus said,
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)
Jesus offers two challenges to disciples. First, they need to deny themselves, take up their cross, be willing to surrender everything, and follow Jesus. That’s a huge commitment. That’s discipline. That means Jesus is not just Savior but LORD. King. Master. He’s the boss! Second, this is something we must do daily. The original Greek word means…daily, a 24-hour period. Discipleship is not a Sunday thing but a way of life. Everyday discipleship. There’s no other kind.
Following Jesus for many is something they did years ago. Maybe they are disciples on Sunday mornings or whenever they feel like it. But that’s not discipleship. Disciples follow Jesus every day. They deny themselves and set aside their preferences and pleasures daily.
Die daily. That won’t sell many books or attract many crowds, but that’s what Jesus said. That’s what Jesus requires. That’s everyday discipleship.
I am not a perfect example, but I’m a living example. I have had several people in my life who have discipled me. They have mentored me. They have helped me know Jesus. It’s my desire to disciple others, training them and modeling for them what it means to imitate Jesus.
I’ve been very influenced by a book by Mike Breen called Building a Discipling Culture. It has helped me focus on the way of Jesus who chose his disciples, met with them as a group, prepared them for ministry, and then sent them out to do what he did.
So What?
Are you a disciple? Absolutely! We all imitate others, be it our parents, friends, celebrities,…or Jesus. The question is, whose disciple are you?
Are you a disciple-maker? Who is imitating you?
Paul said,
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1)
That’s discipleship.
Throughout this month, we’re going to talk about Links in the Chain, tools for discipleship. I want to equip you to equip others to become like Jesus. It doesn’t happen overnight. It literally takes a lifetime…one day at a time. Everyday discipleship. Not just Sunday. Not just an hour or two a week. Discipleship is following Jesus 24/7/365.
I want to conclude with two questions:
Who is discipling you? Who are you imitating? Perhaps it would be worth the risk to ask someone to be your mentor, to teach you, to disciple you.
Who are you discipling? If you’re new to the faith, it may seem premature to consider such a question, but each day that you follow Jesus is one day in which you are growing to love and serve him. Many Christians have kept their faith private rather than sharing it with others, investing in younger believers, inviting others into their life. Some of you have so much to offer, especially those of you who are empty-nesters. Jesus said, “Follow me.” Paul said, “Follow my example.” We don’t have to be perfect examples, but we can offer ourselves to the next generation as we follow the example of Jesus.
God Shows Compassion, 27 October 2019
27 10 19
God Shows Compassion
Series—Jonah
Jonah 4:1-11
Series Big Idea: The prophet Jonah reveals God’s grace for all nations.
Big Idea: God showed compassion to the Ninevites…and Jonah…and He shows it to us, too.
Do you like the LORD’s prayer? It would seem sacrilegious to say no. Jesus said,
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’ (Matthew 6:9-13)
Many of us have prayed the Lord’s Prayer countless times, either out of tradition and ritual or in seeking to earnestly pursue God and His participation in our lives.
But since all relationships require participation from both parties, I want to draw your attention to verse twelve.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. (Matthew 6:12)
Do you see it? There’s an assumption, a condition. Jesus tells us to seek forgiveness as we forgive others. Do we deserve forgiveness any more than another?
Before we finish the book of Jonah today, I want to give a quick summary of the first three chapters. The book of Jonah begins…
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” (Jonah 1:1-2)
Jonah disobeys God and hops aboard a boat going the opposite direction from Nineveh. He hates these people. God causes a terrible storm which results in Jonah confessing his disobedience and being thrown overboard.
God causes a huge fish to swallow Jonah, sparing his life. Jonah prays during his three-day stay in the fish’s belly before God commands the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry land (you can’t make this stuff up!). Jonah learns his lesson, he goes to Nineveh, the people repent—turn from their evil ways—and
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. (Jonah 3:10)
What great news…right?
God relented.
God forgave.
God showed mercy.
God offers compassion.
God loves.
That’s our God!
I’m going to say something very radical, maybe controversial, and certainly outrageous…
Lost people matter to God. He wants them found. He really does. He loved the evil Ninevites. He loves sex traffickers and drug dealers, atheists and even politicians! He doesn’t just love Christians! God doesn’t just love church people! He loves sinners…which includes you and me and the other 7+ billion people on the planet. And catch this: He doesn’t love us because we’re good…which is good…because we’re not good!
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Our culture is so binary, forcing people into categories: Republican or Democrat, Christian or non-Christian, embrace and endorse and celebrate LGBTQ+ or hate them, black or white, rich or poor. We’ve got to get beyond labels. We’ve got to go beyond friend or enemy. That’s the way the world operates. God says we’re all sinners, we all need forgiveness, we all have an opportunity to receive mercy and grace, and we all choose now how we’ll live eternity—with God or without God. We all choose now who we will worship—God or our desires.
I love the late Dallas Willard who said, “The sinner is not the one who uses a lot of grace... The saint burns grace like a 747 burns fuel on take off.”
Just because I made a decision more than forty years ago to trust Jesus as my LORD and Savior doesn’t mean I don’t need God grace or love…or that I deserve it more than anyone else. This might be the big idea of the entire book of Jonah.
God shows grace to Jonah by giving him a chance to preach to Nineveh.
God shows grace to Jonah by sparing his life through a fish.
God shows grace to Jonah by giving him a second chance to preach to Nineveh.
God shows grace to Jonah by giving him a front-row seat to witness revival.
But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. (Jonah 4:1)
Jonah hates the Ninevites. They were enemies of Israel. He wants God to destroy them. He wants them gone! Instead, God forgives them. He shows mercy. He is compassionate. That’s who God is, and He loves the whole world. Period.
Does that mean everyone will spend eternity with God. No. Many choose hell, eternity apart from God. But my Bible says
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
The world. Whoever. Anyone who believes…trusts…surrenders will have eternal life. Anyone who surrenders to Jesus Christ and receives the love and grace and mercy and forgiveness provided by the cross and the empty tomb will spend eternity with God, which, by definition, is what we call heaven…it is where God is present.
God was willing to spare Nineveh, but to do so He could not spare His own Son.
Jonah actually knew God is forgiving, gracious, compassionate, and love.
In chapter one, he was like the Prodigal Son, rebelling against God. Now he’s like the elder brother, angry that God would extend forgiveness and love to others.
In chapter one he asked God to spare his life.
In chapter four he asks God to take his life.
He prayed to the LORD, “Isn’t this what I said, LORD, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” (Jonah 4:2-3)
Are you kidding me?! Jonah should’ve died when he was thrown overboard. He deserved to die for his disobedience, but God still uses him to deliver a message of repentance which is successful. Jonah think God only loves his people, his kind…or that he should.
But the LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?” (Jonah 4:4)
God is compassionate. Jonah is angry.
God spares Jonah’s life. Jonah wants to die.
The story continues with one of the most interesting accounts in the entire Bible.
Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. Then the LORD God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. (Jonah 4:5-6)
He wants to see God change His mind and destroy the city. He’s hoping he misunderstood God and that his people, the Israelites, would celebrate the destruction of their enemies. And then Jonah is excited about a plant. A plant! No, it was weed for him to smoke or even food for him to eat, but shade. It says the plant made Jonah very happy! Have you ever had a plant make you very happy because of its shade?
Here’s another sign of God’s grace, His unmerited favor toward Jonah.
But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.” (Jonah 4:7-8)
God provided the plant.
God provided the worm.
Now Jonah is suicidal again…because of a worm!
This guy is a hot mess, proving yet again that God can use anybody.
He can use a murderer and stutterer like Moses to speak to Pharaoh, leading the Israelites for forty years.
He can use a loose-lipped, compulsive person like Peter who denied Jesus three times to build His Church.
He can use a suicidal, prejudiced patriot like Jonah to lead a great city to repentance.
He can use you and me whenever and however He chooses…if we make ourselves available…if we say yes…if we surrender.
But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.” (Jonah 4:9)
What audacity!
But the LORD said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?” (Jonah 4:10-11)
And the book ends there—somewhat abruptly—with a question. Jonah’s angry and wants to die. God is compassionate and forgiving and the great city of Nineveh becomes a repentant, God-fearing city. And don’t forget the animals!
So What?
Warren Wiersbe writes, “When reputation is more important than character, and pleasing ourselves and our friends is more important than pleasing God, then we’re in danger of becoming like Jonah and living to defend our prejudices instead of fulfilling our spiritual responsibilities. Jonah certainly had good theology, but it stayed in his head and never got to his heart, and he was so distraught that he wanted to die!”
Ouch!
What makes you happy?
What makes you angry?
What makes you want to give up?
Jesus’ half-brother, James, said that Jonah was “a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8, NKJV). What about you?
If we return to Jesus’ words following his prayer instruction, he adds…
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:14-15)
I know it’s hard to love…especially people who are different.
I know it’s hard to forgive…especially people who don’t deserve it (which is everyone!).
But this is the test of our faith, of our devotion to Jesus, of our obedience.
Agreeing with a statement of faith does not make you a Christian.
Going to church does not make you a Christian.
The only thing that makes you a Christian is repenting of your sins and following Jesus. Acting like Jesus. Loving like Jesus. Forgiving like Jesus.
Jason Horton: https://levithepoet.bandcamp.com/track/keep-forgiving
Keep forgiving. It doesn’t mean you forget. It doesn’t mean you necessarily trust. But forgiving frees you from bitterness and anger.
Lost people matter to God. He wants them found. He wants them forgiven.
Do lost people matter to you? Do you have compassion for those far from God? Do you have a passion for the broken masterpieces in Toledo that need to be restored? Do you rejoice when sinners repent and trust Jesus?
Tragically, Christians are often known more for what we’re against instead of what we’re for…which should be God…and people. All people.
We’re beginning a series next week on discipleship…becoming like Jesus. It’s easy to get sucked into the binary arguments of our day, seeing everyone as a friend or enemy, us versus them. Jesus looks at all of us as broken, sinful, selfish, messed-up people…and he proved is love for us by giving his very life, dying in our place, taking our sin upon himself, crucified on a cross so we could experience forgiveness, reconciliation with our Heavenly Father, peace, faith, hope, joy, and love. How can you resist that?
Many have, not because of Jesus, but because of those of us who claim to follow him.
Don’t be a Jonah. Be like Jesus (who himself taught about Jonah in Matthew 12 and Luke 11). Forgive. Show compassion.
We may have impeccable doctrine, perfect Sunday School attendance, and give generously to the church, but if we don’t have compassion and forgiveness, we don’t share in the life or character of God.
"God judges, the Holy Spirit convicts, we are to love." -Billy Graham
Credits: some ideas from Warren Wiersbe.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Jonah
Jonah 4:1-11
Series Big Idea: The prophet Jonah reveals God’s grace for all nations.
Big Idea: God showed compassion to the Ninevites…and Jonah…and He shows it to us, too.
Do you like the LORD’s prayer? It would seem sacrilegious to say no. Jesus said,
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’ (Matthew 6:9-13)
Many of us have prayed the Lord’s Prayer countless times, either out of tradition and ritual or in seeking to earnestly pursue God and His participation in our lives.
But since all relationships require participation from both parties, I want to draw your attention to verse twelve.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. (Matthew 6:12)
Do you see it? There’s an assumption, a condition. Jesus tells us to seek forgiveness as we forgive others. Do we deserve forgiveness any more than another?
Before we finish the book of Jonah today, I want to give a quick summary of the first three chapters. The book of Jonah begins…
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” (Jonah 1:1-2)
Jonah disobeys God and hops aboard a boat going the opposite direction from Nineveh. He hates these people. God causes a terrible storm which results in Jonah confessing his disobedience and being thrown overboard.
God causes a huge fish to swallow Jonah, sparing his life. Jonah prays during his three-day stay in the fish’s belly before God commands the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry land (you can’t make this stuff up!). Jonah learns his lesson, he goes to Nineveh, the people repent—turn from their evil ways—and
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. (Jonah 3:10)
What great news…right?
God relented.
God forgave.
God showed mercy.
God offers compassion.
God loves.
That’s our God!
I’m going to say something very radical, maybe controversial, and certainly outrageous…
Lost people matter to God. He wants them found. He really does. He loved the evil Ninevites. He loves sex traffickers and drug dealers, atheists and even politicians! He doesn’t just love Christians! God doesn’t just love church people! He loves sinners…which includes you and me and the other 7+ billion people on the planet. And catch this: He doesn’t love us because we’re good…which is good…because we’re not good!
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Our culture is so binary, forcing people into categories: Republican or Democrat, Christian or non-Christian, embrace and endorse and celebrate LGBTQ+ or hate them, black or white, rich or poor. We’ve got to get beyond labels. We’ve got to go beyond friend or enemy. That’s the way the world operates. God says we’re all sinners, we all need forgiveness, we all have an opportunity to receive mercy and grace, and we all choose now how we’ll live eternity—with God or without God. We all choose now who we will worship—God or our desires.
I love the late Dallas Willard who said, “The sinner is not the one who uses a lot of grace... The saint burns grace like a 747 burns fuel on take off.”
Just because I made a decision more than forty years ago to trust Jesus as my LORD and Savior doesn’t mean I don’t need God grace or love…or that I deserve it more than anyone else. This might be the big idea of the entire book of Jonah.
God shows grace to Jonah by giving him a chance to preach to Nineveh.
God shows grace to Jonah by sparing his life through a fish.
God shows grace to Jonah by giving him a second chance to preach to Nineveh.
God shows grace to Jonah by giving him a front-row seat to witness revival.
But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. (Jonah 4:1)
Jonah hates the Ninevites. They were enemies of Israel. He wants God to destroy them. He wants them gone! Instead, God forgives them. He shows mercy. He is compassionate. That’s who God is, and He loves the whole world. Period.
Does that mean everyone will spend eternity with God. No. Many choose hell, eternity apart from God. But my Bible says
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
The world. Whoever. Anyone who believes…trusts…surrenders will have eternal life. Anyone who surrenders to Jesus Christ and receives the love and grace and mercy and forgiveness provided by the cross and the empty tomb will spend eternity with God, which, by definition, is what we call heaven…it is where God is present.
God was willing to spare Nineveh, but to do so He could not spare His own Son.
Jonah actually knew God is forgiving, gracious, compassionate, and love.
In chapter one, he was like the Prodigal Son, rebelling against God. Now he’s like the elder brother, angry that God would extend forgiveness and love to others.
In chapter one he asked God to spare his life.
In chapter four he asks God to take his life.
He prayed to the LORD, “Isn’t this what I said, LORD, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” (Jonah 4:2-3)
Are you kidding me?! Jonah should’ve died when he was thrown overboard. He deserved to die for his disobedience, but God still uses him to deliver a message of repentance which is successful. Jonah think God only loves his people, his kind…or that he should.
But the LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?” (Jonah 4:4)
God is compassionate. Jonah is angry.
God spares Jonah’s life. Jonah wants to die.
The story continues with one of the most interesting accounts in the entire Bible.
Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. Then the LORD God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. (Jonah 4:5-6)
He wants to see God change His mind and destroy the city. He’s hoping he misunderstood God and that his people, the Israelites, would celebrate the destruction of their enemies. And then Jonah is excited about a plant. A plant! No, it was weed for him to smoke or even food for him to eat, but shade. It says the plant made Jonah very happy! Have you ever had a plant make you very happy because of its shade?
Here’s another sign of God’s grace, His unmerited favor toward Jonah.
But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.” (Jonah 4:7-8)
God provided the plant.
God provided the worm.
Now Jonah is suicidal again…because of a worm!
This guy is a hot mess, proving yet again that God can use anybody.
He can use a murderer and stutterer like Moses to speak to Pharaoh, leading the Israelites for forty years.
He can use a loose-lipped, compulsive person like Peter who denied Jesus three times to build His Church.
He can use a suicidal, prejudiced patriot like Jonah to lead a great city to repentance.
He can use you and me whenever and however He chooses…if we make ourselves available…if we say yes…if we surrender.
But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.” (Jonah 4:9)
What audacity!
But the LORD said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?” (Jonah 4:10-11)
And the book ends there—somewhat abruptly—with a question. Jonah’s angry and wants to die. God is compassionate and forgiving and the great city of Nineveh becomes a repentant, God-fearing city. And don’t forget the animals!
So What?
Warren Wiersbe writes, “When reputation is more important than character, and pleasing ourselves and our friends is more important than pleasing God, then we’re in danger of becoming like Jonah and living to defend our prejudices instead of fulfilling our spiritual responsibilities. Jonah certainly had good theology, but it stayed in his head and never got to his heart, and he was so distraught that he wanted to die!”
Ouch!
What makes you happy?
What makes you angry?
What makes you want to give up?
Jesus’ half-brother, James, said that Jonah was “a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8, NKJV). What about you?
If we return to Jesus’ words following his prayer instruction, he adds…
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:14-15)
I know it’s hard to love…especially people who are different.
I know it’s hard to forgive…especially people who don’t deserve it (which is everyone!).
But this is the test of our faith, of our devotion to Jesus, of our obedience.
Agreeing with a statement of faith does not make you a Christian.
Going to church does not make you a Christian.
The only thing that makes you a Christian is repenting of your sins and following Jesus. Acting like Jesus. Loving like Jesus. Forgiving like Jesus.
Jason Horton: https://levithepoet.bandcamp.com/track/keep-forgiving
Keep forgiving. It doesn’t mean you forget. It doesn’t mean you necessarily trust. But forgiving frees you from bitterness and anger.
Lost people matter to God. He wants them found. He wants them forgiven.
Do lost people matter to you? Do you have compassion for those far from God? Do you have a passion for the broken masterpieces in Toledo that need to be restored? Do you rejoice when sinners repent and trust Jesus?
Tragically, Christians are often known more for what we’re against instead of what we’re for…which should be God…and people. All people.
We’re beginning a series next week on discipleship…becoming like Jesus. It’s easy to get sucked into the binary arguments of our day, seeing everyone as a friend or enemy, us versus them. Jesus looks at all of us as broken, sinful, selfish, messed-up people…and he proved is love for us by giving his very life, dying in our place, taking our sin upon himself, crucified on a cross so we could experience forgiveness, reconciliation with our Heavenly Father, peace, faith, hope, joy, and love. How can you resist that?
Many have, not because of Jesus, but because of those of us who claim to follow him.
Don’t be a Jonah. Be like Jesus (who himself taught about Jonah in Matthew 12 and Luke 11). Forgive. Show compassion.
We may have impeccable doctrine, perfect Sunday School attendance, and give generously to the church, but if we don’t have compassion and forgiveness, we don’t share in the life or character of God.
"God judges, the Holy Spirit convicts, we are to love." -Billy Graham
Credits: some ideas from Warren Wiersbe.
God Forgives the Repentant, 20 October 2019
20 10 19
God Forgives the Repentant
Series—Jonah
Jonah 3:1-10
Series Big Idea: The prophet Jonah reveals God’s grace for all nations.
Big Idea: God is a God of second chances, which is good news for us and others.
I love sports! October is one of the best months of the year because it might be the only month you can watch baseball, basketball, football, and hockey. I’m not much of an athlete, but I love to play as well as watch sports, especially with friends. Although it’s not my favorite sport, I enjoy an occasional golf game (and when I say occasional, I mean the annual First Alliance men’s golf outing!).
I’m a terrible golfer, but there’s two things I love about playing golf: nature…and mulligans! For those unfamiliar with the sport, a mulligan is when you swing at a golf ball and…the result is embarrassing! The ball ends up in the woods, the water, or simply a few inches from where you tried to hit it! Forgiving golfers will often say, “Take a mulligan,” which means a do-over…a second chance.
Wouldn’t it be great if life were like that? Actually, I’m here to declare that
God is a God of second chances, which is good news for us and others.
We’re in the middle of a study of the book of Jonah, a short four-chapter book made famous by a fish. Our text for today, the third chapter of Jonah, is a wonderful story of people repenting and God relenting. The short book of Jonah begins with these words:
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” (Jonah 1:1-2)
Nineveh was an evil city. The people were known for their violence and ruthlessness, impaling live victims on sharp poles, beheading by the thousands, stacking skulls by the entrances to the city, skinning people alive, and killing babies and young children. It was a great city, not because of its godliness, but its notoriety and size.
Who do you hate? I know, Christians aren’t supposed to hate, but who do you despise? If you’ve served in military combat, you had an enemy. If you’ve been abused, you have a perpetrator. If you’ve been wronged, you have someone you’d like to see God judge.
Jonah despised the Ninevites. Israel’s rival was Assyria and Nineveh was its capital. In fact, it’s somewhat surprising that he disobeyed God and didn’t go preach fire and brimstone on these people, watching God destroy this evil city.
As we saw in chapter one, Jonah disobeyed God, heading in the opposite direction of Nineveh. A massive storm led to his transport into the sea where found himself in the belly of a fish for three days before being launched onto a beach.
We don’t know if anyone saw Jonah vomited from the fish.
We don’t know if word spread about his journey.
We don’t know if his appearance was bleached by his home for three days!
We do know Jonah’s learned his lesson and he’s ready to go to Nineveh.
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it.
Chapter three begins
Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” (Jonah 3:1-2)
If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again! God has Jonah’s attention now! It’s time to resume the mission. But the mission has slightly changed. The first word of the LORD in chapter one, God said, “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it.” Now God says to proclaim to it.
God is the God of second chances. God forgives the repentant, the one who turns away from sin, does a 180, and runs to God seeking mercy and forgiveness.
God forgave Noah the drunk.
God forgave Abraham the liar.
God forgave Jacob the cheater.
God forgave Moses the murderer.
God forgave Rahab the prostitute.
God forgave David the adulterer (rapist?).
God forgave Peter the denier.
God forgave Martha the worrier.
God forgave Saul the persecutor.
God gave Jonah a second chance. He offers us a second chance, too.
How many of you are glad God is the God of second chances?
Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. (Jonah 3:3)
Jonah obeyed. It’s about time! He finally goes to Nineveh after taking a three-day, dark detour. Perhaps we should call it “alternative transportation!” We’re not sure if Jonah felt like it this time, but he goes. He knows the alternative is not pretty!
It says
Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. (Jonah 3:3b)
That’s huge! It was founded by Noah’s great-grandson Nimrod (Gen. 10:8-10) and could’ve been about the size of the Toledo metro area in both population and land mass. One wall of the city had fifteen hundred towers and a circumference of eight miles, according to one researcher. Nineveh was built near the Tigris River and the Khoser River ran through it.
Nobody is sure if three days meant the amount of time to preach to the entire city or to travel through it. Regardless, it was a very large and significant city.
Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” (Jonah 3:4)
This is not a way to make friends and influence people…but when God says go…
The life of a prophet was not easy. It is truly a calling to “call” people to repentance, to turn away from their sin, to change.
I might add this must be done with love, genuine concern for others. Standing at a street corner yelling at people, judging and condemning does not count!
Issuing warnings before disaster because you care about the potential victims is another matter entirely.
Alliance president Dr. John Stumbo recently reminded us of the importance of show and tell. We need to live attractive, grace-filled lives and proclaim the truth lovingly to others. We need to demonstrate the gospel—the good news of Jesus—and verbalize it, too.
A popular myth is that St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.” He did not say that! Words are necessary. The book of Romans declares,
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? (Romans 10:13-14)
We need words. We need to proclaim, one of the four verbs emphasized by the Christian & Missionary Alliance.
I realize words can be difficult. Some of you love the idea of evangelism—of sharing good news—but you’re nervous about what to say. Maybe you’re an introvert. Perhaps you’re a new follower of Jesus and feel insufficiently trained. First, share your story. If you don’t have a story, don’t worry about it. I’d love to introduce you to Jesus. Let’s talk!
Second, there are tools to help. Sunday mornings right here. Dinner Church on the last Sunday of the month. And next month, Saturate Toledo.
Imagine what will happen when every household in the five-county area is given a chance to experience the gospel!
You might look at people in our area the way Jonah looked at Nineveh. Let’s face it, our city is filled with needy people, broken people, and evil people. This might surprise you, but there are sinners in Toledo…and in this room…including me! But God is a God of second chances.
We don’t really know Jonah’s attitude, but he nevertheless is obeying God.
If you’ve spent any time reading the Bible, you’ll know the number forty appears frequently, usually connected to judgment. Noah and his family were in the ark while it rained forty days and nights. The Jewish spies explored the Promised Land for forty days. Goliath mocked God for forty days before his demise.
Jonah obeyed God and warned the people of judgment with five Hebrew words (eight in English)…and then something happened.
The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. (Jonah 5)
Was this supposed to happen? People actually repented? They turned away from their sins? They fasted and put on sackcloth, a symbol for mourning and repentance. It wasn’t just the commoner who repented.
When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. (Jonah 3:6)
Can you imagine the king repenting? Can you imagine any politician acting out of such humility?
Oh that our leaders would repent.
Oh that we would repent.
We all sin…and we must mourn our sin. We must repent. Yes, Jesus died to forgive us our sins, but that doesn’t give us a license to sin. It doesn’t mean we should be flippant about it? We must acknowledge and mourn over our sin…and be grateful for God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness.
This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh:
“By the decree of the king and his nobles:
Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” (Jonah 3:7-9)
What a leader! What repentance! Even the animals were included! Notice the kind didn’t simply say, “We’re sorry, God.” He decreed that the people change, that they turn, that they give up their evil ways and their violence. Some would call that revival!
Jonah (finally) obeys God and it truly makes a difference. A huge difference! The people of Nineveh—like the sailors in the boat in chapter one—don’t want to perish. God doesn’t want them to perish.
God is the God of second chances.
John 3:16 says that those who believe and trust in Jesus will not perish. Peter reiterates God’s attitude toward sinners:
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
Some Christians can’t understand why Jesus hasn’t returned yet. I long for him to return soon, too, but God is waiting for us to make disciples of “all nations.” He doesn’t want anyone to perish. He wants everyone to come to repentance. Everyone. Young and old. Communist and capitalist. Rich and poor. GED and PhD. Married and single. Gay and straight…and other. Homeless and home owner.
God is the God of second chances.
He sends Jonah to utter five Hebrew words:
“Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” (Jonah 3:4b)
Instead, they repent.
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. (Jonah 3:10)
God relented. He responds to their repentance.
God is the God of second chances.
There’s nothing you can do to make God love you more.
There’s nothing you can do to make God love you less.
This is great news…and it needs to be shared. We can’t keep it to ourselves.
God showed compassion upon the wicked but repentant Ninevites.
God has shown compassion to you and me. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6).
But we must repent. We must confess our sins. We must agree with God when we have sinned and disobeyed and return to obedience. No excuses. No compromise.
Where do you need to repent? Where do you need to turn and do a 180? Where do you need to obey?
Part of obedience—of following Jesus—is to proclaim. It is to let others know God is the God of second chances. There’s hope for them, too. We’ve all been called to make disciples. We’ve all been called to love others…in word and deed. We need to let the world know…
There’s nothing they can do to make God love them more.
There’s nothing they can do to make God love them less.
Family, we must show and tell. We must proclaim in word and deed.
God is a God of second chances, which is good news for us and others. Praise God!
Credits: some ideas from Warren Wiersbe, Jeremy Myers.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Jonah
Jonah 3:1-10
Series Big Idea: The prophet Jonah reveals God’s grace for all nations.
Big Idea: God is a God of second chances, which is good news for us and others.
I love sports! October is one of the best months of the year because it might be the only month you can watch baseball, basketball, football, and hockey. I’m not much of an athlete, but I love to play as well as watch sports, especially with friends. Although it’s not my favorite sport, I enjoy an occasional golf game (and when I say occasional, I mean the annual First Alliance men’s golf outing!).
I’m a terrible golfer, but there’s two things I love about playing golf: nature…and mulligans! For those unfamiliar with the sport, a mulligan is when you swing at a golf ball and…the result is embarrassing! The ball ends up in the woods, the water, or simply a few inches from where you tried to hit it! Forgiving golfers will often say, “Take a mulligan,” which means a do-over…a second chance.
Wouldn’t it be great if life were like that? Actually, I’m here to declare that
God is a God of second chances, which is good news for us and others.
We’re in the middle of a study of the book of Jonah, a short four-chapter book made famous by a fish. Our text for today, the third chapter of Jonah, is a wonderful story of people repenting and God relenting. The short book of Jonah begins with these words:
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” (Jonah 1:1-2)
Nineveh was an evil city. The people were known for their violence and ruthlessness, impaling live victims on sharp poles, beheading by the thousands, stacking skulls by the entrances to the city, skinning people alive, and killing babies and young children. It was a great city, not because of its godliness, but its notoriety and size.
Who do you hate? I know, Christians aren’t supposed to hate, but who do you despise? If you’ve served in military combat, you had an enemy. If you’ve been abused, you have a perpetrator. If you’ve been wronged, you have someone you’d like to see God judge.
Jonah despised the Ninevites. Israel’s rival was Assyria and Nineveh was its capital. In fact, it’s somewhat surprising that he disobeyed God and didn’t go preach fire and brimstone on these people, watching God destroy this evil city.
As we saw in chapter one, Jonah disobeyed God, heading in the opposite direction of Nineveh. A massive storm led to his transport into the sea where found himself in the belly of a fish for three days before being launched onto a beach.
We don’t know if anyone saw Jonah vomited from the fish.
We don’t know if word spread about his journey.
We don’t know if his appearance was bleached by his home for three days!
We do know Jonah’s learned his lesson and he’s ready to go to Nineveh.
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it.
Chapter three begins
Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” (Jonah 3:1-2)
If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again! God has Jonah’s attention now! It’s time to resume the mission. But the mission has slightly changed. The first word of the LORD in chapter one, God said, “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it.” Now God says to proclaim to it.
God is the God of second chances. God forgives the repentant, the one who turns away from sin, does a 180, and runs to God seeking mercy and forgiveness.
God forgave Noah the drunk.
God forgave Abraham the liar.
God forgave Jacob the cheater.
God forgave Moses the murderer.
God forgave Rahab the prostitute.
God forgave David the adulterer (rapist?).
God forgave Peter the denier.
God forgave Martha the worrier.
God forgave Saul the persecutor.
God gave Jonah a second chance. He offers us a second chance, too.
How many of you are glad God is the God of second chances?
Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. (Jonah 3:3)
Jonah obeyed. It’s about time! He finally goes to Nineveh after taking a three-day, dark detour. Perhaps we should call it “alternative transportation!” We’re not sure if Jonah felt like it this time, but he goes. He knows the alternative is not pretty!
It says
Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. (Jonah 3:3b)
That’s huge! It was founded by Noah’s great-grandson Nimrod (Gen. 10:8-10) and could’ve been about the size of the Toledo metro area in both population and land mass. One wall of the city had fifteen hundred towers and a circumference of eight miles, according to one researcher. Nineveh was built near the Tigris River and the Khoser River ran through it.
Nobody is sure if three days meant the amount of time to preach to the entire city or to travel through it. Regardless, it was a very large and significant city.
Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” (Jonah 3:4)
This is not a way to make friends and influence people…but when God says go…
The life of a prophet was not easy. It is truly a calling to “call” people to repentance, to turn away from their sin, to change.
I might add this must be done with love, genuine concern for others. Standing at a street corner yelling at people, judging and condemning does not count!
Issuing warnings before disaster because you care about the potential victims is another matter entirely.
Alliance president Dr. John Stumbo recently reminded us of the importance of show and tell. We need to live attractive, grace-filled lives and proclaim the truth lovingly to others. We need to demonstrate the gospel—the good news of Jesus—and verbalize it, too.
A popular myth is that St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.” He did not say that! Words are necessary. The book of Romans declares,
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? (Romans 10:13-14)
We need words. We need to proclaim, one of the four verbs emphasized by the Christian & Missionary Alliance.
I realize words can be difficult. Some of you love the idea of evangelism—of sharing good news—but you’re nervous about what to say. Maybe you’re an introvert. Perhaps you’re a new follower of Jesus and feel insufficiently trained. First, share your story. If you don’t have a story, don’t worry about it. I’d love to introduce you to Jesus. Let’s talk!
Second, there are tools to help. Sunday mornings right here. Dinner Church on the last Sunday of the month. And next month, Saturate Toledo.
Imagine what will happen when every household in the five-county area is given a chance to experience the gospel!
You might look at people in our area the way Jonah looked at Nineveh. Let’s face it, our city is filled with needy people, broken people, and evil people. This might surprise you, but there are sinners in Toledo…and in this room…including me! But God is a God of second chances.
We don’t really know Jonah’s attitude, but he nevertheless is obeying God.
If you’ve spent any time reading the Bible, you’ll know the number forty appears frequently, usually connected to judgment. Noah and his family were in the ark while it rained forty days and nights. The Jewish spies explored the Promised Land for forty days. Goliath mocked God for forty days before his demise.
Jonah obeyed God and warned the people of judgment with five Hebrew words (eight in English)…and then something happened.
The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. (Jonah 5)
Was this supposed to happen? People actually repented? They turned away from their sins? They fasted and put on sackcloth, a symbol for mourning and repentance. It wasn’t just the commoner who repented.
When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. (Jonah 3:6)
Can you imagine the king repenting? Can you imagine any politician acting out of such humility?
Oh that our leaders would repent.
Oh that we would repent.
We all sin…and we must mourn our sin. We must repent. Yes, Jesus died to forgive us our sins, but that doesn’t give us a license to sin. It doesn’t mean we should be flippant about it? We must acknowledge and mourn over our sin…and be grateful for God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness.
This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh:
“By the decree of the king and his nobles:
Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” (Jonah 3:7-9)
What a leader! What repentance! Even the animals were included! Notice the kind didn’t simply say, “We’re sorry, God.” He decreed that the people change, that they turn, that they give up their evil ways and their violence. Some would call that revival!
Jonah (finally) obeys God and it truly makes a difference. A huge difference! The people of Nineveh—like the sailors in the boat in chapter one—don’t want to perish. God doesn’t want them to perish.
God is the God of second chances.
John 3:16 says that those who believe and trust in Jesus will not perish. Peter reiterates God’s attitude toward sinners:
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
Some Christians can’t understand why Jesus hasn’t returned yet. I long for him to return soon, too, but God is waiting for us to make disciples of “all nations.” He doesn’t want anyone to perish. He wants everyone to come to repentance. Everyone. Young and old. Communist and capitalist. Rich and poor. GED and PhD. Married and single. Gay and straight…and other. Homeless and home owner.
God is the God of second chances.
He sends Jonah to utter five Hebrew words:
“Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” (Jonah 3:4b)
Instead, they repent.
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. (Jonah 3:10)
God relented. He responds to their repentance.
God is the God of second chances.
There’s nothing you can do to make God love you more.
There’s nothing you can do to make God love you less.
This is great news…and it needs to be shared. We can’t keep it to ourselves.
God showed compassion upon the wicked but repentant Ninevites.
God has shown compassion to you and me. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6).
But we must repent. We must confess our sins. We must agree with God when we have sinned and disobeyed and return to obedience. No excuses. No compromise.
Where do you need to repent? Where do you need to turn and do a 180? Where do you need to obey?
Part of obedience—of following Jesus—is to proclaim. It is to let others know God is the God of second chances. There’s hope for them, too. We’ve all been called to make disciples. We’ve all been called to love others…in word and deed. We need to let the world know…
There’s nothing they can do to make God love them more.
There’s nothing they can do to make God love them less.
Family, we must show and tell. We must proclaim in word and deed.
God is a God of second chances, which is good news for us and others. Praise God!
Credits: some ideas from Warren Wiersbe, Jeremy Myers.
God Answers Prayer, 13 October 2019
13 10 19
God Answers Prayer
Series—Jonah
Jonah 2:1-10
Series Big Idea: The prophet Jonah reveals God’s grace for all nations.
Big Idea: God invites us to pray prayers of repentance which can lead to redemption.
After running from God and His instructions to preach to the great city of Nineveh, Jonah finds himself miraculously in the belly of a fish (not an actual spaceship!).
The last verse of Jonah, chapter one says,
Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (Jonah 1:17)
His story is similar to that of the prodigal son, a rebellious man who came to his senses and came home, so to speak, grateful for the kindness of the Father who brings him to repentance, sparing his life.
Imagine God gave you an assignment which you completely ignored; you fled! The next thing you know, you’re inside a fish. You can’t get any cell phone service. Your phone battery is dead, anyhow. You’ve tried to sleep, had an unusual craving for seafood, and felt left in the dark! We can only imagine what those three days were like, but Jonah, chapter two tells us…
From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. (Jonah 2:1)
This doesn’t merely say Jonah prayed.
This doesn’t merely say Jonah prayed to the LORD.
It says Jonah prayed to the LORD his God.
Is God your LORD? I bring up this word “LORD” often because its real meaning is so foreign to our culture, even our church culture. We like to use God for our purposes. Bless me, LORD! Help me, LORD! Heal me, LORD! The all-caps, by the way, indicate the original Hebrew usage of the sacred name of God, a word Jews refuse to pronounce but is probably something like Yahweh. Jonah prays to the Almighty, sacred, holy, awesome One.
When is the last time you prayed? What did you pray?
Our prayers are often more like wish lists for Santa than authentic conversations with our Creator. Right?
How big is your God?
How great is your God?
How awesome is your God?
G. Campbell Morgan said, “Men have been looking so hard at the great fish that they have failed to see the great God.”
How awesome is your God? If He’s just your genie in a bottle, your SOS, your sky fairy, He’s way too small.
If we could truly grasp Who it is we pray to, not only would our prayers be different, our lives would be different.
I must confess I’ve prayed some really pathetic prayers.
“God, please help everyone in the whole wide world.”
“God, bring peace to the world.”
“God, please feed all the starving children while we enjoy this feast.”
William Law said, “He who has learned to pray has learned the greatest secret of a holy and happy life.”
He said:
“In my distress I called to the LORD,
and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
You hurled me into the depths,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
swept over me. (Jonah 2:2-3)
He’s in a fish and he’s testifying to God’s answer! Is he grateful? Absolutely! His life was spared. He knows he sinned against God and now he repents. He’s not just admitting wrong, he’s turning away from his rebellion and moving toward God. Repent means to turn, to do a 180. Although the sailors physically hurled Jonah into the sea, he realizes it was God who was behind it, loving discipline.
How do you respond to discipline? Hebrews 12 tells us we can despise it and fight, resist it and face even greater discipline, or submit and grow in faith and love. God’s discipline is never to harm us, but rather to help us grow like an athlete’s muscles grow from training. The Father chastens/disciplines only His own children (Hebrews 12:8).
God invites us to pray prayers of repentance.
Jonah continues…
I said, ‘I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
toward your holy temple.’
The engulfing waters threatened me,
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head. (Jonah 2:4-5)
This is a vivid description of his frightening, aquatic experience. Remember, he’s praying from the belly of a fish, and yet he is grateful. He worships God, the one from whom he was running days earlier. He knows God’s character and mercy.
One writer noted how up until now, Jonah continues to go down—down to the city of Joppa, down into the sides of the ship, and he continues…
To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, LORD my God,
brought my life up from the pit. (Jonah 2:6)
He went down into the fish’s belly. Running from God is a sure way to go down! But now that Jonah has repented, he begins to look up…from the pit…to God.
“When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, LORD,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple. (Jonah 2:7)
He looked up to God’s holy temple, following the instructions of 1 Kings 8:38-40. He knew and claimed God’s promises.
They say there are no atheists in fox holes or when a plane is about to crash. Why do we remember God when we’re facing death? Why don’t we remember God in the midst of life?
“Those who cling to worthless idols
turn away from God’s love for them.
But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the LORD.’ ” (Jonah 2:8-9)
Jonah is back in the game. His faith is engaged. He knows his God. He recognizes the futility of idols. His near-death experience has transformed Jonah from a rebel to a worshipper.
What worthless idols are in your life? For Jonah, it was extreme patriotism and bigotry toward the Ninevites. John Calvin said Jonah’s sin was that he was “very inhuman” toward the people of Nineveh, refusing to see them as masterpieces created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth. He makes vows to God, the only One who can save. He is no doubt recalling the psalms when he speaks of salvation:
The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. (Psalms 37:39)
But what worthless idols are in your life? What’s more important to you than loving God and loving people? Pleasure? Entertainment? Money? Power? Sex? Popularity?
There is no mention of the fish, the smell, the darkness, the discomfort, or even his own sin. He doesn’t ask for a housing upgrade, yet God obviously hears his prayer. In chapter one, God provided the fish. Chapter two ends by showing God’s activity again.
And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. (Jonah 2:10)
Just for fun, I looked up this verse in several translations, most of which used the same verb to describe Jonah’s transport to the beach!
God invites us to pray prayers of repentance which can lead to redemption.
So What?
The moral of this story is…well, let’s go back to last week’s big idea:
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
Today’s big idea is
Prayer matters, no matter what you’ve done.
God spared Jonah’s life. If the story ended here, we’d see disobedience followed by prayer and God’s intervention.
We were created for relationship with God. That means God loves to hear our voice. I believe the most beautiful sound in the universe to God is your voice. When is the last time He heard it?
A few weeks ago, we talked about prayer in our study of the book of Colossians.
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2)
Prayer is more than talking to God.
Prayer is more than talking with God.
Prayer is being with God, which may sometimes involve silence, listening, stillness.
Are you ok with that? For some of us, slowing down and quieting down is not easy. Is anybody with me? I like to be busy, productive, and sometimes noisy…but it’s not ideal for relationships. I get annoyed when I’m talking with someone and they keep checking their phone…or even worse, start texting or talking as if I didn’t exist.
Prayer is being with God. It’s about building a relationship. We need to talk and listen…and always be fully present.
When you pray, begin with God. In his book The Rest of God, author Mark Buchanon writes,
“Are you in the midst of a situation where, as you pray, you find yourself putting the problem first? If so, you’re starting where you should end. You’re rehearsing the problem, making it seem larger than it is, when what you need to do is rehearse God’s greatness and bigness. Then the problem shrinks to its right portions.”
I love that! Start with God. Look what He has created. Remember how He has been faithful. Use the book of Psalms to guide you into praise and adoration of our awesome God so you know who you’re dealing with!
Recently I was burdened by a number of situations out of my control and I prayed, “Help, God!” Pausing to acknowledge WHO I was talking with—starting with God and His greatness—would’ve certainly given me greater peace and confidence.
I love that we can talk with God anytime, 24/7. We’re not a burden. We’re not an interruption. He wants us to pray. He invites us to pray.
Some of us don’t pray because we’re not sure God hears us. He does. Even from a fish!
Some of us don’t pray because we’re afraid of what God will say. He loves you. Really.
Some of us don’t pray because we feel unworthy. We are, but He still loves us.
It’s never too late to repent, to turn, to agree with God that you screwed up.
It’s never too early, either!
Take a moment to reflect upon your life. How did you get here?
Maybe you’ve made some wise choices and you’re enjoying the fruit of those decisions. Praise God. Thank Him for giving you wisdom, freedom, education, and opportunity.
Perhaps you’ve made some poor choices and you’re in the belly of a fish, so to speak. It’s dark. It’s smelly and cold. You really want out. Surrender to God. He hears you. No matter what you’ve done or who you are, He loves you and will forgive you if you trust Jesus, if you surrender your life to Jesus, if you make him your Savior and your LORD. You can begin by simply saying, “Jesus, I give you my life.” If you’ve been running, stop, repent, turn, and run to the God who created you and loves you more than you can imagine.
Waiting
In a matter of hours, Jonah’s prayers were heard and he went to the beach. Sometimes God’s response to our prayers takes longer…maybe days, months, even years. I don’t always understand His timing, but I know it’s perfect, because He is perfect. His ways are perfect.
There are some situations I’ve been praying about for years, but I refuse to quit…and I know He wants me to continue. Jesus was talking with his friends about prayer and said,
“…Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Luke 11:9-10)
God always answers the prayers of His children.
He might say yes. He might say no. He might say wait. Be he always answers.
Do you know God? Really? If not, you can begin today. Repent. Turn away from your selfish living and run to Jesus, the one who proved his love by giving his life on the cross.
If you do know God, you’ve been commissioned to help others know God. Faith is personal, but not private. Good news needs to be shared.
God wants nothing more than a relationship with us where we talk, where we listen, where we do life together. Does that describe your life?
One of the greatest thrills of knowing God is when we make a request and He responds. Today and every Sunday we invite you to come forward and receive prayer…for anything. God answers prayer, but first we must pray!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Jonah
Jonah 2:1-10
Series Big Idea: The prophet Jonah reveals God’s grace for all nations.
Big Idea: God invites us to pray prayers of repentance which can lead to redemption.
After running from God and His instructions to preach to the great city of Nineveh, Jonah finds himself miraculously in the belly of a fish (not an actual spaceship!).
The last verse of Jonah, chapter one says,
Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (Jonah 1:17)
His story is similar to that of the prodigal son, a rebellious man who came to his senses and came home, so to speak, grateful for the kindness of the Father who brings him to repentance, sparing his life.
Imagine God gave you an assignment which you completely ignored; you fled! The next thing you know, you’re inside a fish. You can’t get any cell phone service. Your phone battery is dead, anyhow. You’ve tried to sleep, had an unusual craving for seafood, and felt left in the dark! We can only imagine what those three days were like, but Jonah, chapter two tells us…
From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. (Jonah 2:1)
This doesn’t merely say Jonah prayed.
This doesn’t merely say Jonah prayed to the LORD.
It says Jonah prayed to the LORD his God.
Is God your LORD? I bring up this word “LORD” often because its real meaning is so foreign to our culture, even our church culture. We like to use God for our purposes. Bless me, LORD! Help me, LORD! Heal me, LORD! The all-caps, by the way, indicate the original Hebrew usage of the sacred name of God, a word Jews refuse to pronounce but is probably something like Yahweh. Jonah prays to the Almighty, sacred, holy, awesome One.
When is the last time you prayed? What did you pray?
Our prayers are often more like wish lists for Santa than authentic conversations with our Creator. Right?
How big is your God?
How great is your God?
How awesome is your God?
G. Campbell Morgan said, “Men have been looking so hard at the great fish that they have failed to see the great God.”
How awesome is your God? If He’s just your genie in a bottle, your SOS, your sky fairy, He’s way too small.
If we could truly grasp Who it is we pray to, not only would our prayers be different, our lives would be different.
I must confess I’ve prayed some really pathetic prayers.
“God, please help everyone in the whole wide world.”
“God, bring peace to the world.”
“God, please feed all the starving children while we enjoy this feast.”
William Law said, “He who has learned to pray has learned the greatest secret of a holy and happy life.”
He said:
“In my distress I called to the LORD,
and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
You hurled me into the depths,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
swept over me. (Jonah 2:2-3)
He’s in a fish and he’s testifying to God’s answer! Is he grateful? Absolutely! His life was spared. He knows he sinned against God and now he repents. He’s not just admitting wrong, he’s turning away from his rebellion and moving toward God. Repent means to turn, to do a 180. Although the sailors physically hurled Jonah into the sea, he realizes it was God who was behind it, loving discipline.
How do you respond to discipline? Hebrews 12 tells us we can despise it and fight, resist it and face even greater discipline, or submit and grow in faith and love. God’s discipline is never to harm us, but rather to help us grow like an athlete’s muscles grow from training. The Father chastens/disciplines only His own children (Hebrews 12:8).
God invites us to pray prayers of repentance.
Jonah continues…
I said, ‘I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
toward your holy temple.’
The engulfing waters threatened me,
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head. (Jonah 2:4-5)
This is a vivid description of his frightening, aquatic experience. Remember, he’s praying from the belly of a fish, and yet he is grateful. He worships God, the one from whom he was running days earlier. He knows God’s character and mercy.
One writer noted how up until now, Jonah continues to go down—down to the city of Joppa, down into the sides of the ship, and he continues…
To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, LORD my God,
brought my life up from the pit. (Jonah 2:6)
He went down into the fish’s belly. Running from God is a sure way to go down! But now that Jonah has repented, he begins to look up…from the pit…to God.
“When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, LORD,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple. (Jonah 2:7)
He looked up to God’s holy temple, following the instructions of 1 Kings 8:38-40. He knew and claimed God’s promises.
They say there are no atheists in fox holes or when a plane is about to crash. Why do we remember God when we’re facing death? Why don’t we remember God in the midst of life?
“Those who cling to worthless idols
turn away from God’s love for them.
But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the LORD.’ ” (Jonah 2:8-9)
Jonah is back in the game. His faith is engaged. He knows his God. He recognizes the futility of idols. His near-death experience has transformed Jonah from a rebel to a worshipper.
What worthless idols are in your life? For Jonah, it was extreme patriotism and bigotry toward the Ninevites. John Calvin said Jonah’s sin was that he was “very inhuman” toward the people of Nineveh, refusing to see them as masterpieces created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth. He makes vows to God, the only One who can save. He is no doubt recalling the psalms when he speaks of salvation:
The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. (Psalms 37:39)
But what worthless idols are in your life? What’s more important to you than loving God and loving people? Pleasure? Entertainment? Money? Power? Sex? Popularity?
There is no mention of the fish, the smell, the darkness, the discomfort, or even his own sin. He doesn’t ask for a housing upgrade, yet God obviously hears his prayer. In chapter one, God provided the fish. Chapter two ends by showing God’s activity again.
And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. (Jonah 2:10)
Just for fun, I looked up this verse in several translations, most of which used the same verb to describe Jonah’s transport to the beach!
God invites us to pray prayers of repentance which can lead to redemption.
So What?
The moral of this story is…well, let’s go back to last week’s big idea:
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
Today’s big idea is
Prayer matters, no matter what you’ve done.
God spared Jonah’s life. If the story ended here, we’d see disobedience followed by prayer and God’s intervention.
We were created for relationship with God. That means God loves to hear our voice. I believe the most beautiful sound in the universe to God is your voice. When is the last time He heard it?
A few weeks ago, we talked about prayer in our study of the book of Colossians.
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2)
Prayer is more than talking to God.
Prayer is more than talking with God.
Prayer is being with God, which may sometimes involve silence, listening, stillness.
Are you ok with that? For some of us, slowing down and quieting down is not easy. Is anybody with me? I like to be busy, productive, and sometimes noisy…but it’s not ideal for relationships. I get annoyed when I’m talking with someone and they keep checking their phone…or even worse, start texting or talking as if I didn’t exist.
Prayer is being with God. It’s about building a relationship. We need to talk and listen…and always be fully present.
When you pray, begin with God. In his book The Rest of God, author Mark Buchanon writes,
“Are you in the midst of a situation where, as you pray, you find yourself putting the problem first? If so, you’re starting where you should end. You’re rehearsing the problem, making it seem larger than it is, when what you need to do is rehearse God’s greatness and bigness. Then the problem shrinks to its right portions.”
I love that! Start with God. Look what He has created. Remember how He has been faithful. Use the book of Psalms to guide you into praise and adoration of our awesome God so you know who you’re dealing with!
Recently I was burdened by a number of situations out of my control and I prayed, “Help, God!” Pausing to acknowledge WHO I was talking with—starting with God and His greatness—would’ve certainly given me greater peace and confidence.
I love that we can talk with God anytime, 24/7. We’re not a burden. We’re not an interruption. He wants us to pray. He invites us to pray.
Some of us don’t pray because we’re not sure God hears us. He does. Even from a fish!
Some of us don’t pray because we’re afraid of what God will say. He loves you. Really.
Some of us don’t pray because we feel unworthy. We are, but He still loves us.
It’s never too late to repent, to turn, to agree with God that you screwed up.
It’s never too early, either!
Take a moment to reflect upon your life. How did you get here?
Maybe you’ve made some wise choices and you’re enjoying the fruit of those decisions. Praise God. Thank Him for giving you wisdom, freedom, education, and opportunity.
Perhaps you’ve made some poor choices and you’re in the belly of a fish, so to speak. It’s dark. It’s smelly and cold. You really want out. Surrender to God. He hears you. No matter what you’ve done or who you are, He loves you and will forgive you if you trust Jesus, if you surrender your life to Jesus, if you make him your Savior and your LORD. You can begin by simply saying, “Jesus, I give you my life.” If you’ve been running, stop, repent, turn, and run to the God who created you and loves you more than you can imagine.
Waiting
In a matter of hours, Jonah’s prayers were heard and he went to the beach. Sometimes God’s response to our prayers takes longer…maybe days, months, even years. I don’t always understand His timing, but I know it’s perfect, because He is perfect. His ways are perfect.
There are some situations I’ve been praying about for years, but I refuse to quit…and I know He wants me to continue. Jesus was talking with his friends about prayer and said,
“…Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Luke 11:9-10)
God always answers the prayers of His children.
He might say yes. He might say no. He might say wait. Be he always answers.
Do you know God? Really? If not, you can begin today. Repent. Turn away from your selfish living and run to Jesus, the one who proved his love by giving his life on the cross.
If you do know God, you’ve been commissioned to help others know God. Faith is personal, but not private. Good news needs to be shared.
God wants nothing more than a relationship with us where we talk, where we listen, where we do life together. Does that describe your life?
One of the greatest thrills of knowing God is when we make a request and He responds. Today and every Sunday we invite you to come forward and receive prayer…for anything. God answers prayer, but first we must pray!
God Pursues the Disobedient, 6 October 2019
06 10 19
God Pursues the Disobedient
Series—Jonah
Jonah 1:1-17
Series Big Idea: The prophet Jonah reveals God’s grace for all nations.
Big Idea: Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
Today we celebrated Jesus as our Savior. He died on the cross and rose from the dead to demonstrate his power over sin and death. He not only conquered the grave, he offers forgiveness for all of our rebellion against God. I love that Jesus is our Savior! But he’s more than just Savior.
As our founder A.B. Simpson said in his four-fold gospel, Jesus is our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King. We love that Jesus saves us. We love it when he brings healing. We look forward to the return of the King. But his role of sanctifier is a bit different. You might say sanctifier means through the power of the Holy Spirit if we submit to him and his lordship, Jesus is enabling us to become like himself. A disciple of Jesus is someone who looks and acts and thinks like Jesus. A disciple becomes like their mentor, their leader. Jesus is not looking for fans. He’s looking for disciples who make him Lord of their lives, master of their lives, people who will say, “Jesus, I give you my life.”
When you do that, you give up control. You surrender your preferences and rights. You let Jesus take the wheel while you jump in the back seat! If God were insecure or mean, this would be a frightening exercise, but I’m here to tell you
God is trustworthy.
God is love.
God has better plans for you than you could ever imagine.
God is not out to harm you.
God wants the very best for you.
And sometimes God’s will doesn’t make sense…at least in the moment.
It can be dangerous to use words like “always” and “never,” but the big idea today is:
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
Jonah is one of the most well-known characters in the Bible. He’s mentioned in one, small, four-chapter book which bears his name—and briefly by Jesus—but his story is remarkable. It’s so remarkable, in fact, that many have questioned whether it describes real events or if it’s just a poetic analogy. I believe it’s real—especially since Jesus refers to him—and I believe his life can teach us a lot about our lives.
There are four chapters in the book of Jonah and we’ll cover each one of these four weeks in October. Written around the time of Hosea and Amos, many believe Jonah himself wrote this book between 793 BC and 753 BC. He was likely a part of a group of young prophets who were in training together. While you may find parts of the book familiar, I think you’ll be surprised at some new things we’ll discover together.
So let’s dive in…
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” (Jonah 1:1-2)
He was supposed to travel 500+ miles northeast, but instead, he headed in the other directions toward Tarshish. Maybe he thought God would choose someone else for the assignment if he was able to get away from Nineveh!
How does God speak?
God speaks through the Bible, through circumstances, through people, through dreams,…
How can you be sure it’s God?
Seek wise counsel. Fast and pray. Be still and listen. As far as I know, God won’t text you, but if you seek Him with all of your heart, I believe you will find Him and His will.
God gives Jonah a simple, clear assignment to go to the city of Nineveh and preach. Why does God care about these wicked people? He loves them. He created them. He wants them to repent, turning away from their sins and following Him. Today, He still desires for every man, woman, and child to know and worship Him. That’s why we’re so passionate about not only Toledo, but also the ends of the earth. We want everyone to know about Jesus, and today, even with the Internet and iPhone, there are billions of people who haven’t experienced God’s love, mercy, and grace. We’ve got work to do, family!
But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. (Jonah 1:3)
One of the most tragic phrases in the entire Bible is, “But Jonah ran away from the LORD.” Why? Jonah’s narrow patriotism was greater than his theology. His disdain for another people group was stronger than his love for God.
It’s easy to criticize Jonah for this rejection of God. After all, we can read his entire story in a matter of minutes. We read of the consequences of his disobedience.
But don’t we do the same thing? Don’t we run from God sometimes? Don’t we sometimes pretend we didn’t read that in the Bible or fight what God is speaking to us?
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
Why? Because He’s God and you’re not! He knows best. Really. He’s faithful. He’s trustworthy. He knows what He’s doing! He’s not out to get you or harm you. He loves you more than any mother or father or friend or spouse could ever love you.
Jonah’s headed away from Nineveh. He’s on his way to Tarshish. Did God see him? Yes!
Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. (Jonah 4-5a)
Here’s God’s prophet, Jonah, on a ship with pagan sailors who worship other gods. They’re afraid of sinking in this nasty storm. Obviously their false gods did nothing to help them!
Have you ever been in a boat during a storm? It can be scary!
Notice this storm was sent by the LORD. He controls everything, including the weather!
Warren Wiersbe wrote, "God was no longer speaking to Jonah through His Word; He was speaking to him through His works: the sea, the wind, the rain, the thunder, and even the great fish. Everything in nature obeyed God except His servant!"
But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. Jonah 1:5b)
How in the world can he be sleeping during this storm? Perhaps he had lost sleep arguing with God about going to Nineveh. Maybe he was exhausted from running from God.
Hundreds of years later, Jesus would be sleeping on a boat during a big storm, too!
The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.” (Jonah 1:6)
Evidently Jonah was willing to share his faith with the sailors, just not the Ninevites.
Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” (Jonah 1:7-8)
We often skip over this detail about casting lots, but it is one way people made decisions back in the day. In fact, Judas’ replacement among the twelve disciples was made by casting lots (Acts 1:26).
God speaks through the Bible, through circumstances, through people, through dreams,…but casting lots? It’s actually mentioned seventy times in the Old Testament and seven times in the New Testament. The practice was similar to us flipping a coin or rolling dice. Today, we can discern God’s word and will through the Bible and the Holy Spirit rather than casting lots.
Do you think Jonah was convicted when they asked about his occupation?
He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” (Jonah 1:9)
This is one of many biblical mentions of creation, a bold declaration of Jonah’s faith in God…a God he is not willing to obey…a God he’s running from…a God who is functionally not a god at all in Jonah’s life as he rebels.
This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the LORD, because he had already told them so.) (Jonah 1:10)
They were terrified, but at least they got to the root of their problem. Jonah’s disobedience affected others…and our disobedience usually does, too.
The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” (Jonah 1:11)
This strikes me as an odd question. If I knew a godly man was responsible for a calamity, I’d ask him to pray to his god to stop it. They ask, “What should we do to you?”
Jonah does not repent. He does not ask God to give him a second chance. Maybe he didn’t believe God was even capable of forgiving his disobedience. Maybe you feel God is incapable of forgiving your sins…if so, you’re very mistaken!
“Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” (Jonah 1:12)
Jonah knew he was to blame. It must’ve been a shocking admission of responsibility for him to claim his actions were the cause of the storm. I wonder if they really thought getting rid of Jonah would calm the storm. Clearly that wasn’t their first thought because the text continues…
Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. Then they cried out to the LORD, “Please, LORD, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, LORD, have done as you pleased.” Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him. (Jonah 1:13-16)
It took removing Jonah for God to calm the storm, resulting in new believers. The presence and preaching of prophets is supposed to lead to repentance, but in this case, the absence of the prophet led to spiritual awakening! God works in mysterious ways! First, the sailors were afraid of the storm, and now they greatly feared—they reverenced—God.
There’s one final verse in this chapter, a little “P.S.”
Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (Jonah 1:17)
It doesn’t say a whale, but a “huge fish” was “provided” by the LORD. I’m not sure if Jonah fully appreciated the fish during those three days and three nights, but it was the LORD’s provision.
So What?
I think the message is simple: Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
God can redeem anything. Here He even redeems Jonah’s disobedience to cause a revival among pagan sailors! But Jonah obviously suffered greatly for his rebellion against God.
I’ve told the story before, but years ago I was asked why I would leave a nice, comfortable job in Chicagoland to go to Ann Arbor and start a church from scratch. I often remarked, “God called me to plant a church and I don’t want to end up in the belly of a fish!” One time after speaking to a group about our plans for the new church, a man came up to me and said, “I’m Jonah and I’ve been in a fish for many years, running from God who wants me to move to Colorado!” I said, “What are you waiting for? Load up and go west, young man!”
We’ve all had moments when we’ve run from God. Sometimes the consequences are severe, other times we may not even be aware of our disobedience. The point remains:
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
This is a huge challenge in our culture today. We live in a consumeristic culture which says it’s all about us, our choices, our decisions, our control, our preferences. Some people have even been taught that if you follow Jesus, you’ll be happy, healthy, and wealthy…and they’re so surprised when they encounter the slightest bit of discomfort or, worse yet, pain and suffering.
Jesus did not come and die to make you happy. He came to make you holy.
You and I can save ourselves a lot of heartache if we just obey God the first time (spoiler alert: Jonah made it to Nineveh, but he took a smelly detour getting there!). You either trust God and make Him LORD or you don’t. But please don’t call yourself a Christian if you’re not going to follow and obey him!
I’m challenged by this chapter. Every day I make multiple decisions to follow or flee from God. What do I do with my money? What goes on my calendar? How do I treat people…including the annoying driver on the Trail! What will I do with my body? What will I put into my mind? And yes, with whom will I share the good news of Jesus?
As we were reminded this morning during communion, Jesus died for me. Will I live for him?
I want to ask you two simple yet profound questions. These questions are the primary tools I use in discipling people to become like Jesus.
What if He sends me to Africa…or Afghanistan…or Columbus?! What if He wants me to change my sexual behavior, my entertainment consumption, my loose tongue, or my laziness? Then again, what if He simply wants to sing over you, His precious child, and remind you of how much you are loved by Him? What if He wants you to indulge in sabbath rest or delight yourself in Him? Maybe He wants you to smell the roses, dance, sing, or just smile. Whatever it is,…
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
And also,
Always obey God, even when you do feel like it!
Jonah’s disobedience caused others to suffer. Likewise, our obedience may cause others to flourish, to be encouraged, to grow, to experience Jesus. We obey God first and foremost because He is God and because we love and trust Him, but obedience can also bless others.
Closing Challenge
What is God saying to you?
What are you going to do about it?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Jonah
Jonah 1:1-17
Series Big Idea: The prophet Jonah reveals God’s grace for all nations.
Big Idea: Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
Today we celebrated Jesus as our Savior. He died on the cross and rose from the dead to demonstrate his power over sin and death. He not only conquered the grave, he offers forgiveness for all of our rebellion against God. I love that Jesus is our Savior! But he’s more than just Savior.
As our founder A.B. Simpson said in his four-fold gospel, Jesus is our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King. We love that Jesus saves us. We love it when he brings healing. We look forward to the return of the King. But his role of sanctifier is a bit different. You might say sanctifier means through the power of the Holy Spirit if we submit to him and his lordship, Jesus is enabling us to become like himself. A disciple of Jesus is someone who looks and acts and thinks like Jesus. A disciple becomes like their mentor, their leader. Jesus is not looking for fans. He’s looking for disciples who make him Lord of their lives, master of their lives, people who will say, “Jesus, I give you my life.”
When you do that, you give up control. You surrender your preferences and rights. You let Jesus take the wheel while you jump in the back seat! If God were insecure or mean, this would be a frightening exercise, but I’m here to tell you
God is trustworthy.
God is love.
God has better plans for you than you could ever imagine.
God is not out to harm you.
God wants the very best for you.
And sometimes God’s will doesn’t make sense…at least in the moment.
It can be dangerous to use words like “always” and “never,” but the big idea today is:
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
Jonah is one of the most well-known characters in the Bible. He’s mentioned in one, small, four-chapter book which bears his name—and briefly by Jesus—but his story is remarkable. It’s so remarkable, in fact, that many have questioned whether it describes real events or if it’s just a poetic analogy. I believe it’s real—especially since Jesus refers to him—and I believe his life can teach us a lot about our lives.
There are four chapters in the book of Jonah and we’ll cover each one of these four weeks in October. Written around the time of Hosea and Amos, many believe Jonah himself wrote this book between 793 BC and 753 BC. He was likely a part of a group of young prophets who were in training together. While you may find parts of the book familiar, I think you’ll be surprised at some new things we’ll discover together.
So let’s dive in…
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” (Jonah 1:1-2)
He was supposed to travel 500+ miles northeast, but instead, he headed in the other directions toward Tarshish. Maybe he thought God would choose someone else for the assignment if he was able to get away from Nineveh!
How does God speak?
God speaks through the Bible, through circumstances, through people, through dreams,…
How can you be sure it’s God?
Seek wise counsel. Fast and pray. Be still and listen. As far as I know, God won’t text you, but if you seek Him with all of your heart, I believe you will find Him and His will.
God gives Jonah a simple, clear assignment to go to the city of Nineveh and preach. Why does God care about these wicked people? He loves them. He created them. He wants them to repent, turning away from their sins and following Him. Today, He still desires for every man, woman, and child to know and worship Him. That’s why we’re so passionate about not only Toledo, but also the ends of the earth. We want everyone to know about Jesus, and today, even with the Internet and iPhone, there are billions of people who haven’t experienced God’s love, mercy, and grace. We’ve got work to do, family!
But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. (Jonah 1:3)
One of the most tragic phrases in the entire Bible is, “But Jonah ran away from the LORD.” Why? Jonah’s narrow patriotism was greater than his theology. His disdain for another people group was stronger than his love for God.
It’s easy to criticize Jonah for this rejection of God. After all, we can read his entire story in a matter of minutes. We read of the consequences of his disobedience.
But don’t we do the same thing? Don’t we run from God sometimes? Don’t we sometimes pretend we didn’t read that in the Bible or fight what God is speaking to us?
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
Why? Because He’s God and you’re not! He knows best. Really. He’s faithful. He’s trustworthy. He knows what He’s doing! He’s not out to get you or harm you. He loves you more than any mother or father or friend or spouse could ever love you.
Jonah’s headed away from Nineveh. He’s on his way to Tarshish. Did God see him? Yes!
Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. (Jonah 4-5a)
Here’s God’s prophet, Jonah, on a ship with pagan sailors who worship other gods. They’re afraid of sinking in this nasty storm. Obviously their false gods did nothing to help them!
Have you ever been in a boat during a storm? It can be scary!
Notice this storm was sent by the LORD. He controls everything, including the weather!
Warren Wiersbe wrote, "God was no longer speaking to Jonah through His Word; He was speaking to him through His works: the sea, the wind, the rain, the thunder, and even the great fish. Everything in nature obeyed God except His servant!"
But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. Jonah 1:5b)
How in the world can he be sleeping during this storm? Perhaps he had lost sleep arguing with God about going to Nineveh. Maybe he was exhausted from running from God.
Hundreds of years later, Jesus would be sleeping on a boat during a big storm, too!
The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.” (Jonah 1:6)
Evidently Jonah was willing to share his faith with the sailors, just not the Ninevites.
Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” (Jonah 1:7-8)
We often skip over this detail about casting lots, but it is one way people made decisions back in the day. In fact, Judas’ replacement among the twelve disciples was made by casting lots (Acts 1:26).
God speaks through the Bible, through circumstances, through people, through dreams,…but casting lots? It’s actually mentioned seventy times in the Old Testament and seven times in the New Testament. The practice was similar to us flipping a coin or rolling dice. Today, we can discern God’s word and will through the Bible and the Holy Spirit rather than casting lots.
Do you think Jonah was convicted when they asked about his occupation?
He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” (Jonah 1:9)
This is one of many biblical mentions of creation, a bold declaration of Jonah’s faith in God…a God he is not willing to obey…a God he’s running from…a God who is functionally not a god at all in Jonah’s life as he rebels.
This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the LORD, because he had already told them so.) (Jonah 1:10)
They were terrified, but at least they got to the root of their problem. Jonah’s disobedience affected others…and our disobedience usually does, too.
The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” (Jonah 1:11)
This strikes me as an odd question. If I knew a godly man was responsible for a calamity, I’d ask him to pray to his god to stop it. They ask, “What should we do to you?”
Jonah does not repent. He does not ask God to give him a second chance. Maybe he didn’t believe God was even capable of forgiving his disobedience. Maybe you feel God is incapable of forgiving your sins…if so, you’re very mistaken!
“Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” (Jonah 1:12)
Jonah knew he was to blame. It must’ve been a shocking admission of responsibility for him to claim his actions were the cause of the storm. I wonder if they really thought getting rid of Jonah would calm the storm. Clearly that wasn’t their first thought because the text continues…
Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. Then they cried out to the LORD, “Please, LORD, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, LORD, have done as you pleased.” Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him. (Jonah 1:13-16)
It took removing Jonah for God to calm the storm, resulting in new believers. The presence and preaching of prophets is supposed to lead to repentance, but in this case, the absence of the prophet led to spiritual awakening! God works in mysterious ways! First, the sailors were afraid of the storm, and now they greatly feared—they reverenced—God.
There’s one final verse in this chapter, a little “P.S.”
Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (Jonah 1:17)
It doesn’t say a whale, but a “huge fish” was “provided” by the LORD. I’m not sure if Jonah fully appreciated the fish during those three days and three nights, but it was the LORD’s provision.
So What?
I think the message is simple: Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
God can redeem anything. Here He even redeems Jonah’s disobedience to cause a revival among pagan sailors! But Jonah obviously suffered greatly for his rebellion against God.
I’ve told the story before, but years ago I was asked why I would leave a nice, comfortable job in Chicagoland to go to Ann Arbor and start a church from scratch. I often remarked, “God called me to plant a church and I don’t want to end up in the belly of a fish!” One time after speaking to a group about our plans for the new church, a man came up to me and said, “I’m Jonah and I’ve been in a fish for many years, running from God who wants me to move to Colorado!” I said, “What are you waiting for? Load up and go west, young man!”
We’ve all had moments when we’ve run from God. Sometimes the consequences are severe, other times we may not even be aware of our disobedience. The point remains:
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
This is a huge challenge in our culture today. We live in a consumeristic culture which says it’s all about us, our choices, our decisions, our control, our preferences. Some people have even been taught that if you follow Jesus, you’ll be happy, healthy, and wealthy…and they’re so surprised when they encounter the slightest bit of discomfort or, worse yet, pain and suffering.
Jesus did not come and die to make you happy. He came to make you holy.
You and I can save ourselves a lot of heartache if we just obey God the first time (spoiler alert: Jonah made it to Nineveh, but he took a smelly detour getting there!). You either trust God and make Him LORD or you don’t. But please don’t call yourself a Christian if you’re not going to follow and obey him!
I’m challenged by this chapter. Every day I make multiple decisions to follow or flee from God. What do I do with my money? What goes on my calendar? How do I treat people…including the annoying driver on the Trail! What will I do with my body? What will I put into my mind? And yes, with whom will I share the good news of Jesus?
As we were reminded this morning during communion, Jesus died for me. Will I live for him?
I want to ask you two simple yet profound questions. These questions are the primary tools I use in discipling people to become like Jesus.
- 1. What is God saying to you?
- 2. What are you going to do about it?
What if He sends me to Africa…or Afghanistan…or Columbus?! What if He wants me to change my sexual behavior, my entertainment consumption, my loose tongue, or my laziness? Then again, what if He simply wants to sing over you, His precious child, and remind you of how much you are loved by Him? What if He wants you to indulge in sabbath rest or delight yourself in Him? Maybe He wants you to smell the roses, dance, sing, or just smile. Whatever it is,…
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
And also,
Always obey God, even when you do feel like it!
Jonah’s disobedience caused others to suffer. Likewise, our obedience may cause others to flourish, to be encouraged, to grow, to experience Jesus. We obey God first and foremost because He is God and because we love and trust Him, but obedience can also bless others.
Closing Challenge
What is God saying to you?
What are you going to do about it?
Submission in Christ, 29 September 2019
30 09 19
Submission in Christ
Series—A Love Supreme
Colossians 3:18-4:6
Series Big Idea: Christ is above all others. This is a study on the book of Colossians.
Big Idea: Followers of Jesus not only love God, they submit to one another, live life for God, and submit most of all to the LORD.
I want to begin today with one of the most offensive words in the dictionary. No, it’s not a swear word, but to some people it might as well be one. The word is submission.
Let’s face it, we don’t like to submit…to anyone. If we miss a deadline on a research paper, it’s the teacher’s fault for not working on our timetable. If the police officer pulls us over for going 90 on I-75, something must be wrong with their radar. If the boss actually expects us to…work…!!!
Humans have been rebellious since Adam and Eve fell into temptation in the Garden of Eden, certain God didn’t really mean what He said.
Call me old school, but I believe in God, I believe in the Word of God, and I trust God understands reality better than I do. He’s had a little more experience with this thing called life than I’ve accumulated! So today I want you to suspend any skepticism or disbelief and imagine a world in which everyone followed God’s instructions, where everyone submitted to Jesus. It’s actually quite beautiful!
Today we’re concluding our series A Love Supreme, a look at a letter written by Paul to the church in Colosse. We started chapter three last week and we’re up to verse eighteen.
Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. (Colossians 3:18)
“Wait, wait, wait!!! You started with that one? So women are supposed to be second-class citizens, taking abuse and allowing their husbands to do whatever they want to them?”
Actually, this isn’t the only time these words appear in the Bible. In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul wrote,
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:22)
“There goes that misogynist Paul again.”
I often say context matters, especially in the Bible. Yes, these verses have been abused by insecure, cowardly men to manipulate their wives. But the verse before says,
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
Is that a picture of domestic violence or coercion? Hardly. The next verse in Colossians says,
Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. (Colossians 3:19)
Does that clear it up? God’s design for marriage is one man and one woman mutually surrendered to one another. Loving one another. Serving one another. There’s no place for dominance or control. The original Greek word for love here, ἀγαπάω, agapao, means “to love, value, esteem, feel or manifest generous concern for, be faithful toward; to delight in.” Last week I shared Scot McKnight’s definition of love:
Love is a rugged commitment to be with other people, to be for other people, and to grow together in Christ-likeness.
That’s a beautiful picture of a godly marriage.
Of course, marriage itself is old school. Today, about 15 percent of babies worldwide are born to parents who aren’t married. In the USA, it’s about 40 percent, though it’s 53 percent for Hispanics and 71 percent for African Americans. Now this isn’t to shame anyone, but according to a report from Columbia and Princeton researchers, children born to unmarried parents do not fare as well as children born to married parents. Furthermore, unmarried parents are more likely to be poor, suffer from depression, and report substance abuse.
My point is simple: when husbands and wives submit to one another, when they love and respect one another, they create a healthy environment not only for themselves, but for children.
Speaking of children…
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. (Colossians 3:20)
Does this mean they have to whatever they’re told, even if it’s abusive or sinful? Keep reading.
Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. (Colossians 3:21)
Common sense makes this portrait of a godly family clear and attractive. There’s no mention of rebellion, selfish behavior, or scheming. There’s no room for sin here, but rather instructions for healthy families.
I know many of you have never experienced a healthy family, for one reason or another. I urge you to break the cycle, find a mentor family, and leave a better legacy for future generations. It might be as simple as saying, “Can I hang out with you and your family sometime.”
No marriage is perfect. No family is perfect. We are all sinners. But when our focus is on loving God and loving others as we love ourselves, we’ll experience something no self-absorbed, me-first community can ever know. It’s old school, but it works. It’s God’s design. And it loves and respects everyone—men, women, and children. Submission in Christ—as well as submission to Christ—is the best way to live. The home is the optimal environment for making disciples and passing the baton of faith to future generations.
Now Paul turns to a relationship even more controversial than marriage: slavery. It was a reality in his world. But slavery at the time of this writing was not like the race-based chattel slavery in our country’s shameful history where a person was property and lacked any legal rights.
The Greek word here, doulos, can be translated slave or sometimes servant or bondservant. Often, they were not life-long slaves, but rather prisoners of war.
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism. (Colossians 3:22-25)
There’s good counsel here for all workers, regardless of their status. All of our work—all of our lives—should be worship. It should be for God’s glory. Note God will not show favoritism to those who take revenge upon wrongdoers.
Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven. (Colossians 4:1)
This sounds a bit like the Golden Rule. Treat others the way you want to be treated.
By the way, slavery has not ended. More than 20 million people are in modern slavery today, some suggest as many as 46 million.
Paul’s culture was filled with domination. Women were literally second-class citizens. They were treated like property. Slaves were subject to abuse, too. But Paul’s instructions were counter-cultural. Like Jesus, he elevated the status of women…and slaves. It has been suggested that he writes more about slaves precisely because a slave, Onesimus, would deliver this letter and the letter to Philemon, Onesimus’ master, who lived in Colosse. Paul was an advocate for the weak and marginalized. He promoted mutual submission, respect, and love. His teaching shattered the Jew/Gentile, male/female, slave/free divisions and hierarchies. Historically, the gospel has liberated the oppressed, the outcast, minorities, and the poor. The book of Philemon is a great example.
We all need to humbly honor God with all of our relationships, no matter our cultural status. Our identity must always be as sons and daughters of the most high God, first and foremost. He is the Master of us all. Jesus is LORD.
And when we are treated poorly—by anyone—we can remember the Messiah who submitted his own life for the very sinners who killed him. I’m reminded of Paul’s words to the church in Philippi:
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8)
Paul never advocates for abuse or tyranny. He simply reminds us of the one we claim to follow, Christ Jesus.
Now Paul shifts his focus from the family and work toward more personal matters.
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2)
Are you devoted to prayer? How do you pray? Is it a laundry list of requests? Are you watchful? Do you record answers to prayer? Are you thankful?
God is not a genie waiting for us to summon him with our wishes. He’s our Father and our Master who wants a relationship with us. He wants to do life with us.
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. (Colossians 4:3-4)
Paul requests prayer, but not for himself. He’s under house arrest in Rome. Wouldn’t you request prayers for freedom?
Instead, he prays for the proclamation of Jesus, the mystery of Christ. He wants the guards to know Jesus. He wants other prisoners to know Jesus. He wants everyone to experience the gospel, to encounter the Messiah. All he seems to care about is Jesus!
Robust prayer will include worship, confession, thanksgiving, and petitions. Relationships are two-way, ongoing conversations, and that’s what God desires with us.
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. (Colossians 4:5)
This is a brilliant sentence. Here’s my person interpretation:
“Love non-Christians so that they might become Christians.”
The phrase “make the most of every opportunity” in Greek is similar to our expression “cornering the market,” like buying up all of a given item. He wants the Colossians to be the wisest when it comes to treating unbelievers.
I believe the reason churches in our country are closing at an alarming rate is not because of the culture of the world, but because the church has failed. We have not loved well. We’ve judged. We’ve condemned. We’ve pointed fingers and yelled through megaphones, but we haven’t always loved well. We haven’t always acted wisely toward outsiders. And we haven’t made the most of every opportunity to share the gospel.
If that frustrates you like it frustrates me, let me remind you of the upcoming Saturate Toledo endeavor. We’re hoping to deliver Jesus Film DVDs and booklets to every home in the five-county area in November. We’re going to pray as we deliver goodie bags. We’re seeking to make the most of this opportunity, which includes all of the free DVDs and booklets we can distribute.
Tonight’s another opportunity to serve outsiders…dinner church at 5 PM. Bring an unchurched friend with you.
Finally,
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:6)
Paul doesn’t literally mean use table salt when you talk! Salt was a tasty preservative. There was no refrigeration back in the day. Our conversations are to be full of grace, life-giving, value-adding. Are yours?
So What?
There are so many things to apply from this text. Ultimately, we are to submit to Christ. We are to obey God, even when we might not feel like it! We are also to submit to one another in love. Love God. Love others as you love yourself.
Speaking of love, today we celebrate the greatest love of all, God’s love for us, expressed on the cross as Jesus died for us…that we may be made alive in Him. Today we celebrate submission to Christ, obedience, through baptism.
Credits: series outline from D6.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—A Love Supreme
Colossians 3:18-4:6
Series Big Idea: Christ is above all others. This is a study on the book of Colossians.
Big Idea: Followers of Jesus not only love God, they submit to one another, live life for God, and submit most of all to the LORD.
I want to begin today with one of the most offensive words in the dictionary. No, it’s not a swear word, but to some people it might as well be one. The word is submission.
Let’s face it, we don’t like to submit…to anyone. If we miss a deadline on a research paper, it’s the teacher’s fault for not working on our timetable. If the police officer pulls us over for going 90 on I-75, something must be wrong with their radar. If the boss actually expects us to…work…!!!
Humans have been rebellious since Adam and Eve fell into temptation in the Garden of Eden, certain God didn’t really mean what He said.
Call me old school, but I believe in God, I believe in the Word of God, and I trust God understands reality better than I do. He’s had a little more experience with this thing called life than I’ve accumulated! So today I want you to suspend any skepticism or disbelief and imagine a world in which everyone followed God’s instructions, where everyone submitted to Jesus. It’s actually quite beautiful!
Today we’re concluding our series A Love Supreme, a look at a letter written by Paul to the church in Colosse. We started chapter three last week and we’re up to verse eighteen.
Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. (Colossians 3:18)
“Wait, wait, wait!!! You started with that one? So women are supposed to be second-class citizens, taking abuse and allowing their husbands to do whatever they want to them?”
Actually, this isn’t the only time these words appear in the Bible. In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul wrote,
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:22)
“There goes that misogynist Paul again.”
I often say context matters, especially in the Bible. Yes, these verses have been abused by insecure, cowardly men to manipulate their wives. But the verse before says,
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
Is that a picture of domestic violence or coercion? Hardly. The next verse in Colossians says,
Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. (Colossians 3:19)
Does that clear it up? God’s design for marriage is one man and one woman mutually surrendered to one another. Loving one another. Serving one another. There’s no place for dominance or control. The original Greek word for love here, ἀγαπάω, agapao, means “to love, value, esteem, feel or manifest generous concern for, be faithful toward; to delight in.” Last week I shared Scot McKnight’s definition of love:
Love is a rugged commitment to be with other people, to be for other people, and to grow together in Christ-likeness.
That’s a beautiful picture of a godly marriage.
Of course, marriage itself is old school. Today, about 15 percent of babies worldwide are born to parents who aren’t married. In the USA, it’s about 40 percent, though it’s 53 percent for Hispanics and 71 percent for African Americans. Now this isn’t to shame anyone, but according to a report from Columbia and Princeton researchers, children born to unmarried parents do not fare as well as children born to married parents. Furthermore, unmarried parents are more likely to be poor, suffer from depression, and report substance abuse.
My point is simple: when husbands and wives submit to one another, when they love and respect one another, they create a healthy environment not only for themselves, but for children.
Speaking of children…
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. (Colossians 3:20)
Does this mean they have to whatever they’re told, even if it’s abusive or sinful? Keep reading.
Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. (Colossians 3:21)
Common sense makes this portrait of a godly family clear and attractive. There’s no mention of rebellion, selfish behavior, or scheming. There’s no room for sin here, but rather instructions for healthy families.
I know many of you have never experienced a healthy family, for one reason or another. I urge you to break the cycle, find a mentor family, and leave a better legacy for future generations. It might be as simple as saying, “Can I hang out with you and your family sometime.”
No marriage is perfect. No family is perfect. We are all sinners. But when our focus is on loving God and loving others as we love ourselves, we’ll experience something no self-absorbed, me-first community can ever know. It’s old school, but it works. It’s God’s design. And it loves and respects everyone—men, women, and children. Submission in Christ—as well as submission to Christ—is the best way to live. The home is the optimal environment for making disciples and passing the baton of faith to future generations.
Now Paul turns to a relationship even more controversial than marriage: slavery. It was a reality in his world. But slavery at the time of this writing was not like the race-based chattel slavery in our country’s shameful history where a person was property and lacked any legal rights.
The Greek word here, doulos, can be translated slave or sometimes servant or bondservant. Often, they were not life-long slaves, but rather prisoners of war.
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism. (Colossians 3:22-25)
There’s good counsel here for all workers, regardless of their status. All of our work—all of our lives—should be worship. It should be for God’s glory. Note God will not show favoritism to those who take revenge upon wrongdoers.
Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven. (Colossians 4:1)
This sounds a bit like the Golden Rule. Treat others the way you want to be treated.
By the way, slavery has not ended. More than 20 million people are in modern slavery today, some suggest as many as 46 million.
Paul’s culture was filled with domination. Women were literally second-class citizens. They were treated like property. Slaves were subject to abuse, too. But Paul’s instructions were counter-cultural. Like Jesus, he elevated the status of women…and slaves. It has been suggested that he writes more about slaves precisely because a slave, Onesimus, would deliver this letter and the letter to Philemon, Onesimus’ master, who lived in Colosse. Paul was an advocate for the weak and marginalized. He promoted mutual submission, respect, and love. His teaching shattered the Jew/Gentile, male/female, slave/free divisions and hierarchies. Historically, the gospel has liberated the oppressed, the outcast, minorities, and the poor. The book of Philemon is a great example.
We all need to humbly honor God with all of our relationships, no matter our cultural status. Our identity must always be as sons and daughters of the most high God, first and foremost. He is the Master of us all. Jesus is LORD.
And when we are treated poorly—by anyone—we can remember the Messiah who submitted his own life for the very sinners who killed him. I’m reminded of Paul’s words to the church in Philippi:
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8)
Paul never advocates for abuse or tyranny. He simply reminds us of the one we claim to follow, Christ Jesus.
Now Paul shifts his focus from the family and work toward more personal matters.
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2)
Are you devoted to prayer? How do you pray? Is it a laundry list of requests? Are you watchful? Do you record answers to prayer? Are you thankful?
God is not a genie waiting for us to summon him with our wishes. He’s our Father and our Master who wants a relationship with us. He wants to do life with us.
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. (Colossians 4:3-4)
Paul requests prayer, but not for himself. He’s under house arrest in Rome. Wouldn’t you request prayers for freedom?
Instead, he prays for the proclamation of Jesus, the mystery of Christ. He wants the guards to know Jesus. He wants other prisoners to know Jesus. He wants everyone to experience the gospel, to encounter the Messiah. All he seems to care about is Jesus!
Robust prayer will include worship, confession, thanksgiving, and petitions. Relationships are two-way, ongoing conversations, and that’s what God desires with us.
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. (Colossians 4:5)
This is a brilliant sentence. Here’s my person interpretation:
“Love non-Christians so that they might become Christians.”
The phrase “make the most of every opportunity” in Greek is similar to our expression “cornering the market,” like buying up all of a given item. He wants the Colossians to be the wisest when it comes to treating unbelievers.
I believe the reason churches in our country are closing at an alarming rate is not because of the culture of the world, but because the church has failed. We have not loved well. We’ve judged. We’ve condemned. We’ve pointed fingers and yelled through megaphones, but we haven’t always loved well. We haven’t always acted wisely toward outsiders. And we haven’t made the most of every opportunity to share the gospel.
If that frustrates you like it frustrates me, let me remind you of the upcoming Saturate Toledo endeavor. We’re hoping to deliver Jesus Film DVDs and booklets to every home in the five-county area in November. We’re going to pray as we deliver goodie bags. We’re seeking to make the most of this opportunity, which includes all of the free DVDs and booklets we can distribute.
Tonight’s another opportunity to serve outsiders…dinner church at 5 PM. Bring an unchurched friend with you.
Finally,
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:6)
Paul doesn’t literally mean use table salt when you talk! Salt was a tasty preservative. There was no refrigeration back in the day. Our conversations are to be full of grace, life-giving, value-adding. Are yours?
So What?
There are so many things to apply from this text. Ultimately, we are to submit to Christ. We are to obey God, even when we might not feel like it! We are also to submit to one another in love. Love God. Love others as you love yourself.
Speaking of love, today we celebrate the greatest love of all, God’s love for us, expressed on the cross as Jesus died for us…that we may be made alive in Him. Today we celebrate submission to Christ, obedience, through baptism.
Credits: series outline from D6.
New in Christ, 22 September 2019
22 09 19
New in Christ
Series—A Love Supreme
Colossians 3:1-17
Series Big Idea: Christ is above all others. This is a study on the book of Colossians.
Big Idea: When we put to death our old, sinful selves, we can become new in Christ.
New. For decades, marketers have been using it to sell their products. Try the new and improved cleaner. Taste the new burger. Drive the new car. Buy the new fashion. As an entrepreneur, I love new. But not everyone is so wired.
Some people are afraid of the new. “It’s an oldie but a goodie,” they might say. But when it comes to humanity, we’ve all been tainted by sin. We’re all broken. We’re all in need of grace, forgiveness, and salvation. No matter who you are, no matter what you’ve done, you can be made new in Christ.
We’re continuing our series A Love Supreme, looking at Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae. Chapter three is loaded with contrasts between old and new, before Christ and after Christ, sin and Spirit-filled, selfish living and christoformity.
I may have just introduced you to a new word: christoformity. Jesus invites us to be like him, to be formed to the pattern of his life. That’s radically different than self-actualization. Perhaps you noticed that our “tolerant” culture accepts the most outlandish behavior and identities…except for godliness. We have become a culture of self-idolatry, not only doing but being whatever or whomever we feel like, with no regard for our Creator and His vision and will for our lives.
This is why Christianity is revolutionary. Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people come to life! But first, they must die to themselves, their agendas, their preferences, their desires. The first two commandments in Exodus 20 are no other gods or idols. In our self-absorbed society, nothing could be more offensive.
For two chapters, Paul has been telling this early church community about the supremacy of Christ. He has written about their freedom from sin and religion. He begins chapter three by saying,
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)
Some Christians are so heavenly-minded, they’re no earthly good! But too many of us live so focused on this life—on this moment—that we fail to see what’s ahead. This is obviously in the presence of little children. They can’t see the next minute, much less the next day, week, or year.
College students work for four years—or more!—in their quest for a piece of paper.
Olympic athletes train just as long for a piece of medal. As they lose sleep, sweat, endure injuries, and bleed, they’re not focused on the moment. They are looking ahead to that moment when crowds will cheer them to what they hope will be victory.
In the same way, we must set our minds on things above. Sure, we need to eat and find shelter and care for our health, but our focus should not be the same as that of unbelievers. We are in Christ. We are citizens of heaven. We need to be training for eternity, preparing for the next life while fully living this one for the glory of God.
What do you have your heart set on? Maybe it’s a new car, a home improvement project, or a job. Perhaps you’re consumed with stress over your debt, worried about your health, or counting down the days until vacation. None of those are necessarily bad things, but they’re all so temporary. In a hundred years—maybe in one year—it will be forgotten. Paul’s not saying don’t see earthly things, but rather don’t seek earthly things.
I’m speaking to myself here, too. Don’t think for a moment I’ve mastered this! Unlike many in this world, we have many choices to make, especially about our time, maybe our money, possibly our energy. Most of us don’t spend all day hunting for food to eat. We’re blessed with wealth in this nation, but that wealth can so easily become an idol.
New in Christ means we are dead to our old selves.
Is anyone else convicted? We need to put to death our old self, our sinful nature. You can’t serve God and yourself at the same time. There’s no such thing as a part-time LORD, even on Sunday morning! We need to see things from His perspective before we make it all about us, our pleasures, our desires, our will. It’s not about empty religion or self-righteousness, either. We are to be with Christ.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. (Colossians 3:5-7)
I’m glad no one in here has ever dealt with any of these sins! To put these to death means we should desire them as much as a dead person! It doesn’t say avoid them or manage them or not to play with them too often. Paul says put to death the earthly nature. Kill them!
There is no room for sexual immorality in the life of Christ-follower. Period. That means sexual activity is sacred and reserved for the marriage covenant, husband and wife. If you don’t believe me, there’s twenty more mentions of sexual immorality in the New Testament. Google it!
Impurity. That’s an umbrella term. The funny thing is, most of us know when we encounter something that is impure, whether it is entertainment, conversation, materialism, or even workaholism. Is your mind pure? Are your relationships pure? Are your words pure?
What about lust? Evil desires? Greed? Put it to death! You used to be into that stuff, but you’re new in Christ.
New in Christ means we are dead to our old sins.
We can kill our sins or our sins will kill us! Literally. All sin leads to death, ultimately.
There are two reactions we can have toward our sin:
If you are struggling with your sin, you’re not alone. This is why we need one another. I think it’s why Jesus’ half-brother said,
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)
We can’t run this race alone. We need to help one another. Pray for one another. Encourage one another. We need to put to death our old sins, but that may take a lifetime to be fully realized. The struggle is real. Paul himself said,
…the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. (Romans 7:19)
Admitting and confessing our sins, Celebrate Recovery, small groups, one-on-one relationships, scripture memorization, Christian counseling, and quality time with God are all useful in helping us stay on the path of godliness. Spiritual practices—sometimes called spiritual disciplines—are proactive steps we can all take to grow closer to God. One of my favorite books on the subject is John Ortberg’s The Life You’ve Always Wanted. He has some great insights on prayer, confession, celebration, servanthood, scripture, and even suffering.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. (Colossians 3:5-7)
The wrath of God is coming, family. Paul’s saying put sin to death. You used to do those things.
Maybe you’ve mastered this list of sins. You’re not off the hook!
But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. (Colossians 3:8-11)
The invitation to be new in Christ is available to everyone…Jews and Gentiles, men and women, black and white, young and old…we’re all invited to follow Jesus…and die to our old selves and our old sins. Jesus transcends all barriers and unites us as one family.
New in Christ means we put on the new self, we become a new creation. What does that look like?
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:12-14)
Let’s camp out here for a bit! It’s nearly impossible to simply stop a habit. You need to replace it with something else. A new focus is required. If I say, “Don’t think of a purple elephant,” how many of you are thinking of a purple elephant?
But if I said imagine the most beautiful sunset you’ve ever seen…
Paul provides a great list to describe the new self.
Compassion
Kindness
Humility
Gentleness
Patience
Forgiveness
Love
New in Christ means we are alive to love.
I really wish we had another word for “love” in the English language. It feels too soft and mushy. Some equate it with fondness or even lust. I love ice cream. I love the Mud Hens.
Scot McKnight offer what may be my favorite definition of biblical love:
Love is a rugged commitment to be with other people, to be for other people, and to grow together in Christ-likeness.
Love is a rugged commitment (covenant).
Love is a presence. It is “with.” It’s not expressed from afar.
Love is advocacy. It is “for.” It has their back.
Love is transformation. The goal is for us and them to become like Jesus.
I believe the only way you can truly love is to first experience love. You can’t give what you don’t have.
Have you experienced God’s love? Really? Put on love. Wear it. Share it. That’s what “the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ” is all about. Love.
Is that what Christians are known for in our culture?
Paul understands the struggle to love, to obey. He wrote,
For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. (Romans 7:15b)
Again, the struggle is real, but if we allow Him access to our lives, if we truly surrender, if we pursue God, we will gradually become more like Jesus.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15)
Peace.
Unity.
Thanksgiving.
Is that what Christians are known for in our culture?
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. (Colossians 3:16)
I love the image of Christ dwelling among us. He is here! The Holy Spirit lives inside every man, woman and child who is new in Christ. This is why we gather, we teach, we admonish one another, we sing, and we are filled with gratitude. We’re no longer dead. We’re not taking our cues from the culture. We’ve put to death our sin, selfishness, and idolatry. We’re new in Christ, alive in Christ, followers of Christ, and we are becoming like Christ.
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)
Whatever you do, it’s all about Jesus.
You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
How does your work reflect this?
How do your relationships declare this?
How does your calendar and checkbook reveal this?
How does your heart communicate this?
So What?
Every Sunday, sermons are preached all around the world with the same basic message expressed in an old song by Mylon LeFevre: Love God, Hate Sin. If only it were that easy! Life is a struggle. Following Jesus is battle…because we have a real enemy who wants us to sin, who tempts us to disobey God, who literally is trying to kill us. But we’re not powerless.
We’ve been given the Holy Spirit. It comes when you invite Jesus to be your leader, your master, your LORD. In a word, it’s about surrender. That’s what this entire passage is about…dying to self and being made new in Christ. There are two parts. We must surrender and die…and we must allow the power of God to be unleashed in our lives.
Our actions do not earn salvation, but they do follow salvation. Christoformity—and sanctification—occur as we die to ourselves and become like Jesus.
Perhaps today is the day for you to begin your journey with God. You can do so with a simple prayer: Jesus, I give you my life. That’s it. Total surrender.
Maybe today is the day for you to put to death your sin. Kill it! No more white lies, pornography peeks, greedy thoughts, or toxic words. Total surrender.
You might think you’re a good Christian, avoiding sin, but are you filled with the Holy Spirit? Would others use words like compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, patient, peaceful, and loving to describe you? Total surrender.
Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people come to life! It’s a process. It’s ongoing.
It involves our focus. It starts in the mind.
It involves our actions. It moves to our hands.
New in Christ. It’s not about trying harder. It begins with total surrender.
Credits: series outline from D6.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—A Love Supreme
Colossians 3:1-17
Series Big Idea: Christ is above all others. This is a study on the book of Colossians.
Big Idea: When we put to death our old, sinful selves, we can become new in Christ.
New. For decades, marketers have been using it to sell their products. Try the new and improved cleaner. Taste the new burger. Drive the new car. Buy the new fashion. As an entrepreneur, I love new. But not everyone is so wired.
Some people are afraid of the new. “It’s an oldie but a goodie,” they might say. But when it comes to humanity, we’ve all been tainted by sin. We’re all broken. We’re all in need of grace, forgiveness, and salvation. No matter who you are, no matter what you’ve done, you can be made new in Christ.
We’re continuing our series A Love Supreme, looking at Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae. Chapter three is loaded with contrasts between old and new, before Christ and after Christ, sin and Spirit-filled, selfish living and christoformity.
I may have just introduced you to a new word: christoformity. Jesus invites us to be like him, to be formed to the pattern of his life. That’s radically different than self-actualization. Perhaps you noticed that our “tolerant” culture accepts the most outlandish behavior and identities…except for godliness. We have become a culture of self-idolatry, not only doing but being whatever or whomever we feel like, with no regard for our Creator and His vision and will for our lives.
This is why Christianity is revolutionary. Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people come to life! But first, they must die to themselves, their agendas, their preferences, their desires. The first two commandments in Exodus 20 are no other gods or idols. In our self-absorbed society, nothing could be more offensive.
For two chapters, Paul has been telling this early church community about the supremacy of Christ. He has written about their freedom from sin and religion. He begins chapter three by saying,
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)
Some Christians are so heavenly-minded, they’re no earthly good! But too many of us live so focused on this life—on this moment—that we fail to see what’s ahead. This is obviously in the presence of little children. They can’t see the next minute, much less the next day, week, or year.
College students work for four years—or more!—in their quest for a piece of paper.
Olympic athletes train just as long for a piece of medal. As they lose sleep, sweat, endure injuries, and bleed, they’re not focused on the moment. They are looking ahead to that moment when crowds will cheer them to what they hope will be victory.
In the same way, we must set our minds on things above. Sure, we need to eat and find shelter and care for our health, but our focus should not be the same as that of unbelievers. We are in Christ. We are citizens of heaven. We need to be training for eternity, preparing for the next life while fully living this one for the glory of God.
What do you have your heart set on? Maybe it’s a new car, a home improvement project, or a job. Perhaps you’re consumed with stress over your debt, worried about your health, or counting down the days until vacation. None of those are necessarily bad things, but they’re all so temporary. In a hundred years—maybe in one year—it will be forgotten. Paul’s not saying don’t see earthly things, but rather don’t seek earthly things.
I’m speaking to myself here, too. Don’t think for a moment I’ve mastered this! Unlike many in this world, we have many choices to make, especially about our time, maybe our money, possibly our energy. Most of us don’t spend all day hunting for food to eat. We’re blessed with wealth in this nation, but that wealth can so easily become an idol.
New in Christ means we are dead to our old selves.
Is anyone else convicted? We need to put to death our old self, our sinful nature. You can’t serve God and yourself at the same time. There’s no such thing as a part-time LORD, even on Sunday morning! We need to see things from His perspective before we make it all about us, our pleasures, our desires, our will. It’s not about empty religion or self-righteousness, either. We are to be with Christ.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. (Colossians 3:5-7)
I’m glad no one in here has ever dealt with any of these sins! To put these to death means we should desire them as much as a dead person! It doesn’t say avoid them or manage them or not to play with them too often. Paul says put to death the earthly nature. Kill them!
There is no room for sexual immorality in the life of Christ-follower. Period. That means sexual activity is sacred and reserved for the marriage covenant, husband and wife. If you don’t believe me, there’s twenty more mentions of sexual immorality in the New Testament. Google it!
Impurity. That’s an umbrella term. The funny thing is, most of us know when we encounter something that is impure, whether it is entertainment, conversation, materialism, or even workaholism. Is your mind pure? Are your relationships pure? Are your words pure?
What about lust? Evil desires? Greed? Put it to death! You used to be into that stuff, but you’re new in Christ.
New in Christ means we are dead to our old sins.
We can kill our sins or our sins will kill us! Literally. All sin leads to death, ultimately.
There are two reactions we can have toward our sin:
- 1. We can struggle and try to put it to death.
- 2. We can rationalize it and embrace it. I urge you to skip this option! All sin leads to death, ultimately.
If you are struggling with your sin, you’re not alone. This is why we need one another. I think it’s why Jesus’ half-brother said,
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)
We can’t run this race alone. We need to help one another. Pray for one another. Encourage one another. We need to put to death our old sins, but that may take a lifetime to be fully realized. The struggle is real. Paul himself said,
…the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. (Romans 7:19)
Admitting and confessing our sins, Celebrate Recovery, small groups, one-on-one relationships, scripture memorization, Christian counseling, and quality time with God are all useful in helping us stay on the path of godliness. Spiritual practices—sometimes called spiritual disciplines—are proactive steps we can all take to grow closer to God. One of my favorite books on the subject is John Ortberg’s The Life You’ve Always Wanted. He has some great insights on prayer, confession, celebration, servanthood, scripture, and even suffering.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. (Colossians 3:5-7)
The wrath of God is coming, family. Paul’s saying put sin to death. You used to do those things.
Maybe you’ve mastered this list of sins. You’re not off the hook!
But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. (Colossians 3:8-11)
The invitation to be new in Christ is available to everyone…Jews and Gentiles, men and women, black and white, young and old…we’re all invited to follow Jesus…and die to our old selves and our old sins. Jesus transcends all barriers and unites us as one family.
New in Christ means we put on the new self, we become a new creation. What does that look like?
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:12-14)
Let’s camp out here for a bit! It’s nearly impossible to simply stop a habit. You need to replace it with something else. A new focus is required. If I say, “Don’t think of a purple elephant,” how many of you are thinking of a purple elephant?
But if I said imagine the most beautiful sunset you’ve ever seen…
Paul provides a great list to describe the new self.
Compassion
Kindness
Humility
Gentleness
Patience
Forgiveness
Love
New in Christ means we are alive to love.
I really wish we had another word for “love” in the English language. It feels too soft and mushy. Some equate it with fondness or even lust. I love ice cream. I love the Mud Hens.
Scot McKnight offer what may be my favorite definition of biblical love:
Love is a rugged commitment to be with other people, to be for other people, and to grow together in Christ-likeness.
Love is a rugged commitment (covenant).
Love is a presence. It is “with.” It’s not expressed from afar.
Love is advocacy. It is “for.” It has their back.
Love is transformation. The goal is for us and them to become like Jesus.
I believe the only way you can truly love is to first experience love. You can’t give what you don’t have.
Have you experienced God’s love? Really? Put on love. Wear it. Share it. That’s what “the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ” is all about. Love.
Is that what Christians are known for in our culture?
Paul understands the struggle to love, to obey. He wrote,
For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. (Romans 7:15b)
Again, the struggle is real, but if we allow Him access to our lives, if we truly surrender, if we pursue God, we will gradually become more like Jesus.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15)
Peace.
Unity.
Thanksgiving.
Is that what Christians are known for in our culture?
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. (Colossians 3:16)
I love the image of Christ dwelling among us. He is here! The Holy Spirit lives inside every man, woman and child who is new in Christ. This is why we gather, we teach, we admonish one another, we sing, and we are filled with gratitude. We’re no longer dead. We’re not taking our cues from the culture. We’ve put to death our sin, selfishness, and idolatry. We’re new in Christ, alive in Christ, followers of Christ, and we are becoming like Christ.
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)
Whatever you do, it’s all about Jesus.
You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
How does your work reflect this?
How do your relationships declare this?
How does your calendar and checkbook reveal this?
How does your heart communicate this?
So What?
Every Sunday, sermons are preached all around the world with the same basic message expressed in an old song by Mylon LeFevre: Love God, Hate Sin. If only it were that easy! Life is a struggle. Following Jesus is battle…because we have a real enemy who wants us to sin, who tempts us to disobey God, who literally is trying to kill us. But we’re not powerless.
We’ve been given the Holy Spirit. It comes when you invite Jesus to be your leader, your master, your LORD. In a word, it’s about surrender. That’s what this entire passage is about…dying to self and being made new in Christ. There are two parts. We must surrender and die…and we must allow the power of God to be unleashed in our lives.
Our actions do not earn salvation, but they do follow salvation. Christoformity—and sanctification—occur as we die to ourselves and become like Jesus.
Perhaps today is the day for you to begin your journey with God. You can do so with a simple prayer: Jesus, I give you my life. That’s it. Total surrender.
Maybe today is the day for you to put to death your sin. Kill it! No more white lies, pornography peeks, greedy thoughts, or toxic words. Total surrender.
You might think you’re a good Christian, avoiding sin, but are you filled with the Holy Spirit? Would others use words like compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, patient, peaceful, and loving to describe you? Total surrender.
Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people come to life! It’s a process. It’s ongoing.
It involves our focus. It starts in the mind.
It involves our actions. It moves to our hands.
New in Christ. It’s not about trying harder. It begins with total surrender.
Credits: series outline from D6.
2020 Vision, 15 September 2019
15 09 19
2020 Vision: Back to our Roots
Series—A Love Supreme
Colossians 2:6-19
Series Big Idea: Christ is above all others. This is a study on the book of Colossians.
Big Idea: We must always remain rooted in the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Why are you here? These were the first words I ever spoke from this platform nearly four years ago. It’s a simple question with a variety of answers, some more spiritual than others, but all leading to you being present this morning. One response can be found in our lobby:
For the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
This phrase is taken from the first two verses of the book of Revelation:
The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:1-2)
Although the kids have been in school for several weeks and the football season is well underway, today is really our fall kickoff. Technically, fall begins this Saturday. More than a message about the next few months, I want to talk about the upcoming ministry year, the upcoming calendar year, what I’d like to call 2020 Vision. It’s hard to believe a new decade begins in less than sixteen weeks.
Before we look ahead, I want to mention a word I’ve heard people using a lot around here. Some have said we are a “conservative” church…or used to be…or should be. Unfortunately, to many, that means one thing: Republican. But we must never confuse faith with politics. Here’s what “conservative” means according to the dictionary:
holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation,
Are we a conservative church? Should we be a conservative church? No…and yes.
On the one hand, we must recognize that our world is changing. 2020 will look much different than 2010, to say nothing of 1920 or AD 20.
We need to be guided by our Alliance family’s core values (seen on posters in our lobby).
One of them states:
Achieving God’s purposes means taking faith-filled risks. This always involves change. - Hebrews 1
Do you see the paradox? This value is not, by definition, conservative, yet holding to our values is conservative!
Here are our other values:
Lost people matter to God. He wants them found. Luke 19:10
Prayer is the primary work of God’s people. Philippians 4:6-7
Everything we have belongs to God; we are His stewards. 1 Chronicles 29:14
Knowing and obeying God’s Word is fundamental to all true success. Joshua 1:8
Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple. Matthew 28:19
Without the Holy Spirit’s empowerment, we can accomplish nothing. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5
We must always remain rooted in the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Is Jesus conservative?
God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever…and yet He is moving. He is doing new things.
Why are you here? Quite literally, we wouldn’t be here without a man named Albert Benjamin Simpson.
VIDEO
Today I want to go back to our roots. I don’t mean 2007 conservative. I don’t mean 1987 conservative. Let’s go back to 1887!
A.B. Simpson came to Toledo on December 5, 1887 and planted the Toledo Gospel Tabernacle, now known as First Alliance Church. Since then, we’ve had several buildings, a number of pastors, and thousands of people who have called our family home. Getting back to our roots means we look at who we got here. Why did Simpson travel from New York City to Toledo? He wanted everyone to know Jesus: rich, poor, black, white, young, old, male, female.
Our series this month, A Love Supreme, is a study of the book of Colossians. Paul wrote to the church in Colossae…
Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. (Colossians 3:11)
Paul wrote to another church,
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26-28)
It’s all about Jesus.
It’s not about the color of the carpet, the volume of the music, the hair of the preacher, or the clapping abilities of the congregants.
It’s all about Jesus.
Our text for today is found in Colossians chapter 2.
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6-7)
It’s all about Jesus. We must always remain rooted in the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Paul continues…
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. (Colossians 2:8)
There are tens of thousands of Christian denominations in our world, which I find tragic. Many of them came about when one church split from another over human tradition. Perhaps the two most divisive issues in the history of Christianity have involved communion—where Jesus simply told us to remember him—and how much water to use in baptism! This is called religion! This is what Jesus despised! He did away with the Jew/Gentile walls and division. The focus must never be on legalism, but life. The life of Jesus. The abundant life Jesus offers.
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. (Colossians 2:9-12)
It’s all about Jesus. It’s about dying to ourselves and living for Christ.
In two weeks, we’re going to have another baptism. The symbolism is so rich, entering a water grave and being raised with Jesus, experiencing new life.
If you’re a follower of Jesus—or want to be—and have never been baptized, please let us know today, either in person or via e-mail.
Are you ready for some good news?
Are you ready for some great news?
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:13-15)
That is one of my favorite verses in the Bible! Jesus made a public spectacle of satan and his team of demons when he died for us. He triumphed! He died for all of our sins—past, present and future—if we repent and follow him.
Jesus is alive!
Jesus is the victor!
Jesus is LORD!
It’s all about Jesus.
It’s not about religion. It’s not about legalism. It’s about Jesus. We must always remain rooted in the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. (Colossians 2:16-19)
We need to be connected to Jesus. We need to focus on Jesus. And when we do, we look at culture and politics through the lens of Jesus, and not look at Jesus through the lens of culture and politics.
We must hold our traditions and preferences loosely… while holding biblical orthodoxies tightly.
Put any two people in a room and they’ll discover differences. Division is easy. Unity is another matter entirely. Jesus’ one prayer for us—it’s in John 17—is unity. He prayed that we would be one as he and the Father are one.
A.B. Simpson never sought to start a denomination. He merely planted churches which didn’t formally become a denomination until almost a century later in 1974. He didn’t want to get caught up in quarrels and controversies. He wanted to focus on the essentials and let the peripheral issues remain peripheral. As a result,
We are a diverse family.
This is true both The Alliance. 40% of Alliance churches in the USA are non-anglo, speaking 37 languages and dialects! That’s just in the USA. 90% of Alliance members live outside the USA!
Here at First Alliance Church, we are growing more diverse, which I think is a beautiful thing. I believe every church should reach its community, serve its city, reflect its population. As we’ve been welcoming new people to First Alliance Church, some people have gotten a little uncomfortable. That’s ok. It’s not about you or me anyhow.
It’s all about Jesus.
I recently heard a speaker make an incredible statement of diversity. She said diversity is inviting someone to the party. Inclusion is inviting them to dance! We need to invite everyone to dance! We want to be more than a friendly church. We want to be a family of friends.
If you don’t like diversity in this life, you won’t like what’s next! John gives us an amazing vision:
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-10)
We’re different because God made us this way! Each of us is unique and special.
Anyone can get along with people like them. The beauty of the gospel, the distinction of the people of God, is that they become all things to all people, like Paul. They sacrifice their preferences, welcome strangers, and they see themselves as a mosaic—a collection of different, broken pieces that come together to create a work of art through which light shines. Consequently,
We must love and respect others…always. They are masterpieces.
Jesus’ half-brother, James, said never play favorites (James 2). We’re not here just for young people or attractive people or rich people. Every person in our family is created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth, a masterpiece, God’s masterpiece. We all need some restoration and cleaning, but we all have something to offer. That’s the way family works. You might disagree with the politics or fashion or worship style of your brother or sister, but they’re family. They deserve love and respect. Always. Over and over again, the Bible demonstrates that love for God and man has its greatest expression in community.
Recently, someone told me love is listen, overlook, value, and encourage. I like that!
Jesus died for the whole world. Everyone. All people. All nations. All generations.
We must be mission-driven…commission-driven. It’s about making disciples.
Jesus has given us a commission—not a suggestion—to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). We’re not about programs or distributing religious goods and services. We’re not a social club for members-only. We are on a mission from God. The way we describe is…
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory. (Ephesians 2:10)
We are a diverse family. We are called to be a loving family. We are here for both the city and the world. We’re going back…to our roots.
So What?
This fall we’ll be joining what will hopefully be hundreds of churches in our region giving everyone in our five counties a chance to hear the gospel…to see the gospel! Saturate Toledo is providing all of the Jesus film DVDs, booklets, and bags. We’ll get together and pray, stuff the bags, include our church info, and hang them on doors. It couldn’t be easier. Begin praying now for this unique outreach opportunity. It could change our community.
Dinner Church continues to exceed our expectations. We already have featured artists booked for the fall. We might need to buy more round tables since we’ve filled most every seat at the ones we have, but that’s a good problem! Unchurched people are encountering Jesus each month and I couldn’t be more excited!
Celebrate Recovery has been growing, serving not only people struggling with addictions, but also the 2 out of 3 participants who are dealing with the hurts and pain life brings to each of us.
This is our fourth year serving Rosa Parks Elementary, both students and staff. The impact has been tremendous.
Next month our After School Klub begins its 21st year serving the next generation. This will be Sharralynn Cook’s second year leading the ASK and if you haven’t worked with her, you have no idea what you’re missing! It’s an all-new Klub! Toledo Urban Impact is just one of our ten Home Missions partners.
That Neighborhood Church—our sister congregation in The Alliance—has offered to assist us in serving our growing population of people in need of basic life skills. Our partnerships with TNC and other area churches—including The Tabernacle and Vineyard—will unify and build God’s kingdom in Toledo and beyond.
We’ve also been getting help from Allegheny Alliance in Pittsburgh. Urban ministry is new for many of us, and we’ve been blessed with many trailblazers who have offered to equip us.
Perhaps our most important ministry—besides our prayer teams—is our small groups. They remain the core of First Alliance Church. If you’re not in a group, you’re missing out on community, care, fellowship, and fun. An hour on Sunday is not enough to sustain a vibrant spiritual life. We were created to do life together.
Why are you here? I hope it’s for Jesus. I pray it’s because of our mission:
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory. (Ephesians 2:10)
We need to be conservative—rooted in God’s Word, our core values, our history…but doing so involves change. It involves new wineskins for new wine. It means opening the doors wide for new people…and more importantly getting outside our four walls to love and serve the world…in deed and word. It’s about the inspiring vision of our founder, A.B. Simpson, and most of all…
It’s about Jesus. It has always been all about Jesus.
We must always remain rooted in the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—A Love Supreme
Colossians 2:6-19
Series Big Idea: Christ is above all others. This is a study on the book of Colossians.
Big Idea: We must always remain rooted in the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Why are you here? These were the first words I ever spoke from this platform nearly four years ago. It’s a simple question with a variety of answers, some more spiritual than others, but all leading to you being present this morning. One response can be found in our lobby:
For the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
This phrase is taken from the first two verses of the book of Revelation:
The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:1-2)
Although the kids have been in school for several weeks and the football season is well underway, today is really our fall kickoff. Technically, fall begins this Saturday. More than a message about the next few months, I want to talk about the upcoming ministry year, the upcoming calendar year, what I’d like to call 2020 Vision. It’s hard to believe a new decade begins in less than sixteen weeks.
Before we look ahead, I want to mention a word I’ve heard people using a lot around here. Some have said we are a “conservative” church…or used to be…or should be. Unfortunately, to many, that means one thing: Republican. But we must never confuse faith with politics. Here’s what “conservative” means according to the dictionary:
holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation,
Are we a conservative church? Should we be a conservative church? No…and yes.
On the one hand, we must recognize that our world is changing. 2020 will look much different than 2010, to say nothing of 1920 or AD 20.
We need to be guided by our Alliance family’s core values (seen on posters in our lobby).
One of them states:
Achieving God’s purposes means taking faith-filled risks. This always involves change. - Hebrews 1
Do you see the paradox? This value is not, by definition, conservative, yet holding to our values is conservative!
Here are our other values:
Lost people matter to God. He wants them found. Luke 19:10
Prayer is the primary work of God’s people. Philippians 4:6-7
Everything we have belongs to God; we are His stewards. 1 Chronicles 29:14
Knowing and obeying God’s Word is fundamental to all true success. Joshua 1:8
Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple. Matthew 28:19
Without the Holy Spirit’s empowerment, we can accomplish nothing. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5
We must always remain rooted in the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Is Jesus conservative?
God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever…and yet He is moving. He is doing new things.
Why are you here? Quite literally, we wouldn’t be here without a man named Albert Benjamin Simpson.
VIDEO
Today I want to go back to our roots. I don’t mean 2007 conservative. I don’t mean 1987 conservative. Let’s go back to 1887!
A.B. Simpson came to Toledo on December 5, 1887 and planted the Toledo Gospel Tabernacle, now known as First Alliance Church. Since then, we’ve had several buildings, a number of pastors, and thousands of people who have called our family home. Getting back to our roots means we look at who we got here. Why did Simpson travel from New York City to Toledo? He wanted everyone to know Jesus: rich, poor, black, white, young, old, male, female.
Our series this month, A Love Supreme, is a study of the book of Colossians. Paul wrote to the church in Colossae…
Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. (Colossians 3:11)
Paul wrote to another church,
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26-28)
It’s all about Jesus.
It’s not about the color of the carpet, the volume of the music, the hair of the preacher, or the clapping abilities of the congregants.
It’s all about Jesus.
Our text for today is found in Colossians chapter 2.
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6-7)
It’s all about Jesus. We must always remain rooted in the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Paul continues…
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. (Colossians 2:8)
There are tens of thousands of Christian denominations in our world, which I find tragic. Many of them came about when one church split from another over human tradition. Perhaps the two most divisive issues in the history of Christianity have involved communion—where Jesus simply told us to remember him—and how much water to use in baptism! This is called religion! This is what Jesus despised! He did away with the Jew/Gentile walls and division. The focus must never be on legalism, but life. The life of Jesus. The abundant life Jesus offers.
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. (Colossians 2:9-12)
It’s all about Jesus. It’s about dying to ourselves and living for Christ.
In two weeks, we’re going to have another baptism. The symbolism is so rich, entering a water grave and being raised with Jesus, experiencing new life.
If you’re a follower of Jesus—or want to be—and have never been baptized, please let us know today, either in person or via e-mail.
Are you ready for some good news?
Are you ready for some great news?
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:13-15)
That is one of my favorite verses in the Bible! Jesus made a public spectacle of satan and his team of demons when he died for us. He triumphed! He died for all of our sins—past, present and future—if we repent and follow him.
Jesus is alive!
Jesus is the victor!
Jesus is LORD!
It’s all about Jesus.
It’s not about religion. It’s not about legalism. It’s about Jesus. We must always remain rooted in the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. (Colossians 2:16-19)
We need to be connected to Jesus. We need to focus on Jesus. And when we do, we look at culture and politics through the lens of Jesus, and not look at Jesus through the lens of culture and politics.
We must hold our traditions and preferences loosely… while holding biblical orthodoxies tightly.
Put any two people in a room and they’ll discover differences. Division is easy. Unity is another matter entirely. Jesus’ one prayer for us—it’s in John 17—is unity. He prayed that we would be one as he and the Father are one.
A.B. Simpson never sought to start a denomination. He merely planted churches which didn’t formally become a denomination until almost a century later in 1974. He didn’t want to get caught up in quarrels and controversies. He wanted to focus on the essentials and let the peripheral issues remain peripheral. As a result,
We are a diverse family.
This is true both The Alliance. 40% of Alliance churches in the USA are non-anglo, speaking 37 languages and dialects! That’s just in the USA. 90% of Alliance members live outside the USA!
Here at First Alliance Church, we are growing more diverse, which I think is a beautiful thing. I believe every church should reach its community, serve its city, reflect its population. As we’ve been welcoming new people to First Alliance Church, some people have gotten a little uncomfortable. That’s ok. It’s not about you or me anyhow.
It’s all about Jesus.
I recently heard a speaker make an incredible statement of diversity. She said diversity is inviting someone to the party. Inclusion is inviting them to dance! We need to invite everyone to dance! We want to be more than a friendly church. We want to be a family of friends.
If you don’t like diversity in this life, you won’t like what’s next! John gives us an amazing vision:
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-10)
We’re different because God made us this way! Each of us is unique and special.
Anyone can get along with people like them. The beauty of the gospel, the distinction of the people of God, is that they become all things to all people, like Paul. They sacrifice their preferences, welcome strangers, and they see themselves as a mosaic—a collection of different, broken pieces that come together to create a work of art through which light shines. Consequently,
We must love and respect others…always. They are masterpieces.
Jesus’ half-brother, James, said never play favorites (James 2). We’re not here just for young people or attractive people or rich people. Every person in our family is created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth, a masterpiece, God’s masterpiece. We all need some restoration and cleaning, but we all have something to offer. That’s the way family works. You might disagree with the politics or fashion or worship style of your brother or sister, but they’re family. They deserve love and respect. Always. Over and over again, the Bible demonstrates that love for God and man has its greatest expression in community.
Recently, someone told me love is listen, overlook, value, and encourage. I like that!
Jesus died for the whole world. Everyone. All people. All nations. All generations.
We must be mission-driven…commission-driven. It’s about making disciples.
Jesus has given us a commission—not a suggestion—to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). We’re not about programs or distributing religious goods and services. We’re not a social club for members-only. We are on a mission from God. The way we describe is…
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory. (Ephesians 2:10)
We are a diverse family. We are called to be a loving family. We are here for both the city and the world. We’re going back…to our roots.
So What?
This fall we’ll be joining what will hopefully be hundreds of churches in our region giving everyone in our five counties a chance to hear the gospel…to see the gospel! Saturate Toledo is providing all of the Jesus film DVDs, booklets, and bags. We’ll get together and pray, stuff the bags, include our church info, and hang them on doors. It couldn’t be easier. Begin praying now for this unique outreach opportunity. It could change our community.
Dinner Church continues to exceed our expectations. We already have featured artists booked for the fall. We might need to buy more round tables since we’ve filled most every seat at the ones we have, but that’s a good problem! Unchurched people are encountering Jesus each month and I couldn’t be more excited!
Celebrate Recovery has been growing, serving not only people struggling with addictions, but also the 2 out of 3 participants who are dealing with the hurts and pain life brings to each of us.
This is our fourth year serving Rosa Parks Elementary, both students and staff. The impact has been tremendous.
Next month our After School Klub begins its 21st year serving the next generation. This will be Sharralynn Cook’s second year leading the ASK and if you haven’t worked with her, you have no idea what you’re missing! It’s an all-new Klub! Toledo Urban Impact is just one of our ten Home Missions partners.
That Neighborhood Church—our sister congregation in The Alliance—has offered to assist us in serving our growing population of people in need of basic life skills. Our partnerships with TNC and other area churches—including The Tabernacle and Vineyard—will unify and build God’s kingdom in Toledo and beyond.
We’ve also been getting help from Allegheny Alliance in Pittsburgh. Urban ministry is new for many of us, and we’ve been blessed with many trailblazers who have offered to equip us.
Perhaps our most important ministry—besides our prayer teams—is our small groups. They remain the core of First Alliance Church. If you’re not in a group, you’re missing out on community, care, fellowship, and fun. An hour on Sunday is not enough to sustain a vibrant spiritual life. We were created to do life together.
Why are you here? I hope it’s for Jesus. I pray it’s because of our mission:
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory. (Ephesians 2:10)
We need to be conservative—rooted in God’s Word, our core values, our history…but doing so involves change. It involves new wineskins for new wine. It means opening the doors wide for new people…and more importantly getting outside our four walls to love and serve the world…in deed and word. It’s about the inspiring vision of our founder, A.B. Simpson, and most of all…
It’s about Jesus. It has always been all about Jesus.
We must always remain rooted in the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Jesus is LORD, 1 September 2019
01 09 19
Jesus Is LORD
Series—A Love Supreme
Colossians 1:9-23
Series Big Idea: Christ is above all others. This is a study on the book of Colossians.
Big Idea: The Messiah is above all, and that has huge implications for our lives if he is not only Savior but also LORD.
How many of you like music? How many of you like jazz?
Our world is filled with opinions about the greatest rock band, the best gospel singer, the finest classical composer, and the most talented rapper, but when it comes to jazz, most people seem to agree on two things:
1. The greatest jazz album of all-time is Miles Davis’ Some Kind of Blue.
2. The second great jazz album of all-time is John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme.
Today we begin a new series on Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae, a small city in modern-day Turkey. Unlike nearby Laodicea and Hierapolis, Colossae has never been excavated, though plans are in the works. The theme of the book is the supremacy of Christ, but since that seemed a bit foreign to our modern lexicon, I’ve chosen to entitle this series A Love Supreme. It’s not about jazz, but about Jesus, the definition of love. He is supreme. His love is supreme. His lordship is supreme. As we noted in our last series, the gospel is Jesus. The good news is that Jesus is LORD. He will be our subject throughout our study this month in the book of Colossians. Jesus is supreme!
A few weeks ago we looked at the radical conversion of Saul. Because of his calling to the Gentiles, he went by the name of Paul and, as prophesied, suffered for his faith in Jesus. He wrote four prison epistles—or letters: Ephesians, Philemon, Philippians, and Colossians. This letter was written while under house arrest in Rome in AD 61. Paul begins his letter to this church with eight verses of introduction and then he continues…
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. (Colossians 1:9a)
This is a beautiful statement. The “reason” is their faith in Christ and love for all God’s people. The “we” here is Paul and Timothy. They have not stopped praying for the Christians in Colossae.
Who are you continually praying for? Some of you have told me you pray for me weekly, or even daily. I’m so grateful. I can’t imagine where I would be—who I would be—without prayer.
In the Christian & Missionary Alliance, we believe prayer is the primary work of God’s people. It is powerful and effective. It’s not talking to the wall, but rather communicating with the Creator of the universe! We’ve seen God answer countless prayers…and He’s not going to stop now!
We can’t stop now, either. We need to pray for our church family, for our neighbors, our city, nation, and world.
Have you ever wondered what to pray?
“LORD, I pray for everyone in the whole world to be blessed today!” That’s a nice prayer, but if you want to be just a bit more specific, Paul’s example is helpful.
We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. (Colossians 1:9b-12)
What a great list! When we pray for others, we can ask God to grant them
Would you pray that for me? Would you pray that for our elders and staff? Would you pray that for First Alliance Church. This isn’t my church. It’s not our church. We are God’s church. We are fully dependent upon His power, His grace, His favor.
I want to remind you we have three weekly prayer gatherings here—Sundays at 9 AM, Thursdays at 7 PM, and a wonderful men’s group on Tuesdays at 8:30 AM.
I can’t imagine where we would be without prayer!
The heart of Paul’s prayer is that the lifestyle of the people. He was concerned about their theology, of course, but he specifically prays that they would live lives worthy of the LORD. He prays that they would bear fruit. Likewise,
Our lives should bear fruit.
Notice this doesn’t happen because we try hard, but rather because of prayer, because of God’s power, because of Jesus. He is the one who said famously,
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
What kind of fruit do we bear when we are connected to the vine of Jesus? The fruit of the Spirit:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Do we produce this fruit? Do we earn it, strive for it, work for it, make it happen? No! We surrender and submit to the Lordship of Christ. We let him lead our lives. We confess our sins, repent and turn away from them, and invite the Holy Spirit to fill us, change us, transform us to become more like Jesus. This is why prayer is so critical. It’s a daily thing. It’s an hourly thing. It’s a moment-by-moment thing.
Paul ends verse twelve by saying they give joyful thanks to God…
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14)
Have you ever been rescued? We’ve all heard of people being rescued at sea, after being trapped in a cave, or after a natural disaster. I can’t recall ever being in such a situation, but I imagine it’s incredible. We’ve been rescued from darkness into His glorious light. He have redemption. We have forgiveness. We have freedom!
Now Paul begins to describe Jesus.
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. (Colossians 1:15-16)
You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
These verses declare that all things were created through Jesus and for Jesus. He is the image—or literally icon—of the invisible God. He makes God visible! Jesus told Philip that when you’ve seen him, you’ve seen the Father (John 14:9).
He had no beginning, for he is the Creator! He has all authority and rights over His creation.
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. (Colossians 1:17-18)
Jesus is supreme.
He is above all things. He is before all things. He holds together all things. He’s the head of the church. He is our Senior Pastor. He is the beginning. He is the firstborn among the dead. He’s the LORD of lords and the King of kings. Jesus is supreme!
Is it any wonder this passage may have contained remnants of an early Christian hymn?
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)
All of the fullness of God dwells—permanently lives—in Jesus. Then Jesus died to reconcile us to God. He created, and then after we sinned He re-created, He redeemed, He reconciled sinners who repent, making peace, wholeness, completeness.
Someone recently asked me why I talk so much about Jesus instead of God. It was a terrific question! I explained Jesus is God. We worship one God who is in three Persons. We call this the Trinity. It’s a word not found in the Bible, but the idea behind it is present throughout scripture. God the Father, God the Son—Jesus—and God the Holy Spirit. They are all God, yet they are different Persons.
Many have tried to explain the Trinity with analogies, which might be the best thing we can do to attempt to understand God. After all, He’s God! He doesn’t fit in a neat box.
An egg has three parts: shell, yolk, white. They are all egg, three-in-one.
Another common illustration is a clover. Each leaf is 100% clover, yet each is unique.
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)
Throughout church history, some have recognized Jesus as God but not human. This is called the heresy of Docetism. They believed Jesus only appeared to have a body but did not actually suffer on the cross or rise from the dead.
Some recognized Jesus as created by God the Father but not himself God. This is called the heresy of Arianism.
What we see in these two verses is that the fullness of God dwells in Jesus. He is fully God. The Father sent the Son, Jesus, to earth to die, to shed his blood on the cross, to reconcile all things to himself. That includes us, hallelujah! Our sin separated us from the holy God, yet Jesus died to reconcile us to the Father, and only Jesus could do that because Jesus is the only human to walk this earth who is also fully God.
This is such good news, friends!
Jesus reconciled us to God by his death.
Paul further explains…
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. (Colossians 1:21-23)
If Jesus never actually died—as some believe—we are hopeless. We cannot be reconciled. We remain alienated from God because of our sin. But there is plenty of evidence not only that Jesus died, but also that he rose from the dead and is alive today.
Jesus is not only our Savior, but also LORD.
The gospel is not just that Jesus died, but that Jesus is LORD. He is above all. He is supreme.
I’ve often spoken of vampire Christians who only want Jesus for his blood. They want a Savior, but not a LORD.
They want to be saved, but they don’t want to serve.
They want to be forgiven, but they don’t want to follow.
They want to go to heaven when they die, but they don’t want to live for Jesus now.
True faith will lead to faithfulness over time. We will grow. We will mature. We will look and act more like Jesus. We will love God and love others as ourselves. We will experience real peace, true joy, abundant love, and deep contentment. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
How can we not sing?
How can we not praise?
How can we not rejoice?
How can we not celebrate?
We have a love supreme!
Credits: series outline from D6.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—A Love Supreme
Colossians 1:9-23
Series Big Idea: Christ is above all others. This is a study on the book of Colossians.
Big Idea: The Messiah is above all, and that has huge implications for our lives if he is not only Savior but also LORD.
How many of you like music? How many of you like jazz?
Our world is filled with opinions about the greatest rock band, the best gospel singer, the finest classical composer, and the most talented rapper, but when it comes to jazz, most people seem to agree on two things:
1. The greatest jazz album of all-time is Miles Davis’ Some Kind of Blue.
2. The second great jazz album of all-time is John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme.
Today we begin a new series on Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae, a small city in modern-day Turkey. Unlike nearby Laodicea and Hierapolis, Colossae has never been excavated, though plans are in the works. The theme of the book is the supremacy of Christ, but since that seemed a bit foreign to our modern lexicon, I’ve chosen to entitle this series A Love Supreme. It’s not about jazz, but about Jesus, the definition of love. He is supreme. His love is supreme. His lordship is supreme. As we noted in our last series, the gospel is Jesus. The good news is that Jesus is LORD. He will be our subject throughout our study this month in the book of Colossians. Jesus is supreme!
A few weeks ago we looked at the radical conversion of Saul. Because of his calling to the Gentiles, he went by the name of Paul and, as prophesied, suffered for his faith in Jesus. He wrote four prison epistles—or letters: Ephesians, Philemon, Philippians, and Colossians. This letter was written while under house arrest in Rome in AD 61. Paul begins his letter to this church with eight verses of introduction and then he continues…
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. (Colossians 1:9a)
This is a beautiful statement. The “reason” is their faith in Christ and love for all God’s people. The “we” here is Paul and Timothy. They have not stopped praying for the Christians in Colossae.
Who are you continually praying for? Some of you have told me you pray for me weekly, or even daily. I’m so grateful. I can’t imagine where I would be—who I would be—without prayer.
In the Christian & Missionary Alliance, we believe prayer is the primary work of God’s people. It is powerful and effective. It’s not talking to the wall, but rather communicating with the Creator of the universe! We’ve seen God answer countless prayers…and He’s not going to stop now!
We can’t stop now, either. We need to pray for our church family, for our neighbors, our city, nation, and world.
Have you ever wondered what to pray?
“LORD, I pray for everyone in the whole world to be blessed today!” That’s a nice prayer, but if you want to be just a bit more specific, Paul’s example is helpful.
We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. (Colossians 1:9b-12)
What a great list! When we pray for others, we can ask God to grant them
- - Knowledge of His will (we often learn by doing, by obeying; deed and knowledge)
- - Wisdom and understanding
- - Fruit in every good work
- - Growth in the knowledge of God
- - Strength
- - Endurance
- - Patience
Would you pray that for me? Would you pray that for our elders and staff? Would you pray that for First Alliance Church. This isn’t my church. It’s not our church. We are God’s church. We are fully dependent upon His power, His grace, His favor.
I want to remind you we have three weekly prayer gatherings here—Sundays at 9 AM, Thursdays at 7 PM, and a wonderful men’s group on Tuesdays at 8:30 AM.
I can’t imagine where we would be without prayer!
The heart of Paul’s prayer is that the lifestyle of the people. He was concerned about their theology, of course, but he specifically prays that they would live lives worthy of the LORD. He prays that they would bear fruit. Likewise,
Our lives should bear fruit.
Notice this doesn’t happen because we try hard, but rather because of prayer, because of God’s power, because of Jesus. He is the one who said famously,
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
What kind of fruit do we bear when we are connected to the vine of Jesus? The fruit of the Spirit:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Do we produce this fruit? Do we earn it, strive for it, work for it, make it happen? No! We surrender and submit to the Lordship of Christ. We let him lead our lives. We confess our sins, repent and turn away from them, and invite the Holy Spirit to fill us, change us, transform us to become more like Jesus. This is why prayer is so critical. It’s a daily thing. It’s an hourly thing. It’s a moment-by-moment thing.
Paul ends verse twelve by saying they give joyful thanks to God…
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14)
Have you ever been rescued? We’ve all heard of people being rescued at sea, after being trapped in a cave, or after a natural disaster. I can’t recall ever being in such a situation, but I imagine it’s incredible. We’ve been rescued from darkness into His glorious light. He have redemption. We have forgiveness. We have freedom!
Now Paul begins to describe Jesus.
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. (Colossians 1:15-16)
You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
These verses declare that all things were created through Jesus and for Jesus. He is the image—or literally icon—of the invisible God. He makes God visible! Jesus told Philip that when you’ve seen him, you’ve seen the Father (John 14:9).
He had no beginning, for he is the Creator! He has all authority and rights over His creation.
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. (Colossians 1:17-18)
Jesus is supreme.
He is above all things. He is before all things. He holds together all things. He’s the head of the church. He is our Senior Pastor. He is the beginning. He is the firstborn among the dead. He’s the LORD of lords and the King of kings. Jesus is supreme!
Is it any wonder this passage may have contained remnants of an early Christian hymn?
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)
All of the fullness of God dwells—permanently lives—in Jesus. Then Jesus died to reconcile us to God. He created, and then after we sinned He re-created, He redeemed, He reconciled sinners who repent, making peace, wholeness, completeness.
Someone recently asked me why I talk so much about Jesus instead of God. It was a terrific question! I explained Jesus is God. We worship one God who is in three Persons. We call this the Trinity. It’s a word not found in the Bible, but the idea behind it is present throughout scripture. God the Father, God the Son—Jesus—and God the Holy Spirit. They are all God, yet they are different Persons.
Many have tried to explain the Trinity with analogies, which might be the best thing we can do to attempt to understand God. After all, He’s God! He doesn’t fit in a neat box.
An egg has three parts: shell, yolk, white. They are all egg, three-in-one.
Another common illustration is a clover. Each leaf is 100% clover, yet each is unique.
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)
Throughout church history, some have recognized Jesus as God but not human. This is called the heresy of Docetism. They believed Jesus only appeared to have a body but did not actually suffer on the cross or rise from the dead.
Some recognized Jesus as created by God the Father but not himself God. This is called the heresy of Arianism.
What we see in these two verses is that the fullness of God dwells in Jesus. He is fully God. The Father sent the Son, Jesus, to earth to die, to shed his blood on the cross, to reconcile all things to himself. That includes us, hallelujah! Our sin separated us from the holy God, yet Jesus died to reconcile us to the Father, and only Jesus could do that because Jesus is the only human to walk this earth who is also fully God.
This is such good news, friends!
Jesus reconciled us to God by his death.
Paul further explains…
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. (Colossians 1:21-23)
If Jesus never actually died—as some believe—we are hopeless. We cannot be reconciled. We remain alienated from God because of our sin. But there is plenty of evidence not only that Jesus died, but also that he rose from the dead and is alive today.
Jesus is not only our Savior, but also LORD.
The gospel is not just that Jesus died, but that Jesus is LORD. He is above all. He is supreme.
I’ve often spoken of vampire Christians who only want Jesus for his blood. They want a Savior, but not a LORD.
They want to be saved, but they don’t want to serve.
They want to be forgiven, but they don’t want to follow.
They want to go to heaven when they die, but they don’t want to live for Jesus now.
True faith will lead to faithfulness over time. We will grow. We will mature. We will look and act more like Jesus. We will love God and love others as ourselves. We will experience real peace, true joy, abundant love, and deep contentment. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
How can we not sing?
How can we not praise?
How can we not rejoice?
How can we not celebrate?
We have a love supreme!
Credits: series outline from D6.
Hope for our Broken World, 25 August 2019
27 08 19
Hope for our Broken World
August 25, 2019
1 Cor. 6:9-11; John 3:16-17; 2 Peter 3:8-9
Series Big Idea: The gospel—“good news”—is powerful and transformative.
Big Idea: Our broken world desperately needs to experience the Gospel.
Summary: Jesus is the hope of the world! Our politicians, scientists, educators, or entertainers will never bring the healing our nation and planet desperately need. Only the love, grace, mercy, and redemption of God can cure what ails us. We must keep our eyes on Jesus and his power, not the evil of our world.
Today we’re concluding our series The Power of the Gospel. We said the gospel—or good news—is ultimately about Jesus, Jesus is LORD. He is the good news. His life, death, and resurrection have wonderful implications for those who follow him, but the gospel is so much more than going to heaven when you die. It’s about Jesus—the way, the truth, and the life…now!
We talked about how the good news needs to be shared, and last Sunday we saw an example of a remarkable transformation because of the gospel as Saul—an enemy of Christianity—encountered Jesus and became arguably the most important figure in the movement Jesus began. Today we conclude our series in a message entitled Hope for Our Broken World.
Our world is desperate for hope. This is not only obvious, it’s nothing new.
I know, some of you want to return to the good ol’ days, but did they ever really exist?
What if today is tomorrow’s good ol’ days?
I don’t know when America was actually great (though I heard a rumor that Queen Elizabeth has a hat which reads, “Make America Great Britain Again!”).
Has there ever been a moment when our world was truly at peace?
Our world is broken because of sin. It is desperate for hope.
If you study world history—and especially church history—you’ll see how desperate humanity has been for hope. Consider this excerpt from a letter written to the church in ancient Corinth in Greece:
Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, NLT)
As someone once said, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
The problem is none of those things will truly satisfy. Sure, they may bring temporary happiness, but they will all eventually fail to live up to their promises…and in many cases will create their own problems such as addiction or even death. Amazingly, people have been “lookin’ for hope in all the wrong places” for centuries!
If my first statement would delight Captain Obvious, I’m even more convinced of my next declaration…
Jesus is the hope of the world.
Unfortunately, this is not obvious to everyone. In fact, billions of people know nothing about Jesus. They’re not offended by him. They haven’t had a bad experience with him. They’ve never even heard his name, much less met him!
If we turn back to Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth, it continues…
Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11, NLT)
Only Jesus offers real cleaning.
Only Jesus can make us holy.
Only Jesus can make us right with God.
Only Jesus offers real hope.
Many of you have heard this a thousand times, but listen again…
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)
The meaning of “so” is not about the amount of God’s love. It literally means the qualitative aspect of God’s love, the manner in which He loved the world. It is stating, “This is what the love of God looks like”…a sacrifice, a gift, …action!” To follow Jesus means we follow his example of sacrifice, of action, of sharing good news.
How in the world did Jesus-followers get the reputation of being filled with hate when God loved?
How can we be known as people who are after people’s money when God gave so generously to us, sending Jesus?
How is it that so-called Christians can judge unbelievers when Jesus came to save them, not condemn them?
Jesus is the hope of the world.
Hope is good.
Hope is attractive.
Hope doesn’t need to be sold, only offered.
For some Christians, there are only two dates that matter: the date they were saved and the date they die and go to heaven. What a tragedy!
Jesus is not just the hope for you. God loved the world! Jesus is the hope of the world! It is a responsibility and a joy to proclaim the gospel…good news…Jesus…to the world!
Some pathetic Christians are sitting around waiting for the world to end so they can get out of here, but that’s not God’s heart. That’s not a Jesus’ attitude. He sent us on mission, family. He commissioned us to make disciples, to love, to proclaim the Gospel. Peter wrote,
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:8-9)
Do you know how many of my kids I love? All of them!
Jesus said he would return soon, and I think he’s a little slow, which is why I’m grateful for these words from Peter. See, if anything, God’s waiting for us. It’s not that He’s slow, but that He is love. He doesn’t want anyone to perish. He wants everyone to repent, to turn from their sin, to surrender to Jesus. He’s not eager to judge us—though we will all be judged—but wants all to repent, to turn from sin, to follow Jesus. But…
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15)
If the only thing that mattered was your salvation, you’d get zapped to heaven as soon as you surrendered your life to Jesus. But you’re still here! You’ve got work to do, and so do I.
We are here to re-present Jesus.
Followers of Jesus—Christians—are to look like and act like Jesus. He passed the baton to us. He told us to go and make disciples. This requires action. It’s not a suggestion. It’s why we’re here!
What would happen if we really loved Jesus…and proved it not with our head but with our hearts and hands? What if we really took him seriously, got out of our comfort zones and loved this city that way Jesus would love it? Imagine if every person in Toledo was given an invitation to know and follow Christ? Wouldn’t it be great if we could participate in an earth-shaking spiritual awakening in our world which began here in Holy Toledo?
I’m done with status quo, mediocre, boring Christianity. I want more of God! I want more of the Holy Spirit! I want to see revival…in me…in you…in our city…in our world. I’m sick of satan grabbing all of the news headlines! I want some good news! I’ve got some good news!
We are called to be hope dealers!
If Jesus is the hope of the world, we become that hope as we re-present Jesus, as we are the hands and feet of Jesus today.
Our nation has had some revivals, including the Great Awakening.
There’s a fascinating video called Transformations which documents communities transformed by the Gospel, by Jesus, by a miraculous move of the Holy Spirit when people come together in unity repentance, prayer, and evangelism.
I want Him to do it again…here!
Is anybody with me?
This is our day. This is our world. Previous generations experienced revivals, but what about us? God never changes, friends. I believe He’s ready to pour out His Spirit on us, our city, and our world if we will repent, pray, and share the gospel. We have to go and make disciples. We have to proclaim in deed and word good news. We have follow Jesus and practice what we preach, 24/7/365.
So What?
“Great, pastor. You had too much caffeine this morning, you’re getting all excited, but now what?”
I’m so glad you asked! I want to offer a few, simple, next steps. In a word, BLESS.
BLESS your neighbor.
Begin with prayer
Listen
Eat
Serve
Story
You don’t have to be a spiritual giant to share good news, to offer hope to our broken world, one life at a time. You can bring someone to Dinner Church tonight. You can ask open-ended questions to stimulate conversation such as, “Where are you at on your spiritual journey?” You can invite your neighbors over for a BBQ. You can buy someone a cup of coffee and chat.
This fall you can be a conversation partner with Water for Ishmael.
You can volunteer at the After School Klub and Rosa Parks Elementary.
Barna research has concluded 97% of church members will never share their faith, yet I bet most of you want to. You want your neighbors to experience good news. You want them to have faith, hope, and love. You just feel awkward. I know. I don’t walk up to total strangers and say, “Hi, I’m Kirk. Do you know Jesus?” Some people actually do that! But you don’t have to do it alone. We’re a family. We partner together. We literally set the table once a month at Dinner Church. Our Christmastime gatherings will create great opportunities for people to encounter the Hope of the world.
But there’s one more thing I want to tell you about. Coincidentally, this past week was the beginning of a movement which could be a catalyst to revival in our city and nation.
Saturate Toledo
We have been invited to join Toledo area churches in distributing bags to reach all 500,000 souls in our area. What an opportunity! We will pray, stuff bags, and deliver them to our neighbors. It’s that simple…and all of the resources have been donated!
Area pastors are invited to a free lunch on October 1 at The Premiere Center. If you know a pastor—besides me!—make sure they know about it. Our plan is to assemble and distribute bags this fall. If you can walk, talk, and/or pray, you can participate.
The goal is 60 million homes by the end of 2020. So far, 28 million have been adopted and nearly 13 million have already been saturated…that’s 40 million people who have received a bag in 45 states!
One of the exciting things is donors are making this available to our church and city for free! All we have to do is assemble the materials and pass them out to our neighbors.
Saturate Toledo is a simple way we can make sure everyone has a chance to encounter the Hope of the world, Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
Our world is desperate for hope. They’re never going to find it in Columbus or Washington, Hollywood or Broadway. Money, sex and power will never truly satisfy. It won’t come through Facebook or Apple or Instagram.
Jesus is the Hope of the world…and we get to re-present him to every person we encounter, online or in person.
It’s time for us to rise up and proclaim good news. No pressure, no manipulation, just love. BLESSing. Hope. Our world desperately needs it. It couldn’t be more obvious. What are we going to do about it?
LORD, give us Your heart for the lost, the lonely, the least of these that we may re-present Jesus, the hope of the world.
Credits: series outline from D6.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
August 25, 2019
1 Cor. 6:9-11; John 3:16-17; 2 Peter 3:8-9
Series Big Idea: The gospel—“good news”—is powerful and transformative.
Big Idea: Our broken world desperately needs to experience the Gospel.
Summary: Jesus is the hope of the world! Our politicians, scientists, educators, or entertainers will never bring the healing our nation and planet desperately need. Only the love, grace, mercy, and redemption of God can cure what ails us. We must keep our eyes on Jesus and his power, not the evil of our world.
Today we’re concluding our series The Power of the Gospel. We said the gospel—or good news—is ultimately about Jesus, Jesus is LORD. He is the good news. His life, death, and resurrection have wonderful implications for those who follow him, but the gospel is so much more than going to heaven when you die. It’s about Jesus—the way, the truth, and the life…now!
We talked about how the good news needs to be shared, and last Sunday we saw an example of a remarkable transformation because of the gospel as Saul—an enemy of Christianity—encountered Jesus and became arguably the most important figure in the movement Jesus began. Today we conclude our series in a message entitled Hope for Our Broken World.
Our world is desperate for hope. This is not only obvious, it’s nothing new.
I know, some of you want to return to the good ol’ days, but did they ever really exist?
What if today is tomorrow’s good ol’ days?
I don’t know when America was actually great (though I heard a rumor that Queen Elizabeth has a hat which reads, “Make America Great Britain Again!”).
Has there ever been a moment when our world was truly at peace?
Our world is broken because of sin. It is desperate for hope.
If you study world history—and especially church history—you’ll see how desperate humanity has been for hope. Consider this excerpt from a letter written to the church in ancient Corinth in Greece:
Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, NLT)
As someone once said, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Our world is desperate for hope.
They seek it in the strangest places.
- - Politics
- - Entertainment
- - Science
- - Drugs and alcohol
- - Sex
- - Religion
- - Greed and consumerism
- - Adventure and danger
The problem is none of those things will truly satisfy. Sure, they may bring temporary happiness, but they will all eventually fail to live up to their promises…and in many cases will create their own problems such as addiction or even death. Amazingly, people have been “lookin’ for hope in all the wrong places” for centuries!
If my first statement would delight Captain Obvious, I’m even more convinced of my next declaration…
Jesus is the hope of the world.
Unfortunately, this is not obvious to everyone. In fact, billions of people know nothing about Jesus. They’re not offended by him. They haven’t had a bad experience with him. They’ve never even heard his name, much less met him!
If we turn back to Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth, it continues…
Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11, NLT)
Only Jesus offers real cleaning.
Only Jesus can make us holy.
Only Jesus can make us right with God.
Only Jesus offers real hope.
Many of you have heard this a thousand times, but listen again…
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)
The meaning of “so” is not about the amount of God’s love. It literally means the qualitative aspect of God’s love, the manner in which He loved the world. It is stating, “This is what the love of God looks like”…a sacrifice, a gift, …action!” To follow Jesus means we follow his example of sacrifice, of action, of sharing good news.
How in the world did Jesus-followers get the reputation of being filled with hate when God loved?
How can we be known as people who are after people’s money when God gave so generously to us, sending Jesus?
How is it that so-called Christians can judge unbelievers when Jesus came to save them, not condemn them?
Jesus is the hope of the world.
Hope is good.
Hope is attractive.
Hope doesn’t need to be sold, only offered.
For some Christians, there are only two dates that matter: the date they were saved and the date they die and go to heaven. What a tragedy!
Jesus is not just the hope for you. God loved the world! Jesus is the hope of the world! It is a responsibility and a joy to proclaim the gospel…good news…Jesus…to the world!
Some pathetic Christians are sitting around waiting for the world to end so they can get out of here, but that’s not God’s heart. That’s not a Jesus’ attitude. He sent us on mission, family. He commissioned us to make disciples, to love, to proclaim the Gospel. Peter wrote,
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:8-9)
Do you know how many of my kids I love? All of them!
Jesus said he would return soon, and I think he’s a little slow, which is why I’m grateful for these words from Peter. See, if anything, God’s waiting for us. It’s not that He’s slow, but that He is love. He doesn’t want anyone to perish. He wants everyone to repent, to turn from their sin, to surrender to Jesus. He’s not eager to judge us—though we will all be judged—but wants all to repent, to turn from sin, to follow Jesus. But…
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15)
If the only thing that mattered was your salvation, you’d get zapped to heaven as soon as you surrendered your life to Jesus. But you’re still here! You’ve got work to do, and so do I.
We are here to re-present Jesus.
Followers of Jesus—Christians—are to look like and act like Jesus. He passed the baton to us. He told us to go and make disciples. This requires action. It’s not a suggestion. It’s why we’re here!
What would happen if we really loved Jesus…and proved it not with our head but with our hearts and hands? What if we really took him seriously, got out of our comfort zones and loved this city that way Jesus would love it? Imagine if every person in Toledo was given an invitation to know and follow Christ? Wouldn’t it be great if we could participate in an earth-shaking spiritual awakening in our world which began here in Holy Toledo?
I’m done with status quo, mediocre, boring Christianity. I want more of God! I want more of the Holy Spirit! I want to see revival…in me…in you…in our city…in our world. I’m sick of satan grabbing all of the news headlines! I want some good news! I’ve got some good news!
We are called to be hope dealers!
If Jesus is the hope of the world, we become that hope as we re-present Jesus, as we are the hands and feet of Jesus today.
Our nation has had some revivals, including the Great Awakening.
There’s a fascinating video called Transformations which documents communities transformed by the Gospel, by Jesus, by a miraculous move of the Holy Spirit when people come together in unity repentance, prayer, and evangelism.
I want Him to do it again…here!
Is anybody with me?
This is our day. This is our world. Previous generations experienced revivals, but what about us? God never changes, friends. I believe He’s ready to pour out His Spirit on us, our city, and our world if we will repent, pray, and share the gospel. We have to go and make disciples. We have to proclaim in deed and word good news. We have follow Jesus and practice what we preach, 24/7/365.
So What?
“Great, pastor. You had too much caffeine this morning, you’re getting all excited, but now what?”
I’m so glad you asked! I want to offer a few, simple, next steps. In a word, BLESS.
BLESS your neighbor.
Begin with prayer
Listen
Eat
Serve
Story
You don’t have to be a spiritual giant to share good news, to offer hope to our broken world, one life at a time. You can bring someone to Dinner Church tonight. You can ask open-ended questions to stimulate conversation such as, “Where are you at on your spiritual journey?” You can invite your neighbors over for a BBQ. You can buy someone a cup of coffee and chat.
This fall you can be a conversation partner with Water for Ishmael.
You can volunteer at the After School Klub and Rosa Parks Elementary.
Barna research has concluded 97% of church members will never share their faith, yet I bet most of you want to. You want your neighbors to experience good news. You want them to have faith, hope, and love. You just feel awkward. I know. I don’t walk up to total strangers and say, “Hi, I’m Kirk. Do you know Jesus?” Some people actually do that! But you don’t have to do it alone. We’re a family. We partner together. We literally set the table once a month at Dinner Church. Our Christmastime gatherings will create great opportunities for people to encounter the Hope of the world.
But there’s one more thing I want to tell you about. Coincidentally, this past week was the beginning of a movement which could be a catalyst to revival in our city and nation.
Saturate Toledo
We have been invited to join Toledo area churches in distributing bags to reach all 500,000 souls in our area. What an opportunity! We will pray, stuff bags, and deliver them to our neighbors. It’s that simple…and all of the resources have been donated!
Area pastors are invited to a free lunch on October 1 at The Premiere Center. If you know a pastor—besides me!—make sure they know about it. Our plan is to assemble and distribute bags this fall. If you can walk, talk, and/or pray, you can participate.
The goal is 60 million homes by the end of 2020. So far, 28 million have been adopted and nearly 13 million have already been saturated…that’s 40 million people who have received a bag in 45 states!
One of the exciting things is donors are making this available to our church and city for free! All we have to do is assemble the materials and pass them out to our neighbors.
Saturate Toledo is a simple way we can make sure everyone has a chance to encounter the Hope of the world, Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
Our world is desperate for hope. They’re never going to find it in Columbus or Washington, Hollywood or Broadway. Money, sex and power will never truly satisfy. It won’t come through Facebook or Apple or Instagram.
Jesus is the Hope of the world…and we get to re-present him to every person we encounter, online or in person.
It’s time for us to rise up and proclaim good news. No pressure, no manipulation, just love. BLESSing. Hope. Our world desperately needs it. It couldn’t be more obvious. What are we going to do about it?
LORD, give us Your heart for the lost, the lonely, the least of these that we may re-present Jesus, the hope of the world.
Credits: series outline from D6.
Transformed, 18 August 2019
19 08 19
Transformed
Series—The Power of the Gospel
Acts 9:1-31
Series Big Idea: The gospel—“good news”—is powerful and transformative.
Big Idea: Every person you encounter is a masterpiece with tremendous potential, regardless of their present condition.
Several years ago, my late mother-in-law invited Heather and I to her new home in central Michigan. She had warned us it was a fixer-upper, but we were not prepared for the mess she purchased. I have been in nicer tents! Perhaps we should’ve planned on sleeping in the car!
Rather than embarrassment, she was proud of her purchase. She described in detail all of the things she was going to do to this shack. Any person in their right mind would’ve done exactly one thing: knocked it down and started over! She didn’t have another place to stay, so she lived in this structure for months and months while it was renovated around her. The woman had vision, and the end result was nothing short of amazing.
Have you met people like that cottage? Their physical health might be a train wreck. Their finances are in shambles. Their relationships are a disaster. They need serious mental and emotional help.
Perhaps the person is you…or it used to be you.
In our series “The Power of the Gospel,” we’ve noted how the gospel—or good news—is, indeed, powerful. It’s all about Jesus, and this world needs Jesus. I need Jesus. We all need Jesus, whether we know it or not. It’s both a responsibility and a joy to share good news, to introduce people to Jesus. It’s up to them what they do with Jesus, but at this moment there are literally billions of people on our planet that have never been introduced to Jesus. Many have never even heard his name. This is why it’s so important for us to go and make disciples, to proclaim good news.
But what if you proclaim Jesus to someone who wants to kill you because of Jesus? We’re going to look at a true story about just such a man today. His transformation may be the greatest in human history…and it offers hope for everyone.
It’s the first century. That Jewish man Jesus has died and then resurrected. He ascended into heaven and his followers are telling everyone about him and his promised return. The early Christians are seeking to follow Jesus’ two primary commands, to love God and to love others as they love themselves. It’s a radical faith, spreading rapidly, among both Jews and Gentiles. But there’s opposition. Many of the Romans could care less about religion, but the Pharisees—the religious leaders who wanted Jesus killed in the first place—are attacking these early believers in Yeshua, Jesus. One of their leaders is a man named Saul.
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. (Acts 9:1-2)
How would you like to run into this guy? The first Christians were called people of the Way, and Saul was threatening to kill them while taking them as prisoners. This is not a nice man, though he thought was doing the right thing. He was religious, and he saw these Christians as opponents of his Jewish religion. Persecuting them was doing God’s word, he thought.
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:3-4)
Has this ever happened to you? You’re on your way to visit the high priest and you’re confronted by a bright light and a voice speaking your name! It must’ve been quite the scene. After all, it literally changed the course of history.
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” (Acts 9:5-6)
Do you think Saul had a choice?!
Although this is an unusual miracle,
God still speaks today.
He speaks primarily through the Bible—which is why we must read and study it—but He does use other things to communicate with us. In my life, God has spoken through other people, circumstances, an idea at 3 o’clock in the morning, and His still, small voice. Others have experienced life-changing dreams. Prophecy, music, prayer, and nature are all conduits of God’s messages. He is speaking. Are you quiet enough to hear?
One thing that’s essential to know is God will never contradict Himself. In other words, He’ll never tell you something which goes against the Bible. If you’re not sure a message or idea is from God, I’d recommend sharing it with someone who knows God and the Bible and see what they think.
Back to our story…
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. (Acts 9:7-9)
Saul was blind for three days. That’s a popular period of time in the Bible!
In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered. (Acts 9:10)
The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” (Acts 9:11-12)
Normally if God speaks, the appropriate response is, “Yes, LORD!”
The actual response is sometime, “What?!”
“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” (Acts 9:13-14)
Even without radio, tv, or even newspapers, Ananias knew about Saul. His picture was posted at the Christian post office (ha!). The thought of going to Saul made as much sense to Ananias as an American scheduling a meeting with Osama bin Ladin when he was alive. You’ve got to be crazy! This guy’s on a man hunt…for you and your people!
But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” (Acts 9:15-16)
If I’m Ananias, I’m thinking “must suffer” is appropriate after all the Christians persecuted and killed on Saul’s watch. God said “go!” and Ananias obeyed, even though he must’ve been scared stiff!
Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. (Acts 9:17-19a)
This was a miracle! Saul’s conversion is—to this day—one of the most radical in history. This religious Jew encounters Jesus and becomes not only a follower, but one of the two leaders of the early Church, along with Peter.
What follows in Acts chapter 9 is a descriptions of Saul’s first days as a Christian, preaching and proclaiming the gospel, the good news, Jesus is the Son of God. His transformation was so amazing, the Jews conspired to kill him! A verses later,
When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. (Acts 9:26-27)
It took Barnabus to convince the others that Saul had really joined their team. Sure, it seemed too good to be true, but
The Gospel can reach anyone. There is no such thing as a hopeless causes with our God. There’s no person on earth Jesus’ blood can’t forgive. Good news is for everyone.
About two thousand years ago, some shepherds were in their fields when an angel appeared and terrified them.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)
Good news…Jesus…the Gospel…for all the people. The Gospel can reach anyone. Kirk Franklin sings in a song, “I’m the reason why God made grace.” I love that! I am that reason. We are all in need of grace, of love, of God’s forgiveness, of reconciliation with God and one another, and that’s why Jesus came. He is the ultimate good news in a world full of bad news. And this is why I want the world to know about Jesus!
I mentioned Osama bin Ladin earlier, but I prayed many times for his salvation. I thought if he were to follow Jesus, countless lives would be influenced for good rather than evil. As far as I know, bin Ladin never trusted Jesus with his life, but even though he had done terrible things, he was forgivable. The 23rd chapter of Luke tells of a criminal on the cross next to Jesus.
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)
Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
Is that even fair?! Does he spend eternity in the same place as Mother Theresa and Billy Graham? We don’t know the details for their afterlife, but Jesus seems to be telling this criminal in his final moments his faith is valid. God can reach anyone; even your boss, your son or daughter, your friend, your enemy. God so loved the world, which includes everyone in the world. In God’s eyes, there’s no such thing as a hopeless cause. God can reach anyone. Even me. Hallelujah!
So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. (Acts 9:28-30)
Saul’s ministry grew, as did his Jewish opposition.
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. (Acts 9:31)
This was a brilliant, yet dangerous, time in the life of the early Church. The opposition was real, yet the testimony of one Pharisee who would later be known as Paul was a game-changer.
So What?
I want to challenge you today with a simple next step: pray for your greatest enemy. It might be a parent or child or some other family member. Maybe it’s your boss or neighbor. It could be a political figure you’ve never met, or a prisoner who wronged you. Whoever it is, they would be a better human being to themself and the world if they would surrender their life to Jesus. You may seek revenge, but you surely don’t want their bad behavior to continue. What if they had a Damascus Road encounter with God like Saul? Imagine their testimony for the Kingdom of God.
You might be thinking, “They don’t deserve God’s grace after all they’ve done,” but that’s a misunderstanding of grace. They don’t deserve it. Neither do we. Grace is unmerited favor, so by definition, you cannot earn or deserve it. Jesus said to
…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (Matthew 5:44b)
Love and pray for your enemies.
Oscar Wilde said, “Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.”
But seriously, Jesus commands us to love and pray for them. That’s not easy, but it is possible with the power of the Holy Spirit. And there’s not greater power than love. There’s no force which can transform like love. We can pray for anyone to encounter Jesus! That’s the first step in proclaiming the gospel, the good news, Jesus. If the greatest gift we can give anyone is Jesus, prayer is like wrapping the gift. It’s getting it ready to be received. We can’t guarantee acceptance of Jesus, but we can pray and ask God to open their hearts, to use our deeds and words, and to transform the person.
Many people think of Christianity is all about not doing bad things. I was once told Christians don’t drink, smoke, chew, or go with girls who do! Avoiding bad behavior—or worse, hiding bad behavior—is not what it means to follow Jesus. Yes, there are many things harmful to us and God which are never good for us, but Christianity is not just about what we’re against. It’s also what we’re for. It’s about who we’re for. We are for people. We are for sinners. We are for saints. We are for Toledo. Why? Because Jesus is, and a real Christian is someone who acts like Jesus. They love…even their enemies. They pray…for their friends and even their enemies. They aren’t afraid to get dirty, uncomfortable, or inconvenienced. They know the value of listening, even when they want to speak. They are generous, even when it might seem extravagant. They care for the least of these—the stranger, orphan and widow. You might say the SOW into the stranger, orphan, and widow. They engage with the “least of these.”
They know every person they meet is God’s masterpiece, created in His image with dignity, value and worth. Broken? Yes. Waiting for restoration? Yes.
The gospel changes lives…for eternity! You might see a mess—like what I saw in my mother-in-law’s house—but God sees potential. He has a plan and a purpose for every member of the human race, if we’ll only let them know…and if they’ll only surrender.
And one more thing…Jesus died for you, too. He’s good news for you. His grace—unmerited favor—means nothing you can do can make him love you more, and nothing you can do can make him love you less. He wants to be Savior, but also LORD. Let’s all obey him this week, proclaiming the gospel, praying for the not-yet-saved, and watching the greatest miracle of all take place right in front of us, the transformation of a human life.
Credits: series outline from D6.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—The Power of the Gospel
Acts 9:1-31
Series Big Idea: The gospel—“good news”—is powerful and transformative.
Big Idea: Every person you encounter is a masterpiece with tremendous potential, regardless of their present condition.
Several years ago, my late mother-in-law invited Heather and I to her new home in central Michigan. She had warned us it was a fixer-upper, but we were not prepared for the mess she purchased. I have been in nicer tents! Perhaps we should’ve planned on sleeping in the car!
Rather than embarrassment, she was proud of her purchase. She described in detail all of the things she was going to do to this shack. Any person in their right mind would’ve done exactly one thing: knocked it down and started over! She didn’t have another place to stay, so she lived in this structure for months and months while it was renovated around her. The woman had vision, and the end result was nothing short of amazing.
Have you met people like that cottage? Their physical health might be a train wreck. Their finances are in shambles. Their relationships are a disaster. They need serious mental and emotional help.
Perhaps the person is you…or it used to be you.
In our series “The Power of the Gospel,” we’ve noted how the gospel—or good news—is, indeed, powerful. It’s all about Jesus, and this world needs Jesus. I need Jesus. We all need Jesus, whether we know it or not. It’s both a responsibility and a joy to share good news, to introduce people to Jesus. It’s up to them what they do with Jesus, but at this moment there are literally billions of people on our planet that have never been introduced to Jesus. Many have never even heard his name. This is why it’s so important for us to go and make disciples, to proclaim good news.
But what if you proclaim Jesus to someone who wants to kill you because of Jesus? We’re going to look at a true story about just such a man today. His transformation may be the greatest in human history…and it offers hope for everyone.
It’s the first century. That Jewish man Jesus has died and then resurrected. He ascended into heaven and his followers are telling everyone about him and his promised return. The early Christians are seeking to follow Jesus’ two primary commands, to love God and to love others as they love themselves. It’s a radical faith, spreading rapidly, among both Jews and Gentiles. But there’s opposition. Many of the Romans could care less about religion, but the Pharisees—the religious leaders who wanted Jesus killed in the first place—are attacking these early believers in Yeshua, Jesus. One of their leaders is a man named Saul.
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. (Acts 9:1-2)
How would you like to run into this guy? The first Christians were called people of the Way, and Saul was threatening to kill them while taking them as prisoners. This is not a nice man, though he thought was doing the right thing. He was religious, and he saw these Christians as opponents of his Jewish religion. Persecuting them was doing God’s word, he thought.
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:3-4)
Has this ever happened to you? You’re on your way to visit the high priest and you’re confronted by a bright light and a voice speaking your name! It must’ve been quite the scene. After all, it literally changed the course of history.
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” (Acts 9:5-6)
Do you think Saul had a choice?!
Although this is an unusual miracle,
God still speaks today.
He speaks primarily through the Bible—which is why we must read and study it—but He does use other things to communicate with us. In my life, God has spoken through other people, circumstances, an idea at 3 o’clock in the morning, and His still, small voice. Others have experienced life-changing dreams. Prophecy, music, prayer, and nature are all conduits of God’s messages. He is speaking. Are you quiet enough to hear?
One thing that’s essential to know is God will never contradict Himself. In other words, He’ll never tell you something which goes against the Bible. If you’re not sure a message or idea is from God, I’d recommend sharing it with someone who knows God and the Bible and see what they think.
Back to our story…
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. (Acts 9:7-9)
Saul was blind for three days. That’s a popular period of time in the Bible!
In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered. (Acts 9:10)
The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” (Acts 9:11-12)
Normally if God speaks, the appropriate response is, “Yes, LORD!”
The actual response is sometime, “What?!”
“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” (Acts 9:13-14)
Even without radio, tv, or even newspapers, Ananias knew about Saul. His picture was posted at the Christian post office (ha!). The thought of going to Saul made as much sense to Ananias as an American scheduling a meeting with Osama bin Ladin when he was alive. You’ve got to be crazy! This guy’s on a man hunt…for you and your people!
But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” (Acts 9:15-16)
If I’m Ananias, I’m thinking “must suffer” is appropriate after all the Christians persecuted and killed on Saul’s watch. God said “go!” and Ananias obeyed, even though he must’ve been scared stiff!
Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. (Acts 9:17-19a)
This was a miracle! Saul’s conversion is—to this day—one of the most radical in history. This religious Jew encounters Jesus and becomes not only a follower, but one of the two leaders of the early Church, along with Peter.
What follows in Acts chapter 9 is a descriptions of Saul’s first days as a Christian, preaching and proclaiming the gospel, the good news, Jesus is the Son of God. His transformation was so amazing, the Jews conspired to kill him! A verses later,
When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. (Acts 9:26-27)
It took Barnabus to convince the others that Saul had really joined their team. Sure, it seemed too good to be true, but
The Gospel can reach anyone. There is no such thing as a hopeless causes with our God. There’s no person on earth Jesus’ blood can’t forgive. Good news is for everyone.
About two thousand years ago, some shepherds were in their fields when an angel appeared and terrified them.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)
Good news…Jesus…the Gospel…for all the people. The Gospel can reach anyone. Kirk Franklin sings in a song, “I’m the reason why God made grace.” I love that! I am that reason. We are all in need of grace, of love, of God’s forgiveness, of reconciliation with God and one another, and that’s why Jesus came. He is the ultimate good news in a world full of bad news. And this is why I want the world to know about Jesus!
I mentioned Osama bin Ladin earlier, but I prayed many times for his salvation. I thought if he were to follow Jesus, countless lives would be influenced for good rather than evil. As far as I know, bin Ladin never trusted Jesus with his life, but even though he had done terrible things, he was forgivable. The 23rd chapter of Luke tells of a criminal on the cross next to Jesus.
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)
Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
Is that even fair?! Does he spend eternity in the same place as Mother Theresa and Billy Graham? We don’t know the details for their afterlife, but Jesus seems to be telling this criminal in his final moments his faith is valid. God can reach anyone; even your boss, your son or daughter, your friend, your enemy. God so loved the world, which includes everyone in the world. In God’s eyes, there’s no such thing as a hopeless cause. God can reach anyone. Even me. Hallelujah!
So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. (Acts 9:28-30)
Saul’s ministry grew, as did his Jewish opposition.
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. (Acts 9:31)
This was a brilliant, yet dangerous, time in the life of the early Church. The opposition was real, yet the testimony of one Pharisee who would later be known as Paul was a game-changer.
So What?
I want to challenge you today with a simple next step: pray for your greatest enemy. It might be a parent or child or some other family member. Maybe it’s your boss or neighbor. It could be a political figure you’ve never met, or a prisoner who wronged you. Whoever it is, they would be a better human being to themself and the world if they would surrender their life to Jesus. You may seek revenge, but you surely don’t want their bad behavior to continue. What if they had a Damascus Road encounter with God like Saul? Imagine their testimony for the Kingdom of God.
You might be thinking, “They don’t deserve God’s grace after all they’ve done,” but that’s a misunderstanding of grace. They don’t deserve it. Neither do we. Grace is unmerited favor, so by definition, you cannot earn or deserve it. Jesus said to
…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (Matthew 5:44b)
Love and pray for your enemies.
Oscar Wilde said, “Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.”
But seriously, Jesus commands us to love and pray for them. That’s not easy, but it is possible with the power of the Holy Spirit. And there’s not greater power than love. There’s no force which can transform like love. We can pray for anyone to encounter Jesus! That’s the first step in proclaiming the gospel, the good news, Jesus. If the greatest gift we can give anyone is Jesus, prayer is like wrapping the gift. It’s getting it ready to be received. We can’t guarantee acceptance of Jesus, but we can pray and ask God to open their hearts, to use our deeds and words, and to transform the person.
Many people think of Christianity is all about not doing bad things. I was once told Christians don’t drink, smoke, chew, or go with girls who do! Avoiding bad behavior—or worse, hiding bad behavior—is not what it means to follow Jesus. Yes, there are many things harmful to us and God which are never good for us, but Christianity is not just about what we’re against. It’s also what we’re for. It’s about who we’re for. We are for people. We are for sinners. We are for saints. We are for Toledo. Why? Because Jesus is, and a real Christian is someone who acts like Jesus. They love…even their enemies. They pray…for their friends and even their enemies. They aren’t afraid to get dirty, uncomfortable, or inconvenienced. They know the value of listening, even when they want to speak. They are generous, even when it might seem extravagant. They care for the least of these—the stranger, orphan and widow. You might say the SOW into the stranger, orphan, and widow. They engage with the “least of these.”
They know every person they meet is God’s masterpiece, created in His image with dignity, value and worth. Broken? Yes. Waiting for restoration? Yes.
The gospel changes lives…for eternity! You might see a mess—like what I saw in my mother-in-law’s house—but God sees potential. He has a plan and a purpose for every member of the human race, if we’ll only let them know…and if they’ll only surrender.
And one more thing…Jesus died for you, too. He’s good news for you. His grace—unmerited favor—means nothing you can do can make him love you more, and nothing you can do can make him love you less. He wants to be Savior, but also LORD. Let’s all obey him this week, proclaiming the gospel, praying for the not-yet-saved, and watching the greatest miracle of all take place right in front of us, the transformation of a human life.
Credits: series outline from D6.
Send the Light, 11 August 2019
11 08 19
Send the Light
Series—The Power of the Gospel
Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:6-11; Romans 10:8-17
Series Big Idea: The gospel—“good news”—is powerful and transformative.
Big Idea: Proclaiming the gospel is a joy because we love God and people.
Words are powerful. They’re loaded with meaning; sometimes multiple meanings. This is why we are sometimes misunderstood. One simple word can trigger thoughts and feelings instantaneously.
I’m not going to yell it in a public building, but if someone were to yell f-i-r-e, a very important message would be conveyed. Perhaps no word seizes your attention more than your name.
This morning I want to talk about a word that is frightening to many. It’s not “change.” It’s not “evil.” The word is…evangelism.
We’re in the middle of series entitled “The Power of the Gospel.” Last week we noted the Greek word euangelion means “good news,” a word we often translate “gospel.” We said the gospel is all about…Jesus. It’s more than personal salvation or going to heaven when you die. The gospel—according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 and in seven sermons in the book of Acts and 2 Timothy 2:8 and Romans 1 and other places in the Bible—is Jesus.
Although the word “evangelism” does not appear in most English translations of the Bible, the Greek word “euangelistes” or evangelist shows up in Acts 21:8, Ephesians 4:11, and 2 Timothy 4:5 and it simply means one who announces glad tidings. Evangelism, then, is simply proclaiming the gospel, proclaiming good news. That’s not so scary, is it? Actually, I would think proclaiming bad news would be far more difficult.
I hope today you’ll be encouraged and equipped to proclaim the gospel, to introduce people to Jesus, to make disciples…who make disciples.
Jesus famously took the 613 laws of Moses and boiled them down to two commands:
Love God.
Love others as you love yourself.
- Matthew 22:37-40
- Mark 12:29-31
I want to offer you two simple reasons why we proclaim the gospel, why we invite people to follow Jesus.
We proclaim the gospel because we love Jesus.
Jesus said,
“If you love me, keep my commands.” (John 14:15)
What did he command? During his final hours on earth before ascending into heaven, Jesus gathered his friends together.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
We’ve looked at this text many times, and we will continue to do so. This is known as the Great Commission. It’s what Jesus told them to do under his authority. This is not a suggestion. It’s not an option. It’s not just for pastors or professional Christians.
Go. The word is a participle. It means “going” or “as you go.” There’s no mention of sitting, status quo, indifference, or being passive. This is an action word. It’s a word in Greek, poreuo, that is sometimes translated “to pursue after, be devoted to, to go after.”
Make disciples. In a word, reproduce. Disciples follow Jesus and help others follow Jesus. This alone is good news! Imagine a world filled with people who act like Jesus. Yes, please! This is the heart of the command: make disciples.
Part of the process of becoming a disciple and making disciples is being baptized. A Jesus-follower who hasn’t been baptized—publicly declaring their faith in Jesus—is like a person who has a secret wedding, ashamed to announce their marriage. It’s also disobedient! Disciples are to be baptized. They are also to be taught to obey. That’s the mark of spiritual maturity: obedience. It’s not religious activity. It’s disciple-making. It’s action. It’s helping others become like Jesus. It’s love. The hallmark of our faith is love for others. Therefore,
We proclaim the gospel because we love people.
Jesus said to do two things:
Love God.
Love others as you love yourself.
Love is others-centered. It’s caring for another person. It’s looking out for their best interests. If you truly love someone, there’s no greater gift you can give them than an introduction to Jesus.
Think for a moment about what you do for those you love. Maybe you speak kind words to them. Perhaps you buy or make them gifts. You might spend quality time with them. I like to tell them about good deals I find (bargains is one of my love languages!). You can let them know about opportunities that could enrich their lives.
But there’s not opportunity, no person, nothing that can add more value to them than Jesus.
It’s not your job to convert anybody. You’re not selling anything. There’s no force, no pressure, nothing weird. You don’t need a megaphone or photos of fire or scary movies. If you love Jesus and you love people, network! Bring them together. Introduce people to Jesus.
Matchmaking is one of my favorite things to do. I don’t mean romantic matchmaking—though that can be fun…and risky! I mean connecting good people with employers who are searching for quality talent. Although I’ve never received a finder’s fee, I’ve been delighted to make introductions which led to career opportunities.
I love introducing people to Jesus, too. I love talking about Jesus. I’m not especially good at it—and I often struggle to meet unchurched people working in a church office—but when I get the opportunity, I love to talk about my faith and how it’s all about Jesus, not a religion or a bunch of rules.
It is both a responsibility and joy to proclaim the gospel.
Jesus commands it. He commissioned us to make disciples who make disciples…assuming we are disciples, we are following Jesus, the one who “came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10b), the one who was called a friend of sinners (Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:34).
I love roller coasters. I love the thrill, the energy, the speed, the excitement…yet seeing someone seek after God is even greater. Watching someone meet and surrender to Jesus is exhilarating. Sure, the birth of my kids and my grandbaby were beyond words, but the spiritual birth of a person—and playing a role in it—is such a joy.
My favorite days on our church calendar are the International Easter Dinner, baptisms, and Dinner Church. All three are opportunities to proclaim the gospel, for people to meet Jesus.
We are to proclaim the gospel in deed and word.
People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
You don’t have to be a genius to know organized religion is in decline in our country…and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’m glad people are finally holding church leaders accountable for their bad behavior.
I’m certainly not a perfect example, but I’m a living example of someone trying to follow Jesus. I’m accountable to our elders and our District Superintendent, Rev. Thomas George. My desperate prayer is for wisdom. I know I’m inadequate to re-present Jesus. Fortunately, God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualified the called. And that includes you.
I believe actions speak louder than words. Years ago, I attended a conference where a well-respected Christian leader said, “The greatest obstacle to people coming to Jesus is the church.” I wanted to throw my chair at the guy, but he was right! Our reputation in our society is not good. We’re known not for our love—according to researchers—but for our hatred of people. Many believe we love our politics more than our faith, judging rather than extending grace, talking rather than listening, and converting rather than caring.
The medium is the message. If we aren’t loving, our message of love—our God of love—will never be heard. Please don’t give God—or the church—a bad name. And don’t expect non-Christians to act like Christians!
Send the Light
Jesus said,
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
Why don’t we send the light? Why don’t we shine? Why don’t we proclaim the gospel and introduce people to Jesus? I think the primary reason is fear. We fear rejection. We fear embarrassment. Perhaps most of all, we fear failure. What if I introduce someone to Jesus and they reject him?
It’s not your job to convert people! Just like a matchmaker isn’t responsible for a couple falling in love and getting married, your job is just to make the introduction. You don’t have the power to change a human heart from their selfish pride to surrender…but the Holy Spirit does! If we do our part, He’ll do His!
Right before Jesus departed our planet, Luke writes,
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6)
They thought Jesus came to restore a physical kingdom in Israel, but the Kingdom of God is global.
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:7-8)
The Alliance has really focused on Acts 1:8.
The Holy Spirit does the word. We are to be God’s witnesses—even martyrs—in Jerusalem (Toledo), and in all Judea and Samaria (Ohio and the unwanted and outcasts…the widows, strangers, refugees, immigrants, orphans, disabled, poor, …), and to the ends of the earth.
Most of us like the ends of the earth. It’s exciting to hear what spiritual heroes are doing in other countries. It’s easy for many of us to write checks to support their work. We may even pray for our International Workers, but that’s not the only way we fulfil the Great Commission. Jesus wants everyone involved, including you! We’re all called to be missionaries…in Toledo or Timbuktu! Every Sunday is a missions conference where we get equipped to live out the mission of God…to seek and save the lost, to make disciples, to love God and to love others as we love ourselves.
Why Wait?
Billy Graham said, “The evangelistic harvest is always urgent. The destiny of men and of nations is always being decided. Every generation is strategic. We are not responsible for the past generation, and we cannot bear the responsibility for the next one; but we do have our generation. God will hold us responsible as to how well we fulfill our responsibilities to this age and take advantage of our opportunities."
Family, people are dying because of gun violence and random shooting. They are committing suicide (the suicide hotline is 800.273.TALK). Our tomorrow is not guaranteed, nor is it certain for those around us. What are you waiting for?
Next Steps
I know, it can be difficult to talk about Jesus. Some of you feel like you don’t have enough knowledge, which didn’t stop the woman at the well from telling those in her town about her encounter with Jesus on the same day she met him (John 4). Share your story! Why do you love Jesus? If you can’t share it, maybe you don’t have one!
Get out. Go! The light shines brightest in the darkness. It’s great to gather together on Sunday mornings, but the rest of the week is for scattering. We need to love our neighbor. Don’t worry about slick presentations. Build friendships. Join a club. Take a co-worker out for coffee. Every person you see this week is a broken masterpiece for whom Jesus died. Do they know how loved they are by God? By you? Take a risk. Introverts, use social media, if desired. Starts some conversations. If all of your friends are Christians, you might not be one! Jesus was a friend of sinners. Followers of Jesus go, they get out, they do not become of the world, but they go into it. They love and serve the people in it. I’m not a perfect example, but I’m thrilled to say in recent days I have been having some great conversations with spiritual seekers.
Here are a few simple next-steps you can take to connect with non-Christians:
- Dinner Church
- Coffee or a meal
- English conversation partners through Water for Ishmael
- Volunteer to tutor at Rosa Parks Elementary with you this fall
- Volunteer at the After School Klub (ASK) this fall
Don’t forget two essential tools:
Prayer. It’s not about our eloquence or knowledge, but the Holy Spirit’s power.
Patience. If you spent your entire life rooting for the Michigan Wolverines, do you think a five-minute conversation will cause you to change your allegiances to that team down south? I can tell you the answer; no! It takes time for seeds to produce fruit, even when there’s plenty of rain, fertilizer, and sunshine. It takes some people years—even decades—to get off the throne of their lives and submit to Jesus as LORD.
If you were raised in the church, faith might be second-nature to you. For adults who have lived their entire lives doing things their own way, it takes time to see the wisdom and value of surrendering control to Jesus.
In conclusion, Paul wrote,
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15)
Proclaiming the gospel is a joy because we love God and people. Let’s demonstrate that love this week as we engage in spiritual conversations and introduce people to Jesus.
One more thing…
Jesus never said to make converts. He said to make disciples. Evangelism is the front end of the discipleship process. It’s not the end. The goal isn’t getting people to pray a prayer. It’s to become like Jesus and help others become like Jesus.
Additional Resources
https://outreachmagazine.com
https://www.cru.org/us/en/train-and-grow/share-the-gospel.html
What about those who never hear the gospel? (we don’t know for sure!)
https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-things-you-should-know-about-evangelism/
https://www.missioalliance.org/evangelism-is-more-than-you-thought/
https://vimeo.com/158982114 (simple 3 circles evangelism tool)
The main reasons Christians do not evangelize—according to Thom Rainer—are:
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—The Power of the Gospel
Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:6-11; Romans 10:8-17
Series Big Idea: The gospel—“good news”—is powerful and transformative.
Big Idea: Proclaiming the gospel is a joy because we love God and people.
Words are powerful. They’re loaded with meaning; sometimes multiple meanings. This is why we are sometimes misunderstood. One simple word can trigger thoughts and feelings instantaneously.
I’m not going to yell it in a public building, but if someone were to yell f-i-r-e, a very important message would be conveyed. Perhaps no word seizes your attention more than your name.
This morning I want to talk about a word that is frightening to many. It’s not “change.” It’s not “evil.” The word is…evangelism.
We’re in the middle of series entitled “The Power of the Gospel.” Last week we noted the Greek word euangelion means “good news,” a word we often translate “gospel.” We said the gospel is all about…Jesus. It’s more than personal salvation or going to heaven when you die. The gospel—according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 and in seven sermons in the book of Acts and 2 Timothy 2:8 and Romans 1 and other places in the Bible—is Jesus.
Although the word “evangelism” does not appear in most English translations of the Bible, the Greek word “euangelistes” or evangelist shows up in Acts 21:8, Ephesians 4:11, and 2 Timothy 4:5 and it simply means one who announces glad tidings. Evangelism, then, is simply proclaiming the gospel, proclaiming good news. That’s not so scary, is it? Actually, I would think proclaiming bad news would be far more difficult.
I hope today you’ll be encouraged and equipped to proclaim the gospel, to introduce people to Jesus, to make disciples…who make disciples.
Jesus famously took the 613 laws of Moses and boiled them down to two commands:
Love God.
Love others as you love yourself.
- Matthew 22:37-40
- Mark 12:29-31
I want to offer you two simple reasons why we proclaim the gospel, why we invite people to follow Jesus.
We proclaim the gospel because we love Jesus.
Jesus said,
“If you love me, keep my commands.” (John 14:15)
What did he command? During his final hours on earth before ascending into heaven, Jesus gathered his friends together.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
We’ve looked at this text many times, and we will continue to do so. This is known as the Great Commission. It’s what Jesus told them to do under his authority. This is not a suggestion. It’s not an option. It’s not just for pastors or professional Christians.
Go. The word is a participle. It means “going” or “as you go.” There’s no mention of sitting, status quo, indifference, or being passive. This is an action word. It’s a word in Greek, poreuo, that is sometimes translated “to pursue after, be devoted to, to go after.”
Make disciples. In a word, reproduce. Disciples follow Jesus and help others follow Jesus. This alone is good news! Imagine a world filled with people who act like Jesus. Yes, please! This is the heart of the command: make disciples.
Part of the process of becoming a disciple and making disciples is being baptized. A Jesus-follower who hasn’t been baptized—publicly declaring their faith in Jesus—is like a person who has a secret wedding, ashamed to announce their marriage. It’s also disobedient! Disciples are to be baptized. They are also to be taught to obey. That’s the mark of spiritual maturity: obedience. It’s not religious activity. It’s disciple-making. It’s action. It’s helping others become like Jesus. It’s love. The hallmark of our faith is love for others. Therefore,
We proclaim the gospel because we love people.
Jesus said to do two things:
Love God.
Love others as you love yourself.
Love is others-centered. It’s caring for another person. It’s looking out for their best interests. If you truly love someone, there’s no greater gift you can give them than an introduction to Jesus.
Think for a moment about what you do for those you love. Maybe you speak kind words to them. Perhaps you buy or make them gifts. You might spend quality time with them. I like to tell them about good deals I find (bargains is one of my love languages!). You can let them know about opportunities that could enrich their lives.
But there’s not opportunity, no person, nothing that can add more value to them than Jesus.
It’s not your job to convert anybody. You’re not selling anything. There’s no force, no pressure, nothing weird. You don’t need a megaphone or photos of fire or scary movies. If you love Jesus and you love people, network! Bring them together. Introduce people to Jesus.
Matchmaking is one of my favorite things to do. I don’t mean romantic matchmaking—though that can be fun…and risky! I mean connecting good people with employers who are searching for quality talent. Although I’ve never received a finder’s fee, I’ve been delighted to make introductions which led to career opportunities.
I love introducing people to Jesus, too. I love talking about Jesus. I’m not especially good at it—and I often struggle to meet unchurched people working in a church office—but when I get the opportunity, I love to talk about my faith and how it’s all about Jesus, not a religion or a bunch of rules.
It is both a responsibility and joy to proclaim the gospel.
Jesus commands it. He commissioned us to make disciples who make disciples…assuming we are disciples, we are following Jesus, the one who “came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10b), the one who was called a friend of sinners (Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:34).
I love roller coasters. I love the thrill, the energy, the speed, the excitement…yet seeing someone seek after God is even greater. Watching someone meet and surrender to Jesus is exhilarating. Sure, the birth of my kids and my grandbaby were beyond words, but the spiritual birth of a person—and playing a role in it—is such a joy.
My favorite days on our church calendar are the International Easter Dinner, baptisms, and Dinner Church. All three are opportunities to proclaim the gospel, for people to meet Jesus.
We are to proclaim the gospel in deed and word.
People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
You don’t have to be a genius to know organized religion is in decline in our country…and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’m glad people are finally holding church leaders accountable for their bad behavior.
I’m certainly not a perfect example, but I’m a living example of someone trying to follow Jesus. I’m accountable to our elders and our District Superintendent, Rev. Thomas George. My desperate prayer is for wisdom. I know I’m inadequate to re-present Jesus. Fortunately, God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualified the called. And that includes you.
I believe actions speak louder than words. Years ago, I attended a conference where a well-respected Christian leader said, “The greatest obstacle to people coming to Jesus is the church.” I wanted to throw my chair at the guy, but he was right! Our reputation in our society is not good. We’re known not for our love—according to researchers—but for our hatred of people. Many believe we love our politics more than our faith, judging rather than extending grace, talking rather than listening, and converting rather than caring.
The medium is the message. If we aren’t loving, our message of love—our God of love—will never be heard. Please don’t give God—or the church—a bad name. And don’t expect non-Christians to act like Christians!
Send the Light
Jesus said,
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
Why don’t we send the light? Why don’t we shine? Why don’t we proclaim the gospel and introduce people to Jesus? I think the primary reason is fear. We fear rejection. We fear embarrassment. Perhaps most of all, we fear failure. What if I introduce someone to Jesus and they reject him?
It’s not your job to convert people! Just like a matchmaker isn’t responsible for a couple falling in love and getting married, your job is just to make the introduction. You don’t have the power to change a human heart from their selfish pride to surrender…but the Holy Spirit does! If we do our part, He’ll do His!
Right before Jesus departed our planet, Luke writes,
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6)
They thought Jesus came to restore a physical kingdom in Israel, but the Kingdom of God is global.
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:7-8)
The Alliance has really focused on Acts 1:8.
The Holy Spirit does the word. We are to be God’s witnesses—even martyrs—in Jerusalem (Toledo), and in all Judea and Samaria (Ohio and the unwanted and outcasts…the widows, strangers, refugees, immigrants, orphans, disabled, poor, …), and to the ends of the earth.
Most of us like the ends of the earth. It’s exciting to hear what spiritual heroes are doing in other countries. It’s easy for many of us to write checks to support their work. We may even pray for our International Workers, but that’s not the only way we fulfil the Great Commission. Jesus wants everyone involved, including you! We’re all called to be missionaries…in Toledo or Timbuktu! Every Sunday is a missions conference where we get equipped to live out the mission of God…to seek and save the lost, to make disciples, to love God and to love others as we love ourselves.
Why Wait?
Billy Graham said, “The evangelistic harvest is always urgent. The destiny of men and of nations is always being decided. Every generation is strategic. We are not responsible for the past generation, and we cannot bear the responsibility for the next one; but we do have our generation. God will hold us responsible as to how well we fulfill our responsibilities to this age and take advantage of our opportunities."
Family, people are dying because of gun violence and random shooting. They are committing suicide (the suicide hotline is 800.273.TALK). Our tomorrow is not guaranteed, nor is it certain for those around us. What are you waiting for?
Next Steps
I know, it can be difficult to talk about Jesus. Some of you feel like you don’t have enough knowledge, which didn’t stop the woman at the well from telling those in her town about her encounter with Jesus on the same day she met him (John 4). Share your story! Why do you love Jesus? If you can’t share it, maybe you don’t have one!
Get out. Go! The light shines brightest in the darkness. It’s great to gather together on Sunday mornings, but the rest of the week is for scattering. We need to love our neighbor. Don’t worry about slick presentations. Build friendships. Join a club. Take a co-worker out for coffee. Every person you see this week is a broken masterpiece for whom Jesus died. Do they know how loved they are by God? By you? Take a risk. Introverts, use social media, if desired. Starts some conversations. If all of your friends are Christians, you might not be one! Jesus was a friend of sinners. Followers of Jesus go, they get out, they do not become of the world, but they go into it. They love and serve the people in it. I’m not a perfect example, but I’m thrilled to say in recent days I have been having some great conversations with spiritual seekers.
Here are a few simple next-steps you can take to connect with non-Christians:
- Dinner Church
- Coffee or a meal
- English conversation partners through Water for Ishmael
- Volunteer to tutor at Rosa Parks Elementary with you this fall
- Volunteer at the After School Klub (ASK) this fall
Don’t forget two essential tools:
Prayer. It’s not about our eloquence or knowledge, but the Holy Spirit’s power.
Patience. If you spent your entire life rooting for the Michigan Wolverines, do you think a five-minute conversation will cause you to change your allegiances to that team down south? I can tell you the answer; no! It takes time for seeds to produce fruit, even when there’s plenty of rain, fertilizer, and sunshine. It takes some people years—even decades—to get off the throne of their lives and submit to Jesus as LORD.
If you were raised in the church, faith might be second-nature to you. For adults who have lived their entire lives doing things their own way, it takes time to see the wisdom and value of surrendering control to Jesus.
In conclusion, Paul wrote,
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15)
Proclaiming the gospel is a joy because we love God and people. Let’s demonstrate that love this week as we engage in spiritual conversations and introduce people to Jesus.
One more thing…
Jesus never said to make converts. He said to make disciples. Evangelism is the front end of the discipleship process. It’s not the end. The goal isn’t getting people to pray a prayer. It’s to become like Jesus and help others become like Jesus.
Additional Resources
https://outreachmagazine.com
https://www.cru.org/us/en/train-and-grow/share-the-gospel.html
What about those who never hear the gospel? (we don’t know for sure!)
https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-things-you-should-know-about-evangelism/
https://www.missioalliance.org/evangelism-is-more-than-you-thought/
https://vimeo.com/158982114 (simple 3 circles evangelism tool)
The main reasons Christians do not evangelize—according to Thom Rainer—are:
- 1. Christians have no sense of urgency to reach lost people.
- 2. Many Christians and church members do not befriend and spend time with lost persons.
- 3. Many Christians and church members are lazy and apathetic.
- 4. We are more known for what we are against than what we are for.
- 5. Our churches have an ineffective evangelistic strategy of “you come” rather than “we go.”
- 6. Many church members think that evangelism is the role of the pastor and paid staff.
- 7. Church membership today is more about getting my needs met rather than reaching the lost.
- 8. Church members are in a retreat mode as culture becomes more worldly and unbiblical.
- 9. Many church members don’t really believe that Christ is the only way of salvation.
- 10. Our churches are no longer houses of prayer equipped to reach the lost.
- 11. Churches have lost their focus on making disciples who will thus be equipped and motivated to reach the lost.
- 12. Christians do not want to share the truth of the gospel for fear they will offend others. Political correctness is too commonplace even among Christians.
- 13. Most churches have unregenerate members who have not received Christ themselves.
- 14. Our churches have too many activities; they are too busy to do the things that really matter.
Power in the Blood, 4 August 2019
05 08 19
Power in the Blood
Series—The Power of the Gospel
1 Cor. 15:1-8; Romans 1:16-17; Galatians 3:1-14, 23-29; 1 Cor. 1:18-2:5
Series Big Idea: The gospel—“good news”—is powerful and transformative.
Big Idea: The gospel—“good news”—is powerful because it’s all about Jesus.
What’s the best thing that has happened to you so far this summer? Think of one highlight and share it with someone.
Our world is filled with bad news. I still think one of the most depressing things you can do is watch television news—it doesn’t even matter what channel! They’re all filled with doom and gloom. Meanwhile, babies are being born, the beauty of God’s colorful creation is on full display, poverty in Africa is falling, families are experiencing reconciliation, Toledo is tied for the fifth-fastest growing construction job market in the country, you’re in an air conditioned building…
Today we’re beginning a new series entitled The Power of the Gospel. The word “gospel” simply means “good news” and that’s something we all could use more of, amen?
Before we go any further, let’s begin with a seemingly simple question:
What is the gospel?
The Greek word euangelion means “good news,” but what comes to mind when you hear the word “gospel?”
Here are some common expressions I’ve heard:
Gospel music (black gospel and southern gospel)
Full gospel
Gospel truth
Preach the gospel
I’ve heard people explain the gospel by saying if you pray a special prayer, you’ll go to heaven when you die. Salvation for sinners is good news, but the gospel is so much more. Paul once wrote to a church in the Greek city of Corinth these words:
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)
Okay, Paul, what is the gospel?
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
The gospel is not merely justification by faith. It’s not just personal salvation. There’s more to it than who’s in and who’s out, though many Christians have reduced the gospel to who gets to go to heaven when they die and who goes to hell, which is tragic.
If you imagine a theatrical play, some of said the Bible unfolds like six acts:
God creates His Kingdom
Rebellion in the Kingdom
The King chooses Israel
The Coming of the King
Growth of the Kingdom
Return of the King
The word “gospel” belongs to the biblical story. It is the announcement, the heralding, the declaration that Jesus is Messiah, the goal of the narrative, the climax of Israel’s story.
There are seven gospel sermons in the book of Acts (2, 3, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17), each a narrative of Israel which climaxes in Jesus as LORD and Messiah.
The gospel is all about Jesus.
It’s about who he is and what he did. It’s the story of the Messiah, the preexisted Son of God becoming king.
Paul wrote to Timothy,
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, (2Timothy 2:8)
Scot McKnight writes,
“The gospel is the redemptive story about what God has done in Jesus the Savior Lord. It is the story about the redemptive Jesus. First Christology, then soteriology. Not either or, but both, in that order. When the second is first, Jesus becomes a means; when the first is first, Jesus becomes the subject and our redemption the effect of Jesus.”
In other words, the gospel is first about Jesus, and then our salvation. Jesus is LORD and our Savior.
Many have reduced the gospel to the plan of salvation, yet nobody in the New Testament would’ve ever thought of the gospel in such a narrow way.
I’m not suggesting the Four Spiritual Laws or the Romans Road or anything other “plan of salvation” is bad. For those unfamiliar with the plan of salvation, it goes something like this:
God loves us and wants a relationship with us.
Our sinful rebellion breaks the relationship.
Jesus died on the cross to reconcile us to God, paying for our sins.
We can choose to accept or reject Jesus’ invitation to follow Him, receive forgiveness and eternal life, and be reconciled to the Father by faith.
This month we’re talking about the gospel and I want you to understand it’s more than a prayer you pray to go to heaven when you die. It’s all about Jesus. The good news is the Messiah came to earth, showed us what it means to be human, taught timeless truths and wisdom, died for every man, woman, and child who follows Him, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and will return soon.
We have four books in the Bible that are called the gospel…the gospel of Matthew, the gospel of Mark, the gospel of Luke, and the gospel of John. They are all about…Jesus! They are four biographies of Jesus. Jesus is the gospel. He is the good news. He preached good news and is good news.
The gospel is the power of God.
Paul wrote to the church in Rome:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17)
The context is important. The Roman empire was the definition of power. The Greek word for power, dunamis, speaks of supernatural power, miracles or mighty works. The gospel is more than just words or religion or ideology or dogma. It is powerful.
Jesus is the power of God, God in the flesh, God incarnate. Jesus came as a Jew into a Jewish culture that often despised Gentiles, but Jesus came, died, and rose for Jews and Gentiles. This might not seem like a big deal today, but it was radical 2000 years ago.
Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, of Jesus. He risked his life to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God which Jesus brought to our planet, making righteousness–right living—is available by faith to everyone. They can go from death to life, from hopeless to hope-filled, from condemned to redeemed.
It’s not about what we do. It’s about Jesus has done. It’s not about our works, but faith in Jesus.
There’s power in the name of Jesus.
There’s power in the death of Jesus.
There’s power in the blood of Jesus.
There’s power in the teachings of Jesus.
There’s power in the resurrection of Jesus.
And that power, that Jesus, that
…gospel is for everyone.
Praise God, that means you and me. That means black and white, rich and poor, male and female, Republican and Democrat. The gospel—Jesus—and his bride—the Church—should be the most unifying, healing, welcoming people on earth.
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:26-29)
We’ve looked at this text before and it’s truly wonderful. The entire third chapter of Galatians tells us we are all invited to follow Jesus, regardless of language, geography, gender, or ethnicity. This is why racism is satanic. This is why denominationalism is satanic. This is why looking down upon the poor or judging the rich or hating anyone is satanic.
Jesus came for everyone.
Jesus died for everyone.
Jesus loves everyone.
But we all choose whether to make Jesus the leader of our lives or push him to the side and live life our way. The consequences are eternal, so this is a big deal. We can do now and eternity with God or we can do this life and the next without Him. It’s our choice.
I don’t know how anyone could reject God, His love, His grace and mercy, His forgiveness, His power, His relationship, His freedom, His joy, …
Some simply don’t know any better. They’ve never heard about Jesus or have a distorted view of who Jesus is based upon the poor witness—in word and/or deed—of his so-called followers…Christians.
Tragically, here and around the world the gospel—the good news, Jesus— has been replaced by rules, legalism, and religion. People have been led to believe it’s about going to church rather than being the church, that is, doing life together in radical community. They think it’s about what we’re against instead of what we’re for…them!
#ForToledo
Jesus is for Toledo. Jesus is for the planet.
We must be for Toledo. We must be for every man, woman and child on earth.
That includes those in prison, immigrants, refugees, those with AIDS, Muslims, atheists, child molesters, human traffickers, and terrorists. Jesus is for them, too. Their only hope is Jesus. The only way they can change is Jesus. The only power available to them is through Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Some Christians get frustrated when non-Christians act like…non-Christians! They wonder why non-Christians don’t change. It’s because without Jesus and his supernatural power, they couldn’t change if they wanted to!
If you remember one thing today, remember there is supernatural power in Jesus Christ…and we are all invited to trust in God and His supernatural power.
The gospel is not merely good news, it’s great news! Why in the world would you want to keep it to yourself?
The gospel must be shared.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” (1 Corinthians 1:18-19)
As humans, we naturally want to do things, accomplish things, earn things. This is why so many in our culture believe they’ll go to heaven when they die because they’re “good” people. God doesn’t grade on a curve, though. Any sin, mistake, failure on our part is enough to separate us from a holy God. The gospel reveals Jesus and his mission to seek and save the lost, to die for us, to shed his blood, to pay our debt, to create an invitation so compelling it seems unbelievable. Grace—unmerited favor—it truly amazing!
Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. (1 Corinthians 1:20-21)
The Jews were following 613 laws from centuries earlier, hoping their religion would earn them favor with God. Paul’s saying Jesus changed everything. He shattered their expectations with his life and teachings. He shocked them with his death and resurrection. He said the first will be last, to save your life you have to lose it, the greatest is the servant, the wisdom of man is foolishness compared to God. Jesus turned everything upside down.
Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. (1 Corinthians 1:22-25)
I wonder what Paul would say to us in the USA today, given our knowledge, technology, and philosophy.
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)
I love this! I’m privileged to have been raised in a stable home, given a good education, never deprived of food, and live in a country that has given me freedom and opportunity. Yet many of you and certainly many of our brothers and sisters around the world have been foolish, weak, lowly, or despised by the world’s standards…yet they are precious, loved, powerful children of God.
It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31)
And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. (1 Corinthians 2:1-3)
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)
Paul said it’s all about God’s wisdom, God’s power, Jesus Christ, the gospel. May the evidence of the gospel be the way it transforms lives, including ours!
Credits: some ideas from Scott McKnight, D6.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—The Power of the Gospel
1 Cor. 15:1-8; Romans 1:16-17; Galatians 3:1-14, 23-29; 1 Cor. 1:18-2:5
Series Big Idea: The gospel—“good news”—is powerful and transformative.
Big Idea: The gospel—“good news”—is powerful because it’s all about Jesus.
What’s the best thing that has happened to you so far this summer? Think of one highlight and share it with someone.
Our world is filled with bad news. I still think one of the most depressing things you can do is watch television news—it doesn’t even matter what channel! They’re all filled with doom and gloom. Meanwhile, babies are being born, the beauty of God’s colorful creation is on full display, poverty in Africa is falling, families are experiencing reconciliation, Toledo is tied for the fifth-fastest growing construction job market in the country, you’re in an air conditioned building…
Today we’re beginning a new series entitled The Power of the Gospel. The word “gospel” simply means “good news” and that’s something we all could use more of, amen?
Before we go any further, let’s begin with a seemingly simple question:
What is the gospel?
The Greek word euangelion means “good news,” but what comes to mind when you hear the word “gospel?”
Here are some common expressions I’ve heard:
Gospel music (black gospel and southern gospel)
Full gospel
Gospel truth
Preach the gospel
I’ve heard people explain the gospel by saying if you pray a special prayer, you’ll go to heaven when you die. Salvation for sinners is good news, but the gospel is so much more. Paul once wrote to a church in the Greek city of Corinth these words:
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)
Okay, Paul, what is the gospel?
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
The gospel is not merely justification by faith. It’s not just personal salvation. There’s more to it than who’s in and who’s out, though many Christians have reduced the gospel to who gets to go to heaven when they die and who goes to hell, which is tragic.
If you imagine a theatrical play, some of said the Bible unfolds like six acts:
God creates His Kingdom
Rebellion in the Kingdom
The King chooses Israel
The Coming of the King
Growth of the Kingdom
Return of the King
The word “gospel” belongs to the biblical story. It is the announcement, the heralding, the declaration that Jesus is Messiah, the goal of the narrative, the climax of Israel’s story.
There are seven gospel sermons in the book of Acts (2, 3, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17), each a narrative of Israel which climaxes in Jesus as LORD and Messiah.
The gospel is all about Jesus.
It’s about who he is and what he did. It’s the story of the Messiah, the preexisted Son of God becoming king.
Paul wrote to Timothy,
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, (2Timothy 2:8)
Scot McKnight writes,
“The gospel is the redemptive story about what God has done in Jesus the Savior Lord. It is the story about the redemptive Jesus. First Christology, then soteriology. Not either or, but both, in that order. When the second is first, Jesus becomes a means; when the first is first, Jesus becomes the subject and our redemption the effect of Jesus.”
In other words, the gospel is first about Jesus, and then our salvation. Jesus is LORD and our Savior.
Many have reduced the gospel to the plan of salvation, yet nobody in the New Testament would’ve ever thought of the gospel in such a narrow way.
I’m not suggesting the Four Spiritual Laws or the Romans Road or anything other “plan of salvation” is bad. For those unfamiliar with the plan of salvation, it goes something like this:
God loves us and wants a relationship with us.
Our sinful rebellion breaks the relationship.
Jesus died on the cross to reconcile us to God, paying for our sins.
We can choose to accept or reject Jesus’ invitation to follow Him, receive forgiveness and eternal life, and be reconciled to the Father by faith.
This month we’re talking about the gospel and I want you to understand it’s more than a prayer you pray to go to heaven when you die. It’s all about Jesus. The good news is the Messiah came to earth, showed us what it means to be human, taught timeless truths and wisdom, died for every man, woman, and child who follows Him, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and will return soon.
We have four books in the Bible that are called the gospel…the gospel of Matthew, the gospel of Mark, the gospel of Luke, and the gospel of John. They are all about…Jesus! They are four biographies of Jesus. Jesus is the gospel. He is the good news. He preached good news and is good news.
The gospel is the power of God.
Paul wrote to the church in Rome:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17)
The context is important. The Roman empire was the definition of power. The Greek word for power, dunamis, speaks of supernatural power, miracles or mighty works. The gospel is more than just words or religion or ideology or dogma. It is powerful.
Jesus is the power of God, God in the flesh, God incarnate. Jesus came as a Jew into a Jewish culture that often despised Gentiles, but Jesus came, died, and rose for Jews and Gentiles. This might not seem like a big deal today, but it was radical 2000 years ago.
Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, of Jesus. He risked his life to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God which Jesus brought to our planet, making righteousness–right living—is available by faith to everyone. They can go from death to life, from hopeless to hope-filled, from condemned to redeemed.
It’s not about what we do. It’s about Jesus has done. It’s not about our works, but faith in Jesus.
There’s power in the name of Jesus.
There’s power in the death of Jesus.
There’s power in the blood of Jesus.
There’s power in the teachings of Jesus.
There’s power in the resurrection of Jesus.
And that power, that Jesus, that
…gospel is for everyone.
Praise God, that means you and me. That means black and white, rich and poor, male and female, Republican and Democrat. The gospel—Jesus—and his bride—the Church—should be the most unifying, healing, welcoming people on earth.
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:26-29)
We’ve looked at this text before and it’s truly wonderful. The entire third chapter of Galatians tells us we are all invited to follow Jesus, regardless of language, geography, gender, or ethnicity. This is why racism is satanic. This is why denominationalism is satanic. This is why looking down upon the poor or judging the rich or hating anyone is satanic.
Jesus came for everyone.
Jesus died for everyone.
Jesus loves everyone.
But we all choose whether to make Jesus the leader of our lives or push him to the side and live life our way. The consequences are eternal, so this is a big deal. We can do now and eternity with God or we can do this life and the next without Him. It’s our choice.
I don’t know how anyone could reject God, His love, His grace and mercy, His forgiveness, His power, His relationship, His freedom, His joy, …
Some simply don’t know any better. They’ve never heard about Jesus or have a distorted view of who Jesus is based upon the poor witness—in word and/or deed—of his so-called followers…Christians.
Tragically, here and around the world the gospel—the good news, Jesus— has been replaced by rules, legalism, and religion. People have been led to believe it’s about going to church rather than being the church, that is, doing life together in radical community. They think it’s about what we’re against instead of what we’re for…them!
#ForToledo
Jesus is for Toledo. Jesus is for the planet.
We must be for Toledo. We must be for every man, woman and child on earth.
That includes those in prison, immigrants, refugees, those with AIDS, Muslims, atheists, child molesters, human traffickers, and terrorists. Jesus is for them, too. Their only hope is Jesus. The only way they can change is Jesus. The only power available to them is through Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Some Christians get frustrated when non-Christians act like…non-Christians! They wonder why non-Christians don’t change. It’s because without Jesus and his supernatural power, they couldn’t change if they wanted to!
If you remember one thing today, remember there is supernatural power in Jesus Christ…and we are all invited to trust in God and His supernatural power.
The gospel is not merely good news, it’s great news! Why in the world would you want to keep it to yourself?
The gospel must be shared.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” (1 Corinthians 1:18-19)
As humans, we naturally want to do things, accomplish things, earn things. This is why so many in our culture believe they’ll go to heaven when they die because they’re “good” people. God doesn’t grade on a curve, though. Any sin, mistake, failure on our part is enough to separate us from a holy God. The gospel reveals Jesus and his mission to seek and save the lost, to die for us, to shed his blood, to pay our debt, to create an invitation so compelling it seems unbelievable. Grace—unmerited favor—it truly amazing!
Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. (1 Corinthians 1:20-21)
The Jews were following 613 laws from centuries earlier, hoping their religion would earn them favor with God. Paul’s saying Jesus changed everything. He shattered their expectations with his life and teachings. He shocked them with his death and resurrection. He said the first will be last, to save your life you have to lose it, the greatest is the servant, the wisdom of man is foolishness compared to God. Jesus turned everything upside down.
Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. (1 Corinthians 1:22-25)
I wonder what Paul would say to us in the USA today, given our knowledge, technology, and philosophy.
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)
I love this! I’m privileged to have been raised in a stable home, given a good education, never deprived of food, and live in a country that has given me freedom and opportunity. Yet many of you and certainly many of our brothers and sisters around the world have been foolish, weak, lowly, or despised by the world’s standards…yet they are precious, loved, powerful children of God.
It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31)
And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. (1 Corinthians 2:1-3)
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)
Paul said it’s all about God’s wisdom, God’s power, Jesus Christ, the gospel. May the evidence of the gospel be the way it transforms lives, including ours!
Credits: some ideas from Scott McKnight, D6.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
The Danger of Disobedience, 28 July 2019
29 07 19
The Danger of Disobedience
Series—All The King’s Choices
2 Kings 25:1-21
Big Idea: Our actions have consequences, and disobedience can be dangerous…even deadly.
Every parent’s favorite verse can be found in the book of Ephesians, where Paul writes,
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. (Ephesians 6:1)
Paul repeated the command when writing to the church in Colossi:
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. (Colossians 3:20)
Of course, obedience is not only for children. Jesus said plainly,
“If you love me, keep my commands. (John 14:15)
Do you love Jesus? Prove it…by your obedience.
We’ve been looking at various kings in our series “All The King’s Choices.” Last week during our study of King Josiah, we noted
Humbly Obeying God’s Word is the true path to success and satisfaction.
God blessed the (few) good kings of Israel and Judah, but the fate of those who rejected God was quite different as we’ll see today. God warned them, as far back as Moses in Deuteronomy chapter 28. Quite simply,
Our actions have consequences, and disobedience can be dangerous…even deadly.
Before we look at today’s text, I want to set the scene for you. You may remember when God led the people into the Promised Land, he gave them occupancy on one condition: their obedience. As we have seen, most of the kings were evil, leading to their downfall. Nebuchadnezzar has come against Judah, the southern kingdom of the Jewish people. He invaded in 605 BC, taking more than 3000 captive including Daniel. Eleven years later, he took 832 captives back to Babylon. He takes Jehoiachin captive and in 2 Kings 24:17, we’re told of King Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon,
He made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah. (2 Kings 24:17)
Nebuchadnezzar was quite the king! He replaces one king with another and then changes his name. I can’t even imagine ruling over another king!
Do you remember good king Josiah from last Sunday? Zedekiah is the third and final son of Josiah’s to rule Judah, yet he was nothing like his godly father. Zedekiah reigned for ten years with self-interest, indecisiveness, brutality, and self-preservation which led him to form an alliance with Egypt to rebel against Babylon. Chapter 24 is filled with the evil ways of not only Zedekiah but Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin before him.
It was because of the LORD’S anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end he thrust them from his presence.
Now Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. (2 Kings 24:20)
2 Kings chapter 25 begins in 586 BC.
So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. He encamped outside the city and built siege works all around it. The city was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. (2 Kings 25:1-2)
The details of the date show reveal the importance of this event. This is the beginning of the end for the holy city of Jerusalem.
By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine in the city had become so severe that there was no food for the people to eat. (2 Kings 25:3)
It got so bad that parents ate their own children (Lamentations 2:20; 4:9-10)!
Then the city wall was broken through, and the whole army fled at night through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden, though the Babylonians were surrounding the city. They fled toward the Arabah, but the Babylonian army pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered, and he was captured. (2 Kings 25:4-6a)
This scene seems so distant from the world in which we live. Of course, there are many wars raging around the world right now, but the warfare methods were obviously more primitive than the high tech battles of today. There was a wall around the city of Jerusalem—there is a newer one there today—and the wall was penetrated. The people were starving, the king and his army flee the city, the soldiers are scattered, and king Zedekiah is captured. It wasn’t enough that he rebelled against God…he revolted against King Nebuchadnezzar, his boss.
This is not a good day, yet it was avoidable. It was all the result of disobedience. In fact, Jeremiah predicted Jerusalem would fall, yet the people just hated the prophet for speaking the truth.
Our actions have consequences, and disobedience can be dangerous…
King Zedekiah is captured and then
He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where sentence was pronounced on him. They killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. (2 Kings 25:6b-7)
Can you imagine anything worse?
I’ve been told the hardest thing in the world is to lose a child. I know some of you have had that experience and my heart grieves for you.
This king not only loses a child, he loses his sons. Furthermore, they are killed in front of him. If that’s not bad enough, then they put out his eyes, bind him, and carry him to Babylon. The last thing Zedekiah ever saw was the execution of his sons!
One of the most common questions is why bad things happen to good people. There’s little wonder why bad things happen to bad people, or at least disobedience people. This invasion didn’t just happen. This was not an ordinary war. It was the result of rebellion and defiance against Almighty God by Zedekiah and most of his predecessors.
Sometimes people blame God for their pain and suffering, and in this case it would be justified. God allowed this catastrophe to happen, but it wasn’t because He was being mean. He was being just. His wrath is real because He hates sin. He despises disobedience. Is anybody listening? Clearly King Zedekiah wasn’t listening.
But there’s more!
On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, an official of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He set fire to the temple of the LORD, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. (2 Kings 25:8-9)
Again, we’re told the exact day, one which would live in infamy. The holy temple where the presence of God dwelled was destroyed by fire along with virtually every building in the city, including the king’s palace which stood for nearly 400 years.
I’ve read about the Great Chicago Fire and it was nothing like this! This wasn’t just any city. It wasn’t any temple. Jerusalem was leveled! False prophets said it could never happen, but they couldn’t have been more wrong.
On a side note, I wonder what God thinks of our nation. After all, our money says, “In God we trust,” but it seems like we trust money more than God. We are not Israel and the promises made to the Jews in the Old Testament do not apply to us, but it seems like God has been exceptionally merciful with our country. Some say it’s because we’re friends with Israel. Maybe it’s because there remains a remnant of USAmericans who are obedient to God’s commands to love Him, love their neighbors as themselves, and make disciples. I’m not certain, but I do know no place is beyond God’s blessing or judgment. I’m reminded of Psalm 139:
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you. (Psalms 139:7-12)
This is comforting…for the one who is faithful to God. It is quite frightening for the one who is running from God.
The whole Babylonian army under the commander of the imperial guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile the people who remained in the city, along with the rest of the populace and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon. But the commander left behind some of the poorest people of the land to work the vineyards and fields. (2 Kings 25:10-12)
Nearly every person is taken to Babylon. Only the poorest remained to maintain the land. We’re still not finished!
The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars, the movable stands and the bronze Sea that were at the temple of the LORD and they carried the bronze to Babylon. They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, dishes and all the bronze articles used in the temple service. The commander of the imperial guard took away the censers and sprinkling bowls—all that were made of pure gold or silver. (2 Kings 25:13-15)
These were sacred tools used for worship, removed before the temple was burned into a pile of rubble.
Jerusalem has been turned into rubble nearly thirty times throughout history. After each destruction, it is rebuilt upon the remains of the past cities. This is why archaeology is such a challenging task. Many ancient cities are buried twenty, thirty, or more than forty feet underground! There are actually cities on top of cities on top of cities!
The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the movable stands, which Solomon had made for the temple of the LORD, was more than could be weighed. Each pillar was eighteen cubits high. The bronze capital on top of one pillar was three cubits high and was decorated with a network and pomegranates of bronze all around. The other pillar, with its network, was similar. (2 Kings 25:16-17)
There was so much copper they couldn’t weigh it! That’s incredible!
The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers. Of those still in the city, he took the officer in charge of the fighting men, and five royal advisers. He also took the secretary who was chief officer in charge of conscripting the people of the land and sixty of the conscripts who were found in the city. (2 Kings 25:18-19)
The religious, military, and government leaders are taken as prisoners, but it would get even worse!
Nebuzaradan the commander took them all and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. There at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed.
So Judah went into captivity, away from her land. (2 Kings 25:20-21)
There has rarely been a greater tragedy in the history of the world. And it was all the result of simple disobedience by the king and his subjects.
Our actions have consequences, and disobedience can be dangerous…even deadly.
I know you’re not a king. You probably wouldn’t be an evil king if you ever were to become a king or queen. This story happened thousands of years ago. How could this possibly be relevant to us in Toledo in 2019?
I’m glad you asked!
God never changes. He has always hated sin. He has always loved His children. He has always been omnipresent…everywhere at once. He has always been omnipotent…all-powerful. He has always been omniscient…all-knowing. He’s God!
Because we can’t see Him, sometimes we forget He’s here, with us, watching us. He’s not out to get us, but He does want us to get Him, to know Him, to obey Him, to love Him. He’s a good, good Father, but good fathers know they can’t let their kids run wild and do whatever they choose. They need guidance. They need discipline.
Whether it is an individual or a nation, He wants obedience. He knows what’s best for us. He can be trusted.
Countless research studies have shown most USAmericans believe in God, but what does that really mean? Satan believes in the existence of God (he used to work for Him), but he doesn’t trust God. He doesn’t follow God. He doesn’t humbly obey God.
Author Ruth Haley Barton (Invitation to Silence and Solitude) gets to the point when she writes,
When it comes right down to it, many of us do not believe that God's intentions toward us are deeply good; instead we live in fear that that if we really trusted him, he might withhold something good from us.
Most of the kings of Israel and Judah rejected God, His wisdom, His commands, and His Word. They did so at their own peril.
I love you, church. I want what’s best for you. I want you to be successful. I want you to experience deep satisfaction. Lasting contentment will never come from your stock portfolio, car collection, job title, education, or even relationships. It only comes from loving God and loving others as we love ourselves. It comes from listening, reading, knowing, and obeying God’s Word. It comes from following Jesus…with our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
The message today is simple: obey God!
We’ve all sinned. We’ve all messed up. So repent, do a 180, get rid of the sin, flee from the enemy and run to Jesus. His arms are wide open. No shame. Don’t wait another day. The Almighty is a God of justice, but He’s also filled with grace. Zedekiah had many chances to repent and God would’ve extended mercy, but he refused to obey God and suffered terribly.
Last Sunday I was overjoyed when more than one person told me they’re sick and tired of their sin. They said enough is enough! I praise God for their courage and obedience, because
Our actions have consequences, and disobedience can be dangerous…even deadly.
Most of us have no idea how harmful sin is in our lives, and we’re usually clueless about how our sin affects others…usually the ones we love the most.
On the flip side,
“Obedience is the burial of the will and the resurrection of humility.” – John Climacus
Humbly Obeying God’s Word is the true path to success and satisfaction.
You can say all you want to about our president or governor, Baby Boomers or Generation Z, the rich or the poor, the bottom line is one day you and I will stand before Almighty God and be judged for how we lived this one, precious life we’ve been given. I know it’s old school, but trust and obey God. You’ll never regret it!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—All The King’s Choices
2 Kings 25:1-21
Big Idea: Our actions have consequences, and disobedience can be dangerous…even deadly.
Every parent’s favorite verse can be found in the book of Ephesians, where Paul writes,
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. (Ephesians 6:1)
Paul repeated the command when writing to the church in Colossi:
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. (Colossians 3:20)
Of course, obedience is not only for children. Jesus said plainly,
“If you love me, keep my commands. (John 14:15)
Do you love Jesus? Prove it…by your obedience.
We’ve been looking at various kings in our series “All The King’s Choices.” Last week during our study of King Josiah, we noted
Humbly Obeying God’s Word is the true path to success and satisfaction.
God blessed the (few) good kings of Israel and Judah, but the fate of those who rejected God was quite different as we’ll see today. God warned them, as far back as Moses in Deuteronomy chapter 28. Quite simply,
Our actions have consequences, and disobedience can be dangerous…even deadly.
Before we look at today’s text, I want to set the scene for you. You may remember when God led the people into the Promised Land, he gave them occupancy on one condition: their obedience. As we have seen, most of the kings were evil, leading to their downfall. Nebuchadnezzar has come against Judah, the southern kingdom of the Jewish people. He invaded in 605 BC, taking more than 3000 captive including Daniel. Eleven years later, he took 832 captives back to Babylon. He takes Jehoiachin captive and in 2 Kings 24:17, we’re told of King Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon,
He made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah. (2 Kings 24:17)
Nebuchadnezzar was quite the king! He replaces one king with another and then changes his name. I can’t even imagine ruling over another king!
Do you remember good king Josiah from last Sunday? Zedekiah is the third and final son of Josiah’s to rule Judah, yet he was nothing like his godly father. Zedekiah reigned for ten years with self-interest, indecisiveness, brutality, and self-preservation which led him to form an alliance with Egypt to rebel against Babylon. Chapter 24 is filled with the evil ways of not only Zedekiah but Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin before him.
It was because of the LORD’S anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end he thrust them from his presence.
Now Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. (2 Kings 24:20)
2 Kings chapter 25 begins in 586 BC.
So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. He encamped outside the city and built siege works all around it. The city was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. (2 Kings 25:1-2)
The details of the date show reveal the importance of this event. This is the beginning of the end for the holy city of Jerusalem.
By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine in the city had become so severe that there was no food for the people to eat. (2 Kings 25:3)
It got so bad that parents ate their own children (Lamentations 2:20; 4:9-10)!
Then the city wall was broken through, and the whole army fled at night through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden, though the Babylonians were surrounding the city. They fled toward the Arabah, but the Babylonian army pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered, and he was captured. (2 Kings 25:4-6a)
This scene seems so distant from the world in which we live. Of course, there are many wars raging around the world right now, but the warfare methods were obviously more primitive than the high tech battles of today. There was a wall around the city of Jerusalem—there is a newer one there today—and the wall was penetrated. The people were starving, the king and his army flee the city, the soldiers are scattered, and king Zedekiah is captured. It wasn’t enough that he rebelled against God…he revolted against King Nebuchadnezzar, his boss.
This is not a good day, yet it was avoidable. It was all the result of disobedience. In fact, Jeremiah predicted Jerusalem would fall, yet the people just hated the prophet for speaking the truth.
Our actions have consequences, and disobedience can be dangerous…
King Zedekiah is captured and then
He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where sentence was pronounced on him. They killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. (2 Kings 25:6b-7)
Can you imagine anything worse?
I’ve been told the hardest thing in the world is to lose a child. I know some of you have had that experience and my heart grieves for you.
This king not only loses a child, he loses his sons. Furthermore, they are killed in front of him. If that’s not bad enough, then they put out his eyes, bind him, and carry him to Babylon. The last thing Zedekiah ever saw was the execution of his sons!
One of the most common questions is why bad things happen to good people. There’s little wonder why bad things happen to bad people, or at least disobedience people. This invasion didn’t just happen. This was not an ordinary war. It was the result of rebellion and defiance against Almighty God by Zedekiah and most of his predecessors.
Sometimes people blame God for their pain and suffering, and in this case it would be justified. God allowed this catastrophe to happen, but it wasn’t because He was being mean. He was being just. His wrath is real because He hates sin. He despises disobedience. Is anybody listening? Clearly King Zedekiah wasn’t listening.
But there’s more!
On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, an official of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He set fire to the temple of the LORD, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. (2 Kings 25:8-9)
Again, we’re told the exact day, one which would live in infamy. The holy temple where the presence of God dwelled was destroyed by fire along with virtually every building in the city, including the king’s palace which stood for nearly 400 years.
I’ve read about the Great Chicago Fire and it was nothing like this! This wasn’t just any city. It wasn’t any temple. Jerusalem was leveled! False prophets said it could never happen, but they couldn’t have been more wrong.
On a side note, I wonder what God thinks of our nation. After all, our money says, “In God we trust,” but it seems like we trust money more than God. We are not Israel and the promises made to the Jews in the Old Testament do not apply to us, but it seems like God has been exceptionally merciful with our country. Some say it’s because we’re friends with Israel. Maybe it’s because there remains a remnant of USAmericans who are obedient to God’s commands to love Him, love their neighbors as themselves, and make disciples. I’m not certain, but I do know no place is beyond God’s blessing or judgment. I’m reminded of Psalm 139:
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you. (Psalms 139:7-12)
This is comforting…for the one who is faithful to God. It is quite frightening for the one who is running from God.
The whole Babylonian army under the commander of the imperial guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile the people who remained in the city, along with the rest of the populace and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon. But the commander left behind some of the poorest people of the land to work the vineyards and fields. (2 Kings 25:10-12)
Nearly every person is taken to Babylon. Only the poorest remained to maintain the land. We’re still not finished!
The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars, the movable stands and the bronze Sea that were at the temple of the LORD and they carried the bronze to Babylon. They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, dishes and all the bronze articles used in the temple service. The commander of the imperial guard took away the censers and sprinkling bowls—all that were made of pure gold or silver. (2 Kings 25:13-15)
These were sacred tools used for worship, removed before the temple was burned into a pile of rubble.
Jerusalem has been turned into rubble nearly thirty times throughout history. After each destruction, it is rebuilt upon the remains of the past cities. This is why archaeology is such a challenging task. Many ancient cities are buried twenty, thirty, or more than forty feet underground! There are actually cities on top of cities on top of cities!
The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the movable stands, which Solomon had made for the temple of the LORD, was more than could be weighed. Each pillar was eighteen cubits high. The bronze capital on top of one pillar was three cubits high and was decorated with a network and pomegranates of bronze all around. The other pillar, with its network, was similar. (2 Kings 25:16-17)
There was so much copper they couldn’t weigh it! That’s incredible!
The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers. Of those still in the city, he took the officer in charge of the fighting men, and five royal advisers. He also took the secretary who was chief officer in charge of conscripting the people of the land and sixty of the conscripts who were found in the city. (2 Kings 25:18-19)
The religious, military, and government leaders are taken as prisoners, but it would get even worse!
Nebuzaradan the commander took them all and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. There at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed.
So Judah went into captivity, away from her land. (2 Kings 25:20-21)
There has rarely been a greater tragedy in the history of the world. And it was all the result of simple disobedience by the king and his subjects.
Our actions have consequences, and disobedience can be dangerous…even deadly.
I know you’re not a king. You probably wouldn’t be an evil king if you ever were to become a king or queen. This story happened thousands of years ago. How could this possibly be relevant to us in Toledo in 2019?
I’m glad you asked!
God never changes. He has always hated sin. He has always loved His children. He has always been omnipresent…everywhere at once. He has always been omnipotent…all-powerful. He has always been omniscient…all-knowing. He’s God!
Because we can’t see Him, sometimes we forget He’s here, with us, watching us. He’s not out to get us, but He does want us to get Him, to know Him, to obey Him, to love Him. He’s a good, good Father, but good fathers know they can’t let their kids run wild and do whatever they choose. They need guidance. They need discipline.
Whether it is an individual or a nation, He wants obedience. He knows what’s best for us. He can be trusted.
Countless research studies have shown most USAmericans believe in God, but what does that really mean? Satan believes in the existence of God (he used to work for Him), but he doesn’t trust God. He doesn’t follow God. He doesn’t humbly obey God.
Author Ruth Haley Barton (Invitation to Silence and Solitude) gets to the point when she writes,
When it comes right down to it, many of us do not believe that God's intentions toward us are deeply good; instead we live in fear that that if we really trusted him, he might withhold something good from us.
Most of the kings of Israel and Judah rejected God, His wisdom, His commands, and His Word. They did so at their own peril.
I love you, church. I want what’s best for you. I want you to be successful. I want you to experience deep satisfaction. Lasting contentment will never come from your stock portfolio, car collection, job title, education, or even relationships. It only comes from loving God and loving others as we love ourselves. It comes from listening, reading, knowing, and obeying God’s Word. It comes from following Jesus…with our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
The message today is simple: obey God!
We’ve all sinned. We’ve all messed up. So repent, do a 180, get rid of the sin, flee from the enemy and run to Jesus. His arms are wide open. No shame. Don’t wait another day. The Almighty is a God of justice, but He’s also filled with grace. Zedekiah had many chances to repent and God would’ve extended mercy, but he refused to obey God and suffered terribly.
Last Sunday I was overjoyed when more than one person told me they’re sick and tired of their sin. They said enough is enough! I praise God for their courage and obedience, because
Our actions have consequences, and disobedience can be dangerous…even deadly.
Most of us have no idea how harmful sin is in our lives, and we’re usually clueless about how our sin affects others…usually the ones we love the most.
On the flip side,
“Obedience is the burial of the will and the resurrection of humility.” – John Climacus
Humbly Obeying God’s Word is the true path to success and satisfaction.
You can say all you want to about our president or governor, Baby Boomers or Generation Z, the rich or the poor, the bottom line is one day you and I will stand before Almighty God and be judged for how we lived this one, precious life we’ve been given. I know it’s old school, but trust and obey God. You’ll never regret it!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Humbly Obeying God’s Word, 21 July 2019
21 07 19
Humbly Obeying God’s Word
Series—All The King’s Choices
2 Kings 22:1-20; 23:1-3, 21-25
Big Idea: Humbly Obeying God’s Word is the true path to success and satisfaction.
Success. It’s a word we hear almost every day. We see successful people on television. We hear successful people on the radio and on podcasts. We read books by successful people…who tell us how to be successful! We’re told the importance of being successful because, after all, what’s the opposite? Failure? Who wants that?
Satisfaction is another thing we seek. We hope it comes from being successful! Yet we know people who are successful are not always satisfied in their fame or fortune or whatever made them a success.
Is it possible to be successful and satisfied? If so, how?
This morning as we continue our series “All the King’s Choices,” we’re going to look at king who began his reign at the age of eight…and who humbly obeyed God’s word. I believe…
Humbly Obeying God’s Word is the true path to success and satisfaction.
Last week we looked at the good king Jehoshaphat who obeyed God and was blessed, but made one critical mistake in making alliances with the evil king Ahab which proved to be costly not only to him but also to his descendants. In 2 Kings chapter 21, we read of the death of King Amon, an evil king. Then in 2 Kings 22 we read,
Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. (2 Kings 22:1-2)
He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. That’s what I want to be said of me. If you read through all of the kings, you’ll see Josiah is the exception, not the rule, tragically. He begins his reign at the ripe old age of eight! The book of 2 Chronicles tells us he began to seek after the LORD when he was 16. Fortunately, Josiah had good advisors.
In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the secretary, Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the temple of the LORD. He said: (2 Kings 22:3)
“Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him get ready the money that has been brought into the temple of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people. Have them entrust it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. And have these men pay the workers who repair the temple of the LORD— the carpenters, the builders and the masons. Also have them purchase timber and dressed stone to repair the temple. But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are honest in their dealings.” (2 Kings 22:4-7)
King Josiah, at age 26, tells his secretary to tell the high priest to go to the ATM, get a load of cash, and start fixing the temple! He’s the fourth and final king of Judah who made reforms, and his changes were more extensive than those of Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah.
The temple of God had not only fallen into disrepair, it had been desecrated by Manasseh who used it for pagan images and altars. It was a mess!
Money had been collected for some time to repair the temple and now they had enough to get to the task.
Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD.” He gave it to Shaphan, who read it. Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: “Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple.” (2 Kings 22:8-9)
This is written hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus and much of the writings we call the Bible (which is simply a collection of books). The Pentateuch—the five books of Moses—was available. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy are known as the Book of the Law because Moses wrote them to guide the people of Israel. It is also known as the Mosaic Law. These books—the first five in our Bible—are loaded with history, instructions, and stories. Most likely, this is what was discovered by Hilkiah.
It's hard to imagine the evil of previous kings, not only desecrating the temple but also destroying copies of the Book of the Law.
Evidently the Book of the Law was lost and, therefore, was not read or understood. The high priest finds it while they’re beginning to restore the temple.
Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. (2 Kings 22:10)
This is a big deal! The existence of these sacred writings was known, but since it was lost, nobody knew its contents. For the first time in this generation, God’s Word—His will, commands, and plan—could be discovered.
When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: “Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD’S anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.” (2 Kings 22:11-13)
The king realizes the people have been disobedient and changes must be made immediately. It had obviously been some time since God’s Word had been read and understood, and now Josiah fears the anger of the LORD for the disobedience of the people.
Ignorantia juris non excusat
This Latin phrase means “ignorance of the law excuses not.”
God had punished evil kings for their disobedience, and now Josiah wants to put the nation on a new path, a new direction. He wants them to repent—to turn, to do a 180—and humbly obey God’s Word. The king knew
Humbly Obeying God’s Word is the true path to success and satisfaction.
Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter. (2 Kings 22:14)
This woman seems to be highly regarded for her gift of prophecy. Why the priest didn’t consult other prophets such as Jeremiah, Zephaniah, Nahum, or Habakkuk is unknown. What we do know is this woman plays an important role in the spiritual revival lead by King Josiah.
She said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me,
‘This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read. Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all the idols their hands have made, my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.’ (2 Kings 22:15-17)
God’s not happy, and if God’s not happy…!!!
You might know the first of the ten commandments is to have no other gods. The second is to have no idols. The people had violated both. Sin has its consequences and the wrath of God was coming for the nation, though it would come after Josiah died.
Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: (2 Kings 22:18)
Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people—that they would become a curse and be laid waste—and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the LORD. Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.’ ”
So they took her answer back to the king. (2 Kings 22:19-20)
This is great news for Josiah!
Humbly Obeying God brings His blessing.
Who wants God’s blessing? It doesn’t happen automatically. God loves us all, but He can express His love—looking out for our best interest—a number of ways. When we obey, that often looks like blessings. When we disobey, that could mean loving discipline. In this case, God blessed Josiah with His mercy because he humbly obeyed God.
Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. He went up to the temple of the LORD with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the LORD. The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD—to follow the LORD and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant. (2 Kings 23:1-3)
Josiah wastes no time in proclaiming God’s covenant to people. They respond.
Our humble obedience can influence others.
(so can our disobedience!)
Sure, Josiah was the king and had just a bit of influence on the people, but notice that last sentence. All the people pledged themselves to the covenant.
I don’t think Josiah used force. He humbly obeyed—submitting himself to the LORD—and set an example for all the people to follow. He understood the source of true wisdom and the people were drawn to his humility and obedience. Are you known for your humility and obedience to God?
If we skip ahead, we see
Humble obedience requires action.
We must not merely agree with statements in a book, we must repent, turn away from our sin, and live God-honoring lives.
The king gave this order to all the people: “Celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.” Neither in the days of the judges who led Israel nor in the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah had any such Passover been observed. But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was celebrated to the LORD in Jerusalem. (2 Kings 23:21-23)
Josiah didn’t just put an end to the idolatry that preceded him. He threw a massive party! Imagine the biggest New Year’s Eve in New York City times the Super Bowl Champion’s parade times…you get the idea! The king give orders to celebrate to the LORD, to reestablish the Passover, to remember what God did through Moses to lead the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt. This was Israel’s oldest feast, and 2 Chronicles (35:18) tells us people from both kingdoms—Judah and Israel—celebrated together in a massive feast!
Furthermore, Josiah got rid of the mediums and spiritists, the household gods, the idols and all the other detestable things seen in Judah and Jerusalem. This he did to fulfill the requirements of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had discovered in the temple of the LORD. Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses. (2 Kings 23:24-25)
Humble obedience requires action. He didn’t ignore the false gods and the idols. He cleaned house. He dealt with sin. Household gods were purged. No other king more faithfully observed the Word of the LORD, including David and Solomon!
Perhaps there’s some sinful things in your life that need to be destroyed. Maybe it’s unhealthy entertainment. Uncontrolled anger. Greed. Gossip. It could be a relationship which is not glorifying to God. Perhaps it’s bitterness and unforgiveness. It might even be a sin of omission, failing to do something like generosity, compassion, or time with God. Whatever it is, get rid of it! Today! Now! Tell a trusted friend to help you with the change.
The cause and effect between obedience and blessing could not be clearer.
So What?
The implications of this story should be obvious for us. Sure, we live in a different era. We are not kings. But the truth remains.
Humbly Obeying God’s Word is the true path to success and satisfaction.
Let’s unpack that statement.
Humbly. Humility is a rare character trait today. It doesn’t mean thinking less of yourself, but rather thinking of yourself less. The thing about God is He’s God…and we’re not! We sometimes want to be god. We sometimes act like we’re god. Comparing ourselves to God is like…ridiculous! This is the Creator of the universe!
God loves us. He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us. But we’re not gods. We’re not in His league! We must always posture ourselves in humility before God.
Obey. Obedience is God’s love language. Talk is cheap, but obedience is real. Jesus said
“If you love me, keep my commands. (John 14:15)
Does that need any interpretation?!
God’s Word. This is not speaking of our leather-bound 66-book volume called the Bible. It didn’t exist at the time of this writing. The people had portions of what we call the Old Testament…on scrolls. As we learned today, those scrolls were sometimes lost or hidden.
God’s Word can include the Bible, but it also includes the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The real Word is Jesus.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
Jesus is the Word of God. It’s stated again in Revelation:
He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. (Revelation 19:13)
We don’t worship the Bible. We worship Jesus. The Bible is how we learn about Jesus and God’s commands for our lives, but Jesus is the Word of God.
Humbly Obeying God’s Word is the true path to success and satisfaction.
I’m not pushing religion on you. There’s no guilt or shame. I simply want to encourage you to trust God and obey. There’s no greater wisdom. There’s no great power. There’s nothing more timeless.
I’m making an assumption that you trust God, at least you trust His wisdom more than your own. At least sometimes!
Countless research studies have shown most USAmericans believe in God, but what does that really mean? Satan believes in the existence of God (he used to work for Him), but he doesn’t trust God. He doesn’t follow God. He doesn’t humbly obey God.
Author Ruth Haley Barton (Invitation to Silence and Solitude) gets to the point when she writes,
When it comes right down to it, many of us do not believe that God's intentions toward us are deeply good; instead we live in fear that that if we really trusted him, he might withhold something good from us.
Most of the kings of Israel and Judah rejected God, His wisdom, His commands, and His Word. They did so at their own peril. Josiah, on the other hand, trusted God, humbly obeyed Him, led the people to do so, and God blessed them as a result.
As I said last week, God’s blessing doesn’t always mean we’ll be happy and comfortable, but it does mean we’ll experience His presence and power, His peace, and His joy, even in the midst of life’s storms.
I love you, church. I want what’s best for you. I want you to be successful. I want you to experience deep satisfaction. Lasting contentment will never come from your stock portfolio, car collection, job title, education, or even relationships. It only comes from loving God and loving others as we love ourselves. It comes from listening, reading, knowing, and obeying God’s Word. It comes from following Jesus…with our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—All The King’s Choices
2 Kings 22:1-20; 23:1-3, 21-25
Big Idea: Humbly Obeying God’s Word is the true path to success and satisfaction.
Success. It’s a word we hear almost every day. We see successful people on television. We hear successful people on the radio and on podcasts. We read books by successful people…who tell us how to be successful! We’re told the importance of being successful because, after all, what’s the opposite? Failure? Who wants that?
Satisfaction is another thing we seek. We hope it comes from being successful! Yet we know people who are successful are not always satisfied in their fame or fortune or whatever made them a success.
Is it possible to be successful and satisfied? If so, how?
This morning as we continue our series “All the King’s Choices,” we’re going to look at king who began his reign at the age of eight…and who humbly obeyed God’s word. I believe…
Humbly Obeying God’s Word is the true path to success and satisfaction.
Last week we looked at the good king Jehoshaphat who obeyed God and was blessed, but made one critical mistake in making alliances with the evil king Ahab which proved to be costly not only to him but also to his descendants. In 2 Kings chapter 21, we read of the death of King Amon, an evil king. Then in 2 Kings 22 we read,
Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. (2 Kings 22:1-2)
He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. That’s what I want to be said of me. If you read through all of the kings, you’ll see Josiah is the exception, not the rule, tragically. He begins his reign at the ripe old age of eight! The book of 2 Chronicles tells us he began to seek after the LORD when he was 16. Fortunately, Josiah had good advisors.
In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the secretary, Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the temple of the LORD. He said: (2 Kings 22:3)
“Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him get ready the money that has been brought into the temple of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people. Have them entrust it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. And have these men pay the workers who repair the temple of the LORD— the carpenters, the builders and the masons. Also have them purchase timber and dressed stone to repair the temple. But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are honest in their dealings.” (2 Kings 22:4-7)
King Josiah, at age 26, tells his secretary to tell the high priest to go to the ATM, get a load of cash, and start fixing the temple! He’s the fourth and final king of Judah who made reforms, and his changes were more extensive than those of Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah.
The temple of God had not only fallen into disrepair, it had been desecrated by Manasseh who used it for pagan images and altars. It was a mess!
Money had been collected for some time to repair the temple and now they had enough to get to the task.
Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD.” He gave it to Shaphan, who read it. Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: “Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple.” (2 Kings 22:8-9)
This is written hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus and much of the writings we call the Bible (which is simply a collection of books). The Pentateuch—the five books of Moses—was available. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy are known as the Book of the Law because Moses wrote them to guide the people of Israel. It is also known as the Mosaic Law. These books—the first five in our Bible—are loaded with history, instructions, and stories. Most likely, this is what was discovered by Hilkiah.
It's hard to imagine the evil of previous kings, not only desecrating the temple but also destroying copies of the Book of the Law.
Evidently the Book of the Law was lost and, therefore, was not read or understood. The high priest finds it while they’re beginning to restore the temple.
Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. (2 Kings 22:10)
This is a big deal! The existence of these sacred writings was known, but since it was lost, nobody knew its contents. For the first time in this generation, God’s Word—His will, commands, and plan—could be discovered.
When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: “Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD’S anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.” (2 Kings 22:11-13)
The king realizes the people have been disobedient and changes must be made immediately. It had obviously been some time since God’s Word had been read and understood, and now Josiah fears the anger of the LORD for the disobedience of the people.
Ignorantia juris non excusat
This Latin phrase means “ignorance of the law excuses not.”
God had punished evil kings for their disobedience, and now Josiah wants to put the nation on a new path, a new direction. He wants them to repent—to turn, to do a 180—and humbly obey God’s Word. The king knew
Humbly Obeying God’s Word is the true path to success and satisfaction.
Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter. (2 Kings 22:14)
This woman seems to be highly regarded for her gift of prophecy. Why the priest didn’t consult other prophets such as Jeremiah, Zephaniah, Nahum, or Habakkuk is unknown. What we do know is this woman plays an important role in the spiritual revival lead by King Josiah.
She said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me,
‘This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read. Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all the idols their hands have made, my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.’ (2 Kings 22:15-17)
God’s not happy, and if God’s not happy…!!!
You might know the first of the ten commandments is to have no other gods. The second is to have no idols. The people had violated both. Sin has its consequences and the wrath of God was coming for the nation, though it would come after Josiah died.
Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: (2 Kings 22:18)
Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people—that they would become a curse and be laid waste—and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the LORD. Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.’ ”
So they took her answer back to the king. (2 Kings 22:19-20)
This is great news for Josiah!
Humbly Obeying God brings His blessing.
Who wants God’s blessing? It doesn’t happen automatically. God loves us all, but He can express His love—looking out for our best interest—a number of ways. When we obey, that often looks like blessings. When we disobey, that could mean loving discipline. In this case, God blessed Josiah with His mercy because he humbly obeyed God.
Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. He went up to the temple of the LORD with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the LORD. The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD—to follow the LORD and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant. (2 Kings 23:1-3)
Josiah wastes no time in proclaiming God’s covenant to people. They respond.
Our humble obedience can influence others.
(so can our disobedience!)
Sure, Josiah was the king and had just a bit of influence on the people, but notice that last sentence. All the people pledged themselves to the covenant.
I don’t think Josiah used force. He humbly obeyed—submitting himself to the LORD—and set an example for all the people to follow. He understood the source of true wisdom and the people were drawn to his humility and obedience. Are you known for your humility and obedience to God?
If we skip ahead, we see
Humble obedience requires action.
We must not merely agree with statements in a book, we must repent, turn away from our sin, and live God-honoring lives.
The king gave this order to all the people: “Celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.” Neither in the days of the judges who led Israel nor in the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah had any such Passover been observed. But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was celebrated to the LORD in Jerusalem. (2 Kings 23:21-23)
Josiah didn’t just put an end to the idolatry that preceded him. He threw a massive party! Imagine the biggest New Year’s Eve in New York City times the Super Bowl Champion’s parade times…you get the idea! The king give orders to celebrate to the LORD, to reestablish the Passover, to remember what God did through Moses to lead the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt. This was Israel’s oldest feast, and 2 Chronicles (35:18) tells us people from both kingdoms—Judah and Israel—celebrated together in a massive feast!
Furthermore, Josiah got rid of the mediums and spiritists, the household gods, the idols and all the other detestable things seen in Judah and Jerusalem. This he did to fulfill the requirements of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had discovered in the temple of the LORD. Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses. (2 Kings 23:24-25)
Humble obedience requires action. He didn’t ignore the false gods and the idols. He cleaned house. He dealt with sin. Household gods were purged. No other king more faithfully observed the Word of the LORD, including David and Solomon!
Perhaps there’s some sinful things in your life that need to be destroyed. Maybe it’s unhealthy entertainment. Uncontrolled anger. Greed. Gossip. It could be a relationship which is not glorifying to God. Perhaps it’s bitterness and unforgiveness. It might even be a sin of omission, failing to do something like generosity, compassion, or time with God. Whatever it is, get rid of it! Today! Now! Tell a trusted friend to help you with the change.
The cause and effect between obedience and blessing could not be clearer.
So What?
The implications of this story should be obvious for us. Sure, we live in a different era. We are not kings. But the truth remains.
Humbly Obeying God’s Word is the true path to success and satisfaction.
Let’s unpack that statement.
Humbly. Humility is a rare character trait today. It doesn’t mean thinking less of yourself, but rather thinking of yourself less. The thing about God is He’s God…and we’re not! We sometimes want to be god. We sometimes act like we’re god. Comparing ourselves to God is like…ridiculous! This is the Creator of the universe!
God loves us. He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us. But we’re not gods. We’re not in His league! We must always posture ourselves in humility before God.
Obey. Obedience is God’s love language. Talk is cheap, but obedience is real. Jesus said
“If you love me, keep my commands. (John 14:15)
Does that need any interpretation?!
God’s Word. This is not speaking of our leather-bound 66-book volume called the Bible. It didn’t exist at the time of this writing. The people had portions of what we call the Old Testament…on scrolls. As we learned today, those scrolls were sometimes lost or hidden.
God’s Word can include the Bible, but it also includes the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The real Word is Jesus.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
Jesus is the Word of God. It’s stated again in Revelation:
He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. (Revelation 19:13)
We don’t worship the Bible. We worship Jesus. The Bible is how we learn about Jesus and God’s commands for our lives, but Jesus is the Word of God.
Humbly Obeying God’s Word is the true path to success and satisfaction.
I’m not pushing religion on you. There’s no guilt or shame. I simply want to encourage you to trust God and obey. There’s no greater wisdom. There’s no great power. There’s nothing more timeless.
I’m making an assumption that you trust God, at least you trust His wisdom more than your own. At least sometimes!
Countless research studies have shown most USAmericans believe in God, but what does that really mean? Satan believes in the existence of God (he used to work for Him), but he doesn’t trust God. He doesn’t follow God. He doesn’t humbly obey God.
Author Ruth Haley Barton (Invitation to Silence and Solitude) gets to the point when she writes,
When it comes right down to it, many of us do not believe that God's intentions toward us are deeply good; instead we live in fear that that if we really trusted him, he might withhold something good from us.
Most of the kings of Israel and Judah rejected God, His wisdom, His commands, and His Word. They did so at their own peril. Josiah, on the other hand, trusted God, humbly obeyed Him, led the people to do so, and God blessed them as a result.
As I said last week, God’s blessing doesn’t always mean we’ll be happy and comfortable, but it does mean we’ll experience His presence and power, His peace, and His joy, even in the midst of life’s storms.
I love you, church. I want what’s best for you. I want you to be successful. I want you to experience deep satisfaction. Lasting contentment will never come from your stock portfolio, car collection, job title, education, or even relationships. It only comes from loving God and loving others as we love ourselves. It comes from listening, reading, knowing, and obeying God’s Word. It comes from following Jesus…with our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Choose Wisely, 14 July 2019
14 07 19
Choose Wisely
Series—All The King’s Choices
2 Chronicles 17:3-13; 18:1; 21:1-6; 22:1-12
Big Idea: Our daily choices create the future for us…and sometimes others, too.
Choices. We love choices…until we don’t!
One of my undergrad degrees was in marketing, and since college I’ve been fascinated by brands, products, and the ways in which companies sell their goods and services. A quick walk through any Meijer, Super WalMart, or Kroger Marketplace store would be enough to convince you that we love choices. Do we need dozens of different toothpastes, types of milk, brands of orange juice, or varieties of pop?
Aldi thinks not! If you’ve ever been there, you have almost no choices to make. If you want peanut butter or granola bars or ice cream you don’t have to spend hours deciding which one to purchase. You usually have one option!
Life, of course, is far more complicated than a trip to the grocery store. We make decisions from the moment we wake up in the morning until we begin to drift off to sleep. We make choices about what we wear, eat, and drink. We have to decide how we spend our time and money. Our cell phones are loaded with apps inviting us to spend time reading, writing, and playing.
No wonder we’re so busy and stressed!
One of the most important things I told my children was, “You are your friends. Choose wisely.” Today we’re talking choices in our series “All The King’s Choices” and my simple message to you is make wise choices, because
Our daily choices create the future for us…and sometimes others, too.
The Bible is packed with historic stories of people who made good and bad choices. It’s easy for us to see the good from the bad because we have the benefit of looking back at their lives and the consequences of their actions. If only we could get a sneak preview of the outcomes of our choices!
Our daily choices create the future for us…and sometimes others, too.
Today we’re going to look at a few passages from the book of 2 Chronicles, found in the Old Testament or what we might call the Jewish Bible. It tells the story of several kings, beginning with Solomon.
If you’ve ever read the books of Kings and Chronicles, you’ll almost certainly see a pattern emerge. The pattern goes something like this:
God blesses the kings who follow God.
God does not bless the kings who ignore God.
Unfortunately, most of the kings of Israel ignored God…and they paid dearly for their disobedience. You would think with the history of these kings recorded, new kings would want to learn from the predecessors.
No!
They often responded the same way we tend to deal with tragedy.
“It will never happen to me.”
“I’m different.”
“I’m special.”
“You don’t understand.”
The older I get, the more I see this story repeat itself. We’re tempted to see ourselves as the exception to the rule.
“If you don’t get to bed soon, you’ll be sorry in the morning.”
“Be careful who you date because they might become your spouse someday.”
Here’s one I still struggle with:
“Make sure you leave a few minutes early in case there’s traffic.”
We all learn from mistakes: ours or the mistakes of others. In the book of 2 Chronicles, we see Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, the southern kingdom which was vulnerable to attacks by the northern kingdom of Israel.
In chapter 17, it says,
The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. (2 Chronicles 17:3-4)
Was Jehoshaphat a good king or a bad king? A good one. He followed the ways of David who was a man after God’s own heart. He sought God rather than idols. He followed God rather than the people. What’s the result?
The LORD established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor. His heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah. (2 Chronicles 17:5-6)
An Asherah pole was a sacred pole or tree that was used to worship the pagan goddess Asherah. The Israelites were drawn away from their worship of the one true God to the worship of the false gods of other nations after they entered the land of Canaan.
In other words, Jehoshaphat cleans house and reinstitutes the worship of YHVH, the LORD God almighty.
In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah to teach in the towns of Judah. With them were certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-Adonijah—and the priests Elishama and Jehoram. They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people. (2 Chronicles 17:7-9)
Teaching was extremely important, especially before technologies like the printing press, to say nothing of the Internet!
What is the result of the king’s obedience to God?
The fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not go to war against Jehoshaphat. Some Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabs brought him flocks: seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred goats. (2 Chronicles 17:10-11)
That’s a lot of animals!
Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful; he built forts and store cities in Judah and had large supplies in the towns of Judah. He also kept experienced fighting men in Jerusalem. (2 Chronicles 17:12-13)
God blesses those who follow Him.
This makes sense, right? We see it in history, but we also see it practically. When children obey their parents, they are often rewarded in some way…allowance, more trust and freedom, acts of appreciation. Disobedient children, on the other hand, are punished.
Paul wrote,
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7-8)
This does not mean followers of Jesus will always be happy and that God-haters will always be miserable. But our choices have consequences, sometimes immediate, sometimes into the future, and sometimes eternal.
Jehoshaphat was a good king who followed God. He commanded the judges to be just (what a concept! 19:6-9). He trusted God for victory in chapter twenty. But like all but one person in the Bible, he wasn’t perfect. He’s a prime example that
Godly people can make unwise choices.
King David is another example.
Solomon is another example.
In many ways, we see Jehoshaphat indeed following his forefathers. The next chapter begins…
Now Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage. (2 Chronicles 18:1)
This was what my dad used to call a “no no.” Ahab was not a godly king. His wife, Jezebel, threatened to kill Elijah the prophet who we discussed last week. The people of God—then and now—are to never make alliances with the ungodly. We are to love them. We are to introduce them to Jesus. But we must be careful about lasting partnerships with those who have a different worldview. Paul also wrote,
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14)
This verse is often used to discourage Christians from marrying non-Christians, which seems to fit, though the context shows its application much broader.
Do you remember what I told my kids? “You are your friends. Choose wisely.” This is true in marriage. This is true in business. This is true in family.
What was the result of Jehoshaphat’s one poor choice to align with ungodly Ahab? Let’s jump ahead to chapter twenty-one, after his death (sometimes it takes time to see the true effect of our actions).
Then Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. And Jehoram his son succeeded him as king. Jehoram’s brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat, were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael and Shephatiah. All these were sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. Their father had given them many gifts of silver and gold and articles of value, as well as fortified cities in Judah, but he had given the kingdom to Jehoram because he was his firstborn son. (2 Chronicles 21:1-3)
Naturally, Jehoram is a good king like his dad, right?
When Jehoram established himself firmly over his father’s kingdom, he put all his brothers to the sword along with some of the officials of Israel. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. (2 Chronicles 21:4-6)
Did you catch that? Who led Jehoram away from God? The house of Ahab, including Ahab’s daughter that he married. Do you see a pattern?
This expression “evil in the eyes of the LORD” appears 50 times in the NIV translation of the Jewish Bible, many describing various kings, including Solomon, Judah, Nadab, Ahab, and the Israelites.
Perhaps you think God grades on a curve. If you’re pretty good, above average, everything will be ok. The reality is all of our choices have consequences, good or bad, immediate or future. Your past successes and failures are impacting you today, and today’s decisions will be more fully realized tomorrow, in your life and/or the lives of others, including your children and grandchildren.
Last month I met a man in Toledo who was telling me about his son. He said something that shocked me. He said, “I don’t want my son to turn out like me.” The man had made many poor choices in life…though none of them are beyond the power of God to forgive! I appreciated his self-awareness and love for his son. He was able to recognize how his choices affect not only himself but also his offspring.
We’re going to look at one more story which shows us how…
We can make the right choices, even in difficult times.
The people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, Jehoram’s youngest son, king in his place, since the raiders, who came with the Arabs into the camp, had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign. (2 Chronicles 22:1)
Jehoshaphat’s grandson is on the throne. All of his older brothers had been killed, so he became king.
Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri. (2 Chronicles 22:2)
He too followed the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother encouraged him to act wickedly. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done, for after his father’s death they became his advisers, to his undoing. He also followed their counsel when he went with Joram son of Ahab king of Israel to wage war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth Gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram; so he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds they had inflicted on him at Ramoth in his battle with Hazael king of Aram. (2 Chronicles 22:3-6a)
Then Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to Jezreel to see Joram son of Ahab because he had been wounded. (2 Chronicles 22:6b)
Ahaziah leads the people into idolatry and war.
Through Ahaziah’s visit to Joram, God brought about Ahaziah’s downfall. When Ahaziah arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab. (2 Chronicles 22:7)
We finally have a “good guy,” Jehu, who follows God’s instructions to put an end to the madness.
While Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the officials of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s relatives, who had been attending Ahaziah, and he killed them. (2 Chronicles 22:8)
This is extreme, right? Thankfully God doesn’t give such instructions today, but remember, God hates sin, so much that he destroyed nearly everyone on the planet in the flood. I’m so thankful we live on this side of the cross, of Jesus.
He then went in search of Ahaziah, and his men captured him while he was hiding in Samaria. He was brought to Jehu and put to death. They buried him, for they said, “He was a son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.” So there was no one in the house of Ahaziah powerful enough to retain the kingdom. (2 Chronicles 22:9)
Next in line was Ahaziah’s son Joash, but he was but an infant.
When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family of the house of Judah. (2 Chronicles 22:10)
What a nice lady! She regins as queen for six years…and her life is summarized in only three verses! The author of Chronicles all but wipes her out of the history books!
But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes who were about to be murdered and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Because Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of the priest Jehoiada, was Ahaziah’s sister, she hid the child from Athaliah so she could not kill him. He remained hidden with them at the temple of God for six years while Athaliah ruled the land. (2 Chronicles 22:11-12)
Jehoshabeath risked her life to save a life, hiding the infant Joash who would later become king (2 Chronicles 24:1) and maintain the lineage of King David out of whom would eventually come Jesus, the Messiah.
We can make the right choices, even in difficult times.
So What?
I know none of you have the wealth or power of a king, but we all have influence.
Our daily choices create the future for us…and sometimes others, too.
I often wish our choices were as simple as right or left! Every day we’re faced with so many options for how we spend our time, our money, our energy, our thoughts, our technology, our relationships, …
Someone said it takes years to earn trust and seconds to lose it, and that’s so true. Even people who passionately serve God and love others can make one tragic mistake that can impact the rest of their lives…and the lives of others. This is why we all need this reminder…to choose carefully until our last days on earth. Last week we saw the faithfulness of Elijah and Elisha who both made it to the finish line, not perfect, but with their character intact. I desperately want that for you and for me, but it requires daily discipline, alertness to temptation, accountability, and positive influences.
Jesus’ half brother eloquently described the tragedy of sin:
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:13-15)
Sin leads to death.
Desire leads to sin.
Temptation leads to desire.
None of us is exempt. We are all capable of heinous sins. We are in a battle. We need our spiritual armor one (which we talked about two weeks ago). We need godly friends who can guide us into truth and righteousness when the world screams lies of selfish pursuits and pleasures.
Our daily choices create the future for us…and sometimes others, too.
What kind of tomorrow do you want to experience? It begins today.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—All The King’s Choices
2 Chronicles 17:3-13; 18:1; 21:1-6; 22:1-12
Big Idea: Our daily choices create the future for us…and sometimes others, too.
Choices. We love choices…until we don’t!
One of my undergrad degrees was in marketing, and since college I’ve been fascinated by brands, products, and the ways in which companies sell their goods and services. A quick walk through any Meijer, Super WalMart, or Kroger Marketplace store would be enough to convince you that we love choices. Do we need dozens of different toothpastes, types of milk, brands of orange juice, or varieties of pop?
Aldi thinks not! If you’ve ever been there, you have almost no choices to make. If you want peanut butter or granola bars or ice cream you don’t have to spend hours deciding which one to purchase. You usually have one option!
Life, of course, is far more complicated than a trip to the grocery store. We make decisions from the moment we wake up in the morning until we begin to drift off to sleep. We make choices about what we wear, eat, and drink. We have to decide how we spend our time and money. Our cell phones are loaded with apps inviting us to spend time reading, writing, and playing.
No wonder we’re so busy and stressed!
One of the most important things I told my children was, “You are your friends. Choose wisely.” Today we’re talking choices in our series “All The King’s Choices” and my simple message to you is make wise choices, because
Our daily choices create the future for us…and sometimes others, too.
The Bible is packed with historic stories of people who made good and bad choices. It’s easy for us to see the good from the bad because we have the benefit of looking back at their lives and the consequences of their actions. If only we could get a sneak preview of the outcomes of our choices!
Our daily choices create the future for us…and sometimes others, too.
Today we’re going to look at a few passages from the book of 2 Chronicles, found in the Old Testament or what we might call the Jewish Bible. It tells the story of several kings, beginning with Solomon.
If you’ve ever read the books of Kings and Chronicles, you’ll almost certainly see a pattern emerge. The pattern goes something like this:
God blesses the kings who follow God.
God does not bless the kings who ignore God.
Unfortunately, most of the kings of Israel ignored God…and they paid dearly for their disobedience. You would think with the history of these kings recorded, new kings would want to learn from the predecessors.
No!
They often responded the same way we tend to deal with tragedy.
“It will never happen to me.”
“I’m different.”
“I’m special.”
“You don’t understand.”
The older I get, the more I see this story repeat itself. We’re tempted to see ourselves as the exception to the rule.
“If you don’t get to bed soon, you’ll be sorry in the morning.”
“Be careful who you date because they might become your spouse someday.”
Here’s one I still struggle with:
“Make sure you leave a few minutes early in case there’s traffic.”
We all learn from mistakes: ours or the mistakes of others. In the book of 2 Chronicles, we see Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, the southern kingdom which was vulnerable to attacks by the northern kingdom of Israel.
In chapter 17, it says,
The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. (2 Chronicles 17:3-4)
Was Jehoshaphat a good king or a bad king? A good one. He followed the ways of David who was a man after God’s own heart. He sought God rather than idols. He followed God rather than the people. What’s the result?
The LORD established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor. His heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah. (2 Chronicles 17:5-6)
An Asherah pole was a sacred pole or tree that was used to worship the pagan goddess Asherah. The Israelites were drawn away from their worship of the one true God to the worship of the false gods of other nations after they entered the land of Canaan.
In other words, Jehoshaphat cleans house and reinstitutes the worship of YHVH, the LORD God almighty.
In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah to teach in the towns of Judah. With them were certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-Adonijah—and the priests Elishama and Jehoram. They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people. (2 Chronicles 17:7-9)
Teaching was extremely important, especially before technologies like the printing press, to say nothing of the Internet!
What is the result of the king’s obedience to God?
The fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not go to war against Jehoshaphat. Some Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabs brought him flocks: seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred goats. (2 Chronicles 17:10-11)
That’s a lot of animals!
Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful; he built forts and store cities in Judah and had large supplies in the towns of Judah. He also kept experienced fighting men in Jerusalem. (2 Chronicles 17:12-13)
God blesses those who follow Him.
This makes sense, right? We see it in history, but we also see it practically. When children obey their parents, they are often rewarded in some way…allowance, more trust and freedom, acts of appreciation. Disobedient children, on the other hand, are punished.
Paul wrote,
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7-8)
This does not mean followers of Jesus will always be happy and that God-haters will always be miserable. But our choices have consequences, sometimes immediate, sometimes into the future, and sometimes eternal.
Jehoshaphat was a good king who followed God. He commanded the judges to be just (what a concept! 19:6-9). He trusted God for victory in chapter twenty. But like all but one person in the Bible, he wasn’t perfect. He’s a prime example that
Godly people can make unwise choices.
King David is another example.
Solomon is another example.
In many ways, we see Jehoshaphat indeed following his forefathers. The next chapter begins…
Now Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage. (2 Chronicles 18:1)
This was what my dad used to call a “no no.” Ahab was not a godly king. His wife, Jezebel, threatened to kill Elijah the prophet who we discussed last week. The people of God—then and now—are to never make alliances with the ungodly. We are to love them. We are to introduce them to Jesus. But we must be careful about lasting partnerships with those who have a different worldview. Paul also wrote,
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14)
This verse is often used to discourage Christians from marrying non-Christians, which seems to fit, though the context shows its application much broader.
Do you remember what I told my kids? “You are your friends. Choose wisely.” This is true in marriage. This is true in business. This is true in family.
What was the result of Jehoshaphat’s one poor choice to align with ungodly Ahab? Let’s jump ahead to chapter twenty-one, after his death (sometimes it takes time to see the true effect of our actions).
Then Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. And Jehoram his son succeeded him as king. Jehoram’s brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat, were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael and Shephatiah. All these were sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. Their father had given them many gifts of silver and gold and articles of value, as well as fortified cities in Judah, but he had given the kingdom to Jehoram because he was his firstborn son. (2 Chronicles 21:1-3)
Naturally, Jehoram is a good king like his dad, right?
When Jehoram established himself firmly over his father’s kingdom, he put all his brothers to the sword along with some of the officials of Israel. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. (2 Chronicles 21:4-6)
Did you catch that? Who led Jehoram away from God? The house of Ahab, including Ahab’s daughter that he married. Do you see a pattern?
This expression “evil in the eyes of the LORD” appears 50 times in the NIV translation of the Jewish Bible, many describing various kings, including Solomon, Judah, Nadab, Ahab, and the Israelites.
Perhaps you think God grades on a curve. If you’re pretty good, above average, everything will be ok. The reality is all of our choices have consequences, good or bad, immediate or future. Your past successes and failures are impacting you today, and today’s decisions will be more fully realized tomorrow, in your life and/or the lives of others, including your children and grandchildren.
Last month I met a man in Toledo who was telling me about his son. He said something that shocked me. He said, “I don’t want my son to turn out like me.” The man had made many poor choices in life…though none of them are beyond the power of God to forgive! I appreciated his self-awareness and love for his son. He was able to recognize how his choices affect not only himself but also his offspring.
We’re going to look at one more story which shows us how…
We can make the right choices, even in difficult times.
The people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, Jehoram’s youngest son, king in his place, since the raiders, who came with the Arabs into the camp, had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign. (2 Chronicles 22:1)
Jehoshaphat’s grandson is on the throne. All of his older brothers had been killed, so he became king.
Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri. (2 Chronicles 22:2)
He too followed the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother encouraged him to act wickedly. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done, for after his father’s death they became his advisers, to his undoing. He also followed their counsel when he went with Joram son of Ahab king of Israel to wage war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth Gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram; so he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds they had inflicted on him at Ramoth in his battle with Hazael king of Aram. (2 Chronicles 22:3-6a)
Then Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to Jezreel to see Joram son of Ahab because he had been wounded. (2 Chronicles 22:6b)
Ahaziah leads the people into idolatry and war.
Through Ahaziah’s visit to Joram, God brought about Ahaziah’s downfall. When Ahaziah arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab. (2 Chronicles 22:7)
We finally have a “good guy,” Jehu, who follows God’s instructions to put an end to the madness.
While Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the officials of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s relatives, who had been attending Ahaziah, and he killed them. (2 Chronicles 22:8)
This is extreme, right? Thankfully God doesn’t give such instructions today, but remember, God hates sin, so much that he destroyed nearly everyone on the planet in the flood. I’m so thankful we live on this side of the cross, of Jesus.
He then went in search of Ahaziah, and his men captured him while he was hiding in Samaria. He was brought to Jehu and put to death. They buried him, for they said, “He was a son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.” So there was no one in the house of Ahaziah powerful enough to retain the kingdom. (2 Chronicles 22:9)
Next in line was Ahaziah’s son Joash, but he was but an infant.
When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family of the house of Judah. (2 Chronicles 22:10)
What a nice lady! She regins as queen for six years…and her life is summarized in only three verses! The author of Chronicles all but wipes her out of the history books!
But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes who were about to be murdered and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Because Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of the priest Jehoiada, was Ahaziah’s sister, she hid the child from Athaliah so she could not kill him. He remained hidden with them at the temple of God for six years while Athaliah ruled the land. (2 Chronicles 22:11-12)
Jehoshabeath risked her life to save a life, hiding the infant Joash who would later become king (2 Chronicles 24:1) and maintain the lineage of King David out of whom would eventually come Jesus, the Messiah.
We can make the right choices, even in difficult times.
So What?
I know none of you have the wealth or power of a king, but we all have influence.
Our daily choices create the future for us…and sometimes others, too.
I often wish our choices were as simple as right or left! Every day we’re faced with so many options for how we spend our time, our money, our energy, our thoughts, our technology, our relationships, …
Someone said it takes years to earn trust and seconds to lose it, and that’s so true. Even people who passionately serve God and love others can make one tragic mistake that can impact the rest of their lives…and the lives of others. This is why we all need this reminder…to choose carefully until our last days on earth. Last week we saw the faithfulness of Elijah and Elisha who both made it to the finish line, not perfect, but with their character intact. I desperately want that for you and for me, but it requires daily discipline, alertness to temptation, accountability, and positive influences.
Jesus’ half brother eloquently described the tragedy of sin:
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:13-15)
Sin leads to death.
Desire leads to sin.
Temptation leads to desire.
None of us is exempt. We are all capable of heinous sins. We are in a battle. We need our spiritual armor one (which we talked about two weeks ago). We need godly friends who can guide us into truth and righteousness when the world screams lies of selfish pursuits and pleasures.
Our daily choices create the future for us…and sometimes others, too.
What kind of tomorrow do you want to experience? It begins today.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Faithful to the Finish, 7 July 2019
08 07 19
Faithful to the Finish
Series—All The King’s Choices
2 Kings 2:1-15
Big Idea: God is faithful…and blesses our faithfulness.
What is your favorite attribute of God?
I am in awe of God’s power, grateful for His grace, thankful for His love, amazed by His wisdom, …but I think my favorite attribute of God is His faithfulness.
Moses wrote,
He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. (Deuteronomy 32:4)
The original Hebrew word for faithful here is “emunah,” meaning faithfulness, steadiness, trustworthiness. The same word is used in the book of Lamentations:
Because of the LORD’S great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
My favorite hymn is “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” Although Heather and I have experienced countless storms, incredible pain, and more than a few surprises in life, we’ve found God to be faithful. We’re not always happy. We’ve been disappointed many times. But ultimately God has always proven Himself to be faithful to us.
A different, yet similar, word is used in this psalm:
He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—he remains faithful forever. (Psalms 146:6)
The Hebrew word here is “emet” which is faithfulness, reliability, trustworthiness truth.
Communion is a reminder of God’s faithfulness as recorded by John:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
The Greek, pistos, used here indicates God is faithful, true, and trusty (it’s a word!).
This is our God! He is faithful!
God is faithful…and blesses our faithfulness.
Faithfulness is growing increasingly uncommon in our contemporary vocabulary. For one thing, faith seems to be in decline, whether that’s actually true or not. Full of faith might only describe the truly zealous.
I looked up the word and definitions include
- Loyal
- Constant
- Steadfast
- Devoted
Is that quality you desire from a friend? A family member? A Father?
Today we’re going to look at two men who were faithful, not only for a season of their lives, but faithful to the finish. They had experienced God’s faithfulness and returned the favor! These two men had similar roles and similar names…Elijah and Elisha. In the book of 2 Kings, we see the prophet Elijah nearing the end of his days on earth. He was faithful to God throughout, and God blesses his faithfulness.
When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. (2 Kings 2:1)
Faithful servants remain faithful to the finish.
I often say it doesn’t matter who’s winning the game or the race in the final seconds. What matters is the end. The first to cross the finish line is the winner. The team with the most points when the buzzer goes off is the victor.
I’m so tired of hearing about gifted, talented, charismatic pastors who crash and burn before the finish line. They might be best-selling authors, megachurch leaders, or popular conference speakers who talk a good talk, but then self-destruct. Virtually every instance involves money, sex, and/or power. Success in the middle of the race is not enough. We must all finish well.
On more than one occasion I’ve heard people say they only read books by dead authors. They know how they finished!
Elijah’s story begins in 1 Kings chapter 17 in the 9th century BC. His highlight reel included raising someone from the dead, calling down fire from the sky, and defending the worship of the Hebrew God against the false god Baal. He was so significant that he is mentioned in several books of the Bible and even other religious books such as the Quran and the Book of Mormon. In one miraculous scene, Elijah appears with Moses in the Transfiguration of Jesus in Luke chapter 9.
One of the greatest moments in Elijah’s life occurs in what could only be described as a near-death experience…because Elijah never dies! He’s one of two people in the Bible taken up to heaven before ever dying (the other is Enoch, Genesis 5:21-24). We’ll get to that in a moment.
One of the most important questions my late dad ever asked me is, “Who is your mentor?” Throughout my life, I had no greater mentor than my dad, and I have missed him for many years.
Who is your mentor? Who are you mentoring?
Among the most humbling moments in my life have been the times young pastors in Burundi asked me to be their mentors. Another e-mailed me this past week.
Who is your mentor? Who are you mentoring?
The question could be plural. Different people can mentor us in different areas of life. For example, you might have someone who is showing you how to be a good spouse, another person modeling parenthood for you, a financial coach, a home-improvement guide, and a person teaching you how to play tennis.
In the days of Jesus, the most outstanding students would leave home and travel with a rabbi for months or even years. These “talmidim” or disciples did more than acquire knowledge. They sought to become like their teacher, eventually becoming teachers themselves.
Centuries earlier, young prophets learned from mentors like Elijah. They would gather in groups and be trained in guilds in places throughout Israel. Elijah knows he’s about to end his ministry on earth and he is with his protégé of seven or eight years, Elisha. The baton pass from Elijah to Elisha is nothing short of remarkable as Elijah embarks on his farewell tour.
Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.”
But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. (2 Kings 2:2)
Elisha is deeply devoted to Elijah.
The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.” (2 Kings 2:3)
Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho.”
And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho. (2 Kings 2:4)
Did Elijah forget Elisha’s devotion? He’s not leaving his mentor!
The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.” (2 Kings 2:5)
Everyone seems to know Elijah’s leaving soon, and they all want Elisha to know. First, the prophets of Bethel. Now the prophets of Jericho.
Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.”
And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on. (2 Kings 2:6)
Elijah, take a hint! Elisha’s not leaving your side!
Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground. (2 Kings 2:7-8)
That’s amazing, not unlike God’s work in parting the Red Sea or the Jordan River for the Israelites on their journey to the Promised Land, perhaps marking a parallel between Joshua succeeding Moses and Elisha succeeding Elijah. Here the cloak was more than a piece of clothing. It was symbolic of one’s authority. In Elijah’s case, it was powerful.
This is all setup. It’s just a reminder that
Faithful servants remain faithful to the finish.
Where are you at on your life journey? We’ve all made mistakes, but the fact that you’re here today means you have at least a basic interest in following God. I long to be faithful, and I desire that for you, too. That means devoting ourselves to prayer, to the scriptures, to generosity and obedience. Most of all, it means loving others—even our enemies—as we are filled by the Holy Spirit.
It can also be said that
Faithful servants seek God’s power (for the spiritual battle, not for themselves)
Power is one of the most enticing things on earth. We have a natural craving for control. I used to think it was unique to USAmericans, but it seems people all over the world desire power…and it’s as old as humanity.
Is power good or bad? It depends upon how it’s used.
We all have some amount of power, control, influence. The question is how do you use power for your own pleasure or to serve others.
I confess I have struggled, at times, with the power I have as pastor of First Alliance Church. We’re not a huge church, but we have been a flagship congregation within the Great Lakes District over the years. God has done incredible things in and through the people of FAC. As the lead pastor, I have been granted an amount of power and authority. I don’t pretend to be the most powerful or influential person in our church family, but my position affords me a certain degree of power…to be used for my selfish benefit or to serve others. I strive for the latter, and I hope that’s been your experience!
Last Sunday we talked about the very real war being waged in the heavenly realms, good versus evil. We need God’s power, not to do tricks and impress people, but to bring God’s kingdom into reality here on earth as it is in heaven. We need God’s presence, the fruit of the Spirit, and spiritual gifts to bless others.
Our story continues…
When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. (2 Kings 2:9)
Elisha knows about the spirit of God given to Elijah. He recognizes the need for supernatural power if he is to serve others as a prophet. This isn’t a selfish request. In the day, the firstborn son received a double portion of the inheritance of his father. Elisha is expressing his devotion to Elijah as his spiritual son as well as his desire for God’s power to serve others.
“You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.” (2 Kings 2:10)
Elijah couldn’t give the double portion, but he was saying the evidence of the double portion from God would be if Elisha saw Elijah depart.
Now Elisha’s really going to stay close to Elijah’s side!
As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two. (2 Kings 2:11-12)
Wow! I’d love to see that scene on Netflix! Elijah goes us in a chariot of fire. Hollywood’s got nothing on that image! Horses and chariots were not merely transportation, but symbols of warfare, with fire and wind being signs of God’s presence, perhaps a storm with lightning and thunder.
For Elisha, the bad news is Elijah is gone. The good news is he witnessed an incredible miracle, which also meant he would be given a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. Now it’s up to Elisha to continue the work started by his mentor, Elijah, whose death he mourned through the tearing of his garment.
Through it all, Elisha was faithful to Elijah…and God.
Faithful servants do the work God assigns them.
God’s love language is obedience. Servants serve. It might be in a school, home, office, or church. It might be a public role or a private one. It might impact one life or millions. When we’re faithful with small things, prepare to be given greater opportunity. Such was the case for Elisha.
Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over. (2 Kings 2:13-14)
The baton—or cloak—has been passed. The transition is complete. The mantle of authority has been transferred from Elijah to Elisha. Just as Joshua parted the Jordan River like Moses, Elisha sees God part it as Elijah had experienced.
The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. (2 Kings 2:15)
The other prophets were eyewitnesses of the beginning of the powerful ministry of the prophet Elisha, a fruitful work that would continue for about six decades! He would be known for his humility, love for the people of Israel, and, of course, his faithfulness.
So What?
Life is a marathon, not a sprint. How you run the race matters, and how you finish is most important.
God is faithful…and blesses our faithfulness. Elijah and Elisha are both examples of this. A reading of 1 Kings 17 through 2 Kings 13 is a great study of these two godly yet imperfect men, prophets of God. They were blessed by God for being a blessing to others.
It’s unlikely God will call any of us into a ministry which will be remembered for generations, but each day we make choices. We choose to follow God or the world. We choose to use power for ourselves or others. We choose to take short cuts and live for the moment or make sacrifices for the long run, knowing life is a marathon and we want to finish well.
On a personal note, I’m so grateful for your prayers. No child dreams of going to prison, yet there are pastors from Toledo there today. No seminary student thinks about resigning from their church because of moral failure, yet that’s been the story of some of my colleagues. Better men and women than me have fallen before they reached the finish line, and but by the grace of God so go I. I really need and appreciate your prayers, and I know our staff and elders do, too. We’re in a battle and one mistake can be costly. I want to finish well. I want you to finish well.
God is faithful…and blesses our faithfulness. What is your next step? What is God calling you to do? Who do you need to mentor and disciple? Who do you need to mentor you? Discipleship is a multi-generational process that we’re all commanded to participate in. May all who come behind us find us faithful…for the glory of God!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—All The King’s Choices
2 Kings 2:1-15
Big Idea: God is faithful…and blesses our faithfulness.
What is your favorite attribute of God?
I am in awe of God’s power, grateful for His grace, thankful for His love, amazed by His wisdom, …but I think my favorite attribute of God is His faithfulness.
Moses wrote,
He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. (Deuteronomy 32:4)
The original Hebrew word for faithful here is “emunah,” meaning faithfulness, steadiness, trustworthiness. The same word is used in the book of Lamentations:
Because of the LORD’S great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
My favorite hymn is “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” Although Heather and I have experienced countless storms, incredible pain, and more than a few surprises in life, we’ve found God to be faithful. We’re not always happy. We’ve been disappointed many times. But ultimately God has always proven Himself to be faithful to us.
A different, yet similar, word is used in this psalm:
He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—he remains faithful forever. (Psalms 146:6)
The Hebrew word here is “emet” which is faithfulness, reliability, trustworthiness truth.
Communion is a reminder of God’s faithfulness as recorded by John:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
The Greek, pistos, used here indicates God is faithful, true, and trusty (it’s a word!).
This is our God! He is faithful!
God is faithful…and blesses our faithfulness.
Faithfulness is growing increasingly uncommon in our contemporary vocabulary. For one thing, faith seems to be in decline, whether that’s actually true or not. Full of faith might only describe the truly zealous.
I looked up the word and definitions include
- Loyal
- Constant
- Steadfast
- Devoted
Is that quality you desire from a friend? A family member? A Father?
Today we’re going to look at two men who were faithful, not only for a season of their lives, but faithful to the finish. They had experienced God’s faithfulness and returned the favor! These two men had similar roles and similar names…Elijah and Elisha. In the book of 2 Kings, we see the prophet Elijah nearing the end of his days on earth. He was faithful to God throughout, and God blesses his faithfulness.
When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. (2 Kings 2:1)
Faithful servants remain faithful to the finish.
I often say it doesn’t matter who’s winning the game or the race in the final seconds. What matters is the end. The first to cross the finish line is the winner. The team with the most points when the buzzer goes off is the victor.
I’m so tired of hearing about gifted, talented, charismatic pastors who crash and burn before the finish line. They might be best-selling authors, megachurch leaders, or popular conference speakers who talk a good talk, but then self-destruct. Virtually every instance involves money, sex, and/or power. Success in the middle of the race is not enough. We must all finish well.
On more than one occasion I’ve heard people say they only read books by dead authors. They know how they finished!
Elijah’s story begins in 1 Kings chapter 17 in the 9th century BC. His highlight reel included raising someone from the dead, calling down fire from the sky, and defending the worship of the Hebrew God against the false god Baal. He was so significant that he is mentioned in several books of the Bible and even other religious books such as the Quran and the Book of Mormon. In one miraculous scene, Elijah appears with Moses in the Transfiguration of Jesus in Luke chapter 9.
One of the greatest moments in Elijah’s life occurs in what could only be described as a near-death experience…because Elijah never dies! He’s one of two people in the Bible taken up to heaven before ever dying (the other is Enoch, Genesis 5:21-24). We’ll get to that in a moment.
One of the most important questions my late dad ever asked me is, “Who is your mentor?” Throughout my life, I had no greater mentor than my dad, and I have missed him for many years.
Who is your mentor? Who are you mentoring?
Among the most humbling moments in my life have been the times young pastors in Burundi asked me to be their mentors. Another e-mailed me this past week.
Who is your mentor? Who are you mentoring?
The question could be plural. Different people can mentor us in different areas of life. For example, you might have someone who is showing you how to be a good spouse, another person modeling parenthood for you, a financial coach, a home-improvement guide, and a person teaching you how to play tennis.
In the days of Jesus, the most outstanding students would leave home and travel with a rabbi for months or even years. These “talmidim” or disciples did more than acquire knowledge. They sought to become like their teacher, eventually becoming teachers themselves.
Centuries earlier, young prophets learned from mentors like Elijah. They would gather in groups and be trained in guilds in places throughout Israel. Elijah knows he’s about to end his ministry on earth and he is with his protégé of seven or eight years, Elisha. The baton pass from Elijah to Elisha is nothing short of remarkable as Elijah embarks on his farewell tour.
Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.”
But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. (2 Kings 2:2)
Elisha is deeply devoted to Elijah.
The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.” (2 Kings 2:3)
Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho.”
And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho. (2 Kings 2:4)
Did Elijah forget Elisha’s devotion? He’s not leaving his mentor!
The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.” (2 Kings 2:5)
Everyone seems to know Elijah’s leaving soon, and they all want Elisha to know. First, the prophets of Bethel. Now the prophets of Jericho.
Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.”
And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on. (2 Kings 2:6)
Elijah, take a hint! Elisha’s not leaving your side!
Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground. (2 Kings 2:7-8)
That’s amazing, not unlike God’s work in parting the Red Sea or the Jordan River for the Israelites on their journey to the Promised Land, perhaps marking a parallel between Joshua succeeding Moses and Elisha succeeding Elijah. Here the cloak was more than a piece of clothing. It was symbolic of one’s authority. In Elijah’s case, it was powerful.
This is all setup. It’s just a reminder that
Faithful servants remain faithful to the finish.
Where are you at on your life journey? We’ve all made mistakes, but the fact that you’re here today means you have at least a basic interest in following God. I long to be faithful, and I desire that for you, too. That means devoting ourselves to prayer, to the scriptures, to generosity and obedience. Most of all, it means loving others—even our enemies—as we are filled by the Holy Spirit.
It can also be said that
Faithful servants seek God’s power (for the spiritual battle, not for themselves)
Power is one of the most enticing things on earth. We have a natural craving for control. I used to think it was unique to USAmericans, but it seems people all over the world desire power…and it’s as old as humanity.
Is power good or bad? It depends upon how it’s used.
We all have some amount of power, control, influence. The question is how do you use power for your own pleasure or to serve others.
I confess I have struggled, at times, with the power I have as pastor of First Alliance Church. We’re not a huge church, but we have been a flagship congregation within the Great Lakes District over the years. God has done incredible things in and through the people of FAC. As the lead pastor, I have been granted an amount of power and authority. I don’t pretend to be the most powerful or influential person in our church family, but my position affords me a certain degree of power…to be used for my selfish benefit or to serve others. I strive for the latter, and I hope that’s been your experience!
Last Sunday we talked about the very real war being waged in the heavenly realms, good versus evil. We need God’s power, not to do tricks and impress people, but to bring God’s kingdom into reality here on earth as it is in heaven. We need God’s presence, the fruit of the Spirit, and spiritual gifts to bless others.
Our story continues…
When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. (2 Kings 2:9)
Elisha knows about the spirit of God given to Elijah. He recognizes the need for supernatural power if he is to serve others as a prophet. This isn’t a selfish request. In the day, the firstborn son received a double portion of the inheritance of his father. Elisha is expressing his devotion to Elijah as his spiritual son as well as his desire for God’s power to serve others.
“You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.” (2 Kings 2:10)
Elijah couldn’t give the double portion, but he was saying the evidence of the double portion from God would be if Elisha saw Elijah depart.
Now Elisha’s really going to stay close to Elijah’s side!
As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two. (2 Kings 2:11-12)
Wow! I’d love to see that scene on Netflix! Elijah goes us in a chariot of fire. Hollywood’s got nothing on that image! Horses and chariots were not merely transportation, but symbols of warfare, with fire and wind being signs of God’s presence, perhaps a storm with lightning and thunder.
For Elisha, the bad news is Elijah is gone. The good news is he witnessed an incredible miracle, which also meant he would be given a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. Now it’s up to Elisha to continue the work started by his mentor, Elijah, whose death he mourned through the tearing of his garment.
Through it all, Elisha was faithful to Elijah…and God.
Faithful servants do the work God assigns them.
God’s love language is obedience. Servants serve. It might be in a school, home, office, or church. It might be a public role or a private one. It might impact one life or millions. When we’re faithful with small things, prepare to be given greater opportunity. Such was the case for Elisha.
Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over. (2 Kings 2:13-14)
The baton—or cloak—has been passed. The transition is complete. The mantle of authority has been transferred from Elijah to Elisha. Just as Joshua parted the Jordan River like Moses, Elisha sees God part it as Elijah had experienced.
The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. (2 Kings 2:15)
The other prophets were eyewitnesses of the beginning of the powerful ministry of the prophet Elisha, a fruitful work that would continue for about six decades! He would be known for his humility, love for the people of Israel, and, of course, his faithfulness.
So What?
Life is a marathon, not a sprint. How you run the race matters, and how you finish is most important.
God is faithful…and blesses our faithfulness. Elijah and Elisha are both examples of this. A reading of 1 Kings 17 through 2 Kings 13 is a great study of these two godly yet imperfect men, prophets of God. They were blessed by God for being a blessing to others.
It’s unlikely God will call any of us into a ministry which will be remembered for generations, but each day we make choices. We choose to follow God or the world. We choose to use power for ourselves or others. We choose to take short cuts and live for the moment or make sacrifices for the long run, knowing life is a marathon and we want to finish well.
On a personal note, I’m so grateful for your prayers. No child dreams of going to prison, yet there are pastors from Toledo there today. No seminary student thinks about resigning from their church because of moral failure, yet that’s been the story of some of my colleagues. Better men and women than me have fallen before they reached the finish line, and but by the grace of God so go I. I really need and appreciate your prayers, and I know our staff and elders do, too. We’re in a battle and one mistake can be costly. I want to finish well. I want you to finish well.
God is faithful…and blesses our faithfulness. What is your next step? What is God calling you to do? Who do you need to mentor and disciple? Who do you need to mentor you? Discipleship is a multi-generational process that we’re all commanded to participate in. May all who come behind us find us faithful…for the glory of God!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
The Armor of God, 30 June 2019
01 07 19
The Armor of God
Ephesians 6:10-18
Big Idea: We’ve been given armor to equip us for the everyday battle between good and evil.
War. There are few words more chilling to ponder. Ever since Cain killed his brother Abel in the first pages of the book of Genesis, our world has been filled with conflict, violence, and war.
Although our country has had numerous wars, we have enjoyed peace on our soil for many years, praise God. Nevertheless, wars are raging all over our planet today. One website, warsintheworld.com, states presently there are 69 countries involved in wars.
Jesus taught is to not only love God, but our neighbor. He went further and instructed us to even love our enemies as we love ourselves. I don’t know of any other person, religion, or teaching like that! So when we talk about war today, we’re not talking about harming people. Humans are never the real enemy. Our enemy is satan and his demons.
Before we dive into today’s text, let me set the context. Paul is writing to the church in Ephesus, a city in Turkey. All of the language in the original Greek is in the plural. He’s writing to God’s people, to early Christians. He’s been writing about how they are to relate to one another and to God, including instructions to parents and children, slaves and masters, all of whom are to be treated with dignity and respect.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. (Ephesians 6:10-11)
C.S. Lewis wrote, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve their existence. The other is to believe and feel an unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors....”
There are people today who ignore the existence of satan, demons, and evil. They never stop to realize they are real and must be opposed. Others are obsessed with darkness, either fascinated with the occult and sin or filled with fear.
The devil is real. The devil’s schemes are real. Our enemy is real.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)
We’re in a war! It’s not against flesh and blood, so we don’t see tanks and guns in this battle, but there is evidence of it every day in the news. Our very real enemy entices men, women and children into greed, pride, selfishness,
But we’ve been given armor. This is God’s armor, not ours. God takes His armor and places it on us. We are His children. We don’t have much to offer God, yet He gives us everything that belongs to Him.
Story A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Viet Nam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son. About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, “Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art. The young man held out his package. “I know this isn’t much. “I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.” The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. “Oh, no sir. I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift.” The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected. The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. “We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?” There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, “We want to see the famous paintings! Skip this one!” But the auctioneer persisted. “Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?” Another voice shouted angrily, “We didn’t come to see this painting! We came to see the Van Gogh’s, the Rembrandt’s! Get on with the real bids!” But still the auctioneer continued. “The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?” Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. “I’ll give $10 for the painting.” Being a poor man, it was all he could afford. “We have $10, who will bid $20?” “Give it to him for $10! Let’s see the masters!” “$10 is the bid, won’t someone bid $20?” The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. “Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!” A man sitting in the second row shouted, “Now, let’s get on with the collection!” The auctioneer laid down his gavel. “I’m sorry, the auction is over.” “What about the paintings?” “I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!” God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is, “The son, the son, who’ll take the son?” Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything. We also get God’s armor. We have access to God’s power. We’ve been given God’s authority. As God’s kids, we have been adopted into His family and have been given so much!
Sadly, many of the King’s kids live in fear and defeat. They blame everything on the devil and live weak, powerless lives.
Family, we’ve been given power and authority, not to use selfishly, but to serve Jesus. Last Sunday we looked again at a passage known as The Great Commission where Jesus said,
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Jesus has all authority, He sent His friends to go and make disciples, and He promised His presence, which has included the Holy Spirit since a day called Pentecost which you can read about in the second chapter of the book of Acts.
We have access to all of God’s power.
We have access to all of God’s provision.
We have access to all of God’s protection.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13)
We are to put on God’s armor. The enemy sees the LORD because we wear His armor.
Paul was writing in the midst of the Roman empire. Their great armies had taken conquest over much of the world. When they entered a territory, they were immovable.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, (Ephesians 6:14a)
This is not merely a belt to hold up one’s pants, but a belt that holds a soldier together, like a weightlifter’s belt. Truth will hold us together.
Truth seems to be an endangered species in our world today. Postmodern philosophers have said, “There’s no such thing as absolute truth,” but that statement is contradictory!
We need to know the truth and stand up for what is right, even when our culture is following lies of idolatry, lust, pride, and selfishness.
Perhaps the best question in the Bible was from Pilate. Standing before Jesus, he asked,
“What is truth?” (John 18:38a)
Earlier in his book, John quoted Jesus, who said,
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
John wrote a lot about truth, which is so important in our culture where the only truth seems to be what makes people happy for the moment, regardless of the consequences.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. (John 16:13)
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:17)
The next piece of armor is
with the breastplate of righteousness in place, (Ephesians 6:14b)
Righteousness is doing the right thing, maintaining right relationships—with God and others. Matthew 18 gives us instructions on how to maintain these relationships.
If you have a problem, don’t tell me…unless it’s with me. Go to the person with whom you have a problem. If that doesn’t work, take someone else. If that doesn’t work, bring it before the elders.
Righteousness is being honest, humble, good, and fair to others. It may also mean standing up for the weak. It is being morally right, virtuous, goodness, and integrity. Servants of God seek to do the will of the Father. Jesus is not just Savior, but LORD. They obey. They love God and others. They make disciples.
and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. (Ephesians 6:15)
I don’t think this is a reference to flip flops…or even shoes. I envision boots! You need sturdy footwear to stand firm. The Greek here for peace also means unity or blessing. Jesus said,
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9)
This is not only peace with one another, but peace with God.
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (Ephesians 6:16)
A shield protects the front of a soldier. Note there is nothing for the back of this soldier. Running away is not an option. We are to stand firm. Our enemy loves to attack with flaming arrows. We might call this temptation. Every day we face lies of the enemy trying to deceive us and cause us to sin.
Our shield is a shield of faith. Faith is being sure God will keep His promises. It protects us when we are tempted to fear and doubt.
We often think of shields as something an individual uses, but the Roman soldiers would gather together and make a wall of shields that was almost impossible to penetrate. The Roman shield wall conquered the world.
When our faith connects with others, the flaming arrows of temptation and sin are extinguished. This is why we need one another. We need to pray for one another. We need to confess our sins to one another—not to receive shame, but grace; not judgment, but forgiveness.
People often ask if you can follow Jesus and not go to church. First, I tell them you don’t go to church. You’re a part of the church. You don’t say you go to family. You’re a part of a family, and that’s what the church is, a family. But this photo illustrates how important it is to have family, to have church, to have brothers and sisters with whom to journey through life. We need one another. Forget the cultural lies of rugged individualism. We need one another. I need you. You need me. That’s family. It’s God’s design. We need to lock our shields together to both defend ourselves from satan and also to advance, taking new territory for King Jesus.
Take the helmet of salvation…(Ephesians 6:17a)
Our salvation comes because of the historical events of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Our head, our mind is protected by the helmet of salvation, keeping our priorities in order and reminding us of our position in Christ with a hope, a future, eternity with God.
…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17b)
This is our only offensive weapon, the word of God, the Holy scriptures. We must know the Bible. Our enemy does, and he tries to twist it and deceive us. We fight by knowing God and His word. We’re even told…
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
We have power in the name of Jesus, in the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (Ephesians 6:18)
We are the only army advancing on our knees, engaging in spiritual warfare through prayer. God has all power, all authority, all protection. We do not fight with our own strength, but His. We must seek Him in prayer. We must listen to Him in prayer. We must pray blessings and peace over others. We are to pray for one another, all the Lord’s people.
I often say the most important event on our weekly church calendar might not be this gathering or small groups or Dinner Church…but our three prayer gatherings. Sundays at 9 AM, Tuesday morning for men at 8:30 AM, and Thursdays at 7 PM. Prayer is the fuel that propels us forward. The Alliance says, “Prayer is the primary work of God’s people.”
Prayer is the primary means of communication during spiritual conflict. We pray to the King of kings, seeking orders, asking for wisdom and reinforcements, expressing to Him our fears, and celebrating our victories. When we pray, we reaffirm our allegiance to and declare our dependence on Him. When we don’t know what to pray, the Holy Spirit expresses our incoherent thoughts, desires, and needs. It’s quite amazing.
So What?
Family, we are in the midst of a war. Our city is being ravaged by poverty and homelessness. The opioid epidemic is literally killing people. Families are crumbling. Violence is reported daily in the news. People are divided about so many things. Chaos is all around us.
But there’s no need to worry. Fear not. God is in control…and He wants us involved. We are to be soldiers, standing up to the death and lies and evil of satan, battling with faith, hope, and love. We’re seeing victories all over…in every salvation, every baptism, every answered prayer, every act of kindness, every meal delivered, every child taught, every word of encouragement spoken, every dollar invested in God’s Kingdom, every Bible studied, every song sung, …every masterpiece restored.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. (Ephesians 6:10-11)
And never fear. The God of angel’s armies is always by our side.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Ephesians 6:10-18
Big Idea: We’ve been given armor to equip us for the everyday battle between good and evil.
War. There are few words more chilling to ponder. Ever since Cain killed his brother Abel in the first pages of the book of Genesis, our world has been filled with conflict, violence, and war.
Although our country has had numerous wars, we have enjoyed peace on our soil for many years, praise God. Nevertheless, wars are raging all over our planet today. One website, warsintheworld.com, states presently there are 69 countries involved in wars.
Jesus taught is to not only love God, but our neighbor. He went further and instructed us to even love our enemies as we love ourselves. I don’t know of any other person, religion, or teaching like that! So when we talk about war today, we’re not talking about harming people. Humans are never the real enemy. Our enemy is satan and his demons.
Before we dive into today’s text, let me set the context. Paul is writing to the church in Ephesus, a city in Turkey. All of the language in the original Greek is in the plural. He’s writing to God’s people, to early Christians. He’s been writing about how they are to relate to one another and to God, including instructions to parents and children, slaves and masters, all of whom are to be treated with dignity and respect.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. (Ephesians 6:10-11)
C.S. Lewis wrote, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve their existence. The other is to believe and feel an unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors....”
There are people today who ignore the existence of satan, demons, and evil. They never stop to realize they are real and must be opposed. Others are obsessed with darkness, either fascinated with the occult and sin or filled with fear.
The devil is real. The devil’s schemes are real. Our enemy is real.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)
We’re in a war! It’s not against flesh and blood, so we don’t see tanks and guns in this battle, but there is evidence of it every day in the news. Our very real enemy entices men, women and children into greed, pride, selfishness,
But we’ve been given armor. This is God’s armor, not ours. God takes His armor and places it on us. We are His children. We don’t have much to offer God, yet He gives us everything that belongs to Him.
Story A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Viet Nam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son. About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, “Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art. The young man held out his package. “I know this isn’t much. “I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.” The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. “Oh, no sir. I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift.” The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected. The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. “We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?” There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, “We want to see the famous paintings! Skip this one!” But the auctioneer persisted. “Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?” Another voice shouted angrily, “We didn’t come to see this painting! We came to see the Van Gogh’s, the Rembrandt’s! Get on with the real bids!” But still the auctioneer continued. “The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?” Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. “I’ll give $10 for the painting.” Being a poor man, it was all he could afford. “We have $10, who will bid $20?” “Give it to him for $10! Let’s see the masters!” “$10 is the bid, won’t someone bid $20?” The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. “Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!” A man sitting in the second row shouted, “Now, let’s get on with the collection!” The auctioneer laid down his gavel. “I’m sorry, the auction is over.” “What about the paintings?” “I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!” God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is, “The son, the son, who’ll take the son?” Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything. We also get God’s armor. We have access to God’s power. We’ve been given God’s authority. As God’s kids, we have been adopted into His family and have been given so much!
Sadly, many of the King’s kids live in fear and defeat. They blame everything on the devil and live weak, powerless lives.
Family, we’ve been given power and authority, not to use selfishly, but to serve Jesus. Last Sunday we looked again at a passage known as The Great Commission where Jesus said,
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Jesus has all authority, He sent His friends to go and make disciples, and He promised His presence, which has included the Holy Spirit since a day called Pentecost which you can read about in the second chapter of the book of Acts.
We have access to all of God’s power.
We have access to all of God’s provision.
We have access to all of God’s protection.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13)
We are to put on God’s armor. The enemy sees the LORD because we wear His armor.
Paul was writing in the midst of the Roman empire. Their great armies had taken conquest over much of the world. When they entered a territory, they were immovable.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, (Ephesians 6:14a)
This is not merely a belt to hold up one’s pants, but a belt that holds a soldier together, like a weightlifter’s belt. Truth will hold us together.
Truth seems to be an endangered species in our world today. Postmodern philosophers have said, “There’s no such thing as absolute truth,” but that statement is contradictory!
We need to know the truth and stand up for what is right, even when our culture is following lies of idolatry, lust, pride, and selfishness.
Perhaps the best question in the Bible was from Pilate. Standing before Jesus, he asked,
“What is truth?” (John 18:38a)
Earlier in his book, John quoted Jesus, who said,
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
John wrote a lot about truth, which is so important in our culture where the only truth seems to be what makes people happy for the moment, regardless of the consequences.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. (John 16:13)
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:17)
The next piece of armor is
with the breastplate of righteousness in place, (Ephesians 6:14b)
Righteousness is doing the right thing, maintaining right relationships—with God and others. Matthew 18 gives us instructions on how to maintain these relationships.
If you have a problem, don’t tell me…unless it’s with me. Go to the person with whom you have a problem. If that doesn’t work, take someone else. If that doesn’t work, bring it before the elders.
Righteousness is being honest, humble, good, and fair to others. It may also mean standing up for the weak. It is being morally right, virtuous, goodness, and integrity. Servants of God seek to do the will of the Father. Jesus is not just Savior, but LORD. They obey. They love God and others. They make disciples.
and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. (Ephesians 6:15)
I don’t think this is a reference to flip flops…or even shoes. I envision boots! You need sturdy footwear to stand firm. The Greek here for peace also means unity or blessing. Jesus said,
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9)
This is not only peace with one another, but peace with God.
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (Ephesians 6:16)
A shield protects the front of a soldier. Note there is nothing for the back of this soldier. Running away is not an option. We are to stand firm. Our enemy loves to attack with flaming arrows. We might call this temptation. Every day we face lies of the enemy trying to deceive us and cause us to sin.
Our shield is a shield of faith. Faith is being sure God will keep His promises. It protects us when we are tempted to fear and doubt.
We often think of shields as something an individual uses, but the Roman soldiers would gather together and make a wall of shields that was almost impossible to penetrate. The Roman shield wall conquered the world.
When our faith connects with others, the flaming arrows of temptation and sin are extinguished. This is why we need one another. We need to pray for one another. We need to confess our sins to one another—not to receive shame, but grace; not judgment, but forgiveness.
People often ask if you can follow Jesus and not go to church. First, I tell them you don’t go to church. You’re a part of the church. You don’t say you go to family. You’re a part of a family, and that’s what the church is, a family. But this photo illustrates how important it is to have family, to have church, to have brothers and sisters with whom to journey through life. We need one another. Forget the cultural lies of rugged individualism. We need one another. I need you. You need me. That’s family. It’s God’s design. We need to lock our shields together to both defend ourselves from satan and also to advance, taking new territory for King Jesus.
Take the helmet of salvation…(Ephesians 6:17a)
Our salvation comes because of the historical events of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Our head, our mind is protected by the helmet of salvation, keeping our priorities in order and reminding us of our position in Christ with a hope, a future, eternity with God.
…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17b)
This is our only offensive weapon, the word of God, the Holy scriptures. We must know the Bible. Our enemy does, and he tries to twist it and deceive us. We fight by knowing God and His word. We’re even told…
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
We have power in the name of Jesus, in the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (Ephesians 6:18)
We are the only army advancing on our knees, engaging in spiritual warfare through prayer. God has all power, all authority, all protection. We do not fight with our own strength, but His. We must seek Him in prayer. We must listen to Him in prayer. We must pray blessings and peace over others. We are to pray for one another, all the Lord’s people.
I often say the most important event on our weekly church calendar might not be this gathering or small groups or Dinner Church…but our three prayer gatherings. Sundays at 9 AM, Tuesday morning for men at 8:30 AM, and Thursdays at 7 PM. Prayer is the fuel that propels us forward. The Alliance says, “Prayer is the primary work of God’s people.”
Prayer is the primary means of communication during spiritual conflict. We pray to the King of kings, seeking orders, asking for wisdom and reinforcements, expressing to Him our fears, and celebrating our victories. When we pray, we reaffirm our allegiance to and declare our dependence on Him. When we don’t know what to pray, the Holy Spirit expresses our incoherent thoughts, desires, and needs. It’s quite amazing.
So What?
Family, we are in the midst of a war. Our city is being ravaged by poverty and homelessness. The opioid epidemic is literally killing people. Families are crumbling. Violence is reported daily in the news. People are divided about so many things. Chaos is all around us.
But there’s no need to worry. Fear not. God is in control…and He wants us involved. We are to be soldiers, standing up to the death and lies and evil of satan, battling with faith, hope, and love. We’re seeing victories all over…in every salvation, every baptism, every answered prayer, every act of kindness, every meal delivered, every child taught, every word of encouragement spoken, every dollar invested in God’s Kingdom, every Bible studied, every song sung, …every masterpiece restored.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. (Ephesians 6:10-11)
And never fear. The God of angel’s armies is always by our side.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Reflections from Africa, 23 June 2019
23 06 19
Reflections from Africa
Kirk & Heather Schneemann
Big Idea: God is on the move…here and all over the world.
There’s no place like home!
I love First Alliance Church. I love our tribe, the Christian & Missionary Alliance. We both have a rich history of more than thirteen decades of serving not only this country, but nations around the globe. In fact, about 90% of our Alliance family is outside of the USA. Missionary is our middle name!
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
I love how we have a multi-faceted focus. Jesus instructed us to care not only for our city—our Jerusalem, not only our region—our Judea, not only the outcasts, strangers, widows, and orphans—our Samaria, but also the ends of the earth—the whole world.
Another thing I love about First Alliance Church is its growing diversity. I’ve marveled at how God has continued to bless us with people from so many different zip codes, educational backgrounds, ethnicities, and income brackets. This past week at Sports & Arts Camp, I was thrilled to be in a group with white, African-American, and Asian kids. My love for diversity is not related to political correctness or cultural trendiness. It’s the heart of God! If you don’t like variety in this life, you’ll hate what follows!
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-10)
They cried out in a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God.”
People from every nation were claiming God as theirs.
People from every tribe were claiming God as theirs.
People from every language were claiming God as theirs.
And you thought Christianity was an American thing! Ha!
If you’ve never traveled abroad, I encourage you to make at least one trip. It will change your life. This past week I sent a note to last year’s Envision Dominican Republic team, encouraging them to reflect upon our week together in Santiago. It’s a week I thought of often while we were in Burundi.
Burundi is a small, landlocked country in central Africa about the size of Massachusetts. Although it is loaded with natural beauty, it is one of the poorest countries in the world as a result of many years of bloodshed and genocide. Many are familiar with the horrific conflicts in Rwanda between the Hutus and the Tutsis. The same tribes live in neighboring Burundi and have had numerous civil wars resulting in massive deaths and widespread devastation. Virtually every person in Burundi has experienced severe trauma.
In 1993, David N. was a pastor training eleven men to be pastors, a mixed group of Hutus and Tutsis. One day while David was teaching, troops ran out of the forest, ambushing the campus, lining his students up and killing them with their bayonets. David fled to a nearby garage where he hid in the oil change bay beneath a car for many hours, listening to the soldiers outside, praying his life might be spared. Miraculously, it was, but later he was involved in the burial of 25 bodies, including 8 of his 11 students.
Needless to say, David was filled with trauma and grief. “God, why is this? Where are you? Why did I not die with them? Is God even real?”
Later, David encountered the man who ordered the soldiers to kill his students. He didn’t plan to do it, but he went to the man and said, “I know you are the one. I want you to know I have forgiven you.” He then realized why his own life was spared: to promote forgiveness in the process of creating healing and peace.
God wastes nothing. He is a master at redemption. What the enemy intends for harm, God can use for good, and David’s horrible ordeal lead him to start THARS: Trauma Healing and Reconciliation Services. They say,
The seeds of tomorrow’s wars grow in the soil of today’s unhealed traumas.
The seeds of tomorrow’s peace grow in the soil of today’s healing and reconciliation.
About a decade ago, our friends, Chris & Kim, started talking about Africa. Chris loves to travel, and Kim had been invited to participate in a THARS conference in Burundi, a training for counselors who have little education by our standards, yet deal with trauma every day, both personally and with their clients. A group of Christian counselors from the state of Delaware went to Burundi in 2011, returned in 2013, and had a planned trip cancelled in 2015 due to unrest in the country.
In 2017, David N. wanted to not only train counselors, but also offer a conference for pastors and a leadership training for young adults. He had requested a pastor and someone with experience in drama and working with children to join the regular team from Delaware, and Heather and I knew it was time to go to Africa!
Our trip two years ago was amazing, training young leaders and pastors. Most of you know about my souvenir from that trip—Malaria—yet when we were invited to return to Burundi this year, we both had a clear sense that God wanted us to return. We now know why!
Investing in the next generation.
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12)
Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45)
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13)
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)
So What?
Kirk & Heather Schneemann
Big Idea: God is on the move…here and all over the world.
There’s no place like home!
I love First Alliance Church. I love our tribe, the Christian & Missionary Alliance. We both have a rich history of more than thirteen decades of serving not only this country, but nations around the globe. In fact, about 90% of our Alliance family is outside of the USA. Missionary is our middle name!
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
I love how we have a multi-faceted focus. Jesus instructed us to care not only for our city—our Jerusalem, not only our region—our Judea, not only the outcasts, strangers, widows, and orphans—our Samaria, but also the ends of the earth—the whole world.
Another thing I love about First Alliance Church is its growing diversity. I’ve marveled at how God has continued to bless us with people from so many different zip codes, educational backgrounds, ethnicities, and income brackets. This past week at Sports & Arts Camp, I was thrilled to be in a group with white, African-American, and Asian kids. My love for diversity is not related to political correctness or cultural trendiness. It’s the heart of God! If you don’t like variety in this life, you’ll hate what follows!
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-10)
They cried out in a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God.”
People from every nation were claiming God as theirs.
People from every tribe were claiming God as theirs.
People from every language were claiming God as theirs.
And you thought Christianity was an American thing! Ha!
If you’ve never traveled abroad, I encourage you to make at least one trip. It will change your life. This past week I sent a note to last year’s Envision Dominican Republic team, encouraging them to reflect upon our week together in Santiago. It’s a week I thought of often while we were in Burundi.
Burundi is a small, landlocked country in central Africa about the size of Massachusetts. Although it is loaded with natural beauty, it is one of the poorest countries in the world as a result of many years of bloodshed and genocide. Many are familiar with the horrific conflicts in Rwanda between the Hutus and the Tutsis. The same tribes live in neighboring Burundi and have had numerous civil wars resulting in massive deaths and widespread devastation. Virtually every person in Burundi has experienced severe trauma.
In 1993, David N. was a pastor training eleven men to be pastors, a mixed group of Hutus and Tutsis. One day while David was teaching, troops ran out of the forest, ambushing the campus, lining his students up and killing them with their bayonets. David fled to a nearby garage where he hid in the oil change bay beneath a car for many hours, listening to the soldiers outside, praying his life might be spared. Miraculously, it was, but later he was involved in the burial of 25 bodies, including 8 of his 11 students.
Needless to say, David was filled with trauma and grief. “God, why is this? Where are you? Why did I not die with them? Is God even real?”
Later, David encountered the man who ordered the soldiers to kill his students. He didn’t plan to do it, but he went to the man and said, “I know you are the one. I want you to know I have forgiven you.” He then realized why his own life was spared: to promote forgiveness in the process of creating healing and peace.
God wastes nothing. He is a master at redemption. What the enemy intends for harm, God can use for good, and David’s horrible ordeal lead him to start THARS: Trauma Healing and Reconciliation Services. They say,
The seeds of tomorrow’s wars grow in the soil of today’s unhealed traumas.
The seeds of tomorrow’s peace grow in the soil of today’s healing and reconciliation.
About a decade ago, our friends, Chris & Kim, started talking about Africa. Chris loves to travel, and Kim had been invited to participate in a THARS conference in Burundi, a training for counselors who have little education by our standards, yet deal with trauma every day, both personally and with their clients. A group of Christian counselors from the state of Delaware went to Burundi in 2011, returned in 2013, and had a planned trip cancelled in 2015 due to unrest in the country.
In 2017, David N. wanted to not only train counselors, but also offer a conference for pastors and a leadership training for young adults. He had requested a pastor and someone with experience in drama and working with children to join the regular team from Delaware, and Heather and I knew it was time to go to Africa!
Our trip two years ago was amazing, training young leaders and pastors. Most of you know about my souvenir from that trip—Malaria—yet when we were invited to return to Burundi this year, we both had a clear sense that God wanted us to return. We now know why!
Investing in the next generation.
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12)
- - Servant leadership
Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45)
- - Equipping pastors to equip others
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13)
- - Make disciples
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
- - Sustainability and reproduction
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)
So What?
- - Thank you for the prayers (health, fruit)
- - Please pray for Burundi, its pastors, its youth, its government (election in 2020)
- - Ask God to show you how you are to be making disciples
Water: Boat & Walking, 26 May 2019
27 05 19
Water: Boat & Walking
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 6:45-56
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Without Jesus, we will struggle in life’s storms.
For about two thousand years, people have been telling stories about Jesus. He lived. He taught. He died. He rose again. He started the greatest movement in human history. He cast out demons. He raised the dead. He healed the sick. And someday soon He will return!
My name is Kirk and today we’re continuing our series, Mark: The Real Jesus. We’re seeking to answer the question, “Who is Jesus?”
More than 4 billion people in the world “believe in Jesus,” but what do they believe? Since that number includes Muslims, what do the 2.4 billion Christians believe about Jesus? What does John Mark tell us, the biographer who likely wrote this book with the help of Peter, one of Jesus’ three best friends?
In the sixth chapter of Mark, we’ve seen Jesus rejected in his hometown, sending out his twelve disciples two by two to do ministry, thought to be the resurrected John the Baptist, seeking quiet and rest, and feeding five thousand families with one boy’s lunch. No wonder he became famous without media, social or even traditional media!
Today’s account is a popular story of Jesus performing a dramatic miracle that left his best friends amazed. I hope it leaves us amazed, too.
What is Jesus’ greatest miracle? I believe it was the resurrection! Other than the resurrection, what do you think was Jesus’ greatest miracle?
To set the scene, Jesus sent out the disciples in verse 7. They return with great stories of miraculous ministry in verse 30. The crowds were following them so in verse 31 Jesus tells them to spend some quiet time with him to get away from the people and get some rest. “So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place” (verse 32).
We all need solitude and rest. [riff on last weekend and the Life on Life retreats, Martha/Mary]
However, the solitary place was anything but. By the time they arrived, the crowds had run ahead of them, leading Jesus to spend time feeding their minds, bodies, and souls. After everyone was satisfied with their meal, …
Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. (Mark 6:45-46)
They’ve all eaten this miraculous meal of fish and bread, and each of the disciples had a basket of leftovers for their boat ride snack! But where’s Jesus? He leaves the twelve disciples to get alone with the Father in prayer on a mountainside.
Have you ever been on a mountainside? Obviously not in Toledo! Mountains are stunning.
The Sea of Galilee has 33 miles of shoreline. It is 13 miles at its longest length.
The hills around the Sea of Galilee reach nearly 1400 feet above sea level, which is just shy of the highest point in Ohio (Campbell Hill in Bellefontaine, 1550 feet).
Jesus is not looking out as if he were at the top of the Rocky or Appalachian Mountains, but he has a nice view of the Sea of Galilee, no doubt, a beautiful place to hide from the crowds and pray.
Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. (Mark 6:47)
Sometimes I wish Mark gave us more details, but then again his biography is the shortest and most succinct of the four gospels, a word which means “good news.” It was night, the twelve are in a boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, and Jesus is alone on land.
He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. (Mark 6:48a)
If you’ve ever been in a boat during a storm, it can be frightening. Some of us get frightened when we’re in a car during a storm…or even a house! On the water, lightning can be dangerous, the wind can make navigation challenging, water can fill the boat, causing it to sink, its getting dark (and that means “dark” since the clouds are blocking the moon and stars and there’s no electricity, even on shore), …it’s a scary place to be!
Without Jesus, we will struggle in life’s storms.
Storms are difficult enough with Jesus, but the struggle is even greater alone.
Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. (Mark 6:48b-50a)
First, it says it’s shortly before dawn, so by this time it’s very dark. Mark nonchalantly says Jesus goes out to them, walking on the lake. No, the lake was not frozen (if it was, the boat couldn’t sail…and the temperature rarely drops below 46 degrees…and that’s in January). This is what we call a miracle, a supernatural event. Jesus is walking on the lake, the Sea of Galilee (the terms are used interchangeably).
Have you ever walked on water? I actually have several times…with some help. OK, technically I wasn’t walking. I was water skiing! I love to water ski. I remember the first time I was ever able to get up and I looked at the water below me and thought of this passage of the Bible. “Look, I’m walking on water!”
On a side note, during my visit to Israel in 2006, I saw someone water skiing on the Sea of Galilee and had a rare burst of envy! If I ever go back to Israel, I have to water ski on that lake! I need to put that on my bucket list!
The disciples are trying to stay alive in this brutal storm, Jesus happens to be walking out to them, he’s about to pass them by (!), they see him, think he’s a ghost, and cry like little children, terrified!
Remember, it’s dark. It’s stormy. And how often have you seen someone walking on water?
Jesus is with us in the storms, even if we don’t recognize him.
Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. (Mark 6:50b-52)
Jesus’ best friends didn’t understand the miracle meal. They couldn’t believe the walking miracle. Now he climbs in the boat and they experience another miracle, the storm ending. Of course they were completely amazed, yet their hearts were hardened, it says.
Jesus saw them struggling. You might be struggling right now. Jesus sees you. He knows your struggle.
Is Jesus in your boat?
You might be afraid of him, of letting him into your boat, into your life. We all love control, and letting go is so hard. Handing over the keys to Jesus seems like such a big risk. What will happen if I surrender? Take a step of faith and find out!
I love how human the disciples appear to be in the Bible. They were not created by Marvel! Like each of us, they were filled with fear. They were clueless, at times. They were anxious and worried.
Everything changed when Jesus was in their boat, when they recognized him.
I’m sure Jesus could’ve calmed the storm from the mountainside when he saw their struggle, but he chose to be present, instead. Obviously he is not physically present in our lives like he was with the twelve, but he is with us. Before he ascended into heaven—this Thursday is Ascension Day—he said,
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)
In many ways, we actually have it better than the disciples. Jesus told them,
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)
That Advocate is the Holy Spirit. The Hebrew name for the Spirit is “ruach.” It means spirit, breath, or, interestingly, wind. The Holy Spirit lives inside every follower of Jesus. This (sanctuary) is not God’s house. This (my body) is God’s house, the place where the Holy Spirit dwells, producing gifts and fruit in our lives. The Greek word used in John 16, parakletos, means advocate, counselor, and comforter.
I’m quite sure many of you could use a comforter in your life, a counselor, the Spirit of God. But first we must surrender. We must allow God into our boat. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit—daily, hourly, continually—like breathing. It’s not a once-and-done decision, but a moment-by-moment action.
By the way, having God in your boat doesn’t mean the end of storms and trials, but it does mean you’ll never be alone. As one song says, “Sometimes He calms the storm/ Sometimes He calms His child.”
The chapter concludes…
When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed. (Mark 6:53-56)
We can’t imagine how many sick people Jesus healed. I’m sure it was thrilling for not only those receiving the healing, but also for the countless witnesses, seeing miracles before their very eyes.
God’s not done doing miracles. We’ve seen people in our First Alliance family healed physically. We’ve seen broken marriages restored. We’ve seen God answer prayers for jobs, relationships, and mental illness. Each Sunday we invite any and all to receive prayer at the conclusion of our worship gatherings, following the instructions of scripture to have the elders anoint the sick with oil.
Conclusion
What is Jesus’ greatest miracle? I believe it was the resurrection! Other than the resurrection, I believe the greatest miracle is not physical, but spiritual. When a selfish sinner surrenders their life to Jesus, that’s amazing! Letting go and letting God is so simple, yet so challenging. We want to be in control. Our pride wants to rule. But when we welcome God into our boat, the real transformation begins.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 6:45-56
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Without Jesus, we will struggle in life’s storms.
For about two thousand years, people have been telling stories about Jesus. He lived. He taught. He died. He rose again. He started the greatest movement in human history. He cast out demons. He raised the dead. He healed the sick. And someday soon He will return!
My name is Kirk and today we’re continuing our series, Mark: The Real Jesus. We’re seeking to answer the question, “Who is Jesus?”
More than 4 billion people in the world “believe in Jesus,” but what do they believe? Since that number includes Muslims, what do the 2.4 billion Christians believe about Jesus? What does John Mark tell us, the biographer who likely wrote this book with the help of Peter, one of Jesus’ three best friends?
In the sixth chapter of Mark, we’ve seen Jesus rejected in his hometown, sending out his twelve disciples two by two to do ministry, thought to be the resurrected John the Baptist, seeking quiet and rest, and feeding five thousand families with one boy’s lunch. No wonder he became famous without media, social or even traditional media!
Today’s account is a popular story of Jesus performing a dramatic miracle that left his best friends amazed. I hope it leaves us amazed, too.
What is Jesus’ greatest miracle? I believe it was the resurrection! Other than the resurrection, what do you think was Jesus’ greatest miracle?
To set the scene, Jesus sent out the disciples in verse 7. They return with great stories of miraculous ministry in verse 30. The crowds were following them so in verse 31 Jesus tells them to spend some quiet time with him to get away from the people and get some rest. “So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place” (verse 32).
We all need solitude and rest. [riff on last weekend and the Life on Life retreats, Martha/Mary]
However, the solitary place was anything but. By the time they arrived, the crowds had run ahead of them, leading Jesus to spend time feeding their minds, bodies, and souls. After everyone was satisfied with their meal, …
Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. (Mark 6:45-46)
They’ve all eaten this miraculous meal of fish and bread, and each of the disciples had a basket of leftovers for their boat ride snack! But where’s Jesus? He leaves the twelve disciples to get alone with the Father in prayer on a mountainside.
Have you ever been on a mountainside? Obviously not in Toledo! Mountains are stunning.
The Sea of Galilee has 33 miles of shoreline. It is 13 miles at its longest length.
The hills around the Sea of Galilee reach nearly 1400 feet above sea level, which is just shy of the highest point in Ohio (Campbell Hill in Bellefontaine, 1550 feet).
Jesus is not looking out as if he were at the top of the Rocky or Appalachian Mountains, but he has a nice view of the Sea of Galilee, no doubt, a beautiful place to hide from the crowds and pray.
Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. (Mark 6:47)
Sometimes I wish Mark gave us more details, but then again his biography is the shortest and most succinct of the four gospels, a word which means “good news.” It was night, the twelve are in a boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, and Jesus is alone on land.
He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. (Mark 6:48a)
If you’ve ever been in a boat during a storm, it can be frightening. Some of us get frightened when we’re in a car during a storm…or even a house! On the water, lightning can be dangerous, the wind can make navigation challenging, water can fill the boat, causing it to sink, its getting dark (and that means “dark” since the clouds are blocking the moon and stars and there’s no electricity, even on shore), …it’s a scary place to be!
Without Jesus, we will struggle in life’s storms.
Storms are difficult enough with Jesus, but the struggle is even greater alone.
Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. (Mark 6:48b-50a)
First, it says it’s shortly before dawn, so by this time it’s very dark. Mark nonchalantly says Jesus goes out to them, walking on the lake. No, the lake was not frozen (if it was, the boat couldn’t sail…and the temperature rarely drops below 46 degrees…and that’s in January). This is what we call a miracle, a supernatural event. Jesus is walking on the lake, the Sea of Galilee (the terms are used interchangeably).
Have you ever walked on water? I actually have several times…with some help. OK, technically I wasn’t walking. I was water skiing! I love to water ski. I remember the first time I was ever able to get up and I looked at the water below me and thought of this passage of the Bible. “Look, I’m walking on water!”
On a side note, during my visit to Israel in 2006, I saw someone water skiing on the Sea of Galilee and had a rare burst of envy! If I ever go back to Israel, I have to water ski on that lake! I need to put that on my bucket list!
The disciples are trying to stay alive in this brutal storm, Jesus happens to be walking out to them, he’s about to pass them by (!), they see him, think he’s a ghost, and cry like little children, terrified!
Remember, it’s dark. It’s stormy. And how often have you seen someone walking on water?
Jesus is with us in the storms, even if we don’t recognize him.
Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. (Mark 6:50b-52)
Jesus’ best friends didn’t understand the miracle meal. They couldn’t believe the walking miracle. Now he climbs in the boat and they experience another miracle, the storm ending. Of course they were completely amazed, yet their hearts were hardened, it says.
Jesus saw them struggling. You might be struggling right now. Jesus sees you. He knows your struggle.
Is Jesus in your boat?
You might be afraid of him, of letting him into your boat, into your life. We all love control, and letting go is so hard. Handing over the keys to Jesus seems like such a big risk. What will happen if I surrender? Take a step of faith and find out!
I love how human the disciples appear to be in the Bible. They were not created by Marvel! Like each of us, they were filled with fear. They were clueless, at times. They were anxious and worried.
Everything changed when Jesus was in their boat, when they recognized him.
I’m sure Jesus could’ve calmed the storm from the mountainside when he saw their struggle, but he chose to be present, instead. Obviously he is not physically present in our lives like he was with the twelve, but he is with us. Before he ascended into heaven—this Thursday is Ascension Day—he said,
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)
In many ways, we actually have it better than the disciples. Jesus told them,
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)
That Advocate is the Holy Spirit. The Hebrew name for the Spirit is “ruach.” It means spirit, breath, or, interestingly, wind. The Holy Spirit lives inside every follower of Jesus. This (sanctuary) is not God’s house. This (my body) is God’s house, the place where the Holy Spirit dwells, producing gifts and fruit in our lives. The Greek word used in John 16, parakletos, means advocate, counselor, and comforter.
I’m quite sure many of you could use a comforter in your life, a counselor, the Spirit of God. But first we must surrender. We must allow God into our boat. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit—daily, hourly, continually—like breathing. It’s not a once-and-done decision, but a moment-by-moment action.
By the way, having God in your boat doesn’t mean the end of storms and trials, but it does mean you’ll never be alone. As one song says, “Sometimes He calms the storm/ Sometimes He calms His child.”
The chapter concludes…
When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed. (Mark 6:53-56)
We can’t imagine how many sick people Jesus healed. I’m sure it was thrilling for not only those receiving the healing, but also for the countless witnesses, seeing miracles before their very eyes.
God’s not done doing miracles. We’ve seen people in our First Alliance family healed physically. We’ve seen broken marriages restored. We’ve seen God answer prayers for jobs, relationships, and mental illness. Each Sunday we invite any and all to receive prayer at the conclusion of our worship gatherings, following the instructions of scripture to have the elders anoint the sick with oil.
Conclusion
What is Jesus’ greatest miracle? I believe it was the resurrection! Other than the resurrection, I believe the greatest miracle is not physical, but spiritual. When a selfish sinner surrenders their life to Jesus, that’s amazing! Letting go and letting God is so simple, yet so challenging. We want to be in control. Our pride wants to rule. But when we welcome God into our boat, the real transformation begins.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Feeding: Loaves & Fish, 12 May 2019
12 05 19
Feeding: Loaves & Fish
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 6:30-44
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: God is able to do amazing things in and through our lives if we truly surrender.
Spoiler alert. There are few word couplets that seize our attention more than someone about to reveal the ending to a movie or a sporting match. Humans love suspense, and anyone destroying the surprise is likely to be criticized for doing so.
Recently a youth pastor made headlines for spoiling the ending of Avengers: Endgame in front of his youth group. In a few short weeks, this film has become the number two movie of all-time as it approaches the reigning champion Avatar.
Spoiler alert. If you are at all familiar with the Bible, your knowledge can be a deterrent to fully engaging with its stories. For example, the sorrow of our Good Friday remembrances is always tempered by our understanding of the resurrection. We know what happens next. This is true of most any biblical account.
So today I want you to forget what you know about today’s text, assuming you know anything at all. Pretend you are a follower of Jesus and you have no clue about the following events which are recorded in all four gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. To set the scene, earlier in Mark chapter six, we’re told of Jesus,
Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. (Mark 6:7)
He sent them on a mission trip!
These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” (Mark 6:8-11)
They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. (Mark 6:12-13)
As we continue our series Mark: The Real Jesus, we’re seeking to know about and ultimately know King Jesus, the Messiah. Last week we saw Herod’s confusion about his identity as people thought perhaps Jesus was a resurrected Elijah or John the Baptist. Who is Jesus?
Jesus sent out his dozen followers two by two, gave them supernatural authority, told them to trust God for their provisions (take only a staff), and God did amazing things in and through their lives, including exorcising demons and healing the sick as they preached repentance.
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. (Mark 6:30)
I wish this on YouTube! Can you imagine their excitement?
“Jesus, you’ll never believe what happened!”
Jesus: “Try me!”
We begin every staff and elders meeting at First Alliance with “wins,” sharing stories of what God has done in and through us.
We need to celebrate God’s goodness.
I’m not very good at celebrating. I find it easy to start my prayers with wants and needs rather than praise and thanksgiving.
My mind is usually on the next thing to accomplish instead of pausing to celebrate the goodness of the past.
Earlier you heard about the upcoming events and opportunities on the church calendar, but what about last week?
Many years ago I was reading John Ortberg’s book The Life You’ve Always Wanted. It’s about spiritual disciples, also known as spiritual habits or practices. I knew the importance of prayer and Bible study. I was a little uneasy about the thought of fasting or silence or solitude, thinking they were like eating your veggies—good for you but unpleasant (I hope to do a series on these practices sometime soon; they are truly wonderful pathways to God). I was really surprised when early in the book Ortberg talked about The Practice of Celebration.
(Some of us could use a bit more celebration!)
(The book is excellent, by the way, and I recommend it.)
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. (Mark 6:30)
I’m sure there was some celebration in their midst.
I want to pause and celebrate God’s goodness at the sneak preview of Dinner Church last Sunday. Many of you served in beautiful ways—inviting, prayer, food prep, greeting—and God used our efforts to do amazing things. We had people from several continents exposed to the gospel, kids riveted to the message, adults engaging in unique ways, friendships forming, and an energy which could only be the Holy Spirit. I believe…
God is able to do amazing things in and through our lives if we truly surrender.
Thank you, family, for surrendering your time, talents, treasures, and energy last week. We’ll do it again on the last Sunday of each month, beginning May 26, and I can only imagine what God will do.
Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31)
Vance Havner said, “If you don’t come apart and rest, you will come apart.”
Because God is at work, we can—and must—rest.
Are you rested this morning? Our culture can drive us insane—literally—with its non-stop, 24/7, on-demand, bigger is better, climb the ladder of success mentality. We were not created to work seven days a week. We do not have the capability of doing great work 12 or 15 hours a day. Science has proven this repeatedly. We need rest.
If you call yourself a follower of Jesus, you must rest. You must be with Jesus in a quiet place. You must be still and know that He is God.
I’m preaching to myself here, family. I don’t do this well, but I think I’m making some progress.
We need to rest daily…time with God.
We need to rest weekly…a Sabbath.
We need to rest annually…vacations and staycations.
We are human beings, not human doings.
Pastors are one of the greatest culprits of workaholism. Many of us have this strange notion that if we’re not taking care of every need of every person in the local church, the world is going to end. I’ve seen insecure, co-dependent pastors run themselves ragged and, sometimes, destroying themselves and/or their families in the process. I know God doesn’t need me to accomplish His plans. I feel very privileged to have been invited to serve in His Kingdom—as all of you have been—but He doesn’t need me.
Today’s text has echoes of Psalm 23, the Good Shepherd. It begins,
The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. (Psalms 23:1-3)
There’s nothing there about busyness, demands, schedules, or achievement. Ultimately, we were created for relationships—with God and others. I’m afraid many cultures understand this better than USAmericans.
We need rest. Life is a marathon, friends, not a sprint. You can only make it to the finish line with rest. When is the last time you were led by the Good Shepherd to quiet waters and refreshing rest?
So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. (Mark 6:32)
This is a beautiful, tranquil lake in Israel, known today as the Sea of Galilee. I’ve been there in a boat and I’m sure the twelve were looking forward to some quality time with Jesus.
But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. (Mark 6:33-34)
Jesus—the Good Shepherd—can’t avoid the paparazzi! The problem with being in a boat on a lake is people on the shore can see you…and where you’re headed! Jesus invites his disciples to get rest and then turns around and starts teaching the crowds. I’m sure the twelve were upset. After all, they had all of these great stories to tell! If only Jesus wasn’t so compassionate! Remember, the Good Shepherd is willing to leave the 99 to look for the one lost sheep, or in this case disrupt the solitude of the dozen for the thousands of lost people in the crowd.
Do you see people as greedy or needy? Are people an interruption to your day or the purpose of our mission? Are you compassionate…or just comfortable?
By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” (Mark 6:35-36)
I’m sure the disciples were hungry, too, but remember they wanted that quiet time with Jesus. Send the people away, Jesus!
But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” (Mark 6:37a)
What? Jesus, we’re hungry, too! This isn’t our problem. Let’s send them away, get back in the boat, catch some fish, and have a nice, quiet dinner together. We’re getting hangry, here!
They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” (Mark 6:37b)
I know that would be my answer! I can call Domino’s or Grub Hub, but I don’t know if my credit card limit will cover it!
It’s easy to fault the lack of faith of the disciples, but again, they didn’t know what followed. If we were at the Mud Hens game, they ran out of food, and I told you to feed the crowd, what would you say?
The disciples saw the problem but not the potential.
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”
When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.” (Mark 6:38)
[I have some fish. Are there any moms who would like some fish?]
We know from another account of this story (John 6:9) the twelve disciples apparently had no food at all and, therefore, they searched the crowd and found a boy with a small lunch. Imagine being the only person in a crowd with food and someone asks you for it. Would you surrender it or keep it?
What do you have to offer God?
It might be your lunch. Literally. Would you give it to Jesus? He said essentially,
“…whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)
When we show kindness to our brothers and sisters in Christ, we’re showing kindness to Jesus. Giving to the benevolence fund is an excellent way to offer your lunch—or your wealth—to Jesus.
What do you have to offer God?
Remember, the boy had no idea what would happen to his lunch, but he surrendered it.
If you knew by putting $100 in the offering today, you’d get an unexpected refund in the mail this week for $500, of course you’d do it. But faith is expressed through obedience without knowing the outcome. I’m not promising you $500, but can you outgive God?
If you knew volunteering your time and talents to help on church work day would result in getting an extra week’s vacation at work the next week, you’d be foolish not to invest those hours.
We don’t know how God will use our offering, but I can almost guarantee there will be no regrets.
Think of it this way: is it generally wiser to invest retirement funds yourself or have someone with thirty years of successful experience do it?
Do you trust God to do more with your time, talent, and treasures than you could ever do on your own?
The exciting things is you might not have much to offer, in the eyes of the world. Some of us are not wealthy. Some of us are not healthy. Some of us aren’t especially attractive or talented or educated, but God can use anything and anyone He chooses to accomplish His will and plans…if we’re available.
What could Jesus possibly do with a little bread and fish? Shhh. No spoilers, please!
Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. (Mark 6:39-41)
There are so many layers of symbolism in these verses.
- Moses wasn’t sure how to feed all of the people in the wilderness
- Green grass: the Good Shepherd (green pastures; it is springtime in Galilee)
- Groups of hundreds and fifties: Jethro telling Moses how to delegate (Ex. 18)
- Looking up to heaven, giving thanks, breaking bread: Passover
Jesus was demonstrating signs the new creation, the kingdom of God, the rule and reign of God. Here we see God’s love and power blended together.
They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand. (Mark 6:42-44)
We have no idea how many women and children were fed, too, but Michael Card makes an interesting observation, saying, “In every account of the feeding of the five thousand, the word used is kofinos. It indicates a small lunch-pail-sized basket.” It’s likely the crowd didn’t even realize the miracle that occurred right before their very eyes, a miracle more of perfect provision than overflowing abundance. They had enough…their daily bread (and a little midnight snack for each of the twelve disciples).
God is able to provide for our daily bread as we seek Him and surrender what we’ve been given to Him.
Sure, Jesus could’ve had manna and quail fall from the sky to feed the crowd. God did this to the people of Israel in the wilderness, feeding them for forty years!
Jesus could’ve taken stones and turned them into bread as satan had tempted him to do in the wilderness when Jesus was fasting for forty days.
Jesus could’ve prayed a hunger prayer which instantly removed hunger from the crowd.
Instead, Jesus wanted participation. He allowed a boy to be involved. He engaged his disciples. Instead of creating something from nothing—as he has done many times before—he chose to work in and through others. I love that!
God is able to do amazing things in and through our lives if we truly surrender.
How do you think that boy felt at the end of the day? Can you imagine the story he told his mom when he got home? What about what he said to his dad he arrived home from work?
It is a thrill to be used by God. But first, we must surrender. God can bless and multiply whatever we give to Him. He used
- an old man named Abraham to become a dad at 100 and father the Jewish nation
- a stutterer named Moses to lead His people for decades in the wilderness
- a prostitute named Rahab was so important she is in Jesus’ genealogy
God often asks us to do the impossible…so He can receive the glory. Forgive without limit? Love our enemies? We are totally dependent upon Him…and that’s a great place to be.
Sometimes we cry out to God and say, “Do something” and God replies, “You give them something to eat. What’s in your hand? I’ve placed you there in Toledo for such a time as this.”
A man once asked God, “Why aren’t you feeding the hungry?”
God replied, “Why aren’t you feeding the hungry?”
I don’t know what God is calling you to surrender today, but I know it’s a thrill to be obedient, to be used by God to impact lives for eternity, to have a front-row seat to watch God at work. Some of you experienced this last Sunday at Dinner Church. Others were blessed by serving at the Rosa Parks Elementary Carnival. Still others were involved in Celebrate Recovery, bringing hope and healing to the hurting. I saw many of you at the TUI After School Klub banquet, celebrating another year of investment in our city’s kids. Next month you’re all invited to participate in Sports & Arts Camp, possibly our biggest event of the year.
God is able to do amazing things in and through our lives if we truly surrender.
What are you doing with your lunch? Hoarding it, or offering it to God?
What are you doing with your wealth? Your time? Your talents? Your life?
Prayer:
“God will you let us see people the way You see people, as masterpieces in need of love and restoration? Let us have compassion like You do. Will you take our time, talents, and treasures and multiply them for Your glory? I believe, LORD, but help me in my unbelief, that I may trust You completely with my heart, soul, mind, and strength. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 6:30-44
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: God is able to do amazing things in and through our lives if we truly surrender.
Spoiler alert. There are few word couplets that seize our attention more than someone about to reveal the ending to a movie or a sporting match. Humans love suspense, and anyone destroying the surprise is likely to be criticized for doing so.
Recently a youth pastor made headlines for spoiling the ending of Avengers: Endgame in front of his youth group. In a few short weeks, this film has become the number two movie of all-time as it approaches the reigning champion Avatar.
Spoiler alert. If you are at all familiar with the Bible, your knowledge can be a deterrent to fully engaging with its stories. For example, the sorrow of our Good Friday remembrances is always tempered by our understanding of the resurrection. We know what happens next. This is true of most any biblical account.
So today I want you to forget what you know about today’s text, assuming you know anything at all. Pretend you are a follower of Jesus and you have no clue about the following events which are recorded in all four gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. To set the scene, earlier in Mark chapter six, we’re told of Jesus,
Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. (Mark 6:7)
He sent them on a mission trip!
These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” (Mark 6:8-11)
They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. (Mark 6:12-13)
As we continue our series Mark: The Real Jesus, we’re seeking to know about and ultimately know King Jesus, the Messiah. Last week we saw Herod’s confusion about his identity as people thought perhaps Jesus was a resurrected Elijah or John the Baptist. Who is Jesus?
Jesus sent out his dozen followers two by two, gave them supernatural authority, told them to trust God for their provisions (take only a staff), and God did amazing things in and through their lives, including exorcising demons and healing the sick as they preached repentance.
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. (Mark 6:30)
I wish this on YouTube! Can you imagine their excitement?
“Jesus, you’ll never believe what happened!”
Jesus: “Try me!”
We begin every staff and elders meeting at First Alliance with “wins,” sharing stories of what God has done in and through us.
We need to celebrate God’s goodness.
I’m not very good at celebrating. I find it easy to start my prayers with wants and needs rather than praise and thanksgiving.
My mind is usually on the next thing to accomplish instead of pausing to celebrate the goodness of the past.
Earlier you heard about the upcoming events and opportunities on the church calendar, but what about last week?
Many years ago I was reading John Ortberg’s book The Life You’ve Always Wanted. It’s about spiritual disciples, also known as spiritual habits or practices. I knew the importance of prayer and Bible study. I was a little uneasy about the thought of fasting or silence or solitude, thinking they were like eating your veggies—good for you but unpleasant (I hope to do a series on these practices sometime soon; they are truly wonderful pathways to God). I was really surprised when early in the book Ortberg talked about The Practice of Celebration.
(Some of us could use a bit more celebration!)
(The book is excellent, by the way, and I recommend it.)
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. (Mark 6:30)
I’m sure there was some celebration in their midst.
I want to pause and celebrate God’s goodness at the sneak preview of Dinner Church last Sunday. Many of you served in beautiful ways—inviting, prayer, food prep, greeting—and God used our efforts to do amazing things. We had people from several continents exposed to the gospel, kids riveted to the message, adults engaging in unique ways, friendships forming, and an energy which could only be the Holy Spirit. I believe…
God is able to do amazing things in and through our lives if we truly surrender.
Thank you, family, for surrendering your time, talents, treasures, and energy last week. We’ll do it again on the last Sunday of each month, beginning May 26, and I can only imagine what God will do.
Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31)
Vance Havner said, “If you don’t come apart and rest, you will come apart.”
Because God is at work, we can—and must—rest.
Are you rested this morning? Our culture can drive us insane—literally—with its non-stop, 24/7, on-demand, bigger is better, climb the ladder of success mentality. We were not created to work seven days a week. We do not have the capability of doing great work 12 or 15 hours a day. Science has proven this repeatedly. We need rest.
If you call yourself a follower of Jesus, you must rest. You must be with Jesus in a quiet place. You must be still and know that He is God.
I’m preaching to myself here, family. I don’t do this well, but I think I’m making some progress.
We need to rest daily…time with God.
We need to rest weekly…a Sabbath.
We need to rest annually…vacations and staycations.
We are human beings, not human doings.
Pastors are one of the greatest culprits of workaholism. Many of us have this strange notion that if we’re not taking care of every need of every person in the local church, the world is going to end. I’ve seen insecure, co-dependent pastors run themselves ragged and, sometimes, destroying themselves and/or their families in the process. I know God doesn’t need me to accomplish His plans. I feel very privileged to have been invited to serve in His Kingdom—as all of you have been—but He doesn’t need me.
Today’s text has echoes of Psalm 23, the Good Shepherd. It begins,
The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. (Psalms 23:1-3)
There’s nothing there about busyness, demands, schedules, or achievement. Ultimately, we were created for relationships—with God and others. I’m afraid many cultures understand this better than USAmericans.
We need rest. Life is a marathon, friends, not a sprint. You can only make it to the finish line with rest. When is the last time you were led by the Good Shepherd to quiet waters and refreshing rest?
So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. (Mark 6:32)
This is a beautiful, tranquil lake in Israel, known today as the Sea of Galilee. I’ve been there in a boat and I’m sure the twelve were looking forward to some quality time with Jesus.
But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. (Mark 6:33-34)
Jesus—the Good Shepherd—can’t avoid the paparazzi! The problem with being in a boat on a lake is people on the shore can see you…and where you’re headed! Jesus invites his disciples to get rest and then turns around and starts teaching the crowds. I’m sure the twelve were upset. After all, they had all of these great stories to tell! If only Jesus wasn’t so compassionate! Remember, the Good Shepherd is willing to leave the 99 to look for the one lost sheep, or in this case disrupt the solitude of the dozen for the thousands of lost people in the crowd.
Do you see people as greedy or needy? Are people an interruption to your day or the purpose of our mission? Are you compassionate…or just comfortable?
By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” (Mark 6:35-36)
I’m sure the disciples were hungry, too, but remember they wanted that quiet time with Jesus. Send the people away, Jesus!
But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” (Mark 6:37a)
What? Jesus, we’re hungry, too! This isn’t our problem. Let’s send them away, get back in the boat, catch some fish, and have a nice, quiet dinner together. We’re getting hangry, here!
They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” (Mark 6:37b)
I know that would be my answer! I can call Domino’s or Grub Hub, but I don’t know if my credit card limit will cover it!
It’s easy to fault the lack of faith of the disciples, but again, they didn’t know what followed. If we were at the Mud Hens game, they ran out of food, and I told you to feed the crowd, what would you say?
The disciples saw the problem but not the potential.
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”
When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.” (Mark 6:38)
[I have some fish. Are there any moms who would like some fish?]
We know from another account of this story (John 6:9) the twelve disciples apparently had no food at all and, therefore, they searched the crowd and found a boy with a small lunch. Imagine being the only person in a crowd with food and someone asks you for it. Would you surrender it or keep it?
What do you have to offer God?
It might be your lunch. Literally. Would you give it to Jesus? He said essentially,
“…whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)
When we show kindness to our brothers and sisters in Christ, we’re showing kindness to Jesus. Giving to the benevolence fund is an excellent way to offer your lunch—or your wealth—to Jesus.
What do you have to offer God?
Remember, the boy had no idea what would happen to his lunch, but he surrendered it.
If you knew by putting $100 in the offering today, you’d get an unexpected refund in the mail this week for $500, of course you’d do it. But faith is expressed through obedience without knowing the outcome. I’m not promising you $500, but can you outgive God?
If you knew volunteering your time and talents to help on church work day would result in getting an extra week’s vacation at work the next week, you’d be foolish not to invest those hours.
We don’t know how God will use our offering, but I can almost guarantee there will be no regrets.
Think of it this way: is it generally wiser to invest retirement funds yourself or have someone with thirty years of successful experience do it?
Do you trust God to do more with your time, talent, and treasures than you could ever do on your own?
The exciting things is you might not have much to offer, in the eyes of the world. Some of us are not wealthy. Some of us are not healthy. Some of us aren’t especially attractive or talented or educated, but God can use anything and anyone He chooses to accomplish His will and plans…if we’re available.
What could Jesus possibly do with a little bread and fish? Shhh. No spoilers, please!
Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. (Mark 6:39-41)
There are so many layers of symbolism in these verses.
- Moses wasn’t sure how to feed all of the people in the wilderness
- Green grass: the Good Shepherd (green pastures; it is springtime in Galilee)
- Groups of hundreds and fifties: Jethro telling Moses how to delegate (Ex. 18)
- Looking up to heaven, giving thanks, breaking bread: Passover
Jesus was demonstrating signs the new creation, the kingdom of God, the rule and reign of God. Here we see God’s love and power blended together.
They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand. (Mark 6:42-44)
We have no idea how many women and children were fed, too, but Michael Card makes an interesting observation, saying, “In every account of the feeding of the five thousand, the word used is kofinos. It indicates a small lunch-pail-sized basket.” It’s likely the crowd didn’t even realize the miracle that occurred right before their very eyes, a miracle more of perfect provision than overflowing abundance. They had enough…their daily bread (and a little midnight snack for each of the twelve disciples).
God is able to provide for our daily bread as we seek Him and surrender what we’ve been given to Him.
Sure, Jesus could’ve had manna and quail fall from the sky to feed the crowd. God did this to the people of Israel in the wilderness, feeding them for forty years!
Jesus could’ve taken stones and turned them into bread as satan had tempted him to do in the wilderness when Jesus was fasting for forty days.
Jesus could’ve prayed a hunger prayer which instantly removed hunger from the crowd.
Instead, Jesus wanted participation. He allowed a boy to be involved. He engaged his disciples. Instead of creating something from nothing—as he has done many times before—he chose to work in and through others. I love that!
God is able to do amazing things in and through our lives if we truly surrender.
How do you think that boy felt at the end of the day? Can you imagine the story he told his mom when he got home? What about what he said to his dad he arrived home from work?
It is a thrill to be used by God. But first, we must surrender. God can bless and multiply whatever we give to Him. He used
- an old man named Abraham to become a dad at 100 and father the Jewish nation
- a stutterer named Moses to lead His people for decades in the wilderness
- a prostitute named Rahab was so important she is in Jesus’ genealogy
God often asks us to do the impossible…so He can receive the glory. Forgive without limit? Love our enemies? We are totally dependent upon Him…and that’s a great place to be.
Sometimes we cry out to God and say, “Do something” and God replies, “You give them something to eat. What’s in your hand? I’ve placed you there in Toledo for such a time as this.”
A man once asked God, “Why aren’t you feeding the hungry?”
God replied, “Why aren’t you feeding the hungry?”
I don’t know what God is calling you to surrender today, but I know it’s a thrill to be obedient, to be used by God to impact lives for eternity, to have a front-row seat to watch God at work. Some of you experienced this last Sunday at Dinner Church. Others were blessed by serving at the Rosa Parks Elementary Carnival. Still others were involved in Celebrate Recovery, bringing hope and healing to the hurting. I saw many of you at the TUI After School Klub banquet, celebrating another year of investment in our city’s kids. Next month you’re all invited to participate in Sports & Arts Camp, possibly our biggest event of the year.
God is able to do amazing things in and through our lives if we truly surrender.
What are you doing with your lunch? Hoarding it, or offering it to God?
What are you doing with your wealth? Your time? Your talents? Your life?
Prayer:
“God will you let us see people the way You see people, as masterpieces in need of love and restoration? Let us have compassion like You do. Will you take our time, talents, and treasures and multiply them for Your glory? I believe, LORD, but help me in my unbelief, that I may trust You completely with my heart, soul, mind, and strength. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
John: Arrested & Beheaded, 5 May 2019
06 05 19
John: Arrested & Beheaded
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 6:14-29
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: John sacrificed everything for Jesus…who sacrificed everything for John and us.
“Oh how I love Jesus/oh how I love Jesus/oh how I love Jesus/because he first loved me”
How much do you love Jesus?
It’s hard to quantify love. It’s challenging for most people to even define “love.” But how important is Jesus to you…really?
Today we are continuing our series Mark: The Real Jesus. I know, it’s been a while. September 3, 2017 was the last Sunday in this series! Sometimes you just need a break! We’ll have more breaks before we finish this, the shortest of the gospels or “good news,” biographies of Jesus. With the recent celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, we’re going back to look at his life, his ministry, the three years or so prior to Holy Week. And today’s text is about one of the most devoted followers of Jesus, John, who was arrested & beheaded.
“To live outside of God’s will puts us in danger; to live in his will makes us dangerous.” – Erwin McManus
Before we look at this dreadful event, I want to begin with some background information on John the Baptist.
At the beginning of the book of Mark, we are introduced to John the Baptist.
And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. (Mark 1:4-5)
John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:6-8)
John’s father was a priest, usually a hereditary role which John chose not to accept, becoming a fiery preacher, paving the way for the Messiah.
He’s immersing people in the Jordan River, a process called baptism which symbolizes a death and resurrection, washing away that which is old and become a new creation.
We are planning a baptism on May 26. If you’ve never experienced baptism as a follower of Jesus—infant baptism is different—I’d love to invite you to be baptized, to publicly declare your faith, and to symbolically die in the water grave and come out as a forgiven, purified, resurrected follower of Jesus.
But back to John. The Judeans, crushed by Roman rule and the high priests, found John refreshing. He was not afraid of seemingly anyone. Some thought he was the Messiah. He was a revolutionary who prepared the people for another Revolutionary.
The following verses describe John the Baptist baptizing his cousin, Jesus. Why does Jesus need to be baptized? He is sinless and has no need of repentance, but perhaps it was a public way to begin his ministry.
Later John leaves the wilderness and takes on the political leaders of his time. He starts in Tiberias, the place of sin, one of the cities in Galilee. It’s ruled by Herod Antipas, the second son of Herod the Great, the tyrant who tried to kill baby Jesus (Matthew 2:7-16). Herod Antipas wanted to be the king of Judea but, instead, became the tetrarch of Galilee.
John decides to call Herod to repentance, a gutsy move. Can you imagine confronting a Roman ruler, calling them out over their sins. Keep in mind his sins were many. The Jews are struggling under the Roman Empire while Herod lives in luxury.
Of all of Herod Antipas’ sins, one is most notable. While visiting his half-brother Philip in Rome, he fell in love with Herodias, Philip’s wife. He married her after divorcing his first wife. To make things even more complicated, Herodias was the daughter of another half-brother, so Antipas marries the woman who is both his sister-in-law and niece! You thought your family tree was messed up!
In the politics of the day, Herod’s job is primary to keep peace in Galilee. If a rebellion breaks out, Herod loses his power. John calls for repentance and may have appeared to have been gathering a rebellion, so Herod has John imprisoned in the Fortress of Machaerus, 100 miles from Tiberias. It’s an awful place, distant from John’s followers. In the day, prison was barbaric. There was no rehabilitation, only punishment and breaking.
While John is in prison, Jesus’ ministry grows and it is his popularity and his followers are sent out to preach repentance, turning away from their sins and toward God. They are also driving out demons and healing the sick, which leads us to today’s text in Mark 6:14.
King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” (Mark 6:14)
Herod Antipas wanted to be called king, though he was technically only a tetrarch, ruling a fourth part of the nation.
Others said, “He is Elijah.”
And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.” (Mark 6:15)
Who is Jesus? How you answer this question is remarkably important.
Jesus was obviously special. He was a dynamic leader, a marvelous teacher, and a miraculous healer. He was quickly becoming an incredibly popular person among the crowds. Even John is unsure of the true identity of his cousin, Jesus. You may recall Elijah never really died, but was taken directly to heaven, so his return was plausible.
Herod gets into the discussion of Jesus’ identity, wondering if he wasn’t John raised from the dead.
But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!” (Mark 6:16)
Now Mark provides us a flashback.
For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” (Mark 6:17-18)
It’s hard to imagine the audacity of John calling out Herod. We don’t really know all of the context other than we know Herod liked to listen to John. Whatever the case, there was obviously tension between John, Herod, and Herodias.
So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. (Mark 6:19-20)
Herod was interested in hearing John, though it may have been a political maneuver. Remember, Herod’s chief responsibility was to keep the peace.
If you’ve been going through Mission 119 with us, you may recall recent Bible reading through several of the prophets. The role of prophet—proclaiming God’s truth, forthtelling—is no for the faint of heart. Sometimes God calls us to do difficult things, even confronting people in love over their sin. This is not judging or condemning, but rather pointing people to life, to truth.
How do you react when you’re confronted about something? We all hate criticism by strangers or venomous attacks by insecure people trying to tear us down. But what about when a loved one throws out a “help me understand?” For many years, my first instinct toward any constructive feedback was defensiveness. As I get older, I’m trying to listen first and then respond with grace. I can’t say I’m good at it. My pride gets in the way.
Some people can’t handle the truth. They want to follow their pleasures rather than God. They’ve been given the choice, that free will. Followers of Jesus, however, must be open to loving correction. But remember,
"God judges, the Holy Spirit convicts, we are to love." -Billy Graham
Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.
The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” (Mark 6:21-23)
This must’ve been some kind of dance…or Herod had been drinking some kind of booze…or both! Imagine offering up to half of your kingdom as thanks for a dance! And it’s Herod’s birthday! The only thing I can think of in the Bible as outrageous is Esau exchanging his birthright for a bowl of lentil soup…or Jesus offering us his very life on the cross!
Salome, Herodias’ dancing daughter, is already a married woman and Antipas’ stepdaughter. Herod makes an incredible offer to Salome—to impress his guests—and the response is equally shocking.
She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”
“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.
At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” (Mark 6:24-25)
There was no argument or delay. At once she hurried to request John’s head…on a platter! What detail! What audacity!
The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. (Mark 6:26-29)
What a way to go!
How much do you love Jesus? John was obedient, even unto death. He sacrificed everything to remain obedient to the call on his life, speaking the truth in love.
This story is hard to imagine—a man beheaded for obeying God—yet today in our modern, sophisticated world, many of our brothers and sisters face persecution every day. Two days ago, the BBC said, “Christian persecution ‘at near genocide levels’” in parts of the world. One in three people suffer from religious persecution and Christians were the most persecuted religious group, according to a report ordered by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
The world saw the reports of more than 250 killed on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka, just the latest of attacks upon Christians which includes church crackdowns in China, torture in North Korea, Indian Christians arrested for sharing their testimony with a small group, …and that’s just scratching the surface. On average, 11 of our brothers and sisters are killed every day for their faith. That would wipe out our church in a month! For more, visit Persecution.com.
What would cause someone—John the Baptist or anyone—to allow themselves to die for their faith, to be persecuted for their beliefs, to be tortured for their obedience to God? Love.
Here’s the thing:
Jesus sacrificed everything for you, including his life.
If you think it’s crazy for a human to die for God, how much more radical is it for God to die for a human? That’s what we remembered last month on Good Friday.
Jesus did so much more than save your life. He offers to save your eternity, and he exchanged his life for yours on the cross. What more do you want Jesus to do to prove his love for you? No, he’s not a cosmic genie who is going to instantly give you everything you pray for, because he knows what’s best. Sometimes a miracle is best, but in this life as we experience suffering, it is not without purpose. God uses trials to strengthen our faith, help us identify with and help others, and give us a yearning for the next life. I’m not saying it’s always fun or easy, but neither was the cross. Today we remember the extraordinary sacrifice of Jesus…not because we’re so great, but because our sin was so great…and his love is so great.
Honestly, I’m almost embarrassed to talk about giving God a tithe—10% of your income. It’s silly to think one hour out of 168 each week is a sacrifice. I scoff at the notion spending a little time overseas is super spiritual or noble.
Jesus died for us, family! That’s a really big deal! Who else has shown you that much love? Can we not reciprocate?
Following Jesus requires a sacrifice, including your life—dead or alive.
Jesus doesn’t want fans or part-time followers. He wants fully-devoted disciples, men and women and children who are willing to live and even die for the one who died for them. After describing God’s incredible love and sacrifice for us, the writer of Romans wrote:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1)
How much do you love Jesus? This is what it means to love and follow Jesus. Become a living sacrifice—and maybe a martyr. Give it all! Die to yourself and surrender to God. I’m not just talking to spiritual seekers here, I’m talking to all of us. How committed are we to God? Really? John the Baptist was all in…and so was Jesus.
Persecution may come to Christians in this nation. We could use a wake-up call, actually, not that I want persecution, but the church in the west is nearly dead, friends. When we feel persecuted by someone saying, “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas,” we’re living way too comfortably! I know there are threats to certain freedoms we have enjoyed, but we are still a very blessed people. And let’s not forget what Paul wrote:
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (1 Corinthians 12:26)
We need to remember our brothers and sisters in prayer. I know Sri Lanka and China and the Middle East seem so far away, but they are family. Finally,
No sacrifice for Jesus will ever be too great…or regrettable.
Jim Elliot, before he was martyred in Ecuador, said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
This life is so short. I know it seems like…a lifetime. But imagine a timeline of eternity. How much of that timeline would represent the century or so we’re on this planet? You couldn’t even see it! As one song says, “It will be worth it all/when we see Jesus.” In two chapters, Jesus says,
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? (Mark 8:35-36)
Jesus gave everything for us. God for humans. Can we not return the favor?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 6:14-29
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: John sacrificed everything for Jesus…who sacrificed everything for John and us.
“Oh how I love Jesus/oh how I love Jesus/oh how I love Jesus/because he first loved me”
How much do you love Jesus?
It’s hard to quantify love. It’s challenging for most people to even define “love.” But how important is Jesus to you…really?
Today we are continuing our series Mark: The Real Jesus. I know, it’s been a while. September 3, 2017 was the last Sunday in this series! Sometimes you just need a break! We’ll have more breaks before we finish this, the shortest of the gospels or “good news,” biographies of Jesus. With the recent celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, we’re going back to look at his life, his ministry, the three years or so prior to Holy Week. And today’s text is about one of the most devoted followers of Jesus, John, who was arrested & beheaded.
“To live outside of God’s will puts us in danger; to live in his will makes us dangerous.” – Erwin McManus
Before we look at this dreadful event, I want to begin with some background information on John the Baptist.
At the beginning of the book of Mark, we are introduced to John the Baptist.
And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. (Mark 1:4-5)
John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:6-8)
John’s father was a priest, usually a hereditary role which John chose not to accept, becoming a fiery preacher, paving the way for the Messiah.
He’s immersing people in the Jordan River, a process called baptism which symbolizes a death and resurrection, washing away that which is old and become a new creation.
We are planning a baptism on May 26. If you’ve never experienced baptism as a follower of Jesus—infant baptism is different—I’d love to invite you to be baptized, to publicly declare your faith, and to symbolically die in the water grave and come out as a forgiven, purified, resurrected follower of Jesus.
But back to John. The Judeans, crushed by Roman rule and the high priests, found John refreshing. He was not afraid of seemingly anyone. Some thought he was the Messiah. He was a revolutionary who prepared the people for another Revolutionary.
The following verses describe John the Baptist baptizing his cousin, Jesus. Why does Jesus need to be baptized? He is sinless and has no need of repentance, but perhaps it was a public way to begin his ministry.
Later John leaves the wilderness and takes on the political leaders of his time. He starts in Tiberias, the place of sin, one of the cities in Galilee. It’s ruled by Herod Antipas, the second son of Herod the Great, the tyrant who tried to kill baby Jesus (Matthew 2:7-16). Herod Antipas wanted to be the king of Judea but, instead, became the tetrarch of Galilee.
John decides to call Herod to repentance, a gutsy move. Can you imagine confronting a Roman ruler, calling them out over their sins. Keep in mind his sins were many. The Jews are struggling under the Roman Empire while Herod lives in luxury.
Of all of Herod Antipas’ sins, one is most notable. While visiting his half-brother Philip in Rome, he fell in love with Herodias, Philip’s wife. He married her after divorcing his first wife. To make things even more complicated, Herodias was the daughter of another half-brother, so Antipas marries the woman who is both his sister-in-law and niece! You thought your family tree was messed up!
In the politics of the day, Herod’s job is primary to keep peace in Galilee. If a rebellion breaks out, Herod loses his power. John calls for repentance and may have appeared to have been gathering a rebellion, so Herod has John imprisoned in the Fortress of Machaerus, 100 miles from Tiberias. It’s an awful place, distant from John’s followers. In the day, prison was barbaric. There was no rehabilitation, only punishment and breaking.
While John is in prison, Jesus’ ministry grows and it is his popularity and his followers are sent out to preach repentance, turning away from their sins and toward God. They are also driving out demons and healing the sick, which leads us to today’s text in Mark 6:14.
King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” (Mark 6:14)
Herod Antipas wanted to be called king, though he was technically only a tetrarch, ruling a fourth part of the nation.
Others said, “He is Elijah.”
And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.” (Mark 6:15)
Who is Jesus? How you answer this question is remarkably important.
Jesus was obviously special. He was a dynamic leader, a marvelous teacher, and a miraculous healer. He was quickly becoming an incredibly popular person among the crowds. Even John is unsure of the true identity of his cousin, Jesus. You may recall Elijah never really died, but was taken directly to heaven, so his return was plausible.
Herod gets into the discussion of Jesus’ identity, wondering if he wasn’t John raised from the dead.
But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!” (Mark 6:16)
Now Mark provides us a flashback.
For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” (Mark 6:17-18)
It’s hard to imagine the audacity of John calling out Herod. We don’t really know all of the context other than we know Herod liked to listen to John. Whatever the case, there was obviously tension between John, Herod, and Herodias.
So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. (Mark 6:19-20)
Herod was interested in hearing John, though it may have been a political maneuver. Remember, Herod’s chief responsibility was to keep the peace.
If you’ve been going through Mission 119 with us, you may recall recent Bible reading through several of the prophets. The role of prophet—proclaiming God’s truth, forthtelling—is no for the faint of heart. Sometimes God calls us to do difficult things, even confronting people in love over their sin. This is not judging or condemning, but rather pointing people to life, to truth.
How do you react when you’re confronted about something? We all hate criticism by strangers or venomous attacks by insecure people trying to tear us down. But what about when a loved one throws out a “help me understand?” For many years, my first instinct toward any constructive feedback was defensiveness. As I get older, I’m trying to listen first and then respond with grace. I can’t say I’m good at it. My pride gets in the way.
Some people can’t handle the truth. They want to follow their pleasures rather than God. They’ve been given the choice, that free will. Followers of Jesus, however, must be open to loving correction. But remember,
"God judges, the Holy Spirit convicts, we are to love." -Billy Graham
Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.
The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” (Mark 6:21-23)
This must’ve been some kind of dance…or Herod had been drinking some kind of booze…or both! Imagine offering up to half of your kingdom as thanks for a dance! And it’s Herod’s birthday! The only thing I can think of in the Bible as outrageous is Esau exchanging his birthright for a bowl of lentil soup…or Jesus offering us his very life on the cross!
Salome, Herodias’ dancing daughter, is already a married woman and Antipas’ stepdaughter. Herod makes an incredible offer to Salome—to impress his guests—and the response is equally shocking.
She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”
“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.
At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” (Mark 6:24-25)
There was no argument or delay. At once she hurried to request John’s head…on a platter! What detail! What audacity!
The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. (Mark 6:26-29)
What a way to go!
How much do you love Jesus? John was obedient, even unto death. He sacrificed everything to remain obedient to the call on his life, speaking the truth in love.
This story is hard to imagine—a man beheaded for obeying God—yet today in our modern, sophisticated world, many of our brothers and sisters face persecution every day. Two days ago, the BBC said, “Christian persecution ‘at near genocide levels’” in parts of the world. One in three people suffer from religious persecution and Christians were the most persecuted religious group, according to a report ordered by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
The world saw the reports of more than 250 killed on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka, just the latest of attacks upon Christians which includes church crackdowns in China, torture in North Korea, Indian Christians arrested for sharing their testimony with a small group, …and that’s just scratching the surface. On average, 11 of our brothers and sisters are killed every day for their faith. That would wipe out our church in a month! For more, visit Persecution.com.
What would cause someone—John the Baptist or anyone—to allow themselves to die for their faith, to be persecuted for their beliefs, to be tortured for their obedience to God? Love.
Here’s the thing:
Jesus sacrificed everything for you, including his life.
If you think it’s crazy for a human to die for God, how much more radical is it for God to die for a human? That’s what we remembered last month on Good Friday.
Jesus did so much more than save your life. He offers to save your eternity, and he exchanged his life for yours on the cross. What more do you want Jesus to do to prove his love for you? No, he’s not a cosmic genie who is going to instantly give you everything you pray for, because he knows what’s best. Sometimes a miracle is best, but in this life as we experience suffering, it is not without purpose. God uses trials to strengthen our faith, help us identify with and help others, and give us a yearning for the next life. I’m not saying it’s always fun or easy, but neither was the cross. Today we remember the extraordinary sacrifice of Jesus…not because we’re so great, but because our sin was so great…and his love is so great.
Honestly, I’m almost embarrassed to talk about giving God a tithe—10% of your income. It’s silly to think one hour out of 168 each week is a sacrifice. I scoff at the notion spending a little time overseas is super spiritual or noble.
Jesus died for us, family! That’s a really big deal! Who else has shown you that much love? Can we not reciprocate?
Following Jesus requires a sacrifice, including your life—dead or alive.
Jesus doesn’t want fans or part-time followers. He wants fully-devoted disciples, men and women and children who are willing to live and even die for the one who died for them. After describing God’s incredible love and sacrifice for us, the writer of Romans wrote:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1)
How much do you love Jesus? This is what it means to love and follow Jesus. Become a living sacrifice—and maybe a martyr. Give it all! Die to yourself and surrender to God. I’m not just talking to spiritual seekers here, I’m talking to all of us. How committed are we to God? Really? John the Baptist was all in…and so was Jesus.
Persecution may come to Christians in this nation. We could use a wake-up call, actually, not that I want persecution, but the church in the west is nearly dead, friends. When we feel persecuted by someone saying, “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas,” we’re living way too comfortably! I know there are threats to certain freedoms we have enjoyed, but we are still a very blessed people. And let’s not forget what Paul wrote:
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (1 Corinthians 12:26)
We need to remember our brothers and sisters in prayer. I know Sri Lanka and China and the Middle East seem so far away, but they are family. Finally,
No sacrifice for Jesus will ever be too great…or regrettable.
Jim Elliot, before he was martyred in Ecuador, said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
This life is so short. I know it seems like…a lifetime. But imagine a timeline of eternity. How much of that timeline would represent the century or so we’re on this planet? You couldn’t even see it! As one song says, “It will be worth it all/when we see Jesus.” In two chapters, Jesus says,
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? (Mark 8:35-36)
Jesus gave everything for us. God for humans. Can we not return the favor?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Seeking the Savior, 28 April 2019
28 04 19
Seeking the Savior
Series—The Quest of the Good Shepherd
Luke 19:1-10
Series Big Idea: Love is one of the most misunderstood words in our culture, yet it is at the heart of the two greatest biblical commandments: love God, love neighbor.
Big Idea: Lost people matter to God and He wants them found.
One of the greatest controversies among students of the Bible is whether God chooses us or we choose God. If you are a follower of Jesus today, why? Is it what God did or what you did? Did God seek you to follow Him or did you seek out God?
My short opinion—if you’re wondering—is yes!
On the one hand, we are told to seek after God, to pursue a relationship with our Creator.
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. (Psalms 105:3)
Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. (1 Chronicles 16:11)
The Hebrew word used in both verses is baqash. It means to seek, search, look for, inquire about.
God wants us to seek Him. But ever since sin entered the world, we naturally want to pursue our own pleasures. We want to be god, the master of our own universe. We like to be in control. This led Paul to write to the church in Rome:
As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. (Romans 3:10-11)
Here the verb “seek” is Greek, ekzeteo, meaning “to seek out, investigate diligently, scrutinize.” It’s as if we need God to pursue us because left to our own devices, we’ll selfishly do life our way, oblivious to the wisdom of the Almighty.
A moment ago, I said my answer is yes—I believe we seek after God and God seeks after us. Who is responsible for my being married, my wife or me? Our relationship requires the participation of two parties, and I believe that’s the same for those in a relationship with God through King Jesus.
Two weeks ago, we noted again how
Lost people matter to God and He wants them found.
Luke chapter 15 tells of the pursuit of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son where God pursues.
Today we’re going to look at two spiritual seekers, people who pursued God. Both are rich men who want to follow, yet they end up with two very different outcomes.
A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18)
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’” (Luke 18:19-20)
“All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. (Luke 18:21)
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Luke 18:22)
When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:23-25)
This man seeks after God, but he became very sad because he was ultimately seeking money more than God.
Our text for today in the following chapter is similar.
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. (Luke 19:1-2)
Zacchaeus means “righteous one,” but this man was anything but righteous. He was not just a tax collector, but a chief tax collector, hated and despised. The tax system was oppressive to the people (some things never change!). But seriously, he could charge taxes on most anything he wanted, at most any rate he wanted. The comment about his wealth is hardly necessary.
As Zach walked around town, the people saw their money…used to purchase fancy clothes and expensive food. He could raise taxes and pocket the increase. To make matters worse, if you couldn’t pay the taxes, tax collectors would loan you the money at a huge interest rate, making even more money for themselves. If that wasn’t enough, the taxes went to pay for the unwanted Roman army to occupy your village.
Zacchaeus was, no doubt, greedy and selfish. His world revolved around himself. Have you ever met someone like this? Maybe it’s your boss or a co-worker or neighbor. They’re climbing to the top and could care less about whatever is in their way, even if it’s you! They’ll beg, borrow or even steal to get what they want. Tragically—as we noted recently in our series on Ecclesiastes—they never have enough. They are never satisfied. They may seem to be beyond hope and help. But he was a masterpiece in the eyes of God.
He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. (Luke 19:3-4)
Kids love Zacchaeus. He was short like them. If you’ve ever taken a child to a parade, they usually struggle to see, not unlike Zacchaeus in this crowd. When I was little, I loved it when my dad put me on his shoulders at a parade so I could see over the tops of all of the adults. Zach takes advantage of tree to get a height advantage.
Luke is the only biblical writer who tells us about Zacchaeus, though it’s a perfect story since he had just written about the problem of riches…and an encounter with Jesus.
You might call this man a seeker. It says he ran, something unusual for a man in the culture, especially a wealthy government official. He may not have been seeking after God, but Jesus was a celebrity and perhaps he wants an autograph or even a selfie with the Messiah. That would look great on his social media account, right? Although it says he simply wanted to see who Jesus was, I believe God was at work in his heart.
God the Holy Spirit draws people to Jesus.
Only God can change a selfish, human heart, and that’s exactly what happens.
When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. (Luke 19:5-6)
Did Jesus just invite himself to Zacchaeus’ house? Yes he did, and Zacchaeus was happy to welcome him.
Let’s face it, there are some celebrities who can do just about anything they want. I’m not suggesting Jesus had selfish motives because he had an agenda far greater than a free meal. But if Lebron James or Julia Roberts or David Jeremiah or Taylor Swift wanted to come over to your place, you’d probably welcome them gladly, right?
Did Jesus seek after Zach or did Zach seek after Jesus? Yes! It’s a beautiful story! But then religion enters the scene.
All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” (Luke 19:7)
Zacchaeus wasn’t just any sinner. This is the man who has been stealing from them, padding his wallet with extra fees and taxes. He was a crook! I’m sure some were jealous simply because they would’ve liked Jesus to invite himself to their house. But beyond that,
Jesus was criticized for being a friend of sinners.
Tragically, many godly men and women today experience the same judgment from self-righteous religious people. Like Jonah or the older son in the Prodigal Son story, they want exclusive access to the Father, shunning the lost, the sinner, the broken…even when they come to their senses, repent, and follow God, which is exactly what Zach does here.
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” (Luke 19:8)
What a statement! This is extravagant repentance. Zacchaeus doesn’t simply say, “I’m sorry everyone. I won’t let it happen again.” He makes amends. He turns and does what he can to not only pay back what he had taken, but also make fourfold restitution. Wow!
Under the Mosaic law, restitution for a theft meant returning what was stolen plus twenty percent. The greatest penalty was if what was stolen could not be restored, then a fourfold repayment was required. Zach self-imposed the harshest penalty.
The rich young ruler refused to sell his possessions, yet Zacchaeus seemingly gives away all of his cash. In Jesus, he has found something more valuable than all of the gold in the world, and he is forever transformed by his encounter with the Messiah.
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:9-10)
Salvation comes to those who follow Jesus…with not only their heads but their hands. Faith without works is dead. Zacchaeus is a new man, a found man, a saved man, and now a truly rich man because of the gift of salvation.
God encounters are transformative.
Jesus mission was not only to die on the cross. It also included seeking the lost sheep. It involved spending time with sinners far from God. It required intentionality and action and pursuit. Jesus is the one that saves and changes us. It’s all about Jesus!
I have two questions for you today. First,
Are you a God-seeker?
Really. Would you sell everything you have if God called you to do so? Do you generously give now? I believe 10% is the starting point—not the goal—for financial stewardship, giving to your local church.
Singles, are you willing to honor God with your body and remain sexually pure?
Does your calendar reflect your pursuit of God, or are your days filled with screens and personal pursuits?
I know a lot of long-time Christians and I’ve seen spiritual newborns and there’s something exciting about a new believer. They’re hungry, eager to learn and grow. Are you? I pray we will all be God-seekers, regardless of where we are on our spiritual journey.
How can you serve God-seekers?
I believe the greatest way you can serve those pursuing God is to share Jesus, share your story, listen to their questions, guide them to the cross…and empty tomb.
This past week a research study revealed although 56% of Protestant churchgoers said they pray for opportunities to share the Gospel—or good news—with non-Christians, 55% said they haven’t engaged in an “evangelistic conversation” in at least six months. One researcher replied, “Sharing the good news that Jesus paid for our sins through His death on the cross and rose again to bring us new life is the mission of the church, but it does not appear to be the priority of churchgoers.”
Perhaps even more concerning is a recent report that 47% of Millennials agree at least somewhat that it is wrong to share one’s personal beliefs with someone of a different faith in hopes that they will one day share the same faith. We’re never supposed to shove God down anyone’s throat, but there are people all around us who are asking questions, they’re seeking meaning and purpose in life, whether or not they define their search as seeking God.
Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and he invites us to follow him. After all,
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15)
I’m so grateful for this church. For more than thirteen decades we have been seeking and saving the lost, serving Toledo and the world. We have been local and global. We’ve had people serving as missionaries in our city and the ends of the earth. I want to challenge you with three simple yet powerful ways you can help seekers in Toledo and beyond.
Pray. This is the primary work of God’s people. We are a praying church and I can’t imagine where we’d be without prayer. Transformation will not occur through great sermons and dynamic music alone. It comes through the power of God unleashed when we get on our knees and pray. Imagine what would happen if the Holy Spirit prompts people in Toledo like Zacchaeus to come and see, to pursue God through First Alliance Church. It has been exciting seeing new people join us, many simply because they saw our sign and beautiful campus. We pray that God would draw people to Himself. We pray for our city, its leaders, its churches, and ministries. We pray for spiritual awakening among the 500,000 souls in Northwest Ohio.
On a global level, you can adopt an International Worker and pray for them. There’s a list of them in each week’s Prayer Connection which can be found both in the Information Center kiosk and in each edition of our e-newsletter, The FAC Focus. Please pray for Heather and me as we travel to Africa, not only for our health and safety but effective ministry to youth, leaders, and pastors.
Give. Today is Great Commission Sunday. We promote the Great Commission Fund regularly because it is the way we support International Workers in The Alliance. Some groups ask individuals to do months of personal fundraising. We prefer to do the work for them so they can be involved in seeking the lost, sharing Jesus, inviting people to experience abundant life. You can give today, next week, or any week. You can put the Great Commission Fund in your estate and will, ensuring your wealth will be invested in people for eternity.
This year The Alliance is sending 60 International Workers, the most we’ve ever sent in our history! We praise God for 60 people responding to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to go, but now we need people to respond to the call to support them financially through the Great Commission Fund.
On a related global note, thank you to those who have invested in our trip next month to Burundi, Africa. I don’t know who contributed, but I can’t wait to share stories of God’s faithfulness as we train youth, leaders, and pastors next month.
On a local level, you can also give to First Alliance Church and our Faith Missions and Home Missions partners. Our books are always open and I can assure you every dollar is spent carefully to maximize effectiveness.
Go.
…to West Virginia or the Dominican Republic or Africa. Maybe God is calling you to leave Toledo for another state or country in the future. He does that sometimes! Maybe God is calling you to go launch a new ministry or church. I’d love to talk with you about that!
You can go to your next door neighbor or co-worker or family member. Ask them where they are on their spiritual journey. Take them out for coffee and listen to their story. Show them love through random acts of kindness. Take a risk! It can be as simple as inviting them to…
Dinner Church?
I know there are some questions about Dinner Church and I want to do my best to address them now. We start with why, and it’s simply to seek and save the lost, following Jesus. He is the one who said,
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. (Revelation 3:20)
Who is going to set the table? We are! We are creating space for sinners, seculars, and strangers to have dinner with Jesus. He said to Peter, “Feed my sheep.” What if he wasn’t speaking metaphorically?
Although I first heard about the Dinner Church movement two years ago at a conference, it’s nearly identical to the church Heather and I started in Ann Arbor twenty years ago, Frontline. We sat at round tables, met on Sunday evenings, began with dinner, and offered a non-traditional, interactive God experience for people young and old, rich and poor, religious and non-religious. I could spend hours telling stories of the transformed lives we witnessed during those fruitful years.
Dinner Church is not a soup kitchen, but a community meal for the mind, body, and soul. From 5-6 PM we’ll gather in the Fellowship Hall at round tables, eating together, extending hospitality to our guests, just hanging out with these masterpieces in need of God’s restoration, just like each of us needs.
The 6 PM hour will include music and the arts, an interactive teaching, Q&A, and prayer. Kids are welcome, though we will have child care available for those who need it. The entire evening will be kid-friendly, casual, and engaging. I’m praying God brings spiritual seekers like Zacchaeus to connect with us and with Him.
As we’ve said, this is designed for the unchurched, whether they be Christians or not. If you’re a regular on Sunday morning, we’d love for you to either serve or bring an unchurched friend. We want to make sure there’s room for God seekers.
If you have such a friend, please prayerfully invite them. You might say, “My church is doing an experiment called Dinner Church and we’d love your feedback. Would you come as my guest and tell me what you think, kind of like a mystery shopper? We’ll even treat you to dinner!”
Next Sunday, Cinco de Mayo, will be our sneak preview gathering. On May 26, we’ll begin meeting on the last Sunday of the month from 5-7 PM.
Pray. Give. Go.
What a privilege we have to join God in His work seeking and saving the lost. Amen!
One more thing
Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. We have the privilege of joining him in that mission, the mission of restoring masterpieces, of making disciples, of sharing good news. And according to Matthew 24:14, this is not merely good for the sake of the lost and for the sake of God, but it will hasten the return of the King.
A New York reporter once asked Alliance founder A. B. Simpson, “Can you tell us when Jesus will return?” Simpson replied, “Yes, I will tell you, as long as you promise to print what I say word for word.” The reporter agreed, at which time Simpson quoted Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
More than 4,000 people groups have not yet had opportunity to receive and respond to Christ’s invitation to experience life with Him now and evermore. Who’s going to tell them?
VIDEO: The Kingdom Now Snapshot
I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for Jesus to return, but in the meantime, we’re on a mission from God! Let’s get to work, let’s follow Christ and his mission of seeking and saving the lost.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—The Quest of the Good Shepherd
Luke 19:1-10
Series Big Idea: Love is one of the most misunderstood words in our culture, yet it is at the heart of the two greatest biblical commandments: love God, love neighbor.
Big Idea: Lost people matter to God and He wants them found.
One of the greatest controversies among students of the Bible is whether God chooses us or we choose God. If you are a follower of Jesus today, why? Is it what God did or what you did? Did God seek you to follow Him or did you seek out God?
My short opinion—if you’re wondering—is yes!
On the one hand, we are told to seek after God, to pursue a relationship with our Creator.
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. (Psalms 105:3)
Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. (1 Chronicles 16:11)
The Hebrew word used in both verses is baqash. It means to seek, search, look for, inquire about.
God wants us to seek Him. But ever since sin entered the world, we naturally want to pursue our own pleasures. We want to be god, the master of our own universe. We like to be in control. This led Paul to write to the church in Rome:
As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. (Romans 3:10-11)
Here the verb “seek” is Greek, ekzeteo, meaning “to seek out, investigate diligently, scrutinize.” It’s as if we need God to pursue us because left to our own devices, we’ll selfishly do life our way, oblivious to the wisdom of the Almighty.
A moment ago, I said my answer is yes—I believe we seek after God and God seeks after us. Who is responsible for my being married, my wife or me? Our relationship requires the participation of two parties, and I believe that’s the same for those in a relationship with God through King Jesus.
Two weeks ago, we noted again how
Lost people matter to God and He wants them found.
Luke chapter 15 tells of the pursuit of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son where God pursues.
Today we’re going to look at two spiritual seekers, people who pursued God. Both are rich men who want to follow, yet they end up with two very different outcomes.
A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18)
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’” (Luke 18:19-20)
“All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. (Luke 18:21)
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Luke 18:22)
When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:23-25)
This man seeks after God, but he became very sad because he was ultimately seeking money more than God.
Our text for today in the following chapter is similar.
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. (Luke 19:1-2)
Zacchaeus means “righteous one,” but this man was anything but righteous. He was not just a tax collector, but a chief tax collector, hated and despised. The tax system was oppressive to the people (some things never change!). But seriously, he could charge taxes on most anything he wanted, at most any rate he wanted. The comment about his wealth is hardly necessary.
As Zach walked around town, the people saw their money…used to purchase fancy clothes and expensive food. He could raise taxes and pocket the increase. To make matters worse, if you couldn’t pay the taxes, tax collectors would loan you the money at a huge interest rate, making even more money for themselves. If that wasn’t enough, the taxes went to pay for the unwanted Roman army to occupy your village.
Zacchaeus was, no doubt, greedy and selfish. His world revolved around himself. Have you ever met someone like this? Maybe it’s your boss or a co-worker or neighbor. They’re climbing to the top and could care less about whatever is in their way, even if it’s you! They’ll beg, borrow or even steal to get what they want. Tragically—as we noted recently in our series on Ecclesiastes—they never have enough. They are never satisfied. They may seem to be beyond hope and help. But he was a masterpiece in the eyes of God.
He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. (Luke 19:3-4)
Kids love Zacchaeus. He was short like them. If you’ve ever taken a child to a parade, they usually struggle to see, not unlike Zacchaeus in this crowd. When I was little, I loved it when my dad put me on his shoulders at a parade so I could see over the tops of all of the adults. Zach takes advantage of tree to get a height advantage.
Luke is the only biblical writer who tells us about Zacchaeus, though it’s a perfect story since he had just written about the problem of riches…and an encounter with Jesus.
You might call this man a seeker. It says he ran, something unusual for a man in the culture, especially a wealthy government official. He may not have been seeking after God, but Jesus was a celebrity and perhaps he wants an autograph or even a selfie with the Messiah. That would look great on his social media account, right? Although it says he simply wanted to see who Jesus was, I believe God was at work in his heart.
God the Holy Spirit draws people to Jesus.
Only God can change a selfish, human heart, and that’s exactly what happens.
When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. (Luke 19:5-6)
Did Jesus just invite himself to Zacchaeus’ house? Yes he did, and Zacchaeus was happy to welcome him.
Let’s face it, there are some celebrities who can do just about anything they want. I’m not suggesting Jesus had selfish motives because he had an agenda far greater than a free meal. But if Lebron James or Julia Roberts or David Jeremiah or Taylor Swift wanted to come over to your place, you’d probably welcome them gladly, right?
Did Jesus seek after Zach or did Zach seek after Jesus? Yes! It’s a beautiful story! But then religion enters the scene.
All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” (Luke 19:7)
Zacchaeus wasn’t just any sinner. This is the man who has been stealing from them, padding his wallet with extra fees and taxes. He was a crook! I’m sure some were jealous simply because they would’ve liked Jesus to invite himself to their house. But beyond that,
Jesus was criticized for being a friend of sinners.
Tragically, many godly men and women today experience the same judgment from self-righteous religious people. Like Jonah or the older son in the Prodigal Son story, they want exclusive access to the Father, shunning the lost, the sinner, the broken…even when they come to their senses, repent, and follow God, which is exactly what Zach does here.
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” (Luke 19:8)
What a statement! This is extravagant repentance. Zacchaeus doesn’t simply say, “I’m sorry everyone. I won’t let it happen again.” He makes amends. He turns and does what he can to not only pay back what he had taken, but also make fourfold restitution. Wow!
Under the Mosaic law, restitution for a theft meant returning what was stolen plus twenty percent. The greatest penalty was if what was stolen could not be restored, then a fourfold repayment was required. Zach self-imposed the harshest penalty.
The rich young ruler refused to sell his possessions, yet Zacchaeus seemingly gives away all of his cash. In Jesus, he has found something more valuable than all of the gold in the world, and he is forever transformed by his encounter with the Messiah.
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:9-10)
Salvation comes to those who follow Jesus…with not only their heads but their hands. Faith without works is dead. Zacchaeus is a new man, a found man, a saved man, and now a truly rich man because of the gift of salvation.
God encounters are transformative.
Jesus mission was not only to die on the cross. It also included seeking the lost sheep. It involved spending time with sinners far from God. It required intentionality and action and pursuit. Jesus is the one that saves and changes us. It’s all about Jesus!
I have two questions for you today. First,
Are you a God-seeker?
Really. Would you sell everything you have if God called you to do so? Do you generously give now? I believe 10% is the starting point—not the goal—for financial stewardship, giving to your local church.
Singles, are you willing to honor God with your body and remain sexually pure?
Does your calendar reflect your pursuit of God, or are your days filled with screens and personal pursuits?
I know a lot of long-time Christians and I’ve seen spiritual newborns and there’s something exciting about a new believer. They’re hungry, eager to learn and grow. Are you? I pray we will all be God-seekers, regardless of where we are on our spiritual journey.
How can you serve God-seekers?
I believe the greatest way you can serve those pursuing God is to share Jesus, share your story, listen to their questions, guide them to the cross…and empty tomb.
This past week a research study revealed although 56% of Protestant churchgoers said they pray for opportunities to share the Gospel—or good news—with non-Christians, 55% said they haven’t engaged in an “evangelistic conversation” in at least six months. One researcher replied, “Sharing the good news that Jesus paid for our sins through His death on the cross and rose again to bring us new life is the mission of the church, but it does not appear to be the priority of churchgoers.”
Perhaps even more concerning is a recent report that 47% of Millennials agree at least somewhat that it is wrong to share one’s personal beliefs with someone of a different faith in hopes that they will one day share the same faith. We’re never supposed to shove God down anyone’s throat, but there are people all around us who are asking questions, they’re seeking meaning and purpose in life, whether or not they define their search as seeking God.
Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and he invites us to follow him. After all,
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15)
I’m so grateful for this church. For more than thirteen decades we have been seeking and saving the lost, serving Toledo and the world. We have been local and global. We’ve had people serving as missionaries in our city and the ends of the earth. I want to challenge you with three simple yet powerful ways you can help seekers in Toledo and beyond.
Pray. This is the primary work of God’s people. We are a praying church and I can’t imagine where we’d be without prayer. Transformation will not occur through great sermons and dynamic music alone. It comes through the power of God unleashed when we get on our knees and pray. Imagine what would happen if the Holy Spirit prompts people in Toledo like Zacchaeus to come and see, to pursue God through First Alliance Church. It has been exciting seeing new people join us, many simply because they saw our sign and beautiful campus. We pray that God would draw people to Himself. We pray for our city, its leaders, its churches, and ministries. We pray for spiritual awakening among the 500,000 souls in Northwest Ohio.
On a global level, you can adopt an International Worker and pray for them. There’s a list of them in each week’s Prayer Connection which can be found both in the Information Center kiosk and in each edition of our e-newsletter, The FAC Focus. Please pray for Heather and me as we travel to Africa, not only for our health and safety but effective ministry to youth, leaders, and pastors.
Give. Today is Great Commission Sunday. We promote the Great Commission Fund regularly because it is the way we support International Workers in The Alliance. Some groups ask individuals to do months of personal fundraising. We prefer to do the work for them so they can be involved in seeking the lost, sharing Jesus, inviting people to experience abundant life. You can give today, next week, or any week. You can put the Great Commission Fund in your estate and will, ensuring your wealth will be invested in people for eternity.
This year The Alliance is sending 60 International Workers, the most we’ve ever sent in our history! We praise God for 60 people responding to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to go, but now we need people to respond to the call to support them financially through the Great Commission Fund.
On a related global note, thank you to those who have invested in our trip next month to Burundi, Africa. I don’t know who contributed, but I can’t wait to share stories of God’s faithfulness as we train youth, leaders, and pastors next month.
On a local level, you can also give to First Alliance Church and our Faith Missions and Home Missions partners. Our books are always open and I can assure you every dollar is spent carefully to maximize effectiveness.
Go.
…to West Virginia or the Dominican Republic or Africa. Maybe God is calling you to leave Toledo for another state or country in the future. He does that sometimes! Maybe God is calling you to go launch a new ministry or church. I’d love to talk with you about that!
You can go to your next door neighbor or co-worker or family member. Ask them where they are on their spiritual journey. Take them out for coffee and listen to their story. Show them love through random acts of kindness. Take a risk! It can be as simple as inviting them to…
Dinner Church?
I know there are some questions about Dinner Church and I want to do my best to address them now. We start with why, and it’s simply to seek and save the lost, following Jesus. He is the one who said,
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. (Revelation 3:20)
Who is going to set the table? We are! We are creating space for sinners, seculars, and strangers to have dinner with Jesus. He said to Peter, “Feed my sheep.” What if he wasn’t speaking metaphorically?
Although I first heard about the Dinner Church movement two years ago at a conference, it’s nearly identical to the church Heather and I started in Ann Arbor twenty years ago, Frontline. We sat at round tables, met on Sunday evenings, began with dinner, and offered a non-traditional, interactive God experience for people young and old, rich and poor, religious and non-religious. I could spend hours telling stories of the transformed lives we witnessed during those fruitful years.
Dinner Church is not a soup kitchen, but a community meal for the mind, body, and soul. From 5-6 PM we’ll gather in the Fellowship Hall at round tables, eating together, extending hospitality to our guests, just hanging out with these masterpieces in need of God’s restoration, just like each of us needs.
The 6 PM hour will include music and the arts, an interactive teaching, Q&A, and prayer. Kids are welcome, though we will have child care available for those who need it. The entire evening will be kid-friendly, casual, and engaging. I’m praying God brings spiritual seekers like Zacchaeus to connect with us and with Him.
As we’ve said, this is designed for the unchurched, whether they be Christians or not. If you’re a regular on Sunday morning, we’d love for you to either serve or bring an unchurched friend. We want to make sure there’s room for God seekers.
If you have such a friend, please prayerfully invite them. You might say, “My church is doing an experiment called Dinner Church and we’d love your feedback. Would you come as my guest and tell me what you think, kind of like a mystery shopper? We’ll even treat you to dinner!”
Next Sunday, Cinco de Mayo, will be our sneak preview gathering. On May 26, we’ll begin meeting on the last Sunday of the month from 5-7 PM.
Pray. Give. Go.
What a privilege we have to join God in His work seeking and saving the lost. Amen!
One more thing
Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. We have the privilege of joining him in that mission, the mission of restoring masterpieces, of making disciples, of sharing good news. And according to Matthew 24:14, this is not merely good for the sake of the lost and for the sake of God, but it will hasten the return of the King.
A New York reporter once asked Alliance founder A. B. Simpson, “Can you tell us when Jesus will return?” Simpson replied, “Yes, I will tell you, as long as you promise to print what I say word for word.” The reporter agreed, at which time Simpson quoted Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
More than 4,000 people groups have not yet had opportunity to receive and respond to Christ’s invitation to experience life with Him now and evermore. Who’s going to tell them?
VIDEO: The Kingdom Now Snapshot
I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for Jesus to return, but in the meantime, we’re on a mission from God! Let’s get to work, let’s follow Christ and his mission of seeking and saving the lost.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
From Death to Life, 21 April 2019
22 04 19
From Death to Life (Easter)
Series—The Quest of the Good Shepherd
Luke 24:1-8
Series Big Idea: Love is one of the most misunderstood words in our culture, yet it is at the heart of the two greatest biblical commandments: love God, love neighbor.
Big Idea: The resurrection changes everything—past, present and future.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Welcome to Resurrection Sunday, our annual Easter celebration, the biggest day on the Church calendar. This is the day we remember the greatest moment in history, when the God who came to the world He created died for the sins of humankind and rose from the dead. He was crucified on a cross, the most horrific torture known in the day, yet he conquered sin and death. He arose. Hallelujah!
Although the vast majority of USAmericans believe Jesus died and resurrected, you may be skeptical. If you’re not convinced Jesus is alive, just imagine for a few moments that he is living, that he hears our prayers, that his promise to return is true, that his death was an acceptable sacrifice to pay for the sins of every man, woman and child who receives the gift of grace, forgiveness, and reconciliation extended to them. Listen to this amazing story, the Easter story, the events recorded by a doctor named Luke of what happened following the horrifying death of Jesus:
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. (Luke 24:1)
You just can’t make this stuff up! If Luke—or any other writer—was creating fiction, they would never mention women as the first eyewitnesses of the empty tomb. Women were second-class citizens in the Roman Empire. The authenticity of Dr. Luke’s account is strengthened by details such as this.
All four gospels—or “good news” biographies of Jesus—mention the Resurrection occurring on the first day of the week. Sunday became the day of Christian worship as a result, so this detail is significant, too, since the Jewish Sabbath is from Friday night until Saturday night.
Why did these women—named in other biographies of Jesus—go to the tomb? They brought spices to give his body a proper burial. The original Greek word for spices here is…aroma. Interesting.
In Matthew’s biography, after the death of Jesus, we read:
The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” (Matthew 27:62-64)
It’s ironic that a group of unbelievers remembered Jesus’ prediction that he would rise from the dead, yet his own followers seemed clueless.
“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. (Matthew 27:65-66)
A Roman guard unit consisted of sixteen soldiers—four groups of four. Four would stand in front of that which they were guarding and the other twelve would be behind them, often sleeping in shifts.
Sixteen soldiers were guarding the tomb on Friday, but they weren’t there on Sunday! Back to the women with their spices:
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, (Luke 24:2)
The stone is believed to have been 1.5 to 2 tons!
but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. (Luke 24:3)
I can’t imagine how they felt. Was the body stolen? Who moved the stone? I’m sure the main question was, “Where is the body of Jesus?”
While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? (Luke 24:4-5)
This is a great question!
The universal symbol of the Christian faith is the…cross. It fits nicely on a necklace, is easily constructed with two pieces of wood, and can be found around the world. But the cross is an object of torture. It’s an image of death.
The cross is incredibly important because on it Jesus died for the sins of all who follow him, declaring him LORD and Savior. He lived a perfect life so he could die as a perfect sacrifice for sinners like you and me—imperfect people stained by our failures that separate us from Almighty God.
Our culture is filled with stereotypes and impressions of heaven and hell. Don’t expect heaven to be a place with people floating around playing harps, and don’t look for red guys with pitch forks running around in hell. Let me give you two simple definitions:
Heaven is where God.
Hell is where God isn’t.
Because God is holy and intolerant of sin, our sin separates us from God. That’s why Jesus came, lived, and died—to pay the price, to take our punishment, to cover our sin. The wages of sin is death and we must pay…or we can let Jesus’ death pay it. It’s our choice.
Contrary to statements about God sending people to hell, C.S. Lewis famously said, “All that are in Hell, choose it.” We choose to believe in Jesus, follow him now, and spend eternity with him in heaven—where God is—or we can reject him now and spend eternity in hell—where God isn’t.
But back to our text:
He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” (Luke 24:6-7)
Jesus predicted not only his death, but his resurrection. Not even Harry Houdini, David Copperfield, or Criss Angel can do that!
Then they remembered his words. (Luke 24:8)
Have you ever missed something someone told you? I admit sometimes I’m not the best listener and someone will say to me, “I told you…” Ugh!
Jesus died and came back to life. Nice story. Even if it’s true,
So What?
I’m so glad you asked! In one statement: the empty tomb changes everything!
First, the empty tomb changed the past.
The past two thousand years have ushered in arguably the greatest movement in history. Jesus didn’t come to start another religion, but he did come to show us what it means to be human. He lived a perfect life, preached the greatest sermons, died to reconcile all humanity to God,…but didn’t stop there.
Many people of history have lived extraordinary lives and done incredible things. Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Aristotle, Galileo, Alexander the Great, Plato, William Shakespeare…but they’re all dead. It would be foolish to try to talk to them, even if you were to visit their burial site.
But Jesus is alive, and that changed everything. Paul, one of the leaders of the first Christians, wrote to the church in the Greek city of Corinth:
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. (1 Corinthians 15:14)
I think that’s clear. Without the empty tomb, the Christian faith is useless. A few verses later, Paul writes,
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:17-19)
That’s a pretty bold thing to say. Without the resurrection, our faith is futile, we are living a fantasy, our sins are eternal stains keeping us from Almighty God, there’s no hope for the dead, and we are most to be pitied.
Most people today acknowledge Jesus as an historical figure. Muslims believe in him. Hindus believe in him. Even atheists believe Jesus walked the earth. The question is,
“Who is Jesus?”
The Bible plainly teaches several things:
Jesus is fully God.
Jesus is fully human.
Jesus is perfect.
Jesus died.
Jesus rose from the dead.
By the way, Paul also noted:
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:6)
If you take all of the witnesses and brought them to court to testify for six minutes each, it would take more than 50 hours to get through the testimony. And countless followers of Jesus have become martyrs, dying for their belief not only in the person of Jesus, but also his death and resurrection.
The empty tomb changed the past.
The empty tomb changed the present.
Think for a moment about something broken in your life, something seemingly hopeless.
This past week a friend was devastated by a house sale that fell through. Another failed to get a job they really wanted. Our world witnessed the loss of part of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. Every day we’re confronted disappointment, suffering, and even death.
I can’t imagine the horror of Jesus’ friends as they watched him hanging on a cross, his life extinguished before their very eyes. It’s as if they invested three years building a house, only to watch it go up in flames…with no insurance!
In the classic tale The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, there’s a scene where the great and mighty Aslan is killed on the Stone Table, devastating young Susan and Lucy. But that wasn't the end of the story.
I’ve had many storms in my life which seemed like dead ends. Loss. Hopeless.
But just as Jesus went from death to life, so also many things in my life have been resurrected. I’ve experienced redemption. I’ve found delightful surprises when I turned the page of my story. I’ve discovered miracles are real.
I was reminded of this in the movie Breakthrough, a true story of boy who fell through the ice and was declared dead for 45 minutes before coming back to life, walking out of the hospital on his own, and living without brain damage three weeks later.
The empty tomb changed the present, offering hope to those who believe in miracles, who embrace the supernatural, who have faith in the living Messiah.
This doesn’t mean life is easy. In fact, Jesus promised us we would have troubles in this life, but he also promised to be with us through the storms of life…always.
The empty tomb changed the present. Finally,
The empty tomb changes the future.
One famous song says, “Because he lives/I can face tomorrow/Because he lives/All fear is gone/Because I know he holds the future/And life is worth the living/Just because he lives.”
Some people say Christianity is all about going to heaven when you die. Remember, heaven is where God is, and if you follow Jesus in this life, you will follow him in the next. The most famous verse in the Bible says,
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
This isn’t just a reference to the next life, but to a whole and lasting life. An abundant life. A life filled with meaning and purpose and hope and peace. Christianity is all about going to heaven before you die, experiencing God’s presence and power now. But followers of Jesus are promised an incredible future, new bodies like Jesus’ resurrected body, eternity with God, a reality without temptation or sin. Here’s a sneak preview of what is to come:
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
If Jesus is still dead, I’m hopeless, my faith is useless, my destiny is eternal separation from God in hell because of my sins, and I am, indeed, to be pitied.
But I am convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that Jesus is alive, and that changed the past, the present, and the future.
I have resurrection power.
I have hope.
I have peace.
I have freedom—from sin, darkness, eternal death, and shame.
All because of an empty tomb.
Have you experienced the living Jesus? We can all read about dead people from the past, but Jesus is alive and wants a relationship with you. This isn’t about religion—trying to do good things to make God approve of you. He is already crazy in love with you and proved it by sending Jesus to die for you. This isn’t about tradition. This is about a person, a living person, Jesus.
But no gift is yours until you accept it. A check is worthless until you cash it. A winning lottery ticket cannot buy anything until it is redeemed. And the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross—his claims of divinity validated by his resurrection—is only sufficient if you confess your sins, repent and turn away from your life of sin, and receive the gift of mercy, grace, forgiveness, and love of Jesus.
But it begins with surrender. Let go and let God. I know it’s hard. We all want power and control, but how’s that working out for you? Imagine how different your life could be if the Creator of the universe was in charge? The gospel—the good news—is more than just forgiveness of sins, though Jesus died to make that available to you. Our celebration today is that Jesus is risen. He has conquered all evil, he is seated beside God the Father, he rules the world by his presence until all things have been made subject. Make space for Jesus to be LORD, to be God, to lead your life, to rule your entire life.
There’s no pressure. There’s no guilt. There’s no manipulation. There’s only an invitation.
Jesus said, “Follow me.”
He said, ““I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6b)
He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; (John 11:25b)
Jesus is calling your name today. He wants to call you from darkness to light, from sin to forgiveness, from bondage to freedom.
Have you experienced Jesus, the living Messiah? The empty tomb changed the past, it can change your present, and it can tranform your future.
But you must respond. You must say yes. You must make Jesus your Savior…and LORD.
If you have said yes, if Jesus is your LORD, it’s time to celebrate!
He is risen. He is risen indeed!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—The Quest of the Good Shepherd
Luke 24:1-8
Series Big Idea: Love is one of the most misunderstood words in our culture, yet it is at the heart of the two greatest biblical commandments: love God, love neighbor.
Big Idea: The resurrection changes everything—past, present and future.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Welcome to Resurrection Sunday, our annual Easter celebration, the biggest day on the Church calendar. This is the day we remember the greatest moment in history, when the God who came to the world He created died for the sins of humankind and rose from the dead. He was crucified on a cross, the most horrific torture known in the day, yet he conquered sin and death. He arose. Hallelujah!
Although the vast majority of USAmericans believe Jesus died and resurrected, you may be skeptical. If you’re not convinced Jesus is alive, just imagine for a few moments that he is living, that he hears our prayers, that his promise to return is true, that his death was an acceptable sacrifice to pay for the sins of every man, woman and child who receives the gift of grace, forgiveness, and reconciliation extended to them. Listen to this amazing story, the Easter story, the events recorded by a doctor named Luke of what happened following the horrifying death of Jesus:
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. (Luke 24:1)
You just can’t make this stuff up! If Luke—or any other writer—was creating fiction, they would never mention women as the first eyewitnesses of the empty tomb. Women were second-class citizens in the Roman Empire. The authenticity of Dr. Luke’s account is strengthened by details such as this.
All four gospels—or “good news” biographies of Jesus—mention the Resurrection occurring on the first day of the week. Sunday became the day of Christian worship as a result, so this detail is significant, too, since the Jewish Sabbath is from Friday night until Saturday night.
Why did these women—named in other biographies of Jesus—go to the tomb? They brought spices to give his body a proper burial. The original Greek word for spices here is…aroma. Interesting.
In Matthew’s biography, after the death of Jesus, we read:
The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” (Matthew 27:62-64)
It’s ironic that a group of unbelievers remembered Jesus’ prediction that he would rise from the dead, yet his own followers seemed clueless.
“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. (Matthew 27:65-66)
A Roman guard unit consisted of sixteen soldiers—four groups of four. Four would stand in front of that which they were guarding and the other twelve would be behind them, often sleeping in shifts.
Sixteen soldiers were guarding the tomb on Friday, but they weren’t there on Sunday! Back to the women with their spices:
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, (Luke 24:2)
The stone is believed to have been 1.5 to 2 tons!
but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. (Luke 24:3)
I can’t imagine how they felt. Was the body stolen? Who moved the stone? I’m sure the main question was, “Where is the body of Jesus?”
While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? (Luke 24:4-5)
This is a great question!
The universal symbol of the Christian faith is the…cross. It fits nicely on a necklace, is easily constructed with two pieces of wood, and can be found around the world. But the cross is an object of torture. It’s an image of death.
The cross is incredibly important because on it Jesus died for the sins of all who follow him, declaring him LORD and Savior. He lived a perfect life so he could die as a perfect sacrifice for sinners like you and me—imperfect people stained by our failures that separate us from Almighty God.
Our culture is filled with stereotypes and impressions of heaven and hell. Don’t expect heaven to be a place with people floating around playing harps, and don’t look for red guys with pitch forks running around in hell. Let me give you two simple definitions:
Heaven is where God.
Hell is where God isn’t.
Because God is holy and intolerant of sin, our sin separates us from God. That’s why Jesus came, lived, and died—to pay the price, to take our punishment, to cover our sin. The wages of sin is death and we must pay…or we can let Jesus’ death pay it. It’s our choice.
Contrary to statements about God sending people to hell, C.S. Lewis famously said, “All that are in Hell, choose it.” We choose to believe in Jesus, follow him now, and spend eternity with him in heaven—where God is—or we can reject him now and spend eternity in hell—where God isn’t.
But back to our text:
He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” (Luke 24:6-7)
Jesus predicted not only his death, but his resurrection. Not even Harry Houdini, David Copperfield, or Criss Angel can do that!
Then they remembered his words. (Luke 24:8)
Have you ever missed something someone told you? I admit sometimes I’m not the best listener and someone will say to me, “I told you…” Ugh!
Jesus died and came back to life. Nice story. Even if it’s true,
So What?
I’m so glad you asked! In one statement: the empty tomb changes everything!
First, the empty tomb changed the past.
The past two thousand years have ushered in arguably the greatest movement in history. Jesus didn’t come to start another religion, but he did come to show us what it means to be human. He lived a perfect life, preached the greatest sermons, died to reconcile all humanity to God,…but didn’t stop there.
Many people of history have lived extraordinary lives and done incredible things. Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Aristotle, Galileo, Alexander the Great, Plato, William Shakespeare…but they’re all dead. It would be foolish to try to talk to them, even if you were to visit their burial site.
But Jesus is alive, and that changed everything. Paul, one of the leaders of the first Christians, wrote to the church in the Greek city of Corinth:
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. (1 Corinthians 15:14)
I think that’s clear. Without the empty tomb, the Christian faith is useless. A few verses later, Paul writes,
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:17-19)
That’s a pretty bold thing to say. Without the resurrection, our faith is futile, we are living a fantasy, our sins are eternal stains keeping us from Almighty God, there’s no hope for the dead, and we are most to be pitied.
Most people today acknowledge Jesus as an historical figure. Muslims believe in him. Hindus believe in him. Even atheists believe Jesus walked the earth. The question is,
“Who is Jesus?”
The Bible plainly teaches several things:
Jesus is fully God.
Jesus is fully human.
Jesus is perfect.
Jesus died.
Jesus rose from the dead.
By the way, Paul also noted:
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:6)
If you take all of the witnesses and brought them to court to testify for six minutes each, it would take more than 50 hours to get through the testimony. And countless followers of Jesus have become martyrs, dying for their belief not only in the person of Jesus, but also his death and resurrection.
The empty tomb changed the past.
The empty tomb changed the present.
Think for a moment about something broken in your life, something seemingly hopeless.
This past week a friend was devastated by a house sale that fell through. Another failed to get a job they really wanted. Our world witnessed the loss of part of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. Every day we’re confronted disappointment, suffering, and even death.
I can’t imagine the horror of Jesus’ friends as they watched him hanging on a cross, his life extinguished before their very eyes. It’s as if they invested three years building a house, only to watch it go up in flames…with no insurance!
In the classic tale The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, there’s a scene where the great and mighty Aslan is killed on the Stone Table, devastating young Susan and Lucy. But that wasn't the end of the story.
I’ve had many storms in my life which seemed like dead ends. Loss. Hopeless.
But just as Jesus went from death to life, so also many things in my life have been resurrected. I’ve experienced redemption. I’ve found delightful surprises when I turned the page of my story. I’ve discovered miracles are real.
I was reminded of this in the movie Breakthrough, a true story of boy who fell through the ice and was declared dead for 45 minutes before coming back to life, walking out of the hospital on his own, and living without brain damage three weeks later.
The empty tomb changed the present, offering hope to those who believe in miracles, who embrace the supernatural, who have faith in the living Messiah.
This doesn’t mean life is easy. In fact, Jesus promised us we would have troubles in this life, but he also promised to be with us through the storms of life…always.
The empty tomb changed the present. Finally,
The empty tomb changes the future.
One famous song says, “Because he lives/I can face tomorrow/Because he lives/All fear is gone/Because I know he holds the future/And life is worth the living/Just because he lives.”
Some people say Christianity is all about going to heaven when you die. Remember, heaven is where God is, and if you follow Jesus in this life, you will follow him in the next. The most famous verse in the Bible says,
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
This isn’t just a reference to the next life, but to a whole and lasting life. An abundant life. A life filled with meaning and purpose and hope and peace. Christianity is all about going to heaven before you die, experiencing God’s presence and power now. But followers of Jesus are promised an incredible future, new bodies like Jesus’ resurrected body, eternity with God, a reality without temptation or sin. Here’s a sneak preview of what is to come:
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
If Jesus is still dead, I’m hopeless, my faith is useless, my destiny is eternal separation from God in hell because of my sins, and I am, indeed, to be pitied.
But I am convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that Jesus is alive, and that changed the past, the present, and the future.
I have resurrection power.
I have hope.
I have peace.
I have freedom—from sin, darkness, eternal death, and shame.
All because of an empty tomb.
Have you experienced the living Jesus? We can all read about dead people from the past, but Jesus is alive and wants a relationship with you. This isn’t about religion—trying to do good things to make God approve of you. He is already crazy in love with you and proved it by sending Jesus to die for you. This isn’t about tradition. This is about a person, a living person, Jesus.
But no gift is yours until you accept it. A check is worthless until you cash it. A winning lottery ticket cannot buy anything until it is redeemed. And the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross—his claims of divinity validated by his resurrection—is only sufficient if you confess your sins, repent and turn away from your life of sin, and receive the gift of mercy, grace, forgiveness, and love of Jesus.
But it begins with surrender. Let go and let God. I know it’s hard. We all want power and control, but how’s that working out for you? Imagine how different your life could be if the Creator of the universe was in charge? The gospel—the good news—is more than just forgiveness of sins, though Jesus died to make that available to you. Our celebration today is that Jesus is risen. He has conquered all evil, he is seated beside God the Father, he rules the world by his presence until all things have been made subject. Make space for Jesus to be LORD, to be God, to lead your life, to rule your entire life.
There’s no pressure. There’s no guilt. There’s no manipulation. There’s only an invitation.
Jesus said, “Follow me.”
He said, ““I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6b)
He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; (John 11:25b)
Jesus is calling your name today. He wants to call you from darkness to light, from sin to forgiveness, from bondage to freedom.
Have you experienced Jesus, the living Messiah? The empty tomb changed the past, it can change your present, and it can tranform your future.
But you must respond. You must say yes. You must make Jesus your Savior…and LORD.
If you have said yes, if Jesus is your LORD, it’s time to celebrate!
He is risen. He is risen indeed!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Get (the) Lost! 14 April 2019
14 04 19
Get (the) Lost!
Series—The Quest of the Good Shepherd
Luke 15:1-32
Series Big Idea: Love is one of the most misunderstood words in our culture, yet it is at the heart of the two greatest biblical commandments: love God, love neighbor.
Big Idea: We are to love everyone and perhaps the greatest way we can love someone is to introduce them to Jesus.
This morning we’re continuing our look at the gospel or good news of Luke in our series “The Quest of the Good Shepherd.” Today we’re in Luke chapter 15 where Jesus tells three stories of something lost and found. I’ve entitled my message, “Get (the) Lost!” God’s heart is truly for the lost. If we are to love God—and love our neighbor—we are to pursue the lost and guide them toward the Good Shepherd so that they may be found and experience the amazing love of our Creator God.
One of the Alliance core values states,
Lost people matter to God. He wants them found.
Do you believe that? Does your life reflect that value?
I believe every soul needs Jesus. It is not merely an obligation but actually a privilege to introduce people to the source and definition of love, Almighty God.
Last week we were reminded of the Great Commandments: love God and love your neighbor. One of the ways in which we love God is by loving our neighbor, even when that neighbor is an enemy.
If we truly love God, what matters to God must matter to us.
Every person you encounter this week is masterpiece created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth.
This Friday we will gather at 7 PM to remember God’s unbelievable love in action through the death of Jesus on the cross, an act so outrageous it is literally the definition of the word “passion.” Is it any wonder that after such a sacrifice, the LORD is
…not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9b)
Last Sunday we said love is not just a feeling, but a rugged commitment to another person which requires action. Love is a verb.
Lost Things
Have you ever lost something of value?
I pride myself in keeping track of my stuff, ensuring that I don’t misplace or drop my keys or other such objects. So imagine my surprise when I was at a Detroit Tigers game last year and couldn’t find my phone. It’s a very old phone, but its contents are very valuable to me, especially my photos. One moment I was using my phone and seemingly moments later it was lost. I was so surprised. I had a moment of panic. My pride was squashed (not a bad thing!). What to do?
After some discussion with people nearby, I learned it had fallen on the ground, someone took it to the lost and found, and I was able to retrieve it, safe and sound!
I could’ve sat in my seat the entire game, waiting for my lost phone to fall out of the sky onto my lap, but that’s not how we usually find lost things! We need to take action, to search, and even pray!
If a piece of gum fell out of my pocket or a tissue, I never would’ve gone to the trouble of finding it, but when it was something of value, it was worth the pursuit. Let me say again,
Lost people matter to God. He wants them found.
Our text for today actually includes three stories of lost things. The first is the lost sheep.
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” (Luke 15:1-2)
Then Jesus told them this parable:
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ (Luke 15:3-6)
Sheep and shepherds are not popular in our culture, but the Bible is filled with them. Psalm 23 tells us the LORD is our shepherd. Jesus is described as the Good Shepherd in John chapter 10.
The celebration is not merely for the sheep, but also for the shepherd who found the lost animal. He doesn’t simply say, “The sheep has been found,” but “I have found my lost sheep.” Sheep are not the brightest creatures on earth, and when they’re lost, there’s not much they can do to be found.
Why would the shepherd risk the safety and well-being of ninety-nine good, healthy, “obedient” sheep to find one stray? Jesus continues,
I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. (Luke 15:7)
Does this mean Christians don’t matter to God? Hardly, but our Heavenly Father will not be satisfied until all of His children are adopted, reconciled to Him, found. To further make his point, Jesus talks about a lost coin.
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:8-10)
Married Jewish girls often wore a headband of ten silver coins, similar to how women in our day wear wedding rings. Losing one of the coins necessitated a search. Again, it’s not just that the coin has been found, but rejoice that “I have found,” she says.
Are you getting the point? Angels rejoice over lost person who is found. I’m not sure how angels rejoice, but I bet they know how to throw a party! Imagine how they must’ve partied when you repented and began to follow Jesus…if you have done so.
If the messages of the lost sheep and lost coin were unclear, the lost son—also known as the prodigal son—surely conveys God’s love for the lost.
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. (Luke 15:11-12)
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. (Luke 15:13)
Far or distant country didn’t just mean a place a long ways away, but Gentiles—a different worldview, a different culture.
After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. (Luke 15:14-16)
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ (Luke 15:17-19)
So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. (Luke 15:20)
It would've been unusual for the father to run. The wayward boy brought disgrace to his family and could've been stoned to death in the culture. The father running possibly kept the neighbors from stoning the boy. What a picture of Jesus on the cross!
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ (Luke 15:21)
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:22-24)
The lost son has returned home and there is a celebration. I know of several prodigals in our church family, men and women who have walked away from the faith and/or their family. The pain is heartbreaking while the prayers seem unending. I have first-hand experience with this and beg God to bring reconciliation to my family. I have the fattened calf ready to go!
I wish the story ended here. I really do. Lost and found. Lost and found. Lost and found. But there’s more to the story of the prodigal son. It involves the ninety-nine sheep. It’s about the nine silver coins which were not lost. It’s about the older son. We might call him the good Christian boy who went to church every Sunday, never said cuss words, and got straight A’s on his homework while his brother partied until he was broke and hungry.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ (Luke 15:25-27)
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ (Luke 15:28-30)
“ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ” (Luke 15:31-32)
So What?
Family, I love you. I truly love you, and I know God loves you, too. He loves each and every one of you. He loves our brothers and sisters at Westgate Chapel, the Vineyard, the Tabernacle, Bedford Alliance, That Neighborhood Church, and Cedar Creek.
But God also loves the lost. Jesus died for the unchurched. He sacrificed his life for atheists. His blood was shed for Muslims. His body was broken for Buddhists.
Lost people matter to God. He wants them found. Do you? Do we?
Perhaps there was a day when we would ring the bell and everyone would rush into our church building, but that’s clearly not the case today. Our competition is not Harvest Lane Alliance Church or Calvary Church. Our competition is the television, the golf course, the Internet, and the pillow.
Our city is packed with people searching for hope and meaning. Some are so depressed and discouraged that they’re taking their own lives…or those of others. Countless men, women, boys, and girls feel unloved, rejected, and worthless. They are lost.
Sure, I would love for God to appear to them in a dream and reveal His love for them—and that is happening, especially among Muslims—but more often than not God uses people like you and me to go and make disciples, to search for the lost, to introduce people to Jesus. Yes, God can use billboards and radio programs and television shows, but most people are following Jesus because a friend or family member shared their story and God’s story.
Perhaps the greatest way we can love someone is to introduce them to Jesus.
John Wesley said, "The church has nothing to do but to save souls. Therefore, spend and be spent in this work."
This is so important, family, not to get more people to attend First Alliance Church, but rather to get more people into the Kingdom of God! Jesus gave us three examples of lost and found to show us his heart and our mission…our commission.
I realize it can be difficult to just walk up to a stranger and say, “Hi! Are you lost?” I want to offer some simple, tangible next steps you can take in the next few weeks to get (the) lost!
1. Breakthrough movie. Opens Wednesday.
2. Easter. Next Sunday. 9:00 and 10:30 AM
3. Dinner Church. Preview on May 5, 5-7 PM.
4. Celebrate Recovery. Relaunches on May 8
Before you make invitations, please do one important thing: pray. Pray about who to invite. Pray for the person to accept the invitation. Pray for the Holy Spirit to open their eyes to the truth and their heart to Jesus.
Lets’ get (the) lost!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—The Quest of the Good Shepherd
Luke 15:1-32
Series Big Idea: Love is one of the most misunderstood words in our culture, yet it is at the heart of the two greatest biblical commandments: love God, love neighbor.
Big Idea: We are to love everyone and perhaps the greatest way we can love someone is to introduce them to Jesus.
This morning we’re continuing our look at the gospel or good news of Luke in our series “The Quest of the Good Shepherd.” Today we’re in Luke chapter 15 where Jesus tells three stories of something lost and found. I’ve entitled my message, “Get (the) Lost!” God’s heart is truly for the lost. If we are to love God—and love our neighbor—we are to pursue the lost and guide them toward the Good Shepherd so that they may be found and experience the amazing love of our Creator God.
One of the Alliance core values states,
Lost people matter to God. He wants them found.
Do you believe that? Does your life reflect that value?
I believe every soul needs Jesus. It is not merely an obligation but actually a privilege to introduce people to the source and definition of love, Almighty God.
Last week we were reminded of the Great Commandments: love God and love your neighbor. One of the ways in which we love God is by loving our neighbor, even when that neighbor is an enemy.
If we truly love God, what matters to God must matter to us.
Every person you encounter this week is masterpiece created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth.
This Friday we will gather at 7 PM to remember God’s unbelievable love in action through the death of Jesus on the cross, an act so outrageous it is literally the definition of the word “passion.” Is it any wonder that after such a sacrifice, the LORD is
…not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9b)
Last Sunday we said love is not just a feeling, but a rugged commitment to another person which requires action. Love is a verb.
Lost Things
Have you ever lost something of value?
I pride myself in keeping track of my stuff, ensuring that I don’t misplace or drop my keys or other such objects. So imagine my surprise when I was at a Detroit Tigers game last year and couldn’t find my phone. It’s a very old phone, but its contents are very valuable to me, especially my photos. One moment I was using my phone and seemingly moments later it was lost. I was so surprised. I had a moment of panic. My pride was squashed (not a bad thing!). What to do?
After some discussion with people nearby, I learned it had fallen on the ground, someone took it to the lost and found, and I was able to retrieve it, safe and sound!
I could’ve sat in my seat the entire game, waiting for my lost phone to fall out of the sky onto my lap, but that’s not how we usually find lost things! We need to take action, to search, and even pray!
If a piece of gum fell out of my pocket or a tissue, I never would’ve gone to the trouble of finding it, but when it was something of value, it was worth the pursuit. Let me say again,
Lost people matter to God. He wants them found.
Our text for today actually includes three stories of lost things. The first is the lost sheep.
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” (Luke 15:1-2)
Then Jesus told them this parable:
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ (Luke 15:3-6)
Sheep and shepherds are not popular in our culture, but the Bible is filled with them. Psalm 23 tells us the LORD is our shepherd. Jesus is described as the Good Shepherd in John chapter 10.
The celebration is not merely for the sheep, but also for the shepherd who found the lost animal. He doesn’t simply say, “The sheep has been found,” but “I have found my lost sheep.” Sheep are not the brightest creatures on earth, and when they’re lost, there’s not much they can do to be found.
Why would the shepherd risk the safety and well-being of ninety-nine good, healthy, “obedient” sheep to find one stray? Jesus continues,
I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. (Luke 15:7)
Does this mean Christians don’t matter to God? Hardly, but our Heavenly Father will not be satisfied until all of His children are adopted, reconciled to Him, found. To further make his point, Jesus talks about a lost coin.
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:8-10)
Married Jewish girls often wore a headband of ten silver coins, similar to how women in our day wear wedding rings. Losing one of the coins necessitated a search. Again, it’s not just that the coin has been found, but rejoice that “I have found,” she says.
Are you getting the point? Angels rejoice over lost person who is found. I’m not sure how angels rejoice, but I bet they know how to throw a party! Imagine how they must’ve partied when you repented and began to follow Jesus…if you have done so.
If the messages of the lost sheep and lost coin were unclear, the lost son—also known as the prodigal son—surely conveys God’s love for the lost.
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. (Luke 15:11-12)
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. (Luke 15:13)
Far or distant country didn’t just mean a place a long ways away, but Gentiles—a different worldview, a different culture.
After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. (Luke 15:14-16)
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ (Luke 15:17-19)
So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. (Luke 15:20)
It would've been unusual for the father to run. The wayward boy brought disgrace to his family and could've been stoned to death in the culture. The father running possibly kept the neighbors from stoning the boy. What a picture of Jesus on the cross!
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ (Luke 15:21)
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:22-24)
The lost son has returned home and there is a celebration. I know of several prodigals in our church family, men and women who have walked away from the faith and/or their family. The pain is heartbreaking while the prayers seem unending. I have first-hand experience with this and beg God to bring reconciliation to my family. I have the fattened calf ready to go!
I wish the story ended here. I really do. Lost and found. Lost and found. Lost and found. But there’s more to the story of the prodigal son. It involves the ninety-nine sheep. It’s about the nine silver coins which were not lost. It’s about the older son. We might call him the good Christian boy who went to church every Sunday, never said cuss words, and got straight A’s on his homework while his brother partied until he was broke and hungry.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ (Luke 15:25-27)
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ (Luke 15:28-30)
“ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ” (Luke 15:31-32)
So What?
Family, I love you. I truly love you, and I know God loves you, too. He loves each and every one of you. He loves our brothers and sisters at Westgate Chapel, the Vineyard, the Tabernacle, Bedford Alliance, That Neighborhood Church, and Cedar Creek.
But God also loves the lost. Jesus died for the unchurched. He sacrificed his life for atheists. His blood was shed for Muslims. His body was broken for Buddhists.
Lost people matter to God. He wants them found. Do you? Do we?
Perhaps there was a day when we would ring the bell and everyone would rush into our church building, but that’s clearly not the case today. Our competition is not Harvest Lane Alliance Church or Calvary Church. Our competition is the television, the golf course, the Internet, and the pillow.
Our city is packed with people searching for hope and meaning. Some are so depressed and discouraged that they’re taking their own lives…or those of others. Countless men, women, boys, and girls feel unloved, rejected, and worthless. They are lost.
Sure, I would love for God to appear to them in a dream and reveal His love for them—and that is happening, especially among Muslims—but more often than not God uses people like you and me to go and make disciples, to search for the lost, to introduce people to Jesus. Yes, God can use billboards and radio programs and television shows, but most people are following Jesus because a friend or family member shared their story and God’s story.
Perhaps the greatest way we can love someone is to introduce them to Jesus.
John Wesley said, "The church has nothing to do but to save souls. Therefore, spend and be spent in this work."
This is so important, family, not to get more people to attend First Alliance Church, but rather to get more people into the Kingdom of God! Jesus gave us three examples of lost and found to show us his heart and our mission…our commission.
I realize it can be difficult to just walk up to a stranger and say, “Hi! Are you lost?” I want to offer some simple, tangible next steps you can take in the next few weeks to get (the) lost!
1. Breakthrough movie. Opens Wednesday.
2. Easter. Next Sunday. 9:00 and 10:30 AM
3. Dinner Church. Preview on May 5, 5-7 PM.
4. Celebrate Recovery. Relaunches on May 8
Before you make invitations, please do one important thing: pray. Pray about who to invite. Pray for the person to accept the invitation. Pray for the Holy Spirit to open their eyes to the truth and their heart to Jesus.
Lets’ get (the) lost!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Love Your Neighbor, 7 April 2019
08 04 19
Love Your Neighbor
Series—The Quest of the Good Shepherd
Luke 10:25-37
Series Big Idea: Love is one of the most misunderstood words in our culture, yet it is at the heart of the two greatest biblical commandments: love God, love neighbor.
Big Idea: We are to love everyone, which means…everyone…because we’ve been loved by God.
Today’s text is so clear, so famous, so obvious. If you’ve spent any amount of time around here, you’ve heard about the Great Commission—make disciples or students of Jesus—and the Great Commandment: love God and love your neighbor.
You heard about the Great Commission last week during our Global Missions Conference. We are to make disciples as we are going through life, and for many of us we are to go and make disciples, go and share the story of Jesus with people who have never even heard his name, go to Africa or Columbus or even next door. But we must always, always, always go…with love.
Last month we were in the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes. This month we’re going to be in the book of Luke in a series we’re calling The Quest of the Good Shepherd. Holy Week is right around the corner so it makes sense for us to focus on some of the key teachings and life events of Jesus. Dr. Luke is writing a biography of Jesus and in chapter ten he writes,
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25)
This is a test…from a very smart man, an expert in the law, a religious leader, a respected person in the community. Jesus does what he so often does, he answers a question with a question.
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” (Luke 10:26)
I think I might respond, “Jesus, I asked you first!” But…
He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27)
God wants us to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Where did this scholar come up with this answer? He knew the known-Bible, what we call the Old Testament.
Love the LORD your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always. (Deuteronomy 11:1)
“ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:18)
The scholar began with a question, Jesus replied with a question, the man answered Jesus’ question, and then Jesus speaks.
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” (Luke 10:28)
There it is, the end of the story. Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Simple. Clear. Any questions?
The scholar had one.
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29)
What’s the first thing when you hear the word…neighbor?
Who is my neighbor? When I was a kid, I always thought of my next door neighbor. Andrew was my friend, and it seemed reasonable to love him, to respect him, to show kindness and exercise the Golden Rule with him.
We can certainly extend neighbor from our next door neighbor to the person sitting next to us right now. This year, the National Day of Prayer is on May 2 and the theme is “Love One Another.” Jesus said,
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
We will gather with people from across our city at Cherry Street Mission’s Life Revitalization Center down the street at 7 PM on May 2 to pray together, worship together, and love one another.
Perhaps you’re thinking love one another is too basic, too simple. You want me to get deep, you want meat, come on preacher, give me something new! I’m sorry, but until we truly love God and love one another, we’re never going to be the mature followers of Jesus we claim to be. I’m not being critical, but simply saying loving one another is a lot more challenging than it sounds. Jesus said the hallmark of our devotion to Him is our love for one another, the people in our church family, our brothers and sisters in Christ in Toledo and beyond, yes, even those from a different congregation or denomination with a different worship style or with theological differences. There’s a time and a place for dialogue on our differences, but at the end of the day, we must love one another. Tragically, the world has seen division rather than unity, hate rather than love, and criticism rather than compassion from the Church of Jesus Christ. No wonder so many have given up on organized religion!
But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can love one another. We must love one another if we have any hope of seeing spiritual awakening. This is not a commercial, but I want to challenge you to join in the National Day of Prayer gathering on Thursday, May 2. You’ll be hearing more about it and it’s already on the church calendar, but this could be a great stop toward loving your neighbor, your brothers and sisters in Christ. If we can’t love one another, how in the world will we love those outside the church?
Maybe we should back up and ask, “What is love?” 1 Corinthians 13 offers a good description. It’s not about marriage—though marriages should be filled with love. It describes true, unconditional, agape love.
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NLT)
Love requires action. It’s more than a mushy feeling. It’s a rugged commitment to another person demonstrated not only with words but deeds. We are to love one another. We are to love our neighbor. Now back to our text,…
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29)
Another question from this man!
We are to love one another, but clearly it doesn’t stop when we exit the building.
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. (Luke 10:30)
I’m guessing this isn’t the answer the expert in the law was looking for when he asked Jesus to define neighbor. Nevertheless, Jesus tells the story of this robbery victim. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was known to be dangerous and difficult, even called the “Way of Blood” due to the violence that occurred there.
A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. (Luke 10:31)
This kind of hits close to home for me. My title is not priest, but it might as well be in this instance. Notice the priest saw them man and deliberately avoided him.
Maybe the man was thought to be dead, in which case contact would defile the priest and make him ritually unclean. However, there was an exception for neglected corpses. What we do know is the priest did not love this man.
So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. (Luke 10:32)
Levites were respected leaders in the day and this Levite did the exact same thing as the priest. Almsgiving to the poor was how the Pharisees—experts in the law—loved their neighbors as themselves.
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. (Luke 10:33)
This surely offended the expert in the law asking Jesus the question. Jews hated Samaritans.
He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. (Luke 10:34)
Is this love? Of course. Don’t miss the next verse. I love how the Samaritan delegated care to this man.
The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ (Luke 10:35)
The Samaritan touched the man, bandaged him, poured oil and wine, transported him on his donkey, and took him to an inn where he cared for him. But he doesn’t stop there. He pays the innkeeper to care for him. Delegation is a powerful leadership tool. As I often tell our church staff, you don’t have to do everything…you just have to make sure everything is done. There may be times when you can’t provide the help someone needs, but you can help them get the help they need. There are six verbs here that describe the loving action this Samaritan took. He invested emotionally, physically, and financially in this stranger’s rescue.
The story concludes by Jesus asking the expert in the law,
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:36-37)
Notice the expert in the law wouldn’t even utter the word “Samaritan!” In the Greek, “do” is an imperative verb, a command. It’s not optional. Have mercy. Love others. Put your faith into action. We often love God by loving others.
We could analyze this story for hours—and many articles and books have been written about it—but don’t miss the central point:
Our neighbor is anyone we encounter.
They might be a friend or acquaintance. They might look and act like you. Then again…
Our neighbor may be a stranger.
It could be someone you encounter for the first time, as was the case in this story. It might be an Immigrant, a refugee, a prostitute, a panhandler, a lawyer, a drug dealer, a pastor, …
Here’s the really challenging reality:
Our neighbor may be an enemy.
That was clearly the case in Jesus’ story. We can’t begin to understand how much the Jews hated the Samaritans.
Who’s your enemy? I know, you don’t have any enemies, right? But seriously, what about Democrats or Republicans, refugees or immigrants, your boss, the gangsters down the street? Perhaps members of the LGBTQ community disgust you. Maybe you have hatred toward or have received hatred from someone of a different race, nationality, or religion. On a more personal level, maybe your enemy is an abuser, a criminal, someone who has done you great harm. We are to love them, too (though “love” does not mean trust; we need healthy boundaries).
At this year’s MERGE Summit, Savannah Martin shared a powerful story about The Pregnancy Center’s opportunity to open a location next door to Toledo’s lone abortion clinic. Talk about loving your neighbor! She said God made it clear she was to not only love those seeking an abortion, but also those who worked inside. It was a startling realization, yet one which resulted in The Pregnancy Center providing Christmas gifts to the abortion workers! They realized these workers are not the enemy, but actually masterpieces created by God with dignity, value and worth. They may not value the life of an unborn child, but they are not the enemy. They need to experience God’s love, too…in word and deed.
The word “enemy” appears more than 300 times in the Bible! Paul told the Roman church:
…“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” (Romans 12:20)
I have a confession: I’m not a loving person. I love myself pretty well! Most of the time I’m loving toward my wife and kids and grandbaby. I think I do a decent job of loving our staff and our congregation…I truly love you, church! But there are other people who are more difficult to love.
I really can’t love my neighbor…apart from the power of God. Only the Holy Spirit can give me the love I need to love my neighbor, my friend, my family, my enemy.
Here’s the real scandal:
We were all enemies of God, yet He loved us through both words and action.
This the perfect segue to communion, the LORD’s Supper, the Eucharist. In that letter to the Romans, Paul said,
For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! (Romans 5:10)
We can only love others—and God—with the love we have received from God. This was Jesus’ point in Luke chapter 7 when he said that “whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” (Luke 7:47b)
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Communion
Author and speaker Bob Goff has two books. The first is entitled, “Love Does.” His second book describes the scope of love: “Everybody always.” That includes our God, our neighbor, our friend, our church family, and our enemies.
Pastor Bryan Loritts said, “The gospel begins with a vertical relationship with God that propels us into horizontal relationships with our neighbors who don’t look like, think like, or vote like us.”
May the Holy Spirit fill you with love—the greatest of all gifts—that you may go and love your neighbor—even your enemy—as yourself.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—The Quest of the Good Shepherd
Luke 10:25-37
Series Big Idea: Love is one of the most misunderstood words in our culture, yet it is at the heart of the two greatest biblical commandments: love God, love neighbor.
Big Idea: We are to love everyone, which means…everyone…because we’ve been loved by God.
Today’s text is so clear, so famous, so obvious. If you’ve spent any amount of time around here, you’ve heard about the Great Commission—make disciples or students of Jesus—and the Great Commandment: love God and love your neighbor.
You heard about the Great Commission last week during our Global Missions Conference. We are to make disciples as we are going through life, and for many of us we are to go and make disciples, go and share the story of Jesus with people who have never even heard his name, go to Africa or Columbus or even next door. But we must always, always, always go…with love.
Last month we were in the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes. This month we’re going to be in the book of Luke in a series we’re calling The Quest of the Good Shepherd. Holy Week is right around the corner so it makes sense for us to focus on some of the key teachings and life events of Jesus. Dr. Luke is writing a biography of Jesus and in chapter ten he writes,
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25)
This is a test…from a very smart man, an expert in the law, a religious leader, a respected person in the community. Jesus does what he so often does, he answers a question with a question.
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” (Luke 10:26)
I think I might respond, “Jesus, I asked you first!” But…
He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27)
God wants us to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Where did this scholar come up with this answer? He knew the known-Bible, what we call the Old Testament.
Love the LORD your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always. (Deuteronomy 11:1)
“ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:18)
The scholar began with a question, Jesus replied with a question, the man answered Jesus’ question, and then Jesus speaks.
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” (Luke 10:28)
There it is, the end of the story. Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Simple. Clear. Any questions?
The scholar had one.
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29)
What’s the first thing when you hear the word…neighbor?
Who is my neighbor? When I was a kid, I always thought of my next door neighbor. Andrew was my friend, and it seemed reasonable to love him, to respect him, to show kindness and exercise the Golden Rule with him.
We can certainly extend neighbor from our next door neighbor to the person sitting next to us right now. This year, the National Day of Prayer is on May 2 and the theme is “Love One Another.” Jesus said,
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
We will gather with people from across our city at Cherry Street Mission’s Life Revitalization Center down the street at 7 PM on May 2 to pray together, worship together, and love one another.
Perhaps you’re thinking love one another is too basic, too simple. You want me to get deep, you want meat, come on preacher, give me something new! I’m sorry, but until we truly love God and love one another, we’re never going to be the mature followers of Jesus we claim to be. I’m not being critical, but simply saying loving one another is a lot more challenging than it sounds. Jesus said the hallmark of our devotion to Him is our love for one another, the people in our church family, our brothers and sisters in Christ in Toledo and beyond, yes, even those from a different congregation or denomination with a different worship style or with theological differences. There’s a time and a place for dialogue on our differences, but at the end of the day, we must love one another. Tragically, the world has seen division rather than unity, hate rather than love, and criticism rather than compassion from the Church of Jesus Christ. No wonder so many have given up on organized religion!
But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can love one another. We must love one another if we have any hope of seeing spiritual awakening. This is not a commercial, but I want to challenge you to join in the National Day of Prayer gathering on Thursday, May 2. You’ll be hearing more about it and it’s already on the church calendar, but this could be a great stop toward loving your neighbor, your brothers and sisters in Christ. If we can’t love one another, how in the world will we love those outside the church?
Maybe we should back up and ask, “What is love?” 1 Corinthians 13 offers a good description. It’s not about marriage—though marriages should be filled with love. It describes true, unconditional, agape love.
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NLT)
Love requires action. It’s more than a mushy feeling. It’s a rugged commitment to another person demonstrated not only with words but deeds. We are to love one another. We are to love our neighbor. Now back to our text,…
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29)
Another question from this man!
We are to love one another, but clearly it doesn’t stop when we exit the building.
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. (Luke 10:30)
I’m guessing this isn’t the answer the expert in the law was looking for when he asked Jesus to define neighbor. Nevertheless, Jesus tells the story of this robbery victim. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was known to be dangerous and difficult, even called the “Way of Blood” due to the violence that occurred there.
A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. (Luke 10:31)
This kind of hits close to home for me. My title is not priest, but it might as well be in this instance. Notice the priest saw them man and deliberately avoided him.
Maybe the man was thought to be dead, in which case contact would defile the priest and make him ritually unclean. However, there was an exception for neglected corpses. What we do know is the priest did not love this man.
So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. (Luke 10:32)
Levites were respected leaders in the day and this Levite did the exact same thing as the priest. Almsgiving to the poor was how the Pharisees—experts in the law—loved their neighbors as themselves.
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. (Luke 10:33)
This surely offended the expert in the law asking Jesus the question. Jews hated Samaritans.
He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. (Luke 10:34)
Is this love? Of course. Don’t miss the next verse. I love how the Samaritan delegated care to this man.
The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ (Luke 10:35)
The Samaritan touched the man, bandaged him, poured oil and wine, transported him on his donkey, and took him to an inn where he cared for him. But he doesn’t stop there. He pays the innkeeper to care for him. Delegation is a powerful leadership tool. As I often tell our church staff, you don’t have to do everything…you just have to make sure everything is done. There may be times when you can’t provide the help someone needs, but you can help them get the help they need. There are six verbs here that describe the loving action this Samaritan took. He invested emotionally, physically, and financially in this stranger’s rescue.
The story concludes by Jesus asking the expert in the law,
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:36-37)
Notice the expert in the law wouldn’t even utter the word “Samaritan!” In the Greek, “do” is an imperative verb, a command. It’s not optional. Have mercy. Love others. Put your faith into action. We often love God by loving others.
We could analyze this story for hours—and many articles and books have been written about it—but don’t miss the central point:
Our neighbor is anyone we encounter.
They might be a friend or acquaintance. They might look and act like you. Then again…
Our neighbor may be a stranger.
It could be someone you encounter for the first time, as was the case in this story. It might be an Immigrant, a refugee, a prostitute, a panhandler, a lawyer, a drug dealer, a pastor, …
Here’s the really challenging reality:
Our neighbor may be an enemy.
That was clearly the case in Jesus’ story. We can’t begin to understand how much the Jews hated the Samaritans.
Who’s your enemy? I know, you don’t have any enemies, right? But seriously, what about Democrats or Republicans, refugees or immigrants, your boss, the gangsters down the street? Perhaps members of the LGBTQ community disgust you. Maybe you have hatred toward or have received hatred from someone of a different race, nationality, or religion. On a more personal level, maybe your enemy is an abuser, a criminal, someone who has done you great harm. We are to love them, too (though “love” does not mean trust; we need healthy boundaries).
At this year’s MERGE Summit, Savannah Martin shared a powerful story about The Pregnancy Center’s opportunity to open a location next door to Toledo’s lone abortion clinic. Talk about loving your neighbor! She said God made it clear she was to not only love those seeking an abortion, but also those who worked inside. It was a startling realization, yet one which resulted in The Pregnancy Center providing Christmas gifts to the abortion workers! They realized these workers are not the enemy, but actually masterpieces created by God with dignity, value and worth. They may not value the life of an unborn child, but they are not the enemy. They need to experience God’s love, too…in word and deed.
The word “enemy” appears more than 300 times in the Bible! Paul told the Roman church:
…“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” (Romans 12:20)
I have a confession: I’m not a loving person. I love myself pretty well! Most of the time I’m loving toward my wife and kids and grandbaby. I think I do a decent job of loving our staff and our congregation…I truly love you, church! But there are other people who are more difficult to love.
I really can’t love my neighbor…apart from the power of God. Only the Holy Spirit can give me the love I need to love my neighbor, my friend, my family, my enemy.
Here’s the real scandal:
We were all enemies of God, yet He loved us through both words and action.
This the perfect segue to communion, the LORD’s Supper, the Eucharist. In that letter to the Romans, Paul said,
For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! (Romans 5:10)
We can only love others—and God—with the love we have received from God. This was Jesus’ point in Luke chapter 7 when he said that “whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” (Luke 7:47b)
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Communion
Author and speaker Bob Goff has two books. The first is entitled, “Love Does.” His second book describes the scope of love: “Everybody always.” That includes our God, our neighbor, our friend, our church family, and our enemies.
Pastor Bryan Loritts said, “The gospel begins with a vertical relationship with God that propels us into horizontal relationships with our neighbors who don’t look like, think like, or vote like us.”
May the Holy Spirit fill you with love—the greatest of all gifts—that you may go and love your neighbor—even your enemy—as yourself.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Life's Contradictions, 24 March 2019
24 03 19
Life’s Contradictions
Series—The Meaning of Life
Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12
Series Big Idea: The human heart is wired to pursue meaning in life…and the meaning of life itself only truly understood through our Creator.
Big Idea: Money and stuff will never satisfy like knowing God and investing in eternal things.
Contradictions. Life is full of them…or so it seems. Thomas George, our District Superintendent, wrote last week,
“Isn't it interesting how many contradictory things we desire, e.g. Absolute freedom & safety; predictive services & privacy; same life & different outcome; public services & no taxes, home cooking restaurant, good quality cheap, quick spiritual formation.”
Some have said the Bible is full of contradictions, and while I would admit some things appear to be in conflict, the real tension is between life under the sun and life over the sun.
Today we are finishing our look at passages from the book of Ecclesiastes, likely written by King Solomon. While he ultimately concludes life over the sun—life with God—is precious, life under the sun—lived according to the world’s standards—is meaningless. Specifically, money and possessions will never truly satisfy.
We began our series referencing those famous words from Mick Jagger: I can’t get no satisfaction. There might be nothing more ultimately unsatisfying than money and possessions. People work so hard to be able to buy stuff, only to find out they need to store it, maintain it, insure it, and protect it. Our text for today begins:
If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields. (Ecclesiastes 5:8-9)
And you thought crooked politicians were something new!
Why would anyone want to oppress the poor, denying them justice and their rights? Could it be power and money?
Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. (Ecclesiastes 5:10)
Materialism is nothing new, either.
As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep. (Ecclesiastes 5:11-12)
I find these verses fascinating. Hard work can lead to good rest, but if you’ve got a lot of stuff, you might worry about it getting stolen or damaged. Have you ever been lying in bed at night wondering if you locked the front door…or the car door?
I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:
wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners, or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit. Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands. (Ecclesiastes 5:13-15)
Job, in the midst of tremendous anguish, famously declared,
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” (Job 1:21)
He’s saying we can work and accumulate all kinds of stuff, but life is short, we enter the world with nothing, and we’ll take nothing physical with us into the next life.
This too is a grievous evil:
As everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind? All their days they eat in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger. (Ecclesiastes 5:16-17)
It all sounds so meaningless, doesn’t it?
The world says money and stuff will make you happy, but it’s always temporary. We’ve seen this before. It bears repeating, because for the rest of our lives we will be bombarded by this lie that money will satisfy.
Not only will money never satisfy, the path to acquiring money is often unsatisfying. I don’t just mean the free trip in the back of the police car if you try to rob a bank! Have you ever taken a promotion for more money, only to find the new work less fulfilling than the old? This isn’t always the case, but I’ve had friends who stepped out of their passion and calling for more money. One was a fantastic school teacher who was lured into the principal’s office by more money, only discover he was a better teacher than he was a principal.
When my dad was alive, I used to ask him about his work. He had many opportunities to move from salesman to sales manager. I couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t accept the promotion and the raise until he explained how he loved to sell. He didn’t want to sit at a desk all day, preferring to travel in the area, meeting with customers, and addressing their needs.
Not only is money never enough, the path toward getting more can be disappointing.
Investing in eternal things will be bring both temporary happiness and eternal joy.
There is one use of money which is truly satisfying: investing in eternal things. I love to give to First Alliance Church. I know first-hand every dollar is spent carefully, not only to serve you, but also to reach out to our city, to support our ten Home Missions partners, to impact lives through our Faith Missions partners, and to literally change the world through the Great Commission Fund and the international work it funds.
Obviously, I don’t give 100% of my money to First Alliance Church. I like to eat and live indoors! However, I know every time I buy food, it is for something temporal; necessary, but temporal. I’m grateful for a car, but I know it won’t run forever. Even if it did, there will come a day when I cannot drive it. I can buy the latest gadgets and gizmos, but next year they’ll be outdated and soon obsolete.
Investing in eternal things will be bring both temporary happiness and eternal joy.
The same can be said for our time, too. I realize some of you have more time than money. How do you spend it? How do you invest it? There’s nothing wrong with hobbies and recreation, but will your golf score, movie trivia knowledge, or stamp collection matter in a hundred years? Discipleship—following Jesus and equipping others to do the same—is eternal work. Souls matter…forever. The time and energy you invest in the next generation—be it the next spiritual generation and/or the next physical generation—can change the destinies of people…even generations of people.
Solomon often returns to the subject of work.
This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart. (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20)
Is work a good thing or a bad thing? It can be!
Work is a gift. We were created to work—not work ourselves to death, but when we serve God rather than the boss, we can experience satisfaction in work.
Note to young adults: don’t expect your first job out of high school or college to be your dream job! Your elders spent years getting to where they are, and it’s unlikely you’ll get there overnight. You have to pay your dues. Be faithful in small things and you’ll be given more.
There will be work in heaven. We will be given tasks, but they will not be burdensome. What kind of work would you like to do in the next life? I was thinking maybe testing ice cream flavors would be—heavenly!
We don’t have time to delve deeply into this, but work matters. Your work matters, no matter what title or position you hold. Some people think the work of a pastor is more important than that of a student, teacher, doctor, mechanic, or homemaker. Nothing could be further from the truth! We are all called by God to do something, not only for a paycheck, but also for our personal growth and development along with serving others.
Work matters.
Is work a good thing or a bad thing? It can be!
Is wealth a good thing or a bad thing? It can be!
I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil. (Ecclesiastes 6:1-2)
I know, wouldn’t it be great if God gave you wealth, possessions and honor? Not so fast!
First, what do you have? Let’s set aside health and freedom and Jesus and family and just think about our stuff. What do you have?
One of the startling things about being in Africa was working with kids that had nothing. Well, that’s not quite true. One boy had a t-shirt. That’s literally all he had in the whole world. No shoes. No socks. No pants. He had a t-shirt. Every person in this room has far more than this precious masterpiece.
I know that sounds extreme, but consider again this number: $32,400.
If your annual income is at least $32,400, you are in the wealthiest 1% in the world. That means you are wealthier than 99% of the people on this planet! See, you have possessions, but perhaps like Solomon says, you don’t enjoy them. Why not?
One thing that robs us of our joy is comparison. Why do we pay so much attention to what others have? Why do I judge people who have more than me…while looking down on those who have less?
Perhaps the opposite of comparison is contentment.
Paul—who wrote many books of the Bible—wrote,
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:12-13)
This almost sounds like marriage vows—better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. Paul’s point is contentment can only be found in knowing God, and we are so easily distracted toward other things the Bible calls idols.
Look at Paul’s words to Timothy:
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:6-10)
Money is not the root of all evil, but the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. It often becomes an idol, a god, something we value above all else. And it will never truly satisfy. Do your possessions possess you?
A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man—even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place? (Ecclesiastes 6:3-6)
Every good and perfect gift is from above…from over the sun…from God. Wealth and possessions can be a gift from God to be enjoyed and shared, though tragically many simply want more and hoard.
Work can be a gift from God to bring contentment and meaning, though tragically many simply grumble and complain or abuse their bodies and relationships trying to climb to the top.
Next, Solomon dispenses several more declarations of the meaninglessness of life under the sun, life without God, life without an eternal perspective.
Everyone’s toil is for their mouth, yet their appetite is never satisfied. What advantage have the wise over fools? What do the poor gain by knowing how to conduct themselves before others? Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. (Ecclesiastes 6:7-9)
Have you ever noticed no matter how much you eat or drink, you eventually become hungry and thirsty?
Have you ever noticed no matter what shopping list is completed, another one is created days later?
It’s like chasing after the wind!
Whatever exists has already been named, and what humanity is has been known; no one can contend with someone who is stronger. The more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone? (Ecclesiastes 6:10-11)
For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow? Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone? (Ecclesiastes 6:12)
Even if we are content and satisfied and accomplish great things for humanity, we’ll be gone in about 80 years and forgotten soon thereafter…if we only concern ourselves with money and possessions.
So What?
If we jump to the end of this somewhat depressing book, we see a hopeful conclusion about life over the sun:
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
Fear God and keep his commandments.
We were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. We are God’s masterpieces, created for His glory (Ephesians 2:10). No masterpiece exists for the sake of the masterpiece, but rather the creator and/or owner. If I paint or buy a painting, I hang it where I want it. It’s mine.
Although God gives us free will—the ability to make choices—His plan is for us to submit to His will, His desires. That can sound scary and sinister, but no good, loving Father would choose anything but the best for His child. Your human father may have been foolish—and even abusive—but our Heavenly Father is perfect. He loves you and me. He wants the very best for us. He can be trusted.
There’s a huge difference between life under the sun—without God—and life over the sun—with God. Comparing the two reveals huge contradictions. It’s almost as if the opposite of following God is following the world!
The bottom line of this entire book—and really the entire Bible—is it’s all about Jesus. Only a relationship with God will truly satisfy. This doesn’t mean money and stuff won’t make us happy for a while—or that following Jesus is always rainbows and lollipops—but true peace, true purpose, true joy, true contentment, true meaning can only be found over then sun, counting our blessings, and loving God and others as we love ourselves.
In the words of C.T. Studd,
Only one life 'twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—The Meaning of Life
Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12
Series Big Idea: The human heart is wired to pursue meaning in life…and the meaning of life itself only truly understood through our Creator.
Big Idea: Money and stuff will never satisfy like knowing God and investing in eternal things.
Contradictions. Life is full of them…or so it seems. Thomas George, our District Superintendent, wrote last week,
“Isn't it interesting how many contradictory things we desire, e.g. Absolute freedom & safety; predictive services & privacy; same life & different outcome; public services & no taxes, home cooking restaurant, good quality cheap, quick spiritual formation.”
Some have said the Bible is full of contradictions, and while I would admit some things appear to be in conflict, the real tension is between life under the sun and life over the sun.
Today we are finishing our look at passages from the book of Ecclesiastes, likely written by King Solomon. While he ultimately concludes life over the sun—life with God—is precious, life under the sun—lived according to the world’s standards—is meaningless. Specifically, money and possessions will never truly satisfy.
We began our series referencing those famous words from Mick Jagger: I can’t get no satisfaction. There might be nothing more ultimately unsatisfying than money and possessions. People work so hard to be able to buy stuff, only to find out they need to store it, maintain it, insure it, and protect it. Our text for today begins:
If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields. (Ecclesiastes 5:8-9)
And you thought crooked politicians were something new!
Why would anyone want to oppress the poor, denying them justice and their rights? Could it be power and money?
Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. (Ecclesiastes 5:10)
Materialism is nothing new, either.
As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep. (Ecclesiastes 5:11-12)
I find these verses fascinating. Hard work can lead to good rest, but if you’ve got a lot of stuff, you might worry about it getting stolen or damaged. Have you ever been lying in bed at night wondering if you locked the front door…or the car door?
I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:
wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners, or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit. Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands. (Ecclesiastes 5:13-15)
Job, in the midst of tremendous anguish, famously declared,
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” (Job 1:21)
He’s saying we can work and accumulate all kinds of stuff, but life is short, we enter the world with nothing, and we’ll take nothing physical with us into the next life.
This too is a grievous evil:
As everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind? All their days they eat in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger. (Ecclesiastes 5:16-17)
It all sounds so meaningless, doesn’t it?
The world says money and stuff will make you happy, but it’s always temporary. We’ve seen this before. It bears repeating, because for the rest of our lives we will be bombarded by this lie that money will satisfy.
Not only will money never satisfy, the path to acquiring money is often unsatisfying. I don’t just mean the free trip in the back of the police car if you try to rob a bank! Have you ever taken a promotion for more money, only to find the new work less fulfilling than the old? This isn’t always the case, but I’ve had friends who stepped out of their passion and calling for more money. One was a fantastic school teacher who was lured into the principal’s office by more money, only discover he was a better teacher than he was a principal.
When my dad was alive, I used to ask him about his work. He had many opportunities to move from salesman to sales manager. I couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t accept the promotion and the raise until he explained how he loved to sell. He didn’t want to sit at a desk all day, preferring to travel in the area, meeting with customers, and addressing their needs.
Not only is money never enough, the path toward getting more can be disappointing.
Investing in eternal things will be bring both temporary happiness and eternal joy.
There is one use of money which is truly satisfying: investing in eternal things. I love to give to First Alliance Church. I know first-hand every dollar is spent carefully, not only to serve you, but also to reach out to our city, to support our ten Home Missions partners, to impact lives through our Faith Missions partners, and to literally change the world through the Great Commission Fund and the international work it funds.
Obviously, I don’t give 100% of my money to First Alliance Church. I like to eat and live indoors! However, I know every time I buy food, it is for something temporal; necessary, but temporal. I’m grateful for a car, but I know it won’t run forever. Even if it did, there will come a day when I cannot drive it. I can buy the latest gadgets and gizmos, but next year they’ll be outdated and soon obsolete.
Investing in eternal things will be bring both temporary happiness and eternal joy.
The same can be said for our time, too. I realize some of you have more time than money. How do you spend it? How do you invest it? There’s nothing wrong with hobbies and recreation, but will your golf score, movie trivia knowledge, or stamp collection matter in a hundred years? Discipleship—following Jesus and equipping others to do the same—is eternal work. Souls matter…forever. The time and energy you invest in the next generation—be it the next spiritual generation and/or the next physical generation—can change the destinies of people…even generations of people.
Solomon often returns to the subject of work.
This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart. (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20)
Is work a good thing or a bad thing? It can be!
Work is a gift. We were created to work—not work ourselves to death, but when we serve God rather than the boss, we can experience satisfaction in work.
Note to young adults: don’t expect your first job out of high school or college to be your dream job! Your elders spent years getting to where they are, and it’s unlikely you’ll get there overnight. You have to pay your dues. Be faithful in small things and you’ll be given more.
There will be work in heaven. We will be given tasks, but they will not be burdensome. What kind of work would you like to do in the next life? I was thinking maybe testing ice cream flavors would be—heavenly!
We don’t have time to delve deeply into this, but work matters. Your work matters, no matter what title or position you hold. Some people think the work of a pastor is more important than that of a student, teacher, doctor, mechanic, or homemaker. Nothing could be further from the truth! We are all called by God to do something, not only for a paycheck, but also for our personal growth and development along with serving others.
Work matters.
Is work a good thing or a bad thing? It can be!
Is wealth a good thing or a bad thing? It can be!
I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil. (Ecclesiastes 6:1-2)
I know, wouldn’t it be great if God gave you wealth, possessions and honor? Not so fast!
First, what do you have? Let’s set aside health and freedom and Jesus and family and just think about our stuff. What do you have?
One of the startling things about being in Africa was working with kids that had nothing. Well, that’s not quite true. One boy had a t-shirt. That’s literally all he had in the whole world. No shoes. No socks. No pants. He had a t-shirt. Every person in this room has far more than this precious masterpiece.
I know that sounds extreme, but consider again this number: $32,400.
If your annual income is at least $32,400, you are in the wealthiest 1% in the world. That means you are wealthier than 99% of the people on this planet! See, you have possessions, but perhaps like Solomon says, you don’t enjoy them. Why not?
One thing that robs us of our joy is comparison. Why do we pay so much attention to what others have? Why do I judge people who have more than me…while looking down on those who have less?
Perhaps the opposite of comparison is contentment.
Paul—who wrote many books of the Bible—wrote,
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:12-13)
This almost sounds like marriage vows—better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. Paul’s point is contentment can only be found in knowing God, and we are so easily distracted toward other things the Bible calls idols.
Look at Paul’s words to Timothy:
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:6-10)
Money is not the root of all evil, but the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. It often becomes an idol, a god, something we value above all else. And it will never truly satisfy. Do your possessions possess you?
A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man—even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place? (Ecclesiastes 6:3-6)
Every good and perfect gift is from above…from over the sun…from God. Wealth and possessions can be a gift from God to be enjoyed and shared, though tragically many simply want more and hoard.
Work can be a gift from God to bring contentment and meaning, though tragically many simply grumble and complain or abuse their bodies and relationships trying to climb to the top.
Next, Solomon dispenses several more declarations of the meaninglessness of life under the sun, life without God, life without an eternal perspective.
Everyone’s toil is for their mouth, yet their appetite is never satisfied. What advantage have the wise over fools? What do the poor gain by knowing how to conduct themselves before others? Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. (Ecclesiastes 6:7-9)
Have you ever noticed no matter how much you eat or drink, you eventually become hungry and thirsty?
Have you ever noticed no matter what shopping list is completed, another one is created days later?
It’s like chasing after the wind!
Whatever exists has already been named, and what humanity is has been known; no one can contend with someone who is stronger. The more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone? (Ecclesiastes 6:10-11)
For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow? Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone? (Ecclesiastes 6:12)
Even if we are content and satisfied and accomplish great things for humanity, we’ll be gone in about 80 years and forgotten soon thereafter…if we only concern ourselves with money and possessions.
So What?
If we jump to the end of this somewhat depressing book, we see a hopeful conclusion about life over the sun:
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
Fear God and keep his commandments.
We were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. We are God’s masterpieces, created for His glory (Ephesians 2:10). No masterpiece exists for the sake of the masterpiece, but rather the creator and/or owner. If I paint or buy a painting, I hang it where I want it. It’s mine.
Although God gives us free will—the ability to make choices—His plan is for us to submit to His will, His desires. That can sound scary and sinister, but no good, loving Father would choose anything but the best for His child. Your human father may have been foolish—and even abusive—but our Heavenly Father is perfect. He loves you and me. He wants the very best for us. He can be trusted.
There’s a huge difference between life under the sun—without God—and life over the sun—with God. Comparing the two reveals huge contradictions. It’s almost as if the opposite of following God is following the world!
The bottom line of this entire book—and really the entire Bible—is it’s all about Jesus. Only a relationship with God will truly satisfy. This doesn’t mean money and stuff won’t make us happy for a while—or that following Jesus is always rainbows and lollipops—but true peace, true purpose, true joy, true contentment, true meaning can only be found over then sun, counting our blessings, and loving God and others as we love ourselves.
In the words of C.T. Studd,
Only one life 'twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Empty Pursuits, 17 March 2019
11 03 19
Empty Pursuits
Series—The Meaning of Life
Ecclesiastes 2:1-26
Series Big Idea: The human heart is wired to pursue meaning in life…and the meaning of life itself only truly understood through our Creator.
Big Idea: This world is filled with empty pursuits which will never fill the God-shaped hole in all of our hearts.
There’s an old expression I’ve seen on bumper stickers: he who dies with the most toys wins.
There have been knock-offs such as she who dies with the most memories wins.
We’re blasted daily with thousands of messages that promise satisfaction if we only spend our money on their products, in their restaurant, at their store, on their website. We need more stuff, more experiences, more pleasure.
Today we continue our series called, “The Meaning of Life.” We’re looking at several passages from the ancient book of Ecclesiastes, a book likely written by Solomon, the great king we saw two weeks ago as having been given one wish or request from God.
At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” (1 Kings 3:5)
David’s son Solomon asked for a heart of understanding…for wisdom. God granted his wish…and gave him so much more. Solomon had everything this world could possibly offer. He had the most toys, the most memories, the most pleasure. Today we’ll see how that worked out for him.
We began looking at the beginning of Ecclesiastes:
The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. (Ecclesiastes 1:1-4)
This is not terribly encouraging. But surely chapter two is more satisfying.
I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. “Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives. (Ecclesiastes 2:1-3)
Pleasure, laughter and wine were not ultimately satisfying. Sure, they brought temporary happiness, but this is the man who wrote,
Even in laughter the heart may ache, and rejoicing may end in grief. (Proverbs 14:13)
What a downer! He indulges in pleasures and, like Mick Jagger, “can’t get no satisfaction.”
What’s wrong with pleasure? Nothing, so long as it’s not selfish. Pleasure-seeking is usually about our desires, and selfishness destroys true joy. Even if your pursuit of pleasure doesn’t exploit others, it can lonely. There’s something called the point of diminishing returns which means the more you engage with something, often more is needed next time.
Holding hands used to be a thrill, but that led to kissing which led to…
One or two drinks used to be enough, but now it takes several to feel that good.
One hit of that drug used to be enough to get high, but now you need so much more.
When the center of your life is pleasure, you’ll always become disappointed.
Entertainment has a place, but it’s only temporary. Enjoyment and true pleasure build character by enriching the whole person, and that usually includes others.
Pleasure was unsatisfactory, so Solomon gets busy with work.
I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. (Ecclesiastes 2:4-6)
He was busy! He was accomplished. He achieved. He was a carpenter and gardener. I wish he could come over to my house for a few weeks!
I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man’s heart. (Ecclesiastes 2:7-8)
This guy’s got everything! Money, sex, power, …the American Dream!
I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. (Ecclesiastes 2:9)
Okay, he’s got everything, including his mind, his wisdom. What more could he want?
I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. (Ecclesiastes 2:10)
There’s nothing like that feeling of completion after a job well-done. Solomon had arrived! His dreams had come true!
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:11)
Oops! He had wealth and wisdom and skills and success, yet something was missing. Sure, he found temporary delight, but he wanted more. Henry Ward Beecher once said, “Success is full of promises until men get it, and then it is a last-year’s nest from which the birds have flown.”
Work is a blessing from God. It was assigned to Adam in the garden before he sinned. But it cannot fill every part of our soul. So many become workaholics hoping to validate themselves, some literally working themselves to death…or at least destroying their families in the process. Those that make it to retirement are often so unfulfilled that they die from lack of meaningful activity.
Solomon tested life and concluded it is meaningless.
He continues…
Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. What more can the king’s successor do than what has already been done? I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness. The wise have eyes in their heads, while the fool walks in the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both. (Ecclesiastes 2:12-14)
He recognized his wisdom, and he surely appreciated it. Who wants to be a fool?
Then I said to myself,
“The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise?” I said to myself, “This too is meaningless.” For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered; the days have already come when both have been forgotten. Like the fool, the wise too must die!
So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. (Ecclesiastes 2:15-17)
Solomon hated life, despite having everything it offers.
The thing about life—even the greatest of lives—is death follows. For those who say, “He who dies with the most toys wins” there is another message:
You can’t take it with you.
The house you build will someday be in ruins.
The retirement account will eventually be drained.
Your buff body you’ve spent hours in the gym to shape will be buried.
The French humanist Voltaire said, “I hate life and yet I am afraid to die!” Solomon would agree.
Before you become completely depressed, let me remind of what we said last week: Solomon is speaking of life under the sun. Life without God. Life over the sun—with God—is an entirely different proposition.
Solomon said he hated life, it was grievous, it was meaningless.
But Jesus said he came to bring us abundant life, life with meaning and purpose. When we seek first God’s Kingdom, His will, His glory, we will understand the reason we were created, the purpose of life, true joy.
But back to Solomon, a man who pursued God in his youth and later became distracted by…everything he did and acquired.
I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. (Ecclesiastes 2:18-19)
At any moment, any of us can leave this life, and all of our stuff will end up…in a garage sale? A dumpster? In the hands of our kids who may be wise or foolish?
This is a good moment to ask, “Do you have a will? Are your affairs in order??
Solomon hated his life, but he also hated his wealth. He realized some universal truths about wealth.
1. We can’t keep our stuff.
One Wall Street Journal writer called money “an article which may be used as a universal passport to everywhere except heaven, and as a universal provider of everything except happiness.”
Billy Graham said he never saw a U-Haul behind a hearse.
I challenge you to invest temporal resources into eternal things.
2. We can’t protect our stuff.
Not only will somebody get our stuff someday, they may waste it!
3. We can’t fully enjoy our stuff.
That’s the message of the next passage.
When asked, “How much is enough,” one billionaire replied, “Just a little bit more.”
So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless. (Ecclesiastes 2:20-23)
We work for stuff we have to give away to people who did nothing to deserve it.
We work so hard we can’t rest. We are filled with anxiety, grief and pain.
Fortunately, Solomon ends the chapter with some hope, some encouragement, some God!
Finally, Solomon accepted life, recognizing the Giver of every good gift.
He wrote,
A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. (Ecclesiastes 2:24-26)
There’s nothing wrong with stuff. God provides, but we must always be grateful and not entitled. We must remember we are stewards, not owners. Every good and perfect gift is from God. Solomon says even the enjoyment of the gifts is a blessing. We must use all of our gifts for God’s glory. It’s not ours to keep. We are to seek to please God and trust Him to meet our every need.
We must never let our possessions possess us. We need wisdom to be good managers of our time, talents, and treasures. We can enjoy the gifts, but must never forget the Giver.
So What?
Without God, we can never experience true enjoyment of blessings or enrichment of life. It’s good to have things money can buy, but we must never lose the things that money can’t buy…character, integrity, love, relationships, peace, and most of all Jesus.
Warren Wiersbe wrote,
When you start living for the world instead of for the will of God, you begin to look at life from the wrong perspective: “under the sun” and not “above the sun.” Instead of seeking “those things which are above” (Col. 3:1ff.), you start majoring on the things that are below. This wrong vision soon causes you to adopt wrong values, and you stop living for the eternal. The result is disappointment and defeat; the only remedy is repentance and confession of sin (1 John 1:9).
Here’s the thing: you will never find meaning and purpose in pleasure, position, power, or even people. It can only be found in God. He loves you. Jesus died to prove his love for you. He’s the most incredible, kind, and generous Father you can possibly imagine. When we receive His invitation to be adopted into His family, when we trust Jesus as both Savior and LORD, when we make Him the leader of our lives, we can experience true joy, true peace, true meaning, true satisfaction.
If you’ve never experienced God’s love, I’d love to talk with you. Any of our leaders would love to introduce you to the Source of satisfaction.
If you have experienced the meaning of life through a relationship with your Creator, how’s it going? If you’re like me, you find yourself seeking purpose in stuff, in experiences, in things which will never truly satisfy. Most of us don’t worship idols in the form of statues that we kneel before, but we’re tempted to make gods out of the approval of others, the consumption of products, the pursuit of power, and the thrill of adventures. These are all empty pursuits.
Solomon had everything, yet that was his conclusion when he assessed the meaning of life was simply this:
Fear God and keep his commandments.
His wisdom is worth heeding.
Credits: some ideas from the writings of Warren Wiersbe
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—The Meaning of Life
Ecclesiastes 2:1-26
Series Big Idea: The human heart is wired to pursue meaning in life…and the meaning of life itself only truly understood through our Creator.
Big Idea: This world is filled with empty pursuits which will never fill the God-shaped hole in all of our hearts.
There’s an old expression I’ve seen on bumper stickers: he who dies with the most toys wins.
There have been knock-offs such as she who dies with the most memories wins.
We’re blasted daily with thousands of messages that promise satisfaction if we only spend our money on their products, in their restaurant, at their store, on their website. We need more stuff, more experiences, more pleasure.
Today we continue our series called, “The Meaning of Life.” We’re looking at several passages from the ancient book of Ecclesiastes, a book likely written by Solomon, the great king we saw two weeks ago as having been given one wish or request from God.
At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” (1 Kings 3:5)
David’s son Solomon asked for a heart of understanding…for wisdom. God granted his wish…and gave him so much more. Solomon had everything this world could possibly offer. He had the most toys, the most memories, the most pleasure. Today we’ll see how that worked out for him.
We began looking at the beginning of Ecclesiastes:
The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. (Ecclesiastes 1:1-4)
This is not terribly encouraging. But surely chapter two is more satisfying.
I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. “Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives. (Ecclesiastes 2:1-3)
Pleasure, laughter and wine were not ultimately satisfying. Sure, they brought temporary happiness, but this is the man who wrote,
Even in laughter the heart may ache, and rejoicing may end in grief. (Proverbs 14:13)
What a downer! He indulges in pleasures and, like Mick Jagger, “can’t get no satisfaction.”
What’s wrong with pleasure? Nothing, so long as it’s not selfish. Pleasure-seeking is usually about our desires, and selfishness destroys true joy. Even if your pursuit of pleasure doesn’t exploit others, it can lonely. There’s something called the point of diminishing returns which means the more you engage with something, often more is needed next time.
Holding hands used to be a thrill, but that led to kissing which led to…
One or two drinks used to be enough, but now it takes several to feel that good.
One hit of that drug used to be enough to get high, but now you need so much more.
When the center of your life is pleasure, you’ll always become disappointed.
Entertainment has a place, but it’s only temporary. Enjoyment and true pleasure build character by enriching the whole person, and that usually includes others.
Pleasure was unsatisfactory, so Solomon gets busy with work.
I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. (Ecclesiastes 2:4-6)
He was busy! He was accomplished. He achieved. He was a carpenter and gardener. I wish he could come over to my house for a few weeks!
I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man’s heart. (Ecclesiastes 2:7-8)
This guy’s got everything! Money, sex, power, …the American Dream!
I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. (Ecclesiastes 2:9)
Okay, he’s got everything, including his mind, his wisdom. What more could he want?
I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. (Ecclesiastes 2:10)
There’s nothing like that feeling of completion after a job well-done. Solomon had arrived! His dreams had come true!
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:11)
Oops! He had wealth and wisdom and skills and success, yet something was missing. Sure, he found temporary delight, but he wanted more. Henry Ward Beecher once said, “Success is full of promises until men get it, and then it is a last-year’s nest from which the birds have flown.”
Work is a blessing from God. It was assigned to Adam in the garden before he sinned. But it cannot fill every part of our soul. So many become workaholics hoping to validate themselves, some literally working themselves to death…or at least destroying their families in the process. Those that make it to retirement are often so unfulfilled that they die from lack of meaningful activity.
Solomon tested life and concluded it is meaningless.
He continues…
Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. What more can the king’s successor do than what has already been done? I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness. The wise have eyes in their heads, while the fool walks in the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both. (Ecclesiastes 2:12-14)
He recognized his wisdom, and he surely appreciated it. Who wants to be a fool?
Then I said to myself,
“The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise?” I said to myself, “This too is meaningless.” For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered; the days have already come when both have been forgotten. Like the fool, the wise too must die!
So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. (Ecclesiastes 2:15-17)
Solomon hated life, despite having everything it offers.
The thing about life—even the greatest of lives—is death follows. For those who say, “He who dies with the most toys wins” there is another message:
You can’t take it with you.
The house you build will someday be in ruins.
The retirement account will eventually be drained.
Your buff body you’ve spent hours in the gym to shape will be buried.
The French humanist Voltaire said, “I hate life and yet I am afraid to die!” Solomon would agree.
Before you become completely depressed, let me remind of what we said last week: Solomon is speaking of life under the sun. Life without God. Life over the sun—with God—is an entirely different proposition.
Solomon said he hated life, it was grievous, it was meaningless.
But Jesus said he came to bring us abundant life, life with meaning and purpose. When we seek first God’s Kingdom, His will, His glory, we will understand the reason we were created, the purpose of life, true joy.
But back to Solomon, a man who pursued God in his youth and later became distracted by…everything he did and acquired.
I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. (Ecclesiastes 2:18-19)
At any moment, any of us can leave this life, and all of our stuff will end up…in a garage sale? A dumpster? In the hands of our kids who may be wise or foolish?
This is a good moment to ask, “Do you have a will? Are your affairs in order??
Solomon hated his life, but he also hated his wealth. He realized some universal truths about wealth.
1. We can’t keep our stuff.
One Wall Street Journal writer called money “an article which may be used as a universal passport to everywhere except heaven, and as a universal provider of everything except happiness.”
Billy Graham said he never saw a U-Haul behind a hearse.
I challenge you to invest temporal resources into eternal things.
2. We can’t protect our stuff.
Not only will somebody get our stuff someday, they may waste it!
3. We can’t fully enjoy our stuff.
That’s the message of the next passage.
When asked, “How much is enough,” one billionaire replied, “Just a little bit more.”
So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless. (Ecclesiastes 2:20-23)
We work for stuff we have to give away to people who did nothing to deserve it.
We work so hard we can’t rest. We are filled with anxiety, grief and pain.
Fortunately, Solomon ends the chapter with some hope, some encouragement, some God!
Finally, Solomon accepted life, recognizing the Giver of every good gift.
He wrote,
A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. (Ecclesiastes 2:24-26)
There’s nothing wrong with stuff. God provides, but we must always be grateful and not entitled. We must remember we are stewards, not owners. Every good and perfect gift is from God. Solomon says even the enjoyment of the gifts is a blessing. We must use all of our gifts for God’s glory. It’s not ours to keep. We are to seek to please God and trust Him to meet our every need.
We must never let our possessions possess us. We need wisdom to be good managers of our time, talents, and treasures. We can enjoy the gifts, but must never forget the Giver.
So What?
Without God, we can never experience true enjoyment of blessings or enrichment of life. It’s good to have things money can buy, but we must never lose the things that money can’t buy…character, integrity, love, relationships, peace, and most of all Jesus.
Warren Wiersbe wrote,
When you start living for the world instead of for the will of God, you begin to look at life from the wrong perspective: “under the sun” and not “above the sun.” Instead of seeking “those things which are above” (Col. 3:1ff.), you start majoring on the things that are below. This wrong vision soon causes you to adopt wrong values, and you stop living for the eternal. The result is disappointment and defeat; the only remedy is repentance and confession of sin (1 John 1:9).
Here’s the thing: you will never find meaning and purpose in pleasure, position, power, or even people. It can only be found in God. He loves you. Jesus died to prove his love for you. He’s the most incredible, kind, and generous Father you can possibly imagine. When we receive His invitation to be adopted into His family, when we trust Jesus as both Savior and LORD, when we make Him the leader of our lives, we can experience true joy, true peace, true meaning, true satisfaction.
If you’ve never experienced God’s love, I’d love to talk with you. Any of our leaders would love to introduce you to the Source of satisfaction.
If you have experienced the meaning of life through a relationship with your Creator, how’s it going? If you’re like me, you find yourself seeking purpose in stuff, in experiences, in things which will never truly satisfy. Most of us don’t worship idols in the form of statues that we kneel before, but we’re tempted to make gods out of the approval of others, the consumption of products, the pursuit of power, and the thrill of adventures. These are all empty pursuits.
Solomon had everything, yet that was his conclusion when he assessed the meaning of life was simply this:
Fear God and keep his commandments.
His wisdom is worth heeding.
Credits: some ideas from the writings of Warren Wiersbe
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
The Search for Meaning, 3 March 2019
07 03 19
The Search for Meaning
Series—The Meaning of Life
Ecclesiastes 1
Series Big Idea: The human heart is wired to pursue meaning in life…and the meaning of life itself only truly understood through our Creator.
Big Idea: The search for meaning should ultimately lead us to God.
"Everything is meaningless." Is that true? Well, the Bible says it so it must be true, right? Not so fast! We must understand the context of these words…and what follows.
Today we begin a series called, “The Meaning of Life.” We’re going to look at several passages from the ancient book of Ecclesiastes, a book likely written by Solomon, the great king we saw two weeks ago as having been given one wish or request from God.
At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” (1 Kings 3:5)
David’s son Solomon asked for a heart of understanding…for wisdom. He was considered the wisest person on the planet, and he’s likely the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes, a word which means, “one who addresses or convenes an assembly” or simply “teacher” or “preacher.” There’s debate about whether Solomon actually penned every word in the book, but if not, it’s almost certainly a compilation of his thoughts and ideas. He probably wrote Proverbs and Song of Solomon during his younger years when he was faithfully following God, and this book later in life after searching for satisfaction in just about everything but God.
Although it’s a little tricky to say and spell, Ecclesiastes is a literary treasure. Abraham Lincoln quoted from it when addressing Congress in 1862. American novelist Thomas Wolfe wrote, “[O]f all I have ever seen or learned, that book seems to me the noblest, the wisest, and the most powerful expression of man's life upon this earth—and also the highest flower of poetry, eloquence, and truth. I am not given to dogmatic judgments in the matter of literary creation, but if I had to make one, I could say that Ecclesiastes is the greatest single piece of writing I have ever known, and the wisdom expressed in it the most lasting and profound."
One of the most famous song lyrics in rock music history declares, “I can’t get no…satisfaction.” Ironically, Mick Jagger has possessed fame and fortune for decades, making his confession deeply tragic. If the lead singer of one of the most successful musical groups in the world isn’t satisfied, how are we to expect to find meaning and purpose in this broken world?
I’m so glad you asked!
I believe the secret to meaning, purpose, and satisfaction is all about perspective. It’s about attitude. It’s about vision.
Pastor Ken Baugh offers three principles that King Solomon will emphasize throughout the book of Ecclesiastes:
1. I will be satisfied to the extent that I see everything I have as a gift from God.
2. I will be satisfied to the extent that I notice what is going on in the lives of others.
3. I will be satisfied to the extent that I trust God during times of distress.
Do you see what’s missing? Self.
The mirror can be a dangerous thing. Sure, I use one each morning as I attempt to style my hair, but if I gaze too long, a number of unfortunate things may occur.
One of the great tragedies of our culture is our addiction with self.
John Ortberg, in his book, Soul Keeping—which are staff and elders are reading this year—writes,
“Despite the rise of the mental health profession, people are becoming increasingly vulnerable to depression. Why? Martin Seligman, a brilliant psychologist with no religious ax to grind, has a theory that it’s because we have replaced church, faith, and community with a tiny little unit that cannot bear the weight of meaning. That’s the self. We’re all about the self. We revolve our lives around ourselves. Ironically, the more obsessed we are with our selves, the more we neglect our souls.”
This is hardly news. Solomon wrote about it hundreds of years before Christ!
The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. (Ecclesiastes 1:1-4)
Solomon had everything the world seeks: money, sex, and power.
History is filled with people who acquired those things, yet they couldn’t “get no satisfaction.” Howard Hughes comes to mind, a character tragically portrayed in the DiCaprio movie The Aviator. Thomas Jefferson sought to give us the unalienable right of “the pursuit of Happiness,” but happiness is fleeting. It is temporary.
Will a new car make you happy? Yes…until it breaks down.
Will a new house make you happy? Yes…until you had to clean it!
Would a million dollars make you happy? Yes…until you had to pay taxes on it!
There are many things that can make us happy, but they’re temporary. Supermodels get wrinkles, clothes go out of fashion, tech toys become obsolete, delicious food ends up in the…
Under the sun—life outside of heaven and the kingdom of God—is meaningless. The King James Version of the Bible translates the first word “vanity,” not a reference to pride or obsession with appearance, but rather emptiness as in laboring in vain. Worthless, fleeting frustration, and emptiness are also common translations of the Hebrew word whose root means breath or vapor. It is used 38 times in this short book about life “under the sun.”
Life without God is like your breath this morning, seen only for a moment and then disappearing. One professor described hevel, the Hebrew word, as “whatever is left after you break a soap bubble.”
Rick Warren said, “Without God, life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning. Without meaning, life has no significance or hope.” No wonder so many struggle in our culture.
Throughout human history, I suspect many people have never had much time or energy to ponder the meaning of life. Sure, philosophers have done so, but a great many people have focused on hunting and gathering food for survival. In fact, some research suggests depression doesn’t exist in any form in cultures where people are gathering food or hunting for food.
Meanwhile, the Jewish writer Sholom Aleichem once called life “a blister on top of a tumor, and a boil on top of that.” The rates of suicide and depression in our culture bear witness to the fact that we have the luxury of time, reflection, and thought…and it’s pretty bleak without God.
Solomon concluded in life under the sun, nothing is changed.
Let’s look further at the first chapter of Ecclesiastes:
The sun rises and the sun sets,
and hurries back to where it rises.
The wind blows to the south
and turns to the north;
round and round it goes,
ever returning on its course.
All streams flow into the sea,
yet the sea is never full.
To the place the streams come from,
there they return again. (Ecclesiastes 1:5-7)
Without God, life is repetitive and monotonous. It’s a virtual merry-go-round. Every day the sun rises. Every day the sun sets.
Wait! That’s not true! The sun doesn’t move. The Bible must be false since scientifically we know the sun does not rise and set. Relax! This poetic language, language used by every meteorologist thousands of years later. As we study the Bible, it’s important to know what is propositional truth and what is poetry. There’s a difference between metaphors and declarations of fact. Read the Bible responsibly.
It is amazing that Solomon recognized the jet stream, wind patterns that blow to the south and turn to the north, creating the ever-changing weather we enjoy here in Toledo!
Nature has profound things to teach us. As much as I complain about the weather, it’s a reminder that even with smart phones and self-driving cars and the Internet and rockets in space, we still have no control over the weather. We can’t control the sun, the wind, or the sea. Control is an illusion. You can control your attitude. That’s about it! Oh that we could all truly grasp this simple yet profound truth!
Instead, we’re enticed by the thousands of marketing messages that bombard us each day. We put our trust in stuff. We put our hope in circumstances. We have expectations for sinful people who inevitably fail and hurt us. No wonder so many of us love to be busy. We have no space to ponder the harsh realities of life. If you avoid rest and quiet, there’s no time for reflection, contemplation, or even feeling. Who has room for depression when you’re going 24/7? If you’re constantly in motion, you might never realize…
All things are wearisome,
more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,
nor the ear its fill of hearing.
What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:8-9)
Are you happy yet?!
I must pause and remind you of the context. Solomon is not stating absolute facts, but instead reflecting upon the futility of pursuing life apart from God. It’s all temporary. It’s as if humanity is on a treadmill, passing the baton of discontent from one generation to the next.
Solomon concluded in life under the sun, nothing is new.
It’s been said that the ancients have stolen all of our best ideas! Humans cannot “create” anything new because we are the creature, not the Creator. Edison said that his great inventions were “only bringing out the secrets of nature and applying them for the happiness of mankind.”
Solomon continues,
Is there anything of which one can say,
“Look! This is something new”?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time.
No one remembers the former generations,
and even those yet to come
will not be remembered
by those who follow them. (Ecclesiastes 1:10-11)
Dear senior saints, no one remembers the former generations. So much for legacy! How much do you really know about your great, great grandparents? I know nothing about mine!
These first eleven verses set the stage for what follows. The message is pretty simple: all is meaningless under the sun.
Now he tells us nothing is understood.
I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. (Ecclesiastes 1:12-14)
Solomon, you’re not helping us!
What is crooked cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted. (Ecclesiastes 1:15)
I don’t think he would be elected for the president of the Optimist’s Club!
I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind. (Ecclesiastes 1:16-17)
For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief. (Ecclesiastes 1:18)
Weren’t we praising Solomon last month for his wisdom? This man had it all, yet he can’t seem to even crack a smile! What’s his problem?
Remember, he’s talking about life without God. Life under the sun.
It breaks my heart to watch people on a quest to find meaning and purpose apart from God. People try to fill the God-shaped hole in their heart with pleasure, philosophy, and even religion. They pursue alcohol, drugs, porn, and food only to find themselves trapped in addiction. They climb the ladder—sacrificing health, family and friends—only to discover it is leaning against the wrong building!
What’s over the sun is something entirely different and wonderful!
We created by God, for God, and for God’s glory. We were created in His image, with an eternal soul, and for relationship with Him.
So What?
We’re going to be in the book of Ecclesiastes for the next three Sundays, so I’m reluctant to give you the punchline—the end of the book—but here it is:
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
Fear God and keep his commandments. Life over the sun—with the Son—is so different than life under the sun, apart from God.
Instead of a monotonous, unchanging world where the earth, sun, wind, and sea repeat their endless cycles, we serve a God who answers prayer and intervenes. He stopped the sun so Joshua could win an important battle (Josh. 10:6-14), moved the sun as a sign to King Hezekiah (Is. 38:1-8), parted the Red Sea and Jordan River (Ex. 14; Josh. 3-4), calmed the wind and the waves (Mk 4:35-41), and will do radical things in the future (Rev. 6).
Instead of a world where nothing is truly new, God is working, creating, restoring, making all things new. His mercies are new every morning.
Instead of a world where nothing is understood and confusion abounds, the Holy Spirit lives inside every believer and is available to teach, comfort, and guide. We stand on the promises of God in the Bible. Hallelujah!
I know I’m largely “preaching to the choir” when I say we can only find meaning in a relationship with God, but many Christians live as practical atheists. Sure, we know the right answers on a theology quiz, but our lives look more like our neighbors than Jesus. We live like everyone else—except, perhaps, for a few church activities we sprinkle onto our busy schedules. My challenge to you—and me—throughout this series is to make more space for God. Invite Him into every arena of your life. Seek His will in all things, even little things. Obey Him even when you don’t feel like it. If we all take next steps with God this month, I think we’ll be amazed at how He blesses our obedience and faithfulness.
As we prepare for The Table, think about how you’ve either ignored or disobeyed God recently. This is a time to be remembered that God does exist, that God’s love language is obedience, that God will bring every deed into judgment…and also that Jesus died to offer mercy, grace, and forgiveness.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9)
Credits: some ideas from the writings of Warren Wiersbe, Brian Williams, Ken Baugh
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—The Meaning of Life
Ecclesiastes 1
Series Big Idea: The human heart is wired to pursue meaning in life…and the meaning of life itself only truly understood through our Creator.
Big Idea: The search for meaning should ultimately lead us to God.
"Everything is meaningless." Is that true? Well, the Bible says it so it must be true, right? Not so fast! We must understand the context of these words…and what follows.
Today we begin a series called, “The Meaning of Life.” We’re going to look at several passages from the ancient book of Ecclesiastes, a book likely written by Solomon, the great king we saw two weeks ago as having been given one wish or request from God.
At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” (1 Kings 3:5)
David’s son Solomon asked for a heart of understanding…for wisdom. He was considered the wisest person on the planet, and he’s likely the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes, a word which means, “one who addresses or convenes an assembly” or simply “teacher” or “preacher.” There’s debate about whether Solomon actually penned every word in the book, but if not, it’s almost certainly a compilation of his thoughts and ideas. He probably wrote Proverbs and Song of Solomon during his younger years when he was faithfully following God, and this book later in life after searching for satisfaction in just about everything but God.
Although it’s a little tricky to say and spell, Ecclesiastes is a literary treasure. Abraham Lincoln quoted from it when addressing Congress in 1862. American novelist Thomas Wolfe wrote, “[O]f all I have ever seen or learned, that book seems to me the noblest, the wisest, and the most powerful expression of man's life upon this earth—and also the highest flower of poetry, eloquence, and truth. I am not given to dogmatic judgments in the matter of literary creation, but if I had to make one, I could say that Ecclesiastes is the greatest single piece of writing I have ever known, and the wisdom expressed in it the most lasting and profound."
One of the most famous song lyrics in rock music history declares, “I can’t get no…satisfaction.” Ironically, Mick Jagger has possessed fame and fortune for decades, making his confession deeply tragic. If the lead singer of one of the most successful musical groups in the world isn’t satisfied, how are we to expect to find meaning and purpose in this broken world?
I’m so glad you asked!
I believe the secret to meaning, purpose, and satisfaction is all about perspective. It’s about attitude. It’s about vision.
Pastor Ken Baugh offers three principles that King Solomon will emphasize throughout the book of Ecclesiastes:
1. I will be satisfied to the extent that I see everything I have as a gift from God.
2. I will be satisfied to the extent that I notice what is going on in the lives of others.
3. I will be satisfied to the extent that I trust God during times of distress.
Do you see what’s missing? Self.
The mirror can be a dangerous thing. Sure, I use one each morning as I attempt to style my hair, but if I gaze too long, a number of unfortunate things may occur.
One of the great tragedies of our culture is our addiction with self.
John Ortberg, in his book, Soul Keeping—which are staff and elders are reading this year—writes,
“Despite the rise of the mental health profession, people are becoming increasingly vulnerable to depression. Why? Martin Seligman, a brilliant psychologist with no religious ax to grind, has a theory that it’s because we have replaced church, faith, and community with a tiny little unit that cannot bear the weight of meaning. That’s the self. We’re all about the self. We revolve our lives around ourselves. Ironically, the more obsessed we are with our selves, the more we neglect our souls.”
This is hardly news. Solomon wrote about it hundreds of years before Christ!
The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. (Ecclesiastes 1:1-4)
Solomon had everything the world seeks: money, sex, and power.
History is filled with people who acquired those things, yet they couldn’t “get no satisfaction.” Howard Hughes comes to mind, a character tragically portrayed in the DiCaprio movie The Aviator. Thomas Jefferson sought to give us the unalienable right of “the pursuit of Happiness,” but happiness is fleeting. It is temporary.
Will a new car make you happy? Yes…until it breaks down.
Will a new house make you happy? Yes…until you had to clean it!
Would a million dollars make you happy? Yes…until you had to pay taxes on it!
There are many things that can make us happy, but they’re temporary. Supermodels get wrinkles, clothes go out of fashion, tech toys become obsolete, delicious food ends up in the…
Under the sun—life outside of heaven and the kingdom of God—is meaningless. The King James Version of the Bible translates the first word “vanity,” not a reference to pride or obsession with appearance, but rather emptiness as in laboring in vain. Worthless, fleeting frustration, and emptiness are also common translations of the Hebrew word whose root means breath or vapor. It is used 38 times in this short book about life “under the sun.”
Life without God is like your breath this morning, seen only for a moment and then disappearing. One professor described hevel, the Hebrew word, as “whatever is left after you break a soap bubble.”
Rick Warren said, “Without God, life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning. Without meaning, life has no significance or hope.” No wonder so many struggle in our culture.
Throughout human history, I suspect many people have never had much time or energy to ponder the meaning of life. Sure, philosophers have done so, but a great many people have focused on hunting and gathering food for survival. In fact, some research suggests depression doesn’t exist in any form in cultures where people are gathering food or hunting for food.
Meanwhile, the Jewish writer Sholom Aleichem once called life “a blister on top of a tumor, and a boil on top of that.” The rates of suicide and depression in our culture bear witness to the fact that we have the luxury of time, reflection, and thought…and it’s pretty bleak without God.
Solomon concluded in life under the sun, nothing is changed.
Let’s look further at the first chapter of Ecclesiastes:
The sun rises and the sun sets,
and hurries back to where it rises.
The wind blows to the south
and turns to the north;
round and round it goes,
ever returning on its course.
All streams flow into the sea,
yet the sea is never full.
To the place the streams come from,
there they return again. (Ecclesiastes 1:5-7)
Without God, life is repetitive and monotonous. It’s a virtual merry-go-round. Every day the sun rises. Every day the sun sets.
Wait! That’s not true! The sun doesn’t move. The Bible must be false since scientifically we know the sun does not rise and set. Relax! This poetic language, language used by every meteorologist thousands of years later. As we study the Bible, it’s important to know what is propositional truth and what is poetry. There’s a difference between metaphors and declarations of fact. Read the Bible responsibly.
It is amazing that Solomon recognized the jet stream, wind patterns that blow to the south and turn to the north, creating the ever-changing weather we enjoy here in Toledo!
Nature has profound things to teach us. As much as I complain about the weather, it’s a reminder that even with smart phones and self-driving cars and the Internet and rockets in space, we still have no control over the weather. We can’t control the sun, the wind, or the sea. Control is an illusion. You can control your attitude. That’s about it! Oh that we could all truly grasp this simple yet profound truth!
Instead, we’re enticed by the thousands of marketing messages that bombard us each day. We put our trust in stuff. We put our hope in circumstances. We have expectations for sinful people who inevitably fail and hurt us. No wonder so many of us love to be busy. We have no space to ponder the harsh realities of life. If you avoid rest and quiet, there’s no time for reflection, contemplation, or even feeling. Who has room for depression when you’re going 24/7? If you’re constantly in motion, you might never realize…
All things are wearisome,
more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,
nor the ear its fill of hearing.
What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:8-9)
Are you happy yet?!
I must pause and remind you of the context. Solomon is not stating absolute facts, but instead reflecting upon the futility of pursuing life apart from God. It’s all temporary. It’s as if humanity is on a treadmill, passing the baton of discontent from one generation to the next.
Solomon concluded in life under the sun, nothing is new.
It’s been said that the ancients have stolen all of our best ideas! Humans cannot “create” anything new because we are the creature, not the Creator. Edison said that his great inventions were “only bringing out the secrets of nature and applying them for the happiness of mankind.”
Solomon continues,
Is there anything of which one can say,
“Look! This is something new”?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time.
No one remembers the former generations,
and even those yet to come
will not be remembered
by those who follow them. (Ecclesiastes 1:10-11)
Dear senior saints, no one remembers the former generations. So much for legacy! How much do you really know about your great, great grandparents? I know nothing about mine!
These first eleven verses set the stage for what follows. The message is pretty simple: all is meaningless under the sun.
Now he tells us nothing is understood.
I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. (Ecclesiastes 1:12-14)
Solomon, you’re not helping us!
What is crooked cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted. (Ecclesiastes 1:15)
I don’t think he would be elected for the president of the Optimist’s Club!
I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind. (Ecclesiastes 1:16-17)
For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief. (Ecclesiastes 1:18)
Weren’t we praising Solomon last month for his wisdom? This man had it all, yet he can’t seem to even crack a smile! What’s his problem?
Remember, he’s talking about life without God. Life under the sun.
It breaks my heart to watch people on a quest to find meaning and purpose apart from God. People try to fill the God-shaped hole in their heart with pleasure, philosophy, and even religion. They pursue alcohol, drugs, porn, and food only to find themselves trapped in addiction. They climb the ladder—sacrificing health, family and friends—only to discover it is leaning against the wrong building!
What’s over the sun is something entirely different and wonderful!
We created by God, for God, and for God’s glory. We were created in His image, with an eternal soul, and for relationship with Him.
So What?
We’re going to be in the book of Ecclesiastes for the next three Sundays, so I’m reluctant to give you the punchline—the end of the book—but here it is:
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
Fear God and keep his commandments. Life over the sun—with the Son—is so different than life under the sun, apart from God.
Instead of a monotonous, unchanging world where the earth, sun, wind, and sea repeat their endless cycles, we serve a God who answers prayer and intervenes. He stopped the sun so Joshua could win an important battle (Josh. 10:6-14), moved the sun as a sign to King Hezekiah (Is. 38:1-8), parted the Red Sea and Jordan River (Ex. 14; Josh. 3-4), calmed the wind and the waves (Mk 4:35-41), and will do radical things in the future (Rev. 6).
Instead of a world where nothing is truly new, God is working, creating, restoring, making all things new. His mercies are new every morning.
Instead of a world where nothing is understood and confusion abounds, the Holy Spirit lives inside every believer and is available to teach, comfort, and guide. We stand on the promises of God in the Bible. Hallelujah!
I know I’m largely “preaching to the choir” when I say we can only find meaning in a relationship with God, but many Christians live as practical atheists. Sure, we know the right answers on a theology quiz, but our lives look more like our neighbors than Jesus. We live like everyone else—except, perhaps, for a few church activities we sprinkle onto our busy schedules. My challenge to you—and me—throughout this series is to make more space for God. Invite Him into every arena of your life. Seek His will in all things, even little things. Obey Him even when you don’t feel like it. If we all take next steps with God this month, I think we’ll be amazed at how He blesses our obedience and faithfulness.
As we prepare for The Table, think about how you’ve either ignored or disobeyed God recently. This is a time to be remembered that God does exist, that God’s love language is obedience, that God will bring every deed into judgment…and also that Jesus died to offer mercy, grace, and forgiveness.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9)
Credits: some ideas from the writings of Warren Wiersbe, Brian Williams, Ken Baugh
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Sin & Repentance, 24 February 2019
25 02 19
Sin & Repentance
Series—Back to Basics
Romans 7:15-8:2
Big Idea: Following Jesus would be easy if it wasn’t for sin…but it is possible.
Throughout the month of February, we’ve been going Back to Basics. We began by looking at why we exist, why First Alliance Church was started more than 131 years ago by Albert Benjamin Simpson.
In week two, we looked at two of my four prayers for First Alliance Church: passion and unity. Last week, we examined the other two prayers I have been praying since my first day as your pastor: direction and protection. Jesus is our Senior Pastor, our leader, and we want to know and obey His will and direction for our individual lives and this local church, our church, His church. We also presented the reality of a real enemy who wants to steal, kill and destroy and why we pray, “Deliver us from evil.”
The subject of protection is a great tie-in to our topic today on sin and repentance. If it weren’t for sin, we’d have no problems in our world. It’s virtually impossible to even imagine! A temptation-free planet without satan and demons would seem to be like playing basketball without an opponent. It would be easy.
Unfortunately, sin is real, and we all succumb to temptation. Even Paul, the writer of much of the New Testament of the Bible, was far from perfect. In fact, he once said,
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. (1 Timothy 1:15)
This is the leader of the early church and he’s the worst of sinners? Where does that leave you and me? That’s our focus this morning—sin and what to do about it.
Let’s get the obvious out of the way: sin is not a pleasant subject. It’s not a word we often hear outside the church, yet the word appears more than 900 times in the Bible.
What is sin?
There are two meanings for the word sin:
1) a sin from a human perspective; and
2) a sin from God’s perspective.
Consider the first two Merriam-Webster definitions. Merriam-Webster’s first definition of sin:
a. an offense against religious or moral law
b. an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible - it's a sin to waste food
c. an often serious shortcoming; fault
The first definition is the common definition. By this definition, a sin is a violation of some specific law or expectation: do not murder, do not steal, do not abuse animals, etc. Using this definition, most people can keep from sinning most of the time.
Sin can be viewed from a human perspective.
Sin can be viewed from God’s perspective.
Merriam-Webster’s second definition involves much more of our lives:
a. transgression of the law of God
b. a vitiated (corrupted) state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God
So what is God’s Law? We could go to the 10 Commandments. We could examine the 613 Jewish Commandments. Or we could jump to Jesus’ summary of the entire Law. When asked the most important of the commandments,
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)
If you think that you have recently lived up to these, then you are deceiving yourself. I know of no person who lives up to either of these laws – ever. We are all sinners continually. Think about this past week and the sins you have committed…or those sins of omission. How have you not loved God? How have you not loved your neighbor?
If you’re struggling to think of any sins, perhaps pride is the first thing you need to confess. Jesus’ close friend John wrote,
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8).
I’ve mentioned this verse on more than one occasion, partly because some churched people are unaware of their sins.
We all sin.
I don’t mean that just in the past tense. I mean even if you’ve attended church for decades, taught Sunday School for generations, memorized half the Bible, and given thousands of dollars to domestic and global missions, you’ve not yet reached perfection. If you don’t believe me, ask the person sitting beside you!
The remarkable thing about Paul—likely the writer of Romans and much of the New Testament of the Bible—is how he viewed himself not just as a sinner, but the worst of sinners. Even though he was mature, self-controlled, educated, and respected, he continued to struggle with sin.
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. (Romans 7:15-20)
Does this sound like a mature Christian or a new believer? Paul’s writing in the present tense. This is arguably the greatest leader in the early church!
I think this may be the most frustrating passage of literature ever written! Do you feel the tension?
Actually, there’s more!
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. (Romans 7:21-23)
This is that war between God and satan, between good and evil, between right and wrong. This is why we pray for protection…from temptation, from evil, from hatred, from division, from sin.
All humans have an innate or inherited sinfulness. America’s first textbook, The New England Primer taught this doctrine with the simple poem: “In Adam’s fall – We sinned all.” I’m not sure how many public school textbooks have such statements today!
Two chapter back in Romans 5, Paul writes,
Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:18-19)
Sin against God is very serious. Paul obviously thought so. Perhaps we too often compare ourselves to others.
“I’m not perfect, but at least I didn’t kill anyone like that guy on tv.”
“I pay my taxes. I’m a good person.”
If you’re like me, your favorite teachers are or were those who graded on a curve. You might get an A even if you would’ve earned a B or C on a straight scale.
We’re accustomed to imperfection. Baseball players get three strikes before they’re called out. The best basketball players miss about half of their shots.
Nobody’s perfect, right?
But God’s standard is perfection. 100%. Jesus said,
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)
Have you “loved God with your whole heart” today?
Have you displayed selfless love to everyone you encountered today?
If not, you are a sinner.
Can you join with Paul, one of the most important Christians ever, in saying,
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? (Romans 7:24)
Most of you know the good news in this passage.
Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:25a)
We’re all about Jesus because Jesus is all about us. He gave very life for us, to deliver us from the death and penalty of our sins. If you’re good enough to go to heaven when you die, Jesus was an idiot for enduring crucifixion!
But Jesus didn’t just come and die so we could go to heaven when we die. He came so we could experience heaven before we die. Heaven is where God is, and Jesus wants to be with us now. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God lives within every believer, but for many, that Spirit lies dormant. We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit, confessing our sins and surrendering to the power of the Holy Spirit to change us, to sanctify us, to make us more like Jesus. Paul continues,
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. (Romans 7:25b)
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)
Because we all sin, we all need forgiveness.
I’m afraid too many people think all they need to do is pray a prayer, believe in a historical Jesus, and never worry about their sin.
Jesus’ invitation was never, “Pray a prayer.” It was, “Follow me.” It was, “Love God and love your neighbor.” This is where we all fall so short. This is where Paul failed, too.
We all must repent. Peter, another one of Jesus’ best friends, said,
… “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)
Repentance means to turn. It means to do a 180. It means to change. It’s both an initial step in following Jesus as well as an ongoing process of becoming like Jesus.
By the way, Peter said, “Repent and be baptized.” Baptism is an outward demonstration of inward repentance. It’s going public with your faith. It is a repeated command of scripture. If you haven’t been baptized and you have accepted Jesus’ invitation to follow him, I’d love to talk with you about getting baptized. It’s arguably the greatest possible celebration our church family can possibly experience.
The initial decision to follow Jesus is so important, making him Savior. But that’s the beginning, not the end.
Jesus can be our Savior, but he must also be our LORD.
The reason so many Christians don’t look like Jesus is because Jesus is not their LORD. They have accepted theological truths, but have never fully surrendered to Jesus.
Two weeks ago when talking about passion, I said if you’re truly passionate for God, prove it! Prove it with your money. Prove it with your time. Prove it with your life.
I get so frustrated with people wearing crosses around their neck and acting nothing like Jesus.
I get so frustrated with people putting fish on the back of their cars or calling themselves Christians and acting nothing like Jesus.
And yes, like Paul, I get frustrated with my own life when I see sin invading my life.
That’s when repentance is necessary. Remember, repentance means to turn. It’s about change. It’s not just saying I’m sorry, but it’s actually changing. It’s confessing, yes, but then it’s surrendering to the Holy Spirit, asking for Jesus to be LORD.
Judas had remorse for betraying Jesus, but not Godly repentance (Matthew 27:3).
Paul said,
I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. (Acts 26:20)
Both King Saul and King David were famous, powerful leaders in the Old Testament. Both were sinners, like all of us. When confronted with his sin, Saul made excuses (1 Samuel 15:30-31). When confronted by Nathan, David immediately said, “I have sinned against the LORD.” (2 Samuel 12:13). Then, David wrote,
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalms 51:10)
That’s more than confession; that’s repentance.
That’s more than, “I’m sorry.” It’s, “I want to change.”
True repentance also means making amends, forgiving others, and being merciful. Following Jesus is not just about loving God. It also means loving others.
If we are truly repentant, we will experience forgiveness.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (Psalms 103:11-12)
We will also become the person God created us to be, the restored masterpiece.
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10, NLT)
But it’s a process. Each day we are to pick up our cross and follow Jesus. Each day we are to confess our sins and acknowledge how we have fallen short of the mark of perfection modeled by Jesus. Each day we are to experience more of God’s unmerited favor, His grace.
The late Dallas Willard wrote,
Consumer Christianity is now normative. The consumer Christian is one who utilizes the grace of God for forgiveness and the services of the church for special occasions, but does not give his or her life and innermost thoughts, feelings, and intentions over to the kingdom of the heavens. Such Christians are not inwardly transformed and not committed to it.
Paul understood this, calling himself the worst of sinners. We are all in need of God’s grace, not merely for our salvation, but for our sanctification, our daily journey to follow Jesus.
Credits: I’m grateful for the research and assistance of Doug Oliver.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Back to Basics
Romans 7:15-8:2
Big Idea: Following Jesus would be easy if it wasn’t for sin…but it is possible.
Throughout the month of February, we’ve been going Back to Basics. We began by looking at why we exist, why First Alliance Church was started more than 131 years ago by Albert Benjamin Simpson.
In week two, we looked at two of my four prayers for First Alliance Church: passion and unity. Last week, we examined the other two prayers I have been praying since my first day as your pastor: direction and protection. Jesus is our Senior Pastor, our leader, and we want to know and obey His will and direction for our individual lives and this local church, our church, His church. We also presented the reality of a real enemy who wants to steal, kill and destroy and why we pray, “Deliver us from evil.”
The subject of protection is a great tie-in to our topic today on sin and repentance. If it weren’t for sin, we’d have no problems in our world. It’s virtually impossible to even imagine! A temptation-free planet without satan and demons would seem to be like playing basketball without an opponent. It would be easy.
Unfortunately, sin is real, and we all succumb to temptation. Even Paul, the writer of much of the New Testament of the Bible, was far from perfect. In fact, he once said,
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. (1 Timothy 1:15)
This is the leader of the early church and he’s the worst of sinners? Where does that leave you and me? That’s our focus this morning—sin and what to do about it.
Let’s get the obvious out of the way: sin is not a pleasant subject. It’s not a word we often hear outside the church, yet the word appears more than 900 times in the Bible.
What is sin?
There are two meanings for the word sin:
1) a sin from a human perspective; and
2) a sin from God’s perspective.
Consider the first two Merriam-Webster definitions. Merriam-Webster’s first definition of sin:
a. an offense against religious or moral law
b. an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible - it's a sin to waste food
c. an often serious shortcoming; fault
The first definition is the common definition. By this definition, a sin is a violation of some specific law or expectation: do not murder, do not steal, do not abuse animals, etc. Using this definition, most people can keep from sinning most of the time.
Sin can be viewed from a human perspective.
Sin can be viewed from God’s perspective.
Merriam-Webster’s second definition involves much more of our lives:
a. transgression of the law of God
b. a vitiated (corrupted) state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God
So what is God’s Law? We could go to the 10 Commandments. We could examine the 613 Jewish Commandments. Or we could jump to Jesus’ summary of the entire Law. When asked the most important of the commandments,
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)
If you think that you have recently lived up to these, then you are deceiving yourself. I know of no person who lives up to either of these laws – ever. We are all sinners continually. Think about this past week and the sins you have committed…or those sins of omission. How have you not loved God? How have you not loved your neighbor?
If you’re struggling to think of any sins, perhaps pride is the first thing you need to confess. Jesus’ close friend John wrote,
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8).
I’ve mentioned this verse on more than one occasion, partly because some churched people are unaware of their sins.
We all sin.
I don’t mean that just in the past tense. I mean even if you’ve attended church for decades, taught Sunday School for generations, memorized half the Bible, and given thousands of dollars to domestic and global missions, you’ve not yet reached perfection. If you don’t believe me, ask the person sitting beside you!
The remarkable thing about Paul—likely the writer of Romans and much of the New Testament of the Bible—is how he viewed himself not just as a sinner, but the worst of sinners. Even though he was mature, self-controlled, educated, and respected, he continued to struggle with sin.
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. (Romans 7:15-20)
Does this sound like a mature Christian or a new believer? Paul’s writing in the present tense. This is arguably the greatest leader in the early church!
I think this may be the most frustrating passage of literature ever written! Do you feel the tension?
Actually, there’s more!
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. (Romans 7:21-23)
This is that war between God and satan, between good and evil, between right and wrong. This is why we pray for protection…from temptation, from evil, from hatred, from division, from sin.
All humans have an innate or inherited sinfulness. America’s first textbook, The New England Primer taught this doctrine with the simple poem: “In Adam’s fall – We sinned all.” I’m not sure how many public school textbooks have such statements today!
Two chapter back in Romans 5, Paul writes,
Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:18-19)
Sin against God is very serious. Paul obviously thought so. Perhaps we too often compare ourselves to others.
“I’m not perfect, but at least I didn’t kill anyone like that guy on tv.”
“I pay my taxes. I’m a good person.”
If you’re like me, your favorite teachers are or were those who graded on a curve. You might get an A even if you would’ve earned a B or C on a straight scale.
We’re accustomed to imperfection. Baseball players get three strikes before they’re called out. The best basketball players miss about half of their shots.
Nobody’s perfect, right?
But God’s standard is perfection. 100%. Jesus said,
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)
Have you “loved God with your whole heart” today?
Have you displayed selfless love to everyone you encountered today?
If not, you are a sinner.
Can you join with Paul, one of the most important Christians ever, in saying,
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? (Romans 7:24)
Most of you know the good news in this passage.
Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:25a)
We’re all about Jesus because Jesus is all about us. He gave very life for us, to deliver us from the death and penalty of our sins. If you’re good enough to go to heaven when you die, Jesus was an idiot for enduring crucifixion!
But Jesus didn’t just come and die so we could go to heaven when we die. He came so we could experience heaven before we die. Heaven is where God is, and Jesus wants to be with us now. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God lives within every believer, but for many, that Spirit lies dormant. We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit, confessing our sins and surrendering to the power of the Holy Spirit to change us, to sanctify us, to make us more like Jesus. Paul continues,
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. (Romans 7:25b)
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)
Because we all sin, we all need forgiveness.
I’m afraid too many people think all they need to do is pray a prayer, believe in a historical Jesus, and never worry about their sin.
Jesus’ invitation was never, “Pray a prayer.” It was, “Follow me.” It was, “Love God and love your neighbor.” This is where we all fall so short. This is where Paul failed, too.
We all must repent. Peter, another one of Jesus’ best friends, said,
… “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)
Repentance means to turn. It means to do a 180. It means to change. It’s both an initial step in following Jesus as well as an ongoing process of becoming like Jesus.
By the way, Peter said, “Repent and be baptized.” Baptism is an outward demonstration of inward repentance. It’s going public with your faith. It is a repeated command of scripture. If you haven’t been baptized and you have accepted Jesus’ invitation to follow him, I’d love to talk with you about getting baptized. It’s arguably the greatest possible celebration our church family can possibly experience.
The initial decision to follow Jesus is so important, making him Savior. But that’s the beginning, not the end.
Jesus can be our Savior, but he must also be our LORD.
The reason so many Christians don’t look like Jesus is because Jesus is not their LORD. They have accepted theological truths, but have never fully surrendered to Jesus.
Two weeks ago when talking about passion, I said if you’re truly passionate for God, prove it! Prove it with your money. Prove it with your time. Prove it with your life.
I get so frustrated with people wearing crosses around their neck and acting nothing like Jesus.
I get so frustrated with people putting fish on the back of their cars or calling themselves Christians and acting nothing like Jesus.
And yes, like Paul, I get frustrated with my own life when I see sin invading my life.
That’s when repentance is necessary. Remember, repentance means to turn. It’s about change. It’s not just saying I’m sorry, but it’s actually changing. It’s confessing, yes, but then it’s surrendering to the Holy Spirit, asking for Jesus to be LORD.
Judas had remorse for betraying Jesus, but not Godly repentance (Matthew 27:3).
Paul said,
I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. (Acts 26:20)
Both King Saul and King David were famous, powerful leaders in the Old Testament. Both were sinners, like all of us. When confronted with his sin, Saul made excuses (1 Samuel 15:30-31). When confronted by Nathan, David immediately said, “I have sinned against the LORD.” (2 Samuel 12:13). Then, David wrote,
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalms 51:10)
That’s more than confession; that’s repentance.
That’s more than, “I’m sorry.” It’s, “I want to change.”
True repentance also means making amends, forgiving others, and being merciful. Following Jesus is not just about loving God. It also means loving others.
If we are truly repentant, we will experience forgiveness.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (Psalms 103:11-12)
We will also become the person God created us to be, the restored masterpiece.
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10, NLT)
But it’s a process. Each day we are to pick up our cross and follow Jesus. Each day we are to confess our sins and acknowledge how we have fallen short of the mark of perfection modeled by Jesus. Each day we are to experience more of God’s unmerited favor, His grace.
The late Dallas Willard wrote,
Consumer Christianity is now normative. The consumer Christian is one who utilizes the grace of God for forgiveness and the services of the church for special occasions, but does not give his or her life and innermost thoughts, feelings, and intentions over to the kingdom of the heavens. Such Christians are not inwardly transformed and not committed to it.
Paul understood this, calling himself the worst of sinners. We are all in need of God’s grace, not merely for our salvation, but for our sanctification, our daily journey to follow Jesus.
Credits: I’m grateful for the research and assistance of Doug Oliver.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Direction & Protection, 17 February 2019
18 02 19
Direction & Protection
Series—Back to Basics
1 Kings 3:5-14; Matthew 6:13, 31-33; Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 27:1
Series Big Idea: Throughout this series, we will look at the mission of FAC, the four prayers I pray for it, and the one thing that makes it so challenging—sin.
Big Idea: God will guide and protect us if we faithfully seek Him.
Direction
If you could have one wish—anything in the world—what would it be? Imagine God asking the question! Thousands of years ago, such a question was asked.
One of my favorite Bible stories is found in the book of 1 Kings.
At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” (1 Kings 3:5)
That’s it. King David’s son, Solomon, had become king. Though not perfect, Solomon loved the LORD, and so God makes this remarkable statement, grants Solomon’s request, and gives him so much more!
How would you respond if God said to you, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you?”
My name is Kirk and this morning we’re continuing our Back to Basics series, a look at our mission, the Alliance Core Values, and my prayers for First Alliance Church. We began on February 3 with the unveiling of our new mission statement:
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
Our staff and elders are unanimous in their excitement over this new language. We exist not for our glory, but rather God’s. That’s the bottom line of our existence. We’re all about Jesus, we’re a family, and our mission includes not only Toledo but also the ends of the earth. We are masterpieces broken by sin in the process of becoming like Jesus and helping others become disciples or followers of Jesus—mended masterpieces.
One of the Christian & Missionary Alliance Core Value states,
Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple (Matthew 28:19).
In other words, our mission of restoring God’s masterpieces is not something done by professional Christians such as myself. We are all to be engaged in making disciples, in becoming like Jesus and helping others become like Jesus. We’re in this together, family…loving God, loving others, and making disciples.
Last Sunday, we talked about passion and unity, two of my prayers for First Alliance Church. Do you have a passion for God? Prove it! Your checkbook or bank account will show what you truly value. Your calendar, too, will demonstrate whether or not you are passionate about Jesus, about people far from God, about loving and serving others, and about knowing and obeying God.
Another Alliance Core Value states,
Knowing and obeying God’s Word is fundamental to all true success (Joshua 1:8).
Today we’re going to look at the other two prayers I pray for First Alliance Church: direction and protection. When I say direction, I’m referring to allowing Jesus Christ, our Senior Pastor, to lead us, to guide us, to teach and instruct us.
We must to always seek God’s direction for ourselves, our families, and First Alliance Church.
God speaks through a variety of ways—nature, circumstances, other believers, dreams, music, prayer—but the primary way He speaks is through His Word, the Bible. He will never contradict what is said in the Bible, which is one of the reasons we say the Bible is our authority. I have a measure of authority as your pastor, but Jesus is our Senior Pastor and God is the ultimate authority. You may not like every decision made by the elders and staff since we all have our own preferences, but if you ever find anything around here being done in violation of God’s Word, please let us know. Of course, we’re not perfect, but we desire to follow Jesus and we know the heart of God primarily through the Bible. As it says in the foyer,
"For the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ."
When I pray for direction, I’m both praying for God to both lead us into the proper understanding of the Bible and also for His mission, vision and strategy for this local church. In a word, I pray for wisdom.
Let’s go back to that story of King Solomon.
At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” (1 Kings 3:5)
Did you think of your response?
Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. (1 Kings 3:6)
I love how Solomon doesn’t just say, “Give me lots of money or a hot wife or power” but actually worships God. As he talks with God—something we call prayer—he avoids just asking for stuff. Instead, he begins with worship and thanksgiving.
How do you pray? Do you approach God like a cosmic Santa Clause, or do you really enjoy time with God? One tool I’ve often used for prayer is ACTS:
Adoration
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication (requests)
God says to Solomon, “Ask me for whatever you want” and he begins with adoration and thanksgiving. He continues,
“Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” (1 Kings 3:7-9)
It is often said that Solomon asked for wisdom, though technically the request was for a heart of understanding, a discerning heart, which is similar. The prayer that I pray most often for myself is wisdom, and one of my four prayers for First Alliance Church is direction or wisdom, for not only myself but also our elders, staff, and leaders. There are several reasons why I seek wisdom from God. The first is that God was pleased with Solomon’s request.
The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. (1 Kings 3:10-12)
I like to learn lessons from the good and bad choices of others, and since God was pleased with Solomon’s request for wisdom in leading, it stands to reason it would please God for me to seek the same.
Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” (1 Kings 3:13-14)
Let me be clear, seeking wisdom does not necessarily lead to wealth and honor. I’m not a king, the date is not around 950 BCE, and God didn’t give me one request. But the extras God gave Solomon just emphasize God’s delight in the request for wisdom.
When Heather and I arrived at First Alliance Church more than three years ago, we knew very little about this city. We knew even less about this church. We came with no agenda, no vision, no strategy…just a clear calling to move to Toledo and serve here. Ever since I began serving as your pastor, I’ve been working with the elders and staff to discern the direction, the next steps, the mission and vision and strategy. An empty baptistry is unacceptable, and simply singing songs and preaching sermons is not enough. Nowhere does Jesus say to plant churches—and I love church planting—or build buildings or start church programs. He said to make disciples.
You see, the Bible never changes, but how it is communicated is constantly changing. I love the example of Billy Graham. He’s best known for his speaking, often using microphones to deliver his sermons, a technology Jesus never had! But he also started a magazine. He wrote books. He delivered the gospel through movies, television, and the Internet. Perhaps you could say the Bible told Graham what to preach, but not how to preach it.
The same is true for First Alliance Church. We must never change the Bible—it is our authority—but how we preach it, how we communicate it must always be changing to connect with an ever-changing world. Without a website, some of you wouldn’t be here today. Without a Facebook page, some of you wouldn’t know about FAC. If it weren’t for this building and the technology of language and the signs outside, you may never have known First Alliance Church existed. At this very moment my words are being recorded for our podcast which can be heard literally around the world.
I don’t know all of the things God has planned for us in the future. We are setting aside funds for church planting. We are praying for God to raise up more International Workers to proclaim Jesus to other people groups. There are emerging technologies which we could use, creative ways to utilize our beautiful campus, and countless opportunities to serve our city and earn the right to be heard as we build relationships with unchurched people. In all of these things we need God’s direction. We need wisdom. We need discernment. Our scripture reading for today is Jesus’ response to worry.
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:31-33)
In other words, seek God’s glory, God’s wisdom, God’s direction, God’s agenda and you can’t go wrong. This doesn’t mean life will always be easy, but you can be confident that where God guides, He provides. Or to quote my favorite passage in the entire Bible,
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Family, if you pray one prayer for me, please pray for wisdom. If there’s one prayer for our elders and staff and leaders, please pray for wisdom. We want to be led by Jesus Christ, our Senior Pastor. We need God’s direction for His church.
While we’re on the subject, I might add another one of the core values of the Alliance:
Achieving God’s purposes means taking faith-filled risks. This always involves change (Hebrews 1).
As an entrepreneur, I love this value, but I know it is disturbing to many of you. Change can be very difficult. We never want to change for the sake of change, but we must be willing to change anything and everything for the sake of the mission (which would never violate the Bible since God’s glory is the bottom line of our mission). As Dan Rogers said two weeks ago, our church has been taking faith-filled risks for decades, and I’m honored and humbled to be able to serve a congregation so willing to trust God for great things, obediently following His call and direction.
Protection
I pray for passion, unity, direction, …and protection.
We have a very real enemy, family. His name is satan and he has some friends who—like satan—are fallen angels which we call demons. They don’t necessarily run around with horns and a pitchfork, but they are real nonetheless. Anytime you hear about a death, a theft, a divorce, a tragedy, poverty, drug overdose, suicide attempt, shooting, abuse, disrespect, hate, envy, perversion, …you hear about our enemy in action.
Some people are obsessed with spiritual warfare and the cosmic battle between good and evil, God and satan, right and wrong. They look for a demon in every Coke can and seem to blame everything on the devil. Others dismiss our enemy and ignore the reality of our opponent. C.S. Lewis famously wrote,
“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve their existence. The other is to believe and feel an unhealthy interest in them.”
We can pray for God’s protection from our very real enemy.
In fact, we should pray for God’s protection. When I pray for protection, I think of Jesus’ model prayer for his disciples:
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’ (Matthew 6:13)
We don’t have time to do a full examination of spiritual warfare, but I want to acknowledge the reality of it and our need for God’s power. We can’t do ministry apart from God’s power. In fact, we noted several weeks ago,
Without the Holy Spirit’s empowerment, we can accomplish nothing (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).
Furthermore, Paul wrote,
I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13, ESV)
Lest you think that means God wants to make us rich, famous, and powerful, consider this cartoon from Skye Jethani.
The Bible is packed with passages that affirm God’s power as far superior to those of our enemy. The prophet Isaiah declared,
…no weapon forged against you will prevail, (Isaiah 54:17b)
Earlier, we read,
The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalms 27:1)
The most common command in the Bible is “fear not,” but don’t think for a moment you can attack satan and demons without God’s power. That power is unleashed through prayer. In fact,
Prayer is the primary work of God’s people (Phil. 4:6-7)
I’m so grateful for the men, women and children who pray for First Alliance Church. We have three groups that meet each week—Sunday at 9 AM, Thursday at 7 PM, and men on Tuesdays at 8:30 AM. Many of you pray in your homes, your small groups, and during your personal time with God. Thank you. We need prayer—for passion, unity, direction, and protection. Prayer is truly work. It can be difficult, especially in a world filled with distractions. But without it, we’re just a bunch of broken people trying to change ourselves, our city, and our world with no power…in the face of a real enemy with real power. But with God, he doesn’t stand a chance!
In his book Seizing Your Divine Moment, pastor Erwin McManus talks about sending his son, Aaron, off to summer camp and wrote,
“Aaron was just a little guy, and I was kind of glad because it was a church camp. I figured he wasn’t going to hear all those ghost stories, because ghost stories can really cause a kid to have nightmares. But unfortunately, since it was a Christian camp and they didn’t tell ghost stories because we don’t believe in ghosts, they told demon and Satan stories instead. And so when Aaron got home, he was terrified.” That first night home, Aaron asked his dad to stay in the room with him. “Daddy, I’m afraid,” Aaron said. “They told all these stories about demons.” And McManus said he wanted to tell his son, “They’re not real,” but he couldn’t say that. Aaron pleaded, “Daddy, Daddy, would you pray for me that I would be safe?” In that plea, McManus said, he heard a desire for that kind of warm-blanket Christianity that too many people assume is all there is to it. So he said to his son, “Aaron, I will not pray for you to be safe. I will pray that God will make you dangerous, so dangerous that demons will flee when you enter the room.” And Aaron said, “Alright. But pray I would be really, really dangerous, Daddy.”
McManus asks, “Have you come to that place in your own life where you stop asking God to give you a safe existence and start asking him to make you a dangerous follower of Jesus Christ?”
Family, I pray that we would seek God’s direction for ourselves and First Alliance Church, that Jesus would truly be our Senior Pastor, leading us on his mission. I also pray that God would protect us from the evil one who wants to steal, kill, destroy, lie, and divide…and that we would be so dangerous to the agenda of evil—so filled with love and passion—that demons would flee and God would be glorified.
We need not fear satan or demons, but instead become more dangerous.
The first time I spoke at First Alliance Church, I had a four-word outline which some of you remember to this day:
Fear not. Fear God.
We are to fear—or give respect and reverence—to God, but we need not fear anything or anyone. God is in control. There are real battles we face, but we will win the war. The God of angels armies is on our side.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Back to Basics
1 Kings 3:5-14; Matthew 6:13, 31-33; Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 27:1
Series Big Idea: Throughout this series, we will look at the mission of FAC, the four prayers I pray for it, and the one thing that makes it so challenging—sin.
Big Idea: God will guide and protect us if we faithfully seek Him.
Direction
If you could have one wish—anything in the world—what would it be? Imagine God asking the question! Thousands of years ago, such a question was asked.
One of my favorite Bible stories is found in the book of 1 Kings.
At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” (1 Kings 3:5)
That’s it. King David’s son, Solomon, had become king. Though not perfect, Solomon loved the LORD, and so God makes this remarkable statement, grants Solomon’s request, and gives him so much more!
How would you respond if God said to you, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you?”
My name is Kirk and this morning we’re continuing our Back to Basics series, a look at our mission, the Alliance Core Values, and my prayers for First Alliance Church. We began on February 3 with the unveiling of our new mission statement:
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
Our staff and elders are unanimous in their excitement over this new language. We exist not for our glory, but rather God’s. That’s the bottom line of our existence. We’re all about Jesus, we’re a family, and our mission includes not only Toledo but also the ends of the earth. We are masterpieces broken by sin in the process of becoming like Jesus and helping others become disciples or followers of Jesus—mended masterpieces.
One of the Christian & Missionary Alliance Core Value states,
Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple (Matthew 28:19).
In other words, our mission of restoring God’s masterpieces is not something done by professional Christians such as myself. We are all to be engaged in making disciples, in becoming like Jesus and helping others become like Jesus. We’re in this together, family…loving God, loving others, and making disciples.
Last Sunday, we talked about passion and unity, two of my prayers for First Alliance Church. Do you have a passion for God? Prove it! Your checkbook or bank account will show what you truly value. Your calendar, too, will demonstrate whether or not you are passionate about Jesus, about people far from God, about loving and serving others, and about knowing and obeying God.
Another Alliance Core Value states,
Knowing and obeying God’s Word is fundamental to all true success (Joshua 1:8).
Today we’re going to look at the other two prayers I pray for First Alliance Church: direction and protection. When I say direction, I’m referring to allowing Jesus Christ, our Senior Pastor, to lead us, to guide us, to teach and instruct us.
We must to always seek God’s direction for ourselves, our families, and First Alliance Church.
God speaks through a variety of ways—nature, circumstances, other believers, dreams, music, prayer—but the primary way He speaks is through His Word, the Bible. He will never contradict what is said in the Bible, which is one of the reasons we say the Bible is our authority. I have a measure of authority as your pastor, but Jesus is our Senior Pastor and God is the ultimate authority. You may not like every decision made by the elders and staff since we all have our own preferences, but if you ever find anything around here being done in violation of God’s Word, please let us know. Of course, we’re not perfect, but we desire to follow Jesus and we know the heart of God primarily through the Bible. As it says in the foyer,
"For the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ."
When I pray for direction, I’m both praying for God to both lead us into the proper understanding of the Bible and also for His mission, vision and strategy for this local church. In a word, I pray for wisdom.
Let’s go back to that story of King Solomon.
At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” (1 Kings 3:5)
Did you think of your response?
Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. (1 Kings 3:6)
I love how Solomon doesn’t just say, “Give me lots of money or a hot wife or power” but actually worships God. As he talks with God—something we call prayer—he avoids just asking for stuff. Instead, he begins with worship and thanksgiving.
How do you pray? Do you approach God like a cosmic Santa Clause, or do you really enjoy time with God? One tool I’ve often used for prayer is ACTS:
Adoration
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication (requests)
God says to Solomon, “Ask me for whatever you want” and he begins with adoration and thanksgiving. He continues,
“Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” (1 Kings 3:7-9)
It is often said that Solomon asked for wisdom, though technically the request was for a heart of understanding, a discerning heart, which is similar. The prayer that I pray most often for myself is wisdom, and one of my four prayers for First Alliance Church is direction or wisdom, for not only myself but also our elders, staff, and leaders. There are several reasons why I seek wisdom from God. The first is that God was pleased with Solomon’s request.
The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. (1 Kings 3:10-12)
I like to learn lessons from the good and bad choices of others, and since God was pleased with Solomon’s request for wisdom in leading, it stands to reason it would please God for me to seek the same.
Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” (1 Kings 3:13-14)
Let me be clear, seeking wisdom does not necessarily lead to wealth and honor. I’m not a king, the date is not around 950 BCE, and God didn’t give me one request. But the extras God gave Solomon just emphasize God’s delight in the request for wisdom.
When Heather and I arrived at First Alliance Church more than three years ago, we knew very little about this city. We knew even less about this church. We came with no agenda, no vision, no strategy…just a clear calling to move to Toledo and serve here. Ever since I began serving as your pastor, I’ve been working with the elders and staff to discern the direction, the next steps, the mission and vision and strategy. An empty baptistry is unacceptable, and simply singing songs and preaching sermons is not enough. Nowhere does Jesus say to plant churches—and I love church planting—or build buildings or start church programs. He said to make disciples.
You see, the Bible never changes, but how it is communicated is constantly changing. I love the example of Billy Graham. He’s best known for his speaking, often using microphones to deliver his sermons, a technology Jesus never had! But he also started a magazine. He wrote books. He delivered the gospel through movies, television, and the Internet. Perhaps you could say the Bible told Graham what to preach, but not how to preach it.
The same is true for First Alliance Church. We must never change the Bible—it is our authority—but how we preach it, how we communicate it must always be changing to connect with an ever-changing world. Without a website, some of you wouldn’t be here today. Without a Facebook page, some of you wouldn’t know about FAC. If it weren’t for this building and the technology of language and the signs outside, you may never have known First Alliance Church existed. At this very moment my words are being recorded for our podcast which can be heard literally around the world.
I don’t know all of the things God has planned for us in the future. We are setting aside funds for church planting. We are praying for God to raise up more International Workers to proclaim Jesus to other people groups. There are emerging technologies which we could use, creative ways to utilize our beautiful campus, and countless opportunities to serve our city and earn the right to be heard as we build relationships with unchurched people. In all of these things we need God’s direction. We need wisdom. We need discernment. Our scripture reading for today is Jesus’ response to worry.
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:31-33)
In other words, seek God’s glory, God’s wisdom, God’s direction, God’s agenda and you can’t go wrong. This doesn’t mean life will always be easy, but you can be confident that where God guides, He provides. Or to quote my favorite passage in the entire Bible,
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Family, if you pray one prayer for me, please pray for wisdom. If there’s one prayer for our elders and staff and leaders, please pray for wisdom. We want to be led by Jesus Christ, our Senior Pastor. We need God’s direction for His church.
While we’re on the subject, I might add another one of the core values of the Alliance:
Achieving God’s purposes means taking faith-filled risks. This always involves change (Hebrews 1).
As an entrepreneur, I love this value, but I know it is disturbing to many of you. Change can be very difficult. We never want to change for the sake of change, but we must be willing to change anything and everything for the sake of the mission (which would never violate the Bible since God’s glory is the bottom line of our mission). As Dan Rogers said two weeks ago, our church has been taking faith-filled risks for decades, and I’m honored and humbled to be able to serve a congregation so willing to trust God for great things, obediently following His call and direction.
Protection
I pray for passion, unity, direction, …and protection.
We have a very real enemy, family. His name is satan and he has some friends who—like satan—are fallen angels which we call demons. They don’t necessarily run around with horns and a pitchfork, but they are real nonetheless. Anytime you hear about a death, a theft, a divorce, a tragedy, poverty, drug overdose, suicide attempt, shooting, abuse, disrespect, hate, envy, perversion, …you hear about our enemy in action.
Some people are obsessed with spiritual warfare and the cosmic battle between good and evil, God and satan, right and wrong. They look for a demon in every Coke can and seem to blame everything on the devil. Others dismiss our enemy and ignore the reality of our opponent. C.S. Lewis famously wrote,
“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve their existence. The other is to believe and feel an unhealthy interest in them.”
We can pray for God’s protection from our very real enemy.
In fact, we should pray for God’s protection. When I pray for protection, I think of Jesus’ model prayer for his disciples:
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’ (Matthew 6:13)
We don’t have time to do a full examination of spiritual warfare, but I want to acknowledge the reality of it and our need for God’s power. We can’t do ministry apart from God’s power. In fact, we noted several weeks ago,
Without the Holy Spirit’s empowerment, we can accomplish nothing (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).
Furthermore, Paul wrote,
I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13, ESV)
Lest you think that means God wants to make us rich, famous, and powerful, consider this cartoon from Skye Jethani.
The Bible is packed with passages that affirm God’s power as far superior to those of our enemy. The prophet Isaiah declared,
…no weapon forged against you will prevail, (Isaiah 54:17b)
Earlier, we read,
The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalms 27:1)
The most common command in the Bible is “fear not,” but don’t think for a moment you can attack satan and demons without God’s power. That power is unleashed through prayer. In fact,
Prayer is the primary work of God’s people (Phil. 4:6-7)
I’m so grateful for the men, women and children who pray for First Alliance Church. We have three groups that meet each week—Sunday at 9 AM, Thursday at 7 PM, and men on Tuesdays at 8:30 AM. Many of you pray in your homes, your small groups, and during your personal time with God. Thank you. We need prayer—for passion, unity, direction, and protection. Prayer is truly work. It can be difficult, especially in a world filled with distractions. But without it, we’re just a bunch of broken people trying to change ourselves, our city, and our world with no power…in the face of a real enemy with real power. But with God, he doesn’t stand a chance!
In his book Seizing Your Divine Moment, pastor Erwin McManus talks about sending his son, Aaron, off to summer camp and wrote,
“Aaron was just a little guy, and I was kind of glad because it was a church camp. I figured he wasn’t going to hear all those ghost stories, because ghost stories can really cause a kid to have nightmares. But unfortunately, since it was a Christian camp and they didn’t tell ghost stories because we don’t believe in ghosts, they told demon and Satan stories instead. And so when Aaron got home, he was terrified.” That first night home, Aaron asked his dad to stay in the room with him. “Daddy, I’m afraid,” Aaron said. “They told all these stories about demons.” And McManus said he wanted to tell his son, “They’re not real,” but he couldn’t say that. Aaron pleaded, “Daddy, Daddy, would you pray for me that I would be safe?” In that plea, McManus said, he heard a desire for that kind of warm-blanket Christianity that too many people assume is all there is to it. So he said to his son, “Aaron, I will not pray for you to be safe. I will pray that God will make you dangerous, so dangerous that demons will flee when you enter the room.” And Aaron said, “Alright. But pray I would be really, really dangerous, Daddy.”
McManus asks, “Have you come to that place in your own life where you stop asking God to give you a safe existence and start asking him to make you a dangerous follower of Jesus Christ?”
Family, I pray that we would seek God’s direction for ourselves and First Alliance Church, that Jesus would truly be our Senior Pastor, leading us on his mission. I also pray that God would protect us from the evil one who wants to steal, kill, destroy, lie, and divide…and that we would be so dangerous to the agenda of evil—so filled with love and passion—that demons would flee and God would be glorified.
We need not fear satan or demons, but instead become more dangerous.
The first time I spoke at First Alliance Church, I had a four-word outline which some of you remember to this day:
Fear not. Fear God.
We are to fear—or give respect and reverence—to God, but we need not fear anything or anyone. God is in control. There are real battles we face, but we will win the war. The God of angels armies is on our side.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Passion & Unity, 10 February 2019
11 02 19
Passion and Unity
Series—Back to Basics
Romans 12:9-13; Malachi 3:10; Mark 12:30; Romans 15:1-7
Big Idea: We are discussing two of my four prayers for FAC: passion and unity and the stewardship and praise which result from them.
Passion
What do you love? Who do you love? Really!
I know, it’s Sunday so God must be the answer, right? If you have a family, your spouse or kids or parents should probably be mentioned. But what do you really love?
I know some of you are passionate about sports. You practice, play, and watch games. Others prefer the electronic variety and devote themselves to video games. Some of you are committed to cooking, your Facebook posts, caring for your pets, traveling, fashion, reading, Netflix, coffee, charity work, entertaining people in your home, going out to eat, cars, …
To quote John Maxwell,
What do you sing about?
What do you cry about?
These are things that we are passionate about today.
What do you dream about? This speaks to what you hope will bring you fulfillment tomorrow.
In the first part of my message today, we’re talking about passion. It has been described as fuel for the will. It motivates us. It drives us to do—or not do—things. What do you love? What’s your passion?
In our February series, we’re going Back to Basics. Last week we talked about mission, why we exist as a church. Although it is just the beginning of the process of living out God’s mission, we unveiled a mission statement for First Alliance Church.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
You are a masterpiece, God’s masterpiece. Like everyone in our city and world, we’re broken by sin and in need of restoration. We are privileged to partner with God in our own transformation into the image of Jesus as well as helping others become like Jesus. It’s all about Jesus and God’s glory, not our own, though it’s a wonderful—albeit often painful process—to be restored, redeemed, reconciled, repaired.
Last month we looked at the first eight verses of Romans chapter twelve. It continues,
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. (Romans 12:9-13)
Did you catch that in the middle? Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the LORD. That’s passion!
Family, one of my four prayers for First Alliance Church is passion…passion for God and the things that matter to God. In case you’re not sure what things those would be, let me draw your attention to one of our Alliance Core Values:
Lost people matter to God and He wants them found. (Luke 19:10)
This relates to our mission of restoring God’s masterpieces, loving our neighbors, caring for “the least of these,” extending hospitality to widows, strangers, and orphans.
The reason I pray for passion is because I can’t give it to you. I can model passion, I can preach about it, I can try to motivate you and challenge you, but passion is something that you have or you don’t. Either you were excited about watching the Super Bowl or you fell asleep during the big game. Either you devote yourself to politics or music or prayer or your kids or parents or neighbors or you don’t.
What’s your passion? Who’s your passion? Prove it!
One of the ways we can prove our passion is with our money. This week is Valentine’s Day, a day in which consumers will spend around $20 billion on flowers, candy, dinner, and gifts. That’s a lot of love!
If your passion is video games, you no doubt spend a lot of money—and time—on entertainment. If your passion is fitness, you probably have a gym membership in your budget and calendar. If you love shoes or pets or family, your Visa bill or bank account will reveal that passion.
See, love is a verb. It requires action. It’s more than just a word or two on a chalky candy heart (which you can’t even buy this year because of a change in manufacturer; don’t worry, they’ll be back next year!). Love requires commitment, sacrifice, cost. Show me your calendar and checkbook and I’ll instantly see your passion. Your time, talents, and treasures reveal what we truly love…and worship.
Where does God fit into your life? Most of you know Jesus stated the greatest command is to love God, but do you? Really?
Author N.T. Wright said,
“When human beings give their heartfelt allegiance to and worship that which is not God, they progressively cease to reflect the image of God. One of the primary laws of human life is that you become like what you worship; what’s more, you reflect what you worship not only to the object itself but also outward to the world around. Those who worship money increasingly define themselves in terms of it and increasingly treat other people as creditors, debtors, partners, or customers rather than as human beings. Those who worship sex define themselves in terms of it (their preferences, their practices, their past histories) and increasingly treat other people as actual or potential sex objects. Those who worship power define themselves in terms of it and treat other people as either collaborators, competitors, or pawns. These and many other forms of idolatry combine in a thousand ways, all of them damaging to the image-bearing quality of the people concerned and of those whose lives they touch.” (Surprised by Hope)
Remember, we were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
I want to offer a simple, practical challenge to you regarding passion. It involves your treasures. Just to be clear, we ended 2018 in the black. This is not a backdoor, passive aggressive fundraising tactic. I simply want to ask, “Does your budget reflect your passion for God?”
Some of you may be asking, “What’s a budget?” If so, I urge you to talk with me, Google search “budget,” watch some free Dave Ramsey videos on Right Now Media, or take a class on personal finances.
Like any challenge, this question is more relevant to some of you than others. To all of you who are faithful in your generosity, I want to say thank you on behalf of God. Thank you for honoring God with your finances. Thank you for declaring your allegiance to Jesus every time you write a check, put cash in the offering plate, or give online. I can think of no greater investment than in God’s Kingdom…and our family’s budget reflects that.
Everything We Have Belongs To God; We Are His Stewards (1 Chronicles 29:14)
The word “tithe” means 10% and was established in the Old Testament as a starting point for generosity and stewardship. 100% of what we have is from God and belongs to God. As this Core Value of The Alliance states, we are His stewards.
When you give with passion to your local church, three things happen:
1. You honor God. You put your money where your mouth is, so to speak. The only time in the Bible I know of where God says, “Test me” is with our finances. In the book of Malachi, the people were instructed to give at least a tithe—ten percent—to God. They were stingy, giving God their scraps and leftovers. Unfortunately, many do this today. When the offering plate comes by, if there’s some spare change in the pocket or purse, they’ll drop it in. If not, nothing. It’s really their loss. God told the people,
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. (Malachi 3:10)
There have been many days when Heather and I could not afford to give, but we did anyway in obedience to God…and every time God provided. If you think you can’t afford to give, I’m here to say you can’t afford to not give. The dollar amount is not as important as the percentage. The city and state take 7¼% of everything we buy. Washington takes even more. And some of us give God nothing?
If ten percent—which I believe is God’s minimum—seems overwhelming, start with 5% or even 1%. If your boss came to you tomorrow and said you’d have to take a 10% pay cut, most of you would find a way to make that work. This isn’t a pay cut, though. It’s an investment in God’s Kingdom. Test Him! See how God honors your faith and obedience.
To be clear, I’m not guaranteeing that you’ll get $100 in the mail tomorrow after you put $100 in the offering plate today. But God honors those who honor Him. Don’t miss out on God’s blessing.
2. You bless our church, city, and world. God is at work in and through First Alliance Church. We are seeing broken marriages healed, the sick receiving care, the hungry fed, those in prison visited, children tutored, artists trained, youth challenged, meals delivered, and the homeless housed. Because of your generosity the gospel is proclaimed—both here and around the globe. God has used this church—His church—to send missionaries around the world, to plant churches, to launch ministries such as Cherry Street Mission and Proclaim FM, to bring hope to the hopeless, love to the unloved, and peace to the troubled. We are a family on mission, God’s mission, and I can’t imagine a greater investment.
Let’s face it, our world is messed up. It needs help, and our government, schools, and businesses are not the answer, though they do good work. There’s no force on our planet like the power of God moving in and through His people.
3. Thirdly, you experience freedom. So many people live paycheck-to-paycheck with a scarcity mentality, hoarding and living in fear. When you give to God before you pay your bills, you put your faith in action, trust God, and can truly pray for your daily bread. Remember, God says to test him. He can be trusted. In nearly 29 years of marriage, He’s never failed us (and we’ve been through some massive financial storms!).
As James K.A.Smith’s book title states, You are what you love.
When Jesus was asked the greatest commandment, He replied,
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
What’s missing? Nothing! He said if we are his friends, we’ll do what he commands (John 15:14). He wants us to love him with ALL our heart, ALL our soul, ALL our mind, ALL our strength. When you are passionate about something, you give it your time, your attention, and your money. The word “passion’ means several things, including “a powerful or compelling emotion or feeling, a strong or extravagant desire, or a strong love,” but another definition is “the sufferings of Christ on the cross.” Jesus suffered because he is passionate about you and me. His love is so great that he gave everything for us—even his own life. That’s passion! That’s commitment. That’s love.
One of the primary ways we love God, one of the tools we have for surrendering to the Holy Spirit, one of the best expressions of trusting God, one of the most practical declarations of our faith is how we invest our money. I pray that your greatest passion in the world would be for God, and that your time, talents, and your treasures would truly reflect your worship and allegiance to Him.
Unity
Before we enter a time of worship through music in this slightly unusual Sunday morning gathering, I want to talk about another prayer I pray for First Alliance Church in addition to passion. It’s unity.
Two weeks ago we saw from Romans chapter 14 how judging and condemning others can threaten unity…and even cause people to leave our church family. After all, who wants to be with people who are critical, negative, and self-righteous? Tragically, I’ve learned of several people who no longer attend First Alliance Church because of judgmental attitudes and rejection. One Connection Card from two weeks ago said a young persons, “First Alliance peers no longer come because they say they are judged and spoke to as sinful ‘lost sheep’ when they visit so they go to different churches now, or not at all. So sad.”
Family, I don’t want to “judge and condemn” you, but we’ve got work to do. Actually, the Holy Spirit has work to do…on our hearts. I want to return to the book of Romans, this time chapter 15. Some preachers have spent years going through this incredible book of the Bible. Two weeks ago, we were in chapter 14 and it continues…
We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. (Romans 15:1-2)
In chapter 14, Paul tells the church in Rome to avoid quarrelling over disputable matters (14:1). Furthermore, we must be sensitive to those whose faith is weak, not causing them to stumble. Love means looking out for the best interest of another person, and for me to truly love you, I must be willing to sacrifice my freedoms for your conscience. I used the example of a person choosing not to drink a glass of wine around their friend who is an alcoholic. We’re naturally selfish creatures, but love means thinking of others.
This is radical! This is counter-cultural. This is the way of Jesus. He did not come to be served, but to serve. He did not come to save His life, but to offer it up for us. He set a perfect example for us to follow…an example that requires surrender to God, a filling of the Holy Spirit, and a willingness to die to our own selfish desires for the sake of loving God…and others.
This Saturday I’m performing a wedding ceremony in Michigan and one thing I often say to couples is marriage is not 50/50. It’s 100/100. If your attitude is to go halfway, that might be fine in some situations, but there are times in life when the other person—a spouse, child, parent, friend—simply can’t go halfway themselves. Maybe they are sick or struggling in some area of life and they need you to go the extra mile, so to speak. Jesus went all the way with his love. It was unconditional. He didn’t say, “I love you if” or “I love you because,” but “I love you. Period.” As we remembered last Sunday, he gave everything for us, even his very life on the cross.
For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. (Romans 15:3-4)
I’m so glad Jesus did not live a selfish life. Aren’t you? Paul continues,
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5-6)
You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. When we live for ourselves, any hope of unity is lost. When we humbly gather together at the foot of the cross, bowing in adoration of Almighty God, seeking to love God and one another, unity is certain.
The ultimate purpose of unity is to glorify God, to worship and praise Him.
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. (Romans 15:7)
This doesn’t mean to accept sin, but to accept sinners…that’s all of us. We’ve been accepted by Jesus, despite our brokenness. His love is amazing, and he commands us to love one another, to accept one another, and in doing so, we praise God, in word and deed.
This is really hard. It’s easy to disagree with one another. It’s easy to gossip, slander, and judge. It feels quite natural to be critical, negative and be divisive…especially in our current culture. I’m sorry to say I’ve witnessed this repeatedly within our church family…and it must stop. Now. Our mission is not to about a donkey or an elephant. What brings us together is not having similar educational or economic backgrounds. Our purpose in gathering is not to “have our needs met” or to enjoy the music or feel good about the preaching (especially today, right?!). We are a Jesus-centered family and we exist for the glory of God. Period.
Even if you were an only child, you know family can be difficult. You won’t always agree on what restaurant to visit on vacation, what color to paint the living room, or what to name the puppy. But God uses others to shape us, teach us, and transform us. Others help us to become patient, kind, generous, loving, and selfless…to become like Jesus.
Today we’re going to close with not one song but several. We want to create space for your voice to join others. You can download sermons all day long. You can give money online. You can chat with friends on Facebook. One thing that is unique about our gatherings is corporate worship. You can sing in your car, but there’s something so beautiful about praising God together. This isn’t glee club or choir hour, but rather singing songs to God. He’s the audience. The people on stage are not the performers. We all are performers, together, for God. As a symbol of our unity, of loving God and one another, as a family, we praise God.
Worship Music
I pray for passion, expressed in our time, talents, and treasures.
I pray for unity, expressed in our love for one another, encouragement, sensitivity to one another, and lack of condemnation.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Back to Basics
Romans 12:9-13; Malachi 3:10; Mark 12:30; Romans 15:1-7
Big Idea: We are discussing two of my four prayers for FAC: passion and unity and the stewardship and praise which result from them.
Passion
What do you love? Who do you love? Really!
I know, it’s Sunday so God must be the answer, right? If you have a family, your spouse or kids or parents should probably be mentioned. But what do you really love?
I know some of you are passionate about sports. You practice, play, and watch games. Others prefer the electronic variety and devote themselves to video games. Some of you are committed to cooking, your Facebook posts, caring for your pets, traveling, fashion, reading, Netflix, coffee, charity work, entertaining people in your home, going out to eat, cars, …
To quote John Maxwell,
What do you sing about?
What do you cry about?
These are things that we are passionate about today.
What do you dream about? This speaks to what you hope will bring you fulfillment tomorrow.
In the first part of my message today, we’re talking about passion. It has been described as fuel for the will. It motivates us. It drives us to do—or not do—things. What do you love? What’s your passion?
In our February series, we’re going Back to Basics. Last week we talked about mission, why we exist as a church. Although it is just the beginning of the process of living out God’s mission, we unveiled a mission statement for First Alliance Church.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
You are a masterpiece, God’s masterpiece. Like everyone in our city and world, we’re broken by sin and in need of restoration. We are privileged to partner with God in our own transformation into the image of Jesus as well as helping others become like Jesus. It’s all about Jesus and God’s glory, not our own, though it’s a wonderful—albeit often painful process—to be restored, redeemed, reconciled, repaired.
Last month we looked at the first eight verses of Romans chapter twelve. It continues,
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. (Romans 12:9-13)
Did you catch that in the middle? Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the LORD. That’s passion!
Family, one of my four prayers for First Alliance Church is passion…passion for God and the things that matter to God. In case you’re not sure what things those would be, let me draw your attention to one of our Alliance Core Values:
Lost people matter to God and He wants them found. (Luke 19:10)
This relates to our mission of restoring God’s masterpieces, loving our neighbors, caring for “the least of these,” extending hospitality to widows, strangers, and orphans.
The reason I pray for passion is because I can’t give it to you. I can model passion, I can preach about it, I can try to motivate you and challenge you, but passion is something that you have or you don’t. Either you were excited about watching the Super Bowl or you fell asleep during the big game. Either you devote yourself to politics or music or prayer or your kids or parents or neighbors or you don’t.
What’s your passion? Who’s your passion? Prove it!
One of the ways we can prove our passion is with our money. This week is Valentine’s Day, a day in which consumers will spend around $20 billion on flowers, candy, dinner, and gifts. That’s a lot of love!
If your passion is video games, you no doubt spend a lot of money—and time—on entertainment. If your passion is fitness, you probably have a gym membership in your budget and calendar. If you love shoes or pets or family, your Visa bill or bank account will reveal that passion.
See, love is a verb. It requires action. It’s more than just a word or two on a chalky candy heart (which you can’t even buy this year because of a change in manufacturer; don’t worry, they’ll be back next year!). Love requires commitment, sacrifice, cost. Show me your calendar and checkbook and I’ll instantly see your passion. Your time, talents, and treasures reveal what we truly love…and worship.
Where does God fit into your life? Most of you know Jesus stated the greatest command is to love God, but do you? Really?
Author N.T. Wright said,
“When human beings give their heartfelt allegiance to and worship that which is not God, they progressively cease to reflect the image of God. One of the primary laws of human life is that you become like what you worship; what’s more, you reflect what you worship not only to the object itself but also outward to the world around. Those who worship money increasingly define themselves in terms of it and increasingly treat other people as creditors, debtors, partners, or customers rather than as human beings. Those who worship sex define themselves in terms of it (their preferences, their practices, their past histories) and increasingly treat other people as actual or potential sex objects. Those who worship power define themselves in terms of it and treat other people as either collaborators, competitors, or pawns. These and many other forms of idolatry combine in a thousand ways, all of them damaging to the image-bearing quality of the people concerned and of those whose lives they touch.” (Surprised by Hope)
Remember, we were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
I want to offer a simple, practical challenge to you regarding passion. It involves your treasures. Just to be clear, we ended 2018 in the black. This is not a backdoor, passive aggressive fundraising tactic. I simply want to ask, “Does your budget reflect your passion for God?”
Some of you may be asking, “What’s a budget?” If so, I urge you to talk with me, Google search “budget,” watch some free Dave Ramsey videos on Right Now Media, or take a class on personal finances.
Like any challenge, this question is more relevant to some of you than others. To all of you who are faithful in your generosity, I want to say thank you on behalf of God. Thank you for honoring God with your finances. Thank you for declaring your allegiance to Jesus every time you write a check, put cash in the offering plate, or give online. I can think of no greater investment than in God’s Kingdom…and our family’s budget reflects that.
Everything We Have Belongs To God; We Are His Stewards (1 Chronicles 29:14)
The word “tithe” means 10% and was established in the Old Testament as a starting point for generosity and stewardship. 100% of what we have is from God and belongs to God. As this Core Value of The Alliance states, we are His stewards.
When you give with passion to your local church, three things happen:
1. You honor God. You put your money where your mouth is, so to speak. The only time in the Bible I know of where God says, “Test me” is with our finances. In the book of Malachi, the people were instructed to give at least a tithe—ten percent—to God. They were stingy, giving God their scraps and leftovers. Unfortunately, many do this today. When the offering plate comes by, if there’s some spare change in the pocket or purse, they’ll drop it in. If not, nothing. It’s really their loss. God told the people,
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. (Malachi 3:10)
There have been many days when Heather and I could not afford to give, but we did anyway in obedience to God…and every time God provided. If you think you can’t afford to give, I’m here to say you can’t afford to not give. The dollar amount is not as important as the percentage. The city and state take 7¼% of everything we buy. Washington takes even more. And some of us give God nothing?
If ten percent—which I believe is God’s minimum—seems overwhelming, start with 5% or even 1%. If your boss came to you tomorrow and said you’d have to take a 10% pay cut, most of you would find a way to make that work. This isn’t a pay cut, though. It’s an investment in God’s Kingdom. Test Him! See how God honors your faith and obedience.
To be clear, I’m not guaranteeing that you’ll get $100 in the mail tomorrow after you put $100 in the offering plate today. But God honors those who honor Him. Don’t miss out on God’s blessing.
2. You bless our church, city, and world. God is at work in and through First Alliance Church. We are seeing broken marriages healed, the sick receiving care, the hungry fed, those in prison visited, children tutored, artists trained, youth challenged, meals delivered, and the homeless housed. Because of your generosity the gospel is proclaimed—both here and around the globe. God has used this church—His church—to send missionaries around the world, to plant churches, to launch ministries such as Cherry Street Mission and Proclaim FM, to bring hope to the hopeless, love to the unloved, and peace to the troubled. We are a family on mission, God’s mission, and I can’t imagine a greater investment.
Let’s face it, our world is messed up. It needs help, and our government, schools, and businesses are not the answer, though they do good work. There’s no force on our planet like the power of God moving in and through His people.
3. Thirdly, you experience freedom. So many people live paycheck-to-paycheck with a scarcity mentality, hoarding and living in fear. When you give to God before you pay your bills, you put your faith in action, trust God, and can truly pray for your daily bread. Remember, God says to test him. He can be trusted. In nearly 29 years of marriage, He’s never failed us (and we’ve been through some massive financial storms!).
As James K.A.Smith’s book title states, You are what you love.
When Jesus was asked the greatest commandment, He replied,
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
What’s missing? Nothing! He said if we are his friends, we’ll do what he commands (John 15:14). He wants us to love him with ALL our heart, ALL our soul, ALL our mind, ALL our strength. When you are passionate about something, you give it your time, your attention, and your money. The word “passion’ means several things, including “a powerful or compelling emotion or feeling, a strong or extravagant desire, or a strong love,” but another definition is “the sufferings of Christ on the cross.” Jesus suffered because he is passionate about you and me. His love is so great that he gave everything for us—even his own life. That’s passion! That’s commitment. That’s love.
One of the primary ways we love God, one of the tools we have for surrendering to the Holy Spirit, one of the best expressions of trusting God, one of the most practical declarations of our faith is how we invest our money. I pray that your greatest passion in the world would be for God, and that your time, talents, and your treasures would truly reflect your worship and allegiance to Him.
Unity
Before we enter a time of worship through music in this slightly unusual Sunday morning gathering, I want to talk about another prayer I pray for First Alliance Church in addition to passion. It’s unity.
Two weeks ago we saw from Romans chapter 14 how judging and condemning others can threaten unity…and even cause people to leave our church family. After all, who wants to be with people who are critical, negative, and self-righteous? Tragically, I’ve learned of several people who no longer attend First Alliance Church because of judgmental attitudes and rejection. One Connection Card from two weeks ago said a young persons, “First Alliance peers no longer come because they say they are judged and spoke to as sinful ‘lost sheep’ when they visit so they go to different churches now, or not at all. So sad.”
Family, I don’t want to “judge and condemn” you, but we’ve got work to do. Actually, the Holy Spirit has work to do…on our hearts. I want to return to the book of Romans, this time chapter 15. Some preachers have spent years going through this incredible book of the Bible. Two weeks ago, we were in chapter 14 and it continues…
We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. (Romans 15:1-2)
In chapter 14, Paul tells the church in Rome to avoid quarrelling over disputable matters (14:1). Furthermore, we must be sensitive to those whose faith is weak, not causing them to stumble. Love means looking out for the best interest of another person, and for me to truly love you, I must be willing to sacrifice my freedoms for your conscience. I used the example of a person choosing not to drink a glass of wine around their friend who is an alcoholic. We’re naturally selfish creatures, but love means thinking of others.
This is radical! This is counter-cultural. This is the way of Jesus. He did not come to be served, but to serve. He did not come to save His life, but to offer it up for us. He set a perfect example for us to follow…an example that requires surrender to God, a filling of the Holy Spirit, and a willingness to die to our own selfish desires for the sake of loving God…and others.
This Saturday I’m performing a wedding ceremony in Michigan and one thing I often say to couples is marriage is not 50/50. It’s 100/100. If your attitude is to go halfway, that might be fine in some situations, but there are times in life when the other person—a spouse, child, parent, friend—simply can’t go halfway themselves. Maybe they are sick or struggling in some area of life and they need you to go the extra mile, so to speak. Jesus went all the way with his love. It was unconditional. He didn’t say, “I love you if” or “I love you because,” but “I love you. Period.” As we remembered last Sunday, he gave everything for us, even his very life on the cross.
For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. (Romans 15:3-4)
I’m so glad Jesus did not live a selfish life. Aren’t you? Paul continues,
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5-6)
You were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. When we live for ourselves, any hope of unity is lost. When we humbly gather together at the foot of the cross, bowing in adoration of Almighty God, seeking to love God and one another, unity is certain.
The ultimate purpose of unity is to glorify God, to worship and praise Him.
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. (Romans 15:7)
This doesn’t mean to accept sin, but to accept sinners…that’s all of us. We’ve been accepted by Jesus, despite our brokenness. His love is amazing, and he commands us to love one another, to accept one another, and in doing so, we praise God, in word and deed.
This is really hard. It’s easy to disagree with one another. It’s easy to gossip, slander, and judge. It feels quite natural to be critical, negative and be divisive…especially in our current culture. I’m sorry to say I’ve witnessed this repeatedly within our church family…and it must stop. Now. Our mission is not to about a donkey or an elephant. What brings us together is not having similar educational or economic backgrounds. Our purpose in gathering is not to “have our needs met” or to enjoy the music or feel good about the preaching (especially today, right?!). We are a Jesus-centered family and we exist for the glory of God. Period.
Even if you were an only child, you know family can be difficult. You won’t always agree on what restaurant to visit on vacation, what color to paint the living room, or what to name the puppy. But God uses others to shape us, teach us, and transform us. Others help us to become patient, kind, generous, loving, and selfless…to become like Jesus.
Today we’re going to close with not one song but several. We want to create space for your voice to join others. You can download sermons all day long. You can give money online. You can chat with friends on Facebook. One thing that is unique about our gatherings is corporate worship. You can sing in your car, but there’s something so beautiful about praising God together. This isn’t glee club or choir hour, but rather singing songs to God. He’s the audience. The people on stage are not the performers. We all are performers, together, for God. As a symbol of our unity, of loving God and one another, as a family, we praise God.
Worship Music
I pray for passion, expressed in our time, talents, and treasures.
I pray for unity, expressed in our love for one another, encouragement, sensitivity to one another, and lack of condemnation.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Restoring Masterpieces, 3 February 2019
03 02 19
Restoring Masterpieces
Series—Back to Basics
Ephesians 2:1-10
Big Idea: We are on a mission from God to love Him, others, and make disciples…restoring God's masterpieces.
Welcome to Super Bowl Sunday!
My favorite football story comes from the legendary coach Vince Lombardi for whom the Super Bowl winner’s trophy is named. He would begin each season by gathering his team together and saying, “Gentlemen, this is a football.”
Whether it’s football, cooking, parenting, driving, or ministry, it’s impossible to overemphasize the fundamentals, the basics.
Today we’re beginning a new series entitled, Back to Basics. It’s essential for our church family to be on the same page, clear about our purpose, grounded in the Word of God, and filled with the Holy Spirit.
When I was first approached by District Superintendent Thomas George about submitting my resume to the FAC Pastoral Search Committee, I went to the church website to find the mission statement. I saw several words and phrases such as “connecting with God, others and the world” which were good slogans, but I didn’t find a single, concise statement that was unique to First Alliance Church.
I found three important things in our FAC 101 class for new members, all found in Matthew:
The Great Commandment, Matthew 22:37-40
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
The Great Commission, Matthew 28:18-20
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
The Great Compassion, Matthew 25:34-41
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ (Matthew 25:34-36)
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ (Matthew 25:37-39)
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41)
We are to be about loving God, loving others, making disciples, and caring for the hungry, thirsty, stranger, sick, and imprisoned. This is basic, right? I found this:
A great commitment to the Great Commandments and the Great Commission done with Great Compassion will grow a Great Church!
I really like that statement. But I wanted something more. I wanted a clear description of what First Alliance Church is to be about, unique from our sister churches in the Christian & Missionary Alliance. All Alliance churches can embrace
a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family
All churches are to love God and others and make disciples. But what sets this local church apart from others? If there’s nothing distinct, perhaps we should just merge with another church.
I have spent more than three years working with our leaders to craft a statement to bring clarity and focus to our FAC family. We used a tool called Church Unique which helped us to assess where we are, who we are, and where God is leading us. We reached out to people within our church family as well is in the surrounding neighborhood. We met, prayed, and discussed language for literally years until we finally settled on sixteen words which I believe will propel us forward on God’s mission.
See, we are on a mission from God, to borrow a phrase from The Blues Brothers. It’s not that our church has a mission, but rather that God’s mission has a church. For more than 131 years, we have had a unique and special calling in this city and region, and our work is far from complete. In fact, I think we’re just getting started! To be clear, mission is not something we do, but who we are. Missions is not a program of the church, it is the reason the church exists. We are all called to be on God’s mission.
A mission statement is not the end of our work. It’s just the beginning. Sixteen words don’t accomplish anything in and of themselves. Rather, they simply help us get on the same page and form the foundation for vision and strategy. They help us define a “win.” They say if you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.
Would you like to hear the mission statement?
The first words out of my mouth as your pastor three and a half years ago were simple:
Why are you here?
If we’re honest, there are probably many reasons why we are together in this room at this moment, good and bad. Why are you here?
Best-selling author Simon Sinek’s book title says it all: Start with Why.
Why do you exist?
Our District Superintendent, Rev. Thomas George, says, “We were made God, we were made for God, and we were made for God’s glory.” Why does First Alliance Church—its individuals and collective whole—exist? For God’s glory. It’s not about us. It’s about God.
Why does First Alliance Church exist?
for God’s glory
The bottom line of First Alliance Church is not my pleasure, your comfort, or even the people in our city. This isn’t my church or your church. It’s God’s church. The bottom line is God’s glory.
How are we to function, live, and act? It’s all about Jesus. It’s not about religion or tradition. It’s about Jesus.
We are Jesus-centered…for God’s glory
Who are we? We’re a family. Everyone yearns for the love and intimacy of a healthy family, even if they’ve never experienced one. We’re not a perfect family, but we are more than a group of individuals. We were created to be interdependent. We were designed to do life together in community. We are a spiritual family helping biological families.
We are a Jesus-centered family…for God’s glory
Where are we? Toledo is our epicenter, our home, our primary mission field. Missionaries are sent overseas, but they’re also desperately needed here in our post-Christian culture. There are 500,000 souls here, many of whom are facing an eternity without Jesus. Acts 1:8 says we are to not only serve our “Jerusalem” but also Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. As part of the global Alliance family, our neighbor is both someone down the street and someone on the other side of the planet.
We are a Jesus-centered family…in Toledo and beyond for God’s glory
What do we do? There are many churches in our community, but what makes us unique? How are we distinct from Westgate Chapel or Bedford Alliance besides our geography? What makes us different than The Tabernacle or The Vineyard or Cornerstone, neighbors in our city? Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus:
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:1-5)
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:6-10)
We are God’s handiwork. Paul originally wrote in Greek, so all English versions are translations. The ESV and King James translations says we are his workmanship. My favorite version of this verse is found in the New Living Translation.
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” - Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
You are a masterpiece! You are a work of art! You were created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth. There is no one like you. Your size, shape, color, personality, and story make you a one-of-a-kind in a world of more than 7 billion people.
The same can be said of everyone in our neighborhood. Regardless of their age, gender, race, religion, height, weight, education, or income, they are a masterpiece.
Obviously this word “masterpiece” is not an image most churches would adopt, but part of what makes First Alliance Church unique is its location on Monroe Street, the Avenue of the Arts. Our defining landmark is being located next to the fantastic Toledo Museum of Art. Throughout our history, we have had rich musical performances, taught children at our sports and arts camp, promote family-friendly theater, and even worship in a building which I consider to be a work of art.
God is an artist, and His greatest work came not in speaking or singing into existence the sun or stars or animals, but humans.
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)
I love the Toledo Zoo. I’m a member, in fact! I like the elephants and monkeys and giraffe. My favorite part of the zoo is the aquarium. I’m fascinated by fish and one of my all-time favorite things to do is snorkel. The diverse colors, shapes, and sizes of sea life are absolutely brilliant. But humans are unique among all of God’s creation. Only humans were created in God’s image. He saved the best for last during creation! You are a masterpiece. Really!
A few months ago, I believe the LORD woke me up at 4:30 in the morning and dropped two words into my head. I wasn’t brainstorming or working on a mission statement. I was sleeping! But two simple words came to mind as I awoke. One was masterpiece.
We are a Jesus-centered family _____________ God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory
We are God’s masterpieces. But there’s one not-so-little problem.
Unfortunately, we’ve all been broken by sin. We’re all messed up, some more visibly than others, but even the best of us—the most healthy and mature—is a work in progress. Fortunately, God is all about redemption, reconciliation, and healing. The work of Jesus offers opportunity, freedom, and hope. As our local partner, Cherry Street Mission, calls their facility, revitalization is possible in humans just as it is in the buildings in our city which are being renovated. Our community is filled with brokenness and desperation in every conceivable sense…economic, educational, moral, safety, family…and we are called to be conduits of God’s shalom—peace and wholeness. Transformation, repair, rehabilitation…it’s all about restoration. It’s about the restoration of masterpieces created by God, helping each person discover their potential, connecting with God, others, and the world.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
The two words God gave me were “restoring masterpieces.” That’s why we’re here, what we are to be about. First Alliance Church is not a members-only club. We don’t exist for the primary purpose of having a nice building in which to worship God. Our mission is not maintaining the status quo or distributing religious goods and services.
We love God, we love others, and we make disciples by becoming like Jesus, by looking and acting like our Master and LORD. Each one of us is unique. We are a mosaic of different people, different masterpieces being restored by our Creator to become like Jesus. This includes Christians and pre-Christians, rich and poor, black and white, homeowners and homeless, dropouts and graduates.
I know for some of you this is a radical vision. I’m reminded of Steve Taylor’s satirical song of long ago, “I Want To Be A Clone” in which he sings of how every Christian is supposed to look and act and dress exactly the same. But as I said last Sunday, unity does not mean uniformity. It’s ok for us to have different preferences and opinions, so long as they do not violate the Word of God. It’s good and healthy for us to listen and learn from one another. I don’t know about you, but I’ve changed my view on some things over the years, and will probably continue to do so as I learn and study the Bible and am guided by the Holy Spirit.
Every masterpiece is unique and special…or else it’s not a masterpiece!
When Jesus said he came “to seek and to save the lost” in Luke 19:10, he was expressing the heart of the Father to not only love His children, but also to pursue the lost sheep. The mission of the church goes beyond its members to include every man, woman and child created by God…and for whom Jesus died. “For God so loved the world.” The reason we remain here after surrendering our lives to Jesus is because we are on a mission from God. Every person you meet at the store, in your office, in your neighborhood, at the library, and at school is a masterpiece, whether they know it or not. Broken and flawed, yes. Covered by the dust and dirt of sin, yes. In need of restoration, absolutely! And what an honor and privilege to be commissioned by Jesus himself to make disciples, to reproduce his life in ourselves and others, to love our neighbors, and in doing so loving God.
Restoring masterpieces. You are a masterpiece, and we all have need of some restoration, be it a dusting each day as we confess our sins or a massive work of revitalization needed by a person far from God. We were created to do good works, to love God and others, to make disciples, to help restore the broken masterpieces we encounter each day.
Kintsugi is the centuries-old Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Some consider the restored art more valuable than the original unblemished piece. Although damaged, it is whole.
What a picture of redemption! Ever since Adam and Eve sinned, God has been redeeming, repairing, rebuilding, and restoring humanity. The very best among us are nothing more than wounded healers. We are all in need of God’s grace, forgiveness, mercy, and restoration.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
This is our mission. This is God’s mission. We are His masterpieces, and it’s all about His glory.
As we move into communion, I want you to think upon your value as a masterpiece. People are willing to spend thousands, even millions of dollars for works of art, but I’ve never heard of someone willing to die for a painting or sculpture. But God so loved the masterpieces He created that He sent Jesus to die to redeem us, to reconcile us, to restore us and our relationship with Him broken by sin. We celebrate His sacrifice and respond by not only remembering but also by seeking to restore God’s masterpieces that live in Toledo and beyond.
Communion
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
This is one of my favorite verses, but the verse before it says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” If we think our masterpiece is not damaged by sin, it can never be restored. Everyone else knows we’re broken. Trust me! When we confess our sins and agree we need repair and forgiveness, He can go to work. He loves to shine His light through our cracks and brokenness (2 Cor. 4:7). Today I pray we can all get real with God, acknowledge our flaws and sins, and become restored masterpieces, pursuing purity and holiness and helping others encounter the great Artist, Creator, Redeemer, and Restorer.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Back to Basics
Ephesians 2:1-10
Big Idea: We are on a mission from God to love Him, others, and make disciples…restoring God's masterpieces.
Welcome to Super Bowl Sunday!
My favorite football story comes from the legendary coach Vince Lombardi for whom the Super Bowl winner’s trophy is named. He would begin each season by gathering his team together and saying, “Gentlemen, this is a football.”
Whether it’s football, cooking, parenting, driving, or ministry, it’s impossible to overemphasize the fundamentals, the basics.
Today we’re beginning a new series entitled, Back to Basics. It’s essential for our church family to be on the same page, clear about our purpose, grounded in the Word of God, and filled with the Holy Spirit.
When I was first approached by District Superintendent Thomas George about submitting my resume to the FAC Pastoral Search Committee, I went to the church website to find the mission statement. I saw several words and phrases such as “connecting with God, others and the world” which were good slogans, but I didn’t find a single, concise statement that was unique to First Alliance Church.
I found three important things in our FAC 101 class for new members, all found in Matthew:
The Great Commandment, Matthew 22:37-40
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
The Great Commission, Matthew 28:18-20
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
The Great Compassion, Matthew 25:34-41
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ (Matthew 25:34-36)
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ (Matthew 25:37-39)
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41)
We are to be about loving God, loving others, making disciples, and caring for the hungry, thirsty, stranger, sick, and imprisoned. This is basic, right? I found this:
A great commitment to the Great Commandments and the Great Commission done with Great Compassion will grow a Great Church!
I really like that statement. But I wanted something more. I wanted a clear description of what First Alliance Church is to be about, unique from our sister churches in the Christian & Missionary Alliance. All Alliance churches can embrace
a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family
All churches are to love God and others and make disciples. But what sets this local church apart from others? If there’s nothing distinct, perhaps we should just merge with another church.
I have spent more than three years working with our leaders to craft a statement to bring clarity and focus to our FAC family. We used a tool called Church Unique which helped us to assess where we are, who we are, and where God is leading us. We reached out to people within our church family as well is in the surrounding neighborhood. We met, prayed, and discussed language for literally years until we finally settled on sixteen words which I believe will propel us forward on God’s mission.
See, we are on a mission from God, to borrow a phrase from The Blues Brothers. It’s not that our church has a mission, but rather that God’s mission has a church. For more than 131 years, we have had a unique and special calling in this city and region, and our work is far from complete. In fact, I think we’re just getting started! To be clear, mission is not something we do, but who we are. Missions is not a program of the church, it is the reason the church exists. We are all called to be on God’s mission.
A mission statement is not the end of our work. It’s just the beginning. Sixteen words don’t accomplish anything in and of themselves. Rather, they simply help us get on the same page and form the foundation for vision and strategy. They help us define a “win.” They say if you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.
Would you like to hear the mission statement?
The first words out of my mouth as your pastor three and a half years ago were simple:
Why are you here?
If we’re honest, there are probably many reasons why we are together in this room at this moment, good and bad. Why are you here?
Best-selling author Simon Sinek’s book title says it all: Start with Why.
Why do you exist?
Our District Superintendent, Rev. Thomas George, says, “We were made God, we were made for God, and we were made for God’s glory.” Why does First Alliance Church—its individuals and collective whole—exist? For God’s glory. It’s not about us. It’s about God.
Why does First Alliance Church exist?
for God’s glory
The bottom line of First Alliance Church is not my pleasure, your comfort, or even the people in our city. This isn’t my church or your church. It’s God’s church. The bottom line is God’s glory.
How are we to function, live, and act? It’s all about Jesus. It’s not about religion or tradition. It’s about Jesus.
We are Jesus-centered…for God’s glory
Who are we? We’re a family. Everyone yearns for the love and intimacy of a healthy family, even if they’ve never experienced one. We’re not a perfect family, but we are more than a group of individuals. We were created to be interdependent. We were designed to do life together in community. We are a spiritual family helping biological families.
We are a Jesus-centered family…for God’s glory
Where are we? Toledo is our epicenter, our home, our primary mission field. Missionaries are sent overseas, but they’re also desperately needed here in our post-Christian culture. There are 500,000 souls here, many of whom are facing an eternity without Jesus. Acts 1:8 says we are to not only serve our “Jerusalem” but also Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. As part of the global Alliance family, our neighbor is both someone down the street and someone on the other side of the planet.
We are a Jesus-centered family…in Toledo and beyond for God’s glory
What do we do? There are many churches in our community, but what makes us unique? How are we distinct from Westgate Chapel or Bedford Alliance besides our geography? What makes us different than The Tabernacle or The Vineyard or Cornerstone, neighbors in our city? Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus:
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:1-5)
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:6-10)
We are God’s handiwork. Paul originally wrote in Greek, so all English versions are translations. The ESV and King James translations says we are his workmanship. My favorite version of this verse is found in the New Living Translation.
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” - Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
You are a masterpiece! You are a work of art! You were created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth. There is no one like you. Your size, shape, color, personality, and story make you a one-of-a-kind in a world of more than 7 billion people.
The same can be said of everyone in our neighborhood. Regardless of their age, gender, race, religion, height, weight, education, or income, they are a masterpiece.
Obviously this word “masterpiece” is not an image most churches would adopt, but part of what makes First Alliance Church unique is its location on Monroe Street, the Avenue of the Arts. Our defining landmark is being located next to the fantastic Toledo Museum of Art. Throughout our history, we have had rich musical performances, taught children at our sports and arts camp, promote family-friendly theater, and even worship in a building which I consider to be a work of art.
God is an artist, and His greatest work came not in speaking or singing into existence the sun or stars or animals, but humans.
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)
I love the Toledo Zoo. I’m a member, in fact! I like the elephants and monkeys and giraffe. My favorite part of the zoo is the aquarium. I’m fascinated by fish and one of my all-time favorite things to do is snorkel. The diverse colors, shapes, and sizes of sea life are absolutely brilliant. But humans are unique among all of God’s creation. Only humans were created in God’s image. He saved the best for last during creation! You are a masterpiece. Really!
A few months ago, I believe the LORD woke me up at 4:30 in the morning and dropped two words into my head. I wasn’t brainstorming or working on a mission statement. I was sleeping! But two simple words came to mind as I awoke. One was masterpiece.
We are a Jesus-centered family _____________ God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory
We are God’s masterpieces. But there’s one not-so-little problem.
Unfortunately, we’ve all been broken by sin. We’re all messed up, some more visibly than others, but even the best of us—the most healthy and mature—is a work in progress. Fortunately, God is all about redemption, reconciliation, and healing. The work of Jesus offers opportunity, freedom, and hope. As our local partner, Cherry Street Mission, calls their facility, revitalization is possible in humans just as it is in the buildings in our city which are being renovated. Our community is filled with brokenness and desperation in every conceivable sense…economic, educational, moral, safety, family…and we are called to be conduits of God’s shalom—peace and wholeness. Transformation, repair, rehabilitation…it’s all about restoration. It’s about the restoration of masterpieces created by God, helping each person discover their potential, connecting with God, others, and the world.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
The two words God gave me were “restoring masterpieces.” That’s why we’re here, what we are to be about. First Alliance Church is not a members-only club. We don’t exist for the primary purpose of having a nice building in which to worship God. Our mission is not maintaining the status quo or distributing religious goods and services.
We love God, we love others, and we make disciples by becoming like Jesus, by looking and acting like our Master and LORD. Each one of us is unique. We are a mosaic of different people, different masterpieces being restored by our Creator to become like Jesus. This includes Christians and pre-Christians, rich and poor, black and white, homeowners and homeless, dropouts and graduates.
I know for some of you this is a radical vision. I’m reminded of Steve Taylor’s satirical song of long ago, “I Want To Be A Clone” in which he sings of how every Christian is supposed to look and act and dress exactly the same. But as I said last Sunday, unity does not mean uniformity. It’s ok for us to have different preferences and opinions, so long as they do not violate the Word of God. It’s good and healthy for us to listen and learn from one another. I don’t know about you, but I’ve changed my view on some things over the years, and will probably continue to do so as I learn and study the Bible and am guided by the Holy Spirit.
Every masterpiece is unique and special…or else it’s not a masterpiece!
When Jesus said he came “to seek and to save the lost” in Luke 19:10, he was expressing the heart of the Father to not only love His children, but also to pursue the lost sheep. The mission of the church goes beyond its members to include every man, woman and child created by God…and for whom Jesus died. “For God so loved the world.” The reason we remain here after surrendering our lives to Jesus is because we are on a mission from God. Every person you meet at the store, in your office, in your neighborhood, at the library, and at school is a masterpiece, whether they know it or not. Broken and flawed, yes. Covered by the dust and dirt of sin, yes. In need of restoration, absolutely! And what an honor and privilege to be commissioned by Jesus himself to make disciples, to reproduce his life in ourselves and others, to love our neighbors, and in doing so loving God.
Restoring masterpieces. You are a masterpiece, and we all have need of some restoration, be it a dusting each day as we confess our sins or a massive work of revitalization needed by a person far from God. We were created to do good works, to love God and others, to make disciples, to help restore the broken masterpieces we encounter each day.
Kintsugi is the centuries-old Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Some consider the restored art more valuable than the original unblemished piece. Although damaged, it is whole.
What a picture of redemption! Ever since Adam and Eve sinned, God has been redeeming, repairing, rebuilding, and restoring humanity. The very best among us are nothing more than wounded healers. We are all in need of God’s grace, forgiveness, mercy, and restoration.
We are a Jesus-centered family restoring God’s masterpieces in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
This is our mission. This is God’s mission. We are His masterpieces, and it’s all about His glory.
As we move into communion, I want you to think upon your value as a masterpiece. People are willing to spend thousands, even millions of dollars for works of art, but I’ve never heard of someone willing to die for a painting or sculpture. But God so loved the masterpieces He created that He sent Jesus to die to redeem us, to reconcile us, to restore us and our relationship with Him broken by sin. We celebrate His sacrifice and respond by not only remembering but also by seeking to restore God’s masterpieces that live in Toledo and beyond.
Communion
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
This is one of my favorite verses, but the verse before it says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” If we think our masterpiece is not damaged by sin, it can never be restored. Everyone else knows we’re broken. Trust me! When we confess our sins and agree we need repair and forgiveness, He can go to work. He loves to shine His light through our cracks and brokenness (2 Cor. 4:7). Today I pray we can all get real with God, acknowledge our flaws and sins, and become restored masterpieces, pursuing purity and holiness and helping others encounter the great Artist, Creator, Redeemer, and Restorer.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Selfless Living, 27 January 2019
28 01 19
Selfless Living
Series—Romans: Walking in the Spirit
Romans 14
Series Overview: The book of Romans guides us into a life of freedom as we follow Jesus by being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Big Idea: The Holy Spirit will lead us to live for God and others rather than judging, condemning, and living selfishly.
I have four prayers for First Alliance Church. I announced them the moment we arrived more than three years ago and I continue to pray for them.
I pray for passion…for Jesus, the lost, one another, the widows, strangers, orphans, and poor. I can’t make you passionate, but I can pray the Holy Spirit awakens you.
I pray for direction. This is not my church. This is not your church. This is God’s church. Jesus is our Senior Pastor. I want nothing more than to listen to and obey Jesus.
I pray for protection. We have a real enemy who wants to steal, kill, destroy, and lie. God is greater.
I pray for unity. This one is related to protection because the enemy loves to bring division. Unity is fragile. Without grace, love, and truth, things can go south in a hurry.
One thing I love about praying for unity is it’s Jesus’ prayer. In fact, the only prayer I know that Jesus prays specifically for us is found in John chapter 17.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23)
Jesus prayed that we would be one. This is why I pray for unity…not only within First Alliance Church but throughout our city. This is why we join other churches for worship—to answer Jesus’ prayer. This is why I pray with other pastors at MERGE once a month. This is why we have Home Missions partners to love our community together. This is why we seek to bless other Christians, be they counselor Jane Ginter, the Monroe Vineyard Church who is opening a coffee shop, the Toledo Vineyard Church who needed a place for a small office, our Faith Missions workers, or virtually anything we do with our Christian & Missionary Alliance family. It’s about unity…but not uniformity.
I know this will come as a shock to some of you, but God made each of us different. You are uniquely created by Almighty God with value, dignity, and worth. There is no one like you on the planet. We’ll talk more about this next Sunday, but for now I want you to think how different you are from the person sitting next to you. Maybe you look different. Maybe you think different. Maybe you smell different! We are all different, and if you’ve ever spent more than five minutes with another human being you understand why unity is so fragile, why Jesus prayed for us, and why todays passage from Romans chapter 14 is vitally important to us all.
Who’s the most selfish person you’ve ever met? Perhaps your mind reached back to that sibling or childhood friend who wouldn’t share their toys with you. Maybe it’s a co-worker or neighbor. Could it be the person in the mirror?
If we’re honest, we’re all selfish. Our natural response to most any situation is what is best for us. If our own humanity didn’t cause enough selfishness, we’re bombarded by messages every day telling us it’s all about us. Satisfy your needs, your thirst, your desires, your pleasures. You deserve it.
This might all be ok if you were the only person on the planet, but any group of two or more—much less hundreds like First Alliance Church—requires looking beyond our own preferences and conclusions.
We’ve been looking at the book of Romans during the beginning of this year. With our without new year’s resolutions, we can let time fly by or be intentional about growth, about transformation, about walking in the Spirit. Every moment is an opportunity to follow the flesh and the world or be filled with the Holy Spirit, living as God’s children and pursuing His Kingdom.
Jesus taught us to pray, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The Kingdom of God is advancing. We see brilliant moments when heaven kisses earth—the birth of a child, a prisoner being visited, the sick being healed, the hungry being fed, the lost becoming found, generosity multiplying, artists creating, …
Of course, we live in a fallen world where the kingdom of this world is also present. The tension is real between good and evil, god and satan, this world and the next.
We’ve repeatedly said growth involves suffering. Transformation involves trials. Surrender involves sacrifice. But it’s worth it! Jesus is worth it! Being filled with the Holy Spirit, used by Almighty God is worth it!
Perhaps nowhere is the battle between the kingdoms of God and satan more evident than in relationships. I’ve seen people deeply pious, religious, and committed to God, yet they miss the second part of Jesus’ command: loving their neighbor as themselves.
Romans chapter fourteen begins…
Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. (Romans 14:1-3)
Until recently, Paul’s specific message was deeply contextual. After all, whoever cared about another person’s diet? These days it’s almost impossible to prepare a meal for someone without asking if they’re vegetarian, vegan, keto, dairy-free, kosher, nut-allergic, …
Paul is most likely referring to the controversy surrounding the eating of meat sacrificed to idols or even pork. We might call it a gray matter, something which is “disputable.” Someone once said there are close-handed (clear) and open-handed (disputable) issues. For example, Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead would be two close-handed issues. We don’t debate them. They are crystal-clear from the scriptures. Murder, adultery, drunkenness, lying, stealing, envying people who live in Hawaii on a cold day like today…!!! These are close-handed, clear issues. There’s no debate.
But there are open-handed issues which are not essential. They don’t define heresy. They are disputable matters and they must be considered with humility and prayer. Of course, what is close-handed and open-handed can be a disputable matter! Here are some examples of what many would consider open-handed, disputable matters:
Can a Christian dance? Should a Christian dance? What about square dancing?
Can a Christian go to the movies? Should a Christian go to the movies? What about an R-rated movie? What about The Passion of the Christ which was rated R?
Can a Christian smoke? What about vaping?
Can a Christian drink a glass of wine? What about a beer?
Can a Christian purchase Christmas gifts with a credit card that is nearly maxed out?
Can a Christian work for pay on Sunday? Besides me! What about attending a soccer game on the Sabbath? What about playing in a soccer game on Sunday?
Can a Christian drive a nice car? Wear expensive jewelry? Own a vacation home?
This chapter of Romans is encouraging me because I’ve seen people argue and leave churches and break off relationships and judge one another over the silliest things. Again, unity is fragile. Our enemy laughs when he sees us condemn one another over peripheral issues. My boyhood pastor used to say, “There are some things the Bible is silent about and we should be, too.”
Donald Cole was a missionary, pastor and commentator on Moody Radio In his youth, Pastor Cole was raised in a church where going to a movie theater was considered sinful. However, his family participated in Halloween trick-or-treating.
As an adult, when Pastor Cole travelled he would often stay at the house of a friend or colleague. Once he was staying with a Christian family on Halloween. His host conveyed their concerns about the evils of celebrating Halloween and the importance of shielding their children from the spiritual dangers associated with Halloween.
“So what alternative plans do you have?” inquired Pastor Cole. The parents enthusiastically replied, “We take the kids to the movies!”
There are disputable matters…and often they are based in preferences, traditions, and culture. There’s nothing wrong with having opinions, but if something’s not clear in the Bible, we must be very careful about how we express those opinions.
We need unity. Not uniformity, but unity. We must always focus on the essentials of our faith…and our own conduct. Love the sinner, hate your own sin!
Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. (Romans 14:4)
What right do you have to judge someone over a disputable matter? God will judge each of us as individuals. When you point the finger, there are three pointing back at you.
We need to judge our own sins, not those of others.
Paul continues,
One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. (Romans 14:5)
Paul moves from diet to the sabbath. The day of the week is not what’s important, but rather that we take a sabbath, that we rest, that we trust God. My sabbath is usually on Saturday. Yours might be Sunday. Paul’s saying don’t be legalistic. And don’t judge! You’re not God!
Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. (Romans 14:6)
It's not what’s in the stomach but what’s in the heart that really matters.
For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. (Romans 14:7-9)
We can’t live apart from Jesus. If you’re in a relationship with Jesus, if you’re praying, seeking to honor God, studying the truths of the Bible, and looking out for the best interest of others, there’s freedom. There’s never freedom to sin, but there is freedom to live. And while it may be ok for you to do something, be sensitive to those around you.
Perhaps the most obvious example is drinking alcohol. If you can drink a glass of wine in good conscience before God and you know your brother or sister is an alcoholic, it’s not ok to drink with them. We must be sensitive and not cause others to stumble.
If you’re not sure if something is right or not, it may indicate it’s not ok. If you have to think of ways to defend yourself, maybe you should avoid it in the first place. It’s really not enough to think WWJD—What Would Jesus Do? Instead, we can be filled with the Holy Spirit, surrender our will and desires to the LORD, and live in ways that undoubtedly bring Him honor and glory. Just because another Christian does something doesn’t necessarily mean it’s ok for you to do.
Does it honor God? Worship is more than singing songs. It’s more than an hour on Sunday. It is a 24/7 lifestyle. Whatever we do can be an act of worship if we live for the Lord. Your work can be worship. Your hobbies can be worship. Your rest can be worship. If you’re married, your sex life can be worship. Everything we do—if done for the Lord—can be worship.
You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.
It is written:
“ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.’ ”
So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. (Romans 14:10-12)
[click here for more on God's judgment seat]
Why do we judge? I think it’s usually insecurity, a form of pride. If I condemn you, I’m apt to feel better about myself. When I put you down, I feel lifted up, even though I’m actually the one in sin. If your real motivation is to help someone grow in godliness, I doubt judging will ever produce that result. Have you ever changed your behavior because someone was condemning you?
Dallas Willard noted, "Condemnation always involves some degree of self-righteousness and of distancing ourselves from the one we are condemning. And self-righteousness always involves an element of comparison and of condemnation…It is extremely rare that anyone who is condemned will respond by changing in the desired way."
This does not mean we shouldn’t care about the dangerous behavior of others. There is a time and place to humbly admonish one another, but never for the purpose of looking down upon a brother or sister, and not over disputable matters. May it never be! Instead, we need to encourage one another, help one another, lovingly challenge one another to follow Jesus rather than the world.
Someday you will stand before God and give an account of…you. Not me. Not your neighbor. Not even your spouse or kids if you have them. Each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. (Romans 14:13)
Does this sound familiar? Does it sound like Jesus? You may recall he said,
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Matthew 7:1-2)
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:3-5)
Obviously the early Christians were judging one another. Some things never change!
We need to judge our own sins, not those of others.
We are to be sensitive to our weaker spiritual siblings. We are to help others flourish (Thomas George). They are image-bearers of Almighty God. We never know the darkness and chaos of someone else’s life (let’s not add to it!).
Paul spends the rest of the chapter reiterating the main point: don’t judge, yet be sensitive to others. Don’t cause them to stumble.
It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. (Romans 14:21)
Perhaps the best way to summarize, then is to go to Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
Yeah, that convicts me, too…every time I read it!
So What?
I struggle with this.
I judge people for being too legalistic.
I judge people for being too liberal.
I’m a very selfish person, and that never leads to unity. It never leads to love.
Earlier this month, Lifeway released the results of a survey that analyzed why young people leave the church. If you look around the room, I’m younger than most of you…and I’m a grandpa! They say the church is always one generation away from extinction and I’m deeply committed to helping the next generations encounter Jesus Christ. With all due respect to you senior saints, hopefully you know Jesus by now. But your kids and grandkids and great grandkids are lost with Christ, battling depression, anxiety, addiction, and loneliness. So why do they leave the church?
1. Moving to college and no longer attending
2. Church members seeming judgmental or hypocritical
3. No longer feeling connected to people in their church
4. Disagreeing with the church’s stance on political or social issues
Take a look at number two. Take look at number four.
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. (Romans 14:13)
In the words of Billy Graham,
“It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, God’s job to judge and my job to love.”
Credits: I’m grateful for the research and assistance of Doug Oliver.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Romans: Walking in the Spirit
Romans 14
Series Overview: The book of Romans guides us into a life of freedom as we follow Jesus by being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Big Idea: The Holy Spirit will lead us to live for God and others rather than judging, condemning, and living selfishly.
I have four prayers for First Alliance Church. I announced them the moment we arrived more than three years ago and I continue to pray for them.
I pray for passion…for Jesus, the lost, one another, the widows, strangers, orphans, and poor. I can’t make you passionate, but I can pray the Holy Spirit awakens you.
I pray for direction. This is not my church. This is not your church. This is God’s church. Jesus is our Senior Pastor. I want nothing more than to listen to and obey Jesus.
I pray for protection. We have a real enemy who wants to steal, kill, destroy, and lie. God is greater.
I pray for unity. This one is related to protection because the enemy loves to bring division. Unity is fragile. Without grace, love, and truth, things can go south in a hurry.
One thing I love about praying for unity is it’s Jesus’ prayer. In fact, the only prayer I know that Jesus prays specifically for us is found in John chapter 17.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23)
Jesus prayed that we would be one. This is why I pray for unity…not only within First Alliance Church but throughout our city. This is why we join other churches for worship—to answer Jesus’ prayer. This is why I pray with other pastors at MERGE once a month. This is why we have Home Missions partners to love our community together. This is why we seek to bless other Christians, be they counselor Jane Ginter, the Monroe Vineyard Church who is opening a coffee shop, the Toledo Vineyard Church who needed a place for a small office, our Faith Missions workers, or virtually anything we do with our Christian & Missionary Alliance family. It’s about unity…but not uniformity.
I know this will come as a shock to some of you, but God made each of us different. You are uniquely created by Almighty God with value, dignity, and worth. There is no one like you on the planet. We’ll talk more about this next Sunday, but for now I want you to think how different you are from the person sitting next to you. Maybe you look different. Maybe you think different. Maybe you smell different! We are all different, and if you’ve ever spent more than five minutes with another human being you understand why unity is so fragile, why Jesus prayed for us, and why todays passage from Romans chapter 14 is vitally important to us all.
Who’s the most selfish person you’ve ever met? Perhaps your mind reached back to that sibling or childhood friend who wouldn’t share their toys with you. Maybe it’s a co-worker or neighbor. Could it be the person in the mirror?
If we’re honest, we’re all selfish. Our natural response to most any situation is what is best for us. If our own humanity didn’t cause enough selfishness, we’re bombarded by messages every day telling us it’s all about us. Satisfy your needs, your thirst, your desires, your pleasures. You deserve it.
This might all be ok if you were the only person on the planet, but any group of two or more—much less hundreds like First Alliance Church—requires looking beyond our own preferences and conclusions.
We’ve been looking at the book of Romans during the beginning of this year. With our without new year’s resolutions, we can let time fly by or be intentional about growth, about transformation, about walking in the Spirit. Every moment is an opportunity to follow the flesh and the world or be filled with the Holy Spirit, living as God’s children and pursuing His Kingdom.
Jesus taught us to pray, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The Kingdom of God is advancing. We see brilliant moments when heaven kisses earth—the birth of a child, a prisoner being visited, the sick being healed, the hungry being fed, the lost becoming found, generosity multiplying, artists creating, …
Of course, we live in a fallen world where the kingdom of this world is also present. The tension is real between good and evil, god and satan, this world and the next.
We’ve repeatedly said growth involves suffering. Transformation involves trials. Surrender involves sacrifice. But it’s worth it! Jesus is worth it! Being filled with the Holy Spirit, used by Almighty God is worth it!
Perhaps nowhere is the battle between the kingdoms of God and satan more evident than in relationships. I’ve seen people deeply pious, religious, and committed to God, yet they miss the second part of Jesus’ command: loving their neighbor as themselves.
Romans chapter fourteen begins…
Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. (Romans 14:1-3)
Until recently, Paul’s specific message was deeply contextual. After all, whoever cared about another person’s diet? These days it’s almost impossible to prepare a meal for someone without asking if they’re vegetarian, vegan, keto, dairy-free, kosher, nut-allergic, …
Paul is most likely referring to the controversy surrounding the eating of meat sacrificed to idols or even pork. We might call it a gray matter, something which is “disputable.” Someone once said there are close-handed (clear) and open-handed (disputable) issues. For example, Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead would be two close-handed issues. We don’t debate them. They are crystal-clear from the scriptures. Murder, adultery, drunkenness, lying, stealing, envying people who live in Hawaii on a cold day like today…!!! These are close-handed, clear issues. There’s no debate.
But there are open-handed issues which are not essential. They don’t define heresy. They are disputable matters and they must be considered with humility and prayer. Of course, what is close-handed and open-handed can be a disputable matter! Here are some examples of what many would consider open-handed, disputable matters:
Can a Christian dance? Should a Christian dance? What about square dancing?
Can a Christian go to the movies? Should a Christian go to the movies? What about an R-rated movie? What about The Passion of the Christ which was rated R?
Can a Christian smoke? What about vaping?
Can a Christian drink a glass of wine? What about a beer?
Can a Christian purchase Christmas gifts with a credit card that is nearly maxed out?
Can a Christian work for pay on Sunday? Besides me! What about attending a soccer game on the Sabbath? What about playing in a soccer game on Sunday?
Can a Christian drive a nice car? Wear expensive jewelry? Own a vacation home?
This chapter of Romans is encouraging me because I’ve seen people argue and leave churches and break off relationships and judge one another over the silliest things. Again, unity is fragile. Our enemy laughs when he sees us condemn one another over peripheral issues. My boyhood pastor used to say, “There are some things the Bible is silent about and we should be, too.”
Donald Cole was a missionary, pastor and commentator on Moody Radio In his youth, Pastor Cole was raised in a church where going to a movie theater was considered sinful. However, his family participated in Halloween trick-or-treating.
As an adult, when Pastor Cole travelled he would often stay at the house of a friend or colleague. Once he was staying with a Christian family on Halloween. His host conveyed their concerns about the evils of celebrating Halloween and the importance of shielding their children from the spiritual dangers associated with Halloween.
“So what alternative plans do you have?” inquired Pastor Cole. The parents enthusiastically replied, “We take the kids to the movies!”
There are disputable matters…and often they are based in preferences, traditions, and culture. There’s nothing wrong with having opinions, but if something’s not clear in the Bible, we must be very careful about how we express those opinions.
We need unity. Not uniformity, but unity. We must always focus on the essentials of our faith…and our own conduct. Love the sinner, hate your own sin!
Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. (Romans 14:4)
What right do you have to judge someone over a disputable matter? God will judge each of us as individuals. When you point the finger, there are three pointing back at you.
We need to judge our own sins, not those of others.
Paul continues,
One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. (Romans 14:5)
Paul moves from diet to the sabbath. The day of the week is not what’s important, but rather that we take a sabbath, that we rest, that we trust God. My sabbath is usually on Saturday. Yours might be Sunday. Paul’s saying don’t be legalistic. And don’t judge! You’re not God!
Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. (Romans 14:6)
It's not what’s in the stomach but what’s in the heart that really matters.
For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. (Romans 14:7-9)
We can’t live apart from Jesus. If you’re in a relationship with Jesus, if you’re praying, seeking to honor God, studying the truths of the Bible, and looking out for the best interest of others, there’s freedom. There’s never freedom to sin, but there is freedom to live. And while it may be ok for you to do something, be sensitive to those around you.
Perhaps the most obvious example is drinking alcohol. If you can drink a glass of wine in good conscience before God and you know your brother or sister is an alcoholic, it’s not ok to drink with them. We must be sensitive and not cause others to stumble.
If you’re not sure if something is right or not, it may indicate it’s not ok. If you have to think of ways to defend yourself, maybe you should avoid it in the first place. It’s really not enough to think WWJD—What Would Jesus Do? Instead, we can be filled with the Holy Spirit, surrender our will and desires to the LORD, and live in ways that undoubtedly bring Him honor and glory. Just because another Christian does something doesn’t necessarily mean it’s ok for you to do.
Does it honor God? Worship is more than singing songs. It’s more than an hour on Sunday. It is a 24/7 lifestyle. Whatever we do can be an act of worship if we live for the Lord. Your work can be worship. Your hobbies can be worship. Your rest can be worship. If you’re married, your sex life can be worship. Everything we do—if done for the Lord—can be worship.
You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.
It is written:
“ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.’ ”
So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. (Romans 14:10-12)
[click here for more on God's judgment seat]
Why do we judge? I think it’s usually insecurity, a form of pride. If I condemn you, I’m apt to feel better about myself. When I put you down, I feel lifted up, even though I’m actually the one in sin. If your real motivation is to help someone grow in godliness, I doubt judging will ever produce that result. Have you ever changed your behavior because someone was condemning you?
Dallas Willard noted, "Condemnation always involves some degree of self-righteousness and of distancing ourselves from the one we are condemning. And self-righteousness always involves an element of comparison and of condemnation…It is extremely rare that anyone who is condemned will respond by changing in the desired way."
This does not mean we shouldn’t care about the dangerous behavior of others. There is a time and place to humbly admonish one another, but never for the purpose of looking down upon a brother or sister, and not over disputable matters. May it never be! Instead, we need to encourage one another, help one another, lovingly challenge one another to follow Jesus rather than the world.
Someday you will stand before God and give an account of…you. Not me. Not your neighbor. Not even your spouse or kids if you have them. Each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. (Romans 14:13)
Does this sound familiar? Does it sound like Jesus? You may recall he said,
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Matthew 7:1-2)
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:3-5)
Obviously the early Christians were judging one another. Some things never change!
We need to judge our own sins, not those of others.
We are to be sensitive to our weaker spiritual siblings. We are to help others flourish (Thomas George). They are image-bearers of Almighty God. We never know the darkness and chaos of someone else’s life (let’s not add to it!).
Paul spends the rest of the chapter reiterating the main point: don’t judge, yet be sensitive to others. Don’t cause them to stumble.
It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. (Romans 14:21)
Perhaps the best way to summarize, then is to go to Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
Yeah, that convicts me, too…every time I read it!
So What?
I struggle with this.
I judge people for being too legalistic.
I judge people for being too liberal.
I’m a very selfish person, and that never leads to unity. It never leads to love.
Earlier this month, Lifeway released the results of a survey that analyzed why young people leave the church. If you look around the room, I’m younger than most of you…and I’m a grandpa! They say the church is always one generation away from extinction and I’m deeply committed to helping the next generations encounter Jesus Christ. With all due respect to you senior saints, hopefully you know Jesus by now. But your kids and grandkids and great grandkids are lost with Christ, battling depression, anxiety, addiction, and loneliness. So why do they leave the church?
1. Moving to college and no longer attending
2. Church members seeming judgmental or hypocritical
3. No longer feeling connected to people in their church
4. Disagreeing with the church’s stance on political or social issues
Take a look at number two. Take look at number four.
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. (Romans 14:13)
In the words of Billy Graham,
“It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, God’s job to judge and my job to love.”
Credits: I’m grateful for the research and assistance of Doug Oliver.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Transformed Living, 13 January 2019
13 01 19
Transformed Living
Series—Romans: Walking in the Spirit
Romans 12:1-8
Series Overview: The book of Romans guides us into a life of freedom as we follow Jesus by being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Big Idea: We can know and do God’s will when we are transformed by the Holy Spirit from worldly to godly living.
One of the most common questions I get asked as a pastor is, "How can I know God's will? Do you want to know God's will? Do you really want to know God's will?
Walking in the Spirit and today we’re in chapter 12, another passage packed with inspiration and information for the purpose of transformation: transformed living.
One thing I’ve noticed about humans is most don’t like change. It’s easy to get comfortable, in a rhythm. The problem is, if we aren’t changing to become like Jesus, we’re stuck—at best—and likely losing our faith, backsliding, drifting.
In Romans 11, Paul talks about how we have all been disobedient to God, yet He has extended His mercy to all followers of Jesus.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)
One of the most common questions asked by Christians is, “How can I know God’s will?” We know Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done,” but what does that really mean? The answer is found in these two verses. We must be transformed. We must…change.
I love you all deeply, but none of you has yet achieved perfection. We are all in need of what is called sanctification, the process of being set apart, consecrated, made holy. There are actually two aspects to sanctification for the Christian.
First, there’s positional or internal sanctification. All believers are sanctified or set apart unto God when they receive Jesus as Savior and LORD. In another book, Paul, the writer of Romans, said,
“…you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justifed in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11)
Tragically, this is where so many Christians stop. You’ve heard me call them vampire Christians—they just want Jesus for his blood. He’s their Savior but not LORD. They think they’ve been given a Get-Out-Of-Hell-Free card because they prayed a prayer and do religious things, but they’re nothing more than modern-day Pharisees. They’re not walking in the Spirit.
The second type of sanctification is progressive or eternal. This is the state of growing in divine grace as a result of Christian commitment after baptism or conversion. This is what Paul is describing in Romans 12:1-2.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)
Sacrifices are rather uncommon today, but at the time of this writing, the slaughter of animals was a part of life for many, killed and placed upon an altar. The problem with living sacrifices is they can wiggle off the altar!
This is such a challenging text because Paul is basically saying to surrender our bodies…and our minds. See, we often make the mistake of thinking Christianity just about our soul, but we are multi-dimensional creatures…and God wants all of us.
Do you want God? Do you really want God?
Let’s face it, in the next life it will be easy to follow God. Satan will be removed, temptation will be a thing of the past, we’ll be forever in God’s presence…but we’re in this world now. We’re expected to live as citizens of heaven while being in Toledo, Ohio!
What does Paul mean when he speaks of the pattern of this world? One of Jesus’ best friends, John, described it this way:
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. (1 John 2:15-16)
Let me break this down a bit.
The lust of the flesh refers to our comfort, prosperity, sexual activity, eating, etc.
The lust of the eyes includes greed, coveting, jealousy, envy, etc.
The pride of life involves pride, the quest for fame and power, desiring a sense of importance, or what we call “the American Dream.”
This is what it means to follow the pattern of this world. This is why I meet so many Christians in this country that are different than their non-Christian neighbors. Most of us are pursuing the American Dream instead of God’s dream, God’s will.
Most of us are too busy to pray.
We’re too comfortable to fast.
We’re too greedy to give generously.
We’re too distracted to study the Bible.
We’re too prideful to serve.
If you want a wake-up call, here’s the very next verse from John:
The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:17)
So how do we begin to do God’s will? It begins with renewing the mind. All of our actions begin in our head. Here are two simple steps:
1. Fill your mind with God’s truth. Study the Bible.
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2)
2. Focus your mind on good things.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
This can be really difficult in a culture of cable news, Facebook posts, and online porn.
Paul continues to describe what it means to renew our minds:
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. (Romans 12:3)
I think pride is the root of most, if not all, sins. It manifests itself through both arrogance and insecurity. It got satan kicked out of heaven. It’s what drives us to seize power and control. It seeks comfort and safety. Pride may be my greatest sin throughout my life.
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. (Romans 12:4-5)
I’ve heard people say they love Jesus but not the Church. That’s like saying you love Christ but hate his Wife! The Church is imperfect, yes, but it is the Body of Christ. A Christian without a church is like a football player without a team. We need others!
I need you. You need me. We belong together. We need to love and serve one another, not only for the sake of the members of the church, but also for our mission field: Toledo and beyond.
We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:6-8)
This is not a comprehensive list of spiritual gifts, but one of several in the Bible. The Alliance affirms all of the spiritual gifts mentioned in scripture. In fact, one of our seven core values states
Without the Holy Spirit’s empowerment, we can accomplish nothing. - 1 Cor. 2:4-5
A quick note about prophesy, it is not necessarily predicting the future, but rather forth-telling or revealing God’s truth. Perhaps you’ve heard God speak to you about someone or something and didn’t know what to do about it. We’re hosting a three-week seminar on Wednesday nights beginning February 27 to discuss the spiritual gift of prophecy, what it is, how to use it if you have it, and how to avoid misusing it as so many have done.
I want you to see a living example of what happens when a family is filled with the Spirit, surrendered to God, using their gifts, and being the Church.
VIDEO
Did you notice spiritual gifts in use? At least five from Romans 12 are clear:
We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:6-8)
- serving (the needs of the mother and daughters)
- teaching (discipling the mother and children)
- encouraging (the four new daughters through their myriad of problems)
- giving (of their time, home and funds)
- showing mercy (to the mother who was incarcerated)
So What?
Do you want God? Do you really want God?
Transformed living is possible. It begins with renewing our minds and surrendering our bodies. Here are a few notes about the process of transformational sanctification:
1. Growth takes time.
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (2 Peter 3:18)
Transformation is a lifelong journey. It’s like a slow dance between the Spirit and us as the Holy Spirit guides and we respond. Don’t ever stop growing!
2. We must take obedient action by taking off our old self and putting on a new self.
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24)
3. We must remain submitted to God to experience lasting transformation.
…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6
4. We must remain humble. Christians often become prideful about how much they have been sanctified or transformed. How much you have been transformed is not so much the issue – rather the direction in which you are currently changing is much more important.
…make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5b-8)
5. Growth will likely lead to both troubles and a more abundant life.
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. (Mark 10:30)
Do you want God? Do you really want God? If so, as we sing this closing song, I want to invite you to the altar. The new year is still getting started. Today is the perfect day to publicly declare your desire for more of God, to surrender, to let go and let God, to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Credits: I’m grateful for the research and assistance of Doug Oliver.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Romans: Walking in the Spirit
Romans 12:1-8
Series Overview: The book of Romans guides us into a life of freedom as we follow Jesus by being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Big Idea: We can know and do God’s will when we are transformed by the Holy Spirit from worldly to godly living.
One of the most common questions I get asked as a pastor is, "How can I know God's will? Do you want to know God's will? Do you really want to know God's will?
Walking in the Spirit and today we’re in chapter 12, another passage packed with inspiration and information for the purpose of transformation: transformed living.
One thing I’ve noticed about humans is most don’t like change. It’s easy to get comfortable, in a rhythm. The problem is, if we aren’t changing to become like Jesus, we’re stuck—at best—and likely losing our faith, backsliding, drifting.
In Romans 11, Paul talks about how we have all been disobedient to God, yet He has extended His mercy to all followers of Jesus.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)
One of the most common questions asked by Christians is, “How can I know God’s will?” We know Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done,” but what does that really mean? The answer is found in these two verses. We must be transformed. We must…change.
I love you all deeply, but none of you has yet achieved perfection. We are all in need of what is called sanctification, the process of being set apart, consecrated, made holy. There are actually two aspects to sanctification for the Christian.
First, there’s positional or internal sanctification. All believers are sanctified or set apart unto God when they receive Jesus as Savior and LORD. In another book, Paul, the writer of Romans, said,
“…you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justifed in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11)
Tragically, this is where so many Christians stop. You’ve heard me call them vampire Christians—they just want Jesus for his blood. He’s their Savior but not LORD. They think they’ve been given a Get-Out-Of-Hell-Free card because they prayed a prayer and do religious things, but they’re nothing more than modern-day Pharisees. They’re not walking in the Spirit.
The second type of sanctification is progressive or eternal. This is the state of growing in divine grace as a result of Christian commitment after baptism or conversion. This is what Paul is describing in Romans 12:1-2.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)
Sacrifices are rather uncommon today, but at the time of this writing, the slaughter of animals was a part of life for many, killed and placed upon an altar. The problem with living sacrifices is they can wiggle off the altar!
This is such a challenging text because Paul is basically saying to surrender our bodies…and our minds. See, we often make the mistake of thinking Christianity just about our soul, but we are multi-dimensional creatures…and God wants all of us.
Do you want God? Do you really want God?
Let’s face it, in the next life it will be easy to follow God. Satan will be removed, temptation will be a thing of the past, we’ll be forever in God’s presence…but we’re in this world now. We’re expected to live as citizens of heaven while being in Toledo, Ohio!
What does Paul mean when he speaks of the pattern of this world? One of Jesus’ best friends, John, described it this way:
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. (1 John 2:15-16)
Let me break this down a bit.
The lust of the flesh refers to our comfort, prosperity, sexual activity, eating, etc.
The lust of the eyes includes greed, coveting, jealousy, envy, etc.
The pride of life involves pride, the quest for fame and power, desiring a sense of importance, or what we call “the American Dream.”
This is what it means to follow the pattern of this world. This is why I meet so many Christians in this country that are different than their non-Christian neighbors. Most of us are pursuing the American Dream instead of God’s dream, God’s will.
Most of us are too busy to pray.
We’re too comfortable to fast.
We’re too greedy to give generously.
We’re too distracted to study the Bible.
We’re too prideful to serve.
If you want a wake-up call, here’s the very next verse from John:
The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:17)
So how do we begin to do God’s will? It begins with renewing the mind. All of our actions begin in our head. Here are two simple steps:
1. Fill your mind with God’s truth. Study the Bible.
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2)
2. Focus your mind on good things.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
This can be really difficult in a culture of cable news, Facebook posts, and online porn.
Paul continues to describe what it means to renew our minds:
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. (Romans 12:3)
I think pride is the root of most, if not all, sins. It manifests itself through both arrogance and insecurity. It got satan kicked out of heaven. It’s what drives us to seize power and control. It seeks comfort and safety. Pride may be my greatest sin throughout my life.
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. (Romans 12:4-5)
I’ve heard people say they love Jesus but not the Church. That’s like saying you love Christ but hate his Wife! The Church is imperfect, yes, but it is the Body of Christ. A Christian without a church is like a football player without a team. We need others!
I need you. You need me. We belong together. We need to love and serve one another, not only for the sake of the members of the church, but also for our mission field: Toledo and beyond.
We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:6-8)
This is not a comprehensive list of spiritual gifts, but one of several in the Bible. The Alliance affirms all of the spiritual gifts mentioned in scripture. In fact, one of our seven core values states
Without the Holy Spirit’s empowerment, we can accomplish nothing. - 1 Cor. 2:4-5
A quick note about prophesy, it is not necessarily predicting the future, but rather forth-telling or revealing God’s truth. Perhaps you’ve heard God speak to you about someone or something and didn’t know what to do about it. We’re hosting a three-week seminar on Wednesday nights beginning February 27 to discuss the spiritual gift of prophecy, what it is, how to use it if you have it, and how to avoid misusing it as so many have done.
I want you to see a living example of what happens when a family is filled with the Spirit, surrendered to God, using their gifts, and being the Church.
VIDEO
Did you notice spiritual gifts in use? At least five from Romans 12 are clear:
We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:6-8)
- serving (the needs of the mother and daughters)
- teaching (discipling the mother and children)
- encouraging (the four new daughters through their myriad of problems)
- giving (of their time, home and funds)
- showing mercy (to the mother who was incarcerated)
So What?
Do you want God? Do you really want God?
Transformed living is possible. It begins with renewing our minds and surrendering our bodies. Here are a few notes about the process of transformational sanctification:
1. Growth takes time.
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (2 Peter 3:18)
Transformation is a lifelong journey. It’s like a slow dance between the Spirit and us as the Holy Spirit guides and we respond. Don’t ever stop growing!
2. We must take obedient action by taking off our old self and putting on a new self.
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24)
3. We must remain submitted to God to experience lasting transformation.
…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6
4. We must remain humble. Christians often become prideful about how much they have been sanctified or transformed. How much you have been transformed is not so much the issue – rather the direction in which you are currently changing is much more important.
…make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5b-8)
5. Growth will likely lead to both troubles and a more abundant life.
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. (Mark 10:30)
Do you want God? Do you really want God? If so, as we sing this closing song, I want to invite you to the altar. The new year is still getting started. Today is the perfect day to publicly declare your desire for more of God, to surrender, to let go and let God, to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Credits: I’m grateful for the research and assistance of Doug Oliver.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Living in the Spirit, 6 January 2019
07 01 19
Living in the Spirit
Series—Romans: Walking in the Spirit
Romans 8
Series Overview: The book of Romans guides us into a life of freedom as we follow Jesus by being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Big Idea: We are free to live under the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit as we become like Jesus.
Happy New Year!
We’re returning to the book of Romans, a favorite of so many in our church family. We could easily spend a year in this book, but instead we’re taking specific chapters, getting an overview of timeless truths from this important letter written to some of the first Christians in Rome.
One common theme we will see is this idea of walking in the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit to become like Jesus.
Perhaps you’ve made new year’s resolutions…or didn’t out of fear of failure. If we’re honest, we probably all have areas in our lives in which we want to see growth. Well, if it involves weight, perhaps growth is the last thing we want! But seriously, where would you like to be a year from now? I’ve done a lot of reflection upon 2018 and would not be satisfied if 365 days from now I was the same person.
I want to grow! My ultimate goal is to become like Jesus. That’s what “Christian” means…little Christ. As I mentioned last Sunday, I will not become more like Jesus by trying harder. That’s a terrible myth. Instead, I need to surrender, confess my sins, and welcome the Holy Spirit into my life. The late Bill Bright used to talk about spiritually breathing—exhaling by confession and inhaling by being filled with the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is not a force. The Holy Spirit is not a ghost. The Holy Spirit is a Person, one Member of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Spirit. One God in three Persons.
We are all engaged in a real war between God and satan, good and evil. Make no mistake, the enemy is real. He wants to steal, kill, destroy, and lie, tempting you to make a mess of your life. On the other hand, our Heavenly Father has a much better vision for your life, one filled with love, peace, joy, and abundant life. Jesus is our example. The Holy Spirit provides the gifts, the fruit, the power to become like Jesus when we die—to our flesh, our sins, our pride—and let the Holy Spirit live in and through us.
In the seventh chapter of Romans, Paul describes the battle so eloquently:
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:21-25a)
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. (Romans 7:25b)
The struggle is real. But there’s hope. There’s power. There’s freedom!
After admitting the war between God’s law and the law of sin, Paul continues in Romans chapter eight, perhaps the most inspirational highlight of the book:
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4)
It is fitting that we are reading this on communion Sunday. Some churches remember the Eucharist or the LORD’s table each week, which isn’t necessarily a bad idea. But on the first Sunday of the month we are reminded of Jesus’ death and resurrection for us, demonstrating his love for us, freeing us from the law of sin and death. His death brings us life…abundant life and eternal life. And there’s no condemnation! Only grace! Hallelujah! Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, repentant followers of Jesus who have turned from their sin and followed Jesus can experience forgiveness, reconciliation, peace, salvation, and joy! The law can’t claim you, condemn you, or control you because of Jesus. That’s wonderful! It’s amazing! That’s grace!
You’ll quickly see a tension between what might be called positional and practical reality. Followers of Jesus are forgiven, but we still sin. We are free from the law of sin and death, but we are still tempted to sin…and often succumb to those temptations.
We find ourselves, yet again, in the in-between. Even when we make progress in our spiritual journey, there remains a distance between our lives and the perfection of Jesus. Like a child whose muscles are developing and body is growing, we are not what we were, but not what we will become someday. Such is life!
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:5-8)
Every sin begins in the mind. Every act of kindness begins in the mind. Where is your mind? What influences it? We are bombarded by fake news, violence, fear, perversion, profanity, and evil every day, whether it’s from a screen in our pockets or a giant billboard on the expressway, cable news or Netflix.
At the risk of sounding old-school, we must get our minds on God. True believers read the Bible. They study it. They put it into practice. The Bible is our authority, our truth, yet so many of us don’t fill our minds with it. This isn’t a pastor thing, it’s a Christian thing.
As we begin this new year, let me remind you of some great resources we have made available to you.
1. Mission 119. This daily devotional offers a passage of scripture, a twelve-minute audio by Alliance pastor John Soper, and downloadable resources for further study. And it’s totally free! www.Mission119.org. Year 2 began last week, but even if you’ve never accessed it, you can get started today. You can easily catch up on the five days you missed last week since it’s a Monday through Friday format. In three weekends, you’ll be right on track! I’ve been thrilled at the positive feedback on it. I usually read the passage of the day while I’m still in bed…and listen to the audio during my commute. If you struggle with reading, you can even listen to the scripture passage each day.
2. Right Now Media. They sometimes call this Christian Netflix. It’s not a vast library of movies, but it is packed with Bible studies for individuals and groups, great content for children, leadership resources, …and it’s all available for free on most any screen in your pocket or home. If you’d like an invitation, note it on the Connection Card.
3. D6. Parents, grandparents, and guardians, last year we began offering take-home resources and weekly e-mails to equip you to train the next generation in the ways of the LORD. Discipleship cannot adequately occur through one hour a week. I have never seen a tool like D6 to help you and your family know and follow God. Some sermons, small groups, and Sunday School classes are thematically synced, too, to help our entire church family grow together, regardless of age, focused on the same scriptures.
4. Speaking of groups, we have a growing number of small groups, Bible studies, and Sunday School classes that meet on Sundays and throughout the week, here on our church campus and in homes and public spaces. A complete list can be found out our Information Center in the lobby as well as at the bottom of the weekly FAC Focus e-newsletter. If you don’t get that in your inbox each Wednesday, please fill out a Connection Card and you’ll receive it…spam-free!
5. Home Missions partners are local ministries doing great work in and around Toledo. They are always accepting prayers, donations, and volunteers. Our next Home Missions Sunday is in two weeks, January 20. Following Jesus is so much more than just agreeing with a mission statement or having Bible knowledge. The true measure of our spiritual maturity is love…how well we love God and how well we love others, even our enemies. Serving through FAC and its home missions partners is a great way to put your faith into action.
But it all begins with our minds. Will you live for yourself in 2019 or God and others?
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. (Romans 8:9-11)
That’s a fantastic promise! Christ was raised from the dead and after we die, our bodies will be resurrected like his! In the meantime, the Spirit of God lives in us! That’s just incredible! This is what it means to be controlled by the Spirit. We die to our selfish desires and follow Jesus.
If I have one desire for 2019, it’s that I would decrease and Jesus would increase. I pray that 52 weeks from now, you would see more Jesus and less Kirk. It will only happen if I live under the control of the Spirit.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. (Romans 8:12-13)
This is an awkward in-between time. We’re citizens of heaven, yet we’re living in a sinful culture, influenced by the world, the flesh, and the devil. Here we’re told to put our flesh to death. This doesn’t mean the body is evil and must be destroyed, but rather it is prone to sin.
I’m proud to be a USAmerican, but does my life look more like Jesus or my non-Christian neighbor? If I’m living according to the flesh, my culture and comfort will take precedence over Jesus’ call to surrender, sacrifice, give, love, forgive, and extend grace. Remember, Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to help dead people experience life, but first we must die to our will, our desires, our agenda, our flesh.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Romans 8:14-17)
We are to live as children of God. Are you a child of God? How do you know?
Some of us have been told the lie that if you just pray a magic prayer, you’re done. You’re in. Any such prayer or “decision” is just the beginning. Children of God are led by the Spirit, filled with the Spirit. They are living in the Spirit. They are walking in the Spirit. They have the Holy Spirit…and the Spirit has them! That means we daily die to ourselves. Their body becomes the very temple of the Spirit. If you think that sounds uncomfortable, it surely is! Never are we promised endless rainbows and lollipops! Paul tells us we will share in the sufferings of Jesus. That’s the pathway to glory.
The vast majority of us have never endured the sufferings of Jesus. If someone wished you “Happy Holidays” instead of “Mary Christmas,” that’s doesn’t count! Paul knew suffering, the early church knew suffering, and today millions of our brothers and sisters in other nations are experiencing torture, imprisonment, and martyrdom because they refuse to follow Jesus.
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:18-21)
Do you see Paul’s perspective? He’s not in denial about his present circumstances, but he doesn’t whine and complain. He knows freedom is coming. Life is coming. Liberation is coming. Even creation knows it. Someday suffering and death and pain will cease.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:22-25)
I’m so impatient. I want things now. I want Jesus to return, satan to be defeated, and a new resurrection body! Regardless of your present circumstances, hope is real. God always keeps His promises. It will be worth the wait!
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)
I love this passage. Have you ever tried to pray and you didn’t know what to say? I’ve had that happen many times, and I usually pray, “Holy Spirit, groan on my behalf; intercede for me; may God’s will be done.”
One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is tongues. There are two different types of tongues: known languages and heavenly language. Some Christians are given the supernatural ability to speak human languages they’ve never learned, usually for the purpose of evangelism. This occurred in Acts 2:6. The heavenly language tongue is a spiritual gift which requires someone with the spiritual gift of interpretation to understand, though some speak it privately without an interpreter.
I have asked the Holy Spirit to give me the gift of tongues, but I have never received the gift. The Spirit has given me other gifts and I’m content with them since nobody has all of the spiritual gifts. I mention this controversial gift fully embraced by the Christian & Missionary Alliance because some people when they pray are unable to use known languages to express their heart to God, yet the find themselves speaking words they don’t understand. This might be similar to the groanings the Holy Spirit prays. Note it’s all in accordance with God’s will.
We must live through God’s strength.
Now we come to one of the most famous and misused verses in the Bible.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (Romans 8:28-30)
Take some time and unpack those rich verses. Remember, this is in the context of suffering. Nothing surprises God…and the suffering of His children is never in vain. There’s a rich chunk of theology here, that those that walk in the Spirit are called, justified, and will someday be glorified. We will receive a reward for our devotion to God…eternity with Him.
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? (Romans 8:31-35)
I’d love to preach an entire sermon on this paragraph! If God is for us, who can be against us? The Holy Spirit intercedes for us. Our High Priest, Jesus, is also interceding for us. Nothing can separate God’s children from the love of Christ. We can live confidently in God’s never-ending love. If God is for us, how can we worry? How can we be filled with fear?
As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Romans 8:36)
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)
If we walk in the Spirit, we can live victorious, free from sin, defeat, death, discouragement, condemnation, and fear. Nothing can separate God’s children from the love of God. Hallelujah! If God is for us, who can be against us,
I want to you think about your relationship with God. Who’s the pilot? Are you frustrated from disappointment and failure, trying to be in control? Live under the control of the Holy Spirit. Do you feel distant from God or find yourself trying to fit in with the world? Live as a child of God. Are you weak and tired? Live through God’s strength? Are you insecure or feel unloved? Claim the promises of Romans 8 and know that you can live confidently in God’s never-ending love.
That love was not just a mushy Hallmark card, but demonstrated with blood, sweat and tears. Jesus died to make everything in this chapter possible. He endured suffering knowing glory would follow, and the same is true for us. Your story’s not over. I want to encourage you in this new year to press into Jesus, surrender control of your life to the Holy Spirit, and seek first the Kingdom of God.
Credits: outline from D6.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Romans: Walking in the Spirit
Romans 8
Series Overview: The book of Romans guides us into a life of freedom as we follow Jesus by being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Big Idea: We are free to live under the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit as we become like Jesus.
Happy New Year!
We’re returning to the book of Romans, a favorite of so many in our church family. We could easily spend a year in this book, but instead we’re taking specific chapters, getting an overview of timeless truths from this important letter written to some of the first Christians in Rome.
One common theme we will see is this idea of walking in the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit to become like Jesus.
Perhaps you’ve made new year’s resolutions…or didn’t out of fear of failure. If we’re honest, we probably all have areas in our lives in which we want to see growth. Well, if it involves weight, perhaps growth is the last thing we want! But seriously, where would you like to be a year from now? I’ve done a lot of reflection upon 2018 and would not be satisfied if 365 days from now I was the same person.
I want to grow! My ultimate goal is to become like Jesus. That’s what “Christian” means…little Christ. As I mentioned last Sunday, I will not become more like Jesus by trying harder. That’s a terrible myth. Instead, I need to surrender, confess my sins, and welcome the Holy Spirit into my life. The late Bill Bright used to talk about spiritually breathing—exhaling by confession and inhaling by being filled with the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is not a force. The Holy Spirit is not a ghost. The Holy Spirit is a Person, one Member of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Spirit. One God in three Persons.
We are all engaged in a real war between God and satan, good and evil. Make no mistake, the enemy is real. He wants to steal, kill, destroy, and lie, tempting you to make a mess of your life. On the other hand, our Heavenly Father has a much better vision for your life, one filled with love, peace, joy, and abundant life. Jesus is our example. The Holy Spirit provides the gifts, the fruit, the power to become like Jesus when we die—to our flesh, our sins, our pride—and let the Holy Spirit live in and through us.
In the seventh chapter of Romans, Paul describes the battle so eloquently:
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:21-25a)
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. (Romans 7:25b)
The struggle is real. But there’s hope. There’s power. There’s freedom!
After admitting the war between God’s law and the law of sin, Paul continues in Romans chapter eight, perhaps the most inspirational highlight of the book:
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4)
It is fitting that we are reading this on communion Sunday. Some churches remember the Eucharist or the LORD’s table each week, which isn’t necessarily a bad idea. But on the first Sunday of the month we are reminded of Jesus’ death and resurrection for us, demonstrating his love for us, freeing us from the law of sin and death. His death brings us life…abundant life and eternal life. And there’s no condemnation! Only grace! Hallelujah! Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, repentant followers of Jesus who have turned from their sin and followed Jesus can experience forgiveness, reconciliation, peace, salvation, and joy! The law can’t claim you, condemn you, or control you because of Jesus. That’s wonderful! It’s amazing! That’s grace!
You’ll quickly see a tension between what might be called positional and practical reality. Followers of Jesus are forgiven, but we still sin. We are free from the law of sin and death, but we are still tempted to sin…and often succumb to those temptations.
We find ourselves, yet again, in the in-between. Even when we make progress in our spiritual journey, there remains a distance between our lives and the perfection of Jesus. Like a child whose muscles are developing and body is growing, we are not what we were, but not what we will become someday. Such is life!
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:5-8)
Every sin begins in the mind. Every act of kindness begins in the mind. Where is your mind? What influences it? We are bombarded by fake news, violence, fear, perversion, profanity, and evil every day, whether it’s from a screen in our pockets or a giant billboard on the expressway, cable news or Netflix.
At the risk of sounding old-school, we must get our minds on God. True believers read the Bible. They study it. They put it into practice. The Bible is our authority, our truth, yet so many of us don’t fill our minds with it. This isn’t a pastor thing, it’s a Christian thing.
As we begin this new year, let me remind you of some great resources we have made available to you.
1. Mission 119. This daily devotional offers a passage of scripture, a twelve-minute audio by Alliance pastor John Soper, and downloadable resources for further study. And it’s totally free! www.Mission119.org. Year 2 began last week, but even if you’ve never accessed it, you can get started today. You can easily catch up on the five days you missed last week since it’s a Monday through Friday format. In three weekends, you’ll be right on track! I’ve been thrilled at the positive feedback on it. I usually read the passage of the day while I’m still in bed…and listen to the audio during my commute. If you struggle with reading, you can even listen to the scripture passage each day.
2. Right Now Media. They sometimes call this Christian Netflix. It’s not a vast library of movies, but it is packed with Bible studies for individuals and groups, great content for children, leadership resources, …and it’s all available for free on most any screen in your pocket or home. If you’d like an invitation, note it on the Connection Card.
3. D6. Parents, grandparents, and guardians, last year we began offering take-home resources and weekly e-mails to equip you to train the next generation in the ways of the LORD. Discipleship cannot adequately occur through one hour a week. I have never seen a tool like D6 to help you and your family know and follow God. Some sermons, small groups, and Sunday School classes are thematically synced, too, to help our entire church family grow together, regardless of age, focused on the same scriptures.
4. Speaking of groups, we have a growing number of small groups, Bible studies, and Sunday School classes that meet on Sundays and throughout the week, here on our church campus and in homes and public spaces. A complete list can be found out our Information Center in the lobby as well as at the bottom of the weekly FAC Focus e-newsletter. If you don’t get that in your inbox each Wednesday, please fill out a Connection Card and you’ll receive it…spam-free!
5. Home Missions partners are local ministries doing great work in and around Toledo. They are always accepting prayers, donations, and volunteers. Our next Home Missions Sunday is in two weeks, January 20. Following Jesus is so much more than just agreeing with a mission statement or having Bible knowledge. The true measure of our spiritual maturity is love…how well we love God and how well we love others, even our enemies. Serving through FAC and its home missions partners is a great way to put your faith into action.
But it all begins with our minds. Will you live for yourself in 2019 or God and others?
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. (Romans 8:9-11)
That’s a fantastic promise! Christ was raised from the dead and after we die, our bodies will be resurrected like his! In the meantime, the Spirit of God lives in us! That’s just incredible! This is what it means to be controlled by the Spirit. We die to our selfish desires and follow Jesus.
If I have one desire for 2019, it’s that I would decrease and Jesus would increase. I pray that 52 weeks from now, you would see more Jesus and less Kirk. It will only happen if I live under the control of the Spirit.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. (Romans 8:12-13)
This is an awkward in-between time. We’re citizens of heaven, yet we’re living in a sinful culture, influenced by the world, the flesh, and the devil. Here we’re told to put our flesh to death. This doesn’t mean the body is evil and must be destroyed, but rather it is prone to sin.
I’m proud to be a USAmerican, but does my life look more like Jesus or my non-Christian neighbor? If I’m living according to the flesh, my culture and comfort will take precedence over Jesus’ call to surrender, sacrifice, give, love, forgive, and extend grace. Remember, Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to help dead people experience life, but first we must die to our will, our desires, our agenda, our flesh.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Romans 8:14-17)
We are to live as children of God. Are you a child of God? How do you know?
Some of us have been told the lie that if you just pray a magic prayer, you’re done. You’re in. Any such prayer or “decision” is just the beginning. Children of God are led by the Spirit, filled with the Spirit. They are living in the Spirit. They are walking in the Spirit. They have the Holy Spirit…and the Spirit has them! That means we daily die to ourselves. Their body becomes the very temple of the Spirit. If you think that sounds uncomfortable, it surely is! Never are we promised endless rainbows and lollipops! Paul tells us we will share in the sufferings of Jesus. That’s the pathway to glory.
The vast majority of us have never endured the sufferings of Jesus. If someone wished you “Happy Holidays” instead of “Mary Christmas,” that’s doesn’t count! Paul knew suffering, the early church knew suffering, and today millions of our brothers and sisters in other nations are experiencing torture, imprisonment, and martyrdom because they refuse to follow Jesus.
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:18-21)
Do you see Paul’s perspective? He’s not in denial about his present circumstances, but he doesn’t whine and complain. He knows freedom is coming. Life is coming. Liberation is coming. Even creation knows it. Someday suffering and death and pain will cease.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:22-25)
I’m so impatient. I want things now. I want Jesus to return, satan to be defeated, and a new resurrection body! Regardless of your present circumstances, hope is real. God always keeps His promises. It will be worth the wait!
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)
I love this passage. Have you ever tried to pray and you didn’t know what to say? I’ve had that happen many times, and I usually pray, “Holy Spirit, groan on my behalf; intercede for me; may God’s will be done.”
One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is tongues. There are two different types of tongues: known languages and heavenly language. Some Christians are given the supernatural ability to speak human languages they’ve never learned, usually for the purpose of evangelism. This occurred in Acts 2:6. The heavenly language tongue is a spiritual gift which requires someone with the spiritual gift of interpretation to understand, though some speak it privately without an interpreter.
I have asked the Holy Spirit to give me the gift of tongues, but I have never received the gift. The Spirit has given me other gifts and I’m content with them since nobody has all of the spiritual gifts. I mention this controversial gift fully embraced by the Christian & Missionary Alliance because some people when they pray are unable to use known languages to express their heart to God, yet the find themselves speaking words they don’t understand. This might be similar to the groanings the Holy Spirit prays. Note it’s all in accordance with God’s will.
We must live through God’s strength.
Now we come to one of the most famous and misused verses in the Bible.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (Romans 8:28-30)
Take some time and unpack those rich verses. Remember, this is in the context of suffering. Nothing surprises God…and the suffering of His children is never in vain. There’s a rich chunk of theology here, that those that walk in the Spirit are called, justified, and will someday be glorified. We will receive a reward for our devotion to God…eternity with Him.
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? (Romans 8:31-35)
I’d love to preach an entire sermon on this paragraph! If God is for us, who can be against us? The Holy Spirit intercedes for us. Our High Priest, Jesus, is also interceding for us. Nothing can separate God’s children from the love of Christ. We can live confidently in God’s never-ending love. If God is for us, how can we worry? How can we be filled with fear?
As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Romans 8:36)
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)
If we walk in the Spirit, we can live victorious, free from sin, defeat, death, discouragement, condemnation, and fear. Nothing can separate God’s children from the love of God. Hallelujah! If God is for us, who can be against us,
I want to you think about your relationship with God. Who’s the pilot? Are you frustrated from disappointment and failure, trying to be in control? Live under the control of the Holy Spirit. Do you feel distant from God or find yourself trying to fit in with the world? Live as a child of God. Are you weak and tired? Live through God’s strength? Are you insecure or feel unloved? Claim the promises of Romans 8 and know that you can live confidently in God’s never-ending love.
That love was not just a mushy Hallmark card, but demonstrated with blood, sweat and tears. Jesus died to make everything in this chapter possible. He endured suffering knowing glory would follow, and the same is true for us. Your story’s not over. I want to encourage you in this new year to press into Jesus, surrender control of your life to the Holy Spirit, and seek first the Kingdom of God.
Credits: outline from D6.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Motherhood: Woman of God, 30 December 2018
31 12 18
Motherhood: Woman of God
Series—Mary Christmas
Luke 2:21-52
Series Overview: Mary may be the most underrated, godly character in the Bible (at least for Protestants!).
Big Idea: Moms—and Mary, in particular—do more than simply give birth.
Welcome to in-between Sunday. You know, that awkward time between Christmas and New Year’s. You’re not sure if the decorations should be up or down. Is it ok to still listen to Christmas carols? Half of the world seems to be on vacation while the other half tries to work amidst the gnawing sense that gifts need to be returned and hopefully there’s some deals on leftover Christmas stuff. The space between.
The same, of course, can be said about our place in history. Throughout Advent—the season of waiting and coming—we’ve noted how we look back at Jesus’ first visit to our planet and anticipate his return. We’ve between his first and second coming.
As humans, we tend to focus on milestones, significant dates, memorable times. We all have defining moments in our lives, but usually we are living between those occasions. For example, it’s probably not your birthday, but you had one this year…or will tomorrow.
It’s been said that fathers are celebrated once a year while moms have two holidays: Mother’s Day and Labor Day! Although we are months away from either, we’re going to look at the life of the most famous mom of all…Mary.
Her story began about nine months before the birth of Jesus, a day we celebrated last week, but her work was just beginning. She was the only person at both the birth and death of Jesus. We don’t have time to look at every mention of Mary in the New Testament, but we’re going to continue our study of the beginning of the gospel or good news of Luke in chapter 2 and see Mary the mother, a woman of God.
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived. (Luke 2:21)
Jesus was the Greek form of the Hebrew name “Joshua,” which means “Yahweh is salvation.” It was a common name at the time, but note it was not chosen by Mary or Joseph, but rather Gabriel the angel. Mary and Joseph kept the laws of Judaism.
When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord” ), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:22-24)
Jesus was dedicated by His parents to the Lord using the offering of the poor, a pair of birds, though middle classes also made such sacrifices.” Fortunately for us, we do not have to slaughter animals in the process of dedicating our children to God, but this was the Old Testament Law.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. (Luke 2:25-26)
The common shepherds were the first to visit Jesus. Simeon, however, was a wise, godly elder empowered by the Holy Spirit which is significant, especially before Acts chapter two. He was given a promise by God, and the LORD always keeps his promises…and Simeon was no exception.
Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: (Luke 2:27-28)
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32)
Jesus was a Jew. His culture was Jewish, but his mission would include the Gentiles, a radical concept for Israel. All the nations will see God’s plan of salvation. The glory of Israel is the Messiah, the bearer of promise. Imagery from the prophet Isaiah is evident here.
The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:33-35)
That’s not the kind of blessing I’d want to hear as a parent! This king will clearly be different than Caesar. Suffering has been a part of first-century life and not only will it not end anytime soon, Jesus will share in the suffering. The Messiah will live among his people. The kingdom of God will confront the kingdom of the world, and confrontation is never pretty.
There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36-38)
Like Mary, here’s another devoted, godly woman. Talk about surrender! She worshiped, fasted, and prayed night and day. That makes our hour on Sunday look so trivial.
I love that Luke included this widow in his account.
Luke has told us Jesus came for Jews and Gentiles. We have seen young and old in this story. The great thing about our faith is it’s available to everyone: boys, girls, men, women, black, white, brown, atheists, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Democrats, Republicans, …the story of Jesus can become anyone’s story.
When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him. (Luke 2:39-40)
Now we come to one of my favorite parenting stories in the Bible! There’s plenty of context missed in reading this story 2000 years later, but it’s astonishing on the surface. We jump forward twelve years.
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. (Luke 2:41-43)
This is the reverse of Home Alone! Mary and Joseph head home, leaving Jesus behind. Have you ever lost Jesus? It’s easy for us to get so busy and distracted that we’re not even aware we’ve left him. Perhaps even last week you left Jesus in the manger while you focused on the food, gifts, or even the family. It was his birthday, yet we opened the presents! When we’ve lost Jesus, we need to search for him in prayer, in the Bible…and not given up until we find him.
Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. (Luke 2:44-45)
Obviously, this wasn’t a three-person journey. People often traveled in large groups to avoid bandits along the path, among other things. This was an annual pilgrimage. But you would expect a “good” parent to know whether or not their twelve-year-old was with them on such a trip. It seems likely Mary and Joseph returned without the rest of the party, a potentially dangerous journey to a potentially dangerous city.
After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” (Luke 2:46-48)
Have you ever blamed someone else for your mistake? I love the humanity of Mary. She blames Jesus but she’s the one who left the city without her young son! I believe the Bible is true and it’s raw moments such as this that verify it for me. You can’t make this stuff up! For the record, Jerusalem is 90 miles from Nazareth.
I supposed Jesus could’ve responded by saying, “Why did you leave without me?” Instead, Mary’s perfect Son offers an even more radical reply.
“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them. (Luke 2:49-50)
Mary had said, “Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you,” yet Jesus was focused on his Heavenly Father. Jesus knew his mission, even as a boy. He considered his time in the temple necessary. It will certainly not be his last visit there.
Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:51-52)
Jesus was an obedient son. Of course! This would be the end of Jesus’ story from Luke until some seventeen years later.
Here again we see Mary treasuring all these things in her heart. She knew from before his birth this child was special. She was the mother of the Messiah. It’s hard to imagine the responsibility, the opportunity, the challenge, the blessing. Mary never forgot.
I want to briefly note two other motherhood moments as we conclude our series Mary Christmas.
In the second chapter of John, Mary tells her son at a wedding, “They have no more wine,” prompting Jesus to miraculous turn about 150 gallons of water into the finest wine.
In the third chapter of Mark, we see Mary and Jesus’ brothers looking for Jesus. His response: “Who are my mother and my brothers? Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” It was not meant to slam his family, but can you imagine how they felt?
So What?
Moms, you can relate to Mary better than anyone. You know the joys and heartache of not only parenting but doing what only moms can do. We can only imagine the conversations she had with Jesus, the questions she asked, the haunting words of Simeon throughout His growth, and the mystery of His identity.
Parenting is really a stewardship. As humans, we often think things belong to us. That’s my car. Those are my toys. I give my money. This is my body. Those are my kids. The reality is everything we have is a gift on loan from God. The car might become totaled, the toys broken, the money lost, the body decayed. And even our children are not ours. This became especially real on my daughter’s wedding day. I was asked, “Who gives this woman to this man?” and I said, “Her mother and I.” Our girl was no longer ours, but now given to our son in-love.
Mary watched Jesus grow from a babe in a manger to a circumcised infant to a twelve year-old teaching in the temple to a miraculous wine-maker. She must’ve been so proud when he taught and amazed when he healed. I imagine she was offended when he redefined his family as whoever does God’s will. She was devastated when he was tortured and then executed on the cross, stunned when she found his tomb empty, and overjoyed to see him after the resurrection.
Such is the roller coaster of parenting…the roller coaster of life. 2018 was filled with many average, uneventful days. There were also defining moments—both good and bad, some expected and some surprising. I’m going to go out on a limb and predict 2019 will be the same! There will be highs and lows, ordinary days and extraordinary ones. We will have opportunities to influence what happens next year, but so many things are simply beyond our control.
For followers of Jesus, that’s ok. God is sovereign. God is in control. Nothing surprises Him. 2018 was not unexpected for God and neither will be 2019. Like a drone soaring high above a tour bus on the highway, God can see not only this moment but those behind and ahead of us.
We are in the in between—between the first and second comings of Jesus, between Christmas and New Year’s, almost between 2018 and 2019—but God is here…and there. He is good and faithful, even when it doesn’t feel like it (and I had several moments this year when it didn’t feel like it!). The Kingdom of God is advancing, even as the kingdom of this world continues to succeed.
As I wrap up my final sermon of 2018, I want to challenge you with two things:
1. Give thanks. I know, Thanksgiving was last month, but now is a great time to reflect upon God’s blessings. No matter who you are, there’s plenty of reasons to be thankful. Tomorrow at 7 PM we will gather together here and do exactly that. It will be a time of reflection, a time of sharing, an opportunity to testify of God’s goodness and faithfulness. I think you’ll be encouraged as you hear stories of what God this year in and through our church family.
2. Give yourself. Surrender. Let go and let God. This is a radical idea, especially in our culture where we think we’re in control of so much of our lives. As I’ve often said, Jesus didn’t come to start another religion. He’s not looking for people to agree with doctrinal statements or impress others with their biblical knowledge. He showed us what it means to be human and asks for nothing less than total surrender. If you think Mary was offended when Jesus redefined his family, imagine how she felt when he said,
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26
Did Jesus mean we are to hate our family? Certainly not. He meant in comparison to our devotion to God, our love for our family and even our own lives must be minimal. He continued,
And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27
He’s looking for 24/7/365 followers, men and women who have died to their agendas and surrendered to God’s will. “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done.” That means every day of 2019 belongs to Jesus. Every penny in your piggy bank, purse, bank account, and investment portfolio belongs to Jesus. Your plans for others—including your family members—belongs to Jesus. Your dreams for the future, your hopes for our church, your political preferences, and your talents belong to Jesus. Every second on the calendar is subject to interruption because it belongs to Jesus.
Today we close with a popular song many of us have sung countless times, yet putting the lyrics into practice is far more challenging—and rewarding—than simply singing, “I Surrender All.” I’m waiting for someone to write, “I Surrender Some” or “I Surrender All When I Feel Like It,” but that’s not what Jesus requires of His followers. He doesn’t recognize part-time disciples. He’s looking for people who are willing to count the cost, suffer, and be all-in, no matter what.
Mary was all-in. Mothers have to be all-in when they give birth, but throughout her life she was passionately devoted to God, a wonderful example for all of us. Simeon and Anna are also examples in our text of true followers of the LORD. Even at age 12 Jesus was committed to the Father’s will.
As we prepare for the new year, it’s my hope and prayer that we would passionately pursue God like never before—as individuals and as a family together—in 2019. Let’s resolve to know God better…and make Him known.
I Surrender All
Credits: some ideas from The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Mary Christmas
Luke 2:21-52
Series Overview: Mary may be the most underrated, godly character in the Bible (at least for Protestants!).
Big Idea: Moms—and Mary, in particular—do more than simply give birth.
Welcome to in-between Sunday. You know, that awkward time between Christmas and New Year’s. You’re not sure if the decorations should be up or down. Is it ok to still listen to Christmas carols? Half of the world seems to be on vacation while the other half tries to work amidst the gnawing sense that gifts need to be returned and hopefully there’s some deals on leftover Christmas stuff. The space between.
The same, of course, can be said about our place in history. Throughout Advent—the season of waiting and coming—we’ve noted how we look back at Jesus’ first visit to our planet and anticipate his return. We’ve between his first and second coming.
As humans, we tend to focus on milestones, significant dates, memorable times. We all have defining moments in our lives, but usually we are living between those occasions. For example, it’s probably not your birthday, but you had one this year…or will tomorrow.
It’s been said that fathers are celebrated once a year while moms have two holidays: Mother’s Day and Labor Day! Although we are months away from either, we’re going to look at the life of the most famous mom of all…Mary.
Her story began about nine months before the birth of Jesus, a day we celebrated last week, but her work was just beginning. She was the only person at both the birth and death of Jesus. We don’t have time to look at every mention of Mary in the New Testament, but we’re going to continue our study of the beginning of the gospel or good news of Luke in chapter 2 and see Mary the mother, a woman of God.
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived. (Luke 2:21)
Jesus was the Greek form of the Hebrew name “Joshua,” which means “Yahweh is salvation.” It was a common name at the time, but note it was not chosen by Mary or Joseph, but rather Gabriel the angel. Mary and Joseph kept the laws of Judaism.
When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord” ), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:22-24)
Jesus was dedicated by His parents to the Lord using the offering of the poor, a pair of birds, though middle classes also made such sacrifices.” Fortunately for us, we do not have to slaughter animals in the process of dedicating our children to God, but this was the Old Testament Law.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. (Luke 2:25-26)
The common shepherds were the first to visit Jesus. Simeon, however, was a wise, godly elder empowered by the Holy Spirit which is significant, especially before Acts chapter two. He was given a promise by God, and the LORD always keeps his promises…and Simeon was no exception.
Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: (Luke 2:27-28)
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32)
Jesus was a Jew. His culture was Jewish, but his mission would include the Gentiles, a radical concept for Israel. All the nations will see God’s plan of salvation. The glory of Israel is the Messiah, the bearer of promise. Imagery from the prophet Isaiah is evident here.
The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:33-35)
That’s not the kind of blessing I’d want to hear as a parent! This king will clearly be different than Caesar. Suffering has been a part of first-century life and not only will it not end anytime soon, Jesus will share in the suffering. The Messiah will live among his people. The kingdom of God will confront the kingdom of the world, and confrontation is never pretty.
There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36-38)
Like Mary, here’s another devoted, godly woman. Talk about surrender! She worshiped, fasted, and prayed night and day. That makes our hour on Sunday look so trivial.
I love that Luke included this widow in his account.
Luke has told us Jesus came for Jews and Gentiles. We have seen young and old in this story. The great thing about our faith is it’s available to everyone: boys, girls, men, women, black, white, brown, atheists, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Democrats, Republicans, …the story of Jesus can become anyone’s story.
When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him. (Luke 2:39-40)
Now we come to one of my favorite parenting stories in the Bible! There’s plenty of context missed in reading this story 2000 years later, but it’s astonishing on the surface. We jump forward twelve years.
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. (Luke 2:41-43)
This is the reverse of Home Alone! Mary and Joseph head home, leaving Jesus behind. Have you ever lost Jesus? It’s easy for us to get so busy and distracted that we’re not even aware we’ve left him. Perhaps even last week you left Jesus in the manger while you focused on the food, gifts, or even the family. It was his birthday, yet we opened the presents! When we’ve lost Jesus, we need to search for him in prayer, in the Bible…and not given up until we find him.
Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. (Luke 2:44-45)
Obviously, this wasn’t a three-person journey. People often traveled in large groups to avoid bandits along the path, among other things. This was an annual pilgrimage. But you would expect a “good” parent to know whether or not their twelve-year-old was with them on such a trip. It seems likely Mary and Joseph returned without the rest of the party, a potentially dangerous journey to a potentially dangerous city.
After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” (Luke 2:46-48)
Have you ever blamed someone else for your mistake? I love the humanity of Mary. She blames Jesus but she’s the one who left the city without her young son! I believe the Bible is true and it’s raw moments such as this that verify it for me. You can’t make this stuff up! For the record, Jerusalem is 90 miles from Nazareth.
I supposed Jesus could’ve responded by saying, “Why did you leave without me?” Instead, Mary’s perfect Son offers an even more radical reply.
“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them. (Luke 2:49-50)
Mary had said, “Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you,” yet Jesus was focused on his Heavenly Father. Jesus knew his mission, even as a boy. He considered his time in the temple necessary. It will certainly not be his last visit there.
Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:51-52)
Jesus was an obedient son. Of course! This would be the end of Jesus’ story from Luke until some seventeen years later.
Here again we see Mary treasuring all these things in her heart. She knew from before his birth this child was special. She was the mother of the Messiah. It’s hard to imagine the responsibility, the opportunity, the challenge, the blessing. Mary never forgot.
I want to briefly note two other motherhood moments as we conclude our series Mary Christmas.
In the second chapter of John, Mary tells her son at a wedding, “They have no more wine,” prompting Jesus to miraculous turn about 150 gallons of water into the finest wine.
In the third chapter of Mark, we see Mary and Jesus’ brothers looking for Jesus. His response: “Who are my mother and my brothers? Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” It was not meant to slam his family, but can you imagine how they felt?
So What?
Moms, you can relate to Mary better than anyone. You know the joys and heartache of not only parenting but doing what only moms can do. We can only imagine the conversations she had with Jesus, the questions she asked, the haunting words of Simeon throughout His growth, and the mystery of His identity.
Parenting is really a stewardship. As humans, we often think things belong to us. That’s my car. Those are my toys. I give my money. This is my body. Those are my kids. The reality is everything we have is a gift on loan from God. The car might become totaled, the toys broken, the money lost, the body decayed. And even our children are not ours. This became especially real on my daughter’s wedding day. I was asked, “Who gives this woman to this man?” and I said, “Her mother and I.” Our girl was no longer ours, but now given to our son in-love.
Mary watched Jesus grow from a babe in a manger to a circumcised infant to a twelve year-old teaching in the temple to a miraculous wine-maker. She must’ve been so proud when he taught and amazed when he healed. I imagine she was offended when he redefined his family as whoever does God’s will. She was devastated when he was tortured and then executed on the cross, stunned when she found his tomb empty, and overjoyed to see him after the resurrection.
Such is the roller coaster of parenting…the roller coaster of life. 2018 was filled with many average, uneventful days. There were also defining moments—both good and bad, some expected and some surprising. I’m going to go out on a limb and predict 2019 will be the same! There will be highs and lows, ordinary days and extraordinary ones. We will have opportunities to influence what happens next year, but so many things are simply beyond our control.
For followers of Jesus, that’s ok. God is sovereign. God is in control. Nothing surprises Him. 2018 was not unexpected for God and neither will be 2019. Like a drone soaring high above a tour bus on the highway, God can see not only this moment but those behind and ahead of us.
We are in the in between—between the first and second comings of Jesus, between Christmas and New Year’s, almost between 2018 and 2019—but God is here…and there. He is good and faithful, even when it doesn’t feel like it (and I had several moments this year when it didn’t feel like it!). The Kingdom of God is advancing, even as the kingdom of this world continues to succeed.
As I wrap up my final sermon of 2018, I want to challenge you with two things:
1. Give thanks. I know, Thanksgiving was last month, but now is a great time to reflect upon God’s blessings. No matter who you are, there’s plenty of reasons to be thankful. Tomorrow at 7 PM we will gather together here and do exactly that. It will be a time of reflection, a time of sharing, an opportunity to testify of God’s goodness and faithfulness. I think you’ll be encouraged as you hear stories of what God this year in and through our church family.
2. Give yourself. Surrender. Let go and let God. This is a radical idea, especially in our culture where we think we’re in control of so much of our lives. As I’ve often said, Jesus didn’t come to start another religion. He’s not looking for people to agree with doctrinal statements or impress others with their biblical knowledge. He showed us what it means to be human and asks for nothing less than total surrender. If you think Mary was offended when Jesus redefined his family, imagine how she felt when he said,
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26
Did Jesus mean we are to hate our family? Certainly not. He meant in comparison to our devotion to God, our love for our family and even our own lives must be minimal. He continued,
And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27
He’s looking for 24/7/365 followers, men and women who have died to their agendas and surrendered to God’s will. “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done.” That means every day of 2019 belongs to Jesus. Every penny in your piggy bank, purse, bank account, and investment portfolio belongs to Jesus. Your plans for others—including your family members—belongs to Jesus. Your dreams for the future, your hopes for our church, your political preferences, and your talents belong to Jesus. Every second on the calendar is subject to interruption because it belongs to Jesus.
Today we close with a popular song many of us have sung countless times, yet putting the lyrics into practice is far more challenging—and rewarding—than simply singing, “I Surrender All.” I’m waiting for someone to write, “I Surrender Some” or “I Surrender All When I Feel Like It,” but that’s not what Jesus requires of His followers. He doesn’t recognize part-time disciples. He’s looking for people who are willing to count the cost, suffer, and be all-in, no matter what.
Mary was all-in. Mothers have to be all-in when they give birth, but throughout her life she was passionately devoted to God, a wonderful example for all of us. Simeon and Anna are also examples in our text of true followers of the LORD. Even at age 12 Jesus was committed to the Father’s will.
As we prepare for the new year, it’s my hope and prayer that we would passionately pursue God like never before—as individuals and as a family together—in 2019. Let’s resolve to know God better…and make Him known.
I Surrender All
Credits: some ideas from The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Birth: Woman of Danger, 23 December 2018
23 12 18
Birth: Woman of Danger
Series—Mary Christmas
Luke 2:6-20
Series Overview: Mary may be the most underrated, godly character in the Bible (at least for Protestants!).
Big Idea: Mary was real, raw and dangerous…and so is King Jesus.
In January of 2003 the Discovery Channel began airing a show called MythBusters. It has continued as one if its oldest and most popular shows. Originally from Australia and now on the Science Channel, it has become a global phenomenon testing various popular beliefs and Internet rumors to see if they are true. The myths are ultimately rated “buster,” “plausible,” or “confirmed.”
It’s one thing to hold beliefs about sunburns, explosions, traffic patterns, or boarding airplanes. It’s quite another to entertain myths about the Bible and, ultimately, God. One of the most frustrating things for me as a follower of Jesus is hearing so-called Biblical quotes that are simply not, such as:
God helps those who help themselves.
Jesus turned water into grape juice instead of wine.
I’m good and, therefore, will go to heaven when I die.
Always pray with your eyes closed.
Jesus never claimed to be the Son of God.
Suffering is always the result of sin since true believers are rich and healthy.
The safest place to be is in the center of God’s will.
These are all myths. They are false.
This Advent season is filled with its own myths.
We’re in the middle of an extended series on Mary, the mother of Jesus. It seems that she is possibly overrated by Catholics and underrated by us Protestants. She is arguably the most important female to ever walk this earth, not only for giving birth to Jesus but also for enduring the consequences of being pregnant out of wedlock, raising the Messiah, and witnessing His brutal death. She was specifically chosen by God to be Jesus’ mom for reasons we don’t entirely know, but good reasons nonetheless.
The center of God’s will is not the safest place to be, but often the most dangerous. Mary is often depicted as a sweet, innocent, almost angelic figure. The real Mary, however, was dangerous. She was dangerous to Augustus and Herod, claiming her son was born to be king. She had a dangerous mission that threatened the Jewish society and the Roman Empire. Rather than a somber-faced girl in a baby-blue robe, Scot McKnight says, “Mary was a muscular, wiry woman whose eyes were aglow with a dazzling hope for justice and whose body evoked a robust confidence in the God who was about to turn the world upside down through her son.”
To fully understand the story, we need to understand the context. We’ve sanitized the account, making it so quaint and comfortable. Perhaps nothing illustrates this better than nativity scenes.
Unlike the myths of the season, Mary was real. Joseph was real. Jesus is real.
We’re using Luke’s biography of Jesus as our text this year, but the first two chapters of Matthew’s gospel or “good news” convey a less than idyllic scene surrounding the “silent night.” Joseph nearly divorces Mary, Herod is scheming, babies are slaughtered, Joseph and his family become refugees in Egypt, and people are waiting for the king to die. Have you ever seen those scenes on Christmas cards?
Caesar Augustus was literally considered “son of God” in the lineage of his dad, Julius Caesar who was officially declared to be a god. Augustus brought peace to Rome and was considered its savior. His rise was considered good news or “gospel.” Perhaps you’ve heard words like god, lord, and gospel in the context of church, but these were words used of this political leader, the worshiped king of the Roman empire.
Last Sunday we examined the first five verses of Luke chapter two, the journey to Bethlehem. Dr. Luke continues…
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:6-7)
You’ve heard there was no room for them in the inn, right? There are actually two meanings for our English word “inn.” The first is a place you would stay, but the other is a guest room as translated here. There’s no innkeeper. It was likely Joseph and Mary went to a relative’s home. There’s nothing in the Bible about a stable or barn—just a manger. The manger may have been in an open-air living area like a patio. Many believe this was a house where people typically stayed upstairs with the ground floor used for animals…though there is actually no mention of any animals. The upstairs was probably full of people doing exactly what Joseph and Mary were doing—registering in the census. They’re likely in the bottom area of a full house. Baby Jesus may have been held by his aunts, uncles and cousins on his birthday.
Why does Luke mention the manger? It was a sign to the shepherds.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. (Luke 2:8-9)
Angels are often scaring people. I suppose if I encountered one, I might freak out a bit, myself!
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12)
Shepherds are not exactly common in our culture today, but in biblical times many cared for sheep. You might know the 23rd Psalm which begins, “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.” The birth of the Good Shepherd—Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah—was announced to shepherds long before the news hit CNN or Twitter!
This is familiar language to the shepherds who knew Augustus as savior. They were now confronted with two kings; Augustus and Jesus. The conflict between them is beginning, between God and the powers of this world. Within a century or so, this baby would be so threatening to the successors of Augustus that followers of Jesus would be persecuted and martyred, simply for their faith.
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:13-14)
Augustus didn’t exactly have angels announcing His birth.
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2:15)
They needed to do something to respond to the celestial symphony! Here’s a tip: if an angel guides you to something historic, go!
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2:16-18)
Lowly shepherds were the first to meet the Messiah and the first to spread the word. We can’t imagine the significance of this news. The Messiah had been prophesied for centuries. It was a bigger deal than us waiting for someone to cure cancer…or for the Detroit Lions or Cleveland Browns to make it to the Super Bowl! Generations had waited! The King of kings had arrived, but in the most humble, unexpected manner.
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)
These are common words in Judaism for thinking about events in one’s life so one could make sense of and narrate what God was doing in history. This wasn’t silent meditation, but rather reflecting to interpret. She was figuring out what God was doing in the world while people were singing and dancing and dreaming of the end of Augustus’ rule. She would tell the story orally, a tale of two kings. Much of what we read in the Bible most likely came from her lips.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:20)
The natural response to an encounter with God is praise and worship. This is why we sing when we gather. This is why we give thanks. This is why we devote ourselves to God and His commands. He’s God and we’re not.
I often say the two most important questions in the world are
Who is God?
Who am I?
They are questions of identity. How you answer those two questions will impact everything you do and define who you are.
So What?
There are many myths about the Christmas story. Does it really matter if the manger was made of wood or rock? No. Is it a game-changer to have wise men or magi in the nativity scene or not? Of course not. Can we observe Jesus’ birthday on December 25 even if he was almost certainly born in the springtime? Sure.
Perhaps the greatest myth of all in the account of the birth of Jesus is that somehow the characters are super-human. They aren’t real. It’s fantasy. Jesus was God so therefore never pooped or cried, Mary floated above the earth like an angel, effortlessly giving birth without a whimper or tear. Joseph—well, Joseph just stood there watching while his wife and step son get all of the attention. The animals smelled like Febreze. The night was silent and perfect, tranquil and sweet.
But our understanding of Mary is important. She wasn’t an angel, hovering just above the ground. Nor was she a weak girl who disappears after the birth of Jesus—as we will see next Sunday. She was a gritty, godly young woman who encountered angels, brought God into our world, spoke out about injustice, and would experience the joys and sorrows of motherhood throughout the 33 years of Jesus’ life.
Our understanding of Jesus is even more important. His birth wasn’t a myth. You can visit Bethlehem today in Israel. He didn’t stay in the manger, meek and mild. His birth was highly unusual, yet the perfect fulfillment of centuries-old prophecies. And the birth was just the beginning. He didn’t stay the tiny, infant Jesus Will Ferrell prayed to in Talladega Nights. He became a man…but not just any man. The God-man. Jesus is fully human and yet fully God.
It might not have been a silent night, but there were no paparazzi or bloggers at his birth. Yet God came to earth, Emmanuel, God with us. The word “incarnation” is often used this time of year. It means to embody, to exemplify, to manifest. One of Jesus’ best friends described the incarnation of God this way:
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. (John 1:14)
The late Eugene Peterson used these words:
The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. (John 1:14a, The Message)
Christmas was just the beginning of the story. That little baby in the pictures came to live, teach, model for us what it means to be human. Then he died for our sins and failures, and rose from the dead
We often call this season “advent,” or waiting. Many of you are eagerly waiting and anticipating the opening of those gifts under the tree. Maybe you’re excited about being with loved ones. Perhaps you’re anxious about the loneliness, depression, or sadness you expect this Christmas. Regardless of your attitude toward Tuesday, I want to you to know we are waiting for something even greater than Christmas dinner or gifts from Amazon. We are waiting for the return of the King.
Today we stand between the first arrival of Jesus—as a baby—and the promised second coming of Jesus—as the King of kings and LORD of lords.
Christmas is not really about a baby or presents or even family. It’s about a dangerous woman giving birth to a dangerous man who would threaten the kingdom of this world with the Kingdom of God. It’s not about us, but about God, his love for his creation, and his audacious plan to seek and save humanity from the curse of sin and death. Herod had every right to be threatened by the birth of King Jesus, even though he appeared tender and mild. For two thousand years, men, women and children have been given the opportunity to follow the kings of this world or King Jesus. Even today, we choose each morning whether we will be subjects of our desires or God’s.
Don’t buy the myth that Jesus is a fairy tale figure or some spineless wimp. He began a revolution of love that grows each day, leading a rebellion against fear, evil, and destruction. He sacrificed his own life to prove his love was real, and he’s inviting you to follow him.
There’s a popular Christmas figure called Elf on a Shelf. Don’t let Jesus be your God on a shelf…or baby in a manger. He wants to be your King, your leader, your LORD. And he’ll change your life if you let him. He doesn’t guarantee lollipops and rainbows, but He promises to never abandon you. He will be with you through life’s storms. He’ll give you peace, hope, joy, and love. It will be the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received.
Credits: some ideas from The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Mary Christmas
Luke 2:6-20
Series Overview: Mary may be the most underrated, godly character in the Bible (at least for Protestants!).
Big Idea: Mary was real, raw and dangerous…and so is King Jesus.
In January of 2003 the Discovery Channel began airing a show called MythBusters. It has continued as one if its oldest and most popular shows. Originally from Australia and now on the Science Channel, it has become a global phenomenon testing various popular beliefs and Internet rumors to see if they are true. The myths are ultimately rated “buster,” “plausible,” or “confirmed.”
It’s one thing to hold beliefs about sunburns, explosions, traffic patterns, or boarding airplanes. It’s quite another to entertain myths about the Bible and, ultimately, God. One of the most frustrating things for me as a follower of Jesus is hearing so-called Biblical quotes that are simply not, such as:
God helps those who help themselves.
Jesus turned water into grape juice instead of wine.
I’m good and, therefore, will go to heaven when I die.
Always pray with your eyes closed.
Jesus never claimed to be the Son of God.
Suffering is always the result of sin since true believers are rich and healthy.
The safest place to be is in the center of God’s will.
These are all myths. They are false.
This Advent season is filled with its own myths.
We’re in the middle of an extended series on Mary, the mother of Jesus. It seems that she is possibly overrated by Catholics and underrated by us Protestants. She is arguably the most important female to ever walk this earth, not only for giving birth to Jesus but also for enduring the consequences of being pregnant out of wedlock, raising the Messiah, and witnessing His brutal death. She was specifically chosen by God to be Jesus’ mom for reasons we don’t entirely know, but good reasons nonetheless.
The center of God’s will is not the safest place to be, but often the most dangerous. Mary is often depicted as a sweet, innocent, almost angelic figure. The real Mary, however, was dangerous. She was dangerous to Augustus and Herod, claiming her son was born to be king. She had a dangerous mission that threatened the Jewish society and the Roman Empire. Rather than a somber-faced girl in a baby-blue robe, Scot McKnight says, “Mary was a muscular, wiry woman whose eyes were aglow with a dazzling hope for justice and whose body evoked a robust confidence in the God who was about to turn the world upside down through her son.”
To fully understand the story, we need to understand the context. We’ve sanitized the account, making it so quaint and comfortable. Perhaps nothing illustrates this better than nativity scenes.
Unlike the myths of the season, Mary was real. Joseph was real. Jesus is real.
We’re using Luke’s biography of Jesus as our text this year, but the first two chapters of Matthew’s gospel or “good news” convey a less than idyllic scene surrounding the “silent night.” Joseph nearly divorces Mary, Herod is scheming, babies are slaughtered, Joseph and his family become refugees in Egypt, and people are waiting for the king to die. Have you ever seen those scenes on Christmas cards?
Caesar Augustus was literally considered “son of God” in the lineage of his dad, Julius Caesar who was officially declared to be a god. Augustus brought peace to Rome and was considered its savior. His rise was considered good news or “gospel.” Perhaps you’ve heard words like god, lord, and gospel in the context of church, but these were words used of this political leader, the worshiped king of the Roman empire.
Last Sunday we examined the first five verses of Luke chapter two, the journey to Bethlehem. Dr. Luke continues…
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:6-7)
You’ve heard there was no room for them in the inn, right? There are actually two meanings for our English word “inn.” The first is a place you would stay, but the other is a guest room as translated here. There’s no innkeeper. It was likely Joseph and Mary went to a relative’s home. There’s nothing in the Bible about a stable or barn—just a manger. The manger may have been in an open-air living area like a patio. Many believe this was a house where people typically stayed upstairs with the ground floor used for animals…though there is actually no mention of any animals. The upstairs was probably full of people doing exactly what Joseph and Mary were doing—registering in the census. They’re likely in the bottom area of a full house. Baby Jesus may have been held by his aunts, uncles and cousins on his birthday.
Why does Luke mention the manger? It was a sign to the shepherds.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. (Luke 2:8-9)
Angels are often scaring people. I suppose if I encountered one, I might freak out a bit, myself!
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12)
Shepherds are not exactly common in our culture today, but in biblical times many cared for sheep. You might know the 23rd Psalm which begins, “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.” The birth of the Good Shepherd—Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah—was announced to shepherds long before the news hit CNN or Twitter!
This is familiar language to the shepherds who knew Augustus as savior. They were now confronted with two kings; Augustus and Jesus. The conflict between them is beginning, between God and the powers of this world. Within a century or so, this baby would be so threatening to the successors of Augustus that followers of Jesus would be persecuted and martyred, simply for their faith.
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:13-14)
Augustus didn’t exactly have angels announcing His birth.
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2:15)
They needed to do something to respond to the celestial symphony! Here’s a tip: if an angel guides you to something historic, go!
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2:16-18)
Lowly shepherds were the first to meet the Messiah and the first to spread the word. We can’t imagine the significance of this news. The Messiah had been prophesied for centuries. It was a bigger deal than us waiting for someone to cure cancer…or for the Detroit Lions or Cleveland Browns to make it to the Super Bowl! Generations had waited! The King of kings had arrived, but in the most humble, unexpected manner.
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)
These are common words in Judaism for thinking about events in one’s life so one could make sense of and narrate what God was doing in history. This wasn’t silent meditation, but rather reflecting to interpret. She was figuring out what God was doing in the world while people were singing and dancing and dreaming of the end of Augustus’ rule. She would tell the story orally, a tale of two kings. Much of what we read in the Bible most likely came from her lips.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:20)
The natural response to an encounter with God is praise and worship. This is why we sing when we gather. This is why we give thanks. This is why we devote ourselves to God and His commands. He’s God and we’re not.
I often say the two most important questions in the world are
Who is God?
Who am I?
They are questions of identity. How you answer those two questions will impact everything you do and define who you are.
So What?
There are many myths about the Christmas story. Does it really matter if the manger was made of wood or rock? No. Is it a game-changer to have wise men or magi in the nativity scene or not? Of course not. Can we observe Jesus’ birthday on December 25 even if he was almost certainly born in the springtime? Sure.
Perhaps the greatest myth of all in the account of the birth of Jesus is that somehow the characters are super-human. They aren’t real. It’s fantasy. Jesus was God so therefore never pooped or cried, Mary floated above the earth like an angel, effortlessly giving birth without a whimper or tear. Joseph—well, Joseph just stood there watching while his wife and step son get all of the attention. The animals smelled like Febreze. The night was silent and perfect, tranquil and sweet.
But our understanding of Mary is important. She wasn’t an angel, hovering just above the ground. Nor was she a weak girl who disappears after the birth of Jesus—as we will see next Sunday. She was a gritty, godly young woman who encountered angels, brought God into our world, spoke out about injustice, and would experience the joys and sorrows of motherhood throughout the 33 years of Jesus’ life.
Our understanding of Jesus is even more important. His birth wasn’t a myth. You can visit Bethlehem today in Israel. He didn’t stay in the manger, meek and mild. His birth was highly unusual, yet the perfect fulfillment of centuries-old prophecies. And the birth was just the beginning. He didn’t stay the tiny, infant Jesus Will Ferrell prayed to in Talladega Nights. He became a man…but not just any man. The God-man. Jesus is fully human and yet fully God.
It might not have been a silent night, but there were no paparazzi or bloggers at his birth. Yet God came to earth, Emmanuel, God with us. The word “incarnation” is often used this time of year. It means to embody, to exemplify, to manifest. One of Jesus’ best friends described the incarnation of God this way:
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. (John 1:14)
The late Eugene Peterson used these words:
The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. (John 1:14a, The Message)
Christmas was just the beginning of the story. That little baby in the pictures came to live, teach, model for us what it means to be human. Then he died for our sins and failures, and rose from the dead
We often call this season “advent,” or waiting. Many of you are eagerly waiting and anticipating the opening of those gifts under the tree. Maybe you’re excited about being with loved ones. Perhaps you’re anxious about the loneliness, depression, or sadness you expect this Christmas. Regardless of your attitude toward Tuesday, I want to you to know we are waiting for something even greater than Christmas dinner or gifts from Amazon. We are waiting for the return of the King.
Today we stand between the first arrival of Jesus—as a baby—and the promised second coming of Jesus—as the King of kings and LORD of lords.
Christmas is not really about a baby or presents or even family. It’s about a dangerous woman giving birth to a dangerous man who would threaten the kingdom of this world with the Kingdom of God. It’s not about us, but about God, his love for his creation, and his audacious plan to seek and save humanity from the curse of sin and death. Herod had every right to be threatened by the birth of King Jesus, even though he appeared tender and mild. For two thousand years, men, women and children have been given the opportunity to follow the kings of this world or King Jesus. Even today, we choose each morning whether we will be subjects of our desires or God’s.
Don’t buy the myth that Jesus is a fairy tale figure or some spineless wimp. He began a revolution of love that grows each day, leading a rebellion against fear, evil, and destruction. He sacrificed his own life to prove his love was real, and he’s inviting you to follow him.
There’s a popular Christmas figure called Elf on a Shelf. Don’t let Jesus be your God on a shelf…or baby in a manger. He wants to be your King, your leader, your LORD. And he’ll change your life if you let him. He doesn’t guarantee lollipops and rainbows, but He promises to never abandon you. He will be with you through life’s storms. He’ll give you peace, hope, joy, and love. It will be the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received.
Credits: some ideas from The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Traveler: Woman of Perseverance, 16 December 2018
16 12 18
Traveler: Woman of Perseverance
Series—Mary Christmas
Luke 2:1-5
Series Overview: Mary may be the most underrated, godly character in the Bible (at least for Protestants!).
Big Idea: Mary persevered through not only a difficult journey to Bethlehem but a life of trials and suffering.
I love to travel. It’s probably a trait I inherited from my mom who made sure my dad spent every vacation day away from home. No staycations for our family! I’m grateful for the memories created during our budget trips, whether they were with trains, planes, or automobiles.
Travel has changed a lot over the years. Flying was once a luxury only for the super-rich, yet earlier this month I saw flights for $20. Even simple road trips today would be the envy of any horse and buggy owner a century ago.
Today in our series Mary Christmas, we’re going to examine what it really meant for Mary to be the Mother of Jesus, a blessed yet challenging role requiring tremendous perseverance.
Our text today is popular and relatively short.
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. (Luke 2:1-3)
Every ten years, our nation takes a census. It helps estimate the size and demographics of our population. In this passage, we see Dr. Luke informing us of a Roman census, no doubt used for taxation
It was customary for people to go to their original home. Where were you born? Imagine if the 2020 census required you to return there. If you were born in Toledo, no problem. If you were born in Alaska, that trip would be more daunting. Imagine if you no longer had family in Alaska. You had to not only get there, you had to find lodging.
Dr. Luke includes this detail because although Jesus was raised in Nazareth, prophecy clearly stated He would be born in Bethlehem, a real town you can still visit today in Israel.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. (Luke 2:4-5)
If you’re a pregnant woman today in Toledo, you have a variety of hospital options…and even some non-hospital options. You can choose to deliver at Toledo Hospital, St. V’s, St. Luke, or other local places. You can have your child at home. You could even opt to drive to U-M Hospital or some other regional center. My daughter chose to deliver our granddaughter at a hospital 45 minutes from her home.
Joseph did not choose a journey to Bethlehem because of the fine labor and delivery professionals available there! He was required by law to go to his family’s hometown for this government registration. Mary just happened to be pregnant at this time.
We don’t know how far along in her pregnancy she was. She may have arrived well before her due date. What we do know is it was a long journey. It takes just seconds to read the account, but the trip took a little longer!
In case you were wondering, the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem is about 70 miles as the crow flies. Of course Mary and Joseph were not crows, so they probably walked more than 90 miles—likely four or five days on foot. Maybe they had a donkey…maybe not. But imagine walking from here to Cedar Point…and even further…pregnant!
The Real Mary
Mary was not a weak, fragile girl as she is often portrayed. We saw last week how she was very smart, reciting numerous passages from the Old Testament in her Magnificat song. Her words were not merely worship lyrics, but radical declarations aimed at injustice. She was rugged and gritty. She was a woman of perseverance.
I learned this past week that the Hebrew word for perseverance comes from a root meaning “regular sacrifice.” It’s not once or twice or when we feel like it. To persevere in our faith, we have to regularly sacrifice our attitude, our time, our words, and our behavior.
In our November series, we talked about When Life Get Hard. One of the most challenging yet hopeful verses we examined is in the fifth chapter of Romans. Speaking of the glory of God, it says,
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:3-4)
Suffering produces perseverance.
Perseverance produces character.
Character produces hope.
Her suffering began as a pregnant, unmarried teenager. The ridicule, the gossip, the rejection. Then there was the long journey to Bethlehem—without heated seats or a Bluetooth entertainment system! That suffering was probably just the warmup for the labor pains she would experience at Jesus’ birth, which were nothing compared to what would follow throughout her Son’s life…and death. According to Romans, the hope we all desire comes through suffering, perseverance, and character.
This “most wonderful time of the year” is the hardest time of the year for many of us. Empty chairs, maxed-out credit cards, divisive conversations, or unmet expectations can lead us to depression, discouragement, and temptations to give up.
I’m sure Mary wanted to give up at times.
I’m sure Perlean wanted to give up at times.
I know Jesus wanted to give up at times. He said so in the Garden of Gethsemane.
What about you?
I’m reminded of Jesus’ words many years after his birth:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
There are many words that describe Jesus in the Bible:
Messiah
LORD
Savior
Good Shepherd
Great High Priest
Lamb of God
Light of the World
King of Kings
At this time of year, I think my favorite is Emmanuel. Prophesied in Isaiah and echoed in Matthew, Emmanuel means “God with us.”
No matter what you are facing today, you are not alone. It is my hope and prayer that our church family will surround you with love, encouragement, and support. But even if you find yourself truly apart from other people, you are not alone. God is with you. In his final words in the book of Matthew—the end of a statement we call the Great Commission—Jesus says,
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20b
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can claim the promises that God will never leave or forsake us. He is with us in the pain, the struggle, the fear, the trial.
Mary understands suffering and perseverance.
Jesus understands sufferings and perseverance, too.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
Jesus did not send someone to do the dirty work. He entered our world in the most humble manner and understands everything you are facing. And he will soon return, not as a baby but a King. Our hope is not in the economy, government, or entertainment, but in a new heaven and a new earth, new bodies, and eternity in the presence of Almighty God.
In the meantime, we are to persevere—one day at a time—making space for the Messiah in our hearts and homes, seeking his honor and glory in all things, loving God and others.
In Matthew chapter 13, Jesus tells a parable about wheat and weeds. He explains,
The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. (Matthew 13:38-39)
The instructions were to let them both grow together until the harvest. I’m taking some liberties here, but it’s as if Jesus is saying the Kingdom of God is here, but it’s not the only kingdom here. There is so much beauty, love, and grace in our world. A baby’s laugh, a stunning sunset, the singing of gifted musicians, justice being served, broken marriages mended, new jobs coming to town, families gathering for prayer…
Is there pain, evil, and loss in our world? Absolutely. The kingdom of satan is alive and well along with the Kingdom of God. That’s the tension. It’s not all good. It’s not all bad. I want to challenge you with a question as you persevere.
Where is your focus?
Is it on the wheat or the weeds?
Is it on the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of this world?
Is it on the empty chair at the table or the chairs that are filled with loved ones.
I don’t mean to minimize pain in any way, but simply to encourage you to count your blessings, to give thanks in all circumstances (not because of all circumstances), to focus on Jesus. He is with us.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
There are many of us who are hurting, grieving, and mourning. This has been a difficult year for our church family, but as I am reminded of the suffering, I’m also seeing the perseverance. I’m hearing stories of our church family loving one another.
This is the time of year when people think about presents, but I want to challenge you to think about presence.
Be with others.
Be present. Listen. Love. Encourage. Pray.
Mary was a woman of perseverance. She ran the race. She finished well.
It is my prayer for all of us that in good times and bad, in laughter and sorrow, we would remain faithful to God and one another. He is faithful. He is with us.
Credits: some ideas from The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Mary Christmas
Luke 2:1-5
Series Overview: Mary may be the most underrated, godly character in the Bible (at least for Protestants!).
Big Idea: Mary persevered through not only a difficult journey to Bethlehem but a life of trials and suffering.
I love to travel. It’s probably a trait I inherited from my mom who made sure my dad spent every vacation day away from home. No staycations for our family! I’m grateful for the memories created during our budget trips, whether they were with trains, planes, or automobiles.
Travel has changed a lot over the years. Flying was once a luxury only for the super-rich, yet earlier this month I saw flights for $20. Even simple road trips today would be the envy of any horse and buggy owner a century ago.
Today in our series Mary Christmas, we’re going to examine what it really meant for Mary to be the Mother of Jesus, a blessed yet challenging role requiring tremendous perseverance.
Our text today is popular and relatively short.
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. (Luke 2:1-3)
Every ten years, our nation takes a census. It helps estimate the size and demographics of our population. In this passage, we see Dr. Luke informing us of a Roman census, no doubt used for taxation
It was customary for people to go to their original home. Where were you born? Imagine if the 2020 census required you to return there. If you were born in Toledo, no problem. If you were born in Alaska, that trip would be more daunting. Imagine if you no longer had family in Alaska. You had to not only get there, you had to find lodging.
Dr. Luke includes this detail because although Jesus was raised in Nazareth, prophecy clearly stated He would be born in Bethlehem, a real town you can still visit today in Israel.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. (Luke 2:4-5)
If you’re a pregnant woman today in Toledo, you have a variety of hospital options…and even some non-hospital options. You can choose to deliver at Toledo Hospital, St. V’s, St. Luke, or other local places. You can have your child at home. You could even opt to drive to U-M Hospital or some other regional center. My daughter chose to deliver our granddaughter at a hospital 45 minutes from her home.
Joseph did not choose a journey to Bethlehem because of the fine labor and delivery professionals available there! He was required by law to go to his family’s hometown for this government registration. Mary just happened to be pregnant at this time.
We don’t know how far along in her pregnancy she was. She may have arrived well before her due date. What we do know is it was a long journey. It takes just seconds to read the account, but the trip took a little longer!
In case you were wondering, the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem is about 70 miles as the crow flies. Of course Mary and Joseph were not crows, so they probably walked more than 90 miles—likely four or five days on foot. Maybe they had a donkey…maybe not. But imagine walking from here to Cedar Point…and even further…pregnant!
The Real Mary
Mary was not a weak, fragile girl as she is often portrayed. We saw last week how she was very smart, reciting numerous passages from the Old Testament in her Magnificat song. Her words were not merely worship lyrics, but radical declarations aimed at injustice. She was rugged and gritty. She was a woman of perseverance.
I learned this past week that the Hebrew word for perseverance comes from a root meaning “regular sacrifice.” It’s not once or twice or when we feel like it. To persevere in our faith, we have to regularly sacrifice our attitude, our time, our words, and our behavior.
In our November series, we talked about When Life Get Hard. One of the most challenging yet hopeful verses we examined is in the fifth chapter of Romans. Speaking of the glory of God, it says,
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:3-4)
Suffering produces perseverance.
Perseverance produces character.
Character produces hope.
Her suffering began as a pregnant, unmarried teenager. The ridicule, the gossip, the rejection. Then there was the long journey to Bethlehem—without heated seats or a Bluetooth entertainment system! That suffering was probably just the warmup for the labor pains she would experience at Jesus’ birth, which were nothing compared to what would follow throughout her Son’s life…and death. According to Romans, the hope we all desire comes through suffering, perseverance, and character.
This “most wonderful time of the year” is the hardest time of the year for many of us. Empty chairs, maxed-out credit cards, divisive conversations, or unmet expectations can lead us to depression, discouragement, and temptations to give up.
I’m sure Mary wanted to give up at times.
I’m sure Perlean wanted to give up at times.
I know Jesus wanted to give up at times. He said so in the Garden of Gethsemane.
What about you?
I’m reminded of Jesus’ words many years after his birth:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
There are many words that describe Jesus in the Bible:
Messiah
LORD
Savior
Good Shepherd
Great High Priest
Lamb of God
Light of the World
King of Kings
At this time of year, I think my favorite is Emmanuel. Prophesied in Isaiah and echoed in Matthew, Emmanuel means “God with us.”
No matter what you are facing today, you are not alone. It is my hope and prayer that our church family will surround you with love, encouragement, and support. But even if you find yourself truly apart from other people, you are not alone. God is with you. In his final words in the book of Matthew—the end of a statement we call the Great Commission—Jesus says,
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20b
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can claim the promises that God will never leave or forsake us. He is with us in the pain, the struggle, the fear, the trial.
Mary understands suffering and perseverance.
Jesus understands sufferings and perseverance, too.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
Jesus did not send someone to do the dirty work. He entered our world in the most humble manner and understands everything you are facing. And he will soon return, not as a baby but a King. Our hope is not in the economy, government, or entertainment, but in a new heaven and a new earth, new bodies, and eternity in the presence of Almighty God.
In the meantime, we are to persevere—one day at a time—making space for the Messiah in our hearts and homes, seeking his honor and glory in all things, loving God and others.
In Matthew chapter 13, Jesus tells a parable about wheat and weeds. He explains,
The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. (Matthew 13:38-39)
The instructions were to let them both grow together until the harvest. I’m taking some liberties here, but it’s as if Jesus is saying the Kingdom of God is here, but it’s not the only kingdom here. There is so much beauty, love, and grace in our world. A baby’s laugh, a stunning sunset, the singing of gifted musicians, justice being served, broken marriages mended, new jobs coming to town, families gathering for prayer…
Is there pain, evil, and loss in our world? Absolutely. The kingdom of satan is alive and well along with the Kingdom of God. That’s the tension. It’s not all good. It’s not all bad. I want to challenge you with a question as you persevere.
Where is your focus?
Is it on the wheat or the weeds?
Is it on the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of this world?
Is it on the empty chair at the table or the chairs that are filled with loved ones.
I don’t mean to minimize pain in any way, but simply to encourage you to count your blessings, to give thanks in all circumstances (not because of all circumstances), to focus on Jesus. He is with us.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
There are many of us who are hurting, grieving, and mourning. This has been a difficult year for our church family, but as I am reminded of the suffering, I’m also seeing the perseverance. I’m hearing stories of our church family loving one another.
This is the time of year when people think about presents, but I want to challenge you to think about presence.
Be with others.
Be present. Listen. Love. Encourage. Pray.
Mary was a woman of perseverance. She ran the race. She finished well.
It is my prayer for all of us that in good times and bad, in laughter and sorrow, we would remain faithful to God and one another. He is faithful. He is with us.
Credits: some ideas from The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Magnificat: Woman of Praise & Humility, 9 December 2018
09 12 18
Magnificat: Woman of Praise & Humility
Series—Mary Christmas
Luke 1:46-56
Series Overview: Mary may be the most underrated, godly character in the Bible (at least for Protestants!).
Big Idea: Mary was a true worshiper, filled with praise and humility…and courage.
This will be shocking news to many of you, but I love music! It’s one of God’s most beautiful gifts. From the time I was brought home from the hospital to today, music fills my ears, my mind, my life!
The Advent season is one of my favorite times of year, not the least of which is because of the music. It’s the only time of year in which it is politically correct to sing about Jesus!
What is your favorite Christmas song?
I found an article that exposed many of the disturbing lyrics in popular songs. For example, in the “Twelve Days of Christmas,” the true love would end up receiving 184 birds total. What would you do with 184 birds (I’d rather have the golden rings!).
In “Santa Claus is coming to Town,” Santa is presented as a stalker, always watching if you’re good or bad. Creepy!
In “Do You Hear What I Hear?” the singer hears the night wind and a little lamb talking to them. Hmm.
In “We Wish You A Merry Christmas,” the tone is one of cheer and happiness…until the figgy pudding is mentioned. First they demand, “Bring us some figgy pudding” and then threaten by saying, “We won’t go until we get some!”
And let’s not even start with “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer!”
My favorite Christmas song might be “O Holy Night.” Listen to these lyrics:
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains He shall break, for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
There’s great power not only in lyrics, but music itself. In fact, hospitals today are not only filled with physical therapists and occupational therapists but also music therapists who play soothing music to promote relaxation and healing for patients. One writer said, “Music serves as the pinnacle of mankind’s culture, using words, phrases, sounds, tones, pitches, rhythms, and beats to establish both meaning and feeling.”
Of course, music is nothing new. One of my favorite stories is how some rabbis believe when God spoke creation into existence He actually sang it into being! That must’ve been an amazing song!
The Bible is filled with music, with songs. Psalms is known as the hymn book of the Bible. Moses sang in Exodus. Songs are mentioned in many books of the Bible. David’s harp caused evil spirits to leave King Saul (1 Samuel 16). I once heard a musician tell stories about playing worship music over sick people and witnessing their healing. Music is powerful.
We are in the midst of a series on Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was a remarkable young woman, likely a teenager when she was chosen by God to give birth to the Messiah.
As I mentioned last Sunday, while I believe Roman Catholics overrate Mary, Protestants tend to underrate her, some being afraid to even talk about her for fear of worshipping her as some have alleged Catholics of doing. We worship and adore God and honor Mary.
In addition to her own purity and devotion which led to her selection, she knew the scriptures and wrote one of the most famous songs in history. I don’t think it’s ever been on Top 40 radio, but two thousand years later people are still reading the lyrics and incorporating them into new songs.
We will look at this special song from Luke 1 today, a song called the Magnificat, Latin for the first words of the song, translated “my soul magnifies the Lord.” It has been recited in churches, set to music by my favorite composer—Johann Sebastian Bach, whispered in monasteries, and chanted in cathedrals. It is one of the most famous songs in Christianity.
The book of Luke begins with an angel telling Zechariah his aged wife, Elizabeth, will have a miracle baby. Last week’s passage describes the same angel, Gabriel, telling Mary she will have a miracle baby.
Dr. Luke continues his biography of Jesus.
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1:39-41)
It’s easy to dismiss this as background information, but Mary wastes no time making the 50-70 mile journey to Zechariah’s home. No car. No bus. No bicycle.
Virgin Mary is told by an angel she will have a baby. Such news was overwhelming in both positive and negative ways. Being chosen as the mother of God was the ultimate opportunity and responsibility, yet it came with unimaginable shame. Today, about 40% of US births are to unmarried women, but back then, the penalty for adultery was stoning!
Imagine the confirmation, though, when Elizabeth’s baby leaps and offers a blessing to her.
In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:42-45)
She’s not blessed above women, but among women…because of her faith, her belief in the LORD and His promises to her. They were big promises!
Last week I posed two questions:
What is God saying to you?
What are you going to do about it?
I believe when God calls you to do something radical—like plant a church or train for overseas missions…or carry God in your womb—He needs to make the calling clear. Some people think if God calls them to do something, everything will be easy, successful, and fruitful. Usually it’s quite the opposite, especially for a while. I’ve been privileged to meet prospective church planters, people who want to start a church from scratch. I look for a variety of skills and solid character, but I especially want to discern if this is their idea or God’s. When you want to quit—not if—you must return to the calling or you’ll throw in the towel. Sometimes God’s voice is quiet, but before you venture out on something big, it’s reassuring when the call is clear. I’m sure Mary was very encouraged by the supernatural experience and words of Elizabeth.
What follows is Mary’s response, her song, an incredible expression of praise and humility.
And Mary said: (Luke 1:46a)
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, (Luke 1:46b-47)
What does your soul glorify? What causes you to rejoice? Really.
At rock concerts, fans clap, cheer, and yell delighting in the musicians onstage. How can we worship the Creator of the universe with our hands in our pockets and a frown on our faces? Worship is much more than singing songs, but music is one, powerful expression of praise and adoration. Out of the heart the mouth speaks. I’m not suggesting you’re more spiritual if you raise your hands or that the music needs to be deafening loud, but does your soul glorify the LORD?
Mary was devoted to God.
Are you? Really? Her praise continues…
for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. (Luke 1:48a)
This teenager realized she had no business bringing the Messiah into the world, but she humbly obeyed, taking on the very nature of a servant…just as her Son would do someday.
From now on all generations will call me blessed, (Luke 1:48b)
True!
for the Mighty One has done great things for me— (Luke 1:49a)
Has God done great things for you? What?
holy is his name. (Luke 1:49b)
The most important word to you is your name. Perhaps no other word will more quickly grab your attention. Your name is special, and the name of the LORD is even more special. It’s so sacred, in fact, that to this day Jews refuse to speak the holy name of God for fear of taking it in vain or dishonoring it. It’s a Hebrew word we usually pronounce as Yahweh.
His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. (Luke 1:50)
This is an especially wonderful promise. We tend to focus on our present world and its citizens, but God’s mercy and faithfulness can reach our kids, grandkids, great grandkids, great great grandkids…well, you get the idea!
This does not mean we need to be afraid of God, but rather see a relationship with the Creator of the universe as an honor, worthy of respect and reverence. Those who worship the LORD will experience His mercy.
God was devoted to Mary.
He is devoted to those who fear and revere Him. Mary then gives examples of God working on behalf of His people.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty. (Luke 1:51-53)
Mary is possibly referencing several different Old Testament passages of scripture, including 1 Samuel, Psalms, Proverbs, Job, and Ezekiel. Even as a teenage girl, she was devoted to the scriptures. In the absence of the YouVersion smartphone app or even a published Bible, she most likely was attentive to the rabbis in the temple who read from scrolls. For a fascinating study, look at the Magnificat echoes Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel chapter 2.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.” (Luke 1:54-55)
God’s promises are timeless. Forever is a long time! Mary knew her history, and also prophecy concerning the future.
But Wait!
This isn’t just a nice praise song filled with up to twelve different Old Testament references. This was a radical song composed in the midst of Herod’s brutal rule. We’ve made the birth of Jesus this sweet, cozy story and even have a collection of pretty songs like Away in a Manger and Silent Night to serve as the soundtrack of the season.
But his song, the Magnificat, is gritty. It’s actual quite radical. In the 1980s, the Guatemalan government banned any public reciting of it for being politically subversive. Months after Mary sang this song, Herod would slaughter every boy two years old and younger in Bethlehem for fear of this newborn King of the Jews would overthrow his rule. I bet you never sang a Christmas carol about that!
This song speaks boldly about injustice turned upside down, God entering our world to establish justice and remove unjust rulers.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty. (Luke 1:51-53)
Yes, Magnificat comes from the first line in the Latin translation, which literally means “my soul glorifies the Lord.” But what follows has been described as being to Mary’s world what “We Shall Overcome” was to African Americans in the 1960s and 1970s.
This song was threatening to the proud in power…and liberating to the weak and hungry. Mary longed for a day when Herod the Great would be overthrown by a true king in the line of David. She knew what God had done in the past and prophetically declared hints of Isaiah chapter 11:
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
…with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist. (Isaiah 11:1-5)
Both Mary and Isaiah declare so much about God.
He is merciful to those who fear him.
He will scatter the proud.
He will bring down rulers.
He will lift up the humble.
He will fill the hungry.
He will send the rich away empty.
Today, the wealthiest 1% of the world’s population owns more than half of the world’s wealth. If your annual income is $32,400 or more, you’re in the top 1%. You’d have to make more than $400,000 to crack the top 1% in the USA, but in the world, most of us are in the top 1%.
Suddenly this isn’t just a nice, ancient song, but a protest song with great relevance today. I want you to see Mary not as some weak, soft little girl, but rather a courageous woman who spoke out against the rulers of her day. He son would do the same—and it would get him killed.
Both Mary and her son, Jesus, were hardly passive, weak biblical characters. Instead, they were filled with grit, resolve, purpose, and passion. We’ll see more of that in the next few weeks or our series.
Our text for today concludes:
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. (Luke 1:56)
What did they do for three months? What did they talk about? How did Mary’s parents feel about this visit? Was Mary kicked out of the house necessitating the stay? There are so many things we don’t know. But there’s plenty we do know.
So What?
Mary is a singer. She is a song writer. She is a student of the Bible. She is a worshipper. Are you?
We know the story. We know what happens…but she knows only what was told to her by the angel. This is a pregnant teenager in a culture that despised unwed moms. It may sound romantic to be the mother of Jesus, but she also would experience not only His death but threats to her own life. The awe and wonder of Gabriel’s announcement was surely tempered by the certain death of her own social standing. The humble, pure girl would be treated like a harlot.
When Mary conceived, the world was awaiting a Messiah to fix the brokenness caused by sin and death. Jesus failed to meet the expectations of the Jews, arriving not as a warrior king but a vulnerable baby. Rather than killing His enemies, He was killed by them and even prayed for them as He hung on a cross meant for criminals.
Advent is all about waiting. Mary did it. The Jews did it. Today we do it as we await His return. It won’t be as an infant so tender and mild but as the powerful King of kings and LORD of lords. During this time in-between, we remember His first entrance into our world, His accomplished mission on the cross, His triumphant resurrection, and His departure to prepare a place for us.
This season’s celebration is not simply about the birthday of the King but what that life means for us today—grace, forgiveness, life, hope, joy, meaning, purpose, and peace.
Mary was devoted to God.
God was devoted to Mary.
The question for today is
Are you devoted to God?
Are you a person of praise, singing of God’s goodness and faithfulness, or would people say you’re more of a whiner and complainer?
Are you a humble servant, willing to obey what God asks you to do, or would people say you’re more of a control freak, living your life for your own safety, comfort and pleasure? Humility is the natural result of knowing who God is. It’s not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.
Are you a courageous person of conviction and passion, or do you do what’s safe and popular? Does your devotion to God waver when it’s not politically or socially correct?
I want to be more like Mary!
This hymn is not just about Mary, but about all who fear God, who revere God, who are devoted to God. They will experience His mercy and grace. God honors the humble and poor—not necessarily financially poor—but poor in spirit, the pious poor, those seeking God, pursuing God, desperate for God, devoted to God. Those who fear God know they are not in control. They are not better than others. They are not proud or self-righteous, instead aware of their need for God. As a result, God sees them, values them, and knows them intimately.
Devotion to God is not something we just do for an hour on Sunday, but rather a 24/7/365 way of life, regardless of the costs. Make no mistake, Mary suffered for her devotion to Jesus…and the suffering didn’t end after the labor of Jesus’ birth.
This season, I encourage you to look deeper into the story that changed the world…and that is still changing the world, one life at a time.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices / Fall on your knees!
Magnificat sung by Kathryn Brinkman
Credits: some ideas from The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Mary Christmas
Luke 1:46-56
Series Overview: Mary may be the most underrated, godly character in the Bible (at least for Protestants!).
Big Idea: Mary was a true worshiper, filled with praise and humility…and courage.
This will be shocking news to many of you, but I love music! It’s one of God’s most beautiful gifts. From the time I was brought home from the hospital to today, music fills my ears, my mind, my life!
The Advent season is one of my favorite times of year, not the least of which is because of the music. It’s the only time of year in which it is politically correct to sing about Jesus!
What is your favorite Christmas song?
I found an article that exposed many of the disturbing lyrics in popular songs. For example, in the “Twelve Days of Christmas,” the true love would end up receiving 184 birds total. What would you do with 184 birds (I’d rather have the golden rings!).
In “Santa Claus is coming to Town,” Santa is presented as a stalker, always watching if you’re good or bad. Creepy!
In “Do You Hear What I Hear?” the singer hears the night wind and a little lamb talking to them. Hmm.
In “We Wish You A Merry Christmas,” the tone is one of cheer and happiness…until the figgy pudding is mentioned. First they demand, “Bring us some figgy pudding” and then threaten by saying, “We won’t go until we get some!”
And let’s not even start with “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer!”
My favorite Christmas song might be “O Holy Night.” Listen to these lyrics:
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains He shall break, for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
There’s great power not only in lyrics, but music itself. In fact, hospitals today are not only filled with physical therapists and occupational therapists but also music therapists who play soothing music to promote relaxation and healing for patients. One writer said, “Music serves as the pinnacle of mankind’s culture, using words, phrases, sounds, tones, pitches, rhythms, and beats to establish both meaning and feeling.”
Of course, music is nothing new. One of my favorite stories is how some rabbis believe when God spoke creation into existence He actually sang it into being! That must’ve been an amazing song!
The Bible is filled with music, with songs. Psalms is known as the hymn book of the Bible. Moses sang in Exodus. Songs are mentioned in many books of the Bible. David’s harp caused evil spirits to leave King Saul (1 Samuel 16). I once heard a musician tell stories about playing worship music over sick people and witnessing their healing. Music is powerful.
We are in the midst of a series on Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was a remarkable young woman, likely a teenager when she was chosen by God to give birth to the Messiah.
As I mentioned last Sunday, while I believe Roman Catholics overrate Mary, Protestants tend to underrate her, some being afraid to even talk about her for fear of worshipping her as some have alleged Catholics of doing. We worship and adore God and honor Mary.
In addition to her own purity and devotion which led to her selection, she knew the scriptures and wrote one of the most famous songs in history. I don’t think it’s ever been on Top 40 radio, but two thousand years later people are still reading the lyrics and incorporating them into new songs.
We will look at this special song from Luke 1 today, a song called the Magnificat, Latin for the first words of the song, translated “my soul magnifies the Lord.” It has been recited in churches, set to music by my favorite composer—Johann Sebastian Bach, whispered in monasteries, and chanted in cathedrals. It is one of the most famous songs in Christianity.
The book of Luke begins with an angel telling Zechariah his aged wife, Elizabeth, will have a miracle baby. Last week’s passage describes the same angel, Gabriel, telling Mary she will have a miracle baby.
Dr. Luke continues his biography of Jesus.
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1:39-41)
It’s easy to dismiss this as background information, but Mary wastes no time making the 50-70 mile journey to Zechariah’s home. No car. No bus. No bicycle.
Virgin Mary is told by an angel she will have a baby. Such news was overwhelming in both positive and negative ways. Being chosen as the mother of God was the ultimate opportunity and responsibility, yet it came with unimaginable shame. Today, about 40% of US births are to unmarried women, but back then, the penalty for adultery was stoning!
Imagine the confirmation, though, when Elizabeth’s baby leaps and offers a blessing to her.
In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:42-45)
She’s not blessed above women, but among women…because of her faith, her belief in the LORD and His promises to her. They were big promises!
Last week I posed two questions:
What is God saying to you?
What are you going to do about it?
I believe when God calls you to do something radical—like plant a church or train for overseas missions…or carry God in your womb—He needs to make the calling clear. Some people think if God calls them to do something, everything will be easy, successful, and fruitful. Usually it’s quite the opposite, especially for a while. I’ve been privileged to meet prospective church planters, people who want to start a church from scratch. I look for a variety of skills and solid character, but I especially want to discern if this is their idea or God’s. When you want to quit—not if—you must return to the calling or you’ll throw in the towel. Sometimes God’s voice is quiet, but before you venture out on something big, it’s reassuring when the call is clear. I’m sure Mary was very encouraged by the supernatural experience and words of Elizabeth.
What follows is Mary’s response, her song, an incredible expression of praise and humility.
And Mary said: (Luke 1:46a)
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, (Luke 1:46b-47)
What does your soul glorify? What causes you to rejoice? Really.
At rock concerts, fans clap, cheer, and yell delighting in the musicians onstage. How can we worship the Creator of the universe with our hands in our pockets and a frown on our faces? Worship is much more than singing songs, but music is one, powerful expression of praise and adoration. Out of the heart the mouth speaks. I’m not suggesting you’re more spiritual if you raise your hands or that the music needs to be deafening loud, but does your soul glorify the LORD?
Mary was devoted to God.
Are you? Really? Her praise continues…
for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. (Luke 1:48a)
This teenager realized she had no business bringing the Messiah into the world, but she humbly obeyed, taking on the very nature of a servant…just as her Son would do someday.
From now on all generations will call me blessed, (Luke 1:48b)
True!
for the Mighty One has done great things for me— (Luke 1:49a)
Has God done great things for you? What?
holy is his name. (Luke 1:49b)
The most important word to you is your name. Perhaps no other word will more quickly grab your attention. Your name is special, and the name of the LORD is even more special. It’s so sacred, in fact, that to this day Jews refuse to speak the holy name of God for fear of taking it in vain or dishonoring it. It’s a Hebrew word we usually pronounce as Yahweh.
His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. (Luke 1:50)
This is an especially wonderful promise. We tend to focus on our present world and its citizens, but God’s mercy and faithfulness can reach our kids, grandkids, great grandkids, great great grandkids…well, you get the idea!
This does not mean we need to be afraid of God, but rather see a relationship with the Creator of the universe as an honor, worthy of respect and reverence. Those who worship the LORD will experience His mercy.
God was devoted to Mary.
He is devoted to those who fear and revere Him. Mary then gives examples of God working on behalf of His people.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty. (Luke 1:51-53)
Mary is possibly referencing several different Old Testament passages of scripture, including 1 Samuel, Psalms, Proverbs, Job, and Ezekiel. Even as a teenage girl, she was devoted to the scriptures. In the absence of the YouVersion smartphone app or even a published Bible, she most likely was attentive to the rabbis in the temple who read from scrolls. For a fascinating study, look at the Magnificat echoes Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel chapter 2.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.” (Luke 1:54-55)
God’s promises are timeless. Forever is a long time! Mary knew her history, and also prophecy concerning the future.
But Wait!
This isn’t just a nice praise song filled with up to twelve different Old Testament references. This was a radical song composed in the midst of Herod’s brutal rule. We’ve made the birth of Jesus this sweet, cozy story and even have a collection of pretty songs like Away in a Manger and Silent Night to serve as the soundtrack of the season.
But his song, the Magnificat, is gritty. It’s actual quite radical. In the 1980s, the Guatemalan government banned any public reciting of it for being politically subversive. Months after Mary sang this song, Herod would slaughter every boy two years old and younger in Bethlehem for fear of this newborn King of the Jews would overthrow his rule. I bet you never sang a Christmas carol about that!
This song speaks boldly about injustice turned upside down, God entering our world to establish justice and remove unjust rulers.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty. (Luke 1:51-53)
Yes, Magnificat comes from the first line in the Latin translation, which literally means “my soul glorifies the Lord.” But what follows has been described as being to Mary’s world what “We Shall Overcome” was to African Americans in the 1960s and 1970s.
This song was threatening to the proud in power…and liberating to the weak and hungry. Mary longed for a day when Herod the Great would be overthrown by a true king in the line of David. She knew what God had done in the past and prophetically declared hints of Isaiah chapter 11:
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
…with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist. (Isaiah 11:1-5)
Both Mary and Isaiah declare so much about God.
He is merciful to those who fear him.
He will scatter the proud.
He will bring down rulers.
He will lift up the humble.
He will fill the hungry.
He will send the rich away empty.
Today, the wealthiest 1% of the world’s population owns more than half of the world’s wealth. If your annual income is $32,400 or more, you’re in the top 1%. You’d have to make more than $400,000 to crack the top 1% in the USA, but in the world, most of us are in the top 1%.
Suddenly this isn’t just a nice, ancient song, but a protest song with great relevance today. I want you to see Mary not as some weak, soft little girl, but rather a courageous woman who spoke out against the rulers of her day. He son would do the same—and it would get him killed.
Both Mary and her son, Jesus, were hardly passive, weak biblical characters. Instead, they were filled with grit, resolve, purpose, and passion. We’ll see more of that in the next few weeks or our series.
Our text for today concludes:
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. (Luke 1:56)
What did they do for three months? What did they talk about? How did Mary’s parents feel about this visit? Was Mary kicked out of the house necessitating the stay? There are so many things we don’t know. But there’s plenty we do know.
So What?
Mary is a singer. She is a song writer. She is a student of the Bible. She is a worshipper. Are you?
We know the story. We know what happens…but she knows only what was told to her by the angel. This is a pregnant teenager in a culture that despised unwed moms. It may sound romantic to be the mother of Jesus, but she also would experience not only His death but threats to her own life. The awe and wonder of Gabriel’s announcement was surely tempered by the certain death of her own social standing. The humble, pure girl would be treated like a harlot.
When Mary conceived, the world was awaiting a Messiah to fix the brokenness caused by sin and death. Jesus failed to meet the expectations of the Jews, arriving not as a warrior king but a vulnerable baby. Rather than killing His enemies, He was killed by them and even prayed for them as He hung on a cross meant for criminals.
Advent is all about waiting. Mary did it. The Jews did it. Today we do it as we await His return. It won’t be as an infant so tender and mild but as the powerful King of kings and LORD of lords. During this time in-between, we remember His first entrance into our world, His accomplished mission on the cross, His triumphant resurrection, and His departure to prepare a place for us.
This season’s celebration is not simply about the birthday of the King but what that life means for us today—grace, forgiveness, life, hope, joy, meaning, purpose, and peace.
Mary was devoted to God.
God was devoted to Mary.
The question for today is
Are you devoted to God?
Are you a person of praise, singing of God’s goodness and faithfulness, or would people say you’re more of a whiner and complainer?
Are you a humble servant, willing to obey what God asks you to do, or would people say you’re more of a control freak, living your life for your own safety, comfort and pleasure? Humility is the natural result of knowing who God is. It’s not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.
Are you a courageous person of conviction and passion, or do you do what’s safe and popular? Does your devotion to God waver when it’s not politically or socially correct?
I want to be more like Mary!
This hymn is not just about Mary, but about all who fear God, who revere God, who are devoted to God. They will experience His mercy and grace. God honors the humble and poor—not necessarily financially poor—but poor in spirit, the pious poor, those seeking God, pursuing God, desperate for God, devoted to God. Those who fear God know they are not in control. They are not better than others. They are not proud or self-righteous, instead aware of their need for God. As a result, God sees them, values them, and knows them intimately.
Devotion to God is not something we just do for an hour on Sunday, but rather a 24/7/365 way of life, regardless of the costs. Make no mistake, Mary suffered for her devotion to Jesus…and the suffering didn’t end after the labor of Jesus’ birth.
This season, I encourage you to look deeper into the story that changed the world…and that is still changing the world, one life at a time.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices / Fall on your knees!
Magnificat sung by Kathryn Brinkman
Credits: some ideas from The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Call: Woman of Obedience, 2 December 2018
02 12 18
Call: Woman of Obedience
Series—Mary Christmas
Luke 1:26-38
Series Overview: Mary may be the most underrated, godly character in the Bible (at least for Protestants!).
Big Idea: Mary is not just for Catholics, but an obedient girl who responded to the call of God.
What’s the greatest message you’ve ever received? Maybe it was a phone call. Perhaps it was a letter or e-mail. I love creative marriage proposals that involve scoreboard messages or airplane banners. Years ago, people were given information through Morse Code or telegram. Technologies such as Slack, Snapchat, texting, and Facebook Messenger can now deliver vital information instantly, around the world.
But what about an angel? Have you ever received a message from an angel? That would be unforgettable! Today we’re going to look at a very special call, a divine message that changed the course of human history.
Advent is here, that season of expectation and waiting, a time when we prepare for the observed celebration of Jesus’ birthday…and a time to prepare for His return at the second coming. The word “advent” is derived for a Latin word meaning “coming.”
It’s always challenging for preachers to prepare for Christmastime. What do we say that hasn’t already been said a thousand times? The story is pretty familiar—manger, baby, angels, shepherds…
Today we begin a series entitled Mary Christmas. It’s about the person I believe to be the most underrated character in the Bible—at least among Protestants…Mary, the mother of Jesus.
If you were raised Catholic, you know plenty about Mary, but my guess is if you were raised Protestant, like me, you may know very little about her.
Since I just lost some of you, allow me to give you an extremely brief lesson in church history.
Beginning with Abraham, God’s chosen people are the Jews. Jesus was born a Jew, expanded God’s Kingdom to include Gentiles, and the movement we know as Christianity was born. According to Acts 11:26, the disciples of Jesus were first called Christians at Antioch. Both the Roman Empire and the Jews were critical of Christianity. Nevertheless, it continued to grow.
In 312, Constantine became emperor and saw Christianity as a good way to unite the empire, allowing Christians the freedom to worship without persecution. Seven ecumenical councils debated theology. The church split in 1054, forming the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, the Great Schism.
The Pope’s power grew, corruption increased, and in 1517, a Catholic priest named Martin Luther protested the abuses of the Catholic leadership, signaling the beginning of the Protestant Church, now a third branch of Christianity that includes Lutherans, Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, and the Christian & Missionary Alliance, among others.
Today we have Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholic Christians, and Protestant Christians. We also have Messianic Jews who are Jewish people who embrace the New Testament and view Jesus—or Yeshua—as the Messiah. They’re on our team, too!
Church history lesson over!
Growing up, perhaps I didn’t know much about Mary—beyond the baby blue bed sheet she wore in the Christmas pageant—because she was too Catholic. Roman Catholics pray to Mary, including the famous “Hail Mary.” Whether they actually worship Mary is debatable, but suffice it to say, some Protestants are somewhat afraid of Mary because they associate her with Catholics.
As we will see, there are few people in history more godly, significant, and visible throughout the story of Jesus than his mother. We don’t worship her, but we can honor, appreciate, and learn from her life much as we do the lives of Abraham, Moses, King David, Peter, Paul, …and Mary! Scot McKnight says, “We are Protestants; we believe in the Bible; Mary is in the Bible; we need to believe what the Bible says about Mary.”
So while our focus this and every Sunday is ultimately Jesus Christ, we’re doing a character study on Mary, going verse-by-verse through the early part of the gospel—or “good news”—of Luke. Let’s begin.
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. (Luke 1:26-27)
The first verses of Luke’s gospel describe Zechariah, his wife Elizabeth, and a miracle pregnancy announced by the angel Gabriel, a baby who would be known as John the Baptist. Six months into Elizabeth’s pregnancy, Gabriel is sent to Mary, Elizabeth’s engaged but virgin relative, believed to be about fourteen years old.
Angels are real. They are all over the Bible. They are created beings. They are spirits, though they sometimes take on a bodily form. Only two are named in the Bible: Michale and, of course, Gabriel. They are finite creatures who often serve as messengers. There’s no biblical proof for the existence of “guardian angels,” though God sends angels to protect people. We are not to worship or pray to angels. For more on angels, I did an entire sermon on them on Christmas 2016 that you can read or listen to at PastorKirk.com
In the first chapter of Luke, the angel Gabriel tells Elizabeth she will have a baby. About six months later, the angel Gabriel tells the virgin Mary she will have a baby.
The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:28)
This is great new! First, the angel is very friendly. “Greetings.” Then Mary is told she is highly favored. Who wouldn’t want an angel to announce that to them? Then Mary is told the Lord is with her. That’s good, right? Yes, but…
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. (Luke 1:29)
She was greatly troubled at his words. That was the best part! She was so surprised by the messenger, though. Aren’t you surprised when an angel greets you?!?!? Let’s face it,…
Angels can be scary. When they show up in the Bible, they frequently say, “Fear not.” This will not be Mary’s last encounter with an angel, but it is her first, and she was afraid.
But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:30-33)
He repeats Mary’s favor with God. David is mentioned again…and Jacob, too. Gentiles tend to skip over these details, seeing them as unimportant facts, but as a Jew, they were significant. Prophecy clearly stated the Messiah would be a descendant of David. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were the beginning of the people of Israel.
Matthew states it this way:
A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. (Matthew 1:1-16)
You’re getting all kinds of history today!
It may have been scandalous to highlight so many women in a genealogy, much less the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah. But notice the women included—Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba…and Mary.
Tamar and Rahab were prostitutes. Ruth was a foreigner. Bathsheba committed adultery—or was a rape victim. It’s startling that these women would be specifically mentioned (since each man listed had a mom!).
The repeated phrase “The father of” shifts with Jesus since Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus, but He was born of Mary.
For about 400 years God had been silent, the inter-testamental period between the old and new. Then the aged Elizabeth gets pregnant and now the virgin Mary is with child.
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34)
Very good question!
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” (Luke 1:35-37)
It’s a God thing! This is truly one of the greatest miracles in human history. I’m guessing few people believed pregnant Mary was really a virgin, but she certainly knew!
God sent the angel Gabriel to send a message to Mary that should would mother the Messiah. It’s impossible to fathom what that meant, especially for a teenage girl.
We can’t do much about messages that are sent to us, but we can choose how to respond. What do you do when asked for help? Did you give on Giving Tuesday? Have you served at Cherry Street Mission, Rosa Parks Elementary, or another one of our partners in the community? What if God calls you to become a missionary overseas…or break off an unhealthy relationship? Mary offers the perfect response to God’s call.
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:38)
God wants servants. He doesn’t want friends or volunteers or fans. He’s not interested in people who give only when they feel like it. He wants servants. The Greek word for servant in this verse, doule, means female slave or bondmaid. We understandably wince at the word “slave,” but a slave or servant is in full submission to their master. Some people say like the idea of being a servant—until they’re treated like one!
When we call God “LORD,” we are saying He is the boss, He’s in control, He makes the rules, He calls the shots. Could there be anything more offensive to our individualistic, autonomous culture? Yet that’s what it means to be a Christian, to follow Jesus. It means full surrender. It’s not about God being your co-pilot, but rather letting Him “take the wheel” and lead your life. Period.
I think Mary was chosen by God to deliver the Messiah into our world because she truly had a servant’s heart. She didn’t understand how a virgin such as herself could give birth, but she didn’t object. I’m sure as she reflected upon the months and years that would follow, she grew wary, but nevertheless, she said yes to God. “I am the Lord’s servant.”
My prayer for everyone one of us—including myself—is that we would say, “I am the Lord’s servant.” That’s the proper posture before the Almighty. That’s the appropriate response to God’s call.
So What?
It’s a cool story, isn’t it? An angel tells this girl she’s highly favored and will give birth to the Messiah. This has huge implication for all of us since our LORD was delivered by Mary. But there’s something else I want you to know.
God still speaks today.
He might not use an angel, but He might! He speaks through the Holy Spirit. He uses circumstances and opportunities to get our attention. God communicates through nature and creation, through other believers, through music and prayer. And perhaps the most vivid way God speaks is through the Bible.
Are you listening?
I want challenge you with two questions:
What is God saying to you?
I’m discipling a group of men and I ask this question to them most every week. If they say nothing, I ask about their Bible-reading practices. If you don’t read the Bible, don’t be surprised if you don’t hear God speaking. Journaling, silence, and solitude can help discern what God is saying. Another useful tool is simply talking with a trusted follower of Jesus, sharing what you think God may be saying and asking for feedback.
What are you going to do about it?
God’s love language is obedience. As servants of God, we must be ready to respond to whatever He says.
Perhaps that very thought is frightening to you. What if He tells me…?
God is not mad at you. He’s not trying to harm you or make your life miserable. He’s a great, loving Dad who can be trusted. He wants what’s best for you. Really.
What is God saying to you?
What are you going to do about it?
My prayer for you and me is that we would trust and obey. He’s calling you to obey. He’s calling me to obey. Have you heard His voice? If not, perhaps it’s time to spend more time with Him—in prayer and study of His Word.
The Nativity scenes visible at this time of year remind us of the birth of Jesus, but He also received a call from God the Father. He was sent on a mission to die so that we might live. Mary said yes. Jesus said yes. What will you say?
Credits: some ideas from The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Mary Christmas
Luke 1:26-38
Series Overview: Mary may be the most underrated, godly character in the Bible (at least for Protestants!).
Big Idea: Mary is not just for Catholics, but an obedient girl who responded to the call of God.
What’s the greatest message you’ve ever received? Maybe it was a phone call. Perhaps it was a letter or e-mail. I love creative marriage proposals that involve scoreboard messages or airplane banners. Years ago, people were given information through Morse Code or telegram. Technologies such as Slack, Snapchat, texting, and Facebook Messenger can now deliver vital information instantly, around the world.
But what about an angel? Have you ever received a message from an angel? That would be unforgettable! Today we’re going to look at a very special call, a divine message that changed the course of human history.
Advent is here, that season of expectation and waiting, a time when we prepare for the observed celebration of Jesus’ birthday…and a time to prepare for His return at the second coming. The word “advent” is derived for a Latin word meaning “coming.”
It’s always challenging for preachers to prepare for Christmastime. What do we say that hasn’t already been said a thousand times? The story is pretty familiar—manger, baby, angels, shepherds…
Today we begin a series entitled Mary Christmas. It’s about the person I believe to be the most underrated character in the Bible—at least among Protestants…Mary, the mother of Jesus.
If you were raised Catholic, you know plenty about Mary, but my guess is if you were raised Protestant, like me, you may know very little about her.
Since I just lost some of you, allow me to give you an extremely brief lesson in church history.
Beginning with Abraham, God’s chosen people are the Jews. Jesus was born a Jew, expanded God’s Kingdom to include Gentiles, and the movement we know as Christianity was born. According to Acts 11:26, the disciples of Jesus were first called Christians at Antioch. Both the Roman Empire and the Jews were critical of Christianity. Nevertheless, it continued to grow.
In 312, Constantine became emperor and saw Christianity as a good way to unite the empire, allowing Christians the freedom to worship without persecution. Seven ecumenical councils debated theology. The church split in 1054, forming the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, the Great Schism.
The Pope’s power grew, corruption increased, and in 1517, a Catholic priest named Martin Luther protested the abuses of the Catholic leadership, signaling the beginning of the Protestant Church, now a third branch of Christianity that includes Lutherans, Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, and the Christian & Missionary Alliance, among others.
Today we have Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholic Christians, and Protestant Christians. We also have Messianic Jews who are Jewish people who embrace the New Testament and view Jesus—or Yeshua—as the Messiah. They’re on our team, too!
Church history lesson over!
Growing up, perhaps I didn’t know much about Mary—beyond the baby blue bed sheet she wore in the Christmas pageant—because she was too Catholic. Roman Catholics pray to Mary, including the famous “Hail Mary.” Whether they actually worship Mary is debatable, but suffice it to say, some Protestants are somewhat afraid of Mary because they associate her with Catholics.
As we will see, there are few people in history more godly, significant, and visible throughout the story of Jesus than his mother. We don’t worship her, but we can honor, appreciate, and learn from her life much as we do the lives of Abraham, Moses, King David, Peter, Paul, …and Mary! Scot McKnight says, “We are Protestants; we believe in the Bible; Mary is in the Bible; we need to believe what the Bible says about Mary.”
So while our focus this and every Sunday is ultimately Jesus Christ, we’re doing a character study on Mary, going verse-by-verse through the early part of the gospel—or “good news”—of Luke. Let’s begin.
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. (Luke 1:26-27)
The first verses of Luke’s gospel describe Zechariah, his wife Elizabeth, and a miracle pregnancy announced by the angel Gabriel, a baby who would be known as John the Baptist. Six months into Elizabeth’s pregnancy, Gabriel is sent to Mary, Elizabeth’s engaged but virgin relative, believed to be about fourteen years old.
Angels are real. They are all over the Bible. They are created beings. They are spirits, though they sometimes take on a bodily form. Only two are named in the Bible: Michale and, of course, Gabriel. They are finite creatures who often serve as messengers. There’s no biblical proof for the existence of “guardian angels,” though God sends angels to protect people. We are not to worship or pray to angels. For more on angels, I did an entire sermon on them on Christmas 2016 that you can read or listen to at PastorKirk.com
In the first chapter of Luke, the angel Gabriel tells Elizabeth she will have a baby. About six months later, the angel Gabriel tells the virgin Mary she will have a baby.
The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:28)
This is great new! First, the angel is very friendly. “Greetings.” Then Mary is told she is highly favored. Who wouldn’t want an angel to announce that to them? Then Mary is told the Lord is with her. That’s good, right? Yes, but…
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. (Luke 1:29)
She was greatly troubled at his words. That was the best part! She was so surprised by the messenger, though. Aren’t you surprised when an angel greets you?!?!? Let’s face it,…
Angels can be scary. When they show up in the Bible, they frequently say, “Fear not.” This will not be Mary’s last encounter with an angel, but it is her first, and she was afraid.
But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:30-33)
He repeats Mary’s favor with God. David is mentioned again…and Jacob, too. Gentiles tend to skip over these details, seeing them as unimportant facts, but as a Jew, they were significant. Prophecy clearly stated the Messiah would be a descendant of David. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were the beginning of the people of Israel.
Matthew states it this way:
A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. (Matthew 1:1-16)
You’re getting all kinds of history today!
It may have been scandalous to highlight so many women in a genealogy, much less the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah. But notice the women included—Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba…and Mary.
Tamar and Rahab were prostitutes. Ruth was a foreigner. Bathsheba committed adultery—or was a rape victim. It’s startling that these women would be specifically mentioned (since each man listed had a mom!).
The repeated phrase “The father of” shifts with Jesus since Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus, but He was born of Mary.
For about 400 years God had been silent, the inter-testamental period between the old and new. Then the aged Elizabeth gets pregnant and now the virgin Mary is with child.
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34)
Very good question!
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” (Luke 1:35-37)
It’s a God thing! This is truly one of the greatest miracles in human history. I’m guessing few people believed pregnant Mary was really a virgin, but she certainly knew!
God sent the angel Gabriel to send a message to Mary that should would mother the Messiah. It’s impossible to fathom what that meant, especially for a teenage girl.
We can’t do much about messages that are sent to us, but we can choose how to respond. What do you do when asked for help? Did you give on Giving Tuesday? Have you served at Cherry Street Mission, Rosa Parks Elementary, or another one of our partners in the community? What if God calls you to become a missionary overseas…or break off an unhealthy relationship? Mary offers the perfect response to God’s call.
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:38)
God wants servants. He doesn’t want friends or volunteers or fans. He’s not interested in people who give only when they feel like it. He wants servants. The Greek word for servant in this verse, doule, means female slave or bondmaid. We understandably wince at the word “slave,” but a slave or servant is in full submission to their master. Some people say like the idea of being a servant—until they’re treated like one!
When we call God “LORD,” we are saying He is the boss, He’s in control, He makes the rules, He calls the shots. Could there be anything more offensive to our individualistic, autonomous culture? Yet that’s what it means to be a Christian, to follow Jesus. It means full surrender. It’s not about God being your co-pilot, but rather letting Him “take the wheel” and lead your life. Period.
I think Mary was chosen by God to deliver the Messiah into our world because she truly had a servant’s heart. She didn’t understand how a virgin such as herself could give birth, but she didn’t object. I’m sure as she reflected upon the months and years that would follow, she grew wary, but nevertheless, she said yes to God. “I am the Lord’s servant.”
My prayer for everyone one of us—including myself—is that we would say, “I am the Lord’s servant.” That’s the proper posture before the Almighty. That’s the appropriate response to God’s call.
So What?
It’s a cool story, isn’t it? An angel tells this girl she’s highly favored and will give birth to the Messiah. This has huge implication for all of us since our LORD was delivered by Mary. But there’s something else I want you to know.
God still speaks today.
He might not use an angel, but He might! He speaks through the Holy Spirit. He uses circumstances and opportunities to get our attention. God communicates through nature and creation, through other believers, through music and prayer. And perhaps the most vivid way God speaks is through the Bible.
Are you listening?
I want challenge you with two questions:
What is God saying to you?
I’m discipling a group of men and I ask this question to them most every week. If they say nothing, I ask about their Bible-reading practices. If you don’t read the Bible, don’t be surprised if you don’t hear God speaking. Journaling, silence, and solitude can help discern what God is saying. Another useful tool is simply talking with a trusted follower of Jesus, sharing what you think God may be saying and asking for feedback.
What are you going to do about it?
God’s love language is obedience. As servants of God, we must be ready to respond to whatever He says.
Perhaps that very thought is frightening to you. What if He tells me…?
God is not mad at you. He’s not trying to harm you or make your life miserable. He’s a great, loving Dad who can be trusted. He wants what’s best for you. Really.
What is God saying to you?
What are you going to do about it?
My prayer for you and me is that we would trust and obey. He’s calling you to obey. He’s calling me to obey. Have you heard His voice? If not, perhaps it’s time to spend more time with Him—in prayer and study of His Word.
The Nativity scenes visible at this time of year remind us of the birth of Jesus, but He also received a call from God the Father. He was sent on a mission to die so that we might live. Mary said yes. Jesus said yes. What will you say?
Credits: some ideas from The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Life-Altering Circumstances, 25 November 2018
26 11 18
When Life Throws A Curve (Life-Altering Circumstances)
D6 Series—When Life Gets Hard
Matthew 3:1-17; 14:1-12; 11:1-19
Series Overview: In this world we will have trouble, but we are never alone.
Big Idea: Although life is full or surprises, God is good, faithful, and in control.
So it’s officially the “most wonderful time of the year.” You know, that time when people jack up their credit cards buying gifts which will end up in next year’s garage sale. The season when greedy, selfish people feel generous for dropping a quarter in the Salvation Army bucket. The season when families gather only to argue about politics and eat more food than some small countries consumer in a year.
The time when your football team…oh, never mind about that!
I love Thanksgiving.
I love Christmas.
But despite being the most wonderful time of the year, for many it’s the most depressing, frustrating, financially-draining, emotionally exhausting, lonely time of the year.
My name is Kirk and this month we’ve been in a series entitled When Life Gets Hard. We talked about broken relationships and mental illness. Jason, our guest from Indonesia, unknowingly contributed to our series two weeks ago when we spoke on failure. On this last Sunday before Advent, we’re talking about When Life Throws A Curve.
Occasionally we have open mic times when we share about God’s faithfulness. Our next such gathering will be on New Year’s Eve.
But imagine if we had an open mic to share about life-altering circumstances. We’ve all had them…or will. It might be a car accident (like the photo) but it could be a phone call, a conversation with a doctor, a letter in the mail, or even a text message.
What do you do when you life looks nothing like you ever imagined or hoped? Perhaps even more important, how is your soul?
If you ask God one question, what would it be?
One national survey revealed the number one question people have for God is, “Why is there suffering in the world?”
Some religions deny the existence of evil, calling pain and suffering mere illusions. Jesus, however, truthfully declared,
In this world you will have trouble. (John 16:33b)
An Alliance pastor once said, “It is right that things are wrong in a wrong world. It would be wrong for everything to be right in a world gone wrong.”
Our scripture reading for today tells a remarkably vivid and tragic story of John the Baptist. Like Job and Joseph and other godly people before him, John was devoted to following God. If anyone “deserved” good things in life as a reward for his obedience, it was Jesus’ cousin John. Yet he was hardly exempt from suffering.
On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. (Matthew 14:6-12)
It was bad enough that John was in prison…for speaking God’s truth (after Herod took his brother’s wife). I’m sure he never imagined being beheaded on account of a birthday dance! Although John went “to a better place,” it must’ve been catastrophic for his friends and family…including Jesus.
We all recognize ever since Adam and Eve sinned against God we have lived with brokenness and pain.
Great! So what now? What do we do when life throws a curve? Here are some ideas:
Recognize God is not the creator of evil and suffering.
Love always involves a choice. Free will. Entire books have been written on the subject, but suffice it to say satan chose to rebel against God and took other angels with him. From they moment, a spiritual war has been raging between good and evil, life and death. Spiritual warfare is real. We have a real enemy. He may not be red with horns and a pitchfork, but we are all in the middle of a battlefield.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)
It’s easy to blame God for all of the problems in the world. Some simply encounter evil, blame God…and then stop believing in God. This makes emotional sense, but not logical sense. How can you fail to believe in someone you blame? Then again, the word “believe” has been misconstrued, especially in our use of John 3:16. What I do understand are people who followed God, encountered trouble, and removed their trust in God as a result. When you encounter the effects of sin, blame satan! God did not create evil and suffering.
God can redeem suffering, using it for good.
We were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. Life is not about our pleasure, but God’s glory. That’s hard for me to embrace sometimes—especially when life gets hard. I want to do things my way, but Dad knows best.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
This verse has been abused perhaps more than it has been used appropriately, but the fact remains. God is at work when we submit to Him. Suffering is one means the work of God is displayed.
Earlier in Romans—as we saw several weeks ago—it says,
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:3-4)
I admit I want perseverance, character, and hope in my life. But do we need suffering? I suppose I could also say I want a fit, healthy body, but do I need to watch what I eat and exercise? Obviously, we don’t choose suffering, but it’s a part of life, and it’s a tool God uses to shape us and draw us close to Him.
The worst pain I ever endured was a kidney stone. I’m told childbirth is bad, too, but you have less to show for it in the end!
A few years later, God revealed to me the purpose of my kidney stone. I was shocked, but I realized the one night of hospitalization opened up space for a conversation I had with a visitor, a conversation that greatly impacted the next twenty years of my life. Had I not been in the hospital, he never would’ve visited me and we never would’ve had that talk. It sounds odd, but I’m grateful for that kidney stone (and even more grateful I haven’t had another one!).
None of us has a complete understanding of our present reality, much less the future.
For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)
We can pray not only for God’s will and glory, but an understanding of His perspective. The story’s not over.
Tony Campolo used to say, “It’s Friday…but Sunday’s coming!” For many of us, today is unbearable, yet tomorrow may not only be better, we may come to actually appreciate our suffering.
Our temporary suffering will pale in comparison to eternal glory.
Paul wrote of his very serious persecution,
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)
British church leader Galvin Reid tells about meeting a young man who had fallen down a flight of stairs as a baby and shattered his back. He had been in and out of hospitals his whole life—and yet he made the astounding comment that he thinks God is fair. Reid asked him, "How old are you?" The boy said, "Seventeen." Reid asked, "How many years have you spend in hospitals?" The boy said, "Thirteen years." The pastor said with astonishment, "And you think that is fair?" And the boy replied: "Well, God has all eternity to make it up to me."
That’s perspective! Listen to these words of encouragement:
However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” —the things God has prepared for those who love him— (1 Corinthians 2:9)
I want to return to Jesus’ words in John 16.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Jesus knows suffering. Jesus conquered suffering and death. He has the final word!
Jesus brings peace.
Jesus brings courage.
Jesus brings presence…through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus brings hope…the promise of heaven.
Count Your Blessings
We are all so blessed. The simple fact that you can understand what I’m saying is a blessing. The freedom to have access to the Bible, to be alive, to know about Jesus, to know Jesus…
Someone once said the only thing you can control is your attitude. It could always be better, yes, but it could always be worse. Count your blessings. Last week we looked at this powerful verse which is so convicting to me:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Pray with thanksgiving. That’s appropriate after this past Thursday, right? Count your blessings!
Don’t Go Alone
Get in a small group. Attend Celebrate Recovery. Reach out to a friend. Church is not a building. Church is not a gathering. Church is a family of messy, broken people pursuing Jesus Christ, the ultimate example of what it means to be human, and the one person who understands pain, suffering, grief, and loss better than anyone.
One of my favorite verses in the Bible says,
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15)
God created us for community. We need one another. We need to lean on one another, celebrate with one another, encourage one another, pray for one another, cry with one another, laugh with one another.
This is especially true at this time of year. The holidays are truly the most wonderful time of the year for some, and the most gut-wrenching, heart-breaking time for others. Family, this season is a wonderful opportunity to give and receive help, to give and receive love. Let’s rejoice—and mourn—together.
Don’t Give Up
Research has shown often people quit right before their greatest breakthrough. No matter how you are feeling, not matter the challenges you face, or the pain you are enduring, you might be days or even hours from a miracle.
Jesus himself taught us to persevere in our prayers, to not give up. He said,
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)
What you might not know—unless you know Greek—is this is a conditional promise. It could be literally translated, “Keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking.”
Keep praying. Keep praising. Even in the storm. I can tell you from experience God is good. He can be trusted. If it doesn’t feel like it now, just wait. Don’t give up. You may be on the verge of a miracle. And even if God says wait a little longer, He is near. His ways are higher than our ways. He is faithful.
It Is Well
Horatio Spafford established a very successful legal practice in Chicago. A devout Christian, he lost his fortune in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, shortly after his son died. He planned a much-needed rest for his remaining family in Europe in 1873. When last-minute business kept him in Chicago, he sent his wife and four daughters ahead with plans to catch up with them days later.
The ship was struck by another vessel and sank in twelve minutes. When the survivors finally landed days later in Wales, Mrs. Spafford cabled her husband, “Saved alone.”
On his voyage to join his wife, he penned profound lyrics as he approached the area of the ocean floor where it was believed his four daughters had sunk.
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul
How is your soul?
Credits: some ideas from D6, Lee Strobel, In The Midst by John Stumbo
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series—When Life Gets Hard
Matthew 3:1-17; 14:1-12; 11:1-19
Series Overview: In this world we will have trouble, but we are never alone.
Big Idea: Although life is full or surprises, God is good, faithful, and in control.
So it’s officially the “most wonderful time of the year.” You know, that time when people jack up their credit cards buying gifts which will end up in next year’s garage sale. The season when greedy, selfish people feel generous for dropping a quarter in the Salvation Army bucket. The season when families gather only to argue about politics and eat more food than some small countries consumer in a year.
The time when your football team…oh, never mind about that!
I love Thanksgiving.
I love Christmas.
But despite being the most wonderful time of the year, for many it’s the most depressing, frustrating, financially-draining, emotionally exhausting, lonely time of the year.
My name is Kirk and this month we’ve been in a series entitled When Life Gets Hard. We talked about broken relationships and mental illness. Jason, our guest from Indonesia, unknowingly contributed to our series two weeks ago when we spoke on failure. On this last Sunday before Advent, we’re talking about When Life Throws A Curve.
Occasionally we have open mic times when we share about God’s faithfulness. Our next such gathering will be on New Year’s Eve.
But imagine if we had an open mic to share about life-altering circumstances. We’ve all had them…or will. It might be a car accident (like the photo) but it could be a phone call, a conversation with a doctor, a letter in the mail, or even a text message.
What do you do when you life looks nothing like you ever imagined or hoped? Perhaps even more important, how is your soul?
If you ask God one question, what would it be?
One national survey revealed the number one question people have for God is, “Why is there suffering in the world?”
Some religions deny the existence of evil, calling pain and suffering mere illusions. Jesus, however, truthfully declared,
In this world you will have trouble. (John 16:33b)
An Alliance pastor once said, “It is right that things are wrong in a wrong world. It would be wrong for everything to be right in a world gone wrong.”
Our scripture reading for today tells a remarkably vivid and tragic story of John the Baptist. Like Job and Joseph and other godly people before him, John was devoted to following God. If anyone “deserved” good things in life as a reward for his obedience, it was Jesus’ cousin John. Yet he was hardly exempt from suffering.
On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. (Matthew 14:6-12)
It was bad enough that John was in prison…for speaking God’s truth (after Herod took his brother’s wife). I’m sure he never imagined being beheaded on account of a birthday dance! Although John went “to a better place,” it must’ve been catastrophic for his friends and family…including Jesus.
We all recognize ever since Adam and Eve sinned against God we have lived with brokenness and pain.
Great! So what now? What do we do when life throws a curve? Here are some ideas:
Recognize God is not the creator of evil and suffering.
Love always involves a choice. Free will. Entire books have been written on the subject, but suffice it to say satan chose to rebel against God and took other angels with him. From they moment, a spiritual war has been raging between good and evil, life and death. Spiritual warfare is real. We have a real enemy. He may not be red with horns and a pitchfork, but we are all in the middle of a battlefield.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)
It’s easy to blame God for all of the problems in the world. Some simply encounter evil, blame God…and then stop believing in God. This makes emotional sense, but not logical sense. How can you fail to believe in someone you blame? Then again, the word “believe” has been misconstrued, especially in our use of John 3:16. What I do understand are people who followed God, encountered trouble, and removed their trust in God as a result. When you encounter the effects of sin, blame satan! God did not create evil and suffering.
God can redeem suffering, using it for good.
We were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. Life is not about our pleasure, but God’s glory. That’s hard for me to embrace sometimes—especially when life gets hard. I want to do things my way, but Dad knows best.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
This verse has been abused perhaps more than it has been used appropriately, but the fact remains. God is at work when we submit to Him. Suffering is one means the work of God is displayed.
Earlier in Romans—as we saw several weeks ago—it says,
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:3-4)
I admit I want perseverance, character, and hope in my life. But do we need suffering? I suppose I could also say I want a fit, healthy body, but do I need to watch what I eat and exercise? Obviously, we don’t choose suffering, but it’s a part of life, and it’s a tool God uses to shape us and draw us close to Him.
The worst pain I ever endured was a kidney stone. I’m told childbirth is bad, too, but you have less to show for it in the end!
A few years later, God revealed to me the purpose of my kidney stone. I was shocked, but I realized the one night of hospitalization opened up space for a conversation I had with a visitor, a conversation that greatly impacted the next twenty years of my life. Had I not been in the hospital, he never would’ve visited me and we never would’ve had that talk. It sounds odd, but I’m grateful for that kidney stone (and even more grateful I haven’t had another one!).
None of us has a complete understanding of our present reality, much less the future.
For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)
We can pray not only for God’s will and glory, but an understanding of His perspective. The story’s not over.
Tony Campolo used to say, “It’s Friday…but Sunday’s coming!” For many of us, today is unbearable, yet tomorrow may not only be better, we may come to actually appreciate our suffering.
Our temporary suffering will pale in comparison to eternal glory.
Paul wrote of his very serious persecution,
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)
British church leader Galvin Reid tells about meeting a young man who had fallen down a flight of stairs as a baby and shattered his back. He had been in and out of hospitals his whole life—and yet he made the astounding comment that he thinks God is fair. Reid asked him, "How old are you?" The boy said, "Seventeen." Reid asked, "How many years have you spend in hospitals?" The boy said, "Thirteen years." The pastor said with astonishment, "And you think that is fair?" And the boy replied: "Well, God has all eternity to make it up to me."
That’s perspective! Listen to these words of encouragement:
However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” —the things God has prepared for those who love him— (1 Corinthians 2:9)
I want to return to Jesus’ words in John 16.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Jesus knows suffering. Jesus conquered suffering and death. He has the final word!
Jesus brings peace.
Jesus brings courage.
Jesus brings presence…through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus brings hope…the promise of heaven.
Count Your Blessings
We are all so blessed. The simple fact that you can understand what I’m saying is a blessing. The freedom to have access to the Bible, to be alive, to know about Jesus, to know Jesus…
Someone once said the only thing you can control is your attitude. It could always be better, yes, but it could always be worse. Count your blessings. Last week we looked at this powerful verse which is so convicting to me:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Pray with thanksgiving. That’s appropriate after this past Thursday, right? Count your blessings!
Don’t Go Alone
Get in a small group. Attend Celebrate Recovery. Reach out to a friend. Church is not a building. Church is not a gathering. Church is a family of messy, broken people pursuing Jesus Christ, the ultimate example of what it means to be human, and the one person who understands pain, suffering, grief, and loss better than anyone.
One of my favorite verses in the Bible says,
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15)
God created us for community. We need one another. We need to lean on one another, celebrate with one another, encourage one another, pray for one another, cry with one another, laugh with one another.
This is especially true at this time of year. The holidays are truly the most wonderful time of the year for some, and the most gut-wrenching, heart-breaking time for others. Family, this season is a wonderful opportunity to give and receive help, to give and receive love. Let’s rejoice—and mourn—together.
Don’t Give Up
Research has shown often people quit right before their greatest breakthrough. No matter how you are feeling, not matter the challenges you face, or the pain you are enduring, you might be days or even hours from a miracle.
Jesus himself taught us to persevere in our prayers, to not give up. He said,
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)
What you might not know—unless you know Greek—is this is a conditional promise. It could be literally translated, “Keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking.”
Keep praying. Keep praising. Even in the storm. I can tell you from experience God is good. He can be trusted. If it doesn’t feel like it now, just wait. Don’t give up. You may be on the verge of a miracle. And even if God says wait a little longer, He is near. His ways are higher than our ways. He is faithful.
It Is Well
Horatio Spafford established a very successful legal practice in Chicago. A devout Christian, he lost his fortune in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, shortly after his son died. He planned a much-needed rest for his remaining family in Europe in 1873. When last-minute business kept him in Chicago, he sent his wife and four daughters ahead with plans to catch up with them days later.
The ship was struck by another vessel and sank in twelve minutes. When the survivors finally landed days later in Wales, Mrs. Spafford cabled her husband, “Saved alone.”
On his voyage to join his wife, he penned profound lyrics as he approached the area of the ocean floor where it was believed his four daughters had sunk.
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul
How is your soul?
Credits: some ideas from D6, Lee Strobel, In The Midst by John Stumbo
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Depression and Anxiety, 18 November 2018
18 11 18
When Being Down Gets Dangerous (Depression and Anxiety)
D6 Series—When Life Gets Hard
1 Kings 19; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 5:7; Revelation 21:4
Series Overview: In this world we will have trouble, but we are never alone.
Big Idea: Depression and anxiety are real…but not insurmountable with help.
Elijah
He was one of the greatest, most godly people in the Bible. He had just seen God do one of the most incredible miracles in the history of the world, literally calling fire down from heaven! “When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD—he is God! The LORD—he is God!” (1 Kings 18:39) What a moment!
In the very next chapter, 1 Kings 19, it says
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” (1 Kings 19:3-4)
We’ve all had bad days, perhaps even bad months. This has been a challenging year for our church with a great many losses of various kinds. But have you ever asked God to take your life? Have you ever been so depressed you wanted to die…or even tried to die?
I want to give you—especially parents—a heads-up; our subject for today is heavy. Today as we continue our series When Life Gets Hard, we’re going to look at the subject of anxiety and depression: when being down gets dangerous. If it seems like suicide is a growing problem in our nation, it’s because it is. The CDC reports it grew 24% between 1999 and 2014 and continues to rise. It’s the second leading cause of death for young people between 15 and 24 and the third for those between 10 and 14, yet it has been growing the most among men in their fifties. And every day more than 20 veterans and active military members take their life.
Anxiety and depression do not always lead to such an extreme outcome, of course, but they can be debilitating. There are three types of people listening to me right now: those who have or are experiencing mental illness, those who are helping those with mental illness, and those who simply don’t understand it. I hope to provide biblical help and encouragement to all of you today.
Depression and anxiety are real human experiences. The ADAA reports anxiety affects 40 million adults in the US. Although anxiety disorders are highly treatable, only 36.9% of sufferers receive treatment. Nearly half of those diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. And I know it is impacting many people in this room.
Elijah certainly experienced anxiety and depression, ironically following one of the greatest triumphs of his life. Let me set the scene.
In 1 Kings 18, Elijah the prophet meets Ahab the king and accuses him and his family of abandoning the LORD and following the false prophets of Baal. Then,
Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”
But the people said nothing. (1 Kings 18:21)
Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the LORD’S prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire—he is God.”
Then all the people said, “What you say is good.” (1 Kings 18:22-24)
Elijah offers a challenge. He says let’s each take a bull, put it on the altar, and see whose God will set it on fire.
The people shouted for hours, dancing and calling on the name of Baal to deliver fire to the altar. Nothing happens.
At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. (1 Kings 18:27-28)
Evening comes, Elijah gets his altar ready, has the people dump four large jars of water on the offering and on the wood. And again. And a third time. The altar is soaked. The crowd is watching and waiting. Elijah prays to God.
Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD—he is God! The LORD—he is God!” (1 Kings 18:38-39)
Elijah and the LORD are victorious, the prophets of Baal are seized, and Elijah announces the end of a famine as a heavy rain begins. The next chapter begins:
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” (1 Kings 19:1-2)
You have to admit, when the queen wants your head, it’s understandable to be concerned, but Elijah had just seen God’s power unleashed on Mount Carmel in front of the masses. Surely God can deal with an angry queen! This is Elijah the prophet!
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” (1 Kings 19:3-4)
Elijah is a godly man, yet he freaked out. His actions exasperated the situation. He literally runs away, abandoning his servant, and later meditates on his mistreatment and hides in a cave! These behaviors are not unlike those who suffer with anxiety and depression.
God has uniquely created you and me. Ephesians 2:10 says we are God’s masterpiece. Despite being made in His image, we all have flaws. We have physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual weaknesses. Although our souls are eternal, our bodies and minds have significant limitations.
Unfortunately, many have dismissed mental illness as imaginary or the result of demons. While our bodies are flawed and decaying as a result of sin, mental illness can be every bit as real as a physical issue…and can often have the same causes.
If mental illness were simply a spiritual issue, only non-Christians would struggle. Furthermore, godly men like Elijah would never even think of asking God to take their lives.
I’ve been privileged to have several friends who are Jesus-loving, Bible-based Christian counselors. I want to acknowledge some of my material today is from Eileen Sappington from Ann Arbor. Here are some important facts to consider:
- All cultures have had problems with mental illnesses.
- Mental illnesses can affect any age, race, religion, or income.
- Mental illnesses are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character, or poor upbringing.
- In many cultures, those with a mental illness were considered the bottom of society and were often locked away in jails, back rooms, abused in Asylums, and used for entertainment.
- Christianity and mental illness is a complex issue, even for professional counselors and therapists, theologians, pastors, and Christian researchers.
As Christians, we have historically had no problem helping those suffering from heart disease and cancer, but we often blame mental illness on the patient. Many Christians have been told “If you just prayed more and developed a better attitude, you wouldn’t be so depressed.” Tell that to Elijah! He was a prayer warrior! James even wrote,
Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. (James 5:17)
Like heart disease, mental illness can hit any of us, and can subsequently impact all of us.
Obviously our time is very limited. There’s no way in half an hour or half a day I could ever fully address all of the issues related to mental illness, but I want you to hear a story and then I want to share some next steps for all of us.
My Story: Kaytee Schultze, Celebrate Recovery assimilation coach
For those of you taking notes, I’ve already said
Depression and anxiety are real human experiences.
If you encounter someone struggling, ask how you can help. Ask how you can pray for them. Don’t try to fix them! Seek understanding. Listen.
God gives us wisdom.
This is true for the struggling, the friends, and the professionals alike. Surgeons don’t have all of the answers, therapists don’t have all of the answers, but God does. I don’t know why He says “no” or “wait” when we cry out to Him, but I do know He is good and faithful.
Our scripture reading for today says
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)
I know, I don’t like trials, either, let alone consider them pure joy! However, trials have a purpose. This includes physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, financial, and relational trials. The bottom line for every follower of Jesus is God’s glory. We might not understand our present sufferings, but someday we will. I’m not saying life is easy. I’m not saying, “Don’t worry, be happy!” But I am saying we need to lean into God…and one another. As we noted recently in the psalms, we can be real with God. Peter wrote,
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
It might not feel like it, but it’s a fact.
Often we struggle because we’re so focused on our own issues we fail to look to God. We need to seek His wisdom, His perspective. He even promises to give it!
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5)
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. (James 1:6-8)
Often God has used trials in my life to get my attention, to develop humility, to bring me to my knees in surrender. God never seeks to harm us, but life can hurt. As we are shaped into the image of Jesus, the potter’s tools can be uncomfortable as our pride, comfort, and selfishness are chiseled away.
If you’re struggling with mental illness, I want to offer a few simple resources:
- The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 800.273.TALK.
- The Battle Ready podcast, episode 2 (mental illness), available in audio and video
- Celebrate Recovery, Wednesdays at 7 PM in the Fellowship Hall, 2214 Monroe
- Professional Counseling with Jane Ginter from Christian Care Connection
- The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook (not a Christian publication)
- Tell a friend, spouse, co-worker, church staff member; don’t do this alone!
- Fill your mind with the truth. Garbage in, garbage out. Good stuff in, good stuff out. I’m not being simplistic, but rather stating the importance of our environment, our entertainment, our minds. My wife’s favorite scripture says,
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
At any given moment, I can list 100 things I’d like to change about life…but also 100 things for which I’m thankful and blessed. In EVERY situation, present your requests to God…with thanksgiving! That’s a prescription for peace. It’s not a quick-fix, cure-all, but it is a timeless truth which we could probably all practice more. I know I could!!!!
God can use therapy, medication, exercise, prayer, and friendship to address emotional problems. As I said, it usually takes time and effort like most physical healing. But be encouraged.
God gives us hope.
Even while we struggle in this life, help is available. Healing is possible. Hope is real. And while I want to be careful not to be simplistic, this world is temporary, a mere speck on the timeline of eternity. Here’s what we have to look forward to:
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
And finally,
God is always with us.
Again, I’m not saying it always feels like it, and I realize the valid response, “If God is with us, why doesn’t He do something about my misery?”
I don’t know.
I don’t understand why.
I have many questions for God. Many involve mental illness.
Although I have never been diagnosed with a condition, members of my family have dealt with anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and anorexia. When it first appeared, I was confused, troubled, and searching for answers. After years of loving family members and friends through mental illness, I’m still searching for answers. I’m still confused and troubled. But I know God is with us. That’s what Christmas is all about…Emmanuel, God with us. And since God dwells in each follower of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit, that means Christians are to be Jesus with skin on, serving, listening, helping, and loving others, whether the struggle is financial, physical, relational, spiritual, or mental.
I want to share something written by someone I deeply love. I’ll protect their identity, but I was given permission to share this social media post.
I have OCD. Like, the real kind. Diagnosed at age 7. It has messed up my life more than anyone can imagine. I was diagnosed with depression at age 10. I’ve just come to accept the fact that that will always be part of my life. I’ve been hospitalized for psychiatric care. One of the worst experiences of my life. Other patients asked me what I was doing there because I seemed so “normal”.
That’s the thing about mental health. It’s the part of the iceberg you can’t see. Sometimes it’s really easy to hide. Other times, not so much. But I rarely talk about it because I’m so much more than my dysfunctional brain.
I’m a third grade teacher.
I’m a graduate student at Columbia University.
I’m a dog mom.
I’m a NYC resident.
I’m a theatre geek.
I am not my illnesses.
#endthestigma
The struggle is real. Regardless of your present sufferings, there is help and wisdom and hope available.
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (Psalms 42:5)
Mental Illness Resources
The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook
NAMI Toledo, National Alliance on Mental Illness
Christian Care Connection (counseling on our church campus)
The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 800.273.TALK
Celebrate Recovery, Wednesdays at 7 PM, 2214 Monroe Street, Toledo
Directory of Toledo area Christian counselors
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series—When Life Gets Hard
1 Kings 19; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 5:7; Revelation 21:4
Series Overview: In this world we will have trouble, but we are never alone.
Big Idea: Depression and anxiety are real…but not insurmountable with help.
Elijah
He was one of the greatest, most godly people in the Bible. He had just seen God do one of the most incredible miracles in the history of the world, literally calling fire down from heaven! “When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD—he is God! The LORD—he is God!” (1 Kings 18:39) What a moment!
In the very next chapter, 1 Kings 19, it says
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” (1 Kings 19:3-4)
We’ve all had bad days, perhaps even bad months. This has been a challenging year for our church with a great many losses of various kinds. But have you ever asked God to take your life? Have you ever been so depressed you wanted to die…or even tried to die?
I want to give you—especially parents—a heads-up; our subject for today is heavy. Today as we continue our series When Life Gets Hard, we’re going to look at the subject of anxiety and depression: when being down gets dangerous. If it seems like suicide is a growing problem in our nation, it’s because it is. The CDC reports it grew 24% between 1999 and 2014 and continues to rise. It’s the second leading cause of death for young people between 15 and 24 and the third for those between 10 and 14, yet it has been growing the most among men in their fifties. And every day more than 20 veterans and active military members take their life.
Anxiety and depression do not always lead to such an extreme outcome, of course, but they can be debilitating. There are three types of people listening to me right now: those who have or are experiencing mental illness, those who are helping those with mental illness, and those who simply don’t understand it. I hope to provide biblical help and encouragement to all of you today.
Depression and anxiety are real human experiences. The ADAA reports anxiety affects 40 million adults in the US. Although anxiety disorders are highly treatable, only 36.9% of sufferers receive treatment. Nearly half of those diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. And I know it is impacting many people in this room.
Elijah certainly experienced anxiety and depression, ironically following one of the greatest triumphs of his life. Let me set the scene.
In 1 Kings 18, Elijah the prophet meets Ahab the king and accuses him and his family of abandoning the LORD and following the false prophets of Baal. Then,
Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”
But the people said nothing. (1 Kings 18:21)
Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the LORD’S prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire—he is God.”
Then all the people said, “What you say is good.” (1 Kings 18:22-24)
Elijah offers a challenge. He says let’s each take a bull, put it on the altar, and see whose God will set it on fire.
The people shouted for hours, dancing and calling on the name of Baal to deliver fire to the altar. Nothing happens.
At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. (1 Kings 18:27-28)
Evening comes, Elijah gets his altar ready, has the people dump four large jars of water on the offering and on the wood. And again. And a third time. The altar is soaked. The crowd is watching and waiting. Elijah prays to God.
Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD—he is God! The LORD—he is God!” (1 Kings 18:38-39)
Elijah and the LORD are victorious, the prophets of Baal are seized, and Elijah announces the end of a famine as a heavy rain begins. The next chapter begins:
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” (1 Kings 19:1-2)
You have to admit, when the queen wants your head, it’s understandable to be concerned, but Elijah had just seen God’s power unleashed on Mount Carmel in front of the masses. Surely God can deal with an angry queen! This is Elijah the prophet!
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” (1 Kings 19:3-4)
Elijah is a godly man, yet he freaked out. His actions exasperated the situation. He literally runs away, abandoning his servant, and later meditates on his mistreatment and hides in a cave! These behaviors are not unlike those who suffer with anxiety and depression.
God has uniquely created you and me. Ephesians 2:10 says we are God’s masterpiece. Despite being made in His image, we all have flaws. We have physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual weaknesses. Although our souls are eternal, our bodies and minds have significant limitations.
Unfortunately, many have dismissed mental illness as imaginary or the result of demons. While our bodies are flawed and decaying as a result of sin, mental illness can be every bit as real as a physical issue…and can often have the same causes.
If mental illness were simply a spiritual issue, only non-Christians would struggle. Furthermore, godly men like Elijah would never even think of asking God to take their lives.
I’ve been privileged to have several friends who are Jesus-loving, Bible-based Christian counselors. I want to acknowledge some of my material today is from Eileen Sappington from Ann Arbor. Here are some important facts to consider:
- All cultures have had problems with mental illnesses.
- Mental illnesses can affect any age, race, religion, or income.
- Mental illnesses are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character, or poor upbringing.
- In many cultures, those with a mental illness were considered the bottom of society and were often locked away in jails, back rooms, abused in Asylums, and used for entertainment.
- Christianity and mental illness is a complex issue, even for professional counselors and therapists, theologians, pastors, and Christian researchers.
As Christians, we have historically had no problem helping those suffering from heart disease and cancer, but we often blame mental illness on the patient. Many Christians have been told “If you just prayed more and developed a better attitude, you wouldn’t be so depressed.” Tell that to Elijah! He was a prayer warrior! James even wrote,
Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. (James 5:17)
Like heart disease, mental illness can hit any of us, and can subsequently impact all of us.
Obviously our time is very limited. There’s no way in half an hour or half a day I could ever fully address all of the issues related to mental illness, but I want you to hear a story and then I want to share some next steps for all of us.
My Story: Kaytee Schultze, Celebrate Recovery assimilation coach
For those of you taking notes, I’ve already said
Depression and anxiety are real human experiences.
If you encounter someone struggling, ask how you can help. Ask how you can pray for them. Don’t try to fix them! Seek understanding. Listen.
God gives us wisdom.
This is true for the struggling, the friends, and the professionals alike. Surgeons don’t have all of the answers, therapists don’t have all of the answers, but God does. I don’t know why He says “no” or “wait” when we cry out to Him, but I do know He is good and faithful.
Our scripture reading for today says
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)
I know, I don’t like trials, either, let alone consider them pure joy! However, trials have a purpose. This includes physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, financial, and relational trials. The bottom line for every follower of Jesus is God’s glory. We might not understand our present sufferings, but someday we will. I’m not saying life is easy. I’m not saying, “Don’t worry, be happy!” But I am saying we need to lean into God…and one another. As we noted recently in the psalms, we can be real with God. Peter wrote,
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
It might not feel like it, but it’s a fact.
Often we struggle because we’re so focused on our own issues we fail to look to God. We need to seek His wisdom, His perspective. He even promises to give it!
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5)
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. (James 1:6-8)
Often God has used trials in my life to get my attention, to develop humility, to bring me to my knees in surrender. God never seeks to harm us, but life can hurt. As we are shaped into the image of Jesus, the potter’s tools can be uncomfortable as our pride, comfort, and selfishness are chiseled away.
If you’re struggling with mental illness, I want to offer a few simple resources:
- The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 800.273.TALK.
- The Battle Ready podcast, episode 2 (mental illness), available in audio and video
- Celebrate Recovery, Wednesdays at 7 PM in the Fellowship Hall, 2214 Monroe
- Professional Counseling with Jane Ginter from Christian Care Connection
- The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook (not a Christian publication)
- Tell a friend, spouse, co-worker, church staff member; don’t do this alone!
- Fill your mind with the truth. Garbage in, garbage out. Good stuff in, good stuff out. I’m not being simplistic, but rather stating the importance of our environment, our entertainment, our minds. My wife’s favorite scripture says,
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
At any given moment, I can list 100 things I’d like to change about life…but also 100 things for which I’m thankful and blessed. In EVERY situation, present your requests to God…with thanksgiving! That’s a prescription for peace. It’s not a quick-fix, cure-all, but it is a timeless truth which we could probably all practice more. I know I could!!!!
God can use therapy, medication, exercise, prayer, and friendship to address emotional problems. As I said, it usually takes time and effort like most physical healing. But be encouraged.
God gives us hope.
Even while we struggle in this life, help is available. Healing is possible. Hope is real. And while I want to be careful not to be simplistic, this world is temporary, a mere speck on the timeline of eternity. Here’s what we have to look forward to:
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
And finally,
God is always with us.
Again, I’m not saying it always feels like it, and I realize the valid response, “If God is with us, why doesn’t He do something about my misery?”
I don’t know.
I don’t understand why.
I have many questions for God. Many involve mental illness.
Although I have never been diagnosed with a condition, members of my family have dealt with anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and anorexia. When it first appeared, I was confused, troubled, and searching for answers. After years of loving family members and friends through mental illness, I’m still searching for answers. I’m still confused and troubled. But I know God is with us. That’s what Christmas is all about…Emmanuel, God with us. And since God dwells in each follower of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit, that means Christians are to be Jesus with skin on, serving, listening, helping, and loving others, whether the struggle is financial, physical, relational, spiritual, or mental.
I want to share something written by someone I deeply love. I’ll protect their identity, but I was given permission to share this social media post.
I have OCD. Like, the real kind. Diagnosed at age 7. It has messed up my life more than anyone can imagine. I was diagnosed with depression at age 10. I’ve just come to accept the fact that that will always be part of my life. I’ve been hospitalized for psychiatric care. One of the worst experiences of my life. Other patients asked me what I was doing there because I seemed so “normal”.
That’s the thing about mental health. It’s the part of the iceberg you can’t see. Sometimes it’s really easy to hide. Other times, not so much. But I rarely talk about it because I’m so much more than my dysfunctional brain.
I’m a third grade teacher.
I’m a graduate student at Columbia University.
I’m a dog mom.
I’m a NYC resident.
I’m a theatre geek.
I am not my illnesses.
#endthestigma
The struggle is real. Regardless of your present sufferings, there is help and wisdom and hope available.
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (Psalms 42:5)
Mental Illness Resources
The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook
NAMI Toledo, National Alliance on Mental Illness
Christian Care Connection (counseling on our church campus)
The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 800.273.TALK
Celebrate Recovery, Wednesdays at 7 PM, 2214 Monroe Street, Toledo
Directory of Toledo area Christian counselors
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Broken Relationships, 4 November 2018
05 11 18
Why Can’t We Just Get Along? (Broken Relationships)
D6 Series—When Life Gets Hard
Matthew 18:15-20
Series Overview: In this world we will have trouble, but we are never alone.
Big Idea: There is always hope for reconciliation when we obey God’s Word.
Life is all about relationships. Nothing can bring more joy than a deep friendship, an encouraging conversation, a loving embrace, a kind word, or a thoughtful note. Relationships are the heart of life itself. We were created for a relationship with our Creator God. We were created for relationships with one another. God’s design was for a man and woman to have an intimate relationship…knowing and being known by one another. Children are often the result of such a relationship, creating a multi-generational family, the core of any society. Extended family relationships can bring tremendous fulfillment in life, extending love, security, wisdom, and trust.
The church was also God’s design, a family rooted not in biological blood but rather the blood of Jesus Christ, reconciling us to our Heavenly Father and making us spiritual siblings with one another. Relationships are the most wonderful thing in life…except when they’re not!
Today we’re beginning a series entitled When Life Gets Hard. While it’s true that God is good—all the time—life is not always easy. We were never promised happiness, comfort, and wealth…yet we seem so surprised when life gets hard. Jesus said,
In this world you will have trouble… (John 16:33b)
How many of you have experienced trouble in this world? All of us! It’s guaranteed. We’re all in the midst of trouble, coming out of a trial, or about to experience suffering. Why? I don’t always understand. A few weeks ago we noted how suffering produces perseverance which produces character which leads to hope, but that’s little consolation in the midst of the storm when we’re shouting, “Help!”
One thing I know for certain: we are never alone in our trials. John 16:33 continues…
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33b)
Because relationships are so central to our existence, a broken relationship can often be far more excruciating than a broken bank account or even a broken bone. What do we do when they can’t just get along?
I’m so glad you asked!
They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. We’re going to get to broken relationships, but first let’s look at what God says about relationships. How are we to live as brothers and sisters? The Bible is loaded with timeless wisdom which—if followed—would transform our lives, avoid misunderstandings, quench gossip, increase harmony, and accelerate peace.
Let’s begin with Jesus’ instructions in Matthew 18:
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. (Matthew 18:15)
Family, if we would follow this one, simple command, our church would be so much different. I admit, this is radical. Our culture says if someone treats you poorly, tell their boss, call the cops, slander them on Facebook, or tell your closest fifty friends about the indiscretion.
If I had a nickel for every time someone has brought a complaint to me about a person before they went to the accused, I’d be a rich man.
Is Jesus clear? If I offend you, first go to…me.
If someone in your small group does something in appropriate, go to…them.
If a staff member does something you don’t like, go to…them.
If a deacon or elder or anyone else is engage in sin, go to…them.
To do otherwise is…sin! It’s gossip.
Many of you are familiar with Dave Ramsey. He’s a best-selling author and media personality. He may be best known for his financial counsel, but he also runs an organization in Tennessee which is consistently rated one of the top places to work in Nashville. One feature of his business is a no-gossip policy. Listen to this excerpt from his website:
Gossip is defined as discussing anything negative with someone who can’t help solve the problem. If you’re having computer problems, and IT is slow about helping you, you don’t complain about it to the sales rep in the break room. You talk to your leader because he or she can and will do something about it.
If a team member is discovered gossiping, they receive one warning. After that they’re fired, and, yes, Dave has fired people for gossiping and will do it again to keep it out of his company.
I can’t fire volunteers at First Alliance Church for gossiping, but I wish I could! It’s sin. And it happens. Here. It’s unacceptable! It’s poison. It’s toxic. It destroys unity. It is a form of hate. Am I clear?
When I arrived at three years ago, I was told since seemingly everyone in our church is related, there’s not much gossip here. That may be true, but any gossip is too much. Proverbs says,
Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down. As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts. (Proverbs 26:20-22)
I know it’s hard. I know it’s more fun to talk behind their back. I know speaking ill of someone makes us feel superior. I know everyone in the world does it. One recent study revealed about 80% of our conversations are about other people and their habits! But gossip is unacceptable. If you hear even a whisper of negativity toward someone not in the conversation, please simply stop and ask these six words:
Why are you telling me this?
Have you ever played the telephone game? You tell a message to someone who tells someone else who tells someone else and after a while the original message is nowhere to be found. This is why I like prayer requests and messages in writing, by the way. You might think your intent is good in critiquing the behavior of a brother or sister, but if it goes around them, it won’t take long for lies to be spread. Let me say it one more time:
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. (Matthew 18:15)
In a small number of instances, speaking the truth in love to a brother or sister does not produce the desired results. Jesus continues,
But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ (Matthew 18:16)
One-on-one is not always successful, especially when there is a power imbalance. God makes provision for mediators. The Alliance even has an extensive course called Peacemaking. Kendra Sankovich recently completed both sections and is a trained facilitator for such conversations. Your spouse, small group leader, or mutual friend might be useful. In some instances, a professional counselor can help. This usually works, but if not, then and only then step three and four can be executed.
If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matthew 18:17)
In this case, “the church” may be the elders. These are rare and serious situations. The Bible gives instruction for church discipline and it is sometimes needed, not to kick someone out, but rather to create pathways for repentance and reconciliation.
Here’s the bottom line: if you have an issue with someone, go to them first. Gossip is a deadly cancer that has destroyed countless relationships.
Jesus adds a few words to this message about loving one another.
“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 18:18)
That’s cool! When we are united with God and one another, we’re all working together, seeking the same thing, on the same mission, and God’s will is accomplished.
“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:19-20)
The context is not where two or three gather to fight or gossip, but to pursue unity, truth, and understanding. Christ acts with the Church in matters of discipline. That’s a vision of how we are to do life together as family with one another, our heavenly Father, and our big brother Jesus.
Here are some related scriptures on relating with one another:
Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. (Hebrews 12:14-15)
We talked about grace—unmerited favor—last month. We are to be people of grace. We are to be recipients of God’s grace and conduits of it to others. Give people the benefit of the doubt. Believe the best in others. Don’t avoid conflict, but before attacking, begin with a clarifying question or one of my favorite phrases, “Help me understand.”
We have a real enemy, family, and he wants us divided, critical, negative, gossiping, backstabbing, arguing, and complaining. When we hit pause and lovingly get to the heart of the matter, he loses…and I love it when he loses!!! Peter said,
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. (1 Peter 3:8)
Humble people make the best friends, the best leaders, the best neighbors. In fact, we’re told,
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, (Philippians 2:3)
A few verses later Paul writes,
Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky (Philippians 2:14-15)
Here’s a good summary of life together:
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:16-18)
Sometimes we can go through all of the steps in Matthew 18 and still not find resolution. Unfortunately we cannot control the behaviors of others. It’s hard enough controlling our own!
I know many of you are living with the pain and anguish of broken relationships. I am, too. Out of respect for those involved, I’m not at liberty to provide you with details, but there are two family members I love deeply who have become estranged from other members of my family and, somewhat, to me. These are good, Christian people who love God, but have unresolved conflict. I don’t understand. I have engaged in “help me understand” conversations, but brokenness remains.
The Bible does not simply say to live at peace with everyone, but rather if it is possible, as far as it depends on you. Sometimes we need to simply step back and fall to our knees. Prayer works. It usually takes time. I’m praying for healing in my family. I’m praying for healing in many of your families, too.
Reconciliation
I want to remind of some other words of Jesus.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
We aren’t identified as Christians by our theology.
We aren’t identified as Christians by our politics.
We aren’t identified as Christians by our denomination or doctrine.
We aren’t identified as Christians by our diet or appearance or media habits.
We are identified as disciples of Jesus if we love one another.
Family, we will hurt and offend one another, whether intentionally or accidentally. The Bible is filled with conflict. For example, Paul and Barnabus had serious issues with one another (Acts 15:37-38) but they mended their relationship (2 Timothy 4:11). We must be willing to quickly forgive, seeking restoration and reconciliation.
A popular passage of the Bible says,
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:26-27)
Keep short accounts. Forgive quick. No regrets. Tomorrow may be too late.
About 2000 years ago Jesus gathered his best friends together for the Passover celebration. It would become so much more as he presented himself as the sacrifice, the lamb who would be slaughtered to take away the sins of the world. You can call it the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist or Communion. It’s a time to remember Jesus, his love, his death on the cross for our sins, and his resurrection. He died to heal the brokenness in our relationship with God caused by our sin. It’s also to be done together; communion is to be done in community. Paul said,
For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:26)
So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 11:27-30)
Perhaps Paul was thinking of these words from Jesus:
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:21-22)
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. (Matthew 5:23-24)
Communion
Quoting from a 1982 document from the World Council of Churches,
The Eucharist celebration demands reconciliation and sharing among all those regarded as brothers and sisters in the one family of God and is a constant challenge in the search for appropriate relationships in social, economic and political life. All kinds of injustice, racism, separation and lack of freedom are radically challenged when we share in the body and blood of Christ…
Communion is about broken relationships restored.
Communion is about our sins washed white as snow.
Communion is about one imperfect family unified in grace, forgiveness, and love.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series—When Life Gets Hard
Matthew 18:15-20
Series Overview: In this world we will have trouble, but we are never alone.
Big Idea: There is always hope for reconciliation when we obey God’s Word.
Life is all about relationships. Nothing can bring more joy than a deep friendship, an encouraging conversation, a loving embrace, a kind word, or a thoughtful note. Relationships are the heart of life itself. We were created for a relationship with our Creator God. We were created for relationships with one another. God’s design was for a man and woman to have an intimate relationship…knowing and being known by one another. Children are often the result of such a relationship, creating a multi-generational family, the core of any society. Extended family relationships can bring tremendous fulfillment in life, extending love, security, wisdom, and trust.
The church was also God’s design, a family rooted not in biological blood but rather the blood of Jesus Christ, reconciling us to our Heavenly Father and making us spiritual siblings with one another. Relationships are the most wonderful thing in life…except when they’re not!
Today we’re beginning a series entitled When Life Gets Hard. While it’s true that God is good—all the time—life is not always easy. We were never promised happiness, comfort, and wealth…yet we seem so surprised when life gets hard. Jesus said,
In this world you will have trouble… (John 16:33b)
How many of you have experienced trouble in this world? All of us! It’s guaranteed. We’re all in the midst of trouble, coming out of a trial, or about to experience suffering. Why? I don’t always understand. A few weeks ago we noted how suffering produces perseverance which produces character which leads to hope, but that’s little consolation in the midst of the storm when we’re shouting, “Help!”
One thing I know for certain: we are never alone in our trials. John 16:33 continues…
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33b)
Because relationships are so central to our existence, a broken relationship can often be far more excruciating than a broken bank account or even a broken bone. What do we do when they can’t just get along?
I’m so glad you asked!
They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. We’re going to get to broken relationships, but first let’s look at what God says about relationships. How are we to live as brothers and sisters? The Bible is loaded with timeless wisdom which—if followed—would transform our lives, avoid misunderstandings, quench gossip, increase harmony, and accelerate peace.
Let’s begin with Jesus’ instructions in Matthew 18:
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. (Matthew 18:15)
Family, if we would follow this one, simple command, our church would be so much different. I admit, this is radical. Our culture says if someone treats you poorly, tell their boss, call the cops, slander them on Facebook, or tell your closest fifty friends about the indiscretion.
If I had a nickel for every time someone has brought a complaint to me about a person before they went to the accused, I’d be a rich man.
Is Jesus clear? If I offend you, first go to…me.
If someone in your small group does something in appropriate, go to…them.
If a staff member does something you don’t like, go to…them.
If a deacon or elder or anyone else is engage in sin, go to…them.
To do otherwise is…sin! It’s gossip.
Many of you are familiar with Dave Ramsey. He’s a best-selling author and media personality. He may be best known for his financial counsel, but he also runs an organization in Tennessee which is consistently rated one of the top places to work in Nashville. One feature of his business is a no-gossip policy. Listen to this excerpt from his website:
Gossip is defined as discussing anything negative with someone who can’t help solve the problem. If you’re having computer problems, and IT is slow about helping you, you don’t complain about it to the sales rep in the break room. You talk to your leader because he or she can and will do something about it.
If a team member is discovered gossiping, they receive one warning. After that they’re fired, and, yes, Dave has fired people for gossiping and will do it again to keep it out of his company.
I can’t fire volunteers at First Alliance Church for gossiping, but I wish I could! It’s sin. And it happens. Here. It’s unacceptable! It’s poison. It’s toxic. It destroys unity. It is a form of hate. Am I clear?
When I arrived at three years ago, I was told since seemingly everyone in our church is related, there’s not much gossip here. That may be true, but any gossip is too much. Proverbs says,
Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down. As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts. (Proverbs 26:20-22)
I know it’s hard. I know it’s more fun to talk behind their back. I know speaking ill of someone makes us feel superior. I know everyone in the world does it. One recent study revealed about 80% of our conversations are about other people and their habits! But gossip is unacceptable. If you hear even a whisper of negativity toward someone not in the conversation, please simply stop and ask these six words:
Why are you telling me this?
Have you ever played the telephone game? You tell a message to someone who tells someone else who tells someone else and after a while the original message is nowhere to be found. This is why I like prayer requests and messages in writing, by the way. You might think your intent is good in critiquing the behavior of a brother or sister, but if it goes around them, it won’t take long for lies to be spread. Let me say it one more time:
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. (Matthew 18:15)
In a small number of instances, speaking the truth in love to a brother or sister does not produce the desired results. Jesus continues,
But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ (Matthew 18:16)
One-on-one is not always successful, especially when there is a power imbalance. God makes provision for mediators. The Alliance even has an extensive course called Peacemaking. Kendra Sankovich recently completed both sections and is a trained facilitator for such conversations. Your spouse, small group leader, or mutual friend might be useful. In some instances, a professional counselor can help. This usually works, but if not, then and only then step three and four can be executed.
If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matthew 18:17)
In this case, “the church” may be the elders. These are rare and serious situations. The Bible gives instruction for church discipline and it is sometimes needed, not to kick someone out, but rather to create pathways for repentance and reconciliation.
Here’s the bottom line: if you have an issue with someone, go to them first. Gossip is a deadly cancer that has destroyed countless relationships.
Jesus adds a few words to this message about loving one another.
“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 18:18)
That’s cool! When we are united with God and one another, we’re all working together, seeking the same thing, on the same mission, and God’s will is accomplished.
“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:19-20)
The context is not where two or three gather to fight or gossip, but to pursue unity, truth, and understanding. Christ acts with the Church in matters of discipline. That’s a vision of how we are to do life together as family with one another, our heavenly Father, and our big brother Jesus.
Here are some related scriptures on relating with one another:
Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. (Hebrews 12:14-15)
We talked about grace—unmerited favor—last month. We are to be people of grace. We are to be recipients of God’s grace and conduits of it to others. Give people the benefit of the doubt. Believe the best in others. Don’t avoid conflict, but before attacking, begin with a clarifying question or one of my favorite phrases, “Help me understand.”
We have a real enemy, family, and he wants us divided, critical, negative, gossiping, backstabbing, arguing, and complaining. When we hit pause and lovingly get to the heart of the matter, he loses…and I love it when he loses!!! Peter said,
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. (1 Peter 3:8)
Humble people make the best friends, the best leaders, the best neighbors. In fact, we’re told,
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, (Philippians 2:3)
A few verses later Paul writes,
Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky (Philippians 2:14-15)
Here’s a good summary of life together:
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:16-18)
Sometimes we can go through all of the steps in Matthew 18 and still not find resolution. Unfortunately we cannot control the behaviors of others. It’s hard enough controlling our own!
I know many of you are living with the pain and anguish of broken relationships. I am, too. Out of respect for those involved, I’m not at liberty to provide you with details, but there are two family members I love deeply who have become estranged from other members of my family and, somewhat, to me. These are good, Christian people who love God, but have unresolved conflict. I don’t understand. I have engaged in “help me understand” conversations, but brokenness remains.
The Bible does not simply say to live at peace with everyone, but rather if it is possible, as far as it depends on you. Sometimes we need to simply step back and fall to our knees. Prayer works. It usually takes time. I’m praying for healing in my family. I’m praying for healing in many of your families, too.
Reconciliation
I want to remind of some other words of Jesus.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
We aren’t identified as Christians by our theology.
We aren’t identified as Christians by our politics.
We aren’t identified as Christians by our denomination or doctrine.
We aren’t identified as Christians by our diet or appearance or media habits.
We are identified as disciples of Jesus if we love one another.
Family, we will hurt and offend one another, whether intentionally or accidentally. The Bible is filled with conflict. For example, Paul and Barnabus had serious issues with one another (Acts 15:37-38) but they mended their relationship (2 Timothy 4:11). We must be willing to quickly forgive, seeking restoration and reconciliation.
A popular passage of the Bible says,
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:26-27)
Keep short accounts. Forgive quick. No regrets. Tomorrow may be too late.
About 2000 years ago Jesus gathered his best friends together for the Passover celebration. It would become so much more as he presented himself as the sacrifice, the lamb who would be slaughtered to take away the sins of the world. You can call it the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist or Communion. It’s a time to remember Jesus, his love, his death on the cross for our sins, and his resurrection. He died to heal the brokenness in our relationship with God caused by our sin. It’s also to be done together; communion is to be done in community. Paul said,
For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:26)
So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 11:27-30)
Perhaps Paul was thinking of these words from Jesus:
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:21-22)
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. (Matthew 5:23-24)
Communion
Quoting from a 1982 document from the World Council of Churches,
The Eucharist celebration demands reconciliation and sharing among all those regarded as brothers and sisters in the one family of God and is a constant challenge in the search for appropriate relationships in social, economic and political life. All kinds of injustice, racism, separation and lack of freedom are radically challenged when we share in the body and blood of Christ…
Communion is about broken relationships restored.
Communion is about our sins washed white as snow.
Communion is about one imperfect family unified in grace, forgiveness, and love.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Freed from Sin, 28 October 2018
28 10 18
Freed from Sin
D6 Series—Romans: Faith’s Foundations
Romans 6
Series Overview: Romans is packed with the gospel and truths about our spiritual condition.
Big Idea: We are no longer slaves to sin, but rather servants of the Most High God.
We live in a very divisive society. Have you noticed? Dan Rogers likes to say everything seems to be binary. You are either a Republican and hate Democrats or you’re a Democrats and hate Republicans. The same can be said for Wolverines and Buckeyes or any number of categories. Where’s the nuance?
The older I get, I see less black and white and more gray. There is a middle. Compromise is often a possibility. For that matter, my dad taught me to always root for the Big Ten so this Wolverine boy even cheers for that school to our south…except the Saturday after Thanksgiving, of course!
Life can be very gray—and I don’t mean scarlet and gray—but there are some realities which are mutually exclusive and either/or. Jesus famously said,
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. (Matthew 6:24a, Luke 16:13a)
While he was speaking of God and money, a similar statement can be made of God and sin. You can serve God or sin. God or the world. God or self. We must choose. Daily. Hourly. Moment by moment.
Today we continue our series Faith’s Foundations, a run through Romans. We’re looking at the sixth chapter of this incredible book written by Paul to some of the first Christians in Rome. To quote Joshua 24:15, “choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.”
Last week we looked at the binary choice we have to make for our sins—eternal punishment or accepting the grace of Jesus. He died for us. Our only hope is not in our pathetic good works, but in the saving faith in Christ’s death and resurrection. Praise God for His amazing grace, unmerited favor, gift of salvation. Hallelujah!
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? (Romans 6:1-2)
Paul faced two extremes which are still rampant today, legalism and license. Some were preaching the importance of good works as if they could ever save us from eternal separation from a holy and perfect God. Others were saying since we have grace, let’s just do what we want because Jesus paid the price for all of our sins. Rather than legalism or license, we are to experience liberty.
If we set aside Judgment Day and eternity for a moment, sin is never beneficial. Think about your most troublesome sin, your most annoying temptation. Maybe it’s worry or gossip. It could be porn or unbridled anger. Perhaps it’s envy or workaholism. Whatever it is, how has it brought peace, joy, and satisfaction to your life? Exactly! It hasn’t! Sin only brings temporary pleasure. Like eating chocolate-covered poop, what follows is never worth it! Sin leads to death—death of relationships, finances, and sometimes even physical death. We have a real enemy who wants to steal, kill and destroy. He tempts, then accuses. He never plays fair!
Last Sunday we celebrated the joy of experience grace—forgiveness, peace, reconciliation with our Creator, hope…
Our response to God and the gift of the cross and empty tomb should never be the pursuit of sin, but rather the pursuit of God. You don’t say thank you for a gift by abusing it. You take care of it. You express your gratitude. You respond in love and kindness.
Jesus died for our sins. He set an example for us to follow—dying to sin. This doesn’t mean we accept Jesus and never sin. The battle continues, but our allegiance is no longer to satan and sin, but to our Savior and salvation. We have died to sin.
Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. (Romans 6:3-4)
The book of Ephesians is filled with a wonderful phrase—in Christ. It means that we are united with Christ. Everything that can be said about Jesus can be said about us. Water baptism brilliantly shows physically the spiritual reality of discipleship—dying to our self and sins and old nature in the water grave and emerging out of the water as new creations, resurrected and following Jesus Christ with our heart, soul, mind and strength.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. (Romans 6:5-7)
Baptism is a symbol of dying and rising, but there’s another layer of meaning. For Paul, baptism is an exodus image, a Passover image. Coming through the waters is an image of slaves getting freed.
Do you want to be a slave to sin? That’s how most people live, addicted to sin. It may or may not be alcohol or drugs, but any sin can control us, rule us, enslave us.
But Jesus has conquered sin. Jesus has conquered death. Last week we looked at the doctrine of justification by faith which is a part of the powerful gospel through which we are transformed into renewed human beings. The Messiah died and rose as a representative of his people, creating a new reality for the rescued, forgiven, and freed who follow him.
I know it feels as though we are still dragged down by sin, but Paul says remember who you are in the Messiah. We already stand on resurrected ground. We are set free from sin. We are not free to sin! We are to know this. We are to fill our minds with this truth.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. (Romans 6:8-10)
This is such great news! Jesus has conquered death. Once for all. He died to sin. If we die with him, we will also live with him…for the glory of God. We were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
A.W. Tozer, in writing about “The Deeper Life,” said,
To enter upon such a life, seekers must be ready to accept without question the New Testament as the one final authority on spiritual matters. They must be willing to make Christ the one supreme Lord and ruler in their lives. They must surrender their whole being to the destructive power of the cross, to die not only to their sins but to their righteousness as well as to everything in which they formerly prided themselves.
If this should seem like a heavy sacrifice for anyone to make, let it be remembered that Christ is Lord and can make any demands upon us that He chooses, even to the point of requiring that we deny ourselves and bear the cross daily. The mighty anointing of the Holy Spirit that follows will restore to the soul infinitely more than has been taken away. It is a hard way, but a glorious one. Those who have known the sweetness of it will never complain about what they have lost. They will be too well pleased with what they have gained.
That’s radical! But doesn’t it make sense? We can serve sin or God? But not both.
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:11)
Some translations say reckon yourselves dead to sin but alive to God. This is an accounting term. We must calculate ourselves, add it up. The Messiah has died and been raised. We’re in Christ so therefore we have died in him and are alive to God. This is our status. Reckon it. Count it. Deal with it!
Paul doesn’t say sin less. He does say manage your sin or try to avoid it. He says count yourselves dead to sin. But you can’t just eliminate something from your life. You must replace it with something else.
I’m told many alcoholics turn to smoking or even gum when they are trying to rid themselves of the bottle. If you want to stop eating donuts, keep some carrots handy. Die to sin…and come alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. (Romans 6:12-13)
We are to offer no part of ourselves to sin. This means our heart, soul, mind, and strength; our eyes, ears, mouth, hands, feet, thoughts, attitudes. God wants it all.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
Jesus says all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.
I believe the problem in our world is not “those people” who don’t know Christ. It’s those of us who call ourselves Christians and yet act nothing like Jesus. We may look religious on Sunday morning, but return to our sin on Monday. We give our leftovers in the offering plate if there’s anything left over after our binge shopping on Amazon.
Let me put it this way: my wife wants me to be faithful to her. 24/7/365. Is that unreasonable? What if I told her I would be devoted to her on Sundays but acted differently during the week?
Perhaps Jesus’ half-brother, James, says it best.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. (James 3:9-12)
What will it be? Sin or grace?
For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. (Romans 6:14)
Paul wants us to know the truth so the truth can set us free.
He wants us to have orthodoxy—right thinking—so we can engage in orthopraxy, right living.
We are dead to sin and alive to God.
We are to refuse sin’s reign in our lives.
We are to offer ourselves to God…completely. 100%
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. (Romans 6:15-18)
We can be slaves to sin or righteousness. It’s one or the other.
Obviously the word “slavery” has nothing but negative connotations in our culture. Tragically, there are more slaves on our planet today than at any time in history. A slave is subject to their master. Sin is a terrible, destructive master.
Becoming a servant of the Most High God, on the other hand, is a blessing, a privilege, a liberating, life-giving, satisfying experience.
I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. (Romans 6:19-22)
I love the contrast—death or eternal life. What do you choose?
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
This verse is often used to speak of non-Christians, but it was written to Christians.
When you serve a master, you can expect to be paid wages. Sin pays death. God pays holiness and eternal life.
The fruit of sin is shame.
The fruit of God is joy.
Death or the gift of God. What do you choose?
So What?
So much of what Paul seems to be addressing is the abuse of grace. If God forgives all of my sins, why not just eat, drink and be merry? In a word, death. Again, all sin leads to death of one kind or another. Words like holiness and righteousness have been abused to convey holier-than-thou and self-righteousness. That’s not at all what Paul’s talking about. He’s saying we need to choose—the world or God?
Later in Romans, Paul will write,
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1)
The problem with living sacrifices, of course, is they can move! They can get off the altar! We are to surrender to God, yield, live for Him, not because He’s a control freak, but because He knows us, loves us, and is the source of all life, hope, freedom, and peace.
We are to know we have been crucified with Christ and are dead to sin.
We are to reckon this to be true in our lives.
We are to yield and surrender our bodies to be used for God’s glory.
Once again I want to give you an opportunity to respond. There’s not one of us in this room who has lived a perfect week. We all sin and fall short of God’s glory. Where have you failed? What part of your body have you not fully surrendered? Maybe it’s your negative tongue, lustful eyes, or gluttonous stomach. Perhaps it’s an anxious and fearful heart or envious attitudes. Your feet might be taking you to unhealthy places or your hands are holding tightly onto your agenda and will rather than trusting God with your future.
Don’t think you can do it alone. You need the Holy Spirit. You also need other people. Celebrate Recovery meets on Wednesday nights not only for addicts but anyone struggling with grief, loss, pain, or temptation. That’s all of us! We have small groups that meet throughout the week.
We no longer have to be slaves to sin, but rather we are invited to become servants of the Most High God.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series—Romans: Faith’s Foundations
Romans 6
Series Overview: Romans is packed with the gospel and truths about our spiritual condition.
Big Idea: We are no longer slaves to sin, but rather servants of the Most High God.
We live in a very divisive society. Have you noticed? Dan Rogers likes to say everything seems to be binary. You are either a Republican and hate Democrats or you’re a Democrats and hate Republicans. The same can be said for Wolverines and Buckeyes or any number of categories. Where’s the nuance?
The older I get, I see less black and white and more gray. There is a middle. Compromise is often a possibility. For that matter, my dad taught me to always root for the Big Ten so this Wolverine boy even cheers for that school to our south…except the Saturday after Thanksgiving, of course!
Life can be very gray—and I don’t mean scarlet and gray—but there are some realities which are mutually exclusive and either/or. Jesus famously said,
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. (Matthew 6:24a, Luke 16:13a)
While he was speaking of God and money, a similar statement can be made of God and sin. You can serve God or sin. God or the world. God or self. We must choose. Daily. Hourly. Moment by moment.
Today we continue our series Faith’s Foundations, a run through Romans. We’re looking at the sixth chapter of this incredible book written by Paul to some of the first Christians in Rome. To quote Joshua 24:15, “choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.”
Last week we looked at the binary choice we have to make for our sins—eternal punishment or accepting the grace of Jesus. He died for us. Our only hope is not in our pathetic good works, but in the saving faith in Christ’s death and resurrection. Praise God for His amazing grace, unmerited favor, gift of salvation. Hallelujah!
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? (Romans 6:1-2)
Paul faced two extremes which are still rampant today, legalism and license. Some were preaching the importance of good works as if they could ever save us from eternal separation from a holy and perfect God. Others were saying since we have grace, let’s just do what we want because Jesus paid the price for all of our sins. Rather than legalism or license, we are to experience liberty.
If we set aside Judgment Day and eternity for a moment, sin is never beneficial. Think about your most troublesome sin, your most annoying temptation. Maybe it’s worry or gossip. It could be porn or unbridled anger. Perhaps it’s envy or workaholism. Whatever it is, how has it brought peace, joy, and satisfaction to your life? Exactly! It hasn’t! Sin only brings temporary pleasure. Like eating chocolate-covered poop, what follows is never worth it! Sin leads to death—death of relationships, finances, and sometimes even physical death. We have a real enemy who wants to steal, kill and destroy. He tempts, then accuses. He never plays fair!
Last Sunday we celebrated the joy of experience grace—forgiveness, peace, reconciliation with our Creator, hope…
Our response to God and the gift of the cross and empty tomb should never be the pursuit of sin, but rather the pursuit of God. You don’t say thank you for a gift by abusing it. You take care of it. You express your gratitude. You respond in love and kindness.
Jesus died for our sins. He set an example for us to follow—dying to sin. This doesn’t mean we accept Jesus and never sin. The battle continues, but our allegiance is no longer to satan and sin, but to our Savior and salvation. We have died to sin.
Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. (Romans 6:3-4)
The book of Ephesians is filled with a wonderful phrase—in Christ. It means that we are united with Christ. Everything that can be said about Jesus can be said about us. Water baptism brilliantly shows physically the spiritual reality of discipleship—dying to our self and sins and old nature in the water grave and emerging out of the water as new creations, resurrected and following Jesus Christ with our heart, soul, mind and strength.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. (Romans 6:5-7)
Baptism is a symbol of dying and rising, but there’s another layer of meaning. For Paul, baptism is an exodus image, a Passover image. Coming through the waters is an image of slaves getting freed.
Do you want to be a slave to sin? That’s how most people live, addicted to sin. It may or may not be alcohol or drugs, but any sin can control us, rule us, enslave us.
But Jesus has conquered sin. Jesus has conquered death. Last week we looked at the doctrine of justification by faith which is a part of the powerful gospel through which we are transformed into renewed human beings. The Messiah died and rose as a representative of his people, creating a new reality for the rescued, forgiven, and freed who follow him.
I know it feels as though we are still dragged down by sin, but Paul says remember who you are in the Messiah. We already stand on resurrected ground. We are set free from sin. We are not free to sin! We are to know this. We are to fill our minds with this truth.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. (Romans 6:8-10)
This is such great news! Jesus has conquered death. Once for all. He died to sin. If we die with him, we will also live with him…for the glory of God. We were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory.
A.W. Tozer, in writing about “The Deeper Life,” said,
To enter upon such a life, seekers must be ready to accept without question the New Testament as the one final authority on spiritual matters. They must be willing to make Christ the one supreme Lord and ruler in their lives. They must surrender their whole being to the destructive power of the cross, to die not only to their sins but to their righteousness as well as to everything in which they formerly prided themselves.
If this should seem like a heavy sacrifice for anyone to make, let it be remembered that Christ is Lord and can make any demands upon us that He chooses, even to the point of requiring that we deny ourselves and bear the cross daily. The mighty anointing of the Holy Spirit that follows will restore to the soul infinitely more than has been taken away. It is a hard way, but a glorious one. Those who have known the sweetness of it will never complain about what they have lost. They will be too well pleased with what they have gained.
That’s radical! But doesn’t it make sense? We can serve sin or God? But not both.
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:11)
Some translations say reckon yourselves dead to sin but alive to God. This is an accounting term. We must calculate ourselves, add it up. The Messiah has died and been raised. We’re in Christ so therefore we have died in him and are alive to God. This is our status. Reckon it. Count it. Deal with it!
Paul doesn’t say sin less. He does say manage your sin or try to avoid it. He says count yourselves dead to sin. But you can’t just eliminate something from your life. You must replace it with something else.
I’m told many alcoholics turn to smoking or even gum when they are trying to rid themselves of the bottle. If you want to stop eating donuts, keep some carrots handy. Die to sin…and come alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. (Romans 6:12-13)
We are to offer no part of ourselves to sin. This means our heart, soul, mind, and strength; our eyes, ears, mouth, hands, feet, thoughts, attitudes. God wants it all.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
Jesus says all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.
I believe the problem in our world is not “those people” who don’t know Christ. It’s those of us who call ourselves Christians and yet act nothing like Jesus. We may look religious on Sunday morning, but return to our sin on Monday. We give our leftovers in the offering plate if there’s anything left over after our binge shopping on Amazon.
Let me put it this way: my wife wants me to be faithful to her. 24/7/365. Is that unreasonable? What if I told her I would be devoted to her on Sundays but acted differently during the week?
Perhaps Jesus’ half-brother, James, says it best.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. (James 3:9-12)
What will it be? Sin or grace?
For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. (Romans 6:14)
Paul wants us to know the truth so the truth can set us free.
He wants us to have orthodoxy—right thinking—so we can engage in orthopraxy, right living.
We are dead to sin and alive to God.
We are to refuse sin’s reign in our lives.
We are to offer ourselves to God…completely. 100%
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. (Romans 6:15-18)
We can be slaves to sin or righteousness. It’s one or the other.
Obviously the word “slavery” has nothing but negative connotations in our culture. Tragically, there are more slaves on our planet today than at any time in history. A slave is subject to their master. Sin is a terrible, destructive master.
Becoming a servant of the Most High God, on the other hand, is a blessing, a privilege, a liberating, life-giving, satisfying experience.
I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. (Romans 6:19-22)
I love the contrast—death or eternal life. What do you choose?
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
This verse is often used to speak of non-Christians, but it was written to Christians.
When you serve a master, you can expect to be paid wages. Sin pays death. God pays holiness and eternal life.
The fruit of sin is shame.
The fruit of God is joy.
Death or the gift of God. What do you choose?
So What?
So much of what Paul seems to be addressing is the abuse of grace. If God forgives all of my sins, why not just eat, drink and be merry? In a word, death. Again, all sin leads to death of one kind or another. Words like holiness and righteousness have been abused to convey holier-than-thou and self-righteousness. That’s not at all what Paul’s talking about. He’s saying we need to choose—the world or God?
Later in Romans, Paul will write,
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1)
The problem with living sacrifices, of course, is they can move! They can get off the altar! We are to surrender to God, yield, live for Him, not because He’s a control freak, but because He knows us, loves us, and is the source of all life, hope, freedom, and peace.
We are to know we have been crucified with Christ and are dead to sin.
We are to reckon this to be true in our lives.
We are to yield and surrender our bodies to be used for God’s glory.
Once again I want to give you an opportunity to respond. There’s not one of us in this room who has lived a perfect week. We all sin and fall short of God’s glory. Where have you failed? What part of your body have you not fully surrendered? Maybe it’s your negative tongue, lustful eyes, or gluttonous stomach. Perhaps it’s an anxious and fearful heart or envious attitudes. Your feet might be taking you to unhealthy places or your hands are holding tightly onto your agenda and will rather than trusting God with your future.
Don’t think you can do it alone. You need the Holy Spirit. You also need other people. Celebrate Recovery meets on Wednesday nights not only for addicts but anyone struggling with grief, loss, pain, or temptation. That’s all of us! We have small groups that meet throughout the week.
We no longer have to be slaves to sin, but rather we are invited to become servants of the Most High God.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Abundant Grace, 21 October 2018
21 10 18
Abundant Grace: Justified by Faith
D6 Series—Romans: Faith’s Foundations
Romans 5
Series Overview: Romans is packed with the gospel and truths about our spiritual condition.
Big Idea: Because of God’s amazing grace, we can be justified by faith and have a right relationship with our Creator.
Clichés. We probably hear them every day. We probably say them every day. But do we understand them?
This past week Heather and I were blessed to be able to host a Japanese engineer in our home, a student at the University of Toledo’s American Language Institute. If you want to really confuse an English student, throw some clichés at them!
Cat got your tongue?
Read between the lines
He has his tail between his legs
Kiss and make up
Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed
They don’t translate well!
Today we’re continuing our series Faith’s Foundations, a run through Romans. Our text from chapter five is filled with phrases that can easily become clichés or Christianese. It’s essential we understand them…and apply them to our lives.
The Bible is filled with words which are uncommon in popular culture. Of course, the Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek—not English—so our Bibles contain translations of ancient languages. There are three words I want to define before we engage our text in Romans.
Grace is
- the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.
- the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.
- a virtue or excellence of divine origin
We’ve sung a lot about grace today.
Faith is
- confidence or trust in a person or thing
- belief that is not based on proof
- belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion
Justified is
- to acquit, declare righteous, declare innocent or guiltless, absolve
- the opposite of condemn.
Justification by faith means God declares the believing sinner righteous by faith because of Christ’s finished work on the cross.
It is the righteousness of Jesus plus the subtraction of sins.
It is an act, not a process.
God does it, not us.
We are not made righteous, but declared righteous.
Under the law, righteous came by behaving.
Under the gospel, righteous comes by believing.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)
What’s the therefore there for? Chapter 4 talks about how Abraham was justified by faith.
The Chamula people of southern Mexico have no single word for faith in their language. Needless to say, this passage was difficult for translators. Their understanding of faith is “taking-seriously-what-God-has-0obligated-himself-to-do.” Romans 5:1 could then be paraphrased, “Therefore, since we have been justified through taking seriously what God has obligated himself to do, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” That’s a mouthful, but what a brilliant reality!
They say the longest twelve inches is from the head to the heart, and I desperately want you to grasp how amazing God’s grace is, that God would send His precious son to die for us, for our sin, for our unrighteousness, for our junk.
Justified by faith
Peace through Christ
Access by faith into this grace
We have salvation, yes, but so much more.
By grace, we become children of God. Kids of the King! Joint heirs with Jesus!
Some translations of the Greek word for access, prosagogein, are “brought into” or “been allowed to enter.” Through Jesus, we are ushered into the very presence of Almighty God. That’s incredible! The curtain of the temple that separated humans from God was torn from top to bottom while Jesus surrendered his life on the cross.
Karl Barth wrote,
“Into the depth of our predicament the word is spoken from on high: By grace you have been saved! To be saved does not just mean to be a little encouraged, a little comforted, a little relieved. It means to be pulled out like a log from a burning fire. You have been saved! We are not told: you may be saved sometimes, or a little bit. No, you have been saved, totally for all times. You? Yes, we! Not just any other people, more pious and better than we are, no we, each one of us.
This is so because Jesus Christ is our brother and, through his life and death, has become our Savior who has wrought our salvation. He is the word of God for us. And this word is: By grace you have been saved!"
We have peace with God! This is not merely the absence of conflict, but shalom: every kind of blessing and good.
Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Through Jesus, we are reconciled to our heavenly Father. We have peace with God…even in the midst of turmoil and sufferings.
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:3-4)
This is a remarkable sequence. I thought about spending the whole morning on these two verses, though next month our series “When Life Gets Hard” will revisit them. At first, it sounds crazy to glory in our sufferings, but Paul does not say we glory because of our sufferings. He doesn’t say rejoice because of our sufferings. He says rejoice or glory in our sufferings, explaining an important sequence.
The first question we ask in the midst of suffering is…why? I’m here to tell you it’s not meaningless. According to this text, it’s ultimately hope. Suffering produces hope? Usually hope is what we need when suffering. Let’s unpack this briefly.
Suffering produces perseverance. This might best be illustrated in exercise. Several years ago, our oldest daughter wanted to train me for the Ann Arbor Turkey Trot, a 5K race. I told her I had never ran more than a mile and thought more than 3 miles would be impossible. She insisted, saying if I worked up to it, I could eventually run 3.107 miles without walking or stopping. She was right. The suffering of those first days of training strengthened my muscles and allowed me to persevere through longer runs—or more accurately jogs! Suffering produces perseverance.
Perseverance produces character. This makes sense, right? As you develop the ability to endure through difficult circumstances, your character is strengthened. You learn to trust in God more fully. You may grow more patience and willing to surrender control. You become rooted in prayer, in dependency upon God. Perseverance produces character.
Character produces hope. As we lean into God, we realize His resources are never-ending. We recognize our efforts are nothing compared to His abilities. As we advance on our knees, praying without ceasing, our understanding of our awesome God reveals promises, increases confidences, and assures us of the reality of His presence and power. Nothing is impossible with God. His love never fails. Character produces hope.
Therefore, we can glory in our sufferings. We’re not supposed to like our sufferings—I don’t—but we can see them as growth opportunities, chances to draw closer to God, moments to live by faith, not sight. Although you might not have any idea why your life is the way that it is, someday you might look in the rear view mirror and praise God for the way this season has shaped you into the image.
Remember, as Thomas George often says, you were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. It’s not all about you! It’s not all about me! It’s all about God and His glory! We can have hope of the glory of God. The purpose of our creation will be ultimately realized. As sinners, we fall short of the glory of God, but through Christ, we can boast in and experience the hope of the glory of God.
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:5)
This is a fantastic verse! Paul has moved from faith to hope to love. The Holy Spirit is given to every believer at their new birth and his love for us continues to live in us. Faith, hope, and love.
The opposite of faith, hope and love is doubt, despair, and hatred. We’ve got enough of that in our world!
Now Paul elaborates on justification by faith and grace.
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)
I get so excited about this passage! Jesus didn’t die for us because we were so good, but because we were so bad. That’s grace. We don’t deserve it. We can’t earn it. We’re not good enough. We’re not smart enough. We’re not rich enough. We’re not powerful enough. We’re not beautiful enough. We’re not educated enough. We were just pathetic sinners. We brought nothing to the table, yet God sent Jesus. Jesus died for us. That’s amazing grace!
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:9-11)
We have received reconciliation through Jesus. I love that word, reconciliation. We have it with our Creator. We are invited into a relationship with Almighty God despite our sin because of Jesus.
Even in our sophisticated, 21st century world, men, women and children around the globe are doing things to try to appease god, hoping their good works will produce karma or favor. Human efforts toward our Creator are pitiful! Picture 28-time Olympic medalist Michael Phelps’ two year-old son challenging dad to a swim race. Imagine LeBron James’ 11 year-old son trying to go one-on-one with his dad. Ludicrous!
Now imagine those boys instead going with dad to lunch. Eating with a legend? Just dining with dad! We have been reconciled to our heavenly Dad. We don’t need to try harder or out do Him. We can’t impress Him or outlast Him. We can’t out think Him. We can’t do anything to earn His love or affection or approval. He just loves His kids!
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come. (Romans 5:12-14)
Sin always leads to death—physical death, the death of relationships, spiritual death. Since Adam, we’ve all been sinners.
But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! (Romans 5:15-17)
God’s grace is infinitely more good than Adam’s sin was evil.
Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:18-19)
Are you getting the picture? Jesus reversed Adam. This does not mean everyone will be saved, unfortunately, but that salvation is available to everyone. Like any gift, the gift of God’s grace must be received. Have you received it?
The chapter concludes…
The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:20-21)
The law just showed how sinful are sin was, making grace even more profound.
So What?
There are two groups of people here today.
Some of you have never received the gift of God’s grace. You’ve tried to be good and failed. You’ve tried to be in control and have gotten frustrated. I’ve got great news for you: grace!
I often say one of the great differences between Christianity and any other religion I’ve ever seen is grace. Unmerited favor. It’s the greatest gift ever, offered freely for you to receive. Let go and let God. If you’ve never done that, I urge you to simply say, “Jesus, I’m a sinner. I’ve made a mess of my life. I believe you died and rose from the dead to offer salvation and forgiveness and reconciliation with my Creator. I surrender all. Be the leader and LORD of my life.”
Some of you have received the gift of God’s grace. You’ve confessed your sins, repented of your selfish ways, and surrendered to Jesus Christ. You need to worship, praise God, life your voice, offer thanksgiving to God. Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
Conclusion
To whom much is given, much is required. We have been showered with extravagant grace, unmerited favor from God. Now we go and extend grace to others. We forgive those who do not deserve to be forgiven. We are kind and generous to those who are not kind and generous. We bless those who curse us. We pray for our enemies. May we be a people of grace, conduits of faith, hope, and love.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series—Romans: Faith’s Foundations
Romans 5
Series Overview: Romans is packed with the gospel and truths about our spiritual condition.
Big Idea: Because of God’s amazing grace, we can be justified by faith and have a right relationship with our Creator.
Clichés. We probably hear them every day. We probably say them every day. But do we understand them?
This past week Heather and I were blessed to be able to host a Japanese engineer in our home, a student at the University of Toledo’s American Language Institute. If you want to really confuse an English student, throw some clichés at them!
Cat got your tongue?
Read between the lines
He has his tail between his legs
Kiss and make up
Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed
They don’t translate well!
Today we’re continuing our series Faith’s Foundations, a run through Romans. Our text from chapter five is filled with phrases that can easily become clichés or Christianese. It’s essential we understand them…and apply them to our lives.
The Bible is filled with words which are uncommon in popular culture. Of course, the Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek—not English—so our Bibles contain translations of ancient languages. There are three words I want to define before we engage our text in Romans.
Grace is
- the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.
- the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.
- a virtue or excellence of divine origin
We’ve sung a lot about grace today.
Faith is
- confidence or trust in a person or thing
- belief that is not based on proof
- belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion
Justified is
- to acquit, declare righteous, declare innocent or guiltless, absolve
- the opposite of condemn.
Justification by faith means God declares the believing sinner righteous by faith because of Christ’s finished work on the cross.
It is the righteousness of Jesus plus the subtraction of sins.
It is an act, not a process.
God does it, not us.
We are not made righteous, but declared righteous.
Under the law, righteous came by behaving.
Under the gospel, righteous comes by believing.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)
What’s the therefore there for? Chapter 4 talks about how Abraham was justified by faith.
The Chamula people of southern Mexico have no single word for faith in their language. Needless to say, this passage was difficult for translators. Their understanding of faith is “taking-seriously-what-God-has-0obligated-himself-to-do.” Romans 5:1 could then be paraphrased, “Therefore, since we have been justified through taking seriously what God has obligated himself to do, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” That’s a mouthful, but what a brilliant reality!
They say the longest twelve inches is from the head to the heart, and I desperately want you to grasp how amazing God’s grace is, that God would send His precious son to die for us, for our sin, for our unrighteousness, for our junk.
Justified by faith
Peace through Christ
Access by faith into this grace
We have salvation, yes, but so much more.
By grace, we become children of God. Kids of the King! Joint heirs with Jesus!
Some translations of the Greek word for access, prosagogein, are “brought into” or “been allowed to enter.” Through Jesus, we are ushered into the very presence of Almighty God. That’s incredible! The curtain of the temple that separated humans from God was torn from top to bottom while Jesus surrendered his life on the cross.
Karl Barth wrote,
“Into the depth of our predicament the word is spoken from on high: By grace you have been saved! To be saved does not just mean to be a little encouraged, a little comforted, a little relieved. It means to be pulled out like a log from a burning fire. You have been saved! We are not told: you may be saved sometimes, or a little bit. No, you have been saved, totally for all times. You? Yes, we! Not just any other people, more pious and better than we are, no we, each one of us.
This is so because Jesus Christ is our brother and, through his life and death, has become our Savior who has wrought our salvation. He is the word of God for us. And this word is: By grace you have been saved!"
We have peace with God! This is not merely the absence of conflict, but shalom: every kind of blessing and good.
Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Through Jesus, we are reconciled to our heavenly Father. We have peace with God…even in the midst of turmoil and sufferings.
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:3-4)
This is a remarkable sequence. I thought about spending the whole morning on these two verses, though next month our series “When Life Gets Hard” will revisit them. At first, it sounds crazy to glory in our sufferings, but Paul does not say we glory because of our sufferings. He doesn’t say rejoice because of our sufferings. He says rejoice or glory in our sufferings, explaining an important sequence.
The first question we ask in the midst of suffering is…why? I’m here to tell you it’s not meaningless. According to this text, it’s ultimately hope. Suffering produces hope? Usually hope is what we need when suffering. Let’s unpack this briefly.
Suffering produces perseverance. This might best be illustrated in exercise. Several years ago, our oldest daughter wanted to train me for the Ann Arbor Turkey Trot, a 5K race. I told her I had never ran more than a mile and thought more than 3 miles would be impossible. She insisted, saying if I worked up to it, I could eventually run 3.107 miles without walking or stopping. She was right. The suffering of those first days of training strengthened my muscles and allowed me to persevere through longer runs—or more accurately jogs! Suffering produces perseverance.
Perseverance produces character. This makes sense, right? As you develop the ability to endure through difficult circumstances, your character is strengthened. You learn to trust in God more fully. You may grow more patience and willing to surrender control. You become rooted in prayer, in dependency upon God. Perseverance produces character.
Character produces hope. As we lean into God, we realize His resources are never-ending. We recognize our efforts are nothing compared to His abilities. As we advance on our knees, praying without ceasing, our understanding of our awesome God reveals promises, increases confidences, and assures us of the reality of His presence and power. Nothing is impossible with God. His love never fails. Character produces hope.
Therefore, we can glory in our sufferings. We’re not supposed to like our sufferings—I don’t—but we can see them as growth opportunities, chances to draw closer to God, moments to live by faith, not sight. Although you might not have any idea why your life is the way that it is, someday you might look in the rear view mirror and praise God for the way this season has shaped you into the image.
Remember, as Thomas George often says, you were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. It’s not all about you! It’s not all about me! It’s all about God and His glory! We can have hope of the glory of God. The purpose of our creation will be ultimately realized. As sinners, we fall short of the glory of God, but through Christ, we can boast in and experience the hope of the glory of God.
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:5)
This is a fantastic verse! Paul has moved from faith to hope to love. The Holy Spirit is given to every believer at their new birth and his love for us continues to live in us. Faith, hope, and love.
The opposite of faith, hope and love is doubt, despair, and hatred. We’ve got enough of that in our world!
Now Paul elaborates on justification by faith and grace.
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)
I get so excited about this passage! Jesus didn’t die for us because we were so good, but because we were so bad. That’s grace. We don’t deserve it. We can’t earn it. We’re not good enough. We’re not smart enough. We’re not rich enough. We’re not powerful enough. We’re not beautiful enough. We’re not educated enough. We were just pathetic sinners. We brought nothing to the table, yet God sent Jesus. Jesus died for us. That’s amazing grace!
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:9-11)
We have received reconciliation through Jesus. I love that word, reconciliation. We have it with our Creator. We are invited into a relationship with Almighty God despite our sin because of Jesus.
Even in our sophisticated, 21st century world, men, women and children around the globe are doing things to try to appease god, hoping their good works will produce karma or favor. Human efforts toward our Creator are pitiful! Picture 28-time Olympic medalist Michael Phelps’ two year-old son challenging dad to a swim race. Imagine LeBron James’ 11 year-old son trying to go one-on-one with his dad. Ludicrous!
Now imagine those boys instead going with dad to lunch. Eating with a legend? Just dining with dad! We have been reconciled to our heavenly Dad. We don’t need to try harder or out do Him. We can’t impress Him or outlast Him. We can’t out think Him. We can’t do anything to earn His love or affection or approval. He just loves His kids!
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come. (Romans 5:12-14)
Sin always leads to death—physical death, the death of relationships, spiritual death. Since Adam, we’ve all been sinners.
But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! (Romans 5:15-17)
God’s grace is infinitely more good than Adam’s sin was evil.
Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:18-19)
Are you getting the picture? Jesus reversed Adam. This does not mean everyone will be saved, unfortunately, but that salvation is available to everyone. Like any gift, the gift of God’s grace must be received. Have you received it?
The chapter concludes…
The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:20-21)
The law just showed how sinful are sin was, making grace even more profound.
So What?
There are two groups of people here today.
Some of you have never received the gift of God’s grace. You’ve tried to be good and failed. You’ve tried to be in control and have gotten frustrated. I’ve got great news for you: grace!
I often say one of the great differences between Christianity and any other religion I’ve ever seen is grace. Unmerited favor. It’s the greatest gift ever, offered freely for you to receive. Let go and let God. If you’ve never done that, I urge you to simply say, “Jesus, I’m a sinner. I’ve made a mess of my life. I believe you died and rose from the dead to offer salvation and forgiveness and reconciliation with my Creator. I surrender all. Be the leader and LORD of my life.”
Some of you have received the gift of God’s grace. You’ve confessed your sins, repented of your selfish ways, and surrendered to Jesus Christ. You need to worship, praise God, life your voice, offer thanksgiving to God. Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
Conclusion
To whom much is given, much is required. We have been showered with extravagant grace, unmerited favor from God. Now we go and extend grace to others. We forgive those who do not deserve to be forgiven. We are kind and generous to those who are not kind and generous. We bless those who curse us. We pray for our enemies. May we be a people of grace, conduits of faith, hope, and love.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
The Cure for Sin, 14 October 2018
14 10 18
The Cure for Sin
D6 Series—Romans: Faith’s Foundation
Romans 3:10-31
Series Overview: Romans is packed with the gospel and truths about our spiritual condition.
Big Idea: The only hope we have as sinners is not our works, but Jesus.
It was almost exactly one year ago that my body started doing strange things. One day I felt great, the next I had a fever. The next day I was fine. Then my temperature would go well past 100 degrees…at times around 104. What was happening?
It took days in the hospital before I was diagnosed with Malaria, an unwelcome souvenir from my time training pastors in Africa months earlier. It was such a relief to know the problem. It sounds odd to say, but I was glad I tested positive for the disease because it took the guesswork out of the situation and we are able to proceed to treatment.
I was also relieved to learn of the treatment—essentially some medicine which took effective in minutes, curing me of this debilitating illness that could’ve eventually taken my life.
Whether you know it or not, you are sick. You were born with a deadly disease. It is responsible for everything that’s wrong in our world—homelessness, addiction, divorce, violence, corruption, greed, abuse, and anything else you’d love to eliminate. The disease we all have is called sin.
Contrary to the self-proclaimed experts who have never had children, we are not born good and innocent. Nobody has to teach us to say, “No!” But what do we do about it? What is the cure for sin? I’m so glad you asked!
Romans chapter three paints an awful portrait of the human condition featuring a collection of Old Testament quotations (Psalm 14:1-3; 5:9; 140:3; 10:7; Isaiah 59:7-8; Psalm 36:1).
As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one; Romans 3:10
there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God. Romans 3:11
All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.” Romans 3:12
“Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit.”
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.” Romans 3:13
“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” Romans 3:14
“Their feet are swift to shed blood; Romans 3:15
ruin and misery mark their ways, Romans 3:16
and the way of peace they do not know.” Romans 3:17
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Romans 3:18
These are not all word-for-word quotes from the Old Testament, but they convey the message quite clearly: we are all under the power of sin. We’re born with it. We practice it. It’s a deadly disease. The entire human race is lost in sin.
Are you looking for a loophole? An exception? Look again!
“There is no one righteous, not even one;
there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.” (Romans 3:10-12)
The Jews were given the Law to follow. It contained dietary restrictions, …
Paul’s Roman audience was wrestling with Jew/Gentile relationships and distinctions. Many early Christians were Jews—like Jesus! As the faith spread to graft in Gentiles, numerous questions arose such as whether or not a kosher diet was required.
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. (Romans 3:19-20)
It was impossible to follow the Law perfectly. Even the most self-righteous Jew sinned (perhaps most of all because of their self-righteous pride!). Being devoted to the Law wasn’t a bad thing in and of itself, but legalism and judgment arose as a result. The Law revealed sin and the need for a savior.
The only cure for sin is…Jesus.
Like my Malaria meds, Jesus changes everything! Hallelujah!
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:21-24)
The Law cannot provide salvation because nobody can keep the Law perfectly. Righteousness is found only through faith in Jesus and his work on the cross. We all sin. We all fall short of the glory of God. The original Greek means “to miss the mark.” It’s like shooting an arrow that doesn’t even make it to the target.
God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:25-26)
God is just. He always does what is morally right and fair. As much as we might want Him to bend the rules and excuse our sins, it’s impossible. Payment must be made. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was sufficient. We are all justified by the same God through the same way, faith in Jesus. We all fall short and miss the mark, and we are all invited to humbly trust in and serve Jesus, embracing the redemption accomplished on the cross.
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law. (Romans 3:27-31)
You are not a good person!
I am not a good person!
We might be better than some—we might sin less—but we are not sinless.
Two weeks ago I heard a former Muslim share her remarkable story. As she compared and contrasted Islam with Christianity, she expressed how the Qur’an says God loves the righteous…but no one is righteous…so no one is loved by God.
Islam and Christianity have a lot in common, but the differences are stark.
The Bible says God loves the righteous…but no one is righteous…so God sent Jesus!
Please don’t miss this, family. If you are a mature follower of Jesus, it’s great that you don’t sin as much, but don’t ever think for a moment that you are good. The prophet Isaiah declared,
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6a)
The actual Hebrew translation means our good deeds are like soiled feminine hygiene products! That’s not too impressive!
I’m not trying to dis, depress, or discourage you, but I can’t emphasize this point enough.
God is holy. We are not.
God is righteous. We are not.
God is perfect. We are not.
God is awesome. We are not.
Even the most godly among us are so far from God’s standard it’s laughable. It’s like trying to jump up and touch the ceiling. You might be able to get a little closer than I can, but none of us can even imagine being able to reach it on our own.
But Jesus is our lift! With him, we can touch the ceiling, but no person in their right mind would take credit for touching the ceiling as they stand on a lift! This is why Paul asked,
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. (Romans 3:27a)
Family, we are commanded to do good works, but they can never save us. They are merely the expression of our gratitude, love and obedience. Our salvation is only by God’s grace. Unmerited favor. Jesus’ death and resurrection. Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus in Turkey,
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Once Paul has made that clear, he adds,
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
We cannot save ourselves. All of our efforts, abilities, character, wise choices, kind deeds, church attendance, Bible study and memorization, financial gifts, and acts of service combined are not even close to being adequate. But while our good deeds can never earn our salvation, our salvation will result in good deeds. Even our good works are not of ourselves, but the result of God within us, the Holy Spirit filling us. The best we can do on our own is self-righteous, hypocritical religion worth nothing more than “filthy rags.”
Put that way, even the best of us is really not all that better than the most notorious criminal in our city. You might have a four foot vertical leap and they might have a four inch vertical leap but they’re both pitiful in attempting to touch the ceiling. And in reality, our separation from perfection is more like trying to touch the moon (in which case Jesus is our rocket ship!).
So What?
Last week we talked about a variety of sins mentioned in the first chapter of Romans. I want to modify an expression I’ve heard many Christians make.
Love the sinner. Hate your own sin.
It amazes me how often I hear people criticizing others, especially Christians condemning non-Christians. Where in the Bible does it say we are to judge non-Christians? You and I have enough of our own mess to clean up! There is a time and place to admonish one another in love within the family, but expecting non-Christians to behave like Christians is ridiculous!
Pastor Tim Keller was recently interviewed on television. Quoting Francis Schaeffer, Keller said, “If you preach judgement without tears, you don’t have Jesus’ spirit.” He explained how Jesus delivered messages of judgement with compassion, and how God “doesn’t enjoy judging people.” He added, “We’re not supposed to enjoy condemning people,” adding that most parents don’t enjoy discipling their children, but many Christians enjoy condemning people.
Instead, we are privileged to share the gospel—good news—and let people know help is available. Hope is available. Jesus loves them—and you—enough to provide an alternative to eternal death. Jesus died to reconcile us to our Holy Heavenly Father. Peace, joy, meaning, purpose, forgiveness, and love are outrageously offered to us as a gift from God if we merely repent and believe, accept and receive, surrender and follow.
The longer you are a follower of Jesus, the more tempted you may be to think of yourself as a good person. Without Christ, we are all hopeless, helpless, and dead. But praise God, we are invited to follow Jesus, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and experience abundant life here and beyond the grace.
One More Thing
Somehow many people have been led to believe if they just pray a prayer, they’re given an automatic Get Out Of Hell Free card. Just believe in God and do what you want. Jesus’ half brother wrote,
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. (James 2:18-19)
Jesus himself said,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
The cure for sin is God’s amazing grace through Jesus’s death and resurrection. Making Jesus both Savior and LORD requires a complete surrender, which should be our natural response to the gift of Christ.
These messages in Romans have been sobering. They’re not fun, but they’re true. Sin is real. Judgment Day is real. Are you ready?
It’s not easy but quite simple. Die.
Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people come to life. But they have to die first. They must surrender. They must get off the throne of their lives and let God be leader, king, master, LORD. It’s not a one-and-done thing but a daily surrender, picking up our cross each day and following Jesus.
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23
In closing, let me remind you of this beautiful promise:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
That’s good news! Hallelujah!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series—Romans: Faith’s Foundation
Romans 3:10-31
Series Overview: Romans is packed with the gospel and truths about our spiritual condition.
Big Idea: The only hope we have as sinners is not our works, but Jesus.
It was almost exactly one year ago that my body started doing strange things. One day I felt great, the next I had a fever. The next day I was fine. Then my temperature would go well past 100 degrees…at times around 104. What was happening?
It took days in the hospital before I was diagnosed with Malaria, an unwelcome souvenir from my time training pastors in Africa months earlier. It was such a relief to know the problem. It sounds odd to say, but I was glad I tested positive for the disease because it took the guesswork out of the situation and we are able to proceed to treatment.
I was also relieved to learn of the treatment—essentially some medicine which took effective in minutes, curing me of this debilitating illness that could’ve eventually taken my life.
Whether you know it or not, you are sick. You were born with a deadly disease. It is responsible for everything that’s wrong in our world—homelessness, addiction, divorce, violence, corruption, greed, abuse, and anything else you’d love to eliminate. The disease we all have is called sin.
Contrary to the self-proclaimed experts who have never had children, we are not born good and innocent. Nobody has to teach us to say, “No!” But what do we do about it? What is the cure for sin? I’m so glad you asked!
Romans chapter three paints an awful portrait of the human condition featuring a collection of Old Testament quotations (Psalm 14:1-3; 5:9; 140:3; 10:7; Isaiah 59:7-8; Psalm 36:1).
As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one; Romans 3:10
there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God. Romans 3:11
All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.” Romans 3:12
“Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit.”
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.” Romans 3:13
“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” Romans 3:14
“Their feet are swift to shed blood; Romans 3:15
ruin and misery mark their ways, Romans 3:16
and the way of peace they do not know.” Romans 3:17
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Romans 3:18
These are not all word-for-word quotes from the Old Testament, but they convey the message quite clearly: we are all under the power of sin. We’re born with it. We practice it. It’s a deadly disease. The entire human race is lost in sin.
Are you looking for a loophole? An exception? Look again!
“There is no one righteous, not even one;
there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.” (Romans 3:10-12)
The Jews were given the Law to follow. It contained dietary restrictions, …
Paul’s Roman audience was wrestling with Jew/Gentile relationships and distinctions. Many early Christians were Jews—like Jesus! As the faith spread to graft in Gentiles, numerous questions arose such as whether or not a kosher diet was required.
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. (Romans 3:19-20)
It was impossible to follow the Law perfectly. Even the most self-righteous Jew sinned (perhaps most of all because of their self-righteous pride!). Being devoted to the Law wasn’t a bad thing in and of itself, but legalism and judgment arose as a result. The Law revealed sin and the need for a savior.
The only cure for sin is…Jesus.
Like my Malaria meds, Jesus changes everything! Hallelujah!
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:21-24)
The Law cannot provide salvation because nobody can keep the Law perfectly. Righteousness is found only through faith in Jesus and his work on the cross. We all sin. We all fall short of the glory of God. The original Greek means “to miss the mark.” It’s like shooting an arrow that doesn’t even make it to the target.
God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:25-26)
God is just. He always does what is morally right and fair. As much as we might want Him to bend the rules and excuse our sins, it’s impossible. Payment must be made. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was sufficient. We are all justified by the same God through the same way, faith in Jesus. We all fall short and miss the mark, and we are all invited to humbly trust in and serve Jesus, embracing the redemption accomplished on the cross.
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law. (Romans 3:27-31)
You are not a good person!
I am not a good person!
We might be better than some—we might sin less—but we are not sinless.
Two weeks ago I heard a former Muslim share her remarkable story. As she compared and contrasted Islam with Christianity, she expressed how the Qur’an says God loves the righteous…but no one is righteous…so no one is loved by God.
Islam and Christianity have a lot in common, but the differences are stark.
The Bible says God loves the righteous…but no one is righteous…so God sent Jesus!
Please don’t miss this, family. If you are a mature follower of Jesus, it’s great that you don’t sin as much, but don’t ever think for a moment that you are good. The prophet Isaiah declared,
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6a)
The actual Hebrew translation means our good deeds are like soiled feminine hygiene products! That’s not too impressive!
I’m not trying to dis, depress, or discourage you, but I can’t emphasize this point enough.
God is holy. We are not.
God is righteous. We are not.
God is perfect. We are not.
God is awesome. We are not.
Even the most godly among us are so far from God’s standard it’s laughable. It’s like trying to jump up and touch the ceiling. You might be able to get a little closer than I can, but none of us can even imagine being able to reach it on our own.
But Jesus is our lift! With him, we can touch the ceiling, but no person in their right mind would take credit for touching the ceiling as they stand on a lift! This is why Paul asked,
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. (Romans 3:27a)
Family, we are commanded to do good works, but they can never save us. They are merely the expression of our gratitude, love and obedience. Our salvation is only by God’s grace. Unmerited favor. Jesus’ death and resurrection. Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus in Turkey,
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Once Paul has made that clear, he adds,
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
We cannot save ourselves. All of our efforts, abilities, character, wise choices, kind deeds, church attendance, Bible study and memorization, financial gifts, and acts of service combined are not even close to being adequate. But while our good deeds can never earn our salvation, our salvation will result in good deeds. Even our good works are not of ourselves, but the result of God within us, the Holy Spirit filling us. The best we can do on our own is self-righteous, hypocritical religion worth nothing more than “filthy rags.”
Put that way, even the best of us is really not all that better than the most notorious criminal in our city. You might have a four foot vertical leap and they might have a four inch vertical leap but they’re both pitiful in attempting to touch the ceiling. And in reality, our separation from perfection is more like trying to touch the moon (in which case Jesus is our rocket ship!).
So What?
Last week we talked about a variety of sins mentioned in the first chapter of Romans. I want to modify an expression I’ve heard many Christians make.
Love the sinner. Hate your own sin.
It amazes me how often I hear people criticizing others, especially Christians condemning non-Christians. Where in the Bible does it say we are to judge non-Christians? You and I have enough of our own mess to clean up! There is a time and place to admonish one another in love within the family, but expecting non-Christians to behave like Christians is ridiculous!
Pastor Tim Keller was recently interviewed on television. Quoting Francis Schaeffer, Keller said, “If you preach judgement without tears, you don’t have Jesus’ spirit.” He explained how Jesus delivered messages of judgement with compassion, and how God “doesn’t enjoy judging people.” He added, “We’re not supposed to enjoy condemning people,” adding that most parents don’t enjoy discipling their children, but many Christians enjoy condemning people.
Instead, we are privileged to share the gospel—good news—and let people know help is available. Hope is available. Jesus loves them—and you—enough to provide an alternative to eternal death. Jesus died to reconcile us to our Holy Heavenly Father. Peace, joy, meaning, purpose, forgiveness, and love are outrageously offered to us as a gift from God if we merely repent and believe, accept and receive, surrender and follow.
The longer you are a follower of Jesus, the more tempted you may be to think of yourself as a good person. Without Christ, we are all hopeless, helpless, and dead. But praise God, we are invited to follow Jesus, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and experience abundant life here and beyond the grace.
One More Thing
Somehow many people have been led to believe if they just pray a prayer, they’re given an automatic Get Out Of Hell Free card. Just believe in God and do what you want. Jesus’ half brother wrote,
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. (James 2:18-19)
Jesus himself said,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
The cure for sin is God’s amazing grace through Jesus’s death and resurrection. Making Jesus both Savior and LORD requires a complete surrender, which should be our natural response to the gift of Christ.
These messages in Romans have been sobering. They’re not fun, but they’re true. Sin is real. Judgment Day is real. Are you ready?
It’s not easy but quite simple. Die.
Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people come to life. But they have to die first. They must surrender. They must get off the throne of their lives and let God be leader, king, master, LORD. It’s not a one-and-done thing but a daily surrender, picking up our cross each day and following Jesus.
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23
In closing, let me remind you of this beautiful promise:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
That’s good news! Hallelujah!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
The Curse of Sin, 7 October 2018
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The Curse of Sin
D6 Series—Romans: Faith’s Foundation
Romans 1:16-32
Series Overview: Romans is packed with the gospel and truths about our spiritual condition.
Big Idea: Sin has destroyed what once was paradise, and threatens us every day.
If you recall the story of creation in the opening pages of the Bible, God created a universe so vast scientists have only scratched the surface on its size and beauty. God called it good.
What happened?
In a word, sin.
My name is Kirk and today we’re beginning a new series, Faith’s Foundations, looking at selections from the book of Romans. Rather than a deep examination of every word, this will be more of a run through Romans, capturing the big ideas. I encourage you to read a chapter or two each week, digging deeper to mine for nuggets of wisdom and application.
Many a preacher has spent years preaching through the book of Romans. While each of the 66 books of the Bible is God-breathed truth, many people have their favorites, and Romans is often on their list.
Martin Luther said, “It is the chief part of the New Testament and the perfect gospel… the absolute epitome of the gospel.”
Samuel Coleridge, English poet and literary critic, called it, “The most profound work in existence.”
Warren Wiersbe writes,
“When you study Romans, you walk into a courtroom. First, Paul called Jews and Gentiles to the stand and found both guilty before God. Then he explained God’s marvelous way of salvation—justification by faith. At this point, he answered his accusers and defended God’s salvation. “This plan of salvation will encourage people to sin!” they cry. “It is against the very law of God!” But Paul refuted them, and in so doing explained how the Christian can experience victory, liberty, and security.”
The year is AD 57. Saul, the great Jewish leader and persecutor of Christians, has converted to follow Jesus. His name is changed to Paul and he writes from Corinth in Greece to early Christians in Rome, Italy, a place he had never experienced but one he was hoping to visit on his way to Spain after delivering money to the Jerusalem church.
I must confess I wrote this sermon and felt very unsettled by it. There’s a lot of bad news, quite frankly. Our text for today is not the warm, positive, happy stuff that tickles the ears, but sometimes the truth hurts.
After further wrestling, I felt led to change the order, so if you turn to Romans chapter one, we’re going to jump ahead and then back up…not unlike a movie that time shifts. Romans 1, beginning with verse 18. Paul’s talking about sinners who have rejected God.
Rather than teaching evolution—the idea of humanity advancing through increasingly favorable characteristics, our passage today teaches devolution, starting high and sinking because of the curse of sin dating back to the Garden of Eden and Adam and Eve. First, Paul describes the devolution of intelligence.
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:18-20)
God’s wrath. I told you this isn’t pretty! Paul’s saying God has revealed Himself to people yet they reject Him.
Paul’s writing about general revelation. Even people who have never touched a Bible can look around at nature and acknowledge this couldn’t have been an accident. Someone must be behind the universe. It says truth is plain and clearly seen—a paradox given the reference to God’s invisible qualities! They are also understood, ongoing, and it reveals God’s eternal power and divine nature.
We are born with some understanding of right and wrong.
We are born with the ability to choose right and wrong.
But our moral standards are always better than our behavior.
This is devolution of intelligence. Next, we see devolution from ignorance.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. (Romans 1:21-23)
You might recall the first two of the Ten Commandments: no other gods and no idols. Those sound so simple, yet every day I want to make myself god. I want control. I might not worship statues of animals, but there are other things I’m tempted to worship, things to which I give my time, money and energy which might not glorify God. It’s easy to replace God with the worship of success, wealth, or even family. It’s tempting to devote too much time, money and energy to even good things like travel, leisure and career while subtly turning them into idols above God.
Indulgence is the next step of devolution.
Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. (Romans 1:24-25)
It says “amen,” so let’s pause for a moment. Does this happen anymore? The media has had a field day with people—many so-called godly people, including pastors, who have gone out of control.
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. (Romans 1:26-27)
Is homosexuality in the Bible? Here’s but one example. Do I need to help you understand what Paul is saying? I don’t write the mail, I just deliver it!
When we continually reject God, at some point He rejects us. He “gives us over” to our sinful desires, our shameful lusts. I’ve heard some people describe their behaviors and say, “I don’t feel any guilt or shame so God must be ok with it,” unaware that God has left them. There’s no conviction because there’s no Holy Spirit! That’s a scary place to be!
I must add no person is hopeless. No one is beyond God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Prodigals can always come home. Hallelujah!
But when God gives you over to your sinful desires, watch out!
Sexual sins—both heterosexual and homosexual—are frequently highlighted in these discussions, and for good reason. Elsewhere, Paul wrote,
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. (1 Corinthians 6:18)
I must add sex is a beautiful gift of God, but like any gift it has boundaries. A new car is great, but don’t drive on the left side of the road (unless you’re in England!). Medicine might be useful, but don’t down the whole bottle. Sex is wonderful…in a marriage.
But family, the list of sins goes far beyond sexual immorality.
Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. (Romans 1:28)
Here we come to devolution through impenitence, the opposite of repentance, having no shame or regret. They not only commit sin, they virtually celebrate it.
It’s as if God just throws in the towel and says, “You’re on your own.”
They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. (Romans 1:29-30)
That’s a harrowing list! Who does that remind you of? None of you, I’m sure!
There’s one phrase in there that I’ve always found fascinating: they invent ways of doing evil. That’s a whole new meaning of the word “creative!” When I first heard about partial-birth abortion this phrase came to mind. Who could imagine such a procedure on a baby just moments from birth? It’s like something from Nazi Germany. Thank goodness it was banned in 2003.
Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:31-32)
It’s as if they say, “Let’s have a festival, throw a parade, celebrate our sin!”
Imagine the Father’s heart.
Who is Paul describing in all of this? It could very well describe our world today, couldn’t it? In virtually all western nations, there is a significant decline in Christianity, whether you measure church attendance, baptisms, Bible reading, or whatever. Some have declared their opposition to God, but I think far more have simply drifted away from God as a true priority in their lives. This week I was listening to a podcast about a church plant—a new startup church—and the host was troubled by the reality he considered himself to be a Christian, but he hadn’t been to church in over a year. He wasn’t even sure why he stopped feeding his faith, but I bet he just got busy with work, social media, entertainment, friends, and life.
It's a slippery slope, family. One missed Sunday becomes a month becomes a year. One day without listening to God through the Bible can easily become a dusty book. Disciples of prayer, fasting, solitude, silence, celebration, worship, and giving are radical, counter-cultural, and easily lost. Temptation lurks all around, and so many people “out there” used to be “in here.” Let me be clear, the goal isn’t going to church. We are the church! But the goal is to love God, love others as we love ourselves, and make disciples—and you simply can’t do that alone. Following Jesus is a team sport. It’s a family matter.
So what are we to do with these frightening words from Paul? What are we to do about the crazy world in which we live? Should we just all move to South Carolina, take over the government, and succeed from the Union? I actually heard someone suggest that several years ago!
No! We are to lean into God, acknowledge His holiness, repent of our sins, and be fully engaged in His mission…to seek and save the lost. We’re on a mission from God! As we noted last Sunday in stating one of the core values of the Christian & Missionary Alliance,
Lost people matter to God. He wants them found.
So let’s go back to verse sixteen of Romans chapter one.
Paul says,
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. (Romans 1:16)
What is the gospel? We’ve examined this before.
Tragically, when many hear “gospel” they jump to personal salvation. They might say, “The gospel is I get my sins forgiven” or “I get to go to heaven when I die.” The gospel is first and foremost about Jesus, not us. We benefit from the good news of the gospel, but it is fundamentally about King Jesus the Messiah. The original readers of Romans never would’ve thought of the afterlife when Paul mentions salvation, instead bringing to mind deliverance, whether personal or national in the Roman empire.
The gospel is good news
In a word, the gospel is Jesus.
In three words, the gospel is Jesus is LORD.
One of my seminary professors, Scot McKnight, has said,
“…the word gospel was used in the world of Jews at the time of the apostles to announce something, to declare something as good news — the word evangelion always means good news. “To gospel” is to herald, to proclaim, and to declare something about something. To put this together: the gospel is to announce good news about key events in the life of Jesus Christ. To gospel for Paul was to tell, announce, declare, and shout aloud the Story of Jesus Christ as the saving news of God.”
Good news needs to be shared, declared, shouted. We need to proclaim King Jesus in our words and deeds to our city and world.
Do you know Jesus?
Do your friends know Jesus?
Do your neighbors know Jesus?
Do your enemies know Jesus?
This is really serious, especially in a culture filled with violence, suicide, overdoses, and fatal accidents. I’m not trying to be morbid, but merely point out tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us—ourselves or those around us.
For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)
The righteousness of God is the theme of Romans. It may sound distant to our modern ears, but you’ll hear it often. The idea of righteousness is used over sixty times in this letter. Some scholars view righteousness as the gift of right standing given by God to those who believe. Others see it as the activity of God by which He saves His people. Suffice it to say the theme involves the act of God giving and humans receiving. As the gospel is preached and people repent and believe, transformation occurs. A new relationship is established between us and Holy God. It’s because of faith—by faith unto faith.
“The righteous will live by faith” may seem obvious and insignificant, but those in Rome would be very familiar with this phrase, a quote from Habakkuk 2:4. Life before God demands our complete allegiance to God. It means we trust Him and are given a new life and a new lifestyle.
Why does Paul make such a big deal about righteousness? It’s because the Roman world was filled with unrighteousness. Perhaps not unlike ours, the news was not good, the people were not godly, the world seemed to be headed in the wrong direction.
So What?
It’s easy to think these verses apply to “those people,” the drug dealers and prostitutes and whatever. The reality is my heart is wicked. My hands are dirty. I’m greedy. I’ve committed murder and adultery by Jesus’ definitions. The pride and arrogance that got Lucifer kicked out of heaven is in me. I’m a self-righteous recovering Pharisee. I fail to love others, instead caring about my best interests.
God’s standard is perfection. That includes what you did or didn’t do today as well as every moment of your past. I want to ask you one simple question: are you right before God? One day you and I will stand before the Almighty and have to give an account for how we lived this one life—how we cared for the poor, treated the orphan, welcomed the stranger, visited the imprisoned, spent our money, invested our time, loved our neighbor. It’s sobering to think about, but Judgment Day is coming. I don’t like to talk about it, but because I love you I must. The reality is we all far short of God’s mark of perfection. One sin or a million, big or small, it doesn’t matter. We’re all hopeless…without Jesus.
The bad news is we’re all messed up.
The good news—the great news—is Jesus loved each of us enough to die on the cross for us. He offers to pay in full our debt, our punishment for our sins. He offers to clean our slate if we repent and believe, turn and follow, seek and surrender.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
This includes heterosexual sins, homosexual sins, greed, gossip, self-righteousness, murder, abuse, addiction, lying, deceit, theft, porn, rage, drunkenness, whatever! Hallelujah!
The righteous will live by faith and we can only be righteous because of the body and blood of Jesus, the perfect sacrifice we remember today.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series—Romans: Faith’s Foundation
Romans 1:16-32
Series Overview: Romans is packed with the gospel and truths about our spiritual condition.
Big Idea: Sin has destroyed what once was paradise, and threatens us every day.
If you recall the story of creation in the opening pages of the Bible, God created a universe so vast scientists have only scratched the surface on its size and beauty. God called it good.
What happened?
In a word, sin.
My name is Kirk and today we’re beginning a new series, Faith’s Foundations, looking at selections from the book of Romans. Rather than a deep examination of every word, this will be more of a run through Romans, capturing the big ideas. I encourage you to read a chapter or two each week, digging deeper to mine for nuggets of wisdom and application.
Many a preacher has spent years preaching through the book of Romans. While each of the 66 books of the Bible is God-breathed truth, many people have their favorites, and Romans is often on their list.
Martin Luther said, “It is the chief part of the New Testament and the perfect gospel… the absolute epitome of the gospel.”
Samuel Coleridge, English poet and literary critic, called it, “The most profound work in existence.”
Warren Wiersbe writes,
“When you study Romans, you walk into a courtroom. First, Paul called Jews and Gentiles to the stand and found both guilty before God. Then he explained God’s marvelous way of salvation—justification by faith. At this point, he answered his accusers and defended God’s salvation. “This plan of salvation will encourage people to sin!” they cry. “It is against the very law of God!” But Paul refuted them, and in so doing explained how the Christian can experience victory, liberty, and security.”
The year is AD 57. Saul, the great Jewish leader and persecutor of Christians, has converted to follow Jesus. His name is changed to Paul and he writes from Corinth in Greece to early Christians in Rome, Italy, a place he had never experienced but one he was hoping to visit on his way to Spain after delivering money to the Jerusalem church.
I must confess I wrote this sermon and felt very unsettled by it. There’s a lot of bad news, quite frankly. Our text for today is not the warm, positive, happy stuff that tickles the ears, but sometimes the truth hurts.
After further wrestling, I felt led to change the order, so if you turn to Romans chapter one, we’re going to jump ahead and then back up…not unlike a movie that time shifts. Romans 1, beginning with verse 18. Paul’s talking about sinners who have rejected God.
Rather than teaching evolution—the idea of humanity advancing through increasingly favorable characteristics, our passage today teaches devolution, starting high and sinking because of the curse of sin dating back to the Garden of Eden and Adam and Eve. First, Paul describes the devolution of intelligence.
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:18-20)
God’s wrath. I told you this isn’t pretty! Paul’s saying God has revealed Himself to people yet they reject Him.
Paul’s writing about general revelation. Even people who have never touched a Bible can look around at nature and acknowledge this couldn’t have been an accident. Someone must be behind the universe. It says truth is plain and clearly seen—a paradox given the reference to God’s invisible qualities! They are also understood, ongoing, and it reveals God’s eternal power and divine nature.
We are born with some understanding of right and wrong.
We are born with the ability to choose right and wrong.
But our moral standards are always better than our behavior.
This is devolution of intelligence. Next, we see devolution from ignorance.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. (Romans 1:21-23)
You might recall the first two of the Ten Commandments: no other gods and no idols. Those sound so simple, yet every day I want to make myself god. I want control. I might not worship statues of animals, but there are other things I’m tempted to worship, things to which I give my time, money and energy which might not glorify God. It’s easy to replace God with the worship of success, wealth, or even family. It’s tempting to devote too much time, money and energy to even good things like travel, leisure and career while subtly turning them into idols above God.
Indulgence is the next step of devolution.
Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. (Romans 1:24-25)
It says “amen,” so let’s pause for a moment. Does this happen anymore? The media has had a field day with people—many so-called godly people, including pastors, who have gone out of control.
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. (Romans 1:26-27)
Is homosexuality in the Bible? Here’s but one example. Do I need to help you understand what Paul is saying? I don’t write the mail, I just deliver it!
When we continually reject God, at some point He rejects us. He “gives us over” to our sinful desires, our shameful lusts. I’ve heard some people describe their behaviors and say, “I don’t feel any guilt or shame so God must be ok with it,” unaware that God has left them. There’s no conviction because there’s no Holy Spirit! That’s a scary place to be!
I must add no person is hopeless. No one is beyond God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Prodigals can always come home. Hallelujah!
But when God gives you over to your sinful desires, watch out!
Sexual sins—both heterosexual and homosexual—are frequently highlighted in these discussions, and for good reason. Elsewhere, Paul wrote,
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. (1 Corinthians 6:18)
I must add sex is a beautiful gift of God, but like any gift it has boundaries. A new car is great, but don’t drive on the left side of the road (unless you’re in England!). Medicine might be useful, but don’t down the whole bottle. Sex is wonderful…in a marriage.
But family, the list of sins goes far beyond sexual immorality.
Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. (Romans 1:28)
Here we come to devolution through impenitence, the opposite of repentance, having no shame or regret. They not only commit sin, they virtually celebrate it.
It’s as if God just throws in the towel and says, “You’re on your own.”
They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. (Romans 1:29-30)
That’s a harrowing list! Who does that remind you of? None of you, I’m sure!
There’s one phrase in there that I’ve always found fascinating: they invent ways of doing evil. That’s a whole new meaning of the word “creative!” When I first heard about partial-birth abortion this phrase came to mind. Who could imagine such a procedure on a baby just moments from birth? It’s like something from Nazi Germany. Thank goodness it was banned in 2003.
Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:31-32)
It’s as if they say, “Let’s have a festival, throw a parade, celebrate our sin!”
Imagine the Father’s heart.
Who is Paul describing in all of this? It could very well describe our world today, couldn’t it? In virtually all western nations, there is a significant decline in Christianity, whether you measure church attendance, baptisms, Bible reading, or whatever. Some have declared their opposition to God, but I think far more have simply drifted away from God as a true priority in their lives. This week I was listening to a podcast about a church plant—a new startup church—and the host was troubled by the reality he considered himself to be a Christian, but he hadn’t been to church in over a year. He wasn’t even sure why he stopped feeding his faith, but I bet he just got busy with work, social media, entertainment, friends, and life.
It's a slippery slope, family. One missed Sunday becomes a month becomes a year. One day without listening to God through the Bible can easily become a dusty book. Disciples of prayer, fasting, solitude, silence, celebration, worship, and giving are radical, counter-cultural, and easily lost. Temptation lurks all around, and so many people “out there” used to be “in here.” Let me be clear, the goal isn’t going to church. We are the church! But the goal is to love God, love others as we love ourselves, and make disciples—and you simply can’t do that alone. Following Jesus is a team sport. It’s a family matter.
So what are we to do with these frightening words from Paul? What are we to do about the crazy world in which we live? Should we just all move to South Carolina, take over the government, and succeed from the Union? I actually heard someone suggest that several years ago!
No! We are to lean into God, acknowledge His holiness, repent of our sins, and be fully engaged in His mission…to seek and save the lost. We’re on a mission from God! As we noted last Sunday in stating one of the core values of the Christian & Missionary Alliance,
Lost people matter to God. He wants them found.
So let’s go back to verse sixteen of Romans chapter one.
Paul says,
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. (Romans 1:16)
What is the gospel? We’ve examined this before.
Tragically, when many hear “gospel” they jump to personal salvation. They might say, “The gospel is I get my sins forgiven” or “I get to go to heaven when I die.” The gospel is first and foremost about Jesus, not us. We benefit from the good news of the gospel, but it is fundamentally about King Jesus the Messiah. The original readers of Romans never would’ve thought of the afterlife when Paul mentions salvation, instead bringing to mind deliverance, whether personal or national in the Roman empire.
The gospel is good news
In a word, the gospel is Jesus.
In three words, the gospel is Jesus is LORD.
One of my seminary professors, Scot McKnight, has said,
“…the word gospel was used in the world of Jews at the time of the apostles to announce something, to declare something as good news — the word evangelion always means good news. “To gospel” is to herald, to proclaim, and to declare something about something. To put this together: the gospel is to announce good news about key events in the life of Jesus Christ. To gospel for Paul was to tell, announce, declare, and shout aloud the Story of Jesus Christ as the saving news of God.”
Good news needs to be shared, declared, shouted. We need to proclaim King Jesus in our words and deeds to our city and world.
Do you know Jesus?
Do your friends know Jesus?
Do your neighbors know Jesus?
Do your enemies know Jesus?
This is really serious, especially in a culture filled with violence, suicide, overdoses, and fatal accidents. I’m not trying to be morbid, but merely point out tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us—ourselves or those around us.
For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)
The righteousness of God is the theme of Romans. It may sound distant to our modern ears, but you’ll hear it often. The idea of righteousness is used over sixty times in this letter. Some scholars view righteousness as the gift of right standing given by God to those who believe. Others see it as the activity of God by which He saves His people. Suffice it to say the theme involves the act of God giving and humans receiving. As the gospel is preached and people repent and believe, transformation occurs. A new relationship is established between us and Holy God. It’s because of faith—by faith unto faith.
“The righteous will live by faith” may seem obvious and insignificant, but those in Rome would be very familiar with this phrase, a quote from Habakkuk 2:4. Life before God demands our complete allegiance to God. It means we trust Him and are given a new life and a new lifestyle.
Why does Paul make such a big deal about righteousness? It’s because the Roman world was filled with unrighteousness. Perhaps not unlike ours, the news was not good, the people were not godly, the world seemed to be headed in the wrong direction.
So What?
It’s easy to think these verses apply to “those people,” the drug dealers and prostitutes and whatever. The reality is my heart is wicked. My hands are dirty. I’m greedy. I’ve committed murder and adultery by Jesus’ definitions. The pride and arrogance that got Lucifer kicked out of heaven is in me. I’m a self-righteous recovering Pharisee. I fail to love others, instead caring about my best interests.
God’s standard is perfection. That includes what you did or didn’t do today as well as every moment of your past. I want to ask you one simple question: are you right before God? One day you and I will stand before the Almighty and have to give an account for how we lived this one life—how we cared for the poor, treated the orphan, welcomed the stranger, visited the imprisoned, spent our money, invested our time, loved our neighbor. It’s sobering to think about, but Judgment Day is coming. I don’t like to talk about it, but because I love you I must. The reality is we all far short of God’s mark of perfection. One sin or a million, big or small, it doesn’t matter. We’re all hopeless…without Jesus.
The bad news is we’re all messed up.
The good news—the great news—is Jesus loved each of us enough to die on the cross for us. He offers to pay in full our debt, our punishment for our sins. He offers to clean our slate if we repent and believe, turn and follow, seek and surrender.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
This includes heterosexual sins, homosexual sins, greed, gossip, self-righteousness, murder, abuse, addiction, lying, deceit, theft, porn, rage, drunkenness, whatever! Hallelujah!
The righteous will live by faith and we can only be righteous because of the body and blood of Jesus, the perfect sacrifice we remember today.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Launch, 30 September 2018
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Launch
Series: FAC-DNA
Romans 12:4-8
Series Overview: God has placed us uniquely in our city and world for such a time as this, a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family.
Big Idea: What can our church do to open the door to service more widely, launching leaders, groups, and churches?
My name is Kirk and today we conclude our series FAC DNA. We’ve been looking at why we exist, why our Christian & Missionary Alliance family exists. Our president, Dr. John Stumbo, has called us a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family. We are all about Jesus Christ. He is our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, Coming King, LORD, and Senior Pastor. We are a family, a mosaic of different people from different backgrounds united at the foot of the cross as God’s children. We are commanded to love God and love others as we love ourselves. And we’ve been commissioned to make disciples of all nations, beginning with Jerusalem—or Toledo—and also Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth.
The “how” of being a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family has been expressed in four verbs:
We love.
We proclaim.
We reach.
We launch!
Stumbo video transcript:
Four verbs. We’re called to love, we’re called to proclaim, to reach, and the fourth is to launch. For us to do that loving, proclaiming, reaching kind of work, we need to continue to launch, and I don’t know how many things I’m saying when I say that word.
I am pleased to report that I love seeing evidences of when older leaders such as myself start to make room for younger leaders who are rising among us and give them a voice, an opportunity, a chance to speak in or to in some way engage more fully in a position, or on a platform with a microphone, or in some way to have a greater voice.
I’ve been pleased to see when men are using their influence to allow an open door for women to have a ministry access—completely within our polity to do so. But often women have been shut out from ministry opportunities, and so it’s fun to see men help women be launched in ministry.
And it’s also exciting to see when those like myself, of a Caucasian background, that have some measure of privilege for why we get to do what we do, to use that influence to open doors for those who come from other cultures, who may not have as much natural access to ministry opportunities as we do.
And so, I’m not claiming by any means that we have totally arrived at launching various sectors of the Alliance family, but I am saying that I do see evidence of that from place to place, and I rejoice in that and want to just be an advocate for those of us who would use our current positions of influence to give others access to ministry opportunities that we may have just taken for granted, but they can’t take for granted because they haven’t been given them. So, launching . . .Christ-centered, Act 1:8 family—called to love, proclaim, reach, and launch. It takes me back to a need for the Holy Spirit to be fully at work in my life and yours as well.
May we commit ourselves to these kinds of things, for these are the kinds of things that the Church must be doing as we prepare for, and rejoice in, the return of Christ.
One of the Alliance Core Values states:
• Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple. Matthew 28:19
We’re all about making disciples—reproducing Jesus. The word “Christian” means “little Christ” even though many Christians act nothing like Jesus…but that’s the goal. As we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will become like Jesus and have been commissioned to reproduce that Christ-likeness in others.
I was raised in a small church in Michigan and was led to believe the pastor’s job was to do all of the ministry and the people in the congregation just sang songs, tried to stay awake during his sermons, and paid his salary. Essentially, he was the hired hand, the professional to do the ministry. Boy was I wrong!
Church is a team sport. I’ve heard some people say they love Jesus but they hate church. I understand what’s behind that, but how offensive would it be for me to say to someone, “I love you but I hate your spouse!” We were not created to be independent, autonomous individuals. We were created for community, for interdependence. In fact God exists in community—one God in three Persons, something we call the Trinity. It’s a mind-blowing reality, but suffice it to say we need one another—and everyone matters.
Paul, one of the greatest leaders of the early church, said it so beautifully in his writings to the Christians in Rome:
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:4-8)
If you are a follower of Jesus, you’ve been given a gift by God—maybe more than one. It’s not for you, but for us—the church—in order to build God’s Kingdom and let the world know about the King and His return.
I said church is a team sport. You can’t play football by yourself. The greatest football player of all (Jim Brown?) could never win against even a little league team. It’s not like golf or tennis where one person can play alone. Every football team has different people playing different positions and if they coordinate and work together they move the ball down the field and will eventually score. Let me state again
• Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple. Matthew 28:19
Making disciples of all nations means we all need to get in the game. We all need to discover our roles and play them with passion for God’s glory. I need you. You need me. We’re on the team together. We’re family.
Perhaps you’re wondering what it looks like to be on the team. The Bible is filled with many examples. Here are just a few:
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)
That’s not a comprehensive list, but it’s a good one. Wisdom, words of knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, discernment, tongues, interpretation of tongues. Other scriptures talk about leadership, teaching, helps, mercy, apostleship, administration, evangelism, shepherding or pastoring, giving, serving, and exhortation. Do any of those sound like you? These aren’t the same as talents or skills, though they may overlap. These are ways in which the Holy Spirit can supernaturally work through you to bring glory to God.
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14)
I want to go back to Dr. Stumbo’s video because I’m sure we’d all agree it’s good for people to use their God-given gifts to serve God, but that’s not always reality.
First, there are those people who simply don’t want to use their gifts, for whatever reason. Spiritual gifts are not for you! They’re for God! If your gift is teaching, teach. If it’s giving, give. If it’s leadership, lead!
But unfortunately, some people have been told they should not use their gifts. Tragically, racism has kept some people from exercising their gifts. Older people have looked down upon people because of their youth (1 Timothy 4:12). And women have been treated as second or even third-class citizens in many churches simply because of their gender. Perhaps most alarming, the Bible has been manipulated and misused to defend slavery, ageism, and chauvinism. May it never be!
I know what some of you are thinking: I’m not a racist and I love to see our young serve Jesus, but the Bible says women can’t…
The role of women in ministry is a controversy for a number of reasons we simply don’t have time to unpack this morning. There are scriptures that restrict women, but questions remain whether those were universal or for a specific situation. We know God used great women throughout history including Deborah, Phoebe, Junia, Priscilla, Esther, Ruth, Miriam, and perhaps most of all Jesus’ mother Mary.
There are problematic passages in the Bible for egalitarian positions that say anything a man can do, a woman can do. There are problematic passages in the Bible for complementarian positions that say women should have limited roles in the church and/or the home. Why the confusion? Why is the Bible unclear? I wish I knew! I believe the grey areas of the Bible are meant to cause us to seek God together, guided by the Holy Spirit and the Bible.
I have studied the role of women in ministry extensively and the best way I can succinctly summarize my conclusions is I fully endorse the Alliance position. Here’s what is stated on the Alliance website:
Today, women serve with distinction in The Alliance on local church ministry staffs; as international workers, chaplains, and professors in our educational institutions; and on leadership teams in local churches, district executive committees, and the Board of Directors.
In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit came upon believers in a new way — both men and women. Peter explained the Pentecost experience in this way: “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams” (Acts 2:17). The Holy Spirit has been poured out on women and men in the same way and for the same purpose: so that we will all be empowered to live in a manner that demonstrates the character of Christ and fulfill our roles in the mission Jesus has assigned to His Church. The gifts the Spirit gives that equip believers for ministry in and through the local church are distributed to both women and men. The completion of Jesus’ Great Commission calls on all believers, male and female, to be released and mobilized to put those gifts into action. While desiring both genders to be mobilized to exercise their gifts in a variety of ministries and leadership roles, The Alliance continues to affirm its understanding of Scripture that elders are male members of the local church. This includes the elected elders of the local church and the senior/lead pastor.
An Alliance statement on women in ministry states the following: “Women may fulfill any function in the local church which the senior pastor and elders may choose to delegate to them consistent with the Uniform Policy for Accredited Churches and may properly engage in any kind of ministry except that which involves elder authority.”
Launch What?
I’m proud to serve in a church and denomination which affirms Paul’s teaching to the church in Galatia:
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26-28)
We will launch. We will launch people, sending them to love God, love others as they love themselves, and make disciples…of all nations. That means we are all called to be ministers, missionaries. Your mission field might be the senior housing centers where you visit shut-ins, the school where you teach or study, or the home where you raise children. Your mission field might be the office where you work, the park where you play, or the stores where you shop. One more time:
• Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple. Matthew 28:19
We want to launch you as individuals, but together we can launch, too. Throughout our 130 years, we have launched people into the vocational mission field where they serve across our city, nation, and world. We are praying God would raise up more people from our church to go and make disciples.
We have launched organizations, including Cherry Street Mission, Proclaim FM, Toledo Christian Schools, WLMB-TV, Toledo Urban Impact, and Claro Coffee Bar, among other things. Launch. This isn’t just something to do. It’s what we are to be.
We are to multiply.
The first command in the Bible was to be fruitful and multiply. Reproduce.
We are to reproduce and launch leaders.
We are to reproduce and launch small groups.
We are to reproduce and launch churches
We are to reproduce and launch ministries
We are to reproduce and launch businesses
Someone told me this week it’s hard to launch new churches because it means saying goodbye.
Yes, but that’s what is supposed to happen. Healthy things grow and reproduce.
As much as I love my three kids, I had to launch them into adulthood and the world. One has been launched into marriage and will launch our first grandchild in November.
Our DNA as a church must be loaded with multiplication, reproduction, launching.
Think of it this way, none of us will be here in 100 years. If we don’t multiply and launch people, leaders, groups, and churches, First Alliance Church will cease to exist. Even worse, if there are no children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, there will be no legacy.
I care about the future. I care about the future of God’s church. I want to everything possible to invest my life into others who will do the same for generations. That’s discipleship. 2 Timothy 2:2 describes four generations in one verse. That’s what it means to launch.
This past week I was invited to participate in an Alliance church planters assessment center. Heather and I were assessed as planters about twenty years ago and being on the other side of the table was fascinating. For three and a half days, I was consumed with the journeys of five couples from across the Midwest who are hoping to launch new churches.
Family, we have a great history of launching. Let’s not be the barren generation who ends it. Let’s love, proclaim, reach, and launch for the glory of God.
Family, we have a history of launching people and organizations, but I believe the best is yet to come. I’m praying God would raise up men and women from our church to serve overseas with the Alliance. I’m praying we would see new ministries launched from FAC. I’m praying we would plant more churches, multiplying God’s Kingdom in other parts of our city, nation, and world. Most of all, I’m praying all of us would be launched to do whatever God is leading us to do—as individuals and together as a family—to love God, love others as we love ourselves, and make disciples of all nations…for His glory!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: FAC-DNA
Romans 12:4-8
Series Overview: God has placed us uniquely in our city and world for such a time as this, a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family.
Big Idea: What can our church do to open the door to service more widely, launching leaders, groups, and churches?
My name is Kirk and today we conclude our series FAC DNA. We’ve been looking at why we exist, why our Christian & Missionary Alliance family exists. Our president, Dr. John Stumbo, has called us a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family. We are all about Jesus Christ. He is our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, Coming King, LORD, and Senior Pastor. We are a family, a mosaic of different people from different backgrounds united at the foot of the cross as God’s children. We are commanded to love God and love others as we love ourselves. And we’ve been commissioned to make disciples of all nations, beginning with Jerusalem—or Toledo—and also Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth.
The “how” of being a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family has been expressed in four verbs:
We love.
We proclaim.
We reach.
We launch!
Stumbo video transcript:
Four verbs. We’re called to love, we’re called to proclaim, to reach, and the fourth is to launch. For us to do that loving, proclaiming, reaching kind of work, we need to continue to launch, and I don’t know how many things I’m saying when I say that word.
I am pleased to report that I love seeing evidences of when older leaders such as myself start to make room for younger leaders who are rising among us and give them a voice, an opportunity, a chance to speak in or to in some way engage more fully in a position, or on a platform with a microphone, or in some way to have a greater voice.
I’ve been pleased to see when men are using their influence to allow an open door for women to have a ministry access—completely within our polity to do so. But often women have been shut out from ministry opportunities, and so it’s fun to see men help women be launched in ministry.
And it’s also exciting to see when those like myself, of a Caucasian background, that have some measure of privilege for why we get to do what we do, to use that influence to open doors for those who come from other cultures, who may not have as much natural access to ministry opportunities as we do.
And so, I’m not claiming by any means that we have totally arrived at launching various sectors of the Alliance family, but I am saying that I do see evidence of that from place to place, and I rejoice in that and want to just be an advocate for those of us who would use our current positions of influence to give others access to ministry opportunities that we may have just taken for granted, but they can’t take for granted because they haven’t been given them. So, launching . . .Christ-centered, Act 1:8 family—called to love, proclaim, reach, and launch. It takes me back to a need for the Holy Spirit to be fully at work in my life and yours as well.
May we commit ourselves to these kinds of things, for these are the kinds of things that the Church must be doing as we prepare for, and rejoice in, the return of Christ.
One of the Alliance Core Values states:
• Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple. Matthew 28:19
We’re all about making disciples—reproducing Jesus. The word “Christian” means “little Christ” even though many Christians act nothing like Jesus…but that’s the goal. As we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will become like Jesus and have been commissioned to reproduce that Christ-likeness in others.
I was raised in a small church in Michigan and was led to believe the pastor’s job was to do all of the ministry and the people in the congregation just sang songs, tried to stay awake during his sermons, and paid his salary. Essentially, he was the hired hand, the professional to do the ministry. Boy was I wrong!
Church is a team sport. I’ve heard some people say they love Jesus but they hate church. I understand what’s behind that, but how offensive would it be for me to say to someone, “I love you but I hate your spouse!” We were not created to be independent, autonomous individuals. We were created for community, for interdependence. In fact God exists in community—one God in three Persons, something we call the Trinity. It’s a mind-blowing reality, but suffice it to say we need one another—and everyone matters.
Paul, one of the greatest leaders of the early church, said it so beautifully in his writings to the Christians in Rome:
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:4-8)
If you are a follower of Jesus, you’ve been given a gift by God—maybe more than one. It’s not for you, but for us—the church—in order to build God’s Kingdom and let the world know about the King and His return.
I said church is a team sport. You can’t play football by yourself. The greatest football player of all (Jim Brown?) could never win against even a little league team. It’s not like golf or tennis where one person can play alone. Every football team has different people playing different positions and if they coordinate and work together they move the ball down the field and will eventually score. Let me state again
• Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple. Matthew 28:19
Making disciples of all nations means we all need to get in the game. We all need to discover our roles and play them with passion for God’s glory. I need you. You need me. We’re on the team together. We’re family.
Perhaps you’re wondering what it looks like to be on the team. The Bible is filled with many examples. Here are just a few:
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)
That’s not a comprehensive list, but it’s a good one. Wisdom, words of knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, discernment, tongues, interpretation of tongues. Other scriptures talk about leadership, teaching, helps, mercy, apostleship, administration, evangelism, shepherding or pastoring, giving, serving, and exhortation. Do any of those sound like you? These aren’t the same as talents or skills, though they may overlap. These are ways in which the Holy Spirit can supernaturally work through you to bring glory to God.
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14)
I want to go back to Dr. Stumbo’s video because I’m sure we’d all agree it’s good for people to use their God-given gifts to serve God, but that’s not always reality.
First, there are those people who simply don’t want to use their gifts, for whatever reason. Spiritual gifts are not for you! They’re for God! If your gift is teaching, teach. If it’s giving, give. If it’s leadership, lead!
But unfortunately, some people have been told they should not use their gifts. Tragically, racism has kept some people from exercising their gifts. Older people have looked down upon people because of their youth (1 Timothy 4:12). And women have been treated as second or even third-class citizens in many churches simply because of their gender. Perhaps most alarming, the Bible has been manipulated and misused to defend slavery, ageism, and chauvinism. May it never be!
I know what some of you are thinking: I’m not a racist and I love to see our young serve Jesus, but the Bible says women can’t…
The role of women in ministry is a controversy for a number of reasons we simply don’t have time to unpack this morning. There are scriptures that restrict women, but questions remain whether those were universal or for a specific situation. We know God used great women throughout history including Deborah, Phoebe, Junia, Priscilla, Esther, Ruth, Miriam, and perhaps most of all Jesus’ mother Mary.
There are problematic passages in the Bible for egalitarian positions that say anything a man can do, a woman can do. There are problematic passages in the Bible for complementarian positions that say women should have limited roles in the church and/or the home. Why the confusion? Why is the Bible unclear? I wish I knew! I believe the grey areas of the Bible are meant to cause us to seek God together, guided by the Holy Spirit and the Bible.
I have studied the role of women in ministry extensively and the best way I can succinctly summarize my conclusions is I fully endorse the Alliance position. Here’s what is stated on the Alliance website:
Today, women serve with distinction in The Alliance on local church ministry staffs; as international workers, chaplains, and professors in our educational institutions; and on leadership teams in local churches, district executive committees, and the Board of Directors.
In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit came upon believers in a new way — both men and women. Peter explained the Pentecost experience in this way: “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams” (Acts 2:17). The Holy Spirit has been poured out on women and men in the same way and for the same purpose: so that we will all be empowered to live in a manner that demonstrates the character of Christ and fulfill our roles in the mission Jesus has assigned to His Church. The gifts the Spirit gives that equip believers for ministry in and through the local church are distributed to both women and men. The completion of Jesus’ Great Commission calls on all believers, male and female, to be released and mobilized to put those gifts into action. While desiring both genders to be mobilized to exercise their gifts in a variety of ministries and leadership roles, The Alliance continues to affirm its understanding of Scripture that elders are male members of the local church. This includes the elected elders of the local church and the senior/lead pastor.
An Alliance statement on women in ministry states the following: “Women may fulfill any function in the local church which the senior pastor and elders may choose to delegate to them consistent with the Uniform Policy for Accredited Churches and may properly engage in any kind of ministry except that which involves elder authority.”
Launch What?
I’m proud to serve in a church and denomination which affirms Paul’s teaching to the church in Galatia:
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26-28)
We will launch. We will launch people, sending them to love God, love others as they love themselves, and make disciples…of all nations. That means we are all called to be ministers, missionaries. Your mission field might be the senior housing centers where you visit shut-ins, the school where you teach or study, or the home where you raise children. Your mission field might be the office where you work, the park where you play, or the stores where you shop. One more time:
• Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple. Matthew 28:19
We want to launch you as individuals, but together we can launch, too. Throughout our 130 years, we have launched people into the vocational mission field where they serve across our city, nation, and world. We are praying God would raise up more people from our church to go and make disciples.
We have launched organizations, including Cherry Street Mission, Proclaim FM, Toledo Christian Schools, WLMB-TV, Toledo Urban Impact, and Claro Coffee Bar, among other things. Launch. This isn’t just something to do. It’s what we are to be.
We are to multiply.
The first command in the Bible was to be fruitful and multiply. Reproduce.
We are to reproduce and launch leaders.
We are to reproduce and launch small groups.
We are to reproduce and launch churches
We are to reproduce and launch ministries
We are to reproduce and launch businesses
Someone told me this week it’s hard to launch new churches because it means saying goodbye.
Yes, but that’s what is supposed to happen. Healthy things grow and reproduce.
As much as I love my three kids, I had to launch them into adulthood and the world. One has been launched into marriage and will launch our first grandchild in November.
Our DNA as a church must be loaded with multiplication, reproduction, launching.
Think of it this way, none of us will be here in 100 years. If we don’t multiply and launch people, leaders, groups, and churches, First Alliance Church will cease to exist. Even worse, if there are no children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, there will be no legacy.
I care about the future. I care about the future of God’s church. I want to everything possible to invest my life into others who will do the same for generations. That’s discipleship. 2 Timothy 2:2 describes four generations in one verse. That’s what it means to launch.
This past week I was invited to participate in an Alliance church planters assessment center. Heather and I were assessed as planters about twenty years ago and being on the other side of the table was fascinating. For three and a half days, I was consumed with the journeys of five couples from across the Midwest who are hoping to launch new churches.
Family, we have a great history of launching. Let’s not be the barren generation who ends it. Let’s love, proclaim, reach, and launch for the glory of God.
Family, we have a history of launching people and organizations, but I believe the best is yet to come. I’m praying God would raise up men and women from our church to serve overseas with the Alliance. I’m praying we would see new ministries launched from FAC. I’m praying we would plant more churches, multiplying God’s Kingdom in other parts of our city, nation, and world. Most of all, I’m praying all of us would be launched to do whatever God is leading us to do—as individuals and together as a family—to love God, love others as we love ourselves, and make disciples of all nations…for His glory!
Reach, 23 September 2018
24 09 18
Reach
Series: FAC-DNA
Acts 17:24-28
Series Overview: God has placed us uniquely in our city and world for such a time as this, a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family.
Big Idea: Do we have eyes to see People on the Move, People Overlooked, and People Lacking Access?
One of my favorite songs as a kid was about a wee little man. Have you heard this one?
Zacchaeus was a wee little man, And a wee little man was he. He climbed up in a sycamore tree For the Lord he wanted to see.
And as the Savior passed that way He looked up in the tree and he said, 'Zacchaeus you come down, For I'm going to your house today!' For I'm going to your house today!
The nineteenth chapter of Luke tells the story of Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus, a man so short he climbed a tree to see Jesus as he was Jesus passed through a crowd in Jericho.
When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. (Luke 19:5-6)
Did I mention Zacchaeus was a wealthy tax collector? Imagine an IRS agent who works on commission…and can charge whatever he wants. Needless to say, he was not popular with the people, especially the religious people. Why is Jesus giving this guy the time of day? This is a hated man, the scum of the earth.
All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” (Luke 19:7)
Who was upset? All the people! Jesus, do you know who this guy is? He has robbed us all? I wonder if they intentionally pushed Zacchaeus away from Jesus, forcing him to climb the tree for a better view.
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” (Luke 19:8)
That was an incredible promise! This guy cheated everybody…out of most everything they had! How could he pay back four times the amount? It actually doesn’t matter, because he’s not the key character in this story.
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:9-10)
My name is Kirk and we’re in the middle of series addressing the “why” question of the Christian & Missionary Alliance, our global family. Why do we exist? What’s in our DNA? The Zacchaeus story shows us why Jesus came to earth—to seek and to save the lost.
He didn’t come to start a new religion.
He didn’t come to win a preaching contest.
He didn’t come to give us a list of rules to follow.
He didn’t even come for the righteous and holy people of his day.
He came to seek and to save the lost. This is expressed beautifully in one of the core values of The Alliance.
• Lost people matter to God. He wants them found. Luke 19:10
If Jesus came to seek and to save the lost and he asks us to follow him, what should we do? We should seek and save the lost! Obviously, we can’t save them, but we can point the way to salvation, to the cross, to the empty tomb, to Jesus the Messiah. We can let them know about the King and His reign.
It’s interesting to note this year The Alliance has done regional events called Seek. They are all about us seeking God, yet it was God who first sought us. Jesus’ mission was to go and seek the lost.
Seek is a verb. It’s an action verb. It’s hard to seek in the La-Z-Boy unless you are seeking a tv show with your remote control! It’s hard to find something lost by relaxing on the beach or lying in bed. You need to go. We need to go. We’ve said throughout this series we’re guided by the Great Commandment (love God and love your neighbor as yourself) and the Great Commission…go and make disciples. Some have translated it “as you are going, make disciples.” In either case, we love God and others by reaching out to the hurting, the broken, and the lost.
The “why” is to glorify and obey God.
The “what” is to love God, love others as we love ourselves, and make disciples.
But how? In the first two weeks of this series, we heard Alliance president, Dr. John Stumbo, talk about love and proclaim. We are to proclaim good news with love. Everything we do should be done with love—"a rugged commitment to be with another person, to be for another person, and to grow together in Christ-likeness” as Scot McKnight likes to say. It’s not just a feeling, but involves action, presence, advocacy, and transformation. That transformation comes through the proclamation of the gospel with word and deed as we show and tell. Here’s Dr. Stumbo on our third verb: reach.
Stumbo video transcript:
I’m calling us to three things when I say reach. Reaching the overlooked. In every community, there’s somebody being missed. I experienced it when I was in a wheelchair that often the disabled are overlooked. And for some communities it’s the deaf. For some it might be children. For some it’s senior citizens.
I don’t know who it is that’s being missed in your community. It might be the immigrant who’s come to your town. Would you ask God to give you eyes to see and to reach those who are currently being overlooked, missed, in your own community?
Reaching not only the overlooked but also those that are on the move. Never before in human history have there been so many people in transition, no longer living in the home of their origin. And when we first started speaking of this four years ago, it was just seeming to arise as a significant worldwide trend. And now it’s amazing how many people are in transition, and some of those have come to your community.
And I challenge us to be people who reach those who are overlooked and not get so caught up in the political wrangling on so many issues that center around immigration that we miss the simple fact that The Alliance from pre-day one—Dr. Simpson, in his earliest days in New York City—[has been] ministering to the immigrant. And so who are we to think that we’ve grown past that or that our issues are more complicated this day and age, so we can forget that? Friends, let’s reach those who are on the move.
And thirdly, under that category of reach, I’m concerned there’s still people that do not have access to the gospel of Jesus, and so . . . reaching the overlooked, those on the move, and those lacking access.
This is a justice issue, is it not? Is it not unjust that you can still live in this world and still not know that forgiveness is available to you? You don’t have to accept that message, but to not even know that the Christ has come to provide that? It’s not satisfactory, it’s not good enough. So, happily, you’re part of a family that’s doing something about it. You’re part of a family that is reaching those [who] are lacking access, and I’m continuing to ask the Alliance family to engage further in that process.
Let me state again,
• Lost people matter to God. He wants them found. Luke 19:10
As the classic songs says, “I once was lost/But now am found.” Hallelujah! Someone reached out to you and me. Someone loved us. Someone proclaimed good news to us. In many cases, it was a family member.
Perhaps it was a friend.
We’ve been blessed in this nation to have a robust history of faith. Although Christians in this country have not always acted like Jesus, religious freedom in our great land has made it possible to have access to the Bible. We even have Christian radio stations and television stations and thousands of books and videos to help us find God and grow in our relationship with Him.
But it’s easy to take that access for granted. It’s easy to assume everyone knows about Jesus, his death, his resurrection, his love, and his coming return. The truth is, there are people in our city and around the world who have no clue they are loved. They only know Jesus as a swear word, if at all. They know nothing of grace, forgiveness, joy, or hope. And like Jesus’ pursuit of Zacchaeus, it is a privilege for us to reach out.
Paul spoke…
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. (Acts 17:24-26)
There is so much packed into this paragraph. In fact, Heather and I stood on the very place in Athens, Greece where Paul spoke to a group of Greek philosophers and leaders at a place called Mars Hill or the Areopagus. As I often say, our faith is based upon historical events and real people.
God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ (Acts 17:27-28)
We need to reach out to others because God reached out to us. It’s not hard to find people in need of God’s love and our love. It used to be expected that people in our nation would spend Sunday mornings attending a worship gathering like ours here today. As fewer and fewer people are exposed to the gospel—the good news—they are remarkably unaware of Jesus and the Kingdom of God. Put another way, our world, our nation, our city is filled with unreached peoples. They’re right here! You don’t need a passport to reach the nations. They’re in line with you at Kroger, they’re pumping gas beside you, they live on your street. Will you reach out? Will you offer them a smile? A cup of coffee? Jesus the Messiah?
Kudos
As much as I want to challenge you to reach out to the overlooked, people on the move, and those lacking access, I want to offer some encouragement.
As a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family, we have been actively involved in reaching our Jerusalem—Toledo—as well as our Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. For thirteen decades we have been reaching out to the overlooked, those on the move, and those lacking access. Through the Great Commission Fund, Envision trips, overseas projects, partners like Water for Ishmael, Cherry Street Mission and the After School Klub, and spiritual conversations we are living out our mission and calling. It is such an honor and privilege to serve such a vibrant church committed to outreach…reaching out. And we’re just getting started!
But I want to add as a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family, we’re also committed to reaching in. We need both. In almost thirty years of vocational ministry, I can never remember being a part of a church with so much grief, loss, hospitalizations, and suffering. For whatever reason, we are in a season of pain and trial, pruning, reflection…yet I continue to hear stories of our family members loving and serving one another. Hospital visits, cards, meals, prayers…we are a family of love and I’m humbled and blessed to be a part of it. Family first.
But healthy families grow. It’s a both/and. We want more and better family members. It’s not about building the Alliance family or the FAC family, but rather God’s family, God Kingdom. We want to enhance the quality and quantity of God’s family, God’s Kingdom.
We are to love.
We are to proclaim.
We are to reach.
Will you join us?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: FAC-DNA
Acts 17:24-28
Series Overview: God has placed us uniquely in our city and world for such a time as this, a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family.
Big Idea: Do we have eyes to see People on the Move, People Overlooked, and People Lacking Access?
One of my favorite songs as a kid was about a wee little man. Have you heard this one?
Zacchaeus was a wee little man, And a wee little man was he. He climbed up in a sycamore tree For the Lord he wanted to see.
And as the Savior passed that way He looked up in the tree and he said, 'Zacchaeus you come down, For I'm going to your house today!' For I'm going to your house today!
The nineteenth chapter of Luke tells the story of Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus, a man so short he climbed a tree to see Jesus as he was Jesus passed through a crowd in Jericho.
When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. (Luke 19:5-6)
Did I mention Zacchaeus was a wealthy tax collector? Imagine an IRS agent who works on commission…and can charge whatever he wants. Needless to say, he was not popular with the people, especially the religious people. Why is Jesus giving this guy the time of day? This is a hated man, the scum of the earth.
All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” (Luke 19:7)
Who was upset? All the people! Jesus, do you know who this guy is? He has robbed us all? I wonder if they intentionally pushed Zacchaeus away from Jesus, forcing him to climb the tree for a better view.
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” (Luke 19:8)
That was an incredible promise! This guy cheated everybody…out of most everything they had! How could he pay back four times the amount? It actually doesn’t matter, because he’s not the key character in this story.
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:9-10)
My name is Kirk and we’re in the middle of series addressing the “why” question of the Christian & Missionary Alliance, our global family. Why do we exist? What’s in our DNA? The Zacchaeus story shows us why Jesus came to earth—to seek and to save the lost.
He didn’t come to start a new religion.
He didn’t come to win a preaching contest.
He didn’t come to give us a list of rules to follow.
He didn’t even come for the righteous and holy people of his day.
He came to seek and to save the lost. This is expressed beautifully in one of the core values of The Alliance.
• Lost people matter to God. He wants them found. Luke 19:10
If Jesus came to seek and to save the lost and he asks us to follow him, what should we do? We should seek and save the lost! Obviously, we can’t save them, but we can point the way to salvation, to the cross, to the empty tomb, to Jesus the Messiah. We can let them know about the King and His reign.
It’s interesting to note this year The Alliance has done regional events called Seek. They are all about us seeking God, yet it was God who first sought us. Jesus’ mission was to go and seek the lost.
Seek is a verb. It’s an action verb. It’s hard to seek in the La-Z-Boy unless you are seeking a tv show with your remote control! It’s hard to find something lost by relaxing on the beach or lying in bed. You need to go. We need to go. We’ve said throughout this series we’re guided by the Great Commandment (love God and love your neighbor as yourself) and the Great Commission…go and make disciples. Some have translated it “as you are going, make disciples.” In either case, we love God and others by reaching out to the hurting, the broken, and the lost.
The “why” is to glorify and obey God.
The “what” is to love God, love others as we love ourselves, and make disciples.
But how? In the first two weeks of this series, we heard Alliance president, Dr. John Stumbo, talk about love and proclaim. We are to proclaim good news with love. Everything we do should be done with love—"a rugged commitment to be with another person, to be for another person, and to grow together in Christ-likeness” as Scot McKnight likes to say. It’s not just a feeling, but involves action, presence, advocacy, and transformation. That transformation comes through the proclamation of the gospel with word and deed as we show and tell. Here’s Dr. Stumbo on our third verb: reach.
Stumbo video transcript:
I’m calling us to three things when I say reach. Reaching the overlooked. In every community, there’s somebody being missed. I experienced it when I was in a wheelchair that often the disabled are overlooked. And for some communities it’s the deaf. For some it might be children. For some it’s senior citizens.
I don’t know who it is that’s being missed in your community. It might be the immigrant who’s come to your town. Would you ask God to give you eyes to see and to reach those who are currently being overlooked, missed, in your own community?
Reaching not only the overlooked but also those that are on the move. Never before in human history have there been so many people in transition, no longer living in the home of their origin. And when we first started speaking of this four years ago, it was just seeming to arise as a significant worldwide trend. And now it’s amazing how many people are in transition, and some of those have come to your community.
And I challenge us to be people who reach those who are overlooked and not get so caught up in the political wrangling on so many issues that center around immigration that we miss the simple fact that The Alliance from pre-day one—Dr. Simpson, in his earliest days in New York City—[has been] ministering to the immigrant. And so who are we to think that we’ve grown past that or that our issues are more complicated this day and age, so we can forget that? Friends, let’s reach those who are on the move.
And thirdly, under that category of reach, I’m concerned there’s still people that do not have access to the gospel of Jesus, and so . . . reaching the overlooked, those on the move, and those lacking access.
This is a justice issue, is it not? Is it not unjust that you can still live in this world and still not know that forgiveness is available to you? You don’t have to accept that message, but to not even know that the Christ has come to provide that? It’s not satisfactory, it’s not good enough. So, happily, you’re part of a family that’s doing something about it. You’re part of a family that is reaching those [who] are lacking access, and I’m continuing to ask the Alliance family to engage further in that process.
Let me state again,
• Lost people matter to God. He wants them found. Luke 19:10
As the classic songs says, “I once was lost/But now am found.” Hallelujah! Someone reached out to you and me. Someone loved us. Someone proclaimed good news to us. In many cases, it was a family member.
Perhaps it was a friend.
We’ve been blessed in this nation to have a robust history of faith. Although Christians in this country have not always acted like Jesus, religious freedom in our great land has made it possible to have access to the Bible. We even have Christian radio stations and television stations and thousands of books and videos to help us find God and grow in our relationship with Him.
But it’s easy to take that access for granted. It’s easy to assume everyone knows about Jesus, his death, his resurrection, his love, and his coming return. The truth is, there are people in our city and around the world who have no clue they are loved. They only know Jesus as a swear word, if at all. They know nothing of grace, forgiveness, joy, or hope. And like Jesus’ pursuit of Zacchaeus, it is a privilege for us to reach out.
Paul spoke…
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. (Acts 17:24-26)
There is so much packed into this paragraph. In fact, Heather and I stood on the very place in Athens, Greece where Paul spoke to a group of Greek philosophers and leaders at a place called Mars Hill or the Areopagus. As I often say, our faith is based upon historical events and real people.
God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ (Acts 17:27-28)
We need to reach out to others because God reached out to us. It’s not hard to find people in need of God’s love and our love. It used to be expected that people in our nation would spend Sunday mornings attending a worship gathering like ours here today. As fewer and fewer people are exposed to the gospel—the good news—they are remarkably unaware of Jesus and the Kingdom of God. Put another way, our world, our nation, our city is filled with unreached peoples. They’re right here! You don’t need a passport to reach the nations. They’re in line with you at Kroger, they’re pumping gas beside you, they live on your street. Will you reach out? Will you offer them a smile? A cup of coffee? Jesus the Messiah?
Kudos
As much as I want to challenge you to reach out to the overlooked, people on the move, and those lacking access, I want to offer some encouragement.
As a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family, we have been actively involved in reaching our Jerusalem—Toledo—as well as our Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. For thirteen decades we have been reaching out to the overlooked, those on the move, and those lacking access. Through the Great Commission Fund, Envision trips, overseas projects, partners like Water for Ishmael, Cherry Street Mission and the After School Klub, and spiritual conversations we are living out our mission and calling. It is such an honor and privilege to serve such a vibrant church committed to outreach…reaching out. And we’re just getting started!
But I want to add as a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family, we’re also committed to reaching in. We need both. In almost thirty years of vocational ministry, I can never remember being a part of a church with so much grief, loss, hospitalizations, and suffering. For whatever reason, we are in a season of pain and trial, pruning, reflection…yet I continue to hear stories of our family members loving and serving one another. Hospital visits, cards, meals, prayers…we are a family of love and I’m humbled and blessed to be a part of it. Family first.
But healthy families grow. It’s a both/and. We want more and better family members. It’s not about building the Alliance family or the FAC family, but rather God’s family, God Kingdom. We want to enhance the quality and quantity of God’s family, God’s Kingdom.
We are to love.
We are to proclaim.
We are to reach.
Will you join us?
Proclaim, 9 September 2018
09 09 18
Proclaim
Series: FAC-DNA
2 Timothy 4:1-5
Series Overview: God has placed us uniquely in our city and world for such a time as this, a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family.
Big Idea: We are to proclaim good news…in word and deed.
Simon Sinek is a best-selling author. He has the third-most-watched Ted Talk video of all time. He speaks all over the world. His primary message is simple: start with why.
Often people focus on what they do or how they do things, but there’s power in unpacking the why.
Why are you here this morning?
Why are we here this morning?
Why does First Alliance Church exist?
Unlike independent churches, we are part of a larger family, the Christian & Missionary Alliance. Our president, Dr. John Stumbo, has called the Alliance
a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family
Last week we said we’re all about Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus is our authority. He is not only our Savior, he is our LORD. He’s our leader. We are Christ-centered. He modeled what it means to be human. He incarnated love. He taught with the most powerful stories and wisdom in all of human history. He offered three significant commands:
Love God
Love others as you love yourself (the Great Commandment; Matthew 22:34-40)
Make disciples (the Great Commission; Matthew 28:18-20)
Obey and become like Jesus and help others become like Jesus, loving God and others. This is what it means to be Christ-centered.
Acts 1:8 says
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
We exist to obey and worship and glorify Jesus Christ.
We are called to make disciples in Toledo, the region, the nation, and around the world.
We are also a family. We’re not a perfect family, but what family is?
We are a Jesus-centered family making disciples in Toledo and beyond for God’s glory.
But what does that mean? We’re examining that question this month in our series FAC-DNA.
PRAY
The “why” is to glorify and obey God.
The “what” is to love God, love others as we love ourselves, and make disciples.
But how? Last week, we heard Alliance president, Dr. John Stumbo, talk about love. It’s so basic and obvious it almost seems silly to mention, yet our examination of 1 Corinthians 13 last week revealed loving others can be messy and challenging. One friend told me after last week’s sermon that sometimes loving means literally getting poop on your hands. Truly loving God and others can only be done as we receive God’s love and are filled with the Holy Spirit who gives us the power to love the unlovable, never give up on the hopeless, give when we want to take, and sacrifice when we want to be selfish.
We are to love. That’s what a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family looks like. We must be known for our love. We’re not, by the way. Many know us for what we’re against rather than what we’re for. I pray that each day we would becoming more loving and known for our love. Jesus was known for his love. If we are truly following Jesus…
We are to love. Here’s Dr. Stumbo introducing our next verb of this series.
Stumbo video transcript:
The second verb that arose is the verb proclaim. When I say love, I’m saying one thing. When I say proclaim, I’m saying two, really. And it depends on what generation I’m talking to.
To baby boomers and older, my generation, I have to talk about Matthew 25—that the marginalized, the hurting, the imprisoned, the poor, the immigrant—they’re part of our Bibles, too. We focused so much on verbalizing the gospel, which was fantastic, that sometimes we overlooked demonstrating the gospel.
We kind of left that to the liberal churches, to do the social gospel kind of thing, and I’m questioning that. And I’m saying that we as an evangelical church, as The Christian and Missionary Alliance, must learn to demonstrate the gospel in ways that touch our communities.
Meanwhile, if I’m speaking to the younger generation, they don’t need for me to go to Matthew 25. Cause, justice, those kind of issues, are part of their language and lifestyle. But, they’ve lost, as one young leader has confessed to me, “Our generation has lost the ability to articulate faith.”
Verbalizing, speaking the gospel, has become weak in a lot of our younger groups. And so I want to challenge us to be the kind of people who verbalize and demonstrate the gospel. So millennials and younger generation, you don’t have to like the words or methods that us older guys use in speaking the gospel. That’s fine if you don’t ever ask anybody to invite Jesus into their heart. I don’t care about that, but what I do care about deeply is that we become people who authentically speak the true gospel in ways that each culture, each generation, can hear.
Proclaim
We are to love. Love is a noun. Love is a verb. Loving can also be an adjective describing how we do…everything. We are to teach with love, serve with love, give with love, teach with love, discipline with love…and with love we are to proclaim good news, the gospel, our Savior, Jesus Christ. We even helped start a radio station years ago with that in mind: WPOS, proclaim our Savior.
One of my favorite things about our FAC family is its diversity. Sure, we’re not exactly a United Nations convention, but we have people from various religious, political, ethnic, educational, and economic backgrounds. They say variety is the spice of life.
On a side note, this past week I heard a podcast featuring Cherry Street Mission’s CEO Dan Rogers. In it, he said we need to surround ourselves with people different from ourselves in order to truly grow. He said this is why we don’t marry our sibling! Think about it. God’s design is that we marry someone from a different family in order to produce healthy hybrids of the two. Fascinating!
We have a reputation as being an older congregation, and it’s hard to argue that assessment. But despite a growing number of retirees from the Builder and Boomer generations, there are those of us GenXers, Millennials, and a growing number of GenZ members, too, those born in since the late 1990s. Each generation is unique and special. As Dr. Stumbo said in the video, some of us need to proclaim more clearly through our words while others need to amplify our actions.
Each Tuesday morning at 8:30 AM, a group of men gather here to pray…for our families, church, city, nation, and world. Men, you are all invited! Before we begin to pray each Tuesday, Charles Carter shares a passage of scripture and a story of one of our spiritual siblings overseas. Some involve martyrdom, others torture. Some of the accounts describe the most inhumane treatment of not only men and women but sometimes children. I believe every story has one thing in common: these atrocities were done because someone refused to proclaim Jesus Christ as LORD.
This is nothing new, of course. Jesus himself was murdered. Eleven of his best friends were martyred. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs and VOM—Voice of the Martyrs, persecution.com—tell these unbelievable stories of passionate faith, radical love, and supernatural forgiveness. We shouldn’t be surprised. Paul wrote to Timothy…
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:3-5)
Yet I worry about what someone might think of me if I share my faith. I’m too busy to love others, serving the least of these. I so easily fall into materialistic, consumeristic, and selfish ways rather than following the example of Jesus to proclaim good news.
I’m not saying you should cancel your Netflix subscription, vacation plans, and time with your family. Hardly. But when is the last time you proclaimed Jesus Christ in word and/or deed?
Paul wrote,
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. (Romans 1:16)
The gospel, the good news, Jesus, Jesus is LORD, God loves you, that’s powerful. We must not be ashamed. Jesus hung up for you. Will you stand up for him?
Sometimes we make proclamation more complicated than necessary. Do you have a God story? Share it! Life is all about stories. Relationships are all about stories. I talk about my wife. I talk about my kids. I talk about my vacation. I talk about my God.
Preach the Gospel at all times and if necessary use words. Have you heard that? Who said it? It has been attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, but there’s no evidence he actually said it. Actions speak louder than words, yes, but our actions only give credibility to our words, not the other way around.
If your doctor is 100 pounds overweight and he tells you to lose weight…
Peter wrote,
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (1 Peter 2:11-12)
Our good deeds validate our message, but we must have a message. How many of you became a follower of Jesus without anyone ever telling you anything about Jesus, his love for you, his death, his resurrection, and his upcoming return? We need words. We need to proclaim good news. Family, our city and world have never been more desperate for good news, for love, for peace. We are called to be hope dealers! What a privilege!
Every day there are people contemplating and even committing suicide. What’s the use in living?
Every day there are people overdosing on opioids, unable to cope with the pain in their lives? Where’s the hope?
Every day people are bored out of their skulls, filling time with cat videos on YouTube and binge watching cheesy tv shows and movies. What on earth am I here for?
Paul wrote to his disciple, Timothy, these words:
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. (2 Timothy 4:1-2)
Preach the word. Proclaim the word. He’s not just saying give Sunday sermons. He’s saying know God, know God’s word, and proclaim it…every day…everywhere. Will some reject it? Absolutely! But that’s not our concern. We are to obey. We are to proclaim.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
We desperately need the Holy Spirit’s power. We can’t change people. We can’t make anyone follow Jesus. But we can set an example. We can live compelling lives. We can invite people to the party. They can choose whether or not they want to attend.
By the way, this word “witnesses”…the Greek word is “martys.” What word do you know that sounds like martys? Martyr. A testifier, a witness, and possibly even someone whose proclamation will cost them their very life.
So What?
Look for opportunities to deal hope to those who are struggling through life, which is all of us at one time or another. Consider these questions:
These are some simple, non-threatening questions which might open up some spiritual conversations, creating space for your story and the gospel of Jesus.
Family, loving God, loving others as we love ourselves, and make disciples necessitates proclamation. Good news needs to be shared. Will you proclaim?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: FAC-DNA
2 Timothy 4:1-5
Series Overview: God has placed us uniquely in our city and world for such a time as this, a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family.
Big Idea: We are to proclaim good news…in word and deed.
Simon Sinek is a best-selling author. He has the third-most-watched Ted Talk video of all time. He speaks all over the world. His primary message is simple: start with why.
Often people focus on what they do or how they do things, but there’s power in unpacking the why.
Why are you here this morning?
Why are we here this morning?
Why does First Alliance Church exist?
Unlike independent churches, we are part of a larger family, the Christian & Missionary Alliance. Our president, Dr. John Stumbo, has called the Alliance
a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family
Last week we said we’re all about Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus is our authority. He is not only our Savior, he is our LORD. He’s our leader. We are Christ-centered. He modeled what it means to be human. He incarnated love. He taught with the most powerful stories and wisdom in all of human history. He offered three significant commands:
Love God
Love others as you love yourself (the Great Commandment; Matthew 22:34-40)
Make disciples (the Great Commission; Matthew 28:18-20)
Obey and become like Jesus and help others become like Jesus, loving God and others. This is what it means to be Christ-centered.
Acts 1:8 says
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
We exist to obey and worship and glorify Jesus Christ.
We are called to make disciples in Toledo, the region, the nation, and around the world.
We are also a family. We’re not a perfect family, but what family is?
We are a Jesus-centered family making disciples in Toledo and beyond for God’s glory.
But what does that mean? We’re examining that question this month in our series FAC-DNA.
PRAY
The “why” is to glorify and obey God.
The “what” is to love God, love others as we love ourselves, and make disciples.
But how? Last week, we heard Alliance president, Dr. John Stumbo, talk about love. It’s so basic and obvious it almost seems silly to mention, yet our examination of 1 Corinthians 13 last week revealed loving others can be messy and challenging. One friend told me after last week’s sermon that sometimes loving means literally getting poop on your hands. Truly loving God and others can only be done as we receive God’s love and are filled with the Holy Spirit who gives us the power to love the unlovable, never give up on the hopeless, give when we want to take, and sacrifice when we want to be selfish.
We are to love. That’s what a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family looks like. We must be known for our love. We’re not, by the way. Many know us for what we’re against rather than what we’re for. I pray that each day we would becoming more loving and known for our love. Jesus was known for his love. If we are truly following Jesus…
We are to love. Here’s Dr. Stumbo introducing our next verb of this series.
Stumbo video transcript:
The second verb that arose is the verb proclaim. When I say love, I’m saying one thing. When I say proclaim, I’m saying two, really. And it depends on what generation I’m talking to.
To baby boomers and older, my generation, I have to talk about Matthew 25—that the marginalized, the hurting, the imprisoned, the poor, the immigrant—they’re part of our Bibles, too. We focused so much on verbalizing the gospel, which was fantastic, that sometimes we overlooked demonstrating the gospel.
We kind of left that to the liberal churches, to do the social gospel kind of thing, and I’m questioning that. And I’m saying that we as an evangelical church, as The Christian and Missionary Alliance, must learn to demonstrate the gospel in ways that touch our communities.
Meanwhile, if I’m speaking to the younger generation, they don’t need for me to go to Matthew 25. Cause, justice, those kind of issues, are part of their language and lifestyle. But, they’ve lost, as one young leader has confessed to me, “Our generation has lost the ability to articulate faith.”
Verbalizing, speaking the gospel, has become weak in a lot of our younger groups. And so I want to challenge us to be the kind of people who verbalize and demonstrate the gospel. So millennials and younger generation, you don’t have to like the words or methods that us older guys use in speaking the gospel. That’s fine if you don’t ever ask anybody to invite Jesus into their heart. I don’t care about that, but what I do care about deeply is that we become people who authentically speak the true gospel in ways that each culture, each generation, can hear.
Proclaim
We are to love. Love is a noun. Love is a verb. Loving can also be an adjective describing how we do…everything. We are to teach with love, serve with love, give with love, teach with love, discipline with love…and with love we are to proclaim good news, the gospel, our Savior, Jesus Christ. We even helped start a radio station years ago with that in mind: WPOS, proclaim our Savior.
One of my favorite things about our FAC family is its diversity. Sure, we’re not exactly a United Nations convention, but we have people from various religious, political, ethnic, educational, and economic backgrounds. They say variety is the spice of life.
On a side note, this past week I heard a podcast featuring Cherry Street Mission’s CEO Dan Rogers. In it, he said we need to surround ourselves with people different from ourselves in order to truly grow. He said this is why we don’t marry our sibling! Think about it. God’s design is that we marry someone from a different family in order to produce healthy hybrids of the two. Fascinating!
We have a reputation as being an older congregation, and it’s hard to argue that assessment. But despite a growing number of retirees from the Builder and Boomer generations, there are those of us GenXers, Millennials, and a growing number of GenZ members, too, those born in since the late 1990s. Each generation is unique and special. As Dr. Stumbo said in the video, some of us need to proclaim more clearly through our words while others need to amplify our actions.
Each Tuesday morning at 8:30 AM, a group of men gather here to pray…for our families, church, city, nation, and world. Men, you are all invited! Before we begin to pray each Tuesday, Charles Carter shares a passage of scripture and a story of one of our spiritual siblings overseas. Some involve martyrdom, others torture. Some of the accounts describe the most inhumane treatment of not only men and women but sometimes children. I believe every story has one thing in common: these atrocities were done because someone refused to proclaim Jesus Christ as LORD.
This is nothing new, of course. Jesus himself was murdered. Eleven of his best friends were martyred. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs and VOM—Voice of the Martyrs, persecution.com—tell these unbelievable stories of passionate faith, radical love, and supernatural forgiveness. We shouldn’t be surprised. Paul wrote to Timothy…
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:3-5)
Yet I worry about what someone might think of me if I share my faith. I’m too busy to love others, serving the least of these. I so easily fall into materialistic, consumeristic, and selfish ways rather than following the example of Jesus to proclaim good news.
I’m not saying you should cancel your Netflix subscription, vacation plans, and time with your family. Hardly. But when is the last time you proclaimed Jesus Christ in word and/or deed?
Paul wrote,
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. (Romans 1:16)
The gospel, the good news, Jesus, Jesus is LORD, God loves you, that’s powerful. We must not be ashamed. Jesus hung up for you. Will you stand up for him?
Sometimes we make proclamation more complicated than necessary. Do you have a God story? Share it! Life is all about stories. Relationships are all about stories. I talk about my wife. I talk about my kids. I talk about my vacation. I talk about my God.
Preach the Gospel at all times and if necessary use words. Have you heard that? Who said it? It has been attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, but there’s no evidence he actually said it. Actions speak louder than words, yes, but our actions only give credibility to our words, not the other way around.
If your doctor is 100 pounds overweight and he tells you to lose weight…
Peter wrote,
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (1 Peter 2:11-12)
Our good deeds validate our message, but we must have a message. How many of you became a follower of Jesus without anyone ever telling you anything about Jesus, his love for you, his death, his resurrection, and his upcoming return? We need words. We need to proclaim good news. Family, our city and world have never been more desperate for good news, for love, for peace. We are called to be hope dealers! What a privilege!
Every day there are people contemplating and even committing suicide. What’s the use in living?
Every day there are people overdosing on opioids, unable to cope with the pain in their lives? Where’s the hope?
Every day people are bored out of their skulls, filling time with cat videos on YouTube and binge watching cheesy tv shows and movies. What on earth am I here for?
Paul wrote to his disciple, Timothy, these words:
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. (2 Timothy 4:1-2)
Preach the word. Proclaim the word. He’s not just saying give Sunday sermons. He’s saying know God, know God’s word, and proclaim it…every day…everywhere. Will some reject it? Absolutely! But that’s not our concern. We are to obey. We are to proclaim.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
We desperately need the Holy Spirit’s power. We can’t change people. We can’t make anyone follow Jesus. But we can set an example. We can live compelling lives. We can invite people to the party. They can choose whether or not they want to attend.
By the way, this word “witnesses”…the Greek word is “martys.” What word do you know that sounds like martys? Martyr. A testifier, a witness, and possibly even someone whose proclamation will cost them their very life.
So What?
Look for opportunities to deal hope to those who are struggling through life, which is all of us at one time or another. Consider these questions:
- - What do you do when life gets hard? Where do you turn?
- - How do you make decisions? Who guides you through life?
- - Where are you at in your spiritual journey?
- - Are you a part of a faith community?
- - What do you think is the meaning of life?
- - How can I pray for you?
These are some simple, non-threatening questions which might open up some spiritual conversations, creating space for your story and the gospel of Jesus.
Family, loving God, loving others as we love ourselves, and make disciples necessitates proclamation. Good news needs to be shared. Will you proclaim?
Love, 2 September 2018
04 09 18
Love
Series: FAC-DNA
Matthew 22:34-40
Series Overview: God has placed us uniquely in our city and world for such a time as this, a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family.
Big Idea: We are to love—God and others…even our enemies. Will we be dependent upon the Spirit to live His loving fruit through us?
Why are you here? Perhaps you’re thinking, “Because I don’t have a cottage to close up this weekend!” But really, why are you here? Why did you choose to devote this time to be here this morning? I’m sure there are many reasons—if we’re honest—but perhaps a more important question is why are we here? If the answer is, “We’ve been gathering for 130 years on Sunday mornings so it’s just habit or ritual or tradition,” I want to say that’s not good enough! Really, why are we here?
Unlike independent churches, we are part of a larger family, the Christian & Missionary Alliance. I was at a focus group this past week at the Art Museum and I was asked to describe the Alliance. People often ask, “Is it like Baptists or Presbyterian or Lutheran?” What is the Alliance? Many of you are new to the Alliance. I didn’t grow up in an Alliance church. Next year will be our eighth year—Heather and me—in the Alliance. So what is it?
We are a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family.
What does that mean?
Obviously it means we’re focused on Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He commissioned us to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20), reproducing Jesus in ourselves and others.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
This is known as the Great Commission. So the “why” the Alliance exists and why we exist is because Jesus commanded us to make disciples of all nations. Acts 1:8 defines “all nations” with a bit more detail:
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
We exist to obey and worship and glorify Jesus Christ.
We are called to make disciples in Toledo, the region, the nation, and around the world.
We are also a family. We’re not a perfect family, but what family is?
We are a Jesus-centered family making disciples in Toledo and beyond for God’s glory.
But what does that mean? We’re going to examine that question this month in our series FAC-DNA.
The “why” is to glorify and obey God.
The “what” is to make disciples.
But how? Here’s our Alliance president, Dr. John Stumbo:
Stumbo video transcript:
We said, “Lord, as a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family, what would you have us to do?”
And four verbs seem to arise in prayer and in conversation, and I want to unpack each of those briefly today. They’ve become pillars for how we think and function.
The first verb that seemed to arise was so simple that I was a little taken off guard at first. The word was simply “love.” But what seems simple at first has begun to arise in all its complexity as I realize that this must increasingly be central to who we are as an Alliance family and as the American church.
That maybe, maybe there was a time that you could get away with a strong program, or a beautiful building, or with great communication, and that people would overlook the fact that they weren’t really being loved in the process. I don’t know if there was ever a time when that was true, but certainly that is not true now.
The world isn’t going to care about our program. They won’t listen to our message. They won’t come to our building if there’s not the sense that love dwells among us. Love for each other, and as the family, and love for the world. That, what do we lead with? Are we leading with message? Are we leading with action and that some way is all about us?
Are we leading with program, or building, or are we leading with what Christ said we’re actually to be known for, and that is our love? This drives me back to Jesus, because I don’t have the capacity to love like that, hour by hour, person by person.
So, it takes me right back to the Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family, focused on Jesus, empowered by the Spirit. I need Him in me, every moment, if I’m going to love that way. But I don’t want to back off on this, Alliance family, as if it’s something just to be assumed.
Because I have to admit, as I travel so much, that I have left places at times, Alliance churches sometimes, and thought, “Pastor, church leader, I watched you worship with those people, preach to those people, take an offering from those people, have a picnic with those people, have meetings with those people, do all sorts of things with those people, but I’m not convinced that you love those people.”
Other times, happily, on the other hand, I leave knowing that church leadership team loves the congregation that God has called them to serve, and it’s just evident in their demeanor, their attitude, their prayers, their behavior, their words.
We must love. That’s what we’re called to do. It’s who we’re called to be as a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family.
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (Matthew 22:34-36)
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
Love God.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
This is known as the Great Commandment.
For thousands of years, religious people have sought checklists to follow and things to avoid. “Don’t drink, smoke, cuss or chew or hang around with those that do” was a popular slogan for many. Sometimes it’s easier to avoid sins of commission—committing sins—than sins of omission.
Love God.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Family, the world identifies us more for what we’re against than what we’re for! We should be known as the most compassionate, generous, kind, humble, gracious, and hospitable people on the planet. That’s love!
I know the world loves love. A nearby mural says, “Toledo Loves Love.” But what is love?
Jesus is not speaking of an emotion. He’s not referencing a sexual act. It’s a rugged commitment to another person, looking out for their best interest.
The “love chapter” of the Bible is often recited at weddings, but it was not written about a couple. It addresses Jesus’ command to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
For some of you, those words are so familiar you’ve almost tuned me out. Here’s a slightly newer version, the New Living Translation:
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
Think about this past week. Were you ever impatient with someone? The person ahead of you on I-75 or in line at Kroger? Did you miss an opportunity to be kind to a co-worker or neighbor? At any point were you jealous? Proud? Rude? Selfish? Bitter?
Have you ever felt like giving up…on another person?
On Tuesday I attended a fantastic gathering of Christian leaders at The Tabernacle down the street. Our governor and attorney general’s office sent presenters to discuss the opioid epidemic. I must say I learned a lot, including the way the brain is changed through the introduction of certain stimulants including not only alcohol and heroin but also pornography and some pain killers. Recovery is long, hard and messy. That’s true for the addict as well as the friends, family and caregivers.
Love never gives up. It’s easy to give up on people. One of the presenters at the gathering on Tuesday was Darryl Strawberry, a superstar baseball player whose career was literally busted by substance abuse. He said he went through rehab five times and it never worked…until he met Jesus Christ! Now he not only speaks, he and his wife have opened a Christian recovery center for people suffering from addiction and mental illness…something experienced by 8 million Americans including many of you. Love never gives up.
This is a great opportunity to give a plug for Celebrate Recovery. If you are dealing with grief, loss, habits, hurts, or pain—which is really all of us—Celebrate Recovery is for you…Wednesdays at 7 PM in the Fellowship Hall. I attended again this past Wednesday. What a great ministry! You will find amazing people there who love…the hurting, the broken…the unlovable? The most common response to Celebrate Recovery invitees is, “It’s not for me,” yet it is. Only one third of Celebrate Recovery participants are dealing with addictions. The other two-thirds are dealing with pain, grief, loss, and hurts. Last month was one of the most difficult for me and our entire church body as we experienced a funeral, news of several serious accidents, lengthy hospitalizations, an unexpected job loss, …As a family, we have been grieving. We must not rush the process. We must talk, pray, support, encourage, listen, and love one another. Celebrate Recovery is a great forum for such love. Enduring love. Love that never gives up.
We are commanded to love, family. Yes, we love God by praying, studying the Bible, attending church gatherings, singing songs of worship, and giving financially to support Kingdom work. But we also love God by loving others.
I’m not good at loving others. Sure, you probably think I’m a loving person because you see me smile and act nice on Sunday, but that’s because you’re all so lovable!
The real test of our love is not how we treat our best friend or the person we’re hoping will help us in some way. Jesus said love your enemies. He said love the poor. He said love those in prison. He said love the stranger, the immigrant, the refugee.
Let me get real personal—and I’m very serious—love the Muslim, the Republican, the Democrat, the communist! We are to love the drug dealer, the pimp, the child molester, the person who abused you. Obviously we are not to love all of their behaviors, but Jesus shed His blood on the cross for their sins as well as yours and mine. In fact, Jesus loved—and prayed for—the very people who crucified him!
When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. (Luke 23:33-34)
That’s love! That’s not candy heart, lollipops and rainbows love. That’s raw, messy love.
Love is a great idea, until you have enemies to love!
Scot McKnight says love is a rugged commitment to be with another person, to be for another person, and to grow together in Christ-likeness. It’s not just a feeling, but involves action, presence, advocacy, and transformation.
That’s what Jesus did for us. He didn’t just send us love notes. He came to be with us. He gave his life for us. And today he is for us. He is praying for us. He is preparing a place for us. He loves us. He loves you. And he wants that love shared with others. We love because He first loved us.
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, - Matthew 5:44
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
Family, let’s go love God. Let’s go love Toledo. Let’s go love this world.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: FAC-DNA
Matthew 22:34-40
Series Overview: God has placed us uniquely in our city and world for such a time as this, a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family.
Big Idea: We are to love—God and others…even our enemies. Will we be dependent upon the Spirit to live His loving fruit through us?
Why are you here? Perhaps you’re thinking, “Because I don’t have a cottage to close up this weekend!” But really, why are you here? Why did you choose to devote this time to be here this morning? I’m sure there are many reasons—if we’re honest—but perhaps a more important question is why are we here? If the answer is, “We’ve been gathering for 130 years on Sunday mornings so it’s just habit or ritual or tradition,” I want to say that’s not good enough! Really, why are we here?
Unlike independent churches, we are part of a larger family, the Christian & Missionary Alliance. I was at a focus group this past week at the Art Museum and I was asked to describe the Alliance. People often ask, “Is it like Baptists or Presbyterian or Lutheran?” What is the Alliance? Many of you are new to the Alliance. I didn’t grow up in an Alliance church. Next year will be our eighth year—Heather and me—in the Alliance. So what is it?
We are a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family.
What does that mean?
Obviously it means we’re focused on Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He commissioned us to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20), reproducing Jesus in ourselves and others.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
This is known as the Great Commission. So the “why” the Alliance exists and why we exist is because Jesus commanded us to make disciples of all nations. Acts 1:8 defines “all nations” with a bit more detail:
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
We exist to obey and worship and glorify Jesus Christ.
We are called to make disciples in Toledo, the region, the nation, and around the world.
We are also a family. We’re not a perfect family, but what family is?
We are a Jesus-centered family making disciples in Toledo and beyond for God’s glory.
But what does that mean? We’re going to examine that question this month in our series FAC-DNA.
The “why” is to glorify and obey God.
The “what” is to make disciples.
But how? Here’s our Alliance president, Dr. John Stumbo:
Stumbo video transcript:
We said, “Lord, as a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family, what would you have us to do?”
And four verbs seem to arise in prayer and in conversation, and I want to unpack each of those briefly today. They’ve become pillars for how we think and function.
The first verb that seemed to arise was so simple that I was a little taken off guard at first. The word was simply “love.” But what seems simple at first has begun to arise in all its complexity as I realize that this must increasingly be central to who we are as an Alliance family and as the American church.
That maybe, maybe there was a time that you could get away with a strong program, or a beautiful building, or with great communication, and that people would overlook the fact that they weren’t really being loved in the process. I don’t know if there was ever a time when that was true, but certainly that is not true now.
The world isn’t going to care about our program. They won’t listen to our message. They won’t come to our building if there’s not the sense that love dwells among us. Love for each other, and as the family, and love for the world. That, what do we lead with? Are we leading with message? Are we leading with action and that some way is all about us?
Are we leading with program, or building, or are we leading with what Christ said we’re actually to be known for, and that is our love? This drives me back to Jesus, because I don’t have the capacity to love like that, hour by hour, person by person.
So, it takes me right back to the Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family, focused on Jesus, empowered by the Spirit. I need Him in me, every moment, if I’m going to love that way. But I don’t want to back off on this, Alliance family, as if it’s something just to be assumed.
Because I have to admit, as I travel so much, that I have left places at times, Alliance churches sometimes, and thought, “Pastor, church leader, I watched you worship with those people, preach to those people, take an offering from those people, have a picnic with those people, have meetings with those people, do all sorts of things with those people, but I’m not convinced that you love those people.”
Other times, happily, on the other hand, I leave knowing that church leadership team loves the congregation that God has called them to serve, and it’s just evident in their demeanor, their attitude, their prayers, their behavior, their words.
We must love. That’s what we’re called to do. It’s who we’re called to be as a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family.
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (Matthew 22:34-36)
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
Love God.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
This is known as the Great Commandment.
For thousands of years, religious people have sought checklists to follow and things to avoid. “Don’t drink, smoke, cuss or chew or hang around with those that do” was a popular slogan for many. Sometimes it’s easier to avoid sins of commission—committing sins—than sins of omission.
Love God.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Family, the world identifies us more for what we’re against than what we’re for! We should be known as the most compassionate, generous, kind, humble, gracious, and hospitable people on the planet. That’s love!
I know the world loves love. A nearby mural says, “Toledo Loves Love.” But what is love?
Jesus is not speaking of an emotion. He’s not referencing a sexual act. It’s a rugged commitment to another person, looking out for their best interest.
The “love chapter” of the Bible is often recited at weddings, but it was not written about a couple. It addresses Jesus’ command to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
For some of you, those words are so familiar you’ve almost tuned me out. Here’s a slightly newer version, the New Living Translation:
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
Think about this past week. Were you ever impatient with someone? The person ahead of you on I-75 or in line at Kroger? Did you miss an opportunity to be kind to a co-worker or neighbor? At any point were you jealous? Proud? Rude? Selfish? Bitter?
Have you ever felt like giving up…on another person?
On Tuesday I attended a fantastic gathering of Christian leaders at The Tabernacle down the street. Our governor and attorney general’s office sent presenters to discuss the opioid epidemic. I must say I learned a lot, including the way the brain is changed through the introduction of certain stimulants including not only alcohol and heroin but also pornography and some pain killers. Recovery is long, hard and messy. That’s true for the addict as well as the friends, family and caregivers.
Love never gives up. It’s easy to give up on people. One of the presenters at the gathering on Tuesday was Darryl Strawberry, a superstar baseball player whose career was literally busted by substance abuse. He said he went through rehab five times and it never worked…until he met Jesus Christ! Now he not only speaks, he and his wife have opened a Christian recovery center for people suffering from addiction and mental illness…something experienced by 8 million Americans including many of you. Love never gives up.
This is a great opportunity to give a plug for Celebrate Recovery. If you are dealing with grief, loss, habits, hurts, or pain—which is really all of us—Celebrate Recovery is for you…Wednesdays at 7 PM in the Fellowship Hall. I attended again this past Wednesday. What a great ministry! You will find amazing people there who love…the hurting, the broken…the unlovable? The most common response to Celebrate Recovery invitees is, “It’s not for me,” yet it is. Only one third of Celebrate Recovery participants are dealing with addictions. The other two-thirds are dealing with pain, grief, loss, and hurts. Last month was one of the most difficult for me and our entire church body as we experienced a funeral, news of several serious accidents, lengthy hospitalizations, an unexpected job loss, …As a family, we have been grieving. We must not rush the process. We must talk, pray, support, encourage, listen, and love one another. Celebrate Recovery is a great forum for such love. Enduring love. Love that never gives up.
We are commanded to love, family. Yes, we love God by praying, studying the Bible, attending church gatherings, singing songs of worship, and giving financially to support Kingdom work. But we also love God by loving others.
I’m not good at loving others. Sure, you probably think I’m a loving person because you see me smile and act nice on Sunday, but that’s because you’re all so lovable!
The real test of our love is not how we treat our best friend or the person we’re hoping will help us in some way. Jesus said love your enemies. He said love the poor. He said love those in prison. He said love the stranger, the immigrant, the refugee.
Let me get real personal—and I’m very serious—love the Muslim, the Republican, the Democrat, the communist! We are to love the drug dealer, the pimp, the child molester, the person who abused you. Obviously we are not to love all of their behaviors, but Jesus shed His blood on the cross for their sins as well as yours and mine. In fact, Jesus loved—and prayed for—the very people who crucified him!
When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. (Luke 23:33-34)
That’s love! That’s not candy heart, lollipops and rainbows love. That’s raw, messy love.
Love is a great idea, until you have enemies to love!
Scot McKnight says love is a rugged commitment to be with another person, to be for another person, and to grow together in Christ-likeness. It’s not just a feeling, but involves action, presence, advocacy, and transformation.
That’s what Jesus did for us. He didn’t just send us love notes. He came to be with us. He gave his life for us. And today he is for us. He is praying for us. He is preparing a place for us. He loves us. He loves you. And he wants that love shared with others. We love because He first loved us.
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, - Matthew 5:44
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
Family, let’s go love God. Let’s go love Toledo. Let’s go love this world.
Defending the Truth, 26 August 2018
27 08 18
Defending the Truth
D6 Series—Truth on Trial
1 Peter 3:13-17
Series Overview: God is truth and the source of all truth.
Big Idea: We need to know the truth so we can accurately and lovingly share the truth.
We’ve been talking about truth throughout this month. We said first and foremost, Jesus is the truth—the way, the truth, and the life. The Bible was God-breathed or God-spirited or inspired by God. It is a miracle: 66 books written by approximately 40 people over 1500 years in three languages, yet it is remarkably cohesive and consistent in telling a beautiful love story between a Creator and His creation, between God and humanity.
We can know God through general revelation—creation—and specific revelation, including the Bible. So how do we get everyone to believe the Bible is true and obey it perfectly like us?!?! Ha!
Today we’re looking at truth upheld. The fancy word is apologetics. No, it’s not to to say you’re sorry. Apologetics is “the religious discipline of defending religious doctrines through systematic argumentation and discourse.”
In plain English, it’s defending the Bible from critics. Today we’re talking about defending the truth, which ultimately means both helping others experience God and drawing us closer to our Creator.
We’re all at different places in our spiritual journey. Some of you may be atheists. Welcome! Some of you may be agnostics. We want to welcome you, too! Others of you are new to the faith, some have followed Jesus for a while, and still others of you have been Bible-believing, Jesus-loving Christians for decades. Therefore, any discussion about defending the Bible acknowledges some of you want to be equipped to defend the Bible while others of you are on the other side, wondering why anyone would believe it in the first place. I’m so glad you’re here, regardless!
Jude wrote to early Christians,
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. (Jude 3)
One of the great things about the Bible is it’s a book about real people and real, historical events. Every year archaeologists are uncovering evidence verifying the authenticity of the Bible. Hundreds of biblical prophecies have been fulfilled. Micah 5:2 and Luke 2:4-7 connect as just one example.
Skeptics often say the Bible has contradictions and errors, but a more careful examination reveals that’s simply not the case. For instance, they’ll say God never changes, yet He changed His mind…but did He? Or was it merely from the perspective of the writer that He appeared to change His mind. There are difficult biblical passages, but I have yet to find one without an explanation.
I mentioned last week how many of the sharpest critics of the Bible have become followers of Jesus, embracing the Scriptures as God’s Word. Lee Strobel and Josh McDowell are among them, and if you have questions about the Bible and its truthfulness, I urge you to read their research. Other prominent apologists—or defenders of the Bible—include Ravi Zacharias, William Lane Craig, Tim Keller, and even C.S. Lewis. I’m not suggesting I agree with everything each of them have written, but they have devoted much of their lives addressing biblical critics and revealing evidence for the reliability of the Bible.
If you’re a skeptic, I doubt a single sermon will change your mind, but I urge you to investigate. Ask questions. Text me your questions. It might sound cliché coming from a pastor, but I’ve studied, I’ve done the research, and I’m convinced the Bible is God’s Word. I declare my full support for The Alliance Statement of Faith which says,
The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice.
If you believe the Bible, do you know why? Can you defend it? The greater question is, what are you doing about your belief in the Bible?
I’m going to say something radical which will probably get me in trouble.
I don’t care if the Bible is true. Well, that’s not quite true. Don’t post that on Twitter!
I care more about Jesus being true than the Bible being true. Our faith is not built upon a book, but rather a person. Truth is not a list of propositions. It’s a person. Again, Jesus said,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6)
Everything in the Bible is true, but it’s not the center of our faith, nor does it claim to be. Christianity is built upon Jesus, his life, death, and resurrection.
Pastor Andy Stanley summarized this point when he said: “Christianity does not exist because of the Bible any more than you exist because of your birth certificate. Your birth certificate documents something that happened. If you lose it, you do not go out of existence.”
We need to let the Bible guide us toward Jesus. The Bible is all true, but it’s not the center of faith for us. Jesus is that center.
Some people get so caught up in defending the Bible and whether it is inspired or inerrant or King James or infallible or whatever that they miss the purpose of the Bible—to help us know the God who created us, loves us, died for us, rose from the dead, and will return to judge us all. The Bible is a love letter. It tells us who God is, who we are, and how we are to love God and one another.
The Bible is divine revelation, revealing God’s will for salvation. The Scriptures guide our faith and practice. They tell us how to live…and why we should live. They tell us how to love…and why we should love.
With all respect to the great apologists who defend the Bible, who cares if the Bible is true if it is not studied and applied? Most people in our city aren’t asking, “Is the Bible true?” They want to know, “Does it work? Can I apply it to my life? So what?”
I love the Bible. I read it. I study it. I proclaim it. I believe it. I know it is inspired by God.
But the foundation of our faith is not a book. It’s not theology. It’s not laws or rules. It’s a story. It’s a Person. It’s an empty cross…and an empty tomb. Our faith is built upon the historical, living Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. To quote a great hymn,
My faith is built on nothing less/than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
If you asked me about my wife and I showed you all of the love letters she wrote me over the years but never said anything about my relationship with her, you’d find that rather odd, right? I care more about my wife than the letters she wrote me, and the same is true for the Bible. I love it, but it’s a means to an end. It helps me know God.
The Bible is big. It’s controversial. A friend of mine recently put together a list of 24 questions and asked people to rank their order of importance. The point of the exercise is not to answer the questions, but rather to determine if the question is peripheral, important, essential, or affects salvation. Here are a few examples:
Is the story of Jonah and the fish a (fictional) parable or did it actually happen?
Was the universe created less than ten thousand years ago in six 24-hour days?
Will pets be in heaven?
Are there errors of any kind in the Bible?
Did Jesus physically rise from the dead?
Our six elders agreed on the priority of only one of these questions. That is, some felt the question was a salvation issue while others felt it was essential, important, or peripheral.
Scripture never says we must believe in an actual person named Jonah who was swallowed by a great fish in order to be saved and experience eternal life.
Scripture never says we must believe in a literal, six 24-hour day creation to be saved.
I think Paul was pretty clear:
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
Don’t hear what I’m not saying! I don’t know how old the earth is, and it’s really not that important to me. If you want to use an alternative narrative to deny the existence of God, I’m out of here, but if you content God may have used some type of evolution to produce our universe, I’m not going to get hung up on six 24-hour days…especially since the sun and moon were not even created until the fourth day…so what defines a day and how long were the first three days?
With all due respect to the Creation Museum, the age of our universe has no bearing on whether or not Jesus died and rose again for you and me. In the beginning God. That’s my focus. Maybe the earth is billions of years old and maybe it’s thousands of years old. I don’t know! I don’t care! What I do know is Jesus is Lord, I believe in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, and that I’m commanded to love God and love others as I love myself.
If you want to study the age of the earth, that’s great. Really. But don’t worship the study of creation. Worship the Creator…and obey Him.
See, the challenge we all face is how to read the Bible. Some have called for a literal interpretation. Well, that’s fine when Jesus says, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But always taken literally, we would have to declare the Bible is clearly false. For example,
The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets. (Psalms 50:1)
The sun does not rise. We know this. It is undeniable. The earth rotates in such a way that it appears that the sun rises, but it is the earth—not the sun—which moves. There! This is an example of biblical criticism. The critics say the Bible can’t be true…
…except the Psalms are not a science textbook. They are songs and poems. When a singer sings, “I love you with all of my heart,” they’re not speaking of the organ in their chest that pumps blood. It’s a metaphor for deep emotion and commitment. There are many things in the Bible which need to be interpreted, not merely read like a Toledo Blade article. As we understand the Bible and, in particular, the overarching narrative of the Bible, the problematic passages begin to make sense. If you were to read a John Grisham or Steven King novel, you don’t begin with chapter six and say it’s confusing. You need to understand the big picture…the story.
Sometimes the Bible—or its misuse—has actually become a barrier to people knowing Jesus. Could there be anything more tragic? Scot McKnight wrote in his book The King Jesus Gospel
“When the plan (of salvation) gets separated from the story, the plan almost always becomes abstract, propositional, logical, rational, and philosophical and, most importantly, de-storified and unbiblical. When we separate the Plan of Salvation from the story, we cut ourselves off from the story that identifies us and tells our past and tells our future. We separate ourselves from Jesus and turn the Christian faith into a System of Salvation."
So What…now?
I know, some of you are getting confused, maybe even upset. Studying and obeying the Bible is not always simple, and like I said last Sunday, it’s not always best done by ourselves. We were created for community. From beginning to end, relationships are found on virtually every page of the Bible. We gather together to study. I’m not saying you should never open the Bible alone, but I am saying you probably can’t understand and apply every verse of the Bible alone.
Last week I mentioned the value of study Bibles, online tools, small groups, and most of all the Holy Spirit.
Should you eat ham on Easter?
Should you vote Republican or Democrat?
Should women pray without wearing a hat?
Should you go to a Rated-R movie? What if it’s “The Passion of the Christ?”
Should you own a house…or anything at all?
Should you give ten percent of your income to First Alliance Church? If so, gross or net?
Should you send your kids or grandkids to public, private, or home school?
Should you observe the Sabbath every Sunday? Or what about Saturday?
Should you get a tattoo or not?
Here’s the honest truth: the answer to all of those questions is maybe.
So what are we to do now?
First, focus on Jesus. He’s the subject of the Bible. The great thing about Jesus is he’s alive, so as we learn about him, we also can talk with him through prayer. He summarized the entire Bible quite simply.
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (Matthew 22:34-36)
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
Second, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth as it says in John chapter 16. Knowing God is a fascinating adventure because we have the Bible, we have the church, and we have the Holy Spirit helping us know our Father and His son, Jesus.
Third, be a student. Recognize you don’t know and understand everything in the Bible, much less obey it. That’s ok. I don’t know and understand everything about my wife, either. Each day is a new opportunity to discover her, and a new opportunity to discover Jesus. Dr. Leonard Sweet once said, “20% of my theology is wrong. I just don’t know what 20%.” That’s humility, and that’s the posture we need to have when it comes to the Bible. There are many things which are very clear: love others, pray, care for widows and strangers and orphans, speak truthfully, stay sexually pure, etc. These are repeated throughout the Bible and throughout church tradition, too. If you ever hear of someone claiming a radical new understanding of the Bible, question them. We stand today on the shoulders of men and women who have studied and applied the Bible for centuries. God never changes. His Word, the Bible, continues to change the lives of people around the world, however.
Our apologetic—our defense of the Bible—is the resurrection of Jesus. Paul, the great persecutor of the first Christians who became a follower of Jesus and spent much of his life starting churches, wrote,
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:17)
The Bible is all about Jesus. Do you know him?
Jesus’ friend Peter wrote,
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. (1 Peter 3:13-17)
The greatest apologetic—the greatest defense of the Bible—is your life transformed through it. It has often been said your life will be the only Bible some people will ever read. The best defense is a good offense—an attractive, compelling life.
I challenge you to read the Bible. Study it. Apply it. See if it doesn’t change your life. See if God doesn’t change your life. He has changed mine. Jesus is alive. He is the way, the truth, and the life.
Apologetics Resources (defending the Bible from critics)
Ravi Zacharias
Josh McDowell
Lee Strobel
William Lane Craig
Online Bible Study Resources
The Navigators
Bible.org
YouVersion
Mission 119
Books on Studying the Bible
The Blue Parakeet by Scot McKnight
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Fee and Stuart
Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes by Richards and O'Brien
A Provocative Interview
Andy Stanley
Credits: some ideas from D6.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series—Truth on Trial
1 Peter 3:13-17
Series Overview: God is truth and the source of all truth.
Big Idea: We need to know the truth so we can accurately and lovingly share the truth.
We’ve been talking about truth throughout this month. We said first and foremost, Jesus is the truth—the way, the truth, and the life. The Bible was God-breathed or God-spirited or inspired by God. It is a miracle: 66 books written by approximately 40 people over 1500 years in three languages, yet it is remarkably cohesive and consistent in telling a beautiful love story between a Creator and His creation, between God and humanity.
We can know God through general revelation—creation—and specific revelation, including the Bible. So how do we get everyone to believe the Bible is true and obey it perfectly like us?!?! Ha!
Today we’re looking at truth upheld. The fancy word is apologetics. No, it’s not to to say you’re sorry. Apologetics is “the religious discipline of defending religious doctrines through systematic argumentation and discourse.”
In plain English, it’s defending the Bible from critics. Today we’re talking about defending the truth, which ultimately means both helping others experience God and drawing us closer to our Creator.
We’re all at different places in our spiritual journey. Some of you may be atheists. Welcome! Some of you may be agnostics. We want to welcome you, too! Others of you are new to the faith, some have followed Jesus for a while, and still others of you have been Bible-believing, Jesus-loving Christians for decades. Therefore, any discussion about defending the Bible acknowledges some of you want to be equipped to defend the Bible while others of you are on the other side, wondering why anyone would believe it in the first place. I’m so glad you’re here, regardless!
Jude wrote to early Christians,
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. (Jude 3)
One of the great things about the Bible is it’s a book about real people and real, historical events. Every year archaeologists are uncovering evidence verifying the authenticity of the Bible. Hundreds of biblical prophecies have been fulfilled. Micah 5:2 and Luke 2:4-7 connect as just one example.
Skeptics often say the Bible has contradictions and errors, but a more careful examination reveals that’s simply not the case. For instance, they’ll say God never changes, yet He changed His mind…but did He? Or was it merely from the perspective of the writer that He appeared to change His mind. There are difficult biblical passages, but I have yet to find one without an explanation.
I mentioned last week how many of the sharpest critics of the Bible have become followers of Jesus, embracing the Scriptures as God’s Word. Lee Strobel and Josh McDowell are among them, and if you have questions about the Bible and its truthfulness, I urge you to read their research. Other prominent apologists—or defenders of the Bible—include Ravi Zacharias, William Lane Craig, Tim Keller, and even C.S. Lewis. I’m not suggesting I agree with everything each of them have written, but they have devoted much of their lives addressing biblical critics and revealing evidence for the reliability of the Bible.
If you’re a skeptic, I doubt a single sermon will change your mind, but I urge you to investigate. Ask questions. Text me your questions. It might sound cliché coming from a pastor, but I’ve studied, I’ve done the research, and I’m convinced the Bible is God’s Word. I declare my full support for The Alliance Statement of Faith which says,
The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice.
If you believe the Bible, do you know why? Can you defend it? The greater question is, what are you doing about your belief in the Bible?
I’m going to say something radical which will probably get me in trouble.
I don’t care if the Bible is true. Well, that’s not quite true. Don’t post that on Twitter!
I care more about Jesus being true than the Bible being true. Our faith is not built upon a book, but rather a person. Truth is not a list of propositions. It’s a person. Again, Jesus said,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6)
Everything in the Bible is true, but it’s not the center of our faith, nor does it claim to be. Christianity is built upon Jesus, his life, death, and resurrection.
Pastor Andy Stanley summarized this point when he said: “Christianity does not exist because of the Bible any more than you exist because of your birth certificate. Your birth certificate documents something that happened. If you lose it, you do not go out of existence.”
We need to let the Bible guide us toward Jesus. The Bible is all true, but it’s not the center of faith for us. Jesus is that center.
Some people get so caught up in defending the Bible and whether it is inspired or inerrant or King James or infallible or whatever that they miss the purpose of the Bible—to help us know the God who created us, loves us, died for us, rose from the dead, and will return to judge us all. The Bible is a love letter. It tells us who God is, who we are, and how we are to love God and one another.
The Bible is divine revelation, revealing God’s will for salvation. The Scriptures guide our faith and practice. They tell us how to live…and why we should live. They tell us how to love…and why we should love.
With all respect to the great apologists who defend the Bible, who cares if the Bible is true if it is not studied and applied? Most people in our city aren’t asking, “Is the Bible true?” They want to know, “Does it work? Can I apply it to my life? So what?”
I love the Bible. I read it. I study it. I proclaim it. I believe it. I know it is inspired by God.
But the foundation of our faith is not a book. It’s not theology. It’s not laws or rules. It’s a story. It’s a Person. It’s an empty cross…and an empty tomb. Our faith is built upon the historical, living Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. To quote a great hymn,
My faith is built on nothing less/than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
If you asked me about my wife and I showed you all of the love letters she wrote me over the years but never said anything about my relationship with her, you’d find that rather odd, right? I care more about my wife than the letters she wrote me, and the same is true for the Bible. I love it, but it’s a means to an end. It helps me know God.
The Bible is big. It’s controversial. A friend of mine recently put together a list of 24 questions and asked people to rank their order of importance. The point of the exercise is not to answer the questions, but rather to determine if the question is peripheral, important, essential, or affects salvation. Here are a few examples:
Is the story of Jonah and the fish a (fictional) parable or did it actually happen?
Was the universe created less than ten thousand years ago in six 24-hour days?
Will pets be in heaven?
Are there errors of any kind in the Bible?
Did Jesus physically rise from the dead?
Our six elders agreed on the priority of only one of these questions. That is, some felt the question was a salvation issue while others felt it was essential, important, or peripheral.
Scripture never says we must believe in an actual person named Jonah who was swallowed by a great fish in order to be saved and experience eternal life.
Scripture never says we must believe in a literal, six 24-hour day creation to be saved.
I think Paul was pretty clear:
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
Don’t hear what I’m not saying! I don’t know how old the earth is, and it’s really not that important to me. If you want to use an alternative narrative to deny the existence of God, I’m out of here, but if you content God may have used some type of evolution to produce our universe, I’m not going to get hung up on six 24-hour days…especially since the sun and moon were not even created until the fourth day…so what defines a day and how long were the first three days?
With all due respect to the Creation Museum, the age of our universe has no bearing on whether or not Jesus died and rose again for you and me. In the beginning God. That’s my focus. Maybe the earth is billions of years old and maybe it’s thousands of years old. I don’t know! I don’t care! What I do know is Jesus is Lord, I believe in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, and that I’m commanded to love God and love others as I love myself.
If you want to study the age of the earth, that’s great. Really. But don’t worship the study of creation. Worship the Creator…and obey Him.
See, the challenge we all face is how to read the Bible. Some have called for a literal interpretation. Well, that’s fine when Jesus says, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But always taken literally, we would have to declare the Bible is clearly false. For example,
The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets. (Psalms 50:1)
The sun does not rise. We know this. It is undeniable. The earth rotates in such a way that it appears that the sun rises, but it is the earth—not the sun—which moves. There! This is an example of biblical criticism. The critics say the Bible can’t be true…
…except the Psalms are not a science textbook. They are songs and poems. When a singer sings, “I love you with all of my heart,” they’re not speaking of the organ in their chest that pumps blood. It’s a metaphor for deep emotion and commitment. There are many things in the Bible which need to be interpreted, not merely read like a Toledo Blade article. As we understand the Bible and, in particular, the overarching narrative of the Bible, the problematic passages begin to make sense. If you were to read a John Grisham or Steven King novel, you don’t begin with chapter six and say it’s confusing. You need to understand the big picture…the story.
Sometimes the Bible—or its misuse—has actually become a barrier to people knowing Jesus. Could there be anything more tragic? Scot McKnight wrote in his book The King Jesus Gospel
“When the plan (of salvation) gets separated from the story, the plan almost always becomes abstract, propositional, logical, rational, and philosophical and, most importantly, de-storified and unbiblical. When we separate the Plan of Salvation from the story, we cut ourselves off from the story that identifies us and tells our past and tells our future. We separate ourselves from Jesus and turn the Christian faith into a System of Salvation."
So What…now?
I know, some of you are getting confused, maybe even upset. Studying and obeying the Bible is not always simple, and like I said last Sunday, it’s not always best done by ourselves. We were created for community. From beginning to end, relationships are found on virtually every page of the Bible. We gather together to study. I’m not saying you should never open the Bible alone, but I am saying you probably can’t understand and apply every verse of the Bible alone.
Last week I mentioned the value of study Bibles, online tools, small groups, and most of all the Holy Spirit.
Should you eat ham on Easter?
Should you vote Republican or Democrat?
Should women pray without wearing a hat?
Should you go to a Rated-R movie? What if it’s “The Passion of the Christ?”
Should you own a house…or anything at all?
Should you give ten percent of your income to First Alliance Church? If so, gross or net?
Should you send your kids or grandkids to public, private, or home school?
Should you observe the Sabbath every Sunday? Or what about Saturday?
Should you get a tattoo or not?
Here’s the honest truth: the answer to all of those questions is maybe.
So what are we to do now?
First, focus on Jesus. He’s the subject of the Bible. The great thing about Jesus is he’s alive, so as we learn about him, we also can talk with him through prayer. He summarized the entire Bible quite simply.
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (Matthew 22:34-36)
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
Second, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth as it says in John chapter 16. Knowing God is a fascinating adventure because we have the Bible, we have the church, and we have the Holy Spirit helping us know our Father and His son, Jesus.
Third, be a student. Recognize you don’t know and understand everything in the Bible, much less obey it. That’s ok. I don’t know and understand everything about my wife, either. Each day is a new opportunity to discover her, and a new opportunity to discover Jesus. Dr. Leonard Sweet once said, “20% of my theology is wrong. I just don’t know what 20%.” That’s humility, and that’s the posture we need to have when it comes to the Bible. There are many things which are very clear: love others, pray, care for widows and strangers and orphans, speak truthfully, stay sexually pure, etc. These are repeated throughout the Bible and throughout church tradition, too. If you ever hear of someone claiming a radical new understanding of the Bible, question them. We stand today on the shoulders of men and women who have studied and applied the Bible for centuries. God never changes. His Word, the Bible, continues to change the lives of people around the world, however.
Our apologetic—our defense of the Bible—is the resurrection of Jesus. Paul, the great persecutor of the first Christians who became a follower of Jesus and spent much of his life starting churches, wrote,
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:17)
The Bible is all about Jesus. Do you know him?
Jesus’ friend Peter wrote,
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. (1 Peter 3:13-17)
The greatest apologetic—the greatest defense of the Bible—is your life transformed through it. It has often been said your life will be the only Bible some people will ever read. The best defense is a good offense—an attractive, compelling life.
I challenge you to read the Bible. Study it. Apply it. See if it doesn’t change your life. See if God doesn’t change your life. He has changed mine. Jesus is alive. He is the way, the truth, and the life.
Apologetics Resources (defending the Bible from critics)
Ravi Zacharias
Josh McDowell
Lee Strobel
William Lane Craig
Online Bible Study Resources
The Navigators
Bible.org
YouVersion
Mission 119
Books on Studying the Bible
The Blue Parakeet by Scot McKnight
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Fee and Stuart
Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes by Richards and O'Brien
A Provocative Interview
Andy Stanley
Credits: some ideas from D6.
Preserving Truth, 19 August 2018
19 08 18
Preserving the Truth
D6 Series—Truth on Trial
1 Peter 1:22-25
Series Overview: God is truth and the source of all truth.
Big Idea: The Bible has transformed lives for thousands of years…and continues to do so today.
I want to take you back in time to…2007. Do you remember? The nation was in recession. Detroit and their car companies was in trouble. My mom bought a Chrysler minivan which came with a special lifetime warranty. A lifetime warranty!
They say nothing lasts forever, but a lifetime warranty is good enough, right? When I buy a car—or a house or computer or most anything, I want it to last. I know, things break, but who likes to have the dishwasher quit…besides the appliance repair person?
Our world feels so temporary, so disposable. My four year-old iPhone is considered by many to be a dinosaur. Fashion trends change every few years, if not every few months. The careers of musicians is sometimes shorter than that of athletes, which isn’t long. The changes on our planet are occurring faster and faster, making anything resembling stability and longevity increasingly rare. Retro and vintage are the new modern! What can we rely upon? What can we trust? What won’t go out of style in twenty minutes?
We’re in the middle of a series on truth. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but even truth has—uh—changed. ‘Post-truth’ was named the word of the year by Oxford Dictionaries…but that was in 2016 so I’m sure it’s outdated! They defined post-truth as “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” I’m going to go out on a limb and say it is true that we have entered a post-truth society.
“Don’t confuse me with the facts.”
“What I feel is true.”
“What I experience is true.”
“I find truth by turning inward.”
Can there be anything more audacious and arrogant than ignoring thousands of years of history and making ourselves gods, declaring our understanding to be superior to that of the billions of people who have walked our planet?
Our authority is God and His Word, the Bible. As I have said, I’m not the authority. I am an authority, but not the authority. If anything I say contradicts scripture, call me out on it.
I admit, our government has not always been trustworthy, which is necessary for truth.
I admit, our media has not always been trustworthy.
I admit, social media has not always been trustworthy. Can you say, “Fake news?”
I admit, religious leaders have not always been trustworthy.
But I want to suggest to you that God is trustworthy, God’s Word is trustworthy, and they have never failed.
One of my favorite biblical characters is Peter. Sure, he gets a bad rap—he denied Jesus three times, after all—but he grew and matured and shaped the movement Jesus began. In his first letter to the early church, he wrote,
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Peter 1:22-23)
As we mentioned last week, Peter did not have 66 leather-bound books. He did have access to the Old Testament books. He had heard many sermons. Most of all, he had spent three years with The Truth, Jesus Christ, the word, the Greek word “logos.” Peter literally knew the Truth, the Messiah. By following Jesus, by obeying God’s teachings, he was becoming purified. He was becoming like Jesus. He was exhibiting sincere love, and taught others to do the same.
He had not been transformed from a loose-lipped hot head to a brilliant leader by watching self-help videos on YouTube or by attending a motivational seminar. No, he had become born again—a new creation—through the imperishable, living, enduring word of God. Psalm 119 asks,
How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you. (Psalms 119:9-11)
The Bible is a miracle. It has been banned by many regimes. Translators have died as martyrs. It has transcended cultures and continents. It has stood the test of time—not merely centuries but thousands of years. Although it was written by approximately 40 people over 1500 years in three languages—Hebrew, Greek, and a bit of Aramaic, it is remarkably cohesive and consistent in telling a beautiful love story between a Creator and His creation, between God and humanity. Peter continued…
For,
“All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall, 1Peter 1:24
but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
And this is the word that was preached to you. 1Peter 1:25
But is it true? Can you trust it? What about all of the Bible’s critics?
Well, if truth is merely that which you want it to be, that which is internal, I’d encourage you to just say the Bible is true and that’ll be good enough, right?
All kidding aside, no other book has been so controversial, transformative, or scrutinized. It’s reliability and sustainability is miles beyond any other piece of literature in history.
Obviously there’s no way I can thoroughly “prove” the Bible is true, but as you saw in the video, God has remarkably preserved His Word.
Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. (Psalms 119:89)
Banning, burning, and critiquing the Bible haven’t extinguished its popularity or power.
Jesus said,
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. (Mark 13:31)
For two thousand years, the words of Jesus have endured. They have transformed lives. They have changed the world.
The story of our Bible is fascinating. Long before the printing press, scribes meticulously copied the texts. They had to ensure each letter was exact or else they would destroy their work and start over. These scribes were willing to die to defend and preserve it. When an OT manuscript wore out, the Jewish scribes burned or buried it.
Perhaps you’ve heard of the Dead Sea Scrolls. I was privileged to visit the place in Israel where they were discovered. In the 1940s, the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, Old Testament Hebrew manuscripts dating back to 100 BC, over 1000 years older than any previously known manuscripts. When compared, they were nearly identical, with most of the minor differences being the spelling of words.
The Bible we have, family, is extremely close to the original texts, with virtually no discrepancies in the messages and meaning, just grammatical differences.
Jesus said,
For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. (Matthew 5:18)
Last week I said some people say they don’t believe the Bible but have never read it. Equally disconcerting is some people say they do believe the Bible but have never read it.
There are numerous accounts of people who didn’t believe the Bible, sought to disprove it, and concluded the Bible is true!
The recent movie, The Case for Christ, is a true story of journalist Lee Strobel’s journey from atheist to pastor.
Josh McDowell is another best-selling author who had a similar path to faith.
I’ve read the Bible and read about the Bible quite extensively. In my undergrad, grad, and doctoral studies, I’ve never encountered anything like it. It’s extraordinary. It better be since I’ve built my entire life on it and its chief subject, Jesus Christ!
What we hold in our hands and on our devices is so precious, so profound, so powerful. We possess the very words of Almighty God, Creator of the universe. He’s reliable. He’s trustworthy. He’s true. And so is the Bible, God’s Word.
So What?
But what about you? Have you read the Bible? Have you let it read you?
If you haven’t surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, I urge you to do so. If you’re not ready today, that’s fine, but I beg you to investigate. Ask questions. Seek answers. Read the Bible.
Let me go a step beyond “read the Bible” and say, “Study the Bible.” It’s a big book—or shall I say collection of books. Perhaps the best tool—besides a Bible in a translation you can read and understand—is a study Bible. Two of my favorites are the NIV Study Bible and the Life Application Bible. They include notes corresponding to the text which help you understand the background and context.
Online, the YouVersion app is loaded with free resources. Mission 119 is another free app with daily readings and devotions, something our church has been using throughout this year.
Get in a group. The Bible was not meant to be read alone, in isolation. Yes, personal Bible study is essential, but reading and studying in community helps avoid misinterpretations. It engages the mind, heart and hands as we explore the texts together and make application. It spurs one another on toward obedience.
If you’re not in a group, I invite you to join ours at 9 AM across the street in the Fellowship Hall. We are all at various stages in our spiritual journey, exploring God’s Word together. New small groups will be launching in the next few weeks. A directory of groups can be found at our Information Center kiosk and at the bottom of the weekly FAC Focus e-newsletter each Wednesday.
Finally, I want to remind you of the most important resource in studying the Bible—the Holy Spirit. Jesus once was talking with his friends and said
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” (John 16:12-15)
The Holy Spirit guides us into all the truth. He is the Spirit of truth. It’s like an air mattress. It can function without air, but not well! It’s designed to be filled. The same is true for the Bible. We can read it as literature, but the Holy Spirit brings it to life.
Apart from the Holy Spirit, we cannot fully understand the Scriptures. The Spirit provides an anointing, an illumination, an ability to truly understand the Bible. John wrote,
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth…As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. (1 John 2:20, 27)
That’s the bottom line, family. Remain in Jesus. Remain in His Word. Invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, to guide you into all truth, to enhance your understanding and obedience of the Bible. It has been carefully preserved for us to study and apply.
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. (Psalms 119:105)
Credits: some ideas from D6.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series—Truth on Trial
1 Peter 1:22-25
Series Overview: God is truth and the source of all truth.
Big Idea: The Bible has transformed lives for thousands of years…and continues to do so today.
I want to take you back in time to…2007. Do you remember? The nation was in recession. Detroit and their car companies was in trouble. My mom bought a Chrysler minivan which came with a special lifetime warranty. A lifetime warranty!
They say nothing lasts forever, but a lifetime warranty is good enough, right? When I buy a car—or a house or computer or most anything, I want it to last. I know, things break, but who likes to have the dishwasher quit…besides the appliance repair person?
Our world feels so temporary, so disposable. My four year-old iPhone is considered by many to be a dinosaur. Fashion trends change every few years, if not every few months. The careers of musicians is sometimes shorter than that of athletes, which isn’t long. The changes on our planet are occurring faster and faster, making anything resembling stability and longevity increasingly rare. Retro and vintage are the new modern! What can we rely upon? What can we trust? What won’t go out of style in twenty minutes?
We’re in the middle of a series on truth. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but even truth has—uh—changed. ‘Post-truth’ was named the word of the year by Oxford Dictionaries…but that was in 2016 so I’m sure it’s outdated! They defined post-truth as “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” I’m going to go out on a limb and say it is true that we have entered a post-truth society.
“Don’t confuse me with the facts.”
“What I feel is true.”
“What I experience is true.”
“I find truth by turning inward.”
Can there be anything more audacious and arrogant than ignoring thousands of years of history and making ourselves gods, declaring our understanding to be superior to that of the billions of people who have walked our planet?
Our authority is God and His Word, the Bible. As I have said, I’m not the authority. I am an authority, but not the authority. If anything I say contradicts scripture, call me out on it.
I admit, our government has not always been trustworthy, which is necessary for truth.
I admit, our media has not always been trustworthy.
I admit, social media has not always been trustworthy. Can you say, “Fake news?”
I admit, religious leaders have not always been trustworthy.
But I want to suggest to you that God is trustworthy, God’s Word is trustworthy, and they have never failed.
One of my favorite biblical characters is Peter. Sure, he gets a bad rap—he denied Jesus three times, after all—but he grew and matured and shaped the movement Jesus began. In his first letter to the early church, he wrote,
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Peter 1:22-23)
As we mentioned last week, Peter did not have 66 leather-bound books. He did have access to the Old Testament books. He had heard many sermons. Most of all, he had spent three years with The Truth, Jesus Christ, the word, the Greek word “logos.” Peter literally knew the Truth, the Messiah. By following Jesus, by obeying God’s teachings, he was becoming purified. He was becoming like Jesus. He was exhibiting sincere love, and taught others to do the same.
He had not been transformed from a loose-lipped hot head to a brilliant leader by watching self-help videos on YouTube or by attending a motivational seminar. No, he had become born again—a new creation—through the imperishable, living, enduring word of God. Psalm 119 asks,
How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you. (Psalms 119:9-11)
The Bible is a miracle. It has been banned by many regimes. Translators have died as martyrs. It has transcended cultures and continents. It has stood the test of time—not merely centuries but thousands of years. Although it was written by approximately 40 people over 1500 years in three languages—Hebrew, Greek, and a bit of Aramaic, it is remarkably cohesive and consistent in telling a beautiful love story between a Creator and His creation, between God and humanity. Peter continued…
For,
“All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall, 1Peter 1:24
but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
And this is the word that was preached to you. 1Peter 1:25
But is it true? Can you trust it? What about all of the Bible’s critics?
Well, if truth is merely that which you want it to be, that which is internal, I’d encourage you to just say the Bible is true and that’ll be good enough, right?
All kidding aside, no other book has been so controversial, transformative, or scrutinized. It’s reliability and sustainability is miles beyond any other piece of literature in history.
Obviously there’s no way I can thoroughly “prove” the Bible is true, but as you saw in the video, God has remarkably preserved His Word.
Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. (Psalms 119:89)
Banning, burning, and critiquing the Bible haven’t extinguished its popularity or power.
Jesus said,
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. (Mark 13:31)
For two thousand years, the words of Jesus have endured. They have transformed lives. They have changed the world.
The story of our Bible is fascinating. Long before the printing press, scribes meticulously copied the texts. They had to ensure each letter was exact or else they would destroy their work and start over. These scribes were willing to die to defend and preserve it. When an OT manuscript wore out, the Jewish scribes burned or buried it.
Perhaps you’ve heard of the Dead Sea Scrolls. I was privileged to visit the place in Israel where they were discovered. In the 1940s, the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, Old Testament Hebrew manuscripts dating back to 100 BC, over 1000 years older than any previously known manuscripts. When compared, they were nearly identical, with most of the minor differences being the spelling of words.
The Bible we have, family, is extremely close to the original texts, with virtually no discrepancies in the messages and meaning, just grammatical differences.
Jesus said,
For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. (Matthew 5:18)
Last week I said some people say they don’t believe the Bible but have never read it. Equally disconcerting is some people say they do believe the Bible but have never read it.
There are numerous accounts of people who didn’t believe the Bible, sought to disprove it, and concluded the Bible is true!
The recent movie, The Case for Christ, is a true story of journalist Lee Strobel’s journey from atheist to pastor.
Josh McDowell is another best-selling author who had a similar path to faith.
I’ve read the Bible and read about the Bible quite extensively. In my undergrad, grad, and doctoral studies, I’ve never encountered anything like it. It’s extraordinary. It better be since I’ve built my entire life on it and its chief subject, Jesus Christ!
What we hold in our hands and on our devices is so precious, so profound, so powerful. We possess the very words of Almighty God, Creator of the universe. He’s reliable. He’s trustworthy. He’s true. And so is the Bible, God’s Word.
So What?
But what about you? Have you read the Bible? Have you let it read you?
If you haven’t surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, I urge you to do so. If you’re not ready today, that’s fine, but I beg you to investigate. Ask questions. Seek answers. Read the Bible.
Let me go a step beyond “read the Bible” and say, “Study the Bible.” It’s a big book—or shall I say collection of books. Perhaps the best tool—besides a Bible in a translation you can read and understand—is a study Bible. Two of my favorites are the NIV Study Bible and the Life Application Bible. They include notes corresponding to the text which help you understand the background and context.
Online, the YouVersion app is loaded with free resources. Mission 119 is another free app with daily readings and devotions, something our church has been using throughout this year.
Get in a group. The Bible was not meant to be read alone, in isolation. Yes, personal Bible study is essential, but reading and studying in community helps avoid misinterpretations. It engages the mind, heart and hands as we explore the texts together and make application. It spurs one another on toward obedience.
If you’re not in a group, I invite you to join ours at 9 AM across the street in the Fellowship Hall. We are all at various stages in our spiritual journey, exploring God’s Word together. New small groups will be launching in the next few weeks. A directory of groups can be found at our Information Center kiosk and at the bottom of the weekly FAC Focus e-newsletter each Wednesday.
Finally, I want to remind you of the most important resource in studying the Bible—the Holy Spirit. Jesus once was talking with his friends and said
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” (John 16:12-15)
The Holy Spirit guides us into all the truth. He is the Spirit of truth. It’s like an air mattress. It can function without air, but not well! It’s designed to be filled. The same is true for the Bible. We can read it as literature, but the Holy Spirit brings it to life.
Apart from the Holy Spirit, we cannot fully understand the Scriptures. The Spirit provides an anointing, an illumination, an ability to truly understand the Bible. John wrote,
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth…As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. (1 John 2:20, 27)
That’s the bottom line, family. Remain in Jesus. Remain in His Word. Invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, to guide you into all truth, to enhance your understanding and obedience of the Bible. It has been carefully preserved for us to study and apply.
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. (Psalms 119:105)
Credits: some ideas from D6.
Divine Truth, 12 August 2018
14 08 18
Divine Truth
D6 Series—Truth on Trial
2 Timothy 3:12-17
Series Overview: God is truth and the source of all truth.
Big Idea: The Bible is God’s message to all humans, revealing Jesus, the truth.
Truth.
Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” (John 18:38)
Jesus had already declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6)
Our August series, Truth on Trial, is a look at how God reveals Himself to us.
Last week we said general revelation is God speaking through creation:
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)
Every creation has a creator. You can’t get something from nothing. Now theoretically speaking, some scientists from the University of Michigan have said you can conjure particles from a vacuum under the right conditions, but actually even then their “nothing” is something, according to Popular Science magazine.
This building had a creator…or creators. It didn’t just appear one day. This space reflects the creativity of its creators.
Someone designed and created my shoes. The same can be said for my phone and car and drinking mug. Music and paintings and sculptures all reflect their artist.
If you look at nature, you will see incredible examples of God’s creativity. I know, there are some who believe this is all one big cosmic accident or that aliens are responsible for our universe (seriously!), but I choose to believe in a Creator…and Romans 1:20 affirms it.
But last week we said there’s another way God speaks, another source of truth. We call it special revelation. Special revelation refers to God revealing Himself through supernatural means, including dreams, visions, physical appearances, the Bible, and most of all Jesus. Our focus last Sunday was on Jesus. He is the truth. God is true. Jesus is God. Therefore, Jesus is true. Jesus is truth. He makes the rules. We follow them…or suffer the consequences.
Today we turn our attention to another type of special revelation—the Bible. Is it truth? Can we trust it? How do we study it? What is its purpose?
What is the Bible, and why should I care? I’m glad you asked!
I was raised to believe in the importance of reading the Bible. As a child, I didn’t understand a lot of it, but I was told—like vitamins—it was just good for me.
It could’ve been worse! I could’ve been raised Catholic during the era of the Latin Mass, sitting through Sunday after Sunday unable to understand a single word spoken!
The Bible is not a book, but rather a collection of books. There are 66 books, written by approximately 40 people over 1500 years in three languages—Hebrew, Greek, and a bit of Aramaic. The authors were kings, leaders, servants, and everything in between. There are poems, stories, wisdom, prophecies, and instructions. Yet for all of its diversity, it has a marvelous unity to it. I don’t think its an overstatement to call it a miracle.
The Bible is the most popular book in history. If included in the NY Times bestseller list, it would be number one every single year.
It is the most powerful book in history. Millions of lives have been transformed by these writings.
It is the most precious book in history. People have devoted their lives to translating it into more languages than any other book in history, some even dying for the right to do so or acquire copies of it.
But despite its uniqueness among other books—sacred or secular—its purpose is most important. The Bible is a fantastic tool we have for understanding Jesus…and ourselves. It addresses life’s most fundamental questions, including origin, meaning, morality, purpose, hope, love, and eternity.
My friend Alex is often asked how he knows the Bible is true. He says, “If it’s not, it should be!” There’s nothing like it. Nothing!
Today’s scripture reading offers both a brilliant declaration about the Bible along with an important message for how to read the Bible. Paul is writing to his apprentice, Timothy. He writes,
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:12-17)
These last two verses are the most popular in this text.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Some have wrongly concluded the Bible was dictated by God to its authors, the breath of God turning into words on a page. Others seem to feel the Bible itself becomes God. Some have tragically turned the Trinity into the Father, the Son, and the Holy Bible. Our English vocabulary fails to perfectly describe the original Greek word. Some have translated it “God-spirited.” We naturally jump to thinking Paul is referring to the 66 books we have in our leather-bound Bibles, but since the New Testament had not yet been compiled, he is speaking of the Old Testament and, no doubt, oral sources. This phrase “God-breathed” or “God-spirited” is unique not only in the Bible but also in Greek literature before Paul’s time. He was likely creating a word picture to convey the idea that God’s Spirit is behind the images and narratives we have in Scripture.
That alone makes the Bible unique. People put pen to paper—or papyrus—but the Bible is God-inspired. If that’s true, we can say Scripture is God’s divine truth. It is unlike any other piece of literature. Human authors wrote it, but they were filled and inspired by God the Holy Spirit.
Peter wrote,
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:20-21)
The Alliance Statement of Faith says,
The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice.
As I stated last Sunday, I am not the authority at First Alliance Church, nor is our District Superintendent, Thomas George, or the Alliance President, Dr. John Stumbo. Because the Bible was inspired by God, it is our best source of special revelation, that which reveals God to us. God is our authority. Jesus is our Senior Pastor. The Bible is the best tool we have for learning about God…in order to know God.
You can read a biography of George Washington and learn about him, but it won’t lead to a relationship with him.
The Bible contains four biographies of Jesus—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—but it provides so much more than facts. Taken as a whole, the Bible is a beautiful narrative, a love story of God and humanity.
I find it simply astonishing that the Creator of the universe would speak to us, not only through creation, but through the Bible and Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us.
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. (Hebrews 1:1-2)
Listen to the Father’s heart as recorded in the book of Jeremiah the prophet:
Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” (Jeremiah 29:12-14)
God speaks through Jesus and the Bible so that we might know Him, not just about Him. He wants us to find Him! He wants us to know Him! The Bible is not to be approached as an encyclopedia to acquire facts, but rather a love letter to build a relationship. Yes, there are facts and instructions, stories and prophecies, but the overarching message is that of a Father to His children, expressing His character, love, and desires, inviting them into a deeper relationship with Himself while challenging them to obey and follow.
So What?
If the Bible is divine, we must read it…and obey. Jesus’ half brother, James, stated it so plainly.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22)
We read and study the Bible to know God and to know God’s will for our lives and to obey him. This idea of obedience is not politically correct in our society. We like to do our own thing. We like to create our own rules, be our own person, do what feels good, and pursue individual happiness. That works…until it doesn’t! If God is God, He knows best. I love these words from God to Job:
“Who is this that questions my wisdom
with such ignorant words?
Brace yourself like a man,
because I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.
“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell me, if you know so much.
Who determined its dimensions
and stretched out the surveying line?
What supports its foundations,
and who laid its cornerstone
as the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?
“Who kept the sea inside its boundaries
as it burst from the womb,
and as I clothed it with clouds
and wrapped it in thick darkness?
For I locked it behind barred gates,
limiting its shores.
I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come.
Here your proud waves must stop!’
“Have you ever commanded the morning to appear
and caused the dawn to rise in the east?
Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth,
to bring an end to the night’s wickedness?
As the light approaches,
the earth takes shape like clay pressed beneath a seal;
it is robed in brilliant colors.
The light disturbs the wicked
and stops the arm that is raised in violence.
“Have you explored the springs from which the seas come?
Have you explored their depths?
Do you know where the gates of death are located?
Have you seen the gates of utter gloom?
Do you realize the extent of the earth?
Tell me about it if you know!
That’s just the beginning, but you get the idea! If God is God, He knows best. He makes the rules. He is the authority. We can choose to follow God and His Word or follow our own sinful desires and suffer the consequences.
It amazes me how many so-called Christians have complete disregard for the Bible. They like the idea of God and His love, but ignore His wisdom, His will, His instructions. I have one friend who claims to follow God yet is choosing to deliberately violate the clear teachings of the Bible because…He thinks He knows better than God?
Family, we all mess up, we fall…and we are to get up. I’m not talking struggles with sin. I’m speaking of willfully picking and choosing things from the Bible. It’s not a buffet! Either the Bible is true and authoritative or it’s not.
We often struggle with the commands:
Mark Twain famously said, “It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12-13)
Here’s my simple challenge to you: read the Bible this week!
Read it on your phone. The YouVersion website and app are totally free.
Listen to it on your phone. The YouVersion website and app are totally free.
Study with Pastor Soper at Mission 119. The website and app are totally free.
Grab a copy of the New Living Translation of the Bible at our Information Center. Free!
Read a verse. A chapter. A book. A great place to start is the book of Mark. It’s the shortest biography of Jesus.
If you want a challenge to your lifestyle, read the book of James. It will rock your world.
Looking for a way to connect with God in praise? Study the Psalms.
Jesus said,
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27)
Do you know Jesus? Do you know His voice? The Bible is one of our primary tools for knowing Jesus, hearing His voice, and obediently follow Hiim.
In closing, most people who say they don’t believe the Bible have never read it! I think most people who say they do believe the Bible have never read it! This is God’s special revelation to us! The Creator of the universe! You owe it to yourself to read it…not for information, but for transformation. It’s all about Jesus!
Credits: some ideas from D6.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series—Truth on Trial
2 Timothy 3:12-17
Series Overview: God is truth and the source of all truth.
Big Idea: The Bible is God’s message to all humans, revealing Jesus, the truth.
Truth.
Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” (John 18:38)
Jesus had already declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6)
Our August series, Truth on Trial, is a look at how God reveals Himself to us.
Last week we said general revelation is God speaking through creation:
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)
Every creation has a creator. You can’t get something from nothing. Now theoretically speaking, some scientists from the University of Michigan have said you can conjure particles from a vacuum under the right conditions, but actually even then their “nothing” is something, according to Popular Science magazine.
This building had a creator…or creators. It didn’t just appear one day. This space reflects the creativity of its creators.
Someone designed and created my shoes. The same can be said for my phone and car and drinking mug. Music and paintings and sculptures all reflect their artist.
If you look at nature, you will see incredible examples of God’s creativity. I know, there are some who believe this is all one big cosmic accident or that aliens are responsible for our universe (seriously!), but I choose to believe in a Creator…and Romans 1:20 affirms it.
But last week we said there’s another way God speaks, another source of truth. We call it special revelation. Special revelation refers to God revealing Himself through supernatural means, including dreams, visions, physical appearances, the Bible, and most of all Jesus. Our focus last Sunday was on Jesus. He is the truth. God is true. Jesus is God. Therefore, Jesus is true. Jesus is truth. He makes the rules. We follow them…or suffer the consequences.
Today we turn our attention to another type of special revelation—the Bible. Is it truth? Can we trust it? How do we study it? What is its purpose?
What is the Bible, and why should I care? I’m glad you asked!
I was raised to believe in the importance of reading the Bible. As a child, I didn’t understand a lot of it, but I was told—like vitamins—it was just good for me.
It could’ve been worse! I could’ve been raised Catholic during the era of the Latin Mass, sitting through Sunday after Sunday unable to understand a single word spoken!
The Bible is not a book, but rather a collection of books. There are 66 books, written by approximately 40 people over 1500 years in three languages—Hebrew, Greek, and a bit of Aramaic. The authors were kings, leaders, servants, and everything in between. There are poems, stories, wisdom, prophecies, and instructions. Yet for all of its diversity, it has a marvelous unity to it. I don’t think its an overstatement to call it a miracle.
The Bible is the most popular book in history. If included in the NY Times bestseller list, it would be number one every single year.
It is the most powerful book in history. Millions of lives have been transformed by these writings.
It is the most precious book in history. People have devoted their lives to translating it into more languages than any other book in history, some even dying for the right to do so or acquire copies of it.
But despite its uniqueness among other books—sacred or secular—its purpose is most important. The Bible is a fantastic tool we have for understanding Jesus…and ourselves. It addresses life’s most fundamental questions, including origin, meaning, morality, purpose, hope, love, and eternity.
My friend Alex is often asked how he knows the Bible is true. He says, “If it’s not, it should be!” There’s nothing like it. Nothing!
Today’s scripture reading offers both a brilliant declaration about the Bible along with an important message for how to read the Bible. Paul is writing to his apprentice, Timothy. He writes,
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:12-17)
These last two verses are the most popular in this text.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Some have wrongly concluded the Bible was dictated by God to its authors, the breath of God turning into words on a page. Others seem to feel the Bible itself becomes God. Some have tragically turned the Trinity into the Father, the Son, and the Holy Bible. Our English vocabulary fails to perfectly describe the original Greek word. Some have translated it “God-spirited.” We naturally jump to thinking Paul is referring to the 66 books we have in our leather-bound Bibles, but since the New Testament had not yet been compiled, he is speaking of the Old Testament and, no doubt, oral sources. This phrase “God-breathed” or “God-spirited” is unique not only in the Bible but also in Greek literature before Paul’s time. He was likely creating a word picture to convey the idea that God’s Spirit is behind the images and narratives we have in Scripture.
That alone makes the Bible unique. People put pen to paper—or papyrus—but the Bible is God-inspired. If that’s true, we can say Scripture is God’s divine truth. It is unlike any other piece of literature. Human authors wrote it, but they were filled and inspired by God the Holy Spirit.
Peter wrote,
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:20-21)
The Alliance Statement of Faith says,
The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice.
As I stated last Sunday, I am not the authority at First Alliance Church, nor is our District Superintendent, Thomas George, or the Alliance President, Dr. John Stumbo. Because the Bible was inspired by God, it is our best source of special revelation, that which reveals God to us. God is our authority. Jesus is our Senior Pastor. The Bible is the best tool we have for learning about God…in order to know God.
You can read a biography of George Washington and learn about him, but it won’t lead to a relationship with him.
The Bible contains four biographies of Jesus—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—but it provides so much more than facts. Taken as a whole, the Bible is a beautiful narrative, a love story of God and humanity.
I find it simply astonishing that the Creator of the universe would speak to us, not only through creation, but through the Bible and Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us.
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. (Hebrews 1:1-2)
Listen to the Father’s heart as recorded in the book of Jeremiah the prophet:
Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” (Jeremiah 29:12-14)
God speaks through Jesus and the Bible so that we might know Him, not just about Him. He wants us to find Him! He wants us to know Him! The Bible is not to be approached as an encyclopedia to acquire facts, but rather a love letter to build a relationship. Yes, there are facts and instructions, stories and prophecies, but the overarching message is that of a Father to His children, expressing His character, love, and desires, inviting them into a deeper relationship with Himself while challenging them to obey and follow.
So What?
If the Bible is divine, we must read it…and obey. Jesus’ half brother, James, stated it so plainly.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22)
We read and study the Bible to know God and to know God’s will for our lives and to obey him. This idea of obedience is not politically correct in our society. We like to do our own thing. We like to create our own rules, be our own person, do what feels good, and pursue individual happiness. That works…until it doesn’t! If God is God, He knows best. I love these words from God to Job:
“Who is this that questions my wisdom
with such ignorant words?
Brace yourself like a man,
because I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.
“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell me, if you know so much.
Who determined its dimensions
and stretched out the surveying line?
What supports its foundations,
and who laid its cornerstone
as the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?
“Who kept the sea inside its boundaries
as it burst from the womb,
and as I clothed it with clouds
and wrapped it in thick darkness?
For I locked it behind barred gates,
limiting its shores.
I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come.
Here your proud waves must stop!’
“Have you ever commanded the morning to appear
and caused the dawn to rise in the east?
Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth,
to bring an end to the night’s wickedness?
As the light approaches,
the earth takes shape like clay pressed beneath a seal;
it is robed in brilliant colors.
The light disturbs the wicked
and stops the arm that is raised in violence.
“Have you explored the springs from which the seas come?
Have you explored their depths?
Do you know where the gates of death are located?
Have you seen the gates of utter gloom?
Do you realize the extent of the earth?
Tell me about it if you know!
That’s just the beginning, but you get the idea! If God is God, He knows best. He makes the rules. He is the authority. We can choose to follow God and His Word or follow our own sinful desires and suffer the consequences.
It amazes me how many so-called Christians have complete disregard for the Bible. They like the idea of God and His love, but ignore His wisdom, His will, His instructions. I have one friend who claims to follow God yet is choosing to deliberately violate the clear teachings of the Bible because…He thinks He knows better than God?
Family, we all mess up, we fall…and we are to get up. I’m not talking struggles with sin. I’m speaking of willfully picking and choosing things from the Bible. It’s not a buffet! Either the Bible is true and authoritative or it’s not.
We often struggle with the commands:
- - Love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 19:18; Mark 12:31)
- - Care for the hungry, the stranger, the sick, the prisoner (Matthew 25:40)
- - If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it (Matthew 16:25)
- - Whoever divorces and marries another commits adultery (Matthew 5:27-32; Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18)
- - You must be perfect (Matthew 5:48)
- - The last will be first, and the first last (Matthew 20:1-16)
- - Judge not, that you be not judged (Matthew 7:1-6)
- - Renounce all your possessions (Luke 14:33)
- - Abstain from all sexual immorality (Matthew 15:19; Acts 15:20; 1 Corinthians 6:18)
- - Do not lie (Leviticus 19:11)
- - No other gods, including the person in the mirror (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7)
- - Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant (Mark 10:43)
Mark Twain famously said, “It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12-13)
Here’s my simple challenge to you: read the Bible this week!
Read it on your phone. The YouVersion website and app are totally free.
Listen to it on your phone. The YouVersion website and app are totally free.
Study with Pastor Soper at Mission 119. The website and app are totally free.
Grab a copy of the New Living Translation of the Bible at our Information Center. Free!
Read a verse. A chapter. A book. A great place to start is the book of Mark. It’s the shortest biography of Jesus.
If you want a challenge to your lifestyle, read the book of James. It will rock your world.
Looking for a way to connect with God in praise? Study the Psalms.
Jesus said,
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27)
Do you know Jesus? Do you know His voice? The Bible is one of our primary tools for knowing Jesus, hearing His voice, and obediently follow Hiim.
In closing, most people who say they don’t believe the Bible have never read it! I think most people who say they do believe the Bible have never read it! This is God’s special revelation to us! The Creator of the universe! You owe it to yourself to read it…not for information, but for transformation. It’s all about Jesus!
Credits: some ideas from D6.
Absolute Truth, 5 August 2018
06 08 18
Absolute Truth
D6 Series—Truth on Trial
John 14:1-7
Series Overview: God is truth and the source of all truth.
Big Idea: Despite statements to the contrary, absolute truth exists; truth is a Person and his name is Jesus.
Questions. I love questions. I love asking questions.
I love it when people ask me questions. I don’t always know the answers, but those are often my favorite questions because I can do research and learn, too.
When it comes to questions, children are notoriously good at both asking and answering.
Do you like questions?
I’ve often said the two most important questions in life might be
Those questions do not exactly appear in the Bible, but there is one question which might be the most brilliant question of all time.
What do you think it is?
See, I asked another question!
The setting is Jesus’ trial. He is standing before Pilate on account of religious leaders who want Jesus crucified, though Pilate cannot understand why. There is a discussion about Jesus being called the King of the Jews.
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (John 18:37)
Then Pilate asks the zinger, the question, maybe the most important question in the Bible.
“What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. John 18:38
What is truth?
It’s a simple question with profound implications, especially in a world drowning in information and data. How can you discern fake news from the real stuff? If you can’t believe everything you read on the Internet, what can you believe?
What is truth?
Many today say there’s no such thing as absolute truth. Is that true? Isn’t saying absolute truth does not exist a statement of absolute truth?
What is truth?
In a world where billions of people practice Islam and Buddhism and Hinduism and even atheism, how we do we know Christianity is true?
Even the realm of science is slippery.
This Is Why Eating Healthy Is Hard (Time Travel Dietician). Written by Charles (Chuck Armstrong & Charlie Stockman). Directed by Elliot Dickerhoof. Produced by Darren Miller for Funny or Die. Used by Permission. http://funnyordie.com/CharlesComedy
What is truth?
We are devoting this month of August to addressing this fascination question. Are you ready?
What is truth?
The dictionary uses words such as “fact,” “reality,” and “honesty” to describe that which is true or truthful.
It’s easy to be skeptical of things today. How many times have we heard a story about something in the news, only to determine it was fabricated?
Not only can you not believe everything you hear or read, thanks to Photoshop and other tools, you can’t believe everything you see!
If you’ll allow me to get philosophical for a moment, one of the problems with true involves language. Words have meaning and that meaning is derived from our interpretation.
In the 1990’s Stanley Grenz offered “A Primer on Postmodernism,” a book about the emerging post-Enlightenment philosophies influenced by Nietzsche who famously asserted “the death of God.”
Grenz writes, “Nietzsche claims that there is not truth as such but only relative truths for a certain sort of creature or a certain society. Because all knowledge is a matter of perspective, knowledge is really interpretation—and all interpretations are lies.”
Words and language have limits, which is why we often find ourselves misunderstood. Here’s a simple example: he is old. What does that mean? If I’m talking to a group of toddlers, I might be referring to a seven year-old. If I’m talking with my step dad, it could be someone in their nineties or later. What does the word “old” mean? It might even mean 200 years old if we’re touring Boston or 2000 years old if we’re in Egypt.
Stay with me! When we speak of truth, we’re looking for something universal and timeless. If you drop a bowling ball on your foot, it will not be comfortable, no matter if you’re in Toledo or Timbuktu, in 2018 or 1818 or 18 BC (if they had bowling balls back then) because gravity is a universal truth.
Tensions arise when competing worldviews or scriptures or philosophies claim to be true over and against others. Maybe you’ve heard someone say, “What’s true for you isn’t true for me.” That would describe relative truth, a reality based upon a context or individual. I could claim the Mud Hens are the best team in baseball, but surely others would disagree. We could all agree, however, that the Philadelphia Eagles are the 2018 Super Bowl Champions. That’s a fact. That’s true.
But what about God? Christianity? The Bible? Is it true? How do we know? If the Bible is true, why do so many people interpret it different ways? How can it be trustworthy? How do I know my understanding of God and the Bible is correct?
We will spend much of our time in this series talking about the Bible, but I want to begin by saying truth is not a religion, a philosophy, or even a book. It’s a person.
In a conversation with Thomas, one of Jesus’ twelve closest friends—the doubting one…
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Jesus said, “I am the truth.” Truth is a Person. Jesus is the truth. God is the truth. Let’s back up a moment and look at the context (something that often gets people in trouble, failing to look at the context of a verse). Jesus is talking to his disciples, his followers, and says,
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:1-4)
Jesus equates himself with God. This was radical. Who does he think he is, God or something? Yes!
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (John 14:5)
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7)
Again, Jesus says he and the Father are one. There is mystery to the Trinity, one God in three Persons—Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
I’m going to make a radical, politically-incorrect statement: God exists. I know church is a shocking context for such a declaration, but I’m feeling a little edgy today! Seriously, though, either God exists or He doesn’t. If God exists and He created our universe, we can safely say He makes the rules.
It amazes me how many people have the audacity to ask God to conform to their will, rules, and desires when God is…God. We can trust God and His will and word knowing He’s God and we’re not. You can deny His law of gravity and jump off a cliff but you’ll quickly realize there are consequences to doing so, whether you believe in gravity or not.
Parenthetically, if you don’t believe in God, God still believes in you!
How do we know God exists? There are two types of revelation, things that reveal God to us. The first is called general revelation. God speaks through creation. Psalm 19 says,
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. (Psalms 19:1-4)
Centuries later Paul wrote to the church in Rome,
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)
Special revelation refers to God revealing Himself through supernatural means, including dreams, visions, physical appearances, the Bible, and most of all Jesus.
Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, is filled with declarations about God’s Word.
Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. (Psalms 119:89)
Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true. (Psalms 119:142)
All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. (Psalms 119:160)
That’s the God that we serve. His words are true. He is true. Jesus is truth.
So What?
If God is true, He can be trusted. He wrote the rules. He knows best. Obviously this does not mean we can’t doubt or question God. In the midst of our grieving, we all have plenty of questions for God…and He welcomes them. But we must recognize God is God and we’re not. God is in control and we’re not. God can be trusted. He has been good and faithful from generation to generation and He’s not about to change now.
You can build your life around what is popular or politically correct, but just like “science,” it is likely to change. I’d think twice about devoting yourself to the lifestyle or teaching of any celebrity, author, or expert. Even pastors such as myself are far from perfect. At FAC, I am not the authority, nor are our elders or District Superintendent or C&MA President. Our authority is Jesus. God, through His Word and example of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, shows us how to live. As Jesus prepared to return to heaven, He said to the Father,
“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. (John 17:13-19)
Finally, God’s truth can set us free…free from lies, bondage, sin, and death.
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)
Do you know the truth? It is contained in God’s Word, the Bible, but ultimately truth is a Person—Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life.
Credits: some ideas from D6.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series—Truth on Trial
John 14:1-7
Series Overview: God is truth and the source of all truth.
Big Idea: Despite statements to the contrary, absolute truth exists; truth is a Person and his name is Jesus.
Questions. I love questions. I love asking questions.
I love it when people ask me questions. I don’t always know the answers, but those are often my favorite questions because I can do research and learn, too.
When it comes to questions, children are notoriously good at both asking and answering.
Do you like questions?
I’ve often said the two most important questions in life might be
- - Who is God?
- - Who am I?
Those questions do not exactly appear in the Bible, but there is one question which might be the most brilliant question of all time.
What do you think it is?
See, I asked another question!
The setting is Jesus’ trial. He is standing before Pilate on account of religious leaders who want Jesus crucified, though Pilate cannot understand why. There is a discussion about Jesus being called the King of the Jews.
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (John 18:37)
Then Pilate asks the zinger, the question, maybe the most important question in the Bible.
“What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. John 18:38
What is truth?
It’s a simple question with profound implications, especially in a world drowning in information and data. How can you discern fake news from the real stuff? If you can’t believe everything you read on the Internet, what can you believe?
What is truth?
Many today say there’s no such thing as absolute truth. Is that true? Isn’t saying absolute truth does not exist a statement of absolute truth?
What is truth?
In a world where billions of people practice Islam and Buddhism and Hinduism and even atheism, how we do we know Christianity is true?
Even the realm of science is slippery.
This Is Why Eating Healthy Is Hard (Time Travel Dietician). Written by Charles (Chuck Armstrong & Charlie Stockman). Directed by Elliot Dickerhoof. Produced by Darren Miller for Funny or Die. Used by Permission. http://funnyordie.com/CharlesComedy
What is truth?
We are devoting this month of August to addressing this fascination question. Are you ready?
What is truth?
The dictionary uses words such as “fact,” “reality,” and “honesty” to describe that which is true or truthful.
It’s easy to be skeptical of things today. How many times have we heard a story about something in the news, only to determine it was fabricated?
Not only can you not believe everything you hear or read, thanks to Photoshop and other tools, you can’t believe everything you see!
If you’ll allow me to get philosophical for a moment, one of the problems with true involves language. Words have meaning and that meaning is derived from our interpretation.
In the 1990’s Stanley Grenz offered “A Primer on Postmodernism,” a book about the emerging post-Enlightenment philosophies influenced by Nietzsche who famously asserted “the death of God.”
Grenz writes, “Nietzsche claims that there is not truth as such but only relative truths for a certain sort of creature or a certain society. Because all knowledge is a matter of perspective, knowledge is really interpretation—and all interpretations are lies.”
Words and language have limits, which is why we often find ourselves misunderstood. Here’s a simple example: he is old. What does that mean? If I’m talking to a group of toddlers, I might be referring to a seven year-old. If I’m talking with my step dad, it could be someone in their nineties or later. What does the word “old” mean? It might even mean 200 years old if we’re touring Boston or 2000 years old if we’re in Egypt.
Stay with me! When we speak of truth, we’re looking for something universal and timeless. If you drop a bowling ball on your foot, it will not be comfortable, no matter if you’re in Toledo or Timbuktu, in 2018 or 1818 or 18 BC (if they had bowling balls back then) because gravity is a universal truth.
Tensions arise when competing worldviews or scriptures or philosophies claim to be true over and against others. Maybe you’ve heard someone say, “What’s true for you isn’t true for me.” That would describe relative truth, a reality based upon a context or individual. I could claim the Mud Hens are the best team in baseball, but surely others would disagree. We could all agree, however, that the Philadelphia Eagles are the 2018 Super Bowl Champions. That’s a fact. That’s true.
But what about God? Christianity? The Bible? Is it true? How do we know? If the Bible is true, why do so many people interpret it different ways? How can it be trustworthy? How do I know my understanding of God and the Bible is correct?
We will spend much of our time in this series talking about the Bible, but I want to begin by saying truth is not a religion, a philosophy, or even a book. It’s a person.
In a conversation with Thomas, one of Jesus’ twelve closest friends—the doubting one…
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Jesus said, “I am the truth.” Truth is a Person. Jesus is the truth. God is the truth. Let’s back up a moment and look at the context (something that often gets people in trouble, failing to look at the context of a verse). Jesus is talking to his disciples, his followers, and says,
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:1-4)
Jesus equates himself with God. This was radical. Who does he think he is, God or something? Yes!
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (John 14:5)
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7)
Again, Jesus says he and the Father are one. There is mystery to the Trinity, one God in three Persons—Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
I’m going to make a radical, politically-incorrect statement: God exists. I know church is a shocking context for such a declaration, but I’m feeling a little edgy today! Seriously, though, either God exists or He doesn’t. If God exists and He created our universe, we can safely say He makes the rules.
It amazes me how many people have the audacity to ask God to conform to their will, rules, and desires when God is…God. We can trust God and His will and word knowing He’s God and we’re not. You can deny His law of gravity and jump off a cliff but you’ll quickly realize there are consequences to doing so, whether you believe in gravity or not.
Parenthetically, if you don’t believe in God, God still believes in you!
How do we know God exists? There are two types of revelation, things that reveal God to us. The first is called general revelation. God speaks through creation. Psalm 19 says,
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. (Psalms 19:1-4)
Centuries later Paul wrote to the church in Rome,
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)
Special revelation refers to God revealing Himself through supernatural means, including dreams, visions, physical appearances, the Bible, and most of all Jesus.
Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, is filled with declarations about God’s Word.
Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. (Psalms 119:89)
Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true. (Psalms 119:142)
All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. (Psalms 119:160)
That’s the God that we serve. His words are true. He is true. Jesus is truth.
So What?
If God is true, He can be trusted. He wrote the rules. He knows best. Obviously this does not mean we can’t doubt or question God. In the midst of our grieving, we all have plenty of questions for God…and He welcomes them. But we must recognize God is God and we’re not. God is in control and we’re not. God can be trusted. He has been good and faithful from generation to generation and He’s not about to change now.
You can build your life around what is popular or politically correct, but just like “science,” it is likely to change. I’d think twice about devoting yourself to the lifestyle or teaching of any celebrity, author, or expert. Even pastors such as myself are far from perfect. At FAC, I am not the authority, nor are our elders or District Superintendent or C&MA President. Our authority is Jesus. God, through His Word and example of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, shows us how to live. As Jesus prepared to return to heaven, He said to the Father,
“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. (John 17:13-19)
Finally, God’s truth can set us free…free from lies, bondage, sin, and death.
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)
Do you know the truth? It is contained in God’s Word, the Bible, but ultimately truth is a Person—Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life.
Credits: some ideas from D6.
A Song of Distress, 22 July 2018
22 07 18
A Song of Distress
D6 Series—More Songs from the Heart (Psalms)
Psalm 44
Series Overview: The Psalms reveal hearts poured out in inspired song.
Big Idea: God is good and faithful…even when it doesn’t feel like it.
Last Sunday in a skit, I played the part of a man tempting someone toward self-harm, first through cutting, then with a gun. I must admit it was a fun part to play as we performed the drama in the Dominican Republic, knowing how the skit would conclude, with Jesus pushing back the temptations and bringing freedom to the lead actress. The greater the evil, the greater the victory when satan is defeated (and one day he will be defeated for eternity).
But although the acting was fun in the DR, I struggled to reprise the part last Sunday. Just hours before—late Saturday night—I was trying to stop a loved one from committing suicide. 911 was called. EMS and the police were involved. It was one of the worst nights of my entire life.
Have you ever had one of those nights? Days?
What do you do? Where do you go? Who do you call? How do you cope?
Let me be clear, some of life’s pain is the result of our disobedience to God. Poor choices do not deny us the right to seek grace and healing, but we know where to place the blame.
But what happens when you obey God and your life is turned upside down?
When you devote your life to serving God overseas and find yourself unexpectedly returning to the States due to a health issue?
When you pray for your children before they are even conceived, take parenting classes, invest in Christian schools, model a Christ-like home, …and they abandon your family and/or faith?
When you exercise, eat healthy, prioritize sleep, …and the doctor delivers an incurable diagnosis?
When you utilize every resource at your disposal in making a project succeed…and it collapses?
When you do the right thing, tell the truth, refuse to compromise…and you find yourself in the unemployment line?
What do we do when we pursue Jesus, obey God, and our world falls apart? When we find ourselves dialing 911? When God seems asleep? When we can’t find God? That’s our subject for today.
Today we’re looking at Psalm 44, a passionate plea from God’s people in the midst of distress.
The word distress means “extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain.” We’ve all experienced it one way or another, and let me restate there are two types of distress: those that are the result of our poor choices and those that are the result of…life.
I must confess when someone comes to me in self-inflicted distress, I’m tempted to judge…and I often yield to the temptation in sin. You need money for your prescription and you just bought a bunch of Mountain Dew? You verbally abuse your girlfriend and she broke up with you? You skipped class every day and failed your exam?
But what about when you do the right thing and suffer?
Let’s turn to Psalm 44.
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.
This is not a psalm of David, but nevertheless it appears to be related to music, perhaps lyrics to a song or poetry. A maskil is a Hebrew term found in thirteen psalms with an unknown meaning. We do know a group of people, the sons of Korah, wrote it.
We have heard it with our ears, O God; our ancestors have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago. With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our ancestors; you crushed the peoples and made our ancestors flourish. (Psalms 44:1-2)
This is sounding like a psalm of praise to God.
It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them. (Psalms 44:3)
These are accounts of God’s faithfulness to Israel. So far, so good.
You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes. I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. (Psalms 44:4-7)
God is their King and God. He has led the Israelites to victories. The writer says His trust is not in his bow or sword, but in the LORD…where it should be!
In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever. (Psalms 44:8)
I’m sure the psalmist wanted to end here. Don’t we love to sing songs of worship and praise? Our God is an awesome God. How great Thou art. Praise to the LORD the Almighty. All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name. To God be the Glory. How Firm a Foundation. Crown Him with Many Crowns.
And then comes that word…that small word which slams on the brakes and makes a u-turn.
But now you have rejected and humbled us; you no longer go out with our armies. You made us retreat before the enemy and our adversaries have plundered us. You gave us up to be devoured like sheep and have scattered us among the nations. (Psalms 44:9-11)
Yikes!
You sold your people for a pittance, gaining nothing from their sale. You have made us a reproach to our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us. You have made us a byword among the nations; the peoples shake their heads at us. (Psalms 44:12-14)
These are strong accusations against God. Look at the results.
I live in disgrace all day long, and my face is covered with shame at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me, because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge. (Psalms 44:15-16)
Okay, what happened? Did the people abandon God? If you’re going through Mission 119 with us, you know in the book of Judges—and throughout the Bible—the people follow God, forget God, suffer, and return to God…over and over and over again. So this shift must be God’s punishment for their disobedience, right? Not so fast.
All this came upon us, though we had not forgotten you; we had not been false to your covenant. Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed from your path. (Psalms 44:17-18)
They were faithful to God, …
But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals; you covered us over with deep darkness. If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart? Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. (Psalms 44:19-22)
Have you ever felt crushed by God? I have. I hate it! I don’t like pain. I avoid discomfort. I like safe, simple, and secure. I don’t like darkness, facing death all day long, or the idea of being a sheep to be slaughtered.
What do you do when you feel crushed, abandoned?
My Story: Lynn Kampfer
When in distress, I hope you’re honest—with yourself, with others, and most of all with God.
I don’t know where we get the idea that life is supposed to be easy. I do think it’s a western thing, maybe even a USAmerican thing. After all, we’re promised life, liberty, and the pursuit of…happiness, right?
We don’t suffer well, or at least I don’t suffer well. I moan and complain. I get bent out of shape. I wonder what I did wrong, which is not necessarily a bad step to take, by the way, since sometimes we do reap what we sow.
But we’ve believed the lie that following Jesus means life will be happy, happy, happy. But that’s hardly biblical.
Abram and Sarai suffered for nearly a century waiting for a promised child.
Noah was mocked as he spent decades building a floating zoo.
Job lost everything. Everything.
Joseph is thrown into prison and forgotten…for saying no to sin.
John was boiled alive.
The other disciples died as martyrs.
Paul…he had lists of his distress, including shipwrecks and beatings, and stonings.
And most important of all, Jesus, of course was crucified.
It’s a long, long list. What do you do when you are in distress? I hope you’re honest, like today’s scripture reading passage.
Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever. Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression? We are brought down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground. Rise up and help us; rescue us because of your unfailing love. (Psalms 44:23-26)
I love these verses. I’m glad the psalmist didn’t stop with praise. He kept it real. He got messy. He poured out his heart to God. We can, too. Here’s another translation of the Hebrew text:
Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Get up! Do not reject us forever. Why do you look the other way? Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression? We collapse in the dust, lying face down in the dirt. Rise up! Help us! Ransom us because of your unfailing love. (Psalms 44:23-26)
I especially love the final sentence: ransom us because of your unfailing love. He is reminding God of his love! “Don’t forget, LORD, You love me! You wouldn’t sleep while I suffer. You can’t forget Your children.”
I remember “reminding” God of His goodness and faithfulness as I drove to and from the hospital countless times to see our daughter. It was a good reminder for me, too, for God is good and faithful and His love is unfailing.
So What?
But what do we do when we are in distress? How are we to respond to crisis?
First, pray. I know, it sounds cliché, but prayer works. It changes circumstances. It changes us. Sometimes all we can do is pray, and that’s both frustrating and liberating, knowing some things are simply beyond our control. If you are in a place to make a decision—such as choosing a hospital for a friend or seeking a job after an unexpected loss—pray for wisdom. Psalm 44 is a prayer to God. The Bible is filled with prayers. God loves to hear your voice. Always. Sure, He knows your heart, but He loves to hear your voice.
Have you ever been so distraught you didn’t even know what or how to pray?
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. Romans 8:26
Last weekend in the midst of despair, I didn’t even know what to say except, “Help!” I said, “Holy Spirit, please groan!”
As we pray, we need four things:
We need perspective. This was Sue Trumbull’s word this past week, emerging from her lips multiple times as she dealt with a variety of people and situations. It’s not always helpful to think, “It could be worse,” but then again, I’ve often found it comforting. As Rev. Thomas George says, we were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. Does God want us happy? Sure, but His higher priority is to make us holy. He uses trials and suffering to grow us and shape us to be used for His glory. I don’t always understand why He gives sometimes and takes away at other times, but I know He can be trusted. He’s God. He’s perfect. No matter how challenging life becomes, a hundred years is a blink compared to eternity. That’s perspective!
We need to look back. God has always been good and faithful, and He never changes. The people of Israel were constantly forgetting God’s past activity. A prayer journal is a great tool for building your faith, seeing what God has done.
We need to look forward. Your story is not over. Your breakthrough may be just days away…or even hours away. It’s easy to become discouraged or even depressed about this moment, but God is in control and there’s more to come.
We need one another.
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15)
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)
Family, there’s two parts to this. First, we need to be willing to serve and support our brothers and sisters in need. Pray. Visit. Buy gift cards. Deliver meals. Babysit. Be present. We have some incredible shepherds in our family who are quick to respond to the needs of others.
But there’s a second part to this, and it is asking for help. I’m sick of hearing about people who tell the world nobody cares, yet they never bother to join a small group, reveal their pain to others, and swallow their pride and ask for help. Family, we can’t carry your burdens if we don’t know what they are!
We have a team of deacons and deaconesses who provide resources—visitation, skilled labor, and even financial help through our benevolence fund which they oversee.
We’re not a perfect family. No family is, but we are committed to helping one another on the journey. We have a benevolence fund to help with financial matters, but a deacon or deaconess needs to know of the need. Call or e-mail the office. Share your situation with your small group. And if you’re not in a small group, you’re missing out on community, relationships, and care. There’s a list of groups on our website, the weekly Focus e-newsletter, and the information kiosk in the lobby.
Conclusion
God can be trusted. He may feel distant, but His promise is to be with us always, to the very end of the age. Call out to Him. Cry out to Him. And let us love you, serve you, and support you, too.
Credits: some ideas from D6.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series—More Songs from the Heart (Psalms)
Psalm 44
Series Overview: The Psalms reveal hearts poured out in inspired song.
Big Idea: God is good and faithful…even when it doesn’t feel like it.
Last Sunday in a skit, I played the part of a man tempting someone toward self-harm, first through cutting, then with a gun. I must admit it was a fun part to play as we performed the drama in the Dominican Republic, knowing how the skit would conclude, with Jesus pushing back the temptations and bringing freedom to the lead actress. The greater the evil, the greater the victory when satan is defeated (and one day he will be defeated for eternity).
But although the acting was fun in the DR, I struggled to reprise the part last Sunday. Just hours before—late Saturday night—I was trying to stop a loved one from committing suicide. 911 was called. EMS and the police were involved. It was one of the worst nights of my entire life.
Have you ever had one of those nights? Days?
What do you do? Where do you go? Who do you call? How do you cope?
Let me be clear, some of life’s pain is the result of our disobedience to God. Poor choices do not deny us the right to seek grace and healing, but we know where to place the blame.
But what happens when you obey God and your life is turned upside down?
When you devote your life to serving God overseas and find yourself unexpectedly returning to the States due to a health issue?
When you pray for your children before they are even conceived, take parenting classes, invest in Christian schools, model a Christ-like home, …and they abandon your family and/or faith?
When you exercise, eat healthy, prioritize sleep, …and the doctor delivers an incurable diagnosis?
When you utilize every resource at your disposal in making a project succeed…and it collapses?
When you do the right thing, tell the truth, refuse to compromise…and you find yourself in the unemployment line?
What do we do when we pursue Jesus, obey God, and our world falls apart? When we find ourselves dialing 911? When God seems asleep? When we can’t find God? That’s our subject for today.
Today we’re looking at Psalm 44, a passionate plea from God’s people in the midst of distress.
The word distress means “extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain.” We’ve all experienced it one way or another, and let me restate there are two types of distress: those that are the result of our poor choices and those that are the result of…life.
I must confess when someone comes to me in self-inflicted distress, I’m tempted to judge…and I often yield to the temptation in sin. You need money for your prescription and you just bought a bunch of Mountain Dew? You verbally abuse your girlfriend and she broke up with you? You skipped class every day and failed your exam?
But what about when you do the right thing and suffer?
Let’s turn to Psalm 44.
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.
This is not a psalm of David, but nevertheless it appears to be related to music, perhaps lyrics to a song or poetry. A maskil is a Hebrew term found in thirteen psalms with an unknown meaning. We do know a group of people, the sons of Korah, wrote it.
We have heard it with our ears, O God; our ancestors have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago. With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our ancestors; you crushed the peoples and made our ancestors flourish. (Psalms 44:1-2)
This is sounding like a psalm of praise to God.
It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them. (Psalms 44:3)
These are accounts of God’s faithfulness to Israel. So far, so good.
You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes. I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. (Psalms 44:4-7)
God is their King and God. He has led the Israelites to victories. The writer says His trust is not in his bow or sword, but in the LORD…where it should be!
In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever. (Psalms 44:8)
I’m sure the psalmist wanted to end here. Don’t we love to sing songs of worship and praise? Our God is an awesome God. How great Thou art. Praise to the LORD the Almighty. All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name. To God be the Glory. How Firm a Foundation. Crown Him with Many Crowns.
And then comes that word…that small word which slams on the brakes and makes a u-turn.
But now you have rejected and humbled us; you no longer go out with our armies. You made us retreat before the enemy and our adversaries have plundered us. You gave us up to be devoured like sheep and have scattered us among the nations. (Psalms 44:9-11)
Yikes!
You sold your people for a pittance, gaining nothing from their sale. You have made us a reproach to our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us. You have made us a byword among the nations; the peoples shake their heads at us. (Psalms 44:12-14)
These are strong accusations against God. Look at the results.
I live in disgrace all day long, and my face is covered with shame at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me, because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge. (Psalms 44:15-16)
Okay, what happened? Did the people abandon God? If you’re going through Mission 119 with us, you know in the book of Judges—and throughout the Bible—the people follow God, forget God, suffer, and return to God…over and over and over again. So this shift must be God’s punishment for their disobedience, right? Not so fast.
All this came upon us, though we had not forgotten you; we had not been false to your covenant. Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed from your path. (Psalms 44:17-18)
They were faithful to God, …
But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals; you covered us over with deep darkness. If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart? Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. (Psalms 44:19-22)
Have you ever felt crushed by God? I have. I hate it! I don’t like pain. I avoid discomfort. I like safe, simple, and secure. I don’t like darkness, facing death all day long, or the idea of being a sheep to be slaughtered.
What do you do when you feel crushed, abandoned?
My Story: Lynn Kampfer
When in distress, I hope you’re honest—with yourself, with others, and most of all with God.
I don’t know where we get the idea that life is supposed to be easy. I do think it’s a western thing, maybe even a USAmerican thing. After all, we’re promised life, liberty, and the pursuit of…happiness, right?
We don’t suffer well, or at least I don’t suffer well. I moan and complain. I get bent out of shape. I wonder what I did wrong, which is not necessarily a bad step to take, by the way, since sometimes we do reap what we sow.
But we’ve believed the lie that following Jesus means life will be happy, happy, happy. But that’s hardly biblical.
Abram and Sarai suffered for nearly a century waiting for a promised child.
Noah was mocked as he spent decades building a floating zoo.
Job lost everything. Everything.
Joseph is thrown into prison and forgotten…for saying no to sin.
John was boiled alive.
The other disciples died as martyrs.
Paul…he had lists of his distress, including shipwrecks and beatings, and stonings.
And most important of all, Jesus, of course was crucified.
It’s a long, long list. What do you do when you are in distress? I hope you’re honest, like today’s scripture reading passage.
Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever. Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression? We are brought down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground. Rise up and help us; rescue us because of your unfailing love. (Psalms 44:23-26)
I love these verses. I’m glad the psalmist didn’t stop with praise. He kept it real. He got messy. He poured out his heart to God. We can, too. Here’s another translation of the Hebrew text:
Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Get up! Do not reject us forever. Why do you look the other way? Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression? We collapse in the dust, lying face down in the dirt. Rise up! Help us! Ransom us because of your unfailing love. (Psalms 44:23-26)
I especially love the final sentence: ransom us because of your unfailing love. He is reminding God of his love! “Don’t forget, LORD, You love me! You wouldn’t sleep while I suffer. You can’t forget Your children.”
I remember “reminding” God of His goodness and faithfulness as I drove to and from the hospital countless times to see our daughter. It was a good reminder for me, too, for God is good and faithful and His love is unfailing.
So What?
But what do we do when we are in distress? How are we to respond to crisis?
First, pray. I know, it sounds cliché, but prayer works. It changes circumstances. It changes us. Sometimes all we can do is pray, and that’s both frustrating and liberating, knowing some things are simply beyond our control. If you are in a place to make a decision—such as choosing a hospital for a friend or seeking a job after an unexpected loss—pray for wisdom. Psalm 44 is a prayer to God. The Bible is filled with prayers. God loves to hear your voice. Always. Sure, He knows your heart, but He loves to hear your voice.
Have you ever been so distraught you didn’t even know what or how to pray?
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. Romans 8:26
Last weekend in the midst of despair, I didn’t even know what to say except, “Help!” I said, “Holy Spirit, please groan!”
As we pray, we need four things:
We need perspective. This was Sue Trumbull’s word this past week, emerging from her lips multiple times as she dealt with a variety of people and situations. It’s not always helpful to think, “It could be worse,” but then again, I’ve often found it comforting. As Rev. Thomas George says, we were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. Does God want us happy? Sure, but His higher priority is to make us holy. He uses trials and suffering to grow us and shape us to be used for His glory. I don’t always understand why He gives sometimes and takes away at other times, but I know He can be trusted. He’s God. He’s perfect. No matter how challenging life becomes, a hundred years is a blink compared to eternity. That’s perspective!
We need to look back. God has always been good and faithful, and He never changes. The people of Israel were constantly forgetting God’s past activity. A prayer journal is a great tool for building your faith, seeing what God has done.
We need to look forward. Your story is not over. Your breakthrough may be just days away…or even hours away. It’s easy to become discouraged or even depressed about this moment, but God is in control and there’s more to come.
We need one another.
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15)
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)
Family, there’s two parts to this. First, we need to be willing to serve and support our brothers and sisters in need. Pray. Visit. Buy gift cards. Deliver meals. Babysit. Be present. We have some incredible shepherds in our family who are quick to respond to the needs of others.
But there’s a second part to this, and it is asking for help. I’m sick of hearing about people who tell the world nobody cares, yet they never bother to join a small group, reveal their pain to others, and swallow their pride and ask for help. Family, we can’t carry your burdens if we don’t know what they are!
We have a team of deacons and deaconesses who provide resources—visitation, skilled labor, and even financial help through our benevolence fund which they oversee.
We’re not a perfect family. No family is, but we are committed to helping one another on the journey. We have a benevolence fund to help with financial matters, but a deacon or deaconess needs to know of the need. Call or e-mail the office. Share your situation with your small group. And if you’re not in a small group, you’re missing out on community, relationships, and care. There’s a list of groups on our website, the weekly Focus e-newsletter, and the information kiosk in the lobby.
Conclusion
God can be trusted. He may feel distant, but His promise is to be with us always, to the very end of the age. Call out to Him. Cry out to Him. And let us love you, serve you, and support you, too.
Credits: some ideas from D6.
Envision DR: Hospitality, 15 July 2018
16 07 18
Hospitality
Romans 12:9-13
Big Idea: All believers are called to practice hospitality—welcoming the stranger—as our brothers and sisters in the Dominican Republic demonstrated so beautifully.
One of this month’s Mission 119 devotional readings included this passage from Romans chapter twelve:
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. (Romans 12:9-13)
Does anyone have a problem with that text? I doubt it. These words from Paul to the early Christians in Rome are filled with encouragement. Look at these words:
Love
Good
Devoted
Honor
Zeal
Fervor
Serving
Joyful
Hope
Patient
Faithful
Share
What a vision! Surely this encouragement can be applied thousands of years later to us here at First Alliance Church. I know of nothing in the context which would suggest these instructions were only for that place and time.
After dozens of conversations with our team, one of the most consistent things I heard involved our sister church in the DR which we served. It used to be USAmericans would arrive in a foreign country with Bibles and money and unknowingly do more harm than good, arrogantly creating us versus them scenarios resulting in unintended yet damaging consequences.
The beauty of the Alliance family and Envision Teams in particular is how we work together as equals. Envision contacted an Alliance church in Reparadero, DR and asked how our team might serve them. I asked our team to go with a servant’s towel on their arms. By the way, many people love the idea of being servants until they’re treated like one!
When we arrived at the church, we were literally greeted with open arms, warmly embraced, and deeply loved. Although some things were lost in translation, one thing was obvious: they practice hospitality—welcoming the stranger!
We attended their weekly Sunday worship gathering on our first day in the DR. On Monday, we did prayer walks in small groups, visiting people who live near the church, inviting them to church events, and offering to pray for them. We prayed with some for physical healing. We prayed with some for relatives. Arguably the greatest joy was praying with a husband and wife as they accepted Jesus as their Savior and LORD. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we returned to the church to do VBS-type work with the youth, including music, skits, Bible lessons, and My Story segments.
Thursday was our day or recreation at the beach before Friday’s finale in the evening. One of the most striking comments came from a team member who told me, “I wish we would’ve skipped the beach day and spent another day at the church!”
Perhaps the two most distinct things about the Reparadero church were their passion for Jesus and their hospitality.
When they sang, they sang…and smiled…and raised their hands…and danced. It wasn’t because they were wealthy or powerful, but rather they love Jesus and are fully dependent upon him for their daily bread. Their worship was inspiring, and I pray it is contagious!
Their hospitality was also inspiring, and I hope it is contagious, too. FAC family, we are called—even commanded—to practice hospitality, to welcome the stranger. Romans does not say tolerate the stranger or let them in the door, but rather welcome them. Make them feel at home. Let them know they belong. If you’re new around here, I hope you’ve felt welcome. We’ve all had experiences at a business where we felt like an interruption to someone’s day…and then there’s Chick-fil-A! The church in the DR made us feel like Chick-fil-A…and that’s my desire for First Alliance Church. I long for guests to feel like family…and become family. That’s hospitality. That’s biblical!
So What?
Here are a few simple things I want to challenge you with, family. If you are able, please consider:
These are not suggestions for our ushers and greeters. They are for all of us. We are all called to practice hospitality, to welcome the stranger. You’ve experienced it at Chick-fil-A. We experienced it in the DR. It is a beautiful expression of God’s love. When we welcome, love, and serve strangers, we are doing it to Jesus.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Romans 12:9-13
Big Idea: All believers are called to practice hospitality—welcoming the stranger—as our brothers and sisters in the Dominican Republic demonstrated so beautifully.
One of this month’s Mission 119 devotional readings included this passage from Romans chapter twelve:
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. (Romans 12:9-13)
Does anyone have a problem with that text? I doubt it. These words from Paul to the early Christians in Rome are filled with encouragement. Look at these words:
Love
Good
Devoted
Honor
Zeal
Fervor
Serving
Joyful
Hope
Patient
Faithful
Share
What a vision! Surely this encouragement can be applied thousands of years later to us here at First Alliance Church. I know of nothing in the context which would suggest these instructions were only for that place and time.
After dozens of conversations with our team, one of the most consistent things I heard involved our sister church in the DR which we served. It used to be USAmericans would arrive in a foreign country with Bibles and money and unknowingly do more harm than good, arrogantly creating us versus them scenarios resulting in unintended yet damaging consequences.
The beauty of the Alliance family and Envision Teams in particular is how we work together as equals. Envision contacted an Alliance church in Reparadero, DR and asked how our team might serve them. I asked our team to go with a servant’s towel on their arms. By the way, many people love the idea of being servants until they’re treated like one!
When we arrived at the church, we were literally greeted with open arms, warmly embraced, and deeply loved. Although some things were lost in translation, one thing was obvious: they practice hospitality—welcoming the stranger!
We attended their weekly Sunday worship gathering on our first day in the DR. On Monday, we did prayer walks in small groups, visiting people who live near the church, inviting them to church events, and offering to pray for them. We prayed with some for physical healing. We prayed with some for relatives. Arguably the greatest joy was praying with a husband and wife as they accepted Jesus as their Savior and LORD. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we returned to the church to do VBS-type work with the youth, including music, skits, Bible lessons, and My Story segments.
Thursday was our day or recreation at the beach before Friday’s finale in the evening. One of the most striking comments came from a team member who told me, “I wish we would’ve skipped the beach day and spent another day at the church!”
Perhaps the two most distinct things about the Reparadero church were their passion for Jesus and their hospitality.
When they sang, they sang…and smiled…and raised their hands…and danced. It wasn’t because they were wealthy or powerful, but rather they love Jesus and are fully dependent upon him for their daily bread. Their worship was inspiring, and I pray it is contagious!
Their hospitality was also inspiring, and I hope it is contagious, too. FAC family, we are called—even commanded—to practice hospitality, to welcome the stranger. Romans does not say tolerate the stranger or let them in the door, but rather welcome them. Make them feel at home. Let them know they belong. If you’re new around here, I hope you’ve felt welcome. We’ve all had experiences at a business where we felt like an interruption to someone’s day…and then there’s Chick-fil-A! The church in the DR made us feel like Chick-fil-A…and that’s my desire for First Alliance Church. I long for guests to feel like family…and become family. That’s hospitality. That’s biblical!
So What?
Here are a few simple things I want to challenge you with, family. If you are able, please consider:
- a. Parking away from the church building, leaving the best spaces for guests
- b. Opening the door for others, which is actually just common courtesy
- c. Looking for people in the lobby who look lost or lonely and simply saying hello
- d. Sitting closer to the front of the sanctuary, leaving the back rows for guests
- e. Inviting a newcomer out to lunch at your home or a restaurant
- f. Avoiding the temptation to converse only with friends following the worship gathering
- g. Inviting a guest to your small group or Sunday School class
- h. Take someone out for drinks at Claro Coffee Bar, our hospitality outpost on Adams Street
These are not suggestions for our ushers and greeters. They are for all of us. We are all called to practice hospitality, to welcome the stranger. You’ve experienced it at Chick-fil-A. We experienced it in the DR. It is a beautiful expression of God’s love. When we welcome, love, and serve strangers, we are doing it to Jesus.
The Believer's Strength, 24 June 2018
24 06 18
The Believer’s Strength: Grace for Every Trial
D6 Series— Stewards of the Gospel
2 Corinthians 12:1-10
Series Overview: Believers are to love God and love their neighbor, being good stewards of the gospel, the good news.
Big Idea: For the believer, there is grace for every trial.
A paradox is a puzzling statement which seems to be contradictory yet is actually true.
G.K. Chesterton wrote, “There is nothing that fails like success.”
George Orwell said, “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
A Hollywood actress was quoted as saying, “Deep down, I’m pretty superficial.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “God hides things by putting them near us.”
News analyst Edward R. Murrow said, “Anyone who isn’t confused really doesn’t understand the situation.”
The first-century rabbi Hillel wrote, “My lowliness is my loftiness; my loftiness is my lowliness.”
The Bible is actually full of paradoxes.
Jesus said, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11)
Warren Wiersbe lists some others:
The joyful fear of the LORD.
The more we give, the more we receive
When we choose to go down, God lifts us up
Our foolishness leads us to God’s wisdom
By standing still, we go forward
We must lose our life to save it
When light becomes darkness
We lead others by serving them
Knowing love that passed knowledge
We see the invisible
Losing what you never had
We are yoked to be free
Some shy away from paradox, preferring principles, promises, and precepts, yet paradoxes can be powerful tools in understand the Bible and God.
Wiersbe notes, “Paradoxes attract our attention, challenge our faith and provoke us into thinking deeper and asking wiser questions. They lead us into truths that, if we act upon them, will help us to grow out of spiritual childhood and into the blessings of spiritual maturity.”
Last Sunday we mentioned a few:
…known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. (2 Corinthians 6:9-10)
No wonder some have called it the Upside-down Kingdom!
Our series Stewards of the Gospel is looking at Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth, a city in Greece which was invaded by false teachers who were critical of Paul’s character and biblical message. Although Paul is not writing to First Alliance Church Toledo, this letter is certainly for us. First we looked at the Believer’s Quest of having an eternal perspective rather than being consumed with this moment and this world. Last week’s text was about the Believer’s Testimony, our call to be growing in holiness, distinction from the world. We are to think different…or more grammatically, think—and act—differently. This does not mean we are to go out of our way to act weird, not does it mean to isolate ourselves from unbelievers, but rather we are to live attract, compelling lives that cause people to ask the reason for the hope we have, our faith in Jesus Christ.
Today’s message is entitled The Believer’s Strength: Grace for Every Trial. Whether you are my best friend or someone I’ve never met, I know one thing about you…you are either in the midst of a trial, coming out of a trial, or about to experience a trial. I don’t mean to frighten you, but trials are a part of life in this world, in these bodies. Trials can make us bitter…or better. Paul and Timothy had some radical things to say about trials and today’s passage is packed with paradox, including this doozy:
When we are weak, we can be strong.
2 Corinthians is a rather lengthy letter. It originally contained no verse or chapter numbers, but today we have such markers to help us read and study together. In chapter 11, Paul boasts about his credentials as a Hebrew, a Jew, a servant of Christ. He boasts of his sufferings for Jesus. In defending himself against the false teachers who have invaded the church, he says
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. (2 Corinthians 11:30)
There’s a paradox for you! Chapter twelve begins
I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. (2 Corinthians 12:1-4)
This is a fascinating text. He uses the third person to describe his experience with the unseen realm where God dwells…paradise. This vision occurred around AD 43 but there is no other known record of this vision.
Not long ago we did a series on heaven and hell, during which I said heaven is where God is and hell is where God is absent. Whether or not there are clouds and harps in heaven or flames in hell is not really important. In addition, it’s worth restating C.S. Lewis who said, “All that are in hell, choose it.” (The Great Divorce). We can choose to be with God now and forever, or we can reject God and be absent with Him now and forever.
But what did Paul actually see in his vision? Genesis describes paradise in the Garden of Eden prior to sin. Revelation describes what it will be like someday. Judaism at the time of Paul conceptualized a third paradise, the hidden paradise of this in-between period, the place Jesus spoke of to the thief on the cross when he said, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43).
We all have many unanswered questions about heaven, but suffice it to say from our text that Paul had a glimpse of paradise.
I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. (2 Corinthians 12:5)
He again says he will boast about his weaknesses. Who does that?!
Imagine social media if everyone posted photos of themselves when they get out of bed rather than their made-up, fancy selves. How often do people boast about their failures on Facebook or post videos of themselves—not others—striking out in baseball or falling off their bike? One of the problems with social media is we compare our average day with the highlight reels of others.
Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. (2 Corinthians 12:6-7a)
It’s difficult to catch every nuance of these statements since this was written in Greek to a church about two thousand years ago, but he seems to simultaneously stating his accomplishments while dismissing them…a paradox?
But in verse seven he reveals one of the most provocative statements in the entire Bible.
Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. (2 Corinthians 12:7b)
That’ll get your attention! What was this thorn in the flesh? Nobody knows. Some theories include
- Psychological struggles such as grief or sorrow
- Intense temptations
- His opponents who were persecuting him
- A physical affliction like poor eyesight, migraines, or malaria
- Demonic harassment
Since he mentions a thorn his flesh, many think it may have been something physical. We don’t know. We do know he did not welcome it.
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. (2 Corinthians 12:8)
I don’t know about you, but when I have a major trial, I pray more than three times! Then again, these three pleas paralleled Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, asking the Father for "Plan B" rather than crucifixion, yet honoring the Father's will.
Prayer is so much more than asking God for stuff like a cosmic Santa Clause. Instead, it is talking not merely to, but with God. Any good dad loves to talk with his kids, and every good dad says yes, no, and later when asked for something. But they always hear and respond.
The same is true for our Heavenly Father. He is always listening, but sometimes says no or later. We don’t always know why, but God can be trusted. Always. In Paul’s case, God had something better in mind than removing his thorn.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Paul received greater grace from God in the midst of his weakness. No doubt his dependency upon God developed his character, enhanced his humility, and gave him empathy for others.
I know all three have been true in my life after nearly a decade of dealing with our daughter’s serious health issues. I prayed more than three times for her healing! I think I prayed three times every second! I desperately wanted to watch God do an instant miracle and get us out of the hospital, but He had other, better ideas.
I rarely know why God chooses to heal some and not others, to bring instant freedom from addictions to some while others struggle throughout their life. I just know God is God, He knows best, and we are to pray, believe, and trust.
When we embrace our limitations and depend upon God, He can do so much more in and through us than we can if we try to take matters into our own hands. One of my greatest fears in serving at First Alliance Church is getting in God’s way, striving to use my abilities rather than being fully dependent upon God. There’s a real tension because obviously there are things I need to do—work I need to accomplish—such as leading a discipleship Huddle or preaching a sermon, yet in order for God to truly speak through me, I need to have a posture of surrender and openness which makes space for the Holy Spirit in my life and the lives of those I encounter.
Some of my best sermons—or the sermons I thought would be the best—have had seemingly little impact on people, yet often when I’ve felt weak and labored through a message—desperate for God to move through and despite me—I’ve received the most positive feedback. My ongoing prayer is, “LORD, have Your way in me. Crush my agenda. Break my heart with the things that break Your heart. Speak in and through me, that I may decrease and You might increase.” To quote Jesus’ cousin John,
He must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:30)
I like to be in control. I like to be strong. I like to have abilities and skills to accomplish things—so I can get the credit—I mean, so God can get the credit!!! Paul concludes,
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)
There’s something amazing about trials. They put things into perspective. We truly are weak, but dust. Sure, we might feel good about cooking a gourmet meal, catching the touchdown pass, receiving a diploma, or fixing a leaky faucet, but at the end of the day we are but dust. Jesus said it plainly,
“…apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5b)
The original Greek word for nothing means…nothing!
So What?
God’s Kingdom is filled with paradox. When I am weak, then I am strong. Unshakable faith comes from having your faith shaken. Although it’s not usually my first thought, when faced with trials, I can delight—for Christ’s sake, knowing that my weaknesses force me to get out of the way and let God get the glory.
The stories of weak people used by God are endless. A paraplegic named Joni Eareckson Tada has become a bestselling author, speaker, and even painter. A shark took surfer Bethany Hamilton’s arm, but not her story which—like Joni’s—has been documented in both a book and movie. Our own Christian & Missionary Alliance President John Stumbo also spent months hospitalized and continued to have serious health issues, yet his story has inspired countless lives and he depends upon God’s daily bread, strength for each new day.
Where God guides, He provides…everything we need, including Himself.
Where are you weak? What trials are you experiencing today? God’s not absent. In fact, He draws near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). His power is made perfect in weakness. His grace—unmerited favor—is sufficient. When we are weak and acknowledge our need for God, His presence and strength provide all we need.
Credits: some ideas from D6.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series— Stewards of the Gospel
2 Corinthians 12:1-10
Series Overview: Believers are to love God and love their neighbor, being good stewards of the gospel, the good news.
Big Idea: For the believer, there is grace for every trial.
A paradox is a puzzling statement which seems to be contradictory yet is actually true.
G.K. Chesterton wrote, “There is nothing that fails like success.”
George Orwell said, “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
A Hollywood actress was quoted as saying, “Deep down, I’m pretty superficial.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “God hides things by putting them near us.”
News analyst Edward R. Murrow said, “Anyone who isn’t confused really doesn’t understand the situation.”
The first-century rabbi Hillel wrote, “My lowliness is my loftiness; my loftiness is my lowliness.”
The Bible is actually full of paradoxes.
Jesus said, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11)
Warren Wiersbe lists some others:
The joyful fear of the LORD.
The more we give, the more we receive
When we choose to go down, God lifts us up
Our foolishness leads us to God’s wisdom
By standing still, we go forward
We must lose our life to save it
When light becomes darkness
We lead others by serving them
Knowing love that passed knowledge
We see the invisible
Losing what you never had
We are yoked to be free
Some shy away from paradox, preferring principles, promises, and precepts, yet paradoxes can be powerful tools in understand the Bible and God.
Wiersbe notes, “Paradoxes attract our attention, challenge our faith and provoke us into thinking deeper and asking wiser questions. They lead us into truths that, if we act upon them, will help us to grow out of spiritual childhood and into the blessings of spiritual maturity.”
Last Sunday we mentioned a few:
…known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. (2 Corinthians 6:9-10)
No wonder some have called it the Upside-down Kingdom!
Our series Stewards of the Gospel is looking at Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth, a city in Greece which was invaded by false teachers who were critical of Paul’s character and biblical message. Although Paul is not writing to First Alliance Church Toledo, this letter is certainly for us. First we looked at the Believer’s Quest of having an eternal perspective rather than being consumed with this moment and this world. Last week’s text was about the Believer’s Testimony, our call to be growing in holiness, distinction from the world. We are to think different…or more grammatically, think—and act—differently. This does not mean we are to go out of our way to act weird, not does it mean to isolate ourselves from unbelievers, but rather we are to live attract, compelling lives that cause people to ask the reason for the hope we have, our faith in Jesus Christ.
Today’s message is entitled The Believer’s Strength: Grace for Every Trial. Whether you are my best friend or someone I’ve never met, I know one thing about you…you are either in the midst of a trial, coming out of a trial, or about to experience a trial. I don’t mean to frighten you, but trials are a part of life in this world, in these bodies. Trials can make us bitter…or better. Paul and Timothy had some radical things to say about trials and today’s passage is packed with paradox, including this doozy:
When we are weak, we can be strong.
2 Corinthians is a rather lengthy letter. It originally contained no verse or chapter numbers, but today we have such markers to help us read and study together. In chapter 11, Paul boasts about his credentials as a Hebrew, a Jew, a servant of Christ. He boasts of his sufferings for Jesus. In defending himself against the false teachers who have invaded the church, he says
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. (2 Corinthians 11:30)
There’s a paradox for you! Chapter twelve begins
I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. (2 Corinthians 12:1-4)
This is a fascinating text. He uses the third person to describe his experience with the unseen realm where God dwells…paradise. This vision occurred around AD 43 but there is no other known record of this vision.
Not long ago we did a series on heaven and hell, during which I said heaven is where God is and hell is where God is absent. Whether or not there are clouds and harps in heaven or flames in hell is not really important. In addition, it’s worth restating C.S. Lewis who said, “All that are in hell, choose it.” (The Great Divorce). We can choose to be with God now and forever, or we can reject God and be absent with Him now and forever.
But what did Paul actually see in his vision? Genesis describes paradise in the Garden of Eden prior to sin. Revelation describes what it will be like someday. Judaism at the time of Paul conceptualized a third paradise, the hidden paradise of this in-between period, the place Jesus spoke of to the thief on the cross when he said, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43).
We all have many unanswered questions about heaven, but suffice it to say from our text that Paul had a glimpse of paradise.
I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. (2 Corinthians 12:5)
He again says he will boast about his weaknesses. Who does that?!
Imagine social media if everyone posted photos of themselves when they get out of bed rather than their made-up, fancy selves. How often do people boast about their failures on Facebook or post videos of themselves—not others—striking out in baseball or falling off their bike? One of the problems with social media is we compare our average day with the highlight reels of others.
Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. (2 Corinthians 12:6-7a)
It’s difficult to catch every nuance of these statements since this was written in Greek to a church about two thousand years ago, but he seems to simultaneously stating his accomplishments while dismissing them…a paradox?
But in verse seven he reveals one of the most provocative statements in the entire Bible.
Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. (2 Corinthians 12:7b)
That’ll get your attention! What was this thorn in the flesh? Nobody knows. Some theories include
- Psychological struggles such as grief or sorrow
- Intense temptations
- His opponents who were persecuting him
- A physical affliction like poor eyesight, migraines, or malaria
- Demonic harassment
Since he mentions a thorn his flesh, many think it may have been something physical. We don’t know. We do know he did not welcome it.
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. (2 Corinthians 12:8)
I don’t know about you, but when I have a major trial, I pray more than three times! Then again, these three pleas paralleled Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, asking the Father for "Plan B" rather than crucifixion, yet honoring the Father's will.
Prayer is so much more than asking God for stuff like a cosmic Santa Clause. Instead, it is talking not merely to, but with God. Any good dad loves to talk with his kids, and every good dad says yes, no, and later when asked for something. But they always hear and respond.
The same is true for our Heavenly Father. He is always listening, but sometimes says no or later. We don’t always know why, but God can be trusted. Always. In Paul’s case, God had something better in mind than removing his thorn.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Paul received greater grace from God in the midst of his weakness. No doubt his dependency upon God developed his character, enhanced his humility, and gave him empathy for others.
I know all three have been true in my life after nearly a decade of dealing with our daughter’s serious health issues. I prayed more than three times for her healing! I think I prayed three times every second! I desperately wanted to watch God do an instant miracle and get us out of the hospital, but He had other, better ideas.
I rarely know why God chooses to heal some and not others, to bring instant freedom from addictions to some while others struggle throughout their life. I just know God is God, He knows best, and we are to pray, believe, and trust.
When we embrace our limitations and depend upon God, He can do so much more in and through us than we can if we try to take matters into our own hands. One of my greatest fears in serving at First Alliance Church is getting in God’s way, striving to use my abilities rather than being fully dependent upon God. There’s a real tension because obviously there are things I need to do—work I need to accomplish—such as leading a discipleship Huddle or preaching a sermon, yet in order for God to truly speak through me, I need to have a posture of surrender and openness which makes space for the Holy Spirit in my life and the lives of those I encounter.
Some of my best sermons—or the sermons I thought would be the best—have had seemingly little impact on people, yet often when I’ve felt weak and labored through a message—desperate for God to move through and despite me—I’ve received the most positive feedback. My ongoing prayer is, “LORD, have Your way in me. Crush my agenda. Break my heart with the things that break Your heart. Speak in and through me, that I may decrease and You might increase.” To quote Jesus’ cousin John,
He must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:30)
I like to be in control. I like to be strong. I like to have abilities and skills to accomplish things—so I can get the credit—I mean, so God can get the credit!!! Paul concludes,
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)
There’s something amazing about trials. They put things into perspective. We truly are weak, but dust. Sure, we might feel good about cooking a gourmet meal, catching the touchdown pass, receiving a diploma, or fixing a leaky faucet, but at the end of the day we are but dust. Jesus said it plainly,
“…apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5b)
The original Greek word for nothing means…nothing!
So What?
God’s Kingdom is filled with paradox. When I am weak, then I am strong. Unshakable faith comes from having your faith shaken. Although it’s not usually my first thought, when faced with trials, I can delight—for Christ’s sake, knowing that my weaknesses force me to get out of the way and let God get the glory.
The stories of weak people used by God are endless. A paraplegic named Joni Eareckson Tada has become a bestselling author, speaker, and even painter. A shark took surfer Bethany Hamilton’s arm, but not her story which—like Joni’s—has been documented in both a book and movie. Our own Christian & Missionary Alliance President John Stumbo also spent months hospitalized and continued to have serious health issues, yet his story has inspired countless lives and he depends upon God’s daily bread, strength for each new day.
Where God guides, He provides…everything we need, including Himself.
Where are you weak? What trials are you experiencing today? God’s not absent. In fact, He draws near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). His power is made perfect in weakness. His grace—unmerited favor—is sufficient. When we are weak and acknowledge our need for God, His presence and strength provide all we need.
Credits: some ideas from D6.
The Believer's Testimony, 17 June 2018
17 06 18
The Believer’s Testimony: Growing in Holiness
D6 Series— Stewards of the Gospel
2 Corinthians 6:1-7:1
Series Overview: Believers are to love God and love their neighbor, being good stewards of the gospel, the good news.
Big Idea: The believer is to be ever growing in holiness.
One of the most memorable ad campaigns of all time appeared in the 1990s by what is now the most valuable company in the world…Apple. There were just two words. Think Different. Television commercials featured a variety of cultural icons such as Albert Einstein, Bob Dylan, and MLK who chose to march to the beat of a different drum, men and women unwilling to settle for the status quo. It’s easy to give in to peer pressure and follow the culture, but radicals and revolutionaries change the world.
Followers of Jesus are called to live countercultural lives like the Messiah. You don’t get crucified for blending in! Make no mistake, Jesus is the greatest revolutionary in human history, and he invites us to join him in being in the world but not of the world, instead setting an example for others to follow as we re-present Christ on our planet.
Our series Stewards of the Gospel is looking at Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth, a city in Greece which was invaded by false teachers who were critical of Paul’s character and biblical message. Two thousand years ago, our world continues to feature false teachers who can’t live without $54 million jets, promise never-ending wealth and prosperity, and claim your trials are a lack of faith.
Although Paul is not writing to First Alliance Church Toledo, this letter is certainly for us. Last Sunday we looked at the Believer’s Quest of having an eternal perspective rather than being consumed with this moment and this world. Today’s text is about the Believer’s Testimony, our call to be growing in holiness, distinction from the world. We are to think different…or more grammatically, think—and act—differently. This does not mean we are to go out of our way to act weird, not does it mean to isolate ourselves from unbelievers, but rather we are to live attract, compelling lives that cause people to ask the reason for the hope we have, our faith in Jesus Christ.
As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says,
“In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.”
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:1-2)
If you recall from last week, false teachers were attacking Paul and his message of grace. Paul and Timothy are pleading with the church in Corinth to shift their focus from a works-based salvation that can never be achieved to a grace-based salvation which comes through faith in Jesus Christ, the Messiah who died and rose from the dead for both Jews and Gentiles. Some wanted these Christians to return to Judaistic legalism which would make God’s grace—and Jesus’ sacrifice—a complete waste.
Perhaps the only thing more radical, reckless, incredible, and outrageous than the perfect Son of God dying for sinners like us would be if he died unnecessarily. If there was another way—and Jesus pleaded for Plan B when he was in the Garden of Gethsemane—he would’ve been crazy to not take it. But the truth is we’re all hopeless without Jesus.
This past week at Sports & Arts Camp we were discussing fears. Our group of 23 broke into smaller groups and the three boys I was with all expressed fears related to death and dying. I asked what happens when they die and they all said they’d go to heaven, which made their fear of death a bit easier to handle (though I’m reminded of the famous line “everyone wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die!”). I asked them why they were going to heaven and they said because they’re good. Then I offered them something of a riddle.
I told the boys—and later my entire group—how I’m not good enough to go to heaven. They were very surprised but I explained any sin in our lives is enough to keep us from a holy God. Miss Sue uses the illustration of a brownie with dog poop inside. Nobody wants to take even a bite of a brownie if there’s even a little poop inside, and it’s the same way with God and our sin. Even a little bit spoils all of our so-called goodness. So I explained unless we’re perfect, we’re not good enough. Period.
But then I said although I’m not good enough to go to heaven, I’m certain I’m going to heaven. They gave me a perplexed look and I said, “I’ll explain tomorrow!”
I’m not good enough to go to heaven when I die.
Paul and Timothy weren’t good enough.
The Corinthian church wasn’t good enough.
First Alliance Church isn’t good enough.
But Jesus is!!! Jesus pays for our ticket, takes our punishment, reconciles us to the Father. By following Jesus, we receive abundant life and eternal life. We can’t earn it. We don’t deserve it. That’s grace.
Paul is saying this is the day of salvation, the present Age of Grace. Aren’t you glad we live on this side of the cross and the empty tomb?
We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. (2 Corinthians 6:3-10)
Again, Paul and Timothy are defending themselves and their ministry against their critics. It’s an impressive defense! Compare your spiritual resume to theirs! You thought you have endured persecution for your faith? We could do an entire series on this passage. What faith!
We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also. (2 Corinthians 6:11-13)
The context is definitely relevant here. Now we come to today’s scripture reading, a text aimed squarely at believers—true followers of Jesus.
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will live with them
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16)
Earlier (2 Cor. 6:2) Paul quoted Isaiah (49:8). Now he quotes Leviticus 26:11a and 12a with possible references to Exodus 25:8; 29:45a, 1 Kings 6:13, and Ezekiel 37:27a.
But let’s back up. Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. Have you ever heard that? Perhaps the most frequent use involves two people who want to get married, one is a Christian and the other is not. Can you see any potential problems with such a marriage? Or what about two people starting a business together, one a follower of Jesus and the other not. Could conflict arise over values?
But what’s the context? Paul is writing about the false teachers who have invaded the Christians in Corinth. Sure, we can apply this to all relationships, but he’s specifically calling out legalistic, religious people and saying, “Stay away!”
He’s also saying the greatest relationship is that with our heavenly Father. We were not created for religion, but rather to do life with God…forever. Let me try my modern version of verse 16. This is God speaking:
“I will live with First Alliance Church
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.” (2 Corinthians 6:16, New Kirk Translation!)
What do you think? Paul continues…
Therefore,
“Come out from them
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.”
And,
“I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:17-18)
What a perfect text for Father’s Day…and that’s truly a coincidence!
Paul—and God—are saying we are holy—set apart—and we are to live holy lives. We talked about holiness several weeks ago (May 6, 2018) and how God is holy and we are to, likewise, be holy.
Allow me to repeat Scot McKnight’s words from his new book, Open to the Spirit:
Holiness is first and foremost devotion to God. We could translate the word holy as “devout” and we would be accurate. So we see that separation from the world is the impact or result, not the source, of holiness. Devotion to God doesn’t mean isolation or withdrawal, as one finds among some sects. Rather, holiness means that in this world one listens and dances to the music of the Holy Spirit instead of the music of the world.
Our devotion and allegiance must always be to Jesus Christ, but that does not mean we are to isolate ourselves from the world. Instead, like an international student who travels to another country to study and retains their diet and fashion and customs, we are to live radical lives in our community, lives marked by the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit…
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23a)
If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, dancing to the music of the Holy Spirit instead of the music of the world, it won’t be long until people notice. We all know this is what our world needs—not more violence, division, fear, injustice. We must let our lights shine, but only when we have a light to shine, and that light is not us and our good works, but Jesus Christ. It’s a human surrendered to the Holy Spirit.
Our text concludes…
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (2 Corinthians 7:1)
This is the believer’s testimony—holiness. It’s not necessarily a testimony of words, but of action, of life, of love. Imagine a world filled with people who are truly devoted to their heavenly Father. Imagine a church filled with people who are truly devoted to their heavenly Father! This is not my vision. This is God’s vision. This is God’s mission for every believer—every true believer—to love Him, to love others, and to make disciples.
So What?
Is yours a life worth following? It is if you’re following Jesus rather than the world.
You don’t have to be a perfect example, but a living example. One thing I’ve discovered is even though we all mess up, we can demonstrate our faith by apologizing, for making restitution, for humbly acknowledging our mistakes and seeking forgiveness. Talk about radical!
I want to add there may be people in your life you should avoid. If their negative influence on you is greater than your positive influence on them, holiness may mean placing boundaries on your relationship.
Recently in our 9 AM small group someone mentioned how they get invited to parties but decline knowing such gatherings would not be healthy environments for them. Perhaps a solution is to throw a different kind of party and invite them…or bring Christian friends along for accountability and support.
The point is holiness may involve separation, but not isolation. We are neither to withdraw out of the world nor become like the world, instead living as citizens of the Kingdom of God in our community.
The secret to holiness is not trying harder. It’s simply to surrender to the Holy Spirit, to die to yourself and come alive in Christ. Confess your sins and invite the Holy Spirit to fill you with the fruit of the Spirit.
Credits: some ideas from D6.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series— Stewards of the Gospel
2 Corinthians 6:1-7:1
Series Overview: Believers are to love God and love their neighbor, being good stewards of the gospel, the good news.
Big Idea: The believer is to be ever growing in holiness.
One of the most memorable ad campaigns of all time appeared in the 1990s by what is now the most valuable company in the world…Apple. There were just two words. Think Different. Television commercials featured a variety of cultural icons such as Albert Einstein, Bob Dylan, and MLK who chose to march to the beat of a different drum, men and women unwilling to settle for the status quo. It’s easy to give in to peer pressure and follow the culture, but radicals and revolutionaries change the world.
Followers of Jesus are called to live countercultural lives like the Messiah. You don’t get crucified for blending in! Make no mistake, Jesus is the greatest revolutionary in human history, and he invites us to join him in being in the world but not of the world, instead setting an example for others to follow as we re-present Christ on our planet.
Our series Stewards of the Gospel is looking at Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth, a city in Greece which was invaded by false teachers who were critical of Paul’s character and biblical message. Two thousand years ago, our world continues to feature false teachers who can’t live without $54 million jets, promise never-ending wealth and prosperity, and claim your trials are a lack of faith.
Although Paul is not writing to First Alliance Church Toledo, this letter is certainly for us. Last Sunday we looked at the Believer’s Quest of having an eternal perspective rather than being consumed with this moment and this world. Today’s text is about the Believer’s Testimony, our call to be growing in holiness, distinction from the world. We are to think different…or more grammatically, think—and act—differently. This does not mean we are to go out of our way to act weird, not does it mean to isolate ourselves from unbelievers, but rather we are to live attract, compelling lives that cause people to ask the reason for the hope we have, our faith in Jesus Christ.
As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says,
“In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.”
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:1-2)
If you recall from last week, false teachers were attacking Paul and his message of grace. Paul and Timothy are pleading with the church in Corinth to shift their focus from a works-based salvation that can never be achieved to a grace-based salvation which comes through faith in Jesus Christ, the Messiah who died and rose from the dead for both Jews and Gentiles. Some wanted these Christians to return to Judaistic legalism which would make God’s grace—and Jesus’ sacrifice—a complete waste.
Perhaps the only thing more radical, reckless, incredible, and outrageous than the perfect Son of God dying for sinners like us would be if he died unnecessarily. If there was another way—and Jesus pleaded for Plan B when he was in the Garden of Gethsemane—he would’ve been crazy to not take it. But the truth is we’re all hopeless without Jesus.
This past week at Sports & Arts Camp we were discussing fears. Our group of 23 broke into smaller groups and the three boys I was with all expressed fears related to death and dying. I asked what happens when they die and they all said they’d go to heaven, which made their fear of death a bit easier to handle (though I’m reminded of the famous line “everyone wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die!”). I asked them why they were going to heaven and they said because they’re good. Then I offered them something of a riddle.
I told the boys—and later my entire group—how I’m not good enough to go to heaven. They were very surprised but I explained any sin in our lives is enough to keep us from a holy God. Miss Sue uses the illustration of a brownie with dog poop inside. Nobody wants to take even a bite of a brownie if there’s even a little poop inside, and it’s the same way with God and our sin. Even a little bit spoils all of our so-called goodness. So I explained unless we’re perfect, we’re not good enough. Period.
But then I said although I’m not good enough to go to heaven, I’m certain I’m going to heaven. They gave me a perplexed look and I said, “I’ll explain tomorrow!”
I’m not good enough to go to heaven when I die.
Paul and Timothy weren’t good enough.
The Corinthian church wasn’t good enough.
First Alliance Church isn’t good enough.
But Jesus is!!! Jesus pays for our ticket, takes our punishment, reconciles us to the Father. By following Jesus, we receive abundant life and eternal life. We can’t earn it. We don’t deserve it. That’s grace.
Paul is saying this is the day of salvation, the present Age of Grace. Aren’t you glad we live on this side of the cross and the empty tomb?
We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. (2 Corinthians 6:3-10)
Again, Paul and Timothy are defending themselves and their ministry against their critics. It’s an impressive defense! Compare your spiritual resume to theirs! You thought you have endured persecution for your faith? We could do an entire series on this passage. What faith!
We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also. (2 Corinthians 6:11-13)
The context is definitely relevant here. Now we come to today’s scripture reading, a text aimed squarely at believers—true followers of Jesus.
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will live with them
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16)
Earlier (2 Cor. 6:2) Paul quoted Isaiah (49:8). Now he quotes Leviticus 26:11a and 12a with possible references to Exodus 25:8; 29:45a, 1 Kings 6:13, and Ezekiel 37:27a.
But let’s back up. Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. Have you ever heard that? Perhaps the most frequent use involves two people who want to get married, one is a Christian and the other is not. Can you see any potential problems with such a marriage? Or what about two people starting a business together, one a follower of Jesus and the other not. Could conflict arise over values?
But what’s the context? Paul is writing about the false teachers who have invaded the Christians in Corinth. Sure, we can apply this to all relationships, but he’s specifically calling out legalistic, religious people and saying, “Stay away!”
He’s also saying the greatest relationship is that with our heavenly Father. We were not created for religion, but rather to do life with God…forever. Let me try my modern version of verse 16. This is God speaking:
“I will live with First Alliance Church
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.” (2 Corinthians 6:16, New Kirk Translation!)
What do you think? Paul continues…
Therefore,
“Come out from them
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.”
And,
“I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:17-18)
What a perfect text for Father’s Day…and that’s truly a coincidence!
Paul—and God—are saying we are holy—set apart—and we are to live holy lives. We talked about holiness several weeks ago (May 6, 2018) and how God is holy and we are to, likewise, be holy.
Allow me to repeat Scot McKnight’s words from his new book, Open to the Spirit:
Holiness is first and foremost devotion to God. We could translate the word holy as “devout” and we would be accurate. So we see that separation from the world is the impact or result, not the source, of holiness. Devotion to God doesn’t mean isolation or withdrawal, as one finds among some sects. Rather, holiness means that in this world one listens and dances to the music of the Holy Spirit instead of the music of the world.
Our devotion and allegiance must always be to Jesus Christ, but that does not mean we are to isolate ourselves from the world. Instead, like an international student who travels to another country to study and retains their diet and fashion and customs, we are to live radical lives in our community, lives marked by the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit…
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23a)
If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, dancing to the music of the Holy Spirit instead of the music of the world, it won’t be long until people notice. We all know this is what our world needs—not more violence, division, fear, injustice. We must let our lights shine, but only when we have a light to shine, and that light is not us and our good works, but Jesus Christ. It’s a human surrendered to the Holy Spirit.
Our text concludes…
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (2 Corinthians 7:1)
This is the believer’s testimony—holiness. It’s not necessarily a testimony of words, but of action, of life, of love. Imagine a world filled with people who are truly devoted to their heavenly Father. Imagine a church filled with people who are truly devoted to their heavenly Father! This is not my vision. This is God’s vision. This is God’s mission for every believer—every true believer—to love Him, to love others, and to make disciples.
So What?
Is yours a life worth following? It is if you’re following Jesus rather than the world.
You don’t have to be a perfect example, but a living example. One thing I’ve discovered is even though we all mess up, we can demonstrate our faith by apologizing, for making restitution, for humbly acknowledging our mistakes and seeking forgiveness. Talk about radical!
I want to add there may be people in your life you should avoid. If their negative influence on you is greater than your positive influence on them, holiness may mean placing boundaries on your relationship.
Recently in our 9 AM small group someone mentioned how they get invited to parties but decline knowing such gatherings would not be healthy environments for them. Perhaps a solution is to throw a different kind of party and invite them…or bring Christian friends along for accountability and support.
The point is holiness may involve separation, but not isolation. We are neither to withdraw out of the world nor become like the world, instead living as citizens of the Kingdom of God in our community.
The secret to holiness is not trying harder. It’s simply to surrender to the Holy Spirit, to die to yourself and come alive in Christ. Confess your sins and invite the Holy Spirit to fill you with the fruit of the Spirit.
Credits: some ideas from D6.
The Believer's Quest, 10 June 2018
10 06 18
The Believer’s Quest: With Eternity in Mind
D6 Series— Stewards of the Gospel
2 Corinthians 4:1-18
Series Overview: Believers are to love God and love their neighbor, being good stewards of the gospel, the good news.
Big Idea: The believer is to live with eternity in mind.
Introduction
I love kids (I suppose that’s a good thing since we’re about to get bombarded by 130 of them this week for Sports & Arts Camp!). Heather and I have been blessed to have three kids…but they’re all grown and adulting now, though we are very excited about becoming grandparents in November thanks to Rachel and her husband, Mark!
When our children were little, Heather used to ask, “Why do they have so much energy?” to which I would reply, “They steal it from us which is why we don’t have any!”
Kids are great. They are innocent. They ask amazing questions. They view the world so differently than adults. They also see time differently. There are certainly exceptions, but it seems the younger the person, the more oblivious they are of the future. Sure, children might have countdowns to Christmas or their birthday, but many cannot see beyond today, this hour, or perhaps this minute. Maybe some of can relate. If you’re fully present and attentive at this moment, that can be a really good thing, especially for my ability to communicate with you!
But if our focus is only on this moment, we may not be ready for lunch, work tomorrow, summer vacation, or preparations for school in the fall…to say nothing of eternity.
I admit, it’s often hard for me to see beyond today. I read The Blade and feel hopeless…and that’s just the sports section! Actually, it has been exciting to see some of my favorite teams that have struggled throughout this decade are improving.
But that’s my point. We can’t live today without thinking about tomorrow. I don’t mean worrying about tomorrow. I mean preparing for tomorrow. It is coming. Are you ready?
This month we’re looking at a book written by Paul to the church in the city of Corinth in south-central Greece.
Our series is called Stewards of the Gospel, what does it mean for believers to possess good news—Jesus is LORD—and share it, proclaim it, live it? Jesus entrusted his work to us, the church, empowered by the Holy Spirit. There is no plan B. Our lives matter, not only to God, but to our world.
Paul wrote two letters to the church in Corinth—1 Corinthians and…2 Corinthians. Around AD 55, Paul wrote his second letter in the midst of false teachers who were challenging Paul’s authority and character. In the opening verses, Paul—and Timothy—provide encouragement in the midst of suffering.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
If you are discouraged, suffering, or struggling with your faith or because of your faith or in spite of your faith, you’re in good company, both with the church in Corinth and First Alliance Church. But honestly, most of us have never encountered the suffering Paul and Timothy had faced, including feeling the sentence of death (2 Cor. 1:9).
Our text today is from chapter 4, but since it begins with a “therefore,” we must first address what the therefore is there for. He’s addressing the church, a group of believers, and as such, there is something of an assumption that his audience is filled with people who have devoted their lives to Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Although the original letter had no chapters or verse numbers, we can turn to chapter 3, verse 17…
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)
Believers are being transformed to become like Jesus through the power and work of the Holy Spirit. We have a quest, a mission, a purpose…to know God and make Him known, living with eternity in mind.
Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. (2 Corinthians 4:1)
Life is hard. Discouragement is all too common. Depression is real, and can even lead to the ultimate despair—suicide. Kate Spade’s death this past week was another reminder of the intensity of suffering…and if you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, I urge you to get help. Talk with me. Call 800.275.TALK (the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). Attend Celebrate Recovery next Wednesday (our church calendar has been cleared this week due to Sports & Arts Camp).
But Paul is saying we do not lose heart. We can’t just focus on this moment—the pain, the sorrow. God is in control. He is at work making all things new. It doesn’t look complete because God’s not done yet. Just wait. There is hope.
How easy is it in this life to lose heart, to give up? Much research has suggested people often quit right before a breakthrough. One statistic—which may or may not be true but is worth pondering—is 97% of people who quite too soon are employed by the 3% who never give up.
A few years ago, I read a report which suggested if couples in crisis would simply give their marriage two more years, they would likely overcome whatever is threatening their relationship and move on with a healthier marriage. At the time, a good friend told me his marriage was over and I explained the report and said, “Would you please just give it two years? I’ll do everything I can to help you both, but don’t quit too soon.” He said, “We have struggled for six months. How about eighteen months?” I said eighteen months would be fine. They both committed to working on their marriage for eighteen months. It wasn’t always fun. It wasn’t always easy. But today they are not only happily married having worked through some significant issues, they have a beautiful daughter, too!
Whether it’s your marriage or your job or your prayers for an unbelieving friend or your work on a crossword puzzle, don’t give up! Don’t lose heart.
Seriously, Paul and Timothy had life-threatening issues related to their ministry but they persevered. Ministry is hard. It can kill you. Literally! And we’re all called by God into ministry—to love God, love others, and make disciples. That’s not just a professional Christian thing. If you are a follower of Jesus, you have been commissioned as a missionary…and ministry can be hard. It can be frustrating. It’s so tempting to throw in the towel, but don’t give up. Don’t lose heart. God sees your efforts. He knows your struggles. You are not forgotten.
Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. (2 Corinthians 4:2-3)
False teachers were twisting the truth, watering down the gospel, but not Paul. Paul’s message is clear—Jesus is LORD.
Family, the gospel is Jesus. Jesus is LORD. Jesus loves us, died for us, reconciles us to our heavenly Father, offers us hope, offers us forgiveness, offers us abundant and eternal life, shows us what it means to be human, teaches us how to live…
The late Keith Green sang, “How can they live without Jesus/How can they live without God’s love/How can they feel so at home down here/When there’s so much more up above.” Look, it’s hard to live this life with Jesus, but living without Christ? I can’t imagine! Jesus gave us a mission—a commission—to go and make disciples, to proclaim good news, to let the world know Jesus is alive! Tragically, millions of men, women and children have no knowledge of Jesus. They’ve never heard his name, much less been introduced to His love, the cross, the empty tomb, and his promised return. That’s why we support the Great Commission Fund—that all may have an opportunity to accept or reject Jesus Christ as not only Savior but also LORD.
But what about those who have heard and who have rejected? Honestly, it boggles my mind! How can you say no to Jesus? How can you opt out of forgiveness? How can you decline an invitation to experience eternity with God? How can you walk away from someone who died for you? Paul explains it in one sentence.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
I love this image. Paul was talking about a veil. It’s as if satan covers the eyes of unbelievers so they can’t see Jesus. The reason people reject Jesus is because of satan getting in the way, covering their eyes, blinding their minds.
A popular worship song in the 90’s said, “Open the eyes of my heart, LORD/Open the eyes of my heart/I want to see You/I want to see You.”
Do you want to see God? Do you want to know God?
Come near to God and he will come near to you. (James 4:8a)
One of my constant prayers is for God to remove the veil, to open the eyes, to tear off the mask that blinds unbelievers and keeps them from seeing how wonderful the image of God, Jesus Christ.
For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:5-6)
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (2 Corinthians 4:7)
This is where the popular group Jars of Clay got their name. We are weak, broken vessels. The great thing about jars of clay is that the light shines through the cracks. The light of Jesus can shine through our brokenness.
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. (2 Corinthians 4:7-12)
Paul will later write, “For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor. 12:10b). It’s all about Jesus.
It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. (2 Corinthians 4:13-15)
Now Paul’s looking to the future. He’s not forgetting the present, but he’s encouraging the church with God’s promises of heaven.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
In the midst of an extended out-of-state hospitalization, our daughter had a photo of a cruise ship she kept close. My parents had planned a vacation for us and our daughter's health was a potential obstacle. She was suffering with CRPS, the second most painful condition known to humankind. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome feels like pouring gasoline into your veins and lighting them on fire. The path to relief included physical therapy so intense it sometimes caused her to pass out. In the midst of the struggle, she drew inspiration—hope—from that photo. She did not fix her eyes on her present pain, but rather the future, the healing, the cruise.
She did it, by the way, walk with crutches onto the cruise ship.
So What?
Where’s your focus? What dominates your thoughts? Your present condition? The state of our nation? Today’s headlines…or a secure future with our Creator?
Yes, “some Christians are so heavenly minded they’re no earthly good,” but at the same time there’s so much negativity in our world it’s easy to be discouraged rather than preparing for eternity…and helping others prepare by generously sharing faith, hope, and love.
It’s a joy, a privilege to be able to introduce people to Jesus. Good news needs to broadcast!
In the faith hall of fame, the book of Hebrews says,
These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:39-40)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3)
Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Let’s use it prepare ourselves and others for an incredible eternity with Jesus.
Credits: some ideas from D6.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series— Stewards of the Gospel
2 Corinthians 4:1-18
Series Overview: Believers are to love God and love their neighbor, being good stewards of the gospel, the good news.
Big Idea: The believer is to live with eternity in mind.
Introduction
I love kids (I suppose that’s a good thing since we’re about to get bombarded by 130 of them this week for Sports & Arts Camp!). Heather and I have been blessed to have three kids…but they’re all grown and adulting now, though we are very excited about becoming grandparents in November thanks to Rachel and her husband, Mark!
When our children were little, Heather used to ask, “Why do they have so much energy?” to which I would reply, “They steal it from us which is why we don’t have any!”
Kids are great. They are innocent. They ask amazing questions. They view the world so differently than adults. They also see time differently. There are certainly exceptions, but it seems the younger the person, the more oblivious they are of the future. Sure, children might have countdowns to Christmas or their birthday, but many cannot see beyond today, this hour, or perhaps this minute. Maybe some of can relate. If you’re fully present and attentive at this moment, that can be a really good thing, especially for my ability to communicate with you!
But if our focus is only on this moment, we may not be ready for lunch, work tomorrow, summer vacation, or preparations for school in the fall…to say nothing of eternity.
I admit, it’s often hard for me to see beyond today. I read The Blade and feel hopeless…and that’s just the sports section! Actually, it has been exciting to see some of my favorite teams that have struggled throughout this decade are improving.
But that’s my point. We can’t live today without thinking about tomorrow. I don’t mean worrying about tomorrow. I mean preparing for tomorrow. It is coming. Are you ready?
This month we’re looking at a book written by Paul to the church in the city of Corinth in south-central Greece.
Our series is called Stewards of the Gospel, what does it mean for believers to possess good news—Jesus is LORD—and share it, proclaim it, live it? Jesus entrusted his work to us, the church, empowered by the Holy Spirit. There is no plan B. Our lives matter, not only to God, but to our world.
Paul wrote two letters to the church in Corinth—1 Corinthians and…2 Corinthians. Around AD 55, Paul wrote his second letter in the midst of false teachers who were challenging Paul’s authority and character. In the opening verses, Paul—and Timothy—provide encouragement in the midst of suffering.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
If you are discouraged, suffering, or struggling with your faith or because of your faith or in spite of your faith, you’re in good company, both with the church in Corinth and First Alliance Church. But honestly, most of us have never encountered the suffering Paul and Timothy had faced, including feeling the sentence of death (2 Cor. 1:9).
Our text today is from chapter 4, but since it begins with a “therefore,” we must first address what the therefore is there for. He’s addressing the church, a group of believers, and as such, there is something of an assumption that his audience is filled with people who have devoted their lives to Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Although the original letter had no chapters or verse numbers, we can turn to chapter 3, verse 17…
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)
Believers are being transformed to become like Jesus through the power and work of the Holy Spirit. We have a quest, a mission, a purpose…to know God and make Him known, living with eternity in mind.
Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. (2 Corinthians 4:1)
Life is hard. Discouragement is all too common. Depression is real, and can even lead to the ultimate despair—suicide. Kate Spade’s death this past week was another reminder of the intensity of suffering…and if you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, I urge you to get help. Talk with me. Call 800.275.TALK (the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). Attend Celebrate Recovery next Wednesday (our church calendar has been cleared this week due to Sports & Arts Camp).
But Paul is saying we do not lose heart. We can’t just focus on this moment—the pain, the sorrow. God is in control. He is at work making all things new. It doesn’t look complete because God’s not done yet. Just wait. There is hope.
How easy is it in this life to lose heart, to give up? Much research has suggested people often quit right before a breakthrough. One statistic—which may or may not be true but is worth pondering—is 97% of people who quite too soon are employed by the 3% who never give up.
A few years ago, I read a report which suggested if couples in crisis would simply give their marriage two more years, they would likely overcome whatever is threatening their relationship and move on with a healthier marriage. At the time, a good friend told me his marriage was over and I explained the report and said, “Would you please just give it two years? I’ll do everything I can to help you both, but don’t quit too soon.” He said, “We have struggled for six months. How about eighteen months?” I said eighteen months would be fine. They both committed to working on their marriage for eighteen months. It wasn’t always fun. It wasn’t always easy. But today they are not only happily married having worked through some significant issues, they have a beautiful daughter, too!
Whether it’s your marriage or your job or your prayers for an unbelieving friend or your work on a crossword puzzle, don’t give up! Don’t lose heart.
Seriously, Paul and Timothy had life-threatening issues related to their ministry but they persevered. Ministry is hard. It can kill you. Literally! And we’re all called by God into ministry—to love God, love others, and make disciples. That’s not just a professional Christian thing. If you are a follower of Jesus, you have been commissioned as a missionary…and ministry can be hard. It can be frustrating. It’s so tempting to throw in the towel, but don’t give up. Don’t lose heart. God sees your efforts. He knows your struggles. You are not forgotten.
Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. (2 Corinthians 4:2-3)
False teachers were twisting the truth, watering down the gospel, but not Paul. Paul’s message is clear—Jesus is LORD.
Family, the gospel is Jesus. Jesus is LORD. Jesus loves us, died for us, reconciles us to our heavenly Father, offers us hope, offers us forgiveness, offers us abundant and eternal life, shows us what it means to be human, teaches us how to live…
The late Keith Green sang, “How can they live without Jesus/How can they live without God’s love/How can they feel so at home down here/When there’s so much more up above.” Look, it’s hard to live this life with Jesus, but living without Christ? I can’t imagine! Jesus gave us a mission—a commission—to go and make disciples, to proclaim good news, to let the world know Jesus is alive! Tragically, millions of men, women and children have no knowledge of Jesus. They’ve never heard his name, much less been introduced to His love, the cross, the empty tomb, and his promised return. That’s why we support the Great Commission Fund—that all may have an opportunity to accept or reject Jesus Christ as not only Savior but also LORD.
But what about those who have heard and who have rejected? Honestly, it boggles my mind! How can you say no to Jesus? How can you opt out of forgiveness? How can you decline an invitation to experience eternity with God? How can you walk away from someone who died for you? Paul explains it in one sentence.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
I love this image. Paul was talking about a veil. It’s as if satan covers the eyes of unbelievers so they can’t see Jesus. The reason people reject Jesus is because of satan getting in the way, covering their eyes, blinding their minds.
A popular worship song in the 90’s said, “Open the eyes of my heart, LORD/Open the eyes of my heart/I want to see You/I want to see You.”
Do you want to see God? Do you want to know God?
Come near to God and he will come near to you. (James 4:8a)
One of my constant prayers is for God to remove the veil, to open the eyes, to tear off the mask that blinds unbelievers and keeps them from seeing how wonderful the image of God, Jesus Christ.
For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:5-6)
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (2 Corinthians 4:7)
This is where the popular group Jars of Clay got their name. We are weak, broken vessels. The great thing about jars of clay is that the light shines through the cracks. The light of Jesus can shine through our brokenness.
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. (2 Corinthians 4:7-12)
Paul will later write, “For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor. 12:10b). It’s all about Jesus.
It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. (2 Corinthians 4:13-15)
Now Paul’s looking to the future. He’s not forgetting the present, but he’s encouraging the church with God’s promises of heaven.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
In the midst of an extended out-of-state hospitalization, our daughter had a photo of a cruise ship she kept close. My parents had planned a vacation for us and our daughter's health was a potential obstacle. She was suffering with CRPS, the second most painful condition known to humankind. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome feels like pouring gasoline into your veins and lighting them on fire. The path to relief included physical therapy so intense it sometimes caused her to pass out. In the midst of the struggle, she drew inspiration—hope—from that photo. She did not fix her eyes on her present pain, but rather the future, the healing, the cruise.
She did it, by the way, walk with crutches onto the cruise ship.
So What?
Where’s your focus? What dominates your thoughts? Your present condition? The state of our nation? Today’s headlines…or a secure future with our Creator?
Yes, “some Christians are so heavenly minded they’re no earthly good,” but at the same time there’s so much negativity in our world it’s easy to be discouraged rather than preparing for eternity…and helping others prepare by generously sharing faith, hope, and love.
It’s a joy, a privilege to be able to introduce people to Jesus. Good news needs to broadcast!
In the faith hall of fame, the book of Hebrews says,
These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:39-40)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3)
Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Let’s use it prepare ourselves and others for an incredible eternity with Jesus.
Credits: some ideas from D6.
God is Unchanging, 27 May 2018
29 05 18
God is Unchanging
D6 Series— None Like Him
Numbers 23:19; Malachi 3:6; James 1:17
Series Overview: This topical series focuses on the attributes of God.
Big Idea: God does not change…and that’s a wonderful thing!
Introduction
In 1789, Benjamin Franklin wrote, “Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except…death and taxes.”
There’s actually one more than that is certain in this world. It’s a word that will trouble some of you. It’s a word that will terrify some of you. It’s a four-letter word that actually has six letters, but it can disrupt like few words can do. It’s…
change!
You may think I’m being a bit facetious, but I’m quite serious. Many people hate change…of any kind. Sure, nobody likes change if it means a salary reduction, decline of health, or loss of a loved one. But even so-called good changes can be unwelcome or have negative consequences.
Would you want a winning lottery ticket if I had one to offer you? You might be surprised at how many lottery winners later file for bankruptcy…or worse!
I used to think stress only applied to bad change, but any change can be stressful. It can be disruptive to our lives. Many people tolerate miserable work conditions, unhealthy relationships, or even abuse because they’re simply accustomed to it and afraid of how even a change for the better may cause them a loss of the known.
Since some of you are already uncomfortable at the mere mention of the word change, take a moment and think of the things that have changed in the past twenty years. Actually, let’s only say eighteen. We are approaching graduation season and these are a few things that can be said about the Class of 2018.
1. They’ve never lived in a world with monthly texting limits.
2. They might not understand if you say, “You sound like a broken record.”
3. They’ve always had GPS.
4. “Roll down your window” has no meaning.
5. They’ve never untangled a phone cord or straightened an antenna for TV reception.
Change. Personally, I love change…except when I don’t! I love changes I make, but not necessarily those imposed upon me.
Whether you like it or not, this world is full of change.
Our presidents change.
Our weather changes.
Fashion changes.
Music changes.
Our bodies change.
Maps of the world change.
Children change.
Relationships change.
Our favorite sports teams change.
Fortunately, there’s one thing that never changes…or should I say one Person: God.
We’ve been devoting several Sundays this month talking about the attributes of God. There is None Like Him. Amen? First, we looked at the holiness of God. We said God is holy, set apart, and we are to be holy, too, fully devoted to God while being present in the world, bearing witness to God’s presence, power, love, and glory.
Last Sunday we looked at God’s sovereignty. Whether it feels like it or not, God is in control…and we’re usually not! In fact, control is just an illusion, a temporary state, but God is in control…and that’s a wonderful thing!
Today we are looking at how God is unchanging—the technical word is He is immutable—and why that’s also a wonderful thing.
“In a world of change and decay not even the man of faith can be completely happy. Instinctively he seeks the unchanging and is bereaved at the passing of dear familiar things.” - A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy
That’s the bad news, family. We live in a world of change and decay where not even followers of Jesus can be completely happy. And you thought you were the only one!
But here’s the good news: God is unchanging.
Charles Wesley wrote, “And all things as they change proclaim
The Lord eternally the same.”
But how do we know? The Bible declares it repeatedly. God declares it repeatedly.
Our scripture reading for today featured not one, but three passages from various parts of the Bible.
Moses wrote in the book of Numbers:
God is not human, that he should lie,
not a human being, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill? (Numbers 23:19)
Humans can lie. Have you noticed?
Humans can change their minds.
Humans can be hypocritical, saying one thing and doing another.
Humans can break their promises.
But not God! If we stopped with this one verse, we would know enough about God to worship and adore Him for eternity.
God cannot lie.
God is consistent.
God is trustworthy.
God is unchanging!
One of the frustrating things about change is when it wreaks havoc with our expectations. Have you ever gone to get gas for your car expecting one price, only to find the price went up? How does that make you feel?
Have you ever had your heart set on food at a particular restaurant, only to arrive and find them closed?
Have you ever waited for someone to arrive at an appointment, only to discover they forgot?
God never does this! Although we were created in God’s image, He is not human! He is dependable. He is unchanging.
In the last book of the Old Testament, God declares:
“I the LORD do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. (Malachi 3:6)
God is speaking about His judgment of those who do not fear and revere Him, but God made a covenant with the nation of Israel…and that covenant will not change. They will be delivered in the day of the LORD. God is saying, “I keep my promises. My Word does not change. I do not change.”
We also heard Jesus’ half brother, James, who wrote:
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)
Our God who created the starry universe—the heavenly lights—gives good gifts to His children, including salvation and life. He is also unchanging. Because of the movement of our planet with relation to the sun, shadows move and shift…but not the One who created earth and the sun!
Throughout the Bible we see evidence that God is unchanging.
So What?
OK, so God is unchanging, but what difference does that make? Let me count the ways!
First, God cannot improve.
He’s as good as He’s going to get. He is perfectly holy. He will never get stronger, wiser, or more perfect. He is the zenith of holiness, knowledge, and love.
Most of us are seeking to grow and develop. Some of you spend time at the gym, seeking to improve your figure, reduce your waistline, or build your muscles. Others of you are in school, expanding your knowledge and understanding of the world and prepare for a career. The simple fact you are listening to me says you want to grow spiritually and improve your relationship with God and others. This past Wednesday I was honored to be in the company of courageous men and women who are committed to enhancing their mental and emotional health, attending Celebrate Recovery and dealing with their hurts, hang ups, and habits. I believe every one of us could benefit from Celebrate Recovery because we’ve all got stuff. We’re all messed up. We all face grief, loss, and/or addictions because of sin and living in a broken world.
But not God! He’s not messed up! He doesn’t have room to grow. God cannot improve. As the saying goes, you can’t improve on perfection!
Second, not only can God not get better, God cannot decline. He will never lose His mind, His love, His power. He won’t get Alzheimer’s, cancer, or the flu. He won’t stop being in control or begin to forget things. It’s impossible for God to get better—or worse—because God is unchanging.
God is reliable. He doesn’t change His mind. He is consistent and reliable. If He says something, it’s true now and it will be true tomorrow.
Since I got my driver’s license, I’ve studied the annual April car issue of Consumer Reports magazine. The top thing I look for in a vehicle report is reliability. I don’t really care how fast it goes, how comfortable the seats, or even how good the stereo sounds…if it’s going to break down, leave me stranded at the side of the road, and cost me a fortune to repair. I want a dependable vehicle, one I can trust with no surprises.
That’s like God…except the brakes will never wear thin, the oil doesn’t need to be changed…He doesn’t even need gas or insurance!
One reason I love the Bible is it is God’s Word and what God said and did in the Old Testament is true in the New Testament and is true today…because God is unchanging.
If you were to read a biography on Bill Gates, you would learn about the founder of Microsoft, but no matter what you thought of him, it’s possible that if you were to meet him, he’d be different than you expected. In fact, it’s possible that he has changed since the book was published. People change, but God is unchanging and reliable.
Perhaps you’re thinking, “But didn’t God change His mind when Moses asked Him to spare the people of Israel?” There are times it appears God changes, but I believe it’s a matter of perspective. Let me explain.
When my children were little, I insisted they use manners when they spoke, especially when they asked for something. One of them might ask, “Dad, can I have some ice cream?” to which I would reply, “No.” Then if they said, “Please” I would say, “Absolutely!” Did I change my mind? No. Did I know what they wanted and what they would do in that situation? Yes.
Because God is God and we’re not, it may appear that He changes, but in reality His character, His attributes, His Word, His promises never change. He is reliable. He doesn’t play guessing games or surprise us. He is consistent. He is unchanging.
There’s another thing that doesn’t change about God that we should all find sobering.
God’s justice and His hatred of sin never change. Have you ever been pulled over by a police officer, begging to be let off the hook? Did you ever try to weasel out of a punishment as a child? Have you ever bargained with someone, compromised, negotiated?
God is always just. He always does the right thing. Always.
God always hates sin. Public and private, big and little, He always hates sin.
He doesn’t make exceptions.
He can’t be bought or bribed.
He doesn’t show favoritism.
God always has and always will be just and He always has and always will hate sin.
Is this a good thing? Yes.
Is this a good thing for you? Maybe.
See, we all want to see justice served. We want Hitler to be condemned. We want sex traffickers punished. We want murderers to be sentenced. One day, God will exercise the ultimate justice. On Judgment Day, all wrongs will be righted, all sins will be penalized, all of the guilty will pay.
But where does that leave us? Sure, we want corrupt politicians and bank robbers to be served justice, but since all of us sin and all of us fail God’s standard of perfection, is God’s ultimate justice good…for us?
This is where the gospel comes in. The gospel, or good news, is Jesus. Jesus is LORD. God sent His perfect Son, Jesus, to our planet to pay for our sin, to receive the punishment we deserve. Since God couldn’t bend the rules and make exceptions, He had to create an alternative to eternally separating sinful humans from His presence. His plan was Jesus. Grace. Unmerited favor.
Today, every man, woman and child on our planet is given a choice to receive or reject Jesus Christ. Because God is just and hates sin, somebody has to pay the penalty of sin, which is death. We can accept Jesus’s payment or bear it ourselves.
But make no mistake, you’re not good enough. You can’t buy it. You can’t negotiate it. You can’t achieve it by trying harder. Either you pay or you let Jesus pay. But God’s unchanging justice must be satisfied.
This leads to my final point: because God is unchanging, God’s love is unchanging. Earlier we sang “One Thing Remains.” I love those lyrics:
Your love never fails
It never gives up
It never runs out on me
The Newsboys have a song with a similar message entitled, “Your Love Never Fails.” They sing:
Nothing can separate Even if I run away Your love never fails I know I still make mistakes You have new mercy for me everyday Cause your love never fails
You stay the same through the ages Your love never changes
Paul wrote to the church in Rome:
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)
God’s love is unchanging, leading Philip Yancey to famously write,
“There is nothing we can do to make God love us more and there is nothing we can do to make God love us less.”
Why? Because God is unchanging. God’s love is unchanging. And that’s truly good news!
Credits: some ideas from D6, Robert Saucy, John Ortberg, A.W. Tozer
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series— None Like Him
Numbers 23:19; Malachi 3:6; James 1:17
Series Overview: This topical series focuses on the attributes of God.
Big Idea: God does not change…and that’s a wonderful thing!
Introduction
In 1789, Benjamin Franklin wrote, “Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except…death and taxes.”
There’s actually one more than that is certain in this world. It’s a word that will trouble some of you. It’s a word that will terrify some of you. It’s a four-letter word that actually has six letters, but it can disrupt like few words can do. It’s…
change!
You may think I’m being a bit facetious, but I’m quite serious. Many people hate change…of any kind. Sure, nobody likes change if it means a salary reduction, decline of health, or loss of a loved one. But even so-called good changes can be unwelcome or have negative consequences.
Would you want a winning lottery ticket if I had one to offer you? You might be surprised at how many lottery winners later file for bankruptcy…or worse!
I used to think stress only applied to bad change, but any change can be stressful. It can be disruptive to our lives. Many people tolerate miserable work conditions, unhealthy relationships, or even abuse because they’re simply accustomed to it and afraid of how even a change for the better may cause them a loss of the known.
Since some of you are already uncomfortable at the mere mention of the word change, take a moment and think of the things that have changed in the past twenty years. Actually, let’s only say eighteen. We are approaching graduation season and these are a few things that can be said about the Class of 2018.
1. They’ve never lived in a world with monthly texting limits.
2. They might not understand if you say, “You sound like a broken record.”
3. They’ve always had GPS.
4. “Roll down your window” has no meaning.
5. They’ve never untangled a phone cord or straightened an antenna for TV reception.
Change. Personally, I love change…except when I don’t! I love changes I make, but not necessarily those imposed upon me.
Whether you like it or not, this world is full of change.
Our presidents change.
Our weather changes.
Fashion changes.
Music changes.
Our bodies change.
Maps of the world change.
Children change.
Relationships change.
Our favorite sports teams change.
Fortunately, there’s one thing that never changes…or should I say one Person: God.
We’ve been devoting several Sundays this month talking about the attributes of God. There is None Like Him. Amen? First, we looked at the holiness of God. We said God is holy, set apart, and we are to be holy, too, fully devoted to God while being present in the world, bearing witness to God’s presence, power, love, and glory.
Last Sunday we looked at God’s sovereignty. Whether it feels like it or not, God is in control…and we’re usually not! In fact, control is just an illusion, a temporary state, but God is in control…and that’s a wonderful thing!
Today we are looking at how God is unchanging—the technical word is He is immutable—and why that’s also a wonderful thing.
“In a world of change and decay not even the man of faith can be completely happy. Instinctively he seeks the unchanging and is bereaved at the passing of dear familiar things.” - A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy
That’s the bad news, family. We live in a world of change and decay where not even followers of Jesus can be completely happy. And you thought you were the only one!
But here’s the good news: God is unchanging.
Charles Wesley wrote, “And all things as they change proclaim
The Lord eternally the same.”
But how do we know? The Bible declares it repeatedly. God declares it repeatedly.
Our scripture reading for today featured not one, but three passages from various parts of the Bible.
Moses wrote in the book of Numbers:
God is not human, that he should lie,
not a human being, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill? (Numbers 23:19)
Humans can lie. Have you noticed?
Humans can change their minds.
Humans can be hypocritical, saying one thing and doing another.
Humans can break their promises.
But not God! If we stopped with this one verse, we would know enough about God to worship and adore Him for eternity.
God cannot lie.
God is consistent.
God is trustworthy.
God is unchanging!
One of the frustrating things about change is when it wreaks havoc with our expectations. Have you ever gone to get gas for your car expecting one price, only to find the price went up? How does that make you feel?
Have you ever had your heart set on food at a particular restaurant, only to arrive and find them closed?
Have you ever waited for someone to arrive at an appointment, only to discover they forgot?
God never does this! Although we were created in God’s image, He is not human! He is dependable. He is unchanging.
In the last book of the Old Testament, God declares:
“I the LORD do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. (Malachi 3:6)
God is speaking about His judgment of those who do not fear and revere Him, but God made a covenant with the nation of Israel…and that covenant will not change. They will be delivered in the day of the LORD. God is saying, “I keep my promises. My Word does not change. I do not change.”
We also heard Jesus’ half brother, James, who wrote:
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)
Our God who created the starry universe—the heavenly lights—gives good gifts to His children, including salvation and life. He is also unchanging. Because of the movement of our planet with relation to the sun, shadows move and shift…but not the One who created earth and the sun!
Throughout the Bible we see evidence that God is unchanging.
So What?
OK, so God is unchanging, but what difference does that make? Let me count the ways!
First, God cannot improve.
He’s as good as He’s going to get. He is perfectly holy. He will never get stronger, wiser, or more perfect. He is the zenith of holiness, knowledge, and love.
Most of us are seeking to grow and develop. Some of you spend time at the gym, seeking to improve your figure, reduce your waistline, or build your muscles. Others of you are in school, expanding your knowledge and understanding of the world and prepare for a career. The simple fact you are listening to me says you want to grow spiritually and improve your relationship with God and others. This past Wednesday I was honored to be in the company of courageous men and women who are committed to enhancing their mental and emotional health, attending Celebrate Recovery and dealing with their hurts, hang ups, and habits. I believe every one of us could benefit from Celebrate Recovery because we’ve all got stuff. We’re all messed up. We all face grief, loss, and/or addictions because of sin and living in a broken world.
But not God! He’s not messed up! He doesn’t have room to grow. God cannot improve. As the saying goes, you can’t improve on perfection!
Second, not only can God not get better, God cannot decline. He will never lose His mind, His love, His power. He won’t get Alzheimer’s, cancer, or the flu. He won’t stop being in control or begin to forget things. It’s impossible for God to get better—or worse—because God is unchanging.
God is reliable. He doesn’t change His mind. He is consistent and reliable. If He says something, it’s true now and it will be true tomorrow.
Since I got my driver’s license, I’ve studied the annual April car issue of Consumer Reports magazine. The top thing I look for in a vehicle report is reliability. I don’t really care how fast it goes, how comfortable the seats, or even how good the stereo sounds…if it’s going to break down, leave me stranded at the side of the road, and cost me a fortune to repair. I want a dependable vehicle, one I can trust with no surprises.
That’s like God…except the brakes will never wear thin, the oil doesn’t need to be changed…He doesn’t even need gas or insurance!
One reason I love the Bible is it is God’s Word and what God said and did in the Old Testament is true in the New Testament and is true today…because God is unchanging.
If you were to read a biography on Bill Gates, you would learn about the founder of Microsoft, but no matter what you thought of him, it’s possible that if you were to meet him, he’d be different than you expected. In fact, it’s possible that he has changed since the book was published. People change, but God is unchanging and reliable.
Perhaps you’re thinking, “But didn’t God change His mind when Moses asked Him to spare the people of Israel?” There are times it appears God changes, but I believe it’s a matter of perspective. Let me explain.
When my children were little, I insisted they use manners when they spoke, especially when they asked for something. One of them might ask, “Dad, can I have some ice cream?” to which I would reply, “No.” Then if they said, “Please” I would say, “Absolutely!” Did I change my mind? No. Did I know what they wanted and what they would do in that situation? Yes.
Because God is God and we’re not, it may appear that He changes, but in reality His character, His attributes, His Word, His promises never change. He is reliable. He doesn’t play guessing games or surprise us. He is consistent. He is unchanging.
There’s another thing that doesn’t change about God that we should all find sobering.
God’s justice and His hatred of sin never change. Have you ever been pulled over by a police officer, begging to be let off the hook? Did you ever try to weasel out of a punishment as a child? Have you ever bargained with someone, compromised, negotiated?
God is always just. He always does the right thing. Always.
God always hates sin. Public and private, big and little, He always hates sin.
He doesn’t make exceptions.
He can’t be bought or bribed.
He doesn’t show favoritism.
God always has and always will be just and He always has and always will hate sin.
Is this a good thing? Yes.
Is this a good thing for you? Maybe.
See, we all want to see justice served. We want Hitler to be condemned. We want sex traffickers punished. We want murderers to be sentenced. One day, God will exercise the ultimate justice. On Judgment Day, all wrongs will be righted, all sins will be penalized, all of the guilty will pay.
But where does that leave us? Sure, we want corrupt politicians and bank robbers to be served justice, but since all of us sin and all of us fail God’s standard of perfection, is God’s ultimate justice good…for us?
This is where the gospel comes in. The gospel, or good news, is Jesus. Jesus is LORD. God sent His perfect Son, Jesus, to our planet to pay for our sin, to receive the punishment we deserve. Since God couldn’t bend the rules and make exceptions, He had to create an alternative to eternally separating sinful humans from His presence. His plan was Jesus. Grace. Unmerited favor.
Today, every man, woman and child on our planet is given a choice to receive or reject Jesus Christ. Because God is just and hates sin, somebody has to pay the penalty of sin, which is death. We can accept Jesus’s payment or bear it ourselves.
But make no mistake, you’re not good enough. You can’t buy it. You can’t negotiate it. You can’t achieve it by trying harder. Either you pay or you let Jesus pay. But God’s unchanging justice must be satisfied.
This leads to my final point: because God is unchanging, God’s love is unchanging. Earlier we sang “One Thing Remains.” I love those lyrics:
Your love never fails
It never gives up
It never runs out on me
The Newsboys have a song with a similar message entitled, “Your Love Never Fails.” They sing:
Nothing can separate Even if I run away Your love never fails I know I still make mistakes You have new mercy for me everyday Cause your love never fails
You stay the same through the ages Your love never changes
Paul wrote to the church in Rome:
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)
God’s love is unchanging, leading Philip Yancey to famously write,
“There is nothing we can do to make God love us more and there is nothing we can do to make God love us less.”
Why? Because God is unchanging. God’s love is unchanging. And that’s truly good news!
Credits: some ideas from D6, Robert Saucy, John Ortberg, A.W. Tozer
God is Sovereign, 20 May 2018
20 05 18
God is Sovereign
D6 Series— None Like Him
Romans 8:28-30
Series Overview: This topical series focuses on the attributes of God.
Big Idea: God is sovereign and in control…but we also must be responsible with our free will.
We are spending several weeks this month talking about the attributes of God. There is None Like Him. Amen?
Two weeks ago, we looked at the holiness of God. We said God is holy, set apart, and we are to be holy, too, fully devoted to God while being present in the world bearing witness to God’s presence, power, love, and glory.
Today we look at another word frequently used in church but less often in the culture—sovereign. God is sovereign. Great, but what does that mean? Some dictionaries may use words like ruler, supreme in power and authority, or greatest. I’m going to suggest the best way think about God’s sovereignty is to say, “God is in control.” This is great news, but it can be difficult to understand. Hopefully our time together will engage your mind and heart and cause you to grow deeper in love with Jesus.
True or false: God is in control of everything?
True or false: God’s will is always accomplished?
True or false: God controls history down to every detail, micromanaging individuals’ lives?
The Bible is clear about many things, yet others are difficult to discern. We’re talking about God, after all, and while we can know God and know Him personally, we can’t fully grasp everything about God.
Is God really sovereign? Is God in control? If so, why are children killed by shooters at school? How can sex trafficking thrive not only around the world but right here in Toledo? What about those victims of drunk drivers?
I’m fascinated by people who will blame God for the sins and stupidity of people. After all, God has given us freedom. We have free will. We were not created as robots, but rather we have the capacity to love…and hate. Relationships cannot be authentic without choice. So God can be in control, yet allow humans the opportunity to do good or bad. Most of our suffering stems not from God, but the sins of others—or ourselves. God is in control, but He has also given us responsibility. Can you really blame God for an unwanted pregnancy? Is it His fault you failed the exam you never studied for?
But why does God allow evil? Why did God create satan in the first place? Did He know Lucifer, the once-mighty angel, would rebel against God and be cast from heaven (Ezekiel 28:12-19; Isaiah 14:12-14)? These are great questions I’m not fully able to answer. Again, there are things we simply cannot know—yet—about God. But there’s one thing of which I am sure:
God is sovereign and in control, He can be trusted, and He is working for the good of those who love Him. His plans and purposes are in process. It might not seem like it today, but just wait. God is not surprised by anything in today’s Toledo Blade. He’s not asleep or aloof, but there is a tension between His sovereignty and our responsibility. If we seek first His Kingdom and His glory—not merely our own pleasures—we will discover true meaning and purpose. Jesus said,
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:31-34)
God is in the process of working out His plans and purposes—not necessarily ours. He loves us, but His highest priority is our holiness, not our happiness; His glory, not our gratification. But let me say again God loves us. As His children, He has our best interest at heart…even when it doesn’t feel like it.
All parents understand the tension of discipline. We’d love for our kids to always do the right thing, but when they don’t, we must punish…out of love, not hate.
When I was a young boy, I was so frustrated with my parents. I wanted to have total freedom to play with my friends as long as I wanted and mom said I needed to be home by dark. “My friends can stay out as long as they want!” I said. My mom replied, “Because I love you, I want you home.” I didn’t understand the boundaries at the time, but I sure do now!
It feels great to say God is in control…until we encounter trouble in life and we ask God, “Why?” or “Where are you?”
I must say (again) there are many things I don’t understand. I have plenty of questions for God. But I’ve also learned as I read the Bible and get to know God personally He is good. His ways are not like my ways. His wisdom far exceeds mine. He is God and I’m not. He can be trusted. That has been true when I’ve unexpectedly lost my job, when my dad died after years of battling Alzheimer’s, when my daughter was hospitalized for months, when my son struggled through the teen years, when our daughter’s leg was amputated, when our family faced an array of mental illnesses, when friends have abandoned us, …do you want more?
Oh sure, let me throw this one in…when your airplane fills with smoke and you have an emergency evacuation, climbing out the window onto the wing, and then jumping to the tarmac! Yes, that happened…to begin our vacation in Colorado. Fortunately, the plane had landed and nobody was seriously hurt, praise God!
But what if the cabin filled with smoke midair? What if my mom, step dad, Heather and I all perished? Would we still praise God? Would He still be trustworthy? What about those families this morning in Texas planning funerals for their children? Are they singing “Great is Thy Faithfulness” this morning?
I want to encourage you an oft-abused passage of scripture, but one which is nevertheless true. Romans 8 says,
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (Romans 8:28-30)
Family, please think twice about quoting these verses when someone is in the midst of a sudden crisis. Timing is everything. The passage is always true, yet often people need to grieve. Quick answers are not adequate when someone is dealing with intense suffering. Job’s friends demonstrate often the best thing we can do when a loved one suffers is be present and quiet. But let’s look at this text.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
God is in control. He is at work, and because He loves us, He is working for our good. But there’s a condition. The condition is that we love him and have been called according to his purpose. Sometimes things take time. Tomorrow you might understand that which you cannot begin to fathom today. Your story is not over. You’re not abandoned, even if it feels like it. This too will pass. God sees you. God knows. God is with you. God loves you. And as we’ve learned from David in the Psalms, it’s ok to let Him know how you feel. He can handle your anger, questions, doubts, and even rage. But let me declare God is at work…accomplishing His purpose.
Now this text raises one of the most hotly debated questions in theology, the study of God. Look at the rest of the passage:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (Romans 8:28-30)
The Message translation declares
God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun. (Romans 8:29-30, The Message)
God foreknew us. He predestined us to follow Jesus. He calls, justifies, and glorifies. Now here’s the question: does God choose us or do we choose God? If God is in control, does that mean we have no choice, no options? When God hardened Pharaoh’s heart in Exodus, was it God’s fault the people of Israel remained in slavery throughout the plagues (Exodus 9:12)?
Christianity is divided in many ways. For example, there are Catholics and Orthodox and Protestants and Messianic Jews, all deeply committed to following Jesus and the Bible, but doing so with differences in worship style, tradition, and sometimes even beliefs. There are charismatic Christians who are very demonstrative in their worship while others are very reserved.
Another division in Christianity involves Calvinism and Arminianism. Have you ever heard of Calvinism? Arminianism? The issues behind the debate between the two began in the 5th century, but it wasn’t until the 17th century when it took its current form.
Calvinism is named for John Calvin, a French theologian who lived from 1509-1564. Calvinism has at its core the belief that God chooses us to be saved. We really have no choice in the matter. Reformed, and Presbyterian churches generally follow Calvinism.
Arminianism—which is not the same as being Armenian, which I am by my family of origin—places the emphasis on human choice. We can choose to accept or reject Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior. Jacobus Arminius gave his name to Arminianism. He was a Dutch theologian who lived from 1560-1609.
Who’s right, Calvinists or Arminians? It depends upon who you ask! In case you’re wondering, the Christian & Missionary Alliance does not take a position on the matter. You will find those in the Alliance who are Calvinists and others who are Arminians—and some who are something of a hybrid!
A.W. Tozer, in his classic book The Pursuit of God, began by saying,
Christian theology teaches the doctrine of prevenient grace, which briefly stated means this, that before a man can seek God, God must first have sought the man.
Before a sinful man can think a right thought of God, there must have been a work of enlightenment done within him; imperfect it may be, but a true work nonetheless, and the secret cause of all desiring and seeking and praying which may follow.
We pursue God because, and only because, He has first put an urge within us that spurs us to the pursuit. "No man can come to me," said our Lord, "except the Father which hath sent me draw him," and it is by this very prevenient drawing that God takes from us every vestige of credit for the act of coming. The impulse to pursue God originates with God, but the out working of that impulse is our following hard after Him; and all the time we are pursuing Him we are already in His hand: "Thy right hand upholdeth me."
Does God pursue us? Yes.
Do we pursue God? Yes.
I actually believe it’s not an either/or but a both/and scenario. It’s two sides of the same coin. Like a dance, God leads, and we join Him…or not!
Why am I married? Is it because I asked Heather to be my wife, or because she said yes?
Since the Alliance refuses to take a position toward Calvinism or Arminianism, it behooves us to follow their example and say there’s room for both at First Alliance Church. God is in control. God can be trusted. Even if it doesn’t feel like it today.
D6: The fact that God’s authority supersedes all other authority demonstrates that He is the Sovereign Lord of all.
D6: God’s actions and characteristics in Exodus 15* illustrate that He is the Sovereign Lord of all.
(*look it up!)
We can rest in the fact that God is in control. He knows and understands all things and has the power to make all things work out for His glory.
I know many of you at this moment are questioning God. Life is not what you expected. You can’t harmonize God’s goodness and sovereignty. If He’s really in control, why is He allowing my life to be such a mess—or maybe even causing my life to be such a mess? I get it. Really. I’ve asked God questions through tears. I’ve cried out to Him so many times, failing to understand Romans 8:28…or much of the Bible. At this moment I still have questions for Him…but I’ve learned He can be trusted. The things He allows today will not be permitted forever. Judgment Day is coming—for all of us—and I urge you to repent and trust Jesus Christ to be your Savior and LORD if you have not yet done so.
If there’s any injustice, any scandal, anything that doesn’t make sense, it’s why God would send His only Son, Jesus, to live and die and receive the punishment for our sins. If anyone had reason to question God’s sovereignty, it was Jesus on the cross! But praise God the story of Jesus didn’t end on the cross…He rose from the dead and is alive today!
Likewise, your story is not over. As Laura Story sings in her song Blessings,
Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops What if Your healing comes through tears What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
I started to cry just reading those lyrics again as I reflected upon God’s faithfulness.
Recently Pastor Soper in Mission 119 stated regarding Numbers 22-24:
When God has determined to bless a people, nothing but nothing but nothing is ever going to interfere or block that plan.
Nothing will ever thwart God’s purposes and plans. He may use a talking donkey, a pillar of fire, plagues, the changed heart of a leader, miraculous healing, …but God is ultimately in control.
My friend Lewis Winkler writes in his blog
Herein lies the secret to finding real safety, in the arms of a good and loving God. But being in His arms is not actually intended to make us feel safe. Sometimes it does, but at other times it feels like the most dangerous place on earth. That’s because His goal is to make us more like Jesus, and that’s often an uncomfortable and unpleasant process. It doesn’t necessarily feel fun or safe.
It might not look or feel like God is in control today, but whatever we experience is shaping us—it is for our good if we are truly following God.
So What?
Because God is sovereign, we don’t have to be! I often say, “God is in control…and I’m not!” I don’t always appreciate that in the moment, but I’m certain it’s good.
And God is good…even when it doesn’t feel like it. Sometimes we must simply wait.
We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. (Psalms 33:20-21)
God and His plans and purposes are worth the wait. I have many questions for God and I bet you do, too. There are some things we simply won’t understand today—or maybe in this life. That’s where trust comes in. That’s where faith comes in—not a blind faith, a leap of faith, but rather a step of faith which trusts God above our limited understanding.
Still, there are other times when our questions are answered and we get glimpses of God’s will, His plan, His purposes in the midst of what appears to us to be anything but good.
Here’s a great example:
Alliance Video
Credits: some ideas from D6, Robert Saucy
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series— None Like Him
Romans 8:28-30
Series Overview: This topical series focuses on the attributes of God.
Big Idea: God is sovereign and in control…but we also must be responsible with our free will.
We are spending several weeks this month talking about the attributes of God. There is None Like Him. Amen?
Two weeks ago, we looked at the holiness of God. We said God is holy, set apart, and we are to be holy, too, fully devoted to God while being present in the world bearing witness to God’s presence, power, love, and glory.
Today we look at another word frequently used in church but less often in the culture—sovereign. God is sovereign. Great, but what does that mean? Some dictionaries may use words like ruler, supreme in power and authority, or greatest. I’m going to suggest the best way think about God’s sovereignty is to say, “God is in control.” This is great news, but it can be difficult to understand. Hopefully our time together will engage your mind and heart and cause you to grow deeper in love with Jesus.
True or false: God is in control of everything?
True or false: God’s will is always accomplished?
True or false: God controls history down to every detail, micromanaging individuals’ lives?
The Bible is clear about many things, yet others are difficult to discern. We’re talking about God, after all, and while we can know God and know Him personally, we can’t fully grasp everything about God.
Is God really sovereign? Is God in control? If so, why are children killed by shooters at school? How can sex trafficking thrive not only around the world but right here in Toledo? What about those victims of drunk drivers?
I’m fascinated by people who will blame God for the sins and stupidity of people. After all, God has given us freedom. We have free will. We were not created as robots, but rather we have the capacity to love…and hate. Relationships cannot be authentic without choice. So God can be in control, yet allow humans the opportunity to do good or bad. Most of our suffering stems not from God, but the sins of others—or ourselves. God is in control, but He has also given us responsibility. Can you really blame God for an unwanted pregnancy? Is it His fault you failed the exam you never studied for?
But why does God allow evil? Why did God create satan in the first place? Did He know Lucifer, the once-mighty angel, would rebel against God and be cast from heaven (Ezekiel 28:12-19; Isaiah 14:12-14)? These are great questions I’m not fully able to answer. Again, there are things we simply cannot know—yet—about God. But there’s one thing of which I am sure:
God is sovereign and in control, He can be trusted, and He is working for the good of those who love Him. His plans and purposes are in process. It might not seem like it today, but just wait. God is not surprised by anything in today’s Toledo Blade. He’s not asleep or aloof, but there is a tension between His sovereignty and our responsibility. If we seek first His Kingdom and His glory—not merely our own pleasures—we will discover true meaning and purpose. Jesus said,
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:31-34)
God is in the process of working out His plans and purposes—not necessarily ours. He loves us, but His highest priority is our holiness, not our happiness; His glory, not our gratification. But let me say again God loves us. As His children, He has our best interest at heart…even when it doesn’t feel like it.
All parents understand the tension of discipline. We’d love for our kids to always do the right thing, but when they don’t, we must punish…out of love, not hate.
When I was a young boy, I was so frustrated with my parents. I wanted to have total freedom to play with my friends as long as I wanted and mom said I needed to be home by dark. “My friends can stay out as long as they want!” I said. My mom replied, “Because I love you, I want you home.” I didn’t understand the boundaries at the time, but I sure do now!
It feels great to say God is in control…until we encounter trouble in life and we ask God, “Why?” or “Where are you?”
I must say (again) there are many things I don’t understand. I have plenty of questions for God. But I’ve also learned as I read the Bible and get to know God personally He is good. His ways are not like my ways. His wisdom far exceeds mine. He is God and I’m not. He can be trusted. That has been true when I’ve unexpectedly lost my job, when my dad died after years of battling Alzheimer’s, when my daughter was hospitalized for months, when my son struggled through the teen years, when our daughter’s leg was amputated, when our family faced an array of mental illnesses, when friends have abandoned us, …do you want more?
Oh sure, let me throw this one in…when your airplane fills with smoke and you have an emergency evacuation, climbing out the window onto the wing, and then jumping to the tarmac! Yes, that happened…to begin our vacation in Colorado. Fortunately, the plane had landed and nobody was seriously hurt, praise God!
But what if the cabin filled with smoke midair? What if my mom, step dad, Heather and I all perished? Would we still praise God? Would He still be trustworthy? What about those families this morning in Texas planning funerals for their children? Are they singing “Great is Thy Faithfulness” this morning?
I want to encourage you an oft-abused passage of scripture, but one which is nevertheless true. Romans 8 says,
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (Romans 8:28-30)
Family, please think twice about quoting these verses when someone is in the midst of a sudden crisis. Timing is everything. The passage is always true, yet often people need to grieve. Quick answers are not adequate when someone is dealing with intense suffering. Job’s friends demonstrate often the best thing we can do when a loved one suffers is be present and quiet. But let’s look at this text.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
God is in control. He is at work, and because He loves us, He is working for our good. But there’s a condition. The condition is that we love him and have been called according to his purpose. Sometimes things take time. Tomorrow you might understand that which you cannot begin to fathom today. Your story is not over. You’re not abandoned, even if it feels like it. This too will pass. God sees you. God knows. God is with you. God loves you. And as we’ve learned from David in the Psalms, it’s ok to let Him know how you feel. He can handle your anger, questions, doubts, and even rage. But let me declare God is at work…accomplishing His purpose.
Now this text raises one of the most hotly debated questions in theology, the study of God. Look at the rest of the passage:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (Romans 8:28-30)
The Message translation declares
God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun. (Romans 8:29-30, The Message)
God foreknew us. He predestined us to follow Jesus. He calls, justifies, and glorifies. Now here’s the question: does God choose us or do we choose God? If God is in control, does that mean we have no choice, no options? When God hardened Pharaoh’s heart in Exodus, was it God’s fault the people of Israel remained in slavery throughout the plagues (Exodus 9:12)?
Christianity is divided in many ways. For example, there are Catholics and Orthodox and Protestants and Messianic Jews, all deeply committed to following Jesus and the Bible, but doing so with differences in worship style, tradition, and sometimes even beliefs. There are charismatic Christians who are very demonstrative in their worship while others are very reserved.
Another division in Christianity involves Calvinism and Arminianism. Have you ever heard of Calvinism? Arminianism? The issues behind the debate between the two began in the 5th century, but it wasn’t until the 17th century when it took its current form.
Calvinism is named for John Calvin, a French theologian who lived from 1509-1564. Calvinism has at its core the belief that God chooses us to be saved. We really have no choice in the matter. Reformed, and Presbyterian churches generally follow Calvinism.
Arminianism—which is not the same as being Armenian, which I am by my family of origin—places the emphasis on human choice. We can choose to accept or reject Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior. Jacobus Arminius gave his name to Arminianism. He was a Dutch theologian who lived from 1560-1609.
Who’s right, Calvinists or Arminians? It depends upon who you ask! In case you’re wondering, the Christian & Missionary Alliance does not take a position on the matter. You will find those in the Alliance who are Calvinists and others who are Arminians—and some who are something of a hybrid!
A.W. Tozer, in his classic book The Pursuit of God, began by saying,
Christian theology teaches the doctrine of prevenient grace, which briefly stated means this, that before a man can seek God, God must first have sought the man.
Before a sinful man can think a right thought of God, there must have been a work of enlightenment done within him; imperfect it may be, but a true work nonetheless, and the secret cause of all desiring and seeking and praying which may follow.
We pursue God because, and only because, He has first put an urge within us that spurs us to the pursuit. "No man can come to me," said our Lord, "except the Father which hath sent me draw him," and it is by this very prevenient drawing that God takes from us every vestige of credit for the act of coming. The impulse to pursue God originates with God, but the out working of that impulse is our following hard after Him; and all the time we are pursuing Him we are already in His hand: "Thy right hand upholdeth me."
Does God pursue us? Yes.
Do we pursue God? Yes.
I actually believe it’s not an either/or but a both/and scenario. It’s two sides of the same coin. Like a dance, God leads, and we join Him…or not!
Why am I married? Is it because I asked Heather to be my wife, or because she said yes?
Since the Alliance refuses to take a position toward Calvinism or Arminianism, it behooves us to follow their example and say there’s room for both at First Alliance Church. God is in control. God can be trusted. Even if it doesn’t feel like it today.
D6: The fact that God’s authority supersedes all other authority demonstrates that He is the Sovereign Lord of all.
D6: God’s actions and characteristics in Exodus 15* illustrate that He is the Sovereign Lord of all.
(*look it up!)
We can rest in the fact that God is in control. He knows and understands all things and has the power to make all things work out for His glory.
I know many of you at this moment are questioning God. Life is not what you expected. You can’t harmonize God’s goodness and sovereignty. If He’s really in control, why is He allowing my life to be such a mess—or maybe even causing my life to be such a mess? I get it. Really. I’ve asked God questions through tears. I’ve cried out to Him so many times, failing to understand Romans 8:28…or much of the Bible. At this moment I still have questions for Him…but I’ve learned He can be trusted. The things He allows today will not be permitted forever. Judgment Day is coming—for all of us—and I urge you to repent and trust Jesus Christ to be your Savior and LORD if you have not yet done so.
If there’s any injustice, any scandal, anything that doesn’t make sense, it’s why God would send His only Son, Jesus, to live and die and receive the punishment for our sins. If anyone had reason to question God’s sovereignty, it was Jesus on the cross! But praise God the story of Jesus didn’t end on the cross…He rose from the dead and is alive today!
Likewise, your story is not over. As Laura Story sings in her song Blessings,
Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops What if Your healing comes through tears What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
I started to cry just reading those lyrics again as I reflected upon God’s faithfulness.
Recently Pastor Soper in Mission 119 stated regarding Numbers 22-24:
When God has determined to bless a people, nothing but nothing but nothing is ever going to interfere or block that plan.
Nothing will ever thwart God’s purposes and plans. He may use a talking donkey, a pillar of fire, plagues, the changed heart of a leader, miraculous healing, …but God is ultimately in control.
My friend Lewis Winkler writes in his blog
Herein lies the secret to finding real safety, in the arms of a good and loving God. But being in His arms is not actually intended to make us feel safe. Sometimes it does, but at other times it feels like the most dangerous place on earth. That’s because His goal is to make us more like Jesus, and that’s often an uncomfortable and unpleasant process. It doesn’t necessarily feel fun or safe.
It might not look or feel like God is in control today, but whatever we experience is shaping us—it is for our good if we are truly following God.
So What?
Because God is sovereign, we don’t have to be! I often say, “God is in control…and I’m not!” I don’t always appreciate that in the moment, but I’m certain it’s good.
And God is good…even when it doesn’t feel like it. Sometimes we must simply wait.
We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. (Psalms 33:20-21)
God and His plans and purposes are worth the wait. I have many questions for God and I bet you do, too. There are some things we simply won’t understand today—or maybe in this life. That’s where trust comes in. That’s where faith comes in—not a blind faith, a leap of faith, but rather a step of faith which trusts God above our limited understanding.
Still, there are other times when our questions are answered and we get glimpses of God’s will, His plan, His purposes in the midst of what appears to us to be anything but good.
Here’s a great example:
Alliance Video
Credits: some ideas from D6, Robert Saucy
God is Holy, 6 May 2018
07 05 18
God Is Holy
D6 Series— None Like Him
Psalm 99:1-5
Series Overview: This topical series focuses on the attributes of God.
Big Idea: We are to be holy…because God is holy.
We will be spending several weeks this month talking about the attributes of God. There is None Like Him. Amen?
God is holy. Have you ever heard that before? What does it mean for God to be holy…and what difference does it make in our lives? That’s our focus this morning. If your small group is using D6, you’ll note we’re skipping ahead one week. Our scheduled message is on God’s love, a topic we have covered extensively in recent days, so we’re covering next week’s topic, the holiness of God.
What comes to mind when you hear the word “holy?”
Holy Bible
Holy Spirit
Holy Rollers
Holy Cow!
Holy, Holy, Holy
Holy of holies
Webster’s dictionary defines holy as
1: exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness
2: divine • for the Lord our God is holy —Psalms 99:9 (King James Version)
3: devoted entirely to the deity or the work of the deity • a holy temple • holy prophets
4 a : having a divine quality • holy love
b : venerated as or as if sacred • holy scripture • a holy relic
5 —used as an intensive • this is a holy mess
—often used in combination as a mild oath • holy smoke
Often, it’s difficult to merely look at an English dictionary to understand a biblical word. In our scripture reading passage, the word “holy” is qadosh, to be sacred, consecrated, dedicated, set apart.
The Holy Bible is sacred, set apart from all other works of literature.
God is holy, sacred, set apart. Jesus invites us to call the Father “Abba” or “Daddy” or “Papa,” but that doesn’t mean we are to ever be disrespectful or flippant. I’m afraid sometimes we treat God too casually. It’s been said that we take ourselves too seriously and we don’t take God seriously enough.
Our scripture reading from Psalm 99 says
The LORD reigns,
let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim,
let the earth shake.
Great is the LORD in Zion;
he is exalted over all the nations.
Let them praise your great and awesome name—
he is holy.
The King is mighty, he loves justice—
you have established equity;
in Jacob you have done
what is just and right.
Exalt the LORD our God
and worship at his footstool;
he is holy. (Psalms 99:1-5)
These are powerful depictions of God. He reigns. Let the nations tremble and the earth shake. He is exalted over all the nations. His name is great and awesome. He is mighty. Exalt the LORD. Worship Him. He is holy.
The book of Isaiah has an incredible scene we’ll briefly examine. In chapter six, the prophet Isaiah writes,
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. (Isaiah 6:1-2)
And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:3)
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. (Isaiah 6:4)
“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:5)
That should be our reaction to the holiness of God—woe, awe, reverence.
A.W. Tozer, in his classic Knowledge of the Holy, said,
“God is not now any holier than He ever was. And He never was holier than now. He did not get His holiness from anyone nor from anywhere. He is Himself the Holiness. He is the All-Holy, the Holy One; He is holiness itself, beyond the power of thought to grasp or of word to express, beyond the power of all praise.
Language cannot express the holy, so God resorts to association and suggestion. He cannot say it outright because He would have to use words for which we know no meaning. He would have to translate it down to our unholiness. If He were to tell us how white He is, we would understand it in terms of only dingy gray.
It was a common thing in olden days, when God was the center of Human worship, to kneel at an altar and shake, tremble, weep and perspire in an agony of conviction.
He continues…
We come into the presence of God with tainted souls. We come with our own concept of morality, having learned it from books, from newspapers and from school. We come to God dirty; our whitest white is dirty, our churches are dirty and our thoughts are dirty and we do nothing about it!
If we came to God dirty, but trembling and shocked and awestruck in His presence, if we knelt at His feet and cried with Isaiah, I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips (Isaiah 6:5), then I could understand. But we skip into His awful presence. We’re forgetting holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).
Then Tozer prays…
O God, soon every person must appear before you to give an account for the deeds done in the body. Father, keep upon us a sense of holiness so that we can’t sin and excuse it, but that repentance will be as deep as our lives. This we ask in Christ’s name. Amen.”
Oh, that we would get a glimpse of the holiness of God—and be transformed as a result.
Echoing the Isaiah text is a famous passage in the book of Revelation.
Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“ ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.” (Revelation 4:8)
What an image! Day and night the holiness of God is declared. It seems like the only appropriate response is for us to pause, meditate on God’s holiness, and declare it with the angels.
“Holy, Holy, Holy”
“Holy is the LORD”
So What?
I suppose we could go home now with the knowledge of God’s holiness in our heads, but I think God wants more. Sure, He wants our worship and adoration. He wants our respect and praise. But He also wants our hearts. He wants us. He wants our obedience. He wants us to be holy. God told Moses in the wilderness,
“Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy. (Leviticus 19:2)
Scot McKnight, in his new book Open to the Spirit, writes,
Holiness is first and foremost devotion to God.
We could translate the word holy as “devout” and we would be accurate. So we see that separation from the world is the impact or result, not the source, of holiness. Devotion to God doesn’t mean isolation or withdrawal, as one finds among some sects. Rather, holiness means that in this world one listens and dances to the music of the Holy Spirit instead of the music of the world.
I love that! We are to be holy, not holier than thou! We are to be in the world—loving and serving our neighbors—but not of the world.
McKnight suggests three dimensions to growing into holiness:
1. Practicing spiritual disciplines or practices. These help us turn our eyes off of ourselves and focus on God. Spiritual disciplines include prayer, Bible reading, fasting, meditation and contemplation on God, and silence. In a world where we typically seek pleasure and comfort, the disciplines are often sacrificial activities not done to earn God’s favor, but rather to acknowledge it.
2. Discipline ourselves to practice acts of goodness, holiness, justice, love, compassion, and beauty. This includes being mindful of what we consume—food, entertainment, social media, the news—and engaging in healthy friendships and activities.
3. Remembering we do not make ourselves holy. We grow into holiness through the grace of the Holy Spirit in us, repenting of our sins and being filled with the Holy Spirit.
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:14-16)
Sound familiar? Holiness is primarily about being devoted to God. Not just for an hour on Sunday, but daily…always. And it means following Jesus in the world, not escaping from it. In the next chapter, Peter writes…
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (1 Peter 2:12)
To be holy means to be separate, to cut, or to separate. God is a cut above the rest, and He invites us to be the other, to be outstanding, to be morally pure, and to be devoted to Him. Every act of loving God, others, self, or creation is holiness. To quote Scot McKnight, holiness is “love done well.”
To be holy is to be devoted, and this morning we close with a song of devotion, of surrender, of awe and reverence, of worship to the holy One who gave it all for us.
Credits: some ideas from D6
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series— None Like Him
Psalm 99:1-5
Series Overview: This topical series focuses on the attributes of God.
Big Idea: We are to be holy…because God is holy.
We will be spending several weeks this month talking about the attributes of God. There is None Like Him. Amen?
God is holy. Have you ever heard that before? What does it mean for God to be holy…and what difference does it make in our lives? That’s our focus this morning. If your small group is using D6, you’ll note we’re skipping ahead one week. Our scheduled message is on God’s love, a topic we have covered extensively in recent days, so we’re covering next week’s topic, the holiness of God.
What comes to mind when you hear the word “holy?”
Holy Bible
Holy Spirit
Holy Rollers
Holy Cow!
Holy, Holy, Holy
Holy of holies
Webster’s dictionary defines holy as
1: exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness
2: divine • for the Lord our God is holy —Psalms 99:9 (King James Version)
3: devoted entirely to the deity or the work of the deity • a holy temple • holy prophets
4 a : having a divine quality • holy love
b : venerated as or as if sacred • holy scripture • a holy relic
5 —used as an intensive • this is a holy mess
—often used in combination as a mild oath • holy smoke
Often, it’s difficult to merely look at an English dictionary to understand a biblical word. In our scripture reading passage, the word “holy” is qadosh, to be sacred, consecrated, dedicated, set apart.
The Holy Bible is sacred, set apart from all other works of literature.
God is holy, sacred, set apart. Jesus invites us to call the Father “Abba” or “Daddy” or “Papa,” but that doesn’t mean we are to ever be disrespectful or flippant. I’m afraid sometimes we treat God too casually. It’s been said that we take ourselves too seriously and we don’t take God seriously enough.
Our scripture reading from Psalm 99 says
The LORD reigns,
let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim,
let the earth shake.
Great is the LORD in Zion;
he is exalted over all the nations.
Let them praise your great and awesome name—
he is holy.
The King is mighty, he loves justice—
you have established equity;
in Jacob you have done
what is just and right.
Exalt the LORD our God
and worship at his footstool;
he is holy. (Psalms 99:1-5)
These are powerful depictions of God. He reigns. Let the nations tremble and the earth shake. He is exalted over all the nations. His name is great and awesome. He is mighty. Exalt the LORD. Worship Him. He is holy.
The book of Isaiah has an incredible scene we’ll briefly examine. In chapter six, the prophet Isaiah writes,
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. (Isaiah 6:1-2)
And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:3)
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. (Isaiah 6:4)
“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:5)
That should be our reaction to the holiness of God—woe, awe, reverence.
A.W. Tozer, in his classic Knowledge of the Holy, said,
“God is not now any holier than He ever was. And He never was holier than now. He did not get His holiness from anyone nor from anywhere. He is Himself the Holiness. He is the All-Holy, the Holy One; He is holiness itself, beyond the power of thought to grasp or of word to express, beyond the power of all praise.
Language cannot express the holy, so God resorts to association and suggestion. He cannot say it outright because He would have to use words for which we know no meaning. He would have to translate it down to our unholiness. If He were to tell us how white He is, we would understand it in terms of only dingy gray.
It was a common thing in olden days, when God was the center of Human worship, to kneel at an altar and shake, tremble, weep and perspire in an agony of conviction.
He continues…
We come into the presence of God with tainted souls. We come with our own concept of morality, having learned it from books, from newspapers and from school. We come to God dirty; our whitest white is dirty, our churches are dirty and our thoughts are dirty and we do nothing about it!
If we came to God dirty, but trembling and shocked and awestruck in His presence, if we knelt at His feet and cried with Isaiah, I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips (Isaiah 6:5), then I could understand. But we skip into His awful presence. We’re forgetting holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).
Then Tozer prays…
O God, soon every person must appear before you to give an account for the deeds done in the body. Father, keep upon us a sense of holiness so that we can’t sin and excuse it, but that repentance will be as deep as our lives. This we ask in Christ’s name. Amen.”
Oh, that we would get a glimpse of the holiness of God—and be transformed as a result.
Echoing the Isaiah text is a famous passage in the book of Revelation.
Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“ ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.” (Revelation 4:8)
What an image! Day and night the holiness of God is declared. It seems like the only appropriate response is for us to pause, meditate on God’s holiness, and declare it with the angels.
“Holy, Holy, Holy”
“Holy is the LORD”
So What?
I suppose we could go home now with the knowledge of God’s holiness in our heads, but I think God wants more. Sure, He wants our worship and adoration. He wants our respect and praise. But He also wants our hearts. He wants us. He wants our obedience. He wants us to be holy. God told Moses in the wilderness,
“Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy. (Leviticus 19:2)
Scot McKnight, in his new book Open to the Spirit, writes,
Holiness is first and foremost devotion to God.
We could translate the word holy as “devout” and we would be accurate. So we see that separation from the world is the impact or result, not the source, of holiness. Devotion to God doesn’t mean isolation or withdrawal, as one finds among some sects. Rather, holiness means that in this world one listens and dances to the music of the Holy Spirit instead of the music of the world.
I love that! We are to be holy, not holier than thou! We are to be in the world—loving and serving our neighbors—but not of the world.
McKnight suggests three dimensions to growing into holiness:
1. Practicing spiritual disciplines or practices. These help us turn our eyes off of ourselves and focus on God. Spiritual disciplines include prayer, Bible reading, fasting, meditation and contemplation on God, and silence. In a world where we typically seek pleasure and comfort, the disciplines are often sacrificial activities not done to earn God’s favor, but rather to acknowledge it.
2. Discipline ourselves to practice acts of goodness, holiness, justice, love, compassion, and beauty. This includes being mindful of what we consume—food, entertainment, social media, the news—and engaging in healthy friendships and activities.
3. Remembering we do not make ourselves holy. We grow into holiness through the grace of the Holy Spirit in us, repenting of our sins and being filled with the Holy Spirit.
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:14-16)
Sound familiar? Holiness is primarily about being devoted to God. Not just for an hour on Sunday, but daily…always. And it means following Jesus in the world, not escaping from it. In the next chapter, Peter writes…
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (1 Peter 2:12)
To be holy means to be separate, to cut, or to separate. God is a cut above the rest, and He invites us to be the other, to be outstanding, to be morally pure, and to be devoted to Him. Every act of loving God, others, self, or creation is holiness. To quote Scot McKnight, holiness is “love done well.”
To be holy is to be devoted, and this morning we close with a song of devotion, of surrender, of awe and reverence, of worship to the holy One who gave it all for us.
Credits: some ideas from D6
When Under Attack, 29 April 2018
30 04 18
When Under Attack
D6 Series— Songs from the Heart (Psalms)
Psalm 109
Series Overview: The Psalms reveal hearts poured out in inspired song.
Big Idea: God is our shield and help when we experience injustice and opposition.
Scripture Reading: Psalm 109:30-31
With my mouth I will greatly extol the LORD;
in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him.
For he stands at the right hand of the needy,
to save their lives from those who would condemn them. (Psalms 109:30-31)
Isn’t that nice? God stands at the right hand of the needy. So that means when we get a flat tire, God is with us. When we catch the flu, God will help us. We will praise the LORD even if we don’t get the promotion we were hoping or when we experience ridicule for being a Christian.
But what about serious condemnation? Where is God when things get really rough?
Jesus famously told his followers…
…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8b)
That word “witnesses” in the original Greek is “martus,” related to our word “martyr.”
We’ve all experienced injustice and opposition in our lives, but few of us can say our lives have been in jeopardy. I rarely hear of people martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ on American soil, and for that we can be grateful, not only to God but also those who have fought for our freedom.
Throughout history, godly men and women have been threatened. They have had contracts on their lives. They have been hunted down. Can you imagine? What would you do if you received a death threat?
Today we are continuing our series, Songs from the Heart, on select Psalms. I have mentioned how the book of Psalms was Israel’s hymnbook…and my favorite book of the Old Testament. The passion, authenticity, and artistry of these lyrics are so real, relevant, and inspiring…thousands of years after their writing.
On Resurrection Sunday, we saw glimpses of the suffering Jesus in Psalm 22. Then we looked at the Messianic nature of Psalm 72 and God’s love expressed in Psalm 89. Last Sunday we looked at what it means to bless or praise the LORD in Psalm 103.
Our psalm for today is 109 and it is quite different from the previous psalms we have examined. This psalm was used by Thomas Hardy in his novel The Mayor of Casterbridge. It is often called an imprecatory psalm, a zealous prayer and song to God calling out the wicked. This psalm is similar to Psalm 69, but here the writer is innocent, not a wrongdoer. He is a victim, yet his response to his enemies is somewhat surprising.
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
My God, whom I praise,
do not remain silent,
for people who are wicked and deceitful
have opened their mouths against me;
they have spoken against me with lying tongues. (Psalms 109:1-2)
Has anyone ever lied about you? Gossiped about you? Slandered you? How does it feel? David understands. He wants God to intervene, to take action, to not remain silent. God, where are you? Do you see this? Do you hear this?
With words of hatred they surround me;
they attack me without cause. (Psalms 109:3)
Remember that old expression, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”? What a lie! Words can actually lead to our bones being broken! Charles Spurgeon said, “In all Satan’s armoury there are no worse weapons than deceitful tongues.”
In return for my friendship they accuse me,
but I am a man of prayer. (Psalms 109:4)
Satan is called the accuser. These people are satanic, they are accusers. David is
innocent, yet he is being attacked. What a contrast—accusations and prayer. His
enemies are talking falsely about him to others and David is talking to God. What
does David do when treated unjustly? He drops to his knees. The Hebrew says literally,
“But I prayer.” In other words, he’s all about prayer. Are you?
I wish I could say prayer is always my first response to attack. It’s not. I get defensive. I strategize a retaliation. I seek revenge. My mind refuses to shut off, engaging in imaginary conversations. I want justice. I want to cry, “Foul!”
They repay me evil for good,
and hatred for my friendship. (Psalms 109:5)
No good deed goes unpunished! Notice David’s mention of friendship. No one can hurt you like a friend. You can sometimes forget the words of a stranger, but wounds from those we love run deep. Now David goes into a tirade against his enemy, a singular man. These verses are incredible!
Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy;
let an accuser stand at his right hand.
When he is tried, let him be found guilty,
and may his prayers condemn him.
May his days be few;
may another take his place of leadership. (Psalms 109:6-8)
Peter quotes this last verse in Acts 1:20 as fulfillment of Judas’ death.
We don’t know if David was king when this was written, but David was a warrior. Do you remember what he did to Goliath? It’s important to understand David did not act upon these curses. He left the heavy lifting for God after he poured out his heart.
May his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow.
May his children be wandering beggars;
may they be driven from their ruined homes.
May a creditor seize all he has;
may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
May no one extend kindness to him
or take pity on his fatherless children.
May his descendants be cut off,
their names blotted out from the next generation.
May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD;
may the sin of his mother never be blotted out. (Psalms 109:9-14)
Have you ever felt that way? He’s not done!
May their sins always remain before the LORD,
that he may blot out their name from the earth.
For he never thought of doing a kindness,
but hounded to death the poor
and the needy and the brokenhearted.
He loved to pronounce a curse—
may it come back on him. (Psalms 109:15-17)
David’s saying, “Do unto him as he has done unto me. Curse him as he has cursed
others.
He found no pleasure in blessing—
may it be far from him.
He wore cursing as his garment;
it entered into his body like water,
into his bones like oil.
May it be like a cloak wrapped about him,
like a belt tied forever around him. (Psalms 109:18-19)
Now he shifts from an individual to a plural group, perhaps the people led by the man.
May this be the LORD’S payment to my accusers,
to those who speak evil of me. (Psalms 109:20)
He’s honest! He declares his desires, but leaves the matter to the LORD. Then David
speaks one of the most important words in the English language—“but.”
But you, Sovereign LORD,
help me for your name’s sake;
out of the goodness of your love, deliver me. (Psalms 109:21)
What do we do in the midst of distress? Call upon the LORD. Ask God for help. Seek
deliverance. Ask for protection, not on the basis of your own goodness but on the basis
of God’s name and goodness.
For I am poor and needy,
and my heart is wounded within me.
I fade away like an evening shadow;
I am shaken off like a locust. (Psalms 109:22-23)
Even great men like David—king or not—are but dust. Whether we acknowledge it or
not, we all need God.
My knees give way from fasting;
my body is thin and gaunt.
I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
when they see me, they shake their heads. (Psalms 109:24-25)
This is hardly the picture we expect of David! He’s thin and gaunt, pitiful and disgusting.
Help me, LORD my God;
save me according to your unfailing love. (Psalms 109:26)
The appeal is not David’s goodness, but God’s love and mercy.
Let them know that it is your hand,
that you, LORD, have done it. (Psalms 109:27)
He wants God to receive the glory, not himself.
While they curse, may you bless;
may those who attack me be put to shame,
but may your servant rejoice.
May my accusers be clothed with disgrace
and wrapped in shame as in a cloak. (Psalms 109:28-29)
God’s blessings will always be greater than the curses of our enemies. David rejoices
knowing God is in control and will have the last word.
Now we see the context for today’s scripture reading.
With my mouth I will greatly extol the LORD;
in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him.
For he stands at the right hand of the needy,
to save their lives from those who would condemn them. (Psalms 109:30-31)
At the end of the day, David knows God is real. He knows his calamity is temporary, his life is but a vapor, a gift. He knows no matter the circumstances, God is worthy of praise, of blessing, of extoling, of worship. His story is not over. There is hope.
So What?
D6: The fact that we face opposition and attack because of our faith demonstrates that we are engaged in a spiritual warfare.
The writer of the book of Romans had some radical things to say about our enemies.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:17-19)
Then he quotes Proverbs 25…
On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:20-21)
If we are to follow the example of David, we should ask God to curse our enemies, right? That sounds like a reasonable application. After all, David was called a man after God’s own heart. Of course, that doesn’t mean he was perfect. But I love his honesty. He tells God how he feels. He expresses his emotions—constructively.
You may have been told to never get emotional. Big boys don’t cry. Don’t let them see you sweat. Never question God. Bury your feelings.
I think David would vehemently disagree! His language is raw. It’s passionate. He feels, but he channels his emotions appropriately. He gets real, but then gives it to God. This is the same God who said,
It is mine to avenge; I will repay.
In due time their foot will slip;
their day of disaster is near
and their doom rushes upon them.” (Deuteronomy 32:35)
It’s as if God says to us, “Thanks for sharing. I’ll take it from here.”
D6: God is the Sovereign Lord of all. He alone is qualified to deal with those who oppose and attack us.
Generations later, a descendent of David would pray speak harsh condemnations, too. Jesus said of Judas…
The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” (Matthew 26:24; Mark 14:21)
He said of the Jewish leaders…
Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” (John 19:11)
Jesus was not always nice, but he never sinned, even in his anger, outraged by injustice. And Jesus not only expressed his feelings of outrage, he articulated radical love. In the presence of his enemies, as he is hanging on the cross…
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. (Luke 23:34)
What do you do when you’re angry? When you’ve been slandered, oppressed, wronged? I want to encourage you to get real, give it to God, and pray for your enemy.
Why? Why forgive? Why pray for our enemies?
First, they are as worthy of forgiveness as you and I. Forgiveness is never deserved. Remember what Jesus taught us to pray?
Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. (Luke 11:4a, NIV)
Jesus died for them, too. They might one day surrender to Christ. What if they repent and become your friend?
Ultimately, we must relinquish control of our pain, let go and let God. He will judge. He will deal with all sins…and sinners one day.
And one more thing…fear not. God is in control. No weapon—or person—will prevail.
“See, it is I who created the blacksmith
who fans the coals into flame
and forges a weapon fit for its work.
And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc;
no weapon forged against you will prevail,
and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
and this is their vindication from me,”
declares the LORD. (Isaiah 54:16-17)
Credits: some ideas from D6
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series— Songs from the Heart (Psalms)
Psalm 109
Series Overview: The Psalms reveal hearts poured out in inspired song.
Big Idea: God is our shield and help when we experience injustice and opposition.
Scripture Reading: Psalm 109:30-31
With my mouth I will greatly extol the LORD;
in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him.
For he stands at the right hand of the needy,
to save their lives from those who would condemn them. (Psalms 109:30-31)
Isn’t that nice? God stands at the right hand of the needy. So that means when we get a flat tire, God is with us. When we catch the flu, God will help us. We will praise the LORD even if we don’t get the promotion we were hoping or when we experience ridicule for being a Christian.
But what about serious condemnation? Where is God when things get really rough?
Jesus famously told his followers…
…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8b)
That word “witnesses” in the original Greek is “martus,” related to our word “martyr.”
We’ve all experienced injustice and opposition in our lives, but few of us can say our lives have been in jeopardy. I rarely hear of people martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ on American soil, and for that we can be grateful, not only to God but also those who have fought for our freedom.
Throughout history, godly men and women have been threatened. They have had contracts on their lives. They have been hunted down. Can you imagine? What would you do if you received a death threat?
Today we are continuing our series, Songs from the Heart, on select Psalms. I have mentioned how the book of Psalms was Israel’s hymnbook…and my favorite book of the Old Testament. The passion, authenticity, and artistry of these lyrics are so real, relevant, and inspiring…thousands of years after their writing.
On Resurrection Sunday, we saw glimpses of the suffering Jesus in Psalm 22. Then we looked at the Messianic nature of Psalm 72 and God’s love expressed in Psalm 89. Last Sunday we looked at what it means to bless or praise the LORD in Psalm 103.
Our psalm for today is 109 and it is quite different from the previous psalms we have examined. This psalm was used by Thomas Hardy in his novel The Mayor of Casterbridge. It is often called an imprecatory psalm, a zealous prayer and song to God calling out the wicked. This psalm is similar to Psalm 69, but here the writer is innocent, not a wrongdoer. He is a victim, yet his response to his enemies is somewhat surprising.
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
My God, whom I praise,
do not remain silent,
for people who are wicked and deceitful
have opened their mouths against me;
they have spoken against me with lying tongues. (Psalms 109:1-2)
Has anyone ever lied about you? Gossiped about you? Slandered you? How does it feel? David understands. He wants God to intervene, to take action, to not remain silent. God, where are you? Do you see this? Do you hear this?
With words of hatred they surround me;
they attack me without cause. (Psalms 109:3)
Remember that old expression, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”? What a lie! Words can actually lead to our bones being broken! Charles Spurgeon said, “In all Satan’s armoury there are no worse weapons than deceitful tongues.”
In return for my friendship they accuse me,
but I am a man of prayer. (Psalms 109:4)
Satan is called the accuser. These people are satanic, they are accusers. David is
innocent, yet he is being attacked. What a contrast—accusations and prayer. His
enemies are talking falsely about him to others and David is talking to God. What
does David do when treated unjustly? He drops to his knees. The Hebrew says literally,
“But I prayer.” In other words, he’s all about prayer. Are you?
I wish I could say prayer is always my first response to attack. It’s not. I get defensive. I strategize a retaliation. I seek revenge. My mind refuses to shut off, engaging in imaginary conversations. I want justice. I want to cry, “Foul!”
They repay me evil for good,
and hatred for my friendship. (Psalms 109:5)
No good deed goes unpunished! Notice David’s mention of friendship. No one can hurt you like a friend. You can sometimes forget the words of a stranger, but wounds from those we love run deep. Now David goes into a tirade against his enemy, a singular man. These verses are incredible!
Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy;
let an accuser stand at his right hand.
When he is tried, let him be found guilty,
and may his prayers condemn him.
May his days be few;
may another take his place of leadership. (Psalms 109:6-8)
Peter quotes this last verse in Acts 1:20 as fulfillment of Judas’ death.
We don’t know if David was king when this was written, but David was a warrior. Do you remember what he did to Goliath? It’s important to understand David did not act upon these curses. He left the heavy lifting for God after he poured out his heart.
May his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow.
May his children be wandering beggars;
may they be driven from their ruined homes.
May a creditor seize all he has;
may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
May no one extend kindness to him
or take pity on his fatherless children.
May his descendants be cut off,
their names blotted out from the next generation.
May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD;
may the sin of his mother never be blotted out. (Psalms 109:9-14)
Have you ever felt that way? He’s not done!
May their sins always remain before the LORD,
that he may blot out their name from the earth.
For he never thought of doing a kindness,
but hounded to death the poor
and the needy and the brokenhearted.
He loved to pronounce a curse—
may it come back on him. (Psalms 109:15-17)
David’s saying, “Do unto him as he has done unto me. Curse him as he has cursed
others.
He found no pleasure in blessing—
may it be far from him.
He wore cursing as his garment;
it entered into his body like water,
into his bones like oil.
May it be like a cloak wrapped about him,
like a belt tied forever around him. (Psalms 109:18-19)
Now he shifts from an individual to a plural group, perhaps the people led by the man.
May this be the LORD’S payment to my accusers,
to those who speak evil of me. (Psalms 109:20)
He’s honest! He declares his desires, but leaves the matter to the LORD. Then David
speaks one of the most important words in the English language—“but.”
But you, Sovereign LORD,
help me for your name’s sake;
out of the goodness of your love, deliver me. (Psalms 109:21)
What do we do in the midst of distress? Call upon the LORD. Ask God for help. Seek
deliverance. Ask for protection, not on the basis of your own goodness but on the basis
of God’s name and goodness.
For I am poor and needy,
and my heart is wounded within me.
I fade away like an evening shadow;
I am shaken off like a locust. (Psalms 109:22-23)
Even great men like David—king or not—are but dust. Whether we acknowledge it or
not, we all need God.
My knees give way from fasting;
my body is thin and gaunt.
I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
when they see me, they shake their heads. (Psalms 109:24-25)
This is hardly the picture we expect of David! He’s thin and gaunt, pitiful and disgusting.
Help me, LORD my God;
save me according to your unfailing love. (Psalms 109:26)
The appeal is not David’s goodness, but God’s love and mercy.
Let them know that it is your hand,
that you, LORD, have done it. (Psalms 109:27)
He wants God to receive the glory, not himself.
While they curse, may you bless;
may those who attack me be put to shame,
but may your servant rejoice.
May my accusers be clothed with disgrace
and wrapped in shame as in a cloak. (Psalms 109:28-29)
God’s blessings will always be greater than the curses of our enemies. David rejoices
knowing God is in control and will have the last word.
Now we see the context for today’s scripture reading.
With my mouth I will greatly extol the LORD;
in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him.
For he stands at the right hand of the needy,
to save their lives from those who would condemn them. (Psalms 109:30-31)
At the end of the day, David knows God is real. He knows his calamity is temporary, his life is but a vapor, a gift. He knows no matter the circumstances, God is worthy of praise, of blessing, of extoling, of worship. His story is not over. There is hope.
So What?
D6: The fact that we face opposition and attack because of our faith demonstrates that we are engaged in a spiritual warfare.
The writer of the book of Romans had some radical things to say about our enemies.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:17-19)
Then he quotes Proverbs 25…
On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:20-21)
If we are to follow the example of David, we should ask God to curse our enemies, right? That sounds like a reasonable application. After all, David was called a man after God’s own heart. Of course, that doesn’t mean he was perfect. But I love his honesty. He tells God how he feels. He expresses his emotions—constructively.
You may have been told to never get emotional. Big boys don’t cry. Don’t let them see you sweat. Never question God. Bury your feelings.
I think David would vehemently disagree! His language is raw. It’s passionate. He feels, but he channels his emotions appropriately. He gets real, but then gives it to God. This is the same God who said,
It is mine to avenge; I will repay.
In due time their foot will slip;
their day of disaster is near
and their doom rushes upon them.” (Deuteronomy 32:35)
It’s as if God says to us, “Thanks for sharing. I’ll take it from here.”
D6: God is the Sovereign Lord of all. He alone is qualified to deal with those who oppose and attack us.
Generations later, a descendent of David would pray speak harsh condemnations, too. Jesus said of Judas…
The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” (Matthew 26:24; Mark 14:21)
He said of the Jewish leaders…
Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” (John 19:11)
Jesus was not always nice, but he never sinned, even in his anger, outraged by injustice. And Jesus not only expressed his feelings of outrage, he articulated radical love. In the presence of his enemies, as he is hanging on the cross…
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. (Luke 23:34)
What do you do when you’re angry? When you’ve been slandered, oppressed, wronged? I want to encourage you to get real, give it to God, and pray for your enemy.
Why? Why forgive? Why pray for our enemies?
First, they are as worthy of forgiveness as you and I. Forgiveness is never deserved. Remember what Jesus taught us to pray?
Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. (Luke 11:4a, NIV)
Jesus died for them, too. They might one day surrender to Christ. What if they repent and become your friend?
Ultimately, we must relinquish control of our pain, let go and let God. He will judge. He will deal with all sins…and sinners one day.
And one more thing…fear not. God is in control. No weapon—or person—will prevail.
“See, it is I who created the blacksmith
who fans the coals into flame
and forges a weapon fit for its work.
And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc;
no weapon forged against you will prevail,
and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
and this is their vindication from me,”
declares the LORD. (Isaiah 54:16-17)
Credits: some ideas from D6
Bless The LORD, 22 April 2018
23 04 18
Bless The Lord
D6 Series— Songs from the Heart (Psalms)
Psalm 103
Series Overview: The Psalms reveal hearts poured out in inspired song.
Big Idea: God is worthy of our praise!
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! (Psalms 103:1, ESV)
We’ve sung the words, but what do they mean?
Today we are continuing our series, Songs from the Heart, on select Psalms. I have mentioned how the book of Psalms was Israel’s hymnbook…and my favorite book of the Old Testament. The passion, authenticity, and artistry of these lyrics are so real, relevant, and inspiring…thousands of years after their writing.
On Resurrection Sunday, we saw glimpses of the suffering Jesus in Psalm 22. Then we looked at the Messianic nature of Psalm 72 and God’s love expressed in Psalm 89 last Sunday. Today we turn to Psalm 103.
At the recent Worship Night in America event, Pastor Darren Whitehead talked about the seven Hebrew words for “praise.” Just saying that makes our English language seem so simplistic!
The word repeated used in Psalm 103 for “praise” or “bless,” depending upon your translation, is the word “barak.”
Of David. Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. (Psalms 103:1)
בָּרַךְ bāraḵ means to bless or pronounce blessings, give praise, give thanks, extol, to kneel down, to bow or salute, to bless God as an act of adoration.
This Hebrew word appears about 300 times in the Old Testament. To bless or praise the LORD is to bow down before Him, acknowledging He is God and we are not, thanking Him and telling others how great He is…in word, song, and deed. Praising or blessing God, then, is more than just words…it’s a lifestyle, an act of worship.
King David begins this famous psalm by not merely stating, “barak,” but telling his soul, all of his inmost being, to praise the LORD and His holy name.
The Hebrew name for God is so holy, in fact, that to this day it is never spoken out loud by Jews. The word “Adonai” is a more general term for God, but the holy name which Gentiles often pronounce “Yahweh” is sacred and revered. There is so much in this one short verse. It’s as if David is throwing himself before the LORD saying, “I’m Yours, LORD. All of me. My body. My soul. My heart. My mind. It all thanks You. It all adores You. It all belongs to You.”
Have you ever felt like that? That’s devotion. That’s passion. That’s worship. And God loves it! This idea of blessing the LORD is the central idea of this psalm. The LORD has blessed David, and David returns the favor.
Praise the LORD, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases, (Psalms 103:2-3)
David tells his soul to forget not. Why? Because we forget! What do we forget? We forget the LORD’s blessings, His benefits.
Do you like benefits? It seems like every few months I’m getting a notice in the mail about new benefits coming soon to my credit card or changes in my health insurance benefits (not always good changes!). When making a major purchase, one must always learn about the features and benefits of the investment.
We must not forget the benefits of the LORD. David lists five in this psalm.
1. God has forgiven our sins (all our sins!) 2. God heals all our diseases (someday all diseases will be healed; maybe today!)
What else?
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalms 103:4-5)
Here we see the final three benefits:
3. God redeems our life from the pit (now and beyond the grave) 4. God crowns us with love and compassion (surrounds us, placed upon us) 5. God satisfies our desires with good things (we can satisfy them with bad things!)
The result is our youth, our strength, is renewed. Because of the goodness of the LORD we can have hope and passion (one of my prayers for FAC).
Is this good news, family? Absolutely! The problem for many of us is we forget. I don’t necessarily mean we have no knowledge of these truths, but rather we are so familiar with them we forget their importance, their impact, and we forget to thank God!
The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love. (Psalms 103:6-8)
Have you ever felt oppressed? Many in our world today are oppressed—by poverty, slavery, injustice…and yet God works on their behalf. He is engaged in righteousness and justice. His timing might not be as quick as we would like, but in the end, justice will prevail.
Moses and the people of Israel were witnesses of God’s righteousness and deliverance.
Verse eight is echoed throughout the Bible. From Exodus to Joel to Jonah, this phrase appears:
“The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in love.”
Because God is just, he gets angry. We should get angry when we see injustice. We simply need to direct our anger appropriately.
… “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:26-27)
Jesus got angry. The Father gets angry, but His anger is limited by His grace, mercy and love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities. (Psalms 103:9-10)
This is great news! We come to a God of justice but also grace and mercy. He is a God of wrath, but also love. He does not treat us as our sins deserve. Meditate on that for a moment. Hallelujah! People often talk about what they deserve. All I deserve is eternal separation from God because of my sins, yet God does not treat me as my sins deserve. I’m so grateful. Praise the LORD!!!
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (Psalms 103:11-12)
Here’s another oft-quoted scripture. God created the cosmos for us to enjoy. His love is as great as from here to the heavens! That’s infinite!
Furthermore, our sins are forgiven, sent as far away as from the east to the west. That’s far! That’s infinite!
God’s love is endless. God’s forgiveness is endless. There’s more!
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust. (Psalms 103:13-14)
This past week I was thrilled to be present for the formal legal adoption of the Glovers’ son. Watching him during these six months since birth has brought me so much joy, and mine pales in comparison to the joy of mom, dad, and big brother.
I was thinking about him when I read this verse. His mom and dad know he is small, young, and fragile. God knows even the strongest people on our planet are nothing compared to God’s power. We are all but dust. Those who fear—who revere—God will receive His compassion rather than His wrath and justice for our sins, which reminds of the one child the Father did not have compassion upon—Jesus. He took our punishment. He died on our behalf.
The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more. (Psalms 103:15-16)
Here’s another beautiful image of our weakness, our mortality. We often think we’re so strong and mighty, but when we compare ourselves to God…to the universe…we are like a blade of grass. Yet to God, we are special.
But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD’S love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts. (Psalms 103:17-18)
All good dads love their children. They give age-appropriate feedback and discipline. They encourage, support, and provide for their kids. They are aware of the limitations of little people and nurture them to adulthood.
But don’t miss the condition—obedience. We talked about this last week. God’s love language is obedience. We love Him because He first loved us. We obey, not out of fear of punishment, but out of reverence, respect, and love. God can be trusted. God’s Word can be trusted. God’s commands can be trusted. He’s a good, good Father.
The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all. (Psalms 103:19)
That’s pretty comprehensive! God’s kingdom rules over all, and not just over us.
Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word. (Psalms 103:20)
The LORD rules over the angels who praise Him.
Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will. (Psalms 103:21)
The LORD rules over the heavenly hosts who praise Him.
Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion. (Psalms 103:22a)
The LORD rules over all of creation who praise Him. There’s a great scene in the Palm Sunday account where Jesus warns what will happen if we don’t praise the LORD.
When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:37-40)
I don’t want any stones praising the LORD instead of me!
And finally, David ends the way he began:
Praise the LORD, my soul. (Psalms 103:22b)
So What?
As the ushers come forward, I want to prepare you for opportunities to praise the LORD. First, you can bless and praise the LORD by giving of your tithes and offerings. The word tithe means ten percent, something of a minimum. All we have belongs to God. We have the freedom to spend and save, but the Old Testament minimum was ten percent to the LORD. Some of you give more than ten percent, which is wonderful. You’ve experienced the joy of generosity as Heather and I have. Worshipping through giving is not the weekly church fundraiser. It’s a way to tangibly declare our allegiance to God.
If you don’t tithe, I want to encourage you to begin with something. Start with five percent. Start with one percent! I recently learned that in the average church, one third of the people give zero, zip, nada. How sad…for them! Another third give less than $10/week. That might be fine for some of our students whose only income is a paper route, but for many of us ten dollars is less than we spend a week on restaurant tips…and we’re talk about Almighty God! If you’re not prepared to give this morning, no worries. You can give via our free smartphone app or on our website, too.
If we love God, we will obey, and that includes being generous with the resources He has given to us. As you listen to this beautiful song of praise, may it prompt you to fully engage in worship, in blessing the LORD.
Benediction (containing “barak”)
‘ “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ’ (Numbers 6:24-26)
Credits: some ideas from D6, Westside Church Vancouver
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series— Songs from the Heart (Psalms)
Psalm 103
Series Overview: The Psalms reveal hearts poured out in inspired song.
Big Idea: God is worthy of our praise!
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! (Psalms 103:1, ESV)
We’ve sung the words, but what do they mean?
Today we are continuing our series, Songs from the Heart, on select Psalms. I have mentioned how the book of Psalms was Israel’s hymnbook…and my favorite book of the Old Testament. The passion, authenticity, and artistry of these lyrics are so real, relevant, and inspiring…thousands of years after their writing.
On Resurrection Sunday, we saw glimpses of the suffering Jesus in Psalm 22. Then we looked at the Messianic nature of Psalm 72 and God’s love expressed in Psalm 89 last Sunday. Today we turn to Psalm 103.
At the recent Worship Night in America event, Pastor Darren Whitehead talked about the seven Hebrew words for “praise.” Just saying that makes our English language seem so simplistic!
The word repeated used in Psalm 103 for “praise” or “bless,” depending upon your translation, is the word “barak.”
Of David. Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. (Psalms 103:1)
בָּרַךְ bāraḵ means to bless or pronounce blessings, give praise, give thanks, extol, to kneel down, to bow or salute, to bless God as an act of adoration.
This Hebrew word appears about 300 times in the Old Testament. To bless or praise the LORD is to bow down before Him, acknowledging He is God and we are not, thanking Him and telling others how great He is…in word, song, and deed. Praising or blessing God, then, is more than just words…it’s a lifestyle, an act of worship.
King David begins this famous psalm by not merely stating, “barak,” but telling his soul, all of his inmost being, to praise the LORD and His holy name.
The Hebrew name for God is so holy, in fact, that to this day it is never spoken out loud by Jews. The word “Adonai” is a more general term for God, but the holy name which Gentiles often pronounce “Yahweh” is sacred and revered. There is so much in this one short verse. It’s as if David is throwing himself before the LORD saying, “I’m Yours, LORD. All of me. My body. My soul. My heart. My mind. It all thanks You. It all adores You. It all belongs to You.”
Have you ever felt like that? That’s devotion. That’s passion. That’s worship. And God loves it! This idea of blessing the LORD is the central idea of this psalm. The LORD has blessed David, and David returns the favor.
Praise the LORD, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases, (Psalms 103:2-3)
David tells his soul to forget not. Why? Because we forget! What do we forget? We forget the LORD’s blessings, His benefits.
Do you like benefits? It seems like every few months I’m getting a notice in the mail about new benefits coming soon to my credit card or changes in my health insurance benefits (not always good changes!). When making a major purchase, one must always learn about the features and benefits of the investment.
We must not forget the benefits of the LORD. David lists five in this psalm.
What else?
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalms 103:4-5)
Here we see the final three benefits:
The result is our youth, our strength, is renewed. Because of the goodness of the LORD we can have hope and passion (one of my prayers for FAC).
Is this good news, family? Absolutely! The problem for many of us is we forget. I don’t necessarily mean we have no knowledge of these truths, but rather we are so familiar with them we forget their importance, their impact, and we forget to thank God!
The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love. (Psalms 103:6-8)
Have you ever felt oppressed? Many in our world today are oppressed—by poverty, slavery, injustice…and yet God works on their behalf. He is engaged in righteousness and justice. His timing might not be as quick as we would like, but in the end, justice will prevail.
Moses and the people of Israel were witnesses of God’s righteousness and deliverance.
Verse eight is echoed throughout the Bible. From Exodus to Joel to Jonah, this phrase appears:
“The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in love.”
Because God is just, he gets angry. We should get angry when we see injustice. We simply need to direct our anger appropriately.
… “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:26-27)
Jesus got angry. The Father gets angry, but His anger is limited by His grace, mercy and love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities. (Psalms 103:9-10)
This is great news! We come to a God of justice but also grace and mercy. He is a God of wrath, but also love. He does not treat us as our sins deserve. Meditate on that for a moment. Hallelujah! People often talk about what they deserve. All I deserve is eternal separation from God because of my sins, yet God does not treat me as my sins deserve. I’m so grateful. Praise the LORD!!!
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (Psalms 103:11-12)
Here’s another oft-quoted scripture. God created the cosmos for us to enjoy. His love is as great as from here to the heavens! That’s infinite!
Furthermore, our sins are forgiven, sent as far away as from the east to the west. That’s far! That’s infinite!
God’s love is endless. God’s forgiveness is endless. There’s more!
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust. (Psalms 103:13-14)
This past week I was thrilled to be present for the formal legal adoption of the Glovers’ son. Watching him during these six months since birth has brought me so much joy, and mine pales in comparison to the joy of mom, dad, and big brother.
I was thinking about him when I read this verse. His mom and dad know he is small, young, and fragile. God knows even the strongest people on our planet are nothing compared to God’s power. We are all but dust. Those who fear—who revere—God will receive His compassion rather than His wrath and justice for our sins, which reminds of the one child the Father did not have compassion upon—Jesus. He took our punishment. He died on our behalf.
The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more. (Psalms 103:15-16)
Here’s another beautiful image of our weakness, our mortality. We often think we’re so strong and mighty, but when we compare ourselves to God…to the universe…we are like a blade of grass. Yet to God, we are special.
But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD’S love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts. (Psalms 103:17-18)
All good dads love their children. They give age-appropriate feedback and discipline. They encourage, support, and provide for their kids. They are aware of the limitations of little people and nurture them to adulthood.
But don’t miss the condition—obedience. We talked about this last week. God’s love language is obedience. We love Him because He first loved us. We obey, not out of fear of punishment, but out of reverence, respect, and love. God can be trusted. God’s Word can be trusted. God’s commands can be trusted. He’s a good, good Father.
The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all. (Psalms 103:19)
That’s pretty comprehensive! God’s kingdom rules over all, and not just over us.
Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word. (Psalms 103:20)
The LORD rules over the angels who praise Him.
Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will. (Psalms 103:21)
The LORD rules over the heavenly hosts who praise Him.
Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion. (Psalms 103:22a)
The LORD rules over all of creation who praise Him. There’s a great scene in the Palm Sunday account where Jesus warns what will happen if we don’t praise the LORD.
When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:37-40)
I don’t want any stones praising the LORD instead of me!
And finally, David ends the way he began:
Praise the LORD, my soul. (Psalms 103:22b)
So What?
As the ushers come forward, I want to prepare you for opportunities to praise the LORD. First, you can bless and praise the LORD by giving of your tithes and offerings. The word tithe means ten percent, something of a minimum. All we have belongs to God. We have the freedom to spend and save, but the Old Testament minimum was ten percent to the LORD. Some of you give more than ten percent, which is wonderful. You’ve experienced the joy of generosity as Heather and I have. Worshipping through giving is not the weekly church fundraiser. It’s a way to tangibly declare our allegiance to God.
If you don’t tithe, I want to encourage you to begin with something. Start with five percent. Start with one percent! I recently learned that in the average church, one third of the people give zero, zip, nada. How sad…for them! Another third give less than $10/week. That might be fine for some of our students whose only income is a paper route, but for many of us ten dollars is less than we spend a week on restaurant tips…and we’re talk about Almighty God! If you’re not prepared to give this morning, no worries. You can give via our free smartphone app or on our website, too.
If we love God, we will obey, and that includes being generous with the resources He has given to us. As you listen to this beautiful song of praise, may it prompt you to fully engage in worship, in blessing the LORD.
Benediction (containing “barak”)
‘ “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ’ (Numbers 6:24-26)
Credits: some ideas from D6, Westside Church Vancouver
A Lasting Love, 15 April 2018
16 04 18
A Lasting Love
D6 Series— Songs from the Heart (Psalms)
Psalm 89
Series Overview: The Psalms reveal hearts poured out in inspired song.
Big Idea: God is awesome, faithful, loving, and just.
Introduction
Today we are continuing our series, Songs from the Heart, on select Psalms. I mentioned last week how the book of Psalms was Israel’s hymnbook…and my favorite book of the Old Testament. The passion, authenticity, and artistry of these lyrics are so real, relevant, and inspiring…thousands of years after their writing.
On Resurrection Sunday, we saw glimpses of the suffering Jesus in Psalm 22. Last week, we looked at the Messianic nature of Psalm 72. Today we will explore Psalm 89, a long and somewhat unique psalm. Written by Ethan the Ezrahite, this maskil—a word with uncertain meaning, but possibly “instruction”—is packed with descriptions of Almighty God. Although it is too short to be considered a biography of God, it reveals to us many features of our Creator, not merely for the sake of intellectual curiosity, but rather to help us know our awesome God who is alive and personally knowable.
Since it’s so long, the text will largely speak for itself. It’s always my desire to proclaim the Word of God first and foremost every Sunday, letting my commentary merely aid you in understanding and application. The Bible is our authority—not my words. I challenge you today to listen to these beautiful descriptions of the Almighty.
A maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.
I will sing of the LORD’S great love forever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.
I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself. (Psalm 89:1-2)
Arguably the most important part of God’s character is love. In the book of 1 John, the scriptures simply say,
God is love. (1 John 4:16a)
God is the definition of love. Ethan, the psalmist, not only knows God’s love, he knows it’s great, and he will sing of it forever!
One of the most popular worship songs of the past twenty years is taken from this passage: “I Could Sing of Your Love Forever,” except Nathan says he will sing of God’s great love forever. He declares it. God’s faithfulness, too, is announced.
Love and faithfulness.
You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant,
‘I will establish your line forever
and make your throne firm through all generations.’ ” (Psalm 89:3-4)
This note echoes last week’s Psalm describing the king and royalty. King Jesus was born in the lineage of David…and He will return and will rule forever.
The heavens praise your wonders, LORD,
your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD?
Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings? (Psalm 89:5-6)
If you’ve ever gazed at the stars in the sky, you’ve seen the same lights seen by the psalmist.
You may have heard Pastor Soper in the Mission 119 devotional tell the story of Theodore Roosevelt. He would gaze at the stars with his friend, William Beebe, the naturalist. They would chant together, “That is the Spiral Galaxy in Andromeda. It is as large as our Milky Way. It is one of a hundred million galaxies. It consists of one hundred billion suns, each larger than our sun.” Then Roosevelt would grin and say, “No I think we are small enough! Let’s go to bed.”
Living in a city in world with electrical lights dominating our region, we are only able to get a glimpse of the heavenly bodies created at the sound of God’s voice. Another psalmist wrote,
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands. (Psalms 19:1)
I challenge you to take some time this week—if we get a clear sky—and admire God’s handiwork. A couple of weeks ago I was outside doing just that, nearly blinded by the intensity of the full moon. After being so careful not to look at the sun during the recent eclipse, I hesitated to stare at the moon, it was so bright and beautiful!
Although none of us have seen God, we can learn much about the Creator by studying creation.
In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared;
he is more awesome than all who surround him.
Who is like you, LORD God Almighty?
You, LORD, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you. (Psalm 89:7-8)
Ethan is at a loss for words. No one and nothing can compare to God. He has no equal. In biblical days, much like today among some religions, there is belief in multiple gods. For example, there are 33 categories of gods in Hinduism with the actual number of gods in the millions!
I’ve said before that I reserve the word “awesome” for God. If you think a car is awesome or your cell phone is awesome or the arrival of spring weather is awesome, that’s fine, but to me it’s a special “God” word. Our God is an awesome God…the awesome God!
You rule over the surging sea;
when its waves mount up, you still them.
You crushed Rahab like one of the slain;
with your strong arm you scattered your enemies. (Psalm 89:9-10)
God is powerful and He’s not afraid to use His power. It’s not that He hates people, but
rather He hates sin and evil. You might say God’s allergic to them! God has a real enemy named satan who has an army of demons who have been wreaking havoc on our planet since our first ancestors. God is omnipotent—all powerful—and also a God of justice, love, and mercy.
The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth;
you founded the world and all that is in it.
You created the north and the south;
Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name. (Psalm 89:11-12)
Everything belongs to God. He created it. He owns it. That includes you and me!
Your arm is endowed with power;
your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
love and faithfulness go before you. (Psalm 89:13-14)
I love the creative use of words, describing God’s arm and hand. God is righteous and just…along with being love and faithful.
Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
who walk in the light of your presence, LORD.
They rejoice in your name all day long;
they celebrate your righteousness. (Psalm 89:15-16)
Here things shift briefly to humanity. Those who follow the LORD are blessed. God is with them. How can we not rejoice and celebrate? God is truly good news!
For you are their glory and strength,
and by your favor you exalt our horn.
Indeed, our shield belongs to the LORD,
our king to the Holy One of Israel. (Psalm 89:17-18)
Is God your glory? Is God your strength? Is God your shield?
So far we’ve seen our God as loving, great, and powerful. He longs for nothing more than a relationship with you. Intimacy with you. He loves to reveal Himself through the pages of the Bible, among other things, and He loves the sound of your voice in prayer. In fact, I believe your voice is the most beautiful sound to God. Now things shift a bit.
Once you spoke in a vision,
to your faithful people you said:
“I have bestowed strength on a warrior;
I have raised up a young man from among the people. (Psalm 89:19)
I have found David my servant;
with my sacred oil I have anointed him.
My hand will sustain him;
surely my arm will strengthen him. (Psalm 89:20-21)
God chose David to be king over Israel. He wasn’t even considered worthy by his own family when there was a search for a king, yet God saw this shepherd, knew his heart, and made him arguably the greatest leader in Israel’s history. The book of 1 Samuel describes the account:
Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.”
So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” (1 Samuel 16:10-12)
This is our God. He sees you! He knows your heart. You might not be famous or powerful, but you are known by God…and He can do incredible things in and through your life if you will commit all of your ways to Him. Back to David…
The enemy will not get the better of him;
the wicked will not oppress him.
I will crush his foes before him
and strike down his adversaries. (Psalm 89:22-23)
My faithful love will be with him,
and through my name his horn will be exalted.
I will set his hand over the sea,
his right hand over the rivers. (Psalm 89:24-25)
He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, the Rock my Savior.’
And I will appoint him to be my firstborn,
the most exalted of the kings of the earth. (Psalm 89:26-27)
I will maintain my love to him forever,
and my covenant with him will never fail.
I will establish his line forever,
his throne as long as the heavens endure. (Psalm 89:28-29)
Now listen to this condition.
“If his sons forsake my law
and do not follow my statutes,
if they violate my decrees
and fail to keep my commands,
I will punish their sin with the rod,
their iniquity with flogging;
but I will not take my love from him,
nor will I ever betray my faithfulness. (Psalm 89:30-33)
Again, God hates sin. All sin. Would you like a list?! He doesn’t hate people who sin, but He hates sin. All sin separates us from God, something only restored through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
How do you respond to love? A common response to love is love! We love God before He first loved us. And how do we love God? Obedience. That’s it! Obeying God’s Word. The Bible is packed with instructions of how to live life to the full, to the max! Every time we ignore a command, we disrespect God, sin, and basically declare ourselves to be God. We know better than our Creator…or we simply choose to rebel.
There are some difficult commands in the Bible, but Jesus obeyed them all perfectly and wants us to follow His example, not because God is a control freak and wants to take away our fun, but because Father knows best.
Our culture—and courts—have basically said do whatever you want. Individual autonomy has been championed by at least one prominent judge, which sounds great on the surface, but we were made for community. We were made to be dependent. Our actions affect others. And most of all, we were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. Following Jesus means you don’t get to do whatever you want, whenever you want!
You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19b-20)
The context is sexuality. Pardon this brief tangent, but God created our bodies and created sex…for procreation and for a husband and wife to bond together and experience pleasure and connection. It’s a gift from God, but only between a husband and wife. That’s not politically correct in a world that says do whatever you want whenever you want as longer as there is “consent,” but God has special plans and purposes for our bodies, for our sexuality, for our health, for our time, talents, and treasures. I didn’t make the rules, but I know they’re for our ultimate satisfaction.
“If his sons forsake my law
and do not follow my statutes,
if they violate my decrees
and fail to keep my commands,
I will punish their sin with the rod,
their iniquity with flogging;
but I will not take my love from him,
nor will I ever betray my faithfulness. (Psalm 89:30-33)
We must never forsake God’s law, His statues, His decrees, His commands. If we truly love God, we will obey Him. Obedience is God’s love language.
I will not violate my covenant
or alter what my lips have uttered. (Psalm 89:34)
God never breaks His promises, His covenant, His word.
Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—
and I will not lie to David—
that his line will continue forever
and his throne endure before me like the sun;
it will be established forever like the moon,
the faithful witness in the sky.” (Psalm 89:35-37)
Can you imagine such a legacy? What a statement by God! Now Ethan address God again with some strong statements.
But you have rejected, you have spurned,
you have been very angry with your anointed one.
You have renounced the covenant with your servant
and have defiled his crown in the dust. (Psalm 89:38-39)
You have broken through all his walls
and reduced his strongholds to ruins.
All who pass by have plundered him;
he has become the scorn of his neighbors. (Psalm 89:40-41)
You have exalted the right hand of his foes;
you have made all his enemies rejoice.
Indeed, you have turned back the edge of his sword
and have not supported him in battle. (Psalm 89:42-43)
You have put an end to his splendor
and cast his throne to the ground.
You have cut short the days of his youth;
you have covered him with a mantle of shame. (Psalm 89:44-45)
This is where things get interesting. Ethan has said these wonderful things about God, yet he has questions. He has concerns. He’s not just singing love songs to God 24/7. He’s real.
How long, LORD? Will you hide yourself forever?
How long will your wrath burn like fire? (Psalm 89:46)
Have you ever felt like God was hiding from you? I have! I have questioned God, doubted God, …and it’s ok to do so. God can handle it. He loves authenticity.
Remember how fleeting is my life.
For what futility you have created all humanity!
Who can live and not see death,
or who can escape the power of the grave? (Psalm 89:47-48)
Life is fragile. We all have an expiration date, and we must never forget it.
Lord, where is your former great love,
which in your faithfulness you swore to David? (Psalm 89:49)
More questions. It’s possible to gaze at the sky and proclaim God’s majesty, only to look down at the messy world we live in, filled with suffering and pain.
Remember, Lord, how your servant has been mocked,
how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations,
the taunts with which your enemies, LORD, have mocked,
with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one. (Psalm 89:50-51)
Following God is never easy, but justice will eventually be served and redemption will come. Ethan knows this, concluding
Praise be to the LORD forever!
Amen and Amen. (Psalm 89:52)
So What?
Psalm 89 is quite the scripture! What have we learned?
God is loving, but He hates sin and rebellion and refuses to ignore them.
(D6) We can trust the promises we find in the Bible because the Bible is God’s Word, and he is always faithful to His Word.
Do you read it? Listen to it? Study it? Know it? It’s the best tool we have for knowing God.
(D6) Israel’s tendency to turn away from God illustrates how we are engaged in a spiritual warfare.
The people of Israel had a roller coaster relationship with God, claiming allegiance and then abandoning Him. We have a real enemy who is destroying our world: school shootings, homelessness, corruption, racism, abortion, poverty, sex trafficking, injustice, hatred, suicide, …but we also are invited to follow the awesome God, the LORD of lords and the King of kings, Jesus Christ. As we said last week, in a kingdom, subjects submit to the king. We must submit to God, His commands, and His discipline, knowing that He loves us and wants what’s truly best for us. We love because He first loved us. We are faithful because He has been faithful to us. We serve others because He served us. We forgive others because we have been forgiven.
This week, how will you praise and honor God, even in the midst of stress and distress? You might begin by reviewing Psalm 89, this brief biography of the Almighty. Declare God’s character. Our God is the awesome, loving, faithful God.
God didn’t just talk about love, He demonstrated it by sending Jesus to live, die, and rise from the dead, bearing our guilt and shame and sin which God hates. Taking our place. We join the psalmists in praising God, yet we have even more to praise Him for being on this side of the cross. Hallelujah!
Credits: some notes from D6
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series— Songs from the Heart (Psalms)
Psalm 89
Series Overview: The Psalms reveal hearts poured out in inspired song.
Big Idea: God is awesome, faithful, loving, and just.
Introduction
Today we are continuing our series, Songs from the Heart, on select Psalms. I mentioned last week how the book of Psalms was Israel’s hymnbook…and my favorite book of the Old Testament. The passion, authenticity, and artistry of these lyrics are so real, relevant, and inspiring…thousands of years after their writing.
On Resurrection Sunday, we saw glimpses of the suffering Jesus in Psalm 22. Last week, we looked at the Messianic nature of Psalm 72. Today we will explore Psalm 89, a long and somewhat unique psalm. Written by Ethan the Ezrahite, this maskil—a word with uncertain meaning, but possibly “instruction”—is packed with descriptions of Almighty God. Although it is too short to be considered a biography of God, it reveals to us many features of our Creator, not merely for the sake of intellectual curiosity, but rather to help us know our awesome God who is alive and personally knowable.
Since it’s so long, the text will largely speak for itself. It’s always my desire to proclaim the Word of God first and foremost every Sunday, letting my commentary merely aid you in understanding and application. The Bible is our authority—not my words. I challenge you today to listen to these beautiful descriptions of the Almighty.
A maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.
I will sing of the LORD’S great love forever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.
I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself. (Psalm 89:1-2)
Arguably the most important part of God’s character is love. In the book of 1 John, the scriptures simply say,
God is love. (1 John 4:16a)
God is the definition of love. Ethan, the psalmist, not only knows God’s love, he knows it’s great, and he will sing of it forever!
One of the most popular worship songs of the past twenty years is taken from this passage: “I Could Sing of Your Love Forever,” except Nathan says he will sing of God’s great love forever. He declares it. God’s faithfulness, too, is announced.
Love and faithfulness.
You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant,
‘I will establish your line forever
and make your throne firm through all generations.’ ” (Psalm 89:3-4)
This note echoes last week’s Psalm describing the king and royalty. King Jesus was born in the lineage of David…and He will return and will rule forever.
The heavens praise your wonders, LORD,
your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD?
Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings? (Psalm 89:5-6)
If you’ve ever gazed at the stars in the sky, you’ve seen the same lights seen by the psalmist.
You may have heard Pastor Soper in the Mission 119 devotional tell the story of Theodore Roosevelt. He would gaze at the stars with his friend, William Beebe, the naturalist. They would chant together, “That is the Spiral Galaxy in Andromeda. It is as large as our Milky Way. It is one of a hundred million galaxies. It consists of one hundred billion suns, each larger than our sun.” Then Roosevelt would grin and say, “No I think we are small enough! Let’s go to bed.”
Living in a city in world with electrical lights dominating our region, we are only able to get a glimpse of the heavenly bodies created at the sound of God’s voice. Another psalmist wrote,
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands. (Psalms 19:1)
I challenge you to take some time this week—if we get a clear sky—and admire God’s handiwork. A couple of weeks ago I was outside doing just that, nearly blinded by the intensity of the full moon. After being so careful not to look at the sun during the recent eclipse, I hesitated to stare at the moon, it was so bright and beautiful!
Although none of us have seen God, we can learn much about the Creator by studying creation.
In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared;
he is more awesome than all who surround him.
Who is like you, LORD God Almighty?
You, LORD, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you. (Psalm 89:7-8)
Ethan is at a loss for words. No one and nothing can compare to God. He has no equal. In biblical days, much like today among some religions, there is belief in multiple gods. For example, there are 33 categories of gods in Hinduism with the actual number of gods in the millions!
I’ve said before that I reserve the word “awesome” for God. If you think a car is awesome or your cell phone is awesome or the arrival of spring weather is awesome, that’s fine, but to me it’s a special “God” word. Our God is an awesome God…the awesome God!
You rule over the surging sea;
when its waves mount up, you still them.
You crushed Rahab like one of the slain;
with your strong arm you scattered your enemies. (Psalm 89:9-10)
God is powerful and He’s not afraid to use His power. It’s not that He hates people, but
rather He hates sin and evil. You might say God’s allergic to them! God has a real enemy named satan who has an army of demons who have been wreaking havoc on our planet since our first ancestors. God is omnipotent—all powerful—and also a God of justice, love, and mercy.
The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth;
you founded the world and all that is in it.
You created the north and the south;
Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name. (Psalm 89:11-12)
Everything belongs to God. He created it. He owns it. That includes you and me!
Your arm is endowed with power;
your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
love and faithfulness go before you. (Psalm 89:13-14)
I love the creative use of words, describing God’s arm and hand. God is righteous and just…along with being love and faithful.
Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
who walk in the light of your presence, LORD.
They rejoice in your name all day long;
they celebrate your righteousness. (Psalm 89:15-16)
Here things shift briefly to humanity. Those who follow the LORD are blessed. God is with them. How can we not rejoice and celebrate? God is truly good news!
For you are their glory and strength,
and by your favor you exalt our horn.
Indeed, our shield belongs to the LORD,
our king to the Holy One of Israel. (Psalm 89:17-18)
Is God your glory? Is God your strength? Is God your shield?
So far we’ve seen our God as loving, great, and powerful. He longs for nothing more than a relationship with you. Intimacy with you. He loves to reveal Himself through the pages of the Bible, among other things, and He loves the sound of your voice in prayer. In fact, I believe your voice is the most beautiful sound to God. Now things shift a bit.
Once you spoke in a vision,
to your faithful people you said:
“I have bestowed strength on a warrior;
I have raised up a young man from among the people. (Psalm 89:19)
I have found David my servant;
with my sacred oil I have anointed him.
My hand will sustain him;
surely my arm will strengthen him. (Psalm 89:20-21)
God chose David to be king over Israel. He wasn’t even considered worthy by his own family when there was a search for a king, yet God saw this shepherd, knew his heart, and made him arguably the greatest leader in Israel’s history. The book of 1 Samuel describes the account:
Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.”
So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” (1 Samuel 16:10-12)
This is our God. He sees you! He knows your heart. You might not be famous or powerful, but you are known by God…and He can do incredible things in and through your life if you will commit all of your ways to Him. Back to David…
The enemy will not get the better of him;
the wicked will not oppress him.
I will crush his foes before him
and strike down his adversaries. (Psalm 89:22-23)
My faithful love will be with him,
and through my name his horn will be exalted.
I will set his hand over the sea,
his right hand over the rivers. (Psalm 89:24-25)
He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, the Rock my Savior.’
And I will appoint him to be my firstborn,
the most exalted of the kings of the earth. (Psalm 89:26-27)
I will maintain my love to him forever,
and my covenant with him will never fail.
I will establish his line forever,
his throne as long as the heavens endure. (Psalm 89:28-29)
Now listen to this condition.
“If his sons forsake my law
and do not follow my statutes,
if they violate my decrees
and fail to keep my commands,
I will punish their sin with the rod,
their iniquity with flogging;
but I will not take my love from him,
nor will I ever betray my faithfulness. (Psalm 89:30-33)
Again, God hates sin. All sin. Would you like a list?! He doesn’t hate people who sin, but He hates sin. All sin separates us from God, something only restored through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
How do you respond to love? A common response to love is love! We love God before He first loved us. And how do we love God? Obedience. That’s it! Obeying God’s Word. The Bible is packed with instructions of how to live life to the full, to the max! Every time we ignore a command, we disrespect God, sin, and basically declare ourselves to be God. We know better than our Creator…or we simply choose to rebel.
There are some difficult commands in the Bible, but Jesus obeyed them all perfectly and wants us to follow His example, not because God is a control freak and wants to take away our fun, but because Father knows best.
Our culture—and courts—have basically said do whatever you want. Individual autonomy has been championed by at least one prominent judge, which sounds great on the surface, but we were made for community. We were made to be dependent. Our actions affect others. And most of all, we were made by God, for God, and for God’s glory. Following Jesus means you don’t get to do whatever you want, whenever you want!
You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19b-20)
The context is sexuality. Pardon this brief tangent, but God created our bodies and created sex…for procreation and for a husband and wife to bond together and experience pleasure and connection. It’s a gift from God, but only between a husband and wife. That’s not politically correct in a world that says do whatever you want whenever you want as longer as there is “consent,” but God has special plans and purposes for our bodies, for our sexuality, for our health, for our time, talents, and treasures. I didn’t make the rules, but I know they’re for our ultimate satisfaction.
“If his sons forsake my law
and do not follow my statutes,
if they violate my decrees
and fail to keep my commands,
I will punish their sin with the rod,
their iniquity with flogging;
but I will not take my love from him,
nor will I ever betray my faithfulness. (Psalm 89:30-33)
We must never forsake God’s law, His statues, His decrees, His commands. If we truly love God, we will obey Him. Obedience is God’s love language.
I will not violate my covenant
or alter what my lips have uttered. (Psalm 89:34)
God never breaks His promises, His covenant, His word.
Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—
and I will not lie to David—
that his line will continue forever
and his throne endure before me like the sun;
it will be established forever like the moon,
the faithful witness in the sky.” (Psalm 89:35-37)
Can you imagine such a legacy? What a statement by God! Now Ethan address God again with some strong statements.
But you have rejected, you have spurned,
you have been very angry with your anointed one.
You have renounced the covenant with your servant
and have defiled his crown in the dust. (Psalm 89:38-39)
You have broken through all his walls
and reduced his strongholds to ruins.
All who pass by have plundered him;
he has become the scorn of his neighbors. (Psalm 89:40-41)
You have exalted the right hand of his foes;
you have made all his enemies rejoice.
Indeed, you have turned back the edge of his sword
and have not supported him in battle. (Psalm 89:42-43)
You have put an end to his splendor
and cast his throne to the ground.
You have cut short the days of his youth;
you have covered him with a mantle of shame. (Psalm 89:44-45)
This is where things get interesting. Ethan has said these wonderful things about God, yet he has questions. He has concerns. He’s not just singing love songs to God 24/7. He’s real.
How long, LORD? Will you hide yourself forever?
How long will your wrath burn like fire? (Psalm 89:46)
Have you ever felt like God was hiding from you? I have! I have questioned God, doubted God, …and it’s ok to do so. God can handle it. He loves authenticity.
Remember how fleeting is my life.
For what futility you have created all humanity!
Who can live and not see death,
or who can escape the power of the grave? (Psalm 89:47-48)
Life is fragile. We all have an expiration date, and we must never forget it.
Lord, where is your former great love,
which in your faithfulness you swore to David? (Psalm 89:49)
More questions. It’s possible to gaze at the sky and proclaim God’s majesty, only to look down at the messy world we live in, filled with suffering and pain.
Remember, Lord, how your servant has been mocked,
how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations,
the taunts with which your enemies, LORD, have mocked,
with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one. (Psalm 89:50-51)
Following God is never easy, but justice will eventually be served and redemption will come. Ethan knows this, concluding
Praise be to the LORD forever!
Amen and Amen. (Psalm 89:52)
So What?
Psalm 89 is quite the scripture! What have we learned?
God is loving, but He hates sin and rebellion and refuses to ignore them.
(D6) We can trust the promises we find in the Bible because the Bible is God’s Word, and he is always faithful to His Word.
Do you read it? Listen to it? Study it? Know it? It’s the best tool we have for knowing God.
(D6) Israel’s tendency to turn away from God illustrates how we are engaged in a spiritual warfare.
The people of Israel had a roller coaster relationship with God, claiming allegiance and then abandoning Him. We have a real enemy who is destroying our world: school shootings, homelessness, corruption, racism, abortion, poverty, sex trafficking, injustice, hatred, suicide, …but we also are invited to follow the awesome God, the LORD of lords and the King of kings, Jesus Christ. As we said last week, in a kingdom, subjects submit to the king. We must submit to God, His commands, and His discipline, knowing that He loves us and wants what’s truly best for us. We love because He first loved us. We are faithful because He has been faithful to us. We serve others because He served us. We forgive others because we have been forgiven.
This week, how will you praise and honor God, even in the midst of stress and distress? You might begin by reviewing Psalm 89, this brief biography of the Almighty. Declare God’s character. Our God is the awesome, loving, faithful God.
God didn’t just talk about love, He demonstrated it by sending Jesus to live, die, and rise from the dead, bearing our guilt and shame and sin which God hates. Taking our place. We join the psalmists in praising God, yet we have even more to praise Him for being on this side of the cross. Hallelujah!
Credits: some notes from D6
He Shall Reign Forever! 8 April 2018
08 04 18
He Shall Reign Forever!
D6 Series— Songs from the Heart (Psalms)
Psalm 72
Series Overview: The Psalms reveal hearts poured out in inspired song.
Big Idea: We are to honor, serve, and submit to King Jesus…who is coming soon.
What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word…king?
Chess?
Burgers?
The British Royal family?
The Lion King?
A fiction writer?
A tennis player?
A Cleveland basketball player?
Elvis?
This past week we remembered the horrific assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. 50 years ago.
We really have nothing in our culture quite like a king. No mayor, movie star, president, or billionaire CEO possesses the authority of a king.
Human Kings
The Bible is filled with kings, queens, and kingdoms. In the Old Testament alone, the word melek or “king” in English appears almost 2700 times! Human kings first appear in Genesis 14. Saul, David, Solomon, Hezekiah, and Josiah are just a few of the biblical kings. Wealth and power surrounded them, though they often faced opposition from other kings and kingdoms.
The kings of Israel had to meet several strict criteria, according to Deuteronomy 17:14–20:
chosen by God
not a foreigner
must not accumulate horses (i.e., build up and trust in military might)
must not accumulate many wives
must not accumulate wealth for himself
must write a copy of the law for himself
must read it and obey it
Unlike foreign kings who were often considered to be gods themselves, the kings of Israel were not to be above the law, but rather subject to God’s law. The king was to be an example of a humble servant of God leading the people in keeping God’s law. Oh that all of our leaders would have such a posture!
In his book Kingdom Conspiracy, Scot McKnight argues that in the Bible, “kingdom” implies five things
- A king
- A rule
- A people
- A law
- A land (Israel)
In short, the biblical understanding of “the kingdom’ is a people governed by a king. Today, the Kingdom of God, then, is the church.
Psalms
Today we continue our month-long look into the book of Psalms. Last Sunday we began with Psalm 22 and those unforgettable words, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
The book of Psalms was Israel’s hymnbook. I’d love to hear the melodies of these songs! It probably won’t surprise many of you to know Psalms is my favorite book of the Bible, at least in the Old Testament. The passion, authenticity, and artistry of these lyrics are so real, relevant, and inspiring…thousands of years after their writing.
Just as there are different types of hymns, there are different types of Psalms. Psalm 72 is a Messianic Psalm, viewing the Messiah—which literally means “the anointed one”— as King. It was written by or for Solomon (by his father David) as a prayer, also prophetically speaking of Jesus the Messiah. They helped prepare the saints of the Old Testament for the coming of Christ. What’s fascinating about this Psalm is it’s written by a king…about King Jesus.
Of Solomon.
Endow the king with your justice, O God,
the royal son with your righteousness.
May he judge your people in righteousness,
your afflicted ones with justice. (Psalms 72:1-2)
I love the heart of the writer. The king has power, but wants it used wisely, benevolently. He seeks to be righteous and just. Of course, everything he seeks will ultimately be fulfilled in King Jesus.
May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.
May he defend the afflicted among the people
and save the children of the needy;
may he crush the oppressor. (Psalms 72:3-4)
Does anyone have a problem with this? Of course not. We all want to see prosperity. We want the suffering defended, the children saved, and the oppressors crushed. That’s justice. And I might add the subjects of the king carry out the wishes of the king.
May he endure as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations.
May he be like rain falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.
In his days may the righteous flourish
and prosperity abound till the moon is no more. (Psalms 72:5-7)
A common theme in kingdom language is longevity and legacy. A member of the British royal family has been on the throne for centuries. Spoiler alert: King Jesus will rule forever!!!
May he rule from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
May the desert tribes bow before him
and his enemies lick the dust. (Psalms 72:8-9)
Verse 8 is similar to Zechariah 9:10. I love the imagery, especially in verse nine. May his enemies lick the desert dust!
May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores
bring tribute to him.
May the kings of Sheba and Seba
present him gifts. (Psalms 72:10)
One day we will present King Jesus with gifts, laying our crowns before him (Revelation 4:10-11).
May all kings bow down to him
and all nations serve him.
For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death. (Psalms 72:11-13)
King Jesus will rule over all nations! Once again we see references to the needy, weak and afflicted. The Bible is loaded with concern for the vulnerable.
He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.
Long may he live!
May gold from Sheba be given him.
May people ever pray for him
and bless him all day long. (Psalms 72:14-15)
There’s a lot in these two verses which pretty much speak for themselves. Note the prayers. The psalmist recognized the need for prayer, for divine intervention. While we pray to Jesus more than pray for Jesus, we can certainly pray for our human leaders. The Presidential Prayer Team has a website where you can learn how to pray for our president and his colleagues. Our mayor, city council, governor, judges, and congress all need our prayers.
May grain abound throughout the land;
on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops flourish like Lebanon
and thrive like the grass of the field. (Psalms 72:16)
We would probably never think to pray for grain and crops in a nation so agriculturally rich, yet we are not beyond drought, floods, and other natural disasters which could spoil our food supply.
May his name endure forever;
may it continue as long as the sun.
Then all nations will be blessed through him,
and they will call him blessed. (Psalms 72:17)
Again we see all nations impacted by the royal son of David, the Messiah, not just Israel. Thus concludes the prayer. The rest of the chapter is a doxology, the response of the people.
Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.
Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen.
This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse. (Psalms 72:17-20)
The LORD God is the One we are to praise. He is the source of all blessings, provisions, gifts, and wisdom.
May the name of the LORD be forever praised!
May the whole earth be filled with the glory of the LORD!
So What?
Although we may not be ruled by an earthly king, we are subjects to a heavenly King. He longs to see the vulnerable cared for, the oppressed released, and justice served. Every follower of Jesus has a duty, a responsibility, an obligation, and a privilege to glorify the King by carrying out His will, His desires in our world today. In His absence, we are to re-present the King well to our broken world.
Our Messiah, King Jesus, will one day return to rule and reign forever. Listen to these words most commonly recited around Christmastime:
But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:30-33)
Do you hear echoes of Lamentations?
You, LORD, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation. (Lamentations 5:19)
There’s more to Christianity than the cradle and the Cross. There’s also the crown. Chiseled into the cornerstone of the United Nations building is an unfulfilled quotation from Isaiah in the Bible. It reads,
They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:4)
Won’t that be the day?! This is a prophecy of when the Messiah will reign over the earth. The prophet Ezekiel wrote,
A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! The crown will not be restored until he to whom it rightfully belongs shall come; to him I will give it.’ (Ezekiel 21:27)
The King is coming!
The NIV translation of the Bible includes 365 mentions of the word “kingdom.” Perhaps the most famous is in what we call the LORD’s prayer: Jesus said,
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10)
The late Dallas Willard said we ask that the kingdom would “take over at all points in the personal, social and political order where it is now excluded.”
This should be our constant prayer, for the rule of the King to be real and present in our lives. As subjects to the King, we are to seek the will of the King. We are to pray for heaven to kiss earth. We are all aware that we are in the now and the not yet, the in between time, the space where good and evil battle…but not forever!
Someday Jesus will return to the earth he created, the earth he visited, the earth where he lived, died, and rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven but promised to return. When he returns, he won’t come as a baby. His mission won’t be to surrender his life. He won’t ride a donkey. No, the return of the King will be much different. He will come back as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Revelation tells us there will be a battle.
They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” (Revelation 17:14)
In fact,
On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:16)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series— Songs from the Heart (Psalms)
Psalm 72
Series Overview: The Psalms reveal hearts poured out in inspired song.
Big Idea: We are to honor, serve, and submit to King Jesus…who is coming soon.
What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word…king?
Chess?
Burgers?
The British Royal family?
The Lion King?
A fiction writer?
A tennis player?
A Cleveland basketball player?
Elvis?
This past week we remembered the horrific assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. 50 years ago.
We really have nothing in our culture quite like a king. No mayor, movie star, president, or billionaire CEO possesses the authority of a king.
Human Kings
The Bible is filled with kings, queens, and kingdoms. In the Old Testament alone, the word melek or “king” in English appears almost 2700 times! Human kings first appear in Genesis 14. Saul, David, Solomon, Hezekiah, and Josiah are just a few of the biblical kings. Wealth and power surrounded them, though they often faced opposition from other kings and kingdoms.
The kings of Israel had to meet several strict criteria, according to Deuteronomy 17:14–20:
chosen by God
not a foreigner
must not accumulate horses (i.e., build up and trust in military might)
must not accumulate many wives
must not accumulate wealth for himself
must write a copy of the law for himself
must read it and obey it
Unlike foreign kings who were often considered to be gods themselves, the kings of Israel were not to be above the law, but rather subject to God’s law. The king was to be an example of a humble servant of God leading the people in keeping God’s law. Oh that all of our leaders would have such a posture!
In his book Kingdom Conspiracy, Scot McKnight argues that in the Bible, “kingdom” implies five things
- A king
- A rule
- A people
- A law
- A land (Israel)
In short, the biblical understanding of “the kingdom’ is a people governed by a king. Today, the Kingdom of God, then, is the church.
Psalms
Today we continue our month-long look into the book of Psalms. Last Sunday we began with Psalm 22 and those unforgettable words, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
The book of Psalms was Israel’s hymnbook. I’d love to hear the melodies of these songs! It probably won’t surprise many of you to know Psalms is my favorite book of the Bible, at least in the Old Testament. The passion, authenticity, and artistry of these lyrics are so real, relevant, and inspiring…thousands of years after their writing.
Just as there are different types of hymns, there are different types of Psalms. Psalm 72 is a Messianic Psalm, viewing the Messiah—which literally means “the anointed one”— as King. It was written by or for Solomon (by his father David) as a prayer, also prophetically speaking of Jesus the Messiah. They helped prepare the saints of the Old Testament for the coming of Christ. What’s fascinating about this Psalm is it’s written by a king…about King Jesus.
Of Solomon.
Endow the king with your justice, O God,
the royal son with your righteousness.
May he judge your people in righteousness,
your afflicted ones with justice. (Psalms 72:1-2)
I love the heart of the writer. The king has power, but wants it used wisely, benevolently. He seeks to be righteous and just. Of course, everything he seeks will ultimately be fulfilled in King Jesus.
May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.
May he defend the afflicted among the people
and save the children of the needy;
may he crush the oppressor. (Psalms 72:3-4)
Does anyone have a problem with this? Of course not. We all want to see prosperity. We want the suffering defended, the children saved, and the oppressors crushed. That’s justice. And I might add the subjects of the king carry out the wishes of the king.
May he endure as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations.
May he be like rain falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.
In his days may the righteous flourish
and prosperity abound till the moon is no more. (Psalms 72:5-7)
A common theme in kingdom language is longevity and legacy. A member of the British royal family has been on the throne for centuries. Spoiler alert: King Jesus will rule forever!!!
May he rule from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
May the desert tribes bow before him
and his enemies lick the dust. (Psalms 72:8-9)
Verse 8 is similar to Zechariah 9:10. I love the imagery, especially in verse nine. May his enemies lick the desert dust!
May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores
bring tribute to him.
May the kings of Sheba and Seba
present him gifts. (Psalms 72:10)
One day we will present King Jesus with gifts, laying our crowns before him (Revelation 4:10-11).
May all kings bow down to him
and all nations serve him.
For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death. (Psalms 72:11-13)
King Jesus will rule over all nations! Once again we see references to the needy, weak and afflicted. The Bible is loaded with concern for the vulnerable.
He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.
Long may he live!
May gold from Sheba be given him.
May people ever pray for him
and bless him all day long. (Psalms 72:14-15)
There’s a lot in these two verses which pretty much speak for themselves. Note the prayers. The psalmist recognized the need for prayer, for divine intervention. While we pray to Jesus more than pray for Jesus, we can certainly pray for our human leaders. The Presidential Prayer Team has a website where you can learn how to pray for our president and his colleagues. Our mayor, city council, governor, judges, and congress all need our prayers.
May grain abound throughout the land;
on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops flourish like Lebanon
and thrive like the grass of the field. (Psalms 72:16)
We would probably never think to pray for grain and crops in a nation so agriculturally rich, yet we are not beyond drought, floods, and other natural disasters which could spoil our food supply.
May his name endure forever;
may it continue as long as the sun.
Then all nations will be blessed through him,
and they will call him blessed. (Psalms 72:17)
Again we see all nations impacted by the royal son of David, the Messiah, not just Israel. Thus concludes the prayer. The rest of the chapter is a doxology, the response of the people.
Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.
Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen.
This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse. (Psalms 72:17-20)
The LORD God is the One we are to praise. He is the source of all blessings, provisions, gifts, and wisdom.
May the name of the LORD be forever praised!
May the whole earth be filled with the glory of the LORD!
So What?
Although we may not be ruled by an earthly king, we are subjects to a heavenly King. He longs to see the vulnerable cared for, the oppressed released, and justice served. Every follower of Jesus has a duty, a responsibility, an obligation, and a privilege to glorify the King by carrying out His will, His desires in our world today. In His absence, we are to re-present the King well to our broken world.
Our Messiah, King Jesus, will one day return to rule and reign forever. Listen to these words most commonly recited around Christmastime:
But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:30-33)
Do you hear echoes of Lamentations?
You, LORD, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation. (Lamentations 5:19)
There’s more to Christianity than the cradle and the Cross. There’s also the crown. Chiseled into the cornerstone of the United Nations building is an unfulfilled quotation from Isaiah in the Bible. It reads,
They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:4)
Won’t that be the day?! This is a prophecy of when the Messiah will reign over the earth. The prophet Ezekiel wrote,
A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! The crown will not be restored until he to whom it rightfully belongs shall come; to him I will give it.’ (Ezekiel 21:27)
The King is coming!
The NIV translation of the Bible includes 365 mentions of the word “kingdom.” Perhaps the most famous is in what we call the LORD’s prayer: Jesus said,
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10)
The late Dallas Willard said we ask that the kingdom would “take over at all points in the personal, social and political order where it is now excluded.”
This should be our constant prayer, for the rule of the King to be real and present in our lives. As subjects to the King, we are to seek the will of the King. We are to pray for heaven to kiss earth. We are all aware that we are in the now and the not yet, the in between time, the space where good and evil battle…but not forever!
Someday Jesus will return to the earth he created, the earth he visited, the earth where he lived, died, and rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven but promised to return. When he returns, he won’t come as a baby. His mission won’t be to surrender his life. He won’t ride a donkey. No, the return of the King will be much different. He will come back as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Revelation tells us there will be a battle.
They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” (Revelation 17:14)
In fact,
On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:16)
In possibly the greatest musical composition of all time, The Messiah, George Frideric Handel wrote
The kingdom of this world
Is become the kingdom of our Lord,
And of His Christ, and of His Christ;
And He shall reign for ever and ever.
King of kings, and Lord of lords,…
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings, forever and ever,
And Lord of lords,
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Conclusion
Dallas Willard explains in The Divine Conspiracy, “God’s own ‘kingdom,’ or ‘rule,’ is the range of his effective will, where what he wants done is done. The person of God himself and the action of his will are the organizing principles of his kingdom, but everything that obeys those principles, whether by nature or by choice, is within his kingdom.” This kingdom is among us, and is accessible now. Jesus said,
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:31-33)
May we seek first his kingdom, bringing honor and glory, praise and worship to the king of Kings and the lord of LORDs. He shall reign forever! Amen!
Credits: some notes from Dallas Willard, Scot McKnight, D6
Praising Him in Pain, 1 April 2018
02 04 18
Praising Him in Pain
D6 Series— Songs from the Heart (Psalms)
Psalm 22
Matthew 28:1-6
Series Overview: The Psalms reveal hearts poured out in inspired song
Big Idea: There’s hope beyond today’s pain and suffering.
Video: Psalm 22
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR5S08q_DII
I know, you were expecting happy music, dancing bunnies, and chocolate eggs on every seat. Isn’t it Easter? Is this an April Fool’s Day prank? Why are we focusing on the death of Jesus? That was Friday. Yes, but there is no resurrection without a death. There is no Easter without a Good Friday.
“Good” Friday is the day we remember the death of Jesus, a death prophesied hundreds of years earlier in Psalm 22, our text for today. Hearing those words again, it’s amazing how they were written generations before Christ. They so vividly describe the pain and suffering of Jesus…and apparently David, too.
Although some churches have an Easter sunrise service, on the first Resurrection Sunday morning, there were no Easter parades, bonnets, or celebrations.
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. (Matthew 28:1)
They were horrified to find it empty! Imagine going to a relative’s grave in a cemetery and finding the tombstone broken and nothing but a hole in the ground. That’s probably how these women felt.
What a week! First, they watched their hope of a savior die mercilessly on a cross without even a hint of resistance. Then someone stole the body from the tomb? We cannot begin to imagine the despair, the sorrow, …the pain.
I fear we’ve sanitized the Bible, telling stories to children as if they are fairy tales rather than real, raw accounts of people just like you and me who are altogether familiar with suffering and grief. David, who penned Psalm 22 which opened our gathering, was a real, historical figure with real emotions. He felt despair, sorrow and pain…and wasn’t afraid to pour out his heart and tell God. Likewise, the first followers of Jesus felt despair, sorrow, and pain at the beginning of the first Resurrection Sunday. It was yet another day to remember the loss of the One they hoped would overthrow the Roman Empire and save them. It was another hopeless morning of shattered dreams. It was another reminder of the horrors of watching their leader suffer and die, butchered and hung up for all to see, naked and tortured.
Whether you are a member here or a first-time guest at First Alliance Church, I know one thing about you: you know pain. We’ve all experienced it in the past, are experiencing it now, and/or will experience it in the future. Like King David—and Jesus—perhaps you have felt forsaken by God. You wonder if there is any reason for hope in the midst of your mess. Maybe this morning you’ve been feeling out of place, thinking you’re the only one struggling on a day when everyone is happy, happy, happy.
There can be no resurrection without a death—no Easter without a Good Friday. So before our party begins, we pause to remember the death of Jesus, the mourning that occurred both on Friday and Sunday morning.
King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes:
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance, (Ecclesiastes 3:1-4)
Today we remember the death of Jesus, following his instructions on the day before his death to take the bread in remembrance of his body that would be broken, and the cup in remembrance of his blood that would be shed for us. If you are a follower of Jesus, we invite you to eat and drink with us in remembrance of Christ.
Communion
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. (Matthew 28:2-4)
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. (Matthew 28:5-6)
Can you feel the change in this room, the shift in the atmosphere? From darkness to light. From despair to hope. From death to resurrection.
Here’s the big idea: there’s hope beyond today’s pain and suffering. I know in a group this size many of you are experiencing pain and suffering. Maybe this is your first Easter without a loved one. Perhaps you’ve been battling a physical illness. Some of you are in a financial mess with tax day around the corner. Still others are experiencing relational challenges. I get it. I’ve been through all of those things…and some are very real to me at this moment. Jesus gets it, too. Nobody knows pain like Jesus.
I believe one of the greatest obstacles to people trusting God is simply understanding how a good God could allow pain and suffering. If God loves us, why doesn’t He heal everyone, send angels to prevent drunk driving accidents, ensure beautiful sunny weather (at least on Easter!), and provide for all of the starving children in Africa.
I don’t have time today to answer every question related to God, but there are three things you must know about God and pain:
1. Nobody knows pain like Jesus. One of his best friends denied even knowing him three times. Another friend betrayed him, selling him out for thirty pieces of silver. In his greatest time of need, his “followers” abandoned him. He was beaten. Spit upon. A crown of thorns shoved into his skull. He was mocked. And that was just the beginning. Crucifixion was the most horrific torture known in the Roman world. Even worse than the emotional and physical pain, Jesus bore our sins. He suffered the greatest of all spiritual anguish. This is God, choosing to die…not because you and I are good, but because we are sinners in need of a Savior.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
In most other religions, the god or gods are distant. They may live in heaven or paradise or someplace removed from earth. Our faith teaches that
…God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)
Jesus entered our world as Emmanuel, God with us. The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us
…we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
Jesus was sick, tired, hungry, and was tempted. He spent 33 years on our planet experiencing every emotion we experience. And He knows pain.
2. God is with us in the midst of pain. I know, it doesn’t always feel like it. I went through a season in my life when I wanted to take the letter “Y” out of the alphabet because it seemed all I did was ask God, “Why?” If He was really with me, why didn’t He intervene, fix my problems, heal my daughter, fill my bank account, restore my relationships. As your pastor, I must say there are many things about God I don’t understand. I still ask, “Why?” But I’ve also learned that God loves us and can be trusted. He has His reasons, and often we just need to wait to understand them. We can trust God in all circumstances because He is the Sovereign Lord of all, which leads to my third point:
3. Your story is not over. Today you may feel like it’s Good Friday…death and sorrow. It doesn’t feel good because you’re the one being crucified, criticized, abandoned, abused, mistreated, or simply suffering. The good news—the great news—is Jesus didn’t remain on the cross. One of the distinctions between Catholic Christians and Protestant Christians is Catholics often show Jesus on the cross, the crucifix. Most Protestant crosses are empty, reminding us that He is no longer dead. Our symbol should be an empty tomb, but that would be a strange thing to wear around your neck, I suppose! But today we celebrate because Jesus did not stay in the grave. The story did end on Friday…and your story is not over, either.
One of the greatest elements of the death and resurrection of Jesus is redemption. Redemption is clearing a debt. It’s buying one’s freedom. It means being saved from sin, error, or evil. Jesus died to redeem you, to pay the penalty of your sin, which is so radical it’s amazing. Christ is our redeemer. He bought our freedom…from sin and death. Before He died, he cried out, “It is finished!” It wasn’t a declaration of defeat, but of victory. The Greek word literally means, “Paid in full.” Hallelujah!
Jesus died, and because Jesus died He invites you into a relationship with your Creator. Because Jesus died, He invites you to repent—turn from your sins and pride and selfish living—and following Him. Surrender your life. Let go and let God.
Because Jesus is alive, He invites you to experience life that way it was designed to be lived, a life filled with love, peace, joy, and hope.
And make no mistake…Jesus is alive! If Jesus is dead, I have no hope. Dead people can’t do anything for me. The Bible says
And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. (1 Corinthians 15:17-20)
Some people believe Jesus didn’t die. If He didn’t die, I have to pay for my sins on Judgment Day which is coming for all of us.
Some people believe Jesus is still dead. If He is still dead, I have to pay for my sins. I’m hopeless.
But nobody ever survived a crucifixion, and hundreds saw Jesus after He died and was resurrected. They talked with Jesus. They ate with Jesus. They wrote about Jesus. They gave their lives for Jesus, refusing to deny the resurrection.
Jesus loves you.
Jesus died for you.
Jesus wants to be your friend.
Jesus wants to be your king.
Jesus wants to be your God.
Religion is about doing things to earn God’s approval. Jesus flipped religion upside down. He did the heavy lifting. He died so you can live. If you could be good enough, he wouldn’t have needed to be crucified. Our faith is not about works, but rather faith, taking a step of faith and trusting Jesus to be the leader of your life, to be LORD.
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
I want you to know my best friend, Jesus. I want you to have a great life now, and great life after you die. Jesus offers both. If you invite him to be your God, your LORD, your leader, he will show you what life really means. He will guide you, be your friend, forgive you of all you have done wrong, and give you peace…and love.
I know some of you are experiencing deep pain, loss, and trials. Jesus knows pain. I can’t magically fix every challenge you face, but God understands, God is here, and we are here…to love and serve you, to be the hands and feet of Jesus until He returns.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
We can praise Him even in the midst of pain because He understands, He is with us, and our story is not over.
Good Friday was agonizing for Jesus but good for us. He suffered and died for us. And Resurrection Sunday is good because of Good Friday.
Jesus is alive. Our redeemer lives!
Jesus is here through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is returning.
And now we celebrate. We praise. We worship. We party! Our Redeemer lives!
Credits: some ideas from: D6
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series— Songs from the Heart (Psalms)
Psalm 22
Matthew 28:1-6
Series Overview: The Psalms reveal hearts poured out in inspired song
Big Idea: There’s hope beyond today’s pain and suffering.
Video: Psalm 22
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR5S08q_DII
I know, you were expecting happy music, dancing bunnies, and chocolate eggs on every seat. Isn’t it Easter? Is this an April Fool’s Day prank? Why are we focusing on the death of Jesus? That was Friday. Yes, but there is no resurrection without a death. There is no Easter without a Good Friday.
“Good” Friday is the day we remember the death of Jesus, a death prophesied hundreds of years earlier in Psalm 22, our text for today. Hearing those words again, it’s amazing how they were written generations before Christ. They so vividly describe the pain and suffering of Jesus…and apparently David, too.
Although some churches have an Easter sunrise service, on the first Resurrection Sunday morning, there were no Easter parades, bonnets, or celebrations.
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. (Matthew 28:1)
They were horrified to find it empty! Imagine going to a relative’s grave in a cemetery and finding the tombstone broken and nothing but a hole in the ground. That’s probably how these women felt.
What a week! First, they watched their hope of a savior die mercilessly on a cross without even a hint of resistance. Then someone stole the body from the tomb? We cannot begin to imagine the despair, the sorrow, …the pain.
I fear we’ve sanitized the Bible, telling stories to children as if they are fairy tales rather than real, raw accounts of people just like you and me who are altogether familiar with suffering and grief. David, who penned Psalm 22 which opened our gathering, was a real, historical figure with real emotions. He felt despair, sorrow and pain…and wasn’t afraid to pour out his heart and tell God. Likewise, the first followers of Jesus felt despair, sorrow, and pain at the beginning of the first Resurrection Sunday. It was yet another day to remember the loss of the One they hoped would overthrow the Roman Empire and save them. It was another hopeless morning of shattered dreams. It was another reminder of the horrors of watching their leader suffer and die, butchered and hung up for all to see, naked and tortured.
Whether you are a member here or a first-time guest at First Alliance Church, I know one thing about you: you know pain. We’ve all experienced it in the past, are experiencing it now, and/or will experience it in the future. Like King David—and Jesus—perhaps you have felt forsaken by God. You wonder if there is any reason for hope in the midst of your mess. Maybe this morning you’ve been feeling out of place, thinking you’re the only one struggling on a day when everyone is happy, happy, happy.
There can be no resurrection without a death—no Easter without a Good Friday. So before our party begins, we pause to remember the death of Jesus, the mourning that occurred both on Friday and Sunday morning.
King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes:
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance, (Ecclesiastes 3:1-4)
Today we remember the death of Jesus, following his instructions on the day before his death to take the bread in remembrance of his body that would be broken, and the cup in remembrance of his blood that would be shed for us. If you are a follower of Jesus, we invite you to eat and drink with us in remembrance of Christ.
Communion
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. (Matthew 28:2-4)
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. (Matthew 28:5-6)
Can you feel the change in this room, the shift in the atmosphere? From darkness to light. From despair to hope. From death to resurrection.
Here’s the big idea: there’s hope beyond today’s pain and suffering. I know in a group this size many of you are experiencing pain and suffering. Maybe this is your first Easter without a loved one. Perhaps you’ve been battling a physical illness. Some of you are in a financial mess with tax day around the corner. Still others are experiencing relational challenges. I get it. I’ve been through all of those things…and some are very real to me at this moment. Jesus gets it, too. Nobody knows pain like Jesus.
I believe one of the greatest obstacles to people trusting God is simply understanding how a good God could allow pain and suffering. If God loves us, why doesn’t He heal everyone, send angels to prevent drunk driving accidents, ensure beautiful sunny weather (at least on Easter!), and provide for all of the starving children in Africa.
I don’t have time today to answer every question related to God, but there are three things you must know about God and pain:
1. Nobody knows pain like Jesus. One of his best friends denied even knowing him three times. Another friend betrayed him, selling him out for thirty pieces of silver. In his greatest time of need, his “followers” abandoned him. He was beaten. Spit upon. A crown of thorns shoved into his skull. He was mocked. And that was just the beginning. Crucifixion was the most horrific torture known in the Roman world. Even worse than the emotional and physical pain, Jesus bore our sins. He suffered the greatest of all spiritual anguish. This is God, choosing to die…not because you and I are good, but because we are sinners in need of a Savior.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
In most other religions, the god or gods are distant. They may live in heaven or paradise or someplace removed from earth. Our faith teaches that
…God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)
Jesus entered our world as Emmanuel, God with us. The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us
…we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
Jesus was sick, tired, hungry, and was tempted. He spent 33 years on our planet experiencing every emotion we experience. And He knows pain.
2. God is with us in the midst of pain. I know, it doesn’t always feel like it. I went through a season in my life when I wanted to take the letter “Y” out of the alphabet because it seemed all I did was ask God, “Why?” If He was really with me, why didn’t He intervene, fix my problems, heal my daughter, fill my bank account, restore my relationships. As your pastor, I must say there are many things about God I don’t understand. I still ask, “Why?” But I’ve also learned that God loves us and can be trusted. He has His reasons, and often we just need to wait to understand them. We can trust God in all circumstances because He is the Sovereign Lord of all, which leads to my third point:
3. Your story is not over. Today you may feel like it’s Good Friday…death and sorrow. It doesn’t feel good because you’re the one being crucified, criticized, abandoned, abused, mistreated, or simply suffering. The good news—the great news—is Jesus didn’t remain on the cross. One of the distinctions between Catholic Christians and Protestant Christians is Catholics often show Jesus on the cross, the crucifix. Most Protestant crosses are empty, reminding us that He is no longer dead. Our symbol should be an empty tomb, but that would be a strange thing to wear around your neck, I suppose! But today we celebrate because Jesus did not stay in the grave. The story did end on Friday…and your story is not over, either.
One of the greatest elements of the death and resurrection of Jesus is redemption. Redemption is clearing a debt. It’s buying one’s freedom. It means being saved from sin, error, or evil. Jesus died to redeem you, to pay the penalty of your sin, which is so radical it’s amazing. Christ is our redeemer. He bought our freedom…from sin and death. Before He died, he cried out, “It is finished!” It wasn’t a declaration of defeat, but of victory. The Greek word literally means, “Paid in full.” Hallelujah!
Jesus died, and because Jesus died He invites you into a relationship with your Creator. Because Jesus died, He invites you to repent—turn from your sins and pride and selfish living—and following Him. Surrender your life. Let go and let God.
Because Jesus is alive, He invites you to experience life that way it was designed to be lived, a life filled with love, peace, joy, and hope.
And make no mistake…Jesus is alive! If Jesus is dead, I have no hope. Dead people can’t do anything for me. The Bible says
And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. (1 Corinthians 15:17-20)
Some people believe Jesus didn’t die. If He didn’t die, I have to pay for my sins on Judgment Day which is coming for all of us.
Some people believe Jesus is still dead. If He is still dead, I have to pay for my sins. I’m hopeless.
But nobody ever survived a crucifixion, and hundreds saw Jesus after He died and was resurrected. They talked with Jesus. They ate with Jesus. They wrote about Jesus. They gave their lives for Jesus, refusing to deny the resurrection.
Jesus loves you.
Jesus died for you.
Jesus wants to be your friend.
Jesus wants to be your king.
Jesus wants to be your God.
Religion is about doing things to earn God’s approval. Jesus flipped religion upside down. He did the heavy lifting. He died so you can live. If you could be good enough, he wouldn’t have needed to be crucified. Our faith is not about works, but rather faith, taking a step of faith and trusting Jesus to be the leader of your life, to be LORD.
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
I want you to know my best friend, Jesus. I want you to have a great life now, and great life after you die. Jesus offers both. If you invite him to be your God, your LORD, your leader, he will show you what life really means. He will guide you, be your friend, forgive you of all you have done wrong, and give you peace…and love.
I know some of you are experiencing deep pain, loss, and trials. Jesus knows pain. I can’t magically fix every challenge you face, but God understands, God is here, and we are here…to love and serve you, to be the hands and feet of Jesus until He returns.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
We can praise Him even in the midst of pain because He understands, He is with us, and our story is not over.
Good Friday was agonizing for Jesus but good for us. He suffered and died for us. And Resurrection Sunday is good because of Good Friday.
Jesus is alive. Our redeemer lives!
Jesus is here through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is returning.
And now we celebrate. We praise. We worship. We party! Our Redeemer lives!
Credits: some ideas from: D6
Family First, 25 March 2018
25 03 18
Family First
D6 Series— By Faith Alone
Galatians 6:1-10
Series Overview: The purpose of this series from the book of Galatians is to emphasize the vital role of faith in our lives.
Big Idea: Personal responsibility and mutual accountability are necessarily in following Jesus in community.
Introduction
What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word…church? For many, it’s a building. People often say they are “going to church.”
It is described in the Bible as a body. Like the human body, it is comprised of many different parts which ideally work together to form a healthy organism.
In the book of 2 Corinthians, it is described as an army, fighting not against people, but spiritual powers.
The church has been called the Bride of Christ.
The word “church” actually comes from the Greek word ekklesia which means “assembly” or “called-out ones.” Today we’re going to look at another metaphor for the church: a family.
For some, family is a positive word, denoting love and safety. Others find the word somewhat troubling, stirring negative memories and emotions. Regardless, I think we would all agree families can be messy, at times, because they involve people and relationships, which can be complicated.
Today we’re looking at several important instructions from Paul to the Galatian church, the family of believers in the city of Galatia in modern day Turkey. While they were written two thousand years ago, there are timeless truths we must learn and apply.
Today’s passage has what appears to be four random thoughts:
- Bearing burdens
- Sharing with one’s teacher
- Sowing and reaping
- Doing good
Furthermore, we’ll see an interplay between personal responsibility and mutual accountability, both necessary in family life.
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)
We could spend the whole morning on this verse. First, we see Paul’s family reference, using sibling language. Obviously, we all sin. Some sins are very visible and even public, such as sex-trafficking pastors. Others may be completely unknown except to God, such as greed. Actually, many of my sins are not even things I do, but things I fail to do, such as caring for the poor or spending quality time in prayer. The word “caught” indicates a known indiscretion. We are all susceptible to sins which impact not only ourselves but others in the family. There’s great hope for the fallen as it says they are to be restored gently…by those who live by the Spirit.
Many years ago, there were two televangelists who were caught in sexual sin. They were both pastors in the same denomination and were asked to go through a process of restoration. One refused and promptly returned to the airwaves to protect his $140 million-a-year ministry. The other submitted, spent time in prison, and wrote a book entitled, “I Was Wrong.” Needless to say, I was disappointed in the first and was glad to see the second man restored.
We all sin and fall short of God’s glory, but through Jesus all of our sins can be forgiven, washed white as snow. And although the process can be messy and time-consuming, restoration and redemption are possible. Hallelujah!
But note the second sentence. This seems to refer to the age-old sin of pride. Tragically, it has been said the church is the only army which shoots its wounded. I’ve heard so many stories of people sinning, repenting, seeking restoration, yet receiving the condemnation of other so-called Christians. I confess I find it so easy to fall into pride and self-righteousness when I see others sin, which is what Paul is warning against. The religious were quick to pridefully demonstrate their own goodness in the midst of restoring the sinful. When I hear of moral failure, I must remember, “But by the grace of God so go I.” We are to help fallen soldiers, not give them further blows.
In the past, there was a literal seat in which some missionaries to Kenya sat those who had sinned. While the practice may have had good intentions, it sent the wrong impression to those sitting on the ordinary seats. Were they any less sinful? Not in God’s eyes. Furthermore, no missionary ever sat in the sinner’s seat, perhaps indicating a lack of humility. Love the sinner, hate your own sin.
It is worth noting Matthew 18 here, too. Jesus taught
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matthew 18:15-17)
In other words, no gossip. Period. Don’t tell me—or anyone else—about someone else’s sins unless you’ve first gone to them in humility and found no resolution.
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)
I love this verse! The law of Christ is the law of love. Our law is following Jesus and submitting to the Spirit. If we connect it to verse one, the restorer not only addresses sin, they help the person avoid it in the future…mutual accountability. I need you and you need me. You may need to restore me today and tomorrow I return the favor. We are mutually sinners and saints. Burdens here may refer to sin, but the word burden literally means a stone or heavy weight carried for a long distance. It could refer to financial burdens, the pain of divorce, cancer, or any hardship.
This is a challenge for us in our individualistic culture. People are often unwilling to ask for help due to pride. Others are often unwilling to help due to their own selfishness or busyness. When we carry each other’s burdens, when we love and serve one another, when we restore one another when we have fallen, we are submitting to the Spirit and following Jesus’ teachings and example. As we will see, this mutual accountability does not mean we do everything for them, but when help is needed, it is communicated and provided.
If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. (Galatians 6:3)
Don’t you love the English translation? Don’t think you are something when you’re not! That’s pride again. Every good and perfect gift is from above, and we’ve been blessed with some tremendous gifts, including freedom, wealth, health, and most of all salvation. Apart from God’s grace, we are nothing but dust. To God be the glory!
Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load. (Galatians 6:4-5)
We are to take personal responsibility for our actions. We are to carry our own load. The Greek word, phortion, referred to a soldier’s pack. Paul sees the Galatians as soldiers of Jesus, following Christ rather than taking pride in achievements through competition or comparison.
Comparison is deadly. God gives us all different gifts and callings. You might have been given ten talents while someone else is given one or two. You may have been blessed with a stellar education while another person never finished elementary school. Maybe you can sing like an angel while someone else can only make a joyful noise!
One day every person is going to stand before Almighty God and give an account for how they lived, what they did with their talents, how they loved their neighbor. Judgment Day is coming for all of us. Imagine standing before God and giving an account of what you did in this life, how you used your time, your education, your freedom, your money. It sounds downright frightening to me because although some may consider me to be a good person, good isn’t good enough for a holy God. One strike—one sin—and you’re out…except for those who have repented and believed in Jesus Christ.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Jesus died so we can live. He paid the price for our sins. His death and resurrection grant us mercy, the ability to escape punishment. Followers of Jesus on Judgment Day (Rom. 2:6-16; 14:12; 1 Cor. 3:8; 4:1-5; 2 Cor. 5:10) can point to Jesus and say, “He paid the price. He let me off the hook. I deserve death, but I claim mercy because of Christ.” That’s what Paul’s been saying throughout this book of Galatians, it’s about faith, not works. It’s about have a relationship with King Jesus, not religion.
But we must be personally responsible for our lives, our attitudes, our actions. Remember, we are saved by faith, but works naturally flow out of a Spirit-filled believer who has repented and surrendered to Jesus Christ, and we will all be judged by God. He is both holy and loving, just and gracious. We will stand before God someday, and live before God today. On Judgment Day, each of us is responsible for our own load, our pack, our life.
Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor. (Galatians 6:6)
This is one of a pastor’s favorite verses! Most believe this is referencing financial compensation, a perfect opportunity for me to say thank you again for the pleasure of being your pastor, of serving you, of preaching, of discipling our current and future leaders. It is not always easy or fun, but it is a joy to serve you, family.
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. (Galatians 6:7)
God cannot be mocked. He will judge disobedience…and reward righteousness.
Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:8)
I think that’s pretty clear. But like gardening, the harvest in our lives is rarely instantaneous. It takes time…and perseverance.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)
The Galatians were losing their passion, perhaps overwhelmed by the legalism and religion that caused them to focus on themselves rather than on concern for others and worship of God. Brothers and sisters, don’t give up!
Some of you have been praying for decades for your prodigal sons and daughters. Don’t give up!
Others of you have been engaging in spiritual conversations with family and friends for years without a breakthrough. Don’t give up!
Some of you have been battling pain and sickness for as long as you can remember, yet you continue to volunteer and serve others. Don’t give up!
Perhaps God has been telling you to disciple people who are not growing in their faith as quickly as you desire. Don’t give up!
To all of you who invest in our children and youth—and surely grow weary—don’t give up!
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:10)
To understand the context, doing good here may mean giving to the Jerusalem famine relief fund project which Paul was overseeing. Nevertheless, these words have deep meaning to us today. We are to do good to all people, regardless of who they may be. Goodness is part of the fruit of the Spirit.
But he concludes by emphasizing the church. We are commanded to love our neighbor, but family first. The early church depended upon one another. They were communal. They did life together. In fact, Acts 2 tells us
All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, (Acts 2:44-46)
This is difficult in our commuter culture where we need cars to visit one another. Our family has people from 34 zip codes! Nevertheless, I love hearing stories about small groups banding together to serve someone in their group who is struggling. I’m delighted to see meals delivered to church members in crisis. It thrills me to hear of people working together to repair a home or shut ins visited from within our family. One of my favorite things about First Alliance Church is the second offering we take on the second Sunday of the month to give to our benevolence fund. Countless family members have been financially blessed by our church generously doing good to one another. I must add one of the best ways to do good is to pray. We have some incredible prayer warriors in our family and I can’t imagine where we’d be without them. Thank you!
So What?
Our responsibility to hold each other accountable and to bear one another’s burdens demonstrates how God established the church to make disciples and transfer the faith. (D6)
There’s an abundance of applications to this text, many of which have been stated. I want to conclude by talking specifically about our family, First Alliance Church. We’re not a perfect family. We sin and need restoration. We offend one another—hopefully unintentionally—and need reconciliation. We are commanded to love, to serve, to help, to be generous. We are to resist the temptations of pride and gossip. When concerns arise, we are to believe the best, ask for clarification, and seek understanding.
While we’re talking about family, personal responsibility, and mutual accountability, I want to apologize for poor communication, specifically with regard to Claro and TUI. I want to provide you with brief updates.
First, Claro Coffee Bar. We launched Claro as a way to love and serve our UpTown neighborhood, extending hospitality, facilitating conversations, and creating a bridge between the churched and unchurched in our community. We have seen people join our church family as a result of Claro. Countless lives have been impacted not only by fantastic drinks and edibles, but through spiritual conversations on both sides of the bar. Just this week one of our church leaders said, “I’m so grateful for Claro” before sharing a moving story that led him to tears.
Although there remain some in the area who have chosen to boycott the only coffee shop in UpTown because it is a part of our church, most of our neighbors greatly appreciate us and our investment in the neighborhood. We have created jobs. We developed an abandoned storefront. Many say we serve the best coffee in Toledo (I don’t drink coffee, but I’ll take their word for it!). Our reputation in the community has been enhanced through Claro, developing trust. Last month the UpTown Association thanked First Alliance Church at their annual meeting for being one of the valued pillars of UpTown.
Claro is developing a loyal following among Toledoans, but it continues to struggle financially. Andrew admirably stepped up in January to manage Claro and try to reduce the losses. The Claro Business Team and Elders have had numerous discussions about how to maximize ministry and profitability. We are exploring a variety of options and need your prayers—and patronage—as we seek God’s will. We believe God led us to launch Claro, He provided a miracle last fall when we almost had no choice but to close, and we believe He will guide us in the coming days.
Garth: Toledo Urban Impact update
Why would a church open a coffee shop? Why is TUI involved in a theater company? The family needs to grow. All families need to grow. Without babies, families die—literally.
Family, I love you. Please let me know how I can serve you. Family first. But we also need to welcome new members into the family. Praise God the last two years we have baptized new believers, but I long to see the 500k souls in our community reached. Most are not coming, so we are commanded to go and make disciples, whether it is at Claro, a backyard BBQ, listening to a co-worker in need, attending a neighbor’s party, volunteering at Rosa Parks or the After School Klub.
Pastor Soper, in the Mission 119 audio devotional and app, said the key verse in the book of Luke is
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
We are never to use pressure or guilt or treat people like projects, but if Jesus is good news to you, it should be natural to want others to experience the abundant life He offers. We are not selling religion, we are inviting people into a relationship with the Creator which gives meaning, purpose, hope, joy, and love.
Closing thoughts
Credits: Some ideas from D6, Hippo/Africa Bible Commentary Series, The NIV Application Commentary.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series— By Faith Alone
Galatians 6:1-10
Series Overview: The purpose of this series from the book of Galatians is to emphasize the vital role of faith in our lives.
Big Idea: Personal responsibility and mutual accountability are necessarily in following Jesus in community.
Introduction
What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word…church? For many, it’s a building. People often say they are “going to church.”
It is described in the Bible as a body. Like the human body, it is comprised of many different parts which ideally work together to form a healthy organism.
In the book of 2 Corinthians, it is described as an army, fighting not against people, but spiritual powers.
The church has been called the Bride of Christ.
The word “church” actually comes from the Greek word ekklesia which means “assembly” or “called-out ones.” Today we’re going to look at another metaphor for the church: a family.
For some, family is a positive word, denoting love and safety. Others find the word somewhat troubling, stirring negative memories and emotions. Regardless, I think we would all agree families can be messy, at times, because they involve people and relationships, which can be complicated.
Today we’re looking at several important instructions from Paul to the Galatian church, the family of believers in the city of Galatia in modern day Turkey. While they were written two thousand years ago, there are timeless truths we must learn and apply.
Today’s passage has what appears to be four random thoughts:
- Bearing burdens
- Sharing with one’s teacher
- Sowing and reaping
- Doing good
Furthermore, we’ll see an interplay between personal responsibility and mutual accountability, both necessary in family life.
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)
We could spend the whole morning on this verse. First, we see Paul’s family reference, using sibling language. Obviously, we all sin. Some sins are very visible and even public, such as sex-trafficking pastors. Others may be completely unknown except to God, such as greed. Actually, many of my sins are not even things I do, but things I fail to do, such as caring for the poor or spending quality time in prayer. The word “caught” indicates a known indiscretion. We are all susceptible to sins which impact not only ourselves but others in the family. There’s great hope for the fallen as it says they are to be restored gently…by those who live by the Spirit.
Many years ago, there were two televangelists who were caught in sexual sin. They were both pastors in the same denomination and were asked to go through a process of restoration. One refused and promptly returned to the airwaves to protect his $140 million-a-year ministry. The other submitted, spent time in prison, and wrote a book entitled, “I Was Wrong.” Needless to say, I was disappointed in the first and was glad to see the second man restored.
We all sin and fall short of God’s glory, but through Jesus all of our sins can be forgiven, washed white as snow. And although the process can be messy and time-consuming, restoration and redemption are possible. Hallelujah!
But note the second sentence. This seems to refer to the age-old sin of pride. Tragically, it has been said the church is the only army which shoots its wounded. I’ve heard so many stories of people sinning, repenting, seeking restoration, yet receiving the condemnation of other so-called Christians. I confess I find it so easy to fall into pride and self-righteousness when I see others sin, which is what Paul is warning against. The religious were quick to pridefully demonstrate their own goodness in the midst of restoring the sinful. When I hear of moral failure, I must remember, “But by the grace of God so go I.” We are to help fallen soldiers, not give them further blows.
In the past, there was a literal seat in which some missionaries to Kenya sat those who had sinned. While the practice may have had good intentions, it sent the wrong impression to those sitting on the ordinary seats. Were they any less sinful? Not in God’s eyes. Furthermore, no missionary ever sat in the sinner’s seat, perhaps indicating a lack of humility. Love the sinner, hate your own sin.
It is worth noting Matthew 18 here, too. Jesus taught
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matthew 18:15-17)
In other words, no gossip. Period. Don’t tell me—or anyone else—about someone else’s sins unless you’ve first gone to them in humility and found no resolution.
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)
I love this verse! The law of Christ is the law of love. Our law is following Jesus and submitting to the Spirit. If we connect it to verse one, the restorer not only addresses sin, they help the person avoid it in the future…mutual accountability. I need you and you need me. You may need to restore me today and tomorrow I return the favor. We are mutually sinners and saints. Burdens here may refer to sin, but the word burden literally means a stone or heavy weight carried for a long distance. It could refer to financial burdens, the pain of divorce, cancer, or any hardship.
This is a challenge for us in our individualistic culture. People are often unwilling to ask for help due to pride. Others are often unwilling to help due to their own selfishness or busyness. When we carry each other’s burdens, when we love and serve one another, when we restore one another when we have fallen, we are submitting to the Spirit and following Jesus’ teachings and example. As we will see, this mutual accountability does not mean we do everything for them, but when help is needed, it is communicated and provided.
If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. (Galatians 6:3)
Don’t you love the English translation? Don’t think you are something when you’re not! That’s pride again. Every good and perfect gift is from above, and we’ve been blessed with some tremendous gifts, including freedom, wealth, health, and most of all salvation. Apart from God’s grace, we are nothing but dust. To God be the glory!
Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load. (Galatians 6:4-5)
We are to take personal responsibility for our actions. We are to carry our own load. The Greek word, phortion, referred to a soldier’s pack. Paul sees the Galatians as soldiers of Jesus, following Christ rather than taking pride in achievements through competition or comparison.
Comparison is deadly. God gives us all different gifts and callings. You might have been given ten talents while someone else is given one or two. You may have been blessed with a stellar education while another person never finished elementary school. Maybe you can sing like an angel while someone else can only make a joyful noise!
One day every person is going to stand before Almighty God and give an account for how they lived, what they did with their talents, how they loved their neighbor. Judgment Day is coming for all of us. Imagine standing before God and giving an account of what you did in this life, how you used your time, your education, your freedom, your money. It sounds downright frightening to me because although some may consider me to be a good person, good isn’t good enough for a holy God. One strike—one sin—and you’re out…except for those who have repented and believed in Jesus Christ.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Jesus died so we can live. He paid the price for our sins. His death and resurrection grant us mercy, the ability to escape punishment. Followers of Jesus on Judgment Day (Rom. 2:6-16; 14:12; 1 Cor. 3:8; 4:1-5; 2 Cor. 5:10) can point to Jesus and say, “He paid the price. He let me off the hook. I deserve death, but I claim mercy because of Christ.” That’s what Paul’s been saying throughout this book of Galatians, it’s about faith, not works. It’s about have a relationship with King Jesus, not religion.
But we must be personally responsible for our lives, our attitudes, our actions. Remember, we are saved by faith, but works naturally flow out of a Spirit-filled believer who has repented and surrendered to Jesus Christ, and we will all be judged by God. He is both holy and loving, just and gracious. We will stand before God someday, and live before God today. On Judgment Day, each of us is responsible for our own load, our pack, our life.
Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor. (Galatians 6:6)
This is one of a pastor’s favorite verses! Most believe this is referencing financial compensation, a perfect opportunity for me to say thank you again for the pleasure of being your pastor, of serving you, of preaching, of discipling our current and future leaders. It is not always easy or fun, but it is a joy to serve you, family.
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. (Galatians 6:7)
God cannot be mocked. He will judge disobedience…and reward righteousness.
Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:8)
I think that’s pretty clear. But like gardening, the harvest in our lives is rarely instantaneous. It takes time…and perseverance.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)
The Galatians were losing their passion, perhaps overwhelmed by the legalism and religion that caused them to focus on themselves rather than on concern for others and worship of God. Brothers and sisters, don’t give up!
Some of you have been praying for decades for your prodigal sons and daughters. Don’t give up!
Others of you have been engaging in spiritual conversations with family and friends for years without a breakthrough. Don’t give up!
Some of you have been battling pain and sickness for as long as you can remember, yet you continue to volunteer and serve others. Don’t give up!
Perhaps God has been telling you to disciple people who are not growing in their faith as quickly as you desire. Don’t give up!
To all of you who invest in our children and youth—and surely grow weary—don’t give up!
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:10)
To understand the context, doing good here may mean giving to the Jerusalem famine relief fund project which Paul was overseeing. Nevertheless, these words have deep meaning to us today. We are to do good to all people, regardless of who they may be. Goodness is part of the fruit of the Spirit.
But he concludes by emphasizing the church. We are commanded to love our neighbor, but family first. The early church depended upon one another. They were communal. They did life together. In fact, Acts 2 tells us
All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, (Acts 2:44-46)
This is difficult in our commuter culture where we need cars to visit one another. Our family has people from 34 zip codes! Nevertheless, I love hearing stories about small groups banding together to serve someone in their group who is struggling. I’m delighted to see meals delivered to church members in crisis. It thrills me to hear of people working together to repair a home or shut ins visited from within our family. One of my favorite things about First Alliance Church is the second offering we take on the second Sunday of the month to give to our benevolence fund. Countless family members have been financially blessed by our church generously doing good to one another. I must add one of the best ways to do good is to pray. We have some incredible prayer warriors in our family and I can’t imagine where we’d be without them. Thank you!
So What?
Our responsibility to hold each other accountable and to bear one another’s burdens demonstrates how God established the church to make disciples and transfer the faith. (D6)
There’s an abundance of applications to this text, many of which have been stated. I want to conclude by talking specifically about our family, First Alliance Church. We’re not a perfect family. We sin and need restoration. We offend one another—hopefully unintentionally—and need reconciliation. We are commanded to love, to serve, to help, to be generous. We are to resist the temptations of pride and gossip. When concerns arise, we are to believe the best, ask for clarification, and seek understanding.
While we’re talking about family, personal responsibility, and mutual accountability, I want to apologize for poor communication, specifically with regard to Claro and TUI. I want to provide you with brief updates.
First, Claro Coffee Bar. We launched Claro as a way to love and serve our UpTown neighborhood, extending hospitality, facilitating conversations, and creating a bridge between the churched and unchurched in our community. We have seen people join our church family as a result of Claro. Countless lives have been impacted not only by fantastic drinks and edibles, but through spiritual conversations on both sides of the bar. Just this week one of our church leaders said, “I’m so grateful for Claro” before sharing a moving story that led him to tears.
Although there remain some in the area who have chosen to boycott the only coffee shop in UpTown because it is a part of our church, most of our neighbors greatly appreciate us and our investment in the neighborhood. We have created jobs. We developed an abandoned storefront. Many say we serve the best coffee in Toledo (I don’t drink coffee, but I’ll take their word for it!). Our reputation in the community has been enhanced through Claro, developing trust. Last month the UpTown Association thanked First Alliance Church at their annual meeting for being one of the valued pillars of UpTown.
Claro is developing a loyal following among Toledoans, but it continues to struggle financially. Andrew admirably stepped up in January to manage Claro and try to reduce the losses. The Claro Business Team and Elders have had numerous discussions about how to maximize ministry and profitability. We are exploring a variety of options and need your prayers—and patronage—as we seek God’s will. We believe God led us to launch Claro, He provided a miracle last fall when we almost had no choice but to close, and we believe He will guide us in the coming days.
Garth: Toledo Urban Impact update
Why would a church open a coffee shop? Why is TUI involved in a theater company? The family needs to grow. All families need to grow. Without babies, families die—literally.
Family, I love you. Please let me know how I can serve you. Family first. But we also need to welcome new members into the family. Praise God the last two years we have baptized new believers, but I long to see the 500k souls in our community reached. Most are not coming, so we are commanded to go and make disciples, whether it is at Claro, a backyard BBQ, listening to a co-worker in need, attending a neighbor’s party, volunteering at Rosa Parks or the After School Klub.
Pastor Soper, in the Mission 119 audio devotional and app, said the key verse in the book of Luke is
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
We are never to use pressure or guilt or treat people like projects, but if Jesus is good news to you, it should be natural to want others to experience the abundant life He offers. We are not selling religion, we are inviting people into a relationship with the Creator which gives meaning, purpose, hope, joy, and love.
Closing thoughts
Credits: Some ideas from D6, Hippo/Africa Bible Commentary Series, The NIV Application Commentary.
Rags to Riches, 18 March 2018
20 03 18
Rags to Riches
D6 Series— By Faith Alone
Galatians 4:1-31
Series Overview: The purpose of this series from the book of Galatians is to emphasize the vital role of faith in our lives.
Big Idea: Followers of Jesus are God’s children and heirs…and need to live like it!
Rags to riches. It might be the ultimate story, whether it be Little Orphan Annie, Cinderella, Rocky, or even historical figures such as Genghis Khan, Andrew Carnegie, Ben Carson, LeBron James or Oprah Winfrey, we love to hear of people whose lives have experienced transformation.
Often, people achieve greatness by their own efforts. Others are advantaged by their family of origin, whether by birth or adoption. Such is our subject today in Galatians chapter four.
I’ve often said I believe the two most important questions in life are
- Who is God?
- Who am I?
How you answer those questions will literally change your life. As we study the Bible, we obviously learn about God. We can’t know everything about God because…well, if we did, we’d be God! God is beyond our complete comprehension, but we can know enough about Him to love and worship and have a relationship with Him.
Today we’re going to learn about God, but our focus will be on the second question: Who am I? Or perhaps we should say, “Whose am I?”
Welcome to week three of D6, our church-wide study of the Bible. This month we are studying the book of Galatians, a letter written to churches in the city of Galatia in modern-day Turkey by Paul, one of the leaders of the early church. These people began following Jesus, but religious people deceived them into believing works were necessary to earn God’s favor. Friends, the cross is enough. Jesus is enough. We are saved by grace through faith. Hallelujah! The book of Galatians is filled with the simple message that Jesus is greater than religion. All of our good works can’t begin to compare to the work of Jesus on the cross. It’s all about Jesus.
Just a reminder that you can text questions…Last week I received a question we will answer today: Are we sons of God because of creation or Christ?
As we turn to chapter four of Galatians, Paul reminds the people of Galatia of their identity.
What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. (Galatians 4:1-5)
Paul is saying minors cannot receive an inheritance. They might as well be slaves, much like the Jews under the old covenant. Before Jesus, people were enslaved. Jews were enslaved to the Mosaic Law. Gentiles were enslaved by pagan religions. Today many Christians are enslaved by legalism, rituals, good works, and moral achievement. Rather than bondage, at just the right time, Jesus came to redeem us, to adopt us.
These words are truly remarkable. Many of us have heard them so many times, the wonder of them has worn off, but I urge you to reflect with me.
The Creator of the universe sends Jesus to our planet who dies and resurrects for us. He ascends into heaven and sends the Holy Spirit to every believer, giving us the power to become like Jesus. That’s what “Christian” means—little Christ. Paul tells us we are God’s children. Who’s your Daddy? God!
We’ve all heard stories of children famous not because of what they’ve done, but rather their parents. The children of Jay-Z and Beyonce have been on magazine covers. Every addition to the royal family in Britain is global news. Can you imagine having a last name like Gates or Vanderbilt or Rockefeller…or Trump? Your family matters. Parents provide opportunities for their children—or not!
Now imagine what it’s like to be in God’s family! Don’t miss the last word of this text—heir. We are not only children, we have an inheritance…greater than anything Jeff Bezos or Warren Buffet could leave.
Who are you? What is the source of your identity? Your occupation? Education? Race? Social status? Member of an elite club? Political party?
If you are a follower of Jesus, you are a child of God. That must come before any other descriptor. Before American. Before evangelical. Before doctor or Toledo Rocket or even husband or mother. You are no longer a slave to sin and this world but are now a child of the most high God.
Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba , Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. (Galatians 4:6-7)
Note the Aramaic word “Abba.” In Jesus’ day, nobody would’ve addressed God as “My Father.” It would have been considered disrespectful, yet Jesus not only did it, he taught his followers to do so. He taught us to pray, “Our Father.” God was considered the Father of the nation of Israel, but never considered as father to an individual. The religious in Jesus’ day were widening the distance between man and God, something Jesus reversed. In all of Jesus’ prayers except for on the cross, Jesus uses the word “Father,” and “Abba” is the term a small child would call their father, not unlike our word for “daddy.”
Do you think of God as daddy? I do. I sometimes use the word “daddy” when I pray. Sometimes it seems weird when I’m praying out loud in a group, but I still love it when my adult kids call me daddy and, therefore, it is a meaningful, intimate word I use for God.
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you. (Galatians 4:8-11)
Paul’s so frustrated! He taught them the truth, and now they’re backsliding, believing lies about religion rather than seeking a deeper relationship with God. They know about God, but they don’t know God. Like so many throughout history, they worshiped the creature rather than the Creator. Paul feared they would return to false gods, following religion, or returning to paganism. Note as Christians we are not required to follow the Jewish calendar of festivals. The observances are not bad. In fact, they can be quite meaningful, but they are not celebrated to gain favor with God.
I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. (Galatians 4:12-14)
We don’t know much about Paul’s illness. It may have been eye trouble epilepsy, or even Malaria! Regardless, he reminds them of their time together and his delivery of the gospel, good news. Now they’ve changed their attitude, instead following the religious Judaizers.
Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? (Galatians 4:15-16)
Can you feel the tension? The angst? Paul can’t believe how these people have changed.
Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you. My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you! (Galatians 4:17-20)
He’s in a battle for the truth. Spiritual warfare is real and it is not always Christianity against Satanism. It can be religion and legalism versus grace and freedom. Again, grace and freedom do not give us license to sin. They merely remind us of our salvation, not from our works but the work of Jesus. The more we understand the work of Jesus, the more we will love God and want to obey, serve, and glory Him.
And now he contrasts Abraham’s two sons as an allegory for slavery and freedom.
Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise. (Galatians 4:21-23)
Abraham had a son through his wife Sarai’s slave, Hagar. His name was Ishmael. Later, Sarai miraculously became pregnant and gave birth to Isaac. Needless to say, the family tree and family life were complicated!
These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. (Galatians 4:24-26)
For it is written:
“Be glad, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband.” (Galatians 4:27)
Genesis 16, 17, and 21 tell us more about Ishmael and Isaac. The Galatians have become God’s children by God’s work, not theirs, just as Isaac become Abraham’s son by God’s miraculous work.
Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman. (Galatians 4:28-31)
Ishmael persecuted Isaac. Jews persecuted Christians.
So What?
First, know who you are. Know Whose you are. If you are a follower of Jesus, you are an heir of God. You have been adopted into God’s family. You are loved, cherished, and special, not because of anything you’ve done, but just because of who you are.
I often say I learned more about God the day our first child was born than any other day of my life. Parents, whether your child arrived naturally or via adoption, there’s a special bond, a unique love, a powerful commitment a mom or dad has with their son or daughter.
If I could have one with for you, church, I think it would be that you could understand just how loved you are. Paul would write to the church in Ephesus:
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17b-19)
I’ve met so many insecure Christians. Their insecurity is expressed in a variety of ways. Some are legalistic and judgmental, quick to point out the flaws of others while being unaware of the pride and self-righteousness in their hearts. Others strive for the approval of others instead of being secure in the love of their Heavenly Father. Still others take themselves so seriously that they’re easily offended. If we could be secure in God’s love for us—remember, nothing you can do can make God love you more and nothing you can do can make God love you less—I believe our lives would be so much more attractive to our broken, fear-filled, hope-starved world.
This past week I found myself in three different meetings regarding children. One discussed the problem of infant mortality, another the horror of abortion, and the third foster care and adoption. We live in a culture of death. We are entertained by violence in movies, television, and video games. Is it any wonder it appears for real in our streets and homes? Life is precious. All life. In the womb. Young. Old. Black and white. Christian, atheist, and Muslim. Gay, straight, abortion doctors, politicians, the homeless, the incarcerated, teachers, …even pastors. Ronald Reagan once said, “God’s greatest gift is human life.” God is pro-life. Are you? Prove it!
Being pro-life is far more than voting for a few people once every four years. It means caring for the least of these, treating everyone with love and respect, and protecting the unborn and the elderly and everyone in between. And it might involve getting really messy, ensuring others in our community are able to experience the abundant life Jesus promised by letting them know they are loved by God, helping them receive education, protecting them from abuse, making sure they have food and shelter, and ensuring opportunities for jobs and freedoms. By being adopted into God’s family, we’ve become heirs, given unimaginable opportunities. We can respond today by loving others as we’ve been loved by God.
Perhaps the most radical thing you can do in response to God’s love and His adopting you into His family is to consider becoming an adoptive or foster parent, beginning with free classes from Lucas County. Last Sunday’s Blade reported the dire need for families to foster and adopt. There are more than 140 more children needing foster care now than a year ago, mostly due to the opioid epidemic which is ravaging families not only in our city but especially in the suburbs.
http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2018/03/09/Wanted-Lucas-County-foster-families.html
If you can’t foster or adopt, find someone who is and help them. Is there any greater gift you can give than your home, heart, and love. We’ve been adopted into God’s family, not because we deserved it or earned it or were good people, but just because.
Are we sons of God because of creation or Christ? We were all created by God, but we become sons and daughters through Jesus who allows us to be reconciled to our Father and join His family despite our sins and failures. From slaves to sons, from rags to riches. That is truly good news!
Credits: some ideas from: D6
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series— By Faith Alone
Galatians 4:1-31
Series Overview: The purpose of this series from the book of Galatians is to emphasize the vital role of faith in our lives.
Big Idea: Followers of Jesus are God’s children and heirs…and need to live like it!
Rags to riches. It might be the ultimate story, whether it be Little Orphan Annie, Cinderella, Rocky, or even historical figures such as Genghis Khan, Andrew Carnegie, Ben Carson, LeBron James or Oprah Winfrey, we love to hear of people whose lives have experienced transformation.
Often, people achieve greatness by their own efforts. Others are advantaged by their family of origin, whether by birth or adoption. Such is our subject today in Galatians chapter four.
I’ve often said I believe the two most important questions in life are
- Who is God?
- Who am I?
How you answer those questions will literally change your life. As we study the Bible, we obviously learn about God. We can’t know everything about God because…well, if we did, we’d be God! God is beyond our complete comprehension, but we can know enough about Him to love and worship and have a relationship with Him.
Today we’re going to learn about God, but our focus will be on the second question: Who am I? Or perhaps we should say, “Whose am I?”
Welcome to week three of D6, our church-wide study of the Bible. This month we are studying the book of Galatians, a letter written to churches in the city of Galatia in modern-day Turkey by Paul, one of the leaders of the early church. These people began following Jesus, but religious people deceived them into believing works were necessary to earn God’s favor. Friends, the cross is enough. Jesus is enough. We are saved by grace through faith. Hallelujah! The book of Galatians is filled with the simple message that Jesus is greater than religion. All of our good works can’t begin to compare to the work of Jesus on the cross. It’s all about Jesus.
Just a reminder that you can text questions…Last week I received a question we will answer today: Are we sons of God because of creation or Christ?
As we turn to chapter four of Galatians, Paul reminds the people of Galatia of their identity.
What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. (Galatians 4:1-5)
Paul is saying minors cannot receive an inheritance. They might as well be slaves, much like the Jews under the old covenant. Before Jesus, people were enslaved. Jews were enslaved to the Mosaic Law. Gentiles were enslaved by pagan religions. Today many Christians are enslaved by legalism, rituals, good works, and moral achievement. Rather than bondage, at just the right time, Jesus came to redeem us, to adopt us.
These words are truly remarkable. Many of us have heard them so many times, the wonder of them has worn off, but I urge you to reflect with me.
The Creator of the universe sends Jesus to our planet who dies and resurrects for us. He ascends into heaven and sends the Holy Spirit to every believer, giving us the power to become like Jesus. That’s what “Christian” means—little Christ. Paul tells us we are God’s children. Who’s your Daddy? God!
We’ve all heard stories of children famous not because of what they’ve done, but rather their parents. The children of Jay-Z and Beyonce have been on magazine covers. Every addition to the royal family in Britain is global news. Can you imagine having a last name like Gates or Vanderbilt or Rockefeller…or Trump? Your family matters. Parents provide opportunities for their children—or not!
Now imagine what it’s like to be in God’s family! Don’t miss the last word of this text—heir. We are not only children, we have an inheritance…greater than anything Jeff Bezos or Warren Buffet could leave.
Who are you? What is the source of your identity? Your occupation? Education? Race? Social status? Member of an elite club? Political party?
If you are a follower of Jesus, you are a child of God. That must come before any other descriptor. Before American. Before evangelical. Before doctor or Toledo Rocket or even husband or mother. You are no longer a slave to sin and this world but are now a child of the most high God.
Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba , Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. (Galatians 4:6-7)
Note the Aramaic word “Abba.” In Jesus’ day, nobody would’ve addressed God as “My Father.” It would have been considered disrespectful, yet Jesus not only did it, he taught his followers to do so. He taught us to pray, “Our Father.” God was considered the Father of the nation of Israel, but never considered as father to an individual. The religious in Jesus’ day were widening the distance between man and God, something Jesus reversed. In all of Jesus’ prayers except for on the cross, Jesus uses the word “Father,” and “Abba” is the term a small child would call their father, not unlike our word for “daddy.”
Do you think of God as daddy? I do. I sometimes use the word “daddy” when I pray. Sometimes it seems weird when I’m praying out loud in a group, but I still love it when my adult kids call me daddy and, therefore, it is a meaningful, intimate word I use for God.
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you. (Galatians 4:8-11)
Paul’s so frustrated! He taught them the truth, and now they’re backsliding, believing lies about religion rather than seeking a deeper relationship with God. They know about God, but they don’t know God. Like so many throughout history, they worshiped the creature rather than the Creator. Paul feared they would return to false gods, following religion, or returning to paganism. Note as Christians we are not required to follow the Jewish calendar of festivals. The observances are not bad. In fact, they can be quite meaningful, but they are not celebrated to gain favor with God.
I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. (Galatians 4:12-14)
We don’t know much about Paul’s illness. It may have been eye trouble epilepsy, or even Malaria! Regardless, he reminds them of their time together and his delivery of the gospel, good news. Now they’ve changed their attitude, instead following the religious Judaizers.
Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? (Galatians 4:15-16)
Can you feel the tension? The angst? Paul can’t believe how these people have changed.
Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you. My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you! (Galatians 4:17-20)
He’s in a battle for the truth. Spiritual warfare is real and it is not always Christianity against Satanism. It can be religion and legalism versus grace and freedom. Again, grace and freedom do not give us license to sin. They merely remind us of our salvation, not from our works but the work of Jesus. The more we understand the work of Jesus, the more we will love God and want to obey, serve, and glory Him.
And now he contrasts Abraham’s two sons as an allegory for slavery and freedom.
Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise. (Galatians 4:21-23)
Abraham had a son through his wife Sarai’s slave, Hagar. His name was Ishmael. Later, Sarai miraculously became pregnant and gave birth to Isaac. Needless to say, the family tree and family life were complicated!
These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. (Galatians 4:24-26)
For it is written:
“Be glad, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband.” (Galatians 4:27)
Genesis 16, 17, and 21 tell us more about Ishmael and Isaac. The Galatians have become God’s children by God’s work, not theirs, just as Isaac become Abraham’s son by God’s miraculous work.
Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman. (Galatians 4:28-31)
Ishmael persecuted Isaac. Jews persecuted Christians.
So What?
First, know who you are. Know Whose you are. If you are a follower of Jesus, you are an heir of God. You have been adopted into God’s family. You are loved, cherished, and special, not because of anything you’ve done, but just because of who you are.
I often say I learned more about God the day our first child was born than any other day of my life. Parents, whether your child arrived naturally or via adoption, there’s a special bond, a unique love, a powerful commitment a mom or dad has with their son or daughter.
If I could have one with for you, church, I think it would be that you could understand just how loved you are. Paul would write to the church in Ephesus:
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17b-19)
I’ve met so many insecure Christians. Their insecurity is expressed in a variety of ways. Some are legalistic and judgmental, quick to point out the flaws of others while being unaware of the pride and self-righteousness in their hearts. Others strive for the approval of others instead of being secure in the love of their Heavenly Father. Still others take themselves so seriously that they’re easily offended. If we could be secure in God’s love for us—remember, nothing you can do can make God love you more and nothing you can do can make God love you less—I believe our lives would be so much more attractive to our broken, fear-filled, hope-starved world.
This past week I found myself in three different meetings regarding children. One discussed the problem of infant mortality, another the horror of abortion, and the third foster care and adoption. We live in a culture of death. We are entertained by violence in movies, television, and video games. Is it any wonder it appears for real in our streets and homes? Life is precious. All life. In the womb. Young. Old. Black and white. Christian, atheist, and Muslim. Gay, straight, abortion doctors, politicians, the homeless, the incarcerated, teachers, …even pastors. Ronald Reagan once said, “God’s greatest gift is human life.” God is pro-life. Are you? Prove it!
Being pro-life is far more than voting for a few people once every four years. It means caring for the least of these, treating everyone with love and respect, and protecting the unborn and the elderly and everyone in between. And it might involve getting really messy, ensuring others in our community are able to experience the abundant life Jesus promised by letting them know they are loved by God, helping them receive education, protecting them from abuse, making sure they have food and shelter, and ensuring opportunities for jobs and freedoms. By being adopted into God’s family, we’ve become heirs, given unimaginable opportunities. We can respond today by loving others as we’ve been loved by God.
Perhaps the most radical thing you can do in response to God’s love and His adopting you into His family is to consider becoming an adoptive or foster parent, beginning with free classes from Lucas County. Last Sunday’s Blade reported the dire need for families to foster and adopt. There are more than 140 more children needing foster care now than a year ago, mostly due to the opioid epidemic which is ravaging families not only in our city but especially in the suburbs.
http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2018/03/09/Wanted-Lucas-County-foster-families.html
If you can’t foster or adopt, find someone who is and help them. Is there any greater gift you can give than your home, heart, and love. We’ve been adopted into God’s family, not because we deserved it or earned it or were good people, but just because.
Are we sons of God because of creation or Christ? We were all created by God, but we become sons and daughters through Jesus who allows us to be reconciled to our Father and join His family despite our sins and failures. From slaves to sons, from rags to riches. That is truly good news!
Credits: some ideas from: D6
It's Always Been Faith, 11 March 2018
11 03 18
It’s Always Been Faith
D6 Series— By Faith Alone
Galatians 3:1-29
Series Overview: The purpose of this series from the book of Galatians is to emphasize the vital role of faith in our lives.
Big Idea: Justification has always been through faith, even in the Old Testament.
Introduction
Last week we began our four-week study of the book of Galatians. Obviously four sermons can’t begin to contain all of the riches contained within this letter from Paul to some of the early churches in what is now Turkey, which is why many of our small groups and Sunday School classes are using the D6 curriculum with content synchronized not only with many of my sermons but also our children and youth studies.
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)
Here’s the summary from last week: we are saved by faith in Jesus, not works.
Faith + nothing = salvation
Religion is the human quest to be good enough for a perfect, holy God. It always fails. Always. Whether it’s the Koran or the Old Testament Mosaic Law or even Christian traditions, none of us is perfect and, therefore, can never achieve what God requires—complete purity.
That’s why God the Father sent Jesus to live a perfect life, die for sinners like us, and rise from the dead, proving the sacrifice was sufficient.
Religion says it’s about what you do.
Jesus says it’s about what he has done.
Religion says if you behave like us and believe like us, then you can belong.
Jesus says you belong, believe, and then behave.
This past week someone told me it’s easier to live in legalism than to live in freedom. It requires no faith to follow the rules. Just obey the checklist.
Following Jesus is radically different. Freedom through Jesus means we’re not bound by rules, but rather we are granted a relationship with God and two commands which flow from knowing Christ:
Love God
Love Others
We are never to violate the teachings of the Bible, instruction meant to give life. But because our faith is based on Jesus’ work on the cross, not our good works, the pressure’s off. We were created to know and enjoy God and others. Life is all about relationships, and knowing Jesus is the most essential, life-giving, transformational relationship of all. Do you know him?
Paul, the writer of Galatians, was a Jewish leader who persecuted Christians prior to his life-changing encounter with Jesus. Many of the first Christians were trying to determine the role of the law of Moses, the Mosaic Law of 613 commands. Can a Christian eat pork? Do they have to be circumcised? What about the Sabbath? Are the standards different from Gentile and Jewish followers of Yeshua—Jesus? Religion was getting in the way of knowing and following Christ.
There’s one unfortunate thing about written communication: the lack of non-verbals. Bible translators work tirelessly to convert the original Greek of the New Testament to English. Note the intensity of Paul’s words and his rhetorical questions.
You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? (Galatians 3:1-3)
These Christians have been deceived by the Judaizers, believing circumcision and other works are necessary to know and follow Jesus. They’ve moved from freedom to legalism. Paul preached that Jesus was enough. His death on the cross offers a free and complete salvation for those who put their faith and trust in him.
Paul’s going to mention the Holy Spirit 16 times in this short book. His point here is both salvation—our justification—and sanctification—maturity to become like Jesus—are the work of the Holy Spirit. It’s a God thing!
I would love to camp out here and discuss the Holy Spirit at length as I have done in past sermons. When you get Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit. It’s a two-for-one deal. Actually, it’s a three-for-one deal because when you surrender control of your life to Jesus and put your faith in him, he reconciles you to your heavenly Father and gives you the Holy Spirit to live inside of you, giving you the power to gradually become like Jesus.
Last Sunday I said religion says
Behave
Believe
Belong
The crazy thing is even if someone wanted to behave, if they don’t believe and have the power of the Holy Spirit, they can’t behave!
The message of the gospel is reversed:
Belong
Believe
Behave
Jesus loves us and invites us into a relationship with him, to belong to his family. As we welcome people into life-giving community at First Alliance Church, many will inevitably believe simply because they see something different, something attractive about us—the Holy Spirit overflowing in us with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. Don’t you want to be around people like that? Are we people like that?
The Galatians began their spiritual journey relying on the Holy Spirit, but now they’re getting hung up on legalism, works, and their own power. As one writer notes, “As far as Paul is concerned, the Christian life starts, continues and ends in dependence on the Holy Spirit.”
Friends, ministry is a fascinating partnership between us and God. We can’t change people. We can’t make anyone trust Jesus. We can’t make anyone “behave” a certain way. We can influence others, but you cannot control another person. It’s difficult controlling one’s self! In fact, someone once said the only thing in the world you can control is your attitude. But I digress.
God is sovereign and in control. As I mentioned last week:
“It is the Holy Spirit's job to convict, God's job to judge and my job to love.” ― Billy Graham
God does the work, but He amazingly invites us to be a part of the process, to proclaim good news, to set an example of righteousness for others to follow, to love others. But the people in Galatia were still hung up on the 613 commands of the Mosaic Law.
Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Galatians 3:4-6)
They’ve seen the Holy Spirit do miracles. Lives have been transformed, including Paul’s. Healings have occurred. The early church was a pretty dynamic community, as should ours!
Paul’s point is everything flows from faith, from Jesus, from the Holy Spirit. Even Abraham—the first Jew, the first to be circumcised—was made righteous not by his works but his faith in God. He did good works, too, but they flowed from his faith, not the other way around. Abraham was justified by faith. Paul quotes Genesis 15:6 which says
Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. (Galatians 3:7-9)
Now Paul quotes Genesis 12:3, but replaces “peoples” with “nations” because “nations” meant everyone who was not a Jew. Jews and Gentiles are called children of Abraham here. This is amazing. The Jews were God’s chosen people, but Jesus allows Gentiles into the family.
For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” (Galatians 3:10-12)
Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:4
“See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright—but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness — (Habakkuk 2:4)
If you rely on the law for your justification and salvation, you must be perfect. Faith is the path to righteousness. Christ has already dealt with our sin, Hallelujah!
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. (Galatians 3:13-14)
It’s your choice, friends—religion or faith. Works or grace. The law or the cross. Jesus became a curse for us. He was our substitute. And even Gentiles can receive salvation…and the Holy Spirit, too! The book of Hebrews tells us
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
Are you getting Paul’s point?!
Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. (Galatians 3:15-16)
Christ is greater than Moses. Christ is greater than Abraham. Christ is God!
What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. (Galatians 3:17-18)
Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one. (Galatians 3:19-20)
The law exposes sin. It makes us aware of our failures and need for God, for forgiveness, for a Savior. The law is associated with sin, not salvation and justification.
Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. (Galatians 3:21-22)
One writer notes:
All that the law could do was expose sin, it could not remove it. In fact, it locked up everything under the control of sin (3:22a). It was like a doctor telling a patient, “You are sick, and I know what is wrong with you, but I don’t have any medicine that can cure you.” The medicine that was needed was the coming of Christ.
Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. (Galatians 3:23-25)
Faith in Christ shows we are becoming mature. We love God and obey God because he first loved us. Our good works are response to God’s grace and our surrender to the Holy Spirit.
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:26-29)
Friends, we are invited to become children of God, adopted into his family, born again. It doesn’t matter your age, race, language, education, or social status. These things divided people in Paul’s day much like they do today. When we put on Christ, when we wear his uniform, so to speak, we are on his team, we are related by blood…his blood. Anything that divides believers into two groups is not of God. We are one, and we are all heirs of Christ.
That is truly good news!
So What?
If you’ve never surrendered your life to Jesus, been filled with the Holy Spirit, experienced freedom and forgiveness, been born again, adopted into God’s family, it’s as simple as accepting Jesus’ invitation, his gift, trusting him.
If you have trusted Jesus, is he truly LORD of your life? Are you daily asking the Holy Spirit to fill you and transform you to be more like Jesus, loving God and loving others? Those are the simple signs of spiritual maturity, not church attendance or Bible memorization or tithing ten percent of your income, though those are good things. Our works and sanctification flow from our faith and justification, not the other way around.
Today we celebrate the freedom that comes from faith rather than religion. Paul wrote to the church in Rome
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)
Credits: some ideas from: D6, Galatians (Hippo/Africa Bible Commentary Series)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series— By Faith Alone
Galatians 3:1-29
Series Overview: The purpose of this series from the book of Galatians is to emphasize the vital role of faith in our lives.
Big Idea: Justification has always been through faith, even in the Old Testament.
Introduction
Last week we began our four-week study of the book of Galatians. Obviously four sermons can’t begin to contain all of the riches contained within this letter from Paul to some of the early churches in what is now Turkey, which is why many of our small groups and Sunday School classes are using the D6 curriculum with content synchronized not only with many of my sermons but also our children and youth studies.
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)
Here’s the summary from last week: we are saved by faith in Jesus, not works.
Faith + nothing = salvation
Religion is the human quest to be good enough for a perfect, holy God. It always fails. Always. Whether it’s the Koran or the Old Testament Mosaic Law or even Christian traditions, none of us is perfect and, therefore, can never achieve what God requires—complete purity.
That’s why God the Father sent Jesus to live a perfect life, die for sinners like us, and rise from the dead, proving the sacrifice was sufficient.
Religion says it’s about what you do.
Jesus says it’s about what he has done.
Religion says if you behave like us and believe like us, then you can belong.
Jesus says you belong, believe, and then behave.
This past week someone told me it’s easier to live in legalism than to live in freedom. It requires no faith to follow the rules. Just obey the checklist.
Following Jesus is radically different. Freedom through Jesus means we’re not bound by rules, but rather we are granted a relationship with God and two commands which flow from knowing Christ:
Love God
Love Others
We are never to violate the teachings of the Bible, instruction meant to give life. But because our faith is based on Jesus’ work on the cross, not our good works, the pressure’s off. We were created to know and enjoy God and others. Life is all about relationships, and knowing Jesus is the most essential, life-giving, transformational relationship of all. Do you know him?
Paul, the writer of Galatians, was a Jewish leader who persecuted Christians prior to his life-changing encounter with Jesus. Many of the first Christians were trying to determine the role of the law of Moses, the Mosaic Law of 613 commands. Can a Christian eat pork? Do they have to be circumcised? What about the Sabbath? Are the standards different from Gentile and Jewish followers of Yeshua—Jesus? Religion was getting in the way of knowing and following Christ.
There’s one unfortunate thing about written communication: the lack of non-verbals. Bible translators work tirelessly to convert the original Greek of the New Testament to English. Note the intensity of Paul’s words and his rhetorical questions.
You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? (Galatians 3:1-3)
These Christians have been deceived by the Judaizers, believing circumcision and other works are necessary to know and follow Jesus. They’ve moved from freedom to legalism. Paul preached that Jesus was enough. His death on the cross offers a free and complete salvation for those who put their faith and trust in him.
Paul’s going to mention the Holy Spirit 16 times in this short book. His point here is both salvation—our justification—and sanctification—maturity to become like Jesus—are the work of the Holy Spirit. It’s a God thing!
I would love to camp out here and discuss the Holy Spirit at length as I have done in past sermons. When you get Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit. It’s a two-for-one deal. Actually, it’s a three-for-one deal because when you surrender control of your life to Jesus and put your faith in him, he reconciles you to your heavenly Father and gives you the Holy Spirit to live inside of you, giving you the power to gradually become like Jesus.
Last Sunday I said religion says
Behave
Believe
Belong
The crazy thing is even if someone wanted to behave, if they don’t believe and have the power of the Holy Spirit, they can’t behave!
The message of the gospel is reversed:
Belong
Believe
Behave
Jesus loves us and invites us into a relationship with him, to belong to his family. As we welcome people into life-giving community at First Alliance Church, many will inevitably believe simply because they see something different, something attractive about us—the Holy Spirit overflowing in us with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. Don’t you want to be around people like that? Are we people like that?
The Galatians began their spiritual journey relying on the Holy Spirit, but now they’re getting hung up on legalism, works, and their own power. As one writer notes, “As far as Paul is concerned, the Christian life starts, continues and ends in dependence on the Holy Spirit.”
Friends, ministry is a fascinating partnership between us and God. We can’t change people. We can’t make anyone trust Jesus. We can’t make anyone “behave” a certain way. We can influence others, but you cannot control another person. It’s difficult controlling one’s self! In fact, someone once said the only thing in the world you can control is your attitude. But I digress.
God is sovereign and in control. As I mentioned last week:
“It is the Holy Spirit's job to convict, God's job to judge and my job to love.” ― Billy Graham
God does the work, but He amazingly invites us to be a part of the process, to proclaim good news, to set an example of righteousness for others to follow, to love others. But the people in Galatia were still hung up on the 613 commands of the Mosaic Law.
Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Galatians 3:4-6)
They’ve seen the Holy Spirit do miracles. Lives have been transformed, including Paul’s. Healings have occurred. The early church was a pretty dynamic community, as should ours!
Paul’s point is everything flows from faith, from Jesus, from the Holy Spirit. Even Abraham—the first Jew, the first to be circumcised—was made righteous not by his works but his faith in God. He did good works, too, but they flowed from his faith, not the other way around. Abraham was justified by faith. Paul quotes Genesis 15:6 which says
Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. (Galatians 3:7-9)
Now Paul quotes Genesis 12:3, but replaces “peoples” with “nations” because “nations” meant everyone who was not a Jew. Jews and Gentiles are called children of Abraham here. This is amazing. The Jews were God’s chosen people, but Jesus allows Gentiles into the family.
For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” (Galatians 3:10-12)
Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:4
“See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright—but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness — (Habakkuk 2:4)
If you rely on the law for your justification and salvation, you must be perfect. Faith is the path to righteousness. Christ has already dealt with our sin, Hallelujah!
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. (Galatians 3:13-14)
It’s your choice, friends—religion or faith. Works or grace. The law or the cross. Jesus became a curse for us. He was our substitute. And even Gentiles can receive salvation…and the Holy Spirit, too! The book of Hebrews tells us
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
Are you getting Paul’s point?!
Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. (Galatians 3:15-16)
Christ is greater than Moses. Christ is greater than Abraham. Christ is God!
What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. (Galatians 3:17-18)
Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one. (Galatians 3:19-20)
The law exposes sin. It makes us aware of our failures and need for God, for forgiveness, for a Savior. The law is associated with sin, not salvation and justification.
Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. (Galatians 3:21-22)
One writer notes:
All that the law could do was expose sin, it could not remove it. In fact, it locked up everything under the control of sin (3:22a). It was like a doctor telling a patient, “You are sick, and I know what is wrong with you, but I don’t have any medicine that can cure you.” The medicine that was needed was the coming of Christ.
Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. (Galatians 3:23-25)
Faith in Christ shows we are becoming mature. We love God and obey God because he first loved us. Our good works are response to God’s grace and our surrender to the Holy Spirit.
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:26-29)
Friends, we are invited to become children of God, adopted into his family, born again. It doesn’t matter your age, race, language, education, or social status. These things divided people in Paul’s day much like they do today. When we put on Christ, when we wear his uniform, so to speak, we are on his team, we are related by blood…his blood. Anything that divides believers into two groups is not of God. We are one, and we are all heirs of Christ.
That is truly good news!
So What?
If you’ve never surrendered your life to Jesus, been filled with the Holy Spirit, experienced freedom and forgiveness, been born again, adopted into God’s family, it’s as simple as accepting Jesus’ invitation, his gift, trusting him.
If you have trusted Jesus, is he truly LORD of your life? Are you daily asking the Holy Spirit to fill you and transform you to be more like Jesus, loving God and loving others? Those are the simple signs of spiritual maturity, not church attendance or Bible memorization or tithing ten percent of your income, though those are good things. Our works and sanctification flow from our faith and justification, not the other way around.
Today we celebrate the freedom that comes from faith rather than religion. Paul wrote to the church in Rome
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)
Credits: some ideas from: D6, Galatians (Hippo/Africa Bible Commentary Series)
One Way, 4 March 2018
05 03 18
One Way
D6 Series— By Faith Alone
Galatians 1:1-12; 2:15-21
Series Overview: The purpose of this series from the book of Galatians is to emphasize the vital role of faith in our lives.
Big Idea: Despite claims to the contrary, Jesus is the only way to God, not works or religion.
Introduction
Today we begin not only a new series but a new church-wide curriculum designed to take us strategically through the entire Bible over the next six years. D6 is based upon the Deuteronomy 6 command to teach God’s Word to one’s children:
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
At First Alliance, we believe the Bible is God’s timeless Word, our source of authority, and a living, breathing document guiding us to know and love God and others. We want to know and follow God’s commandments, teaching them to future generations. The free Mission 119 app, Right Now Media, our Sunday gatherings, our small groups, and our children’s and student ministries are all grounded on the Holy Bible.
D6 is synchronizing the subject of our sermons with our children, youth, and many of our small groups. Parents, we’re going to explore the same scriptures your kids are studying today, and if you’re in one of our midweek small groups using D6, don’t sleep during my sermon! I’m going to feed you God’s Word and your group will be a great place to digest it, so to speak, interacting with the text and letting the Bible transform you from the inside out to become more like Jesus, our example for what it means to be human.
This month we’ll look at the New Testament book of Galatians. In April, we will examine several of the Old Testament Psalms. May will include a study of various attributes of God. Our series on Galatians is entitled, “By Faith Alone.” Before we look at today’s text, it’s important for us to understand what we’re reading. Context is vital when reading the Bible—or anything, for that matter.
Paul is a brilliantly educated man who was so committed to Judaism, he was a part of the execution of Christians…until Jesus miraculously introduced Himself to the man then known as Saul. Because God has a sense of humor, this Christian-hater became one of the most devoted and influential Christ-followers in history, writing many books of the Bible including this epistle or letter to a group of churches in a region called Galatia around AD 50, most likely when Nero is Emperor of Rome.
The Christian faith was relatively young. Jesus had arrived, died, resurrected, and ascended into heaven and the early church was trying to figure out what it meant for both Jews and Gentiles to follow Jesus. Many false teachers were polluting Jesus’ message. Some things never change! Paul begins
Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—and all the brothers and sisters with me,
To the churches in Galatia: (Galatians 1:1-2)
Paul begins by defending his authority as an apostle, a term that in Greek means “one who is sent.” He had seen Jesus and experienced a remarkable transformation as a result. His authority comes from Jesus and God the Father who raised Christ from the dead.
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Galatians 1:3-5)
Jesus gave himself for our sins. He died for you and me. Hallelujah!
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse! (Galatians 1:6-9)
We recently talked about this word “gospel.” It means good news. In a word, the gospel is Jesus. In three, Jesus is LORD. Paul’s astonished, he marvels at people turning to a different gospel. He uses strong language. What’s going on here?
It might be helpful to look back. The Mosaic Law was a group of 613 commands, 365 negative and 248 positive. These Old Testament regulations covered moral, social, and ceremonial matters. Much controversy in the early church surrounded the relevance of Jewish laws upon Gentile Christians…and even Jewish Christians, for that matter. Paul writes later in Galatians:
For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14)
Prior to the coming of the Messiah and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, obedience to God centered on the Mosaic Law. Jesus said
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (Matthew 5:17)
The people in Galatia were beginning to think their salvation came from their works, their good deeds, following the law, something only Jesus was able to do perfectly. Paul’s message is simple: there’s one way to salvation and that’s through Jesus.
False teachers begin by causing confusion. Then they try to get one to leave their faith, and then they introduce a perverted gospel. In Galatia, the false teachers told Gentiles to become Jews. They added religion and works to the requirements, but Paul is saying faith in Christ alone is what is required to be accepted by God. In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul wrote
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Works will come, but they are they flow from our relationship with God, they don’t establish it.
We are saved by grace through faith, a gift from God for us to accept.
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10)
Throughout history, many have tried to please people rather than God. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz started the AO1 Foundation “to demonstrate the love of God by providing opportunities and support for the less fortunate and those in need.” What I love about AO1 besides the mission is the meaning of AO1: Audience of One.
Every day we can choose to follow the world or follow God. What will you do today? What will you do tomorrow?
Clearly Paul is trying to establish his authority over the false teachers.
I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:11-12)
I wish we had time to cover the entire text, but jump to the next chapter, Galatians 2:15. Here Paul addresses the lies of works for salvation after a sharp disagreement with Peter regarding circumcision for the Gentiles and the simplicity of the gospel.
“We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. (Galatians 2:15-16)
Justified is a legal term meaning “to declare righteous,” the opposite of condemnation. We are all condemned sinners but we can be justified by faith in Jesus Christ. Unless you’re perfect, your good works will not be enough to satisfy God’s judgment. Only faith in Jesus can do that.
Paul abandoned some Jewish observances, causing alarm among the religious.
“But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker. (Galatians 2:17-18)
God’s grace doesn’t mean we are encouraged to sin. Quite the opposite. In fact, the more we understand God’s grace and sacrifice for us, the more we want to obey God and live lives that bring Him honor and glory. If our emphasis is on doing good things, the temptation to be arrogant, judgmental, and self-righteous like the Pharisees in Jesus’ day is staggering. If our focus is on Jesus and what he has done for us and our desperate need for his mercy, his kindness will lead us to repentance and righteousness.
“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Galatians 2:19-21)
When we trust Jesus, we participate in his victory over sin.
Let me make this as simple as I possibly can:
1. Jesus died to pay the price of our sins and bring us abundant life now and eternal life with God beyond the grave.
2. It’s all about Jesus. You can’t get to heaven—or experience the ultimate life now—without Jesus.
3. With all due respect to other religions, our faith is unique in that it’s not what we do but what Jesus did that gives us life. If there were other ways to know God, Jesus would’ve gladly skipped the cross and let us earn salvation through our good works.
4. Jesus is the way, the one way to God. Jesus is the way, the one way to God.
D6 Doorposts: The fact that no one can earn justification through works of the Law demonstrates that I cannot save myself; I need a Savior. God offers salvation and forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ.
So What?
A few days ago, I met two twentysomething men at the UpTown Association Annual Meeting. I told them I hate organized religion—which often gets a response, especially after I told them I’m a pastor! I said, “I’m all about Jesus, but I hate religion.”
Some church people have told me, “That’s a little harsh.” But the recent Mission 119 study of the book of Luke has reminded me of Jesus’ attitude toward the religious people who piled rules and regulations upon people, missing the point of God’s quest for a relationship with us. I’m reminded of these precious words from the late Billy Graham:
“It is the Holy Spirit's job to convict, God's job to judge and my job to love.” ― Billy Graham
Love the sinner and hate your own sin!
Religion is all about humans trying to earn God’s favor. Faith in Jesus demands we confess our sins, repent, and receive God’s amazing grace through Jesus. The cross was enough!
Essentially our text for today is Paul’s attack on religion. It’s all about Jesus, not our good works.
Some things never change. It never ceases to amaze me how many people will take tradition and culture and turn them into idols. In Paul’s day, it was eating kosher and circumcision, among other things.
Tragically, we have sent a message to our culture that we’re against everything.
We’re against abortion.
We’re against smoking.
We’re against drinking.
We’re against swearing.
Now I’m not saying I encourage those things, but I just wonder how often we add things to the gospel. And what if we became known for what we are for? We are for life, love, peace, joy, kindness, goodness, generosity…people!
As I’ve said before, religion says
Behave
Believe
Belong
Do the right things (or appear to do the right things), believe like us, and then you can belong.
Jesus reversed it time and time again. I was reminded of this several times during our Mission 119 study of Luke.
Belong
Believe
Behave
The message I long to send to our city is, “You belong here.” Jesus welcomed everyone into a relationship with him…and the Father. “Come as you are…but don’t stay that way” might be another way to say it since we are all called to grow, mature, and follow Jesus.
When people feel loved and belonging, the gospel becomes almost irresistible. Jesus saw it and I’ve seen it…people belong and want to believe. They ask the reason for the hope we have. Few in our post-Christian culture will respond to megaphone-touting street preachers, but when we are in relationship with people far from God, our faith will leak. If we live lives worth following, belonging will lead to belief. People begin their journey of following Jesus…and get the Holy Spirit who then gives them the power to behave.
When we focus on the external behavior without the power of the Holy Spirit, it’s almost impossible for someone to change. When the focus is on belonging, belief and behavior will follow.
So here’s the challenge: do you have a relationship with an unchurched person? Let me be more specific: have you shared a meal or coffee with a non-Christian in the past six months? I don't mean a religious conversation; just a simple friendship.
If not, perhaps legalism and religion have kept you from engaging with people Jesus died to save. It’s not by your good works or theirs that salvation is achieved. It’s only by God’s grace and the work of Jesus on the cross. That’s good news…and good news needs to be shared!
If you’ve never trusted Jesus with your life, why not begin today? He loves you and proved it by dying for you. You can try to earn your way into God’s favor, but you’ll never succeed because we’re all sinners. Jesus died so we can live! You can’t save yourself. We need a Savior and that’s why we love and worship Jesus.
Credits: some ideas from: D6, Galatians (Hippo/Africa Bible Commentary Series)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series— By Faith Alone
Galatians 1:1-12; 2:15-21
Series Overview: The purpose of this series from the book of Galatians is to emphasize the vital role of faith in our lives.
Big Idea: Despite claims to the contrary, Jesus is the only way to God, not works or religion.
Introduction
Today we begin not only a new series but a new church-wide curriculum designed to take us strategically through the entire Bible over the next six years. D6 is based upon the Deuteronomy 6 command to teach God’s Word to one’s children:
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
At First Alliance, we believe the Bible is God’s timeless Word, our source of authority, and a living, breathing document guiding us to know and love God and others. We want to know and follow God’s commandments, teaching them to future generations. The free Mission 119 app, Right Now Media, our Sunday gatherings, our small groups, and our children’s and student ministries are all grounded on the Holy Bible.
D6 is synchronizing the subject of our sermons with our children, youth, and many of our small groups. Parents, we’re going to explore the same scriptures your kids are studying today, and if you’re in one of our midweek small groups using D6, don’t sleep during my sermon! I’m going to feed you God’s Word and your group will be a great place to digest it, so to speak, interacting with the text and letting the Bible transform you from the inside out to become more like Jesus, our example for what it means to be human.
This month we’ll look at the New Testament book of Galatians. In April, we will examine several of the Old Testament Psalms. May will include a study of various attributes of God. Our series on Galatians is entitled, “By Faith Alone.” Before we look at today’s text, it’s important for us to understand what we’re reading. Context is vital when reading the Bible—or anything, for that matter.
Paul is a brilliantly educated man who was so committed to Judaism, he was a part of the execution of Christians…until Jesus miraculously introduced Himself to the man then known as Saul. Because God has a sense of humor, this Christian-hater became one of the most devoted and influential Christ-followers in history, writing many books of the Bible including this epistle or letter to a group of churches in a region called Galatia around AD 50, most likely when Nero is Emperor of Rome.
The Christian faith was relatively young. Jesus had arrived, died, resurrected, and ascended into heaven and the early church was trying to figure out what it meant for both Jews and Gentiles to follow Jesus. Many false teachers were polluting Jesus’ message. Some things never change! Paul begins
Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—and all the brothers and sisters with me,
To the churches in Galatia: (Galatians 1:1-2)
Paul begins by defending his authority as an apostle, a term that in Greek means “one who is sent.” He had seen Jesus and experienced a remarkable transformation as a result. His authority comes from Jesus and God the Father who raised Christ from the dead.
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Galatians 1:3-5)
Jesus gave himself for our sins. He died for you and me. Hallelujah!
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse! (Galatians 1:6-9)
We recently talked about this word “gospel.” It means good news. In a word, the gospel is Jesus. In three, Jesus is LORD. Paul’s astonished, he marvels at people turning to a different gospel. He uses strong language. What’s going on here?
It might be helpful to look back. The Mosaic Law was a group of 613 commands, 365 negative and 248 positive. These Old Testament regulations covered moral, social, and ceremonial matters. Much controversy in the early church surrounded the relevance of Jewish laws upon Gentile Christians…and even Jewish Christians, for that matter. Paul writes later in Galatians:
For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14)
Prior to the coming of the Messiah and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, obedience to God centered on the Mosaic Law. Jesus said
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (Matthew 5:17)
The people in Galatia were beginning to think their salvation came from their works, their good deeds, following the law, something only Jesus was able to do perfectly. Paul’s message is simple: there’s one way to salvation and that’s through Jesus.
False teachers begin by causing confusion. Then they try to get one to leave their faith, and then they introduce a perverted gospel. In Galatia, the false teachers told Gentiles to become Jews. They added religion and works to the requirements, but Paul is saying faith in Christ alone is what is required to be accepted by God. In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul wrote
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Works will come, but they are they flow from our relationship with God, they don’t establish it.
We are saved by grace through faith, a gift from God for us to accept.
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10)
Throughout history, many have tried to please people rather than God. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz started the AO1 Foundation “to demonstrate the love of God by providing opportunities and support for the less fortunate and those in need.” What I love about AO1 besides the mission is the meaning of AO1: Audience of One.
Every day we can choose to follow the world or follow God. What will you do today? What will you do tomorrow?
Clearly Paul is trying to establish his authority over the false teachers.
I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:11-12)
I wish we had time to cover the entire text, but jump to the next chapter, Galatians 2:15. Here Paul addresses the lies of works for salvation after a sharp disagreement with Peter regarding circumcision for the Gentiles and the simplicity of the gospel.
“We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. (Galatians 2:15-16)
Justified is a legal term meaning “to declare righteous,” the opposite of condemnation. We are all condemned sinners but we can be justified by faith in Jesus Christ. Unless you’re perfect, your good works will not be enough to satisfy God’s judgment. Only faith in Jesus can do that.
Paul abandoned some Jewish observances, causing alarm among the religious.
“But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker. (Galatians 2:17-18)
God’s grace doesn’t mean we are encouraged to sin. Quite the opposite. In fact, the more we understand God’s grace and sacrifice for us, the more we want to obey God and live lives that bring Him honor and glory. If our emphasis is on doing good things, the temptation to be arrogant, judgmental, and self-righteous like the Pharisees in Jesus’ day is staggering. If our focus is on Jesus and what he has done for us and our desperate need for his mercy, his kindness will lead us to repentance and righteousness.
“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Galatians 2:19-21)
When we trust Jesus, we participate in his victory over sin.
Let me make this as simple as I possibly can:
1. Jesus died to pay the price of our sins and bring us abundant life now and eternal life with God beyond the grave.
2. It’s all about Jesus. You can’t get to heaven—or experience the ultimate life now—without Jesus.
3. With all due respect to other religions, our faith is unique in that it’s not what we do but what Jesus did that gives us life. If there were other ways to know God, Jesus would’ve gladly skipped the cross and let us earn salvation through our good works.
4. Jesus is the way, the one way to God. Jesus is the way, the one way to God.
D6 Doorposts: The fact that no one can earn justification through works of the Law demonstrates that I cannot save myself; I need a Savior. God offers salvation and forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ.
So What?
A few days ago, I met two twentysomething men at the UpTown Association Annual Meeting. I told them I hate organized religion—which often gets a response, especially after I told them I’m a pastor! I said, “I’m all about Jesus, but I hate religion.”
Some church people have told me, “That’s a little harsh.” But the recent Mission 119 study of the book of Luke has reminded me of Jesus’ attitude toward the religious people who piled rules and regulations upon people, missing the point of God’s quest for a relationship with us. I’m reminded of these precious words from the late Billy Graham:
“It is the Holy Spirit's job to convict, God's job to judge and my job to love.” ― Billy Graham
Love the sinner and hate your own sin!
Religion is all about humans trying to earn God’s favor. Faith in Jesus demands we confess our sins, repent, and receive God’s amazing grace through Jesus. The cross was enough!
Essentially our text for today is Paul’s attack on religion. It’s all about Jesus, not our good works.
Some things never change. It never ceases to amaze me how many people will take tradition and culture and turn them into idols. In Paul’s day, it was eating kosher and circumcision, among other things.
Tragically, we have sent a message to our culture that we’re against everything.
We’re against abortion.
We’re against smoking.
We’re against drinking.
We’re against swearing.
Now I’m not saying I encourage those things, but I just wonder how often we add things to the gospel. And what if we became known for what we are for? We are for life, love, peace, joy, kindness, goodness, generosity…people!
As I’ve said before, religion says
Behave
Believe
Belong
Do the right things (or appear to do the right things), believe like us, and then you can belong.
Jesus reversed it time and time again. I was reminded of this several times during our Mission 119 study of Luke.
Belong
Believe
Behave
The message I long to send to our city is, “You belong here.” Jesus welcomed everyone into a relationship with him…and the Father. “Come as you are…but don’t stay that way” might be another way to say it since we are all called to grow, mature, and follow Jesus.
When people feel loved and belonging, the gospel becomes almost irresistible. Jesus saw it and I’ve seen it…people belong and want to believe. They ask the reason for the hope we have. Few in our post-Christian culture will respond to megaphone-touting street preachers, but when we are in relationship with people far from God, our faith will leak. If we live lives worth following, belonging will lead to belief. People begin their journey of following Jesus…and get the Holy Spirit who then gives them the power to behave.
When we focus on the external behavior without the power of the Holy Spirit, it’s almost impossible for someone to change. When the focus is on belonging, belief and behavior will follow.
So here’s the challenge: do you have a relationship with an unchurched person? Let me be more specific: have you shared a meal or coffee with a non-Christian in the past six months? I don't mean a religious conversation; just a simple friendship.
If not, perhaps legalism and religion have kept you from engaging with people Jesus died to save. It’s not by your good works or theirs that salvation is achieved. It’s only by God’s grace and the work of Jesus on the cross. That’s good news…and good news needs to be shared!
If you’ve never trusted Jesus with your life, why not begin today? He loves you and proved it by dying for you. You can try to earn your way into God’s favor, but you’ll never succeed because we’re all sinners. Jesus died so we can live! You can’t save yourself. We need a Savior and that’s why we love and worship Jesus.
Credits: some ideas from: D6, Galatians (Hippo/Africa Bible Commentary Series)
Jesus is our Healer, 18 February 2018
18 02 18
Jesus is our Healer
Series— The Gospel Truth
James 5:13-15
Series Overview: The purpose of this series is to distinguish between the biblical gospel and the various misunderstandings of the word, specifically the difference between Jesus as Savior and Lord. We will use the Fourfold Gospel as our outline.
Big Idea: Jesus still heals, even if it’s not always on our timetable.
We live in a broken world. There are wars. There are famines. There are hurricanes and natural disasters. There are bankruptcies and divorce and homelessness and hatred and hopelessness. There is disease.
We’ve come a long way from the Garden of Eden where God repeatedly saw that our world was good. Since sin entered our world, each of us has been in need of healing of one kind or another. As we live between the first and second coming of Christ, we neither experience perfection nor despair in this life, knowing that Jesus is our healer.
We’re in week three of a four-week series called The Gospel Truth. We said “gospel” means “good news” and in a word, the gospel is Jesus. In three, the gospel is Jesus is LORD. We are invited into the story, but first and foremost the gospel is all about Jesus. The Bible is all about Jesus. Our church is all about Jesus.
In week one, we examined Jesus as our Savior. He came to earth, died on the cross to reconcile us to God and forgive our sins, and he continues to seek and save the lost.
In week two, we looked as Jesus as our Sanctifier, setting us apart from sin and to God. Even the most mature Christian is still a work in progress, ideally becoming more like Jesus each day.
Today we look at perhaps the most controversial of the Fourfold Gospel components of A.B. Simpson, our church’s founder. Jesus is our Healer.
We could easily do a series on healing, but for now we’ll try to cover some of the most common questions related to healing.
What is healing?
Often the first thing people think of when it comes to healing is physical. When we are physically sick, we often take medicine or go to the doctor. God heals through medicine. God heals through doctors. In fact, the writer of the books of Luke and Acts in the Bible was a doctor. Some religions frown upon such things, often to their own detriment. I, for one, am grateful for medicine and doctors, but when someone is physically sick, ideally the first doctor to consult is Jesus.
Our bodies are not the only thing in need of healing. Often our finances are a mess. God cares about our material needs—don’t forget he fed thousands of people on more than one occasion—and I can tell you many stories of God providing for me and my family in miraculous ways. Of course, running up your credit buying a new luxury car and the biggest TV you can fit inside it might not create the optimal conditions for God to bless you with unexpected wealth! But with the help of wise counsel such as Dave Ramsey, I’ve seen God do great healing in the area of finances.
Sometimes we find our relationships in need of healing, especially marriages. God is available to reverse the path to divorce, and I’ve seen it many times. It rarely occurs instantly, but God uses many resources—including Christian counselors—to heal relationships.
Perhaps the most controversial of healings involves mental and emotional brokenness. Earlier this month a prominent Christian leader posted this on Twitter:
We will find mental health when we stop staring in the mirror, and fix our eyes on the strength and beauty of God.
Good grief! That sounds so spiritual, but it amazes me how many people will see a doctor for the flu or cancer, yet ignore their mental health.
Why am I sick?
Now let me stop and say we often have a role in our brokenness…and healing. Driving drunk, running into a tree, blaming God for your broken neck, and demanding an instant healing might not be the most responsible thing to do! In the same way, there are mental and emotional and financial and relational illnesses we cause, exacerbate, or extend.
But sometimes our condition is not our fault. It’s not necessarily God’s, either. It may be the result of living in a sinful word. For example, if someone else’s drunk driving caused your neck to break, the pain would be just as real, but the blame far different.
In Jesus’ day, it was assumed the sick were that way due to their own sin. One time a man blind from birth was brought to Jesus with this question:
“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. (John 9:2b-3)
Sickness often is the result of sin—Adam’s, ours, or that of others. Sometimes God allows satan to make us sick, as is the case of Job. In trials, we learn and grow in ways we could never otherwise experience. When we are sick, we must seek God’s will even while we beg God for healing.
But sickness is not necessarily the result of your sin. Your depression might have something to do with watching Fox News all day, comparing your body to Photoshopped magazine models, or refusing help or friendship from loving people concerned about you. But it also may stem from brain chemistry, childhood trauma, or abuse. Ignoring pain rarely heals and often makes things worse, whether it’s a toothache or a heart ache. We are to…
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
Each of those areas can be broken…and healed. Sometimes it’s instant. Usually it involves time…and the help of others.
Because Jesus cared for the whole person, not just the spiritual, we want to do the same.
We care about your physical health. We partner with Cherry Street to serve meals, have outings to promote fitness, and are even shopping for Purell for the lobby!
We care about your relational health. Married People and Parents’ Night Out are just two of the tools we have to strengthen families.
We care about your financial health. This is an extremely generous church and we have blessed countless people with assistance in the midst of true crisis. We have and I hope will again offer Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University.
We care about your mental and emotional health, too. In April, we are launching Celebrate Recovery, a biblical and balanced program that helps us overcome our hurts, hang-ups, and habits. It is based on the actual words of Jesus rather than psychological theory and has brought healing to countless people worldwide.
Did Jesus Heal?
This question sounds basic, but the answer is yes. The Bible is filled with accounts of miracles, including healing for the blind, lame, sick, and even dead! We could spend all morning reading accounts of Jesus’ miracles, many witnessed by crowds of people.
Why did Jesus heal?
Jesus healed for several reasons. He did it to show his compassion and love. Miracles authenticated the message of Jesus…and the Messenger. Healing proved his authority to forgive sin. Also, the physical healings proved He is the LORD of our whole lives, not just the spiritual. God created you heart, soul, mind, and body…and He cares about all dimensions of your life.
Does Jesus heal today?
Absolutely. But first, a question: do you want to be healed?
One of the most fascinating stories in the Bible involves Jesus encounter with a man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.
When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6)
‘Ya gotta wanna, and some people don’t want to be healed. They can’t imagine life without their addiction, their ailment, their disease. It seems obvious to everyone around them but they are unwilling to take the necessary steps to get well, be it prayer, asking for help, calling a Christian counselor, visiting a doctor, or attending a seminar.
We live in this space between Jesus’ first visit to our planet and his promised return. The kingdom of God is coming, but it’s also here right now. There are brilliant moments when heaven touches earth. Jesus taught us to pray, “On earth as it is in heaven.” Healings here are a kind of down payment on what is to come, the now and the not yet. We have something but not everything that will someday be ours. This applies to health, too.
Some have suggested miracles ceased when Jesus ascended into heaven, perhaps based on their own disappointments with God and his failure to respond to their prayers as they desire. Jesus himself told his friends,
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
Here's an excerpt from the Alliance Statement of Faith:
Provision is made in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ for the healing of the mortal body.(25) Prayer for the sick and anointing with oil are taught in the Scriptures and are privileges for the Church in this present age.(26)
[25] Matthew 8:16–17, [26] James 5:13–16
The power to heal comes from Jesus. We do not believe in faith healing. We are called to exercise faith in Christ, but any healing power is from God. When God chooses to heal, payments to televangelists are not required! You don’t have to be in a special place or do special things except ask. Jesus healed in a variety of ways, sometimes even healing people who were not in his presence.
The purpose of divine healing is to glorify Jesus. God loves us, but His glory is the top priority, not our happiness. We ask in faith…and wait. Sometimes we wait for moments, others for years.
Pastor and author Mark Batterson recently announced miraculous healing in his body after forty years of prayer. Forty years! That’s perseverance. That’s patience! He had severe asthma, unable to go a day without his inhaler for four decades until he realized a day had passed…and then several days…and then weeks and months. He even ran a marathon!
God’s timing is perfect and can be trusted, even when it’s so different from our timing. Mary and Martha wanted Jesus to heal their brother, Lazarus. Jesus waited…until Lazarus had died, yet Jesus was glorified by raising Lazarus from the dead.
Jesus is glorified in Mark Batterson’s healing from asthma.
Jesus is glorified when we are healed.
It’s all about Jesus!
What if I’m not healed?
It’s great to hear stories about healing, but what about those unanswered prayers?
I believe many times healing doesn’t occur is because we simply don’t ask. How many times have you had a headache and grabbed the medicine bottle before praying? I do it all the time! Again, God can and does use medicine and doctors, but He is also able to do the miraculous.
But what happens when you do pray and nothing seems to happen? Don’t give up. On New Year’s Eve, we heard Carol tell of God bringing relief to her migraines after 25 years, and even then they are not fully cured. Why would God allow her to suffer? Why does she still suffer? Why relief after 25 years? Only God knows. It’s often hard to understand how God can love us, be sovereign and in control, and yet allow us to suffer.
Paul, the man who wrote much of the New Testament, never received the healing he sought. He wrote of his thorn in the flesh
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)
Our family spent nine years in five states getting help for our daughter. I can’t tell you how many prayers I prayed, how many times I asked, “Why?” She is doing well today but is far from “cured.” Looking back, we can see how God used her dreadful health to do great things, but it was a long, awful process. That’s why God provides us with family, spiritual siblings to pray, encourage, support, and heal. I know this: God can be trusted…and He can handle all of your questions and doubts, too. Honest to God.
But maybe after decades of prayers, your healing will finally come today.
So What?
Are you in need of healing today? Jesus’ half brother wrote these words:
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. (James 5:13-15)
Each Sunday our elders make themselves available to pray over you and anoint you with oil. We have invited other church members to join them in prayer to be a blessing to you. While elders possess spiritual authority, all followers of Jesus have access to the healing power and authority of Jesus Christ. We simply must ask.
We have seen God heal through these prayers. We celebrate when he says, “Yes” to our requests for healing and would love to pray for you.
We have also seen God say, “No” or “wait.” We don’t know why, but his timing is perfect. It is during that waiting that we often experience the most growth.
Remember, all healing is temporary. If you get over a cold, there’s no guarantee you will never have another cold. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, but he ultimately died again. As long as we live in this world, we will have troubles of various kinds—physical, emotional, relational, financial, spiritual…but even in the most dire of situations there is hope with Jesus who said
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
In this life, all healing is temporary. Not matter how many times we may experience transformation, we will all someday die…and followers of Jesus are promised eternity with him and new, resurrected bodies. Hallelujah! One day
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
Until then, let’s pray for one another, mourn with those who mourn, grieve with those who grieve, find ways to serve one another, and invite God’s power to come and heal.
Credits: Some ideas from A.B. Simpson and John Soper.
For the Alliance statement regarding Jesus our Healer:
https://www.cmalliance.org/about/beliefs/healer
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— The Gospel Truth
James 5:13-15
Series Overview: The purpose of this series is to distinguish between the biblical gospel and the various misunderstandings of the word, specifically the difference between Jesus as Savior and Lord. We will use the Fourfold Gospel as our outline.
Big Idea: Jesus still heals, even if it’s not always on our timetable.
We live in a broken world. There are wars. There are famines. There are hurricanes and natural disasters. There are bankruptcies and divorce and homelessness and hatred and hopelessness. There is disease.
We’ve come a long way from the Garden of Eden where God repeatedly saw that our world was good. Since sin entered our world, each of us has been in need of healing of one kind or another. As we live between the first and second coming of Christ, we neither experience perfection nor despair in this life, knowing that Jesus is our healer.
We’re in week three of a four-week series called The Gospel Truth. We said “gospel” means “good news” and in a word, the gospel is Jesus. In three, the gospel is Jesus is LORD. We are invited into the story, but first and foremost the gospel is all about Jesus. The Bible is all about Jesus. Our church is all about Jesus.
In week one, we examined Jesus as our Savior. He came to earth, died on the cross to reconcile us to God and forgive our sins, and he continues to seek and save the lost.
In week two, we looked as Jesus as our Sanctifier, setting us apart from sin and to God. Even the most mature Christian is still a work in progress, ideally becoming more like Jesus each day.
Today we look at perhaps the most controversial of the Fourfold Gospel components of A.B. Simpson, our church’s founder. Jesus is our Healer.
We could easily do a series on healing, but for now we’ll try to cover some of the most common questions related to healing.
What is healing?
Often the first thing people think of when it comes to healing is physical. When we are physically sick, we often take medicine or go to the doctor. God heals through medicine. God heals through doctors. In fact, the writer of the books of Luke and Acts in the Bible was a doctor. Some religions frown upon such things, often to their own detriment. I, for one, am grateful for medicine and doctors, but when someone is physically sick, ideally the first doctor to consult is Jesus.
Our bodies are not the only thing in need of healing. Often our finances are a mess. God cares about our material needs—don’t forget he fed thousands of people on more than one occasion—and I can tell you many stories of God providing for me and my family in miraculous ways. Of course, running up your credit buying a new luxury car and the biggest TV you can fit inside it might not create the optimal conditions for God to bless you with unexpected wealth! But with the help of wise counsel such as Dave Ramsey, I’ve seen God do great healing in the area of finances.
Sometimes we find our relationships in need of healing, especially marriages. God is available to reverse the path to divorce, and I’ve seen it many times. It rarely occurs instantly, but God uses many resources—including Christian counselors—to heal relationships.
Perhaps the most controversial of healings involves mental and emotional brokenness. Earlier this month a prominent Christian leader posted this on Twitter:
We will find mental health when we stop staring in the mirror, and fix our eyes on the strength and beauty of God.
Good grief! That sounds so spiritual, but it amazes me how many people will see a doctor for the flu or cancer, yet ignore their mental health.
Why am I sick?
Now let me stop and say we often have a role in our brokenness…and healing. Driving drunk, running into a tree, blaming God for your broken neck, and demanding an instant healing might not be the most responsible thing to do! In the same way, there are mental and emotional and financial and relational illnesses we cause, exacerbate, or extend.
But sometimes our condition is not our fault. It’s not necessarily God’s, either. It may be the result of living in a sinful word. For example, if someone else’s drunk driving caused your neck to break, the pain would be just as real, but the blame far different.
In Jesus’ day, it was assumed the sick were that way due to their own sin. One time a man blind from birth was brought to Jesus with this question:
“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. (John 9:2b-3)
Sickness often is the result of sin—Adam’s, ours, or that of others. Sometimes God allows satan to make us sick, as is the case of Job. In trials, we learn and grow in ways we could never otherwise experience. When we are sick, we must seek God’s will even while we beg God for healing.
But sickness is not necessarily the result of your sin. Your depression might have something to do with watching Fox News all day, comparing your body to Photoshopped magazine models, or refusing help or friendship from loving people concerned about you. But it also may stem from brain chemistry, childhood trauma, or abuse. Ignoring pain rarely heals and often makes things worse, whether it’s a toothache or a heart ache. We are to…
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
Each of those areas can be broken…and healed. Sometimes it’s instant. Usually it involves time…and the help of others.
Because Jesus cared for the whole person, not just the spiritual, we want to do the same.
We care about your physical health. We partner with Cherry Street to serve meals, have outings to promote fitness, and are even shopping for Purell for the lobby!
We care about your relational health. Married People and Parents’ Night Out are just two of the tools we have to strengthen families.
We care about your financial health. This is an extremely generous church and we have blessed countless people with assistance in the midst of true crisis. We have and I hope will again offer Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University.
We care about your mental and emotional health, too. In April, we are launching Celebrate Recovery, a biblical and balanced program that helps us overcome our hurts, hang-ups, and habits. It is based on the actual words of Jesus rather than psychological theory and has brought healing to countless people worldwide.
Did Jesus Heal?
This question sounds basic, but the answer is yes. The Bible is filled with accounts of miracles, including healing for the blind, lame, sick, and even dead! We could spend all morning reading accounts of Jesus’ miracles, many witnessed by crowds of people.
Why did Jesus heal?
Jesus healed for several reasons. He did it to show his compassion and love. Miracles authenticated the message of Jesus…and the Messenger. Healing proved his authority to forgive sin. Also, the physical healings proved He is the LORD of our whole lives, not just the spiritual. God created you heart, soul, mind, and body…and He cares about all dimensions of your life.
Does Jesus heal today?
Absolutely. But first, a question: do you want to be healed?
One of the most fascinating stories in the Bible involves Jesus encounter with a man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.
When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6)
‘Ya gotta wanna, and some people don’t want to be healed. They can’t imagine life without their addiction, their ailment, their disease. It seems obvious to everyone around them but they are unwilling to take the necessary steps to get well, be it prayer, asking for help, calling a Christian counselor, visiting a doctor, or attending a seminar.
We live in this space between Jesus’ first visit to our planet and his promised return. The kingdom of God is coming, but it’s also here right now. There are brilliant moments when heaven touches earth. Jesus taught us to pray, “On earth as it is in heaven.” Healings here are a kind of down payment on what is to come, the now and the not yet. We have something but not everything that will someday be ours. This applies to health, too.
Some have suggested miracles ceased when Jesus ascended into heaven, perhaps based on their own disappointments with God and his failure to respond to their prayers as they desire. Jesus himself told his friends,
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
Here's an excerpt from the Alliance Statement of Faith:
Provision is made in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ for the healing of the mortal body.(25) Prayer for the sick and anointing with oil are taught in the Scriptures and are privileges for the Church in this present age.(26)
[25] Matthew 8:16–17, [26] James 5:13–16
The power to heal comes from Jesus. We do not believe in faith healing. We are called to exercise faith in Christ, but any healing power is from God. When God chooses to heal, payments to televangelists are not required! You don’t have to be in a special place or do special things except ask. Jesus healed in a variety of ways, sometimes even healing people who were not in his presence.
The purpose of divine healing is to glorify Jesus. God loves us, but His glory is the top priority, not our happiness. We ask in faith…and wait. Sometimes we wait for moments, others for years.
Pastor and author Mark Batterson recently announced miraculous healing in his body after forty years of prayer. Forty years! That’s perseverance. That’s patience! He had severe asthma, unable to go a day without his inhaler for four decades until he realized a day had passed…and then several days…and then weeks and months. He even ran a marathon!
God’s timing is perfect and can be trusted, even when it’s so different from our timing. Mary and Martha wanted Jesus to heal their brother, Lazarus. Jesus waited…until Lazarus had died, yet Jesus was glorified by raising Lazarus from the dead.
Jesus is glorified in Mark Batterson’s healing from asthma.
Jesus is glorified when we are healed.
It’s all about Jesus!
What if I’m not healed?
It’s great to hear stories about healing, but what about those unanswered prayers?
I believe many times healing doesn’t occur is because we simply don’t ask. How many times have you had a headache and grabbed the medicine bottle before praying? I do it all the time! Again, God can and does use medicine and doctors, but He is also able to do the miraculous.
But what happens when you do pray and nothing seems to happen? Don’t give up. On New Year’s Eve, we heard Carol tell of God bringing relief to her migraines after 25 years, and even then they are not fully cured. Why would God allow her to suffer? Why does she still suffer? Why relief after 25 years? Only God knows. It’s often hard to understand how God can love us, be sovereign and in control, and yet allow us to suffer.
Paul, the man who wrote much of the New Testament, never received the healing he sought. He wrote of his thorn in the flesh
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)
Our family spent nine years in five states getting help for our daughter. I can’t tell you how many prayers I prayed, how many times I asked, “Why?” She is doing well today but is far from “cured.” Looking back, we can see how God used her dreadful health to do great things, but it was a long, awful process. That’s why God provides us with family, spiritual siblings to pray, encourage, support, and heal. I know this: God can be trusted…and He can handle all of your questions and doubts, too. Honest to God.
But maybe after decades of prayers, your healing will finally come today.
So What?
Are you in need of healing today? Jesus’ half brother wrote these words:
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. (James 5:13-15)
Each Sunday our elders make themselves available to pray over you and anoint you with oil. We have invited other church members to join them in prayer to be a blessing to you. While elders possess spiritual authority, all followers of Jesus have access to the healing power and authority of Jesus Christ. We simply must ask.
We have seen God heal through these prayers. We celebrate when he says, “Yes” to our requests for healing and would love to pray for you.
We have also seen God say, “No” or “wait.” We don’t know why, but his timing is perfect. It is during that waiting that we often experience the most growth.
Remember, all healing is temporary. If you get over a cold, there’s no guarantee you will never have another cold. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, but he ultimately died again. As long as we live in this world, we will have troubles of various kinds—physical, emotional, relational, financial, spiritual…but even in the most dire of situations there is hope with Jesus who said
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
In this life, all healing is temporary. Not matter how many times we may experience transformation, we will all someday die…and followers of Jesus are promised eternity with him and new, resurrected bodies. Hallelujah! One day
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
Until then, let’s pray for one another, mourn with those who mourn, grieve with those who grieve, find ways to serve one another, and invite God’s power to come and heal.
Credits: Some ideas from A.B. Simpson and John Soper.
For the Alliance statement regarding Jesus our Healer:
https://www.cmalliance.org/about/beliefs/healer
Jesus is our Sanctifier, 4 February 2018
04 02 18
Jesus is our Sanctifier
Series— The Gospel Truth
John 15:1-8
Series Overview: The purpose of this series is to distinguish between the biblical gospel and the various misunderstandings of the word, specifically the difference between Jesus as Savior and Lord. We will use the Fourfold Gospel as our outline.
Big Idea: Jesus is our Sanctifier, making us holy and set apart for God’s glory.
Introduction
Last Sunday we began a new series, The Gospel Truth. Our church’s founder, A.B. Simpson, described four unique aspects to Jesus: he is our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King. This is known as the Fourfold Gospel. Gospel means “good news” and if I were to describe the gospel in one word, it would be Jesus. In three words, Jesus is LORD. The gospel involves us, but it is first and foremost about Jesus—his life, death, burial, resurrection, appearances, ascension, and promised return.
Is Jesus your Savior?
Unlike other religions which teach if you are good enough, you can go to heaven when you die and spend eternity with God, the Bible teaches none of us is worthy of God’s perfect standard which is why He sent Jesus to our planet to live a perfect life and die for us. He took our punishment on the cross if we receive his gift of salvation. As a gift, you can’t earn it, you can’t do enough religious things to work for it, you simply have to believe and receive.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:17)
Luke wrote
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Jesus died for you…and rose from the dead. Is he your Savior? If not, I invite you to simply trust Jesus today. Surrender your life to him. Thank him for his life, death on the cross, and resurrection. He paid for all of your sins—past, present and future—on the cross. He wants more than anything to know you, love you, and spend eternity with you. They way to heaven is simple—believe in Jesus. Here’s a sample prayer:
Jesus, thank you for your death and resurrection. I believe you love me and died for me and I want to receive you into my life. I want you to be my Savior and LORD. I want to follow you from this moment forward and let you lead my life. Amen.
There is nothing magical about that prayer, but it can be the beginning of your spiritual journey. However, it’s only the beginning. Tragically, many people stop with Jesus as their Savior and go about their normal lives with the benefit of “fire insurance.” Beginning your faith adventure is much like being born. Actually, Jesus says to be “born again.” A newborn baby has not reached the end of their life, but rather it has just begun. In the same way the life of a new believer is just beginning. They need to grow from infancy to spiritual maturity, with Jesus as the ultimate example.
Have you been underwhelmed by the change in your life since you were “saved?” Many have done a great disservice to people in “sharing their faith,” communicating false hope that if you just “pray a prayer and receive Jesus,” you’re done. You’re saved…and when you die, you’ll go to heaven. End of story.
Perhaps you have begun your spiritual journey and you are “saved” but, like the man in the video, you haven’t experienced the abundant life Jesus spoke of in John 10:10.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10, ESV)
Perhaps you know Jesus is your Savior—our topic last Sunday—and you know you’ll go to heaven when you die, but you wonder if there is any value to your faith before you die.
I’ve got great news for you! Jesus is not only our Savior, he is our Sanctifier.
Jesus is our Sanctifier
The word “sanctify” is another one of those often misunderstood words like “gospel.” It simply means to make holy, set apart as sacred, to purify, to consecrate. In a word, sanctification means separation.
- Separation from sin: “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” 1 Peter 1:15-16.
- Separation to God: “(He) has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father…” Revelation 1:6.
Some believe sanctification occurs the moment we are saved, when we receive Jesus. A baby Christian is made holy and set apart. Others believe sanctification is a lifelong process of growth and maturity, something no newborn can possess. Our understanding as a church and the Alliance movement is it is both.
The Alliance Statement of Faith says
It is the will of God that each believer should be filled with the Holy Spirit and be sanctified wholly,(22) being separated from sin and the world and fully dedicated to the will of God, thereby receiving power for holy living and effective service.(23) This is both a crisis and a progressive experience wrought in the life of the believer subsequent to conversion.(24)
[22] 1 Thessalonians 5:23, [23] Acts 1:8, [24] Romans 6:1–14,
The Laver—or basin—represents the daily cleansing from sin by the power of the Holy Spirit. To clarify three theological words,
- I have been saved: Justification
- I am being saved: Sanctification
- I will be saved: Glorification
God’s Will
Do you want to know God’s will? I hear people often say they are trying to discern God’s will for their lives. After all, Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy will be done.” Paul wrote to the church in Thessaloniki, Greece these words:
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified:(1 Thessalonians 4:3a)
It is God’s will for you to be sanctified. That’s pretty clear. He continues to elaborate on what sanctification looks like.
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-6a)
To stress the importance of sanctification, Paul adds:
The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 4:6b-8)
It is God’s will for you to be sanctified, to be set apart, to be holy, to become like Jesus.
We can only become like Jesus if we know him, spend time talking with him in prayer, spend time learning about him through the Bible, and spend time surrendering our lives to God the Holy Spirit. That requires…time! It requires intentionality. It doesn’t just magically happen any more than your body just magically grows muscles or your mind just magically earns college degrees. Growth—except, perhaps, for your belly—requires discipline, training, effort, and dare I say work. All relationships take work. If you’re waiting for me to have you over for dinner, maybe you should invite me over for dinner. If you want me to send you an e-mail, perhaps you should initiate and send me one. And just like it takes time to truly know me or a friend, it takes time—a lifetime—to know Jesus.
And you are your friends. Over time, it is almost a certainty you will become like your friends. If you hang out with Philadelphia Eagles fans, you’re likely to become an Eagles fan. If you hang out with people who work out or ride bikes or watch movies, it’s likely you’ll be inclined to work out, ride bikes, or watch movies. If you hang out with Jesus, you will become like Jesus.
When we receive Jesus as our Savior, we also receive the Holy Spirit, the most underrated Member of the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit draws us to God and then leads us to mature in our faith. The reason so many people call themselves Christians and act nothing like Jesus is because they are not filled with the Spirit, connected to God, following Jesus our Sanctifier.
In today’s text, Jesus paints a beautiful picture of what it means to truly be a Christian.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. (John 15:1-4)
When I was a young boy, I was fascinated by a large tree in our front yard. I was equally fascinated with the discovery of a hatchet amongst my dad’s tools in the garage. For some reason, I thought it would be great to use the hatchet on the tree!
I don’t think I ever thought of actually chopping down the tree with the hatchet. I knew that would take hours, but if memory serves correct, I used the blade to carve my name in the trunk of the tree. When my parents saw what I was doing, they were horrified and sent me a not-so-subtle message to stop. Fortunately the tree survived after some treatment, but imagine what would’ve happened to the tree if I had chopped it down. Would it grow? Would branches grow? Would leaves grow? Without a connection to the trunk, the entire tree would die. The trunk and roots supply food to the branches as well as stability in storms. It is impossible for fruit to grow on a dead tree.
Some people pray a prayer to receive Jesus as Savior and expect to instantly bear fruit, to immediately be changed. Sometimes miracles occur at one’s spiritual birth. Some people trust Christ and instantly lose their desire for alcohol or temptation to be violent, but regardless of the sanctification at the moment of surrendering to Jesus, there is a need for ongoing maturity and sanctification which takes time…a lifetime. I have never met a person who has become perfect. We are all in process, growing one day at a time…if we remain in Jesus, if we follow Jesus, if we confess our sins daily and invite the Holy Spirit to fill us with the fruit of the Spirit.
…the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23, NLT)
One of my favorite questions at the end of the year to ask myself and others is are we more like Jesus than at the beginning of the year. Look at this list. Are you growing in love? What about joy? Are you becoming more peaceful? Would those around you say you are becoming a more patient person? Kind? Good? Faithful? Gentle? Self-controlled?
Jesus continued in the fifteenth chapter of John:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (John 15:5-8)
If we remain, abide, do life with Jesus, we will bear fruit.
John 15:7 is a popular verse:
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (John 15:7)
This does not mean God is a genie who does whatever we want. On the contrary, when we do what God wants, when we follow Jesus, we will desire only what God wants to give us.
Many Christians understand Jesus as Savior. They know he died on the cross to save them from the punishment of their sin. But they do not experience the ongoing sanctifying work of Jesus Christ in their lives. God is not in control of their lives.
The book of Romans has incredible truths about God and his wisdom and power and chapter twelve begins:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1)
Worship is not just singing songs. It’s a lifestyle. It’s surrender, sacrifice, sanctification. That might not sound as fun as a trip to Cedar Point or an evening of binge-watching your favorite show on Netflix, but actually following Jesus, abiding, remaining, doing life with Jesus offers more than a temporary thrill or a momentary distraction from the pains of life.
Knowing Jesus brings love. I have experienced God’s unconditional love, and it’s amazing. I know I don’t deserve it, but God’s loves me—and you—because he created us and wants more than anything else a relationship with us—forever.
Knowing Jesus brings joy. Our founding fathers believed in the pursuit of happiness, but joy is so much more. It’s deeper and not so temporary.
Knowing Jesus brings peace. I sleep well at night knowing God is in control and I’m not.
Knowing Jesus brings patience. I’m certainly not the most patient person but Jesus has all of the time in the world. I can trust his perfect timing.
Knowing Jesus brings hope. I know regardless of what happens today, one day I will spend eternity with Jesus in a perfect world.
I could go on and on.
Steps To A Spirit-Filled Life
The path to the Spirit-filled life involves faith-filled risks that always involve change.
- Surrender: You cannot make yourself holy any more than you can make yourself saved. Romans 6:11; Romans 12:1–2
- Accept: Christ is your Sanctifier in the same way that He is your Savior! Colossians 2:6; Galatians 2:20
- Abide: Maintain a continuous relationship with Jesus through obedience to His Word. John 15:1–11
Here’s artist and author Lecrae describing what it means to experience Jesus as Savior and Sanctifer.
So What?
Jesus is our Sanctifier. He has set us apart to live holy lives. Sanctification is a process of becoming like Christ as we surrender our will to God’s and are filled with the Holy Spirit who produces fruit in our lives.
It could be said that in contrasting Jesus as Savior and Sanctifier…
Savior: Deliverance from penalty of sin
Sanctifier: Deliverance from the power of sin
Savior: Freedom from death
Sanctifier: Freedom to live
Savior: Release from the guilt of the past
Sanctifier: Equips for the temptations of the future
Savior: Christ’s righteousness is imputed (credited) to us
Sanctifier: Christ’s righteousness is manifest in us
Savior: Jesus lives in us
Sanctifier: Jesus lives through us
Is Jesus your Savior? Have you received the gift we celebrate today in communion, his body and blood broken and poured out for you on the cross?
Is Jesus your Sanctifier? Are you seeking to live your life for the glory of God? None of us is perfect, but true believers are growing, abiding, remaining, doing life with Jesus and looking increasingly like him.
Jesus said,
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. (John 15:9-14)
Credits: Some ideas from A.B. Simpson and John Soper.
For further study, listen to Thomas George’s sermon at FAC on January 22, 2017.
http://www.factoledo.org/?page_id=162&sermon_id=298
For the Alliance statement regarding Jesus as our Sanctifier:
https://www.cmalliance.org/about/beliefs/sanctifier
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— The Gospel Truth
John 15:1-8
Series Overview: The purpose of this series is to distinguish between the biblical gospel and the various misunderstandings of the word, specifically the difference between Jesus as Savior and Lord. We will use the Fourfold Gospel as our outline.
Big Idea: Jesus is our Sanctifier, making us holy and set apart for God’s glory.
Introduction
Last Sunday we began a new series, The Gospel Truth. Our church’s founder, A.B. Simpson, described four unique aspects to Jesus: he is our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King. This is known as the Fourfold Gospel. Gospel means “good news” and if I were to describe the gospel in one word, it would be Jesus. In three words, Jesus is LORD. The gospel involves us, but it is first and foremost about Jesus—his life, death, burial, resurrection, appearances, ascension, and promised return.
Is Jesus your Savior?
Unlike other religions which teach if you are good enough, you can go to heaven when you die and spend eternity with God, the Bible teaches none of us is worthy of God’s perfect standard which is why He sent Jesus to our planet to live a perfect life and die for us. He took our punishment on the cross if we receive his gift of salvation. As a gift, you can’t earn it, you can’t do enough religious things to work for it, you simply have to believe and receive.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:17)
Luke wrote
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Jesus died for you…and rose from the dead. Is he your Savior? If not, I invite you to simply trust Jesus today. Surrender your life to him. Thank him for his life, death on the cross, and resurrection. He paid for all of your sins—past, present and future—on the cross. He wants more than anything to know you, love you, and spend eternity with you. They way to heaven is simple—believe in Jesus. Here’s a sample prayer:
Jesus, thank you for your death and resurrection. I believe you love me and died for me and I want to receive you into my life. I want you to be my Savior and LORD. I want to follow you from this moment forward and let you lead my life. Amen.
There is nothing magical about that prayer, but it can be the beginning of your spiritual journey. However, it’s only the beginning. Tragically, many people stop with Jesus as their Savior and go about their normal lives with the benefit of “fire insurance.” Beginning your faith adventure is much like being born. Actually, Jesus says to be “born again.” A newborn baby has not reached the end of their life, but rather it has just begun. In the same way the life of a new believer is just beginning. They need to grow from infancy to spiritual maturity, with Jesus as the ultimate example.
Have you been underwhelmed by the change in your life since you were “saved?” Many have done a great disservice to people in “sharing their faith,” communicating false hope that if you just “pray a prayer and receive Jesus,” you’re done. You’re saved…and when you die, you’ll go to heaven. End of story.
Perhaps you have begun your spiritual journey and you are “saved” but, like the man in the video, you haven’t experienced the abundant life Jesus spoke of in John 10:10.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10, ESV)
Perhaps you know Jesus is your Savior—our topic last Sunday—and you know you’ll go to heaven when you die, but you wonder if there is any value to your faith before you die.
I’ve got great news for you! Jesus is not only our Savior, he is our Sanctifier.
Jesus is our Sanctifier
The word “sanctify” is another one of those often misunderstood words like “gospel.” It simply means to make holy, set apart as sacred, to purify, to consecrate. In a word, sanctification means separation.
- Separation from sin: “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” 1 Peter 1:15-16.
- Separation to God: “(He) has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father…” Revelation 1:6.
Some believe sanctification occurs the moment we are saved, when we receive Jesus. A baby Christian is made holy and set apart. Others believe sanctification is a lifelong process of growth and maturity, something no newborn can possess. Our understanding as a church and the Alliance movement is it is both.
The Alliance Statement of Faith says
It is the will of God that each believer should be filled with the Holy Spirit and be sanctified wholly,(22) being separated from sin and the world and fully dedicated to the will of God, thereby receiving power for holy living and effective service.(23) This is both a crisis and a progressive experience wrought in the life of the believer subsequent to conversion.(24)
[22] 1 Thessalonians 5:23, [23] Acts 1:8, [24] Romans 6:1–14,
The Laver—or basin—represents the daily cleansing from sin by the power of the Holy Spirit. To clarify three theological words,
- I have been saved: Justification
- I am being saved: Sanctification
- I will be saved: Glorification
God’s Will
Do you want to know God’s will? I hear people often say they are trying to discern God’s will for their lives. After all, Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy will be done.” Paul wrote to the church in Thessaloniki, Greece these words:
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified:(1 Thessalonians 4:3a)
It is God’s will for you to be sanctified. That’s pretty clear. He continues to elaborate on what sanctification looks like.
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-6a)
To stress the importance of sanctification, Paul adds:
The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 4:6b-8)
It is God’s will for you to be sanctified, to be set apart, to be holy, to become like Jesus.
We can only become like Jesus if we know him, spend time talking with him in prayer, spend time learning about him through the Bible, and spend time surrendering our lives to God the Holy Spirit. That requires…time! It requires intentionality. It doesn’t just magically happen any more than your body just magically grows muscles or your mind just magically earns college degrees. Growth—except, perhaps, for your belly—requires discipline, training, effort, and dare I say work. All relationships take work. If you’re waiting for me to have you over for dinner, maybe you should invite me over for dinner. If you want me to send you an e-mail, perhaps you should initiate and send me one. And just like it takes time to truly know me or a friend, it takes time—a lifetime—to know Jesus.
And you are your friends. Over time, it is almost a certainty you will become like your friends. If you hang out with Philadelphia Eagles fans, you’re likely to become an Eagles fan. If you hang out with people who work out or ride bikes or watch movies, it’s likely you’ll be inclined to work out, ride bikes, or watch movies. If you hang out with Jesus, you will become like Jesus.
When we receive Jesus as our Savior, we also receive the Holy Spirit, the most underrated Member of the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit draws us to God and then leads us to mature in our faith. The reason so many people call themselves Christians and act nothing like Jesus is because they are not filled with the Spirit, connected to God, following Jesus our Sanctifier.
In today’s text, Jesus paints a beautiful picture of what it means to truly be a Christian.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. (John 15:1-4)
When I was a young boy, I was fascinated by a large tree in our front yard. I was equally fascinated with the discovery of a hatchet amongst my dad’s tools in the garage. For some reason, I thought it would be great to use the hatchet on the tree!
I don’t think I ever thought of actually chopping down the tree with the hatchet. I knew that would take hours, but if memory serves correct, I used the blade to carve my name in the trunk of the tree. When my parents saw what I was doing, they were horrified and sent me a not-so-subtle message to stop. Fortunately the tree survived after some treatment, but imagine what would’ve happened to the tree if I had chopped it down. Would it grow? Would branches grow? Would leaves grow? Without a connection to the trunk, the entire tree would die. The trunk and roots supply food to the branches as well as stability in storms. It is impossible for fruit to grow on a dead tree.
Some people pray a prayer to receive Jesus as Savior and expect to instantly bear fruit, to immediately be changed. Sometimes miracles occur at one’s spiritual birth. Some people trust Christ and instantly lose their desire for alcohol or temptation to be violent, but regardless of the sanctification at the moment of surrendering to Jesus, there is a need for ongoing maturity and sanctification which takes time…a lifetime. I have never met a person who has become perfect. We are all in process, growing one day at a time…if we remain in Jesus, if we follow Jesus, if we confess our sins daily and invite the Holy Spirit to fill us with the fruit of the Spirit.
…the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23, NLT)
One of my favorite questions at the end of the year to ask myself and others is are we more like Jesus than at the beginning of the year. Look at this list. Are you growing in love? What about joy? Are you becoming more peaceful? Would those around you say you are becoming a more patient person? Kind? Good? Faithful? Gentle? Self-controlled?
Jesus continued in the fifteenth chapter of John:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (John 15:5-8)
If we remain, abide, do life with Jesus, we will bear fruit.
John 15:7 is a popular verse:
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (John 15:7)
This does not mean God is a genie who does whatever we want. On the contrary, when we do what God wants, when we follow Jesus, we will desire only what God wants to give us.
Many Christians understand Jesus as Savior. They know he died on the cross to save them from the punishment of their sin. But they do not experience the ongoing sanctifying work of Jesus Christ in their lives. God is not in control of their lives.
The book of Romans has incredible truths about God and his wisdom and power and chapter twelve begins:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1)
Worship is not just singing songs. It’s a lifestyle. It’s surrender, sacrifice, sanctification. That might not sound as fun as a trip to Cedar Point or an evening of binge-watching your favorite show on Netflix, but actually following Jesus, abiding, remaining, doing life with Jesus offers more than a temporary thrill or a momentary distraction from the pains of life.
Knowing Jesus brings love. I have experienced God’s unconditional love, and it’s amazing. I know I don’t deserve it, but God’s loves me—and you—because he created us and wants more than anything else a relationship with us—forever.
Knowing Jesus brings joy. Our founding fathers believed in the pursuit of happiness, but joy is so much more. It’s deeper and not so temporary.
Knowing Jesus brings peace. I sleep well at night knowing God is in control and I’m not.
Knowing Jesus brings patience. I’m certainly not the most patient person but Jesus has all of the time in the world. I can trust his perfect timing.
Knowing Jesus brings hope. I know regardless of what happens today, one day I will spend eternity with Jesus in a perfect world.
I could go on and on.
Steps To A Spirit-Filled Life
The path to the Spirit-filled life involves faith-filled risks that always involve change.
- Surrender: You cannot make yourself holy any more than you can make yourself saved. Romans 6:11; Romans 12:1–2
- Accept: Christ is your Sanctifier in the same way that He is your Savior! Colossians 2:6; Galatians 2:20
- Abide: Maintain a continuous relationship with Jesus through obedience to His Word. John 15:1–11
Here’s artist and author Lecrae describing what it means to experience Jesus as Savior and Sanctifer.
So What?
Jesus is our Sanctifier. He has set us apart to live holy lives. Sanctification is a process of becoming like Christ as we surrender our will to God’s and are filled with the Holy Spirit who produces fruit in our lives.
It could be said that in contrasting Jesus as Savior and Sanctifier…
Savior: Deliverance from penalty of sin
Sanctifier: Deliverance from the power of sin
Savior: Freedom from death
Sanctifier: Freedom to live
Savior: Release from the guilt of the past
Sanctifier: Equips for the temptations of the future
Savior: Christ’s righteousness is imputed (credited) to us
Sanctifier: Christ’s righteousness is manifest in us
Savior: Jesus lives in us
Sanctifier: Jesus lives through us
Is Jesus your Savior? Have you received the gift we celebrate today in communion, his body and blood broken and poured out for you on the cross?
Is Jesus your Sanctifier? Are you seeking to live your life for the glory of God? None of us is perfect, but true believers are growing, abiding, remaining, doing life with Jesus and looking increasingly like him.
Jesus said,
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. (John 15:9-14)
Credits: Some ideas from A.B. Simpson and John Soper.
For further study, listen to Thomas George’s sermon at FAC on January 22, 2017.
http://www.factoledo.org/?page_id=162&sermon_id=298
For the Alliance statement regarding Jesus as our Sanctifier:
https://www.cmalliance.org/about/beliefs/sanctifier
Jesus is our Savior, 28 January 2018
28 01 18
Jesus is our Savior
Series— The Gospel Truth
Romans 3:21-26
Series Overview: The purpose of this series is to distinguish between the biblical gospel and the various misunderstandings of the word, specifically the difference between Jesus as Savior and Lord. We will use the Fourfold Gospel as our outline.
Big Idea: Jesus is our Savior, saving us from sin and death.
Introduction
In the classic film The Princess Bride, Vizzini the Sicilian repeatedly calls things “inconceivable.” After hearing it said several times, Inigo Montoya utters a line which has become iconic among moviegoers. He says,
“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
Often, we use words we don’t fully understand. Take, for instance, the gospel. What is the gospel?
Today we begin a series entitled, The Gospel Truth. I think we all understand the concept of truth, but what is the gospel? The Greek word is euaggelion and it literally means “good news.”
When I was working on my doctorate, I interviewed several leaders in our neighborhood. I wanted to know what it would look like to bring the gospel to UpTown Toledo. Recognizing how odd it would be to ask strangers, “What would be the gospel for our community?” I asked, “What would be good news here?”
Parenthetically, nearly everyone said development, new businesses and housing to bring new life to Toledo…something we are doing through Claro Coffee Bar. I’m pleased to say there are many in our neighborhood grateful for First Alliance Church and our investment on Adams Street.
What is the gospel?
Here's rapper/pastor/artist Trip Lee's take on the gospel.
What is the gospel?
Perhaps like me you’ve heard the gospel is Jesus died so you can go to heaven when you die. It’s a get out of hell free card. The gospel is about being saved.
Let me give you the slightly longer version of what many have called the gospel:
- God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life.
- People are sinful and separated from God, so we cannot know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives.
- Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for our sin, and through him we can know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives.
- We must individually receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord in order to know and experience his love and plan for our lives.
These four statements are from a booklet called The Four Spiritual Laws written by Bill Bright in 1965 and has been shared around the world in hundreds of languages. I’ve actually shared it with people in both English and Spanish over the years. There is good news in those statements and elements of the gospel are found here, but calling this the gospel would’ve seemed odd to the first Christians. It would’ve seemed odd to great church leaders like Finney and Wesley.
What is the gospel?
I think a good place to start might be the Bible. Here’s what Paul said…
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. (1 Corinthians 15:3-5)
Paul says this is the gospel:
- Jesus died
- Jesus was buried
- Jesus was raised from the dead
- Jesus appeared to people
What is Paul’s focus when he describes the gospel? Jesus. He says it again to Timothy.
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, (2Timothy 2:8)
The gospel is about remembering Jesus is the Messiah, raised from the dead. The gospel is first and foremost to the story of Jesus, not the story of how to get saved.
Billy Sunday, Billy Graham, and Bill Bright—the three Bills—talked a lot about salvation, our topic for today. But before we focus on soteriology—salvation—I want you to understand the gospel is first and foremost about Christology…it’s all about Jesus.
The gospel is all about Jesus. In a word, the gospel is Jesus. In three words, the gospel is Jesus Is LORD.
In Acts 2:14-36, Peter declares the gospel is all about Jesus.
In Acts 10:34-43, Peter again declares the gospel is all about Jesus.
The Bible declares the gospel is all about Jesus.
There’s a temptation in our USAmerican culture to make the gospel all about us.
God loves us.
We sinned.
Jesus died for us.
We need to believe.
These are all true. Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying salvation is not important or we’re not important, but simply that the gospel begins and ends with Jesus.
Jesus is the King.
Jesus is the LORD.
That’s the central gospel of the New Testament. We need to focus on Jesus, not how we can be happy when we die or what happens when we die. The story is not about us. It’s about Jesus and we are called to tell this story. In fact, the first four books of the New Testament—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—are called gospels because they tell the story of Jesus.
For the next four weeks, we are going to examine Jesus. Actually, every Sunday is an opportunity to learn about, get to know, and become like Jesus. But this new series, The Gospel Truth, borrows from something called the Fourfold Gospel.
Our church was founded by a remarkable man, Albert Benjamin Simpson. He influenced not only the launch of our church but also the Assemblies of God, the Foursquare Church, and our denomination, the Christian & Missionary Alliance.
Perhaps you’ve seen the logo of the Alliance. It depicts Jesus as our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King.
Jesus is our Savior
What does it mean for Jesus to be our Savior? As we saw earlier, our sin separates us from God. Sin leads to death, including the death of our relationship with a perfect, holy God. Jesus came to this earth to show us what it means to be human and also to die—instead of us—for our sins.
None of us is perfect and righteous like God, but Jesus is fully human and fully God, holy and without sin.
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26)
That’s quite a passage! Here it is in a slightly more modern translation:
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. (Romans 3:21-22, NLT)
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus. (Romans 3:23-26, NLT)
This is, indeed, good news.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)
Many have heard of John 3:16, but the next verse is powerful, too. Jesus came to save us…from our sins, from ourselves.
Peter, one of Jesus’ best friends, proclaimed…
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
This is why Jesus is such a big deal. It’s why we don’t believe all religious roads lead to God. If we get to heaven by being good, Jesus was stupid for being crucified. Instead, he alone suffered and died for you and me. Paul wrote,
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
We praise him for his sacrifice on the cross, for salvation, for God’s gift of Jesus.
Conclusion
Many the gospel is about going to heaven when you die. I would like to suggest the gospel is going to heaven before you die. If heaven is where God is, we can experience God in the here and now. Through the Holy Spirit, God is present here with us, living inside of every believer.
Do you love Jesus? I’m afraid we’ve often turned Jesus into a product to sell so people can avoid hell. Believe these propositions, pray a prayer, and you’re done. Jesus never said make decisions. He said to make disciples. He said to follow him, not merely be a fan.
Although the gospel is more than just salvation, Jesus is our Savior and that’s a wonderful truth. No matter your past, Jesus loved you, and he proved that love by dying on the cross to offer forgiveness for all of yours sins and mistakes—past, present, and future.
Jesus is our Savior. Hallelujah!
Credits: Some ideas from Scot McKnight.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— The Gospel Truth
Romans 3:21-26
Series Overview: The purpose of this series is to distinguish between the biblical gospel and the various misunderstandings of the word, specifically the difference between Jesus as Savior and Lord. We will use the Fourfold Gospel as our outline.
Big Idea: Jesus is our Savior, saving us from sin and death.
Introduction
In the classic film The Princess Bride, Vizzini the Sicilian repeatedly calls things “inconceivable.” After hearing it said several times, Inigo Montoya utters a line which has become iconic among moviegoers. He says,
“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
Often, we use words we don’t fully understand. Take, for instance, the gospel. What is the gospel?
Today we begin a series entitled, The Gospel Truth. I think we all understand the concept of truth, but what is the gospel? The Greek word is euaggelion and it literally means “good news.”
When I was working on my doctorate, I interviewed several leaders in our neighborhood. I wanted to know what it would look like to bring the gospel to UpTown Toledo. Recognizing how odd it would be to ask strangers, “What would be the gospel for our community?” I asked, “What would be good news here?”
Parenthetically, nearly everyone said development, new businesses and housing to bring new life to Toledo…something we are doing through Claro Coffee Bar. I’m pleased to say there are many in our neighborhood grateful for First Alliance Church and our investment on Adams Street.
What is the gospel?
Here's rapper/pastor/artist Trip Lee's take on the gospel.
What is the gospel?
Perhaps like me you’ve heard the gospel is Jesus died so you can go to heaven when you die. It’s a get out of hell free card. The gospel is about being saved.
Let me give you the slightly longer version of what many have called the gospel:
- God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life.
- People are sinful and separated from God, so we cannot know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives.
- Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for our sin, and through him we can know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives.
- We must individually receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord in order to know and experience his love and plan for our lives.
These four statements are from a booklet called The Four Spiritual Laws written by Bill Bright in 1965 and has been shared around the world in hundreds of languages. I’ve actually shared it with people in both English and Spanish over the years. There is good news in those statements and elements of the gospel are found here, but calling this the gospel would’ve seemed odd to the first Christians. It would’ve seemed odd to great church leaders like Finney and Wesley.
What is the gospel?
I think a good place to start might be the Bible. Here’s what Paul said…
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. (1 Corinthians 15:3-5)
Paul says this is the gospel:
- Jesus died
- Jesus was buried
- Jesus was raised from the dead
- Jesus appeared to people
What is Paul’s focus when he describes the gospel? Jesus. He says it again to Timothy.
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, (2Timothy 2:8)
The gospel is about remembering Jesus is the Messiah, raised from the dead. The gospel is first and foremost to the story of Jesus, not the story of how to get saved.
Billy Sunday, Billy Graham, and Bill Bright—the three Bills—talked a lot about salvation, our topic for today. But before we focus on soteriology—salvation—I want you to understand the gospel is first and foremost about Christology…it’s all about Jesus.
The gospel is all about Jesus. In a word, the gospel is Jesus. In three words, the gospel is Jesus Is LORD.
In Acts 2:14-36, Peter declares the gospel is all about Jesus.
In Acts 10:34-43, Peter again declares the gospel is all about Jesus.
The Bible declares the gospel is all about Jesus.
There’s a temptation in our USAmerican culture to make the gospel all about us.
God loves us.
We sinned.
Jesus died for us.
We need to believe.
These are all true. Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying salvation is not important or we’re not important, but simply that the gospel begins and ends with Jesus.
Jesus is the King.
Jesus is the LORD.
That’s the central gospel of the New Testament. We need to focus on Jesus, not how we can be happy when we die or what happens when we die. The story is not about us. It’s about Jesus and we are called to tell this story. In fact, the first four books of the New Testament—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—are called gospels because they tell the story of Jesus.
For the next four weeks, we are going to examine Jesus. Actually, every Sunday is an opportunity to learn about, get to know, and become like Jesus. But this new series, The Gospel Truth, borrows from something called the Fourfold Gospel.
Our church was founded by a remarkable man, Albert Benjamin Simpson. He influenced not only the launch of our church but also the Assemblies of God, the Foursquare Church, and our denomination, the Christian & Missionary Alliance.
Perhaps you’ve seen the logo of the Alliance. It depicts Jesus as our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King.
Jesus is our Savior
What does it mean for Jesus to be our Savior? As we saw earlier, our sin separates us from God. Sin leads to death, including the death of our relationship with a perfect, holy God. Jesus came to this earth to show us what it means to be human and also to die—instead of us—for our sins.
None of us is perfect and righteous like God, but Jesus is fully human and fully God, holy and without sin.
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26)
That’s quite a passage! Here it is in a slightly more modern translation:
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. (Romans 3:21-22, NLT)
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus. (Romans 3:23-26, NLT)
This is, indeed, good news.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)
Many have heard of John 3:16, but the next verse is powerful, too. Jesus came to save us…from our sins, from ourselves.
Peter, one of Jesus’ best friends, proclaimed…
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
This is why Jesus is such a big deal. It’s why we don’t believe all religious roads lead to God. If we get to heaven by being good, Jesus was stupid for being crucified. Instead, he alone suffered and died for you and me. Paul wrote,
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
We praise him for his sacrifice on the cross, for salvation, for God’s gift of Jesus.
Conclusion
Many the gospel is about going to heaven when you die. I would like to suggest the gospel is going to heaven before you die. If heaven is where God is, we can experience God in the here and now. Through the Holy Spirit, God is present here with us, living inside of every believer.
Do you love Jesus? I’m afraid we’ve often turned Jesus into a product to sell so people can avoid hell. Believe these propositions, pray a prayer, and you’re done. Jesus never said make decisions. He said to make disciples. He said to follow him, not merely be a fan.
Although the gospel is more than just salvation, Jesus is our Savior and that’s a wonderful truth. No matter your past, Jesus loved you, and he proved that love by dying on the cross to offer forgiveness for all of yours sins and mistakes—past, present, and future.
Jesus is our Savior. Hallelujah!
Credits: Some ideas from Scot McKnight.
Fan or Follower, 21 January 2018
21 01 18
Fan or Follower?
John 1:40-43
Big Idea: Are you a follower of Jesus or just a fan?
I’ll never forget the day I met Kirk. No, I don’t mean myself. I actually don’t remember the first time I met myself, though I’m quite sure I was very young! It was a warm day in Chicagoland and I met my neighbor, Kirk. Two things were memorable. First, his name was Kirk…and he couldn’t believe another Kirk would be his neighbor. It was almost as if he wanted me to change my name so he could be the only Kirk in the neighborhood!
The second thing was even more remarkable. He told me he loved the Chicago Bears. I didn’t find this terribly surprising given we were in a suburb of Chicago, quite close, actually, to the training camp for Chicago’s professional football team. He was wearing a Bears shirt, ended a previous conversation with, “Go Bears!” and he had a huge Bears logo on the hood of his car (it looked like the eagle on an old Trans Am). And this wasn’t even football season!
Before I go any further, you need to understand Kirk did not appear to be a very wealthy individual. His car was aging, his clothes looked well-used, and he lived in a small apartment above an old garage which looked like it could collapse at any moment! He very well could’ve been nearly homeless for all I could tell.
Kirk continued to tell me about his passion for the Bears. “I go to every game,” he said. “And I don’t just mean the home games.” He went on to describe how for years he had driven his car from Illinois to every away game including Seattle, California, Miami, and the east coast. Then he uttered nine words I might never forget: “I even went to the exhibition game in Berlin.”
To call Kirk a fan of the Bears may be the understatement of the year. He lives, breathes, and sleeps the Chicago Bears and is a fully devoted follower.
Contrast that with one of the students I met Thursday at the After School Klub. We were playing a game and the question was posed, “Who’s going to win the Super Bowl?” One of the kids said, “I love the Broncos!” The trouble is, there are only four teams left this year, two games today will determine who goes to the Super Bowl, and the Broncos are already out of the playoffs. This Denver Broncos fan had no idea this was a losing season for their favorite team. Needless to say, there’s a huge difference between the Bronco fan and the Bears follower.
Are you a fan or follower of Jesus?
Most USAmericans identify themselves as Christians, but what does that really mean? The word is commonly used to identify a political party. It is viewed by many as a group of people who are always against things and are filled with hate. Many within the church think because they believe in God and devote an hour a week to religious activity they are guaranteed a mansion in heaven when they die while others who haven’t prayed the prayer burn in hell for eternity.
Many are fans of Jesus, content with belief in historical events, but unwilling to devote their daily lives to the One who invites us to follow Him. It’s one thing to pray a prayer and ask Jesus to be your Savior and quite another to fully surrender and make Jesus your LORD.
Are you a fan or follower of Jesus?
Happy New Year! I know, we’re three weeks into the new year but this is my first chance to preach in 2018. How many of you are doing well with your new year’s resolutions? Oh never mind!
Actually, I was interviewed for an article The Toledo Blade recently did on new year’s resolutions related to reading the Bible. Just over 60 percent of American adults say they want to read the Bible more than they do. I’m excited so many of you are using the free Mission 119 app and website to not only read but study and apply the Bible.
But why? Why read the Bible? What’s the purpose of prayer? Why give money and time to the church? Why are we here week after week?
I have enjoyed the Mission 119 readings in Genesis, beginning with God’s amazing creation and moving to the fall of Adam and Eve, the covenant with Abraham, and the outrageous behavior of Abraham’s family. You just can’t make up some of those stories! The entire Old Testament creates anticipation for the Messiah to come and heal the brokenness, forgive the sin, and renew all things.
Jesus comes, models a perfect life, offers supernatural wisdom, performs miracles, dies on the cross for us, crushes sin and death, rises from the dead, ascends into heaven, and promises to return. Among his final words were these:
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
It’s almost cliché around here to talk about discipleship, making disciples. That’s the mission. That’s the Great Commission. Make disciples.
But what’s a disciple? We know Jesus had twelve disciples. What did that mean? Simply, they were fully-devoted followers. They weren’t fans, though Jesus had thousands of fans, fair-weather people who wanted to see him do tricks and critique his lectures. But these twelve—or at least eleven of them—were true followers, real disciples.
That journey began with a simple, two-word invitation: follow me.
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter ).
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” (John 1:40-43)
We don’t know if all twelve were invited this simply, but the invitation continues to this day, offered to every man, woman and child: follow me.
Tragically, many have flirted with Jesus but never truly followed. They put a fish on the back of their car or checked the “Christian” box in an application asking for religious preference, but never fully surrendered. Many have actually done many religious things, but missed the bottom-line message.
That message? Four words:
Love God
Love Others
When asked the greatest commandment,
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
Love God
Love Others
This is not new. It is not complicated. But before we get too deep into 2018, I want to challenge you with the simple question
Are you a fan of Jesus or a follower?
One dictionary defines fan as “an enthusiastic admirer.” That describes so many so-called Christians. They say they believe in God (satan believes there is a God, too!). They consider themselves to be good people. They might even be able to answer some Bible trivia from their time in church, but Jesus never said, “Admire me.” He never said, “Believe in your head I died and rose again.”
Jesus defined what it means to be a follower.
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? (Luke 9:23-25)
Last Sunday Jake was baptized. He was immersed in what is symbolically a water grave, dying, surrendering his will and desires before coming out of the water symbolizing resurrection, his new life in Jesus.
Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came so dead people can come alive!
The world “Christian” only appears three times in the Bible, each in reference to Jesus’ disciples. However, “disciple” is found more than 250 times. A disciple does everything to know and model the one they are following. They are a learner, but not just a head learner. Their heart and hands are changed, too, to love God and love others. They not only follow the Golden Rule of treating others as they want to be treated, they live out the Platinum Rule, loving others the way God loves you and me.
Humility
I would like to suggest one way to love God and love others. It’s not popular. In fact, it’s quite rare. I believe it is a pathway to peace, a bridge to unity. In our culture of division, hatred, and violence, one simple character trait would transform conversations and relationships. I must confess I have struggled my entire life to embody this word so nobody is more challenged than yours truly. The world is humility.
Paul wrote to the church in Philippi these radical words:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
Brothers and sisters, so much is at stake. Our city, nation and world are growing weary of Christians who don’t follow Jesus, they’re just fans. To be honest, there are atheists who are fans of Jesus, appreciating the wisdom of his teachings without embracing his resurrection or invitation to follow.
I see so much pride in the USA church today. Close-minded critics blast their spiritual siblings on Facebook and blog posts for controversial theological differences. So-called evangelicals seemingly more concerned with acquiring and supporting political power than emulating the homeless Messiah who said we would be judged by how we treat the least of these. I’m sick of self-righteous Pharisees concerned about the speck in the eyes of others while refusing to acknowledge the log in their own eye. This is nothing new, obviously, but I believe it needs to be said: we need more people to follow Jesus, our model for humility.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:8)
The invitation to follow Jesus is not easy. It’s not for the faint of heart. It involves nothing short of complete surrender—death to yourself and possibly even martyrdom. But I can tell you there’s nothing greater than knowing Jesus Christ.
In the next chapter Paul wrote
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
Those are words from a follower, not a fan.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his classic book, The Cost of Discipleship, wrote, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” Then the new life begins!
Jesus said
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
That’s a disciple.
Are you a follower of Jesus or just a fan?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
John 1:40-43
Big Idea: Are you a follower of Jesus or just a fan?
I’ll never forget the day I met Kirk. No, I don’t mean myself. I actually don’t remember the first time I met myself, though I’m quite sure I was very young! It was a warm day in Chicagoland and I met my neighbor, Kirk. Two things were memorable. First, his name was Kirk…and he couldn’t believe another Kirk would be his neighbor. It was almost as if he wanted me to change my name so he could be the only Kirk in the neighborhood!
The second thing was even more remarkable. He told me he loved the Chicago Bears. I didn’t find this terribly surprising given we were in a suburb of Chicago, quite close, actually, to the training camp for Chicago’s professional football team. He was wearing a Bears shirt, ended a previous conversation with, “Go Bears!” and he had a huge Bears logo on the hood of his car (it looked like the eagle on an old Trans Am). And this wasn’t even football season!
Before I go any further, you need to understand Kirk did not appear to be a very wealthy individual. His car was aging, his clothes looked well-used, and he lived in a small apartment above an old garage which looked like it could collapse at any moment! He very well could’ve been nearly homeless for all I could tell.
Kirk continued to tell me about his passion for the Bears. “I go to every game,” he said. “And I don’t just mean the home games.” He went on to describe how for years he had driven his car from Illinois to every away game including Seattle, California, Miami, and the east coast. Then he uttered nine words I might never forget: “I even went to the exhibition game in Berlin.”
To call Kirk a fan of the Bears may be the understatement of the year. He lives, breathes, and sleeps the Chicago Bears and is a fully devoted follower.
Contrast that with one of the students I met Thursday at the After School Klub. We were playing a game and the question was posed, “Who’s going to win the Super Bowl?” One of the kids said, “I love the Broncos!” The trouble is, there are only four teams left this year, two games today will determine who goes to the Super Bowl, and the Broncos are already out of the playoffs. This Denver Broncos fan had no idea this was a losing season for their favorite team. Needless to say, there’s a huge difference between the Bronco fan and the Bears follower.
Are you a fan or follower of Jesus?
Most USAmericans identify themselves as Christians, but what does that really mean? The word is commonly used to identify a political party. It is viewed by many as a group of people who are always against things and are filled with hate. Many within the church think because they believe in God and devote an hour a week to religious activity they are guaranteed a mansion in heaven when they die while others who haven’t prayed the prayer burn in hell for eternity.
Many are fans of Jesus, content with belief in historical events, but unwilling to devote their daily lives to the One who invites us to follow Him. It’s one thing to pray a prayer and ask Jesus to be your Savior and quite another to fully surrender and make Jesus your LORD.
Are you a fan or follower of Jesus?
Happy New Year! I know, we’re three weeks into the new year but this is my first chance to preach in 2018. How many of you are doing well with your new year’s resolutions? Oh never mind!
Actually, I was interviewed for an article The Toledo Blade recently did on new year’s resolutions related to reading the Bible. Just over 60 percent of American adults say they want to read the Bible more than they do. I’m excited so many of you are using the free Mission 119 app and website to not only read but study and apply the Bible.
But why? Why read the Bible? What’s the purpose of prayer? Why give money and time to the church? Why are we here week after week?
I have enjoyed the Mission 119 readings in Genesis, beginning with God’s amazing creation and moving to the fall of Adam and Eve, the covenant with Abraham, and the outrageous behavior of Abraham’s family. You just can’t make up some of those stories! The entire Old Testament creates anticipation for the Messiah to come and heal the brokenness, forgive the sin, and renew all things.
Jesus comes, models a perfect life, offers supernatural wisdom, performs miracles, dies on the cross for us, crushes sin and death, rises from the dead, ascends into heaven, and promises to return. Among his final words were these:
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
It’s almost cliché around here to talk about discipleship, making disciples. That’s the mission. That’s the Great Commission. Make disciples.
But what’s a disciple? We know Jesus had twelve disciples. What did that mean? Simply, they were fully-devoted followers. They weren’t fans, though Jesus had thousands of fans, fair-weather people who wanted to see him do tricks and critique his lectures. But these twelve—or at least eleven of them—were true followers, real disciples.
That journey began with a simple, two-word invitation: follow me.
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter ).
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” (John 1:40-43)
We don’t know if all twelve were invited this simply, but the invitation continues to this day, offered to every man, woman and child: follow me.
Tragically, many have flirted with Jesus but never truly followed. They put a fish on the back of their car or checked the “Christian” box in an application asking for religious preference, but never fully surrendered. Many have actually done many religious things, but missed the bottom-line message.
That message? Four words:
Love God
Love Others
When asked the greatest commandment,
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
Love God
Love Others
This is not new. It is not complicated. But before we get too deep into 2018, I want to challenge you with the simple question
Are you a fan of Jesus or a follower?
One dictionary defines fan as “an enthusiastic admirer.” That describes so many so-called Christians. They say they believe in God (satan believes there is a God, too!). They consider themselves to be good people. They might even be able to answer some Bible trivia from their time in church, but Jesus never said, “Admire me.” He never said, “Believe in your head I died and rose again.”
Jesus defined what it means to be a follower.
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? (Luke 9:23-25)
Last Sunday Jake was baptized. He was immersed in what is symbolically a water grave, dying, surrendering his will and desires before coming out of the water symbolizing resurrection, his new life in Jesus.
Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came so dead people can come alive!
The world “Christian” only appears three times in the Bible, each in reference to Jesus’ disciples. However, “disciple” is found more than 250 times. A disciple does everything to know and model the one they are following. They are a learner, but not just a head learner. Their heart and hands are changed, too, to love God and love others. They not only follow the Golden Rule of treating others as they want to be treated, they live out the Platinum Rule, loving others the way God loves you and me.
Humility
I would like to suggest one way to love God and love others. It’s not popular. In fact, it’s quite rare. I believe it is a pathway to peace, a bridge to unity. In our culture of division, hatred, and violence, one simple character trait would transform conversations and relationships. I must confess I have struggled my entire life to embody this word so nobody is more challenged than yours truly. The world is humility.
Paul wrote to the church in Philippi these radical words:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
Brothers and sisters, so much is at stake. Our city, nation and world are growing weary of Christians who don’t follow Jesus, they’re just fans. To be honest, there are atheists who are fans of Jesus, appreciating the wisdom of his teachings without embracing his resurrection or invitation to follow.
I see so much pride in the USA church today. Close-minded critics blast their spiritual siblings on Facebook and blog posts for controversial theological differences. So-called evangelicals seemingly more concerned with acquiring and supporting political power than emulating the homeless Messiah who said we would be judged by how we treat the least of these. I’m sick of self-righteous Pharisees concerned about the speck in the eyes of others while refusing to acknowledge the log in their own eye. This is nothing new, obviously, but I believe it needs to be said: we need more people to follow Jesus, our model for humility.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:8)
The invitation to follow Jesus is not easy. It’s not for the faint of heart. It involves nothing short of complete surrender—death to yourself and possibly even martyrdom. But I can tell you there’s nothing greater than knowing Jesus Christ.
In the next chapter Paul wrote
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
Those are words from a follower, not a fan.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his classic book, The Cost of Discipleship, wrote, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” Then the new life begins!
Jesus said
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
That’s a disciple.
Are you a follower of Jesus or just a fan?
Gift of Jesus, 24 December 2017
24 12 17
The Gift of Jesus
Series—The Gifts of Christmas
Luke 2:1-11
Big Idea: The greatest gift in human history was Jesus Christ.
Skit Guys Video
Introduction
Christy, I bought you a gift. I hope you like fruitcake! Merry Christmas!
Who loves Christmas cookies? I’m sorry, I don’t have any to throw out this morning, but I sure love them better than fruitcake! I’ve rarely met a cookie I didn’t like. I love sugar cookies, shortbread, …yes, I love buckeyes…but to clarify, I love to EAT buckeyes! My favorite cookie is gingerbread. I LOVE gingerbread!
Have you ever eaten cookie dough?
Have you ever made chocolate chip cookies and then poured the final chips from the bag into your mouth?
Have you ever poured the extra flour from the bag into your mouth? Of course not! But the flour and baking powder are essential. Skipping that tiny teaspoon of baking powder can destroy a batch of cookies.
History is filled with tiny things making a huge impact on our world. As Christy said in the drama, “Big things can come from really little places.” Jesus Christ, whose birthday we celebrate tomorrow—and today—came from a “little town” of Bethlehem two thousand years ago. The greatest gift came from the smallest place.
What are some of your favorite Christmas gifts? What are some of your least favorite Christmas gifts? That list might be more interesting!
One of my favorite Christmas traditions is the white elephant gift exchange. I’ve received some very interesting gifts at those parties! I think we can all agree there are some gifts we really don’t want!
During this Advent season of arrival, of waiting, we have looked at the gifts of expectancy, grace, reconciliation, and adoption. None of those can be wrapped or shoved into a gift bag, but those who choose to receive those gifts experience things far greater than an iPhone which will be obsolete in a few years or a sweater which will be eventually sent to Goodwill.
Today we conclude our series, The Gifts of Christmas. It has been my experience that there is no greater gift than the gift of Jesus. But like all gifts, you must choose to receive it or not.
The Christmas Story
Most of us have heard the Christmas story read by a friend, family member, someone at church, or even Linus on A Charlie Brown Christmas. A doctor named Luke wrote a biography of Jesus and our text for today comes from the gospel—or good news—of Luke.
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. (Luke 2:1-3)
The scene is the Roman empire about two thousand years ago. Transportation was difficult, yet required by the government.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. (Luke 2:4-5)
Joe and Mary travel about eighty miles to this little town of Bethlehem. The timing of the census was terrible as Mary was eight or nine months pregnant, although it is possible they were in Bethlehem for some time before the birth, as stated in the next verse.
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:6-7)
That nativity set you may have in your home might not be 100% accurate, though the same can be said for many things regarding our understanding of the Christmas story. I like the biblical account as it is ancient, tested, and trusted around the world. Most likely Bethlehem was filled with travelers and with no guest room available, they slept with the animals in the downstairs of a home. Tim Chaffey writes,
Archaeologists have excavated first century homes from the Judean hill country. They have discovered that the upper level served as a guest chamber while the lower level served as the living and dining rooms. Oftentimes, the more vulnerable animals would be brought in at night to protect them from the cold and theft. This sounds strange to many of us, since we wouldn't dream of bringing some of our cattle into the house at night, but even today in some countries of Europe (e.g., Germany and Austria), the farmhouse and the animal quarters are often different parts of the same building.
There was no inn, no innkeeper, no stable…they were probably staying with family in an overcrowded house.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. (Luke 2:8)
What a scene! There are scholars who believe these weren’t just any shepherds, but rather Levitical shepherds tending to animals which would be used for Passover sacrifices in the Jewish rituals. These were special lambs who had to be without defect, creatures given great care, even swaddled by their shepherd in order to be acceptable in the temple as a payment for the sins of the owner. What an image for Luke to highlight while telling the story of the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, the Lamb of God who would be in swaddling cloths. These shepherds were in for a big surprise!
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:9-11)
There are so many ancient prophesies fulfilled in these eleven verses. I wish we had time to explore them, but suffice it to say this was no ordinary baby and no ordinary birth, though the event occurred among ordinary people in a small, ordinary town.
The prophet Micah wrote about 700 years before the birth of Jesus these words:
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2)
There is so much solid evidence for faith in Jesus, including dozens of Old Testament prophesies uniquely fulfilled in Christ hundreds of years later. This is one. You can’t choose where you’re born, but Jesus’ birthplace was prophesied. O little town of Bethlehem! Big things can come from really little places.
Boaz, Barley, and Jesus
Jesus came from a little town that means “house of bread” as Christy mentioned in the drama. There are more than 5000 biblical references to baking bread…from unleavened bread during the Exodus to Jesus breaking bread and saying to His friends, “This is my body.” Ezekiel Bread can be found in grocery stores nationwide, a unique recipe found in the Bible.
One of the most fascinating stories in the Bible involves two women, Ruth and Naomi, distance ancestors of Jesus.
Naomi’s husband dies, her sons had died, and she is alone with her two daughters in-law. She urges them to find new husbands. One does but Ruth stays with her mother in-law, Naomi. They travel to Bethlehem…1000 years before Jesus is born.
At the time, if you owned a field, you were not allowed to harvest the corners of it, instead making it available to the poor and hungry. One day Ruth “gleans” from the field of Boaz, gathering ingredients to make bread. Boaz sees her, likes her, gives her more food, and eventually Boaz marries her. Ruth goes to Bethlehem and finds not only the gift of bread but the gift of a bread winner. Ruth and Boaz have a son named Obed, a blessing to not only them but also grandma Naomi. She was overjoyed at the gift.
The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.” (Ruth 4:14-15)
Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. Ruth 4:16
The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. (Ruth 4:16-17)
Ruth was King David’s great-grandmother and Naomi was his great, great-grandmother! The little town of Bethlehem became known as the City of David, and centuries later that label will be used by angel’s announcement to the shepherds.
Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11)
A Kinsman-Redeemer of all people was arriving in Bethlehem. Jesus came to rescue and redeem humanity in the same town where Boaz had redeemed His ancestor Ruth. If you’ve ever read through the Bible, you know there are some genealogies that can be extremely boring, but this one is quite fascinating:
Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, (Matthew 1:5-6)
Two of Jesus’ ancestors met during the barley harvest and a part in the ongoing gift-giving which would lead to the birth of Jesus, the Bread of Life (John 6:35).
So What?
We can talk all day long about big things coming from really little places. We can read the Christmas story of the birth of the Messiah. We can sing songs, exchange gifts, and eat cookies, but what difference does Jesus make two thousand years later? Jesus is the greatest gift. The story doesn’t end with a baby in a manger. Sweet baby Jesus would grow up, teach with wisdom which amazed the most brilliant minds of His day, perform countless miracles, willingly surrender His own life on a cross for the sake of every man, woman and child who follows Him, rise from the dead, ascend to heaven, and promise to return.
Jesus is the greatest gift. He came as Emmanuel, God with us. He came to our world to be with us, to relate to us, to love us, to show us what it means to truly be human. And He’s coming back for all who receive the gift, who receive Him, who follow Him.
Jesus is the greatest thing in my life. He has given me life—bountiful life! I live every day knowing my sins are forgiven which gives me peace. I know He is returning someday to our broken world which gives me hope. He is present here and now by the Holy Spirit living inside of me which gives me great joy. I’ve experience meaning and purpose for life, surrendering to the Creator God who knows me and still loves me.
And all of this can be true for you, too. There’s nothing special about me. I just said, “Yes” to the gift. And you can, too. The most famous verse in the Bible says
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
That’s a promise of eternity with God after you die, but also the promise of His presence and power and peace in this life, here and now. It’s not about religion or even being good. It’s simply about welcoming Jesus into your heart, your life, your world and inviting Him to lead and guide Your life. It’s about a relationship with Almighty God, a journey in which you can actually know your Creator, be adopted into a faith family of love, receive a fresh start in life, conquer your fears, and truly experience joy. If Jesus is not the main ingredient in your life, you’re missing out on the greatest ingredient, the greatest gift. I urge you to receive the gift, the gift of Jesus. Let Him lead and guide you and who you through His Word, the Bible, real wisdom, life, and joy.
One of my favorite songs of the season is “Joy to the World.” One of the lines says, “Let every heart prepare Him room.” Is there room in your heart for Jesus? He’s the main ingredient in my life and He can do incredible things with yours if you let Him in, if you receive the greatest gift this Christmas, the gift of Jesus.
Credits: title, drama, and some ideas from The Skit Guys.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—The Gifts of Christmas
Luke 2:1-11
Big Idea: The greatest gift in human history was Jesus Christ.
Skit Guys Video
Introduction
Christy, I bought you a gift. I hope you like fruitcake! Merry Christmas!
Who loves Christmas cookies? I’m sorry, I don’t have any to throw out this morning, but I sure love them better than fruitcake! I’ve rarely met a cookie I didn’t like. I love sugar cookies, shortbread, …yes, I love buckeyes…but to clarify, I love to EAT buckeyes! My favorite cookie is gingerbread. I LOVE gingerbread!
Have you ever eaten cookie dough?
Have you ever made chocolate chip cookies and then poured the final chips from the bag into your mouth?
Have you ever poured the extra flour from the bag into your mouth? Of course not! But the flour and baking powder are essential. Skipping that tiny teaspoon of baking powder can destroy a batch of cookies.
History is filled with tiny things making a huge impact on our world. As Christy said in the drama, “Big things can come from really little places.” Jesus Christ, whose birthday we celebrate tomorrow—and today—came from a “little town” of Bethlehem two thousand years ago. The greatest gift came from the smallest place.
What are some of your favorite Christmas gifts? What are some of your least favorite Christmas gifts? That list might be more interesting!
One of my favorite Christmas traditions is the white elephant gift exchange. I’ve received some very interesting gifts at those parties! I think we can all agree there are some gifts we really don’t want!
During this Advent season of arrival, of waiting, we have looked at the gifts of expectancy, grace, reconciliation, and adoption. None of those can be wrapped or shoved into a gift bag, but those who choose to receive those gifts experience things far greater than an iPhone which will be obsolete in a few years or a sweater which will be eventually sent to Goodwill.
Today we conclude our series, The Gifts of Christmas. It has been my experience that there is no greater gift than the gift of Jesus. But like all gifts, you must choose to receive it or not.
The Christmas Story
Most of us have heard the Christmas story read by a friend, family member, someone at church, or even Linus on A Charlie Brown Christmas. A doctor named Luke wrote a biography of Jesus and our text for today comes from the gospel—or good news—of Luke.
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. (Luke 2:1-3)
The scene is the Roman empire about two thousand years ago. Transportation was difficult, yet required by the government.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. (Luke 2:4-5)
Joe and Mary travel about eighty miles to this little town of Bethlehem. The timing of the census was terrible as Mary was eight or nine months pregnant, although it is possible they were in Bethlehem for some time before the birth, as stated in the next verse.
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:6-7)
That nativity set you may have in your home might not be 100% accurate, though the same can be said for many things regarding our understanding of the Christmas story. I like the biblical account as it is ancient, tested, and trusted around the world. Most likely Bethlehem was filled with travelers and with no guest room available, they slept with the animals in the downstairs of a home. Tim Chaffey writes,
Archaeologists have excavated first century homes from the Judean hill country. They have discovered that the upper level served as a guest chamber while the lower level served as the living and dining rooms. Oftentimes, the more vulnerable animals would be brought in at night to protect them from the cold and theft. This sounds strange to many of us, since we wouldn't dream of bringing some of our cattle into the house at night, but even today in some countries of Europe (e.g., Germany and Austria), the farmhouse and the animal quarters are often different parts of the same building.
There was no inn, no innkeeper, no stable…they were probably staying with family in an overcrowded house.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. (Luke 2:8)
What a scene! There are scholars who believe these weren’t just any shepherds, but rather Levitical shepherds tending to animals which would be used for Passover sacrifices in the Jewish rituals. These were special lambs who had to be without defect, creatures given great care, even swaddled by their shepherd in order to be acceptable in the temple as a payment for the sins of the owner. What an image for Luke to highlight while telling the story of the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, the Lamb of God who would be in swaddling cloths. These shepherds were in for a big surprise!
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:9-11)
There are so many ancient prophesies fulfilled in these eleven verses. I wish we had time to explore them, but suffice it to say this was no ordinary baby and no ordinary birth, though the event occurred among ordinary people in a small, ordinary town.
The prophet Micah wrote about 700 years before the birth of Jesus these words:
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2)
There is so much solid evidence for faith in Jesus, including dozens of Old Testament prophesies uniquely fulfilled in Christ hundreds of years later. This is one. You can’t choose where you’re born, but Jesus’ birthplace was prophesied. O little town of Bethlehem! Big things can come from really little places.
Boaz, Barley, and Jesus
Jesus came from a little town that means “house of bread” as Christy mentioned in the drama. There are more than 5000 biblical references to baking bread…from unleavened bread during the Exodus to Jesus breaking bread and saying to His friends, “This is my body.” Ezekiel Bread can be found in grocery stores nationwide, a unique recipe found in the Bible.
One of the most fascinating stories in the Bible involves two women, Ruth and Naomi, distance ancestors of Jesus.
Naomi’s husband dies, her sons had died, and she is alone with her two daughters in-law. She urges them to find new husbands. One does but Ruth stays with her mother in-law, Naomi. They travel to Bethlehem…1000 years before Jesus is born.
At the time, if you owned a field, you were not allowed to harvest the corners of it, instead making it available to the poor and hungry. One day Ruth “gleans” from the field of Boaz, gathering ingredients to make bread. Boaz sees her, likes her, gives her more food, and eventually Boaz marries her. Ruth goes to Bethlehem and finds not only the gift of bread but the gift of a bread winner. Ruth and Boaz have a son named Obed, a blessing to not only them but also grandma Naomi. She was overjoyed at the gift.
The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.” (Ruth 4:14-15)
Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. Ruth 4:16
The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. (Ruth 4:16-17)
Ruth was King David’s great-grandmother and Naomi was his great, great-grandmother! The little town of Bethlehem became known as the City of David, and centuries later that label will be used by angel’s announcement to the shepherds.
Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11)
A Kinsman-Redeemer of all people was arriving in Bethlehem. Jesus came to rescue and redeem humanity in the same town where Boaz had redeemed His ancestor Ruth. If you’ve ever read through the Bible, you know there are some genealogies that can be extremely boring, but this one is quite fascinating:
Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, (Matthew 1:5-6)
Two of Jesus’ ancestors met during the barley harvest and a part in the ongoing gift-giving which would lead to the birth of Jesus, the Bread of Life (John 6:35).
So What?
We can talk all day long about big things coming from really little places. We can read the Christmas story of the birth of the Messiah. We can sing songs, exchange gifts, and eat cookies, but what difference does Jesus make two thousand years later? Jesus is the greatest gift. The story doesn’t end with a baby in a manger. Sweet baby Jesus would grow up, teach with wisdom which amazed the most brilliant minds of His day, perform countless miracles, willingly surrender His own life on a cross for the sake of every man, woman and child who follows Him, rise from the dead, ascend to heaven, and promise to return.
Jesus is the greatest gift. He came as Emmanuel, God with us. He came to our world to be with us, to relate to us, to love us, to show us what it means to truly be human. And He’s coming back for all who receive the gift, who receive Him, who follow Him.
Jesus is the greatest thing in my life. He has given me life—bountiful life! I live every day knowing my sins are forgiven which gives me peace. I know He is returning someday to our broken world which gives me hope. He is present here and now by the Holy Spirit living inside of me which gives me great joy. I’ve experience meaning and purpose for life, surrendering to the Creator God who knows me and still loves me.
And all of this can be true for you, too. There’s nothing special about me. I just said, “Yes” to the gift. And you can, too. The most famous verse in the Bible says
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
That’s a promise of eternity with God after you die, but also the promise of His presence and power and peace in this life, here and now. It’s not about religion or even being good. It’s simply about welcoming Jesus into your heart, your life, your world and inviting Him to lead and guide Your life. It’s about a relationship with Almighty God, a journey in which you can actually know your Creator, be adopted into a faith family of love, receive a fresh start in life, conquer your fears, and truly experience joy. If Jesus is not the main ingredient in your life, you’re missing out on the greatest ingredient, the greatest gift. I urge you to receive the gift, the gift of Jesus. Let Him lead and guide you and who you through His Word, the Bible, real wisdom, life, and joy.
One of my favorite songs of the season is “Joy to the World.” One of the lines says, “Let every heart prepare Him room.” Is there room in your heart for Jesus? He’s the main ingredient in my life and He can do incredible things with yours if you let Him in, if you receive the greatest gift this Christmas, the gift of Jesus.
Credits: title, drama, and some ideas from The Skit Guys.
Gift of Adoption, 17 December 2017
17 12 17
The Gift of Adoption
Series—The Gifts of Christmas
Ephesians 1:1-6
Big Idea: God sets a beautiful example of love and grace by adopting us as His children.
Skit Guys Video
Introduction
Adoption is a very important and often emotional topic. I remember hearing a wonderful story of a boy being teased for being adopted. He turned to his peers and said confidently, “Your parents had to take you. My parents chose me!” While his attitude may have been a bit over the top, one thing’s for sure: adoption changes lives.
In the video, the mother utters three powerful words as she’s about to pick up her baby. She says, “We decided that’s the way it was going to be” and then says with a smile, “But it wasn’t.”
Our world is full of brokenness and pain. Bad news assaults us every day, prompting fear, worry, and anxiety. It’s so easy to give up, embrace the discouragement, settle for the status quo, and say, “That’s the way it’s going to be.” And then God whispers, “But it’s not.” During this Advent season of arrival, of waiting, we have looked at the gifts of expectancy, grace, and reconciliation. Today we turn to one of the most remarkable gifts of all…adoption. It changes lives. Has it changed yours?
In eight days we will celebrate the birth of Jesus, His entrance into our world…and into the family of Joseph and Mary. There are few things in this world more exciting than the birth of a baby. I’ve often said the only part of hospitals I like is the maternity ward. Families can grow two ways: through birth and adoption.
The Bible is filled with metaphors describing spiritual truths with physical realities. Words like family, born again, and new birth appear numerous times. One of my favorite verses—which we examined recently—was written by Jesus’ close friend John to some of the first Christians, followers of Jesus. He writes…
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (1 John 3:1)
I love this verse—pun intended. It’s not just love, but great love. It’s not just a stranger, but the Creator of the universe. It’s not just that He gives love, but He lavishes it. It’s not just anybody, it’s us! It’s not just servants or acquaintances or even friends, it’s children. And that is what we are…children of God…if we follow Jesus. If we embrace the “reason for the season.” If we surrender our will to God’s, believing that Daddy knows best.
I know many of you struggle at this word “Father” because your earthly dad was…less than stellar. Maybe you never knew him. Perhaps he abused you. That’s not our heavenly Father, though. He loves His kids. He loves you!
Our text for today was written by Paul, a remarkably passionate man who once persecuted Christians before encountering Jesus and becoming one of His followers. He writes,
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:1-2)
This is a letter to the church in the city of Ephesus in modern day Turkey. His introduction is similar to his other writings. Then he begins to talk about their identity—who they are. I think we can safely say although this was not written to us, it was written for us and applies to all followers of Jesus.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)
Paul offers praise to God. We praise God as we sing and pray, adoring Him for His greatness, power, majesty, faithfulness, and most of all love. It also says we’ve been blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. I’m not even sure I understand what every spiritual blessing means exactly, but I know it’s all good! In Christ—that’s the key phrase—we have access to God, to blessings, to faith, hope, and love. We are entitled to the benefits of being children of the King, the LORD of the universe. What’s more, followers of Jesus are “in Christ,” God the Father sees in us the things He sees in Jesus.
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. (Ephesians 1:4-6)
The Greek word for “adoption” is huiothesia. When Paul uses the word it serves to distinguish the believer’s relationship as a daughter or son of God from that of Jesus.
Look at the New Living Translation of this Greek text:
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. (Ephesians 1:4-6, NLT)
That’s incredible!
God loved us.
God chose us to be holy.
God chose to adopt us into his own family.
And that was all before he made the world!
There’s more: it says he wanted to adopt us…and it gave him great pleasure. So what’s our response? We praise God. We praise the Father for sending the Son, Jesus, whose birthday we celebrate in eight days.
Have you heard this before? If so, share it. Listen as if you have to share this with a friend tomorrow…and then do it! This is a great time of year to ask, “What does Christmas mean to you?” Then listen. Maybe they’ll return the favor and you can say, “It means Jesus came as the greatest gift in human history, living a perfect life, dying for us, rising from the dead, and now he’s preparing a place for us. Do you know Him? He loves you.”
Love. There’s that word again. Everything in the video points to love. Everything about this season points to love. Baking cookies, buying or making gifts, hosting meals, sending cards, giving to charity, even singing songs of praise are all expressions of love.
But what is love? Contemporary philosopher-theologian Tom Oord says, “To love is to act intentionally, in sympathetic response to others (including God), to promise overall well-being.” I think that works. Theologian H. Richard Niebuhr said, “By love we mean at least these attitudes and actions: rejoicing in the presence of the beloved, gratitude, reverence and loyalty toward him [or her].”
Last week we read God is love. My professor, Scot McKnight, sees four elements in divine love:
God’s love is a rugged covenant commitment.
Beginning with Abraham, God relates to humans through covenant, a deep commitment, greater than a contract. Often people will say they fell in or out of love, but that’s just emotion. A commitment is a decision, a choice, a promise. God’s love is permanent. It is rugged and is able to withstand anything we may do or fail to do.
God’s commitment is to be present, or to be “with.”
I love this idea of presence. Jesus came as Emmanuel which means “God with us.” He doesn’t love us from afar, but enters our world, our pain, our suffering, our hopes. In the absence of Jesus—who left our planet but promised to return soon—He sent the Holy Spirit to live and dwell within each of His followers. God is committed to be with us, and He lives inside many of us through the Spirit. Someday He will dwell with His people in the new heavens and the new earth.
God’s commitment is to be an advocate, or to be “for.”
Have you ever had a friend that believed in you? Hopefully all of our friends like us, but I mean a special friend who supported you. About a decade ago my friend Ramsey came up to me and said, “I’ve got your back.” I’ve never forgotten those simple words. He was for me. Again, we see love expressed through a commitment. Throughout the Old Testament, God says to the Israelites, “I will be your God and you will be my people.”
God’s commitment has direction: God’s love is “unto” kingdom realities.
God loves the whole world. Every human was created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth. If only we would always see others that way! Jesus is King and kings have kingdoms and kingdoms have rules. God’s kingdom mission establishes churches, communities marked by righteousness, the cross, and love.
The Family
Which brings us to right here and right now. We are a family, a faith family. In God’s family, we are all adopted…into grace…into love.
When Paul wrote to the church in Rome, he said…
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:14-15)
The word “abba” is Aramaic, a word used by children for their father, not unlike “daddy” or “papa.” It implies both intimacy and respect. What a joy to call the Almighty “Abba, Father.” When I talk with Him, I always want to maintain a reverence, but not a distance. Some are too formal with God…others too casual. Suffice it to say, it’s a huge honor and privilege to be able to talk with God at all, much less address Him as one of His children.
Heather and I watched the first episode of “The Crown” this past week. I’m not necessarily recommending it as we’ve just begun, but it’s the story of Queen Elizabeth. She is introduced in the television program shortly before she is married, and soon thereafter they fast-forward several years until she has two small children, Charles and Anne. These kids are shown riding their bikes and interacting with their parents, seemingly unaware that they are in the presence of royalty…that they are royalty.
It’s easy for me to take my relationship with Abba Father for granted. I’m used to Him being my Dad, especially after the death of my earthly dad. I don’t deserve to be adopted as His son any more than Charles deserves to be Prince or Little Orphan Annie deserved to be adopted by Daddy Warbucks. What a privilege!
Paul continues…
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Romans 8:16-17)
If you think Prince Charles is heir to a lot, think about what God’s children receive! We are co-heirs with Christ. But we are not yet able to enjoy all of the inheritance now. For many followers of Jesus throughout the centuries there has been suffering, persecution, and even martyrdom. Jesus was killed for speaking the truth, what makes us think following Him will lead to a safe, comfortable life? We’ve been blessed in this country with great freedoms, but as long as we live in a sinful, broken world there will be opposition from the author of hate and death, satan.
If you recall in the video, the mother reads the verse in the Advent calendar which says, “God has chosen me…” God has chosen us to be His children, to join His family, to participate in His mission to seek and save the lost, to serve the poor, widow, stranger and orphan, to make disciples of all nations who will follow Jesus, to love God and others. Family brings both privileges and responsibility. We have been given salvation, hope, peace, love, joy, and the Holy Spirit to love and serve our world.
Our Heavenly Father is greater than any earthly parent. He invites all humans to become His children, yet He gives us the choice of joining His family or rejecting Him. If you have not experienced a great human family, meditate on this simple verse:
Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. (Psalms 27:10)
That’s adoption language. That’s love. He will never turn us away.
So What?
Maybe this is the Christmas when you say yes to God’s invitation to be adopted into His family. It simply involves surrendering control of your life, believing Daddy knows best. It means saying, “God, I want You to lead my life, be my LORD. Thank You for sending Jesus to die for my sins and offer me forgiveness and life. I want to join Your team, Your mission, Your family.”
Maybe this is the Christmas when you follow God’s example and adopt someone into your family. Heather and I completed foster care classes last year and continue to seek God regarding possibly fostering or adopting in the future. Some of you have experienced the tremendous joy of adoption. Even if you’re not ready to foster or adopt, you can help someone who is by praying for them, babysitting, or any number of things. The need in Lucas County for foster homes right now is staggering, especially with the opioid epidemic. There are brochures at the information center kiosk if you’re interested.
Maybe this is the Christmas when you simply adopt a person or family to join you at the Christmas table, buy them a gift, send them a hand-written note of encouragement, or simply say, “I love and appreciate you.”
How will you celebrate the Gift of Adoption this year? May Abba Father lead and guide you and your loved ones today, during these next eight days, and for years to come.
Credits: title, drama, and some ideas from The Skit Guys.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—The Gifts of Christmas
Ephesians 1:1-6
Big Idea: God sets a beautiful example of love and grace by adopting us as His children.
Skit Guys Video
Introduction
Adoption is a very important and often emotional topic. I remember hearing a wonderful story of a boy being teased for being adopted. He turned to his peers and said confidently, “Your parents had to take you. My parents chose me!” While his attitude may have been a bit over the top, one thing’s for sure: adoption changes lives.
In the video, the mother utters three powerful words as she’s about to pick up her baby. She says, “We decided that’s the way it was going to be” and then says with a smile, “But it wasn’t.”
Our world is full of brokenness and pain. Bad news assaults us every day, prompting fear, worry, and anxiety. It’s so easy to give up, embrace the discouragement, settle for the status quo, and say, “That’s the way it’s going to be.” And then God whispers, “But it’s not.” During this Advent season of arrival, of waiting, we have looked at the gifts of expectancy, grace, and reconciliation. Today we turn to one of the most remarkable gifts of all…adoption. It changes lives. Has it changed yours?
In eight days we will celebrate the birth of Jesus, His entrance into our world…and into the family of Joseph and Mary. There are few things in this world more exciting than the birth of a baby. I’ve often said the only part of hospitals I like is the maternity ward. Families can grow two ways: through birth and adoption.
The Bible is filled with metaphors describing spiritual truths with physical realities. Words like family, born again, and new birth appear numerous times. One of my favorite verses—which we examined recently—was written by Jesus’ close friend John to some of the first Christians, followers of Jesus. He writes…
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (1 John 3:1)
I love this verse—pun intended. It’s not just love, but great love. It’s not just a stranger, but the Creator of the universe. It’s not just that He gives love, but He lavishes it. It’s not just anybody, it’s us! It’s not just servants or acquaintances or even friends, it’s children. And that is what we are…children of God…if we follow Jesus. If we embrace the “reason for the season.” If we surrender our will to God’s, believing that Daddy knows best.
I know many of you struggle at this word “Father” because your earthly dad was…less than stellar. Maybe you never knew him. Perhaps he abused you. That’s not our heavenly Father, though. He loves His kids. He loves you!
Our text for today was written by Paul, a remarkably passionate man who once persecuted Christians before encountering Jesus and becoming one of His followers. He writes,
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:1-2)
This is a letter to the church in the city of Ephesus in modern day Turkey. His introduction is similar to his other writings. Then he begins to talk about their identity—who they are. I think we can safely say although this was not written to us, it was written for us and applies to all followers of Jesus.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)
Paul offers praise to God. We praise God as we sing and pray, adoring Him for His greatness, power, majesty, faithfulness, and most of all love. It also says we’ve been blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. I’m not even sure I understand what every spiritual blessing means exactly, but I know it’s all good! In Christ—that’s the key phrase—we have access to God, to blessings, to faith, hope, and love. We are entitled to the benefits of being children of the King, the LORD of the universe. What’s more, followers of Jesus are “in Christ,” God the Father sees in us the things He sees in Jesus.
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. (Ephesians 1:4-6)
The Greek word for “adoption” is huiothesia. When Paul uses the word it serves to distinguish the believer’s relationship as a daughter or son of God from that of Jesus.
Look at the New Living Translation of this Greek text:
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. (Ephesians 1:4-6, NLT)
That’s incredible!
God loved us.
God chose us to be holy.
God chose to adopt us into his own family.
And that was all before he made the world!
There’s more: it says he wanted to adopt us…and it gave him great pleasure. So what’s our response? We praise God. We praise the Father for sending the Son, Jesus, whose birthday we celebrate in eight days.
Have you heard this before? If so, share it. Listen as if you have to share this with a friend tomorrow…and then do it! This is a great time of year to ask, “What does Christmas mean to you?” Then listen. Maybe they’ll return the favor and you can say, “It means Jesus came as the greatest gift in human history, living a perfect life, dying for us, rising from the dead, and now he’s preparing a place for us. Do you know Him? He loves you.”
Love. There’s that word again. Everything in the video points to love. Everything about this season points to love. Baking cookies, buying or making gifts, hosting meals, sending cards, giving to charity, even singing songs of praise are all expressions of love.
But what is love? Contemporary philosopher-theologian Tom Oord says, “To love is to act intentionally, in sympathetic response to others (including God), to promise overall well-being.” I think that works. Theologian H. Richard Niebuhr said, “By love we mean at least these attitudes and actions: rejoicing in the presence of the beloved, gratitude, reverence and loyalty toward him [or her].”
Last week we read God is love. My professor, Scot McKnight, sees four elements in divine love:
God’s love is a rugged covenant commitment.
Beginning with Abraham, God relates to humans through covenant, a deep commitment, greater than a contract. Often people will say they fell in or out of love, but that’s just emotion. A commitment is a decision, a choice, a promise. God’s love is permanent. It is rugged and is able to withstand anything we may do or fail to do.
God’s commitment is to be present, or to be “with.”
I love this idea of presence. Jesus came as Emmanuel which means “God with us.” He doesn’t love us from afar, but enters our world, our pain, our suffering, our hopes. In the absence of Jesus—who left our planet but promised to return soon—He sent the Holy Spirit to live and dwell within each of His followers. God is committed to be with us, and He lives inside many of us through the Spirit. Someday He will dwell with His people in the new heavens and the new earth.
God’s commitment is to be an advocate, or to be “for.”
Have you ever had a friend that believed in you? Hopefully all of our friends like us, but I mean a special friend who supported you. About a decade ago my friend Ramsey came up to me and said, “I’ve got your back.” I’ve never forgotten those simple words. He was for me. Again, we see love expressed through a commitment. Throughout the Old Testament, God says to the Israelites, “I will be your God and you will be my people.”
God’s commitment has direction: God’s love is “unto” kingdom realities.
God loves the whole world. Every human was created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth. If only we would always see others that way! Jesus is King and kings have kingdoms and kingdoms have rules. God’s kingdom mission establishes churches, communities marked by righteousness, the cross, and love.
The Family
Which brings us to right here and right now. We are a family, a faith family. In God’s family, we are all adopted…into grace…into love.
When Paul wrote to the church in Rome, he said…
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:14-15)
The word “abba” is Aramaic, a word used by children for their father, not unlike “daddy” or “papa.” It implies both intimacy and respect. What a joy to call the Almighty “Abba, Father.” When I talk with Him, I always want to maintain a reverence, but not a distance. Some are too formal with God…others too casual. Suffice it to say, it’s a huge honor and privilege to be able to talk with God at all, much less address Him as one of His children.
Heather and I watched the first episode of “The Crown” this past week. I’m not necessarily recommending it as we’ve just begun, but it’s the story of Queen Elizabeth. She is introduced in the television program shortly before she is married, and soon thereafter they fast-forward several years until she has two small children, Charles and Anne. These kids are shown riding their bikes and interacting with their parents, seemingly unaware that they are in the presence of royalty…that they are royalty.
It’s easy for me to take my relationship with Abba Father for granted. I’m used to Him being my Dad, especially after the death of my earthly dad. I don’t deserve to be adopted as His son any more than Charles deserves to be Prince or Little Orphan Annie deserved to be adopted by Daddy Warbucks. What a privilege!
Paul continues…
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Romans 8:16-17)
If you think Prince Charles is heir to a lot, think about what God’s children receive! We are co-heirs with Christ. But we are not yet able to enjoy all of the inheritance now. For many followers of Jesus throughout the centuries there has been suffering, persecution, and even martyrdom. Jesus was killed for speaking the truth, what makes us think following Him will lead to a safe, comfortable life? We’ve been blessed in this country with great freedoms, but as long as we live in a sinful, broken world there will be opposition from the author of hate and death, satan.
If you recall in the video, the mother reads the verse in the Advent calendar which says, “God has chosen me…” God has chosen us to be His children, to join His family, to participate in His mission to seek and save the lost, to serve the poor, widow, stranger and orphan, to make disciples of all nations who will follow Jesus, to love God and others. Family brings both privileges and responsibility. We have been given salvation, hope, peace, love, joy, and the Holy Spirit to love and serve our world.
Our Heavenly Father is greater than any earthly parent. He invites all humans to become His children, yet He gives us the choice of joining His family or rejecting Him. If you have not experienced a great human family, meditate on this simple verse:
Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. (Psalms 27:10)
That’s adoption language. That’s love. He will never turn us away.
So What?
Maybe this is the Christmas when you say yes to God’s invitation to be adopted into His family. It simply involves surrendering control of your life, believing Daddy knows best. It means saying, “God, I want You to lead my life, be my LORD. Thank You for sending Jesus to die for my sins and offer me forgiveness and life. I want to join Your team, Your mission, Your family.”
Maybe this is the Christmas when you follow God’s example and adopt someone into your family. Heather and I completed foster care classes last year and continue to seek God regarding possibly fostering or adopting in the future. Some of you have experienced the tremendous joy of adoption. Even if you’re not ready to foster or adopt, you can help someone who is by praying for them, babysitting, or any number of things. The need in Lucas County for foster homes right now is staggering, especially with the opioid epidemic. There are brochures at the information center kiosk if you’re interested.
Maybe this is the Christmas when you simply adopt a person or family to join you at the Christmas table, buy them a gift, send them a hand-written note of encouragement, or simply say, “I love and appreciate you.”
How will you celebrate the Gift of Adoption this year? May Abba Father lead and guide you and your loved ones today, during these next eight days, and for years to come.
Credits: title, drama, and some ideas from The Skit Guys.
Gift of Reconciliation, 10 December 2017
11 12 17
The Gift of Reconciliation
Series—The Gifts of Christmas
1 John 4:7-12
Big Idea: Jesus came to reconcile us to the Father…and one another.
Skit Guys Video
Introduction
An old man who just wants to make things right with his kids. That’s sounds so reasonable, doesn’t it? He seems like a nice enough guy. What kind of person would reject love? He’s done everything he can think of so this time...this season...he goes...himself. He gives himself....a new beginning.
We’re in the middle of a series called The Gifts of Christmas. Two weeks ago we talked about the give of expectancy. Advent is about arrival, anticipation, and waiting. Last week we examined the gift of grace, unmerited favor. None of us deserve forgiveness, love, peace, forgiveness, or hope, yet that’s where God’s amazing grace becomes so vital to not only experience but also share. Today we’re talking about the gift of reconciliation, a word that reflects reunion, understanding, and resolution. In a world full of brokenness, reconciliation is desperately needed.
It has surprised me over the years how many good parents are estranged from their children. Don’t good parents produce good kids? How could someone walk away from the love of a father—or mother? Why would a “Christian” family have any division or unresolved conflict? Why are there so many prodigals amongst our First Alliance family? And then I look at the gap in my own family photo. Why? What happened? Can I fix it? If so, how?
Let me state from the beginning relationships require at least two people, and reconciliation requires at least two, also. The holidays are a time when people gather—with family, co-workers, and friends—for parties, meals, and for Christmas. I have nothing but good memories of childhood Christmases, not only tearing open brightly-wrapped presents and stuffing myself with cookies but seeing relatives I dearly loved.
It’s very different for me now. Obviously the wonder of gifts under the tree is different as an adult and I think twice before eating too many cookies, but while I love the family and friends in my life, I’m also reminded at this time of year about those with whom I am not connected. Many of my favorite people will be spending Jesus’ birthday with Him rather than me, which his bittersweet.
What’s more bitter and not at all sweet are those broken relationships. There will be one very empty chair at our table on the 25th for the second year in a row, and while our relationship with our daughter has taken some baby steps forward, it has a long way to go. How could someone reject the love of a father?
Tragically, it happens every day, and not just with human fathers. Our heavenly Father went to the most extreme of measures to show us His love. We can accept or reject it…it’s our choice. He made the first move. The ball’s in our court.
We’ve looked at our text for today—written by one of Jesus’ best friends, John—before, but it bears repeating. It begins
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7)
This sounds so familiar to anyone who has cracked open the Bible, but this is revolutionary among other religions. Love comes from God? Those who love are born of God? Those who love know God?
And what if we don’t love? What does that say about us? The command here—and elsewhere in the Bible—is to love…one another.
What is love? That’s the question! Hollywood will tell you one thing, Hallmark cards another. A man I knew searched the Bible to understand the true definition of love when he came upon this next verse.
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:8)
God is love. He’s the definition of love! Love is a person. Love is also a verb. It is action.
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. (1 John 4:9)
Love is more than words. The verse describes the purpose of Christmas itself. God showed His love by sending Jesus into the world, Emmanuel, God with us, that we might live, the we might experience abundant, satisfying, purpose-filled life.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:10)
Jesus came to die for our sins on the cross, to be the perfect sacrifice, to reconnect us with our Creator in a relationship destroyed by our sins, our pride, our rebellion, our offenses against God. Elsewhere in the Bible it says
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:9-11)
We have received love.
We have received reconciliation.
We have received an invitation to know our Creator—not just know about, but know.
Why would a holy God want to reconcile with sinners like us? Why would a righteous deity want to make the first move in mending a relationship we destroyed? That’s the love of a Father…a good, good Father. He takes the initiative to fix things when life happens. He sets the perfect example for us in our human relationships…our messy human relationships. You know…words get said, feelings get hurt, blame gets assigned, misunderstandings occur. It’s so easy for once-beautiful families and friendships to be strained or even severed. That’s where love comes in.
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:11-12)
Let’s take a moment and meditate on those verses. Wow! God so loved us. We are to love one another. If God is love, what does it look like to love one another? It means looking out for the best interest of the other person. We’re naturally selfish, thinking about our own needs, desires, and opinions. Loving another means putting ourselves in their shoes for a moment. It can be so easy when they like us and are like us. Loving someone different…that’s another story! But it’s possible when God’s love is made complete in us.
Prodigals
Sometimes the most difficult people to love are those closest to us because they are capable of not only great love but great pain. You might know the story of the prodigal—or extravagant—son. Jesus tells his audience…
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. (Luke 15:11-12)
Then the prodigal son takes the extravagant gifts of inheritance from his generous father, takes off for a foreign land, and parties until he’s homeless and hungry. In fact, the text says
He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. (Luke 15:16)
That might sound gross to us, but to a Jew, even being near pigs was horrifying, much less eating their food.
I love the beginning of the next verse.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father. (Luke 15:17-20a)
The soundtrack for this moment is, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas!”
The son could be home for Christmas if only in his dreams. He showed up ready to beg for a job as a servant. After all, he already played his son card, walking off with half of the father’s wealth, a scandalous thing given an inheritance is received after someone dies. He is ashamed, humiliated…but desperate.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. (Luke 15:20)
In 1985, Benny Hester wrote a song called When God Ran, about this verse. He sings:
The only time I ever saw him run/ Was when He ran to me/ He took me in His arms/ Held my head to His chest/ Said "My son's come home again!"/ Lifted my face/ Wiped the tears from my eyes/ With forgiveness in His voice He said/ "Son, do you know I still love You?"/He caught me By surprise, When God ran
That’s reconciliation. That’s grace. That’s love!
The father in the drama leaves his home and goes out to meet his family, just as the prodigal son’s father went out to meet his son.
Seeking Reconciliation
When we seek reconciliation, there are no guarantees. It takes two to tango, but someone needs to make the first move. Perhaps that someone is you. Maybe this Christmas is the one where steps are taken toward the healing of broken relationships. That is certainly the prayer for my family.
One thing I love about our God is there is nothing too difficult for Him. Prayer is powerful. There is no hopeless relationship. Nothing is beyond repair. No relationship is beyond fixing. That includes our relationship with God and our relationship with others.
God saw that the space between us and Him had become too great. So He ran to us. He came down to us at Christmas. Love comes down at Christmas.
So What?
We love God because God first loved us.
We love others because God first loved us.
He has done everything possible to show you His love, to have a relationship with you. It’s your move. What will you do?
Perhaps you’ve done everything possible to show others your love, to have a relationship with them. It’s their move. There might not be anything else you can do other than remain faithful, pray, and wait.
I’m there. Many of you are there. The gift of reconciliation means God took the initiative and has reconciled us to Himself which then allows us to potentially be reconciled to others.
Will you receive the gift of reconciliation with the Father?
Will you extend the gift of reconciliation to someone this Christmas?
Credits: title, drama, and some ideas from The Skit Guys.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—The Gifts of Christmas
1 John 4:7-12
Big Idea: Jesus came to reconcile us to the Father…and one another.
Skit Guys Video
Introduction
An old man who just wants to make things right with his kids. That’s sounds so reasonable, doesn’t it? He seems like a nice enough guy. What kind of person would reject love? He’s done everything he can think of so this time...this season...he goes...himself. He gives himself....a new beginning.
We’re in the middle of a series called The Gifts of Christmas. Two weeks ago we talked about the give of expectancy. Advent is about arrival, anticipation, and waiting. Last week we examined the gift of grace, unmerited favor. None of us deserve forgiveness, love, peace, forgiveness, or hope, yet that’s where God’s amazing grace becomes so vital to not only experience but also share. Today we’re talking about the gift of reconciliation, a word that reflects reunion, understanding, and resolution. In a world full of brokenness, reconciliation is desperately needed.
It has surprised me over the years how many good parents are estranged from their children. Don’t good parents produce good kids? How could someone walk away from the love of a father—or mother? Why would a “Christian” family have any division or unresolved conflict? Why are there so many prodigals amongst our First Alliance family? And then I look at the gap in my own family photo. Why? What happened? Can I fix it? If so, how?
Let me state from the beginning relationships require at least two people, and reconciliation requires at least two, also. The holidays are a time when people gather—with family, co-workers, and friends—for parties, meals, and for Christmas. I have nothing but good memories of childhood Christmases, not only tearing open brightly-wrapped presents and stuffing myself with cookies but seeing relatives I dearly loved.
It’s very different for me now. Obviously the wonder of gifts under the tree is different as an adult and I think twice before eating too many cookies, but while I love the family and friends in my life, I’m also reminded at this time of year about those with whom I am not connected. Many of my favorite people will be spending Jesus’ birthday with Him rather than me, which his bittersweet.
What’s more bitter and not at all sweet are those broken relationships. There will be one very empty chair at our table on the 25th for the second year in a row, and while our relationship with our daughter has taken some baby steps forward, it has a long way to go. How could someone reject the love of a father?
Tragically, it happens every day, and not just with human fathers. Our heavenly Father went to the most extreme of measures to show us His love. We can accept or reject it…it’s our choice. He made the first move. The ball’s in our court.
We’ve looked at our text for today—written by one of Jesus’ best friends, John—before, but it bears repeating. It begins
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7)
This sounds so familiar to anyone who has cracked open the Bible, but this is revolutionary among other religions. Love comes from God? Those who love are born of God? Those who love know God?
And what if we don’t love? What does that say about us? The command here—and elsewhere in the Bible—is to love…one another.
What is love? That’s the question! Hollywood will tell you one thing, Hallmark cards another. A man I knew searched the Bible to understand the true definition of love when he came upon this next verse.
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:8)
God is love. He’s the definition of love! Love is a person. Love is also a verb. It is action.
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. (1 John 4:9)
Love is more than words. The verse describes the purpose of Christmas itself. God showed His love by sending Jesus into the world, Emmanuel, God with us, that we might live, the we might experience abundant, satisfying, purpose-filled life.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:10)
Jesus came to die for our sins on the cross, to be the perfect sacrifice, to reconnect us with our Creator in a relationship destroyed by our sins, our pride, our rebellion, our offenses against God. Elsewhere in the Bible it says
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:9-11)
We have received love.
We have received reconciliation.
We have received an invitation to know our Creator—not just know about, but know.
Why would a holy God want to reconcile with sinners like us? Why would a righteous deity want to make the first move in mending a relationship we destroyed? That’s the love of a Father…a good, good Father. He takes the initiative to fix things when life happens. He sets the perfect example for us in our human relationships…our messy human relationships. You know…words get said, feelings get hurt, blame gets assigned, misunderstandings occur. It’s so easy for once-beautiful families and friendships to be strained or even severed. That’s where love comes in.
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:11-12)
Let’s take a moment and meditate on those verses. Wow! God so loved us. We are to love one another. If God is love, what does it look like to love one another? It means looking out for the best interest of the other person. We’re naturally selfish, thinking about our own needs, desires, and opinions. Loving another means putting ourselves in their shoes for a moment. It can be so easy when they like us and are like us. Loving someone different…that’s another story! But it’s possible when God’s love is made complete in us.
Prodigals
Sometimes the most difficult people to love are those closest to us because they are capable of not only great love but great pain. You might know the story of the prodigal—or extravagant—son. Jesus tells his audience…
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. (Luke 15:11-12)
Then the prodigal son takes the extravagant gifts of inheritance from his generous father, takes off for a foreign land, and parties until he’s homeless and hungry. In fact, the text says
He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. (Luke 15:16)
That might sound gross to us, but to a Jew, even being near pigs was horrifying, much less eating their food.
I love the beginning of the next verse.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father. (Luke 15:17-20a)
The soundtrack for this moment is, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas!”
The son could be home for Christmas if only in his dreams. He showed up ready to beg for a job as a servant. After all, he already played his son card, walking off with half of the father’s wealth, a scandalous thing given an inheritance is received after someone dies. He is ashamed, humiliated…but desperate.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. (Luke 15:20)
In 1985, Benny Hester wrote a song called When God Ran, about this verse. He sings:
The only time I ever saw him run/ Was when He ran to me/ He took me in His arms/ Held my head to His chest/ Said "My son's come home again!"/ Lifted my face/ Wiped the tears from my eyes/ With forgiveness in His voice He said/ "Son, do you know I still love You?"/He caught me By surprise, When God ran
That’s reconciliation. That’s grace. That’s love!
The father in the drama leaves his home and goes out to meet his family, just as the prodigal son’s father went out to meet his son.
Seeking Reconciliation
When we seek reconciliation, there are no guarantees. It takes two to tango, but someone needs to make the first move. Perhaps that someone is you. Maybe this Christmas is the one where steps are taken toward the healing of broken relationships. That is certainly the prayer for my family.
One thing I love about our God is there is nothing too difficult for Him. Prayer is powerful. There is no hopeless relationship. Nothing is beyond repair. No relationship is beyond fixing. That includes our relationship with God and our relationship with others.
God saw that the space between us and Him had become too great. So He ran to us. He came down to us at Christmas. Love comes down at Christmas.
So What?
We love God because God first loved us.
We love others because God first loved us.
He has done everything possible to show you His love, to have a relationship with you. It’s your move. What will you do?
Perhaps you’ve done everything possible to show others your love, to have a relationship with them. It’s their move. There might not be anything else you can do other than remain faithful, pray, and wait.
I’m there. Many of you are there. The gift of reconciliation means God took the initiative and has reconciled us to Himself which then allows us to potentially be reconciled to others.
Will you receive the gift of reconciliation with the Father?
Will you extend the gift of reconciliation to someone this Christmas?
Credits: title, drama, and some ideas from The Skit Guys.
Gift of Grace, 3 December 2017
04 12 17
The Gift of Grace
Series—The Gifts of Christmas
Ephesians 2:1-10
Big Idea: One of God’s greatest gifts is grace—unmerited favor.
Skit Guys Video
Introduction
Have you ever encountered anyone grumpy at Christmastime? It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it can be the most stressful time of year, the most depressing time of the year, the most lonely time of the year.
Have you ever been the grumpy one at Christmastime? Maybe you’ve been upset when people said, “Happy Holidays?” Perhaps you’ve blamed others for the loss of loved ones. Here’s the unpopular truth: hurt people hurt people. Our sinful human nature is prone to want to retaliate, to react when we are hurt or offended.
We have sung about grace. It is truly amazing. It is unmerited favor, an undeserved gift.
Last week we began our Gifts of Christmas series looking at the gift of expectancy. Advent is about arrival, about coming. Like Black Friday has spread from a day to a season, Christmas has spread from a day to a season of shopping, parties, and vacations.
But Advent is different. In some ways it’s not about the present, but the past and future. We are in between the first arrival of the Messiah and the second arrival, the return of Jesus Christ. We read the Old Testament which looks forward to the birth of Jesus. Essentially we remember the future!
But we also await the arrival, second coming of the Messiah.
The gift of expectancy is precious. Part of the joy of a vacation is the planning, the anticipation. As much as I would love for you to invite Heather and me on an all-expenses paid trip to Hawaii next week (we’d find a way to clear our schedules and go!), perhaps even better would be the same invitation for a date further in the future (February would be perfect!) which would allow us to eagerly await the experience.
Today we’re looking at the gift of grace. We recently did a series on the subject, Grace is Greater. You can read the notes and listen to the podcasts at PastorKirk.com. Grace is a precious gift.
Grace is the name of a girl.
Grace is a prayer before a meal.
Grace is simple elegance or refinement of movement.
Grace is a gift, and true gifts are not earned, but rather unmerited blessings.
Non-profit giving statements often include this statement:
No goods or services were provided in exchange for this contribution.
If that’s really true, it might be considered an act of grace.
I want to turn your attention back to that video of Louis. How does that guy feed himself in that body cast?
Seriously, though, some might say he got what he deserved, a ride on the conveyer belt and painful injuries from his rude, obnoxious behavior. Then again, he got what he did not deserve—a Christmas gift from a person he offended.
I don’t know about you, but I am more troubled by Christians who behave badly than those who do not claim to follow Jesus. I expect people without faith, hope and love to be arrogant, selfish, and mean. But Christians? The word “Christian” means “little Christ.” Whenever I see a speeding car with a fish on the back, a megaphone-toting evangelist yelling at people, or pastors fawning over politicians I think of the old Bon Jovi song, “You Give God a Bad Name!” Okay, that’s not the exact title, but that’s what comes to mind.
Disclaimer: I give God a bad name sometimes. It’s not my intent, but my life does not always look like a “little Jesus.” I can be arrogant, self-righteous, and judgmental—among other things—and it’s in those moments that I especially need God’s gift of grace. I know what I deserve from God: eternal punishment for my countless sins and offenses toward a holy, perfect Creator. Instead, God so loved me and you and every man, woman child of every age, race, nationality, orientation, language, and religion that He sent His only Son, Jesus, into our world as a gift of grace to offer forgiveness, salvation, hope, peace, love, and joy.
But a gift isn’t yours until you take it, until you receive it.
Did Louis receive the gift of grace? Did he truly experience the grace of being right with God and others, or was he bound up in a religious quest?
Maybe the controversy about saying “Happy Holidays” versus “Merry Christmas” is not relevant, but what religious attitudes do you possess? Am I the only one guilty of judging non-Christians for not acting like Christians? Am I the only one guilty of trying to be right instead of trying to further a relationship? I find it easy to laugh at the video but the reality is in our post-Christian culture, Christians do not have a good reputation. I wish the first thing people thought of when they heard “Christian” is Jesus, love, generosity, kindness, hospitality, and grace.
Instead, we’re known more for what we’re against than what we’re for. This really frustrates me—and it’s hardly a new phenomenon—but what can we do? What can I do? I believe the only thing I can do is experience God’s grace and share it generously with others.
Jesus came as Emmanuel, God with us. He passed the baton to His disciples, the first Christians, who have passed it to us. You might be the only “little Jesus” people encounter this Christmastime. I don’t know anyone who is searching for religion—rules and regulations—but our world is crying out for relationships, friendship, hope, love, grace.
Our text for today was written by Paul to the church in the city of Ephesus, a very cool city I was privileged to visit last year. It was a once-powerful, influential city in the Roman empire. He wrote to some of the first Christians…
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. (Ephesians 2:1-3)
Even the most righteous, Christ-like person on the planet was once a sinner without hope. Paul—who wrote this—was previously known as Saul, one who persecuted Christians! What a transformation! That’s grace.
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-7)
Last Sunday during baptism we symbolically placed people into a water grave to die to their sinful past in order to be resurrected as new creations. We have been saved by grace. Paul even says it again.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10)
We receive grace. We can’t earn it. We can’t take credit for it. We can’t boast about being a Christian or having salvation, the forgiveness of sins, the hope of heaven, or a relationship with our Creator. It’s a gift.
Likewise, religion’s quest to be good enough for God is futile, it’s doomed to fail. But grace, the gift of God, is amazing.
Nothing you can do can make God love you more than He does right now.
Nothing you can do can make God love you less than He does right now.
That’s grace!
So What?
If you’ve received grace, if you’ve experienced it, don’t hoard it. Don’t keep it to yourself. Share it…lavishly!
I know it can be difficult to put others first, to listen when you want to speak, to give when you’d rather take, to go after that good parking place when the wind is howling, to bake cookies for that neighbor who drives you crazy, to go out of your way to be kind to the office Grinch…but that’s grace.
And just a reminder: nobody deserves grace! So it doesn’t matter if the person is young or old, a Christian or a Muslim, gay or straight, a Wolverine or a Buckeye…if you’ve received grace it needs to be shared.
Religion is about being right.
Grace is about relationship, about love, about a gift, about Jesus…and that’s who we remember and await. As we live between his first and second arrivals, we celebrate what He has done and look forward to what He will do.
Let’s not be like Louis—proud, loud and arrogant. He ends up in a full body cast, restricted and bound up, a great picture of what religion does. Let’s re-present Jesus well as people giving the gift of grace. I pray when people hear we’re Christians, they think
“You’re the ones who were handing out blankets that night it got so cold downtown.”
“You’re the ones who served coffee to those with whom you ideologically disagree.”
“You’re the ones who took a team over to the country that had the earthquake.”
“You’re the ones who sat by my mother’s bedside when she passed away last year.”
Life is more than being right. God-intended life is about being right with our Creator as well as being right with others…because of the gift of grace, a gift we can both receive and share.
Credits: title and some ideas from The Skit Guys.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—The Gifts of Christmas
Ephesians 2:1-10
Big Idea: One of God’s greatest gifts is grace—unmerited favor.
Skit Guys Video
Introduction
Have you ever encountered anyone grumpy at Christmastime? It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it can be the most stressful time of year, the most depressing time of the year, the most lonely time of the year.
Have you ever been the grumpy one at Christmastime? Maybe you’ve been upset when people said, “Happy Holidays?” Perhaps you’ve blamed others for the loss of loved ones. Here’s the unpopular truth: hurt people hurt people. Our sinful human nature is prone to want to retaliate, to react when we are hurt or offended.
We have sung about grace. It is truly amazing. It is unmerited favor, an undeserved gift.
Last week we began our Gifts of Christmas series looking at the gift of expectancy. Advent is about arrival, about coming. Like Black Friday has spread from a day to a season, Christmas has spread from a day to a season of shopping, parties, and vacations.
But Advent is different. In some ways it’s not about the present, but the past and future. We are in between the first arrival of the Messiah and the second arrival, the return of Jesus Christ. We read the Old Testament which looks forward to the birth of Jesus. Essentially we remember the future!
But we also await the arrival, second coming of the Messiah.
The gift of expectancy is precious. Part of the joy of a vacation is the planning, the anticipation. As much as I would love for you to invite Heather and me on an all-expenses paid trip to Hawaii next week (we’d find a way to clear our schedules and go!), perhaps even better would be the same invitation for a date further in the future (February would be perfect!) which would allow us to eagerly await the experience.
Today we’re looking at the gift of grace. We recently did a series on the subject, Grace is Greater. You can read the notes and listen to the podcasts at PastorKirk.com. Grace is a precious gift.
Grace is the name of a girl.
Grace is a prayer before a meal.
Grace is simple elegance or refinement of movement.
Grace is a gift, and true gifts are not earned, but rather unmerited blessings.
Non-profit giving statements often include this statement:
No goods or services were provided in exchange for this contribution.
If that’s really true, it might be considered an act of grace.
I want to turn your attention back to that video of Louis. How does that guy feed himself in that body cast?
Seriously, though, some might say he got what he deserved, a ride on the conveyer belt and painful injuries from his rude, obnoxious behavior. Then again, he got what he did not deserve—a Christmas gift from a person he offended.
I don’t know about you, but I am more troubled by Christians who behave badly than those who do not claim to follow Jesus. I expect people without faith, hope and love to be arrogant, selfish, and mean. But Christians? The word “Christian” means “little Christ.” Whenever I see a speeding car with a fish on the back, a megaphone-toting evangelist yelling at people, or pastors fawning over politicians I think of the old Bon Jovi song, “You Give God a Bad Name!” Okay, that’s not the exact title, but that’s what comes to mind.
Disclaimer: I give God a bad name sometimes. It’s not my intent, but my life does not always look like a “little Jesus.” I can be arrogant, self-righteous, and judgmental—among other things—and it’s in those moments that I especially need God’s gift of grace. I know what I deserve from God: eternal punishment for my countless sins and offenses toward a holy, perfect Creator. Instead, God so loved me and you and every man, woman child of every age, race, nationality, orientation, language, and religion that He sent His only Son, Jesus, into our world as a gift of grace to offer forgiveness, salvation, hope, peace, love, and joy.
But a gift isn’t yours until you take it, until you receive it.
Did Louis receive the gift of grace? Did he truly experience the grace of being right with God and others, or was he bound up in a religious quest?
Maybe the controversy about saying “Happy Holidays” versus “Merry Christmas” is not relevant, but what religious attitudes do you possess? Am I the only one guilty of judging non-Christians for not acting like Christians? Am I the only one guilty of trying to be right instead of trying to further a relationship? I find it easy to laugh at the video but the reality is in our post-Christian culture, Christians do not have a good reputation. I wish the first thing people thought of when they heard “Christian” is Jesus, love, generosity, kindness, hospitality, and grace.
Instead, we’re known more for what we’re against than what we’re for. This really frustrates me—and it’s hardly a new phenomenon—but what can we do? What can I do? I believe the only thing I can do is experience God’s grace and share it generously with others.
Jesus came as Emmanuel, God with us. He passed the baton to His disciples, the first Christians, who have passed it to us. You might be the only “little Jesus” people encounter this Christmastime. I don’t know anyone who is searching for religion—rules and regulations—but our world is crying out for relationships, friendship, hope, love, grace.
Our text for today was written by Paul to the church in the city of Ephesus, a very cool city I was privileged to visit last year. It was a once-powerful, influential city in the Roman empire. He wrote to some of the first Christians…
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. (Ephesians 2:1-3)
Even the most righteous, Christ-like person on the planet was once a sinner without hope. Paul—who wrote this—was previously known as Saul, one who persecuted Christians! What a transformation! That’s grace.
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-7)
Last Sunday during baptism we symbolically placed people into a water grave to die to their sinful past in order to be resurrected as new creations. We have been saved by grace. Paul even says it again.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10)
We receive grace. We can’t earn it. We can’t take credit for it. We can’t boast about being a Christian or having salvation, the forgiveness of sins, the hope of heaven, or a relationship with our Creator. It’s a gift.
Likewise, religion’s quest to be good enough for God is futile, it’s doomed to fail. But grace, the gift of God, is amazing.
Nothing you can do can make God love you more than He does right now.
Nothing you can do can make God love you less than He does right now.
That’s grace!
So What?
If you’ve received grace, if you’ve experienced it, don’t hoard it. Don’t keep it to yourself. Share it…lavishly!
I know it can be difficult to put others first, to listen when you want to speak, to give when you’d rather take, to go after that good parking place when the wind is howling, to bake cookies for that neighbor who drives you crazy, to go out of your way to be kind to the office Grinch…but that’s grace.
And just a reminder: nobody deserves grace! So it doesn’t matter if the person is young or old, a Christian or a Muslim, gay or straight, a Wolverine or a Buckeye…if you’ve received grace it needs to be shared.
Religion is about being right.
Grace is about relationship, about love, about a gift, about Jesus…and that’s who we remember and await. As we live between his first and second arrivals, we celebrate what He has done and look forward to what He will do.
Let’s not be like Louis—proud, loud and arrogant. He ends up in a full body cast, restricted and bound up, a great picture of what religion does. Let’s re-present Jesus well as people giving the gift of grace. I pray when people hear we’re Christians, they think
“You’re the ones who were handing out blankets that night it got so cold downtown.”
“You’re the ones who served coffee to those with whom you ideologically disagree.”
“You’re the ones who took a team over to the country that had the earthquake.”
“You’re the ones who sat by my mother’s bedside when she passed away last year.”
Life is more than being right. God-intended life is about being right with our Creator as well as being right with others…because of the gift of grace, a gift we can both receive and share.
Credits: title and some ideas from The Skit Guys.
Gift of Expectation, 26 November 2017
26 11 17
The Gift of Expectancy
Series—The Gifts of Christmas
John 3:16-21
Big Idea: The gift of Jesus is worth waiting for…and worth sharing.
Skit Guys Video
Introduction
Do you ever feel like that dad? Thanksgiving’s over and now it’s full throttle until Christmas? It’s quite a transition, dominated, of course, by Black Friday which apparently begins before Friday and continues past Friday. Tomorrow is Cyber Monday followed by Giving Tuesday and…
Do you have rules about Christmas music? When I met Heather, she wouldn’t listen to Christmas music until December 1. I thought that was a bit extreme, but so are those radio stations that begin November 1. For me, Christmas begins when I see Santa in the Thanksgiving Day Parade. What rules do you have in your home about Christmas music and decorations? Often they are passed down from generation to generation. Do you hide a baby Jesus?
Advent. We commonly associate it with Christmas. Years ago our family had Advent calendars and I’ve been pleasantly surprised to see Advent calendar gaining popularity. The term “advent” comes from Latin and means “coming” or “arrival.” With any arrival, there is anticipation and expectancy which means waiting.
At this very moment, what are you waiting for? Complete this sentence:
“I can’t wait for _________________.”
Today we begin a five-week Advent series called The Gifts of Christmas. Do you like gifts? Of course, we all love gifts! They are great to receive and even better to give.
Today we’re looking at the gift of expectancy. Sometimes expectancy doesn’t feel like a gift. In fact, it may feel like torture. As I child, I couldn’t wait for Christmas, to open those colorfully-wrapped boxes…and hopefully find more toys than clothes! But the more anticipation, the greater the reward when the waiting is over and the arrival is experienced.
It’s impossible for us to understand how great the expectancy of the Messiah, Jesus. People waited for hundreds of years for this baby. Announcements were made. Clues were given. Finding baby Jesus was different than looking for a hidden nativity set piece. Dr. Luke described the clues given about two thousand years ago.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8-12)
How do you think these shepherds reacted to their angelic encounter? After calming down from the shock, I’m quite sure they said, “That was strange, now let’s get back to shepherding.” No! They probably wanted to run and see this gift from the Heavenly Father which was good news “for all the people.”
Can you imagine good news for all the people today? That would be so great, and yet that’s why we’re here. That’s why we exist…to proclaim the gospel, the good news. Jesus is the greatest news in human history, and we stand at a special time between the first coming and the second coming of Jesus. We look back at Bethlehem two thousand years ago, but we also anticipate His return.
I’ll tell you how the shepherds reacted to the news that the Messiah was coming. A few verses later it says,
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. (Luke 2:16)
Jesus’ half-brother wrote,
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)
The greatest gift of all is Jesus. Have you received the gift? Do you know Jesus? Many know about Him, but you can know Him personally.
Jesus is the greatest gift, sent from the Father of the heavenly lights. God created the heavens, the sun, the moon, the stars…and they reflect His beauty, genius, and creativity. He is a loving Father who loves to give good gifts to His children. Many tragically think of God as a mean creature with the personality of The Grinch. Instead, He is the most loving Dad. His generosity makes Santa Claus look downright stingy! Jesus said
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:9-11)
We’ve been given good gifts since the creation of our magnificent world. When we messed it up, God realized we needed help—serious help! Our sins—those things which offend God and His perfection—created a wall between us and God. But since God is all about relationships, He offered a gift to us to knock down the wall, to allow us to know our Creator, have our sins forgiven, experience real joy and purpose, and engage in real life. The most famous verse in the Bible says
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
But there’s more!
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (John 3:17-21)
The Father of Lights gives good gifts…great gifts…the most excellent gifts! He loves the world. He loves you and me. He demonstrated His love by sending Jesus to be the Savior of the world, saving us from sin and death, mediocre living, evil, and hopelessness. People waited for generations for Jesus’ first arrival even as we await for his second arrival…which could be any day! Even though Jesus is not physically present, make no mistake…he is here! He is transforming people through faith, hope and love. Do you know him?
Which Jesus?
There was a woman named Charlotte who ran a Christian pre- school. She bought a plush Jesus toy. He was happy and smiling and all squishy; the way a cuddly toy should be. Some of the parents objected. They thought it was “inappropriate.”
Charlotte didn’t hesitate. She knew the question she needed to ask. She asked “Which Jesus do you want your kids to know? The breakable Jesus on the high shelf who’s always looking down on them OR the Jesus who’s huggable and sits with them on the
comfy couch, the one they can talk to, the one that comforts them when they’re hurt, the one they tell all their secrets.
Which Jesus are we actually expecting at Advent. The one who plays games with us and brings us life or the one who sits on the shelf until it’s time to go back in the box?
Wise Men Still Seek Him
My prayer for you, regardless of where you find yourself today on your spiritual journey, is that you would look for Jesus. I don’t mean the plastic figure from the nativity set—though you might want to hide him until December 25—but the real Jesus, the one the shepherds pursued, the one who lived a perfect life, died, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and promised to return. He came to show us what it means to truly be human. He demonstrated true love, the kind of love that gives until there’s nothing left to give. He said,
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)
Wise men—and women—still seek him. Ask. Seek. Knock. You are invited this advent to know your Creator. This is not about religion. It’s not even about the Bible. It’s about knowing a Person, Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Savior, the greatest gift.
Will you seek him this season? Will you pursue him? We are awaiting his return, but he has been waiting for some of you to surrender your life to him, to embrace him as the greatest gift.
If you’ve already received the gift, know Jesus is not slow in keeping his promise to return. He hasn’t forgotten you. Rather, he has a mission for you, a mission to proclaim the gospel, the good news, the gift.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
We often think of eternal life as referring to a length of time, but some scholars understand the original Greek to be qualitative, not quantitative. Following Jesus means we can have an amazing, fulfilling, satisfying life now. Don’t just sit around and impatiently wait for his return. Be ready, but use these precious moments to help people discover the missing piece in their Nativity set, the missing Person in their life.
So What?
How can you bring Jesus to Toledo? Maybe you can do it through Christmas caroling, delivering cookies, inviting a neighbor out for coffee, or even inviting a friend to join us next Sunday or any Sunday in December. For the next four weeks we’ll be talking about the gifts of Christmas. This is a season of expectation. If you’ve received the gift, it’s time to share it until He returns.
Credits: title and some ideas from The Skit Guys.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—The Gifts of Christmas
John 3:16-21
Big Idea: The gift of Jesus is worth waiting for…and worth sharing.
Skit Guys Video
Introduction
Do you ever feel like that dad? Thanksgiving’s over and now it’s full throttle until Christmas? It’s quite a transition, dominated, of course, by Black Friday which apparently begins before Friday and continues past Friday. Tomorrow is Cyber Monday followed by Giving Tuesday and…
Do you have rules about Christmas music? When I met Heather, she wouldn’t listen to Christmas music until December 1. I thought that was a bit extreme, but so are those radio stations that begin November 1. For me, Christmas begins when I see Santa in the Thanksgiving Day Parade. What rules do you have in your home about Christmas music and decorations? Often they are passed down from generation to generation. Do you hide a baby Jesus?
Advent. We commonly associate it with Christmas. Years ago our family had Advent calendars and I’ve been pleasantly surprised to see Advent calendar gaining popularity. The term “advent” comes from Latin and means “coming” or “arrival.” With any arrival, there is anticipation and expectancy which means waiting.
At this very moment, what are you waiting for? Complete this sentence:
“I can’t wait for _________________.”
Today we begin a five-week Advent series called The Gifts of Christmas. Do you like gifts? Of course, we all love gifts! They are great to receive and even better to give.
Today we’re looking at the gift of expectancy. Sometimes expectancy doesn’t feel like a gift. In fact, it may feel like torture. As I child, I couldn’t wait for Christmas, to open those colorfully-wrapped boxes…and hopefully find more toys than clothes! But the more anticipation, the greater the reward when the waiting is over and the arrival is experienced.
It’s impossible for us to understand how great the expectancy of the Messiah, Jesus. People waited for hundreds of years for this baby. Announcements were made. Clues were given. Finding baby Jesus was different than looking for a hidden nativity set piece. Dr. Luke described the clues given about two thousand years ago.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8-12)
How do you think these shepherds reacted to their angelic encounter? After calming down from the shock, I’m quite sure they said, “That was strange, now let’s get back to shepherding.” No! They probably wanted to run and see this gift from the Heavenly Father which was good news “for all the people.”
Can you imagine good news for all the people today? That would be so great, and yet that’s why we’re here. That’s why we exist…to proclaim the gospel, the good news. Jesus is the greatest news in human history, and we stand at a special time between the first coming and the second coming of Jesus. We look back at Bethlehem two thousand years ago, but we also anticipate His return.
I’ll tell you how the shepherds reacted to the news that the Messiah was coming. A few verses later it says,
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. (Luke 2:16)
Jesus’ half-brother wrote,
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)
The greatest gift of all is Jesus. Have you received the gift? Do you know Jesus? Many know about Him, but you can know Him personally.
Jesus is the greatest gift, sent from the Father of the heavenly lights. God created the heavens, the sun, the moon, the stars…and they reflect His beauty, genius, and creativity. He is a loving Father who loves to give good gifts to His children. Many tragically think of God as a mean creature with the personality of The Grinch. Instead, He is the most loving Dad. His generosity makes Santa Claus look downright stingy! Jesus said
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:9-11)
We’ve been given good gifts since the creation of our magnificent world. When we messed it up, God realized we needed help—serious help! Our sins—those things which offend God and His perfection—created a wall between us and God. But since God is all about relationships, He offered a gift to us to knock down the wall, to allow us to know our Creator, have our sins forgiven, experience real joy and purpose, and engage in real life. The most famous verse in the Bible says
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
But there’s more!
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (John 3:17-21)
The Father of Lights gives good gifts…great gifts…the most excellent gifts! He loves the world. He loves you and me. He demonstrated His love by sending Jesus to be the Savior of the world, saving us from sin and death, mediocre living, evil, and hopelessness. People waited for generations for Jesus’ first arrival even as we await for his second arrival…which could be any day! Even though Jesus is not physically present, make no mistake…he is here! He is transforming people through faith, hope and love. Do you know him?
Which Jesus?
There was a woman named Charlotte who ran a Christian pre- school. She bought a plush Jesus toy. He was happy and smiling and all squishy; the way a cuddly toy should be. Some of the parents objected. They thought it was “inappropriate.”
Charlotte didn’t hesitate. She knew the question she needed to ask. She asked “Which Jesus do you want your kids to know? The breakable Jesus on the high shelf who’s always looking down on them OR the Jesus who’s huggable and sits with them on the
comfy couch, the one they can talk to, the one that comforts them when they’re hurt, the one they tell all their secrets.
Which Jesus are we actually expecting at Advent. The one who plays games with us and brings us life or the one who sits on the shelf until it’s time to go back in the box?
Wise Men Still Seek Him
My prayer for you, regardless of where you find yourself today on your spiritual journey, is that you would look for Jesus. I don’t mean the plastic figure from the nativity set—though you might want to hide him until December 25—but the real Jesus, the one the shepherds pursued, the one who lived a perfect life, died, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and promised to return. He came to show us what it means to truly be human. He demonstrated true love, the kind of love that gives until there’s nothing left to give. He said,
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)
Wise men—and women—still seek him. Ask. Seek. Knock. You are invited this advent to know your Creator. This is not about religion. It’s not even about the Bible. It’s about knowing a Person, Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Savior, the greatest gift.
Will you seek him this season? Will you pursue him? We are awaiting his return, but he has been waiting for some of you to surrender your life to him, to embrace him as the greatest gift.
If you’ve already received the gift, know Jesus is not slow in keeping his promise to return. He hasn’t forgotten you. Rather, he has a mission for you, a mission to proclaim the gospel, the good news, the gift.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
We often think of eternal life as referring to a length of time, but some scholars understand the original Greek to be qualitative, not quantitative. Following Jesus means we can have an amazing, fulfilling, satisfying life now. Don’t just sit around and impatiently wait for his return. Be ready, but use these precious moments to help people discover the missing piece in their Nativity set, the missing Person in their life.
So What?
How can you bring Jesus to Toledo? Maybe you can do it through Christmas caroling, delivering cookies, inviting a neighbor out for coffee, or even inviting a friend to join us next Sunday or any Sunday in December. For the next four weeks we’ll be talking about the gifts of Christmas. This is a season of expectation. If you’ve received the gift, it’s time to share it until He returns.
Credits: title and some ideas from The Skit Guys.
Give Thanks, 19 November 2017
21 11 17
Give Thanks
Luke 17:11-19
Big Idea: Gratefulness brings happiness, peace, contentment, and joy.
Introduction
Thanksgiving. It’s almost the forgotten holiday between the two big decoration days, Halloween and Christmas. Sure, turkey and pumpkin pie sales skyrocket, but the economy is not stimulated as it is when people are buying costumes and candy or an endless pile of Christmas gifts. For many, Black Friday is almost a bigger deal than Thursday.
Before you debate the merits or demerits of cranberry sauce, watch football, and check the pile of ads in The Toledo Blade’s biggest edition of the year, we’re going to give you a head start on giving thanks. Each of us has so much for which to be thankful, yet are we truly grateful?
Today’s text is a story I heard many times over the years but never fully understood.
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. (Luke 17:11)
Jesus is between Galilee and Samaria. To get to Jerusalem, Jews traveled south to Jericho (45 miles) and then turned west to Jerusalem (15 miles). This is a 60-mile journey.
As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” (Luke 17:12-13)
It’s hard to imagine the devastating effects of leprosy. Although leprosy refers to a variety of conditions, it was essentially a death sentence, at least socially and economically, to say nothing of the physical pain. Lepers were truly untouchable. They had to live isolated from others, which means they probably couldn’t work or even beg except from a great distance (as it says in this verse).
The Jewish law gave clear instructions for dealing with skin diseases.
When anyone has a defiling skin disease, they must be brought to the priest. The priest is to examine them… (Leviticus 13:9-10a)
The priest declared people clean or unclean. I’m so glad I don’t have that responsibility today! Later in Leviticus chapter 13 it says
“Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp. (Leviticus 13:45-46)
As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” (Luke 17:12-13)
The ten men stay at a distance and respectfully call out to Jesus for help.
It’s interesting how they called Jesus, “Master.” Every English translation of the Bible I examined used the same word, master. They must’ve heard about the healings he performed elsewhere and believed he could heal them. What faith!
When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. (Luke 17:14)
The text does not say Jesus reached out, touched them, and they were immediately healed. Jesus saw them and told them to go to the priests. He’s saying, “Walk 60 miles to see the priests in Jerusalem!” They had to literally take a step of faith and it was on their journey they were cleansed. They had to obey and as they took action, they were healed.
I’ve heard this story countless times but this is the first time I noticed they weren’t instantly healed, but rather found their healing as they obediently headed to the priests, the ones who could and would declare them clean and giving them an entirely new lease on life.
How many times do we want God to zap a miracle into our lives? Perhaps there is action we must take in order for God to do what only God can do. If you want a job, pray…and send out resumes and go on interviews. If you want a great spouse, be a great spouse first. If you are sick, ask for prayer…and possibly consider medical tools such as doctors and therapists.
Sometimes God calls us to go to a new place, to take a step of faith. As part of our trust in God we must start walking, even if we can’t see the destination. The only thing that matters is Who called you. Blessings are linked to faith and our actions demonstrate our faith.
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. (Luke 17:15-16)
One says thanks, but notice it’s not just any leper, it’s a Samaritan. They were hated by the Jews for being racial half-breeds. Jesus helping a leper was scandalous. Jesus talking to a Samaritan was radical. Jesus being involved with a Samaritan leper—a double strike—was inconceivable. Many Jews thought such a person was beyond help.
Notice the language Luke uses to describe this man’s appreciation. First, he notices he is healed, a marvelous moment. Then he heads back to Jesus. How far did he go? We don’t know but it could’ve been several miles, perhaps nearly 60 miles! He praises God—in a loud voice—along the way. He couldn’t contain his joy. Can you blame him?
When he finally gets to Jesus, he doesn’t simply shake his hand and say, “Thanks.” He throws himself and the feet of Jesus and thanks him. This man is grateful…and Jesus notices.
Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:17-19)
When the high priest declares you clean, you must take a ritual bath. You go down one side unclean and exit clean from the mikveh. In a way, it’s similar to what we’ll experience next Sunday during baptism. We enter the water grave as sinners, we die to our sinful nature, and come out of the water resurrected with Jesus. This is all symbolic, of course, but perhaps a parallel to the ritual bath of ancient times to announce an unclean person’s status as now clean.
There were ten men. Only one returns. Where are the other nine? That’s what Jesus wants to know! Nevertheless, one man is filled with gratitude and goes out of his way to express it. Some have suggested that though they were all physically healed, this man’s faith has made him well spiritually, he has received salvation.
I want to close with a few thoughts on gratefulness, some from Dr. Gary Burge. First,
1. Gratefulness is a choice
We all have a mix of good and bad in our lives. I bet I could get each of you to think of three things you’d like to change about your life…and three things for which to be thankful.
A young mom once said, “Sometimes you’ve got to decide which end of the baby you’re going to look at!”
2. Gratefulness is an act of faith
It requires action. It declares it’s not all about me, but I will go out of my way to show appreciation, even when there remain things we simply don’t understand.
3. Gratefulness is subversive in a cynical age
It’s easy to complain, especially when surrounded by others who are equally dissatisfied. They say misery loves company. Choosing not to whine and, instead, giving thanks for the good things is radical and sometimes quite attractive. Who wants to be around gloomy, groaning people? Being grateful will impact those around you.
4. Gratefulness honors God
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
This doesn’t say give thanks for everything, but in all circumstances. No matter the storm, it can always be worse. I don’t mean ignore reality and be fake, but there are always things for which to give thanks.
5. Gratefulness will change you
It will expand your heart, shift your perspective, and alter your attitude.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
Someone said, “Gratefulness is an antidote to a small soul living in a house of fear. Gratefulness helps you become a large soul living in a house of faith.”
Gratefulness brings happiness, peace, contentment, and joy.
Exercise: write a thank you note to God
The thing about gratefulness is it only takes a moment to experience, an intentional pause in your life to give thanks. You need not wait until Thursday—or only do it once a year! Every day is a great day to give thanks and be grateful.
Credits: Some ideas from Dr. Gary Burge.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Luke 17:11-19
Big Idea: Gratefulness brings happiness, peace, contentment, and joy.
Introduction
Thanksgiving. It’s almost the forgotten holiday between the two big decoration days, Halloween and Christmas. Sure, turkey and pumpkin pie sales skyrocket, but the economy is not stimulated as it is when people are buying costumes and candy or an endless pile of Christmas gifts. For many, Black Friday is almost a bigger deal than Thursday.
Before you debate the merits or demerits of cranberry sauce, watch football, and check the pile of ads in The Toledo Blade’s biggest edition of the year, we’re going to give you a head start on giving thanks. Each of us has so much for which to be thankful, yet are we truly grateful?
Today’s text is a story I heard many times over the years but never fully understood.
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. (Luke 17:11)
Jesus is between Galilee and Samaria. To get to Jerusalem, Jews traveled south to Jericho (45 miles) and then turned west to Jerusalem (15 miles). This is a 60-mile journey.
As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” (Luke 17:12-13)
It’s hard to imagine the devastating effects of leprosy. Although leprosy refers to a variety of conditions, it was essentially a death sentence, at least socially and economically, to say nothing of the physical pain. Lepers were truly untouchable. They had to live isolated from others, which means they probably couldn’t work or even beg except from a great distance (as it says in this verse).
The Jewish law gave clear instructions for dealing with skin diseases.
When anyone has a defiling skin disease, they must be brought to the priest. The priest is to examine them… (Leviticus 13:9-10a)
The priest declared people clean or unclean. I’m so glad I don’t have that responsibility today! Later in Leviticus chapter 13 it says
“Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp. (Leviticus 13:45-46)
As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” (Luke 17:12-13)
The ten men stay at a distance and respectfully call out to Jesus for help.
It’s interesting how they called Jesus, “Master.” Every English translation of the Bible I examined used the same word, master. They must’ve heard about the healings he performed elsewhere and believed he could heal them. What faith!
When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. (Luke 17:14)
The text does not say Jesus reached out, touched them, and they were immediately healed. Jesus saw them and told them to go to the priests. He’s saying, “Walk 60 miles to see the priests in Jerusalem!” They had to literally take a step of faith and it was on their journey they were cleansed. They had to obey and as they took action, they were healed.
I’ve heard this story countless times but this is the first time I noticed they weren’t instantly healed, but rather found their healing as they obediently headed to the priests, the ones who could and would declare them clean and giving them an entirely new lease on life.
How many times do we want God to zap a miracle into our lives? Perhaps there is action we must take in order for God to do what only God can do. If you want a job, pray…and send out resumes and go on interviews. If you want a great spouse, be a great spouse first. If you are sick, ask for prayer…and possibly consider medical tools such as doctors and therapists.
Sometimes God calls us to go to a new place, to take a step of faith. As part of our trust in God we must start walking, even if we can’t see the destination. The only thing that matters is Who called you. Blessings are linked to faith and our actions demonstrate our faith.
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. (Luke 17:15-16)
One says thanks, but notice it’s not just any leper, it’s a Samaritan. They were hated by the Jews for being racial half-breeds. Jesus helping a leper was scandalous. Jesus talking to a Samaritan was radical. Jesus being involved with a Samaritan leper—a double strike—was inconceivable. Many Jews thought such a person was beyond help.
Notice the language Luke uses to describe this man’s appreciation. First, he notices he is healed, a marvelous moment. Then he heads back to Jesus. How far did he go? We don’t know but it could’ve been several miles, perhaps nearly 60 miles! He praises God—in a loud voice—along the way. He couldn’t contain his joy. Can you blame him?
When he finally gets to Jesus, he doesn’t simply shake his hand and say, “Thanks.” He throws himself and the feet of Jesus and thanks him. This man is grateful…and Jesus notices.
Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:17-19)
When the high priest declares you clean, you must take a ritual bath. You go down one side unclean and exit clean from the mikveh. In a way, it’s similar to what we’ll experience next Sunday during baptism. We enter the water grave as sinners, we die to our sinful nature, and come out of the water resurrected with Jesus. This is all symbolic, of course, but perhaps a parallel to the ritual bath of ancient times to announce an unclean person’s status as now clean.
There were ten men. Only one returns. Where are the other nine? That’s what Jesus wants to know! Nevertheless, one man is filled with gratitude and goes out of his way to express it. Some have suggested that though they were all physically healed, this man’s faith has made him well spiritually, he has received salvation.
I want to close with a few thoughts on gratefulness, some from Dr. Gary Burge. First,
1. Gratefulness is a choice
We all have a mix of good and bad in our lives. I bet I could get each of you to think of three things you’d like to change about your life…and three things for which to be thankful.
A young mom once said, “Sometimes you’ve got to decide which end of the baby you’re going to look at!”
2. Gratefulness is an act of faith
It requires action. It declares it’s not all about me, but I will go out of my way to show appreciation, even when there remain things we simply don’t understand.
3. Gratefulness is subversive in a cynical age
It’s easy to complain, especially when surrounded by others who are equally dissatisfied. They say misery loves company. Choosing not to whine and, instead, giving thanks for the good things is radical and sometimes quite attractive. Who wants to be around gloomy, groaning people? Being grateful will impact those around you.
4. Gratefulness honors God
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
This doesn’t say give thanks for everything, but in all circumstances. No matter the storm, it can always be worse. I don’t mean ignore reality and be fake, but there are always things for which to give thanks.
5. Gratefulness will change you
It will expand your heart, shift your perspective, and alter your attitude.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
Someone said, “Gratefulness is an antidote to a small soul living in a house of fear. Gratefulness helps you become a large soul living in a house of faith.”
Gratefulness brings happiness, peace, contentment, and joy.
Exercise: write a thank you note to God
The thing about gratefulness is it only takes a moment to experience, an intentional pause in your life to give thanks. You need not wait until Thursday—or only do it once a year! Every day is a great day to give thanks and be grateful.
Credits: Some ideas from Dr. Gary Burge.
Matters of Life & Death, 12 November 2017
12 11 17
Matters of Life & Death
Psalm 90:9-12
Big Idea: You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die…spiritually and otherwise.
Introduction
Death and taxes. It has been said they are the only sure things in this life. We’re not going to talk about taxes this morning. Given this is the Sunday after an election we’ve all heard enough about taxes and government and politicians! But we are talking about death. What a cheery subject! But here’s the truth:
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. Are you ready?
The odds are very good that someday you’re going to die. Yes, there will be a generation of followers of Jesus who will be alive when Christ returns, but billions of people have been waiting thousands of years for that day and have all…died! People ask me all the time if I think such and such event is a sign that Jesus will return in our lifetime and my answer is always the same: we’re one day closer than we were yesterday.
If we set aside the statistically unlikely possibility we will be living when Christ returns, we must face the reality we will someday die. Perhaps the most difficult thing is we don’t know when. We all have an unknown expiration date!
The media reminds us constantly how our death could come suddenly. We might die of old age like my dear friend Harold whose life we celebrated yesterday, but we could die this morning unexpectedly as dozens did last Sunday morning in Texas. Jesus told a fantastic parable in Luke 12:
And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ (Luke 12:16-17)
“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’ (Luke 12:18-19)
But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ (Luke 12:20)
Today is the first day of the rest of your life…but it could also be the last day of your life!
We’re talking today about matters of life and death. I promise there is some encouragement at the end, but it’s so important we are prepared to die. Most of you are aware of the large number of funerals we’ve already done this year, some very unexpected. Some were ready, others not so much.
Here’s a rather poignant photo taken not long ago with two of our sisters who are now in the presence of Almighty God.
All our days pass away under your wrath;
we finish our years with a moan.
Our days may come to seventy years,
or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
If only we knew the power of your anger!
Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.
Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalms 90:9-12)
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
I know many of you are thinking, “I’m ready. I can’t wait to die and meet Jesus!” But what about those who are left behind? What will your loved ones experience as they grieve your loss? A blessed inheritance? Wishes for your funeral? Keepsake letters of wisdom? Or a mess?
Financial Preparation
When people think of preparing for their death, the first thing they usually think about is their…will. Do you have one? Or do you have a Revocable Living Trust, which has additional benefits? Are beneficiaries named on your assets? What about passwords? Is there a place people can access your login information for bank accounts, bills, and other websites? Is there a list of your assets, including insurance policies, properties, and investments? Proverbs says
A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. (Proverbs 13:22)
My dad died several years ago of Alzheimer’s. We had years to prepare…and mom did. His transition to the next life was smooth and easy.
My mother-in-law also died several years ago…unexpectedly. When we took her to the hospital, we never imagined she would never come home. She had assets without beneficiaries, an under-water apartment, boxes of papers, and we spent needless time and money in probate court. It was a stressful mess.
If you died today, will your loved ones be grateful or grumbling about your estate? I’m not merely saying leave millions of dollars behind for your kids. Even if your assets are modest, are they organized? Are your plans written in a legal document? Will your possessions easily transfer? I might add have you considered charities in your directives as well as individuals? Do you have a “cheat sheet” with passwords for those left behind to settle your affairs? Are your financial wishes clear?
Medical Preparation
Preparation for death does not always involve death itself. Do you have a living will? A health care power of attorney? Who will make medical decisions if you are unable to do so?
Recently a member of our church family was knocking at death’s door. When his medical records were examined, he listed First Alliance Church as next of kin! Needless to say, the phone call to the church office was quite challenging. Fortunately, he survived and signed papers designating a person to make decisions should he again be incapacitated.
It is imperative that you communicate with loved ones your wishes regarding medical care, especially in regard to prolonging your life. Don’t burden others with decisions you can make today.
Are your medical wishes clear?
Funeral Preparation
Financial and medical preparation are vitally important. Communicating your desires need not be complicated, but must be done…before it’s too late
What about your body? Do you want to be buried? Cremated? A funeral or memorial service? Who do you want to officiate your ceremony? Do you have special songs you want sung, a favorite Bible passage read? Some of us will have months to consider such decisions, but there may be no better time than the present to sketch out some ideas of how you want to be remembered. Are your funeral wishes clear?
Legacy
Obviously, none of us has complete control over how we will be remembered. Even if we plan the most memorable funeral, we will have no say in how others remember us once we’re gone.
The most important thing you can pass down to your loved ones is not money or even a well-planned memorial service but your legacy, your story, your wisdom, your life. I’ve attended countless funerals and the legacy of the deceased is always apparent.
What do you want on your tombstone? He worked hard and made a lot of money? She was devoted to her hobbies and loved to shop? They generously invested their lives in the next generation, mentoring and tutoring? Their life resembled Jesus and they helped others to know Christ, too?
This is where things get personal in a hurry. Your legacy will not be established during your final breaths. It is established now, today, on an ordinary day, over the course of ordinary days, months, years, decades.
While you’re at it, write notes to your loved ones. Videotape stories of your childhood. Preserve your memories for future generations.
What will people say at your funeral?
Are You Ready?
We’ve talked about ensuring your loved ones are ready for your death, but what about you? You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. Are you ready? I know many of you are, but many of you are not. You hope you’ll make it to heaven when you die, but are you sure? How can you know for sure?
First, contrary to popular belief, we don’t get to heaven by being good…because God’s standard is perfection. If you’re not perfect, you’re out of luck! Going to church and giving money to the poor, and volunteering at Cherry Street Mission will not erase the sins you’ve committed…those sins we’ve all committed. The book of Romans is quite clear:
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)
You, me, Billy Graham, we’ve all sinned and fall short of God’s glory, His perfection. On our own, we deserve eternal punishment for our sins, our mistakes, our rebellion against the Almighty. But this is where Jesus comes in. People often take Romans 3:23 out of context, ignoring the fact it completes a sentence…and ends with a comma! Here’s the complete sentence.
This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:22-24)
What this means, simply, is Jesus came, lived, and died to pay for our sins. The next verses say
God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:25-26)
Some translations use this word “propitiation,” a word meaning appeasement or satisfaction. Throughout history, people have tried to appease God by offering gifts, sacrifices, and doing certain practices. The problem is God requires perfection, and Jesus lived a perfect life so his death on the cross was able to satisfy, appease, and wash away our sins.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:10, NIV)
Another translation uses that word “propitiation.”
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10, ESV)
The difference between Christianity and other religions is how they are spelled. Religion is spelled D-O…what we do to appease God. Our faith can be spelled D-O-N-E…it’s about what Jesus has done on the cross. You can’t earn it. You can’t buy it. You can only accept it as a gift of grace…unmerited favor.
You may wonder what you have to do. Simple: surrender.
We often look at Ephesians 2:8-9 because it’s such a powerful text:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Grace is a gift…the greatest gift.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. Are you ready?
It my hope and prayer that you surrender your life to Jesus today if you haven’t already. He died for you. He gave everything he had to show God’s love. He wants to be your Savior—forgiving you of all of your sins—and LORD—becoming the leader of your life. It’s not that he wants to manipulate you, God simply loves you and wants what’s best for you. The Bible shows us how to live the most exciting, satisfying life imaginable…while preparing us for the next life.
Death is morbid to many, yet for followers of Jesus it can be an anticipated reunion with our Creator.
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants. (Psalms 116:15)
Paul wrote to a church…
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)
So What?
Get your finances in order: will, passwords
Get your medical directives in order: living will, power of attorney
Get your funeral wishes in order
Get your spiritual life in order: do you know Jesus or just about him?
A message like this can be a downer, but it need not be depressing. Actually, planning for your death can be a tremendous blessing to your loved ones and even to you. As followers of Jesus, we have hope that we truly are going to a better place. Jesus said
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3)
Heaven is where Jesus is, and those who know Jesus as LORD will be with him…forever!
"We're afraid to die because we've actually been afraid to live." - Erwin McManus
"The only proof of life after death is life before death." - Erwin McManus
Now go live like you’re dying…because you are!
Resources:
Financial Planning
www.chamberlain-law.net
www.elderlawanswers.com/
Medical Planning
Advanced Directives Packet (Ohio)
http://medicaid.ohio.gov/
www.medicare.gov/
https://www.cmalliance.org/about/beliefs/perspectives/sanctity-of-life
Funeral Planning
www.walkerfuneralhomes.com/plan-ahead/overview
www.homesteaderslife.com/funeral-planning
www.talkofalifetime.org/
www.nfda.org/for-the-public
www.cremationassociation.org/?page=Consumers
www.efuneral.com/
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Psalm 90:9-12
Big Idea: You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die…spiritually and otherwise.
Introduction
Death and taxes. It has been said they are the only sure things in this life. We’re not going to talk about taxes this morning. Given this is the Sunday after an election we’ve all heard enough about taxes and government and politicians! But we are talking about death. What a cheery subject! But here’s the truth:
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. Are you ready?
The odds are very good that someday you’re going to die. Yes, there will be a generation of followers of Jesus who will be alive when Christ returns, but billions of people have been waiting thousands of years for that day and have all…died! People ask me all the time if I think such and such event is a sign that Jesus will return in our lifetime and my answer is always the same: we’re one day closer than we were yesterday.
If we set aside the statistically unlikely possibility we will be living when Christ returns, we must face the reality we will someday die. Perhaps the most difficult thing is we don’t know when. We all have an unknown expiration date!
The media reminds us constantly how our death could come suddenly. We might die of old age like my dear friend Harold whose life we celebrated yesterday, but we could die this morning unexpectedly as dozens did last Sunday morning in Texas. Jesus told a fantastic parable in Luke 12:
And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ (Luke 12:16-17)
“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’ (Luke 12:18-19)
But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ (Luke 12:20)
Today is the first day of the rest of your life…but it could also be the last day of your life!
We’re talking today about matters of life and death. I promise there is some encouragement at the end, but it’s so important we are prepared to die. Most of you are aware of the large number of funerals we’ve already done this year, some very unexpected. Some were ready, others not so much.
Here’s a rather poignant photo taken not long ago with two of our sisters who are now in the presence of Almighty God.
All our days pass away under your wrath;
we finish our years with a moan.
Our days may come to seventy years,
or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
If only we knew the power of your anger!
Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.
Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalms 90:9-12)
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
I know many of you are thinking, “I’m ready. I can’t wait to die and meet Jesus!” But what about those who are left behind? What will your loved ones experience as they grieve your loss? A blessed inheritance? Wishes for your funeral? Keepsake letters of wisdom? Or a mess?
Financial Preparation
When people think of preparing for their death, the first thing they usually think about is their…will. Do you have one? Or do you have a Revocable Living Trust, which has additional benefits? Are beneficiaries named on your assets? What about passwords? Is there a place people can access your login information for bank accounts, bills, and other websites? Is there a list of your assets, including insurance policies, properties, and investments? Proverbs says
A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. (Proverbs 13:22)
My dad died several years ago of Alzheimer’s. We had years to prepare…and mom did. His transition to the next life was smooth and easy.
My mother-in-law also died several years ago…unexpectedly. When we took her to the hospital, we never imagined she would never come home. She had assets without beneficiaries, an under-water apartment, boxes of papers, and we spent needless time and money in probate court. It was a stressful mess.
If you died today, will your loved ones be grateful or grumbling about your estate? I’m not merely saying leave millions of dollars behind for your kids. Even if your assets are modest, are they organized? Are your plans written in a legal document? Will your possessions easily transfer? I might add have you considered charities in your directives as well as individuals? Do you have a “cheat sheet” with passwords for those left behind to settle your affairs? Are your financial wishes clear?
Medical Preparation
Preparation for death does not always involve death itself. Do you have a living will? A health care power of attorney? Who will make medical decisions if you are unable to do so?
Recently a member of our church family was knocking at death’s door. When his medical records were examined, he listed First Alliance Church as next of kin! Needless to say, the phone call to the church office was quite challenging. Fortunately, he survived and signed papers designating a person to make decisions should he again be incapacitated.
It is imperative that you communicate with loved ones your wishes regarding medical care, especially in regard to prolonging your life. Don’t burden others with decisions you can make today.
Are your medical wishes clear?
Funeral Preparation
Financial and medical preparation are vitally important. Communicating your desires need not be complicated, but must be done…before it’s too late
What about your body? Do you want to be buried? Cremated? A funeral or memorial service? Who do you want to officiate your ceremony? Do you have special songs you want sung, a favorite Bible passage read? Some of us will have months to consider such decisions, but there may be no better time than the present to sketch out some ideas of how you want to be remembered. Are your funeral wishes clear?
Legacy
Obviously, none of us has complete control over how we will be remembered. Even if we plan the most memorable funeral, we will have no say in how others remember us once we’re gone.
The most important thing you can pass down to your loved ones is not money or even a well-planned memorial service but your legacy, your story, your wisdom, your life. I’ve attended countless funerals and the legacy of the deceased is always apparent.
What do you want on your tombstone? He worked hard and made a lot of money? She was devoted to her hobbies and loved to shop? They generously invested their lives in the next generation, mentoring and tutoring? Their life resembled Jesus and they helped others to know Christ, too?
This is where things get personal in a hurry. Your legacy will not be established during your final breaths. It is established now, today, on an ordinary day, over the course of ordinary days, months, years, decades.
While you’re at it, write notes to your loved ones. Videotape stories of your childhood. Preserve your memories for future generations.
What will people say at your funeral?
Are You Ready?
We’ve talked about ensuring your loved ones are ready for your death, but what about you? You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. Are you ready? I know many of you are, but many of you are not. You hope you’ll make it to heaven when you die, but are you sure? How can you know for sure?
First, contrary to popular belief, we don’t get to heaven by being good…because God’s standard is perfection. If you’re not perfect, you’re out of luck! Going to church and giving money to the poor, and volunteering at Cherry Street Mission will not erase the sins you’ve committed…those sins we’ve all committed. The book of Romans is quite clear:
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)
You, me, Billy Graham, we’ve all sinned and fall short of God’s glory, His perfection. On our own, we deserve eternal punishment for our sins, our mistakes, our rebellion against the Almighty. But this is where Jesus comes in. People often take Romans 3:23 out of context, ignoring the fact it completes a sentence…and ends with a comma! Here’s the complete sentence.
This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:22-24)
What this means, simply, is Jesus came, lived, and died to pay for our sins. The next verses say
God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:25-26)
Some translations use this word “propitiation,” a word meaning appeasement or satisfaction. Throughout history, people have tried to appease God by offering gifts, sacrifices, and doing certain practices. The problem is God requires perfection, and Jesus lived a perfect life so his death on the cross was able to satisfy, appease, and wash away our sins.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:10, NIV)
Another translation uses that word “propitiation.”
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10, ESV)
The difference between Christianity and other religions is how they are spelled. Religion is spelled D-O…what we do to appease God. Our faith can be spelled D-O-N-E…it’s about what Jesus has done on the cross. You can’t earn it. You can’t buy it. You can only accept it as a gift of grace…unmerited favor.
You may wonder what you have to do. Simple: surrender.
We often look at Ephesians 2:8-9 because it’s such a powerful text:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Grace is a gift…the greatest gift.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. Are you ready?
It my hope and prayer that you surrender your life to Jesus today if you haven’t already. He died for you. He gave everything he had to show God’s love. He wants to be your Savior—forgiving you of all of your sins—and LORD—becoming the leader of your life. It’s not that he wants to manipulate you, God simply loves you and wants what’s best for you. The Bible shows us how to live the most exciting, satisfying life imaginable…while preparing us for the next life.
Death is morbid to many, yet for followers of Jesus it can be an anticipated reunion with our Creator.
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants. (Psalms 116:15)
Paul wrote to a church…
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)
So What?
Get your finances in order: will, passwords
Get your medical directives in order: living will, power of attorney
Get your funeral wishes in order
Get your spiritual life in order: do you know Jesus or just about him?
A message like this can be a downer, but it need not be depressing. Actually, planning for your death can be a tremendous blessing to your loved ones and even to you. As followers of Jesus, we have hope that we truly are going to a better place. Jesus said
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3)
Heaven is where Jesus is, and those who know Jesus as LORD will be with him…forever!
"We're afraid to die because we've actually been afraid to live." - Erwin McManus
"The only proof of life after death is life before death." - Erwin McManus
Now go live like you’re dying…because you are!
Resources:
Financial Planning
www.chamberlain-law.net
www.elderlawanswers.com/
Medical Planning
Advanced Directives Packet (Ohio)
http://medicaid.ohio.gov/
www.medicare.gov/
https://www.cmalliance.org/about/beliefs/perspectives/sanctity-of-life
Funeral Planning
www.walkerfuneralhomes.com/plan-ahead/overview
www.homesteaderslife.com/funeral-planning
www.talkofalifetime.org/
www.nfda.org/for-the-public
www.cremationassociation.org/?page=Consumers
www.efuneral.com/
Sent: Preaching & Anointing
17 10 17
Sent: Preaching & Anointing
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 6:6-29
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Following Jesus is radical and dangerous…but worth it!
Introduction
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. According to the Declaration of Independence, these are our unalienable Rights endowed to us by our Creator. Despite its countless flaws, I love the United States, but Thomas Jefferson’s words are not taken from the Bible. In fact, following Jesus may result in the loss of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…but it will be worth it.
Today we continue our look at Jesus from Mark’s biography of him. Last week we saw Jesus’ amazement at the lack of faith among those in his hometown of Nazareth. The text continues…
Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. (Mark 6:6)
I want to pause and analyze Jesus’ leadership. Contrary to popular belief, leadership is more than a title or position. At its core, leadership is influence. We all have some influence on others. The best leaders do not merely have followers, but rather they develop leaders. Perhaps my favorite verse describing this comes to Timothy from his mentor Paul:
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)
Four generations are found in one verse: Paul, Timothy, reliable people who teach others.
Here’s Jesus’ model as outlined by Dave Ferguson in his book Exponential:
1. I do. You watch. Jesus was teaching and healing and the disciples observed.
2. I do. You help. At some point Jesus told them he had a purpose for them beyond companionship. He wanted them involved, helping.
3. You do. I help. We talk. This is the point of action. The baton is being passed; not thrown, but passed. Debriefing is important, too. Feedback can be so valuable, especially when we are doing something new.
4. You do. I watch. We talk. Not the leader does not assist except to coach afterward.
5. You do. Someone else watched. Now the student becomes the teacher, the apprentice is the leader. Things have come full circle.
This process works if you are teaching your kids how to load the dishwasher, training your apprentice small group leader, or equipping a new employee at the office.
John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus who is preparing his twelve disciples to transform the world…without cable tv, Twitter, or even the newspaper.
Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. (Mark 6:7)
It sounds like Noah’s ark, doesn’t it, two by two? It’s not good for man to be alone, God said after creating Adam. There’s strength in numbers. A partner helps protect against the dangers of temptation and attack. Who does two by two well? The Mormans and JW’s! They have it mastered, undoubtedly drawing their inspiration for this verse. If only the entire Bible was followed as carefully by them. Notice Jesus gave them authority. He equipped them. He didn’t shove them out the door and say, “Good luck!”
These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. (Mark 6:8-9)
They are to travel light. They can’t even run to the ATM and get some cash! He wants them focused on the mission and dependent upon God for daily bread. Personal comforts are not a priority for Jesus. Now this is not meant to be a universal plan for missions work. Today we raise money to provide for ministries around the world, but this particular mission was dependent upon the hospitality of others.
Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. (Mark 6:10)
I want to suggest perhaps Jesus is saying, “Get to know the people. Build relationships. Don’t rush off. Preach repentance. Drive out demons. Heal the sick. You’ve seen me do it. Now it’s your turn.”
And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” (Mark 6:11)
This is an odd instruction in our culture, but he’s saying if they ignore you, let them know the consequences. Let them know judgment would eventually fall on them…they’ve been warned. The disciples were commissioned to preach repentance, to urge people to turn from their selfish desires and follow God. Repent means to turn, to do a 180. Not everyone is eager stop what they’re doing and surrender to Jesus. This is obviously just as true today. Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good, but to make dead people come alive…but first they must die…to themselves. This is where I struggle with Thomas Jefferson. I’m not against life, liberty or happiness—nor is God—but those are not God’s highest values for us. Jesus calls us to die to ourselves, submit to Jesus as LORD, and pick up our cross and follow him. It is not always easy, fun, or comfortable.
I get worried when I see Christianity sold to USAmericans as just another self-help alternative. Pray this prayer and God will make you happy. Have enough faith and you’ll be rich. The safest place to be is in the center of God’s will. UGH! What garbage!
Jesus gave up everything—including his own life—and he asks us to do the same…because it will be worth it in the end. He doesn’t promise is safety and comfort and pleasure now. We have work to do. We are in the middle of a war…between good and evil. So many so-called Christians are lounging by the pool unaware there’s a battle on the other side of the gate. Look around, friends.
Heroin. Sex trafficking. Racism. Hunger. Homelessness. Violence. Hatred. Injustice.
Jesus didn’t come and die so we could sit in comfy seats for an hour a week with our nice leather-bound Bibles and fancy clothes…and I’m not against any of those things. But following Jesus must take precedent over life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Kingdoms collide.
One final thought on this verse: we are not to coerce, threaten, entice, or pressure people to follow Jesus. The command for the twelve was to preach repentance, to invite people to turn from their pleasure to seek God’s kingdom. And if they don’t listen, move on.
They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. (Mark 6:12-13)
They did it. They obeyed Jesus. The miracles authenticated their message. I wish I had a recording of their conversation with Jesus afterward. The stories must’ve been amazing! God obviously provided despite their lack of provisions. Ministry was accomplished. Lives were changed. The twelve began to get a glimpse of what it truly meant to proclaim truth and follow God.
And then Mark inserts a bizarre flashback, a story that reminds us the risks of obeying God.
King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” (Mark 6:14)
Herod hears rumors about Jesus and begins to think perhaps John the Baptist was back, resurrected.
Others said, “He is Elijah.”
And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.”
But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!” (Mark 6:15-16)
Remember, the central question in our series is, “Who is Jesus?” Herod thinks the only one who can preach with authority and heal is John, whom he beheaded! He killed John but has enough faith to believe in the resurrection, even though John was still dead! Yet he does nothing to pursue Jesus.
For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. (Mark 6:17-20)
Herod liked John the Baptist even though John spoke out against the king’s marriage. He married Herodias, his niece, who is already the wife of his half brother, according to scholars. It’s rather confusing because Herod was a family name, not one man’s name. This was not Herod the Great. This was his son, Herod Antipas. He was banished to southern France by AD 39 and his kingdom was given to Herodias’ brother Agrippa. Mark calling him “King” Herod was ironic and sly.
Let me be radical and politically incorrect and say despite what some say, our culture does not believe any two people in love should be able to marry. What if one is a minor? What if one is a relative (eww!)? What about polygamy? Then again, it may just be a matter of time.
Herodias hates John because he criticized her marriage, likely a plot of hers to gain power by marrying Herod.
Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. (Mark 6:21-22a)
This was not some Chuck E. Cheese birthday party. Jews saw birthdays as pagan celebrations, and this occasion was filled with paganism: dancing girls at a stag party, a drunken king, …you get the idea. Most likely the amoral Herodias sent her teen daughter to perform erotically for her uncle and these other powerful men.
The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” (Mark 6:22b-23)
This must’ve been quite a dance! Herod actually can’t give half of the kingdom away because he’s merely a puppet of Rome. Jesus, however, gives his disciples the power of the kingdom of God which brings healing and salvation.
She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”
“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered. (Mark 6:24)
At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” (Mark 6:25)
I’ve played that genie game many times, the one where you ask, “If you could have three wishes, what would they be?” I’ve never heard someone mention a person’s head on a platter!
The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. (Mark 6:26-29)
What an incredible story.
So What?
What do we do with it? Be careful what you ask for!
It might seem odd, but look what Mark says next.
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. (Mark 6:30)
This is the only time Mark calls the twelve “apostles.” They are sent ones who have completed a commission. It seems like Mark is connecting the dots between John, Jesus, and the disciples. Their mission to preach repentance is the same. Their fate as martyrs is the same. They are hated like the prophets of old. David Garland notes that “what happened to John the Baptizer presages what will also happen to any who preach the same message of repentance in a hostile world. They too will be handed over. They too will have to stand before kings. While Jesus’ ministry began after John’s imprisonment, the disciples’ preaching begins after John’s death.”
Paradoxically, this is how the kingdom of God has grown for thousands of years. Tertullian said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” Kierkegaard stated, “The tyrant dies and his rule ends, the martyr dies and his rule begins.” Mark shows us a cowardly man, Herod, with wealth and no character. He also shows us brave men with character and no wealth. One enjoys life now, the others for eternity.
A choice must be made. Following Jesus is risky business. Sure, we’re blessed with tremendous freedoms in this nation today, but tomorrow offers us no such guarantees. One report I read this past week said a Christian was killed every six minutes last year for their faith. Over 90,000 of our brothers and sisters, slaughtered for following Jesus. That doesn’t include those arrested, imprisoned, and tortured.
It’s a radical thought, but might God be preparing you for a life of suffering, of radical living, of dangerous adventure for the sake of eternity? Jesus never promised us a successful career, good health, or a stocked 401k. He never said obedience would result in popularity, comfort and pleasure. Jesus taught and modeled the denial of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for the glory of God, for the kingdom of God.
Credits: some ideas from Stephen Leston, Mark Strauss, Ian Fair, NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 6:6-29
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Following Jesus is radical and dangerous…but worth it!
Introduction
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. According to the Declaration of Independence, these are our unalienable Rights endowed to us by our Creator. Despite its countless flaws, I love the United States, but Thomas Jefferson’s words are not taken from the Bible. In fact, following Jesus may result in the loss of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…but it will be worth it.
Today we continue our look at Jesus from Mark’s biography of him. Last week we saw Jesus’ amazement at the lack of faith among those in his hometown of Nazareth. The text continues…
Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. (Mark 6:6)
I want to pause and analyze Jesus’ leadership. Contrary to popular belief, leadership is more than a title or position. At its core, leadership is influence. We all have some influence on others. The best leaders do not merely have followers, but rather they develop leaders. Perhaps my favorite verse describing this comes to Timothy from his mentor Paul:
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)
Four generations are found in one verse: Paul, Timothy, reliable people who teach others.
Here’s Jesus’ model as outlined by Dave Ferguson in his book Exponential:
1. I do. You watch. Jesus was teaching and healing and the disciples observed.
2. I do. You help. At some point Jesus told them he had a purpose for them beyond companionship. He wanted them involved, helping.
3. You do. I help. We talk. This is the point of action. The baton is being passed; not thrown, but passed. Debriefing is important, too. Feedback can be so valuable, especially when we are doing something new.
4. You do. I watch. We talk. Not the leader does not assist except to coach afterward.
5. You do. Someone else watched. Now the student becomes the teacher, the apprentice is the leader. Things have come full circle.
This process works if you are teaching your kids how to load the dishwasher, training your apprentice small group leader, or equipping a new employee at the office.
John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus who is preparing his twelve disciples to transform the world…without cable tv, Twitter, or even the newspaper.
Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. (Mark 6:7)
It sounds like Noah’s ark, doesn’t it, two by two? It’s not good for man to be alone, God said after creating Adam. There’s strength in numbers. A partner helps protect against the dangers of temptation and attack. Who does two by two well? The Mormans and JW’s! They have it mastered, undoubtedly drawing their inspiration for this verse. If only the entire Bible was followed as carefully by them. Notice Jesus gave them authority. He equipped them. He didn’t shove them out the door and say, “Good luck!”
These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. (Mark 6:8-9)
They are to travel light. They can’t even run to the ATM and get some cash! He wants them focused on the mission and dependent upon God for daily bread. Personal comforts are not a priority for Jesus. Now this is not meant to be a universal plan for missions work. Today we raise money to provide for ministries around the world, but this particular mission was dependent upon the hospitality of others.
Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. (Mark 6:10)
I want to suggest perhaps Jesus is saying, “Get to know the people. Build relationships. Don’t rush off. Preach repentance. Drive out demons. Heal the sick. You’ve seen me do it. Now it’s your turn.”
And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” (Mark 6:11)
This is an odd instruction in our culture, but he’s saying if they ignore you, let them know the consequences. Let them know judgment would eventually fall on them…they’ve been warned. The disciples were commissioned to preach repentance, to urge people to turn from their selfish desires and follow God. Repent means to turn, to do a 180. Not everyone is eager stop what they’re doing and surrender to Jesus. This is obviously just as true today. Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good, but to make dead people come alive…but first they must die…to themselves. This is where I struggle with Thomas Jefferson. I’m not against life, liberty or happiness—nor is God—but those are not God’s highest values for us. Jesus calls us to die to ourselves, submit to Jesus as LORD, and pick up our cross and follow him. It is not always easy, fun, or comfortable.
I get worried when I see Christianity sold to USAmericans as just another self-help alternative. Pray this prayer and God will make you happy. Have enough faith and you’ll be rich. The safest place to be is in the center of God’s will. UGH! What garbage!
Jesus gave up everything—including his own life—and he asks us to do the same…because it will be worth it in the end. He doesn’t promise is safety and comfort and pleasure now. We have work to do. We are in the middle of a war…between good and evil. So many so-called Christians are lounging by the pool unaware there’s a battle on the other side of the gate. Look around, friends.
Heroin. Sex trafficking. Racism. Hunger. Homelessness. Violence. Hatred. Injustice.
Jesus didn’t come and die so we could sit in comfy seats for an hour a week with our nice leather-bound Bibles and fancy clothes…and I’m not against any of those things. But following Jesus must take precedent over life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Kingdoms collide.
One final thought on this verse: we are not to coerce, threaten, entice, or pressure people to follow Jesus. The command for the twelve was to preach repentance, to invite people to turn from their pleasure to seek God’s kingdom. And if they don’t listen, move on.
They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. (Mark 6:12-13)
They did it. They obeyed Jesus. The miracles authenticated their message. I wish I had a recording of their conversation with Jesus afterward. The stories must’ve been amazing! God obviously provided despite their lack of provisions. Ministry was accomplished. Lives were changed. The twelve began to get a glimpse of what it truly meant to proclaim truth and follow God.
And then Mark inserts a bizarre flashback, a story that reminds us the risks of obeying God.
King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” (Mark 6:14)
Herod hears rumors about Jesus and begins to think perhaps John the Baptist was back, resurrected.
Others said, “He is Elijah.”
And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.”
But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!” (Mark 6:15-16)
Remember, the central question in our series is, “Who is Jesus?” Herod thinks the only one who can preach with authority and heal is John, whom he beheaded! He killed John but has enough faith to believe in the resurrection, even though John was still dead! Yet he does nothing to pursue Jesus.
For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. (Mark 6:17-20)
Herod liked John the Baptist even though John spoke out against the king’s marriage. He married Herodias, his niece, who is already the wife of his half brother, according to scholars. It’s rather confusing because Herod was a family name, not one man’s name. This was not Herod the Great. This was his son, Herod Antipas. He was banished to southern France by AD 39 and his kingdom was given to Herodias’ brother Agrippa. Mark calling him “King” Herod was ironic and sly.
Let me be radical and politically incorrect and say despite what some say, our culture does not believe any two people in love should be able to marry. What if one is a minor? What if one is a relative (eww!)? What about polygamy? Then again, it may just be a matter of time.
Herodias hates John because he criticized her marriage, likely a plot of hers to gain power by marrying Herod.
Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. (Mark 6:21-22a)
This was not some Chuck E. Cheese birthday party. Jews saw birthdays as pagan celebrations, and this occasion was filled with paganism: dancing girls at a stag party, a drunken king, …you get the idea. Most likely the amoral Herodias sent her teen daughter to perform erotically for her uncle and these other powerful men.
The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” (Mark 6:22b-23)
This must’ve been quite a dance! Herod actually can’t give half of the kingdom away because he’s merely a puppet of Rome. Jesus, however, gives his disciples the power of the kingdom of God which brings healing and salvation.
She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”
“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered. (Mark 6:24)
At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” (Mark 6:25)
I’ve played that genie game many times, the one where you ask, “If you could have three wishes, what would they be?” I’ve never heard someone mention a person’s head on a platter!
The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. (Mark 6:26-29)
What an incredible story.
So What?
What do we do with it? Be careful what you ask for!
It might seem odd, but look what Mark says next.
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. (Mark 6:30)
This is the only time Mark calls the twelve “apostles.” They are sent ones who have completed a commission. It seems like Mark is connecting the dots between John, Jesus, and the disciples. Their mission to preach repentance is the same. Their fate as martyrs is the same. They are hated like the prophets of old. David Garland notes that “what happened to John the Baptizer presages what will also happen to any who preach the same message of repentance in a hostile world. They too will be handed over. They too will have to stand before kings. While Jesus’ ministry began after John’s imprisonment, the disciples’ preaching begins after John’s death.”
Paradoxically, this is how the kingdom of God has grown for thousands of years. Tertullian said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” Kierkegaard stated, “The tyrant dies and his rule ends, the martyr dies and his rule begins.” Mark shows us a cowardly man, Herod, with wealth and no character. He also shows us brave men with character and no wealth. One enjoys life now, the others for eternity.
A choice must be made. Following Jesus is risky business. Sure, we’re blessed with tremendous freedoms in this nation today, but tomorrow offers us no such guarantees. One report I read this past week said a Christian was killed every six minutes last year for their faith. Over 90,000 of our brothers and sisters, slaughtered for following Jesus. That doesn’t include those arrested, imprisoned, and tortured.
It’s a radical thought, but might God be preparing you for a life of suffering, of radical living, of dangerous adventure for the sake of eternity? Jesus never promised us a successful career, good health, or a stocked 401k. He never said obedience would result in popularity, comfort and pleasure. Jesus taught and modeled the denial of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for the glory of God, for the kingdom of God.
Credits: some ideas from Stephen Leston, Mark Strauss, Ian Fair, NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
Homecoming: Amazed & Faithless, 8 October 2017
09 10 17
Homecoming: Amazed & Faithless
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 6:1-6
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Faith is a precious gift from God we must exercise.
Introduction
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)
We talked about love last week. God’s grace enables us to love one another. Today we are looking at faith. In many ways, it is what brings us together. We are a family of faith, a community of faith. There are “faith healers” who say with enough faith the sick can be healed and the poor can become rich. There are doubters and skeptics who may struggle with notions of faith. Faith is linked to trust, yet it is different. Faith is a precious gift from God we must exercise.
Where does faith originate? How can we grow our faith? What even is faith, and what difference does it make? My name is Kirk and as we resume our series on the book of Mark, a biography of Jesus, we’re going to examine faith and, I pray, strengthen yours.
Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. (Mark 6:1-2a)
Several weeks ago, we finished the fifth chapter of Mark where Jesus had healed a bleeding woman on the way to raising a dead girl to life. Then he goes to Nazareth, his hometown, and amazes those in the synagogue with his teaching.
Jesus was a remarkable teacher. Last Sunday we looked at the Golden Rule, words quoted thousands of years later, even by non-Christians who think it’s a good idea to “do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31).
“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. (Mark 6:2b-3)
Imagine showing up to your high school reunion in a fancy sports car with a gorgeous spouse on your arm, a Rolex watch on your wrist, and the finest of clothes. Many of your colleagues will be…jealous. After all, they came from the same town, attended the same school, and their lives looked like that?! I can just imagine the commotion:
“Jesus never spoke like that in high school speech class.”
“ I remembering praying with him for his sick dog in seventh grade and it was healed, but now he’s raising the dead?”
“He made me a nice kitchen table a few years back, but when I went to buy matching the matching chairs they said he moved away.”
Nobody knows you like family and close friends. There’s an old expression that an expert is someone with a briefcase who is more than 50 miles from home. It’s easy t fool strangers but hard to fool your neighbors and kinfolk.
People change, of course, but our roots and family of origin matter and often influence us throughout our lives. These people couldn’t believe their hometown carpenter had become a teacher, a healer…a celebrity.
Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” (Mark 6:4)
They were skeptical, perhaps understandably. I’ve heard stories of people who grew up in a church as children who struggle to get respect as adults because everyone remembers “little George” or “little Mary.” But honor wasn’t the only thing Jesus failed to receive. The people lacked faith.
He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. (Mark 6:5-6a)
This is an incredible text. First, Mark nonchalantly says Jesus only healed a few sick people. That’s more than I’ve done today…this week…this month…this year? But his lack of power seems to be connected to their lack of faith, something which amazed Jesus.
I would love to amaze Jesus…but not because of my lack of faith.
Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. (Mark 6:6b)
Jesus hit the road in search of people with faith.
So What?
What does this mean? If I have enough faith I can heal or be healed, but without faith I’m hopeless and helpless?
What is faith?
The faith chapter of the Bible, Hebrews 11, famously begins…
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)
Faith is a gift. We are saved through faith…by grace.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
This is a perfect bridge to our previous series on grace. We are not saved by our good works. We can’t be good enough. Every other religion emphasizes trying hard to be good enough for a holy God, but none of us is perfect so without grace, we’re all hopeless. We are saved not by works but by grace through faith, putting our trust and faith in Jesus Christ, trusting in his sacrifice on the cross, believing in his resurrection, and making him LORD of our lives, surrendering our will and desires to his.
Faith matters. But love is the greatest of all.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:2)
This addresses another issue from last Sunday, the propensity of many to love God but not their neighbor, to believe the right things in their head but fail with their mouth, heart, and hands.
But how do we obtain faith, especially if it’s a gift? Romans says in regards to the proclamation of the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ,
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. (Romans 10:17)
Our faith grows as we study God’s Word, the Bible, as we pray and see God’s activity in our broken world, as we are encouraged by others who are encountering God, and as we trust Him for our daily bread.
Claro Update
One of the seven core values of The Alliance states,
Achieving God’s purposes means taking faith-filled risks. This always involves change. Hebrews 11:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Do not be anxious about…anything! My wife put these words in our bathroom:
Worry about nothing. Pray for everything.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
God is clearly on the move and we’re just getting started! I can’t wait to hear and share more stories in the coming days of God’s goodness not only financially but also with transformed lives. May we have increasing faith in our faithful God! The best is yet to come.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 6:1-6
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Faith is a precious gift from God we must exercise.
Introduction
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)
We talked about love last week. God’s grace enables us to love one another. Today we are looking at faith. In many ways, it is what brings us together. We are a family of faith, a community of faith. There are “faith healers” who say with enough faith the sick can be healed and the poor can become rich. There are doubters and skeptics who may struggle with notions of faith. Faith is linked to trust, yet it is different. Faith is a precious gift from God we must exercise.
Where does faith originate? How can we grow our faith? What even is faith, and what difference does it make? My name is Kirk and as we resume our series on the book of Mark, a biography of Jesus, we’re going to examine faith and, I pray, strengthen yours.
Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. (Mark 6:1-2a)
Several weeks ago, we finished the fifth chapter of Mark where Jesus had healed a bleeding woman on the way to raising a dead girl to life. Then he goes to Nazareth, his hometown, and amazes those in the synagogue with his teaching.
Jesus was a remarkable teacher. Last Sunday we looked at the Golden Rule, words quoted thousands of years later, even by non-Christians who think it’s a good idea to “do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31).
“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. (Mark 6:2b-3)
Imagine showing up to your high school reunion in a fancy sports car with a gorgeous spouse on your arm, a Rolex watch on your wrist, and the finest of clothes. Many of your colleagues will be…jealous. After all, they came from the same town, attended the same school, and their lives looked like that?! I can just imagine the commotion:
“Jesus never spoke like that in high school speech class.”
“ I remembering praying with him for his sick dog in seventh grade and it was healed, but now he’s raising the dead?”
“He made me a nice kitchen table a few years back, but when I went to buy matching the matching chairs they said he moved away.”
Nobody knows you like family and close friends. There’s an old expression that an expert is someone with a briefcase who is more than 50 miles from home. It’s easy t fool strangers but hard to fool your neighbors and kinfolk.
People change, of course, but our roots and family of origin matter and often influence us throughout our lives. These people couldn’t believe their hometown carpenter had become a teacher, a healer…a celebrity.
Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” (Mark 6:4)
They were skeptical, perhaps understandably. I’ve heard stories of people who grew up in a church as children who struggle to get respect as adults because everyone remembers “little George” or “little Mary.” But honor wasn’t the only thing Jesus failed to receive. The people lacked faith.
He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. (Mark 6:5-6a)
This is an incredible text. First, Mark nonchalantly says Jesus only healed a few sick people. That’s more than I’ve done today…this week…this month…this year? But his lack of power seems to be connected to their lack of faith, something which amazed Jesus.
I would love to amaze Jesus…but not because of my lack of faith.
Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. (Mark 6:6b)
Jesus hit the road in search of people with faith.
So What?
What does this mean? If I have enough faith I can heal or be healed, but without faith I’m hopeless and helpless?
What is faith?
The faith chapter of the Bible, Hebrews 11, famously begins…
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)
Faith is a gift. We are saved through faith…by grace.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
This is a perfect bridge to our previous series on grace. We are not saved by our good works. We can’t be good enough. Every other religion emphasizes trying hard to be good enough for a holy God, but none of us is perfect so without grace, we’re all hopeless. We are saved not by works but by grace through faith, putting our trust and faith in Jesus Christ, trusting in his sacrifice on the cross, believing in his resurrection, and making him LORD of our lives, surrendering our will and desires to his.
Faith matters. But love is the greatest of all.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:2)
This addresses another issue from last Sunday, the propensity of many to love God but not their neighbor, to believe the right things in their head but fail with their mouth, heart, and hands.
But how do we obtain faith, especially if it’s a gift? Romans says in regards to the proclamation of the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ,
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. (Romans 10:17)
Our faith grows as we study God’s Word, the Bible, as we pray and see God’s activity in our broken world, as we are encouraged by others who are encountering God, and as we trust Him for our daily bread.
Claro Update
One of the seven core values of The Alliance states,
Achieving God’s purposes means taking faith-filled risks. This always involves change. Hebrews 11:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Do not be anxious about…anything! My wife put these words in our bathroom:
Worry about nothing. Pray for everything.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
God is clearly on the move and we’re just getting started! I can’t wait to hear and share more stories in the coming days of God’s goodness not only financially but also with transformed lives. May we have increasing faith in our faithful God! The best is yet to come.
Grace is Greater than Yourself, 1 October 2017
03 10 17
Grace Is Greater Than Yourself
Series: Grace is Greater
John 13:33-35
Series Big Idea: No sin is so great, no bitterness so deep that God’s grace cannot transform the heart and rewrite the story. This 3-week series, based on the book Grace is Greater by Kyle Idleman, explores what the Bible teaches about grace, developing a deep understanding of the life-changing power of God’s unconditional love and forgiveness. For more resources and information on the book, visit https://www.graceisgreaterbook.com/.
Big Idea: We receive grace every day…and need to share it every day, loving one another.
Introduction
A pastor recently sent me an e-mail which contained this question:
“Why is it that so many Christians make such lousy human beings?” In other words, why are so many of us judgmental, defensive, unapproachable, and touchy?”
This might not apply to you, but I have met some Christians who are…not graceful. We receive grace every day from God…and need to share it every day, too.
We’re concluding our series, Grace is Greater. To review, grace is unmerited favor, a free gift, an undeserved blessing. It’s not fair! We all want to receive grace but often struggle to extend it to others for whom we naturally want justice.
In week one, we said grace is greater than your mistakes.
The More We Recognize the Ugliness of Our Sin, the More We Can Appreciate the Beauty of God’s Grace.
God’s Grace Is More Beautiful than Your Brokenness.
God’s Grace Redeems All Our Past Regrets.
And quoting author Philip Yancey,
Nothing you can do can make God love you more than he already does.
Nothing you can do can make God love you less than he already does.
That’s amazing! That’s grace!
Then we said grace is greater than your hurts.
We must release our feelings of anger, bitterness, and rage over to God.
We must release the person who hurt us over to God.
Reconciliation may not always be possible or appropriate, but It can reflect God’s grace and forgiveness toward us.
Last week we saw how grace is greater than your circumstances.
Thankfulness helps us trust God and acknowledge His grace in our lives.
We’re able to receive God’s grace only to the extent we’re able to recognize our need for It.
We must trust God’s goodness, even when life Is difficult.
Since life is filled with storms, I want to remind you of two resources. First, we have a list of Christian counselors available at the information kiosk and in the FAC Focus e-newsletter each week. My family has benefitted greatly from Christian counseling and you may, too. Second, we are excited about launching Celebrate Recovery soon. See Dennis Belkofer, last Sunday’s “my story” presenter, for details.
Grace is greater than your mistakes.
Grace is greater than your hurts.
Grace is greater than your circumstances.
I want to suggest to you that grace is greater than yourself. That’s right, sometimes we get in the way of God’s grace. Like a dam holding back rushing water, our own sin, pride, selfishness, condemnation, and insecurities can keep others from experiencing the flow of God’s grace. Listen to these words from Jesus:
“My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:33-35)
The world will know we are followers of Jesus if we…
have our theology correct?
attend Sunday School every week?
volunteer in the church nursery?
wear Jesus t-shirts?
are for the poor?
pray and read the Bible daily?
No. The true sign of the Christ-follower is if we love one another. He says it twice in these three verses. The message is restated several times later in the New Testament, including
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. (Romans 13:8)
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. (1 Peter 1:22)
For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. (1 John 3:11)
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:11-12)
I think we can all agree it’s a good idea to love one another. I’ve never heard anyone around here argue against love. After all, Toledo loves love.
But what is love? It’s not always nice. It’s not necessarily about sex. The Golden Rule is a start:
Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Luke 6:31)
We can make excuses all day long—I don’t feel well, I’ve had a bad day, my mom was not nurturing enough, that was a stupid question, you caught me at a bad time, it was a full moon last night—but Jesus doesn’t leave us any loopholes: love one another.
Before I continue, I must say I am speaking to a wonderful group of people. Heather and I are so glad God called us to First Alliance Church. You are family, we have been loved deeply, and we love you deeply. Many of you extend grace generously, giving others the benefit of the doubt, asking clarifying questions when uncertain about something, and offering constructive criticism when appropriate.
But occasionally I’ve heard unkind words spoken, harsh tones expressed, and fingers pointed. How we treat one another matters. Jesus said so. And it not only impacts us, it announces things to the world.
Mahatma Gandhi famously said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” Imagine if Gandhi had become a follower of Jesus.
Steve Jobs had a similar impression of Christians. He told biographer Walter Isaacson, “The juice goes out of Christianity when it becomes too based on faith rather than on living like Jesus or seeing the world as Jesus saw it.” Imagine if Steve Jobs had become a follower of Jesus.
Brothers and sisters, people are watching us, and if we can’t even love one another, why would anyone want to join us? Years ago I was attending a conference and the speaker said, “The greatest obstacle to people coming to know Jesus is the Church.” I wanted to scream, “Foul” but he may have been right.
Is your life attractive?
Are you known for your love?
Do people ask the reason for the hope you have?
Is our reputation in the community one of love for one another?
We all know actions speak louder than words. It’s not enough to agree with the idea of loving one another. We must do it! So just do it! Love!
Putting this message together, I was tempted to offer a few choice words, such as
Don’t be mean.
Stop being so critical.
Shaming is not godly.
Get the log out of your own eye.
Turn that frown upside down.
Who made you God?
Or my favorite…edify stupid!
Then I realized none of those would be all that graceful!
Love one another. It sounds so simple, yet it can be so challenging. Our lack of love can be expressed in so many ways:
- Complaining about the music being too traditional or modern, loud or soft
- Posting divisive thoughts on Facebook
- Offering gossip disguised as prayer requests
- Rolling our eyes or other non-verbal expressions of disgust
- Behaving selfishly rather than putting others first
- Jumping to conclusions rather than graciously giving others the benefit of the doubt
Here’s one of my favorite passages for weddings…and for our church family:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
Humility is a rare commodity these days. What if we took the lead? People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
We all agree we need to love, but let’s go back to that original question:
“Why is it that so many Christians make such lousy human beings?”
Here’s Pastor Pete Scazzero’s response:
A large part of the reason is a faulty, compartmentalized understanding of what it means to follow Jesus.
The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were passionate about holiness and purity in their relationship with God. They memorized books of Scripture, fasted twice a week, gave generously, evangelized, prayed three times a day, attended worship without fail, and kept Sabbath.
The problem was that in their zeal to love God, they were not equally zealous to love people. This put them on a collision course with Jesus.
- A Pharisee in Jesus’ day would say, “First, complete your worship to God, and then be reconciled to your brother. God is more important than humans.” Jesus said, “Leave your gift at the altar. Go first and get right with your brother or sister” (Matthew 5:23-24).
- A Pharisee would say, “Obey the commandments and do not murder people.” Jesus said that even angry and dismissive words towards another person are equivalent to murder. We may think calling someone idiot or stupid doesn’t matter. Jesus argues it is a hell-deserving crime (Matt. 5:21-22).
- A Pharisee might say: “It is important to forgive.” Jesus says forgiveness is so indispensable that if we don’t forgive, our heavenly Father will not forgive our sins” (Matt. 6:14-15).
- A Pharisee would say, “Be holy by separating from sinners.” Jesus, quoting Hosea 6:6 said, “Discipleship is about being merciful and kind to people, especially our enemies. That is the heart of what it means to follow me” (Matt. 8:13).
- A Pharisee might say, “You will be evaluated at the Final Judgment on your faith evidenced by acts of holiness before God.” Jesus says, “You will be evaluated at the Final Judgment on your faith evidenced by your love for the people the world discards” (Matt 25:31-46).
Jesus summarized the entire Bible as an unbreakable union of loving God and loving people (Matt. 22:37-40). This was a difficult teaching in the first century and it remains a difficult teaching today.
You cannot love like Jesus if you don’t know Jesus.
You cannot love like Jesus without the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment…
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
Sometimes it’s much easier to love a God we cannot see than a brother or sister right in front of us who may say something we disagree with, act in a way which offends us, look different than we look, or simply has different preferences. We are to love our enemy. We are to love our neighbor. But most of all we are to love one another. We’re going to spend a lot of time together—eternity—so we might as well get used to one another, and that means extending grace.
Jesus never talked about grace, he simply modeled it.
Many Christians talk about grace but fail to model it.
I confess this is me. I fail to love. I fail to extend grace. I jump to conclusions when I should say, “Help me understand.” I speak when I should be listening. I have agendas and want to be in control when I should discern and submit.
Who do you need to love more graciously?
Grace is Greater than Your Circumstances, 24 September 2017
24 09 17
Grace Is Greater Than Your Circumstances
Series: Grace is Greater
I Thessalonians 5:18; 2 Corinthians 11:21-23, 12:7-10; Romans 8:18-30
Series Big Idea: No sin is so great, no bitterness so deep that God’s grace cannot transform the heart and rewrite the story. This 3-week series, based on the book Grace is Greater by Kyle Idleman, explores what the Bible teaches about grace, developing a deep understanding of the life-changing power of God’s unconditional love and forgiveness. For more resources and information on the book, visit https://www.graceisgreaterbook.com/.
Big Idea: Circumstances and obstacles will attempt to drown out God’s grace in our lives; we must trust in him anyway.
Life is hard. God is good. That’s all I want to say. Life is hard. God is good.
We’re continuing our series Grace is Greater, including some ideas borrowed from Kyle Idleman’s book of the same name. We said grace is unmerited favor, a free gift, an undeserved blessing. As a review, in week one we said grace is greater than your mistakes.
The More We Recognize the Ugliness of Our Sin, the More We Can Appreciate the Beauty of God’s Grace.
God’s Grace Is More Beautiful than Your Brokenness.
God’s Grace Redeems All Our Past Regrets.
And quoting author Philip Yancey,
Nothing you can do can make God love you more than he already does.
Nothing you can do can make God love you less than he already does.
That’s amazing! That’s grace!
Last week we said grace is greater than your hurts.
We Must Release Our Feelings of Anger, Bitterness, and Rage Over to God.
We Must Release the Person Who Hurt Us Over to God.
Reconciliation May Not Always Be Possible or Appropriate, but It Can Reflect God’s Grace and Forgiveness Toward Us.
In other words, if we’ve received grace and forgiveness, we must extend grace and forgiveness.
Today we’re talking about circumstances…trials and suffering. Grace is greater. This hits close to home for all of us because we live in a broken, messed-up world infested with sin. We are a long way from the paradise of the Garden of Eden. But God is with us…and God is good…all the time…even when it doesn’t feel like it.
Some of you are in the midst of brutal storms. Like the barrage of earthquakes and hurricanes south of us, your life is shaking. Your body may be failing. Your relationships might be eroding. Your finances might be draining. Your addictions and temptations might be overwhelming. Whatever storm you’re experiencing, grace is greater…really.
Like many things in life, our approach to life’s storms are a matter of perspective. Take snow storms, for example. As a kid, we all loved snow days, right? I may complain of slow traffic, treacherous driving, and the necessity of shoveling but my grumbling will do nothing to change the circumstance. What I may perceive as a hassle is a gift to every student, tow truck operator, ski resort, and snow blower dealer. And no matter how miserable you may feel, it can always be worse. The only thing you can control in life is your attitude.
Thankfulness Helps Us Trust God and Acknowledge His Grace in Our Lives.
I’ve heard so many people inquire about God’s will for their lives. Would you like to know it?
…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
It doesn’t say give thank for all circumstances, but in all circumstances. If we took time to list all of our complaints and concerns we’d be here all day, but no matter what storm you’re facing, there is much for which to be thankful.
But there’s a slight problem with my mention of this verse…the context…the dots! Here’s the rest of the sentence.
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Paul is writing to the church in the city of Thessaloniki. Here’s Gods’ will:
Rejoice always
Pray continually
Give thanks in all circumstances
Idleman writes, “God takes complaining personally, because complaining overlooks the greatness of the grace we have received.” A recent study revealed the more people complain, the more they find things about which to complain. Thankfulness destroys complaining, negativity, and ungratefulness.
The Bible tells us to “give thanks” dozens of times. Thankfulness can shift your focus and actually change the way you think and behave.
Do you know anyone who constantly complains? Would you like to vacation with them?
Do you know anyone who is thankful and positive? Do you like to be around them?
God is God. He wants us to be honest. We can be real with our struggles and cares, but we must set those in the context of God’s grace and faithfulness. One of my favorite prayer tools is ACTS
Adoration
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication (requests)
When I align my prayers with ACTS, often by the time I finish thanksgiving my requests seem so small, so easy for God.
Are you thankful?
Second,
We’re Able to Receive God’s Grace Only to the Extent We’re Able to Recognize Our Need for It
I believe the single greatest reason for the decline of the movement of Jesus in the western world is we don’t need God…or we don’t think we need God. Think about your prayer life. When was it most vibrant? Probably in crisis. It’s funny how we pray when storms come and often quit when the coast is clear. This has even been true during the past few weeks. People who never mention God have been suddenly asking people to pray when a hurricane is headed their way.
Friends, we need God, and the sooner we recognize that and act like it, the sooner we will experience the joy of a true relationship with God.
Our youngest daughter went through nine years of nasty storms that included chronic pain, blindness, an eating disorder, lymphedema, and a leg amputation. She spent a lot of time crying out to God…and so did her parents! I remember vividly one moment when I prayed, “LORD, thank You for calming the storms in her life. Thank You for the remission of pain, the restoration of her sight, the control of her diet, and a prosthetic leg. I want to replace my petitions with praises. I don’t want to get up off my knees. I never want to forget your grace. Great is Thy faithfulness.”
Being desperate for God is the most wonderful place to be, even when it’s the most uncomfortable. Sore knees lead to soothed souls. Paul, who wrote to Thessaloniki, also wrote to the church in Corinth. He said,
in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
We don’t know what Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” was—some say a physical pain, a birth defect, an addiction, …we don’t know. We do know he begged God three times to calm the storm in his life and God said no. He said His grace was sufficient. God knew as long as Paul relied on God, Christ’s power would be celebrated rather than Paul’s gifts.
I’ve experienced this countless times in my preaching. There are some weeks when I drive onto our campus excited about my message, prepared and ready to go. Sure, it’s God’s Word and the Holy Spirit who have given me the ideas and words, but I’m tempted to take the credit for a job well done as I shake hands in the lobby afterward. I’m ashamed to admit it, but when I am strong, my flesh wants to be recognized and applauded. That’s the ugliness of pride.
There are other Sundays, however, when I’ve done my very best to prepare but am woefully aware of my inadequacies. Maybe the week was filled with unexpected interruptions or I’m not feeling well or I’m personally so challenged by the topic I can’t imagine offering much to others. Whatever the reason, I simply cry out to God, begging Him to speak through me knowing I have little to offer on my own. Is it any surprise those are the Sundays that generate the most positive feedback? I really don’t want you to hear from me. I want you to hear from God!
The more we are able to acknowledge our weakness, the more we can experience God’s strength, presence and power. And today I feel very weak after a packed week launching Act 2 Productions, so if you benefit from this morning, praise God!!!
Finally,
We Must Trust God’s Goodness, Even When Life Is Difficult
The early church experienced harsh persecution. Think North Korea. Think death and martyrdom. In fact, most of our brothers and sisters around the world today face suffering for their faith much greater than anything we will encounter. Paul wrote to the first Christians:
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:18-21)
For Paul, it’s all about perspective. Today’s suffering will produce tomorrow’s glory. Olympic athletes experience this every day. No pain, no…gain.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:22-25)
Creation has been groaning. Sin impacts our planet and all of its inhabitants, but there’s hope for tomorrow.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. . (Romans 8:26-27)
I love this passage. Have you ever tried to pray and you were so distraught, so weak, so desperate you didn’t know what to say? I have, and in those moments I’ve often cried out, “Holy Spirit, please groan!” I wish we had time to unpack this more fully, but finally we turn to one of the most used and abused verses in the Bible.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. . (Romans 8:28-30)
This does not say all thing work together for good. It says God works for the good of those who love him. That’s called redemption. No matter what you’re experiencing today, God can use it for his glory. He can turn ashes into beauty. Even better than recycling, he can turn your trash into a treasure.
I love our friends at Cherry Street Mission. They recently gave a title to many or all of their staff: ministers of redemption. I love that! They partner with God to see lives revitalized.
I don’t want to make light of any hardship you are facing today, but I want to encourage you to persevere. Your story is not over. This chapter might be messy, but turn the page! The world is full of cheap inspirational sayings, but I especially liked Michael Jr.’s quote from the Global Leadership Summit Instagram account this week:
“Like a slingshot, the further you’ve been set back, the further you can go.”
We Must Trust God’s Goodness, Even When Life Is Difficult
God is in control. He has a plan. He has a purpose. He is the God of redemption.
Tony Campolo has a great sermon he made famous years ago about Holy Week, the death and resurrection of Jesus. I love the title: It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming! There is no greater example of God’s redemption. God’s grace is greater than your circumstances. Today might feel like death and crucifixion but tomorrow may be the day everything changes…for His glory.
GRACE!
God’s
Redemption
At
Christ’s
Expense
So What?
We must trust that God is good, even when life is hard. This isn’t easy, but this is where we need one another. We don’t need cheesy cliché’s, but encouragement.
I am with you. You are not alone.
I’ll bring over dinner.
We can watch the kids for you.
I’m on my way.
Here’s a small gift.
God is good…all the time…and he works through his people. Yes, we need to pray for one another, but what else can you do?
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15)
Grace is greater than your circumstances. We need to receive grace, experience it, and share it. Life is hard. God is good.
Credits: outline, title, and some ideas from Grace is Greater by Kyle Idleman.
Grace is Greater than Your Hurts, September 17 2017
18 09 17
Grace is Greater Than Your Hurts
Series: Grace is Greater
Acts 7:54-60; 2 Timothy 4:14-18; Colossians 1:19-23
Series Big Idea: No sin is so great, no bitterness so deep that God’s grace cannot transform the heart and rewrite the story. This 3-week series, based on the book Grace is Greater by Kyle Idleman, explores what the Bible teaches about grace, developing a deep understanding of the life-changing power of God’s unconditional love and forgiveness. For more resources and information on the book, visit https://www.graceisgreaterbook.com/.
Big Idea: We receive freedom from our past wounds when we choose to forgive.
Introduction
We’re in the middle of a three-week series called “Grace Is Greater” based on the outline of Kyle Idleman’s book of the same title. Last week we said grace is unmerited favor, an undeserved gift. Grace is Greater Than Your Mistakes. God’s amazing grace is available to everyone, regardless of their past.
The More We Recognize the Ugliness of Our Sin, the More We Can Appreciate the Beauty of God’s Grace. (Romans 3:23)
God’s Grace Is More Beautiful than Your Brokenness (John 4:1-30)
God’s Grace Redeems All Our Past Regrets (John 21:15-19)
And quoting author Philip Yancey,
Nothing you can do can make God love you more than he already does.
Nothing you can do can make God love you less than he already does.
That’s not only good news, that’s incredible news! It’s almost unbelievable.
But receiving grace carries with it an important opportunity…extending grace.
I love to clean. Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying I love to clean toilets, wash windows, dust furniture, or scrub the floor. I like cleaning the garage, purging junk from my desk, and even getting rid of unnecessary computer files.
Heather and I lived in our childhood homes from birth until college. When we were married, we lived in eight homes during our first eight years of marriage. What a change! The bad news was moving is always a huge hassle. The good news was every year or so we were able to throw out stuff we no longer needed. It was a great feeling to be lean and mean! Then we bought a house and lived in it for 17 years. Imagine the accumulated mess we faced two years ago as we prepared to move to Toledo! Wow!
Like computer hard drives, closets, and car trunks, our hearts need periodic decluttering. Over time, hurts and raw sin can accumulate in the form of anger, bitterness, and rage.
We all love to receive grace, but how easy is it to share? Put another way, we’ve all been forgiven, but how easy is it to forgive others?
In the most famous prayer in history, Jesus taught his disciples to pray
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. (Matthew 6:12)
You may have prayed, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
Have you ever stopped to think about that? The next verse clarifies Jesus’ intention.
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (Matthew 6:14)
That’s good, right? When we forgive, God will forgive us. Then Jesus really gets serious.
But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:15)
I want grace for me and justice for others. I want God to forgive my sins but I want others to pay when they hurt me and those I love. “Revenge is mine,” says me!
But Jesus says forgive. Last week we talked about Jesus’ friend Peter’s denial and restoration. Here’s another memorable encounter.
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” (Matthew 18:21)
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:22)
Some translations say seventy times seven. Peter thought he was being generous, saying up to seven times. Jesus essentially says there is no limit. There’s no limit to God’s forgiveness of us and there should be no limit to our forgiveness of others. That’s only fair, right? But oh so hard!
Jesus continues by telling a story about a man forgiven of millions of dollars who refuses to forgive another who owed him a few thousand dollars. Every sin we have committed has offended God. We have all been forgiven of much more than we could imagine, yet how easy is it to refuse to forgive those who have wronged us?
Jesus says forgive…and he never asks us to do something he hasn’t already done.
When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. (Luke 23:33-34)
I know what you’re thinking. It’s Jesus. He’s God. He used superpowers to forgive. Maybe he wasn’t really in that much pain—dying on a cross!!!
I know some of you have been deeply hurt. People have betrayed you, abandoned you, abused you. Some of you have endured violence, rape, molestation, and neglect. Love was broken, trust was shattered, hope was destroyed. Maybe you’re thinking, “Kirk, you have no idea how they hurt me!” You’re right, but God knows. And he instructs us to forgive.
We Must Release Our Feelings of Anger, Bitterness, and Rage Over to God (Acts 7:54-60)
Perhaps you’re thinking, “Ok, Jesus forgave those who were violently tortured and murdered him, but still, that was Jesus.” Listen to this story of one of the early church leaders.
When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:54-56)
In all fairness to the religious leaders, Stephen was rebuking them. He called them out on their self-righteous religion and their murder of Jesus (yes, religious people killed Jesus!). But Stephen was speaking the truth in love.
At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. (Acts 7:57-58)
Here we get a glimpse at Saul’s persecution of Christians, the man who would encounter Jesus, be renamed Paul, and write much of the New Testament.
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:59-60)
While they were stoning Stephen, he echoes Jesus’ prayer on the cross, Father forgive them. And then he died (the meaning of “fell asleep”).
We Must Release Our Feelings of Anger, Bitterness, and Rage Over to God
Notice Jesus and Stephen don’t actually say to their murderers, “I forgive you.” Rather, they release their agony to God, asking God to forgive them. Maybe if you struggle to forgive, begin by asking God to forgive them.
Forgiving others honors God. He instructs us to forgive.
Forgiving others is an undeserved blessing to the offender. Who doesn’t appreciate being forgiven.
But forgiving others changes us…in more ways than one. In yet another example of the Bible being relevant and practical, scientific research has repeatedly shown the harm caused by bitterness. It has been linked to creating or exacerbating ulcers, lupus, skin problems, and sleep issues. It can lead to problems with relationships. Simply, not forgiving can destroy us. Someone once said refusing to forgive another is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. Often when we are bitter the other person doesn’t even know! They’re moved on and we’re the ones suffering.
In the words of Elsa, "Let It Go!"
I know, easier said than done. How often do we want to do something yet struggle to do so? We need God. We need God’s grace. The more we experience it, the more we can share it. You can’t give what you don’t have.
We Must Release Our Feelings of Anger, Bitterness, and Rage Over to God
Forgiving does not mean forgetting. It simply means releasing the hurt to God.
Forgiving does not mean trusting. There are dangerous people who are not worthy of trust. We need to establish healthy boundaries. For example, forgiving an abusive spouse does not mean we allow them to continue to abuse. It just means we refuse to be bitter about their past sin.
In addition to release our feelings to God,
We Must Release the Person Who Hurt Us Over to God (2 Timothy 4:14-18)
The aforementioned Paul told his disciple Timothy
Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message. (2 Timothy 4:14-15)
Alex is dangerous. He is not to be trusted. Paul tells Timothy to establish healthy boundaries with him.
At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:16-18)
The Lord stood by Paul’s side. God was present.
Where was God when you were hurt? Right with you. That’s both comforting and frustrating. “Great, God, thanks for just standing there while I was being fired, betrayed, raped, beat up, or abused.” We’ll talk more about this next week but God gives us free will, choices. He doesn’t stop all evil—though one day all evil will be stopped.
God’s grace is greater than anything you’ve ever done…and greater than anything done to you.
But how do we forgive? Consider these four steps:
1. Acknowledge our hurt. It happened. Don’t sugar-coat it. Don’t deny it. Don’t spiritualize it.
2. Release Our Rights. We can be bitter, angry, and seek revenge…but why?
3. Pray for Our Enemies. Jesus did. Stephen did. Did Stephen’s prayer impact Saul?
4. Give it to God. He can be trusted. Let him judge.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:17-19 [Deuteronomy 32:35])
God’s wrath will be greater than any revenge you can imagine!
Finally,
Reconciliation May Not Always Be Possible or Appropriate, but It Can Reflect God’s Grace and Forgiveness Toward Us (Colossians 1:19-23)
As I said, forgiveness does not necessarily mean trusting. Some relationships are permanently severed, but in many cases reconciliation is possible.
Jesus came to reconcile the relationship between us and our heavenly Father severed by our sin.
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. (Colossians 1:21-23)
Hallelujah! This is the gospel: Jesus is LORD and has reconciled us to God.
We have been reconciled to God and, if possible, we are to be reconciled with others.
On October 2, 2006, the world was stunned to learn of a gunman entering an Amish one-room schoolhouse, shooting ten girls, killing five, and then taking his own life. The gunman’s mother, Terri Roberts, wrote a powerful book called Forgiven. Listen to the response of one Amish family member toward the parents of the killer:
When my driver Sam took me to the Robertses’ home, I was concerned to see that they were all alone. In contrast, there were thousands by now—media, family, and spectators—gathered at Nickel Mines to be there for the victims’ families. My heart was moved because it seemed to me that Chuck and Terri were suffering just as much as the parents of Roberts’ victims.
When others challenged me as to why I should feel this way, I answered, “What would be worse? Would you rather have lost a child, or have your son have done something like this?”
It is my belief that more good is going to come out of this sad tragedy than bad. After all, what is the most unjust thing that you can think of? The answer is the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. And yet what should be the most wonderful thing you can think of? The best thing that has ever happened? Our crucified Savior Jesus Christ rose again.
Wow! That’s redemption…and God is really good at redemption!
True reconciliation requires both repentance from the offender and forgiveness from the offended. Obviously you cannot reconcile with someone who is deceased or unwilling to reconcile,
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18)
But God is able to heal even the most broken of relationships, even reconciling a shooter’s victims with his parents. That’s grace!
My Story: Crystal Howald
We could spend hours telling the stories of those who have chosen forgiveness over bitterness, but what about you? Who do you need to forgive? A family member? An enemy? Yourself? Who have you avoided praying for? What broken relationship needs to be reconciled? Maybe you can’t do it, but God can. Grace can. Grace is greater than your hurt.
Maybe it’s time to get rid of that junk in your heart, the bitterness and anger. Take it to the curb and enjoy the freedom and peace of a cleansed soul.
Bonus content: Matthew West, Forgiveness
Credits: outline, title, and some ideas from Grace is Greater by Kyle Idleman.
Great is Greater than Your Mistakes, 10 September 2017
11 09 17
Grace Is Greater Than Your Mistakes
Series: Grace is Greater
Romans 3:23; John 4:1-30; John 21:15-19
Series Big Idea: No sin is so great, no bitterness so deep that God’s grace cannot transform the heart and rewrite the story. This 3-week series, based on the book Grace is Greater by Kyle Idleman, explores what the Bible teaches about grace, developing a deep understanding of the life-changing power of God’s unconditional love and forgiveness. For more resources and information on the book, visit https://www.graceisgreaterbook.com/.
Big Idea: Our sin is ugly, but God’s grace is greater than any past mistake or regret.
Introduction
I love words. Obviously! I’m fascinated by the use and meanings of words…and the creation of new ones. In his book, Grace is Greater—the source of our title and series outline—Kyle Idleman mentions a few new words.
Phonesia
The affliction of dialing a phone number and forgetting whom you were calling just as they answer.
Disconfect
To sterilize the piece of candy you dropped on the floor by blowing on it, assuming this will somehow remove all the germs.
Blamestorming
A meeting intended to determine why a deadline was missed or a project failed, and who was responsible.
Unlike these words, “grace” is a term we’ve heard countless times. People sing about amazing grace. They say grace before meals. People have named their daughters grace. Businesses often talk about a grace period with payments. But what is grace…and what does it matter? This will be our focus during these three weeks.
Grace. It’s a word Jesus never used in the Bible, yet His entire life demonstrated it. The original Greek word is charis (χάρις). It is where we get our word charm. It is simply is unmerited favor. A free gift. It is not deserved. It is not earned. It truly is amazing for those reasons. God’s grace is more beautiful, freeing, and altogether greater than we could ever imagine. I’m no expert on the subject but I know I love it. But before we get to the wonder of grace, we need to begin with a harsh reality…
We’re not ok.
Let me say it in a way I often say: we’re not perfect. No perfect people are allowed at First Alliance…except Jesus. If you are perfect, you are invited to get up, grab some great Claro coffee in the lobby and head home. There’s not much here for you! But the Bible says that
…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)
See, God is perfect. He is God and we are not. The sooner we grasp this, the better. I’m messed up…really messed up. I’m selfish. I’m prideful. I’m judgmental. The Bible calls it sin. I don’t have time to list all of my sins—past or present—but it’s a long list. And God hates it.
The More We Recognize the Ugliness of Our Sin, the More We Can Appreciate the Beauty of God’s Grace. (Romans 3:23)
If you’ve got your act together, don’t worry about God. New York City’s former mayor Michael Bloomberg apparently feels he doesn’t need to worry about God. In a New York Times interview, Bloomberg stated, “I am telling you if there is a God, when I get to heaven I’m not stopping to be interviewed. I am heading straight in. I have earned my place in heaven. It’s not even close.” He felt his good deeds were greater than his bad deeds so he can waltz into heaven.
Here’s the problem: we all sin—even politicians, if you can believe it!—and one sin is enough to keep us from God.
Let me reiterate a statement I made several months ago:
Heaven is where God is present.
Hell is where God is absent.
Let me add: God is absent where sin is present. Period.
How much sin? It doesn’t matter. How much cyanide in your water is enough to kill you? A drop will kill you! It doesn’t matter if you place a teaspoon, a tablespoon, or a half-cup of cyanide in your water, you’re dead regardless. You wouldn’t knowingly drink water with any cyanide and God won’t tolerate even a little sin. Maybe you think you’re a better person than the leader of North Korea or Charles Manson or a serial killer but that’s beside the point. Your sin and my sin have offended God enough to separate us from Him.
It’s not that God sends us to hell, it’s that our sin separates us from God. Do you see the difference? God wants to be with us. Just like you might want to drink water on a hot day…but you won’t touch it if you know it’s laced with poison. We try to convince ourselves that we’re not that bad, but any bad, any imperfection, any sin is too much for a perfect, holy God.
And if you think you’re a really good person, let me remind of what Paul said:
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. (1 Timothy 1:15)
Paul—he wrote much of the New Testament…what’s on your resume?—announces he’s not only a sinner, he’s the worst of sinners. No, he doesn’t say I was the worst when I persecuted Christians as Saul, he declares to Timothy he is the worst of sinners. That makes me the second worst of sinners since I’m not arguing with Paul. Seriously. I’m the second worst of sinners. I desperately need grace. I want to go back to that verse in Romans 3 which ended with a comma.
…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:23-24)
Grace! Jesus died to reconcile us to God. He died to offer forgiveness of our sins through his blood and broken body. I hate religion—man’s futile quest to be good enough for God—but I love Jesus. He not only showed us what it means to be human, he sacrificed his life for us…not because we’re so good, but because we’re so loved.
One of my favorite passages in the Bible two chapters over, says
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)
Jesus died for us because of our sin. He recognized how we are not good, yet his love for us compelled him to make such a sacrifice.
Parents understand this in a small way. We make tremendous sacrifices for our kids, beginning with sleepless nights and diaper changings for infants that are so good, so talented, so capable that…all they do is sleep, cry, and fill their diapers! But it’s out of love. Things don’t get any easier when they learn to talk—back—and drive and…well, many of you understand! We invest countless time, money, and energy on our kids often not because they’re so good but because we love them so much. I have often said the day I became a dad was the day I began to truly understand the great love my heavenly Dad has for me…and you…although we can only imagine it.
God’s Grace Is More Beautiful than Your Brokenness (John 4:1-30)
There are two types of people distant from God—those who feel they’re so good they don’t need God and those who feel they’re so bad they can’t have God.
If you think you don’t need God because you’re so good, you are more messed up than you can imagine! Pride is killing you…literally.
Nothing you can do can make God love you more than he already does.
I love that quote from Philip Yancey. You can’t do enough good things. You can’t earn your way to heaven. You’re not perfect—which isn’t a license to just intentionally be a jerk and do evil—but all of your good works the Bible calls “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).
Nothing you can do can make God love you more than he already does.
But you may feel like you’re not worthy of God. You’ve done so many awful things. “Kirk, if you only knew what I’ve done.” God knows! And I’ve got wonderful news for you:
Nothing you can do can make God love you less than he already does.
Philip Yancey said that, too. There’s a great story in the fourth chapter of John’s biography of Jesus. I wish we had time to study it in detail. It’s a great personal study. In fact, if you have a Bible, turn to John 4. Jesus—a Jew—goes to Galilee through Samaria, a region no Jew ever entered.
When we lived in Ann Arbor I used to joke whenever we drove to Florida we would drive around Ohio! It was just a joke—and I obviously don’t tell it anymore now that I live in Ohio (don’t tell me God doesn’t have a sense of humor!)—but some people do avoid certain cities or neighborhoods, even today. But back in the day Jews hated Samaritans, but here’s Jesus going through Samaria around noontime and sits by a well.
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) (John 4:7-8)
The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. ) (John 4:9)
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” (John 4:10)
“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” (John 4:11-12)
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14)
The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” (John 4:15)
He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” (John 4:16)
“I have no husband,” she replied.
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” (John 4:17-18)
“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. (John 4:19)
That’s an understatement! He didn’t learn about her past on Facebook! It’s nearly impossible for us in our culture to understand just how radical it is for Jesus to engage this adulterous Samaritan in conversation. She is so sinful, so disgraced, so shamed that she goes alone to the well in the middle of the day to get water. First, you never traveled alone and second you don’t go in the desert heat…unless you’re hoping to avoid being seen. She has messed up her life, yet Jesus responds with grace and love.
How do you respond to sinners? It’s a trick question because we’re all sinners! But how do you respond to those “really bad” sinners? Do you avoid people who don’t look like you, act like you, talk like you, or smell like you? I admit there are people that make me uncomfortable and my first thought is usually not to engage them. I want to be safe. I want to mind my own business. I often want to ignore those different from me.
But that’s not what Jesus did. He demonstrated grace…and sets an example for us to follow. I’ve said First Alliance is not to be a museum for saints but a hospital for sinners…and we’re all sinners!
Jesus engages the woman in conversation and later the text says
Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him. (John 4:28-30)
When God’s mercy and grace collide with our guilt and shame it’s messy but it’s beautiful. Jesus knows everything you’ve ever done…but his grace is greater.
Nothing you can do can make God love you less than he already does.
In the words of Kyle Idleman, “The worst thing that could happen is that you spend your life trying to outrun God because you think he’s chasing you to collect what you owe—when he’s really chasing you to give you what you could never afford.”
Finally…
God’s Grace Redeems All Our Past Regrets (John 21:15-19)
If you could go back in time, what would you change? Maybe a selfish act, a harmful word, a lack of self-control, the beginning of an addiction? It might be a split second or a decade.
I’m pretty sure I know what Peter would do over. He was one of Jesus’ three best friends and despite Jesus even predicting it, Peter denied he even knew Jesus not once, not twice, but three times…all during Jesus’ most desperate hours. Some friend!
After Jesus dies and is resurrected, he cooks breakfast for his friends.
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” (John 21:15-19)
Peter denied Jesus three times and Jesus asks him three times, “Do you love me?” He knows Peter has great regret about the denials and yet Jesus offers grace. He doesn’t want Peter imprisoned by his regrets. He has a great plan for Peter, a man who will become one of the greatest leaders in the history of the Christian Church. Grace has the power to redeem regret—to save it, to recycle it, you might say. Grace takes our trash and makes it useful, valuable.
We all have regrets, and ever since Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, we often try to hide our sins, thinking they are unforgiveable. Our regrets should lead to remorse, but God doesn’t leave us in our mess of sin. He doesn’t shame us. God’s grace most often finds us in the midst of our remorse and redeems us, forgives us, restores us.
If one of my best friends denied even knowing me three times when I needed him most, I’m not sure I would assign him to be the president of my company, but that’s grace. Remember…
Nothing you can do can make God love you less than he already does.
And God doesn’t tolerate you. He loves you. He forgives you. He embraces you. He redeems you.
I wish I had time to share all of the times I’ve messed up—well, maybe not! That would be the longest sermon I’ve ever preached! But seriously, God has taken my arrogant, wicked heart and a lifetime of failures and done some things in and through me I could never take credit for. Even standing before you today I feel incredibly inadequate and unworthy. I am continually reminded that when I am weak, He is strong and His grace is enough. It is sufficient.
So What?
I desperately want you to know and experience God’s grace.
If you’re like me, you’re not even aware of how bad you are, how sinful you are. We need grace.
Others of you are on the other end of the spectrum, feeling unworthy. You are! That’s grace!
Nothing you can do can make God love you more than he already does.
Nothing you can do can make God love you less than he already does.
Don’t let your past mistakes destroy your future. Become a trophy of God’s grace, trust Jesus, and allow him to transform your life.
Credits: outline, title, and some ideas from Grace is Greater by Kyle Idleman. Other ideas from Philip Yancey.
Healing: Woman & Girl, 3 September 2017
05 09 17
Healing: Woman & Girl
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 5:21-43
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Jesus healed—and still heals—those who believe.
Introduction
Faith. Do you have it? Sure you do. We all have faith…in something…or someone! The book of Hebrews states
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)
As we continue to look at the life of Jesus through Mark’s biography, we come to two stories of faith…and physical healing.
They are very similar. They both involve females. Both of their stories began twelve years prior.
They are very different. One female is young, the other old. One is the daughter of an important synagogue officer, the other an anonymous woman. The officer was about to lose a daughter who brought him twelve years of happiness while the woman lost an affliction that brought her twelve years of grief.
These are documented, historical incidents but God never changes…and He continues to heal today.
Jesus is the Son of God, the way, the truth, and the life.
Two weeks ago, we saw his power over the natural world, calming a huge storm.
Last week we saw his power over the supernatural, exorcising demons.
Today we will see his power over sickness and death.
PRAY
When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” So Jesus went with him. (Mark 5:21-24a)
We’re back in Jewish territory, probably Capernaum. The crowds are back. They religious leaders are back. Instead of being a critic, Jairus is a believer. He’s obviously desperate, willing to lose his religious friends who despise Jesus in his quest to save his twelve-year-old daughter’s life. He has faith that if Jesus only touches his dying girl, she will be healed and live.
Note all healing in this life is temporary. Lazarus was raised from the dead but eventually died again. If Jairus’ daughter is healed from her deadly condition, she will eventually die. We are constantly praying for the sick in our church family and beyond, but even the most miraculous healing of diseases or cancers merely prolongs life in these mortal bodies. Of course, each day we are both closer to the death of these temples and to the new bodies that will resemble Jesus’ resurrected form.
So crowds surround Jesus, a religious leader begs Jesus to come to his home and touch his daughter, and Jesus goes.
A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. (Mark 5:24b-26)
This woman had been suffering with a bleeding condition for twelve years. That means for twelve years she was probably considered unclean. She couldn’t touch people. She couldn’t be around people, yet here she is in a crowd, desperate. She wasn’t passive about healing. She had spent all of her money and likely most of her time seeing doctors…and only got worse. How frustrating. Some of you can relate. Health care is not a new problem!
When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. (Mark 5:27-29)
What faith! She merely wanted to touch Jesus’ clothes. She didn’t need him to touch her. She didn’t need Jesus to pray for her. She didn’t even feel the need to touch Jesus—just his clothes. She was instantly healed. Praise God! But then look what happens next.
At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” (Mark 5:30)
Jesus knew power had gone out, but even he notices it was not his flesh but rather his clothes that were touched. Then the disciples say what I would’ve said…and if you’re honest, you probably would’ve thought it, too.
Jesus once said,
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. (John 5:19)
Paul tells us in Philippians (2:5-11) that Jesus “made himself nothing” when he came to earth, “taking the very nature of a servant.” The power he had was the Holy Spirit, the same power available to all followers of Jesus.
“You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” (Mark 5:31)
Jesus ignores his disciples!
But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” (Mark 5:32-34)
She’s caught touching Jesus’ clothes! How embarrassing! She’s trembling with fear and confesses, but instead of a rebuke, she receives a blessing…and healing. What a wonderful gift. What a great story she has for her friends of the healing power of Jesus. He heals her body and soul, granting her peace—shalom, completeness—and calling her “daughter” while commending her faith.
But what about that girl?
While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” (Mark 5:35)
She’s dead? Jesus, if you weren’t listening to that lady’s story maybe you would’ve been able to save my daughter. You’re too late now. So much for your perfect timing.
Jesus missed the death of Lazarus.
Jesus missed the death of Jairus’ daughter.
Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” (Mark 5:36)
Easy for you to say, Jesus. You don’t even know this girl. And what do you mean, “Just believe?” What good is faith? We were hoping you could just touch her but now she’s dead!
Before moving on, I want to focus on those words: don’t be afraid; just believe. That’s faith. Max Lucado wrote,
“Faith is trusting what the eye can’t see. Eyes see the prowling lion. Faith sees Daniel’s angel. Eyes see storms. Faith sees Noah’s rainbow. Eyes see giants. Faith sees Canaan. Your eyes see your faults. Your faith sees your Savior.”
Don’t be afraid; just believe.
He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. (Mark 5:37-40a)
Here we see Jesus’ three best friends—Peter, James and John—receive a special invitation. The crowds aren’t allowed to follow. Perhaps even the other nine disciples were snubbed. They arrive on the scene of this twelve year-old girl’s tragic death. It’s a hot mess of commotion and wailing. It’s interesting to note in the culture professional mourners were often hired to wail at funerals. The Jewish Mishna, completed around 220 AD, quotes Rabbi Judah as saying even the poorest in Israel should hire two or more flutes and one weeping woman for a burial.
Then Jesus makes the laughable suggestion that she’s merely asleep…and they laugh…at Jesus. They go from wailing to laughing. Why not? They’re probably there just to “perform” with no real attachment to the girl.
Then Jesus gets to work!
After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). (Mark 5:40b-41)
Jesus kicks everyone out—except for his three friends and the parents. Six adults encounter the girl, Jesus touches her and commands her to get up. It’s a private moment for those with considerable faith, not a public spectacle to rile up the fans and critics.
Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat. (Mark 5:42-43)
They were completely astonished! Amazing!
We have noted before the seemingly random details Mark includes, such as Jesus telling them to grab a granola bar for the girl (or whatever they ate then!). It’s an incredible scene, yet Jesus wants them to keep quiet about it (like that’s going to happen!).
When I was in college, I spent a summer in Bolivia with Campus Crusade for Christ—now known as Cru—showing the Jesus film. It is based upon the Good News Translation of the book of Luke, but it is very similar to Mark’s account. My favorite moment in the film—besides the resurrection—is the healing of Jarius’ daughter. I’d like to take a moment and share it with you.
https://www.jesusfilm.org/watch.html
In the original language Jesus said, “Lamb, get up!” What a tender wake-up call.
So What?
Jesus spoke to the sea and it calmed.
Jesus spoke to the demons and sent them into the pigs.
Jesus spoke to the girl and she was raised…after healing a woman.
Someday Jesus will say, “Wake up” to the dead.
Does Jesus still heal today? Yes! How do I know? I have heard countless stories throughout my life…and I’d like you to hear one now!
My Story: Kendra Sankovich
The fifth chapter of Mark is quite remarkable.
Jesus casts out demons.
Jesus heals the woman.
Jesus raises the dead girl.
And he’s not done yet!
Perhaps you would like healing…for yourself or even for someone else. If Jesus were here, you’d reach out and try to touch his clothes in hopes of being healed. His power and presence are here through the Holy Spirit. Do you believe he can heal? Do you have faith? The woman had faith. Jairus had faith. Jesus still heals.
Credits: some ideas from Stephen Leston, Mark Strauss, Ian Fair, NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 5:21-43
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Jesus healed—and still heals—those who believe.
Introduction
Faith. Do you have it? Sure you do. We all have faith…in something…or someone! The book of Hebrews states
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)
As we continue to look at the life of Jesus through Mark’s biography, we come to two stories of faith…and physical healing.
They are very similar. They both involve females. Both of their stories began twelve years prior.
They are very different. One female is young, the other old. One is the daughter of an important synagogue officer, the other an anonymous woman. The officer was about to lose a daughter who brought him twelve years of happiness while the woman lost an affliction that brought her twelve years of grief.
These are documented, historical incidents but God never changes…and He continues to heal today.
Jesus is the Son of God, the way, the truth, and the life.
Two weeks ago, we saw his power over the natural world, calming a huge storm.
Last week we saw his power over the supernatural, exorcising demons.
Today we will see his power over sickness and death.
PRAY
When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” So Jesus went with him. (Mark 5:21-24a)
We’re back in Jewish territory, probably Capernaum. The crowds are back. They religious leaders are back. Instead of being a critic, Jairus is a believer. He’s obviously desperate, willing to lose his religious friends who despise Jesus in his quest to save his twelve-year-old daughter’s life. He has faith that if Jesus only touches his dying girl, she will be healed and live.
Note all healing in this life is temporary. Lazarus was raised from the dead but eventually died again. If Jairus’ daughter is healed from her deadly condition, she will eventually die. We are constantly praying for the sick in our church family and beyond, but even the most miraculous healing of diseases or cancers merely prolongs life in these mortal bodies. Of course, each day we are both closer to the death of these temples and to the new bodies that will resemble Jesus’ resurrected form.
So crowds surround Jesus, a religious leader begs Jesus to come to his home and touch his daughter, and Jesus goes.
A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. (Mark 5:24b-26)
This woman had been suffering with a bleeding condition for twelve years. That means for twelve years she was probably considered unclean. She couldn’t touch people. She couldn’t be around people, yet here she is in a crowd, desperate. She wasn’t passive about healing. She had spent all of her money and likely most of her time seeing doctors…and only got worse. How frustrating. Some of you can relate. Health care is not a new problem!
When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. (Mark 5:27-29)
What faith! She merely wanted to touch Jesus’ clothes. She didn’t need him to touch her. She didn’t need Jesus to pray for her. She didn’t even feel the need to touch Jesus—just his clothes. She was instantly healed. Praise God! But then look what happens next.
At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” (Mark 5:30)
Jesus knew power had gone out, but even he notices it was not his flesh but rather his clothes that were touched. Then the disciples say what I would’ve said…and if you’re honest, you probably would’ve thought it, too.
Jesus once said,
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. (John 5:19)
Paul tells us in Philippians (2:5-11) that Jesus “made himself nothing” when he came to earth, “taking the very nature of a servant.” The power he had was the Holy Spirit, the same power available to all followers of Jesus.
“You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” (Mark 5:31)
Jesus ignores his disciples!
But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” (Mark 5:32-34)
She’s caught touching Jesus’ clothes! How embarrassing! She’s trembling with fear and confesses, but instead of a rebuke, she receives a blessing…and healing. What a wonderful gift. What a great story she has for her friends of the healing power of Jesus. He heals her body and soul, granting her peace—shalom, completeness—and calling her “daughter” while commending her faith.
But what about that girl?
While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” (Mark 5:35)
She’s dead? Jesus, if you weren’t listening to that lady’s story maybe you would’ve been able to save my daughter. You’re too late now. So much for your perfect timing.
Jesus missed the death of Lazarus.
Jesus missed the death of Jairus’ daughter.
Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” (Mark 5:36)
Easy for you to say, Jesus. You don’t even know this girl. And what do you mean, “Just believe?” What good is faith? We were hoping you could just touch her but now she’s dead!
Before moving on, I want to focus on those words: don’t be afraid; just believe. That’s faith. Max Lucado wrote,
“Faith is trusting what the eye can’t see. Eyes see the prowling lion. Faith sees Daniel’s angel. Eyes see storms. Faith sees Noah’s rainbow. Eyes see giants. Faith sees Canaan. Your eyes see your faults. Your faith sees your Savior.”
Don’t be afraid; just believe.
He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. (Mark 5:37-40a)
Here we see Jesus’ three best friends—Peter, James and John—receive a special invitation. The crowds aren’t allowed to follow. Perhaps even the other nine disciples were snubbed. They arrive on the scene of this twelve year-old girl’s tragic death. It’s a hot mess of commotion and wailing. It’s interesting to note in the culture professional mourners were often hired to wail at funerals. The Jewish Mishna, completed around 220 AD, quotes Rabbi Judah as saying even the poorest in Israel should hire two or more flutes and one weeping woman for a burial.
Then Jesus makes the laughable suggestion that she’s merely asleep…and they laugh…at Jesus. They go from wailing to laughing. Why not? They’re probably there just to “perform” with no real attachment to the girl.
Then Jesus gets to work!
After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). (Mark 5:40b-41)
Jesus kicks everyone out—except for his three friends and the parents. Six adults encounter the girl, Jesus touches her and commands her to get up. It’s a private moment for those with considerable faith, not a public spectacle to rile up the fans and critics.
Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat. (Mark 5:42-43)
They were completely astonished! Amazing!
We have noted before the seemingly random details Mark includes, such as Jesus telling them to grab a granola bar for the girl (or whatever they ate then!). It’s an incredible scene, yet Jesus wants them to keep quiet about it (like that’s going to happen!).
When I was in college, I spent a summer in Bolivia with Campus Crusade for Christ—now known as Cru—showing the Jesus film. It is based upon the Good News Translation of the book of Luke, but it is very similar to Mark’s account. My favorite moment in the film—besides the resurrection—is the healing of Jarius’ daughter. I’d like to take a moment and share it with you.
https://www.jesusfilm.org/watch.html
In the original language Jesus said, “Lamb, get up!” What a tender wake-up call.
So What?
Jesus spoke to the sea and it calmed.
Jesus spoke to the demons and sent them into the pigs.
Jesus spoke to the girl and she was raised…after healing a woman.
Someday Jesus will say, “Wake up” to the dead.
Does Jesus still heal today? Yes! How do I know? I have heard countless stories throughout my life…and I’d like you to hear one now!
My Story: Kendra Sankovich
The fifth chapter of Mark is quite remarkable.
Jesus casts out demons.
Jesus heals the woman.
Jesus raises the dead girl.
And he’s not done yet!
Perhaps you would like healing…for yourself or even for someone else. If Jesus were here, you’d reach out and try to touch his clothes in hopes of being healed. His power and presence are here through the Holy Spirit. Do you believe he can heal? Do you have faith? The woman had faith. Jairus had faith. Jesus still heals.
Credits: some ideas from Stephen Leston, Mark Strauss, Ian Fair, NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
Exorcism: Demons & Pigs, 27 August 2017
29 08 17
Exorcism: Demons & Pigs
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 5:1-20
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Jesus has power over the supernatural…and we do, too.
Introduction
The pig is also unclean; although it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses. (Deuteronomy 14:8)
Thus begins the context for today’s passage of scripture.
Pigs. Aren’t they cute? Not to Jews. Few things are more disgusting, more offensive. God gave the people of Israel dietary laws thousands of years ago, laws still followed today by millions of kosher people. Pigs are so detestable to the Jews that Proverbs says,
Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion. (Proverbs 11:22)
Does anyone else find it odd we celebrate the resurrection of the King of the Jews with ham?!
We’re continuing our series on The Real Jesus from the gospel or “good news” of Mark. We’ve seen Jesus’ ministry attract crowds and critics through teachings and miracles. Last week we saw him demonstrate his power over the natural world, calming a furious storm. Today’s text shows his power over the supernatural world, an unforgettable exorcism of demons.
Jesus has been sleeping in a boat with his disciples. He is awoken by his petrified friends, commands the winds and waves to be still, and seems upset at the fear and lack of faith his disciples possess.
They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. (Mark 5:1-5)
This scene could’ve inspired the creation of a horror film! Imagine a wild man living in a cemetery so filled with demons that he is given supernatural physical strength. He is a gruesome sight—what with cuts all of over his body—and the sounds are just as bad as he cries night and day. To say he was alone would be an understatement. Nobody dared approach this person who behaved more like an animal.
Before we go any farther let me state the importance of getting to know someone’s story before judging them. Our world is filled with people who look, smell, act, and sound different than us. There are people who offend us. There are people who scare us. There are people who hurt us. Why? Do you know their story?
I’m not suggesting we are to be best friends with everyone or that we are to naively welcome any stranger into our car or home. But hurt people hurt people. There are often tragic stories behind those people we find threatening. Maybe they were abused as a child, victims of injustice, born with disabilities, dealing with serious illnesses, or just prisoners of their own past mistakes.
This man was quite a sight, I’m sure, but he had a story. We don’t know it, but we do know he was a human being created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth. And he was loved by God despite being filled with demons. How did that happen? Again, we don’t know. How are people possessed by demons? Can Christians be possessed by demons?
These are great questions. I have neither the time nor the expertise to fully address these, but let me offer a few thoughts. These are my thoughts, not necessarily absolute truth. If you disagree, I’d love to hear from you. I have a lot to learn when it comes to the supernatural world. But here’s my best attempt to explain some common questions.
1. The supernatural world is real. There are angels. There are demons, who are often considered fallen angels, cast from heaven along with satan.
The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. (Revelation 12:9)
2. Demons are personal beings. They know Jesus is the Son of God (Mk 1:24, 34; 5:6). They can lead people astray (1 Timothy 4:1-6; John 4:1-4). They have emotion and fear Jesus (James 2:19).
3. Demons have power. They are dangerous. We need not fear them but we should never treat them casually. Their power is limited but real.
4. Demons need an entry point. They don’t just take over someone randomly. Scripture prohibits things like trying to talk to the dead and sexual immorality. I believe witchcraft, illicit drugs, the occult and other sinful activities can be pathways to demonic possession. Evil spirits can use the human body to distort and kill people’s relationship with God…and others.
5. Followers of Jesus are given the Holy Spirit and, therefore, cannot be possessed by a demon. They can, however, be oppressed by demons and struggle with temptation and sin.
6. Demons can and should be exorcised, resulting in freedom.
7. In the west, we acknowledge less positive and negative spiritual activity than in other parts of the world. Africa is especially spiritual. There are countless accounts of demonic and miraculous activity. We tend to be in denial about angels and demons and discount supernatural moments.
8. Mental illness and demonic activity are often confused with one another. Both physical and mental sicknesses can be the result of demons, but not necessarily. At First Alliance we offer prayer for all types of illnesses, believing they might be the result of spiritual activity and—regardless of the source—God’s power is greater; it is unlimited. And God still answers prayers and does miracles (more on that next week!).
9. Again, I’m not an expert in the supernatural and neither deny the reality of spiritual activity nor look for a demon in every Coke can. I participated—more or less as an observer—in an exorcism in college which was real and powerful.
10. We need to be aware of the supernatural without being scared of it. Though there are battles, Jesus is the ultimate victor. Love triumphs.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
We need not fear satan or demons. God in us—the Holy Spirit—is greater!
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
This is how we are to relate to God…and satan!
When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!” (Mark 5:6-8)
Is it the man or the demon shouting? Yes?
Few today would admit they are demon possessed, but so many in our culture live lives screaming at God and God’s Word and values. We can choose to follow God or follow the world, friends. It’s all about God or it’s all about you. Every day—every hour—we choose to follow God or choose to follow the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. (Mark 5:9-10)
I have been told demons have names and if you can identify their name you can validate their presence. A legion was the largest group in the Roman army, 3000-6000 soldiers. Notice that final sentence contains both the singular and plural: “he begged…send them out.” It seems the demons are speaking through the man.
The demons knew they had no chance against the power of Jesus so they begged him to not send them far away (Luke 8:31 calls it “the Abyss”). He could’ve cast them into hell, but the time for judgment had not yet come.
God’s timing is perfect. I wish he’d just throw satan and his friends into the eternal fire today, but for whatever reason it’s not yet time. Jesus once said
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41)
A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. (Mark 5:11-13)
This was not Jewish land. Pigs were unclean. Jews were not allowed to eat—or even touch—pigs. Graveyards were unclean, too. Of course, the demoniac was very unclean! Rome was unclean, too, a nation of pigs. And if you recall from last week, the sea was the place of monsters and Rome was the Monster of all monsters.
Jesus came announcing God’s kingdom, his rule over the world, bringing healing and justice and freedom to the world—Jews…and Gentiles.
The demons begged Jesus to send them to the pigs rather than the abyss. The demons couldn’t destroy the man so they destroyed the pigs.
About 2000 pigs! That’s quite a herd! No wonder their owners were upset! Their livelihood was gone.
Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. (Mark 5:14-17)
You would think people would be glad to see Jesus. He did some radical life revitalization in just a few moments. But the pig owners have lost a truckload of pork, ham, bacon and sausage…and everyone else is probably freaked out! What just happened? The wild man? The pigs? The pigs drowning? They were afraid of Jesus’ supernatural power. What would he do next?
As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. (Mark 5:18-20)
Jesus often told people to keep quiet about him, but this time he says, “Share the good news of your healing with everyone.” And he did! Just speaking would be a wonderful testimony to people of God’s power. This was also a Gentile region, a pagan area where Jesus was not so well-known and where the Jewish religious leaders would not be trying to kill him. Rather than staying with Jesus, the freed man is commissioned to tell others about Christ and his power.
So What?
We are, too! Has Jesus forgiven you? Has he healed you? Has he transformed your life? Has he turned your despair into hope, your mourning into dancing, your bondage into freedom, your anxiety into peace? If so, tell the world! Good news needs to be shared, especially when most of it seems to be bad or fake…or both!
Our world is hurting. They need to know hope is available, healing is available through Jesus. If we don’t share Jesus—in word and deed—with others, how will they know?
And if you’ve ever felt unqualified or unprepared, look at this once-demonized man. He didn’t go to seminary. He wasn’t a priest or pastor. He never even went to Sunday School! He simply encountered Jesus and shared his story with others. Do you have a story? Don’t keep it to yourself! Nobody can argue with your story. You don’t have to prove scientifically the existence of God through archaeology or scholarship—though many have. You simply need to let others know what Jesus has done—and is doing—in your life.
As we think about Jesus and all he has done for us, I’m reminded of these words from N.T. Wright:
At the climax of Mark’s story Jesus himself will end up naked, isolated, outside the town among the tombs, shouting incomprehensible things as he is torn apart on the cross by the standard Roman torture, his flesh torn to ribbons by the small stones in the Roman lash. And that, Mark is saying, will be how the demons are dealt with. That is how healing takes place. Jesus is coming to share the plight of the people, to let the enemy do its worst to him, to take the full force of evil on himself and let the others go free.
We live in the space between…Jesus’ first and second comings. We have the Holy Spirit. God is alive and on the move, but the battle rages on. We see it every day on the news, in hospitals, in rehab centers, in bankruptcy and divorce courts, at funeral homes.
Demons are real. They seek to indwell mankind. Evil is real. Satan is real. But Jesus is greater!
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
We have been given power and authority by Jesus who said:
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
After 72 of Jesus’ followers returned from ministry…
He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:18-20)
Jesus is alive and he has entrusted his Church to us, his world to us. Let’s go and let the whole world know Jesus loves them and is still bringing deliverance and healing to the hurting and broken willing to surrender to his lordship.
One more thing: demonic activity is all over the New Testament and I don’t believe it has ceased. If you or someone you know would like deliverance, we’d love to pray for you. That doesn’t mean you are possessed or oppressed or that you’ve done anything wrong, but if you feel defeated by sin, perhaps you need deliverance. The name of Jesus is still driving out demons and making them tremble today. Hallelujah!
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 5:1-20
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Jesus has power over the supernatural…and we do, too.
Introduction
The pig is also unclean; although it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses. (Deuteronomy 14:8)
Thus begins the context for today’s passage of scripture.
Pigs. Aren’t they cute? Not to Jews. Few things are more disgusting, more offensive. God gave the people of Israel dietary laws thousands of years ago, laws still followed today by millions of kosher people. Pigs are so detestable to the Jews that Proverbs says,
Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion. (Proverbs 11:22)
Does anyone else find it odd we celebrate the resurrection of the King of the Jews with ham?!
We’re continuing our series on The Real Jesus from the gospel or “good news” of Mark. We’ve seen Jesus’ ministry attract crowds and critics through teachings and miracles. Last week we saw him demonstrate his power over the natural world, calming a furious storm. Today’s text shows his power over the supernatural world, an unforgettable exorcism of demons.
Jesus has been sleeping in a boat with his disciples. He is awoken by his petrified friends, commands the winds and waves to be still, and seems upset at the fear and lack of faith his disciples possess.
They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. (Mark 5:1-5)
This scene could’ve inspired the creation of a horror film! Imagine a wild man living in a cemetery so filled with demons that he is given supernatural physical strength. He is a gruesome sight—what with cuts all of over his body—and the sounds are just as bad as he cries night and day. To say he was alone would be an understatement. Nobody dared approach this person who behaved more like an animal.
Before we go any farther let me state the importance of getting to know someone’s story before judging them. Our world is filled with people who look, smell, act, and sound different than us. There are people who offend us. There are people who scare us. There are people who hurt us. Why? Do you know their story?
I’m not suggesting we are to be best friends with everyone or that we are to naively welcome any stranger into our car or home. But hurt people hurt people. There are often tragic stories behind those people we find threatening. Maybe they were abused as a child, victims of injustice, born with disabilities, dealing with serious illnesses, or just prisoners of their own past mistakes.
This man was quite a sight, I’m sure, but he had a story. We don’t know it, but we do know he was a human being created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth. And he was loved by God despite being filled with demons. How did that happen? Again, we don’t know. How are people possessed by demons? Can Christians be possessed by demons?
These are great questions. I have neither the time nor the expertise to fully address these, but let me offer a few thoughts. These are my thoughts, not necessarily absolute truth. If you disagree, I’d love to hear from you. I have a lot to learn when it comes to the supernatural world. But here’s my best attempt to explain some common questions.
1. The supernatural world is real. There are angels. There are demons, who are often considered fallen angels, cast from heaven along with satan.
The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. (Revelation 12:9)
2. Demons are personal beings. They know Jesus is the Son of God (Mk 1:24, 34; 5:6). They can lead people astray (1 Timothy 4:1-6; John 4:1-4). They have emotion and fear Jesus (James 2:19).
3. Demons have power. They are dangerous. We need not fear them but we should never treat them casually. Their power is limited but real.
4. Demons need an entry point. They don’t just take over someone randomly. Scripture prohibits things like trying to talk to the dead and sexual immorality. I believe witchcraft, illicit drugs, the occult and other sinful activities can be pathways to demonic possession. Evil spirits can use the human body to distort and kill people’s relationship with God…and others.
5. Followers of Jesus are given the Holy Spirit and, therefore, cannot be possessed by a demon. They can, however, be oppressed by demons and struggle with temptation and sin.
6. Demons can and should be exorcised, resulting in freedom.
7. In the west, we acknowledge less positive and negative spiritual activity than in other parts of the world. Africa is especially spiritual. There are countless accounts of demonic and miraculous activity. We tend to be in denial about angels and demons and discount supernatural moments.
8. Mental illness and demonic activity are often confused with one another. Both physical and mental sicknesses can be the result of demons, but not necessarily. At First Alliance we offer prayer for all types of illnesses, believing they might be the result of spiritual activity and—regardless of the source—God’s power is greater; it is unlimited. And God still answers prayers and does miracles (more on that next week!).
9. Again, I’m not an expert in the supernatural and neither deny the reality of spiritual activity nor look for a demon in every Coke can. I participated—more or less as an observer—in an exorcism in college which was real and powerful.
10. We need to be aware of the supernatural without being scared of it. Though there are battles, Jesus is the ultimate victor. Love triumphs.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
We need not fear satan or demons. God in us—the Holy Spirit—is greater!
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
This is how we are to relate to God…and satan!
When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!” (Mark 5:6-8)
Is it the man or the demon shouting? Yes?
Few today would admit they are demon possessed, but so many in our culture live lives screaming at God and God’s Word and values. We can choose to follow God or follow the world, friends. It’s all about God or it’s all about you. Every day—every hour—we choose to follow God or choose to follow the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. (Mark 5:9-10)
I have been told demons have names and if you can identify their name you can validate their presence. A legion was the largest group in the Roman army, 3000-6000 soldiers. Notice that final sentence contains both the singular and plural: “he begged…send them out.” It seems the demons are speaking through the man.
The demons knew they had no chance against the power of Jesus so they begged him to not send them far away (Luke 8:31 calls it “the Abyss”). He could’ve cast them into hell, but the time for judgment had not yet come.
God’s timing is perfect. I wish he’d just throw satan and his friends into the eternal fire today, but for whatever reason it’s not yet time. Jesus once said
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41)
A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. (Mark 5:11-13)
This was not Jewish land. Pigs were unclean. Jews were not allowed to eat—or even touch—pigs. Graveyards were unclean, too. Of course, the demoniac was very unclean! Rome was unclean, too, a nation of pigs. And if you recall from last week, the sea was the place of monsters and Rome was the Monster of all monsters.
Jesus came announcing God’s kingdom, his rule over the world, bringing healing and justice and freedom to the world—Jews…and Gentiles.
The demons begged Jesus to send them to the pigs rather than the abyss. The demons couldn’t destroy the man so they destroyed the pigs.
About 2000 pigs! That’s quite a herd! No wonder their owners were upset! Their livelihood was gone.
Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. (Mark 5:14-17)
You would think people would be glad to see Jesus. He did some radical life revitalization in just a few moments. But the pig owners have lost a truckload of pork, ham, bacon and sausage…and everyone else is probably freaked out! What just happened? The wild man? The pigs? The pigs drowning? They were afraid of Jesus’ supernatural power. What would he do next?
As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. (Mark 5:18-20)
Jesus often told people to keep quiet about him, but this time he says, “Share the good news of your healing with everyone.” And he did! Just speaking would be a wonderful testimony to people of God’s power. This was also a Gentile region, a pagan area where Jesus was not so well-known and where the Jewish religious leaders would not be trying to kill him. Rather than staying with Jesus, the freed man is commissioned to tell others about Christ and his power.
So What?
We are, too! Has Jesus forgiven you? Has he healed you? Has he transformed your life? Has he turned your despair into hope, your mourning into dancing, your bondage into freedom, your anxiety into peace? If so, tell the world! Good news needs to be shared, especially when most of it seems to be bad or fake…or both!
Our world is hurting. They need to know hope is available, healing is available through Jesus. If we don’t share Jesus—in word and deed—with others, how will they know?
And if you’ve ever felt unqualified or unprepared, look at this once-demonized man. He didn’t go to seminary. He wasn’t a priest or pastor. He never even went to Sunday School! He simply encountered Jesus and shared his story with others. Do you have a story? Don’t keep it to yourself! Nobody can argue with your story. You don’t have to prove scientifically the existence of God through archaeology or scholarship—though many have. You simply need to let others know what Jesus has done—and is doing—in your life.
As we think about Jesus and all he has done for us, I’m reminded of these words from N.T. Wright:
At the climax of Mark’s story Jesus himself will end up naked, isolated, outside the town among the tombs, shouting incomprehensible things as he is torn apart on the cross by the standard Roman torture, his flesh torn to ribbons by the small stones in the Roman lash. And that, Mark is saying, will be how the demons are dealt with. That is how healing takes place. Jesus is coming to share the plight of the people, to let the enemy do its worst to him, to take the full force of evil on himself and let the others go free.
We live in the space between…Jesus’ first and second comings. We have the Holy Spirit. God is alive and on the move, but the battle rages on. We see it every day on the news, in hospitals, in rehab centers, in bankruptcy and divorce courts, at funeral homes.
Demons are real. They seek to indwell mankind. Evil is real. Satan is real. But Jesus is greater!
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
We have been given power and authority by Jesus who said:
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
After 72 of Jesus’ followers returned from ministry…
He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:18-20)
Jesus is alive and he has entrusted his Church to us, his world to us. Let’s go and let the whole world know Jesus loves them and is still bringing deliverance and healing to the hurting and broken willing to surrender to his lordship.
One more thing: demonic activity is all over the New Testament and I don’t believe it has ceased. If you or someone you know would like deliverance, we’d love to pray for you. That doesn’t mean you are possessed or oppressed or that you’ve done anything wrong, but if you feel defeated by sin, perhaps you need deliverance. The name of Jesus is still driving out demons and making them tremble today. Hallelujah!
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
Power: Winds & Waves, 20 August 2017
22 08 17
Power: Winds & Waves
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 4:35-41
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Jesus has command over all things—natural and supernatural.
As we continue our series on The Real Jesus from the gospel or “good news” of Mark, we’ve seen Jesus’ popularity—and opposition—growing. The crowds love Jesus because he teaches them, heals them, and loves them. The religious people hate him because he’s more popular than they are…and he seems to have a great comeback for all of their questions and criticisms. In a word, they are envious. Mark records several of Jesus’ parables but one lingering question remains…who is Jesus?
As I often say, this may be the most important question for any human to answer. Who is God and who are you? If you ask people today, “Who is Jesus?” you are likely to get a variety of responses: a good teacher, a prophet, a famous figure in history…
In today’s text it’s obvious those closest to Jesus don’t truly realize Jesus is God, Jesus is the Messiah.
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. (Mark 4:35-36)
Why did Jesus cross the lake? To get to the other side, of course! But seriously, the crowds followed him everywhere and he likely wanted a break, among other things. The departure seems sudden. Perhaps Jesus said, “Let’s get out of here…now!” Jesus is fully human. He is tired. He also has confidence in God that allows him to fall asleep.
A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (Mark 4:37-38)
This body of water is beautiful, surrounded by mountains which make it susceptible to sudden storms. This wasn’t just a common thunderstorm, though, but rather a furious squall.
Have you ever been in boat in a storm? It can be pretty scary.
The most violent storm I’ve ever experienced on water was on a cruise ship. I know, poor me! We were in the Caribbean with my extended family and this huge ship was really rocking. I found it relaxing, but then again I was inside, safe, and immune to any seasickness so I was not terribly worried.
I have, however, been in the middle of some serious turbulence on airplanes. Even though I know the odds of a plane crashing due to weather are almost zero, I still find myself scared sometimes when I feel like I’m on a roller coaster…with no track!
These squalls came suddenly so even veteran fishermen could be surprised by them, and there were at least four seasoned fishermen in the group, which makes this story even more significant. They understood the difference between rough weather and deadly storms.
Jesus is exhausted, sleeping on the cushion that was usually placed under the steersman’s seat. It’s a great image Mark includes in his biography. He must’ve really been tired to sleep through this squall. No cushion could be that comfortable in such conditions!
I find the reaction of the disciples to be startling. They wake up their exhausted leader and ask, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” Did they think he would teach his way out of the situation? They probably wanted him to help bail water out of the boat before it sank. They certainly had no idea he would respond as he did.
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. (Mark 4:39)
He uses the same words he spoke to silence the demons. The original Greek might best be translated, “Put the muzzle on and keep it on!”
In Jewish thought the ocean represented chaos, the unpredictable place where evil originates. In fact, Genesis 1:2 is commonly translated, “Now the earth was formless and empty” but has also been translated, “The earth was chaos.” Only God had authority over chaos. He seized it and created our beautiful world from it. The disciples likely knew only God could control the sea, the chaos, the storm.
He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40)
“How can you be such cowards? Don’t you have any faith?”
And then what? For all we know, Jesus went back to sleep!
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:41)
Who is this? Who is Jesus? The answer is obvious: Jesus is the Son of God. He is the Messiah. No magician could do this. It wasn’t the result of a knowledgeable teacher. It certainly wasn’t a coincidence. There is no other explanation: they are in the presence of God!
You may recall Mark began his book with these words:
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, (Mark 1:1)
Jesus did things only God can do. I doubt they thought it at the time, but as they reflected upon this miracle, perhaps Psalm 107:29-30 came to mind:
He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. (Psalm 107:29-30)
Note: other examples of God’s dominion over the waters can be found in Job 26:12-14, Nahum 1:34, Psalm 65:5-7; 74:12-14; 89:8-9; 93:4; 104:5-9.
They knew Jesus had power, but they never imagined this type of power could exist.
Yet their faith remained weak.
You would think it would be enough to see demons exorcised.
You would think it would be enough to see the sick healed.
You would think it would be enough to see storms stopped.
People often say, “I would believe in Jesus if I could see him,” but they’re wrong. So many people saw Jesus and witnessed miracles and still dismissed him…or worse.
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:41)
Who is this? Who is Jesus? I’ve met him, friends! The great song, “My Redeemer Lives,” has this wonderful line which says, “I spoke with him this morning.” Yes! I did. You can. Our faith is not built upon rules and checklists but rather upon a person, a living person, Jesus Christ, fully human and fully God. Through the Holy Spirit he is alive and well on this planet, living inside every one of his followers.
Some have ignored the literal nature of this story, finding the miracle too…supernatural! There were, however, many eyewitnesses to this and Jesus’ other miraculous activities. Mark records various details such as “there were other boats with him” (verse 36) which would be unnecessary if he was simply telling a myth or allegory.
So What?
The most common command in the Bible is…fear not. Fear not. Don’t worry. God is sovereign—he is in control of the supernatural world. He’s also in control of the natural world.
I know, if he can control things why doesn’t he wipe out every evil leader, every bad guy, every hater? I can’t say I always understand, other than the simple fact he is in control but gives us freedom. We’re not angels on assignment, but rather people given choice. He allows us to cherish our blessings or waste them away, pursue him or pursue money, sex and power, to be filled with hate or love, to support life or death. We can even choose to be afraid and worry, but Jesus says it’s a waste of time and energy because he has given us power, authority, and his presence. He is with us. The only one we should fear—and ultimately revere—is Him.
What storms are in your life today?
A stormy marriage? Physical health issues? Depression? You’re not alone.
Struggles with addictions to alcohol, porn, or drugs? You’re not alone.
Same-sex attraction and gender struggles, greed, envy, pride? You’re not alone.
Financial chaos? Job challenges? Broken relationships? You’re not alone.
Grief and loss? Uncertainty about the future? Learning disabilities? You’re not alone.
I say you’re not alone for two reasons. First, you’re not alone in this room. There are people here in the midst of every storm I mentioned. This is why we have been given the gift of family, the opportunity to do life together, to weep when one weeps and to rejoice when one rejoices. We weren’t made to do this thing called life alone.
Second, if you are a follower of Jesus, he is with you. The Holy Spirit is living inside of you and you need only to empty yourself, surrender, confess your sins, and welcome the Spirit to take control of your life. Let go and let God. It may not be an instant cure-all, but raising the white flag is the first step toward truly experiencing the presence and power of God in your life.
In Jesus’ famous Great Commission at the end of Matthew’s gospel, he sends out his followers to make disciples. But he doesn’t end there. He concludes by saying
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)
He is with us. He can calm the storm. He’s got this…even if his timing may be slower than our timetable.
To quote composer Scott Krippayne, “Sometimes he calms the storm and other times he calms his child.”
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. (Mark 4:39)
Jesus may need to say to your storm, “Quiet! Be still!”
Jesus may need to say to you, “Quiet! Be still!”
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 4:35-41
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Jesus has command over all things—natural and supernatural.
As we continue our series on The Real Jesus from the gospel or “good news” of Mark, we’ve seen Jesus’ popularity—and opposition—growing. The crowds love Jesus because he teaches them, heals them, and loves them. The religious people hate him because he’s more popular than they are…and he seems to have a great comeback for all of their questions and criticisms. In a word, they are envious. Mark records several of Jesus’ parables but one lingering question remains…who is Jesus?
As I often say, this may be the most important question for any human to answer. Who is God and who are you? If you ask people today, “Who is Jesus?” you are likely to get a variety of responses: a good teacher, a prophet, a famous figure in history…
In today’s text it’s obvious those closest to Jesus don’t truly realize Jesus is God, Jesus is the Messiah.
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. (Mark 4:35-36)
Why did Jesus cross the lake? To get to the other side, of course! But seriously, the crowds followed him everywhere and he likely wanted a break, among other things. The departure seems sudden. Perhaps Jesus said, “Let’s get out of here…now!” Jesus is fully human. He is tired. He also has confidence in God that allows him to fall asleep.
A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (Mark 4:37-38)
This body of water is beautiful, surrounded by mountains which make it susceptible to sudden storms. This wasn’t just a common thunderstorm, though, but rather a furious squall.
Have you ever been in boat in a storm? It can be pretty scary.
The most violent storm I’ve ever experienced on water was on a cruise ship. I know, poor me! We were in the Caribbean with my extended family and this huge ship was really rocking. I found it relaxing, but then again I was inside, safe, and immune to any seasickness so I was not terribly worried.
I have, however, been in the middle of some serious turbulence on airplanes. Even though I know the odds of a plane crashing due to weather are almost zero, I still find myself scared sometimes when I feel like I’m on a roller coaster…with no track!
These squalls came suddenly so even veteran fishermen could be surprised by them, and there were at least four seasoned fishermen in the group, which makes this story even more significant. They understood the difference between rough weather and deadly storms.
Jesus is exhausted, sleeping on the cushion that was usually placed under the steersman’s seat. It’s a great image Mark includes in his biography. He must’ve really been tired to sleep through this squall. No cushion could be that comfortable in such conditions!
I find the reaction of the disciples to be startling. They wake up their exhausted leader and ask, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” Did they think he would teach his way out of the situation? They probably wanted him to help bail water out of the boat before it sank. They certainly had no idea he would respond as he did.
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. (Mark 4:39)
He uses the same words he spoke to silence the demons. The original Greek might best be translated, “Put the muzzle on and keep it on!”
In Jewish thought the ocean represented chaos, the unpredictable place where evil originates. In fact, Genesis 1:2 is commonly translated, “Now the earth was formless and empty” but has also been translated, “The earth was chaos.” Only God had authority over chaos. He seized it and created our beautiful world from it. The disciples likely knew only God could control the sea, the chaos, the storm.
He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40)
“How can you be such cowards? Don’t you have any faith?”
And then what? For all we know, Jesus went back to sleep!
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:41)
Who is this? Who is Jesus? The answer is obvious: Jesus is the Son of God. He is the Messiah. No magician could do this. It wasn’t the result of a knowledgeable teacher. It certainly wasn’t a coincidence. There is no other explanation: they are in the presence of God!
You may recall Mark began his book with these words:
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, (Mark 1:1)
Jesus did things only God can do. I doubt they thought it at the time, but as they reflected upon this miracle, perhaps Psalm 107:29-30 came to mind:
He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. (Psalm 107:29-30)
Note: other examples of God’s dominion over the waters can be found in Job 26:12-14, Nahum 1:34, Psalm 65:5-7; 74:12-14; 89:8-9; 93:4; 104:5-9.
They knew Jesus had power, but they never imagined this type of power could exist.
Yet their faith remained weak.
You would think it would be enough to see demons exorcised.
You would think it would be enough to see the sick healed.
You would think it would be enough to see storms stopped.
People often say, “I would believe in Jesus if I could see him,” but they’re wrong. So many people saw Jesus and witnessed miracles and still dismissed him…or worse.
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:41)
Who is this? Who is Jesus? I’ve met him, friends! The great song, “My Redeemer Lives,” has this wonderful line which says, “I spoke with him this morning.” Yes! I did. You can. Our faith is not built upon rules and checklists but rather upon a person, a living person, Jesus Christ, fully human and fully God. Through the Holy Spirit he is alive and well on this planet, living inside every one of his followers.
Some have ignored the literal nature of this story, finding the miracle too…supernatural! There were, however, many eyewitnesses to this and Jesus’ other miraculous activities. Mark records various details such as “there were other boats with him” (verse 36) which would be unnecessary if he was simply telling a myth or allegory.
So What?
The most common command in the Bible is…fear not. Fear not. Don’t worry. God is sovereign—he is in control of the supernatural world. He’s also in control of the natural world.
I know, if he can control things why doesn’t he wipe out every evil leader, every bad guy, every hater? I can’t say I always understand, other than the simple fact he is in control but gives us freedom. We’re not angels on assignment, but rather people given choice. He allows us to cherish our blessings or waste them away, pursue him or pursue money, sex and power, to be filled with hate or love, to support life or death. We can even choose to be afraid and worry, but Jesus says it’s a waste of time and energy because he has given us power, authority, and his presence. He is with us. The only one we should fear—and ultimately revere—is Him.
What storms are in your life today?
A stormy marriage? Physical health issues? Depression? You’re not alone.
Struggles with addictions to alcohol, porn, or drugs? You’re not alone.
Same-sex attraction and gender struggles, greed, envy, pride? You’re not alone.
Financial chaos? Job challenges? Broken relationships? You’re not alone.
Grief and loss? Uncertainty about the future? Learning disabilities? You’re not alone.
I say you’re not alone for two reasons. First, you’re not alone in this room. There are people here in the midst of every storm I mentioned. This is why we have been given the gift of family, the opportunity to do life together, to weep when one weeps and to rejoice when one rejoices. We weren’t made to do this thing called life alone.
Second, if you are a follower of Jesus, he is with you. The Holy Spirit is living inside of you and you need only to empty yourself, surrender, confess your sins, and welcome the Spirit to take control of your life. Let go and let God. It may not be an instant cure-all, but raising the white flag is the first step toward truly experiencing the presence and power of God in your life.
In Jesus’ famous Great Commission at the end of Matthew’s gospel, he sends out his followers to make disciples. But he doesn’t end there. He concludes by saying
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)
He is with us. He can calm the storm. He’s got this…even if his timing may be slower than our timetable.
To quote composer Scott Krippayne, “Sometimes he calms the storm and other times he calms his child.”
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. (Mark 4:39)
Jesus may need to say to your storm, “Quiet! Be still!”
Jesus may need to say to you, “Quiet! Be still!”
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
Investment: Lamps & Seeds, 13 August 2017
14 08 17
Investment: Lamps & Seeds
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 4:21-34
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Jesus blesses those who listen to his stories…and pursue him.
Introduction
Stories. We all love stories. We read them, we watch them on television and at the movies, we listen to them on podcasts, we tell them every day. Some are true, some are imaginary, and some are outright lies. Stories can inform, educate, warn, or entertain. They can be as simple as recounting what you ate for breakfast for as complicated as the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
As we continue our series on Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus, we have seen Jesus’ early ministry, his rise in popularity among the common people, and the growing envy and hostility toward him among the religious leaders.
This week we will continue to see Mark turn his attention from Jesus’ actions to his teachings, specifically special stories called parables. The original Greek word, parabole, means “putting things side by side.” Jesus is constantly teaching about one thing these people knew nothing about…another world…far, far away…called the kingdom of God. The central message of Jesus’ teachings was the kingdom of God, and he used parables to help his audience understand this new reality, this exciting world about to be born. We’ll look at two stories today, the parables of lamps and seeds.
Before we look at today’s text, it is important to understand the purpose of parables. First, there is always a context. I believe much of the problems people have with the Bible stem from ignoring context.
Jesus is a Jew. His people were oppressed under Roman rule. Israel as a nation had experienced tremendous victories and agonizing defeats. Jesus the storyteller has an important message, but it’s a dangerous message. It is not politically correct. He could—and would—get in so much trouble a contract would be out on his life! Rather than just speak plainly about things, he chooses parables as a literary device to code his teachings.
Imagine, for example, a political cartoon featuring a donkey and an elephant. If you lived in Africa, you might just think of survival of the fittest, the zoo, or even mascots of sports teams without deciphering the message of conflict between Democrats and Republicans.
Likewise, it’s easy for us to miss those messages, the context and symbols Jesus used two thousand years ago. Fortunately, Jesus often explains his stories to those who seek. But not all of the parables are clear to us. Sixteen commentators on a passage may yield sixteen different interpretations—which is not to say the Bible itself is unclear. Much of it needs no explanation—don’t murder, love your neighbor—but Jesus’ parables are deliberately for those who have “ears to hear.” I pray we do!
He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” (Mark 4:21-23)
In the previous verses, Jesus described the kingdom of God. He is continuing here, saying again, “If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” We might say, “Listen up! Pay attention!”
The original Greek text asks, “Does the lamp come for the purpose of being placed under the measure? Does it not come for the purpose of being placed on the lampstand?” It’s as if the lamp is a person…which most believe it is! King David was the lamp of Israel (2 Samuel 21:17; 1 Kings 15:4). Jesus may have been speaking of himself, in which case he’s talking about how his presence is a secret. Since the word “bed” may be a couch, one writer suggest maybe Jesus is saying, “The Messiah has come but he’s been shoved under the couch…until after his death and resurrection when he will be ‘brought out into the open.’”
“Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” (Mark 4:24-25)
Here again he begins by saying, “Pay attention.”
Back in the day, you couldn’t go to the grocery store and buy a pound of flour off the shelf. You would go to the market and ask the merchant for two measures of flour…or four or however many you wanted. He seems to be telling them to pursue God, and that if they seek, they will find. Again, his audience is mixed. There are critics, curious onlookers, and genuine God-seekers. He’s separating the fair-weather fans from the truly serious.
Our faith is not based upon a to-do list, but rather a person, the person of Jesus Christ, God who came to earth in the flesh. We can’t study people like we study rocks or flowers. People are complex. They can be mysterious. I’ve known my wife for almost 32 years and I’m still pursuing her, getting to know her, dating her, and making discoveries about her. God is even more fascinating. The title of A.W. Tozer’s classic book The Pursuit of God says it all.
What about you? Are you chasing after God? Do you, like the psalmist, long after God like a deer panting for streams of water? Do you truly want Jesus to be LORD of your life…or is he just an interesting person to study for an hour on Sunday?
He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:26-29)
Again Jesus announces the subject of his metaphors: the kingdom of God. Of the four gospels, only Mark records this parable. What is most provocative is the phrase “all by itself.” The Greek word is “automatos,” the source of our word automatic. We know from last week the seed is the word of God. The sickle most likely refers to judgment day.
If you recall from last week, the Jews are waiting for the Messiah to come and overthrow the Rome, but Jesus is in no hurry. He’s saying the kingdom will emerge slowly. We must be patient. Yes, we long for the return of Jesus and even say, “Maranatha! Come quickly LORD Jesus!” but rushing the kingdom of God is like digging up crops hoping to harvest before they are grown. We are to sow the seed, the word, and trust God’s timing for the harvest.
Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” (Mark 4:30-32)
The kingdom of God begins small…like a tiny seed. A mustard seed looks like a grain of sand. It’s so small! But it will grow! Many mustard bushes are twelve feet tall!
Similarly, from Jesus to a ragamuffin dozen to billions around the world, the kingdom of God has been growing and advancing. Even in 2017 when we hear bad news about the decline of Christianity in the west, it is exploding in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Hallelujah! It’s also advancing here in the Midwest.
With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything. (Mark 4:33-34)
Years ago, I wrote for a Christian music magazine doing album reviews and feature articles. One of the perks was getting backstage passes, meeting musicians, and seeing how they really behaved out of the limelight. The disciples must’ve felt special to get time alone with Jesus—and they were! Not only did they get to be with him, they were able to hear the explanations for the parables.
The aforementioned A.W. Tozer said:
To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul's paradox of love, scorned indeed by the too-easily-satisfied religionist, but justified in happy experience by the children of the burning heart…Come near to the holy men and women of the past and you will soon feel the heat of their desire after God. They mourned for Him, they prayed and wrestled and sought for Him day and night, in season and out, and when they had found Him the finding was all the sweeter for the long seeking.
Jesus spoke in parables not to keep people from understanding the kingdom of God, but rather to see who really wanted truth, who really wanted to know God.
Do you? Are you a God-seeker? If you pursue God, you will find him.
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 4:21-34
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Jesus blesses those who listen to his stories…and pursue him.
Introduction
Stories. We all love stories. We read them, we watch them on television and at the movies, we listen to them on podcasts, we tell them every day. Some are true, some are imaginary, and some are outright lies. Stories can inform, educate, warn, or entertain. They can be as simple as recounting what you ate for breakfast for as complicated as the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
As we continue our series on Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus, we have seen Jesus’ early ministry, his rise in popularity among the common people, and the growing envy and hostility toward him among the religious leaders.
This week we will continue to see Mark turn his attention from Jesus’ actions to his teachings, specifically special stories called parables. The original Greek word, parabole, means “putting things side by side.” Jesus is constantly teaching about one thing these people knew nothing about…another world…far, far away…called the kingdom of God. The central message of Jesus’ teachings was the kingdom of God, and he used parables to help his audience understand this new reality, this exciting world about to be born. We’ll look at two stories today, the parables of lamps and seeds.
Before we look at today’s text, it is important to understand the purpose of parables. First, there is always a context. I believe much of the problems people have with the Bible stem from ignoring context.
Jesus is a Jew. His people were oppressed under Roman rule. Israel as a nation had experienced tremendous victories and agonizing defeats. Jesus the storyteller has an important message, but it’s a dangerous message. It is not politically correct. He could—and would—get in so much trouble a contract would be out on his life! Rather than just speak plainly about things, he chooses parables as a literary device to code his teachings.
Imagine, for example, a political cartoon featuring a donkey and an elephant. If you lived in Africa, you might just think of survival of the fittest, the zoo, or even mascots of sports teams without deciphering the message of conflict between Democrats and Republicans.
Likewise, it’s easy for us to miss those messages, the context and symbols Jesus used two thousand years ago. Fortunately, Jesus often explains his stories to those who seek. But not all of the parables are clear to us. Sixteen commentators on a passage may yield sixteen different interpretations—which is not to say the Bible itself is unclear. Much of it needs no explanation—don’t murder, love your neighbor—but Jesus’ parables are deliberately for those who have “ears to hear.” I pray we do!
He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” (Mark 4:21-23)
In the previous verses, Jesus described the kingdom of God. He is continuing here, saying again, “If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” We might say, “Listen up! Pay attention!”
The original Greek text asks, “Does the lamp come for the purpose of being placed under the measure? Does it not come for the purpose of being placed on the lampstand?” It’s as if the lamp is a person…which most believe it is! King David was the lamp of Israel (2 Samuel 21:17; 1 Kings 15:4). Jesus may have been speaking of himself, in which case he’s talking about how his presence is a secret. Since the word “bed” may be a couch, one writer suggest maybe Jesus is saying, “The Messiah has come but he’s been shoved under the couch…until after his death and resurrection when he will be ‘brought out into the open.’”
“Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” (Mark 4:24-25)
Here again he begins by saying, “Pay attention.”
Back in the day, you couldn’t go to the grocery store and buy a pound of flour off the shelf. You would go to the market and ask the merchant for two measures of flour…or four or however many you wanted. He seems to be telling them to pursue God, and that if they seek, they will find. Again, his audience is mixed. There are critics, curious onlookers, and genuine God-seekers. He’s separating the fair-weather fans from the truly serious.
Our faith is not based upon a to-do list, but rather a person, the person of Jesus Christ, God who came to earth in the flesh. We can’t study people like we study rocks or flowers. People are complex. They can be mysterious. I’ve known my wife for almost 32 years and I’m still pursuing her, getting to know her, dating her, and making discoveries about her. God is even more fascinating. The title of A.W. Tozer’s classic book The Pursuit of God says it all.
What about you? Are you chasing after God? Do you, like the psalmist, long after God like a deer panting for streams of water? Do you truly want Jesus to be LORD of your life…or is he just an interesting person to study for an hour on Sunday?
He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:26-29)
Again Jesus announces the subject of his metaphors: the kingdom of God. Of the four gospels, only Mark records this parable. What is most provocative is the phrase “all by itself.” The Greek word is “automatos,” the source of our word automatic. We know from last week the seed is the word of God. The sickle most likely refers to judgment day.
If you recall from last week, the Jews are waiting for the Messiah to come and overthrow the Rome, but Jesus is in no hurry. He’s saying the kingdom will emerge slowly. We must be patient. Yes, we long for the return of Jesus and even say, “Maranatha! Come quickly LORD Jesus!” but rushing the kingdom of God is like digging up crops hoping to harvest before they are grown. We are to sow the seed, the word, and trust God’s timing for the harvest.
Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” (Mark 4:30-32)
The kingdom of God begins small…like a tiny seed. A mustard seed looks like a grain of sand. It’s so small! But it will grow! Many mustard bushes are twelve feet tall!
Similarly, from Jesus to a ragamuffin dozen to billions around the world, the kingdom of God has been growing and advancing. Even in 2017 when we hear bad news about the decline of Christianity in the west, it is exploding in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Hallelujah! It’s also advancing here in the Midwest.
With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything. (Mark 4:33-34)
Years ago, I wrote for a Christian music magazine doing album reviews and feature articles. One of the perks was getting backstage passes, meeting musicians, and seeing how they really behaved out of the limelight. The disciples must’ve felt special to get time alone with Jesus—and they were! Not only did they get to be with him, they were able to hear the explanations for the parables.
The aforementioned A.W. Tozer said:
To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul's paradox of love, scorned indeed by the too-easily-satisfied religionist, but justified in happy experience by the children of the burning heart…Come near to the holy men and women of the past and you will soon feel the heat of their desire after God. They mourned for Him, they prayed and wrestled and sought for Him day and night, in season and out, and when they had found Him the finding was all the sweeter for the long seeking.
Jesus spoke in parables not to keep people from understanding the kingdom of God, but rather to see who really wanted truth, who really wanted to know God.
Do you? Are you a God-seeker? If you pursue God, you will find him.
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
Sower: Soils & Spoils, 6 August 2017
07 08 17
Sower: Soils & Spoils
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 4:1-20
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Not everyone is ready to enter the kingdom of God…are you?
Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. (Mark 4:1)
Jesus is so popular he can’t even just stand up and speak. The crowds will mob him so he does his teaching from a boat.
He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. (Mark 4:2-3)
One hundred years ago the most common occupation in the United States was farmer. Today, of course, it is rare to meet a full-time farmer, but everyone in Jesus’ audience knew about farming. If they wanted to eat, they needed to farm—or live near someone who did! Jesus begins by commanding them to listen. Not everyone would. Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. Unlike today’s sophisticated farms, the ordinary Jewish farmer had a small plot of land, used every inch, scattered seed everywhere and then plowed it under along with the thorns, weeds, and anything else on the ground.
As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. (Mark 4:4)
Those stinkin’ birds! Okay, some birds are wonderful, but others are annoying. If you scatter seed without caring for it, they will disappear!
Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. (Mark 4:5-6)
This is common, too. Plants start to grow but die without strong roots.
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. (Mark 4:7)
Here we see another crop killer…thorns.
Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” (Mark 4:8)
Obviously this is what is supposed to happen, though Jesus surprised the crowd with these numbers since an average harvest was only seven or eight times the amount of seed sown and a good harvest would be about ten times.
Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” (Mark 4:9)
He says again, listen! He knows not everyone will hear. Parables reveal the truth to some while concealing it from the rebellious.
Jesus is not giving instructions on agriculture. There’s a much deeper message, but it wasn’t obvious. In fact…
When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that,
“ ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’” (Mark 4:10-12)
They missed it! Jesus quotes Isaiah 6:9-10.
In revelation, God’s people are trained about the requirements of the kingdom.
In concealment, those who oppose God never understand the kingdom.
Much of Jesus’ teachings was about the kingdom of God, a radical contrast to the kingdoms of this world. Jesus was a revolutionary declaring an alternative reality, a different society, casting visions for a counter-cultural life.
His enemies rejected his teaching.
The crowds were interested in his miracles but not his teaching.
Parables allowed those who hungered and thirsted after righteousness would be filled. It separated the curious from the true seekers. Seek and you will find.
By the way, I love how Jesus explained the parable not only to the Twelve but also the others who stuck around to hear the exposition. The only thing that seems to separate those on the inside of Jesus’ explanation and those on the outside is their pursuit of God.
However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him—
these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)
Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to lead us, teach us, and guide us.
Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? (Mark 4:13)
I wish I could hear his tone of voice! He was, of course, intentional about how he coded his message but maybe did too good of a job since his closest friends were clueless!
The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. (Mark 4:14-15)
Israel has been in exile and this is a picture of Go sowing Israel again in her own land, restoring their fortunes, making the family farm fruitful again. They expected the Messiah to come and rescue Israel in an explosive way, not slowly like farming.
This is about the word of God, the inauguration of the kingdom. It is coming, but it won’t be as they expect it. It won’t happen instantly, but it will eventually become a reality…and we are in the midst of that today, heaven kissing earth, God’s kingdom coming and his will being done here as it is in heaven. It is not done with power like a military coup, but rather humbly, unobtrusive, and coexisting with evil, an unpopular message with patriotic Jewish seeking revolt.
Satan loves to steal. He is a deceiver. His goal is to keep us from God.
Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. (Mark 4:16-17)
Easy come, easy go. I love God until life gets hard and then I blame him for my trials and walk away. This is so tragically common today as it was then.
Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. (Mark 4:18-19)
Can you relate? I can’t imagine anyone in our culture tempted by wealth or worries! Ha! The world can be very attractive, yet never truly satisfying. Money will make you happy…for a while. But only following Jesus the Messiah will bring true satisfaction, peace, hope, and joy.
Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.” (Mark 4:20)
That’s where I want to sow…into the good soil.
That’s what I want my life to be…good soil.
So What?
First, we must be intentional when we sow. We need to work smart, not just hard. A few weeks ago I mentioned six words to define our mission:
Love God.
Love Others.
Make Disciples.
Making disciples means following Jesus and helping others follow Jesus, passing the baton of faith, mentoring and investing in the lives of others.
If you recall I mentioned how Jesus spent time praying before choosing his twelve disciples. Similarly, we are not to just randomly scatter seed. We are to love everyone, but we are not supposed to invest equally in the lives of everyone we meet. Some people are FAT: faithful, available, and teachable. They are good soil. They will pass the baton of faith to others (2 Timothy 2:2) and reproduce. Other people have no interest in following Jesus. They’re too busy, too selfish, too prideful, too distracted. Two weeks ago I challenged you to ask, “God, who do You want me to disciple?”
Obviously not everyone you devote time and energy to will yield the same results. Some people, like Judas, will not produce good fruit. Others, however, will yield a great harvest.
Second, we must be patient and persevere when we sow. You can’t scatter seed today and expect a harvest tomorrow. Jesus warns the soil must receive attention. Even today farmers water, weed, fertilize, and pray for adequate sunshine in order for the seeds to form deep roots and abundant fruit.
Many of you served at this summer’s Sports & Arts Camp and I want to say our work is not done. It’s just beginning! We sowed seed, but we need to water it, weed it, fertilize it, and persevere until it produces a harvest.
Finally, we must give attention to our own soil. How is your heart? Are the investments of others into you paying off? Are you a good disciple? Are you pursuing God, studying the Bible, devoted to prayer, sharing your faith, serving the poor, living a generous life, and discipling others? Or are you distracted with screens, busy with hobbies, and growing a personal garden of weeds?
It is my prayer for you, myself, and all of us at First Alliance that we would know, share, and experience the kingdom of God and that God would produce a great harvest in and through us in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
The Lord’s Prayer
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 4:1-20
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Not everyone is ready to enter the kingdom of God…are you?
Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. (Mark 4:1)
Jesus is so popular he can’t even just stand up and speak. The crowds will mob him so he does his teaching from a boat.
He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. (Mark 4:2-3)
One hundred years ago the most common occupation in the United States was farmer. Today, of course, it is rare to meet a full-time farmer, but everyone in Jesus’ audience knew about farming. If they wanted to eat, they needed to farm—or live near someone who did! Jesus begins by commanding them to listen. Not everyone would. Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. Unlike today’s sophisticated farms, the ordinary Jewish farmer had a small plot of land, used every inch, scattered seed everywhere and then plowed it under along with the thorns, weeds, and anything else on the ground.
As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. (Mark 4:4)
Those stinkin’ birds! Okay, some birds are wonderful, but others are annoying. If you scatter seed without caring for it, they will disappear!
Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. (Mark 4:5-6)
This is common, too. Plants start to grow but die without strong roots.
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. (Mark 4:7)
Here we see another crop killer…thorns.
Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” (Mark 4:8)
Obviously this is what is supposed to happen, though Jesus surprised the crowd with these numbers since an average harvest was only seven or eight times the amount of seed sown and a good harvest would be about ten times.
Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” (Mark 4:9)
He says again, listen! He knows not everyone will hear. Parables reveal the truth to some while concealing it from the rebellious.
Jesus is not giving instructions on agriculture. There’s a much deeper message, but it wasn’t obvious. In fact…
When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that,
“ ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’” (Mark 4:10-12)
They missed it! Jesus quotes Isaiah 6:9-10.
In revelation, God’s people are trained about the requirements of the kingdom.
In concealment, those who oppose God never understand the kingdom.
Much of Jesus’ teachings was about the kingdom of God, a radical contrast to the kingdoms of this world. Jesus was a revolutionary declaring an alternative reality, a different society, casting visions for a counter-cultural life.
His enemies rejected his teaching.
The crowds were interested in his miracles but not his teaching.
Parables allowed those who hungered and thirsted after righteousness would be filled. It separated the curious from the true seekers. Seek and you will find.
By the way, I love how Jesus explained the parable not only to the Twelve but also the others who stuck around to hear the exposition. The only thing that seems to separate those on the inside of Jesus’ explanation and those on the outside is their pursuit of God.
However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him—
these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)
Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to lead us, teach us, and guide us.
Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? (Mark 4:13)
I wish I could hear his tone of voice! He was, of course, intentional about how he coded his message but maybe did too good of a job since his closest friends were clueless!
The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. (Mark 4:14-15)
Israel has been in exile and this is a picture of Go sowing Israel again in her own land, restoring their fortunes, making the family farm fruitful again. They expected the Messiah to come and rescue Israel in an explosive way, not slowly like farming.
This is about the word of God, the inauguration of the kingdom. It is coming, but it won’t be as they expect it. It won’t happen instantly, but it will eventually become a reality…and we are in the midst of that today, heaven kissing earth, God’s kingdom coming and his will being done here as it is in heaven. It is not done with power like a military coup, but rather humbly, unobtrusive, and coexisting with evil, an unpopular message with patriotic Jewish seeking revolt.
Satan loves to steal. He is a deceiver. His goal is to keep us from God.
Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. (Mark 4:16-17)
Easy come, easy go. I love God until life gets hard and then I blame him for my trials and walk away. This is so tragically common today as it was then.
Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. (Mark 4:18-19)
Can you relate? I can’t imagine anyone in our culture tempted by wealth or worries! Ha! The world can be very attractive, yet never truly satisfying. Money will make you happy…for a while. But only following Jesus the Messiah will bring true satisfaction, peace, hope, and joy.
Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.” (Mark 4:20)
That’s where I want to sow…into the good soil.
That’s what I want my life to be…good soil.
So What?
First, we must be intentional when we sow. We need to work smart, not just hard. A few weeks ago I mentioned six words to define our mission:
Love God.
Love Others.
Make Disciples.
Making disciples means following Jesus and helping others follow Jesus, passing the baton of faith, mentoring and investing in the lives of others.
If you recall I mentioned how Jesus spent time praying before choosing his twelve disciples. Similarly, we are not to just randomly scatter seed. We are to love everyone, but we are not supposed to invest equally in the lives of everyone we meet. Some people are FAT: faithful, available, and teachable. They are good soil. They will pass the baton of faith to others (2 Timothy 2:2) and reproduce. Other people have no interest in following Jesus. They’re too busy, too selfish, too prideful, too distracted. Two weeks ago I challenged you to ask, “God, who do You want me to disciple?”
Obviously not everyone you devote time and energy to will yield the same results. Some people, like Judas, will not produce good fruit. Others, however, will yield a great harvest.
Second, we must be patient and persevere when we sow. You can’t scatter seed today and expect a harvest tomorrow. Jesus warns the soil must receive attention. Even today farmers water, weed, fertilize, and pray for adequate sunshine in order for the seeds to form deep roots and abundant fruit.
Many of you served at this summer’s Sports & Arts Camp and I want to say our work is not done. It’s just beginning! We sowed seed, but we need to water it, weed it, fertilize it, and persevere until it produces a harvest.
Finally, we must give attention to our own soil. How is your heart? Are the investments of others into you paying off? Are you a good disciple? Are you pursuing God, studying the Bible, devoted to prayer, sharing your faith, serving the poor, living a generous life, and discipling others? Or are you distracted with screens, busy with hobbies, and growing a personal garden of weeds?
It is my prayer for you, myself, and all of us at First Alliance that we would know, share, and experience the kingdom of God and that God would produce a great harvest in and through us in Toledo and beyond for His glory.
The Lord’s Prayer
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
Identity: Family & Foes, 30 July 2017
31 07 17
Identity: Family & Foes
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 3:20-35
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Jesus’ followers are his true family…and you are welcome to join it!
Earlier this year we did a series entitled Ideal Family. Throughout the series I said there are two unfortunate things I’ve discovered about families. First, they are all messed up! That’s ultimately the result of sin, our disobedience toward God. Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the fruit in the Garden of Eden, we have struggled to get along. Pride divides. Greed corrupts. Selfishness hoards. Anger disturbs. Hatred destroys. Misunderstanding confuses.
The second unfortunate thing about families is the mistaken belief everyone else’s family is okay. Listen to me carefully…all families are messed up! This includes biblical families.
As we continue our series on The Real Jesus from the gospel or “good news” of Mark, we are told Jesus’ popularity—and opposition—is growing. The crowds love Jesus because he teaches them, heals them, and loves them. The religious people hate him because he’s more popular than they are…and he seems to have a great comeback for all of their questions and criticisms. In a word, they are envious.
Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” (Mark 3:20-21)
As I said, all of our families are messed up. All of them. If you don’t think yours is messed up, yours is REALLY messed up! Jesus is trying to eat, a huge crowd mobs him, and his family think he’s crazy. They want to get him in line! “Make Jesus stop,” they say! Jesus’ family wants Jesus to stop his ministry because they don’t understand what he’s doing.
On the other hand the religious people know what he’s doing…and they’re hostile.
And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.” (Mark 3:22)
This must be one of the dumbest statements in the Bible! I’m not saying the Bible is stupid, of course, but the religious leaders accuse Jesus of being demonic…and driving out demons. Huh?
So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. (Mark 3:23-26)
This is just common sense…but Jesus obviously needed to say it. A divided kingdom or house cannot stand. You may have noticed our nation is a bit divided these days. It’s scary to think what could happen if we remain this way. It seems like the options are to be overtaken by another country or find ourselves in civil war…because a house divided cannot stand. This is why unity is one of my top four prayers for First Alliance Church. United we stand, divided we fall (a phrase possibly used first by Aesop in his fable of “The Four Oxen and the Lion”). When we rally around a common mission, vision, strategy, and LORD, there is no limit to our potential. If we experience division, the ballgame is over. And we see this all the time…well-intended Christians arguing over things that often lead to awful results, including church splits and even people losing their faith in God altogether.
Satan knows this. He knows if he can divide us, he can conquer. And again I say we need to always be praying for unity. I pray for direction, protection, passion, and unity. I know unity is a God-honoring prayer because it is Jesus’ prayer for us…right now. In John chapter 17, he says
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (John 17:20-21)
Jesus is praying that we would be one…so that the world may believe!
As if Jesus has not already made his point about division and unity clear, he adds these words:
In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. (Mark 3:27)
It’s easy to miss his message. Satan is like a strong man. Jesus is a stronger man! Jewish listeners may have been reminded of this passage in Isaiah:
Can plunder be taken from warriors, or captives be rescued from the fierce?
But this is what the LORD says:
“Yes, captives will be taken from warriors, and plunder retrieved from the fierce; I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save. (Isaiah 49:24-25)
Jesus also may have been thinking about this text:
After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:11-12)
The Messiah is right before their eyes, yet they are unable to see.
Returning to the verse…
In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. (Mark 3:27)
We have a real enemy, brothers and sisters. He is a liar, a thief, an accuser, a big fat jerk! He is powerful and destructive…but our God is greater!!! Be encouraged. There are battles, but we will win. Love prevails. Truth reigns. Peace conquers. Jesus rules!
I want to add one more thing about unity…Dave Ramsey’s five enemies of unity. These five destroyers are true in the marketplace, but they can be found in churches and even homes, too.
1. Poor communication
2. Lack of shared purpose/mission/goals
3. Gossip (Ramsey’s employees are warned once and fired if it occurs again)
4. Unresolved disagreements
5. Sanctioned incompetence (John Maxwell), keeping poor performers on the team
That was just for fun! Back to Jesus…
Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.” (Mark 3:28-29)
Throughout my life I’ve heard people talk about these verses. Did I commit the unforgivable sin? If you have to ask, the answer is a resounding no.
Nobody disputed Jesus’ miracles. They were real. The healings were real. The exorcisms were real. The resurrection was real. Since the religious leaders couldn’t deny Jesus’ power, the only way they could discredit him was to attack the source of his power, claiming it is satanic. They knew better, but they were obviously desperate.
Jesus presents a paradox, a self-contradictory statement. He says all sins and blasphemies can be forgiven and then says the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. Which is it?
Forgiveness of sins comes only from God. If you claim God is evil, who can forgive your sins?
If you choose to deny God, it’s impossible to receive his forgiveness.
Jesus doesn’t even say these religious leaders have committed the unforgiveable sin, but it’s a stern warning.
He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.” (Mark 3:30)
Now we see Jesus’ family again.
Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” (Mark 3:31-32)
When is the last time someone said, “Where have you been? We’ve been looking all over for you!”? Mary and the boys are outside, unable to get to their popular son and brother. Then Jesus asks a simple question.
“Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. (Mark 3:33)
No wonder they thought Jesus lost his mind! He couldn’t even identify his mom and siblings?
Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:34-35)
Wow! That’s radical! Jesus is starting a new family, a holy people. He’s willing to sacrifice his biological family for a new tribe, club, group. This is shocking!
Growing up in a “good, Christian home,” I always felt close to my sister and parents, my grandparents, and even my aunts, uncles, and cousins. If we were visiting family out of town, we would always attend church with them on Sundays, reinforcing our Christian heritage and bond in Jesus. I married into a family that was…different. Church was generally reserved for Christmas and Easter.
So imagine my surprise at my life in 2017. Two weddings last year led to major division among my Christian family members, while many members of Heather’s family are closer to me than my own flesh and blood. I keep reminding myself all families are messed up…including mine!
I’m beginning to better understand Jesus’ words about family. Perhaps what matters most isn’t your blood but your relationships. I’m certainly not saying family doesn’t matter. Quite the opposite. Family is incredibly important, but to Jesus’ point, relationships matter more than family. Jesus did not abandon his mom and brothers. He merely extended his family to include all God seekers, or more accurately all God followers.
So What?
Are you a part of Jesus’ family? I didn’t ask if you attend this church or believe in God or were born in the USA. I’m asking if you are part of Jesus’ family. Do you do God’s will? Do you obey God? Are you truly a follower of Jesus, his life, his death, his resurrection, and his teachings. I’m not talking about religion, but rather righteousness and relationship.
Jesus invites you and me to join his family. We are welcome to become sons and daughters of the Most High God, thus becoming the brothers and sisters of Jesus. In fact, if we follow Jesus today, we are closer kin to Jesus than even his mother and brothers! That’s incredible! No matter your family of origin, you can be born again, become a new creation, receive the gift of eternal life…and an abundant life now. I’m so glad I’m a part of God’s family…not because of anything I have done, but rather because of what Jesus did in inviting us to follow him.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:1-2)
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 3:20-35
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Jesus’ followers are his true family…and you are welcome to join it!
Earlier this year we did a series entitled Ideal Family. Throughout the series I said there are two unfortunate things I’ve discovered about families. First, they are all messed up! That’s ultimately the result of sin, our disobedience toward God. Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the fruit in the Garden of Eden, we have struggled to get along. Pride divides. Greed corrupts. Selfishness hoards. Anger disturbs. Hatred destroys. Misunderstanding confuses.
The second unfortunate thing about families is the mistaken belief everyone else’s family is okay. Listen to me carefully…all families are messed up! This includes biblical families.
As we continue our series on The Real Jesus from the gospel or “good news” of Mark, we are told Jesus’ popularity—and opposition—is growing. The crowds love Jesus because he teaches them, heals them, and loves them. The religious people hate him because he’s more popular than they are…and he seems to have a great comeback for all of their questions and criticisms. In a word, they are envious.
Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” (Mark 3:20-21)
As I said, all of our families are messed up. All of them. If you don’t think yours is messed up, yours is REALLY messed up! Jesus is trying to eat, a huge crowd mobs him, and his family think he’s crazy. They want to get him in line! “Make Jesus stop,” they say! Jesus’ family wants Jesus to stop his ministry because they don’t understand what he’s doing.
On the other hand the religious people know what he’s doing…and they’re hostile.
And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.” (Mark 3:22)
This must be one of the dumbest statements in the Bible! I’m not saying the Bible is stupid, of course, but the religious leaders accuse Jesus of being demonic…and driving out demons. Huh?
So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. (Mark 3:23-26)
This is just common sense…but Jesus obviously needed to say it. A divided kingdom or house cannot stand. You may have noticed our nation is a bit divided these days. It’s scary to think what could happen if we remain this way. It seems like the options are to be overtaken by another country or find ourselves in civil war…because a house divided cannot stand. This is why unity is one of my top four prayers for First Alliance Church. United we stand, divided we fall (a phrase possibly used first by Aesop in his fable of “The Four Oxen and the Lion”). When we rally around a common mission, vision, strategy, and LORD, there is no limit to our potential. If we experience division, the ballgame is over. And we see this all the time…well-intended Christians arguing over things that often lead to awful results, including church splits and even people losing their faith in God altogether.
Satan knows this. He knows if he can divide us, he can conquer. And again I say we need to always be praying for unity. I pray for direction, protection, passion, and unity. I know unity is a God-honoring prayer because it is Jesus’ prayer for us…right now. In John chapter 17, he says
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (John 17:20-21)
Jesus is praying that we would be one…so that the world may believe!
As if Jesus has not already made his point about division and unity clear, he adds these words:
In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. (Mark 3:27)
It’s easy to miss his message. Satan is like a strong man. Jesus is a stronger man! Jewish listeners may have been reminded of this passage in Isaiah:
Can plunder be taken from warriors, or captives be rescued from the fierce?
But this is what the LORD says:
“Yes, captives will be taken from warriors, and plunder retrieved from the fierce; I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save. (Isaiah 49:24-25)
Jesus also may have been thinking about this text:
After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:11-12)
The Messiah is right before their eyes, yet they are unable to see.
Returning to the verse…
In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. (Mark 3:27)
We have a real enemy, brothers and sisters. He is a liar, a thief, an accuser, a big fat jerk! He is powerful and destructive…but our God is greater!!! Be encouraged. There are battles, but we will win. Love prevails. Truth reigns. Peace conquers. Jesus rules!
I want to add one more thing about unity…Dave Ramsey’s five enemies of unity. These five destroyers are true in the marketplace, but they can be found in churches and even homes, too.
1. Poor communication
2. Lack of shared purpose/mission/goals
3. Gossip (Ramsey’s employees are warned once and fired if it occurs again)
4. Unresolved disagreements
5. Sanctioned incompetence (John Maxwell), keeping poor performers on the team
That was just for fun! Back to Jesus…
Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.” (Mark 3:28-29)
Throughout my life I’ve heard people talk about these verses. Did I commit the unforgivable sin? If you have to ask, the answer is a resounding no.
Nobody disputed Jesus’ miracles. They were real. The healings were real. The exorcisms were real. The resurrection was real. Since the religious leaders couldn’t deny Jesus’ power, the only way they could discredit him was to attack the source of his power, claiming it is satanic. They knew better, but they were obviously desperate.
Jesus presents a paradox, a self-contradictory statement. He says all sins and blasphemies can be forgiven and then says the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. Which is it?
Forgiveness of sins comes only from God. If you claim God is evil, who can forgive your sins?
If you choose to deny God, it’s impossible to receive his forgiveness.
Jesus doesn’t even say these religious leaders have committed the unforgiveable sin, but it’s a stern warning.
He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.” (Mark 3:30)
Now we see Jesus’ family again.
Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” (Mark 3:31-32)
When is the last time someone said, “Where have you been? We’ve been looking all over for you!”? Mary and the boys are outside, unable to get to their popular son and brother. Then Jesus asks a simple question.
“Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. (Mark 3:33)
No wonder they thought Jesus lost his mind! He couldn’t even identify his mom and siblings?
Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:34-35)
Wow! That’s radical! Jesus is starting a new family, a holy people. He’s willing to sacrifice his biological family for a new tribe, club, group. This is shocking!
Growing up in a “good, Christian home,” I always felt close to my sister and parents, my grandparents, and even my aunts, uncles, and cousins. If we were visiting family out of town, we would always attend church with them on Sundays, reinforcing our Christian heritage and bond in Jesus. I married into a family that was…different. Church was generally reserved for Christmas and Easter.
So imagine my surprise at my life in 2017. Two weddings last year led to major division among my Christian family members, while many members of Heather’s family are closer to me than my own flesh and blood. I keep reminding myself all families are messed up…including mine!
I’m beginning to better understand Jesus’ words about family. Perhaps what matters most isn’t your blood but your relationships. I’m certainly not saying family doesn’t matter. Quite the opposite. Family is incredibly important, but to Jesus’ point, relationships matter more than family. Jesus did not abandon his mom and brothers. He merely extended his family to include all God seekers, or more accurately all God followers.
So What?
Are you a part of Jesus’ family? I didn’t ask if you attend this church or believe in God or were born in the USA. I’m asking if you are part of Jesus’ family. Do you do God’s will? Do you obey God? Are you truly a follower of Jesus, his life, his death, his resurrection, and his teachings. I’m not talking about religion, but rather righteousness and relationship.
Jesus invites you and me to join his family. We are welcome to become sons and daughters of the Most High God, thus becoming the brothers and sisters of Jesus. In fact, if we follow Jesus today, we are closer kin to Jesus than even his mother and brothers! That’s incredible! No matter your family of origin, you can be born again, become a new creation, receive the gift of eternal life…and an abundant life now. I’m so glad I’m a part of God’s family…not because of anything I have done, but rather because of what Jesus did in inviting us to follow him.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:1-2)
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
The First Followers, 23 July 2017
24 07 17
The First Followers
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 3:7-19
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: The Messiah invites us to follow him…in making disciples.
Introduction
Today’s text contains two paragraphs…two stories. They begin similarly. If you recall last week we looked at the Sabbath, a day of rest, a day to play. Did you have a play day in the past week? Did you rest? There’s so much that can—and will—be said about Sabbath, even from science. It seems like every year I read another major report stating the benefits of sleep, breaks, vacation, recreation…and the danger of working too many hours.
I found it timely that while working on today’s sermon, my daughter, Rachel, wrote a blog post entitled, “Time Out.” She begins
I used to hate it when my parents put me in "time out" as a kid. Sitting and doing nothing felt like torture when all I wanted to do was play. Now, I dream of sitting and doing nothing, even for just a few minutes.
She then talked about the Sabbath she spent with her husband, Mark, driving three hours to a Lake Michigan beach for the day despite plenty of work to be done at home.
Jesus rested. He withdrew. He took time outs. He said…
…“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27)
We’re continuing our series on The Real Jesus from the gospel—or “good news”—of Mark. In chapter 3, Jesus is criticized by the religious leaders who then begin to plot how they might kill him (3:6). Needless to say, Jesus flees the religious leaders and verse seven says…
Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. (Mark 3:7)
If you think you’re busy, imagine what it would be like to be Jesus!
I’ve been to this lake. It is beautiful! It’s often called the Sea of Galilee but today’s it’s known as Kinneret, Lake of Gennesaret, or Lake Tiberias. It’s about 13 miles long, 8 miles wide, and about 700 feet below sea level, the lowest freshwater lake on Earth.
When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. (Mark 3:8)
The crowds were from the entire area. He was in danger not only from the religious leaders but the mob. He needed bodyguards!
Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. (Mark 3:9)
This was their exit strategy, their safety plan!
For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. (Mark 3:10)
Everyone likes free medical care!
Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him. (Mark 3:11-12)
I love these verses! The demons recognized Jesus. They called him the Son of God. But Jesus didn’t want his true identity to be revealed just yet.
Who is Jesus? The demons know. Earlier God the Father declared Jesus to be his son, in whom He is well pleased (Mark 1:11). We’ll see even nature knows. But the people were clueless, the religious leaders were in denial, and even after a death, resurrection, and a global movement of billions of people there are still billions who have never heard of Jesus or deny he is the Messiah.
Why does Jesus tell the impure spirits to keep quiet about his identity? There are many theories, not the least of which is he is obviously a wanted man. The religious are plotting to kill him…and we’re only in chapter 3!
Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. Mark 3:13
Jesus retreats again. He withdraws. He must’ve been exhausted after having the crowds not only mobbing him but asking for healing. The mountainside site is significant. It figures prominently in the accounts of Noah, Abraham, and Moses, and Mark will tell us about several important events on a mountain.
Then he chooses his disciples. John recorded these words of Jesus to the twelve:
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. (John 15:16)
Jesus called and they followed. The book of Luke tells us before Jesus selected the twelve he “went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God” (Luke 6:12). You don’t randomly pick your team if you want to change the world. You pray diligently for wisdom. God often chooses the most unlikely people to serve Him.
He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. (Mark 3:14-15)
Why twelve? There were twelve tribes of Israel, even though it had been more than 700 years since those tribes had been visible due to Jewish exile. Everything Jesus did was giving off clues he was the Messiah. And notice what the twelve were called to do: be with him. Yes, they were sent out to preach and drive out demons, but discipleship is caught more than it is taught. Everything the disciples would do began with being with Jesus. John 15 tells us if we abide—if we spend time with Jesus—we will bear fruit. We are human beings, not human doings, so it makes sense Jesus wanted them to be with him.
Here’s his motley crew!
These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. (Mark 3:16-19)
Jesus did not call the qualified, but qualified the called. His team was not exactly the most impressive group of men voted most likely to succeed in high school. There were four fishermen, a hated tax collector, a member of a radical and violent political party…no formal leader, scholar, or doctor in the bunch!
The same is true today. God works through FAT people: faithful, available, teachable. He’s looking for a few good men, women and children today that will follow, surrender, and serve. It seems like he rarely calls the rich, famous and powerful, but rather the meek, ordinary, and humble.
As I was reflecting on Jesus’ appointed I was reminded of The Alliance General Council four years ago. John Stumbo was nominated for president along with another man. Both gave brief speeches. If memory serves correct, John was wearing a polo shirt, spoke with his usual raspy voice, offered no grand vision or strategy but rather a story about God prompting him to accept the nomination after years of health issues, trials, and struggle. The other man was very impressive, wore a fine suit, had an extensive resume…yet when I was handed a ballot I had no doubt God was calling John Stumbo to the role and he received my vote…and nearly 100% of the vote.
Jesus prayerfully chose his disciples, men who would follow him and disciple others.
So What?
This week I attended my first Truth at Work meeting. These monthly gatherings bring Christian leaders together for a morning of fellowship, presentations, training, and accountability. It was a great experience. Being the new guy in a room of about a dozen business owners and non-profit directors I was asked to complete a New Member Introduction Form. One of the blanks to fill was “Company Mission Statement.” Since First Alliance does not presently have a formal mission statement, I wrote, “Love God. Love Others. Make Disciples.” I borrowed those six words from Jesus!
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Love God.
Love Others.
Make Disciples.
We refer to those words as the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. That’s why we’re here…this church…us…on this planet.
How are we doing? Our “success” as a church hinges on those three statements.
How are you doing? I’ve met many Christians who truly love God. They pray, read the Bible, and attend church gatherings, uh, religiously (sorry for the pun!). If Jesus walked in the room, they would give him a huge hug. They love God.
I’ve met Christians who love others. Like me, they find some people easier to love than others. They are devoted to their friends. They occasionally volunteer to serve the poor. They may even give money to help those in need, forgive those who have wronged them, and pray blessings on their enemies.
But then we come to making disciples. I can hear it now. “That’s the pastor’s job.” Except that nowhere in the Bible does it speak of discipleship being exclusively for clergy, for professional Christians. Jesus said to his followers, “Go and make disciples.” Hundreds—maybe thousands—of people followed Jesus around. We know of at least one group of 72 who Jesus sent out (Luke 10). In today’s text we see the list of the dozen disciples Jesus appointed. He concentrated most of his time and energy on three—Peter, James and John.
So who are your disciples? Who are you investing your life into? Do they know it?! Parents, this is an easy one! You are leading…influencing…mentoring…discipling your children every day. They listen to your words…and watch your actions.
Who are your disciples? Each of us has been blessed with skills, experiences, talents, and gifts. Maybe you are not able to teach the Greek New Testament but you know how to visit someone in the hospital. Perhaps you can’t play a musical instrument but you can invite someone to your home for a meal. You don’t have to be a perfect example, just a living example.
I’ve heard of churches structured in such a way that every person has a mentor and a protégé, someone discipling them and someone they are discipling.
One of the great joys I had in Africa was training youth and pastors about leadership. Most people believe a leader is someone with a title, a position, yet my favorite definition of leadership is influence. I remember attending my first elders meeting here at First Alliance thinking to myself, “I’ve got the title, but I’m not the most influential person in the room.”
Who are you influencing? Who are you investing in? Who are you loving…intentionally?
I love our church. It’s such an honor and privilege to serve you. But sometimes I fear people put me on a pedestal thinking I’m the minister and they’re just the attendees, the parishioners, the congregation. Brothers and sisters, we’re all called to make disciples. We’re all called to love God and others. Making disciples accomplishes both commands!
I want to challenge you with one simple prayer: God, who do You want me to disciple?
Maybe you’re in high school. Great! Find an elementary or middle school student to serve. Be a big brother or big sister to them.
You might be a new believer in Christ. That’s ok, there are plenty of non-Christians in our city who need to hear your story, feel your love, experience your joy.
Jesus chose twelve but focused on three. What if you just pick one. One person. Ask God for a name. It might be a co-worker, a neighbor, someone sitting next to you right now, or someone you’ll see in the lobby in a few minutes. Pray for them. Take them to Claro this week for coffee. Invite them to your small group or Sunday School class. Send them an encouraging text.
Love God.
Love Others.
Make Disciples.
Jesus did it. He invites us to follow him.
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 3:7-19
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: The Messiah invites us to follow him…in making disciples.
Introduction
Today’s text contains two paragraphs…two stories. They begin similarly. If you recall last week we looked at the Sabbath, a day of rest, a day to play. Did you have a play day in the past week? Did you rest? There’s so much that can—and will—be said about Sabbath, even from science. It seems like every year I read another major report stating the benefits of sleep, breaks, vacation, recreation…and the danger of working too many hours.
I found it timely that while working on today’s sermon, my daughter, Rachel, wrote a blog post entitled, “Time Out.” She begins
I used to hate it when my parents put me in "time out" as a kid. Sitting and doing nothing felt like torture when all I wanted to do was play. Now, I dream of sitting and doing nothing, even for just a few minutes.
She then talked about the Sabbath she spent with her husband, Mark, driving three hours to a Lake Michigan beach for the day despite plenty of work to be done at home.
Jesus rested. He withdrew. He took time outs. He said…
…“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27)
We’re continuing our series on The Real Jesus from the gospel—or “good news”—of Mark. In chapter 3, Jesus is criticized by the religious leaders who then begin to plot how they might kill him (3:6). Needless to say, Jesus flees the religious leaders and verse seven says…
Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. (Mark 3:7)
If you think you’re busy, imagine what it would be like to be Jesus!
I’ve been to this lake. It is beautiful! It’s often called the Sea of Galilee but today’s it’s known as Kinneret, Lake of Gennesaret, or Lake Tiberias. It’s about 13 miles long, 8 miles wide, and about 700 feet below sea level, the lowest freshwater lake on Earth.
When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. (Mark 3:8)
The crowds were from the entire area. He was in danger not only from the religious leaders but the mob. He needed bodyguards!
Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. (Mark 3:9)
This was their exit strategy, their safety plan!
For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. (Mark 3:10)
Everyone likes free medical care!
Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him. (Mark 3:11-12)
I love these verses! The demons recognized Jesus. They called him the Son of God. But Jesus didn’t want his true identity to be revealed just yet.
Who is Jesus? The demons know. Earlier God the Father declared Jesus to be his son, in whom He is well pleased (Mark 1:11). We’ll see even nature knows. But the people were clueless, the religious leaders were in denial, and even after a death, resurrection, and a global movement of billions of people there are still billions who have never heard of Jesus or deny he is the Messiah.
Why does Jesus tell the impure spirits to keep quiet about his identity? There are many theories, not the least of which is he is obviously a wanted man. The religious are plotting to kill him…and we’re only in chapter 3!
Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. Mark 3:13
Jesus retreats again. He withdraws. He must’ve been exhausted after having the crowds not only mobbing him but asking for healing. The mountainside site is significant. It figures prominently in the accounts of Noah, Abraham, and Moses, and Mark will tell us about several important events on a mountain.
Then he chooses his disciples. John recorded these words of Jesus to the twelve:
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. (John 15:16)
Jesus called and they followed. The book of Luke tells us before Jesus selected the twelve he “went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God” (Luke 6:12). You don’t randomly pick your team if you want to change the world. You pray diligently for wisdom. God often chooses the most unlikely people to serve Him.
He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. (Mark 3:14-15)
Why twelve? There were twelve tribes of Israel, even though it had been more than 700 years since those tribes had been visible due to Jewish exile. Everything Jesus did was giving off clues he was the Messiah. And notice what the twelve were called to do: be with him. Yes, they were sent out to preach and drive out demons, but discipleship is caught more than it is taught. Everything the disciples would do began with being with Jesus. John 15 tells us if we abide—if we spend time with Jesus—we will bear fruit. We are human beings, not human doings, so it makes sense Jesus wanted them to be with him.
Here’s his motley crew!
These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. (Mark 3:16-19)
Jesus did not call the qualified, but qualified the called. His team was not exactly the most impressive group of men voted most likely to succeed in high school. There were four fishermen, a hated tax collector, a member of a radical and violent political party…no formal leader, scholar, or doctor in the bunch!
The same is true today. God works through FAT people: faithful, available, teachable. He’s looking for a few good men, women and children today that will follow, surrender, and serve. It seems like he rarely calls the rich, famous and powerful, but rather the meek, ordinary, and humble.
As I was reflecting on Jesus’ appointed I was reminded of The Alliance General Council four years ago. John Stumbo was nominated for president along with another man. Both gave brief speeches. If memory serves correct, John was wearing a polo shirt, spoke with his usual raspy voice, offered no grand vision or strategy but rather a story about God prompting him to accept the nomination after years of health issues, trials, and struggle. The other man was very impressive, wore a fine suit, had an extensive resume…yet when I was handed a ballot I had no doubt God was calling John Stumbo to the role and he received my vote…and nearly 100% of the vote.
Jesus prayerfully chose his disciples, men who would follow him and disciple others.
So What?
This week I attended my first Truth at Work meeting. These monthly gatherings bring Christian leaders together for a morning of fellowship, presentations, training, and accountability. It was a great experience. Being the new guy in a room of about a dozen business owners and non-profit directors I was asked to complete a New Member Introduction Form. One of the blanks to fill was “Company Mission Statement.” Since First Alliance does not presently have a formal mission statement, I wrote, “Love God. Love Others. Make Disciples.” I borrowed those six words from Jesus!
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Love God.
Love Others.
Make Disciples.
We refer to those words as the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. That’s why we’re here…this church…us…on this planet.
How are we doing? Our “success” as a church hinges on those three statements.
How are you doing? I’ve met many Christians who truly love God. They pray, read the Bible, and attend church gatherings, uh, religiously (sorry for the pun!). If Jesus walked in the room, they would give him a huge hug. They love God.
I’ve met Christians who love others. Like me, they find some people easier to love than others. They are devoted to their friends. They occasionally volunteer to serve the poor. They may even give money to help those in need, forgive those who have wronged them, and pray blessings on their enemies.
But then we come to making disciples. I can hear it now. “That’s the pastor’s job.” Except that nowhere in the Bible does it speak of discipleship being exclusively for clergy, for professional Christians. Jesus said to his followers, “Go and make disciples.” Hundreds—maybe thousands—of people followed Jesus around. We know of at least one group of 72 who Jesus sent out (Luke 10). In today’s text we see the list of the dozen disciples Jesus appointed. He concentrated most of his time and energy on three—Peter, James and John.
So who are your disciples? Who are you investing your life into? Do they know it?! Parents, this is an easy one! You are leading…influencing…mentoring…discipling your children every day. They listen to your words…and watch your actions.
Who are your disciples? Each of us has been blessed with skills, experiences, talents, and gifts. Maybe you are not able to teach the Greek New Testament but you know how to visit someone in the hospital. Perhaps you can’t play a musical instrument but you can invite someone to your home for a meal. You don’t have to be a perfect example, just a living example.
I’ve heard of churches structured in such a way that every person has a mentor and a protégé, someone discipling them and someone they are discipling.
One of the great joys I had in Africa was training youth and pastors about leadership. Most people believe a leader is someone with a title, a position, yet my favorite definition of leadership is influence. I remember attending my first elders meeting here at First Alliance thinking to myself, “I’ve got the title, but I’m not the most influential person in the room.”
Who are you influencing? Who are you investing in? Who are you loving…intentionally?
I love our church. It’s such an honor and privilege to serve you. But sometimes I fear people put me on a pedestal thinking I’m the minister and they’re just the attendees, the parishioners, the congregation. Brothers and sisters, we’re all called to make disciples. We’re all called to love God and others. Making disciples accomplishes both commands!
I want to challenge you with one simple prayer: God, who do You want me to disciple?
Maybe you’re in high school. Great! Find an elementary or middle school student to serve. Be a big brother or big sister to them.
You might be a new believer in Christ. That’s ok, there are plenty of non-Christians in our city who need to hear your story, feel your love, experience your joy.
Jesus chose twelve but focused on three. What if you just pick one. One person. Ask God for a name. It might be a co-worker, a neighbor, someone sitting next to you right now, or someone you’ll see in the lobby in a few minutes. Pray for them. Take them to Claro this week for coffee. Invite them to your small group or Sunday School class. Send them an encouraging text.
Love God.
Love Others.
Make Disciples.
Jesus did it. He invites us to follow him.
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
Sabbath: Good & Evil, 16 July 2017
17 07 17
Sabbath: Good & Evil
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 2:23-3:6
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: The Sabbath is a gift…which can be used and abused.
Our text for today focuses on the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a gift…which can be used and abused. If we go way back—to the second book of the Bible, Exodus—we’ll find the Sabbath in God’s Top Ten list, the Ten Commandments.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:8-11)
The Sabbath is a day of rest. God rested on the seventh day of the week after creation. When we rest, we imitate God.
One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” (Mark 2:23-24)
The religious police have caught Jesus! The Pharisees developed a list of 39 things you couldn’t do on the Sabbath. Sure, God set apart the Sabbath, but these religious leaders took God’s law and expanded it with their traditions and interpretations. Instead of resting and reflecting upon God, they turned Saturday into a day to tiptoe around activities, adhere to checklists, and avoiding technical definitions of work.
Actually, no laws were broken anyhow. They were not harvesting grain, only picking some to eat. The law made provision for eating, just not harvesting on the Sabbath. Farmers were supposed to rest, but these fishermen were not working, only grabbing a snack.
If you enter your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat all the grapes you want, but do not put any in your basket. If you enter your neighbor’s grainfield, you may pick kernels with your hands, but you must not put a sickle to their standing grain. (Deuteronomy 23:24-25)
God gave the law to serve the people. Note Jesus and the disciples did not harvest with a sickle. The Pharisees were just trying to trap Jesus, but the tables are turned.
He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” (Mark 2:25-26)
Jesus did not argue about the Sabbath. He challenges the Pharisees, implying they have never even read the Bible! The letter of the law was not to be imposed when it brought hardship to one of God’s servants. By referring to David, Jesus is implying he is doing God’s business in some way these religious leaders are not.
Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27)
Boom! The law was made for man, not the other way around.
Allow me to add this thought: all of God’s laws are for our benefit. That’s because our heavenly Father loves us. He wants what’s best for us. He didn’t just sit around one day and think, “How can I make life miserable for humans? How can I take away all of their fun?” No, like any good parent, He has more wisdom and understanding than His kids and He provides boundaries for our protection and ultimate satisfaction.
As if Jesus has not already offended these religious leaders, he throws in one more declaration.
So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:28)
Jesus is the LORD of the Sabbath. Jesus is the LORD of all! The Pharisees were clueless. Standing in front of them was the Messiah, God! Yet all they could think about is their own outrage at this man who is gaining popularity and has a comeback for everything they throw at him.
A.W. Tozer said,
“The God of the Pharisee was not an easy God to live with, so his religion became grim and hard and loveless. It had to be so, for our notion of God must always determine the quality of our religion.
Much Christianity since the days of Christ’s flesh has also been grim and severe. And the cause has been the same – an unworthy or an inadequate view of God.”
Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.” (Mark 3:1-3)
The critics were outside in the grainfields. Now they’re in the synagogue.
Was this man planted? Probably. They were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus.
Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. (Mark 3:4)
I love it when Jesus silences his critics with a question! The answer is obvious, but the Pharisees aren’t looking for truth, but rather a reason to accuse Jesus. Since they didn’t answer his question, he decided to heal the man.
He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. (Mark 3:5)
Jesus got angry! Anger is not sin, though we can sin in our anger. Jesus did not carry a grudge, he just recognized the injustice of the moment and their hard hearts.
The Sabbath was given to Israel as a gift. The religious leaders hijacked it.
Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. (Mark 3:6)
Don’t miss this: the religious leaders want to kill Jesus. They go out of their way to follow commandment number four about the Sabbath but seem to have no problem with number six…that one about murder! Did they forget? Maybe it was unclear, hard to understand. Here it is:
“You shall not murder. (Exodus 20:13)
The original Hebrew word, rasah, means “to murder, kill.”
Oh, and let’s not forget this murder would be premeditated! They even plotted with another group, the Herodians!
Have things changed since then? Not really.
So What?
I want to close with two thoughts.
First, religion is ugly in all of its forms. Legalism. Judgment. Self-righteousness. We might not often think of religion leading to murder, but Mark 3:6 clearly shows us that’s where it can go. And we know their plans were eventually carried out. How can God be linked to such violence? Obviously we see in our own day—and throughout history—blood shed in the name of God and religion. What a tragedy! This has led some to declare organized religion is responsible for the wars of the world, as if communism and other atheistic philosophies have been entirely peaceful! But the point remains, religion can be an adventure in missing the point. The Pharisees were clueless about the Sabbath. They were unable to see God…standing right in front of them!
One need not go far to see religion today…in our culture. It seems every week another pastor or author is poked, prodded, critiqued, and banned because of something said in an interview or online. Yes, we need to be discerning and avoid heresy, but good luck finding someone with whom you agree one hundred percent. And a disagreement does not mean all of their contributions are trash.
I get frustrated with intolerant, close-minded, arrogant people in the world who boycott Claro because it was started by a church. Uh, how’s the coffee?! There are Republicans that refuse to associate with Democrats and vice versa. Seriously? We have far more in common than we have differences. If we would stop and listen to one another rather than constantly pointing fingers of condemnation, we would live in a far better world. We need to build bridges, not walls.
But the same can be said in the church. I want to see diversity…not only ethnically but theologically. There are many things over which we could probably start an argument, but rather than debate, let’s dialog. Let’s seek to understand one another. Let’s truly love one another, explore points of difference, and ask questions. I’m not suggesting this is necessarily occurring here at First Alliance Church, but the Internet is loaded with total strangers heaving verbal bombs at one another, figuratively and sometimes even literally calling for boycotts of individuals and their work. There’s a fine line between criticism and discernment, I admit, but so much of what I see and read is pure Pharisaical religion, people on a witch hunt to attack their so-called brothers and sisters in Christ. No wonder the world is walking away from the church. Who wants to join a dysfunctional family?
As one of my professors, David Fitch, wrote, “We need Christians that can unravel the antagonisms that drive Christianity in America, not make them worse.”
David Garland writes regarding Mark chapter four:
(1) The question, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” (2: 16) is answered with a truism: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (2: 17).
(2) The question, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?” (2: 18), is answered with proverbial sayings about not patching old cloth with new or putting new wine into old wineskins (2: 19, 21– 22).
(3) The question about why the disciples do what is unlawful on the Sabbath (2: 24) is answered with the proclamation, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath,” and, “The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (2: 27– 28).
(4) In the last controversy, Jesus turns the tables on his inquisitors and provokes an engagement.
Do you trust God can do more with six days than you can with seven?
I know, your life is busy. The boss is demanding. The kids are a handful. Deadlines loom. You have to fit in soccer practice, dance lessons, volunteering at Cherry Street Mission, get the car oil changed, grab dinner in a drive-thru…
I know, it must’ve been easier in Old Testament times. They didn’t have Facebook to check or phone calls to return. No, they had to grow and harvest crops…or die of starvation!
I was challenging pastors in East Africa to honor the Sabbath. It’s only the fourth commandment…ahead of murder and adultery! The penalty for breaking it was only death! It’s hard for them. Most of them are volunteers. They have a vocation Monday through Friday…or Saturday and then preach on Sunday. Who has time to rest?
It’s like Stephen Covey says in his classic The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, sharpen the saw. A man is cutting down a tree with a dull saw. His friend says, “Stop cutting and sharpen your saw.” He replies, “I don’t have time. I have to get this tree cut down.” His friend counters, “If you take time to sharpen your saw, you will cut the tree down much faster.”
I know you can’t afford to take a day off…but really you can’t afford NOT to rest. God made the Sabbath for us…to enjoy. Relax. Do only things that fill you. Be unproductive! If you enjoy gardening, garden. If you hate pulling weeds, read a book instead. Often those who do physical labor during the week need to engage in mental activities, and those who exercise their minds for a living may find physical recreation replenishing.
Sabbath doesn’t just happen. Like a vacation, it requires planning and preparation. Experiment. Don’t overthink it, but find ways to intentionally unplug from busyness and work, from things that deplete you. Psalm 46:10 says
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalms 46:10)
I challenge you to set aside one day a week for rest, to fill your tank, to be with God, a Sabbath. Will God be exalted in your life? It begins with trust, trusting that God is sovereign and in control. Trusting that God will honor your Sabbath. What the Pharisees used for evil we are invited to use for good. And God’s glory.
Resource: I found this article by Mark Galli helpful, A Theology of Play.
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 2:23-3:6
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: The Sabbath is a gift…which can be used and abused.
Our text for today focuses on the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a gift…which can be used and abused. If we go way back—to the second book of the Bible, Exodus—we’ll find the Sabbath in God’s Top Ten list, the Ten Commandments.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:8-11)
The Sabbath is a day of rest. God rested on the seventh day of the week after creation. When we rest, we imitate God.
One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” (Mark 2:23-24)
The religious police have caught Jesus! The Pharisees developed a list of 39 things you couldn’t do on the Sabbath. Sure, God set apart the Sabbath, but these religious leaders took God’s law and expanded it with their traditions and interpretations. Instead of resting and reflecting upon God, they turned Saturday into a day to tiptoe around activities, adhere to checklists, and avoiding technical definitions of work.
Actually, no laws were broken anyhow. They were not harvesting grain, only picking some to eat. The law made provision for eating, just not harvesting on the Sabbath. Farmers were supposed to rest, but these fishermen were not working, only grabbing a snack.
If you enter your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat all the grapes you want, but do not put any in your basket. If you enter your neighbor’s grainfield, you may pick kernels with your hands, but you must not put a sickle to their standing grain. (Deuteronomy 23:24-25)
God gave the law to serve the people. Note Jesus and the disciples did not harvest with a sickle. The Pharisees were just trying to trap Jesus, but the tables are turned.
He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” (Mark 2:25-26)
Jesus did not argue about the Sabbath. He challenges the Pharisees, implying they have never even read the Bible! The letter of the law was not to be imposed when it brought hardship to one of God’s servants. By referring to David, Jesus is implying he is doing God’s business in some way these religious leaders are not.
Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27)
Boom! The law was made for man, not the other way around.
Allow me to add this thought: all of God’s laws are for our benefit. That’s because our heavenly Father loves us. He wants what’s best for us. He didn’t just sit around one day and think, “How can I make life miserable for humans? How can I take away all of their fun?” No, like any good parent, He has more wisdom and understanding than His kids and He provides boundaries for our protection and ultimate satisfaction.
As if Jesus has not already offended these religious leaders, he throws in one more declaration.
So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:28)
Jesus is the LORD of the Sabbath. Jesus is the LORD of all! The Pharisees were clueless. Standing in front of them was the Messiah, God! Yet all they could think about is their own outrage at this man who is gaining popularity and has a comeback for everything they throw at him.
A.W. Tozer said,
“The God of the Pharisee was not an easy God to live with, so his religion became grim and hard and loveless. It had to be so, for our notion of God must always determine the quality of our religion.
Much Christianity since the days of Christ’s flesh has also been grim and severe. And the cause has been the same – an unworthy or an inadequate view of God.”
Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.” (Mark 3:1-3)
The critics were outside in the grainfields. Now they’re in the synagogue.
Was this man planted? Probably. They were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus.
Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. (Mark 3:4)
I love it when Jesus silences his critics with a question! The answer is obvious, but the Pharisees aren’t looking for truth, but rather a reason to accuse Jesus. Since they didn’t answer his question, he decided to heal the man.
He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. (Mark 3:5)
Jesus got angry! Anger is not sin, though we can sin in our anger. Jesus did not carry a grudge, he just recognized the injustice of the moment and their hard hearts.
The Sabbath was given to Israel as a gift. The religious leaders hijacked it.
Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. (Mark 3:6)
Don’t miss this: the religious leaders want to kill Jesus. They go out of their way to follow commandment number four about the Sabbath but seem to have no problem with number six…that one about murder! Did they forget? Maybe it was unclear, hard to understand. Here it is:
“You shall not murder. (Exodus 20:13)
The original Hebrew word, rasah, means “to murder, kill.”
Oh, and let’s not forget this murder would be premeditated! They even plotted with another group, the Herodians!
Have things changed since then? Not really.
So What?
I want to close with two thoughts.
First, religion is ugly in all of its forms. Legalism. Judgment. Self-righteousness. We might not often think of religion leading to murder, but Mark 3:6 clearly shows us that’s where it can go. And we know their plans were eventually carried out. How can God be linked to such violence? Obviously we see in our own day—and throughout history—blood shed in the name of God and religion. What a tragedy! This has led some to declare organized religion is responsible for the wars of the world, as if communism and other atheistic philosophies have been entirely peaceful! But the point remains, religion can be an adventure in missing the point. The Pharisees were clueless about the Sabbath. They were unable to see God…standing right in front of them!
One need not go far to see religion today…in our culture. It seems every week another pastor or author is poked, prodded, critiqued, and banned because of something said in an interview or online. Yes, we need to be discerning and avoid heresy, but good luck finding someone with whom you agree one hundred percent. And a disagreement does not mean all of their contributions are trash.
I get frustrated with intolerant, close-minded, arrogant people in the world who boycott Claro because it was started by a church. Uh, how’s the coffee?! There are Republicans that refuse to associate with Democrats and vice versa. Seriously? We have far more in common than we have differences. If we would stop and listen to one another rather than constantly pointing fingers of condemnation, we would live in a far better world. We need to build bridges, not walls.
But the same can be said in the church. I want to see diversity…not only ethnically but theologically. There are many things over which we could probably start an argument, but rather than debate, let’s dialog. Let’s seek to understand one another. Let’s truly love one another, explore points of difference, and ask questions. I’m not suggesting this is necessarily occurring here at First Alliance Church, but the Internet is loaded with total strangers heaving verbal bombs at one another, figuratively and sometimes even literally calling for boycotts of individuals and their work. There’s a fine line between criticism and discernment, I admit, but so much of what I see and read is pure Pharisaical religion, people on a witch hunt to attack their so-called brothers and sisters in Christ. No wonder the world is walking away from the church. Who wants to join a dysfunctional family?
As one of my professors, David Fitch, wrote, “We need Christians that can unravel the antagonisms that drive Christianity in America, not make them worse.”
David Garland writes regarding Mark chapter four:
(1) The question, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” (2: 16) is answered with a truism: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (2: 17).
(2) The question, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?” (2: 18), is answered with proverbial sayings about not patching old cloth with new or putting new wine into old wineskins (2: 19, 21– 22).
(3) The question about why the disciples do what is unlawful on the Sabbath (2: 24) is answered with the proclamation, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath,” and, “The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (2: 27– 28).
(4) In the last controversy, Jesus turns the tables on his inquisitors and provokes an engagement.
- - Mark: NIV Application Commentary
Do you trust God can do more with six days than you can with seven?
I know, your life is busy. The boss is demanding. The kids are a handful. Deadlines loom. You have to fit in soccer practice, dance lessons, volunteering at Cherry Street Mission, get the car oil changed, grab dinner in a drive-thru…
I know, it must’ve been easier in Old Testament times. They didn’t have Facebook to check or phone calls to return. No, they had to grow and harvest crops…or die of starvation!
I was challenging pastors in East Africa to honor the Sabbath. It’s only the fourth commandment…ahead of murder and adultery! The penalty for breaking it was only death! It’s hard for them. Most of them are volunteers. They have a vocation Monday through Friday…or Saturday and then preach on Sunday. Who has time to rest?
It’s like Stephen Covey says in his classic The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, sharpen the saw. A man is cutting down a tree with a dull saw. His friend says, “Stop cutting and sharpen your saw.” He replies, “I don’t have time. I have to get this tree cut down.” His friend counters, “If you take time to sharpen your saw, you will cut the tree down much faster.”
I know you can’t afford to take a day off…but really you can’t afford NOT to rest. God made the Sabbath for us…to enjoy. Relax. Do only things that fill you. Be unproductive! If you enjoy gardening, garden. If you hate pulling weeds, read a book instead. Often those who do physical labor during the week need to engage in mental activities, and those who exercise their minds for a living may find physical recreation replenishing.
Sabbath doesn’t just happen. Like a vacation, it requires planning and preparation. Experiment. Don’t overthink it, but find ways to intentionally unplug from busyness and work, from things that deplete you. Psalm 46:10 says
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalms 46:10)
I challenge you to set aside one day a week for rest, to fill your tank, to be with God, a Sabbath. Will God be exalted in your life? It begins with trust, trusting that God is sovereign and in control. Trusting that God will honor your Sabbath. What the Pharisees used for evil we are invited to use for good. And God’s glory.
Resource: I found this article by Mark Galli helpful, A Theology of Play.
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
Timing: Old & New, 18 June 2017
19 06 17
Timing: Old & New
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 2:18-22
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: God is always doing new things, even though He never changes.
My fellow graduates, I want to encourage you to lead. I know you might not consider yourself to be a leader, but my favorite definition of leadership is simply “influence.” Each of us has countless opportunities every day to influence others, whether it be friends, a family member, co-worker, Facebook acquaintance, or even total strangers in public. Follow Jesus and lead/influence others to do the same.
But for all of the talk of leadership in our day, remember one thing: every leader has followers and opponents. Whether you’re a politician, CEO, store manager, or little league coach, there will be people who support you and people who can’t stand you!
Just ask Jesus!
We’re in the middle of a series exploring The Real Jesus from the gospel—or good news—of Mark, a biography of King Jesus.
Last week we saw Jesus questioned for inviting Levi into a meaningful relationship. “How dare he associate with sinners?” the religious leaders asked. But the criticism is still just beginning.
Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?” (Mark 2:18)
Fasting is an ancient practice which seems to have periodic surges in popularity. I’ve noticed several authors recently writing about the benefits of fasting, especially for weight control. This is not the context of our passage today.
Fasting was a popular practice in first-century Judaism. Some thought they could ward off demons by fasting. Others thought they could earn God’s favor by fasting, perhaps making their prayers more likely to be answered in a way that pleases them. Still others fasted in hopes of prompting mercy or attaining the forgiveness of sins. The most self-righteous would use fasting as a way to show their piety and gaining the applause and admiration of others.
This is not to say fasting is a bad thing. Hardly. Jesus fasted for forty days. It was sometimes connected to sorrow for the loss of a loved one. Jesus’ own death likely led to the fasting of the disciples as they grieved.
But there is an appropriate time and a place for everything.
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)
There is a time to fast…and a time to feast!
Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast. (Mark 2:19-20)
I love weddings! There’s no celebration like a wedding. Last week Heather and I traveled about 3000 miles to California just to participate in a wedding.
The day was filled with joy, smiles, laughter, food, and feasting. And why not? Is there any greater party than one focused on love? If there is ever a time to eat, drink, and be merry, it is a wedding.
Jesus tells the religious leaders now is not the time for his disciples to fast. He is the groom. It’s time to party! There will be a day when he will be taken from them. He’s previewing his death on the cross. There will be no celebration on Good Friday, though Resurrection Sunday will be another story!
Jesus came to proclaim and practice the kingdom of God. The kingdom is God is not a funeral but a wedding party! You don’t fast at a wedding. You can’t fast at a wedding! It would be offensive to the host. It’s time to feast! Religion and the kingdom of God are completely different.
Jesus continues
“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. (Mark 2:21)
This is a universal truth. I’m no seamstress, but I know garments will tear when they are washed and the patch of new, stronger fabric shrinks. The old and new are incompatible.
Perhaps you’ve experienced this reality. Replacement parts for old products often fail to fit. When my wife gets new glasses, she gets new lenses and frames because the new lenses won’t fit in new frames. I recently had to explain to someone a DVD will not work in their VCR!
Jesus is saying the old and new are incompatible. He didn’t come to abolish the law or add to it. He came to do something new.
Weddings are filled with fancy food, fancy garments, and fancy drinks, too.
And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” (Mark 2:22)
This is not a verse about alcohol, per se, but rather about another truth concerning the incompatibility of old and new. Animal skins, often goatskins, were used as containers for fluids. Old, stretched wineskins will burst when new wine is poured in and expands.
David Garland notes, “The question, ‘How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?’ (2: 18), is answered with proverbial sayings about not patching old cloth with new or putting new wine into old wineskins (2: 19, 21– 22).”
Jesus came to do a new thing. He will die for the sins of the world, the new garment, the new wineskins. Jesus will not merely reform the old, he will transform it. He announces the end of the old and the birth of the new.
Religion is like a ball and chain, weighing people down with guilt and shame.
Jesus showed us how to party, how to experience abundant life, how to soar with joy.
Why do you do what you do?
This is an important question for us all. What is behind our behavior? Why are you here this morning? Is it to impress others? To try to score points with God? Or to worship our LORD with others, knowing Jesus and making him known to our city and world?
It’s hard for us in our day to understand the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, but suffice it to say they were bold, loud, and arrogant. They judged, condemned, scorned, and criticized. They were stuffy, proud, fuddy-duddies!!! And they were no fun at all!
What about you? Do you live like you’re at a funeral or a wedding? Again, there’s a time and place for everything, but I wonder if more people would follow Jesus if we looked more like him. I wonder if the world sees Christians as boring, gloomy people depressed by Fox News rather than hope dealers filled with joy, peace, and love.
Jesus rocked their world…and the world of everyone he encountered. He replaced gloom with joy, death with life, despair with hope, and hate with love. This is why I love Jesus! Even if you skipped his death and resurrection—the climax of his ministry—his very attitude was refreshing. He hated organized religion!
Jesus announced the kingdom of God, saying God was becoming king in an entirely new way. Something powerful and explosive was about to take place…and history has never been the same since! We are invited to participate in the kingdom, the reign and rule of King Jesus.
Because of Jesus’ teachings, life, death, and resurrection we must think differently, think bigger, live more passionately. God never changes, but he’s always doing new things. Our church history is a great example of this. In 1930, we began a live radio broadcast. In 1966, we started a Christian radio station, WPOS, Proclaim FM. In 1996, church members launched a TV station, WLMB. Today you can download our sermon podcasts online. The message of King Jesus remains the same, but medium changes.
I can’t imagine what lies ahead for us as a church, but God knows, and it will be exciting. It won’t always look like the old, but it shouldn’t. There are great things in the rear view mirror, but if you look ahead you’ll see even more exciting things. And most exciting of all will be the ultimate party, the ultimate feast, the day when the groom returns for his bride, when Jesus returns for the Church. What a celebration that will be! Are you ready?
Credits: some ideas from Matt Carter (Austin Stone Community Church), Warren Wiersbe, NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 2:18-22
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: God is always doing new things, even though He never changes.
My fellow graduates, I want to encourage you to lead. I know you might not consider yourself to be a leader, but my favorite definition of leadership is simply “influence.” Each of us has countless opportunities every day to influence others, whether it be friends, a family member, co-worker, Facebook acquaintance, or even total strangers in public. Follow Jesus and lead/influence others to do the same.
But for all of the talk of leadership in our day, remember one thing: every leader has followers and opponents. Whether you’re a politician, CEO, store manager, or little league coach, there will be people who support you and people who can’t stand you!
Just ask Jesus!
We’re in the middle of a series exploring The Real Jesus from the gospel—or good news—of Mark, a biography of King Jesus.
Last week we saw Jesus questioned for inviting Levi into a meaningful relationship. “How dare he associate with sinners?” the religious leaders asked. But the criticism is still just beginning.
Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?” (Mark 2:18)
Fasting is an ancient practice which seems to have periodic surges in popularity. I’ve noticed several authors recently writing about the benefits of fasting, especially for weight control. This is not the context of our passage today.
Fasting was a popular practice in first-century Judaism. Some thought they could ward off demons by fasting. Others thought they could earn God’s favor by fasting, perhaps making their prayers more likely to be answered in a way that pleases them. Still others fasted in hopes of prompting mercy or attaining the forgiveness of sins. The most self-righteous would use fasting as a way to show their piety and gaining the applause and admiration of others.
This is not to say fasting is a bad thing. Hardly. Jesus fasted for forty days. It was sometimes connected to sorrow for the loss of a loved one. Jesus’ own death likely led to the fasting of the disciples as they grieved.
But there is an appropriate time and a place for everything.
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)
There is a time to fast…and a time to feast!
Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast. (Mark 2:19-20)
I love weddings! There’s no celebration like a wedding. Last week Heather and I traveled about 3000 miles to California just to participate in a wedding.
The day was filled with joy, smiles, laughter, food, and feasting. And why not? Is there any greater party than one focused on love? If there is ever a time to eat, drink, and be merry, it is a wedding.
Jesus tells the religious leaders now is not the time for his disciples to fast. He is the groom. It’s time to party! There will be a day when he will be taken from them. He’s previewing his death on the cross. There will be no celebration on Good Friday, though Resurrection Sunday will be another story!
Jesus came to proclaim and practice the kingdom of God. The kingdom is God is not a funeral but a wedding party! You don’t fast at a wedding. You can’t fast at a wedding! It would be offensive to the host. It’s time to feast! Religion and the kingdom of God are completely different.
Jesus continues
“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. (Mark 2:21)
This is a universal truth. I’m no seamstress, but I know garments will tear when they are washed and the patch of new, stronger fabric shrinks. The old and new are incompatible.
Perhaps you’ve experienced this reality. Replacement parts for old products often fail to fit. When my wife gets new glasses, she gets new lenses and frames because the new lenses won’t fit in new frames. I recently had to explain to someone a DVD will not work in their VCR!
Jesus is saying the old and new are incompatible. He didn’t come to abolish the law or add to it. He came to do something new.
Weddings are filled with fancy food, fancy garments, and fancy drinks, too.
And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” (Mark 2:22)
This is not a verse about alcohol, per se, but rather about another truth concerning the incompatibility of old and new. Animal skins, often goatskins, were used as containers for fluids. Old, stretched wineskins will burst when new wine is poured in and expands.
David Garland notes, “The question, ‘How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?’ (2: 18), is answered with proverbial sayings about not patching old cloth with new or putting new wine into old wineskins (2: 19, 21– 22).”
Jesus came to do a new thing. He will die for the sins of the world, the new garment, the new wineskins. Jesus will not merely reform the old, he will transform it. He announces the end of the old and the birth of the new.
Religion is like a ball and chain, weighing people down with guilt and shame.
Jesus showed us how to party, how to experience abundant life, how to soar with joy.
Why do you do what you do?
This is an important question for us all. What is behind our behavior? Why are you here this morning? Is it to impress others? To try to score points with God? Or to worship our LORD with others, knowing Jesus and making him known to our city and world?
It’s hard for us in our day to understand the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, but suffice it to say they were bold, loud, and arrogant. They judged, condemned, scorned, and criticized. They were stuffy, proud, fuddy-duddies!!! And they were no fun at all!
What about you? Do you live like you’re at a funeral or a wedding? Again, there’s a time and place for everything, but I wonder if more people would follow Jesus if we looked more like him. I wonder if the world sees Christians as boring, gloomy people depressed by Fox News rather than hope dealers filled with joy, peace, and love.
Jesus rocked their world…and the world of everyone he encountered. He replaced gloom with joy, death with life, despair with hope, and hate with love. This is why I love Jesus! Even if you skipped his death and resurrection—the climax of his ministry—his very attitude was refreshing. He hated organized religion!
Jesus announced the kingdom of God, saying God was becoming king in an entirely new way. Something powerful and explosive was about to take place…and history has never been the same since! We are invited to participate in the kingdom, the reign and rule of King Jesus.
Because of Jesus’ teachings, life, death, and resurrection we must think differently, think bigger, live more passionately. God never changes, but he’s always doing new things. Our church history is a great example of this. In 1930, we began a live radio broadcast. In 1966, we started a Christian radio station, WPOS, Proclaim FM. In 1996, church members launched a TV station, WLMB. Today you can download our sermon podcasts online. The message of King Jesus remains the same, but medium changes.
I can’t imagine what lies ahead for us as a church, but God knows, and it will be exciting. It won’t always look like the old, but it shouldn’t. There are great things in the rear view mirror, but if you look ahead you’ll see even more exciting things. And most exciting of all will be the ultimate party, the ultimate feast, the day when the groom returns for his bride, when Jesus returns for the Church. What a celebration that will be! Are you ready?
Credits: some ideas from Matt Carter (Austin Stone Community Church), Warren Wiersbe, NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
Church: Hospital or Museum? 11 June 2017
11 06 17
Church: Hospital or Museum?
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 2:13-17
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: We are to welcome sinners, recognizing we are sinners ourselves.
Good morning saints! Good morning sinners!
My name is Kirk and we’re studying Mark’s biography of The Real Jesus. In chapter 2, he has been baptized, begun his preaching ministry, and done some healings. Word is spreading and while he is attracting crowds, he’s also drawing the envy and wrath of religious leaders. This will be a common theme, so significant the religious leaders will eventually kill him.
Jesus has at least four followers—four fishermen. Now he continues his recruiting trip.
Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. (Mark 2:13-14)
Levi is also likely called Matthew, though it is possible he was not one of the Twelve, making this invitation even more compelling. He works at a toll booth, but it’s not automated like the ones on the Turnpike. These collectors were known for extortion and dishonesty.
Levi likely worked for Herod Antipas. His father’s kingdom was divided among his three sons. Tolls suddenly had to be paid to cross from one part of the old kingdom to another. Levi did not have a popular job!
Jesus comes by, and instead of complaining or swearing at Levi, he says, “Follow me.” What an invitation! Instead of working for a man who thought of himself as king of the Jews, he is invited to follow the true King of the Jews, the Messiah.
Can you imagine someone walks into your office, says, “Follow me,” and you walk out on your job? Levi takes a huge risk in following Jesus. The fishermen can always return to fishing, but a government job? They’re not always available, especially after suddenly leaving without giving your two weeks notice!
Jesus’ identity as King was not yet revealed, though. Instead, he was known as a preaching doctor who loved to throw parties…for sinners, outcasts, the marginalized.
While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. (Mark 2:15)
Jesus continues to attract crowds, even at dinnertime. But he did not just attract the educated and elite, the righteous and religious. Jesus was a friend of sinners.
The best scholarship seems to suggest Jesus was the host, throwing a party at Levi’s house. Jesus doesn’t just preach to sinners; he befriends them. He loves them. He offends the religious establishment who have rejected these “sinners.”
When we are invited to dinner, the polite thing to do is say…yes. Who doesn’t like a free meal, right? But in the first century, table fellowship implied friendship—even approval. If you and I share a meal together, it tells the world we are close friends. Does Jesus approve of these greedy, dishonest tax collectors and sinners? Doesn’t he care about holiness? It makes sense for Levi to gather with fellow sinners, but why is Jesus present?
When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Mark 2:16)
They’re afraid to ask Jesus! They go to his disciples and criticize him.
Now the Pharisees get a bad rap. It’s deserved, but they were devout. They wanted to honor God by carefully following the Jewish law. They made two mistakes, however. First, they were prideful, also satan’s downfall. Second, they focused on every minute detail of the law without understanding the purpose and spirit of the law. They could no longer see the forest for the trees. They were so concerned about staying clean and pure that they missed opportunities to love their neighbor, to extend forgiveness, and to see reconciliation and repentance. They wanted to exercise control rather than compassion.
But make no mistake, Jesus did not endorse sin.
In John chapter 8, a woman is caught in the act of adultery. A group of Pharisees condemns her. Jesus famously says, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” One by one, the Pharisees walk away, leaving only Jesus and the woman. He says he does not condemn her. He offers grace and compassion. But the story doesn’t end there. He tells her, “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Jesus welcomed sinners. Jesus loved sinners. But because Jesus loved them, he urged them to repent, to turn, to change…not because he doesn’t want them to have fun, but instead because he knows there’s a better way to live.
Sin always leads to death. It might not be instant physical death, but it will kill relationships—with others, with God. Sin will destroy our ability to experience the abundant life Jesus taught and modeled. Greed. Pride. Adultery. Envy. Gossip. The list goes on.
Can people live in sin and survive. Sure! But I’ve discovered following Jesus and his Word are the path to true satisfaction, true peace, and true joy. We need to welcome sinners
We need to welcome sinners, but we also need to encourage them to experience Jesus, grow in their faith, and love God and their neighbor.
David Garland notes,
“to follow Jesus in the full sense of the word requires repentance and obedience. His goal in reaching out to the sick is to bring about healing and transformation in their lives, not to gather them together for a fun time. Instead of sorting people into classifications, holy and unholy, clean and unclean, righteous and sinner, Jesus gathers them under the wings of God’s grace and love.”
It breaks my heart to see people make poor choices. But what shall I do? It depends upon the relationship. If it’s someone I know and love, tolerance might be the most hateful thing I can do, standing by watching them self-destruct. On the other hand, getting in their face about their behavior may cause our relationship to be destroyed. Obviously, this calls for wisdom…and it matters greatly if the person claims to follow Jesus or not.
If you are my brother or sister in Christ, I owe it to you to encourage you to pursue Jesus. This doesn’t mean I point out all of your sins, but it does mean I might love you enough to confront.
This week I received a short e-mail which simply said, “If I'm openly gay, would I be accepted at your church?”
Would they, church?
If they are seeking to know God, I hope and pray we would welcome them with open arms. I replied:
All are welcome at First Alliance Church. We exist to help people know and experience Jesus, our example of what it means to be truly human. I hope to meet you soon.
When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Mark 2:16)
Why was Jesus a friend to tax collectors and sinners?
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17)
We are not a museum for saints. There’s a museum next door if you want a museum!
We are a hospital for sinners. And we’re all sinners! It might get messy. It might get uncomfortable. But the reason we’re still on this planet is because of the mission Dei, the mission of God, to seek and save the lost, to call sinners, to heal the sick, to make disciples, to serve the least of these, to love the unlovable. If all you care about is your own comfort, it’s not Jesus you’re following. Jesus lived to die and that’s what he calls his followers to do—die to ourselves and love and serve others.
You would think after 2000 years we would understand this, but religion persists. Self-righteous people insist on pointing fingers.
Love the sinner, hate the sin? How about love the sinner, hate your own sin?
Brothers and sisters, I can summarize this message in three words. Many Christians have had the attitude the if you behave and believe, you can belong.
Behave – Believe – Belong
We must reverse it. Jesus did! He said you belong. As you are loved and accepted, belief often follows naturally. And don’t miss this: when you believe in Jesus and make him King and LORD, you are also given the Holy Spirit who gives you power to behave. You can’t just change your behavior because someone tells you to do so. You need power. You can’t just walk up to a guy with a brown bag on the streets and say, “Stop drinking” and expect him to never take another drink. He needs power to quit his addiction.
And we’re all addicted to sin of one sort or another.
Belong – Believe - Behave
You belong here. All of you. Everyone. Young or old. Gay or straight. Black or white. Christian or atheist. Citizen or immigrant. Republican or Democrat. You belong here. You were created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth. Jesus died for you. Come as you are.
But we don’t want you to stay that way. Jesus doesn’t want you to stay as you are. He tells all of us to “go and sin no more,” not because he’s a scolding, condemning God but because he knows sin will always harm us. He wants what’s best for us.
You belong here. We would love for you to experience Jesus and believe in him, surrendering your life to him. It’s not that we are trying to manipulate you or sell you anything, but we’ve discovered the source of real life, real peace, real joy and it’s not in religion but it’s in a person, Jesus!
If you welcome Jesus into your life, you will want to change, you will want to follow Him, and you’ll be given the Holy Spirit’s power to do so.
"God judges, the Holy Spirit convicts, we are to love." -Billy Graham
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, and David Garland.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 2:13-17
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: We are to welcome sinners, recognizing we are sinners ourselves.
Good morning saints! Good morning sinners!
My name is Kirk and we’re studying Mark’s biography of The Real Jesus. In chapter 2, he has been baptized, begun his preaching ministry, and done some healings. Word is spreading and while he is attracting crowds, he’s also drawing the envy and wrath of religious leaders. This will be a common theme, so significant the religious leaders will eventually kill him.
Jesus has at least four followers—four fishermen. Now he continues his recruiting trip.
Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. (Mark 2:13-14)
Levi is also likely called Matthew, though it is possible he was not one of the Twelve, making this invitation even more compelling. He works at a toll booth, but it’s not automated like the ones on the Turnpike. These collectors were known for extortion and dishonesty.
Levi likely worked for Herod Antipas. His father’s kingdom was divided among his three sons. Tolls suddenly had to be paid to cross from one part of the old kingdom to another. Levi did not have a popular job!
Jesus comes by, and instead of complaining or swearing at Levi, he says, “Follow me.” What an invitation! Instead of working for a man who thought of himself as king of the Jews, he is invited to follow the true King of the Jews, the Messiah.
Can you imagine someone walks into your office, says, “Follow me,” and you walk out on your job? Levi takes a huge risk in following Jesus. The fishermen can always return to fishing, but a government job? They’re not always available, especially after suddenly leaving without giving your two weeks notice!
Jesus’ identity as King was not yet revealed, though. Instead, he was known as a preaching doctor who loved to throw parties…for sinners, outcasts, the marginalized.
While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. (Mark 2:15)
Jesus continues to attract crowds, even at dinnertime. But he did not just attract the educated and elite, the righteous and religious. Jesus was a friend of sinners.
The best scholarship seems to suggest Jesus was the host, throwing a party at Levi’s house. Jesus doesn’t just preach to sinners; he befriends them. He loves them. He offends the religious establishment who have rejected these “sinners.”
When we are invited to dinner, the polite thing to do is say…yes. Who doesn’t like a free meal, right? But in the first century, table fellowship implied friendship—even approval. If you and I share a meal together, it tells the world we are close friends. Does Jesus approve of these greedy, dishonest tax collectors and sinners? Doesn’t he care about holiness? It makes sense for Levi to gather with fellow sinners, but why is Jesus present?
When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Mark 2:16)
They’re afraid to ask Jesus! They go to his disciples and criticize him.
Now the Pharisees get a bad rap. It’s deserved, but they were devout. They wanted to honor God by carefully following the Jewish law. They made two mistakes, however. First, they were prideful, also satan’s downfall. Second, they focused on every minute detail of the law without understanding the purpose and spirit of the law. They could no longer see the forest for the trees. They were so concerned about staying clean and pure that they missed opportunities to love their neighbor, to extend forgiveness, and to see reconciliation and repentance. They wanted to exercise control rather than compassion.
But make no mistake, Jesus did not endorse sin.
In John chapter 8, a woman is caught in the act of adultery. A group of Pharisees condemns her. Jesus famously says, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” One by one, the Pharisees walk away, leaving only Jesus and the woman. He says he does not condemn her. He offers grace and compassion. But the story doesn’t end there. He tells her, “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Jesus welcomed sinners. Jesus loved sinners. But because Jesus loved them, he urged them to repent, to turn, to change…not because he doesn’t want them to have fun, but instead because he knows there’s a better way to live.
Sin always leads to death. It might not be instant physical death, but it will kill relationships—with others, with God. Sin will destroy our ability to experience the abundant life Jesus taught and modeled. Greed. Pride. Adultery. Envy. Gossip. The list goes on.
Can people live in sin and survive. Sure! But I’ve discovered following Jesus and his Word are the path to true satisfaction, true peace, and true joy. We need to welcome sinners
We need to welcome sinners, but we also need to encourage them to experience Jesus, grow in their faith, and love God and their neighbor.
David Garland notes,
“to follow Jesus in the full sense of the word requires repentance and obedience. His goal in reaching out to the sick is to bring about healing and transformation in their lives, not to gather them together for a fun time. Instead of sorting people into classifications, holy and unholy, clean and unclean, righteous and sinner, Jesus gathers them under the wings of God’s grace and love.”
It breaks my heart to see people make poor choices. But what shall I do? It depends upon the relationship. If it’s someone I know and love, tolerance might be the most hateful thing I can do, standing by watching them self-destruct. On the other hand, getting in their face about their behavior may cause our relationship to be destroyed. Obviously, this calls for wisdom…and it matters greatly if the person claims to follow Jesus or not.
If you are my brother or sister in Christ, I owe it to you to encourage you to pursue Jesus. This doesn’t mean I point out all of your sins, but it does mean I might love you enough to confront.
This week I received a short e-mail which simply said, “If I'm openly gay, would I be accepted at your church?”
Would they, church?
If they are seeking to know God, I hope and pray we would welcome them with open arms. I replied:
All are welcome at First Alliance Church. We exist to help people know and experience Jesus, our example of what it means to be truly human. I hope to meet you soon.
When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Mark 2:16)
Why was Jesus a friend to tax collectors and sinners?
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17)
We are not a museum for saints. There’s a museum next door if you want a museum!
We are a hospital for sinners. And we’re all sinners! It might get messy. It might get uncomfortable. But the reason we’re still on this planet is because of the mission Dei, the mission of God, to seek and save the lost, to call sinners, to heal the sick, to make disciples, to serve the least of these, to love the unlovable. If all you care about is your own comfort, it’s not Jesus you’re following. Jesus lived to die and that’s what he calls his followers to do—die to ourselves and love and serve others.
You would think after 2000 years we would understand this, but religion persists. Self-righteous people insist on pointing fingers.
Love the sinner, hate the sin? How about love the sinner, hate your own sin?
Brothers and sisters, I can summarize this message in three words. Many Christians have had the attitude the if you behave and believe, you can belong.
Behave – Believe – Belong
We must reverse it. Jesus did! He said you belong. As you are loved and accepted, belief often follows naturally. And don’t miss this: when you believe in Jesus and make him King and LORD, you are also given the Holy Spirit who gives you power to behave. You can’t just change your behavior because someone tells you to do so. You need power. You can’t just walk up to a guy with a brown bag on the streets and say, “Stop drinking” and expect him to never take another drink. He needs power to quit his addiction.
And we’re all addicted to sin of one sort or another.
Belong – Believe - Behave
You belong here. All of you. Everyone. Young or old. Gay or straight. Black or white. Christian or atheist. Citizen or immigrant. Republican or Democrat. You belong here. You were created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth. Jesus died for you. Come as you are.
But we don’t want you to stay that way. Jesus doesn’t want you to stay as you are. He tells all of us to “go and sin no more,” not because he’s a scolding, condemning God but because he knows sin will always harm us. He wants what’s best for us.
You belong here. We would love for you to experience Jesus and believe in him, surrendering your life to him. It’s not that we are trying to manipulate you or sell you anything, but we’ve discovered the source of real life, real peace, real joy and it’s not in religion but it’s in a person, Jesus!
If you welcome Jesus into your life, you will want to change, you will want to follow Him, and you’ll be given the Holy Spirit’s power to do so.
"God judges, the Holy Spirit convicts, we are to love." -Billy Graham
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, and David Garland.
Paralytic: Forgiveness & Healing, 4 June 2017
05 06 17
Paralytic: Forgiveness & Healing
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 2:1-12
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Jesus can heal both the physical and spiritual…and we can participate!
A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. (Mark 2:1)
Jesus’ headquarters moved from Nazareth to Capernaum. If you recall, Jesus healed a leper, told him to keep quiet, and instead the healed man told everyone about Jesus. The crowds loved to see physical healing but cared less about the spiritual messages Jesus preached.
Jesus left Capernaum…and later returned to Simon Peter’s house. Most homes had 1-4 rooms so it would’ve gotten crowded quickly.
But wait. Some scholars believe this was probably Jesus’ own house. Have you ever heard that before? That was news to me, and it shifts the story a bit.
They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. (Mark 2:2)
Preaching the Word of God was Jesus’ primary ministry. It is powerful. Whether it was his own house or not, he was obviously trapped. I’ve never been the subject of TV news, fortunately, but we’ve all seen private homes overrun with paparazzi when overly-zealous reporters try to get an exclusive interview. It’s chaos. In this case, it’s not media but people. Jesus is preaching to a crowd that gathered without any press release, billboards, or direct mail invitations. Did they want to hear…or just get healed?
Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:3-5)
Five guys show up, can’t get to Jesus, and take things into their own hands!
It was a thatched roof made of straw, but getting the man on the roof must have been challenging, though many first-century homes had an outside staircase leading to a flat roof made of sod and branches.
How would you feel if someone put a whole in your roof? Jesus says, “All right, I forgive you!” Of course, this was a deeper forgiveness than just necessitating a home improvement project! But if it is Jesus’ house, it makes his forgiveness a bit more interesting, don’t you think?
Whose faith? The faith of the men. Their faith led to the man’s sins being forgiven? It’s not their faith that saved him but their faith led to the man meeting Jesus.
Our city is filled with sick people—physically, emotionally, spiritually, relationally. We need stretcher bearers, people who will bring people in to hear the gospel.
Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mark 2:6-7)
Only priests could declare forgiveness, speaking in the name of God. Of course, if that’s what his friends were seeking, they would’ve taken him to the temple in Jerusalem, not to a guy preaching in a home.
Mark tells us what they were thinking. Only God can forgive sins. They’re right about that, but Jesus is not blaspheming. He’s God. He came to earth to provide salvation. Isaiah the prophet had said the Messiah would forgive sins, restore the broken hearted, and bring healing to the lame (chapters 29; 35; 61).
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners, (Isaiah 61:1)
Today’s story is a micro version of the entire gospel of Mark: Jesus teaches, heals, is condemned for blasphemy, and vindicated.
Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? (Mark 2:8)
He knew what they were thinking. They were speechless!
Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? (Mark 2:9)
Only God can do either one! Jesus will do both.
But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” (Mark 2:10)
This is the first time in Mark where Jesus refers to himself as “the Son of Man.” This is the key sentence in today’s text. Daniel 7 said “one like a son of man” would be the representative of God’s true people. He would be opposed by evil, vindicated and rescued by God, proved right, and given authority to dispense God’s judgment.
“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13-14)
Jesus has authority, even the authority to forgive sins.
Mark 2:10 also points to Jesus’ answer to Caiaphas in chapter fourteen:
Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
“I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:61-62)
Jesus declares himself to be the Son of Man. He also forgives, the most powerful thing in the world.
So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” (Mark 2:11)
The paralyzed man obeys. Incredible!
He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” (Mark 2:12)
I love how this story ends with people praising God.
So What?
We are called to be stretcher-bearers for others. The man had great friends!
The greatest healing is spiritual, not physical. Even healed bodies will eventually decay, but the soul is eternal. Jesus addressed the paralyzed man’s spiritual brokenness before addressing his body.
God is not done healing souls. He offers forgiveness for all of your sins. All of them!
God is not done healing bodies. His timing is perfect, even when it is slower than ours.
Jesus can heal both the physical and spiritual…and we can participate!
We can receive forgiveness and healing.
We can proclaim forgiveness and healing.
We can bring people to Jesus for forgiveness and healing.
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 2:1-12
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Jesus can heal both the physical and spiritual…and we can participate!
A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. (Mark 2:1)
Jesus’ headquarters moved from Nazareth to Capernaum. If you recall, Jesus healed a leper, told him to keep quiet, and instead the healed man told everyone about Jesus. The crowds loved to see physical healing but cared less about the spiritual messages Jesus preached.
Jesus left Capernaum…and later returned to Simon Peter’s house. Most homes had 1-4 rooms so it would’ve gotten crowded quickly.
But wait. Some scholars believe this was probably Jesus’ own house. Have you ever heard that before? That was news to me, and it shifts the story a bit.
They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. (Mark 2:2)
Preaching the Word of God was Jesus’ primary ministry. It is powerful. Whether it was his own house or not, he was obviously trapped. I’ve never been the subject of TV news, fortunately, but we’ve all seen private homes overrun with paparazzi when overly-zealous reporters try to get an exclusive interview. It’s chaos. In this case, it’s not media but people. Jesus is preaching to a crowd that gathered without any press release, billboards, or direct mail invitations. Did they want to hear…or just get healed?
Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:3-5)
Five guys show up, can’t get to Jesus, and take things into their own hands!
It was a thatched roof made of straw, but getting the man on the roof must have been challenging, though many first-century homes had an outside staircase leading to a flat roof made of sod and branches.
How would you feel if someone put a whole in your roof? Jesus says, “All right, I forgive you!” Of course, this was a deeper forgiveness than just necessitating a home improvement project! But if it is Jesus’ house, it makes his forgiveness a bit more interesting, don’t you think?
Whose faith? The faith of the men. Their faith led to the man’s sins being forgiven? It’s not their faith that saved him but their faith led to the man meeting Jesus.
Our city is filled with sick people—physically, emotionally, spiritually, relationally. We need stretcher bearers, people who will bring people in to hear the gospel.
Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mark 2:6-7)
Only priests could declare forgiveness, speaking in the name of God. Of course, if that’s what his friends were seeking, they would’ve taken him to the temple in Jerusalem, not to a guy preaching in a home.
Mark tells us what they were thinking. Only God can forgive sins. They’re right about that, but Jesus is not blaspheming. He’s God. He came to earth to provide salvation. Isaiah the prophet had said the Messiah would forgive sins, restore the broken hearted, and bring healing to the lame (chapters 29; 35; 61).
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners, (Isaiah 61:1)
Today’s story is a micro version of the entire gospel of Mark: Jesus teaches, heals, is condemned for blasphemy, and vindicated.
Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? (Mark 2:8)
He knew what they were thinking. They were speechless!
Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? (Mark 2:9)
Only God can do either one! Jesus will do both.
But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” (Mark 2:10)
This is the first time in Mark where Jesus refers to himself as “the Son of Man.” This is the key sentence in today’s text. Daniel 7 said “one like a son of man” would be the representative of God’s true people. He would be opposed by evil, vindicated and rescued by God, proved right, and given authority to dispense God’s judgment.
“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13-14)
Jesus has authority, even the authority to forgive sins.
Mark 2:10 also points to Jesus’ answer to Caiaphas in chapter fourteen:
Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
“I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:61-62)
Jesus declares himself to be the Son of Man. He also forgives, the most powerful thing in the world.
So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” (Mark 2:11)
The paralyzed man obeys. Incredible!
He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” (Mark 2:12)
I love how this story ends with people praising God.
So What?
We are called to be stretcher-bearers for others. The man had great friends!
The greatest healing is spiritual, not physical. Even healed bodies will eventually decay, but the soul is eternal. Jesus addressed the paralyzed man’s spiritual brokenness before addressing his body.
God is not done healing souls. He offers forgiveness for all of your sins. All of them!
God is not done healing bodies. His timing is perfect, even when it is slower than ours.
Jesus can heal both the physical and spiritual…and we can participate!
We can receive forgiveness and healing.
We can proclaim forgiveness and healing.
We can bring people to Jesus for forgiveness and healing.
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
Ministry: Private & Public, 28 May 2017
28 05 17
Ministry: Private & Public
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 1:35-45
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Jesus used his private time to prepare for his public ministry.
Today we’re continuing our series on The Real Jesus based upon Mark’s biography of the Messiah. His gospel—or good news—is short and sweet. In the final verses of chapter one, we see aspects of Jesus’ private and public life and ministry.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35)
Note this is the morning after a busy Sabbath! The day before he was healing, preaching, and exorcising demons.
Again, I love Mark’s details in the midst of his headlines. It wasn’t just morning, it wasn’t just early morning, it wasn’t just very early morning, it was very early in the morning while it was still dark! So Jesus seeks solitude before everyone awakes to pray. The Greek word for “solitary” (eremos) is used to speak of the wilderness, the place where the Jews wandered for forty years, where John the Baptist was calling people to repentance, and where Jesus was tempted.
God uses the wilderness. It’s not a comfortable place, but it is in those bleak and hopeless places in our lives that God does some of His best work.
This isn’t a desert, but it is deserted. It is a great place for Jesus to pray. Why did Jesus pray? The same reason we pray…to talk with the Father. To submit. To listen. To be filled with the Holy Spirit.
I believe Jesus sets an example for us to follow. Some of you saw the movie War Room. Jesus didn’t have a dedicated place, but he sacrificed sleep to surrender, to be with the Father.
Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” (Mark 1:36-37)
I’m guessing they did not get up early and look for Jesus in the dark. It’s even more unlikely that the crowds were looking for Jesus very early in the morning. Jesus devoted serious time to prayer, most likely several hours. Based upon the text, Jesus has four followers at this point. They aren’t even called disciples yet, but mere companions. They aren’t listening to Jesus, they frantically talking to him. The original Greek conveys the idea that they were hunting for Jesus. I can just hear them. “There you are! The crowds are looking for you! Come on! You can pray later!”
Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons. (Mark 1:38-39)
Jesus is a man on the run…or walk! He tells them he came to preach, which he does…and drives out demons. He didn’t come to heal, he came to preach. Healing gave him credibility and authority, but it wasn’t his primary purpose. He came to call people to repentance, to change, to follow him. He didn’t come to do magic tricks. He came to preach. This is the last time Jesus’ preaching is mentioned in the gospel of Mark. He will later send the twelve apostles to “proclaim” or “preach” the message.
What did he preach? We saw a few weeks ago in verse 15:
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15)
Returning to verse 38…
Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons. (Mark 1:38-39)
Jesus has little success in his hometown of Nazareth or here in Capernaum. Later in Matthew’s gospel Jesus will denounce Capernaum.
And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. (Matthew 11:23)
Yikes! So Jesus and the four fishermen travel, preach, and drive out demons.
A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” (Mark 1:40)
He doesn’t ask to be physically healed, but rather to be made clean, a spiritual and social change. This word “leprosy” was used for as many as 72 different skin conditions. I made the mistake—or not—of doing a Google Image search for “leper.” It was so shocking and tragic. Here’s what the law prescribed for lepers:
“Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp. (Leviticus 13:45-46)
In several Old Testament stories, people were punished by God with leprosy, so imagine what people thought of lepers.
- They were physically sick
- They were considered unclean, unholy
- They had to live alone and stay 50 paces away from others
Both the medical disease and the spiritual impurity were considered contagious. Lepers couldn’t work so they had to beg. It was catastrophic in many ways—physical, spiritual, social, financial. The man asks to be clean rather than healed because social and spiritual restoration mattered more than his physical body.
Lepers were untouchables…literally. Can you image never being touched by another human?
Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. (Mark 1:41-42)
Obviously, the man got within 50 paces of Jesus since Jesus touched him. That touch must have been incredible! Anyone in sight would’ve thought Jesus was crazy to contaminate himself with a leper. Instead, Jesus transmits wholeness and holiness to the leper. He has authority. He has power. And he has given it to us through the Holy Spirit.
Why was Jesus indignant and angry? Some translations say he was moved with compassion, others that he was filled with pity. Compassion makes the most logical sense, but if he was actually angry, it probably wasn’t because the man broke the 50-pace barrier. Anger doesn’t seem to fit the interruption. Most scholars suggest he was angry at the evil forces who claimed the leper as their victim. That would be holy, righteous anger. We need to be angry at sin, at injustice, at evil.
Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” (Mark 1:43-44)
Jesus sends the leper away. The word to describe Jesus’ strong warning is used to describe a horse snorting! He is serious! Perhaps he risked attracting people who only wanted to see magic tricks rather than listen to his preaching.
Was this reverse psychology on the part of Jesus? Keep your healing a secret. Is that even fair?! People aren’t going to notice the leper is healed? But Jesus seems to be saying to the man, “Don’t blow my cover!”
The priest was to determine whether or not a person had leprosy and whether they were cured. I’m grateful that’s not in my job description! You can read more about the treatment of lepers in Leviticus 13 and 14. The cleaning is an eight-day process with sacrifices. Of course, without the priest’s approval, the man cannot re-enter society.
Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. (Mark 1:45)
He disobeyed Jesus’ strong warning! He proclaims the news. The publicity leads to audiences rather than congregations, fans rather than followers. Donovan notes four ironies:
1) A disobedient man is one of the first to preach the good news about Jesus
2) Jesus’ popular hurts rather than helps his ministry
3) The leper begins outside of society and is restored to it. Jesus begins in public and has to live outside. The two men trade places!
4) Jesus’ power to heal becomes the reason he cannot move about
But he didn’t have to move. The people came to him!
So What?
I want to end by going back to the beginning. Before Jesus heals the leper, he spent time alone with God.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35)
This is where he sacrificed. This is where he prepared. This is where he worked.
This week is the beginning of the NBA Finals. For the first time in NBA history, the same teams—Cleveland and Golden State—will face each other for the third year in a row. Millions will watch the marquis matchups including LeBron James and Stephen Curry. The players will give their all for 60 minutes. But the real work is done before the games. In the weight room. During practice. Making good choices at mealtime. In mental preparation.
NBA players don’t spend every day lounging around watching Netflix, drive to the arena, play for an hour, and then go to bed and do it all the next day. They train. Most of the work is done off the court.
This is true for Jesus. He didn’t just show up for work, preach and heal. He prepared when no one was looking. His private life made his public life possible.
Many want to play in the NBA, but few are willing to do the hard work off the court to be ready at game time.
Many want to do miracles, but few are willing to do the hard work on their knees to be ready.
What about you? How committed are you to following Jesus? What have you sacrificed? Sleep? Time? Money? Energy? Dreams?
Are you willing to pay the price to radically follow Jesus…or are you just a fan?
N.T. Wright writes,
As we Christians pray today, especially when this prayer is costly and sacrificial, not merely a perfunctory few minutes now and then, the presence of this same Jesus is promised, by his Spirit, to guide and encourage us. Part of this guidance will be the discernment to know when to speak and when to be silent, when what we are called to do should be kept secret and when it should be celebrated publicly. Sometimes, in some countries and in certain situations, some Christians will know, in prayer, that it is better not to attract too much attention to themselves. This isn’t cowardice; it’s wisdom. But if, as in Jesus’ case, word leaks out anyway, we can remain confident, especially through prayer, that this same Jesus is with us as we face the cost of being kingdom-people, bringing the news and power of Jesus’ healing love to the world.
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is our country’s most hallowed and somber holiday. It’s not a day to honor our military—that’s veteran’s day—but to remember those who paid the ultimate price to defend our freedom. I’m grateful for their sacrifice and would like to pause for a moment of silence to remember them.
I’m also grateful for the true heroes of the faith—men, women and children who paid the ultimate price to follow Jesus. History is filled with martyrs. You can learn about them at www.persecution.com.
The Center for the Study of Global Christianity estimates 90,000 Christians were murdered for their faith last year. That’s like filling 5/3 Field nine times! At least 29 died Friday in Egypt, including children.
What would possess a person to die for their faith? Passion, commitment, and quality time with God in prayer. I freely admit I’m a spiritual wimp. I need more quality time with the LORD…not because I’m a pastor, but because I claim to follow Jesus. That requires action. It involves preparation. It necessitates sacrifice.
Conclusion
As we continue to look at the life of Jesus, it’s easy to be awed by his miracles and teachings. But his public ministry was only possible because of his private preparation. He invites us to follow his example.
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, and Richard Niell Donovan.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 1:35-45
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Jesus used his private time to prepare for his public ministry.
Today we’re continuing our series on The Real Jesus based upon Mark’s biography of the Messiah. His gospel—or good news—is short and sweet. In the final verses of chapter one, we see aspects of Jesus’ private and public life and ministry.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35)
Note this is the morning after a busy Sabbath! The day before he was healing, preaching, and exorcising demons.
Again, I love Mark’s details in the midst of his headlines. It wasn’t just morning, it wasn’t just early morning, it wasn’t just very early morning, it was very early in the morning while it was still dark! So Jesus seeks solitude before everyone awakes to pray. The Greek word for “solitary” (eremos) is used to speak of the wilderness, the place where the Jews wandered for forty years, where John the Baptist was calling people to repentance, and where Jesus was tempted.
God uses the wilderness. It’s not a comfortable place, but it is in those bleak and hopeless places in our lives that God does some of His best work.
This isn’t a desert, but it is deserted. It is a great place for Jesus to pray. Why did Jesus pray? The same reason we pray…to talk with the Father. To submit. To listen. To be filled with the Holy Spirit.
I believe Jesus sets an example for us to follow. Some of you saw the movie War Room. Jesus didn’t have a dedicated place, but he sacrificed sleep to surrender, to be with the Father.
Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” (Mark 1:36-37)
I’m guessing they did not get up early and look for Jesus in the dark. It’s even more unlikely that the crowds were looking for Jesus very early in the morning. Jesus devoted serious time to prayer, most likely several hours. Based upon the text, Jesus has four followers at this point. They aren’t even called disciples yet, but mere companions. They aren’t listening to Jesus, they frantically talking to him. The original Greek conveys the idea that they were hunting for Jesus. I can just hear them. “There you are! The crowds are looking for you! Come on! You can pray later!”
Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons. (Mark 1:38-39)
Jesus is a man on the run…or walk! He tells them he came to preach, which he does…and drives out demons. He didn’t come to heal, he came to preach. Healing gave him credibility and authority, but it wasn’t his primary purpose. He came to call people to repentance, to change, to follow him. He didn’t come to do magic tricks. He came to preach. This is the last time Jesus’ preaching is mentioned in the gospel of Mark. He will later send the twelve apostles to “proclaim” or “preach” the message.
What did he preach? We saw a few weeks ago in verse 15:
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15)
Returning to verse 38…
Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons. (Mark 1:38-39)
Jesus has little success in his hometown of Nazareth or here in Capernaum. Later in Matthew’s gospel Jesus will denounce Capernaum.
And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. (Matthew 11:23)
Yikes! So Jesus and the four fishermen travel, preach, and drive out demons.
A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” (Mark 1:40)
He doesn’t ask to be physically healed, but rather to be made clean, a spiritual and social change. This word “leprosy” was used for as many as 72 different skin conditions. I made the mistake—or not—of doing a Google Image search for “leper.” It was so shocking and tragic. Here’s what the law prescribed for lepers:
“Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp. (Leviticus 13:45-46)
In several Old Testament stories, people were punished by God with leprosy, so imagine what people thought of lepers.
- They were physically sick
- They were considered unclean, unholy
- They had to live alone and stay 50 paces away from others
Both the medical disease and the spiritual impurity were considered contagious. Lepers couldn’t work so they had to beg. It was catastrophic in many ways—physical, spiritual, social, financial. The man asks to be clean rather than healed because social and spiritual restoration mattered more than his physical body.
Lepers were untouchables…literally. Can you image never being touched by another human?
Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. (Mark 1:41-42)
Obviously, the man got within 50 paces of Jesus since Jesus touched him. That touch must have been incredible! Anyone in sight would’ve thought Jesus was crazy to contaminate himself with a leper. Instead, Jesus transmits wholeness and holiness to the leper. He has authority. He has power. And he has given it to us through the Holy Spirit.
Why was Jesus indignant and angry? Some translations say he was moved with compassion, others that he was filled with pity. Compassion makes the most logical sense, but if he was actually angry, it probably wasn’t because the man broke the 50-pace barrier. Anger doesn’t seem to fit the interruption. Most scholars suggest he was angry at the evil forces who claimed the leper as their victim. That would be holy, righteous anger. We need to be angry at sin, at injustice, at evil.
Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” (Mark 1:43-44)
Jesus sends the leper away. The word to describe Jesus’ strong warning is used to describe a horse snorting! He is serious! Perhaps he risked attracting people who only wanted to see magic tricks rather than listen to his preaching.
Was this reverse psychology on the part of Jesus? Keep your healing a secret. Is that even fair?! People aren’t going to notice the leper is healed? But Jesus seems to be saying to the man, “Don’t blow my cover!”
The priest was to determine whether or not a person had leprosy and whether they were cured. I’m grateful that’s not in my job description! You can read more about the treatment of lepers in Leviticus 13 and 14. The cleaning is an eight-day process with sacrifices. Of course, without the priest’s approval, the man cannot re-enter society.
Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. (Mark 1:45)
He disobeyed Jesus’ strong warning! He proclaims the news. The publicity leads to audiences rather than congregations, fans rather than followers. Donovan notes four ironies:
1) A disobedient man is one of the first to preach the good news about Jesus
2) Jesus’ popular hurts rather than helps his ministry
3) The leper begins outside of society and is restored to it. Jesus begins in public and has to live outside. The two men trade places!
4) Jesus’ power to heal becomes the reason he cannot move about
But he didn’t have to move. The people came to him!
So What?
I want to end by going back to the beginning. Before Jesus heals the leper, he spent time alone with God.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35)
This is where he sacrificed. This is where he prepared. This is where he worked.
This week is the beginning of the NBA Finals. For the first time in NBA history, the same teams—Cleveland and Golden State—will face each other for the third year in a row. Millions will watch the marquis matchups including LeBron James and Stephen Curry. The players will give their all for 60 minutes. But the real work is done before the games. In the weight room. During practice. Making good choices at mealtime. In mental preparation.
NBA players don’t spend every day lounging around watching Netflix, drive to the arena, play for an hour, and then go to bed and do it all the next day. They train. Most of the work is done off the court.
This is true for Jesus. He didn’t just show up for work, preach and heal. He prepared when no one was looking. His private life made his public life possible.
Many want to play in the NBA, but few are willing to do the hard work off the court to be ready at game time.
Many want to do miracles, but few are willing to do the hard work on their knees to be ready.
What about you? How committed are you to following Jesus? What have you sacrificed? Sleep? Time? Money? Energy? Dreams?
Are you willing to pay the price to radically follow Jesus…or are you just a fan?
N.T. Wright writes,
As we Christians pray today, especially when this prayer is costly and sacrificial, not merely a perfunctory few minutes now and then, the presence of this same Jesus is promised, by his Spirit, to guide and encourage us. Part of this guidance will be the discernment to know when to speak and when to be silent, when what we are called to do should be kept secret and when it should be celebrated publicly. Sometimes, in some countries and in certain situations, some Christians will know, in prayer, that it is better not to attract too much attention to themselves. This isn’t cowardice; it’s wisdom. But if, as in Jesus’ case, word leaks out anyway, we can remain confident, especially through prayer, that this same Jesus is with us as we face the cost of being kingdom-people, bringing the news and power of Jesus’ healing love to the world.
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is our country’s most hallowed and somber holiday. It’s not a day to honor our military—that’s veteran’s day—but to remember those who paid the ultimate price to defend our freedom. I’m grateful for their sacrifice and would like to pause for a moment of silence to remember them.
I’m also grateful for the true heroes of the faith—men, women and children who paid the ultimate price to follow Jesus. History is filled with martyrs. You can learn about them at www.persecution.com.
The Center for the Study of Global Christianity estimates 90,000 Christians were murdered for their faith last year. That’s like filling 5/3 Field nine times! At least 29 died Friday in Egypt, including children.
What would possess a person to die for their faith? Passion, commitment, and quality time with God in prayer. I freely admit I’m a spiritual wimp. I need more quality time with the LORD…not because I’m a pastor, but because I claim to follow Jesus. That requires action. It involves preparation. It necessitates sacrifice.
Conclusion
As we continue to look at the life of Jesus, it’s easy to be awed by his miracles and teachings. But his public ministry was only possible because of his private preparation. He invites us to follow his example.
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, and Richard Niell Donovan.
Supernatural: Exorcism & Healings
21 05 17
Supernatural: Exorcism & Healings
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 1:21-34
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: The supernatural world is real, and so is the Holy Spirit.
Who is Jesus? This is the question we’re asking in our series on the gospel—or good news—of Mark.
In the first verse of the book we see Jesus introduced as the Messiah and Son of God. Then we examined John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin who prepared the way for His arrival. Next we discussed Jesus’ preparation for public ministry through baptism and temptation. Last week we looked at an invitation from Jesus, an invitation He is still making to us thousands of years later, to follow him.
I want to make a brief addendum to last week’s message.
I’ve become frustrated by those who communicate the gospel is about praying a prayer to avoid hell and go to heaven when you die.
The gospel is Jesus. The gospel is Jesus is LORD. Christ is not his last name. He is the Jesus the Messiah. He is King Jesus.
I mentioned John 3:16.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NIV)
I listened to Scot McKnight’s Kingdom Roots Podcast last week and he did a fascinating interview with Matthew Bates, author of Salvation by Allegiance (KR 51).
The question is, “Who are you believing in?”
If Jesus is Savior, then faith means trust in his saving work or trust in him who can save
If Jesus is LORD, then faith means submit or to bow down to
If Jesus is King, then faith means a declaration of allegiance and loyalty to serve that king and to serve in that king’s army
What does it mean when you say you believe in Jesus? You believe in the historical figure and that he died and rose again…or he is your LORD and King and you submit to him and declare your allegiance to serve him?
Remember, believing that there is a God is no big deal. Even the demons believe that, we’re told in James 2:19!
We are to submit, serve, and declare our allegiance to King Jesus.
The Supernatural. Does it excite you? Does it scare you? Why? In our passage for today, we get a front-row seat to see the authority and power of Jesus.
He has just asked two pairs of brothers to follow him.
They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. (Mark 1:21)
What did he teach? We’re not sure. How did teach? With authority! With power!
The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. (Mark 1:22)
This is Mark’s first hint that Jesus will face opposition—opposition that will claim his life. He would be crucified because of the envy of religious leaders.
Mark continues…
Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1:23-24)
He was possessed by an impure spirit. What do we make of this? A man cries out in the synagogue, identifies Jesus, speaks in the plural, and is obviously threatened. The “us” is a reference to all the demonic forces. This wouldn’t be the last time Jesus would have conflict with demons.
I’ve preached hundreds of sermons. I’ve been interrupted, but never like this!
Mark clearly shows us the world of the supernatural is real. And it submits to Jesus.
“Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. (Mark 1:25-26)
What is this? The people asked the same thing!
The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. (Mark 1:27-28)
Many of you have read this story, but imagine you know nothing about Jesus, you attend synagogue, his teaching amazes you, and then he exorcises an impure spirit before your very eyes.
No wonder news traveled fast about Jesus…and they didn’t even have CNN! This was the first miracle Mark mentions. Jesus had authority and backed it up with power. But there’s more!
As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. (Mark 1:29-31)
Jesus heals the Peter’s wife’s mother. Notice we don’t even know her name, but she has a fever—which was actually a very big deal back then, more than a symptom but a serious condition. Notice Mark’s details. Jesus goes to her, takes her hand, helps her out of bed, and it says the fever left her. Did he pray? Exactly when did the fever leave her? When he touched her? When she stood up? We don’t know.
We do know she went straight to the kitchen, made a batch of chocolate chip cookies, and served them with glasses of cold milk. Ok, we don’t have those details, but Jesus actually benefits in small way from healing her. I’m sure that wasn’t his motivation, of course.
Jesus teaches with authority.
Jesus casts out impure spirits with authority.
Jesus heals with authority.
What a day! And he wasn’t done.
That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. (Mark 1:32-34)
If you were with Jesus and didn’t believe in the supernatural in the morning, you surely did by the time you went to bed.
The demons knew Jesus. Do they know you?
So What?
I know some of you are looking for simple answers and resolve everything. I’ve got to be honest and say this text actually raises several questions for me.
Why are exorcisms common in the New Testament and we rarely see or hear about them today, unless it’s Halloween? Where did all the demons go? No, mental illness is not a sure sign of demons.
Should we be performing exorcisms? I actually participate in one in college. It was low-key but very cool. I would love for our church to do whatever it takes to help people experience joy, freedom, peace, and life. If that means exorcisms, let’s do it—carefully. The supernatural is not something you mess around with, but it is a reality we must accept an experience. We have been given authority from Jesus. We often forget the beginning of the famous Great Commission text:
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:18-20)
Why doesn’t God heal today? Oh wait, he does! There is power in the name of Jesus.
Conclusion
Jesus had authority and power. All authority—in heaven and on earth! The exciting news is he said it was good that he ascended so the Holy Spirit to come. In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit arrived! Jesus said,
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
The supernatural world is real. We can engage it, but we must do so wisely. Demons are real and powerful. But God is greater. The Holy Spirit is available to each of you, but you must surrender. You must repent and believe, as we noted last Sunday. You must let go and let God…be your Lord and King.
Jesus had power and authority. We have been given authority. Let’s use it…wisely.
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, and David Garland.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 1:21-34
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: The supernatural world is real, and so is the Holy Spirit.
Who is Jesus? This is the question we’re asking in our series on the gospel—or good news—of Mark.
In the first verse of the book we see Jesus introduced as the Messiah and Son of God. Then we examined John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin who prepared the way for His arrival. Next we discussed Jesus’ preparation for public ministry through baptism and temptation. Last week we looked at an invitation from Jesus, an invitation He is still making to us thousands of years later, to follow him.
I want to make a brief addendum to last week’s message.
I’ve become frustrated by those who communicate the gospel is about praying a prayer to avoid hell and go to heaven when you die.
The gospel is Jesus. The gospel is Jesus is LORD. Christ is not his last name. He is the Jesus the Messiah. He is King Jesus.
I mentioned John 3:16.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NIV)
I listened to Scot McKnight’s Kingdom Roots Podcast last week and he did a fascinating interview with Matthew Bates, author of Salvation by Allegiance (KR 51).
The question is, “Who are you believing in?”
If Jesus is Savior, then faith means trust in his saving work or trust in him who can save
If Jesus is LORD, then faith means submit or to bow down to
If Jesus is King, then faith means a declaration of allegiance and loyalty to serve that king and to serve in that king’s army
What does it mean when you say you believe in Jesus? You believe in the historical figure and that he died and rose again…or he is your LORD and King and you submit to him and declare your allegiance to serve him?
Remember, believing that there is a God is no big deal. Even the demons believe that, we’re told in James 2:19!
We are to submit, serve, and declare our allegiance to King Jesus.
The Supernatural. Does it excite you? Does it scare you? Why? In our passage for today, we get a front-row seat to see the authority and power of Jesus.
He has just asked two pairs of brothers to follow him.
They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. (Mark 1:21)
What did he teach? We’re not sure. How did teach? With authority! With power!
The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. (Mark 1:22)
This is Mark’s first hint that Jesus will face opposition—opposition that will claim his life. He would be crucified because of the envy of religious leaders.
Mark continues…
Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1:23-24)
He was possessed by an impure spirit. What do we make of this? A man cries out in the synagogue, identifies Jesus, speaks in the plural, and is obviously threatened. The “us” is a reference to all the demonic forces. This wouldn’t be the last time Jesus would have conflict with demons.
I’ve preached hundreds of sermons. I’ve been interrupted, but never like this!
Mark clearly shows us the world of the supernatural is real. And it submits to Jesus.
“Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. (Mark 1:25-26)
What is this? The people asked the same thing!
The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. (Mark 1:27-28)
Many of you have read this story, but imagine you know nothing about Jesus, you attend synagogue, his teaching amazes you, and then he exorcises an impure spirit before your very eyes.
No wonder news traveled fast about Jesus…and they didn’t even have CNN! This was the first miracle Mark mentions. Jesus had authority and backed it up with power. But there’s more!
As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. (Mark 1:29-31)
Jesus heals the Peter’s wife’s mother. Notice we don’t even know her name, but she has a fever—which was actually a very big deal back then, more than a symptom but a serious condition. Notice Mark’s details. Jesus goes to her, takes her hand, helps her out of bed, and it says the fever left her. Did he pray? Exactly when did the fever leave her? When he touched her? When she stood up? We don’t know.
We do know she went straight to the kitchen, made a batch of chocolate chip cookies, and served them with glasses of cold milk. Ok, we don’t have those details, but Jesus actually benefits in small way from healing her. I’m sure that wasn’t his motivation, of course.
Jesus teaches with authority.
Jesus casts out impure spirits with authority.
Jesus heals with authority.
What a day! And he wasn’t done.
That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. (Mark 1:32-34)
If you were with Jesus and didn’t believe in the supernatural in the morning, you surely did by the time you went to bed.
The demons knew Jesus. Do they know you?
So What?
I know some of you are looking for simple answers and resolve everything. I’ve got to be honest and say this text actually raises several questions for me.
Why are exorcisms common in the New Testament and we rarely see or hear about them today, unless it’s Halloween? Where did all the demons go? No, mental illness is not a sure sign of demons.
Should we be performing exorcisms? I actually participate in one in college. It was low-key but very cool. I would love for our church to do whatever it takes to help people experience joy, freedom, peace, and life. If that means exorcisms, let’s do it—carefully. The supernatural is not something you mess around with, but it is a reality we must accept an experience. We have been given authority from Jesus. We often forget the beginning of the famous Great Commission text:
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:18-20)
Why doesn’t God heal today? Oh wait, he does! There is power in the name of Jesus.
Conclusion
Jesus had authority and power. All authority—in heaven and on earth! The exciting news is he said it was good that he ascended so the Holy Spirit to come. In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit arrived! Jesus said,
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
The supernatural world is real. We can engage it, but we must do so wisely. Demons are real and powerful. But God is greater. The Holy Spirit is available to each of you, but you must surrender. You must repent and believe, as we noted last Sunday. You must let go and let God…be your Lord and King.
Jesus had power and authority. We have been given authority. Let’s use it…wisely.
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, and David Garland.
Invitation: Repent & Believe, 14 May 2017
14 05 17
Invitation: Repent & Believe
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 1:14-20
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Jesus invites us to repent, believe, and follow Him.
Invitation
What’s the greatest invitation you’ve ever received?
It’s usually nice to receive an invitation, though some are better than others. My Facebook account is often filled with invitations from people I barely know for events I know next to nothing about. Contrast that with an elegant, “snail-mail” wedding invitation. Yes, some people still use paper!
Often we don’t know what we’re getting ourselves into when we accept an invitation. Agreeing to stand up in that wedding means I have to shell out a hundred bucks for a tuxedo rental? Joining that board requires ten hours a week of volunteer team outside of the monthly meetings? Taking the job involves several weeks a year of travel? Marrying that person means…?!?!?!
We’re in the middle of a series from the gospel or “good news” of Mark in our pursuit of knowing “The Real Jesus.” In the first verse of the book we see Jesus introduced as the Messiah and Son of God. Then we examined John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin who prepared the way for His arrival. Last week we discussed Jesus’ preparation for public ministry through baptism and temptation. Today we look at an invitation from Jesus, an invitation He is still making to us thousands of years later.
After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. (Mark 1:14)
Mark is our “headline” gospel. He gets right to the point. John’s in prison. Jesus is in Galilee.
Why was John put in prison? See John 1:19-4:54.
What is the good news of God? It’s the gospel. What’s the gospel? In a word, Jesus. In three words, Jesus is LORD.
The gospel is not you’re bad, Jesus is good, He died, pray a prayer, and go to heaven when you die. That might be a part of the gospel, but the gospel is so much more than life after death.
It’s about life before death.
It’s about faith, hope and love.
It’s about loving God and neighbor.
It’s about knowing and being known by your Creator.
It’s about being a part of an eternal family.
It’s about coming home.
Can I preach for just a moment?
There are too many people loved by God that don’t know it because they aren’t being loved by us.
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15)
This verse summarizes the teaching of Jesus. God’s kingdom is near. What is the kingdom of God? This was the focus of Jesus’ proclamation. It wasn’t about dying and going to heaven, it was about heaven coming down to earth, heaven kissing earth, God’s kingdom coming near. First-century Jews would have understood the kingdom of God to mean “the day of the Lord.”
To enter the kingdom, we must repent and believe. This is easier said than done. It means laying down our lives and picking up the cross.
Repent is from the Greek metanoia. Like metamorphisis, it means to change…one’s mind. Repent is not about condemnation or shame, just a change of mind and heart that results in a change of behavior and lifestyle. All of our actions begin in our mind. Repent means to change, to do a 180. It’s not optional for followers of Jesus. We are to turn from our selfish, sinful ways and turn to God’s generous, perfect ways.
Repentance does not mean we change. It simply means to change one’s mind. Then the fun begins!
Jesus said repent and believe.
The most famous verse in the Bible is…John 3:16. It says
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NIV)
The Greek word for believe is “pisteuo.” The English translation, believe, frustrates me because many “believe” if they agree with the historical notion Jesus died and rose again they are, therefore, going to heaven when they die and can continue in their sinful, God-dishonoring ways. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Believe is a verb. The noun form means faith. Believe means to commit or to trust. That’s action. In this context it means to trust in Jesus, to commit to the charge of Jesus. It means to surrender and follow Jesus. Here’s how one writer put it:
It is the act whereby a person lays hold of God's resources, becomes obedient to what He has prescribed and putting aside all self interest and self-reliance, trusts Him completely. It is an unqualified surrender of the whole of one's being in dependence upon Him. It is wholly trusting and relying upon Him for all things. It is not just mental assent to the facts and realities of truth, it must come from a deep inner conviction.
Believing that there is a God is no big deal. Even the demons believe that, we’re told in James 2:19!
This kind of belief is trust. Surrender. Dying to yourself and becoming a new creation, resurrected with Jesus. This is the image of baptism we’ll all witness shortly.
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15)
Repent and believe.
Turn and follow.
This is how we change to become like Jesus.
This is how we grow in our faith.
This is discipleship.
People have wrongly said repentance is about changing your outer behavior and belief is something that is inward and private. Jesus says to transform the inside first and then the outside follows.
I want to introduce you to the Learning Circle, one of the most valuable tools I’ve encountered in following Jesus.
LifeShape: circle video, https://vimeo.com/101761387
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15)
The Learning Circle is based upon this verse. We can’t change alone. We need others to help us observe, reflect, and act as we repent. We need others to help us plan, account, and act in order to truly become like Jesus.
The Learning Circle shows us:
•what it means to live a lifestyle of learning as a disciple of Christ;
•how to recognize important events as opportunities for growth; and
•how to process these events.
The Learning Circle—which is just a tool you can use with others—is based on two questions:
What is God saying to me? (This will help change the inner parts of me)
What am I going to do about it? (The inner change has to produce an action)
Now we turn to two sets of brothers who chose to repent and believe.
As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. (Mark 1:16-18)
The gospel of John tells us this is not their first encounter with Jesus. Notice He didn’t say join a cult or help Him start a religion. He offered an invitation of relationship. They responded. He didn’t say, “Follow God.” He said, “Follow me,” which was the same thing.
These brothers are fishermen. They were not religious scholars, gifted speakers, or special leaders. They were ordinary people like you and me. They may have been to poor to afford a boat, casting their nets from shore. Jesus does not call the qualified. He qualifies the called. His invitation is simple: follow Me.
When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. (Mark 1:19-20)
Simon and Andrew were fishing brothers. James and John were, too.
They left their nets. They left their boat. They even left their father to follow Jesus.
What do you need to leave behind to follow Jesus? What will it cost you?
Following Jesus…
It’s more than a prayer you pray.
It’s more than knowledge you believe.
It’s more than sin you avoid.
It requires trust and action.
What is God saying to you?
What are you going to do about it?
Credits: some ideas from Mike Breen, NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, and David Garland.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 1:14-20
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Jesus invites us to repent, believe, and follow Him.
Invitation
What’s the greatest invitation you’ve ever received?
- - Attend a birthday party
- - Sit with someone in the school cafeteria
- - Join a sports team
- - Participate on a ministry team
- - Graduation celebration
- - Wedding proposal
- - Job opportunity
It’s usually nice to receive an invitation, though some are better than others. My Facebook account is often filled with invitations from people I barely know for events I know next to nothing about. Contrast that with an elegant, “snail-mail” wedding invitation. Yes, some people still use paper!
Often we don’t know what we’re getting ourselves into when we accept an invitation. Agreeing to stand up in that wedding means I have to shell out a hundred bucks for a tuxedo rental? Joining that board requires ten hours a week of volunteer team outside of the monthly meetings? Taking the job involves several weeks a year of travel? Marrying that person means…?!?!?!
We’re in the middle of a series from the gospel or “good news” of Mark in our pursuit of knowing “The Real Jesus.” In the first verse of the book we see Jesus introduced as the Messiah and Son of God. Then we examined John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin who prepared the way for His arrival. Last week we discussed Jesus’ preparation for public ministry through baptism and temptation. Today we look at an invitation from Jesus, an invitation He is still making to us thousands of years later.
After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. (Mark 1:14)
Mark is our “headline” gospel. He gets right to the point. John’s in prison. Jesus is in Galilee.
Why was John put in prison? See John 1:19-4:54.
What is the good news of God? It’s the gospel. What’s the gospel? In a word, Jesus. In three words, Jesus is LORD.
The gospel is not you’re bad, Jesus is good, He died, pray a prayer, and go to heaven when you die. That might be a part of the gospel, but the gospel is so much more than life after death.
It’s about life before death.
It’s about faith, hope and love.
It’s about loving God and neighbor.
It’s about knowing and being known by your Creator.
It’s about being a part of an eternal family.
It’s about coming home.
Can I preach for just a moment?
There are too many people loved by God that don’t know it because they aren’t being loved by us.
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15)
This verse summarizes the teaching of Jesus. God’s kingdom is near. What is the kingdom of God? This was the focus of Jesus’ proclamation. It wasn’t about dying and going to heaven, it was about heaven coming down to earth, heaven kissing earth, God’s kingdom coming near. First-century Jews would have understood the kingdom of God to mean “the day of the Lord.”
To enter the kingdom, we must repent and believe. This is easier said than done. It means laying down our lives and picking up the cross.
Repent is from the Greek metanoia. Like metamorphisis, it means to change…one’s mind. Repent is not about condemnation or shame, just a change of mind and heart that results in a change of behavior and lifestyle. All of our actions begin in our mind. Repent means to change, to do a 180. It’s not optional for followers of Jesus. We are to turn from our selfish, sinful ways and turn to God’s generous, perfect ways.
Repentance does not mean we change. It simply means to change one’s mind. Then the fun begins!
Jesus said repent and believe.
The most famous verse in the Bible is…John 3:16. It says
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NIV)
The Greek word for believe is “pisteuo.” The English translation, believe, frustrates me because many “believe” if they agree with the historical notion Jesus died and rose again they are, therefore, going to heaven when they die and can continue in their sinful, God-dishonoring ways. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Believe is a verb. The noun form means faith. Believe means to commit or to trust. That’s action. In this context it means to trust in Jesus, to commit to the charge of Jesus. It means to surrender and follow Jesus. Here’s how one writer put it:
It is the act whereby a person lays hold of God's resources, becomes obedient to what He has prescribed and putting aside all self interest and self-reliance, trusts Him completely. It is an unqualified surrender of the whole of one's being in dependence upon Him. It is wholly trusting and relying upon Him for all things. It is not just mental assent to the facts and realities of truth, it must come from a deep inner conviction.
Believing that there is a God is no big deal. Even the demons believe that, we’re told in James 2:19!
This kind of belief is trust. Surrender. Dying to yourself and becoming a new creation, resurrected with Jesus. This is the image of baptism we’ll all witness shortly.
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15)
Repent and believe.
Turn and follow.
This is how we change to become like Jesus.
This is how we grow in our faith.
This is discipleship.
People have wrongly said repentance is about changing your outer behavior and belief is something that is inward and private. Jesus says to transform the inside first and then the outside follows.
I want to introduce you to the Learning Circle, one of the most valuable tools I’ve encountered in following Jesus.
LifeShape: circle video, https://vimeo.com/101761387
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15)
The Learning Circle is based upon this verse. We can’t change alone. We need others to help us observe, reflect, and act as we repent. We need others to help us plan, account, and act in order to truly become like Jesus.
The Learning Circle shows us:
•what it means to live a lifestyle of learning as a disciple of Christ;
•how to recognize important events as opportunities for growth; and
•how to process these events.
The Learning Circle—which is just a tool you can use with others—is based on two questions:
What is God saying to me? (This will help change the inner parts of me)
What am I going to do about it? (The inner change has to produce an action)
Now we turn to two sets of brothers who chose to repent and believe.
As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. (Mark 1:16-18)
The gospel of John tells us this is not their first encounter with Jesus. Notice He didn’t say join a cult or help Him start a religion. He offered an invitation of relationship. They responded. He didn’t say, “Follow God.” He said, “Follow me,” which was the same thing.
These brothers are fishermen. They were not religious scholars, gifted speakers, or special leaders. They were ordinary people like you and me. They may have been to poor to afford a boat, casting their nets from shore. Jesus does not call the qualified. He qualifies the called. His invitation is simple: follow Me.
When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. (Mark 1:19-20)
Simon and Andrew were fishing brothers. James and John were, too.
They left their nets. They left their boat. They even left their father to follow Jesus.
What do you need to leave behind to follow Jesus? What will it cost you?
Following Jesus…
It’s more than a prayer you pray.
It’s more than knowledge you believe.
It’s more than sin you avoid.
It requires trust and action.
What is God saying to you?
What are you going to do about it?
Credits: some ideas from Mike Breen, NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, and David Garland.
Preparation: Baptism & Temptation, 7 May 2017
08 05 17
Preparation: Baptism & Temptation
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus\
Mark 1:9-13
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Baptism and temptation prepared Jesus for the ministry that would follow.
Preparation
One of the most rewarding parts of my childhood was Boy Scouts. As a scout, I learned about nature, how to tie knots, rappelling, wilderness survival, and so much more. The Boy Scout motto is short yet powerful: Be prepared.
Preparation. It’s one key to success in life. Anything worth doing is probably worth preparation which is why doctors devote more than a decade of their lives to education before performing their first surgery. It’s why an athlete will train for four years before entering Olympic competition. Legendary basketball coach John Wooden famously said, “When the opportunity arises, it is too late to prepare.”
What kind of preparation would be necessary to revolutionize the world? No human has had a greater impact on our planet than Jesus Christ did in the three years of His public ministry. We know almost nothing about the first three decades of His life, but Mark tells us about two significant events in Jesus’ preparation—baptism and temptation. And it leads to one truth that will blow your mind!
We’re in week three of an extensive series on The Real Jesus based upon the gospel or good news of Mark. This biography of Christ is short and sweet, the headlines, so to speak, of the life of Jesus.
In week one, we saw Jesus as the Messiah, the fulfillment of hundreds of prophecies, the Son of God, one of three Persons of the Holy Trinity, yet fully human.
Last Sunday we looked at the messenger, John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin who prepared the way for Christ. Today we see Jesus encountering John—and satan.
At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. (Mark 1:9)
John Mark, the writer of Mark, finally brings Jesus to the stage. His message is short and sweet. Jesus comes from an obscure village in Galilee and gets baptized.
Last week we said baptism had several possible purposes in the first century. It was used for cleansing the body, publicly demonstrating one’s faith, or perhaps symbolically purifying one as they turn away from their sins. It can also represent turning toward God, not just away from evil.
Baptism doesn’t remove sin. Jesus had no sin to remove. John had been baptizing in the Jordan River in the wilderness drawing crowds from the countryside and the city of Jerusalem, preparing the way for Jesus of Nazareth who finally arrives in Mark’s narrative, baptized by His cousin, John.
Today, baptism is a ceremony we do for people who want to go public with their faith in Jesus. They enter the water and are dunked in what is symbolically a water grave, dying to their own selfish will and desires before emerging out of the water resurrected as a new creation, seeking to devote their lives to following Jesus.
Jesus is dunked by John, and the original Greek clearly puts John in the background. The spotlight is on Jesus.
Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. (Mark 1:10)
Notice the details here. First, Jesus saw heaven being torn or ripped open as He was coming out of the water. The verb for “torn open” will be used again by Mark when he describes the temple veil being torn in two from the top to the bottom. What is opened can be closed, but what is torn is more permanent. Both episodes give us a glimpse into God’s kingdom. Remember, heaven is where God is. In the Bible, it often means God’s dimension behind ordinary reality. All heaven breaks loose when Jesus is baptized! The hope of Isaiah has come to pass: “Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you” (Isaiah 64:1).
The Holy Spirit is then introduced, descending on Jesus “like” a dove. Can you think of any doves in the Bible? One brought an olive branch after the flood (Genesis 8). This doesn’t say a dove landed on Jesus, though. It says the Spirit descended on like a dove. It is as if the Spirit came upon Jesus, perhaps entering Him. We clearly see God the Son and God the Spirit together. The same Spirit that hovered over the waters at the beginning of creation in Genesis 1 now descends on Jesus as a sign that new creation has begun.
The dove never came back: he was looking for some place to land. He tried to land on Noah, but Noah got drunk. He tried to land on Abraham…Moses…David…Solomon…Isaiah…Jeremiah…landed on Jesus.
And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:11)
The voice of God the Father is heard. It will later be heard at the transfiguration when He says, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to Him! (Mark 9:7). As one might expect, Jesus’ baptism was special. Heaven was torn open, the Holy Spirit came on Him like a dove, and the Father spoke, announcing Jesus as His Son.
The Trinity
One of the great mysteries of the Christian faith is the Trinity, one God in three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They exist in community.
When we say, “God is love,” it’s not abstract. God is the community of love. The Father, Son, and Spirit interact as one. God rooted God’s communal identity in the core of our being as humans. We were made by community, for community. (Ruth Padilla Deborst)
I can’t emphasize this enough— we struggle in our individualistic culture to understand and appreciate the community of love that is the Trinity.
Artists have long depicted the Trinity with visual art. Some see a dismembered relationship between the three Persons while others see Them as a family, a community, relating to one another (Rublev).
(art examples)
How do we understand one God in three Persons? It is a mystery. No metaphor is adequate to describe God, but I like to think about an egg. The yolk, whites, and shell are all equally egg, yet distinct. We pray to the Father in the Name of the Son by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Modalism
There is a sect of Christianity which denies the Trinity. It’s called modalism. They believe in one God in one Person who changes modes, one moment being the Father and then shifting to become the Son and then suddenly appearing as the Holy Spirit. I can’t begin to tell you how troubling this belief can be, especially when considering this text. How can God be in the water, in heaven, and a dove at the same time? Although the word “trinity” does not appear in the English translations of the Bible, the concept is vivid, especially here. It’s why we sang, “Holy, Holy, Holy” last week instead of “Holy.”
The doctrine or belief in the Trinity is a beautiful picture of community, cooperation, and complementary collaboration.
John the Baptist introduces Jesus.
The Father identifies Him.
The temptation will initiate Him.
Temptation
At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. (Mark 1:12-13)
There’s no mention of a baptism celebration, but rather the Holy Spirit sends Jesus into the wilderness for forty days. That’s a long time, friends. The wilderness is a harsh, rocky desert region. The wilderness was a place of testing for the people of Israel, and they often failed. Jesus never fails.
Forty is a special number in the Bible. It rained forty days and forty nights during the great flood (Genesis 7:12). The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Moses spent forty days and nights on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 24:18; 34:28). Elijah spent forty days and nights journeying to Mt. Horeb (1 Kings 19:8).
Jesus has been prepared for ministry by baptism and now it’s time for testing, for a face to face encounter with satan. Have you ever encountered satan? I doubt it. He has bigger fish to fry than you and me, I believe. He does, however, have an army of demons—fallen angels—who tempt and wreak havoc on our lives and world. The Greek word peirazo can mean tempt or test. In Hebrew, satan means adversary or enemy.
And what about the wild animals? Some see them as satan’s allies in contrast to the angels that attend to Jesus. Some see an allusion to Psalm 91:11-13.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent. (Psalm 91:11-13)
I like animals, but not necessarily “wild” animals. They don’t usually make good pets!
Matthew and Luke tell us more about the temptation but Mark simply gives us an image of Jesus and satan, angels and wild animals, good and evil. It will be a constant theme in the book…and all of human history.
Jesus has been baptized and tested. He’s prepared and next week we’ll see Jesus’ ministry begin.
One More Thing
Occasionally I come across as reading so profound it’s not worth paraphrasing; it simply needs to be read. Listen to N.T. Wright:
It happens all the time, in families, businesses, all over. Many children grow up in our world who have never had a father say to them (either in words, in looks, or in hugs), ‘You are my dear child’, let alone, ‘I’m pleased with you.’ In the Western world, even those fathers who think this in their hearts are often too tongue-tied or embarrassed to tell their children how delighted they are with them. Many, alas, go by the completely opposite route: angry voices, bitter rejection, the slamming of doors.
The whole Christian gospel could be summed up in this point: that when the living God looks at us, at every baptized and believing Christian, he says to us what he said to Jesus on that day. He sees us, not as we are in ourselves, but as we are in Jesus Christ. It sometimes seems impossible, especially to people who have never had this kind of support from their earthly parents, but it’s true: God looks at us, and says, ‘You are my dear, dear child; I’m delighted with you.’ Try reading that sentence slowly, with your own name at the start, and reflect quietly on God saying that to you, both at your baptism and every day since.
How does this come about? It will take the whole story, particularly Jesus’ death and resurrection, to explain. But this is what the Christian gospel is all about.
It is true for one simple but very profound reason: Jesus is the Messiah, and the Messiah represents his people. What is true of him is true of them. The word ‘Messiah’ means ‘the anointed one’; and this story tells how Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit, marked out as God’s son. The Messiah is called ‘God’s son’ in a few biblical passages, including the one that the heavenly voice seems to be echoing here (Psalm 2.7). Though the early Christians realized quite quickly that Jesus was God’s son in an even deeper sense, they clung on to his messiahship for dear life. It was because Jesus was and is Messiah that God said to them, as he does to us today, what he said to Jesus at his baptism. And without that word from God all we often hear, in our mind’s ear, is doors being slammed.
- N.T. Wright, Mark for Everyone (The New Testament for Everyone) Westminster John Knox Press; bold are my highlights
Your Team
How can that be? Let me tell you a story about two men named Chris—Coghlan and Bryant. Last fall, they both played for the Chicago Cubs who finally won the World Series. Kris Bryant is arguably the best player on the team. He hit two home runs during the World Series and was the National League’s Most Valuable Player. Chris Coghlan batted three times in the World Series, struck out twice, and never made it to first base. There’s a tradition in baseball where every player on the championship team gets a diamond-covered ring worth tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Every player gets the same ring, whether they are superstars or bench-warmers.
That’s how I like to think about what it means for us to be “in Christ,” a phrase used more than a dozen times in the book of Ephesians to describe followers of Jesus. We are on His team, we wear His uniform. The Chicago Cubs are World Champions which means every player on the team is equally a World Champion. When we are in Christ, everything the Father says about Jesus He says about us.
Author Bob Goff said, "On the day of your worst screw-up, Jesus sees you and still calls you 'Beloved'!"
That’s good news, friends. That’s great news!
His baptism and temptation were preparation for a greater test…and a greater victory. Today is a great day to reflect upon your own journey, your own baptism if you’ve followed Jesus’ command to go public with your faith, something you can do next Sunday if you haven’t. It’s a great day to reflect upon your own temptations—those you overcame and those tests you failed. Jesus’ body was pierced and broken on the cross, His blood was poured out to offer forgiveness of your sins; past, present, and future. Hallelujah! Because of Jesus, the Father says, “You are my dear, dear child; I’m delighted with you."
Credits: some ideas from Matt Carter (Austin Stone Community Church), Warren Wiersbe, NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus\
Mark 1:9-13
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Baptism and temptation prepared Jesus for the ministry that would follow.
Preparation
One of the most rewarding parts of my childhood was Boy Scouts. As a scout, I learned about nature, how to tie knots, rappelling, wilderness survival, and so much more. The Boy Scout motto is short yet powerful: Be prepared.
Preparation. It’s one key to success in life. Anything worth doing is probably worth preparation which is why doctors devote more than a decade of their lives to education before performing their first surgery. It’s why an athlete will train for four years before entering Olympic competition. Legendary basketball coach John Wooden famously said, “When the opportunity arises, it is too late to prepare.”
What kind of preparation would be necessary to revolutionize the world? No human has had a greater impact on our planet than Jesus Christ did in the three years of His public ministry. We know almost nothing about the first three decades of His life, but Mark tells us about two significant events in Jesus’ preparation—baptism and temptation. And it leads to one truth that will blow your mind!
We’re in week three of an extensive series on The Real Jesus based upon the gospel or good news of Mark. This biography of Christ is short and sweet, the headlines, so to speak, of the life of Jesus.
In week one, we saw Jesus as the Messiah, the fulfillment of hundreds of prophecies, the Son of God, one of three Persons of the Holy Trinity, yet fully human.
Last Sunday we looked at the messenger, John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin who prepared the way for Christ. Today we see Jesus encountering John—and satan.
At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. (Mark 1:9)
John Mark, the writer of Mark, finally brings Jesus to the stage. His message is short and sweet. Jesus comes from an obscure village in Galilee and gets baptized.
Last week we said baptism had several possible purposes in the first century. It was used for cleansing the body, publicly demonstrating one’s faith, or perhaps symbolically purifying one as they turn away from their sins. It can also represent turning toward God, not just away from evil.
Baptism doesn’t remove sin. Jesus had no sin to remove. John had been baptizing in the Jordan River in the wilderness drawing crowds from the countryside and the city of Jerusalem, preparing the way for Jesus of Nazareth who finally arrives in Mark’s narrative, baptized by His cousin, John.
Today, baptism is a ceremony we do for people who want to go public with their faith in Jesus. They enter the water and are dunked in what is symbolically a water grave, dying to their own selfish will and desires before emerging out of the water resurrected as a new creation, seeking to devote their lives to following Jesus.
Jesus is dunked by John, and the original Greek clearly puts John in the background. The spotlight is on Jesus.
Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. (Mark 1:10)
Notice the details here. First, Jesus saw heaven being torn or ripped open as He was coming out of the water. The verb for “torn open” will be used again by Mark when he describes the temple veil being torn in two from the top to the bottom. What is opened can be closed, but what is torn is more permanent. Both episodes give us a glimpse into God’s kingdom. Remember, heaven is where God is. In the Bible, it often means God’s dimension behind ordinary reality. All heaven breaks loose when Jesus is baptized! The hope of Isaiah has come to pass: “Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you” (Isaiah 64:1).
The Holy Spirit is then introduced, descending on Jesus “like” a dove. Can you think of any doves in the Bible? One brought an olive branch after the flood (Genesis 8). This doesn’t say a dove landed on Jesus, though. It says the Spirit descended on like a dove. It is as if the Spirit came upon Jesus, perhaps entering Him. We clearly see God the Son and God the Spirit together. The same Spirit that hovered over the waters at the beginning of creation in Genesis 1 now descends on Jesus as a sign that new creation has begun.
The dove never came back: he was looking for some place to land. He tried to land on Noah, but Noah got drunk. He tried to land on Abraham…Moses…David…Solomon…Isaiah…Jeremiah…landed on Jesus.
And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:11)
The voice of God the Father is heard. It will later be heard at the transfiguration when He says, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to Him! (Mark 9:7). As one might expect, Jesus’ baptism was special. Heaven was torn open, the Holy Spirit came on Him like a dove, and the Father spoke, announcing Jesus as His Son.
The Trinity
One of the great mysteries of the Christian faith is the Trinity, one God in three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They exist in community.
When we say, “God is love,” it’s not abstract. God is the community of love. The Father, Son, and Spirit interact as one. God rooted God’s communal identity in the core of our being as humans. We were made by community, for community. (Ruth Padilla Deborst)
I can’t emphasize this enough— we struggle in our individualistic culture to understand and appreciate the community of love that is the Trinity.
Artists have long depicted the Trinity with visual art. Some see a dismembered relationship between the three Persons while others see Them as a family, a community, relating to one another (Rublev).
(art examples)
How do we understand one God in three Persons? It is a mystery. No metaphor is adequate to describe God, but I like to think about an egg. The yolk, whites, and shell are all equally egg, yet distinct. We pray to the Father in the Name of the Son by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Modalism
There is a sect of Christianity which denies the Trinity. It’s called modalism. They believe in one God in one Person who changes modes, one moment being the Father and then shifting to become the Son and then suddenly appearing as the Holy Spirit. I can’t begin to tell you how troubling this belief can be, especially when considering this text. How can God be in the water, in heaven, and a dove at the same time? Although the word “trinity” does not appear in the English translations of the Bible, the concept is vivid, especially here. It’s why we sang, “Holy, Holy, Holy” last week instead of “Holy.”
The doctrine or belief in the Trinity is a beautiful picture of community, cooperation, and complementary collaboration.
John the Baptist introduces Jesus.
The Father identifies Him.
The temptation will initiate Him.
Temptation
At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. (Mark 1:12-13)
There’s no mention of a baptism celebration, but rather the Holy Spirit sends Jesus into the wilderness for forty days. That’s a long time, friends. The wilderness is a harsh, rocky desert region. The wilderness was a place of testing for the people of Israel, and they often failed. Jesus never fails.
Forty is a special number in the Bible. It rained forty days and forty nights during the great flood (Genesis 7:12). The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Moses spent forty days and nights on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 24:18; 34:28). Elijah spent forty days and nights journeying to Mt. Horeb (1 Kings 19:8).
Jesus has been prepared for ministry by baptism and now it’s time for testing, for a face to face encounter with satan. Have you ever encountered satan? I doubt it. He has bigger fish to fry than you and me, I believe. He does, however, have an army of demons—fallen angels—who tempt and wreak havoc on our lives and world. The Greek word peirazo can mean tempt or test. In Hebrew, satan means adversary or enemy.
And what about the wild animals? Some see them as satan’s allies in contrast to the angels that attend to Jesus. Some see an allusion to Psalm 91:11-13.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent. (Psalm 91:11-13)
I like animals, but not necessarily “wild” animals. They don’t usually make good pets!
Matthew and Luke tell us more about the temptation but Mark simply gives us an image of Jesus and satan, angels and wild animals, good and evil. It will be a constant theme in the book…and all of human history.
Jesus has been baptized and tested. He’s prepared and next week we’ll see Jesus’ ministry begin.
One More Thing
Occasionally I come across as reading so profound it’s not worth paraphrasing; it simply needs to be read. Listen to N.T. Wright:
It happens all the time, in families, businesses, all over. Many children grow up in our world who have never had a father say to them (either in words, in looks, or in hugs), ‘You are my dear child’, let alone, ‘I’m pleased with you.’ In the Western world, even those fathers who think this in their hearts are often too tongue-tied or embarrassed to tell their children how delighted they are with them. Many, alas, go by the completely opposite route: angry voices, bitter rejection, the slamming of doors.
The whole Christian gospel could be summed up in this point: that when the living God looks at us, at every baptized and believing Christian, he says to us what he said to Jesus on that day. He sees us, not as we are in ourselves, but as we are in Jesus Christ. It sometimes seems impossible, especially to people who have never had this kind of support from their earthly parents, but it’s true: God looks at us, and says, ‘You are my dear, dear child; I’m delighted with you.’ Try reading that sentence slowly, with your own name at the start, and reflect quietly on God saying that to you, both at your baptism and every day since.
How does this come about? It will take the whole story, particularly Jesus’ death and resurrection, to explain. But this is what the Christian gospel is all about.
It is true for one simple but very profound reason: Jesus is the Messiah, and the Messiah represents his people. What is true of him is true of them. The word ‘Messiah’ means ‘the anointed one’; and this story tells how Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit, marked out as God’s son. The Messiah is called ‘God’s son’ in a few biblical passages, including the one that the heavenly voice seems to be echoing here (Psalm 2.7). Though the early Christians realized quite quickly that Jesus was God’s son in an even deeper sense, they clung on to his messiahship for dear life. It was because Jesus was and is Messiah that God said to them, as he does to us today, what he said to Jesus at his baptism. And without that word from God all we often hear, in our mind’s ear, is doors being slammed.
- N.T. Wright, Mark for Everyone (The New Testament for Everyone) Westminster John Knox Press; bold are my highlights
Your Team
How can that be? Let me tell you a story about two men named Chris—Coghlan and Bryant. Last fall, they both played for the Chicago Cubs who finally won the World Series. Kris Bryant is arguably the best player on the team. He hit two home runs during the World Series and was the National League’s Most Valuable Player. Chris Coghlan batted three times in the World Series, struck out twice, and never made it to first base. There’s a tradition in baseball where every player on the championship team gets a diamond-covered ring worth tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Every player gets the same ring, whether they are superstars or bench-warmers.
That’s how I like to think about what it means for us to be “in Christ,” a phrase used more than a dozen times in the book of Ephesians to describe followers of Jesus. We are on His team, we wear His uniform. The Chicago Cubs are World Champions which means every player on the team is equally a World Champion. When we are in Christ, everything the Father says about Jesus He says about us.
Author Bob Goff said, "On the day of your worst screw-up, Jesus sees you and still calls you 'Beloved'!"
That’s good news, friends. That’s great news!
His baptism and temptation were preparation for a greater test…and a greater victory. Today is a great day to reflect upon your own journey, your own baptism if you’ve followed Jesus’ command to go public with your faith, something you can do next Sunday if you haven’t. It’s a great day to reflect upon your own temptations—those you overcame and those tests you failed. Jesus’ body was pierced and broken on the cross, His blood was poured out to offer forgiveness of your sins; past, present, and future. Hallelujah! Because of Jesus, the Father says, “You are my dear, dear child; I’m delighted with you."
Credits: some ideas from Matt Carter (Austin Stone Community Church), Warren Wiersbe, NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
Messenger: John the Baptist, 30 April 2017
02 05 17
Messenger: John the Baptist
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 1:1-8
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: John prepared the way for Jesus’ coming…and so can we.
Holy Spirit
Last night I returned from the Missio Alliance conference near Washington DC. It was a great opportunity to connect with new and old friends, hear from world-renown theologians, and be reminded of the most misunderstood member of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.
If you are a follower of Jesus, you were given the Holy Spirit. God dwells within you. What an amazing reality, one we often forget. I have much to say at a later date about the Holy Spirit, but for now I simply want to welcome and acknowledge the Spirit’s presence here.
Would you please take a moment of silence and pray, inviting the Holy Spirit to open your heart to the Word of God and to give me words to speak?
Introduction
Many years ago, I heard about this new rock group that allegedly had one or more Christians in it named Bourgeois Tagg. They were the opening act for singer Robert Palmer’s concert at Pine Knob, now DTE Music Theatre in metro Detroit. Some friends of mine asked if I wanted to go to the show, not to see the headliner, but to check out the opening act. We all liked their performance, and before I knew it we were backstage meeting the band! It was surreal for a teenager to be backstage with rock stars! They were excited to have fans thousands of miles from their Sacramento home. It was a memorable night for all of us.
Over the years I’ve spent enough time talking with touring musicians to know being an opening act can be a tough gig. You usually stand between the fans and the headliner. It can be great exposure for a new artist, but it can also be a struggle.
Have you ever been an opening act? Maybe you played on the junior varsity team before the varsity team took the court or field. Perhaps you introduced a keynote speaker at a big event, aware that people did not come to see you!
Today we’re going to look at Jesus’ opening act, his cousin John.
Messengers
In Jesus’ day, a messenger would precede the arrival of any important person. Today, the media lets us know if a rock star, celebrity, or politician is coming to town. Imagine a world without the Internet, TV, radio, or even newspapers. Messengers would ensure the roads were in good repair (good luck in Toledo!), make arrangements for food and lodging, and announce the arrival of the dignitary. This is what John did for Jesus.
Last week we looked at the first verse of the book of Mark in our quest to discover the real Jesus. Charles Carter told me if we take one verse each week we’ll be studying the book for more than ten years! Today we’ll tackle seven more verses, but first, let’s review verse one:
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, (Mark 1:1)
Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God. He is God. Jesus is 100% and 100% human. This book is the gospel—or good news—of Mark. Jesus is the gospel. The gospel is Jesus is LORD.
The comma at the end of the verse is not a typo. The sentence continues in verse 2:
as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way” —
“a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’ ” (Mark 1:2-3)
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, one of the reasons I trust Jesus is the hundreds of prophecies he fulfilled. This is actually a collection of three different Old Testament books—Exodus (23:20), Malachi (3:1), and Isaiah (40:3). These writings said hundreds of years before the birth of Christ a messenger would come before Jesus. John the Baptist is that messenger.
And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 1:4)
Were there baptism before Christian baptism? Yes!
In first-century Judaism, people would cleanse themselves according to the book of Leviticus when they were impure from things such as touching a leper or a corpse. Later, when Gentiles converted to Judaism, the meaning of baptism was extended as a sign of the covenant given to Abraham.
This does not fully explain John’s “baptism of repentance.” One group at Qumran, the people known for creating the Dead Sea scrolls, believed a person could not become clean if they disobeyed God’s commandments. Their manual stated,
"For it is through the spirit of God's true counsel concerning the ways of man that all his sins be expiated, and when his flesh is sprinkled with purifying water, it shall be made clean by the humble submission of his soul to all the precepts of God."
To enter their community, one would need to “go into the wilderness to prepare there the way of Him; as it is written, ‘Prepare in the wilderness the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a path for our God.” The wilderness is key in Jewish history, the place where they were tested, where they rebelled against God, and where they sinned and repented.
John preached repentance, urging people to turn away from their sins. To repent is to turn away, to do a 180. The Greek word is “metanoia” and means a change of mind or direction. John was preaching of the need for people to change, to get off the throne of their lives and surrender to God. He was obviously very effective.
The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. (Mark 1:5)
People traveled to see this preacher. It had been more than 300 years since a prophet was active in Israel. They were convicted of their sins, confessed them, and were immersed in water, in the Jordan River.
Water is a powerful image throughout the Bible. It begins at creation, as God separates the waters from the earth. It covers the earth during the days of Noah. God miraculously parts the sea through Moses, allowing the people to walk on dry ground with water on either side. Huge crowds of people (the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem; not literally, of course!) were visiting John. He must’ve been quite popular. As opening acts go, he was developing his own fan base, perhaps partly because of his appearance.
John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. (Mark 1:6)
Just think about that for a moment! Notice the detail. Mark’s gospel is the shortest of the four, a book of headlines. When you vivid descriptions, don’t miss them. John is quite the fashion statement! There’s more than meets the eye. This description is similar to that of Elijah (2 Kings 1:8). His unusual diet was part of the prophetic tradition. Locusts were kosher. But remember, he had a greater mission, to prepare the way of the LORD. He was a messenger.
It’s interesting to note there were other messengers announcing Jesus’ arrival. Old Testament prophets predicted it. The angel Gabriel told Mary. Now John is the messenger.
Let’s not forget John had a messenger, too. The angel Gabriel first appeared to John’s father, Zechariah, to announce his birth. This was a big deal since John’s parents were elderly, surprised, and somewhat doubtful about having a son. We have messengers all over the stories of John and his six-month younger cousin, Jesus.
And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. Mark 1:7
John knows he’s just the opening act. He’s preparing the way. He’s getting people ready for the coming of the Messiah. Despite his popularity as the first prophet in 300 years, he humbly acknowledges his role as messenger and the arrival of someone much greater.
I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:8)
Baptize means to immerse, to overwhelm, to submerge. This is what the Holy Spirit wants to do in our lives. As John prepares the way for Jesus, Jesus prepares the way for the Holy Spirit. Before He ascended into heaven, Jesus said
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)
Have you ever wished Jesus was here? Me too! Jesus said it was good for Him to leave, though, to allow the Holy Spirit to fill us—all of us. Do you trust Jesus? He prepared the way for the Holy Spirit, a wonderful gift available to all of us who surrender to the Spirit.
Now catch this! Jesus said
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
I want to give you an assignment for this series. As we go through the book of Mark, think about what it would mean for us to do what Jesus is doing in the text.
Let’s review:
Gabriel announces the births of John and Jesus
John prepares the way for Jesus first coming
Jesus prepares the way for the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit fills us.
We are invited to prepare the way for Jesus’ second coming
We are called to be messengers. We are to prepare the way for the return of the King. We are to announce His arrival.
I know the idea of being a messenger for Jesus may sound scary or weird. What do we do, go door-to-door and tell everyone to get ready for Jesus? That’s one way to do it! Perhaps another way is to stop, be still, ask the Holy Spirit to give you the name of a person, pray for them, and ask the Spirit for an opportunity to talk with them about Jesus. Here are a few simple starter questions:
Do you believe in God? Why or why not?
Who is Jesus?
Who is Jesus to you?
Where are you at on your spiritual journey?
When have you felt the most loved?
When it comes to proclaiming the truth of Jesus, it should never feel forced. We’re not sales people for Jesus, getting others to sign up for church membership or fire insurance. We’ve been given the Holy Spirit to guide us, to lead us, to allow us to re-present God in word and deed to our world. It’s not about us. We’re just the opening act. We’re only the messengers preparing the way for the coming of the King of kings, Jesus Christ. We are privileged to let the whole world see our risen King!
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 1:1-8
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: John prepared the way for Jesus’ coming…and so can we.
Holy Spirit
Last night I returned from the Missio Alliance conference near Washington DC. It was a great opportunity to connect with new and old friends, hear from world-renown theologians, and be reminded of the most misunderstood member of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.
If you are a follower of Jesus, you were given the Holy Spirit. God dwells within you. What an amazing reality, one we often forget. I have much to say at a later date about the Holy Spirit, but for now I simply want to welcome and acknowledge the Spirit’s presence here.
Would you please take a moment of silence and pray, inviting the Holy Spirit to open your heart to the Word of God and to give me words to speak?
Introduction
Many years ago, I heard about this new rock group that allegedly had one or more Christians in it named Bourgeois Tagg. They were the opening act for singer Robert Palmer’s concert at Pine Knob, now DTE Music Theatre in metro Detroit. Some friends of mine asked if I wanted to go to the show, not to see the headliner, but to check out the opening act. We all liked their performance, and before I knew it we were backstage meeting the band! It was surreal for a teenager to be backstage with rock stars! They were excited to have fans thousands of miles from their Sacramento home. It was a memorable night for all of us.
Over the years I’ve spent enough time talking with touring musicians to know being an opening act can be a tough gig. You usually stand between the fans and the headliner. It can be great exposure for a new artist, but it can also be a struggle.
Have you ever been an opening act? Maybe you played on the junior varsity team before the varsity team took the court or field. Perhaps you introduced a keynote speaker at a big event, aware that people did not come to see you!
Today we’re going to look at Jesus’ opening act, his cousin John.
Messengers
In Jesus’ day, a messenger would precede the arrival of any important person. Today, the media lets us know if a rock star, celebrity, or politician is coming to town. Imagine a world without the Internet, TV, radio, or even newspapers. Messengers would ensure the roads were in good repair (good luck in Toledo!), make arrangements for food and lodging, and announce the arrival of the dignitary. This is what John did for Jesus.
Last week we looked at the first verse of the book of Mark in our quest to discover the real Jesus. Charles Carter told me if we take one verse each week we’ll be studying the book for more than ten years! Today we’ll tackle seven more verses, but first, let’s review verse one:
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, (Mark 1:1)
Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God. He is God. Jesus is 100% and 100% human. This book is the gospel—or good news—of Mark. Jesus is the gospel. The gospel is Jesus is LORD.
The comma at the end of the verse is not a typo. The sentence continues in verse 2:
as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way” —
“a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’ ” (Mark 1:2-3)
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, one of the reasons I trust Jesus is the hundreds of prophecies he fulfilled. This is actually a collection of three different Old Testament books—Exodus (23:20), Malachi (3:1), and Isaiah (40:3). These writings said hundreds of years before the birth of Christ a messenger would come before Jesus. John the Baptist is that messenger.
And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 1:4)
Were there baptism before Christian baptism? Yes!
In first-century Judaism, people would cleanse themselves according to the book of Leviticus when they were impure from things such as touching a leper or a corpse. Later, when Gentiles converted to Judaism, the meaning of baptism was extended as a sign of the covenant given to Abraham.
This does not fully explain John’s “baptism of repentance.” One group at Qumran, the people known for creating the Dead Sea scrolls, believed a person could not become clean if they disobeyed God’s commandments. Their manual stated,
"For it is through the spirit of God's true counsel concerning the ways of man that all his sins be expiated, and when his flesh is sprinkled with purifying water, it shall be made clean by the humble submission of his soul to all the precepts of God."
To enter their community, one would need to “go into the wilderness to prepare there the way of Him; as it is written, ‘Prepare in the wilderness the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a path for our God.” The wilderness is key in Jewish history, the place where they were tested, where they rebelled against God, and where they sinned and repented.
John preached repentance, urging people to turn away from their sins. To repent is to turn away, to do a 180. The Greek word is “metanoia” and means a change of mind or direction. John was preaching of the need for people to change, to get off the throne of their lives and surrender to God. He was obviously very effective.
The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. (Mark 1:5)
People traveled to see this preacher. It had been more than 300 years since a prophet was active in Israel. They were convicted of their sins, confessed them, and were immersed in water, in the Jordan River.
Water is a powerful image throughout the Bible. It begins at creation, as God separates the waters from the earth. It covers the earth during the days of Noah. God miraculously parts the sea through Moses, allowing the people to walk on dry ground with water on either side. Huge crowds of people (the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem; not literally, of course!) were visiting John. He must’ve been quite popular. As opening acts go, he was developing his own fan base, perhaps partly because of his appearance.
John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. (Mark 1:6)
Just think about that for a moment! Notice the detail. Mark’s gospel is the shortest of the four, a book of headlines. When you vivid descriptions, don’t miss them. John is quite the fashion statement! There’s more than meets the eye. This description is similar to that of Elijah (2 Kings 1:8). His unusual diet was part of the prophetic tradition. Locusts were kosher. But remember, he had a greater mission, to prepare the way of the LORD. He was a messenger.
It’s interesting to note there were other messengers announcing Jesus’ arrival. Old Testament prophets predicted it. The angel Gabriel told Mary. Now John is the messenger.
Let’s not forget John had a messenger, too. The angel Gabriel first appeared to John’s father, Zechariah, to announce his birth. This was a big deal since John’s parents were elderly, surprised, and somewhat doubtful about having a son. We have messengers all over the stories of John and his six-month younger cousin, Jesus.
And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. Mark 1:7
John knows he’s just the opening act. He’s preparing the way. He’s getting people ready for the coming of the Messiah. Despite his popularity as the first prophet in 300 years, he humbly acknowledges his role as messenger and the arrival of someone much greater.
I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:8)
Baptize means to immerse, to overwhelm, to submerge. This is what the Holy Spirit wants to do in our lives. As John prepares the way for Jesus, Jesus prepares the way for the Holy Spirit. Before He ascended into heaven, Jesus said
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)
Have you ever wished Jesus was here? Me too! Jesus said it was good for Him to leave, though, to allow the Holy Spirit to fill us—all of us. Do you trust Jesus? He prepared the way for the Holy Spirit, a wonderful gift available to all of us who surrender to the Spirit.
Now catch this! Jesus said
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
I want to give you an assignment for this series. As we go through the book of Mark, think about what it would mean for us to do what Jesus is doing in the text.
Let’s review:
Gabriel announces the births of John and Jesus
John prepares the way for Jesus first coming
Jesus prepares the way for the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit fills us.
We are invited to prepare the way for Jesus’ second coming
We are called to be messengers. We are to prepare the way for the return of the King. We are to announce His arrival.
I know the idea of being a messenger for Jesus may sound scary or weird. What do we do, go door-to-door and tell everyone to get ready for Jesus? That’s one way to do it! Perhaps another way is to stop, be still, ask the Holy Spirit to give you the name of a person, pray for them, and ask the Spirit for an opportunity to talk with them about Jesus. Here are a few simple starter questions:
Do you believe in God? Why or why not?
Who is Jesus?
Who is Jesus to you?
Where are you at on your spiritual journey?
When have you felt the most loved?
When it comes to proclaiming the truth of Jesus, it should never feel forced. We’re not sales people for Jesus, getting others to sign up for church membership or fire insurance. We’ve been given the Holy Spirit to guide us, to lead us, to allow us to re-present God in word and deed to our world. It’s not about us. We’re just the opening act. We’re only the messengers preparing the way for the coming of the King of kings, Jesus Christ. We are privileged to let the whole world see our risen King!
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
On Your Mark, 23 April 2017
23 04 17
On Your Mark—An Intro to the Gospel of Mark
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 1:1
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Mark wrote a stunning biography of Jesus, our Messiah and God.
Introduction
He is still risen! He is still risen indeed!
Welcome back! My name is Kirk and last Sunday we had a fantastic celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. But listen to these profound words from N.T. Wright:
But my biggest problem starts on Easter Monday. I regard it as absurd and unjustifiable that we should spend forty days keeping Lent, pondering what it means, preaching about self-denial, being at least a little gloomy, and then bringing it all to a peak with Holy Week, which in turn climaxes in Maundy Thursday and Good Friday…and then, after a rather odd Holy Saturday, we have a single day of celebration.
…Easter week itself ought not to be the time when all the clergy sigh with relief and go on holiday. It ought to be an eight-day festival, with champagne served after morning prayer or even before, with lots of alleluias and extra hymns and spectacular anthems. Is it any wonder people find it hard to believe in the resurrection of Jesus if we don’t throw our hats in the air? Is it any wonder we find it hard to live the resurrection if we don’t do it exuberantly in our liturgies? Is it any wonder the world doesn’t take much notice if Easter is celebrated as simply the one-day happy ending tacked on to forty days of fasting and gloom?
…we should be taking steps to celebrate Easter in creative new ways: in art, literature, children’s games, poetry, music, dance, festivals, bells, special concerts, anything that comes to mind. This is our greatest festival. Take Christmas away, and in biblical terms you lose two chapters at the front of Matthew and Luke, nothing else. Take Easter away, and you don’t have a New Testament; you don’t have a Christianity; as Paul says, you are still in your sins…
…if Lent is a time to give things up, Easter ought to be a time to take things up. Champagne for breakfast again—well, of course. Christian holiness was never meant to be merely negative…. The forty days of the Easter season, until the ascension, ought to be a time to balance out Lent by taking something up, some new task or venture, something wholesome and fruitful and outgoing and self-giving. You may be able to do it only for six weeks, just as you may be able to go without beer or tobacco only for the six weeks of Lent. But if you really make a start on it, it might give you a sniff of new possibilities, new hopes, new ventures you never dreamed of. It might bring something of Easter into your innermost life. It might help you wake up in a whole new way. And that’s what Easter is all about.”
As I said, last Sunday we had a fantastic celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. He is alive! But who is Jesus, really?
If you ask ten people who Jesus is, you may end up with ten different answers. But how can we know for sure? I submit to you two things:
- The Bible provides us with four biographies of Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
- Jesus is alive and knowable—personally—through prayer and the Bible
One of my greatest frustrations as a pastor is reading about “biblical scholars” who are atheists. It seems like every Eastertime they get busy promoting another book, another theory, hoping to make a buck off some naïve shopper in line at the grocery store with tabloid headlines about another new discovery, a new theory, a secret revealed. With all due respect to intellectuals who study the Biblical texts, the atheists among them miss the point. Jesus is a living Person. He wants us to know Him. He wants to know us. The first thing I want to know about a Bible scholar is if they know the Author…of the Bible, of life. Our faith is completely dependent upon the cross and the empty tomb. If you know the Bible but don’t know Jesus, it’s as useless as analyzing the penmanship of a love letter, missing its message.
The Bible is, in fact, a love letter. It is not written to us, exactly, but for us. Today we’re going to look at the background of the Gospel—or good news—of Mark and the most important question in life.
Why Four Gospels?
Matthew: Hebrew, religious audience, “Son of David,” advertising and announcements
Mark: Roman, strong, rulers, power, emphasizes Jesus the suffering Servant, headlines
Luke: also wrote Acts, Gentile author, historian, “Son of Man,” special features
John: emphasizes deity of Christ, Savior, “Son of God,” editorials/columns
This biography of Jesus will inspire, inform, and hopefully transform you and me to become more like Jesus.
Before we dive into the Gospel of Mark, I want to give you some background.
It’s the first gospel written, one of the first NT books to be written
It was written by John Mark. He was not an apostle, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, but he was an important figure in the early Church
He appears in the book of Acts
When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. (Acts 12:12)
He was a cousin of Barnabus.
My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) (Colossians 4:10)
He was the spiritual son of Simon Peter.
She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. (1 Peter 5:13)
This has long been considered Simon Peter’s gospel. John Mark traveled with Paul and later Barnabus.
Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. (Acts 15:37-40)
John Mark made good. Paul later called for him in his letter to Timothy.
Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. (2 Timothy 4:11)
Mark learned about Jesus from Peter and Paul. Mark was also an eyewitness to the events in the life of Christ.
Mark emphasizes Christ as the suffering Servant, the One who came not to be served, but to serve and give His life a ransom for many. Mark likely wrote this book in Rome. A servant needs references, not a birth certificate (no genealogy as in Matthew).
Here’s J. Vernon McGee’s outline of the book:
John introduces the Servant
God the Father identifies the Servant
The temptation initiates the Servant
Works and words illustrate the Servant
It’s filled with more miracles than the other gospels.
Healing: Physical
Nature: Natural
Casting out of demons: spiritual
Raised from the dead: supernatural
Mark 1
The book begins with what might be the most important verse in the entire book. It answers what might be the most important question in all of life:
Who is Jesus?
John Mark’s gospel or “good news” begins…
The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God, (Mark 1:1 (NIV)
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (Mark 1:1, NASB)
The purpose of the book of Mark is not history. It’s not merely a biography of Jesus. In fact, Jesus’ birth and childhood are omitted. The book begins with Jesus around age 30. No manger. No puberty. No teenage years! Mark begins with the gospel or “good news.” His purpose is “good news.”
The original Greek word for gospel, euaggelion, was often used in a military context. The army would send a message back to the city and proclaim, “A victory has been won. We are not going to die! We are going to live!”
That’s what Mark does. He tells us Jesus is alive and, therefore, a victory has been won for you and me. Life is available for us. Not just survival, but abundant life (John 10:10).
He also tells us two things about Jesus’ identity. First, Christ is not Jesus’ last name! The word means “an anointed, royal figure” in Greek. In Hebrew, it is translated, “the Messiah.” A victory has been won for us by Jesus, the Messiah, the anointed, royal figure proclaimed for generations. Some English translations of this verse replace “Christ” with “The Messiah.”
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, (Mark 1:1, NIV 2011)
Second, Jesus is the Son of God. He’s not just the Messiah, He’s God!
Jesus is Messiah and God. This statement is a dividing line of faith. You can accept or reject the claim. If you believe Jesus is God, the miracles and teachings and resurrection are not difficult to accept. If you don’t believe Jesus is God, the rest of the book of Mark—the rest of the New Testament—will not make much sense.
If you don’t believe Jesus is God, there’s no shame. You belong here. Keep seeking. Keep asking.
Some contemporary Jews believe Jesus is not the Messiah because He did not bring the Kingdom to Israel. He was a failed Messiah. There have been hundreds, maybe thousands of people who claimed to be the Messiah. You’ve probably never heard of any of them.
If Jesus is just another failed Messiah, how would you explain His influence two thousand years later? His Church is still growing, His Name is being worshipped in every part of the world.
What if Mark was correct? Let’s assume Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, God. Let’s assume He really died and rose again. Why do I believe that and others don’t?
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (Matthew 16:13)
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (Matthew 16:14)
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15)
Who do you say Jesus is?
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16)
Look at how Jesus replies.
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. (Matthew 16:17)
If you believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God, it was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by God the Father. It’s not because of your intellect or morality or a great argument. It’s because your Heavenly Father revealed it. The original Greek word for “revealed” here means “to take the cover off of something.”
Simon Peter is blessed by God.
Believers in Jesus Christ are blessed by God. The truth has been revealed.
The greatest longing in any heart may be to receive the blessing of their father and mother.
If you believe Jesus is the Christ, it’s because God the Father blessed you. Followers of Jesus are blessed sons and daughters of the King of kings.
Who is Jesus?
This is the question we will be answering each week in this series as we examine the gospel of Mark.
Listen to Jesus' answer to the question from the gospel of John:
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Jesus is the way…to truth, to life, to the Father.
Jesus is the truth.
Jesus is life. He is alive. He conquered death. He offers you and me eternal life. He offers us abundant life.
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, (Mark 1:1, NIV 2011)
Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, the LORD of all.
Credits: some ideas from Matt Carter (Austin Stone Community Church), Warren Wiersbe, NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, and David Garland.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 1:1
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Mark wrote a stunning biography of Jesus, our Messiah and God.
Introduction
He is still risen! He is still risen indeed!
Welcome back! My name is Kirk and last Sunday we had a fantastic celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. But listen to these profound words from N.T. Wright:
But my biggest problem starts on Easter Monday. I regard it as absurd and unjustifiable that we should spend forty days keeping Lent, pondering what it means, preaching about self-denial, being at least a little gloomy, and then bringing it all to a peak with Holy Week, which in turn climaxes in Maundy Thursday and Good Friday…and then, after a rather odd Holy Saturday, we have a single day of celebration.
…Easter week itself ought not to be the time when all the clergy sigh with relief and go on holiday. It ought to be an eight-day festival, with champagne served after morning prayer or even before, with lots of alleluias and extra hymns and spectacular anthems. Is it any wonder people find it hard to believe in the resurrection of Jesus if we don’t throw our hats in the air? Is it any wonder we find it hard to live the resurrection if we don’t do it exuberantly in our liturgies? Is it any wonder the world doesn’t take much notice if Easter is celebrated as simply the one-day happy ending tacked on to forty days of fasting and gloom?
…we should be taking steps to celebrate Easter in creative new ways: in art, literature, children’s games, poetry, music, dance, festivals, bells, special concerts, anything that comes to mind. This is our greatest festival. Take Christmas away, and in biblical terms you lose two chapters at the front of Matthew and Luke, nothing else. Take Easter away, and you don’t have a New Testament; you don’t have a Christianity; as Paul says, you are still in your sins…
…if Lent is a time to give things up, Easter ought to be a time to take things up. Champagne for breakfast again—well, of course. Christian holiness was never meant to be merely negative…. The forty days of the Easter season, until the ascension, ought to be a time to balance out Lent by taking something up, some new task or venture, something wholesome and fruitful and outgoing and self-giving. You may be able to do it only for six weeks, just as you may be able to go without beer or tobacco only for the six weeks of Lent. But if you really make a start on it, it might give you a sniff of new possibilities, new hopes, new ventures you never dreamed of. It might bring something of Easter into your innermost life. It might help you wake up in a whole new way. And that’s what Easter is all about.”
As I said, last Sunday we had a fantastic celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. He is alive! But who is Jesus, really?
If you ask ten people who Jesus is, you may end up with ten different answers. But how can we know for sure? I submit to you two things:
- The Bible provides us with four biographies of Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
- Jesus is alive and knowable—personally—through prayer and the Bible
One of my greatest frustrations as a pastor is reading about “biblical scholars” who are atheists. It seems like every Eastertime they get busy promoting another book, another theory, hoping to make a buck off some naïve shopper in line at the grocery store with tabloid headlines about another new discovery, a new theory, a secret revealed. With all due respect to intellectuals who study the Biblical texts, the atheists among them miss the point. Jesus is a living Person. He wants us to know Him. He wants to know us. The first thing I want to know about a Bible scholar is if they know the Author…of the Bible, of life. Our faith is completely dependent upon the cross and the empty tomb. If you know the Bible but don’t know Jesus, it’s as useless as analyzing the penmanship of a love letter, missing its message.
The Bible is, in fact, a love letter. It is not written to us, exactly, but for us. Today we’re going to look at the background of the Gospel—or good news—of Mark and the most important question in life.
Why Four Gospels?
Matthew: Hebrew, religious audience, “Son of David,” advertising and announcements
Mark: Roman, strong, rulers, power, emphasizes Jesus the suffering Servant, headlines
Luke: also wrote Acts, Gentile author, historian, “Son of Man,” special features
John: emphasizes deity of Christ, Savior, “Son of God,” editorials/columns
This biography of Jesus will inspire, inform, and hopefully transform you and me to become more like Jesus.
Before we dive into the Gospel of Mark, I want to give you some background.
It’s the first gospel written, one of the first NT books to be written
It was written by John Mark. He was not an apostle, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, but he was an important figure in the early Church
He appears in the book of Acts
When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. (Acts 12:12)
He was a cousin of Barnabus.
My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) (Colossians 4:10)
He was the spiritual son of Simon Peter.
She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. (1 Peter 5:13)
This has long been considered Simon Peter’s gospel. John Mark traveled with Paul and later Barnabus.
Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. (Acts 15:37-40)
John Mark made good. Paul later called for him in his letter to Timothy.
Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. (2 Timothy 4:11)
Mark learned about Jesus from Peter and Paul. Mark was also an eyewitness to the events in the life of Christ.
Mark emphasizes Christ as the suffering Servant, the One who came not to be served, but to serve and give His life a ransom for many. Mark likely wrote this book in Rome. A servant needs references, not a birth certificate (no genealogy as in Matthew).
Here’s J. Vernon McGee’s outline of the book:
John introduces the Servant
God the Father identifies the Servant
The temptation initiates the Servant
Works and words illustrate the Servant
It’s filled with more miracles than the other gospels.
Healing: Physical
Nature: Natural
Casting out of demons: spiritual
Raised from the dead: supernatural
Mark 1
The book begins with what might be the most important verse in the entire book. It answers what might be the most important question in all of life:
Who is Jesus?
John Mark’s gospel or “good news” begins…
The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God, (Mark 1:1 (NIV)
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (Mark 1:1, NASB)
The purpose of the book of Mark is not history. It’s not merely a biography of Jesus. In fact, Jesus’ birth and childhood are omitted. The book begins with Jesus around age 30. No manger. No puberty. No teenage years! Mark begins with the gospel or “good news.” His purpose is “good news.”
The original Greek word for gospel, euaggelion, was often used in a military context. The army would send a message back to the city and proclaim, “A victory has been won. We are not going to die! We are going to live!”
That’s what Mark does. He tells us Jesus is alive and, therefore, a victory has been won for you and me. Life is available for us. Not just survival, but abundant life (John 10:10).
He also tells us two things about Jesus’ identity. First, Christ is not Jesus’ last name! The word means “an anointed, royal figure” in Greek. In Hebrew, it is translated, “the Messiah.” A victory has been won for us by Jesus, the Messiah, the anointed, royal figure proclaimed for generations. Some English translations of this verse replace “Christ” with “The Messiah.”
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, (Mark 1:1, NIV 2011)
Second, Jesus is the Son of God. He’s not just the Messiah, He’s God!
Jesus is Messiah and God. This statement is a dividing line of faith. You can accept or reject the claim. If you believe Jesus is God, the miracles and teachings and resurrection are not difficult to accept. If you don’t believe Jesus is God, the rest of the book of Mark—the rest of the New Testament—will not make much sense.
If you don’t believe Jesus is God, there’s no shame. You belong here. Keep seeking. Keep asking.
Some contemporary Jews believe Jesus is not the Messiah because He did not bring the Kingdom to Israel. He was a failed Messiah. There have been hundreds, maybe thousands of people who claimed to be the Messiah. You’ve probably never heard of any of them.
If Jesus is just another failed Messiah, how would you explain His influence two thousand years later? His Church is still growing, His Name is being worshipped in every part of the world.
What if Mark was correct? Let’s assume Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, God. Let’s assume He really died and rose again. Why do I believe that and others don’t?
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (Matthew 16:13)
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (Matthew 16:14)
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15)
Who do you say Jesus is?
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16)
Look at how Jesus replies.
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. (Matthew 16:17)
If you believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God, it was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by God the Father. It’s not because of your intellect or morality or a great argument. It’s because your Heavenly Father revealed it. The original Greek word for “revealed” here means “to take the cover off of something.”
Simon Peter is blessed by God.
Believers in Jesus Christ are blessed by God. The truth has been revealed.
The greatest longing in any heart may be to receive the blessing of their father and mother.
If you believe Jesus is the Christ, it’s because God the Father blessed you. Followers of Jesus are blessed sons and daughters of the King of kings.
Who is Jesus?
This is the question we will be answering each week in this series as we examine the gospel of Mark.
Listen to Jesus' answer to the question from the gospel of John:
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Jesus is the way…to truth, to life, to the Father.
Jesus is the truth.
Jesus is life. He is alive. He conquered death. He offers you and me eternal life. He offers us abundant life.
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, (Mark 1:1, NIV 2011)
Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, the LORD of all.
Credits: some ideas from Matt Carter (Austin Stone Community Church), Warren Wiersbe, NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, and David Garland.
Because He Lives, 16 April 2017
18 04 17
Because He Lives
Series: A Love That Never Dies
Matthew 28:1-10
Series Big Idea: Throughout Lent, we prepare for Jesus’ death, resurrection, and return
Big Idea: Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Welcome to Resurrection Sunday! This is the greatest day of the year, the day we celebrate our living Savior, LORD, and King, Jesus Christ! Today we conclude our series, “A Love That Never Dies.” Even though Jesus died, his love for us never dies.
Fear. We all experience it.
We are afraid of failure.
We are afraid of success.
The most common command in the Bible is not love, but rather, “Fear not.”
We are afraid of the betrayal of friends.
We are afraid of the attack of zombies!
What’s your greatest fear?
We are afraid of death.
We are afraid of life.
Fear has been a part of the human condition from the beginning. I can’t imagine the fear on Good Friday. The gospel—or good news—of Matthew says,
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land (Matthew 27:45)
For three hours in the middle of the day as Jesus is suffering on the cross, the whole land turned dark. That would freak me out! I know we have a lot of cloudy days in Toledo, but it doesn’t get dark at noon! A few verses later we read…
Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people. (Matthew 27:50-53, NLT)
The moment Jesus dies, this huge curtain separating people from the most sacred place on the planet, the holy of holies, is torn from top to bottom. That’s weird! It was wonderful, by the way, because that meant Jesus’ death provided reconciliation between us and our Creator God.
But that’s not all. The earth shook. Have you ever experienced an earthquake? Freaky!
Rocks split apart. What? Have you ever seen that?
And then maybe my favorite part…tombs opened. The dead were raised. It says bodies left the cemetery after the resurrection, went into the city, and appeared to many people. Grandma?!?!
The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54)
Do you get the picture? The crucifixion scene was awful. It was scary. Jesus dies. Nature freaks out. People are weeping. The smell of death is in the air. Roman soldiers are everywhere. Is it any wonder people were afraid?
But that was Friday. People are afraid of death, but today is a day of life, right? Let’s look at our text for today, a verse verses ahead.
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. (Matthew 28:1)
These women go to the tomb. They probably had two sleepless nights. They were tired. They were overcome with grief and stress, watching an execution right before their eyes. Mary saw her son’s life drained in front of her. If she did sleep, I’m sure it was filled with nightmares.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. He was such a good boy! He was darn-near perfect. Actually, he was perfect. Why would anyone want to kill him? A week ago a parade welcomed him in to the city of Jerusalem, and now he’s dead!
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. (Matthew 28:2-4)
It’s Sunday. Another earthquake? A violent one. An angel rolls back the stone. Talk about freaking out, the guards shake and become like dead men.
These are the powerful warriors the women expect to be guarding the tomb. Instead, the women are terrified by someone else.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” (Matthew 28:5-7)
First, the angel terrifies the guards. Now he terrifies the women. Can you blame them for being afraid?
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. (Matthew 28:8)
Fear. Hope. Joy. Fear. Hope. Joy. They were surely an emotional mess! Jesus is alive?
Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” (Matthew 28:9-10)
Why does Jesus say, “Do not be afraid?” Because they’re afraid! They’re overcome with emotion. Is this really happening? Have we finally fallen asleep and we’re dreaming? Dead people do not say, “Greetings!”
Yet this is the account. There were hundreds of eyewitnesses. He ate with them. He talked with them. He showed them his pierced hands and feet. And for about 2000 years men, women and children have been experiencing a relationship with Jesus, a relationship possible only because Jesus is alive!
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Followers of Jesus base everything on the resurrection. Everything!
Paul, once an enemy of Jesus and his followers, remarked
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. (1 Corinthians 15:14)
Friends, either the resurrection happened or it didn’t. If it didn’t—if Jesus is dead or never died—our faith is useless. Paul says “we are of all people most to be pitied.” We are hopeless. We have every reason to fear death, to fear life.
But if Jesus is alive, we have hope. We have forgiveness. We can have the promise of eternity with God…and the assurance of salvation. We can experience peace, love, joy, and purpose.
What are you afraid of? Death? Many people are afraid of death. You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. If you were to die tonight and stand before God and he asked you why you deserved to spend eternity in heaven, what would you say?
I would say, “I don’t deserve to spend eternity in heaven. I deserve to go to hell because of my sins, my evil, my rebellion, my failures. But Jesus died for me. He confronted evil in all its forms and went into the darkness to take its full weight upon himself. And Jesus rose from the dead. He conquered sin and death.”
As I said recently at the International Student Easter Dinner, the difference between our faith and that of religion is how they’re spelled.
Religion is spelled D-O, what we do to try to make God like us.
The message of Jesus is spelled D-O-N-E, it’s what he has done for us, dying and rising from the dead.
What are you afraid of? Life? Many people are afraid of life. Tragedy, loneliness, sickness, terrorism. This world is messed up because of sin. But we need not fear because Jesus is alive. He experienced loneliness, temptation, pain, betrayal, and even death. He understands what you and I face every day. He sent the Holy Spirit to be present with us, to guide us, to comfort us, to encourage us, to empower us. He also gave us one another, a family to belong to, brothers and sisters to journey with.
We are all afraid of being vulnerable, of trusting someone only to have them abandon us. It has happened to me and probably to you.
Let me just state I’m sorry…sorry for the pain and disappointment you’ve experienced in life. I’m especially sorry for the behavior of so-called Christians who acted nothing like Jesus. I’m ashamed to say my life does not always look like Jesus—but that’s my desire. I want nothing to do with organized religion…and everything to do with Jesus.
Because of Jesus—and because he lives—I have experienced peace, joy, satisfaction, hope, love, and purpose…and confidence about this life and the next.
We’re going to close with a song that talks about the result of the resurrection. Because he lives, all fear is gone. The Bible says perfect love casts out fear. Jesus loves you. He died for you. He rose for you. He’s alive today and wants to calm your fears. He wants to be your Savior. He wants to be your LORD and King.
Because He lives
I can face tomorrow
Because He lives
Every fear is gone
I know He holds my life, my future in His hands
Because He Lives (Amen)
Fear not!
Credits: Some ideas from Rev. Steven H. Albers, CTA.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: A Love That Never Dies
Matthew 28:1-10
Series Big Idea: Throughout Lent, we prepare for Jesus’ death, resurrection, and return
Big Idea: Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Welcome to Resurrection Sunday! This is the greatest day of the year, the day we celebrate our living Savior, LORD, and King, Jesus Christ! Today we conclude our series, “A Love That Never Dies.” Even though Jesus died, his love for us never dies.
Fear. We all experience it.
We are afraid of failure.
We are afraid of success.
The most common command in the Bible is not love, but rather, “Fear not.”
We are afraid of the betrayal of friends.
We are afraid of the attack of zombies!
What’s your greatest fear?
We are afraid of death.
We are afraid of life.
Fear has been a part of the human condition from the beginning. I can’t imagine the fear on Good Friday. The gospel—or good news—of Matthew says,
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land (Matthew 27:45)
For three hours in the middle of the day as Jesus is suffering on the cross, the whole land turned dark. That would freak me out! I know we have a lot of cloudy days in Toledo, but it doesn’t get dark at noon! A few verses later we read…
Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people. (Matthew 27:50-53, NLT)
The moment Jesus dies, this huge curtain separating people from the most sacred place on the planet, the holy of holies, is torn from top to bottom. That’s weird! It was wonderful, by the way, because that meant Jesus’ death provided reconciliation between us and our Creator God.
But that’s not all. The earth shook. Have you ever experienced an earthquake? Freaky!
Rocks split apart. What? Have you ever seen that?
And then maybe my favorite part…tombs opened. The dead were raised. It says bodies left the cemetery after the resurrection, went into the city, and appeared to many people. Grandma?!?!
The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54)
Do you get the picture? The crucifixion scene was awful. It was scary. Jesus dies. Nature freaks out. People are weeping. The smell of death is in the air. Roman soldiers are everywhere. Is it any wonder people were afraid?
But that was Friday. People are afraid of death, but today is a day of life, right? Let’s look at our text for today, a verse verses ahead.
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. (Matthew 28:1)
These women go to the tomb. They probably had two sleepless nights. They were tired. They were overcome with grief and stress, watching an execution right before their eyes. Mary saw her son’s life drained in front of her. If she did sleep, I’m sure it was filled with nightmares.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. He was such a good boy! He was darn-near perfect. Actually, he was perfect. Why would anyone want to kill him? A week ago a parade welcomed him in to the city of Jerusalem, and now he’s dead!
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. (Matthew 28:2-4)
It’s Sunday. Another earthquake? A violent one. An angel rolls back the stone. Talk about freaking out, the guards shake and become like dead men.
These are the powerful warriors the women expect to be guarding the tomb. Instead, the women are terrified by someone else.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” (Matthew 28:5-7)
First, the angel terrifies the guards. Now he terrifies the women. Can you blame them for being afraid?
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. (Matthew 28:8)
Fear. Hope. Joy. Fear. Hope. Joy. They were surely an emotional mess! Jesus is alive?
Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” (Matthew 28:9-10)
Why does Jesus say, “Do not be afraid?” Because they’re afraid! They’re overcome with emotion. Is this really happening? Have we finally fallen asleep and we’re dreaming? Dead people do not say, “Greetings!”
Yet this is the account. There were hundreds of eyewitnesses. He ate with them. He talked with them. He showed them his pierced hands and feet. And for about 2000 years men, women and children have been experiencing a relationship with Jesus, a relationship possible only because Jesus is alive!
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Followers of Jesus base everything on the resurrection. Everything!
Paul, once an enemy of Jesus and his followers, remarked
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. (1 Corinthians 15:14)
Friends, either the resurrection happened or it didn’t. If it didn’t—if Jesus is dead or never died—our faith is useless. Paul says “we are of all people most to be pitied.” We are hopeless. We have every reason to fear death, to fear life.
But if Jesus is alive, we have hope. We have forgiveness. We can have the promise of eternity with God…and the assurance of salvation. We can experience peace, love, joy, and purpose.
What are you afraid of? Death? Many people are afraid of death. You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. If you were to die tonight and stand before God and he asked you why you deserved to spend eternity in heaven, what would you say?
I would say, “I don’t deserve to spend eternity in heaven. I deserve to go to hell because of my sins, my evil, my rebellion, my failures. But Jesus died for me. He confronted evil in all its forms and went into the darkness to take its full weight upon himself. And Jesus rose from the dead. He conquered sin and death.”
As I said recently at the International Student Easter Dinner, the difference between our faith and that of religion is how they’re spelled.
Religion is spelled D-O, what we do to try to make God like us.
The message of Jesus is spelled D-O-N-E, it’s what he has done for us, dying and rising from the dead.
What are you afraid of? Life? Many people are afraid of life. Tragedy, loneliness, sickness, terrorism. This world is messed up because of sin. But we need not fear because Jesus is alive. He experienced loneliness, temptation, pain, betrayal, and even death. He understands what you and I face every day. He sent the Holy Spirit to be present with us, to guide us, to comfort us, to encourage us, to empower us. He also gave us one another, a family to belong to, brothers and sisters to journey with.
We are all afraid of being vulnerable, of trusting someone only to have them abandon us. It has happened to me and probably to you.
Let me just state I’m sorry…sorry for the pain and disappointment you’ve experienced in life. I’m especially sorry for the behavior of so-called Christians who acted nothing like Jesus. I’m ashamed to say my life does not always look like Jesus—but that’s my desire. I want nothing to do with organized religion…and everything to do with Jesus.
Because of Jesus—and because he lives—I have experienced peace, joy, satisfaction, hope, love, and purpose…and confidence about this life and the next.
We’re going to close with a song that talks about the result of the resurrection. Because he lives, all fear is gone. The Bible says perfect love casts out fear. Jesus loves you. He died for you. He rose for you. He’s alive today and wants to calm your fears. He wants to be your Savior. He wants to be your LORD and King.
Because He lives
I can face tomorrow
Because He lives
Every fear is gone
I know He holds my life, my future in His hands
Because He Lives (Amen)
Fear not!
Credits: Some ideas from Rev. Steven H. Albers, CTA.
Palm Sunday, 9 April 2017
10 04 17
Palm Sunday
Series: A Love That Never Dies
Matthew 21:1-11
Series Big Idea: Throughout Lent, we prepare for Jesus’ death, resurrection, and return
Big Idea: We can shout, "Crucify," "Save us now," or praises.
Scripture: Matthew 21:8-11
Today is Palm Sunday, the remembrance of an interesting parade in Jerusalem, a procession planned centuries earlier. The prophet Zechariah wrote
Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
(Zechariah 9:9)
What was the meaning of this assembly? What’s the big deal with Palm Sunday?
Have you ever been to a parade? There’s something exciting about marching bands, floats, waving celebrities…and candy. Don’t forget candy. I think that was my favorite part, as a kid, racing to pick up candy off the ground!
This parade was not announced with TV ads and Facebook invitations. It wasn’t an annual festival like the 4th of July or Memorial Day. The setting was the city of Jerusalem. Jesus was attracting crowds, teaching the scriptures like no other rabbi, infuriating the religious people, and healing the sick. His name was a lightning rod of controversy, perhaps not unlike Trump, Obama, or Putin today. You loved him or you hated him. Rumors spread about his friend, Lazarus, being raised from the dead (John 12:17-19), and the crowd was hoping to see this dead man walking. Wouldn’t you? Matthew chapter 21 begins…
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” (Matthew 21:1-3)
I love this! In our day, it might be, “Hank and Ryan, go to the Ford dealer up the street, tell the owner you’re borrowing a Mustang for the Lord, and drive it here.”
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
“Say to Daughter Zion,‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” (Matthew 21:4-5)
Don’t miss this! One of the reasons we can fully trust Jesus and the Bible is prophecy. Jesus himself fulfilled over three hundred Old Testament prophecies stated centuries before his birth. Here’s one. Zechariah prophesied Palm Sunday.
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. (Matthew 21:6-8)
The people made way for this processional. There was no police escort or blocked-off streets, but the crowd made their own path to welcome Jesus into the city.
King Solomon rode into Jerusalem on a donkey centuries earlier, lowly transport for a king. Jesus was even more powerful than Solomon, yet the ultimate demonstration of humility.
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8)
This is our God. This is our King. Jesus loved the people of Jerusalem with an everlasting love, a love that would not die. He looked into their eyes. He heard their cries.
The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:9)
This was likely not the crowd who would yell, “Crucify him!” This group seems to be spontaneously assembled, more like those Jesus called “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” They were desperate. “Hosanna” meant “save now,” a plea for help, salvation, and rescue, though it seems to have an element of praise and adoration in this scene.
The road would have been rough and rocky. Even today it is anything but smooth. Jesus was a celebrity, riding on a donkey, jostling from one side to the other.
Jesus knew the road ahead, not just the path of the people but the path to the cross, the instrument of death he would face days later. Yet Jesus did not weep for himself. He was sad for the city, for Jerusalem, for its people, it children. He knew the crowds were looking for freedom, deliverance from Rome. They were probably less aware of the oppression of their sins, but they sought a savior from tyranny.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” (Matthew 21:10)
The whole city was stirred. Children were especially noisy and excited. Perhaps they heard of Jesus’ great love for kids in a world where only men were given respect and honor. We know the religious leaders were greatly disturbed by the cheering of the children, maybe aware of how kids often bring their parents to faith.
I want to camp out for a moment on the city’s question, “Who is this?”
The people did not have access to 24/7 news channels, billboards, newspapers, or websites. Even if they did, photography had not yet been invented! It was natural for them to wonder who was drawing such attention.
Who is this? This may be the most important question in human history.
The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” (Matthew 21:11)
Who is Jesus? A prophet? A teacher? God? Human? Messiah? King? Savior? Lord?
Who is Jesus? That’s what you and I must answer.
Last week we read about a sign placed above his head, “King of the Jews.” Is he your king?
Just as his donkey stumbled on the rough road, he knows our road can be difficult. It can be rocky. There can be unexpected surprises, both good and bad. There are joys and sorrows, victories and disappointments. Where is he when things get tough? He is with us, Emmanuel, God with us. I realize this is bittersweet—comforting to know he is present but frustrating when he doesn’t intervene and fix everything broken in our world. “If you’re here, prove it!”
I don’t have easy answers. I don’t understand a lot of things in this world—death, loss, pain…but he does. Jesus is not a fairy tale character. He’s not a superhero who flew above the storms of life. He experienced temptation and trials. On purpose! He chose to suffer. He went from the streets of Jerusalem to the way of the cross, from palms to passion, from agony to death…and then from death to resurrection. But that’s next Sunday.
So What?
The crowds had expectations for Jesus. They wanted him to rescue them from Roman rule. They wanted him to heal their sick. They had plans for him!
What about you? What expectations do you have for Jesus? A pain-free life? Happiness? Financial prosperity? Instant answers to all of your prayers?
Jesus knew the hearts of the crowds who shouted, “Hosanna! Save us now!” He knew the hearts of the crowds who would shout, “Crucify him!” He knows your heart and mine, our selfish impulses, our hopes, our dreams, and our secret sins. Yet he loves us. He forgives us for our misguided motives. He washes our sins white as snow. And that gives us reason to sing, reason to rejoice. Today we praise Jesus because he is worthy. He is alive. He demonstrated his love for us. He offers forgiveness and reconciliation. He heals diseases and broken relationships. He provides peace, hope, and joy. We love him because he first loved us.
Credits: Some ideas from Rev. Steven H. Albers, CTA.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: A Love That Never Dies
Matthew 21:1-11
Series Big Idea: Throughout Lent, we prepare for Jesus’ death, resurrection, and return
Big Idea: We can shout, "Crucify," "Save us now," or praises.
Scripture: Matthew 21:8-11
Today is Palm Sunday, the remembrance of an interesting parade in Jerusalem, a procession planned centuries earlier. The prophet Zechariah wrote
Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
(Zechariah 9:9)
What was the meaning of this assembly? What’s the big deal with Palm Sunday?
Have you ever been to a parade? There’s something exciting about marching bands, floats, waving celebrities…and candy. Don’t forget candy. I think that was my favorite part, as a kid, racing to pick up candy off the ground!
This parade was not announced with TV ads and Facebook invitations. It wasn’t an annual festival like the 4th of July or Memorial Day. The setting was the city of Jerusalem. Jesus was attracting crowds, teaching the scriptures like no other rabbi, infuriating the religious people, and healing the sick. His name was a lightning rod of controversy, perhaps not unlike Trump, Obama, or Putin today. You loved him or you hated him. Rumors spread about his friend, Lazarus, being raised from the dead (John 12:17-19), and the crowd was hoping to see this dead man walking. Wouldn’t you? Matthew chapter 21 begins…
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” (Matthew 21:1-3)
I love this! In our day, it might be, “Hank and Ryan, go to the Ford dealer up the street, tell the owner you’re borrowing a Mustang for the Lord, and drive it here.”
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
“Say to Daughter Zion,‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” (Matthew 21:4-5)
Don’t miss this! One of the reasons we can fully trust Jesus and the Bible is prophecy. Jesus himself fulfilled over three hundred Old Testament prophecies stated centuries before his birth. Here’s one. Zechariah prophesied Palm Sunday.
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. (Matthew 21:6-8)
The people made way for this processional. There was no police escort or blocked-off streets, but the crowd made their own path to welcome Jesus into the city.
King Solomon rode into Jerusalem on a donkey centuries earlier, lowly transport for a king. Jesus was even more powerful than Solomon, yet the ultimate demonstration of humility.
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8)
This is our God. This is our King. Jesus loved the people of Jerusalem with an everlasting love, a love that would not die. He looked into their eyes. He heard their cries.
The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:9)
This was likely not the crowd who would yell, “Crucify him!” This group seems to be spontaneously assembled, more like those Jesus called “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” They were desperate. “Hosanna” meant “save now,” a plea for help, salvation, and rescue, though it seems to have an element of praise and adoration in this scene.
The road would have been rough and rocky. Even today it is anything but smooth. Jesus was a celebrity, riding on a donkey, jostling from one side to the other.
Jesus knew the road ahead, not just the path of the people but the path to the cross, the instrument of death he would face days later. Yet Jesus did not weep for himself. He was sad for the city, for Jerusalem, for its people, it children. He knew the crowds were looking for freedom, deliverance from Rome. They were probably less aware of the oppression of their sins, but they sought a savior from tyranny.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” (Matthew 21:10)
The whole city was stirred. Children were especially noisy and excited. Perhaps they heard of Jesus’ great love for kids in a world where only men were given respect and honor. We know the religious leaders were greatly disturbed by the cheering of the children, maybe aware of how kids often bring their parents to faith.
I want to camp out for a moment on the city’s question, “Who is this?”
The people did not have access to 24/7 news channels, billboards, newspapers, or websites. Even if they did, photography had not yet been invented! It was natural for them to wonder who was drawing such attention.
Who is this? This may be the most important question in human history.
The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” (Matthew 21:11)
Who is Jesus? A prophet? A teacher? God? Human? Messiah? King? Savior? Lord?
Who is Jesus? That’s what you and I must answer.
Last week we read about a sign placed above his head, “King of the Jews.” Is he your king?
Just as his donkey stumbled on the rough road, he knows our road can be difficult. It can be rocky. There can be unexpected surprises, both good and bad. There are joys and sorrows, victories and disappointments. Where is he when things get tough? He is with us, Emmanuel, God with us. I realize this is bittersweet—comforting to know he is present but frustrating when he doesn’t intervene and fix everything broken in our world. “If you’re here, prove it!”
I don’t have easy answers. I don’t understand a lot of things in this world—death, loss, pain…but he does. Jesus is not a fairy tale character. He’s not a superhero who flew above the storms of life. He experienced temptation and trials. On purpose! He chose to suffer. He went from the streets of Jerusalem to the way of the cross, from palms to passion, from agony to death…and then from death to resurrection. But that’s next Sunday.
So What?
The crowds had expectations for Jesus. They wanted him to rescue them from Roman rule. They wanted him to heal their sick. They had plans for him!
What about you? What expectations do you have for Jesus? A pain-free life? Happiness? Financial prosperity? Instant answers to all of your prayers?
Jesus knew the hearts of the crowds who shouted, “Hosanna! Save us now!” He knew the hearts of the crowds who would shout, “Crucify him!” He knows your heart and mine, our selfish impulses, our hopes, our dreams, and our secret sins. Yet he loves us. He forgives us for our misguided motives. He washes our sins white as snow. And that gives us reason to sing, reason to rejoice. Today we praise Jesus because he is worthy. He is alive. He demonstrated his love for us. He offers forgiveness and reconciliation. He heals diseases and broken relationships. He provides peace, hope, and joy. We love him because he first loved us.
Credits: Some ideas from Rev. Steven H. Albers, CTA.
Irony, 2 April 2017
02 04 17
Irony
Series: A Love That Never Dies
Luke 23:39-43
Series Big Idea: Throughout Lent, we prepare for Jesus’ death, resurrection, and return
Big Idea: Jesus’ death was filled with irony…and hope for all sinners.
Irony.
The bald guy’s name is Curly.
The huge weightlifter is called Tiny.
The psychic’s presentation is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.
The name Judas means praise.
Irony involves a contrast between appearance and reality, between expectation and occurrence.
My name is Kirk and we’re in the middle of Lent, the season leading to our remembrance of the death and resurrection of Jesus. This series is entitled, “A Love That Never Dies” and to demonstrate a love that will never die, Jesus died. He died a gory, horrific death…because He loves you and me.
There are so many ironies in the crucifixion account. Dennis sang about many of them.
Why did a friend betray Jesus?
Why did he use a kiss?
Why did King Jesus have to wear a crown of thorns?
Why did the only perfect human die on a cross like a thief?
Here are some others:
The Romans usually nailed each criminal’s charges to his cross. They wanted everyone to know what they did…and the fate of those who try to do the same thing. Crucifixion was meant to be a deterrent. The message was, “If you steal, this will happen to you. If you murder, this will happen to you.”
Jesus’ charge? First, it was written in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. Tri-lingual! Latin for the Romans, Greek for those in commerce. Hebrew for the Jews. And the charge said, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” The irony is the charge was true. He is the King of the Jews. He’s also the King of the Romans, King of the Gentiles, He’s the King of kings and Lord of lords. And the King of all hung dying for those who rebelled against his rule and that of His Father.
He wants to be king over you and me, too. He’s not an insecure ruler seeking power and control. Instead, He rules benevolently, with love and grace, mercy and forgiveness. He is a good King. The best King!
Our text today from Luke 23 begins at verse 39
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” (Luke 23:39)
Yes, Jesus is the Messiah.
Yes, Jesus is the Savior.
Yes, at the very moment he was in the midst of saving every man, woman and child who would choose to follow him as LORD.
This passage reminds me again of the layers of suffering Jesus endured.
He wasn’t just stripped naked.
He wasn’t just beaten.
He wasn’t just pierced with nails.
He wasn’t just betrayed by one of his closest friends.
He wasn’t just tired from a night of prayer while his disciples were sleeping.
He gets insulted by a criminal hanging beside him. I can only imagine the tone. Most of communication is non-verbal.
“Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
On the other side of Jesus was a criminal with a completely different attitude.
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” (Luke 23:40-41)
Do you feel the irony? The criminals were punished justly, but Jesus had done nothing wrong. Obviously this criminal had faith. He feared God. We don’t know exactly what he did to deserve execution, but people have faith have been known to make mistakes…and even commit crimes.
Some of the most vibrant followers of Jesus live behind bars. Their sins, like those of the criminals on Calvary, are known. They are branded—child abuser, thief, drug dealer. They don’t have the option of putting on a fancy suit and parading around on Sunday mornings pretending to have the perfect life, the perfect spouse, the perfect kids. They are humble. They are broken. They are desperate for redemption.
Oh how I wish that were the posture of every Christian. We all need a Savior, a Redeemer, a King. Just because my sins haven’t put me on death row doesn’t mean I don’t need Jesus. Just because many of my sins are “acceptable” sins like worry and anger doesn’t mean I don’t need Jesus. Just because my sins are not always visible like pride, judgmentalism, jealousy, and impatience doesn’t mean I don’t need Jesus.
Jesus was without sin so He could pay for the sins of the world.
God became a human so He could pay for the sins of humanity.
Both criminals heard Jesus’ first words on the cross, a prayer for the very ones who nailed Him there:
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. (Luke 23:34)
They should’ve been the ones seeking forgiveness. They knew what they were doing—obeying Pilate’s orders and securing the empire against insurrection and rebellion. They were executing a blasphemer, a troublemaker, a radical.
But only Jesus truly knew what he was doing: providing a path of forgiveness and salvation for anyone who would repent and surrender their lives to him, to the King.
The faith-filled criminal beside Jesus realized forgiveness was possible for those who nailed him to the cross. That gave him hope, despite his own sins. He said
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)
What a request. What faith!
Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43
If Jesus could forgive this criminal—this person who probably never went to church, read the Bible, gave money to the poor, or went on a mission trip—he can forgive you and me. If Jesus wanted those who pounded the nails to be forgiven, you and I have hope.
Another irony comes from the crowds who taunted and shouted
“You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. (Matthew 27:40-42)
The religious people got involved. Jesus didn’t just die for criminals. He died for the self-righteous, for the proud. They said, “If you are the Son of God.” That’s what Satan hurled at Jesus when he was tempted in the wilderness.
…“If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (Matthew 4:3)
“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” (Matthew 4:6)
The so-called people of God were mouthing Satan’s temptations!
They urged Jesus to save himself at the very moment he was dying to save them!
To save us, Jesus could not save himself. In a love that could not die, Jesus died. His love kept him on the cross. Love for you. Love for me.
So What?
Some of you see yourself like the criminal, paralyzed by guilt and shame. You blew it this week. You lashed out at your kids. You indulged in porn. You drank yourself silly. You lied to your boss.
You need forgiveness. You need grace—unmerited favor. You need Jesus.
Some of you are on the opposite extreme. You’re religious, self-righteous, and a really good person. Your reputation is so stellar you think you’re almost perfect. You’re here every Sunday, always put money in the offering plate, and have even memorized parts of the Bible.
You need forgiveness. You need grace—unmerited favor. You need Jesus.
I’m a recovering Pharisee. Pride is arguably the worst of all sins, the root of them all. It’s subtle because it’s usually unseen…and rarely punished. But it kills relationships. It separates us from others…and God. I need Jesus.
Perhaps the greatest irony of the crucifixion is God’s love for sinners. As we recently saw
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)
He didn’t die because we were good.
He died because we were bad. We were sinners. We are sinners.
I believe some of you still struggle with God’s ability to forgive you and truly love you. I struggle to fully comprehend God’s grace. But whether you believe it or not does not make it true or false. I have discovered the Bible can be trusted. It has been tested. It works.
The good news, the gospel, the message of our faith is Jesus is LORD. He is our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King. His love never fails. His arms are reaching out to embrace you…but He won’t force Himself upon you. He simply invites you to follow Him. I accepted the invitation decades ago and I’ve never regretted it for a second.
Credits: Some ideas from Rev. Steven H. Albers, CTA.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: A Love That Never Dies
Luke 23:39-43
Series Big Idea: Throughout Lent, we prepare for Jesus’ death, resurrection, and return
Big Idea: Jesus’ death was filled with irony…and hope for all sinners.
Irony.
The bald guy’s name is Curly.
The huge weightlifter is called Tiny.
The psychic’s presentation is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.
The name Judas means praise.
Irony involves a contrast between appearance and reality, between expectation and occurrence.
My name is Kirk and we’re in the middle of Lent, the season leading to our remembrance of the death and resurrection of Jesus. This series is entitled, “A Love That Never Dies” and to demonstrate a love that will never die, Jesus died. He died a gory, horrific death…because He loves you and me.
There are so many ironies in the crucifixion account. Dennis sang about many of them.
Why did a friend betray Jesus?
Why did he use a kiss?
Why did King Jesus have to wear a crown of thorns?
Why did the only perfect human die on a cross like a thief?
Here are some others:
The Romans usually nailed each criminal’s charges to his cross. They wanted everyone to know what they did…and the fate of those who try to do the same thing. Crucifixion was meant to be a deterrent. The message was, “If you steal, this will happen to you. If you murder, this will happen to you.”
Jesus’ charge? First, it was written in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. Tri-lingual! Latin for the Romans, Greek for those in commerce. Hebrew for the Jews. And the charge said, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” The irony is the charge was true. He is the King of the Jews. He’s also the King of the Romans, King of the Gentiles, He’s the King of kings and Lord of lords. And the King of all hung dying for those who rebelled against his rule and that of His Father.
He wants to be king over you and me, too. He’s not an insecure ruler seeking power and control. Instead, He rules benevolently, with love and grace, mercy and forgiveness. He is a good King. The best King!
Our text today from Luke 23 begins at verse 39
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” (Luke 23:39)
Yes, Jesus is the Messiah.
Yes, Jesus is the Savior.
Yes, at the very moment he was in the midst of saving every man, woman and child who would choose to follow him as LORD.
This passage reminds me again of the layers of suffering Jesus endured.
He wasn’t just stripped naked.
He wasn’t just beaten.
He wasn’t just pierced with nails.
He wasn’t just betrayed by one of his closest friends.
He wasn’t just tired from a night of prayer while his disciples were sleeping.
He gets insulted by a criminal hanging beside him. I can only imagine the tone. Most of communication is non-verbal.
“Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
On the other side of Jesus was a criminal with a completely different attitude.
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” (Luke 23:40-41)
Do you feel the irony? The criminals were punished justly, but Jesus had done nothing wrong. Obviously this criminal had faith. He feared God. We don’t know exactly what he did to deserve execution, but people have faith have been known to make mistakes…and even commit crimes.
Some of the most vibrant followers of Jesus live behind bars. Their sins, like those of the criminals on Calvary, are known. They are branded—child abuser, thief, drug dealer. They don’t have the option of putting on a fancy suit and parading around on Sunday mornings pretending to have the perfect life, the perfect spouse, the perfect kids. They are humble. They are broken. They are desperate for redemption.
Oh how I wish that were the posture of every Christian. We all need a Savior, a Redeemer, a King. Just because my sins haven’t put me on death row doesn’t mean I don’t need Jesus. Just because many of my sins are “acceptable” sins like worry and anger doesn’t mean I don’t need Jesus. Just because my sins are not always visible like pride, judgmentalism, jealousy, and impatience doesn’t mean I don’t need Jesus.
Jesus was without sin so He could pay for the sins of the world.
God became a human so He could pay for the sins of humanity.
Both criminals heard Jesus’ first words on the cross, a prayer for the very ones who nailed Him there:
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. (Luke 23:34)
They should’ve been the ones seeking forgiveness. They knew what they were doing—obeying Pilate’s orders and securing the empire against insurrection and rebellion. They were executing a blasphemer, a troublemaker, a radical.
But only Jesus truly knew what he was doing: providing a path of forgiveness and salvation for anyone who would repent and surrender their lives to him, to the King.
The faith-filled criminal beside Jesus realized forgiveness was possible for those who nailed him to the cross. That gave him hope, despite his own sins. He said
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)
What a request. What faith!
Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43
If Jesus could forgive this criminal—this person who probably never went to church, read the Bible, gave money to the poor, or went on a mission trip—he can forgive you and me. If Jesus wanted those who pounded the nails to be forgiven, you and I have hope.
Another irony comes from the crowds who taunted and shouted
“You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. (Matthew 27:40-42)
The religious people got involved. Jesus didn’t just die for criminals. He died for the self-righteous, for the proud. They said, “If you are the Son of God.” That’s what Satan hurled at Jesus when he was tempted in the wilderness.
…“If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (Matthew 4:3)
“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” (Matthew 4:6)
The so-called people of God were mouthing Satan’s temptations!
They urged Jesus to save himself at the very moment he was dying to save them!
To save us, Jesus could not save himself. In a love that could not die, Jesus died. His love kept him on the cross. Love for you. Love for me.
So What?
Some of you see yourself like the criminal, paralyzed by guilt and shame. You blew it this week. You lashed out at your kids. You indulged in porn. You drank yourself silly. You lied to your boss.
You need forgiveness. You need grace—unmerited favor. You need Jesus.
Some of you are on the opposite extreme. You’re religious, self-righteous, and a really good person. Your reputation is so stellar you think you’re almost perfect. You’re here every Sunday, always put money in the offering plate, and have even memorized parts of the Bible.
You need forgiveness. You need grace—unmerited favor. You need Jesus.
I’m a recovering Pharisee. Pride is arguably the worst of all sins, the root of them all. It’s subtle because it’s usually unseen…and rarely punished. But it kills relationships. It separates us from others…and God. I need Jesus.
Perhaps the greatest irony of the crucifixion is God’s love for sinners. As we recently saw
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)
He didn’t die because we were good.
He died because we were bad. We were sinners. We are sinners.
I believe some of you still struggle with God’s ability to forgive you and truly love you. I struggle to fully comprehend God’s grace. But whether you believe it or not does not make it true or false. I have discovered the Bible can be trusted. It has been tested. It works.
The good news, the gospel, the message of our faith is Jesus is LORD. He is our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King. His love never fails. His arms are reaching out to embrace you…but He won’t force Himself upon you. He simply invites you to follow Him. I accepted the invitation decades ago and I’ve never regretted it for a second.
Credits: Some ideas from Rev. Steven H. Albers, CTA.
Is It I, LORD? 26 March 2017
27 03 17
Is It I, LORD?
Series: A Love That Never Dies
Matthew 26:21-25
Series Big Idea: Throughout Lent, we prepare for Jesus’ death, resurrection, and return
Big Idea: Lent reminds us of our need for forgiveness…and its availability.
Betrayal. Have you ever experienced it? Have you ever had a friend turn against you? That’s not what friends are supposed to do!
My name is Kirk and we’re continuing our Lent sermon series, “A Love That Never Dies.” Every day should be a day to remember the death and resurrection of Jesus, but this season leading up to Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday is an especially good time to focus on Holy Week, including the cross and empty tomb. We contemplate our sins which caused Jesus to endure a horrific death…and remember the love of God can never die.
Death. It’s the one subject most USAmericans hate to discuss. It makes us uncomfortable, even fearful. Sure, many Christians say they’re ready to die, but that doesn’t remove the uncertainty of when…or how.
For some of us it will be soon. But we don’t know.
For some of us it will be quick and easy, while others will agonize for years.
Are you uncomfortable yet?
There are so many unbelievable aspects of Jesus’ death. We’re all aware of the physical anguish of being beaten, wearing a crown of thorns, carrying a cross, and the nails. Those three spikes.
Most of us pay less attention to the emotional and mental anguish Jesus endured…because he loved us so.
First, Jesus spent thousands of years preparing to die. He knew before the foundation of the world we would exist…and need a Savior (Ephesians 1:4). That means before he spoke the universe into existence, he knew about the plan to enter our world and die.
Have you ever anticipated pain? It can be worse than the pain itself! At this very moment I’m anticipating the pain of the vaccinations I need to travel to Africa this summer to train pastors (I’ll share more about that soon). I don’t like shots. I’m dreading the needle. If you just randomly walked up to me and gave me the shot, I wouldn’t have any anxiety (though I’d be startled and momentarily quite upset with you!).
Imagine anticipating pain…forever. Imagine spending 33 years on this planet knowing you would willingly die. We’re all going to die—the odds are 100%—but Jesus died intentionally. He died to demonstrate his love for us…not because we’re good, but because we’re desperate. We saw two weeks ago…
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
In today’s text, Jesus is celebrating Passover, the pinnacle of Jewish festivals. Thirteen men gather around food and drink to commemorate the exodus from Egypt of their ancestors. It was a huge deal.
And then Jesus drops a bomb.
And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” (Matthew 26:21)
What? That’s not party talk! Betrayal? How did Jesus know? Can he predict the future?
Who would possibly betray a friend, much less Jesus? And why?!?!?!
They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?” (Matthew 26:22)
“Is it I, LORD?”
In case you need a definition, one dictionary described betrayal as
1: to give over to an enemy by treason or treachery
2: to be unfaithful
3: to tell in violation of a trust
Is it possible to “accidentally” betray someone? The betrayer knew. So did Jesus.
Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” (Matthew 26:23-24)
That’s an understatement, though it was all part of God’s plan.
Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”
Jesus answered, “You have said so.” (Matthew 26:25)
“Is it I, LORD?”
“Yes, Judas.”
Betrayal
Is there any emotional pain greater than betrayal? It takes years to establish trust, to develop a deep friendship…and an instant to lose it.
Judas betrayed Jesus shortly thereafter…with a kiss. That simple gesture we reserve for loved ones became the signal that would begin the series of events leading to the gory execution of the only perfect human in history. Judas sold his soul for thirty pieces of silver, about four months’ wages for a common laborer.
What was Judas thinking?!
What must he have been thinking when the mob cried out, “Crucify him!”? (Matthew 27:23)
When they said to Pilate, “His blood is on us and on our children,” he knew the blood of Jesus was on his hands. (Matthew 27:25)
Imagine how Jesus’ words must have echoed in the mind of Judas.
But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” (Matthew 26:24)
We all want to make a difference in this world. You want your life to matter, right? Imagine hearing God—not an ignorant fool, but GOD—saying your life was wasted.
Is it any wonder Judas committed suicide?
I don’t think Judas was a lost cause. Jesus’ words reflected his own sorrow and pain more than a personal statement toward his friend, Judas.
Jesus loved Judas. Jesus’ love never dies. He says to Judas and to me and to you
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)
Jesus would have forgiven Judas, just as he forgave Peter when he denied Christ three times. And he forgives you and me.
In the book of Romans, we read
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Romans 8:35-36)
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)
I want to close with one simple verse I love to quote.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
So What?
I want to give you an opportunity to respond today. We’ve all sinned. We’ve all offended God. We’ve all disobeyed. Maybe you have not denied Christ or betrayed him—or maybe you have—but Jesus died to forgive you of your sins—past, present, and future. It says, “If we confess.”
The altar is open every Sunday, but occasionally we draw particular attention to it. To close today, I simply want to invite you to come forward and offer personal prayers of confession. You can do so in your seat, if desired. You are also free to quietly exit the sanctuary. Just know if you are a follower of Jesus, you are forgiven. That’s why Jesus died. That’s what Lent is all about. That’s why we possess and share good news. Hallelujah!
Questions for individual or group reflection
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: A Love That Never Dies
Matthew 26:21-25
Series Big Idea: Throughout Lent, we prepare for Jesus’ death, resurrection, and return
Big Idea: Lent reminds us of our need for forgiveness…and its availability.
Betrayal. Have you ever experienced it? Have you ever had a friend turn against you? That’s not what friends are supposed to do!
My name is Kirk and we’re continuing our Lent sermon series, “A Love That Never Dies.” Every day should be a day to remember the death and resurrection of Jesus, but this season leading up to Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday is an especially good time to focus on Holy Week, including the cross and empty tomb. We contemplate our sins which caused Jesus to endure a horrific death…and remember the love of God can never die.
Death. It’s the one subject most USAmericans hate to discuss. It makes us uncomfortable, even fearful. Sure, many Christians say they’re ready to die, but that doesn’t remove the uncertainty of when…or how.
For some of us it will be soon. But we don’t know.
For some of us it will be quick and easy, while others will agonize for years.
Are you uncomfortable yet?
There are so many unbelievable aspects of Jesus’ death. We’re all aware of the physical anguish of being beaten, wearing a crown of thorns, carrying a cross, and the nails. Those three spikes.
Most of us pay less attention to the emotional and mental anguish Jesus endured…because he loved us so.
First, Jesus spent thousands of years preparing to die. He knew before the foundation of the world we would exist…and need a Savior (Ephesians 1:4). That means before he spoke the universe into existence, he knew about the plan to enter our world and die.
Have you ever anticipated pain? It can be worse than the pain itself! At this very moment I’m anticipating the pain of the vaccinations I need to travel to Africa this summer to train pastors (I’ll share more about that soon). I don’t like shots. I’m dreading the needle. If you just randomly walked up to me and gave me the shot, I wouldn’t have any anxiety (though I’d be startled and momentarily quite upset with you!).
Imagine anticipating pain…forever. Imagine spending 33 years on this planet knowing you would willingly die. We’re all going to die—the odds are 100%—but Jesus died intentionally. He died to demonstrate his love for us…not because we’re good, but because we’re desperate. We saw two weeks ago…
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
In today’s text, Jesus is celebrating Passover, the pinnacle of Jewish festivals. Thirteen men gather around food and drink to commemorate the exodus from Egypt of their ancestors. It was a huge deal.
And then Jesus drops a bomb.
And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” (Matthew 26:21)
What? That’s not party talk! Betrayal? How did Jesus know? Can he predict the future?
Who would possibly betray a friend, much less Jesus? And why?!?!?!
They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?” (Matthew 26:22)
“Is it I, LORD?”
In case you need a definition, one dictionary described betrayal as
1: to give over to an enemy by treason or treachery
2: to be unfaithful
3: to tell in violation of a trust
Is it possible to “accidentally” betray someone? The betrayer knew. So did Jesus.
Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” (Matthew 26:23-24)
That’s an understatement, though it was all part of God’s plan.
Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”
Jesus answered, “You have said so.” (Matthew 26:25)
“Is it I, LORD?”
“Yes, Judas.”
Betrayal
Is there any emotional pain greater than betrayal? It takes years to establish trust, to develop a deep friendship…and an instant to lose it.
Judas betrayed Jesus shortly thereafter…with a kiss. That simple gesture we reserve for loved ones became the signal that would begin the series of events leading to the gory execution of the only perfect human in history. Judas sold his soul for thirty pieces of silver, about four months’ wages for a common laborer.
What was Judas thinking?!
What must he have been thinking when the mob cried out, “Crucify him!”? (Matthew 27:23)
When they said to Pilate, “His blood is on us and on our children,” he knew the blood of Jesus was on his hands. (Matthew 27:25)
Imagine how Jesus’ words must have echoed in the mind of Judas.
But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” (Matthew 26:24)
We all want to make a difference in this world. You want your life to matter, right? Imagine hearing God—not an ignorant fool, but GOD—saying your life was wasted.
Is it any wonder Judas committed suicide?
I don’t think Judas was a lost cause. Jesus’ words reflected his own sorrow and pain more than a personal statement toward his friend, Judas.
Jesus loved Judas. Jesus’ love never dies. He says to Judas and to me and to you
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)
Jesus would have forgiven Judas, just as he forgave Peter when he denied Christ three times. And he forgives you and me.
In the book of Romans, we read
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Romans 8:35-36)
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)
I want to close with one simple verse I love to quote.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
So What?
I want to give you an opportunity to respond today. We’ve all sinned. We’ve all offended God. We’ve all disobeyed. Maybe you have not denied Christ or betrayed him—or maybe you have—but Jesus died to forgive you of your sins—past, present, and future. It says, “If we confess.”
The altar is open every Sunday, but occasionally we draw particular attention to it. To close today, I simply want to invite you to come forward and offer personal prayers of confession. You can do so in your seat, if desired. You are also free to quietly exit the sanctuary. Just know if you are a follower of Jesus, you are forgiven. That’s why Jesus died. That’s what Lent is all about. That’s why we possess and share good news. Hallelujah!
Questions for individual or group reflection
- What examples of betrayal can you cite from recent movies, books, or current events What makes betrayal such a disgusting, shameful act in almost every era, every culture?
- Why do you believe Jesus chose Judas to be one of the disciples?
- The name Judas means “praised one.” How does this add to the irony of Judas’s life story?
- Compare John 13:18 with Psalm 41:9. Based on these verses, what do you deduce about the meaning of eating together in the culture of both Old and New Testament times?
- Who initiated Judas’s act of betrayal? We can only guess, but what motives might have been behind this? (See Matthew 26:14–16 and John 12:4–6.)
- Compare Matthew 27:1–8 and Acts 1:18–20. What do you think lay behind Judas’s suicide?
- Together with everyone in your group, brainstorm these two questions:
- - In what ways were Peter’s denial (Matthew 26:69–75) and Judas’s betrayal alike?
- - In what ways were they different?
- Consider Jesus’ words in Matthew 26:48–50 and his warning in Mark 3:29. Would Jesus have forgiven Judas as he later forgave Peter? How does this make Judas’s death even more tragic?
- Where in the events we have been considering do you see Jesus’ love, a love that never dies?
- Based on all this, what would you say to someone who might say to you, “I’m so ashamed. What I’ve done is unforgivable”?
- What one key point will you carry away when you leave today? Explain.
- What will you ask Jesus to do in and through you in response to what you’ve heard?
Sin Knows No Strangers, 12 March 2017
13 03 17
Sin Knows No Strangers
Series: A Love That Never Dies
Romans 5:6-11
Series Big Idea: Throughout Lent, we prepare for Jesus’ death, resurrection, and return
Big Idea: Because of Jesus, we can be friends of God rather than enemies.
I believe the two most important questions in life are
- Who am I?
- Who is God?
Our text today addresses some powerful issues of identity we must all ponder carefully in order to answer those two questions.
What words describe you?
What words describe God?
A Love That Never Dies. Ever so briefly yet dramatically, these words describe our Lord’s love for us, and they serve as our overarching theme in these weeks leading up to Easter. God’s love for us is a love that never dies, and that’s a good thing! For “sin knows no strangers.” Sin is pervasive, powerful, and persuasive. In both its global and most intimate forms, sin seeks to draw us away God.
Listen for those truths in today’s text:
Paul, once known as Saul of Tarsus, is in the midst of writing to the first Christians in Rome. He offers them rich insight into their identity.
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)
For whom did Christ die? The ungodly.
When did Christ die? When we were still powerless.
Why did Paul mention “we” and then “ungodly?” You’re a good person, right? You’re in church. Most of you haven’t murdered anyone or robbed a bank. Jesus died on the cross because we’re good people, we are loveable, and he loves us.
I think most people think they’ll go to heaven when they die because they’re good people. They pay their taxes. They vote. They brush their teeth!
Jesus died for the ungodly. That’s me!
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. (Romans 5:7)
Let that sink in for a moment. Would you die for someone? Your child? Your best friend? Your spouse? What about LeBron James? President Trump? Putin?
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
This is stunning. I’ve heard it 100 times, but it is truly remarkable.
Jesus died for the powerless and feeble (v. 6)
Jesus died for the ungodly (v. 6)
Jesus died for sinners (v. 8)
Jesus died for his enemies (as we will see in verse 10)
Jesus died for you and me.
Drop the mic! That’s incredible!
You don’t have to hope God loves you.
You don’t have to wonder if God loves you.
God loves you. He demonstrated it. He proved it. His actions speak as loud as his words.
He loved you and me while we were unrepentant sinners.
Isn’t this good news? Isn’t this great news?
We celebrate the death of Jesus last Sunday. It’s called Good Friday because Jesus dying for us—hopeless, helpless sinners—provided a pathway for forgiveness, reconciliation with our Heavenly Father, peace, joy, and hope.
But it gets better…and worse.
God’s Wrath
When you mentioned words to describe God, how many said, “Wrath?”
God is love.
God is kind.
God is forgiving and gracious and merciful.
Yes. But God is also just. And justice includes wrath.
Does God hate people? Absolutely not…but He hates sin. He hates sin! And we are sinners. You know this. Earlier in chapter three, Paul states the obvious:
…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)
That’s one of the most depressing verses in the Bible.
Have you ever felt short?
God is perfect. 100% pure. He has a zero tolerance policy for sin. Zero! So when we sin—and we all sin—where does that leave us? Separated from God.
That’s the bad news. But the good news is Jesus’ death covered all of our sin.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:9-11)
We have been justified. That means God approves of us because of Jesus, an acquittal that sets of free from the penalty of our sin. Justification happens now. On judgment day we will be saved from God’s wrath. It will be awe-inspiring to see and be spared of God’s wrath.
Because God is just, He must judge. He must be fair. We will all get what we deserve…unless we follow Jesus and receive grace—unmerited, undeserved favor.
Have you ever thought of yourself as an enemy of God? Paul says that’s what we were, enemies of God.
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. (James 4:4)
But Paul says we’re reconciled. That’s becoming one of my favorite words. We don’t hear it often because it doesn’t happen often. It’s easier to remain bitter, angry, or even silent. Reconcile means
- Restore friendly relations between
- Cause to coexist in harmony; make or show to be compatible or consistent
- To compose or settle (a quarrel, dispute)
It’s as if we wore white t-shirts, our sin stained them with dirt, and Jesus wraps a white robe around us, allowing us to stand before God perfect and pure. Jesus does the heavy lifting. We just open our arms and say yes.
Hallelujah!
To summarize…
Sin has made us enemies of God.
God’s grace, mercy, and never-ending love have rescued us.
Through Jesus, we can be friends of God.
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. (John 15:15)
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. (James 2:23)
This is a truly amazing reality. We weren’t always friends of God. We were enemies, yet through Jesus we can be reconciled. We can know God…not just about God, but truly know God.
Are you a friend of God?
Credits
Some ideas from Rev. Steven H. Albers, CTA.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: A Love That Never Dies
Romans 5:6-11
Series Big Idea: Throughout Lent, we prepare for Jesus’ death, resurrection, and return
Big Idea: Because of Jesus, we can be friends of God rather than enemies.
I believe the two most important questions in life are
- Who am I?
- Who is God?
Our text today addresses some powerful issues of identity we must all ponder carefully in order to answer those two questions.
What words describe you?
What words describe God?
A Love That Never Dies. Ever so briefly yet dramatically, these words describe our Lord’s love for us, and they serve as our overarching theme in these weeks leading up to Easter. God’s love for us is a love that never dies, and that’s a good thing! For “sin knows no strangers.” Sin is pervasive, powerful, and persuasive. In both its global and most intimate forms, sin seeks to draw us away God.
Listen for those truths in today’s text:
Paul, once known as Saul of Tarsus, is in the midst of writing to the first Christians in Rome. He offers them rich insight into their identity.
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)
For whom did Christ die? The ungodly.
When did Christ die? When we were still powerless.
Why did Paul mention “we” and then “ungodly?” You’re a good person, right? You’re in church. Most of you haven’t murdered anyone or robbed a bank. Jesus died on the cross because we’re good people, we are loveable, and he loves us.
I think most people think they’ll go to heaven when they die because they’re good people. They pay their taxes. They vote. They brush their teeth!
Jesus died for the ungodly. That’s me!
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. (Romans 5:7)
Let that sink in for a moment. Would you die for someone? Your child? Your best friend? Your spouse? What about LeBron James? President Trump? Putin?
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
This is stunning. I’ve heard it 100 times, but it is truly remarkable.
Jesus died for the powerless and feeble (v. 6)
Jesus died for the ungodly (v. 6)
Jesus died for sinners (v. 8)
Jesus died for his enemies (as we will see in verse 10)
Jesus died for you and me.
Drop the mic! That’s incredible!
You don’t have to hope God loves you.
You don’t have to wonder if God loves you.
God loves you. He demonstrated it. He proved it. His actions speak as loud as his words.
He loved you and me while we were unrepentant sinners.
Isn’t this good news? Isn’t this great news?
We celebrate the death of Jesus last Sunday. It’s called Good Friday because Jesus dying for us—hopeless, helpless sinners—provided a pathway for forgiveness, reconciliation with our Heavenly Father, peace, joy, and hope.
But it gets better…and worse.
God’s Wrath
When you mentioned words to describe God, how many said, “Wrath?”
God is love.
God is kind.
God is forgiving and gracious and merciful.
Yes. But God is also just. And justice includes wrath.
Does God hate people? Absolutely not…but He hates sin. He hates sin! And we are sinners. You know this. Earlier in chapter three, Paul states the obvious:
…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)
That’s one of the most depressing verses in the Bible.
Have you ever felt short?
God is perfect. 100% pure. He has a zero tolerance policy for sin. Zero! So when we sin—and we all sin—where does that leave us? Separated from God.
That’s the bad news. But the good news is Jesus’ death covered all of our sin.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:9-11)
We have been justified. That means God approves of us because of Jesus, an acquittal that sets of free from the penalty of our sin. Justification happens now. On judgment day we will be saved from God’s wrath. It will be awe-inspiring to see and be spared of God’s wrath.
Because God is just, He must judge. He must be fair. We will all get what we deserve…unless we follow Jesus and receive grace—unmerited, undeserved favor.
Have you ever thought of yourself as an enemy of God? Paul says that’s what we were, enemies of God.
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. (James 4:4)
But Paul says we’re reconciled. That’s becoming one of my favorite words. We don’t hear it often because it doesn’t happen often. It’s easier to remain bitter, angry, or even silent. Reconcile means
- Restore friendly relations between
- Cause to coexist in harmony; make or show to be compatible or consistent
- To compose or settle (a quarrel, dispute)
It’s as if we wore white t-shirts, our sin stained them with dirt, and Jesus wraps a white robe around us, allowing us to stand before God perfect and pure. Jesus does the heavy lifting. We just open our arms and say yes.
Hallelujah!
To summarize…
Sin has made us enemies of God.
God’s grace, mercy, and never-ending love have rescued us.
Through Jesus, we can be friends of God.
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. (John 15:15)
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. (James 2:23)
This is a truly amazing reality. We weren’t always friends of God. We were enemies, yet through Jesus we can be reconciled. We can know God…not just about God, but truly know God.
Are you a friend of God?
Credits
Some ideas from Rev. Steven H. Albers, CTA.
Vision Sunday, 5 March 2017
05 03 17
Vision Sunday
Matthew 28:18-20
Big Idea: God has an exciting mission for us to (continue to) pursue.
Those words, often called the Great Commission, are our mission. They are why we exist as a church. They are our mandate, our calling…make disciples.
My name is Kirk and about eighteen months ago I was invited to move to Toledo and serve as your lead pastor. It was a humbling opportunity. Heather and I continue to thank God for calling us here.
Several people have asked about our future, our vision. I dedicated my first year to listening—to you, our city, and most of all our Senior Pastor, Jesus. I came with no agenda. I came with little understanding of Toledo or First Alliance and its rich history.
I’m excited to say things are beginning to get clear. I’m starting to get the pulse of our church and neighborhood. I don’t have a 20-year strategic plan to share with you today or announcements of ten new initiatives, but after many discussions with our staff and elders, I believe things are slowly coming into focus and I want to share with you glimpses of our future.
Before we talk about First Alliance, I want to reflect upon our scripture text for today. To set the scene, we need to back up a bit. Matthew tells us about the resurrection of Jesus at the beginning of chapter 28. This, of course, is the great climax of Lent, arguably the greatest day in the history of the world.
By the way, I want to encourage all of you to join me in this season of Lent, the journey toward the Cross…and resurrection. It’s not just a Catholic thing! These forty days remind us of Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness. We still have some devotionals if you didn’t get one last week, available at the Information Center in the lobby. Next week we begin a Lent series called, “A Love That Never Dies” to help us prepare for Holy Week.
Matthew, one of four biographers of Jesus Christ, tells us the resurrection and then says…
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20)
These are Matthew’s final words in his gospel or “good news.” The mission—the commission—is simple: make disciples. Great! What’s a disciple? A simple definition would be a student or apprentice of another person. The goal of a disciple is to become like their master. When Jesus says make disciples, he is telling his followers to invest in followers who will become Christ-like.
A disciple is not someone who just has the knowledge of the master.
A disciple is someone who acts like the master.
You may be a master chef and spend years showing me how to cook, but the test of my discipleship is not what’s in my head, but rather what I put on the dinner plate.
You may be a master plumber and spend years showing me how to fix a leaky faucet, but the test of my discipleship is not what I know about plumbing, it’s whether or not I know how to keep the floor dry!
Tragically, the focus of many churches has been attendance, getting people to go to a church service or small group. For some it is information, stuffing people with Bible knowledge. There’s nothing wrong with those things, but they don’t truly measure discipleship.
The measure of discipleship is how much you look and act like Jesus. He said, “Follow me.”
I have heard countless times people respect Jesus but they don’t like the church. That’s a discipleship issue, friends. If you are a Christian—or “little Christ”—your life should resemble Jesus. Obviously, none of us have arrived—we’re all imperfect sinners—but our goal, our example should be Jesus. If you need a more specific description of a disciple of Jesus, consider the fruit of the Spirit:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
How do you make disciples? First, be a disciple. Are you a disciple of Jesus? How does your life reflect the fruit of the Spirit?
It should be noted Jesus never commanded us to start churches, go on mission trips, engage in Bible studies, attend prayer meetings, or even listen to a sermon every Sunday. Again, none of those are bad, but they are not the goal. Our mission is to make disciples, people who look like Jesus, people who love God and others. Make disciples is the Great Commission. Jesus also gave the great commandments:
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” (Mark 12:28)
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)
Have you heard this before? You’ll hear it again, I promise, because at the end of the day, Jesus told us the entire Bible is summed up in two commandments:
Love God
Love your neighbor
And he has given us one mission
Make Disciples
Simple? Yes.
Easy? No.
The reality is, we can’t love God and our neighbor and make disciples on our own. We need the Holy Spirit. Thomas George spoke about the Holy Spirit a few weeks ago. If you weren’t here, you can download the message for free on iTunes or our smartphone app. In a sentence, he said we need to let go and let God, surrendering ourselves to allow the Holy Spirit to fill us in order for us to bear fruit.
So make disciples. But how? Actually, the command is go and make disciples. What does it mean to love God and love others? Let’s take a look at our church’s mission statement. It says
The mission – make disciples - fully devoted followers of Christ. We define discipleship at First Alliance as someone who is: Connecting to God (worship), others (growing in community), and the world (missions – here and around the world)
As our logo says, we’re about connecting to God, others, and the world.
Are you still with me?
The elders have been working on bringing more clarity to our mission. It’s biblical, but very broad. Any church could/should help people connect to God, others, and the world. I don’t have a revised mission statement for you—though we’ve been discussing one—but I want to suggest two details I cannot avoid:
1. Toledo
I know, this isn’t exactly rocket science, but Toledo is our “Jerusalem,” our home mission field. I’m sure there was a day when Toledo was filled with followers of Jesus, but like most any city in the west, it is becoming increasingly secular or non-Christian. We probably have more atheists, agnostics, and people of other faiths in our city than ever before, to say nothing of lukewarm Christians.
If God called you to be a missionary in west Africa as he did last week’s guests Doug and Karen Conkle, you would live among the people, learn the language, study the culture, develop relationships, and invite people to follow Jesus, right?
Most of you have been called by God to be missionaries in Toledo. This is our mission field. We need to live among the people, learn the language, study the culture, develop relationships, and invite people to follow Jesus.
Let me briefly share a few reasons why I believe we need to focus on Toledo:
1. We’re here!
2. We’ve been here for 129 years
3. We chose to stay here when the old building burned down
4. Toledo has many needs we can address
5. We’ve been given some wonderful opportunities to pursue
6. We can be a part of the city’s growth and renaissance
7. God is on the move in Toledo, not only at First Alliance but in the dozens of churches who are praying, serving, and worshiping together
This morning I want to declare my personal commitment to this city. For as long as God has me here at First Alliance, I want to live, work, shop, and play in Toledo. Heather and I really have done better in Toledo and we’re excited about the future.
2. The Next Generation
No, I’m not talking about Star Trek. Actually, the next generation can be interpreted in a number of different ways—the next generation in US history (the Millennials) or the one that follows (GenZ), the next generation of members at First Alliance, the next generation of followers of Jesus…but it’s not me. It’s not many of you. Obviously we’re not going to go crazy, hang a disco ball from the ceiling, and sing Lady Gaga songs, but many of us have had our day. People served and sacrificed so we could encounter Jesus. We must make space for our children and grandchildren and great grandchildren. If you know Jesus, it’s critical to help the next generation know him. You saw some of them earlier waving ribbons. Others spoke last Sunday about their trip to the Avalanche youth retreat. They are our future…they are our present!
We’ve always been about the next generation. We were involved in starting Toledo Christian Schools. We have an After School Klub. We run an annual sports and arts camp. We have possibly the best children’s director in the state of Ohio (Sue Trumbull) who is leading one hundred volunteer workers!
Jesus told this great parable (story) in the 13th chapter of Matthew. He said seed was scattered in soil. Some was eaten by birds. Some fell on rocky ground and died. Some was choked by thorns. Some fell on good soil and produced a great crop. Jesus explained the story by saying…
When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. (Matthew 13:19-22)
But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
After being so impressed by my first year at sports and arts camp last summer, I told Sue we did a great job scattering seed for a week, but what about the next 51 weeks? We need to cultivate the seeds, making sure they receive sun, rain, and fertilizer, keeping away the thorns, rocks, and birds.
We are starting to do just that, through Toledo Urban Impact, the new van pickup each Sunday, new students from the neighborhood coming on Wednesday nights to girls club, boys club, and youth group, and our growing relationship with Rosa Parks Elementary School two miles away. We’re certainly not done, but we’re in the process of developing a birth to college pipeline of discipleship.
Our involvement at Rosa Parks began largely through an invitation from Dr. Durant, the TPS superintendent, to be present in the school with the students and staff—before, during, and after school! He is a God-fearing man who is unashamed of his faith and we accepted his invitation. I wrote him this past week to say I was thrilled to read his contract was extended three years. Rosa Parks Elementary is a huge part of our mission field, people we are called to love, serve, and bless.
Do you want to know my dream? It is to put Dan Rogers at Cherry Street Mission out of a job! Seriously! He would love that!
He would love to see homelessness end with the next generation because people like you and me invested in their lives, helping them to experience graduation, a career, and most of all Jesus Christ.
He would love to see poverty end with the next generation because people like you and me invested in their lives, helping them to develop a career.
He would love to see crime and teen pregnancy end with the next generation because people like you and me invested in their lives, helping them to encounter Jesus Christ.
We’re not giving up on adults, but something like 80% of Christians trust Christ before they turn 18. We can share the gospel with adults, but it’s a lot harder. We can rehabilitate the 55 year-old addict, but it’s a lot harder.
And do I need to tell you the kids of Toledo need hope? They need help? They need Jesus.
Last week Toledo’s 9th teen was shot dead.
The current graduation rate for TPS is less than 65%.
Teen moms are not just 16 and 17. Some are 12 and 13 years old in junior high.
So What?
Toledo needs Jesus. Not religion. Not programs. Jesus.
The next generation needs Jesus.
Where is Jesus on earth? We are to be his hands and feet, loving and serving and inviting people to come and see the one who loves them, who died for them, who never shames or pressures or manipulates, but simply says, “Follow me.”
Discipleship is praying for our city and next generation.
Discipleship is serving our city and next generation.
Discipleship is loving our city and next generation.
Will you join me?
You can listen to messages at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Matthew 28:18-20
Big Idea: God has an exciting mission for us to (continue to) pursue.
Those words, often called the Great Commission, are our mission. They are why we exist as a church. They are our mandate, our calling…make disciples.
My name is Kirk and about eighteen months ago I was invited to move to Toledo and serve as your lead pastor. It was a humbling opportunity. Heather and I continue to thank God for calling us here.
Several people have asked about our future, our vision. I dedicated my first year to listening—to you, our city, and most of all our Senior Pastor, Jesus. I came with no agenda. I came with little understanding of Toledo or First Alliance and its rich history.
I’m excited to say things are beginning to get clear. I’m starting to get the pulse of our church and neighborhood. I don’t have a 20-year strategic plan to share with you today or announcements of ten new initiatives, but after many discussions with our staff and elders, I believe things are slowly coming into focus and I want to share with you glimpses of our future.
Before we talk about First Alliance, I want to reflect upon our scripture text for today. To set the scene, we need to back up a bit. Matthew tells us about the resurrection of Jesus at the beginning of chapter 28. This, of course, is the great climax of Lent, arguably the greatest day in the history of the world.
By the way, I want to encourage all of you to join me in this season of Lent, the journey toward the Cross…and resurrection. It’s not just a Catholic thing! These forty days remind us of Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness. We still have some devotionals if you didn’t get one last week, available at the Information Center in the lobby. Next week we begin a Lent series called, “A Love That Never Dies” to help us prepare for Holy Week.
Matthew, one of four biographers of Jesus Christ, tells us the resurrection and then says…
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20)
These are Matthew’s final words in his gospel or “good news.” The mission—the commission—is simple: make disciples. Great! What’s a disciple? A simple definition would be a student or apprentice of another person. The goal of a disciple is to become like their master. When Jesus says make disciples, he is telling his followers to invest in followers who will become Christ-like.
A disciple is not someone who just has the knowledge of the master.
A disciple is someone who acts like the master.
You may be a master chef and spend years showing me how to cook, but the test of my discipleship is not what’s in my head, but rather what I put on the dinner plate.
You may be a master plumber and spend years showing me how to fix a leaky faucet, but the test of my discipleship is not what I know about plumbing, it’s whether or not I know how to keep the floor dry!
Tragically, the focus of many churches has been attendance, getting people to go to a church service or small group. For some it is information, stuffing people with Bible knowledge. There’s nothing wrong with those things, but they don’t truly measure discipleship.
The measure of discipleship is how much you look and act like Jesus. He said, “Follow me.”
I have heard countless times people respect Jesus but they don’t like the church. That’s a discipleship issue, friends. If you are a Christian—or “little Christ”—your life should resemble Jesus. Obviously, none of us have arrived—we’re all imperfect sinners—but our goal, our example should be Jesus. If you need a more specific description of a disciple of Jesus, consider the fruit of the Spirit:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
How do you make disciples? First, be a disciple. Are you a disciple of Jesus? How does your life reflect the fruit of the Spirit?
It should be noted Jesus never commanded us to start churches, go on mission trips, engage in Bible studies, attend prayer meetings, or even listen to a sermon every Sunday. Again, none of those are bad, but they are not the goal. Our mission is to make disciples, people who look like Jesus, people who love God and others. Make disciples is the Great Commission. Jesus also gave the great commandments:
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” (Mark 12:28)
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)
Have you heard this before? You’ll hear it again, I promise, because at the end of the day, Jesus told us the entire Bible is summed up in two commandments:
Love God
Love your neighbor
And he has given us one mission
Make Disciples
Simple? Yes.
Easy? No.
The reality is, we can’t love God and our neighbor and make disciples on our own. We need the Holy Spirit. Thomas George spoke about the Holy Spirit a few weeks ago. If you weren’t here, you can download the message for free on iTunes or our smartphone app. In a sentence, he said we need to let go and let God, surrendering ourselves to allow the Holy Spirit to fill us in order for us to bear fruit.
So make disciples. But how? Actually, the command is go and make disciples. What does it mean to love God and love others? Let’s take a look at our church’s mission statement. It says
The mission – make disciples - fully devoted followers of Christ. We define discipleship at First Alliance as someone who is: Connecting to God (worship), others (growing in community), and the world (missions – here and around the world)
As our logo says, we’re about connecting to God, others, and the world.
Are you still with me?
The elders have been working on bringing more clarity to our mission. It’s biblical, but very broad. Any church could/should help people connect to God, others, and the world. I don’t have a revised mission statement for you—though we’ve been discussing one—but I want to suggest two details I cannot avoid:
1. Toledo
I know, this isn’t exactly rocket science, but Toledo is our “Jerusalem,” our home mission field. I’m sure there was a day when Toledo was filled with followers of Jesus, but like most any city in the west, it is becoming increasingly secular or non-Christian. We probably have more atheists, agnostics, and people of other faiths in our city than ever before, to say nothing of lukewarm Christians.
If God called you to be a missionary in west Africa as he did last week’s guests Doug and Karen Conkle, you would live among the people, learn the language, study the culture, develop relationships, and invite people to follow Jesus, right?
Most of you have been called by God to be missionaries in Toledo. This is our mission field. We need to live among the people, learn the language, study the culture, develop relationships, and invite people to follow Jesus.
Let me briefly share a few reasons why I believe we need to focus on Toledo:
1. We’re here!
2. We’ve been here for 129 years
3. We chose to stay here when the old building burned down
4. Toledo has many needs we can address
5. We’ve been given some wonderful opportunities to pursue
6. We can be a part of the city’s growth and renaissance
7. God is on the move in Toledo, not only at First Alliance but in the dozens of churches who are praying, serving, and worshiping together
This morning I want to declare my personal commitment to this city. For as long as God has me here at First Alliance, I want to live, work, shop, and play in Toledo. Heather and I really have done better in Toledo and we’re excited about the future.
2. The Next Generation
No, I’m not talking about Star Trek. Actually, the next generation can be interpreted in a number of different ways—the next generation in US history (the Millennials) or the one that follows (GenZ), the next generation of members at First Alliance, the next generation of followers of Jesus…but it’s not me. It’s not many of you. Obviously we’re not going to go crazy, hang a disco ball from the ceiling, and sing Lady Gaga songs, but many of us have had our day. People served and sacrificed so we could encounter Jesus. We must make space for our children and grandchildren and great grandchildren. If you know Jesus, it’s critical to help the next generation know him. You saw some of them earlier waving ribbons. Others spoke last Sunday about their trip to the Avalanche youth retreat. They are our future…they are our present!
We’ve always been about the next generation. We were involved in starting Toledo Christian Schools. We have an After School Klub. We run an annual sports and arts camp. We have possibly the best children’s director in the state of Ohio (Sue Trumbull) who is leading one hundred volunteer workers!
Jesus told this great parable (story) in the 13th chapter of Matthew. He said seed was scattered in soil. Some was eaten by birds. Some fell on rocky ground and died. Some was choked by thorns. Some fell on good soil and produced a great crop. Jesus explained the story by saying…
When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. (Matthew 13:19-22)
But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
After being so impressed by my first year at sports and arts camp last summer, I told Sue we did a great job scattering seed for a week, but what about the next 51 weeks? We need to cultivate the seeds, making sure they receive sun, rain, and fertilizer, keeping away the thorns, rocks, and birds.
We are starting to do just that, through Toledo Urban Impact, the new van pickup each Sunday, new students from the neighborhood coming on Wednesday nights to girls club, boys club, and youth group, and our growing relationship with Rosa Parks Elementary School two miles away. We’re certainly not done, but we’re in the process of developing a birth to college pipeline of discipleship.
Our involvement at Rosa Parks began largely through an invitation from Dr. Durant, the TPS superintendent, to be present in the school with the students and staff—before, during, and after school! He is a God-fearing man who is unashamed of his faith and we accepted his invitation. I wrote him this past week to say I was thrilled to read his contract was extended three years. Rosa Parks Elementary is a huge part of our mission field, people we are called to love, serve, and bless.
Do you want to know my dream? It is to put Dan Rogers at Cherry Street Mission out of a job! Seriously! He would love that!
He would love to see homelessness end with the next generation because people like you and me invested in their lives, helping them to experience graduation, a career, and most of all Jesus Christ.
He would love to see poverty end with the next generation because people like you and me invested in their lives, helping them to develop a career.
He would love to see crime and teen pregnancy end with the next generation because people like you and me invested in their lives, helping them to encounter Jesus Christ.
We’re not giving up on adults, but something like 80% of Christians trust Christ before they turn 18. We can share the gospel with adults, but it’s a lot harder. We can rehabilitate the 55 year-old addict, but it’s a lot harder.
And do I need to tell you the kids of Toledo need hope? They need help? They need Jesus.
Last week Toledo’s 9th teen was shot dead.
The current graduation rate for TPS is less than 65%.
Teen moms are not just 16 and 17. Some are 12 and 13 years old in junior high.
So What?
Toledo needs Jesus. Not religion. Not programs. Jesus.
The next generation needs Jesus.
Where is Jesus on earth? We are to be his hands and feet, loving and serving and inviting people to come and see the one who loves them, who died for them, who never shames or pressures or manipulates, but simply says, “Follow me.”
Discipleship is praying for our city and next generation.
Discipleship is serving our city and next generation.
Discipleship is loving our city and next generation.
Will you join me?
Messiah Mess, 19 February 2017
20 02 17
Messiah Mess
Series: Ideal Family
Luke 2:41-46
Series Big Idea: All families are messed up, including biblical families.
Big Idea: The Messiah lived in a messed-up family, too, and was even “left behind.”
Whether you like it or not, you’re part of a family; at least one. Ever since God said it was not good for man to be alone, humans have lived with others…for better or worse. I have yet to meet someone who didn’t have a biological father and a biological mother. Most people have siblings. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are a vital part of life for many of us. Family is God’s design. It was His idea.
There are two unfortunate things I’ve discovered about families. First, they are all messed up! That’s ultimately the result of sin, our disobedience toward God. Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the fruit in the Garden of Eden, we have struggled to get along. Pride divides. Greed corrupts. Selfishness hoards. Anger disturbs. Hatred destroys. Misunderstanding confuses. The drama pretty much summed it up, didn’t it?!
The second unfortunate thing about families is the mistaken belief everyone else’s family is okay. Listen to me carefully…all families are messed up! This includes biblical families. This even includes Jesus’ family as we’ll see today!
I love to travel. I was blessed to travel to dozens of states during childhood vacations (perhaps my favorite being the celebration of my February birthday at Sea World in San Diego, California…while it was snowing at home in Michigan!). In my undergraduate years, I studied international business and spent a summer in Bolivia. It has been a thrill for me to experience many different countries and cultures, filling my passport with stamps from around the world.
One thing I don’t particularly enjoy about travel is flying. I absolutely love flying itself. I would love to get my pilot’s license if it ever made sense to do so. I love soaring above the clouds, moving quickly through the skies, and thrill of landing. But like many of you, I could do without the meat-market experience of being herded onto a small plane, cramming into a tiny seat, only to have the person in front of me recline his seat into my lap!
When I fly alone, it’s not uncommon for me to be among the last to board the plane. My philosophy is I’m going to be packed into that seat long enough, so I savor every moment of space, whether it’s standing, walking, or even stretching out in a seat near the gate. I typically have a backpack I place under the seat in front of me so I have no need to rush for overhead compartment space. I leisurely walk to my seat, the cabin door is shut, and we prepare for takeoff. Simple and sweet!
There was, however, one time when my lingering in the terminal nearly became a serious mistake. I was in the airport talking to my wife on the telephone when I heard my name called on the PA system. They were preparing to close the door and noticed my name on the “not-yet-boarded” list. As you can imagine, I quickly said goodbye to my bride and raced to enter the plane before I was left behind.
Have you ever been left behind?
I’ve heard stories of people missing flights, trains, and buses but perhaps my favorite “left behind’ story involves Jesus. It is told in six, simple verses:
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. (Luke 2:41-46)
There are so many things I find troubling about this text! How about you? I know, it was a different time, a different culture…but seriously!
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. (Luke 2:41)
This is an annual event. We know they did it at least a dozen times because…
When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. (Luke 2:42)
Some of you have annual trips. You go to the cottage up north. The family makes a pilgrimage to the same campground each year. You celebrate the 4th of July in a particular town. There’s a bike trip you do every summer. In the case of Mary and Joseph, it was their faith tradition which prompted them to travel to Jerusalem for Passover.
After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. (Luke 2:43)
This was not thirty year-old Jesus. He was twelve. I love the phrase “the boy Jesus.” Did he know his parents were leaving? How many children did they have to wrangle as they headed back to Nazareth? It’s about 90 miles from Jerusalem. These journeys were done in a group to guard against robbers, though we don’t know how many were in their caravan.
Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. (Luke 2:44)
“Thinking” he was in their company. That’s what we call an assumption, friends! Can you imagine the conversation? “Where’s Jesus?” “Is he with you?” “No!” “I thought he was with you!”
When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. (Luke 2:45)
This has to be one of the most obvious verses in the Bible! I would hope they would go back and look for their lost boy…the boy they left behind! Can you imagine what Child Protective Services would say to Mary and Joseph?!?!?
After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. (Luke 2:46)
I can’t imagine looking for a lost child for three days! I can remember times when I’d lose one of my kids for a few seconds in a story and be on the verge of panic. Obviously, Jesus wasn’t worried. It never says he even knew he was lost! We’ve often spiritualized this entire story by pointing out how devoted Jesus was to studying the scriptures, which is true.
But what happened? How did he miss the flight—err, the journey—back to Nazareth? What kind of communication breakdown caused his absence to be unnoticed for an entire day? Why did it take them three days to look for Jesus in the temple courts when they were in Jerusalem for a religious festival?
Jesus’ Not-So-Perfect Family
Perhaps no other story shows us how Jesus did not come from an Ideal Family. He was sinless, but his parents were not perfect. His siblings weren’t perfect. In fact, it wasn’t until years later that his half-brother, James, acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah…and they lived together! How did James miss the clues:
I’m being facetious, just playing a bit, but seriously, Jesus’ family wasn’t perfect. Like ours, they surely had struggles, conflicts, and parental mistakes.
Perfect Parents
I used to think perfect kids came from perfect parents.
I used to think “bad” kids came from “bad” parents.
I used to think some crazy thoughts!
The truth is parenting matters, but there are no guarantees. Some of the most godly people I know came from seriously broken homes…and some of the most godly homes have produced some seriously wayward children. Despite the flaws of Mary and Joseph, I’d say Jesus turned out pretty good!
So What?
As we close out this series, there are a few things I want you to remember…
Jesus said the world will know we are His disciples by the love we have for one another.
As members of God’s family, we fail and sin, but our Dad is perfect. He perfectly calibrates discipline, work, and play. He provides us with tough and tender love. Daddy knows best.
Throughout this series, I hope you’ve been encouraged regarding your own family. I hope you’ve been challenged regarding your own family. How can we avoid the tragic mistakes of others? How can we bask in the forgiveness and grace—unmerited favor—when we mess up? How can we fully embrace our roles as moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins?
Families can be messy…but they also provide us with the greatest opportunities to learn, grow, serve, and experience joy.
As your brother in Christ, I’m grateful for you. I love your encouragement, appreciate your constructive criticism, and need your prayers. Together we are seeking to know and love God and His children…and welcome new spiritual siblings into the family.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: Ideal Family
Luke 2:41-46
Series Big Idea: All families are messed up, including biblical families.
Big Idea: The Messiah lived in a messed-up family, too, and was even “left behind.”
Whether you like it or not, you’re part of a family; at least one. Ever since God said it was not good for man to be alone, humans have lived with others…for better or worse. I have yet to meet someone who didn’t have a biological father and a biological mother. Most people have siblings. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are a vital part of life for many of us. Family is God’s design. It was His idea.
There are two unfortunate things I’ve discovered about families. First, they are all messed up! That’s ultimately the result of sin, our disobedience toward God. Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the fruit in the Garden of Eden, we have struggled to get along. Pride divides. Greed corrupts. Selfishness hoards. Anger disturbs. Hatred destroys. Misunderstanding confuses. The drama pretty much summed it up, didn’t it?!
The second unfortunate thing about families is the mistaken belief everyone else’s family is okay. Listen to me carefully…all families are messed up! This includes biblical families. This even includes Jesus’ family as we’ll see today!
I love to travel. I was blessed to travel to dozens of states during childhood vacations (perhaps my favorite being the celebration of my February birthday at Sea World in San Diego, California…while it was snowing at home in Michigan!). In my undergraduate years, I studied international business and spent a summer in Bolivia. It has been a thrill for me to experience many different countries and cultures, filling my passport with stamps from around the world.
One thing I don’t particularly enjoy about travel is flying. I absolutely love flying itself. I would love to get my pilot’s license if it ever made sense to do so. I love soaring above the clouds, moving quickly through the skies, and thrill of landing. But like many of you, I could do without the meat-market experience of being herded onto a small plane, cramming into a tiny seat, only to have the person in front of me recline his seat into my lap!
When I fly alone, it’s not uncommon for me to be among the last to board the plane. My philosophy is I’m going to be packed into that seat long enough, so I savor every moment of space, whether it’s standing, walking, or even stretching out in a seat near the gate. I typically have a backpack I place under the seat in front of me so I have no need to rush for overhead compartment space. I leisurely walk to my seat, the cabin door is shut, and we prepare for takeoff. Simple and sweet!
There was, however, one time when my lingering in the terminal nearly became a serious mistake. I was in the airport talking to my wife on the telephone when I heard my name called on the PA system. They were preparing to close the door and noticed my name on the “not-yet-boarded” list. As you can imagine, I quickly said goodbye to my bride and raced to enter the plane before I was left behind.
Have you ever been left behind?
I’ve heard stories of people missing flights, trains, and buses but perhaps my favorite “left behind’ story involves Jesus. It is told in six, simple verses:
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. (Luke 2:41-46)
There are so many things I find troubling about this text! How about you? I know, it was a different time, a different culture…but seriously!
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. (Luke 2:41)
This is an annual event. We know they did it at least a dozen times because…
When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. (Luke 2:42)
Some of you have annual trips. You go to the cottage up north. The family makes a pilgrimage to the same campground each year. You celebrate the 4th of July in a particular town. There’s a bike trip you do every summer. In the case of Mary and Joseph, it was their faith tradition which prompted them to travel to Jerusalem for Passover.
After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. (Luke 2:43)
This was not thirty year-old Jesus. He was twelve. I love the phrase “the boy Jesus.” Did he know his parents were leaving? How many children did they have to wrangle as they headed back to Nazareth? It’s about 90 miles from Jerusalem. These journeys were done in a group to guard against robbers, though we don’t know how many were in their caravan.
Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. (Luke 2:44)
“Thinking” he was in their company. That’s what we call an assumption, friends! Can you imagine the conversation? “Where’s Jesus?” “Is he with you?” “No!” “I thought he was with you!”
When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. (Luke 2:45)
This has to be one of the most obvious verses in the Bible! I would hope they would go back and look for their lost boy…the boy they left behind! Can you imagine what Child Protective Services would say to Mary and Joseph?!?!?
After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. (Luke 2:46)
I can’t imagine looking for a lost child for three days! I can remember times when I’d lose one of my kids for a few seconds in a story and be on the verge of panic. Obviously, Jesus wasn’t worried. It never says he even knew he was lost! We’ve often spiritualized this entire story by pointing out how devoted Jesus was to studying the scriptures, which is true.
But what happened? How did he miss the flight—err, the journey—back to Nazareth? What kind of communication breakdown caused his absence to be unnoticed for an entire day? Why did it take them three days to look for Jesus in the temple courts when they were in Jerusalem for a religious festival?
Jesus’ Not-So-Perfect Family
Perhaps no other story shows us how Jesus did not come from an Ideal Family. He was sinless, but his parents were not perfect. His siblings weren’t perfect. In fact, it wasn’t until years later that his half-brother, James, acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah…and they lived together! How did James miss the clues:
- - The family dog died…until Jesus brought it back to life!
- - Mary ran out of bread…until Jesus multiplied the loaves until there were leftovers
- - Wine was served at every meal…even when they only had water to drink!
- - Jesus won the Fantasy Football league every year!
- - His brother seemed to have a Messiah complex and thought he was perfect!
I’m being facetious, just playing a bit, but seriously, Jesus’ family wasn’t perfect. Like ours, they surely had struggles, conflicts, and parental mistakes.
Perfect Parents
I used to think perfect kids came from perfect parents.
I used to think “bad” kids came from “bad” parents.
I used to think some crazy thoughts!
The truth is parenting matters, but there are no guarantees. Some of the most godly people I know came from seriously broken homes…and some of the most godly homes have produced some seriously wayward children. Despite the flaws of Mary and Joseph, I’d say Jesus turned out pretty good!
So What?
As we close out this series, there are a few things I want you to remember…
- 1. You and your family are messed up.
- 2. You are not alone. We’re all messed up.
- 3. We need God’s amazing grace, love, mercy, and forgiveness.
- 4. God loves to extend that grace to us. We don’t deserve it.
- 5. We need to encourage one another to follow Jesus, every day. As Thomas George said a few weeks ago, we need to be sanctified…daily filled with the Holy Spirit to become more like Jesus. The true test of our growth is not biblical knowledge or church attendance but how well we love…God and others.
- 6. Loving others begins with our family. It’s often easier to love strangers than those gathered around the dinner table.
- 7. Finally, we are all family. We are members of both a biological family and a spiritual family. Look around. If you are a follower of Jesus, you have spiritual siblings. If God is your Father, He has given you brothers and sisters…for better or for worse!
Jesus said the world will know we are His disciples by the love we have for one another.
As members of God’s family, we fail and sin, but our Dad is perfect. He perfectly calibrates discipline, work, and play. He provides us with tough and tender love. Daddy knows best.
Throughout this series, I hope you’ve been encouraged regarding your own family. I hope you’ve been challenged regarding your own family. How can we avoid the tragic mistakes of others? How can we bask in the forgiveness and grace—unmerited favor—when we mess up? How can we fully embrace our roles as moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins?
Families can be messy…but they also provide us with the greatest opportunities to learn, grow, serve, and experience joy.
As your brother in Christ, I’m grateful for you. I love your encouragement, appreciate your constructive criticism, and need your prayers. Together we are seeking to know and love God and His children…and welcome new spiritual siblings into the family.
King's Chaos, 12 February 2017
12 02 17
King’s Chaos
Series: Ideal Family
Psalm 3
Series Big Idea: All families are messed up, including biblical families.
Big Idea: The “man after God’s own heart” was punished for his great sins yet experienced amazing grace.
Good morning! My name is Kirk and today we’re continuing our series entitled, “Ideal Family.” Whether you like it or not, you’re part of a family; at least one. Ever since God said it was not good for man to be alone, humans have lived with others…for better or worse. I have yet to meet someone who didn’t have a biological father and a biological mother. Most people have siblings. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are a vital part of life for many of us. Family is God’s design. It was His idea.
There are two unfortunate things I’ve discovered about families. First, they are all messed up! That’s ultimately the result of sin, our disobedience toward God. Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the fruit in the Garden of Eden, we have struggled to get along. Pride divides. Greed corrupts. Selfishness hoards. Anger disturbs. Hatred destroys. Misunderstanding confuses.
The second unfortunate thing about families is the mistaken belief everyone else’s family is okay. Listen to me carefully…all families are messed up! This includes biblical families. We all need help…so let’s pray!
PRAY
Ever since I was a young boy, I’ve been a collector of baseball cards. I never cared much for the gum that Topps used to include with their cards, but it continues to be a thrill for me to open a pack and see which players are inside. I’m much too young to see Babe Ruth’s face or Mickey Mantle’s eyes looking back at me, but I love to get players from the Philadelphia Phillies or Detroit Tigers—my two favorite teams—or rookie cards or superstars. My favorite cards in my collection include Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, and even a Michael Jordan from the year he tried to play baseball.
I sometimes wonder what it would be like to have Bible character cards. “Hey, I’ll trade you a Noah for a John the Baptist!” “What’s more valuable, the card of Abram or Abraham?” “I’ve got a rookie card of Jesus…in the manger!”
Obviously Jesus is the most important figure in the Bible—in human history—but if I were to collect cards of other biblical characters, I’d probably be most excited about David. First and foremost for me, he was a musician and songwriter. The psalms are my favorite book of the Bible, and he wrote most of them. As a boy, he killed a lion and a bear…and then Goliath the giant (1 Samuel 17). His music was so powerful, it would bring relief to the tormented king, even causing an evil spirit to flee (1 Samuel 16:23). David became so popular, the crowds would celebrate him over and above King Saul, the man whose thrown he would later possess (1 Samuel 18:7; 21:11; 29:5). David was a mighty warrior, a powerful king, and best of all a man after God’s own heart.
Now there was that whole Bathsheba incident that led to David committing adultery, murder, and likely rape. Oh, if only that never happened! Then again, as we’ve noted in this series, all of our biblical heroes besides Jesus are flawed. They sinned against God—and others. Like us, they needed the amazing grace offered by Jesus who died to provide forgiveness, salvation, and reconciliation.
But let’s not get bogged down with David’s dark chapter. He had a son named Solomon who built the Temple and was blessed with wisdom, wealth, and women.
Royal transition is always exciting. Queen Elizabeth just celebrated a record 65 years on the throne in England. Someday soon her heir, Prince Charles, will most likely reign as king.
Near the end of his life, King David assembled all the officials of Israel and said,
Of all my sons—and the LORD has given me many—he has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. (1 Chronicles 28:5)
So David blesses Solomon, he becomes king, and everyone lives happily ever after. Right? Hardly.
David said he many sons. Remember Cain and Abel, sibling rivalry? Imagine many sons with different mothers!
These were the sons of David born to him in Hebron:
The firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel;
the second, Daniel the son of Abigail of Carmel;
the third, Absalom the son of Maakah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith;
the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
and the sixth, Ithream, by his wife Eglah.
These six were born to David in Hebron, where he reigned seven years and six months.
David reigned in Jerusalem thirty-three years, and these were the children born to him there:
Shammua, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon. These four were by Bathsheba daughter of Ammiel. There were also Ibhar, Elishua, Eliphelet,
Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet—nine in all.
All these were the sons of David, besides his sons by his concubines. And
Tamar was their sister. (1 Chronicles 3:1-9)
That’s quite a clan!
Now here’s how David’s story ends:
David son of Jesse was king over all Israel. He ruled over Israel forty years—seven in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor. His son Solomon succeeded him as king. (1 Chronicles 29:26-28)
But let’s back up. Last week we noted how sins can be passed from one generation to the next. Blessings work that way. Curses work that way. We often become like our parents, and our children follow our example. Jacob was deceitful like his father Isaac who was deceitful like his father Abram.
David’s sexual sin with Bathsheba may have some connection to a horrific event that would occur among his children. David’s firstborn son, Amnon, fell in love with his half sister, Tamar (2 Samuel 13:4) and raped her (2 Samuel 13:14) causing chaos in David’s family.
When King David heard all this, he was furious. And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar. (2 Samuel 13:21-22)
Understandable, right?
Absalom ordered his men, “Listen! When Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t I given you this order? Be strong and brave.” So Absalom’s men did to Amnon what Absalom had ordered. Then all the king’s sons got up, mounted their mules and fled. (2 Samuel 13:28-29)
Do you see why I entitled this message, “King’s Chaos?”
We simply don’t have time to cover all of the stories of David and his family, but if you turn to 2 Samuel chapter 15, we see Absalom wreaking more havoc on his family. He decides he wants to customer service for the king’s subjects!
Reading from the New Living Translation…
After this, Absalom bought a chariot and horses, and he hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him. He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would ask where in Israel they were from, and they would tell him their tribe. Then Absalom would say, “You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it. I wish I were the judge. Then everyone could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give them justice!”
When people tried to bow before him, Absalom wouldn’t let them. Instead, he took them by the hand and kissed them. Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel. (2 Samuel 15:1-6, NLT)
You see where this is going, right? David’s son, Absalom, tries to seize control
A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, “All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!” (2 Samuel 15:13, NLT)
“Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!” David urged his men. “Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster.” (2 Samuel 15:14, NLT)
“We are with you,” his advisers replied. “Do what you think is best.” (2 Samuel 15:15, NLT)
So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace. (2 Samuel 15:16, NLT)
It is in this context that we read Psalm 3
A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.
LORD, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.”
But you, LORD, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
I call out to the LORD,
and he answers me from his holy mountain.
I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
I will not fear though tens of thousands
assail me on every side.
Arise, LORD!
Deliver me, my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth of the wicked.
From the LORD comes deliverance.
May your blessing be on your people. (Psalm 3)
David flees his son and in 2 Samuel chapter 18, we read
During the battle, Absalom happened to come upon some of David’s men. He tried to escape on his mule, but as he rode beneath the thick branches of a great tree, his hair got caught in the tree. His mule kept going and left him dangling in the air. One of David’s men saw what had happened and told Joab, “I saw Absalom dangling from a great tree.” (2 Samuel 18:9-10, NLT)
“What?” Joab demanded. “You saw him there and didn’t kill him? I would have rewarded you with ten pieces of silver and a hero’s belt!” (2 Samuel 18:11, NLT)
“I would not kill the king’s son for even a thousand pieces of silver,” the man replied to Joab. “We all heard the king say to you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake, please spare young Absalom.’ And if I had betrayed the king by killing his son—and the king would certainly find out who did it—you yourself would be the first to abandon me.” (2 Samuel 18:12-13, NLT)
“Enough of this nonsense,” Joab said. Then he took three daggers and plunged them into Absalom’s heart as he dangled, still alive, in the great tree. Ten of Joab’s young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him. (2 Samuel 18:14-15, NLT)
This is great news, right? Not to David.
Then the man from Ethiopia arrived and said, “I have good news for my lord the king. Today the LORD has rescued you from all those who rebelled against you.” (2 Samuel 18:31, NLT)
“What about young Absalom?” the king demanded. “Is he all right?”
And the Ethiopian replied, “May all of your enemies, my lord the king, both now and in the future, share the fate of that young man!” (2 Samuel 18:32, NLT)
The king was overcome with emotion. He went up to the room over the gateway and burst into tears. And as he went, he cried, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son.” (2 Samuel 18:33, NLT)
So What?
I’ve heard stories of some dysfunctional families, but David’s is one of the most bizarre. Incest, rape, murder, adultery…yet the patriarch, David, is called a man after God’s own heart.
After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ (Acts 13:22)
But what does this have to do with us thousands of years later?
1. David’s passion is endless. Sure, it is misdirected when seeing Bathsheba bathe, but he has a deep love for God. Read the Psalms. He loves his family, even when they go off the deep end. When his son Absalom—who is trying to destroy David and his men—is killed, rather than rejoicing at the death of his enemy, he weeps at the loss of his son.
The king was overcome with emotion. He went up to the room over the gateway and burst into tears. And as he went, he cried, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son.” (2 Samuel 18:33, NLT)
Parents love their kids, through thick and thin (even teenagers!!!). It’s a special bond. They say love is blind, and while that usually refers to romance, it can sometimes apply to parenting. David loved his kids. Our heavenly Father loves HIs kids, too. Always.
2. One spouse is enough! I don’t want to make light of this, but so much of David’s chaos came from multiple wives bearing multiple children and a family tree that looked more like spaghetti than an oak. One man marrying one woman and creating children mirrors the Trinity of God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all One, doing life together, each serving a unique, complementary function.
3. Sin always has consequences, whether immediate or over time. We can only imagine David’s legacy had he (and Solomon) avoided sexual sins (there’s so much we don’t have time to cover here).
4. God’s grace (unmerited favor) is sufficient. Despite his flaws, God used David…and his family, both then and thousands of years later.
Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach. (2 Timothy 2:8)
His amazing grace is available to you and me today.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: Ideal Family
Psalm 3
Series Big Idea: All families are messed up, including biblical families.
Big Idea: The “man after God’s own heart” was punished for his great sins yet experienced amazing grace.
Good morning! My name is Kirk and today we’re continuing our series entitled, “Ideal Family.” Whether you like it or not, you’re part of a family; at least one. Ever since God said it was not good for man to be alone, humans have lived with others…for better or worse. I have yet to meet someone who didn’t have a biological father and a biological mother. Most people have siblings. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are a vital part of life for many of us. Family is God’s design. It was His idea.
There are two unfortunate things I’ve discovered about families. First, they are all messed up! That’s ultimately the result of sin, our disobedience toward God. Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the fruit in the Garden of Eden, we have struggled to get along. Pride divides. Greed corrupts. Selfishness hoards. Anger disturbs. Hatred destroys. Misunderstanding confuses.
The second unfortunate thing about families is the mistaken belief everyone else’s family is okay. Listen to me carefully…all families are messed up! This includes biblical families. We all need help…so let’s pray!
PRAY
Ever since I was a young boy, I’ve been a collector of baseball cards. I never cared much for the gum that Topps used to include with their cards, but it continues to be a thrill for me to open a pack and see which players are inside. I’m much too young to see Babe Ruth’s face or Mickey Mantle’s eyes looking back at me, but I love to get players from the Philadelphia Phillies or Detroit Tigers—my two favorite teams—or rookie cards or superstars. My favorite cards in my collection include Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, and even a Michael Jordan from the year he tried to play baseball.
I sometimes wonder what it would be like to have Bible character cards. “Hey, I’ll trade you a Noah for a John the Baptist!” “What’s more valuable, the card of Abram or Abraham?” “I’ve got a rookie card of Jesus…in the manger!”
Obviously Jesus is the most important figure in the Bible—in human history—but if I were to collect cards of other biblical characters, I’d probably be most excited about David. First and foremost for me, he was a musician and songwriter. The psalms are my favorite book of the Bible, and he wrote most of them. As a boy, he killed a lion and a bear…and then Goliath the giant (1 Samuel 17). His music was so powerful, it would bring relief to the tormented king, even causing an evil spirit to flee (1 Samuel 16:23). David became so popular, the crowds would celebrate him over and above King Saul, the man whose thrown he would later possess (1 Samuel 18:7; 21:11; 29:5). David was a mighty warrior, a powerful king, and best of all a man after God’s own heart.
Now there was that whole Bathsheba incident that led to David committing adultery, murder, and likely rape. Oh, if only that never happened! Then again, as we’ve noted in this series, all of our biblical heroes besides Jesus are flawed. They sinned against God—and others. Like us, they needed the amazing grace offered by Jesus who died to provide forgiveness, salvation, and reconciliation.
But let’s not get bogged down with David’s dark chapter. He had a son named Solomon who built the Temple and was blessed with wisdom, wealth, and women.
Royal transition is always exciting. Queen Elizabeth just celebrated a record 65 years on the throne in England. Someday soon her heir, Prince Charles, will most likely reign as king.
Near the end of his life, King David assembled all the officials of Israel and said,
Of all my sons—and the LORD has given me many—he has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. (1 Chronicles 28:5)
So David blesses Solomon, he becomes king, and everyone lives happily ever after. Right? Hardly.
David said he many sons. Remember Cain and Abel, sibling rivalry? Imagine many sons with different mothers!
These were the sons of David born to him in Hebron:
The firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel;
the second, Daniel the son of Abigail of Carmel;
the third, Absalom the son of Maakah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith;
the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
and the sixth, Ithream, by his wife Eglah.
These six were born to David in Hebron, where he reigned seven years and six months.
David reigned in Jerusalem thirty-three years, and these were the children born to him there:
Shammua, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon. These four were by Bathsheba daughter of Ammiel. There were also Ibhar, Elishua, Eliphelet,
Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet—nine in all.
All these were the sons of David, besides his sons by his concubines. And
Tamar was their sister. (1 Chronicles 3:1-9)
That’s quite a clan!
Now here’s how David’s story ends:
David son of Jesse was king over all Israel. He ruled over Israel forty years—seven in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor. His son Solomon succeeded him as king. (1 Chronicles 29:26-28)
But let’s back up. Last week we noted how sins can be passed from one generation to the next. Blessings work that way. Curses work that way. We often become like our parents, and our children follow our example. Jacob was deceitful like his father Isaac who was deceitful like his father Abram.
David’s sexual sin with Bathsheba may have some connection to a horrific event that would occur among his children. David’s firstborn son, Amnon, fell in love with his half sister, Tamar (2 Samuel 13:4) and raped her (2 Samuel 13:14) causing chaos in David’s family.
When King David heard all this, he was furious. And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar. (2 Samuel 13:21-22)
Understandable, right?
Absalom ordered his men, “Listen! When Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t I given you this order? Be strong and brave.” So Absalom’s men did to Amnon what Absalom had ordered. Then all the king’s sons got up, mounted their mules and fled. (2 Samuel 13:28-29)
Do you see why I entitled this message, “King’s Chaos?”
We simply don’t have time to cover all of the stories of David and his family, but if you turn to 2 Samuel chapter 15, we see Absalom wreaking more havoc on his family. He decides he wants to customer service for the king’s subjects!
Reading from the New Living Translation…
After this, Absalom bought a chariot and horses, and he hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him. He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would ask where in Israel they were from, and they would tell him their tribe. Then Absalom would say, “You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it. I wish I were the judge. Then everyone could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give them justice!”
When people tried to bow before him, Absalom wouldn’t let them. Instead, he took them by the hand and kissed them. Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel. (2 Samuel 15:1-6, NLT)
You see where this is going, right? David’s son, Absalom, tries to seize control
A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, “All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!” (2 Samuel 15:13, NLT)
“Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!” David urged his men. “Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster.” (2 Samuel 15:14, NLT)
“We are with you,” his advisers replied. “Do what you think is best.” (2 Samuel 15:15, NLT)
So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace. (2 Samuel 15:16, NLT)
It is in this context that we read Psalm 3
A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.
LORD, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.”
But you, LORD, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
I call out to the LORD,
and he answers me from his holy mountain.
I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
I will not fear though tens of thousands
assail me on every side.
Arise, LORD!
Deliver me, my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth of the wicked.
From the LORD comes deliverance.
May your blessing be on your people. (Psalm 3)
David flees his son and in 2 Samuel chapter 18, we read
During the battle, Absalom happened to come upon some of David’s men. He tried to escape on his mule, but as he rode beneath the thick branches of a great tree, his hair got caught in the tree. His mule kept going and left him dangling in the air. One of David’s men saw what had happened and told Joab, “I saw Absalom dangling from a great tree.” (2 Samuel 18:9-10, NLT)
“What?” Joab demanded. “You saw him there and didn’t kill him? I would have rewarded you with ten pieces of silver and a hero’s belt!” (2 Samuel 18:11, NLT)
“I would not kill the king’s son for even a thousand pieces of silver,” the man replied to Joab. “We all heard the king say to you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake, please spare young Absalom.’ And if I had betrayed the king by killing his son—and the king would certainly find out who did it—you yourself would be the first to abandon me.” (2 Samuel 18:12-13, NLT)
“Enough of this nonsense,” Joab said. Then he took three daggers and plunged them into Absalom’s heart as he dangled, still alive, in the great tree. Ten of Joab’s young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him. (2 Samuel 18:14-15, NLT)
This is great news, right? Not to David.
Then the man from Ethiopia arrived and said, “I have good news for my lord the king. Today the LORD has rescued you from all those who rebelled against you.” (2 Samuel 18:31, NLT)
“What about young Absalom?” the king demanded. “Is he all right?”
And the Ethiopian replied, “May all of your enemies, my lord the king, both now and in the future, share the fate of that young man!” (2 Samuel 18:32, NLT)
The king was overcome with emotion. He went up to the room over the gateway and burst into tears. And as he went, he cried, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son.” (2 Samuel 18:33, NLT)
So What?
I’ve heard stories of some dysfunctional families, but David’s is one of the most bizarre. Incest, rape, murder, adultery…yet the patriarch, David, is called a man after God’s own heart.
After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ (Acts 13:22)
But what does this have to do with us thousands of years later?
1. David’s passion is endless. Sure, it is misdirected when seeing Bathsheba bathe, but he has a deep love for God. Read the Psalms. He loves his family, even when they go off the deep end. When his son Absalom—who is trying to destroy David and his men—is killed, rather than rejoicing at the death of his enemy, he weeps at the loss of his son.
The king was overcome with emotion. He went up to the room over the gateway and burst into tears. And as he went, he cried, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son.” (2 Samuel 18:33, NLT)
Parents love their kids, through thick and thin (even teenagers!!!). It’s a special bond. They say love is blind, and while that usually refers to romance, it can sometimes apply to parenting. David loved his kids. Our heavenly Father loves HIs kids, too. Always.
2. One spouse is enough! I don’t want to make light of this, but so much of David’s chaos came from multiple wives bearing multiple children and a family tree that looked more like spaghetti than an oak. One man marrying one woman and creating children mirrors the Trinity of God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all One, doing life together, each serving a unique, complementary function.
3. Sin always has consequences, whether immediate or over time. We can only imagine David’s legacy had he (and Solomon) avoided sexual sins (there’s so much we don’t have time to cover here).
4. God’s grace (unmerited favor) is sufficient. Despite his flaws, God used David…and his family, both then and thousands of years later.
Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach. (2 Timothy 2:8)
His amazing grace is available to you and me today.
Atrocious Abe, 5 February 2017
05 02 17
Atrocious Abe
Series: Ideal Family
Genesis 12:10-13
Series Big Idea: All families are messed up, including biblical families.
Big Idea: Jesus, not Abraham, is the ultimate example of a godly husband.
Today we’re resuming our series entitled, “Ideal Family.” Whether you like it or not, you’re part of a family; at least one. Ever since God said it was not good for man to be alone, humans have lived with others…for better or worse. I have yet to meet someone who didn’t have a biological father and a biological mother. Most people have siblings. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are a vital part of life for many of us. Family is God’s design. It was His idea.
There are two unfortunate things I’ve discovered about families. First, they are all messed up! That’s ultimately the result of sin, our disobedience toward God. Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the fruit in the Garden of Eden, we have struggled to get along. Pride divides. Greed corrupts. Selfishness hoards. Anger disturbs. Hatred destroys. Misunderstanding confuses.
The second unfortunate thing about families is the mistaken belief everyone else’s family is okay. Listen to me carefully…all families are messed up! This includes biblical families. And the mess begins with the marriage. We all need help!
Abraham is one of the most important figures in human history. Some have called him, “Father Abraham.” When I was a child, we used to sing a song about him.
“Father Abraham had many sons/many sons had Father Abraham/I am one of them/And so are you/So let’s just praise the LORD.”
I think the reason it was so popular is it had motions that accompanied the music. Nevertheless, it taught me a bit about Abe. I like to say Abe not merely to make him sound a bit more hip and cool, but because it applies to both of his names. You see, Abraham used to be Abram, much like Paul used to be Saul.
A few weeks ago, we talked about righteous Noah and how at the end of his biblical story he is drunk and naked, not the most noble place to be! One of the lessons from Noah is even the godliest people are imperfect, and your good deeds in the middle of your life are no guarantee that your ending will be as positive. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes years to earn trust and seconds to lose it. Perhaps that is one reason Jesus said,
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)
He did not say, “Pick up your cross and you’ll be set for life.” He said to truly be his disciple requires daily surrender. We can never rest on our past accomplishments.
Abe’s story ends well.
Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years. Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people. (Genesis 25:7-8)
But let’s back up.
The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. (Genesis 12:1)
Imagine God says, “Go to the airport, board this airplane, and begin a new life wherever the plane lands.” Would you do it? Would you go? Would you leave your home, friends, family, and even your country to follow the LORD?
For centuries, people have been doing this very thing. Some of you have been led by God overseas. You’ve sacrificed, studied new languages, and said goodbye to everything you’ve known in this life to obey God. That’s faith!
If God calls you to relocate, you had better be sure you’re hearing from God and that it’s not bad lunch! I can think of two occasions when our family followed God’s prompting to move. The first was moving to Ann Arbor in 1998 to plant a church, launching a brand-new ministry from scratch. God was so good and faithful to us despite our humble beginning as a church of three in our living room!
The second big relocation felt like an international move for us. As a Michiganian, I always considered Ohio a foreign country and when God called us to Toledo we were so surprised! Now, of course, we love Toledo!
But I don’t say that to pat ourselves on the back for our great faith. Instead, it was God’s vision and clear direction which made both moves no-brainers for us. I’m sure Abe could relate. Listen to what God promises him:
“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:2-3)
That sounds good, right? Would you go to Michigan or Ohio if He promised that to you? What about Canada? Mexico? Africa?
So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. (Genesis 12:4-5)
Obviously, he didn’t board a plane. This was a land journey of about 400 miles…without motorized transportation…with his family…
Have you ever traveled 400 miles with your family…WITH motorized transportation?! That’s about from here to Knoxville, Tennessee.
Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. (Genesis 12:6-7)
That’s a special moment! Look at this land, Abe. It’s not yours, but your offspring will get it someday. But don’t stop now! We’re not there yet!
From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. (Genesis 12:8)
Abram is obviously devoted to God. He must be quite the altar builder!
Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev. (Genesis 12:9)
So far, so good. Then we get to this unusual story.
Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. (Genesis 12:10)
Remember, God promised to make Abram into a great nation. That means he will become a dad…eventually. In a sense, he was invincible. He couldn’t die! God always keeps His promises. Always.
We’ve never experienced a famine, but I can imagine it would be scary. We all need to eat. But we don’t see Abe consulting God about what to do. Maybe God was going to miraculously feed Abe manna and quail. Perhaps God wanted this couple to travel to a place other than Egypt. We don’t know, but there’s no indication that Abe followed God into Egypt.
Have you ever faced a challenge and ignored God? Have you ever taken matters into your own hands rather than consulting the Creator? I confess I have. We often talk about making Jesus the LORD of our lives. That means He’s the boss. He’s in charge. He is always consulted before making important life decisions. Always.
But let’s suppose God told Abram to go to Egypt (which is possible).
As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.” (Genesis 12:11-13)
Do you see anything wrong with this picture?
First, Abram is worried about himself. He’s sure his wife Sarai will be fine. The plan isn’t even for Abe to lie, but for his wife to do his dirty work! She’s supposed to lie for him! Now I’m sure if she loved her husband, she would obviously be concerned for his welfare, too. But Abe’s plan is hardly going to benefit her.
When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels. (Genesis 12:14-16)
Let’s give credit to Abram. He was right. The Egyptians found his sister—err—wife to be beautiful. She was taken into Pharaoh’s palace. What would Pharaoh want with a strange woman in his palace?!
But the LORD inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had. (Genesis 12:17-20)
Abe’s plan worked. His life was spared. But what an ordeal. Can you imagine how Sarai must’ve felt during this whole experience? Abram receives grace—unmerited favor—despite his selfish, deceitful behavior. He became a biblical hero and the father of many nations, but this episode did not cause him to win Husband of the Year!
So What?
Abraham lied about his wife being his sister. Twice! It happened again in Genesis chapter 20. Look it up!
Parents—and grandparents—it’s important to remember the next generation(s) is watching you. Whether it’s interpersonal conflicts as we saw in the drama or habitual sins like dishonesty, children often become like their parents.
Abraham’s son, Isaac, lied about his wife being his sister! It’s in Genesis chapter 26. You can’t make this stuff up! I know the Bible’s true, if only because nobody would fabricate these embarrassing stories and call them sacred scripture!
One thing we continue to see in this series is the imperfections of the heroes of the Bible. I find this encouraging, knowing I’m not alone in my weak faith, selfishness, pride, and sinfulness. Obviously, the message is not, “Husbands, lie about your wives because it’s the biblical thing to do,” but rather a message of what NOT to do…and hope when we fail.
Jesus
Jesus, ironically, sets the perfect example for husbands to follow…love and sacrifice, not selfishness and lies. Where Abram failed in the desert, for Jesus, the desert was the site of one of his finest hours, resisting temptation despite forty days of fasting. Paul famously wrote to the church in Ephesus
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:22-24)
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body. (Ephesians 5:25-30)
That’s what real marriage looks like—true love that’s not based on feelings, but rather on commitment, even when it’s costly.
Jesus loved us, the Church, to the point of laying down his very life.
Jesus has entered into your suffering and into your disgraces and into your depressions and into your shames and into your pains. The cross is not just a redemptive place for the follower of Jesus. The cross is also the solidarity place where God joined us in our deepest death. Perhaps you’ve lost a friend who got drunk and then had a fatal car accident, or perhaps you’ve lost the joy of family togetherness because of divorce, or perhaps you’ve seen a friend waste away from some disease, or perhaps you’ve got a tattoo on your body that evokes bad memories. The cross is about that, too.
At the cross Jesus enters into our pain, into our tragedies, into our injustices, and into the systemic evil we have created and into the sins we have ourselves committed. But his solidarity with us is also an act of redemption.
- Scot McKnight, One.Life: Jesus Calls, We Follow
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: Ideal Family
Genesis 12:10-13
Series Big Idea: All families are messed up, including biblical families.
Big Idea: Jesus, not Abraham, is the ultimate example of a godly husband.
Today we’re resuming our series entitled, “Ideal Family.” Whether you like it or not, you’re part of a family; at least one. Ever since God said it was not good for man to be alone, humans have lived with others…for better or worse. I have yet to meet someone who didn’t have a biological father and a biological mother. Most people have siblings. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are a vital part of life for many of us. Family is God’s design. It was His idea.
There are two unfortunate things I’ve discovered about families. First, they are all messed up! That’s ultimately the result of sin, our disobedience toward God. Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the fruit in the Garden of Eden, we have struggled to get along. Pride divides. Greed corrupts. Selfishness hoards. Anger disturbs. Hatred destroys. Misunderstanding confuses.
The second unfortunate thing about families is the mistaken belief everyone else’s family is okay. Listen to me carefully…all families are messed up! This includes biblical families. And the mess begins with the marriage. We all need help!
Abraham is one of the most important figures in human history. Some have called him, “Father Abraham.” When I was a child, we used to sing a song about him.
“Father Abraham had many sons/many sons had Father Abraham/I am one of them/And so are you/So let’s just praise the LORD.”
I think the reason it was so popular is it had motions that accompanied the music. Nevertheless, it taught me a bit about Abe. I like to say Abe not merely to make him sound a bit more hip and cool, but because it applies to both of his names. You see, Abraham used to be Abram, much like Paul used to be Saul.
A few weeks ago, we talked about righteous Noah and how at the end of his biblical story he is drunk and naked, not the most noble place to be! One of the lessons from Noah is even the godliest people are imperfect, and your good deeds in the middle of your life are no guarantee that your ending will be as positive. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes years to earn trust and seconds to lose it. Perhaps that is one reason Jesus said,
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)
He did not say, “Pick up your cross and you’ll be set for life.” He said to truly be his disciple requires daily surrender. We can never rest on our past accomplishments.
Abe’s story ends well.
Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years. Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people. (Genesis 25:7-8)
But let’s back up.
The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. (Genesis 12:1)
Imagine God says, “Go to the airport, board this airplane, and begin a new life wherever the plane lands.” Would you do it? Would you go? Would you leave your home, friends, family, and even your country to follow the LORD?
For centuries, people have been doing this very thing. Some of you have been led by God overseas. You’ve sacrificed, studied new languages, and said goodbye to everything you’ve known in this life to obey God. That’s faith!
If God calls you to relocate, you had better be sure you’re hearing from God and that it’s not bad lunch! I can think of two occasions when our family followed God’s prompting to move. The first was moving to Ann Arbor in 1998 to plant a church, launching a brand-new ministry from scratch. God was so good and faithful to us despite our humble beginning as a church of three in our living room!
The second big relocation felt like an international move for us. As a Michiganian, I always considered Ohio a foreign country and when God called us to Toledo we were so surprised! Now, of course, we love Toledo!
But I don’t say that to pat ourselves on the back for our great faith. Instead, it was God’s vision and clear direction which made both moves no-brainers for us. I’m sure Abe could relate. Listen to what God promises him:
“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:2-3)
That sounds good, right? Would you go to Michigan or Ohio if He promised that to you? What about Canada? Mexico? Africa?
So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. (Genesis 12:4-5)
Obviously, he didn’t board a plane. This was a land journey of about 400 miles…without motorized transportation…with his family…
Have you ever traveled 400 miles with your family…WITH motorized transportation?! That’s about from here to Knoxville, Tennessee.
Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. (Genesis 12:6-7)
That’s a special moment! Look at this land, Abe. It’s not yours, but your offspring will get it someday. But don’t stop now! We’re not there yet!
From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. (Genesis 12:8)
Abram is obviously devoted to God. He must be quite the altar builder!
Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev. (Genesis 12:9)
So far, so good. Then we get to this unusual story.
Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. (Genesis 12:10)
Remember, God promised to make Abram into a great nation. That means he will become a dad…eventually. In a sense, he was invincible. He couldn’t die! God always keeps His promises. Always.
We’ve never experienced a famine, but I can imagine it would be scary. We all need to eat. But we don’t see Abe consulting God about what to do. Maybe God was going to miraculously feed Abe manna and quail. Perhaps God wanted this couple to travel to a place other than Egypt. We don’t know, but there’s no indication that Abe followed God into Egypt.
Have you ever faced a challenge and ignored God? Have you ever taken matters into your own hands rather than consulting the Creator? I confess I have. We often talk about making Jesus the LORD of our lives. That means He’s the boss. He’s in charge. He is always consulted before making important life decisions. Always.
But let’s suppose God told Abram to go to Egypt (which is possible).
As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.” (Genesis 12:11-13)
Do you see anything wrong with this picture?
First, Abram is worried about himself. He’s sure his wife Sarai will be fine. The plan isn’t even for Abe to lie, but for his wife to do his dirty work! She’s supposed to lie for him! Now I’m sure if she loved her husband, she would obviously be concerned for his welfare, too. But Abe’s plan is hardly going to benefit her.
When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels. (Genesis 12:14-16)
Let’s give credit to Abram. He was right. The Egyptians found his sister—err—wife to be beautiful. She was taken into Pharaoh’s palace. What would Pharaoh want with a strange woman in his palace?!
But the LORD inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had. (Genesis 12:17-20)
Abe’s plan worked. His life was spared. But what an ordeal. Can you imagine how Sarai must’ve felt during this whole experience? Abram receives grace—unmerited favor—despite his selfish, deceitful behavior. He became a biblical hero and the father of many nations, but this episode did not cause him to win Husband of the Year!
So What?
Abraham lied about his wife being his sister. Twice! It happened again in Genesis chapter 20. Look it up!
Parents—and grandparents—it’s important to remember the next generation(s) is watching you. Whether it’s interpersonal conflicts as we saw in the drama or habitual sins like dishonesty, children often become like their parents.
Abraham’s son, Isaac, lied about his wife being his sister! It’s in Genesis chapter 26. You can’t make this stuff up! I know the Bible’s true, if only because nobody would fabricate these embarrassing stories and call them sacred scripture!
One thing we continue to see in this series is the imperfections of the heroes of the Bible. I find this encouraging, knowing I’m not alone in my weak faith, selfishness, pride, and sinfulness. Obviously, the message is not, “Husbands, lie about your wives because it’s the biblical thing to do,” but rather a message of what NOT to do…and hope when we fail.
Jesus
Jesus, ironically, sets the perfect example for husbands to follow…love and sacrifice, not selfishness and lies. Where Abram failed in the desert, for Jesus, the desert was the site of one of his finest hours, resisting temptation despite forty days of fasting. Paul famously wrote to the church in Ephesus
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:22-24)
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body. (Ephesians 5:25-30)
That’s what real marriage looks like—true love that’s not based on feelings, but rather on commitment, even when it’s costly.
Jesus loved us, the Church, to the point of laying down his very life.
Jesus has entered into your suffering and into your disgraces and into your depressions and into your shames and into your pains. The cross is not just a redemptive place for the follower of Jesus. The cross is also the solidarity place where God joined us in our deepest death. Perhaps you’ve lost a friend who got drunk and then had a fatal car accident, or perhaps you’ve lost the joy of family togetherness because of divorce, or perhaps you’ve seen a friend waste away from some disease, or perhaps you’ve got a tattoo on your body that evokes bad memories. The cross is about that, too.
At the cross Jesus enters into our pain, into our tragedies, into our injustices, and into the systemic evil we have created and into the sins we have ourselves committed. But his solidarity with us is also an act of redemption.
- Scot McKnight, One.Life: Jesus Calls, We Follow
Nake Noah, 15 January 2017
15 01 17
Naked Noah
Series: Ideal Family
Genesis 9:20-25
Series Big Idea: All families are messed up, including biblical families.
Big Idea: Even the best parents are human and make mistakes.
Today we’re continuing our new series entitled, “Ideal Family.” Whether you like it or not, you’re part of a family; at least one. Ever since God said it was not good for man to be alone, humans have lived with others…for better or worse. I have yet to meet someone who didn’t have a biological father and a biological mother. Most people have siblings. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are a vital part of life for many of us. Family is God’s design. It was His idea.
There are two unfortunate things I’ve discovered about families. First, they are all messed up! That’s ultimately the result of sin, our disobedience toward God. Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the fruit in the Garden of Eden, we have struggled to get along. Pride divides. Greed corrupts. Selfishness hoards. Anger disturbs. Hatred destroys. Misunderstanding confuses.
The second unfortunate thing about families is the mistaken belief everyone else’s family is okay. Listen to me carefully…all families are messed up! This includes biblical families. This even includes Jesus’ family! We all need help…so let’s pray!
Last week we began our series with a look at the First Family, Adam and Eve and their sons Cain and Abel. Today we’re looking at one of the greatest heroes of the Bible, Noah. You know Noah, the guy with the ark and the animals. Many people think his wife’s name was Joan (of Ark)! Let’s take a look at Noah’s highlight reel. If you turn to Genesis 5, he is mentioned for the first time in verse 29.
When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. He named him Noah and said, “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed.” After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Lamech lived a total of 777 years, and then he died. (Genesis 5:28-31)
Noah’s dad was 182 years old when he was born! Wow! You thought Abraham was old at 100. But Lamech was just a kid compared to Noah the dad!
After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Genesis 5:32)
Let’s take a moment for reflection. Imagine Noah coming to First Alliance Church to dedicate his newborn son and happens to mention he was born in 1517! Sure, people lived longer back then, but 500 years? And that’s when he became a dad!
When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” (Genesis 6:1-3)
That settles the old-man issue!
A few verses later it says
The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” (Genesis 6:6-7)
Let that sink in for a minute. God regretted making humans. No wonder He sent a flood.
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:8)
The sentiment is repeated in the next verse…
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. (Genesis 6:9b)
So God tells Noah to build an ark (6:14) because, as He said
I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. (Genesis 6:17)
Of course God had Noah and his family enter the ark along with pairs of animals, and…
Noah did everything just as God commanded him. (Genesis 6:22)
God gave Noah further instructions…
And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him. (Genesis 7:5)
And if you’re keeping score…
Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth. (Genesis 7:6)
There are so many details to these Bible stories we simply miss in Sunday School flannel board presentations!
So we have the flood.
The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days. (Genesis 7:24)
But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. (Genesis 8:1)
Later it says,
By the first day of the first month of Noah’s six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry. By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry.
Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. (Genesis 8:13-16)
God loved Noah and his family. He was a righteous man. He obeyed God. His obedience essentially saved living creatures from extinction.
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” (Genesis 9:12-16)
So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.” (Genesis 9:17)
The writer of Genesis mentions again Noah’s three sons and then tell us
Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. (Genesis 9:20)
Great. Who doesn’t love grapes? Grape juice. Raisins! Noah’s dad was a farmer so planting made complete sense. But…
When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. (Genesis 9:21)
Wait a minute! What is happening? Noah is drunk and naked?! The two often go together, by the way! The Japanese have a proverb which says: “First the man takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink, and then the drink takes the man.” Fortunately, he’s inside his tent where nobody can see him. But this is Noah! Righteous Noah!
God created a garden, Adam and Eve at forbidden fruit, and found themselves naked.
Noah planted a garden, ate—or drank—too much fruit, and ended up naked.
In both cases their sin was shown in their nakedness. They disobeyed God. Sins are felt by the following generations.
Did we need to include this in the Bible? Can’t we just call Noah a superhero and stop after the rainbow? Actually, no! First, we are all descendants of Noah and his sons. Second, we get to see how even the most righteous people in the Bible were not perfect. We all sin and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). We’ll see this throughout this series.
We also see how sin affects others…families.
Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. (Genesis 9:22)
Was that necessary? Why did Ham enter the tent in the first place? Seeing your dad naked is…well, it’s never good! He could’ve covered his dad and left quietly, but he tells his brothers. He disrespected his father, leaving Shem and Japheth to intervene.
But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked. (Genesis 9:23)
Love is looking out for the best interest of another person. It doesn’t condone sin. It doesn’t cleanse sin (only Jesus’ blood can do that). But love does cover sin (1 Peter 4:8). Did you see what I did there?!
The relationship between a father and son is special. The video earlier showed an “ideal” relationship and then a real one. That’s not to say we should be flippant about things such as borrowing/loaning money from relatives, but sometimes relationships can be complicated. Nevertheless, we are to honor our parents. This is one of God’s Top Ten (Exodus 20:12). Honor your father and your mother. Shem and Japheth honored their dad. Ham did not.
So Noah gets drunk and naked, his youngest son, Ham, saw him naked, his brothers to cover him, and…
When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said,
“Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.” (Genesis 9:24-25)
This passage has been wrongfully used to support racial prejudice and even slavery. Ham saw his dad and his son Canaan gets the curse? Actually, this is best understood as a prophecy describing what will happen to Ham’s descendants, not necessarily a curse from Noah to his grandson. Later in Jewish law children could not be punished for the sins of their fathers (Deut. 24:16; Jer. 31:29-30; Ezek. 18:1-4). What we do know is the Canaanites were conquered by the Israelites (Genesis 14:8-12; Exodus 3:8; Numbers 13:29; Joshua 3:10).
He also said,
“Praise be to the LORD, the God of Shem!
May Canaan be the slave of Shem.
May God extend Japheth’s territory;
may Japheth live in the tents of Shem,
and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.” (Genesis 9:26-27)
The chapter ends by telling us
After the flood Noah lived 350 years. Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died. (Genesis 9:28-29)
What a life! What an ending!
So What?
I realize this is an odd passage. The point is…don’t plant a vineyard! Actually, that’s not the point, though alcohol can lead to a host of problems.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, (Ephesians 5:18)
Genesis 19 tells an even more bizarre story where two girls got their dad drunk and slept with him in hopes of getting pregnant! Ewww!
I think one takeaway from today’s text is even the best parents are human and make mistakes. Noah made the faith hall of fame.
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. (Hebrews 11:7)
Noah was a righteous man, but his story didn’t exactly end on a high note.
How will your story end? Your past righteousness is valuable, but today is the first day of the rest of your life. How will you live it? Every day we hear stories of people behaving badly. But by the grace of God so go I. We’re all susceptible to sin, as we saw last week, especially when we are HALT: hungry, angry, lonely, tired. I pray you will honor your parents and/or be honored by your children. If you drink, I hope you are of age and do so responsibly. Consuming alcohol is not forbidden in the Bible, but drunkenness is clearly a sin…and can lead to other sins. I hope and your pray your most righteous days are ahead.
Credits
Some ideas from Be Basic by Warren Wiersbe.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: Ideal Family
Genesis 9:20-25
Series Big Idea: All families are messed up, including biblical families.
Big Idea: Even the best parents are human and make mistakes.
Today we’re continuing our new series entitled, “Ideal Family.” Whether you like it or not, you’re part of a family; at least one. Ever since God said it was not good for man to be alone, humans have lived with others…for better or worse. I have yet to meet someone who didn’t have a biological father and a biological mother. Most people have siblings. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are a vital part of life for many of us. Family is God’s design. It was His idea.
There are two unfortunate things I’ve discovered about families. First, they are all messed up! That’s ultimately the result of sin, our disobedience toward God. Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the fruit in the Garden of Eden, we have struggled to get along. Pride divides. Greed corrupts. Selfishness hoards. Anger disturbs. Hatred destroys. Misunderstanding confuses.
The second unfortunate thing about families is the mistaken belief everyone else’s family is okay. Listen to me carefully…all families are messed up! This includes biblical families. This even includes Jesus’ family! We all need help…so let’s pray!
Last week we began our series with a look at the First Family, Adam and Eve and their sons Cain and Abel. Today we’re looking at one of the greatest heroes of the Bible, Noah. You know Noah, the guy with the ark and the animals. Many people think his wife’s name was Joan (of Ark)! Let’s take a look at Noah’s highlight reel. If you turn to Genesis 5, he is mentioned for the first time in verse 29.
When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. He named him Noah and said, “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed.” After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Lamech lived a total of 777 years, and then he died. (Genesis 5:28-31)
Noah’s dad was 182 years old when he was born! Wow! You thought Abraham was old at 100. But Lamech was just a kid compared to Noah the dad!
After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Genesis 5:32)
Let’s take a moment for reflection. Imagine Noah coming to First Alliance Church to dedicate his newborn son and happens to mention he was born in 1517! Sure, people lived longer back then, but 500 years? And that’s when he became a dad!
When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” (Genesis 6:1-3)
That settles the old-man issue!
A few verses later it says
The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” (Genesis 6:6-7)
Let that sink in for a minute. God regretted making humans. No wonder He sent a flood.
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:8)
The sentiment is repeated in the next verse…
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. (Genesis 6:9b)
So God tells Noah to build an ark (6:14) because, as He said
I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. (Genesis 6:17)
Of course God had Noah and his family enter the ark along with pairs of animals, and…
Noah did everything just as God commanded him. (Genesis 6:22)
God gave Noah further instructions…
And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him. (Genesis 7:5)
And if you’re keeping score…
Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth. (Genesis 7:6)
There are so many details to these Bible stories we simply miss in Sunday School flannel board presentations!
So we have the flood.
The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days. (Genesis 7:24)
But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. (Genesis 8:1)
Later it says,
By the first day of the first month of Noah’s six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry. By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry.
Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. (Genesis 8:13-16)
God loved Noah and his family. He was a righteous man. He obeyed God. His obedience essentially saved living creatures from extinction.
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” (Genesis 9:12-16)
So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.” (Genesis 9:17)
The writer of Genesis mentions again Noah’s three sons and then tell us
Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. (Genesis 9:20)
Great. Who doesn’t love grapes? Grape juice. Raisins! Noah’s dad was a farmer so planting made complete sense. But…
When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. (Genesis 9:21)
Wait a minute! What is happening? Noah is drunk and naked?! The two often go together, by the way! The Japanese have a proverb which says: “First the man takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink, and then the drink takes the man.” Fortunately, he’s inside his tent where nobody can see him. But this is Noah! Righteous Noah!
God created a garden, Adam and Eve at forbidden fruit, and found themselves naked.
Noah planted a garden, ate—or drank—too much fruit, and ended up naked.
In both cases their sin was shown in their nakedness. They disobeyed God. Sins are felt by the following generations.
Did we need to include this in the Bible? Can’t we just call Noah a superhero and stop after the rainbow? Actually, no! First, we are all descendants of Noah and his sons. Second, we get to see how even the most righteous people in the Bible were not perfect. We all sin and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). We’ll see this throughout this series.
We also see how sin affects others…families.
Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. (Genesis 9:22)
Was that necessary? Why did Ham enter the tent in the first place? Seeing your dad naked is…well, it’s never good! He could’ve covered his dad and left quietly, but he tells his brothers. He disrespected his father, leaving Shem and Japheth to intervene.
But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked. (Genesis 9:23)
Love is looking out for the best interest of another person. It doesn’t condone sin. It doesn’t cleanse sin (only Jesus’ blood can do that). But love does cover sin (1 Peter 4:8). Did you see what I did there?!
The relationship between a father and son is special. The video earlier showed an “ideal” relationship and then a real one. That’s not to say we should be flippant about things such as borrowing/loaning money from relatives, but sometimes relationships can be complicated. Nevertheless, we are to honor our parents. This is one of God’s Top Ten (Exodus 20:12). Honor your father and your mother. Shem and Japheth honored their dad. Ham did not.
So Noah gets drunk and naked, his youngest son, Ham, saw him naked, his brothers to cover him, and…
When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said,
“Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.” (Genesis 9:24-25)
This passage has been wrongfully used to support racial prejudice and even slavery. Ham saw his dad and his son Canaan gets the curse? Actually, this is best understood as a prophecy describing what will happen to Ham’s descendants, not necessarily a curse from Noah to his grandson. Later in Jewish law children could not be punished for the sins of their fathers (Deut. 24:16; Jer. 31:29-30; Ezek. 18:1-4). What we do know is the Canaanites were conquered by the Israelites (Genesis 14:8-12; Exodus 3:8; Numbers 13:29; Joshua 3:10).
He also said,
“Praise be to the LORD, the God of Shem!
May Canaan be the slave of Shem.
May God extend Japheth’s territory;
may Japheth live in the tents of Shem,
and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.” (Genesis 9:26-27)
The chapter ends by telling us
After the flood Noah lived 350 years. Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died. (Genesis 9:28-29)
What a life! What an ending!
So What?
I realize this is an odd passage. The point is…don’t plant a vineyard! Actually, that’s not the point, though alcohol can lead to a host of problems.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, (Ephesians 5:18)
Genesis 19 tells an even more bizarre story where two girls got their dad drunk and slept with him in hopes of getting pregnant! Ewww!
I think one takeaway from today’s text is even the best parents are human and make mistakes. Noah made the faith hall of fame.
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. (Hebrews 11:7)
Noah was a righteous man, but his story didn’t exactly end on a high note.
How will your story end? Your past righteousness is valuable, but today is the first day of the rest of your life. How will you live it? Every day we hear stories of people behaving badly. But by the grace of God so go I. We’re all susceptible to sin, as we saw last week, especially when we are HALT: hungry, angry, lonely, tired. I pray you will honor your parents and/or be honored by your children. If you drink, I hope you are of age and do so responsibly. Consuming alcohol is not forbidden in the Bible, but drunkenness is clearly a sin…and can lead to other sins. I hope and your pray your most righteous days are ahead.
Credits
Some ideas from Be Basic by Warren Wiersbe.
First Family, 8 January 2017
08 01 17
First Family
Series: Ideal Family
Genesis 4:2-8
Series Big Idea: All families are messed up, including biblical families.
Big Idea: Sibling rivalry is nothing new…and can be fatal!
We’re beginning a new series entitled, “Ideal Family.” Whether you like it or not, you’re part of a family; at least one. Ever since God said it was not good for man to be alone, humans have lived with others…for better or worse. I have yet to meet someone who didn’t have a biological father and a biological mother. Most people have siblings. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are a vital part of life for many of us. Family is God’s design. It was His idea.
There are two unfortunate things I’ve discovered about families. First, they are all messed up! That’s ultimately the result of sin, our disobedience toward God. Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the fruit in the Garden of Eden, we have struggled to get along. Pride divides. Greed corrupts. Selfishness hoards. Anger disturbs. Hatred destroys. Misunderstanding confuses.
The second unfortunate thing about families is the mistaken belief everyone else’s family is okay. Listen to me carefully…all families are messed up! This includes biblical families. This even includes Jesus’ family! We all need help.
We begin our series with a look at the First Family. I’m not talking about the Obamas, but rather Adam and Eve. The story of creation in Genesis is well known, as is their sinful eating of the one tree in the Garden that was forbidden. Everything changed at that moment. Thousands of years later we still bear the consequences of their sin.
The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2:15-17)
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18)
After they ate from the tree in what is called “The Fall,” God issued His punishment:
To the woman he said,
“I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;
with painful labor you will give birth to children.
Your desire will be for your husband,
and he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16)
All moms are familiar with the pains of childbearing (even if they’ve had a C-section). But notice the relational curse. Some suggest it is more accurate to translate the Hebrew this way: “Your desire was for your husband.” She would now be mastered by him, ruled by him. Note this is not God’s design. Generations later Paul would instruct the early church by saying to spouses…
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
The idea of ruling over another person is the result of sin. Much could be said of the marital wars that result from pride and power oppressing a spouse who is to be loved. Jesus would later address our temptation to rule over others to his disciples.
Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45)
There’s a recipe for healthy, God-honoring relationships: serve one another.
Cain & Abel
Unfortunately, family problems are not limited to marriages. Parenting brings its own share of joy…and heartache. Rarely do siblings rush to serve their parents together as we saw in the “ideal” video! Parenting one child is a tremendous challenge. A second child introduces an entirely new dynamic: sibling rivalry.
How many of you have a sibling? How many parents have more than one child?
Sibling rivalry dates back to…the very first siblings. The first kids joined in on the conflict and dysfunction started by Adam and Eve. Genesis chapter four begins
Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.” Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. (Genesis 4:1)
Cain is the leading character in this story. He’s mentioned sixteen times. He’s the older brother. His birth is celebrated by him mom.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. (Genesis 4:2-5)
On its own, this passage isn’t clear. Is God a carnivore? Is He allergic to fruit? Hardly! The simple answer is we don’t know. Some have suggested the necessity of a blood sacrifice, but the text doesn’t say, nor do we know Abel’s sacrifice contained blood. Abel brought the firstborn of his flock—his very best—but we don’t know if Cain brought his best or not. We just know Cain was very angry because his brother’s offering was acceptable and his was rejected. Warren Wiersbe writes, “Cain wasn’t rejected because of his offering, but his offering was rejected because of Cain: His heart wasn’t right with God. It was ‘by faith’ that Abel offered a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain (Hebrews 11:4), which means that he had faith in God and was right with God.”
By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. (Hebrews 11:4)
This event with the offerings is the beginning of recorded sibling rivalry, but hardly the end. Ishmael persecuted Isaac. Jacob fled his brother Esau fearing his life. Joseph’s brothers nearly killed him, instead opting to sell him as a slave. The very person/persons we are closest to often cause the greatest hostility. If anyone should have your back it should be your brother or sister.
Let me add this is true spiritually, too. Often our greatest critics are not distant strangers, but rather the people who sit beside us on Sunday mornings or those in our small group. May it never be! We are called to love one another! Always!
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:6-7)
Cain obviously disobeyed God. God encourages Cain to do what is right. He is warned that sin is near, personified as a crouching demon waiting to strike.
Heather and I had some interesting conversations this past week about satan, demons, and temptation. I can’t say either of us are experts on the subject, but I am certain angels and demons are both real. God and satan are both real. We are in the middle of a spiritual battle between good and evil.
There are moments when we are especially vulnerable to temptation. For many of us, it is when we are
Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired
HALT!
Jesus faced these temptations—essentially all temptations—during forty days of fasting and prayer in the wilderness as recorded in Matthew 4 and Luke 4. Fortunately, he was prepared and able to resist satan’s most deceptive lures.
Unfortunately Cain opened the door. He succumbed to temptation. What sin is lurking at your door? Do you carry grudges? Are you bitter? What about lust? Gossip? Worry? Gluttony? Paul instructs
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:26-27)
If only Cain had been so wise. His sacrifice was rejected, but the story gets worse. Much worse.
Have you ever been jealous of a sister or brother? Maybe they got straight A’s while you struggled to pass the class. Perhaps they were Olympic-bound while you were the last one to cross the finish line on Field Day. Envy is ugly. Sibling rivalry is real. Comparing ourselves to others is dangerous…even deadly!
Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. (Genesis 4:8)
This may have been the first human death. Here’s the summary:
- Abel obeys God
- Cain disobeys God
- Cain is envious and adds to his disobedience and sins by killing his brother
Our relationship with God and our relationship with our brothers and sisters cannot be separated. We love God by loving our neighbor and we love our neighbor by loving God.
Most of us will not be murdered by a sibling! At least I hope not! Yet many are emotionally destroyed by the actions of a jealous sibling.
Because he is a better musician, I’m going to…
Because she got married before me, I’m going to…
Because she’s the first one to have a baby, I’m going to…
Cain disobeys God by bringing the wrong sacrifice.
Cain disobeys God by killing his brother.
Cain disobeys God by lying about the murder.
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9)
God does everything He can to prompt repentance. He’s always seeking to save the lost, the broken, the criminal, the sinner.
Martin Luther’s definition of sin was “man curved in upon himself.” Sin is always focusing on yourself, always choosing yourself over God or others, placing yourself at the center. Sin means even when we do good things (help the poor, attend church gatherings, etc.), it’s always about us, about furthering our agenda, about giving us the self-image we want to have, about engaging so long as it makes us feel good. Sin is so insidious that when we look like we’re serving others, we’re really serving ourselves.
Repentance undoes sin. That was God’s desire for Cain and us. Repentance. Change.
God had questions for Adam and Eve, too, not because He was clueless, but rather to draw out a confession. In both instances, God calls them out.
The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” (Genesis 4:10-12)
A passage that began with a blessing ends with a curse.
Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” (Genesis 4:13-14)
But the LORD said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the LORD’S presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. (Genesis 4:15-16)
Cain’s not sorry for his sin, but only for his punishment. Like so many sins, one led to another and then another. Perhaps the most tragic statement of all is that “Cain went out from the LORD’s presence.” I never want to be there. And it began with jealousy and sibling rivalry. By the way, in church many have visited the “land of Nod,” but today we don’t know exactly where it was!
So What?
There are two types of people in this world: those who honor God and those who dishonor God. We don’t know the details, but the contrast between Cain and Abel is obvious.
There are so many applications to this passage.
- Obey God
- Love your siblings—biological and spiritual
- If you’re jealous Let it go. Give it up. Life’s too short.
- Know your weaknesses and areas of vulnerability to temptation
- Repent when you sin. Don’t cover it up. God knows. He sees it all.
If you are in the midst of a broken relationship of any kind, seek reconciliation. We talked about this last Sunday.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18)
If it’s not possible, stay on your knees. Cry out to God. Your story’s not over yet. Change is possible. God is faithful.
Credits
Some ideas from Be Basic by Warren Wiersbe.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: Ideal Family
Genesis 4:2-8
Series Big Idea: All families are messed up, including biblical families.
Big Idea: Sibling rivalry is nothing new…and can be fatal!
We’re beginning a new series entitled, “Ideal Family.” Whether you like it or not, you’re part of a family; at least one. Ever since God said it was not good for man to be alone, humans have lived with others…for better or worse. I have yet to meet someone who didn’t have a biological father and a biological mother. Most people have siblings. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are a vital part of life for many of us. Family is God’s design. It was His idea.
There are two unfortunate things I’ve discovered about families. First, they are all messed up! That’s ultimately the result of sin, our disobedience toward God. Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the fruit in the Garden of Eden, we have struggled to get along. Pride divides. Greed corrupts. Selfishness hoards. Anger disturbs. Hatred destroys. Misunderstanding confuses.
The second unfortunate thing about families is the mistaken belief everyone else’s family is okay. Listen to me carefully…all families are messed up! This includes biblical families. This even includes Jesus’ family! We all need help.
We begin our series with a look at the First Family. I’m not talking about the Obamas, but rather Adam and Eve. The story of creation in Genesis is well known, as is their sinful eating of the one tree in the Garden that was forbidden. Everything changed at that moment. Thousands of years later we still bear the consequences of their sin.
The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2:15-17)
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18)
After they ate from the tree in what is called “The Fall,” God issued His punishment:
To the woman he said,
“I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;
with painful labor you will give birth to children.
Your desire will be for your husband,
and he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16)
All moms are familiar with the pains of childbearing (even if they’ve had a C-section). But notice the relational curse. Some suggest it is more accurate to translate the Hebrew this way: “Your desire was for your husband.” She would now be mastered by him, ruled by him. Note this is not God’s design. Generations later Paul would instruct the early church by saying to spouses…
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
The idea of ruling over another person is the result of sin. Much could be said of the marital wars that result from pride and power oppressing a spouse who is to be loved. Jesus would later address our temptation to rule over others to his disciples.
Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45)
There’s a recipe for healthy, God-honoring relationships: serve one another.
Cain & Abel
Unfortunately, family problems are not limited to marriages. Parenting brings its own share of joy…and heartache. Rarely do siblings rush to serve their parents together as we saw in the “ideal” video! Parenting one child is a tremendous challenge. A second child introduces an entirely new dynamic: sibling rivalry.
How many of you have a sibling? How many parents have more than one child?
Sibling rivalry dates back to…the very first siblings. The first kids joined in on the conflict and dysfunction started by Adam and Eve. Genesis chapter four begins
Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.” Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. (Genesis 4:1)
Cain is the leading character in this story. He’s mentioned sixteen times. He’s the older brother. His birth is celebrated by him mom.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. (Genesis 4:2-5)
On its own, this passage isn’t clear. Is God a carnivore? Is He allergic to fruit? Hardly! The simple answer is we don’t know. Some have suggested the necessity of a blood sacrifice, but the text doesn’t say, nor do we know Abel’s sacrifice contained blood. Abel brought the firstborn of his flock—his very best—but we don’t know if Cain brought his best or not. We just know Cain was very angry because his brother’s offering was acceptable and his was rejected. Warren Wiersbe writes, “Cain wasn’t rejected because of his offering, but his offering was rejected because of Cain: His heart wasn’t right with God. It was ‘by faith’ that Abel offered a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain (Hebrews 11:4), which means that he had faith in God and was right with God.”
By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. (Hebrews 11:4)
This event with the offerings is the beginning of recorded sibling rivalry, but hardly the end. Ishmael persecuted Isaac. Jacob fled his brother Esau fearing his life. Joseph’s brothers nearly killed him, instead opting to sell him as a slave. The very person/persons we are closest to often cause the greatest hostility. If anyone should have your back it should be your brother or sister.
Let me add this is true spiritually, too. Often our greatest critics are not distant strangers, but rather the people who sit beside us on Sunday mornings or those in our small group. May it never be! We are called to love one another! Always!
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:6-7)
Cain obviously disobeyed God. God encourages Cain to do what is right. He is warned that sin is near, personified as a crouching demon waiting to strike.
Heather and I had some interesting conversations this past week about satan, demons, and temptation. I can’t say either of us are experts on the subject, but I am certain angels and demons are both real. God and satan are both real. We are in the middle of a spiritual battle between good and evil.
There are moments when we are especially vulnerable to temptation. For many of us, it is when we are
Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired
HALT!
Jesus faced these temptations—essentially all temptations—during forty days of fasting and prayer in the wilderness as recorded in Matthew 4 and Luke 4. Fortunately, he was prepared and able to resist satan’s most deceptive lures.
Unfortunately Cain opened the door. He succumbed to temptation. What sin is lurking at your door? Do you carry grudges? Are you bitter? What about lust? Gossip? Worry? Gluttony? Paul instructs
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:26-27)
If only Cain had been so wise. His sacrifice was rejected, but the story gets worse. Much worse.
Have you ever been jealous of a sister or brother? Maybe they got straight A’s while you struggled to pass the class. Perhaps they were Olympic-bound while you were the last one to cross the finish line on Field Day. Envy is ugly. Sibling rivalry is real. Comparing ourselves to others is dangerous…even deadly!
Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. (Genesis 4:8)
This may have been the first human death. Here’s the summary:
- Abel obeys God
- Cain disobeys God
- Cain is envious and adds to his disobedience and sins by killing his brother
Our relationship with God and our relationship with our brothers and sisters cannot be separated. We love God by loving our neighbor and we love our neighbor by loving God.
Most of us will not be murdered by a sibling! At least I hope not! Yet many are emotionally destroyed by the actions of a jealous sibling.
Because he is a better musician, I’m going to…
Because she got married before me, I’m going to…
Because she’s the first one to have a baby, I’m going to…
Cain disobeys God by bringing the wrong sacrifice.
Cain disobeys God by killing his brother.
Cain disobeys God by lying about the murder.
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9)
God does everything He can to prompt repentance. He’s always seeking to save the lost, the broken, the criminal, the sinner.
Martin Luther’s definition of sin was “man curved in upon himself.” Sin is always focusing on yourself, always choosing yourself over God or others, placing yourself at the center. Sin means even when we do good things (help the poor, attend church gatherings, etc.), it’s always about us, about furthering our agenda, about giving us the self-image we want to have, about engaging so long as it makes us feel good. Sin is so insidious that when we look like we’re serving others, we’re really serving ourselves.
Repentance undoes sin. That was God’s desire for Cain and us. Repentance. Change.
God had questions for Adam and Eve, too, not because He was clueless, but rather to draw out a confession. In both instances, God calls them out.
The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” (Genesis 4:10-12)
A passage that began with a blessing ends with a curse.
Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” (Genesis 4:13-14)
But the LORD said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the LORD’S presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. (Genesis 4:15-16)
Cain’s not sorry for his sin, but only for his punishment. Like so many sins, one led to another and then another. Perhaps the most tragic statement of all is that “Cain went out from the LORD’s presence.” I never want to be there. And it began with jealousy and sibling rivalry. By the way, in church many have visited the “land of Nod,” but today we don’t know exactly where it was!
So What?
There are two types of people in this world: those who honor God and those who dishonor God. We don’t know the details, but the contrast between Cain and Abel is obvious.
There are so many applications to this passage.
- Obey God
- Love your siblings—biological and spiritual
- If you’re jealous Let it go. Give it up. Life’s too short.
- Know your weaknesses and areas of vulnerability to temptation
- Repent when you sin. Don’t cover it up. God knows. He sees it all.
If you are in the midst of a broken relationship of any kind, seek reconciliation. We talked about this last Sunday.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18)
If it’s not possible, stay on your knees. Cry out to God. Your story’s not over yet. Change is possible. God is faithful.
Credits
Some ideas from Be Basic by Warren Wiersbe.
Fresh Start, 1 January 2017
01 01 17
Fresh Start
Psalm 90
Big Idea: Today is the first day of the rest of your life!
Life is full of milestones. Defining moments. Some are unexpected. We don’t usually know when we’ll meet our spouse or best friend. It’s often months or years later when we look back and realize that day was special.
Other milestones we can anticipate.
When I was about eight years old I opened a Christmas gift from my aunt and uncle. They knew I was a big sports fan so it made sense they bought me a football jersey. However, the color didn’t represent any of my favorite teams. Don’t get me wrong, I liked it, but it seemed somewhat random…until they mentioned the number. 86. Why was that significant? They told me it was the year of my high school graduation! From that moment on, I anticipated the year 1986!
Have you been anticipating 2017? Some of you know this will be the year you will graduate—from high school or college. I know a few of you have wedding planned this year. This year will be the birth year of new First Alliance babies! And maybe this will be the year that you—get that dream job, get engaged, or finally win your fantasy football league!
Others of you are anticipating 2017 for a different reason. You’re just glad 2016 is over. You couldn’t wait to turn the page and have a fresh start. 2016 was a year of pain, disappointment, struggle, or loss. The 2016 election exposed the great tensions of our nation. The entertainment world lost so many stars, a GoFundMe account was established to raise $10,000 to protect Betty White from 2016!
Regardless of whether 2016 was fantastic or forgettable, I have great news for you: Today is the first day of the rest of your life!
Life is a gift. Musician Randy Stonehill penned these words:
I'm gonna celebrate this heartbeat
Cause it just might be my last
Everyday is a gift from the Lord on high
And they all go by so fast
Amen! Actually, a quick note to parents of young children: the years go by fast, even though the days often seem like they last forever! Diapers, crying, pediatrician visits, packing for trips, …
But every day is a gift. Our days are numbered, but none of us knows how many we get. Moses famously wrote,
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)
Many of us take life for granted—until it’s snatched away suddenly. We simply don’t know our expiration date. It could be today. It could be years from now. Are you ready? They say you’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
On a more cheery note, how will you use this fresh start? It may or may not include written resolutions, but how do you want to live 2017? How do you want to grow? Where do you want to find yourself 365 days from now as 2018 begins?
I’m reminded of Reinhold Niebuhr’s famous Serenity Prayer
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
Oh that we would all have that wisdom!
Psalm 90
Most of the psalms were written by…David. One was written by Moses: Psalm 90. It begins
A prayer of Moses the man of God.
Lord, you have been our dwelling place
throughout all generations. (Psalm 90:1)
This is such a comforting thought. Yesterday we remember the life of Bob Carson, an incredible member of this church for decades. God was his dwelling place and will be to his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (Psalm 90:2)
From everlasting to everlasting He is God. Hallelujah! Think about that for a moment. He was present before the mountains—before this planet! Our God spoke our universe into existence! And He loves you and me! Sometimes we forget these simple yet truly awesome truths.
You turn people back to dust,
saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.” (Psalm 90:3)
That’s our God! Sometimes we’ve worked so hard to make God personal, we think He’s just like us. We’re created in His image, and some of us have returned the favor! God is awesome. We are but dust. 2016 provided us with many reminders that one day all of us will die—including Prince and Princess…Leah!
A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night. (Psalm 90:4)
This verse has been quoted often to speak of the return of Jesus. He said he would return soon, yet 2000 years does not seem soon to us…though it may only be two days to God. Peter wrote
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:8-9)
Moses continues
Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—
they are like the new grass of the morning:
In the morning it springs up new,
but by evening it is dry and withered. (Psalm 90:5-6)
Now the reality of our sin moves into focus:
We are consumed by your anger
and terrified by your indignation.
You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.
All our days pass away under your wrath;
we finish our years with a moan.
Our days may come to seventy years,
or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
If only we knew the power of your anger!
Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due. (Psalm 90:7-11)
We don’t like to talk about God’s wrath, sin, death, or judgment…but a holy God demands perfection, which is why we desperately need Jesus. His perfect life made his death on the cross for us the perfect and acceptable sacrifice, payment for our sins.
Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)
Here’s one of the most popular verses in the Bible. In the context of life and death it is deeply profound. Wisdom comes from God…and from understanding our lives are fragile. What is your expiration date? It could be today. It could be sometime this year.
Relent, LORD! How long will it be?
Have compassion on your servants.
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble. (Psalm 90:13-15)
Remember, this is Moses. Pleading with Pharaoh. 40 years leading complainers in the desert. He knows trouble.
May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.
May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands. (Psalm 90:16-17)
I love Moses’ conclusion. He doesn’t merely say, “Bless us, LORD. Make us rich. Keep us from sickness.” He gets involved. He wants to do life with God. He wants to partner. He’s willing to work, but realizes he needs God’s favor as he works.
So What?
Today is the first day of the rest of your life. How will you live it?
Today is a fresh start. We’ve all made mistakes in 2016…and we will in 2017, too. But today is a new beginning. It’s a great time to reflect upon what’s truly important; how we want to live; who we want to become.
Some of you have dreams you’ve buried. Maybe 2017 is the year to revive them, to take baby steps toward their fulfillment.
Without burdening you a list of new year’s resolutions, consider a few things:
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:13-15)
In a few moments, we’ll celebrate communion communally, together. We remember Jesus died, his body broken, his scarlet blood shed to make us as pure as wool.
“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool. (Isaiah 1:18)
Leave behind the guilt and shame of 2016. It’s a new day. It’s a new year!
One of the great struggles for followers of Jesus is satan’s lies. He’s the accuser, and he loves to keep you shackled in your past failures rather than released to pursue God’s future plans. It is often said when satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future!
Seriously, though, if you have trusted Jesus Christ as your LORD and Savior, he has forgiven you of all of your sins. All of them! Yes, even that one!
The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:8-12)
That’s good news. That’s great news!
Jesus boiled the entire Bible down to two commands: love God and love others. One way we love God is by loving others. As 2017 begins, you need to get right with God. Receive His love and forgiveness. It’s there for the taking. Surrender everything—time, talents, treasures—to Him.
You also need to get right with others. Jesus said…
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. (Matthew 5:21-24)
My interpretation is, “Get right with others.” Don’t drag bitterness into 2017. Forgive. Let it go. Let go and let God. Seriously. We’ve all been wronged…and we’ve all wronged others.
Relationships can be messy. I learned that in a whole new way in 2016…unfortunately. There are two people with whom I have unsuccessfully tried to reconcile. Actually, I’ve struggled trying to figure out what I did to deserve the brokenness of the relationship. I’ve asked. I’ve done my best to humble myself. I have been encouraged by these words in the book of Romans…
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18)
Despite our best efforts, we may not be able to live at peace with everyone, but “if it is possible” we are to do so.
They don’t deserve forgiveness. Neither do you! That’s why grace—unmerited favor—is so amazing! Paul wrote to the church in Corinth
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. (1 Corinthians 11:27-29)
Today is the first day of the rest of your life. How will you live it?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Psalm 90
Big Idea: Today is the first day of the rest of your life!
Life is full of milestones. Defining moments. Some are unexpected. We don’t usually know when we’ll meet our spouse or best friend. It’s often months or years later when we look back and realize that day was special.
Other milestones we can anticipate.
When I was about eight years old I opened a Christmas gift from my aunt and uncle. They knew I was a big sports fan so it made sense they bought me a football jersey. However, the color didn’t represent any of my favorite teams. Don’t get me wrong, I liked it, but it seemed somewhat random…until they mentioned the number. 86. Why was that significant? They told me it was the year of my high school graduation! From that moment on, I anticipated the year 1986!
Have you been anticipating 2017? Some of you know this will be the year you will graduate—from high school or college. I know a few of you have wedding planned this year. This year will be the birth year of new First Alliance babies! And maybe this will be the year that you—get that dream job, get engaged, or finally win your fantasy football league!
Others of you are anticipating 2017 for a different reason. You’re just glad 2016 is over. You couldn’t wait to turn the page and have a fresh start. 2016 was a year of pain, disappointment, struggle, or loss. The 2016 election exposed the great tensions of our nation. The entertainment world lost so many stars, a GoFundMe account was established to raise $10,000 to protect Betty White from 2016!
Regardless of whether 2016 was fantastic or forgettable, I have great news for you: Today is the first day of the rest of your life!
Life is a gift. Musician Randy Stonehill penned these words:
I'm gonna celebrate this heartbeat
Cause it just might be my last
Everyday is a gift from the Lord on high
And they all go by so fast
Amen! Actually, a quick note to parents of young children: the years go by fast, even though the days often seem like they last forever! Diapers, crying, pediatrician visits, packing for trips, …
But every day is a gift. Our days are numbered, but none of us knows how many we get. Moses famously wrote,
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)
Many of us take life for granted—until it’s snatched away suddenly. We simply don’t know our expiration date. It could be today. It could be years from now. Are you ready? They say you’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
On a more cheery note, how will you use this fresh start? It may or may not include written resolutions, but how do you want to live 2017? How do you want to grow? Where do you want to find yourself 365 days from now as 2018 begins?
I’m reminded of Reinhold Niebuhr’s famous Serenity Prayer
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
Oh that we would all have that wisdom!
Psalm 90
Most of the psalms were written by…David. One was written by Moses: Psalm 90. It begins
A prayer of Moses the man of God.
Lord, you have been our dwelling place
throughout all generations. (Psalm 90:1)
This is such a comforting thought. Yesterday we remember the life of Bob Carson, an incredible member of this church for decades. God was his dwelling place and will be to his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (Psalm 90:2)
From everlasting to everlasting He is God. Hallelujah! Think about that for a moment. He was present before the mountains—before this planet! Our God spoke our universe into existence! And He loves you and me! Sometimes we forget these simple yet truly awesome truths.
You turn people back to dust,
saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.” (Psalm 90:3)
That’s our God! Sometimes we’ve worked so hard to make God personal, we think He’s just like us. We’re created in His image, and some of us have returned the favor! God is awesome. We are but dust. 2016 provided us with many reminders that one day all of us will die—including Prince and Princess…Leah!
A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night. (Psalm 90:4)
This verse has been quoted often to speak of the return of Jesus. He said he would return soon, yet 2000 years does not seem soon to us…though it may only be two days to God. Peter wrote
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:8-9)
Moses continues
Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—
they are like the new grass of the morning:
In the morning it springs up new,
but by evening it is dry and withered. (Psalm 90:5-6)
Now the reality of our sin moves into focus:
We are consumed by your anger
and terrified by your indignation.
You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.
All our days pass away under your wrath;
we finish our years with a moan.
Our days may come to seventy years,
or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
If only we knew the power of your anger!
Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due. (Psalm 90:7-11)
We don’t like to talk about God’s wrath, sin, death, or judgment…but a holy God demands perfection, which is why we desperately need Jesus. His perfect life made his death on the cross for us the perfect and acceptable sacrifice, payment for our sins.
Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)
Here’s one of the most popular verses in the Bible. In the context of life and death it is deeply profound. Wisdom comes from God…and from understanding our lives are fragile. What is your expiration date? It could be today. It could be sometime this year.
Relent, LORD! How long will it be?
Have compassion on your servants.
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble. (Psalm 90:13-15)
Remember, this is Moses. Pleading with Pharaoh. 40 years leading complainers in the desert. He knows trouble.
May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.
May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands. (Psalm 90:16-17)
I love Moses’ conclusion. He doesn’t merely say, “Bless us, LORD. Make us rich. Keep us from sickness.” He gets involved. He wants to do life with God. He wants to partner. He’s willing to work, but realizes he needs God’s favor as he works.
So What?
Today is the first day of the rest of your life. How will you live it?
Today is a fresh start. We’ve all made mistakes in 2016…and we will in 2017, too. But today is a new beginning. It’s a great time to reflect upon what’s truly important; how we want to live; who we want to become.
Some of you have dreams you’ve buried. Maybe 2017 is the year to revive them, to take baby steps toward their fulfillment.
Without burdening you a list of new year’s resolutions, consider a few things:
- 1. The message of Jesus is a fresh start.
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:13-15)
In a few moments, we’ll celebrate communion communally, together. We remember Jesus died, his body broken, his scarlet blood shed to make us as pure as wool.
“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool. (Isaiah 1:18)
Leave behind the guilt and shame of 2016. It’s a new day. It’s a new year!
One of the great struggles for followers of Jesus is satan’s lies. He’s the accuser, and he loves to keep you shackled in your past failures rather than released to pursue God’s future plans. It is often said when satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future!
Seriously, though, if you have trusted Jesus Christ as your LORD and Savior, he has forgiven you of all of your sins. All of them! Yes, even that one!
The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:8-12)
That’s good news. That’s great news!
- 2. Be reconciled
Jesus boiled the entire Bible down to two commands: love God and love others. One way we love God is by loving others. As 2017 begins, you need to get right with God. Receive His love and forgiveness. It’s there for the taking. Surrender everything—time, talents, treasures—to Him.
You also need to get right with others. Jesus said…
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. (Matthew 5:21-24)
My interpretation is, “Get right with others.” Don’t drag bitterness into 2017. Forgive. Let it go. Let go and let God. Seriously. We’ve all been wronged…and we’ve all wronged others.
Relationships can be messy. I learned that in a whole new way in 2016…unfortunately. There are two people with whom I have unsuccessfully tried to reconcile. Actually, I’ve struggled trying to figure out what I did to deserve the brokenness of the relationship. I’ve asked. I’ve done my best to humble myself. I have been encouraged by these words in the book of Romans…
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18)
Despite our best efforts, we may not be able to live at peace with everyone, but “if it is possible” we are to do so.
They don’t deserve forgiveness. Neither do you! That’s why grace—unmerited favor—is so amazing! Paul wrote to the church in Corinth
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. (1 Corinthians 11:27-29)
Today is the first day of the rest of your life. How will you live it?
God is Good…All the Time, 31 December 2016
01 01 17
A Year To Be All In
Tabernacle of Praise – First Alliance Church
Psalm 25:1-5
Big Idea: God is good…all the time. He is true, present, and faithful. God was faithful in 2016. Will we be faithful in 2017?
Welcome to the end of 2016!
Life is full of endings and beginnings, have you noticed? The stores have clearance sales on summer clothes while introducing winter fashions. The end of college basketball occurs on or around baseball’s opening day. Heather and I once attended her grandmother’s funeral with news of our pregnancy and an upcoming baby.
Sometimes it’s hard to let go. We want to hold onto the past, but we can never move forward if we’re stuck in park.
Tonight, I have a simple message for you. You may have heard it before. Are you ready?
God is good…all the time.
All the time…God is good.
God’s been good…in 2016.
God’s gonna be good…in 2017.
How do I know? God’s character does not change. He’s always doing new things, but His character does not change.
What can we say about God’s character, His being, His essence? How much time to we have?!
I want to look at three aspects of God’s character tonight: true, present, faithful.
God is true.
King David, perhaps the most powerful man in the world in his day, wrote these words:
In you, LORD my God, I put my trust. (Psalm 25:1)
He didn’t say he put his trust in his power or his army or his wealth. His trust was in the LORD, his God. Can that be said you…really? Sure, we talk about trusting God. We nod when the preacher says God’s trustworthy, but do we really live like it?
Pastor Craig Groeschel recently wrote a book called The Christian Atheist. He says many so-called Christians have biblical knowledge, but we practically live as if God doesn’t exist. Let me give you an example. A few weeks ago I decided to address an ongoing problem in our house—a leaky toilet. For the uninitiated, if a toilet leaks from the bottom, it usually means the wax ring between the toilet and floor is failing. It’s a $4 part to replace, but requires a bit of work to remove the toilet, clean out the old wax, and reset the toilet with the new wax ring. Seeing that I’m not Mr. Handyman, I watched a YouTube video which showed how the $4 part could be installed in about thirty minutes.
Have you heard of Murphy’s Law? Let me recite it to you. It says, “A $4, thirty minute home improvement project will surely cost at least $100 and take a week or more to complete.” Actually, Murphy’s Law states if anything can go wrong, it will…and it did! (Do you know the corollary to Murphy’s Law? Murphy was an optimist!).
The point really isn’t my toilet installation, but rather how I ignored God in the process. I was waist deep in—well, never mind that—I was in the middle of the project when it occurred to me to pray about this situation. It was far more complicated—and costly—than I expected and I needed help…divine help. Until I prayed, I was living as a practical atheist.
King David continues…
I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause. (Psalm 25:2-3)
He says it again, he trusts in God. And he needs to trust in God. He has real enemies. His enemies aren’t a mean school teacher who grades hard, gossipers on Facebook, or even an angry boss. People want to kill him. People want his kingdom. Armies have been formed to defeat him.
Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (Psalm 25:4-5)
I don’t know about you, but I want that to be my prayer. I want God to show me His ways. I want Him to teach me His paths. I want Him to guide me in truth. The more I know God—not just about God, but knowing God—the more I experience peace, joy, and contentment. It’s so cliché but it’s true:
Know God. Know Peace.
No God. No Peace.
The recent celebration of Christmas is a celebration of Jesus, God’s son who is fully God but also fully human, a wonderful mystery. Jesus said
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6b)
He is the truth. Speaking of Jesus,
God is present.
The word “Emmanuel” means “God with us.” John 1:14 says
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
That’s a fine translation from the Greek, but I really like the way Eugene Peterson translates it in The Message:
The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish. (John 1:14, The Message)
God moved into the neighborhood. He came here. He didn’t remain in heaven, feeling sorry for the mess we’ve made of this world. He sent Jesus to be born in a cave or some primitive shelter likely made for animals. Jesus spent about thirty years doing normal life out of the spotlight. Then for three years he taught and healed, lived and died for us, rose again, ascended into heaven, and now he’s awaiting the Father’s signal to return. Maranatha! Come quickly, LORD Jesus! Maybe he will return in 2017. Are you ready?
Even though Jesus is not physically walking the earth today, God is here. God is present in this place. The Holy Spirit is a gift given to every follower of Jesus. God no longer lives in fancy tabernacles or cathedrals. He lives in me. Is he living in you? This means God is present. He is still Emmanuel, God with us. You can’t see him, but he’s still present. You can’t see the WiFi in this building, but it’s still real. Some of the most powerful realities of life are invisible, yet present—love, the wind, radio waves, thoughts…God is present.
Finally, God is faithful.
My favorite hymn is Great is Thy Faithfulness. It has been the theme song of our marriage for more than 26 years. Our family—like many of yours—has endured job loss, deaths, mental illness, a sick child for nearly a decade requiring treatments in five different states, childish rebellion, strained and even broken relationships, …but God has been faithful. Even when it feels like He’s distant, He’s still present. He’s still active. He still hears our prayers. Sometimes our will aligns with His and other times He has a higher purpose, a better plan, perfect timing.
Let me link some ideas together. How many of you have prayed a prayer and God didn’t answer the way you wanted? All of us experience this regularly. Did you know Jesus did, too?
The night before Jesus was arrested, he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. It’s a real place, in Jerusalem. I’ve been there. Jesus knew he would be crucified and die for you and me, but he wanted Plan B. He prayed…
“Abba , Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36)
That’s a tough prayer to pray—God, this is what I want, but I will trust You if Your will is different. I’ll obey You. You are good and faithful, even if it doesn’t feel like it in this moment.
Can I get an amen?!
That’s faith. It’s easy to trust God when the sun’s shining, the bills are paid, the family’s getting along, and there are leftover Christmas cookies to eat! Praise God!
But can you praise Him in the storm? Is He any less faithful at the hospital, the attorney’s office, the police station, or the frustrating job site? He’s really not.
The prophet Jeremiah had a pretty rough life. God told him to proclaim unwanted news to the people of Jerusalem, and warned Jeremiah he would be rejected! Wow! His life was so challenging, he wrote a book of laments—words of deep grief and sorry—called Lamentations. He said this:
I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. (Lamentations 3:19-20)
You might as well call him Eeyore! But he wasn’t necessarily complaining, just being honest with God. You can be honest with God, too. He can handle it!
Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’S great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:21-23)
Let me turn again to The Message:
But there’s one other thing I remember, and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:
GOD’S loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! (Lamentations 3:21-23, The Message)
Listen to what follows:
I’m sticking with GOD (I say it over and over). He’s all I’ve got left.
GOD proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. (Lamentations 3:24-25, The Message)
I love that! I’m sticking with God! He’s all I’ve got left.
Maybe you feel that tonight. 2016 has left you in a tough place and you hope 2017 will be better.
Perhaps 2016 was a banner year and you’re nervous 2017 won’t be as good.
Regardless of how you feel in this moment, God is still God. King Jesus is on the throne. He’s not a little baby any longer. He’s preparing to return to us soon. He is true. He is here. He is faithful.
God is good…all the time.
All the time…God is good.
He is true, present, and faithful. God was faithful in 2016. Will we be faithful in 2017?
Tabernacle of Praise – First Alliance Church
Psalm 25:1-5
Big Idea: God is good…all the time. He is true, present, and faithful. God was faithful in 2016. Will we be faithful in 2017?
Welcome to the end of 2016!
Life is full of endings and beginnings, have you noticed? The stores have clearance sales on summer clothes while introducing winter fashions. The end of college basketball occurs on or around baseball’s opening day. Heather and I once attended her grandmother’s funeral with news of our pregnancy and an upcoming baby.
Sometimes it’s hard to let go. We want to hold onto the past, but we can never move forward if we’re stuck in park.
Tonight, I have a simple message for you. You may have heard it before. Are you ready?
God is good…all the time.
All the time…God is good.
God’s been good…in 2016.
God’s gonna be good…in 2017.
How do I know? God’s character does not change. He’s always doing new things, but His character does not change.
What can we say about God’s character, His being, His essence? How much time to we have?!
I want to look at three aspects of God’s character tonight: true, present, faithful.
God is true.
King David, perhaps the most powerful man in the world in his day, wrote these words:
In you, LORD my God, I put my trust. (Psalm 25:1)
He didn’t say he put his trust in his power or his army or his wealth. His trust was in the LORD, his God. Can that be said you…really? Sure, we talk about trusting God. We nod when the preacher says God’s trustworthy, but do we really live like it?
Pastor Craig Groeschel recently wrote a book called The Christian Atheist. He says many so-called Christians have biblical knowledge, but we practically live as if God doesn’t exist. Let me give you an example. A few weeks ago I decided to address an ongoing problem in our house—a leaky toilet. For the uninitiated, if a toilet leaks from the bottom, it usually means the wax ring between the toilet and floor is failing. It’s a $4 part to replace, but requires a bit of work to remove the toilet, clean out the old wax, and reset the toilet with the new wax ring. Seeing that I’m not Mr. Handyman, I watched a YouTube video which showed how the $4 part could be installed in about thirty minutes.
Have you heard of Murphy’s Law? Let me recite it to you. It says, “A $4, thirty minute home improvement project will surely cost at least $100 and take a week or more to complete.” Actually, Murphy’s Law states if anything can go wrong, it will…and it did! (Do you know the corollary to Murphy’s Law? Murphy was an optimist!).
The point really isn’t my toilet installation, but rather how I ignored God in the process. I was waist deep in—well, never mind that—I was in the middle of the project when it occurred to me to pray about this situation. It was far more complicated—and costly—than I expected and I needed help…divine help. Until I prayed, I was living as a practical atheist.
King David continues…
I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause. (Psalm 25:2-3)
He says it again, he trusts in God. And he needs to trust in God. He has real enemies. His enemies aren’t a mean school teacher who grades hard, gossipers on Facebook, or even an angry boss. People want to kill him. People want his kingdom. Armies have been formed to defeat him.
Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (Psalm 25:4-5)
I don’t know about you, but I want that to be my prayer. I want God to show me His ways. I want Him to teach me His paths. I want Him to guide me in truth. The more I know God—not just about God, but knowing God—the more I experience peace, joy, and contentment. It’s so cliché but it’s true:
Know God. Know Peace.
No God. No Peace.
The recent celebration of Christmas is a celebration of Jesus, God’s son who is fully God but also fully human, a wonderful mystery. Jesus said
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6b)
He is the truth. Speaking of Jesus,
God is present.
The word “Emmanuel” means “God with us.” John 1:14 says
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
That’s a fine translation from the Greek, but I really like the way Eugene Peterson translates it in The Message:
The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish. (John 1:14, The Message)
God moved into the neighborhood. He came here. He didn’t remain in heaven, feeling sorry for the mess we’ve made of this world. He sent Jesus to be born in a cave or some primitive shelter likely made for animals. Jesus spent about thirty years doing normal life out of the spotlight. Then for three years he taught and healed, lived and died for us, rose again, ascended into heaven, and now he’s awaiting the Father’s signal to return. Maranatha! Come quickly, LORD Jesus! Maybe he will return in 2017. Are you ready?
Even though Jesus is not physically walking the earth today, God is here. God is present in this place. The Holy Spirit is a gift given to every follower of Jesus. God no longer lives in fancy tabernacles or cathedrals. He lives in me. Is he living in you? This means God is present. He is still Emmanuel, God with us. You can’t see him, but he’s still present. You can’t see the WiFi in this building, but it’s still real. Some of the most powerful realities of life are invisible, yet present—love, the wind, radio waves, thoughts…God is present.
Finally, God is faithful.
My favorite hymn is Great is Thy Faithfulness. It has been the theme song of our marriage for more than 26 years. Our family—like many of yours—has endured job loss, deaths, mental illness, a sick child for nearly a decade requiring treatments in five different states, childish rebellion, strained and even broken relationships, …but God has been faithful. Even when it feels like He’s distant, He’s still present. He’s still active. He still hears our prayers. Sometimes our will aligns with His and other times He has a higher purpose, a better plan, perfect timing.
Let me link some ideas together. How many of you have prayed a prayer and God didn’t answer the way you wanted? All of us experience this regularly. Did you know Jesus did, too?
The night before Jesus was arrested, he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. It’s a real place, in Jerusalem. I’ve been there. Jesus knew he would be crucified and die for you and me, but he wanted Plan B. He prayed…
“Abba , Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36)
That’s a tough prayer to pray—God, this is what I want, but I will trust You if Your will is different. I’ll obey You. You are good and faithful, even if it doesn’t feel like it in this moment.
Can I get an amen?!
That’s faith. It’s easy to trust God when the sun’s shining, the bills are paid, the family’s getting along, and there are leftover Christmas cookies to eat! Praise God!
But can you praise Him in the storm? Is He any less faithful at the hospital, the attorney’s office, the police station, or the frustrating job site? He’s really not.
The prophet Jeremiah had a pretty rough life. God told him to proclaim unwanted news to the people of Jerusalem, and warned Jeremiah he would be rejected! Wow! His life was so challenging, he wrote a book of laments—words of deep grief and sorry—called Lamentations. He said this:
I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. (Lamentations 3:19-20)
You might as well call him Eeyore! But he wasn’t necessarily complaining, just being honest with God. You can be honest with God, too. He can handle it!
Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’S great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:21-23)
Let me turn again to The Message:
But there’s one other thing I remember, and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:
GOD’S loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! (Lamentations 3:21-23, The Message)
Listen to what follows:
I’m sticking with GOD (I say it over and over). He’s all I’ve got left.
GOD proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. (Lamentations 3:24-25, The Message)
I love that! I’m sticking with God! He’s all I’ve got left.
Maybe you feel that tonight. 2016 has left you in a tough place and you hope 2017 will be better.
Perhaps 2016 was a banner year and you’re nervous 2017 won’t be as good.
Regardless of how you feel in this moment, God is still God. King Jesus is on the throne. He’s not a little baby any longer. He’s preparing to return to us soon. He is true. He is here. He is faithful.
God is good…all the time.
All the time…God is good.
He is true, present, and faithful. God was faithful in 2016. Will we be faithful in 2017?
Angels, 25 December 2016
26 12 16
Angels
Series: First Christmas
Luke 2:1-14
Series Big Idea: Most know the Christmas story, but what did the individual characters experience?
Big Idea: We need not fear angels…or anything but God.
Merry CHRISTmas! My name is Kirk and I’m thrilled to be able to celebrate Jesus’ birthday with you!
Throughout Advent—this season of waiting—we’ve been looking at the Christmas story through the eyes of various characters present at the First Christmas. We looked at the Wise Men, Elizabeth, the Innkeeper, Joseph, and today it’s the angels.
Have you ever met or seen an angel? Our minds picture a person dressed in white with wings and a halo, but angels are real creatures. In fact, they’re mentioned nearly three hundred times in the Bible! Unless they suddenly became an endangered species, they are just as real and important today.
We don’t have time to do a thorough study of angels today, but I want to look at two words they spoke: fear not.
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. (Luke 2:1-3)
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:4-7)
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. (Luke 2:8-9)
STOP!
Why were they terrified? They saw and angel. They saw the glory of the Lord.
It seems like often when angels appear, people are afraid. That makes sense, right?
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. (Matthew 28:5)
But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. (Luke 1:13)
But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. (Luke 1:30)
Sometimes people are already afraid and angels are sent to bring comfort and peace.
God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. (Genesis 21:17)
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:20)
And we have the example in today’s text.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Luke 2:10
I have loved Charlie Brown for as long as I can remember. Being a musician, I should’ve identified most with Schroeder, but whenever I would read the Peanuts comics or watch the television specials I always connected with Charlie Brown.
Charles Schultz, the creator of Charlie Brown, told so many wonderful stories, but the best story he ever told was not his, but taken from the Bible.
Perhaps you’ve seen the Facebook post by Jason Soroski. I’m so grateful to Crystal who sent it to me. I nearly cried reading it…and I want to share it with you today.
Last year, A Charlie Brown Christmas aired on national prime time television for the 50th time. In a world where the latest greatest technology is outdated in a matter of months, and social media trends come and go in a matter of days, 50 years of anything becomes quite meaningful.
I am a fan of all things nostalgic and all things Christmas, and so when the two are combined I am hooked, and the Charlie Brown Christmas special falls squarely into that category.
I was in the first grade back when they still performed Christmas pageants in schools (less than 50 years, but still a very long time ago), and our class performed a version of the Charlie Brown Christmas. Since I was kind of a bookworm and already had a blue blanket, I was chosen to play the part of Linus. As Linus, I memorized Luke 2:8-14, and that Scripture has been hidden in my heart ever since.
But while working so diligently to learn those lines, there is one important thing I didn’t notice then, and didn’t notice until now.
Right in the middle of speaking, Linus drops the blanket.
Charlie Brown is best known for his uniquely striped shirt, and Linus is most associated with his ever-present security blanket. Throughout the story of Peanuts, Lucy, Snoopy, Sally and others all work to no avail to separate Linus from his blanket. And even though his security blanket remains a major source of ridicule for the otherwise mature and thoughtful Linus, he simply refuses to give it up.
Until this moment. When he simply drops it.
In that climactic scene when Linus shares “what Christmas is all about,” he drops his security blanket, and I am now convinced that this is intentional. Most telling is the specific moment he drops it: when he utters the words, “fear not.”
Looking at it now, it is pretty clear what Charles Schultz was saying, and it’s so simple it’s brilliant.
The birth of Jesus separates us from our fears.
The birth of Jesus frees us from the habits we are unable (or unwilling) to break ourselves.
The birth of Jesus allows us to simply drop the false security we have been grasping so tightly, and learn to trust and cling to Him instead.
The world of 2016 can be a scary place, and most of us find ourselves grasping to something temporal for security, whatever that thing may be. Essentially, 2016 is a world in which it is very difficult for us to “fear not.”
But in the midst of fear and insecurity, this simple cartoon image from 1965 continues to live on as an inspiration for us to seek true peace and true security in the one place it has always been and can always still be found.
I couldn’t have said it better myself!
What are you afraid of? I know that’s an odd question to ask on Christmas Day, but what are you afraid of?
The dark?
Your credit card bill next month after Christmas shopping?
Loneliness?
Your health?
Fruitcake?
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1John 4:16-18)
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
Fear not!
The angels said it.
It’s the most common command in the Bible.
If we recognize the love and presence and power and wisdom and wonder and mystery of God, our other fears will diminish.
Technically, the Bible doesn’t say the angels sang. It says they praised God.
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:13-14)
We can praise with words, but music has a special way of enhancing the worship.
“Angels We Have Heard On High” has possibly the longest word in any piece of music! The 18-syllable word is "Gloria." Gloria, in excelsis Deo means simply, “Glory to God in the highest.”
Fear Not
The message of Christmas is Immanuel, God is with us.
Fear not…God is with us.
Fear not…the Prince of Peace is here.
Fear not…you are not alone.
Fear not…the baby will return soon as King Jesus.
Happy birthday, Jesus! Merry CHRISTmas! God bless you!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: First Christmas
Luke 2:1-14
Series Big Idea: Most know the Christmas story, but what did the individual characters experience?
Big Idea: We need not fear angels…or anything but God.
Merry CHRISTmas! My name is Kirk and I’m thrilled to be able to celebrate Jesus’ birthday with you!
Throughout Advent—this season of waiting—we’ve been looking at the Christmas story through the eyes of various characters present at the First Christmas. We looked at the Wise Men, Elizabeth, the Innkeeper, Joseph, and today it’s the angels.
Have you ever met or seen an angel? Our minds picture a person dressed in white with wings and a halo, but angels are real creatures. In fact, they’re mentioned nearly three hundred times in the Bible! Unless they suddenly became an endangered species, they are just as real and important today.
We don’t have time to do a thorough study of angels today, but I want to look at two words they spoke: fear not.
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. (Luke 2:1-3)
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:4-7)
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. (Luke 2:8-9)
STOP!
Why were they terrified? They saw and angel. They saw the glory of the Lord.
It seems like often when angels appear, people are afraid. That makes sense, right?
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. (Matthew 28:5)
But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. (Luke 1:13)
But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. (Luke 1:30)
Sometimes people are already afraid and angels are sent to bring comfort and peace.
God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. (Genesis 21:17)
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:20)
And we have the example in today’s text.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Luke 2:10
I have loved Charlie Brown for as long as I can remember. Being a musician, I should’ve identified most with Schroeder, but whenever I would read the Peanuts comics or watch the television specials I always connected with Charlie Brown.
Charles Schultz, the creator of Charlie Brown, told so many wonderful stories, but the best story he ever told was not his, but taken from the Bible.
Perhaps you’ve seen the Facebook post by Jason Soroski. I’m so grateful to Crystal who sent it to me. I nearly cried reading it…and I want to share it with you today.
Last year, A Charlie Brown Christmas aired on national prime time television for the 50th time. In a world where the latest greatest technology is outdated in a matter of months, and social media trends come and go in a matter of days, 50 years of anything becomes quite meaningful.
I am a fan of all things nostalgic and all things Christmas, and so when the two are combined I am hooked, and the Charlie Brown Christmas special falls squarely into that category.
I was in the first grade back when they still performed Christmas pageants in schools (less than 50 years, but still a very long time ago), and our class performed a version of the Charlie Brown Christmas. Since I was kind of a bookworm and already had a blue blanket, I was chosen to play the part of Linus. As Linus, I memorized Luke 2:8-14, and that Scripture has been hidden in my heart ever since.
But while working so diligently to learn those lines, there is one important thing I didn’t notice then, and didn’t notice until now.
Right in the middle of speaking, Linus drops the blanket.
Charlie Brown is best known for his uniquely striped shirt, and Linus is most associated with his ever-present security blanket. Throughout the story of Peanuts, Lucy, Snoopy, Sally and others all work to no avail to separate Linus from his blanket. And even though his security blanket remains a major source of ridicule for the otherwise mature and thoughtful Linus, he simply refuses to give it up.
Until this moment. When he simply drops it.
In that climactic scene when Linus shares “what Christmas is all about,” he drops his security blanket, and I am now convinced that this is intentional. Most telling is the specific moment he drops it: when he utters the words, “fear not.”
Looking at it now, it is pretty clear what Charles Schultz was saying, and it’s so simple it’s brilliant.
The birth of Jesus separates us from our fears.
The birth of Jesus frees us from the habits we are unable (or unwilling) to break ourselves.
The birth of Jesus allows us to simply drop the false security we have been grasping so tightly, and learn to trust and cling to Him instead.
The world of 2016 can be a scary place, and most of us find ourselves grasping to something temporal for security, whatever that thing may be. Essentially, 2016 is a world in which it is very difficult for us to “fear not.”
But in the midst of fear and insecurity, this simple cartoon image from 1965 continues to live on as an inspiration for us to seek true peace and true security in the one place it has always been and can always still be found.
I couldn’t have said it better myself!
What are you afraid of? I know that’s an odd question to ask on Christmas Day, but what are you afraid of?
The dark?
Your credit card bill next month after Christmas shopping?
Loneliness?
Your health?
Fruitcake?
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1John 4:16-18)
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
Fear not!
The angels said it.
It’s the most common command in the Bible.
If we recognize the love and presence and power and wisdom and wonder and mystery of God, our other fears will diminish.
Technically, the Bible doesn’t say the angels sang. It says they praised God.
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:13-14)
We can praise with words, but music has a special way of enhancing the worship.
“Angels We Have Heard On High” has possibly the longest word in any piece of music! The 18-syllable word is "Gloria." Gloria, in excelsis Deo means simply, “Glory to God in the highest.”
Fear Not
The message of Christmas is Immanuel, God is with us.
Fear not…God is with us.
Fear not…the Prince of Peace is here.
Fear not…you are not alone.
Fear not…the baby will return soon as King Jesus.
Happy birthday, Jesus! Merry CHRISTmas! God bless you!
Joseph, 18 December 2016
19 12 16
Joseph
Series: First Christmas
Matthew 1:18-25
Series Big Idea: Most know the Christmas story, but what did the individual characters experience?
Big Idea: God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called.
Introduction
The thing I can't figure out is why He chose me. Have you ever thought that? Why did He choose for you to live here? To work here? To serve here?
I had a great phone conversation with one of our church’s outstanding leaders. She was feeling out of her comfort zone, inadequate, and unqualified. I reminded her God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called.
Why did He choose Mary?
Why did He choose Joseph?
Why did He choose you?
Scariest, most difficult, confusing, puzzling, mystifying, amazing, glorious, inexplicable, exciting, gripping, intoxicating, powerful, petrifying, terrifying, most wonderful day.
Parents, does that describe your child’s birthday? No day changed my life more than May 21, 1992. That was the day our first child, Kailey, was born. I’ve never been the same since.
Joseph
There are two important biblical characters named Joseph. The first was Jacob’s son, the boy given the coat of many colors who became the second most powerful person in Egypt under Pharaoh. The other is Jesus’ step dad, Mary’s husband. A humble carpenter.
We don’t know much about Joseph. Mary is quoted, present throughout the life of her son, and a prominent figure. But Joseph…he almost looks like one of the shepherds in many nativity scenes!
Does he complain? Hardly. Well, actually, we don’t know, but let’s assume the drama was accurate. It’s a privilege to be the stepfather of the Messiah. In fact, it is a tremendous gift and responsibility.
What’s the greatest thing that has ever been entrusted to your care? For many kids it’s a dog. I know of at least one child who wants a dog for Christmas. But dogs require care—well, live dogs require care. I’m not talking about a stuffed animal. Dogs need food, water, treats, trips to the vet, and everyone’s favorite chore…cleaning up the back yard!
Several years ago a friend of mine at our church was loaned a yellow Lambourghini, a car worth hundreds of thousands of dollars! He was so nervous knowing he possessed—at least temporarily—a treasure. He drove it so carefully, not wanting to risk even a small scratch on it.
Parents, you certainly remember the first time you held your child in your arms, aware of the tremendous blessings—and responsibility—you were holding.
Birth parents have a role in the gift they produce. I won’t get into a detailed explanation of that today (!), but in Joseph’s case he not only became a dad, he was chosen—by God—to raise the promised Messiah. It’s hard for us, sometimes, to understand just how significant this child was to the Jewish people. There were prophecies for hundreds (thousands?) of years concerning the Messiah…and then silence. There were about four hundred years between the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, between the prophecies and the arrival of Jesus. Four hundred years—of silence. Imagine silence since 1616! And then God announces you’ll parent God’s son!
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. (Matthew 1:18-19)
These two verses tell us quite a bit about Joseph. He was faithful to the law. This means he was a righteous man. He obeyed God, which involved loving others. In this case, he wanted to protect the girl/woman he loved. Quietly divorcing (calling off the wedding) Mary would’ve been far less shameful for a teen mom than exposing her for “sleeping around.” Joseph was a good man. We know Mary was righteous, and she would surely not be engaged to a loser!
Yet on the surface, Joseph must’ve surely thought he made a mistake by proposing to this teenage girl with bun-in-the-oven. Imagine how he felt. His love is pregnant…and he’s a virgin. He cannot be the father of this child, which means…who is it? Sure, Mary, the Holy Spirit. Who’s the Holy Spirit? I know people who think they’re holy, but Spirit is a strange last night for a guy, don’t you think?!
As is so often the case with Bible passages, we know the rest of the story. We know what’s going to happen. We’ve seen the end of the movie! But Joseph had no clue. I can’t imagine the disappointment, the heartbreak, and the embarrassment. Make no mistake, people knew about his pregnant fiancée…or they would. It’s not like you could fly to another state or country and take on a new identity. Unwed mothers were not the norm as they tragically are today in so many communities. Joseph’s bride-to-be was a disgrace. Even associating with her would affect his reputation…and it did.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)
I wonder how long it took Joseph to fall asleep. You don’t just get life-changing news, call off a wedding, and snooze when your head hits the pillow. He may have laid in bed for hours before finally drifting off into la-la land. And then he has a dream!
The dream confirms what Mary said. Wait, is this a dream or a hallucination? Am I just making this up? So Mary is carrying the Messiah? The Savior?
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:22-23)
Even though all of this news was surely shocking to Joseph, it wasn’t completely unfamiliar. He knew the ancient scriptures. He was faithful to the law. As a Jew, he knew about the prophecies of the coming Messiah.
Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:13-14)
The book of Matthew quotes the Old Testament at least 47 times, most of them Messianic, dealing with Jesus. Matthew begins his gospel—good news—with a genealogy of Jesus. He wrote,
This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:
Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, …Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, Solomon the father of Rehoboam…and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.
After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel…and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.
Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah. (Matthew 1:1-17)
Joseph knew the prophecy of the Messiah, but couldn’t have imagined he would play a part in the most important—and famous—birth in human history.
Immanuel: God with us. God will be with Mary. God will be with Joseph. God will be with us. What a dream!
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. (Matthew 1:24-25)
He did not divorce her. He did not abandon her. He chose to travel this remarkable—and often painful—journey with her. He married her. I have to add, contrary to some traditions, Mary and Joseph did consummate their marriage…after the birth of Christ. They had other children, too (so much for the “perpetual virgin” notion!).
Conclusion
Although we don’t know much about Joseph, we know he was righteous, obedient, and faithful. I’m sure he felt unworthy of the gift and responsibility placed into his care, but he said, “Yes.”
God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called.
What is God calling you to do? Sure, you won’t be entrusted to raise God’s son, but He’s calling you. Maybe He’s calling you to quit playing religion and truly surrender your life to Him. Quit playing games and let God truly be LORD in your life.
Maybe God is calling you to step out in faith, to take a big risk. Perhaps it’s to write a ridiculously generous check, trusting Him to provide for your needs.
I believe God is calling some of you to step into new positions of leadership. It may begin with apprenticing under a small group leader, eventually leading to caring for your own group. Leading a small group is a tremendous gift and responsibility. The eternities of men, women, and children are at stake.
Some of you have been resisting an investment in the next generation. Our children, our youth need you. God might want you to disciple students. It doesn’t matter how old or young you are, only that you obey God’s call.
If you feel inadequate, join the club!
I was recently talking with Thomas George, our District Superintendent. He asked how things were in Toledo and I said, “Fantastic! I love First Alliance Church. I’m so grateful God called us to Toledo, though I feel unworthy of serving such a great congregation.” He looked me in the eye and said, “If you ever feel worthy, call me and I will remove you.” He was serious. I was appreciative. When we feel like we can do it, we no longer need God.
God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called. When we ask, “Why,” He often responds, “Why not?”
“We all have to embrace the fact that God wants to use us. He’s given us talents, passions, gifts; He’s given us a community of people to do life with. If we focus and have intentionality, He will absolutely use us to make a difference in the world.” – Chris Marlow
It’s my desire for God to call many of you into new opportunities, new challenges. You can make excuses, but some of you know it’s time. It’s time to get out of the boat and experience the thrill of being used by God to accomplish great things. And when you are faithful in small things, He will entrust even greater things to your care. And remember, you are never alone. We are here…and so is He. The message of Immanuel is “God is with us.”
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: First Christmas
Matthew 1:18-25
Series Big Idea: Most know the Christmas story, but what did the individual characters experience?
Big Idea: God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called.
Introduction
The thing I can't figure out is why He chose me. Have you ever thought that? Why did He choose for you to live here? To work here? To serve here?
I had a great phone conversation with one of our church’s outstanding leaders. She was feeling out of her comfort zone, inadequate, and unqualified. I reminded her God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called.
Why did He choose Mary?
Why did He choose Joseph?
Why did He choose you?
Scariest, most difficult, confusing, puzzling, mystifying, amazing, glorious, inexplicable, exciting, gripping, intoxicating, powerful, petrifying, terrifying, most wonderful day.
Parents, does that describe your child’s birthday? No day changed my life more than May 21, 1992. That was the day our first child, Kailey, was born. I’ve never been the same since.
Joseph
There are two important biblical characters named Joseph. The first was Jacob’s son, the boy given the coat of many colors who became the second most powerful person in Egypt under Pharaoh. The other is Jesus’ step dad, Mary’s husband. A humble carpenter.
We don’t know much about Joseph. Mary is quoted, present throughout the life of her son, and a prominent figure. But Joseph…he almost looks like one of the shepherds in many nativity scenes!
Does he complain? Hardly. Well, actually, we don’t know, but let’s assume the drama was accurate. It’s a privilege to be the stepfather of the Messiah. In fact, it is a tremendous gift and responsibility.
What’s the greatest thing that has ever been entrusted to your care? For many kids it’s a dog. I know of at least one child who wants a dog for Christmas. But dogs require care—well, live dogs require care. I’m not talking about a stuffed animal. Dogs need food, water, treats, trips to the vet, and everyone’s favorite chore…cleaning up the back yard!
Several years ago a friend of mine at our church was loaned a yellow Lambourghini, a car worth hundreds of thousands of dollars! He was so nervous knowing he possessed—at least temporarily—a treasure. He drove it so carefully, not wanting to risk even a small scratch on it.
Parents, you certainly remember the first time you held your child in your arms, aware of the tremendous blessings—and responsibility—you were holding.
Birth parents have a role in the gift they produce. I won’t get into a detailed explanation of that today (!), but in Joseph’s case he not only became a dad, he was chosen—by God—to raise the promised Messiah. It’s hard for us, sometimes, to understand just how significant this child was to the Jewish people. There were prophecies for hundreds (thousands?) of years concerning the Messiah…and then silence. There were about four hundred years between the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, between the prophecies and the arrival of Jesus. Four hundred years—of silence. Imagine silence since 1616! And then God announces you’ll parent God’s son!
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. (Matthew 1:18-19)
These two verses tell us quite a bit about Joseph. He was faithful to the law. This means he was a righteous man. He obeyed God, which involved loving others. In this case, he wanted to protect the girl/woman he loved. Quietly divorcing (calling off the wedding) Mary would’ve been far less shameful for a teen mom than exposing her for “sleeping around.” Joseph was a good man. We know Mary was righteous, and she would surely not be engaged to a loser!
Yet on the surface, Joseph must’ve surely thought he made a mistake by proposing to this teenage girl with bun-in-the-oven. Imagine how he felt. His love is pregnant…and he’s a virgin. He cannot be the father of this child, which means…who is it? Sure, Mary, the Holy Spirit. Who’s the Holy Spirit? I know people who think they’re holy, but Spirit is a strange last night for a guy, don’t you think?!
As is so often the case with Bible passages, we know the rest of the story. We know what’s going to happen. We’ve seen the end of the movie! But Joseph had no clue. I can’t imagine the disappointment, the heartbreak, and the embarrassment. Make no mistake, people knew about his pregnant fiancée…or they would. It’s not like you could fly to another state or country and take on a new identity. Unwed mothers were not the norm as they tragically are today in so many communities. Joseph’s bride-to-be was a disgrace. Even associating with her would affect his reputation…and it did.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)
I wonder how long it took Joseph to fall asleep. You don’t just get life-changing news, call off a wedding, and snooze when your head hits the pillow. He may have laid in bed for hours before finally drifting off into la-la land. And then he has a dream!
The dream confirms what Mary said. Wait, is this a dream or a hallucination? Am I just making this up? So Mary is carrying the Messiah? The Savior?
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:22-23)
Even though all of this news was surely shocking to Joseph, it wasn’t completely unfamiliar. He knew the ancient scriptures. He was faithful to the law. As a Jew, he knew about the prophecies of the coming Messiah.
Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:13-14)
The book of Matthew quotes the Old Testament at least 47 times, most of them Messianic, dealing with Jesus. Matthew begins his gospel—good news—with a genealogy of Jesus. He wrote,
This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:
Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, …Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, Solomon the father of Rehoboam…and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.
After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel…and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.
Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah. (Matthew 1:1-17)
Joseph knew the prophecy of the Messiah, but couldn’t have imagined he would play a part in the most important—and famous—birth in human history.
Immanuel: God with us. God will be with Mary. God will be with Joseph. God will be with us. What a dream!
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. (Matthew 1:24-25)
He did not divorce her. He did not abandon her. He chose to travel this remarkable—and often painful—journey with her. He married her. I have to add, contrary to some traditions, Mary and Joseph did consummate their marriage…after the birth of Christ. They had other children, too (so much for the “perpetual virgin” notion!).
Conclusion
Although we don’t know much about Joseph, we know he was righteous, obedient, and faithful. I’m sure he felt unworthy of the gift and responsibility placed into his care, but he said, “Yes.”
God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called.
What is God calling you to do? Sure, you won’t be entrusted to raise God’s son, but He’s calling you. Maybe He’s calling you to quit playing religion and truly surrender your life to Him. Quit playing games and let God truly be LORD in your life.
Maybe God is calling you to step out in faith, to take a big risk. Perhaps it’s to write a ridiculously generous check, trusting Him to provide for your needs.
I believe God is calling some of you to step into new positions of leadership. It may begin with apprenticing under a small group leader, eventually leading to caring for your own group. Leading a small group is a tremendous gift and responsibility. The eternities of men, women, and children are at stake.
Some of you have been resisting an investment in the next generation. Our children, our youth need you. God might want you to disciple students. It doesn’t matter how old or young you are, only that you obey God’s call.
If you feel inadequate, join the club!
I was recently talking with Thomas George, our District Superintendent. He asked how things were in Toledo and I said, “Fantastic! I love First Alliance Church. I’m so grateful God called us to Toledo, though I feel unworthy of serving such a great congregation.” He looked me in the eye and said, “If you ever feel worthy, call me and I will remove you.” He was serious. I was appreciative. When we feel like we can do it, we no longer need God.
God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called. When we ask, “Why,” He often responds, “Why not?”
“We all have to embrace the fact that God wants to use us. He’s given us talents, passions, gifts; He’s given us a community of people to do life with. If we focus and have intentionality, He will absolutely use us to make a difference in the world.” – Chris Marlow
It’s my desire for God to call many of you into new opportunities, new challenges. You can make excuses, but some of you know it’s time. It’s time to get out of the boat and experience the thrill of being used by God to accomplish great things. And when you are faithful in small things, He will entrust even greater things to your care. And remember, you are never alone. We are here…and so is He. The message of Immanuel is “God is with us.”
- Credits
Innkeeper, 11 December 2016
11 12 16
Innkeeper
Series: First Christmas
Matthew 1:18-25
Series Big Idea: Most know the Christmas story, but what did the individual characters experience?
Big Idea: Advent is about making room for Jesus.
Introduction
You always make room…especially when it comes to God. Or do you? Do you?
Today we’re talking about space. I don’t mean Mars and Jupiter. I mean room, capacity. It’s been said no matter how much space you have, you always fill it.
This is true of memory on your cell phone or computer.
It’s true of your closet.
It’s true of your garage.
It’s true of your calendar.
It’s true of your heart.
My name is Kirk and during this season of Advent—this season of waiting—we are looking at the First Christmas through the eyes of various characters in the story. We’ve looked at the Wise Men and Elizabeth. Today we turn to the Innkeeper.
Before we discuss the innkeeper, we need to set a few things straight. Our understanding of Christmas has been plagued by many myths.
For example, we noted two weeks ago how we don’t know how many magi visited Jesus. Maybe three. Maybe twelve. We have no idea. The Bible never says anything about them being kings. Even though they came with our nativity scene, they likely arrived on the scene a year or two after Jesus was born.
Now about the inn. As a kid watching Christmas pageants I was led to believe Mary and Joseph journeyed on a donkey to an ancient version of a Holiday Inn, all of the rooms were booked, and they hung out in a nearby barn filled with hay, animals, and a wooden manger where Jesus laid comfortably…no crying he made (“Away in a Manger”).
Actually, there was no space (room) in the "upper room" of a private house because other family members had arrived there first. This was not a motel or public dwelling. Look at the text of Luke chapter two:
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. (Luke 2:4)
You may recall Caesar Augustus called for a census. In our nation, we have a census every ten years, a form every citizen is required to complete in order to know about the people in our country.
Two thousand years ago they didn’t have the Internet, FedEx, or even the Post Office to deliver mail, so people had to travel to their own register. Joseph’s ancestral home was Bethlehem. He was a descendant of King David, and David was born in Bethlehem.
He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:5-7)
In case you were wondering, the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem is about 70 miles as the crow flies. Of course Mary and Joseph were not crows, so they probably walked more than 90 miles—likely four or five days on foot. Maybe they had a donkey…maybe not. There’s no donkey mentioned in the biblical account.
What’s the longest you’ve ever walked in a day? How many steps, FitBit owners?!
Moms, can you imagine walking to The Palace of Auburn Hills, north of Detroit…nine months pregnant?
One of the challenges with the Christmas story is it’s too familiar. We’ve sanitized its harsh realities into cute figurines we put near the fireplace or kids dressed in bathrobes performing Christmas pageants.
The “holy night when Christ was born” was not the only night of the journey. It simply represented what was likely their first night in Bethlehem, Jesus’ birthday. What did they do the other days?
Good Jews were expected to offer hospitality to travelers. It was common for people to have a guest room in their home for such occasions. Animals would live on the ground level and people would live upstairs. Perhaps Joseph and Mary camped during their journey. They may have traveled with others in a group for safety from lions, bears, or bandits. This was not an uncommon journey. In fact, later in Luke chapter two we are told
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. (Luke 2:41)
But let’s return to our text.
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:6-7)
She gave birth to her firstborn. There would be other children.
There was no guest room available for them. Most ancient Jewish homes had a common area on the main level, including a manger where animals ate and slept at night, and an upper room where everyone slept. The upstairs was full. It’s possible there was a separate barn, but this would often be attached to the house directly. They were unable to find private quarters for the birth since no guest room was available in a home. Tradition says Jesus was actually born not in a barn, but rather in a cave nearby.
Here’s a photo of the traditional place in Bethlehem where Jesus may have been born. Heather took this last month when she was in Israel. It hardly looks like our nativity set!
We assume there was an innkeeper…more accurately a homeowner—likely a relative— who had no room in his guest room for Joseph and Mary. At least they found shelter in a cave.
Sometimes the innkeeper gets a bad rap, but imagine you have a packed house and a friend calls last-minute and asks to crash on your couch. What do you do? If there’s no room, maybe you tell them they can set up your camping tent in the backyard!
Then again, if you knew how significant these travelers were, you would’ve done anything for them! Hindsight is 20/20, right?
If I had known the iPhone would change the world, I would’ve bought Apple stocks when everyone was saying they were headed toward bankruptcy.
If I had known he was really that drunk I would have taken his keys.
If I had known those jalapenos were that hot, I wouldn’t have ordered that burrito!
If I had known she was carrying the Christ child, I would have given them my own bed.
Instead, Joseph and Mary slept on the ground floor with the animals, under the sleeping quarters of their relatives, under the upper room. The Greek word here (kataluma) is the same as the place where Jesus celebrated Passover and had his Last Supper with his disciples before he was crucified.
So why do we think there was a stable, a barn, or even a cave? The only hint of such a thing is that Jesus was born in a manger, a food trough for animals. We often depict mangers as wooden beds with hay, but ancient mangers were probably made with something like concrete. In my research, I discovered,
“Guest rooms were typically in the front of houses and the animal shelters were in the back of the house or the lower level (in a cave). In the family shelter, the family animals were fed and protected at night from the cold, thieves, and predators. So Joseph and Mary were lodged on the lower level or in the back of the house—the animal shelter. Most likely, the animals were removed while the couple lodged there. (There is no mention of animals in Luke’s or Matthew’s account. St. Francis is credited with building the first manger scene complete with live animals.)”
So What?
Advent is about making room for Jesus.
Did Joseph’s relative make room in his house for Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. No. Space was made below in the area animals would typically spend the night. They received the leftovers rather than the finest hospitality.
What about you? Are you making room for Jesus?
Some people ignore God 167 hours a week and think an hour on Sunday will be sufficient.
Some people spend all of their money—and then some—on stuff for themselves and feel good if they drop a ten or twenty in the offering plate.
Some people like the parts of the Bible which talk about blessings and rewards but make no room for the challenging teachings of surrender and sacrifice.
Some people are fans of Jesus, but they’re not truly followers.
Let me get very practical. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says we are temples of the Holy Spirit. We often call church buildings “houses of God,” but really we are the houses, the places where God dwells. Have you allowed God into all of your house?
What about the study or library of your house? That’s where you think. Do your thoughts bring glory to God?
The living room is where we hang out with friends. Is there room in your relationships for God, or do you keep Him out of your friendships?
The dining room is where we feed our desires. Is there room for God in the things you consume?
The bedroom is where intimacy is experienced. Have you surrendered your sexuality to God or is he locked out?
The rec room is where we watch movies, listen to music, read books, and play games. Have you made room for God in your hobbies and entertainment?
The attic is where we hide things, things we don’t want others to see, things we hoard and can’t get rid of like bitterness and envy. God would love for you to let Him there.
The workroom is where…we work! God wants you to make room for Him on your commute, in the cubicle, at school, at the job site.
Conclusion
I’m glad you made room for Jesus this morning. I really am. There are many things you could be doing now besides listening to God’s Word. The innkeeper—if there was such a person—Joseph’s relative made a little room for Jesus’ family, but it certainly wasn’t his best. They got the scraps, the leftovers.
God’s glad you gave Him this hour, but He wants all of you. It’s only fair. He gave His very best for us—His only Son, Jesus. Jesus made room in his life for us. He stepped away from heaven and came down to live with us, to be God with us, Emmanuel.
You always make room…especially when it comes to God. Where do you need to make room? Where do you need to surrender?
I Surrender All
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: First Christmas
Matthew 1:18-25
Series Big Idea: Most know the Christmas story, but what did the individual characters experience?
Big Idea: Advent is about making room for Jesus.
Introduction
You always make room…especially when it comes to God. Or do you? Do you?
Today we’re talking about space. I don’t mean Mars and Jupiter. I mean room, capacity. It’s been said no matter how much space you have, you always fill it.
This is true of memory on your cell phone or computer.
It’s true of your closet.
It’s true of your garage.
It’s true of your calendar.
It’s true of your heart.
My name is Kirk and during this season of Advent—this season of waiting—we are looking at the First Christmas through the eyes of various characters in the story. We’ve looked at the Wise Men and Elizabeth. Today we turn to the Innkeeper.
Before we discuss the innkeeper, we need to set a few things straight. Our understanding of Christmas has been plagued by many myths.
For example, we noted two weeks ago how we don’t know how many magi visited Jesus. Maybe three. Maybe twelve. We have no idea. The Bible never says anything about them being kings. Even though they came with our nativity scene, they likely arrived on the scene a year or two after Jesus was born.
Now about the inn. As a kid watching Christmas pageants I was led to believe Mary and Joseph journeyed on a donkey to an ancient version of a Holiday Inn, all of the rooms were booked, and they hung out in a nearby barn filled with hay, animals, and a wooden manger where Jesus laid comfortably…no crying he made (“Away in a Manger”).
Actually, there was no space (room) in the "upper room" of a private house because other family members had arrived there first. This was not a motel or public dwelling. Look at the text of Luke chapter two:
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. (Luke 2:4)
You may recall Caesar Augustus called for a census. In our nation, we have a census every ten years, a form every citizen is required to complete in order to know about the people in our country.
Two thousand years ago they didn’t have the Internet, FedEx, or even the Post Office to deliver mail, so people had to travel to their own register. Joseph’s ancestral home was Bethlehem. He was a descendant of King David, and David was born in Bethlehem.
He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:5-7)
In case you were wondering, the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem is about 70 miles as the crow flies. Of course Mary and Joseph were not crows, so they probably walked more than 90 miles—likely four or five days on foot. Maybe they had a donkey…maybe not. There’s no donkey mentioned in the biblical account.
What’s the longest you’ve ever walked in a day? How many steps, FitBit owners?!
Moms, can you imagine walking to The Palace of Auburn Hills, north of Detroit…nine months pregnant?
One of the challenges with the Christmas story is it’s too familiar. We’ve sanitized its harsh realities into cute figurines we put near the fireplace or kids dressed in bathrobes performing Christmas pageants.
The “holy night when Christ was born” was not the only night of the journey. It simply represented what was likely their first night in Bethlehem, Jesus’ birthday. What did they do the other days?
Good Jews were expected to offer hospitality to travelers. It was common for people to have a guest room in their home for such occasions. Animals would live on the ground level and people would live upstairs. Perhaps Joseph and Mary camped during their journey. They may have traveled with others in a group for safety from lions, bears, or bandits. This was not an uncommon journey. In fact, later in Luke chapter two we are told
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. (Luke 2:41)
But let’s return to our text.
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:6-7)
She gave birth to her firstborn. There would be other children.
There was no guest room available for them. Most ancient Jewish homes had a common area on the main level, including a manger where animals ate and slept at night, and an upper room where everyone slept. The upstairs was full. It’s possible there was a separate barn, but this would often be attached to the house directly. They were unable to find private quarters for the birth since no guest room was available in a home. Tradition says Jesus was actually born not in a barn, but rather in a cave nearby.
Here’s a photo of the traditional place in Bethlehem where Jesus may have been born. Heather took this last month when she was in Israel. It hardly looks like our nativity set!
We assume there was an innkeeper…more accurately a homeowner—likely a relative— who had no room in his guest room for Joseph and Mary. At least they found shelter in a cave.
Sometimes the innkeeper gets a bad rap, but imagine you have a packed house and a friend calls last-minute and asks to crash on your couch. What do you do? If there’s no room, maybe you tell them they can set up your camping tent in the backyard!
Then again, if you knew how significant these travelers were, you would’ve done anything for them! Hindsight is 20/20, right?
If I had known the iPhone would change the world, I would’ve bought Apple stocks when everyone was saying they were headed toward bankruptcy.
If I had known he was really that drunk I would have taken his keys.
If I had known those jalapenos were that hot, I wouldn’t have ordered that burrito!
If I had known she was carrying the Christ child, I would have given them my own bed.
Instead, Joseph and Mary slept on the ground floor with the animals, under the sleeping quarters of their relatives, under the upper room. The Greek word here (kataluma) is the same as the place where Jesus celebrated Passover and had his Last Supper with his disciples before he was crucified.
So why do we think there was a stable, a barn, or even a cave? The only hint of such a thing is that Jesus was born in a manger, a food trough for animals. We often depict mangers as wooden beds with hay, but ancient mangers were probably made with something like concrete. In my research, I discovered,
“Guest rooms were typically in the front of houses and the animal shelters were in the back of the house or the lower level (in a cave). In the family shelter, the family animals were fed and protected at night from the cold, thieves, and predators. So Joseph and Mary were lodged on the lower level or in the back of the house—the animal shelter. Most likely, the animals were removed while the couple lodged there. (There is no mention of animals in Luke’s or Matthew’s account. St. Francis is credited with building the first manger scene complete with live animals.)”
So What?
Advent is about making room for Jesus.
Did Joseph’s relative make room in his house for Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. No. Space was made below in the area animals would typically spend the night. They received the leftovers rather than the finest hospitality.
What about you? Are you making room for Jesus?
Some people ignore God 167 hours a week and think an hour on Sunday will be sufficient.
Some people spend all of their money—and then some—on stuff for themselves and feel good if they drop a ten or twenty in the offering plate.
Some people like the parts of the Bible which talk about blessings and rewards but make no room for the challenging teachings of surrender and sacrifice.
Some people are fans of Jesus, but they’re not truly followers.
Let me get very practical. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says we are temples of the Holy Spirit. We often call church buildings “houses of God,” but really we are the houses, the places where God dwells. Have you allowed God into all of your house?
What about the study or library of your house? That’s where you think. Do your thoughts bring glory to God?
The living room is where we hang out with friends. Is there room in your relationships for God, or do you keep Him out of your friendships?
The dining room is where we feed our desires. Is there room for God in the things you consume?
The bedroom is where intimacy is experienced. Have you surrendered your sexuality to God or is he locked out?
The rec room is where we watch movies, listen to music, read books, and play games. Have you made room for God in your hobbies and entertainment?
The attic is where we hide things, things we don’t want others to see, things we hoard and can’t get rid of like bitterness and envy. God would love for you to let Him there.
The workroom is where…we work! God wants you to make room for Him on your commute, in the cubicle, at school, at the job site.
Conclusion
I’m glad you made room for Jesus this morning. I really am. There are many things you could be doing now besides listening to God’s Word. The innkeeper—if there was such a person—Joseph’s relative made a little room for Jesus’ family, but it certainly wasn’t his best. They got the scraps, the leftovers.
God’s glad you gave Him this hour, but He wants all of you. It’s only fair. He gave His very best for us—His only Son, Jesus. Jesus made room in his life for us. He stepped away from heaven and came down to live with us, to be God with us, Emmanuel.
You always make room…especially when it comes to God. Where do you need to make room? Where do you need to surrender?
I Surrender All
- Credits
Elizabeth, 4 December 2016
04 12 16
Elizabeth
Series: First Christmas
Luke 1:46-55
Series Big Idea: Most know the Christmas story, but what did the individual characters experience?
Big Idea: God is making life out of the barren places.
Introduction
God is making life out of the barren places.
It happened to Isaac’s parents, Abram and Sarai.
It happened to Samson’s parents, Manoah and his wife.
It happened to Samuel’s parents, Elkanah and Hannah.
It happened to John the Baptist’s parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth.
It is still happening today.
My name is Kirk and during this season of Advent—this season of waiting—we are looking at the First Christmas through the eyes of various characters in the story. Last week we examined the wise men who traveled likely hundreds of miles to meet the Messiah, possibly years after his birth.
Today’s character is Elizabeth. If you open your Bibles to Luke chapter one you’ll discover the story of Elizabeth. She may be one of the most underrated figures in the Bible. She not only was the mother of John the Baptist, she was old and barren.
Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. (Luke 1:6-7)
They weren’t just old…both Zechariah and Elizabeth were very old!
Very old people are usually called grandparents or great grandparents, not mom and dad! How could this be?
God is making life out of the barren places.
God, did you see the news this week? The tragedy at Ohio State?
God is making life out of the barren places.
God, how are we going to pay off the Visa bill after Christmas?
God is making life out of the barren places.
God, my marriage is a disaster and I feel trapped in misery.
God is making life out of the barren places.
God, I don’t know what to do about these out-of-control children.
God is making life out of the barren places.
God, I really want a baby but the doctor says it’ll never happen.
God is making life out of the barren places.
Barren
What do you think of when you hear the word barren? A desert, right?
Fortunately, we no longer use it to describe women unable to have children. But Elizabeth heard it. She heard it for years. It was likely her label. Barren. “That woman over there…she’s barren. I wonder what she did to make God curse her. What secret sin did she commit?”
In the culture, the more children, the more worth you had, the more God loved you. But Elizabeth was barren…for decades. Imagine the shame. Imagine the stares. The whispers. But notice Elizabeth is not an evil woman.
Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. (Luke 1:6-7)
There’s a great story in the Bible that occurs in a barren desert. Actually, the people of Israel spent forty years in the wilderness, a region which contained deserts. On at least two occasions the people complained about having no water to drink.
Now I think that’s a valid concern, don’t you? “Moses, we’re starving in the desert. We’re going to die out here!” At least twice God provides water for the people. It doesn’t rain. It doesn’t come from a well. No food trucks arrive on the scene with water bottles. In the book of Numbers, it says
So Moses took the staff from the LORD’S presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. (Numbers 20:9-11)
The original Hebrew word for “gushed” is “rabbim.” It means great and abundant. God didn’t just provide a little bit of water. He gave an abundance.
One of my favorite verses in the Bible quotes Jesus as saying
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
Jesus came to give abundant, full life. Greater life. Extraordinary life. More.
Can you think of a time when God provided in abundance?
For Heather and I, First Alliance Church has been an example of God providing for us abundantly. We could never have imagined a year and a half ago we would be serving alongside so many incredible men, women and children in Glass City. My prayers have been filled with gratitude for His abundant provisions.
But back to Elizabeth and Zechariah!
Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. (Luke 1:8-10)
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:11-17)
Zechariah and Elizabeth knew all about Abram and Sarai and their miracle baby, Isaac, born to a 90 year-old mom and a dad who was one hundred years old. So obviously, they were filled with faith and excitement about finally becoming parents, right? No!
Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” (Luke 1:18-20)
That’s one way to keep a priest from preaching long sermons!
When his time of service was completed, he returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” (Luke 1:23-25)
Better late than never, right? Elizabeth’s going to have a baby…but not just any baby. Jesus said of this child
Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11a)
Abundance.
God is making life out of the barren places.
You might wonder what Elizabeth and John the Baptist have to do with Advent and Jesus.
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:26-28)
Sound familiar? Mary is excited and can’t wait, right?
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:29-33)
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34)
Is this a good question? Absolutely! It’s an honest question. Although the word “but” is not here in the English translation, that’s Mary’s response. “But how can a virgin have a baby?”
God is making life out of the barren places.
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” (Luke 1:35-37)
Here we have two miracle moms. Two miracle babies. Two examples of God making life out of the barren places. Mary appropriately says
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:38)
Then Mary goes to Zechariah and Elizabeth’s home, John the Baptists leaps in the womb when he hears Mary’s voice, and Elizabeth celebrates Mary’s news, leading Mary to say (or sing?)
And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.” (Luke 1:46-55)
So What?
God is making life out of the barren places.
I’m not saying every woman unable to conceive will have a baby in nine months.
I’m not promising your student loans will be miraculously forgiven next week.
I can’t even say your troubled marriage is guaranteed to thrive in the new year or that this will be the best Christmas ever.
But I can say God is making life out of barren places. But it might take time.
Waiting
How well do you wait? Waiting is hard in an on-demand world. The microwave can’t cook quickly enough. The fast food order can’t arrive fast enough. The crazy red light can’t turn green soon enough. If my package takes more than two days to arrive at my doorstep…!!!
Imagine waiting your entire life for something. We do, right? That driver’s license? High school diploma? Spouse? House? Kids?
Kids. Elizabeth and Zechariah waited decades.
Could it be that the very things we desire today will become reality tomorrow…just not today?
I’ve prayed for many sick people and seen them healed, but not always instantly.
I’ve prayed for many broken relationships and seen them healed, but rarely instantly.
I’ve watch friends overcome addiction and abuse and tragedy, but it took time and work.
“Here’s the formula for waiting: buckle up, don’t grow weary, do good, don’t give up.”
God IS making life in the barren places. All the time.
Communion
There’s one empty, barren place I love. Nobody is certain exactly where it is, but it’s in the Middle East, in Israel. It’s a barren tomb. It once contained a dead body. A body that was placed in the tomb after a brutal death, a death we remember today.
We celebrate the empty, barren tomb because Jesus is alive! He is risen! He will hear us in three weeks when we sing, “Happy birthday” to him! He is with us know through the Holy Spirit. Best of all, he’s coming back to earth soon. When he does, he will permanently make life out of the barren places of our lives. And until then, we declare Jesus Christ is LORD, Messiah, and King.
Credits
Some ideas from SkitGuys.com.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: First Christmas
Luke 1:46-55
Series Big Idea: Most know the Christmas story, but what did the individual characters experience?
Big Idea: God is making life out of the barren places.
Introduction
God is making life out of the barren places.
It happened to Isaac’s parents, Abram and Sarai.
It happened to Samson’s parents, Manoah and his wife.
It happened to Samuel’s parents, Elkanah and Hannah.
It happened to John the Baptist’s parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth.
It is still happening today.
My name is Kirk and during this season of Advent—this season of waiting—we are looking at the First Christmas through the eyes of various characters in the story. Last week we examined the wise men who traveled likely hundreds of miles to meet the Messiah, possibly years after his birth.
Today’s character is Elizabeth. If you open your Bibles to Luke chapter one you’ll discover the story of Elizabeth. She may be one of the most underrated figures in the Bible. She not only was the mother of John the Baptist, she was old and barren.
Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. (Luke 1:6-7)
They weren’t just old…both Zechariah and Elizabeth were very old!
Very old people are usually called grandparents or great grandparents, not mom and dad! How could this be?
God is making life out of the barren places.
God, did you see the news this week? The tragedy at Ohio State?
God is making life out of the barren places.
God, how are we going to pay off the Visa bill after Christmas?
God is making life out of the barren places.
God, my marriage is a disaster and I feel trapped in misery.
God is making life out of the barren places.
God, I don’t know what to do about these out-of-control children.
God is making life out of the barren places.
God, I really want a baby but the doctor says it’ll never happen.
God is making life out of the barren places.
Barren
What do you think of when you hear the word barren? A desert, right?
Fortunately, we no longer use it to describe women unable to have children. But Elizabeth heard it. She heard it for years. It was likely her label. Barren. “That woman over there…she’s barren. I wonder what she did to make God curse her. What secret sin did she commit?”
In the culture, the more children, the more worth you had, the more God loved you. But Elizabeth was barren…for decades. Imagine the shame. Imagine the stares. The whispers. But notice Elizabeth is not an evil woman.
Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. (Luke 1:6-7)
There’s a great story in the Bible that occurs in a barren desert. Actually, the people of Israel spent forty years in the wilderness, a region which contained deserts. On at least two occasions the people complained about having no water to drink.
Now I think that’s a valid concern, don’t you? “Moses, we’re starving in the desert. We’re going to die out here!” At least twice God provides water for the people. It doesn’t rain. It doesn’t come from a well. No food trucks arrive on the scene with water bottles. In the book of Numbers, it says
So Moses took the staff from the LORD’S presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. (Numbers 20:9-11)
The original Hebrew word for “gushed” is “rabbim.” It means great and abundant. God didn’t just provide a little bit of water. He gave an abundance.
One of my favorite verses in the Bible quotes Jesus as saying
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
Jesus came to give abundant, full life. Greater life. Extraordinary life. More.
Can you think of a time when God provided in abundance?
For Heather and I, First Alliance Church has been an example of God providing for us abundantly. We could never have imagined a year and a half ago we would be serving alongside so many incredible men, women and children in Glass City. My prayers have been filled with gratitude for His abundant provisions.
But back to Elizabeth and Zechariah!
Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. (Luke 1:8-10)
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:11-17)
Zechariah and Elizabeth knew all about Abram and Sarai and their miracle baby, Isaac, born to a 90 year-old mom and a dad who was one hundred years old. So obviously, they were filled with faith and excitement about finally becoming parents, right? No!
Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” (Luke 1:18-20)
That’s one way to keep a priest from preaching long sermons!
When his time of service was completed, he returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” (Luke 1:23-25)
Better late than never, right? Elizabeth’s going to have a baby…but not just any baby. Jesus said of this child
Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11a)
Abundance.
God is making life out of the barren places.
You might wonder what Elizabeth and John the Baptist have to do with Advent and Jesus.
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:26-28)
Sound familiar? Mary is excited and can’t wait, right?
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:29-33)
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34)
Is this a good question? Absolutely! It’s an honest question. Although the word “but” is not here in the English translation, that’s Mary’s response. “But how can a virgin have a baby?”
God is making life out of the barren places.
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” (Luke 1:35-37)
Here we have two miracle moms. Two miracle babies. Two examples of God making life out of the barren places. Mary appropriately says
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:38)
Then Mary goes to Zechariah and Elizabeth’s home, John the Baptists leaps in the womb when he hears Mary’s voice, and Elizabeth celebrates Mary’s news, leading Mary to say (or sing?)
And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.” (Luke 1:46-55)
So What?
God is making life out of the barren places.
I’m not saying every woman unable to conceive will have a baby in nine months.
I’m not promising your student loans will be miraculously forgiven next week.
I can’t even say your troubled marriage is guaranteed to thrive in the new year or that this will be the best Christmas ever.
But I can say God is making life out of barren places. But it might take time.
Waiting
How well do you wait? Waiting is hard in an on-demand world. The microwave can’t cook quickly enough. The fast food order can’t arrive fast enough. The crazy red light can’t turn green soon enough. If my package takes more than two days to arrive at my doorstep…!!!
Imagine waiting your entire life for something. We do, right? That driver’s license? High school diploma? Spouse? House? Kids?
Kids. Elizabeth and Zechariah waited decades.
Could it be that the very things we desire today will become reality tomorrow…just not today?
I’ve prayed for many sick people and seen them healed, but not always instantly.
I’ve prayed for many broken relationships and seen them healed, but rarely instantly.
I’ve watch friends overcome addiction and abuse and tragedy, but it took time and work.
“Here’s the formula for waiting: buckle up, don’t grow weary, do good, don’t give up.”
- - Harvey & Gilbert, Letting Go
God IS making life in the barren places. All the time.
Communion
There’s one empty, barren place I love. Nobody is certain exactly where it is, but it’s in the Middle East, in Israel. It’s a barren tomb. It once contained a dead body. A body that was placed in the tomb after a brutal death, a death we remember today.
We celebrate the empty, barren tomb because Jesus is alive! He is risen! He will hear us in three weeks when we sing, “Happy birthday” to him! He is with us know through the Holy Spirit. Best of all, he’s coming back to earth soon. When he does, he will permanently make life out of the barren places of our lives. And until then, we declare Jesus Christ is LORD, Messiah, and King.
Credits
Some ideas from SkitGuys.com.
Wise Men, 27 November 2016
28 11 16
Wise Man
Series: First Christmas
Matthew 2:1-12
Series Big Idea: Most know the Christmas story, but what did the individual characters experience?
Big Idea: The wise men waited, listened, and journeyed to follow Jesus, setting an example for us to follow.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 2:1-2; 9-12
Introduction
For years, people have been warning us, “Don’t believe everything you read on the Internet.” Is it me or has it taken people a decade or so to finally realize that applies to Facebook? There are so many bogus new reports, urban legends, and flat out lies about people proliferating.
Perhaps one reason so many people believe lies is they don’t take time to listen.
(silence) Do you hear what I hear?
As the Peanuts song declares, “Christmastime is here.” It’s the most wonderful time of the year. It’s the most stressful time of the year. For many it’s the most depressing time of the year. For merchants it’s the most profitable time of the year. And for many Christians it’s the most offensive time of the year as their religious holiday is hijacked by Santa and sales at the mall.
But let’s set all of that aside. Christmas is our celebration of Christ’s birth, but it’s more than a day. It truly is a season. It’s a season we call Advent.
Advent is a time of waiting. It’s a time of anticipation. It’s a time of preparation, watching, and listening. Advent is here. Each week we will look at the First Christmas through the eyes of a different character in the story. Today that is the wise man.
Hide and seek.
Did you ever play hide and seek when you were a kid? Of course! The best players played hide and go listen. Listen for the sounds of the hiders under the bed, in the closet, or behind the curtain. Listen for the giggles and whispers.
Listening is a lost art. Unless you’re a psychologist paid to listen, most of us struggle with keeping quiet, being fully present, and hearing what another is communicating.
Our understanding of the First Christmas has been terribly distorted over the years. Like Facebook myths, there are myths surrounding the wise man (not “the wise guy!”):
- There were three of them. The Bible never says how many. It says there were three gifts—gold, frankincense and myrrh. Eastern tradition says there were twelve!
- The camels. They’re in my nativity set. Are they in yours? They may have been present at the First Christmas, but they’re not mentioned in the Bible, either.
- They had names. Well, of course they did have names, but we don’t know their names. Tradition says they were named Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, but the Bible does not tell us their names.
- They were kings. Do you remember that song “We three kings of Orient are/bearing gifts we traverse afar/field and fountain/moor and mountain/following yonder star…oh, star of wonder, star of might/star with royal beauty might/westward leading/still proceeding/guide us to thy perfect light.” It’s a great song, written in 1857 by John Henry Hopkins, Jr., but he took some liberties in calling the wise men kings, or telling us there were exactly three. Magi were not kings, but rather religious advisers.
Listen…to what the Bible says about the wise men, also known as Magi:
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)
We could do an entire message on the star. Who would travel after seeing a star in the sky? One must remember the skies were brighter and clearer. There were no skyscrapers, car headlights, or even streetlights. When the sun went down, the only lights were candles. Star gazing was a big deal, and it was believed the heavens and the earth were intricately connected. Halley’s Comet appeared in 12-11 BC, but that was a little early for the First Christmas. It may have been the planets Jupiter and Saturn in conjunction with each other. N.T. Wright notes
Since Jupiter was the ‘royal’ or kingly planet, and Saturn was sometimes thought to represent the Jews, the conclusion was obvious: a new king of the Jews was about to be born.
We’re not really sure about the star. It may have been a natural phenomenon, a comet, planets, a supernatural astral light, or even an angel. We do know astronomers and astrologers often went together in the ancient world. These men made a journey to Jerusalem. This word “Magi” can refer not only to wise men but also magicians, astrologers, or experts in interpreting dreams. Today we would probably call them “spiritual” men.
And who did they ask in Jerusalem? The mayor? The chief of police? The director of the Chamber of Commerce?
Three decades later Pilate’s soldiers will call Jesus, “King of the Jews.” His crown will be made of thorns. His throne will be a cross. A bright star will be replaced by midday darkness. But that’s a story for another time.
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: (Matthew 2:3-5)
“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:6)
Herod was listening. He had heard the prophecies of a king, a king of the Jews. Of course Herod was disturbed. He was the king of the Jews. He ruled over Jews and Gentiles. He wasn’t ready to have his kingdom divided. The Messiah came not only for the Jews, but also the Gentiles. The rule and reign of King Jesus will ultimately extend to every nation, tribe, and tongue.
Jerusalem is disturbed, too. This may mean the actual residents of the city or the Jewish leadership aligned with Herod. The religious people may have been threatened by Jesus from the very beginning, the one they will crucify many years later.
Note the prophet Micah gave this prophecy seven centuries earlier.
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” (Matthew 2:7-8)
Obviously Herod was not serious. What king goes to worship a child? What king worships another king? He wanted to snuff out the competition! He feared no attack from the west because that was the heart of the Roman Empire. He was more afraid of attacks from the east. It should be noted as he became older, Herod became increasingly paranoid as his ten wives had many children who competed for his throne.
Is Jesus a baby? We’re not certain, but it could be up to two years after his birth. We do know after he was born and presented in the temple, he was raised in Bethlehem, a city six miles south/southwest of Jerusalem.
(Heather was there earlier this month, yet another reminder that our faith is not based upon fantasy or dreams, but rather upon historical events, real people, and real places).
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:9-12)
The Magi followed a moving star! Maybe it was an angel guiding them? A supernatural message delivered a life-saving message to them in a dream.
These gifts were standard items to honor a king or god in the ancient world. In fact, it is recorded that these three were offered to the god Apollo in 243 BC by King Seleucus II Callinicus. They were also very prophetic. Gold is, of course, a precious metal. It represents the kingship of the Messiah. Frankincense is a perfume or incense, a symbol of Christ’s priestly role (also possibly used as an arthritis remedy). Myrrh is anointing oil often used to embalm the dead, a prophetic image of the crucifixion.
No names.
No camels.
No kings.
No stable.
But they had been listening.
They had been watching.
They had been waiting.
So What?
I want to challenge you to pay close attention throughout this series to what is said—and not said—in the text.
The Magi traveled with gifts to honor Jesus. Although they may have been wealthy, their journey was surely a sacrifice. Although they may or may not have ridden on camels, they certainly didn’t take Delta Airlines, Amtrak, or even the interstate. Their route may have been nine hundred miles, taking several months!
What about you? Today we must be listening—and reading the Word of God. We must be watching—for signs, for his activity in our world. We must be waiting.
The Jewish people waited thousands of years for the Messiah. The prophecies of his first arrival to our planet were well known, even among Gentiles. Can you imagine waiting thousands of years for Jesus? Yes we can! The Messiah is coming…again! Soon.
Are you ready? Are you willing to come to Jesus? He traveled a great distance to come to us. Are you willing to offer your best gifts to him? He gave everything to us, even his very life.
The Magi came to worship Jesus.
We have come today to worship Jesus—with singing, the study of God’s Word, and the giving of our tithes and offerings.
Wise men—and women—still listen…they still look…they still seek the Messiah as they await his return.
Prayer
“God of Light and Love we know You are speaking. Help us to have ears that hear. Help us listen for your Voice. Help us listen to each other. Help us to hear the pain in the words that aren’t spoken. Help us be Your listening ear so that we may lead others to You. Amen.”
Credits
Some ideas from SkitGuys.com, The NIV Application Commentary, and Matthew for Everyone by N.T. Wright.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: First Christmas
Matthew 2:1-12
Series Big Idea: Most know the Christmas story, but what did the individual characters experience?
Big Idea: The wise men waited, listened, and journeyed to follow Jesus, setting an example for us to follow.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 2:1-2; 9-12
Introduction
For years, people have been warning us, “Don’t believe everything you read on the Internet.” Is it me or has it taken people a decade or so to finally realize that applies to Facebook? There are so many bogus new reports, urban legends, and flat out lies about people proliferating.
Perhaps one reason so many people believe lies is they don’t take time to listen.
(silence) Do you hear what I hear?
As the Peanuts song declares, “Christmastime is here.” It’s the most wonderful time of the year. It’s the most stressful time of the year. For many it’s the most depressing time of the year. For merchants it’s the most profitable time of the year. And for many Christians it’s the most offensive time of the year as their religious holiday is hijacked by Santa and sales at the mall.
But let’s set all of that aside. Christmas is our celebration of Christ’s birth, but it’s more than a day. It truly is a season. It’s a season we call Advent.
Advent is a time of waiting. It’s a time of anticipation. It’s a time of preparation, watching, and listening. Advent is here. Each week we will look at the First Christmas through the eyes of a different character in the story. Today that is the wise man.
Hide and seek.
Did you ever play hide and seek when you were a kid? Of course! The best players played hide and go listen. Listen for the sounds of the hiders under the bed, in the closet, or behind the curtain. Listen for the giggles and whispers.
Listening is a lost art. Unless you’re a psychologist paid to listen, most of us struggle with keeping quiet, being fully present, and hearing what another is communicating.
Our understanding of the First Christmas has been terribly distorted over the years. Like Facebook myths, there are myths surrounding the wise man (not “the wise guy!”):
- There were three of them. The Bible never says how many. It says there were three gifts—gold, frankincense and myrrh. Eastern tradition says there were twelve!
- The camels. They’re in my nativity set. Are they in yours? They may have been present at the First Christmas, but they’re not mentioned in the Bible, either.
- They had names. Well, of course they did have names, but we don’t know their names. Tradition says they were named Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, but the Bible does not tell us their names.
- They were kings. Do you remember that song “We three kings of Orient are/bearing gifts we traverse afar/field and fountain/moor and mountain/following yonder star…oh, star of wonder, star of might/star with royal beauty might/westward leading/still proceeding/guide us to thy perfect light.” It’s a great song, written in 1857 by John Henry Hopkins, Jr., but he took some liberties in calling the wise men kings, or telling us there were exactly three. Magi were not kings, but rather religious advisers.
Listen…to what the Bible says about the wise men, also known as Magi:
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)
We could do an entire message on the star. Who would travel after seeing a star in the sky? One must remember the skies were brighter and clearer. There were no skyscrapers, car headlights, or even streetlights. When the sun went down, the only lights were candles. Star gazing was a big deal, and it was believed the heavens and the earth were intricately connected. Halley’s Comet appeared in 12-11 BC, but that was a little early for the First Christmas. It may have been the planets Jupiter and Saturn in conjunction with each other. N.T. Wright notes
Since Jupiter was the ‘royal’ or kingly planet, and Saturn was sometimes thought to represent the Jews, the conclusion was obvious: a new king of the Jews was about to be born.
We’re not really sure about the star. It may have been a natural phenomenon, a comet, planets, a supernatural astral light, or even an angel. We do know astronomers and astrologers often went together in the ancient world. These men made a journey to Jerusalem. This word “Magi” can refer not only to wise men but also magicians, astrologers, or experts in interpreting dreams. Today we would probably call them “spiritual” men.
And who did they ask in Jerusalem? The mayor? The chief of police? The director of the Chamber of Commerce?
Three decades later Pilate’s soldiers will call Jesus, “King of the Jews.” His crown will be made of thorns. His throne will be a cross. A bright star will be replaced by midday darkness. But that’s a story for another time.
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: (Matthew 2:3-5)
“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:6)
Herod was listening. He had heard the prophecies of a king, a king of the Jews. Of course Herod was disturbed. He was the king of the Jews. He ruled over Jews and Gentiles. He wasn’t ready to have his kingdom divided. The Messiah came not only for the Jews, but also the Gentiles. The rule and reign of King Jesus will ultimately extend to every nation, tribe, and tongue.
Jerusalem is disturbed, too. This may mean the actual residents of the city or the Jewish leadership aligned with Herod. The religious people may have been threatened by Jesus from the very beginning, the one they will crucify many years later.
Note the prophet Micah gave this prophecy seven centuries earlier.
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” (Matthew 2:7-8)
Obviously Herod was not serious. What king goes to worship a child? What king worships another king? He wanted to snuff out the competition! He feared no attack from the west because that was the heart of the Roman Empire. He was more afraid of attacks from the east. It should be noted as he became older, Herod became increasingly paranoid as his ten wives had many children who competed for his throne.
Is Jesus a baby? We’re not certain, but it could be up to two years after his birth. We do know after he was born and presented in the temple, he was raised in Bethlehem, a city six miles south/southwest of Jerusalem.
(Heather was there earlier this month, yet another reminder that our faith is not based upon fantasy or dreams, but rather upon historical events, real people, and real places).
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:9-12)
The Magi followed a moving star! Maybe it was an angel guiding them? A supernatural message delivered a life-saving message to them in a dream.
These gifts were standard items to honor a king or god in the ancient world. In fact, it is recorded that these three were offered to the god Apollo in 243 BC by King Seleucus II Callinicus. They were also very prophetic. Gold is, of course, a precious metal. It represents the kingship of the Messiah. Frankincense is a perfume or incense, a symbol of Christ’s priestly role (also possibly used as an arthritis remedy). Myrrh is anointing oil often used to embalm the dead, a prophetic image of the crucifixion.
No names.
No camels.
No kings.
No stable.
But they had been listening.
They had been watching.
They had been waiting.
So What?
I want to challenge you to pay close attention throughout this series to what is said—and not said—in the text.
The Magi traveled with gifts to honor Jesus. Although they may have been wealthy, their journey was surely a sacrifice. Although they may or may not have ridden on camels, they certainly didn’t take Delta Airlines, Amtrak, or even the interstate. Their route may have been nine hundred miles, taking several months!
What about you? Today we must be listening—and reading the Word of God. We must be watching—for signs, for his activity in our world. We must be waiting.
The Jewish people waited thousands of years for the Messiah. The prophecies of his first arrival to our planet were well known, even among Gentiles. Can you imagine waiting thousands of years for Jesus? Yes we can! The Messiah is coming…again! Soon.
Are you ready? Are you willing to come to Jesus? He traveled a great distance to come to us. Are you willing to offer your best gifts to him? He gave everything to us, even his very life.
The Magi came to worship Jesus.
We have come today to worship Jesus—with singing, the study of God’s Word, and the giving of our tithes and offerings.
Wise men—and women—still listen…they still look…they still seek the Messiah as they await his return.
Prayer
“God of Light and Love we know You are speaking. Help us to have ears that hear. Help us listen for your Voice. Help us listen to each other. Help us to hear the pain in the words that aren’t spoken. Help us be Your listening ear so that we may lead others to You. Amen.”
Credits
Some ideas from SkitGuys.com, The NIV Application Commentary, and Matthew for Everyone by N.T. Wright.
Attitude of Gratitude, 20 November 2016
20 11 16
Attitude of Gratitude
Colossians 3:15-17
Big Idea
Thanksgiving should be celebrated every day of the year, cultivating an attitude of gratitude.
Introduction
What is your favorite holiday?
Growing up as a kid Thanksgiving was my favorite holiday. It may still be my favorite holiday. My friend, Scott, describes Thanksgiving this way:
Thanksgiving is all about friends, family and friendship.
It's about putting aside our difference and reconciling our hearts to one another and God.
It's about remembering and praising God for the blessings in our lives.
It's about focusing on the most important things in life.
It's about turkey, cheesy potatoes, and apple pie.
It's about inviting and accepting people as they are. No obligations to buy gifts for people simply because it's required. Your presence is the present (See what I did there?)
It hasn't been hijacked by American consumerism.
And last, but not least...Football!
These and many other reasons are why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.
My name is Kirk and today we’re going to talk about the heart behind this Thursday’s holiday…and why it should be celebrated every day.
Thanksgiving. A day to eat, watch football, be with “framily”…and give thanks. But thanksgiving is more than an annual event. It should be a daily practice. I love the words of our passage today.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15)
This is not a suggestion. It’s a command.
But let’s back up a moment. Twice Paul uses the word “peace” in the first sentence. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. Our world struggles with peace. It has always struggled with peace. We have an enemy who wants to steal, kill and destroy. Where’s the peace in that? It should come as no surprise the contrast between the world and Jesus. One of the most famous Old Testament prophecies concerning Jesus states
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
Jesus is the Prince of “shalom,” a word which means not only peace but also welfare and completeness. Honestly, the English word “peace” hardly does it justice. Jesus is the Prince of that which is whole, complete, and peaceful.
Jesus is what our world needs.
Jesus is what our nation needs.
Jesus is what Toledo needs.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15)
Paul says we are called to peace. We are called to be ambassadors of shalom. And we are to be thankful.
I discovered the Greek word for thankful is “eucharistos.” It means grateful, pleasing, mindful of benefits, thankful. Perhaps you’ve heard the word “Eucharist.” We often call Eucharist “communion,” a time when Jesus gave thanks while breaking bread at Passover during the Last Supper.
You didn’t know you would get a Hebrew and Greek lesson today! Aren’t you thankful?!
The Scientific Benefits of Gratitude
I know, it’s almost cliché’ to say “be thankful” four days before Thanksgiving, but there’s a reason the Bible tells us to be thankful. In fact, science has confirmed the benefits.
Two psychologists, Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California, Davis, and Dr. Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami, have done much of the research on gratitude. In one study, they asked all participants to write a few sentences each week, focusing on particular topics.
One group wrote about things they were grateful for that had occurred during the week. A second group wrote about daily irritations or things that had displeased them, and the third wrote about events that had affected them (with no emphasis on them being positive or negative). After 10 weeks, those who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. Surprisingly, they also exercised more and had fewer visits to physicians than those who focused on sources of aggravation.
(http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/in-praise-of-gratitude)
The Bible was so far ahead of its time! I mean that sincerely. It seems like every week I read another report which supports the ancient wisdom of our faith and teachings.
Gratitude is an Attitude
You can’t always change your circumstances, but we all choose our attitudes. We’ve all heard about the glass behind half full or half empty. What do you see?
No matter who you are, you can choose to be thankful. Gratitude is an attitude.
Right now, think of three things for which you are grateful. Tell someone.
The author of Colossians, Paul, also wrote a letter to a church in the city of Philippi. In it, he said,
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
Focus on the positive. This doesn’t mean ignore reality. It doesn’t mean if you think happy thoughts, everything will be rainbows and lollipops. It does mean cultivating an attitude of gratitude will change you. It will change your perspective. It will enhance your prayer life. It will make you a more attractive person. It will improve your health.
This isn’t self-help psychotherapy. It’s biblical truth! Be thankful.
Paul continues in Colossians…
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. (Colossians 3:16)
There’s that word “gratitude.” We could do an entire sermon on this one verse! It says to sing to God with gratitude. We have done that today.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
By the way, that’s scripture! It’s an exact quote from 1 Chronicles 16:34…and Psalm 106:1…and Psalm 107:1…and Psalm 118:1 and 29…and Psalm 136:1!
The passage concludes…
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)
We are to give thanks to God the Father…whatever we do!
This doesn’t mean we are necessarily thankful for everything, but rather thankful in our circumstances. No matter where you are on your life journey,
God is in control.
God is faithful.
God is good.
I know, it doesn’t always feel like it, but I promise you it’s true.
We are blessed with freedom in this nation.
We are blessed with prosperity most of this world can only imagine.
We are blessed with health to be here this morning.
We are blessed with education to be able to read.
The greatest blessing of all is Jesus. He came. He lived. He died. He rose again. He’s coming back. Hallelujah!
Let’s review…
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:15-17)
Give thanks…every day. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. How? Here are some practical ideas:
C Confession
T Thanksgiving
S Supplication (requests)
Let me challenge you to never ask God for something before you’ve given thanks for something. Many of you give thanks before you eat a meal—which is great—but any time you talk with God (and you can be as honest and real as you want, including doubts and anger and questions), begin with praise, confession, and thanks. Thank Him for listening, for the weather, for life, for clothes, for whatever you desire.
Don’t you appreciate it when someone is thankful for a gift, a favor, a kind word, or just for being you? God does, too. He deserves our worship for who He is and our thanks for what He does.
Finally,
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Did you catch that? Present your requests to God…with thanksgiving. If we could all apply this one verse daily in our lives, we would experience so much more peace and joy. I must admit though I love this verse, I struggle to avoid anxiety. I worry about money. I worry about the health of my family. And then I sometimes remember to tell God about my concerns!
Conclusion
Thanksgiving should be more than an annual holiday. It should be a way of life. No matter who you are or where you find yourself, you have much for which to be thankful.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Colossians 3:15-17
Big Idea
Thanksgiving should be celebrated every day of the year, cultivating an attitude of gratitude.
Introduction
What is your favorite holiday?
Growing up as a kid Thanksgiving was my favorite holiday. It may still be my favorite holiday. My friend, Scott, describes Thanksgiving this way:
Thanksgiving is all about friends, family and friendship.
It's about putting aside our difference and reconciling our hearts to one another and God.
It's about remembering and praising God for the blessings in our lives.
It's about focusing on the most important things in life.
It's about turkey, cheesy potatoes, and apple pie.
It's about inviting and accepting people as they are. No obligations to buy gifts for people simply because it's required. Your presence is the present (See what I did there?)
It hasn't been hijacked by American consumerism.
And last, but not least...Football!
These and many other reasons are why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.
My name is Kirk and today we’re going to talk about the heart behind this Thursday’s holiday…and why it should be celebrated every day.
Thanksgiving. A day to eat, watch football, be with “framily”…and give thanks. But thanksgiving is more than an annual event. It should be a daily practice. I love the words of our passage today.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15)
This is not a suggestion. It’s a command.
But let’s back up a moment. Twice Paul uses the word “peace” in the first sentence. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. Our world struggles with peace. It has always struggled with peace. We have an enemy who wants to steal, kill and destroy. Where’s the peace in that? It should come as no surprise the contrast between the world and Jesus. One of the most famous Old Testament prophecies concerning Jesus states
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
Jesus is the Prince of “shalom,” a word which means not only peace but also welfare and completeness. Honestly, the English word “peace” hardly does it justice. Jesus is the Prince of that which is whole, complete, and peaceful.
Jesus is what our world needs.
Jesus is what our nation needs.
Jesus is what Toledo needs.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15)
Paul says we are called to peace. We are called to be ambassadors of shalom. And we are to be thankful.
I discovered the Greek word for thankful is “eucharistos.” It means grateful, pleasing, mindful of benefits, thankful. Perhaps you’ve heard the word “Eucharist.” We often call Eucharist “communion,” a time when Jesus gave thanks while breaking bread at Passover during the Last Supper.
You didn’t know you would get a Hebrew and Greek lesson today! Aren’t you thankful?!
The Scientific Benefits of Gratitude
I know, it’s almost cliché’ to say “be thankful” four days before Thanksgiving, but there’s a reason the Bible tells us to be thankful. In fact, science has confirmed the benefits.
Two psychologists, Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California, Davis, and Dr. Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami, have done much of the research on gratitude. In one study, they asked all participants to write a few sentences each week, focusing on particular topics.
One group wrote about things they were grateful for that had occurred during the week. A second group wrote about daily irritations or things that had displeased them, and the third wrote about events that had affected them (with no emphasis on them being positive or negative). After 10 weeks, those who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. Surprisingly, they also exercised more and had fewer visits to physicians than those who focused on sources of aggravation.
(http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/in-praise-of-gratitude)
The Bible was so far ahead of its time! I mean that sincerely. It seems like every week I read another report which supports the ancient wisdom of our faith and teachings.
Gratitude is an Attitude
You can’t always change your circumstances, but we all choose our attitudes. We’ve all heard about the glass behind half full or half empty. What do you see?
No matter who you are, you can choose to be thankful. Gratitude is an attitude.
Right now, think of three things for which you are grateful. Tell someone.
The author of Colossians, Paul, also wrote a letter to a church in the city of Philippi. In it, he said,
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
Focus on the positive. This doesn’t mean ignore reality. It doesn’t mean if you think happy thoughts, everything will be rainbows and lollipops. It does mean cultivating an attitude of gratitude will change you. It will change your perspective. It will enhance your prayer life. It will make you a more attractive person. It will improve your health.
This isn’t self-help psychotherapy. It’s biblical truth! Be thankful.
Paul continues in Colossians…
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. (Colossians 3:16)
There’s that word “gratitude.” We could do an entire sermon on this one verse! It says to sing to God with gratitude. We have done that today.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
By the way, that’s scripture! It’s an exact quote from 1 Chronicles 16:34…and Psalm 106:1…and Psalm 107:1…and Psalm 118:1 and 29…and Psalm 136:1!
The passage concludes…
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)
We are to give thanks to God the Father…whatever we do!
This doesn’t mean we are necessarily thankful for everything, but rather thankful in our circumstances. No matter where you are on your life journey,
God is in control.
God is faithful.
God is good.
I know, it doesn’t always feel like it, but I promise you it’s true.
We are blessed with freedom in this nation.
We are blessed with prosperity most of this world can only imagine.
We are blessed with health to be here this morning.
We are blessed with education to be able to read.
The greatest blessing of all is Jesus. He came. He lived. He died. He rose again. He’s coming back. Hallelujah!
Let’s review…
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:15-17)
Give thanks…every day. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. How? Here are some practical ideas:
- 1. Write a thank-you note. You can text or e-mail, but receiving an actual piece of paper is so rare these days, unless it’s a bill! Tell someone how thankful you are for what they’ve done or simply for who they are. Not only will they feel great, you’ll feel great!
- 2. Keep a journal. This can be a prayer journal listing prayer requests and answers to prayer, or even a running list of those things for which you are thankful.
- 3. Give thanks with a friend or family member. Play a game to see who can come up with the most things for which to be thankful!
- 4. Pray. God deserves our greatest thanks. Often people think prayer is simply telling God what they want. My favorite prayer method is ACTS:
C Confession
T Thanksgiving
S Supplication (requests)
Let me challenge you to never ask God for something before you’ve given thanks for something. Many of you give thanks before you eat a meal—which is great—but any time you talk with God (and you can be as honest and real as you want, including doubts and anger and questions), begin with praise, confession, and thanks. Thank Him for listening, for the weather, for life, for clothes, for whatever you desire.
Don’t you appreciate it when someone is thankful for a gift, a favor, a kind word, or just for being you? God does, too. He deserves our worship for who He is and our thanks for what He does.
Finally,
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Did you catch that? Present your requests to God…with thanksgiving. If we could all apply this one verse daily in our lives, we would experience so much more peace and joy. I must admit though I love this verse, I struggle to avoid anxiety. I worry about money. I worry about the health of my family. And then I sometimes remember to tell God about my concerns!
Conclusion
Thanksgiving should be more than an annual holiday. It should be a way of life. No matter who you are or where you find yourself, you have much for which to be thankful.
King Jesus, 13 November 2016
13 11 16
King Jesus
Romans 13:1-7
Note: these are the original sermon notes. The actual sermon is quite different and available here.
Big Idea
We have elected a new president…but King Jesus is Lord!
Introduction
Good morning, church! My name is Kirk and I want to personally welcome you to First Alliance Church—not the building, but the family, the community of people in this room and beyond. We are a part of a larger family, the Christian & Missionary Alliance. One of the things I love about The Alliance is its diversity. Approximately ten percent of Alliance members live in the United States. About ninety percent of our family is scattered all over the globe.
Speaking of the globe, our world was taken by surprise this past week. For a variety of reasons—largely due to the decreasing use of landline telephones for pollsters—most, if not all, of us woke up to surprising news on Wednesday morning. Some of you were concerned or even scared at the election results. Others were relieved or even celebrating.
“For some people the savior has come, for others the sky is falling, but the truth lies somewhere in the middle.” So said someone after election day…in 2008.
Regardless of your political persuasion, I have some encouraging news for you. No more campaign ads for four years! Actually, there is reason for great hope…and it has nothing to do with Washington or Columbus. God is on the move!
Jesus Is LORD
In Jesus’ day, religion was extremely popular. The Jews practiced their faith amongst the polytheistic Roman and Greek gods. Temples to these gods were common. Governmental leaders were even thrown in the mix, some treated as deity and others demanding such attention. It may sound odd to our ears, but a popular declaration was “Caesar is Lord.” To refuse to honor these gods was akin to sabotage. Some early Christians were blamed for famine, plagues, and earthquakes because they refused to worship the various gods.
At age eighty-six, Polycarp, the second-century bishop of Smyrna and disciple of the apostle John, was brought to the Roman authorities and ordered to confess that Caesar is lord. By refusing, he was murdered, inspiring others to remain faithful.
Just as “King of the Jews” was viewed by some as threatening to the establishment, so also “Jesus is Lord” was considered by many to be a revolutionary declaration. In fact, “Jesus is Lord” is the shortest credal affirmation found in the New Testament, a statement of faith for those regarding Jesus as fully God and fully man. Today it is the motto of the World Council of Churches.
How did you feel on Wednesday morning when you heard the election results?
If you felt anxiety or fear, King Jesus is Lord.
If you felt joy and relief, King Jesus is Lord.
The role of church and state has been debated for centuries. How are followers of Jesus supposed to relate to human leaders? Written in the midst of the Roman Empire, the book of Romans says…
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. (Romans 13:1-5)
Let’s take a moment and unpack this.
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13:1)
Twice in one verse it says God has established governing authorities. He has established rule and order. He established positions of power such as kings, presidents, and judges. It was never His plan for humans to narcissistically run around and pursue their own agendas in anarchy. Everything God does is carefully designed. He is the Author of systems, whether it is the solar system or your digestive system. Even the most outspoken atheists admit the universe has an order to it, making life on this planet incredibly unique.
Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. (Romans 13:2-3)
Obey the law. Although there are exceptions—especially among our African-American brothers and sisters, tragically—you usually only need to fear authority if you do what is wrong. If you’re going the speed limit on I-75, you need not slam on the brakes if you see a police car hidden behind a bridge.
By the way, if you routinely speed, you might want to take the fish off of your rear bumper! Christians are supposed to obey the law. Is speeding a sin? Yes. Is cheating on your taxes a sin? Yes. Obey the law and you won’t find yourself in jail.
For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. (Romans 13:4-5)
There’s a lot in these two verses. First, the authorities are God’s servants—for our good. I know, I don’t like to drive under 70 on the expressway, either, but our authority thinks it’s for our good! And have you ever thought about our mayor, governor, or president as being God’s servants? That’s what it says!
Throughout the Bible, leaders are responsible for their followers. This is true in the home, in the church, and in society. We all will stand before God someday and give an account of how we lived our lives, but leaders must also answer for the way they influenced others. So when you believe an authority figure is misguided, remember they will be judged for their behavior.
This is not, of course, to say we should never break the law when doing so breaks God’s law. No single sermon could adequately address the nuances of such a response. Clearly Daniel was honored for praying to God against the decree of King Darius. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to worship the image of gold established by King Nebuchadnezzar and are commended.
Personally, I’ve been deeply impacted by movies such as Selma and The Butler which depict the non-violent civil disobedience of African Americans in their quest for equality and civil rights. It sickens me that such oppressive laws—to say nothing of slavery itself and our violence against Native Americans—ever existed in this land.
Yet today it’s against the law to talk about Jesus in the streets—and even homes—of Russia. You can be arrested for possessing a Bible in North Korea. You can go to jail in many countries for praying in the name of Jesus. And while persecution of Christians may be on the rise in the west, very few of the 70 million plus martyrs have been in the United States.
We must pray for our brothers and sisters in other nations.
We must pray for our brothers and sisters in this nation, too.
This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (Romans 13:6-7)
I admit, that first sentence is difficult for me to swallow! We pay taxes because God’s servants give their full time to campaigning—I mean, governing! For all of the complaining we can do—and I do!—I’m grateful for men and women who protect us (police and firefighters, stand up). I appreciate our mayor and city council who must balance the budget and make policies to guard against hunger and violence. I’m glad roads are paved, our food and water are safe, and we have freedoms of speech and religion, among other things.
When asked about paying the imperial tax to Caesar, Jesus said
“So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Matthew 22:21b)
Despite threats to move to Canada every four years, this is still a great place to live. Would anyone like to move to Iraq or Sudan?
The Kingdom of God
While the scriptures tell us to pay taxes and submit to authorities, our ultimate allegiance is not to a nation or to a flag, but to a King.
In Greg Boyd's The Myth of a Christian Nation, Boyd contrasts Caesar's kingdom with Jesus' Kingdom, the Kingdom of God/heaven. Caesar's kingdom is based on the 'power over' model, which uses force, coercion, and social pressure to ensure conformity. Jesus' Kingdom by contrast uses 'power under', which is based on the example of love and sacrifice.
Jesus says "Whosoever will, let them come..." He does not demand, overpower, threaten, coerce, or manipulate. He doesn’t use guilt or shame. He doesn’t hate, scream, or disrespect. He simply displays and invites us to follow him.
It’s important to realize, too, the Kingdom of God is not about individuals. It’s about community. We are a family. Peter said,
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)
He continues
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (1 Peter 2:11-12)
Our lives are to glorify God.
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. (1 Peter 2:13-17)
Respect everyone.
Love one another.
Fear and reverence God.
Honor the emperor. The mayor. The governor. Yes, the president.
Good News
Brothers and sisters, when George Washington became our first president, King Jesus was Lord.
When Abraham Lincoln led our nation, King Jesus was Lord.
When JFK was elected, King Jesus was Lord.
When Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama were inaugurated, King Jesus was Lord.
And when Donald Trump becomes president next year, King Jesus will still be Lord.
Hope in Jesus
The LORD looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. From his throne he observes all who live on the earth. He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do. The best-equipped army cannot save a king, nor is great strength enough to save a warrior. Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory— for all its strength, it cannot save you. But the LORD watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love. He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine. We put our hope in the LORD. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in you alone. (Psalms 33:13-22, NLT)
I’m glad I have a USA passport,
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (Philippians 3:20-21)
Paul wrote to Timothy…
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
Prayer for city, state, and nation.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Romans 13:1-7
Note: these are the original sermon notes. The actual sermon is quite different and available here.
Big Idea
We have elected a new president…but King Jesus is Lord!
Introduction
Good morning, church! My name is Kirk and I want to personally welcome you to First Alliance Church—not the building, but the family, the community of people in this room and beyond. We are a part of a larger family, the Christian & Missionary Alliance. One of the things I love about The Alliance is its diversity. Approximately ten percent of Alliance members live in the United States. About ninety percent of our family is scattered all over the globe.
Speaking of the globe, our world was taken by surprise this past week. For a variety of reasons—largely due to the decreasing use of landline telephones for pollsters—most, if not all, of us woke up to surprising news on Wednesday morning. Some of you were concerned or even scared at the election results. Others were relieved or even celebrating.
“For some people the savior has come, for others the sky is falling, but the truth lies somewhere in the middle.” So said someone after election day…in 2008.
Regardless of your political persuasion, I have some encouraging news for you. No more campaign ads for four years! Actually, there is reason for great hope…and it has nothing to do with Washington or Columbus. God is on the move!
Jesus Is LORD
In Jesus’ day, religion was extremely popular. The Jews practiced their faith amongst the polytheistic Roman and Greek gods. Temples to these gods were common. Governmental leaders were even thrown in the mix, some treated as deity and others demanding such attention. It may sound odd to our ears, but a popular declaration was “Caesar is Lord.” To refuse to honor these gods was akin to sabotage. Some early Christians were blamed for famine, plagues, and earthquakes because they refused to worship the various gods.
At age eighty-six, Polycarp, the second-century bishop of Smyrna and disciple of the apostle John, was brought to the Roman authorities and ordered to confess that Caesar is lord. By refusing, he was murdered, inspiring others to remain faithful.
Just as “King of the Jews” was viewed by some as threatening to the establishment, so also “Jesus is Lord” was considered by many to be a revolutionary declaration. In fact, “Jesus is Lord” is the shortest credal affirmation found in the New Testament, a statement of faith for those regarding Jesus as fully God and fully man. Today it is the motto of the World Council of Churches.
How did you feel on Wednesday morning when you heard the election results?
If you felt anxiety or fear, King Jesus is Lord.
If you felt joy and relief, King Jesus is Lord.
The role of church and state has been debated for centuries. How are followers of Jesus supposed to relate to human leaders? Written in the midst of the Roman Empire, the book of Romans says…
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. (Romans 13:1-5)
Let’s take a moment and unpack this.
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13:1)
Twice in one verse it says God has established governing authorities. He has established rule and order. He established positions of power such as kings, presidents, and judges. It was never His plan for humans to narcissistically run around and pursue their own agendas in anarchy. Everything God does is carefully designed. He is the Author of systems, whether it is the solar system or your digestive system. Even the most outspoken atheists admit the universe has an order to it, making life on this planet incredibly unique.
Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. (Romans 13:2-3)
Obey the law. Although there are exceptions—especially among our African-American brothers and sisters, tragically—you usually only need to fear authority if you do what is wrong. If you’re going the speed limit on I-75, you need not slam on the brakes if you see a police car hidden behind a bridge.
By the way, if you routinely speed, you might want to take the fish off of your rear bumper! Christians are supposed to obey the law. Is speeding a sin? Yes. Is cheating on your taxes a sin? Yes. Obey the law and you won’t find yourself in jail.
For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. (Romans 13:4-5)
There’s a lot in these two verses. First, the authorities are God’s servants—for our good. I know, I don’t like to drive under 70 on the expressway, either, but our authority thinks it’s for our good! And have you ever thought about our mayor, governor, or president as being God’s servants? That’s what it says!
Throughout the Bible, leaders are responsible for their followers. This is true in the home, in the church, and in society. We all will stand before God someday and give an account of how we lived our lives, but leaders must also answer for the way they influenced others. So when you believe an authority figure is misguided, remember they will be judged for their behavior.
This is not, of course, to say we should never break the law when doing so breaks God’s law. No single sermon could adequately address the nuances of such a response. Clearly Daniel was honored for praying to God against the decree of King Darius. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to worship the image of gold established by King Nebuchadnezzar and are commended.
Personally, I’ve been deeply impacted by movies such as Selma and The Butler which depict the non-violent civil disobedience of African Americans in their quest for equality and civil rights. It sickens me that such oppressive laws—to say nothing of slavery itself and our violence against Native Americans—ever existed in this land.
Yet today it’s against the law to talk about Jesus in the streets—and even homes—of Russia. You can be arrested for possessing a Bible in North Korea. You can go to jail in many countries for praying in the name of Jesus. And while persecution of Christians may be on the rise in the west, very few of the 70 million plus martyrs have been in the United States.
We must pray for our brothers and sisters in other nations.
We must pray for our brothers and sisters in this nation, too.
This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (Romans 13:6-7)
I admit, that first sentence is difficult for me to swallow! We pay taxes because God’s servants give their full time to campaigning—I mean, governing! For all of the complaining we can do—and I do!—I’m grateful for men and women who protect us (police and firefighters, stand up). I appreciate our mayor and city council who must balance the budget and make policies to guard against hunger and violence. I’m glad roads are paved, our food and water are safe, and we have freedoms of speech and religion, among other things.
When asked about paying the imperial tax to Caesar, Jesus said
“So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Matthew 22:21b)
Despite threats to move to Canada every four years, this is still a great place to live. Would anyone like to move to Iraq or Sudan?
The Kingdom of God
While the scriptures tell us to pay taxes and submit to authorities, our ultimate allegiance is not to a nation or to a flag, but to a King.
In Greg Boyd's The Myth of a Christian Nation, Boyd contrasts Caesar's kingdom with Jesus' Kingdom, the Kingdom of God/heaven. Caesar's kingdom is based on the 'power over' model, which uses force, coercion, and social pressure to ensure conformity. Jesus' Kingdom by contrast uses 'power under', which is based on the example of love and sacrifice.
Jesus says "Whosoever will, let them come..." He does not demand, overpower, threaten, coerce, or manipulate. He doesn’t use guilt or shame. He doesn’t hate, scream, or disrespect. He simply displays and invites us to follow him.
It’s important to realize, too, the Kingdom of God is not about individuals. It’s about community. We are a family. Peter said,
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)
He continues
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (1 Peter 2:11-12)
Our lives are to glorify God.
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. (1 Peter 2:13-17)
Respect everyone.
Love one another.
Fear and reverence God.
Honor the emperor. The mayor. The governor. Yes, the president.
Good News
Brothers and sisters, when George Washington became our first president, King Jesus was Lord.
When Abraham Lincoln led our nation, King Jesus was Lord.
When JFK was elected, King Jesus was Lord.
When Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama were inaugurated, King Jesus was Lord.
And when Donald Trump becomes president next year, King Jesus will still be Lord.
Hope in Jesus
The LORD looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. From his throne he observes all who live on the earth. He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do. The best-equipped army cannot save a king, nor is great strength enough to save a warrior. Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory— for all its strength, it cannot save you. But the LORD watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love. He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine. We put our hope in the LORD. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in you alone. (Psalms 33:13-22, NLT)
I’m glad I have a USA passport,
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (Philippians 3:20-21)
Paul wrote to Timothy…
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
Prayer for city, state, and nation.
Judgment and Rewards, 23 October 2016
24 10 16
Judgment and Rewards
What Happens to You When You Die?
Revelation 22:12-16
Series Overview
Heaven is for real and the Bible says more about it than we might recognize.
Big Idea
One day we will all stand before a holy God and give an account for our lives. Are you ready?
Introduction
For the past several weeks we’ve been studying heaven. Heaven is where God is, plain and simple. There is no sickness, death, or sin in heaven. It is truly paradise, Eden before the Fall, and so much more. Heaven is for real.
Unfortunately for many, hell is for real, too. The Bible is full of references to it, and Jesus himself had much to say on the subject. Hell is where God is absent.
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
The purpose of this series could be summed in two verses from the book of Colossians:
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (Colossians 3:1-2)
God commands us to set our hearts—and minds—on Heaven.”
This does not mean we should be so heavenly minded we become no earthly good. In fact, C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.”
The scriptures make it clear that heaven is for real and hell is for real. Heaven is where God is present. Hell is where God is absent.
Your name. It’s important. It allows you to talk with the customer service agent on the phone (so long as you also know those special digits, the last four of your Social Security number!). Perhaps you heard your name when the teacher distributed the graded papers. Your name is used when you sign a contract for a house or purchase a car. Your name identifies you on Facebook, unique from the billion or so other users. Your name—at least your last name—connects you to parents and children of different generations. It has been said the most important words to your ear are your name.
Often names are placed on lists. For years my wife has posted cast lists after theatrical auditions, causing great excitement among students eager for a part in the school musical. In seventh grade I was heartbroken to see my name absent from the basketball team roster only to have the experience repeated in eighth grade following tryouts.
In one of my favorite chapters of the Bible, Luke 10, Jesus sends out seventy-two people to health the sick and announce the kingdom of God is near. When they return to him, they are told
I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:19-20)
This passage in Luke is one of many which describes a list of names, a book of names…the book of life. Is your name in it? Speaking of heaven…
Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Revelation 21:27)
Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)
Follow Jesus now…and forever in heaven.
Reject Jesus now…and he will honor your choice for eternity.
As C.S. Lewis famously said, “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. Those who knock it is opened.”
Judgment Day
One day we will all stand before Almighty God and have to give an account of our lives. If you’ve ever wanted to see someone get justice, that will be the day. Jesus said,
“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. (Revelation 22:12-13)
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. (Revelation 22:14-15)
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” (Revelation 22:16)
One day, God will judge you and me—according to what we have done. He will declare us guilty of sin. Someone has to pay. It will be us…unless we’ve received the gift of Jesus who died on the cross for us. Jesus died to save us from eternal damnation, separation from God. The image of baptism is so appropriate—a water grave where we die to ourselves, our agenda, our way and become new creations, resurrected in Jesus.
Heaven
The final three chapters in the Bible, Revelation 20-22 contain so many beautiful images of heaven—and dreadful images of hell. It is said of God,
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
I don’t know about you, but if we could spend eternity here on earth without death, mourning, crying, or pain that would be amazing! But there’s so much more.
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:5)
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. (Revelation 21:6-7)
The greatest thing about heaven is God! Eternity with God.
The passage continues by presenting the horrifying alternative, eternity without God.
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)
I know it’s not politically correct to say this, but everything I understand about the Bible states our destiny as heaven or hell.
I desperately want all of you to spend eternity with Jesus in paradise, but it begins now. It begins with surrendering your heart, soul, mind and strength to him in this life.
Jesus didn’t die to make bad people good.
Jesus died to make dead people come to life.
He wants to be with you now…and forever. If you haven’t done so I urge you to simply confess your sins to God, turn from selfish living, and make Jesus the LORD of your life. There’s nothing greater you can ever do in this life…and the rewards are eternal.
Jonathan Edwards said when saints enter Heaven, “They shall see in God everything that gratifies love…They shall see in him all that love desires. Love desires the love of the beloved. So the saints in glory shall see God’s transcendent love to them; God will make ineffable manifestations of his love to them… They shall see as much love in God towards them as they desire; they neither will nor can crave any more.”
Heaven will be amazing, but the greatest reward of all is Jesus!
Credits
Some ideas from The Heaven Promise by Scot McKnight and Heaven by Randy Alcorn.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
What Happens to You When You Die?
Revelation 22:12-16
Series Overview
Heaven is for real and the Bible says more about it than we might recognize.
Big Idea
One day we will all stand before a holy God and give an account for our lives. Are you ready?
Introduction
For the past several weeks we’ve been studying heaven. Heaven is where God is, plain and simple. There is no sickness, death, or sin in heaven. It is truly paradise, Eden before the Fall, and so much more. Heaven is for real.
Unfortunately for many, hell is for real, too. The Bible is full of references to it, and Jesus himself had much to say on the subject. Hell is where God is absent.
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
The purpose of this series could be summed in two verses from the book of Colossians:
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (Colossians 3:1-2)
God commands us to set our hearts—and minds—on Heaven.”
This does not mean we should be so heavenly minded we become no earthly good. In fact, C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.”
The scriptures make it clear that heaven is for real and hell is for real. Heaven is where God is present. Hell is where God is absent.
Your name. It’s important. It allows you to talk with the customer service agent on the phone (so long as you also know those special digits, the last four of your Social Security number!). Perhaps you heard your name when the teacher distributed the graded papers. Your name is used when you sign a contract for a house or purchase a car. Your name identifies you on Facebook, unique from the billion or so other users. Your name—at least your last name—connects you to parents and children of different generations. It has been said the most important words to your ear are your name.
Often names are placed on lists. For years my wife has posted cast lists after theatrical auditions, causing great excitement among students eager for a part in the school musical. In seventh grade I was heartbroken to see my name absent from the basketball team roster only to have the experience repeated in eighth grade following tryouts.
In one of my favorite chapters of the Bible, Luke 10, Jesus sends out seventy-two people to health the sick and announce the kingdom of God is near. When they return to him, they are told
I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:19-20)
This passage in Luke is one of many which describes a list of names, a book of names…the book of life. Is your name in it? Speaking of heaven…
Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Revelation 21:27)
Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)
Follow Jesus now…and forever in heaven.
Reject Jesus now…and he will honor your choice for eternity.
As C.S. Lewis famously said, “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. Those who knock it is opened.”
Judgment Day
One day we will all stand before Almighty God and have to give an account of our lives. If you’ve ever wanted to see someone get justice, that will be the day. Jesus said,
“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. (Revelation 22:12-13)
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. (Revelation 22:14-15)
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” (Revelation 22:16)
One day, God will judge you and me—according to what we have done. He will declare us guilty of sin. Someone has to pay. It will be us…unless we’ve received the gift of Jesus who died on the cross for us. Jesus died to save us from eternal damnation, separation from God. The image of baptism is so appropriate—a water grave where we die to ourselves, our agenda, our way and become new creations, resurrected in Jesus.
Heaven
The final three chapters in the Bible, Revelation 20-22 contain so many beautiful images of heaven—and dreadful images of hell. It is said of God,
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
I don’t know about you, but if we could spend eternity here on earth without death, mourning, crying, or pain that would be amazing! But there’s so much more.
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:5)
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. (Revelation 21:6-7)
The greatest thing about heaven is God! Eternity with God.
The passage continues by presenting the horrifying alternative, eternity without God.
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)
I know it’s not politically correct to say this, but everything I understand about the Bible states our destiny as heaven or hell.
I desperately want all of you to spend eternity with Jesus in paradise, but it begins now. It begins with surrendering your heart, soul, mind and strength to him in this life.
Jesus didn’t die to make bad people good.
Jesus died to make dead people come to life.
He wants to be with you now…and forever. If you haven’t done so I urge you to simply confess your sins to God, turn from selfish living, and make Jesus the LORD of your life. There’s nothing greater you can ever do in this life…and the rewards are eternal.
Jonathan Edwards said when saints enter Heaven, “They shall see in God everything that gratifies love…They shall see in him all that love desires. Love desires the love of the beloved. So the saints in glory shall see God’s transcendent love to them; God will make ineffable manifestations of his love to them… They shall see as much love in God towards them as they desire; they neither will nor can crave any more.”
Heaven will be amazing, but the greatest reward of all is Jesus!
Credits
Some ideas from The Heaven Promise by Scot McKnight and Heaven by Randy Alcorn.
Hell is for Real, 16 October 2016
17 10 16
What About Hell?
What Happens to You When You Die?
Mark 9:43-48
Series Overview
Heaven is for real and the Bible says more about it than we might recognize.
Big Idea
Hell is for real…and to be avoided at all costs!
Introduction
Three guys discussed what they wanted said at their funeral.
I was a brilliant doctor who saved many lives.
I was a devoted family man
Really? I want people to say, “Look, he’s moving!”
The Bible is full of references to hell, and Jesus himself had much to say on the subject, much more than we have time to cover today. You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. The death rate is 100%! 3 people die every second. The psalmist wrote
“Show me, LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. (Psalm 39:4-5)
If you forget about streets of gold, burning flames, harps on a cloud, or torment, understand these two simple truths:
Heaven is where God is present.
Hell is where God is absent.
What’s remarkable is we get to determine our destination.
We can follow Jesus in this life and the next…or
We can reject Jesus in this life and the next. God honors our choice. We have been given free will.
If you’re looking for me to guilt you into a praying a prayer, shaming and disgracing you for being imperfect, or a lecture on brimstone, you’ll be disappointed. Actually, what is brimstone? (It’s an alternative name for sulfur).
This is not exactly a fun topic. In fact, although I’ve spoken about hell many times, I’m not sure I’ve ever devoted an entire message to the subject. But I believe hell is for real. Maybe I’m in the minority. One recent study concluded 120 believe they are going to heaven for every person who believes they are going to hell.
Let’s go back…way back…before the beginning! God created angels. One particular angel, Light-bearer or “morning star,” was more beautiful and talented than the others. He was musical and appointed by God to be special. But God gave the angels free will and Lucifer, as he is known in Latin, became arrogant and thought he could rule better than God.
How you have fallen from heaven,
morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations! (Isaiah 14:12)
(see also Ezekiel 28 and Revelation 12)
He took one-third of the angels with him and they have been wreaking havoc on our planet through temptation and accusation ever since. They eternally chose to reject God.
God is everywhere in heaven. God created a place for Lucifer and his angels, a place called hell. God is just. He is ultimately fair, though at times in this life we see injustice and fairness. A good God would have to make things right. How could God show the remaining 2/3 of the angels the consequences? God created again…in the beginning. He spoke into existence our incredible universe. He made a great light for us, called the sun. And then Adam and Eve sinned against God, lured into evil by satan, formerly known as Lucifer.
We live between heaven and hell.
Many think hell is an eternal punishment for finite sins.
We are not temporal creatures given eternal consequences.
We are eternal creatures given temporal chance after chance to choose God.
Every day you and I choose to follow Jesus or the world.
Every day you and I choose to follow Jesus or ourselves.
Heaven is where God is present.
Hell is where God is absent.
Jesus on Hell
Jesus spoke of separation from God.
If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where
“ ‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ (Mark 9:43-48)
That’s quite a warning! Did you know people have done those things? People have plucked out their eyes to avoid lust, for example. I’m not sure Jesus was commanding people to mutilate their bodies, but the caution is real. There is an afterlife. There is a heaven where God is, and there is a hell where God is absent.
I wish there were no hell. I wish there were no judgment. Yet Jesus told a sobering story in the 25th chapter of Matthew’s gospel, a biography of Jesus.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. (Matthew 25:31-33)
This speaks of judgment day. One day we will all day and have to give an account for our lives.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ (Matthew 25:34-36)
Kairos volunteers, listen up!
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ (Matthew 25:37-39)
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ (Matthew 25:41-43)
It says the eternal fire was prepared for the devil and his angels. That makes sense. They should be destroyed for their evil, but it seems clear to me people will be there, too. It doesn’t even say people who murdered and abused children, but rather those who were too concerned about their own comfort and convenience to serve those in need. There are sins we do—commission—and sins of omission, not doing God-honoring things. Not serving others. Not loving God. Not loving our neighbor.
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ (Matthew 25:44)
“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ (Matthew 25:45)
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matthew 25:46)
What Is Hell Like?
I’ve never been to hell. Jesus has. Perhaps the most famous creed, a summary of our faith, is The Apostle’s Creed. It says Jesus descended into hell. The term “hell” roughly translates to “the realm of the dead.” There are biblical images of darkness, and even fire. Some of our understanding of hell may come more from Dante’s Inferno than the Bible, yet the Bible is filled with references to an afterlife apart from God for the wicked.
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. (John 5:28-29)
Of all of Jesus’ words on heaven and hell, perhaps the most troubling are these:
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)
Is Hell Forever?
The subject of hell has generated many questions through the ages.
I don’t want to debate whether or not hell contains actual flames or not.
I don’t want to debate whether people or destroyed or suffer for eternity.
I don’t want to debate whether or not people get a second chance at death.
I just want to declare hell is for real and I don’t want anyone there!
The problem is this, friends.
…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)
He’s perfect. We’re not. We all deserve separation from God. We all deserve hell.
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (John 3:19-21)
The question isn’t how could a loving God send anyone to hell.
The question is how could a perfect and holy God allow anyone in heaven.
“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. Those who knock it is opened.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce
The Good News
Hell is for real…but God doesn’t want anyone there.
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus. Romans 3:23-26 (NLT)
This is why we’re so big on Jesus here at First Alliance. We’re all about Jesus! Jesus lived a perfect life because we don’t. Jesus died so we don’t have to experience eternal death. Jesus offers everyone an opportunity to not only avoid hell, but spend eternity in heaven with him.
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:11-13)
Moments before Jesus died on the cross, he said, “It is finished” which means “paid in full.” His death satisfied all of the requirements of our Holy God.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3:16-18)
Conclusion
Randy Alcorn wrote, “The best of life on Earth is a glimpse of Heaven; the worst of life is a glimpse of Hell. For Christians, this present life is the closest they will come to Hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to Heaven.”
Where will you spend eternity?
Credits
Some ideas from The Heaven Promise by Scot McKnight and Heaven by Randy Alcorn.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
What Happens to You When You Die?
Mark 9:43-48
Series Overview
Heaven is for real and the Bible says more about it than we might recognize.
Big Idea
Hell is for real…and to be avoided at all costs!
Introduction
Three guys discussed what they wanted said at their funeral.
I was a brilliant doctor who saved many lives.
I was a devoted family man
Really? I want people to say, “Look, he’s moving!”
The Bible is full of references to hell, and Jesus himself had much to say on the subject, much more than we have time to cover today. You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. The death rate is 100%! 3 people die every second. The psalmist wrote
“Show me, LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. (Psalm 39:4-5)
If you forget about streets of gold, burning flames, harps on a cloud, or torment, understand these two simple truths:
Heaven is where God is present.
Hell is where God is absent.
What’s remarkable is we get to determine our destination.
We can follow Jesus in this life and the next…or
We can reject Jesus in this life and the next. God honors our choice. We have been given free will.
If you’re looking for me to guilt you into a praying a prayer, shaming and disgracing you for being imperfect, or a lecture on brimstone, you’ll be disappointed. Actually, what is brimstone? (It’s an alternative name for sulfur).
This is not exactly a fun topic. In fact, although I’ve spoken about hell many times, I’m not sure I’ve ever devoted an entire message to the subject. But I believe hell is for real. Maybe I’m in the minority. One recent study concluded 120 believe they are going to heaven for every person who believes they are going to hell.
Let’s go back…way back…before the beginning! God created angels. One particular angel, Light-bearer or “morning star,” was more beautiful and talented than the others. He was musical and appointed by God to be special. But God gave the angels free will and Lucifer, as he is known in Latin, became arrogant and thought he could rule better than God.
How you have fallen from heaven,
morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations! (Isaiah 14:12)
(see also Ezekiel 28 and Revelation 12)
He took one-third of the angels with him and they have been wreaking havoc on our planet through temptation and accusation ever since. They eternally chose to reject God.
God is everywhere in heaven. God created a place for Lucifer and his angels, a place called hell. God is just. He is ultimately fair, though at times in this life we see injustice and fairness. A good God would have to make things right. How could God show the remaining 2/3 of the angels the consequences? God created again…in the beginning. He spoke into existence our incredible universe. He made a great light for us, called the sun. And then Adam and Eve sinned against God, lured into evil by satan, formerly known as Lucifer.
We live between heaven and hell.
Many think hell is an eternal punishment for finite sins.
We are not temporal creatures given eternal consequences.
We are eternal creatures given temporal chance after chance to choose God.
Every day you and I choose to follow Jesus or the world.
Every day you and I choose to follow Jesus or ourselves.
Heaven is where God is present.
Hell is where God is absent.
Jesus on Hell
Jesus spoke of separation from God.
If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where
“ ‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ (Mark 9:43-48)
That’s quite a warning! Did you know people have done those things? People have plucked out their eyes to avoid lust, for example. I’m not sure Jesus was commanding people to mutilate their bodies, but the caution is real. There is an afterlife. There is a heaven where God is, and there is a hell where God is absent.
I wish there were no hell. I wish there were no judgment. Yet Jesus told a sobering story in the 25th chapter of Matthew’s gospel, a biography of Jesus.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. (Matthew 25:31-33)
This speaks of judgment day. One day we will all day and have to give an account for our lives.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ (Matthew 25:34-36)
Kairos volunteers, listen up!
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ (Matthew 25:37-39)
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ (Matthew 25:41-43)
It says the eternal fire was prepared for the devil and his angels. That makes sense. They should be destroyed for their evil, but it seems clear to me people will be there, too. It doesn’t even say people who murdered and abused children, but rather those who were too concerned about their own comfort and convenience to serve those in need. There are sins we do—commission—and sins of omission, not doing God-honoring things. Not serving others. Not loving God. Not loving our neighbor.
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ (Matthew 25:44)
“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ (Matthew 25:45)
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matthew 25:46)
What Is Hell Like?
I’ve never been to hell. Jesus has. Perhaps the most famous creed, a summary of our faith, is The Apostle’s Creed. It says Jesus descended into hell. The term “hell” roughly translates to “the realm of the dead.” There are biblical images of darkness, and even fire. Some of our understanding of hell may come more from Dante’s Inferno than the Bible, yet the Bible is filled with references to an afterlife apart from God for the wicked.
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. (John 5:28-29)
Of all of Jesus’ words on heaven and hell, perhaps the most troubling are these:
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)
Is Hell Forever?
The subject of hell has generated many questions through the ages.
I don’t want to debate whether or not hell contains actual flames or not.
I don’t want to debate whether people or destroyed or suffer for eternity.
I don’t want to debate whether or not people get a second chance at death.
I just want to declare hell is for real and I don’t want anyone there!
The problem is this, friends.
…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)
He’s perfect. We’re not. We all deserve separation from God. We all deserve hell.
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (John 3:19-21)
The question isn’t how could a loving God send anyone to hell.
The question is how could a perfect and holy God allow anyone in heaven.
“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. Those who knock it is opened.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce
The Good News
Hell is for real…but God doesn’t want anyone there.
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus. Romans 3:23-26 (NLT)
This is why we’re so big on Jesus here at First Alliance. We’re all about Jesus! Jesus lived a perfect life because we don’t. Jesus died so we don’t have to experience eternal death. Jesus offers everyone an opportunity to not only avoid hell, but spend eternity in heaven with him.
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:11-13)
Moments before Jesus died on the cross, he said, “It is finished” which means “paid in full.” His death satisfied all of the requirements of our Holy God.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3:16-18)
Conclusion
Randy Alcorn wrote, “The best of life on Earth is a glimpse of Heaven; the worst of life is a glimpse of Hell. For Christians, this present life is the closest they will come to Hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to Heaven.”
Where will you spend eternity?
Credits
Some ideas from The Heaven Promise by Scot McKnight and Heaven by Randy Alcorn.
Benefits of Heaven, 9 October 2016
09 10 16
The Benefits of Heaven
What Happens to You When You Die?
Revelation 22:1-5
Series Overview
Heaven is for real and the Bible says more—and less—about it than we might recognize.
Big Idea
Heaven is for real…and you won’t want to miss a thing!
Introduction
In this series we’ve been looking at the end of Revelation, asking the question “What Happens to You When You Die?” This is a timeless question that seems to be particularly popular at the moment. Our culture is fascinated with life after death. Books like “90 Minutes in Heaven” and “Heaven Is For Real” have been best-sellers describing near-death experiences. Movies and even TV shows are frequently exploring the subject. And the world of comedy is full of references to heaven and hell. For example…
Heaven Humor
Two Christians have lived very good, and also very healthy lives. They die, and go to heaven.
As they are walking along, marveling at the paradise around them, one turns to the other and says "Wow. I never knew heaven was going to be as good as this!"
"Yeah", says the other. "And just think, if we hadn't eaten all that oat bran we could have got here ten years sooner."
For the past two weeks we’ve been talking about heaven. To review, we began talking about how followers of Christ will one day get new bodies. The resurrection of Jesus may be the greatest window into the future. He had a physical body, but his post-resurrection physical body was new and improved—glorious—as ours will be.
We said first and foremost Heaven is the place where God dwells. It is presently not here on earth, but one day it will move to the new earth. There seems to be an intermediate heaven where Jesus is—seated next to the Father—and a relocation of that heaven to a new earth sometime in the future.
Who wants to go to heaven? It seems everyone wants to go to heaven…but nobody wants to die.
Last week I shared this quote from author John Piper:
“The critical question for our generation—and for every generation—is this: If you could have Heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with Heaven, if Christ was not there?” – John Piper, “God Is the Gospel”
I want to look at some of the biblical descriptions of heaven. It won’t be a bunch of people with wings playing harps on a cloud! It won’t be boring, that’s for sure! It will be the most incredible place, most of all because heaven is where Jesus lives.
Do you love Jesus? If you do, you’ll love heaven since you’ll be with Jesus for eternity there.
If you don’t love Jesus, you won’t have to spend eternity with him. So much of this life is a preview of the next. Our lives now certainly shape the next life. But I’m getting ahead of myself!
Jesus said to his friends
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3)
The ancient Greek word for “rooms’ is “monai” which is not a final resting place but a temporary stop on a journey that will lead you somewhere else. Last week we said the present heaven is like an airport layover, a place to stay for a while but not the ultimate destination.
The resurrected body of Jesus was physical, yet new and improved as ours will be someday.
The new earth will be a new and improved version of our present home.
The new Jerusalem will be a new and improved version of the city in Israel today.
Jesus continued,
You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:4
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” John 14:5
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
None of us deserves heaven. None! God is perfect and holy. Only because of Jesus can we be forgiven and reconciled with our heavenly Father. He is the way. He’s the only one who loved you enough to die for you. If you get to heaven by being good, he was stupid for letting Roman soldiers nail him to a tree!
This past week I asked a friend, “If you died tonight and stood before God and God asked you why He should let you into heaven, what would you say?” My friend said, “I’d say I have accepted Jesus Christ.” He realized although he’s a great guy, he’s not good enough. Neither am I.
Most people say they deserve heaven because they’re good, their good deeds outweigh the bad. The Bible clearly states all of us have sinned and fall short of God’s perfect standard, the mark, the glory of God. You cannot get to heaven by being good, trying hard, going to church, giving to the United Way, or memorizing the Bible. There are only two ways—perfection and Jesus. So unless you’re perfect, you must know Jesus. You must follow Jesus. That’s why he came, died, and rose from the dead—for you!!! That’s grace, unmerited favor. You can’t buy it. You can’t earn it. It’s a gift you can receive or reject. The result of your choice is following Jesus forever in heaven or rejecting Jesus forever. We are all given the choice.
We’re going to talk about hell next week. I have heard people ask, “How can a loving God send someone to hell?” The real question is why would a loving God allow sinners to enter heaven? Jesus died for every man, woman, and child…but you must receive Christ. No gift is yours until you receive it.
Speaking of Jesus, one of his best friends wrote,
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:12-13)
Have you received Jesus? It’s more than believing in your head. True faith requires action. It requires surrender and sacrifice. It’s not always safe or comfortable, but it’s the only way I’ve found to experience true peace, contentment, and joy. Many want Jesus to be Savior—forgiving them and giving them a ticket to heaven—but not LORD. LORD or Master or King is part of the package. He wants us to follow him daily. It can be hard to let go—and let God—but he can be trusted. Your life will be filled with satisfaction and hope, regardless of your present circumstances.
But what is heaven like? Here’s a glimpse:
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:1-5)
Incredible! Crystal-clear water, a throne, fruit trees, freedom, light, and most of all the presence of God! Scot McKnight wrote,
Our pleasurable experience of God now is an ultrasound image compared to the living, interactive reality we will experience in Heaven. Our communing with God now, even in our best moments, is but a black-and-white, static image of the ecstatic union we will experience in Heaven. I really must pause for a reminder. Heaven is God’s promise that, on the basis of Jesus’s bodily resurrection, we will be raised to a new kind of heavenly, embodied, ecstasy-seeking life. Once we make the resurrection of Jesus central to our view of Heaven, Heaven becomes a world of intense, ecstatic, embodied entirely holy pleasure and deep joy.
Near-Death Experiences
Much of the current fascination with heaven and the afterlife stems from the accounts of those who have died and have come back. These are most often called Near Death Experiences. They are obviously controversial since they are impossible to confirm. In some ways, they are like dreams.
Pastor John Burke did extensive research on about one thousand people who had near death experiences. If that sounds like a lot, one in 25 Americans (13 million people) have had a near-death experience, including at least one person here at First Alliance. The apostle Paul may have recorded one in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 (look it up!). Stephen may have had one in the seventh chapter of Acts.
I’m as skeptical as the next person about these accounts, but one I found especially interesting. Don Piper is a pastor who was dead for ninety minutes following a horrific car accident. His book, 90 Minutes in Heaven, describes his experience.
As I always say, our authority is not one’s experience or dream or vision but the Bible. I don’t value NDEs for what they communicate about an event, but for what they confirm about the Bible. Piper wrote, “My most vivid memory of heaven is what I heard. I can only describe it as a holy swoosh of wings. But I’d have to magnify that thousands of times to explain the effect of the sound in heaven. It was the most beautiful and pleasant sound I’ve ever heard, and it didn’t stop. It was like a song that goes on forever. I felt awestruck, wanting only to listen…The praise was unending, but the most remarkable thing to me was that hundreds of songs were being sung at the same time—all of them worshiping God. As I approached the large, magnificent gate, I heard them from every direction and realized that each voice praised God…Hymns of praise, modern-sounding choruses, and ancient chants filled my ears and brought not only a deep peace but the greatest feeling of joy I’ve ever experienced.”
And this is just the intermediate heaven he’s describing! As a musician, I get so excited reading those words, not because of what Don Piper wrote, but because of how they mirror what is written in the book of Revelation.
New Testament scholar Scot McKnight says it this way:
“Near-death experiences are glimpses of an afterlife. I believe not only in an afterlife but in Heaven. I don’t believe in Heaven on the basis that people have been there and come back. I believe in Heaven because God promised Heaven and because Jesus was raised from the dead.”
There’s an incredible scene in chapter seven where Jesus’ friend John records…
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-10)
All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:
“Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!” (Revelation 7:11-12)
Conclusion
Heaven is going to sound amazing.
Heaven is going to look amazing.
Heaven is going to feel amazing.
Heaven is where God is. Do you want to go? You can!
A man dies and goes to heaven. Of course, St. Peter meets him at the pearly gates. St. Peter says, "Here's how it works. You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you've done, and I give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in."
"Okay," the man says, "I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart."
"That's wonderful," says St. Peter, "that's worth three points!"
"Three points?" he says. "Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my tithe and service."
"Terrific!" says St. Peter, "that's certainly worth a point."
"One point? Golly. How about this: I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for homeless veterans."
"Fantastic, that's good for two more points," he says.
"TWO POINTS!!" the man cries, "At this rate the only way I get into heaven is by the grace of God!"
"Come on in!"
We can’t earn our way to heaven, but we can get their because of Jesus, because of his grace, unmerited favor. It’s the best deal ever! Follow Jesus today, and follow him forever in heaven.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Credits
Some ideas from The Heaven Promise by Scot McKnight and Heaven by Randy Alcorn.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
What Happens to You When You Die?
Revelation 22:1-5
Series Overview
Heaven is for real and the Bible says more—and less—about it than we might recognize.
Big Idea
Heaven is for real…and you won’t want to miss a thing!
Introduction
In this series we’ve been looking at the end of Revelation, asking the question “What Happens to You When You Die?” This is a timeless question that seems to be particularly popular at the moment. Our culture is fascinated with life after death. Books like “90 Minutes in Heaven” and “Heaven Is For Real” have been best-sellers describing near-death experiences. Movies and even TV shows are frequently exploring the subject. And the world of comedy is full of references to heaven and hell. For example…
Heaven Humor
Two Christians have lived very good, and also very healthy lives. They die, and go to heaven.
As they are walking along, marveling at the paradise around them, one turns to the other and says "Wow. I never knew heaven was going to be as good as this!"
"Yeah", says the other. "And just think, if we hadn't eaten all that oat bran we could have got here ten years sooner."
For the past two weeks we’ve been talking about heaven. To review, we began talking about how followers of Christ will one day get new bodies. The resurrection of Jesus may be the greatest window into the future. He had a physical body, but his post-resurrection physical body was new and improved—glorious—as ours will be.
We said first and foremost Heaven is the place where God dwells. It is presently not here on earth, but one day it will move to the new earth. There seems to be an intermediate heaven where Jesus is—seated next to the Father—and a relocation of that heaven to a new earth sometime in the future.
Who wants to go to heaven? It seems everyone wants to go to heaven…but nobody wants to die.
Last week I shared this quote from author John Piper:
“The critical question for our generation—and for every generation—is this: If you could have Heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with Heaven, if Christ was not there?” – John Piper, “God Is the Gospel”
I want to look at some of the biblical descriptions of heaven. It won’t be a bunch of people with wings playing harps on a cloud! It won’t be boring, that’s for sure! It will be the most incredible place, most of all because heaven is where Jesus lives.
Do you love Jesus? If you do, you’ll love heaven since you’ll be with Jesus for eternity there.
If you don’t love Jesus, you won’t have to spend eternity with him. So much of this life is a preview of the next. Our lives now certainly shape the next life. But I’m getting ahead of myself!
Jesus said to his friends
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3)
The ancient Greek word for “rooms’ is “monai” which is not a final resting place but a temporary stop on a journey that will lead you somewhere else. Last week we said the present heaven is like an airport layover, a place to stay for a while but not the ultimate destination.
The resurrected body of Jesus was physical, yet new and improved as ours will be someday.
The new earth will be a new and improved version of our present home.
The new Jerusalem will be a new and improved version of the city in Israel today.
Jesus continued,
You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:4
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” John 14:5
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
None of us deserves heaven. None! God is perfect and holy. Only because of Jesus can we be forgiven and reconciled with our heavenly Father. He is the way. He’s the only one who loved you enough to die for you. If you get to heaven by being good, he was stupid for letting Roman soldiers nail him to a tree!
This past week I asked a friend, “If you died tonight and stood before God and God asked you why He should let you into heaven, what would you say?” My friend said, “I’d say I have accepted Jesus Christ.” He realized although he’s a great guy, he’s not good enough. Neither am I.
Most people say they deserve heaven because they’re good, their good deeds outweigh the bad. The Bible clearly states all of us have sinned and fall short of God’s perfect standard, the mark, the glory of God. You cannot get to heaven by being good, trying hard, going to church, giving to the United Way, or memorizing the Bible. There are only two ways—perfection and Jesus. So unless you’re perfect, you must know Jesus. You must follow Jesus. That’s why he came, died, and rose from the dead—for you!!! That’s grace, unmerited favor. You can’t buy it. You can’t earn it. It’s a gift you can receive or reject. The result of your choice is following Jesus forever in heaven or rejecting Jesus forever. We are all given the choice.
We’re going to talk about hell next week. I have heard people ask, “How can a loving God send someone to hell?” The real question is why would a loving God allow sinners to enter heaven? Jesus died for every man, woman, and child…but you must receive Christ. No gift is yours until you receive it.
Speaking of Jesus, one of his best friends wrote,
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:12-13)
Have you received Jesus? It’s more than believing in your head. True faith requires action. It requires surrender and sacrifice. It’s not always safe or comfortable, but it’s the only way I’ve found to experience true peace, contentment, and joy. Many want Jesus to be Savior—forgiving them and giving them a ticket to heaven—but not LORD. LORD or Master or King is part of the package. He wants us to follow him daily. It can be hard to let go—and let God—but he can be trusted. Your life will be filled with satisfaction and hope, regardless of your present circumstances.
But what is heaven like? Here’s a glimpse:
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:1-5)
Incredible! Crystal-clear water, a throne, fruit trees, freedom, light, and most of all the presence of God! Scot McKnight wrote,
Our pleasurable experience of God now is an ultrasound image compared to the living, interactive reality we will experience in Heaven. Our communing with God now, even in our best moments, is but a black-and-white, static image of the ecstatic union we will experience in Heaven. I really must pause for a reminder. Heaven is God’s promise that, on the basis of Jesus’s bodily resurrection, we will be raised to a new kind of heavenly, embodied, ecstasy-seeking life. Once we make the resurrection of Jesus central to our view of Heaven, Heaven becomes a world of intense, ecstatic, embodied entirely holy pleasure and deep joy.
Near-Death Experiences
Much of the current fascination with heaven and the afterlife stems from the accounts of those who have died and have come back. These are most often called Near Death Experiences. They are obviously controversial since they are impossible to confirm. In some ways, they are like dreams.
Pastor John Burke did extensive research on about one thousand people who had near death experiences. If that sounds like a lot, one in 25 Americans (13 million people) have had a near-death experience, including at least one person here at First Alliance. The apostle Paul may have recorded one in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 (look it up!). Stephen may have had one in the seventh chapter of Acts.
I’m as skeptical as the next person about these accounts, but one I found especially interesting. Don Piper is a pastor who was dead for ninety minutes following a horrific car accident. His book, 90 Minutes in Heaven, describes his experience.
As I always say, our authority is not one’s experience or dream or vision but the Bible. I don’t value NDEs for what they communicate about an event, but for what they confirm about the Bible. Piper wrote, “My most vivid memory of heaven is what I heard. I can only describe it as a holy swoosh of wings. But I’d have to magnify that thousands of times to explain the effect of the sound in heaven. It was the most beautiful and pleasant sound I’ve ever heard, and it didn’t stop. It was like a song that goes on forever. I felt awestruck, wanting only to listen…The praise was unending, but the most remarkable thing to me was that hundreds of songs were being sung at the same time—all of them worshiping God. As I approached the large, magnificent gate, I heard them from every direction and realized that each voice praised God…Hymns of praise, modern-sounding choruses, and ancient chants filled my ears and brought not only a deep peace but the greatest feeling of joy I’ve ever experienced.”
And this is just the intermediate heaven he’s describing! As a musician, I get so excited reading those words, not because of what Don Piper wrote, but because of how they mirror what is written in the book of Revelation.
New Testament scholar Scot McKnight says it this way:
“Near-death experiences are glimpses of an afterlife. I believe not only in an afterlife but in Heaven. I don’t believe in Heaven on the basis that people have been there and come back. I believe in Heaven because God promised Heaven and because Jesus was raised from the dead.”
There’s an incredible scene in chapter seven where Jesus’ friend John records…
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-10)
All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:
“Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!” (Revelation 7:11-12)
Conclusion
Heaven is going to sound amazing.
Heaven is going to look amazing.
Heaven is going to feel amazing.
Heaven is where God is. Do you want to go? You can!
A man dies and goes to heaven. Of course, St. Peter meets him at the pearly gates. St. Peter says, "Here's how it works. You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you've done, and I give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in."
"Okay," the man says, "I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart."
"That's wonderful," says St. Peter, "that's worth three points!"
"Three points?" he says. "Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my tithe and service."
"Terrific!" says St. Peter, "that's certainly worth a point."
"One point? Golly. How about this: I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for homeless veterans."
"Fantastic, that's good for two more points," he says.
"TWO POINTS!!" the man cries, "At this rate the only way I get into heaven is by the grace of God!"
"Come on in!"
We can’t earn our way to heaven, but we can get their because of Jesus, because of his grace, unmerited favor. It’s the best deal ever! Follow Jesus today, and follow him forever in heaven.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Credits
Some ideas from The Heaven Promise by Scot McKnight and Heaven by Randy Alcorn.
Two Heavens? 2 October 2016
02 10 16
Two Heavens?
What Happens To You When You Die?
Revelation 21:22-27
Series Overview
Heaven is for real and the Bible says more—and less—about it than we might recognize.
Big Idea
Heaven is for real…and there's more than one!
Introduction
After years of avoiding it, I recently finished a sermon series on the book of Revelation. Actually, we only covered the beginning of Revelation, Jesus’ letters to the seven churches. I learned a lot about the historical roots of our faith and life 2000 years ago.
In our new series “What Happens to You When You Die?” we’re jumping to the end of the book. Last Sunday we talked about how we’ll have new bodies in the next life, bodies like that of Jesus after the resurrection. The Bible seems clear we will have physical bodies, recognize one another, be able to hug each other, and eat. We will not become ghosts, but rather live forever in new and improved bodies. I can’t wait!
Heaven is a big deal. The Bible mentions “heaven” or “heavens’ over six hundred times! But before we dive into the Bible’s descriptions of heaven, let’s look at some creative ideas of heaven from the world of humor.
Humor
A pastor found himself wondering whether there were any golf courses in Heaven. He even began to ask the question in his prayers. One day, in answer to his prayers, he received a direct answer from on high.
"Yes," said the Heavenly messenger, "There are many excellent golf courses in Heaven. The greens are always in first class condition, the weather is always perfect and you always get to play with the very nicest people."
"Oh, thank you," said the cleric, "That really is marvelous news."
"Yes, isn't it?" replied the messenger, "And we've got you down for a foursome next Saturday."
C.S. Lewis said, “Aim at heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in.’ Aim at earth and you will get neither.” You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. Heaven is where God is. If you love spending time with God now, you’ll love eternity. If you reject God now, He’ll honor your choice for eternity. Our greatest desire should not be for new bodies or a cool mansion but for God. Do you desire God?
One of my favorite books is A.W. Tozer’s classic The Pursuit of God. In it he wrote,
“Millions call themselves by His name, it is true, and pay some token homage to Him, but a simple test will show how little He is really honored among them. Let the average man be put to the proof on the question of who or what is ABOVE, and his true position will be exposed. Let him be forced into making a choice between God and money, between God and men, between God and personal ambition, God and self, God and human love, and God will take second place every time. Those other things will be exalted above. However, the man may protest, the proof is in the choice he makes day after day throughout his life.”
Do you desire God? I hesitate to talk about heaven because I’m afraid you might find heaven acceptable if God wasn’t there, basking in its beauty with little regard for its Creator.
This is true for many of us today, as Tozer noted. God created this beautiful planet for us to enjoy, but some have worshipped nature rather than God, the creation rather than the Creator.
“The critical question for our generation—and for every generation—is this: If you could have Heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with Heaven, if Christ was not there?” – John Piper, “God Is the Gospel”
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (Colossians 3:1-2)
As Randy Alcorn puts it, “We cannot set our eyes on Christ without setting our eyes on Heaven, and we cannot set our eyes on Heaven without setting our eyes on Christ.
The Bible
The Bible is our authority. I do my best to preach it, but regardless of what I say, the Bible is our final authority. The problem, of course, is it’s a large book. Actually, it’s 66 books from multiple writers in several countries over hundreds of years…yet it’s one, consistent story of God…of love. Nevertheless, mysteries remain. Sometimes our understanding is flawed.
For example, the Jewish people read the Old Testament and expected the Messiah to come, rule, and reign over the earth. Imagine their disappointment when he entered Jerusalem not on a white horse but a donkey. They shouted, “Save us now” in hopes he would free them from the oppression of the Roman Empire. When he allowed himself to be crucified without barely saying a word in his defense they became even more convinced a mistake had been made. Surely this can’t be the prophesied One!
What they failed to understand was Messianic prophecy involved two different visits to our planet. He came the first time as the Lamb of God to die for us on the cross. His next visit will be radically different. The Lion of Judah will rule and reign for eternity. Hallelujah!
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Suffice it to say sometimes we read a word in the Bible and think it has one meaning when, in fact, it might refer to different circumstances. Such may be the case with heaven.
We all have questions about heaven, and some of them are clearly answered in the Bible. That’s our focus for this series. For a variety of reasons, I used to think heaven was a place up in the sky (which would actually be down if I lived in Australia!). I would leave this planet and go up to heaven and live forever, playing a harp on a cloud or whatever.
That reminds me, when I was a young boy I remember lying in my bed, unable to sleep. I finally went downstairs where my mom was in the study and said, “I don’t want to go to heaven.” Needless to say, she was surprised! “I don’t want to go to hell, but heaven is forever. I can’t comprehend forever.” Mom wisely asked, “What are we doing Friday?” I replied, “Going to grandma’s.” “And what are we doing next winter?” “Going to Disney World!” I added. She concluded, “Heaven will be like that, full of exciting things we’ll enjoy forever.” I’m totally convinced you will not want to leave heaven. It will not be boring!
Where is Heaven?
Heaven is the special dwelling place. But it will change. It will be relocated. If this is news to you, it was news to me when I researched this topic. Two heavens? Simply, heaven is where God is now, the place where Jesus ascended to, the intermediate heaven. The Holy Spirit lives here on earth in the hearts of followers of Jesus, but they physical Jesus and God the Father are in the intermediate or first heaven.
After the return of Christ—which he said would be soon—and the resurrection of the dead, followers of Jesus will live in the eternal heaven called the New Earth. There’s a lot of controversy about whether or not there will be a literal thousand-year reign of Christ on the old Earth, but we do know there will be a New Earth.
New Testament scholar N.T. Wright wrote, “Heaven is not a place in our space-time continuum, but a different sphere of reality that overlaps and interlocks with our sphere…One day the curtain will be pulled back.” (Surprised by Scripture)
Jesus is in the first heaven, but there will be a new heaven, the final kingdom of God. We cannot see the first heaven now, but the final or new heaven will be on a renewed, new earth.
But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:13)
One question I received is, “Where is my deceased loved one who followed Jesus?” Jesus said to the believing thief on the cross,
“Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43b)
This is not soul sleep. The man was taken to the intermediate heaven to be with Jesus. That’s where the saints of days gone by are…in the intermediate heaven.
Perhaps one way to think of it is like an airport layover. Last year I was a part of a team that traveled to the Dominican Republic to partner with our sister churches in Santiago. We flew from Detroit to Miami. We spent several hours in Miami before boarding our flight to the island. Miami was part of our journey, but not our final destination. It was a place to wait. My understanding of the intermediate heaven is a great place when we die…but not our final home.
Scot McKnight compares and contrasts the three phases of our existence:
Life Now (Present): Earthly tent, in body; Away from the Lord
First heaven (at death): Unclothed; With the Lord in heaven
Final Heaven (resurrection): Eternal house, clothed, physical; With the Lord in new Heavens, new earth
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Corinthians 5:1-5)
Therefore, we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:6-10)
Paul wrote to the church in Philippi,
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (Philippians 3:20-21)
Last Sunday we said we’ll get new bodies like Jesus’ resurrected body. But our citizenship is in heaven. We are citizens of a place we’ve never been! We are homesick for Eden.
Heaven is where God is. Heaven is where Jesus is. Right now, that’s not here. It’s the intermediate heaven. It’s where believers go where they die…but they won’t stay there. There will be a new earth, a resurrected earth, a new and improved version of earth as we know it.
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. (Revelation 21:1-3)
Randy Alcorn notes, “God never gave up on His original plan for human beings to dwell on earth. In fact, the climax of history will be the creation of new heavens and a new earth, a resurrected universe inhabited by resurrected people living with the resurrected Jesus.” (Rev. 21:1-4)
Imagine this:
I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there. And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city. Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty—but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. (Revelation 21:22-27, NLT)
Are You Ready?
Heaven will be amazing, but its most amazing feature will be the presence of God. If you passionately pursue Jesus now, you’ll enjoy him forever. If he’s just your “get out of hell free” card, you might be surprised on Judgment Day.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
Communion
The good news—the great news—is that Jesus is LORD. He died to offer himself as a gift, as a sacrifice, as the Lamb of God to take away your sins and mine—if we will confess our sins and make Jesus our Savior and LORD. You can’t earn salvation. You’re not good enough (you have to be perfect). You can, however, surrender your life to Jesus, welcome him into your life, and pursue him and his will for your life. It’s radical. It’s not politically correct. It can get you in trouble. It might even cost you your life…but you’ll have eternity to reap the benefits of the presence of God.
Today we celebrate communion. We remember the sacrifice Jesus made, putting action behind God’s words of love.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)
He died so you might live. He lives so you might live with him forever.
Credits
Some ideas from The Heaven Promise by Scot McKnight and Heaven by Randy Alcorn.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
What Happens To You When You Die?
Revelation 21:22-27
Series Overview
Heaven is for real and the Bible says more—and less—about it than we might recognize.
Big Idea
Heaven is for real…and there's more than one!
Introduction
After years of avoiding it, I recently finished a sermon series on the book of Revelation. Actually, we only covered the beginning of Revelation, Jesus’ letters to the seven churches. I learned a lot about the historical roots of our faith and life 2000 years ago.
In our new series “What Happens to You When You Die?” we’re jumping to the end of the book. Last Sunday we talked about how we’ll have new bodies in the next life, bodies like that of Jesus after the resurrection. The Bible seems clear we will have physical bodies, recognize one another, be able to hug each other, and eat. We will not become ghosts, but rather live forever in new and improved bodies. I can’t wait!
Heaven is a big deal. The Bible mentions “heaven” or “heavens’ over six hundred times! But before we dive into the Bible’s descriptions of heaven, let’s look at some creative ideas of heaven from the world of humor.
Humor
A pastor found himself wondering whether there were any golf courses in Heaven. He even began to ask the question in his prayers. One day, in answer to his prayers, he received a direct answer from on high.
"Yes," said the Heavenly messenger, "There are many excellent golf courses in Heaven. The greens are always in first class condition, the weather is always perfect and you always get to play with the very nicest people."
"Oh, thank you," said the cleric, "That really is marvelous news."
"Yes, isn't it?" replied the messenger, "And we've got you down for a foursome next Saturday."
C.S. Lewis said, “Aim at heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in.’ Aim at earth and you will get neither.” You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. Heaven is where God is. If you love spending time with God now, you’ll love eternity. If you reject God now, He’ll honor your choice for eternity. Our greatest desire should not be for new bodies or a cool mansion but for God. Do you desire God?
One of my favorite books is A.W. Tozer’s classic The Pursuit of God. In it he wrote,
“Millions call themselves by His name, it is true, and pay some token homage to Him, but a simple test will show how little He is really honored among them. Let the average man be put to the proof on the question of who or what is ABOVE, and his true position will be exposed. Let him be forced into making a choice between God and money, between God and men, between God and personal ambition, God and self, God and human love, and God will take second place every time. Those other things will be exalted above. However, the man may protest, the proof is in the choice he makes day after day throughout his life.”
Do you desire God? I hesitate to talk about heaven because I’m afraid you might find heaven acceptable if God wasn’t there, basking in its beauty with little regard for its Creator.
This is true for many of us today, as Tozer noted. God created this beautiful planet for us to enjoy, but some have worshipped nature rather than God, the creation rather than the Creator.
“The critical question for our generation—and for every generation—is this: If you could have Heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with Heaven, if Christ was not there?” – John Piper, “God Is the Gospel”
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (Colossians 3:1-2)
As Randy Alcorn puts it, “We cannot set our eyes on Christ without setting our eyes on Heaven, and we cannot set our eyes on Heaven without setting our eyes on Christ.
The Bible
The Bible is our authority. I do my best to preach it, but regardless of what I say, the Bible is our final authority. The problem, of course, is it’s a large book. Actually, it’s 66 books from multiple writers in several countries over hundreds of years…yet it’s one, consistent story of God…of love. Nevertheless, mysteries remain. Sometimes our understanding is flawed.
For example, the Jewish people read the Old Testament and expected the Messiah to come, rule, and reign over the earth. Imagine their disappointment when he entered Jerusalem not on a white horse but a donkey. They shouted, “Save us now” in hopes he would free them from the oppression of the Roman Empire. When he allowed himself to be crucified without barely saying a word in his defense they became even more convinced a mistake had been made. Surely this can’t be the prophesied One!
What they failed to understand was Messianic prophecy involved two different visits to our planet. He came the first time as the Lamb of God to die for us on the cross. His next visit will be radically different. The Lion of Judah will rule and reign for eternity. Hallelujah!
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Suffice it to say sometimes we read a word in the Bible and think it has one meaning when, in fact, it might refer to different circumstances. Such may be the case with heaven.
We all have questions about heaven, and some of them are clearly answered in the Bible. That’s our focus for this series. For a variety of reasons, I used to think heaven was a place up in the sky (which would actually be down if I lived in Australia!). I would leave this planet and go up to heaven and live forever, playing a harp on a cloud or whatever.
That reminds me, when I was a young boy I remember lying in my bed, unable to sleep. I finally went downstairs where my mom was in the study and said, “I don’t want to go to heaven.” Needless to say, she was surprised! “I don’t want to go to hell, but heaven is forever. I can’t comprehend forever.” Mom wisely asked, “What are we doing Friday?” I replied, “Going to grandma’s.” “And what are we doing next winter?” “Going to Disney World!” I added. She concluded, “Heaven will be like that, full of exciting things we’ll enjoy forever.” I’m totally convinced you will not want to leave heaven. It will not be boring!
Where is Heaven?
Heaven is the special dwelling place. But it will change. It will be relocated. If this is news to you, it was news to me when I researched this topic. Two heavens? Simply, heaven is where God is now, the place where Jesus ascended to, the intermediate heaven. The Holy Spirit lives here on earth in the hearts of followers of Jesus, but they physical Jesus and God the Father are in the intermediate or first heaven.
After the return of Christ—which he said would be soon—and the resurrection of the dead, followers of Jesus will live in the eternal heaven called the New Earth. There’s a lot of controversy about whether or not there will be a literal thousand-year reign of Christ on the old Earth, but we do know there will be a New Earth.
New Testament scholar N.T. Wright wrote, “Heaven is not a place in our space-time continuum, but a different sphere of reality that overlaps and interlocks with our sphere…One day the curtain will be pulled back.” (Surprised by Scripture)
Jesus is in the first heaven, but there will be a new heaven, the final kingdom of God. We cannot see the first heaven now, but the final or new heaven will be on a renewed, new earth.
But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:13)
One question I received is, “Where is my deceased loved one who followed Jesus?” Jesus said to the believing thief on the cross,
“Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43b)
This is not soul sleep. The man was taken to the intermediate heaven to be with Jesus. That’s where the saints of days gone by are…in the intermediate heaven.
Perhaps one way to think of it is like an airport layover. Last year I was a part of a team that traveled to the Dominican Republic to partner with our sister churches in Santiago. We flew from Detroit to Miami. We spent several hours in Miami before boarding our flight to the island. Miami was part of our journey, but not our final destination. It was a place to wait. My understanding of the intermediate heaven is a great place when we die…but not our final home.
Scot McKnight compares and contrasts the three phases of our existence:
Life Now (Present): Earthly tent, in body; Away from the Lord
First heaven (at death): Unclothed; With the Lord in heaven
Final Heaven (resurrection): Eternal house, clothed, physical; With the Lord in new Heavens, new earth
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Corinthians 5:1-5)
Therefore, we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:6-10)
Paul wrote to the church in Philippi,
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (Philippians 3:20-21)
Last Sunday we said we’ll get new bodies like Jesus’ resurrected body. But our citizenship is in heaven. We are citizens of a place we’ve never been! We are homesick for Eden.
Heaven is where God is. Heaven is where Jesus is. Right now, that’s not here. It’s the intermediate heaven. It’s where believers go where they die…but they won’t stay there. There will be a new earth, a resurrected earth, a new and improved version of earth as we know it.
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. (Revelation 21:1-3)
Randy Alcorn notes, “God never gave up on His original plan for human beings to dwell on earth. In fact, the climax of history will be the creation of new heavens and a new earth, a resurrected universe inhabited by resurrected people living with the resurrected Jesus.” (Rev. 21:1-4)
Imagine this:
I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there. And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city. Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty—but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. (Revelation 21:22-27, NLT)
Are You Ready?
Heaven will be amazing, but its most amazing feature will be the presence of God. If you passionately pursue Jesus now, you’ll enjoy him forever. If he’s just your “get out of hell free” card, you might be surprised on Judgment Day.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
Communion
The good news—the great news—is that Jesus is LORD. He died to offer himself as a gift, as a sacrifice, as the Lamb of God to take away your sins and mine—if we will confess our sins and make Jesus our Savior and LORD. You can’t earn salvation. You’re not good enough (you have to be perfect). You can, however, surrender your life to Jesus, welcome him into your life, and pursue him and his will for your life. It’s radical. It’s not politically correct. It can get you in trouble. It might even cost you your life…but you’ll have eternity to reap the benefits of the presence of God.
Today we celebrate communion. We remember the sacrifice Jesus made, putting action behind God’s words of love.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)
He died so you might live. He lives so you might live with him forever.
Credits
Some ideas from The Heaven Promise by Scot McKnight and Heaven by Randy Alcorn.
Evidence of the Afterlife, 25 September 2016
14 09 16
Evidence of the Afterlife
What Happens To You When You Die?
Romans 8:22-25
Series Overview
Heaven is for real and the Bible says more—and less—about it than we might recognize.
Big Idea
Heaven is for real…and followers of Jesus will experience sin-free life in our new bodies.
Introduction
After years of avoiding it, I recently finished a sermon series on the book of Revelation. Actually, we only covered the beginning of Revelation, Jesus’ letters to the seven churches. I learned a lot about the historical roots of our faith and life 2000 years ago.
Today we begin a new series that’s going to look at the end of Revelation. It’s entitled, “What Happens to You When You Die?” This is a timeless question that seems to be particularly popular at the moment. Our culture is fascinated with life after death. Books like “90 Minutes in Heaven” and “Heaven Is for Real” have been best-sellers describing near-death experiences. Movies are constantly exploring the subject. This past week a new prime-time television show, “The Good Place,” offered a rather interesting (not biblical) take on it.
Someone said you’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. That may sound morbid, but it’s true. Of course, a small minority of people don’t believe in an afterlife, but for thousands of years many if not most cultures have believed there’s more than this life.
For the next several weeks we’re going to heaven—or heavens. We’ll examine the alternative, and see what the Bible—not Left Behind novels or church tradition—says about the afterlife.
This series will hopefully answer some of your questions. It will undoubtedly raise some new questions. When we’re done, I’m quite sure you will be frustrated by my inability to provide certainty about every details concerning the future. My boyhood pastor used to say, “The Bible is silent about some things and we should be, too.” There’s simply so much we don’t know about the afterlife—but we know a lot!
The Hope of Heaven
Why should we discuss heaven? After all, it has been said that some Christians are so heavenly minded, they’re not earthly good! Shouldn’t we focus on the here and now instead of daydreaming about an uncertain future?
C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.”
Heaven provides us with hope. If this world is all there is, what’s the point? Mick Jagger has had everything the world says brings happiness, yet he famously sings, “I can’t get no satisfaction.” Is it any wonder the suicide rate is so high in our nation? The more we deny the existence of an afterlife, the more miserable this one becomes. But followers of Jesus have a real hope that this world is preparation for something so much more.
Jerry Walls said, “A good God would not create us with the kind of aspirations we have and then leave those aspirations unsatisfied.”
The reality is this world is messed up. Sure, God created it good, but satan has been at work stealing, killing, and destroying it since the third chapter of the Bible (Genesis 3).
Think about this world, this earth, these bodies…without sin. No broken relationships, betrayal, theft, lies, or anxiety. No graffiti, poverty, injustice, hatred, or violence. No envy or jealousy. No divorce, abuse, bankruptcy, politics…or at least corrupt politics!!! That sounds like heaven to me.
The author of the book of Romans wrote,
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:18-21)
Doesn’t that sound wonderful? There’s great hope in those three verses alone. Are you suffering today? We all are, in one way or another. Sometimes it seems like this world is just one storm after another, striving to celebrate those precious moments of sunshine.
Heaven is for real…and it provides us with great hope knowing the best is yet to come. Wrongs will be made right. Justice will come for all. Peace and reconciliation will be everywhere. Love will win.
In The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis wrote that “a book on suffering which says nothing of heaven, is leaving out almost the whole of one side of the account. Scripture and tradition habitually put the joys of heaven into the scale against the sufferings of earth, and no solution of the problem of pain which does not do so can be called a Christian one”
I want to encourage you through this series. This world is hard…but I promise you if you are a follower of Jesus, it will be worth it. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth:
Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16b-18)
If you’re unfamiliar with Paul’s “light momentary affliction,” here’s an excerpt:
Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. (2 Corinthians 11:24-28)
Paul continues to offer glimpses of the future to the people in Corinth:
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Corinthians 5:1-5)
As we get into passages from the book of Revelation, remember it was written to the early church, many or most of whom faced ISIS-like persecution for their faith, including impaling, burning, and being fed to lions in the Coliseum. Virtually all of us have it relatively easy compared to the millions of our brothers and sisters who have been martyred.
Let’s go back to Romans (our scripture-reading text):
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:22-25)
I said this life would be great if we could just get rid of sin, but there’s more. There’s so much more to come. We will get new bodies. Are you ready for that? I am!
About two months ago my jogging routine was interrupted after I messed up my right quad water skiing. For many weeks it was difficult to walk, sit, or even lie down. I finally resumed jogging on Friday…and every day that passes I long for “the redemption of my body!” I want one without an expiration date!
The Resurrection
Followers of Jesus, someday you will receive a new body…like Jesus.
Throughout my life I’ve loved Easter. As a kid, I loved looking for my Easter basket and biting the heads off the chocolate bunnies. I looked forward to singing joyful songs like, “Christ the LORD is Risen Today” and celebrating the empty tomb. I rejoiced at the risen Christ who died for my sins and rose again and is alive. But I missed an important element of the resurrection—Jesus’ resurrected body.
Everybody wants to go to heaven…but nobody wants to die!
The truth is our present bodies will die. The death rate in our nation—and world—is 100% (there have been at least a couple of exceptions, but they were thousands of years ago). Remember, you’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. Are you?
The Physical
We were created by God both physical and spiritual. Many have wrongfully believed the physical is bad and only the spiritual matters. Jesus had a physical body. God became flesh and dwelt among us. We’ll celebrate that in a few months. But His physical body was not bad or evil. Although Jesus never sinned, he did struggle with the limitations of his body. He got sick. He experienced pain. He died.
His death was the most beautiful, scandalous moment in human history. We commemorate the day Good Friday because it was his death for us and our sins which made forgiveness and reconciliation with the Father possible. He atoned for our wrongdoings. Jesus paid it all, washing us white as snow with his crimson blood. His body was beaten and pierced…for you and me. It’s a gift we all chose to receive or reject. Have you received the gift?
Some believe Jesus was a ghost, merely a spirit. Some believe he never died. Our faith depends upon his death. If Jesus didn’t die, we’re wasting our time…and our lives. Countless eyewitnesses saw him die a brutal death. They saw him butchered and crucified. His side was pierced in front of them as blood and water poured out. Like us someday, his physical body died.
But praise God that’s not the end of the story! Jesus conquered sin and death and the grave. He rose from the dead, but unlike Lazarus, he came out of the tomb with a new body, a resurrected body. Marketers might call it “new and improved.” Jesus’ resurrected body gives us tremendous insight into the future.
After the resurrection Jesus was still Jesus. He still had flesh. He was not a ghost. He was not a spirit that hovered six inches above the ground. He did not have wings and a harp and his own cloud.
People touched him. He ate food. His resurrected body was compatible with life on this planet as he spent forty days here before ascending into…heaven (Hebrews 4:14). Jesus’ followers saw his physical body at the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem ascend into heaven.
One of my professors wrote, “The Bible does not teach that the soul is trapped by the body. (In fact, that is an ancient Greek but not biblical theory.) Jesus’s resurrected body was the transformation of his earthly body, not the eradication or annihilation of that body.” (Scot McKnight, The Heaven Promise).
Followers of Jesus will receive new bodies like Jesus received. We will eat. We will work. We will see and know one another. It will be like this life…but so much better. Randy Alcorn writes, “To be in resurrected bodies on a resurrected Earth in resurrected friendships, enjoying a resurrected culture with the resurrected Jesus—now that will be the ultimate party! Everybody will be who God made them to be—and none of us will ever suffer or die again. As a Christian, the day I die will be the best day I’ve ever lived. But it won’t be the best day I ever will live. Resurrection day will be far better.”
Relationships in Heaven
Followers of Jesus will receive new, physical, resurrected bodies. That also means we’ll have relationships. After Jesus received his new body, he ate and drank with his friends. Our future will be filled with rich fellowship and deep friendships, the most wonderful family imaginable. Remember, without sin we’ll have no strife, envy, or hatred. Heaven will be a place of complete peace and reconciliation where everyone will be, as MLK dreamed, “free at last.” We will love God and others in our glorified bodies, feasting (without the need to count calories) and partying with music and joy. Imagine eternity with your best friend(s) in the most incredible place, a place we’ll discuss next Sunday.
Conclusion
There are many great reasons to believe in heaven. No sin. New bodies. And that’s just the beginning!
Next week we’re going to take a deeper look at what the Bible reveals to us about heaven—or heavens—and how it may differ from what you’ve been led to believe by non-biblical sources.
Leading theologian Scot McKnight says, “What many believe about heaven has little (or nothing) to do with Jesus’s resurrection, and as a result they have overactive imaginations that color their thinking about heaven.”
Heaven is where God is, pure and simple. We exist as a church to prepare heaven-dwellers. We are following God’s mission to make disciples in Toledo and beyond, disciples who love God, who follow God, who help others to know and follow God, and who want to spend eternity with God. Will you join me?
Credits
Some ideas from The Heaven Promise by Scot McKnight and Heaven by Randy Alcorn.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
What Happens To You When You Die?
Romans 8:22-25
Series Overview
Heaven is for real and the Bible says more—and less—about it than we might recognize.
Big Idea
Heaven is for real…and followers of Jesus will experience sin-free life in our new bodies.
Introduction
After years of avoiding it, I recently finished a sermon series on the book of Revelation. Actually, we only covered the beginning of Revelation, Jesus’ letters to the seven churches. I learned a lot about the historical roots of our faith and life 2000 years ago.
Today we begin a new series that’s going to look at the end of Revelation. It’s entitled, “What Happens to You When You Die?” This is a timeless question that seems to be particularly popular at the moment. Our culture is fascinated with life after death. Books like “90 Minutes in Heaven” and “Heaven Is for Real” have been best-sellers describing near-death experiences. Movies are constantly exploring the subject. This past week a new prime-time television show, “The Good Place,” offered a rather interesting (not biblical) take on it.
Someone said you’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. That may sound morbid, but it’s true. Of course, a small minority of people don’t believe in an afterlife, but for thousands of years many if not most cultures have believed there’s more than this life.
For the next several weeks we’re going to heaven—or heavens. We’ll examine the alternative, and see what the Bible—not Left Behind novels or church tradition—says about the afterlife.
This series will hopefully answer some of your questions. It will undoubtedly raise some new questions. When we’re done, I’m quite sure you will be frustrated by my inability to provide certainty about every details concerning the future. My boyhood pastor used to say, “The Bible is silent about some things and we should be, too.” There’s simply so much we don’t know about the afterlife—but we know a lot!
The Hope of Heaven
Why should we discuss heaven? After all, it has been said that some Christians are so heavenly minded, they’re not earthly good! Shouldn’t we focus on the here and now instead of daydreaming about an uncertain future?
C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.”
Heaven provides us with hope. If this world is all there is, what’s the point? Mick Jagger has had everything the world says brings happiness, yet he famously sings, “I can’t get no satisfaction.” Is it any wonder the suicide rate is so high in our nation? The more we deny the existence of an afterlife, the more miserable this one becomes. But followers of Jesus have a real hope that this world is preparation for something so much more.
Jerry Walls said, “A good God would not create us with the kind of aspirations we have and then leave those aspirations unsatisfied.”
The reality is this world is messed up. Sure, God created it good, but satan has been at work stealing, killing, and destroying it since the third chapter of the Bible (Genesis 3).
Think about this world, this earth, these bodies…without sin. No broken relationships, betrayal, theft, lies, or anxiety. No graffiti, poverty, injustice, hatred, or violence. No envy or jealousy. No divorce, abuse, bankruptcy, politics…or at least corrupt politics!!! That sounds like heaven to me.
The author of the book of Romans wrote,
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:18-21)
Doesn’t that sound wonderful? There’s great hope in those three verses alone. Are you suffering today? We all are, in one way or another. Sometimes it seems like this world is just one storm after another, striving to celebrate those precious moments of sunshine.
Heaven is for real…and it provides us with great hope knowing the best is yet to come. Wrongs will be made right. Justice will come for all. Peace and reconciliation will be everywhere. Love will win.
In The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis wrote that “a book on suffering which says nothing of heaven, is leaving out almost the whole of one side of the account. Scripture and tradition habitually put the joys of heaven into the scale against the sufferings of earth, and no solution of the problem of pain which does not do so can be called a Christian one”
I want to encourage you through this series. This world is hard…but I promise you if you are a follower of Jesus, it will be worth it. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth:
Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16b-18)
If you’re unfamiliar with Paul’s “light momentary affliction,” here’s an excerpt:
Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. (2 Corinthians 11:24-28)
Paul continues to offer glimpses of the future to the people in Corinth:
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Corinthians 5:1-5)
As we get into passages from the book of Revelation, remember it was written to the early church, many or most of whom faced ISIS-like persecution for their faith, including impaling, burning, and being fed to lions in the Coliseum. Virtually all of us have it relatively easy compared to the millions of our brothers and sisters who have been martyred.
Let’s go back to Romans (our scripture-reading text):
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:22-25)
I said this life would be great if we could just get rid of sin, but there’s more. There’s so much more to come. We will get new bodies. Are you ready for that? I am!
About two months ago my jogging routine was interrupted after I messed up my right quad water skiing. For many weeks it was difficult to walk, sit, or even lie down. I finally resumed jogging on Friday…and every day that passes I long for “the redemption of my body!” I want one without an expiration date!
The Resurrection
Followers of Jesus, someday you will receive a new body…like Jesus.
Throughout my life I’ve loved Easter. As a kid, I loved looking for my Easter basket and biting the heads off the chocolate bunnies. I looked forward to singing joyful songs like, “Christ the LORD is Risen Today” and celebrating the empty tomb. I rejoiced at the risen Christ who died for my sins and rose again and is alive. But I missed an important element of the resurrection—Jesus’ resurrected body.
Everybody wants to go to heaven…but nobody wants to die!
The truth is our present bodies will die. The death rate in our nation—and world—is 100% (there have been at least a couple of exceptions, but they were thousands of years ago). Remember, you’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. Are you?
The Physical
We were created by God both physical and spiritual. Many have wrongfully believed the physical is bad and only the spiritual matters. Jesus had a physical body. God became flesh and dwelt among us. We’ll celebrate that in a few months. But His physical body was not bad or evil. Although Jesus never sinned, he did struggle with the limitations of his body. He got sick. He experienced pain. He died.
His death was the most beautiful, scandalous moment in human history. We commemorate the day Good Friday because it was his death for us and our sins which made forgiveness and reconciliation with the Father possible. He atoned for our wrongdoings. Jesus paid it all, washing us white as snow with his crimson blood. His body was beaten and pierced…for you and me. It’s a gift we all chose to receive or reject. Have you received the gift?
Some believe Jesus was a ghost, merely a spirit. Some believe he never died. Our faith depends upon his death. If Jesus didn’t die, we’re wasting our time…and our lives. Countless eyewitnesses saw him die a brutal death. They saw him butchered and crucified. His side was pierced in front of them as blood and water poured out. Like us someday, his physical body died.
But praise God that’s not the end of the story! Jesus conquered sin and death and the grave. He rose from the dead, but unlike Lazarus, he came out of the tomb with a new body, a resurrected body. Marketers might call it “new and improved.” Jesus’ resurrected body gives us tremendous insight into the future.
After the resurrection Jesus was still Jesus. He still had flesh. He was not a ghost. He was not a spirit that hovered six inches above the ground. He did not have wings and a harp and his own cloud.
People touched him. He ate food. His resurrected body was compatible with life on this planet as he spent forty days here before ascending into…heaven (Hebrews 4:14). Jesus’ followers saw his physical body at the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem ascend into heaven.
One of my professors wrote, “The Bible does not teach that the soul is trapped by the body. (In fact, that is an ancient Greek but not biblical theory.) Jesus’s resurrected body was the transformation of his earthly body, not the eradication or annihilation of that body.” (Scot McKnight, The Heaven Promise).
Followers of Jesus will receive new bodies like Jesus received. We will eat. We will work. We will see and know one another. It will be like this life…but so much better. Randy Alcorn writes, “To be in resurrected bodies on a resurrected Earth in resurrected friendships, enjoying a resurrected culture with the resurrected Jesus—now that will be the ultimate party! Everybody will be who God made them to be—and none of us will ever suffer or die again. As a Christian, the day I die will be the best day I’ve ever lived. But it won’t be the best day I ever will live. Resurrection day will be far better.”
Relationships in Heaven
Followers of Jesus will receive new, physical, resurrected bodies. That also means we’ll have relationships. After Jesus received his new body, he ate and drank with his friends. Our future will be filled with rich fellowship and deep friendships, the most wonderful family imaginable. Remember, without sin we’ll have no strife, envy, or hatred. Heaven will be a place of complete peace and reconciliation where everyone will be, as MLK dreamed, “free at last.” We will love God and others in our glorified bodies, feasting (without the need to count calories) and partying with music and joy. Imagine eternity with your best friend(s) in the most incredible place, a place we’ll discuss next Sunday.
Conclusion
There are many great reasons to believe in heaven. No sin. New bodies. And that’s just the beginning!
Next week we’re going to take a deeper look at what the Bible reveals to us about heaven—or heavens—and how it may differ from what you’ve been led to believe by non-biblical sources.
Leading theologian Scot McKnight says, “What many believe about heaven has little (or nothing) to do with Jesus’s resurrection, and as a result they have overactive imaginations that color their thinking about heaven.”
Heaven is where God is, pure and simple. We exist as a church to prepare heaven-dwellers. We are following God’s mission to make disciples in Toledo and beyond, disciples who love God, who follow God, who help others to know and follow God, and who want to spend eternity with God. Will you join me?
Credits
Some ideas from The Heaven Promise by Scot McKnight and Heaven by Randy Alcorn.
Who's the Boss? 4 September 2016
06 09 16
Who’s The Boss?
Colossians 3:23-24
Big Idea
God created us to work…for His glory.
Introduction
Labor Day weekend is summer’s last hurrah, even though we technically have 17 days until autumn begins. In Michigan, schools start after Labor Day, though in Ohio most students have already returned to the classroom.
In the spirit of Labor Day—and being in between our series on Revelation and our upcoming series on the Afterlife—we’re going to look at the subject of labor, of work.
How many of you work?
How many of you are retired?
How many of you wish you were retired?
How many retirees wish you worked?
Most—if not all—of us are influenced by our culture far more than by God’s Word. The Bible is filled with instructions and wisdom regarding finances, family, spirituality, health,…and work.
Do you ever feel overworked, over-regulated, under-leisured, under-benefited? Take heart. This notice was found in the ruins of a London office building. It was dated 1852.
1. This firm has reduced the hours of work, and the clerical staff will now only have to be present between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. weekdays.
2. Clothing must be of a sober nature. The clerical staff will not disport themselves in raiment of bright colors, nor will they wear hose unless in good repair.
3. Overshoes and topcoats may not be worn in the office, but neck scarves and headwear may be worn in inclement weather.
4. A stove is provided for the benefit of the clerical staff. Coal and wood must be kept in the locker. It is recommended that each member of the clerical staff bring four pounds of coal each day during the cold weather.
5. No member of the clerical staff may leave the room without permission from the supervisor.
6. No talking is allowed during business hours.
7. The craving for tobacco, wine, or spirits is a human weakness, and as such is forbidden to all members of the clerical staff.
8. Now that the hours of business have been drastically reduced, the partaking of food is allowed between 11:30 and noon, but work will not on any account cease.
9. Members of the clerical staff will provide their own pens. A new sharpener is available on application to the supervisor.
10. The supervisor will nominate a senior clerk to be responsible for the cleanliness of the main office and the private office. All boys and juniors will report to him 40 minutes before prayers and will remain after closing hours for similar work. Brushes, brooms, scrubber, and soap are provided by the owners.
11. The owners recognize the generosity of the new labor laws, but will expect a great rise in output of work to compensate for these near Utopian conditions.
If that’s the rulebook, imagine the boss!
On this Labor Day Eve I want to share with you three thoughts about work.
Work is God’s Idea
Many people of work as a bad thing, a necessary evil. The book of Genesis paints a different picture in Paradise, the Garden of Eden before sin entered the world. Adam was called to be a gardener.
The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (Genesis 2:15)
The word “work” here is “avad” in the original Hebrew. It means to serve or to work.
How many of you have ever gardened?
How many of you like to garden?
How many of you find gardening to be a chore?
I like gardening…well, parts of it. I love harvesting vegetables, picking fruit off of plants, and even planting seeds in fresh soil.
I don’t like thorns, bee stings, pruning, sunburns, and most of all weeds. I hate weeds!
We’ll come back to that in a moment. Suffice it to say, there are aspects of most work we may find enjoyable and others we’d rather not do.
Would you enjoy gardening if you could simply plant and pick fresh fruits and vegetables in perfect weather free from bugs and weeds? Perhaps.
Adam had more than just a garden to cultivate. He was also a zookeeper!
Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. (Genesis 2:19-20a)
I can only assume the animals were tame and friendly. There was no fear in paradise. There was no death. All was well…until the Fall. Adam and Eve sinned by eating the forbidden fruit and were punished.
To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16)
Women were given a different kind of work we call labor.
To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:17-19)
What once was a God-ordained task of caring for creation suddenly became “painful toil.” Work went from daily activity to the difficult pursuit of sustenance. Work, however, is not a curse. It’s what we were created to do—along with relationships. Obviously work has many practical purposes by God’s design, including provisions. Paul wrote,
The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat. (2 Thessalonians 3:10b)
Even when work is challenging, its absence can have dire consequences. Many studies have sown people who retire early tend to die early. One Oregon State University study concluded even people who described themselves as unhealthy were found likely to live longer if they kept working.
For those of you who are retired, I urge you to remain active, volunteer here at First Alliance and/or with our home missions partners. I know most of you are already doing so and not only is that a benefit to those you serve, it is surely a benefit to you.
Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship, wrote, “God created human beings in His own image and part of being ‘in His image’ means that we are workers — like God Himself. That’s where that innate, inner drive for work comes from. Work is part of God’s nature.”
Labor is God’s idea. Humans worked before sin entered the world, and we’ll work in heaven, too, though it will be free from pain and fear, instead fulfilling and filled with purpose.
Follow Your Calling
Many years ago a woman in our church praised me for being a pastor and spoke disparagingly about herself being “only a physical therapist.” I stopped her immediately, knowing her work and its fruit. I said, “Every day you get to be the hands and feet of Jesus, serving the broken and hurting, ministering to the needs, earning money for your family, and generously giving of your income to support the church.” Every day she encountered unchurched people I would never meet as I wrote sermons in my office or served parishioners in our congregation. But she’s not alone in her thinking. In fact, I once thought similarly.
I’ll never forget the day I asked my dad for forgiveness. He was surprised and asked what I did wrong. I said, “For years I thought if you were a REAL Christian you’d be a pastor rather than a businessperson. Now I realize it would be as wrong for you to leave the marketplace for vocational ministry as it would be for me to leave my church job and work in the marketplace.” It’s an issue of calling.
God calls some to be pastors and some to be business people.
God calls some to be overseas missionaries and others to serve in American schools.
God calls some to minister to the wealthy suburbs and others to the urban poor.
God calls all of His children to make disciples.
God calls all of His children to ministry.
One of my favorite moments this year at First Alliance was introducing Phil Eikost for a Missions Moment segment. I think some wondered what was going on, if he was taking a trip overseas or something. Instead he announced he is a missionary at the House of Meats in Toledo. He sees his work as his calling, even when it’s hard and frustrating. He doesn’t always look forward to his long hours at the “office,” but he knows it’s what God has called him to do and looks for ways to love and serve customers and co-workers.
We are all wired uniquely by God. He calls us to do different things in different places. The key is not what we do compared to others, but rather to be faithful to our calling. It is a sacred act of worship.
Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might (Ecclesiastes 9:10a)
Which leads us to our attitude toward work. Zig Ziglar said
Attitude, Not Aptitude, Determines Altitude
The better your attitude, the more you will soar in life. What is your attitude toward your work? Your boss? Your co-workers? We all work or have worked in environments we would love to change, yet often the only thing we can change is our attitude. Often our approach to work radically impacts our outputs.
In New Testament times, the Roman Empire ruled with the promise of security, prosperity, and order. Women, children, and slaves were essentially property to the men. They had no rights. Paul wrote multiple letters to early Christians, many (most?) of whom were abused. To those in Colossi he said,
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Colossians 3:23-24)
These laborers were not necessarily working for a paycheck but rather food, shelter, life. People became slaves not because of their race but rather because they were debt slaves who were bankrupt or the result of military conquest. Paul wrote similar words to the church in Ephesus:
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. (Ephesians 6:5-8)
The context helps explain the verse which follows.
And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. (Ephesians 6:9)
The point is simple: God is watching. He’s the boss! We are ultimately to love, serve, and worship Him. Your human boss may give you a performance review, but God will someday give you a life review. He will right every wrong. He will bring eternal justice. This does not mean we are to be doormats and ignore injustice, but our attitude should always be focused on God and what He thinks. He knows all. One day He will judge and reward all. What will he say about you and your work?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Colossians 3:23-24
Big Idea
God created us to work…for His glory.
Introduction
Labor Day weekend is summer’s last hurrah, even though we technically have 17 days until autumn begins. In Michigan, schools start after Labor Day, though in Ohio most students have already returned to the classroom.
In the spirit of Labor Day—and being in between our series on Revelation and our upcoming series on the Afterlife—we’re going to look at the subject of labor, of work.
How many of you work?
How many of you are retired?
How many of you wish you were retired?
How many retirees wish you worked?
Most—if not all—of us are influenced by our culture far more than by God’s Word. The Bible is filled with instructions and wisdom regarding finances, family, spirituality, health,…and work.
Do you ever feel overworked, over-regulated, under-leisured, under-benefited? Take heart. This notice was found in the ruins of a London office building. It was dated 1852.
1. This firm has reduced the hours of work, and the clerical staff will now only have to be present between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. weekdays.
2. Clothing must be of a sober nature. The clerical staff will not disport themselves in raiment of bright colors, nor will they wear hose unless in good repair.
3. Overshoes and topcoats may not be worn in the office, but neck scarves and headwear may be worn in inclement weather.
4. A stove is provided for the benefit of the clerical staff. Coal and wood must be kept in the locker. It is recommended that each member of the clerical staff bring four pounds of coal each day during the cold weather.
5. No member of the clerical staff may leave the room without permission from the supervisor.
6. No talking is allowed during business hours.
7. The craving for tobacco, wine, or spirits is a human weakness, and as such is forbidden to all members of the clerical staff.
8. Now that the hours of business have been drastically reduced, the partaking of food is allowed between 11:30 and noon, but work will not on any account cease.
9. Members of the clerical staff will provide their own pens. A new sharpener is available on application to the supervisor.
10. The supervisor will nominate a senior clerk to be responsible for the cleanliness of the main office and the private office. All boys and juniors will report to him 40 minutes before prayers and will remain after closing hours for similar work. Brushes, brooms, scrubber, and soap are provided by the owners.
11. The owners recognize the generosity of the new labor laws, but will expect a great rise in output of work to compensate for these near Utopian conditions.
If that’s the rulebook, imagine the boss!
On this Labor Day Eve I want to share with you three thoughts about work.
Work is God’s Idea
Many people of work as a bad thing, a necessary evil. The book of Genesis paints a different picture in Paradise, the Garden of Eden before sin entered the world. Adam was called to be a gardener.
The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (Genesis 2:15)
The word “work” here is “avad” in the original Hebrew. It means to serve or to work.
How many of you have ever gardened?
How many of you like to garden?
How many of you find gardening to be a chore?
I like gardening…well, parts of it. I love harvesting vegetables, picking fruit off of plants, and even planting seeds in fresh soil.
I don’t like thorns, bee stings, pruning, sunburns, and most of all weeds. I hate weeds!
We’ll come back to that in a moment. Suffice it to say, there are aspects of most work we may find enjoyable and others we’d rather not do.
Would you enjoy gardening if you could simply plant and pick fresh fruits and vegetables in perfect weather free from bugs and weeds? Perhaps.
Adam had more than just a garden to cultivate. He was also a zookeeper!
Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. (Genesis 2:19-20a)
I can only assume the animals were tame and friendly. There was no fear in paradise. There was no death. All was well…until the Fall. Adam and Eve sinned by eating the forbidden fruit and were punished.
To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16)
Women were given a different kind of work we call labor.
To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:17-19)
What once was a God-ordained task of caring for creation suddenly became “painful toil.” Work went from daily activity to the difficult pursuit of sustenance. Work, however, is not a curse. It’s what we were created to do—along with relationships. Obviously work has many practical purposes by God’s design, including provisions. Paul wrote,
The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat. (2 Thessalonians 3:10b)
Even when work is challenging, its absence can have dire consequences. Many studies have sown people who retire early tend to die early. One Oregon State University study concluded even people who described themselves as unhealthy were found likely to live longer if they kept working.
For those of you who are retired, I urge you to remain active, volunteer here at First Alliance and/or with our home missions partners. I know most of you are already doing so and not only is that a benefit to those you serve, it is surely a benefit to you.
Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship, wrote, “God created human beings in His own image and part of being ‘in His image’ means that we are workers — like God Himself. That’s where that innate, inner drive for work comes from. Work is part of God’s nature.”
Labor is God’s idea. Humans worked before sin entered the world, and we’ll work in heaven, too, though it will be free from pain and fear, instead fulfilling and filled with purpose.
Follow Your Calling
Many years ago a woman in our church praised me for being a pastor and spoke disparagingly about herself being “only a physical therapist.” I stopped her immediately, knowing her work and its fruit. I said, “Every day you get to be the hands and feet of Jesus, serving the broken and hurting, ministering to the needs, earning money for your family, and generously giving of your income to support the church.” Every day she encountered unchurched people I would never meet as I wrote sermons in my office or served parishioners in our congregation. But she’s not alone in her thinking. In fact, I once thought similarly.
I’ll never forget the day I asked my dad for forgiveness. He was surprised and asked what I did wrong. I said, “For years I thought if you were a REAL Christian you’d be a pastor rather than a businessperson. Now I realize it would be as wrong for you to leave the marketplace for vocational ministry as it would be for me to leave my church job and work in the marketplace.” It’s an issue of calling.
God calls some to be pastors and some to be business people.
God calls some to be overseas missionaries and others to serve in American schools.
God calls some to minister to the wealthy suburbs and others to the urban poor.
God calls all of His children to make disciples.
God calls all of His children to ministry.
One of my favorite moments this year at First Alliance was introducing Phil Eikost for a Missions Moment segment. I think some wondered what was going on, if he was taking a trip overseas or something. Instead he announced he is a missionary at the House of Meats in Toledo. He sees his work as his calling, even when it’s hard and frustrating. He doesn’t always look forward to his long hours at the “office,” but he knows it’s what God has called him to do and looks for ways to love and serve customers and co-workers.
We are all wired uniquely by God. He calls us to do different things in different places. The key is not what we do compared to others, but rather to be faithful to our calling. It is a sacred act of worship.
Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might (Ecclesiastes 9:10a)
Which leads us to our attitude toward work. Zig Ziglar said
Attitude, Not Aptitude, Determines Altitude
The better your attitude, the more you will soar in life. What is your attitude toward your work? Your boss? Your co-workers? We all work or have worked in environments we would love to change, yet often the only thing we can change is our attitude. Often our approach to work radically impacts our outputs.
In New Testament times, the Roman Empire ruled with the promise of security, prosperity, and order. Women, children, and slaves were essentially property to the men. They had no rights. Paul wrote multiple letters to early Christians, many (most?) of whom were abused. To those in Colossi he said,
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Colossians 3:23-24)
These laborers were not necessarily working for a paycheck but rather food, shelter, life. People became slaves not because of their race but rather because they were debt slaves who were bankrupt or the result of military conquest. Paul wrote similar words to the church in Ephesus:
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. (Ephesians 6:5-8)
The context helps explain the verse which follows.
And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. (Ephesians 6:9)
The point is simple: God is watching. He’s the boss! We are ultimately to love, serve, and worship Him. Your human boss may give you a performance review, but God will someday give you a life review. He will right every wrong. He will bring eternal justice. This does not mean we are to be doormats and ignore injustice, but our attitude should always be focused on God and what He thinks. He knows all. One day He will judge and reward all. What will he say about you and your work?
Toledo: Get Ready, 28 August 2016
29 08 16
Toledo: Get Ready
7 Letters: Revelation 2-3
Revelation 1:1-8
Series Overview
Revelation is the Gospel according to Jesus. In chapters two and three, he speaks to seven churches, offering both correction and encouragement. Each is relevant to our church today.
Message Overview
Toledo is not mentioned in the Bible, but we are a part of the universal Church. How are we like the seven churches in Revelation? What is Jesus saying to us in 2016? Our baptistery has been empty. Who will be an advocate for the lost? The focus will be on hospitality and outreach: pray, serve, share.
Big Idea
Jesus loves Toledo and is alive and active in our city inviting us to join him.
Introduction
Welcome to First Alliance Church. The Bible often refers to the Church as the Bride of Christ. For the past several weeks we’ve been looking at Jesus’ words to the seven churches in the book of Revelation. We examined…
Each week in the series we’ve tried to apply the messages of these seven ancient churches to our own lives, church, and city…which begs the question,
“What is God saying to us in Toledo?”
This series has focused on the second and third chapters of Revelation. Today I want to go to the beginning, back to chapter one. It begins
The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:1-2)
As we have often said, First Alliance Church is about Jesus. We do not exist to make a name for our church, for the Christian & Missionary Alliance (our denomination), or even Toledo. We are all about Jesus Christ. He is our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King.
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. (Revelation 1:3)
Do you want be blessed? Read God’s Word. Study it. Read it aloud, it says. Most of all, obey it. Put it into practice. Take to heart what is written in it. This is true not only for the book of Revelation but the entire Bible.
John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. (Revelation 1:4-5a)
As we said, Jesus speaks to John who writes the book of Revelation.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. (Revelation 1:5b-6)
There’s so much here! Jesus has freed us from our sins. Hallelujah!
Jesus has made us to be a kingdom and priests. We are all called to be ambassadors of Jesus to our city and world.
“Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen. (Revelation 1:7)
Jesus will return and all will see him. What a day that will be!
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8)
This is our God. He is Almighty. He transcends time and space. He has always been. He is. He will always be. Our God is truly awesome.
Revelation 7:9-10
If we skip ahead several chapters, we get a glimpse of what appears to be the future:
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-10)
We are on God’s mission to make disciples of all nations. What a privilege! What a responsibility! How are doing?
Jesus said the two greatest commandments are to love God and love your neighbor. All of life is about relationships. I like to think of it like a triangle:
UP: relationship to God
IN: relationship to one another (the church)
OUT: relationship to the world
I’ve been at First Alliance Church for less than a year. I have made a conscious decision to spend this first year listening, learning, and making as few major decisions as possible. People have asked me what my vision is for our church and I’ve said
Therefore, what I’m about to say is preliminary. This is my sense of what Jesus is saying to First Alliance Church. This is not “thus saith the LORD” and is not to be taken as scripture. Would you like to hear it?
“To the angel of the church in Toledo write:
These are the words of the Son of God, who has a throne in front of what looks like a sea of glass.
Did you catch that, Glass City?!
I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance. I know you love Me. You are faithful in worship, generous with your money, and eager to serve. You eat together (as evidenced at last week’s picnic) and fellowship together on Sundays and in small groups. Your UP and IN relationships are commendable.
Nevertheless, I have this against you: Your passion for the lost is weak. Sure, some of you reach OUT, but you went two years without a baptism and there are those right outside your doors desperate for salvation, hope, and healing. Go and make disciples!
Allow me to elaborate.
UP: relationship to God
I believe our church truly loves God. Many of you have been faithfully attending on Sunday mornings for years, even decades. For more than twelve decades we have been worshipping in UpTown Toledo, praying, giving financially, and committed to the Word of God.
One part of our church’s story is the creative arts. God is an artist and we were created in His image. We have had choirs, orchestras, handbells, and bands along with drama, musicals, and even this building which I believe is a work of art. We are geographically on the Avenue of the Arts next to one of the nation’s greatest art museums just blocks for dozens of art galleries. For years we have even trained future artists at our summer arts camp. I’m excited to announce today a new addition to our team to help enhance our worship. Charlie Flack has been hired as our Creative Arts Consultant. His part-time role will include mentoring Hayden Bewley, our outstanding young worship intern, and developing other artistic ministries such as tech and video. Our elders initiated the idea earlier this month after Charlie blessed us as a guest worship leader and we are thrilled to welcome him.
I might add we have a growing staff, though only two of us—Josh and myself—are full-time. God has blessed us with an incredible staff whose job is NOT to do the ministry, but rather to equip the saints (that’s you!) for the ministry.
IN: relationship to one another (the church)
Our church loves one another. Truly! One of my four prayers for us is unity and I’ve experienced a sense of oneness during my months here. Heather and I deeply love being a part of this family…and if you’re new around here, welcome! I might add these gatherings are vital, but the real connections occur in groups: Sunday School, Bible studies, and small groups. If you’re not in one, you’re missing out on possibly the richest dimension of First Alliance. There’s a list of groups at the Information Center in the lobby.
By the way, I love our groups. I love when they relate UP to God. I love when they relate IN to one another. Today I want to challenge every group to do some kind of OUT activity. Throw a party, serve at Cherry Street Mission, set up a prayer booth,…do anything that will help you build relationships with the unchurched. Do it once a month, once a quarter…once a year!
Which leads us to
OUT: relationship to the world
Making disciples ideally begins in the home, but today in our city so many are growing up with no understanding of God and His love. Our church has chosen to be in the city of Toledo, even when others fled to the suburbs. We are uniquely positioned in UpTown to reach out to not only the underprivileged but also the up-and-coming artists and young professionals who will become our neighbors over the next few years. Would you like a sneak preview of what’s ahead?
THE NEXT GENERATION
Sue Trumbull is an exception leader leading an exceptional team of people committed to children’s ministry. Each Sunday they love kids during Sunday School and the worship hour. They produce special events. They have Wednesday night programs for students. And then there’s sports and arts camp.
For months people told me about sports and arts camp…and then I experienced it. Wow! It was so exciting to see dozens of kids from the neighborhood exposed to faith, hope and love. It may have been the best week of the year for me.
But then I began to think about the 51 weeks until next summer’s camp. So many of the seeds scattered will surely be snatched up or choked by the weeds and rocks of this world. What can we do to build lasting relationships with these precious children?
I’m glad you asked! First, the After School Klub (ASK) starts up again in October serving many of these kids two days a week. That’s great! I praise God for everyone involved in Toledo Urban Impact and the After School Klub.
Recently Charles Carter has had a burden to get these kids here on Sunday mornings. Imagine what a difference it would be to go from one week to 52 Sundays a year. We need two things to make this happen: more children’s ministry workers and van drivers to pick up the kids. Is God calling you to invest in the next generation? They need you!
We are also in conversations with the local YMCA about ways we can expand our partnership. They assist with sports and arts camp but we could do so much more for these kids if we work together.
Perhaps the most exciting development is Keep Watch: Praying for the Hearts of Our Children. I don’t know how this is even possible in our day of political correctness, but we’ve been invited to pray in and through Rosa Parks School on Cherry Street once a week. This pre-school through grade eight school has 250 students who test in the lowest 5% of all students in Ohio. The principal, Ms. Richburg, is asking for us to adopt her school, read to students, encourage teachers, and pray…pray in the school! This seems like an incredible opportunity for us, an opportunity that could close in the future if TPS staffing changes.
Imagine if we had weekly—even semi-weekly—influence on the lives of children in our city? It could literally change our city. Studies show kids are far more likely to follow Jesus than unchurched adults. We have a unique invitation to build relationships with those outside our church family, extending God’s love and hospitality.
CLARO
Speaking of relationships and hospitality, we have been working hard to enhance our hospitality—welcoming the stranger, the guest, the newcomer—on Sunday mornings. However, long before I arrived at First Alliance a group of people realized no matter how dynamic our gatherings in this building, many in Toledo will never walk through our doors. We need to go to them. In fact, Jesus said
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
He said go! He didn’t say, “Ring the bell and watch everyone come to church.” He said to go under his authority into the world and make disciples.
After some considerable, unavoidable delays, we are weeks—maybe days—from opening CLARO Coffee Bar, our new hospitality ministry in UpTown at Adams and 18th. Many have asked how we intend on using this space for ministry and the answer is simple: relationships. We are intentionally creating space for spiritual conversations. This means listening, learning, and loving. Christians are, unfortunately, known for monologue rather than dialog. Whether it’s fair or not, many picture a guy with a megaphone rather than someone truly concerned for their welfare.
CLARO will be serving amazing coffee and tea. It will be staffed by caring, friendly baristas seeking to develop friendships with guests, not just taking orders from customers. Tables will be open for you to engage with people, listening to their story, and sharing yours. I heard someone talking about putting tracts or leaflets in the bathroom and my first thought was to use them in dialog with a person, not monolog on a sink. We want people building relationships with us, not a toilet!
Research indicates the longer someone is a follower of Jesus, the fewer unchurched friends they have, which makes sense on one hand but is unfortunate. We are to be salt and light in our dark world. We must always be prepared to give a reason for the hope we have in Jesus…but it begins with relationships.
How many unchurched people do you know? How many of your neighbors can you name? When is the last time you had a meal with a non-Christian?
OUT need not be scary or painful. Buy someone a cup of coffee. Go to Rosa Parks school and pray. Throw a Labor Day party and invite your neighbors. Join a local parks and rec team. Become a conversation partner with an international student through Water for Ishmael. Serve with Cherry Street Mission or Toledo Gospel Rescue Mission.
I’ll make this extremely simple: pray, invite, and listen. Pray for your unchurched friends—or pray FOR unchurched friends—and invite them over for a meal or out for a cup of coffee. And listen. Don’t make them your project. Don’t preach to them. Just love them like a human being. Have fun with them. Be a friend to them. Ask them about their spiritual journey.
If and when it seems appropriate, invite them to the Alpha Course…or Sunday morning here. This fall we’re doing a six week series entitled, “What happens when you die?” It’s about heaven. We’ll talk about hell, too, but people are fascinated with heaven. Movies have been made about it. Best-selling books talk about it. We all have questions about it, but we’re going to look at what the Bible actually says (and doesn’t say) about heaven. But it all begins with conversations, with friendships, with intentionally reaching OUT.
Conclusion
Months ago I sensed God saying two words to me regarding our church: Get Ready. We are equipping leaders, building our staff, and preparing for a great harvest. The cobwebs are off the baptistery and I hope we fill it often. God is blessing us with incredible opportunities to connect with children and our UpTown neighbors. Get ready, church. Get on your knees. Pray and invite…and make disciples for the glory of God.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
7 Letters: Revelation 2-3
Revelation 1:1-8
Series Overview
Revelation is the Gospel according to Jesus. In chapters two and three, he speaks to seven churches, offering both correction and encouragement. Each is relevant to our church today.
Message Overview
Toledo is not mentioned in the Bible, but we are a part of the universal Church. How are we like the seven churches in Revelation? What is Jesus saying to us in 2016? Our baptistery has been empty. Who will be an advocate for the lost? The focus will be on hospitality and outreach: pray, serve, share.
Big Idea
Jesus loves Toledo and is alive and active in our city inviting us to join him.
Introduction
Welcome to First Alliance Church. The Bible often refers to the Church as the Bride of Christ. For the past several weeks we’ve been looking at Jesus’ words to the seven churches in the book of Revelation. We examined…
- - Ephesus (First Love)
- - Smyrna (Persecution)
- - Pergamum (False Teaching)
- - Thyatira (Sexual Sin)
- - Sardis (Wake Up)
- - Philadelphia (Faithful)
- - Laodicea (Lukewarm)
Each week in the series we’ve tried to apply the messages of these seven ancient churches to our own lives, church, and city…which begs the question,
“What is God saying to us in Toledo?”
This series has focused on the second and third chapters of Revelation. Today I want to go to the beginning, back to chapter one. It begins
The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:1-2)
As we have often said, First Alliance Church is about Jesus. We do not exist to make a name for our church, for the Christian & Missionary Alliance (our denomination), or even Toledo. We are all about Jesus Christ. He is our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King.
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. (Revelation 1:3)
Do you want be blessed? Read God’s Word. Study it. Read it aloud, it says. Most of all, obey it. Put it into practice. Take to heart what is written in it. This is true not only for the book of Revelation but the entire Bible.
John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. (Revelation 1:4-5a)
As we said, Jesus speaks to John who writes the book of Revelation.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. (Revelation 1:5b-6)
There’s so much here! Jesus has freed us from our sins. Hallelujah!
Jesus has made us to be a kingdom and priests. We are all called to be ambassadors of Jesus to our city and world.
“Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen. (Revelation 1:7)
Jesus will return and all will see him. What a day that will be!
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8)
This is our God. He is Almighty. He transcends time and space. He has always been. He is. He will always be. Our God is truly awesome.
Revelation 7:9-10
If we skip ahead several chapters, we get a glimpse of what appears to be the future:
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-10)
We are on God’s mission to make disciples of all nations. What a privilege! What a responsibility! How are doing?
Jesus said the two greatest commandments are to love God and love your neighbor. All of life is about relationships. I like to think of it like a triangle:
UP: relationship to God
IN: relationship to one another (the church)
OUT: relationship to the world
I’ve been at First Alliance Church for less than a year. I have made a conscious decision to spend this first year listening, learning, and making as few major decisions as possible. People have asked me what my vision is for our church and I’ve said
- a. It’s not about my vision, it’s about God’s vision. Jesus is our Senior Pastor
- b. I need to know where we are before I can imagine a destination
Therefore, what I’m about to say is preliminary. This is my sense of what Jesus is saying to First Alliance Church. This is not “thus saith the LORD” and is not to be taken as scripture. Would you like to hear it?
“To the angel of the church in Toledo write:
These are the words of the Son of God, who has a throne in front of what looks like a sea of glass.
Did you catch that, Glass City?!
I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance. I know you love Me. You are faithful in worship, generous with your money, and eager to serve. You eat together (as evidenced at last week’s picnic) and fellowship together on Sundays and in small groups. Your UP and IN relationships are commendable.
Nevertheless, I have this against you: Your passion for the lost is weak. Sure, some of you reach OUT, but you went two years without a baptism and there are those right outside your doors desperate for salvation, hope, and healing. Go and make disciples!
Allow me to elaborate.
UP: relationship to God
I believe our church truly loves God. Many of you have been faithfully attending on Sunday mornings for years, even decades. For more than twelve decades we have been worshipping in UpTown Toledo, praying, giving financially, and committed to the Word of God.
One part of our church’s story is the creative arts. God is an artist and we were created in His image. We have had choirs, orchestras, handbells, and bands along with drama, musicals, and even this building which I believe is a work of art. We are geographically on the Avenue of the Arts next to one of the nation’s greatest art museums just blocks for dozens of art galleries. For years we have even trained future artists at our summer arts camp. I’m excited to announce today a new addition to our team to help enhance our worship. Charlie Flack has been hired as our Creative Arts Consultant. His part-time role will include mentoring Hayden Bewley, our outstanding young worship intern, and developing other artistic ministries such as tech and video. Our elders initiated the idea earlier this month after Charlie blessed us as a guest worship leader and we are thrilled to welcome him.
I might add we have a growing staff, though only two of us—Josh and myself—are full-time. God has blessed us with an incredible staff whose job is NOT to do the ministry, but rather to equip the saints (that’s you!) for the ministry.
IN: relationship to one another (the church)
Our church loves one another. Truly! One of my four prayers for us is unity and I’ve experienced a sense of oneness during my months here. Heather and I deeply love being a part of this family…and if you’re new around here, welcome! I might add these gatherings are vital, but the real connections occur in groups: Sunday School, Bible studies, and small groups. If you’re not in one, you’re missing out on possibly the richest dimension of First Alliance. There’s a list of groups at the Information Center in the lobby.
By the way, I love our groups. I love when they relate UP to God. I love when they relate IN to one another. Today I want to challenge every group to do some kind of OUT activity. Throw a party, serve at Cherry Street Mission, set up a prayer booth,…do anything that will help you build relationships with the unchurched. Do it once a month, once a quarter…once a year!
Which leads us to
OUT: relationship to the world
Making disciples ideally begins in the home, but today in our city so many are growing up with no understanding of God and His love. Our church has chosen to be in the city of Toledo, even when others fled to the suburbs. We are uniquely positioned in UpTown to reach out to not only the underprivileged but also the up-and-coming artists and young professionals who will become our neighbors over the next few years. Would you like a sneak preview of what’s ahead?
THE NEXT GENERATION
Sue Trumbull is an exception leader leading an exceptional team of people committed to children’s ministry. Each Sunday they love kids during Sunday School and the worship hour. They produce special events. They have Wednesday night programs for students. And then there’s sports and arts camp.
For months people told me about sports and arts camp…and then I experienced it. Wow! It was so exciting to see dozens of kids from the neighborhood exposed to faith, hope and love. It may have been the best week of the year for me.
But then I began to think about the 51 weeks until next summer’s camp. So many of the seeds scattered will surely be snatched up or choked by the weeds and rocks of this world. What can we do to build lasting relationships with these precious children?
I’m glad you asked! First, the After School Klub (ASK) starts up again in October serving many of these kids two days a week. That’s great! I praise God for everyone involved in Toledo Urban Impact and the After School Klub.
Recently Charles Carter has had a burden to get these kids here on Sunday mornings. Imagine what a difference it would be to go from one week to 52 Sundays a year. We need two things to make this happen: more children’s ministry workers and van drivers to pick up the kids. Is God calling you to invest in the next generation? They need you!
We are also in conversations with the local YMCA about ways we can expand our partnership. They assist with sports and arts camp but we could do so much more for these kids if we work together.
Perhaps the most exciting development is Keep Watch: Praying for the Hearts of Our Children. I don’t know how this is even possible in our day of political correctness, but we’ve been invited to pray in and through Rosa Parks School on Cherry Street once a week. This pre-school through grade eight school has 250 students who test in the lowest 5% of all students in Ohio. The principal, Ms. Richburg, is asking for us to adopt her school, read to students, encourage teachers, and pray…pray in the school! This seems like an incredible opportunity for us, an opportunity that could close in the future if TPS staffing changes.
Imagine if we had weekly—even semi-weekly—influence on the lives of children in our city? It could literally change our city. Studies show kids are far more likely to follow Jesus than unchurched adults. We have a unique invitation to build relationships with those outside our church family, extending God’s love and hospitality.
CLARO
Speaking of relationships and hospitality, we have been working hard to enhance our hospitality—welcoming the stranger, the guest, the newcomer—on Sunday mornings. However, long before I arrived at First Alliance a group of people realized no matter how dynamic our gatherings in this building, many in Toledo will never walk through our doors. We need to go to them. In fact, Jesus said
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
He said go! He didn’t say, “Ring the bell and watch everyone come to church.” He said to go under his authority into the world and make disciples.
After some considerable, unavoidable delays, we are weeks—maybe days—from opening CLARO Coffee Bar, our new hospitality ministry in UpTown at Adams and 18th. Many have asked how we intend on using this space for ministry and the answer is simple: relationships. We are intentionally creating space for spiritual conversations. This means listening, learning, and loving. Christians are, unfortunately, known for monologue rather than dialog. Whether it’s fair or not, many picture a guy with a megaphone rather than someone truly concerned for their welfare.
CLARO will be serving amazing coffee and tea. It will be staffed by caring, friendly baristas seeking to develop friendships with guests, not just taking orders from customers. Tables will be open for you to engage with people, listening to their story, and sharing yours. I heard someone talking about putting tracts or leaflets in the bathroom and my first thought was to use them in dialog with a person, not monolog on a sink. We want people building relationships with us, not a toilet!
Research indicates the longer someone is a follower of Jesus, the fewer unchurched friends they have, which makes sense on one hand but is unfortunate. We are to be salt and light in our dark world. We must always be prepared to give a reason for the hope we have in Jesus…but it begins with relationships.
How many unchurched people do you know? How many of your neighbors can you name? When is the last time you had a meal with a non-Christian?
OUT need not be scary or painful. Buy someone a cup of coffee. Go to Rosa Parks school and pray. Throw a Labor Day party and invite your neighbors. Join a local parks and rec team. Become a conversation partner with an international student through Water for Ishmael. Serve with Cherry Street Mission or Toledo Gospel Rescue Mission.
I’ll make this extremely simple: pray, invite, and listen. Pray for your unchurched friends—or pray FOR unchurched friends—and invite them over for a meal or out for a cup of coffee. And listen. Don’t make them your project. Don’t preach to them. Just love them like a human being. Have fun with them. Be a friend to them. Ask them about their spiritual journey.
If and when it seems appropriate, invite them to the Alpha Course…or Sunday morning here. This fall we’re doing a six week series entitled, “What happens when you die?” It’s about heaven. We’ll talk about hell, too, but people are fascinated with heaven. Movies have been made about it. Best-selling books talk about it. We all have questions about it, but we’re going to look at what the Bible actually says (and doesn’t say) about heaven. But it all begins with conversations, with friendships, with intentionally reaching OUT.
Conclusion
Months ago I sensed God saying two words to me regarding our church: Get Ready. We are equipping leaders, building our staff, and preparing for a great harvest. The cobwebs are off the baptistery and I hope we fill it often. God is blessing us with incredible opportunities to connect with children and our UpTown neighbors. Get ready, church. Get on your knees. Pray and invite…and make disciples for the glory of God.
Laodicea: Lukewarm, 21 August 2016
22 08 16
Laodicea: Lukewarm
7 Letters: Revelation 2-3
Revelation 3:14-22
Series Overview
Revelation is the Gospel according to Jesus. In chapters two and three, he speaks to seven churches, offering both correction and encouragement. Each is relevant to our church today.
Big Idea
The Laodicean church was lukewarm…which made Jesus sick!
Laodicea
We are nearing the end of our series on the seven churches in the book of Revelation. Jesus sent letters to some of the first Christian communities, all located in modern-day Turkey. We have examined…
Today we look at the church in Laodicea.
Before looking at our text, you must understand a few things about Laodicea.
It’s important to understand its geography. Southeast of the city was Colosse. It had great water. In fact, it had cold, Alpine-quality water from Mount Cadmus. To the north is Hierapolis. Heather and I spent some time in this area which looks snow-covered but, in fact, it is merely mineral deposits. Hierapolis also contains wonderful hot springs that are still enjoyed today.
Since the Laodicea lacked good water, aqueducts were built to bring water several miles to the city.
Revelation 3:14-22
“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. (Revelation 3:14)
This is the only time in the Bible “Amen” is a proper name, the name of Jesus. The word “amen” means “so be it.” Jesus is the Amen. He has the last word. He alone will reveal all and tell all as the faithful and true witness.
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! (Revelation 3:15)
Jesus commends many of the other churches for their good works, but not Laodicea. I used to hear people say this means our faith should be cold or hot. We should be really bad or really good. We should serve satan or serve God. But why would Jesus say he wants people to serve satan? The people of Laodicea understood the refreshment of cold water from Colosse. They loved the hot springs in Hierapolis. But the water they received in their city was neither. The cold water became warm as it moved through the aqueduct and the hot water cooled. When I order a drink at Starbucks I either order it hot or cold. Do you like lukewarm coffee or tea?
So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:16)
Jesus is trash-talking. Literally. He’s saying their actions are pathetic. They are sickening. This NIV translation of the Greek is rather tame. Jesus is saying this church makes him want to throw up! Eugene Peterson’s translation, The Message, says
You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit. (Revelation 3:16, The Message)
This is not encouragement! And he’s not done!
You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. (Revelation 3:17)
They are delusional! They’re clueless! They’re pitiful. They are known for healing the eyes yet they’re blind. They are known for their fashion and special wool yet like the emperor with no clothes, they don’t even know they’re naked!
They are not self-aware! Jesus offers a solution, though.
I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. (Revelation 3:18)
He doesn’t walk away, he offers to provide for them…if they turn back to him.
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. (Revelation 3:19)
He loves them and, therefore, he is rebuking and disciplining them. He doesn’t abandon them. Instead he urges them to repent, to turn around, to do a 180. Repent is to change. It’s to go in the opposite. Jesus is saying, “Come back! You’ve walked away from me but I’m still here. I still love you. Return home!”
Jesus continues with one of the most famous verses in the Bible.
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. (Revelation 3:20)
He’s saying, “I’m here. I want to enter your world, but I’m not going to break in. I’m not going to force myself upon you. No pressure. But I’m here. I have so much to offer you. I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. Will you let me in?”
Notice he doesn’t just say he wants to come in. He wants to join them at the table. He wants to eat with them. In the culture, eating with another person was a big deal. You didn’t just grab fast food. Meals took hours to enjoy. Eating together was a sign of friendship, in some instances a deep commitment. It declared a special relationship (which explains why Jesus got into so much trouble for eating with sinners). He doesn’t want to just share a meal. He wants to share a life.
This letter was written not to an individual but to a church. Some have suggested Jesus had been shut out of the church of Laodicea, out of their fellowship. Perhaps they had abandoned his teachings and example. Like many churches today that have Jesus in their name, perhaps Jesus wasn’t alive inside, the center of their worship, their savior, and their Lord.
To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 3:21-22)
Jesus goes even further, expressing his deep love and commitment to those who would follow him.
So What?
I think the message to us is obvious. Jesus wants us passionate. He wants us to be devoted to him. He wants us on fire to burn brightly, to be like hot, healing springs in a spa or refreshing like a cold drink in the middle of a hot summer day. Most of all, he wants to be in our church. He wants to be at our table. He wants to do life with us, not just on Sunday mornings but 24/7/365.
Jesus didn’t come to start a religion. He came to offer us life…every day!
What would Jesus say to First Alliance Church? What would he say to you? Are you passionate for Jesus? He is passionate for you. He gave everything he had—his very life—for you! He wants nothing less than total surrender, not because he needs you or wants to manipulate you, but because he loves you and his plans and purposes are far greater than anything you could ever imagine. He wants to be savior, yes, but also Lord. Master. King.
I think his message to Laodicea was this: surrender it all. Not just Sunday mornings. Not just when there’s extra change in your pocket when the offering plate is passed. Not just when it’s popular, comfortable, and convenient. Jesus wants it all. He wants you to be all-in. He wants your life to be refreshing like cold water. He wants it to be a source of life and healing like hot springs. Are you fully surrendered to Jesus?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
7 Letters: Revelation 2-3
Revelation 3:14-22
Series Overview
Revelation is the Gospel according to Jesus. In chapters two and three, he speaks to seven churches, offering both correction and encouragement. Each is relevant to our church today.
Big Idea
The Laodicean church was lukewarm…which made Jesus sick!
Laodicea
We are nearing the end of our series on the seven churches in the book of Revelation. Jesus sent letters to some of the first Christian communities, all located in modern-day Turkey. We have examined…
- - Ephesus (First Love)
- - Smyrna (Persecution)
- - Pergamum (False Teaching)
- - Thyatira (Sexual Sin)
- - Sardis (Wake Up)
- - Philadelphia (Faithful)
Today we look at the church in Laodicea.
Before looking at our text, you must understand a few things about Laodicea.
- 1. It was the region’s banking center. It had gold in abundance.
- 2. It had a fine medical school, specializing in ophthalmology, eye-healing
- 3. It was known for its fashion, particularly clothes made from Laodicean wool
- 4. It had bad water. The river Lycus was not strong and often dried up. The city seemed to have everything except that vital liquid H2O.
It’s important to understand its geography. Southeast of the city was Colosse. It had great water. In fact, it had cold, Alpine-quality water from Mount Cadmus. To the north is Hierapolis. Heather and I spent some time in this area which looks snow-covered but, in fact, it is merely mineral deposits. Hierapolis also contains wonderful hot springs that are still enjoyed today.
Since the Laodicea lacked good water, aqueducts were built to bring water several miles to the city.
Revelation 3:14-22
“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. (Revelation 3:14)
This is the only time in the Bible “Amen” is a proper name, the name of Jesus. The word “amen” means “so be it.” Jesus is the Amen. He has the last word. He alone will reveal all and tell all as the faithful and true witness.
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! (Revelation 3:15)
Jesus commends many of the other churches for their good works, but not Laodicea. I used to hear people say this means our faith should be cold or hot. We should be really bad or really good. We should serve satan or serve God. But why would Jesus say he wants people to serve satan? The people of Laodicea understood the refreshment of cold water from Colosse. They loved the hot springs in Hierapolis. But the water they received in their city was neither. The cold water became warm as it moved through the aqueduct and the hot water cooled. When I order a drink at Starbucks I either order it hot or cold. Do you like lukewarm coffee or tea?
So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:16)
Jesus is trash-talking. Literally. He’s saying their actions are pathetic. They are sickening. This NIV translation of the Greek is rather tame. Jesus is saying this church makes him want to throw up! Eugene Peterson’s translation, The Message, says
You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit. (Revelation 3:16, The Message)
This is not encouragement! And he’s not done!
You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. (Revelation 3:17)
They are delusional! They’re clueless! They’re pitiful. They are known for healing the eyes yet they’re blind. They are known for their fashion and special wool yet like the emperor with no clothes, they don’t even know they’re naked!
They are not self-aware! Jesus offers a solution, though.
I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. (Revelation 3:18)
He doesn’t walk away, he offers to provide for them…if they turn back to him.
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. (Revelation 3:19)
He loves them and, therefore, he is rebuking and disciplining them. He doesn’t abandon them. Instead he urges them to repent, to turn around, to do a 180. Repent is to change. It’s to go in the opposite. Jesus is saying, “Come back! You’ve walked away from me but I’m still here. I still love you. Return home!”
Jesus continues with one of the most famous verses in the Bible.
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. (Revelation 3:20)
He’s saying, “I’m here. I want to enter your world, but I’m not going to break in. I’m not going to force myself upon you. No pressure. But I’m here. I have so much to offer you. I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. Will you let me in?”
Notice he doesn’t just say he wants to come in. He wants to join them at the table. He wants to eat with them. In the culture, eating with another person was a big deal. You didn’t just grab fast food. Meals took hours to enjoy. Eating together was a sign of friendship, in some instances a deep commitment. It declared a special relationship (which explains why Jesus got into so much trouble for eating with sinners). He doesn’t want to just share a meal. He wants to share a life.
This letter was written not to an individual but to a church. Some have suggested Jesus had been shut out of the church of Laodicea, out of their fellowship. Perhaps they had abandoned his teachings and example. Like many churches today that have Jesus in their name, perhaps Jesus wasn’t alive inside, the center of their worship, their savior, and their Lord.
To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 3:21-22)
Jesus goes even further, expressing his deep love and commitment to those who would follow him.
So What?
I think the message to us is obvious. Jesus wants us passionate. He wants us to be devoted to him. He wants us on fire to burn brightly, to be like hot, healing springs in a spa or refreshing like a cold drink in the middle of a hot summer day. Most of all, he wants to be in our church. He wants to be at our table. He wants to do life with us, not just on Sunday mornings but 24/7/365.
Jesus didn’t come to start a religion. He came to offer us life…every day!
What would Jesus say to First Alliance Church? What would he say to you? Are you passionate for Jesus? He is passionate for you. He gave everything he had—his very life—for you! He wants nothing less than total surrender, not because he needs you or wants to manipulate you, but because he loves you and his plans and purposes are far greater than anything you could ever imagine. He wants to be savior, yes, but also Lord. Master. King.
I think his message to Laodicea was this: surrender it all. Not just Sunday mornings. Not just when there’s extra change in your pocket when the offering plate is passed. Not just when it’s popular, comfortable, and convenient. Jesus wants it all. He wants you to be all-in. He wants your life to be refreshing like cold water. He wants it to be a source of life and healing like hot springs. Are you fully surrendered to Jesus?
Sardis: Wake Up! 31 July 2016
28 07 16
Sardis: Wake Up!
7 Letters: Revelation 2-3
Revelation 3:1-6
Series Overview
Revelation is the Gospel according to Jesus. In chapters two and three, he speaks to seven churches, offering both correction and encouragement. Each is relevant to our church today.
Big Idea
A church can do good things yet remain dead without the Holy Spirit.
Introduction
Like many of you, I found the last book of the Bible to be confusing, weird, and even a bit scary. We are not doing a series on the entire book (perhaps we’ll talk about wings and beasts and 666 in the future) but we are going to look at the Gospel according to Jesus. Perhaps that’s a new phrase to you. Perhaps you know of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Jesus also wrote a book of the Bible, or at least he spoke much of it. If you have a Bible with the words of Jesus in red, you’ll notice chapters 2 and 3 are all red, all words of Jesus. The book begins:
The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:1-2)
Revelation is not about the antichrist (a term which does not appear in the book of Revelation), but about the living Christ. It is not about a rapture out of this world (the word “rapture” is not found in Revelation, either) but about faithful discipleship in this world. As it says, this is the revelation from Jesus. We read Revelation to know Jesus better. It reveals Christ.
There is some dispute about whether this John is the son of Zebedee, the apostle who wrote the gospel of John and 1, 2, and 3 John or a different person. What matters is not the recipient so much as the sender, the revelator, Jesus Christ.
The book of Revelation was written around A.D. 95 when Christians were entering a time of persecution. Emperor worship was growing so anyone who held that Jesus, not Caesar, was Lord was subject to hostility. Needless to say, following Jesus was not politically correct.
Chapter 1 describes a scene where John encounters Jesus.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
“Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. (Revelation 1:17-20)
Revelation is filled with fantastical symbolism. In this instance, it is clear. The stars are angels of the churches. The lampstands are the churches, the people. Our series is focusing on these seven churches.
We have looked at Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, and Thyatira. We have come now to Sardis. Sardis was the capital of the province of Lydia. It was noted for its wealth. In fact, it is here that the first coins in the world were minted!
After decades of archaeological digs, there have been three primary discoveries: the Romans road, a synagogue, and a gymnasium. One of the great things about our faith is it’s rooted in history. The Bible is filled with accounts of actual people, event, and places. I’ve visited many of the places, including Sardis.
Sardis has been around for more than 3000 years! It flourished between the 7th century BD and the 7th century AD. A stream contained alluvial gold which made the Lydians—natives of Sardis—the most powerful and wealthy people in Anatolia (also known as Asia Minor or modern day Turkey). As you can imagine, power and wealth led the people in Sardis to love luxury, comfort, convenience…and moral decadence. Sound familiar?
The church at Sardis had a reputation of being alive and yet—like so many churches today—it was dead and in need of the Holy Spirit.
“To the angel of the church in Sardis write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. (Revelation 3:1)
Jesus holds the seven stars—churches— and the Spirit of God sent to them. Rather than begin with encouragement, he dives right into his concern. They are dead! They need the spirit of God. Only the Holy Spirit can help us come alive.
The Holy Spirit is the most underrated Person in the Trinity. The Father sent the Son, Jesus, to live on our planet about 2000 years ago. God “moved into the neighborhood and dwelt among us.” He told his disciples
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)
They must’ve thought Jesus was crazy! It’s good that you leave us, Jesus? Yes! The presence of God was contained in one person but at Pentecost in Acts 2 the Holy Spirit arrives, dwelling in every believer. God is distributed! When a person is filled with the Holy Spirit they are given gifts and fruit. Gifts include prophecy, serving, teaching, giving, leadership, mercy, prophecy, tongues, interpretation of tongues, healing, and administration (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4:11, 1 Peter 4:11).
…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23a)
We desperately need the Holy Spirit! The Sardis church did, too. I’m fascinated with their reputation for being alive, yet actually dead. Perhaps they were like a façade.
Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. (Revelation 3:2)
He’s trying to wake up the dead! They have deeds but they’re unfinished. They seem to think everything’s fine, yet Jesus says they are in trouble.
Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. (Revelation 3:3)
This is a word of warning. They are to obey and repent. Now!
Repent. This means to make a u-turn. Confess is when we admit wrong but repentance requires change—180 degree change. This means both moving away from sins you commit and moving away from apathy to action. I said last week there are sins of commission—things we do—and sins of omission—things we don’t do.
I pray four things for First Alliance: unity, direction, protection, and passion. I pray we would be awake, alive, and passionately loving God and loving others.
On a side note, Sardis was on the top of a mountain. It had only one entrance…on the south side. On two occasions the guard went to sleep and the city was invaded! Jesus wants them to be alert, awake, and ready for the return of Christ.
Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. (Revelation 3:4)
I love this language! But what does this mean? A few remained holy, undefiled by the pagan culture. The church was not completely dead. There is usually a remnant true to God even among compromised churches. White is symbolic of purity and holiness and we often associate it with angels and heavenly beings. Although the church is a community, God recognizes those faithful to Him even amongst dying churches.
I have a friend who has been active in a church that is drifting from God. They are compromising their beliefs and following the world more than the Word. He told me he’s wrestling with whether or not to simply leave or stay and try to guide them back to God.
The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. (Revelation 3:5)
Jesus is victorious. He will be dressed in white along with the faithful, the obedient, the true believers, a reiteration of verse 4. What great news for those enduring a compromised church! To summarize
1. They will walk with Jesus dressed in white.
2. Their names will never be blotted out from the book of life. Never.
In the first century those living in a city were listed in a registry. When they died, their name was erased. Those followers of Jesus will never have their names erased!
3. Their names will be acknowledged before God the Father and His angels.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Revelation 3:6)
The Holy Spirit is calling all who will listen to repent and obey. He calls the dead to life. He calls the sleeping to arise.
So What?
Are you filled with the Holy Spirit? It begins with confession and surrender to God. Then we are to repent and obey, turn from sin and pursue the way of Jesus with our heart, soul, mind and strength. We are to worship him with our time, talent, and treasures. We are to glorify him with our bodies, our sexuality, our attitudes, our thoughts, and our deeds. It seems so simple yet I need to be reminded every day to get off the throne of my life and let God be God.
Invitation: if you’ve never surrendered your life to God know that three things happen:
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
7 Letters: Revelation 2-3
Revelation 3:1-6
Series Overview
Revelation is the Gospel according to Jesus. In chapters two and three, he speaks to seven churches, offering both correction and encouragement. Each is relevant to our church today.
Big Idea
A church can do good things yet remain dead without the Holy Spirit.
Introduction
Like many of you, I found the last book of the Bible to be confusing, weird, and even a bit scary. We are not doing a series on the entire book (perhaps we’ll talk about wings and beasts and 666 in the future) but we are going to look at the Gospel according to Jesus. Perhaps that’s a new phrase to you. Perhaps you know of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Jesus also wrote a book of the Bible, or at least he spoke much of it. If you have a Bible with the words of Jesus in red, you’ll notice chapters 2 and 3 are all red, all words of Jesus. The book begins:
The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:1-2)
Revelation is not about the antichrist (a term which does not appear in the book of Revelation), but about the living Christ. It is not about a rapture out of this world (the word “rapture” is not found in Revelation, either) but about faithful discipleship in this world. As it says, this is the revelation from Jesus. We read Revelation to know Jesus better. It reveals Christ.
There is some dispute about whether this John is the son of Zebedee, the apostle who wrote the gospel of John and 1, 2, and 3 John or a different person. What matters is not the recipient so much as the sender, the revelator, Jesus Christ.
The book of Revelation was written around A.D. 95 when Christians were entering a time of persecution. Emperor worship was growing so anyone who held that Jesus, not Caesar, was Lord was subject to hostility. Needless to say, following Jesus was not politically correct.
Chapter 1 describes a scene where John encounters Jesus.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
“Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. (Revelation 1:17-20)
Revelation is filled with fantastical symbolism. In this instance, it is clear. The stars are angels of the churches. The lampstands are the churches, the people. Our series is focusing on these seven churches.
We have looked at Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, and Thyatira. We have come now to Sardis. Sardis was the capital of the province of Lydia. It was noted for its wealth. In fact, it is here that the first coins in the world were minted!
After decades of archaeological digs, there have been three primary discoveries: the Romans road, a synagogue, and a gymnasium. One of the great things about our faith is it’s rooted in history. The Bible is filled with accounts of actual people, event, and places. I’ve visited many of the places, including Sardis.
Sardis has been around for more than 3000 years! It flourished between the 7th century BD and the 7th century AD. A stream contained alluvial gold which made the Lydians—natives of Sardis—the most powerful and wealthy people in Anatolia (also known as Asia Minor or modern day Turkey). As you can imagine, power and wealth led the people in Sardis to love luxury, comfort, convenience…and moral decadence. Sound familiar?
The church at Sardis had a reputation of being alive and yet—like so many churches today—it was dead and in need of the Holy Spirit.
“To the angel of the church in Sardis write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. (Revelation 3:1)
Jesus holds the seven stars—churches— and the Spirit of God sent to them. Rather than begin with encouragement, he dives right into his concern. They are dead! They need the spirit of God. Only the Holy Spirit can help us come alive.
The Holy Spirit is the most underrated Person in the Trinity. The Father sent the Son, Jesus, to live on our planet about 2000 years ago. God “moved into the neighborhood and dwelt among us.” He told his disciples
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)
They must’ve thought Jesus was crazy! It’s good that you leave us, Jesus? Yes! The presence of God was contained in one person but at Pentecost in Acts 2 the Holy Spirit arrives, dwelling in every believer. God is distributed! When a person is filled with the Holy Spirit they are given gifts and fruit. Gifts include prophecy, serving, teaching, giving, leadership, mercy, prophecy, tongues, interpretation of tongues, healing, and administration (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4:11, 1 Peter 4:11).
…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23a)
We desperately need the Holy Spirit! The Sardis church did, too. I’m fascinated with their reputation for being alive, yet actually dead. Perhaps they were like a façade.
Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. (Revelation 3:2)
He’s trying to wake up the dead! They have deeds but they’re unfinished. They seem to think everything’s fine, yet Jesus says they are in trouble.
Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. (Revelation 3:3)
This is a word of warning. They are to obey and repent. Now!
Repent. This means to make a u-turn. Confess is when we admit wrong but repentance requires change—180 degree change. This means both moving away from sins you commit and moving away from apathy to action. I said last week there are sins of commission—things we do—and sins of omission—things we don’t do.
I pray four things for First Alliance: unity, direction, protection, and passion. I pray we would be awake, alive, and passionately loving God and loving others.
On a side note, Sardis was on the top of a mountain. It had only one entrance…on the south side. On two occasions the guard went to sleep and the city was invaded! Jesus wants them to be alert, awake, and ready for the return of Christ.
Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. (Revelation 3:4)
I love this language! But what does this mean? A few remained holy, undefiled by the pagan culture. The church was not completely dead. There is usually a remnant true to God even among compromised churches. White is symbolic of purity and holiness and we often associate it with angels and heavenly beings. Although the church is a community, God recognizes those faithful to Him even amongst dying churches.
I have a friend who has been active in a church that is drifting from God. They are compromising their beliefs and following the world more than the Word. He told me he’s wrestling with whether or not to simply leave or stay and try to guide them back to God.
The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. (Revelation 3:5)
Jesus is victorious. He will be dressed in white along with the faithful, the obedient, the true believers, a reiteration of verse 4. What great news for those enduring a compromised church! To summarize
1. They will walk with Jesus dressed in white.
2. Their names will never be blotted out from the book of life. Never.
In the first century those living in a city were listed in a registry. When they died, their name was erased. Those followers of Jesus will never have their names erased!
3. Their names will be acknowledged before God the Father and His angels.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Revelation 3:6)
The Holy Spirit is calling all who will listen to repent and obey. He calls the dead to life. He calls the sleeping to arise.
So What?
Are you filled with the Holy Spirit? It begins with confession and surrender to God. Then we are to repent and obey, turn from sin and pursue the way of Jesus with our heart, soul, mind and strength. We are to worship him with our time, talent, and treasures. We are to glorify him with our bodies, our sexuality, our attitudes, our thoughts, and our deeds. It seems so simple yet I need to be reminded every day to get off the throne of my life and let God be God.
Invitation: if you’ve never surrendered your life to God know that three things happen:
- 1. You are reconciled to your heavenly Father despite your sin.
- 2. Jesus’ blood washes you white as snow. Your sins are forgiven.
- 3. The Holy Spirit begins to live inside you, making you increasingly like Jesus.
Thyatira: Sexual Sin, 24 July 2016
24 07 16
Thyatira: Sexual Sin in the Church
7 Letters: Revelation 2-3
Revelation 2:18-29
Series Overview
Revelation is the Gospel according to Jesus. In chapters two and three, he speaks to seven churches, offering both correction and encouragement. Each is relevant to our church today.
Big Idea
Jesus is serious about sexual sin in the church…and holiness.
Introduction
Like many of you, I found the last book of the Bible to be confusing, weird, and even a bit scary. This series is focusing on the messages of Jesus to seven churches in modern-day Turkey. We looked at his words to the churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamum. This week’s church is Thyatira. Thyatira is another inland locale like Pergamum, the least important of the seven cities. It was built for defense and known for its textile and wood industries. It also had trade guilds of artisans who worked in copper and bronze.
There are few ruins today, just one block. Perhaps the most famous person from Thyatira was Lydia, a woman mentioned in Acts 16 as a dealer in purple cloth, a worshiper of God. Other than our text for today and the brief Acts mention there are no other references to Thyatira in the Bible. This does not, however, diminish the importance of Jesus’ message to their church.
Revelation 2
“To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:
These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. (Revelation 2:18)
These words are powerful, holy, and speak of judgment. They also describe feet like burnished bronze, a common element among Thyatira artists. Local coins featured the deity of the bronze trade, Apollo Tyrimnaus.
I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. (Revelation 2:19)
Faith without works is dead. We are saved by faith but good works should result. They are also filled with love, something the church in Ephesus lost. There are actually six things for which Jesus commends the Thyatira church:
Deeds
Love
Faith
Service
Perseverance
Improvement
That’s a great list! They have faith and deeds. They love one another and serve others. They have persevered amidst the hostility of the Roman empire. I love the idea of continuous improvement…of growth…of sanctification. I would love for Jesus to commend us for such things! But…
Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. (Revelation 2:20)
Jezebel may be an actual person or symbolic for the Old Testament woman who brought paganism to the people of God. King Ahab’s wife Jezebel promoted Baal worship (1 Kings 16-21; 2 Kings 9). We’ve been reading in our One Story Bible reading plan about the good and bad kings of Israel and Judah. Some were led astray by people like Jezebel. One common problem then and now is people who claim to speak for God who are actually false prophets. How can we discern the difference?
False prophets were real…and they are still real today. The Thyatira church wandered from the truth. The voice of the world became louder than the voice of God. They pursued happiness rather than holiness, pleasure rather than purity, sin rather than sanctification. Last week we read Jesus’ critique of the Pergamum church:
Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. (Revelation 2:14)
Some there embraced false teaching about sexual immorality and meat sacrificed to idols. Similar language is used in Jesus’ critique of Thyatira.
Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. (Revelation 2:20)
As I mentioned last Sunday, in the Roman empire there were temples for and worship of false gods. People often ate meat sold in the public markets ritually slaughtered and dedicated to these Roman gods. This was not mere nourishment, but often led to sharing in the pagan festivals of the unbelievers of the day, which often included sexual immorality. If you wanted to find a prostitute, the pagan temple area would’ve been a great place to look. Many believed the spirit was all that mattered so the body was unimportant. Our bodies matter, friends. We are to love God with our heart, soul, mind, and body. It’s unpopular to say but our bodies belong to God…and our spouse, if married.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Jezebel led many in the Thyatira church to engage in immoral acts of various times, including the sexual. Jesus says to stay away from pagan practices of all kinds. Jezebel will appear again in Revelation chapters 17-19 as the recipient of great judgment.
Sexual Immorality
Let me be clear: God loves sex. He created it…for a purpose. Several, actually, but always to be in the context of marriage. Our culture is so confused and broken over sexuality. It’s tragic how something so beautiful has become so distorted and the source of so much pain.
When it comes to sex, the world scoffs at the “traditional” view, yet it has worked for thousands of years and is God’s design. In fact, while the world cheapens sex, God’s Word views it as sacred, holy, and special. It’s not that God doesn’t care about sex, it’s that He cares about it so much. That’s why He instructs us to have boundaries, to treat it with respect, and to maintain purity. Here’s just a small sample of the texts dealing with sexual immorality. Let’s start with Jesus’ words:
For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. (Matthew 15:19)
The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. (1 Corinthians 6:13b)
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; (Galatians 5:19)
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. (Colossians 3:5)
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; (1Thessalonians 4:3)
In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. (Jude 7)
Perhaps the most ominous verse is found in Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth:
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. (1 Corinthians 6:18)
Sexual sins have dire—and sometimes deadly—consequences. I wish we had time to fully unpack this subject, but suffice it to say God made you, knows you, and wants what’s best for you. Really. He’s not a killjoy. He’s not about stopping your fun. He wants you to flourish and avoid the heartache of disease, regret, shame, unwanted pregnancy, embarrassment, and guilt by engaging in sexual activity outside of marriage. This includes pornography, lust, infidelity, fornication, and adultery.
Temptation
What tempts you? Most—if not all of us—are tempted in the area of our sexuality. Are there ways to avoid it? Jesus taught us to pray
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’ (Matthew 6:13)
Prayer is one way to avoid temptation, but often other actions are required. Temptation is NOT sin. We only sin when we inappropriately respond to temptation. Jesus was tempted. The book of Hebrews contains one of my favorite verses:
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
Some people feel guilty when tempted. It’s only when we sin that we should feel guilty, confess, repent—which means to turn 180 degrees—receive the forgiveness Jesus offers us through His death on the cross, and follow Christ. If you hear nothing else today, know that God forgives. No matter what you’ve done, how you’ve sinned, you can receive forgiveness by surrendering your life to Jesus Christ, making him your Savior and Lord.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
Hallelujah!
Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. (Revelation 2:20-23)
Jesus says he will cast Jezebel on a bed of suffering, perhaps a double entendre since she used her bed immorally. Sin leads to suffering and often even death. But we can repent. We can turn away from our sins. We can change…with the help of God and others. You can’t do it alone, though. Don't buy into one of the lies of the enemy that you can be holy without help.
This past week I had two front-row seats to see the pain of sin and the hope of healing. The first was at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting I attended with my daughter Rachel…for her class at the University of Toledo. We heard stories of anguish and brokenness…amidst a devoted group of people present to support and encourage.
On Friday afternoon I was with two different groups at the Cherry Street Mission Life Revitalization Center. Both were filled with people who hit bottom and finally recognized their need for help. The work at Cherry Street was so exciting to see first-hand as men and women are truly becoming revitalized one day at a time.
Perhaps today you need to repent. First you need to confess and agree with God you have sinned. That’s the easy part. The hard part is doing the hard work of change. That’s where the church is so valuable. You can’t do it alone. You need friends, a small group, a Bible study, a Sunday School class. It all begins with that first step of agree with God that you have sinned and sharing it with someone else.
The good news: there’s no perfect people allowed here so anyone you tell will have their own sins to confess.
The better news: our sins can be forgiven because of Jesus’ death on the cross.
Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’ (Revelation 2:24-25)
Satan may have secrets but God’s truth is revealed openly through His Word and the Holy Spirit. The church was short-lived.
To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’ —just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give that one the morning star. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Revelation 2:26-29)
In a passage filled with bad news for the sinners, there’s encouragement for the saints, those who obey. The works of Jesus are contrasted with the works of Jezebel. The faithful will be given authority. They will be given the morning star, the hope of the Church. Here the morning star is likely the planet Venus at its pre-dawn brightest, a sign of the dawning of the day when Jesus rules and reigns forever. Jesus’ birth was announced by a star, a symbol of authority and royalty, and this description has echoes of Psalm 2. The great reward is Jesus Himself.
The Church is to be holy, heaven’s representative, God’s holy people. We cannot tolerate sin of any kind, especially sexual sins which can harm us with devastating consequences.
Paul wrote this to the church in Ephesus:
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. (Ephesians 5:3)
The word “holy” means devoted to God, special, separate from common usage. It means to be devoted to God and therefore separate from evil, satan, and sin.
Theologian Scot McKnight says, ““Holiness is the inevitable outcome of a person who loves God heart, soul, mind and strength. Holiness is whatever is an inevitable outcome of a person who loves his or her neighbor as themselves.”
The people of God are to look different, act different, be different than the world. Every day we choose to follow God or follow our own selfish, worldly desires. It’s hard. It’s a battle. But following God is always worth it.
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
7 Letters: Revelation 2-3
Revelation 2:18-29
Series Overview
Revelation is the Gospel according to Jesus. In chapters two and three, he speaks to seven churches, offering both correction and encouragement. Each is relevant to our church today.
Big Idea
Jesus is serious about sexual sin in the church…and holiness.
Introduction
Like many of you, I found the last book of the Bible to be confusing, weird, and even a bit scary. This series is focusing on the messages of Jesus to seven churches in modern-day Turkey. We looked at his words to the churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamum. This week’s church is Thyatira. Thyatira is another inland locale like Pergamum, the least important of the seven cities. It was built for defense and known for its textile and wood industries. It also had trade guilds of artisans who worked in copper and bronze.
There are few ruins today, just one block. Perhaps the most famous person from Thyatira was Lydia, a woman mentioned in Acts 16 as a dealer in purple cloth, a worshiper of God. Other than our text for today and the brief Acts mention there are no other references to Thyatira in the Bible. This does not, however, diminish the importance of Jesus’ message to their church.
Revelation 2
“To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:
These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. (Revelation 2:18)
These words are powerful, holy, and speak of judgment. They also describe feet like burnished bronze, a common element among Thyatira artists. Local coins featured the deity of the bronze trade, Apollo Tyrimnaus.
I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. (Revelation 2:19)
Faith without works is dead. We are saved by faith but good works should result. They are also filled with love, something the church in Ephesus lost. There are actually six things for which Jesus commends the Thyatira church:
Deeds
Love
Faith
Service
Perseverance
Improvement
That’s a great list! They have faith and deeds. They love one another and serve others. They have persevered amidst the hostility of the Roman empire. I love the idea of continuous improvement…of growth…of sanctification. I would love for Jesus to commend us for such things! But…
Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. (Revelation 2:20)
Jezebel may be an actual person or symbolic for the Old Testament woman who brought paganism to the people of God. King Ahab’s wife Jezebel promoted Baal worship (1 Kings 16-21; 2 Kings 9). We’ve been reading in our One Story Bible reading plan about the good and bad kings of Israel and Judah. Some were led astray by people like Jezebel. One common problem then and now is people who claim to speak for God who are actually false prophets. How can we discern the difference?
- - Pray for wisdom
- - Compare with scripture
- - Consult with elders and church leaders
- - Look at their track record/fruit
False prophets were real…and they are still real today. The Thyatira church wandered from the truth. The voice of the world became louder than the voice of God. They pursued happiness rather than holiness, pleasure rather than purity, sin rather than sanctification. Last week we read Jesus’ critique of the Pergamum church:
Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. (Revelation 2:14)
Some there embraced false teaching about sexual immorality and meat sacrificed to idols. Similar language is used in Jesus’ critique of Thyatira.
Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. (Revelation 2:20)
As I mentioned last Sunday, in the Roman empire there were temples for and worship of false gods. People often ate meat sold in the public markets ritually slaughtered and dedicated to these Roman gods. This was not mere nourishment, but often led to sharing in the pagan festivals of the unbelievers of the day, which often included sexual immorality. If you wanted to find a prostitute, the pagan temple area would’ve been a great place to look. Many believed the spirit was all that mattered so the body was unimportant. Our bodies matter, friends. We are to love God with our heart, soul, mind, and body. It’s unpopular to say but our bodies belong to God…and our spouse, if married.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Jezebel led many in the Thyatira church to engage in immoral acts of various times, including the sexual. Jesus says to stay away from pagan practices of all kinds. Jezebel will appear again in Revelation chapters 17-19 as the recipient of great judgment.
Sexual Immorality
Let me be clear: God loves sex. He created it…for a purpose. Several, actually, but always to be in the context of marriage. Our culture is so confused and broken over sexuality. It’s tragic how something so beautiful has become so distorted and the source of so much pain.
When it comes to sex, the world scoffs at the “traditional” view, yet it has worked for thousands of years and is God’s design. In fact, while the world cheapens sex, God’s Word views it as sacred, holy, and special. It’s not that God doesn’t care about sex, it’s that He cares about it so much. That’s why He instructs us to have boundaries, to treat it with respect, and to maintain purity. Here’s just a small sample of the texts dealing with sexual immorality. Let’s start with Jesus’ words:
For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. (Matthew 15:19)
The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. (1 Corinthians 6:13b)
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; (Galatians 5:19)
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. (Colossians 3:5)
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; (1Thessalonians 4:3)
In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. (Jude 7)
Perhaps the most ominous verse is found in Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth:
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. (1 Corinthians 6:18)
Sexual sins have dire—and sometimes deadly—consequences. I wish we had time to fully unpack this subject, but suffice it to say God made you, knows you, and wants what’s best for you. Really. He’s not a killjoy. He’s not about stopping your fun. He wants you to flourish and avoid the heartache of disease, regret, shame, unwanted pregnancy, embarrassment, and guilt by engaging in sexual activity outside of marriage. This includes pornography, lust, infidelity, fornication, and adultery.
Temptation
What tempts you? Most—if not all of us—are tempted in the area of our sexuality. Are there ways to avoid it? Jesus taught us to pray
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’ (Matthew 6:13)
Prayer is one way to avoid temptation, but often other actions are required. Temptation is NOT sin. We only sin when we inappropriately respond to temptation. Jesus was tempted. The book of Hebrews contains one of my favorite verses:
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
Some people feel guilty when tempted. It’s only when we sin that we should feel guilty, confess, repent—which means to turn 180 degrees—receive the forgiveness Jesus offers us through His death on the cross, and follow Christ. If you hear nothing else today, know that God forgives. No matter what you’ve done, how you’ve sinned, you can receive forgiveness by surrendering your life to Jesus Christ, making him your Savior and Lord.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
Hallelujah!
Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. (Revelation 2:20-23)
Jesus says he will cast Jezebel on a bed of suffering, perhaps a double entendre since she used her bed immorally. Sin leads to suffering and often even death. But we can repent. We can turn away from our sins. We can change…with the help of God and others. You can’t do it alone, though. Don't buy into one of the lies of the enemy that you can be holy without help.
This past week I had two front-row seats to see the pain of sin and the hope of healing. The first was at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting I attended with my daughter Rachel…for her class at the University of Toledo. We heard stories of anguish and brokenness…amidst a devoted group of people present to support and encourage.
On Friday afternoon I was with two different groups at the Cherry Street Mission Life Revitalization Center. Both were filled with people who hit bottom and finally recognized their need for help. The work at Cherry Street was so exciting to see first-hand as men and women are truly becoming revitalized one day at a time.
Perhaps today you need to repent. First you need to confess and agree with God you have sinned. That’s the easy part. The hard part is doing the hard work of change. That’s where the church is so valuable. You can’t do it alone. You need friends, a small group, a Bible study, a Sunday School class. It all begins with that first step of agree with God that you have sinned and sharing it with someone else.
The good news: there’s no perfect people allowed here so anyone you tell will have their own sins to confess.
The better news: our sins can be forgiven because of Jesus’ death on the cross.
Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’ (Revelation 2:24-25)
Satan may have secrets but God’s truth is revealed openly through His Word and the Holy Spirit. The church was short-lived.
To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’ —just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give that one the morning star. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Revelation 2:26-29)
In a passage filled with bad news for the sinners, there’s encouragement for the saints, those who obey. The works of Jesus are contrasted with the works of Jezebel. The faithful will be given authority. They will be given the morning star, the hope of the Church. Here the morning star is likely the planet Venus at its pre-dawn brightest, a sign of the dawning of the day when Jesus rules and reigns forever. Jesus’ birth was announced by a star, a symbol of authority and royalty, and this description has echoes of Psalm 2. The great reward is Jesus Himself.
The Church is to be holy, heaven’s representative, God’s holy people. We cannot tolerate sin of any kind, especially sexual sins which can harm us with devastating consequences.
Paul wrote this to the church in Ephesus:
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. (Ephesians 5:3)
The word “holy” means devoted to God, special, separate from common usage. It means to be devoted to God and therefore separate from evil, satan, and sin.
Theologian Scot McKnight says, ““Holiness is the inevitable outcome of a person who loves God heart, soul, mind and strength. Holiness is whatever is an inevitable outcome of a person who loves his or her neighbor as themselves.”
The people of God are to look different, act different, be different than the world. Every day we choose to follow God or follow our own selfish, worldly desires. It’s hard. It’s a battle. But following God is always worth it.
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)
Pergamum: False Teaching, 17 July 2016
18 07 16
Pergamum: False Teaching
7 Letters: Revelation 2-3
Revelation 2:12-17
Series Overview: Revelation is the Gospel according to Jesus. In chapters two and three, he speaks to seven churches, offering both correction and encouragement. Each is relevant to our church today.
Big Idea: The church at Pergamum was tolerating false teaching in the church rather than uniting under the truth of God’s Word.
Introduction
Like many of you, I found the last book of the Bible to be confusing, weird, and even a bit scary. We are not studying the entire book (perhaps we’ll talk about wings and beasts and 666 in the future) but we are going to look at the Gospel according to Jesus. Perhaps that’s a new phrase to you. Many know of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Jesus also wrote a book of the Bible, or at least he spoke much of it. If you have a Bible with the words of Jesus in red, you’ll notice chapters 2 and 3 are all red, all words of Jesus. The book begins:
The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:1-2)
Revelation is not about the antichrist (a term which does not appear in the book of Revelation), but about the living Christ. It is not about a rapture out of this world (the word “rapture” is not found in Revelation, either) but about faithful discipleship in this world. As it says, this is the revelation from Jesus. We read Revelation to know Jesus better. It reveals Christ.
The book of Revelation was written around A.D. 95 when Christians were entering a time of persecution. Emperor worship was growing so anyone who held that Jesus, not Caesar, was Lord was subject to hostility. Needless to say, following Jesus was not politically correct.
Chapter 1 describes a scene where John encounters Jesus.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
“Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. (Revelation 1:17-20)
Revelation is filled with fantastical symbolism. In this instance, it is clear. The stars are angels of the churches. The lampstands are the churches, the people.
Our series is focusing on these seven churches. This week’s church is Pergamum or Pergamon, a city in modern-day Turkey near Bergama. Heather and I were blessed to have been able to visit it earlier this year. It’s truly a city on a hill.
It featured massive temples to Dionysius and Athena, a stadium, a theatre, a huge forum and an amphitheater along with a shrine to Asclepius, the god of healing. Its library was second in the world only to Alexandria. Mark Anthony gave the library to his girlfriend Cleopatra. Its wealth was so great that many of the library’s 200,000 volumes were written on costly sheepskin—parchment (this is centuries before the printing press) rather than papyrus.
The city was also known for its vast medical knowledge. It was the religious center. It was the most illustrious city in Asia Minor. Some say it was the one city deserving of being a royal city.
The ancient city today is reached by cable car. It is a fascinating place. It features a beautiful valley. It’s not a coastal city like Ephesus and Smyrna but it was built to withstand the enemy. The acropolis—city or settlement on a hill or elevated ground— dominated the entire region.
Revelation 2
“To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:
These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. (Revelation 2:12)
Pergamum was symbolized by a sword. The city was given the unusual independent authority to execute capital punishment.
Jesus says he has the sharp, double-edged sword, the Word. The book of Hebrews says
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
God’s word is powerful! The Roman empire would eventually come to an end, but Jesus will rule forever! The Word of God is the answer to man’s sin and man’s need. In this instance it was the answer to religion.
I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. (Revelation 2:13a)
Can you imagine living where satan has his throne? This was not the Bible belt! Scholars are unsure why Jesus mentions satan’s throne. It could be a reference to the emperor’s cult, the great altar for Zeus, the temple of Asclepius (the god of healing; they used medicine, psychology, etc. for 700 years it was a hospital that attracted people from around the world), or the acropolis with temples to other gods and goddesses. Whatever the reason, the Pergamum church lived in the midst of tremendous evil and idolatry.
Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. (Revelation 2:13b)
Last week we talked about the persecution in Smyrna including the martyr (which is Greek for “witness”) Polycarp. Antipas—whose name means “against all”—was killed in Pergamum. This church remained true. They were faithful. They endured…and were commended for it.
I pray we would remain faithful to the name of Jesus. It’s not always a popular word to declare—unless it’s used as profanity. It’s fine to talk about God
Satan is not in hell…yet! At this time his headquarters were in Pergamum. Where is it today?! The heathen temples were imposing.
Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. (Revelation 2:14-15)
Jesus does not say “but” or “yet,” instead saying, “Nevertheless.” This church has some issues. First, there is division. Some followed the faithful example of Antipas while others followed the Balaamites and the Nicolaitans (both names mean “Victor or Destroyer of the People”).
Unity
Unity is so essential to a vibrant, healthy church. It is one of my four prayers for First Alliance Church, that we would be united. I pray for unity—not uniformity, but unity. We are united at the foot of the cross. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. Jesus said,
“Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. (Luke 11:17b)
One of my favorite prayers in the Bible was prayed by Jesus…for us!
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23)
Jesus prayed for unity. When we pray for unity, we are agreeing with Christ. We know it’s his will!
Yet there are more than 30,000 Christian denominations! Imagine if Jesus didn’t pray for us!!!
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! (Psalm 133:1)
Unity is so important, yet it must be unity around truth, not false teaching.
I have said before and will say again our authority as a church is not in my words or even the president of the Christian & Missionary Alliance, Dr. John Stumbo. The Bible—the Word of God—is our authority. It’s obviously a big book and there are controversial issues, but we cannot do anything which contradicts the Bible. We need wisdom and discernment, especially in the difficult scriptures. Fortunately there are many clear, foundational doctrines with which millions of followers of Jesus can embrace. Here’s one example:
Apostle’s Creed video
Returning to our text for today, there was false teaching about sexual immorality and meat sacrificed to idols. The first is common in our day, the latter seems foreign to us, but people often ate meat sold in the public markets ritually slaughtered and dedicated to the Roman gods. This was not mere nourishment, but often led to sharing in the pagan festivals of the unbelievers of the day which often included sexual immorality.
Have we been influenced by the unbelievers of our day? Do we embrace sinful practices? It’s easy to compromise our faith when the culture is screaming political correctness 24/7 through every screen and media outlet.
The people of Pergamum compromised the Word of God. You cannot simultaneously love Jesus and the world. You cannot honor God and sin.
The world came into the Church during this period. The Ephesus church hated the Nicolaitans teachings, but the Pergamum church embraced it. Perhaps it was a religious spirit. Whatever it was, it did not honor God.
How do we know what honors God? How do we know the scriptures? How do we know the truth? We must read the Bible. We must listen to the Bible. We must study the Bible.
Never before have there been so many ways to access the sacred scriptures. It’s on my phone, my laptop, and my iPad. I have multiple Bibles, commentaries, and study guides. The Internet is packed with blogs, websites, podcasts, and videos. We must know the truth…in a world of lies.
Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. (Revelation 2:16)
The only cure was repentance. The Word of God was the answer. If they did not repent, Jesus was going to fight against them! He would do it not to harm them, but rather to purify them.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it. (Revelation 2:17)
Our text concludes with a message not only for those in Pergamum but whoever has ears, all who respond to the Spirit’s voice. Jesus promises two things to the victorious, to the overcomer who trusts in Jesus: hidden manna and a white stone.
Manna was God’s miraculous provision for the people of Israel during their 40-year journey in the wilderness. To those who refused the food of idolatrous pagan festivals Jesus would provide a special gift. Jesus is the Bread of Life. He will strengthen them.
White stones were used by jurors to free an alleged criminal. They were also used as entrance tickets to banquets and plays. It is possible Jesus is saying believers are forgiven of their sins, they are free from the condemnation we deserve. Jesus died to set us free. He took our punishment. We are given a white stone with a new name known only to us. We become new creations. We are made new. We are born again. We are declared righteous. We receive a new identity—in Christ. Hallelujah!
So What?
It’s easy to jump ahead, assuming we get manna, the Bread of Life, forgiveness, salvation, and a new identity since we attend church and call ourselves Christians. But don’t forget, this entire passage is directed at a church. Some were found faithful, others followers of false teachings. In our day, there are many spiritual people who can draw a crowd, but do they love Jesus Christ? Do they know and follow his teachings, his Word? Do you?
Perhaps you believe you deserve to go to heaven because you’re a good person, but you’re not. I’m not. All of us sin. All of us fall short of God’s perfect standard, and therefore none of us deserve to go to heaven. It’s only because of Jesus—his death on our behalf—which allows us to be forgiven, free, and reconciled to our heavenly Father. You don’t deserve it. You can’t earn it. All you can do is surrender your life to the One who surrendered his for you. Jesus wants to be not only your Savior, but also your Lord, your King. Following him may be costly, but you’ll never regret it.
My prayer for First Alliance Church is that God would give us protection, direction, passion…and unity, united under our Senior Pastor, Jesus Christ. United in the Word of God, the holy scriptures of the Bible. I pray we would be faithful to sound doctrine and never be lured by false teaching. I pray we would remain faithful to Christ, our Cornerstone. It’s all about Jesus!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
7 Letters: Revelation 2-3
Revelation 2:12-17
Series Overview: Revelation is the Gospel according to Jesus. In chapters two and three, he speaks to seven churches, offering both correction and encouragement. Each is relevant to our church today.
Big Idea: The church at Pergamum was tolerating false teaching in the church rather than uniting under the truth of God’s Word.
Introduction
Like many of you, I found the last book of the Bible to be confusing, weird, and even a bit scary. We are not studying the entire book (perhaps we’ll talk about wings and beasts and 666 in the future) but we are going to look at the Gospel according to Jesus. Perhaps that’s a new phrase to you. Many know of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Jesus also wrote a book of the Bible, or at least he spoke much of it. If you have a Bible with the words of Jesus in red, you’ll notice chapters 2 and 3 are all red, all words of Jesus. The book begins:
The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:1-2)
Revelation is not about the antichrist (a term which does not appear in the book of Revelation), but about the living Christ. It is not about a rapture out of this world (the word “rapture” is not found in Revelation, either) but about faithful discipleship in this world. As it says, this is the revelation from Jesus. We read Revelation to know Jesus better. It reveals Christ.
The book of Revelation was written around A.D. 95 when Christians were entering a time of persecution. Emperor worship was growing so anyone who held that Jesus, not Caesar, was Lord was subject to hostility. Needless to say, following Jesus was not politically correct.
Chapter 1 describes a scene where John encounters Jesus.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
“Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. (Revelation 1:17-20)
Revelation is filled with fantastical symbolism. In this instance, it is clear. The stars are angels of the churches. The lampstands are the churches, the people.
Our series is focusing on these seven churches. This week’s church is Pergamum or Pergamon, a city in modern-day Turkey near Bergama. Heather and I were blessed to have been able to visit it earlier this year. It’s truly a city on a hill.
It featured massive temples to Dionysius and Athena, a stadium, a theatre, a huge forum and an amphitheater along with a shrine to Asclepius, the god of healing. Its library was second in the world only to Alexandria. Mark Anthony gave the library to his girlfriend Cleopatra. Its wealth was so great that many of the library’s 200,000 volumes were written on costly sheepskin—parchment (this is centuries before the printing press) rather than papyrus.
The city was also known for its vast medical knowledge. It was the religious center. It was the most illustrious city in Asia Minor. Some say it was the one city deserving of being a royal city.
The ancient city today is reached by cable car. It is a fascinating place. It features a beautiful valley. It’s not a coastal city like Ephesus and Smyrna but it was built to withstand the enemy. The acropolis—city or settlement on a hill or elevated ground— dominated the entire region.
Revelation 2
“To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:
These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. (Revelation 2:12)
Pergamum was symbolized by a sword. The city was given the unusual independent authority to execute capital punishment.
Jesus says he has the sharp, double-edged sword, the Word. The book of Hebrews says
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
God’s word is powerful! The Roman empire would eventually come to an end, but Jesus will rule forever! The Word of God is the answer to man’s sin and man’s need. In this instance it was the answer to religion.
I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. (Revelation 2:13a)
Can you imagine living where satan has his throne? This was not the Bible belt! Scholars are unsure why Jesus mentions satan’s throne. It could be a reference to the emperor’s cult, the great altar for Zeus, the temple of Asclepius (the god of healing; they used medicine, psychology, etc. for 700 years it was a hospital that attracted people from around the world), or the acropolis with temples to other gods and goddesses. Whatever the reason, the Pergamum church lived in the midst of tremendous evil and idolatry.
Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. (Revelation 2:13b)
Last week we talked about the persecution in Smyrna including the martyr (which is Greek for “witness”) Polycarp. Antipas—whose name means “against all”—was killed in Pergamum. This church remained true. They were faithful. They endured…and were commended for it.
I pray we would remain faithful to the name of Jesus. It’s not always a popular word to declare—unless it’s used as profanity. It’s fine to talk about God
Satan is not in hell…yet! At this time his headquarters were in Pergamum. Where is it today?! The heathen temples were imposing.
Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. (Revelation 2:14-15)
Jesus does not say “but” or “yet,” instead saying, “Nevertheless.” This church has some issues. First, there is division. Some followed the faithful example of Antipas while others followed the Balaamites and the Nicolaitans (both names mean “Victor or Destroyer of the People”).
Unity
Unity is so essential to a vibrant, healthy church. It is one of my four prayers for First Alliance Church, that we would be united. I pray for unity—not uniformity, but unity. We are united at the foot of the cross. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. Jesus said,
“Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. (Luke 11:17b)
One of my favorite prayers in the Bible was prayed by Jesus…for us!
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23)
Jesus prayed for unity. When we pray for unity, we are agreeing with Christ. We know it’s his will!
Yet there are more than 30,000 Christian denominations! Imagine if Jesus didn’t pray for us!!!
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! (Psalm 133:1)
Unity is so important, yet it must be unity around truth, not false teaching.
I have said before and will say again our authority as a church is not in my words or even the president of the Christian & Missionary Alliance, Dr. John Stumbo. The Bible—the Word of God—is our authority. It’s obviously a big book and there are controversial issues, but we cannot do anything which contradicts the Bible. We need wisdom and discernment, especially in the difficult scriptures. Fortunately there are many clear, foundational doctrines with which millions of followers of Jesus can embrace. Here’s one example:
Apostle’s Creed video
Returning to our text for today, there was false teaching about sexual immorality and meat sacrificed to idols. The first is common in our day, the latter seems foreign to us, but people often ate meat sold in the public markets ritually slaughtered and dedicated to the Roman gods. This was not mere nourishment, but often led to sharing in the pagan festivals of the unbelievers of the day which often included sexual immorality.
Have we been influenced by the unbelievers of our day? Do we embrace sinful practices? It’s easy to compromise our faith when the culture is screaming political correctness 24/7 through every screen and media outlet.
The people of Pergamum compromised the Word of God. You cannot simultaneously love Jesus and the world. You cannot honor God and sin.
The world came into the Church during this period. The Ephesus church hated the Nicolaitans teachings, but the Pergamum church embraced it. Perhaps it was a religious spirit. Whatever it was, it did not honor God.
How do we know what honors God? How do we know the scriptures? How do we know the truth? We must read the Bible. We must listen to the Bible. We must study the Bible.
Never before have there been so many ways to access the sacred scriptures. It’s on my phone, my laptop, and my iPad. I have multiple Bibles, commentaries, and study guides. The Internet is packed with blogs, websites, podcasts, and videos. We must know the truth…in a world of lies.
Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. (Revelation 2:16)
The only cure was repentance. The Word of God was the answer. If they did not repent, Jesus was going to fight against them! He would do it not to harm them, but rather to purify them.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it. (Revelation 2:17)
Our text concludes with a message not only for those in Pergamum but whoever has ears, all who respond to the Spirit’s voice. Jesus promises two things to the victorious, to the overcomer who trusts in Jesus: hidden manna and a white stone.
Manna was God’s miraculous provision for the people of Israel during their 40-year journey in the wilderness. To those who refused the food of idolatrous pagan festivals Jesus would provide a special gift. Jesus is the Bread of Life. He will strengthen them.
White stones were used by jurors to free an alleged criminal. They were also used as entrance tickets to banquets and plays. It is possible Jesus is saying believers are forgiven of their sins, they are free from the condemnation we deserve. Jesus died to set us free. He took our punishment. We are given a white stone with a new name known only to us. We become new creations. We are made new. We are born again. We are declared righteous. We receive a new identity—in Christ. Hallelujah!
So What?
It’s easy to jump ahead, assuming we get manna, the Bread of Life, forgiveness, salvation, and a new identity since we attend church and call ourselves Christians. But don’t forget, this entire passage is directed at a church. Some were found faithful, others followers of false teachings. In our day, there are many spiritual people who can draw a crowd, but do they love Jesus Christ? Do they know and follow his teachings, his Word? Do you?
Perhaps you believe you deserve to go to heaven because you’re a good person, but you’re not. I’m not. All of us sin. All of us fall short of God’s perfect standard, and therefore none of us deserve to go to heaven. It’s only because of Jesus—his death on our behalf—which allows us to be forgiven, free, and reconciled to our heavenly Father. You don’t deserve it. You can’t earn it. All you can do is surrender your life to the One who surrendered his for you. Jesus wants to be not only your Savior, but also your Lord, your King. Following him may be costly, but you’ll never regret it.
My prayer for First Alliance Church is that God would give us protection, direction, passion…and unity, united under our Senior Pastor, Jesus Christ. United in the Word of God, the holy scriptures of the Bible. I pray we would be faithful to sound doctrine and never be lured by false teaching. I pray we would remain faithful to Christ, our Cornerstone. It’s all about Jesus!
Smyrna: Persecution, 10 July 2016
11 07 16
Smyrna: Persecution
7 Letters: Revelation 2-3
Revelation 2:8-11
Series Overview: Revelation is the Gospel according to Jesus. In chapters two and three, he speaks to seven churches, offering both correction and encouragement. Each is relevant to our church today.
Big Idea: The church at Smyrna was commended for enduring persecution.
Smyrna is the third-largest city in modern-day Turkey, now called Izmir. It presently has about 2.5 million people. Heather and I were blessed to have been able to visit it earlier this year. It’s about 35 miles north of Ephesus. Smyrna/Izmir is a cultural center which claimed the poet Homer as a native son. The name, Smyrna, means “myrrh,” an ordinary perfume also used as anointing oil in the tabernacle and for embalming dead bodies (a prophetic gift given to Jesus). Unlike Ephesus, there are Christians in Izmir today, though perhaps only two churches in Izmir have more than one hundred people. Turkey may be the most unchurched nation on the earth.
Revelation was written at the end of the first century around AD 95. At this time the movement of Jesus was still relatively new and spreading across the Roman empire. Emperor worship was required for all Roman citizens. Disobedience was punishable by death. Needless to say, it was not an easy time or place to be a follower of Jesus.
Revelation 2
“To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. (Revelation 2:8)
Revelation is about Jesus. He is eternal. He was, is, and always will be. He endured horrific suffering, died a brutal death, and was resurrected from the grave. Jesus is the First and the Last. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
This church was told to worship the emperor or die. As they faced death, they heard from the One who both experienced and conquered death. Earlier Jesus had said
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)
This life is short and temporary. I know…it’s easy for me to say today in an air-conditioned building in a nation who celebrated freedom this past week. It’s quite another to be a refugee fleeing ISIS. Nevertheless, Jesus knows suffering…and He knows the suffering in Smyrna.
I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. (Revelation 2:9)
N.T. Wright notes:
“…the Jewish synagogue in Smyrna has become a ‘satan-synagogue’ – not just in a vague, general, abusive sense, but in the rather sharply defined sense that, as ‘the satan’ is, literally, ‘the accuser’, the synagogue in town has been ‘accusing’ the Christians of all kinds of wickedness. In particular, in a city where Roman imperial presence and influence was everything, the Jews would have been exempt from taking part in the festivities of the imperial cult . . . and they may well have been accusing, to the authorities, the Christians who were claiming that exemption as well. Perhaps it was accusations like that, with social and political consequences, that had given Smyrna’s Christians a taste of poverty in an otherwise rich city (verse 9). All this is at the heart of the message to Smyrna.”
Jesus was aware of their suffering. They were very poor, likely because of their faith. Jesus is aware of our lives, too. He sees every sacrifice we make to honor Him. He knows when you take the high road, resist temptation, and speak the truth in love. Following Jesus was not and is not politically correct.
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. (Revelation 2:10)
If you could know the future, would you want to? Jesus is predicting persecution for ten days. Many scholars believe this is not 240 hours but rather figurative since a ‘day’ in literature like this sometimes means a year or more (which may explain why it has taken Jesus more than 2000 years to return “soon!”).
I love how Jesus blames the devil for the persecution.
Our enemy is not Trump or Clinton or Obama.
Our enemy is not blacks or whites or police.
Our enemy is not Muslims or Hindus or atheists.
Our enemy is not Buckeyes or Wolverines or Spartans.
Our enemy is the devil, satan, whose playbook is simple: steal, kill and destroy.
Satan used Roman soldiers. He used Hitler and the KKK. He is using secular humanism, ISIS, and violent religion. But people are not the enemy.
Smyrna was considered a city with a crown due to its architecture and location. Jesus never criticizes the Smyrna church, instead urging them to remain faithful when the persecution comes.
They did. Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna was burned alive in AD 155 or 156 after refusing to sacrifice to Caesar. A student of the apostle John, Polycarp refused to renounce Christ, saying, “For 86 years I have served Christ, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my king and my Savior?”
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. (Revelation 2:11)
There are two types of death. The first is the death of the body. We will all experience this within a hundred years or so. Jesus has “been there and done that” already. The second death, though, is more significant. It will do for the entire personality what the first one did for the physical body. John will address this in chapter twenty.
His point, though, is fear not. What’s the worst that can happen? You die and spend eternity with God! For the Christian, this life is as close to hell as we will ever get. For the non-Christian, this is the closest they will get to heaven! To be victorious may mean to die a martyr, eliminating any fear from the second death. To be victorious is certainly to know and follow Jesus.
So What?
The persecution of Christians is growing in the United States. It should come as no surprise to us. While I don’t particularly long for suffering, Jesus never promised us rainbows and lollipops in this life. Instead, he told His first followers
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
There MAY be a message in this text for us, to prepare for persecution and to be faithful no matter the cost.
There is definitely a message in this text for many of our brothers and sisters who daily face poverty, persecution, and even martyrdom. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth:
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:26-27)
21 Martyrs video
What Can We Do?
The burden is overwhelming. This past week Russia essentially made it illegal to talk about Jesus anywhere but inside a church. Our brothers and sisters—including those in the Alliance—could face persecution for simply sharing their faith online or even in their own home!
Great Commission Day is a reminder not only of God’s activity in our world to seek and save the lost but also satan’s activity to steal, kill and destroy. We can give to the Great Commission Fund and support our spiritual siblings who are on the frontlines in other lands.
We can pray.
Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. (Hebrews 13:3)
https://www.persecution.com
Fear Not
This is not a happy topic, but it is not without hope. The battle is real but Jesus will ultimately win the war. But we must remain faithful.
My friend Lewis Winkler wrote,” The worst thing that can happen for Christians is to forsake their Lord and compromise their calling just to retain some tattered vestige of public praise and cultural power. Christianity’s power does not come from the accolades of societal approval and respect from those who don’t love God. It’s a power that at its weakest is stronger than the strength of men, and it comes only from being faithful to Jesus Christ, no matter what the cost. To know the supernatural power of His resurrection, we must be willing to suffer humiliation and shame. We must be willing to die with Christ. There is no other way.”
Each morning Pastor Craig Groeschel declares a number of affirmations. One of them says, “Pain is my friend. I rejoice in suffering because Christ suffered for me.”
That’s an attitude we can all embrace. We need not fear suffering or pain or persecution. We need not fear death. We serve a Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King who has conquered sin and death. And He is with us! Therefore, whom shall we fear?!!!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
7 Letters: Revelation 2-3
Revelation 2:8-11
Series Overview: Revelation is the Gospel according to Jesus. In chapters two and three, he speaks to seven churches, offering both correction and encouragement. Each is relevant to our church today.
Big Idea: The church at Smyrna was commended for enduring persecution.
Smyrna is the third-largest city in modern-day Turkey, now called Izmir. It presently has about 2.5 million people. Heather and I were blessed to have been able to visit it earlier this year. It’s about 35 miles north of Ephesus. Smyrna/Izmir is a cultural center which claimed the poet Homer as a native son. The name, Smyrna, means “myrrh,” an ordinary perfume also used as anointing oil in the tabernacle and for embalming dead bodies (a prophetic gift given to Jesus). Unlike Ephesus, there are Christians in Izmir today, though perhaps only two churches in Izmir have more than one hundred people. Turkey may be the most unchurched nation on the earth.
Revelation was written at the end of the first century around AD 95. At this time the movement of Jesus was still relatively new and spreading across the Roman empire. Emperor worship was required for all Roman citizens. Disobedience was punishable by death. Needless to say, it was not an easy time or place to be a follower of Jesus.
Revelation 2
“To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. (Revelation 2:8)
Revelation is about Jesus. He is eternal. He was, is, and always will be. He endured horrific suffering, died a brutal death, and was resurrected from the grave. Jesus is the First and the Last. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
This church was told to worship the emperor or die. As they faced death, they heard from the One who both experienced and conquered death. Earlier Jesus had said
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)
This life is short and temporary. I know…it’s easy for me to say today in an air-conditioned building in a nation who celebrated freedom this past week. It’s quite another to be a refugee fleeing ISIS. Nevertheless, Jesus knows suffering…and He knows the suffering in Smyrna.
I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. (Revelation 2:9)
N.T. Wright notes:
“…the Jewish synagogue in Smyrna has become a ‘satan-synagogue’ – not just in a vague, general, abusive sense, but in the rather sharply defined sense that, as ‘the satan’ is, literally, ‘the accuser’, the synagogue in town has been ‘accusing’ the Christians of all kinds of wickedness. In particular, in a city where Roman imperial presence and influence was everything, the Jews would have been exempt from taking part in the festivities of the imperial cult . . . and they may well have been accusing, to the authorities, the Christians who were claiming that exemption as well. Perhaps it was accusations like that, with social and political consequences, that had given Smyrna’s Christians a taste of poverty in an otherwise rich city (verse 9). All this is at the heart of the message to Smyrna.”
Jesus was aware of their suffering. They were very poor, likely because of their faith. Jesus is aware of our lives, too. He sees every sacrifice we make to honor Him. He knows when you take the high road, resist temptation, and speak the truth in love. Following Jesus was not and is not politically correct.
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. (Revelation 2:10)
If you could know the future, would you want to? Jesus is predicting persecution for ten days. Many scholars believe this is not 240 hours but rather figurative since a ‘day’ in literature like this sometimes means a year or more (which may explain why it has taken Jesus more than 2000 years to return “soon!”).
I love how Jesus blames the devil for the persecution.
Our enemy is not Trump or Clinton or Obama.
Our enemy is not blacks or whites or police.
Our enemy is not Muslims or Hindus or atheists.
Our enemy is not Buckeyes or Wolverines or Spartans.
Our enemy is the devil, satan, whose playbook is simple: steal, kill and destroy.
Satan used Roman soldiers. He used Hitler and the KKK. He is using secular humanism, ISIS, and violent religion. But people are not the enemy.
Smyrna was considered a city with a crown due to its architecture and location. Jesus never criticizes the Smyrna church, instead urging them to remain faithful when the persecution comes.
They did. Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna was burned alive in AD 155 or 156 after refusing to sacrifice to Caesar. A student of the apostle John, Polycarp refused to renounce Christ, saying, “For 86 years I have served Christ, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my king and my Savior?”
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. (Revelation 2:11)
There are two types of death. The first is the death of the body. We will all experience this within a hundred years or so. Jesus has “been there and done that” already. The second death, though, is more significant. It will do for the entire personality what the first one did for the physical body. John will address this in chapter twenty.
His point, though, is fear not. What’s the worst that can happen? You die and spend eternity with God! For the Christian, this life is as close to hell as we will ever get. For the non-Christian, this is the closest they will get to heaven! To be victorious may mean to die a martyr, eliminating any fear from the second death. To be victorious is certainly to know and follow Jesus.
So What?
The persecution of Christians is growing in the United States. It should come as no surprise to us. While I don’t particularly long for suffering, Jesus never promised us rainbows and lollipops in this life. Instead, he told His first followers
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
There MAY be a message in this text for us, to prepare for persecution and to be faithful no matter the cost.
There is definitely a message in this text for many of our brothers and sisters who daily face poverty, persecution, and even martyrdom. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth:
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:26-27)
21 Martyrs video
What Can We Do?
The burden is overwhelming. This past week Russia essentially made it illegal to talk about Jesus anywhere but inside a church. Our brothers and sisters—including those in the Alliance—could face persecution for simply sharing their faith online or even in their own home!
Great Commission Day is a reminder not only of God’s activity in our world to seek and save the lost but also satan’s activity to steal, kill and destroy. We can give to the Great Commission Fund and support our spiritual siblings who are on the frontlines in other lands.
We can pray.
Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. (Hebrews 13:3)
https://www.persecution.com
Fear Not
This is not a happy topic, but it is not without hope. The battle is real but Jesus will ultimately win the war. But we must remain faithful.
My friend Lewis Winkler wrote,” The worst thing that can happen for Christians is to forsake their Lord and compromise their calling just to retain some tattered vestige of public praise and cultural power. Christianity’s power does not come from the accolades of societal approval and respect from those who don’t love God. It’s a power that at its weakest is stronger than the strength of men, and it comes only from being faithful to Jesus Christ, no matter what the cost. To know the supernatural power of His resurrection, we must be willing to suffer humiliation and shame. We must be willing to die with Christ. There is no other way.”
Each morning Pastor Craig Groeschel declares a number of affirmations. One of them says, “Pain is my friend. I rejoice in suffering because Christ suffered for me.”
That’s an attitude we can all embrace. We need not fear suffering or pain or persecution. We need not fear death. We serve a Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King who has conquered sin and death. And He is with us! Therefore, whom shall we fear?!!!
Ephesus: First Love, 3 July 2016
03 07 16
Ephesus: First Love
7 Letters: Revelation 2-3
Revelation 2:1-7
Series Overview: Revelation is the Gospel according to Jesus. In chapters two and three, he speaks to seven churches, offering both correction and encouragement. Each is relevant to our church today.
Big Idea: The church at Ephesus was commended for doing a lot of good things but they forgot their first love, Jesus.
Introduction
For years, people have asked me to preach on the book of Revelation. Like many of you, I found the last book of the Bible to be confusing, weird, and even a bit scary. We are not beginning a series today on the entire book (perhaps we’ll talk about wings and beasts and 666 in the future) but we are going to look at the Gospel according to Jesus. Perhaps that’s a new phrase to you. Many know of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Jesus also wrote a book of the Bible, or at least he spoke much of it. If you have a Bible with the words of Jesus in red, you’ll notice chapters 2 and 3 are all red, all words of Jesus. The book begins:
The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:1-2)
Revelation is not about the antichrist (a term which does not appear in the book of Revelation), but about the living Christ. It is not about a rapture out of this world (the word “rapture” is not found in Revelation, either) but about faithful discipleship in this world. As it says, this is the revelation from Jesus. We read Revelation to know Jesus better. It reveals Christ.
There is some dispute about whether this John is the son of Zebedee, the apostle who wrote the gospel of John and 1, 2, and 3 John or a different person. What matters is not the recipient so much as the sender, the revelator, Jesus Christ.
The book of Revelation was written around A.D. 95 when Christians were entering a time of persecution. Emperor worship was growing so anyone who held that Jesus, not Caesar, was Lord was subject to hostility. Needless to say, following Jesus was not politically correct.
Chapter 1 describes a scene where John encounters Jesus.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
“Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. (Revelation 1:17-20)
Revelation is filled with fantastical symbolism. In this instance, it is clear. The stars are angels of the churches. The lampstands are the churches, the people.
Our series will focus on these seven churches. This week’s church is Ephesus. The book of Ephesians was written by the apostle Paul to this church.
Ephesus is a city in modern-day Turkey. Heather and I were blessed to have been able to visit it earlier this year. The ruins are incredible, uncovered after multiple earthquakes and about 2000 years. There are streets, houses, shops, the Temple of Artemis, and a huge amphitheater with 25,000 seats.
Back in the day, Ephesus was a thriving port city, an educated community filled with the worship of the emperor, not God. It had great commerce and culture. The Celsus Library is a great example of its sophistication.
Revelation 2
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. (Revelation 2:1-3)
First and foremost Jesus. He is sovereign and in control. He holds the seven stars—the angels of the churches—in his hand. He is pleased with the Ephesus church. They worked hard.
The Ephesians no doubt endured persecution. They did not have religious freedom as we think of it today in our culture. Early Christians were often ostracized both from the religious Jews and the secular pagans. Following Jesus was not politically correct, yet they were faithful.
They carefully guarded their theology, their beliefs in God. They were clear about distinguishing followers of Jesus from frauds. They knew the truth.
Have you ever had someone say something nice, only to ruin it by saying, “But…?” This seems to be the trend as Jesus speaks to the seven churches in Revelation. He commends them, presents a complaint, and then correction.
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. (Revelation 2:4-6)
They had forsaken their first love. As the Righteous Brothers would say, they lost that lovin’ feeling. They were no longer in love with Jesus. We don’t know what exactly took place, but they no longer had a passion for Christ. They also lost their love for one another. The Greek word here is agape. It is unconditional love. They lost the love they showed at the beginning of their relationship with Jesus and others. They knew the truth of the gospel but forgot the heart of the gospel is love. It’s not simply a get-out-of-hell-free card or membership in a religious club. It’s the good news that Jesus is Lord. He lived. He taught. He died for our sins to reconcile us to our Holy Father, and he rose from the dead. All because of love. Concern for our well-being. Sacrifice. Action.
It has been said familiarity breeds contempt. Married spouses often take one another for granted. They may forget to go on dates, instead trudging through daily life, forgetting to love and serve one another. It’s easy to get lazy and complacent when you see the same person day after day. That’s why Marriage Encounter, date nights, and intimacy are vital.
All relationships need attention. They are never static. Each needs an investment of time and energy. Perhaps they got caught up in ritual and tradition, forgetting Jesus in the process. I know that sounds crazy, but as time goes on entropy sets in. We go through the motions. We forget the why.
As a “professional Christian” this is especially tempting for me. It’s easy for me to do things for God without being with God. It’s like my kids in a swimming pool. When they were little whenever they would swim they would say two words: watch me! Watch me swim, daddy! Watch me jump, daddy! I loved to see them play, but after a while I just wanted them to come over and give me a hug, to let me read them a story, or to just talk. This past week I was convicted—again—that while God wants me to write sermons, lead our staff, serve the elders, play music and the like, He also loves it when I just set aside the busyness to be with Him, to abide with Him (John 15). I can say, “Watch me, Daddy” as I do my work but He also wants my heart. He wants my attention. He wants my presence.
It’s not surprise that new churches typically see more new Christians than existing congregations. There’s an energy, an awe, a wonder, a newness that is contagious. Over time, that passion can erode. Our desperation diminishes.
The consequences of losing our love are severe. Jesus warned if they didn’t repent, their lampstand would be removed. It has been. Today there is no active church in Ephesus…or the surrounding area. None. The population of Ephesus in the first century was nearly identical to that of Toledo today, around 250,000. Imagine Toledo with no churches.
(We don’t know much about the Nicolaitans, but they may have been introducing strange new ideas or practices that contradicted the scriptures).
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. (Revelation 2:7)
I believe this refers to us. It’s not just for the church in Ephesus, it’s for whoever has ears. It’s for those who are conquerors, victorious through Jesus, faithful in the midst of persecution and even death. Jesus, of course, is the ultimate victor, conquering sin and death.
The temple of Artemis had a particular tree in its surrounding garden, a tree that appeared on some of the local coins. If criminals came close to the tree, they would be free from punishment and capture.
Of course God has a paradise reserved for those who repent, who love Jesus. The tree of life in the Garden of Eden will be planted many times over in the new Jerusalem, the garden city (Revelation 22:2).
So What?
Have you lost your first love? Have we, church family? It’s so easy to get caught up in small groups, camps, church services, and religious activity without actually being with Jesus. It’s common for people to study about him as if Christ is a textbook subject rather than knowing him as a friend.
One of my great prayers is for us to use the baptistery for the first time in about two years. Church is meant to be a hospital for broken people, not a museum for perfect saints. The only part of a hospital I like to visit is the maternity ward. That’s where new life is visible, where families celebrate. We’ve been like a hospital without a maternity ward, caring for the needs of the hurting but not experiencing the joy of new life.
As people age, they tend to lose their energy. New babies rejuvenate the old. I wonder if some of us have lost our first love for Jesus. I believe new followers of Jesus would create a renewed sense of awe and wonder as we begin to view the glory of God
through the fresh eyes of a newly adopted son or daughter of our heavenly Father.
Do you love Jesus? An hour on Sunday isn’t enough to cultivate a healthy relationship. Time and energy are required.
For many of us, we’ve lost our first love to the things of this world—work, sports, social media, politics, hobbies, school, or even family. These aren’t necessarily bad—unless they replace Jesus as Lord. Let me see your calendar and your checkbook and I’ll tell you what really matters to you.
For others, religion has become an idol. Many are so focused on trying to fix the world, do the right things, and attending every church event they forget why they’re doing it…or for Whom. We must be abiding in Christ, spending quality time with Jesus in prayer and the scriptures, enjoying God’s creation, worshipping through music or the arts, serving the poor, or fighting injustice. We all have different ways we connect best to Jesus—the point is connect. Be with your first love, Jesus. Be with His Bride, the Church, loving and serving, offering hospitality and help to those in need.
Love was the hallmark of the early church. They were the only ones who cared for the widow, stranger, and orphan. They loved others as a response to the love they received from Jesus and the love they had for Christ. It was contagious!
Communion
One way we can remember our first love is to come to the table and participate in communion or Eucharist or the Lord’s Supper. Jesus said to remember him because…we are prone to forget.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
7 Letters: Revelation 2-3
Revelation 2:1-7
Series Overview: Revelation is the Gospel according to Jesus. In chapters two and three, he speaks to seven churches, offering both correction and encouragement. Each is relevant to our church today.
Big Idea: The church at Ephesus was commended for doing a lot of good things but they forgot their first love, Jesus.
Introduction
For years, people have asked me to preach on the book of Revelation. Like many of you, I found the last book of the Bible to be confusing, weird, and even a bit scary. We are not beginning a series today on the entire book (perhaps we’ll talk about wings and beasts and 666 in the future) but we are going to look at the Gospel according to Jesus. Perhaps that’s a new phrase to you. Many know of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Jesus also wrote a book of the Bible, or at least he spoke much of it. If you have a Bible with the words of Jesus in red, you’ll notice chapters 2 and 3 are all red, all words of Jesus. The book begins:
The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:1-2)
Revelation is not about the antichrist (a term which does not appear in the book of Revelation), but about the living Christ. It is not about a rapture out of this world (the word “rapture” is not found in Revelation, either) but about faithful discipleship in this world. As it says, this is the revelation from Jesus. We read Revelation to know Jesus better. It reveals Christ.
There is some dispute about whether this John is the son of Zebedee, the apostle who wrote the gospel of John and 1, 2, and 3 John or a different person. What matters is not the recipient so much as the sender, the revelator, Jesus Christ.
The book of Revelation was written around A.D. 95 when Christians were entering a time of persecution. Emperor worship was growing so anyone who held that Jesus, not Caesar, was Lord was subject to hostility. Needless to say, following Jesus was not politically correct.
Chapter 1 describes a scene where John encounters Jesus.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
“Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. (Revelation 1:17-20)
Revelation is filled with fantastical symbolism. In this instance, it is clear. The stars are angels of the churches. The lampstands are the churches, the people.
Our series will focus on these seven churches. This week’s church is Ephesus. The book of Ephesians was written by the apostle Paul to this church.
Ephesus is a city in modern-day Turkey. Heather and I were blessed to have been able to visit it earlier this year. The ruins are incredible, uncovered after multiple earthquakes and about 2000 years. There are streets, houses, shops, the Temple of Artemis, and a huge amphitheater with 25,000 seats.
Back in the day, Ephesus was a thriving port city, an educated community filled with the worship of the emperor, not God. It had great commerce and culture. The Celsus Library is a great example of its sophistication.
Revelation 2
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. (Revelation 2:1-3)
First and foremost Jesus. He is sovereign and in control. He holds the seven stars—the angels of the churches—in his hand. He is pleased with the Ephesus church. They worked hard.
The Ephesians no doubt endured persecution. They did not have religious freedom as we think of it today in our culture. Early Christians were often ostracized both from the religious Jews and the secular pagans. Following Jesus was not politically correct, yet they were faithful.
They carefully guarded their theology, their beliefs in God. They were clear about distinguishing followers of Jesus from frauds. They knew the truth.
Have you ever had someone say something nice, only to ruin it by saying, “But…?” This seems to be the trend as Jesus speaks to the seven churches in Revelation. He commends them, presents a complaint, and then correction.
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. (Revelation 2:4-6)
They had forsaken their first love. As the Righteous Brothers would say, they lost that lovin’ feeling. They were no longer in love with Jesus. We don’t know what exactly took place, but they no longer had a passion for Christ. They also lost their love for one another. The Greek word here is agape. It is unconditional love. They lost the love they showed at the beginning of their relationship with Jesus and others. They knew the truth of the gospel but forgot the heart of the gospel is love. It’s not simply a get-out-of-hell-free card or membership in a religious club. It’s the good news that Jesus is Lord. He lived. He taught. He died for our sins to reconcile us to our Holy Father, and he rose from the dead. All because of love. Concern for our well-being. Sacrifice. Action.
It has been said familiarity breeds contempt. Married spouses often take one another for granted. They may forget to go on dates, instead trudging through daily life, forgetting to love and serve one another. It’s easy to get lazy and complacent when you see the same person day after day. That’s why Marriage Encounter, date nights, and intimacy are vital.
All relationships need attention. They are never static. Each needs an investment of time and energy. Perhaps they got caught up in ritual and tradition, forgetting Jesus in the process. I know that sounds crazy, but as time goes on entropy sets in. We go through the motions. We forget the why.
As a “professional Christian” this is especially tempting for me. It’s easy for me to do things for God without being with God. It’s like my kids in a swimming pool. When they were little whenever they would swim they would say two words: watch me! Watch me swim, daddy! Watch me jump, daddy! I loved to see them play, but after a while I just wanted them to come over and give me a hug, to let me read them a story, or to just talk. This past week I was convicted—again—that while God wants me to write sermons, lead our staff, serve the elders, play music and the like, He also loves it when I just set aside the busyness to be with Him, to abide with Him (John 15). I can say, “Watch me, Daddy” as I do my work but He also wants my heart. He wants my attention. He wants my presence.
It’s not surprise that new churches typically see more new Christians than existing congregations. There’s an energy, an awe, a wonder, a newness that is contagious. Over time, that passion can erode. Our desperation diminishes.
The consequences of losing our love are severe. Jesus warned if they didn’t repent, their lampstand would be removed. It has been. Today there is no active church in Ephesus…or the surrounding area. None. The population of Ephesus in the first century was nearly identical to that of Toledo today, around 250,000. Imagine Toledo with no churches.
(We don’t know much about the Nicolaitans, but they may have been introducing strange new ideas or practices that contradicted the scriptures).
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. (Revelation 2:7)
I believe this refers to us. It’s not just for the church in Ephesus, it’s for whoever has ears. It’s for those who are conquerors, victorious through Jesus, faithful in the midst of persecution and even death. Jesus, of course, is the ultimate victor, conquering sin and death.
The temple of Artemis had a particular tree in its surrounding garden, a tree that appeared on some of the local coins. If criminals came close to the tree, they would be free from punishment and capture.
Of course God has a paradise reserved for those who repent, who love Jesus. The tree of life in the Garden of Eden will be planted many times over in the new Jerusalem, the garden city (Revelation 22:2).
So What?
Have you lost your first love? Have we, church family? It’s so easy to get caught up in small groups, camps, church services, and religious activity without actually being with Jesus. It’s common for people to study about him as if Christ is a textbook subject rather than knowing him as a friend.
One of my great prayers is for us to use the baptistery for the first time in about two years. Church is meant to be a hospital for broken people, not a museum for perfect saints. The only part of a hospital I like to visit is the maternity ward. That’s where new life is visible, where families celebrate. We’ve been like a hospital without a maternity ward, caring for the needs of the hurting but not experiencing the joy of new life.
As people age, they tend to lose their energy. New babies rejuvenate the old. I wonder if some of us have lost our first love for Jesus. I believe new followers of Jesus would create a renewed sense of awe and wonder as we begin to view the glory of God
through the fresh eyes of a newly adopted son or daughter of our heavenly Father.
Do you love Jesus? An hour on Sunday isn’t enough to cultivate a healthy relationship. Time and energy are required.
For many of us, we’ve lost our first love to the things of this world—work, sports, social media, politics, hobbies, school, or even family. These aren’t necessarily bad—unless they replace Jesus as Lord. Let me see your calendar and your checkbook and I’ll tell you what really matters to you.
For others, religion has become an idol. Many are so focused on trying to fix the world, do the right things, and attending every church event they forget why they’re doing it…or for Whom. We must be abiding in Christ, spending quality time with Jesus in prayer and the scriptures, enjoying God’s creation, worshipping through music or the arts, serving the poor, or fighting injustice. We all have different ways we connect best to Jesus—the point is connect. Be with your first love, Jesus. Be with His Bride, the Church, loving and serving, offering hospitality and help to those in need.
Love was the hallmark of the early church. They were the only ones who cared for the widow, stranger, and orphan. They loved others as a response to the love they received from Jesus and the love they had for Christ. It was contagious!
Communion
One way we can remember our first love is to come to the table and participate in communion or Eucharist or the Lord’s Supper. Jesus said to remember him because…we are prone to forget.
My Two Dads, 19 June 2016
18 06 16
My Two Dads
Father’s Day 2016
1 John 3:1-3; Hebrews 12:7-11
Big Idea: God is the greatest Dad!
Happy Father’s Day! I realize like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day can be emotional…….
This morning I’d like to read two letters. I’ve written one to my biological dad and the other to my heavenly Dad. I wish I could introduce you to my earthly dad, though hopefully you’ll get a glimpse of him through my letter. If you don’t know my heavenly Father, I can and will introduce you to Him!
Dear Dad,
It has been so long since I’ve spoken with you. I can’t remember the last time I heard you say my name. I miss you SO much.
It was horrible watching you fade away over the past decade or so, your mind ravaged by Alzheimer’s. I’m grateful you never got angry and loud but instead remained so calm. You seemed to be comfortable, even during your final days two years ago. I’m so glad I was with you on May 5, 2014 to watch you take your last breath, surrounded by mom, Heather, and other family members.
Thank you. Thank you for loving me, for loving my sister, and for loving mom. Everyone who knew you knew you were a man of love. Jesus summarized the entire Law of the Bible in two commands: love God and love others. You were a great example of love.
Thank you for disciplining me. I know that sounds strange. I certainly didn’t like it when you made me write every verse in Proverbs which speaks about wisdom. I didn’t like being spanked! You disciplined out of love, though. The writer of Hebrews said
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:7-11)
You disciplined because you loved me. I appreciate that now.
Thank you for music. I am grateful for my musical heritage. You not only had a love for black gospel music which I share to this day, you were a skilled musician and encouraged me to become one, too.
Thank you for loving Jesus. He was the most important person in your life and He’s the most important person in mine.
Thank you for discipling me. Actions speak louder than words. You provided me with both. You were not perfect, but you were a living example.
I saw Jesus in you as you cared for the least of these, repairing cars for single moms.
I saw Jesus in you as you were generous, giving to not only our church but other ministries, too. I’m not sure how much you gave, but I know it was far beyond the 10% tithe set as a minimum in the Old Testament.
I saw Jesus in you as you shared Christ with customers and co-workers, never pressuring people but rather inviting them to a personal relationship with their Creator.
I saw Jesus in you as you used your gift of leadership as the head of the elder board. Your wisdom was deeply needed many times and without you and mom that church would’ve closed decades ago.
On a side note, do you remember when I asked your forgiveness for judging you? I told you I once thought if you were a REAL Christian you’d become a pastor but I came to realize it would be as wrong for you to leave the marketplace and become a pastor as it would for me to leave vocational ministry for a marketplace career. You impacted so many lives no pastor would’ve ever been able to reach.
There’s so much more I could write, so many great memories of vacations, ball games, Boy Scouts, car repair, …and your amazing laugh! I love you, Dad. I want to be like You and I can’t wait to see you!
Your son,
Kirk
==========================
Dear heavenly Dad,
Thank you. Thank you for blessing me with such an incredible earthly dad. He remains my small-h hero. I miss him so much…and look forward to a reunion someday in heaven. He was one of the greatest gifts I have ever received and I hope to be half the man he was to my wife, kids, and friends.
Thank You for loving me. Everyone who knows You knows You are a loving Dad. In fact, You are the definition of love! John wrote
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7-8)
I know we often misunderstand love. We confuse it with being nice. Love is not tolerant. In fact, they’re often polar opposites. You don’t tolerate us. You’re not passive. Your nature is to give, to have our best interest at heart, and to do whatever necessary to ensure not necessarily our happiness but our holiness.
Thank you for loving my sisters and brothers here in this room and beyond. Eight months ago you brought our family to Toledo to join this First Alliance family and we are so grateful! We have been encouraged, challenged, and loved-on by great men, women, and children, too. It all began with You and Your love.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (1 John 3:1)
There’s so much in those three short verses. You have “lavished” Your love on us…on all of us. We are Your children which means not only a relationship with You but also with one another.
Thank You for hope. John continues
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. (1 John 3:2-3)
This world is so broken. It is groaning and grieving. Violence, heroin, injustice, corruption, hunger, hatred, and pride are just a few of the many sins ravaged our planet. They don’t reflect Your glory, purity, love, or peace. We are to be a faithful presence here and now, but we also live with the hope that Christ will appear, we will be like him, and we will see him…which reminds of my greatest thanks.
Thank You for Jesus! I can’t imagine how people could possibly live without Jesus. You proved Your love to us by sending Jesus (John 3:16).
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:9-10)
Oh how I love Jesus! He was the wisest person to ever walk the earth. He was the greatest teacher. He healed the sick. He cast out demons. He modeled for us what it means to be truly human. No other life has been more analyzed or emulated. Yet his life was only part of the story.
His death was horrific and scandalous, yet so glorious. The cross is a symbol of love, of our sins being atoned for, paid for, and ultimately forgiven. You sent your only son on a mission to die…and there’s not greater pain than watching your child die. We’ve seen movies of the crucifixion and imagine the agony of Jesus, but You, Dad, experienced horrific anguish, too. Your one son received the penalty of the sins of your adopted children. No dad has given a greater gift than the gift of Jesus You have given to us. Without the broken body and the poured-out blood of Jesus I would have no hope, no forgiveness, no joy, no peace, and no love. Because of the cross every man, woman and child has the opportunity to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord and experience abundant life with purpose.
Thank You for disciplining me. The writer of Hebrews was so right!
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11)
You disciplined because you loved me. I appreciate that now. I have grown through trials. My character has been shaped through testing. I know You’re not done with me yet (which scares me sometimes!) but I can see how You’ve always disciplined out of love, not hate or anger. You want what’s best for me, and sometimes what’s best isn’t a banana split on the beach (though I’d enjoy that!).
On a side note, I’m so sorry judging you. There have been so many times when I wanted You to do what I wanted rather than truly seeking Your will. The older I get, the more I realize Daddy knows best, but sometimes it’s hard to trust, especially when I have to wait. I know You are good, though…all the time! Hindsight is 20/20 and now I see the reasons for many of the trials.
Thank You for music. I love music. I love using music to worship and praise You, though worship is so much more than just singing songs. I want all of my life to bring You honor and glory because You’re worth it. You deserve all worship.
Thank You for Your Word.
The vast majority of people throughout history have not had 24/7 access to the scriptures. I’m so blessed to have a copy of the Bible…several, really! I love reading and listening to it on my iPhone. I love studying it. There’s so much to learn and explore about You…and me, too! I’m grateful for the Bible not only for knowledge but also wisdom and understanding…and to know You!
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. (Psalm 119:103-105)
There’s so much more I could write, so many great memories of answered prayers, perfect timing, unexpected blessings, and unending faithfulness. I love you, Dad. I want to be like You and I can’t wait to see you!
Your son,
Kirk
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Father’s Day 2016
1 John 3:1-3; Hebrews 12:7-11
Big Idea: God is the greatest Dad!
Happy Father’s Day! I realize like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day can be emotional…….
This morning I’d like to read two letters. I’ve written one to my biological dad and the other to my heavenly Dad. I wish I could introduce you to my earthly dad, though hopefully you’ll get a glimpse of him through my letter. If you don’t know my heavenly Father, I can and will introduce you to Him!
Dear Dad,
It has been so long since I’ve spoken with you. I can’t remember the last time I heard you say my name. I miss you SO much.
It was horrible watching you fade away over the past decade or so, your mind ravaged by Alzheimer’s. I’m grateful you never got angry and loud but instead remained so calm. You seemed to be comfortable, even during your final days two years ago. I’m so glad I was with you on May 5, 2014 to watch you take your last breath, surrounded by mom, Heather, and other family members.
Thank you. Thank you for loving me, for loving my sister, and for loving mom. Everyone who knew you knew you were a man of love. Jesus summarized the entire Law of the Bible in two commands: love God and love others. You were a great example of love.
Thank you for disciplining me. I know that sounds strange. I certainly didn’t like it when you made me write every verse in Proverbs which speaks about wisdom. I didn’t like being spanked! You disciplined out of love, though. The writer of Hebrews said
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:7-11)
You disciplined because you loved me. I appreciate that now.
Thank you for music. I am grateful for my musical heritage. You not only had a love for black gospel music which I share to this day, you were a skilled musician and encouraged me to become one, too.
Thank you for loving Jesus. He was the most important person in your life and He’s the most important person in mine.
Thank you for discipling me. Actions speak louder than words. You provided me with both. You were not perfect, but you were a living example.
I saw Jesus in you as you cared for the least of these, repairing cars for single moms.
I saw Jesus in you as you were generous, giving to not only our church but other ministries, too. I’m not sure how much you gave, but I know it was far beyond the 10% tithe set as a minimum in the Old Testament.
I saw Jesus in you as you shared Christ with customers and co-workers, never pressuring people but rather inviting them to a personal relationship with their Creator.
I saw Jesus in you as you used your gift of leadership as the head of the elder board. Your wisdom was deeply needed many times and without you and mom that church would’ve closed decades ago.
On a side note, do you remember when I asked your forgiveness for judging you? I told you I once thought if you were a REAL Christian you’d become a pastor but I came to realize it would be as wrong for you to leave the marketplace and become a pastor as it would for me to leave vocational ministry for a marketplace career. You impacted so many lives no pastor would’ve ever been able to reach.
There’s so much more I could write, so many great memories of vacations, ball games, Boy Scouts, car repair, …and your amazing laugh! I love you, Dad. I want to be like You and I can’t wait to see you!
Your son,
Kirk
==========================
Dear heavenly Dad,
Thank you. Thank you for blessing me with such an incredible earthly dad. He remains my small-h hero. I miss him so much…and look forward to a reunion someday in heaven. He was one of the greatest gifts I have ever received and I hope to be half the man he was to my wife, kids, and friends.
Thank You for loving me. Everyone who knows You knows You are a loving Dad. In fact, You are the definition of love! John wrote
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7-8)
I know we often misunderstand love. We confuse it with being nice. Love is not tolerant. In fact, they’re often polar opposites. You don’t tolerate us. You’re not passive. Your nature is to give, to have our best interest at heart, and to do whatever necessary to ensure not necessarily our happiness but our holiness.
Thank you for loving my sisters and brothers here in this room and beyond. Eight months ago you brought our family to Toledo to join this First Alliance family and we are so grateful! We have been encouraged, challenged, and loved-on by great men, women, and children, too. It all began with You and Your love.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (1 John 3:1)
There’s so much in those three short verses. You have “lavished” Your love on us…on all of us. We are Your children which means not only a relationship with You but also with one another.
Thank You for hope. John continues
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. (1 John 3:2-3)
This world is so broken. It is groaning and grieving. Violence, heroin, injustice, corruption, hunger, hatred, and pride are just a few of the many sins ravaged our planet. They don’t reflect Your glory, purity, love, or peace. We are to be a faithful presence here and now, but we also live with the hope that Christ will appear, we will be like him, and we will see him…which reminds of my greatest thanks.
Thank You for Jesus! I can’t imagine how people could possibly live without Jesus. You proved Your love to us by sending Jesus (John 3:16).
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:9-10)
Oh how I love Jesus! He was the wisest person to ever walk the earth. He was the greatest teacher. He healed the sick. He cast out demons. He modeled for us what it means to be truly human. No other life has been more analyzed or emulated. Yet his life was only part of the story.
His death was horrific and scandalous, yet so glorious. The cross is a symbol of love, of our sins being atoned for, paid for, and ultimately forgiven. You sent your only son on a mission to die…and there’s not greater pain than watching your child die. We’ve seen movies of the crucifixion and imagine the agony of Jesus, but You, Dad, experienced horrific anguish, too. Your one son received the penalty of the sins of your adopted children. No dad has given a greater gift than the gift of Jesus You have given to us. Without the broken body and the poured-out blood of Jesus I would have no hope, no forgiveness, no joy, no peace, and no love. Because of the cross every man, woman and child has the opportunity to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord and experience abundant life with purpose.
Thank You for disciplining me. The writer of Hebrews was so right!
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11)
You disciplined because you loved me. I appreciate that now. I have grown through trials. My character has been shaped through testing. I know You’re not done with me yet (which scares me sometimes!) but I can see how You’ve always disciplined out of love, not hate or anger. You want what’s best for me, and sometimes what’s best isn’t a banana split on the beach (though I’d enjoy that!).
On a side note, I’m so sorry judging you. There have been so many times when I wanted You to do what I wanted rather than truly seeking Your will. The older I get, the more I realize Daddy knows best, but sometimes it’s hard to trust, especially when I have to wait. I know You are good, though…all the time! Hindsight is 20/20 and now I see the reasons for many of the trials.
Thank You for music. I love music. I love using music to worship and praise You, though worship is so much more than just singing songs. I want all of my life to bring You honor and glory because You’re worth it. You deserve all worship.
Thank You for Your Word.
The vast majority of people throughout history have not had 24/7 access to the scriptures. I’m so blessed to have a copy of the Bible…several, really! I love reading and listening to it on my iPhone. I love studying it. There’s so much to learn and explore about You…and me, too! I’m grateful for the Bible not only for knowledge but also wisdom and understanding…and to know You!
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. (Psalm 119:103-105)
There’s so much more I could write, so many great memories of answered prayers, perfect timing, unexpected blessings, and unending faithfulness. I love you, Dad. I want to be like You and I can’t wait to see you!
Your son,
Kirk
Learn to Love, 12 June 2016
12 06 16
Learn to Love
Graduation Sunday
Proverbs 1:1-7
Big Idea: We need to learn…to be wise and loving.
Dear graduates,
Congratulations! I have some important things to say to all of you…and everyone else in attendance today. Today is not the end of your education. Hopefully. I hope you will all be life-long learners. God has created an incredible universe for us to explore. When you stop learning, you stop living. I urge you to be curious. Ask questions. Read books. Listen to podcasts.
You no doubt have obtained great knowledge in your studies, but the real value of knowledge is in its application: wisdom.
In the words of the great theologian (!) Jimi Hendrix, "Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens."
The greatest source of wisdom is, of course, Almighty God. He created this world and knows it better than anyone. 1 Kings 3 records God speaking in a rather unique way, a passage we coincidentally read this week during in the One Story Bible reading plan:
At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.
“Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” (1 Kings 3:5-14)
In the next chapter, it says
God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom. (1 Kings 4:29-34)
When Solomon wrote the book of Proverbs, he was considered the wisest man on the planet. Here’s how he began
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
for giving prudence to those who are simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young—
let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance—
for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:1-7)
Graduates, as you continue on in life, you will learn from many sources. As children, we learn from parents and family. The next verses in Proverbs talk about the value of the instructions of parents (Proverbs 1:8-9).
As we get older, we learn from our friends (Proverbs 1:10-19). You are your friends. Choose wisely.
We also learn from our culture. Screens are everywhere, bombarding us with narcissistic messages that say it’s all about us. The pursuit of happiness has become the American way, yet it’s not God’s highest desire for us. He wants us to pursue holiness more than happiness. Be careful what you let into your mind. Virtually all commercials are designed to make us discontent. Amusement literally means to not use your brain, a-muse. Social media tempts us to compare our normal lives with the highlight reels of others. Be discerning when you absorb television, computer, tablet, and phone screens.
We learn from others: peers and mentors. We are called to be disciples of Jesus and to make disciples of Jesus (Philippians 4:9).
We are to learn from God’s Word. The psalmist wrote
How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:9-11)
God’s Word, the Bible, has been read and followed for thousands of years. It is the most studied, published, and subversive book in human history. By far! It’s not politically correct. People have given their lives for possessing it, distributing it, and even translating it. It’s powerful. It’s true. It’s raw. It’s honest. It’s real.
The Bible is the entre, not the spice. You need more than a dash of it. Spend quality time each day reading it, memorizing it, studying it.
We are to learn from God. The best thing about the Bible is it’s our best way to know our Father. It’s a letter from God for us. He also speaks, though, through the Holy Spirit, circumstances, dreams, impressions, and other people. He will never contradict His Word, so it’s important to discern anything we believe God is saying.
Solomon said
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)
For years I have been gathering with others asking two simple questions;
- What is God saying? We listen, read, discuss, and discern.
- What will I do about it? Belief requires action. It can’t stay in our head.
Graduates, I urge you to continue to learn—from godly sources. We naturally absorb the world’s messages…and so many are outright lies. Even scientific research is sometimes overturned, though I appreciate contributions science has made to our lives.
Learn. Learn from godly people. Learn from God’s Word. Learn from God.
Education is gift. It is a tool. It is not the goal. The ultimate goal is to apply your knowledge…wisdom.
Finally, learn to love.
Learn to love God. He loves you. Jesus died for you, the ultimate expression of love. We love because He first loved us.
Learn to love others. God loves them. Find ways to serve. Look out for their best interest. Some can be challenging. You and I can often be challenging. We are, however, to love unconditionally. That’s God’s agape love. Paul described it this way:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a)
Learn to love.
It has been said when you stop learning, you stop living.
But seek wisdom, not merely knowledge. Most of all seek God. He's the ultimate source of wisdom...and life...and love.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Graduation Sunday
Proverbs 1:1-7
Big Idea: We need to learn…to be wise and loving.
Dear graduates,
Congratulations! I have some important things to say to all of you…and everyone else in attendance today. Today is not the end of your education. Hopefully. I hope you will all be life-long learners. God has created an incredible universe for us to explore. When you stop learning, you stop living. I urge you to be curious. Ask questions. Read books. Listen to podcasts.
You no doubt have obtained great knowledge in your studies, but the real value of knowledge is in its application: wisdom.
In the words of the great theologian (!) Jimi Hendrix, "Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens."
The greatest source of wisdom is, of course, Almighty God. He created this world and knows it better than anyone. 1 Kings 3 records God speaking in a rather unique way, a passage we coincidentally read this week during in the One Story Bible reading plan:
At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.
“Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” (1 Kings 3:5-14)
In the next chapter, it says
God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom. (1 Kings 4:29-34)
When Solomon wrote the book of Proverbs, he was considered the wisest man on the planet. Here’s how he began
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
for giving prudence to those who are simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young—
let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance—
for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:1-7)
Graduates, as you continue on in life, you will learn from many sources. As children, we learn from parents and family. The next verses in Proverbs talk about the value of the instructions of parents (Proverbs 1:8-9).
As we get older, we learn from our friends (Proverbs 1:10-19). You are your friends. Choose wisely.
We also learn from our culture. Screens are everywhere, bombarding us with narcissistic messages that say it’s all about us. The pursuit of happiness has become the American way, yet it’s not God’s highest desire for us. He wants us to pursue holiness more than happiness. Be careful what you let into your mind. Virtually all commercials are designed to make us discontent. Amusement literally means to not use your brain, a-muse. Social media tempts us to compare our normal lives with the highlight reels of others. Be discerning when you absorb television, computer, tablet, and phone screens.
We learn from others: peers and mentors. We are called to be disciples of Jesus and to make disciples of Jesus (Philippians 4:9).
We are to learn from God’s Word. The psalmist wrote
How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:9-11)
God’s Word, the Bible, has been read and followed for thousands of years. It is the most studied, published, and subversive book in human history. By far! It’s not politically correct. People have given their lives for possessing it, distributing it, and even translating it. It’s powerful. It’s true. It’s raw. It’s honest. It’s real.
The Bible is the entre, not the spice. You need more than a dash of it. Spend quality time each day reading it, memorizing it, studying it.
We are to learn from God. The best thing about the Bible is it’s our best way to know our Father. It’s a letter from God for us. He also speaks, though, through the Holy Spirit, circumstances, dreams, impressions, and other people. He will never contradict His Word, so it’s important to discern anything we believe God is saying.
Solomon said
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)
For years I have been gathering with others asking two simple questions;
- What is God saying? We listen, read, discuss, and discern.
- What will I do about it? Belief requires action. It can’t stay in our head.
Graduates, I urge you to continue to learn—from godly sources. We naturally absorb the world’s messages…and so many are outright lies. Even scientific research is sometimes overturned, though I appreciate contributions science has made to our lives.
Learn. Learn from godly people. Learn from God’s Word. Learn from God.
Education is gift. It is a tool. It is not the goal. The ultimate goal is to apply your knowledge…wisdom.
Finally, learn to love.
Learn to love God. He loves you. Jesus died for you, the ultimate expression of love. We love because He first loved us.
Learn to love others. God loves them. Find ways to serve. Look out for their best interest. Some can be challenging. You and I can often be challenging. We are, however, to love unconditionally. That’s God’s agape love. Paul described it this way:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a)
Learn to love.
It has been said when you stop learning, you stop living.
But seek wisdom, not merely knowledge. Most of all seek God. He's the ultimate source of wisdom...and life...and love.
Develop a Rule of Life, 5 June 2016
06 06 16
Go the Next Step to Develop a “Rule of Life”
Series: Go Deeper—Emotionally Healthy Spirituality
Acts 2:42-47
Series Theme “Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives,” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzero’s book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea
The seventh pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to develop a “Rule of Life.”
Introduction
We conclude our series Go Deeper. We’ve said like an iceberg, many of us have so much hidden that others don’t really know us. Sometimes we don’t really know ourselves, or at least we hide our past, guilt, shame, addictions, and struggles…but they can never be hidden from God.
The problem with hiding is you can only hide for so long. Like a beach ball at the bottom of a swimming pool, the more we bury, the greater the burst when you can no longer stuff the embarrassment or pain.
Perhaps another way to say Go Deeper is to Get Real! Of course that’s easier said than done, yet many churchgoers are the worst when it comes to living in denial, wearing masks, and overspiritualizing the challenges of life.
As a review, we’ve looked at
The 7 Pathways
1. Know Yourself that You May Know God (David & Goliath)
2. Going Back in Order to Go Forward (Joseph)
3. Journey Through the Wall (Abraham)
4. Enlarge Your Soul Through Grief and Loss (Jesus)
5. Discover the Rhythms of the Daily Office and Sabbath (Daniel)
6. Grow into an Emotionally Mature Adult (Good Samaritan)
Today I want to share with you some tools for living a radical, passionate life in the footsteps of Jesus and
7. Take the Next Step to Develop a “Rule of Life.”
We live in a narcissistic world. Have you noticed? The message of the culture is, “It’s all about you!” Consumerism is so prevalent that we often “go to church” in order to receive, yet we call it a worship service. We use prayer to get God to serve us. We expect God to be a cosmic genie, doing whatever we want…and we get upset when He doesn’t. I’ve got some disturbing news for you: it’s not all about you! In fact, it’s all about God.
I’ve got some exciting news for you: you and I have been invited to participate in God’s mission on our planet, in our city. It’s not that God’s Church has a mission, it’s that God’s mission has a Church. That’s us! We’re called to follow Jesus. We’re called to radically obey the sacred scriptures.
For too long the church has focused on orthodoxy—right thinking. I’m all about good theology. I leave tonight for my final doctorate class at Northern Seminary before working on my dissertation. I love the Bible and theology, but there’s something even more important than orthodoxy: orthopraxy. I know, that’s a fancy word. It simply means right practice, right behavior.
People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
People don’t care what you believe until they know how you you live your life.
But how? How do we look and act like Jesus instead of the sitcom characters? How do we remain pure in a polluted society? How do we love when we’re surrounded by hate?
Three weeks ago we talked about spiritual disciplines or habits. Like brushing your teeth or jogging, the goal is not the disciplines themselves. That’s legalism. The goal is to develop your relationship with God in order to…love God and love others, our subject last week. Focusing on God throughout the day—the Daily Office—is one helpful discipline. Whether it’s at morning and night, three times a day, five times a day, or more, spend focused time with God. It can be brief. It may be a short prayer, meditating on a Bible verse, or singing a song. It could be journaling—writing out your prayers. It might involve appreciating God’s creation, being still and asking God to speak, or doing an act of kindness in the name of Jesus. There are many ways throughout our day we can “pray without ceasing” and avoid the temptation of becoming Christian atheists, Christians who truly live as if God isn’t with us.
We also talked about Sabbath, a daily 24-hour period of rest and renewal. It can be Sunday, Saturday, or any day, but scheduling time to be unproductive in the eyes of the world and center yourself on God, His Word, and appreciating His world.
The third anchor that can help us focus our lives on God is called a Rule of Life.
“RULE” of LIFE
- from the Greek word “trellis”
- a tool to help you grow upward and outward
- a framework or structure to help enable us continually pay attention to God and keep Him the center of our lives
Throughout history, people gathered together in communities around a rule of life. Some were as large as 5000 people in the Egyptian desert.
At this moment, around the world, people are gathering in churches. Why? There are a variety of answers to that question, but hopefully they—and you—are seeking to know and become like Jesus.
As we noted last week, maturity and growth don’t just happen. In fact, I’m told the only thing that will naturally grow as I age is my nose and ears (and probably my gut!).
Going deeper is not about simply filling your head with more information. Throughout history there have been religious leaders who could ace any Bible knowledge test…but they didn’t look like Jesus. In fact, some of them killed Jesus!
What is your plan for spiritual growth?
Many of you have plans for physical growth. You count calories. You work out in the gym. You run marathons. Whether it began as a new year’s resolution or through some other event you have a goal…and you’re working toward it.
Next Sunday we will honor those whose plans for mental and academic growth have been fulfilled…or at least reached a milestone we call graduation. They had a plan to take classes, write papers, complete exams…and their mission has been accomplished.
Perhaps you have plans related to your work. Sales goals, bonuses, or standards of excellence. These typically have a plan with action steps.
What is your plan for spiritual growth?
Acts 2:42-47 shows us the trellis or framework for the early church.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47
“Devoted” to
1. Apostle’s Teaching
We’re a school of the LORD’s service. We are under the Scriptures.
2. Fellowship (Greek: “sharing”)
A new family/community is formed. Following Jesus is not an individual experience.
3. Breaking of Bread
They did it corporately and at home.
4. Prayer
a. Talking to God
b. Listening to God
c. Being with God
Intentionality
The early church was intentional. It was difficult. It required sacrifice. Many became martyrs. Their entire lives were God. They were breaking away from the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Just as the one thing that occurs naturally in nature is weeds, the one thing that occurs naturally within us is sin.
This is about resetting your entire life. David wrote:
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. (Psalms 27:4)
I’d like to show you a a sample Rule of Life:
PRAYER
a. Scripture (through the Bible in a year; memorization)
b. Silence and Solitude
c. Daily Office (Psalms, personal prayer, writing out your prayers)
d. Study (reading, learning, exploring)
REST
e. Sabbath
f. Simplicity
g. Play and Recreation (fun!)
ACTIVITY
h. Service and Mission
i. Care for the Physical Body
RELATIONSHIPS
j. Emotional Health
k. Family
l. Community (Companions for your journey)
Here are some other ideas:
Prayer
- Live in truth, asking the hard questions.
- Bridge racial, cultural, economic and gender barriers for Christ.
Work/Activity
It must be a heart thing, not a to-do list. The goal is not to check things off. The goal is to take intentional steps to know and become like Jesus. None of us is perfect, but we can help encourage one another to become more like Jesus. We can be disciples and make disciples. That’s our mandate.
“Your way of acting should be different from the world’s way. The love of Christ must come before all else.” -Benedict
Luke 18:9-14 is a very sobering passage for me, especially as a “religious leader.”
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men — robbers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ (Luke 18:9-12)
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ (Luke 18:13)
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)
Are you growing in your love for your enemies?
The goal of a rule of life is a heart transformation, not self-righteous behavior. It’s a journey, not a destination.
What is your trellis? What is your plan to follow Jesus? What are your next steps?
Credits and Stuff
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.
Series outline and ideas from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Thomas Nelson, 2006).
Some study questions from Lyman Coleman (The Serendipity Bible and The Serendipity Student Bible). Used with permission from the author.
Other study questions from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Workbook by Peter Scazzero (Center for Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, 2007).
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: Go Deeper—Emotionally Healthy Spirituality
Acts 2:42-47
The Big Idea
The seventh pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to develop a “Rule of Life.”
Introduction
We conclude our series Go Deeper. We’ve said like an iceberg, many of us have so much hidden that others don’t really know us. Sometimes we don’t really know ourselves, or at least we hide our past, guilt, shame, addictions, and struggles…but they can never be hidden from God.
The problem with hiding is you can only hide for so long. Like a beach ball at the bottom of a swimming pool, the more we bury, the greater the burst when you can no longer stuff the embarrassment or pain.
Perhaps another way to say Go Deeper is to Get Real! Of course that’s easier said than done, yet many churchgoers are the worst when it comes to living in denial, wearing masks, and overspiritualizing the challenges of life.
As a review, we’ve looked at
The 7 Pathways
1. Know Yourself that You May Know God (David & Goliath)
2. Going Back in Order to Go Forward (Joseph)
3. Journey Through the Wall (Abraham)
4. Enlarge Your Soul Through Grief and Loss (Jesus)
5. Discover the Rhythms of the Daily Office and Sabbath (Daniel)
6. Grow into an Emotionally Mature Adult (Good Samaritan)
Today I want to share with you some tools for living a radical, passionate life in the footsteps of Jesus and
7. Take the Next Step to Develop a “Rule of Life.”
We live in a narcissistic world. Have you noticed? The message of the culture is, “It’s all about you!” Consumerism is so prevalent that we often “go to church” in order to receive, yet we call it a worship service. We use prayer to get God to serve us. We expect God to be a cosmic genie, doing whatever we want…and we get upset when He doesn’t. I’ve got some disturbing news for you: it’s not all about you! In fact, it’s all about God.
I’ve got some exciting news for you: you and I have been invited to participate in God’s mission on our planet, in our city. It’s not that God’s Church has a mission, it’s that God’s mission has a Church. That’s us! We’re called to follow Jesus. We’re called to radically obey the sacred scriptures.
For too long the church has focused on orthodoxy—right thinking. I’m all about good theology. I leave tonight for my final doctorate class at Northern Seminary before working on my dissertation. I love the Bible and theology, but there’s something even more important than orthodoxy: orthopraxy. I know, that’s a fancy word. It simply means right practice, right behavior.
People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
People don’t care what you believe until they know how you you live your life.
But how? How do we look and act like Jesus instead of the sitcom characters? How do we remain pure in a polluted society? How do we love when we’re surrounded by hate?
Three weeks ago we talked about spiritual disciplines or habits. Like brushing your teeth or jogging, the goal is not the disciplines themselves. That’s legalism. The goal is to develop your relationship with God in order to…love God and love others, our subject last week. Focusing on God throughout the day—the Daily Office—is one helpful discipline. Whether it’s at morning and night, three times a day, five times a day, or more, spend focused time with God. It can be brief. It may be a short prayer, meditating on a Bible verse, or singing a song. It could be journaling—writing out your prayers. It might involve appreciating God’s creation, being still and asking God to speak, or doing an act of kindness in the name of Jesus. There are many ways throughout our day we can “pray without ceasing” and avoid the temptation of becoming Christian atheists, Christians who truly live as if God isn’t with us.
We also talked about Sabbath, a daily 24-hour period of rest and renewal. It can be Sunday, Saturday, or any day, but scheduling time to be unproductive in the eyes of the world and center yourself on God, His Word, and appreciating His world.
The third anchor that can help us focus our lives on God is called a Rule of Life.
“RULE” of LIFE
- from the Greek word “trellis”
- a tool to help you grow upward and outward
- a framework or structure to help enable us continually pay attention to God and keep Him the center of our lives
Throughout history, people gathered together in communities around a rule of life. Some were as large as 5000 people in the Egyptian desert.
At this moment, around the world, people are gathering in churches. Why? There are a variety of answers to that question, but hopefully they—and you—are seeking to know and become like Jesus.
As we noted last week, maturity and growth don’t just happen. In fact, I’m told the only thing that will naturally grow as I age is my nose and ears (and probably my gut!).
Going deeper is not about simply filling your head with more information. Throughout history there have been religious leaders who could ace any Bible knowledge test…but they didn’t look like Jesus. In fact, some of them killed Jesus!
What is your plan for spiritual growth?
Many of you have plans for physical growth. You count calories. You work out in the gym. You run marathons. Whether it began as a new year’s resolution or through some other event you have a goal…and you’re working toward it.
Next Sunday we will honor those whose plans for mental and academic growth have been fulfilled…or at least reached a milestone we call graduation. They had a plan to take classes, write papers, complete exams…and their mission has been accomplished.
Perhaps you have plans related to your work. Sales goals, bonuses, or standards of excellence. These typically have a plan with action steps.
What is your plan for spiritual growth?
Acts 2:42-47 shows us the trellis or framework for the early church.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47
“Devoted” to
1. Apostle’s Teaching
We’re a school of the LORD’s service. We are under the Scriptures.
2. Fellowship (Greek: “sharing”)
A new family/community is formed. Following Jesus is not an individual experience.
3. Breaking of Bread
They did it corporately and at home.
4. Prayer
a. Talking to God
b. Listening to God
c. Being with God
Intentionality
The early church was intentional. It was difficult. It required sacrifice. Many became martyrs. Their entire lives were God. They were breaking away from the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Just as the one thing that occurs naturally in nature is weeds, the one thing that occurs naturally within us is sin.
This is about resetting your entire life. David wrote:
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. (Psalms 27:4)
I’d like to show you a a sample Rule of Life:
PRAYER
a. Scripture (through the Bible in a year; memorization)
b. Silence and Solitude
c. Daily Office (Psalms, personal prayer, writing out your prayers)
d. Study (reading, learning, exploring)
REST
e. Sabbath
f. Simplicity
g. Play and Recreation (fun!)
ACTIVITY
h. Service and Mission
i. Care for the Physical Body
RELATIONSHIPS
j. Emotional Health
k. Family
l. Community (Companions for your journey)
Here are some other ideas:
Prayer
- - Be a lover of God, seeking to live in the love of Christ above all else.
- - Befriend silence.
- - Allow Holy Scripture to shape and form Christ in me.
- - Value my own dignity as a human being made in God's image through self-respect and self-care.
- - Ruthlessly eliminate hurry.
- - Remember God’s history of faithfulness with each new challenge.
- - Receive God’s limits as a gift.
- - Love my neighbor as I love myself— embracing my singleness as I bond with others,
- - Walk in community while respecting each person’s uniqueness.
- - Apply emotionally healthy practices in order to love well.
- - Listen more than I speak.
- - Point others to a deep, personal relationship with Jesus.
- - Savor the sacred in all I do—at work, rest or play.
- - Remember the poor and marginalized.
- - Share my gifts, talents and resources, in and beyond our community.
It must be a heart thing, not a to-do list. The goal is not to check things off. The goal is to take intentional steps to know and become like Jesus. None of us is perfect, but we can help encourage one another to become more like Jesus. We can be disciples and make disciples. That’s our mandate.
“Your way of acting should be different from the world’s way. The love of Christ must come before all else.” -Benedict
Luke 18:9-14 is a very sobering passage for me, especially as a “religious leader.”
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men — robbers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ (Luke 18:9-12)
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ (Luke 18:13)
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)
Are you growing in your love for your enemies?
The goal of a rule of life is a heart transformation, not self-righteous behavior. It’s a journey, not a destination.
What is your trellis? What is your plan to follow Jesus? What are your next steps?
Credits and Stuff
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.
Series outline and ideas from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Thomas Nelson, 2006).
Some study questions from Lyman Coleman (The Serendipity Bible and The Serendipity Student Bible). Used with permission from the author.
Other study questions from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Workbook by Peter Scazzero (Center for Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, 2007).
Grow into an Emotionally Mature Adult, 29 May 2016
29 05 16
Grow into an Emotionally Mature Adult
Series: Go Deeper
Luke 10:25-37
Series Theme “Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives,” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzero’s book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea: The sixth pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to grow into an emotionally mature adult…to love.
Introduction
We’re nearing the end of our series Go Deeper. The purpose of the series is to get real—with God, others, and ourselves—in order to better love God and others. Many live in denial about their past, their struggles, their sins, and their pain.
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives,” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero.
Two weeks ago we talked about the rhythms of the Daily Office and a weekly Sabbath. If you’ve been experimenting with praying throughout the day and/or a designated day of rest, I’d love to hear about it. If not, I challenge you to pursue God in fresh ways and prioritize one, “unproductive” day of the week to rest, recharge, and renew.
Today’s topic is growing into an emotionally mature adult. Many people confuse age with maturity. Just as the phrase “older and wiser” is not always true, so also “older and mature” is not necessarily reality. No matter how old you are, there is room for growth and maturity. Our ultimate goal is to look like Jesus.
Many people overestimate their maturity. Specifically, they believe because they’ve attended a lot of church services and Bible studies they’re mature. Most people I know are educated beyond their level of obedience—including me!
Maturity requires more than great faith, sacrificing your body, giving everything you have to the poor, having great knowledge, and speaking multiple languages (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).
In the Church, many mistakenly believe that if they have spent decades attending a church gathering on Sundays, they will automatically become spiritual giants. Not long ago a local pastor mentioned how he is so frustrated by several senior citizens in his congregation that think they’re mature, yet they are mean-spirited, selfish, grumpy, and lack joy and the most important of all love.
Love
Few words are more misunderstood in our culture than love. Love is a feeling. I love ice cream and roller coasters. People say they fall into love and fall out of love.
Years ago I saw a group from the UK called The Waterboys. They have a song in which they declare love “lives in the girl in the swing.” Deep!
I remember a man telling me he had fallen in love with a woman, or so he thought. He wrestled with this question of defining love. He wisely turned to the Bible and discovered the answer in the book of 1 John.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. (1John 4:16)
God is love. Love is God. He is the definition of love!
Many of you know John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
1 John 3:16 is similar.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. (1 John 3:16)
The original Greek in the Bible uses three different words to describe three different types of love.
One of the most famous of Jesus’ stories is often called The Good Samarian.
The Good Samaritan—Luke 10:25-37
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” (Luke 10:25-26)
Jesus loved to answer questions with questions!
He answered: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27)
These two commands were known by every Jew, found in Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18.
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” (Luke 10:28)
Love God. Love your neighbor. So simple. That’s it. That’s why we’re here. That’s what First Alliance is all about…just two things: love God, love your neighbor. Simple. But so challenging…especially if your neighbor is…uh, unlovable!
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29)
This man thought he was mature. He thought because he was an expert in the law he’d pass any morality exam with flying colors. He should’ve just walked away, but instead he tried to “justify himself.”
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. (Luke 10:30)
The journey from Jerusalem to Jericho is about 17 miles long with a descent of about 3000 feet. It was a dangerous road, frequently filled with robbers who hid along the steep, winding path.
A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. (Luke 10:31-32)
These two respected, religious, supposedly loving men ignore the victim of violence. Most likely the victim, priest, and Levite were all Jews. They studied what is known as the Torah, the first part of our Bible. It would make sense to help a brother in the faith, yet the two men were too busy or proud to be inconvenienced.
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. (Luke 10:33)
It’s nearly impossible for us to understand the hatred of Samarians by the Jews. Samaritans were a mixed race of Jew and Gentile. The Jewish Talmud says that he who eats bread with a Samaritan is like the one who eats the flesh of pigs, something so offensive I can’t come up with a modern-day equivalent!
He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ (Luke 10:34-35)
The Levite was religious. He had probably memorized the first five books of the Bible! He had likely given sermons on loving others.
Notice that this hated Samaritan loves, yet his love has appropriate boundaries. He doesn’t completely abandon his plans, but he seeks help, delegates to the innkeeper, and resumes his scheduled activities. He is generous. He loves.
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:36-37)
The essence of true Christian spirituality is love. This is not the feeling of love. It’s the commitment to seek the best interest of another, regardless of who they are, the color of their skin, the accent in their language, the clothes on their body, their age, religion, or gender.
But love cannot just be in our head. It has to be in our heart and hands. One of Jesus’ three best friends said
If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? (1 John 3:17)
John narrows his focus to brothers or sisters, but Jesus says to love one’s neighbor, which is essentially anyone and everyone.
Emotional Maturity
Emotional maturity could be defined as loving well. Are you a good lover?
Loving your neighbor may mean caring for their physical needs in a moment of crisis, but most often it has to do with our day-to-day relationships with those we encounter at home, work, school, or in the marketplace. Just as infants grow physically into adults, so also emotional infants can become children, adolescents, and adults. Look at these examples:
Adult as Emotional Infant
-- treats others as “objects to meet my needs”
-- acts like tyrant and wins through intimidation
-- unable to empathize with others
Adult as Emotional Child
-- acts out resentment through distance, pouting, whining, clinging, lying, withholding, appeasing, lying.
-- does not openly and honestly express needs
Adult as Emotional Adolescent
-- cannot give without feeling controlled or resentful
-- capacity for mutual concern is missing
-- defensive, threatened by criticism
Adult as Emotional Adult
-- Able to ask for what they need, want, prefer – clearly, directly, honestly, respectfully.
-- Desire for relationships to win. Seeks win-win situations.
-- Able to listen with empathy.
-- Willing to risk saying what is needed without attacking.
-- Respects others without having to change them.
-- Able to resolve conflicts maturely and negotiate solutions.
-- Gives themselves and others room to make mistakes and not be perfect.
The problem is that we live with us in the center of our universe. The Good News is that we don’t have to stay there.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
This is one of my favorite verses. Christ has the power to change and transform us. His sacrifice on the cross made it possible for us to reconnect with our Father, despite our sin.
Salvation does not mean we are instantly mature, however. Just as a Christian alcoholic must take steps to address their addiction and a Christian who never finished high school might want to work hard to get their GED, so also our emotions may need some deliberate, focused attention. Sure God could just miraculously heal the brokenness from your past, but more than likely He will work through your efforts at wholeness—not salvation, but wholeness.
This is one of the greatest challenges within the Church—denying our history and thinking that this verse means we’re instantly cured of every dysfunction in our lives when we encounter Jesus. We grow into maturity, it doesn’t just happen.
So What?
Take practical steps of discipleship to grow into an emotionally mature adult
It can be terrifying. Some of us do not even know how to feel. Where do we start?
We must follow the path of Abraham, leaving our pasts and families and cultures (the bad stuff) and turning to God. This is obviously impossible apart from God.
We must repent (turn away) from our past and then move forward.
If you want to run a marathon, you must train and build up to it over time. Becoming an emotionally healthy adult requires baby steps.
Discipleship is a lifelong journey. It is hard. It takes time. It is worth it!
The alternative is living your life as a prisoner of your past.
We should love the best because we are loved the best.
You can’t just love God. You have to love people, too. Loving God is more than reading the Bible, prayer, and church attendance. To obey is better than any sacrifice, and Jesus repeatedly taught us to love one another. Let’s face it, it’s relatively easy to love a loving God, but loving our enemies and neighbors is far different, especially since they are not perfect like Jesus!
As a church family, we are beta-testing some discipleship strategies. Jesus said to make disciples and we are very serious about not only making spiritual disciples but holistic disciples that are vibrant, healthy, and contagious (yes, I used health and contagious in the same sentence!).
What does an emotionally mature adult ultimately look like?
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
Jesus is our perfect example.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8)
Does that describe you? If not, there is room for growth!
Jesus was the ultimate human being. He was the ultimate example of love. He was the most emotionally mature person to enter our world.
The amazing thing is that His power is alive and well through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is able to reside inside you, not to instantly make you perfect, but to help you grow in all aspects of your life. Growth takes time. It takes intentionality. It takes effort. It takes surrender to God.
Perhaps you’ve had the fire and passion for God but you’ve grown complacent and comfortable. Maybe your next step this morning is to recommit your life to Christ, invite the Holy Spirit to live inside you, and give you the courage to confront your past and the strength to create a healthier, whole future.
Maybe today is the day of salvation, the day you begin your journey, the day you learn how to love, knowing that you are loved…by God and by our faith family.
Regardless of where you find yourself in the spiritual journey, I want to encourage you to take the next step forward, to know God more, to know love more, and to love God and others more. John said
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:18)
Arguably the best way we can love others is by first reflecting upon how much we are loved by God. This is why time with God is so valuable.
If you get nothing else out of this morning, know you are loved. You are precious to God. You were created in His image with value, dignity, and worth. We all have days when we are not all that lovable, yet God still loves us. In the same way we are to love the unlovable, sharing God’s love we have received with others.
The measure of our maturity is not how many sermons we’ve sat through or how many Bible verses we’ve memorized. The real measure of our maturity is how well we love…God…and others.
I don’t know about you, but I often struggle to love others. It truly requires effort, sacrifice, and intentionality. We love God because He first loved us. We love others because He loves them. We are able to love when desperately seek God and His love.
Credits and Stuff
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.
Series outline and ideas from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Thomas Nelson, 2006).
Some study questions from Lyman Coleman (The Serendipity Bible and The Serendipity Student Bible). Used with permission from the author.
Other study questions from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Workbook by Peter Scazzero (Center for Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, 2007).
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: Go Deeper
Luke 10:25-37
The Big Idea: The sixth pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to grow into an emotionally mature adult…to love.
Introduction
We’re nearing the end of our series Go Deeper. The purpose of the series is to get real—with God, others, and ourselves—in order to better love God and others. Many live in denial about their past, their struggles, their sins, and their pain.
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives,” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero.
Two weeks ago we talked about the rhythms of the Daily Office and a weekly Sabbath. If you’ve been experimenting with praying throughout the day and/or a designated day of rest, I’d love to hear about it. If not, I challenge you to pursue God in fresh ways and prioritize one, “unproductive” day of the week to rest, recharge, and renew.
Today’s topic is growing into an emotionally mature adult. Many people confuse age with maturity. Just as the phrase “older and wiser” is not always true, so also “older and mature” is not necessarily reality. No matter how old you are, there is room for growth and maturity. Our ultimate goal is to look like Jesus.
Many people overestimate their maturity. Specifically, they believe because they’ve attended a lot of church services and Bible studies they’re mature. Most people I know are educated beyond their level of obedience—including me!
Maturity requires more than great faith, sacrificing your body, giving everything you have to the poor, having great knowledge, and speaking multiple languages (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).
In the Church, many mistakenly believe that if they have spent decades attending a church gathering on Sundays, they will automatically become spiritual giants. Not long ago a local pastor mentioned how he is so frustrated by several senior citizens in his congregation that think they’re mature, yet they are mean-spirited, selfish, grumpy, and lack joy and the most important of all love.
Love
Few words are more misunderstood in our culture than love. Love is a feeling. I love ice cream and roller coasters. People say they fall into love and fall out of love.
Years ago I saw a group from the UK called The Waterboys. They have a song in which they declare love “lives in the girl in the swing.” Deep!
I remember a man telling me he had fallen in love with a woman, or so he thought. He wrestled with this question of defining love. He wisely turned to the Bible and discovered the answer in the book of 1 John.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. (1John 4:16)
God is love. Love is God. He is the definition of love!
Many of you know John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
1 John 3:16 is similar.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. (1 John 3:16)
The original Greek in the Bible uses three different words to describe three different types of love.
- - eros (ἔρως), passionate
- - philia (φιλία), friendship
- - agape (ἀγάπη), unconditional
One of the most famous of Jesus’ stories is often called The Good Samarian.
The Good Samaritan—Luke 10:25-37
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” (Luke 10:25-26)
Jesus loved to answer questions with questions!
He answered: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27)
These two commands were known by every Jew, found in Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18.
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” (Luke 10:28)
Love God. Love your neighbor. So simple. That’s it. That’s why we’re here. That’s what First Alliance is all about…just two things: love God, love your neighbor. Simple. But so challenging…especially if your neighbor is…uh, unlovable!
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29)
This man thought he was mature. He thought because he was an expert in the law he’d pass any morality exam with flying colors. He should’ve just walked away, but instead he tried to “justify himself.”
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. (Luke 10:30)
The journey from Jerusalem to Jericho is about 17 miles long with a descent of about 3000 feet. It was a dangerous road, frequently filled with robbers who hid along the steep, winding path.
A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. (Luke 10:31-32)
These two respected, religious, supposedly loving men ignore the victim of violence. Most likely the victim, priest, and Levite were all Jews. They studied what is known as the Torah, the first part of our Bible. It would make sense to help a brother in the faith, yet the two men were too busy or proud to be inconvenienced.
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. (Luke 10:33)
It’s nearly impossible for us to understand the hatred of Samarians by the Jews. Samaritans were a mixed race of Jew and Gentile. The Jewish Talmud says that he who eats bread with a Samaritan is like the one who eats the flesh of pigs, something so offensive I can’t come up with a modern-day equivalent!
He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ (Luke 10:34-35)
The Levite was religious. He had probably memorized the first five books of the Bible! He had likely given sermons on loving others.
Notice that this hated Samaritan loves, yet his love has appropriate boundaries. He doesn’t completely abandon his plans, but he seeks help, delegates to the innkeeper, and resumes his scheduled activities. He is generous. He loves.
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:36-37)
The essence of true Christian spirituality is love. This is not the feeling of love. It’s the commitment to seek the best interest of another, regardless of who they are, the color of their skin, the accent in their language, the clothes on their body, their age, religion, or gender.
But love cannot just be in our head. It has to be in our heart and hands. One of Jesus’ three best friends said
If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? (1 John 3:17)
John narrows his focus to brothers or sisters, but Jesus says to love one’s neighbor, which is essentially anyone and everyone.
Emotional Maturity
Emotional maturity could be defined as loving well. Are you a good lover?
Loving your neighbor may mean caring for their physical needs in a moment of crisis, but most often it has to do with our day-to-day relationships with those we encounter at home, work, school, or in the marketplace. Just as infants grow physically into adults, so also emotional infants can become children, adolescents, and adults. Look at these examples:
Adult as Emotional Infant
-- treats others as “objects to meet my needs”
-- acts like tyrant and wins through intimidation
-- unable to empathize with others
Adult as Emotional Child
-- acts out resentment through distance, pouting, whining, clinging, lying, withholding, appeasing, lying.
-- does not openly and honestly express needs
Adult as Emotional Adolescent
-- cannot give without feeling controlled or resentful
-- capacity for mutual concern is missing
-- defensive, threatened by criticism
Adult as Emotional Adult
-- Able to ask for what they need, want, prefer – clearly, directly, honestly, respectfully.
-- Desire for relationships to win. Seeks win-win situations.
-- Able to listen with empathy.
-- Willing to risk saying what is needed without attacking.
-- Respects others without having to change them.
-- Able to resolve conflicts maturely and negotiate solutions.
-- Gives themselves and others room to make mistakes and not be perfect.
The problem is that we live with us in the center of our universe. The Good News is that we don’t have to stay there.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
This is one of my favorite verses. Christ has the power to change and transform us. His sacrifice on the cross made it possible for us to reconnect with our Father, despite our sin.
Salvation does not mean we are instantly mature, however. Just as a Christian alcoholic must take steps to address their addiction and a Christian who never finished high school might want to work hard to get their GED, so also our emotions may need some deliberate, focused attention. Sure God could just miraculously heal the brokenness from your past, but more than likely He will work through your efforts at wholeness—not salvation, but wholeness.
This is one of the greatest challenges within the Church—denying our history and thinking that this verse means we’re instantly cured of every dysfunction in our lives when we encounter Jesus. We grow into maturity, it doesn’t just happen.
So What?
Take practical steps of discipleship to grow into an emotionally mature adult
It can be terrifying. Some of us do not even know how to feel. Where do we start?
We must follow the path of Abraham, leaving our pasts and families and cultures (the bad stuff) and turning to God. This is obviously impossible apart from God.
We must repent (turn away) from our past and then move forward.
If you want to run a marathon, you must train and build up to it over time. Becoming an emotionally healthy adult requires baby steps.
Discipleship is a lifelong journey. It is hard. It takes time. It is worth it!
The alternative is living your life as a prisoner of your past.
We should love the best because we are loved the best.
You can’t just love God. You have to love people, too. Loving God is more than reading the Bible, prayer, and church attendance. To obey is better than any sacrifice, and Jesus repeatedly taught us to love one another. Let’s face it, it’s relatively easy to love a loving God, but loving our enemies and neighbors is far different, especially since they are not perfect like Jesus!
As a church family, we are beta-testing some discipleship strategies. Jesus said to make disciples and we are very serious about not only making spiritual disciples but holistic disciples that are vibrant, healthy, and contagious (yes, I used health and contagious in the same sentence!).
What does an emotionally mature adult ultimately look like?
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
Jesus is our perfect example.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8)
Does that describe you? If not, there is room for growth!
Jesus was the ultimate human being. He was the ultimate example of love. He was the most emotionally mature person to enter our world.
The amazing thing is that His power is alive and well through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is able to reside inside you, not to instantly make you perfect, but to help you grow in all aspects of your life. Growth takes time. It takes intentionality. It takes effort. It takes surrender to God.
Perhaps you’ve had the fire and passion for God but you’ve grown complacent and comfortable. Maybe your next step this morning is to recommit your life to Christ, invite the Holy Spirit to live inside you, and give you the courage to confront your past and the strength to create a healthier, whole future.
Maybe today is the day of salvation, the day you begin your journey, the day you learn how to love, knowing that you are loved…by God and by our faith family.
Regardless of where you find yourself in the spiritual journey, I want to encourage you to take the next step forward, to know God more, to know love more, and to love God and others more. John said
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:18)
Arguably the best way we can love others is by first reflecting upon how much we are loved by God. This is why time with God is so valuable.
If you get nothing else out of this morning, know you are loved. You are precious to God. You were created in His image with value, dignity, and worth. We all have days when we are not all that lovable, yet God still loves us. In the same way we are to love the unlovable, sharing God’s love we have received with others.
The measure of our maturity is not how many sermons we’ve sat through or how many Bible verses we’ve memorized. The real measure of our maturity is how well we love…God…and others.
I don’t know about you, but I often struggle to love others. It truly requires effort, sacrifice, and intentionality. We love God because He first loved us. We love others because He loves them. We are able to love when desperately seek God and His love.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.
Series outline and ideas from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Thomas Nelson, 2006).
Some study questions from Lyman Coleman (The Serendipity Bible and The Serendipity Student Bible). Used with permission from the author.
Other study questions from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Workbook by Peter Scazzero (Center for Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, 2007).
Daily Office & Sabbath, 15 May 2016
18 05 16
Discover The Rhythms of Daily Office and Sabbath
Series: Go Deeper
Daniel 6:10-12; Exodus 20:8-11
The Big Idea: The fifth pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to discover the rhythms of the Daily Office and Sabbath.
Introduction
The essence of this series is our lives are like an iceberg. Some of it is visible to others, but most is buried out of sight from the world, sometimes ourselves, but never from God. The sooner we can get real with ourselves, others and God, the sooner we will experience growth and breakthroughs. We’re all messed up and in need of help…which is where God and His people become so vital. We need God. We need one another.
Author and pastor Pete Scazzero said his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives.”
We’ve been looking at emotional health and for the conclusion of this series we will be looking at contemplative spirituality, tools and practices that help us to know God and His Word and become more like Jesus.
A Disclaimer
I hope it goes without saying, but let me emphatically state our authority at First Alliance is God and the Bible. I pray that I will never preach or even say anything contradictory to the Bible…and if I do, I urge you to tell me. I do not have the final word, and certainly Pete Scazzero or Billy Graham or John Stumbo or any other pastor or writer has the final word. I don’t agree with everything Scazzero has written and I especially don’t agree with every author Scazzero quotes. If you read Emotionally Healthy Spirituality or any other book, be careful. Read with discernment. Ask me, an elder, or your group leader questions if something seems off. Some of you have, and I greatly appreciate it. We’re not always going to completely agree about everything in the Bible, but we need to sharpen one another…and I never want to speak anything but truth.
Connecting With God
All of life is about relationships. Just as there are many ways I can build a relationship with my wife—date nights, texts, phone calls, conversations at the dinner table at home, vacations, etc.—there are many ways we can build our relationship with God.
How do you connect with God? Many people engage in religious activities to learn about or appease God. The essence of Christianity, however, is a relationship with God. All relationships require time, effort, and dedication. Today we will be discussing two powerful tools to help you grow in your relationship with God. These are not two things to add to your to-do list. They are not a measure of your spirituality. If used, however, they will radically enhance your relationship with God and yourself.
We begin in the book of Daniel. Allow me to set the scene. King Belshazzar, the king of the Babylonians, was slain and Darius became the new king. Daniel was one of his top assistants. In fact, we are told
Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. (Daniel 6:3)
This made his colleagues envious.
At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.” (Daniel 6:4-5)
They go to the king and ask him to make a law making it illegal to pray to any god or man except the king during the next thirty days.
Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown into the lions’ den?” (Daniel 6:10-12)
If you don’t know the rest of the story, check out Daniel 6.
Rhythms
Our culture knows nothing about rhythms. We live life 24/7, an expression that was unknown a decade ago. We use words like chaos, scattered, distracted, stressed, and overwhelmed to describe our existence. We are always on the way to something or somewhere. We strive for bigger, better, and faster.
How do I have a calm, centered life that is oriented around Jesus?
You were created to know and love God and be known by and loved by Him.
We need to slow down to connect with God. How?
You cannot jump off a moving treadmill. You must slow it down first.
The Daily Office and Sabbath bring rhythm to our lives daily and weekly.
The Daily Office or Fixed-Hour Prayer: daily rhythm
The Daily Office is simply about making space throughout the day for God. Office (opus) means “work of God” in Latin. Our work is to seek and be with God.
Daniel is essentially at the University of Babylon. His name is changed and the leaders attempt to take God out of him. Our culture is much like Babylon, trying to make us think and act like the world rather than God.
Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. (Daniel 6:10)
Daniel prays three times each day on his knees. Do you?
One of my favorite questions to ask of a biblical text is whether it is descriptive or prescriptive. Does it describe what someone did or does it prescribe for us today a behavior to imitate.
I don’t think God commands us to go to an upstairs room, open our windows toward Jerusalem, and get on our knees three times a day to pray…but it’s not a bad idea!
How do you meet with God each day? Reading the One Story Bible plan? Prayer at a certain time of day? A devotional?
David wrote
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. (Psalms 27:4)
That is David’s work. An office is about being with God, not trying to get things from God. Paul wrote to the church in Thessaloniki:
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
I think that is a prescription. I believe it’s a timeless mandate for all followers of Jesus. But how can we pray continually? How can we be aware of and conscious of God throughout the day? One way is to stop and pause throughout the day to be aware of His presence.
Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws. (Psalms 119:164)
It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, (Psalm 92:1-2)
Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. (Psalms 55:17)
The Psalms are a prayer book. The Daily Office is frequently associated with Catholics or highly liturgical denominations, but all followers of Jesus can benefit from books of prayer that incorporate Scripture and reflection. The issue is not what you do, but getting connected with God through Scripture and silence where you can be still in the presence of God. The idea of the Daily Office is to stop several times throughout the day to pause and remember God. It is a discipline to order your day to remind you what is important in life: God.
Meals provide such a rhythm for many of us, praying three times a day at morning, noon, and evening. Bedtime is another common time to talk with God.
The Daily Office may involve prayer, reading scripture, journaling, taking a walk, or whatever helps you connect with God throughout the day. There’s no magic formula, but intentionality is crucial. What’s most important in your life? Show me your calendar and prove it!
If your only time with God is an hour on Sunday, you can’t possibly have a deep relationship with God. You will develop spiritual anorexia. Just as I can’t expect to have a great marriage by talking with my wife for an hour on Friday night, I can’t expect to truly know God by only “going to church.” It’s a great practice, but more is needed. Spend time with God daily…the Daily Office.
Sabbath: weekly rhythm
Knowing and following God is radical. It is counter-cultural. It is revolutionary. Few things are more radical than Sabbath, a 24-hour break each week during which we rest. The word “Sabbath” appears 116 times in the NIV translation of the Bible. The seventh day is the first holy thing mentioned in the Bible. Sabbath is found in the Ten Commandments. Without the fourth and longest commandment, you cannot do the other nine.
God’s Top Ten: Exodus 20:1-17
1. You shall have no other gods before me
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
4. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord our God. On it you shall not do any work…For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy” (Exodus 20:8-11)
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not give false witness.
10. You shall not covet.
God commands rhythm in our lives of work and rest. Do you know what the penalty was for breaking the Sabbath?
Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people. (Exodus 31:14)
Notice the Sabbath is listed in God’s Top Ten ahead of murder, adultery, and stealing.
I know, it’s the Old Testament. We don’t follow the Old Testament law, right? It seems to me Jesus not only followed God’s instructions, He made them more challenging. He called lust adultery (Matthew 5:28) and unholy anger equivalent to murder (Matthew 5:21-22).
Jesus said,
Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27)
Sabbath is about rest. We need it. We were created to need it. Science merely confirms the wisdom of the Bible.
[A study from Stanford] found that productivity per hour declines sharply when the workweek exceeds 50 hours, and productivity drops off so much after 55 hours that there’s no point in working any more. That’s right, people who work as much as 70 hours (or more) per week actually get the same amount done as people who work 55 hours. (http://lifehacker.com/if-you-work-more-than-50-hours-a-week-youre-probably-n-1771165123)
Sabbath is also about trust. Do you trust God can do more with six days than you can with seven?
My Story
I’ve had good and not-so-good seasons of Sabbath. Presently, I try to devote Saturdays as my unproductive day. Just saying that word “unproductive” sounds so wrong, but I believe that’s the intention of Sabbath. It’s like a weekly “snow day!” It’s a day to play, to relax, to delight, to reflect, to do things that replenish, to be grateful to God, to enjoy family and friends. We taste heaven on the Sabbath.
Needless to say, you must prepare for the Sabbath. You can’t just do it. It’s not a punishment but a gift. There is no place for legalism, it is to be a delight.
Conclusion
We live in Babylon. Our culture is diametrically opposed to God. We are bombarded by subtle and not-so-subtle messages that seduce us away from the things of God.
If you are serious about following Jesus, you will need to do radical, counter-cultural things with your time, talents, and treasures. An hour on Sunday is not enough to maintain a relationship with God. A quick prayer at dinner or bedtime is not sufficient either. None of us—myself included—are able to spend all of our waking hours in prayer and Bible study, but we can periodically incorporate Scripture and silence into our daily lives and pause for one day a week to do nothing.
There are no shortcuts to relationships. Ever!
We were created to know God. The Daily Office and weekly Sabbath are biblical, powerful, and revolutionary ways to breathe deeply, be with God, and become like Jesus.
All healthy relationships require time, intentionality, and variety. Experiment. There are biblical patterns for daily time with God that include prayer and time studying the Bible. There is a biblical pattern for a weekly Sabbath, a day of rest and refreshment. The goal is not following a formula but rather following Jesus…day by day, week by week, year by year…until He returns.
Questions for Discussion
What does this text tell us about God?
What does this text tell us about ourselves?
How did Daniel’s prayers affect his work? His life?
Are you willing to make the sacrifices necessary to truly know God?
Why is silence so difficult for us?
Why is Sabbath so difficult for us? What prevents you from practicing Sabbath?
What difference would a weekly Sabbath make in your life?
What small step(s) can you take this week to know God?
A Sample Daily Office For Groups
For Further Reading
Praying with the Church: Following Jesus Daily, Hourly, Today by Scot McKnight
Credits and Stuff
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.
Series outline and ideas from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Thomas Nelson, 2006).
Some study questions from Lyman Coleman (The Serendipity Bible and The Serendipity Student Bible). Used with permission from the author.
Other study questions from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Workbook by Peter Scazzero (Center for Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, 2007).
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: Go Deeper
Daniel 6:10-12; Exodus 20:8-11
The Big Idea: The fifth pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to discover the rhythms of the Daily Office and Sabbath.
Introduction
The essence of this series is our lives are like an iceberg. Some of it is visible to others, but most is buried out of sight from the world, sometimes ourselves, but never from God. The sooner we can get real with ourselves, others and God, the sooner we will experience growth and breakthroughs. We’re all messed up and in need of help…which is where God and His people become so vital. We need God. We need one another.
Author and pastor Pete Scazzero said his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives.”
We’ve been looking at emotional health and for the conclusion of this series we will be looking at contemplative spirituality, tools and practices that help us to know God and His Word and become more like Jesus.
A Disclaimer
I hope it goes without saying, but let me emphatically state our authority at First Alliance is God and the Bible. I pray that I will never preach or even say anything contradictory to the Bible…and if I do, I urge you to tell me. I do not have the final word, and certainly Pete Scazzero or Billy Graham or John Stumbo or any other pastor or writer has the final word. I don’t agree with everything Scazzero has written and I especially don’t agree with every author Scazzero quotes. If you read Emotionally Healthy Spirituality or any other book, be careful. Read with discernment. Ask me, an elder, or your group leader questions if something seems off. Some of you have, and I greatly appreciate it. We’re not always going to completely agree about everything in the Bible, but we need to sharpen one another…and I never want to speak anything but truth.
Connecting With God
All of life is about relationships. Just as there are many ways I can build a relationship with my wife—date nights, texts, phone calls, conversations at the dinner table at home, vacations, etc.—there are many ways we can build our relationship with God.
How do you connect with God? Many people engage in religious activities to learn about or appease God. The essence of Christianity, however, is a relationship with God. All relationships require time, effort, and dedication. Today we will be discussing two powerful tools to help you grow in your relationship with God. These are not two things to add to your to-do list. They are not a measure of your spirituality. If used, however, they will radically enhance your relationship with God and yourself.
We begin in the book of Daniel. Allow me to set the scene. King Belshazzar, the king of the Babylonians, was slain and Darius became the new king. Daniel was one of his top assistants. In fact, we are told
Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. (Daniel 6:3)
This made his colleagues envious.
At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.” (Daniel 6:4-5)
They go to the king and ask him to make a law making it illegal to pray to any god or man except the king during the next thirty days.
Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown into the lions’ den?” (Daniel 6:10-12)
If you don’t know the rest of the story, check out Daniel 6.
Rhythms
Our culture knows nothing about rhythms. We live life 24/7, an expression that was unknown a decade ago. We use words like chaos, scattered, distracted, stressed, and overwhelmed to describe our existence. We are always on the way to something or somewhere. We strive for bigger, better, and faster.
How do I have a calm, centered life that is oriented around Jesus?
You were created to know and love God and be known by and loved by Him.
We need to slow down to connect with God. How?
You cannot jump off a moving treadmill. You must slow it down first.
The Daily Office and Sabbath bring rhythm to our lives daily and weekly.
The Daily Office or Fixed-Hour Prayer: daily rhythm
The Daily Office is simply about making space throughout the day for God. Office (opus) means “work of God” in Latin. Our work is to seek and be with God.
Daniel is essentially at the University of Babylon. His name is changed and the leaders attempt to take God out of him. Our culture is much like Babylon, trying to make us think and act like the world rather than God.
Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. (Daniel 6:10)
Daniel prays three times each day on his knees. Do you?
One of my favorite questions to ask of a biblical text is whether it is descriptive or prescriptive. Does it describe what someone did or does it prescribe for us today a behavior to imitate.
I don’t think God commands us to go to an upstairs room, open our windows toward Jerusalem, and get on our knees three times a day to pray…but it’s not a bad idea!
How do you meet with God each day? Reading the One Story Bible plan? Prayer at a certain time of day? A devotional?
David wrote
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. (Psalms 27:4)
That is David’s work. An office is about being with God, not trying to get things from God. Paul wrote to the church in Thessaloniki:
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
I think that is a prescription. I believe it’s a timeless mandate for all followers of Jesus. But how can we pray continually? How can we be aware of and conscious of God throughout the day? One way is to stop and pause throughout the day to be aware of His presence.
Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws. (Psalms 119:164)
It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, (Psalm 92:1-2)
Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. (Psalms 55:17)
The Psalms are a prayer book. The Daily Office is frequently associated with Catholics or highly liturgical denominations, but all followers of Jesus can benefit from books of prayer that incorporate Scripture and reflection. The issue is not what you do, but getting connected with God through Scripture and silence where you can be still in the presence of God. The idea of the Daily Office is to stop several times throughout the day to pause and remember God. It is a discipline to order your day to remind you what is important in life: God.
Meals provide such a rhythm for many of us, praying three times a day at morning, noon, and evening. Bedtime is another common time to talk with God.
The Daily Office may involve prayer, reading scripture, journaling, taking a walk, or whatever helps you connect with God throughout the day. There’s no magic formula, but intentionality is crucial. What’s most important in your life? Show me your calendar and prove it!
If your only time with God is an hour on Sunday, you can’t possibly have a deep relationship with God. You will develop spiritual anorexia. Just as I can’t expect to have a great marriage by talking with my wife for an hour on Friday night, I can’t expect to truly know God by only “going to church.” It’s a great practice, but more is needed. Spend time with God daily…the Daily Office.
Sabbath: weekly rhythm
Knowing and following God is radical. It is counter-cultural. It is revolutionary. Few things are more radical than Sabbath, a 24-hour break each week during which we rest. The word “Sabbath” appears 116 times in the NIV translation of the Bible. The seventh day is the first holy thing mentioned in the Bible. Sabbath is found in the Ten Commandments. Without the fourth and longest commandment, you cannot do the other nine.
God’s Top Ten: Exodus 20:1-17
1. You shall have no other gods before me
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
4. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord our God. On it you shall not do any work…For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy” (Exodus 20:8-11)
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not give false witness.
10. You shall not covet.
God commands rhythm in our lives of work and rest. Do you know what the penalty was for breaking the Sabbath?
Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people. (Exodus 31:14)
Notice the Sabbath is listed in God’s Top Ten ahead of murder, adultery, and stealing.
I know, it’s the Old Testament. We don’t follow the Old Testament law, right? It seems to me Jesus not only followed God’s instructions, He made them more challenging. He called lust adultery (Matthew 5:28) and unholy anger equivalent to murder (Matthew 5:21-22).
Jesus said,
Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27)
Sabbath is about rest. We need it. We were created to need it. Science merely confirms the wisdom of the Bible.
[A study from Stanford] found that productivity per hour declines sharply when the workweek exceeds 50 hours, and productivity drops off so much after 55 hours that there’s no point in working any more. That’s right, people who work as much as 70 hours (or more) per week actually get the same amount done as people who work 55 hours. (http://lifehacker.com/if-you-work-more-than-50-hours-a-week-youre-probably-n-1771165123)
Sabbath is also about trust. Do you trust God can do more with six days than you can with seven?
My Story
I’ve had good and not-so-good seasons of Sabbath. Presently, I try to devote Saturdays as my unproductive day. Just saying that word “unproductive” sounds so wrong, but I believe that’s the intention of Sabbath. It’s like a weekly “snow day!” It’s a day to play, to relax, to delight, to reflect, to do things that replenish, to be grateful to God, to enjoy family and friends. We taste heaven on the Sabbath.
Needless to say, you must prepare for the Sabbath. You can’t just do it. It’s not a punishment but a gift. There is no place for legalism, it is to be a delight.
Conclusion
We live in Babylon. Our culture is diametrically opposed to God. We are bombarded by subtle and not-so-subtle messages that seduce us away from the things of God.
If you are serious about following Jesus, you will need to do radical, counter-cultural things with your time, talents, and treasures. An hour on Sunday is not enough to maintain a relationship with God. A quick prayer at dinner or bedtime is not sufficient either. None of us—myself included—are able to spend all of our waking hours in prayer and Bible study, but we can periodically incorporate Scripture and silence into our daily lives and pause for one day a week to do nothing.
There are no shortcuts to relationships. Ever!
We were created to know God. The Daily Office and weekly Sabbath are biblical, powerful, and revolutionary ways to breathe deeply, be with God, and become like Jesus.
All healthy relationships require time, intentionality, and variety. Experiment. There are biblical patterns for daily time with God that include prayer and time studying the Bible. There is a biblical pattern for a weekly Sabbath, a day of rest and refreshment. The goal is not following a formula but rather following Jesus…day by day, week by week, year by year…until He returns.
Questions for Discussion
What does this text tell us about God?
What does this text tell us about ourselves?
How did Daniel’s prayers affect his work? His life?
Are you willing to make the sacrifices necessary to truly know God?
Why is silence so difficult for us?
Why is Sabbath so difficult for us? What prevents you from practicing Sabbath?
What difference would a weekly Sabbath make in your life?
What small step(s) can you take this week to know God?
A Sample Daily Office For Groups
- 1. Pause for two minutes of silence (Psalm 46:10)
- 2. Read aloud Psalm 90:4, 12, 17
- 3. Pause for 15 seconds of silence
- 4. Read aloud Psalm 33:20-22
- 5. Pause for 15 seconds of silence
- 6. Read aloud Matthew 6:9-14
- 7. Pause for 15 seconds of silence
- 8. Read aloud Isaiah 30:15 and Psalm 86:11, 13a
- 9. Pause for two minutes of silence
For Further Reading
Praying with the Church: Following Jesus Daily, Hourly, Today by Scot McKnight
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.
Series outline and ideas from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Thomas Nelson, 2006).
Some study questions from Lyman Coleman (The Serendipity Bible and The Serendipity Student Bible). Used with permission from the author.
Other study questions from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Workbook by Peter Scazzero (Center for Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, 2007).
Grief and Loss, 1 May 2016
01 05 16
Enlarge Your Soul Through Grief and Loss
Series: Go Deeper
Matthew 26:31-44
Series Theme “Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives,” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzero’s book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea: Jesus was a man who expressed His emotions of grief and loss, setting an example for us to follow.
Introduction
We’re in the middle of a series entitled Go Deeper. Our lives are like an iceberg. We expose only a small portion of our real selves to others. Some of us live in denial about that which we know is true beneath the surface. Perhaps another way to say, “Go Deeper” is to say, “get real.” Get honest. Until we face reality, we will never be able to heal from the pain, overcome the addiction, or strengthen the weakness.
Last week we talked about how we can’t avoid trials. In this life, we will and do have trouble. We want to go over, under, or around but we must journey through the wall. Despite the courage involved, there are benefits to testing.
- God uses trials so we will look out…to others.
The book of Romans plainly says
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15)
We are to
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)
In addition,
- God uses trials so we will look up…to Him. He is with us…always. That’s a promise.
At the Wall, God asks some tough questions.
“What would you do without Me?”
“What will you do without My blessings?”
“Will you continue to seek Me?”
“Will you seek the ‘Other’ instead?”
At the Wall we learn a single truth that gets burned into us: life isn’t about us; it’s about God and His glory.
You were created by God.
You were created for God.
You were created for God’s glory.
On the Other Side of the Wall
The Wall always changes us. We can be bitter…or better. The Wall offers us an opportunity to move
- From pride to brokenness and humility
- From pleasure to appreciation and contentment
- From impatience to patience, able to wait for God
- From more to enough
- From immaturity to maturity
Grief & Loss
When we get to the other side of The Wall, it’s tempting to ignore the grief and loss that often accompany such a journey. Adrian Rogers said that everything in life relates to sin, sorrow and death. How cheery! How true.
Loss
All of life is about loss. We lose the safety of our mother’s womb, youth, dreams, control, illusions, and ultimately our health.
Grief and loss are done differently in various cultures and families.
Two-thirds of the Psalms deal with grief. They are called laments. The books of Job and Lamentations are also filled with grief and loss.
Scripture has been called the music of God. Here’s one famous passage:
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…(Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4)
Perhaps you were told, “Big boys don’t cry.” Maybe you heard the message emotions should not be expressed. Those are clearly not biblical ideas. Perhaps nobody demonstrated His feelings—especially grief—like Jesus.
Matthew 26:36-46
I think many people find themselves in the midst of suffering and wonder where they can find God, how God could possibly understand their circumstances, how He could just watch those He says He loves go through such pain and agony. He understands…and He is with us…always.
Jesus’ followers were shocked to see the Messiah suffer, but His agony was prophesied centuries earlier. The prophet Isaiah said:
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3)
That’s our God! He is familiar with grief and suffering, loss and pain. One of the most vivid examples is found in the Garden of Gethsemane, a place you can visit today in Jerusalem.
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” (Matthew 26:36-38)
Jesus knows sorrow.
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39)
He pleads for Plan B. He wants to go over, under, or around this Wall. Luke records this moment by saying
And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. (Luke 22:44)
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” (Matthew 26:40-41)
Last week we noted the value of community, of support, of family. What do you do when those you need most aren’t there for you in your moment of greatest need?
He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” (Matthew 26:42)
He asks again for Plan B!
When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. (Matthew 26:43-44)
Three times He begs the Father for a shortcut, for another path. He’s all alone. Can you imagine?
Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” (Matthew 26:45-46)
Jesus is depressed, distressed, and sorrowful. Can you relate? The book of Hebrews says:
During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. (Hebrews 5:7)
In the Garden Jesus falls to His face to the ground. He is prostrate on the ground. His sweat was like drops of blood (Luke 22:44). He is experiencing loss, preparing for the loss of His life and, even worse, the loss of His connection to the Father. He will become sin, taking our sins upon Himself. He will bear the wrath and judgment of a holy God. He will lose his friend Judas. He will lose the support of His followers who will abandon Him. His creation will crucify Him…all in the name of God!
This is not an attractive image of the King of kings and LORD of lords!
One element of the Scriptures that lends to their credibility is the raw, honest portrayals of the “heroes” of the Bible. The writers are never afraid to tell it like it is, warts and all!
This is not happy, successful, popular, wealthy Jesus!
This is our perfect model of what it means to be fully human.
Reactions To Pain
Divorce, death, breakups, failures, disappointments, shattered dreams, painful memories, and other forms of grief and loss invade our lives. Common reactions/defenses to grief and loss include
- denial
- minimizing (admitting something is wrong, but not acknowledging its impact)
- blaming others (or God)
- blaming yourself
- rationalizing (offering excuses and justifications)
- intellectualizing (analysis and theories to avoid personal awareness/feelings)
- distracting
- becoming hostile
- medicating
Many bury their pain of grief with addictions that are followed by guilt and shame as we lose control. It’s just like satan to tempt us into something, only to turn around and accuse us of the very action!
PTSD
These four letters together were not recognized until 1980 when the American Psychiatric Association added Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder to the third of edition of its manual of mental disorders. Grief and loss—especially if not processed appropriately—can wreak havoc in our lives. Traumatic events can impact us beyond our ability to cope…and affect us long after the experience.
Biblical Grieving
I want to offer a few suggestions to those of you who are grieving.
Pay attention
Don’t live in denial. Jesus was very real in the Garden. He held nothing back. His emotional burden was so great it had physical manifestations as He sweat drops of blood.
Wait in the confusing in-between (Ps. 37:7)
No matter what grief and loss you may be experiencing today, tomorrow is a new day. The story is not over. It’s SO hard to wait—for anything—but we can take hope knowing God is in control.
Embrace the gift of limits
In addition to loss, we are faced with limits in our life. Limits in our life include
Many of us find limits frustrating, but they are part of God’s plan. They cause us to rely upon Him. Paul had a “thorn in the flesh” God refused to remove. Undoubtedly it was to keep him on his knees, dependent upon God. Remember, life is not about us, it’s about God’s glory. When we are weak, He is strong and gets the glory.
Climb the ladder of humility
The word humility comes from the Latin humus which means “of the earth.”
In the sixth century, St. Benedict introduced the idea of a twelve-step ladder for growing in the grace of humility. Here’s a modified version of it:
Step 8: Transformation into the Love of God (no sarcasm, arrogance; content)
Step 7: Speaking Less (“The wise are known for their few words”)
Step 6: Deeply Aware of Being “Chief of All Sinners” (recognize our sinfulness)
Step 5: Radical Honesty to Others About Your Weaknesses/Faults (quit pretending)
Step 4: Patience To Accept The Difficulty of Others
Step 3: Willing To Subject Ourselves To The Direction of Others (surrender power)
Step 2: Doing God’s Will (not your own or that of others)
Step 1: Fear of God and Mindfulness of Him (He is present)
Where are you at today? I’m working on Step 1! Humility is a rare virtue. Most of us struggle with pride, manifested through arrogance or insecurity. Humility is not thinking less of yourself. It’s thinking of yourself less. When our focus is on Jesus, we don’t have to impress others, mask our emotions, or fear failure. We don’t even have to be “successful” in the eyes of the world. We simply have to be obedient and faithful to God, His Word, and His will.
Listening To The Interruption
Jesus doesn’t deny his grief. Why do so many Christians?
Jesus is real and authentic. He feels. He expresses His emotions.
He listens to the interruptions of His life.
Have you ever felt so bad that you could just die? That’s how Jesus felt.
This passage is difficult for some people who want Jesus the superhero. For the rest of us, it is reassuring that He understands our struggles and trials and agony.
It is human to feel and hurt. Jesus understands…and He is with us through the Holy Spirit.
Resurrection
The beauty of dying to ourselves is the opportunity to be resurrected in Christ. This is beautifully illustrated in the water grave of baptism.
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
We continue to celebrate the Resurrection, not merely one day of the year but every day. Jesus’ story did not end in the garden or on the cross. Death always precedes resurrection and new life.
Learning To Fall
I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. (John 12:24)
The trash of the grief may smell, but there are diamonds in the mess that God can use.
When we listen to the interruption and learn to fall, our souls will enlarge.
a. our self-will breaks
Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered (Hebrews 5:8)
Jesus had a human will. He was fully God but also fully human. His humanity did not want to obey the Father. He did not naturally obey the Father. He wanted out. He submitted His will to the Father’s will.
Jesus prayed three times for the Father’s will.
You learn obedience through the struggle of grief.
You lose control at the wall (last week’s message).
Life is more than a series of problems we need to solve. Life is a mystery.
b. we learn about prayer
Prayer is the center of our life with Christ. David, Job, Jeremiah, Jesus grieved with God through prayer.
c. we create space for God
In emptying ourselves, we make room for more of God. When we give up control, we can lean into God.
Questions for Discussion
What does this text tell us about God?
What does this text tell us about ourselves?
What significant losses/disappointments did you experience
How did you respond to each?
How did your family deal with grief and loss when you were growing up?
Share one recent loss in your life. How has it affected you?
After leaving everything to follow Jesus, how did Peter react to Jesus’ shocking prediction in Matthew 26:31-36?
What are some of the reasons that Jesus is “overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” in Matthew 26:38-44?
How does He deal with grief and loss?
Which of the common defenses do you use to protect yourself from grief and loss?
The central message of Christianity is that death and suffering bring resurrection and new life. How have you experienced this? Be specific.
Credits and Stuff
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.
Series outline and ideas from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Thomas Nelson, 2006).
Some study questions from Lyman Coleman (The Serendipity Bible and The Serendipity Student Bible). Used with permission from the author.
Other study questions from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Workbook by Peter Scazzero (Center for Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, 2007).
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: Go Deeper
Matthew 26:31-44
Introduction
We’re in the middle of a series entitled Go Deeper. Our lives are like an iceberg. We expose only a small portion of our real selves to others. Some of us live in denial about that which we know is true beneath the surface. Perhaps another way to say, “Go Deeper” is to say, “get real.” Get honest. Until we face reality, we will never be able to heal from the pain, overcome the addiction, or strengthen the weakness.
Last week we talked about how we can’t avoid trials. In this life, we will and do have trouble. We want to go over, under, or around but we must journey through the wall. Despite the courage involved, there are benefits to testing.
- God uses trials so we will look out…to others.
The book of Romans plainly says
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15)
We are to
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)
In addition,
- God uses trials so we will look up…to Him. He is with us…always. That’s a promise.
At the Wall, God asks some tough questions.
“What would you do without Me?”
“What will you do without My blessings?”
“Will you continue to seek Me?”
“Will you seek the ‘Other’ instead?”
At the Wall we learn a single truth that gets burned into us: life isn’t about us; it’s about God and His glory.
You were created by God.
You were created for God.
You were created for God’s glory.
On the Other Side of the Wall
The Wall always changes us. We can be bitter…or better. The Wall offers us an opportunity to move
- From pride to brokenness and humility
- From pleasure to appreciation and contentment
- From impatience to patience, able to wait for God
- From more to enough
- From immaturity to maturity
Grief & Loss
When we get to the other side of The Wall, it’s tempting to ignore the grief and loss that often accompany such a journey. Adrian Rogers said that everything in life relates to sin, sorrow and death. How cheery! How true.
Loss
All of life is about loss. We lose the safety of our mother’s womb, youth, dreams, control, illusions, and ultimately our health.
Grief and loss are done differently in various cultures and families.
Two-thirds of the Psalms deal with grief. They are called laments. The books of Job and Lamentations are also filled with grief and loss.
Scripture has been called the music of God. Here’s one famous passage:
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…(Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4)
Perhaps you were told, “Big boys don’t cry.” Maybe you heard the message emotions should not be expressed. Those are clearly not biblical ideas. Perhaps nobody demonstrated His feelings—especially grief—like Jesus.
Matthew 26:36-46
I think many people find themselves in the midst of suffering and wonder where they can find God, how God could possibly understand their circumstances, how He could just watch those He says He loves go through such pain and agony. He understands…and He is with us…always.
Jesus’ followers were shocked to see the Messiah suffer, but His agony was prophesied centuries earlier. The prophet Isaiah said:
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3)
That’s our God! He is familiar with grief and suffering, loss and pain. One of the most vivid examples is found in the Garden of Gethsemane, a place you can visit today in Jerusalem.
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” (Matthew 26:36-38)
Jesus knows sorrow.
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39)
He pleads for Plan B. He wants to go over, under, or around this Wall. Luke records this moment by saying
And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. (Luke 22:44)
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” (Matthew 26:40-41)
Last week we noted the value of community, of support, of family. What do you do when those you need most aren’t there for you in your moment of greatest need?
He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” (Matthew 26:42)
He asks again for Plan B!
When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. (Matthew 26:43-44)
Three times He begs the Father for a shortcut, for another path. He’s all alone. Can you imagine?
Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” (Matthew 26:45-46)
Jesus is depressed, distressed, and sorrowful. Can you relate? The book of Hebrews says:
During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. (Hebrews 5:7)
In the Garden Jesus falls to His face to the ground. He is prostrate on the ground. His sweat was like drops of blood (Luke 22:44). He is experiencing loss, preparing for the loss of His life and, even worse, the loss of His connection to the Father. He will become sin, taking our sins upon Himself. He will bear the wrath and judgment of a holy God. He will lose his friend Judas. He will lose the support of His followers who will abandon Him. His creation will crucify Him…all in the name of God!
This is not an attractive image of the King of kings and LORD of lords!
One element of the Scriptures that lends to their credibility is the raw, honest portrayals of the “heroes” of the Bible. The writers are never afraid to tell it like it is, warts and all!
This is not happy, successful, popular, wealthy Jesus!
This is our perfect model of what it means to be fully human.
Reactions To Pain
Divorce, death, breakups, failures, disappointments, shattered dreams, painful memories, and other forms of grief and loss invade our lives. Common reactions/defenses to grief and loss include
- denial
- minimizing (admitting something is wrong, but not acknowledging its impact)
- blaming others (or God)
- blaming yourself
- rationalizing (offering excuses and justifications)
- intellectualizing (analysis and theories to avoid personal awareness/feelings)
- distracting
- becoming hostile
- medicating
Many bury their pain of grief with addictions that are followed by guilt and shame as we lose control. It’s just like satan to tempt us into something, only to turn around and accuse us of the very action!
PTSD
These four letters together were not recognized until 1980 when the American Psychiatric Association added Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder to the third of edition of its manual of mental disorders. Grief and loss—especially if not processed appropriately—can wreak havoc in our lives. Traumatic events can impact us beyond our ability to cope…and affect us long after the experience.
Biblical Grieving
I want to offer a few suggestions to those of you who are grieving.
Pay attention
Don’t live in denial. Jesus was very real in the Garden. He held nothing back. His emotional burden was so great it had physical manifestations as He sweat drops of blood.
Wait in the confusing in-between (Ps. 37:7)
No matter what grief and loss you may be experiencing today, tomorrow is a new day. The story is not over. It’s SO hard to wait—for anything—but we can take hope knowing God is in control.
Embrace the gift of limits
In addition to loss, we are faced with limits in our life. Limits in our life include
- - physical body
- - family of origin
- - marital status
- - intellectual capacity
- - talents and gifts
- - material wealth
- - educational opportunities
- - raw material (personality, temperament)
- - time
- - work
- - relationship realities
- - spiritual understanding
- - ministry
Many of us find limits frustrating, but they are part of God’s plan. They cause us to rely upon Him. Paul had a “thorn in the flesh” God refused to remove. Undoubtedly it was to keep him on his knees, dependent upon God. Remember, life is not about us, it’s about God’s glory. When we are weak, He is strong and gets the glory.
Climb the ladder of humility
The word humility comes from the Latin humus which means “of the earth.”
In the sixth century, St. Benedict introduced the idea of a twelve-step ladder for growing in the grace of humility. Here’s a modified version of it:
Step 8: Transformation into the Love of God (no sarcasm, arrogance; content)
Step 7: Speaking Less (“The wise are known for their few words”)
Step 6: Deeply Aware of Being “Chief of All Sinners” (recognize our sinfulness)
Step 5: Radical Honesty to Others About Your Weaknesses/Faults (quit pretending)
Step 4: Patience To Accept The Difficulty of Others
Step 3: Willing To Subject Ourselves To The Direction of Others (surrender power)
Step 2: Doing God’s Will (not your own or that of others)
Step 1: Fear of God and Mindfulness of Him (He is present)
Where are you at today? I’m working on Step 1! Humility is a rare virtue. Most of us struggle with pride, manifested through arrogance or insecurity. Humility is not thinking less of yourself. It’s thinking of yourself less. When our focus is on Jesus, we don’t have to impress others, mask our emotions, or fear failure. We don’t even have to be “successful” in the eyes of the world. We simply have to be obedient and faithful to God, His Word, and His will.
Listening To The Interruption
Jesus doesn’t deny his grief. Why do so many Christians?
Jesus is real and authentic. He feels. He expresses His emotions.
He listens to the interruptions of His life.
Have you ever felt so bad that you could just die? That’s how Jesus felt.
This passage is difficult for some people who want Jesus the superhero. For the rest of us, it is reassuring that He understands our struggles and trials and agony.
It is human to feel and hurt. Jesus understands…and He is with us through the Holy Spirit.
Resurrection
The beauty of dying to ourselves is the opportunity to be resurrected in Christ. This is beautifully illustrated in the water grave of baptism.
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
We continue to celebrate the Resurrection, not merely one day of the year but every day. Jesus’ story did not end in the garden or on the cross. Death always precedes resurrection and new life.
Learning To Fall
I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. (John 12:24)
The trash of the grief may smell, but there are diamonds in the mess that God can use.
When we listen to the interruption and learn to fall, our souls will enlarge.
a. our self-will breaks
Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered (Hebrews 5:8)
Jesus had a human will. He was fully God but also fully human. His humanity did not want to obey the Father. He did not naturally obey the Father. He wanted out. He submitted His will to the Father’s will.
Jesus prayed three times for the Father’s will.
You learn obedience through the struggle of grief.
You lose control at the wall (last week’s message).
Life is more than a series of problems we need to solve. Life is a mystery.
b. we learn about prayer
Prayer is the center of our life with Christ. David, Job, Jeremiah, Jesus grieved with God through prayer.
c. we create space for God
In emptying ourselves, we make room for more of God. When we give up control, we can lean into God.
Questions for Discussion
What does this text tell us about God?
What does this text tell us about ourselves?
What significant losses/disappointments did you experience
- - when you were age 3-12?
- - as a teenager?
- - as a young adult?
- - as an adult?
How did you respond to each?
How did your family deal with grief and loss when you were growing up?
Share one recent loss in your life. How has it affected you?
After leaving everything to follow Jesus, how did Peter react to Jesus’ shocking prediction in Matthew 26:31-36?
What are some of the reasons that Jesus is “overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” in Matthew 26:38-44?
How does He deal with grief and loss?
Which of the common defenses do you use to protect yourself from grief and loss?
The central message of Christianity is that death and suffering bring resurrection and new life. How have you experienced this? Be specific.
Credits and Stuff
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.
Series outline and ideas from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Thomas Nelson, 2006).
Some study questions from Lyman Coleman (The Serendipity Bible and The Serendipity Student Bible). Used with permission from the author.
Other study questions from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Workbook by Peter Scazzero (Center for Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, 2007).
Journey Through The Wall, 24 April 2016
25 04 16
Journey Through The Wall
Series: Go Deeper
Genesis 22:1-14
Series Theme
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives,” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzero’s book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea: The third pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is journey through the wall and know it’s all about Jesus.
Introduction
This morning I’d like to take you on a journey. It’s a familiar journey for some of you. It goes like this:
We're goin' on a bear hunt,
We're going to catch a big one,
I'm not scared
What a beautiful day!
Oh look! It's some long, wavy grass!
Can't go over it,
Can't go under it,
Can't go around it,
Got to go through it!
We’re not actually hunting bears today, but we are talking about encountering a wall we cannot go over, under, or around. We must journey through the wall.
There are many types of walls but they all usually lead to one question: Why?
Today we continue our series Go Deeper: Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. We have said our lives are like an iceberg. There is more beneath the surface than we allow others to see…or sometimes even acknowledge ourselves. We’re all messed up because we live in a fallen, sin-filled world. You are messed up. I’m messed up. In fact, if you don’t think you’re messed up, you’re the most messed up!
Tragically, many people live their lives in denial…of their weaknesses, their family of origin, pain from their past, or their own emotions. God created us with both thoughts and feelings. We have both a mind and a heart. To live in denial is to prevent growth and change. To get real about our stuff is the first step toward healing and wholeness.
Let me say again we all have stuff. For some reason there are acceptable and unacceptable things in the church. For instance, addiction to alcohol is bad, but addiction to applause and compliments is generally acceptable, perhaps because it’s often hidden. Cursing is bad, but gossiping through prayer requests is not only acceptable, it is encouraged in some circles. A family with a history of divorce is bad, but generations of religious, self-righteous people is sometimes admired, even though Jesus directed most of His criticism at the religious leaders of His day who stood in judgment of the “sinners.”
I mentioned the propensity of some to wear masks. We may wear holiness masks so others will think we’re more spiritual than we really are. Another thing some mask is their emotions. I remember a certain Christian DJ who seemed to talk about tragedy in her life and then dismiss it with something like “all things work together for good so I’m just happy! Praise the Lord.” She was not real.
Let me just say it: life is hard. It was hard for Jesus. It’s hard for us.
Where did we get the idea we should be happy, happy, happy? Jesus said
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
The Wall
The Wall appears through a crisis. When we hit the Wall, we cry out “God – Where are You?”
It’s ok to ask God questions. It’s ok to have doubts. It’s ok to ask, “Why?” God can handle it!
David cried out to God for years when Saul and his men pursued him, and he was forced to hide in caves (see Psalms 69, 70, 71 and others).
Consider Job. Satan challenged God to take away Job’s wealth, animals, children, and good health, all as a way to see if Job would continue to be upright. At first, Job cries out to God, but God does not answer right away (Job 13: 20-26). Eventually, God speaks up and Job repents and relents (Job 42:1-6).
Abraham: Genesis 22:1-15
After looking at Saul and David, today’s character is Abraham.
Abraham had his share of Walls in his life. He was asked to leave his family and travel to an unknown land. He arrived and encountered a famine, had a conflict with his nephew Lot, his wife was unable to have children, he bounced off that wall and had a son with his wife’s servant.
At age 110 he hit another wall. His promised son was finally born and then God asks him to do the unthinkable.
Genesis 22...
Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
God does not tempt, but tests Abraham to confirm his faith and prove his commitment.
This seems so bizarre to us, yet in that day child sacrifices were commonly offered to pagan gods.
Tragically, 1/3 of my generation has been killed, but that’s another issue for another time.
Mount Moriah is now the covered with the Dome of the Rock in Israel, a Muslim structure.
Abraham faces a Wall, a test that he causes a crisis of faith.
Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”
Imagine that journey!
Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
Good question!
Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.” (Genesis 22:1-14)
God tested Abraham.
God allowed Job to be tested.
God often allows trials and testing in our lives…for two purposes
1. His glory
2. Our growth
This past week I was at the C&MA Great Lakes District Conference and Rev. Thomas George, our District Superintendent, reminded us of three things:
1. We were made by God
2. We were made for God
3. We were made for God’s glory
Our consumeristic culture says it’s all about us.
The Bible says it’s all about God. This is a very difficult message for us to grasp. Just to prove this, one of our worship songs was critiqued. It says, “The God of angel armies is always on my side.” While there may be a way to understand this correctly, our natural response is to be comforted knowing God is always on our side…but He’s not! He never makes that promise. He promises to love us, but it’s not about Him being on our side. He asks us to be on His side. It’s about His will, not ours. It’s about His plan, not ours. It’s about His glory, not ours.
Sometimes this means we find ourselves in very difficult places, asked to sacrifice a child, fleeing those who are supposed to be supporting us, suffering for doing good, or experiencing horrific pain despite seeking to follow Jesus.
Rachel Video
You can find Rachel's blog at https://myelephantsintheroom.wordpress.com
Get Real!
I urge you, family, to be real. There’s no shame in suffering. There’s no shame in feeling. There’s no shame in discouragement, depression, disappointment…or even doubting God. It’s His clear will for us to do life together. We need one another, especially when we face the wall. We need prayer, encouragement, and often tangible assistance from others. We’re often too proud to admit it but all need help sometimes, if not always!
One of the most sobering verses in the Bible is found in Hebrews 11. After commending many great characters such as Abel, Noah, Abraham, it says
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. (Hebrews 11:13)
Conclusion
Like you, when I face the wall my flesh wants to go over it, under it, or around it. The only way God gets glory and we grow is when we go through it, not alone but with His strength and the help of others.
One of the best tools we have at First Alliance is prayer. We have prayer in small groups, Bible studies, and Sunday School. We also have men’s prayer here on Tuesdays at 8:30 AM and Wednesdays at 7 PM. We have women’s prayer Wednesdays at 6 PM. We have open prayer Thursdays at 7 PM.
There’s power in prayer. There’s freedom in sharing your Wall with others. There’s joy in bearing the burdens of others. We weren’t made to do this alone. We were created to journey with one another and with God…for His glory. He is here, whether it feels like it or not. He can be trusted, even when life doesn’t make sense. He loves you—really—and He is a mighty fortress.
Questions for Discussion
Are you “stuck” at the Wall? Have you been at the Wall some time before? Has someone you know and love been at the Wall?
What is it like?
What have you learned? What have you rejected?
Has it been difficult connecting with God and seeing His purposes for you?
How can we help people who are struggling at the Wall?
What does this text tell us about God?
What does this text tell us about ourselves?
Credits and Stuff
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.
Series outline and ideas from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Thomas Nelson, 2006).
Some study questions from Lyman Coleman (The Serendipity Bible and The Serendipity Student Bible). Used with permission from the author.
Other study questions from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Workbook by Peter Scazzero (Center for Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, 2007).
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: Go Deeper
Genesis 22:1-14
Series Theme
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives,” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzero’s book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea: The third pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is journey through the wall and know it’s all about Jesus.
Introduction
This morning I’d like to take you on a journey. It’s a familiar journey for some of you. It goes like this:
We're goin' on a bear hunt,
We're going to catch a big one,
I'm not scared
What a beautiful day!
Oh look! It's some long, wavy grass!
Can't go over it,
Can't go under it,
Can't go around it,
Got to go through it!
We’re not actually hunting bears today, but we are talking about encountering a wall we cannot go over, under, or around. We must journey through the wall.
There are many types of walls but they all usually lead to one question: Why?
Today we continue our series Go Deeper: Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. We have said our lives are like an iceberg. There is more beneath the surface than we allow others to see…or sometimes even acknowledge ourselves. We’re all messed up because we live in a fallen, sin-filled world. You are messed up. I’m messed up. In fact, if you don’t think you’re messed up, you’re the most messed up!
Tragically, many people live their lives in denial…of their weaknesses, their family of origin, pain from their past, or their own emotions. God created us with both thoughts and feelings. We have both a mind and a heart. To live in denial is to prevent growth and change. To get real about our stuff is the first step toward healing and wholeness.
Let me say again we all have stuff. For some reason there are acceptable and unacceptable things in the church. For instance, addiction to alcohol is bad, but addiction to applause and compliments is generally acceptable, perhaps because it’s often hidden. Cursing is bad, but gossiping through prayer requests is not only acceptable, it is encouraged in some circles. A family with a history of divorce is bad, but generations of religious, self-righteous people is sometimes admired, even though Jesus directed most of His criticism at the religious leaders of His day who stood in judgment of the “sinners.”
I mentioned the propensity of some to wear masks. We may wear holiness masks so others will think we’re more spiritual than we really are. Another thing some mask is their emotions. I remember a certain Christian DJ who seemed to talk about tragedy in her life and then dismiss it with something like “all things work together for good so I’m just happy! Praise the Lord.” She was not real.
Let me just say it: life is hard. It was hard for Jesus. It’s hard for us.
Where did we get the idea we should be happy, happy, happy? Jesus said
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
The Wall
The Wall appears through a crisis. When we hit the Wall, we cry out “God – Where are You?”
It’s ok to ask God questions. It’s ok to have doubts. It’s ok to ask, “Why?” God can handle it!
David cried out to God for years when Saul and his men pursued him, and he was forced to hide in caves (see Psalms 69, 70, 71 and others).
Consider Job. Satan challenged God to take away Job’s wealth, animals, children, and good health, all as a way to see if Job would continue to be upright. At first, Job cries out to God, but God does not answer right away (Job 13: 20-26). Eventually, God speaks up and Job repents and relents (Job 42:1-6).
Abraham: Genesis 22:1-15
After looking at Saul and David, today’s character is Abraham.
Abraham had his share of Walls in his life. He was asked to leave his family and travel to an unknown land. He arrived and encountered a famine, had a conflict with his nephew Lot, his wife was unable to have children, he bounced off that wall and had a son with his wife’s servant.
At age 110 he hit another wall. His promised son was finally born and then God asks him to do the unthinkable.
Genesis 22...
Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
God does not tempt, but tests Abraham to confirm his faith and prove his commitment.
This seems so bizarre to us, yet in that day child sacrifices were commonly offered to pagan gods.
Tragically, 1/3 of my generation has been killed, but that’s another issue for another time.
Mount Moriah is now the covered with the Dome of the Rock in Israel, a Muslim structure.
Abraham faces a Wall, a test that he causes a crisis of faith.
Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”
Imagine that journey!
Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
Good question!
Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.” (Genesis 22:1-14)
God tested Abraham.
God allowed Job to be tested.
God often allows trials and testing in our lives…for two purposes
1. His glory
2. Our growth
This past week I was at the C&MA Great Lakes District Conference and Rev. Thomas George, our District Superintendent, reminded us of three things:
1. We were made by God
2. We were made for God
3. We were made for God’s glory
Our consumeristic culture says it’s all about us.
The Bible says it’s all about God. This is a very difficult message for us to grasp. Just to prove this, one of our worship songs was critiqued. It says, “The God of angel armies is always on my side.” While there may be a way to understand this correctly, our natural response is to be comforted knowing God is always on our side…but He’s not! He never makes that promise. He promises to love us, but it’s not about Him being on our side. He asks us to be on His side. It’s about His will, not ours. It’s about His plan, not ours. It’s about His glory, not ours.
Sometimes this means we find ourselves in very difficult places, asked to sacrifice a child, fleeing those who are supposed to be supporting us, suffering for doing good, or experiencing horrific pain despite seeking to follow Jesus.
Rachel Video
You can find Rachel's blog at https://myelephantsintheroom.wordpress.com
Get Real!
I urge you, family, to be real. There’s no shame in suffering. There’s no shame in feeling. There’s no shame in discouragement, depression, disappointment…or even doubting God. It’s His clear will for us to do life together. We need one another, especially when we face the wall. We need prayer, encouragement, and often tangible assistance from others. We’re often too proud to admit it but all need help sometimes, if not always!
One of the most sobering verses in the Bible is found in Hebrews 11. After commending many great characters such as Abel, Noah, Abraham, it says
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. (Hebrews 11:13)
Conclusion
Like you, when I face the wall my flesh wants to go over it, under it, or around it. The only way God gets glory and we grow is when we go through it, not alone but with His strength and the help of others.
One of the best tools we have at First Alliance is prayer. We have prayer in small groups, Bible studies, and Sunday School. We also have men’s prayer here on Tuesdays at 8:30 AM and Wednesdays at 7 PM. We have women’s prayer Wednesdays at 6 PM. We have open prayer Thursdays at 7 PM.
There’s power in prayer. There’s freedom in sharing your Wall with others. There’s joy in bearing the burdens of others. We weren’t made to do this alone. We were created to journey with one another and with God…for His glory. He is here, whether it feels like it or not. He can be trusted, even when life doesn’t make sense. He loves you—really—and He is a mighty fortress.
Questions for Discussion
Are you “stuck” at the Wall? Have you been at the Wall some time before? Has someone you know and love been at the Wall?
What is it like?
What have you learned? What have you rejected?
Has it been difficult connecting with God and seeing His purposes for you?
How can we help people who are struggling at the Wall?
What does this text tell us about God?
What does this text tell us about ourselves?
Credits and Stuff
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.
Series outline and ideas from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Thomas Nelson, 2006).
Some study questions from Lyman Coleman (The Serendipity Bible and The Serendipity Student Bible). Used with permission from the author.
Other study questions from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Workbook by Peter Scazzero (Center for Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, 2007).
Going Back in Order to Go Forward, 17 April 2016
18 04 16
Going Back in Order to Go Forward
Series: Go Deeper
Genesis 50:15-21
Series Theme “Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives,” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzero’s book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea: The second pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to embrace our past, breaking free from the destructive sinful patterns of our past to live the life of love that God intends.
Pete Scazzero notes two essential biblical truths:
1. The blessings and sins of our families going back two to three generations profoundly impact who we are today.
2. Discipleship requires putting off the sinful patterns of our family of origin and re-learning how to do life God’s way in God’s family.
Introduction
What comes to mind when I say the word…family? My guess is for some it conjures up positive emotions while for others negative ones.
The Background
We all come from broken families. Some are certainly more functional than others, but since the first child, Cain, killed his brother Abel, we have passed down dysfunction and sin from generation to generation.
Joseph’s story fills the last quarter of the book of Genesis. His family is about as dysfunctional as they come.
a. He comes from a blended family. His dad had children from two wives and two concubines. Twelve sons all lived together.
b. Joseph was clearly the special son, making his brothers jealous.
c Joseph’s brothers sell him off and tell their dad that he was killed by an animal.
He is sold into slavery, then rots in a prison for years on false rape charges.
How would you feel sitting in a prison cell for years for something you did not do? What would you think/feel about your family? About God?
Family Genogram
Joseph is the eleventh child, one of twelve brothers and one sister. Here is his family genogram, showing not only his family tree but also key features of his family:
Take some time to sketch your family genogram.
Joseph has three major traumas
1. At age 17, he is thrown into a deep well by his brothers (Genesis 37).
2. He gets sold as a slave for $80,000 (two years wages) and his father is told he is dead. He loses his language, culture, family, freedom, everything!
3. He was in prison unjustly for many years (Genesis 39-40).
Twenty-two years later, he encounters his brothers (Genesis 42).
He had every reason to be bitter and enslaved by his past. Instead, he clearly understands his heritage but allows God, not his family of origin, to determine his future.
When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said.
But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. (Genesis 50:15-21)
Joseph breaks from the “normal” family tradition by forgiving his brothers. What would you have done?
What has Joseph learned about himself, God, and his family (see 19-21)?
Genesis 50:20 is a summary of the Old Testament.
5 Basic Needs be Met for Healthy Development (Pesso)
-- need for “place” the world was waiting for your arrival; you were wanted
-- need for nurture words and touch
-- need for support loving, caring environments
-- need for protection physically, emotionally from harm
-- need for limits boundaries (see Townsend and )
Sin and rebellion destroy families from God’s original intention
Cain and Abel were just the beginning! All of our families are messed up! Jesus allows us to be born again, but we cannot ignore our past. We must put off the sinful elements of our past to become transformed and a blessing to the world.
Iceberg
We must know what went on deep beneath the surface of our family.
Ten Commandments of Your Family
Which of the following messages were sent to you by your family, spoken or unspoken?
1. Money
Money is the best source of security.
The more money you have, the more important your are.
2. Conflict
Avoid conflict at all costs.
Don’t get people mad at you.
Loud, angry, constant fighting is normal.
3. Sex
Sex is not to be spoken about openly.
Men can be promiscuous but women must be chaste.
Sexuality in marriage will come easily.
4. Grief and Loss
Sadness is a sign of weakness.
You are not allowed to be depressed.
Get over losses quickly and move on.
5. Expressing Anger
Anger is dangerous and bad.
Explode in anger to make a point.
Sarcasm is an acceptable way to release anger.
6. Family
Duty to family & culture comes before everything.
You owe your parents for all they’ve done for you.
Don’t speak of your family’s “dirty laundry” in public.
7. Relationships
Don’t trust people. They will let you down.
Nobody will ever hurt me again.
Don’t show vulnerability.
8. Attitudes toward other cultures
Only be close friends with people who are like you.
Do not marry a person of another race or culture.
Certain cultures/races are not as good as mine.
9. Success
Is getting to into the ”best schools.”
Is making lots of money.
Is getting married and having children.
10. Feelings and Emotions
You are not allowed to have certain feelings.
Your feelings are not important.
Reacting with your feelings without thinking is okay.
3 Practical Applications
We can easily ignore or underestimate it. The effect of our families is deeper than any of us realize. Your family is filled with patterns. We all have negative patterns. When we recognize them, we can choose to maintain or change them. When you are unaware of them, you are doomed to pass them on.
God knew what He was doing. He has a great plan for you and your life. God is working in a hidden, mysterious way. He was doing it in Joseph’s life and He’s doing it in you. We are often unaware of what God is doing, but He can be trusted. Joseph trusts God. He knows that God is good and God is sovereign (in control). He knows God. He certainly spent many years in prayer and solitude.
This includes silence, solitude, Scripture, and small groups. Discipleship is breaking the sinful patterns of our past and being recreated into the image of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2Corinthians 5:17
Pete Scazzero writes
“Going back in order to go forward is something we must do in the context of community—with mature friends, a mentor, spiritual director, counselor, or therapist. We need trusted people in our lives of whom we can ask, ‘How do you experience me? Tell me the feelings and thoughts you have when you are with me. Please be honest with me.’ Prayerfully listening to their answers will go a long way toward healing and getting a perspective on areas of our lives that need to be addressed. Needless to say, this takes a lot of courage.”
Four Lessons From Joseph’s Life
The Good News
God is in the business of transformation! His grace (unmerited favor) and love are endless. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are a new creation. God is your father. Your sins are forgiven. You have been given a new name. You have been given a new inheritance. You have been given new brothers and sisters (Ephesians 1).
In the movie “Good Will Hunting,” Sean (Robin Williams) repeatedly tells his patient Will Hunting, “It’s not your fault.” We are all products of the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve. We have all been dealt an imperfect deck. But it can be restored. There is hope in Jesus Christ. His plans for you are fantastic!
Are you willing to go back in order to go forward? Ignoring it won’t make it go away. Fear of bringing secrets and sin into the light paralyzes so many followers of Jesus from truly experiencing the abundant life and transformation that Jesus wants us to experience.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
Questions for Discussion
What words would describe the way your family related to one another when you were growing up?
What does this text tell us about God?
What does this text tell us about ourselves?
On a scale of 1 (very troubled) to 100 (very nurturing), how would you describe your family?
What messages did you receive from your parents or guardians as a child?
What “earthquake” events sent “aftershocks” into your family?
How do these messages compare to messages you have received about God’s family?
What one area needs the most change?
How does your family of origin impact you today? What areas do you need to address in order to move forward?
Take some time to sketch your family genogram.
Credits and Stuff
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.
Series outline and ideas from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Thomas Nelson, 2006).
Some study questions from Lyman Coleman (The Serendipity Bible and The Serendipity Student Bible). Used with permission from the author.
Other study questions from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Workbook by Peter Scazzero (Center for Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, 2007).
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: Go Deeper
Genesis 50:15-21
Pete Scazzero notes two essential biblical truths:
1. The blessings and sins of our families going back two to three generations profoundly impact who we are today.
2. Discipleship requires putting off the sinful patterns of our family of origin and re-learning how to do life God’s way in God’s family.
Introduction
What comes to mind when I say the word…family? My guess is for some it conjures up positive emotions while for others negative ones.
The Background
We all come from broken families. Some are certainly more functional than others, but since the first child, Cain, killed his brother Abel, we have passed down dysfunction and sin from generation to generation.
Joseph’s story fills the last quarter of the book of Genesis. His family is about as dysfunctional as they come.
a. He comes from a blended family. His dad had children from two wives and two concubines. Twelve sons all lived together.
b. Joseph was clearly the special son, making his brothers jealous.
c Joseph’s brothers sell him off and tell their dad that he was killed by an animal.
He is sold into slavery, then rots in a prison for years on false rape charges.
How would you feel sitting in a prison cell for years for something you did not do? What would you think/feel about your family? About God?
Family Genogram
Joseph is the eleventh child, one of twelve brothers and one sister. Here is his family genogram, showing not only his family tree but also key features of his family:
Take some time to sketch your family genogram.
Joseph has three major traumas
1. At age 17, he is thrown into a deep well by his brothers (Genesis 37).
2. He gets sold as a slave for $80,000 (two years wages) and his father is told he is dead. He loses his language, culture, family, freedom, everything!
3. He was in prison unjustly for many years (Genesis 39-40).
Twenty-two years later, he encounters his brothers (Genesis 42).
He had every reason to be bitter and enslaved by his past. Instead, he clearly understands his heritage but allows God, not his family of origin, to determine his future.
When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said.
But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. (Genesis 50:15-21)
Joseph breaks from the “normal” family tradition by forgiving his brothers. What would you have done?
What has Joseph learned about himself, God, and his family (see 19-21)?
Genesis 50:20 is a summary of the Old Testament.
5 Basic Needs be Met for Healthy Development (Pesso)
-- need for “place” the world was waiting for your arrival; you were wanted
-- need for nurture words and touch
-- need for support loving, caring environments
-- need for protection physically, emotionally from harm
-- need for limits boundaries (see Townsend and )
Sin and rebellion destroy families from God’s original intention
Cain and Abel were just the beginning! All of our families are messed up! Jesus allows us to be born again, but we cannot ignore our past. We must put off the sinful elements of our past to become transformed and a blessing to the world.
Iceberg
We must know what went on deep beneath the surface of our family.
Ten Commandments of Your Family
Which of the following messages were sent to you by your family, spoken or unspoken?
1. Money
Money is the best source of security.
The more money you have, the more important your are.
2. Conflict
Avoid conflict at all costs.
Don’t get people mad at you.
Loud, angry, constant fighting is normal.
3. Sex
Sex is not to be spoken about openly.
Men can be promiscuous but women must be chaste.
Sexuality in marriage will come easily.
4. Grief and Loss
Sadness is a sign of weakness.
You are not allowed to be depressed.
Get over losses quickly and move on.
5. Expressing Anger
Anger is dangerous and bad.
Explode in anger to make a point.
Sarcasm is an acceptable way to release anger.
6. Family
Duty to family & culture comes before everything.
You owe your parents for all they’ve done for you.
Don’t speak of your family’s “dirty laundry” in public.
7. Relationships
Don’t trust people. They will let you down.
Nobody will ever hurt me again.
Don’t show vulnerability.
8. Attitudes toward other cultures
Only be close friends with people who are like you.
Do not marry a person of another race or culture.
Certain cultures/races are not as good as mine.
9. Success
Is getting to into the ”best schools.”
Is making lots of money.
Is getting married and having children.
10. Feelings and Emotions
You are not allowed to have certain feelings.
Your feelings are not important.
Reacting with your feelings without thinking is okay.
3 Practical Applications
- 1. Recognize the iceberg in you from your family
We can easily ignore or underestimate it. The effect of our families is deeper than any of us realize. Your family is filled with patterns. We all have negative patterns. When we recognize them, we can choose to maintain or change them. When you are unaware of them, you are doomed to pass them on.
- 2. Discern the good God intends “in, through, and in spite of,” your family and past
God knew what He was doing. He has a great plan for you and your life. God is working in a hidden, mysterious way. He was doing it in Joseph’s life and He’s doing it in you. We are often unaware of what God is doing, but He can be trusted. Joseph trusts God. He knows that God is good and God is sovereign (in control). He knows God. He certainly spent many years in prayer and solitude.
- 3. Make the decision to do the hard work of discipleship
This includes silence, solitude, Scripture, and small groups. Discipleship is breaking the sinful patterns of our past and being recreated into the image of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2Corinthians 5:17
Pete Scazzero writes
“Going back in order to go forward is something we must do in the context of community—with mature friends, a mentor, spiritual director, counselor, or therapist. We need trusted people in our lives of whom we can ask, ‘How do you experience me? Tell me the feelings and thoughts you have when you are with me. Please be honest with me.’ Prayerfully listening to their answers will go a long way toward healing and getting a perspective on areas of our lives that need to be addressed. Needless to say, this takes a lot of courage.”
Four Lessons From Joseph’s Life
- 1. He understood God’s goodness and love, even during the storms
- 2. He expressed his emotions and loss, allowing him to truly forgive
- 3. He moved forward despite his past
- 4. He partnered with God to bless others
The Good News
God is in the business of transformation! His grace (unmerited favor) and love are endless. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are a new creation. God is your father. Your sins are forgiven. You have been given a new name. You have been given a new inheritance. You have been given new brothers and sisters (Ephesians 1).
In the movie “Good Will Hunting,” Sean (Robin Williams) repeatedly tells his patient Will Hunting, “It’s not your fault.” We are all products of the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve. We have all been dealt an imperfect deck. But it can be restored. There is hope in Jesus Christ. His plans for you are fantastic!
Are you willing to go back in order to go forward? Ignoring it won’t make it go away. Fear of bringing secrets and sin into the light paralyzes so many followers of Jesus from truly experiencing the abundant life and transformation that Jesus wants us to experience.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
Questions for Discussion
What words would describe the way your family related to one another when you were growing up?
What does this text tell us about God?
What does this text tell us about ourselves?
On a scale of 1 (very troubled) to 100 (very nurturing), how would you describe your family?
What messages did you receive from your parents or guardians as a child?
What “earthquake” events sent “aftershocks” into your family?
How do these messages compare to messages you have received about God’s family?
What one area needs the most change?
How does your family of origin impact you today? What areas do you need to address in order to move forward?
Take some time to sketch your family genogram.
Credits and Stuff
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.
Series outline and ideas from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Thomas Nelson, 2006).
Some study questions from Lyman Coleman (The Serendipity Bible and The Serendipity Student Bible). Used with permission from the author.
Other study questions from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Workbook by Peter Scazzero (Center for Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, 2007).
Know Yourself that You May Know God, 10 April 2016
10 04 16
Know Yourself that You May Know God
Series: Go Deeper
1 Samuel 17:26-40
Series Theme “Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives,” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzero’s book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea: The first pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to know yourself.
Who Are You?
What a great question! Who are you? Perhaps the two most important questions in the world are
- Who is God?
- Who are you?
Socrates said, “Know thyself.”
Augustine asked, “How can you draw close to God when you are far from your own self?”
John Calvin said,
Our wisdom…consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But as these are connected together by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes and gives birth to the other.
- Institutes of the Christian Religion, AD 1530
The Jesuits—a Roman Catholic order nearly 500 years old—live by four values, the first of which is self-awareness. They understand their strengths, weaknesses, values, and worldview. They are aware of their unhealthy blind spots that can derail them and are in the habit of continuous self-reflection and learning.
Who Are You?
This morning we continue our series Go Deeper: Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. Pastor and author Pete Scazzero said, “Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives.”
Like an iceberg, the world sees only a portion of our real self. Much of who we are is hidden from others…and sometimes from ourselves. In order to truly know God, we must know ourselves.
From the beginning of sin in the Garden of Eden, we have been hiding ourselves from God and others.
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. (Genesis 3:6-7)
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (Genesis 3:8)
We live our lives filled with guilt and shame so we put on masks.
Here are some symptoms that you are hiding your true self:
1. I say “yes” when I really mean “no.”
2. I get depressed when people are upset with me.
3. I have a need to be approved by others to feel good about myself.
4. I act nice on the outside, but inside “I can’t stand you!”
5. I often remain silent in order to “keep the peace”.
6. I believe that if I make mistakes, I myself am a failure.
7. I avoid looking weak or foolish for not having the answer.
8. I criticize others in order to feel better about myself.
9. I have to be doing something exceptional to feel alive.
10. I have to be needed to feel alive.
11. I am fearful and can’t take risks.
12. I do what others want so they don’t get mad at me
13. I use knowledge and competence to cover my feelings of inadequacy.
14. I want my children to behave well so others will think I am a good parent.
15. I compare myself a lot to other people.
Last week we looked at some of the many flaws of King Saul. Today we look at another king, Saul’s successor David. In one of the most famous stories in human history we see a young man who knows himself…and His God.
The scene is a battlefield in Israel. Ten years ago I stood on the site. Yes, this is not a fairy tale but a real event that occurred at a real place!
The Philistines gathered for war against the people of Israel. They were on opposite sides of the valley.
A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him. (1 Samuel 17:4-7)
Most of us have heard the story without seriously considering what is in the text. This man is a champion. He is over nine feet tall. That’s two feet taller than Shaq! His coat weighs 125 pounds! The head of his spear weights 15 pounds! Then he has an armor bearer walking ahead of him carrying a shield, like he needed any help!
Goliath issues a challenge, himself against any Israelite, winner take all.
On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. (1 Samuel 17:11)
That’s an understatement! It’s not enough that this giant is intimidating. Eighty times Goliath taunts them.
For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand. (1 Samuel 17:16)
Nobody can even imagine facing this giant.
When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear. (1 Samuel 17:24)
When you run from your enemy in battle you lose! The situation is hopeless…until David enters the picture. David knows himself, but He also knows God.
David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26)
They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.” (1 Samuel 17:27)
When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” (1 Samuel 17:28)
How’s that for a confidence boost? Even the best of families are messed up.
“Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?” He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him. (1 Samuel 17:29-31)
David stands up to his family (28-31).
David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” (1 Samuel 17:32)
Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth.” (1 Samuel 17:33)
David stands up to significant others with authority and experience (32-33).
King Saul and the people of Israel said they believed in God, but their acted like atheists. How often do we lack faith and act as if God does not exist?
But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. (1 Samuel 17:34-36)
The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you.” (1 Samuel 17:37)
Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. (1 Samuel 17:38)
Saul gives up his own tunic to this boy. David’s his only hope. He’s the only hope of Israel. Fortunately David knows it’s not all on his shoulders. His shoulders can’t even support Saul’s tunic!
David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.
“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. (1 Samuel 17:39-40)
David knows himself. He is an expert on himself and is able to discern wise counsel from unwise counsel.
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. (Proverbs 15:22)
We must seek counsel, but it is not always good for us.
Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. He looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him. He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” (1 Samuel 17:41-44)
David stands up to Goliath (vv.41-44)
Again, David knows himself and the living God who has made the heavens and the earth.
David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” (1 Samuel 17:45-47)
When we are weak, God is strong. David knows his strength comes from the LORD.
As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. (1 Samuel 17:48-49)
So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. (1 Samuel 17:50)
David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword.
When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. (1 Samuel 17:51)
David didn’t face Goliath to look good, please people, or make a name for himself. He did not have the strength to defeat Goliath, but he had God and a slingshot. He did not lack common sense, but was aware of his God-given abilities with a slingshot and his God. He is afraid of nothing.
You and I have God-given abilities and tools if we will use them to glorify Him. Do you know what they are? Do you know your strengths? Weaknesses? Spiritual gifts? Pathways to God? Personality? There are tools (see below) that can assist you in discovering how God uniquely wired you up.
We hurt ourselves and others when we are not true to ourselves.
The ultimate question once we know who we are goes back to last week: do you seek to bring glory to God or yourself?
Four practical principles to begin making the radical transition to living faithful to our true self in Christ.
1. Pay attention to your interior in silence and solitude
2. Find trusted companions
3. Move out of your comfort zone
4. Pray for courage
The people of Israel knew God intellectually, but not experientially.
David points to Jesus. They are both saviors and conquerors opposed to Satan.
He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Psalms 23:3)
Do you know yourself? Do you know God?
Writer Thomas Merton prayed,
“Lord, help me to be still before you. Lead me to a greater vision of who you are, and in so doing, may I see myself— the good, the bad, and the ugly. Grant me the courage to follow you, to be faithful to become the unique person you have created me to be. I ask you for the Holy Spirit’s power to not copy another person’s life or journey. “God, submerge me in the darkness of your love, that the consciousness of my false, everyday self falls away from [me] like a soiled garment. . . . May my ‘deep self’ fall into your presence. . . . knowing you alone . . . carried away into eternity like a dead leaf in the November wind.” In Jesus’ name, amen.
Questions for Discussion
What does this text tell us about God?
What does this text tell us about ourselves?
What giants are drawn up against you in battle? How are they taunting you? Is your attitude toward them more like Saul’s or David’s? How does that attitude need to change?
What larger missionary purpose might be accomplished for God if you would turn that battle over to the LORD?
What’s holding you back from tackling the bull by the horns (or the Goliath by a slingshot)? What do you fear might happen if you turned and faced the enemy who taunts you and defies God? What’s the “worst case scenario”? Having imagined that, now re-write the end result with God on your side.
What Goliaths are there in society, defying God and Christians? How can you, small and unarmed, work to bring them down? What can your Journey Group do?
How important is the approval of people versus the depth of your soul?
Questions for Reflection
What are you angry about?
What are you sad about?
What are you afraid of?
What are you enjoying?
What brings you shame?
What do you dream about?
What do you sing about?
What do you cry about?
What are you beginning to realize/learn about yourself?
Recommended Resources
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Zondervan, 2014)
Strengths Finder: www.strengthsfinder.com
Free Spiritual Gifts Discovery: www.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi?intro=1
Free Personality Test: https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
Heroic Leadership by Chris Lowney (on the Jesuits)
Credits and Stuff
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.
Series outline and ideas from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Zondervan, 2014).
Some study questions from Lyman Coleman (The Serendipity Bible and The Serendipity Student Bible). Used with permission from the author.
Other study questions from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Workbook by Peter Scazzero (Center for Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, 2007).
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: Go Deeper
1 Samuel 17:26-40
Who Are You?
What a great question! Who are you? Perhaps the two most important questions in the world are
- Who is God?
- Who are you?
Socrates said, “Know thyself.”
Augustine asked, “How can you draw close to God when you are far from your own self?”
John Calvin said,
Our wisdom…consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But as these are connected together by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes and gives birth to the other.
- Institutes of the Christian Religion, AD 1530
The Jesuits—a Roman Catholic order nearly 500 years old—live by four values, the first of which is self-awareness. They understand their strengths, weaknesses, values, and worldview. They are aware of their unhealthy blind spots that can derail them and are in the habit of continuous self-reflection and learning.
Who Are You?
This morning we continue our series Go Deeper: Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. Pastor and author Pete Scazzero said, “Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives.”
Like an iceberg, the world sees only a portion of our real self. Much of who we are is hidden from others…and sometimes from ourselves. In order to truly know God, we must know ourselves.
From the beginning of sin in the Garden of Eden, we have been hiding ourselves from God and others.
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. (Genesis 3:6-7)
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (Genesis 3:8)
We live our lives filled with guilt and shame so we put on masks.
Here are some symptoms that you are hiding your true self:
1. I say “yes” when I really mean “no.”
2. I get depressed when people are upset with me.
3. I have a need to be approved by others to feel good about myself.
4. I act nice on the outside, but inside “I can’t stand you!”
5. I often remain silent in order to “keep the peace”.
6. I believe that if I make mistakes, I myself am a failure.
7. I avoid looking weak or foolish for not having the answer.
8. I criticize others in order to feel better about myself.
9. I have to be doing something exceptional to feel alive.
10. I have to be needed to feel alive.
11. I am fearful and can’t take risks.
12. I do what others want so they don’t get mad at me
13. I use knowledge and competence to cover my feelings of inadequacy.
14. I want my children to behave well so others will think I am a good parent.
15. I compare myself a lot to other people.
Last week we looked at some of the many flaws of King Saul. Today we look at another king, Saul’s successor David. In one of the most famous stories in human history we see a young man who knows himself…and His God.
The scene is a battlefield in Israel. Ten years ago I stood on the site. Yes, this is not a fairy tale but a real event that occurred at a real place!
The Philistines gathered for war against the people of Israel. They were on opposite sides of the valley.
A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him. (1 Samuel 17:4-7)
Most of us have heard the story without seriously considering what is in the text. This man is a champion. He is over nine feet tall. That’s two feet taller than Shaq! His coat weighs 125 pounds! The head of his spear weights 15 pounds! Then he has an armor bearer walking ahead of him carrying a shield, like he needed any help!
Goliath issues a challenge, himself against any Israelite, winner take all.
On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. (1 Samuel 17:11)
That’s an understatement! It’s not enough that this giant is intimidating. Eighty times Goliath taunts them.
For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand. (1 Samuel 17:16)
Nobody can even imagine facing this giant.
When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear. (1 Samuel 17:24)
When you run from your enemy in battle you lose! The situation is hopeless…until David enters the picture. David knows himself, but He also knows God.
David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26)
They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.” (1 Samuel 17:27)
When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” (1 Samuel 17:28)
How’s that for a confidence boost? Even the best of families are messed up.
“Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?” He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him. (1 Samuel 17:29-31)
David stands up to his family (28-31).
David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” (1 Samuel 17:32)
Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth.” (1 Samuel 17:33)
David stands up to significant others with authority and experience (32-33).
King Saul and the people of Israel said they believed in God, but their acted like atheists. How often do we lack faith and act as if God does not exist?
But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. (1 Samuel 17:34-36)
The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you.” (1 Samuel 17:37)
Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. (1 Samuel 17:38)
Saul gives up his own tunic to this boy. David’s his only hope. He’s the only hope of Israel. Fortunately David knows it’s not all on his shoulders. His shoulders can’t even support Saul’s tunic!
David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.
“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. (1 Samuel 17:39-40)
David knows himself. He is an expert on himself and is able to discern wise counsel from unwise counsel.
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. (Proverbs 15:22)
We must seek counsel, but it is not always good for us.
Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. He looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him. He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” (1 Samuel 17:41-44)
David stands up to Goliath (vv.41-44)
Again, David knows himself and the living God who has made the heavens and the earth.
David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” (1 Samuel 17:45-47)
When we are weak, God is strong. David knows his strength comes from the LORD.
As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. (1 Samuel 17:48-49)
So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. (1 Samuel 17:50)
David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword.
When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. (1 Samuel 17:51)
David didn’t face Goliath to look good, please people, or make a name for himself. He did not have the strength to defeat Goliath, but he had God and a slingshot. He did not lack common sense, but was aware of his God-given abilities with a slingshot and his God. He is afraid of nothing.
You and I have God-given abilities and tools if we will use them to glorify Him. Do you know what they are? Do you know your strengths? Weaknesses? Spiritual gifts? Pathways to God? Personality? There are tools (see below) that can assist you in discovering how God uniquely wired you up.
We hurt ourselves and others when we are not true to ourselves.
The ultimate question once we know who we are goes back to last week: do you seek to bring glory to God or yourself?
Four practical principles to begin making the radical transition to living faithful to our true self in Christ.
1. Pay attention to your interior in silence and solitude
2. Find trusted companions
3. Move out of your comfort zone
4. Pray for courage
The people of Israel knew God intellectually, but not experientially.
David points to Jesus. They are both saviors and conquerors opposed to Satan.
He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Psalms 23:3)
Do you know yourself? Do you know God?
Writer Thomas Merton prayed,
“Lord, help me to be still before you. Lead me to a greater vision of who you are, and in so doing, may I see myself— the good, the bad, and the ugly. Grant me the courage to follow you, to be faithful to become the unique person you have created me to be. I ask you for the Holy Spirit’s power to not copy another person’s life or journey. “God, submerge me in the darkness of your love, that the consciousness of my false, everyday self falls away from [me] like a soiled garment. . . . May my ‘deep self’ fall into your presence. . . . knowing you alone . . . carried away into eternity like a dead leaf in the November wind.” In Jesus’ name, amen.
Questions for Discussion
What does this text tell us about God?
What does this text tell us about ourselves?
What giants are drawn up against you in battle? How are they taunting you? Is your attitude toward them more like Saul’s or David’s? How does that attitude need to change?
What larger missionary purpose might be accomplished for God if you would turn that battle over to the LORD?
What’s holding you back from tackling the bull by the horns (or the Goliath by a slingshot)? What do you fear might happen if you turned and faced the enemy who taunts you and defies God? What’s the “worst case scenario”? Having imagined that, now re-write the end result with God on your side.
What Goliaths are there in society, defying God and Christians? How can you, small and unarmed, work to bring them down? What can your Journey Group do?
How important is the approval of people versus the depth of your soul?
Questions for Reflection
What are you angry about?
What are you sad about?
What are you afraid of?
What are you enjoying?
What brings you shame?
What do you dream about?
What do you sing about?
What do you cry about?
What are you beginning to realize/learn about yourself?
Recommended Resources
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Zondervan, 2014)
Strengths Finder: www.strengthsfinder.com
Free Spiritual Gifts Discovery: www.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi?intro=1
Free Personality Test: https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
Heroic Leadership by Chris Lowney (on the Jesuits)
Credits and Stuff
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.
Series outline and ideas from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Zondervan, 2014).
Some study questions from Lyman Coleman (The Serendipity Bible and The Serendipity Student Bible). Used with permission from the author.
Other study questions from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Workbook by Peter Scazzero (Center for Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, 2007).
Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality, 3 April 2016
04 04 16
The Problem of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality
Series: Go Deeper
1 Samuel 15:20-24
Series Theme “Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives,” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzero’s book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea: The life of King Saul provides us with a portrait of an emotionally unhealthy man. His example can be a warning for us all, driving us to our knees and dependence upon God as we strip away the illusions in our lives and get real with ourselves, God, and others.
Introduction
I don’t mean to alarm anyone but the church in the USA is in trouble today. Have you noticed? Of course you have. The statistics of church attendance, identification as followers of Jesus, Bible literacy, and a host of other metrics is in decline. Worse, those who remain in the church are not experiencing the abundant life we talked about last week (John 10:10). Many have made the tragic mistake of thinking if we just go to church and learn enough about the Bible we’ll be different. We’ll be transformed. We’ll look like Jesus.
Perhaps you’re tired…tired of church activities, empty promises of change…perhaps tired of Christians who talk about Jesus but look nothing like Him. Perhaps you’ve been longing not only for personal transformation but change in others who are judgmental, narrow-minded, or outright mean. Perhaps you’re burned out, disillusioned, and frustrated at your spiritual journey and/or that of others.
Maybe you completely disagree. You are encouraged about the new momentum here at First Alliance. You’re excited about what God is doing in and through our congregation. You can’t stop talking about God and His work here…but you hope it lasts. You don’t want this to be temporary, but a sustainable growth for our church and its members.
No matter your perspective, I believe one thing is true for all of us: we want to go deeper. We want to go deeper in our spiritual journey, our walk with Jesus, our relationships with friends, our trust in God, our love for the poor and least of these, our generosity, our peace, and our joy. We want to experience genuine growth. Next Easter we want to celebrate not only Jesus’ resurrection but our own, new life, new purpose. If that’s true for you, fasten your seatbelts as we begin an adventure together that just might change your life.
Several years ago I heard about a book called Emotionally Healthy Church. I was a bit nervous at first, thinking it might be a touch-feely psychological book. Finally I picked it up and was blown away by the vision it cast for a healthy, whole community of faith. Pete Scazzero—a pastor in Queens, NYC with not only C&MA roots but is now a professor at Nyack College—beautifully described this dream community, but left me wondering how to guide people into it.
His next book was Emotionally Healthy Spirituality and it offered the “how” behind the “what” of a healthy church. It was fresh. It offered insights I had never before heard, yet truths imbedded in the pages of scripture. The more I read, the more I was challenged.
I generally like to preach through books of the Bible. Sometimes I will teach a topic such as Palm Sunday or Advent, looking at various texts. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality had such potent, Bible-based content I went about using it as a guide for a sermon series years ago and the response was overwhelmingly positive. In fact, quickly realized the longer someone has been a Christian, the greater the impact. I pray this series transforms your life as it continues to transform mine.
There are two primary ideas we’ll be unpacking:
- Emotional Health. This is our ability to be self-aware and love well.
- Contemplative Spirituality. This involves slowing down to cultivate our relationship with Jesus.
Alone, each is important. Together, however, these simple ideas can be revolutionary.
Perhaps this series is best understood with a picture of an iceberg. As those on the Titanic discovered, what is seen above is small compared to what lies beneath, hence the term “tip of the iceberg.” This is true for all of us. We don’t reveal everything about ourselves to others. There are things about me I am comfortable posting for the world to see on Facebook, other things reserved for my friends, still other things I only share with close friends and family, and things I guard carefully, exposing only to my wife. Tragically, many of us have things beneath the surface we fail or refuse to see and acknowledge…even when others know it.
The ultimate goal in this series isn’t to change other people, but rather to open up space to be with God, to study the scriptures together and open ourselves up to God, allowing Him to bring about the sanctification—the changes—only He to do. We want to become better lovers—of God and others. We also want to extend grace and encouragement to one another as we explore some arenas rarely discussed in church.
Today we will begin with the problem of emotionally unhealthy spirituality. The principle is this: “the degree to which we are willing to give Jesus access to what is deeply beneath the surface in our lives is the degree to which we will experience freedom in Him.” In a word, honesty. I believe it was Scott Peck who said the average person attending an AA meeting is more honest than many Christians because they cannot begin until the admit they have a problem.
I have a problem called sin. I am messed up. I am imperfect. I need help.
You do, too, whether you admit it or not, but until you do admit it, you can never grow. Let me declare again: No Perfect People Allowed (except Jesus!).
No matter your past—or even your present—you belong here! But please leave the masks at home. This series is about getting real, getting honest, and getting healthy.
1 Samuel 15:20-24
King Saul is an example of an emotionally unhealthy person. He was the first king of Israel, and although he had vast power, he was emotionally bankrupt. He started out great, but went awry. He was commanded by God to wipe out the Amalekites. He partially obeys but does not complete the mission. On the surface of Saul’s life, he looked great, but his life was out of order underneath the surface.
Here’s the scene: God wanted to punish the wicked Amalekites. He told Saul to totally destroy them and their livestock. I know, it’s a brutal command but they were a brutal people. Saul partly obeyed, but he spared the king and the livestock. God tells Samuel to confront the king. Samuel said
Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?” (1 Samuel 15:19)
“But I did obey the LORD,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.” (1 Samuel 15:20-21)
But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23)
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I violated the LORD’s command and your instructions. I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them. (1 Samuel 15:24)
I often think it’s better to be fully devoted to God or fully against Him. There’s no partial credit for partially obeying God’s instructions. Saul dabbled in obedience and it got him into great trouble.
This is my fear for me and for you. I fear we do obey God when it’s comfortable and convenient but balk when it requires total surrender. I fear we get busy and want to be in control. It’s a dangerous bi-product of our consumer culture.
If you know anything about the next king, David, you know he was a man after God’s own heart. He was not perfect, but he was passionate. He was self-aware. He was devoted. In contrast, here are some symptoms of emotionally unhealthy spirituality in Saul:
1. He refuses reflection and self-awareness
He is doing some of God’s will, but he is more concerned about the opinion of people. He is out of touch with his own fear. A few verses later he confesses again.
Saul replied, “I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.” (1 Samuel 15:30)
There is jealousy in his life. He doesn’t want others to look better than he does, especially David. He tries six times to murder David, so threatened by him. He believes he is doing God’s will but he is unaware of how shallow his spirituality is and his own sins. He was unaware of why he did the things that he was doing.
Why do you do what you do?
So much of our lives are lived out of the layers beneath the surface. Reflection can be painful because we see our sin and feel guilty. It’s easier to deny our stuff and pretend.
Silence and solitude are required in order to examine our motives and feelings and thoughts on the inside. You can’t be in touch with God if you are not in touch with yourself.
Saul lived an illusion, presenting a false self to God, as if God could be tricked!
Many of us keep ourselves so busy and noisy that we cannot reflect.
Unlike David, Saul never spends time in silence and solitude. He never writes poems and songs, pouring out himself to God. David was aware of his own heart and expresses it to God.
2. He refuses to cultivate his own personal relationship with God
He began humble and blessed by God but never develops his relationship with God. He does not have a hidden life in God. He has a public one, but no personal relationship with God.
But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23)
The words “obey” and “listen” are the same in Hebrew.
Saul thought he was a pretty good guy but instead Samuel exposed the wickedness in his heart, calling him out on witchcraft and idolatry. He never asks, “What is God saying to me?”
Do you ever ask God what He is saying to you? Christianity is not meant to be merely intellectual, but experiential. What is God saying to you? He is speaking. Are you listening?
The late Dallas Willard told Pastor John Ortberg, “Ruthlessly eliminate hurry.” Ortberg said, “okay, what’s next?”!
Contemplation is about getting God from your head to your heart. Sermons are a good start, but they are not the end. You must digest this food through small groups and time alone with God.
The Pharisees knew all about God, but they never cultivated their relationship with God.
You must take responsibility for your relationship with God. Nobody else can do that for you. We can challenge you, provide you with tools and resources and opportunities for growth, but only you can cultivate your relationship with God.
It’s like marriage. People can give me books on marriage, I can attend marriage seminars, talk to people about marriage, and even decide in my head that I want a great marriage but if I don’t invest time and energy into my relationship with my bride, I will never have a good marriage.
3. He refuses to be broken by setbacks and difficulties
We all experience trials and testings. Scripture says they can be useful tools of God to grow us.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)
Trials draw us to God. Trials destroy our illusions about ourselves, others, life.
Trials build our character.
Trials bring about an authentic, mask-free life.
Even Jesus grew through suffering.
Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. (Hebrews 5:8)
Jesus learned obedience through suffering. There are no shortcuts.
God tried to humble Saul to make him great but Saul just wants to be great. Sound familiar?
So What?
Here are the Top Ten Symptoms of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality
- Using God to run from God - Ignoring the emotions of anger, sadness and fear - Dying to the wrong things - Denying the past’s impact on the present - Dividing life into “secular” and “sacred” compartments - Doing for God instead of being with God - Spiritualizing away conflict - Covering over brokenness, weakness and failure - Living without limits - Judging the spiritual journeys of others
Which one item is God bringing to your attention? Listen to Him. He delights when you listen to Him.
There is a Saul in each of us. God wants to take the Saul out of us. Our self-will and stubbornness must be removed.
Through reflection and honesty we can become aware of our sins and weaknesses. We can cultivate a relationship with God. We can allow God to use trials and discipline to shape us to become more like Jesus, surrendering everything to Him.
You are messed up, but Jesus offers forgiveness, grace, and mercy. Don’t run away from God but run to Him.
Questions for Discussion
- What factors probably contributed to Saul’s unwillingness to carry out God’s clear command (1 Samuel 15:7-12)?
- What might have been going on beneath the surface of Saul’s life (iceberg) that he was unaware of?
- How does Samuel describe Saul’s disobedience (22-23)?
- In what ways can you relate, or not relate, to Saul?
- What positive step(s) could Saul have taken to become aware of his own iceberg and hear God in his situation?
- If you were only concerned with seeking God’s glory and not your own, how would your life be different (at home, work, school)?
- When were you caught hiding sinful motivations behind a spiritual front?
- Who plays “Samuel” in your life today—instructing you in the ways of God, rebuking you when you fall short, crying out with God’s compassion for you?
- For whom can you be a gentle “Samuel” (without naming names or gossip)?
- Why is it so difficult to slow down our lives?
- Why is it so difficult to anchor in God’s love?
- Why is it so difficult to break free from illusions?
- What is your next step in your spiritual journey?
Credits and Stuff
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.
Series outline and ideas from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Thomas Nelson, 2006).
Some study questions from Lyman Coleman (The Serendipity Bible and The Serendipity Student Bible). Used with permission from the author.
Other study questions from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Workbook by Peter Scazzero (Center for Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, 2007).
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: Go Deeper
1 Samuel 15:20-24
Introduction
I don’t mean to alarm anyone but the church in the USA is in trouble today. Have you noticed? Of course you have. The statistics of church attendance, identification as followers of Jesus, Bible literacy, and a host of other metrics is in decline. Worse, those who remain in the church are not experiencing the abundant life we talked about last week (John 10:10). Many have made the tragic mistake of thinking if we just go to church and learn enough about the Bible we’ll be different. We’ll be transformed. We’ll look like Jesus.
Perhaps you’re tired…tired of church activities, empty promises of change…perhaps tired of Christians who talk about Jesus but look nothing like Him. Perhaps you’ve been longing not only for personal transformation but change in others who are judgmental, narrow-minded, or outright mean. Perhaps you’re burned out, disillusioned, and frustrated at your spiritual journey and/or that of others.
Maybe you completely disagree. You are encouraged about the new momentum here at First Alliance. You’re excited about what God is doing in and through our congregation. You can’t stop talking about God and His work here…but you hope it lasts. You don’t want this to be temporary, but a sustainable growth for our church and its members.
No matter your perspective, I believe one thing is true for all of us: we want to go deeper. We want to go deeper in our spiritual journey, our walk with Jesus, our relationships with friends, our trust in God, our love for the poor and least of these, our generosity, our peace, and our joy. We want to experience genuine growth. Next Easter we want to celebrate not only Jesus’ resurrection but our own, new life, new purpose. If that’s true for you, fasten your seatbelts as we begin an adventure together that just might change your life.
Several years ago I heard about a book called Emotionally Healthy Church. I was a bit nervous at first, thinking it might be a touch-feely psychological book. Finally I picked it up and was blown away by the vision it cast for a healthy, whole community of faith. Pete Scazzero—a pastor in Queens, NYC with not only C&MA roots but is now a professor at Nyack College—beautifully described this dream community, but left me wondering how to guide people into it.
His next book was Emotionally Healthy Spirituality and it offered the “how” behind the “what” of a healthy church. It was fresh. It offered insights I had never before heard, yet truths imbedded in the pages of scripture. The more I read, the more I was challenged.
I generally like to preach through books of the Bible. Sometimes I will teach a topic such as Palm Sunday or Advent, looking at various texts. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality had such potent, Bible-based content I went about using it as a guide for a sermon series years ago and the response was overwhelmingly positive. In fact, quickly realized the longer someone has been a Christian, the greater the impact. I pray this series transforms your life as it continues to transform mine.
There are two primary ideas we’ll be unpacking:
- Emotional Health. This is our ability to be self-aware and love well.
- Contemplative Spirituality. This involves slowing down to cultivate our relationship with Jesus.
Alone, each is important. Together, however, these simple ideas can be revolutionary.
Perhaps this series is best understood with a picture of an iceberg. As those on the Titanic discovered, what is seen above is small compared to what lies beneath, hence the term “tip of the iceberg.” This is true for all of us. We don’t reveal everything about ourselves to others. There are things about me I am comfortable posting for the world to see on Facebook, other things reserved for my friends, still other things I only share with close friends and family, and things I guard carefully, exposing only to my wife. Tragically, many of us have things beneath the surface we fail or refuse to see and acknowledge…even when others know it.
The ultimate goal in this series isn’t to change other people, but rather to open up space to be with God, to study the scriptures together and open ourselves up to God, allowing Him to bring about the sanctification—the changes—only He to do. We want to become better lovers—of God and others. We also want to extend grace and encouragement to one another as we explore some arenas rarely discussed in church.
Today we will begin with the problem of emotionally unhealthy spirituality. The principle is this: “the degree to which we are willing to give Jesus access to what is deeply beneath the surface in our lives is the degree to which we will experience freedom in Him.” In a word, honesty. I believe it was Scott Peck who said the average person attending an AA meeting is more honest than many Christians because they cannot begin until the admit they have a problem.
I have a problem called sin. I am messed up. I am imperfect. I need help.
You do, too, whether you admit it or not, but until you do admit it, you can never grow. Let me declare again: No Perfect People Allowed (except Jesus!).
No matter your past—or even your present—you belong here! But please leave the masks at home. This series is about getting real, getting honest, and getting healthy.
King Saul is an example of an emotionally unhealthy person. He was the first king of Israel, and although he had vast power, he was emotionally bankrupt. He started out great, but went awry. He was commanded by God to wipe out the Amalekites. He partially obeys but does not complete the mission. On the surface of Saul’s life, he looked great, but his life was out of order underneath the surface.
Here’s the scene: God wanted to punish the wicked Amalekites. He told Saul to totally destroy them and their livestock. I know, it’s a brutal command but they were a brutal people. Saul partly obeyed, but he spared the king and the livestock. God tells Samuel to confront the king. Samuel said
Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?” (1 Samuel 15:19)
I often think it’s better to be fully devoted to God or fully against Him. There’s no partial credit for partially obeying God’s instructions. Saul dabbled in obedience and it got him into great trouble.
This is my fear for me and for you. I fear we do obey God when it’s comfortable and convenient but balk when it requires total surrender. I fear we get busy and want to be in control. It’s a dangerous bi-product of our consumer culture.
If you know anything about the next king, David, you know he was a man after God’s own heart. He was not perfect, but he was passionate. He was self-aware. He was devoted. In contrast, here are some symptoms of emotionally unhealthy spirituality in Saul:
1. He refuses reflection and self-awareness
He is doing some of God’s will, but he is more concerned about the opinion of people. He is out of touch with his own fear. A few verses later he confesses again.
Saul replied, “I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.” (1 Samuel 15:30)
There is jealousy in his life. He doesn’t want others to look better than he does, especially David. He tries six times to murder David, so threatened by him. He believes he is doing God’s will but he is unaware of how shallow his spirituality is and his own sins. He was unaware of why he did the things that he was doing.
Why do you do what you do?
So much of our lives are lived out of the layers beneath the surface. Reflection can be painful because we see our sin and feel guilty. It’s easier to deny our stuff and pretend.
Silence and solitude are required in order to examine our motives and feelings and thoughts on the inside. You can’t be in touch with God if you are not in touch with yourself.
Saul lived an illusion, presenting a false self to God, as if God could be tricked!
Many of us keep ourselves so busy and noisy that we cannot reflect.
Unlike David, Saul never spends time in silence and solitude. He never writes poems and songs, pouring out himself to God. David was aware of his own heart and expresses it to God.
2. He refuses to cultivate his own personal relationship with God
He began humble and blessed by God but never develops his relationship with God. He does not have a hidden life in God. He has a public one, but no personal relationship with God.
But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23)
The words “obey” and “listen” are the same in Hebrew.
Saul thought he was a pretty good guy but instead Samuel exposed the wickedness in his heart, calling him out on witchcraft and idolatry. He never asks, “What is God saying to me?”
Do you ever ask God what He is saying to you? Christianity is not meant to be merely intellectual, but experiential. What is God saying to you? He is speaking. Are you listening?
The late Dallas Willard told Pastor John Ortberg, “Ruthlessly eliminate hurry.” Ortberg said, “okay, what’s next?”!
Contemplation is about getting God from your head to your heart. Sermons are a good start, but they are not the end. You must digest this food through small groups and time alone with God.
The Pharisees knew all about God, but they never cultivated their relationship with God.
You must take responsibility for your relationship with God. Nobody else can do that for you. We can challenge you, provide you with tools and resources and opportunities for growth, but only you can cultivate your relationship with God.
It’s like marriage. People can give me books on marriage, I can attend marriage seminars, talk to people about marriage, and even decide in my head that I want a great marriage but if I don’t invest time and energy into my relationship with my bride, I will never have a good marriage.
Trials build our character.
Trials bring about an authentic, mask-free life.
Even Jesus grew through suffering.
Here are the Top Ten Symptoms of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality
There is a Saul in each of us. God wants to take the Saul out of us. Our self-will and stubbornness must be removed.
Through reflection and honesty we can become aware of our sins and weaknesses. We can cultivate a relationship with God. We can allow God to use trials and discipline to shape us to become more like Jesus, surrendering everything to Him.
You are messed up, but Jesus offers forgiveness, grace, and mercy. Don’t run away from God but run to Him.
Questions for Discussion
- What factors probably contributed to Saul’s unwillingness to carry out God’s clear command (1 Samuel 15:7-12)?
- What might have been going on beneath the surface of Saul’s life (iceberg) that he was unaware of?
- How does Samuel describe Saul’s disobedience (22-23)?
- In what ways can you relate, or not relate, to Saul?
- What positive step(s) could Saul have taken to become aware of his own iceberg and hear God in his situation?
- If you were only concerned with seeking God’s glory and not your own, how would your life be different (at home, work, school)?
- When were you caught hiding sinful motivations behind a spiritual front?
- Who plays “Samuel” in your life today—instructing you in the ways of God, rebuking you when you fall short, crying out with God’s compassion for you?
- For whom can you be a gentle “Samuel” (without naming names or gossip)?
- Why is it so difficult to slow down our lives?
- Why is it so difficult to anchor in God’s love?
- Why is it so difficult to break free from illusions?
- What is your next step in your spiritual journey?
Full Life Now, 27 March 2016
27 03 16
Full Life Now
John 10:10
Big Idea: Jesus didn’t just die so we could go to heaven, He died so we can live now!
Jesus didn’t just die for our future. He died for our future, present, and past. Eternity has begun.
Today is the first day of the rest of your life, and it’s a life God wants to be abundant, fruitful, exhilarating, and full.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
My name is Kirk and I’m thrilled you’ve chosen to spend your Resurrection Sunday morning with us! There is no greater day on the calendar than today. This is our Super Bowl, New Year’s Day, Summer Vacation, Mardi Gras, Memorial Day all packed into one 24-hour period. Today is the ultimate celebration of life.
We often take life for granted…until it is threatened or lost. We live life day after day, perhaps wishing for a better job, better weather, better relationships, or a better car. We’ve all been fed the message that the pursuit of happiness is something we all deserve, and nearly every advertisement is designed to convince us we’re not living life to the full until we have their product or service.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s back up. Why are you here? No, not why are you in this place at this time, but why are you on this planet? This question has haunted people for generations. What’s the meaning of life?
Earlier we saw a promo for Alpha, an interactive exploration of this question I have experienced several times. Whether you’re an atheist dragged here today by a family member, an agnostic searching for answers, or a follower of Jesus looking to deepen your faith, Alpha is a fantastic way to deepen your spiritual life.
Life. There’s that word again.
Easter is the day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Here’s the way one enemy of early Christians who later followed Jesus describes it:
I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8, NLT)
With all due respect to other faiths, unlike many religious figures throughout history who are no longer living, the message of Christianity is that of a living God, a God who conquered death. It’s the foundation of our faith. Without the resurrection, Christianity is, uh, dead. Paul, quoted earlier, continues…
And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. (1 Corinthians 15:17-20, NLT)
Today we celebrate that Jesus is alive. His resurrection surprised many, but 700 years before the birth of Jesus Isaiah prophesied that Jesus
On Friday we remembered the death of Jesus on the cross. It’s important to remember why He died.
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NLT)
Jesus died for every man, woman and child…Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, atheist, Christian, and agnostic. He died so our sins can be forgiven. He died to pay the punishment we deserve to pay for our evil deeds. He died to reconcile us to our perfect, holy, heavenly Father who sent Him.
This is love.
This is life.
Have you experienced the love of Jesus?
Have you experienced the life of Jesus?
The passage says those who believe—those who surrender their life to Jesus—will have eternal life.
Years ago I heard the story something like this:
God loves us.
We sin and are separated from a perfect, holy God who cannot tolerate sin.
Jesus died in our place, to forgive us, to reconcile us to God, to make us holy and pure.
We need to believe in Jesus, receiving the gift of eternal life He offers us.
This is all true, but it leaves one lingering question…
What do we do now?
If Christianity is just about what happens after we die, what do we do in the meantime?
If Easter is about a past event and eternal life is about the future, what about now?
Jesus said,
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
He came that we would have full life now. We are promised an eternity with God. That’s fantastic, but He wants us to experience full life now.
A life with hope—hope that someday every wrong will be righted, that every war will cease, that justice will prevail, that peace will come.
A life with joy—not merely happiness but a deep sense of contentment no trial or tragedy can erase.
A life with love—unconditional acceptance from our heavenly Father which allows us to love and forgive others, not because they or we deserve it but because we’ve been given the ultimate gift of love from Jesus…His very life.
A life with meaning—realizing we’re not an accident but cherished children of Almighty God who created us in His image with dignity, value and worth.
A life with security—knowing nothing we can do can make God love us more than He already does…and nothing we can ever do can make God love us less.
A life with grace—undeserved favor from our Father just because He loves us but won’t force Himself upon us which is why we must receive the gift of life, Jesus.
Religion is spelled D-O. It’s all about what we try to do for God.
Christianity is spelled D-O-N-E. It’s about what God has done for us.
When my son was younger he wanted to learn about other religions. I said, “Go for it! Study other religions. We are the only ones with grace. Every religion says you must pray, study, eat or not eat, drink or not drink, do certain things…and hope God will love you. Only Christianity has grace.”
The Bible says
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. (Ephesians 2:8-9, NLT)
It’s all about Jesus, His death, and His resurrection. One of the most popular songs is called “Amazing Grace.” Grace truly is amazing. You cannot earn it. You cannot do things to get it. You cannot work for it. You cannot buy it. Like any gift, you can only accept or reject it.
Will you accept or reject the gift?
Will you accept or reject Jesus?
Do you want to continue to be in control or are you ready to let go and let God…be God and King and LORD?
God’s love, His forgiveness, His grace…they are incredible! They are the reason for Easter. Today is a celebration of life…eternal life, full life, dynamic life.
Are you living a full life now? I love what N.T. Wright says…
…we should make Easter a forty-day celebration. If Lent is that long, Easter should be at least that long, all the way to Ascension. We should meet regularly for Easter parties. We should drink champagne at breakfast. We should renew baptismal vows with splashing water all over the place. And we should sing and dance and blow trumpets and put out banners in the streets. And we should invite the homeless people to parties and we should go around town doing random acts of generosity and celebration. We should be doing things which would make our sober and serious neighbors say, “What is the meaning of this outrageous party?”
I’m embarrassed to say I’ve met boring Christians. That should be an oxymoron! We have more to celebrate than a sports victory, a job promotion, or a birthday. Followers of Jesus should throw the best parties…and live the best, most fulfilled lives.
Jesus told one woman…
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; (John 11:25)
Jesus is the resurrection.
Jesus is the life.
Know Jesus. Know life.
No Jesus. No life.
Ironically, many have died simply because they claimed Jesus was alive. He didn’t come to make bad people good. Jesus came to make dead people come alive. When we die to ourselves, our agendas, and our pride and fully surrender our lives to Jesus He is able to do more than we can ever dream or imagine. It may not always be easy, but we are never alone. He promises to be with us always. He promises to lead us and guide us. He promises to give us full life now…and forever.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
John 10:10
Big Idea: Jesus didn’t just die so we could go to heaven, He died so we can live now!
Jesus didn’t just die for our future. He died for our future, present, and past. Eternity has begun.
Today is the first day of the rest of your life, and it’s a life God wants to be abundant, fruitful, exhilarating, and full.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
My name is Kirk and I’m thrilled you’ve chosen to spend your Resurrection Sunday morning with us! There is no greater day on the calendar than today. This is our Super Bowl, New Year’s Day, Summer Vacation, Mardi Gras, Memorial Day all packed into one 24-hour period. Today is the ultimate celebration of life.
We often take life for granted…until it is threatened or lost. We live life day after day, perhaps wishing for a better job, better weather, better relationships, or a better car. We’ve all been fed the message that the pursuit of happiness is something we all deserve, and nearly every advertisement is designed to convince us we’re not living life to the full until we have their product or service.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s back up. Why are you here? No, not why are you in this place at this time, but why are you on this planet? This question has haunted people for generations. What’s the meaning of life?
Earlier we saw a promo for Alpha, an interactive exploration of this question I have experienced several times. Whether you’re an atheist dragged here today by a family member, an agnostic searching for answers, or a follower of Jesus looking to deepen your faith, Alpha is a fantastic way to deepen your spiritual life.
Life. There’s that word again.
Easter is the day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Here’s the way one enemy of early Christians who later followed Jesus describes it:
I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8, NLT)
With all due respect to other faiths, unlike many religious figures throughout history who are no longer living, the message of Christianity is that of a living God, a God who conquered death. It’s the foundation of our faith. Without the resurrection, Christianity is, uh, dead. Paul, quoted earlier, continues…
And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. (1 Corinthians 15:17-20, NLT)
Today we celebrate that Jesus is alive. His resurrection surprised many, but 700 years before the birth of Jesus Isaiah prophesied that Jesus
- - Would die (Isaiah 53:8b)
- - Would be crucified between two thieves (Isaiah 53:12)
- - Would be buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 53:9)
- - Would resurrect from the dead (Isaiah 53:10-12)
On Friday we remembered the death of Jesus on the cross. It’s important to remember why He died.
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NLT)
Jesus died for every man, woman and child…Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, atheist, Christian, and agnostic. He died so our sins can be forgiven. He died to pay the punishment we deserve to pay for our evil deeds. He died to reconcile us to our perfect, holy, heavenly Father who sent Him.
This is love.
This is life.
Have you experienced the love of Jesus?
Have you experienced the life of Jesus?
The passage says those who believe—those who surrender their life to Jesus—will have eternal life.
Years ago I heard the story something like this:
God loves us.
We sin and are separated from a perfect, holy God who cannot tolerate sin.
Jesus died in our place, to forgive us, to reconcile us to God, to make us holy and pure.
We need to believe in Jesus, receiving the gift of eternal life He offers us.
This is all true, but it leaves one lingering question…
What do we do now?
If Christianity is just about what happens after we die, what do we do in the meantime?
If Easter is about a past event and eternal life is about the future, what about now?
Jesus said,
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
He came that we would have full life now. We are promised an eternity with God. That’s fantastic, but He wants us to experience full life now.
A life with hope—hope that someday every wrong will be righted, that every war will cease, that justice will prevail, that peace will come.
A life with joy—not merely happiness but a deep sense of contentment no trial or tragedy can erase.
A life with love—unconditional acceptance from our heavenly Father which allows us to love and forgive others, not because they or we deserve it but because we’ve been given the ultimate gift of love from Jesus…His very life.
A life with meaning—realizing we’re not an accident but cherished children of Almighty God who created us in His image with dignity, value and worth.
A life with security—knowing nothing we can do can make God love us more than He already does…and nothing we can ever do can make God love us less.
A life with grace—undeserved favor from our Father just because He loves us but won’t force Himself upon us which is why we must receive the gift of life, Jesus.
Religion is spelled D-O. It’s all about what we try to do for God.
Christianity is spelled D-O-N-E. It’s about what God has done for us.
When my son was younger he wanted to learn about other religions. I said, “Go for it! Study other religions. We are the only ones with grace. Every religion says you must pray, study, eat or not eat, drink or not drink, do certain things…and hope God will love you. Only Christianity has grace.”
The Bible says
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. (Ephesians 2:8-9, NLT)
It’s all about Jesus, His death, and His resurrection. One of the most popular songs is called “Amazing Grace.” Grace truly is amazing. You cannot earn it. You cannot do things to get it. You cannot work for it. You cannot buy it. Like any gift, you can only accept or reject it.
Will you accept or reject the gift?
Will you accept or reject Jesus?
Do you want to continue to be in control or are you ready to let go and let God…be God and King and LORD?
God’s love, His forgiveness, His grace…they are incredible! They are the reason for Easter. Today is a celebration of life…eternal life, full life, dynamic life.
Are you living a full life now? I love what N.T. Wright says…
…we should make Easter a forty-day celebration. If Lent is that long, Easter should be at least that long, all the way to Ascension. We should meet regularly for Easter parties. We should drink champagne at breakfast. We should renew baptismal vows with splashing water all over the place. And we should sing and dance and blow trumpets and put out banners in the streets. And we should invite the homeless people to parties and we should go around town doing random acts of generosity and celebration. We should be doing things which would make our sober and serious neighbors say, “What is the meaning of this outrageous party?”
I’m embarrassed to say I’ve met boring Christians. That should be an oxymoron! We have more to celebrate than a sports victory, a job promotion, or a birthday. Followers of Jesus should throw the best parties…and live the best, most fulfilled lives.
Jesus told one woman…
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; (John 11:25)
Jesus is the resurrection.
Jesus is the life.
Know Jesus. Know life.
No Jesus. No life.
Ironically, many have died simply because they claimed Jesus was alive. He didn’t come to make bad people good. Jesus came to make dead people come alive. When we die to ourselves, our agendas, and our pride and fully surrender our lives to Jesus He is able to do more than we can ever dream or imagine. It may not always be easy, but we are never alone. He promises to be with us always. He promises to lead us and guide us. He promises to give us full life now…and forever.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Demanding, 20 March 2016
21 03 16
Demanding
Palm Sunday
John 12:12-19
Big Idea: Do we make demands of Jesus or allow Him to truly be LORD and King?
The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the king of Israel!” (John 12:12-13)
The people blessed Jesus. They blessed the king of Israel. But there was another word they shouted…
Hosanna!
This word has several translations.
Save us.
Please save us.
Save us now!
These people were desperate. Rome was a vicious, violent place.
Although it was built after Jesus walked the earth, the Colosseum is the largest amphitheater ever built, the place where many Christians were martyred in front of screaming fans.
Time does not permit us to unpack the full context of Roman life at the time of Jesus, but it was oppressive, especially for the Jews.
Here’s the thing: the people had an agenda for Jesus. They wanted Him to overthrow the government. They wanted Him to save them from Rome. We’re not exactly sure the tone of their voices, but rather than joyful shouts, they were very possibly desperate and demanding shouts.
Save us now!
We celebrate Palm Sunday as the arrival of Jesus into Jerusalem. We know He arrived not on a white horse but a modest colt.
Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:
“Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” (John 12:14-15)
Needless to say, Jesus did not meet the demands of the crowd. He did not meet the demands of His own disciples.
At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. (John 12:16)
Can you blame them? Days after the crowds shout, “Hosanna!” crowds—not necessarily the same people—yell, “Crucify Him!”
All who followed Jesus—including the eleven and His mother—watched all of their hopes and dreams destroyed as He was nailed to a cross.
But that’s for Friday!
One More Thing
There’s another biblical account involving palm branches and loud multitudes.
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”
All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:
“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!” (Revelation 7:9-12)
Today we close with worship. We sing praises to Jesus for He alone is worthy. He alone is King. And someday soon He will return not on a donkey but on a white horse. He will arrive not to die but to rule forever and ever. We will not shout, “Save us, now” but, “Thank You, Jesus!” And we prepare for eternity now as we declare Jesus as LORD.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Palm Sunday
John 12:12-19
Big Idea: Do we make demands of Jesus or allow Him to truly be LORD and King?
The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the king of Israel!” (John 12:12-13)
The people blessed Jesus. They blessed the king of Israel. But there was another word they shouted…
Hosanna!
This word has several translations.
Save us.
Please save us.
Save us now!
These people were desperate. Rome was a vicious, violent place.
Although it was built after Jesus walked the earth, the Colosseum is the largest amphitheater ever built, the place where many Christians were martyred in front of screaming fans.
Time does not permit us to unpack the full context of Roman life at the time of Jesus, but it was oppressive, especially for the Jews.
Here’s the thing: the people had an agenda for Jesus. They wanted Him to overthrow the government. They wanted Him to save them from Rome. We’re not exactly sure the tone of their voices, but rather than joyful shouts, they were very possibly desperate and demanding shouts.
Save us now!
We celebrate Palm Sunday as the arrival of Jesus into Jerusalem. We know He arrived not on a white horse but a modest colt.
Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:
“Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” (John 12:14-15)
Needless to say, Jesus did not meet the demands of the crowd. He did not meet the demands of His own disciples.
At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. (John 12:16)
Can you blame them? Days after the crowds shout, “Hosanna!” crowds—not necessarily the same people—yell, “Crucify Him!”
All who followed Jesus—including the eleven and His mother—watched all of their hopes and dreams destroyed as He was nailed to a cross.
But that’s for Friday!
One More Thing
There’s another biblical account involving palm branches and loud multitudes.
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”
All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:
“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!” (Revelation 7:9-12)
Today we close with worship. We sing praises to Jesus for He alone is worthy. He alone is King. And someday soon He will return not on a donkey but on a white horse. He will arrive not to die but to rule forever and ever. We will not shout, “Save us, now” but, “Thank You, Jesus!” And we prepare for eternity now as we declare Jesus as LORD.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
The Money Mess, 13 March 2016
15 03 16
The Money Mess
1 Timothy 6:6-10
Big Idea: Money is not the root of all evil, but it can mess up our lives if we allow it.
Introduction
Today we’re going to talk about a subject Jesus loved to discuss, a subject He talked about more than heaven and hell combined…money!
Money. Is it a problem for you? It clearly was in the drama.
In our culture we have problems earning money.
We have problems spending money.
We have problems saving money.
We have problems sharing money.
We have a money mess.
In the next thirty minutes I will not solve all of our money problems, but as Tax Day approaches and you’ve had multiple opportunities to invest in God’s work in Toledo and beyond, I’d like to briefly address some money matters with plans to go more in depth in the future.
Earning Money
I was recently privileged to interview more than a dozen Toledoans for a doctorate research project. One question I repeatedly asked was, “What would be good news in Toledo?” A common answer was, “Jobs.” It’s no secret our city has struggled in the midst of the Rust Belt as manufacturing jobs have gone overseas during the past few decades. Although our unemployment rate is only 6.6%, many are underemployed and many have given up entirely on employment and are no longer included in unemployment statistics.
Work is a good thing. Although a burden for many, it was present in the Garden of Eden and I believe will be a part of our eternal lives.
What was Adam and Eve’s work before The Fall?
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28)
That’s quite a responsibility, ruling over the fish, birds, and living creatures. But there was another task assigned.
Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. (Genesis 2:19-20a)
Adam—and possibly Eve—had to name the animals. Sure, maybe that wasn’t as stressful as dealing with your boss, but think about how creative they had to be after they got through dog, cat, cow, pig, and horse. Rhinoceros. Hippopotamus. That took effort! Seriously, Adam and Eve worked before they sinned and were kicked out of the Garden of Eden. God designed us to work. We will work in heaven.
In the midst of our crazy election circus, allow me to be political for a moment: if you don’t work, you should not eat.
Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty. (Proverbs 28:19)
This verse is significant not only because it appears in the Old Testament but also because it is reiterated in the New.
For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10)
I’m not including, of course, those who cannot work, but every able-bodied person in our nation who wants to eat needs to work. They need to earn money. They need to enjoy the satisfaction of a job well-done, whether it is in a store, the home, an office, or a classroom.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, (Colossians 3:23)
We are to work for the Lord…and to earn money to provide for ourselves and, in some instances, others.
Spending Money
This is where USAmericans often get into trouble. Simply: we spend more than we earn.
Non-housing debt is $3.38 trillion. The average household owes $7283 on their credit cards, and only 51% of Americans have enough cash in their emergency accounts to clear themselves of credit card debt.
Debt is a tremendous burden. We’re all aware of the student loan crisis and the earlier housing loan crisis. Proverbs famously states
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. (Proverbs 22:7)
Experts disagree whether or not it is ever appropriate to have debt such as a student loan or a mortgage. The point is simply debt is a burden, and credit card debt, in particular, is a tremendous burden because
The solution is simple but not always easy: budget. I admit budgeting has been challenging for me, especially when I was creating annual budgets. I prefer monthly budgeting since incomes and expenses are rarely the same twelve months of the year.
Mint.com has some excellent, free tools for creating a budget and managing your finances.
Dave Ramsey also has a great, free guide to budgeting.
Saving Money
This is one area where we have struggled as a family. Many financial experts advise a six-month emergency fund plus additional savings for retirement and large expenses such as college, cars, and weddings.
As a matter of full disclosure, our family has never had credit card debt. We had a car payment for one year. We have a mortgage on our home of less than 40% of the home’s value. We have largely avoided debt and lived within our means, but we have little savings. Our emergency fund is small. While I personally wish we had six months of income or more in the bank, there is a benefit to our condition. Again, turning to Proverbs:
Two things I ask of you, LORD;
do not refuse me before I die:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God. (Proverbs 30:7-9)
Unexpected bills have kept us from amassing a great savings account, but they have also kept us dependent upon God for our daily bread. I’m grateful for that. He has never failed us. There have been so many stories throughout our marriage of God supplying our needs—and often our wants—it’s absolutely silly that I have any money worries at all…but I do.
A friend on our trip told me about his least-favorite verse. He finds it so convicting, and so do I!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Do you worry about money? Speaking from experience, it usually boils down to our trust in God. Often our worries stem from lack of fail and/or poor stewardship on our part, spending more than we can afford and then feeling the pressure of mounting debt.
Finally…
Sharing Money
Paul wrote to Timothy…
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19)
Perhaps you’ve read this verse and taken exception. “I’m not rich,” you say. Take a look at this…
$32,400
I’m not going to ask for a show of hands, but if you earn this much money per year you are in the richest 1% of the world. It will not rank you in the top 1% in the USA, of course, but most of us are in the richest 1%.
But regardless of your income, are you generous? Or are you stingy?
Do you have an abundance mentality that recognizes the vast resources available to us or a scarcity mentality that clings to every penny?
I must tell you I planned the timing of this message on money months ago, long before I knew we would be raising money for Claro Coffee Bar or our local and international missions partners. I promise you there’s no hidden agenda here, just to be good stewards of God’s gifts.
Imagine my surprise when yesterday I did my daily One Story reading and came across this passage from the Exodus as the people were wandering for 40 years in the wilderness:
Now the Lord sent a wind that brought quail from the sea and let them fall all around the camp. For miles in every direction there were quail flying about three feet above the ground. So the people went out and caught quail all that day and throughout the night and all the next day, too. No one gathered less than fifty bushels! They spread the quail all around the camp to dry. But while they were gorging themselves on the meat—while it was still in their mouths—the anger of the Lord blazed against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. So that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah (which means “graves of gluttony”) because there they buried the people who had craved meat from Egypt. (Numbers 11:31-34, NLT)
They were gluttons. They were hoarders. 50 bushels per person? That’s a ton of meat!
We have been blessed with a ton of resources. We have not only dollars but freedom, opportunity, brothers and sisters in Christ, education, the Internet, transportation, technology, health,…and let’s not forget the power of prayer and the presence of God.
So What?
We looked at part of Paul’s letter to Timothy. Timothy was in Ephesus, a huge port city filled with great trade and wealth.
Heather and I both found it to be our favorite of the dozen or so cities we visited. This huge city was once buried under dirt and archaeologists keep excavating the area, uncovering incredible relics of this city of at least 50,000 but possibly as many as 200,000 people.
Paul writes to Timothy in Ephesus
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:6-10)
Money is not the root of all evil. The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
Do you love money? Do you hoard money? Or are you generous?
We often talk about tithing, which literally means giving ten percent. The great thing about a percent is we can all give. We all give a percentage to Columbus and Washington whether we like it or not! The reality is one hundred percent of what we have is a gift from God, a loan from God, if you will. We are to be good stewards of it. We have been blessed to be a blessing. We are not supposed to feel guilty about our wealth, but rather be grateful and generous.
We are to live open-handed, allowing God to give and take away. It’s all His so we can clench our fists and let Him pry things out of our lives or we can freely surrender, knowing He can be trusted with our time, our talents, and our treasures.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
1 Timothy 6:6-10
Big Idea: Money is not the root of all evil, but it can mess up our lives if we allow it.
Introduction
Today we’re going to talk about a subject Jesus loved to discuss, a subject He talked about more than heaven and hell combined…money!
Money. Is it a problem for you? It clearly was in the drama.
In our culture we have problems earning money.
We have problems spending money.
We have problems saving money.
We have problems sharing money.
We have a money mess.
In the next thirty minutes I will not solve all of our money problems, but as Tax Day approaches and you’ve had multiple opportunities to invest in God’s work in Toledo and beyond, I’d like to briefly address some money matters with plans to go more in depth in the future.
Earning Money
I was recently privileged to interview more than a dozen Toledoans for a doctorate research project. One question I repeatedly asked was, “What would be good news in Toledo?” A common answer was, “Jobs.” It’s no secret our city has struggled in the midst of the Rust Belt as manufacturing jobs have gone overseas during the past few decades. Although our unemployment rate is only 6.6%, many are underemployed and many have given up entirely on employment and are no longer included in unemployment statistics.
Work is a good thing. Although a burden for many, it was present in the Garden of Eden and I believe will be a part of our eternal lives.
What was Adam and Eve’s work before The Fall?
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28)
That’s quite a responsibility, ruling over the fish, birds, and living creatures. But there was another task assigned.
Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. (Genesis 2:19-20a)
Adam—and possibly Eve—had to name the animals. Sure, maybe that wasn’t as stressful as dealing with your boss, but think about how creative they had to be after they got through dog, cat, cow, pig, and horse. Rhinoceros. Hippopotamus. That took effort! Seriously, Adam and Eve worked before they sinned and were kicked out of the Garden of Eden. God designed us to work. We will work in heaven.
In the midst of our crazy election circus, allow me to be political for a moment: if you don’t work, you should not eat.
Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty. (Proverbs 28:19)
This verse is significant not only because it appears in the Old Testament but also because it is reiterated in the New.
For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10)
I’m not including, of course, those who cannot work, but every able-bodied person in our nation who wants to eat needs to work. They need to earn money. They need to enjoy the satisfaction of a job well-done, whether it is in a store, the home, an office, or a classroom.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, (Colossians 3:23)
We are to work for the Lord…and to earn money to provide for ourselves and, in some instances, others.
Spending Money
This is where USAmericans often get into trouble. Simply: we spend more than we earn.
Non-housing debt is $3.38 trillion. The average household owes $7283 on their credit cards, and only 51% of Americans have enough cash in their emergency accounts to clear themselves of credit card debt.
Debt is a tremendous burden. We’re all aware of the student loan crisis and the earlier housing loan crisis. Proverbs famously states
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. (Proverbs 22:7)
Experts disagree whether or not it is ever appropriate to have debt such as a student loan or a mortgage. The point is simply debt is a burden, and credit card debt, in particular, is a tremendous burden because
- a) Interest rates are ridiculously high
- b) Many are tempted to only pay the minimum, which only increases your debt
- c) Often credit card debt is the result of poor money management and self-control, buying products that depreciate
- d) Rarely is there a plan to eliminate the debt
The solution is simple but not always easy: budget. I admit budgeting has been challenging for me, especially when I was creating annual budgets. I prefer monthly budgeting since incomes and expenses are rarely the same twelve months of the year.
Mint.com has some excellent, free tools for creating a budget and managing your finances.
Dave Ramsey also has a great, free guide to budgeting.
Saving Money
This is one area where we have struggled as a family. Many financial experts advise a six-month emergency fund plus additional savings for retirement and large expenses such as college, cars, and weddings.
As a matter of full disclosure, our family has never had credit card debt. We had a car payment for one year. We have a mortgage on our home of less than 40% of the home’s value. We have largely avoided debt and lived within our means, but we have little savings. Our emergency fund is small. While I personally wish we had six months of income or more in the bank, there is a benefit to our condition. Again, turning to Proverbs:
Two things I ask of you, LORD;
do not refuse me before I die:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God. (Proverbs 30:7-9)
Unexpected bills have kept us from amassing a great savings account, but they have also kept us dependent upon God for our daily bread. I’m grateful for that. He has never failed us. There have been so many stories throughout our marriage of God supplying our needs—and often our wants—it’s absolutely silly that I have any money worries at all…but I do.
A friend on our trip told me about his least-favorite verse. He finds it so convicting, and so do I!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Do you worry about money? Speaking from experience, it usually boils down to our trust in God. Often our worries stem from lack of fail and/or poor stewardship on our part, spending more than we can afford and then feeling the pressure of mounting debt.
Finally…
Sharing Money
Paul wrote to Timothy…
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19)
Perhaps you’ve read this verse and taken exception. “I’m not rich,” you say. Take a look at this…
$32,400
I’m not going to ask for a show of hands, but if you earn this much money per year you are in the richest 1% of the world. It will not rank you in the top 1% in the USA, of course, but most of us are in the richest 1%.
But regardless of your income, are you generous? Or are you stingy?
Do you have an abundance mentality that recognizes the vast resources available to us or a scarcity mentality that clings to every penny?
I must tell you I planned the timing of this message on money months ago, long before I knew we would be raising money for Claro Coffee Bar or our local and international missions partners. I promise you there’s no hidden agenda here, just to be good stewards of God’s gifts.
Imagine my surprise when yesterday I did my daily One Story reading and came across this passage from the Exodus as the people were wandering for 40 years in the wilderness:
Now the Lord sent a wind that brought quail from the sea and let them fall all around the camp. For miles in every direction there were quail flying about three feet above the ground. So the people went out and caught quail all that day and throughout the night and all the next day, too. No one gathered less than fifty bushels! They spread the quail all around the camp to dry. But while they were gorging themselves on the meat—while it was still in their mouths—the anger of the Lord blazed against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. So that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah (which means “graves of gluttony”) because there they buried the people who had craved meat from Egypt. (Numbers 11:31-34, NLT)
They were gluttons. They were hoarders. 50 bushels per person? That’s a ton of meat!
We have been blessed with a ton of resources. We have not only dollars but freedom, opportunity, brothers and sisters in Christ, education, the Internet, transportation, technology, health,…and let’s not forget the power of prayer and the presence of God.
So What?
We looked at part of Paul’s letter to Timothy. Timothy was in Ephesus, a huge port city filled with great trade and wealth.
Heather and I both found it to be our favorite of the dozen or so cities we visited. This huge city was once buried under dirt and archaeologists keep excavating the area, uncovering incredible relics of this city of at least 50,000 but possibly as many as 200,000 people.
Paul writes to Timothy in Ephesus
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:6-10)
Money is not the root of all evil. The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
Do you love money? Do you hoard money? Or are you generous?
We often talk about tithing, which literally means giving ten percent. The great thing about a percent is we can all give. We all give a percentage to Columbus and Washington whether we like it or not! The reality is one hundred percent of what we have is a gift from God, a loan from God, if you will. We are to be good stewards of it. We have been blessed to be a blessing. We are not supposed to feel guilty about our wealth, but rather be grateful and generous.
We are to live open-handed, allowing God to give and take away. It’s all His so we can clench our fists and let Him pry things out of our lives or we can freely surrender, knowing He can be trusted with our time, our talents, and our treasures.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
From Grace to Glory, 14 February 2016
14 02 16
From Grace to Glory!
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 5:8-14
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Remain faithful to God, even in the midst of the battle.
Introduction
This morning we conclude our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (1 Peter 5:8-9)
Peter says be alert and sober. Don’t get drunk! Recognize what is going on around you. Specifically, recognize the enemy. The devil is real! Pay attention! Wake up!
Exact statistics vary, but more people believe in God than in satan. More people believe in angels than demons.
Many years ago in seminary I was given an assignment that involved interviewing someone of a different religion. I had lunch with an elderly man with white hair who looked like a wizard. He had a PhD in philosophy and called himself a neo-pagan. He told me stories of going into the woods and interacting with the goddess Isis through the deer. It was quite interesting to say the least!
I asked him if he believed in the existence of evil. He said “yes” emphatically, telling me stories of horrible events in his neighborhood. I asked, “Where does evil come from?” to which he said, “Well, I don’t believe in a devil with horns and a pitchfork like Christians believe.” After I told him that’s hardly our understanding of satan, he said, “I don’t know where evil comes from.” For a highly educated man with decades in religious work, it was shocking to realize how incomplete his worldview was, unable to explain evil in our “good” world of “good” people.
Brothers and sisters, satan is real. Demons are real. They are all fallen angels, pushed out of heaven due to the sin of pride we discussed last week.
Isaiah says…
How you have fallen from heaven,
morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations!
You said in your heart,
“I will ascend to the heavens;
I will raise my throne
above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.” (Isaiah 14:12-14)
The prophet Ezekiel added
Your heart became proud
on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
I made a spectacle of you before kings. (Ezekiel 28:17)
These refer specifically to the kings of Tyre and Babylon, but also reference satan’s power behind them.
Talk of satan and demons can be scary, especially when the pastor says they’re real!
“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.”
There are two kingdoms in conflict, good and evil, God and satan. We will not win every battle, but we will ultimately win the war.
Sometimes I forget the battle is real. I get excited about my plans, only to find them often sabotaged by unexpected obstacles.
I was thinking about spiritual warfare last Sunday during The Big Game Party sponsored by our men’s ministry (great party!). I was playing one of my favorite board games, Sequence. The game is simple: place colored tokens on the pictures of the cards you have, one at a time, until you get five in a row before the other players. It would be easy were it not for the fact that the other players are not only trying to get their own five in a row—which sometimes block yours—they can remove one of your tokens if they draw a particular card. It can be so frustrating…to have an opponent.
I’m sure the Carolina Panthers thought it would be easy to win the Super Bowl…if the Denver Broncos weren’t on the field blocking, tackling, intercepting…and ultimately winning the game.
We have an opponent, brothers and sisters. Life would be so much easier if he would just go away! But we will ultimately win the game! Actually, Jesus already won!
We celebrate Jesus and what He did on the cross for many reasons, including His victory over sin and death. Speaking of the forces of evil, Paul wrote
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:15)
Jesus Himself said
He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:18-20)
Jesus made a public spectacle of satan’s team!
Jesus saw satan fall!
One of Jesus’ three best friends, John, wrote
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
Back to Peter…
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (1 Peter 5:8-9)
Resist. How? Do the right thing. Say no to temptation. This isn’t something you necessarily do alone. We have one another to encourage, support, pray, and challenge. You are not alone in your struggles.
Stand firm, like an army. You can’t do this alone. We need one another, especially when we face opposition and suffering. We have been very blessed in this country but there are no guarantees of safety and comfort for us or any of our brothers and sisters around the world until Jesus returns.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:10-11)
Peter speaks again of grace and glory.
God will restore…
God will strengthen…
God will establish…
…after a little while of suffering.
It’s hard to wait for the future when the present is difficult, but God’s Word offers hope. God’s promises are never broken. God is love. God is merciful and forgiving. His glory is eternal.
Peter ends this epistle with a postscript.
With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. (1 Peter 5:12)
Silas helped write and/or deliver this letter. Most scholars believe Peter wrote and Silas delivered.
She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. Greet one another with a kiss of love. (1 Peter 5:13-14a)
Make sure you use the right kind of kiss! In the ancient world and in some parts of the world today a kiss is the standard form of greeting. We usually shake hands or sometimes hug.
Someone has said
A kiss to a young girl is hope.
A kiss to a married woman is faith.
A kiss to an old maid is charity.
A handshake will usually work fine!
Peter concludes…
Peace to all of you who are in Christ. (1 Peter 5:14b)
This is God’s salvation and its consequences.
So What?
Peter’s central message is clear: remain faithful to Jesus Christ, in spite of your social condition and its potential dangers, by living obediently and in community with one another. Our lives may or may not be in danger today because of our faith, but whatever suffering we face, God is with us. God’s grace is present. He will sustain us if we seek Him in the midst of our struggles. And there is hope ahead.
In the meantime, we are to faithfully live now. We are to love others, even our enemies. We are to abstain from sin and pursue holiness. We are to serve others. We are to find our identity and worth as children of God, not members of a particular social class. We are to bring honor and glory to God. Always. It will be worth it!
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 5:8-14
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Remain faithful to God, even in the midst of the battle.
Introduction
This morning we conclude our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (1 Peter 5:8-9)
Peter says be alert and sober. Don’t get drunk! Recognize what is going on around you. Specifically, recognize the enemy. The devil is real! Pay attention! Wake up!
Exact statistics vary, but more people believe in God than in satan. More people believe in angels than demons.
Many years ago in seminary I was given an assignment that involved interviewing someone of a different religion. I had lunch with an elderly man with white hair who looked like a wizard. He had a PhD in philosophy and called himself a neo-pagan. He told me stories of going into the woods and interacting with the goddess Isis through the deer. It was quite interesting to say the least!
I asked him if he believed in the existence of evil. He said “yes” emphatically, telling me stories of horrible events in his neighborhood. I asked, “Where does evil come from?” to which he said, “Well, I don’t believe in a devil with horns and a pitchfork like Christians believe.” After I told him that’s hardly our understanding of satan, he said, “I don’t know where evil comes from.” For a highly educated man with decades in religious work, it was shocking to realize how incomplete his worldview was, unable to explain evil in our “good” world of “good” people.
Brothers and sisters, satan is real. Demons are real. They are all fallen angels, pushed out of heaven due to the sin of pride we discussed last week.
Isaiah says…
How you have fallen from heaven,
morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations!
You said in your heart,
“I will ascend to the heavens;
I will raise my throne
above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.” (Isaiah 14:12-14)
The prophet Ezekiel added
Your heart became proud
on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
I made a spectacle of you before kings. (Ezekiel 28:17)
These refer specifically to the kings of Tyre and Babylon, but also reference satan’s power behind them.
Talk of satan and demons can be scary, especially when the pastor says they’re real!
“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.”
- - C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters
There are two kingdoms in conflict, good and evil, God and satan. We will not win every battle, but we will ultimately win the war.
Sometimes I forget the battle is real. I get excited about my plans, only to find them often sabotaged by unexpected obstacles.
I was thinking about spiritual warfare last Sunday during The Big Game Party sponsored by our men’s ministry (great party!). I was playing one of my favorite board games, Sequence. The game is simple: place colored tokens on the pictures of the cards you have, one at a time, until you get five in a row before the other players. It would be easy were it not for the fact that the other players are not only trying to get their own five in a row—which sometimes block yours—they can remove one of your tokens if they draw a particular card. It can be so frustrating…to have an opponent.
I’m sure the Carolina Panthers thought it would be easy to win the Super Bowl…if the Denver Broncos weren’t on the field blocking, tackling, intercepting…and ultimately winning the game.
We have an opponent, brothers and sisters. Life would be so much easier if he would just go away! But we will ultimately win the game! Actually, Jesus already won!
We celebrate Jesus and what He did on the cross for many reasons, including His victory over sin and death. Speaking of the forces of evil, Paul wrote
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:15)
Jesus Himself said
He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:18-20)
Jesus made a public spectacle of satan’s team!
Jesus saw satan fall!
One of Jesus’ three best friends, John, wrote
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
Back to Peter…
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (1 Peter 5:8-9)
Resist. How? Do the right thing. Say no to temptation. This isn’t something you necessarily do alone. We have one another to encourage, support, pray, and challenge. You are not alone in your struggles.
Stand firm, like an army. You can’t do this alone. We need one another, especially when we face opposition and suffering. We have been very blessed in this country but there are no guarantees of safety and comfort for us or any of our brothers and sisters around the world until Jesus returns.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:10-11)
Peter speaks again of grace and glory.
God will restore…
God will strengthen…
God will establish…
…after a little while of suffering.
It’s hard to wait for the future when the present is difficult, but God’s Word offers hope. God’s promises are never broken. God is love. God is merciful and forgiving. His glory is eternal.
Peter ends this epistle with a postscript.
With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. (1 Peter 5:12)
Silas helped write and/or deliver this letter. Most scholars believe Peter wrote and Silas delivered.
She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. Greet one another with a kiss of love. (1 Peter 5:13-14a)
Make sure you use the right kind of kiss! In the ancient world and in some parts of the world today a kiss is the standard form of greeting. We usually shake hands or sometimes hug.
Someone has said
A kiss to a young girl is hope.
A kiss to a married woman is faith.
A kiss to an old maid is charity.
A handshake will usually work fine!
Peter concludes…
Peace to all of you who are in Christ. (1 Peter 5:14b)
This is God’s salvation and its consequences.
So What?
Peter’s central message is clear: remain faithful to Jesus Christ, in spite of your social condition and its potential dangers, by living obediently and in community with one another. Our lives may or may not be in danger today because of our faith, but whatever suffering we face, God is with us. God’s grace is present. He will sustain us if we seek Him in the midst of our struggles. And there is hope ahead.
In the meantime, we are to faithfully live now. We are to love others, even our enemies. We are to abstain from sin and pursue holiness. We are to serve others. We are to find our identity and worth as children of God, not members of a particular social class. We are to bring honor and glory to God. Always. It will be worth it!
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Rest In God, 7 February 2016
06 02 16
Rest in God
Series: What in the World is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 5:1-7
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Despite our chaotic world, we can rest in a God who cares for us.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering.
After four chapters of writing to the churches at large, Peter shifts to specific groups, addressing a variety of subjects…including two that I find especially challenging.
Peter begins with a message to the elders…
To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. (1 Peter 5:1-3)
Peter speaks to elders, in the plural. Peter calls himself a fellow elder. He doesn’t claim to be superior to the others though he knew Jesus, a witness of His life, death and resurrection. He says so much in these three verses to senior saints. I want to highlight three commands here:
This word “example” in the Greek is “typos.” It means “an impress; a print, mark, a moral pattern or model.” Elders in the faith, you are not a perfect example but you’re a living example.
Notice how Peter contrasts how the elders should and should not behave. I’m sure he encountered plenty of careless, arrogant, power-hungry church leaders. Some things never change! One of the easiest targets for our enemy is church leaders. We are susceptible to pride, the very thing that God lucifer kicked out of heaven. We are tempted to seize power. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Paul’s words regarding elders may be the most famous in the Bible, but these instructions for Peter are a treasure. They apply to all Christian leaders, all Christians who influence others, with or without a formal title or position.
While many of you shepherd the flock by leading a small group, Sunday School class, or Bible study I can hardly continue without acknowledging the elders of First Alliance Church, nine men who faithfully serve God and our congregation. I am honored to serve with them in seeking the direction of our Senior Pastor, Jesus Christ, and shepherding, serving, and setting an example of what it means to follow the LORD.
In just a few short months I’ve grown to love and respect these men. I am not the king. I am not “the man.” I am one of ten elders seeking to know and obey Jesus’ vision and mission for us.
I want to highlight one other group of elders, those senior saints who pray, give, serve, and love. They are the unsung heroes of our church, usually ministering out of sight on their knees or with their hands.
Peter says elders will receive a reward.
And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. (1 Peter 5:4)
Elders will share in God’s glory. There are more than a dozen biblical words translated “glory.” All I can say is it will be wonderful!
Psalm 22 says the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.
Psalm 23 says the great shepherd watches over the sheep.
Here it says someday the chief shepherd will appear and reward.
So what about younger people?
In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5)
Our world seems fixated on youth, especially in our western culture. The younger are submit to their elders, though. They have more wisdom! Young people, old fashioned isn’t always a bad thing. Older doesn’t always mean wiser, but you can learn a lot from your elders.
Do you want God’s favor or opposition? God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.
The older I get, the more I forget the events of my childhood. I still have vivid memories of several moments, including one particular incident.
I was seven or eight years old. I began piano lessons at age seven and within the first year or so played a piano solo at our small church. After the service a lady came up to me and said, “Young man, you play very well,” to which I humbly replied, “I know!” My dad was beside me and recognized this as a teaching opportunity. Let’s just say I was quickly introduced to the subjects of pride and humility!
From that moment on I recognized the temptation of pride—and frequently submitted to it. Every compliment became an invitation for me to sin.
Some have suggested pride is the core of all sin. As I said, it’s what got lucifer kicked out of heaven. It alienates us from others. It alienates us from God, the One from whom all blessings flow.
Many struggle with the tension between pride and humility. After all, if I work hard to prepare for an exam or performance or project is it wrong to acknowledge the work? Should I just say, “It was all God” when, in fact, your hands painted the picture or your workouts led to the football team’s victory? Should we pretend we had nothing to do with it?
Someone once said humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. I like that. When we clothe ourselves with humility our focus is on God. We can politely say, “Thank you” in receiving a compliment, furthering the relationship rather than building walls with self-praise or false humility.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. (1 Peter 5:6)
I love this promise. He doesn’t just say be humble. He says humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand. Let Him lift you up, not your own ego or accomplishments.
If you’re like me, you’ve had moments when your hard work hasn’t been acknowledged. Do we work for the applause of men and women or the applause of heaven?
We could spend hours talking about pride, but let’s move on to another struggle for me, an acceptable sin to many Christians, but a sin nonetheless.
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
Anxiety. Worry. Fear.
This is quickly becoming a convicting sermon for me!
Take a moment and meditate on this verse, a command with a promise.
What does it mean to really rest? Peter’s not writing to tourists heading off on a Caribbean cruise. These people are suffering for their faith. Some may be fleeing for their very lives.
You think you’ve got stress and anxiety? I’m not making light of the challenges we all face, but Peter’s readers have every reason to be afraid, to worry, yet they’re told to cast or throw upon God all of their concerns and worries. Why? Because God cares.
This is our God. He commands rest. He demonstrated rest during creation. He cares for you. He is responsible for taking care of you! He is faithful, loyal and steadfast.
But how do you rest in the mist of suffering? How do you rest when all you can do is ask, “What in the world is going on?”
We need to know our place. There’s a connection between humility and rest. When it’s all about me, I can’t rest. Do you trust God? Is it all about Him or you? We don’t have time to unpack the Sabbath, but do you trust God can do more with six days than you can with seven?
We need to rest in knowing God is in control…and you’re not! He cares for you. He has your best interest at heart. He rules over all things. He is loving. He is love. Daddy knows best. How has He been faithful in the past? One benefit to a prayer journal is looking back at answers to prayer. Often our current challenges are no greater than our past victories. God is good. All the time!
Elizabeth Elliot said,
“Today is mine. Tomorrow is none of my business. If I peer anxiously into the fog of the future, I will strain my spiritual eyes so that I will not see clearly what is required of me today.”
Finally, we must realize we were created to live dependent upon God. Jesus showed us what it means to be truly human. He was fully dependent upon the Father. That’s why He studied the scriptures, devoted Himself to prayer, and obeyed even when told to give up His very life.
It’s tempting to think Jesus was God so He can’t relate to our struggles, but nothing could be further from the truth. He willingly surrendered His deity to live, breathe, suffer, and die like us. He showed us how to live, resting in the Father in the midst of suffering.
When nails were pounded into His hands and feet, He was able to experience joy—not happiness, but joy—resting in God, knowing that following the Father would be worth it in the end.
For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
Cast your anxiety on Him. How? Surrender. Pray.
Jesus said,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Communion Intro
Today we celebrate Jesus. We remember His sacrifice for us. We thank Him for the gift of life—abundant life now and eternal life, too—He offers every man, woman and child.
I believe His Word for many of us is, “Let it go.”
Surrender your pride…and He will lift you up.
Surrender your anxiety…and He will bring you peace.
Surrender your fear of scarcity…and He will give you daily bread.
Surrender your bitterness…and He will provide forgiveness.
Surrender your addictions…and He will offer freedom.
It begins with crawling off of the throne of our lives and acknowledging Jesus as King.
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
Paul Tripp Sermon Podcast
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: What in the World is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 5:1-7
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Despite our chaotic world, we can rest in a God who cares for us.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering.
After four chapters of writing to the churches at large, Peter shifts to specific groups, addressing a variety of subjects…including two that I find especially challenging.
Peter begins with a message to the elders…
To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. (1 Peter 5:1-3)
Peter speaks to elders, in the plural. Peter calls himself a fellow elder. He doesn’t claim to be superior to the others though he knew Jesus, a witness of His life, death and resurrection. He says so much in these three verses to senior saints. I want to highlight three commands here:
- 1. Be shepherds. Care for the flock. Watch over the flock.
- 2. Be eager to serve. Too many seek leadership for power. They want to be served. Elders must be willing to humbly serve others as Jesus demonstrated as the ultimate shepherd, the ultimate servant. The right motive is crucial.
- 3. Be examples. There’s an old expression, “Speed of the leader, speed of the team.” They are to lead, not dominate. Like Jesus, they never ask people to do something they don’t do and model themselves.
This word “example” in the Greek is “typos.” It means “an impress; a print, mark, a moral pattern or model.” Elders in the faith, you are not a perfect example but you’re a living example.
Notice how Peter contrasts how the elders should and should not behave. I’m sure he encountered plenty of careless, arrogant, power-hungry church leaders. Some things never change! One of the easiest targets for our enemy is church leaders. We are susceptible to pride, the very thing that God lucifer kicked out of heaven. We are tempted to seize power. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Paul’s words regarding elders may be the most famous in the Bible, but these instructions for Peter are a treasure. They apply to all Christian leaders, all Christians who influence others, with or without a formal title or position.
While many of you shepherd the flock by leading a small group, Sunday School class, or Bible study I can hardly continue without acknowledging the elders of First Alliance Church, nine men who faithfully serve God and our congregation. I am honored to serve with them in seeking the direction of our Senior Pastor, Jesus Christ, and shepherding, serving, and setting an example of what it means to follow the LORD.
In just a few short months I’ve grown to love and respect these men. I am not the king. I am not “the man.” I am one of ten elders seeking to know and obey Jesus’ vision and mission for us.
I want to highlight one other group of elders, those senior saints who pray, give, serve, and love. They are the unsung heroes of our church, usually ministering out of sight on their knees or with their hands.
Peter says elders will receive a reward.
And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. (1 Peter 5:4)
Elders will share in God’s glory. There are more than a dozen biblical words translated “glory.” All I can say is it will be wonderful!
Psalm 22 says the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.
Psalm 23 says the great shepherd watches over the sheep.
Here it says someday the chief shepherd will appear and reward.
So what about younger people?
In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5)
Our world seems fixated on youth, especially in our western culture. The younger are submit to their elders, though. They have more wisdom! Young people, old fashioned isn’t always a bad thing. Older doesn’t always mean wiser, but you can learn a lot from your elders.
Do you want God’s favor or opposition? God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.
The older I get, the more I forget the events of my childhood. I still have vivid memories of several moments, including one particular incident.
I was seven or eight years old. I began piano lessons at age seven and within the first year or so played a piano solo at our small church. After the service a lady came up to me and said, “Young man, you play very well,” to which I humbly replied, “I know!” My dad was beside me and recognized this as a teaching opportunity. Let’s just say I was quickly introduced to the subjects of pride and humility!
From that moment on I recognized the temptation of pride—and frequently submitted to it. Every compliment became an invitation for me to sin.
Some have suggested pride is the core of all sin. As I said, it’s what got lucifer kicked out of heaven. It alienates us from others. It alienates us from God, the One from whom all blessings flow.
Many struggle with the tension between pride and humility. After all, if I work hard to prepare for an exam or performance or project is it wrong to acknowledge the work? Should I just say, “It was all God” when, in fact, your hands painted the picture or your workouts led to the football team’s victory? Should we pretend we had nothing to do with it?
Someone once said humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. I like that. When we clothe ourselves with humility our focus is on God. We can politely say, “Thank you” in receiving a compliment, furthering the relationship rather than building walls with self-praise or false humility.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. (1 Peter 5:6)
I love this promise. He doesn’t just say be humble. He says humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand. Let Him lift you up, not your own ego or accomplishments.
If you’re like me, you’ve had moments when your hard work hasn’t been acknowledged. Do we work for the applause of men and women or the applause of heaven?
We could spend hours talking about pride, but let’s move on to another struggle for me, an acceptable sin to many Christians, but a sin nonetheless.
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
Anxiety. Worry. Fear.
This is quickly becoming a convicting sermon for me!
Take a moment and meditate on this verse, a command with a promise.
What does it mean to really rest? Peter’s not writing to tourists heading off on a Caribbean cruise. These people are suffering for their faith. Some may be fleeing for their very lives.
You think you’ve got stress and anxiety? I’m not making light of the challenges we all face, but Peter’s readers have every reason to be afraid, to worry, yet they’re told to cast or throw upon God all of their concerns and worries. Why? Because God cares.
This is our God. He commands rest. He demonstrated rest during creation. He cares for you. He is responsible for taking care of you! He is faithful, loyal and steadfast.
But how do you rest in the mist of suffering? How do you rest when all you can do is ask, “What in the world is going on?”
We need to know our place. There’s a connection between humility and rest. When it’s all about me, I can’t rest. Do you trust God? Is it all about Him or you? We don’t have time to unpack the Sabbath, but do you trust God can do more with six days than you can with seven?
We need to rest in knowing God is in control…and you’re not! He cares for you. He has your best interest at heart. He rules over all things. He is loving. He is love. Daddy knows best. How has He been faithful in the past? One benefit to a prayer journal is looking back at answers to prayer. Often our current challenges are no greater than our past victories. God is good. All the time!
Elizabeth Elliot said,
“Today is mine. Tomorrow is none of my business. If I peer anxiously into the fog of the future, I will strain my spiritual eyes so that I will not see clearly what is required of me today.”
Finally, we must realize we were created to live dependent upon God. Jesus showed us what it means to be truly human. He was fully dependent upon the Father. That’s why He studied the scriptures, devoted Himself to prayer, and obeyed even when told to give up His very life.
It’s tempting to think Jesus was God so He can’t relate to our struggles, but nothing could be further from the truth. He willingly surrendered His deity to live, breathe, suffer, and die like us. He showed us how to live, resting in the Father in the midst of suffering.
When nails were pounded into His hands and feet, He was able to experience joy—not happiness, but joy—resting in God, knowing that following the Father would be worth it in the end.
For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
Cast your anxiety on Him. How? Surrender. Pray.
Jesus said,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Communion Intro
Today we celebrate Jesus. We remember His sacrifice for us. We thank Him for the gift of life—abundant life now and eternal life, too—He offers every man, woman and child.
I believe His Word for many of us is, “Let it go.”
Surrender your pride…and He will lift you up.
Surrender your anxiety…and He will bring you peace.
Surrender your fear of scarcity…and He will give you daily bread.
Surrender your bitterness…and He will provide forgiveness.
Surrender your addictions…and He will offer freedom.
It begins with crawling off of the throne of our lives and acknowledging Jesus as King.
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
Paul Tripp Sermon Podcast
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Facts About Furnaces, 31 January 2016
29 01 16
Facts About Furnaces
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 4:12-19
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Suffering sharpens us and prepares us for glory.
Introduction
Earlier this month I spent a week in Chicagoland working on my doctorate. One of our assignments prior to the class was to prepare a brief autobiography that describes our ethnicity and understanding of nationality. Each of us was given a few minutes to share a bit about our family of origin.
I was especially struck by the story of one of my colleagues. Jonathan was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. He is a Canadian citizen. He has never lived outside of Canada. Yet his family is Italian. Many speak Italian, they eat Italian foods, they cheer for Italy in the World Cup and other international competitions. It’s almost as if he has dual citizenship—Canada and Italy. Were they to go head-to-head in the Olympics, who would he want to win?
Most of us have a similar struggle. As followers of Jesus, we are citizens of heaven, yet we live in the United States. We want our identity to come from being children of God, yet we are easily influenced by our culture. If we’re honest, most of us live more like our non-Christian neighbors than our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world. This is especially true when it comes to politics…but don’t worry, we’re not going there today!
Instead, I want to talk about suffering (perhaps politics is suffering!). See, it’s un-American to talk about suffering. We like to be happy-happy-happy, safe in our La-Z-Boy chair with the remote control, enjoying a hot cup of coffee (made with clean water!) near full cupboards of food and a car or two parked safely in the driveway or garage. Right? We value comfort, choice, convenience, and safety.
I’m not saying any of those things are necessarily bad, but USAmericans like us often fail to understand suffering. When we encounter it, we are inclined to ask, “What in the World is Going On?” Our study of Peter’s first epistle or short letter to some of the first Christians is written to people who understood suffering. Many of them faced life-threatening circumstances as many do today from ISIS, Boko Haram, and other groups. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering.
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12)
Suffering is normal. It’s part of the human condition. It stems largely from sin, beginning in the Garden of Eden. Paradise has been lost, and though we have the hope of heaven, our present reality is far from perfect.
Yet people are surprised when they suffer.
In my time overseas, my perception is suffering is expected. It seems abnormal to many in the United States. Perhaps it’s the barrage of marketing messages we hear every day about how we deserve this and should demand that, you owe it to yourself to live in luxury and everyone around you is experiencing pleasure and happiness.
Facebook doesn’t help! It’s tempting to compare our worst days with the best days of others. After all, who announces to the word, “Today was an average day” or “watch this video of me getting fired” or “here’s an Instagram photo of me being served divorce papers.”
Peter says don’t be surprised at suffering. The NIV version of the Bible says “fiery ordeal” which is to “test you.” Gold is refined in a fire. God tests us to make us holy…and wholly. He’s not out to harm us, but sometimes the process of growth and maturity does hurt.
The older I get, the more I believe one of the secrets to life is expectations. If you expect perfection, you’ll be disappointed. If you have a realistic view of living in a fallen world filled with both joys and sorrows, you’ll be less stressed and upset.
I found the results of a survey sent to recent customers of Thomas Cook Vacations and the Association of British Travel Agents. Listen to these complaints and think about their expectations:
1. "On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don't like spicy food."
4. "We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our own swimsuits and towels. We assumed it would be included in the price."
5. "The beach was too sandy. We had to clean everything when we returned to our room."
8. "No-one told us there would be fish in the water. The children were scared."
11. "The roads were uneven and bumpy, so we could not read the local guide book during the bus ride to the resort. Because of this, we were unaware of many things that would have made our holiday more fun."
12. "It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England. It took the Americans only three hours to get home. This seems unfair."
13. "I compared the size of our one-bedroom suite to our friends' three-bedroom and ours was significantly smaller."
15. "When we were in Spain, there were too many Spanish people there. The receptionist spoke Spanish, the food was Spanish. No one told us that there would be so many foreigners."
Expectations are amazing!
Peter says don’t be surprised at testing and suffering…
But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:13)
The Bible is filled with counter-cultural statements.
The first shall be last.
If you want to save your life you must lose it.
Rejoice when you suffer.
Crazy, right?
Jesus’ half-brother, James, begins his letter to the early Church:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, (James 1:2)
Is he out of his mind? No. He understands the paradox of testing.
because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:3
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:3-4)
Peter says
But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:13)
We don’t rejoice in the pain but in the results. One poet wrote
God hath not promised
Sun without rain
Joy without sorrow
Peace without pain
But God hath promised
Strength from above
Unfailing sympathy
Undying love
Following Jesus means entering into suffering. It means dying…in order to live. Jesus suffered and died for you and me, despite His perfection and righteousness. He chose to enter our world and give up everything out of love for us. He never asks us to do anything He didn’t demonstrate. He said plainly to His disciples
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
Many USAmericans have this distorted view of God. They believe His job is to ensure our happiness. Thomas Jefferson penned the phrase, “the pursuit of happiness,” not God. It’s not that God wants us miserable, but He is more concerned about our holiness than our happiness.
There are many kinds of suffering. Some is self-inflicted and ever since Adam and Eve, we’ve been quick to blame others for our suffering, even if we were the responsible party.
Some suffering is unavoidable. We can’t control the weather, other drivers on the road, our genetic predisposition toward diseases or the economy.
But some suffering comes because we follow Jesus. If you were told following Jesus will make your life safe, comfortable and problem-free, you’ve been lied to! You will suffer because of following Jesus…but it’s worth it. And there’s a purpose behind it. The book of Romans says
Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Romans 8:17)
Paul put it this way:
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
To truly know Christ, we must die. We must suffer. He did.
He experienced resurrection. We will, too. We will share in His glory.
Jesus invites us to a banquet table of salvation but it’s not a picnic.
Paul suffered.
Peter suffered.
Jesus suffered.
Suffering shapes us.
Suffering draws us together.
If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. (1 Peter 4:14)
You’re a child of God if you endure suffering for Christ. I’m afraid, again, this is so foreign to many of us raised in the good ol’ USA, God bless America, in God we trust. I love this country, but it is historically unique. Many lament the loss of power and control Christians have in this nation, but Jesus never said His mission was to seize power and control. He never promised us the majority. He said
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. (John 15:18-21)
We are blessed when we suffer for Christ.
If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. (1 Peter 4:15)
Nothing is more damaging to the glory of God and the movement of Jesus than the sins of his people. God never tests us with sin and evil. If you suffer because of your sins, there’s no reward in that. Notice here murder is mentioned in the same breath as gossip!
However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. (1 Peter 4:16)
Peter and his audience lived in an honor-shame culture. You can ignore criticism, but shame damages one’s social standing. It can even be fatal.
I remember a fellow student in college who converted from Islam to Christianity. He was preparing for his family to conduct a funeral for him, literally considering him dead to them…simply because of his allegiance to Jesus.
Have you suffered as a Christian, because of your faith? Do your words and actions even show you belong to Jesus? I realize it’s easy to say in this environment, but let’s all commit to standing up for Jesus, the One who hung up for us.
In the midst of speaking about the present sufferings Peter shifts to the future.
For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17)
Judgment Day is coming, friends. All will stand before the Almighty and give an account for their lives. Are you ready? Christians will be judged! First! (see 2 Corinthians 5:10)
Now Peter quotes Proverbs 11:31
And,
“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” (1 Peter 4:18)
There’s only one Way—Jesus. He’s our only hope. The reality is none of us deserves to share in God’s glory, none of us deserves heaven, none of us deserves grace or mercy or forgiveness…but thanks be to God we follow a Messiah who died for us and conquered sin and death.
So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. (1 Peter 4:19)
This is a fitting way to conclude our time together. The trust of these suffering Christians is shown through good works. Peter tells them to live honorably in the midst of suffering. Goppelt wrote
“This ‘handing over’ of one’s own ‘I’ to the Creator, which liberates a person from fear, takes place, amid the danger of losing one’s life, through prayer and through action arising from hopeful faith.”
In other words, as we suffer for Christ, we are able to identify with Christ’s suffering, we demonstrate our faith to the world, we proclaim there is more than this life, and we bring glory to God.
James said,
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)
When—not if—we suffer, let’s suffer for Jesus, not our own stupidity. Let’s encourage one another as we face persecution for our faith. We are not alone. We’ve been blessed with brothers and sisters with whom we will spend eternity. Some are in prison now. Others may not survive the end of this day. Still others are in the midst of torture for proclaiming the name of Jesus. One day it will be worth it all.
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 4:12-19
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Suffering sharpens us and prepares us for glory.
Introduction
Earlier this month I spent a week in Chicagoland working on my doctorate. One of our assignments prior to the class was to prepare a brief autobiography that describes our ethnicity and understanding of nationality. Each of us was given a few minutes to share a bit about our family of origin.
I was especially struck by the story of one of my colleagues. Jonathan was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. He is a Canadian citizen. He has never lived outside of Canada. Yet his family is Italian. Many speak Italian, they eat Italian foods, they cheer for Italy in the World Cup and other international competitions. It’s almost as if he has dual citizenship—Canada and Italy. Were they to go head-to-head in the Olympics, who would he want to win?
Most of us have a similar struggle. As followers of Jesus, we are citizens of heaven, yet we live in the United States. We want our identity to come from being children of God, yet we are easily influenced by our culture. If we’re honest, most of us live more like our non-Christian neighbors than our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world. This is especially true when it comes to politics…but don’t worry, we’re not going there today!
Instead, I want to talk about suffering (perhaps politics is suffering!). See, it’s un-American to talk about suffering. We like to be happy-happy-happy, safe in our La-Z-Boy chair with the remote control, enjoying a hot cup of coffee (made with clean water!) near full cupboards of food and a car or two parked safely in the driveway or garage. Right? We value comfort, choice, convenience, and safety.
I’m not saying any of those things are necessarily bad, but USAmericans like us often fail to understand suffering. When we encounter it, we are inclined to ask, “What in the World is Going On?” Our study of Peter’s first epistle or short letter to some of the first Christians is written to people who understood suffering. Many of them faced life-threatening circumstances as many do today from ISIS, Boko Haram, and other groups. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering.
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12)
Suffering is normal. It’s part of the human condition. It stems largely from sin, beginning in the Garden of Eden. Paradise has been lost, and though we have the hope of heaven, our present reality is far from perfect.
Yet people are surprised when they suffer.
In my time overseas, my perception is suffering is expected. It seems abnormal to many in the United States. Perhaps it’s the barrage of marketing messages we hear every day about how we deserve this and should demand that, you owe it to yourself to live in luxury and everyone around you is experiencing pleasure and happiness.
Facebook doesn’t help! It’s tempting to compare our worst days with the best days of others. After all, who announces to the word, “Today was an average day” or “watch this video of me getting fired” or “here’s an Instagram photo of me being served divorce papers.”
Peter says don’t be surprised at suffering. The NIV version of the Bible says “fiery ordeal” which is to “test you.” Gold is refined in a fire. God tests us to make us holy…and wholly. He’s not out to harm us, but sometimes the process of growth and maturity does hurt.
The older I get, the more I believe one of the secrets to life is expectations. If you expect perfection, you’ll be disappointed. If you have a realistic view of living in a fallen world filled with both joys and sorrows, you’ll be less stressed and upset.
I found the results of a survey sent to recent customers of Thomas Cook Vacations and the Association of British Travel Agents. Listen to these complaints and think about their expectations:
1. "On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don't like spicy food."
4. "We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our own swimsuits and towels. We assumed it would be included in the price."
5. "The beach was too sandy. We had to clean everything when we returned to our room."
8. "No-one told us there would be fish in the water. The children were scared."
11. "The roads were uneven and bumpy, so we could not read the local guide book during the bus ride to the resort. Because of this, we were unaware of many things that would have made our holiday more fun."
12. "It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England. It took the Americans only three hours to get home. This seems unfair."
13. "I compared the size of our one-bedroom suite to our friends' three-bedroom and ours was significantly smaller."
15. "When we were in Spain, there were too many Spanish people there. The receptionist spoke Spanish, the food was Spanish. No one told us that there would be so many foreigners."
Expectations are amazing!
Peter says don’t be surprised at testing and suffering…
But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:13)
The Bible is filled with counter-cultural statements.
The first shall be last.
If you want to save your life you must lose it.
Rejoice when you suffer.
Crazy, right?
Jesus’ half-brother, James, begins his letter to the early Church:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, (James 1:2)
Is he out of his mind? No. He understands the paradox of testing.
because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:3
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:3-4)
Peter says
But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:13)
We don’t rejoice in the pain but in the results. One poet wrote
God hath not promised
Sun without rain
Joy without sorrow
Peace without pain
But God hath promised
Strength from above
Unfailing sympathy
Undying love
Following Jesus means entering into suffering. It means dying…in order to live. Jesus suffered and died for you and me, despite His perfection and righteousness. He chose to enter our world and give up everything out of love for us. He never asks us to do anything He didn’t demonstrate. He said plainly to His disciples
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
Many USAmericans have this distorted view of God. They believe His job is to ensure our happiness. Thomas Jefferson penned the phrase, “the pursuit of happiness,” not God. It’s not that God wants us miserable, but He is more concerned about our holiness than our happiness.
There are many kinds of suffering. Some is self-inflicted and ever since Adam and Eve, we’ve been quick to blame others for our suffering, even if we were the responsible party.
Some suffering is unavoidable. We can’t control the weather, other drivers on the road, our genetic predisposition toward diseases or the economy.
But some suffering comes because we follow Jesus. If you were told following Jesus will make your life safe, comfortable and problem-free, you’ve been lied to! You will suffer because of following Jesus…but it’s worth it. And there’s a purpose behind it. The book of Romans says
Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Romans 8:17)
Paul put it this way:
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
To truly know Christ, we must die. We must suffer. He did.
He experienced resurrection. We will, too. We will share in His glory.
Jesus invites us to a banquet table of salvation but it’s not a picnic.
Paul suffered.
Peter suffered.
Jesus suffered.
Suffering shapes us.
Suffering draws us together.
If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. (1 Peter 4:14)
You’re a child of God if you endure suffering for Christ. I’m afraid, again, this is so foreign to many of us raised in the good ol’ USA, God bless America, in God we trust. I love this country, but it is historically unique. Many lament the loss of power and control Christians have in this nation, but Jesus never said His mission was to seize power and control. He never promised us the majority. He said
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. (John 15:18-21)
We are blessed when we suffer for Christ.
If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. (1 Peter 4:15)
Nothing is more damaging to the glory of God and the movement of Jesus than the sins of his people. God never tests us with sin and evil. If you suffer because of your sins, there’s no reward in that. Notice here murder is mentioned in the same breath as gossip!
However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. (1 Peter 4:16)
Peter and his audience lived in an honor-shame culture. You can ignore criticism, but shame damages one’s social standing. It can even be fatal.
I remember a fellow student in college who converted from Islam to Christianity. He was preparing for his family to conduct a funeral for him, literally considering him dead to them…simply because of his allegiance to Jesus.
Have you suffered as a Christian, because of your faith? Do your words and actions even show you belong to Jesus? I realize it’s easy to say in this environment, but let’s all commit to standing up for Jesus, the One who hung up for us.
In the midst of speaking about the present sufferings Peter shifts to the future.
For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17)
Judgment Day is coming, friends. All will stand before the Almighty and give an account for their lives. Are you ready? Christians will be judged! First! (see 2 Corinthians 5:10)
Now Peter quotes Proverbs 11:31
And,
“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” (1 Peter 4:18)
There’s only one Way—Jesus. He’s our only hope. The reality is none of us deserves to share in God’s glory, none of us deserves heaven, none of us deserves grace or mercy or forgiveness…but thanks be to God we follow a Messiah who died for us and conquered sin and death.
So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. (1 Peter 4:19)
This is a fitting way to conclude our time together. The trust of these suffering Christians is shown through good works. Peter tells them to live honorably in the midst of suffering. Goppelt wrote
“This ‘handing over’ of one’s own ‘I’ to the Creator, which liberates a person from fear, takes place, amid the danger of losing one’s life, through prayer and through action arising from hopeful faith.”
In other words, as we suffer for Christ, we are able to identify with Christ’s suffering, we demonstrate our faith to the world, we proclaim there is more than this life, and we bring glory to God.
James said,
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)
When—not if—we suffer, let’s suffer for Jesus, not our own stupidity. Let’s encourage one another as we face persecution for our faith. We are not alone. We’ve been blessed with brothers and sisters with whom we will spend eternity. Some are in prison now. Others may not survive the end of this day. Still others are in the midst of torture for proclaiming the name of Jesus. One day it will be worth it all.
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Learning from Noah, 17 January 2016
18 01 16
Learning from Noah
Series: What in the World is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 3:18-22
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Noah was saved in the ark, the waters of baptism symbolize death and resurrection, and Jesus understands suffering and is now in heaven praying for us until He returns.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What in the World is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering. We’ve looked at hope, holiness, and harmony. Then we looked at the unpopular word of submission, first at the marketplace, then at home, and in the church.
One of the advantages of going verse-by-verse through a book of the Bible is we are able to hopefully get a glimpse of the context. We also avoid the temptation to skip difficult passages. Today’s text is one of the most challenging in the New Testament to understand. If you’ve been with us in the series you know Peter presents a variety of topics to his readers, sometimes in what may appear to be random order. We do know Peter is trying to encourage who are experiencing difficult days.
Peter begins by reminding them again of the sufferings of Jesus.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. (1 Peter 3:18)
Jesus was and is the perfect example. He not only died for our sins and reconciled us to God, He showed us how to live, how to glorify God, how to surrender, how to let go, and even how to die. He came to die for the unjust, the unrighteous, the sinners…us! He did was not punished for what He did, He was punished for what we did, for what we do. He did nothing wrong.
Jesus is what we’re about at First Alliance. Not organized religion. Not programs and church services. Not even the Bible as literature. We’re about a Person, about Jesus. My greatest desire for our church is we would follow Jesus…24/7. I pray people would confuse us with Jesus! It’s amazing how many people have left the Church but respect Jesus. There are countless people who will never walk into our building who are curious about Jesus. The same Holy Spirit that was alive in Jesus is available to us.
But we must choose to intentionally follow Jesus, to do life differently than our neighbors, to spend our time differently, to spend our money differently, to surrender our safety and convenience and comfort, perhaps.
Peter’s message here to early Christians who were suffering is Jesus understands, Jesus knows suffering, Jesus suffered for THEM…and for us!
Jesus suffered without sinning. He did not complain.
He came to bring us to God, a technical term that means “gain audience at court.” We can be reconciled with our good, good Father because of what Jesus—the Man of sorrows—did on the cross for us. We can enter the holy of holies, the throne of the Almighty. This is a very big deal! We can also experience the presence of God, the power of God, the mercy and grace of God each day.
We are accepted by the Father. We don’t need the world’s acceptance.
The righteous Jesus died for us unrighteous…to bring us to God. We can know the Almighty. We can know our Father, our Daddy. God wants to know us. God wants to love us. The Father sent Jesus who came, lived, died, and rose from the dead for us.
Do you know Jesus? I don’t mean do you know about Jesus like you know about George Washington or LeBron James. Do you know Jesus, like you know your best friend? I admit it’s different knowing someone you can’t see, but He speaks primarily through the Bible and we can speak with Him through prayer—anytime. He’s alive. He’s with us through the Spirit.
Now we come to a rather interesting section.
After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, (1Pet. 3:19-20)
The body of Jesus died.
The spirit of Jesus died when He was made sin.
Who were these spirits? What did He proclaim to them?
Who were these spirits? Humans are never called spirits. If the reference was to lost sinners in Hell, they would probably be called souls.
We are never told Jesus went to Hell. He went to hades, the realm of the unbelieving dead, a temporary place where they wait for the resurrection (Acts 2:31).
Hell is the final, permanent place of judgment for unrepentant sinners. Hades is a temporary place.
When followers of Jesus die, they go to heaven to be with Jesus (Phil. 1:20-24)
Jesus likely visited fallen angels—imprisoned spirits—who existed before the flood. We don’t know what Jesus proclaimed to them, but since angels cannot be saved, it was probably a declaration of victory over satan and his hosts (Col. 2:15; 1 Peter 3:22).
These spirits may be “the sons of God” in Genesis 6:1-4. Many things were different prior to the flood.
What is clear in the midst of this difficult passage is God saving humanity through Noah and his family in the ark. Eight people survived the flood. Noah became quite the hero. Granted, he built a huge boat on dry land which had never experienced rain! We are told
“Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” (Genesis 6:22)
In the very next chapter of Genesis it says…
And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him. (Genesis 7:5)
And let’s not forget this one small detail:
Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth. (Genesis 7:6)
That is not a typo! He was 600 years old when he finished building the ark and the rain began.
Noah is mentioned in Genesis, of course, but also in the books of Numbers, Joshua, 1 Chronicles, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Matthew, Luke, Hebrews, 2 Peter, and of course here in 1 Peter.
But he wasn’t perfect. After the flood he gets drunk and naked! One thing I love about the Bible is it’s so real. Even the heroes have flaws. Nearly every biblical character is presented as a screw-up…like me!
But the point is eight people were saved from water in the ark and then Peter speaks of a different water…
and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (1 Peter 3:21)
Death occurs when the spirit leaves the body (James 2:26).
Resurrection occurs when the spirit returns to the body (Luke 8:55).
So much of our faith is based upon the resurrection of Jesus. We have a “living hope.” Jesus proved He is God. Salvation has been accomplished for us. Death has been conquered.
A dead God cannot save.
A dead God cannot heal.
A dead God cannot forgive, love, serve, bless, guide, encourage, or challenge.
We just celebrated Jesus’ birthday—which is great— but in my opinion it’s nothing compared to Resurrection Sunday!
I mentioned last week how baptism is symbolic of our death in a water grave, dying to ourselves, and coming up out of the water, resurrected in new life in Christ.
Our text concludes speaking of Jesus…
who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. (1 Peter 3:22)
Forty days after His resurrection, Jesus ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, the place of exaltation (Ps. 110:1; Acts 2:34–36; Phil. 2:5–11; Heb. 12:1–3).
Jesus is in heaven at God’s right hand. He has angels, authorities and powers at His command.
Listen to what Warren Wiersbe concludes:
Believers are seated with Him in the heavenlies (Eph. 2:4–6), and through Him we are able to “reign in life” (Rom. 5:17). He is ministering to the church as High Priest (Heb. 4:14–16; 7:25) and Advocate (1 John 1:9–2:2). He is preparing a place for His people (John 14:1–6) and will one day come to receive them to Himself. But the main point Peter wanted to emphasize was Christ’s complete victory over all “angels and authorities and powers” (1 Peter 3:22), referring to the evil hosts of Satan (Eph. 6:10–12; Col. 2:15). The unfallen angels were always subject to Him. As Christians, we do not fight for victory, but from victory—the mighty victory that our Lord Jesus Christ won for us in His death, resurrection, and ascension.
So What?
Noah was saved in the ark, the waters of baptism symbolize death and resurrection, and Jesus is in heaven. So what?
There’s a message of vindication here. As Peter writes to the persecuted, he reminds them of Jesus’ suffering, of Jesus’ position in heaven, and implies Jesus’ return. He promised to return…soon!
When you suffer, you can empathize with Jesus who suffered…for you and me.
One of my professors, Scot McKnight, has said of Peter…
He knows how difficult it is to fight off pressures for acceptance and conformity; he knows that Christians seek to live holy and good lives and so refrain from sinful behaviors; and he knows that you will need to have special faith and courage to endure. My contention is that Peter wants you to focus on the final day when God will bring about ultimate justice. He wants you to say: (1) I will not conform to the sinful habits of my peers and friends; (2) I will remain faithful to the teachings of Jesus by living faithfully and obediently; (3) I will endure lonely nights and few friends; (4) I will find my friends in those who seek, with me, to be obedient; and (5) I will look forward to the day when God shows that faithfulness rather than acceptance is the truer virtue.
We need to learn, with Jesus, to be just; we need to listen to Peter and seek to be obedient. And we especially need to get our eyes off the problems of acceptance and get them focused squarely on God’s final day of vindication, when all will be made right and all true virtues will appear for what they are: the will of God, now done on earth as it is heaven.
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: What in the World is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 3:18-22
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Noah was saved in the ark, the waters of baptism symbolize death and resurrection, and Jesus understands suffering and is now in heaven praying for us until He returns.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What in the World is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering. We’ve looked at hope, holiness, and harmony. Then we looked at the unpopular word of submission, first at the marketplace, then at home, and in the church.
One of the advantages of going verse-by-verse through a book of the Bible is we are able to hopefully get a glimpse of the context. We also avoid the temptation to skip difficult passages. Today’s text is one of the most challenging in the New Testament to understand. If you’ve been with us in the series you know Peter presents a variety of topics to his readers, sometimes in what may appear to be random order. We do know Peter is trying to encourage who are experiencing difficult days.
Peter begins by reminding them again of the sufferings of Jesus.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. (1 Peter 3:18)
Jesus was and is the perfect example. He not only died for our sins and reconciled us to God, He showed us how to live, how to glorify God, how to surrender, how to let go, and even how to die. He came to die for the unjust, the unrighteous, the sinners…us! He did was not punished for what He did, He was punished for what we did, for what we do. He did nothing wrong.
Jesus is what we’re about at First Alliance. Not organized religion. Not programs and church services. Not even the Bible as literature. We’re about a Person, about Jesus. My greatest desire for our church is we would follow Jesus…24/7. I pray people would confuse us with Jesus! It’s amazing how many people have left the Church but respect Jesus. There are countless people who will never walk into our building who are curious about Jesus. The same Holy Spirit that was alive in Jesus is available to us.
But we must choose to intentionally follow Jesus, to do life differently than our neighbors, to spend our time differently, to spend our money differently, to surrender our safety and convenience and comfort, perhaps.
Peter’s message here to early Christians who were suffering is Jesus understands, Jesus knows suffering, Jesus suffered for THEM…and for us!
Jesus suffered without sinning. He did not complain.
He came to bring us to God, a technical term that means “gain audience at court.” We can be reconciled with our good, good Father because of what Jesus—the Man of sorrows—did on the cross for us. We can enter the holy of holies, the throne of the Almighty. This is a very big deal! We can also experience the presence of God, the power of God, the mercy and grace of God each day.
We are accepted by the Father. We don’t need the world’s acceptance.
The righteous Jesus died for us unrighteous…to bring us to God. We can know the Almighty. We can know our Father, our Daddy. God wants to know us. God wants to love us. The Father sent Jesus who came, lived, died, and rose from the dead for us.
Do you know Jesus? I don’t mean do you know about Jesus like you know about George Washington or LeBron James. Do you know Jesus, like you know your best friend? I admit it’s different knowing someone you can’t see, but He speaks primarily through the Bible and we can speak with Him through prayer—anytime. He’s alive. He’s with us through the Spirit.
Now we come to a rather interesting section.
After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, (1Pet. 3:19-20)
The body of Jesus died.
The spirit of Jesus died when He was made sin.
Who were these spirits? What did He proclaim to them?
Who were these spirits? Humans are never called spirits. If the reference was to lost sinners in Hell, they would probably be called souls.
We are never told Jesus went to Hell. He went to hades, the realm of the unbelieving dead, a temporary place where they wait for the resurrection (Acts 2:31).
Hell is the final, permanent place of judgment for unrepentant sinners. Hades is a temporary place.
When followers of Jesus die, they go to heaven to be with Jesus (Phil. 1:20-24)
Jesus likely visited fallen angels—imprisoned spirits—who existed before the flood. We don’t know what Jesus proclaimed to them, but since angels cannot be saved, it was probably a declaration of victory over satan and his hosts (Col. 2:15; 1 Peter 3:22).
These spirits may be “the sons of God” in Genesis 6:1-4. Many things were different prior to the flood.
What is clear in the midst of this difficult passage is God saving humanity through Noah and his family in the ark. Eight people survived the flood. Noah became quite the hero. Granted, he built a huge boat on dry land which had never experienced rain! We are told
“Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” (Genesis 6:22)
In the very next chapter of Genesis it says…
And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him. (Genesis 7:5)
And let’s not forget this one small detail:
Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth. (Genesis 7:6)
That is not a typo! He was 600 years old when he finished building the ark and the rain began.
Noah is mentioned in Genesis, of course, but also in the books of Numbers, Joshua, 1 Chronicles, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Matthew, Luke, Hebrews, 2 Peter, and of course here in 1 Peter.
But he wasn’t perfect. After the flood he gets drunk and naked! One thing I love about the Bible is it’s so real. Even the heroes have flaws. Nearly every biblical character is presented as a screw-up…like me!
But the point is eight people were saved from water in the ark and then Peter speaks of a different water…
and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (1 Peter 3:21)
Death occurs when the spirit leaves the body (James 2:26).
Resurrection occurs when the spirit returns to the body (Luke 8:55).
So much of our faith is based upon the resurrection of Jesus. We have a “living hope.” Jesus proved He is God. Salvation has been accomplished for us. Death has been conquered.
A dead God cannot save.
A dead God cannot heal.
A dead God cannot forgive, love, serve, bless, guide, encourage, or challenge.
We just celebrated Jesus’ birthday—which is great— but in my opinion it’s nothing compared to Resurrection Sunday!
I mentioned last week how baptism is symbolic of our death in a water grave, dying to ourselves, and coming up out of the water, resurrected in new life in Christ.
Our text concludes speaking of Jesus…
who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. (1 Peter 3:22)
Forty days after His resurrection, Jesus ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, the place of exaltation (Ps. 110:1; Acts 2:34–36; Phil. 2:5–11; Heb. 12:1–3).
Jesus is in heaven at God’s right hand. He has angels, authorities and powers at His command.
Listen to what Warren Wiersbe concludes:
Believers are seated with Him in the heavenlies (Eph. 2:4–6), and through Him we are able to “reign in life” (Rom. 5:17). He is ministering to the church as High Priest (Heb. 4:14–16; 7:25) and Advocate (1 John 1:9–2:2). He is preparing a place for His people (John 14:1–6) and will one day come to receive them to Himself. But the main point Peter wanted to emphasize was Christ’s complete victory over all “angels and authorities and powers” (1 Peter 3:22), referring to the evil hosts of Satan (Eph. 6:10–12; Col. 2:15). The unfallen angels were always subject to Him. As Christians, we do not fight for victory, but from victory—the mighty victory that our Lord Jesus Christ won for us in His death, resurrection, and ascension.
So What?
Noah was saved in the ark, the waters of baptism symbolize death and resurrection, and Jesus is in heaven. So what?
There’s a message of vindication here. As Peter writes to the persecuted, he reminds them of Jesus’ suffering, of Jesus’ position in heaven, and implies Jesus’ return. He promised to return…soon!
When you suffer, you can empathize with Jesus who suffered…for you and me.
One of my professors, Scot McKnight, has said of Peter…
He knows how difficult it is to fight off pressures for acceptance and conformity; he knows that Christians seek to live holy and good lives and so refrain from sinful behaviors; and he knows that you will need to have special faith and courage to endure. My contention is that Peter wants you to focus on the final day when God will bring about ultimate justice. He wants you to say: (1) I will not conform to the sinful habits of my peers and friends; (2) I will remain faithful to the teachings of Jesus by living faithfully and obediently; (3) I will endure lonely nights and few friends; (4) I will find my friends in those who seek, with me, to be obedient; and (5) I will look forward to the day when God shows that faithfulness rather than acceptance is the truer virtue.
We need to learn, with Jesus, to be just; we need to listen to Peter and seek to be obedient. And we especially need to get our eyes off the problems of acceptance and get them focused squarely on God’s final day of vindication, when all will be made right and all true virtues will appear for what they are: the will of God, now done on earth as it is heaven.
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Preparing for the Best, 10 January 2016
09 01 16
Preparing for the Best!
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 3:8-17
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Love one another and prepare your story for the best is yet to come.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering. We’ve looked at hope, holiness, and harmony. Then we looked at the unpopular word of submission, first at the marketplace, then at home, and today in the church.
Our church’s mission is…to make disciples.
Great! So how do we make disciples? How do we become disciples? Today’s passage offers a clue.
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. (3:8)
If I had one challenge for us, First Alliance, one verse upon which to meditate and practice it could very well be this one.
First, he says to be like-minded.
I have been praying four things for us as a church family:
Peter tells us to be united. He doesn’t promote uniformity but unity. We are different—by design—but we are to work together. We are to love and serve one another.
We may not always agree on how to do things, but we should always be united regarding what to do and why. That’s the mission. That’s the Great Commandment. That’s the Great Commission.
D.L. Moody was once criticized for his evangelism methods. He responded, “Well, I’m always ready for improvement. What are your methods?” The man had no answer so Moody said, “Then I’ll stick to my own.”
Unity, not uniformity. Like-minded, not always exactly alike.
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. (3:8)
Peter says to be sympathetic, compassionate and humble. We all love to be around people who possess these qualities. It seems obvious, but it’s godly instruction.
In between sympathetic, compassionate, and humble he says to love one another. There are several Greek words for love. This one is philadelphos, brotherly love, the root of the city of Philadelphia.
Jesus had a similar instruction, though He used the word agape, a deeper love.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
Don’t miss that last sentence.
Everyone will know we are disciples of Jesus by…
Our love for one another!
Just to clarify, this does not merely mean how we love one another here at First Alliance. It means how we love one another on Facebook, in the comments section of blogs and newspapers, when we disagree, when we’ve been wronged, …when we don’t feel like loving!
When you don’t feel like loving, remember you are not always loveable, but the Father still loves you. He’s still nuts about you! When your love tank is empty, bask in the love the Father has for you and allow Him to fill you.
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. (3:9)
We are to bless others. The Golden Rule. Turning the other cheek. Community 101.
Returning evil for good is satanic.
Returning good for good and evil for evil is human.
Returning good for evil is divine. Jesus set the ultimate example for us.
For,
“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (3:10-12)
Peter quotes Psalm 34:15-16 and Ecclesiastes 2:17. There’s so much here.
Let’s live it up…doing good!
God is watching. God is listening. He hears the prayers of His children.
Can I tell you one of my prayers? It’s for Toledo to follow Jesus, for our city to have a spiritual awakening, for men, women and children to surrender their lives to Jesus Christ, experiencing what it truly means to be human.
Thursday night was a defining moment in my time in Toledo…and I pray in the history of Toledo. Hundreds of people gathered in a ballroom to pray for our city. Dozens of churches joined together on the 179th birthday of our city to declare Jesus is the King of Toledo. He is the LORD of this city. We prayed for the government, business, education, arts and entertainment, the family, media, and the Church of Toledo.
I love serving as the lead pastor at First Alliance but I also serve on staff of the Church of Toledo along with dozens (hundreds?) of pastors with the same mission: to make disciples, to see people in Toledo follow Jesus, transforming our city and the world in the process, one life at a time.
The motto of Toledo is, "Laborare est Orare.” It is in our city seal, but very few know what it means because it is written in Latin. It is an old Benedictine saying, "To work is to pray.” Prayer is at the very core of our city’s foundation.
It was a thrill to see so many of you on Thursday night as we prayed for 500k, for God to save every soul in the Greater Toledo area, 500,000 people.
www.500k.org
In biblical times people said, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
We aren’t the most popular or powerful city, but this week someone suggested perhaps revival could begin here and spread around the world, challenging the question, “Can anything good come out of Toledo?”
By the way, the answer is a resounding YES!!!
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” (3:13-14)
We talked about suffering in chapter two. Suffering for being right should bring us joy, not because we enjoy suffering, but because God is watching and doing the right thing brings Him glory.
Now we come to one of my favorite verses in the Bible.
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. (3:15a)
How do we make disciples? It begins with a conversation. It might be at a picnic, a party, a water cooler chat, or an online encounter. If we are truly following Jesus, our lives will be different. They will radiate love, joy, and peace. They will be filled with hope, and people will ask.
But you have to be ready. We must know the Bible. Even more, we must know Jesus and always “be prepared” (the Boy Scout motto!) to introduce others to Him. The word “apology” is from the Greek word “answer.” It’s not regret or saying you’re sorry, but rather like a defense in a court. Apologetics is defending the faith.
If we are truly following Jesus, our lives will look different. It’s not that we’re supposed to act weird, but we’re supposed to act different than the selfish, prideful, insecure people around us, especially in the midst of the fear and chaos we encounter every day. Our lives should be characterized by peace, joy, hope, generosity, and most of all love. This does not mean we cannot share our faith until someone asks why we’re different. Quite the opposite. We need to be prepared with our story.
What’s your story?
I want to hear it. We want to hear it. The world wants to hear it.
I’d like to invite you to share your story and there are several ways you can do it.
The great thing about your story is no one can argue with it. You might not be able to offer intellectual, archaeological, philosophical, or existential proofs for the existence of God, but your story is real. There are great reasons to believe, but even if you don’t know the Bible like Pastor Keith or understand world religions like Ravi Zacharias or be able to explain the historical basis for our faith like Ray Vander Laan your story may be the only thing people need to take their next step with God.
And be sure to ask about their story. One of my favorite questions is, “Where are you at on your spiritual journey?”
In Michigan we had fantastic neighbors who were Buddhists. I loved asking them about their faith and it gave me the freedom to share mine. Our friendship grew as we dialogued. We didn’t debate, but we dialogued. We listened to one another. We respected one another, which is exactly what Peter advised.
But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. (3:15b-17)
I love this passage! We are to treat everyone—Republicans, Democrats, even Buckeyes—with gentleness and respect as they are created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth. They’re lost and Jesus wants them found (Luke 15). There’s no greater thrill than introducing people to Jesus! But it’s not just what we say that’s important, but how we say it. Megaphones are not always the best tool for evangelism and discipleship!
We must keep a clear conscience in the process.
Peter closes this section by reiterating what he has said so many times before: sometimes we will suffer for doing good, and that may be God’s will. We pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” If you suffer for Jesus, rejoice. Great will be your reward. Our enemies may hurt us, but they can never harm us.
So What?
Our mission is to make disciples. Disciples of Jesus. The world will know we are His if we love one another.
The world will know He is real if we live radical, counter-cultural lives of faith, hope and love that cause people to ask about our lives. Then we can tell our story—His story—and invite others to follow Jesus with us, thus making more disciples of Christ.
It is my prayer that in 2016 we will see many new people begin their journey and grow to become like Jesus.
I pray our baptistery is filled this year with people eager to tell the world about our amazing God!
I pray Toledo follows Jesus this year!
Love one another.
Prepare your story.
The best is yet to come!
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 3:8-17
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Love one another and prepare your story for the best is yet to come.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering. We’ve looked at hope, holiness, and harmony. Then we looked at the unpopular word of submission, first at the marketplace, then at home, and today in the church.
Our church’s mission is…to make disciples.
Great! So how do we make disciples? How do we become disciples? Today’s passage offers a clue.
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. (3:8)
If I had one challenge for us, First Alliance, one verse upon which to meditate and practice it could very well be this one.
First, he says to be like-minded.
I have been praying four things for us as a church family:
- 1. Direction: wisdom to hear from God
- 2. Protection: we are engaged in a battle against satan
- 3. Passion
- 4. Unity: Jesus’ prayer for us in John 17
Peter tells us to be united. He doesn’t promote uniformity but unity. We are different—by design—but we are to work together. We are to love and serve one another.
We may not always agree on how to do things, but we should always be united regarding what to do and why. That’s the mission. That’s the Great Commandment. That’s the Great Commission.
D.L. Moody was once criticized for his evangelism methods. He responded, “Well, I’m always ready for improvement. What are your methods?” The man had no answer so Moody said, “Then I’ll stick to my own.”
Unity, not uniformity. Like-minded, not always exactly alike.
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. (3:8)
Peter says to be sympathetic, compassionate and humble. We all love to be around people who possess these qualities. It seems obvious, but it’s godly instruction.
In between sympathetic, compassionate, and humble he says to love one another. There are several Greek words for love. This one is philadelphos, brotherly love, the root of the city of Philadelphia.
Jesus had a similar instruction, though He used the word agape, a deeper love.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
Don’t miss that last sentence.
Everyone will know we are disciples of Jesus by…
- - Our nice building. No!
- - Our perfect theology. No!
- - Our denomination. No!
- - Our home and global missions work. No!
- - Our tithes and offerings. No!
- - Our church attendance. No!
- - Our memorization of the Bible. No!
- - Our great prayer life. No!
- - Our avoidance of sex, drugs and rock and roll. No!
- - Our evangelistic fervor. No!
Our love for one another!
Just to clarify, this does not merely mean how we love one another here at First Alliance. It means how we love one another on Facebook, in the comments section of blogs and newspapers, when we disagree, when we’ve been wronged, …when we don’t feel like loving!
When you don’t feel like loving, remember you are not always loveable, but the Father still loves you. He’s still nuts about you! When your love tank is empty, bask in the love the Father has for you and allow Him to fill you.
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. (3:9)
We are to bless others. The Golden Rule. Turning the other cheek. Community 101.
Returning evil for good is satanic.
Returning good for good and evil for evil is human.
Returning good for evil is divine. Jesus set the ultimate example for us.
For,
“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (3:10-12)
Peter quotes Psalm 34:15-16 and Ecclesiastes 2:17. There’s so much here.
- 1. We choose to love life. It is truly a gift…and the next one will be even better!
- 2. We must control our tongues, the source of so many of our problems.
- 3. We are to do good and hate evil.
- 4. We are to seek and pursue peace, though it is not always possible (Romans 12:18).
Let’s live it up…doing good!
God is watching. God is listening. He hears the prayers of His children.
Can I tell you one of my prayers? It’s for Toledo to follow Jesus, for our city to have a spiritual awakening, for men, women and children to surrender their lives to Jesus Christ, experiencing what it truly means to be human.
Thursday night was a defining moment in my time in Toledo…and I pray in the history of Toledo. Hundreds of people gathered in a ballroom to pray for our city. Dozens of churches joined together on the 179th birthday of our city to declare Jesus is the King of Toledo. He is the LORD of this city. We prayed for the government, business, education, arts and entertainment, the family, media, and the Church of Toledo.
I love serving as the lead pastor at First Alliance but I also serve on staff of the Church of Toledo along with dozens (hundreds?) of pastors with the same mission: to make disciples, to see people in Toledo follow Jesus, transforming our city and the world in the process, one life at a time.
The motto of Toledo is, "Laborare est Orare.” It is in our city seal, but very few know what it means because it is written in Latin. It is an old Benedictine saying, "To work is to pray.” Prayer is at the very core of our city’s foundation.
It was a thrill to see so many of you on Thursday night as we prayed for 500k, for God to save every soul in the Greater Toledo area, 500,000 people.
www.500k.org
In biblical times people said, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
We aren’t the most popular or powerful city, but this week someone suggested perhaps revival could begin here and spread around the world, challenging the question, “Can anything good come out of Toledo?”
By the way, the answer is a resounding YES!!!
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” (3:13-14)
We talked about suffering in chapter two. Suffering for being right should bring us joy, not because we enjoy suffering, but because God is watching and doing the right thing brings Him glory.
Now we come to one of my favorite verses in the Bible.
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. (3:15a)
How do we make disciples? It begins with a conversation. It might be at a picnic, a party, a water cooler chat, or an online encounter. If we are truly following Jesus, our lives will be different. They will radiate love, joy, and peace. They will be filled with hope, and people will ask.
But you have to be ready. We must know the Bible. Even more, we must know Jesus and always “be prepared” (the Boy Scout motto!) to introduce others to Him. The word “apology” is from the Greek word “answer.” It’s not regret or saying you’re sorry, but rather like a defense in a court. Apologetics is defending the faith.
If we are truly following Jesus, our lives will look different. It’s not that we’re supposed to act weird, but we’re supposed to act different than the selfish, prideful, insecure people around us, especially in the midst of the fear and chaos we encounter every day. Our lives should be characterized by peace, joy, hope, generosity, and most of all love. This does not mean we cannot share our faith until someone asks why we’re different. Quite the opposite. We need to be prepared with our story.
What’s your story?
I want to hear it. We want to hear it. The world wants to hear it.
I’d like to invite you to share your story and there are several ways you can do it.
- 1. Get baptized. If you haven’t been baptized to publicly declare your faith, we would love to baptize you. It’s a command of Jesus and although baptism itself does not save you, it is a powerful way to declare God’s power in your life.
- 2. Share your story on a Sunday morning. I would love to have 3-5 minute commercials for God every Sunday. What has He done in your life? What is God doing in your life? It can be done live or video recorded, if desired.
- 3. Share it with your friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors. I don’t recommend an hour-long speech, but prepare a 3-5 minute explanation of what God has done in your life. Again, think about a commercial for God. How do you know God is real? What difference has He made in your life?
The great thing about your story is no one can argue with it. You might not be able to offer intellectual, archaeological, philosophical, or existential proofs for the existence of God, but your story is real. There are great reasons to believe, but even if you don’t know the Bible like Pastor Keith or understand world religions like Ravi Zacharias or be able to explain the historical basis for our faith like Ray Vander Laan your story may be the only thing people need to take their next step with God.
And be sure to ask about their story. One of my favorite questions is, “Where are you at on your spiritual journey?”
In Michigan we had fantastic neighbors who were Buddhists. I loved asking them about their faith and it gave me the freedom to share mine. Our friendship grew as we dialogued. We didn’t debate, but we dialogued. We listened to one another. We respected one another, which is exactly what Peter advised.
But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. (3:15b-17)
I love this passage! We are to treat everyone—Republicans, Democrats, even Buckeyes—with gentleness and respect as they are created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth. They’re lost and Jesus wants them found (Luke 15). There’s no greater thrill than introducing people to Jesus! But it’s not just what we say that’s important, but how we say it. Megaphones are not always the best tool for evangelism and discipleship!
We must keep a clear conscience in the process.
Peter closes this section by reiterating what he has said so many times before: sometimes we will suffer for doing good, and that may be God’s will. We pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” If you suffer for Jesus, rejoice. Great will be your reward. Our enemies may hurt us, but they can never harm us.
So What?
Our mission is to make disciples. Disciples of Jesus. The world will know we are His if we love one another.
The world will know He is real if we live radical, counter-cultural lives of faith, hope and love that cause people to ask about our lives. Then we can tell our story—His story—and invite others to follow Jesus with us, thus making more disciples of Christ.
It is my prayer that in 2016 we will see many new people begin their journey and grow to become like Jesus.
I pray our baptistery is filled this year with people eager to tell the world about our amazing God!
I pray Toledo follows Jesus this year!
Love one another.
Prepare your story.
The best is yet to come!
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Wedlock or Deadlock? 3 January 2016
03 01 16
Wedlock or Deadlock?
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 3:1-7
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Spouses, love one another and submit to Jesus.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering. We’ve looked at hope, holiness, harmony, and last week living a cruciform life in the way of the cross, knowing our suffering is temporary and known by God.
Throughout the book, Peter has been talking about a very offensive word in our culture: submit.
Why do we struggle to submit?
We want to do things our way. We live in a hyper-individualistic society. We can get seemingly anything customized and on-demand. Don’t like the selection of meat at your grocery store? Go down the street. You’ve got options! Don’t like your spouse? Trade them in for a newer model. Sick of your church? Hop over to another one.
We want autonomy and control. We want to be independent and free. We want choices and often rebel when told what to do. Of course this is nothing new. It began with Adam and Eve’s rebellion against God and His one prohibition in the Garden of Eden.
We previously talked about submission to authority. This includes government and commerce, the president and your boss, in the original context the emperor and the slave’s master. It also involves church authority, submitting to godly leaders. Regardless of the outcome, we are to do the right thing knowing we will eventually be rewarded—and oppressors will eventually be punished. Perhaps most important was the example of Jesus who was unjustly treated, died sacrificially despite being innocent of all accusations, and sought to please the Father above pleasing people or even Himself.
Today’s passage brings the subject of submission from the streets to the home. Peter addresses married people, but the message is applicable to all. If you are unmarried, don’t check out! Listen up. Perhaps someday you will have a spouse. The principles are relevant to all regardless of marital status…and they usually look nothing like Hollywood’s messages to us!
Remember context is critical. We can never read the Bible in the same way the original recipients read it. Our world is so different. Peter was writing to an early church where a large number of women had husbands who were not yet Christians. It was likely a very patriarchal, restrictive society that debilitated the development of their gifts.
1 Peter 3…
Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. (3:1-2)
Likewise. In the same way. This refers to the previous verses on submitting to authority and Jesus' example of sacrifice.
We may suffer for doing good. If we suffer for doing evil, that’s to be expected. Jesus suffered for doing good. A perfect man was crucified unjustly. He glorified the Father through it all, though. He submitted to the Father’s will. In the Garden of Gethsemane before He was arrested, Jesus prayed
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)
If you don’t like the idea of submission, you’re in the wrong place. Both husbands and wives are to first submit to Jesus…who submitted to the Father. This is about order, not value or importance. God has a place for everything and has ordained levels of authority.
This does not mean we become doormats and let people manipulate and abuse us. We don’t have time to say much about this extreme, but I highly recommend the book Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend.
They write
We have never seen a “submission problem” that did not have a controlling husband at its root. When the wife begins to set clear boundaries, the lack of Christlikeness in a controlling husband becomes evident because the wife is no longer enabling his immature behavior. She is confronting the truth and setting biblical limits on hurtful behavior. Often, when the wife sets boundaries, the husband begins to grow up.
In other words, “focusing on submission is almost surely an indicator that one’s priorities are messed up.” (Scot McKnight)
One evangelical scholar said, “I believe in a wife submitting to her husband, but I don’t believe the husband ever has the right to demand it. In fact, I know that when I am worthy of submission, my wife submits; and when I am unworthy of it, she does not.”
Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. (3:1-2)
Peter is not saying wives are to be slaves or treated like children. Perhaps a better word than submit is respond. It is voluntary. Engage. Partner with your partner!
Notice Peter’s reason: a witness to the unbeliever. Actions speak louder than words. The Bible warns against being “unequally yoked.” Marriages between a follower of Jesus and a person who is not following Jesus almost always results in grief to both. They have different world views. They have different goals.
However, there are couples that—for a variety of reasons—are not spiritually compatible. In this instance Peter says to believing wife with unbelieving husbands let your behavior be so full of love and grace and purity that the husband sees real faith to be attractive.
At the risk of reversing roles, my great grandfather was a bouncer in a bar in Hungary, accepted Christ through a co-worker (if I’m not mistaken), and freaked out his wife! She was skeptical of his faith and wanted nothing to do with Jesus—until she realized it was not a short-term phase he would grow out of but, instead, an authentic relationship with Jesus that was transforming him into a man filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.
Do you look like Jesus to your spouse? To your family? To your boss? To your friends?
For decades there has been great emphasis on “sharing one’s faith” with words, telling people the gospel—the good news. That’s extremely important, but first we need to earn the right to be heard or we’ll never be heard. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. They don’t care about Jesus until they meet Him through you! What kind of sermon are you preaching with your life, every day?
Peter continues…
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. (3:3)
This word “adornment” is kosmos in Greek, as in the cosmic universe or…cosmetics! It is the opposite of chaos.
It has been said that beauty is on the inside. I think both external and internal beauty are attractive, but Peter’s saying it’s the inner self that matters most.
Ladies, have you ever worn a wig? For that matter, men used to wear wigs. In the first century, hair was hugely important…and just huge! Wigs were very ornate.
Women, inward beauty is most important, but don’t neglect yourself. You’re not of this world but that doesn’t mean you are to look like you came from out of this world!
Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. (3:4-6)
We know Sarah was beautiful. Several kings wanted her.
We know Rachel was beautiful. Have you seen my daughter?! Seriously, though, Jacob worked fourteen years for Laban for her hand in marriage. (I’ve been secretly hoping that my future son-in-law would work 14 years for me before marrying Rachel!).
Suffice it to say Peter is saying to women, “Love your husbands.” He’s not saying be a robot or a slave, but love your husbands. Look out for their best interests. Seek to serve them. Seek to bless them. Seek to honor them.
Now we turn to the men, though he only provides us with one sentence to husbands.
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. (3:7)
Husbands, honor your wife. Be a gentleman. Open doors. Buy flowers. Talk with her…in person…with the phone put away!
The phrase “be considerate” literally means “living with one’s wife knowledgeably.” Husbands, do you know your wives?
We are to love and know our wives
Keep dating her. If I hear another married man say to me, “When we were dating…”
Some women have been offended by Peter calling wives the weaker partner. He’s not insulting them, but rather emphasizing how men need to care for their wives, treating them as partners, as different but equals. Most wives are physically weaker than their husbands and men are to use their strength to serve—never control or harm—their wives. Simply put, men love your wives. Look out for their best interests. Seek to serve them. Seek to bless them. Seek to honor them.
Notice those final seven words: “so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” Don’t miss that. God cares about how we love Him and how we love others. The most important relationship beyond our relationship with God is to be our marriage. The scriptures are loaded with directives regarding men and women, husbands and wives. We are created different and complementary. We were designed to be a team, to balance the strengths and weaknesses of one another. A husband, wife and child are a reflection of the Trinity—Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each with a role and purpose.
Paul said it this way:
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
So What?
Wives, love your husbands.
Husbands, love your wives.
Unmarrieds, love those around you, that they may see Jesus living in and through you.
If you’re still trying to understand your spouse, Gary Smalley says,
I would venture to say that most marital difficulties center around one fact—men and women are TOTALLY different. The differences (emotional, mental, and physical) are so extreme that without a concentrated effort to understand them, it is nearly impossible to have a happy marriage. A famous psychiatrist once said, “After thirty years of studying women, I ask myself, ‘What is it that they really want?’”
This week while visiting Carl and Mary Aleksoff I asked them what marital advice they would offer others. They said commitment, wives respecting husbands, and husbands loving their wives as Christ loved the Church, echoing Paul’s instructions…
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
He continued…
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:22-24)
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:25-27)
Although He was never married, Jesus demonstrated love. He demonstrated submission. He demonstrated how a husband is to treat his bride, laying down His very life.
One More Thing…
The divorce rate in the USA is…50%, right? Wrong! That figure is an urban legend based upon projections decades ago that were completely false. Nobody knows exactly, but 71% of women are still married to their first spouse (2009 Census), and many no longer married are widowed, not divorced.
Researcher Shaunti Feldhahn (The Good News About Marriage) discovered four things that are helpful in building a strong marriage:
• Don’t live together before marriage. It increases your rate of divorce because the relationship is built on convenience rather than commitment.
• Go to church together. It may drop the divorce rate by about 25-50%.
• Pray together.
• Be intentionally affectionate. Research shows that physical connection builds a sense of happiness in a marriage, so hold hands, hug, and kiss each other good-bye!
Perhaps you’ve heard the divorce rate is the same for Christians and non-Christians. That is also false. In fact, some research suggests couples who pray together have a divorce rate around 1% (http://www.smalley.cc/do-you-know-the-divorce-rate-of-couples-who-pray-together/).
Remember, love is not a feeling, but a commitment. If you fall out of love, find a way to fall back in!
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 3:1-7
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Spouses, love one another and submit to Jesus.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering. We’ve looked at hope, holiness, harmony, and last week living a cruciform life in the way of the cross, knowing our suffering is temporary and known by God.
Throughout the book, Peter has been talking about a very offensive word in our culture: submit.
Why do we struggle to submit?
We want to do things our way. We live in a hyper-individualistic society. We can get seemingly anything customized and on-demand. Don’t like the selection of meat at your grocery store? Go down the street. You’ve got options! Don’t like your spouse? Trade them in for a newer model. Sick of your church? Hop over to another one.
We want autonomy and control. We want to be independent and free. We want choices and often rebel when told what to do. Of course this is nothing new. It began with Adam and Eve’s rebellion against God and His one prohibition in the Garden of Eden.
We previously talked about submission to authority. This includes government and commerce, the president and your boss, in the original context the emperor and the slave’s master. It also involves church authority, submitting to godly leaders. Regardless of the outcome, we are to do the right thing knowing we will eventually be rewarded—and oppressors will eventually be punished. Perhaps most important was the example of Jesus who was unjustly treated, died sacrificially despite being innocent of all accusations, and sought to please the Father above pleasing people or even Himself.
Today’s passage brings the subject of submission from the streets to the home. Peter addresses married people, but the message is applicable to all. If you are unmarried, don’t check out! Listen up. Perhaps someday you will have a spouse. The principles are relevant to all regardless of marital status…and they usually look nothing like Hollywood’s messages to us!
Remember context is critical. We can never read the Bible in the same way the original recipients read it. Our world is so different. Peter was writing to an early church where a large number of women had husbands who were not yet Christians. It was likely a very patriarchal, restrictive society that debilitated the development of their gifts.
1 Peter 3…
Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. (3:1-2)
Likewise. In the same way. This refers to the previous verses on submitting to authority and Jesus' example of sacrifice.
We may suffer for doing good. If we suffer for doing evil, that’s to be expected. Jesus suffered for doing good. A perfect man was crucified unjustly. He glorified the Father through it all, though. He submitted to the Father’s will. In the Garden of Gethsemane before He was arrested, Jesus prayed
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)
If you don’t like the idea of submission, you’re in the wrong place. Both husbands and wives are to first submit to Jesus…who submitted to the Father. This is about order, not value or importance. God has a place for everything and has ordained levels of authority.
This does not mean we become doormats and let people manipulate and abuse us. We don’t have time to say much about this extreme, but I highly recommend the book Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend.
They write
We have never seen a “submission problem” that did not have a controlling husband at its root. When the wife begins to set clear boundaries, the lack of Christlikeness in a controlling husband becomes evident because the wife is no longer enabling his immature behavior. She is confronting the truth and setting biblical limits on hurtful behavior. Often, when the wife sets boundaries, the husband begins to grow up.
In other words, “focusing on submission is almost surely an indicator that one’s priorities are messed up.” (Scot McKnight)
One evangelical scholar said, “I believe in a wife submitting to her husband, but I don’t believe the husband ever has the right to demand it. In fact, I know that when I am worthy of submission, my wife submits; and when I am unworthy of it, she does not.”
Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. (3:1-2)
Peter is not saying wives are to be slaves or treated like children. Perhaps a better word than submit is respond. It is voluntary. Engage. Partner with your partner!
Notice Peter’s reason: a witness to the unbeliever. Actions speak louder than words. The Bible warns against being “unequally yoked.” Marriages between a follower of Jesus and a person who is not following Jesus almost always results in grief to both. They have different world views. They have different goals.
However, there are couples that—for a variety of reasons—are not spiritually compatible. In this instance Peter says to believing wife with unbelieving husbands let your behavior be so full of love and grace and purity that the husband sees real faith to be attractive.
At the risk of reversing roles, my great grandfather was a bouncer in a bar in Hungary, accepted Christ through a co-worker (if I’m not mistaken), and freaked out his wife! She was skeptical of his faith and wanted nothing to do with Jesus—until she realized it was not a short-term phase he would grow out of but, instead, an authentic relationship with Jesus that was transforming him into a man filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.
Do you look like Jesus to your spouse? To your family? To your boss? To your friends?
For decades there has been great emphasis on “sharing one’s faith” with words, telling people the gospel—the good news. That’s extremely important, but first we need to earn the right to be heard or we’ll never be heard. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. They don’t care about Jesus until they meet Him through you! What kind of sermon are you preaching with your life, every day?
Peter continues…
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. (3:3)
This word “adornment” is kosmos in Greek, as in the cosmic universe or…cosmetics! It is the opposite of chaos.
It has been said that beauty is on the inside. I think both external and internal beauty are attractive, but Peter’s saying it’s the inner self that matters most.
Ladies, have you ever worn a wig? For that matter, men used to wear wigs. In the first century, hair was hugely important…and just huge! Wigs were very ornate.
Women, inward beauty is most important, but don’t neglect yourself. You’re not of this world but that doesn’t mean you are to look like you came from out of this world!
Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. (3:4-6)
We know Sarah was beautiful. Several kings wanted her.
We know Rachel was beautiful. Have you seen my daughter?! Seriously, though, Jacob worked fourteen years for Laban for her hand in marriage. (I’ve been secretly hoping that my future son-in-law would work 14 years for me before marrying Rachel!).
Suffice it to say Peter is saying to women, “Love your husbands.” He’s not saying be a robot or a slave, but love your husbands. Look out for their best interests. Seek to serve them. Seek to bless them. Seek to honor them.
Now we turn to the men, though he only provides us with one sentence to husbands.
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. (3:7)
Husbands, honor your wife. Be a gentleman. Open doors. Buy flowers. Talk with her…in person…with the phone put away!
The phrase “be considerate” literally means “living with one’s wife knowledgeably.” Husbands, do you know your wives?
We are to love and know our wives
- 1. physically. This is not just sexually, but presence, protection, and time
- 2. intellectually. Know her needs, feelings, hopes, fears, and moods
- 3. Emotionally. Be honest, humble, reconcile when you’ve sinned, and respect her
- 4. Spiritually. Pray for her. Pray with her.
Keep dating her. If I hear another married man say to me, “When we were dating…”
Some women have been offended by Peter calling wives the weaker partner. He’s not insulting them, but rather emphasizing how men need to care for their wives, treating them as partners, as different but equals. Most wives are physically weaker than their husbands and men are to use their strength to serve—never control or harm—their wives. Simply put, men love your wives. Look out for their best interests. Seek to serve them. Seek to bless them. Seek to honor them.
Notice those final seven words: “so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” Don’t miss that. God cares about how we love Him and how we love others. The most important relationship beyond our relationship with God is to be our marriage. The scriptures are loaded with directives regarding men and women, husbands and wives. We are created different and complementary. We were designed to be a team, to balance the strengths and weaknesses of one another. A husband, wife and child are a reflection of the Trinity—Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each with a role and purpose.
Paul said it this way:
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
So What?
Wives, love your husbands.
Husbands, love your wives.
Unmarrieds, love those around you, that they may see Jesus living in and through you.
If you’re still trying to understand your spouse, Gary Smalley says,
I would venture to say that most marital difficulties center around one fact—men and women are TOTALLY different. The differences (emotional, mental, and physical) are so extreme that without a concentrated effort to understand them, it is nearly impossible to have a happy marriage. A famous psychiatrist once said, “After thirty years of studying women, I ask myself, ‘What is it that they really want?’”
This week while visiting Carl and Mary Aleksoff I asked them what marital advice they would offer others. They said commitment, wives respecting husbands, and husbands loving their wives as Christ loved the Church, echoing Paul’s instructions…
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
He continued…
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:22-24)
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:25-27)
Although He was never married, Jesus demonstrated love. He demonstrated submission. He demonstrated how a husband is to treat his bride, laying down His very life.
One More Thing…
The divorce rate in the USA is…50%, right? Wrong! That figure is an urban legend based upon projections decades ago that were completely false. Nobody knows exactly, but 71% of women are still married to their first spouse (2009 Census), and many no longer married are widowed, not divorced.
Researcher Shaunti Feldhahn (The Good News About Marriage) discovered four things that are helpful in building a strong marriage:
• Don’t live together before marriage. It increases your rate of divorce because the relationship is built on convenience rather than commitment.
• Go to church together. It may drop the divorce rate by about 25-50%.
• Pray together.
• Be intentionally affectionate. Research shows that physical connection builds a sense of happiness in a marriage, so hold hands, hug, and kiss each other good-bye!
Perhaps you’ve heard the divorce rate is the same for Christians and non-Christians. That is also false. In fact, some research suggests couples who pray together have a divorce rate around 1% (http://www.smalley.cc/do-you-know-the-divorce-rate-of-couples-who-pray-together/).
Remember, love is not a feeling, but a commitment. If you fall out of love, find a way to fall back in!
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Blessed, 27 December 2015
28 12 15
Blessed
Psalm 1
Big Idea: Blessed is the person who knows the LORD.
Introduction
Good morning! Welcome to that odd, in-between Sunday. The gifts are opened, maybe you’ve spent time returning that ugly sweater or unwanted fruitcake (can you return a fruitcake?!). The decorations are ready for the attic. You might be thinking about using that gift card to buy a treadmill or join Planet Fitness. New Year’s Eve parties (including the biggest of all, right here at 7 PM!) and bowl games are right around the corner. Parents might be ready for school to resume, kids enjoy every moment of freedom.
We look back at Christmas and look forward to New Year’s.
We look back at 2015 and look forward to 2016.
We’re going Back to the Future!
It’s that odd, in-between Sunday!
Rather unexpectedly, the Psalms became a focal point during our Advent series. Advent itself is an odd, in-between time, looking back at baby Jesus and looking forward to the Return of the King.
As we near the end of 2015, we’re going to go to the beginning of the Psalms and look at Psalm 1 together.
Blessed…(Psalm 1:1a)
Do you want to be blessed? I often here people pray, “LORD, bless me” or “LORD, bless so-and-so.”
Have you been blessed in 2015?
God bless us all in 2016!
The word “blessed” or “asrey” in Hebrew means…blessed, happy, a heightened state of happiness and joy, implying very favorable circumstances, often resulting from the kind acts of God.
Like joy, blessings are not related to our circumstances. Blessings are not obtained by seeking them, but rather they are often a side benefit from choices we make…or don’t make. A wise man said that happiness is like a cat. Seek it and it will run from you. But go about your business steadily day by day and soon it comes and curls up at your feet. How true, although I’m not a big cat fan!
In biblical terms to be blessed meant to be rightly related to God so that your life was fulfilled and you experienced deep personal satisfaction. Who wants that?!
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, (Psalm 1:1)
Did you ever stop and think your actions are a factor in God’s blessing? It seems clear here. Note the contrast. Walk with the wicked or love the law, the Torah, God’s Word.
Notice this psalm begins with a negative. A person is blessed if they don’t walk, or stand or sit. That’s in interesting progression. In each instance evildoers are involved. We are not to walk with the wicked. That could be a casual interaction. We are not to stand with sinners. That could be a more involved conversation. We are not to sit with mockers, perhaps to avoid becoming like them.
You are your friends. Jim Rohn says it this way: “You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.”
We need to invest our lives into those who don’t yet know Jesus, but we must guard ourselves from their influence. Like someone rescuing a drowning person, we must be careful to ensure we don’t get dragged down while we are attempting to serve others.
Often dangerous people look nice. Who’s going to come up to you and say, “I’m an unsafe person who will deceive and harm you?” Can you imagine a stranger approaching you wearing a “Let’s go to Hell together” t-shirt?! But this world is filled with wicked, proud-of-their-sin mockers. Notice I didn’t just say sinners since we’re all sinners. What’s your attitude toward your sin?
We are to be in the world but not of the world. This can be tricky.
The progression is walk, stand sit; think, behave, belong.
The psalm begins by telling us what not to do if we want to be blessed, but what should we do instead?
…but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. (Psalm 1:2)
Your delight determines your direction. Do you delight in the law of the LORD? Do you delight in the Bible? Do you delight in God?
Which is more popular, partying with pagans or going to a Bible study? Which is more fun? Which is the pathway to blessing?
I know I’m not supposed to say this, but sometimes I struggle to read the Bible. There are times I’d rather read blogs than the Bible. But no blog can offer the wisdom, inspiration, and transformation found in the living Word of God. And it is an exciting book. If you think it’s boring, you’ve either never read it or you have an ancient translation you don’t understand. In either case, we have free Bibles in modern English available for you at the Information Center in the lobby. Please take one…and read it! Or read it online (more about that later).
The other day I was talking with David Sankovich in the office and I said, “Did you know there’s a story in the Bible about someone speaking with the dead?” He knew. Did you? There’s accounts of donkeys talking, the dead raised, the earth swallowing up households, a woman driving a peg through a man’s temple, God serving frosted flakes to thousands—if not millions—of people…and that’s all before Revelation!
Do you want to be blessed? Get into the Word! Is your faith weak? Get into the Word!
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. (Romans 10:17)
You can read and listen to and study God’s Word, the holy scriptures, the Bible. Throughout history many have been unable to read. Most of us are able to read, but we can also listen to it as you are now, or online or via recording.
Much of Psalm 119—the longest chapter in the Bible—is devoted to God’s Word. Of course, it’s not enough to read or listen to the Bible, or even know it intellectually. We must obey it. We must do what it says. Why? Because Daddy knows best. God’s ways are higher than ours. Blessed is the one who delights in God’s Word.
…but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. (Psalm 1:2)
What is the object of your delight?
On Friday we saw children delighting in their Christmas gifts.
On Friday we saw adults delighting in their Christmas gifts!
Young lovers delight in…one another.
Sports fans delight in their teams, especially when they win.
The word for “meditate” means to digest thoroughly. I like that!
“Day and night’ means anytime, but it could also mean from the beginning of the day to its end.
Reading
Studying
Memorizing
LORD, help me to want to know You and Your Word! I want to want you!
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers. (Psalm 1:3)
I love this image for many reasons. First, I love water. I often feel closest to God when I’m near water…and ocean, a lake, a river, a stream…sometimes a drinking fountain will do!
I’m…uh…blessed to be able to see Swan Creek in my backyard during this time of year when the leaves have fallen. I could spend all day watching and listening to the current. Water is life. Our bodies are about 60% water. We obviously need it to live.
So do trees! Trees with access to water will grow and become fruitful.
A tree planted by a stream is usually stable. Its root system is often greater than the tree seen above the ground.
How do you know when a tree has good roots? When the storms come!
Have you ever noticed apple trees produce apples? Orange trees produce oranges.
As we delight in God, our lives will produce godliness.
As we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will bear the fruit of the Spirit:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Psalm 1 continues…
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. (Psalm 1:4)
“Not so” the wicked. They are not like the righteous…at all!
Chaff is like peanut shells, waste. The wisdom of the wicked is waste. Garbage.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. (Psalm 1:5-6)
I used to think “stand in the judgment” meant to appear and be present at the judgment, to show up. It means “stand” as in “stand up, stand firm.” Without roots, trees will fall. Without righteousness, the wicked will not pass the judgment. The winds of judgment will blow them over like chaff.
The righteous will stand. The righteous will not blow down or be blown away. They will be like a strong, healthy tree with deep roots, surviving the windy storms and surviving God’s judgment.
The LORD knows the ways of the righteous, like a dad knows his children.
The wicked will eventually perish. It might not be today. Things might not seem fair now, but on Judgment Day God will have the final word.
Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Are you ready? Are your roots deep? Are you grounded in God’s Word or being sucked downstream by the current of the culture?
I pray we would be rooted in the Bible in 2016 (and every year!).
So What?
My first resolution for next year is to listen more…to God’s Word. Will you join me?
For the last several years I’ve done a Bible reading plan. I have done many different ones, but my favorite I’m about to finish this year and I can’t wait to do it again. It’s called One Story and it takes you through the key stories of the Bible in one year. The plan shows how the many stories of the Bible make up one interconnected story – God’s story. The plan calls for reading between one to three chapters of Scripture a day from three separate chapters (i.e. the main storyline and key cross references), six days per week. It’s not only the greatest hits of the Bible, it is beautifully constructed to link the Old and New Testaments in ways I’ve never seen before.
If you have YouVersion, it’s simply to access. Go to
https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/1395-ownit365-one-story-plan
If you visit http://ownit365.com/pick-a-plan/one-story/ you can not only access the plan, there’s also study guides and videos you can use on your own, with your family, or in your Sunday School or small group.
I’m not merely asking you to read the Bible next year. I’m inviting you to read it with me and the rest of us…together. If you miss some days, it’s not a problem. There’s power in reading the same passages. You’ll always have something to discuss when you get together.
I have a second resolution for next year: to talk more…with God.
Prayer is a beautiful gift. We have 24/7 access to the Creator of the universe!!! But it’s hard. Just as I’d sometimes rather read blogs than the Bible, sometimes I’d rather talk to my friends than to my heavenly Father.
We have been invited to join churches across Toledo in three exciting prayer intiatives:
a. Church Together 21 Day Corporate Fast, praying for our city January 1 through 21 while fasting from one meal each day…or whatever God may be leading you to give up during those three weeks (Facebook, TV, desserts, etc.).
b. 40 Day Prayer Journey with the same area churches beginning Sunday, January 3 and blanketing the seven key aspects of society.
c. Toledo Prays citywide prayer gathering on Thursday, January 7.
I believe Toledo’s best days are ahead and I believe First Alliance’s best days are ahead, but I believe they will only occur if we partner together with brothers and sisters of other churches at the foot of the cross, seeking the direction, protection, and power of Jesus Christ.
Begin the new year in God’s Word. You’ll be blessed. Read with us.
If you have not yet done so, I encourage you to sign up for one or more of the prayer initiatives. Begin the new year on your knees. Pray with us. You’ll never regret it!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here. You can subscribe to the free FAC Focus e-newsletter here.
Psalm 1
Big Idea: Blessed is the person who knows the LORD.
Introduction
Good morning! Welcome to that odd, in-between Sunday. The gifts are opened, maybe you’ve spent time returning that ugly sweater or unwanted fruitcake (can you return a fruitcake?!). The decorations are ready for the attic. You might be thinking about using that gift card to buy a treadmill or join Planet Fitness. New Year’s Eve parties (including the biggest of all, right here at 7 PM!) and bowl games are right around the corner. Parents might be ready for school to resume, kids enjoy every moment of freedom.
We look back at Christmas and look forward to New Year’s.
We look back at 2015 and look forward to 2016.
We’re going Back to the Future!
It’s that odd, in-between Sunday!
Rather unexpectedly, the Psalms became a focal point during our Advent series. Advent itself is an odd, in-between time, looking back at baby Jesus and looking forward to the Return of the King.
As we near the end of 2015, we’re going to go to the beginning of the Psalms and look at Psalm 1 together.
Blessed…(Psalm 1:1a)
Do you want to be blessed? I often here people pray, “LORD, bless me” or “LORD, bless so-and-so.”
Have you been blessed in 2015?
God bless us all in 2016!
The word “blessed” or “asrey” in Hebrew means…blessed, happy, a heightened state of happiness and joy, implying very favorable circumstances, often resulting from the kind acts of God.
Like joy, blessings are not related to our circumstances. Blessings are not obtained by seeking them, but rather they are often a side benefit from choices we make…or don’t make. A wise man said that happiness is like a cat. Seek it and it will run from you. But go about your business steadily day by day and soon it comes and curls up at your feet. How true, although I’m not a big cat fan!
In biblical terms to be blessed meant to be rightly related to God so that your life was fulfilled and you experienced deep personal satisfaction. Who wants that?!
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, (Psalm 1:1)
Did you ever stop and think your actions are a factor in God’s blessing? It seems clear here. Note the contrast. Walk with the wicked or love the law, the Torah, God’s Word.
Notice this psalm begins with a negative. A person is blessed if they don’t walk, or stand or sit. That’s in interesting progression. In each instance evildoers are involved. We are not to walk with the wicked. That could be a casual interaction. We are not to stand with sinners. That could be a more involved conversation. We are not to sit with mockers, perhaps to avoid becoming like them.
You are your friends. Jim Rohn says it this way: “You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.”
We need to invest our lives into those who don’t yet know Jesus, but we must guard ourselves from their influence. Like someone rescuing a drowning person, we must be careful to ensure we don’t get dragged down while we are attempting to serve others.
Often dangerous people look nice. Who’s going to come up to you and say, “I’m an unsafe person who will deceive and harm you?” Can you imagine a stranger approaching you wearing a “Let’s go to Hell together” t-shirt?! But this world is filled with wicked, proud-of-their-sin mockers. Notice I didn’t just say sinners since we’re all sinners. What’s your attitude toward your sin?
We are to be in the world but not of the world. This can be tricky.
The progression is walk, stand sit; think, behave, belong.
The psalm begins by telling us what not to do if we want to be blessed, but what should we do instead?
…but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. (Psalm 1:2)
Your delight determines your direction. Do you delight in the law of the LORD? Do you delight in the Bible? Do you delight in God?
Which is more popular, partying with pagans or going to a Bible study? Which is more fun? Which is the pathway to blessing?
I know I’m not supposed to say this, but sometimes I struggle to read the Bible. There are times I’d rather read blogs than the Bible. But no blog can offer the wisdom, inspiration, and transformation found in the living Word of God. And it is an exciting book. If you think it’s boring, you’ve either never read it or you have an ancient translation you don’t understand. In either case, we have free Bibles in modern English available for you at the Information Center in the lobby. Please take one…and read it! Or read it online (more about that later).
The other day I was talking with David Sankovich in the office and I said, “Did you know there’s a story in the Bible about someone speaking with the dead?” He knew. Did you? There’s accounts of donkeys talking, the dead raised, the earth swallowing up households, a woman driving a peg through a man’s temple, God serving frosted flakes to thousands—if not millions—of people…and that’s all before Revelation!
Do you want to be blessed? Get into the Word! Is your faith weak? Get into the Word!
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. (Romans 10:17)
You can read and listen to and study God’s Word, the holy scriptures, the Bible. Throughout history many have been unable to read. Most of us are able to read, but we can also listen to it as you are now, or online or via recording.
Much of Psalm 119—the longest chapter in the Bible—is devoted to God’s Word. Of course, it’s not enough to read or listen to the Bible, or even know it intellectually. We must obey it. We must do what it says. Why? Because Daddy knows best. God’s ways are higher than ours. Blessed is the one who delights in God’s Word.
…but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. (Psalm 1:2)
What is the object of your delight?
On Friday we saw children delighting in their Christmas gifts.
On Friday we saw adults delighting in their Christmas gifts!
Young lovers delight in…one another.
Sports fans delight in their teams, especially when they win.
The word for “meditate” means to digest thoroughly. I like that!
“Day and night’ means anytime, but it could also mean from the beginning of the day to its end.
Reading
Studying
Memorizing
LORD, help me to want to know You and Your Word! I want to want you!
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers. (Psalm 1:3)
I love this image for many reasons. First, I love water. I often feel closest to God when I’m near water…and ocean, a lake, a river, a stream…sometimes a drinking fountain will do!
I’m…uh…blessed to be able to see Swan Creek in my backyard during this time of year when the leaves have fallen. I could spend all day watching and listening to the current. Water is life. Our bodies are about 60% water. We obviously need it to live.
So do trees! Trees with access to water will grow and become fruitful.
A tree planted by a stream is usually stable. Its root system is often greater than the tree seen above the ground.
How do you know when a tree has good roots? When the storms come!
Have you ever noticed apple trees produce apples? Orange trees produce oranges.
As we delight in God, our lives will produce godliness.
As we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will bear the fruit of the Spirit:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Psalm 1 continues…
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. (Psalm 1:4)
“Not so” the wicked. They are not like the righteous…at all!
Chaff is like peanut shells, waste. The wisdom of the wicked is waste. Garbage.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. (Psalm 1:5-6)
I used to think “stand in the judgment” meant to appear and be present at the judgment, to show up. It means “stand” as in “stand up, stand firm.” Without roots, trees will fall. Without righteousness, the wicked will not pass the judgment. The winds of judgment will blow them over like chaff.
The righteous will stand. The righteous will not blow down or be blown away. They will be like a strong, healthy tree with deep roots, surviving the windy storms and surviving God’s judgment.
The LORD knows the ways of the righteous, like a dad knows his children.
The wicked will eventually perish. It might not be today. Things might not seem fair now, but on Judgment Day God will have the final word.
Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Are you ready? Are your roots deep? Are you grounded in God’s Word or being sucked downstream by the current of the culture?
I pray we would be rooted in the Bible in 2016 (and every year!).
So What?
My first resolution for next year is to listen more…to God’s Word. Will you join me?
For the last several years I’ve done a Bible reading plan. I have done many different ones, but my favorite I’m about to finish this year and I can’t wait to do it again. It’s called One Story and it takes you through the key stories of the Bible in one year. The plan shows how the many stories of the Bible make up one interconnected story – God’s story. The plan calls for reading between one to three chapters of Scripture a day from three separate chapters (i.e. the main storyline and key cross references), six days per week. It’s not only the greatest hits of the Bible, it is beautifully constructed to link the Old and New Testaments in ways I’ve never seen before.
If you have YouVersion, it’s simply to access. Go to
https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/1395-ownit365-one-story-plan
If you visit http://ownit365.com/pick-a-plan/one-story/ you can not only access the plan, there’s also study guides and videos you can use on your own, with your family, or in your Sunday School or small group.
I’m not merely asking you to read the Bible next year. I’m inviting you to read it with me and the rest of us…together. If you miss some days, it’s not a problem. There’s power in reading the same passages. You’ll always have something to discuss when you get together.
I have a second resolution for next year: to talk more…with God.
Prayer is a beautiful gift. We have 24/7 access to the Creator of the universe!!! But it’s hard. Just as I’d sometimes rather read blogs than the Bible, sometimes I’d rather talk to my friends than to my heavenly Father.
We have been invited to join churches across Toledo in three exciting prayer intiatives:
a. Church Together 21 Day Corporate Fast, praying for our city January 1 through 21 while fasting from one meal each day…or whatever God may be leading you to give up during those three weeks (Facebook, TV, desserts, etc.).
b. 40 Day Prayer Journey with the same area churches beginning Sunday, January 3 and blanketing the seven key aspects of society.
c. Toledo Prays citywide prayer gathering on Thursday, January 7.
I believe Toledo’s best days are ahead and I believe First Alliance’s best days are ahead, but I believe they will only occur if we partner together with brothers and sisters of other churches at the foot of the cross, seeking the direction, protection, and power of Jesus Christ.
Begin the new year in God’s Word. You’ll be blessed. Read with us.
If you have not yet done so, I encourage you to sign up for one or more of the prayer initiatives. Begin the new year on your knees. Pray with us. You’ll never regret it!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here. You can subscribe to the free FAC Focus e-newsletter here.
God With Us, 20 December 2015
20 12 15
God With Us
Series: Be Here Now
Matthew 1:18-23
Series Overview: Christmas is the celebration of “presence.”
Big Idea: God is fully present with us…and Jesus will return soon.
Introduction
This morning we conclude our series “Be Here Now,” a series about presence. The first two weeks we talked about how important it is for us to be fully present with one another and with God, a challenge in our multi-tasking, screen-filled, noisy world…especially during the hustle and bustle of the holidays.
Last Sunday we shifted from our presence to God’s presence with us. We read several passages from the Psalms written by David where he declares the presence of God even in the midst of suffering and fear. His faith in God was stellar…and yet the Messiah had not yet come to earth. In fact, it would be hundreds of years until Isaiah prophesied…
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
David—and Isaiah—could only imagine the events we celebrate this week.
Proclaim FM’s sign is correct. Christmas is about three words: God with us.
In his book Radical, David Platt tells this fascinating story:
I remember sitting outside a Buddhist temple in Indonesia. Men and women filled the elaborate, colorful temple grounds, where they daily performed their religious rituals. Meanwhile, I was engaged in a conversation with a Buddhist leader and a Muslim leader in this particular community. They were discussing how all religions are fundamentally the same and only superficially different. “We may have different views about small issues,” one of them said, “but when it comes down to essential issues, each of our religions is the same.” I listened for a while, and then they asked me what I thought. I said, “It sounds as though you both picture God (or whatever you call god) at the top of a mountain. It seems as if you believe that we are all at the bottom of the mountain, and I may take one route up the mountain, you may take another, and in the end we will all end up in the same place.” They smiled as I spoke. Happily they replied, “Exactly! You understand!” Then I leaned in and said, “Now let me ask you a question. What would you think if I told you that the God at the top of the mountain actually came down to where we are? What would you think if I told you that God doesn’t wait for people to find their way to him, but instead he comes to us?” They thought for a moment and then responded, “That would be great.” I replied, “Let me introduce you to Jesus.”
I get frustrated when I hear religions lumped together. Religion is man’s search for God. Jesus did not come to start another religion. He came to bring God to us.
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:18-23)
Let’s set aside the fact a virgin named Mary become pregnant.
Let’s set aside the fact an angel visited Mary…and Joseph.
Let’s set aside the fact this baby fulfilled prophesies that were hundreds of years old.
Let’s even set aside the fact this baby would become the most famous and controversial figure in human history, teach the most quoted truths ever recorded, model for us what it means to be truly human, perform miracles, die for us, conquer sin, rise from the dead, and ascend into heaven.
God is with us.
God was with us. God will be with us. God is with us now.
Jesus came. Jesus is coming. Jesus is here.
Jesus came.
Advent and Christmas are similar yet different. Advent is a time of waiting. The Latin word means “coming.” The first meaning of Advent refers to the first coming of Jesus the Messiah. He uniquely fulfilled hundreds of prophesies, about 324 to be exact. Here they are:
Gen. 3:15.....He will bruise Satan's head.....Heb. 2:14, 1 Jn. 3:18 Gen. 5:24....The bodily ascension to heaven illustrated....Mk. 6:19 Gen. 9:26,27...The God of Shem will be the Son of Shem...Lu. 3:36 Gen. 12:3...As Abraham's seed, will bless all nations...Acts. 3:25,26 Gen. 12:7...The Promise made to Abraham's Seed...Gal. 3:16 Gen. 14:18...A priest after Melchizedek...Heb. 6:20 Gen. 14:18........A King also........Heb. 7:2 Gen. 14:18...The Last Supper foreshadowed...Mt. 26:26-29 Gen. 17:19.......The Seed of Isaac.......Rom. 9:7 Gen. 22:8...The Lamb of God promised...Jn. 1:29 Gen. 22:18...As Isaac's seed, will bless all nations...Gal. 3:16 Gen.26:2-5..The Seed of Isaac promised as the Redeemer..Heb.11:18 Gen. 49:10...The time of His coming...Lu. 2:1-7; Gal. 4:4 Gen. 49:10.......The Seed of Judah.......Lu. 3:33 Gen. 49:10......Called Shiloh or One Sent......Jn. 17:3 Gen. 49:10...To come before Judah lost identity...Jn. 11:47-52 Gen. 49:10...To Him shall the obedience of the people be...Jn. 10:16 Ex. 3:13,14........The Great "I Am".......Jn. 4:26 Ex. 12:5...A Lamb without blemish...1 Pet. 1:19 Ex. 12:13...The blood of the Lamb saves from wrath...Rom. 5:8 Ex. 12:21-27...Christ is our Passover...1 Cor. 5;7 Ex. 12:46...Not a bone of the Lamb to be broken...Jn. 19:31-36 Ex. 15:2...His exaltation predicted as Yeshua...Acts 7:55,56 Ex. 15:11...His Character-Holiness...Luke 1:35; Acts 4:27 Ex. 17:6...The Spiritual Rock of Israel...1 Cor. 10;4 Ex. 33:19...His Character-Merciful...Lu. 1:72 Lev.14:11..The leper cleansed-Sign to priesthood..Lu.5:12-14; Acts 6:7 Lev.16:15-17...Prefigures Christ's once-for-all death...Heb. 9:7-14 Lev.16:27...Suffering outside the Camp...Mt. 27:33; Heb. 13:11, 12 Lev.17:11...The Blood-the life of the flesh...Mt. 26;28; Mk. 10:45 Lev.17:11...It is the blood that makes atonement...1 Jn. 3:14-18 Lev.23:36-37...The Drink-offering: "If any man thirst." ..Jn. 19:31-36 Num. 9:12...Not a bone of Him broken...John 19:31-36 Num. 21:9...The serpent on a pole-Christ lifted up...Jn. 3:14-18 Num. 24:17...Time: "I shall see him, but not now."...Gal. 4:4 Deut. 18:15..."This is of a truth that prophet."...Jn. 6:14 Deut. 18:15-16..."Had ye believed Moses, ye would believe me."...Jn. 5:45-47 Deut. 18:18...Sent by the Father to speak His word...Jn. 8:28, 29 Deut. 18:19...Whoever will not hear must bear his sin...Jn. 12:15, Deut. 21:23...Cursed is he that hangs on a tree...Gal. 3:10-13 Ruth 4:4-9...Christ, our kinsman, has redeemed us...Eph. 1:3-7 1 Sam. 2:10...Shall be an anointed King to the Lord...Mt. 28:18; Jn. 12:15 2 Sam. 7:12...David's Seed...Mt. 1:1 2 Sam. 7:14a...The Son of God... Lu. 1:32 2 Sam. 7:16...David's house established forever...Lu. 3:31; Rev. 22:16 2 Ki. 2:11...The bodily ascension to heaven illustrated...Lu. 24:51 1 Chr. 17:11...David's Seed...Mt. 1:1; 9:27 1 Chr. 17:12, 13a...To reign on David's throne forever...Lu. 1:32, 33 1 Chr. 17:13a..."I will be His Father, He...my Son."...Heb. 1:5 Job 19:23-27...The Resurrection predicted...Jn. 5:24-29 Psa. 2:1-3...The enmity of kings foreordained...Acts 4:25-28 Psa. 2:2...To own the title, Anointed (Christ)...Acts 2:36 Ps. 2:6...His Character-Holiness...Jn. 8:46; Rev. 3:7 Ps. 2:6...To own the title King...Mt. 2:2 Ps. 2:7...Declared the Beloved Son...Mt. 3;17 Psa. 2:7, 8...The Crucifixion and Resurrection intimated...Acts 13:29-33 Psa. 2:12...Life comes through faith in Him...Jn. 20:31 Psa. 8:2...The mouths of babes perfect His praise...Mt. 21:16 Psa. 8:5, 6...His humiliation and exaltation...Lu. 24:50-53; 1 Cor. 15:27 Psa. 16:10...Was not to see corruption...Acts 2:31 Psa. 16:9-11...Was to arise from the dead...Jn. 20:9 Psa. 17;15...The resurrection predicted...Lu. 24:6 Psa. 22:1...Forsaken because of sins of others...2 Cor. 5:21 Psa. 22:1...Words spoken from Calvary, "My God..." Mk. 15:34 Psa. 22:2...Darkness upon Calvary...Mt. 27:45 Psa. 22:7...They shoot out the lip and shake the head...Mt. 27:39 Psa. 22:8..”He trusted in God, let Him deliver Him"...Mt. 27:43 Psa. 22:9......Born the Savior......Lu. 2:7 Psa. 22:14...Died of a broken (ruptured) heart...Jn. 19:34 Psa. 22:14,15...Suffered agony on Calvary...Mk. 15:34-37 Psa. 22:15........He thirsted........Jn. 19:28 Psa. 22:16...They pierced His hands and His feet....Jn. 19:34,37;20:27 Psa. 22:17,18...Stripped Him before the stares of men...Lu. 23:34,35 Psa. 22:18.....They parted His garments.....Jn. 19:23,24 Psa. 22:20,21...He committed Himself to God...Lu.23:46 Psa. 22:20,21..Satanic power bruising the Redeemer's heel..Heb. 2:14 Psa. 22:22.....His Resurrection declared.....Jn. 20:17 Psa. 22:27...He shall be the governor of the nations...Col 1:16 Psa. 22:31.....“It is finished"......Jn. 19:30 Psa. 23:1....“I am the Good Shepherd"....Jn. 10:11 Psa. 24:3......His exaltation predicted......Acts 1:11; Phil. 2:9 Psa. 30:3......His resurrection predicted......Acts 2:32 Psa. 31:5...“Into thy hands I commit my spirit"...Lu. 23:46 Psa. 31:11...His acquaintances fled from Him...Mk. 14:50 Psa. 31:13...They took counsel to put Him to death...Jn. 11:53 Psa. 31:14,15..." He trusted in God, let Him deliver him"...Mt. 27:43 Psa. 34:20.....Not a bone of Him broken.....Jn 19:31-36 Psa. 35:11....False witnesses rose up against Him....Mt. 26:59 Psa. 35:19...He was hated without a cause...Jn. 15:25 Psa. 38:11.....His friends stood afar off.....Lu. 23:49 Psa. 40:2-5...The joy of His resurrection predicted...Jn. 20:20 Psa. 40:6-8....His delight-the will of the Father....Jn. 4:34 Psa. 40:9....He was to preach the Righteousness in Israel....Mt. 4:17 Psa. 40:14...Confronted by adversaries in the Garden...Jn. 18:4-6 Psa. 41:9.....Betrayed by a familiar friend.....Jn. 13:18 Psa. 45:2...Words of Grace come from His lips...Lu. 4:22 Psa. 45:6...To own the title, God or Elohim...Heb. 1:8 Psa. 45:7...A special anointing by the Holy Spirit...Mt.3:16; Heb.1:9 Psa. 45:7,8...Called the Christ (Messiah or Anointed)...Lu. 2:11 Psa. 55:12-14...Betrayed by a friend, not an enemy...Jn. 13:18 Psa. 55:15...Unrepentant death of the Betrayer...Mt. 27:3-5; Acts 1:16-19 Psa. 68:18...To give gifts to men...Eph. 4:7-16 Psa. 68:18...Ascended into Heaven...Lu. 24:51 Psa. 69:4...Hated without a cause...Jn. 15:25 Psa. 69:8...A stranger to own brethren...Lu. 8;20,21 Psa. 69:9...Zealous for the Lord's House...Jn. 2:17 Psa. 69:14-20...Messiah's anguish of soul before crucifixion...Mt. 26:36-45 Psa. 69:20...“My soul is exceeding sorrowful."...Mt. 26:38 Psa. 69:21...Given vinegar in thirst...Mt. 27:34 Psa. 69:26...The Savior given and smitten by God...Jn. 17:4; 18:11 Psa. 72:10,11...Great persons were to visit Him...Mt. 2:1-11 Psa. 72:16...The corn of wheat to fall into the Ground...Jn. 12:24 Psa. 72:17...His name, Yinon, will produce offspring...Jn. 1:12,13 Psa. 72:17...All nations shall be blessed by Him...Acts 2:11,12,41 Psa. 78:1.2...He would teach in parables...Mt. 13:34-35 Psa. 78:2b...To speak the Wisdom of God with authority...Mt. 7:29 Psa. 88:8...They stood afar off and watched...Lu. 23:49 Psa. 89:27...Emmanuel to be higher than earthly kings...Lu. 1:32,33 Psa. 89:35-37...David's Seed, throne, kingdom endure forever...Lu. 1:32,33 Psa. 89:36-37...His character-Faithfulness...Rev. 1:5 Psa. 90:2...He is from everlasting (Micah 5:2)...Jn. 1:1 Psa. 91:11,12...Identified as Messianic; used to tempt Christ...Lu. 4;10,11 Psa. 97:9...His exaltation predicted...Acts 1:11;Eph. 1:20 Psa. 100:5...His character-Goodness...Mt. 19:16,17 Psa. 102:1-11...The Suffering and Reproach of Calvary...Jn. 21:16-30 Psa. 102:25-27...Messiah is the Preexistent Son...Heb. 1:10-12 Psa. 109:25...Ridiculed...Mt. 27:39 Psa. 110:1...Son of David...Mt. 22:43 Psa. 110:1...To ascend to the right-hand of the Father...Mk.16:19 Psa. 110:1...David's son called Lord...Mt. 22:44,45 Psa. 110:4...A priest after Melchizedek's order...Heb. 6:20 Psa. 112:4...His character-Compassionate, Gracious, et al... Mt. 9;36 Psa. 118:17,18...Messiah's Resurrection assured...Lu. 24:5-7;1 Cor. 15:20 Psa. 118:22,23...The rejected stone is Head of the corner...Mt. 21:42,43 Psa. 118:26a...The Blessed One presented to Israel...Mt. 21:9 Psa. 118:26b...To come while Temple standing...Mt. 21;12-15 Psa. 132:11...The Seed of David(the fruit of His Body)...Lu. 1:32 Psa. 138:1-6...The supremacy of David's Seed amazes kings... Mt. 2:2-6 Psa. 147:3,6...The earthly ministry of Christ described...Lu. 4:18 Psa. 1:23...He will send the Spirit of God... Jn. 16;7 Song. 5;16...The altogether lovely One...Jn. 1:17 Isa. 6:1...When Isaiah saw His glory... Jn. 12:40-41 Isa. 6:9-10...Parables fall on deaf ears...Mt. 13:13-15 Isa. 6:9-12...Blinded to Christ and deaf to His words...Acts. 28:23-29 Isa. 7:14...To be born of a virgin...Lu. 1:35 Isa. 7:14...To be Emmanuel-God with us... Mt. 1:18-23 Isa. 8:8...Called Emmanuel...Mt. 28:20 Isa. 8:14...A stone of stumbling, a Rock of offense... 1 Pet. 2:8 Isa. 9:1,2...His ministry to begin in Galilee...Mt. 4:12-17 Isa. 9:6...A child born-Humanity...Lu. 1:31 Isa. 9:6...A Son given-Deity...Lu. 1:32; Jn. 1;14; 1 Tim. 3:16 Isa. 9:6...Declared to be the Son of God with power... Rom. 1:3,4 Isa. 9:6...The Wonderful One, Peleh...Lu. 4:22 Isa. 9:6...The Counsellor, Yaatz...Mt. 13:54 Isa. 9:6...The Mighty God, El Gibor...Mt. 11:20 Isa. 9:6...The Everlasting Father, Avi Adth...Jn. 8:58 Isa. 9:6...The Prince of Peace, Sar Shalom...Jn . 16:33 Isa. 9:7...To establish an everlasting kingdom...Lu. 1:32-33 Isa. 9:7...His Character-Just...Jn. 5:30 Isa. 9:7...No end to his Government, Throne, and Peace...Lu. 1:32-33 Isa. 11:1...Called a Nazarene-the Branch, Netzer...Mt. 2:23 Isa. 11:1...A rod out of Jesse-Son of Jesse...Lu. 3:23,32 Isa. 11:2...The anointed One by the Spirit...Mt. 3;16,17 Isa. 11:2...His Character-Wisdom, Understanding, et al....Jn. 4:4-26 Isa. 11:4...His Character-Truth...Jn. 14:6 Isa. 11:10...The Gentiles seek Him...Jn. 12:18-21 Isa. 12:2...Called Jesus-Yeshua...Mt. 1:21 Isa. 25:8...The Resurrection predicted...I Cor. 15:54 Isa. 26:19...His power of Resurrection predicted...Jn. 11:43,44 Isa. 28:16...The Messiah is the precious corner stone...Acts 4:11,12 Isa. 29:13...He indicated hypocritical obedience to His Word...Mt. 15:7-9 Isa. 29:14...The wise are confounded by the Word...I Cor. 1:18-31 Isa. 32:2...A Refuge-A man shall be a hiding place...Mt. 23:37 Isa. 35:4...He will come and save you...Mt. 1:21 Isa. 35:5...To have a ministry of miracles...Mt. 11:4-6 Isa. 40:3,4...Preceded by forerunner...Jn. 1:23 Isa. 40:9..."Behold your God."...Jn. 1:36;19:14 Isa. 40:11...A shepherd-compassionate life-giver...Jn. 10:10-18 Isa. 42:1-4...The Servant-as a faithful, patient redeemer... Mt.12:18-21 Isa. 42:2...Meek and lowly... Mt. 11:28-30 Isa. 42:3...He brings hope for the hopeless... Jn. 4 Isa. 42:4...The nations shall wait on His teachings... Jn. 12:20-26 Isa. 42:6...The Light (salvation) of the Gentiles...Lu. 2:32 Isa. 42:1,6...His is a Worldwide compassion... Mt. 28:19,20 Isa. 42:7...Blind eyes opened... Jn. 9:25-38 Isa. 43:11...He is the only Savior... Acts. 4:12 Isa. 44:3...He will send the Spirit of God... Jn. 16:7,13 Isa. 45:23...He will be the Judge... Jn. 5:22;Rom. 14:11 Isa. 48:12...The First and the Last...Jn. 1:30;Rev. 1:8,17 Isa. 48:17...He came as a Teacher...Jn. 3:2 Isa. 49:1...Called from the womb-His humanity...Mt. 1:18 Isa. 49:5...A Servant from the womb...Lu. 1:31;Phil. 2:7 Isa. 49:6...He is Salvation for Israel...Lu. 2:29-32 Isa. 49:6...He is the Light of the Gentiles...Acts 13:47 Isa. 49:6...He is Salvation unto the ends of the earth... Acts 15:7-18 Isa. 49:7...He is despised of the Nation... Jn. 8:48-49 Isa. 50:3...Heaven is clothed in black at His humiliation... Lu. 23:44,45 Isa. 50:4...He is a learned counsellor for the weary... Mt. 11:28,29 Isa. 50:5...The Servant bound willingly to obedience... Mt. 26:39 Isa. 50:6a..."I gave my back to the smiters."... Mt. 27:26 Isa. 50:6b...He was smitten on the cheeks... Mt. 26:67 Isa. 50:6c...He was spat upon... Mt. 27:30 Isa. 52:7...To publish good tidings of peace... Lu. 4:14,15 Isa. 52:13...The Servant exalted...Acts 1:8-11; Eph. 1:19-22 Isa. 52:13...Behold, My Servant... Mt. 17:5; Phil. 2:5-8 Isa. 52:14...The Servant shockingly abused... Lu. 18:31-34; Mt. 26:67,68 Isa. 52:15...Nations startled by message of the Servant... Rom. 15:18-21 Isa. 52:15...His blood shed to make atonement for all... Rev. 1:5 Isa. 53:1...His people would not believe Him... Jn. 12:37-38 Isa. 53:2a...He would grow up in a poor family.... Lu. 2:7 Isa. 53:2b...Appearance of an ordinary man... Phil. 2:7-8 Isa. 53:3a...Despised.... Lu. 4:28-29 Isa. 53:3b...Rejected... Mt. 27:21-23 Isa. 53:3c...Great sorrow and grief... Lu. 19:41-42 Isa. 53:3d...Men hide from being associated with Him... Mk. 14:50-52 Isa. 53:4a...He would have a healing ministry... Lu. 6:17-19 Isa. 53:4b...He would bear the sins of the world... 1 Pet. 2:24 Isa. 53:4c...Thought to be cursed by God... Mt. 27:41-43 Isa. 53:5a...Bears penalty for mankind's transgressions... Lu. 23:33 Isa. 53:5b...His sacrifice would provide peace between man and God... Col. 1:20 Isa. 53:5c...His back would be whipped... Mt. 27:26 Isa. 53:6a...He would be the sin-bearer for all mankind...Gal. 1:4 Isa. 53:6b...God's will that He bear sin for all mankind... 1 Jn. 4:10 Isa. 53:7a...Oppressed and afflicted... Mt. 27:27-31 Isa. 53:7b...Silent before his accusers... Mt. 27:12-14 Isa. 53:7c...Sacrificial lamb... Jn. 1:29 Isa. 53:8a...Confined and persecuted... Mt. 26:47-27:31 Isa. 53:8b...He would be judged... Jn. 18:13-22 Isa. 53:8c...Killed.... Mt. 27:35 Isa. 53:8d...Dies for the sins of the world... 1 Jn. 2:2 Isa. 53:9a...Buried in a rich man's grave... Mt. 27:57 Isa. 53:9b...Innocent and had done no violence... Mk. 15:3 Isa. 53:9c...No deceit in his mouth... Jn. 18:38 Isa. 53:10a...God's will that He die for mankind... Jn. 18:11 Isa. 53:10b...An offering for sin... Mt. 20:28 Isa. 53:10c...Resurrected and live forever.... Mk. 16:16 Isa. 53:10d...He would prosper... Jn. 17:1-5 Isa. 53:11a...God fully satisfied with His suffering... Jn. 12:27 Isa. 53:11b...God's servant... Rom. 5:18-19 Isa. 53:11c...He would justify man before God... Rom. 5:8-9 Isa. 53:11d...The sin-bearer for all mankind... Heb. 9:28 Isa. 53:12a...Exalted by God because of his sacrifice... Mt. 28:18 Isa. 53:12b...He would give up his life to save mankind... Lu. 23:46 Isa. 53:12c...Grouped with criminals... Lu. 23:32 Isa. 53:12d...Sin-bearer for all mankind... 2 Cor. 5:21 Isa. 53:12e...Intercede to God in behalf of mankind... Lu. 23:34 Isa. 55:3...Resurrected by God... Acts 13:34 Isa. 55:4...A witness... Jn. 18:37 Isa. 59:15-16a...He would come to provide salvation... Jn. 6:40 Isa. 59:15-16b...Intercessor between man and God... Mt. 10:32 Isa. 59:20...He would come to Zion as their Redeemer... Lu. 2:38 Isa. 61:1-2a...The Spirit of God upon him... Mt. 3:16-17 Isa. 61:1-2b...The Messiah would preach the good news... Lu. 4:17-21 Isa. 61:1-2c...Provide freedom from the bondage of sin and death... Jn. 8:31-32 Isa. 61:1-2...Proclaim a period of grace... Jn. 5:24 Jer.23:5-6a...Descendant of David...Lu. 3:23-31 Jer. 23:5-6b...The Messiah would be God... Jn. 13:13 Jer. 23:5-6c...The Messiah would be both God and Man... 1 Tim. 3:16 Jer. 31:22...Born of a virgin... Mt. 1:18-20 Jer. 31:31...The Messiah would be the new covenant... Mt. 26:28 Jer. 33:14-15...Descendant of David... Lu. 3:23-31 Eze.17:22-24...Descendant of David... Lk. 3:23-31 Eze.34:23-24...Descendant of David... Mt. 1:1 Dan. 7:13-14a...He would ascend into heaven... Acts 1:9-11 Dan. 7:13-14b...Highly exalted... Eph. 1:20-22 Dan. 7:13-14c...His dominion would be everlasting... Lu. 1:31-33 Dan. 9:24a...To make an end to sins... Gal. 1:3-5 Dan. 9:24b...He would be holy... Lu. 1:35 Dan. 9:25...Announced to his people 483 years, to the exact day, after the decree to rebuild the city of Jerusalem... Jn. 12:12-13 Dan. 9:26a...Killed... Mt. 27:35 Dan. 9:26b...Die for the sins of the world... Heb. 2:9 Dan. 9:26c...Killed before the destruction of the temple... Mt. 27:50-51 Dan. 10:5-6...Messiah in a glorified state... Rev. 1:13-16 Hos. 13:14...He would defeat death... 1 Cor. 15:55-57 Joel 2:32...Offer salvation to all mankind... Rom. 10:12-13 Mic. 5:2a...Born in Bethlehem... Mt. 2:1-2 Mic. 5:2b...God's servant... Jn. 15:10 Mic. 5:2c...From everlasting... Jn. 8:58 Hag. 2:6-9...He would visit the second Temple... Lu. 2:27-32 Hag. 2:23...Descendant of Zerubbabel... Lu. 3:23-27 Zech. 3:8...God's servant... Jn. 17:4 Zech. 6:12-13...Priest and King... Heb. 8:1 Zech. 9:9a...Greeted with rejoicing in Jerusalem... Mt. 21:8-10 Zech. 9:9b...Beheld as King... Jn. 12:12-13 Zech. 9:9c...The Messiah would be just... Jn. 5:30 Zech. 9:9d...The Messiah would bring salvation... Luke 19:10 Zech. 9:9e...The Messiah would be humble... Mt. 11:29 Zech. 9:9f...Presented to Jerusalem riding on a donkey... Mt. 21:6-9 Zech. 10:4...The cornerstone... Eph. 2:20 Zech. 11:4-6a...At His coming, Israel to have unfit leaders... Mt. 23:1-4 Zech. 11:4-6b...Rejection causes God to remove His protection.. Lu. 19:41-44 Zech. 11:4-6c...Rejected in favor of another king... Jn. 19:13-15 Zech. 11:7...Ministry to "poor," the believing remnant... Mt. 9:35-36 Zech. 11:8a...Unbelief forces Messiah to reject them... Mt. 23:33 Zech. 11:8b...Despised... Mt. 27:20 Zech. 11:9...Stops ministering to the those who rejected Him... Mt. 13:10-11 Zech. 11:10-11a...Rejection causes God to remove protection... Lu. 19:41-44 Zech. 11:10-11b...The Messiah would be God... Jn. 14:7 Zech. 11:12-13a...Betrayed for thirty pieces of silver... Mt. 26:14-15 Zech. 11:12-13b...Rejected... Mt. 26:14-15 Zech. 11:12-13c...Thirty pieces of silver thrown into the house of the Lord... Mt. 27:3-5 Zech. 11:12-13d...The Messiah would be God... Jn. 12:45 Zech. 12:10a...The Messiah's body would be pierced... Jn. 19:34-37 Zech. 12:10b...The Messiah would be both God and man... Jn. 10:30 Zech. 12:10c...The Messiah would be rejected... Jn. 1:11 Zech. 13:7a...God's will He die for mankind... Jn. 18:11 Zech. 13:7b...A violent death... Mt. 27:35 Zech. 13:7c...Both God and man.. Jn. 14:9 Zech. 13:7d...Israel scattered as a result of rejecting Him... Mt. 26:31-56 Mal. 3:1a...Messenger to prepare the way for Messiah... Mt. 11:10 Mal. 3:1b...Sudden appearance at the temple... Mk. 11:15-16 Mal. 3:1c...Messenger of the new covenant... Lu. 4:43 Mal. 4:5...Forerunner in the spirit of Elijah... Mt. 3:1-2 Mal. 4:6...Forerunner would turn many to righteousness... Lu. 1:16-17
Did you catch all of them?!
Jesus Is Coming
The first meaning of Advent was the first coming of the Messiah. We look back at it. Christ has come.
The second meaning of Advent is the second coming. Jesus promised to return. He said
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3)
We wait for His return, His second coming. He said He would return soon, which doesn’t fit our definition of soon, but compared to eternity what’s 2000 years?
Jesus Is Here…Now!
Perhaps the most important meaning of Advent is His desire to come into our lives now. Today. Make no mistake, God is here now. When Jesus left the planet physically He sent the Holy Spirit to live in every believer. The transformation many of us have experienced is evidence God has not left us to fend for ourselves here on earth. Miracles occur. Bodies are healed. Hope is found. Broken relationships are mended. Finances are restored. The disturbed find peace. All because of God with us.
We are in the middle of history, looking back at Jesus’ first visit to our planet—a day we call Christmas, when Christ entered our world—and looking forward to His return, His second coming. While we cry “Maranatha! Come quickly LORD Jesus,” we also seek to be fully present with one another and with our God who is both here and there, on earth and in heaven. In fact Jesus taught us to pray
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)
We long for those moments when heaven kisses earth, where God’s presence and power are visible and unleashed. When love conquers indifference and hatred, when peace overcomes violence, when life trumps death, when good wins over evil, when beauty defeats the mundane.
As we live in the in-between—this period between the first and second comings of Jesus—we find hope not in the created but the Creator, not in presents under the tree on Friday but in God’s presence with us every day.
God is with us…and that changes everything.
It means we’re never alone. He’s with us, especially when we’re afraid or suffering.
It means we have power. All authority in heaven and earth has been given to us as we make disciples, reproducing the life of Jesus to live abundant, fulfilled, exciting lives.
It means we can experience heaven, moments of supernatural wonder, miracles.
It means we have access to an unending supply of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control—the fruit of the Spirit, the same Holy Spirit that filled Jesus.
It also means we can die to ourselves and invite Jesus into our lives to become not only Savior but LORD. It means we give up control and “let Jesus take the wheel.” It means surrendering to our need to be God and submitting our lives to Him, truly seeking His kingdom and His will here and now.
We have an ancient and sacred practice called baptism in which a person is ceremonially dunked in water—symbolic of a water grave where their old self dies. That sounds harsh, but then they are lifted out of the water signifying resurrection and new life in Jesus Christ. You can’t renovate these temples. You must destroy them first and start from the ground up. You can’t have a resurrection without a death.
So What?
Jesus came. Jesus is coming. Jesus is here. Do you know Him? Does He live in you?
Jesus is the greatest gift you could ever receive. He’s the reason for the season. Do you know Him? He’s here.
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Series: Be Here Now
Matthew 1:18-23
Series Overview: Christmas is the celebration of “presence.”
Big Idea: God is fully present with us…and Jesus will return soon.
Introduction
This morning we conclude our series “Be Here Now,” a series about presence. The first two weeks we talked about how important it is for us to be fully present with one another and with God, a challenge in our multi-tasking, screen-filled, noisy world…especially during the hustle and bustle of the holidays.
Last Sunday we shifted from our presence to God’s presence with us. We read several passages from the Psalms written by David where he declares the presence of God even in the midst of suffering and fear. His faith in God was stellar…and yet the Messiah had not yet come to earth. In fact, it would be hundreds of years until Isaiah prophesied…
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
David—and Isaiah—could only imagine the events we celebrate this week.
Proclaim FM’s sign is correct. Christmas is about three words: God with us.
In his book Radical, David Platt tells this fascinating story:
I remember sitting outside a Buddhist temple in Indonesia. Men and women filled the elaborate, colorful temple grounds, where they daily performed their religious rituals. Meanwhile, I was engaged in a conversation with a Buddhist leader and a Muslim leader in this particular community. They were discussing how all religions are fundamentally the same and only superficially different. “We may have different views about small issues,” one of them said, “but when it comes down to essential issues, each of our religions is the same.” I listened for a while, and then they asked me what I thought. I said, “It sounds as though you both picture God (or whatever you call god) at the top of a mountain. It seems as if you believe that we are all at the bottom of the mountain, and I may take one route up the mountain, you may take another, and in the end we will all end up in the same place.” They smiled as I spoke. Happily they replied, “Exactly! You understand!” Then I leaned in and said, “Now let me ask you a question. What would you think if I told you that the God at the top of the mountain actually came down to where we are? What would you think if I told you that God doesn’t wait for people to find their way to him, but instead he comes to us?” They thought for a moment and then responded, “That would be great.” I replied, “Let me introduce you to Jesus.”
I get frustrated when I hear religions lumped together. Religion is man’s search for God. Jesus did not come to start another religion. He came to bring God to us.
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:18-23)
Let’s set aside the fact a virgin named Mary become pregnant.
Let’s set aside the fact an angel visited Mary…and Joseph.
Let’s set aside the fact this baby fulfilled prophesies that were hundreds of years old.
Let’s even set aside the fact this baby would become the most famous and controversial figure in human history, teach the most quoted truths ever recorded, model for us what it means to be truly human, perform miracles, die for us, conquer sin, rise from the dead, and ascend into heaven.
God is with us.
God was with us. God will be with us. God is with us now.
Jesus came. Jesus is coming. Jesus is here.
Jesus came.
Advent and Christmas are similar yet different. Advent is a time of waiting. The Latin word means “coming.” The first meaning of Advent refers to the first coming of Jesus the Messiah. He uniquely fulfilled hundreds of prophesies, about 324 to be exact. Here they are:
Gen. 3:15.....He will bruise Satan's head.....Heb. 2:14, 1 Jn. 3:18 Gen. 5:24....The bodily ascension to heaven illustrated....Mk. 6:19 Gen. 9:26,27...The God of Shem will be the Son of Shem...Lu. 3:36 Gen. 12:3...As Abraham's seed, will bless all nations...Acts. 3:25,26 Gen. 12:7...The Promise made to Abraham's Seed...Gal. 3:16 Gen. 14:18...A priest after Melchizedek...Heb. 6:20 Gen. 14:18........A King also........Heb. 7:2 Gen. 14:18...The Last Supper foreshadowed...Mt. 26:26-29 Gen. 17:19.......The Seed of Isaac.......Rom. 9:7 Gen. 22:8...The Lamb of God promised...Jn. 1:29 Gen. 22:18...As Isaac's seed, will bless all nations...Gal. 3:16 Gen.26:2-5..The Seed of Isaac promised as the Redeemer..Heb.11:18 Gen. 49:10...The time of His coming...Lu. 2:1-7; Gal. 4:4 Gen. 49:10.......The Seed of Judah.......Lu. 3:33 Gen. 49:10......Called Shiloh or One Sent......Jn. 17:3 Gen. 49:10...To come before Judah lost identity...Jn. 11:47-52 Gen. 49:10...To Him shall the obedience of the people be...Jn. 10:16 Ex. 3:13,14........The Great "I Am".......Jn. 4:26 Ex. 12:5...A Lamb without blemish...1 Pet. 1:19 Ex. 12:13...The blood of the Lamb saves from wrath...Rom. 5:8 Ex. 12:21-27...Christ is our Passover...1 Cor. 5;7 Ex. 12:46...Not a bone of the Lamb to be broken...Jn. 19:31-36 Ex. 15:2...His exaltation predicted as Yeshua...Acts 7:55,56 Ex. 15:11...His Character-Holiness...Luke 1:35; Acts 4:27 Ex. 17:6...The Spiritual Rock of Israel...1 Cor. 10;4 Ex. 33:19...His Character-Merciful...Lu. 1:72 Lev.14:11..The leper cleansed-Sign to priesthood..Lu.5:12-14; Acts 6:7 Lev.16:15-17...Prefigures Christ's once-for-all death...Heb. 9:7-14 Lev.16:27...Suffering outside the Camp...Mt. 27:33; Heb. 13:11, 12 Lev.17:11...The Blood-the life of the flesh...Mt. 26;28; Mk. 10:45 Lev.17:11...It is the blood that makes atonement...1 Jn. 3:14-18 Lev.23:36-37...The Drink-offering: "If any man thirst." ..Jn. 19:31-36 Num. 9:12...Not a bone of Him broken...John 19:31-36 Num. 21:9...The serpent on a pole-Christ lifted up...Jn. 3:14-18 Num. 24:17...Time: "I shall see him, but not now."...Gal. 4:4 Deut. 18:15..."This is of a truth that prophet."...Jn. 6:14 Deut. 18:15-16..."Had ye believed Moses, ye would believe me."...Jn. 5:45-47 Deut. 18:18...Sent by the Father to speak His word...Jn. 8:28, 29 Deut. 18:19...Whoever will not hear must bear his sin...Jn. 12:15, Deut. 21:23...Cursed is he that hangs on a tree...Gal. 3:10-13 Ruth 4:4-9...Christ, our kinsman, has redeemed us...Eph. 1:3-7 1 Sam. 2:10...Shall be an anointed King to the Lord...Mt. 28:18; Jn. 12:15 2 Sam. 7:12...David's Seed...Mt. 1:1 2 Sam. 7:14a...The Son of God... Lu. 1:32 2 Sam. 7:16...David's house established forever...Lu. 3:31; Rev. 22:16 2 Ki. 2:11...The bodily ascension to heaven illustrated...Lu. 24:51 1 Chr. 17:11...David's Seed...Mt. 1:1; 9:27 1 Chr. 17:12, 13a...To reign on David's throne forever...Lu. 1:32, 33 1 Chr. 17:13a..."I will be His Father, He...my Son."...Heb. 1:5 Job 19:23-27...The Resurrection predicted...Jn. 5:24-29 Psa. 2:1-3...The enmity of kings foreordained...Acts 4:25-28 Psa. 2:2...To own the title, Anointed (Christ)...Acts 2:36 Ps. 2:6...His Character-Holiness...Jn. 8:46; Rev. 3:7 Ps. 2:6...To own the title King...Mt. 2:2 Ps. 2:7...Declared the Beloved Son...Mt. 3;17 Psa. 2:7, 8...The Crucifixion and Resurrection intimated...Acts 13:29-33 Psa. 2:12...Life comes through faith in Him...Jn. 20:31 Psa. 8:2...The mouths of babes perfect His praise...Mt. 21:16 Psa. 8:5, 6...His humiliation and exaltation...Lu. 24:50-53; 1 Cor. 15:27 Psa. 16:10...Was not to see corruption...Acts 2:31 Psa. 16:9-11...Was to arise from the dead...Jn. 20:9 Psa. 17;15...The resurrection predicted...Lu. 24:6 Psa. 22:1...Forsaken because of sins of others...2 Cor. 5:21 Psa. 22:1...Words spoken from Calvary, "My God..." Mk. 15:34 Psa. 22:2...Darkness upon Calvary...Mt. 27:45 Psa. 22:7...They shoot out the lip and shake the head...Mt. 27:39 Psa. 22:8..”He trusted in God, let Him deliver Him"...Mt. 27:43 Psa. 22:9......Born the Savior......Lu. 2:7 Psa. 22:14...Died of a broken (ruptured) heart...Jn. 19:34 Psa. 22:14,15...Suffered agony on Calvary...Mk. 15:34-37 Psa. 22:15........He thirsted........Jn. 19:28 Psa. 22:16...They pierced His hands and His feet....Jn. 19:34,37;20:27 Psa. 22:17,18...Stripped Him before the stares of men...Lu. 23:34,35 Psa. 22:18.....They parted His garments.....Jn. 19:23,24 Psa. 22:20,21...He committed Himself to God...Lu.23:46 Psa. 22:20,21..Satanic power bruising the Redeemer's heel..Heb. 2:14 Psa. 22:22.....His Resurrection declared.....Jn. 20:17 Psa. 22:27...He shall be the governor of the nations...Col 1:16 Psa. 22:31.....“It is finished"......Jn. 19:30 Psa. 23:1....“I am the Good Shepherd"....Jn. 10:11 Psa. 24:3......His exaltation predicted......Acts 1:11; Phil. 2:9 Psa. 30:3......His resurrection predicted......Acts 2:32 Psa. 31:5...“Into thy hands I commit my spirit"...Lu. 23:46 Psa. 31:11...His acquaintances fled from Him...Mk. 14:50 Psa. 31:13...They took counsel to put Him to death...Jn. 11:53 Psa. 31:14,15..." He trusted in God, let Him deliver him"...Mt. 27:43 Psa. 34:20.....Not a bone of Him broken.....Jn 19:31-36 Psa. 35:11....False witnesses rose up against Him....Mt. 26:59 Psa. 35:19...He was hated without a cause...Jn. 15:25 Psa. 38:11.....His friends stood afar off.....Lu. 23:49 Psa. 40:2-5...The joy of His resurrection predicted...Jn. 20:20 Psa. 40:6-8....His delight-the will of the Father....Jn. 4:34 Psa. 40:9....He was to preach the Righteousness in Israel....Mt. 4:17 Psa. 40:14...Confronted by adversaries in the Garden...Jn. 18:4-6 Psa. 41:9.....Betrayed by a familiar friend.....Jn. 13:18 Psa. 45:2...Words of Grace come from His lips...Lu. 4:22 Psa. 45:6...To own the title, God or Elohim...Heb. 1:8 Psa. 45:7...A special anointing by the Holy Spirit...Mt.3:16; Heb.1:9 Psa. 45:7,8...Called the Christ (Messiah or Anointed)...Lu. 2:11 Psa. 55:12-14...Betrayed by a friend, not an enemy...Jn. 13:18 Psa. 55:15...Unrepentant death of the Betrayer...Mt. 27:3-5; Acts 1:16-19 Psa. 68:18...To give gifts to men...Eph. 4:7-16 Psa. 68:18...Ascended into Heaven...Lu. 24:51 Psa. 69:4...Hated without a cause...Jn. 15:25 Psa. 69:8...A stranger to own brethren...Lu. 8;20,21 Psa. 69:9...Zealous for the Lord's House...Jn. 2:17 Psa. 69:14-20...Messiah's anguish of soul before crucifixion...Mt. 26:36-45 Psa. 69:20...“My soul is exceeding sorrowful."...Mt. 26:38 Psa. 69:21...Given vinegar in thirst...Mt. 27:34 Psa. 69:26...The Savior given and smitten by God...Jn. 17:4; 18:11 Psa. 72:10,11...Great persons were to visit Him...Mt. 2:1-11 Psa. 72:16...The corn of wheat to fall into the Ground...Jn. 12:24 Psa. 72:17...His name, Yinon, will produce offspring...Jn. 1:12,13 Psa. 72:17...All nations shall be blessed by Him...Acts 2:11,12,41 Psa. 78:1.2...He would teach in parables...Mt. 13:34-35 Psa. 78:2b...To speak the Wisdom of God with authority...Mt. 7:29 Psa. 88:8...They stood afar off and watched...Lu. 23:49 Psa. 89:27...Emmanuel to be higher than earthly kings...Lu. 1:32,33 Psa. 89:35-37...David's Seed, throne, kingdom endure forever...Lu. 1:32,33 Psa. 89:36-37...His character-Faithfulness...Rev. 1:5 Psa. 90:2...He is from everlasting (Micah 5:2)...Jn. 1:1 Psa. 91:11,12...Identified as Messianic; used to tempt Christ...Lu. 4;10,11 Psa. 97:9...His exaltation predicted...Acts 1:11;Eph. 1:20 Psa. 100:5...His character-Goodness...Mt. 19:16,17 Psa. 102:1-11...The Suffering and Reproach of Calvary...Jn. 21:16-30 Psa. 102:25-27...Messiah is the Preexistent Son...Heb. 1:10-12 Psa. 109:25...Ridiculed...Mt. 27:39 Psa. 110:1...Son of David...Mt. 22:43 Psa. 110:1...To ascend to the right-hand of the Father...Mk.16:19 Psa. 110:1...David's son called Lord...Mt. 22:44,45 Psa. 110:4...A priest after Melchizedek's order...Heb. 6:20 Psa. 112:4...His character-Compassionate, Gracious, et al... Mt. 9;36 Psa. 118:17,18...Messiah's Resurrection assured...Lu. 24:5-7;1 Cor. 15:20 Psa. 118:22,23...The rejected stone is Head of the corner...Mt. 21:42,43 Psa. 118:26a...The Blessed One presented to Israel...Mt. 21:9 Psa. 118:26b...To come while Temple standing...Mt. 21;12-15 Psa. 132:11...The Seed of David(the fruit of His Body)...Lu. 1:32 Psa. 138:1-6...The supremacy of David's Seed amazes kings... Mt. 2:2-6 Psa. 147:3,6...The earthly ministry of Christ described...Lu. 4:18 Psa. 1:23...He will send the Spirit of God... Jn. 16;7 Song. 5;16...The altogether lovely One...Jn. 1:17 Isa. 6:1...When Isaiah saw His glory... Jn. 12:40-41 Isa. 6:9-10...Parables fall on deaf ears...Mt. 13:13-15 Isa. 6:9-12...Blinded to Christ and deaf to His words...Acts. 28:23-29 Isa. 7:14...To be born of a virgin...Lu. 1:35 Isa. 7:14...To be Emmanuel-God with us... Mt. 1:18-23 Isa. 8:8...Called Emmanuel...Mt. 28:20 Isa. 8:14...A stone of stumbling, a Rock of offense... 1 Pet. 2:8 Isa. 9:1,2...His ministry to begin in Galilee...Mt. 4:12-17 Isa. 9:6...A child born-Humanity...Lu. 1:31 Isa. 9:6...A Son given-Deity...Lu. 1:32; Jn. 1;14; 1 Tim. 3:16 Isa. 9:6...Declared to be the Son of God with power... Rom. 1:3,4 Isa. 9:6...The Wonderful One, Peleh...Lu. 4:22 Isa. 9:6...The Counsellor, Yaatz...Mt. 13:54 Isa. 9:6...The Mighty God, El Gibor...Mt. 11:20 Isa. 9:6...The Everlasting Father, Avi Adth...Jn. 8:58 Isa. 9:6...The Prince of Peace, Sar Shalom...Jn . 16:33 Isa. 9:7...To establish an everlasting kingdom...Lu. 1:32-33 Isa. 9:7...His Character-Just...Jn. 5:30 Isa. 9:7...No end to his Government, Throne, and Peace...Lu. 1:32-33 Isa. 11:1...Called a Nazarene-the Branch, Netzer...Mt. 2:23 Isa. 11:1...A rod out of Jesse-Son of Jesse...Lu. 3:23,32 Isa. 11:2...The anointed One by the Spirit...Mt. 3;16,17 Isa. 11:2...His Character-Wisdom, Understanding, et al....Jn. 4:4-26 Isa. 11:4...His Character-Truth...Jn. 14:6 Isa. 11:10...The Gentiles seek Him...Jn. 12:18-21 Isa. 12:2...Called Jesus-Yeshua...Mt. 1:21 Isa. 25:8...The Resurrection predicted...I Cor. 15:54 Isa. 26:19...His power of Resurrection predicted...Jn. 11:43,44 Isa. 28:16...The Messiah is the precious corner stone...Acts 4:11,12 Isa. 29:13...He indicated hypocritical obedience to His Word...Mt. 15:7-9 Isa. 29:14...The wise are confounded by the Word...I Cor. 1:18-31 Isa. 32:2...A Refuge-A man shall be a hiding place...Mt. 23:37 Isa. 35:4...He will come and save you...Mt. 1:21 Isa. 35:5...To have a ministry of miracles...Mt. 11:4-6 Isa. 40:3,4...Preceded by forerunner...Jn. 1:23 Isa. 40:9..."Behold your God."...Jn. 1:36;19:14 Isa. 40:11...A shepherd-compassionate life-giver...Jn. 10:10-18 Isa. 42:1-4...The Servant-as a faithful, patient redeemer... Mt.12:18-21 Isa. 42:2...Meek and lowly... Mt. 11:28-30 Isa. 42:3...He brings hope for the hopeless... Jn. 4 Isa. 42:4...The nations shall wait on His teachings... Jn. 12:20-26 Isa. 42:6...The Light (salvation) of the Gentiles...Lu. 2:32 Isa. 42:1,6...His is a Worldwide compassion... Mt. 28:19,20 Isa. 42:7...Blind eyes opened... Jn. 9:25-38 Isa. 43:11...He is the only Savior... Acts. 4:12 Isa. 44:3...He will send the Spirit of God... Jn. 16:7,13 Isa. 45:23...He will be the Judge... Jn. 5:22;Rom. 14:11 Isa. 48:12...The First and the Last...Jn. 1:30;Rev. 1:8,17 Isa. 48:17...He came as a Teacher...Jn. 3:2 Isa. 49:1...Called from the womb-His humanity...Mt. 1:18 Isa. 49:5...A Servant from the womb...Lu. 1:31;Phil. 2:7 Isa. 49:6...He is Salvation for Israel...Lu. 2:29-32 Isa. 49:6...He is the Light of the Gentiles...Acts 13:47 Isa. 49:6...He is Salvation unto the ends of the earth... Acts 15:7-18 Isa. 49:7...He is despised of the Nation... Jn. 8:48-49 Isa. 50:3...Heaven is clothed in black at His humiliation... Lu. 23:44,45 Isa. 50:4...He is a learned counsellor for the weary... Mt. 11:28,29 Isa. 50:5...The Servant bound willingly to obedience... Mt. 26:39 Isa. 50:6a..."I gave my back to the smiters."... Mt. 27:26 Isa. 50:6b...He was smitten on the cheeks... Mt. 26:67 Isa. 50:6c...He was spat upon... Mt. 27:30 Isa. 52:7...To publish good tidings of peace... Lu. 4:14,15 Isa. 52:13...The Servant exalted...Acts 1:8-11; Eph. 1:19-22 Isa. 52:13...Behold, My Servant... Mt. 17:5; Phil. 2:5-8 Isa. 52:14...The Servant shockingly abused... Lu. 18:31-34; Mt. 26:67,68 Isa. 52:15...Nations startled by message of the Servant... Rom. 15:18-21 Isa. 52:15...His blood shed to make atonement for all... Rev. 1:5 Isa. 53:1...His people would not believe Him... Jn. 12:37-38 Isa. 53:2a...He would grow up in a poor family.... Lu. 2:7 Isa. 53:2b...Appearance of an ordinary man... Phil. 2:7-8 Isa. 53:3a...Despised.... Lu. 4:28-29 Isa. 53:3b...Rejected... Mt. 27:21-23 Isa. 53:3c...Great sorrow and grief... Lu. 19:41-42 Isa. 53:3d...Men hide from being associated with Him... Mk. 14:50-52 Isa. 53:4a...He would have a healing ministry... Lu. 6:17-19 Isa. 53:4b...He would bear the sins of the world... 1 Pet. 2:24 Isa. 53:4c...Thought to be cursed by God... Mt. 27:41-43 Isa. 53:5a...Bears penalty for mankind's transgressions... Lu. 23:33 Isa. 53:5b...His sacrifice would provide peace between man and God... Col. 1:20 Isa. 53:5c...His back would be whipped... Mt. 27:26 Isa. 53:6a...He would be the sin-bearer for all mankind...Gal. 1:4 Isa. 53:6b...God's will that He bear sin for all mankind... 1 Jn. 4:10 Isa. 53:7a...Oppressed and afflicted... Mt. 27:27-31 Isa. 53:7b...Silent before his accusers... Mt. 27:12-14 Isa. 53:7c...Sacrificial lamb... Jn. 1:29 Isa. 53:8a...Confined and persecuted... Mt. 26:47-27:31 Isa. 53:8b...He would be judged... Jn. 18:13-22 Isa. 53:8c...Killed.... Mt. 27:35 Isa. 53:8d...Dies for the sins of the world... 1 Jn. 2:2 Isa. 53:9a...Buried in a rich man's grave... Mt. 27:57 Isa. 53:9b...Innocent and had done no violence... Mk. 15:3 Isa. 53:9c...No deceit in his mouth... Jn. 18:38 Isa. 53:10a...God's will that He die for mankind... Jn. 18:11 Isa. 53:10b...An offering for sin... Mt. 20:28 Isa. 53:10c...Resurrected and live forever.... Mk. 16:16 Isa. 53:10d...He would prosper... Jn. 17:1-5 Isa. 53:11a...God fully satisfied with His suffering... Jn. 12:27 Isa. 53:11b...God's servant... Rom. 5:18-19 Isa. 53:11c...He would justify man before God... Rom. 5:8-9 Isa. 53:11d...The sin-bearer for all mankind... Heb. 9:28 Isa. 53:12a...Exalted by God because of his sacrifice... Mt. 28:18 Isa. 53:12b...He would give up his life to save mankind... Lu. 23:46 Isa. 53:12c...Grouped with criminals... Lu. 23:32 Isa. 53:12d...Sin-bearer for all mankind... 2 Cor. 5:21 Isa. 53:12e...Intercede to God in behalf of mankind... Lu. 23:34 Isa. 55:3...Resurrected by God... Acts 13:34 Isa. 55:4...A witness... Jn. 18:37 Isa. 59:15-16a...He would come to provide salvation... Jn. 6:40 Isa. 59:15-16b...Intercessor between man and God... Mt. 10:32 Isa. 59:20...He would come to Zion as their Redeemer... Lu. 2:38 Isa. 61:1-2a...The Spirit of God upon him... Mt. 3:16-17 Isa. 61:1-2b...The Messiah would preach the good news... Lu. 4:17-21 Isa. 61:1-2c...Provide freedom from the bondage of sin and death... Jn. 8:31-32 Isa. 61:1-2...Proclaim a period of grace... Jn. 5:24 Jer.23:5-6a...Descendant of David...Lu. 3:23-31 Jer. 23:5-6b...The Messiah would be God... Jn. 13:13 Jer. 23:5-6c...The Messiah would be both God and Man... 1 Tim. 3:16 Jer. 31:22...Born of a virgin... Mt. 1:18-20 Jer. 31:31...The Messiah would be the new covenant... Mt. 26:28 Jer. 33:14-15...Descendant of David... Lu. 3:23-31 Eze.17:22-24...Descendant of David... Lk. 3:23-31 Eze.34:23-24...Descendant of David... Mt. 1:1 Dan. 7:13-14a...He would ascend into heaven... Acts 1:9-11 Dan. 7:13-14b...Highly exalted... Eph. 1:20-22 Dan. 7:13-14c...His dominion would be everlasting... Lu. 1:31-33 Dan. 9:24a...To make an end to sins... Gal. 1:3-5 Dan. 9:24b...He would be holy... Lu. 1:35 Dan. 9:25...Announced to his people 483 years, to the exact day, after the decree to rebuild the city of Jerusalem... Jn. 12:12-13 Dan. 9:26a...Killed... Mt. 27:35 Dan. 9:26b...Die for the sins of the world... Heb. 2:9 Dan. 9:26c...Killed before the destruction of the temple... Mt. 27:50-51 Dan. 10:5-6...Messiah in a glorified state... Rev. 1:13-16 Hos. 13:14...He would defeat death... 1 Cor. 15:55-57 Joel 2:32...Offer salvation to all mankind... Rom. 10:12-13 Mic. 5:2a...Born in Bethlehem... Mt. 2:1-2 Mic. 5:2b...God's servant... Jn. 15:10 Mic. 5:2c...From everlasting... Jn. 8:58 Hag. 2:6-9...He would visit the second Temple... Lu. 2:27-32 Hag. 2:23...Descendant of Zerubbabel... Lu. 3:23-27 Zech. 3:8...God's servant... Jn. 17:4 Zech. 6:12-13...Priest and King... Heb. 8:1 Zech. 9:9a...Greeted with rejoicing in Jerusalem... Mt. 21:8-10 Zech. 9:9b...Beheld as King... Jn. 12:12-13 Zech. 9:9c...The Messiah would be just... Jn. 5:30 Zech. 9:9d...The Messiah would bring salvation... Luke 19:10 Zech. 9:9e...The Messiah would be humble... Mt. 11:29 Zech. 9:9f...Presented to Jerusalem riding on a donkey... Mt. 21:6-9 Zech. 10:4...The cornerstone... Eph. 2:20 Zech. 11:4-6a...At His coming, Israel to have unfit leaders... Mt. 23:1-4 Zech. 11:4-6b...Rejection causes God to remove His protection.. Lu. 19:41-44 Zech. 11:4-6c...Rejected in favor of another king... Jn. 19:13-15 Zech. 11:7...Ministry to "poor," the believing remnant... Mt. 9:35-36 Zech. 11:8a...Unbelief forces Messiah to reject them... Mt. 23:33 Zech. 11:8b...Despised... Mt. 27:20 Zech. 11:9...Stops ministering to the those who rejected Him... Mt. 13:10-11 Zech. 11:10-11a...Rejection causes God to remove protection... Lu. 19:41-44 Zech. 11:10-11b...The Messiah would be God... Jn. 14:7 Zech. 11:12-13a...Betrayed for thirty pieces of silver... Mt. 26:14-15 Zech. 11:12-13b...Rejected... Mt. 26:14-15 Zech. 11:12-13c...Thirty pieces of silver thrown into the house of the Lord... Mt. 27:3-5 Zech. 11:12-13d...The Messiah would be God... Jn. 12:45 Zech. 12:10a...The Messiah's body would be pierced... Jn. 19:34-37 Zech. 12:10b...The Messiah would be both God and man... Jn. 10:30 Zech. 12:10c...The Messiah would be rejected... Jn. 1:11 Zech. 13:7a...God's will He die for mankind... Jn. 18:11 Zech. 13:7b...A violent death... Mt. 27:35 Zech. 13:7c...Both God and man.. Jn. 14:9 Zech. 13:7d...Israel scattered as a result of rejecting Him... Mt. 26:31-56 Mal. 3:1a...Messenger to prepare the way for Messiah... Mt. 11:10 Mal. 3:1b...Sudden appearance at the temple... Mk. 11:15-16 Mal. 3:1c...Messenger of the new covenant... Lu. 4:43 Mal. 4:5...Forerunner in the spirit of Elijah... Mt. 3:1-2 Mal. 4:6...Forerunner would turn many to righteousness... Lu. 1:16-17
Did you catch all of them?!
Jesus Is Coming
The first meaning of Advent was the first coming of the Messiah. We look back at it. Christ has come.
The second meaning of Advent is the second coming. Jesus promised to return. He said
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3)
We wait for His return, His second coming. He said He would return soon, which doesn’t fit our definition of soon, but compared to eternity what’s 2000 years?
Jesus Is Here…Now!
Perhaps the most important meaning of Advent is His desire to come into our lives now. Today. Make no mistake, God is here now. When Jesus left the planet physically He sent the Holy Spirit to live in every believer. The transformation many of us have experienced is evidence God has not left us to fend for ourselves here on earth. Miracles occur. Bodies are healed. Hope is found. Broken relationships are mended. Finances are restored. The disturbed find peace. All because of God with us.
We are in the middle of history, looking back at Jesus’ first visit to our planet—a day we call Christmas, when Christ entered our world—and looking forward to His return, His second coming. While we cry “Maranatha! Come quickly LORD Jesus,” we also seek to be fully present with one another and with our God who is both here and there, on earth and in heaven. In fact Jesus taught us to pray
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)
We long for those moments when heaven kisses earth, where God’s presence and power are visible and unleashed. When love conquers indifference and hatred, when peace overcomes violence, when life trumps death, when good wins over evil, when beauty defeats the mundane.
As we live in the in-between—this period between the first and second comings of Jesus—we find hope not in the created but the Creator, not in presents under the tree on Friday but in God’s presence with us every day.
God is with us…and that changes everything.
It means we’re never alone. He’s with us, especially when we’re afraid or suffering.
It means we have power. All authority in heaven and earth has been given to us as we make disciples, reproducing the life of Jesus to live abundant, fulfilled, exciting lives.
It means we can experience heaven, moments of supernatural wonder, miracles.
It means we have access to an unending supply of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control—the fruit of the Spirit, the same Holy Spirit that filled Jesus.
It also means we can die to ourselves and invite Jesus into our lives to become not only Savior but LORD. It means we give up control and “let Jesus take the wheel.” It means surrendering to our need to be God and submitting our lives to Him, truly seeking His kingdom and His will here and now.
We have an ancient and sacred practice called baptism in which a person is ceremonially dunked in water—symbolic of a water grave where their old self dies. That sounds harsh, but then they are lifted out of the water signifying resurrection and new life in Jesus Christ. You can’t renovate these temples. You must destroy them first and start from the ground up. You can’t have a resurrection without a death.
So What?
Jesus came. Jesus is coming. Jesus is here. Do you know Him? Does He live in you?
Jesus is the greatest gift you could ever receive. He’s the reason for the season. Do you know Him? He’s here.
c
When You are Suffering or Afraid, 13 December 2015
14 12 15
When You Are Suffering Or Afraid
Series: Be Here Now
Psalm 139, 23, 56:3-4
Series Overview: Christmas is the celebration of “presence.”
Big Idea: God is with us…always…especially when we are suffering or afraid.
Introduction
This morning we continue our Advent series, “Be Here Now,” a series on presence.
Perhaps the holidays for you are the most isolated time of year. You feel like the guy in the video, surrounded by people, yet empty inside, alone, and seemingly invisible to everyone.
The first two weeks dealt with us being fully present with others and God. The next two weeks will address God’s presence with us. You are not invisible. You are not alone. Today we’ll briefly look at God’s presence when we are suffering and when we’re afraid. I have a few things to say, but mostly today I want to let the words of David from the Psalms refresh you.
This past week I was invited to the offices of Proclaim FM 102.3 and their sign said, “Christmas is about three words: God with us.” That is the meaning of “Emmanuel.” God is with us. He is present. He is here…now.
Do you know God is here? Perhaps you feel His presence right now. Maybe you don’t. It’s possible you’ve never felt God with you.
But He is. Whether you feel it or not.
Feelings are real. They are powerful. They cannot always be trusted. That’s why we need the Bible to guide us into truth.
One of my favorite psalms, Psalm 139, beautifully describes God’s presence—even seeing us in the womb!
Psalm 139
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
You have searched me, LORD,
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.
If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD,
and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139)
God is here. How do I know? “The Bible tells me so.” Is that enough? Sometimes.
Often I find a conflict between my thoughts and feelings, between what I know in my head to be true and what I sense in my heart.
I often think of God like radio waves. Whether you know it or not, this room is filled with radio waves. They are invisible, but real. You simply need to dial in to experience them. A television will be able to tune in television channels, a radio radio frequencies, and a laptop WiFi signals. You can deny their existence…or listen in. God is here whether you deny or embrace it, whether you feel it or not. Is your antenna up?
Sometimes God seems very distant. I’ve had many “dark nights of the soul” where I cried out, wondering where I could find God. Perhaps you’ve had them. Perhaps you’re going through such a season right now. I promise you God is real and He loves you and He is with you. I don’t understand why He sometimes seems to play hard to get, but He promised to never leave us or forsake us, to be with us always to the very end of the age. Don’t give up. Tell a friend your struggles. Fill your mind with the truth of God’s Word. Beg Him to reveal Himself. Be assured He is worth the pursuit.
When have you felt God closest to you?
On September 21, 2006 a friend of mine sent me this e-mail while our daughter was in horrific pain in the hospital:
It is hard to figure out where God is when we are sitting in the ash heap in suffering, but I really sense that God is sitting in the ash heap with you. Along those lines, I encourage you to spend time in the place of mourning (even as you work on solutions to the problem) and I think that you will meet God there.
His words were truly prophetic. The next day, September 22, I found myself at one of the worst moments of my life, despondent over our suffering child who could get no relief from horrendous pain. I opened my Bible to Psalm 22—since it was September 22—and read these words
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Psalm 22:1a)
I instantly bawled like a baby, something highly unusual for me. The paradox was how close I felt to God at the moment. In fact, I’ve probably never felt close to the Father than when I read those words. I did not feel forsaken by God. Instead, my mind raced to the words of Jesus on the cross we looked at last week…
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). (Matthew 27:45-46)
As I watched my child suffer excruciating pain, I was transported to Calvary and the pain the Father must’ve felt watching His child suffer excruciating pain.
Where is God when you’re suffering? With you. He understands.
Psalm 34:18 says
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)
There are many wonderful attributes of God. One is His presence. He is not only omnipresent—everywhere at once—He is especially close to the hurting, the suffering. Jesus knows pain and refused to watch us from a distance. The celebration of Emmanuel is God came near, God entered our world, God experienced pain, God understands.
For the longest time I couldn’t turn to Psalm 22 without getting emotional. Those nine words pierced my heart, reminding me of that place of mourning and agony and yet joyfully reminding me of God’s presence.
It was months later when I realized what follows the suffering of Psalm 22…Psalm 23. Perhaps you’ve heard it!
A psalm of David.
The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever. (Psalm 23)
Because David was able to fear God and not evil—he found God more awesome than his temptations or fears—he was not afraid. The presence of God brought him comfort.
Every day we are tempted to be afraid as we read the news, talk with friends…look in the mirror! As we said several weeks ago, “Fear Not. Fear God.”
Where is God when you’re afraid? With you. So we need not be afraid.
A few chapters later in Psalms we read these words of David
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me? (Psalm 56:3-4)
It’s great to know God is powerful, but it is His presence which is truly comforting. Whether you feel it or not, God is with us. Always. Everywhere. He’s with us in the midst of suffering. He’s with us when we’re afraid.
The irony of Advent is during this season of waiting for Jesus, He is with us. He is here. At this time of year we look back at history, we look forward to the return of Jesus, but we must also be fully present in the moment, welcoming Jesus into our current reality.
He wants to do life with us. Today. We are never alone. As we celebrate Emmanuel, invite Jesus into your life, your home, your school, your place of work, your recreation, and your commute. He not only wants to be your friend, He is the Almighty God of angel armies who is always by your side.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here. You can subscribe to the free FAC Focus e-newsletter here.
Series: Be Here Now
Psalm 139, 23, 56:3-4
Series Overview: Christmas is the celebration of “presence.”
Big Idea: God is with us…always…especially when we are suffering or afraid.
Introduction
This morning we continue our Advent series, “Be Here Now,” a series on presence.
Perhaps the holidays for you are the most isolated time of year. You feel like the guy in the video, surrounded by people, yet empty inside, alone, and seemingly invisible to everyone.
The first two weeks dealt with us being fully present with others and God. The next two weeks will address God’s presence with us. You are not invisible. You are not alone. Today we’ll briefly look at God’s presence when we are suffering and when we’re afraid. I have a few things to say, but mostly today I want to let the words of David from the Psalms refresh you.
This past week I was invited to the offices of Proclaim FM 102.3 and their sign said, “Christmas is about three words: God with us.” That is the meaning of “Emmanuel.” God is with us. He is present. He is here…now.
Do you know God is here? Perhaps you feel His presence right now. Maybe you don’t. It’s possible you’ve never felt God with you.
But He is. Whether you feel it or not.
Feelings are real. They are powerful. They cannot always be trusted. That’s why we need the Bible to guide us into truth.
One of my favorite psalms, Psalm 139, beautifully describes God’s presence—even seeing us in the womb!
Psalm 139
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
You have searched me, LORD,
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.
If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD,
and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139)
God is here. How do I know? “The Bible tells me so.” Is that enough? Sometimes.
Often I find a conflict between my thoughts and feelings, between what I know in my head to be true and what I sense in my heart.
I often think of God like radio waves. Whether you know it or not, this room is filled with radio waves. They are invisible, but real. You simply need to dial in to experience them. A television will be able to tune in television channels, a radio radio frequencies, and a laptop WiFi signals. You can deny their existence…or listen in. God is here whether you deny or embrace it, whether you feel it or not. Is your antenna up?
Sometimes God seems very distant. I’ve had many “dark nights of the soul” where I cried out, wondering where I could find God. Perhaps you’ve had them. Perhaps you’re going through such a season right now. I promise you God is real and He loves you and He is with you. I don’t understand why He sometimes seems to play hard to get, but He promised to never leave us or forsake us, to be with us always to the very end of the age. Don’t give up. Tell a friend your struggles. Fill your mind with the truth of God’s Word. Beg Him to reveal Himself. Be assured He is worth the pursuit.
When have you felt God closest to you?
On September 21, 2006 a friend of mine sent me this e-mail while our daughter was in horrific pain in the hospital:
It is hard to figure out where God is when we are sitting in the ash heap in suffering, but I really sense that God is sitting in the ash heap with you. Along those lines, I encourage you to spend time in the place of mourning (even as you work on solutions to the problem) and I think that you will meet God there.
His words were truly prophetic. The next day, September 22, I found myself at one of the worst moments of my life, despondent over our suffering child who could get no relief from horrendous pain. I opened my Bible to Psalm 22—since it was September 22—and read these words
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Psalm 22:1a)
I instantly bawled like a baby, something highly unusual for me. The paradox was how close I felt to God at the moment. In fact, I’ve probably never felt close to the Father than when I read those words. I did not feel forsaken by God. Instead, my mind raced to the words of Jesus on the cross we looked at last week…
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). (Matthew 27:45-46)
As I watched my child suffer excruciating pain, I was transported to Calvary and the pain the Father must’ve felt watching His child suffer excruciating pain.
Where is God when you’re suffering? With you. He understands.
Psalm 34:18 says
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)
There are many wonderful attributes of God. One is His presence. He is not only omnipresent—everywhere at once—He is especially close to the hurting, the suffering. Jesus knows pain and refused to watch us from a distance. The celebration of Emmanuel is God came near, God entered our world, God experienced pain, God understands.
For the longest time I couldn’t turn to Psalm 22 without getting emotional. Those nine words pierced my heart, reminding me of that place of mourning and agony and yet joyfully reminding me of God’s presence.
It was months later when I realized what follows the suffering of Psalm 22…Psalm 23. Perhaps you’ve heard it!
A psalm of David.
The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever. (Psalm 23)
Because David was able to fear God and not evil—he found God more awesome than his temptations or fears—he was not afraid. The presence of God brought him comfort.
Every day we are tempted to be afraid as we read the news, talk with friends…look in the mirror! As we said several weeks ago, “Fear Not. Fear God.”
Where is God when you’re afraid? With you. So we need not be afraid.
A few chapters later in Psalms we read these words of David
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me? (Psalm 56:3-4)
It’s great to know God is powerful, but it is His presence which is truly comforting. Whether you feel it or not, God is with us. Always. Everywhere. He’s with us in the midst of suffering. He’s with us when we’re afraid.
The irony of Advent is during this season of waiting for Jesus, He is with us. He is here. At this time of year we look back at history, we look forward to the return of Jesus, but we must also be fully present in the moment, welcoming Jesus into our current reality.
He wants to do life with us. Today. We are never alone. As we celebrate Emmanuel, invite Jesus into your life, your home, your school, your place of work, your recreation, and your commute. He not only wants to be your friend, He is the Almighty God of angel armies who is always by your side.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here. You can subscribe to the free FAC Focus e-newsletter here.
When Friends Let You Down, 6 December 2015
07 12 15
When Friends Let You Down
Series: Be Here Now
1 Samuel 30:6
Series Overview: Christmas is the celebration of “presence.”
Big Idea: We must be present with and find our strength in God, even when friends desert us.
Introduction
This morning we are continuing our Advent series, Be Here Now, messages about presence—not presents you buy and wrap but presence—being fully present. Last week we noted The Golden Rule, Jesus’ timeless command to
Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Luke 6:31)
We’ve all been annoyed by people who are present physically with us but are in another place mentally and emotionally. Whether they are distracted by texts on their phone, yawning binges and fatigue, daydreaming, or multitasking, it’s frustrating and downright offensive to be ignored.
It’s one thing to struggle for attention during a lunch conversation but quite another to be ignored or even abandoned in a relationship.
Have you ever been deserted by a friend? Have you invested in a friendship only to watch it die? What do you do when you’re willing to be fully present with someone and they no longer show up?
David
One of the great things about the Bible is its authenticity. You can’t make this stuff up! Today we’re going to look at three biblical characters, one from the Old and the other two from the New Testament. The first involves David. King David is one of the most important figures not only in the Bible but in human history. He became the second king of Israel following Saul, famous for a battle won against a giant named Goliath, and—like all of us—an imperfect sinner.
The book of 1 Samuel chapter 30 describes one of David’s worst moments as a warrior…prior to assuming the throne.
David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, and had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way. (1 Samuel 30:1-2)
This is not a good day!
When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. (1 Samuel 30:3-5)
Imagine how David is feeling. His two wives—we don’t have time today to discuss polygamy!—have been captured. Defeat is visible everywhere. He’s desperate.
Pause!
Shawn Achor, Harvard researcher and author of How Happiness Fuels Your Success, says, “The social connection is the greatest predictor of long-term happiness by far…social connection is not only the greatest predictor of happiness, social connection is as predictive of how long you will end up living as obesity, high blood pressure, or smoking.”
Connection to friends is the key indicator of happiness and a huge factor in how long you will live!
What are the implications of that when we lose friends? Huge!
I know what it’s like to lose friends.
One of my very best friends drifted away, failing to return phone calls and showing no interest in me and our relationship.
A few years ago after gently confronting another friend about his offensive behavior a similar situation occurred. Not only did he no longer reach out to me, he said things to other friends who stopped inviting us to social gatherings.
There are other examples, but none come close to the intensity of David’s loss.
Back to David!
David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. (1 Samuel 30:6a)
It’s one thing to lose a friend. It’s another thing entirely to have friends that want to see you lose your life! What would you do…after you ran from these angry men?!
But David found strength in the LORD his God. (1 Samuel 30:6b)
This is an example of a good “but.” It’s worth noting the word “LORD” is capitalized. This is the Hebrew word that is essentially spelled YHWH. We don’t know how to pronounce it because Hebrew has no vowels and because it is the holy name of God, the name spoken to Moses at the Burning Bush. To this day Jews will not utter the word because they don’t want to dishonor it in any way. The word “Adonoi” is a more common word for “lord” often used instead. “In English, the Tetragrammaton—another term for YHWH— is in all-caps LORD to distinguish it from Adonai.
I once asked my Messianic Jewish rabbi friend about the pronunciation of YHWH. It is my understanding that Jehovah is grossly incorrect. When I asked Allen if it is Yahweh, he said, “That’s very close!” refusing to speak the word himself.
But David found strength in the LORD his God. (1 Samuel 30:6b)
This holy word for God describes Him as “I Am,” as the one who exists and/or causes existence. When abandoned by friends, David found strength in Am, in the LORD God.
One of the great things about God is He never changes. Hebrews tells us
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)
Paul
Paul, once known as Saul, wrote much of the New Testament. In his second letter to his disciple Timothy, he writes,
Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message. (2 Timothy 4:14-15)
Notice Paul not only acknowledges the painful loss of a friend, he offers a warning to Timothy. Alexander is not a safe person. Boundaries are necessary.
We are to love all—look out for their best interests—but that does not mean we are to be best friends with everyone. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad if Alexander was the only lost friend, but Paul continues…
At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. (2 Timothy 4:16)
Not only does Paul not complain, he speaks on behalf of those who deserted him, and then he offers a “but” similar to David.
But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:17-18)
Paul turns to God for strength, then seeks the glory of God in all things. Every story in the Bible is ultimately about God’s glory.
Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. (Isaiah 26:8)
He leveraged the good and bad for the glory of God.
Jesus
Our third biblical character was denied three times by one of His three best friends, Peter. He was betrayed by one of His twelve closest friends, Judas. I’m speaking of Jesus. As painful as those experienced must have been, nothing can compare to the anguish of being forsaken by the Father as He hung on the cross.
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). (Matthew 27:45-46)
When David and Paul were deserted, they turned to God.
When Jesus was deserted, He had nowhere to turn.
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. (John 17:1)
Jesus died for the glory of God. Did you catch that? He died for us, but even more He died for the glory of God.
In Jesus’ hour of greatest need, He turned to the Father. Where do you turn when you feel alone, abandoned, betrayed?
So What?
It’s impossible to be fully present with someone who’s not even there! The wounds of a friend run deep, and many common psychological problems stem from abandonment issues, often parents, but also friends. It takes years to build trust but only seconds to destroy it.
This season is “the most wonderful time of year” for some, yet it’s the most depressing time of year for others. Loneliness can be deadly—literally. If you feel alone, I have great news for you!
First, whether you know or accept it, you are a part of a family—the First Alliance family. You belong here!
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, our worship gathering is not the ideal environment for developing relationships, but we have Sunday School classes at 9 AM and Growth Groups that meet tonight and throughout the week, both smaller gatherings of people who not only study the Bible and pray but do life together. I urge you to get connected in a small group.
Second, Jesus understands. He was not only abandoned by friends, He was abandoned for a time by God the Father as our sins upon Christ were unbearable. He experience the ultimate pain, grief and loss.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
Third and finally, God is with you…always. We’ll discuss this further the next two weeks. One of the names of Jesus, Emmanuel, means “God with us.” Although Jesus is not physically with us at the moment, He left the Holy Spirit for all who believe in Him to experience. The Holy Spirit lives inside every follower of Jesus!
Conclusion
Relationships are risky. Friends can turn on you. Bonds can be broken. Such pain can make us bitter—or it can make us better as we run to Jesus, our big Brother who knows suffering and abandonment better than any of us could imagine.
This Advent season and every day of the year let’s be fully present for one another—inward. Let’s we reach out to the lonely and needy—outward. And let’s reach upward to Emmanuel, God with us.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here. You can subscribe to the free FAC Focus e-newsletter here.
Series: Be Here Now
1 Samuel 30:6
Series Overview: Christmas is the celebration of “presence.”
Big Idea: We must be present with and find our strength in God, even when friends desert us.
Introduction
This morning we are continuing our Advent series, Be Here Now, messages about presence—not presents you buy and wrap but presence—being fully present. Last week we noted The Golden Rule, Jesus’ timeless command to
Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Luke 6:31)
We’ve all been annoyed by people who are present physically with us but are in another place mentally and emotionally. Whether they are distracted by texts on their phone, yawning binges and fatigue, daydreaming, or multitasking, it’s frustrating and downright offensive to be ignored.
It’s one thing to struggle for attention during a lunch conversation but quite another to be ignored or even abandoned in a relationship.
Have you ever been deserted by a friend? Have you invested in a friendship only to watch it die? What do you do when you’re willing to be fully present with someone and they no longer show up?
David
One of the great things about the Bible is its authenticity. You can’t make this stuff up! Today we’re going to look at three biblical characters, one from the Old and the other two from the New Testament. The first involves David. King David is one of the most important figures not only in the Bible but in human history. He became the second king of Israel following Saul, famous for a battle won against a giant named Goliath, and—like all of us—an imperfect sinner.
The book of 1 Samuel chapter 30 describes one of David’s worst moments as a warrior…prior to assuming the throne.
David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, and had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way. (1 Samuel 30:1-2)
This is not a good day!
When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. (1 Samuel 30:3-5)
Imagine how David is feeling. His two wives—we don’t have time today to discuss polygamy!—have been captured. Defeat is visible everywhere. He’s desperate.
Pause!
Shawn Achor, Harvard researcher and author of How Happiness Fuels Your Success, says, “The social connection is the greatest predictor of long-term happiness by far…social connection is not only the greatest predictor of happiness, social connection is as predictive of how long you will end up living as obesity, high blood pressure, or smoking.”
Connection to friends is the key indicator of happiness and a huge factor in how long you will live!
What are the implications of that when we lose friends? Huge!
I know what it’s like to lose friends.
One of my very best friends drifted away, failing to return phone calls and showing no interest in me and our relationship.
A few years ago after gently confronting another friend about his offensive behavior a similar situation occurred. Not only did he no longer reach out to me, he said things to other friends who stopped inviting us to social gatherings.
There are other examples, but none come close to the intensity of David’s loss.
Back to David!
David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. (1 Samuel 30:6a)
It’s one thing to lose a friend. It’s another thing entirely to have friends that want to see you lose your life! What would you do…after you ran from these angry men?!
But David found strength in the LORD his God. (1 Samuel 30:6b)
This is an example of a good “but.” It’s worth noting the word “LORD” is capitalized. This is the Hebrew word that is essentially spelled YHWH. We don’t know how to pronounce it because Hebrew has no vowels and because it is the holy name of God, the name spoken to Moses at the Burning Bush. To this day Jews will not utter the word because they don’t want to dishonor it in any way. The word “Adonoi” is a more common word for “lord” often used instead. “In English, the Tetragrammaton—another term for YHWH— is in all-caps LORD to distinguish it from Adonai.
I once asked my Messianic Jewish rabbi friend about the pronunciation of YHWH. It is my understanding that Jehovah is grossly incorrect. When I asked Allen if it is Yahweh, he said, “That’s very close!” refusing to speak the word himself.
But David found strength in the LORD his God. (1 Samuel 30:6b)
This holy word for God describes Him as “I Am,” as the one who exists and/or causes existence. When abandoned by friends, David found strength in Am, in the LORD God.
One of the great things about God is He never changes. Hebrews tells us
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)
Paul
Paul, once known as Saul, wrote much of the New Testament. In his second letter to his disciple Timothy, he writes,
Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message. (2 Timothy 4:14-15)
Notice Paul not only acknowledges the painful loss of a friend, he offers a warning to Timothy. Alexander is not a safe person. Boundaries are necessary.
We are to love all—look out for their best interests—but that does not mean we are to be best friends with everyone. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad if Alexander was the only lost friend, but Paul continues…
At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. (2 Timothy 4:16)
Not only does Paul not complain, he speaks on behalf of those who deserted him, and then he offers a “but” similar to David.
But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:17-18)
Paul turns to God for strength, then seeks the glory of God in all things. Every story in the Bible is ultimately about God’s glory.
Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. (Isaiah 26:8)
He leveraged the good and bad for the glory of God.
Jesus
Our third biblical character was denied three times by one of His three best friends, Peter. He was betrayed by one of His twelve closest friends, Judas. I’m speaking of Jesus. As painful as those experienced must have been, nothing can compare to the anguish of being forsaken by the Father as He hung on the cross.
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). (Matthew 27:45-46)
When David and Paul were deserted, they turned to God.
When Jesus was deserted, He had nowhere to turn.
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. (John 17:1)
Jesus died for the glory of God. Did you catch that? He died for us, but even more He died for the glory of God.
In Jesus’ hour of greatest need, He turned to the Father. Where do you turn when you feel alone, abandoned, betrayed?
So What?
It’s impossible to be fully present with someone who’s not even there! The wounds of a friend run deep, and many common psychological problems stem from abandonment issues, often parents, but also friends. It takes years to build trust but only seconds to destroy it.
This season is “the most wonderful time of year” for some, yet it’s the most depressing time of year for others. Loneliness can be deadly—literally. If you feel alone, I have great news for you!
First, whether you know or accept it, you are a part of a family—the First Alliance family. You belong here!
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, our worship gathering is not the ideal environment for developing relationships, but we have Sunday School classes at 9 AM and Growth Groups that meet tonight and throughout the week, both smaller gatherings of people who not only study the Bible and pray but do life together. I urge you to get connected in a small group.
Second, Jesus understands. He was not only abandoned by friends, He was abandoned for a time by God the Father as our sins upon Christ were unbearable. He experience the ultimate pain, grief and loss.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
Third and finally, God is with you…always. We’ll discuss this further the next two weeks. One of the names of Jesus, Emmanuel, means “God with us.” Although Jesus is not physically with us at the moment, He left the Holy Spirit for all who believe in Him to experience. The Holy Spirit lives inside every follower of Jesus!
Conclusion
Relationships are risky. Friends can turn on you. Bonds can be broken. Such pain can make us bitter—or it can make us better as we run to Jesus, our big Brother who knows suffering and abandonment better than any of us could imagine.
This Advent season and every day of the year let’s be fully present for one another—inward. Let’s we reach out to the lonely and needy—outward. And let’s reach upward to Emmanuel, God with us.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here. You can subscribe to the free FAC Focus e-newsletter here.
When You Are Exhausted, 29 November 2015
30 11 15
When You Are Exhausted
Series: Be Here Now
Galatians 6:9-10
Series Overview: Christmas is the celebration of “presence.”
Big Idea: How do we remain fully present in the lives of others…and not wear ourselves out in the process?
Introduction
This past Wednesday I received a mass e-mail from writer Brett Kelly. I could hardly believe my eyes as the title was “Be Present.” He said,
“About a week ago, I was sitting at my usual bar, having a drink with a friend. As we sat there, I found my mind wandering to all sorts of different things: work I needed to do, my kids, etc. Important things, sure, but things unrelated to the current activity. I was anxious about the thoughts that distracted me, even though I had decided, by agreeing to meet the friend I sat with, that I wasn’t going to do anything about them for awhile.
So, I sat back, took a sip of my drink, and looked across the table at my friend and said to myself:
Be here, now.
Several years ago I found myself at a table with some friends talking to a best-selling author and pastor. I told him I was wrestling with a good definition of success, especially because I knew it was more than simply the number of people in the church I pastored or how many people read my blog. At first he said, “I don’t really think about success.” “Easy for you to say,” I thought, “since you’re leading one of the most innovative churches in the world, writing popular books, and speaking all around the world.”
Then he said something I’ve never forgotten. He said, “If I had to define success, I would say to be fully present in the moment.”
Now that the Christmas season has officially begun (for me it begins when I seen Santa in the Thanksgiving Day parade!) we are taking a break from our series on 1 Peter to celebrate Advent, literally the arrival.
For hundreds of years the people of Israel waited for the arrival of the Messiah prophesied throughout the Old Testament.
Hundreds of years! Can you imagine waiting hundreds of years for Jesus? Actually, yes! Today we find ourselves between the first and second arrivals of Jesus to our planet. We naturally think of Christmas as a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but it’s easy to forget the generations of people prior…and even those of us who await His return. This is an important time of year for giving gifts, singing songs, decorating, parties, and traditions but Advent is so much more. It is a time to simultaneously look back and look forward.
Our Advent series is called “Be Here Now” and the theme of these four weeks is presence, not Christmas presents wrapped under a tree, but presence—“e-n-c-e.” Christmas is the celebration of presence, God’s presence with us and our presence with Him and others.
If success is being fully present in the moment (let’s just use that definition for now), what is failure? Not being fully present!
Before we continue, I must pause and confess. I’m not always fully present. I “try” to multitask, thinking I can talk on the phone, eat my lunch, and surf the Internet simultaneously. I can’t. Heather knows it!
Parenthetically, I’ve been told a man’s brain is like a bird house. There’s room for one thing at a time. A woman’s brain, on the other hand, is like Swiss cheese! I’m not sure about that but I know I’m easily distracted (look, a squirrel!) and struggle to be fully present.
How do you feel when someone you’re with is not fully present…with you? You may feel frustrated, angry, or even invisible and lonely.
Jesus created The Golden Rule, stating simply
Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Luke 6:31)
Which begs the question…
What prevents us from being fully present?
What doesn’t?!
Perhaps the greatest obstacle to being fully present with another person is busyness. When did it become a badge of honor to be busy?
Being busy is not the definition of success.
Being busy is not the same as being productive.
Being busy is not a spiritual gift.
Being busy is not a sign of spiritual maturity.
Fatigue
One of the reasons we’re not fully present with one another—and/or with God—is exhaustion.
When you are fatigued, it’s difficult to focus. It’s hard to listen attentively to others. It’s a challenge to engage a person. You may have to fight the urge to literally fall asleep (I hope that’s not you right now!!!).
Are you tired? Why? It may be you’re the parent of a young child who still confuses daytime and nighttime. I remember wondering if those sleepless nights would ever end. They do. When they become teenagers. Then you can’t wake them up!
Your fatigue may be due to health concerns you cannot control.
But it could be due to busyness. Busyness may be the cause of your health concerns!
Friends, we’re all given 24 hours a day. We must be good stewards of our time as we are to be good stewards of the financial resources we’ve been given by God. Time and money are both gifts, gifts to be used wisely. Often it’s easier to manage our checkbook than our calendar.
Busyness compromises my focus. I used to have a terrible habit of being a few minutes late to appointments.
If busyness is not a good thing, we need to assess our priorities and say no to things. It has been said the good is the enemy of the best. You can’t do everything! Author Jim Collins is famous for not only creating a to-do list but also a not-to-do list. If you add something to your schedule, what will you delete?
Doing Good
I’ve been your pastor for a little over a month now and I must say I’m still overwhelmed by God’s goodness, the incredible opportunities before us, and the rich heritage at First Alliance of serving. A week ago Heather and I joined seven other teams to distribute Thanksgiving meals to the less fortunate in Toledo. Many of you serve not only within these walls but into the community with Cherry Street Mission, the Toledo Resuce Mission, Water for Ishmael, and the many other local—and global—ministries. I’m humbled to be surrounded by so many faithful servants, especially visible during the holidays.
Toledo is a city with many needs, and it’s inspiring to see so many of you meeting those needs, day in and day out. But being aware of the needs of the world around us can wear us out. We can become “weary in doing good.” Paul wrote to the church in Galatia…
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:9-10)
Great, but how do we keep from becoming disengaged and still stay balanced? How do we remain fully present in the lives of others and not wear ourselves out in the process?
Make sure you on your oxygen mask! If you’ve ever flown on a commercial airplane, you know they always alert you to the oxygen masks that will be available if there is a loss in cabin pressure, and when they do their pre-flight safety instructions they always say, “If you’re traveling with small children, put on your oxygen mask first.” It’s counter-intuitive, but if you’re not safe, you’ll be useless in helping others stay safe.
Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert have written a helpful book whose title says it all…
When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor…and Yourself
If we’re exhausted or sick—or dead!—we can’t be fully present for others.
If we’re discouraged and inpatient and give up, we’ll miss the harvest God has planned for us.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)
Don’t become weary and overwhelmed. Easier said than done! Just stop it!
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:10)
“Opportunity” in the Greek is the word kairos meaning “time.” You may be familiar with the word chronos, another Greek words for time. Chronos is a specific moment of time, like 11:03 AM or Thursday at noon. Kairos refers to a season or less specific moment, like last month or—likely in this context—our limited lives. As we have time, do good. As we are alive in these bodies for 70 or 80 (or longer!) years, do good.
So how do we avoid burnout and exhaustion…or disengaging entirely from the needs of the world? What did Jesus do? He understood His limits. He didn’t try to address every possible need. Does that sound cruel? Does that sound fair?
It’s what He did! He fasted for forty days before choosing the twelve disciples…and then had three favorites with whom He spent most of His time—Peter, James and John.
He focused on individuals rather than the masses. To quote Andy Stanley, Jesus did for one what He wanted to do for everyone. He was deep with a few rather than shallow with many. Lasting change takes time. It takes attention.
You can’t be fully present with all 7 billion people on the planet.
Jesus was fully present…with them and with others. He looked people in the eye. He said no to good opportunities in order to say yes to the best. He also chose rest.
Rest
Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap.
Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a day off.
It seems to me Someone said once a week we need a day off, a Sabbath. In God’s Top Ten the Sabbath is listed above murder and adultery. I’m just sayin’!
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy
Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:8-11)
Is anyone convicted like I am right now?
As I fight to establish weekly rhythms in our new life in Ohio I’m working to make sure I’m faithful in rest. As I get older, I’m more conscious of my need for rest in order to be fully present. It’s difficult to be engaged with someone when you can’t stop yawning! Of course when I’m tired my mind is prone to wander even if my body looks involved in the conversation.
Honestly, I like to be busy and productive. I love the feeling of accomplishment, whether it’s finally finishing an endless home improvement project, writing a paper for a doctorate class, completing a jog around the neighborhood, or running errands.
But sometimes I need to rest. I need to slow down.
Present with God
One of the most challenging verses in the Bible just so happens to be hanging in our hallway near the bathrooms. Perhaps it’s a subtle message from God!
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God. Notice there’s even a comma! It doesn’t say be still and know that I am God. It says be still…and know that I am God. You need a moment of stillness just to complete the sentence!
Are you fully present with God?
Again, I recognize for young parents and others it’s difficult to be still. You’re surrounded by noise! You’re exhausted. It’s worth the effort to be present with God—in prayer, in reading the Bible, in worship.
The Starfish Story
A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.
She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”
The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, “Well, I made a difference to that one!”
The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had done and said. Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved.
— Adapted from The Star Thrower
by Loren C. Eiseley
So What?
Brothers and sisters, do good, but know your limits. Rest. Take care of yourself. Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone. We are on a mission to make disciples. If Jesus could only handle a dozen—or three—He doesn’t expect us to change the world overnight. But if we all did for one or a few what we wish we could do for everyone, the world would be changed! We’d be changed, too!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here. You can subscribe to the free FAC Focus e-newsletter here.
Series: Be Here Now
Galatians 6:9-10
Series Overview: Christmas is the celebration of “presence.”
Big Idea: How do we remain fully present in the lives of others…and not wear ourselves out in the process?
Introduction
This past Wednesday I received a mass e-mail from writer Brett Kelly. I could hardly believe my eyes as the title was “Be Present.” He said,
“About a week ago, I was sitting at my usual bar, having a drink with a friend. As we sat there, I found my mind wandering to all sorts of different things: work I needed to do, my kids, etc. Important things, sure, but things unrelated to the current activity. I was anxious about the thoughts that distracted me, even though I had decided, by agreeing to meet the friend I sat with, that I wasn’t going to do anything about them for awhile.
So, I sat back, took a sip of my drink, and looked across the table at my friend and said to myself:
Be here, now.
Several years ago I found myself at a table with some friends talking to a best-selling author and pastor. I told him I was wrestling with a good definition of success, especially because I knew it was more than simply the number of people in the church I pastored or how many people read my blog. At first he said, “I don’t really think about success.” “Easy for you to say,” I thought, “since you’re leading one of the most innovative churches in the world, writing popular books, and speaking all around the world.”
Then he said something I’ve never forgotten. He said, “If I had to define success, I would say to be fully present in the moment.”
Now that the Christmas season has officially begun (for me it begins when I seen Santa in the Thanksgiving Day parade!) we are taking a break from our series on 1 Peter to celebrate Advent, literally the arrival.
For hundreds of years the people of Israel waited for the arrival of the Messiah prophesied throughout the Old Testament.
Hundreds of years! Can you imagine waiting hundreds of years for Jesus? Actually, yes! Today we find ourselves between the first and second arrivals of Jesus to our planet. We naturally think of Christmas as a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but it’s easy to forget the generations of people prior…and even those of us who await His return. This is an important time of year for giving gifts, singing songs, decorating, parties, and traditions but Advent is so much more. It is a time to simultaneously look back and look forward.
Our Advent series is called “Be Here Now” and the theme of these four weeks is presence, not Christmas presents wrapped under a tree, but presence—“e-n-c-e.” Christmas is the celebration of presence, God’s presence with us and our presence with Him and others.
If success is being fully present in the moment (let’s just use that definition for now), what is failure? Not being fully present!
Before we continue, I must pause and confess. I’m not always fully present. I “try” to multitask, thinking I can talk on the phone, eat my lunch, and surf the Internet simultaneously. I can’t. Heather knows it!
Parenthetically, I’ve been told a man’s brain is like a bird house. There’s room for one thing at a time. A woman’s brain, on the other hand, is like Swiss cheese! I’m not sure about that but I know I’m easily distracted (look, a squirrel!) and struggle to be fully present.
How do you feel when someone you’re with is not fully present…with you? You may feel frustrated, angry, or even invisible and lonely.
Jesus created The Golden Rule, stating simply
Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Luke 6:31)
Which begs the question…
What prevents us from being fully present?
What doesn’t?!
- - Phone calls
- - Texts
- - TV
- - ADD
- - Other people
- - Noise
- - Boredom
- - Stress
Perhaps the greatest obstacle to being fully present with another person is busyness. When did it become a badge of honor to be busy?
Being busy is not the definition of success.
Being busy is not the same as being productive.
Being busy is not a spiritual gift.
Being busy is not a sign of spiritual maturity.
Fatigue
One of the reasons we’re not fully present with one another—and/or with God—is exhaustion.
When you are fatigued, it’s difficult to focus. It’s hard to listen attentively to others. It’s a challenge to engage a person. You may have to fight the urge to literally fall asleep (I hope that’s not you right now!!!).
Are you tired? Why? It may be you’re the parent of a young child who still confuses daytime and nighttime. I remember wondering if those sleepless nights would ever end. They do. When they become teenagers. Then you can’t wake them up!
Your fatigue may be due to health concerns you cannot control.
But it could be due to busyness. Busyness may be the cause of your health concerns!
Friends, we’re all given 24 hours a day. We must be good stewards of our time as we are to be good stewards of the financial resources we’ve been given by God. Time and money are both gifts, gifts to be used wisely. Often it’s easier to manage our checkbook than our calendar.
Busyness compromises my focus. I used to have a terrible habit of being a few minutes late to appointments.
If busyness is not a good thing, we need to assess our priorities and say no to things. It has been said the good is the enemy of the best. You can’t do everything! Author Jim Collins is famous for not only creating a to-do list but also a not-to-do list. If you add something to your schedule, what will you delete?
Doing Good
I’ve been your pastor for a little over a month now and I must say I’m still overwhelmed by God’s goodness, the incredible opportunities before us, and the rich heritage at First Alliance of serving. A week ago Heather and I joined seven other teams to distribute Thanksgiving meals to the less fortunate in Toledo. Many of you serve not only within these walls but into the community with Cherry Street Mission, the Toledo Resuce Mission, Water for Ishmael, and the many other local—and global—ministries. I’m humbled to be surrounded by so many faithful servants, especially visible during the holidays.
Toledo is a city with many needs, and it’s inspiring to see so many of you meeting those needs, day in and day out. But being aware of the needs of the world around us can wear us out. We can become “weary in doing good.” Paul wrote to the church in Galatia…
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:9-10)
Great, but how do we keep from becoming disengaged and still stay balanced? How do we remain fully present in the lives of others and not wear ourselves out in the process?
Make sure you on your oxygen mask! If you’ve ever flown on a commercial airplane, you know they always alert you to the oxygen masks that will be available if there is a loss in cabin pressure, and when they do their pre-flight safety instructions they always say, “If you’re traveling with small children, put on your oxygen mask first.” It’s counter-intuitive, but if you’re not safe, you’ll be useless in helping others stay safe.
Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert have written a helpful book whose title says it all…
When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor…and Yourself
If we’re exhausted or sick—or dead!—we can’t be fully present for others.
If we’re discouraged and inpatient and give up, we’ll miss the harvest God has planned for us.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)
Don’t become weary and overwhelmed. Easier said than done! Just stop it!
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:10)
“Opportunity” in the Greek is the word kairos meaning “time.” You may be familiar with the word chronos, another Greek words for time. Chronos is a specific moment of time, like 11:03 AM or Thursday at noon. Kairos refers to a season or less specific moment, like last month or—likely in this context—our limited lives. As we have time, do good. As we are alive in these bodies for 70 or 80 (or longer!) years, do good.
So how do we avoid burnout and exhaustion…or disengaging entirely from the needs of the world? What did Jesus do? He understood His limits. He didn’t try to address every possible need. Does that sound cruel? Does that sound fair?
It’s what He did! He fasted for forty days before choosing the twelve disciples…and then had three favorites with whom He spent most of His time—Peter, James and John.
He focused on individuals rather than the masses. To quote Andy Stanley, Jesus did for one what He wanted to do for everyone. He was deep with a few rather than shallow with many. Lasting change takes time. It takes attention.
You can’t be fully present with all 7 billion people on the planet.
Jesus was fully present…with them and with others. He looked people in the eye. He said no to good opportunities in order to say yes to the best. He also chose rest.
Rest
Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap.
Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a day off.
It seems to me Someone said once a week we need a day off, a Sabbath. In God’s Top Ten the Sabbath is listed above murder and adultery. I’m just sayin’!
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy
Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:8-11)
Is anyone convicted like I am right now?
As I fight to establish weekly rhythms in our new life in Ohio I’m working to make sure I’m faithful in rest. As I get older, I’m more conscious of my need for rest in order to be fully present. It’s difficult to be engaged with someone when you can’t stop yawning! Of course when I’m tired my mind is prone to wander even if my body looks involved in the conversation.
Honestly, I like to be busy and productive. I love the feeling of accomplishment, whether it’s finally finishing an endless home improvement project, writing a paper for a doctorate class, completing a jog around the neighborhood, or running errands.
But sometimes I need to rest. I need to slow down.
Present with God
One of the most challenging verses in the Bible just so happens to be hanging in our hallway near the bathrooms. Perhaps it’s a subtle message from God!
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God. Notice there’s even a comma! It doesn’t say be still and know that I am God. It says be still…and know that I am God. You need a moment of stillness just to complete the sentence!
Are you fully present with God?
Again, I recognize for young parents and others it’s difficult to be still. You’re surrounded by noise! You’re exhausted. It’s worth the effort to be present with God—in prayer, in reading the Bible, in worship.
The Starfish Story
A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.
She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”
The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, “Well, I made a difference to that one!”
The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had done and said. Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved.
— Adapted from The Star Thrower
by Loren C. Eiseley
So What?
Brothers and sisters, do good, but know your limits. Rest. Take care of yourself. Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone. We are on a mission to make disciples. If Jesus could only handle a dozen—or three—He doesn’t expect us to change the world overnight. But if we all did for one or a few what we wish we could do for everyone, the world would be changed! We’d be changed, too!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here. You can subscribe to the free FAC Focus e-newsletter here.
Somebody's Watching You! 22 November 2015
23 11 15
Note: This message is similar to one preached at Scio Community Church, September 27, 2015.
Somebody’s Watching You!
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 2:11-25
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Suffer like Jesus…God is watching.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering. In the first three weeks we looked at hope, holiness, and harmony.
As we continue our series on 1 Peter, our text for today reminds us about time. Time is a fascinating dimension to life. We often struggle to be fully present in the moment, instead reminiscing about the past or dreaming about the future.
Patience is related to the future. We want things now. God’s timing is never late but rarely early. If only He would answer my prayers instantly like a genie in a lamp, yet Daddy knows best and can be trusted, even His timing. Perhaps in hindsight you’re glad God waited to answer a prayer.
One of the most common expressions among children is, “It’s not fair!” Did I say children?! Adults say it all the time, too! The great theological Bill Gates said, “Life is not fair. Get used to it.” We live in a broken, sinful world where injustices are all around us. Often the best we can hope for is some sort of restitution or reconciliation through a judge or jury.
But what if you knew justice would prevail? What if you could be certain all wrongs would be righted, all perpetrators would be punished, and all suffering would be rewarded?
It all brings fairness and time into question. Our scripture today is full of encouragement from Peter to those suffering, reminding them their present suffering is not the end. There is more to their story. Judgment Day is coming, a day of reckoning, a day in which many will rejoice while others suffer the consequences of their unrighteousness.
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. (2:11)
Last week we read Peter’s instruction to get rid of sin. Throughout every day we make decisions to follow the world or Jesus. These exiles—like us—are in the midst of a war between good and evil, between God and satan. We are in the midst of a spiritual battle. D.L. Moody once said, “I have more trouble with D.L. Moody than with any man I know.” Never confuse people as being the enemy. The real enemy is satan.
We were sinners but we’ve become adopted children of God. We are strangers/sojourners/pilgrims, resident aliens with citizenship in heaven. That’s immensely important. Foreigners and exiles approach life differently than citizens. Peter’s friends were literally exiles; we are not.
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (2:12)
Have you ever been punished for doing the right thing? Have you ever been despised by cheaters for being honest? Have you ever been mocked for studying by those who failed the test? Often our greatest critics are merely envious.
I’ve seen this frequently with pastors. Thanks to the internet, everyone can have their own platform for sharing their opinion with the world. I’m truly sick and tired of hearing people trash pastors of large churches that are often doing more for the kingdom of God than their sorry whining will ever do. Sure, there are heretics that preach harmful things, but I’ve heard people attack some of the most respected people and I have to wonder if they’re just envious.
Good deeds are a witness to the world. We need words and deeds in shining the light of Jesus into our dark world.
Peter continues…
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. (2:13-15)
This is a fascinating passage. It’s easy to think of our government but remember the context. Nero was coming to the throne in Rome as the new emperor. Life was hard for followers of Jesus. Peter’s not saying dishonor God, but he seems to be saying obey the law, submit to authority.
Daniel and his friends disobeyed the law but did so in a way that honored the king and respected authority (Daniel 1). They held their convictions and glorified God in the process. In Acts 4-5, Peter and his colleagues refused to stop preaching as commanded, yet they showed respect to their leaders in the process.
Note the last sentence. Again we see actions speak louder than words, in this case our good actions silencing—literally muzzle—fools.
Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. (2:16-17)
We have freedom. We have liberty—far more than Peter’s audience—but we must not abuse our freedoms. We are free but we’re God’s servants. God’s slaves. When we call God LORD we are declaring ourselves to be under His authority. We are to use our freedom to help, serve, and bless others as Nehemiah did restoring the Jerusalem walls.
He says to show “proper respect to everyone.” I wish more Christians would follow this simple instruction, especially during these political campaigns. How we submit to authority is a part of our witness to the world. Going 85 miles an hour on the expressway with a “Jesus Loves You” bumper sticker sends the wrong message.
He reiterates the command to love the family of believers. Note the context of authority. One way we love one another is by submitting to the authority of godly leaders in the church.
He says fear—or have awe for—God. Give honor to the emperor, the king, the president. The office is to be honored even if you disagree with their politics. No matter your dislike for a politician, they are created with dignity, value and worth in the image of God. Pray for them. The verbs literally mean to keep loving, keep fearing, keep honoring…constantly. This is no mere suggestion. The book of Romans says…
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13:1)
This all echoes Solomon’s wisdom:
Fear the Lord and the king, my son…(Proverbs 24:21)
I admit this can be tricky. Not every nation has a church and state separation. Facebook is abuzz with Christians supporting and opposing Kim Davis for her decisions as a county clerk in Kentucky. What do you do when the law and the Word of God are in conflict?
Perhaps one word to consider is power. Jesus did not come to overthrow the government of His day, though many hoped He would. As He entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday the people shouted, “Hosanna!” which means “Save us now!” He will exercise His power when He returns, but He modeled for us a servant’s posture. Whenever I see pride or self-serving power exerted I get nervous in a hurry!
Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. (2:18-21)
First century slavery was different than the horror of slavery in the USA up to our Civil War. It was generally a temporary condition that included possibly one-third of the population. Many chose to be slaves for a season in order to become full Roman citizens. Peter’s words regarding obedience as slaves may have been partially so they could be set free. Powerful masters had powerful slaves, so for some, it was a valuable position. Some slaves were doctors, teachers, and even sea-captains.
It wasn’t necessary an easy life, however. Some slaves were both physically abused and made sexually available to their masters. Scott Bartchy writes,”
“Central features that distinguish 1st century slavery from that later practiced in the New World are the following: racial factors played no role; education was greatly encouraged (some slaves were better educated than their owners) and enhanced a slave’s value; many slaves carried out sensitive and highly responsible social functions; slaves could own property (including other slaves!); their religious and cultural traditions were the same as those of the freeborn; no laws prohibited public assembly of slaves; and (perhaps above all) the majority of urban and domestic slaves could legitimately anticipate being emancipated by the age of 30.”
Submit. Not a popular word in our culture, or perhaps any. None of us truly understand the life of a slave. Some liken their boss to a slave master. No matter your job, our nation affords us all certain freedoms unimaginable to those in other places and/or other times in history. We can’t fully appreciate the weight of Peter’s words except to say do the right thing, even if you’re not rewarded for it…now. Someday you will receive your reward.
Work as unto the LORD. Paul wrote to the church in Colossae…
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism. (Colossians 3:22-25)
Submit to the authority of your boss. When wronged, it’s human nature to want to fight, but we are to submit and let God fight. This doesn’t mean be a doormat or tolerate abuse, but it does mean remember God is watching.
Jesus understands. Jesus suffered. Not only did He suffer for doing good, He did it to both set an example for us and to sacrifice for us. He died for you and for me. He served through suffering.
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” (2:22)
He lived a perfect life, yet He was executed, wrongfully accused. He suffered the ultimate suffering for doing good. He lived the cruciform life, shaped by the cross.
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (2:23-25)
Peter quotes Isaiah 53. It’s such a paradox that we have been healed by His wounds, His suffering.
Jesus’ life set an example for us.
Jesus’ death was a sacrifice for us.
Jesus is now our Shepherd and will return soon.
So What?
This passage is loaded with application possibilities. I say possibilities because the relationship between us and government can be tricky. Civil disobedience may be justified, but we must respect our leaders. Enduring a difficult job and serving wholeheartedly may be God’s desire and a great witness to others. Demonstrating kindness, generosity, humility, honesty, and loyalty when we don’t “feel” like it represents God well. We are to not only do the right thing, we are often to do the right things in the midst of suffering. A cruciform understanding of the Christian life—the way of self-denial and of suffering as demonstrated by Jesus—is a radical proclamation to our world.
“The way of suffering is the divinely intended manner of bringing the greatest victory of God into the world.” - Scot McKnight
There’s a famous poem that was written on the wall in Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta, a version of Dr. Kent Keith’s Paradoxical Commandments:
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
Life is hard. Injustice happens. We suffer. But there’s more to the story. God is watching. He will right all wrongs someday. It’s gonna be worth it someday.
“Life isn’t fair.” For the follower of Jesus, this is actually good news. You don’t want what you deserve! We all deserve eternal separation from God for our sins. It’s only grace that allows us forgiveness. Only the blood of Jesus can wash away our sins and make us white as snow. Only Christ’s broken body can mend our broken relationship with our heavenly Father. Praise God life isn’t fair!
The world is watching us. So is the Good Shepherd. Hallelujah!
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Somebody’s Watching You!
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 2:11-25
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Suffer like Jesus…God is watching.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering. In the first three weeks we looked at hope, holiness, and harmony.
As we continue our series on 1 Peter, our text for today reminds us about time. Time is a fascinating dimension to life. We often struggle to be fully present in the moment, instead reminiscing about the past or dreaming about the future.
Patience is related to the future. We want things now. God’s timing is never late but rarely early. If only He would answer my prayers instantly like a genie in a lamp, yet Daddy knows best and can be trusted, even His timing. Perhaps in hindsight you’re glad God waited to answer a prayer.
One of the most common expressions among children is, “It’s not fair!” Did I say children?! Adults say it all the time, too! The great theological Bill Gates said, “Life is not fair. Get used to it.” We live in a broken, sinful world where injustices are all around us. Often the best we can hope for is some sort of restitution or reconciliation through a judge or jury.
But what if you knew justice would prevail? What if you could be certain all wrongs would be righted, all perpetrators would be punished, and all suffering would be rewarded?
It all brings fairness and time into question. Our scripture today is full of encouragement from Peter to those suffering, reminding them their present suffering is not the end. There is more to their story. Judgment Day is coming, a day of reckoning, a day in which many will rejoice while others suffer the consequences of their unrighteousness.
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. (2:11)
Last week we read Peter’s instruction to get rid of sin. Throughout every day we make decisions to follow the world or Jesus. These exiles—like us—are in the midst of a war between good and evil, between God and satan. We are in the midst of a spiritual battle. D.L. Moody once said, “I have more trouble with D.L. Moody than with any man I know.” Never confuse people as being the enemy. The real enemy is satan.
We were sinners but we’ve become adopted children of God. We are strangers/sojourners/pilgrims, resident aliens with citizenship in heaven. That’s immensely important. Foreigners and exiles approach life differently than citizens. Peter’s friends were literally exiles; we are not.
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (2:12)
Have you ever been punished for doing the right thing? Have you ever been despised by cheaters for being honest? Have you ever been mocked for studying by those who failed the test? Often our greatest critics are merely envious.
I’ve seen this frequently with pastors. Thanks to the internet, everyone can have their own platform for sharing their opinion with the world. I’m truly sick and tired of hearing people trash pastors of large churches that are often doing more for the kingdom of God than their sorry whining will ever do. Sure, there are heretics that preach harmful things, but I’ve heard people attack some of the most respected people and I have to wonder if they’re just envious.
Good deeds are a witness to the world. We need words and deeds in shining the light of Jesus into our dark world.
Peter continues…
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. (2:13-15)
This is a fascinating passage. It’s easy to think of our government but remember the context. Nero was coming to the throne in Rome as the new emperor. Life was hard for followers of Jesus. Peter’s not saying dishonor God, but he seems to be saying obey the law, submit to authority.
Daniel and his friends disobeyed the law but did so in a way that honored the king and respected authority (Daniel 1). They held their convictions and glorified God in the process. In Acts 4-5, Peter and his colleagues refused to stop preaching as commanded, yet they showed respect to their leaders in the process.
Note the last sentence. Again we see actions speak louder than words, in this case our good actions silencing—literally muzzle—fools.
Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. (2:16-17)
We have freedom. We have liberty—far more than Peter’s audience—but we must not abuse our freedoms. We are free but we’re God’s servants. God’s slaves. When we call God LORD we are declaring ourselves to be under His authority. We are to use our freedom to help, serve, and bless others as Nehemiah did restoring the Jerusalem walls.
He says to show “proper respect to everyone.” I wish more Christians would follow this simple instruction, especially during these political campaigns. How we submit to authority is a part of our witness to the world. Going 85 miles an hour on the expressway with a “Jesus Loves You” bumper sticker sends the wrong message.
He reiterates the command to love the family of believers. Note the context of authority. One way we love one another is by submitting to the authority of godly leaders in the church.
He says fear—or have awe for—God. Give honor to the emperor, the king, the president. The office is to be honored even if you disagree with their politics. No matter your dislike for a politician, they are created with dignity, value and worth in the image of God. Pray for them. The verbs literally mean to keep loving, keep fearing, keep honoring…constantly. This is no mere suggestion. The book of Romans says…
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13:1)
This all echoes Solomon’s wisdom:
Fear the Lord and the king, my son…(Proverbs 24:21)
I admit this can be tricky. Not every nation has a church and state separation. Facebook is abuzz with Christians supporting and opposing Kim Davis for her decisions as a county clerk in Kentucky. What do you do when the law and the Word of God are in conflict?
Perhaps one word to consider is power. Jesus did not come to overthrow the government of His day, though many hoped He would. As He entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday the people shouted, “Hosanna!” which means “Save us now!” He will exercise His power when He returns, but He modeled for us a servant’s posture. Whenever I see pride or self-serving power exerted I get nervous in a hurry!
Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. (2:18-21)
First century slavery was different than the horror of slavery in the USA up to our Civil War. It was generally a temporary condition that included possibly one-third of the population. Many chose to be slaves for a season in order to become full Roman citizens. Peter’s words regarding obedience as slaves may have been partially so they could be set free. Powerful masters had powerful slaves, so for some, it was a valuable position. Some slaves were doctors, teachers, and even sea-captains.
It wasn’t necessary an easy life, however. Some slaves were both physically abused and made sexually available to their masters. Scott Bartchy writes,”
“Central features that distinguish 1st century slavery from that later practiced in the New World are the following: racial factors played no role; education was greatly encouraged (some slaves were better educated than their owners) and enhanced a slave’s value; many slaves carried out sensitive and highly responsible social functions; slaves could own property (including other slaves!); their religious and cultural traditions were the same as those of the freeborn; no laws prohibited public assembly of slaves; and (perhaps above all) the majority of urban and domestic slaves could legitimately anticipate being emancipated by the age of 30.”
Submit. Not a popular word in our culture, or perhaps any. None of us truly understand the life of a slave. Some liken their boss to a slave master. No matter your job, our nation affords us all certain freedoms unimaginable to those in other places and/or other times in history. We can’t fully appreciate the weight of Peter’s words except to say do the right thing, even if you’re not rewarded for it…now. Someday you will receive your reward.
Work as unto the LORD. Paul wrote to the church in Colossae…
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism. (Colossians 3:22-25)
Submit to the authority of your boss. When wronged, it’s human nature to want to fight, but we are to submit and let God fight. This doesn’t mean be a doormat or tolerate abuse, but it does mean remember God is watching.
Jesus understands. Jesus suffered. Not only did He suffer for doing good, He did it to both set an example for us and to sacrifice for us. He died for you and for me. He served through suffering.
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” (2:22)
He lived a perfect life, yet He was executed, wrongfully accused. He suffered the ultimate suffering for doing good. He lived the cruciform life, shaped by the cross.
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (2:23-25)
Peter quotes Isaiah 53. It’s such a paradox that we have been healed by His wounds, His suffering.
Jesus’ life set an example for us.
Jesus’ death was a sacrifice for us.
Jesus is now our Shepherd and will return soon.
So What?
This passage is loaded with application possibilities. I say possibilities because the relationship between us and government can be tricky. Civil disobedience may be justified, but we must respect our leaders. Enduring a difficult job and serving wholeheartedly may be God’s desire and a great witness to others. Demonstrating kindness, generosity, humility, honesty, and loyalty when we don’t “feel” like it represents God well. We are to not only do the right thing, we are often to do the right things in the midst of suffering. A cruciform understanding of the Christian life—the way of self-denial and of suffering as demonstrated by Jesus—is a radical proclamation to our world.
“The way of suffering is the divinely intended manner of bringing the greatest victory of God into the world.” - Scot McKnight
There’s a famous poem that was written on the wall in Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta, a version of Dr. Kent Keith’s Paradoxical Commandments:
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
Life is hard. Injustice happens. We suffer. But there’s more to the story. God is watching. He will right all wrongs someday. It’s gonna be worth it someday.
“Life isn’t fair.” For the follower of Jesus, this is actually good news. You don’t want what you deserve! We all deserve eternal separation from God for our sins. It’s only grace that allows us forgiveness. Only the blood of Jesus can wash away our sins and make us white as snow. Only Christ’s broken body can mend our broken relationship with our heavenly Father. Praise God life isn’t fair!
The world is watching us. So is the Good Shepherd. Hallelujah!
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Harmony, 15 November 2015
15 11 15
Note: This message is similar to one preached at Scio Community Church, September 20, 2015.
Harmony: Christian Togetherness
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 1:22-2:10
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: When persecuted, we have not only hope and a call to holy living but also a harmonious family of God we are to love.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What in The World is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering.
The book of 1 Peter was never written as a book. It’s a short letter, often called an epistle. As we noted two weeks ago it was written by Peter—one of Jesus’ three closest friends— to early Christian exiles scattered in five provinces. If you read through 1 Peter, you may find it lacking order. I was relieved to read one writer who said,
Once again, Peter’s style here—weaving in and out of topics, exhorting and then stating the foundation for the exhortation, and digressing to cover important ideas— prevents many readers from finding any logical sequence. (Scot McKnight)
If you like a neat, organized, three-point sermon with each point beginning with the same letter or forming an acrostic, you will not find it today or probably in any sermon in this series. You’ve been warned! But don’t take that to mean this letter is disorganized or unimportant. The messages are timeless, timely for us today, and a true treasure.
Two weeks ago the focus was hope. Last week the key word was holy, being and living different, set apart lives reflecting Jesus. Today’s word is harmony.
As a musician, I love harmony. On the piano, I take it for granted since I can play several notes at once, but when I began playing the trumpet I realized only one note can be played at a time. An unaccompanied trumpet sounds okay, but when additional instruments are added, the result is exponentially more beautiful.
I have great memories of my grandparents playing their trumpets together in church, my grandpa playing the melody line and my grandma playing the harmony, blending together so beautifully.
As we dive into today’s text in 1 Peter, bear in mind we were not created to live our lives as solo individuals. We were made for community, for relationship—with God and with one another. The only thing God said was not good during creation was a single man (The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” - Genesis 2:18). This letter we’re studying is not written to an individual but rather a church, a community, a people.
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1:22-23)
Children of God have been born again (John 3). We have been born again through the word of God. We’re all related…by blood. Notice Peter connects obedience and loving one another. As we’re going to see, following Jesus is more than an individual journey. We are a part of a family. We have not only a Father and a Big Brother, Jesus, but also spiritual brothers and sisters we are to love…deeply…from the heart.
If we could just do this one thing—love one another deeply—we’d be almost done! The two greatest commands are love God and love others…and we love God by loving others.
The word “deeply” cannot be overstated. We use the word “love” in English to describe so many things, yet this is a radical commitment, fervency, constancy, and effort. We are to share both phileo love—brotherly love—and agape love which is godly sacrificial love. Loving deeply is not tolerance; it may be the opposite of tolerance!
When we are adopted into God’s family we experience a new birth, receive a new family, and are given an unconditional love we are to share with others.
When we were born naturally, we were given bodies that will die. When we are born again, we are given the eternal Word of God. Some modern Christians call the Bible the Word of God—and it is—but the same word, logos, is used in John 1 to describe Jesus Himself.
Remember, Peter’s readers did not have YouVersion on their iPhone or a leather-bound NIV Study Bible! He quotes Isaiah 40:6-8.
For,
“All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
And this is the word that was preached to you. (1:24-25)
We’re like the grass. We will eventually die. No matter how strong, smart, cool, or talented you are, you’re going to die. God and His word are eternal. That’s why we need to read it. We need to let it read us! We need to study it.
Therefore, …(2:1a)
What’s the therefore there for?
Because this world is temporary and God’s Word is eternal…
Because born people will die but born again people will live forever…
Because we are not merely children of our parents but children of God…
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (2:1-3)
We need to get rid of sin. Last week we said, “Be holy.” Be set apart.
There are several lists of sins in the Bible. Perhaps the most famous one, the Ten Commandments, talks about murder and stealing and adultery. Peter lists some rather common sins.
Malice is congealed anger; an unforgiving spirit. Are you bitter? Is there someone you need to forgive. They don’t deserve to be forgiven, but neither do you! That’s grace. That’s agape love from God. Get rid of malice. Give it up. Surrender it to God. Replace it with God’s grace.
Deceit is guile. Ananias and Sapphira were deceitful (Acts 5). The devil is a deceiver. We are to be filled with the truth.
Do we need to talk about hypocrisy? One of the greatest criticisms of Christians by non-Christians is we’re hypocrites. We say one thing on Sunday and do something different on Monday. None of us is perfect, but when children of God screw up, they confess and make it right.
Envy. This is one of those somewhat acceptable sins, perhaps because it’s easy to hide. Look around. Whose job do you want? Whose paycheck? Whose car? Whose family? Whose body? I believe the opposite of envy is gratefulness and contentment. God has showered all of us with a vast array of gifts, beginning with Jesus and continuing to our freedom to worship today.
Slander…of every kind. Gossip. Behind-the-back criticism. If you wouldn’t say it in their presence, don’t say it in their absence!
We need to get rid of all sin in our lives…but it’s not enough to just say, “Stop it!” We need to replace sin with Jesus, with the fruit of the Spirit, with character and godliness…because we’re God’s kids, children of the King! We need to confess our sins and invite the Holy Spirit to fill us with God’s presence and power.
I love Peter’s metaphor of spiritual milk. Babies crave milk. They long for it. They are passionate for it. They cry for it! Many of us have tasted and seen that the LORD is good! We used to crave sin and now we are to crave prayer, obedience, serving others, sharing Jesus…God. We can fill our lives with vices or virtues.
The psalmist famously wrote in Psalm 42:
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. (Psalm 42:1)
The LORD is good! He’s so good! He’s greater, smarter, stronger, more present, more loving, more kind, more compassionate, more powerful…than anyone or anything.
One reason we gather is to be reminded we are children of a mighty God!
This week you may have faced criticism, bills, broken cars, broken bodies, bad news, sickness, addictions, temptations, fear, anxiety…but God is greater! The LORD is good! We must run to Him. We must flee sin and run into the arms of our Daddy who loves us unconditionally!
We are to desire the word of God, spiritual milk. We need to grow and will discover the goodness of the LORD. We need to worship. We also need to get into the word of God!
I often pray the prayer of a father who exclaimed to Jesus,
“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
Does your passion for God grow when you’re with other believers?
Does your passion for God grow when you’re in God’s Word?
Does your passion for God grow when you worship?
LORD, I want to want You! Give me a passion for You such that knowing You is truly the greatest thing in my life!
Now Peter shifts gears.
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (2:4-5)
Precious is an interesting word, especially for a fisherman, but Peter used it liberally. Jesus said He would build His church. Peter was a little stone like us. God is building a living temple. A better translation is “build yourselves.” Take action. We are to come together as living stones connected to the living Stone to form one spiritual house where—like the old temple—God dwells.
The foundation is salvation. You come to the living Stone broken.
For in Scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.” (2:6)
Jesus is this stone.
Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
and,
“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. (2:7-8)
Here Peter quotes Psalm 118:22 and Isaiah 8:14.
These aren’t rolling stones but stable rocks.
We all choose to accept or reject Jesus. He’s a stepping stone or a stumbling stone.
We live in a world that rejects Jesus. Peter’s audience was rejected by the world. We may be rejected, too, but the world’s rejection pails in comparison to the Father’s acceptance. The story is still being written. Vindication is coming.
Now we come to our focus today.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (2:9)
We are a chosen people/generation. An elect race. These people are a scattered diaspora but they’ve been chosen like the people of Israel. We choose Jesus because He’s chosen us. We love Him because He first loved us.
We are a royal priesthood. In the Old Testament God chose the nation of Israel to be priests. They sinned so God-fearing Jews and Gentiles were chosen to become priests. If you are a follower of Jesus, you are a priest. We are royalty. In Peter’s day, royalty was inherited, but we have been adopted as sons and daughters to be not only children but priests who serve God.
Dr. Scot McKnight says, “To become a Christian is to be raised to the ultimate height in status because we suddenly become children of the God of the universe, and we have direct access to him because we are his children.” Hallelujah!
We are a holy nation. We’ve never been fully holy in conduct but we are holy in our relationship with God. Jesus is our righteousness.
Our purpose is to declare God’s praises. We are to announce good tidings of peace and joy. We are to show the light to our dark world. Some will accept and some will reject.
We are special people, a peculiar people, people of His own, a special possession. We are a ragamuffin collection of broken sinners who have found salvation in Jesus. We are God’s. We belong to HIm. He invites us to not only be with Him but also to love the people of this world and one another.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (2:10)
God is rich in mercy. He has made us a people, a family filled with mercy.
So What?
God has not created us to know Him in isolation.
God has not created us to live in isolation.
God exists in community—Father, Son and Spirit—and created us to do life together, to be a family, a nation, a people, a group of priests that know God…and make Him known.
We are a family. We are a body. We are various stones that together form a house.
We need one another.
We are to complement one another…and compliment one another!
You need me and I need you.
One of the great lies of our culture is individualism. Just me and Jesus. Or just me and me! We were created to be interdependent and depend on one another and God.
First Alliance, many of you are not connected to the body. Perhaps you’re new—like me—or you’ve just been a spectator, but you’ve not experienced real community, relationships, like together. I urge you to get connected.
Participate in a Sunday School class at 9 AM. There’s a list in the bulletin.
Visit some of our small groups. There’s a list in the bulletin.
Join a ministry team. There’s a list in the bulletin!
I know we live scattered around NW Ohio, but when we come together—Sunday mornings as well as Monday through Saturday—we can experience the deeper meaning and joy of community, of oikos, the Greek word for extended family…on God’s mission together.
No matter what trials we face, we are to be a united, harmonious family, faithful to Jesus. We are God’s people. We are a priesthood, a nation, a people. Nobody serves alone. Nobody plays alone. We were created for harmony. We the people! Let’s live like it!!!
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Harmony: Christian Togetherness
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 1:22-2:10
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: When persecuted, we have not only hope and a call to holy living but also a harmonious family of God we are to love.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What in The World is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering.
The book of 1 Peter was never written as a book. It’s a short letter, often called an epistle. As we noted two weeks ago it was written by Peter—one of Jesus’ three closest friends— to early Christian exiles scattered in five provinces. If you read through 1 Peter, you may find it lacking order. I was relieved to read one writer who said,
Once again, Peter’s style here—weaving in and out of topics, exhorting and then stating the foundation for the exhortation, and digressing to cover important ideas— prevents many readers from finding any logical sequence. (Scot McKnight)
If you like a neat, organized, three-point sermon with each point beginning with the same letter or forming an acrostic, you will not find it today or probably in any sermon in this series. You’ve been warned! But don’t take that to mean this letter is disorganized or unimportant. The messages are timeless, timely for us today, and a true treasure.
Two weeks ago the focus was hope. Last week the key word was holy, being and living different, set apart lives reflecting Jesus. Today’s word is harmony.
As a musician, I love harmony. On the piano, I take it for granted since I can play several notes at once, but when I began playing the trumpet I realized only one note can be played at a time. An unaccompanied trumpet sounds okay, but when additional instruments are added, the result is exponentially more beautiful.
I have great memories of my grandparents playing their trumpets together in church, my grandpa playing the melody line and my grandma playing the harmony, blending together so beautifully.
As we dive into today’s text in 1 Peter, bear in mind we were not created to live our lives as solo individuals. We were made for community, for relationship—with God and with one another. The only thing God said was not good during creation was a single man (The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” - Genesis 2:18). This letter we’re studying is not written to an individual but rather a church, a community, a people.
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1:22-23)
Children of God have been born again (John 3). We have been born again through the word of God. We’re all related…by blood. Notice Peter connects obedience and loving one another. As we’re going to see, following Jesus is more than an individual journey. We are a part of a family. We have not only a Father and a Big Brother, Jesus, but also spiritual brothers and sisters we are to love…deeply…from the heart.
If we could just do this one thing—love one another deeply—we’d be almost done! The two greatest commands are love God and love others…and we love God by loving others.
The word “deeply” cannot be overstated. We use the word “love” in English to describe so many things, yet this is a radical commitment, fervency, constancy, and effort. We are to share both phileo love—brotherly love—and agape love which is godly sacrificial love. Loving deeply is not tolerance; it may be the opposite of tolerance!
When we are adopted into God’s family we experience a new birth, receive a new family, and are given an unconditional love we are to share with others.
When we were born naturally, we were given bodies that will die. When we are born again, we are given the eternal Word of God. Some modern Christians call the Bible the Word of God—and it is—but the same word, logos, is used in John 1 to describe Jesus Himself.
Remember, Peter’s readers did not have YouVersion on their iPhone or a leather-bound NIV Study Bible! He quotes Isaiah 40:6-8.
For,
“All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
And this is the word that was preached to you. (1:24-25)
We’re like the grass. We will eventually die. No matter how strong, smart, cool, or talented you are, you’re going to die. God and His word are eternal. That’s why we need to read it. We need to let it read us! We need to study it.
Therefore, …(2:1a)
What’s the therefore there for?
Because this world is temporary and God’s Word is eternal…
Because born people will die but born again people will live forever…
Because we are not merely children of our parents but children of God…
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (2:1-3)
We need to get rid of sin. Last week we said, “Be holy.” Be set apart.
There are several lists of sins in the Bible. Perhaps the most famous one, the Ten Commandments, talks about murder and stealing and adultery. Peter lists some rather common sins.
Malice is congealed anger; an unforgiving spirit. Are you bitter? Is there someone you need to forgive. They don’t deserve to be forgiven, but neither do you! That’s grace. That’s agape love from God. Get rid of malice. Give it up. Surrender it to God. Replace it with God’s grace.
Deceit is guile. Ananias and Sapphira were deceitful (Acts 5). The devil is a deceiver. We are to be filled with the truth.
Do we need to talk about hypocrisy? One of the greatest criticisms of Christians by non-Christians is we’re hypocrites. We say one thing on Sunday and do something different on Monday. None of us is perfect, but when children of God screw up, they confess and make it right.
Envy. This is one of those somewhat acceptable sins, perhaps because it’s easy to hide. Look around. Whose job do you want? Whose paycheck? Whose car? Whose family? Whose body? I believe the opposite of envy is gratefulness and contentment. God has showered all of us with a vast array of gifts, beginning with Jesus and continuing to our freedom to worship today.
Slander…of every kind. Gossip. Behind-the-back criticism. If you wouldn’t say it in their presence, don’t say it in their absence!
We need to get rid of all sin in our lives…but it’s not enough to just say, “Stop it!” We need to replace sin with Jesus, with the fruit of the Spirit, with character and godliness…because we’re God’s kids, children of the King! We need to confess our sins and invite the Holy Spirit to fill us with God’s presence and power.
I love Peter’s metaphor of spiritual milk. Babies crave milk. They long for it. They are passionate for it. They cry for it! Many of us have tasted and seen that the LORD is good! We used to crave sin and now we are to crave prayer, obedience, serving others, sharing Jesus…God. We can fill our lives with vices or virtues.
The psalmist famously wrote in Psalm 42:
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. (Psalm 42:1)
The LORD is good! He’s so good! He’s greater, smarter, stronger, more present, more loving, more kind, more compassionate, more powerful…than anyone or anything.
One reason we gather is to be reminded we are children of a mighty God!
This week you may have faced criticism, bills, broken cars, broken bodies, bad news, sickness, addictions, temptations, fear, anxiety…but God is greater! The LORD is good! We must run to Him. We must flee sin and run into the arms of our Daddy who loves us unconditionally!
We are to desire the word of God, spiritual milk. We need to grow and will discover the goodness of the LORD. We need to worship. We also need to get into the word of God!
I often pray the prayer of a father who exclaimed to Jesus,
“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
Does your passion for God grow when you’re with other believers?
Does your passion for God grow when you’re in God’s Word?
Does your passion for God grow when you worship?
LORD, I want to want You! Give me a passion for You such that knowing You is truly the greatest thing in my life!
Now Peter shifts gears.
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (2:4-5)
Precious is an interesting word, especially for a fisherman, but Peter used it liberally. Jesus said He would build His church. Peter was a little stone like us. God is building a living temple. A better translation is “build yourselves.” Take action. We are to come together as living stones connected to the living Stone to form one spiritual house where—like the old temple—God dwells.
The foundation is salvation. You come to the living Stone broken.
For in Scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.” (2:6)
Jesus is this stone.
Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
and,
“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. (2:7-8)
Here Peter quotes Psalm 118:22 and Isaiah 8:14.
These aren’t rolling stones but stable rocks.
We all choose to accept or reject Jesus. He’s a stepping stone or a stumbling stone.
We live in a world that rejects Jesus. Peter’s audience was rejected by the world. We may be rejected, too, but the world’s rejection pails in comparison to the Father’s acceptance. The story is still being written. Vindication is coming.
Now we come to our focus today.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (2:9)
We are a chosen people/generation. An elect race. These people are a scattered diaspora but they’ve been chosen like the people of Israel. We choose Jesus because He’s chosen us. We love Him because He first loved us.
We are a royal priesthood. In the Old Testament God chose the nation of Israel to be priests. They sinned so God-fearing Jews and Gentiles were chosen to become priests. If you are a follower of Jesus, you are a priest. We are royalty. In Peter’s day, royalty was inherited, but we have been adopted as sons and daughters to be not only children but priests who serve God.
Dr. Scot McKnight says, “To become a Christian is to be raised to the ultimate height in status because we suddenly become children of the God of the universe, and we have direct access to him because we are his children.” Hallelujah!
We are a holy nation. We’ve never been fully holy in conduct but we are holy in our relationship with God. Jesus is our righteousness.
Our purpose is to declare God’s praises. We are to announce good tidings of peace and joy. We are to show the light to our dark world. Some will accept and some will reject.
We are special people, a peculiar people, people of His own, a special possession. We are a ragamuffin collection of broken sinners who have found salvation in Jesus. We are God’s. We belong to HIm. He invites us to not only be with Him but also to love the people of this world and one another.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (2:10)
God is rich in mercy. He has made us a people, a family filled with mercy.
So What?
God has not created us to know Him in isolation.
God has not created us to live in isolation.
God exists in community—Father, Son and Spirit—and created us to do life together, to be a family, a nation, a people, a group of priests that know God…and make Him known.
We are a family. We are a body. We are various stones that together form a house.
We need one another.
We are to complement one another…and compliment one another!
You need me and I need you.
One of the great lies of our culture is individualism. Just me and Jesus. Or just me and me! We were created to be interdependent and depend on one another and God.
First Alliance, many of you are not connected to the body. Perhaps you’re new—like me—or you’ve just been a spectator, but you’ve not experienced real community, relationships, like together. I urge you to get connected.
Participate in a Sunday School class at 9 AM. There’s a list in the bulletin.
Visit some of our small groups. There’s a list in the bulletin.
Join a ministry team. There’s a list in the bulletin!
I know we live scattered around NW Ohio, but when we come together—Sunday mornings as well as Monday through Saturday—we can experience the deeper meaning and joy of community, of oikos, the Greek word for extended family…on God’s mission together.
No matter what trials we face, we are to be a united, harmonious family, faithful to Jesus. We are God’s people. We are a priesthood, a nation, a people. Nobody serves alone. Nobody plays alone. We were created for harmony. We the people! Let’s live like it!!!
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Be Holy! 8 November 2015
08 11 15
Note: This message is similar to one preached at Scio Community Church, September 13, 2015.
Be Holy!
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 1:13-21
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: When suffering, we need not only need empathy but also holy action.
Introduction
Last week we began our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” We live in crazy times, amen?
I’ve heard Christians in the USA talk about suffering and persecution. Perhaps you’ve lost friends over your faith, have been skipped over for a job promotion for following Jesus, or been teased because you love Christ. While I don’t mean to minimize those things, it’s nothing compared to the imprisonment, torture, and even death faced by our brothers and sisters around the world. In recent days, the media has shed light on the horrific actions of ISIS and other groups who have promoted violence, prompted refugees to flee their homelands, and murdered our spiritual siblings.
The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering. While we all experience trials, Peter—one of Jesus’ three best friends—is writing to scattered peoples fleeing for their freedoms and, in many cases, their very lives. In the first twelve verses of this epistle—or short letter—these exiles are addressed with reminders of their salvation, the temporary nature of their suffering, and hope both now and forever.
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.
What is therefore there for? These exiles are suffering and have been given encouragement and hope.
When you’re suffering, encouragement and hope are wonderful, but something else is needed to prevent despair: action. There are times we are to be still, quiet, reflect, and meditate, but when life gets hard, we can focus inward on our problems and miss out on God’s blessings. Most everything in life begins with our minds, our thoughts.
I’d be the first to say positive thinking can be overrated, but not always. Paul famously wrote
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
Our actions begin with our mind. Garbage in, garbage out. Purity in, purity out.
The temptation in suffering is to turn inward and suffer your own suffering, troubling your own trouble. Peter gives them a vision of something greater than the present. God is still on the throne.
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. (1 Peter 1:13)
With minds that are alert and fully sober…what an interesting phrase. It means to prepare your minds for action, literally “gird up the loins of your mind.”
Some have suggested we translate this passage “taking off the coat” or “rolling up the sleeves” of your mind. Take off your warm-up suit so your mind can move freely.
Peter is saying maintain a loose grip on this world and a tight grip on what lies ahead. This world is temporary.
Life is short. Eat dessert first!
Then he says to make sure your minds are fully sober. This is a metaphor. He’s saying be self-controlled. Drunks cannot control themselves or their bodies. What’s the point of this gird of loins and self-control? Hope! With focused, ready minds “set your hope.”
Hope is a challenging word because it means so many different things. I can hope to play baseball for the Detroit Tigers or I can hope you like this sermon or I can hope my wife will love me tomorrow. Like faith, the issue isn’t so much with me, but with the object of my hope. Playing for the Tigers is wishful thinking. It’s not going to happen no matter how much I think about it, pray about it, or hope for it. The love of my wife, however, is secure. Although I haven’t experienced tomorrow yet, I am confident in the love my wife has for me and I look forward to being with her tomorrow.
Peter is saying our hope is in Jesus and His return. We can be sure Jesus is alive and coming back. It has not yet happened. We are waiting, but it is going to happen! There may be pain and trials now but Christ will return and justice will be served.
1 Peter 1:14…
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:14-16)
Although our culture likes to talk about how things are not black and white but gray, the Bible is filled with contrasts: hot or cold, good or evil, heaven or hell. Every day we can choose to follow the world or God. We can reflect society’s consumerism and individualism or we can reflect God and His character, His nature, His holiness.
There’s a lot of opinions in our world about right and wrong…or if there is any such thing. One of the tenants of postmodern philosophy is the belief that since words are subjective, there is no such thing as absolute truth.
Of course the problem with saying there is no such thing as absolute truth is it is a declaration that the statement itself is true!
Truth. This has been the dilemma of our court system. Who is right? What is ok? Abortion? Marijuana? Gay marriage? Adultery? Sharing a Netflix account with a friend? Pornography? Human cloning?
Ethics originate from within ourselves (conscience, reasons, nature) or from outside ourselves (the Constitution, revelation, codes of ethics). Scot McKnight writes
Christian orthodoxy teaches that ethics flows from salvation and that humans, by themselves, cannot discern the will of God—for personal salvation, for personal ethics, or for the social order. We know God’s will because in his grace he has made his will known to us through his revelation, the Bible being the primary mode of this revelation. The same construction applies to our knowledge of ethics: We know what is good from what is bad because God has told us in his Word, beginning with the Mosaic legislation and climaxing in the teachings of Jesus and the apostolic testimony.
Our text for today is quite explicit in this, distinguishing between evil desires of the world and holiness, reflecting God. Holy means “set apart” or “different.” It’s not necessarily saying perfection—though God is perfect and we are not—but different, unique, special. We are to be holy because we have been changed and because we are children of a holy God. Kids are like their parents (sorry kids!). Obedient children follow Daddy. We were children of the devil, the world, following its ways. Now we are to be obedient children of God, walking in holiness, imitating Jesus.
We are called to be holy. As Jesus called Peter to follow Him, so also He is calling us to be holy and follow His example.
Notice, too, Peter says, “It is written.” The Word of God is powerful. Do you know it? Do you read it? Do you live it? An hour on Sunday isn’t going to make up for the 167 hours you’re in the world, absorbing its messages of selfishness and pride. As Warren Wiersbe says,
The Word reveals
God’s mind, so we should learn it.
God’s heart, so we should love it.
God’s will, so we should live it.
Author John Eldridge wrote, “Our journey to holiness is the process whereby we receive more and more of the holiness of Jesus Christ into more and more of our being…In fact, the assumption of the New Testament is that you cannot become whole without becoming holy; nor can you become holy without becoming whole. The two go hand in hand.”
In order to make humans what they are meant to be the love of God seeks to make us whole and holy. We are not holy because of what we do for God, we are made holy because of what God has done for us.
Are you an obedient child of God?
When I reflect upon God’s holiness and my sin I realize I am desperate for Him.
When I recognize God’s power and my weakness I realize I am desperate for HIm.
This is why worship is so important.
When I am desperate for God, I spend time with Him.
When I spend time with Him, I know Him.
When I know Him, I love Him.
When I love Him, I obey Him.
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. (1 Peter 1:17)
This fear does not mean anxiety or scary, but rather awe. Dad is watching us now, and one day He will judge each of us. We can have awe or desire the approval of the world as citizens or we can be in awe of and seek the Father as foreigners; visitors.
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. (1 Peter 1:18-21)
We have been redeemed, purchased with a price. Jesus died, shedding His blood for us. Our redemption makes us grateful for not only forgiveness but adoption into our new family and a desire to live in holiness and awe before God.
Our Father is the standard. He is holy. He shows us through Jesus what it means to truly be human, to live as we were created to live, full of faith, hope and love. He shows us the benefits of salvation, an eternal hope that cannot be taken away.
So What?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in the stock market?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your friends?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your job?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your social media popularity?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your stuff…the house, the cars, the vacations?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in our president, governor, or political party?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your gifts, talents and abilities?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your education and diplomas?
Is your faith and hope in the present…or in the future?
Peter encourages us to be aware of the future—God’s righteous judgment of our lives and also the hope of the joy of final salvation. The best is yet to come.
PRAY
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren Wiersbe
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Be Holy!
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 1:13-21
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: When suffering, we need not only need empathy but also holy action.
Introduction
Last week we began our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” We live in crazy times, amen?
- - We can kill babies and sell their parts but go crazy if a lion is shot
- - It’s ok smoke weed but not cigarettes.
- - Bush might run against Clinton for president!
- - Women now have wives and men can have a husband.
- - We are to be tolerant of everything yet offended by everything.
I’ve heard Christians in the USA talk about suffering and persecution. Perhaps you’ve lost friends over your faith, have been skipped over for a job promotion for following Jesus, or been teased because you love Christ. While I don’t mean to minimize those things, it’s nothing compared to the imprisonment, torture, and even death faced by our brothers and sisters around the world. In recent days, the media has shed light on the horrific actions of ISIS and other groups who have promoted violence, prompted refugees to flee their homelands, and murdered our spiritual siblings.
The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering. While we all experience trials, Peter—one of Jesus’ three best friends—is writing to scattered peoples fleeing for their freedoms and, in many cases, their very lives. In the first twelve verses of this epistle—or short letter—these exiles are addressed with reminders of their salvation, the temporary nature of their suffering, and hope both now and forever.
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.
What is therefore there for? These exiles are suffering and have been given encouragement and hope.
When you’re suffering, encouragement and hope are wonderful, but something else is needed to prevent despair: action. There are times we are to be still, quiet, reflect, and meditate, but when life gets hard, we can focus inward on our problems and miss out on God’s blessings. Most everything in life begins with our minds, our thoughts.
I’d be the first to say positive thinking can be overrated, but not always. Paul famously wrote
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
Our actions begin with our mind. Garbage in, garbage out. Purity in, purity out.
The temptation in suffering is to turn inward and suffer your own suffering, troubling your own trouble. Peter gives them a vision of something greater than the present. God is still on the throne.
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. (1 Peter 1:13)
With minds that are alert and fully sober…what an interesting phrase. It means to prepare your minds for action, literally “gird up the loins of your mind.”
Some have suggested we translate this passage “taking off the coat” or “rolling up the sleeves” of your mind. Take off your warm-up suit so your mind can move freely.
Peter is saying maintain a loose grip on this world and a tight grip on what lies ahead. This world is temporary.
Life is short. Eat dessert first!
Then he says to make sure your minds are fully sober. This is a metaphor. He’s saying be self-controlled. Drunks cannot control themselves or their bodies. What’s the point of this gird of loins and self-control? Hope! With focused, ready minds “set your hope.”
Hope is a challenging word because it means so many different things. I can hope to play baseball for the Detroit Tigers or I can hope you like this sermon or I can hope my wife will love me tomorrow. Like faith, the issue isn’t so much with me, but with the object of my hope. Playing for the Tigers is wishful thinking. It’s not going to happen no matter how much I think about it, pray about it, or hope for it. The love of my wife, however, is secure. Although I haven’t experienced tomorrow yet, I am confident in the love my wife has for me and I look forward to being with her tomorrow.
Peter is saying our hope is in Jesus and His return. We can be sure Jesus is alive and coming back. It has not yet happened. We are waiting, but it is going to happen! There may be pain and trials now but Christ will return and justice will be served.
1 Peter 1:14…
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:14-16)
Although our culture likes to talk about how things are not black and white but gray, the Bible is filled with contrasts: hot or cold, good or evil, heaven or hell. Every day we can choose to follow the world or God. We can reflect society’s consumerism and individualism or we can reflect God and His character, His nature, His holiness.
There’s a lot of opinions in our world about right and wrong…or if there is any such thing. One of the tenants of postmodern philosophy is the belief that since words are subjective, there is no such thing as absolute truth.
Of course the problem with saying there is no such thing as absolute truth is it is a declaration that the statement itself is true!
Truth. This has been the dilemma of our court system. Who is right? What is ok? Abortion? Marijuana? Gay marriage? Adultery? Sharing a Netflix account with a friend? Pornography? Human cloning?
Ethics originate from within ourselves (conscience, reasons, nature) or from outside ourselves (the Constitution, revelation, codes of ethics). Scot McKnight writes
Christian orthodoxy teaches that ethics flows from salvation and that humans, by themselves, cannot discern the will of God—for personal salvation, for personal ethics, or for the social order. We know God’s will because in his grace he has made his will known to us through his revelation, the Bible being the primary mode of this revelation. The same construction applies to our knowledge of ethics: We know what is good from what is bad because God has told us in his Word, beginning with the Mosaic legislation and climaxing in the teachings of Jesus and the apostolic testimony.
Our text for today is quite explicit in this, distinguishing between evil desires of the world and holiness, reflecting God. Holy means “set apart” or “different.” It’s not necessarily saying perfection—though God is perfect and we are not—but different, unique, special. We are to be holy because we have been changed and because we are children of a holy God. Kids are like their parents (sorry kids!). Obedient children follow Daddy. We were children of the devil, the world, following its ways. Now we are to be obedient children of God, walking in holiness, imitating Jesus.
We are called to be holy. As Jesus called Peter to follow Him, so also He is calling us to be holy and follow His example.
Notice, too, Peter says, “It is written.” The Word of God is powerful. Do you know it? Do you read it? Do you live it? An hour on Sunday isn’t going to make up for the 167 hours you’re in the world, absorbing its messages of selfishness and pride. As Warren Wiersbe says,
The Word reveals
God’s mind, so we should learn it.
God’s heart, so we should love it.
God’s will, so we should live it.
Author John Eldridge wrote, “Our journey to holiness is the process whereby we receive more and more of the holiness of Jesus Christ into more and more of our being…In fact, the assumption of the New Testament is that you cannot become whole without becoming holy; nor can you become holy without becoming whole. The two go hand in hand.”
In order to make humans what they are meant to be the love of God seeks to make us whole and holy. We are not holy because of what we do for God, we are made holy because of what God has done for us.
Are you an obedient child of God?
When I reflect upon God’s holiness and my sin I realize I am desperate for Him.
When I recognize God’s power and my weakness I realize I am desperate for HIm.
This is why worship is so important.
When I am desperate for God, I spend time with Him.
When I spend time with Him, I know Him.
When I know Him, I love Him.
When I love Him, I obey Him.
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. (1 Peter 1:17)
This fear does not mean anxiety or scary, but rather awe. Dad is watching us now, and one day He will judge each of us. We can have awe or desire the approval of the world as citizens or we can be in awe of and seek the Father as foreigners; visitors.
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. (1 Peter 1:18-21)
We have been redeemed, purchased with a price. Jesus died, shedding His blood for us. Our redemption makes us grateful for not only forgiveness but adoption into our new family and a desire to live in holiness and awe before God.
Our Father is the standard. He is holy. He shows us through Jesus what it means to truly be human, to live as we were created to live, full of faith, hope and love. He shows us the benefits of salvation, an eternal hope that cannot be taken away.
So What?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in the stock market?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your friends?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your job?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your social media popularity?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your stuff…the house, the cars, the vacations?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in our president, governor, or political party?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your gifts, talents and abilities?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your education and diplomas?
Is your faith and hope in the present…or in the future?
Peter encourages us to be aware of the future—God’s righteous judgment of our lives and also the hope of the joy of final salvation. The best is yet to come.
PRAY
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren Wiersbe
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
A Living Hope, 1 November 2015
02 11 15
Note: This message is similar to one preached at Scio Community Church, September 6, 2015.
A Living Hope
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 1:1-12
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Suffering is real but temporary. Salvation and hope are real and eternal.
Prelude Comments
Good morning, First Alliance! Before we dive into our sermon, I want to begin with a simple question: why are you here?
There are many good answers to this question, but I hope above the social benefits, the music team, serving others, and even communion is a desire to deepen your relationship with God in order to become a disciple of Jesus.
I was challenged several years ago by a friend who wondered whether or not discipleship occurs at all during the Sunday morning worship gathering. Since our mission is essentially to make disciples, I hope so!
As we open God’s Word, the Bible, together, I want to preach not merely for the sake of conveying information, and not even for inspiration, but ultimately for transformation. I can’t do that, but the Holy Spirit can take the scriptures and activate them in our lives.
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. – Psalm 19:14
Introduction
What in the world is going on?
Does it seem like society has gone insane?
There are many reasons why we are alarmed, worried, depressed, and fearful about our world. We are exposed to more “bad news” than ever before, bombarded by media outlets virtually everywhere. Cultural Christianity has been in decline for years, something I celebrate while others mourn. As a result, the influence—power—once possessed by Christians seems to be waning.
If you feel even a little afraid, if you find yourself in the minority, the underdog, you’re not alone. For thousands of years, God-fearers have faced opposition and persecution. Throughout our lifetimes our brothers and sisters in Christ have suffered unimaginable agony for their faith. What’s unique is our so-called “Christian nation” appears to be less Christian each day.
It is my prayer that the next several weeks will provide you with hope, encouragement, and peace as we examine a letter from Peter to early Christians exiled.
Context
Before we begin in 1 Peter, I want to offer a quick lesson in hermeneutics, a fancy words for studying the Bible. It may sound simple: read and apply. The challenge comes in understanding the context. There are three steps:
People are quick to quote a verse without understanding the context, often deriving a very different message than the author’s intent.
The book of 1 Peter begins
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, (1 Peter 1:1a)
This is Peter, also known as Simon. He’s the one who denied Christ three times, the one who walked on the Sea of Galilee, one of Jesus’ three closest friends. Catholics look to him as the first Pope. His name means “rock.” Peter and Paul were the primary leaders of the early Church. He writes this letter around the year 63, around the time Paul was martyred and not long before Peter himself would die for his faith. He’s most likely writing from Babylon.
To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: (1 Peter 1:1b-2a)
To God’s elect. This phrase has prompted great discussion. Do we choose God or does God choose us? To be “elect” is to receive God’s grace. He initiates. We love Him because He first loved us.
This word “exiles” is often translated “strangers” or “resident aliens” or “sojourners.” In chapter two they will be referred to as “pilgrims.” Like us, they were citizens of heaven through faith in Jesus (Philippians 3:20), in the world but not of it (John 17:16). They are temporary residents. As strangers, they were considered strange by many, a scattered (diaspora) people in five different parts of the Roman Empire in what we now know as Turkey.
Paul wrote to Gentiles, Peter to a Jewish audience.
Have you ever been a stranger somewhere? How did it feel?
Today is my third day living in Ohio. I feel like an alien! The First Alliance family has graciously welcomed me and my family, but I’m just beginning to understand my new surroundings, my new city, my new state, my new church family…
We are so excited to be here despite being in unfamiliar territory.
Our situation is far different than the recipients of this short letter.
As we will see, Peter addresses these scattered strangers and acknowledges their suffering, at least fifteen times with eight different Greek words! Each time it is tied to hope. We have all experienced suffering in one form or another, though few to the extent of the first Christians. This is not persecution from someone calling you a name or even losing your job because you wanted to honor God above an unbelieving boss. A “fiery trial” was coming, persecution from the Roman Empire. Think ISIS or Boco Harum.
What do you say to someone who is suffering?
What do you say to someone who is about to experience suffering?
The thing about suffering is we’re all coming out of suffering, in the midst of suffering, or about to experience suffering. It’s a part of the broken, human condition in this life.
Note God has a plan. He knows what He’s doing. God has foreknowledge. He knows the plan. He is omniscient—He knows everything!
Sanctification: we are set apart, becoming like Jesus, bearing the fruit of the Spirit. We are not to be spiritual infants but grow to maturity as we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Sanctification is not merely something after conversion but rather three dimensions: separation from sin, growing in holiness throughout life, and “the final act of God when He makes his holy people completely holy for eternity.” (Scot McKnight) The electing work of God leads to the conversion of these disenfranchised sojourners of Asia Minor.
The blood of Jesus is also present. You can’t make too much of the blood of Christ. We remember it through communion. Blood is life! In the Old Testament, the blood of animals was used in sacrifices. Jesus is the perfect sacrifice. Do you obey Jesus? Do you do what He wants? That’s making Him LORD. Note here the Trinity is in view, one God in three Persons, Father, Son and Spirit.
Peter continues…
Grace and peace be yours in abundance. (1 Peter 1:2b)
Grace is a customary Greco-Roman greeting and peace is a Jewish greeting. Peter uses the word grace in every chapter of this letter. Grace is unmerited favor. When we depend upon God’s grace, we can glorify Him in suffering, turning trials into triumphs. Peace comes when we have assurance of the forgiveness of our sins. In the midst of persecution we can have a true hope of future glory and blessing.
Peter continues in what is essentially a ten-verse run-on sentence!
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
This word “praise” is never used with regard to man, only God. We are to praise God the Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We don’t “hope so,” but instead we have a living hope. It is our resurrected LORD. It rests upon Jesus’ blood. A body without blood is dead. He died so we might live.
Scot McKnight writes, “It is not so much that believers are now living “full of hope,” but that they have a fixed “hope,” a clear vision of what God will do for them in the future.”
Where John spoke of love and Paul faith, hope is a common theme in Peter’s messages. Warren Wiersbe said,
“Hope is not a sedative; it is a shot of adrenaline, a blood transfusion. Like an anchor, our hope in Christ stabilizes us in the storms of life (Hebrews 6:18-19), but unlike an anchor, our hope moves us forward, it does not hold us back.”
Our inheritance cannot be lost like cash, stocks, car keys, or cell phones. It is in heaven. It is indestructible.
We are kept by the power of God through faith. A Scottish man had one word on his tombstone: kept.
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. (1 Peter 1:6)
Some believe verse six is the key of the epistle. Jesus and James and Paul said we will have trials and troubles. Life is hard. We can rejoice, though, not because we have trials but because we have salvation. We have hope. Trials are temporary. This life is so short. Paul said
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)
Unbroken film: Louis "Louie" Zamperini
These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:7)
Faith is precious.
Trials have a purpose.
God puts us into a furnace not to destroy us but to refine us.
When we see Jesus, we will thank God for our trials.
“If it doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger.”
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:8-9)
Peter had seen Him and lived with Him for three years. These people have not seen Jesus…but they love Him. We have not seen Jesus. Do you love Jesus?
The writer of Hebrews said
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)
Now the final three verses for today:
Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. (1 Peter 1:10-12)
The Old Testament prophets wrote by the Spirit of Christ.
Angels are real! They would love to make an announcement as Gabriel did. Angels are great, but we have the Holy Spirit which is even better. Angels are mentioned to remind us of the privileges of salvation. Neither angels nor the prophets experience what we assume and enjoy as followers of Jesus today.
So What?
Increasingly followers of Jesus in our culture are becoming the minority (if we ever were in the majority). In a world of pluralism, it is radical to claim Jesus as the One Way to the Father (though Jesus said those very words). In a world of consumerism, it is radical to be generous. In a world of tolerance, it is radical to exhibit true love.
When we respond to God’s invitation to follow Him, we are to live for Him, not ourselves. We are to maintain the course of a loving, holy lifestyle, and find our identity in being part of God’s family, God’s elect, the church, not in being part of a society that does not accept us.
Are you first and foremost an American or a child of God?
This life is short and will soon end. It is filled with trials and suffering…but we have a great hope for eternity. We have salvation. We have Christ.
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren Wiersbe
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
A Living Hope
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 1:1-12
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Suffering is real but temporary. Salvation and hope are real and eternal.
Prelude Comments
Good morning, First Alliance! Before we dive into our sermon, I want to begin with a simple question: why are you here?
There are many good answers to this question, but I hope above the social benefits, the music team, serving others, and even communion is a desire to deepen your relationship with God in order to become a disciple of Jesus.
I was challenged several years ago by a friend who wondered whether or not discipleship occurs at all during the Sunday morning worship gathering. Since our mission is essentially to make disciples, I hope so!
As we open God’s Word, the Bible, together, I want to preach not merely for the sake of conveying information, and not even for inspiration, but ultimately for transformation. I can’t do that, but the Holy Spirit can take the scriptures and activate them in our lives.
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. – Psalm 19:14
Introduction
What in the world is going on?
Does it seem like society has gone insane?
- - We can kill babies and sell their parts but go crazy if a lion is shot
- - It’s ok to smoke weed but not cigarettes.
- - Ashley Madison says “Life is short. Have an affair.”
- - Bush might run against Clinton for president!
- - Women now have wives and men can have a husband.
- - The worldwide movement of Jesus based upon love is known for hate.
- - We are to be tolerant of everything yet offended by everything.
There are many reasons why we are alarmed, worried, depressed, and fearful about our world. We are exposed to more “bad news” than ever before, bombarded by media outlets virtually everywhere. Cultural Christianity has been in decline for years, something I celebrate while others mourn. As a result, the influence—power—once possessed by Christians seems to be waning.
If you feel even a little afraid, if you find yourself in the minority, the underdog, you’re not alone. For thousands of years, God-fearers have faced opposition and persecution. Throughout our lifetimes our brothers and sisters in Christ have suffered unimaginable agony for their faith. What’s unique is our so-called “Christian nation” appears to be less Christian each day.
It is my prayer that the next several weeks will provide you with hope, encouragement, and peace as we examine a letter from Peter to early Christians exiled.
Context
Before we begin in 1 Peter, I want to offer a quick lesson in hermeneutics, a fancy words for studying the Bible. It may sound simple: read and apply. The challenge comes in understanding the context. There are three steps:
- 1. What did it mean originally?
- 2. What does it mean today?
- 3. How can I apply it today?
People are quick to quote a verse without understanding the context, often deriving a very different message than the author’s intent.
The book of 1 Peter begins
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, (1 Peter 1:1a)
This is Peter, also known as Simon. He’s the one who denied Christ three times, the one who walked on the Sea of Galilee, one of Jesus’ three closest friends. Catholics look to him as the first Pope. His name means “rock.” Peter and Paul were the primary leaders of the early Church. He writes this letter around the year 63, around the time Paul was martyred and not long before Peter himself would die for his faith. He’s most likely writing from Babylon.
To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: (1 Peter 1:1b-2a)
To God’s elect. This phrase has prompted great discussion. Do we choose God or does God choose us? To be “elect” is to receive God’s grace. He initiates. We love Him because He first loved us.
This word “exiles” is often translated “strangers” or “resident aliens” or “sojourners.” In chapter two they will be referred to as “pilgrims.” Like us, they were citizens of heaven through faith in Jesus (Philippians 3:20), in the world but not of it (John 17:16). They are temporary residents. As strangers, they were considered strange by many, a scattered (diaspora) people in five different parts of the Roman Empire in what we now know as Turkey.
Paul wrote to Gentiles, Peter to a Jewish audience.
Have you ever been a stranger somewhere? How did it feel?
Today is my third day living in Ohio. I feel like an alien! The First Alliance family has graciously welcomed me and my family, but I’m just beginning to understand my new surroundings, my new city, my new state, my new church family…
We are so excited to be here despite being in unfamiliar territory.
Our situation is far different than the recipients of this short letter.
As we will see, Peter addresses these scattered strangers and acknowledges their suffering, at least fifteen times with eight different Greek words! Each time it is tied to hope. We have all experienced suffering in one form or another, though few to the extent of the first Christians. This is not persecution from someone calling you a name or even losing your job because you wanted to honor God above an unbelieving boss. A “fiery trial” was coming, persecution from the Roman Empire. Think ISIS or Boco Harum.
What do you say to someone who is suffering?
What do you say to someone who is about to experience suffering?
The thing about suffering is we’re all coming out of suffering, in the midst of suffering, or about to experience suffering. It’s a part of the broken, human condition in this life.
Note God has a plan. He knows what He’s doing. God has foreknowledge. He knows the plan. He is omniscient—He knows everything!
Sanctification: we are set apart, becoming like Jesus, bearing the fruit of the Spirit. We are not to be spiritual infants but grow to maturity as we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Sanctification is not merely something after conversion but rather three dimensions: separation from sin, growing in holiness throughout life, and “the final act of God when He makes his holy people completely holy for eternity.” (Scot McKnight) The electing work of God leads to the conversion of these disenfranchised sojourners of Asia Minor.
The blood of Jesus is also present. You can’t make too much of the blood of Christ. We remember it through communion. Blood is life! In the Old Testament, the blood of animals was used in sacrifices. Jesus is the perfect sacrifice. Do you obey Jesus? Do you do what He wants? That’s making Him LORD. Note here the Trinity is in view, one God in three Persons, Father, Son and Spirit.
Peter continues…
Grace and peace be yours in abundance. (1 Peter 1:2b)
Grace is a customary Greco-Roman greeting and peace is a Jewish greeting. Peter uses the word grace in every chapter of this letter. Grace is unmerited favor. When we depend upon God’s grace, we can glorify Him in suffering, turning trials into triumphs. Peace comes when we have assurance of the forgiveness of our sins. In the midst of persecution we can have a true hope of future glory and blessing.
Peter continues in what is essentially a ten-verse run-on sentence!
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
This word “praise” is never used with regard to man, only God. We are to praise God the Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We don’t “hope so,” but instead we have a living hope. It is our resurrected LORD. It rests upon Jesus’ blood. A body without blood is dead. He died so we might live.
Scot McKnight writes, “It is not so much that believers are now living “full of hope,” but that they have a fixed “hope,” a clear vision of what God will do for them in the future.”
Where John spoke of love and Paul faith, hope is a common theme in Peter’s messages. Warren Wiersbe said,
“Hope is not a sedative; it is a shot of adrenaline, a blood transfusion. Like an anchor, our hope in Christ stabilizes us in the storms of life (Hebrews 6:18-19), but unlike an anchor, our hope moves us forward, it does not hold us back.”
Our inheritance cannot be lost like cash, stocks, car keys, or cell phones. It is in heaven. It is indestructible.
We are kept by the power of God through faith. A Scottish man had one word on his tombstone: kept.
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. (1 Peter 1:6)
Some believe verse six is the key of the epistle. Jesus and James and Paul said we will have trials and troubles. Life is hard. We can rejoice, though, not because we have trials but because we have salvation. We have hope. Trials are temporary. This life is so short. Paul said
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)
Unbroken film: Louis "Louie" Zamperini
These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:7)
Faith is precious.
Trials have a purpose.
God puts us into a furnace not to destroy us but to refine us.
When we see Jesus, we will thank God for our trials.
“If it doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger.”
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:8-9)
Peter had seen Him and lived with Him for three years. These people have not seen Jesus…but they love Him. We have not seen Jesus. Do you love Jesus?
The writer of Hebrews said
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)
Now the final three verses for today:
Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. (1 Peter 1:10-12)
The Old Testament prophets wrote by the Spirit of Christ.
Angels are real! They would love to make an announcement as Gabriel did. Angels are great, but we have the Holy Spirit which is even better. Angels are mentioned to remind us of the privileges of salvation. Neither angels nor the prophets experience what we assume and enjoy as followers of Jesus today.
So What?
Increasingly followers of Jesus in our culture are becoming the minority (if we ever were in the majority). In a world of pluralism, it is radical to claim Jesus as the One Way to the Father (though Jesus said those very words). In a world of consumerism, it is radical to be generous. In a world of tolerance, it is radical to exhibit true love.
When we respond to God’s invitation to follow Him, we are to live for Him, not ourselves. We are to maintain the course of a loving, holy lifestyle, and find our identity in being part of God’s family, God’s elect, the church, not in being part of a society that does not accept us.
Are you first and foremost an American or a child of God?
This life is short and will soon end. It is filled with trials and suffering…but we have a great hope for eternity. We have salvation. We have Christ.
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren Wiersbe
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Be Prepared! 11 October 2015
11 10 15
Be Prepared!
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 3:8-17
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Always be ready to give a reason for the hope you have in Jesus.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering. We’ve looked at hope, holiness, and harmony. Then we looked at the unpopular word of submission, first at the marketplace, then at home, and today in the church.
Before we dive into today’s text, however, I want to acknowledge the elephant in the room. This is my last Sunday as your pastor, something that affects me deeply, far beyond words. I’ll talk a bit about that later, but being this is my final Scio sermon, i thought it might be a great opportunity to briefly share some of my favorite passages of scripture, concluding with 1 Peter 3:8-17. This is not my greatest hits but what I think are some of the Bible’s greatest hits!
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
If I could only tell you one thing, that’s it. That’s my life verse. Make Jesus LORD. Submit—there’s that word—everything to God. That’s what it means to follow Jesus. It’s not just praying a prayer. It’s not just studying a book. It’s knowing, loving, and obeying God. Trust is not easy, but Daddy knows best. He is good and faithful.
The second passage—or passages—are found in John 3:16 and 1 John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Belief requires action. It’s not simply mental agreement, but authentic faith. Jesus said the two greatest commands are to love God and love your neighbor…and one way we love God is by loving our neighbor. 1 John 3:16 says
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. (1 John 3:16)
I have been delighted to both see and receive this love at Scio. There are some incredibly generous, servant-hearted people in the Scio family and that’s fantastic. The first series I did almost five years ago was a continuation of a series about “one another.” The greatest of all of them was to love one another. Peter said it a few weeks ago in our text
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. (1 Peter 1:22)
The next passage I want to share was preached by our previous District Superintendent, Jeff Brown, at my pastoral installation. The simple message: be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:18-20)
When you receive Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit, too. Many feel they can’t come to Jesus until they clean up their act. Nothing could be further from the truth! Jesus is a friend of sinners. He died to show His love and grace and provide forgiveness so we can know our Holy Father. The Holy Spirit—the same power that raised Jesus from the dead—is available to all followers of Jesus.
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. (Romans 8:11)
The Holy Spirit—when we confess our sins and exhale the junk and then inhale the Spirit—fills us with beautiful fruit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23a)
Now we turn to Scio’s mission. My first words to you as pastor were…why are you here? There are many answers to that question—if we’re honest—but here’s our purposes in existing:
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
• serving our communities
• sharing our story
• sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
The Great Commandment is to love God and love your neighbor. The Great Commission was spoken before Jesus ascended into heaven.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Make disciples. Of all nations. Reproduce the life of Jesus in others. Fill this world with people who look like Jesus, who act like Jesus, who love like Jesus, who know Jesus.
Great! So how do we make disciples? How do we become disciples? Today’s passage offers a secret.
1 Peter 3:8…
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. (3:8)
If I had one challenge for you, Scio, one verse upon which to meditate and practice it could very well be this one. I have prayed four things for Scio since I arrived nearly five years ago:
Direction: wisdom to hear from God
Protection: we are engaged in a battle against satan
Unity: Jesus’ prayer for us in John 17
Passion
Peter tells us to be united. He doesn’t promote uniformity but unity. We are different—by design—but we are to work together. We are to love and serve one another.
We may not always agree on how to do things, but we should always be united regarding what to do and why. That’s the mission. That’s the Great Commandment. That’s the Great Commission.
D.L. Moody was once criticized for his evangelism methods. He responded, “Well, I’m always ready for improvement. What are your methods?” The man had no answer so Moody said, “Then I’ll stick to my own.”
Unity, not uniformity.
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. (3:9)
We are to bless others. The Golden Rule. Turning the other cheek. Community 101.
Returning evil for good is satanic.
Returning good for good and evil for evil is human.
Returning good for evil is divine. Jesus set the ultimate example for us.
For,
“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (3:10-12)
Peter quotes Psalm 34:15-16 and Ecclesiastes 2:17. There’s so much here.
We choose to love life. It is truly a gift…and the next one will be even better!
We must control our tongues, the source of so many of our problems.
We are to do good and hate evil.
We are to seek and pursue peace, though it is not always possible (Romans 12:18).
Let’s live it up…doing good!
God is watching. God is listening. He hears the prayers of His children.
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” (3:13-14)
We talked about suffering in chapter two. Suffering for being right should bring us joy, not because we enjoy suffering, but because God is watching and doing the right thing brings Him glory.
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. (3:15a)
How do we make disciples? It begins with a conversation. It might be at a picnic, a party, a water cooler chat, or an online encounter. If we are truly following Jesus, our lives will be different. They will radiate love, joy, and peace. They will be filled with hope, and people will ask.
But you have to be ready. We must know the Bible. Even more, we must know Jesus and always “be prepared” (the Boy Scout motto!) to introduce others to HIm. The word “apology” is from the Greek word “answer.” It’s not regret or saying you’re sorry, but rather like a defense in a court. Apologetics is defending the faith.
But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. (3:15b-17)
I love this passage! We are to treat everyone—Republicans, Democrats, even Buckeyes—with gentleness and respect as they are created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth. They’re lost and Jesus wants them found (Luke 15). There’s no greater thrill than introducing people to Jesus! But it’s not just what we say that’s important, but how we say it. Megaphones are not always the best tool for evangelism and discipleship!
We must keep a clear conscience in the process. This word “conscience” comes from two Latin words, “con” which is “with” and “scio” which is “to know.”
(Did you catch that? Scio means “to know”!). Conscience enables us “to know with.”
Peter closing this section by reiterating what he has said so many times before: sometimes we will suffer for doing good, and that may be God’s will. We pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” If you suffer for Jesus, rejoice. Great will be your reward. Our enemies may hurt us, but they can never harm us.
Closing Thoughts
It might be cliche but appropriate to challenge you to
love God
love your neighbor
make disciples
That’s our mission as a church. How are you doing? How are we doing?
I want to close by saying thank you. I love you, Scio. You have blessed me in my family in ways you cannot begin to understand. You embraced us when our arrived in the midst of suffering and remained faithful with us during many storms. You have been generous, encouraging, and kind. I will cherish these years together and delight in knowing this is not goodbye, but simply “see you later.” We will remain in the Great Lakes District of the Christian & Missionary Alliance. Although we’re crossing the border, we’re only an hour away—and near a great zoo, the Toledo Mud Hens baseball team, and the Walleye minor league hockey team!
When Heather and I visited nearly five years ago, her comment to me in the car was, “I think they need us and we need them.” Jeff Brown uttered the exact same words at the conclusion of my licensing prior to starting at Scio. I think both Heather and Jeff were right. Hopefully we have added value to your lives and you have certainly been a blessing to us.
I will continue to pray for you, your search for a new pastor, and my big four:
Direction
Protection
Unity
Passion
LORD, may Your kingdom come and Your will be done at Scio as it is in heaven. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Thank you, Scio. Shalom!
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 3:8-17
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Always be ready to give a reason for the hope you have in Jesus.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering. We’ve looked at hope, holiness, and harmony. Then we looked at the unpopular word of submission, first at the marketplace, then at home, and today in the church.
Before we dive into today’s text, however, I want to acknowledge the elephant in the room. This is my last Sunday as your pastor, something that affects me deeply, far beyond words. I’ll talk a bit about that later, but being this is my final Scio sermon, i thought it might be a great opportunity to briefly share some of my favorite passages of scripture, concluding with 1 Peter 3:8-17. This is not my greatest hits but what I think are some of the Bible’s greatest hits!
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
If I could only tell you one thing, that’s it. That’s my life verse. Make Jesus LORD. Submit—there’s that word—everything to God. That’s what it means to follow Jesus. It’s not just praying a prayer. It’s not just studying a book. It’s knowing, loving, and obeying God. Trust is not easy, but Daddy knows best. He is good and faithful.
The second passage—or passages—are found in John 3:16 and 1 John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Belief requires action. It’s not simply mental agreement, but authentic faith. Jesus said the two greatest commands are to love God and love your neighbor…and one way we love God is by loving our neighbor. 1 John 3:16 says
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. (1 John 3:16)
I have been delighted to both see and receive this love at Scio. There are some incredibly generous, servant-hearted people in the Scio family and that’s fantastic. The first series I did almost five years ago was a continuation of a series about “one another.” The greatest of all of them was to love one another. Peter said it a few weeks ago in our text
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. (1 Peter 1:22)
The next passage I want to share was preached by our previous District Superintendent, Jeff Brown, at my pastoral installation. The simple message: be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:18-20)
When you receive Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit, too. Many feel they can’t come to Jesus until they clean up their act. Nothing could be further from the truth! Jesus is a friend of sinners. He died to show His love and grace and provide forgiveness so we can know our Holy Father. The Holy Spirit—the same power that raised Jesus from the dead—is available to all followers of Jesus.
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. (Romans 8:11)
The Holy Spirit—when we confess our sins and exhale the junk and then inhale the Spirit—fills us with beautiful fruit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23a)
Now we turn to Scio’s mission. My first words to you as pastor were…why are you here? There are many answers to that question—if we’re honest—but here’s our purposes in existing:
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
• serving our communities
• sharing our story
• sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
The Great Commandment is to love God and love your neighbor. The Great Commission was spoken before Jesus ascended into heaven.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Make disciples. Of all nations. Reproduce the life of Jesus in others. Fill this world with people who look like Jesus, who act like Jesus, who love like Jesus, who know Jesus.
Great! So how do we make disciples? How do we become disciples? Today’s passage offers a secret.
1 Peter 3:8…
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. (3:8)
If I had one challenge for you, Scio, one verse upon which to meditate and practice it could very well be this one. I have prayed four things for Scio since I arrived nearly five years ago:
Direction: wisdom to hear from God
Protection: we are engaged in a battle against satan
Unity: Jesus’ prayer for us in John 17
Passion
Peter tells us to be united. He doesn’t promote uniformity but unity. We are different—by design—but we are to work together. We are to love and serve one another.
We may not always agree on how to do things, but we should always be united regarding what to do and why. That’s the mission. That’s the Great Commandment. That’s the Great Commission.
D.L. Moody was once criticized for his evangelism methods. He responded, “Well, I’m always ready for improvement. What are your methods?” The man had no answer so Moody said, “Then I’ll stick to my own.”
Unity, not uniformity.
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. (3:9)
We are to bless others. The Golden Rule. Turning the other cheek. Community 101.
Returning evil for good is satanic.
Returning good for good and evil for evil is human.
Returning good for evil is divine. Jesus set the ultimate example for us.
For,
“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (3:10-12)
Peter quotes Psalm 34:15-16 and Ecclesiastes 2:17. There’s so much here.
We choose to love life. It is truly a gift…and the next one will be even better!
We must control our tongues, the source of so many of our problems.
We are to do good and hate evil.
We are to seek and pursue peace, though it is not always possible (Romans 12:18).
Let’s live it up…doing good!
God is watching. God is listening. He hears the prayers of His children.
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” (3:13-14)
We talked about suffering in chapter two. Suffering for being right should bring us joy, not because we enjoy suffering, but because God is watching and doing the right thing brings Him glory.
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. (3:15a)
How do we make disciples? It begins with a conversation. It might be at a picnic, a party, a water cooler chat, or an online encounter. If we are truly following Jesus, our lives will be different. They will radiate love, joy, and peace. They will be filled with hope, and people will ask.
But you have to be ready. We must know the Bible. Even more, we must know Jesus and always “be prepared” (the Boy Scout motto!) to introduce others to HIm. The word “apology” is from the Greek word “answer.” It’s not regret or saying you’re sorry, but rather like a defense in a court. Apologetics is defending the faith.
But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. (3:15b-17)
I love this passage! We are to treat everyone—Republicans, Democrats, even Buckeyes—with gentleness and respect as they are created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth. They’re lost and Jesus wants them found (Luke 15). There’s no greater thrill than introducing people to Jesus! But it’s not just what we say that’s important, but how we say it. Megaphones are not always the best tool for evangelism and discipleship!
We must keep a clear conscience in the process. This word “conscience” comes from two Latin words, “con” which is “with” and “scio” which is “to know.”
(Did you catch that? Scio means “to know”!). Conscience enables us “to know with.”
Peter closing this section by reiterating what he has said so many times before: sometimes we will suffer for doing good, and that may be God’s will. We pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” If you suffer for Jesus, rejoice. Great will be your reward. Our enemies may hurt us, but they can never harm us.
Closing Thoughts
It might be cliche but appropriate to challenge you to
love God
love your neighbor
make disciples
That’s our mission as a church. How are you doing? How are we doing?
I want to close by saying thank you. I love you, Scio. You have blessed me in my family in ways you cannot begin to understand. You embraced us when our arrived in the midst of suffering and remained faithful with us during many storms. You have been generous, encouraging, and kind. I will cherish these years together and delight in knowing this is not goodbye, but simply “see you later.” We will remain in the Great Lakes District of the Christian & Missionary Alliance. Although we’re crossing the border, we’re only an hour away—and near a great zoo, the Toledo Mud Hens baseball team, and the Walleye minor league hockey team!
When Heather and I visited nearly five years ago, her comment to me in the car was, “I think they need us and we need them.” Jeff Brown uttered the exact same words at the conclusion of my licensing prior to starting at Scio. I think both Heather and Jeff were right. Hopefully we have added value to your lives and you have certainly been a blessing to us.
I will continue to pray for you, your search for a new pastor, and my big four:
Direction
Protection
Unity
Passion
LORD, may Your kingdom come and Your will be done at Scio as it is in heaven. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Thank you, Scio. Shalom!
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Wedlock or Deadlock, 4 October 2015
27 09 15
Wedlock or Deadlock?
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 3:1-7
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Spouses, love one another and submit to Jesus.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering. We’ve looked at hope, holiness, harmony, and last week living a cruciform life in the way of the cross, knowing our suffering is temporary and known by God.
Throughout the book, Peter has been talking about a very offensive word in our culture: submit.
Why do we struggle to submit?
We want to do things our way. We live in a hyper-individualistic society. We can get seemingly anything customized and on-demand. Don’t like the selection of meat at your grocery store? Go down the street. You’ve got options! Don’t like your spouse? Trade them in for a newer model. Sick of your church? Hop over to another one.
We want autonomy and control. We want to be independent and free. We want choices and often rebel when told what to do. Of course this is nothing new. It began with Adam and Eve’s rebellion against God and His one prohibition in the Garden of Eden.
Last Sunday we talked about submission to authority. This includes government and commerce, the president and your boss, in the original context the emperor and the slave’s master. It also involves church authority, submitting to godly leaders. Regardless of the outcome, we are to do the right thing knowing we will eventually be rewarded—and oppressors will eventually be punished. Perhaps most important was the example of Jesus who was unjustly treated, died sacrificially despite being innocent of all accusations, and sought to please the Father above pleasing people or even Himself.
Today’s passage brings the subject of submission from the streets to the home. Peter addresses married people, but the message is applicable to all. If you are unmarried, don’t check out! Listen up. Perhaps someday you will have a spouse. The principles are relevant to all regardless of marital status…and they usually look nothing like Hollywood’s messages to us!
Remember context is critical. We can never read the Bible in the same way the original recipients read it. Our world is so different. Peter was writing to an early church where a large number of women had husbands who were not yet Christians. It was likely a very patriarchal, restrictive society that debilitated the development of their gifts.
1 Peter 3…
Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. (3:1-2)
Likewise. In the same way. This refers to the previous verses on submitting to authority.
We may suffer for doing good. If we suffer for doing evil, that’s to be expected. Jesus suffered for doing good. A perfect man was crucified unjustly. He glorified the Father through it all, though. He submitted to the Father’s will. In the Garden of Gethsemane before He was arrested, Jesus prayed
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)
If you don’t like the idea of submission, you’re in the wrong place. Both husbands and wives are to first submit to Jesus…who submitted to the Father. This is about order, not value or importance. God has a place for everything and has ordained levels of authority.
This does not mean we become doormats and let people manipulate and abuse us. We don’t have time to say much about this extreme, but I highly recommend the book Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend.
They write
We have never seen a “submission problem” that did not have a controlling husband at its root. When the wife begins to set clear boundaries, the lack of Christlikeness in a controlling husband becomes evident because the wife is no longer enabling his immature behavior. She is confronting the truth and setting biblical limits on hurtful behavior. Often, when the wife sets boundaries, the husband begins to grow up.
In other words, “focusing on submission is almost surely an indicator that one’s priorities are messed up.” (Scot McKnight)
One evangelical scholar said, “I believe in a wife submitting to her husband, but I don’t believe the husband ever has the right to demand it. In fact, I know that when I am worthy of submission, my wife submits; and when I am unworthy of it, she does not.”
Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. (3:1-2)
Peter is not saying wives are to be slaves or treated like children. Perhaps a better word than submit is respond. It is voluntary. Engage. Partner with your partner!
Notice Peter’s reason: a witness to the unbeliever. Actions speak louder than words. The Bible warns against being “unequally yoked.” Marriages between a follower of Jesus and a person who is not following Jesus almost always results in grief to both. They have different world views. They have different goals.
However, there are couples that—for a variety of reasons—are not spiritually compatible. In this instance Peter says to believing wife with unbelieving husbands let your behavior be so full of love and grace and purity that the husband sees real faith to be attractive.
At the risk of reversing roles, my great grandfather was a bouncer in a bar in Hungary, accepted Christ through a co-worker (if I’m not mistaken), and freaked out his wife! She was skeptical of his faith and wanted nothing to do with Jesus—until she realized it was not a short-term phase he would grow out of but, instead, an authentic relationship with Jesus that was transforming him into a man filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.
Do you look like Jesus to your spouse? To your family? To your boss? To your friends?
For decades there has been great emphasis on “sharing one’s faith” with words, telling people the gospel—the good news. That’s extremely important, but first we need to earn the right to be heard or we’ll never be heard. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. They don’t care about Jesus until they meet Him through you! What kind of sermon are you preaching with your life, every day?
Peter continues…
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. (3:3)
This word “adornment” is kosmos in Greek, as in the cosmic universe or…cosmetics! It is the opposite of chaos.
It has been said that beauty is on the inside. I think both external and internal beauty are attractive, but Peter’s saying it’s the inner self that matters most.
Ladies, have you ever worn a wig? For that matter, men used to wear wigs. In the first century, hair was hugely important…and just huge! Wigs were very ornate.
Women, inward beauty is most important, but don’t neglect yourself. You’re not of this world but that doesn’t mean you are to look like you came from out of this world!
Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. (3:4-6)
We know Sarah was beautiful. Several kings wanted her.
We know Rachel was beautiful. Jacob worked fourteen years for Laban for her hand in marriage. (I’ve been secretly hoping that my future son-in-law would work 14 years for me before marrying Rachel!).
Suffice it to say Peter is saying to women, “Love your husbands.” He’s not saying be a robot or a slave, but love your husbands. Look out for their best interests. Seek to serve them. Seek to bless them. Seek to honor them.
Now we turn to the men, though he only provides us with one sentence to husbands.
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. (3:7)
Husbands, honor your wife. Be a gentleman. Open doors. Buy flowers. Talk with her…in person…with the phone put away!
The phrase “be considerate” literally means “living with one’s wife knowledgeably.” Husbands, do you know your wives?
We are to love and know our wives
physically. This is not just sexually, but presence, protection, and time
intellectually. Know her needs, feelings, hopes, fears, and moods
emotionally. Be honest, humble, reconcile when you’ve sinned, and respect her
spiritually. Pray for her. Pray with her.
Keep dating her. If I hear another married man say to me, “When we were dating…”
Some women have been offended by Peter calling wives the weaker partner. He’s not insulting them, but rather emphasizing how men need to care for their wives, treating them as partners, as different but equals. Most wives are physically weaker than their husbands and men are to use their strength to serve—never control or harm—their wives. Simply put, men love your wives. Look out for their best interests. Seek to serve them. Seek to bless them. Seek to honor them.
Notice those final seven words: “so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” Don’t miss that. God cares about how we love Him and how we love others. The most important relationship beyond our relationship with God is to be our marriage. The scriptures are loaded with directives regarding men and women, husbands and wives. We are created different and complementary. We were designed to be a team, to balance the strengths and weaknesses of one another. A husband, wife and child are a reflection of the Trinity—Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each with a role and purpose.
So What?
Wives, love your husbands.
Husbands, love your wives.
Unmarrieds, love those around you, that they may see Jesus living in and through you.
If you’re still trying to understand your spouse, Gary Smalley says,
I would venture to say that most marital difficulties center around one fact—men and women are TOTALLY different. The differences (emotional, mental, and physical) are so extreme that without a concentrated effort to understand them, it is nearly impossible to have a happy marriage. A famous psychiatrist once said, “After thirty years of studying women, I ask myself, ‘What is it that they really want?’”
Paul said it this way:
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:22-24)
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:25-27)
Although He was never married, Jesus demonstrated love. He demonstrated submission. He demonstrated how a husband is to treat his bride, laying down His very life.
As we celebrate communion and remember Jesus’ sacrifice, let it be an example of how we are to love and treat one another.
Communion
One More Thing…
The divorce rate in the USA is…50%, right? Wrong! That figure is an urban legend based upon projections decades ago that were completely false. Nobody knows exactly, but 71% of women are still married to their first spouse (2009 Census), and many no longer married are widowed, not divorced.
Researcher Shaunti Feldhahn (The Good News About Marriage) discovered four things that are helpful in building a strong marriage:
• Don’t live together before marriage. It increases your rate of divorce because the relationship is built on convenience rather than commitment.
• Go to church together. It may drop the divorce rate by about 25-50%.
• Pray together.
• Be intentionally affectionate. Research shows that physical connection builds a sense of happiness in a marriage, so hold hands, hug, and kiss each other good-bye!
Perhaps you’ve heard the divorce rate is the same for Christians and non-Christians. That is also false. In fact, some research suggests couples who pray together have a divorce rate around 1% (http://www.smalley.cc/do-you-know-the-divorce-rate-of-couples-who-pray-together/).
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 3:1-7
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Spouses, love one another and submit to Jesus.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering. We’ve looked at hope, holiness, harmony, and last week living a cruciform life in the way of the cross, knowing our suffering is temporary and known by God.
Throughout the book, Peter has been talking about a very offensive word in our culture: submit.
Why do we struggle to submit?
We want to do things our way. We live in a hyper-individualistic society. We can get seemingly anything customized and on-demand. Don’t like the selection of meat at your grocery store? Go down the street. You’ve got options! Don’t like your spouse? Trade them in for a newer model. Sick of your church? Hop over to another one.
We want autonomy and control. We want to be independent and free. We want choices and often rebel when told what to do. Of course this is nothing new. It began with Adam and Eve’s rebellion against God and His one prohibition in the Garden of Eden.
Last Sunday we talked about submission to authority. This includes government and commerce, the president and your boss, in the original context the emperor and the slave’s master. It also involves church authority, submitting to godly leaders. Regardless of the outcome, we are to do the right thing knowing we will eventually be rewarded—and oppressors will eventually be punished. Perhaps most important was the example of Jesus who was unjustly treated, died sacrificially despite being innocent of all accusations, and sought to please the Father above pleasing people or even Himself.
Today’s passage brings the subject of submission from the streets to the home. Peter addresses married people, but the message is applicable to all. If you are unmarried, don’t check out! Listen up. Perhaps someday you will have a spouse. The principles are relevant to all regardless of marital status…and they usually look nothing like Hollywood’s messages to us!
Remember context is critical. We can never read the Bible in the same way the original recipients read it. Our world is so different. Peter was writing to an early church where a large number of women had husbands who were not yet Christians. It was likely a very patriarchal, restrictive society that debilitated the development of their gifts.
1 Peter 3…
Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. (3:1-2)
Likewise. In the same way. This refers to the previous verses on submitting to authority.
We may suffer for doing good. If we suffer for doing evil, that’s to be expected. Jesus suffered for doing good. A perfect man was crucified unjustly. He glorified the Father through it all, though. He submitted to the Father’s will. In the Garden of Gethsemane before He was arrested, Jesus prayed
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)
If you don’t like the idea of submission, you’re in the wrong place. Both husbands and wives are to first submit to Jesus…who submitted to the Father. This is about order, not value or importance. God has a place for everything and has ordained levels of authority.
This does not mean we become doormats and let people manipulate and abuse us. We don’t have time to say much about this extreme, but I highly recommend the book Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend.
They write
We have never seen a “submission problem” that did not have a controlling husband at its root. When the wife begins to set clear boundaries, the lack of Christlikeness in a controlling husband becomes evident because the wife is no longer enabling his immature behavior. She is confronting the truth and setting biblical limits on hurtful behavior. Often, when the wife sets boundaries, the husband begins to grow up.
In other words, “focusing on submission is almost surely an indicator that one’s priorities are messed up.” (Scot McKnight)
One evangelical scholar said, “I believe in a wife submitting to her husband, but I don’t believe the husband ever has the right to demand it. In fact, I know that when I am worthy of submission, my wife submits; and when I am unworthy of it, she does not.”
Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. (3:1-2)
Peter is not saying wives are to be slaves or treated like children. Perhaps a better word than submit is respond. It is voluntary. Engage. Partner with your partner!
Notice Peter’s reason: a witness to the unbeliever. Actions speak louder than words. The Bible warns against being “unequally yoked.” Marriages between a follower of Jesus and a person who is not following Jesus almost always results in grief to both. They have different world views. They have different goals.
However, there are couples that—for a variety of reasons—are not spiritually compatible. In this instance Peter says to believing wife with unbelieving husbands let your behavior be so full of love and grace and purity that the husband sees real faith to be attractive.
At the risk of reversing roles, my great grandfather was a bouncer in a bar in Hungary, accepted Christ through a co-worker (if I’m not mistaken), and freaked out his wife! She was skeptical of his faith and wanted nothing to do with Jesus—until she realized it was not a short-term phase he would grow out of but, instead, an authentic relationship with Jesus that was transforming him into a man filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.
Do you look like Jesus to your spouse? To your family? To your boss? To your friends?
For decades there has been great emphasis on “sharing one’s faith” with words, telling people the gospel—the good news. That’s extremely important, but first we need to earn the right to be heard or we’ll never be heard. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. They don’t care about Jesus until they meet Him through you! What kind of sermon are you preaching with your life, every day?
Peter continues…
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. (3:3)
This word “adornment” is kosmos in Greek, as in the cosmic universe or…cosmetics! It is the opposite of chaos.
It has been said that beauty is on the inside. I think both external and internal beauty are attractive, but Peter’s saying it’s the inner self that matters most.
Ladies, have you ever worn a wig? For that matter, men used to wear wigs. In the first century, hair was hugely important…and just huge! Wigs were very ornate.
Women, inward beauty is most important, but don’t neglect yourself. You’re not of this world but that doesn’t mean you are to look like you came from out of this world!
Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. (3:4-6)
We know Sarah was beautiful. Several kings wanted her.
We know Rachel was beautiful. Jacob worked fourteen years for Laban for her hand in marriage. (I’ve been secretly hoping that my future son-in-law would work 14 years for me before marrying Rachel!).
Suffice it to say Peter is saying to women, “Love your husbands.” He’s not saying be a robot or a slave, but love your husbands. Look out for their best interests. Seek to serve them. Seek to bless them. Seek to honor them.
Now we turn to the men, though he only provides us with one sentence to husbands.
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. (3:7)
Husbands, honor your wife. Be a gentleman. Open doors. Buy flowers. Talk with her…in person…with the phone put away!
The phrase “be considerate” literally means “living with one’s wife knowledgeably.” Husbands, do you know your wives?
We are to love and know our wives
physically. This is not just sexually, but presence, protection, and time
intellectually. Know her needs, feelings, hopes, fears, and moods
emotionally. Be honest, humble, reconcile when you’ve sinned, and respect her
spiritually. Pray for her. Pray with her.
Keep dating her. If I hear another married man say to me, “When we were dating…”
Some women have been offended by Peter calling wives the weaker partner. He’s not insulting them, but rather emphasizing how men need to care for their wives, treating them as partners, as different but equals. Most wives are physically weaker than their husbands and men are to use their strength to serve—never control or harm—their wives. Simply put, men love your wives. Look out for their best interests. Seek to serve them. Seek to bless them. Seek to honor them.
Notice those final seven words: “so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” Don’t miss that. God cares about how we love Him and how we love others. The most important relationship beyond our relationship with God is to be our marriage. The scriptures are loaded with directives regarding men and women, husbands and wives. We are created different and complementary. We were designed to be a team, to balance the strengths and weaknesses of one another. A husband, wife and child are a reflection of the Trinity—Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each with a role and purpose.
So What?
Wives, love your husbands.
Husbands, love your wives.
Unmarrieds, love those around you, that they may see Jesus living in and through you.
If you’re still trying to understand your spouse, Gary Smalley says,
I would venture to say that most marital difficulties center around one fact—men and women are TOTALLY different. The differences (emotional, mental, and physical) are so extreme that without a concentrated effort to understand them, it is nearly impossible to have a happy marriage. A famous psychiatrist once said, “After thirty years of studying women, I ask myself, ‘What is it that they really want?’”
Paul said it this way:
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:22-24)
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:25-27)
Although He was never married, Jesus demonstrated love. He demonstrated submission. He demonstrated how a husband is to treat his bride, laying down His very life.
As we celebrate communion and remember Jesus’ sacrifice, let it be an example of how we are to love and treat one another.
Communion
One More Thing…
The divorce rate in the USA is…50%, right? Wrong! That figure is an urban legend based upon projections decades ago that were completely false. Nobody knows exactly, but 71% of women are still married to their first spouse (2009 Census), and many no longer married are widowed, not divorced.
Researcher Shaunti Feldhahn (The Good News About Marriage) discovered four things that are helpful in building a strong marriage:
• Don’t live together before marriage. It increases your rate of divorce because the relationship is built on convenience rather than commitment.
• Go to church together. It may drop the divorce rate by about 25-50%.
• Pray together.
• Be intentionally affectionate. Research shows that physical connection builds a sense of happiness in a marriage, so hold hands, hug, and kiss each other good-bye!
Perhaps you’ve heard the divorce rate is the same for Christians and non-Christians. That is also false. In fact, some research suggests couples who pray together have a divorce rate around 1% (http://www.smalley.cc/do-you-know-the-divorce-rate-of-couples-who-pray-together/).
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Suffer Like Jesus, 27 September 2015
25 09 15
Suffer Like Jesus
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 2:11-25
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Suffer like Jesus…God is watching.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering. In the first three weeks we looked at hope, holiness, and harmony.
As we continue our series on 1 Peter, our text for today reminds us about time. Time is a fascinating dimension to life. We often struggle to be fully present in the moment, instead reminiscing about the past or dreaming about the future.
Patience is related to the future. We want things now. Last Sunday we sang about waiting on the LORD, something I struggle to do, knowing that God’s timing is never late but rarely early. If only He would answer my prayers instantly like a genie in a lamp, yet Daddy knows best and can be trusted, even His timing. Perhaps in hindsight you’re glad God waited to answer a prayer.
One of the most common expressions among children is, “It’s not fair!” Did I say children?! Adults say it all the time, too! The great theological Bill Gates said, “Life is not fair. Get used to it.” We live in a broken, sinful world where injustices are all around us. Often the best we can hope for is some sort of restitution or reconciliation through a judge or jury.
But what if you knew justice would prevail? What if you could be certain all wrongs would be righted, all perpetrators would be punished, and all suffering would be rewarded?
It all brings fairness and time into question. Our scripture today is full of encouragement from Peter to those suffering, reminding them their present suffering is not the end. There is more to their story. Judgment Day is coming, a day of reckoning, a day in which many will rejoice while others suffer the consequences of their unrighteousness.
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. (2:11)
Last week we read Peter’s instruction to get rid of sin. Throughout every day we make decisions to follow the world or Jesus. These exiles—like us—are in the midst of a war between good and evil, between God and satan. We are in the midst of a spiritual battle. D.L. Moody once said, “I have more trouble with D.L. Moody than with any man I know.” Never confuse people as being the enemy. The real enemy is satan.
We were sinners but we’ve become adopted children of God. We are strangers/sojourners/pilgrims, resident aliens with citizenship in heaven. That’s immensely important. Foreigners and exiles approach life differently than citizens. Peter’s friends were literally exiles; we are not.
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (2:12)
Have you ever been punished for doing the right thing? Have you ever been despised by cheaters for being honest? Have you ever been mocked for studying by those who failed the test? Often our greatest critics are merely envious.
I’ve seen this frequently with pastors. Thanks to the internet, everyone can have their own platform for sharing their opinion with the world. I’m truly sick and tired of hearing people trash pastors of large churches that are often doing more for the kingdom of God than their sorry whining will ever do. Sure, there are heretics that preach harmful things, but I’ve heard people attack some of the most respected people and I have to wonder if they’re just envious.
Good deeds are a witness to the world. We need words and deeds in shining the light of Jesus into our dark world.
Peter continues…
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. (2:13-15)
This is a fascinating passage. It’s easy to think of our government but remember the context. Nero was coming to the throne in Rome as the new emperor. Life was hard for followers of Jesus. Peter’s not saying dishonor God, but he seems to be saying obey the law, submit to authority.
Daniel and his friends disobeyed the law but did so in a way that honored the king and respected authority (Daniel 1). They held their convictions and glorified God in the process. In Acts 4-5, Peter and his colleagues refused to stop preaching as commanded, yet they showed respect to their leaders in the process.
Note the last sentence. Again we see actions speak louder than words, in this case our good actions silencing—literally muzzle—fools.
Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. (2:16-17)
We have freedom. We have liberty—far more than Peter’s audience—but we must not abuse our freedoms. We are free but we’re God’s servants. God’s slaves. When we call God LORD we are declaring ourselves to be under His authority. We are to use our freedom to help, serve, and bless others as Nehemiah did restoring the Jerusalem walls.
He says to show “proper respect to everyone.” I wish more Christians would follow this simple instruction, especially during these political campaigns. How we submit to authority is a part of our witness to the world. Going 85 miles an hour on the expressway with a “Jesus Loves You” bumper sticker sends the wrong message.
He reiterates the command to love the family of believers. Note the context of authority. One way we love one another is by submitting to the authority of godly leaders in the church.
He says fear—or have awe for—God. Give honor to the emperor, the king, the president. The office is to be honored even if you disagree with their politics. No matter your dislike for a politician, they are created with dignity, value and worth in the image of God. Pray for them. The verbs literally mean to keep loving, keep fearing, keep honoring…constantly. This is no mere suggestion. The book of Romans says…
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13:1)
This all echoes Solomon’s wisdom:
Fear the Lord and the king, my son…(Proverbs 24:21)
I admit this can be tricky. Not every nation has a church and state separation. Facebook is abuzz with Christians supporting and opposing Kim Davis for her decisions as a county clerk in Kentucky. What do you do when the law and the Word of God are in conflict?
Perhaps one word to consider is power. Jesus did not come to overthrow the government of His day, though many hoped He would. As He entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday the people shouted, “Hosanna!” which means “Save us now!” He will exercise His power when He returns, but He modeled for us a servant’s posture. Whenever I see pride or self-serving power exerted I get nervous in a hurry!
Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. (2:18-21)
First century slavery was different than the horror of slavery in the USA up to our Civil War. It was generally a temporary condition that included possibly one-third of the population. Many chose to be slaves for a season in order to become full Roman citizens. Peter’s words regarding obedience as slaves may have been partially so they could be set free. Powerful masters had powerful slaves, so for some, it was a valuable position. Some slaves were doctors, teachers, and even sea-captains.
It wasn’t necessary an easy life, however. Some slaves were both physically abused and made sexually available to their masters. Scott Bartchy writes,
“Central features that distinguish 1st century slavery from that later practiced in the New World are the following: racial factors played no role; education was greatly encouraged (some slaves were better educated than their owners) and enhanced a slave’s value; many slaves carried out sensitive and highly responsible social functions; slaves could own property (including other slaves!); their religious and cultural traditions were the same as those of the freeborn; no laws prohibited public assembly of slaves; and (perhaps above all) the majority of urban and domestic slaves could legitimately anticipate being emancipated by the age of 30.”
Submit. Not a popular word in our culture, or perhaps any. None of us truly understand the life of a slave. Some liken their boss to a slave master. No matter your job, our nation affords us all certain freedoms unimaginable to those in other places and/or other times in history. We can’t fully appreciate the weight of Peter’s words except to say do the right thing, even if you’re not rewarded for it…now. Someday you will receive your reward.
Work as unto the LORD. Paul wrote to the church in Colossae…
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism. (Colossians 3:22-25)
Submit to the authority of your boss. When wronged, it’s human nature to want to fight, but we are to submit and let God fight. This doesn’t mean be a doormat or tolerate abuse, but it does mean remember God is watching.
Jesus understands. Jesus suffered. Not only did He suffer for doing good, He did it to both set an example for us and to sacrifice for us. He died for you and for me. He served through suffering.
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” (2:22)
He lived a perfect life, yet He was executed, wrongfully accused. He suffered the ultimate suffering for doing good. He lived the cruciform life, shaped by the cross.
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (2:23-25)
Peter quotes Isaiah 53. It’s such a paradox that we have been healed by His wounds, His suffering.
Jesus’ life set an example for us.
Jesus’ death was a sacrifice for us.
Jesus is now our Shepherd and will return soon.
So What?
This passage is loaded with application possibilities. I say possibilities because the relationship between us and government can be tricky. Civil disobedience may be justified, but we must respect our leaders. Enduring a difficult job and serving wholeheartedly may be God’s desire and a great witness to others. Demonstrating kindness, generosity, humility, honesty, and loyalty when we don’t “feel” like it represents God well. We are to not only do the right thing, we are often to do the right things in the midst of suffering. A cruciform understanding of the Christian life—the way of self-denial and of suffering as demonstrated by Jesus—is a radical proclamation to our world.
“The way of suffering is the divinely intended manner of bringing the greatest victory of God into the world.” - Scot McKnight
There’s a famous poem that was written on the wall in Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta, a version of Dr. Kent Keith’s Paradoxical Commandments:
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
Life is hard. Injustice happens. We suffer. But there’s more to the story. God is watching. He will right all wrongs someday. It’s gonna be worth it someday.
“Life isn’t fair.” For the follower of Jesus, this is actually good news. You don’t want what you deserve! We all deserve eternal separation from God for our sins. It’s only grace that allows us forgiveness. Only the blood of Jesus can wash away our sins and make us white as snow. Only Christ’s broken body can mend our broken relationship with our heavenly Father. Praise God life isn’t fair!
The world is watching us. So is the Good Shepherd. Hallelujah!
In the end, it's going to be Worth It All.
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 2:11-25
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Suffer like Jesus…God is watching.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering. In the first three weeks we looked at hope, holiness, and harmony.
As we continue our series on 1 Peter, our text for today reminds us about time. Time is a fascinating dimension to life. We often struggle to be fully present in the moment, instead reminiscing about the past or dreaming about the future.
Patience is related to the future. We want things now. Last Sunday we sang about waiting on the LORD, something I struggle to do, knowing that God’s timing is never late but rarely early. If only He would answer my prayers instantly like a genie in a lamp, yet Daddy knows best and can be trusted, even His timing. Perhaps in hindsight you’re glad God waited to answer a prayer.
One of the most common expressions among children is, “It’s not fair!” Did I say children?! Adults say it all the time, too! The great theological Bill Gates said, “Life is not fair. Get used to it.” We live in a broken, sinful world where injustices are all around us. Often the best we can hope for is some sort of restitution or reconciliation through a judge or jury.
But what if you knew justice would prevail? What if you could be certain all wrongs would be righted, all perpetrators would be punished, and all suffering would be rewarded?
It all brings fairness and time into question. Our scripture today is full of encouragement from Peter to those suffering, reminding them their present suffering is not the end. There is more to their story. Judgment Day is coming, a day of reckoning, a day in which many will rejoice while others suffer the consequences of their unrighteousness.
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. (2:11)
Last week we read Peter’s instruction to get rid of sin. Throughout every day we make decisions to follow the world or Jesus. These exiles—like us—are in the midst of a war between good and evil, between God and satan. We are in the midst of a spiritual battle. D.L. Moody once said, “I have more trouble with D.L. Moody than with any man I know.” Never confuse people as being the enemy. The real enemy is satan.
We were sinners but we’ve become adopted children of God. We are strangers/sojourners/pilgrims, resident aliens with citizenship in heaven. That’s immensely important. Foreigners and exiles approach life differently than citizens. Peter’s friends were literally exiles; we are not.
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (2:12)
Have you ever been punished for doing the right thing? Have you ever been despised by cheaters for being honest? Have you ever been mocked for studying by those who failed the test? Often our greatest critics are merely envious.
I’ve seen this frequently with pastors. Thanks to the internet, everyone can have their own platform for sharing their opinion with the world. I’m truly sick and tired of hearing people trash pastors of large churches that are often doing more for the kingdom of God than their sorry whining will ever do. Sure, there are heretics that preach harmful things, but I’ve heard people attack some of the most respected people and I have to wonder if they’re just envious.
Good deeds are a witness to the world. We need words and deeds in shining the light of Jesus into our dark world.
Peter continues…
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. (2:13-15)
This is a fascinating passage. It’s easy to think of our government but remember the context. Nero was coming to the throne in Rome as the new emperor. Life was hard for followers of Jesus. Peter’s not saying dishonor God, but he seems to be saying obey the law, submit to authority.
Daniel and his friends disobeyed the law but did so in a way that honored the king and respected authority (Daniel 1). They held their convictions and glorified God in the process. In Acts 4-5, Peter and his colleagues refused to stop preaching as commanded, yet they showed respect to their leaders in the process.
Note the last sentence. Again we see actions speak louder than words, in this case our good actions silencing—literally muzzle—fools.
Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. (2:16-17)
We have freedom. We have liberty—far more than Peter’s audience—but we must not abuse our freedoms. We are free but we’re God’s servants. God’s slaves. When we call God LORD we are declaring ourselves to be under His authority. We are to use our freedom to help, serve, and bless others as Nehemiah did restoring the Jerusalem walls.
He says to show “proper respect to everyone.” I wish more Christians would follow this simple instruction, especially during these political campaigns. How we submit to authority is a part of our witness to the world. Going 85 miles an hour on the expressway with a “Jesus Loves You” bumper sticker sends the wrong message.
He reiterates the command to love the family of believers. Note the context of authority. One way we love one another is by submitting to the authority of godly leaders in the church.
He says fear—or have awe for—God. Give honor to the emperor, the king, the president. The office is to be honored even if you disagree with their politics. No matter your dislike for a politician, they are created with dignity, value and worth in the image of God. Pray for them. The verbs literally mean to keep loving, keep fearing, keep honoring…constantly. This is no mere suggestion. The book of Romans says…
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13:1)
This all echoes Solomon’s wisdom:
Fear the Lord and the king, my son…(Proverbs 24:21)
I admit this can be tricky. Not every nation has a church and state separation. Facebook is abuzz with Christians supporting and opposing Kim Davis for her decisions as a county clerk in Kentucky. What do you do when the law and the Word of God are in conflict?
Perhaps one word to consider is power. Jesus did not come to overthrow the government of His day, though many hoped He would. As He entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday the people shouted, “Hosanna!” which means “Save us now!” He will exercise His power when He returns, but He modeled for us a servant’s posture. Whenever I see pride or self-serving power exerted I get nervous in a hurry!
Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. (2:18-21)
First century slavery was different than the horror of slavery in the USA up to our Civil War. It was generally a temporary condition that included possibly one-third of the population. Many chose to be slaves for a season in order to become full Roman citizens. Peter’s words regarding obedience as slaves may have been partially so they could be set free. Powerful masters had powerful slaves, so for some, it was a valuable position. Some slaves were doctors, teachers, and even sea-captains.
It wasn’t necessary an easy life, however. Some slaves were both physically abused and made sexually available to their masters. Scott Bartchy writes,
“Central features that distinguish 1st century slavery from that later practiced in the New World are the following: racial factors played no role; education was greatly encouraged (some slaves were better educated than their owners) and enhanced a slave’s value; many slaves carried out sensitive and highly responsible social functions; slaves could own property (including other slaves!); their religious and cultural traditions were the same as those of the freeborn; no laws prohibited public assembly of slaves; and (perhaps above all) the majority of urban and domestic slaves could legitimately anticipate being emancipated by the age of 30.”
Submit. Not a popular word in our culture, or perhaps any. None of us truly understand the life of a slave. Some liken their boss to a slave master. No matter your job, our nation affords us all certain freedoms unimaginable to those in other places and/or other times in history. We can’t fully appreciate the weight of Peter’s words except to say do the right thing, even if you’re not rewarded for it…now. Someday you will receive your reward.
Work as unto the LORD. Paul wrote to the church in Colossae…
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism. (Colossians 3:22-25)
Submit to the authority of your boss. When wronged, it’s human nature to want to fight, but we are to submit and let God fight. This doesn’t mean be a doormat or tolerate abuse, but it does mean remember God is watching.
Jesus understands. Jesus suffered. Not only did He suffer for doing good, He did it to both set an example for us and to sacrifice for us. He died for you and for me. He served through suffering.
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” (2:22)
He lived a perfect life, yet He was executed, wrongfully accused. He suffered the ultimate suffering for doing good. He lived the cruciform life, shaped by the cross.
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (2:23-25)
Peter quotes Isaiah 53. It’s such a paradox that we have been healed by His wounds, His suffering.
Jesus’ life set an example for us.
Jesus’ death was a sacrifice for us.
Jesus is now our Shepherd and will return soon.
So What?
This passage is loaded with application possibilities. I say possibilities because the relationship between us and government can be tricky. Civil disobedience may be justified, but we must respect our leaders. Enduring a difficult job and serving wholeheartedly may be God’s desire and a great witness to others. Demonstrating kindness, generosity, humility, honesty, and loyalty when we don’t “feel” like it represents God well. We are to not only do the right thing, we are often to do the right things in the midst of suffering. A cruciform understanding of the Christian life—the way of self-denial and of suffering as demonstrated by Jesus—is a radical proclamation to our world.
“The way of suffering is the divinely intended manner of bringing the greatest victory of God into the world.” - Scot McKnight
There’s a famous poem that was written on the wall in Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta, a version of Dr. Kent Keith’s Paradoxical Commandments:
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
Life is hard. Injustice happens. We suffer. But there’s more to the story. God is watching. He will right all wrongs someday. It’s gonna be worth it someday.
“Life isn’t fair.” For the follower of Jesus, this is actually good news. You don’t want what you deserve! We all deserve eternal separation from God for our sins. It’s only grace that allows us forgiveness. Only the blood of Jesus can wash away our sins and make us white as snow. Only Christ’s broken body can mend our broken relationship with our heavenly Father. Praise God life isn’t fair!
The world is watching us. So is the Good Shepherd. Hallelujah!
In the end, it's going to be Worth It All.
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Harmony, 20 September 2015
20 09 15
Harmony: Christian Togetherness
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 1:22-2:10
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: When persecuted, we have not only hope and a call to holy living but also a harmonious family of God we are to love.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering.
If you’re read through the book of 1 Peter this past week as I challenged you last Sunday, you may have found it lacking order. I was relieved to read one writer who said,
Once again, Peter’s style here—weaving in and out of topics, exhorting and then stating the foundation for the exhortation, and digressing to cover important ideas— prevents many readers from finding any logical sequence. (Scot McKnight)
If you like a neat, organized, three-point sermon with each point beginning with the same letter or forming an acrostic, you will not find it today or probably in any sermon in this series. You’ve been warned! But don’t take that to mean this letter is disorganized or unimportant. The messages are timeless, timely for us today, and a true treasure.
Two weeks ago the focus was hope. Last week the key word was holy, being and living different, set apart lives reflecting Jesus.
We ran out of time last week so I want to begin by looking at verses 17-21 before diving into today’s text.
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. (1 Peter 1:17)
This fear does not mean anxiety or scary, but rather awe. Dad is watching us now, and one day He will judge each of us. We can have awe or desire the approval of the world as citizens or we can be in awe of and seek the Father as foreigners; visitors.
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. (1 Peter 1:18-21)
We have been redeemed, purchased with a price. Jesus died, shedding His blood for us. Our redemption makes us grateful for not only forgiveness but adoption into our new family and a desire to live in holiness and awe before God.
Our Father is the standard. He is holy. He shows us through Jesus what it means to truly be human, to live as we were created to live, full of faith, hope and love. He shows us the benefits of salvation, an eternal hope that cannot be taken away.
Is your faith and hope in God…or in the stock market?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your friends?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your job?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your social media popularity?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your stuff…the house, the cars, the vacations?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in our president, governor, or political party?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your gifts, talents and abilities?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your education and diplomas?
Is your faith and hope in the present…or in the future?
Peter encourages us to be aware of the future—God’s righteous judgment of our lives and also the hope of the joy of final salvation. The best is yet to come.
Today’s word is harmony.
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1:22-23)
Children of God have been born again (John 3). We have been born again through the word of God. Notice Peter connects obedience and loving one another. As we’re going to see, following Jesus is more than an individual journey. We are a part of a family. We have not only a Father and a Big Brother, Jesus, but also spiritual brothers and sisters we are to love…deeply…from the heart.
If we could just do this one thing—love one another deeply—we’d be almost done! The two greatest commands are love God and love others…and we love God by loving others.
The word “deeply” cannot be overstated. We use the word “love” in English to describe so many things, yet this is a radical commitment, fervency, constancy, and effort. We are to share both philadelphia love—brotherly love—and agape love which is godly sacrificial love. Loving deeply is not tolerance; it may be the opposite of tolerance!
When we are adopted into God’s family we experience a new birth, receive a new family, and are given an unconditional love we are to share with others.
When we were born naturally, we were given bodies that will die. When we are born again, we are given the eternal Word of God. Some modern Christians call the Bible the Word of God—and it is—but the same word, logos, is used in John 1 to describe Jesus Himself.
Remember, Peter’s readers did not have YouVersion on their iPhone or a leather-bound NIV Study Bible! He quotes Isaiah 40:6-8.
For,
“All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
And this is the word that was preached to you. (1:24-25)
We’re like the grass. We will eventually die. No matter how strong, smart, cool, or talented you are, you’re going to die. God and His word are eternal.
Therefore, …(2:1a)
What’s it there for?
Because this world is temporary and God’s Word is eternal…
Because born people will die but born again people will live forever…
Because we are not merely children of our parents but children of God…
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (2:1-3)
We need to get rid of sin.
Malice is congealed anger; an unforgiving spirit. Are you bitter? Is there someone you need to forgive. They don’t deserve to be forgiven, but neither do you! That’s grace. That’s agape love from God. Get rid of malice. Give it up. Surrender it to God. Replace it with God’s grace.
Deceit is guile. Ananias and Sapphira were deceitful (Acts 5). The devil is a deceiver. We are to be filled with the truth.
Do we need to talk about hypocrisy? One of the greatest criticisms of Christians by non-Christians is we’re hypocrites. We say one thing on Sunday and do something different on Monday. None of us is perfect, but when children of God screw up, they confess and make it right.
Envy. This is one of those somewhat acceptable sins, perhaps because it’s easy to hide. Look around. Whose job do you want? Whose paycheck? Whose car? Whose family? Whose body? I believe the opposite of envy is gratefulness and contentment. God has showered all of us with a vast array of gifts, beginning with Jesus and continuing to our freedom to worship today.
Slander…of every kind. Gossip. Behind-the-back criticism. If you wouldn’t say it in their presence, don’t say it in their absence!
We need to get rid of all sin in our lives and replace it with Jesus, with the fruit of the Spirit, with character and godliness…because we’re God’s kids, children of the King!
I love Peter’s metaphor of spiritual milk. He’s not writing to new Christians, but instead acknowledging how newborn babies crave milk. They long for it. They cry for it! Because we’ve tasted that the LORD is good! We used to crave sin and now we are to crave prayer, obedience, serving others, sharing Jesus…God. We can fill our lives with vices or virtues.
The psalmist famously wrote in Psalm 42:
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. (Psalm 42:1)
The LORD is good! He’s so good! He’s greater, smarter, stronger, more present, more loving, more kind, more compassionate, more powerful…than anyone or anything.
One reason we gather is to be reminded we are children of a mighty God!
This week you may have faced criticism, bills, broken cars, broken bodies, bad news, sickness, addictions, temptations, fear, anxiety…but God is greater! The LORD is good! We must run to Him. We must flee sin and run into the arms of our Daddy who loves us unconditionally!
We are to desire the word of God, spiritual milk. We need to grow and will discover the goodness of the LORD. We need to worship. We also need to get into the word of God!
I often pray the prayer of a father who exclaimed to Jesus,
“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
Does your passion for God grow when you’re with other believers?
Does your passion for God grow when you’re in God’s Word?
Does your passion for God grow when you worship?
LORD, I want to want You! Give me a passion for You such that knowing You is truly the greatest thing in my life!
Now Peter shifts gears.
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (2:4-5)
Precious is an interesting word, especially for a fisherman, but Peter used it liberally. Jesus said He would build His church. Peter was a little stone like us. God is building a living temple. A better translation is “build yourselves.” Take action. We are to come together as living stones connected to the living Stone to form one spiritual house where—like the old temple—God dwells.
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
“ ‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
“Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” (Matthew 21:42-44)
The foundation is salvation. You come to the Stone broken.
The stone of judgment is also coming according to Daniel.
For in Scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.” (2:6)
Jesus is this stone.
Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
and,
“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. (2:7-8)
These aren’t rolling stones but stable rocks.
We all choose to accept or reject Jesus. He’s a stepping stone or a stumbling stone.
Psalm 118:22 speaks of the temple.
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. (Psalm 118:22-23)
We live in world that rejects Jesus. Peter’s audience was rejected by the world. We may be rejected, too, but the world’s rejection pails in comparison to the Father’s acceptance. The story is still being written. Vindication is coming.
Now we come to our focus today.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (2:9)
We are a chosen people/generation. An elect race. These people are a scattered diaspora but they’ve been chosen like the people of Israel. We choose Jesus because He’s chosen us. We love Him because He first loved us.
We are a royal priesthood. In the Old Testament God chose the nation of Israel to be priests. They sinned so God chose God fearing Jews and Gentiles to become priests. If you are a follower of Jesus, you are a priest. We are royalty. In Peter’s day, royalty was inherited, but we have been adopted as sons and daughters to be not only children but priests who serve God.
Scot McKnight says, “To become a Christian is to be raised to the ultimate height in status because we suddenly become children of the God of the universe, and we have direct access to him because we are his children.” Hallelujah!
We are a holy nation. We’ve never been fully holy in conduct but we are holy in our relationship with God. Jesus is our righteousness.
Our purpose is to declare God’s praises. We are to announce good tidings of peace and joy. We are to show the light to our dark world. Some will accept and some will reject.
We are special people, a peculiar people, people of His own, a special possession. We are a ragamuffin collection of broken sinners who have found salvation in Jesus. We are God’s. We belong to HIm. He invites us to not only be with Him but also to love the people of this world and one another. This reminds me of Jesus’ prayer recording in John 17:
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. (John 17:20-24)
This is my favorite prayer in the Bible because Jesus prays for us! He says we have been given to Jesus by the Father.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (2:10)
God is rich in mercy. Paul wrote
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5)
Conclusion
God has not created us to know Him in isolation.
God has not created us to live in isolation.
God exists in community—Father, Son and Spirit—and created us to do life together, to be a family, a nation, a people, a group of priests that know God…and make Him known.
No matter what trials we face, we are to be a united, harmonious family, faithful to Jesus. We are God’s people. We are a priesthood, a nation, a people. We the people! Let’s live like it!!!
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 1:22-2:10
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: When persecuted, we have not only hope and a call to holy living but also a harmonious family of God we are to love.
Introduction
This morning we continue our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” This short letter to the early, suffering church is a powerful message not only to an ancient people but is increasing relevant to modern Christians as we face persecution. We may never face the horrors of ISIS victims, but nevertheless we can—and perhaps should—feel in the minority as followers of Jesus in a world consumed with money, sex and power. The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering.
If you’re read through the book of 1 Peter this past week as I challenged you last Sunday, you may have found it lacking order. I was relieved to read one writer who said,
Once again, Peter’s style here—weaving in and out of topics, exhorting and then stating the foundation for the exhortation, and digressing to cover important ideas— prevents many readers from finding any logical sequence. (Scot McKnight)
If you like a neat, organized, three-point sermon with each point beginning with the same letter or forming an acrostic, you will not find it today or probably in any sermon in this series. You’ve been warned! But don’t take that to mean this letter is disorganized or unimportant. The messages are timeless, timely for us today, and a true treasure.
Two weeks ago the focus was hope. Last week the key word was holy, being and living different, set apart lives reflecting Jesus.
We ran out of time last week so I want to begin by looking at verses 17-21 before diving into today’s text.
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. (1 Peter 1:17)
This fear does not mean anxiety or scary, but rather awe. Dad is watching us now, and one day He will judge each of us. We can have awe or desire the approval of the world as citizens or we can be in awe of and seek the Father as foreigners; visitors.
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. (1 Peter 1:18-21)
We have been redeemed, purchased with a price. Jesus died, shedding His blood for us. Our redemption makes us grateful for not only forgiveness but adoption into our new family and a desire to live in holiness and awe before God.
Our Father is the standard. He is holy. He shows us through Jesus what it means to truly be human, to live as we were created to live, full of faith, hope and love. He shows us the benefits of salvation, an eternal hope that cannot be taken away.
Is your faith and hope in God…or in the stock market?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your friends?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your job?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your social media popularity?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your stuff…the house, the cars, the vacations?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in our president, governor, or political party?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your gifts, talents and abilities?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your education and diplomas?
Is your faith and hope in the present…or in the future?
Peter encourages us to be aware of the future—God’s righteous judgment of our lives and also the hope of the joy of final salvation. The best is yet to come.
Today’s word is harmony.
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1:22-23)
Children of God have been born again (John 3). We have been born again through the word of God. Notice Peter connects obedience and loving one another. As we’re going to see, following Jesus is more than an individual journey. We are a part of a family. We have not only a Father and a Big Brother, Jesus, but also spiritual brothers and sisters we are to love…deeply…from the heart.
If we could just do this one thing—love one another deeply—we’d be almost done! The two greatest commands are love God and love others…and we love God by loving others.
The word “deeply” cannot be overstated. We use the word “love” in English to describe so many things, yet this is a radical commitment, fervency, constancy, and effort. We are to share both philadelphia love—brotherly love—and agape love which is godly sacrificial love. Loving deeply is not tolerance; it may be the opposite of tolerance!
When we are adopted into God’s family we experience a new birth, receive a new family, and are given an unconditional love we are to share with others.
When we were born naturally, we were given bodies that will die. When we are born again, we are given the eternal Word of God. Some modern Christians call the Bible the Word of God—and it is—but the same word, logos, is used in John 1 to describe Jesus Himself.
Remember, Peter’s readers did not have YouVersion on their iPhone or a leather-bound NIV Study Bible! He quotes Isaiah 40:6-8.
For,
“All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
And this is the word that was preached to you. (1:24-25)
We’re like the grass. We will eventually die. No matter how strong, smart, cool, or talented you are, you’re going to die. God and His word are eternal.
Therefore, …(2:1a)
What’s it there for?
Because this world is temporary and God’s Word is eternal…
Because born people will die but born again people will live forever…
Because we are not merely children of our parents but children of God…
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (2:1-3)
We need to get rid of sin.
Malice is congealed anger; an unforgiving spirit. Are you bitter? Is there someone you need to forgive. They don’t deserve to be forgiven, but neither do you! That’s grace. That’s agape love from God. Get rid of malice. Give it up. Surrender it to God. Replace it with God’s grace.
Deceit is guile. Ananias and Sapphira were deceitful (Acts 5). The devil is a deceiver. We are to be filled with the truth.
Do we need to talk about hypocrisy? One of the greatest criticisms of Christians by non-Christians is we’re hypocrites. We say one thing on Sunday and do something different on Monday. None of us is perfect, but when children of God screw up, they confess and make it right.
Envy. This is one of those somewhat acceptable sins, perhaps because it’s easy to hide. Look around. Whose job do you want? Whose paycheck? Whose car? Whose family? Whose body? I believe the opposite of envy is gratefulness and contentment. God has showered all of us with a vast array of gifts, beginning with Jesus and continuing to our freedom to worship today.
Slander…of every kind. Gossip. Behind-the-back criticism. If you wouldn’t say it in their presence, don’t say it in their absence!
We need to get rid of all sin in our lives and replace it with Jesus, with the fruit of the Spirit, with character and godliness…because we’re God’s kids, children of the King!
I love Peter’s metaphor of spiritual milk. He’s not writing to new Christians, but instead acknowledging how newborn babies crave milk. They long for it. They cry for it! Because we’ve tasted that the LORD is good! We used to crave sin and now we are to crave prayer, obedience, serving others, sharing Jesus…God. We can fill our lives with vices or virtues.
The psalmist famously wrote in Psalm 42:
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. (Psalm 42:1)
The LORD is good! He’s so good! He’s greater, smarter, stronger, more present, more loving, more kind, more compassionate, more powerful…than anyone or anything.
One reason we gather is to be reminded we are children of a mighty God!
This week you may have faced criticism, bills, broken cars, broken bodies, bad news, sickness, addictions, temptations, fear, anxiety…but God is greater! The LORD is good! We must run to Him. We must flee sin and run into the arms of our Daddy who loves us unconditionally!
We are to desire the word of God, spiritual milk. We need to grow and will discover the goodness of the LORD. We need to worship. We also need to get into the word of God!
I often pray the prayer of a father who exclaimed to Jesus,
“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
Does your passion for God grow when you’re with other believers?
Does your passion for God grow when you’re in God’s Word?
Does your passion for God grow when you worship?
LORD, I want to want You! Give me a passion for You such that knowing You is truly the greatest thing in my life!
Now Peter shifts gears.
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (2:4-5)
Precious is an interesting word, especially for a fisherman, but Peter used it liberally. Jesus said He would build His church. Peter was a little stone like us. God is building a living temple. A better translation is “build yourselves.” Take action. We are to come together as living stones connected to the living Stone to form one spiritual house where—like the old temple—God dwells.
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
“ ‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
“Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” (Matthew 21:42-44)
The foundation is salvation. You come to the Stone broken.
The stone of judgment is also coming according to Daniel.
For in Scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.” (2:6)
Jesus is this stone.
Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
and,
“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. (2:7-8)
These aren’t rolling stones but stable rocks.
We all choose to accept or reject Jesus. He’s a stepping stone or a stumbling stone.
Psalm 118:22 speaks of the temple.
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. (Psalm 118:22-23)
We live in world that rejects Jesus. Peter’s audience was rejected by the world. We may be rejected, too, but the world’s rejection pails in comparison to the Father’s acceptance. The story is still being written. Vindication is coming.
Now we come to our focus today.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (2:9)
We are a chosen people/generation. An elect race. These people are a scattered diaspora but they’ve been chosen like the people of Israel. We choose Jesus because He’s chosen us. We love Him because He first loved us.
We are a royal priesthood. In the Old Testament God chose the nation of Israel to be priests. They sinned so God chose God fearing Jews and Gentiles to become priests. If you are a follower of Jesus, you are a priest. We are royalty. In Peter’s day, royalty was inherited, but we have been adopted as sons and daughters to be not only children but priests who serve God.
Scot McKnight says, “To become a Christian is to be raised to the ultimate height in status because we suddenly become children of the God of the universe, and we have direct access to him because we are his children.” Hallelujah!
We are a holy nation. We’ve never been fully holy in conduct but we are holy in our relationship with God. Jesus is our righteousness.
Our purpose is to declare God’s praises. We are to announce good tidings of peace and joy. We are to show the light to our dark world. Some will accept and some will reject.
We are special people, a peculiar people, people of His own, a special possession. We are a ragamuffin collection of broken sinners who have found salvation in Jesus. We are God’s. We belong to HIm. He invites us to not only be with Him but also to love the people of this world and one another. This reminds me of Jesus’ prayer recording in John 17:
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. (John 17:20-24)
This is my favorite prayer in the Bible because Jesus prays for us! He says we have been given to Jesus by the Father.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (2:10)
God is rich in mercy. Paul wrote
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5)
Conclusion
God has not created us to know Him in isolation.
God has not created us to live in isolation.
God exists in community—Father, Son and Spirit—and created us to do life together, to be a family, a nation, a people, a group of priests that know God…and make Him known.
No matter what trials we face, we are to be a united, harmonious family, faithful to Jesus. We are God’s people. We are a priesthood, a nation, a people. We the people! Let’s live like it!!!
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Be Holy! 13 September 2015
14 09 15
Be Holy!
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 1:13-21
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: When suffering, we need not only need empathy but also holy action.
Introduction
Last week we began our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” We live in crazy times!
I’ve heard Christians in the USA talk about suffering and persecution. Perhaps you’ve lost friends over your faith, have been skipped over for a job promotion for following Jesus, or been teased because you love Christ. While I don’t mean to minimize those things, it’s nothing compared to the imprisonment, torture, and even death faced by our brothers and sisters around the world. In recent days, the media has shed light on the horrific actions of ISIS and other groups who have promoted violence, prompted refugees to flee their homelands, and murdered our spiritual siblings.
The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering. While we all experience trials, Peter—one of Jesus’ three best friends—is writing to scattered peoples fleeing for their freedoms and, in many cases, their very lives. In the first twelve verses of this epistle—or short letter—these exiles are addressed with reminders of their salvation, the temporary nature of their suffering, and hope both now and forever. This section focuses on holy living.
1 Peter 1:13…
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.
What is therefore there for? These exiles are suffering and have been given encouragement and hope.
When you’re suffering, encouragement and hope are wonderful, but something else is needed to prevent despair: action. There are times we are to be still, quiet, reflect, and meditate, but when life gets hard, we can focus inward on our problems and miss out on God’s blessings. Most everything in life begins with our minds, our thoughts.
I’d be the first to say positive thinking can be overrated, but not always. Paul famously wrote
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
Our actions begin with our mind. Garbage in, garbage out. Purity in, purity out.
The temptation in suffering is to turn inward and suffer your own suffering, troubling your own trouble. Peter gives them a vision of something greater than the present. God is still on the throne.
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. (1 Peter 1:13)
With minds that are alert and fully sober…what an interesting phrase. It means to prepare your minds for action, literally “gird up the loins of your mind.”
Some have suggested we translate this passage “taking off the coat” or “rolling up the sleeves” of your mind. Take off your warm-up suit so your mind can move freely.
Peter is saying maintain a loose grip on this world and a tight grip on what lies ahead. This world is temporary.
Life is short. Eat dessert first!
Then he says to make sure your minds are fully sober. This is a metaphor. He’s saying be self-controlled. Drunks cannot control themselves or their bodies. What’s the point of this gird of loins and self-control? Hope! With focused, ready minds “set your hope.”
Hope is a challenging word because it means so many different things. I can hope to play baseball for the Detroit Tigers or I can hope you like this sermon or I can hope my wife will love me tomorrow. Like faith, the issue isn’t so much with me, but with the object of my hope. Playing for the Tigers is wishful thinking. It’s not going to happen no matter how much I think about it, pray about it, or hope for it. The love of my wife, however, is secure. Although I haven’t experienced tomorrow yet, I am confident in the love my wife has for me and I look forward to being with her tomorrow.
Peter is saying our hope is in Jesus and His return. We can be sure Jesus is alive and coming back. It has not yet happened. We are waiting, but it is going to happen! There may be pain and trials now but Christ will return and justice will be served.
1 Peter 1:14…
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:14-16)
Although our culture likes to talk about how things are not black and white but gray, the Bible is filled with contrasts: hot or cold, good or evil, heaven or hell. Every day we can choose to follow the world or God. We can reflect society’s consumerism and individualism or we can reflect God and His character, His nature, His holiness.
There’s a lot of opinions in our world about right and wrong…or if there is any such thing. As I remembered 9/11 on Friday I recalled the article I read shortly after the disaster in 2001 that asked why the terrorists were wrong. They did what they believed in, what they thought was right. Who are we to judge?!
This has been the dilemma of our court system. Who is right? What is ok? Abortion? Marijuana? Gay marriage? Adultery? Sharing a Netflix account with a friend? Pornography? Human cloning?
Ethics originate from within ourselves (conscience, reasons, nature) or from outside ourselves (the Constitution, revelation, codes of ethics). Scot McKnight writes
Christian orthodoxy teaches that ethics flows from salvation and that humans, by themselves, cannot discern the will of God—for personal salvation, for personal ethics, or for the social order. We know God’s will because in his grace he has made his will known to us through his revelation, the Bible being the primary mode of this revelation. The same construction applies to our knowledge of ethics: We know what is good from what is bad because God has told us in his Word, beginning with the Mosaic legislation and climaxing in the teachings of Jesus and the apostolic testimony.
Our text for today is quite explicit in this, distinguishing between evil desires of the world and holiness, reflecting God. Holy means “set apart” or “different.” It’s not necessarily saying perfection—though God is perfect and we are not—but different, unique, special. We are to be holy because we have been changed and because we are children of a holy God. Kids are like their parents (sorry kids!). Obedient children follow Daddy. We were children of the devil, the world, following its ways. Now we are to be obedient children of God, walking in holiness, imitating Jesus.
We are called to be holy. As Jesus called Peter to follow Him, so also He is calling us to be holy and follow His example.
Notice, too, Peter says, “It is written.” The Word of God is powerful. Do you know it? Do you read it? Do you live it? An hour on Sunday isn’t going to make up for the 167 hours you’re in the world, absorbing its messages of selfishness and pride. As Warren Wiersbe says,
The Word reveals
God’s mind, so we should learn it.
God’s heart, so we should love it.
God’s will, so we should live it.
Author John Eldridge wrote, “Our journey to holiness is the process whereby we receive more and more of the holiness of Jesus Christ into more and more of our being…In fact, the assumption of the New Testament is that you cannot become whole without becoming holy; nor can you become holy without becoming whole. The two go hand in hand.”
In order to make humans what they are meant to be the love of God seeks to make us whole and holy. We are not holy because of what we do for God, we are made holy because of what God has done for us.
Are you an obedient child of God?
When I reflect upon God’s holiness and my sin I realize I am desperate for Him.
When I recognize God’s power and my weakness I realize I am desperate for HIm.
This is why worship is so important.
When I am desperate for God, I spend time with Him.
When I spend time with Him, I know Him.
When I know Him, I love Him.
When I love Him, I obey Him.
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. (1 Peter 1:17)
This fear does not mean anxiety or scary, but rather awe. Dad is watching us now, and one day He will judge each of us. We can have awe or desire the approval of the world as citizens or we can be in awe of and seek the Father as foreigners; visitors.
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. (1 Peter 1:18-21)
We have been redeemed, purchased with a price. Jesus died, shedding His blood for us. Our redemption makes us grateful for not only forgiveness but adoption into our new family and a desire to live in holiness and awe before God.
Our Father is the standard. He is holy. He shows us through Jesus what it means to truly be human, to live as we were created to live, full of faith, hope and love. He shows us the benefits of salvation, an eternal hope that cannot be taken away.
So What?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in the stock market?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your friends?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your job?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your social media popularity?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your stuff…the house, the cars, the vacations?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in our president, governor, or political party?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your gifts, talents and abilities?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your education and diplomas?
Is your faith and hope in the present…or in the future?
Peter encourages us to be aware of the future—God’s righteous judgment of our lives and also the hope of the joy of final salvation. The best is yet to come.
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren Wiersbe
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 1:13-21
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: When suffering, we need not only need empathy but also holy action.
Introduction
Last week we began our series on 1 Peter, “What In The World Is Going On?” We live in crazy times!
- We can kill babies and sell their parts but go crazy if a lion is shot
- It’s ok smoke weed but not cigarettes.
- Bush might run against Clinton for president!
- Women now have wives and men can have a husband.
- We are to be tolerant of everything yet offended by everything.
I’ve heard Christians in the USA talk about suffering and persecution. Perhaps you’ve lost friends over your faith, have been skipped over for a job promotion for following Jesus, or been teased because you love Christ. While I don’t mean to minimize those things, it’s nothing compared to the imprisonment, torture, and even death faced by our brothers and sisters around the world. In recent days, the media has shed light on the horrific actions of ISIS and other groups who have promoted violence, prompted refugees to flee their homelands, and murdered our spiritual siblings.
The theme of this book may well be called hope and grace in the midst of suffering. While we all experience trials, Peter—one of Jesus’ three best friends—is writing to scattered peoples fleeing for their freedoms and, in many cases, their very lives. In the first twelve verses of this epistle—or short letter—these exiles are addressed with reminders of their salvation, the temporary nature of their suffering, and hope both now and forever. This section focuses on holy living.
1 Peter 1:13…
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.
What is therefore there for? These exiles are suffering and have been given encouragement and hope.
When you’re suffering, encouragement and hope are wonderful, but something else is needed to prevent despair: action. There are times we are to be still, quiet, reflect, and meditate, but when life gets hard, we can focus inward on our problems and miss out on God’s blessings. Most everything in life begins with our minds, our thoughts.
I’d be the first to say positive thinking can be overrated, but not always. Paul famously wrote
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
Our actions begin with our mind. Garbage in, garbage out. Purity in, purity out.
The temptation in suffering is to turn inward and suffer your own suffering, troubling your own trouble. Peter gives them a vision of something greater than the present. God is still on the throne.
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. (1 Peter 1:13)
With minds that are alert and fully sober…what an interesting phrase. It means to prepare your minds for action, literally “gird up the loins of your mind.”
Some have suggested we translate this passage “taking off the coat” or “rolling up the sleeves” of your mind. Take off your warm-up suit so your mind can move freely.
Peter is saying maintain a loose grip on this world and a tight grip on what lies ahead. This world is temporary.
Life is short. Eat dessert first!
Then he says to make sure your minds are fully sober. This is a metaphor. He’s saying be self-controlled. Drunks cannot control themselves or their bodies. What’s the point of this gird of loins and self-control? Hope! With focused, ready minds “set your hope.”
Hope is a challenging word because it means so many different things. I can hope to play baseball for the Detroit Tigers or I can hope you like this sermon or I can hope my wife will love me tomorrow. Like faith, the issue isn’t so much with me, but with the object of my hope. Playing for the Tigers is wishful thinking. It’s not going to happen no matter how much I think about it, pray about it, or hope for it. The love of my wife, however, is secure. Although I haven’t experienced tomorrow yet, I am confident in the love my wife has for me and I look forward to being with her tomorrow.
Peter is saying our hope is in Jesus and His return. We can be sure Jesus is alive and coming back. It has not yet happened. We are waiting, but it is going to happen! There may be pain and trials now but Christ will return and justice will be served.
1 Peter 1:14…
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:14-16)
Although our culture likes to talk about how things are not black and white but gray, the Bible is filled with contrasts: hot or cold, good or evil, heaven or hell. Every day we can choose to follow the world or God. We can reflect society’s consumerism and individualism or we can reflect God and His character, His nature, His holiness.
There’s a lot of opinions in our world about right and wrong…or if there is any such thing. As I remembered 9/11 on Friday I recalled the article I read shortly after the disaster in 2001 that asked why the terrorists were wrong. They did what they believed in, what they thought was right. Who are we to judge?!
This has been the dilemma of our court system. Who is right? What is ok? Abortion? Marijuana? Gay marriage? Adultery? Sharing a Netflix account with a friend? Pornography? Human cloning?
Ethics originate from within ourselves (conscience, reasons, nature) or from outside ourselves (the Constitution, revelation, codes of ethics). Scot McKnight writes
Christian orthodoxy teaches that ethics flows from salvation and that humans, by themselves, cannot discern the will of God—for personal salvation, for personal ethics, or for the social order. We know God’s will because in his grace he has made his will known to us through his revelation, the Bible being the primary mode of this revelation. The same construction applies to our knowledge of ethics: We know what is good from what is bad because God has told us in his Word, beginning with the Mosaic legislation and climaxing in the teachings of Jesus and the apostolic testimony.
Our text for today is quite explicit in this, distinguishing between evil desires of the world and holiness, reflecting God. Holy means “set apart” or “different.” It’s not necessarily saying perfection—though God is perfect and we are not—but different, unique, special. We are to be holy because we have been changed and because we are children of a holy God. Kids are like their parents (sorry kids!). Obedient children follow Daddy. We were children of the devil, the world, following its ways. Now we are to be obedient children of God, walking in holiness, imitating Jesus.
We are called to be holy. As Jesus called Peter to follow Him, so also He is calling us to be holy and follow His example.
Notice, too, Peter says, “It is written.” The Word of God is powerful. Do you know it? Do you read it? Do you live it? An hour on Sunday isn’t going to make up for the 167 hours you’re in the world, absorbing its messages of selfishness and pride. As Warren Wiersbe says,
The Word reveals
God’s mind, so we should learn it.
God’s heart, so we should love it.
God’s will, so we should live it.
Author John Eldridge wrote, “Our journey to holiness is the process whereby we receive more and more of the holiness of Jesus Christ into more and more of our being…In fact, the assumption of the New Testament is that you cannot become whole without becoming holy; nor can you become holy without becoming whole. The two go hand in hand.”
In order to make humans what they are meant to be the love of God seeks to make us whole and holy. We are not holy because of what we do for God, we are made holy because of what God has done for us.
Are you an obedient child of God?
When I reflect upon God’s holiness and my sin I realize I am desperate for Him.
When I recognize God’s power and my weakness I realize I am desperate for HIm.
This is why worship is so important.
When I am desperate for God, I spend time with Him.
When I spend time with Him, I know Him.
When I know Him, I love Him.
When I love Him, I obey Him.
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. (1 Peter 1:17)
This fear does not mean anxiety or scary, but rather awe. Dad is watching us now, and one day He will judge each of us. We can have awe or desire the approval of the world as citizens or we can be in awe of and seek the Father as foreigners; visitors.
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. (1 Peter 1:18-21)
We have been redeemed, purchased with a price. Jesus died, shedding His blood for us. Our redemption makes us grateful for not only forgiveness but adoption into our new family and a desire to live in holiness and awe before God.
Our Father is the standard. He is holy. He shows us through Jesus what it means to truly be human, to live as we were created to live, full of faith, hope and love. He shows us the benefits of salvation, an eternal hope that cannot be taken away.
So What?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in the stock market?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your friends?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your job?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your social media popularity?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your stuff…the house, the cars, the vacations?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in our president, governor, or political party?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your gifts, talents and abilities?
Is your faith and hope in God…or in your education and diplomas?
Is your faith and hope in the present…or in the future?
Peter encourages us to be aware of the future—God’s righteous judgment of our lives and also the hope of the joy of final salvation. The best is yet to come.
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren Wiersbe
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
A Living Hope, 6 September 2015
06 09 15
A Living Hope
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 1:1-12
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Suffering is real but temporary. Salvation and hope are real and eternal.
Introduction
What in the world is going on?
Does it seem like society has gone insane?
There are many reasons why we are alarmed, worried, depressed, and fearful about our world. We are exposed to more “bad news” than ever before, bombarded by media outlets virtually everywhere. Cultural Christianity has been in decline for years, something I celebrate while others mourn. As a result, the influence—power—once possessed by Christians seems to be waning.
If you feel even a little afraid, if you find yourself in the minority, the underdog, you’re not alone. For thousands of years, God-fearers have faced opposition and persecution. Throughout our lifetimes our brothers and sisters in Christ have suffered unimaginable agony for their faith. What’s unique is our so-called “Christian nation” appears to be less Christian each day.
It is my prayer that the next several weeks will provide you with hope, encouragement, and peace as we examine a letter from Peter to early Christians exiled.
The book of 1 Peter begins
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, (1 Peter 1:1a)
This is Peter, also known as Simon. He’s the one who denied Christ three times, the one who walked on the Sea of Galilee, one of Jesus’ three closest friends. Catholics look to him as the first Pope. His name means “rock.” Peter and Paul were the primary leaders of the early Church. He writes this letter around the year 63, around the time Paul was martyred and not long before Peter himself would die for his faith. He’s most likely writing from Babylon.
To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: (1 Peter 1:1b-2a)
To God’s elect. This phrase has prompted great discussion. Do we choose God or does God choose us? To be “elect” is to receive God’s grace. He initiates. We love Him because He first loved us.
This word “exiles” is often translated “strangers” or “resident aliens” or “sojourners.” In chapter two they will be referred to as “pilgrims.” Like us, they were citizens of heaven through faith in Jesus (Philippians 3:20), in the world but not of it (John 17:16). They are temporary residents. As strangers, they were considered strange by many, a scattered (diaspora) people in five different parts of the Roman Empire in what we now know as Turkey.
Paul wrote to Gentiles, Peter to a Jewish audience.
Have you ever been a stranger somewhere? How did it feel?
I love to travel, but new places can disorienting. Heather and I were in Washington DC last week and I found myself surrounded by strangers, people who seemed to know how to use the subway ticket machine better than I, people who seemed to know where they were going better than I, people who were not always the most friendly and welcoming to me, the stranger.
Perhaps the oddest moment came when my friend, Clark, and I attended Thursdays Washington Nationals baseball game. During player introductions, the crowd went nuts for Ryan Zimmerman, a decent hitter with mediocre statistics but easily the most popular player on the team. We wondered if he had rescued a child or found a cure for cancer! I’m still not sure what made him the crowd favorite. Another thing: they had a special cheer that would randomly fill the air for no rhyme or reason we could understand. We were clearly strangers!
As we will see, Peter addresses these scattered strangers and acknowledges their suffering, at least fifteen times with eight different Greek words! Each time it is tied to hope. We have all experienced suffering in one form or another, though few to the extent of the first Christians. A “fiery trial” was coming, persecution from the Roman Empire.
What do you say to someone who is suffering?
What do you say to someone who is about to experience suffering?
The thing about suffering is we’re all coming out of suffering, in the midst of suffering, or about to experience suffering. It’s a part of the broken, human condition in this life.
Note God has a plan. He knows what He’s doing. God has foreknowledge. He knows the plan. He is omniscient—He knows everything!
Sanctification: we are set apart, becoming like Jesus, bearing the fruit of the Spirit. We are not to be spiritual infants but grow to maturity as we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Sanctification is not merely something after conversion but rather three dimensions: separation from sin, growing in holiness throughout life, and “the final act of God when He makes his holy people completely holy for eternity.” (Scot McKnight) The electing work of God leads to the conversion of these disenfranchised sojourners of Asia Minor.
The blood of Jesus is also present. You can’t make too much of the blood of Christ. We remember it through communion. Blood is life! In the Old Testament, the blood of animals was used in sacrifices. Jesus is the perfect sacrifice. Do you obey Jesus? Do you do what He wants? That’s making Him LORD. Here the Trinity is in view.
Peter continues…
Grace and peace be yours in abundance. (1 Peter 1:2b)
Grace is a customary Greco-Roman greeting and peace is a Jewish greeting. Peter uses the word grace in every chapter of this letter. Grace is unmerited favor. When we depend upon God’s grace, we can glorify Him in suffering, turning trials into triumphs. Peace comes when we have assurance of the forgiveness of our sins. In the midst of persecution we can have a true hope of future glory and blessing.
Peter continues in what is essentially a ten-verse run-on sentence!
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
This word “praise” is never used with regard to man, only God. We are to praise God the Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We don’t “hope so,” but instead we have a living hope. It is our resurrected LORD. It rests upon Jesus’ blood. A body without blood is dead. He died so we might live.
Scot McKnight writes, “It is not so much that believers are now living “full of hope,” but that they have a fixed “hope,” a clear vision of what God will do for them in the future.”
Where John spoke of love and Paul faith, hope is a common theme in Peter’s messages. Warren Wiersbe wrote,
“Hope is not a sedative; it is a shot of adrenaline, a blood transfusion. Like an anchor, our hope in Christ stabilizes us in the storms of life (Hebrews 6:18-19), but unlike an anchor, our hope moves us forward, it does not hold us back.”
Our inheritance cannot be lost like cash, stocks, car keys, or cell phones. It is in heaven. It is indestructible.
We are kept by the power of God through faith. A Scottish man had one word on his tombstone: kept.
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. (1 Peter 1:6)
Some believe verse six is the key of the epistle. Jesus and James and Paul said we will have trials and troubles. Life is hard. We can rejoice, though, not because we have trials but because we have salvation. We have hope. Trials are temporary. This life is so short. Paul said
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)
Peter continues…
These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:7)
Faith is precious.
Trials have a purpose.
God puts us into a furnace not to destroy us but to refine us.
When we see Jesus, we will thank God for our trials.
“If it doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger.”
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:8-9)
Peter had seen Him and lived with Him for three years. These people have not seen Jesus…but they love Him. We have not seen Jesus. Do you love Jesus?
The writer of Hebrews said
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)
Now the final three verses for today:
Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. (1 Peter 1:10-12)
The Old Testament prophets wrote by the Spirit of Christ.
Angels are real! They would love to make an announcement as Gabriel did. Angels are great, but we have the Holy Spirit which is even better. Angels are mentioned to remind us of the privileges of salvation. Neither angels nor the prophets experience what we assume and enjoy as followers of Jesus today.
So What?
Increasingly followers of Jesus in our culture are becoming the minority (if we ever were in the majority). In a world of pluralism, it is radical to claim Jesus as the One Way to the Father (though Jesus said those very words). In a world of consumerism, it is radical to be generous. In a world of tolerance, it is radical to exhibit true love.
When we respond to God’s invitation to follow Him, we are to live for Him, not ourselves. We are to maintain the course of a loving, holy lifestyle, and find our identity in being part of God’s family, God’s elect, the church, not in being part of a society that does not accept us.
Are you first and foremost an American or a child of God?
This life is short and will soon end. It is filled with trials and suffering…but we have a great hope for eternity. We have salvation. We have Christ.
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren Wiersbe
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Series: What In The World Is Going On? A Study of 1 Peter
1 Peter 1:1-12
Series Overview: God’s grace is present in the midst of suffering.
Big Idea: Suffering is real but temporary. Salvation and hope are real and eternal.
Introduction
What in the world is going on?
Does it seem like society has gone insane?
- We can kill babies and sell their parts but go crazy if a lion is shot (in DC last week people were shouting “save the dolphins!” in front of the White House)
- It’s ok smoke weed but not cigarettes.
- Ashley Madison says “Life is short. Have an affair.”
- Bush might run against Clinton for president!
- Women now have wives and men can have a husband.
- The worldwide movement of Jesus based upon love is known for hate.
- We are to be tolerant of everything yet offended by everything.
There are many reasons why we are alarmed, worried, depressed, and fearful about our world. We are exposed to more “bad news” than ever before, bombarded by media outlets virtually everywhere. Cultural Christianity has been in decline for years, something I celebrate while others mourn. As a result, the influence—power—once possessed by Christians seems to be waning.
If you feel even a little afraid, if you find yourself in the minority, the underdog, you’re not alone. For thousands of years, God-fearers have faced opposition and persecution. Throughout our lifetimes our brothers and sisters in Christ have suffered unimaginable agony for their faith. What’s unique is our so-called “Christian nation” appears to be less Christian each day.
It is my prayer that the next several weeks will provide you with hope, encouragement, and peace as we examine a letter from Peter to early Christians exiled.
The book of 1 Peter begins
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, (1 Peter 1:1a)
This is Peter, also known as Simon. He’s the one who denied Christ three times, the one who walked on the Sea of Galilee, one of Jesus’ three closest friends. Catholics look to him as the first Pope. His name means “rock.” Peter and Paul were the primary leaders of the early Church. He writes this letter around the year 63, around the time Paul was martyred and not long before Peter himself would die for his faith. He’s most likely writing from Babylon.
To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: (1 Peter 1:1b-2a)
To God’s elect. This phrase has prompted great discussion. Do we choose God or does God choose us? To be “elect” is to receive God’s grace. He initiates. We love Him because He first loved us.
This word “exiles” is often translated “strangers” or “resident aliens” or “sojourners.” In chapter two they will be referred to as “pilgrims.” Like us, they were citizens of heaven through faith in Jesus (Philippians 3:20), in the world but not of it (John 17:16). They are temporary residents. As strangers, they were considered strange by many, a scattered (diaspora) people in five different parts of the Roman Empire in what we now know as Turkey.
Paul wrote to Gentiles, Peter to a Jewish audience.
Have you ever been a stranger somewhere? How did it feel?
I love to travel, but new places can disorienting. Heather and I were in Washington DC last week and I found myself surrounded by strangers, people who seemed to know how to use the subway ticket machine better than I, people who seemed to know where they were going better than I, people who were not always the most friendly and welcoming to me, the stranger.
Perhaps the oddest moment came when my friend, Clark, and I attended Thursdays Washington Nationals baseball game. During player introductions, the crowd went nuts for Ryan Zimmerman, a decent hitter with mediocre statistics but easily the most popular player on the team. We wondered if he had rescued a child or found a cure for cancer! I’m still not sure what made him the crowd favorite. Another thing: they had a special cheer that would randomly fill the air for no rhyme or reason we could understand. We were clearly strangers!
As we will see, Peter addresses these scattered strangers and acknowledges their suffering, at least fifteen times with eight different Greek words! Each time it is tied to hope. We have all experienced suffering in one form or another, though few to the extent of the first Christians. A “fiery trial” was coming, persecution from the Roman Empire.
What do you say to someone who is suffering?
What do you say to someone who is about to experience suffering?
The thing about suffering is we’re all coming out of suffering, in the midst of suffering, or about to experience suffering. It’s a part of the broken, human condition in this life.
Note God has a plan. He knows what He’s doing. God has foreknowledge. He knows the plan. He is omniscient—He knows everything!
Sanctification: we are set apart, becoming like Jesus, bearing the fruit of the Spirit. We are not to be spiritual infants but grow to maturity as we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Sanctification is not merely something after conversion but rather three dimensions: separation from sin, growing in holiness throughout life, and “the final act of God when He makes his holy people completely holy for eternity.” (Scot McKnight) The electing work of God leads to the conversion of these disenfranchised sojourners of Asia Minor.
The blood of Jesus is also present. You can’t make too much of the blood of Christ. We remember it through communion. Blood is life! In the Old Testament, the blood of animals was used in sacrifices. Jesus is the perfect sacrifice. Do you obey Jesus? Do you do what He wants? That’s making Him LORD. Here the Trinity is in view.
Peter continues…
Grace and peace be yours in abundance. (1 Peter 1:2b)
Grace is a customary Greco-Roman greeting and peace is a Jewish greeting. Peter uses the word grace in every chapter of this letter. Grace is unmerited favor. When we depend upon God’s grace, we can glorify Him in suffering, turning trials into triumphs. Peace comes when we have assurance of the forgiveness of our sins. In the midst of persecution we can have a true hope of future glory and blessing.
Peter continues in what is essentially a ten-verse run-on sentence!
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
This word “praise” is never used with regard to man, only God. We are to praise God the Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We don’t “hope so,” but instead we have a living hope. It is our resurrected LORD. It rests upon Jesus’ blood. A body without blood is dead. He died so we might live.
Scot McKnight writes, “It is not so much that believers are now living “full of hope,” but that they have a fixed “hope,” a clear vision of what God will do for them in the future.”
Where John spoke of love and Paul faith, hope is a common theme in Peter’s messages. Warren Wiersbe wrote,
“Hope is not a sedative; it is a shot of adrenaline, a blood transfusion. Like an anchor, our hope in Christ stabilizes us in the storms of life (Hebrews 6:18-19), but unlike an anchor, our hope moves us forward, it does not hold us back.”
Our inheritance cannot be lost like cash, stocks, car keys, or cell phones. It is in heaven. It is indestructible.
We are kept by the power of God through faith. A Scottish man had one word on his tombstone: kept.
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. (1 Peter 1:6)
Some believe verse six is the key of the epistle. Jesus and James and Paul said we will have trials and troubles. Life is hard. We can rejoice, though, not because we have trials but because we have salvation. We have hope. Trials are temporary. This life is so short. Paul said
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)
Peter continues…
These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:7)
Faith is precious.
Trials have a purpose.
God puts us into a furnace not to destroy us but to refine us.
When we see Jesus, we will thank God for our trials.
“If it doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger.”
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:8-9)
Peter had seen Him and lived with Him for three years. These people have not seen Jesus…but they love Him. We have not seen Jesus. Do you love Jesus?
The writer of Hebrews said
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)
Now the final three verses for today:
Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. (1 Peter 1:10-12)
The Old Testament prophets wrote by the Spirit of Christ.
Angels are real! They would love to make an announcement as Gabriel did. Angels are great, but we have the Holy Spirit which is even better. Angels are mentioned to remind us of the privileges of salvation. Neither angels nor the prophets experience what we assume and enjoy as followers of Jesus today.
So What?
Increasingly followers of Jesus in our culture are becoming the minority (if we ever were in the majority). In a world of pluralism, it is radical to claim Jesus as the One Way to the Father (though Jesus said those very words). In a world of consumerism, it is radical to be generous. In a world of tolerance, it is radical to exhibit true love.
When we respond to God’s invitation to follow Him, we are to live for Him, not ourselves. We are to maintain the course of a loving, holy lifestyle, and find our identity in being part of God’s family, God’s elect, the church, not in being part of a society that does not accept us.
Are you first and foremost an American or a child of God?
This life is short and will soon end. It is filled with trials and suffering…but we have a great hope for eternity. We have salvation. We have Christ.
Credits
Some ideas from
Be Hopeful (1 Peter): How to Make the Best of Times Out of Your Worst of Times (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren Wiersbe
Thru The Bible audio messages by J. Vernon McGee
1 Peter (The NIV Application Commentary) by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Parable of the Net, 23 August 2015
16 08 15
Matthew 13:47-58
Series Overview: this summertime series will examine the various parables of Jesus recorded in thirteenth chapter of Matthew.
Big Idea: Judgment Day is coming for all of us. Are you ready?
Tension
Life is filled with tension.
Should I talk or be quiet?
Spend or save?
Laugh or cry?
Work or play?
Of course the answer to all of the above is “yes.”
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:2-8)
Pastor Andy Stanley has famously said while we often seek to eliminate tension as a problem to solve, some tensions are merely to be managed. We must embrace the “both/and” rather than the “either/or.” Frequently the tension is good.
Last year we did a series entitled, “Covenant & Kingdom.” God invites us into relationship with Himself, welcoming His children in covenant. He also challenges us to be involved in His Kingdom activity. The tension is good.
Today we conclude our series on the parables of Matthew 13. Like the parable of the weeds, it exposes a tension between extremes much like the wheat and the weeds, the good and the bad. How do we deal with the tension? How do we live in the tension?
“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like…(Matthew 13:47a)
Again Jesus talks about the kingdom of heaven. Notice He doesn’t say this is what heaven is like, but rather the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is not a place; it is not the kingdom in heaven but the kingdom of heaven, wherever the rule and reign of God takes place. On a related note, the Bible doesn’t teach the end of this world, but rather the end of the age.
We live in the in-between, between the now and the not yet. It can be awkward. This week I was with a group of pastors and the subject of healing came up. Does God heal today? One pastor said, “God always heals. Someday we will have new bodies with no sickness, death, or disease.” While it is true that someday God will heal, sometimes He heals our present bodies in our present life…but not always. Why not? I don’t fully understand.
What I have learned in our daughter’s journey is that although God did not heal her in the way we wanted or the timing we wanted, she is more fully alive today than ever before, filled with faith, peace and joy, and this past week she was not only walking but swam for the first time in about three years at the beach! Praise God! The kingdom of heaven is so present in her life and I’m thrilled to see it daily. Once again, thank you for your prayers and support of her and our family. God does answer prayer!
"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. (Matthew 13:47)
Have you ever fished with a net?
There are many different fishing methods. The most common today probably involves a pole, line, hook, and bait. The bait goes on the hook which is on the line which is on the pole and the bait is cast into the water to attract hungry fish.
A variation on this is fly fishing, made famous in the movie A River Runs Through It in 1999. My understanding is instead of the bait gently resting below the surface of the water, it moves above it.
A family legend has it that my cousin developed a unique way to fish…at Greenfield Village. He saw some nice fish in one of the ponds, attracted the fish with popcorn, and smacked them with his wallet before removing them from the water! I don’t recommend this action as it is cause for removal from the park!
In all of the mentioned methods of fishing, the goal is to catch one, nice fish. If the fisherman—or fisherwoman—is unsatisfied with the result, the fish is tossed back into the water and work begins again on finding a suitable fish.
Jesus’ parable describes a different type of fishing. A dragnet is placed in the water and multiple fish are caught at once.
"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. (Matthew 13:47)
In most of my fishing expeditions, the thought of catching even one, small fish is exhilarating since usually I catch nothing. I can’t imagine multiple fish, let alone multiple fish at once!
This type of net used to be the most important fishing method. The net was “shaped like a long 750 to 1,000 foot wall, upwards of 25 feet high at the center, and 5 feet high at the ends. The foot-rope was weighted with sinkers, while the head-rope floated with attached corks, enabling the net wall to be dragged toward shore by both ends, trapping fish inside.”*
*Wilkins, Michael J. (2009-05-26). The NIV Application Commentary: Matthew (p. 489). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. (Matthew 13:47-48)
Like the wheat and the weeds, the good and bad fish are taken together and then separated. For a season, the good and bad coexist. They are not quarantined. This explains much of the tension in our world. Despite the desires of some to escape from reality and create a utopian society apart from sin and evil, it is inescapable.
"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:47-50)
Surely Jesus didn’t say this! Jesus is all about love and happiness, right? People have tried to rationalize away these words, but I think Jesus meant what He said. Good and bad may coexist, but Judgment Day will separate them. The destination of the wicked is described as a blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
John MacArthur notes, “Jesus spoke more of hell than any of the prophets or apostles did-perhaps for the reason that its horrible truth would be all but impossible to accept had not the Son of God Himself absolutely affirmed it. It had special emphasis in Jesus’ teaching from the beginning to the end of His earthly ministry. He said more about hell than about love. More than all other teachers in the Bible combined, He warned men of hell, promising no escape for those who refused His gracious, loving offer of salvation.”
This is a warning, friends. Jesus never said all roads lead to heaven. In fact, He said
…“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Jesus did not say everyone goes to heaven when they die. He said essentially we choose in this life whether we want to spend eternity with God or apart from God in the next life.
The thing about warnings is they can be ignored but the consequences are the same.
This past week was the ten year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf. I heard a woman tell of the decision her and her husband made to ignore the warnings. They stayed in their house, the storms came, the roof crashed upon them, her husband beside her did not survive, and she found herself in a tree clinging to her life for six hours. Six hours in a tree! I wonder how many times she thought, “I should have listened to the warnings.”
For two thousand years—or more—God has been issuing warnings, yet so many ignore them. Friends, don’t ignore this warning. I’m not saying this to scare you but merely to warn you—Judgment Day is coming. The good fish and bad fish will be separated.
As a good fish, it can be frustrating to see the bad fish doing bad things without justice, but justice is coming. Right now all are receiving mercy, but someday all will receive justice.
But just a moment. I said, “As a good fish.” The reality is we’re all bad fish! John wrote
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8)
All of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, His standard of perfection…which is why we need grace! We need sanctification, the process of becoming like Jesus. We need the Holy Spirit to strengthen us when are tempted and resist the devil. We need forgiveness so we can forgive others. We need love so we can love.
We’re all bad fish but the gospel is we don’t remain bad fish. Jesus is LORD and as we submit to His Lordship and follow Him we are transformed. We can change!
Another Parable?
The thirteenth chapter of Matthew continues…
“Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.
“Yes,” they replied.
He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” (Matthew 13:51-52)
Earlier they had no clue what Jesus meant by the parables! The disciples will teach what Jesus taught them, both the ancient scriptures and HIs modern parables and teaching. They have received a treasure from Jesus they are to pass on to future generations of disciples, including us. They are to know, experience, and teach the kingdom.
Today we are ambassadors of the kingdom of heaven, the greatest treasure of this world, and each day we should repeatedly give thanks for the incredible value of this gift that we handle, our source of true joy.
Final Words
The thirteenth chapter of Matthew concludes…
When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”
And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. (Matthew 13:53-58)
Some people don’t know Jesus. Others think they know Him too well! He’s nothing special, just Joe’s son.
Jesus once asked His friend, “Who do people say that I am?” People had many views of Jesus then…and they still do today.
He’s a prophet.
He’s a teacher.
He’s a radical.
He’s a nice man.
He’s God but not human.
He’s human but not God.
Jesus declared in word and deed both His humanity and deity. He is fully man and fully God. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the only way to the Father. He died and rose again. He is alive today, preparing a place for us.
We don’t have time to unpack this last verse, but unbelief limited the power of God. Remember, faith is not merely something in your head. It requires action. Could it be that our lives lack faith and, therefore, God’s power is limited?
So What?
1. We all need grace. We’re all bad fish, made good not by our actions but the actions of Jesus. It’s not what we do that makes us good fish but what Jesus has done. Hallelujah!
2. We need to warn the bad fish about Judgment Day. It is coming whether people deny it or not. Ignoring hurricane warnings does not stop the storm.
3. It’s easy to miss Jesus. Familiarity breeds contempt.
Michael Wilkins writes, “Rejection of God’s gospel message through his prophets has not ceased. Much of the secularist Western world is also familiar with Jesus. They pride themselves on being ultramodern or postmodern and cannot conceive how such an ancient message is relevant to our world. Jesus is like a comfortable old shoe that they can sing about at Christmas, but he isn’t serviceable for everyday life.”
One reason we gather each week is to be reminded of God’s amazing grace so it can transform us and those around us. We need to get Him out of the little box we call “Sunday morning Messiah” or “historical figure” or “SOS when I’m in trouble” and recognize King Jesus as LORD, 24/7/365.
Credits
Some ideas from The NIV Application Commentary: Matthew by Michael J. Wilkins, Zondervan.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Series Overview: this summertime series will examine the various parables of Jesus recorded in thirteenth chapter of Matthew.
Big Idea: Judgment Day is coming for all of us. Are you ready?
Tension
Life is filled with tension.
Should I talk or be quiet?
Spend or save?
Laugh or cry?
Work or play?
Of course the answer to all of the above is “yes.”
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:2-8)
Pastor Andy Stanley has famously said while we often seek to eliminate tension as a problem to solve, some tensions are merely to be managed. We must embrace the “both/and” rather than the “either/or.” Frequently the tension is good.
Last year we did a series entitled, “Covenant & Kingdom.” God invites us into relationship with Himself, welcoming His children in covenant. He also challenges us to be involved in His Kingdom activity. The tension is good.
Today we conclude our series on the parables of Matthew 13. Like the parable of the weeds, it exposes a tension between extremes much like the wheat and the weeds, the good and the bad. How do we deal with the tension? How do we live in the tension?
“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like…(Matthew 13:47a)
Again Jesus talks about the kingdom of heaven. Notice He doesn’t say this is what heaven is like, but rather the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is not a place; it is not the kingdom in heaven but the kingdom of heaven, wherever the rule and reign of God takes place. On a related note, the Bible doesn’t teach the end of this world, but rather the end of the age.
We live in the in-between, between the now and the not yet. It can be awkward. This week I was with a group of pastors and the subject of healing came up. Does God heal today? One pastor said, “God always heals. Someday we will have new bodies with no sickness, death, or disease.” While it is true that someday God will heal, sometimes He heals our present bodies in our present life…but not always. Why not? I don’t fully understand.
What I have learned in our daughter’s journey is that although God did not heal her in the way we wanted or the timing we wanted, she is more fully alive today than ever before, filled with faith, peace and joy, and this past week she was not only walking but swam for the first time in about three years at the beach! Praise God! The kingdom of heaven is so present in her life and I’m thrilled to see it daily. Once again, thank you for your prayers and support of her and our family. God does answer prayer!
"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. (Matthew 13:47)
Have you ever fished with a net?
There are many different fishing methods. The most common today probably involves a pole, line, hook, and bait. The bait goes on the hook which is on the line which is on the pole and the bait is cast into the water to attract hungry fish.
A variation on this is fly fishing, made famous in the movie A River Runs Through It in 1999. My understanding is instead of the bait gently resting below the surface of the water, it moves above it.
A family legend has it that my cousin developed a unique way to fish…at Greenfield Village. He saw some nice fish in one of the ponds, attracted the fish with popcorn, and smacked them with his wallet before removing them from the water! I don’t recommend this action as it is cause for removal from the park!
In all of the mentioned methods of fishing, the goal is to catch one, nice fish. If the fisherman—or fisherwoman—is unsatisfied with the result, the fish is tossed back into the water and work begins again on finding a suitable fish.
Jesus’ parable describes a different type of fishing. A dragnet is placed in the water and multiple fish are caught at once.
"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. (Matthew 13:47)
In most of my fishing expeditions, the thought of catching even one, small fish is exhilarating since usually I catch nothing. I can’t imagine multiple fish, let alone multiple fish at once!
This type of net used to be the most important fishing method. The net was “shaped like a long 750 to 1,000 foot wall, upwards of 25 feet high at the center, and 5 feet high at the ends. The foot-rope was weighted with sinkers, while the head-rope floated with attached corks, enabling the net wall to be dragged toward shore by both ends, trapping fish inside.”*
*Wilkins, Michael J. (2009-05-26). The NIV Application Commentary: Matthew (p. 489). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. (Matthew 13:47-48)
Like the wheat and the weeds, the good and bad fish are taken together and then separated. For a season, the good and bad coexist. They are not quarantined. This explains much of the tension in our world. Despite the desires of some to escape from reality and create a utopian society apart from sin and evil, it is inescapable.
"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:47-50)
Surely Jesus didn’t say this! Jesus is all about love and happiness, right? People have tried to rationalize away these words, but I think Jesus meant what He said. Good and bad may coexist, but Judgment Day will separate them. The destination of the wicked is described as a blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
John MacArthur notes, “Jesus spoke more of hell than any of the prophets or apostles did-perhaps for the reason that its horrible truth would be all but impossible to accept had not the Son of God Himself absolutely affirmed it. It had special emphasis in Jesus’ teaching from the beginning to the end of His earthly ministry. He said more about hell than about love. More than all other teachers in the Bible combined, He warned men of hell, promising no escape for those who refused His gracious, loving offer of salvation.”
This is a warning, friends. Jesus never said all roads lead to heaven. In fact, He said
…“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Jesus did not say everyone goes to heaven when they die. He said essentially we choose in this life whether we want to spend eternity with God or apart from God in the next life.
The thing about warnings is they can be ignored but the consequences are the same.
This past week was the ten year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf. I heard a woman tell of the decision her and her husband made to ignore the warnings. They stayed in their house, the storms came, the roof crashed upon them, her husband beside her did not survive, and she found herself in a tree clinging to her life for six hours. Six hours in a tree! I wonder how many times she thought, “I should have listened to the warnings.”
For two thousand years—or more—God has been issuing warnings, yet so many ignore them. Friends, don’t ignore this warning. I’m not saying this to scare you but merely to warn you—Judgment Day is coming. The good fish and bad fish will be separated.
As a good fish, it can be frustrating to see the bad fish doing bad things without justice, but justice is coming. Right now all are receiving mercy, but someday all will receive justice.
But just a moment. I said, “As a good fish.” The reality is we’re all bad fish! John wrote
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8)
All of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, His standard of perfection…which is why we need grace! We need sanctification, the process of becoming like Jesus. We need the Holy Spirit to strengthen us when are tempted and resist the devil. We need forgiveness so we can forgive others. We need love so we can love.
We’re all bad fish but the gospel is we don’t remain bad fish. Jesus is LORD and as we submit to His Lordship and follow Him we are transformed. We can change!
Another Parable?
The thirteenth chapter of Matthew continues…
“Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.
“Yes,” they replied.
He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” (Matthew 13:51-52)
Earlier they had no clue what Jesus meant by the parables! The disciples will teach what Jesus taught them, both the ancient scriptures and HIs modern parables and teaching. They have received a treasure from Jesus they are to pass on to future generations of disciples, including us. They are to know, experience, and teach the kingdom.
Today we are ambassadors of the kingdom of heaven, the greatest treasure of this world, and each day we should repeatedly give thanks for the incredible value of this gift that we handle, our source of true joy.
Final Words
The thirteenth chapter of Matthew concludes…
When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”
And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. (Matthew 13:53-58)
Some people don’t know Jesus. Others think they know Him too well! He’s nothing special, just Joe’s son.
Jesus once asked His friend, “Who do people say that I am?” People had many views of Jesus then…and they still do today.
He’s a prophet.
He’s a teacher.
He’s a radical.
He’s a nice man.
He’s God but not human.
He’s human but not God.
Jesus declared in word and deed both His humanity and deity. He is fully man and fully God. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the only way to the Father. He died and rose again. He is alive today, preparing a place for us.
We don’t have time to unpack this last verse, but unbelief limited the power of God. Remember, faith is not merely something in your head. It requires action. Could it be that our lives lack faith and, therefore, God’s power is limited?
So What?
1. We all need grace. We’re all bad fish, made good not by our actions but the actions of Jesus. It’s not what we do that makes us good fish but what Jesus has done. Hallelujah!
2. We need to warn the bad fish about Judgment Day. It is coming whether people deny it or not. Ignoring hurricane warnings does not stop the storm.
3. It’s easy to miss Jesus. Familiarity breeds contempt.
Michael Wilkins writes, “Rejection of God’s gospel message through his prophets has not ceased. Much of the secularist Western world is also familiar with Jesus. They pride themselves on being ultramodern or postmodern and cannot conceive how such an ancient message is relevant to our world. Jesus is like a comfortable old shoe that they can sing about at Christmas, but he isn’t serviceable for everyday life.”
One reason we gather each week is to be reminded of God’s amazing grace so it can transform us and those around us. We need to get Him out of the little box we call “Sunday morning Messiah” or “historical figure” or “SOS when I’m in trouble” and recognize King Jesus as LORD, 24/7/365.
Credits
Some ideas from The NIV Application Commentary: Matthew by Michael J. Wilkins, Zondervan.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Parable of the Pearl, 16 August 2015
16 08 15
Matthew 13:45-46
Series Overview: this summertime series will examine the various parables of Jesus recorded in thirteenth chapter of Matthew.
Big Idea: Jesus gave up everything for us.
Introduction
Today we continue our series on the parables of Jesus, timeless stories Jesus used to challenge, instruct, and provoke. Many were about the kingdom of heaven, sometimes referred to as the kingdom of God. As we are in that space between heaven and earth, between the past and the future, in the now and the not yet, we long for heaven to touch earth, for signs of God’s rule and reign breaking in amidst the rhetoric of Obama, Clinton, Bush, and Trump!
Perhaps the central theme of Jesus’ legendary teaching was the kingdom. His early message was
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17b)
Jesus taught his followers to pray
…your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)
Last week we looked at the first of twin parables about selling and buying.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. (Matthew 13:44)
A hidden treasure is found. This week’s parable is slightly different.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:45-46)
The merchant is searching for something special. He’s on a quest. Nothing is lost. Nothing is hidden. He is a hunter!
How many of you are hunters?
My hunting experience is rather slim! I once shot a CD out of a tree. That’s it!
Perhaps when you hunt, you’re not exactly sure what you’re hunting for, but you’ll know it when you find it!
I do remember a different kind of hunt I undertook in 1978. I was nine years old, began following sports, and started a baseball card collection. Topps created a set of 726 cards. I would go to the store, buy a back of cards, carefully open it like a Wonka bar possibly containing a golden ticket, and admired the precious cards, hoping for a superstar like Reggie Jackson, a rookie card like Eddie Murray, or players of my favorite teams, the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies. To this day, I cherish those cards, including the rookie cards of Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker. But there’s one card in the set which I hunted for more than Pete Rose, Nolan Ryan, or even my all-time favorite player, Mike Schmidt. His name is Mike Cubbage.
Have you ever heard of Mike Cubbage? Even most baseball fans wouldn’t know he played third base for the Minnesota Twins. His card value is listed among the “commons,” today valued at less than a dollar, but I would’ve payed most any price for his card…because after tearing open dozens—maybe hundreds—of packs, I had 725 of the 726 card set and I was missing one card: Mike Cubbage.
I would’ve done just about anything for that Mike Cubbage baseball card! I didn’t have the Internet, a neighborhood hobby store, or even a large network of baseball card-collecting friends to assist me in finding this treasure. I could only buy more packs of cards, at 20 cents each, hoping to see the only face I had yet to see behind the red wax.
And then the moment came. Those glasses! The scuffed batting helmet! The baby blue Twins uniform. I held that piece of cardboard in my hand as if it were a million dollar bill! The hunt was over!
The Bible never spoke of baseball cards, but pearls were among the most valuable items on the planet.
Pearls
Pearls are a fascinating treasure. Wikipedia describes them this way:
A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a clam, a pearl is composed of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other shapes (baroque pearls) occur. The finest quality natural pearls have been highly valued as gemstones and objects of beauty for many centuries. Because of this, pearl has become a metaphor for something rare, fine, admirable and valuable.
Pearls are mentioned several times in the Bible. Keep in mind many in the Bible had never seen a pearl as they were rare, a sign of beauty, wealth and extravagance. Paul cautioned God-fearing women in their display.
I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, (1 Timothy 2:9)
This does not mean women should never wear pearls, but simply they are valuable.
One of the most vivid images of pearls is found in Revelation in the description of the city of New Jerusalem.
The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. (Revelation 21:21)
Can you imagine? Wow!
Suffice it to say, pearls are precious. They are beautiful.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:45-46)
Selling all he had. I was reminded last Sunday of a man challenged by Jesus to sell all he had.
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”
“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:17-23)
We could stop there. The man was unwilling to sacrifice earthly treasure for heavenly treasure. He valued his wealth over the kingdom of God. This is still true today. In my experience it is the rich who think they have no need for God, while the poor recognize their lack and are often more willing to surrender what little they have for the things of God. This passage makes many of us uncomfortable, doesn’t it? We hope Jesus never asks us to sell everything…and give it to the poor. How would that work? Where would we live? What would we wear? How would we get on Facebook?
Mark continues…
The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:24-31)
For what would you sell everything? A hot spouse? Your children? Eternal life? Jesus?
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:45-46)
Merchants have money to buy goods to sell for a profit. Of course, if you sell everything for one item, your inventory becomes rather small! One interpretation of this parable is the sinner as merchant and Christ is the pearl, the sinner sells all he has to buy Christ. There’s a problem, though, because sinners don’t look for salvation. They also can’t sell all they have because salvation is not for sale, it’s a gift.
My best understanding of this parable is the merchant is Jesus. He left His home in heaven to come to earth. He died for sinners, giving up everything. He became poor.
Jesus was made sin for us. He was wounded for our transgressions. He put His white robe of righteousness around us and our sin. He makes us white as snow—white as pearls! Impurities made pure. We are HIs workmanship created in Christ Jesus. He sees us as we will be someday without spot or blemish. He sold all He had to gain the church, the Bride. When He shall appear, we shall be like Him.
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)
You are precious, friends, not because of who you are, but because of Who’s you are. Jesus gave everything—even HIs own life—for you and for me. It’s outrageous. It’s incredible. It’s amazing. It’s grace.
I have about 100,000 baseball cards collected since childhood. That sounds like a lot, and my collection is probably worth a few thousand dollars, but I would gladly sell them all to buy one card…a 1910 Honus Wagner. The rarest of all baseball cards is valued at $2.8 million.
Of course $2.8 million is nothing compared to eternal life, peace with God, reconciliation with the Creator, forgiven sins, endless hope, and unconditional love. As great as my love is for God, it pales in comparison to His love for us. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Series Overview: this summertime series will examine the various parables of Jesus recorded in thirteenth chapter of Matthew.
Big Idea: Jesus gave up everything for us.
Introduction
Today we continue our series on the parables of Jesus, timeless stories Jesus used to challenge, instruct, and provoke. Many were about the kingdom of heaven, sometimes referred to as the kingdom of God. As we are in that space between heaven and earth, between the past and the future, in the now and the not yet, we long for heaven to touch earth, for signs of God’s rule and reign breaking in amidst the rhetoric of Obama, Clinton, Bush, and Trump!
Perhaps the central theme of Jesus’ legendary teaching was the kingdom. His early message was
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17b)
Jesus taught his followers to pray
…your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)
Last week we looked at the first of twin parables about selling and buying.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. (Matthew 13:44)
A hidden treasure is found. This week’s parable is slightly different.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:45-46)
The merchant is searching for something special. He’s on a quest. Nothing is lost. Nothing is hidden. He is a hunter!
How many of you are hunters?
- deer
- fish
- bargains
- shoes
My hunting experience is rather slim! I once shot a CD out of a tree. That’s it!
Perhaps when you hunt, you’re not exactly sure what you’re hunting for, but you’ll know it when you find it!
I do remember a different kind of hunt I undertook in 1978. I was nine years old, began following sports, and started a baseball card collection. Topps created a set of 726 cards. I would go to the store, buy a back of cards, carefully open it like a Wonka bar possibly containing a golden ticket, and admired the precious cards, hoping for a superstar like Reggie Jackson, a rookie card like Eddie Murray, or players of my favorite teams, the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies. To this day, I cherish those cards, including the rookie cards of Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker. But there’s one card in the set which I hunted for more than Pete Rose, Nolan Ryan, or even my all-time favorite player, Mike Schmidt. His name is Mike Cubbage.
Have you ever heard of Mike Cubbage? Even most baseball fans wouldn’t know he played third base for the Minnesota Twins. His card value is listed among the “commons,” today valued at less than a dollar, but I would’ve payed most any price for his card…because after tearing open dozens—maybe hundreds—of packs, I had 725 of the 726 card set and I was missing one card: Mike Cubbage.
I would’ve done just about anything for that Mike Cubbage baseball card! I didn’t have the Internet, a neighborhood hobby store, or even a large network of baseball card-collecting friends to assist me in finding this treasure. I could only buy more packs of cards, at 20 cents each, hoping to see the only face I had yet to see behind the red wax.
And then the moment came. Those glasses! The scuffed batting helmet! The baby blue Twins uniform. I held that piece of cardboard in my hand as if it were a million dollar bill! The hunt was over!
The Bible never spoke of baseball cards, but pearls were among the most valuable items on the planet.
Pearls
Pearls are a fascinating treasure. Wikipedia describes them this way:
A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a clam, a pearl is composed of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other shapes (baroque pearls) occur. The finest quality natural pearls have been highly valued as gemstones and objects of beauty for many centuries. Because of this, pearl has become a metaphor for something rare, fine, admirable and valuable.
Pearls are mentioned several times in the Bible. Keep in mind many in the Bible had never seen a pearl as they were rare, a sign of beauty, wealth and extravagance. Paul cautioned God-fearing women in their display.
I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, (1 Timothy 2:9)
This does not mean women should never wear pearls, but simply they are valuable.
One of the most vivid images of pearls is found in Revelation in the description of the city of New Jerusalem.
The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. (Revelation 21:21)
Can you imagine? Wow!
Suffice it to say, pearls are precious. They are beautiful.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:45-46)
Selling all he had. I was reminded last Sunday of a man challenged by Jesus to sell all he had.
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”
“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:17-23)
We could stop there. The man was unwilling to sacrifice earthly treasure for heavenly treasure. He valued his wealth over the kingdom of God. This is still true today. In my experience it is the rich who think they have no need for God, while the poor recognize their lack and are often more willing to surrender what little they have for the things of God. This passage makes many of us uncomfortable, doesn’t it? We hope Jesus never asks us to sell everything…and give it to the poor. How would that work? Where would we live? What would we wear? How would we get on Facebook?
Mark continues…
The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:24-31)
For what would you sell everything? A hot spouse? Your children? Eternal life? Jesus?
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:45-46)
Merchants have money to buy goods to sell for a profit. Of course, if you sell everything for one item, your inventory becomes rather small! One interpretation of this parable is the sinner as merchant and Christ is the pearl, the sinner sells all he has to buy Christ. There’s a problem, though, because sinners don’t look for salvation. They also can’t sell all they have because salvation is not for sale, it’s a gift.
My best understanding of this parable is the merchant is Jesus. He left His home in heaven to come to earth. He died for sinners, giving up everything. He became poor.
Jesus was made sin for us. He was wounded for our transgressions. He put His white robe of righteousness around us and our sin. He makes us white as snow—white as pearls! Impurities made pure. We are HIs workmanship created in Christ Jesus. He sees us as we will be someday without spot or blemish. He sold all He had to gain the church, the Bride. When He shall appear, we shall be like Him.
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)
You are precious, friends, not because of who you are, but because of Who’s you are. Jesus gave everything—even HIs own life—for you and for me. It’s outrageous. It’s incredible. It’s amazing. It’s grace.
I have about 100,000 baseball cards collected since childhood. That sounds like a lot, and my collection is probably worth a few thousand dollars, but I would gladly sell them all to buy one card…a 1910 Honus Wagner. The rarest of all baseball cards is valued at $2.8 million.
Of course $2.8 million is nothing compared to eternal life, peace with God, reconciliation with the Creator, forgiven sins, endless hope, and unconditional love. As great as my love is for God, it pales in comparison to His love for us. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Parable of the Hidden Treasure, 9 August 2015
09 08 15
Matthew 13:44
Series Overview: this summertime series will examine the various parables of Jesus recorded in thirteenth chapter of Matthew.
Big Idea: You are a treasure to God. God wants to be your treasure.
Introduction
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word treasure?
For some it may be the quest of the Goonies, that group of kids in the 1985 movie.
For others it might be a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean.
If your home caught on fire and you could take one non-living thing, what would you take? Why?
Treasure is a great word. Treasure Island. Treasure chest. Treasure hunt. Oh boy!
We’re in the middle of a series on the parables from the thirteenth chapter of the book of Matthew. Jesus loved to tell stories. In fact, last week we briefly read
Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the
creation of the world.” (Matthew 13:34-35)
These are strong words! He spoke nothing to the crowds without using parables or stories.
It’s important to note these stories were loaded. They were intentional. They were dangerous and offensive and elicited a response. Jesus was not an entertainer filling time during lunch break. He was a revolutionary storyteller.
We mentioned last week most of the parables are not interpreted for us. They don’t read like the Ten Commandments and, therefore, we must humbly attempt to extract their original meaning and then bring it into our current context and apply it.
When we come to verse 44, Jesus has left the crowd and gone into a house where His disciples ask Him to explain the parables.
Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” (Matthew 13:36)
We looked at His explanation of the weeds two weeks ago. Then we come to today’s text:
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. (Matthew 13:44)
Jesus is again teaching His disciples about the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God. It is the rule and reign of Christ. The bulk of Jesus’ teachings were about the kingdom of heaven—what happens when heaven touches earth and God’s divine plan is executed on our planet.
Jesus taught on the kingdom.
Jesus ushered the kingdom upon the earth.
The kingdom is here now…and also not yet! We are experiencing aspects of it in 2015, but it has not yet been fully realized.
Perhaps it’s like the Detroit Lions. They are a football team. They have many players and coaches. They workout, individually and together. But people can’t fully experience the Detroit Lions until their first exhibition game on August 13…and yet it’s not until their first regular season game on September 13 that they will be fully actualized.
Jesus came to our planet and gave us glimpses of the future. He taught what it means to be truly human. His vision was one of ultimate human flourishing. Yet clearly His rule and reign on earth is not fully realized today. But it’s coming. And it’s also now.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. (Matthew 13:44a)
Why would someone hide a treasure? There were no bank safety deposit boxes then!
Do you have hidden treasure? Where is it hidden?!
Would you hide a treasure in a field?
Jesus is saying the kingdom—His rule and reign—is like hidden treasure. It is real but not visible. It is intentional but not known. Someone hid a treasure in a field.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. (Matthew 13:44)
A man finds the treasure. How? Perhaps he was a worker in the field, digging up dirt.
When we were in the Dominican Republic we did a lot of digging…every morning. We found some hidden treasure. Actually we found quite a lot! We unearthed clothing, bottles, trash, …ok, nothing of any real value! It was rather startling, though, to find various things under my shovel besides dirt and rocks!
Have you ever found a treasure? One of my favorite Christmas gifts as a kid was a metal detector. I had visions of finding great treasures at the beach. I think the only thing I ever found with it was pop cans!
This man finds the hidden treasure in a field and digs it up…NO! He hides it! He doesn’t want anyone to know about it, but he’s excited. In his joy he goes and sells everything he had to buy the field.
Last year there was great commotion around here about hidden treasure in the form of oil and natural gas. Our church was among many landowners in Scio Township offered money for our property—or at least access to what’s under the ground, the mineral rights. Eventually the land was deemed unsuitable for profitable drilling, but you better believe property values would escalate if oil was found.
In Jesus’ parable the field suddenly had extra value—to the man who knew what it contained. Can you imagine selling everything you have to buy a field? If the field contained enough treasure it would be a no-brainer!
What Does It Mean?
Jesus’ message is for each of us to wander in the field of strangers, search for treasure, sell everything we have, and buy the land. This is His strategy for real estate development, right? Hardly!
To fully understand Jesus’ parable we must understand the context.
Jesus is Jewish. The Jews are awaiting a Messiah (who is right in front of them!).
Most believe the field is the world and the buried treasure is the nation of Israel and/or the Church, the people of God. We don’t live underground in a box, but in many ways we are out of sight. Like the yeast we discussed last Sunday, growth is often slow and invisible.
What did Jesus do save/redeem us? He gave everything He had—His very self! Jesus bought Israel and us with His blood.
So What?
I want to suggest two responses to this passage. First, recognize how much God loves us. We are a treasure to Him. It seems crazy but from Genesis to Revelation it is clear God loves His children. He went to the most extraordinary lengths to prove it, sending Jesus to not only visit but die for us.
Second, what is your treasure? What would you sell everything for?
I remember multiple occasions when Heather and I talked to doctors about various treatment options for our sick child. Money was no object when it meant our child’s health. At one point we considered selling our house to pay the medical bills.
What is your treasure? Who is your treasure? The interesting thing about the treasure in this story is it is hidden. The kingdom of God is somewhat hidden. Salvation and the righteousness of the kingdom are greater treasures than anything the world has to offer.
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold (though I often want silver and gold, too!).
Many of us are so familiar with God, so familiar with the gospel that Jesus is Lord, so familiar with the kingdom we forget their true value. The kingdom is the greatest treasure we can ever find and we must give thanks for this precious gift and joy.
What is your treasure? Who is your treasure? Paul wrote to the church in Philippi:
But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:7-11)
Paul’s ready to trade everything for Christ and His Kingdom.
What do you truly desire? What’s your treasure? How do your actions show it?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Series Overview: this summertime series will examine the various parables of Jesus recorded in thirteenth chapter of Matthew.
Big Idea: You are a treasure to God. God wants to be your treasure.
Introduction
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word treasure?
For some it may be the quest of the Goonies, that group of kids in the 1985 movie.
For others it might be a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean.
If your home caught on fire and you could take one non-living thing, what would you take? Why?
Treasure is a great word. Treasure Island. Treasure chest. Treasure hunt. Oh boy!
We’re in the middle of a series on the parables from the thirteenth chapter of the book of Matthew. Jesus loved to tell stories. In fact, last week we briefly read
Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the
creation of the world.” (Matthew 13:34-35)
These are strong words! He spoke nothing to the crowds without using parables or stories.
It’s important to note these stories were loaded. They were intentional. They were dangerous and offensive and elicited a response. Jesus was not an entertainer filling time during lunch break. He was a revolutionary storyteller.
We mentioned last week most of the parables are not interpreted for us. They don’t read like the Ten Commandments and, therefore, we must humbly attempt to extract their original meaning and then bring it into our current context and apply it.
When we come to verse 44, Jesus has left the crowd and gone into a house where His disciples ask Him to explain the parables.
Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” (Matthew 13:36)
We looked at His explanation of the weeds two weeks ago. Then we come to today’s text:
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. (Matthew 13:44)
Jesus is again teaching His disciples about the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God. It is the rule and reign of Christ. The bulk of Jesus’ teachings were about the kingdom of heaven—what happens when heaven touches earth and God’s divine plan is executed on our planet.
Jesus taught on the kingdom.
Jesus ushered the kingdom upon the earth.
The kingdom is here now…and also not yet! We are experiencing aspects of it in 2015, but it has not yet been fully realized.
Perhaps it’s like the Detroit Lions. They are a football team. They have many players and coaches. They workout, individually and together. But people can’t fully experience the Detroit Lions until their first exhibition game on August 13…and yet it’s not until their first regular season game on September 13 that they will be fully actualized.
Jesus came to our planet and gave us glimpses of the future. He taught what it means to be truly human. His vision was one of ultimate human flourishing. Yet clearly His rule and reign on earth is not fully realized today. But it’s coming. And it’s also now.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. (Matthew 13:44a)
Why would someone hide a treasure? There were no bank safety deposit boxes then!
Do you have hidden treasure? Where is it hidden?!
Would you hide a treasure in a field?
Jesus is saying the kingdom—His rule and reign—is like hidden treasure. It is real but not visible. It is intentional but not known. Someone hid a treasure in a field.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. (Matthew 13:44)
A man finds the treasure. How? Perhaps he was a worker in the field, digging up dirt.
When we were in the Dominican Republic we did a lot of digging…every morning. We found some hidden treasure. Actually we found quite a lot! We unearthed clothing, bottles, trash, …ok, nothing of any real value! It was rather startling, though, to find various things under my shovel besides dirt and rocks!
Have you ever found a treasure? One of my favorite Christmas gifts as a kid was a metal detector. I had visions of finding great treasures at the beach. I think the only thing I ever found with it was pop cans!
This man finds the hidden treasure in a field and digs it up…NO! He hides it! He doesn’t want anyone to know about it, but he’s excited. In his joy he goes and sells everything he had to buy the field.
Last year there was great commotion around here about hidden treasure in the form of oil and natural gas. Our church was among many landowners in Scio Township offered money for our property—or at least access to what’s under the ground, the mineral rights. Eventually the land was deemed unsuitable for profitable drilling, but you better believe property values would escalate if oil was found.
In Jesus’ parable the field suddenly had extra value—to the man who knew what it contained. Can you imagine selling everything you have to buy a field? If the field contained enough treasure it would be a no-brainer!
What Does It Mean?
Jesus’ message is for each of us to wander in the field of strangers, search for treasure, sell everything we have, and buy the land. This is His strategy for real estate development, right? Hardly!
To fully understand Jesus’ parable we must understand the context.
Jesus is Jewish. The Jews are awaiting a Messiah (who is right in front of them!).
Most believe the field is the world and the buried treasure is the nation of Israel and/or the Church, the people of God. We don’t live underground in a box, but in many ways we are out of sight. Like the yeast we discussed last Sunday, growth is often slow and invisible.
What did Jesus do save/redeem us? He gave everything He had—His very self! Jesus bought Israel and us with His blood.
So What?
I want to suggest two responses to this passage. First, recognize how much God loves us. We are a treasure to Him. It seems crazy but from Genesis to Revelation it is clear God loves His children. He went to the most extraordinary lengths to prove it, sending Jesus to not only visit but die for us.
Second, what is your treasure? What would you sell everything for?
I remember multiple occasions when Heather and I talked to doctors about various treatment options for our sick child. Money was no object when it meant our child’s health. At one point we considered selling our house to pay the medical bills.
What is your treasure? Who is your treasure? The interesting thing about the treasure in this story is it is hidden. The kingdom of God is somewhat hidden. Salvation and the righteousness of the kingdom are greater treasures than anything the world has to offer.
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold (though I often want silver and gold, too!).
Many of us are so familiar with God, so familiar with the gospel that Jesus is Lord, so familiar with the kingdom we forget their true value. The kingdom is the greatest treasure we can ever find and we must give thanks for this precious gift and joy.
What is your treasure? Who is your treasure? Paul wrote to the church in Philippi:
But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:7-11)
Paul’s ready to trade everything for Christ and His Kingdom.
What do you truly desire? What’s your treasure? How do your actions show it?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast, 2 August 2015
02 08 15
Matthew 13:31-35
Series Overview: this summertime series will examine the various parables of Jesus recorded in thirteenth chapter of Matthew.
Big Idea: The kingdom of God is advancing…whether you see it or not.
Introduction
Every year at this time the news is lit up—literally—with reports of wildfires. California is especially vulnerable this year because they’ve been having severe drought. Nearly one million acres have been destroyed this year by wildfires…some caused by negligently discarded cigarette.
It only takes a spark to get a fire going.
The Kingdom
Jesus devoted much of His teachings to the kingdom of heaven. We began our Parables series looking at the sower. Last week we discussed the weeds and wheat. Today we look at two parables that Jesus does not interpret for us, yet two similar stories which have much to teach us today.
Our first parable today is about mustard. Do you like mustard? What do you do with mustard?
Mustard is a condiment. It has no vitamins. It’s one of the few things you can get for free at a ballgame, though it’s hardly satisfying on its own.
Mustard comes from…the grocery store! It comes from a tiny seed. We don’t commonly see seeds—aside from possibly pumpkin or sunflower seeds—but mustard seeds were known in Jesus’ day.
He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32)
Mustard comes from mustard plants. Some have criticized Jesus, saying there are seeds smaller than mustard seeds, but that wasn’t then point. In biblical culture it was known to be the smallest, yet it grew tremendously.
There’s a bit more you should know about mustard seeds. Virtually all seeds produce plants that grow, but according to Pliny the Elder, a Roman author in the first century,
“Mustard… with its pungent taste and fiery effect is extremely beneficial for the health. It grows entirely wild, though it is improved by being transplanted: but on the other hand when it is sown it is scarcely possible to get the place free of it, as the seed when it falls germinates at once.”
Mustard grows big and fast.
John Dominic Crossan states, "The mustard plant is dangerous even when domesticated in the garden, and is deadly when growing wild in the grain fields. And those nesting birds, which may strike us as charming, represented to ancient farmers a permanent danger to the seed and to the grain. The point, in other words, is not just that the mustard plant starts as a proverbially small seed and grows into a shrub of three, four, or five feet in height. It is that it tends to take over where it is not wanted, that it tends to get out of control, and that it tends to attract birds within cultivated areas, where they are not particularly desired. And that, said Jesus, is what the Kingdom of God was like. Like a pungent shrub with dangerous take-over properties (Jesus, A Revolutionary Biography, page 65).
The kingdom is “like a pungent shrub with dangerous take-over properties.”
What would make the kingdom dangerous? It is a threat to satan and the world system. Last week we said the wheat and weeds grow together. Good and evil grow together. The kingdom of God has explosive potential to change people, communities, and even nations.
One writer said this:
Think again though about the people who followed Jesus and the multitudes who lived in the margins of society who had their fields taken away from them by the Roman occupation and the corrupt leaders of the Jewish Temple. “The Kingdom of God will take over where it is not wanted. God shall break into this mess and challenge the oppressors?” the peasants must have pondered with one another. No wonder they followed Jesus.
In the west, we seem to hear only bad news. The church is in decline. People are abandoning the faith. Atheism is on the rise. Young people are less interested in the things of God. At least this is what we are often told.
Perhaps the weeds are growing strong in the west, but the kingdom of God is forcefully advancing around the world.
It took nearly 2,000 years for the gospel to spread from the early church to nearly half the world’s population. In 1900, 45.7 percent of people everywhere were aware of the gospel, according to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity (CSGC) at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. More than 100 years later, that number has grown to more than 70 percent.
There’s plenty of work to do, but the kingdom of God is advancing like a mustard seed.
By the way, don’t forget two weeks ago we mentioned the birds that came and took away the seeds that were sowed. We have a real enemy, satan, who wants to steal, kill and destroy the mustard seeds and the kingdom of God.
Jesus and His kingdom were a threat to the principalities and powers of His time…and ours.
He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” (Matthew 13:33)
Some have called this the key parable of the chapter. Interestingly, yeast or leaven is always used in the Bible as a symbol of evil. You may recall the importance of unleavened bread in Jewish life, including the Passover.
Yeast is a fungi that multiplies rapidly through fermentation. Bread rises because of yeast. We usually think negatively about fermentation and fungi, yet Jesus reverses the meaning of yeast to symbolize the positive, hidden movement of the kingdom of heaven in our world.
Today, much of the kingdom of heaven is hidden from our view, much like dough slowly rising. Just because we can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not happening. In fact, the most radical kingdom activity, heart transformation, begins hidden from our view. It sometimes takes years before the seeds of faith take root, before the effects of the yeast are visible in someone’s life.
It’s amazing how something so small like a cigarette butt can produce such a large wildfire.
It’s amazing how something so small like a mustard seed can produce such a large plant.
It’s amazing how something so small like a bit of yeast can produce such a large loaf of bread.
Michael Wilkins summarizes, “The mustard seed emphasizes an inconspicuous beginning of the kingdom of heaven with its growth into external greatness, while the yeast suggests its inconspicuous permeation and transformation.”
God has a way of doing great things with the small. Jesus Himself may be the greatest example. The Jews believed the Messiah would enter our world with power and greatness. He surprised them. In fact, Jesus’ first visit to our planet was so different than what was expected that most Jews are still waiting for the first arrival of the Messiah. Jesus came to earth as a small baby, virtually unknown except for a few visitors. Yet despite humble beginnings, Christ changed the world.
The prophet Zechariah famously wrote
Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the LORD that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel?” (Zechariah 4:10)
It doesn’t look like much, but just wait!
Our text for today concludes with these words:
Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.” (Matthew 13:34-35)
There has never been a story teller like Jesus for He not only entertained, He spoke truth, His is the truth, and His teachings demanded a response. He repeatedly said, “He who has ears, let him hear” and said those who hear would be blessed. The spiritually alive would become His disciples. The spiritually dead would turn away, some even yelling, “Crucify Him.”
As kingdom people we are to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (5:13–16), regardless of what is politically correct and popular. The kingdom of God is advancing…whether you see it or not.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Series Overview: this summertime series will examine the various parables of Jesus recorded in thirteenth chapter of Matthew.
Big Idea: The kingdom of God is advancing…whether you see it or not.
Introduction
Every year at this time the news is lit up—literally—with reports of wildfires. California is especially vulnerable this year because they’ve been having severe drought. Nearly one million acres have been destroyed this year by wildfires…some caused by negligently discarded cigarette.
It only takes a spark to get a fire going.
The Kingdom
Jesus devoted much of His teachings to the kingdom of heaven. We began our Parables series looking at the sower. Last week we discussed the weeds and wheat. Today we look at two parables that Jesus does not interpret for us, yet two similar stories which have much to teach us today.
Our first parable today is about mustard. Do you like mustard? What do you do with mustard?
Mustard is a condiment. It has no vitamins. It’s one of the few things you can get for free at a ballgame, though it’s hardly satisfying on its own.
Mustard comes from…the grocery store! It comes from a tiny seed. We don’t commonly see seeds—aside from possibly pumpkin or sunflower seeds—but mustard seeds were known in Jesus’ day.
He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32)
Mustard comes from mustard plants. Some have criticized Jesus, saying there are seeds smaller than mustard seeds, but that wasn’t then point. In biblical culture it was known to be the smallest, yet it grew tremendously.
There’s a bit more you should know about mustard seeds. Virtually all seeds produce plants that grow, but according to Pliny the Elder, a Roman author in the first century,
“Mustard… with its pungent taste and fiery effect is extremely beneficial for the health. It grows entirely wild, though it is improved by being transplanted: but on the other hand when it is sown it is scarcely possible to get the place free of it, as the seed when it falls germinates at once.”
Mustard grows big and fast.
John Dominic Crossan states, "The mustard plant is dangerous even when domesticated in the garden, and is deadly when growing wild in the grain fields. And those nesting birds, which may strike us as charming, represented to ancient farmers a permanent danger to the seed and to the grain. The point, in other words, is not just that the mustard plant starts as a proverbially small seed and grows into a shrub of three, four, or five feet in height. It is that it tends to take over where it is not wanted, that it tends to get out of control, and that it tends to attract birds within cultivated areas, where they are not particularly desired. And that, said Jesus, is what the Kingdom of God was like. Like a pungent shrub with dangerous take-over properties (Jesus, A Revolutionary Biography, page 65).
The kingdom is “like a pungent shrub with dangerous take-over properties.”
What would make the kingdom dangerous? It is a threat to satan and the world system. Last week we said the wheat and weeds grow together. Good and evil grow together. The kingdom of God has explosive potential to change people, communities, and even nations.
One writer said this:
Think again though about the people who followed Jesus and the multitudes who lived in the margins of society who had their fields taken away from them by the Roman occupation and the corrupt leaders of the Jewish Temple. “The Kingdom of God will take over where it is not wanted. God shall break into this mess and challenge the oppressors?” the peasants must have pondered with one another. No wonder they followed Jesus.
In the west, we seem to hear only bad news. The church is in decline. People are abandoning the faith. Atheism is on the rise. Young people are less interested in the things of God. At least this is what we are often told.
Perhaps the weeds are growing strong in the west, but the kingdom of God is forcefully advancing around the world.
It took nearly 2,000 years for the gospel to spread from the early church to nearly half the world’s population. In 1900, 45.7 percent of people everywhere were aware of the gospel, according to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity (CSGC) at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. More than 100 years later, that number has grown to more than 70 percent.
There’s plenty of work to do, but the kingdom of God is advancing like a mustard seed.
By the way, don’t forget two weeks ago we mentioned the birds that came and took away the seeds that were sowed. We have a real enemy, satan, who wants to steal, kill and destroy the mustard seeds and the kingdom of God.
Jesus and His kingdom were a threat to the principalities and powers of His time…and ours.
He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” (Matthew 13:33)
Some have called this the key parable of the chapter. Interestingly, yeast or leaven is always used in the Bible as a symbol of evil. You may recall the importance of unleavened bread in Jewish life, including the Passover.
Yeast is a fungi that multiplies rapidly through fermentation. Bread rises because of yeast. We usually think negatively about fermentation and fungi, yet Jesus reverses the meaning of yeast to symbolize the positive, hidden movement of the kingdom of heaven in our world.
Today, much of the kingdom of heaven is hidden from our view, much like dough slowly rising. Just because we can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not happening. In fact, the most radical kingdom activity, heart transformation, begins hidden from our view. It sometimes takes years before the seeds of faith take root, before the effects of the yeast are visible in someone’s life.
It’s amazing how something so small like a cigarette butt can produce such a large wildfire.
It’s amazing how something so small like a mustard seed can produce such a large plant.
It’s amazing how something so small like a bit of yeast can produce such a large loaf of bread.
Michael Wilkins summarizes, “The mustard seed emphasizes an inconspicuous beginning of the kingdom of heaven with its growth into external greatness, while the yeast suggests its inconspicuous permeation and transformation.”
God has a way of doing great things with the small. Jesus Himself may be the greatest example. The Jews believed the Messiah would enter our world with power and greatness. He surprised them. In fact, Jesus’ first visit to our planet was so different than what was expected that most Jews are still waiting for the first arrival of the Messiah. Jesus came to earth as a small baby, virtually unknown except for a few visitors. Yet despite humble beginnings, Christ changed the world.
The prophet Zechariah famously wrote
Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the LORD that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel?” (Zechariah 4:10)
It doesn’t look like much, but just wait!
Our text for today concludes with these words:
Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.” (Matthew 13:34-35)
There has never been a story teller like Jesus for He not only entertained, He spoke truth, His is the truth, and His teachings demanded a response. He repeatedly said, “He who has ears, let him hear” and said those who hear would be blessed. The spiritually alive would become His disciples. The spiritually dead would turn away, some even yelling, “Crucify Him.”
As kingdom people we are to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (5:13–16), regardless of what is politically correct and popular. The kingdom of God is advancing…whether you see it or not.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Parable of the Weeds, 26 July 2015
29 07 15
Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43
Series Overview: this summertime series will examine the various parables of Jesus recorded in thirteenth chapter of Matthew.
Big Idea: good and evil coexist in our world—for now!
Introduction
Last week we began our series Parables, a look at several stories Jesus told as recorded in the thirteenth chapter of Matthew’s gospel—good news—or biography of Jesus.
Lectio Divina: Matthew 13:24-30
Last week we talked about a man who sowed seed. The success of the harvest was not dependent upon the sower, the seed, the water, or the sun, but rather by the soil. Bad soil produced bad crops and good soil yielded a great harvest.
As we continue reading Matthew chapter thirteen, Jesus continues to talk about sowing seed, this time seed that apparently lands in good soil…but there is a problem. Its origins go back to the Garden of Eden—in more ways than one!
In the first chapters of Genesis, Adam and Eve are enjoying God, the Garden, one another, and work. Yes, they enjoyed work.
They were punished for their disobedience, listening to the enemy, the serpent, satan, the devil. They ate the forbidden fruit, and they suffered the consequences.
To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’
“Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life.
It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.
By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:17-19)
At the risk of oversimplifying the punishment, God allowed weeds to grow!
I hate weeds. Hate is a strong word, yet weeds were the bane of my existence as a child. You may have heard me share stories about pulling weeds in our garden and yard. I’m sure my mom would disagree but it seemed as if my sister and I spent half of our summer days pulling weeds in 100 degree heat, sun beating down, no water until dinner, no rest until bedtime, and no vacation until winter break! I love you, mom!
Obviously I had no such experience, but I do vividly remember moments—if not hours—pulling weeds, wanting to curse Adam and Eve for eating the fruit and causing me great hardship!
Weeds are nasty. I dare say weeds are evil.
As we will see from our text today, had I studied the Bible more as a child, perhaps I would’ve discovered this passage and used it as an excuse to not pull weeds!
Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. (Matthew 13:24-26)
First, this is a parable, a story of what the kingdom of heaven is like, a picture of the future. We are all so curious about heaven. Where is it? Who will be there? When do we get to go? What does it look like? Do all dogs go there?!
Jesus says a man sowed good seed in his field. Good seed produces…good crops, in this case wheat (my apologies to those who are gluten-free!). We can assume the soil is good, but unfortunately the man has an enemy. The enemy goes to the trouble of sowing in the same field, but instead of sowing seeds, he sows weeds.
Why? Weeds grow naturally. I have a garden full of them to prove it!
Growth takes time. It takes time for babies to grow into adults, for seedlings to grow into big trees, and for seeds to grow into crops. In the early days following planting, it’s difficult to know what is planted…or where. Many gardeners use popsicle sticks or other markers to show above ground what is below.
In Jesus’ parable, the wheat and weeds appear together.
The world is getting better. The wheat is growing.
The world is getting worse. The weeds are growing.
“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
“ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ (Matthew 13:27-28)
This is a great question. I’m sure I asked it many times of my mom. Do you really want us to pull the weeds? Wouldn’t it be better for us to swim in the neighbor’s pool and not get our clothes dirty?!
No parable or analogy is perfect. As a general rule, pulling weeds helps the crops grow. This explains why I’ve grown so few crops in our garden over the years; we don’t spend enough time pulling weeds, they rob the crops of nutrients, and sometimes even choke them, winding their way around the stems of our plants. Weeds are evil!
The answer really is surprising.
“ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ ” (Matthew 13:29-30)
Jesus seems to be saying two things:
Do you understand this parable? If you’ve read this chapter, you have an unfair advantage, one unavailable to Jesus’ disciples. A few verses later we get the explanation.
Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” (Matthew 13:36)
The more I read the Bible, the more I understand human nature and realize I’m not alone in my cluelessness! There’s so much of the Bible I don’t fully understand, yet that prompts me to pursue it all the more.
He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. (Matthew 13:37-39)
Jesus begins by identifying the two teams! Jesus sows good seed—the people of the kingdom—into the world. The devil sows his people into the world, the weeds. The harvest is coming and angels will harvest the people of the kingdom and the people of the evil one.
God is real. The evil one is also real.
Most people prefer to talk about God than about satan. More people believe in angels than demons. They’re all a part of reality.
If you don’t believe me, last night “an 8½-foot-tall bronze monument featuring a goat-headed Satan” was to be unveiled in Detroit by The Satanic Temple. The monument, a “1½-ton Baphomet, which is backed by an inverted pentagram and flanked by statues of two young children gazing up at the creature, shows Satan with horns, hooves, wings and a beard.” (freep.com)
So much for underground! For the record,
“The Satanic Temple Detroit chapter founder Jex Blackmore has said the group doesn't worship Satan but does promote individuality, compassion and views that differ from Christian and conservative beliefs.” (freep.com)
As I’ve said before, the essence of satanism is the worship of self, something that seems to be our national—if not world—religion!
Talk of heaven and hell, God and satan, angels and demons makes many uncomfortable, but whoever said life and reality were to be comfortable?
Here’s what Jesus said:
“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. (Matthew 13:40-41)
I don’t like the thought of hell any more than the next guy, but these are Jesus’s words. Heaven is for real. Hell is for real. There will be a separation of the wheat and weeds, the sheep and the goats, those who follow Jesus and those who follow their own desires, those who worship God and those who worship themselves.
Which are you?
The world really is getting better.
The world really is getting worse.
A day is coming when we will all be judged for the way we lived our days on this earth. Today really matters. There’s no guarantee of tomorrow.
This past week Heather and I attended one of the most gut-wrenching gatherings we’ve ever experienced, the funeral of a five month-old baby who died in his sleep. Like all funerals, it was a reminder of how fragile life is and how each day is truly a gift. They say you are not ready to live until you’re ready to die. Are you ready? Are your loved ones ready?
The reason Christians aren’t taken to heaven upon following Jesus is there is work to do here on earth. Light and darkness coexist. Good and evil coexist. One is always in tension with the other. Let’s make sure we are in the light of Jesus and reflecting that light to our dark world today. Tomorrow might be too late.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Series Overview: this summertime series will examine the various parables of Jesus recorded in thirteenth chapter of Matthew.
Big Idea: good and evil coexist in our world—for now!
Introduction
Last week we began our series Parables, a look at several stories Jesus told as recorded in the thirteenth chapter of Matthew’s gospel—good news—or biography of Jesus.
Lectio Divina: Matthew 13:24-30
Last week we talked about a man who sowed seed. The success of the harvest was not dependent upon the sower, the seed, the water, or the sun, but rather by the soil. Bad soil produced bad crops and good soil yielded a great harvest.
As we continue reading Matthew chapter thirteen, Jesus continues to talk about sowing seed, this time seed that apparently lands in good soil…but there is a problem. Its origins go back to the Garden of Eden—in more ways than one!
In the first chapters of Genesis, Adam and Eve are enjoying God, the Garden, one another, and work. Yes, they enjoyed work.
They were punished for their disobedience, listening to the enemy, the serpent, satan, the devil. They ate the forbidden fruit, and they suffered the consequences.
To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’
“Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life.
It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.
By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:17-19)
At the risk of oversimplifying the punishment, God allowed weeds to grow!
I hate weeds. Hate is a strong word, yet weeds were the bane of my existence as a child. You may have heard me share stories about pulling weeds in our garden and yard. I’m sure my mom would disagree but it seemed as if my sister and I spent half of our summer days pulling weeds in 100 degree heat, sun beating down, no water until dinner, no rest until bedtime, and no vacation until winter break! I love you, mom!
Obviously I had no such experience, but I do vividly remember moments—if not hours—pulling weeds, wanting to curse Adam and Eve for eating the fruit and causing me great hardship!
Weeds are nasty. I dare say weeds are evil.
As we will see from our text today, had I studied the Bible more as a child, perhaps I would’ve discovered this passage and used it as an excuse to not pull weeds!
Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. (Matthew 13:24-26)
First, this is a parable, a story of what the kingdom of heaven is like, a picture of the future. We are all so curious about heaven. Where is it? Who will be there? When do we get to go? What does it look like? Do all dogs go there?!
Jesus says a man sowed good seed in his field. Good seed produces…good crops, in this case wheat (my apologies to those who are gluten-free!). We can assume the soil is good, but unfortunately the man has an enemy. The enemy goes to the trouble of sowing in the same field, but instead of sowing seeds, he sows weeds.
Why? Weeds grow naturally. I have a garden full of them to prove it!
Growth takes time. It takes time for babies to grow into adults, for seedlings to grow into big trees, and for seeds to grow into crops. In the early days following planting, it’s difficult to know what is planted…or where. Many gardeners use popsicle sticks or other markers to show above ground what is below.
In Jesus’ parable, the wheat and weeds appear together.
The world is getting better. The wheat is growing.
The world is getting worse. The weeds are growing.
“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
“ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ (Matthew 13:27-28)
This is a great question. I’m sure I asked it many times of my mom. Do you really want us to pull the weeds? Wouldn’t it be better for us to swim in the neighbor’s pool and not get our clothes dirty?!
No parable or analogy is perfect. As a general rule, pulling weeds helps the crops grow. This explains why I’ve grown so few crops in our garden over the years; we don’t spend enough time pulling weeds, they rob the crops of nutrients, and sometimes even choke them, winding their way around the stems of our plants. Weeds are evil!
The answer really is surprising.
“ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ ” (Matthew 13:29-30)
Jesus seems to be saying two things:
- Pulling weeds risks pulling the wheat.
- At harvest time, the wheat and weeds will be separated and have very different outcomes
Do you understand this parable? If you’ve read this chapter, you have an unfair advantage, one unavailable to Jesus’ disciples. A few verses later we get the explanation.
Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” (Matthew 13:36)
The more I read the Bible, the more I understand human nature and realize I’m not alone in my cluelessness! There’s so much of the Bible I don’t fully understand, yet that prompts me to pursue it all the more.
He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. (Matthew 13:37-39)
Jesus begins by identifying the two teams! Jesus sows good seed—the people of the kingdom—into the world. The devil sows his people into the world, the weeds. The harvest is coming and angels will harvest the people of the kingdom and the people of the evil one.
God is real. The evil one is also real.
Most people prefer to talk about God than about satan. More people believe in angels than demons. They’re all a part of reality.
If you don’t believe me, last night “an 8½-foot-tall bronze monument featuring a goat-headed Satan” was to be unveiled in Detroit by The Satanic Temple. The monument, a “1½-ton Baphomet, which is backed by an inverted pentagram and flanked by statues of two young children gazing up at the creature, shows Satan with horns, hooves, wings and a beard.” (freep.com)
So much for underground! For the record,
“The Satanic Temple Detroit chapter founder Jex Blackmore has said the group doesn't worship Satan but does promote individuality, compassion and views that differ from Christian and conservative beliefs.” (freep.com)
As I’ve said before, the essence of satanism is the worship of self, something that seems to be our national—if not world—religion!
Talk of heaven and hell, God and satan, angels and demons makes many uncomfortable, but whoever said life and reality were to be comfortable?
Here’s what Jesus said:
“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. (Matthew 13:40-41)
I don’t like the thought of hell any more than the next guy, but these are Jesus’s words. Heaven is for real. Hell is for real. There will be a separation of the wheat and weeds, the sheep and the goats, those who follow Jesus and those who follow their own desires, those who worship God and those who worship themselves.
Which are you?
The world really is getting better.
The world really is getting worse.
A day is coming when we will all be judged for the way we lived our days on this earth. Today really matters. There’s no guarantee of tomorrow.
This past week Heather and I attended one of the most gut-wrenching gatherings we’ve ever experienced, the funeral of a five month-old baby who died in his sleep. Like all funerals, it was a reminder of how fragile life is and how each day is truly a gift. They say you are not ready to live until you’re ready to die. Are you ready? Are your loved ones ready?
The reason Christians aren’t taken to heaven upon following Jesus is there is work to do here on earth. Light and darkness coexist. Good and evil coexist. One is always in tension with the other. Let’s make sure we are in the light of Jesus and reflecting that light to our dark world today. Tomorrow might be too late.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Parable of the Sower, 19 July 2015
20 07 15
Matthew 13:1-23
Series Overview: this summertime series will examine the various parables of Jesus recorded in thirteenth chapter of Matthew.
Big Idea: spiritual seeds produce a variety of results
Introduction
Stories. Life is filled with stories. In many ways, life itself is a macro story with a nearly infinite number of micros stories contained within.
What is your favorite childhood story? Why?
What is your favorite Bible story? Why?
Stories are powerful. They’re so powerful, in fact, that they’re strategically used to prompt you to spend money. The success of Tom’s Shoes lies largely in the story behind them; for every pair purchased, another is given to a shoeless person in another country. I have a friend, Joelle McNamera, who started a company as a teenager called Badala, which means “instead.” She employs former sex slaves to produce jewelry and sells it at market rate, providing alternative employment for these women “instead” of their former work. Purchasing a Badala product does more than just provide you with another piece of jewelry; it changes lives, and that story is getting noticed, now even available at some Chicagoland Target stores. Author Donald Miller has begun a consulting business showing companies like Intel, Chick-fil-A, and Steelcase how to use story in their marketing.
Stories are powerful in other ways. Most movies would be dreadful without a good story. Many songs tell moving stories in their lyrics. Ghost stories at a campfire, stories of the good old days told by the aged, or even the infamous fishing stories capture our imagination and seize our attention.
Some have found stories to be unnecessary, preferring nothing more than hard data. “Just the facts. Get to the point,” they say. Jesus vehemently disagrees. He used the sacred texts, He was straightforward in much of His preaching, but so much of His teachings focused on stories, parables in particular. For the next several weeks we’re going to look at one chapter of the Bible, Matthew 13, and the parables of Jesus recorded for us.
Lectio Divina
There is a real art to telling a great story. Listening to one is quite a different experience from silently reading one. Lectio Divina is an ancient practice of simply listening to a passage of scripture read repeatedly, asking the Holy Spirit to speak through the text.
We have done this a time or two in the past. Today’s text will be read aloud three times. Please sit comfortably still as the text is read. Consider these two questions:
Remember, the text will be read three times. Be still and listen to God’s Word and ask Him to speak to you now.
Matthew 13:3-9
Then he told them many things in parables, saying:
“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Reflection
It is essential that we read the Bible, but things get especially exciting when the Bible reads us!
Our text today will be especially familiar to those who were a part of the Envision DR trip two weeks ago to the Dominican Republic. Our team presented this parable to various groups of students at a Compassion International site hosted by one of our Alliance Churches near Santiago. We used readings, songs, drama, and even puppets to present this account. I’m sorry, but I don’t have the puppets today!
Context
There’s a bit more to this parable that what was read. The previous verses provide the context.
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. (Matthew 13:1-2)
Jesus then begins with the first parable, a story of a sower scattering seed.
Food
We take food for granted. It seems like it’s everywhere—grocery stores, roadside stands, coffee shops, in our pantries and refrigerators, drive-thru windows, …We are very blessed to live in a land of abundance and plenty, yet so many in our country and countries around the globe will go to be hungry tonight. May we always be grateful and generous.
In the midst of our wealth, I have heard stories of urban children actually believing food was produced in the grocery store, unaware of its agricultural origins (or chemical laboratory origins in the case of our processed foods!). Food is important to us, but in Jesus’ day it was not as convenient to obtain as it is for us. Jesus taught His followers to pray not for a full refrigerator and freezer but for daily bread. Needless to say, agricultural metaphors are not powerful in our culture as in Jesus’ day, but the parable is no less powerful.
Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. (Matthew 13:3-4)
What is needed to grow a crop?
This is a parable about sowing seeds, but the attention is on the soil. It’s commonly understood that the same type of seeds, sun, and water are used in each of the four accounts. Notice these were not gardens. People often grew crops in open areas with footpaths.
A footpath was not a good place for seeds. Even if it was once good soil, the feet of travelers and their possessions would compress the soil, making it hard. It’s no wonder the birds were able to eat the seeds. You can’t grow many crops in a hard road!
Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. (Matthew 13:5-6)
It’s not enough to have soil. You need an adequate amount of soil for the roots to grow deep. Each time I add a new plant to our small rose garden I read how deep I must first dig. A seed in shallow soil will not last. A plant is only as strong as its roots.
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. (Matthew 13:7)
Have you ever touched a thorn? They’re terrible! It’s no wonder they made a crown of thorns for Jesus during His torture. They destroy everything they touch, including plants.
Finally Jesus saves the best for last.
Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” (Matthew 13:8-9)
Good soil is essential to good crops. It always amazed me how tiny seeds can produce huge crops in months or even weeks.
Story: my tree Herman
What Does It Mean?
Besides basic gardening techniques, what is Jesus’ point in talking about the sower? We can know because we can read ahead, but often (usually?) Jesus’ parables were not understood. In fact,
The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” (Matthew 13:10)
Jesus spends several verses answering their question before addressing what must’ve been their primary question: what does this parable mean?
“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. (Matthew 13:18-19)
Perhaps this is like drive-by evangelism, the megaphone guy yelling at people he doesn’t know and will never see again. Although some claim fruit, many hear and leave confused, hurt or angry. Like a baby or a plant, growth takes time.
The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. (Matthew 13:20-21)
I’ve seen this in people. It’s like the old expression, “Easy come, easy go.” They get excited about everything, so they can quickly move from Jesus to Buddha to whatever the latest fad may be. They may also be sincere in their faith until storms come, they blame God, and renounce their faith. I’ve heard so many tragic stories of people who used to follow Jesus…until a priest abused them, a Christian betrayed them, a storm destroyed them, or they simply weren’t willing to pay the price to follow Jesus. We take our freedom of religion for granted in this country, yet most Christians on our planet pay a dear price for their faith—and they have since Jesus arrived and experienced the ultimate persecution. Following Jesus is not just praying a prayer, getting a “get out of hell free” card, and living in guaranteed health and wealth. It’s a 24/7 fully surrendered life to Jesus as LORD, as King. We must die in order to experience the abundant life He offers.
The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. (Matthew 13:22)
This is so common in our culture, too. We are obsessed with consumerism and stuff, working crazy hours to be able to maintain lifestyles we don’t need and even buying things we can’t afford. Jesus said we cannot worship God and money.
But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
Many crops are contagious. One planted seed might produce multiple plants over the years. That’s what happens when we are infected by the love virus of God’s Word: it spreads to others. Good news must be shared!
So What?
I believe we are to both sow the Word of God into the lives of others and also tend to our own soil.
The sower had a job to do. He took action. It may have been hot! I’m sure it was in the Middle East! He couldn’t run up to Meijer and grab a bag of salad or an apple. He sowed seeds…but seemed careless about where he was placing the seeds, especially the seeds that fell on the path. It’s easy to be discouraged when people don’t respond positively to your faith. I believe the key to all sowing of spiritual seeds is prayer. It’s like supernatural fertilizer for the soil. There are many you and I know who simply are not interested in matters of faith today. We must persevere in prayer for the Holy Spirit to soften their heart and prepare the soil of their soul. Others, however, are ready, their soil is prepared, they are receptive and it’s a joy to plant and cultivate those new crops!
How is your soul’s soil? What are the thorns in your life? Worry? Wealth? Busyness? Consumerism? Work? Social media? Politics? Religion? What is keeping you from becoming a “little Jesus,” a choice fruit, a reproducing crop?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Series Overview: this summertime series will examine the various parables of Jesus recorded in thirteenth chapter of Matthew.
Big Idea: spiritual seeds produce a variety of results
Introduction
Stories. Life is filled with stories. In many ways, life itself is a macro story with a nearly infinite number of micros stories contained within.
What is your favorite childhood story? Why?
What is your favorite Bible story? Why?
Stories are powerful. They’re so powerful, in fact, that they’re strategically used to prompt you to spend money. The success of Tom’s Shoes lies largely in the story behind them; for every pair purchased, another is given to a shoeless person in another country. I have a friend, Joelle McNamera, who started a company as a teenager called Badala, which means “instead.” She employs former sex slaves to produce jewelry and sells it at market rate, providing alternative employment for these women “instead” of their former work. Purchasing a Badala product does more than just provide you with another piece of jewelry; it changes lives, and that story is getting noticed, now even available at some Chicagoland Target stores. Author Donald Miller has begun a consulting business showing companies like Intel, Chick-fil-A, and Steelcase how to use story in their marketing.
Stories are powerful in other ways. Most movies would be dreadful without a good story. Many songs tell moving stories in their lyrics. Ghost stories at a campfire, stories of the good old days told by the aged, or even the infamous fishing stories capture our imagination and seize our attention.
Some have found stories to be unnecessary, preferring nothing more than hard data. “Just the facts. Get to the point,” they say. Jesus vehemently disagrees. He used the sacred texts, He was straightforward in much of His preaching, but so much of His teachings focused on stories, parables in particular. For the next several weeks we’re going to look at one chapter of the Bible, Matthew 13, and the parables of Jesus recorded for us.
Lectio Divina
There is a real art to telling a great story. Listening to one is quite a different experience from silently reading one. Lectio Divina is an ancient practice of simply listening to a passage of scripture read repeatedly, asking the Holy Spirit to speak through the text.
We have done this a time or two in the past. Today’s text will be read aloud three times. Please sit comfortably still as the text is read. Consider these two questions:
- What word or phrase grabs my attention?
- What question about the text would you ask a New Testament scholar?
Remember, the text will be read three times. Be still and listen to God’s Word and ask Him to speak to you now.
Matthew 13:3-9
Then he told them many things in parables, saying:
“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Reflection
- What word or phrase grabbed your attention?
- What question about the text would you ask a New Testament scholar?
It is essential that we read the Bible, but things get especially exciting when the Bible reads us!
Our text today will be especially familiar to those who were a part of the Envision DR trip two weeks ago to the Dominican Republic. Our team presented this parable to various groups of students at a Compassion International site hosted by one of our Alliance Churches near Santiago. We used readings, songs, drama, and even puppets to present this account. I’m sorry, but I don’t have the puppets today!
Context
There’s a bit more to this parable that what was read. The previous verses provide the context.
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. (Matthew 13:1-2)
Jesus then begins with the first parable, a story of a sower scattering seed.
Food
We take food for granted. It seems like it’s everywhere—grocery stores, roadside stands, coffee shops, in our pantries and refrigerators, drive-thru windows, …We are very blessed to live in a land of abundance and plenty, yet so many in our country and countries around the globe will go to be hungry tonight. May we always be grateful and generous.
In the midst of our wealth, I have heard stories of urban children actually believing food was produced in the grocery store, unaware of its agricultural origins (or chemical laboratory origins in the case of our processed foods!). Food is important to us, but in Jesus’ day it was not as convenient to obtain as it is for us. Jesus taught His followers to pray not for a full refrigerator and freezer but for daily bread. Needless to say, agricultural metaphors are not powerful in our culture as in Jesus’ day, but the parable is no less powerful.
Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. (Matthew 13:3-4)
What is needed to grow a crop?
- seed
- sun
- water
- soil
This is a parable about sowing seeds, but the attention is on the soil. It’s commonly understood that the same type of seeds, sun, and water are used in each of the four accounts. Notice these were not gardens. People often grew crops in open areas with footpaths.
A footpath was not a good place for seeds. Even if it was once good soil, the feet of travelers and their possessions would compress the soil, making it hard. It’s no wonder the birds were able to eat the seeds. You can’t grow many crops in a hard road!
Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. (Matthew 13:5-6)
It’s not enough to have soil. You need an adequate amount of soil for the roots to grow deep. Each time I add a new plant to our small rose garden I read how deep I must first dig. A seed in shallow soil will not last. A plant is only as strong as its roots.
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. (Matthew 13:7)
Have you ever touched a thorn? They’re terrible! It’s no wonder they made a crown of thorns for Jesus during His torture. They destroy everything they touch, including plants.
Finally Jesus saves the best for last.
Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” (Matthew 13:8-9)
Good soil is essential to good crops. It always amazed me how tiny seeds can produce huge crops in months or even weeks.
Story: my tree Herman
What Does It Mean?
Besides basic gardening techniques, what is Jesus’ point in talking about the sower? We can know because we can read ahead, but often (usually?) Jesus’ parables were not understood. In fact,
The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” (Matthew 13:10)
Jesus spends several verses answering their question before addressing what must’ve been their primary question: what does this parable mean?
“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. (Matthew 13:18-19)
Perhaps this is like drive-by evangelism, the megaphone guy yelling at people he doesn’t know and will never see again. Although some claim fruit, many hear and leave confused, hurt or angry. Like a baby or a plant, growth takes time.
The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. (Matthew 13:20-21)
I’ve seen this in people. It’s like the old expression, “Easy come, easy go.” They get excited about everything, so they can quickly move from Jesus to Buddha to whatever the latest fad may be. They may also be sincere in their faith until storms come, they blame God, and renounce their faith. I’ve heard so many tragic stories of people who used to follow Jesus…until a priest abused them, a Christian betrayed them, a storm destroyed them, or they simply weren’t willing to pay the price to follow Jesus. We take our freedom of religion for granted in this country, yet most Christians on our planet pay a dear price for their faith—and they have since Jesus arrived and experienced the ultimate persecution. Following Jesus is not just praying a prayer, getting a “get out of hell free” card, and living in guaranteed health and wealth. It’s a 24/7 fully surrendered life to Jesus as LORD, as King. We must die in order to experience the abundant life He offers.
The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. (Matthew 13:22)
This is so common in our culture, too. We are obsessed with consumerism and stuff, working crazy hours to be able to maintain lifestyles we don’t need and even buying things we can’t afford. Jesus said we cannot worship God and money.
But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
Many crops are contagious. One planted seed might produce multiple plants over the years. That’s what happens when we are infected by the love virus of God’s Word: it spreads to others. Good news must be shared!
So What?
I believe we are to both sow the Word of God into the lives of others and also tend to our own soil.
The sower had a job to do. He took action. It may have been hot! I’m sure it was in the Middle East! He couldn’t run up to Meijer and grab a bag of salad or an apple. He sowed seeds…but seemed careless about where he was placing the seeds, especially the seeds that fell on the path. It’s easy to be discouraged when people don’t respond positively to your faith. I believe the key to all sowing of spiritual seeds is prayer. It’s like supernatural fertilizer for the soil. There are many you and I know who simply are not interested in matters of faith today. We must persevere in prayer for the Holy Spirit to soften their heart and prepare the soil of their soul. Others, however, are ready, their soil is prepared, they are receptive and it’s a joy to plant and cultivate those new crops!
How is your soul’s soil? What are the thorns in your life? Worry? Wealth? Busyness? Consumerism? Work? Social media? Politics? Religion? What is keeping you from becoming a “little Jesus,” a choice fruit, a reproducing crop?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
God Is Life, 1 John 5, 14 June 2015
15 06 15
Big Idea: God is light, love, and life.
Scripture: 1 John 5
Introduction
Today we conclude our series on the first epistle or letter written by Jesus’ friend John to the first Christians. I have been overwhelmed by the rich content of this short book. We have titled this series “Love Illuminated” and we could say the theme of the first chapter is God is light. The theme of the next chapters is God is love. The final chapter’s theme is God is life.
Jesus said plainly to Thomas in John’s biography of Jesus, the Gospel or good news of John…
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Jesus is life.
As I have said previously, we could take months to dissect this short letter, yet it is just that—a letter. It’s not a painting needing endless interpretation, a song for us to learn to sing or dance, or an inner feeling requiring unpacking. It’s a rather straightforward letter, a letter we will finish reading today.
Victory over the world
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 5:1-5)
When you trust Jesus you trust what He did and who He is, His identity. If Jesus is LORD, you have been born of God, new birth. You’ve been born again. God becomes your Father, your Dad. Your Dad loves you, you love your Dad, and you love your siblings, brothers and sisters in Christ along with our big Brother, Jesus.
How do you know you’re a child of God?
Love, obedience, and truth.
Loving God shows we are His children. Last week we said love is more than a feeling, but a verb; it’s action! If we love God we obey His commands. What are they?
Be filled with the Holy Spirit
Love your neighbor
Pray without ceasing
Encourage
Rejoice always
Give thanks in all circumstances
(and so many more; many are found in 1 Thessalonians 5)
How do we overcome the world? Faith. We’re in the world but not to be of the world.
This is the only time “victory” occurs in the New Testament.
Faith saves us.
Faith keeps us.
J. Vernon McGee says Canaan represents the world where we live today. We’re blessed with all spiritual blessings. Joshua led the people into the Promised Land, but there were battles. Jericho was the first battle (the world). Ai was the second (the flesh). The Gibeonites deceived Joshua (the devil). We overcome the world not by fighting but by faith. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down.
We cannot overcome the world by fighting it.
Assurance of Salvation
This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 5:6-12)
Water and blood both came from the side of Jesus on the cross.
Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. (John 19:34-35)
Water speaks of the living Word of God. We must be born of water, the Word.
Blood speaks of life and the death of Jesus.
We need the Holy Spirit.
Note: verse 7 may have been added later.
The Spirit, water (the Word) and blood agree Jesus is the Savior of the world because of His death and resurrection.
The witness or testimony of God is greater than that of humans.
The Holy Spirit is given to all followers of Jesus.
If you have Jesus, you have life. It doesn’t say who goes to church or reads the Bible. Is Jesus your Savior and LORD? Salvation and eternal life comes through trusting Jesus.
The next verse is very important.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. (1 John 5:13-15)
We can have confidence and boldness in approaching God.
“Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance but laying hold of His willingness.” - Martin Luther
We have a great Dad who will hear and answer.
Prayer may be one of the most misunderstood aspects of the faith, yet it might not be that complicated. I often relate it to talking with my son. I love my son and will do most anything for him…unless I’m unable—which God is not!—or I know it’s not in his best interest (which would be unloving).
John’s gospel records numerous statements from Jesus regarding prayer, talking with our heavenly Father.
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:13-14)
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (John 15:7)
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. (John 15:16)
In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. (John 16:23-24)
We are to pray in Jesus’ Name, not because it’s a secret password to miracles but because it states our desire to follow Him and seek the will of God. It means our will and His are the same. To accomplish this, we often must listen as well as speak. Prayer is a conversation, not a monologue. What is God saying to you? We can have confidence when we pray. The Father loves to give good gifts to His children, but prayer is not a formula to be followed guaranteeing our immediate desires. He is not our butler, but prayer is not wishful thinking, either. Daddy knows best. He can be trusted, even if He doesn’t make sense at this moment.
If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. (1 John 5:16-17)
This refers to physical death. Not all sins are the same, though they all displease God.
We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:18-20)
The new nature will never sin. It has a desire for God and righteousness.
Christianity is not a religion but a Person, Jesus.
Finally, we come to a short yet profound command, an interesting way to conclude the letter.
Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:21)
That’s it!
It occurs to me either
Keep yourselves from idols.
What is an idol? Anything we love more than God.
The Bible is filled with them. The Golden Calf may be the most infamous. It was common for religions to have physical idols, often statues believed to possess power.
This week I was reminded of the importance of wisdom…and the consequences of ignoring it. A few days ago in our daily One Story readings God says to Solomon
“As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’ (1 Kings 9:4-5)
Imagine God offering to establish your royal throne forever! Solomon was given one request, he asked for a heart of understanding, and God gave him wisdom, wealth, power, and everything this world can offer.
But he forgot God. He did not keep himself from idols, essentially the first two of the Ten Commandments.
The LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD’S command. So the LORD said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. (1 Kings 11:9-11)
John’s final words…
Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:21)
What are your idols? We all have them. Money? Career? Family? Friends? Pleasure? Sports? Education? Food? Religion?
Jesus is life. He is the way. The truth. The life. Is He your life?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Scripture: 1 John 5
Introduction
Today we conclude our series on the first epistle or letter written by Jesus’ friend John to the first Christians. I have been overwhelmed by the rich content of this short book. We have titled this series “Love Illuminated” and we could say the theme of the first chapter is God is light. The theme of the next chapters is God is love. The final chapter’s theme is God is life.
Jesus said plainly to Thomas in John’s biography of Jesus, the Gospel or good news of John…
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Jesus is life.
As I have said previously, we could take months to dissect this short letter, yet it is just that—a letter. It’s not a painting needing endless interpretation, a song for us to learn to sing or dance, or an inner feeling requiring unpacking. It’s a rather straightforward letter, a letter we will finish reading today.
Victory over the world
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 5:1-5)
When you trust Jesus you trust what He did and who He is, His identity. If Jesus is LORD, you have been born of God, new birth. You’ve been born again. God becomes your Father, your Dad. Your Dad loves you, you love your Dad, and you love your siblings, brothers and sisters in Christ along with our big Brother, Jesus.
How do you know you’re a child of God?
- You are righteous. You do what is right. (1 John 2:29)
- You stop a lifestyle of sin. (1 John 3:9)
- You love other Christians, your spiritual siblings. (1 John 4:7)
- You believe in Jesus. (1 John 5:1)
- You overcome the world. (1 John 5:4)
- You keep yourself from satan. (1 John 5:18)
Love, obedience, and truth.
Loving God shows we are His children. Last week we said love is more than a feeling, but a verb; it’s action! If we love God we obey His commands. What are they?
Be filled with the Holy Spirit
Love your neighbor
Pray without ceasing
Encourage
Rejoice always
Give thanks in all circumstances
(and so many more; many are found in 1 Thessalonians 5)
How do we overcome the world? Faith. We’re in the world but not to be of the world.
This is the only time “victory” occurs in the New Testament.
Faith saves us.
Faith keeps us.
J. Vernon McGee says Canaan represents the world where we live today. We’re blessed with all spiritual blessings. Joshua led the people into the Promised Land, but there were battles. Jericho was the first battle (the world). Ai was the second (the flesh). The Gibeonites deceived Joshua (the devil). We overcome the world not by fighting but by faith. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down.
We cannot overcome the world by fighting it.
Assurance of Salvation
This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 5:6-12)
Water and blood both came from the side of Jesus on the cross.
Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. (John 19:34-35)
Water speaks of the living Word of God. We must be born of water, the Word.
Blood speaks of life and the death of Jesus.
We need the Holy Spirit.
Note: verse 7 may have been added later.
The Spirit, water (the Word) and blood agree Jesus is the Savior of the world because of His death and resurrection.
The witness or testimony of God is greater than that of humans.
The Holy Spirit is given to all followers of Jesus.
If you have Jesus, you have life. It doesn’t say who goes to church or reads the Bible. Is Jesus your Savior and LORD? Salvation and eternal life comes through trusting Jesus.
The next verse is very important.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. (1 John 5:13-15)
We can have confidence and boldness in approaching God.
“Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance but laying hold of His willingness.” - Martin Luther
We have a great Dad who will hear and answer.
Prayer may be one of the most misunderstood aspects of the faith, yet it might not be that complicated. I often relate it to talking with my son. I love my son and will do most anything for him…unless I’m unable—which God is not!—or I know it’s not in his best interest (which would be unloving).
John’s gospel records numerous statements from Jesus regarding prayer, talking with our heavenly Father.
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:13-14)
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (John 15:7)
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. (John 15:16)
In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. (John 16:23-24)
We are to pray in Jesus’ Name, not because it’s a secret password to miracles but because it states our desire to follow Him and seek the will of God. It means our will and His are the same. To accomplish this, we often must listen as well as speak. Prayer is a conversation, not a monologue. What is God saying to you? We can have confidence when we pray. The Father loves to give good gifts to His children, but prayer is not a formula to be followed guaranteeing our immediate desires. He is not our butler, but prayer is not wishful thinking, either. Daddy knows best. He can be trusted, even if He doesn’t make sense at this moment.
If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. (1 John 5:16-17)
This refers to physical death. Not all sins are the same, though they all displease God.
We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:18-20)
The new nature will never sin. It has a desire for God and righteousness.
Christianity is not a religion but a Person, Jesus.
Finally, we come to a short yet profound command, an interesting way to conclude the letter.
Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:21)
That’s it!
It occurs to me either
- there’s more to the letter that has been lost
- he had to get the letter in the mail because the mailman was coming!
- these are his final words and he wants them to linger for emphasis
Keep yourselves from idols.
What is an idol? Anything we love more than God.
The Bible is filled with them. The Golden Calf may be the most infamous. It was common for religions to have physical idols, often statues believed to possess power.
This week I was reminded of the importance of wisdom…and the consequences of ignoring it. A few days ago in our daily One Story readings God says to Solomon
“As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’ (1 Kings 9:4-5)
Imagine God offering to establish your royal throne forever! Solomon was given one request, he asked for a heart of understanding, and God gave him wisdom, wealth, power, and everything this world can offer.
But he forgot God. He did not keep himself from idols, essentially the first two of the Ten Commandments.
The LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD’S command. So the LORD said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. (1 Kings 11:9-11)
John’s final words…
Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:21)
What are your idols? We all have them. Money? Career? Family? Friends? Pleasure? Sports? Education? Food? Religion?
Jesus is life. He is the way. The truth. The life. Is He your life?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
God is Love, 1 John 3, 31 May 2015
08 06 15
Big Idea: We are in the midst of a battle fought with love and prayer.
What is your favorite book of the Bible? Why?
What is your favorite chapter in the Bible? This may be a less popular question.
As we continue our series “Love Illuminated” on the book of 1 John, we come to the fourth chapter of this essential letter from one of Jesus’ three best friends, John. While this may not be my favorite chapter in the Bible, few are loaded with more incredible, memorable verses. It’s packed with theology, challenge, encouragement, and insight.
Its overarching theme is a four-letter word which best summarizes the entire Bible.
It’s a four-letter word which best summarizes God.
It’s a four-letter word which best summarizes what we are called to be as followers of Jesus and as the Church, the Body of Christ. The word is…love.
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. (1 John 4:1-3)
There were and are false prophets, false teachers, false teachings. Test the spirits. Test me! The Bible is our authority. Jesus is our authority. The reason cults exist is people follow leaders that are not following Jesus.
The question isn’t do you believe in God, but what do you believe about God. What do you believe about Jesus? We note previously how there were those in John’s day—and ours—who believed Jesus to be human but not God or God but not human. He is uniquely fully God and fully human.
This the the third time John mentions antichrist (1 John 2:18, 22). We said antichrist can mean against Christ or instead of Christ. Jesus said many would come in His name and also there would be opposition. There are many antichrists but they are not the antichrist mentioned in Revelation.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. (1 John 4:4-6)
The spirit of antichrist is in the world. We are engaged in a real, cosmic battle between good and evil. Can I let you in on a little secret? We win!
The Holy Spirit is given to all believers. The Holy Spirit teaches through the Word of God, the Bible. Believers have the Holy Spirit living inside of us, but unless we surrender to God we can still sin and rebel against God. If, however, we remain or abide in Christ (John 15) and invite the Holy Spirit to fill and guide us, we will have the mind of Christ and act like Jesus, bearing fruit.
Imagine you’re in a bicycle race, hot and sweaty. You just happen to have a bottle of ice cold water, but never reach for it and drink it. Does it help you? No. Is it available? Yes. Would it be foolish to not take advantage of it? Absolutely! It’s not enough to have the Holy Spirit, which all believers do. We are to let the Spirit take control. Hands off! That’s hard for many of us who want to be in control. It’s not whether you have the Holy Spirit, but whether or not the Holy Spirit has you!
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7-8)
Believers are to love one another. This is not sentimental, sexual, or social love but supernatural, unconditional agape. It says, “I love you. Period.”
In 1984 the band Foreigner had a huge hit that said, “I Want To Know What Love Is.”
When I was in high school our youth leader told the story about proposing to his wife. He knew he had feelings for this woman but struggled to define love. He was reading 1 John 4 and saw this verse (and verse 16).
God is love.
One of my greatest fears for us is that we become so familiar with the idea of love without actually receiving and/or giving it. We know about love, but do we love?
Love is not being nice.
Love is not avoiding conflict.
Love not the absence of hate. In fact some have said the opposite of love is indifference, not hate, since love and hate are both intense. How often are we indifferent?
Love is a verb. It requires action.
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:9-12)
He is the propitiation for our sins. The word means mercy seat, the place where the priest met God in the Old Testament. The word atonement means to cover. Jesus is the mercy seat for our sins. He died. He conquered sin and death so we can come boldly into the presence of Almighty God.
Do you love?
Do you love believers?
Do you love unbelievers?
Do you love your enemies?
The question is not can you but do you. The test of our faith is not our knowledge but our love.
Don’t miss the last verse. No one has seen God but people can see God’s love in us, through us. This is what it means for us to shine, to reflect God’s love like the moon reflects the light of the sun.
This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. (1 John 4:13-16a)
This is not a human love. The fruit of the Spirit is love…Some believe love is the fruit and the rest of the fruit of the Spirit emerges from love.
Who is Jesus? This question is hugely important! He is the Son of God. If Jesus is not who He claimed to be, His death was useless. He was arrested and crucified for claiming to be God…and He proved it by the resurrection!
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:16b-18)
Here John says again, “God is love.” Love is made perfect or complete.
1 John 4:8 God is love
1 John 4:16 God is love
You can’t say God is mercy or grace or justice, but God is love. God reveals His love at the mercy set, Jesus.
I love the phrase, “Perfect love drives out fear,” but this is not any fear (although love probably has the capacity to drive out any fear). This is about fearing judgment, something we need not fear because Jesus died for us and showed us His love…in action.
We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. (1 John 4:19-21)
God loved us first. He took the first step, made the first move. Our love for God and others is always a response to knowing and experiencing His love for us. If your love tank is empty, only God can fill it up. He has plenty to share, just ask!
How many claim to love God yet hate others?
Love is a command.
Do you love?
I confess
Conclusion
Two weeks ago the Christian & Missionary Alliance held their General Council in Long Beach, California, a national gathering that occurs every other year. Viewing it online I heard President John Stumbo share for the first time as President his report, his state of the denomination address. His first word to us was simple: love.
I realize this isn’t fancy, complicated, or trendy, but Jesus loves you and, therefore, you are to love Jesus and people, those Jesus loves.
But what is love? God is love, but who is God? Love!
Twenty five years ago this past week I said “I do” to my bride, and she returned the favor! During our ceremony, we had a chapter of the Bible read aloud. It was not written for a wedding. It is not about romance. It does not discuss eros love. It’s a great description of agape, however.
These words were read that day:
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13)
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
What is your favorite book of the Bible? Why?
What is your favorite chapter in the Bible? This may be a less popular question.
As we continue our series “Love Illuminated” on the book of 1 John, we come to the fourth chapter of this essential letter from one of Jesus’ three best friends, John. While this may not be my favorite chapter in the Bible, few are loaded with more incredible, memorable verses. It’s packed with theology, challenge, encouragement, and insight.
Its overarching theme is a four-letter word which best summarizes the entire Bible.
It’s a four-letter word which best summarizes God.
It’s a four-letter word which best summarizes what we are called to be as followers of Jesus and as the Church, the Body of Christ. The word is…love.
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. (1 John 4:1-3)
There were and are false prophets, false teachers, false teachings. Test the spirits. Test me! The Bible is our authority. Jesus is our authority. The reason cults exist is people follow leaders that are not following Jesus.
The question isn’t do you believe in God, but what do you believe about God. What do you believe about Jesus? We note previously how there were those in John’s day—and ours—who believed Jesus to be human but not God or God but not human. He is uniquely fully God and fully human.
This the the third time John mentions antichrist (1 John 2:18, 22). We said antichrist can mean against Christ or instead of Christ. Jesus said many would come in His name and also there would be opposition. There are many antichrists but they are not the antichrist mentioned in Revelation.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. (1 John 4:4-6)
The spirit of antichrist is in the world. We are engaged in a real, cosmic battle between good and evil. Can I let you in on a little secret? We win!
The Holy Spirit is given to all believers. The Holy Spirit teaches through the Word of God, the Bible. Believers have the Holy Spirit living inside of us, but unless we surrender to God we can still sin and rebel against God. If, however, we remain or abide in Christ (John 15) and invite the Holy Spirit to fill and guide us, we will have the mind of Christ and act like Jesus, bearing fruit.
Imagine you’re in a bicycle race, hot and sweaty. You just happen to have a bottle of ice cold water, but never reach for it and drink it. Does it help you? No. Is it available? Yes. Would it be foolish to not take advantage of it? Absolutely! It’s not enough to have the Holy Spirit, which all believers do. We are to let the Spirit take control. Hands off! That’s hard for many of us who want to be in control. It’s not whether you have the Holy Spirit, but whether or not the Holy Spirit has you!
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7-8)
Believers are to love one another. This is not sentimental, sexual, or social love but supernatural, unconditional agape. It says, “I love you. Period.”
In 1984 the band Foreigner had a huge hit that said, “I Want To Know What Love Is.”
When I was in high school our youth leader told the story about proposing to his wife. He knew he had feelings for this woman but struggled to define love. He was reading 1 John 4 and saw this verse (and verse 16).
God is love.
One of my greatest fears for us is that we become so familiar with the idea of love without actually receiving and/or giving it. We know about love, but do we love?
Love is not being nice.
Love is not avoiding conflict.
Love not the absence of hate. In fact some have said the opposite of love is indifference, not hate, since love and hate are both intense. How often are we indifferent?
Love is a verb. It requires action.
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:9-12)
He is the propitiation for our sins. The word means mercy seat, the place where the priest met God in the Old Testament. The word atonement means to cover. Jesus is the mercy seat for our sins. He died. He conquered sin and death so we can come boldly into the presence of Almighty God.
Do you love?
Do you love believers?
Do you love unbelievers?
Do you love your enemies?
The question is not can you but do you. The test of our faith is not our knowledge but our love.
Don’t miss the last verse. No one has seen God but people can see God’s love in us, through us. This is what it means for us to shine, to reflect God’s love like the moon reflects the light of the sun.
This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. (1 John 4:13-16a)
This is not a human love. The fruit of the Spirit is love…Some believe love is the fruit and the rest of the fruit of the Spirit emerges from love.
Who is Jesus? This question is hugely important! He is the Son of God. If Jesus is not who He claimed to be, His death was useless. He was arrested and crucified for claiming to be God…and He proved it by the resurrection!
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:16b-18)
Here John says again, “God is love.” Love is made perfect or complete.
1 John 4:8 God is love
1 John 4:16 God is love
You can’t say God is mercy or grace or justice, but God is love. God reveals His love at the mercy set, Jesus.
I love the phrase, “Perfect love drives out fear,” but this is not any fear (although love probably has the capacity to drive out any fear). This is about fearing judgment, something we need not fear because Jesus died for us and showed us His love…in action.
We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. (1 John 4:19-21)
God loved us first. He took the first step, made the first move. Our love for God and others is always a response to knowing and experiencing His love for us. If your love tank is empty, only God can fill it up. He has plenty to share, just ask!
How many claim to love God yet hate others?
Love is a command.
Do you love?
I confess
- not loving my enemies
- not loving my friends
- making it about me and my name rather than the Name of Jesus
- failing to share God’s love with the lost
Conclusion
Two weeks ago the Christian & Missionary Alliance held their General Council in Long Beach, California, a national gathering that occurs every other year. Viewing it online I heard President John Stumbo share for the first time as President his report, his state of the denomination address. His first word to us was simple: love.
I realize this isn’t fancy, complicated, or trendy, but Jesus loves you and, therefore, you are to love Jesus and people, those Jesus loves.
But what is love? God is love, but who is God? Love!
Twenty five years ago this past week I said “I do” to my bride, and she returned the favor! During our ceremony, we had a chapter of the Bible read aloud. It was not written for a wedding. It is not about romance. It does not discuss eros love. It’s a great description of agape, however.
These words were read that day:
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13)
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Children of God, 1 John 2:28-3:10, 24 May 2015
27 05 15
Big Idea: We are children of God…or children of the devil.
Scripture: 1 John 2:28-3:10
Introduction
My name is Kirk. Most people call me Kirk. Some call me Pastor Kirk. Three very special people call me Daddy or Dad. I love to hear that word. I have three adult children presently in three different states and I love being their daddy. I must admit in addition to great joy, there is great challenge involved in being a dad, not the least of which is calibrating invitation and challenge, encouragement and discipline, good cop and bad cop, warm love and tough love.
As we continue our examination of John’s first letter about twenty years following his biography of Jesus—the Gospel of John—we see John speaking like a dad, a shepherd, a pastor who has great concern for his sheep, his flock, his disciples. He showers them with confidence and challenge and provides for us an incredibly relevant message two thousand years later.
And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. (1 John 2:28)
John refers again to the “little born ones,” his precious followers, believers in Jesus. He echoes Jesus’ words in John 15 about the vine and the branches were Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Remain in Me. Abide in Me. Continue in Me.” The quality of fruit is directly related to the health of the branches and their connection to the vine and the roots. Good fruit cannot come from a dead tree.
Why remain and do life with Jesus? He’s returning and we want to be ready. We want Him to know us, to welcome us, to say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” This life matters. Our actions count. This is preparation for the future. When Jesus returns it will be both wonderful and woeful. If we know Him, it will be a wonderful reunion. If we have rejected Him—and I don’t just mean in our head, but with our life and deeds—great peril awaits.
We don’t know when He is coming but we know He is coming and we’ll all have to give an account for our lives. Are you ready?
If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him. (1 John 2:29)
Children look like their Dad. Have you noticed? This is not only true physically but also in mannerisms, habits, and actions.
God is righteous. His kids are righteous. It’s one thing to know Jesus but another to act like Him. Righteousness runs in the family!
One feature of this passage is the subject “everyone who” which appears nine times.
everyone who acts righteously has been born of God
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (1 John 3:1)
This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. Although the NIV translation omits it, may read, “Behold, what manner of love the Father has lavished on us.” Lavished!
We don’t expect to be God’s children, we don’t hope to be…we are His children! This is fantastic!
This love is great. It is special. It is unusual. This isn’t “I love ice cream” love or even “I’ll love you as long as you make me happy” love. It’s agape. It seeks nothing in return. It’s unconditional. It’s real! He proved His love by sending Jesus to die for us.
Keep in mind John is writing to believers, to children of God. He is inviting them into a deeper relationship with God. He is encouraging them. He is increasing their confidence in God and their adoption into His family in the midst of opposition, skepticism, and religion which says we’re saved by our works rather than the work of Jesus. Neither religion nor the world understands grace, unmerited favor. Our identity is given to us by God as we follow Jesus and are adopted into His family.
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)
God sees what we will be. He knows the future. Jesus is returning and there will be a new heaven and a new earth, we will have new bodies like Christ’s body, and we will see the glorified Christ and be like him. These are encouraging words. If you’re a follower of Jesus today, you are a child of God. You can be confident and secure.
All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. (1 John 3:3)
everyone who has this hope based on Jesus makes himself pure
Following Jesus is just that…following, imitating, becoming like Him. This requires action. It doesn’t say all who think purity is a good idea are pure. It doesn’t say if I pray a prayer to accept Jesus into my heart I’ll live a pure and righteous life. It means if we follow the pure One we will live increasingly pure lives that reflect Jesus.
Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. (1 John 3:4)
everyone who acts sinfully is really doing sin
This is a reference to habitual sins. Anything contrary to the will of God is sin. It’s serving our old nature. Sin will disrupt our relationship with God. Since the Fall in the Garden of Eden, we have been battling the allure of sin. Isaiah said
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)
We all sin and fall short of God’s glory, His purity, His perfect standard of holiness. We need Jesus not only to forgive us but also to model for us what it means to be human, what it means to be pure and righteous.
But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. (1 John 3:5-6)
everyone who abides in Him does not commit sin
everyone who commits sin has never seen Him
Jesus came to take away our sins—plural. He never sinned. If we know Him, love Him, and follow Him we will not sin. This does not mean we will never sin, but it will be a regretful mistake rather than a prideful habit. If sin is rebellion against God, we can’t follow God and sin.
The believer who remains/abides does not practice sin. We do sin, and God can deliver us from sin. Jesus died to forgive us and allow us to be reconciled to our Dad.
When believers sin, there is sorry and remorse. If you keep on sinning and don’t feel guilt or conviction you’re in deep trouble!
Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. (1 John 3:7)
God’s children look like God’s Son. The acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree!
Everyone who acts righteously is truly just
Now John gets clear. Crystal clear. He shifts from invitation to challenge, from encouragement to warning.
The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. (1 John 3:8)
everyone who acts sinfully belongs to the devil
These are strong words! You are either a child of God or a child of the devil. You can’t be both. Who’s your daddy?
Jesus died to take away the sin of the world, to put an end to sin and death and broken relationships. That was His mission, His purpose. I love what Paul wrote to the Colossians:
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:13-15)
This discussion of sin is challenging because we do sin but we don’t want to sin when we are following Jesus. We have two natures, the old and new. They are in constant conflict. Paul described it this way:
We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. (Romans 7:14-20)
That’s the definition of frustration, right there! He continues:
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. (Romans 7:21-23)
John continues:
No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. (1 John 3:9)
everyone who has been born of God does not act sinfully
We must be born again! The new nature will not commit sin. The Prodigal Son left his life of sin and came home to his father.
This doesn’t mean we never sin but we don’t live in sin. Remember earlier John said
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:8-10)
Have you been born of God?
J. Vernon McGee said he believed in the security of believers and the insecurity of make believers!
When we are helpless and hopeless, He’s able to take control. You can’t do it yourself. We need help. We need the Holy Spirit. We need God. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. We must remain/abide/be with Him if we want to emulate Him.
This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. (1 John 3:10)
everyone who acts unrighteously does not belong to God
It’s pretty simple. We are children of God if we do what is right and children of the devil if we live in habitual sin and fail to love others.
What fruit are you bearing?
Do you do what is right?
Do you love your brother and sister?
So What?
Perhaps the great question is not do you sin but do you want to sin? Do you want to do what is right and love you brother and sister. If so, call upon the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth and keep you from sin. God’s children are not perfect, but they are unconditionally loved, and with that love comes the Son and the Holy Spirit to offer salvation, forgiveness, sanctification, power, love, and hope.
If the world sees righteous Christians, they will see Jesus.
Followers of Jesus, be encouraged by God’s invitation for you to be His children, but also be challenged by the responsibility to follow Him, to look like Jesus, and to exhibit faith, hope and love…one day at a time.
Credits: some thoughts from Thru the Bible by J. Vernon McGee
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Scripture: 1 John 2:28-3:10
Introduction
My name is Kirk. Most people call me Kirk. Some call me Pastor Kirk. Three very special people call me Daddy or Dad. I love to hear that word. I have three adult children presently in three different states and I love being their daddy. I must admit in addition to great joy, there is great challenge involved in being a dad, not the least of which is calibrating invitation and challenge, encouragement and discipline, good cop and bad cop, warm love and tough love.
As we continue our examination of John’s first letter about twenty years following his biography of Jesus—the Gospel of John—we see John speaking like a dad, a shepherd, a pastor who has great concern for his sheep, his flock, his disciples. He showers them with confidence and challenge and provides for us an incredibly relevant message two thousand years later.
And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. (1 John 2:28)
John refers again to the “little born ones,” his precious followers, believers in Jesus. He echoes Jesus’ words in John 15 about the vine and the branches were Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Remain in Me. Abide in Me. Continue in Me.” The quality of fruit is directly related to the health of the branches and their connection to the vine and the roots. Good fruit cannot come from a dead tree.
Why remain and do life with Jesus? He’s returning and we want to be ready. We want Him to know us, to welcome us, to say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” This life matters. Our actions count. This is preparation for the future. When Jesus returns it will be both wonderful and woeful. If we know Him, it will be a wonderful reunion. If we have rejected Him—and I don’t just mean in our head, but with our life and deeds—great peril awaits.
We don’t know when He is coming but we know He is coming and we’ll all have to give an account for our lives. Are you ready?
If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him. (1 John 2:29)
Children look like their Dad. Have you noticed? This is not only true physically but also in mannerisms, habits, and actions.
God is righteous. His kids are righteous. It’s one thing to know Jesus but another to act like Him. Righteousness runs in the family!
One feature of this passage is the subject “everyone who” which appears nine times.
everyone who acts righteously has been born of God
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (1 John 3:1)
This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. Although the NIV translation omits it, may read, “Behold, what manner of love the Father has lavished on us.” Lavished!
We don’t expect to be God’s children, we don’t hope to be…we are His children! This is fantastic!
This love is great. It is special. It is unusual. This isn’t “I love ice cream” love or even “I’ll love you as long as you make me happy” love. It’s agape. It seeks nothing in return. It’s unconditional. It’s real! He proved His love by sending Jesus to die for us.
Keep in mind John is writing to believers, to children of God. He is inviting them into a deeper relationship with God. He is encouraging them. He is increasing their confidence in God and their adoption into His family in the midst of opposition, skepticism, and religion which says we’re saved by our works rather than the work of Jesus. Neither religion nor the world understands grace, unmerited favor. Our identity is given to us by God as we follow Jesus and are adopted into His family.
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)
God sees what we will be. He knows the future. Jesus is returning and there will be a new heaven and a new earth, we will have new bodies like Christ’s body, and we will see the glorified Christ and be like him. These are encouraging words. If you’re a follower of Jesus today, you are a child of God. You can be confident and secure.
All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. (1 John 3:3)
everyone who has this hope based on Jesus makes himself pure
Following Jesus is just that…following, imitating, becoming like Him. This requires action. It doesn’t say all who think purity is a good idea are pure. It doesn’t say if I pray a prayer to accept Jesus into my heart I’ll live a pure and righteous life. It means if we follow the pure One we will live increasingly pure lives that reflect Jesus.
Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. (1 John 3:4)
everyone who acts sinfully is really doing sin
This is a reference to habitual sins. Anything contrary to the will of God is sin. It’s serving our old nature. Sin will disrupt our relationship with God. Since the Fall in the Garden of Eden, we have been battling the allure of sin. Isaiah said
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)
We all sin and fall short of God’s glory, His purity, His perfect standard of holiness. We need Jesus not only to forgive us but also to model for us what it means to be human, what it means to be pure and righteous.
But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. (1 John 3:5-6)
everyone who abides in Him does not commit sin
everyone who commits sin has never seen Him
Jesus came to take away our sins—plural. He never sinned. If we know Him, love Him, and follow Him we will not sin. This does not mean we will never sin, but it will be a regretful mistake rather than a prideful habit. If sin is rebellion against God, we can’t follow God and sin.
The believer who remains/abides does not practice sin. We do sin, and God can deliver us from sin. Jesus died to forgive us and allow us to be reconciled to our Dad.
When believers sin, there is sorry and remorse. If you keep on sinning and don’t feel guilt or conviction you’re in deep trouble!
Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. (1 John 3:7)
God’s children look like God’s Son. The acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree!
Everyone who acts righteously is truly just
Now John gets clear. Crystal clear. He shifts from invitation to challenge, from encouragement to warning.
The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. (1 John 3:8)
everyone who acts sinfully belongs to the devil
These are strong words! You are either a child of God or a child of the devil. You can’t be both. Who’s your daddy?
Jesus died to take away the sin of the world, to put an end to sin and death and broken relationships. That was His mission, His purpose. I love what Paul wrote to the Colossians:
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:13-15)
This discussion of sin is challenging because we do sin but we don’t want to sin when we are following Jesus. We have two natures, the old and new. They are in constant conflict. Paul described it this way:
We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. (Romans 7:14-20)
That’s the definition of frustration, right there! He continues:
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. (Romans 7:21-23)
John continues:
No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. (1 John 3:9)
everyone who has been born of God does not act sinfully
We must be born again! The new nature will not commit sin. The Prodigal Son left his life of sin and came home to his father.
This doesn’t mean we never sin but we don’t live in sin. Remember earlier John said
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:8-10)
Have you been born of God?
J. Vernon McGee said he believed in the security of believers and the insecurity of make believers!
When we are helpless and hopeless, He’s able to take control. You can’t do it yourself. We need help. We need the Holy Spirit. We need God. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. We must remain/abide/be with Him if we want to emulate Him.
This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. (1 John 3:10)
everyone who acts unrighteously does not belong to God
It’s pretty simple. We are children of God if we do what is right and children of the devil if we live in habitual sin and fail to love others.
What fruit are you bearing?
Do you do what is right?
Do you love your brother and sister?
So What?
Perhaps the great question is not do you sin but do you want to sin? Do you want to do what is right and love you brother and sister. If so, call upon the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth and keep you from sin. God’s children are not perfect, but they are unconditionally loved, and with that love comes the Son and the Holy Spirit to offer salvation, forgiveness, sanctification, power, love, and hope.
If the world sees righteous Christians, they will see Jesus.
Followers of Jesus, be encouraged by God’s invitation for you to be His children, but also be challenged by the responsibility to follow Him, to look like Jesus, and to exhibit faith, hope and love…one day at a time.
Credits: some thoughts from Thru the Bible by J. Vernon McGee
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Antichrists, 1 John 2:18-27, 17 May 2015
19 05 15
Big Idea: We must know the Truth and avoid the lies.
Scripture: 1 John 2:18-27
Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us—eternal life.
I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.
Introduction
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word…antichrist?
My mind races to the book of Revelation, end times movies, Christian persecution, and global chaos.
As we continue in our study of the book of 1 John—a letter written by one of Jesus’ best friends and the author of the Gospel of John—this word “antichrist” emerges.
To review last week’s text that precedes this week’s scripture, John writes
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:15-17)
There’s a great contrast between God’s ways and the world’s ways, and that distinction will continue to be expressed in today’s passage.
Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. (1 John 2:18)
“Little children” is used again, speaking to the babies in the faith. John tells them it’s the last hour, which sounds like one of those end times movies again with earthquakes and people disappearing and chaos ensuing. You may have noticed it has been the last hour for quite some time! On the one hand, it’s tempting to dismiss You might not be around tomorrow.
Antichrist can mean against Christ or it can mean instead of Christ, a substitute.
There is going to be an antichrist but there were many in John’s day. They denied the deity of Christ, that Jesus was God. Many claimed to be Christ. Revelation 13 describes a wild beast that is called forth by satan, a political ruler against Christ and also a wolf in sheep’s clothing who pretends to be Christ, a religious ruler. Both can be called antichrist, one against and one instead of Jesus.
They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. (1 John 2:19)
Have you ever seen someone excited about something, only to lose their enthusiasm? In sports, we call these fair-weather fans. They’ll support a team as long as they’re winning, but when the championships end, they jump on the bandwagon of another team.
This happens frequently in the marketplace. A person will be passionate about their job until it gets difficult and they’ll quit or—worse—complain.
Faithfulness is never more evident than in relationships. The reason marriage is more than just a piece of paper is the commitment it records.
I have seen so-called followers of Jesus abandon the faith, and there is nothing more tragic. Eleven of the twelve disciples were faithful, but Judas did not remain with them.
A popular argument among Christians is whether or not you can lose your salvation. Some suggest if you can, you were never a Christian in the first place. I’m not here to debate the issue here, but Jesus said in Luke 8 that the Word of God is like seed, some of which falls on the path, some on rocky ground, some among thorns, and some on good soil that took root and persevered and produced a crop.
Are you truly a follower of Jesus? Are you a new creation? Why? Is it simply for what you can get from God? What if He fails to meet your “needs” and He disappoints you?
Paul said
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? (2 Corinthians 13:5)
Three chapters later he added
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love. (1 Corinthians 16:13-14)
Does this describe your life? Are you standing firm in the faith? How do we do that? By filling our mind with God’s Word, our heart with prayer, and our hands with service to others. Simply, we know and follow Jesus.
John continues
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. (1 John 2:20)
We need the Holy Spirit. The Spirit helps us understand the truth.
I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. (1 John 2:21-23)
They had the truth but lies are entering. Some see the world as the enemy, but the real enemy is inside the church.
Again, there are many antichrists, then and now, those who deny Jesus is the Messiah.
If Jesus is not God, we’re in trouble.
If Jesus is not human, we’re in trouble.
As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. (1 John 2:24)
We must remain. We must abide. We must persevere. We must continue daily to follow Jesus…hourly…every moment!
This requires discipline. That’s not a popular word, but I heard a great definition of discipline this week:
doing what you don’t want to do so you can do what you want to do (Jeff Fisher)
Sometimes I don’t want to jog, but I overcome that objection by thinking about the reward of being physically fit.
Sometimes I don’t want to invest time in my relationship with God, but I overcome that objection by thinking about the reward of knowing Jesus.
Sometimes I don’t want to invest money in savings, but I overcome that objection by thinking about the reward of having an emergency fund or resources for the future.
In John 15, Jesus said if we abide/remain/persevere/invest our lives in Him we will bear fruit, but it doesn’t happen automatically or instantly.
What did they hear from the beginning?
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. (1 John 1:1)
And this is what he promised us—eternal life. (1 John 2:25)
God promised us eternal life. That’s a long time! It’s not just eternal but life! If we trust Jesus with our lives, eternal life is promised.
I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. (1 John 2:26-27)
Who’s trying to lead us astray? Anyone who is not teaching the Word of God. Do you know it well enough to know the truth from the lies? Never trust me over the Bible…and let me know if you ever hear a word that doesn’t align with the Bible.
I’m learning. I’m growing. I’m in process. The more I learn, the more I realize I need to learn!
My favorite theological quote is from Leonard Sweet who said, “20% of my theology is wrong. I just don’t what 20%”
He’s not saying we don’t need teachers, but we especially need the Holy Spirit.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. (John 16:13)
So What?
There are many false teachings and false teachers. They perpetuate myths. Can you think of any? Here are some:
Finally, challenge what you hear from me, challenge what you read in the media, challenge what you see in our culture. Does it align with the Word of God? It’s so tempting to follow conventional wisdom or what is politically correct without wrestling with the scriptures. Yes, sometimes they’re difficult to understand. Some things are controversial, but we must humbly seek the truth, asking the Holy Spirit to guide us. This is why we have elders. This is why we have Life Groups. This is why we have a Facebook page and Q&A in sermons…to study, wrestle, and seek to understand the truth…both the words on the page and Jesus, the Truth.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Scripture: 1 John 2:18-27
Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us—eternal life.
I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.
Introduction
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word…antichrist?
My mind races to the book of Revelation, end times movies, Christian persecution, and global chaos.
As we continue in our study of the book of 1 John—a letter written by one of Jesus’ best friends and the author of the Gospel of John—this word “antichrist” emerges.
To review last week’s text that precedes this week’s scripture, John writes
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:15-17)
There’s a great contrast between God’s ways and the world’s ways, and that distinction will continue to be expressed in today’s passage.
Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. (1 John 2:18)
“Little children” is used again, speaking to the babies in the faith. John tells them it’s the last hour, which sounds like one of those end times movies again with earthquakes and people disappearing and chaos ensuing. You may have noticed it has been the last hour for quite some time! On the one hand, it’s tempting to dismiss You might not be around tomorrow.
Antichrist can mean against Christ or it can mean instead of Christ, a substitute.
There is going to be an antichrist but there were many in John’s day. They denied the deity of Christ, that Jesus was God. Many claimed to be Christ. Revelation 13 describes a wild beast that is called forth by satan, a political ruler against Christ and also a wolf in sheep’s clothing who pretends to be Christ, a religious ruler. Both can be called antichrist, one against and one instead of Jesus.
They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. (1 John 2:19)
Have you ever seen someone excited about something, only to lose their enthusiasm? In sports, we call these fair-weather fans. They’ll support a team as long as they’re winning, but when the championships end, they jump on the bandwagon of another team.
This happens frequently in the marketplace. A person will be passionate about their job until it gets difficult and they’ll quit or—worse—complain.
Faithfulness is never more evident than in relationships. The reason marriage is more than just a piece of paper is the commitment it records.
I have seen so-called followers of Jesus abandon the faith, and there is nothing more tragic. Eleven of the twelve disciples were faithful, but Judas did not remain with them.
A popular argument among Christians is whether or not you can lose your salvation. Some suggest if you can, you were never a Christian in the first place. I’m not here to debate the issue here, but Jesus said in Luke 8 that the Word of God is like seed, some of which falls on the path, some on rocky ground, some among thorns, and some on good soil that took root and persevered and produced a crop.
Are you truly a follower of Jesus? Are you a new creation? Why? Is it simply for what you can get from God? What if He fails to meet your “needs” and He disappoints you?
Paul said
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? (2 Corinthians 13:5)
Three chapters later he added
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love. (1 Corinthians 16:13-14)
Does this describe your life? Are you standing firm in the faith? How do we do that? By filling our mind with God’s Word, our heart with prayer, and our hands with service to others. Simply, we know and follow Jesus.
John continues
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. (1 John 2:20)
We need the Holy Spirit. The Spirit helps us understand the truth.
I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. (1 John 2:21-23)
They had the truth but lies are entering. Some see the world as the enemy, but the real enemy is inside the church.
Again, there are many antichrists, then and now, those who deny Jesus is the Messiah.
If Jesus is not God, we’re in trouble.
If Jesus is not human, we’re in trouble.
As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. (1 John 2:24)
We must remain. We must abide. We must persevere. We must continue daily to follow Jesus…hourly…every moment!
This requires discipline. That’s not a popular word, but I heard a great definition of discipline this week:
doing what you don’t want to do so you can do what you want to do (Jeff Fisher)
Sometimes I don’t want to jog, but I overcome that objection by thinking about the reward of being physically fit.
Sometimes I don’t want to invest time in my relationship with God, but I overcome that objection by thinking about the reward of knowing Jesus.
Sometimes I don’t want to invest money in savings, but I overcome that objection by thinking about the reward of having an emergency fund or resources for the future.
In John 15, Jesus said if we abide/remain/persevere/invest our lives in Him we will bear fruit, but it doesn’t happen automatically or instantly.
What did they hear from the beginning?
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. (1 John 1:1)
And this is what he promised us—eternal life. (1 John 2:25)
God promised us eternal life. That’s a long time! It’s not just eternal but life! If we trust Jesus with our lives, eternal life is promised.
I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. (1 John 2:26-27)
Who’s trying to lead us astray? Anyone who is not teaching the Word of God. Do you know it well enough to know the truth from the lies? Never trust me over the Bible…and let me know if you ever hear a word that doesn’t align with the Bible.
I’m learning. I’m growing. I’m in process. The more I learn, the more I realize I need to learn!
My favorite theological quote is from Leonard Sweet who said, “20% of my theology is wrong. I just don’t what 20%”
He’s not saying we don’t need teachers, but we especially need the Holy Spirit.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. (John 16:13)
So What?
There are many false teachings and false teachers. They perpetuate myths. Can you think of any? Here are some:
- God wants you happy. God wants you rich.
- God won’t give you more than you can handle.
- It doesn’t matter what you do.
- It doesn’t matter what you believe.
- Praise God when things go well. Ignore Him when things go poorly.
- Jesus was a good teacher but never died.
- Jesus was a good teacher but never rose from the dead.
- Jesus was not God.
- Jesus was not human.
- God helps those who help themselves.
- All good people go to heaven.
- Only good people go to heaven.
- Success is always measured by numbers.
- There is only one road you can take, one plan God has for your life.
- If you’re not busy, you’re lazy.
- God is not okay with doubt and questions
- There are bad sins (abortion) and acceptable ones (gossip)
- Your behavior affects God’s love for you
- The church is a building or a gathering
- All pastors are perfect, holy, and super spiritual
- The Bible is all about rules
- The Bible is boring
Finally, challenge what you hear from me, challenge what you read in the media, challenge what you see in our culture. Does it align with the Word of God? It’s so tempting to follow conventional wisdom or what is politically correct without wrestling with the scriptures. Yes, sometimes they’re difficult to understand. Some things are controversial, but we must humbly seek the truth, asking the Holy Spirit to guide us. This is why we have elders. This is why we have Life Groups. This is why we have a Facebook page and Q&A in sermons…to study, wrestle, and seek to understand the truth…both the words on the page and Jesus, the Truth.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
The World, 1 John 2:15-17, 10 May 2015
11 05 15
Big Idea: We are not citizens of this world, but citizens of heaven on God's mission in our world.
Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
Introduction
Do you like to travel? What’s the most fascinating place you’ve visited? Why?
There’s a common expression many make regarding a place. The phrase is…
“It’s a great place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there.”
There are various reasons people give for their statement, but interestingly enough virtually every visited place has people that live there!
In 1972 Christian music pioneer Larry Norman released an album called “Only Visiting This Planet.” More recently, t-shirts have proclaimed, “Don’t mind me, I’m just visiting this planet.”
Visitors and residents live very different lives, don’t they? I was with a friend from out of town last week during the election and they weren’t too concerned about whether or not Proposal 1 was going to pass. They don’t have to drive on our crater-filled roads each day!
Actually, it would be quite odd if they were deeply concerned about the election, aside from their interest in how it would affect me.
This past week I joined a group of people in downtown Ann Arbor for the National Day of Prayer observance, an annual half hour of prayer at the Federal Building flagpole. While I appreciated their concerns and prayers, I was struck by how opinionated their prayers were, certain of God’s will for the United States and ever so bold in telling God how politicians and leaders should vote, with hardly a word of thanks for the freedoms we enjoy, the progress we’ve made, or even worship for God simply being God. A day set aside for talking with our Dad turned into a laundry list of fear, angst, and pleas for power.
I’m quite sure I over-reacted to their prayers, but today’s passage from the first epistle of John reminds us not to be overly concerned with this world. I want to live in peace and freedom and smooth roads as much as the next guy, but we’re just visiting!
Do not love the world or anything in the world. (1 John 2:15a)
This is not a reference to creation or the planet. It’s not a reference to people in the world. It’s a reference to the world’s system, to worldly things, to temporary things.
Since sin was introduced to our world, evil has been present, causing death, pain, and destruction…all disguised beautifully in tempting forms…like chocolate covered poop!
Jesus spoke of this world. Although he created it, he has allowed satan and his demons to tempt and deceive, presenting us with daily choices to follow God or the world. Jesus called him the prince of this world (John 14:30; John 16:11).
I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, (John 14:30)
…and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. (John 16:11)
In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul spoke of what it was like for people before they followed Jesus.
…in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. (Ephesians 2:2)
Evil is real. Just watch the news! Every day we are bombarded with lies that suggest we will be truly satisfied when we have __________.
Fill in the blank: money, sex, power, the latest cell phone, the fastest car, the best clothes, the most Facebook friends, the most encounters with celebrities, the biggest paycheck, the most prestigious job, the best grades, the finest school, the most beautiful family…
Paul told the Galatians…
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14)
The cross and the world are in tension. Good and evil are in tension. God and satan are in tension.
Peter recognized the evil in our world.
If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. (2 Peter 2:20)
John continues…
If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. (1 John 2:15b)
This is harsh, but true. Jesus said nobody can serve two masters.
Have you ever had two bosses?
A few years ago I found myself driving a fifteen passenger van in Los Angeles with three navigators! I finally had to tell two of them to put away their GPS devices so I could follow one person.
You can’t run with the devil during the week and run with the LORD on Sunday!
You can’t love sin and God. We are in the world but not of the world.
There is a perpetual conflict between our old sinful nature and our new, righteous nature given to us through Jesus.
For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. (1 John 2:16)
God gives us all desires. Those desires are not bad since they were from God, but we are often tempted to meet those desires in unhealthy, sinful ways.
It’s like running a marathon, wanting to finish, and then taking a taxi to the finish line.
The flesh, the eyes, and pride. Notice how these themes appear repeatedly in the Bible.
The lust of the flesh. Our bodies have cravings. Gluttony is a real temptation. Eve was tempted by satan to eat the forbidden fruit. It wasn’t that God said she couldn’t eat, but rather she couldn’t eat from just one tree in the garden.
Jesus was also tempted this way in Matthew 4 and Luke 4. He was hungry after fasting for forty days (duh!) and satan tempted him to turn stones into bread to inappropriately feed his flesh. He even misquoted scripture to lure Jesus into sin.
By the way, temptation is not sin. It’s what we do with the temptation that matters. Eve said yes and Jesus said no.
The lust of the eyes. Our eyes are drawn to attractive things. They are often the gateway to lust, pornography, or materialism. The tree looked good to Eve. The fruit looked good.
Jesus was also tempted this way. He was taken to a high place and satan showed him the kingdoms of this world, offering them to Jesus if he would only worship satan.
The pride of life. Eve was told if she ate the fruit she would be wise. It wasn’t simply an urge to eat something tasty, but a desire to be like God.
Jesus was also tempted this way. He was told to jump off the top of the Jerusalem temple and show his superiority by summoning angels to protect him. Jesus never performed a miracle to impress people.
The stomach, beauty, and even religion can be deadly and of the world when we give into sinful temptation. Here’s why:
The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:17)
The Roman Empire, Michael Jordan’s athleticism, the wealth of many who invested in Enron and Radio Shack, …
It All Goes Back In The Box
Author and pastor John Ortberg tells a great story about learning to play Monopoly from his grandmother. She repeatedly beat him and finally said John needed to risk it all, go for broke, buy every house and hotel possible and accumulate as much wealth as possible. She said, “One day you’ll learn to play the game.”
So he played with a neighbor all summer long, understanding money and possessions were the way to keep score. That fall he sat down to play with grandmother and ruthlessly beat her, taking every last dollar she had! She had one more thing to teach John. She said, “Now it all goes back in the box. All of the houses and hotels, railroads and utilities and money goes back in the box. None of it was really yours. It was here before you came along and it will be around after you’re gone.”
So What?
This world is not our home. No matter how exciting it can be to experience money, sex, power, fame, and comfort, the thrill will eventually wear off. Then what?
What really matters?
We are just visiting this planet.
As odd as that may sound, we’re not the only ones. Jesus made a visit, and He set for us a great example of how to live here while being citizens of heaven. He only visited for about 33 years. He said to give to Caesar’s what is Caesar’s and to God what belongs to God. He never demonstrated fear, even when seemingly most of the world wanted him dead. There is no record of him campaigning for a candidate or even a political issue, though his sermons were loaded with radical commands and ideas no politician would dare utter.
Some Christians are so heavenly minded they’re no earthly good. We need to be involved in this world, but only to the extent that we’re on mission, that we are obediently following our assignment to make disciples, to love others, to lose our lives for God’s sake.
A growing trend in travel is eco tourism where people do more than visit and consume; they serve the residents, perhaps through digging a well or volunteering at a soup kitchen. They are on a mission, but permanent residency is not part of the arrangement. The tourists know they will eventually return home.
This world is not our home. We’re just visitors. Let’s live like it! In the meantime, let’s complete our mission and leave this world in better shape than we found it!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
Introduction
Do you like to travel? What’s the most fascinating place you’ve visited? Why?
There’s a common expression many make regarding a place. The phrase is…
“It’s a great place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there.”
There are various reasons people give for their statement, but interestingly enough virtually every visited place has people that live there!
In 1972 Christian music pioneer Larry Norman released an album called “Only Visiting This Planet.” More recently, t-shirts have proclaimed, “Don’t mind me, I’m just visiting this planet.”
Visitors and residents live very different lives, don’t they? I was with a friend from out of town last week during the election and they weren’t too concerned about whether or not Proposal 1 was going to pass. They don’t have to drive on our crater-filled roads each day!
Actually, it would be quite odd if they were deeply concerned about the election, aside from their interest in how it would affect me.
This past week I joined a group of people in downtown Ann Arbor for the National Day of Prayer observance, an annual half hour of prayer at the Federal Building flagpole. While I appreciated their concerns and prayers, I was struck by how opinionated their prayers were, certain of God’s will for the United States and ever so bold in telling God how politicians and leaders should vote, with hardly a word of thanks for the freedoms we enjoy, the progress we’ve made, or even worship for God simply being God. A day set aside for talking with our Dad turned into a laundry list of fear, angst, and pleas for power.
I’m quite sure I over-reacted to their prayers, but today’s passage from the first epistle of John reminds us not to be overly concerned with this world. I want to live in peace and freedom and smooth roads as much as the next guy, but we’re just visiting!
Do not love the world or anything in the world. (1 John 2:15a)
This is not a reference to creation or the planet. It’s not a reference to people in the world. It’s a reference to the world’s system, to worldly things, to temporary things.
Since sin was introduced to our world, evil has been present, causing death, pain, and destruction…all disguised beautifully in tempting forms…like chocolate covered poop!
Jesus spoke of this world. Although he created it, he has allowed satan and his demons to tempt and deceive, presenting us with daily choices to follow God or the world. Jesus called him the prince of this world (John 14:30; John 16:11).
I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, (John 14:30)
…and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. (John 16:11)
In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul spoke of what it was like for people before they followed Jesus.
…in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. (Ephesians 2:2)
Evil is real. Just watch the news! Every day we are bombarded with lies that suggest we will be truly satisfied when we have __________.
Fill in the blank: money, sex, power, the latest cell phone, the fastest car, the best clothes, the most Facebook friends, the most encounters with celebrities, the biggest paycheck, the most prestigious job, the best grades, the finest school, the most beautiful family…
Paul told the Galatians…
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14)
The cross and the world are in tension. Good and evil are in tension. God and satan are in tension.
Peter recognized the evil in our world.
If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. (2 Peter 2:20)
John continues…
If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. (1 John 2:15b)
This is harsh, but true. Jesus said nobody can serve two masters.
Have you ever had two bosses?
A few years ago I found myself driving a fifteen passenger van in Los Angeles with three navigators! I finally had to tell two of them to put away their GPS devices so I could follow one person.
You can’t run with the devil during the week and run with the LORD on Sunday!
You can’t love sin and God. We are in the world but not of the world.
There is a perpetual conflict between our old sinful nature and our new, righteous nature given to us through Jesus.
For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. (1 John 2:16)
God gives us all desires. Those desires are not bad since they were from God, but we are often tempted to meet those desires in unhealthy, sinful ways.
It’s like running a marathon, wanting to finish, and then taking a taxi to the finish line.
The flesh, the eyes, and pride. Notice how these themes appear repeatedly in the Bible.
The lust of the flesh. Our bodies have cravings. Gluttony is a real temptation. Eve was tempted by satan to eat the forbidden fruit. It wasn’t that God said she couldn’t eat, but rather she couldn’t eat from just one tree in the garden.
Jesus was also tempted this way in Matthew 4 and Luke 4. He was hungry after fasting for forty days (duh!) and satan tempted him to turn stones into bread to inappropriately feed his flesh. He even misquoted scripture to lure Jesus into sin.
By the way, temptation is not sin. It’s what we do with the temptation that matters. Eve said yes and Jesus said no.
The lust of the eyes. Our eyes are drawn to attractive things. They are often the gateway to lust, pornography, or materialism. The tree looked good to Eve. The fruit looked good.
Jesus was also tempted this way. He was taken to a high place and satan showed him the kingdoms of this world, offering them to Jesus if he would only worship satan.
The pride of life. Eve was told if she ate the fruit she would be wise. It wasn’t simply an urge to eat something tasty, but a desire to be like God.
Jesus was also tempted this way. He was told to jump off the top of the Jerusalem temple and show his superiority by summoning angels to protect him. Jesus never performed a miracle to impress people.
The stomach, beauty, and even religion can be deadly and of the world when we give into sinful temptation. Here’s why:
The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:17)
The Roman Empire, Michael Jordan’s athleticism, the wealth of many who invested in Enron and Radio Shack, …
It All Goes Back In The Box
Author and pastor John Ortberg tells a great story about learning to play Monopoly from his grandmother. She repeatedly beat him and finally said John needed to risk it all, go for broke, buy every house and hotel possible and accumulate as much wealth as possible. She said, “One day you’ll learn to play the game.”
So he played with a neighbor all summer long, understanding money and possessions were the way to keep score. That fall he sat down to play with grandmother and ruthlessly beat her, taking every last dollar she had! She had one more thing to teach John. She said, “Now it all goes back in the box. All of the houses and hotels, railroads and utilities and money goes back in the box. None of it was really yours. It was here before you came along and it will be around after you’re gone.”
So What?
This world is not our home. No matter how exciting it can be to experience money, sex, power, fame, and comfort, the thrill will eventually wear off. Then what?
What really matters?
We are just visiting this planet.
As odd as that may sound, we’re not the only ones. Jesus made a visit, and He set for us a great example of how to live here while being citizens of heaven. He only visited for about 33 years. He said to give to Caesar’s what is Caesar’s and to God what belongs to God. He never demonstrated fear, even when seemingly most of the world wanted him dead. There is no record of him campaigning for a candidate or even a political issue, though his sermons were loaded with radical commands and ideas no politician would dare utter.
Some Christians are so heavenly minded they’re no earthly good. We need to be involved in this world, but only to the extent that we’re on mission, that we are obediently following our assignment to make disciples, to love others, to lose our lives for God’s sake.
A growing trend in travel is eco tourism where people do more than visit and consume; they serve the residents, perhaps through digging a well or volunteering at a soup kitchen. They are on a mission, but permanent residency is not part of the arrangement. The tourists know they will eventually return home.
This world is not our home. We’re just visitors. Let’s live like it! In the meantime, let’s complete our mission and leave this world in better shape than we found it!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Children, Youth, and Fathers, 1 John 2:12-14, 4 May 2015
04 05 15
Big Idea: Spiritually mature disciples reproduce.
Scripture: 1 John 2:12-14
Introduction
Communication is a fascinating aspect of humanity. We are social creatures with the primal need to convey our thoughts, needs, feelings, and ideas.
Once upon a time we had only verbal and body language.
Hieroglyphic drawings came next.
Written words followed.
The advent of the telephone was a tremendous way to connect with distant people.
Paging, e-mail, and texting introduced new technologies for instant communication.
Today FaceTime, Skype, and other video apps allow face-to-face teleconferencing.
What’s next? Hologram is one emerging tool.
An unsolicited bit of advice: choose the appropriate form of communication for the appropriate message. Texting is great for a short grocery list, but don’t use it to break up with your girlfriend! If you really want your message to get noticed, buy a pen, a card, and a stamp and…write a note!
Writing
Every writer has a message and an audience. They are both critically important. Have you ever texted the wrong person? It can be embarrassing, especially if the note is personal or private.
We are studying a letter, the first epistle written by John, one of Jesus’ three best friends. In this fourth week of our series, Love Illuminated, John reveals his audience (plural).
At first glance it seems odd to include details about his recipients in the middle of the letter, yet the details reveal much about them.
Scripture: 1 John 2:12-14
I am writing to you, dear children,
because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. (12)
This phrase “little” children literally means “born ones.” Perhaps we could call them born again ones. This refers to all believers who have been forgiven by the precious blood of Jesus shed for us on on the cross, by His broken body which was pierced for us.
John continues…
I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
Fathers here refers to mature saints who have known Jesus for many years. They know Him who is from the beginning—Jesus.
John began his gospel with these words:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. (John 1:1-2)
Fathers know Jesus. They know Him well.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one. (13)
It seems young men are more mature than children but not as mature as the fathers. They have faced temptation and won. This is immensely important today. Though it could be said of every generation, the world is filled with lies from the evil one that wants to steal, kill, and destroy.
What are some?
You need money, sex and power…now.
The first shall be first.
He who dies with the most toys wins.
It’s all about you.
John is acknowledging a group of young men who have chosen to live radical, counter-cultural lives. They don’t care what’s politically correct, but instead they live what’s biblically correct.
Now John goes back to the children.
I write to you, dear children,
because you know the Father. (14a)
These immature believers know they are children of God. They know their Daddy!
Now John seems to repeat himself somewhat.
I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning. (14b)
It does not say they know about God. John says mature believers know God. Paul said it this way:
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
These verses are loaded! Suffice it to say if you truly want to know someone, walk in their shoes. Last month featured “Take Your Child To Work” day. Thousands of children skipped school to be with their mom or dad, watching and sometimes experiencing life in the real world.
It’s one thing for my son to know intellectually I am his father.
It’s another thing for my son to have met me.
It’s yet another thing for him to be told I work very part-time as a DJ.
It’s still another thing for him to watch me play music at a wedding reception.
It’s an even greater thing for him to work alongside me, entertaining guests.
It’s perhaps the greatest thing for him to live with me, watching me every day.
At each level, my relationship with him grows. He may even decide someday to take over my DJ business, following in my footsteps.
Knowing Jesus does not end at a worship gathering or a Life Group. It’s only the beginning.
We need the Word of God. It’s food. It’s daily bread. Most of us don’t eat weekly. We don’t even eat daily. We eat several times a day.
You can’t expect on meal to nourish you for seven days!
Do you know Jesus? Do you live with Jesus? Do you do life with Jesus?
John continues…
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God lives in you,
and you have overcome the evil one. (14c)
The strong overcome the evil one by the word of God, it’s the only weapon of offense, the sword of the Spirit. Many aren’t in the word of God, but we need it if we are to grow strong.
Summary
John is writing to three groups of people.
I am writing to you, dear children,
because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. (12)
because you know the Father.
They know God the Father.
I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
because you know him who is from the beginning.
They know God.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one. (13)
because you are strong,
and the word of God lives in you,
and you have overcome the evil one. (14)
They are strong, they have overcome the evil one, the word of God lives in them.
So What?
Are you a child, a young man, or a father? Many overestimate where they are on their journey, thinking because they have great biblical knowledge they are mature believers. The Pharisees were just such a people. Their minds were full but their heads were big. Their hands were idle. Their hearts were hard.
Jesus said we are to come to Him like little children…and grow…looking increasing like Him.
As we said previously, God’s love language is obedience. If we love Him, we will do what He commands. Most Christians—including myself—are educated far beyond our level of obedience.
There’s a great verse in the book of Ezra that describes a spiritual father. It says
For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel. (Ezra 7:10)
He studied God’s Word. That’s the first step. Children read books.
He observed or practiced the commands of God. That’s what young men do, they are strong and they obey God.
Finally, he taught God’s Word. Some of this may have been in a classroom, but likely it involved modeling…discipleship…reproduction.
Who Are You?
Are you a spiritual child, young adult, or parent? It has nothing to do with your physical age. In fact, it has nothing to do with your spiritual age. There are people who have called themselves Christians for decades who disobey God habitually. None of us is perfect, but we choose to repent or repeat our sins.
Maybe you feel pretty good about your life and actions. You have a heart for God, spend time in pray and studying God’s Word each day. Keep it up! I want to challenge you: who are your disciples? To whom are you a spiritual father or mother? Do they know?!
Parents have kids. We are all commanded to have spiritual kids, disciples.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
There’s only one verb in verse 19: make. Spiritual parents make disciples. They intentionally invest their lives in others. They do life together with them. By definition they parent them spiritually.
You don’t have to be old to be a spiritual parent; you simply need to help another grow, help them take their next steps.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Scripture: 1 John 2:12-14
Introduction
Communication is a fascinating aspect of humanity. We are social creatures with the primal need to convey our thoughts, needs, feelings, and ideas.
Once upon a time we had only verbal and body language.
Hieroglyphic drawings came next.
Written words followed.
The advent of the telephone was a tremendous way to connect with distant people.
Paging, e-mail, and texting introduced new technologies for instant communication.
Today FaceTime, Skype, and other video apps allow face-to-face teleconferencing.
What’s next? Hologram is one emerging tool.
An unsolicited bit of advice: choose the appropriate form of communication for the appropriate message. Texting is great for a short grocery list, but don’t use it to break up with your girlfriend! If you really want your message to get noticed, buy a pen, a card, and a stamp and…write a note!
Writing
Every writer has a message and an audience. They are both critically important. Have you ever texted the wrong person? It can be embarrassing, especially if the note is personal or private.
We are studying a letter, the first epistle written by John, one of Jesus’ three best friends. In this fourth week of our series, Love Illuminated, John reveals his audience (plural).
At first glance it seems odd to include details about his recipients in the middle of the letter, yet the details reveal much about them.
Scripture: 1 John 2:12-14
I am writing to you, dear children,
because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. (12)
This phrase “little” children literally means “born ones.” Perhaps we could call them born again ones. This refers to all believers who have been forgiven by the precious blood of Jesus shed for us on on the cross, by His broken body which was pierced for us.
John continues…
I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
Fathers here refers to mature saints who have known Jesus for many years. They know Him who is from the beginning—Jesus.
John began his gospel with these words:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. (John 1:1-2)
Fathers know Jesus. They know Him well.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one. (13)
It seems young men are more mature than children but not as mature as the fathers. They have faced temptation and won. This is immensely important today. Though it could be said of every generation, the world is filled with lies from the evil one that wants to steal, kill, and destroy.
What are some?
You need money, sex and power…now.
The first shall be first.
He who dies with the most toys wins.
It’s all about you.
John is acknowledging a group of young men who have chosen to live radical, counter-cultural lives. They don’t care what’s politically correct, but instead they live what’s biblically correct.
Now John goes back to the children.
I write to you, dear children,
because you know the Father. (14a)
These immature believers know they are children of God. They know their Daddy!
Now John seems to repeat himself somewhat.
I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning. (14b)
It does not say they know about God. John says mature believers know God. Paul said it this way:
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
These verses are loaded! Suffice it to say if you truly want to know someone, walk in their shoes. Last month featured “Take Your Child To Work” day. Thousands of children skipped school to be with their mom or dad, watching and sometimes experiencing life in the real world.
It’s one thing for my son to know intellectually I am his father.
It’s another thing for my son to have met me.
It’s yet another thing for him to be told I work very part-time as a DJ.
It’s still another thing for him to watch me play music at a wedding reception.
It’s an even greater thing for him to work alongside me, entertaining guests.
It’s perhaps the greatest thing for him to live with me, watching me every day.
At each level, my relationship with him grows. He may even decide someday to take over my DJ business, following in my footsteps.
Knowing Jesus does not end at a worship gathering or a Life Group. It’s only the beginning.
We need the Word of God. It’s food. It’s daily bread. Most of us don’t eat weekly. We don’t even eat daily. We eat several times a day.
You can’t expect on meal to nourish you for seven days!
Do you know Jesus? Do you live with Jesus? Do you do life with Jesus?
John continues…
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God lives in you,
and you have overcome the evil one. (14c)
The strong overcome the evil one by the word of God, it’s the only weapon of offense, the sword of the Spirit. Many aren’t in the word of God, but we need it if we are to grow strong.
Summary
John is writing to three groups of people.
I am writing to you, dear children,
because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. (12)
because you know the Father.
They know God the Father.
I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
because you know him who is from the beginning.
They know God.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one. (13)
because you are strong,
and the word of God lives in you,
and you have overcome the evil one. (14)
They are strong, they have overcome the evil one, the word of God lives in them.
So What?
Are you a child, a young man, or a father? Many overestimate where they are on their journey, thinking because they have great biblical knowledge they are mature believers. The Pharisees were just such a people. Their minds were full but their heads were big. Their hands were idle. Their hearts were hard.
Jesus said we are to come to Him like little children…and grow…looking increasing like Him.
As we said previously, God’s love language is obedience. If we love Him, we will do what He commands. Most Christians—including myself—are educated far beyond our level of obedience.
There’s a great verse in the book of Ezra that describes a spiritual father. It says
For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel. (Ezra 7:10)
He studied God’s Word. That’s the first step. Children read books.
He observed or practiced the commands of God. That’s what young men do, they are strong and they obey God.
Finally, he taught God’s Word. Some of this may have been in a classroom, but likely it involved modeling…discipleship…reproduction.
Who Are You?
Are you a spiritual child, young adult, or parent? It has nothing to do with your physical age. In fact, it has nothing to do with your spiritual age. There are people who have called themselves Christians for decades who disobey God habitually. None of us is perfect, but we choose to repent or repeat our sins.
Maybe you feel pretty good about your life and actions. You have a heart for God, spend time in pray and studying God’s Word each day. Keep it up! I want to challenge you: who are your disciples? To whom are you a spiritual father or mother? Do they know?!
Parents have kids. We are all commanded to have spiritual kids, disciples.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
There’s only one verb in verse 19: make. Spiritual parents make disciples. They intentionally invest their lives in others. They do life together with them. By definition they parent them spiritually.
You don’t have to be old to be a spiritual parent; you simply need to help another grow, help them take their next steps.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Love and Hate, 1 John 2:7-11, 26 April 2015
26 04 15
Big Idea: Followers of Jesus are to love one another, and this requires sacrificial action, not mere tolerance.
Scripture: 1 John 2:7-11
Autenticity
Two weeks ago while visiting our daughter in New York City I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I love the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Art Institute of Chicago but this was my first visit to The Met. It is a fantastic home to priceless sculptures, pottery, musical instruments, and, of course, paintings.
Heather and I recently saw a powerful film, The Woman in Gold, an historical movie about a painting captured by the Nazis and the quest by the rightful owner to have it returned. Spoiler alert: it was eventually returned…and sold in 2006 for over $130 million!
That’s pocket change, though, compared to the February sale of Paul Gauguin’s “Nafea Faa Ipoipo? (When Will You Marry?) for $300 million!
Which begs three questions:
Can you imagine spending hundreds of millions of dollars on a painting and discovering it to be a fake?
There’s an old expression that you can’t judge a book by its cover. Things are not always as they appear, and our world is filled with counterfeits, be they paintings, money, or even people.
In our series “Love Illuminated” we’re looking at the book of 1 John, a letter from one of Jesus’ best friends to early believers of the movement we know as Christianity. The early church was threatened by outsiders who wanted to dismiss, disrupt, or even destroy this new religion. An even greater threat, however, came from within, those who claimed to follow Jesus but failed to do so.
One of John’s goals in this letter is to test the authenticity of their spiritual vigor. Last week we saw two of those tests:
Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. (1 John 2:4)
I suggested God’s love language is probably obedience. Knowing God involves action. It’s not simply going to church or reading the Bible or even memorizing scriptures, but rather it is responding to the commands of God. It is obeying god.
Two verses later John wrote
Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. (1 John 2:6)
This phrase “to live in Him” is the Greek term “meno” which John used forty times in his gospel and 27 times in this epistle. It speaks of the indwelling of the Christian in God or even possibly of God indwelling us. It is to abide or remain, to truly know God. Jesus did not come to begin a new religion, but rather He showed us what it means to be human and He invites us to follow Him, His teachings, and His example.
1 John 2:7-11
Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. (1 John 2:7)
What’s the old command? Love God and love you neighbor. It was presented generations earlier.
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5)
One way we love God is by loving our neighbor.
“ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:18)
John’s audience had been told love God. They had been told to love their neighbor.
Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. (1 John 2:8)
Jesus not only taught commands, He followed them. He said
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:43-45)
Those are strong and difficult words! Jesus demonstrated them, however, even praying for those who crucified Him.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34)
The center of God’s will is to love one another, and what made it new was Jesus. He showed us what it truly means to love—not tolerate, not co-exist, but love.
What’s so exciting to me is the Holy Spirit filled Jesus with unconditional love and offers it to us, too, if we are willing to ask and receive.
How crazy would it be for Jesus to just say, “Love” and walk away? The first part of the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5 is love. We are to receive God’s love from the Holy Spirit and let it overflow in our lives to others.
This is not about trying harder. It’s about aligning ourselves with the Light.
The moon has no internal light. It cannot be brighter for us by trying harder. In fact, it can’t shine at all…unless it is aligned with the sun.
We, also, must be aligned with the Son, S-o-n. We are to be filled with the Holy Spirit, letting go and letting God. We are to die and surrender our lives daily to God if we hope to experience His presence and power in our lives and be a blessing to others. We need to grow daily and we grow by feeding upon bread, the Word.
John’s first test of authentic believers was obedience. The second was love that looks like Christ’s love.
Here’s the third:
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. (1 John 2:9)
None of us hate, right?! This is church, after all!
Hate is the absence of the deeds of love. That could include indifference! We often think hate is only expressed in violence or harm, but passivity or inaction could be hateful. Love unexpressed is not love at all. It is not neutral.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. contrasted hate and love beautifully when he said,
“Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.” - Strength to Love
He’s undoubtedly reflecting John’s words, which continue…
Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. (1 John 2:10-11)
Haters are in darkness. Lovers are in the light.
Love
Loving others—especially other believers—is the test of genuine faith. We’re family. Family loves through thick and thin.
Have you ever noticed the power of love in a family? Some families say and do terrible things to one another, yet there is an understanding of love, a lifelong commitment to the other person. The real test of one’s love is not found in the good times, but in the midst of suffering. You see who your true friends and family are when things get hard.
Increasingly in our culture family is not merely people with the same last name, but those with whom we do life. This was, perhaps, even more true in the early church where believers were persecuted, resources were often scarce, and the movement of Jesus was spreading virally—without social media!
God’s redemptive plan was never to get people saved or get people to an altar…the plan of God was to reconcile people to His family. Jesus came to rebuild God’s family.
Let’s face it, love is hard! It sounds easy, but it’s not. By love I don’t mean nice or tolerant. I mean looking out for the best interest of the other person. Love involves action. It involves sacrifice. It involves!
C.S. Lewis said
“There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket – safe, dark, motionless, airless – it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.”
An Example: Reconciliation in Armenia
Although many are aware of my German roots, I’m also one quarter Armenian. This past week marked the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the slaughter of up to 1.5 million of the 2 million Armenians by Turks. Needless to say, for a century there has been tremendous animosity between Armenians and Turks.
How do you tell an Armenian Christian to just love Turks, knowing your ancestors were destroyed by their ancestors? It’s certainly akin to asking Jews to forgive Germans.
My great grandfather was a victim of the Genocide. Though not killed, he hid in a ditch filled with dead bodies, eventually able to escape to the United States.
Earlier this month, a group of Turkish Christians stood before TV cameras at the Armenian Genocide Memorial and said, “We came to share your pain. We have come here to apologize for what our ancestors did, to ask for your forgiveness.” The new report said
Gathered around the monument’s eternal flame, the more than twenty Turkish citizens spoke out simply, and repeatedly: “We plead with you, if you can, to forgive us and the crimes of our forefathers.”
Significantly, the Turks were joined by a number of local Armenian Christians who formed a huge circle, holding hands together around the memorial as they prayed aloud in Turkish and Armenian for their nations and peoples.
One Western observer of the Yerevan gathering confessed, “I may never see something like this ever again in my life. I was a spectator, watching the walls of division and hostility come down. It’s what the gospel of Christ should be doing all over the world, bringing true reconciliation.”
This is what love for one’s brother looks like. This is what it means to walk in the light.
The Bible is filled with descriptions of light and darkness. Few things contrast greater.
We’ve all been born into sin, into darkness, but we’ve been given an invitation to the Light, an invitation we can accept or reject.
Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.
So What?
Love, don’t hate. If only it were that simple!
You may be saying, “I don’t hate anybody. Haters gonna hate.” This isn’t about how you react to someone who cuts you off on the expressway, a momentary action. Hate in this context is a state of being, a habit of failing to love someone.
If we love, we’re in the light. If we’re in the light, we can love, we can shine. But it won’t happen if we merely try harder. We must abide. We must remain. We must be with God through prayer, worship, study of scripture, and fellowship.
Conclusion
If I were to purchase a million dollar painting I’d hire an expert to authenticate the work of art. They would surely have a variety of tests to determine whether it is a fake or the genuine article.
Likewise, John had tests to determine authentic followers of Jesus from fakers who talk the talk but fail to walk the walk.
Do you obey? Even when it’s inconvenient? Even when it’s costly?
Do you live as Jesus lived? Are you a “little Christ,” imitating His words and deeds?
Do you love? Your friends? Your family? Your neighbors? Your enemies? Not love in your head, but love in action?
Jesus did. He set the bar high, but He gives us the Holy Spirit to enable us to live like Christ.
AMEN!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Scripture: 1 John 2:7-11
Autenticity
Two weeks ago while visiting our daughter in New York City I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I love the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Art Institute of Chicago but this was my first visit to The Met. It is a fantastic home to priceless sculptures, pottery, musical instruments, and, of course, paintings.
Heather and I recently saw a powerful film, The Woman in Gold, an historical movie about a painting captured by the Nazis and the quest by the rightful owner to have it returned. Spoiler alert: it was eventually returned…and sold in 2006 for over $130 million!
That’s pocket change, though, compared to the February sale of Paul Gauguin’s “Nafea Faa Ipoipo? (When Will You Marry?) for $300 million!
Which begs three questions:
- Who has that kind of money?
- Why would you choose to spend that much on that painting?
- How do you know it’s real?
Can you imagine spending hundreds of millions of dollars on a painting and discovering it to be a fake?
There’s an old expression that you can’t judge a book by its cover. Things are not always as they appear, and our world is filled with counterfeits, be they paintings, money, or even people.
In our series “Love Illuminated” we’re looking at the book of 1 John, a letter from one of Jesus’ best friends to early believers of the movement we know as Christianity. The early church was threatened by outsiders who wanted to dismiss, disrupt, or even destroy this new religion. An even greater threat, however, came from within, those who claimed to follow Jesus but failed to do so.
One of John’s goals in this letter is to test the authenticity of their spiritual vigor. Last week we saw two of those tests:
Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. (1 John 2:4)
I suggested God’s love language is probably obedience. Knowing God involves action. It’s not simply going to church or reading the Bible or even memorizing scriptures, but rather it is responding to the commands of God. It is obeying god.
Two verses later John wrote
Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. (1 John 2:6)
This phrase “to live in Him” is the Greek term “meno” which John used forty times in his gospel and 27 times in this epistle. It speaks of the indwelling of the Christian in God or even possibly of God indwelling us. It is to abide or remain, to truly know God. Jesus did not come to begin a new religion, but rather He showed us what it means to be human and He invites us to follow Him, His teachings, and His example.
1 John 2:7-11
Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. (1 John 2:7)
What’s the old command? Love God and love you neighbor. It was presented generations earlier.
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5)
One way we love God is by loving our neighbor.
“ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:18)
John’s audience had been told love God. They had been told to love their neighbor.
Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. (1 John 2:8)
Jesus not only taught commands, He followed them. He said
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:43-45)
Those are strong and difficult words! Jesus demonstrated them, however, even praying for those who crucified Him.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34)
The center of God’s will is to love one another, and what made it new was Jesus. He showed us what it truly means to love—not tolerate, not co-exist, but love.
What’s so exciting to me is the Holy Spirit filled Jesus with unconditional love and offers it to us, too, if we are willing to ask and receive.
How crazy would it be for Jesus to just say, “Love” and walk away? The first part of the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5 is love. We are to receive God’s love from the Holy Spirit and let it overflow in our lives to others.
This is not about trying harder. It’s about aligning ourselves with the Light.
The moon has no internal light. It cannot be brighter for us by trying harder. In fact, it can’t shine at all…unless it is aligned with the sun.
We, also, must be aligned with the Son, S-o-n. We are to be filled with the Holy Spirit, letting go and letting God. We are to die and surrender our lives daily to God if we hope to experience His presence and power in our lives and be a blessing to others. We need to grow daily and we grow by feeding upon bread, the Word.
John’s first test of authentic believers was obedience. The second was love that looks like Christ’s love.
Here’s the third:
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. (1 John 2:9)
None of us hate, right?! This is church, after all!
Hate is the absence of the deeds of love. That could include indifference! We often think hate is only expressed in violence or harm, but passivity or inaction could be hateful. Love unexpressed is not love at all. It is not neutral.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. contrasted hate and love beautifully when he said,
“Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.” - Strength to Love
He’s undoubtedly reflecting John’s words, which continue…
Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. (1 John 2:10-11)
Haters are in darkness. Lovers are in the light.
Love
Loving others—especially other believers—is the test of genuine faith. We’re family. Family loves through thick and thin.
Have you ever noticed the power of love in a family? Some families say and do terrible things to one another, yet there is an understanding of love, a lifelong commitment to the other person. The real test of one’s love is not found in the good times, but in the midst of suffering. You see who your true friends and family are when things get hard.
Increasingly in our culture family is not merely people with the same last name, but those with whom we do life. This was, perhaps, even more true in the early church where believers were persecuted, resources were often scarce, and the movement of Jesus was spreading virally—without social media!
God’s redemptive plan was never to get people saved or get people to an altar…the plan of God was to reconcile people to His family. Jesus came to rebuild God’s family.
Let’s face it, love is hard! It sounds easy, but it’s not. By love I don’t mean nice or tolerant. I mean looking out for the best interest of the other person. Love involves action. It involves sacrifice. It involves!
C.S. Lewis said
“There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket – safe, dark, motionless, airless – it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.”
An Example: Reconciliation in Armenia
Although many are aware of my German roots, I’m also one quarter Armenian. This past week marked the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the slaughter of up to 1.5 million of the 2 million Armenians by Turks. Needless to say, for a century there has been tremendous animosity between Armenians and Turks.
How do you tell an Armenian Christian to just love Turks, knowing your ancestors were destroyed by their ancestors? It’s certainly akin to asking Jews to forgive Germans.
My great grandfather was a victim of the Genocide. Though not killed, he hid in a ditch filled with dead bodies, eventually able to escape to the United States.
Earlier this month, a group of Turkish Christians stood before TV cameras at the Armenian Genocide Memorial and said, “We came to share your pain. We have come here to apologize for what our ancestors did, to ask for your forgiveness.” The new report said
Gathered around the monument’s eternal flame, the more than twenty Turkish citizens spoke out simply, and repeatedly: “We plead with you, if you can, to forgive us and the crimes of our forefathers.”
Significantly, the Turks were joined by a number of local Armenian Christians who formed a huge circle, holding hands together around the memorial as they prayed aloud in Turkish and Armenian for their nations and peoples.
One Western observer of the Yerevan gathering confessed, “I may never see something like this ever again in my life. I was a spectator, watching the walls of division and hostility come down. It’s what the gospel of Christ should be doing all over the world, bringing true reconciliation.”
This is what love for one’s brother looks like. This is what it means to walk in the light.
The Bible is filled with descriptions of light and darkness. Few things contrast greater.
We’ve all been born into sin, into darkness, but we’ve been given an invitation to the Light, an invitation we can accept or reject.
Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.
So What?
Love, don’t hate. If only it were that simple!
You may be saying, “I don’t hate anybody. Haters gonna hate.” This isn’t about how you react to someone who cuts you off on the expressway, a momentary action. Hate in this context is a state of being, a habit of failing to love someone.
If we love, we’re in the light. If we’re in the light, we can love, we can shine. But it won’t happen if we merely try harder. We must abide. We must remain. We must be with God through prayer, worship, study of scripture, and fellowship.
Conclusion
If I were to purchase a million dollar painting I’d hire an expert to authenticate the work of art. They would surely have a variety of tests to determine whether it is a fake or the genuine article.
Likewise, John had tests to determine authentic followers of Jesus from fakers who talk the talk but fail to walk the walk.
Do you obey? Even when it’s inconvenient? Even when it’s costly?
Do you live as Jesus lived? Are you a “little Christ,” imitating His words and deeds?
Do you love? Your friends? Your family? Your neighbors? Your enemies? Not love in your head, but love in action?
Jesus did. He set the bar high, but He gives us the Holy Spirit to enable us to live like Christ.
AMEN!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Sin and Obedience, 1 John 2:1-6, 19 April 2015
21 04 15
Big Idea: God’s love language is obedience
Q&A (question from last week)
Introduction
Last week we began a new series on the book of 1 John entitled Love Illuminated. Love and light are two dominant themes in this short book written to the early Church by one of Jesus’ three best friends, John, the same man who wrote the Gospel of John and Revelation.
John describes in the third verse of the book, which we examined last week, the purpose:
We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3)
1 John is written to followers of Jesus so they might have fellowship with one another and with God.
Last week someone texted in a question about the plural “we.” It is a reference to the early Church leaders. Just as I might use “we” to describe Scio’s elders, so John is representing the first disciples of Jesus who have become “fathers” to new believers.
This is a book about fellowship, about relationship.
Have you ever had a strained relationship? How did it feel?
Sometimes people confuse position with status. For example, my position might be daddy to my kids, but the status of our relationship may be strained in a given moment.
Our passage today does not deal with salvation. John is writing to children of God. It does, however, deal with fellowship, the status of our relationships with God and one another.
PRAY
Love
Who do you love? It’s a simple question. Think about the people in your life that you most love. Why do you love them? How do you express that love?
Dr. Gary Chapman’s best-selling book The Five Love Languages provides the five ways people express love (we’ve looked at these before):
A note to couples, it is extremely rare for both of you to have the same love language and, therefore, you need to learn the language of the other person and speak their language…since speaking yours is rarely as meaningful.
I believe God’s love language is obedience.
As a dad, I can tell you obedience—and physical touch/hugs—is my love language. If I ask my kids to clean their room and they buy me gifts and say nice things to me but leave Coke cans in their room attracting ants—or worse—I don’t feel loved! I feel disrespected and ignored. Daddy usually knows best…especially when the ants arrive!
So many people talk a great talk about following Jesus on Sunday, singing songs and putting money in the offering plate, but ignoring Him during the week. This is nothing new. When Saul disobeyed God, he told Samuel about the great things he did for God.
But Samuel replied:
“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the LORD?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)
Which brings us to our passage for today.
Scripture: 1 John 2:1-6
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. (1 John 2:1a)
John speaks as a father to his children, his dear children, his spiritual children. The word “children” in the Greek is a term of endearment.
Sin is anything that separates us from God. By definition, it affects the status of that relationship. If I sin against you, our fellowship is strained. Any sin is ultimately a sin against God.
But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1b-2)
Here’s a good “but!” We all sin. We all fall short of God’s glory, His standard of perfection, His righteousness. Praise God for Jesus, the Advocate, the Righteous One who died for us. He is the propitiation for us, meaning He atoned for our sins, meaning His suffering paid for our sins. He took our punishment. The wages of sin is death, and Jesus died as the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world. He is the atoning sacrifice: at one moment Jesus died to reconcile us to our heavenly Dad.
This is truly good news!
We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. (1 John 2:3)
Christians are not permitted to do whatever they please. They must do what pleases God. This is a radical notion, especially in our hyper-individualistic culture that says do it now, have it now, and seize your rights.
We know that we know…Him if…we keep His commands. You can’t know if you’re disobeying God. The assurance comes when we keep His commands. That brings peace. That bring joy.
Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. (1 John 2:4)
Strong words! Any mystery to what he is saying? A disobedient Christian is a liar!
Disobedience is proof we don’t know God.
Many people call themselves Christians but that doesn’t mean they are really God’s children.
Do you love God’s commands?
King David did. Perhaps that’s why he’s called a man after God’s own heart despite his own sins and shortcomings.
The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. (Psalm 19:8b)
Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. (Psalm 119:35)
Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies. (Psalm 119:98)
I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands. (Psalm 119:131)
It’s easy to talk the talk, but walking the walk is another story.
The test of your car battery is not when it’s 70 degrees and sunny, but ten below zero.
The test of your patience is not when you’re relaxing at the beach, but when you’re stuck in an hour-long traffic backup.
The test of your faith is not what happens on Sunday morning, but 24 hours later when the boss—or teacher—barks out an order for you.
Jesus said…
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27)
But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: (1 John 2:5)
The Word of God and the commandments of God.
The commandments are the Word of God.
The Word of God includes the commandments…and more.
Jesus said
“If you love me, keep my commands. (John 14:15)
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. (John 14:23)
Children of God want to not only do the commandments but please the Father in all they do. Not “how far can I go and still be a Christian?” Is it ok for a Christian to _________? That’s the wrong question. The right question is, “What can I do to please my heavenly Father?”
Do you want to please God or yourself?
The commandments are one thing, but the word is another.
What is your attitude toward sin? What do you do when you sin?
Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. (1 John 2:6)
Jesus is our example. He did the Father’s will. He obeyed the Father.
Do you think it pleased Jesus to die on the cross? No, but it pleased the Father.
So What?
Are you living as Jesus did? Of course we all fail to live up to His perfect standard, but each week it’s helpful to reflect, to remember, to read, to realize Jesus is the One we strive to follow.
We are not merely to obey commands but follow His example, be in fellowship with Him, do life with Him.
Jesus said the greatest thing in all of life is to
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Q&A (question from last week)
Introduction
Last week we began a new series on the book of 1 John entitled Love Illuminated. Love and light are two dominant themes in this short book written to the early Church by one of Jesus’ three best friends, John, the same man who wrote the Gospel of John and Revelation.
John describes in the third verse of the book, which we examined last week, the purpose:
We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3)
1 John is written to followers of Jesus so they might have fellowship with one another and with God.
Last week someone texted in a question about the plural “we.” It is a reference to the early Church leaders. Just as I might use “we” to describe Scio’s elders, so John is representing the first disciples of Jesus who have become “fathers” to new believers.
This is a book about fellowship, about relationship.
Have you ever had a strained relationship? How did it feel?
Sometimes people confuse position with status. For example, my position might be daddy to my kids, but the status of our relationship may be strained in a given moment.
Our passage today does not deal with salvation. John is writing to children of God. It does, however, deal with fellowship, the status of our relationships with God and one another.
PRAY
Love
Who do you love? It’s a simple question. Think about the people in your life that you most love. Why do you love them? How do you express that love?
Dr. Gary Chapman’s best-selling book The Five Love Languages provides the five ways people express love (we’ve looked at these before):
- words of affirmation
- physical touch
- quality time
- acts of service
- gifts
A note to couples, it is extremely rare for both of you to have the same love language and, therefore, you need to learn the language of the other person and speak their language…since speaking yours is rarely as meaningful.
I believe God’s love language is obedience.
As a dad, I can tell you obedience—and physical touch/hugs—is my love language. If I ask my kids to clean their room and they buy me gifts and say nice things to me but leave Coke cans in their room attracting ants—or worse—I don’t feel loved! I feel disrespected and ignored. Daddy usually knows best…especially when the ants arrive!
So many people talk a great talk about following Jesus on Sunday, singing songs and putting money in the offering plate, but ignoring Him during the week. This is nothing new. When Saul disobeyed God, he told Samuel about the great things he did for God.
But Samuel replied:
“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the LORD?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)
Which brings us to our passage for today.
Scripture: 1 John 2:1-6
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. (1 John 2:1a)
John speaks as a father to his children, his dear children, his spiritual children. The word “children” in the Greek is a term of endearment.
Sin is anything that separates us from God. By definition, it affects the status of that relationship. If I sin against you, our fellowship is strained. Any sin is ultimately a sin against God.
But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1b-2)
Here’s a good “but!” We all sin. We all fall short of God’s glory, His standard of perfection, His righteousness. Praise God for Jesus, the Advocate, the Righteous One who died for us. He is the propitiation for us, meaning He atoned for our sins, meaning His suffering paid for our sins. He took our punishment. The wages of sin is death, and Jesus died as the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world. He is the atoning sacrifice: at one moment Jesus died to reconcile us to our heavenly Dad.
This is truly good news!
We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. (1 John 2:3)
Christians are not permitted to do whatever they please. They must do what pleases God. This is a radical notion, especially in our hyper-individualistic culture that says do it now, have it now, and seize your rights.
We know that we know…Him if…we keep His commands. You can’t know if you’re disobeying God. The assurance comes when we keep His commands. That brings peace. That bring joy.
Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. (1 John 2:4)
Strong words! Any mystery to what he is saying? A disobedient Christian is a liar!
Disobedience is proof we don’t know God.
Many people call themselves Christians but that doesn’t mean they are really God’s children.
Do you love God’s commands?
King David did. Perhaps that’s why he’s called a man after God’s own heart despite his own sins and shortcomings.
The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. (Psalm 19:8b)
Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. (Psalm 119:35)
Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies. (Psalm 119:98)
I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands. (Psalm 119:131)
It’s easy to talk the talk, but walking the walk is another story.
The test of your car battery is not when it’s 70 degrees and sunny, but ten below zero.
The test of your patience is not when you’re relaxing at the beach, but when you’re stuck in an hour-long traffic backup.
The test of your faith is not what happens on Sunday morning, but 24 hours later when the boss—or teacher—barks out an order for you.
Jesus said…
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27)
But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: (1 John 2:5)
The Word of God and the commandments of God.
The commandments are the Word of God.
The Word of God includes the commandments…and more.
Jesus said
“If you love me, keep my commands. (John 14:15)
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. (John 14:23)
Children of God want to not only do the commandments but please the Father in all they do. Not “how far can I go and still be a Christian?” Is it ok for a Christian to _________? That’s the wrong question. The right question is, “What can I do to please my heavenly Father?”
Do you want to please God or yourself?
The commandments are one thing, but the word is another.
What is your attitude toward sin? What do you do when you sin?
Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. (1 John 2:6)
Jesus is our example. He did the Father’s will. He obeyed the Father.
Do you think it pleased Jesus to die on the cross? No, but it pleased the Father.
So What?
Are you living as Jesus did? Of course we all fail to live up to His perfect standard, but each week it’s helpful to reflect, to remember, to read, to realize Jesus is the One we strive to follow.
We are not merely to obey commands but follow His example, be in fellowship with Him, do life with Him.
Jesus said the greatest thing in all of life is to
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30)
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
God Is Light, 1 John 1, 12 April 2015
13 04 15
Big Idea: God is light and we are walk with Him.
Author: John writing on behalf of the Apostles
Audience: the early Church
Date: 85-90 AD
Introduction
We examined John’s gospel.
We examined John’s second and third letters.
We have not examined John’s vision much, a book called Revelation.
Background
John is one of Jesus’ three best friends. He wrote the gospel of John. His purpose in writing was clear:
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)
The gospel of John was written around 65 AD, maybe 75-80 AD. Perhaps twenty years or so have passed and we come to 1 John.This is commonly regarded as a letter or epistle, but the form is more like a homily, like a sermon. Some have called it a “letter-essay.”
Imagine being an early follower of Jesus. Maybe you actually encountered him or had friends who witnessed a miracle or even the crucifixion. This new movement called The Way, now known as Christianity, is involving both Jews and Gentiles, two vastly opposing groups. New Christians were being expelled from the synagogues, some of whose colleagues denied Jesus as Messiah and returned to the synagogue. They needed encouragement. Christianity was a startup religion in the shadow of an established, powerful Judaism. It was bold and risky to follow Jesus.
There were other challenges for early believers beyond social and religious rejection. Heresy was growing, including idolatry and the emergence of false prophets.
Docetists believed Jesus was divine but never human.
Cerinthians believed the Christ-Spirit merely came on Jesus but He was not the Christ.
Some Gnostics believed they could not commit real sins.
The real challenge was “secessionists,” people who were Christians but withdrew from the community. John offers two ways to test the spirits: a moral-ethical test (obedience to the commandments) and a faith test (proper view of Jesus).
Who is Jesus? Last month we looked at our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer and Coming King. He is fully God yet fully human. Many claim to believe in Jesus, but what do they believe?
We often get excited when someone says they believe in God. But what God? What do they believe? Jesus’ half-brother said
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. (James 2:19)
Even demons believe in Jesus…but they do not follow Him as LORD. That’s huge.
It’s easy to romanticize the early church, being in the presence of the likes of Peter, Paul, and John. Yet it was a messy time. There were antichrists, gossip, heresy, division, church splits…some things never change! John addressed this letter to one community, but it was probably intended to be shared with the other churches.
2 John was likely written soon after, a book with warnings about false teachers.
The purpose of this writing is expressed in the fifth and final chapter.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13)
This is written to believers in Jesus to encourage them and assure them of their salvation.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. (1 John 1:1)
This may refer to creation, but more likely John is speaking of his eyewitness relationship with Jesus, the beginning of the gospel proclamation. He saw and touched Jesus. He is not a historian writing about an ancient figure, but rather a biographer describing his personal friend.
Some believed Jesus was God but not human.
Some believed Jesus was human but not God.
John touched Jesus. He wasn’t a ghost or vision or a divine apparition like Greek gods.
John witnessed the crucifixion and saw the risen Jesus.
We see echoes in this verse of John 1:1.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
Jesus is the Word. Jesus is God.
The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete. (1 John 1:2-4)
Jesus appeared. This is a reference to the Incarnation, God becoming one of us.
John’s message is passionate. He proclaims Jesus! Why? Fellowship and joy.
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-7)
Light and darkness was a common image of contrast. Imagine life without electricity. Fire (from the sun or a flame) was the only source of light. Light and darkness is the perfect contrast between sin and righteousness. The Old Testament condemned the mixing of light and darkness, right and wrong. God is light.
Peter also spoke of the contrast between light and darkness, sin and righteousness.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)
The Old Testament described obedience as walking.
The Old Testament spoke of sacrificial blood as purifying for sins.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:8-10)
Some believed they had become sinless…of their sins were not sinful.
Notice how John essentially repeats his message about sinlessness…and places one of the most beautiful verses in the entire Bible right in the middle.
God required confession and repentance.
So What?
First and foremost, we are all sinners.
Second, we need Jesus. Jesus is God. Jesus is human. Jesus is real. Jesus is alive!
Third, we can experience forgiveness and purification. Hallelujah!
Fourth, we are to walk in the light. We are to obey.
Fifth, if we obey, we have fellowship with one another.
The Moon
The moon contains no light, yet it beautifully reflects the sun so brightly that it illuminates our night skies.
We are not the light. Jesus is the light. We are the moon. We reflect the light…if we walk in the light.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Author: John writing on behalf of the Apostles
Audience: the early Church
Date: 85-90 AD
Introduction
We examined John’s gospel.
We examined John’s second and third letters.
We have not examined John’s vision much, a book called Revelation.
Background
John is one of Jesus’ three best friends. He wrote the gospel of John. His purpose in writing was clear:
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)
The gospel of John was written around 65 AD, maybe 75-80 AD. Perhaps twenty years or so have passed and we come to 1 John.This is commonly regarded as a letter or epistle, but the form is more like a homily, like a sermon. Some have called it a “letter-essay.”
Imagine being an early follower of Jesus. Maybe you actually encountered him or had friends who witnessed a miracle or even the crucifixion. This new movement called The Way, now known as Christianity, is involving both Jews and Gentiles, two vastly opposing groups. New Christians were being expelled from the synagogues, some of whose colleagues denied Jesus as Messiah and returned to the synagogue. They needed encouragement. Christianity was a startup religion in the shadow of an established, powerful Judaism. It was bold and risky to follow Jesus.
There were other challenges for early believers beyond social and religious rejection. Heresy was growing, including idolatry and the emergence of false prophets.
Docetists believed Jesus was divine but never human.
Cerinthians believed the Christ-Spirit merely came on Jesus but He was not the Christ.
Some Gnostics believed they could not commit real sins.
The real challenge was “secessionists,” people who were Christians but withdrew from the community. John offers two ways to test the spirits: a moral-ethical test (obedience to the commandments) and a faith test (proper view of Jesus).
Who is Jesus? Last month we looked at our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer and Coming King. He is fully God yet fully human. Many claim to believe in Jesus, but what do they believe?
We often get excited when someone says they believe in God. But what God? What do they believe? Jesus’ half-brother said
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. (James 2:19)
Even demons believe in Jesus…but they do not follow Him as LORD. That’s huge.
It’s easy to romanticize the early church, being in the presence of the likes of Peter, Paul, and John. Yet it was a messy time. There were antichrists, gossip, heresy, division, church splits…some things never change! John addressed this letter to one community, but it was probably intended to be shared with the other churches.
2 John was likely written soon after, a book with warnings about false teachers.
The purpose of this writing is expressed in the fifth and final chapter.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13)
This is written to believers in Jesus to encourage them and assure them of their salvation.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. (1 John 1:1)
This may refer to creation, but more likely John is speaking of his eyewitness relationship with Jesus, the beginning of the gospel proclamation. He saw and touched Jesus. He is not a historian writing about an ancient figure, but rather a biographer describing his personal friend.
Some believed Jesus was God but not human.
Some believed Jesus was human but not God.
John touched Jesus. He wasn’t a ghost or vision or a divine apparition like Greek gods.
John witnessed the crucifixion and saw the risen Jesus.
We see echoes in this verse of John 1:1.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
Jesus is the Word. Jesus is God.
The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete. (1 John 1:2-4)
Jesus appeared. This is a reference to the Incarnation, God becoming one of us.
John’s message is passionate. He proclaims Jesus! Why? Fellowship and joy.
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-7)
Light and darkness was a common image of contrast. Imagine life without electricity. Fire (from the sun or a flame) was the only source of light. Light and darkness is the perfect contrast between sin and righteousness. The Old Testament condemned the mixing of light and darkness, right and wrong. God is light.
Peter also spoke of the contrast between light and darkness, sin and righteousness.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)
The Old Testament described obedience as walking.
The Old Testament spoke of sacrificial blood as purifying for sins.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:8-10)
Some believed they had become sinless…of their sins were not sinful.
Notice how John essentially repeats his message about sinlessness…and places one of the most beautiful verses in the entire Bible right in the middle.
God required confession and repentance.
So What?
First and foremost, we are all sinners.
Second, we need Jesus. Jesus is God. Jesus is human. Jesus is real. Jesus is alive!
Third, we can experience forgiveness and purification. Hallelujah!
Fourth, we are to walk in the light. We are to obey.
Fifth, if we obey, we have fellowship with one another.
The Moon
The moon contains no light, yet it beautifully reflects the sun so brightly that it illuminates our night skies.
We are not the light. Jesus is the light. We are the moon. We reflect the light…if we walk in the light.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Because He LIves, Easter 2015, 5 April 2015
06 04 15
Big Idea: The resurrection changes everything!
The Butterfly Effect
“In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions in which a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state.” So states Wikipedia.
Put into plain English, the Butterfly Effect, attributed to Edward Lorenz, is a belief that a butterfly’s wings flapping eventually create a typhoon that hits land on the other side of the world.
A snowflake by itself weighs nothing, but enough of them will collapse oak trees and roofs.
A woman named Rosa Parks simply sat on a bus and sparked the Civil Rights movement.
Ten years earlier, a man named Jackie Robinson was court-martialed (and acquitted) for not moving to the back of a bus.
You might call this butterfly effect a chain reaction. One event can change everything. No event changed human history like the resurrection.
Because He lives. One moment in history about two thousand years ago changed everything. You could argue there were two. The first was the death of Jesus.
There is unanimous agreement among scholars that Jesus died. He was given an honorable burial. That the tomb was discovered to be empty. That there were post-mortem appearances of Jesus by the disciples. With the exception of Muslims who believe Jesus never actually died on the cross, virtually every scholar will tell you a historical person named Jesus lived, taught, and died. The primary controversy surrounds our celebration today—His resurrection.
Church history is full of creeds, statements of faith. Perhaps the oldest creed of the Christian faith comes within three years of the death of Jesus (see James Dunn). It was recorded in Paul’s letter to the people in Corinth.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
Much is made of the death of Christ, and rightfully so. We remember it each month as we engage in communion or the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist (call it what you like!). What Jesus accomplished on the cross was immensely important. But it was not enough.
The cross seems to get most of the attention. People have turned the horrific object of torture into a religious symbol, even a celebrated piece of jewelry. The real focus should be on the empty tomb, an image that is, admittedly, a bit more complex to depict! Still, perhaps we should wear empty tombs rather than crosses around our necks!
When I was in Jerusalem several years ago I was curious about the place where Jesus died. There are two common possibilities, one now inside The Church of the Holy Sepulcher and another outside the city, a hill that looks like a skull. Both are interesting sites, but I wanted to see the empty tomb!
He is risen!
Paul was a Jesus freak! He was a leading Jewish leader named Saul who persecuted Christians…until He encountered Jesus. His witness alone is tremendous evidence of the resurrection, for dead men are not known to speak, and only lunatics would be persecuted for a lie, a myth, or a mirage as he and so many others were, including countless martyrs…simply for the belief in the resurrection. Paul wrote
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)
There are many “ifs” in those verses! It’s hard for me to imagine life without the resurrection. Paul continues to state things in the positive.
But* Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
* when you see a “but” in a sentence, usually the only thing that matters is what follows!
Our faith is based on not merely a life or a death but on the resurrection. The resurrection is not only the true center of the Christian faith, but it signals God's initiative in the renewing of creation. The resurrection both embodies and empowers the destiny of God’s people as divine image-bearers from now to forever.
So What?
The resurrection is everything!
I recently bought a book called Risen: 50 Reasons Why The Resurrection Changed Everything by Steven Mathewson.
19. To Guarantee Our Future Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20–23; 1 Thess. 4:14)
20. To Destroy All Other Powers through His Reign (1 Corinthians 15: 24–27)
21. To Destroy the Enemy of Death (1 Corinthians 15: 26, 54–57; Luke 20:36)
22. To Give Us a Reason to Endanger Our Lives (1 Corinthians 15: 30–31)
23. To Deliver Us from Self-Indulgence (1 Corinthians 15:32)
24. To Give Us Heavenly, Imperishable Bodies (1 Corinthians 15: 42–48)
25. To Clothe Us with His Image (1 Corinthians 15:49)
26. To Give Us Immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53)
27. To Overcome the Power of the Law (1 Corinthians 15: 56–57)
28. To Make Serving the Lord Worthwhile (1 Corinthians 15:58)
29. To Give Us Hope in Hard Times (2 Corinthians 1: 8–11)
30. To Give Us a Greater Purpose in Life (2 Corinthians 5:15)
31. To Let Us Experience God’s Mighty Power (Ephesians 1:18–20)
32. To Display God’s Amazing Grace (Ephesians 2:6–7)
33. To Bring Victory into Our Intimacy with Him (Philippians 3:10–11)
34. To Make Us Full in Him (Colossians 2:9–12)
35. To Reorient Our Desires (Colossians 3:1–2)
36. To Let Us Appear with Him in Glory (Colossians 3:4; Acts 1:11)
37. To Enable Us to Kill Our Old Way of Life (Colossians 3:5–10)
38. To Rescue Us from Coming Wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10)
39. To Serve as Our Eternal Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20; Revelation 7:17)
40. To Give Us New Birth into a Living Hope (1 Peter 1:3; Acts 23:6; 1 Thess. 4:13–14)
41. To Glorify the Lamb of God (1 Peter 1:18–21; Acts 3:13–15)
42. To Show That Death Does Not Stop Us from Living (Matt. 22:30–32; Rom. 14:9)
43. To Confirm His Words about Being Raised to Life (Matthew 28:5–7)
44. To Continue the Mission of God (Matthew 28:18–20)
45. To Share His Presence with His Followers until His Return (Matthew 28:20)
46. To Teach More about the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:3)
47. To Prove God’s Commitment to Justice (Acts 17:31)
48. To Make Possible the Judgment of Wicked (Jn 5: 28-30; Acts 24:15; Rev. 20:11-15)
49. To Give Him Complete Supremacy (Colossians 1:18; Revelation 1:4–5)
50. To Provide Life in the Unfiltered Presence of God (Revelation 21:3–4, 22; 22:1)
• Because He lives…we are alive.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. (John 1:1-4)
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
Jesus said to her [Martha], “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. (John 11:25-26a)
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
• Because He lives…we have a future
Because He lives, resurrection is possible. All things are possible.
Today is the greatest day on the calendar! It’s bigger and better than Christmas, your birthday, the Super Bowl, and Groundhog Day combined!
Everything changed on Resurrection Sunday and because He lives, there is hope for all of us.
• Because He lives…we have hope.
To Show His Power over Death (Acts 2: 24; Romans 6: 9)
As a pastor on Easter I’m supposed to tell you because Jesus rose from the dead,
Because He Lives (Amen)
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
The Butterfly Effect
“In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions in which a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state.” So states Wikipedia.
Put into plain English, the Butterfly Effect, attributed to Edward Lorenz, is a belief that a butterfly’s wings flapping eventually create a typhoon that hits land on the other side of the world.
A snowflake by itself weighs nothing, but enough of them will collapse oak trees and roofs.
A woman named Rosa Parks simply sat on a bus and sparked the Civil Rights movement.
Ten years earlier, a man named Jackie Robinson was court-martialed (and acquitted) for not moving to the back of a bus.
You might call this butterfly effect a chain reaction. One event can change everything. No event changed human history like the resurrection.
Because He lives. One moment in history about two thousand years ago changed everything. You could argue there were two. The first was the death of Jesus.
There is unanimous agreement among scholars that Jesus died. He was given an honorable burial. That the tomb was discovered to be empty. That there were post-mortem appearances of Jesus by the disciples. With the exception of Muslims who believe Jesus never actually died on the cross, virtually every scholar will tell you a historical person named Jesus lived, taught, and died. The primary controversy surrounds our celebration today—His resurrection.
Church history is full of creeds, statements of faith. Perhaps the oldest creed of the Christian faith comes within three years of the death of Jesus (see James Dunn). It was recorded in Paul’s letter to the people in Corinth.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
- Christ died for us
- Christ was buried
- Christ was raised again
Much is made of the death of Christ, and rightfully so. We remember it each month as we engage in communion or the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist (call it what you like!). What Jesus accomplished on the cross was immensely important. But it was not enough.
The cross seems to get most of the attention. People have turned the horrific object of torture into a religious symbol, even a celebrated piece of jewelry. The real focus should be on the empty tomb, an image that is, admittedly, a bit more complex to depict! Still, perhaps we should wear empty tombs rather than crosses around our necks!
When I was in Jerusalem several years ago I was curious about the place where Jesus died. There are two common possibilities, one now inside The Church of the Holy Sepulcher and another outside the city, a hill that looks like a skull. Both are interesting sites, but I wanted to see the empty tomb!
He is risen!
Paul was a Jesus freak! He was a leading Jewish leader named Saul who persecuted Christians…until He encountered Jesus. His witness alone is tremendous evidence of the resurrection, for dead men are not known to speak, and only lunatics would be persecuted for a lie, a myth, or a mirage as he and so many others were, including countless martyrs…simply for the belief in the resurrection. Paul wrote
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)
There are many “ifs” in those verses! It’s hard for me to imagine life without the resurrection. Paul continues to state things in the positive.
But* Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
* when you see a “but” in a sentence, usually the only thing that matters is what follows!
Our faith is based on not merely a life or a death but on the resurrection. The resurrection is not only the true center of the Christian faith, but it signals God's initiative in the renewing of creation. The resurrection both embodies and empowers the destiny of God’s people as divine image-bearers from now to forever.
So What?
The resurrection is everything!
I recently bought a book called Risen: 50 Reasons Why The Resurrection Changed Everything by Steven Mathewson.
- To Give Us Eternal Life (John 11:25–27)
- To Show His Power over Death (Acts 2:24; Romans 6:9)
- To Heal Us (Acts 4:10)
- To Receive the Blessings Promised to David (Acts 13:34)
- To Forgive Our Sins (Acts 13:37–38; 1 Corinthians 15:17)
- To Elevate His Power and Authority (Romans 1:4)
- To Justify Sinners (Romans 4:23–25; Acts 13:39)
- To Give Us a New Way to Live (Romans 6:4, 8–11)
- To Unite Us with Him in His Resurrection (Romans 6:5–8)
- To Make Us Fruitful (Romans 7:4)
- To Give Life to Our Mortal Bodies (Romans 8:11)
- To End Our Obligation to the Flesh (Romans 8:12–13)
- To Provide Us with Future Glory (Romans 8:18)
- To Set Creation Free from Its Bondage (Romans 8:21–22)
- To Adopt Us into God’s Family (Romans 8:23)
- To Intercede for Us at God’s Right Hand (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:23–25)
- To Fulfill the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:4; Luke 24:44–47)
19. To Guarantee Our Future Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20–23; 1 Thess. 4:14)
20. To Destroy All Other Powers through His Reign (1 Corinthians 15: 24–27)
21. To Destroy the Enemy of Death (1 Corinthians 15: 26, 54–57; Luke 20:36)
22. To Give Us a Reason to Endanger Our Lives (1 Corinthians 15: 30–31)
23. To Deliver Us from Self-Indulgence (1 Corinthians 15:32)
24. To Give Us Heavenly, Imperishable Bodies (1 Corinthians 15: 42–48)
25. To Clothe Us with His Image (1 Corinthians 15:49)
26. To Give Us Immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53)
27. To Overcome the Power of the Law (1 Corinthians 15: 56–57)
28. To Make Serving the Lord Worthwhile (1 Corinthians 15:58)
29. To Give Us Hope in Hard Times (2 Corinthians 1: 8–11)
30. To Give Us a Greater Purpose in Life (2 Corinthians 5:15)
31. To Let Us Experience God’s Mighty Power (Ephesians 1:18–20)
32. To Display God’s Amazing Grace (Ephesians 2:6–7)
33. To Bring Victory into Our Intimacy with Him (Philippians 3:10–11)
34. To Make Us Full in Him (Colossians 2:9–12)
35. To Reorient Our Desires (Colossians 3:1–2)
36. To Let Us Appear with Him in Glory (Colossians 3:4; Acts 1:11)
37. To Enable Us to Kill Our Old Way of Life (Colossians 3:5–10)
38. To Rescue Us from Coming Wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10)
39. To Serve as Our Eternal Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20; Revelation 7:17)
40. To Give Us New Birth into a Living Hope (1 Peter 1:3; Acts 23:6; 1 Thess. 4:13–14)
41. To Glorify the Lamb of God (1 Peter 1:18–21; Acts 3:13–15)
42. To Show That Death Does Not Stop Us from Living (Matt. 22:30–32; Rom. 14:9)
43. To Confirm His Words about Being Raised to Life (Matthew 28:5–7)
44. To Continue the Mission of God (Matthew 28:18–20)
45. To Share His Presence with His Followers until His Return (Matthew 28:20)
46. To Teach More about the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:3)
47. To Prove God’s Commitment to Justice (Acts 17:31)
48. To Make Possible the Judgment of Wicked (Jn 5: 28-30; Acts 24:15; Rev. 20:11-15)
49. To Give Him Complete Supremacy (Colossians 1:18; Revelation 1:4–5)
50. To Provide Life in the Unfiltered Presence of God (Revelation 21:3–4, 22; 22:1)
• Because He lives…we are alive.
- literally true via creation (John 1:1-4)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. (John 1:1-4)
- figuratively true in that we have abundant life (John 10:10)
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
- eschatologically true (John 11:25-26; John 3:16)
Jesus said to her [Martha], “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. (John 11:25-26a)
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
• Because He lives…we have a future
- a future with Him, forever
Because He lives, resurrection is possible. All things are possible.
Today is the greatest day on the calendar! It’s bigger and better than Christmas, your birthday, the Super Bowl, and Groundhog Day combined!
Everything changed on Resurrection Sunday and because He lives, there is hope for all of us.
• Because He lives…we have hope.
To Show His Power over Death (Acts 2: 24; Romans 6: 9)
- nothing is impossible for God
- sin and death have been conquered
- what should we fear?
- bad news is temporary
- the best is yet to come
- God is working NOW (Jesus is alive!)
As a pastor on Easter I’m supposed to tell you because Jesus rose from the dead,
- there’s hope for you dead marriage
- there’s hope for your dead financial situation
- there’s hope for your dead relationships
- there’s hope for your dead-end job
- there’s hope for your dying body
- there’s hope for your dead emotions
Because He Lives (Amen)
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Jesus our Coming King, The Gospel Truth, 29 March 2015
30 03 15
Series Overview: The purpose of this series is to distinguish between the biblical gospel and the various misunderstandings of the word, specifically the difference between Jesus as Savior and Lord. We will use the Fourfold Gospel as our outline.
Big Idea: Jesus is our Coming King.
King
Jesus is a king. He’s THE King! He’s the King of kings. At least three times we are told He is the King of kings and LORD of lords (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16).
The idea of a king is foreign to us. We enjoy tremendous freedom and independence in our nation, choosing our leaders at local, state and federal levels. Furthermore, no single person possess’ total power. The president and congress must work together in conjunction with the Supreme Court in guiding our society.
A king is different. Often a king is sovereign, in control. There is no vote, no argument, no debate. Obviously a good king is good for the people, able to make swift decisions and ensure the care of the citizens. A bad king, however, can ignore the interests of his subjects.
It’s interesting how in the Old Testament God chose Abraham to be the father of a great nation, Israel, but God remained their King…until the people begged for a human king like their neighbors. Saul wasn’t the best, David was pretty good, Solomon was distracted, and then everything fell apart. The book of 2 Kings is especially filled with the history of good and mostly bad kings that led God’s people. It has been said that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Which brings us to Jesus. It’s hard to imagine the oppression of the Jewish people when God became one of us as Emmanuel. Generations had heard the Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah, but few recognized Jesus as that Messiah. At one point—a day we celebrate today on Palm Sunday—a group of people desperate for relief from Caesar and the Roman Empire—proclaimed Jesus as king.
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me.If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” (Matthew 21:1-3)
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” (Matthew 21:4-5)
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. (Matthew 21:6-8)
The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:9)
Hosanna literally means, “Save now!” The people were desperate. Perhaps they had crowned others as king, hoping they would bring relief to their oppression. So here we see King Jesus, but He’s riding on a donkey, a very unexpected form of transportation.
Imagine the disappointment and horror days later when King Jesus, their greatest hope for a better future, is proclaimed king with a sign that hung above His dying, beaten body. It wasn’t just Jesus who died, but the hopes of the Jews. Although we know the rest of the story, the Good Friday characters must’ve been devastated beyond imagination. Their king is dead. Their hope is dead.
At the risk of spoiling the ending (!), Jesus conquers sin and death, is resurrected, and several weeks later stands on the Mount of Olives.
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. (Acts 1:9)
Jesus left them twice, once to death and then to the clouds. What must they have been feeling? Loss? Disappointment?
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:10-11)
I stood on the Mount of Olives where Jesus ascended into heaven. Our guide told us to look up, since that space was not only where the ascension occurred, but it is also where He will return.
I couldn’t help but chuckle when I saw the nearby gate of Jerusalem. As if to keep Him away, the gate has been filled with brick and a cemetery sits in front of it!
The Good News is Jesus. Jesus is LORD. Jesus is King. Jesus is alive!!!
There’s more good news. King Jesus is coming back!
Coming King
Anticipation. Just speaking the word makes me excited! What are you waiting for? What are you anticipating? Think of a time when you said, “I can’t wait for…”
I’ve had a lifetime of anticipation moments, waiting for Christmas, birthday parties, vacations, graduation, my wedding, the birth of our kids, dates with my wife, big concerts…
Presently, I’m anticipating our son’s graduation, a 25th anniversary cruise my mom is generously providing for us, and our Envision DR mission trip in July, among other things.
The longest I’ve ever waited for anything is…probably the 21 years prior to getting married.
Followers of Jesus have been waiting over 2000 years for His return. Jesus said,
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3)
Jesus promised to return. The physical return of Jesus has been the subject of speculation and controversy since His ascension into the clouds. Admittedly many missed His first visit to our planet, so it should come as no surprise that there is great confusion concerning His return. I’ve probably had people ask about Revelation and the End Times as much as any other subject, and to be honest there’s so much I don’t know or understand. There are a few things I can state boldly, however.
1. Jesus will return
This is what Jesus said:
“At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. (Mark 13:26-27)
2. We must be ready
Someday every human will face the judgment seat.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)
We need not be afraid of this judgment if we have made Jesus our Savior and LORD.
Someday satan and evil will finally be destroyed.
And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)
King Jesus will be vindicated in the eyes of the entire race that saw Him crucified.
“Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen. (Revelation 1:7)
All of creation will be liberated from the curse of sin.
For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:20-21)
As we said last week
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
I can’t wait! Maranatha! Come quickly, LORD Jesus! This leaves one simple question unanswered.
When will King Jesus Return?
For generations, people have made predictions, something we were warned to avoid doing. Jesus said
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. (Matthew 24:36)
So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24:44)
The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. (Mathew 24:50)
I know one thing for sure: we are one day closer today than yesterday!
Jesus is coming soon, which is obviously not soon to us! In fact, it was said two thousand years ago people would grow impatient. Peter wrote
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:8-9)
He continues
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. (2 Peter 3:10)
One verse has special meaning to the Christian & Missionary Alliance as we seek to proclaim Jesus to the world. Jesus said,
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
I have more questions than answers about the end times, the return of Christ, and Revelation, but I do know Jesus is our Coming King. The King will return when the task is complete. We are working to bring back the King!
Are you ready?
Credits
Some material taken from The Fourfold Gospel, a C&MA/DNA publication.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Big Idea: Jesus is our Coming King.
King
Jesus is a king. He’s THE King! He’s the King of kings. At least three times we are told He is the King of kings and LORD of lords (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16).
The idea of a king is foreign to us. We enjoy tremendous freedom and independence in our nation, choosing our leaders at local, state and federal levels. Furthermore, no single person possess’ total power. The president and congress must work together in conjunction with the Supreme Court in guiding our society.
A king is different. Often a king is sovereign, in control. There is no vote, no argument, no debate. Obviously a good king is good for the people, able to make swift decisions and ensure the care of the citizens. A bad king, however, can ignore the interests of his subjects.
It’s interesting how in the Old Testament God chose Abraham to be the father of a great nation, Israel, but God remained their King…until the people begged for a human king like their neighbors. Saul wasn’t the best, David was pretty good, Solomon was distracted, and then everything fell apart. The book of 2 Kings is especially filled with the history of good and mostly bad kings that led God’s people. It has been said that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Which brings us to Jesus. It’s hard to imagine the oppression of the Jewish people when God became one of us as Emmanuel. Generations had heard the Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah, but few recognized Jesus as that Messiah. At one point—a day we celebrate today on Palm Sunday—a group of people desperate for relief from Caesar and the Roman Empire—proclaimed Jesus as king.
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me.If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” (Matthew 21:1-3)
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” (Matthew 21:4-5)
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. (Matthew 21:6-8)
The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:9)
Hosanna literally means, “Save now!” The people were desperate. Perhaps they had crowned others as king, hoping they would bring relief to their oppression. So here we see King Jesus, but He’s riding on a donkey, a very unexpected form of transportation.
Imagine the disappointment and horror days later when King Jesus, their greatest hope for a better future, is proclaimed king with a sign that hung above His dying, beaten body. It wasn’t just Jesus who died, but the hopes of the Jews. Although we know the rest of the story, the Good Friday characters must’ve been devastated beyond imagination. Their king is dead. Their hope is dead.
At the risk of spoiling the ending (!), Jesus conquers sin and death, is resurrected, and several weeks later stands on the Mount of Olives.
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. (Acts 1:9)
Jesus left them twice, once to death and then to the clouds. What must they have been feeling? Loss? Disappointment?
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:10-11)
I stood on the Mount of Olives where Jesus ascended into heaven. Our guide told us to look up, since that space was not only where the ascension occurred, but it is also where He will return.
I couldn’t help but chuckle when I saw the nearby gate of Jerusalem. As if to keep Him away, the gate has been filled with brick and a cemetery sits in front of it!
The Good News is Jesus. Jesus is LORD. Jesus is King. Jesus is alive!!!
There’s more good news. King Jesus is coming back!
Coming King
Anticipation. Just speaking the word makes me excited! What are you waiting for? What are you anticipating? Think of a time when you said, “I can’t wait for…”
I’ve had a lifetime of anticipation moments, waiting for Christmas, birthday parties, vacations, graduation, my wedding, the birth of our kids, dates with my wife, big concerts…
Presently, I’m anticipating our son’s graduation, a 25th anniversary cruise my mom is generously providing for us, and our Envision DR mission trip in July, among other things.
The longest I’ve ever waited for anything is…probably the 21 years prior to getting married.
Followers of Jesus have been waiting over 2000 years for His return. Jesus said,
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3)
Jesus promised to return. The physical return of Jesus has been the subject of speculation and controversy since His ascension into the clouds. Admittedly many missed His first visit to our planet, so it should come as no surprise that there is great confusion concerning His return. I’ve probably had people ask about Revelation and the End Times as much as any other subject, and to be honest there’s so much I don’t know or understand. There are a few things I can state boldly, however.
1. Jesus will return
This is what Jesus said:
“At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. (Mark 13:26-27)
2. We must be ready
Someday every human will face the judgment seat.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)
We need not be afraid of this judgment if we have made Jesus our Savior and LORD.
Someday satan and evil will finally be destroyed.
And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)
King Jesus will be vindicated in the eyes of the entire race that saw Him crucified.
“Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen. (Revelation 1:7)
All of creation will be liberated from the curse of sin.
For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:20-21)
As we said last week
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
I can’t wait! Maranatha! Come quickly, LORD Jesus! This leaves one simple question unanswered.
When will King Jesus Return?
For generations, people have made predictions, something we were warned to avoid doing. Jesus said
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. (Matthew 24:36)
So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24:44)
The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. (Mathew 24:50)
I know one thing for sure: we are one day closer today than yesterday!
Jesus is coming soon, which is obviously not soon to us! In fact, it was said two thousand years ago people would grow impatient. Peter wrote
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:8-9)
He continues
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. (2 Peter 3:10)
One verse has special meaning to the Christian & Missionary Alliance as we seek to proclaim Jesus to the world. Jesus said,
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
I have more questions than answers about the end times, the return of Christ, and Revelation, but I do know Jesus is our Coming King. The King will return when the task is complete. We are working to bring back the King!
- Because Christ is coming, we need to be ready. We need to live pure, prayerful lives.
- Because Christ is coming, we need to finish the task He gave us to do: make disciples of all nations.
Are you ready?
Credits
Some material taken from The Fourfold Gospel, a C&MA/DNA publication.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Jesus our Healer, The Gospel Truth, 22 March 2015
22 03 15
Series Overview: The purpose of this series is to distinguish between the biblical gospel and the various misunderstandings of the word, specifically the difference between Jesus as Savior and Lord. We will use the Fourfold Gospel as our outline.
Big Idea: Jesus is our Healer. He created us and is able to recreate us.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “healer?”
I usually think about the miraculous physical healings Jesus performed. Here are a few mentioned by Matthew:
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. (Matthew 4:23-24)
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. (Matthew 9:35)
Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. (Matthew 12:15)
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. (Matthew 14:14)
Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. (Matthew 15:30)
Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. (Matthew 19:2)
The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. (Matthew 21:14)
These are just the general mentions of healing from Matthew. They don’t include any of the specific encounters Jesus had with the sick, blind, lame…or even dead!
Jesus healed. That’s clear to everyone…except those who disbelieve miracles and the Bible!
But our topic today is Jesus our Healer. Does God still heal today? Does He only do it on TV with wild preachers and people falling down? Why don’t we go to U-M and St. Joe’s hospitals and close them down through prayers of healing?
In The Beginning
In the beginning…God created…and it was good. Sure, it wasn’t good for man to be alone, but God remedied that and therefore Adam and Eve lived in a pain-free, disease-free paradise called Eden.
And then all hell broke loose, quite literally.
The serpent got Adam and Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit and God said to Eve,
“…I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16)
God said to Adam
…“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. (Genesis 3:17)
Pain entered the world that horrific day. It was the consequence of sin. It came under the influence of our enemy, satan, who comes
…only to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10a)
As a result, we live in a broken world, a world with broken bodies, broken relationships, broken finances, broken souls, broken governments, broken homes, broken…toilets! You get the idea!
It will not always be like this. Someday…
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
I can’t wait! Maranatha! Come quickly, LORD Jesus!
But what do we do in the meantime? How do we deal with pain and brokenness?
1. First, God does still heal today. I will attempt to prove it shortly! It does not require a televangelist or sending money to help buy a private jet for a faith healer. God heals, but sometimes chooses to say wait or no when we ask.
On the one extreme there are those who do not believe in healing or miracles. There are Christians who believe healing was only for biblical times; we have the Bible so we don’t need the power of God. I’m overstating, somewhat, but the essence is they believe the Holy Spirit is on vacation. There’s plenty of recent and historic evidence to suggest healing is real today. I believe there are many doctors who once believed only medicine could heal, only to experience miracles first-hand with no explanation.
On the other extreme there are those who believe God always heals and any sickness is the result of the person’s personal sin…or lack of faith. This is a common message today in the “name it and claim it” movement that essentially says if you’re not healthy and rich it’s because you need more faith. It’s your fault! This is nothing new.
His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. (John 9:2-3)
The entire book of Job is about a righteous man who experienced horrific pain.
Jesus, the most righteous Person in history, endured the most horrific suffering.
Pain and sickness is the result of sin, but not necessarily the sin of the sick. For example, hospitals are filled with the innocent victims of drunk drivers. It has been alleged that some allergies are caused by man-made chemicals and pollution.
Jesus was a healer and He continues to heal today.
Even during His years on earth Jesus gave others the authority to heal.
Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. (Matthew 10:1)
Perhaps the most radical statement on healing is found in the fourteenth chapter of John.
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
He was going to the Father and would send the Holy Spirit.
2. The power to heal comes from Jesus
We do not believe in faith healing. It’s not from our faith, but from Jesus. Faith is a precious gift from God, but we are not healed by our faith. We are healed by God. Jesus healed in a variety of ways. Sometimes He spoke, sometimes He touched, sometimes He simply announced healing for a person not even in His presence. He still heals in a variety of ways today. In some instances faithless people are healed through the prayers of others praying for them. Healing can occur through the laying on of hands and the anointing of oil. Sometimes it comes through medicine, doctors, and other health care tools.
It should be noted that healing is not always a physical change. Our sinful world has left many of us broken spiritually, emotionally, financially, and relationally. We are blessed to have godly biblical counselors available to help people heal from a variety of pains and struggles, trials that can be every bit as wounding as a car accident or cancer.
3. The purpose of divine healing is to glorify Jesus.
Jesus’ miracles authenticated the message and the Messenger. He also healed to show His compassion. Furthermore, Jesus healed to show salvation now. The Kingdom of God is here now…but we haven’t experienced it all yet. It’s like a down payment on what is to come, the now and the not yet. We have something, but not yet everything that will be ours when Christ returns.
My Story: Rachel Schneemann
When this subject came up, I immediately knew who I wanted to speak on this subject, our daughter Rachel.
What comes to mind when you think of Jesus our Healer?
Has God healed you? How? Have you participated in the healing process?
Why doesn’t God instantly heal every person who asks for healing?
Is sickness the result of sin? Unbelief?
Has God only healed you physically?
What would you say to someone who wants to be healed?
So What?
Do you want to be healed? Why?
When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6)
If you want to be healed,
1. Ask
Jesus’ half brother James wrote,
You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. (James 4:2)
He added
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. (James 5:13-15)
2. Confess.
Some brokenness is the result of sin. Bitterness, for example, has been shown to have physical consequences. The passage from James continues…
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)
3. Persevere. Sometimes God says, “Yes.” Sometimes He says, “Wait.”
As a dad, I don’t instantly give my kids everything they desire. Sometimes I do, but sometimes I say no or later.
Rachel’s story has involved years of prayers.
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)
As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (James 5:11)
In discussing prayer, Jesus said
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Luke 11:9-10)
4. Trust. Daddy knows best. He can be trusted. His timing is never late but rarely early!
Why Doesn’t God Heal Everyone?
Great question! It’s in my top ten questions for God!
Paul had a thorn in the flesh. We don’t know what it was, perhaps an issue with his eyesight. Three times God said no to his request to have it removed. (2 Corinthians 12:6-10)
The purpose of healing is always about the glory of Christ.
Whether in giving or witholding, it’s about His glory.
Often it’s about His timing. The sisters of Lazarus thought Jesus was 4 days late to the scene, yet the delay facilitated a resurrection that brought greater glory to God than a conventional healing (John 11).
We live in the now and the not yet. There are beautiful moments when heaven touches earth, when God reveals His presence and power in amazing ways, giving us a taste of and a deeper longing for heaven.
Jesus promised us, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
He is with us…always. I don’t pretend to understand why He says “no” or “later,” but I know God is good, He is faithful, and nothing is impossible with our God.
“Healer” (reprise)
Prayer
For Further Reading
Walking With God Through Pain and Suffering by Timothy Keller
Pain, The Gift Nobody Wants by Dr. Paul Brand and Philip Yancey
Where Is God When It Hurts? By Philip Yancey
Credits
Some material taken from The Fourfold Gospel, a C&MA/DNA publication.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Big Idea: Jesus is our Healer. He created us and is able to recreate us.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “healer?”
I usually think about the miraculous physical healings Jesus performed. Here are a few mentioned by Matthew:
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. (Matthew 4:23-24)
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. (Matthew 9:35)
Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. (Matthew 12:15)
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. (Matthew 14:14)
Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. (Matthew 15:30)
Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. (Matthew 19:2)
The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. (Matthew 21:14)
These are just the general mentions of healing from Matthew. They don’t include any of the specific encounters Jesus had with the sick, blind, lame…or even dead!
Jesus healed. That’s clear to everyone…except those who disbelieve miracles and the Bible!
But our topic today is Jesus our Healer. Does God still heal today? Does He only do it on TV with wild preachers and people falling down? Why don’t we go to U-M and St. Joe’s hospitals and close them down through prayers of healing?
In The Beginning
In the beginning…God created…and it was good. Sure, it wasn’t good for man to be alone, but God remedied that and therefore Adam and Eve lived in a pain-free, disease-free paradise called Eden.
And then all hell broke loose, quite literally.
The serpent got Adam and Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit and God said to Eve,
“…I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16)
God said to Adam
…“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. (Genesis 3:17)
Pain entered the world that horrific day. It was the consequence of sin. It came under the influence of our enemy, satan, who comes
…only to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10a)
As a result, we live in a broken world, a world with broken bodies, broken relationships, broken finances, broken souls, broken governments, broken homes, broken…toilets! You get the idea!
It will not always be like this. Someday…
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
I can’t wait! Maranatha! Come quickly, LORD Jesus!
But what do we do in the meantime? How do we deal with pain and brokenness?
1. First, God does still heal today. I will attempt to prove it shortly! It does not require a televangelist or sending money to help buy a private jet for a faith healer. God heals, but sometimes chooses to say wait or no when we ask.
On the one extreme there are those who do not believe in healing or miracles. There are Christians who believe healing was only for biblical times; we have the Bible so we don’t need the power of God. I’m overstating, somewhat, but the essence is they believe the Holy Spirit is on vacation. There’s plenty of recent and historic evidence to suggest healing is real today. I believe there are many doctors who once believed only medicine could heal, only to experience miracles first-hand with no explanation.
On the other extreme there are those who believe God always heals and any sickness is the result of the person’s personal sin…or lack of faith. This is a common message today in the “name it and claim it” movement that essentially says if you’re not healthy and rich it’s because you need more faith. It’s your fault! This is nothing new.
His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. (John 9:2-3)
The entire book of Job is about a righteous man who experienced horrific pain.
Jesus, the most righteous Person in history, endured the most horrific suffering.
Pain and sickness is the result of sin, but not necessarily the sin of the sick. For example, hospitals are filled with the innocent victims of drunk drivers. It has been alleged that some allergies are caused by man-made chemicals and pollution.
Jesus was a healer and He continues to heal today.
Even during His years on earth Jesus gave others the authority to heal.
Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. (Matthew 10:1)
Perhaps the most radical statement on healing is found in the fourteenth chapter of John.
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
He was going to the Father and would send the Holy Spirit.
2. The power to heal comes from Jesus
We do not believe in faith healing. It’s not from our faith, but from Jesus. Faith is a precious gift from God, but we are not healed by our faith. We are healed by God. Jesus healed in a variety of ways. Sometimes He spoke, sometimes He touched, sometimes He simply announced healing for a person not even in His presence. He still heals in a variety of ways today. In some instances faithless people are healed through the prayers of others praying for them. Healing can occur through the laying on of hands and the anointing of oil. Sometimes it comes through medicine, doctors, and other health care tools.
It should be noted that healing is not always a physical change. Our sinful world has left many of us broken spiritually, emotionally, financially, and relationally. We are blessed to have godly biblical counselors available to help people heal from a variety of pains and struggles, trials that can be every bit as wounding as a car accident or cancer.
3. The purpose of divine healing is to glorify Jesus.
Jesus’ miracles authenticated the message and the Messenger. He also healed to show His compassion. Furthermore, Jesus healed to show salvation now. The Kingdom of God is here now…but we haven’t experienced it all yet. It’s like a down payment on what is to come, the now and the not yet. We have something, but not yet everything that will be ours when Christ returns.
My Story: Rachel Schneemann
When this subject came up, I immediately knew who I wanted to speak on this subject, our daughter Rachel.
What comes to mind when you think of Jesus our Healer?
Has God healed you? How? Have you participated in the healing process?
Why doesn’t God instantly heal every person who asks for healing?
Is sickness the result of sin? Unbelief?
Has God only healed you physically?
What would you say to someone who wants to be healed?
So What?
Do you want to be healed? Why?
When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6)
If you want to be healed,
1. Ask
Jesus’ half brother James wrote,
You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. (James 4:2)
He added
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. (James 5:13-15)
2. Confess.
Some brokenness is the result of sin. Bitterness, for example, has been shown to have physical consequences. The passage from James continues…
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)
3. Persevere. Sometimes God says, “Yes.” Sometimes He says, “Wait.”
As a dad, I don’t instantly give my kids everything they desire. Sometimes I do, but sometimes I say no or later.
Rachel’s story has involved years of prayers.
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)
As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (James 5:11)
In discussing prayer, Jesus said
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Luke 11:9-10)
4. Trust. Daddy knows best. He can be trusted. His timing is never late but rarely early!
Why Doesn’t God Heal Everyone?
Great question! It’s in my top ten questions for God!
Paul had a thorn in the flesh. We don’t know what it was, perhaps an issue with his eyesight. Three times God said no to his request to have it removed. (2 Corinthians 12:6-10)
The purpose of healing is always about the glory of Christ.
Whether in giving or witholding, it’s about His glory.
Often it’s about His timing. The sisters of Lazarus thought Jesus was 4 days late to the scene, yet the delay facilitated a resurrection that brought greater glory to God than a conventional healing (John 11).
We live in the now and the not yet. There are beautiful moments when heaven touches earth, when God reveals His presence and power in amazing ways, giving us a taste of and a deeper longing for heaven.
Jesus promised us, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
He is with us…always. I don’t pretend to understand why He says “no” or “later,” but I know God is good, He is faithful, and nothing is impossible with our God.
“Healer” (reprise)
Prayer
For Further Reading
Walking With God Through Pain and Suffering by Timothy Keller
Pain, The Gift Nobody Wants by Dr. Paul Brand and Philip Yancey
Where Is God When It Hurts? By Philip Yancey
Credits
Some material taken from The Fourfold Gospel, a C&MA/DNA publication.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Jesus our Sanctifier, The Gospel Truth, 15 March 2015
16 03 15
Series Overview: The purpose of this series is to distinguish between the biblical gospel and the various misunderstandings of the word, specifically the difference between Jesus as Savior and Lord. We will use the Fourfold Gospel as our outline.
Big Idea: Jesus is our Sanctifier, making us increasingly holy like Himself.
Introduction
This week we continue our series The Gospel Truth. We began last week looking at Jesus as Savior. Today we continue our look at the Fourfold Gospel examining Jesus as Sanctifier.
It’s not uncommon for song lyrics and passages of scripture to contain unusual words. Sanctifier is one of those Christianese words that few outside of the faith understand…and few inside the faith understand! When we say Jesus is our Sanctifier we are expressing that He makes us like Himself. A year ago we said that followers of Jesus are “in Christ.” What can be said of Jesus can be said of us in the eyes of our heavenly Father, not because we are God or perfect like Christ, but because we essentially wear Jesus’ uniform. His blood purifies our sins and we can stand before a holy God who cannot tolerate sin, not because of what we’ve done but because Jesus is our Savior which we studied last week.
Sanctification then is that God wants to make us in reality what we’ve already been declared to be in Christ. In other words, following Jesus is more than praying a prayer to ask Jesus into your heart so you’ll go to heaven when you die. Following Jesus is just that—following Him. Jesus is perfect. We are to be perfect. Jesus is holy. We are to be holy. Jesus has power and authority. We are to have power and authority.
To be sanctified is to be holy, set apart. In one sense it occurs when we surrender our lives to God, yet it is a progressive process in which we become increasingly like Him—separated from sin and evil.
Right about now you may be asking, “Why don’t I look like Jesus?” or “How is it possible for me to be like Christ?” That’s our topic today: sanctification, becoming holy and set apart like Jesus.
Fruit
What is your favorite food? Although my favorite dessert is ice cream, my favorite food is fruit. I love fruit! I’m not sure if it’s because most fruits are sweet or colorful or uniquely shaped or the texture but I love fruit. I’m not sure I’ve ever had a fruit I didn’t enjoy…unless it was bad fruit!
Where does fruit come from? Meijer! Believe it or not, it does not just appear in the produce section!
The Bible is filled with organic metaphors. God created our world, so it should come as no surprise He would use physical things to help us understand spiritual realities.
Gardening is a powerful way to understand life. I’m an expert gardener…in growing weeds! I admire people who understand soil and plants and who can grow things other than weeds!
Last week I listened to a brilliant podcast interview with Christine Sine in which she described the numerous parallels between the cultivation of her garden and the cultivation of her soul. Producing beautiful fruit requires preparation of the soil, generous fertilizer and water, enough sunlight, protection from hungry creatures, and the eradication of weeds that can choke the plants.
Likewise if we want our lives to bear fruit we must confess our sins, flee temptation, fill our minds with the Word of God, feed upon Jesus, the Bread of Life, receive support from godly brothers and sisters, and pursue a deeper relationship with God and others. Jesus said it plainly in the fifteenth chapter of the gospel of John.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. (John 15:1-4)
How do we become like Jesus? We know Him.
How do we know Jesus? We spend time with Him.
How do we spend time with Jesus? We pray. We study the Bible. We spend time with people who know Jesus.
They say many old couples look alike after years of marriage. They can finish each other’s sentences. They know what the other is thinking. That’s what happens when two people do life together, spend time with one another, know each other, and grow together. That’s what happens when we do life with Jesus—we begin to resemble Him!
It takes time. It requires intentionality. It involves effort.
When I placed a wedding ring on my bride’s finger nearly 25 years ago that wasn’t the end of our relationship. It was a tremendously significant moment, yet it was just the beginning. More than two decades later we’ve both invested in our relationship, and it has produced fruit (including three amazing children!). I didn’t just say vows and then tell her, “Have a nice life!” Over the years I have grown to be like her, and she has grown to be like me. We are both works in process, becoming like one another, but most of all both seeking to be like Jesus.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
It’s great to ask What Would Jesus Do? It’s far better to know Jesus so intimately and be so filled with the Holy Spirit that you don’t stop and ask—you instinctively do it! It’s natural. That’s sanctification. Jesus is our Sanctifier means He wants us to become like Him. He wants us to become Christians—little Christs. He wants us to love Him and love others, re-presenting Him to our desperate world.
Are you connected to the vine? Do know know what God is saying to you? Are you obediently following Him?
If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (John 15:6-8)
If you know anything at all about plants, you know every branch must be connected to the trunk which must be connected to the roots. Any disconnect will result in poor or no fruit.
When I was a kid I remember enjoying a pretty substantial tree in our front yard. One day I had the brilliant idea of taking a hatchet and carving my name into the tree. When my parents realized what I had done, they weren’t very pleased! Fortunately I did no permanent damage to the tree, but I could’ve killed it!
Like many of you, I witnessed first-hand the destruction of trees by a very small bug known as the emerald ash borer. The nasty beetle from Asia was first formally identified in Canton, Michigan in 2002, believed to be introduced by overseas shipping materials. They attack ash trees through larval feeding that disrupts the flow of nutrients and water. This small bug is responsible for the destruction of literally tens of millions of ash trees and threatens to kill most of the 8.7 billion ash trees throughout North America.
What a perfect metaphor for sin! Small, unsuspected sins invade our life, slowly disconnecting us from our source of life, Jesus. Sure, robbing a bank or killing your neighbor will damage your relationship with God—and keep you away from others as you sit in prison—but most often it’s small temptations that cause us to drift from our nourishment. We get too busy to pray, too busy to study the Bible, too busy to attend worship and Life Groups, too busy to share Jesus with others. We get greedy, buying things we don’t need until we can no longer be generous and serve those in desperate need. We compromise in small things like taxes, speed limits, truth-telling, and pride until we are able to rationalize the most blatant of sins.
A Healthy Tree
The first words of the Psalms paint an entirely different picture.
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers. (Psalm 1:1-3)
That’s what I want my life to depict!
What kind of fruit are you bearing? It could be no fruit, the result of disconnect from Jesus. It could be bad fruit such as
…sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. (Mark 7:21-22)
Or it could be the fruit of the Spirit:
…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23a)
If we abide in Jesus, if we devote ourselves to Him, we will bear much, good fruit.
The Alliance website says it like this:
Many Christians understand God’s promise of salvation but do not experience the ongoing sanctifying work of Jesus Christ in their lives. For those who neither understand nor allow the Holy Spirit's control in their lives, the results have a profound effect.
Unsuccessful struggle against sin and a lack of power in life and ministry frustrate those who have asked Jesus to be their Savior but not their Sanctifier, resulting in a lack of joy in their walk with Christ. At the point when we are born again, we become members of God’s family. We believe He paid the price for our sin and that his followers are—set apart from those are not born again—and are seen as holy because of what Christ has done.
The Bible is filled with biological metaphors. We are a family—brothers and sisters. We are dead in our sins and resurrected with Christ as beautifully illustrated through baptism. In the book of Romans we read these powerful words:
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. (Romans 6:11-14)
Some mistakenly think Christianity is a morality-based religion in which we are supposed to do good and be good. They see Jesus as someone who makes bad people good. Friends, the reality is Jesus came to make dead people come alive! Following Jesus is not merely an exercise in doing the right things. It is a vibrant, joy-filled journey in which possess—and are possessed by—the Holy Spirit. How?
Semi-circle
Most of us live busy lives. God created us to work, but also to rest. Most people work hard during the week and crash on the weekend. We are designed to work from a place of rest, not rest from work.
The semi-circle depicts a pendulum moving from rest to work and back. There are daily, weekly, monthly and annual rhythms of rest and work. When Jesus speaks in John 15 of remaining or abiding, He’s speaking of resting in Him. We need times of rest and recreation with Jesus and our our families. If we ignore Sabbath and rest with God, we will eventually crash. If we allow Him to prune us and renew us as we abide with Him during times of rest, we will bear much fruit when we work.
Are you abiding in Christ? Are you resting with Him? Are you spending quality time with Jesus, letting Him invite you into a deeper life of intimacy and faith while challenging you to greater levels of obedience and trust?
When we talk about Jesus as fully God yet fully man, it’s easy to think since Jesus was God He was never really tempted. Sure, Hebrews 4:15 says He was tempted in every way like us, but didn’t He brush it away like a mosquito and then do all of His magic tricks, healing the sick and opening the eyes of the blind and raising the dead?
Jesus said no to temptation and did supernatural works because He was filled with the Holy Spirit…the same Holy Spirit available to you and me. If we abide with Jesus, if we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will change. We will grow. We will bear fruit. We will look increasingly like Jesus.
Paul wrote these words to the Church in Corinth:
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)
That’s remarkable!
Conclusion
Dallas Willard famously referred to those seeking salvation apart from sanctification and lordship as “vampire Christians” who only want a little blood but have no interest in following Jesus now. It’s one thing for Jesus to be our Savior and another to be truly LORD.
A few weeks ago we said one of our family rules is the Make Disciples. Disciples are students or imitators of their discipler. We are to be students and followers and imitators of Jesus.
It’s a life-long process, but if we hunger after God, if we ask the Holy Spirit to fill us, if we confess our sins and surrender our will, and if we abide, He will make us new. He will transform us into new creations like Jesus. He is able to take whatever mess we offer Him and make it beautiful. That’s our Sanctifier!
Credits
Some material taken from The Fourfold Gospel, a C&MA/DNA publication.
Semi-circle LifeShape from Mike Breen and 3DMovements.com.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Big Idea: Jesus is our Sanctifier, making us increasingly holy like Himself.
Introduction
This week we continue our series The Gospel Truth. We began last week looking at Jesus as Savior. Today we continue our look at the Fourfold Gospel examining Jesus as Sanctifier.
It’s not uncommon for song lyrics and passages of scripture to contain unusual words. Sanctifier is one of those Christianese words that few outside of the faith understand…and few inside the faith understand! When we say Jesus is our Sanctifier we are expressing that He makes us like Himself. A year ago we said that followers of Jesus are “in Christ.” What can be said of Jesus can be said of us in the eyes of our heavenly Father, not because we are God or perfect like Christ, but because we essentially wear Jesus’ uniform. His blood purifies our sins and we can stand before a holy God who cannot tolerate sin, not because of what we’ve done but because Jesus is our Savior which we studied last week.
Sanctification then is that God wants to make us in reality what we’ve already been declared to be in Christ. In other words, following Jesus is more than praying a prayer to ask Jesus into your heart so you’ll go to heaven when you die. Following Jesus is just that—following Him. Jesus is perfect. We are to be perfect. Jesus is holy. We are to be holy. Jesus has power and authority. We are to have power and authority.
To be sanctified is to be holy, set apart. In one sense it occurs when we surrender our lives to God, yet it is a progressive process in which we become increasingly like Him—separated from sin and evil.
Right about now you may be asking, “Why don’t I look like Jesus?” or “How is it possible for me to be like Christ?” That’s our topic today: sanctification, becoming holy and set apart like Jesus.
Fruit
What is your favorite food? Although my favorite dessert is ice cream, my favorite food is fruit. I love fruit! I’m not sure if it’s because most fruits are sweet or colorful or uniquely shaped or the texture but I love fruit. I’m not sure I’ve ever had a fruit I didn’t enjoy…unless it was bad fruit!
Where does fruit come from? Meijer! Believe it or not, it does not just appear in the produce section!
The Bible is filled with organic metaphors. God created our world, so it should come as no surprise He would use physical things to help us understand spiritual realities.
Gardening is a powerful way to understand life. I’m an expert gardener…in growing weeds! I admire people who understand soil and plants and who can grow things other than weeds!
Last week I listened to a brilliant podcast interview with Christine Sine in which she described the numerous parallels between the cultivation of her garden and the cultivation of her soul. Producing beautiful fruit requires preparation of the soil, generous fertilizer and water, enough sunlight, protection from hungry creatures, and the eradication of weeds that can choke the plants.
Likewise if we want our lives to bear fruit we must confess our sins, flee temptation, fill our minds with the Word of God, feed upon Jesus, the Bread of Life, receive support from godly brothers and sisters, and pursue a deeper relationship with God and others. Jesus said it plainly in the fifteenth chapter of the gospel of John.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. (John 15:1-4)
How do we become like Jesus? We know Him.
How do we know Jesus? We spend time with Him.
How do we spend time with Jesus? We pray. We study the Bible. We spend time with people who know Jesus.
They say many old couples look alike after years of marriage. They can finish each other’s sentences. They know what the other is thinking. That’s what happens when two people do life together, spend time with one another, know each other, and grow together. That’s what happens when we do life with Jesus—we begin to resemble Him!
It takes time. It requires intentionality. It involves effort.
When I placed a wedding ring on my bride’s finger nearly 25 years ago that wasn’t the end of our relationship. It was a tremendously significant moment, yet it was just the beginning. More than two decades later we’ve both invested in our relationship, and it has produced fruit (including three amazing children!). I didn’t just say vows and then tell her, “Have a nice life!” Over the years I have grown to be like her, and she has grown to be like me. We are both works in process, becoming like one another, but most of all both seeking to be like Jesus.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
It’s great to ask What Would Jesus Do? It’s far better to know Jesus so intimately and be so filled with the Holy Spirit that you don’t stop and ask—you instinctively do it! It’s natural. That’s sanctification. Jesus is our Sanctifier means He wants us to become like Him. He wants us to become Christians—little Christs. He wants us to love Him and love others, re-presenting Him to our desperate world.
Are you connected to the vine? Do know know what God is saying to you? Are you obediently following Him?
If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (John 15:6-8)
If you know anything at all about plants, you know every branch must be connected to the trunk which must be connected to the roots. Any disconnect will result in poor or no fruit.
When I was a kid I remember enjoying a pretty substantial tree in our front yard. One day I had the brilliant idea of taking a hatchet and carving my name into the tree. When my parents realized what I had done, they weren’t very pleased! Fortunately I did no permanent damage to the tree, but I could’ve killed it!
Like many of you, I witnessed first-hand the destruction of trees by a very small bug known as the emerald ash borer. The nasty beetle from Asia was first formally identified in Canton, Michigan in 2002, believed to be introduced by overseas shipping materials. They attack ash trees through larval feeding that disrupts the flow of nutrients and water. This small bug is responsible for the destruction of literally tens of millions of ash trees and threatens to kill most of the 8.7 billion ash trees throughout North America.
What a perfect metaphor for sin! Small, unsuspected sins invade our life, slowly disconnecting us from our source of life, Jesus. Sure, robbing a bank or killing your neighbor will damage your relationship with God—and keep you away from others as you sit in prison—but most often it’s small temptations that cause us to drift from our nourishment. We get too busy to pray, too busy to study the Bible, too busy to attend worship and Life Groups, too busy to share Jesus with others. We get greedy, buying things we don’t need until we can no longer be generous and serve those in desperate need. We compromise in small things like taxes, speed limits, truth-telling, and pride until we are able to rationalize the most blatant of sins.
A Healthy Tree
The first words of the Psalms paint an entirely different picture.
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers. (Psalm 1:1-3)
That’s what I want my life to depict!
What kind of fruit are you bearing? It could be no fruit, the result of disconnect from Jesus. It could be bad fruit such as
…sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. (Mark 7:21-22)
Or it could be the fruit of the Spirit:
…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23a)
If we abide in Jesus, if we devote ourselves to Him, we will bear much, good fruit.
The Alliance website says it like this:
Many Christians understand God’s promise of salvation but do not experience the ongoing sanctifying work of Jesus Christ in their lives. For those who neither understand nor allow the Holy Spirit's control in their lives, the results have a profound effect.
Unsuccessful struggle against sin and a lack of power in life and ministry frustrate those who have asked Jesus to be their Savior but not their Sanctifier, resulting in a lack of joy in their walk with Christ. At the point when we are born again, we become members of God’s family. We believe He paid the price for our sin and that his followers are—set apart from those are not born again—and are seen as holy because of what Christ has done.
The Bible is filled with biological metaphors. We are a family—brothers and sisters. We are dead in our sins and resurrected with Christ as beautifully illustrated through baptism. In the book of Romans we read these powerful words:
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. (Romans 6:11-14)
Some mistakenly think Christianity is a morality-based religion in which we are supposed to do good and be good. They see Jesus as someone who makes bad people good. Friends, the reality is Jesus came to make dead people come alive! Following Jesus is not merely an exercise in doing the right things. It is a vibrant, joy-filled journey in which possess—and are possessed by—the Holy Spirit. How?
- We thirst. We desire God, or at least want to want God.
- We ask. Invite the Holy Spirit to fill you. Daily. Maybe hourly!
- We surrender. In essence, let go and let God. This means letting go of your time, talents and treasures. It means placing everything on the altar. Open your hands!
- Abide. Love is spelled T-I-M-E. There are no shortcuts.
Semi-circle
Most of us live busy lives. God created us to work, but also to rest. Most people work hard during the week and crash on the weekend. We are designed to work from a place of rest, not rest from work.
The semi-circle depicts a pendulum moving from rest to work and back. There are daily, weekly, monthly and annual rhythms of rest and work. When Jesus speaks in John 15 of remaining or abiding, He’s speaking of resting in Him. We need times of rest and recreation with Jesus and our our families. If we ignore Sabbath and rest with God, we will eventually crash. If we allow Him to prune us and renew us as we abide with Him during times of rest, we will bear much fruit when we work.
Are you abiding in Christ? Are you resting with Him? Are you spending quality time with Jesus, letting Him invite you into a deeper life of intimacy and faith while challenging you to greater levels of obedience and trust?
When we talk about Jesus as fully God yet fully man, it’s easy to think since Jesus was God He was never really tempted. Sure, Hebrews 4:15 says He was tempted in every way like us, but didn’t He brush it away like a mosquito and then do all of His magic tricks, healing the sick and opening the eyes of the blind and raising the dead?
Jesus said no to temptation and did supernatural works because He was filled with the Holy Spirit…the same Holy Spirit available to you and me. If we abide with Jesus, if we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will change. We will grow. We will bear fruit. We will look increasingly like Jesus.
Paul wrote these words to the Church in Corinth:
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)
That’s remarkable!
Conclusion
Dallas Willard famously referred to those seeking salvation apart from sanctification and lordship as “vampire Christians” who only want a little blood but have no interest in following Jesus now. It’s one thing for Jesus to be our Savior and another to be truly LORD.
A few weeks ago we said one of our family rules is the Make Disciples. Disciples are students or imitators of their discipler. We are to be students and followers and imitators of Jesus.
It’s a life-long process, but if we hunger after God, if we ask the Holy Spirit to fill us, if we confess our sins and surrender our will, and if we abide, He will make us new. He will transform us into new creations like Jesus. He is able to take whatever mess we offer Him and make it beautiful. That’s our Sanctifier!
Credits
Some material taken from The Fourfold Gospel, a C&MA/DNA publication.
Semi-circle LifeShape from Mike Breen and 3DMovements.com.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Jesus Our Savior, The Gospel Truth, 8 March 2015
09 03 15
Series Overview: The purpose of this series is to distinguish between the biblical gospel and the various misunderstandings of the word, specifically the difference between Jesus as Savior and Lord. We will use the Fourfold Gospel as our outline.
Big Idea: Jesus is our Savior, saving us from sin and death.
What is the gospel? It is good news.
Many have said the gospel is the plan of salvation. It often goes something like this:
I literally spent years telling a version of that story to students in both the United States and Bolivia. Pray to receive Christ and you’re guaranteed a “Get Out Of Hell Free” card.
That is certainly good news, but the gospel is more. Much more. Pastor Bruxy Cavey defines the gospel with these thirty words:
“The gospel is the good news that God has come to us through Christ to show us His love, save us from sin, set us in community, and shut down religion.”
Last week we noted scholar N.T. Wright’s description of the grand story of history as a play with multiple acts:
Act 1: creation
Act 2: the Fall
Act 3: Israel
Act 4: Jesus
Act 5: New Testament and the people of God (the Church)
Some have suggested we are in Act 6, with Act 7 being the new heaven and new earth mentioned in Revelation.
If we skip Act 3, we miss a huge part of human history. Jesus was, Himself, a Jew, after all.
One of my professors wrote
“…the word gospel was used in the world of Jews at the time of the apostles to
announce something, to declare something as good news — the word evangelion
always means good news. “To gospel” is to herald, to proclaim, and to declare
something about something. To put this together: the gospel is to announce good
news about key events in the life of Jesus Christ. To gospel for Paul was to tell,
announce, declare, and shout aloud the Story of Jesus Christ as the saving news of
God.” (Scot McKnight, King Jesus Gospel)
In three words, the gospel is Jesus is Lord. In one word, the gospel is Jesus.
Today we begin a new series, The Gospel Truth, looking at Jesus.
The Fourfold Gospel
Last week I mentioned A.B. Simpson, the founder of The Christian & Missionary Alliance, our denomination. After doing some research on his life a few years ago I was surprised to learn his influence not only in the C&MA but also the founding of the Assemblies of God and Foursquare denominations.
The Fourfold Gospel is the Christological summary on which the core values of The Alliance is based. Simpson saw Jesus as not only Savior—our focus today—but also his Sanctifier and Healer and Coming King. As we saw in the video earlier, it’s all about Jesus.
Who Is Jesus?
Last Sunday CNN began a series called Finding Jesus. I was pleasantly surprised at both its research and results. Part 2 will be shown tonight at 9 PM and you can view episodes at CNN.com.
Our faith is built upon Jesus—not a dream, not an idea…not even a book. It’s built upon a Person. I realize most of you are familiar with Jesus. If you’re like me you might be overly familiar with Him. This is a huge danger in any relationship. We can become so familiar and so comfortable with someone—a parent, spouse, child, friend—that we take them for granted and forget just how unique and special they are to us. That’s why we remember them by celebrating their birthday, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, or some other occasion.
Who is Jesus? So much can be said about Jesus. In fact, John concluded his biography of Jesus by saying
Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. (John 21:25)
There are, in fact, four biographies of Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. We refer to them as the four gospels because they are good news. They are about Jesus.
Savior
This week I was talking with our daughter about her favorite names for children. People name their kids after movie stars, athletes, biblical characters, and for a host of other reasons. Ancient Hebrews chose names that would speak prophecy about the mission or character of their children.
When my parents named me Kirk, they liked the sound of the name, but also its meaning: “church dweller.” They were quite prophetic!
In a similar way Jesus was not simply a name Mary and Joseph liked, but one carefully chosen to convey His mission. An angel of the LORD came to Joseph and said of Mary:
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)
He is our Savior, saving us from our sins. Luke expressed this, as well, quoting Jesus:
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
Romans 3:21-26
The third chapter of Romans provides us with one of the clearest portraits of Jesus as Savior.
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26)
God loves us. We all sin and fall short of His standard of perfection. Jesus shed His blood and died on the cross to save us, to forgive us, to enable us to be reconciled to a perfect and holy God.
Because Jesus is our Savior.
That’s quite a list! Which is the most meaningful to you?
Universal and Exclusive
Jesus is both a universal Savior and an exclusive Savior. John 3:16 says
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
God loves the whole world and died for the whole world, but salvation is for those who believe in Jesus.
By the way, believe is not something simply done in your head, like you might believe in the Easter Bunny or that the Detroit Lions will win the next Super Bowl. Biblical belief requires action. It’s like believing a parachute will work and therefore you jump out of the airplane. You believe the odd-looking food is nourishing so you eat it. Faith is never passive.
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Contrary to what contemporary culture tells us, there are not multiple paths to God. There is only one—Jesus Christ. Only One died for us. Only One conquered sin and death. Only One is alive thousands of years later!
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
This is, admittedly, politically incorrect. It can be downright offensive, except for the fact that Jesus died of all. He offers Himself as a gift to all…who receive the gift.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:9-13)
In his book Radical, David Platt tells of a conversation outside a Buddhist temple in Indonesia with a Buddhist leader and a Muslim leader. One said, “We may have different views about small issues, but when it comes down to essential issues, each of our religions is the same.” Platt said, “It sounds as though you both picture God (or whatever you call god) at the top of a mountain. It seems as if you believe that we are all at the bottom of the mountain, and I may take one route up the mountain, you may take another, and in the end we will all end up in the same place.” They smiled as I spoke. Happily they replied, “Exactly! You understand!” Then I leaned in and said, “Now let me ask you a question. What would you think if I told you that the God at the top of the mountain actually came down to where we are? What would you think if I told you that God doesn’t wait for people to find their way to him, but instead he comes to us?” They thought for a moment and then responded, “That would be great.” I replied, “Let me introduce you to Jesus.”
This is the gospel. The gospel is Jesus. He is our Savior who lived and died and rose for us. He offers each of us Himself as the greatest gift, a gift we can reject or receive.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
We don’t deserve it; that’s grace, unmerited favor. It’s amazing!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Big Idea: Jesus is our Savior, saving us from sin and death.
What is the gospel? It is good news.
Many have said the gospel is the plan of salvation. It often goes something like this:
- God loves you.
- You sinned and are separated from God.
- Jesus died to reconcile you to God.
- If you pray to ask Jesus into your heart you’ll go to heaven when you die.
I literally spent years telling a version of that story to students in both the United States and Bolivia. Pray to receive Christ and you’re guaranteed a “Get Out Of Hell Free” card.
That is certainly good news, but the gospel is more. Much more. Pastor Bruxy Cavey defines the gospel with these thirty words:
“The gospel is the good news that God has come to us through Christ to show us His love, save us from sin, set us in community, and shut down religion.”
Last week we noted scholar N.T. Wright’s description of the grand story of history as a play with multiple acts:
Act 1: creation
Act 2: the Fall
Act 3: Israel
Act 4: Jesus
Act 5: New Testament and the people of God (the Church)
Some have suggested we are in Act 6, with Act 7 being the new heaven and new earth mentioned in Revelation.
If we skip Act 3, we miss a huge part of human history. Jesus was, Himself, a Jew, after all.
One of my professors wrote
“…the word gospel was used in the world of Jews at the time of the apostles to
announce something, to declare something as good news — the word evangelion
always means good news. “To gospel” is to herald, to proclaim, and to declare
something about something. To put this together: the gospel is to announce good
news about key events in the life of Jesus Christ. To gospel for Paul was to tell,
announce, declare, and shout aloud the Story of Jesus Christ as the saving news of
God.” (Scot McKnight, King Jesus Gospel)
In three words, the gospel is Jesus is Lord. In one word, the gospel is Jesus.
Today we begin a new series, The Gospel Truth, looking at Jesus.
The Fourfold Gospel
Last week I mentioned A.B. Simpson, the founder of The Christian & Missionary Alliance, our denomination. After doing some research on his life a few years ago I was surprised to learn his influence not only in the C&MA but also the founding of the Assemblies of God and Foursquare denominations.
The Fourfold Gospel is the Christological summary on which the core values of The Alliance is based. Simpson saw Jesus as not only Savior—our focus today—but also his Sanctifier and Healer and Coming King. As we saw in the video earlier, it’s all about Jesus.
Who Is Jesus?
Last Sunday CNN began a series called Finding Jesus. I was pleasantly surprised at both its research and results. Part 2 will be shown tonight at 9 PM and you can view episodes at CNN.com.
Our faith is built upon Jesus—not a dream, not an idea…not even a book. It’s built upon a Person. I realize most of you are familiar with Jesus. If you’re like me you might be overly familiar with Him. This is a huge danger in any relationship. We can become so familiar and so comfortable with someone—a parent, spouse, child, friend—that we take them for granted and forget just how unique and special they are to us. That’s why we remember them by celebrating their birthday, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, or some other occasion.
Who is Jesus? So much can be said about Jesus. In fact, John concluded his biography of Jesus by saying
Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. (John 21:25)
There are, in fact, four biographies of Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. We refer to them as the four gospels because they are good news. They are about Jesus.
Savior
This week I was talking with our daughter about her favorite names for children. People name their kids after movie stars, athletes, biblical characters, and for a host of other reasons. Ancient Hebrews chose names that would speak prophecy about the mission or character of their children.
When my parents named me Kirk, they liked the sound of the name, but also its meaning: “church dweller.” They were quite prophetic!
In a similar way Jesus was not simply a name Mary and Joseph liked, but one carefully chosen to convey His mission. An angel of the LORD came to Joseph and said of Mary:
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)
He is our Savior, saving us from our sins. Luke expressed this, as well, quoting Jesus:
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
Romans 3:21-26
The third chapter of Romans provides us with one of the clearest portraits of Jesus as Savior.
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26)
God loves us. We all sin and fall short of His standard of perfection. Jesus shed His blood and died on the cross to save us, to forgive us, to enable us to be reconciled to a perfect and holy God.
Because Jesus is our Savior.
- Our sins have been forgiven. (Colossians 1:14)
- We have peace with God. (Romans 5:1)
- We have been declared righteous. (Romans 5:19)
- We are new creatures. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
- We have eternal life. (John 3:16)
- We have been adopted by God. (Ephesians 1:5)
- His Holy Spirit lives in us. (Galatians 4:6)
- Jesus is our advocate. (1 John 2:1)
- Nothing can separate us from God’s love. (Romans 8:35)
- Death has no more power over us. (1 Corinthians 15:54-57)
- We have an inheritance that can never perish. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
That’s quite a list! Which is the most meaningful to you?
Universal and Exclusive
Jesus is both a universal Savior and an exclusive Savior. John 3:16 says
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
God loves the whole world and died for the whole world, but salvation is for those who believe in Jesus.
By the way, believe is not something simply done in your head, like you might believe in the Easter Bunny or that the Detroit Lions will win the next Super Bowl. Biblical belief requires action. It’s like believing a parachute will work and therefore you jump out of the airplane. You believe the odd-looking food is nourishing so you eat it. Faith is never passive.
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Contrary to what contemporary culture tells us, there are not multiple paths to God. There is only one—Jesus Christ. Only One died for us. Only One conquered sin and death. Only One is alive thousands of years later!
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
This is, admittedly, politically incorrect. It can be downright offensive, except for the fact that Jesus died of all. He offers Himself as a gift to all…who receive the gift.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:9-13)
In his book Radical, David Platt tells of a conversation outside a Buddhist temple in Indonesia with a Buddhist leader and a Muslim leader. One said, “We may have different views about small issues, but when it comes down to essential issues, each of our religions is the same.” Platt said, “It sounds as though you both picture God (or whatever you call god) at the top of a mountain. It seems as if you believe that we are all at the bottom of the mountain, and I may take one route up the mountain, you may take another, and in the end we will all end up in the same place.” They smiled as I spoke. Happily they replied, “Exactly! You understand!” Then I leaned in and said, “Now let me ask you a question. What would you think if I told you that the God at the top of the mountain actually came down to where we are? What would you think if I told you that God doesn’t wait for people to find their way to him, but instead he comes to us?” They thought for a moment and then responded, “That would be great.” I replied, “Let me introduce you to Jesus.”
This is the gospel. The gospel is Jesus. He is our Savior who lived and died and rose for us. He offers each of us Himself as the greatest gift, a gift we can reject or receive.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
We don’t deserve it; that’s grace, unmerited favor. It’s amazing!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Always Remember, Family rules, 1 March 2015
01 03 15
Big Idea: A healthy church family remembers its history…and His story.
Introduction
Every year Oxford University Press, publisher of the Oxford English Dictionary, announces a “word of the year.” For example, in 2005 it was “podcast.” 2009’s word was “unfriend.” The 2013 word of the year was “selfie.”
Have you ever taken a selfie? Why?
We take pictures for one primary reason—to capture a moment and remember an event. I remember when my dad borrowed the first Sony video camera from a friend. We saw ourselves in black and white on our television and would later fill literally hundreds of videotapes (remember those?) with events recorded for future viewing. In fact, it’s not uncommon when we visit my mom to see our younger selves on her TV!
Imagine a world without video or even photography. How would we record an event? Primal cultures often drew pictures or used hieroglyphics. The most common tool we have is letters and books. Folk songs and folk tales have been popular oral traditions of remembering the past.
Know Thyself
Be Real
Welcome Strangers
Resolve Conflict
Serve Together
Celebrate Diversity
Make Disciples
Today’s rule is “always remember.”
Always remember. Like the others, it’s simple. Two words. Always remember. The opposite would be…never forget!
Why do remember…or why do we forget?
There’s a prominent subject in school dedicate to remembrance: history.
Do you like history?
Here are a few famous history quotes:
“The more you know of you history, the more liberated you are.” - Maya Angelou
“Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.” - Edmund Burke
“History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.” - Winston Churchill
Of course no quotes are more important than those from God. Did you know God remembers? “Of course,” you say, “He never forgets.” In the ninth chapter of Genesis he speaks to Noah following the flood.
I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” (Genesis 9:15-16)
Often the English word “remember” is a command to us. Why? Because we forget!
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. (Exodus 20:8)
Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. (Deuteronomy 5:15a)
Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, (1 Chronicles 16:12)
I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. (Psalm 77:11)
This morning, family, there are three things I want us to always remember.
Scio’s History
First, our church family history. We began as the Ypsilanti Gospel Tabernacle in 1934. You may recall we celebrated our 80th anniversary last year.
The name was changed to the Alliance Bible Fellowship in 1984 when it moved to Carpenter School in Ann Arbor.
In 1988, this building was completed and our family became known as Scio Community Church.
(If the westward migration continues, we’ll eventually be called the Chicago Alliance Church!).
Many great pastors have guided our family over these 81 years and I’m humbled to serve today.
As we did last year, we celebrate God’s faithfulness over more than eight decades. A lot has changed since 1934, but our family remains together following Jesus.
The Alliance
Our church’s history doesn’t actually begin in Ypsilanti in 1934, but rather in New York City in the late 1800’s with a Canadian named A.B. Simpson. He established the New York Gospel Tabernacle “to bring likeminded people together into an organization that could facilitate outreach ministries.” This included the first team of missionaries to the Congo in 1994. Although the Christian & Missionary Alliance did not officially become a denomination until 1974, mission has literally been our middle name. We have brothers and sisters in 70 countries planing churches, training national church leaders, providing relief and development assistance, medical and dental care, and microenterprise projects. We have nearly 2000 churches in the USA, about 600 of which are intercultural. Globally, there are over 3 million people in our Alliance family
The Church
The third thing I want us to remember is the Church of Jesus Christ. It began about two thousand years ago from Jewish roots dating back to a covenant made between God and Abraham.
Theologian N.T. Wright views the Bible as a 5 Act Play.
Act 1: creation
Acts 2: the Fall
Act 3: Israel
Act 4: Jesus
Act 5: New Testament and the people of God (the Church)
Some have suggested we are in Act 6, with Act 7 being the new heaven and new earth mentioned in Revelation.
If indeed there are seven acts, Jesus is at the center in Act 4. His life, death and resurrection were not intended to begin a new religion, but rather pave the way for us to reconcile with our heavenly Father, discover what it means to be truly human, and experience the kingdom of God.
Perhaps you’ve looked at our list of family rules and thought we should include “love God” or “love others,” but those two basic commands of Jesus have been interwoven throughout, and today we remember our Messiah who faithfully modeled those two simple yet challenging commands.
Communion
For centuries our brothers and sisters have remembered Jesus through an act known as the Eucharist, the Lord’s Supper, or communion. It’s obedience to a command of Jesus.
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
Sometimes we are tempted to go through the motions, eating a tiny cracker and drinking a taste of grape juice. The context was actually supper. It was a meal. Perhaps we should do communion during our potlucks.
Paul continues to the people of Corinth
So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. (1 Corinthians 11:27-29)
Paul adds…
That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:30-32)
So What?
Throughout the scriptures we are told by God to remember. Without understanding the past we will struggle to understand the present and we will surely repeat mistakes.
Some want to live in the past. This is extremely dangerous. The rear view mirror helps us see where we’ve been and how we’ve got here, but if we stare too long in the rear view mirror we’ll have a tragic future!
We must remember the past. We can even celebrate the past. But we must never live in the past. God is always doing a new thing.
You have heard these things; look at them all.
Will you not admit them?
“From now on I will tell you of new things,
of hidden things unknown to you. (Isaiah 48:6)
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland. (Isaiah 43:19)
Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” (Matthew 9:17)
And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” (Mark 2:22)
And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. (Luke 5:37-38)
We are in Act 6 of the 7 act play God is producing. Many fear the future, but I’ve got great news for you: Jesus is already there! He’s in 2016. He’s in 2017. He’s in 3017! Every generation experiences things better and worse than previous generations, but God is with us…always. He is gradually unveiling His plans for humanity that will eventually lead to a new heaven and a new earth—an eternity with Him! I’ve read the end of the book. The best is yet to come!
In the meantime, let’s remember the past, fully embrace the present, and co-create the future with Jesus until He returns.
Conclusion
Selfies are fun ways to capture ourselves in various places. Perhaps even better than a selfie is a group photo that shows us with family, in community. We were created for relationships—with God and others—and often our best memories come from shared experiences with others.
One More Thing
One more thing…join the family! You know our history. You know our mission. You know our rules. All that’s left is for you to briefly share your story with the elders.
Some people have told me they don’t need a piece of paper in order to be married, but a marriage certificate has meaning. It formally declares one’s commitment to another.
Church membership is similar. Perhaps you’ve thought, “This is my family, but why do I need to become a member?” Unlike American Express, membership is not loaded with privileges, but it does make a statement to the rest of the family that you’re committed to us. You want to be more than a roommate or spectator.
If you’re not yet a member of Scio, I urge to speak with an elder about formally joining our family. It really matters. Every Sunday is a family reunion, and you’re invited to join our family!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
Every year Oxford University Press, publisher of the Oxford English Dictionary, announces a “word of the year.” For example, in 2005 it was “podcast.” 2009’s word was “unfriend.” The 2013 word of the year was “selfie.”
Have you ever taken a selfie? Why?
We take pictures for one primary reason—to capture a moment and remember an event. I remember when my dad borrowed the first Sony video camera from a friend. We saw ourselves in black and white on our television and would later fill literally hundreds of videotapes (remember those?) with events recorded for future viewing. In fact, it’s not uncommon when we visit my mom to see our younger selves on her TV!
Imagine a world without video or even photography. How would we record an event? Primal cultures often drew pictures or used hieroglyphics. The most common tool we have is letters and books. Folk songs and folk tales have been popular oral traditions of remembering the past.
Know Thyself
Be Real
Welcome Strangers
Resolve Conflict
Serve Together
Celebrate Diversity
Make Disciples
Today’s rule is “always remember.”
Always remember. Like the others, it’s simple. Two words. Always remember. The opposite would be…never forget!
Why do remember…or why do we forget?
There’s a prominent subject in school dedicate to remembrance: history.
Do you like history?
Here are a few famous history quotes:
“The more you know of you history, the more liberated you are.” - Maya Angelou
“Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.” - Edmund Burke
“History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.” - Winston Churchill
Of course no quotes are more important than those from God. Did you know God remembers? “Of course,” you say, “He never forgets.” In the ninth chapter of Genesis he speaks to Noah following the flood.
I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” (Genesis 9:15-16)
Often the English word “remember” is a command to us. Why? Because we forget!
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. (Exodus 20:8)
Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. (Deuteronomy 5:15a)
Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, (1 Chronicles 16:12)
I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. (Psalm 77:11)
This morning, family, there are three things I want us to always remember.
Scio’s History
First, our church family history. We began as the Ypsilanti Gospel Tabernacle in 1934. You may recall we celebrated our 80th anniversary last year.
The name was changed to the Alliance Bible Fellowship in 1984 when it moved to Carpenter School in Ann Arbor.
In 1988, this building was completed and our family became known as Scio Community Church.
(If the westward migration continues, we’ll eventually be called the Chicago Alliance Church!).
Many great pastors have guided our family over these 81 years and I’m humbled to serve today.
As we did last year, we celebrate God’s faithfulness over more than eight decades. A lot has changed since 1934, but our family remains together following Jesus.
The Alliance
Our church’s history doesn’t actually begin in Ypsilanti in 1934, but rather in New York City in the late 1800’s with a Canadian named A.B. Simpson. He established the New York Gospel Tabernacle “to bring likeminded people together into an organization that could facilitate outreach ministries.” This included the first team of missionaries to the Congo in 1994. Although the Christian & Missionary Alliance did not officially become a denomination until 1974, mission has literally been our middle name. We have brothers and sisters in 70 countries planing churches, training national church leaders, providing relief and development assistance, medical and dental care, and microenterprise projects. We have nearly 2000 churches in the USA, about 600 of which are intercultural. Globally, there are over 3 million people in our Alliance family
The Church
The third thing I want us to remember is the Church of Jesus Christ. It began about two thousand years ago from Jewish roots dating back to a covenant made between God and Abraham.
Theologian N.T. Wright views the Bible as a 5 Act Play.
Act 1: creation
Acts 2: the Fall
Act 3: Israel
Act 4: Jesus
Act 5: New Testament and the people of God (the Church)
Some have suggested we are in Act 6, with Act 7 being the new heaven and new earth mentioned in Revelation.
If indeed there are seven acts, Jesus is at the center in Act 4. His life, death and resurrection were not intended to begin a new religion, but rather pave the way for us to reconcile with our heavenly Father, discover what it means to be truly human, and experience the kingdom of God.
Perhaps you’ve looked at our list of family rules and thought we should include “love God” or “love others,” but those two basic commands of Jesus have been interwoven throughout, and today we remember our Messiah who faithfully modeled those two simple yet challenging commands.
Communion
For centuries our brothers and sisters have remembered Jesus through an act known as the Eucharist, the Lord’s Supper, or communion. It’s obedience to a command of Jesus.
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
Sometimes we are tempted to go through the motions, eating a tiny cracker and drinking a taste of grape juice. The context was actually supper. It was a meal. Perhaps we should do communion during our potlucks.
Paul continues to the people of Corinth
So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. (1 Corinthians 11:27-29)
Paul adds…
That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:30-32)
So What?
Throughout the scriptures we are told by God to remember. Without understanding the past we will struggle to understand the present and we will surely repeat mistakes.
Some want to live in the past. This is extremely dangerous. The rear view mirror helps us see where we’ve been and how we’ve got here, but if we stare too long in the rear view mirror we’ll have a tragic future!
We must remember the past. We can even celebrate the past. But we must never live in the past. God is always doing a new thing.
You have heard these things; look at them all.
Will you not admit them?
“From now on I will tell you of new things,
of hidden things unknown to you. (Isaiah 48:6)
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland. (Isaiah 43:19)
Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” (Matthew 9:17)
And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” (Mark 2:22)
And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. (Luke 5:37-38)
We are in Act 6 of the 7 act play God is producing. Many fear the future, but I’ve got great news for you: Jesus is already there! He’s in 2016. He’s in 2017. He’s in 3017! Every generation experiences things better and worse than previous generations, but God is with us…always. He is gradually unveiling His plans for humanity that will eventually lead to a new heaven and a new earth—an eternity with Him! I’ve read the end of the book. The best is yet to come!
In the meantime, let’s remember the past, fully embrace the present, and co-create the future with Jesus until He returns.
Conclusion
Selfies are fun ways to capture ourselves in various places. Perhaps even better than a selfie is a group photo that shows us with family, in community. We were created for relationships—with God and others—and often our best memories come from shared experiences with others.
One More Thing
One more thing…join the family! You know our history. You know our mission. You know our rules. All that’s left is for you to briefly share your story with the elders.
Some people have told me they don’t need a piece of paper in order to be married, but a marriage certificate has meaning. It formally declares one’s commitment to another.
Church membership is similar. Perhaps you’ve thought, “This is my family, but why do I need to become a member?” Unlike American Express, membership is not loaded with privileges, but it does make a statement to the rest of the family that you’re committed to us. You want to be more than a roommate or spectator.
If you’re not yet a member of Scio, I urge to speak with an elder about formally joining our family. It really matters. Every Sunday is a family reunion, and you’re invited to join our family!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Make Disciples, Family Rules, 22 February 2015
23 02 15
Big Idea: A healthy church family reproduces by making disciples.
Introduction
I’m not a big fan of hospitals. For years it was because I would routinely pass out in them, even if it was in the gift shop! It’s some psychological thing inherited from my mom! The worst experience occurred on our first Christmas Eve as husband and wife. Heather made hot cider for our family party in our home, poured it into a crystal bowl until it shattered, leaving her screaming with second and third degree burns on her legs. In the ER as I faithfully stood beside my new bride, offering my steady support and encouragement one of the workers yelled, “Get another gurney…for the husband!”
Unfortunately I’ve had a lot of experience in hospitals during our marriage…too much! I feel as if I know every square inch of U-M, St Joe’s, and Cleveland Clinic. Despite my issues with hospitals there’s one place that’s wonderful—the maternity ward!
There are few celebrations like that of a new baby. It’s such a big deal, in fact, that we celebrate the anniversary of their birth each year they are alive—and sometimes even longer! This past week, in fact, I celebrated my birth-day (though the hospital where I was born no longer exists!)!
Imagine a world without maternity wards; a world without babies. It would be quieter, but it would only be a matter of time until the world would experience true and total silence. The survival of our species requires new births…and the maturation of those babies into reproducing adults who co-create more babies.
Believe it or not, this is an alarming issue for some cultures today. We’re all familiar with endangered species in the animal kingdom, often the result of uncontrolled hunting.
In Japan, for instance, there are only 8.07 births per 1000 persons*, a number that is not sustainable, according to the experts. If there are more deaths than births, eventually a culture will cease to exist.
*Note: as a basis of comparision,
Monaco, 6.72 (lowest)
Niger, 46.12 (highest)
USA, 13.42
Couples in the world’s five biggest developed economies — the United States, Japan, Germany, France and Britain — had 350,000 fewer babies in 2012 than in 2008, a drop of nearly 5 percent. The United Nations forecasts that women in those countries will have an average of 1.7 children in their lifetimes. Demographers say the fertility rate needs to reach 2.1 just to keep populations constant.
In Japan, sales of adult diapers will exceed sales of baby diapers this year, according to Euromonitor International, a marketing research firm. In South Korea, where births have fallen 11 percent in a decade, 121 primary schools had no new students last year.
And in China, where the working-age population is set to shrink next year, the government is relaxing a policy that had limited many families to one child. It might not help much. Chinese are choosing to stick to one on their own.
It has been said that the church is one generation away from extinction. What is Scio’s future? What is the future of the Church of Jesus Christ on our planet?
We’re nearing the end of our series Family Rules, a double entendre. We’ve said
Today’s rule is make disciples.
Before we look to the future, I want to ask a common question about the present: why are you here?
Why are you here? These were my first words spoken here as your pastor. We need to return to this question from time to time to remember why we do the things we do. What is our mission? What is our purpose?
Does your family have a mission statement? Here’s an example:
Our mission is to be a contagious family of faith, hope, and love.
I recently found a list of “honest” church mission statements. They’re not written anywhere, but they describe why some churches exist.
Our mission is to grow worship service attendance by attracting the “have-it-together” people in our community who will then invite other “have-it-together” people in our community.
Our mission is to be ready for 1950 in case that decade rolls around again.
Our mission is never-ending, double-digit, transfer growth in our relevant worship services by franchising our church across our region.
Our mission is to be the only genuine church in our city because we don’t need church buildings and refuse to let our children be influenced by the public
school system.
Our mission is to feel good that we are Spirit-filled and to help others feel good through our Spirit-filled worship services where God’s presence feels good.
Our mission is to keep the elders happy, bills paid and staff employed.
Our mission is to have a gospel-centered mission statement that will help a gospel-centered people do anything we want as long as it is gospel-centered.
At Scio, our mission looks a bit different. Quite a bit different!
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
• serving our communities
• sharing our story
• sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
This is our family’s mission. It’s why we exist. In many ways it parallels the Christian & Missionary Alliance commitment to be a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Jesus said to love God and love others, the Great Commandment, and arguably the best way to do both is to obey what we call the Great Commission:
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
That’s it: love God, love others, go and make disciples, baptizing and teaching them.
Jesus said nothing about building buildings, having potlucks, style of music, wearing robes, reading from the King James Version, or creating a website. Those may be part of the process, but we must never mistaken the process for the purpose.
Love God, love others, go and make disciples. These are commands, not suggestions!
What’s a disciple? Simply, it’s a follower or student of a teacher. It’s an apprentice. A protege.
Parents, this is what you do every day, whether you realize it or not. Children model the behavior of their parents. Decades ago Harry Chapin’s song Cat’s in the Cradle described this natural process beautifully. The final two lines reflect the father’s observation:
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me, he'd grown up just like me.
My boy was just like me.
I believe the vision Jesus had for His followers as He stood on the Mount of Olives outside the gates of Jerusalem was they they would be just like Him…and they would reproduce their lives into others who would become just like them…and the next generation would pass the baton to the next and the next.
One of my favorite verses in the entire Bible is 2 Timothy 2:2 (it’s also a fun address!). Paul writes to His disciple, Timothy, and says
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)
Notice there are four generations in this one verse:
I stand before you as Mr. Schneemann because of my dad, Mr. Schneemann, and his dad, Mr. Schneemann, and his dad, Mr. Schneemann who came to the USA on a boat from Europe.
I stand before you as a disciple of my dad who was a disciple of his dad who was a disciple of his dad (all men of faith) who encountered a disciple of Jesus as a bouncer in a bar.
Do you see how it works? Here’s the thing: we can be passive or intentional. We can live like everyone else and train future generations to live like everyone else or we can buck the status quo, live radical lives like Jesus—not without great cost and possibly our very lives—and watch His mission continue far beyond us.
I don’t know about you, but that’s the legacy I want to leave. I want my children and grandchildren and great grandchildren—both biologically and spiritually—to be known as men and women of faith, hope and love; men and women filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. I want people to confuse my offspring with Jesus!
“Great,” you say, “but how?”
I’m so glad you asked!
First and foremost, before we can make disciples we must become disciples ourselves. We can teach what we know but we reproduce who we are.
All of us have mentors. There are people who have influenced us. This includes family, obviously, but authors, teachers, and friends. Some may have been carefully chosen while others may have somewhat randomly entered our lives.
I remember my dad asking me, once, who was mentoring me. Who’s disciple are you?
Since they were little, I’ve told my kids, “You are your friends.” Choose wisely.
Last summer I was working with our son and he said, “Dad, I love tattoos…but I don’t know why.” I asked if any of his friends had any tattoos. He said, “All of them.” Boom!
Again, you have subconscious mentors like friends or family members. You also have the opportunity to consciously choose mentors or teachers or disciplers to follow. They may be distant mentors like A.W. Tozer or A.B. Simpson, dead men who were prolific in their writing, speaking, and influence. You might approach someone and say, “I admire you and your life. Would you be willing to invest in mine?”
Perhaps the greatest discipler among our Scio family has been Mary Aleksoff. Her life has influenced so many, particularly women. In some instances she may have approached younger women and in others perhaps younger women sought her out. Regardless, she has been reproducing her Jesus-like self in so many.
Keep in mind she is not a perfect example but a living example.
Paul said to the people of Corinth simply:
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1)
Who is discipling you? Who would you like to disciple you? Ask them! Many of you are discipled each week by your Life Group leader. Our Life Group leaders are some of the most important people at Scio as we seek to not only make disciples but then send them to bless the nations.
Who are you discipling? “I can’t disciple!” you might say. Yes you can…and you do. People are watching you, whether you realize it or not. College students, there are high schools who look up to you. High schoolers, there are middle school students who model your behavior, faith, and attitudes.
You don’t have to be a perfect example, just a living example.
In fact, mentoring is about what you offer someone through your wisdom and experience. Discipleship is about what Jesus can offer someone through His wisdom and presence. We are not called to produce living water so much as be conduits through which the power of God can flow to others. We are not the baton, but rather we carry the baton of faith, so to speak, and pass it on to others.
For the past several years I have invited young men into a discipleship relationship. Like Jesus, I chose them after seeing potential for them to become reproducing disciples. I have given them access to my life, we meet together as a group for a Huddle, and seek ways we can live out the mission of Scio…the mission of Jesus. They are all challenged to prepare to launch their own Huddle soon. Mike Breen and 3D Movements have created some of the best discipleship tools I’ve ever seen. Mike’s book Building A Discipling Culture is recommended reading for anyone seeking to become and make disciples.
This is not something I do as a pastor or professional Christian. It’s something we are all called to do as disciples—reproduce! Many of the most influential disciplers in my life were not pastors. They simply lived lives worth following. Again, some were formal and some I’ve never met because they’re distant or dead.
Discipleship is not easy. It requires an investment of our very lives.
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? (Luke 9:23-25)
As disciples of Jesus, our lives do not belong to us. They belong to Him!
Two More Things
The command of Jesus is to make disciples of all nations. This follows last week’s theme of celebrate diversity. It beautifully fits our county where there are people living in our community from more than 100 nations. It also reinforces one of the purposes of The Santiago Experience. We are going to the Dominican Republic to make disciples of not only USAmericans but also Dominicans. Whether it’s befriending someone in your neighborhood, school or workplace or connecting with someone from another country online or getting your passport stamped we are called to make disciples of all nations.
Ultimately we are not merely disciples of Paul or Tozer or Simpson or Mary Aleksoff…we are to be disciples of Jesus. It simply helps to see “Jesus with skin on” and see what it really looks like to follow Christ in our day. We must spend time with disciplers, but also with Jesus. If we are to love and follow King Jesus we must spend time with Him, we must study His teachings, we must follow His example, we must listen and learn through prayer and solitude.
Conclusion
I have a dream. Yes, I have many, but I have a dream that Scio would be a family known for making disciples. That’s a huge part of why we exist.
Our Scio nursery has been empty for quite some time. We’ve been praying that it would be filled and later this year there will be at least one or two babies, which is exciting! Babies are exciting! They can be loud and messy but very exciting! Of course the excitement of babies is not merely the present but the future potential they embody.
In the same way I’m praying for the spiritual nursery of Scio to filled. I am praying that our baptistry is filled throughout this year as we join with the angels in rejoicing when souls are saved. Of course that’s not the end of the journey but merely an important step in the process of discipleship. If you’ve been baptized, you have a God-given responsibility and privilege to help others experience Jesus, surrender to Him, and make their faith public…and then grow and help others to do the same.
Who is discipling you?
Who are you discipling?
It’s the circle of life! It’s why we exist. It’s God’s mission for every man, woman and child…and it’s a joy to play a small role in His mission.
To God be the glory for the great things He has done!!!
LORD, may Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in Scio, in Ann Arbor, in southeastern Michigan, on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
I’m not a big fan of hospitals. For years it was because I would routinely pass out in them, even if it was in the gift shop! It’s some psychological thing inherited from my mom! The worst experience occurred on our first Christmas Eve as husband and wife. Heather made hot cider for our family party in our home, poured it into a crystal bowl until it shattered, leaving her screaming with second and third degree burns on her legs. In the ER as I faithfully stood beside my new bride, offering my steady support and encouragement one of the workers yelled, “Get another gurney…for the husband!”
Unfortunately I’ve had a lot of experience in hospitals during our marriage…too much! I feel as if I know every square inch of U-M, St Joe’s, and Cleveland Clinic. Despite my issues with hospitals there’s one place that’s wonderful—the maternity ward!
There are few celebrations like that of a new baby. It’s such a big deal, in fact, that we celebrate the anniversary of their birth each year they are alive—and sometimes even longer! This past week, in fact, I celebrated my birth-day (though the hospital where I was born no longer exists!)!
Imagine a world without maternity wards; a world without babies. It would be quieter, but it would only be a matter of time until the world would experience true and total silence. The survival of our species requires new births…and the maturation of those babies into reproducing adults who co-create more babies.
Believe it or not, this is an alarming issue for some cultures today. We’re all familiar with endangered species in the animal kingdom, often the result of uncontrolled hunting.
In Japan, for instance, there are only 8.07 births per 1000 persons*, a number that is not sustainable, according to the experts. If there are more deaths than births, eventually a culture will cease to exist.
*Note: as a basis of comparision,
Monaco, 6.72 (lowest)
Niger, 46.12 (highest)
USA, 13.42
Couples in the world’s five biggest developed economies — the United States, Japan, Germany, France and Britain — had 350,000 fewer babies in 2012 than in 2008, a drop of nearly 5 percent. The United Nations forecasts that women in those countries will have an average of 1.7 children in their lifetimes. Demographers say the fertility rate needs to reach 2.1 just to keep populations constant.
In Japan, sales of adult diapers will exceed sales of baby diapers this year, according to Euromonitor International, a marketing research firm. In South Korea, where births have fallen 11 percent in a decade, 121 primary schools had no new students last year.
And in China, where the working-age population is set to shrink next year, the government is relaxing a policy that had limited many families to one child. It might not help much. Chinese are choosing to stick to one on their own.
It has been said that the church is one generation away from extinction. What is Scio’s future? What is the future of the Church of Jesus Christ on our planet?
We’re nearing the end of our series Family Rules, a double entendre. We’ve said
- know thyself
- be real
- welcome strangers
- resolve conflict
- serve together
- celebrate diversity
Today’s rule is make disciples.
Before we look to the future, I want to ask a common question about the present: why are you here?
Why are you here? These were my first words spoken here as your pastor. We need to return to this question from time to time to remember why we do the things we do. What is our mission? What is our purpose?
Does your family have a mission statement? Here’s an example:
Our mission is to be a contagious family of faith, hope, and love.
I recently found a list of “honest” church mission statements. They’re not written anywhere, but they describe why some churches exist.
Our mission is to grow worship service attendance by attracting the “have-it-together” people in our community who will then invite other “have-it-together” people in our community.
Our mission is to be ready for 1950 in case that decade rolls around again.
Our mission is never-ending, double-digit, transfer growth in our relevant worship services by franchising our church across our region.
Our mission is to be the only genuine church in our city because we don’t need church buildings and refuse to let our children be influenced by the public
school system.
Our mission is to feel good that we are Spirit-filled and to help others feel good through our Spirit-filled worship services where God’s presence feels good.
Our mission is to keep the elders happy, bills paid and staff employed.
Our mission is to have a gospel-centered mission statement that will help a gospel-centered people do anything we want as long as it is gospel-centered.
At Scio, our mission looks a bit different. Quite a bit different!
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
• serving our communities
• sharing our story
• sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
This is our family’s mission. It’s why we exist. In many ways it parallels the Christian & Missionary Alliance commitment to be a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Jesus said to love God and love others, the Great Commandment, and arguably the best way to do both is to obey what we call the Great Commission:
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
That’s it: love God, love others, go and make disciples, baptizing and teaching them.
Jesus said nothing about building buildings, having potlucks, style of music, wearing robes, reading from the King James Version, or creating a website. Those may be part of the process, but we must never mistaken the process for the purpose.
Love God, love others, go and make disciples. These are commands, not suggestions!
What’s a disciple? Simply, it’s a follower or student of a teacher. It’s an apprentice. A protege.
Parents, this is what you do every day, whether you realize it or not. Children model the behavior of their parents. Decades ago Harry Chapin’s song Cat’s in the Cradle described this natural process beautifully. The final two lines reflect the father’s observation:
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me, he'd grown up just like me.
My boy was just like me.
I believe the vision Jesus had for His followers as He stood on the Mount of Olives outside the gates of Jerusalem was they they would be just like Him…and they would reproduce their lives into others who would become just like them…and the next generation would pass the baton to the next and the next.
One of my favorite verses in the entire Bible is 2 Timothy 2:2 (it’s also a fun address!). Paul writes to His disciple, Timothy, and says
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)
Notice there are four generations in this one verse:
- Paul
- Timothy
- reliable people
- others
I stand before you as Mr. Schneemann because of my dad, Mr. Schneemann, and his dad, Mr. Schneemann, and his dad, Mr. Schneemann who came to the USA on a boat from Europe.
I stand before you as a disciple of my dad who was a disciple of his dad who was a disciple of his dad (all men of faith) who encountered a disciple of Jesus as a bouncer in a bar.
Do you see how it works? Here’s the thing: we can be passive or intentional. We can live like everyone else and train future generations to live like everyone else or we can buck the status quo, live radical lives like Jesus—not without great cost and possibly our very lives—and watch His mission continue far beyond us.
I don’t know about you, but that’s the legacy I want to leave. I want my children and grandchildren and great grandchildren—both biologically and spiritually—to be known as men and women of faith, hope and love; men and women filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. I want people to confuse my offspring with Jesus!
“Great,” you say, “but how?”
I’m so glad you asked!
First and foremost, before we can make disciples we must become disciples ourselves. We can teach what we know but we reproduce who we are.
All of us have mentors. There are people who have influenced us. This includes family, obviously, but authors, teachers, and friends. Some may have been carefully chosen while others may have somewhat randomly entered our lives.
I remember my dad asking me, once, who was mentoring me. Who’s disciple are you?
Since they were little, I’ve told my kids, “You are your friends.” Choose wisely.
Last summer I was working with our son and he said, “Dad, I love tattoos…but I don’t know why.” I asked if any of his friends had any tattoos. He said, “All of them.” Boom!
Again, you have subconscious mentors like friends or family members. You also have the opportunity to consciously choose mentors or teachers or disciplers to follow. They may be distant mentors like A.W. Tozer or A.B. Simpson, dead men who were prolific in their writing, speaking, and influence. You might approach someone and say, “I admire you and your life. Would you be willing to invest in mine?”
Perhaps the greatest discipler among our Scio family has been Mary Aleksoff. Her life has influenced so many, particularly women. In some instances she may have approached younger women and in others perhaps younger women sought her out. Regardless, she has been reproducing her Jesus-like self in so many.
Keep in mind she is not a perfect example but a living example.
Paul said to the people of Corinth simply:
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1)
Who is discipling you? Who would you like to disciple you? Ask them! Many of you are discipled each week by your Life Group leader. Our Life Group leaders are some of the most important people at Scio as we seek to not only make disciples but then send them to bless the nations.
Who are you discipling? “I can’t disciple!” you might say. Yes you can…and you do. People are watching you, whether you realize it or not. College students, there are high schools who look up to you. High schoolers, there are middle school students who model your behavior, faith, and attitudes.
You don’t have to be a perfect example, just a living example.
In fact, mentoring is about what you offer someone through your wisdom and experience. Discipleship is about what Jesus can offer someone through His wisdom and presence. We are not called to produce living water so much as be conduits through which the power of God can flow to others. We are not the baton, but rather we carry the baton of faith, so to speak, and pass it on to others.
For the past several years I have invited young men into a discipleship relationship. Like Jesus, I chose them after seeing potential for them to become reproducing disciples. I have given them access to my life, we meet together as a group for a Huddle, and seek ways we can live out the mission of Scio…the mission of Jesus. They are all challenged to prepare to launch their own Huddle soon. Mike Breen and 3D Movements have created some of the best discipleship tools I’ve ever seen. Mike’s book Building A Discipling Culture is recommended reading for anyone seeking to become and make disciples.
This is not something I do as a pastor or professional Christian. It’s something we are all called to do as disciples—reproduce! Many of the most influential disciplers in my life were not pastors. They simply lived lives worth following. Again, some were formal and some I’ve never met because they’re distant or dead.
Discipleship is not easy. It requires an investment of our very lives.
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? (Luke 9:23-25)
As disciples of Jesus, our lives do not belong to us. They belong to Him!
Two More Things
The command of Jesus is to make disciples of all nations. This follows last week’s theme of celebrate diversity. It beautifully fits our county where there are people living in our community from more than 100 nations. It also reinforces one of the purposes of The Santiago Experience. We are going to the Dominican Republic to make disciples of not only USAmericans but also Dominicans. Whether it’s befriending someone in your neighborhood, school or workplace or connecting with someone from another country online or getting your passport stamped we are called to make disciples of all nations.
Ultimately we are not merely disciples of Paul or Tozer or Simpson or Mary Aleksoff…we are to be disciples of Jesus. It simply helps to see “Jesus with skin on” and see what it really looks like to follow Christ in our day. We must spend time with disciplers, but also with Jesus. If we are to love and follow King Jesus we must spend time with Him, we must study His teachings, we must follow His example, we must listen and learn through prayer and solitude.
Conclusion
I have a dream. Yes, I have many, but I have a dream that Scio would be a family known for making disciples. That’s a huge part of why we exist.
Our Scio nursery has been empty for quite some time. We’ve been praying that it would be filled and later this year there will be at least one or two babies, which is exciting! Babies are exciting! They can be loud and messy but very exciting! Of course the excitement of babies is not merely the present but the future potential they embody.
In the same way I’m praying for the spiritual nursery of Scio to filled. I am praying that our baptistry is filled throughout this year as we join with the angels in rejoicing when souls are saved. Of course that’s not the end of the journey but merely an important step in the process of discipleship. If you’ve been baptized, you have a God-given responsibility and privilege to help others experience Jesus, surrender to Him, and make their faith public…and then grow and help others to do the same.
Who is discipling you?
Who are you discipling?
It’s the circle of life! It’s why we exist. It’s God’s mission for every man, woman and child…and it’s a joy to play a small role in His mission.
To God be the glory for the great things He has done!!!
LORD, may Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in Scio, in Ann Arbor, in southeastern Michigan, on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Celebrate Diversity, Family Rules, 15 February 2015
14 02 15
Big Idea: A healthy church family celebrates its diversity and respects each member.
I Want To Be A Clone by Steve Taylor
The world was introduced to Steve Taylor with this song in 1983.
Imagine if we were all clones. We all looked the same. We all believed the same. We all acted the same. We all ate the same food, wore the same clothes, and cheered for the same sports teams.
Boring!
I have a confession to make: I’m a variety junkie. My favorite restaurant is the one I’ve never visited. I hate to order the same thing twice off any menu. I love different cultures. My music library is as eclectic as any I know. Strange and unusual people fascinate me (takes one to know one!). I’m eager to learn about other worldviews and traditions.
Here’s the irony: my favorite flavor of ice cream is vanilla (though it must be good, with vanilla bean specks!).
We’re in the middle of a series entitled Family Rules, a double entendre. This is not merely a series about church in general, but Scio Community Church in particular. In previous weeks we’ve said
Know thyself
Be real
Resolve conflict
Serve together
Today’s rule is Celebrate diversity.
I love variety. God loves variety. Let me offer you a sneak preview of coming attractions. Listen to John’s Revelation of future worship:
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. (Revelation 7:9)
Can you imagine?
Every nation. God bless America…and Iraq…and North Korea…and every nation!
Every tribe. God bless Wolverines…and Spartans…and yes, even Buckeyes!
Every people. God bless whites…and blacks…and browns…and every race!
Every language. God bless those who speak English…and Hebrew…and Arabic…
What a picture. But look around. Does Scio look like this vision? Kind of!
Creation
God loves diversity. Obviously! How many different animals, varieties of trees, snowflakes, and stars exist? Perhaps the single greatest proof of God’s love for diversity occurred when He created woman from man.
Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
for she was taken out of man.” (Genesis 2:22-23)
He surely saw she was different, but proceeded to experience those differences every day that followed. Could there be a greater difference between men and women?!
One of our greatest senses is the sense of sight. We see things, including people. As we take in information, we make assessments. This allows us to instinctively avoid touches a pot with bubbling liquid inside. It alerts us to wear extra clothing when we observe blizzard conditions out the window.
There’s an old expression that you can’t judge a book by its cover…but we do! Click here!
Books are one thing, but we instinctively judge people based upon their appearances, too.
I have a friend who is a multi-millionaire after selling his business. He loves to walk into a car dealership with cash to buy a car and see how long it takes the salespeople to pay attention to this scruffy man who looks like he just left the farm!
We instinctively judge people based upon their appearance. In the 1980’s there was a craze to “dress for success.”
Like it or not, we are all prejudice. We pre-judge based upon the information we have, and often we have very little. People watching can be fascinating, if not terribly deceiving. This is a part of the human condition.
God told Samuel to anoint the next king of Israel.
The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” (1 Samuel 16:1)
But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” (1 Samuel 16:2)
The LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.” (1 Samuel 16:3)
Samuel did what the LORD said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?” (1 Samuel 16:4)
Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. (1 Samuel 16:5)
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’S anointed stands here before the LORD.” (1 Samuel 16:6)
Here’s the key verse:
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
A few verses later it says…
Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.” (1 Samuel 16:10)
Much to everyone’s surprise, it was the young shepherd God chose…David.
People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7b)
February is Black History month. I’m grateful for my African-American friends and the countless contributions they and their ancestors make in my life and the lives of all of us, despite horrific persecution. Unless you’ve been living under a rock you surely realize our society has made great progress with regards to civil rights…and yet we have a long way to go. Like MLK, one of my heroes,
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
For followers of Jesus, this should be old news. After all, it was God who created us different. Every man, woman and child has been created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth. Every one. The unborn. The disabled. The aged. The poor. The uneducated. The heterosexual. The homosexual. The transgender. The Muslim. The atheist. The Hindu. Even the Buckeye!
Color Blind?
Some well-meaning people have promoted the idea of color blindness. They claim they are color blind, yet this is problematic for two reasons:
As we noted earlier, we instinctively have first impressions. First impressions are not sinful. Like temptation, what matters is how we respond. Do we lean into our first impressions or do we challenge the assumptions and consider alternatives.
2. Color blindness strips us of our uniqueness.
I’m glad we’re not all the same! I’m glad you’re different. Sure, sometimes differences can create conflict, but even the tension can be good.
Jew and Gentile
Arguably the greatest tension in our nation’s history has been between blacks and whites. In biblical times, the Jew and Gentile tension as probably even greater. Racism and reverse racism was fierce and omnipresent.
We tend to gloss over mentions of Jew and Gentile as if the references were Chelsea and Dexter or USA and Canada. Paul was radical and offensive to the status quo:
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, (Romans 10:12)
For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (1 Corinthians 12:13)
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. (Colossians 3:11)
Notice these are four different letters. His message is consistent. In Christ we are one.
More Than Meets The Eye
Of course diversity is so much more skin deep. In fact, we’re all quite similar physically. We all have two eyes, one mouth, most of us have hair…!!! But even if we all looked exactly the same on the outside, we are all so different on the inside…and those differences can enrich the life of our family.
I have friends who are liberal and conservative politically. I love to listen to their views with an open mind and seek to learn from them.
I have friends who are liberal and conservative theologically. I love to listen to and learn from them, as well.
I have friends who were raised in other cultures with childhoods distinct from mine. I find their stories fascinating and their perspectives refreshing.
I have friends who speak other languages, look different than me, fall into a different socio-economic class and who challenge my assumptions and worldview.
And I’m just referring to Scio!!!
Yes, Scio is a diverse family. We may not be the most thoroughly diverse racially, but we are very different economically, theologically, politically, and in most every conceivable way.
That’s great!!! I’m reminded of a famous statement from 17th century German Lutheran theologian Rupert's Meldenius:
In essentials, unity
In non-essentials, liberty
In all things, charity
We are all different, and we can celebrate our diversity. As Paul wrote,
If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. (1 Corinthians 12:17-20)
I need you and you need me. Together we become a mosaic…a bunch of broken, diverse pieces of glass through which the light can shine.
So What? How can we celebrate diversity?
Seek to learn and grow. A posture of teachability is vital.
By the way, this will be especially true for those going to the Dominican Republic. Frequently the materially rich have sought to “fix” the materially poor. One’s possessions have no effect on their value and dignity as an image-bearer of Almighty God. Relationships level the playing field between the rich and poor, the educated and the uneducated, the Christian and the non-Christian. Jesus was not only a friend of sinners, He welcomed little children into His presence.
3. Expand your social network. This isn’t necessarily online, but think about your friendships. Do all of your friends look/vote/believe/act like you?
This is one of the challenges of our hyper-customized culture. It’s possible to surround one’s self with people just like themselves, missing the beauty of diversity.
As I have shared previously, I have learned so much from others, specifically followers of Jesus from different traditions. Two of my dearest friends are a Catholic priest, Father Ed, and a Messianic Jewish Rabbi, Allen Singer. The three of us are quite a trio! There’s gotta be a good joke in there somewhere! Yet each of us is preparing to spend eternity together with one another…and with Yeshua, Jesus.
We are all at different places in the spiritual journey, which is great! We need to help one another take the next step.
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. (1 Peter 3:8)
We are all different, yet related by blood…the blood of Jesus.
Conclusion
Human cloning has not yet been achieved—fortunately! It would be tragic…with one exception: Jesus. Scio, as we reflect the diversity of God’s beautiful creation, may we all be like Jesus, the ultimate human, our LORD, and coming King. “Christian” means “little Christ” and I pray that we will all be confused with Jesus as we love God and others every day.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
I Want To Be A Clone by Steve Taylor
The world was introduced to Steve Taylor with this song in 1983.
Imagine if we were all clones. We all looked the same. We all believed the same. We all acted the same. We all ate the same food, wore the same clothes, and cheered for the same sports teams.
Boring!
I have a confession to make: I’m a variety junkie. My favorite restaurant is the one I’ve never visited. I hate to order the same thing twice off any menu. I love different cultures. My music library is as eclectic as any I know. Strange and unusual people fascinate me (takes one to know one!). I’m eager to learn about other worldviews and traditions.
Here’s the irony: my favorite flavor of ice cream is vanilla (though it must be good, with vanilla bean specks!).
We’re in the middle of a series entitled Family Rules, a double entendre. This is not merely a series about church in general, but Scio Community Church in particular. In previous weeks we’ve said
Know thyself
Be real
Resolve conflict
Serve together
Today’s rule is Celebrate diversity.
I love variety. God loves variety. Let me offer you a sneak preview of coming attractions. Listen to John’s Revelation of future worship:
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. (Revelation 7:9)
Can you imagine?
Every nation. God bless America…and Iraq…and North Korea…and every nation!
Every tribe. God bless Wolverines…and Spartans…and yes, even Buckeyes!
Every people. God bless whites…and blacks…and browns…and every race!
Every language. God bless those who speak English…and Hebrew…and Arabic…
What a picture. But look around. Does Scio look like this vision? Kind of!
Creation
God loves diversity. Obviously! How many different animals, varieties of trees, snowflakes, and stars exist? Perhaps the single greatest proof of God’s love for diversity occurred when He created woman from man.
Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
for she was taken out of man.” (Genesis 2:22-23)
He surely saw she was different, but proceeded to experience those differences every day that followed. Could there be a greater difference between men and women?!
One of our greatest senses is the sense of sight. We see things, including people. As we take in information, we make assessments. This allows us to instinctively avoid touches a pot with bubbling liquid inside. It alerts us to wear extra clothing when we observe blizzard conditions out the window.
There’s an old expression that you can’t judge a book by its cover…but we do! Click here!
Books are one thing, but we instinctively judge people based upon their appearances, too.
I have a friend who is a multi-millionaire after selling his business. He loves to walk into a car dealership with cash to buy a car and see how long it takes the salespeople to pay attention to this scruffy man who looks like he just left the farm!
We instinctively judge people based upon their appearance. In the 1980’s there was a craze to “dress for success.”
Like it or not, we are all prejudice. We pre-judge based upon the information we have, and often we have very little. People watching can be fascinating, if not terribly deceiving. This is a part of the human condition.
God told Samuel to anoint the next king of Israel.
The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” (1 Samuel 16:1)
But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” (1 Samuel 16:2)
The LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.” (1 Samuel 16:3)
Samuel did what the LORD said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?” (1 Samuel 16:4)
Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. (1 Samuel 16:5)
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’S anointed stands here before the LORD.” (1 Samuel 16:6)
Here’s the key verse:
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
A few verses later it says…
Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.” (1 Samuel 16:10)
Much to everyone’s surprise, it was the young shepherd God chose…David.
People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7b)
February is Black History month. I’m grateful for my African-American friends and the countless contributions they and their ancestors make in my life and the lives of all of us, despite horrific persecution. Unless you’ve been living under a rock you surely realize our society has made great progress with regards to civil rights…and yet we have a long way to go. Like MLK, one of my heroes,
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
For followers of Jesus, this should be old news. After all, it was God who created us different. Every man, woman and child has been created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth. Every one. The unborn. The disabled. The aged. The poor. The uneducated. The heterosexual. The homosexual. The transgender. The Muslim. The atheist. The Hindu. Even the Buckeye!
Color Blind?
Some well-meaning people have promoted the idea of color blindness. They claim they are color blind, yet this is problematic for two reasons:
- It is not realistic. We all see faces.
As we noted earlier, we instinctively have first impressions. First impressions are not sinful. Like temptation, what matters is how we respond. Do we lean into our first impressions or do we challenge the assumptions and consider alternatives.
2. Color blindness strips us of our uniqueness.
I’m glad we’re not all the same! I’m glad you’re different. Sure, sometimes differences can create conflict, but even the tension can be good.
Jew and Gentile
Arguably the greatest tension in our nation’s history has been between blacks and whites. In biblical times, the Jew and Gentile tension as probably even greater. Racism and reverse racism was fierce and omnipresent.
We tend to gloss over mentions of Jew and Gentile as if the references were Chelsea and Dexter or USA and Canada. Paul was radical and offensive to the status quo:
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, (Romans 10:12)
For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (1 Corinthians 12:13)
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. (Colossians 3:11)
Notice these are four different letters. His message is consistent. In Christ we are one.
More Than Meets The Eye
Of course diversity is so much more skin deep. In fact, we’re all quite similar physically. We all have two eyes, one mouth, most of us have hair…!!! But even if we all looked exactly the same on the outside, we are all so different on the inside…and those differences can enrich the life of our family.
I have friends who are liberal and conservative politically. I love to listen to their views with an open mind and seek to learn from them.
I have friends who are liberal and conservative theologically. I love to listen to and learn from them, as well.
I have friends who were raised in other cultures with childhoods distinct from mine. I find their stories fascinating and their perspectives refreshing.
I have friends who speak other languages, look different than me, fall into a different socio-economic class and who challenge my assumptions and worldview.
And I’m just referring to Scio!!!
Yes, Scio is a diverse family. We may not be the most thoroughly diverse racially, but we are very different economically, theologically, politically, and in most every conceivable way.
That’s great!!! I’m reminded of a famous statement from 17th century German Lutheran theologian Rupert's Meldenius:
In essentials, unity
In non-essentials, liberty
In all things, charity
We are all different, and we can celebrate our diversity. As Paul wrote,
If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. (1 Corinthians 12:17-20)
I need you and you need me. Together we become a mosaic…a bunch of broken, diverse pieces of glass through which the light can shine.
So What? How can we celebrate diversity?
- Acknowledge it. We’re different. Don’t be in denial. It’s not to be tolerated but celebrated.
- Reach out to those who are different. This requires intentionality. It requires humility. Sit next to someone different on Sunday morning. Eat with someone different at our next potluck. Invite someone different to your home. Grab coffee with someone different. And ask about the differences, whatever they may be.
- tell me about your childhood?
- what is the greatest challenge facing our nation?
- does racism still exist in our country? How do you know?
- Why might someone choose to vote for _______?
- what do ___________ need to learn/understand?
Seek to learn and grow. A posture of teachability is vital.
By the way, this will be especially true for those going to the Dominican Republic. Frequently the materially rich have sought to “fix” the materially poor. One’s possessions have no effect on their value and dignity as an image-bearer of Almighty God. Relationships level the playing field between the rich and poor, the educated and the uneducated, the Christian and the non-Christian. Jesus was not only a friend of sinners, He welcomed little children into His presence.
3. Expand your social network. This isn’t necessarily online, but think about your friendships. Do all of your friends look/vote/believe/act like you?
This is one of the challenges of our hyper-customized culture. It’s possible to surround one’s self with people just like themselves, missing the beauty of diversity.
As I have shared previously, I have learned so much from others, specifically followers of Jesus from different traditions. Two of my dearest friends are a Catholic priest, Father Ed, and a Messianic Jewish Rabbi, Allen Singer. The three of us are quite a trio! There’s gotta be a good joke in there somewhere! Yet each of us is preparing to spend eternity together with one another…and with Yeshua, Jesus.
We are all at different places in the spiritual journey, which is great! We need to help one another take the next step.
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. (1 Peter 3:8)
We are all different, yet related by blood…the blood of Jesus.
Conclusion
Human cloning has not yet been achieved—fortunately! It would be tragic…with one exception: Jesus. Scio, as we reflect the diversity of God’s beautiful creation, may we all be like Jesus, the ultimate human, our LORD, and coming King. “Christian” means “little Christ” and I pray that we will all be confused with Jesus as we love God and others every day.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Serve Together, Family Rules, 08 February 2015
09 02 15
Series Overview: The purpose of this series is to cast a vision for a healthy church family, noting particular strengths and weaknesses of Scio in the process.
Big Idea: A healthy church family serves together.
Introduction
I’m going to go out on a limb and say something so radical it may cause great shock, so I’m glad you’re sitting down! Are you ready…
Our culture is different than the various cultures of the Bible.
Whoa! So scandalous!
I state the obvious because there are many ways to treat the Bible. An atheist might say it’s a collection of fairy tales (by the way, last week Yahoo News reported newly discovered tablets that they say, “Is a remarkable confirmation of the historical reliability of the Biblical text.”). Some mainline or liberal Christians might say the Bible is a good book with some truth and wisdom. Adherents to Liberation Theology interpret Scripture through the plight of the poor.
The Christian & Missionary Alliance statement on scripture says
The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice.
Simply put, the Bible is our authority. It is the only rule of faith and practice for us. But how do we read understand the Bible? In the past I have introduced three steps:
Too often people skip the first two steps and, instead, read a verse and try to apply it. God doesn’t change, but culture changes…and Jesus changed many things through His life, death, and resurrection.
Last week Jonathan mentioned the difference between families during biblical days and families today. Joseph Hellerman notes three central social values of the ancient Mediterranean world:
The Bible never makes mention of a personal Savior. Community was everything. In many cultures today, it still is, but in order to understand the language of the Bible, it is essential to recognize the group came first, not the individual. In fact people did not make major life decisions on their own. Hellerman writes, “Faced with decisions that people were never meant to make in isolation, we self-destruct emotionally and relationally, we never grow up, and we turn to therapy or medication to prop us up against a world that is just too much for us to handle on our own.” He adds, “The great majority of people on this planet never needed therapy until society began to dump the responsibility for making life's major decisions squarely upon the lonely shoulders of the individual.”
Most of us would agree today, except with so many broken and fragmented families—as well as families that live thousands of miles apart from one another—it’s not uncommon for one’s closest relationships to come from church, work, neighborhoods, schools…or Facebook.
The closest family tie was not the contractual relationship between husband and wife. It was the blood relationship between siblings. Brother or sister was their most important relationship.
When we speak of family, it’s more than a cute way of talking about one another. It wasn’t a negative term describing dysfunctional relationships. It was the primary language used in the early church to speak of deep commitment to others related by blood…Jesus’ blood.
In Love in Hard Places, D.A. Carson suggests that ideally the church is not comprised of natural “friends” but rather “natural enemies.”
“What binds us together is not common education, common race, common income levels, common politics, common nationality, common accents, common jobs, or anything of the sort. Christians come together, not because they form a natural collocation, but because they have been saved by Jesus Christ and owe him a common allegiance. In the light of this common allegiance, in light of the fact that they have all been loved by Jesus himself, they commit themselves to doing what he says – and he commands them to love one another. In this light, they are a band of natural enemies who love one another for Jesus’ sake.”
Family Rules
We’re past the midway point of our series Family Rules. In case you missed some of the rules…
Today we come to one of the most challenging of all for us as a Scio family: serve together.
Serve together. That’s simple, right. In fact, it’s imbedded in our mission statement:
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
• serving our communities
• sharing our story
• sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
Serving our communities. I see two great challenges facing us with regard to serving our communities:
1. Serving. Being a servant is not the most popular role in our culture. In fact, it’s probably the least desired title. Servant. It goes against everything within us that yearns for power and prestige. Who wants to be a servant? Evidently Paul. This educated scholar begins the book of Romans writing these words:
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— (Romans 1:1)
Evidently Jesus. This is how Paul described Jesus…and instructs others:
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness. (Philippians 2:5-7)
The next verse is even more ludicrous!
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:8)
We could spend hours reading verses about serving in the Bible. Most of us know serving is what we’re “supposed” to do, whether we like it or not! We have some fantastic servants in our Scio family. But there’s another issue we face as a family.
2. Serving together. It’s no secret that few of us leave near one another. Geography makes being a family on mission together difficult. Vulnerability require proximity. If we don’t even see each other, it’s hard to imagine serving together, right?
A few years ago I saw a video about a church in Tacoma, Washington. It seized my imagination for a church doing life together as a family on mission.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc4tsw3kCok&spfreload=10
It’s not always fun and comfortable, but they are living out their faith every day…together. They are serving together. They are eating and loving and growing together. They look to me like the early church, a close-knit, extended family.
They also live near one another. We don’t. For four years I’ve been challenged by this. I’ve prayed and read and conversed and done everything I know to do in order to address this issue of serving together. I’ve come up with a few thoughts.
When we made The Flip a year ago we wanted to do more than just change the name of Sunday School to Life Groups. We wanted to create small groups that would not only gather for an hour on Sunday but also be given the mandate to serve together monthly. Some Life Groups have been more effective than others, but the mandate remains. Serve together on Sunday. Serve together midweek. Just serve together!
On February 21, our young adult Life Group is going to serve at the Scio Township recycling day from 8 AM to noon. You’re all welcome to join us (just wear warm clothes!). So far it is the only need I’ve been able to extract from the Scio Township office.
Our two midweek Life Groups are uniquely setup to serve together as their gathering are not restricted to an hour on Sunday.
2. Serve with your neighbors.
Gather those that do live nearby, whether they attend Scio or not, and bless the community.
3. Serve with your biological family.
Some of you have a small group living under your roof! Serve together.
4. Serve on Sundays.
One of my desires for Scio is that nobody serves alone. Whether that’s setting up coffee, playing on the music team, ushering, or leading a Life Group, serve with others.
I’m delighted to say even I don’t serve alone. That’s not to say I’m surrounded by people 24/7, but I am not the sole leader, the sole decision-maker, the benevolent dictator of Scio! I am one of eight elders who guide the spiritual direction of Scio under our Senior Pastor, King Jesus. I also serve alongside our five deacons who do so many things behind-the-scenes with everything from facility maintenance and communion preparation to benevolence and potlucks.
In a healthy natural family, the parents usually set the course, prioritizing the health of the family and the needs (and even sometimes wants) of everyone else above their own. That’s what the elders and deacons seek to do, looking out for the best interests of the family.
One of the great things about being a family is we all have different strengths and weaknesses that can complement one another. Paul wrote:
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)
He then uses one of my favorite metaphors in the entire Bible, the human body.
Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. (1 Corinthians 1:12-20)
When we serve together, we not only experience the joy of friendships, we also learn and grow from one another and experience synergy, more together than the sum of the parts. Or to borrow a famous acronym, TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More!
I recently heard someone say it’s not what you do, it’s who you do it with.
My sister proved this to me when we were children. Our least favorite job every summer was…pulling weeds! We whined and ached and complained about working under the hot sun seemingly every day! One day Tami returned from her friend’s house, clearly delighted about her visit. I asked, “What did you do that was so fun?” She said, “We pulled weeds together!”
As a family, we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We are to serve one another and serve our communities. Of course, serving together means relationships which means the potential for conflict and compromise. That gives us opportunities to become more like Jesus as we listen, humbly submit to one another, and love each other.
So What?
Serve together. I’ve come up with a few thoughts, but I need your help. We need your help! If you’ve got an idea, share it with me. Share it with one of the other elders. Share it on our white board in the hallway. Send me an e-mail and I’ll post it in the Scio Soul. It’s not enough for us to be a safe, comfy family. We are to be a family on mission, God’s mission to seek and save the lost, to make disciples, and to serve together.
For Further Study
When the Church Was a Family: Recapturing Jesus' Vision for Authentic Christian Community by Joseph H. Hellerman
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Big Idea: A healthy church family serves together.
Introduction
I’m going to go out on a limb and say something so radical it may cause great shock, so I’m glad you’re sitting down! Are you ready…
Our culture is different than the various cultures of the Bible.
Whoa! So scandalous!
I state the obvious because there are many ways to treat the Bible. An atheist might say it’s a collection of fairy tales (by the way, last week Yahoo News reported newly discovered tablets that they say, “Is a remarkable confirmation of the historical reliability of the Biblical text.”). Some mainline or liberal Christians might say the Bible is a good book with some truth and wisdom. Adherents to Liberation Theology interpret Scripture through the plight of the poor.
The Christian & Missionary Alliance statement on scripture says
The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice.
Simply put, the Bible is our authority. It is the only rule of faith and practice for us. But how do we read understand the Bible? In the past I have introduced three steps:
- Discern what the text originally meant.
- Discern what the text means for us today.
- Apply.
Too often people skip the first two steps and, instead, read a verse and try to apply it. God doesn’t change, but culture changes…and Jesus changed many things through His life, death, and resurrection.
Last week Jonathan mentioned the difference between families during biblical days and families today. Joseph Hellerman notes three central social values of the ancient Mediterranean world:
- In the New Testament world the group took priority over the individual.
The Bible never makes mention of a personal Savior. Community was everything. In many cultures today, it still is, but in order to understand the language of the Bible, it is essential to recognize the group came first, not the individual. In fact people did not make major life decisions on their own. Hellerman writes, “Faced with decisions that people were never meant to make in isolation, we self-destruct emotionally and relationally, we never grow up, and we turn to therapy or medication to prop us up against a world that is just too much for us to handle on our own.” He adds, “The great majority of people on this planet never needed therapy until society began to dump the responsibility for making life's major decisions squarely upon the lonely shoulders of the individual.”
- In the New Testament world a person’s most important group was his family.
Most of us would agree today, except with so many broken and fragmented families—as well as families that live thousands of miles apart from one another—it’s not uncommon for one’s closest relationships to come from church, work, neighborhoods, schools…or Facebook.
- In the New Testament world the closest family bond was the bond between siblings.
The closest family tie was not the contractual relationship between husband and wife. It was the blood relationship between siblings. Brother or sister was their most important relationship.
When we speak of family, it’s more than a cute way of talking about one another. It wasn’t a negative term describing dysfunctional relationships. It was the primary language used in the early church to speak of deep commitment to others related by blood…Jesus’ blood.
In Love in Hard Places, D.A. Carson suggests that ideally the church is not comprised of natural “friends” but rather “natural enemies.”
“What binds us together is not common education, common race, common income levels, common politics, common nationality, common accents, common jobs, or anything of the sort. Christians come together, not because they form a natural collocation, but because they have been saved by Jesus Christ and owe him a common allegiance. In the light of this common allegiance, in light of the fact that they have all been loved by Jesus himself, they commit themselves to doing what he says – and he commands them to love one another. In this light, they are a band of natural enemies who love one another for Jesus’ sake.”
Family Rules
We’re past the midway point of our series Family Rules. In case you missed some of the rules…
Today we come to one of the most challenging of all for us as a Scio family: serve together.
Serve together. That’s simple, right. In fact, it’s imbedded in our mission statement:
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
• serving our communities
• sharing our story
• sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
Serving our communities. I see two great challenges facing us with regard to serving our communities:
1. Serving. Being a servant is not the most popular role in our culture. In fact, it’s probably the least desired title. Servant. It goes against everything within us that yearns for power and prestige. Who wants to be a servant? Evidently Paul. This educated scholar begins the book of Romans writing these words:
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— (Romans 1:1)
Evidently Jesus. This is how Paul described Jesus…and instructs others:
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness. (Philippians 2:5-7)
The next verse is even more ludicrous!
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:8)
We could spend hours reading verses about serving in the Bible. Most of us know serving is what we’re “supposed” to do, whether we like it or not! We have some fantastic servants in our Scio family. But there’s another issue we face as a family.
2. Serving together. It’s no secret that few of us leave near one another. Geography makes being a family on mission together difficult. Vulnerability require proximity. If we don’t even see each other, it’s hard to imagine serving together, right?
A few years ago I saw a video about a church in Tacoma, Washington. It seized my imagination for a church doing life together as a family on mission.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc4tsw3kCok&spfreload=10
It’s not always fun and comfortable, but they are living out their faith every day…together. They are serving together. They are eating and loving and growing together. They look to me like the early church, a close-knit, extended family.
They also live near one another. We don’t. For four years I’ve been challenged by this. I’ve prayed and read and conversed and done everything I know to do in order to address this issue of serving together. I’ve come up with a few thoughts.
- Serve with your Life Group.
When we made The Flip a year ago we wanted to do more than just change the name of Sunday School to Life Groups. We wanted to create small groups that would not only gather for an hour on Sunday but also be given the mandate to serve together monthly. Some Life Groups have been more effective than others, but the mandate remains. Serve together on Sunday. Serve together midweek. Just serve together!
On February 21, our young adult Life Group is going to serve at the Scio Township recycling day from 8 AM to noon. You’re all welcome to join us (just wear warm clothes!). So far it is the only need I’ve been able to extract from the Scio Township office.
Our two midweek Life Groups are uniquely setup to serve together as their gathering are not restricted to an hour on Sunday.
2. Serve with your neighbors.
Gather those that do live nearby, whether they attend Scio or not, and bless the community.
3. Serve with your biological family.
Some of you have a small group living under your roof! Serve together.
4. Serve on Sundays.
One of my desires for Scio is that nobody serves alone. Whether that’s setting up coffee, playing on the music team, ushering, or leading a Life Group, serve with others.
I’m delighted to say even I don’t serve alone. That’s not to say I’m surrounded by people 24/7, but I am not the sole leader, the sole decision-maker, the benevolent dictator of Scio! I am one of eight elders who guide the spiritual direction of Scio under our Senior Pastor, King Jesus. I also serve alongside our five deacons who do so many things behind-the-scenes with everything from facility maintenance and communion preparation to benevolence and potlucks.
In a healthy natural family, the parents usually set the course, prioritizing the health of the family and the needs (and even sometimes wants) of everyone else above their own. That’s what the elders and deacons seek to do, looking out for the best interests of the family.
One of the great things about being a family is we all have different strengths and weaknesses that can complement one another. Paul wrote:
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)
He then uses one of my favorite metaphors in the entire Bible, the human body.
Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. (1 Corinthians 1:12-20)
When we serve together, we not only experience the joy of friendships, we also learn and grow from one another and experience synergy, more together than the sum of the parts. Or to borrow a famous acronym, TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More!
I recently heard someone say it’s not what you do, it’s who you do it with.
My sister proved this to me when we were children. Our least favorite job every summer was…pulling weeds! We whined and ached and complained about working under the hot sun seemingly every day! One day Tami returned from her friend’s house, clearly delighted about her visit. I asked, “What did you do that was so fun?” She said, “We pulled weeds together!”
As a family, we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We are to serve one another and serve our communities. Of course, serving together means relationships which means the potential for conflict and compromise. That gives us opportunities to become more like Jesus as we listen, humbly submit to one another, and love each other.
So What?
Serve together. I’ve come up with a few thoughts, but I need your help. We need your help! If you’ve got an idea, share it with me. Share it with one of the other elders. Share it on our white board in the hallway. Send me an e-mail and I’ll post it in the Scio Soul. It’s not enough for us to be a safe, comfy family. We are to be a family on mission, God’s mission to seek and save the lost, to make disciples, and to serve together.
For Further Study
When the Church Was a Family: Recapturing Jesus' Vision for Authentic Christian Community by Joseph H. Hellerman
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Welcome Strangers, Family Rules, 25 January 2015
25 01 15
Series Overview: The purpose of this series is to cast a vision for a healthy church family, noting particular strengths and weaknesses of Scio in the process.
Big Idea: A healthy church family shows hospitality by welcoming strangers.
Introduction
When I was a little boy, one of the commands of my parents was to never talk to strangers. This is certainly good advice for a young child, but it tragically carries over into adulthood.
Since I’ve lived in the midwest my entire life, I don’t know if this is true elsewhere, but I’m always amazed at how people walk past one another on the sidewalk and look down as they approach, as if to either ignore the other human or pretend they are invisible from them. Can we not simply say, “Hi!” as we pass? I do this sometimes when I’m jogging, often startling the person who seems surprised they are recognized. Yes, I talk to strangers…or at least greet them occasionally.
We’re in the middle of a series called “Family Rules,” a double entendre. We began with the admonishment to know thyself. Last week we talked about how important it is to keep it real…no perfect people allowed (except Jesus!). Today’s rule is welcome strangers.
Think of a time when you were in an unfamiliar place. Maybe you were in another city, state, or even country. It could be a local business or even a home. How did you feel upon entering? What happened when you were noticed?
Being a stranger can be awkward, uncomfortable, and even frightening. Extroverts are perceived to be more calm about interactions with new people, but even they can experience anxiety when they enter a new environment. Dorothy said, “There’s no place like home,” and the further removed we are from those places we know, the more likely we are to be stressed or nervous.
Last fall we did a series entitled Covenant and Kingdom. The gist of the series was God invites us into a covenant relationship with Him and then challenges us to go and serve in His Kingdom. It began with God inviting Abram—later Abraham—into a covenant relationship that birthed Israel.
At the risk of stating the obvious, our culture is radically different than that of the early church in the New Testament, to say nothing of the Old Testament. Several weeks ago we talked about the birth of Jesus and the search for a place for that event. Hospitality was largely taken for granted.
In the Old Testament, hospitality was more than just a custom. It demonstrated faithfulness to God. In one instance—from a passage we read this week via One Story—Abraham welcomed three special strangers:
The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”
“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”
So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”
Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree. (Genesis 18:1-8)
Sure, it was a different culture. There were no Motel 6s, much less Ritz Carltons. Travelers would die without the hospitality of hosts on their journey. In fact, it was a serious offense to not provide for strangers.
No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, not even in the tenth generation. For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt…(Deuteronomy 23:3-4a)
We could talk for hours about hospitality in the Old Testament.
Here are some examples of people welcoming strangers in the Old Testament:
Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18)
Abraham (Genesis 18:3-8)
Lot (Genesis 19:2, 3)
Laban (Genesis 24:31)
Jethro (Exodus 2:20)
Manoah (Judges 13:15)
Samuel (1 Samuel 9:22)
David (2 Samuel 6:19)
Barzillai (2 Samuel 19:32)
Shunammite (2 Kings 4:8)
Nehemiah (Nehemiah 5:17)
Job (Job 31:17, 32)
In the New Testament, hospitality remained a priority. Sometimes this involved water for a guest’s feet and oil for their head. It could include a kiss of welcome or food.
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. (Romans 12:9-13)
Here are some examples of people welcoming strangers in the NewTestament:
Zacchaeus (Luke 19:6)
Samaritans (John 4:40)
Lydia (Acts 16:15)
Jason (Acts 17:7)
Mnason (Acts 21:16)
People of Melita (Acts 28:2)
Publius (Acts 28:7)
Gaius (3 John 1:5, 6)
Jesus’ ministry required the hospitality of others as He and His followers traveled. (Mk. 1:29ff.; 2:15ff.; Lk. 7:36ff.; 10:38–41)
Jesus told them
If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” (Luke 9:5)
One of the most sobering passages in the entire Bible makes reference of welcoming the stranger. Jesus said
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. (Matthew 25:31-33)
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ (Matthew 25:34-36)
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ (Matthew 25:37-39)
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ (Matthew 25:41-43)
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ (Matthew 25:44)
“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ (Matthew 25:45)
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matthew 25:46)
Could Jesus be any clearer? When we welcome strangers, we welcome Jesus. When we serve the poor, feed the hungry, visit the prisoner…we are serving Jesus.
And that must be our motivation, our vision. Welcoming strangers is not done because it necessarily brings us pleasure, happiness, or comfort. At its most primal essence hospitality is an expression of love.
The writer of Hebrews said
Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:1-2)
If you met Jesus in the flesh, and you knew it was Jesus, would you treat Him differently than an immigrant with a thick accent in the airport?
If you met an angel, and you knew it was an angel, and you weren’t freaked out by it, would you treat them differently than a pan handler on the street?
A special emphasis is placed upon serving other believers, especially because many were persecuted, driven from their homes, and fighting to survive.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:10)
We are family. Family takes care of family.
The Shadow Side of Family
It has been said that every strength has a corresponding weakness. A close-knit family is great…until someone wants to break in and join! Virtually every married person knows the thrill of joining a new family, meeting the in-laws, encountering that strange uncle, and trying to learn everyone’s name. That’s just the beginning! For years—decades—you are surrounded by stories that are as foreign to you as Siberia.
The majority of our Scio family has been together for more than ten years. That’s a long time, especially in the Ann Arbor area. Some of our youth have literally grown up together. You have stories, you have inside jokes, you have close friendships…and possibly cliques, too.
This month marks four years for me at Scio. In most churches, that would be considered quite a while, but honestly, I still feel rather new around here. Many of you have been a part of our family two, three, four, or five times as long as Heather and I have…some even longer! If I feel new, imagine how first or second-time guests feel.
The Good News
I believe we are getting better at welcoming the stranger. I don’t have pages of data to support my belief, but last year’s Flip of our Sunday gatherings and our transition from academic Sunday School to interactive Life Groups has clearly enhanced not only our family life but created natural environments for newcomers to get connected. Many of you are diligent about introducing yourselves on Sunday morning to guests. The development of our coffee ministry by Dea, Janet, and now led by Emily not only serves our family members but provides refreshment for our guests. Thank you!
Did you know our monthly second-Sunday potlucks were started to welcome strangers? Food is powerful. Even more than coffee, a meal can create a tremendous setting for conversation. As you meet newcomers—especially on second Sundays—encourage them to join your Life Group…and stick around for lunch.
So What?
Newcomers frequently tell us in surveys we are a friendly church. That’s great! As we have discovered, however, people aren’t looking for a friendly church. They are looking for friends! May I offer a few additional possibilities for welcoming the stranger…beyond Sunday?
Speaking of introverts, if Jesus showed up, how would you respond? Really now! I’m not saying any of this is easy, but whoever said following Jesus was easy? He said to pick up your cross daily and follow Him.
Perhaps you’re thinking, “I’m busy!” Yes. What if you could be busy with someone.
9. Invite someone to go grocery shopping with you
10. Workout together
11. Run errands together
You get the idea.
Family, we’re on a mission from God. It’s not that the church has a mission, but that the mission has a church. We—the people of God—are here, and we’re not simply here to encounter God. Were that the case, we’d be swept away to paradise with God the moment we begin to follow Him. We are still here to re-present Him to those in our world that have not yet encountered their Creator, experienced rich community, surrendered their lives to Jesus making Him not only Savior but LORD, and proclaimed in word and deed His presence and power to others.
Our mission:
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
• serving our communities
• sharing our story
• sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
Making disciples begins with meeting people. We are blessed to have a website, a sign on a busy road, and a visible building, all of which attract visitors to our gatherings. Those strangers that arrive on our campus knowing no one take a huge risk when they walk through the front doors, something many of you have done almost unconsciously hundreds or even thousands of times. Wouldn’t it be great if their risk paid off, they made connections with us, were equipped to make connections with our community, and all the while making connections with God?
If you are challenged or even frightened at the thought of talking with a first-time guest on Sunday morning, of shaking their hand, of even looking them in the eye and offering them a warm smile, imagine how they feel? This is our home. It is not theirs…yet!
There has been much discussion amongst church leaders in recent years concerning the difference between attractional and missional church strategies. In other words, the difference between getting people to come to us versus us going into the world where they are and being Jesus with skin on, serving our communities. We need both. God has blessed us with a fantastic building and property. I’d love to see it used more often, by us and even by the community. What if our back yard became a community garden…or a park for dogs? Scio Township is trying to build a walking trail that might end on our property, a perfect destination for residents who bike, jog, or walk. We presently host music lessons, Girl Scouts, and elections. If you have ideas on how we can use our real estate to serve our community, please speak to myself or one of the elders.
But we also need to go into all of the world and make disciples. We need to get out of our comfort zones and enter the worlds of others. We need to become the strangers, taking the risks, and enriching the lives of others with the words and deeds of good news. This summer a team of us will travel to the Dominican Republic, certainly not our home! We are going to serve, to love, to re-present Jesus…yet we will surely be blessed far greater than any blessing we could ever hope to deliver. Please give, pray, and/or go…to the Dominican Republic…and to your neighborhood.
One More Thing
Jesus set the ultimate example for us to follow:
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
Jesus welcomed us, messy sinners, into His family. We were strangers and aliens and now we are His brothers and sisters. We didn’t deserve it, which is why it is grace—undeserved favor. To whom much has been given, much is required. Let’s seek out the lost, the strangers, the aliens, the broken, the hurting, the poor among us and truly show them love.
Let’s welcome strangers…until they become friends!
By the way, kids, you still need to be careful around strangers!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Big Idea: A healthy church family shows hospitality by welcoming strangers.
Introduction
When I was a little boy, one of the commands of my parents was to never talk to strangers. This is certainly good advice for a young child, but it tragically carries over into adulthood.
Since I’ve lived in the midwest my entire life, I don’t know if this is true elsewhere, but I’m always amazed at how people walk past one another on the sidewalk and look down as they approach, as if to either ignore the other human or pretend they are invisible from them. Can we not simply say, “Hi!” as we pass? I do this sometimes when I’m jogging, often startling the person who seems surprised they are recognized. Yes, I talk to strangers…or at least greet them occasionally.
We’re in the middle of a series called “Family Rules,” a double entendre. We began with the admonishment to know thyself. Last week we talked about how important it is to keep it real…no perfect people allowed (except Jesus!). Today’s rule is welcome strangers.
Think of a time when you were in an unfamiliar place. Maybe you were in another city, state, or even country. It could be a local business or even a home. How did you feel upon entering? What happened when you were noticed?
Being a stranger can be awkward, uncomfortable, and even frightening. Extroverts are perceived to be more calm about interactions with new people, but even they can experience anxiety when they enter a new environment. Dorothy said, “There’s no place like home,” and the further removed we are from those places we know, the more likely we are to be stressed or nervous.
Last fall we did a series entitled Covenant and Kingdom. The gist of the series was God invites us into a covenant relationship with Him and then challenges us to go and serve in His Kingdom. It began with God inviting Abram—later Abraham—into a covenant relationship that birthed Israel.
At the risk of stating the obvious, our culture is radically different than that of the early church in the New Testament, to say nothing of the Old Testament. Several weeks ago we talked about the birth of Jesus and the search for a place for that event. Hospitality was largely taken for granted.
In the Old Testament, hospitality was more than just a custom. It demonstrated faithfulness to God. In one instance—from a passage we read this week via One Story—Abraham welcomed three special strangers:
The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”
“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”
So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”
Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree. (Genesis 18:1-8)
Sure, it was a different culture. There were no Motel 6s, much less Ritz Carltons. Travelers would die without the hospitality of hosts on their journey. In fact, it was a serious offense to not provide for strangers.
No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, not even in the tenth generation. For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt…(Deuteronomy 23:3-4a)
We could talk for hours about hospitality in the Old Testament.
Here are some examples of people welcoming strangers in the Old Testament:
Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18)
Abraham (Genesis 18:3-8)
Lot (Genesis 19:2, 3)
Laban (Genesis 24:31)
Jethro (Exodus 2:20)
Manoah (Judges 13:15)
Samuel (1 Samuel 9:22)
David (2 Samuel 6:19)
Barzillai (2 Samuel 19:32)
Shunammite (2 Kings 4:8)
Nehemiah (Nehemiah 5:17)
Job (Job 31:17, 32)
In the New Testament, hospitality remained a priority. Sometimes this involved water for a guest’s feet and oil for their head. It could include a kiss of welcome or food.
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. (Romans 12:9-13)
Here are some examples of people welcoming strangers in the NewTestament:
Zacchaeus (Luke 19:6)
Samaritans (John 4:40)
Lydia (Acts 16:15)
Jason (Acts 17:7)
Mnason (Acts 21:16)
People of Melita (Acts 28:2)
Publius (Acts 28:7)
Gaius (3 John 1:5, 6)
Jesus’ ministry required the hospitality of others as He and His followers traveled. (Mk. 1:29ff.; 2:15ff.; Lk. 7:36ff.; 10:38–41)
Jesus told them
If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” (Luke 9:5)
One of the most sobering passages in the entire Bible makes reference of welcoming the stranger. Jesus said
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. (Matthew 25:31-33)
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ (Matthew 25:34-36)
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ (Matthew 25:37-39)
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ (Matthew 25:41-43)
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ (Matthew 25:44)
“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ (Matthew 25:45)
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matthew 25:46)
Could Jesus be any clearer? When we welcome strangers, we welcome Jesus. When we serve the poor, feed the hungry, visit the prisoner…we are serving Jesus.
And that must be our motivation, our vision. Welcoming strangers is not done because it necessarily brings us pleasure, happiness, or comfort. At its most primal essence hospitality is an expression of love.
The writer of Hebrews said
Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:1-2)
If you met Jesus in the flesh, and you knew it was Jesus, would you treat Him differently than an immigrant with a thick accent in the airport?
If you met an angel, and you knew it was an angel, and you weren’t freaked out by it, would you treat them differently than a pan handler on the street?
A special emphasis is placed upon serving other believers, especially because many were persecuted, driven from their homes, and fighting to survive.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:10)
We are family. Family takes care of family.
The Shadow Side of Family
It has been said that every strength has a corresponding weakness. A close-knit family is great…until someone wants to break in and join! Virtually every married person knows the thrill of joining a new family, meeting the in-laws, encountering that strange uncle, and trying to learn everyone’s name. That’s just the beginning! For years—decades—you are surrounded by stories that are as foreign to you as Siberia.
The majority of our Scio family has been together for more than ten years. That’s a long time, especially in the Ann Arbor area. Some of our youth have literally grown up together. You have stories, you have inside jokes, you have close friendships…and possibly cliques, too.
This month marks four years for me at Scio. In most churches, that would be considered quite a while, but honestly, I still feel rather new around here. Many of you have been a part of our family two, three, four, or five times as long as Heather and I have…some even longer! If I feel new, imagine how first or second-time guests feel.
The Good News
I believe we are getting better at welcoming the stranger. I don’t have pages of data to support my belief, but last year’s Flip of our Sunday gatherings and our transition from academic Sunday School to interactive Life Groups has clearly enhanced not only our family life but created natural environments for newcomers to get connected. Many of you are diligent about introducing yourselves on Sunday morning to guests. The development of our coffee ministry by Dea, Janet, and now led by Emily not only serves our family members but provides refreshment for our guests. Thank you!
Did you know our monthly second-Sunday potlucks were started to welcome strangers? Food is powerful. Even more than coffee, a meal can create a tremendous setting for conversation. As you meet newcomers—especially on second Sundays—encourage them to join your Life Group…and stick around for lunch.
So What?
Newcomers frequently tell us in surveys we are a friendly church. That’s great! As we have discovered, however, people aren’t looking for a friendly church. They are looking for friends! May I offer a few additional possibilities for welcoming the stranger…beyond Sunday?
- Invite someone to meet you for coffee or a meal at a restaurant or coffee shop
- Invite someone to your home for a meal
- Invite someone to your midweek Life Group
- Connect on social media online (this can be especially good for introverts)
Speaking of introverts, if Jesus showed up, how would you respond? Really now! I’m not saying any of this is easy, but whoever said following Jesus was easy? He said to pick up your cross daily and follow Him.
- Ask open-ended questions to allow them to talk about themselves
- Ask how you can pray for them
- Pray for them, in person and/or privately
- Find a common interest or hobby and plan something together
Perhaps you’re thinking, “I’m busy!” Yes. What if you could be busy with someone.
9. Invite someone to go grocery shopping with you
10. Workout together
11. Run errands together
You get the idea.
Family, we’re on a mission from God. It’s not that the church has a mission, but that the mission has a church. We—the people of God—are here, and we’re not simply here to encounter God. Were that the case, we’d be swept away to paradise with God the moment we begin to follow Him. We are still here to re-present Him to those in our world that have not yet encountered their Creator, experienced rich community, surrendered their lives to Jesus making Him not only Savior but LORD, and proclaimed in word and deed His presence and power to others.
Our mission:
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
• serving our communities
• sharing our story
• sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
Making disciples begins with meeting people. We are blessed to have a website, a sign on a busy road, and a visible building, all of which attract visitors to our gatherings. Those strangers that arrive on our campus knowing no one take a huge risk when they walk through the front doors, something many of you have done almost unconsciously hundreds or even thousands of times. Wouldn’t it be great if their risk paid off, they made connections with us, were equipped to make connections with our community, and all the while making connections with God?
If you are challenged or even frightened at the thought of talking with a first-time guest on Sunday morning, of shaking their hand, of even looking them in the eye and offering them a warm smile, imagine how they feel? This is our home. It is not theirs…yet!
There has been much discussion amongst church leaders in recent years concerning the difference between attractional and missional church strategies. In other words, the difference between getting people to come to us versus us going into the world where they are and being Jesus with skin on, serving our communities. We need both. God has blessed us with a fantastic building and property. I’d love to see it used more often, by us and even by the community. What if our back yard became a community garden…or a park for dogs? Scio Township is trying to build a walking trail that might end on our property, a perfect destination for residents who bike, jog, or walk. We presently host music lessons, Girl Scouts, and elections. If you have ideas on how we can use our real estate to serve our community, please speak to myself or one of the elders.
But we also need to go into all of the world and make disciples. We need to get out of our comfort zones and enter the worlds of others. We need to become the strangers, taking the risks, and enriching the lives of others with the words and deeds of good news. This summer a team of us will travel to the Dominican Republic, certainly not our home! We are going to serve, to love, to re-present Jesus…yet we will surely be blessed far greater than any blessing we could ever hope to deliver. Please give, pray, and/or go…to the Dominican Republic…and to your neighborhood.
One More Thing
Jesus set the ultimate example for us to follow:
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
Jesus welcomed us, messy sinners, into His family. We were strangers and aliens and now we are His brothers and sisters. We didn’t deserve it, which is why it is grace—undeserved favor. To whom much has been given, much is required. Let’s seek out the lost, the strangers, the aliens, the broken, the hurting, the poor among us and truly show them love.
Let’s welcome strangers…until they become friends!
By the way, kids, you still need to be careful around strangers!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Be Real, Family Rules, 18 January 2015
18 01 15
Series Overview: The purpose of this series is to cast a vision for a healthy church family, noting particular strengths and weaknesses of Scio in the process.
Big Idea: A healthy church family shares joys and sorrows honestly.
Real Versus Fake
We live in a world where things are not always as they appear. In a word, there are many fake things we encounter. We have
fake food (did you ever grab a fake apple hoping to enjoy a juicy bite?)
fake money
fake shoes
fake electronics
fake tans
fake hair and nails and eyelashes
Photoshop and other tools have made it difficult to know if things are real or fake.
When we meet a person, we usually have no way of knowing whether they are for real or merely trying to make a good first impression. This is especially true with people asking for help, be it at an exit ramp or on a downtown sidewalk. How do we know if their story is legit?
It’s one thing to believe in a fake object, but quite another to believe a fake person. Unfortunately, people can be fake long after we meet them. It’s so common for people to hide their true self. We commonly call this facade a mask. Some go as far as maintaining the mask until they get married and then, suddenly, they show their true colors to their new spouse, providing a terrible surprise. They put their best foot forward during the courting, hiding their true self.
This is week two of our series Family Rules, a double entendre. Followers of Jesus are part of the universal family of God, worldwide. Specifically, this series is about the family known as Scio Community Church. Who are we? How are we to live, not as individuals, but together as family? These are questions we are addressing throughout this series.
Last Sunday began with rule number one: know thyself. We are God’s children, adopted into His family through the death and resurrection of our big Brother, Jesus. We are commanded to not only love God, but one another…and together love and serve our world. Now we turn to rule number two: Be Real.
God’s love is truly amazing! What I love about God’s love is it is unconditional. It doesn’t matter what we’ve done, what we’re doing, or what we’re going to do—we’re still loved and accepted. Sure, poor choices will result in consequences that will break His heart, but they’ll also affect us in profound ways that will hopefully produce growth and wisdom. I say it often, but nothing you can do can make God love you more, and nothing you can do can make God love you less. That’s amazing grace!
So we are loved and accepted unconditionally by our Creator God, yet sometimes we find it hard to be totally honest with God. It’s crazy how we—how I—will often hesitate during silent confession, rationalizing my sins, justifying my actions, and avoiding my true transgressions…as if God doesn’t know! Or God will reject me! When I finally reach the point of calling a spade a spade, I never feel wrath or judgment. It is, after all, God’s kindness that is intended to lead us to repentance, not His anger (Romans 2:4). One of the most beautiful verses in the entire Bible was penned by John:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
But here’s the thing: I can confess my sins to God and know in my head that I’m forgiven because of Jesus and the cross, but I don’t always feel forgiven. Having God as your Master and LORD has many advantages, but one challenge is experiencing Him through the senses. This is where you come in!
Jesus’ half-brother, James, wrote about prayer.
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. (James 5:13-15)
Wow! What’s not to like about those words?! At this moment are you in trouble? Are you happy? Are you sick? If so, respond! There’s one more verse that follows these, and it begins with “therefore.” Now that we know what “therefore” is there for, verse sixteen says
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)
Do you see it? Confess our sins to God. No! Confess our sins to the professional priest. No! Confess your sins to each other.
Be Real
In the book of Genesis, we read that God created Adam and Eve, they were naked and unashamed. We often think of those words in the physical sense, but I believe there’s another level of “knowing” involved. Without sin there was no shame, and without shame there was no embarrassment, no hiding, and no masks. Adam and Eve had a level of intimacy none have had since, a relationship free from barriers or walls.
The Fall did irreparable harm to not only our relationships with God, but also our relationships with one another.
But here’s the thing:
We’re all broken. We all need God. But by the grace of God…
While I admit our culture—and our courts—don’t view all sins equally, we all sin. We all fall short of God’s perfect standard demonstrated by Jesus. We’re all messed up.
Tragically, the church has often been the LAST place to find broken people…because some perceive it to be a place for shiny, happy people. It’s a place for God’s wonderful children to smile…and judge the “sinners” in the world. I believe many in our community never even think about attending Scio Community Church because they believe they are unworthy, imperfect, and unable to fit it amongst the holy saints here.
May it never be! No perfect people are allowed at Scio (except Jesus!).
While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:15-17)
We’re not to be a museum of perfect people, but rather a hospital of broken people who are getting healed, becoming whole, and ultimately becoming wounded healers who help others.
It all begins with me—and you. We must get real. We must get honest. We must take off the mask that covers our sins and weaknesses and face the simple truth that we’re messed up…and so is everyone else here!
It has been suggested that attendees at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are far more honest than church attendees…because you begin by admitting you have a problem. Scio family, we need to just say it—we have a problem: sin. You have it, I have it. It’s not something to be proud of, but nor is it something we should hide. Hiding hurts us and those around us because there is power in community, power in family, power in doing life together. That’s why support groups are so successful. That’s what Scio ought to be: a support group for sinners who are striving to be like the perfect Saint, Jesus Christ.
It can be hard to be honest with ourselves, often more difficult to be honest with God, but often even more difficult to be honest with others. Why?
Fear…of rejection.
Why don’t we share? Fear of rejection and condemnation.
When did we ever get the idea family members would reject and condemn us? Experience! The church universal has a reputation for being filled with arrogant, self-righteous hypocrites who look perfect on the outside yet sin outlandishly in private. Is it true? It’s easy to do. Condemning others makes us feel better about ourselves. The comparison game is always deadly because we feel too good about ourselves or too bad about ourselves. The reality is we all desperately need grace because we’re all sinners who fall short of perfection—which is why we need help. We need God’s help and we need the help of one another.
Dave has been a tremendous example of this. As a recovering alcoholic, I’ve watched him struggle for years with addictions, yet both seek help and help others a step or two behind him in the journey. His honesty and transparency have helped shape the culture at Scio as an open, honest, engaging community. We haven’t mastered it yet, but I believe we are becoming more real as a family. If you are in your fifties or above, this idea of being real may seem a bit foreign or uncomfortable. For young people, it’s essential. Young adults can smell fake a mile away. They’ve been bombarded with messages and images of fake promises, products, and people throughout their entire lives. The big question many people are asking today about the church—and about Scio Community Church—is not, “Is it true?” but “Is it real?”
I have a dream…of a day in which our family is known as the most honest, authentic collection of people in our community, a place where the broken find healing and the captives are set free, a people who don’t encourage sin, but accept sinners.
It begins with me and you being honest with our stuff and showing love to others who are dealing with their stuff.
Like every “rule” in this series you may find this message irrelevant. You’re real. You’re accepting. You’re authentic. Great! Pray for others to have the courage to get real, to be vulnerable, and to have a heart of compassion for those at Scio who are dealing with greed, lust, bitterness, addiction, sexual identity, gossip, pride, or a host of other sins that are secret and hidden…and that will never be resolved without acknowledgment, confession, and repentance.
It’s difficult to share our failures with others…and I’m not suggesting any of us grab a mic and list all of our sins each time we gather. It does mean, however, that we share appropriately our struggles, adjusting the level of intimacy as appropriate to the relationship we have with others. Deep friendships take time…and trust…and often someone willing to go first and open up. We reveal our true self to others so we can experience deeper bonds with others and growth in areas of weakness. Those results can never occur, however, when we wear the mask and keep others distant.
My favorite definition of intimacy is to be fully known by another. Is there anyone on the planet that knows you fully? Again, I’m not suggesting we should be an open book with everyone, sharing every secret and sin…but we all need friends, true friends that are like a brother or sister. Without them we can never experience the deepest freedom of forgiveness, the challenge of holiness, or the joy of growing in Christ.
Years ago I had a friend who frequently told me about his girlfriend. I know he cared for her, but many times he shared his frustrations with her. Whenever I asked if he told her his frustrations he would say no. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings. Instead, he was wearing the mask and, ultimately, being dishonest with her. She never truly knew him because he only said things he thought she wanted to hear.
As long as we conceal our true thoughts, feelings, and struggles we will never experience intimacy. People will never know the real us. God knows the real you…and he still loves you! We'd like to know you, too!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Big Idea: A healthy church family shares joys and sorrows honestly.
Real Versus Fake
We live in a world where things are not always as they appear. In a word, there are many fake things we encounter. We have
fake food (did you ever grab a fake apple hoping to enjoy a juicy bite?)
fake money
fake shoes
fake electronics
fake tans
fake hair and nails and eyelashes
Photoshop and other tools have made it difficult to know if things are real or fake.
When we meet a person, we usually have no way of knowing whether they are for real or merely trying to make a good first impression. This is especially true with people asking for help, be it at an exit ramp or on a downtown sidewalk. How do we know if their story is legit?
It’s one thing to believe in a fake object, but quite another to believe a fake person. Unfortunately, people can be fake long after we meet them. It’s so common for people to hide their true self. We commonly call this facade a mask. Some go as far as maintaining the mask until they get married and then, suddenly, they show their true colors to their new spouse, providing a terrible surprise. They put their best foot forward during the courting, hiding their true self.
This is week two of our series Family Rules, a double entendre. Followers of Jesus are part of the universal family of God, worldwide. Specifically, this series is about the family known as Scio Community Church. Who are we? How are we to live, not as individuals, but together as family? These are questions we are addressing throughout this series.
Last Sunday began with rule number one: know thyself. We are God’s children, adopted into His family through the death and resurrection of our big Brother, Jesus. We are commanded to not only love God, but one another…and together love and serve our world. Now we turn to rule number two: Be Real.
God’s love is truly amazing! What I love about God’s love is it is unconditional. It doesn’t matter what we’ve done, what we’re doing, or what we’re going to do—we’re still loved and accepted. Sure, poor choices will result in consequences that will break His heart, but they’ll also affect us in profound ways that will hopefully produce growth and wisdom. I say it often, but nothing you can do can make God love you more, and nothing you can do can make God love you less. That’s amazing grace!
So we are loved and accepted unconditionally by our Creator God, yet sometimes we find it hard to be totally honest with God. It’s crazy how we—how I—will often hesitate during silent confession, rationalizing my sins, justifying my actions, and avoiding my true transgressions…as if God doesn’t know! Or God will reject me! When I finally reach the point of calling a spade a spade, I never feel wrath or judgment. It is, after all, God’s kindness that is intended to lead us to repentance, not His anger (Romans 2:4). One of the most beautiful verses in the entire Bible was penned by John:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
But here’s the thing: I can confess my sins to God and know in my head that I’m forgiven because of Jesus and the cross, but I don’t always feel forgiven. Having God as your Master and LORD has many advantages, but one challenge is experiencing Him through the senses. This is where you come in!
Jesus’ half-brother, James, wrote about prayer.
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. (James 5:13-15)
Wow! What’s not to like about those words?! At this moment are you in trouble? Are you happy? Are you sick? If so, respond! There’s one more verse that follows these, and it begins with “therefore.” Now that we know what “therefore” is there for, verse sixteen says
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)
Do you see it? Confess our sins to God. No! Confess our sins to the professional priest. No! Confess your sins to each other.
Be Real
In the book of Genesis, we read that God created Adam and Eve, they were naked and unashamed. We often think of those words in the physical sense, but I believe there’s another level of “knowing” involved. Without sin there was no shame, and without shame there was no embarrassment, no hiding, and no masks. Adam and Eve had a level of intimacy none have had since, a relationship free from barriers or walls.
The Fall did irreparable harm to not only our relationships with God, but also our relationships with one another.
But here’s the thing:
We’re all broken. We all need God. But by the grace of God…
While I admit our culture—and our courts—don’t view all sins equally, we all sin. We all fall short of God’s perfect standard demonstrated by Jesus. We’re all messed up.
Tragically, the church has often been the LAST place to find broken people…because some perceive it to be a place for shiny, happy people. It’s a place for God’s wonderful children to smile…and judge the “sinners” in the world. I believe many in our community never even think about attending Scio Community Church because they believe they are unworthy, imperfect, and unable to fit it amongst the holy saints here.
May it never be! No perfect people are allowed at Scio (except Jesus!).
While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:15-17)
We’re not to be a museum of perfect people, but rather a hospital of broken people who are getting healed, becoming whole, and ultimately becoming wounded healers who help others.
It all begins with me—and you. We must get real. We must get honest. We must take off the mask that covers our sins and weaknesses and face the simple truth that we’re messed up…and so is everyone else here!
It has been suggested that attendees at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are far more honest than church attendees…because you begin by admitting you have a problem. Scio family, we need to just say it—we have a problem: sin. You have it, I have it. It’s not something to be proud of, but nor is it something we should hide. Hiding hurts us and those around us because there is power in community, power in family, power in doing life together. That’s why support groups are so successful. That’s what Scio ought to be: a support group for sinners who are striving to be like the perfect Saint, Jesus Christ.
It can be hard to be honest with ourselves, often more difficult to be honest with God, but often even more difficult to be honest with others. Why?
Fear…of rejection.
Why don’t we share? Fear of rejection and condemnation.
When did we ever get the idea family members would reject and condemn us? Experience! The church universal has a reputation for being filled with arrogant, self-righteous hypocrites who look perfect on the outside yet sin outlandishly in private. Is it true? It’s easy to do. Condemning others makes us feel better about ourselves. The comparison game is always deadly because we feel too good about ourselves or too bad about ourselves. The reality is we all desperately need grace because we’re all sinners who fall short of perfection—which is why we need help. We need God’s help and we need the help of one another.
Dave has been a tremendous example of this. As a recovering alcoholic, I’ve watched him struggle for years with addictions, yet both seek help and help others a step or two behind him in the journey. His honesty and transparency have helped shape the culture at Scio as an open, honest, engaging community. We haven’t mastered it yet, but I believe we are becoming more real as a family. If you are in your fifties or above, this idea of being real may seem a bit foreign or uncomfortable. For young people, it’s essential. Young adults can smell fake a mile away. They’ve been bombarded with messages and images of fake promises, products, and people throughout their entire lives. The big question many people are asking today about the church—and about Scio Community Church—is not, “Is it true?” but “Is it real?”
I have a dream…of a day in which our family is known as the most honest, authentic collection of people in our community, a place where the broken find healing and the captives are set free, a people who don’t encourage sin, but accept sinners.
It begins with me and you being honest with our stuff and showing love to others who are dealing with their stuff.
Like every “rule” in this series you may find this message irrelevant. You’re real. You’re accepting. You’re authentic. Great! Pray for others to have the courage to get real, to be vulnerable, and to have a heart of compassion for those at Scio who are dealing with greed, lust, bitterness, addiction, sexual identity, gossip, pride, or a host of other sins that are secret and hidden…and that will never be resolved without acknowledgment, confession, and repentance.
It’s difficult to share our failures with others…and I’m not suggesting any of us grab a mic and list all of our sins each time we gather. It does mean, however, that we share appropriately our struggles, adjusting the level of intimacy as appropriate to the relationship we have with others. Deep friendships take time…and trust…and often someone willing to go first and open up. We reveal our true self to others so we can experience deeper bonds with others and growth in areas of weakness. Those results can never occur, however, when we wear the mask and keep others distant.
My favorite definition of intimacy is to be fully known by another. Is there anyone on the planet that knows you fully? Again, I’m not suggesting we should be an open book with everyone, sharing every secret and sin…but we all need friends, true friends that are like a brother or sister. Without them we can never experience the deepest freedom of forgiveness, the challenge of holiness, or the joy of growing in Christ.
Years ago I had a friend who frequently told me about his girlfriend. I know he cared for her, but many times he shared his frustrations with her. Whenever I asked if he told her his frustrations he would say no. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings. Instead, he was wearing the mask and, ultimately, being dishonest with her. She never truly knew him because he only said things he thought she wanted to hear.
As long as we conceal our true thoughts, feelings, and struggles we will never experience intimacy. People will never know the real us. God knows the real you…and he still loves you! We'd like to know you, too!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Know Thyself, Family Rules, 11 January 2015
11 01 15
Series Overview: The purpose of this series is to cast a vision for a healthy church family, noting particular strengths and weaknesses of Scio in the process.
Big Idea: A healthy church family knows its identity.
Who are you? I don’t mean you as an individual, but you as a church? Who are we? We are Scio Community Church, but who are we? What is our identity?
When meeting a new person, it’s common to ask, “What do you do?” Individuals are often identified by their vocation. “I’m a doctor.” “I’m a teacher.” "I’m a student.” That’s what they do, but it’s not the totality of who they are as humans.
An ancient Greek aphorism/saying/maxim says, “Know thyself.” It has been attributed to Socrates and others, was used by Plato, referenced by Benjamin Franklin, found above the Oracle’s door in the movie The Matrix, and serves as the motto of Hamilton College (NY).
One year ago we looked at what it means to be followers of Jesus and our identity…in Christ. Our study of Ephesians had a deep impact on my life as I am beginning to understand God the Father says the same things about me as He says about Jesus: “You are my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.” He says the same to you (unless you are female, in which case He calls you His beloved daughter!”).
As Scio Community Church, we are more than merely a group of individuals. We are greater than the sum of our parts (or persons). The Bible describes the church as a body.
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:27)
It is described as a temple. It is called God’s field. It is the people of God.
Perhaps the most common word used to describe the church—and certainly Scio Community Church—is family.
For many, the word “family” elicits positive thoughts and emotions, feelings of love, warmth, respect, affection, and loyalty. For others, pain and heartache are closely associated with family.
What is a family?
Dictionary.com offers these definitions:
a basic social unit consisting of parents and their children, considered as a group, whether dwelling together or not: the traditional family.
a social unit consisting of one or more adults together with the children they care for: a single-parent family.
any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents, children, uncles, aunts, and cousins:
to marry into a socially prominent family.
a group of persons who form a household under one head, including parents, children, and servants.
The definition has changed through the years. Just observing popular television families reveals the transitions our culture has experienced. Think about the differences between the following families:
Little House on the Prairie
The Waltons
All In The Family
Happy Days
Cosby
Roseanne
Home Improvement
Modern Family
A few years ago Coca Cola did this commercial that expresses a contemporary definition of family about as well as any…
According to Coke, family is anyone you want it to be! Fortunately the Bible is our authority, not Hollywood or Madison Avenue!
Family was God’s design from the beginning…and I don’t mean Adam and Eve. Family existed before them!
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (Genesis 1:26)
Did you catch it? Let us make mankind…in our image and likeness. Although the word trinity does not appear in the Bible, the concept of one God in three Persons is clear. We worship a triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All God. All family. All creating and doing God stuff together! Each has their own unique roles and relationship to the other Persons. It is something of a mystery…but God models for us community—family!
Our winter series, Family Rules, is a double entendre; rules is both a noun and verb. The purpose of this series is to cast a vision for a healthy church family, noting particular strengths and weaknesses of Scio in the process. When people talk about church, they could mean a building. They could mean a Sunday morning gathering. It is common to refer to the universal church of all followers of Jesus Christ worldwide. For much of this series family will refer to us—Scio Community Church.
We are family!
As I said, that word has baggage for many. We strive to be a healthy family, not a dysfunctional, broken family. No family is perfect, but I hope through this series you will gain a greater appreciation for our Scio family and be challenged to make it stronger, healthier…and possibly larger as healthy things tend to grow.
Why Family?
Of all of the images used to describe us, why would God choose family? Simply, God created the first biological family of Adam and Eve and co-created with them Cain, Abel, and their other children. His design included a father, a mother, and children—three people in one unit. It kind of reminds me of the Trinity!
Likewise, God the Father functions as our Father, the Holy Spirit—called the Comforter and several other terms—plays a significant role, and Jesus is our big Brother. We are called sons and daughters of God. We are called into relationship not only with God, but with one another.
If you recall last week when we concluded our series on Mary, we noted Jesus’ own words regarding family:
Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:35)
It’s not uncommon for people in our Scio family to refer to one another as sisters and brothers…and for good reason. We are related…by blood—Jesus’ blood.
Paul wrote most of the New Testament of the Bible and frequently referred to other believers as brothers and sisters (e.g. 1 Cor. 8:13; 2 Cor. 2:13; Phil. 2:25).
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:10)
Peter referred to us as family, too:
Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. (1 Peter 2:17)
Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (1 Peter 5:9)
Have you ever had a close friend that felt like a brother or sister—or even more so?
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)
You can choose your friends, but you don’t choose your family. You are born into or adopted into a family. In one sense, God adopted us into His family.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. (Ephesians 1:3-6)
For in Christ Jesus you are all children of God, through faith… (Galatians 3:26)
In another sense, we choose to become a part of the Scio family. Your attendance and participation communicate your desire to make this your church family, though unlike earlier times, there are options. In fact, there are about three hundred options in Washtenaw County alone! It’s not uncommon for selfish, consumeristic impulses to prompt people to go “church shopping,” but that was never God’s design for His family. The variety of church options is both a blessing and a curse, an opportunity to customize and contextualize and also a way to divide and segregate.
The aforementioned metaphor as the church as a body with different parts usually refers to individual people being individual parts, though I believe it could also refer to individual churches in a community, each unique and special and in need of one another, partnering together knowing the nightmare and pain of a detached body part! We do not try to compete with other area churches, but rather complement and partner with them. We need them and they need us.
This raises the question, “Why are there so many churches in Washtenaw County?” What separates us from St. Luke Lutheran Church, St. Francis of Assisi, the Ypsilanti Free Methodist Church, or even our neighbors down the road, Covenant Community Church?
Geography is a legitimate reason for multiple churches in our county. It is ideal to be involved in a church family close to your home, for a variety of reasons (even though few in the Scio family live near our Scio facility!). Practically, the 350,000 or so residents of our county would not fit in our sanctuary for worship—or any facility in the area, for that matter!
Theology is another factor that makes us distinct from other churches. There are significant differences between Catholic and Protestant churches (and Orthodox). We all refer to ourselves as Christians and are genuinely brothers and sisters, but significant historical events have revealed distinctions such as the role of the Bible, the Lord’s Supper, Mary, and church traditions. There are some wonderful, godly Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox and plenty of Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox who look nothing like Jesus and merely consume religious goods and services.
Under the umbrella of Protestants lies a host of denominations, roughly 43,000 worldwide with some predicting 55,000 by 2025! Ugh! Theological differences account for such a large number.
We are a part of the Christian & Missionary Alliance, a global movement of churches. We may have differences of opinion on the Bible with some Lutherans, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians and other Protestants, though I would argue most are minor in comparison to differences with other world religions. All followers of Jesus are on the same team! We’re all one, big, sometimes-happy family!
Another distinction between Scio and other local churches is our methodology or style. Some churches worship with pipe organs, others with lasers and rock bands. We’re somewhere in the middle! Some facilities have stained glass and steeples while some churches meet in school auditoriums or night clubs. We’re somewhere in the middle! Some are formal, use the King James Version of the Bible and have ministers in robes while others are informal, use modern translations, and have ministers in shorts and flip flops. We’re somewhere in the middle!
Perhaps the one thing that makes Scio Community Church—our family—unique from other church families is…you! Us! People! We even have a sister church, Saline Community Church, in the Alliance with similar beliefs and practices (albeit somewhat different geography) but they don’t have you! God has assembled a unique collection of men, women and children to call Scio their church family. You are the church! We are the church!
We are a people—God’s people.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)
We are a chosen people who both exist as a family and who are on mission together. There is an aspect in which we are, but also in which we do. We have been invited into relationship with the Father and challenged to live out our calling. We participate with God on His mission. Specifically,
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
• serving our communities
• sharing our story
• sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
There is so much more to say about our Scio family…and we will in the coming weeks. The first rule for us as a family is to know who we are…and Who’s we are!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Big Idea: A healthy church family knows its identity.
Who are you? I don’t mean you as an individual, but you as a church? Who are we? We are Scio Community Church, but who are we? What is our identity?
When meeting a new person, it’s common to ask, “What do you do?” Individuals are often identified by their vocation. “I’m a doctor.” “I’m a teacher.” "I’m a student.” That’s what they do, but it’s not the totality of who they are as humans.
An ancient Greek aphorism/saying/maxim says, “Know thyself.” It has been attributed to Socrates and others, was used by Plato, referenced by Benjamin Franklin, found above the Oracle’s door in the movie The Matrix, and serves as the motto of Hamilton College (NY).
One year ago we looked at what it means to be followers of Jesus and our identity…in Christ. Our study of Ephesians had a deep impact on my life as I am beginning to understand God the Father says the same things about me as He says about Jesus: “You are my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.” He says the same to you (unless you are female, in which case He calls you His beloved daughter!”).
As Scio Community Church, we are more than merely a group of individuals. We are greater than the sum of our parts (or persons). The Bible describes the church as a body.
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:27)
It is described as a temple. It is called God’s field. It is the people of God.
Perhaps the most common word used to describe the church—and certainly Scio Community Church—is family.
For many, the word “family” elicits positive thoughts and emotions, feelings of love, warmth, respect, affection, and loyalty. For others, pain and heartache are closely associated with family.
What is a family?
Dictionary.com offers these definitions:
a basic social unit consisting of parents and their children, considered as a group, whether dwelling together or not: the traditional family.
a social unit consisting of one or more adults together with the children they care for: a single-parent family.
any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents, children, uncles, aunts, and cousins:
to marry into a socially prominent family.
a group of persons who form a household under one head, including parents, children, and servants.
The definition has changed through the years. Just observing popular television families reveals the transitions our culture has experienced. Think about the differences between the following families:
Little House on the Prairie
The Waltons
All In The Family
Happy Days
Cosby
Roseanne
Home Improvement
Modern Family
A few years ago Coca Cola did this commercial that expresses a contemporary definition of family about as well as any…
According to Coke, family is anyone you want it to be! Fortunately the Bible is our authority, not Hollywood or Madison Avenue!
Family was God’s design from the beginning…and I don’t mean Adam and Eve. Family existed before them!
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (Genesis 1:26)
Did you catch it? Let us make mankind…in our image and likeness. Although the word trinity does not appear in the Bible, the concept of one God in three Persons is clear. We worship a triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All God. All family. All creating and doing God stuff together! Each has their own unique roles and relationship to the other Persons. It is something of a mystery…but God models for us community—family!
Our winter series, Family Rules, is a double entendre; rules is both a noun and verb. The purpose of this series is to cast a vision for a healthy church family, noting particular strengths and weaknesses of Scio in the process. When people talk about church, they could mean a building. They could mean a Sunday morning gathering. It is common to refer to the universal church of all followers of Jesus Christ worldwide. For much of this series family will refer to us—Scio Community Church.
We are family!
As I said, that word has baggage for many. We strive to be a healthy family, not a dysfunctional, broken family. No family is perfect, but I hope through this series you will gain a greater appreciation for our Scio family and be challenged to make it stronger, healthier…and possibly larger as healthy things tend to grow.
Why Family?
Of all of the images used to describe us, why would God choose family? Simply, God created the first biological family of Adam and Eve and co-created with them Cain, Abel, and their other children. His design included a father, a mother, and children—three people in one unit. It kind of reminds me of the Trinity!
Likewise, God the Father functions as our Father, the Holy Spirit—called the Comforter and several other terms—plays a significant role, and Jesus is our big Brother. We are called sons and daughters of God. We are called into relationship not only with God, but with one another.
If you recall last week when we concluded our series on Mary, we noted Jesus’ own words regarding family:
Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:35)
It’s not uncommon for people in our Scio family to refer to one another as sisters and brothers…and for good reason. We are related…by blood—Jesus’ blood.
Paul wrote most of the New Testament of the Bible and frequently referred to other believers as brothers and sisters (e.g. 1 Cor. 8:13; 2 Cor. 2:13; Phil. 2:25).
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:10)
Peter referred to us as family, too:
Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. (1 Peter 2:17)
Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (1 Peter 5:9)
Have you ever had a close friend that felt like a brother or sister—or even more so?
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)
You can choose your friends, but you don’t choose your family. You are born into or adopted into a family. In one sense, God adopted us into His family.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. (Ephesians 1:3-6)
For in Christ Jesus you are all children of God, through faith… (Galatians 3:26)
In another sense, we choose to become a part of the Scio family. Your attendance and participation communicate your desire to make this your church family, though unlike earlier times, there are options. In fact, there are about three hundred options in Washtenaw County alone! It’s not uncommon for selfish, consumeristic impulses to prompt people to go “church shopping,” but that was never God’s design for His family. The variety of church options is both a blessing and a curse, an opportunity to customize and contextualize and also a way to divide and segregate.
The aforementioned metaphor as the church as a body with different parts usually refers to individual people being individual parts, though I believe it could also refer to individual churches in a community, each unique and special and in need of one another, partnering together knowing the nightmare and pain of a detached body part! We do not try to compete with other area churches, but rather complement and partner with them. We need them and they need us.
This raises the question, “Why are there so many churches in Washtenaw County?” What separates us from St. Luke Lutheran Church, St. Francis of Assisi, the Ypsilanti Free Methodist Church, or even our neighbors down the road, Covenant Community Church?
Geography is a legitimate reason for multiple churches in our county. It is ideal to be involved in a church family close to your home, for a variety of reasons (even though few in the Scio family live near our Scio facility!). Practically, the 350,000 or so residents of our county would not fit in our sanctuary for worship—or any facility in the area, for that matter!
Theology is another factor that makes us distinct from other churches. There are significant differences between Catholic and Protestant churches (and Orthodox). We all refer to ourselves as Christians and are genuinely brothers and sisters, but significant historical events have revealed distinctions such as the role of the Bible, the Lord’s Supper, Mary, and church traditions. There are some wonderful, godly Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox and plenty of Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox who look nothing like Jesus and merely consume religious goods and services.
Under the umbrella of Protestants lies a host of denominations, roughly 43,000 worldwide with some predicting 55,000 by 2025! Ugh! Theological differences account for such a large number.
We are a part of the Christian & Missionary Alliance, a global movement of churches. We may have differences of opinion on the Bible with some Lutherans, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians and other Protestants, though I would argue most are minor in comparison to differences with other world religions. All followers of Jesus are on the same team! We’re all one, big, sometimes-happy family!
Another distinction between Scio and other local churches is our methodology or style. Some churches worship with pipe organs, others with lasers and rock bands. We’re somewhere in the middle! Some facilities have stained glass and steeples while some churches meet in school auditoriums or night clubs. We’re somewhere in the middle! Some are formal, use the King James Version of the Bible and have ministers in robes while others are informal, use modern translations, and have ministers in shorts and flip flops. We’re somewhere in the middle!
Perhaps the one thing that makes Scio Community Church—our family—unique from other church families is…you! Us! People! We even have a sister church, Saline Community Church, in the Alliance with similar beliefs and practices (albeit somewhat different geography) but they don’t have you! God has assembled a unique collection of men, women and children to call Scio their church family. You are the church! We are the church!
We are a people—God’s people.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)
We are a chosen people who both exist as a family and who are on mission together. There is an aspect in which we are, but also in which we do. We have been invited into relationship with the Father and challenged to live out our calling. We participate with God on His mission. Specifically,
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
• serving our communities
• sharing our story
• sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
There is so much more to say about our Scio family…and we will in the coming weeks. The first rule for us as a family is to know who we are…and Who’s we are!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Witness: Woman of Sorrow, 04 January 2015
04 01 15
Big Idea: Mary experienced great joy as a mom…and great sorrow.
Key Scripture: John 2:1-11; Mark 3:20-35; John 19:25
Introduction
Happy 2015! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. The highlight for me was undoubtedly spending nearly a week with our entire family that now resides again in three different states.
Many churches today are talking about the new year, resolutions, goal setting, and ways to have your best life now. I’m deliberately avoiding the temptation for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is my desire to finish what we started with regard to Mary. As I said last Sunday, we can’t just throw her in the attic with the nativity set until next year. While her most significant moment may have been Jesus’ birthday, labor and delivery is the beginning, not the end of motherhood. We looked at Mary the mom last week as she brought Jesus to the temple for dedication where they were blessed by Simeon.
The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:33-35)
In full disclosure, I’m not a mom! I’ve never been a mom…and I never plan on becoming a mom! I am, however, a parent. Nothing in life has been more challenging for me—or more rewarding—than being a parent. I’ve experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows. I’ve felt every conceivable emotion and been impacted physically, spiritually, emotionally, mentally, financially, and relationally by parenting three incredible humans.
I believe love is the reason parenting is so significant. Love involved risk, and the more you risk, the greater the joy and the greater the sorrow. During lunch on New Year’s Day, Heather and I were reflecting on our parenting journey and how it has taken us through tragedy and triumph, horror and happiness. She asked if I’d do it again if I could turn back time and I said absolutely though nothing could prepare me for all of the challenges. Perhaps nothing has shaped me into the man I am today more than being a parent.
Today I want to look at a few final moments in Mary’s motherhood adventure.
The First Miracle
Jesus began His public ministry by making wine. We often miss Mary in this story.
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” (John 2:1-3)
Remember, children were to honor their parents according to the fifth commandment (which I believe is still relevant today!).
“Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
(John 2:4)
“Woman” could also be understood as “mother.” “My hour” was a reference to the crucifixion. Note Jesus does nothing until Mary directs the servants to obey Him.
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” (John 2:5-10)
What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. (John 2:11)
This wedding began a public shift in Mary’s life. Imagine her joy! Talk about a proud mama! She would learn to be obedient to her Son. He was the One before whom she was to have no other gods. Honoring God meant following her own Son while surrendering her own honor.
Scot McKnight says, “If Jesus alone knew God’s will, then the only ones who knew God’s will were the ones to whom Jesus revealed that will. For Mary to know and do God’s will, she would have to follow Jesus. Her honor would have to surrender to his honor. Jesus’ words were subtle, and they pierced Mary’s heart. She would have to allow her son to become her Lord. This interchange between Mary and Jesus is nothing short of stunning…Because Mary directed the servants to do as Jesus said and because the servants obeyed, Jesus converted six thirty-gallon jars of water into the best wine yet served at that wedding.”
This was only the beginning.
Abandonment?
Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” (Mark 3:20-21)
Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”
“Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.
Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:31-35)
“Thanks a lot, Son! Your mission is more important than your mom?!” Was this the sword Simeon said would pierce Mary’s heart?
Sometimes honoring God and honoring your father and mother come into conflict with one another. Of course, in our western culture, honor is a word rarely spoken. We focus on our own rights rather than selflessly honoring others. The Jewish priorities were God, parents, family, society…and lastly one’s self.
Mary and her other children were ambivalent about Jesus, perhaps much of the time. They expected the Messiah to be a prophet like Moses, like ancient prophets, a descendant of David, and a reigning King combining the glory of David with the wisdom of Solomon. He would be powerful, ruling over all governments and peoples. He would restore Israel, establish peace, righteousness, and holiness.
Jesus didn’t fit their expectations…and the most unimaginable was yet to come.
The Cross
I have heard the worst experience on earth is losing a child. I was reminded of this a few days ago as I heard the wails of a grieving mom whose child died. My mind raced to Mary’s agony watching her Son die. She not only witnessed the loss of her Son, but also her Savior, her Messiah, her hope.
Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. (John 19:25)
About fifty percent of the first century Jewish women were named Mary!
She was near the cross (all of the males fled except for John!). She saw it all. She remained faithful to Him. A sword pierced the side of Jesus…as Mary’s heart was pierced.
Anglican poet G.A. Studdert Kennedy said:
She claims no crown from Christ apart,
Who gave God life and limb,
She only claims a broken heart,
Because of Him.
Are you near the cross? Has your heart been pierced?
The Rest of the Story
Mary does not vanish at Calvary. In the Upper Room following Jesus’ ascension into heaven we are told of the early followers of Jesus.
They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. (Acts 1:14)
She no doubt had a tremendous role in the early church, including the telling of stories that we now read in the Gospel biographies of Jesus in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. She was an eyewitness to His birth, life and death.
One More Appearance?
Mary may appear one final time in the Bible…in Revelation 12. Look it up! It may refer to Mary and/or the People of God and/or Israel and/or the Church.
So What?
May surrendered to her Son. Family is important, but obeying and glorifying God the Father is most important. We are to love our children and honor our parents, but even family can become an idol, a god.
Jesus revealed a new family in which His brothers and sisters and mother are those who do God’s will.
Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:34-35)
Mary is not a perfect example, but a real example of someone who trusted God and surrendered to His will, a real human with a real faith in the real world.
“Do whatever He tells you” is the motto and mantra of Jesus’ family.
For Further Study
The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Key Scripture: John 2:1-11; Mark 3:20-35; John 19:25
Introduction
Happy 2015! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. The highlight for me was undoubtedly spending nearly a week with our entire family that now resides again in three different states.
Many churches today are talking about the new year, resolutions, goal setting, and ways to have your best life now. I’m deliberately avoiding the temptation for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is my desire to finish what we started with regard to Mary. As I said last Sunday, we can’t just throw her in the attic with the nativity set until next year. While her most significant moment may have been Jesus’ birthday, labor and delivery is the beginning, not the end of motherhood. We looked at Mary the mom last week as she brought Jesus to the temple for dedication where they were blessed by Simeon.
The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:33-35)
In full disclosure, I’m not a mom! I’ve never been a mom…and I never plan on becoming a mom! I am, however, a parent. Nothing in life has been more challenging for me—or more rewarding—than being a parent. I’ve experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows. I’ve felt every conceivable emotion and been impacted physically, spiritually, emotionally, mentally, financially, and relationally by parenting three incredible humans.
I believe love is the reason parenting is so significant. Love involved risk, and the more you risk, the greater the joy and the greater the sorrow. During lunch on New Year’s Day, Heather and I were reflecting on our parenting journey and how it has taken us through tragedy and triumph, horror and happiness. She asked if I’d do it again if I could turn back time and I said absolutely though nothing could prepare me for all of the challenges. Perhaps nothing has shaped me into the man I am today more than being a parent.
Today I want to look at a few final moments in Mary’s motherhood adventure.
The First Miracle
Jesus began His public ministry by making wine. We often miss Mary in this story.
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” (John 2:1-3)
Remember, children were to honor their parents according to the fifth commandment (which I believe is still relevant today!).
“Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
(John 2:4)
“Woman” could also be understood as “mother.” “My hour” was a reference to the crucifixion. Note Jesus does nothing until Mary directs the servants to obey Him.
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” (John 2:5-10)
What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. (John 2:11)
This wedding began a public shift in Mary’s life. Imagine her joy! Talk about a proud mama! She would learn to be obedient to her Son. He was the One before whom she was to have no other gods. Honoring God meant following her own Son while surrendering her own honor.
Scot McKnight says, “If Jesus alone knew God’s will, then the only ones who knew God’s will were the ones to whom Jesus revealed that will. For Mary to know and do God’s will, she would have to follow Jesus. Her honor would have to surrender to his honor. Jesus’ words were subtle, and they pierced Mary’s heart. She would have to allow her son to become her Lord. This interchange between Mary and Jesus is nothing short of stunning…Because Mary directed the servants to do as Jesus said and because the servants obeyed, Jesus converted six thirty-gallon jars of water into the best wine yet served at that wedding.”
This was only the beginning.
Abandonment?
Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” (Mark 3:20-21)
Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”
“Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.
Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:31-35)
“Thanks a lot, Son! Your mission is more important than your mom?!” Was this the sword Simeon said would pierce Mary’s heart?
Sometimes honoring God and honoring your father and mother come into conflict with one another. Of course, in our western culture, honor is a word rarely spoken. We focus on our own rights rather than selflessly honoring others. The Jewish priorities were God, parents, family, society…and lastly one’s self.
Mary and her other children were ambivalent about Jesus, perhaps much of the time. They expected the Messiah to be a prophet like Moses, like ancient prophets, a descendant of David, and a reigning King combining the glory of David with the wisdom of Solomon. He would be powerful, ruling over all governments and peoples. He would restore Israel, establish peace, righteousness, and holiness.
Jesus didn’t fit their expectations…and the most unimaginable was yet to come.
The Cross
I have heard the worst experience on earth is losing a child. I was reminded of this a few days ago as I heard the wails of a grieving mom whose child died. My mind raced to Mary’s agony watching her Son die. She not only witnessed the loss of her Son, but also her Savior, her Messiah, her hope.
Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. (John 19:25)
About fifty percent of the first century Jewish women were named Mary!
She was near the cross (all of the males fled except for John!). She saw it all. She remained faithful to Him. A sword pierced the side of Jesus…as Mary’s heart was pierced.
Anglican poet G.A. Studdert Kennedy said:
She claims no crown from Christ apart,
Who gave God life and limb,
She only claims a broken heart,
Because of Him.
Are you near the cross? Has your heart been pierced?
The Rest of the Story
Mary does not vanish at Calvary. In the Upper Room following Jesus’ ascension into heaven we are told of the early followers of Jesus.
They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. (Acts 1:14)
She no doubt had a tremendous role in the early church, including the telling of stories that we now read in the Gospel biographies of Jesus in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. She was an eyewitness to His birth, life and death.
One More Appearance?
Mary may appear one final time in the Bible…in Revelation 12. Look it up! It may refer to Mary and/or the People of God and/or Israel and/or the Church.
So What?
May surrendered to her Son. Family is important, but obeying and glorifying God the Father is most important. We are to love our children and honor our parents, but even family can become an idol, a god.
Jesus revealed a new family in which His brothers and sisters and mother are those who do God’s will.
Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:34-35)
Mary is not a perfect example, but a real example of someone who trusted God and surrendered to His will, a real human with a real faith in the real world.
“Do whatever He tells you” is the motto and mantra of Jesus’ family.
For Further Study
The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Motherhood: Woman of God, 28 December 2014
28 12 14
Big Idea: Moms—and Mary, in particular—do more than simply give birth.
Key Scripture: Luke 2:21-52
Introduction
As a general rule, I don’t like reruns. I don’t like seeing movies for the second time. The reason is simple: I know what’s going to happen.
Of course, sometimes I forget I’ve even seen the movie! One time I called Heather from the video store (remember those?) and asked if we had seen a particular movie. She said, “We rented it last weekend!” I then asked, “Did we like it?”
There’s nothing like a show for the first time, be it on tv, the movies, or live. On Tuesday we are celebrating Heather’s birthday by going to the Detroit Opera House to see the musical Wicked. It’s her favorite show and we’ve both seen it before…but it will be the first time for two of our kids. It will be great for the three of us who have seen it before, but when you know the ending, the suspense is diminished, the thrill is muted, the mystery is lost.
This is one of the challenges of the Bible. If you’ve read it before, it can become familiar. While it’s great to be comfortable with the truths of God’s Word, as Apuleius said, familiarity breeds contempt. We can miss the awe when we’ve “been there and done that.”
Mary
We have two final weeks in our series on Mary. Hopefully you haven’t packed her away in the attic with your nativity set until next December! Giving birth to Jesus—while essential—was just the beginning, not the end of her influence and importance. Sure, the pain of labor and delivery were over, but a host of experiences and emotions lie ahead for her…and Joseph. We are going to take a peek at some today.
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived. (Luke 2:21)
Does that really say He wasn’t named until the eighth day, even though months earlier they were told what to name Him?
When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord” ), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:22-24)
Last Sunday we had a child dedication—actually a parent and child dedication. Jesus was dedicated by His parents to the Lord. Fortunately for us, we do not have to slaughter animals in the process, but this was the Old Testament Law.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.” (Luke 2:25-32)
Surely this was further confirmation that their child was special—as if they needed further proof following angel visitations, the glory of the Lord shining, choirs of singing angels, strange shepherds visiting the labor and delivery room, and the fulfillment of ancient prophecy.
Simeon saw Jesus as the Savior of all, not merely Jews, a radical expansion of God’s redemption promised in the OT (Ps. 98; Is. 49:6).
The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:33-35)
This was a beautiful moment, this righteous man rejoicing at the presence of the Messiah. He praised God, his parents marveled, He blessed the child…and then those nine words to Mary: “And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” Imagine how jarring that sentence must’ve been to this young mom. There was no warning. Simeon didn’t say, “There’s some good news and some bad news. What do you want first?” It’s almost a P.S. “By the way, Mary, your soul will be pierced by a sword. Have a nice day!”
There’s more.
There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36-38)
We’re introduced to Anna the prophet (a female!) who confirms Jesus as the One, the child.
It often seems the greater the challenge, the greater the clarity required. For instance, if God wants you to sell everything and move to Africa, it may take more than a hunch, a brief thought in the middle of the night after late-night pizza and pop! Such radical action requires great clarity, most likely through multiple messages.
It was critical that Mary and Joseph knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that their Son was special, the Messiah. Many people told them so, including two at His consecration.
When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. (Luke 2:39)
This verse raised questions for me. Didn’t they get a visit from the Magi and have to flee to Egypt to escape Herod’s slaughter of the baby boys in accordance with Matthew chapter two? Luke did not feel it was an important detail.
And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him. (Luke 2:40)
This is about all we know of Jesus’ childhood…except for one incident…a dozen years later.
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” (Luke 2:41-48)
The trip from Nazareth to Jerusalem was not a one-time journey for Jesus’ birth. It was an annual affair.
Parents, if you’ve ever lost your child, you know how consuming it can be. Imagine three days of searching!
“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them. (Luke 2:49-50)
We understand, but you have to admit those words must’ve sounded strange to Mary and Joseph…especially Joseph. “Father? You don’t know your father? Hello!”
Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:51-52)
Jesus grew and Mary treasured all these things in her heart.
I believe Mary was a great mom. She certainly had huge challenges, yet she persevered. She raised a boy with a Messiah complex! She was forever known as conceiving before marriage. It is thought that her husband died young, though the Bible is not explicit about this. We are told she had other children (who must’ve struggled to live up to the expectations of Jesus; “why can’t you be more like your brother?” “Because He’s perfect!”).
Clearly Mary was thoughtful; deliberate. Like all moms, she loved her child in a way unlike anyone else. She gave birth, nursed Him, and did everything possible to provide a good life for Him, all the while knowing He was special, yet not at all what she or anyone was expecting from the King of the Jews.
Next week we’ll look at the most unexpected moment in Mary’s life.
So What?
Moms, you can relate to Mary better than anyone. You know the joys and heartache of not only parenting but doing what only moms can do. Just as I learned more about our heavenly Father the day I became a dad, moms can identify with Mary.
We can only imagine the conversations she had with Jesus, the questions she asked, the haunting words of Simeon throughout His growth, and the mystery of His identity.
Conclusion
Just for the record, there are a few things I like to watch more than once, but it’s not so much for the intrigue and wonder but rather the tradition. A Charlie Brown Christmas comes to mind. The beauty, of course, of familiar shows is you can be interrupted by a bathroom break or phone call/text without missing anything. You also notice new things each time you experience it.
The more you read the Bible, the more familiar it becomes, but the more the Holy Spirit can guide you into truth. We are constantly changing and God’s Word has the power to encourage, convict, challenge and transform us.
I’ve read it cover to cover—many times. We have together as a church. This year we’ve read through Psalms and Proverbs each day. In 2015 we have a new reading plan. It’s called One Story and it will cover the major themes of the Bible with six readings each week. If you have a smart phone, the readings can be easily obtained with the YouVersion app as well as OwnIt365.com. There are free videos, Experience study guides, and Let’s Discuss It discussion guides for your family and/or Life Group.
As we prepare for the new year, it’s my hope and prayer that we would passionately pursue God like never before, as individuals and as a family together.
For Further Study
The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Key Scripture: Luke 2:21-52
Introduction
As a general rule, I don’t like reruns. I don’t like seeing movies for the second time. The reason is simple: I know what’s going to happen.
Of course, sometimes I forget I’ve even seen the movie! One time I called Heather from the video store (remember those?) and asked if we had seen a particular movie. She said, “We rented it last weekend!” I then asked, “Did we like it?”
There’s nothing like a show for the first time, be it on tv, the movies, or live. On Tuesday we are celebrating Heather’s birthday by going to the Detroit Opera House to see the musical Wicked. It’s her favorite show and we’ve both seen it before…but it will be the first time for two of our kids. It will be great for the three of us who have seen it before, but when you know the ending, the suspense is diminished, the thrill is muted, the mystery is lost.
This is one of the challenges of the Bible. If you’ve read it before, it can become familiar. While it’s great to be comfortable with the truths of God’s Word, as Apuleius said, familiarity breeds contempt. We can miss the awe when we’ve “been there and done that.”
Mary
We have two final weeks in our series on Mary. Hopefully you haven’t packed her away in the attic with your nativity set until next December! Giving birth to Jesus—while essential—was just the beginning, not the end of her influence and importance. Sure, the pain of labor and delivery were over, but a host of experiences and emotions lie ahead for her…and Joseph. We are going to take a peek at some today.
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived. (Luke 2:21)
Does that really say He wasn’t named until the eighth day, even though months earlier they were told what to name Him?
When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord” ), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:22-24)
Last Sunday we had a child dedication—actually a parent and child dedication. Jesus was dedicated by His parents to the Lord. Fortunately for us, we do not have to slaughter animals in the process, but this was the Old Testament Law.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.” (Luke 2:25-32)
Surely this was further confirmation that their child was special—as if they needed further proof following angel visitations, the glory of the Lord shining, choirs of singing angels, strange shepherds visiting the labor and delivery room, and the fulfillment of ancient prophecy.
Simeon saw Jesus as the Savior of all, not merely Jews, a radical expansion of God’s redemption promised in the OT (Ps. 98; Is. 49:6).
The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:33-35)
This was a beautiful moment, this righteous man rejoicing at the presence of the Messiah. He praised God, his parents marveled, He blessed the child…and then those nine words to Mary: “And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” Imagine how jarring that sentence must’ve been to this young mom. There was no warning. Simeon didn’t say, “There’s some good news and some bad news. What do you want first?” It’s almost a P.S. “By the way, Mary, your soul will be pierced by a sword. Have a nice day!”
There’s more.
There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36-38)
We’re introduced to Anna the prophet (a female!) who confirms Jesus as the One, the child.
It often seems the greater the challenge, the greater the clarity required. For instance, if God wants you to sell everything and move to Africa, it may take more than a hunch, a brief thought in the middle of the night after late-night pizza and pop! Such radical action requires great clarity, most likely through multiple messages.
It was critical that Mary and Joseph knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that their Son was special, the Messiah. Many people told them so, including two at His consecration.
When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. (Luke 2:39)
This verse raised questions for me. Didn’t they get a visit from the Magi and have to flee to Egypt to escape Herod’s slaughter of the baby boys in accordance with Matthew chapter two? Luke did not feel it was an important detail.
And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him. (Luke 2:40)
This is about all we know of Jesus’ childhood…except for one incident…a dozen years later.
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” (Luke 2:41-48)
The trip from Nazareth to Jerusalem was not a one-time journey for Jesus’ birth. It was an annual affair.
Parents, if you’ve ever lost your child, you know how consuming it can be. Imagine three days of searching!
“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them. (Luke 2:49-50)
We understand, but you have to admit those words must’ve sounded strange to Mary and Joseph…especially Joseph. “Father? You don’t know your father? Hello!”
Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:51-52)
Jesus grew and Mary treasured all these things in her heart.
I believe Mary was a great mom. She certainly had huge challenges, yet she persevered. She raised a boy with a Messiah complex! She was forever known as conceiving before marriage. It is thought that her husband died young, though the Bible is not explicit about this. We are told she had other children (who must’ve struggled to live up to the expectations of Jesus; “why can’t you be more like your brother?” “Because He’s perfect!”).
Clearly Mary was thoughtful; deliberate. Like all moms, she loved her child in a way unlike anyone else. She gave birth, nursed Him, and did everything possible to provide a good life for Him, all the while knowing He was special, yet not at all what she or anyone was expecting from the King of the Jews.
Next week we’ll look at the most unexpected moment in Mary’s life.
So What?
Moms, you can relate to Mary better than anyone. You know the joys and heartache of not only parenting but doing what only moms can do. Just as I learned more about our heavenly Father the day I became a dad, moms can identify with Mary.
We can only imagine the conversations she had with Jesus, the questions she asked, the haunting words of Simeon throughout His growth, and the mystery of His identity.
Conclusion
Just for the record, there are a few things I like to watch more than once, but it’s not so much for the intrigue and wonder but rather the tradition. A Charlie Brown Christmas comes to mind. The beauty, of course, of familiar shows is you can be interrupted by a bathroom break or phone call/text without missing anything. You also notice new things each time you experience it.
The more you read the Bible, the more familiar it becomes, but the more the Holy Spirit can guide you into truth. We are constantly changing and God’s Word has the power to encourage, convict, challenge and transform us.
I’ve read it cover to cover—many times. We have together as a church. This year we’ve read through Psalms and Proverbs each day. In 2015 we have a new reading plan. It’s called One Story and it will cover the major themes of the Bible with six readings each week. If you have a smart phone, the readings can be easily obtained with the YouVersion app as well as OwnIt365.com. There are free videos, Experience study guides, and Let’s Discuss It discussion guides for your family and/or Life Group.
As we prepare for the new year, it’s my hope and prayer that we would passionately pursue God like never before, as individuals and as a family together.
For Further Study
The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Birth: Real Woman of Danger, 21 December 2014
21 12 14
Big Idea: Mary was real, raw and dangerous.
Key Scripture: Luke 2:6-20
Introduction
In January of 2003 the Discovery Channel began airing a show called MythBusters. It has continued as one if its oldest and most popular shows. Originally from Australia, it has become a global phenomenon testing various popular beliefs and Internet rumors to see if they are true. The myths are ultimately rated “buster,” “plausible,” or “confirmed.”
It’s one thing to hold beliefs about sunburns, explosions, traffic patterns, or boarding airplanes. It’s quite another to entertain myths about the Bible and, ultimately, God. One of the most frustrating things for me as a follower of Jesus is hearing so-called Biblical quotes that are simply not, such as:
God helps those who help themselves.
Jesus turned water into grape juice instead of wine.
Eve gave Adam an apple in the Garden of Eden (all we know is it was a fruit).
I’m good and, therefore, will go to heaven when I die.
Always pray with your eyes closed.
Jesus never claimed to be the Son of God.
Suffering is always the result of sin since true believers are rich and healthy.
The safest place to be is in the center of God’s will.
This Advent season is filled with its own myths:
Three kings from the Orient visited Jesus at his birthplace.
Jesus was born on December 25.
Jesus never cried.
Jesus’ birthday has been celebrated for about 2000 years.
True: Christmas is from “Christ’s mass.”
We’re in the middle of an extended series on Mary, the mother of Jesus. It seems that she is possibly overrated by Catholics and underrated by us Protestants. She is arguably the most important female to ever walk this earth, not only for giving birth to Jesus but also for enduring the consequences of being pregnant out of wedlock, raising the Messiah, and witnessing His brutal death. She was specifically chosen by God to be Jesus’ mom for reasons we don’t entirely know, but good reasons nonetheless.
The center of God’s will is not the safest place to be, but often the most dangerous. Mary is often depicted as a sweet, innocent, almost angelic figure. The real Mary, however, was dangerous. She was dangerous to Augustus and Herod, claiming her son was born to be king. She had a dangerous mission that threatened the Jewish society and the Roman Empire. Rather than a somber-faced girl in a baby-blue robe, Scot McKnight says, “Mary was a muscular, wiry woman whose eyes were aglow with a dazzling hope for justice and whose body evoked a robust confidence in the God who was about to turn the world upside down through her son.”
To fully understand the story, we need to understand the context. We’ve sanitized the account, making it so quaint and comfortable. Imagine North Korea. A tyrant ruler dictates what people can and cannot do. There was no movie to shut down, but Caesar Augustus was literally considered “son of God” in the lineage of his dad, Julius Caesar who was officially declared to be a god. Augustus brought peace to Rome and was considered its savior. His rise was considered good news or “gospel.”
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:6-7)
Guest room is more accurate than an inn. It was likely in a relative’s home. There’s nothing in the Bible about a stable. The manger may have been in an open-air living area like a patio.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8-12)
This is familiar language to the shepherds who knew Augustus as savior. They were now confronted with two kings; Augustus and Jesus.
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:13-14)
Augustus didn’t exactly have angels announcing His birth.
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2:15)
They needed to do something to respond to the celestial symphony!
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:16-20)
“Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
“What does it mean that Mary was treasuring and pondering? These are standard words in Judaism for thinking about events in one’s life so one could make sense of and narrate what God was doing in history . To ponder is not to withdraw into silent meditation, as we might mean when we use the word “ponder,” but to deliberate in order to interpret. Instead of imagining Mary sitting quietly meditating in some corner all alone, while everyone else was singing and dancing and clapping and dreaming of the end of Augustus’ rule, Mary was actively figuring out what in the world God was doing in the world. Mary pondered the tale of two kings: Augustus and Jesus. And she composed the story of Jesus in her head in order to proclaim it to others.” (Scot McKnight)
She would tell the story orally, a tale of two kings. What we read in the Gospels most likely came from her lips. She got the word out.
So What?
Perhaps the greatest myth of all in the account of the birth of Jesus is that somehow the characters are super-human. They aren’t real. It’s fantasy. Jesus was God so therefore never pooped or cried, Mary floated above the earth like an angel, effortlessly giving birth without a whimper or tear. Joseph—well, Joseph just stood there watching while his wife and step son get all of the attention. The animals smelled like Febreze. The night was silent and perfect, tranquil and sweet.
Last week we examined the journey to Bethlehem. After 80 miles or so on rough, rocky roads Mary’s attire was not clean and tidy. She may have been sick from the pregnancy and/or the travel. She may have had arguments with Joseph during the days they traveled. As an unwed, pregnant woman Mary undoubtedly received sneers and glares from those in her small town
It was likely cold, dark, uncomfortable, and harsh. Sure, the angels provided an incredible soundtrack and they had some unexpected visitors, but this was not the scene depicted on Hallmark cards. Joseph was real. Jesus was real. Mary was real.
Real by Nichole Nordeman
“It matters that Jesus had a real body. For Jesus to be really human he had to be born, as the apostle Paul wrote in the fourth chapter of his letter to the Galatians, of a woman and not just through a woman. God didn’t just use Mary as a “rent-a-womb” but actually became DNA— Mary’s. The theological expression at work here is “incarnation,” and the underlying principle is this: What God becomes, God redeems. God becomes what we are—with a real body— so we can become children of God. That’s why Jesus’ real body is important for our faith.”
“For Mary there was another issue. When Mary held that newborn little body in her hands, Mary witnessed the living reality of the promise Gabriel had made to her nine months earlier. She was holding the promise-come-true. The real body she held proved to her that what God said really would take place. For theologians, the birth of Jesus is about the “incarnation.” That is, that God became real human flesh. Yet, for Mary the birth of Jesus was about “coronation.” I doubt Mary thought in the terms theologians use today. I doubt she wondered if her son was God and human or the God-man or what about his natures and person— how they were related. That’s the stuff of theological discussion. For the real Mary, that live body named Jesus may have been a messy, fussy, physical little body, but that real body was an undeniable witness to the truth that God could work miracles.” (Scot McKnight)
Conclusion
There are many myths in our world. The reality of Mary and Joseph are not among them. They were real people like you and I that laughed and cried, were sick and scared, played and prayed while living in a dangerous world.
The reality of Jesus, His birth, His death, His resurrection, and His future return are also not mythology. Jesus is real. He came once to show us what it means to be truly human, serving and sacrificing, reconciling us to our heavenly Father. He is real. His love is real. It is my prayer for you this Christmas that you would experience King Jesus and prepare for His imminent return.
For Further Study
The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Key Scripture: Luke 2:6-20
Introduction
In January of 2003 the Discovery Channel began airing a show called MythBusters. It has continued as one if its oldest and most popular shows. Originally from Australia, it has become a global phenomenon testing various popular beliefs and Internet rumors to see if they are true. The myths are ultimately rated “buster,” “plausible,” or “confirmed.”
It’s one thing to hold beliefs about sunburns, explosions, traffic patterns, or boarding airplanes. It’s quite another to entertain myths about the Bible and, ultimately, God. One of the most frustrating things for me as a follower of Jesus is hearing so-called Biblical quotes that are simply not, such as:
God helps those who help themselves.
Jesus turned water into grape juice instead of wine.
Eve gave Adam an apple in the Garden of Eden (all we know is it was a fruit).
I’m good and, therefore, will go to heaven when I die.
Always pray with your eyes closed.
Jesus never claimed to be the Son of God.
Suffering is always the result of sin since true believers are rich and healthy.
The safest place to be is in the center of God’s will.
This Advent season is filled with its own myths:
Three kings from the Orient visited Jesus at his birthplace.
Jesus was born on December 25.
Jesus never cried.
Jesus’ birthday has been celebrated for about 2000 years.
True: Christmas is from “Christ’s mass.”
We’re in the middle of an extended series on Mary, the mother of Jesus. It seems that she is possibly overrated by Catholics and underrated by us Protestants. She is arguably the most important female to ever walk this earth, not only for giving birth to Jesus but also for enduring the consequences of being pregnant out of wedlock, raising the Messiah, and witnessing His brutal death. She was specifically chosen by God to be Jesus’ mom for reasons we don’t entirely know, but good reasons nonetheless.
The center of God’s will is not the safest place to be, but often the most dangerous. Mary is often depicted as a sweet, innocent, almost angelic figure. The real Mary, however, was dangerous. She was dangerous to Augustus and Herod, claiming her son was born to be king. She had a dangerous mission that threatened the Jewish society and the Roman Empire. Rather than a somber-faced girl in a baby-blue robe, Scot McKnight says, “Mary was a muscular, wiry woman whose eyes were aglow with a dazzling hope for justice and whose body evoked a robust confidence in the God who was about to turn the world upside down through her son.”
To fully understand the story, we need to understand the context. We’ve sanitized the account, making it so quaint and comfortable. Imagine North Korea. A tyrant ruler dictates what people can and cannot do. There was no movie to shut down, but Caesar Augustus was literally considered “son of God” in the lineage of his dad, Julius Caesar who was officially declared to be a god. Augustus brought peace to Rome and was considered its savior. His rise was considered good news or “gospel.”
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:6-7)
Guest room is more accurate than an inn. It was likely in a relative’s home. There’s nothing in the Bible about a stable. The manger may have been in an open-air living area like a patio.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8-12)
This is familiar language to the shepherds who knew Augustus as savior. They were now confronted with two kings; Augustus and Jesus.
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:13-14)
Augustus didn’t exactly have angels announcing His birth.
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2:15)
They needed to do something to respond to the celestial symphony!
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:16-20)
“Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
“What does it mean that Mary was treasuring and pondering? These are standard words in Judaism for thinking about events in one’s life so one could make sense of and narrate what God was doing in history . To ponder is not to withdraw into silent meditation, as we might mean when we use the word “ponder,” but to deliberate in order to interpret. Instead of imagining Mary sitting quietly meditating in some corner all alone, while everyone else was singing and dancing and clapping and dreaming of the end of Augustus’ rule, Mary was actively figuring out what in the world God was doing in the world. Mary pondered the tale of two kings: Augustus and Jesus. And she composed the story of Jesus in her head in order to proclaim it to others.” (Scot McKnight)
She would tell the story orally, a tale of two kings. What we read in the Gospels most likely came from her lips. She got the word out.
So What?
Perhaps the greatest myth of all in the account of the birth of Jesus is that somehow the characters are super-human. They aren’t real. It’s fantasy. Jesus was God so therefore never pooped or cried, Mary floated above the earth like an angel, effortlessly giving birth without a whimper or tear. Joseph—well, Joseph just stood there watching while his wife and step son get all of the attention. The animals smelled like Febreze. The night was silent and perfect, tranquil and sweet.
Last week we examined the journey to Bethlehem. After 80 miles or so on rough, rocky roads Mary’s attire was not clean and tidy. She may have been sick from the pregnancy and/or the travel. She may have had arguments with Joseph during the days they traveled. As an unwed, pregnant woman Mary undoubtedly received sneers and glares from those in her small town
It was likely cold, dark, uncomfortable, and harsh. Sure, the angels provided an incredible soundtrack and they had some unexpected visitors, but this was not the scene depicted on Hallmark cards. Joseph was real. Jesus was real. Mary was real.
Real by Nichole Nordeman
“It matters that Jesus had a real body. For Jesus to be really human he had to be born, as the apostle Paul wrote in the fourth chapter of his letter to the Galatians, of a woman and not just through a woman. God didn’t just use Mary as a “rent-a-womb” but actually became DNA— Mary’s. The theological expression at work here is “incarnation,” and the underlying principle is this: What God becomes, God redeems. God becomes what we are—with a real body— so we can become children of God. That’s why Jesus’ real body is important for our faith.”
“For Mary there was another issue. When Mary held that newborn little body in her hands, Mary witnessed the living reality of the promise Gabriel had made to her nine months earlier. She was holding the promise-come-true. The real body she held proved to her that what God said really would take place. For theologians, the birth of Jesus is about the “incarnation.” That is, that God became real human flesh. Yet, for Mary the birth of Jesus was about “coronation.” I doubt Mary thought in the terms theologians use today. I doubt she wondered if her son was God and human or the God-man or what about his natures and person— how they were related. That’s the stuff of theological discussion. For the real Mary, that live body named Jesus may have been a messy, fussy, physical little body, but that real body was an undeniable witness to the truth that God could work miracles.” (Scot McKnight)
Conclusion
There are many myths in our world. The reality of Mary and Joseph are not among them. They were real people like you and I that laughed and cried, were sick and scared, played and prayed while living in a dangerous world.
The reality of Jesus, His birth, His death, His resurrection, and His future return are also not mythology. Jesus is real. He came once to show us what it means to be truly human, serving and sacrificing, reconciling us to our heavenly Father. He is real. His love is real. It is my prayer for you this Christmas that you would experience King Jesus and prepare for His imminent return.
For Further Study
The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Traveler: Woman of Perseverance, 14 December 2014
15 12 14
Big Idea: Mary persevered through not only a difficult journey to Bethlehem but a life of trials and suffering.
Key Scripture: Luke 2:1-5
Introduction
Do you like to travel? What is the greatest place you’ve ever visited? Where would you most like to go?
I love to travel. I’m fascinated with humans, especially those from other cultures. The sites, smells, tastes, and sounds of Israel are so different from South Korea, Toronto, and London (to say nothing of Columbus, Ohio!).
I used to love flying. I still do, but since 9/11 TSA can be a hassle…and don’t get me started on fees for checking in bags, fees for carrying on bags, fees for reserving a seat, etc. Soon we’ll have to pay to use the toilet!
The journey is important, but unless you’re on a cruise ship, you don’t travel for the journey as much as the destination. Business travel is much different than pleasure. Staying with family can be different than being in a hotel. A family adventure is different than a solo excursion. I once heard someone say a trip is with kids and a vacation is without kids!
Are you traveling for the holidays? Where?
Traveling can be one of the most stressful parts of the holidays—or one of the most gratifying. Strange relatives, icy roads, and uncomfortable bedding can make things challenging while joyous reunions, great food, and special gifts can make the journey worthwhile.
We don’t know exactly when Jesus was born. I estimate there is a 1 in 365 chance He was born on December 25! We do know His birth followed a trip—from Nazareth to Bethlehem, a trip that must’ve been difficult for Joseph…and even more for Mary.
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. (Luke 2:1-3)
Was this trip business or pleasure? It was certainly not pleasure! Caesar issued a census. Every ten years the United States has a census that helps obtain information about who lives in our country. It’s a simple form typically sent via mail and returned the same way. In the future, I’m sure it will be done online.
Mary and Joseph were not as fortunate. They had to travel to complete the census mandated by Caesar Augustus (which means “exalted”), possibly the greatest Roman emperor. He instituted a republic form of government, expanded the empire to include the entire Mediterranean world, and led during the golden age of architecture and literature.
The census was used for taxation and military services, though Jews were exempt from Roman military service. So they traveled to pay a tax. What fun!
It’s amazing how God could use a pagan leader to bring Jesus to Bethlehem in fulfillment of Micah 5:2…
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2)
I love seeing Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in the New Testament!
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. (Luke 2:4-5)
You’ve no doubt heard of Nazareth and Bethlehem, but where are they? It was about 80 miles—at least a three-day trip from Nazareth to the birthplace of David…and Jesus! That’s about from Ann Arbor to Frankenmuth.
There is much we don’t know about the journey to Bethlehem, but it certainly required perseverance. It would’ve been less of a pain if they simply had to load up the car, make the drive, register, and return home but, of course, they didn’t have a car. We don’t know if they walked or used an animal (a donkey is usually depicted in illustrated Bibles). Carpenters often had a donkey to carry pieces of wood and tools so perhaps Mary didn’t have to walk, but it was not as simple as running up to the drug store and back.
Traveling such a distance without an SUV with GPS and a DVD player would be long, tiring, and potentially even dangerous. You think our roads are bad? Imagine a rocky, hilly path that would make our dirt roads feel like glass.
Are we there yet?!
It wasn’t just a stroll down the street. Keep in mind, too, several days of travel meant several nights of sleep—either camping or from hospitable Jews along the way.
Women 12 years of age and older had to register for the poll tax so Mary had to travel (she was obviously at least 12 years of age). She was from the house of David. Even if Mary rode a donkey, eight-plus months pregnant—simply to register for the census—must’ve been grueling. Not that Mary had a choice! Nevertheless this is but one example of Mary’s perseverance.
So What?
We don’t know Mary’s attitude toward the journey, but it seems likely she accepted her fate and saw this as just one of the many hardships related to bringing the Messiah into the world. Her song, the Magnificat—which we looked at last week—praised God despite the countless trials she would experience as the mom of Jesus. She was a woman of great perseverance. Her pregnancy was a social catastrophe. She became a young mom. She later experienced disappointment and even witnessed the death of her son. Yet she persevered. She endured countless trials—as did her boy.
There are two ways we can look at trials: we can groan or grow.
We are a spoiled, pampered people in this nation. We complain at the slightest sign of adversity, expecting to be safe and comfortable 24/7. We are told it is our right to pursue happiness. Jesus had a different message:
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
That’s a promise—we will have trouble! As I’ve often remarked, I’m among the wealthiest 1% on the planet (not the USA, but the world!). You may be, too. Regardless of who you are or where you were born, you will encounter troubles because this world is broken and filled with sin.
We will have trouble, but don’t miss the second promise: Emmanuel—God with us. He is always with us…and He has overcome the world.
I’m both challenged and encouraged by these words from the book of Romans:
He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (Romans 4:25)
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)
Recently I heard the incredible testimony of former mobster Michael Franzese. He said he has experienced every conceivable emotion but one is far worse than the others—hopelessness.
It seems odd that suffering would lead to hope, but that’s often the result.
I’ve been amazed at one recent amputee and her attitude of gratitude for a surgery that took her leg (http://myelephantsintheroom.wordpress.com/2014/12/07/why-i-am-grateful-for-my-amputation/). If she can be grateful…
During these final days of Christmas chaos I encourage you to count your blessings and seek God’s will and purposes in your sufferings and stress. Every day is filled with things that we can complain about and things we can celebrate. God is still sovereign and in control. He is still on the throne. Mary persevered through much because she continually trusted God rather than feeling sorry for herself. The journey to Bethlehem is but one small example of the things she endured for the purpose of bringing honor and glory to God.
"Sometimes we think to ourselves, “I’m being obedient, so why aren’t things going better?” We face discomfort or inconvenience and immediately think either that we have misread God’s will or that God has made a mistake. But watch this quiet couple as they head toward Bethlehem. God did not soften Joseph’s bumpy road, but strengthened him. God did not provide a luxurious inn for Joseph and Mary, but brought his Son into the world in humble surroundings. When we do God’s will, we are not guaranteed comfort and convenience. But we are promised that everything, even discomfort and inconvenience, has meaning in God’s plan. He will guide you and provide all you need. Like Joseph, live each day by faith, trusting that God is in charge."
- Life Application Study Bible, Luke 2:4-5
May God be glorified in not only our praise and worship in the midst of blessings but also the way in which we suffer and persevere. This world is temporary and the best is yet to come.
For Further Study
The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Key Scripture: Luke 2:1-5
Introduction
Do you like to travel? What is the greatest place you’ve ever visited? Where would you most like to go?
I love to travel. I’m fascinated with humans, especially those from other cultures. The sites, smells, tastes, and sounds of Israel are so different from South Korea, Toronto, and London (to say nothing of Columbus, Ohio!).
I used to love flying. I still do, but since 9/11 TSA can be a hassle…and don’t get me started on fees for checking in bags, fees for carrying on bags, fees for reserving a seat, etc. Soon we’ll have to pay to use the toilet!
The journey is important, but unless you’re on a cruise ship, you don’t travel for the journey as much as the destination. Business travel is much different than pleasure. Staying with family can be different than being in a hotel. A family adventure is different than a solo excursion. I once heard someone say a trip is with kids and a vacation is without kids!
Are you traveling for the holidays? Where?
Traveling can be one of the most stressful parts of the holidays—or one of the most gratifying. Strange relatives, icy roads, and uncomfortable bedding can make things challenging while joyous reunions, great food, and special gifts can make the journey worthwhile.
We don’t know exactly when Jesus was born. I estimate there is a 1 in 365 chance He was born on December 25! We do know His birth followed a trip—from Nazareth to Bethlehem, a trip that must’ve been difficult for Joseph…and even more for Mary.
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. (Luke 2:1-3)
Was this trip business or pleasure? It was certainly not pleasure! Caesar issued a census. Every ten years the United States has a census that helps obtain information about who lives in our country. It’s a simple form typically sent via mail and returned the same way. In the future, I’m sure it will be done online.
Mary and Joseph were not as fortunate. They had to travel to complete the census mandated by Caesar Augustus (which means “exalted”), possibly the greatest Roman emperor. He instituted a republic form of government, expanded the empire to include the entire Mediterranean world, and led during the golden age of architecture and literature.
The census was used for taxation and military services, though Jews were exempt from Roman military service. So they traveled to pay a tax. What fun!
It’s amazing how God could use a pagan leader to bring Jesus to Bethlehem in fulfillment of Micah 5:2…
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2)
I love seeing Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in the New Testament!
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. (Luke 2:4-5)
You’ve no doubt heard of Nazareth and Bethlehem, but where are they? It was about 80 miles—at least a three-day trip from Nazareth to the birthplace of David…and Jesus! That’s about from Ann Arbor to Frankenmuth.
There is much we don’t know about the journey to Bethlehem, but it certainly required perseverance. It would’ve been less of a pain if they simply had to load up the car, make the drive, register, and return home but, of course, they didn’t have a car. We don’t know if they walked or used an animal (a donkey is usually depicted in illustrated Bibles). Carpenters often had a donkey to carry pieces of wood and tools so perhaps Mary didn’t have to walk, but it was not as simple as running up to the drug store and back.
Traveling such a distance without an SUV with GPS and a DVD player would be long, tiring, and potentially even dangerous. You think our roads are bad? Imagine a rocky, hilly path that would make our dirt roads feel like glass.
Are we there yet?!
It wasn’t just a stroll down the street. Keep in mind, too, several days of travel meant several nights of sleep—either camping or from hospitable Jews along the way.
Women 12 years of age and older had to register for the poll tax so Mary had to travel (she was obviously at least 12 years of age). She was from the house of David. Even if Mary rode a donkey, eight-plus months pregnant—simply to register for the census—must’ve been grueling. Not that Mary had a choice! Nevertheless this is but one example of Mary’s perseverance.
So What?
We don’t know Mary’s attitude toward the journey, but it seems likely she accepted her fate and saw this as just one of the many hardships related to bringing the Messiah into the world. Her song, the Magnificat—which we looked at last week—praised God despite the countless trials she would experience as the mom of Jesus. She was a woman of great perseverance. Her pregnancy was a social catastrophe. She became a young mom. She later experienced disappointment and even witnessed the death of her son. Yet she persevered. She endured countless trials—as did her boy.
There are two ways we can look at trials: we can groan or grow.
We are a spoiled, pampered people in this nation. We complain at the slightest sign of adversity, expecting to be safe and comfortable 24/7. We are told it is our right to pursue happiness. Jesus had a different message:
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
That’s a promise—we will have trouble! As I’ve often remarked, I’m among the wealthiest 1% on the planet (not the USA, but the world!). You may be, too. Regardless of who you are or where you were born, you will encounter troubles because this world is broken and filled with sin.
We will have trouble, but don’t miss the second promise: Emmanuel—God with us. He is always with us…and He has overcome the world.
I’m both challenged and encouraged by these words from the book of Romans:
He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (Romans 4:25)
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)
Recently I heard the incredible testimony of former mobster Michael Franzese. He said he has experienced every conceivable emotion but one is far worse than the others—hopelessness.
It seems odd that suffering would lead to hope, but that’s often the result.
I’ve been amazed at one recent amputee and her attitude of gratitude for a surgery that took her leg (http://myelephantsintheroom.wordpress.com/2014/12/07/why-i-am-grateful-for-my-amputation/). If she can be grateful…
During these final days of Christmas chaos I encourage you to count your blessings and seek God’s will and purposes in your sufferings and stress. Every day is filled with things that we can complain about and things we can celebrate. God is still sovereign and in control. He is still on the throne. Mary persevered through much because she continually trusted God rather than feeling sorry for herself. The journey to Bethlehem is but one small example of the things she endured for the purpose of bringing honor and glory to God.
"Sometimes we think to ourselves, “I’m being obedient, so why aren’t things going better?” We face discomfort or inconvenience and immediately think either that we have misread God’s will or that God has made a mistake. But watch this quiet couple as they head toward Bethlehem. God did not soften Joseph’s bumpy road, but strengthened him. God did not provide a luxurious inn for Joseph and Mary, but brought his Son into the world in humble surroundings. When we do God’s will, we are not guaranteed comfort and convenience. But we are promised that everything, even discomfort and inconvenience, has meaning in God’s plan. He will guide you and provide all you need. Like Joseph, live each day by faith, trusting that God is in charge."
- Life Application Study Bible, Luke 2:4-5
May God be glorified in not only our praise and worship in the midst of blessings but also the way in which we suffer and persevere. This world is temporary and the best is yet to come.
For Further Study
The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Magnificat: Woman of Praise & Humility, 7 December 2014
08 12 14
Big Idea: During a visit with Elizabeth, Mary bursts into song, exclaiming timeless truths about God’s power, holiness, mercy, sovereignty, and provision while extolling the virtues of humility. It is one of the first hymns of ancient Christianity and frequently sung in many churches more than two thousand years later.
Key Scripture: Luke 1:46-56
Introduction
This will be a great revelation to you, but I love music! It’s one of God’s most beautiful gifts. From the time I was brought home from the hospital to today music fills my ears, my mind, my life!
The Advent season is one of my favorite times of year, not the least of which is because of the music. It’s the only time of year in which it is politically correct to sing about Jesus.
What is your favorite Christmas song?
This week I found an article that exposed many of the disturbing lyrics in popular songs. For example, in the “Twelve Days of Christmas,” the true love would end up receiving 184 birds total. What would you do with 184 birds (I’d rather have the golden rings!).
In “Santa Claus is coming to Town,” Santa is presented as a stalker, always watching if you’re good or bad. Creepy!
In “Do You Hear What I Hear?” the singer hears the night wind and a little lamb talking to them. Hmm.
In “We Wish You A Merry Christmas,” the tone is one of cheer and happiness…until the figgy pudding is mentioned. First they demand, “Bring us some figgy pudding” and then threaten by saying, “We won’t go until we get some!”
My favorite Christmas song might be “O Holy Night.” Listen to these lyrics:
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains He shall break, for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
There’s great power not only in lyrics, but music itself. In fact, hospitals today are not only filled with physical therapists and occupational therapists but also music therapists who play soothing music to promote relaxation and healing for patients.
Of course music is nothing new. One of my favorite stories is how some rabbis believe when God spoke creation into existence He actually sang it into being.
The Bible is filled with music, with songs. The book of 1 Samuel describes another powerful use of music.
Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him.
Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him. (1 Samuel 16:14, 23)
We are in the midst of a series on Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was a remarkable young woman, likely a teenager when she was chosen by God to give birth to the Messiah.
For the record, while I believe Roman Catholics overrate Mary, Protestants tend to underrate her, some afraid to even talk about her for fear of worshipping her as some have alleged Catholics of doing (disclaimer: two weeks ago I showed a video in which two Catholic priests insisted they do not worship Mary, but they do pray to her which is problematic for me since Jesus is the only mediator between us and the Father, but that’s another matter entirely). We worship and adore God and honor Mary.
In addition to her own purity and devotion which led to her selection, she knew the scriptures and wrote one of the most famous songs in history. I don’t think it’s ever been on Top 40 radio, but two thousand years later people are still reading the lyrics and incorporating them into new songs.
We will look at this special song from Luke 1 today, a song called the Magnificat, Latin for the first words of the song, translated “my soul magnifies the Lord.”
Luke 1:46-56
This song is the Magna Carta of early Christian songs. It poignantly describes the Messiah that was anticipated and would live in Mary’s womb until His birthday.
Here’s a little background:
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:39-45)
And Mary said: (Luke 1:46a)
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, (Luke 1:46b-47)
Ps. 34: 3: Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.
Ps. 35: 9: Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation.
Isa. 61: 10: I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
1 Sam. 2: 1– 2: Then Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the lord; in the LORD my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. “There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
Hab. 3: 18: yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will be joyful in God my Savior.
for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. (Luke 1:48a)
1 Sam. 1: 11: And she [Hannah] made a vow, saying, “LORD Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”
1 Sam. 9: 16: “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me.”
Gen. 29: 32: Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the LORD has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”
From now on all generations will call me blessed, (Luke 1:48b)
Gen. 30: 13: Then Leah said, “How happy I am! The women will call me happy.” So she named him Asher.
Mal. 3: 12: “Then all nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the lord Almighty.
for the Mighty One has done great things for me— (Luke 1:49a)
Deut. 10: 21: He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.
Ps. 71: 19b: You who have done great things. Who is like you, God?
Zeph. 3: 17: The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.
holy is his name. (Luke 1:49b)
Ps. 111 :9: He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever—holy and awesome is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. (Luke 1:50)
Ps. 103: 11: For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.
Ps. 103: 17: But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’S steadfast love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children.
Ps. 100: 5: For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty. (Luke 1:51-53)
1 Sam. 2: 7-8: The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’S, on them he has set the world.
Ps. 89: 10: You crushed Rahab like one of the slain; with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.
Prov. 3: 34: He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.
Job 12: 19: He leads priests away stripped and overthrows officials long established.
Ezek. 21: 26b: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low.
Ps. 107: 9: For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.” (Luke 1:54-55)
Isa. 41: 8-9: But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham, my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, “You are my servant”; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
Ps. 98: 3: He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Mic. 7: 20: You will be faithful to Jacob and show love to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our ancestors in days long ago.
2 Sam. 22: 51: He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. (Luke 1:56)
So What?
Mary is a singer. She is a song writer. She is a student of the Bible. She is a worshipper.
We know the story. We know what happens…but she knows only what was told to her by the angel. This is a pregnant teenager—likely—in a culture that despised unwed moms. It may sound romantic to be the mother of Jesus, but she also would experience not only His death but threats to her own life. The awe and wonder of Gabriel’s announcement was surely tempered by the certain death of her own social standing. The humble, pure girl would be treated like a harlot.
Cradle - Cross - Crown
When Mary conceived, the world was awaiting a Messiah to fix the brokenness caused by sin and death. Jesus failed to meet the expectations of the Jews, arriving not as a warrior king but a vulnerable baby. Rather than killing His enemies, He was killed by them and even prayed for them as He hung on a cross meant for criminals.
Advent is all about waiting. Mary did it. The Jews did it. Today we do it as we await His return. It won’t be as an infant so tender and mild but as the powerful King of kings and LORD of lords. During this time in-between, we remember His first entrance into our world, His accomplished mission on the cross, His triumphant resurrection, and His departure to prepare a place for us.
This season’s celebration is not simply about the birthday of the King but what that life means for us today—grace, forgiveness, life, hope, joy, meaning, purpose, and peace.
For Further Study
The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Key Scripture: Luke 1:46-56
Introduction
This will be a great revelation to you, but I love music! It’s one of God’s most beautiful gifts. From the time I was brought home from the hospital to today music fills my ears, my mind, my life!
The Advent season is one of my favorite times of year, not the least of which is because of the music. It’s the only time of year in which it is politically correct to sing about Jesus.
What is your favorite Christmas song?
This week I found an article that exposed many of the disturbing lyrics in popular songs. For example, in the “Twelve Days of Christmas,” the true love would end up receiving 184 birds total. What would you do with 184 birds (I’d rather have the golden rings!).
In “Santa Claus is coming to Town,” Santa is presented as a stalker, always watching if you’re good or bad. Creepy!
In “Do You Hear What I Hear?” the singer hears the night wind and a little lamb talking to them. Hmm.
In “We Wish You A Merry Christmas,” the tone is one of cheer and happiness…until the figgy pudding is mentioned. First they demand, “Bring us some figgy pudding” and then threaten by saying, “We won’t go until we get some!”
My favorite Christmas song might be “O Holy Night.” Listen to these lyrics:
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains He shall break, for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
There’s great power not only in lyrics, but music itself. In fact, hospitals today are not only filled with physical therapists and occupational therapists but also music therapists who play soothing music to promote relaxation and healing for patients.
Of course music is nothing new. One of my favorite stories is how some rabbis believe when God spoke creation into existence He actually sang it into being.
The Bible is filled with music, with songs. The book of 1 Samuel describes another powerful use of music.
Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him.
Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him. (1 Samuel 16:14, 23)
We are in the midst of a series on Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was a remarkable young woman, likely a teenager when she was chosen by God to give birth to the Messiah.
For the record, while I believe Roman Catholics overrate Mary, Protestants tend to underrate her, some afraid to even talk about her for fear of worshipping her as some have alleged Catholics of doing (disclaimer: two weeks ago I showed a video in which two Catholic priests insisted they do not worship Mary, but they do pray to her which is problematic for me since Jesus is the only mediator between us and the Father, but that’s another matter entirely). We worship and adore God and honor Mary.
In addition to her own purity and devotion which led to her selection, she knew the scriptures and wrote one of the most famous songs in history. I don’t think it’s ever been on Top 40 radio, but two thousand years later people are still reading the lyrics and incorporating them into new songs.
We will look at this special song from Luke 1 today, a song called the Magnificat, Latin for the first words of the song, translated “my soul magnifies the Lord.”
Luke 1:46-56
This song is the Magna Carta of early Christian songs. It poignantly describes the Messiah that was anticipated and would live in Mary’s womb until His birthday.
Here’s a little background:
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:39-45)
And Mary said: (Luke 1:46a)
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, (Luke 1:46b-47)
Ps. 34: 3: Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.
Ps. 35: 9: Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation.
Isa. 61: 10: I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
1 Sam. 2: 1– 2: Then Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the lord; in the LORD my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. “There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
Hab. 3: 18: yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will be joyful in God my Savior.
for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. (Luke 1:48a)
1 Sam. 1: 11: And she [Hannah] made a vow, saying, “LORD Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”
1 Sam. 9: 16: “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me.”
Gen. 29: 32: Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the LORD has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”
From now on all generations will call me blessed, (Luke 1:48b)
Gen. 30: 13: Then Leah said, “How happy I am! The women will call me happy.” So she named him Asher.
Mal. 3: 12: “Then all nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the lord Almighty.
for the Mighty One has done great things for me— (Luke 1:49a)
Deut. 10: 21: He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.
Ps. 71: 19b: You who have done great things. Who is like you, God?
Zeph. 3: 17: The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.
holy is his name. (Luke 1:49b)
Ps. 111 :9: He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever—holy and awesome is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. (Luke 1:50)
Ps. 103: 11: For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.
Ps. 103: 17: But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’S steadfast love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children.
Ps. 100: 5: For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty. (Luke 1:51-53)
1 Sam. 2: 7-8: The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’S, on them he has set the world.
Ps. 89: 10: You crushed Rahab like one of the slain; with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.
Prov. 3: 34: He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.
Job 12: 19: He leads priests away stripped and overthrows officials long established.
Ezek. 21: 26b: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low.
Ps. 107: 9: For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.” (Luke 1:54-55)
Isa. 41: 8-9: But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham, my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, “You are my servant”; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
Ps. 98: 3: He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Mic. 7: 20: You will be faithful to Jacob and show love to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our ancestors in days long ago.
2 Sam. 22: 51: He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. (Luke 1:56)
So What?
Mary is a singer. She is a song writer. She is a student of the Bible. She is a worshipper.
We know the story. We know what happens…but she knows only what was told to her by the angel. This is a pregnant teenager—likely—in a culture that despised unwed moms. It may sound romantic to be the mother of Jesus, but she also would experience not only His death but threats to her own life. The awe and wonder of Gabriel’s announcement was surely tempered by the certain death of her own social standing. The humble, pure girl would be treated like a harlot.
Cradle - Cross - Crown
When Mary conceived, the world was awaiting a Messiah to fix the brokenness caused by sin and death. Jesus failed to meet the expectations of the Jews, arriving not as a warrior king but a vulnerable baby. Rather than killing His enemies, He was killed by them and even prayed for them as He hung on a cross meant for criminals.
Advent is all about waiting. Mary did it. The Jews did it. Today we do it as we await His return. It won’t be as an infant so tender and mild but as the powerful King of kings and LORD of lords. During this time in-between, we remember His first entrance into our world, His accomplished mission on the cross, His triumphant resurrection, and His departure to prepare a place for us.
This season’s celebration is not simply about the birthday of the King but what that life means for us today—grace, forgiveness, life, hope, joy, meaning, purpose, and peace.
For Further Study
The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
The Call: Woman of Obedience, 23 November 2014
24 11 14
Big Idea: Mary is not just for Catholics, but an obedient girl who responded to the call of God.
Summary: The story of the birth of Jesus begins not on Christmas Day, but nine months or so prior. An angel calls Mary and announces her assignment (she really has no say in the matter!). She understandably asks the obvious question (v. 34) but does not object (as we will see next week). Has God called you to do something? It may not be as significant as giving birth to the Messiah, but are you being obedient to the smaller assignments He has given to you? Why did God choose Mary? It was likely because she was a woman (girl?) of obedience prior to the assignment.
keywords: calling, mission, obedience
Key Scripture: Luke 1:26-37
Introduction: Call
When someone calls you, what do you do?
That’s a vague question, right? It depends upon who calls and how. Two hundred years ago if you wanted to call a person you could use your voice or possibly a letter, one a bit more instantaneous than the other!
Then the telephone. We still have a land line. We almost never answer it, especially before political elections! If you ever call my house and we hang up on you, don’t take it personally! I’ve always tried to be respectful to people when they call. Half the time it’s not even a human on the other end. I sometimes pick up and just listen, waiting for a voice, then hanging up if there’s much more than a moment of silence on the other end. You might say I’m not very responsive if you call me on my home phone.
The same is sometimes true for the office phone. Caller ID is a blessing! Perhaps a third of the calls to the church office are telemarketers, another third are people in distress asking for money, and the final third are people calling for other purposes.
My cell phone is different. When it rings, I almost always respond. I don’t get too many telemarketers (knock on wood!). If my wife or one of my kids is on the caller ID, I almost always respond.
Have you ever noticed sometimes the phone is more important than the person in front of you? It’s amazing how tempting it is to let a phone call with a human take precedence over the human with whom we are interacting. I try to never interrupt a live conversation for a phone call unless it is my immediate family. That’s why they created voice mail!
Have you ever heard your name called in a public place? Your name may be the most important word in the world. It grabs your attention immediately. Perhaps you’ve heard your name over the PA system in a store or someone yelled your name across a parking lot. It’s unexpected, surprising, and sometimes rather fun. My father-in-law is the king of this! He retired to Florida and it seems every we talk with him he has another story of some old military buddy or high school colleague he encountered near his home.
Imagine a stranger called your name. They came to you and said, “Greetings!”
I’d probably run or tell them I’m out of cash if they wanted my money!
Imagine being a teenage girl and suddenly you’re confronted by…an angel!
Angels are real. The Bible is full of them. One third left to follow satan when he was kicked out of heaven for his pride, a failed coup attempt against God.
Have you ever met an angel?
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:26-28)
This is great new! First, the angel is very friendly. “Greetings.” Then Mary is told she is highly favored. Who wouldn’t want an angel to announce that to them? Then Mary is told the Lord is the her.
Imagine you go for a walk in the park and a friendly angel announces God is with you and you’re highly favored. What could be better?
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. (Luke 1:29)
Greatly troubled at his words? It doesn’t say she was troubled by the appearance of a ghost. She was troubled at the angel’s words.
But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:30-33)
Mary was afraid. Perhaps angels can be scary! He repeats Mary’s favor with God. David is mentioned again…and Jacob, too. Gentiles tend to skip over these details, seeing them as unimportant facts, but as a Jew, they were significant. Prophecy clearly stated the Messiah would be a descendant of David. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were the beginning of the people of Israel.
Matthew states it this way:
A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. (Matthew 1:1-16)
Last week we talked about women and how they have not always been given the freedom, recognition, responsibility, and opportunities afforded to men. Here is the family tree of Jesus. It’s not too exciting at first, but notice the women included—Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba…and Mary.
Tamar and Rahab were prostitutes or alleged. Ruth was a foreigner. Bathsheba committed adultery—or was a rape victim. It’s startling that these women would be specifically mentioned (since each man listed had a mom!).
The repeated phrase “The father of” shifts with Jesus since Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus, but He was born of Mary.
For about 400 years God had been silent, the inter-testamental period between the old and new. Then the aged Elizabeth gets pregnant and now the virgin Mary is with child.
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34)
Very good question!
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” (Luke 1:35-37)
Mary
With few exceptions, “Mariam” has been tossed aside by Protestants except for the month of December when we let her sit in the nativity scene beside the baby Jesus. Not wanting to “worship” her as Roman Catholics are often accused of doing, we ignore her faith, obedience, and important role throughout the life and death of Jesus. This series will strive to uncover the character and narrative of one of the Bible’s most underrated figures and one we are to call “blessed” (Luke 1:48b).
Why do we virtually ignore Mary? For some it is a reaction to Catholics. Contrary to some rumors, Mary was not a Roman Catholic!!! If Mary is overrated by Catholics, she is underrated by Protestants. Aside from being the mother of Jesus, she found favor with God and was carefully chosen to bring the Messiah into our world. As my professor Scot McKnight says, “We are Protestants; we believe in the Bible; Mary is in the Bible; we need to believe what the Bible says about Mary.”
Mary was obedient, not only in giving birth to Jesus (did she have a choice?!) but she clearly lived a life that honored God. She was undoubtedly faithful in the small things that allowed her to be chosen for a most monumental task.
So What?
What about you? Are you highly favored by God? I can promise you God is with you. That was His promise. Matthew’s final recorded words of Jesus—known as the Great Commission—say this:
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Notice two things:
What is God saying to you today? What are you going to do about it?
Those two questions will determine not only your present but your future. God is not mad at you. He’s not trying to harm you or make your life miserable. He’s a great, loving Dad who can be trusted—even when He’s not understood.
One of the great things about Thanksgiving is the way it reminds us how we are truly blessed. Every good and perfect gift is from the LORD.
My prayer for you and me is that we would trust and obey. He’s calling you to obey. He’s calling me to obey. Have you heard His voice? If not, perhaps it’s time to spend more time with Him—in prayer and study of His Word.
For Further Study
The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Summary: The story of the birth of Jesus begins not on Christmas Day, but nine months or so prior. An angel calls Mary and announces her assignment (she really has no say in the matter!). She understandably asks the obvious question (v. 34) but does not object (as we will see next week). Has God called you to do something? It may not be as significant as giving birth to the Messiah, but are you being obedient to the smaller assignments He has given to you? Why did God choose Mary? It was likely because she was a woman (girl?) of obedience prior to the assignment.
keywords: calling, mission, obedience
Key Scripture: Luke 1:26-37
Introduction: Call
When someone calls you, what do you do?
That’s a vague question, right? It depends upon who calls and how. Two hundred years ago if you wanted to call a person you could use your voice or possibly a letter, one a bit more instantaneous than the other!
Then the telephone. We still have a land line. We almost never answer it, especially before political elections! If you ever call my house and we hang up on you, don’t take it personally! I’ve always tried to be respectful to people when they call. Half the time it’s not even a human on the other end. I sometimes pick up and just listen, waiting for a voice, then hanging up if there’s much more than a moment of silence on the other end. You might say I’m not very responsive if you call me on my home phone.
The same is sometimes true for the office phone. Caller ID is a blessing! Perhaps a third of the calls to the church office are telemarketers, another third are people in distress asking for money, and the final third are people calling for other purposes.
My cell phone is different. When it rings, I almost always respond. I don’t get too many telemarketers (knock on wood!). If my wife or one of my kids is on the caller ID, I almost always respond.
Have you ever noticed sometimes the phone is more important than the person in front of you? It’s amazing how tempting it is to let a phone call with a human take precedence over the human with whom we are interacting. I try to never interrupt a live conversation for a phone call unless it is my immediate family. That’s why they created voice mail!
Have you ever heard your name called in a public place? Your name may be the most important word in the world. It grabs your attention immediately. Perhaps you’ve heard your name over the PA system in a store or someone yelled your name across a parking lot. It’s unexpected, surprising, and sometimes rather fun. My father-in-law is the king of this! He retired to Florida and it seems every we talk with him he has another story of some old military buddy or high school colleague he encountered near his home.
Imagine a stranger called your name. They came to you and said, “Greetings!”
I’d probably run or tell them I’m out of cash if they wanted my money!
Imagine being a teenage girl and suddenly you’re confronted by…an angel!
Angels are real. The Bible is full of them. One third left to follow satan when he was kicked out of heaven for his pride, a failed coup attempt against God.
Have you ever met an angel?
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:26-28)
This is great new! First, the angel is very friendly. “Greetings.” Then Mary is told she is highly favored. Who wouldn’t want an angel to announce that to them? Then Mary is told the Lord is the her.
Imagine you go for a walk in the park and a friendly angel announces God is with you and you’re highly favored. What could be better?
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. (Luke 1:29)
Greatly troubled at his words? It doesn’t say she was troubled by the appearance of a ghost. She was troubled at the angel’s words.
But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:30-33)
Mary was afraid. Perhaps angels can be scary! He repeats Mary’s favor with God. David is mentioned again…and Jacob, too. Gentiles tend to skip over these details, seeing them as unimportant facts, but as a Jew, they were significant. Prophecy clearly stated the Messiah would be a descendant of David. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were the beginning of the people of Israel.
Matthew states it this way:
A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. (Matthew 1:1-16)
Last week we talked about women and how they have not always been given the freedom, recognition, responsibility, and opportunities afforded to men. Here is the family tree of Jesus. It’s not too exciting at first, but notice the women included—Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba…and Mary.
Tamar and Rahab were prostitutes or alleged. Ruth was a foreigner. Bathsheba committed adultery—or was a rape victim. It’s startling that these women would be specifically mentioned (since each man listed had a mom!).
The repeated phrase “The father of” shifts with Jesus since Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus, but He was born of Mary.
For about 400 years God had been silent, the inter-testamental period between the old and new. Then the aged Elizabeth gets pregnant and now the virgin Mary is with child.
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34)
Very good question!
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” (Luke 1:35-37)
Mary
With few exceptions, “Mariam” has been tossed aside by Protestants except for the month of December when we let her sit in the nativity scene beside the baby Jesus. Not wanting to “worship” her as Roman Catholics are often accused of doing, we ignore her faith, obedience, and important role throughout the life and death of Jesus. This series will strive to uncover the character and narrative of one of the Bible’s most underrated figures and one we are to call “blessed” (Luke 1:48b).
Why do we virtually ignore Mary? For some it is a reaction to Catholics. Contrary to some rumors, Mary was not a Roman Catholic!!! If Mary is overrated by Catholics, she is underrated by Protestants. Aside from being the mother of Jesus, she found favor with God and was carefully chosen to bring the Messiah into our world. As my professor Scot McKnight says, “We are Protestants; we believe in the Bible; Mary is in the Bible; we need to believe what the Bible says about Mary.”
Mary was obedient, not only in giving birth to Jesus (did she have a choice?!) but she clearly lived a life that honored God. She was undoubtedly faithful in the small things that allowed her to be chosen for a most monumental task.
So What?
What about you? Are you highly favored by God? I can promise you God is with you. That was His promise. Matthew’s final recorded words of Jesus—known as the Great Commission—say this:
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Notice two things:
- Jesus wants His followers to obey…and teach others to obey. Obedience is God’s love language.
- He promises to be with us. Always. Psalm 139 is one of many explicit passages about God’s omnipresence—His ability to be with us always and everywhere. We are never alone. Never.
What is God saying to you today? What are you going to do about it?
Those two questions will determine not only your present but your future. God is not mad at you. He’s not trying to harm you or make your life miserable. He’s a great, loving Dad who can be trusted—even when He’s not understood.
One of the great things about Thanksgiving is the way it reminds us how we are truly blessed. Every good and perfect gift is from the LORD.
My prayer for you and me is that we would trust and obey. He’s calling you to obey. He’s calling me to obey. Have you heard His voice? If not, perhaps it’s time to spend more time with Him—in prayer and study of His Word.
For Further Study
The Real Mary by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Women in the Bible, 16 November 2014
19 11 14
Big Idea: Mary is not just for Catholics, but a crucial Biblical character worth imitating alongside many other godly women.
Key Scripture: Matthew 1:1-16
Introduction
I want to talk about women. I’m particularly fond of one beautiful woman, my wife, my best friend, and the mother of our three adult children. We have been married for more then 24 years and there’s (at least) one thing I’ve never heard her express: complaint about being a woman.
It’s no secret that throughout history women have been treated as second-class citizens. The exact origins are unclear to me—aside from the possibility that average men are more physically strong and capable of using and abusing force and violence to achieve their objectives.
Although we think nothing of women owning property, voting, or leading corporations, women are often paid less than men for similar work…and we have yet to have a woman lead our nation as president. According to one Newsweek study, the USA ranks eighth in the world in terms of opportunity for women (Iceland is first followed by Sweden, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, and Norway). The worst country is Chad, followed by Afghanistan, Yemen, The DR of Congo, and Mali. (http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/09/18/best-and-worst-countries-for-women-from-iceland-to-the-u-s-to-pakistan-and-afghanistan.html)
Today women aren’t allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia and are killed for honor in Pakistan.
It’s easy to point fingers at the “world,” but the church has not always treated women favorably. In many churches and denominations, women are restricted in areas of leadership, understandably on the basis of some of Paul’s writings in the New Testament. What has always bothered me, however, is the double standard when women can go overseas and lead churches but are forbidden from doing much of anything in a USA congregation.
Just for the record, I have struggled more with the issue of women in leadership than any other issue. I respect many that hold to a conservative view and many that are very progressive. We’re not going to delve into Paul much today, but I want to suggest the restrictions he placed upon women were specific women in specific churches at a specific time, not necessarily universal instructions for every woman for all times. Were that the case, we would be in great violation at Scio. For instance,
Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? (1 Corinthians 11:13)
As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. (1 Corinthians 14:33b-35)
A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. (1 Timothy 2:11-13)
Men and women are different.
Male and Female
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)
He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them “man.” (Genesis 5:2)
“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ (Matthew 19:4)
“But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ (Mark 10:6)
“Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus” wrote one bestselling author! We are different, but it cannot and should not be said that men are superior to women.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
Here’s the formal statement by our denomination, the Christian & Missionary Alliance:
Women may fulfill any function in the local church which the senior pastor and elders may choose to delegate to them consistent with the Uniform Constitution for Accredited Churches and may properly engage in any kind of ministry except that which involves elder authority.
Junia(s)
Years ago I wrote a paper on the subject of women in ministry when I was doing my master’s degree. I received an “A” but the professor wrote, “What is your opinion on the subject?” I tried to faithfully present both sides of the argument—and the spectrum. Apparently I presented the viewpoints without revealing mine. My paper was based upon one verse in the last chapter of the book of Romans.
Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. (Romans 16:7, NIV 1984)
There’s one problem with this verse. The fourth word is actually Junia. There is no evidence that any man had the name Junias! This verse says Junias is outstanding among the apostles. Since apostles were thought to not be women and Junia was a woman, the name was changed to Junias, therefore making it a male name.
So Junias is a man who didn’t exist with a name that didn’t exist in the ancient world!
Early translations of the New Testament into other languages showed Junia as a woman but Martin Luther turned her into a man! He wasn’t the first, but was influential in the name/gender change.
The Bible we possess is not in the original language, nor do we have the original manuscripts. We have English translations derived from composites of various manuscripts. This does not mean the Bible is unreliable, but it does mean the 66 books didn’t fall from heaven, leather-bound in English!
Notice…
Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. (Romans 16:7, NIV 2011)
Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. (Romans 16:7, NASB)
Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. (Romans 16:7, KJV)
My professor, Scot McKnight, and most scholars “are reasonably confident” we have the original words in about 98% of the New Testament, and the few questionable issues do not deal with essential matters of our faith.
So Junia is an outstanding apostle. Priscilla taught Apollos. Phoebe was a deacon.
Women in the Bible
Why are we talking about Junias in a series about Mary? Mary is not the first prominent woman in the Bible. Throughout this series we will examine her story, her character, and her significance. We all know she was Jesus’ mom, but let’s look at His family tree.
A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. (Matthew 1:1-16)
Here is the family tree of Jesus. It’s not too exciting at first, but notice the women included—Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba…and Mary.
Tamar and Rahab were prostitutes. Ruth was a foreigner. Bathsheba committed adultery—or was a rape victim. It’s startling that these women would be specifically mentioned (since each man listed had a mom!).
The repeated phrase “The father of” shifts with Jesus since Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus, but He was born of Mary.
Mom
Each year we celebrate Mother’s Day. It’s a special day filled with emotions for most of us, feelings of warmth and love for some, grief and loss for others. Moms are special. We honor them. If your mom is special, imagine how special Jesus’ mom must be.
Series Introduction
With few exceptions, “Mariam” has been tossed aside by Protestants except for the month of December when we let her sit in the nativity scene beside the baby Jesus. Not wanting to “worship” her as Roman Catholics are often accused of doing, we ignore her faith, obedience, and important role throughout the life and death of Jesus. This series will strive to uncover the character and narrative of one of the Bible’s most underrated figures and one we are to call “blessed” (Luke 1:48b).
Why do we virtually ignore Mary? For some it is a reaction to Catholics.
As Scot McKnight says, “We are Protestants; we believe in the Bible; Mary is in the Bible; we need to believe what the Bible says about Mary.”
For Further Study
The Blue Parakeet by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Key Scripture: Matthew 1:1-16
Introduction
I want to talk about women. I’m particularly fond of one beautiful woman, my wife, my best friend, and the mother of our three adult children. We have been married for more then 24 years and there’s (at least) one thing I’ve never heard her express: complaint about being a woman.
It’s no secret that throughout history women have been treated as second-class citizens. The exact origins are unclear to me—aside from the possibility that average men are more physically strong and capable of using and abusing force and violence to achieve their objectives.
Although we think nothing of women owning property, voting, or leading corporations, women are often paid less than men for similar work…and we have yet to have a woman lead our nation as president. According to one Newsweek study, the USA ranks eighth in the world in terms of opportunity for women (Iceland is first followed by Sweden, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, and Norway). The worst country is Chad, followed by Afghanistan, Yemen, The DR of Congo, and Mali. (http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/09/18/best-and-worst-countries-for-women-from-iceland-to-the-u-s-to-pakistan-and-afghanistan.html)
Today women aren’t allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia and are killed for honor in Pakistan.
It’s easy to point fingers at the “world,” but the church has not always treated women favorably. In many churches and denominations, women are restricted in areas of leadership, understandably on the basis of some of Paul’s writings in the New Testament. What has always bothered me, however, is the double standard when women can go overseas and lead churches but are forbidden from doing much of anything in a USA congregation.
Just for the record, I have struggled more with the issue of women in leadership than any other issue. I respect many that hold to a conservative view and many that are very progressive. We’re not going to delve into Paul much today, but I want to suggest the restrictions he placed upon women were specific women in specific churches at a specific time, not necessarily universal instructions for every woman for all times. Were that the case, we would be in great violation at Scio. For instance,
Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? (1 Corinthians 11:13)
As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. (1 Corinthians 14:33b-35)
A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. (1 Timothy 2:11-13)
Men and women are different.
Male and Female
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)
He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them “man.” (Genesis 5:2)
“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ (Matthew 19:4)
“But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ (Mark 10:6)
“Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus” wrote one bestselling author! We are different, but it cannot and should not be said that men are superior to women.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
Here’s the formal statement by our denomination, the Christian & Missionary Alliance:
Women may fulfill any function in the local church which the senior pastor and elders may choose to delegate to them consistent with the Uniform Constitution for Accredited Churches and may properly engage in any kind of ministry except that which involves elder authority.
- from the Manual of The Christian and Missionary Alliance, H1, Statement on Church Government, 4. Form of Government, d. Local Church, (5)
Junia(s)
Years ago I wrote a paper on the subject of women in ministry when I was doing my master’s degree. I received an “A” but the professor wrote, “What is your opinion on the subject?” I tried to faithfully present both sides of the argument—and the spectrum. Apparently I presented the viewpoints without revealing mine. My paper was based upon one verse in the last chapter of the book of Romans.
Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. (Romans 16:7, NIV 1984)
There’s one problem with this verse. The fourth word is actually Junia. There is no evidence that any man had the name Junias! This verse says Junias is outstanding among the apostles. Since apostles were thought to not be women and Junia was a woman, the name was changed to Junias, therefore making it a male name.
So Junias is a man who didn’t exist with a name that didn’t exist in the ancient world!
Early translations of the New Testament into other languages showed Junia as a woman but Martin Luther turned her into a man! He wasn’t the first, but was influential in the name/gender change.
The Bible we possess is not in the original language, nor do we have the original manuscripts. We have English translations derived from composites of various manuscripts. This does not mean the Bible is unreliable, but it does mean the 66 books didn’t fall from heaven, leather-bound in English!
Notice…
Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. (Romans 16:7, NIV 2011)
Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. (Romans 16:7, NASB)
Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. (Romans 16:7, KJV)
My professor, Scot McKnight, and most scholars “are reasonably confident” we have the original words in about 98% of the New Testament, and the few questionable issues do not deal with essential matters of our faith.
So Junia is an outstanding apostle. Priscilla taught Apollos. Phoebe was a deacon.
Women in the Bible
Why are we talking about Junias in a series about Mary? Mary is not the first prominent woman in the Bible. Throughout this series we will examine her story, her character, and her significance. We all know she was Jesus’ mom, but let’s look at His family tree.
A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. (Matthew 1:1-16)
Here is the family tree of Jesus. It’s not too exciting at first, but notice the women included—Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba…and Mary.
Tamar and Rahab were prostitutes. Ruth was a foreigner. Bathsheba committed adultery—or was a rape victim. It’s startling that these women would be specifically mentioned (since each man listed had a mom!).
The repeated phrase “The father of” shifts with Jesus since Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus, but He was born of Mary.
Mom
Each year we celebrate Mother’s Day. It’s a special day filled with emotions for most of us, feelings of warmth and love for some, grief and loss for others. Moms are special. We honor them. If your mom is special, imagine how special Jesus’ mom must be.
Series Introduction
With few exceptions, “Mariam” has been tossed aside by Protestants except for the month of December when we let her sit in the nativity scene beside the baby Jesus. Not wanting to “worship” her as Roman Catholics are often accused of doing, we ignore her faith, obedience, and important role throughout the life and death of Jesus. This series will strive to uncover the character and narrative of one of the Bible’s most underrated figures and one we are to call “blessed” (Luke 1:48b).
Why do we virtually ignore Mary? For some it is a reaction to Catholics.
As Scot McKnight says, “We are Protestants; we believe in the Bible; Mary is in the Bible; we need to believe what the Bible says about Mary.”
For Further Study
The Blue Parakeet by Scot McKnight
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Habakkuk, 2 November 2014
02 11 14
Big Idea: We don’t always understand God and His timing, but He can be trusted.
Introduction
Today we examine our bonus eleventh book in our series The Most Unread Books of the Bible, based upon the ten least-read books on BibleGateway.com.
Time
Timing in life is vitally important. Photographers long for the perfect timing of an event to capture it forever. Runners and other speed racers can win or lose a race by 1/1000 of a second. I used to think I was a patient person, but I find myself frustrated at the brief delays in my life caused by red lights, slow microwaves (!), and seasons of life, both literal and figurative (unless it’s spring or summer!). God’s timing is perfect because He is perfect, He is sovereign and in control. Daddy knows best.
Sometimes we feel like God is sleeping or even a myth because He usually doesn’t respond to our prayers on demand. We want it now! Have you ever prayed, “LORD, heal them tomorrow” or “Please give me a new job next year”? We assume we know best and God should obey our every command. Fortunately He doesn’t! He has bigger plans and ideas…if we only trust Him.
Background
This is the only book in which the name Habakkuk appears. His name means to embrace or wrestle with God. He likely lived around 600 BC. He lived during Judah’s final days and Babylon’s domination.
Chapter 1: Wrestling. Why?
The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet received. (Habakkuk 1:1)
This word oracle in the original Hebrew language, mas-saw’, meant an utterance, a doom, or a burden. Habakkuk is definitely burdened!
How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted. (Habakkuk 1:2-4)
Most prophets deliver God’s message to the people. Habakkuk brings the questions of the people to God. He begins with four questions.
Can you feel the anxiety? The frustration? Where are You, LORD? Do You see what’s going on? Are You really sovereign, in control? If so, surely You don’t want
Whoever said following Jesus was easy?! This world is messed up! God knows. He sees. He does choose to intervene sometimes, but when? Why? It’s okay to ask God. It’s okay to have questions and doubts. God can handle them. It’s okay to ask why. Jesus even did it on the cross: “Why have You forsaken Me?”
Obviously our perspective is limited. Daddy knows best. The cross comes before the crown.
What is your favorite book of the Bible? Mine is the Psalms. As a musician, I especially love the poetic song lyrics contained within the Bible’s song book. However, they are not all happy songs of praise. One third are psalms of lament. They are songs of grief. There is an entire book of the Bible devoted to lament—Lamentations. Why? Because life is hard. There are many battles in which evil wins. As long as satan and his demons are allowed to roam we will experience death, destruction, and pain.
Today is not the end of the story, however. There is more to come. Much more. 75 or 100 years seems like a lifetime. Wait! It is a lifetime, but compares to eternity, it’s instant. As Paul said to the church in Corinth
…we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16b-18)
Back to Habakkuk. Here’s God’s response to his lament.
“Look at the nations and watch — and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwelling places not their own. They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law to themselves and promote their own honor. Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their cavalry gallops headlong; their horsemen come from afar. They fly like a vulture swooping to devour; they all come bent on violence. Their hordes advance like a desert wind and gather prisoners like sand. They deride kings and scoff at rulers. They laugh at all fortified cities; they build earthen ramps and capture them. Then they sweep past like the wind and go on — guilty men, whose own strength is their god.” (Habakkuk 1:5-11)
God says the solution is the Babylonians. Huh? God would use Babylon to judge Judah. How could God use the wicked Babylonians to judge His chosen people?
O LORD, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, we will not die. O LORD, you have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, you have ordained them to punish. Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves? You have made men like fish in the sea, like sea creatures that have no ruler. (Habakkuk 1:12-14)
Again, God can handle our questions. I have found sometimes when I express my questions, I feel better even if I don’t get the answers I’m seeking.
Three young men refused to bow to an idol and were sentenced to burning in a fiery furnace. If you recall the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, they did not deny the reality of their situation, but understood God may or may not perform a miracle. Instead of denial, they were defiant.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18)
“Even if not.” They understood God knows best. He may choose to say yes, no, or wait. They knew God could be trusted, whatever His decision.
In this instance, He entered the fire with them. King Nebuchadnezzar said
“Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” (Daniel 3:25)
It’s better to be in the furnace with Jesus that without Him outside of it. Where is God when it hurts? With us. Always.
Chapter 2: Waiting on God. When?
“Waiting” means to pass time. It also means to serve another person like a servant waiting on his master.
Then the LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. “See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright — but the righteous will live by his faith — indeed, wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples. (Habakkuk 2:2-5)
Do you like to wait? I hate to wait! When we wrestle with God we often ask “why?” When we wait, the question becomes “when?”
It’s time for a geology lesson! Geology is the study of pressure plus time. Pressure and time reveal our character. Do you know what pressure over time produces geologically? Diamonds. They are created from the carbon as coal but time and pressure create a jewel.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)
This is your diamond, your reward. Can you wait? Can you trust God?
God wants us happy, but He especially wants us holy. Pressure plus time equals beauty.
What is the largest diamond in the world? The Hope Diamond!
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:3-4)
The judgment would occur very soon as God stated. They could remain proud like the Babylonians (we talked about the pride of the Edomites last week) or live by faith knowing God is in control.
Verse four is one of the most important verses in the Bible. In fact, it is referenced three times in the New Testament (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38). It is through faith in Jesus that we can receive the righteousness of God.
For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)
Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” (Galatians 3:11)
But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” (Hebrews 10:38)
We are saved by faith.
We are to live by faith.
Notice how Habakkuk is able to express his questions in the midst of faith.
Next Habakkuk offers a series of woes against the Babylonians. God would bring them down in His perfect timing.
“Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying, “‘Woe to him who piles up stolen goods and makes himself wealthy by extortion! How long must this go on?’ Will not your debtors suddenly arise? Will they not wake up and make you tremble? Then you will become their victim. Because you have plundered many nations, the peoples who are left will plunder you. For you have shed man’s blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them. “Woe to him who builds his realm by unjust gain to set his nest on high, to escape the clutches of ruin! You have plotted the ruin of many peoples, shaming your own house and forfeiting your life. The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it. “Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by crime! Has not the LORD Almighty determined that the people’s labor is only fuel for the fire, that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing? For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk, so that he can gaze on their naked bodies. You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink and be exposed! The cup from the LORD’s right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory. The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and your destruction of animals will terrify you. For you have shed man’s blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them. “Of what value is an idol, since a man has carved it? Or an image that teaches lies? For he who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’ Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’ Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it. But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.” (Habakkuk 2:6-20)
Chapter 3: Worship.
Chapter three is Habakkuk’s final response, a song (v. 19). He asks for mercy (2) and describes the character of God (v. 3-15).
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth. LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy. God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His glory covered the heavens and his praise filled the earth. His splendor was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand, where his power was hidden. Plague went before him; pestilence followed his steps. He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed. His ways are eternal. (Habakkuk 3:1-6)
Habakkuk remembers what God has done. Sometimes the way forward is to first look back. The Old Testament is filled with spiritual amnesia, instances of people forgetting God’s goodness and faithfulness. We need to remember. Jesus told us to remember Him, His death, and His resurrection.
I saw the tents of Cushan in distress, the dwellings of Midian in anguish. Were you angry with the rivers, O LORD? Was your wrath against the streams? Did you rage against the sea when you rode with your horses and your victorious chariots? You uncovered your bow, you called for many arrows. Selah You split the earth with rivers; the mountains saw you and writhed. Torrents of water swept by; the deep roared and lifted its waves on high. Sun and moon stood still in the heavens at the glint of your flying arrows, at the lightning of your flashing spear. In wrath you strode through the earth and in anger you threshed the nations. You came out to deliver your people, to save your anointed one. You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness, you stripped him from head to foot. Selah With his own spear you pierced his head when his warriors stormed out to scatter us, gloating as though about to devour the wretched who were in hiding. You trampled the sea with your horses, churning the great waters. (Habakkuk 3:7-15)
What is the result of Habakkuk’s laments, woes, and anguish?
I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. (Habakkuk 3:16)
He accepts what God is doing and then trusts Him. Here’s the conclusion…
Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us. Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments. (Habakkuk 3:16b-19)
He was willing to wait. No matter how hopeless the situation, there is hope in God. Tomorrow is coming. As Tony Campolo used to say concerning the crucifixion, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming!”
God can be trusted. The righteous will live by faith. The best is yet to come. In the meantime, we can worship by faith, offering up a sacrifice of praise.
For Further Study
Where is God When It Hurts? by Philip Yancey
Walking With God Through Pain and Suffering by Tim Keller
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
Today we examine our bonus eleventh book in our series The Most Unread Books of the Bible, based upon the ten least-read books on BibleGateway.com.
Time
Timing in life is vitally important. Photographers long for the perfect timing of an event to capture it forever. Runners and other speed racers can win or lose a race by 1/1000 of a second. I used to think I was a patient person, but I find myself frustrated at the brief delays in my life caused by red lights, slow microwaves (!), and seasons of life, both literal and figurative (unless it’s spring or summer!). God’s timing is perfect because He is perfect, He is sovereign and in control. Daddy knows best.
Sometimes we feel like God is sleeping or even a myth because He usually doesn’t respond to our prayers on demand. We want it now! Have you ever prayed, “LORD, heal them tomorrow” or “Please give me a new job next year”? We assume we know best and God should obey our every command. Fortunately He doesn’t! He has bigger plans and ideas…if we only trust Him.
Background
This is the only book in which the name Habakkuk appears. His name means to embrace or wrestle with God. He likely lived around 600 BC. He lived during Judah’s final days and Babylon’s domination.
Chapter 1: Wrestling. Why?
The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet received. (Habakkuk 1:1)
This word oracle in the original Hebrew language, mas-saw’, meant an utterance, a doom, or a burden. Habakkuk is definitely burdened!
How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted. (Habakkuk 1:2-4)
Most prophets deliver God’s message to the people. Habakkuk brings the questions of the people to God. He begins with four questions.
Can you feel the anxiety? The frustration? Where are You, LORD? Do You see what’s going on? Are You really sovereign, in control? If so, surely You don’t want
- Ebola spreading
- the Islamic State to continue
- innocent children dying from dirty water and starvation
- Your chosen people, the Jews, in constant battle in Israel
- natural disasters destroying communities
Whoever said following Jesus was easy?! This world is messed up! God knows. He sees. He does choose to intervene sometimes, but when? Why? It’s okay to ask God. It’s okay to have questions and doubts. God can handle them. It’s okay to ask why. Jesus even did it on the cross: “Why have You forsaken Me?”
Obviously our perspective is limited. Daddy knows best. The cross comes before the crown.
What is your favorite book of the Bible? Mine is the Psalms. As a musician, I especially love the poetic song lyrics contained within the Bible’s song book. However, they are not all happy songs of praise. One third are psalms of lament. They are songs of grief. There is an entire book of the Bible devoted to lament—Lamentations. Why? Because life is hard. There are many battles in which evil wins. As long as satan and his demons are allowed to roam we will experience death, destruction, and pain.
Today is not the end of the story, however. There is more to come. Much more. 75 or 100 years seems like a lifetime. Wait! It is a lifetime, but compares to eternity, it’s instant. As Paul said to the church in Corinth
…we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16b-18)
Back to Habakkuk. Here’s God’s response to his lament.
“Look at the nations and watch — and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwelling places not their own. They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law to themselves and promote their own honor. Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their cavalry gallops headlong; their horsemen come from afar. They fly like a vulture swooping to devour; they all come bent on violence. Their hordes advance like a desert wind and gather prisoners like sand. They deride kings and scoff at rulers. They laugh at all fortified cities; they build earthen ramps and capture them. Then they sweep past like the wind and go on — guilty men, whose own strength is their god.” (Habakkuk 1:5-11)
God says the solution is the Babylonians. Huh? God would use Babylon to judge Judah. How could God use the wicked Babylonians to judge His chosen people?
O LORD, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, we will not die. O LORD, you have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, you have ordained them to punish. Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves? You have made men like fish in the sea, like sea creatures that have no ruler. (Habakkuk 1:12-14)
Again, God can handle our questions. I have found sometimes when I express my questions, I feel better even if I don’t get the answers I’m seeking.
Three young men refused to bow to an idol and were sentenced to burning in a fiery furnace. If you recall the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, they did not deny the reality of their situation, but understood God may or may not perform a miracle. Instead of denial, they were defiant.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18)
“Even if not.” They understood God knows best. He may choose to say yes, no, or wait. They knew God could be trusted, whatever His decision.
In this instance, He entered the fire with them. King Nebuchadnezzar said
“Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” (Daniel 3:25)
It’s better to be in the furnace with Jesus that without Him outside of it. Where is God when it hurts? With us. Always.
Chapter 2: Waiting on God. When?
“Waiting” means to pass time. It also means to serve another person like a servant waiting on his master.
Then the LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. “See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright — but the righteous will live by his faith — indeed, wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples. (Habakkuk 2:2-5)
Do you like to wait? I hate to wait! When we wrestle with God we often ask “why?” When we wait, the question becomes “when?”
It’s time for a geology lesson! Geology is the study of pressure plus time. Pressure and time reveal our character. Do you know what pressure over time produces geologically? Diamonds. They are created from the carbon as coal but time and pressure create a jewel.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)
This is your diamond, your reward. Can you wait? Can you trust God?
God wants us happy, but He especially wants us holy. Pressure plus time equals beauty.
What is the largest diamond in the world? The Hope Diamond!
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:3-4)
The judgment would occur very soon as God stated. They could remain proud like the Babylonians (we talked about the pride of the Edomites last week) or live by faith knowing God is in control.
Verse four is one of the most important verses in the Bible. In fact, it is referenced three times in the New Testament (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38). It is through faith in Jesus that we can receive the righteousness of God.
For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)
Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” (Galatians 3:11)
But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” (Hebrews 10:38)
We are saved by faith.
We are to live by faith.
Notice how Habakkuk is able to express his questions in the midst of faith.
Next Habakkuk offers a series of woes against the Babylonians. God would bring them down in His perfect timing.
“Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying, “‘Woe to him who piles up stolen goods and makes himself wealthy by extortion! How long must this go on?’ Will not your debtors suddenly arise? Will they not wake up and make you tremble? Then you will become their victim. Because you have plundered many nations, the peoples who are left will plunder you. For you have shed man’s blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them. “Woe to him who builds his realm by unjust gain to set his nest on high, to escape the clutches of ruin! You have plotted the ruin of many peoples, shaming your own house and forfeiting your life. The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it. “Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by crime! Has not the LORD Almighty determined that the people’s labor is only fuel for the fire, that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing? For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk, so that he can gaze on their naked bodies. You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink and be exposed! The cup from the LORD’s right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory. The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and your destruction of animals will terrify you. For you have shed man’s blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them. “Of what value is an idol, since a man has carved it? Or an image that teaches lies? For he who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’ Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’ Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it. But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.” (Habakkuk 2:6-20)
Chapter 3: Worship.
Chapter three is Habakkuk’s final response, a song (v. 19). He asks for mercy (2) and describes the character of God (v. 3-15).
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth. LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy. God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His glory covered the heavens and his praise filled the earth. His splendor was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand, where his power was hidden. Plague went before him; pestilence followed his steps. He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed. His ways are eternal. (Habakkuk 3:1-6)
Habakkuk remembers what God has done. Sometimes the way forward is to first look back. The Old Testament is filled with spiritual amnesia, instances of people forgetting God’s goodness and faithfulness. We need to remember. Jesus told us to remember Him, His death, and His resurrection.
I saw the tents of Cushan in distress, the dwellings of Midian in anguish. Were you angry with the rivers, O LORD? Was your wrath against the streams? Did you rage against the sea when you rode with your horses and your victorious chariots? You uncovered your bow, you called for many arrows. Selah You split the earth with rivers; the mountains saw you and writhed. Torrents of water swept by; the deep roared and lifted its waves on high. Sun and moon stood still in the heavens at the glint of your flying arrows, at the lightning of your flashing spear. In wrath you strode through the earth and in anger you threshed the nations. You came out to deliver your people, to save your anointed one. You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness, you stripped him from head to foot. Selah With his own spear you pierced his head when his warriors stormed out to scatter us, gloating as though about to devour the wretched who were in hiding. You trampled the sea with your horses, churning the great waters. (Habakkuk 3:7-15)
What is the result of Habakkuk’s laments, woes, and anguish?
I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. (Habakkuk 3:16)
He accepts what God is doing and then trusts Him. Here’s the conclusion…
Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us. Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments. (Habakkuk 3:16b-19)
He was willing to wait. No matter how hopeless the situation, there is hope in God. Tomorrow is coming. As Tony Campolo used to say concerning the crucifixion, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming!”
God can be trusted. The righteous will live by faith. The best is yet to come. In the meantime, we can worship by faith, offering up a sacrifice of praise.
For Further Study
Where is God When It Hurts? by Philip Yancey
Walking With God Through Pain and Suffering by Tim Keller
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Obadiah, 26 October 2014
27 10 14
Big Idea: God is sovereign (in control) and He is the ultimate judge. He hates sin, especially pride.
This series is designed to encourage reading the less-read books of the Bible (according to BibleGateway.com).
Overview: The nation of Edom in Mt. Seir sided against Judah, and they should have known better. The prophet Obadiah foresees Edom’s despise and Mt. Zion’s restoration.
Introduction
Today we examine our tenth book in our series The Most Unread Books of the Bible, based upon the least-read books on BibleGateway.com. Obadiah is the final book mentioned in the report, though we will do a bonus book next week, Habakkuk.
Like many of these small books in the Old Testament, Obadiah is a minor prophet. He is not inferior to the others, but rather his book is short. He could also be called minor in that we know nothing about him, not even the name of his father, a common detail in most biblical accounts. Obadiah was a common Old Testament name but it is unlikely that this prophet is mentioned anywhere else in the Bible. The name means “servant or worshiper of the Lord.”
We know little about the date of this book, some believing an early date of 850 BC and others as late as 587 BC.
The prime audience is the Edomites, descendants of Esau (Genesis 36). Abram’s name was changed to Abraham. He had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac. Isaac had twin sons, Jacob and Esau. We know quite a bit about Jacob and his sons, including Joseph. Esau, the oldest, gave up his birthright to Jacob and had a much less prominent place in history. Esau’s descendants were called Edomites. They treated the Judeans—Jews—cruelly. In the book of Obadiah—the shortest Old Testament book—God makes some bold declarations about the nation of Edom that reveal His heart and character.
This is the vision that the Sovereign LORD revealed to Obadiah concerning the land of Edom. (Obadiah 1a, New Living Translation)
Edom’s Judgment Announced
We have heard a message from the LORD that an ambassador was sent to the nations to say, “Get ready, everyone! Let’s assemble our armies and attack Edom!” The LORD says to Edom, “I will cut you down to size among the nations; you will be greatly despised. You have been deceived by your own pride because you live in a rock fortress and make your home high in the mountains. ‘Who can ever reach us way up here?’ you ask boastfully. But even if you soar as high as eagles and build your nest among the stars, I will bring you crashing down,” says the LORD. (Obadiah 2-4, NLT)
Edom is an arrogant people. They have power, have mistreated their neighbor, Judah, and feel smug. The bad guys are winning, but the story is not over.
There is a cycle to power. God will get the final say at Judgment Day. History is filled with accounts of the good guys winning, but today the same battle between good and evil is raging, the enemy still wins sometimes, but the ultimate victor will be King Jesus!
Listen to God’s description of Edom’s upcoming humiliation:
“If thieves came at night and robbed you (what a disaster awaits you!), they would not take everything. Those who harvest grapes always leave a few for the poor. But your enemies will wipe you out completely! Every nook and cranny of Edom will be searched and looted. Every treasure will be found and taken. “All your allies will turn against you. They will help to chase you from your land. They will promise you peace while plotting to deceive and destroy you. Your trusted friends will set traps for you, and you won’t even know about it. At that time not a single wise person will be left in the whole land of Edom,” says the LORD. “For on the mountains of Edom I will destroy everyone who has understanding.The mightiest warriors of Teman will be terrified, and everyone on the mountains of Edom will be cut down in the slaughter. (Obadiah 5-9, NLT)
Why would a loving God treat people this way? We are so quick to judge God. Isn’t it His prerogative to do what He wants? Didn’t He create the universe? Who does He think He is, God?! Yes!!!
As God, He is the perfect judge. His assessments are perfect. He can tolerate sin for only so long. Throughout history He has stepped in, causing confusion at Babel, parting the sea for the Israelites and closing them upon the Egyptians, prompting walls to fall at the sound of trumpets, providing a way for a small boy to kill a giant, …
Perhaps you think God created the world and then abandoned it. This was the belief of many of our nation’s founding fathers. They were deists, believing in a creator but having no faith in miracles. What a boring faith!
I must confess I long to see more of God’s activity in the world. Part of the problem, I’m sure, is my inability to see what God is doing. Another problem is my poor memory, forgetting the countless times God has been faithful, answering prayer and, sometimes, literally performing miracles. Arguably the greatest challenge to seeing God’s work is our impatience.
Sometimes when we pray God says yes. Sometimes He says no because He knows best. Many times, however, it’s just a matter of timing. Of waiting. People waited hundreds of years for the Messiah, Jesus. We have been waiting about two thousand years for His return. It will occur. He is alive. Just you wait!
Back to Edom. God is angry and wants them punished. Before you get too upset at God, wouldn’t you want Hitler punished if you were around in World War II? What do you think about ISIS? Pedophiles? The atrocities in North Korea or the fact that there are more slaves today in our world than at any point in human history? Sometimes the only way to keep the good guys alive is to destroy the bad guys. I’m not advocating for personal violence, but simply reminding us what God said:
I will take vengeance in anger and wrath upon the nations that have not obeyed me.” (Micah 5:15; “in that day”)
One commentator wrote
Vengeance in the Bible is a legal term signifying that a ruler secures his kingdom by protecting his subjects and punishing their persecutors. The disrespect of the unbelieving nations for his holy kingdom incurs his anger and wrath. Throughout history God has protected his rule against the nations that have not obeyed him, but he will finally execute his protective power at Christ’s second coming (Lk. 18:7-8; 21:22; 2 Thes. 1:8; Rev. 6:10). (IVP-NB Commentary)
Here’s the crime committed by Edom:
Reasons for Edom’s Punishment
“Because of the violence you did to your close relatives in Israel, you will be filled with shame and destroyed forever. When they were invaded, you stood aloof, refusing to help them. Foreign invaders carried off their wealth and cast lots to divide up Jerusalem, but you acted like one of Israel’s enemies. “You should not have gloated when they exiled your relatives to distant lands.You should not have rejoiced when the people of Judah suffered such misfortune. You should not have spoken arrogantly in that terrible time of trouble. You should not have plundered the land of Israel when they were suffering such calamity. You should not have gloated over their destruction when they were suffering such calamity. You should not have seized their wealth when they were suffering such calamity. You should not have stood at the crossroads, killing those who tried to escape. You should not have captured the survivors and handed them over in their terrible time of trouble. (Obadiah 10-14, NLT)
Edom’s capital, Sela, was on a high rock overlooking the territory below, making it easy to defend. Thieves steal what they need, but God would take everything!
God’s not done speaking.
Edom Destroyed, Israel Restored
“The day is near when I, the LORD, will judge all godless nations!
As you have done to Israel, so it will be done to you. All your evil deeds will fall back on your own heads. Just as you swallowed up my people on my holy mountain, so you and the surrounding nations will swallow the punishment I pour out on you. Yes, all you nations will drink and stagger and disappear from history. “But Jerusalem will become a refuge for those who escape; it will be a holy place. And the people of Israel will come back to reclaim their inheritance. The people of Israel will be a raging fire, and Edom a field of dry stubble. The descendants of Joseph will be a flame roaring across the field, devouring everything. There will be no survivors in Edom. I, the LORD, have spoken! (Obadiah 15-18, NLT)
God concludes…
“Then my people living in the Negev will occupy the mountains of Edom.
Those living in the foothills of Judah will possess the Philistine plains
and take over the fields of Ephraim and Samaria. And the people of Benjamin
will occupy the land of Gilead. The exiles of Israel will return to their land
and occupy the Phoenician coast as far north as Zarephath. The captives from Jerusalem exiled in the north will return home and resettle the towns of the Negev. Those who have been rescued will go up to Mount Zion in Jerusalem
to rule over the mountains of Edom. And the LORD himself will be king!” (Obadiah 19-21, NLT)
Here we see again this phrase “the day of the Lord.” Judgment Day. The sheep and the goats, the righteous and the wicked, the good guys and the bad guys, Michigan and Ohio St…oops! Seriously, though, Judgment Day will usher in the rule and reign of King Jesus. His friends that have received the Father’s invitation will rule in His Kingdom forever while those that rejected God will be punished.
Judgment Day
What if it’s today? What if God chose today to judge the living and the dead? Are you ready? What about your friends and family? This is where things get uncomfortable in a hurry.
Peter, the first pope, said
He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. (Acts 10:42)
He also said of unbelievers,
But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (1 Peter 4:5)
This is why we’re still here! We’re on a mission from God to let the whole world know the Father loves them and invites them into a covenantal relationship with Himself. He will be king and we can begin kingdom life today by submitting to His authority rather than making ourselves the center of our own universe.
Every day I choose to rule my life or get off the throne, pick up my cross, and follow Jesus. Honestly, I don’t always make the right choice. Pride gets in the way. Selfishness is more attractive than servanthood. I’m self-righteous and judge others. I envy. I worry. Oh how I worry, allowing myself to be overcome by fear rather than trusting God completely.
I want to be faithful to God because He has been so faithful to me. He can be trusted.
Judgment Day is coming for all of us. None of us know when, but it is coming. Are you ready?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
This series is designed to encourage reading the less-read books of the Bible (according to BibleGateway.com).
Overview: The nation of Edom in Mt. Seir sided against Judah, and they should have known better. The prophet Obadiah foresees Edom’s despise and Mt. Zion’s restoration.
Introduction
Today we examine our tenth book in our series The Most Unread Books of the Bible, based upon the least-read books on BibleGateway.com. Obadiah is the final book mentioned in the report, though we will do a bonus book next week, Habakkuk.
Like many of these small books in the Old Testament, Obadiah is a minor prophet. He is not inferior to the others, but rather his book is short. He could also be called minor in that we know nothing about him, not even the name of his father, a common detail in most biblical accounts. Obadiah was a common Old Testament name but it is unlikely that this prophet is mentioned anywhere else in the Bible. The name means “servant or worshiper of the Lord.”
We know little about the date of this book, some believing an early date of 850 BC and others as late as 587 BC.
The prime audience is the Edomites, descendants of Esau (Genesis 36). Abram’s name was changed to Abraham. He had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac. Isaac had twin sons, Jacob and Esau. We know quite a bit about Jacob and his sons, including Joseph. Esau, the oldest, gave up his birthright to Jacob and had a much less prominent place in history. Esau’s descendants were called Edomites. They treated the Judeans—Jews—cruelly. In the book of Obadiah—the shortest Old Testament book—God makes some bold declarations about the nation of Edom that reveal His heart and character.
This is the vision that the Sovereign LORD revealed to Obadiah concerning the land of Edom. (Obadiah 1a, New Living Translation)
Edom’s Judgment Announced
We have heard a message from the LORD that an ambassador was sent to the nations to say, “Get ready, everyone! Let’s assemble our armies and attack Edom!” The LORD says to Edom, “I will cut you down to size among the nations; you will be greatly despised. You have been deceived by your own pride because you live in a rock fortress and make your home high in the mountains. ‘Who can ever reach us way up here?’ you ask boastfully. But even if you soar as high as eagles and build your nest among the stars, I will bring you crashing down,” says the LORD. (Obadiah 2-4, NLT)
Edom is an arrogant people. They have power, have mistreated their neighbor, Judah, and feel smug. The bad guys are winning, but the story is not over.
There is a cycle to power. God will get the final say at Judgment Day. History is filled with accounts of the good guys winning, but today the same battle between good and evil is raging, the enemy still wins sometimes, but the ultimate victor will be King Jesus!
Listen to God’s description of Edom’s upcoming humiliation:
“If thieves came at night and robbed you (what a disaster awaits you!), they would not take everything. Those who harvest grapes always leave a few for the poor. But your enemies will wipe you out completely! Every nook and cranny of Edom will be searched and looted. Every treasure will be found and taken. “All your allies will turn against you. They will help to chase you from your land. They will promise you peace while plotting to deceive and destroy you. Your trusted friends will set traps for you, and you won’t even know about it. At that time not a single wise person will be left in the whole land of Edom,” says the LORD. “For on the mountains of Edom I will destroy everyone who has understanding.The mightiest warriors of Teman will be terrified, and everyone on the mountains of Edom will be cut down in the slaughter. (Obadiah 5-9, NLT)
Why would a loving God treat people this way? We are so quick to judge God. Isn’t it His prerogative to do what He wants? Didn’t He create the universe? Who does He think He is, God?! Yes!!!
As God, He is the perfect judge. His assessments are perfect. He can tolerate sin for only so long. Throughout history He has stepped in, causing confusion at Babel, parting the sea for the Israelites and closing them upon the Egyptians, prompting walls to fall at the sound of trumpets, providing a way for a small boy to kill a giant, …
Perhaps you think God created the world and then abandoned it. This was the belief of many of our nation’s founding fathers. They were deists, believing in a creator but having no faith in miracles. What a boring faith!
I must confess I long to see more of God’s activity in the world. Part of the problem, I’m sure, is my inability to see what God is doing. Another problem is my poor memory, forgetting the countless times God has been faithful, answering prayer and, sometimes, literally performing miracles. Arguably the greatest challenge to seeing God’s work is our impatience.
Sometimes when we pray God says yes. Sometimes He says no because He knows best. Many times, however, it’s just a matter of timing. Of waiting. People waited hundreds of years for the Messiah, Jesus. We have been waiting about two thousand years for His return. It will occur. He is alive. Just you wait!
Back to Edom. God is angry and wants them punished. Before you get too upset at God, wouldn’t you want Hitler punished if you were around in World War II? What do you think about ISIS? Pedophiles? The atrocities in North Korea or the fact that there are more slaves today in our world than at any point in human history? Sometimes the only way to keep the good guys alive is to destroy the bad guys. I’m not advocating for personal violence, but simply reminding us what God said:
I will take vengeance in anger and wrath upon the nations that have not obeyed me.” (Micah 5:15; “in that day”)
One commentator wrote
Vengeance in the Bible is a legal term signifying that a ruler secures his kingdom by protecting his subjects and punishing their persecutors. The disrespect of the unbelieving nations for his holy kingdom incurs his anger and wrath. Throughout history God has protected his rule against the nations that have not obeyed him, but he will finally execute his protective power at Christ’s second coming (Lk. 18:7-8; 21:22; 2 Thes. 1:8; Rev. 6:10). (IVP-NB Commentary)
Here’s the crime committed by Edom:
Reasons for Edom’s Punishment
“Because of the violence you did to your close relatives in Israel, you will be filled with shame and destroyed forever. When they were invaded, you stood aloof, refusing to help them. Foreign invaders carried off their wealth and cast lots to divide up Jerusalem, but you acted like one of Israel’s enemies. “You should not have gloated when they exiled your relatives to distant lands.You should not have rejoiced when the people of Judah suffered such misfortune. You should not have spoken arrogantly in that terrible time of trouble. You should not have plundered the land of Israel when they were suffering such calamity. You should not have gloated over their destruction when they were suffering such calamity. You should not have seized their wealth when they were suffering such calamity. You should not have stood at the crossroads, killing those who tried to escape. You should not have captured the survivors and handed them over in their terrible time of trouble. (Obadiah 10-14, NLT)
Edom’s capital, Sela, was on a high rock overlooking the territory below, making it easy to defend. Thieves steal what they need, but God would take everything!
God’s not done speaking.
Edom Destroyed, Israel Restored
“The day is near when I, the LORD, will judge all godless nations!
As you have done to Israel, so it will be done to you. All your evil deeds will fall back on your own heads. Just as you swallowed up my people on my holy mountain, so you and the surrounding nations will swallow the punishment I pour out on you. Yes, all you nations will drink and stagger and disappear from history. “But Jerusalem will become a refuge for those who escape; it will be a holy place. And the people of Israel will come back to reclaim their inheritance. The people of Israel will be a raging fire, and Edom a field of dry stubble. The descendants of Joseph will be a flame roaring across the field, devouring everything. There will be no survivors in Edom. I, the LORD, have spoken! (Obadiah 15-18, NLT)
God concludes…
“Then my people living in the Negev will occupy the mountains of Edom.
Those living in the foothills of Judah will possess the Philistine plains
and take over the fields of Ephraim and Samaria. And the people of Benjamin
will occupy the land of Gilead. The exiles of Israel will return to their land
and occupy the Phoenician coast as far north as Zarephath. The captives from Jerusalem exiled in the north will return home and resettle the towns of the Negev. Those who have been rescued will go up to Mount Zion in Jerusalem
to rule over the mountains of Edom. And the LORD himself will be king!” (Obadiah 19-21, NLT)
Here we see again this phrase “the day of the Lord.” Judgment Day. The sheep and the goats, the righteous and the wicked, the good guys and the bad guys, Michigan and Ohio St…oops! Seriously, though, Judgment Day will usher in the rule and reign of King Jesus. His friends that have received the Father’s invitation will rule in His Kingdom forever while those that rejected God will be punished.
Judgment Day
What if it’s today? What if God chose today to judge the living and the dead? Are you ready? What about your friends and family? This is where things get uncomfortable in a hurry.
Peter, the first pope, said
He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. (Acts 10:42)
He also said of unbelievers,
But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (1 Peter 4:5)
This is why we’re still here! We’re on a mission from God to let the whole world know the Father loves them and invites them into a covenantal relationship with Himself. He will be king and we can begin kingdom life today by submitting to His authority rather than making ourselves the center of our own universe.
Every day I choose to rule my life or get off the throne, pick up my cross, and follow Jesus. Honestly, I don’t always make the right choice. Pride gets in the way. Selfishness is more attractive than servanthood. I’m self-righteous and judge others. I envy. I worry. Oh how I worry, allowing myself to be overcome by fear rather than trusting God completely.
I want to be faithful to God because He has been so faithful to me. He can be trusted.
Judgment Day is coming for all of us. None of us know when, but it is coming. Are you ready?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Nahum, 19 October 2014
19 10 14
Big Idea: Nineveh has gone too far, they’ve oppressed Judah and taken Israel into captivity and God isn’t going to let them get away with treating His people that way.
This series is designed to encourage reading the less-read books of the Bible (according to BibleGateway.com).
Background Information
We know little about Nahum.
One theme: the judgment of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire.
Nahum means comforter.
Elkosh was a city in Assyria a few miles north of Nineveh. There was also a village in Galilee named Elkosh. Capernaum is considered to be the village of Nahum. He was born there or lived there as a boy.
He was probably born in the northern kingdom, Israel. He moved to Elkosh in the south of Judah and raised there in the southern kingdom.
Nahum may have been a contemporary of Isaiah and Micah.
Date of writing: 720-636 BC, about 100-150 years after Jonah and about 100 years before the destruction of Nineveh.
Nineveh was the capital of Assyria. God was just in destroying Nineveh.
God told Jonah to bring a message to Nineveh. The city turned to God, seemingly the entire city, one hundred percent, an unprecedented spiritual awakening. Obviously the revival died over time and they returned to their paganism.
Nahum probably did not go to the city, unlike Jonah. They’ve had the light and rejected it. Our nation has the light and we have largely rejected it (yikes!). All revivals eventually die.
Scottish historian Alexander Tytler described the life cycle of a democracy. Where are we today?
From bondage to spiritual faith to courage to liberty to abundance to selfishness to complacency to apathy to bondage.
Introduction
This morning we return to our series “The Most Unread Books of the Bible,” an overview of those parts of the Bible that are less read according to BibleGateway.com.
Before we look at today’s book of Nahum, I want to mention hermeneutics. That’s a fancy word for how to read the Bible. Because it’s a big, old collection of books, we can’t just pick it up and read it like we would The Ann Arbor News or People magazine. Two books I recommend on the subject—which may seem odd, reading a book about how to read a book—are
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart
The Blue Parakeet by Scot McKnight
The hermeneutical process is rather simple but often ignored:
Each step, however, presents its own set of challenges. Let me illustrate why this is important.
As I usually do, I did a Google image search for Nahum, hoping to find a nice picture to put on the screen as I speak. I didn’t find much, but one verse repeatedly popped up with a colorful image: Nahum 1:7
The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him, (Nahum 1:7)
I love that verse. It makes me feel good. It makes me think happy thoughts about God. There is truth in these words. There’s more, though. The verse does not end with a period, but rather a comma. Look at what follows!
but with an overwhelming flood he will make an end of [Nineveh]; he will pursue his foes into darkness. (Nahum 1:8)
Not so pretty. Not so happy!
This simple example reveals the importance of context. I have often had people ask me a question about a particular verse. Much of the time the answer can be found in the context. We can’t just pick a verse, stick it on a pretty picture, and hang it on our wall. We can, but we’re likely to miss the point.
Understood? Great!
While we’re on the subject, I came across a great article this week from Relevant Magazine online entitled
9 Things Everyone Should Do When Reading The Bible by Bronwyn Lea
I want to briefly list a few here:
1. Read ‘King’ When You See ‘Christ.’
Christ, or Messiah, means “anointed one,” and priests and kings were anointed. Substituting "King Jesus" for "Christ Jesus" when reading draws attention to the fact that Christ was not Jesus' last name, but in fact His title: one of great honor and esteem. Making that one switch alone breathes new life into reading the New Testament.
2. Read ‘You’ Differently.
Almost all the "you" words in the New Testament are plural you's rather than singular you's. The Southern "y'all" expresses it beautifully.
3. If You See a ‘Therefore,’ Find Out What It’s There For.
8. Remember What You Learned in English Class.
The Bible is not an instruction manual. It's not a "how-to" book for life. It is a collection of 66 books of literature, and to interpret it correctly, you need to remember what you learned in English class about interpreting different genres of literature.
9. Read to Study. But Also, Read to Refresh Your Heart.
Now…
Nahum
In many ways, we can get the big idea of Nahum in these two verses—but not just one! God is good…but just. He is merciful…but hates evil. He is God…and we are not!
Background
God made a covenant with Abram to bless him and his offspring and make them into a great nation—Israel. Israel split and God’s people were in Israel and Judah. The Jewish people had many enemies (as they still have today!). Nineveh was one of those enemies and the prophet Nahum writes to them, warning of His displeasure. Don’t mess with God or His people!
Nahum 1
Nahum is an undated book written about Nineveh, yes, the place Jonah to which Jonah was sent. Nahum’s name means consoler or comforter, a description of his role toward Judah but not Nineveh!
Notice the various attributes of God expressed in these verses.
An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on his foes and maintains his wrath against his enemies. The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet. (Nahum 1:1-3)
He rebukes the sea and dries it up; he makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither and the blossoms of Lebanon fade. The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it. Who can withstand his indignation? Who can endure his fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; the rocks are shattered before him. (Nahum 1:4-6)
Now we come to that lovely verse 7. Notice the happy verses before and after it!
The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him, but with an overwhelming flood he will make an end of [Nineveh]; he will pursue his foes into darkness. Whatever they plot against the LORD he will bring to an end; trouble will not come a second time. They will be entangled among thorns and drunk from their wine; they will be consumed like dry stubble. From you, [O Nineveh,] has one come forth who plots evil against the LORD and counsels wickedness. (Nahum 1:7-11)
It continues…
This is what the LORD says: “Although they have allies and are numerous, they will be cut off and pass away. Although I have afflicted you, [O Judah,] I will afflict you no more. Now I will break their yoke from your neck and tear your shackles away.” The LORD has given a command concerning you, [Nineveh]: “You will have no descendants to bear your name. I will destroy the carved images and cast idols that are in the temple of your gods. I will prepare your grave, for you are vile.” (Nahum 1:12-14)
Then this interesting verse emerges:
Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your festivals, O Judah, and fulfill your vows. No more will the wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed. (Nahum 1:15)
We see similarities between Nahum and Isaiah, a text referenced in Romans 10:15).
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (Isaiah 52:7)
The big picture of the book of Nahum is Nineveh has gone too far. They’ve oppressed Judah and taken Israel into captivity and God isn’t going to let them get away with treating His people that way.
Nineveh fell. They were literally wiped off the map! God said…
“I am against you,” declares the LORD Almighty. “I will burn up your chariots in smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions. I will leave you no prey on the earth. The voices of your messengers will no longer be heard.” (Nahum 2:13)
You don’t want to be on the receiving end of that!
Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims! The crack of whips, the clatter of wheels, galloping horses and jolting chariots! Charging cavalry, flashing swords and glittering spears! Many casualties, piles of dead, bodies without number, people stumbling over the corpses — all because of the wanton lust of a harlot, alluring, the mistress of sorceries, who enslaved nations by her prostitution and peoples by her witchcraft. “I am against you,” declares the LORD Almighty. “I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show the nations your nakedness and the kingdoms your shame. (Nahum 3:1-5)
This explains why God is angry.
We’re not exactly sure when Nahum was written. Assyria fell in 612 BC so this book was either a prophetic warning in around 615 BC or a later narrative of what occurred. Regardless, the wicked were destroyed.
So What?
You’re on God’s team or your His enemy…and every day we choose. Every day we can pick up our cross and follow Jesus, making King Jesus Lord of our lives, or we can do it our way. He’ll let us…but He’ll be crushed when we experiences the consequences of selfish living.
Everything God said to Nineveh could be said to us. I don’t pretend to understand His timing, but He will bless those who love Him and curse those who hate Him.
We love having Jesus as Savior, but is He Lord? Is He King? Does your calendar reflect it? Do your actions show it? Does your bank account demonstrate it? Do your words communicate it?
Judgment Day is coming for all of us. None of us know when, but it is coming. Are you ready?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
This series is designed to encourage reading the less-read books of the Bible (according to BibleGateway.com).
Background Information
We know little about Nahum.
One theme: the judgment of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire.
Nahum means comforter.
Elkosh was a city in Assyria a few miles north of Nineveh. There was also a village in Galilee named Elkosh. Capernaum is considered to be the village of Nahum. He was born there or lived there as a boy.
He was probably born in the northern kingdom, Israel. He moved to Elkosh in the south of Judah and raised there in the southern kingdom.
Nahum may have been a contemporary of Isaiah and Micah.
Date of writing: 720-636 BC, about 100-150 years after Jonah and about 100 years before the destruction of Nineveh.
Nineveh was the capital of Assyria. God was just in destroying Nineveh.
God told Jonah to bring a message to Nineveh. The city turned to God, seemingly the entire city, one hundred percent, an unprecedented spiritual awakening. Obviously the revival died over time and they returned to their paganism.
Nahum probably did not go to the city, unlike Jonah. They’ve had the light and rejected it. Our nation has the light and we have largely rejected it (yikes!). All revivals eventually die.
Scottish historian Alexander Tytler described the life cycle of a democracy. Where are we today?
From bondage to spiritual faith to courage to liberty to abundance to selfishness to complacency to apathy to bondage.
Introduction
This morning we return to our series “The Most Unread Books of the Bible,” an overview of those parts of the Bible that are less read according to BibleGateway.com.
Before we look at today’s book of Nahum, I want to mention hermeneutics. That’s a fancy word for how to read the Bible. Because it’s a big, old collection of books, we can’t just pick it up and read it like we would The Ann Arbor News or People magazine. Two books I recommend on the subject—which may seem odd, reading a book about how to read a book—are
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart
The Blue Parakeet by Scot McKnight
The hermeneutical process is rather simple but often ignored:
- What did the text originally mean?
- What does it mean for us today?
- So what? How do we apply it?
Each step, however, presents its own set of challenges. Let me illustrate why this is important.
As I usually do, I did a Google image search for Nahum, hoping to find a nice picture to put on the screen as I speak. I didn’t find much, but one verse repeatedly popped up with a colorful image: Nahum 1:7
The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him, (Nahum 1:7)
I love that verse. It makes me feel good. It makes me think happy thoughts about God. There is truth in these words. There’s more, though. The verse does not end with a period, but rather a comma. Look at what follows!
but with an overwhelming flood he will make an end of [Nineveh]; he will pursue his foes into darkness. (Nahum 1:8)
Not so pretty. Not so happy!
This simple example reveals the importance of context. I have often had people ask me a question about a particular verse. Much of the time the answer can be found in the context. We can’t just pick a verse, stick it on a pretty picture, and hang it on our wall. We can, but we’re likely to miss the point.
Understood? Great!
While we’re on the subject, I came across a great article this week from Relevant Magazine online entitled
9 Things Everyone Should Do When Reading The Bible by Bronwyn Lea
I want to briefly list a few here:
1. Read ‘King’ When You See ‘Christ.’
Christ, or Messiah, means “anointed one,” and priests and kings were anointed. Substituting "King Jesus" for "Christ Jesus" when reading draws attention to the fact that Christ was not Jesus' last name, but in fact His title: one of great honor and esteem. Making that one switch alone breathes new life into reading the New Testament.
2. Read ‘You’ Differently.
Almost all the "you" words in the New Testament are plural you's rather than singular you's. The Southern "y'all" expresses it beautifully.
3. If You See a ‘Therefore,’ Find Out What It’s There For.
8. Remember What You Learned in English Class.
The Bible is not an instruction manual. It's not a "how-to" book for life. It is a collection of 66 books of literature, and to interpret it correctly, you need to remember what you learned in English class about interpreting different genres of literature.
9. Read to Study. But Also, Read to Refresh Your Heart.
Now…
Nahum
In many ways, we can get the big idea of Nahum in these two verses—but not just one! God is good…but just. He is merciful…but hates evil. He is God…and we are not!
Background
God made a covenant with Abram to bless him and his offspring and make them into a great nation—Israel. Israel split and God’s people were in Israel and Judah. The Jewish people had many enemies (as they still have today!). Nineveh was one of those enemies and the prophet Nahum writes to them, warning of His displeasure. Don’t mess with God or His people!
Nahum 1
Nahum is an undated book written about Nineveh, yes, the place Jonah to which Jonah was sent. Nahum’s name means consoler or comforter, a description of his role toward Judah but not Nineveh!
Notice the various attributes of God expressed in these verses.
An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on his foes and maintains his wrath against his enemies. The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet. (Nahum 1:1-3)
He rebukes the sea and dries it up; he makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither and the blossoms of Lebanon fade. The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it. Who can withstand his indignation? Who can endure his fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; the rocks are shattered before him. (Nahum 1:4-6)
Now we come to that lovely verse 7. Notice the happy verses before and after it!
The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him, but with an overwhelming flood he will make an end of [Nineveh]; he will pursue his foes into darkness. Whatever they plot against the LORD he will bring to an end; trouble will not come a second time. They will be entangled among thorns and drunk from their wine; they will be consumed like dry stubble. From you, [O Nineveh,] has one come forth who plots evil against the LORD and counsels wickedness. (Nahum 1:7-11)
It continues…
This is what the LORD says: “Although they have allies and are numerous, they will be cut off and pass away. Although I have afflicted you, [O Judah,] I will afflict you no more. Now I will break their yoke from your neck and tear your shackles away.” The LORD has given a command concerning you, [Nineveh]: “You will have no descendants to bear your name. I will destroy the carved images and cast idols that are in the temple of your gods. I will prepare your grave, for you are vile.” (Nahum 1:12-14)
Then this interesting verse emerges:
Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your festivals, O Judah, and fulfill your vows. No more will the wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed. (Nahum 1:15)
We see similarities between Nahum and Isaiah, a text referenced in Romans 10:15).
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (Isaiah 52:7)
The big picture of the book of Nahum is Nineveh has gone too far. They’ve oppressed Judah and taken Israel into captivity and God isn’t going to let them get away with treating His people that way.
Nineveh fell. They were literally wiped off the map! God said…
“I am against you,” declares the LORD Almighty. “I will burn up your chariots in smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions. I will leave you no prey on the earth. The voices of your messengers will no longer be heard.” (Nahum 2:13)
You don’t want to be on the receiving end of that!
Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims! The crack of whips, the clatter of wheels, galloping horses and jolting chariots! Charging cavalry, flashing swords and glittering spears! Many casualties, piles of dead, bodies without number, people stumbling over the corpses — all because of the wanton lust of a harlot, alluring, the mistress of sorceries, who enslaved nations by her prostitution and peoples by her witchcraft. “I am against you,” declares the LORD Almighty. “I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show the nations your nakedness and the kingdoms your shame. (Nahum 3:1-5)
This explains why God is angry.
We’re not exactly sure when Nahum was written. Assyria fell in 612 BC so this book was either a prophetic warning in around 615 BC or a later narrative of what occurred. Regardless, the wicked were destroyed.
So What?
You’re on God’s team or your His enemy…and every day we choose. Every day we can pick up our cross and follow Jesus, making King Jesus Lord of our lives, or we can do it our way. He’ll let us…but He’ll be crushed when we experiences the consequences of selfish living.
Everything God said to Nineveh could be said to us. I don’t pretend to understand His timing, but He will bless those who love Him and curse those who hate Him.
We love having Jesus as Savior, but is He Lord? Is He King? Does your calendar reflect it? Do your actions show it? Does your bank account demonstrate it? Do your words communicate it?
Judgment Day is coming for all of us. None of us know when, but it is coming. Are you ready?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Covenant & Kingdom: Paul, 12 October 2014
13 10 14
Big Idea: Covenant is the ability to become ONE with the person with whom we are in Covenant. The Father has expressed that he is ONE with his Son. Jesus expresses that he is ONE with his disciples—us!
Key Scripture: Acts 9:1-6
Introduction
We’ve come to the end of our series Covenant & Kingdom: The DNA of the Bible. As we’ve looked at the big picture of the 66-book library we call the Bible, we’ve seen how Covenant and Kingdom are woven throughout the Scriptures like a double helix is woven in DNA.
Covenant is a sacred treaty in which two parties become one. In ancient times, this always involved the shedding of blood by an animal to imply consequences for failure to fulfill the agreement.
Covenant is about relationship. Being. Invitation.
Kingdom reflects the rule and reign of a king with a people. People of the covenant are to serve under King Jesus.
Kingdom is about responsibility. Doing. Challenge.
In a word, covenant is about come. Jesus invites His disciples to come with Him.
In a word, kingdom is about go. He challenged His followers to go and make disciples.
It’s great to read about the roles of covenant and kingdom in the lives of Abram, Joseph, Moses, and Jesus, but the story continued beyond Jesus. Specifically, a man named Saul who may have been public enemy number one of early disciples of Jesus experienced covenant and kingdom and we’re going to look at his life today.
Acts 9:1-6
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:1-4)
This is crazy! A light and a voice!
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.
“Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” (Acts 9:5-6)
This may be the most radical conversion in history! It’s not enough that a threat to Christians became arguably the most important figure in the early church. He receives a personal invitation from Jesus to join His team…while he is on his way to murder Christians! Perhaps not unlike Abram’s call from God, Saul receives a personal message from God that forever changed his life.
Was Saul hurting Jesus? No. He was persecuting followers of Jesus. He is saying, “If you hurt one of My followers, you are hurting Me.” That’s covenant! Jesus’ disciples are one with Him.
Perhaps you recall Jesus teaching explicitly about this.
“When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’
“Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’
“Then he will turn to the ‘goats,’ the ones on his left, and say, ‘Get out, worthless goats! You’re good for nothing but the fires of hell.
And why? Because—
I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
Sick and in prison, and you never visited.’
“Then those ‘goats’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn’t help?’
“He will answer them, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.’
“Then those ‘goats’ will be herded to their eternal doom, but the ‘sheep’ to their eternal reward.” (Matthew 25:31-46, The Message)
Listen to these words again, this time from the New International Version:
‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Mt. 25:40b)
‘Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ (Mt. 25:45b)
At Jesus’ baptism, the Father clearly said He was one with Jesus, the Son. Covenant.
At Jesus’ death and throughout His life He lived out the mission. Kingdom.
Heaven touches earth in Jesus. He becomes the portal of the future we long for. The future touches the present in the person of Jesus. He becomes the conduit of the blessings of heaven.
Jesus and His disciples are one. That’s covenant.
Jesus and His disciples are sent on mission. That’s kingdom.
Back to Saul. Saul is dramatically converted. His name is even changed, to Paul. The scales fall from his eyes, he is baptized by Ananias in Damascus on the road called Straight. He preaches in the local synagogue, rests a bit, and is in Jerusalem with Peter for a while. For the next 13 years or so he persecuted. 2 Corinthians 11 and 12 tells us Paul is whipped by 39 lashes on five different occasions, is beaten by rods three times, on the open sea for a day and shipwrecked…most of these before Barnabus finds him and brings him to Antioch. So between Paul encountering Jesus and Barnabus he is persecuted. He’s probably been excommunicated at least five times (hence the 39 lashes) and is alone. Some sources suggest Paul was hiding for his life, living in a cave, abandoned by fiends and family, beaten near death, at the end of his rope…and now God will use him to do the most amazing work in the history of the church! It’s during Paul’s trials and suffering that he grows, that he understands the church as the body of Christ. When Jesus’ disciples are persecuted, Jesus feels it. It’s like they share the same body. They are one. The Christian church is the body of Christ!
The people in our community who are longing for a touch of heaven―if they met Jesus, they would find heaven. They would hear words of forgiveness. They would experience a touch of healing. They would know restoration and deliverance. We know that if they met Jesus, that is what they would experience.
So how will they do that?
Through the body.
Through Jesus, presented to the world, through his Covenant people. And if the people of the community donʼt experience Jesus through us, then we have to look in the mirror and say: Why is that?
If people donʼt experience Jesus through us, why arenʼt they? It really is about Covenant and Kingdom all the way through. Covenant is about Relationship. Kingdom is about representing the King.
It is an invitation to Relationship, to the life of discipleship and ONEness with Jesus. It is the challenge to live into the responsibility of representing the King, to live into what we were created for.
It is about BEING one with God and DOING things for him. But Covenant and Kingdom isnʼt just about you as an individual...it is about us as the body. It is about being a Covenant community doing the work of the King.
And what is the work of the King? To save all that was lost in the beginning through the people who lost it in the first place. It is a rescue mission that God has been on since the Fall in Genesis 3.
We are a Covenant community with the mission of extending the Kingdom of our Father.
Itʼs Covenant and Kingdom. Itʼs BEING and DOING. Itʼs Relationship and Responsibility Itʼs Invitation and Challenge. Itʼs being a Community on Mission.
This community exists to be on mission together.
Itʼs right there. Itʼs why we exist. Together, as the body, covenanted together with Jesus, we represent the King and extend his rule, bringing forgiveness, healing, restoration, and deliverance wherever we go. People will experience the future that is heaven in us today.
That is what it means to be the church. It is know Jesus and make Him known. It is to be the hands and feet of Christ, Jesus with skin on!
We are on a mission from God. It begins with knowing our Father and continues with marching orders as the body of Christ, the kingdom of God. The kingdom is a people. It’s us! There is no Plan B.
One More Thing
Have you ever wondered why Jesus left? Why did He only spend 33 years or so on our planet and then pass the baton to us? He didn’t leave us alone. He sent the Holy Spirit to live inside us. When you receive and follow Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit, too. Unlike Jesus, the Holy Spirit is omni-present, able to be in many places at once, living inside of you and me. I believe this is what is behind Jesus’ promise to His disciples:
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
Notice Jesus didn’t just say this, He began with that emphasized phrase “I tell you the truth.” We are the body. We are to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We are to re-present Jesus—the Head of the body—to the world, making disciples of all nations, teaching them and baptizing them.
So what?
What has God been saying to you through this message? This series? What are you going to do about it?
For some of you, this is a season where you need to lean into relationship with God, embrace the reality that you are precious to your Creator, loved and cherished by your heavenly Daddy.
For others, it’s time to stop talking and start moving into kingdom activity. The king is giving you marching orders to love your neighbor, to serve the poor and weak, to give generously of your resources, to advance the kingdom on your knees in prayer, or even to get a passport and expand the kingdom beyond known territory.
But it’s not just about you. It’s about us. Together. The body. The church. The kingdom is a people and we are that people.
Scio Community Church
By the end of 2015 we hope to travel together to the Dominican Republic and make disciples. We will have numerous opportunities to serve together in Life Groups. Each week we can read God’s Word together via our Facebook Scio Journal and pray using our weekly FirstWork prayer tool. We can help one another, encourage one another, and love one another. That’s the greatest indicator of our effectiveness. Jesus said it plainly:
This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.” (John 13:35)
Are you ready?
Credits
Ideas for this series taken from book of the same title by Mike Breen and 3DMovements.com.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Key Scripture: Acts 9:1-6
Introduction
We’ve come to the end of our series Covenant & Kingdom: The DNA of the Bible. As we’ve looked at the big picture of the 66-book library we call the Bible, we’ve seen how Covenant and Kingdom are woven throughout the Scriptures like a double helix is woven in DNA.
Covenant is a sacred treaty in which two parties become one. In ancient times, this always involved the shedding of blood by an animal to imply consequences for failure to fulfill the agreement.
Covenant is about relationship. Being. Invitation.
Kingdom reflects the rule and reign of a king with a people. People of the covenant are to serve under King Jesus.
Kingdom is about responsibility. Doing. Challenge.
In a word, covenant is about come. Jesus invites His disciples to come with Him.
In a word, kingdom is about go. He challenged His followers to go and make disciples.
It’s great to read about the roles of covenant and kingdom in the lives of Abram, Joseph, Moses, and Jesus, but the story continued beyond Jesus. Specifically, a man named Saul who may have been public enemy number one of early disciples of Jesus experienced covenant and kingdom and we’re going to look at his life today.
Acts 9:1-6
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:1-4)
This is crazy! A light and a voice!
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.
“Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” (Acts 9:5-6)
This may be the most radical conversion in history! It’s not enough that a threat to Christians became arguably the most important figure in the early church. He receives a personal invitation from Jesus to join His team…while he is on his way to murder Christians! Perhaps not unlike Abram’s call from God, Saul receives a personal message from God that forever changed his life.
Was Saul hurting Jesus? No. He was persecuting followers of Jesus. He is saying, “If you hurt one of My followers, you are hurting Me.” That’s covenant! Jesus’ disciples are one with Him.
Perhaps you recall Jesus teaching explicitly about this.
“When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’
“Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’
“Then he will turn to the ‘goats,’ the ones on his left, and say, ‘Get out, worthless goats! You’re good for nothing but the fires of hell.
And why? Because—
I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
Sick and in prison, and you never visited.’
“Then those ‘goats’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn’t help?’
“He will answer them, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.’
“Then those ‘goats’ will be herded to their eternal doom, but the ‘sheep’ to their eternal reward.” (Matthew 25:31-46, The Message)
Listen to these words again, this time from the New International Version:
‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Mt. 25:40b)
‘Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ (Mt. 25:45b)
At Jesus’ baptism, the Father clearly said He was one with Jesus, the Son. Covenant.
At Jesus’ death and throughout His life He lived out the mission. Kingdom.
Heaven touches earth in Jesus. He becomes the portal of the future we long for. The future touches the present in the person of Jesus. He becomes the conduit of the blessings of heaven.
Jesus and His disciples are one. That’s covenant.
Jesus and His disciples are sent on mission. That’s kingdom.
Back to Saul. Saul is dramatically converted. His name is even changed, to Paul. The scales fall from his eyes, he is baptized by Ananias in Damascus on the road called Straight. He preaches in the local synagogue, rests a bit, and is in Jerusalem with Peter for a while. For the next 13 years or so he persecuted. 2 Corinthians 11 and 12 tells us Paul is whipped by 39 lashes on five different occasions, is beaten by rods three times, on the open sea for a day and shipwrecked…most of these before Barnabus finds him and brings him to Antioch. So between Paul encountering Jesus and Barnabus he is persecuted. He’s probably been excommunicated at least five times (hence the 39 lashes) and is alone. Some sources suggest Paul was hiding for his life, living in a cave, abandoned by fiends and family, beaten near death, at the end of his rope…and now God will use him to do the most amazing work in the history of the church! It’s during Paul’s trials and suffering that he grows, that he understands the church as the body of Christ. When Jesus’ disciples are persecuted, Jesus feels it. It’s like they share the same body. They are one. The Christian church is the body of Christ!
The people in our community who are longing for a touch of heaven―if they met Jesus, they would find heaven. They would hear words of forgiveness. They would experience a touch of healing. They would know restoration and deliverance. We know that if they met Jesus, that is what they would experience.
So how will they do that?
Through the body.
Through Jesus, presented to the world, through his Covenant people. And if the people of the community donʼt experience Jesus through us, then we have to look in the mirror and say: Why is that?
If people donʼt experience Jesus through us, why arenʼt they? It really is about Covenant and Kingdom all the way through. Covenant is about Relationship. Kingdom is about representing the King.
It is an invitation to Relationship, to the life of discipleship and ONEness with Jesus. It is the challenge to live into the responsibility of representing the King, to live into what we were created for.
It is about BEING one with God and DOING things for him. But Covenant and Kingdom isnʼt just about you as an individual...it is about us as the body. It is about being a Covenant community doing the work of the King.
And what is the work of the King? To save all that was lost in the beginning through the people who lost it in the first place. It is a rescue mission that God has been on since the Fall in Genesis 3.
We are a Covenant community with the mission of extending the Kingdom of our Father.
Itʼs Covenant and Kingdom. Itʼs BEING and DOING. Itʼs Relationship and Responsibility Itʼs Invitation and Challenge. Itʼs being a Community on Mission.
This community exists to be on mission together.
Itʼs right there. Itʼs why we exist. Together, as the body, covenanted together with Jesus, we represent the King and extend his rule, bringing forgiveness, healing, restoration, and deliverance wherever we go. People will experience the future that is heaven in us today.
That is what it means to be the church. It is know Jesus and make Him known. It is to be the hands and feet of Christ, Jesus with skin on!
We are on a mission from God. It begins with knowing our Father and continues with marching orders as the body of Christ, the kingdom of God. The kingdom is a people. It’s us! There is no Plan B.
One More Thing
Have you ever wondered why Jesus left? Why did He only spend 33 years or so on our planet and then pass the baton to us? He didn’t leave us alone. He sent the Holy Spirit to live inside us. When you receive and follow Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit, too. Unlike Jesus, the Holy Spirit is omni-present, able to be in many places at once, living inside of you and me. I believe this is what is behind Jesus’ promise to His disciples:
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
Notice Jesus didn’t just say this, He began with that emphasized phrase “I tell you the truth.” We are the body. We are to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We are to re-present Jesus—the Head of the body—to the world, making disciples of all nations, teaching them and baptizing them.
So what?
What has God been saying to you through this message? This series? What are you going to do about it?
For some of you, this is a season where you need to lean into relationship with God, embrace the reality that you are precious to your Creator, loved and cherished by your heavenly Daddy.
For others, it’s time to stop talking and start moving into kingdom activity. The king is giving you marching orders to love your neighbor, to serve the poor and weak, to give generously of your resources, to advance the kingdom on your knees in prayer, or even to get a passport and expand the kingdom beyond known territory.
But it’s not just about you. It’s about us. Together. The body. The church. The kingdom is a people and we are that people.
Scio Community Church
By the end of 2015 we hope to travel together to the Dominican Republic and make disciples. We will have numerous opportunities to serve together in Life Groups. Each week we can read God’s Word together via our Facebook Scio Journal and pray using our weekly FirstWork prayer tool. We can help one another, encourage one another, and love one another. That’s the greatest indicator of our effectiveness. Jesus said it plainly:
This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.” (John 13:35)
Are you ready?
Credits
Ideas for this series taken from book of the same title by Mike Breen and 3DMovements.com.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Covenant & Kingdom: The Cross, 5 October 2014
05 10 14
Big Idea: The Cross is about a substitutionary death―our Covenant, and the victory of God over our enemies― the Kingdom.
Key Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Introduction
In previous weeks we said the Bible is a big book. It’s actually a library of 66 books. We usually study it verse-by-verse, like looking through a microscope. This series will look at it through a telescope, examining the big idea of the Bible.
Covenant and Kingdom are woven throughout the Scriptures like a double helix is woven in DNA.
Covenant is a sacred treaty in which two parties become one. In ancient times, this always involved the shedding of blood by an animal to imply consequences for failure to fulfill the agreement.
God made a covenant with Abram, promising blessings to him and his offspring in order for them to bless the world.
Covenant is about relationship. Being. Invitation.
Kingdom is about responsibility. Doing. Challenge.
Life is filled with tension between being and doing, relationship and responsibility, being invited into relationship with God while also being challenged to represent Him and bless the world.
As we look at this idea of challenge, of kingdom, of doing God’s work in the world we are going to look at the most important week in human history, the Passion Week.
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:20)
Did you catch that? Jesus introduces a new covenant in His blood. Remember, covenants required the shedding of blood for two parties to become one.
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. (2 Corinthians 5:14)
As we have said throughout this series and our earlier series on Ephesians, followers of Jesus are “in Christ.” Whatever is true of Jesus is true of us. We’re on His team. We wear His uniform. Because Jesus died, we have died. Jesus is the Son of God. We are Sons of God (it’s not a gender issue).
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:15)
Jesus gave His life for us. The only appropriate response is to give ours in return.
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:16-17)
This is not an instant thing. Jesus actually likens it to a birth. The moment you are born, you are completely human, but not fully developed. We are not perfect. Our world is not perfect. We can, however, live in peace in the midst of chaos knowing we are never alone and one day we will rule and reign with our Father the King forever.
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: (2 Corinthians 5:18)
God the Father gives us the same ministry of reconciliation He gave Jesus because we are His, too! A human brought sin and death into the world and, therefore, God became human to conquer sin and death through Jesus. He became One of us. Last week we talked about how He understands temptation. He also understands pain and suffering.
Have you ever looked at our broken world and thought, “Why isn’t God doing something?”
He is.
You’re it!
…that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:19)
We begin in covenant with the Father and then He enlists us to serve in His Kingdom, to announce the good news that Jesus is LORD. We are His team. There’s no plan B! He’s our Father. He’s the King. We have royal blood and represent Him.
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20)
We are on a mission from God. We are His ambassadors, His representatives. When people see us, they see Him. You are the only Bible some people will ever read!
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
That’s the cross. Jesus had no sin, yet God dumped our sin upon Him. It killed Jesus! By Jesus’ blood we get the antibody for the disease of sin. He became Sin and we become Sons (again, not gender). We become, to God, exactly as Jesus is. When the Father looks at you, He looks at you as if it was Jesus because we are one with Christ.
Covenant gives us value.
Kingdom gives us vision.
On the cross, Christ extends His arms as if to welcome us. He was suspended between heaven and earth, the vertical bar an image of our covenant relationship with the Father and the horizontal bar a picture of our kingdom responsibility to love our neighbor.
ʻAt that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"ʼ (Matthew 27:51-54)
The day of Judgment came because God the Father judged sin. He declares His judgment upon Jesus. The earth shook. Rocks split. Tombs broke open. The universe was forever changed.
On the cross Jesus died instead of us.
His body was broken instead of ours.
His blood was shed as a new covenant.
He gave everything for us. It’s only appropriate that we return the favor.
ʻWhen you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the Cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.ʼ (Colossians 2:13-14)
The early church fathers described it this way: God tricked the devil! Satan thought he won when Jesus was put into the tomb, but Jesus had one final play!
Jesus entered the world of the dead and announced to the spirits captive there that He had won. Jesus has the keys to death and hell. He won them. He’s our champion!
You see, the Gospel is really really good! He has died in our place so that we might be in Covenant with God, so that we might be ONE with him, so that we might be connected again. And he has defeated the principalities and the powers of darkness, bringing forth the brightest of light and healing and is asking us to do the same.
Credits
Ideas for this series taken from book of the same title by Mike Breen and 3DMovements.com.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Key Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Introduction
In previous weeks we said the Bible is a big book. It’s actually a library of 66 books. We usually study it verse-by-verse, like looking through a microscope. This series will look at it through a telescope, examining the big idea of the Bible.
Covenant and Kingdom are woven throughout the Scriptures like a double helix is woven in DNA.
Covenant is a sacred treaty in which two parties become one. In ancient times, this always involved the shedding of blood by an animal to imply consequences for failure to fulfill the agreement.
God made a covenant with Abram, promising blessings to him and his offspring in order for them to bless the world.
Covenant is about relationship. Being. Invitation.
Kingdom is about responsibility. Doing. Challenge.
Life is filled with tension between being and doing, relationship and responsibility, being invited into relationship with God while also being challenged to represent Him and bless the world.
As we look at this idea of challenge, of kingdom, of doing God’s work in the world we are going to look at the most important week in human history, the Passion Week.
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:20)
Did you catch that? Jesus introduces a new covenant in His blood. Remember, covenants required the shedding of blood for two parties to become one.
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. (2 Corinthians 5:14)
As we have said throughout this series and our earlier series on Ephesians, followers of Jesus are “in Christ.” Whatever is true of Jesus is true of us. We’re on His team. We wear His uniform. Because Jesus died, we have died. Jesus is the Son of God. We are Sons of God (it’s not a gender issue).
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:15)
Jesus gave His life for us. The only appropriate response is to give ours in return.
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:16-17)
This is not an instant thing. Jesus actually likens it to a birth. The moment you are born, you are completely human, but not fully developed. We are not perfect. Our world is not perfect. We can, however, live in peace in the midst of chaos knowing we are never alone and one day we will rule and reign with our Father the King forever.
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: (2 Corinthians 5:18)
God the Father gives us the same ministry of reconciliation He gave Jesus because we are His, too! A human brought sin and death into the world and, therefore, God became human to conquer sin and death through Jesus. He became One of us. Last week we talked about how He understands temptation. He also understands pain and suffering.
Have you ever looked at our broken world and thought, “Why isn’t God doing something?”
He is.
You’re it!
…that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:19)
We begin in covenant with the Father and then He enlists us to serve in His Kingdom, to announce the good news that Jesus is LORD. We are His team. There’s no plan B! He’s our Father. He’s the King. We have royal blood and represent Him.
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20)
We are on a mission from God. We are His ambassadors, His representatives. When people see us, they see Him. You are the only Bible some people will ever read!
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
That’s the cross. Jesus had no sin, yet God dumped our sin upon Him. It killed Jesus! By Jesus’ blood we get the antibody for the disease of sin. He became Sin and we become Sons (again, not gender). We become, to God, exactly as Jesus is. When the Father looks at you, He looks at you as if it was Jesus because we are one with Christ.
Covenant gives us value.
Kingdom gives us vision.
On the cross, Christ extends His arms as if to welcome us. He was suspended between heaven and earth, the vertical bar an image of our covenant relationship with the Father and the horizontal bar a picture of our kingdom responsibility to love our neighbor.
ʻAt that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"ʼ (Matthew 27:51-54)
The day of Judgment came because God the Father judged sin. He declares His judgment upon Jesus. The earth shook. Rocks split. Tombs broke open. The universe was forever changed.
On the cross Jesus died instead of us.
His body was broken instead of ours.
His blood was shed as a new covenant.
He gave everything for us. It’s only appropriate that we return the favor.
ʻWhen you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the Cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.ʼ (Colossians 2:13-14)
The early church fathers described it this way: God tricked the devil! Satan thought he won when Jesus was put into the tomb, but Jesus had one final play!
Jesus entered the world of the dead and announced to the spirits captive there that He had won. Jesus has the keys to death and hell. He won them. He’s our champion!
You see, the Gospel is really really good! He has died in our place so that we might be in Covenant with God, so that we might be ONE with him, so that we might be connected again. And he has defeated the principalities and the powers of darkness, bringing forth the brightest of light and healing and is asking us to do the same.
Credits
Ideas for this series taken from book of the same title by Mike Breen and 3DMovements.com.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Covenant & Kingdom: Temptation, 28 September 2014
30 09 14
Matthew 4:1-11
Big Idea: Jesus was tempted just like us—and He overcame it as we can by remembering who and Whose we are.
Introduction
In previous weeks we said the Bible is a big book. It’s actually a library of 66 books. We usually study it verse-by-verse, like looking through a microscope. This series will look at it through a telescope, examining the big idea of the Bible.
Covenant and Kingdom are woven throughout the Scriptures like a double helix is woven in DNA.
Covenant is a sacred treaty in which two parties become one. In ancient times, this always involved the shedding of blood by an animal to imply consequences for failure to fulfill the agreement.
God made a covenant with Abram, promising blessings to him and his offspring in order for them to bless the world.
Covenant is about relationship. Being. Invitation.
Kingdom is about responsibility. Doing. Challenge.
Life is filled with tension between being and doing, relationship and responsibility, being invited into relationship with God while also being challenged to represent Him and bless the world.
As we look at this idea of challenge, of kingdom, of doing God’s work in the world we are going to look at the most important character in the Bible—Jesus.
The story of the temptation of Jesus is familiar to many. After 40 days of fasting in the wilderness, Jesus refuses satan three times. If you’re like me, you may have thought it was easy for Jesus to stand up to temptation because He was God. However, He set aside the God-stuff when He came to earth in order to truly become one of us, to understand our struggles. In fact, Jesus giving in to temptation and seizing superpowers is exactly what satan wanted.
Jesus is able to represent the Father, the King, well because He understood His identity. He knew who He was.
Satan repeats one phrase: “IF you are the Son of God.” Specifically, he attacks Jesus in three areas:
Appetite: turn stones into bread
Affirmation: prove God’s protection by jumping from the Temple
Ambition: worship me and receive the kingdoms of the world
What is your greatest temptation? What is your most common sin? Chances are, you are bombarded by one, two, or all three of these temptations.
Appetite
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (Matthew 4:1-3)
Here we see one of my favorite verses in the Bible. Jesus did not eat for 40 days and was hungry. Surprise!
We all have appetites—for food, love, sleep, purpose…Cravings are not necessarily wrong. In fact, without some—like food—we would die. The issue is how we respond to our desires. It often involves control. We question whether God can be trusted.
Jesus knew God could be trusted and did not seize control in the situation. He was obedient to the Father who called Him into the wilderness for an essential season of prayer prior to selecting twelve disciples. He knew God was good. The Father could be trusted.
What do you crave? Food? Alcohol? A perfect body? Sex? Comfort? Security? Facebook?
There are not all bad, but if they control you, they become your idol, your god.
Perhaps you’ve tried unsuccessfully to rid yourself of addiction. The early church fathers used to say that if you say no to one appetite, you can say no to something else. Dallas Willard said it this way: “Do the things you can so you can do the things you can’t.” Use your will to give up something you can control so God’s Spirit will give you the power over the other.
One example of this is Lent, 40 days of saying no to an appetite to concentrate on your identity as a child of God.
To be honest, addictions can be nasty. It’s not as simple as giving up meat for 40 days in order to destroy all cravings. It’s a step, but others may be necessary, including support groups, accountability, and prayer.
Jesus was tempted, and He responded with Scripture.
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” (Matthew 4:4)
Jesus had spiritual food upon which He was nourished. He knew the truth and it set Him free.
Affirmation
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ” (Matthew 4:5-6)
Now satan gets nasty. He starts misusing the Bible. Don’t miss this! People often flippantly say, “The Bible says…” What is the context? What did it originally mean? What does it mean today? You can’t pick and choose verses any more than you can pick and choose ingredients in a recipe (oops, I forgot the sugar in the cookies!!!).
Our identity must come from somewhere outside of us. We are prone to seek the approval of others. Instead of waiting to hear the Father say, “Well done, My good and faithful servant,” we want to be affirmed now.
Do people think I’m smart?
Do people think I’m pretty or handsome?
Do people think I’m a good parent?
Do people think I’m a good worker?
Do people like me?
Am I popular?
Approval can be an addiction. The crazy thing is often the people we want to affirm us are only temporarily in our lives. We are tempted to base our value on people that won’t even be in our lives in a few years…or maybe months.
What if we lived for an audience of One?
I struggle with this. I want people to like me. I want you to like me! I want to do things that make you happy…so you will like me! I want this sermon to be great so you’ll think I’m a great preacher and pastor! I’ve been tempted to ignore tough passages of the Bible, speaking only about things that will make you feel good.
But ultimately I have to answer to God. He loves me. He accepts me. I’ve been rejected many times by people—and it always hurts. The voice that really matters is the Father’s voice, and Jesus understood that.
Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” (Matthew 4:7)
Jesus did not need to impress satan or win his approval. He was confident in His identity as the Son of the Most High God.
Ambition
Success. It has been one of the most daunting words for me. Defining success has been a decades-long struggle. I want to be successful. I want to make a difference in this world. I want to do great things for God…and sometimes for my own glory!
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” (Matthew 4:8-9)
What is success? Achieving goals? Knowing and doing what God tells you. Sometimes we are obedient and look like failures. The Bible is filled with such stories, but they continued to believe God is good and faithful.
God calls us to be faithful and obedient which does not always look like success in the eyes of the world that celebrates big, popular, and excellent.
I’m not saying winning or success is necessarily wrong, but it can be if it is the source of our identity. If your success in life is tied to your performance, something’s wrong—and for so many this is the case…especially artists. As an artist, I can say this! If I write a song and you don’t like it, I’m tempted to think you are rejecting me, which is idolatry. Some athletes believe if they don’t win, they are…losers—not in a game, but life. When we seek to win for our glory, we have made ourselves lord rather than God. We’ve worshipped the created rather than the Creator.
I’m a very competitive person. A few years ago on an elder retreat we had some competitive games of doubles ping pong. It was not televised on ESPN, but there were some close games. Unbeknownst to the others, my team was winning every game, and I was quite pleased…until my team lost. I hid it, but I was inappropriately overjoyed during the victories and agonized in the defeat. When we were done, I confessed my hidden sin to the others, exposing my wicked, prideful heart.
Perhaps the most obvious sign of this is the comparison game. Someone recently said all reality TV is designed to either make us feel good about ourselves or bad about ourselves as we compare ourselves to the winners and losers.
I’m probably most insecure about other pastors, especially pastors of large churches that have written books and speak at conferences. A part of me secretly—well, not now!—wants to be a Christian celebrity, be invited to speak in front of large crowds, and “do great things for God.” Do you see the shadow motive? God wants us to be involved in His mission on earth, but He wants us to serve Him rather than the other way around. Our motives are critical, though there is no such thing as completely pure motives!
Would you like a remedy? Try this: choose to lose.
If an argument is going a certain way―choose not to have the last word. Lose the argument.
Choose relational harmony over winning an argument.
If youʼre playing golf or a board game or basketball―make the point of playing to bless your opponent and donʼt care if you win. Play for fun.
Go above and beyond at work but donʼt let anyone know. Chose to lose the opportunity to get credit for extra work.
Another way you can address this issue is to anonymously give—money, time, expertise. Give without seeking credit or reward. The Father is watching!
The Father was watching Jesus in the wilderness…with approval.
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ” (Matthew 4:10)
Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. (Matthew 4:11)
We’re not exactly sure what those final five words mean, but they’re pretty cool! Jesus passed the test. His preparation to begin His public ministry was complete, at least the wilderness part. He knew who He was. He had just heard the Father say at His baptism, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22)
Luke’s gospel account of the temptation of Christ ends with these words:
When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. (Luke 4:13)
Jesus passed this test, but it was hardly the end of temptation. He experienced every day of His life as we do.
So What?
Where you are being tempted. Is it your appetite? Your ambition? Affirmation? What way do you need to intentionally press into your identity as Godʼs child?
Your Daddy loves you. He’s nuts about you! He is so near you. He believes in you. He’s proud of you. Don’t forget Whose you are. You are a King’s kid!
Is there any desire in you for the accolades of men and women around you?
If so, take the words of the Father spoken over Jesus in the gospels and substitute your name for Jesus and allows those words to sink into your heart.
The desire of approval is the commitment to remove shame. Shame in the world's eyes is removed by acclaim. We long for things that shout down the voice of shame. What is the alternative to acclaim for shame? Allowing the Word of God to speak and give faith.
"You are my son/daughter and I love you and I'm proud of you.” If He said it over Jesus it is true of us.
“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ (Matthew 6:9-13)
appetite: give us this day our daily bread
affirmation: lead us not into temptation
ambition: Yours is the kingdom, not mine
Credits
Ideas for this series taken from book of the same title by Mike Breen and 3DMovements.com.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Big Idea: Jesus was tempted just like us—and He overcame it as we can by remembering who and Whose we are.
Introduction
In previous weeks we said the Bible is a big book. It’s actually a library of 66 books. We usually study it verse-by-verse, like looking through a microscope. This series will look at it through a telescope, examining the big idea of the Bible.
Covenant and Kingdom are woven throughout the Scriptures like a double helix is woven in DNA.
Covenant is a sacred treaty in which two parties become one. In ancient times, this always involved the shedding of blood by an animal to imply consequences for failure to fulfill the agreement.
God made a covenant with Abram, promising blessings to him and his offspring in order for them to bless the world.
Covenant is about relationship. Being. Invitation.
Kingdom is about responsibility. Doing. Challenge.
Life is filled with tension between being and doing, relationship and responsibility, being invited into relationship with God while also being challenged to represent Him and bless the world.
As we look at this idea of challenge, of kingdom, of doing God’s work in the world we are going to look at the most important character in the Bible—Jesus.
The story of the temptation of Jesus is familiar to many. After 40 days of fasting in the wilderness, Jesus refuses satan three times. If you’re like me, you may have thought it was easy for Jesus to stand up to temptation because He was God. However, He set aside the God-stuff when He came to earth in order to truly become one of us, to understand our struggles. In fact, Jesus giving in to temptation and seizing superpowers is exactly what satan wanted.
Jesus is able to represent the Father, the King, well because He understood His identity. He knew who He was.
Satan repeats one phrase: “IF you are the Son of God.” Specifically, he attacks Jesus in three areas:
Appetite: turn stones into bread
Affirmation: prove God’s protection by jumping from the Temple
Ambition: worship me and receive the kingdoms of the world
What is your greatest temptation? What is your most common sin? Chances are, you are bombarded by one, two, or all three of these temptations.
Appetite
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (Matthew 4:1-3)
Here we see one of my favorite verses in the Bible. Jesus did not eat for 40 days and was hungry. Surprise!
We all have appetites—for food, love, sleep, purpose…Cravings are not necessarily wrong. In fact, without some—like food—we would die. The issue is how we respond to our desires. It often involves control. We question whether God can be trusted.
Jesus knew God could be trusted and did not seize control in the situation. He was obedient to the Father who called Him into the wilderness for an essential season of prayer prior to selecting twelve disciples. He knew God was good. The Father could be trusted.
What do you crave? Food? Alcohol? A perfect body? Sex? Comfort? Security? Facebook?
There are not all bad, but if they control you, they become your idol, your god.
Perhaps you’ve tried unsuccessfully to rid yourself of addiction. The early church fathers used to say that if you say no to one appetite, you can say no to something else. Dallas Willard said it this way: “Do the things you can so you can do the things you can’t.” Use your will to give up something you can control so God’s Spirit will give you the power over the other.
One example of this is Lent, 40 days of saying no to an appetite to concentrate on your identity as a child of God.
To be honest, addictions can be nasty. It’s not as simple as giving up meat for 40 days in order to destroy all cravings. It’s a step, but others may be necessary, including support groups, accountability, and prayer.
Jesus was tempted, and He responded with Scripture.
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” (Matthew 4:4)
Jesus had spiritual food upon which He was nourished. He knew the truth and it set Him free.
Affirmation
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ” (Matthew 4:5-6)
Now satan gets nasty. He starts misusing the Bible. Don’t miss this! People often flippantly say, “The Bible says…” What is the context? What did it originally mean? What does it mean today? You can’t pick and choose verses any more than you can pick and choose ingredients in a recipe (oops, I forgot the sugar in the cookies!!!).
Our identity must come from somewhere outside of us. We are prone to seek the approval of others. Instead of waiting to hear the Father say, “Well done, My good and faithful servant,” we want to be affirmed now.
Do people think I’m smart?
Do people think I’m pretty or handsome?
Do people think I’m a good parent?
Do people think I’m a good worker?
Do people like me?
Am I popular?
Approval can be an addiction. The crazy thing is often the people we want to affirm us are only temporarily in our lives. We are tempted to base our value on people that won’t even be in our lives in a few years…or maybe months.
What if we lived for an audience of One?
I struggle with this. I want people to like me. I want you to like me! I want to do things that make you happy…so you will like me! I want this sermon to be great so you’ll think I’m a great preacher and pastor! I’ve been tempted to ignore tough passages of the Bible, speaking only about things that will make you feel good.
But ultimately I have to answer to God. He loves me. He accepts me. I’ve been rejected many times by people—and it always hurts. The voice that really matters is the Father’s voice, and Jesus understood that.
Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” (Matthew 4:7)
Jesus did not need to impress satan or win his approval. He was confident in His identity as the Son of the Most High God.
Ambition
Success. It has been one of the most daunting words for me. Defining success has been a decades-long struggle. I want to be successful. I want to make a difference in this world. I want to do great things for God…and sometimes for my own glory!
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” (Matthew 4:8-9)
What is success? Achieving goals? Knowing and doing what God tells you. Sometimes we are obedient and look like failures. The Bible is filled with such stories, but they continued to believe God is good and faithful.
God calls us to be faithful and obedient which does not always look like success in the eyes of the world that celebrates big, popular, and excellent.
I’m not saying winning or success is necessarily wrong, but it can be if it is the source of our identity. If your success in life is tied to your performance, something’s wrong—and for so many this is the case…especially artists. As an artist, I can say this! If I write a song and you don’t like it, I’m tempted to think you are rejecting me, which is idolatry. Some athletes believe if they don’t win, they are…losers—not in a game, but life. When we seek to win for our glory, we have made ourselves lord rather than God. We’ve worshipped the created rather than the Creator.
I’m a very competitive person. A few years ago on an elder retreat we had some competitive games of doubles ping pong. It was not televised on ESPN, but there were some close games. Unbeknownst to the others, my team was winning every game, and I was quite pleased…until my team lost. I hid it, but I was inappropriately overjoyed during the victories and agonized in the defeat. When we were done, I confessed my hidden sin to the others, exposing my wicked, prideful heart.
Perhaps the most obvious sign of this is the comparison game. Someone recently said all reality TV is designed to either make us feel good about ourselves or bad about ourselves as we compare ourselves to the winners and losers.
I’m probably most insecure about other pastors, especially pastors of large churches that have written books and speak at conferences. A part of me secretly—well, not now!—wants to be a Christian celebrity, be invited to speak in front of large crowds, and “do great things for God.” Do you see the shadow motive? God wants us to be involved in His mission on earth, but He wants us to serve Him rather than the other way around. Our motives are critical, though there is no such thing as completely pure motives!
Would you like a remedy? Try this: choose to lose.
If an argument is going a certain way―choose not to have the last word. Lose the argument.
Choose relational harmony over winning an argument.
If youʼre playing golf or a board game or basketball―make the point of playing to bless your opponent and donʼt care if you win. Play for fun.
Go above and beyond at work but donʼt let anyone know. Chose to lose the opportunity to get credit for extra work.
Another way you can address this issue is to anonymously give—money, time, expertise. Give without seeking credit or reward. The Father is watching!
The Father was watching Jesus in the wilderness…with approval.
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ” (Matthew 4:10)
Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. (Matthew 4:11)
We’re not exactly sure what those final five words mean, but they’re pretty cool! Jesus passed the test. His preparation to begin His public ministry was complete, at least the wilderness part. He knew who He was. He had just heard the Father say at His baptism, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22)
Luke’s gospel account of the temptation of Christ ends with these words:
When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. (Luke 4:13)
Jesus passed this test, but it was hardly the end of temptation. He experienced every day of His life as we do.
So What?
Where you are being tempted. Is it your appetite? Your ambition? Affirmation? What way do you need to intentionally press into your identity as Godʼs child?
Your Daddy loves you. He’s nuts about you! He is so near you. He believes in you. He’s proud of you. Don’t forget Whose you are. You are a King’s kid!
Is there any desire in you for the accolades of men and women around you?
If so, take the words of the Father spoken over Jesus in the gospels and substitute your name for Jesus and allows those words to sink into your heart.
The desire of approval is the commitment to remove shame. Shame in the world's eyes is removed by acclaim. We long for things that shout down the voice of shame. What is the alternative to acclaim for shame? Allowing the Word of God to speak and give faith.
"You are my son/daughter and I love you and I'm proud of you.” If He said it over Jesus it is true of us.
“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ (Matthew 6:9-13)
appetite: give us this day our daily bread
affirmation: lead us not into temptation
ambition: Yours is the kingdom, not mine
Credits
Ideas for this series taken from book of the same title by Mike Breen and 3DMovements.com.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Covenant & Kingdom: Moses, 21 September 2014
22 09 14
Big Idea: God made a covenant with Moses out of which he led the God’s kingdom people of Israel.
Introduction
In previous weeks we said the Bible is a big book. It’s actually a library of 66 books. We usually study it verse-by-verse, like looking through a microscope. This series will look at it through a telescope, examining the big idea of the Bible.
Covenant and Kingdom are woven throughout the Scriptures like a double helix is woven in DNA.
Covenant is a sacred treaty in which two parties become one. In ancient times, this always involved the shedding of blood by an animal to imply consequences for failure to fulfill the agreement.
God made a covenant with Abram, promising blessings to him and his offspring in order for them to bless the world.
Covenant is about relationship. Being. Invitation.
Kingdom is about responsibility. Doing. Challenge.
Life is filled with tension between being and doing, relationship and responsibility, being invited into relationship with God while also being challenged to represent Him and bless the world.
As we look at this idea of challenge, of kingdom, of doing God’s work in the world we are going to look at one of the most important characters in the Bible—Moses.
Who are you? That is one of the two most important questions you and I must address. The other is, “Who is Jesus?” Earlier this year in our series Who Do You Think You Are? we looked at the book of Ephesians and saw the ramifications of being “in Christ.”
Identity comes from many places. It begins with our name and family of origin. What does your name mean? Do you know why it was chosen for you? What messages did you receive as a child? You may be troubled to even think about the answer or you may recall great memories. We are a product of our past, for better or worse.
One of the great things about the kingdom of God—the church—is regardless of our past, God dictates our present future when we entrust it to Him.
Like Abraham, we are invited into covenant with God, surrendering our individual existence to become “one” with God and His people. We are given a new name—child of God. We enjoy the same rights and freedoms of God’s other children, including Jesus!
Like Joseph, we are a part of God’s kingdom, representing God and taking responsibility and authority, exercising the power of forgiveness.
There are so many fascinating Bible characters and few as important as Moses. You may be familiar with the stories of his life, but I want to encourage you to encounter them in a fresh way as if you had never heard them before.
Our story begins in Exodus 1. Joseph is Pharaoh’s right hand man providing provisions to his family and other Israelites in Egypt. A new king sees this growing Israelite population and makes them slaves, working the ruthlessly. Furthermore, he told the Hebrew midwives to kill all baby boys so the Israelite population could eventually die (1:16). When they refused, he ordered every baby boy thrown into the Nile river.
This isn’t pretty. It’s actually horrifying. The Bible can be quite graphic and disturbing…because humans can do some pretty disturbing things, as we see every day in the news.
A woman has a baby, hides him for three months, and realizes she can no longer hide him. She puts him in a basket in the very river where she is to drown him.
Pharaoh’s daughter sees the basket, opens it, sees the baby, and keeps Moses as her son.
One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?”
The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”
When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well. (2:11-15)
Charles Swindoll says, “Here we see the beginning of a narrative that is all of our lives. We are blessed, broken and then we are used. Used by God.”
Perhaps you’re waiting for God to use you while He waits for you to be broken, not in a harmful way, but in a way that causes you to be desperate for Him.
Jesus said “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
That’s lordship. That’s what it means for Jesus to be king, to be Lord. Die to yourself and live with and for Him. That’s the message of baptism, we die and then live.
Who do you think Moses thinks he is?
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. (3:1)
If youʼre in the desert, embrace it. Go into it and pass through it. Moses embraces the desert and finds there the symbol and metaphor of the desert that is woven throughout Scripture: Desert leads to dependency on God.
There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight — why the bush does not burn up.” (3:2-3)
Fire is the symbol of God’s presence.
When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
And Moses said, “Here I am.”
“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. (3:4-6)
God knows Moses’ name. He knows his identity. He knows his past living in privilege in the palace and later hiding in the desert after committing murder. This is God’s invitation into relationship with Moses. Covenant.
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey — the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” (3:7-10)
“And I have heard the cry of my people.” Not of “the people” but of “my people.” “I am their God because I have a Covenant with them. And I will stay faithful to them. And out of that Covenant security, Moses, Iʼm sending you to do the work of my Kingship.” This is God’s challenge for Moses to be involved in kingdom work.
God’s promises can be trusted. Where He guides, He provides. He doesn’t promise we’ll be happy and healthy all the time, but He honors obedience and faithfulness.
So Moses is excited, grateful for the opportunity to lead the people of Israel, and joyfully accepts the challenge. Hardly!
But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” (3:11)
And Moses says, “Not me! Anybody else but me!”
Why does he resist?
And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” (3:12)
I will be with you. That’s a promise. It’s a promise that’s echoed throughout the pages of Scripture.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? (Ps 139:7)
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mt 28:20b)
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Heb. 13:5)
Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”
God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers — the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob — has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation. (3:13-15)
God speaks to him about the Covenant: “I am the God of your Fathers. You are the Son of Abraham, the Son of Isaac, the Son of Jacob, that Identity comes from me and you know it!” And already we have the resonance of Fatherhood. Why are they fathers? Eventually we find that they are fathers because they are in Covenant with THE FATHER. But right now, in the unfolding revelation of Scripture, is a matter of life and blood and bone. But Moses hears from God, that God is in Covenant with him. “Youʼre mine.”
“And I have heard the cry of my people.” Not of “the people” but of “my people.” “I am their God because I have a Covenant with them. And I will stay faithful to them. And out of that Covenant security, Moses, Iʼm sending you to do the work of my Kingship.” And Moses says, “Not me! Anybody else but me!”
God invites Moses into relationship and challenges him to lead the people.
But Moses said, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.” (4:13)
Have you ever said that?
Then the LORD’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. (4:14-16)
What follows is a series of exchanges between Moses and Pharaoh, ten plagues, the last a plague of death in which the first-born child and animal of everyone in Egypt was killed—except for those Israelite homes that had the blood of a lamb on the sids and tops of the door frames. The death angel passed over those homes which leads us to call the celebration Passover. Finally, Pharaoh lets Moses and the people go.
Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. (12:40)
God was their king. Isn’t that great?!
By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. (13:21)
Moses surely thought the worst was over. The exodus from Egypt was going great…until Pharaoh had a change of heart.
The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. (14:8)
The Israelites are furious.
Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” (14:12)
Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (14:13-14)
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. (14:15-16)
The rest, as they say, is history.
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. (14:21-22)
The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. (14:23)
During the last watch of the night the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. He made the wheels of their chariots come off so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.” (14:24-25)
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the LORD swept them into the sea. The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen — the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. (14:26-28)
But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. (14:29)
And they all lived happily ever after! Hardly! For forty years they wandered in the wilderness, complained, disobeyed God, and drove Moses crazy!
Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” (19:3-6)
What is the “If?” It’s the Ten Commandments, not rules to follow, but instructions to obey.
Who are you?
Israel is to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. That may sound far from a group of Gentiles like us thousands of years later, but actually it applies to us. Through Jesus—whose live, death, and resurrection allowed us to be grafted into God’s story, we are a part of the kingdom. The kingdom is a people. It’s a people of priests. It’s a holy nation.
The Rest Of The Story
Moses leads the grumbling people for 40 years in the wilderness. There are highs and lows, but God remains faithful to Moses and the Israelites.
So what?
Without identity, obedience is just rules. With identity, it is an expression of love, something we desire to do.
You can’t make God love you more by obeying Him. We can never be good enough, but Jesus is and we take on His identity.
Moses understood his covenant identity and knew he had the backing of the King of heaven.
For the Israelites and many of us obedience without Identity becomes the mark of their lives.
You know itʼs a great thing to be obedient to the Lord, but he wants it to be out of your identity. And if you can be obedient out of your identity then you can function in power because you have received his authority. You see, identity and authority go together, and obedience and power go together. These are the key concepts of Covenant and Kingdom and they function as the Father, who is our King, reveals himself to us. Our identity is tied up with him. Because our identity is tied up with him, we are the children of God. And because we are the children of God we recognize that whatever he is, we are. Heʼs the King. We have royal blood running through our veins so we have the Kingʼs authority.
Because power is tied up with obedience, and obedience flows out of identity. The way that it works is this: We know we are the children of God and out of that authority of being the children of God we are able to dispense that power that God places into our hands because authority will always lead to power. Because power without authority is always tyranny. And God never wants that. He wants his people to break the bonds of tyranny. He wants his people to feed the hungry. He wants them to lift up the weak and the broken. He wants them to come, in his authority, dispensing power, breaking the chains of the Kingdom of darkness. And we can only do this successfully and sustainably if you know both your Covenant and your Kingdom calling.
Iʼve watched it so many times. The Kingdom becomes the subject. The Kingdom becomes the agenda. And people rush to do the works of the Kingdom and they begin to become detached from their sense of identity and they have no idea about the rhythm that is woven into their lives that is spoken of so clearly in Scripture: There is a rhythm of advance...and then return. There is a rhythm of working and resting. Of taking the works of the Kingdom and doing something for God and then returning and abiding in Jesus and being with him. And if you donʼt know that rhythm, you wonʼt sustain the work of God. Do you see that?
Itʼs so important that we hear this. Itʼs out of our understanding of our Father that we reflect that our Father is the King.
- Mike Breen
Credits
Ideas for this series taken from book of the same title by Mike Breen and 3DMovements.com.
Introduction
In previous weeks we said the Bible is a big book. It’s actually a library of 66 books. We usually study it verse-by-verse, like looking through a microscope. This series will look at it through a telescope, examining the big idea of the Bible.
Covenant and Kingdom are woven throughout the Scriptures like a double helix is woven in DNA.
Covenant is a sacred treaty in which two parties become one. In ancient times, this always involved the shedding of blood by an animal to imply consequences for failure to fulfill the agreement.
God made a covenant with Abram, promising blessings to him and his offspring in order for them to bless the world.
Covenant is about relationship. Being. Invitation.
Kingdom is about responsibility. Doing. Challenge.
Life is filled with tension between being and doing, relationship and responsibility, being invited into relationship with God while also being challenged to represent Him and bless the world.
As we look at this idea of challenge, of kingdom, of doing God’s work in the world we are going to look at one of the most important characters in the Bible—Moses.
Who are you? That is one of the two most important questions you and I must address. The other is, “Who is Jesus?” Earlier this year in our series Who Do You Think You Are? we looked at the book of Ephesians and saw the ramifications of being “in Christ.”
Identity comes from many places. It begins with our name and family of origin. What does your name mean? Do you know why it was chosen for you? What messages did you receive as a child? You may be troubled to even think about the answer or you may recall great memories. We are a product of our past, for better or worse.
One of the great things about the kingdom of God—the church—is regardless of our past, God dictates our present future when we entrust it to Him.
Like Abraham, we are invited into covenant with God, surrendering our individual existence to become “one” with God and His people. We are given a new name—child of God. We enjoy the same rights and freedoms of God’s other children, including Jesus!
Like Joseph, we are a part of God’s kingdom, representing God and taking responsibility and authority, exercising the power of forgiveness.
There are so many fascinating Bible characters and few as important as Moses. You may be familiar with the stories of his life, but I want to encourage you to encounter them in a fresh way as if you had never heard them before.
Our story begins in Exodus 1. Joseph is Pharaoh’s right hand man providing provisions to his family and other Israelites in Egypt. A new king sees this growing Israelite population and makes them slaves, working the ruthlessly. Furthermore, he told the Hebrew midwives to kill all baby boys so the Israelite population could eventually die (1:16). When they refused, he ordered every baby boy thrown into the Nile river.
This isn’t pretty. It’s actually horrifying. The Bible can be quite graphic and disturbing…because humans can do some pretty disturbing things, as we see every day in the news.
A woman has a baby, hides him for three months, and realizes she can no longer hide him. She puts him in a basket in the very river where she is to drown him.
Pharaoh’s daughter sees the basket, opens it, sees the baby, and keeps Moses as her son.
One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?”
The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”
When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well. (2:11-15)
Charles Swindoll says, “Here we see the beginning of a narrative that is all of our lives. We are blessed, broken and then we are used. Used by God.”
Perhaps you’re waiting for God to use you while He waits for you to be broken, not in a harmful way, but in a way that causes you to be desperate for Him.
Jesus said “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
That’s lordship. That’s what it means for Jesus to be king, to be Lord. Die to yourself and live with and for Him. That’s the message of baptism, we die and then live.
Who do you think Moses thinks he is?
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. (3:1)
If youʼre in the desert, embrace it. Go into it and pass through it. Moses embraces the desert and finds there the symbol and metaphor of the desert that is woven throughout Scripture: Desert leads to dependency on God.
There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight — why the bush does not burn up.” (3:2-3)
Fire is the symbol of God’s presence.
When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
And Moses said, “Here I am.”
“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. (3:4-6)
God knows Moses’ name. He knows his identity. He knows his past living in privilege in the palace and later hiding in the desert after committing murder. This is God’s invitation into relationship with Moses. Covenant.
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey — the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” (3:7-10)
“And I have heard the cry of my people.” Not of “the people” but of “my people.” “I am their God because I have a Covenant with them. And I will stay faithful to them. And out of that Covenant security, Moses, Iʼm sending you to do the work of my Kingship.” This is God’s challenge for Moses to be involved in kingdom work.
God’s promises can be trusted. Where He guides, He provides. He doesn’t promise we’ll be happy and healthy all the time, but He honors obedience and faithfulness.
So Moses is excited, grateful for the opportunity to lead the people of Israel, and joyfully accepts the challenge. Hardly!
But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” (3:11)
And Moses says, “Not me! Anybody else but me!”
Why does he resist?
And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” (3:12)
I will be with you. That’s a promise. It’s a promise that’s echoed throughout the pages of Scripture.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? (Ps 139:7)
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mt 28:20b)
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Heb. 13:5)
Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”
God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers — the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob — has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation. (3:13-15)
God speaks to him about the Covenant: “I am the God of your Fathers. You are the Son of Abraham, the Son of Isaac, the Son of Jacob, that Identity comes from me and you know it!” And already we have the resonance of Fatherhood. Why are they fathers? Eventually we find that they are fathers because they are in Covenant with THE FATHER. But right now, in the unfolding revelation of Scripture, is a matter of life and blood and bone. But Moses hears from God, that God is in Covenant with him. “Youʼre mine.”
“And I have heard the cry of my people.” Not of “the people” but of “my people.” “I am their God because I have a Covenant with them. And I will stay faithful to them. And out of that Covenant security, Moses, Iʼm sending you to do the work of my Kingship.” And Moses says, “Not me! Anybody else but me!”
God invites Moses into relationship and challenges him to lead the people.
But Moses said, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.” (4:13)
Have you ever said that?
Then the LORD’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. (4:14-16)
What follows is a series of exchanges between Moses and Pharaoh, ten plagues, the last a plague of death in which the first-born child and animal of everyone in Egypt was killed—except for those Israelite homes that had the blood of a lamb on the sids and tops of the door frames. The death angel passed over those homes which leads us to call the celebration Passover. Finally, Pharaoh lets Moses and the people go.
Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. (12:40)
God was their king. Isn’t that great?!
By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. (13:21)
Moses surely thought the worst was over. The exodus from Egypt was going great…until Pharaoh had a change of heart.
The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. (14:8)
The Israelites are furious.
Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” (14:12)
Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (14:13-14)
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. (14:15-16)
The rest, as they say, is history.
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. (14:21-22)
The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. (14:23)
During the last watch of the night the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. He made the wheels of their chariots come off so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.” (14:24-25)
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the LORD swept them into the sea. The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen — the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. (14:26-28)
But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. (14:29)
And they all lived happily ever after! Hardly! For forty years they wandered in the wilderness, complained, disobeyed God, and drove Moses crazy!
Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” (19:3-6)
What is the “If?” It’s the Ten Commandments, not rules to follow, but instructions to obey.
Who are you?
Israel is to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. That may sound far from a group of Gentiles like us thousands of years later, but actually it applies to us. Through Jesus—whose live, death, and resurrection allowed us to be grafted into God’s story, we are a part of the kingdom. The kingdom is a people. It’s a people of priests. It’s a holy nation.
The Rest Of The Story
Moses leads the grumbling people for 40 years in the wilderness. There are highs and lows, but God remains faithful to Moses and the Israelites.
So what?
Without identity, obedience is just rules. With identity, it is an expression of love, something we desire to do.
You can’t make God love you more by obeying Him. We can never be good enough, but Jesus is and we take on His identity.
Moses understood his covenant identity and knew he had the backing of the King of heaven.
For the Israelites and many of us obedience without Identity becomes the mark of their lives.
You know itʼs a great thing to be obedient to the Lord, but he wants it to be out of your identity. And if you can be obedient out of your identity then you can function in power because you have received his authority. You see, identity and authority go together, and obedience and power go together. These are the key concepts of Covenant and Kingdom and they function as the Father, who is our King, reveals himself to us. Our identity is tied up with him. Because our identity is tied up with him, we are the children of God. And because we are the children of God we recognize that whatever he is, we are. Heʼs the King. We have royal blood running through our veins so we have the Kingʼs authority.
Because power is tied up with obedience, and obedience flows out of identity. The way that it works is this: We know we are the children of God and out of that authority of being the children of God we are able to dispense that power that God places into our hands because authority will always lead to power. Because power without authority is always tyranny. And God never wants that. He wants his people to break the bonds of tyranny. He wants his people to feed the hungry. He wants them to lift up the weak and the broken. He wants them to come, in his authority, dispensing power, breaking the chains of the Kingdom of darkness. And we can only do this successfully and sustainably if you know both your Covenant and your Kingdom calling.
Iʼve watched it so many times. The Kingdom becomes the subject. The Kingdom becomes the agenda. And people rush to do the works of the Kingdom and they begin to become detached from their sense of identity and they have no idea about the rhythm that is woven into their lives that is spoken of so clearly in Scripture: There is a rhythm of advance...and then return. There is a rhythm of working and resting. Of taking the works of the Kingdom and doing something for God and then returning and abiding in Jesus and being with him. And if you donʼt know that rhythm, you wonʼt sustain the work of God. Do you see that?
Itʼs so important that we hear this. Itʼs out of our understanding of our Father that we reflect that our Father is the King.
- Mike Breen
Credits
Ideas for this series taken from book of the same title by Mike Breen and 3DMovements.com.
Kingdom: Joseph, 14 September 2014
16 09 14
Big Idea: God challenges us to represent Him in His Kingdom as we make Him LORD and King.
Introduction
Last week we said the Bible is a big book. It’s actually a library of 66 books. We usually study it verse-by-verse, like looking through a microscope. This series will look at it through a telescope, examining the big idea of the Bible.
Our new series this fall is called Covenant & Kingdom. It is based upon ideas from Mike Breen and 3DMovements, a ministry that has been quite influential in the life of Scio in recent days. The book, Covenant & Kingdom, is available through Amazon or from 3DMovements.com. I encourage you to get a copy and read ahead as we look at the big picture of the Bible.
Covenant and Kingdom are woven throughout the Scriptures like a double helix is woven in DNA.
Covenant is a sacred treaty in which two parties become one. In ancient times, this always involved the shedding of blood by an animal to to imply consequences for failure to fulfill the agreement.
God made a covenant with Abram, promising blessings to him and his offspring in order for them to bless the world.
Covenant is about relationship. Being.
Kingdom is about responsibility. Doing.
Life is filled with tension between being and doing, relationship and responsibility, being invited into relationship with God while also being challenged to represent Him and bless the world.
Invitation and challenge.
As we look at this idea of challenge, of kingdom, of doing God’s work in the world we are going to look at one of the most important characters in the Bible—Joseph.
Pray
Abraham has a son named Isaac who has a son named Jacob who has twelve sons, the eleventh being his favorite son, Joseph.
The story of Joseph begins in Genesis 37
Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them. (Genesis 37:2b)
Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. (Genesis 37:3-4)
Do you have siblings? Do you have sibling rivalry? Imagine your younger sibling was given three desserts at dinner, triple allowance, and the new iPhone the day it is released? To your parents you would probable say, “It’s not…fair!” You would likely become envious of your sib and despise them.
Joseph had eleven brothers who were sick of him. He was a gifted, handsome, arrogant teenager who believed he was the center of the universe. That alone is recipe for disaster! Then his dad gives him a special coat with long sleeves, a sign of the supervisor’s role!
Next Joseph has two dreams (37:5-10), one in which the grain of his brothers bowed to his, the other in which the sun and moon and eleven stars bowed to him. Joseph is not only the center of his universe, his dreams confirm it!
Jacob sends Joseph to his brothers who are grazing the flocks. They plot to kill him, but Reuben insists they throw him into a cistern instead. The brothers strip him of his robe, throw him into the empty well, and sold him to Ishmaelites who took him to Egypt where he was sold to “Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard” (37:36).
The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. (39:2)
His life had gone from wonderful to dreadful and now things are looking up. It says two things: the LORD was with Joseph and he prospered. What changed? Perhaps Joseph was broken by his rejection by his brothers. He almost certainly cried out to God for help. I’m sure he was a bit confused by his fortunes when he goes from elaborate dreams to being thrown into an empty well. Instead of his brothers bowing down to him, they almost kill him!
Joseph is no longer the center of the universe. God moves to Joseph’s center.
My favorite passage in the Bible says
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
I believe during those difficult moments of rejection by his brothers Joseph began to trust God. He had nowhere else to turn.
Sometimes that’s God’s plan—to get our attention in order to become LORD.
Rarely does someone on top of the world—or the center of their own universe—turn to God. What’s the point?! They have everything they need and want. It’s usually during a crisis that we surrender to God.
Perhaps you were told Jesus died for you so you could pray a prayer, be forgiven, and go to heaven when you die. That’s not the gospel. That’s a plan of salvation, but it’s not the gospel, the good news. It’s merely a part of it.
The gospel is Jesus is LORD. That’s good news because it is more than personal and individualistic. Jesus is LORD of all.
The late Dallas Willard used to talk about how the “Gospels of Sin Management” presume a Christ with no serious work other than redeeming humankind. This fosters “vampire Christians,” who only want a little blood for their sins but nothing more to do with Jesus until heaven.
Jesus wants to be your Savior, but He also wants to be your LORD. It’s not about ego, but wisdom. He knows best. The sooner we can make Him the center of our universe, the sooner He will make our paths straight. He doesn’t promise it will be an easy path, but it will be filled with peace, joy, contentment, and hope because He knows best.
Back to Joseph!
Potiphar loves Joseph and puts him in charge of his household (39:4). Everything is great…until Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce Joseph. When he chooses to honor God rather than give in to her temptation, she accuses Joseph of sexual harassment.
When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.
But while Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. (Genesis 39:19-21)
Remember, Joseph is in prison because he followed the LORD. Is it any surprise that the LORD was with him? It’s terrific to read how Joseph received kindness and favor from the prison warden…but he’s still in prison! An innocent man has been punished! How can Joseph be used by God? He’s stuck in prison!
Have you ever felt that way? How can God use you since you’re stuck…in this job, this marriage, with this family, with these weaknesses, with these limitations?
I heard a great story last week about an actress who moved to Los Angeles. She was certain God led her there to be salt and light in a dark industry. After multiple auditions without a job, she questioned her pastor about what God was doing. She obeyed God and moved to L.A. but was finding no success. Her pastor said perhaps she was sent to California to minister to the struggling actors and actresses that are not finding success. Her own failures would be more connective to starving artists than her own successes.
I can only imagine the conversations Joseph had with God in prison, asking why, questioning his own calling, and feeling even further from the fulfillment of his dreams. Joseph may not have even realized it but he was moving God closer and closer to the center of his universe. Mike Breen says, “Godʼs Kingdom needs the “door” of a humble heart. God wants to work in Josephʼs submitted heart—and ours.
Dreams, Genesis 40
In the next chapter we see the butler, the baker,…but not the candlestick maker! The butler and baker had offended the king of Egypt, their master, and joined Joseph in prison. They have dreams, Joseph interprets them, the dreams come true, the baker is hung, and the cupbearer (or butler) is set free.
The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him. (Genesis 40:23)
I wonder if Joseph was fully surrounded to God or just grateful to be given gifts to interpret dreams. Genesis 41 begins by telling us Joseph was in prison for two more years after the butler is released.
Pharaoh has two dreams, no one could interpret them, and the cupbearer remembers Joseph.
So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”
“I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.” (Genesis 41:14-16)
“I cannot do it.” Joseph has finally moved from the center of his universe to the edge, and God has taken residence on the throne of Josephʼs heart. Joseph is fully surrendered, allowing God to express His Kingdom rule in his life and to fulfill his earliest calling, to rule and to govern.
The rest of the story is quite remarkable as Joseph becomes Pharaoh’s right-hand man and eventually Joseph’s brothers literally bow down to him as they are desperate for food years later. The dreams God gave Joseph are eventually fulfilled.
So What?
Because of God’s covenant, we have a relationship with Him. Our identity is children of the King.
As children of the King, we have a responsibility to represent the King to our world. We are HIs ambassadors, His agents on planet earth.
God’s doesn’t just pick everyone to do His bidding, to be a Kingdom operative. God is looking for humble hearts that seek Him, that put Him at the center of their lives. The Bible says, “Youʼre the child of God and He wants to fashion your heart, so that you can be His representative. But that means a journey into humility and submission to Me.” Like Joseph, we must move from being the center of our world to inviting Jesus to be the center.
Jesus’ first words to His disciples were, “Follow Me.” His final words were, “Go and make disciples.” Invitation and challenge. Covenant and Kingdom. Relationship and responsibility.
It all begins with making our Savior our LORD.
Credits
Ideas for this series taken from book of the same title by Mike Breen and 3DMovements.com.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
Last week we said the Bible is a big book. It’s actually a library of 66 books. We usually study it verse-by-verse, like looking through a microscope. This series will look at it through a telescope, examining the big idea of the Bible.
Our new series this fall is called Covenant & Kingdom. It is based upon ideas from Mike Breen and 3DMovements, a ministry that has been quite influential in the life of Scio in recent days. The book, Covenant & Kingdom, is available through Amazon or from 3DMovements.com. I encourage you to get a copy and read ahead as we look at the big picture of the Bible.
Covenant and Kingdom are woven throughout the Scriptures like a double helix is woven in DNA.
Covenant is a sacred treaty in which two parties become one. In ancient times, this always involved the shedding of blood by an animal to to imply consequences for failure to fulfill the agreement.
God made a covenant with Abram, promising blessings to him and his offspring in order for them to bless the world.
Covenant is about relationship. Being.
Kingdom is about responsibility. Doing.
Life is filled with tension between being and doing, relationship and responsibility, being invited into relationship with God while also being challenged to represent Him and bless the world.
Invitation and challenge.
As we look at this idea of challenge, of kingdom, of doing God’s work in the world we are going to look at one of the most important characters in the Bible—Joseph.
Pray
Abraham has a son named Isaac who has a son named Jacob who has twelve sons, the eleventh being his favorite son, Joseph.
The story of Joseph begins in Genesis 37
Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them. (Genesis 37:2b)
Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. (Genesis 37:3-4)
Do you have siblings? Do you have sibling rivalry? Imagine your younger sibling was given three desserts at dinner, triple allowance, and the new iPhone the day it is released? To your parents you would probable say, “It’s not…fair!” You would likely become envious of your sib and despise them.
Joseph had eleven brothers who were sick of him. He was a gifted, handsome, arrogant teenager who believed he was the center of the universe. That alone is recipe for disaster! Then his dad gives him a special coat with long sleeves, a sign of the supervisor’s role!
Next Joseph has two dreams (37:5-10), one in which the grain of his brothers bowed to his, the other in which the sun and moon and eleven stars bowed to him. Joseph is not only the center of his universe, his dreams confirm it!
Jacob sends Joseph to his brothers who are grazing the flocks. They plot to kill him, but Reuben insists they throw him into a cistern instead. The brothers strip him of his robe, throw him into the empty well, and sold him to Ishmaelites who took him to Egypt where he was sold to “Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard” (37:36).
The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. (39:2)
His life had gone from wonderful to dreadful and now things are looking up. It says two things: the LORD was with Joseph and he prospered. What changed? Perhaps Joseph was broken by his rejection by his brothers. He almost certainly cried out to God for help. I’m sure he was a bit confused by his fortunes when he goes from elaborate dreams to being thrown into an empty well. Instead of his brothers bowing down to him, they almost kill him!
Joseph is no longer the center of the universe. God moves to Joseph’s center.
My favorite passage in the Bible says
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
I believe during those difficult moments of rejection by his brothers Joseph began to trust God. He had nowhere else to turn.
Sometimes that’s God’s plan—to get our attention in order to become LORD.
Rarely does someone on top of the world—or the center of their own universe—turn to God. What’s the point?! They have everything they need and want. It’s usually during a crisis that we surrender to God.
Perhaps you were told Jesus died for you so you could pray a prayer, be forgiven, and go to heaven when you die. That’s not the gospel. That’s a plan of salvation, but it’s not the gospel, the good news. It’s merely a part of it.
The gospel is Jesus is LORD. That’s good news because it is more than personal and individualistic. Jesus is LORD of all.
The late Dallas Willard used to talk about how the “Gospels of Sin Management” presume a Christ with no serious work other than redeeming humankind. This fosters “vampire Christians,” who only want a little blood for their sins but nothing more to do with Jesus until heaven.
Jesus wants to be your Savior, but He also wants to be your LORD. It’s not about ego, but wisdom. He knows best. The sooner we can make Him the center of our universe, the sooner He will make our paths straight. He doesn’t promise it will be an easy path, but it will be filled with peace, joy, contentment, and hope because He knows best.
Back to Joseph!
Potiphar loves Joseph and puts him in charge of his household (39:4). Everything is great…until Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce Joseph. When he chooses to honor God rather than give in to her temptation, she accuses Joseph of sexual harassment.
When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.
But while Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. (Genesis 39:19-21)
Remember, Joseph is in prison because he followed the LORD. Is it any surprise that the LORD was with him? It’s terrific to read how Joseph received kindness and favor from the prison warden…but he’s still in prison! An innocent man has been punished! How can Joseph be used by God? He’s stuck in prison!
Have you ever felt that way? How can God use you since you’re stuck…in this job, this marriage, with this family, with these weaknesses, with these limitations?
I heard a great story last week about an actress who moved to Los Angeles. She was certain God led her there to be salt and light in a dark industry. After multiple auditions without a job, she questioned her pastor about what God was doing. She obeyed God and moved to L.A. but was finding no success. Her pastor said perhaps she was sent to California to minister to the struggling actors and actresses that are not finding success. Her own failures would be more connective to starving artists than her own successes.
I can only imagine the conversations Joseph had with God in prison, asking why, questioning his own calling, and feeling even further from the fulfillment of his dreams. Joseph may not have even realized it but he was moving God closer and closer to the center of his universe. Mike Breen says, “Godʼs Kingdom needs the “door” of a humble heart. God wants to work in Josephʼs submitted heart—and ours.
Dreams, Genesis 40
In the next chapter we see the butler, the baker,…but not the candlestick maker! The butler and baker had offended the king of Egypt, their master, and joined Joseph in prison. They have dreams, Joseph interprets them, the dreams come true, the baker is hung, and the cupbearer (or butler) is set free.
The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him. (Genesis 40:23)
I wonder if Joseph was fully surrounded to God or just grateful to be given gifts to interpret dreams. Genesis 41 begins by telling us Joseph was in prison for two more years after the butler is released.
Pharaoh has two dreams, no one could interpret them, and the cupbearer remembers Joseph.
So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”
“I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.” (Genesis 41:14-16)
“I cannot do it.” Joseph has finally moved from the center of his universe to the edge, and God has taken residence on the throne of Josephʼs heart. Joseph is fully surrendered, allowing God to express His Kingdom rule in his life and to fulfill his earliest calling, to rule and to govern.
The rest of the story is quite remarkable as Joseph becomes Pharaoh’s right-hand man and eventually Joseph’s brothers literally bow down to him as they are desperate for food years later. The dreams God gave Joseph are eventually fulfilled.
So What?
Because of God’s covenant, we have a relationship with Him. Our identity is children of the King.
As children of the King, we have a responsibility to represent the King to our world. We are HIs ambassadors, His agents on planet earth.
God’s doesn’t just pick everyone to do His bidding, to be a Kingdom operative. God is looking for humble hearts that seek Him, that put Him at the center of their lives. The Bible says, “Youʼre the child of God and He wants to fashion your heart, so that you can be His representative. But that means a journey into humility and submission to Me.” Like Joseph, we must move from being the center of our world to inviting Jesus to be the center.
Jesus’ first words to His disciples were, “Follow Me.” His final words were, “Go and make disciples.” Invitation and challenge. Covenant and Kingdom. Relationship and responsibility.
It all begins with making our Savior our LORD.
Credits
Ideas for this series taken from book of the same title by Mike Breen and 3DMovements.com.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Covenant: Abram, 7 September 2014
09 09 14
Big Idea: God invites us into a covenantal relationship with Him for eternity.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26-27)
The original Hebrew word for image usually refers to an object of worship or idol. God created us for relationship. Sure, He had angels, but angels were not created in God’s image. Sure, He had created lions and tigers and bears (oh my!), but they were not created in God’s image. What sets apart from the rest of the creatures on the earth is we were made to know and reflect God.
In The Lion King, there’s a great scene where Simba gazes into a pool of water and sees a reflection of His Father. I think that’s what God planned when He created us.
“Remember who you are. You are my son.”
…the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7)
What beautiful, poetic imagery! God breathed life into Adam. Eve was then formed from Adam and they lived happily ever after. They were one with God. All was well…until The Fall. Adam and Eve broke the one, simple command God gave them by eating from the forbidden tree.
It could’ve ended there. They failed.
God knew, though. Like any dad, He knew His children were weak and susceptible to temptation. He knew they would fail. The knew forgiveness would be necessary…and even had a plan to bring a Second Adam to earth.
Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come. (Romans 5:14)
People often characterize God in the Old Testament as mean and violent. While He takes sin very seriously, He also takes forgiveness seriously. He is a God of second chances…and third…and fourth…and…!
The Series
Look around. What do you see? All around you are things to see: people, objects, creation, etc. The view from space of our home is quite different, however.
The Bible is a big book. It’s actually a library of 66 books. We usually study it verse-by-verse, like looking through a microscope. This series will look at it through a telescope, examining the big idea of the Bible.
Our new series this fall is called Covenant & Kingdom. It is based upon ideas from Mike Breen and 3DMovements, a ministry that has been quite influential in the life of Scio in recent days. The book, Covenant & Kingdom, is available through Amazon or from 3DMovements.com. I encourage you to get a copy and read ahead as we look at the big picture of the Bible.
Covenant and Kingdom are woven throughout the Scriptures like a double helix is woven in DNA. Everyone get out your telescopes as we prepare to look at the incredible Bible.
Covenant
What is a covenant? Some confuse it with a contract between two people, an agreement where if you scratch my back, I scratch yours. It is much more. It literally means “to become one.”
covenant, treaty, compact, agreement, an association between two parties with various responsibilities, benefits, and penalties; “to cut a covenant” is “make a covenant,” a figure of the act of ceremonially cutting an animal into two parts, with an implication of serious consequences for not fulfilling the covenant (NIV Hebrew Dictionary)
The essence of God’s covenant is captured in the summary promise, ‘I will be your God, and you shall be my people’ (e.g. Gn. 17:7; Ex. 6:7; 2 Cor. 6:16–18; Rev. 21:2–3). While the covenant is unilateral in establishment, it is mutual or two-sided in accomplishment. (New Dictionary of Theology)
Covenant is about relationship. Being.
Kingdom is about responsibility. Doing.
God exists in community—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They are one (John 17). In fact, we saw earlier God said, “
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness… (Genesis 1:26a)
“Us” refers to the Trinity, one God in three Persons. They are one. They exist in covenant. God wanted to be one with Adam and Eve but their relationship was severed by sin.
Sin was the cause of the great flood in Genesis 9. God told Noah
But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark — you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. (Genesis 6:18)
After the flood, God said to Noah
I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. (Genesis 9:11-13)
I wish I could say God’s children wised up and followed Him but two chapters later we see the arrogant trying to build a tower to reach the heavens and “make a name for ourselves” (Genesis 11:4). God could’ve destroyed them but, instead, God said
“Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”
So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. (Genesis 11:7-8)
Notice again the plural reference: “let us go down.”
This brings us to Genesis 12 and one of the most important humans to ever walk the planet.
The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1-3)
God makes a covenant with Abram and his wife, Sarai.
From a biblical point of view, faith to believe God comes from listening to God speak to us. Because of his faith, God gave Abram the gift of a relationship with him. Literally, God gave Abram “righteousness”—or a “right relationship” where no “wrong” could spoil it. This had to be given by God as a gift—Abram could not have it by any right or effort of his own. God had extended an invitation to Abram: an invitation to a journey that would lead all the way back to the Garden of Eden. (Mike Breen, Covenant & Kingdom)
Covenants involved two parties, both of whom had to participate. They both had to give up their old identities and begin new lives. Does that sound familiar? Marriage is a God-ordained covenant. He envisioned a man and woman choosing to give up their old identities as single people from distinct families and begin a new life together, forming a new family.
When my wife and I got married more than twenty-four years ago we began to share a bank account, a last name, a home, and even a bed. In a marriage covenant, the two become one, both literally and figuratively which is why marital intimacy is not merely about physical pleasure but an image of God’s design for unity and covenant.
In ancient times, animals were sacrificed to signify the importance of a covenant. Today we often have attorneys. They used animals!
God’s covenant always involve the shedding of blood. Perhaps you and a friend became “blood brothers” or “blood sisters.” When Adam and Eve sinned, God shed the blood of an animal to make clothes for them, to cover their nakedness. Later God rejected Cain’s sacrifice but accepted Abel’s…because it involved an animal sacrifice.
Although it seems odd in our day, …
When someone passed between the pieces of a butchered animal, the blood symbolized the surrender of the person’s old life. It was a visualization of death. The bloody passageway could also be argued to represent the birth canal and the beginning of a new life. (Breen, C&K)
God initiated and invited Abram into this covenant, to become one with Him. The word “atonement’ means “at-one-ment.” God invited Abram and Sarai to be partners with Him, to be in relationship with Him, to help shape human history with Him in blessing future generations.
He took letters from his own name—”Yahweh”—and gave one to each. In Hebrew, only the consonants are recorded, so Yahweh is written YHWH. (The vowels are added in speech as the text is read aloud.) God took his two “H’s” and gave one each to Abram and Sarai so that their names became Abraham and Sarah. Abraham became the “father of many nations” and Sarah remained a “princess,” but now her children would carry the mark of heaven’s King. Covenant is about “two becoming one,” and the identities of the partners are shared. God shows his amazing commitment to his Covenant partners in the gift of the letters of his name. (Breen, C&K)
He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars — if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” (Genesis 15:5)
But Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?” (Genesis 15:8)
So the LORD said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” (Genesis 15:9)
Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. (Genesis 15:10-11)
As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. Then the LORD said to him, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.” (Genesis 15:12-16)
When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates — the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.” (Genesis 15:17-21)
God makes a covenant with Abram. He will be one with Abram forever.
Covenants were common in the day and it was largely understood that a greater would confer upon a lesser. The strong one always initiated and conferred grace. Family language is used. God gives Abram an astonishing gift to be one.
God didn’t have to do it. He could’ve remained afar, ordering us to obey like robots or destroying us for disobedience. How could the Creator of the universe sacrifice for sinful, weak creatures like us? It’s truly amazing!
Notice God reveals Himself through fire, a burning motif that shows God’s zeal, judgment and holiness. He would later appear to Moses in a burning bush.
By faith Abraham, even though he was past age — and Sarah herself was barren — was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. (Hebrews 11:11-12)
So What?
God created us for relationship. Despite the failures of Adam, Eve, the people in Noah’s day, the people at the Tower of Babel, and even Abraham and Sarah, God continues to pursue us. He extends mercy, grace, and forgiveness.
Although most of us are not Jewish descendants of Abraham, because of Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross we have been grafted in as Gentiles. We have been adopted as sons and daughters. As we studied earlier this year our identity is “in Christ.” Everything that can be said about Jesus and His identity can be said of us. Everything God has is ours. Everything God can access we can access.
The sign of the covenant for Abraham was circumcision. Ouch! It was nothing compared to the pain Jesus would endure.
Circumcision was not a public sign but, rather, a personal reminder of the Covenant that God had made with his people. Abraham and all his male descendants would bear a mark on their bodies to confirm that their old lives were gone (literally “rolled away”) and new lives had begun. Many Covenant-making cultures throughout history and around the world have used scars as a way to ratify agreements. We have some knowledge of the “blood brother” rituals of the Native American peoples and the Roman legionnaires. The physical reminder of a scar had an important role in underlining the significance of the relationship. In this case, the scar of circumcision makes a clear statement that the spiritual and physical are interlinked, not separate. Interestingly, scars continue as important signs of the New Covenant in Jesus. Remember, Covenant is a relationship of “oneness” and reciprocation. God asked Abraham to bear a scar in order to confirm their Covenant—but in the New Covenant, God himself chose to carry scars. The resurrected body of Jesus bears scars to this day. (Breen, C&K)
[Luke 24:40; John 20:27]
It may sound cliche, but God loves you.
Nothing you can do can make Him love you more.
Nothing you can do can make Him love you less.
He invites us into relationship with Him both now and forever. He wants us to be real with Him. As we sang earlier, He invites us to walk with Him and talk with Him in the garden…or home or office or school. We are one. That’s covenant.
Abram and Sarai could not have imagined that their covenant sealed with the blood of animals would foreshadow a greater sacrifice, the Lamb of God. Jesus said to His followers, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:28)
Credits:
Ideas for this series taken from book Covenant & Kingdom by Mike Breen and 3DMovements.com.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26-27)
The original Hebrew word for image usually refers to an object of worship or idol. God created us for relationship. Sure, He had angels, but angels were not created in God’s image. Sure, He had created lions and tigers and bears (oh my!), but they were not created in God’s image. What sets apart from the rest of the creatures on the earth is we were made to know and reflect God.
In The Lion King, there’s a great scene where Simba gazes into a pool of water and sees a reflection of His Father. I think that’s what God planned when He created us.
“Remember who you are. You are my son.”
…the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7)
What beautiful, poetic imagery! God breathed life into Adam. Eve was then formed from Adam and they lived happily ever after. They were one with God. All was well…until The Fall. Adam and Eve broke the one, simple command God gave them by eating from the forbidden tree.
It could’ve ended there. They failed.
God knew, though. Like any dad, He knew His children were weak and susceptible to temptation. He knew they would fail. The knew forgiveness would be necessary…and even had a plan to bring a Second Adam to earth.
Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come. (Romans 5:14)
People often characterize God in the Old Testament as mean and violent. While He takes sin very seriously, He also takes forgiveness seriously. He is a God of second chances…and third…and fourth…and…!
The Series
Look around. What do you see? All around you are things to see: people, objects, creation, etc. The view from space of our home is quite different, however.
The Bible is a big book. It’s actually a library of 66 books. We usually study it verse-by-verse, like looking through a microscope. This series will look at it through a telescope, examining the big idea of the Bible.
Our new series this fall is called Covenant & Kingdom. It is based upon ideas from Mike Breen and 3DMovements, a ministry that has been quite influential in the life of Scio in recent days. The book, Covenant & Kingdom, is available through Amazon or from 3DMovements.com. I encourage you to get a copy and read ahead as we look at the big picture of the Bible.
Covenant and Kingdom are woven throughout the Scriptures like a double helix is woven in DNA. Everyone get out your telescopes as we prepare to look at the incredible Bible.
Covenant
What is a covenant? Some confuse it with a contract between two people, an agreement where if you scratch my back, I scratch yours. It is much more. It literally means “to become one.”
covenant, treaty, compact, agreement, an association between two parties with various responsibilities, benefits, and penalties; “to cut a covenant” is “make a covenant,” a figure of the act of ceremonially cutting an animal into two parts, with an implication of serious consequences for not fulfilling the covenant (NIV Hebrew Dictionary)
The essence of God’s covenant is captured in the summary promise, ‘I will be your God, and you shall be my people’ (e.g. Gn. 17:7; Ex. 6:7; 2 Cor. 6:16–18; Rev. 21:2–3). While the covenant is unilateral in establishment, it is mutual or two-sided in accomplishment. (New Dictionary of Theology)
Covenant is about relationship. Being.
Kingdom is about responsibility. Doing.
God exists in community—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They are one (John 17). In fact, we saw earlier God said, “
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness… (Genesis 1:26a)
“Us” refers to the Trinity, one God in three Persons. They are one. They exist in covenant. God wanted to be one with Adam and Eve but their relationship was severed by sin.
Sin was the cause of the great flood in Genesis 9. God told Noah
But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark — you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. (Genesis 6:18)
After the flood, God said to Noah
I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. (Genesis 9:11-13)
I wish I could say God’s children wised up and followed Him but two chapters later we see the arrogant trying to build a tower to reach the heavens and “make a name for ourselves” (Genesis 11:4). God could’ve destroyed them but, instead, God said
“Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”
So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. (Genesis 11:7-8)
Notice again the plural reference: “let us go down.”
This brings us to Genesis 12 and one of the most important humans to ever walk the planet.
The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1-3)
God makes a covenant with Abram and his wife, Sarai.
From a biblical point of view, faith to believe God comes from listening to God speak to us. Because of his faith, God gave Abram the gift of a relationship with him. Literally, God gave Abram “righteousness”—or a “right relationship” where no “wrong” could spoil it. This had to be given by God as a gift—Abram could not have it by any right or effort of his own. God had extended an invitation to Abram: an invitation to a journey that would lead all the way back to the Garden of Eden. (Mike Breen, Covenant & Kingdom)
Covenants involved two parties, both of whom had to participate. They both had to give up their old identities and begin new lives. Does that sound familiar? Marriage is a God-ordained covenant. He envisioned a man and woman choosing to give up their old identities as single people from distinct families and begin a new life together, forming a new family.
When my wife and I got married more than twenty-four years ago we began to share a bank account, a last name, a home, and even a bed. In a marriage covenant, the two become one, both literally and figuratively which is why marital intimacy is not merely about physical pleasure but an image of God’s design for unity and covenant.
In ancient times, animals were sacrificed to signify the importance of a covenant. Today we often have attorneys. They used animals!
God’s covenant always involve the shedding of blood. Perhaps you and a friend became “blood brothers” or “blood sisters.” When Adam and Eve sinned, God shed the blood of an animal to make clothes for them, to cover their nakedness. Later God rejected Cain’s sacrifice but accepted Abel’s…because it involved an animal sacrifice.
Although it seems odd in our day, …
When someone passed between the pieces of a butchered animal, the blood symbolized the surrender of the person’s old life. It was a visualization of death. The bloody passageway could also be argued to represent the birth canal and the beginning of a new life. (Breen, C&K)
God initiated and invited Abram into this covenant, to become one with Him. The word “atonement’ means “at-one-ment.” God invited Abram and Sarai to be partners with Him, to be in relationship with Him, to help shape human history with Him in blessing future generations.
He took letters from his own name—”Yahweh”—and gave one to each. In Hebrew, only the consonants are recorded, so Yahweh is written YHWH. (The vowels are added in speech as the text is read aloud.) God took his two “H’s” and gave one each to Abram and Sarai so that their names became Abraham and Sarah. Abraham became the “father of many nations” and Sarah remained a “princess,” but now her children would carry the mark of heaven’s King. Covenant is about “two becoming one,” and the identities of the partners are shared. God shows his amazing commitment to his Covenant partners in the gift of the letters of his name. (Breen, C&K)
He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars — if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” (Genesis 15:5)
But Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?” (Genesis 15:8)
So the LORD said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” (Genesis 15:9)
Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. (Genesis 15:10-11)
As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. Then the LORD said to him, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.” (Genesis 15:12-16)
When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates — the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.” (Genesis 15:17-21)
God makes a covenant with Abram. He will be one with Abram forever.
Covenants were common in the day and it was largely understood that a greater would confer upon a lesser. The strong one always initiated and conferred grace. Family language is used. God gives Abram an astonishing gift to be one.
God didn’t have to do it. He could’ve remained afar, ordering us to obey like robots or destroying us for disobedience. How could the Creator of the universe sacrifice for sinful, weak creatures like us? It’s truly amazing!
Notice God reveals Himself through fire, a burning motif that shows God’s zeal, judgment and holiness. He would later appear to Moses in a burning bush.
By faith Abraham, even though he was past age — and Sarah herself was barren — was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. (Hebrews 11:11-12)
So What?
God created us for relationship. Despite the failures of Adam, Eve, the people in Noah’s day, the people at the Tower of Babel, and even Abraham and Sarah, God continues to pursue us. He extends mercy, grace, and forgiveness.
Although most of us are not Jewish descendants of Abraham, because of Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross we have been grafted in as Gentiles. We have been adopted as sons and daughters. As we studied earlier this year our identity is “in Christ.” Everything that can be said about Jesus and His identity can be said of us. Everything God has is ours. Everything God can access we can access.
The sign of the covenant for Abraham was circumcision. Ouch! It was nothing compared to the pain Jesus would endure.
Circumcision was not a public sign but, rather, a personal reminder of the Covenant that God had made with his people. Abraham and all his male descendants would bear a mark on their bodies to confirm that their old lives were gone (literally “rolled away”) and new lives had begun. Many Covenant-making cultures throughout history and around the world have used scars as a way to ratify agreements. We have some knowledge of the “blood brother” rituals of the Native American peoples and the Roman legionnaires. The physical reminder of a scar had an important role in underlining the significance of the relationship. In this case, the scar of circumcision makes a clear statement that the spiritual and physical are interlinked, not separate. Interestingly, scars continue as important signs of the New Covenant in Jesus. Remember, Covenant is a relationship of “oneness” and reciprocation. God asked Abraham to bear a scar in order to confirm their Covenant—but in the New Covenant, God himself chose to carry scars. The resurrected body of Jesus bears scars to this day. (Breen, C&K)
[Luke 24:40; John 20:27]
It may sound cliche, but God loves you.
Nothing you can do can make Him love you more.
Nothing you can do can make Him love you less.
He invites us into relationship with Him both now and forever. He wants us to be real with Him. As we sang earlier, He invites us to walk with Him and talk with Him in the garden…or home or office or school. We are one. That’s covenant.
Abram and Sarai could not have imagined that their covenant sealed with the blood of animals would foreshadow a greater sacrifice, the Lamb of God. Jesus said to His followers, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:28)
Credits:
Ideas for this series taken from book Covenant & Kingdom by Mike Breen and 3DMovements.com.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
2 John, 24 August 2014
27 08 14
Big Idea: Truth and love must consume the lives of every Christ-follower.
This series is designed to encourage reading the less-read books of the Bible (according to BibleGateway.com).
Overview: John briefly encourages a “chosen lady” to walk in truth, love, and obedience. He warns her about deceivers, and promises to come explain things in person.
Background
With the possible exception of a letter of introduction, letters have a context. They have a purpose. The writer wants to communicate a message, often responding to a previous letter or situation. Such is the case with the epistles—or letters—of John. As one of Jesus’ three closest friends and—allegedly—the only one of the eleven disciples that was not martyred, John was a prominent figure in the early movement of Christianity. Notice I did not say the religion of Christianity. It had no million-dollar buildings, global television audiences, or political power. It was a grass-roots movement of faith, hope and love that steadily spread from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and the outermost parts of the earth.
Like the telephone game, the message was vulnerable to distortion over time and multiple generations of communication. They did not have the luxury of downloading the YouVersion Bible app and all reading the same verses at the same time. Early Christians were dependent upon Old Testament scrolls and letters, none of which were in the possession of every believer. This allowed self-serving teachers to promote false teachings to serve their agendas.
Throughout Church history there have been several prominent heresies. Some believed Jesus was God but not human. Others taught Jesus’ humanity while denying His deity. One popular group of false teachers were Docetic, denying the full incarnation of Christ and the necessity of His death on the cross.
Truth
Truth is an essential component of understanding. The Greek word used by John, aletheia, means “truth, truthfulness, corresponding to reality.”
It should come as no surprise that in this environment John uses the word “truth” twenty times in his three short letters.
In today’s postmodern culture, one common belief is truth is relative. There is no such thing as absolute truth. There are several problems with such a statement, most notably how it declares an absolute truth in its very message—there is no such thing as absolute truth!
While it is true—pun intended—that some things are gray rather than black and white and messages are often subject to interpretation by the recipient, it does not negate the possibility of universal standards. Ironically many who deny absolute truth cling to science, a methodology that seeks consistent, repeatable results. We can debate whether or not it is true that the Detroit Tigers are a good baseball team or whether or not Lady Gaga is a good singer but I’m rather confident 1+1=2 and if I pour ice-water on my head it will be cold!
One of the greatest questions in the entire Bible came from the lips of Pilate as Jesus stood before him awaiting execution.
“What is truth?” Pilate asked. (John 18:38a)
John answered the question a few chapters earlier when he recorded Jesus’ words:
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Truth is more than words or ideas. Truth is a Person. Jesus is the truth. When we know Jesus, we know the truth. Even earlier in his biography of Jesus, John wrote
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)
Today our culture is often blind to the truth. As Jack Nicholason famously said, “Truth? You can’t handle the truth!”
We say, “Don’t confuse me with the facts.” “I want to believe whatever I want to believe.” “It doesn’t matter what they have discovered, ignorance is bliss.”
People in Ferguson, Missouri continue to react to things they have heard in the media, some of which has been deemed incorrect or untruthful.
Spirituality asks many questions about truth, including some good ones. What religion is true? What holy book is truth? What is the most truthful understanding of a difficult passage?
My friend, Alex McManus, says if the Bible isn’t true, it should be because it tells the most incredible story in history.
We don’t have time today to unpack all of the reasons I believe the Bible is true and billions throughout history have embraced it but suffice it to say truth is important. Without it we are lost, which is why many postmodern philosophers seem so detached from reality.
John obviously cared about truth. He wanted the Person and message of Jesus to spread to every man, woman and child—much as I do today. It was his task as a leader in the early Church to ensure the accuracy of the message.
Love
Love is the second prominent word in John’s letters. God is love. This does not mean God is nice or God wants us happy, but God is love which means…
Love means so many things in our English language. We love ice cream, we love our children, and we love God.
The famous Greek word used by John is agape. It is the active love of God for His Son and His people. It is the love we are to have for God, one another, and even our enemies. It is a love that looks out not for our interests but the interests of others. It is a giving, selfless love.
2 John
As we read this letter, truth and love will be repeated. It is not an accident!
The elder,
John. He is a church leader and an aged man (likely in his nineties).
To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth — and not I only, but also all who know the truth — because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever: (1-2)
This may be written to a woman and her children or to a church and its members. The Church is the Bride of Christ.
Truth is prominent. The truth is both the Word of God—the Bible—and Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). He is also writing to early believers.
We are not to love the world. We are not to love sin.
Unfortunately, it is easy to confuse the world with the truth. Our culture shapes us into conformity. It’s incredible how many so-called Christians have beliefs and practices that oppose the politically incorrect teachings of God. We can rationalize anything—especially if “everybody is doing it”—and we do!
We can’t have it both ways, friends. We can follow Jesus—the truth—or the world.
Remember, following the world isn’t accidental. We have a very real enemy that wants to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10) and lies are one of his greatest tools. That’s why we must know the truth. We must read the truth. We must discuss the truth. We must spend time with Jesus, the truth.
The light and the truth is the Word of God. Love and truth are inseparable. God is love. Jesus is Truth. We need to stand for the truth of God. We might be the only ones, but God will honor us for our faithfulness—and others around us might just discover the truth for the first time.
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love. (3)
Grace. mercy. peace. truth. love. What a great list!
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5)
Mercy is that in God which provided for the need of sinful man.
John 3:16
God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished — he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:25-26)
God has to be righteous and just. How did He become righteous and just? His mercy provided a Savior. Why? Because He loves us.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)
It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. (4-6)
Walking/Walk/Walk. Truth is essential. Walk is essential.
When I lived in Chicagoland I was in a band called Walk the Walk. We all know how easy it is to talk the talk, but walking the walk is something else entirely. Oh that we would all walk in the truth and not just talk about it.
God’s love language is obedience. Love is obedience. Obedience is love. We are to walk in that love. We are to live in that love. We are to share that love in word and deed.
John says this is old news. We are to love another. This is not mushy love or erotic love but agape love, unconditional love that looks out for the best interest of the other person.
What message would we send to Scio Township and the entire community if we loved one another well? It thrills me to hear about people loving one another, serving one another, helping one another, giving time and money to one another, encouraging one another, praying together, enjoying one another. That’s God’s design for the Church and for all of His children—that we love one another. We can’t run and hide and love God in a closet. We were created for community—messy community! I need you and you need me. We need to walk in love—together.
Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work. (7-11)
This is a huge warning. Last week we saw John emphasize the importance of hospitality—welcoming the stranger, especially traveling teachers. Here he says not all traveling teachers are worthy of hospitality. There were—and are—those who do not speak the truth. They do not know the truth. The speak heresy and falsehoods. They make people feel good but don’t communicate the deeper, more challenging things of God…like that hip and trendy message to DIE!
Aren’t we supposed to love our enemies? Yes. We must be careful with those who will lead us and others astray, though. You might love your uncle or aunt but not want them to spend extended time with your kids if they are a bad influence. John is warning these early Christians that not everyone is on the same team. There are wolves in sheep’s clothing. There are those who may claim to follow Jesus that teach and live a different gospel, a different “good news,” a different message.
Specifically, these false teachers denied Jesus as “coming in the flesh.” Today there are many non-Christians that believe in Jesus, but what do they believe? Muslims respect Jesus as a prophet but deny He ever actually died on the cross. If He didn’t die, the rest of the story is a waste! The Quran says Jesus never claimed to be the Son of God or claimed divinity. Don’t miss this—our faith has much in common with Islam, but many tremendous differences. I mention this because we can engage in dialog with people of other faiths and find common ground. We must discern, however, where the differences lie, respectfully disagree, and cast a compelling vision for a faith that features the Son of God who set aside His divinity to become one of us—fully human—who died and rose from the dead.
At the risk of over-complicating the nuances of our faith, let’s turn to the Apostle’s Creed, a series of statements from the 4th century that have served as something of a summary of our faith for hundreds of years:
1. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
2. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:
3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:
4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell:
5. The third day he rose again from the dead:
6. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:
7. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead:
8. I believe in the Holy Ghost:
9. I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints:
10. The forgiveness of sins:
11. The resurrection of the body:
12. And the life everlasting. Amen.
John concludes…
I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. (12)
The children of your chosen sister send their greetings. (13)
These are personal greetings. This was a short letter, perhaps because he had limited paper and ink. He made his points…truth and love.
So What?
Hopefully the application to all of this is obvious—we must know the truth and live lives of love. Truth and love go together. Truth is expressed in love. Love is always concerned about the truth. Obedience to God necessitates both. We must be aware of counterfeit Christians and false teachings while declaring the truth with our words and deeds to bring honor to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Credits: some ideas from J. Vernon McGee
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
This series is designed to encourage reading the less-read books of the Bible (according to BibleGateway.com).
Overview: John briefly encourages a “chosen lady” to walk in truth, love, and obedience. He warns her about deceivers, and promises to come explain things in person.
Background
With the possible exception of a letter of introduction, letters have a context. They have a purpose. The writer wants to communicate a message, often responding to a previous letter or situation. Such is the case with the epistles—or letters—of John. As one of Jesus’ three closest friends and—allegedly—the only one of the eleven disciples that was not martyred, John was a prominent figure in the early movement of Christianity. Notice I did not say the religion of Christianity. It had no million-dollar buildings, global television audiences, or political power. It was a grass-roots movement of faith, hope and love that steadily spread from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and the outermost parts of the earth.
Like the telephone game, the message was vulnerable to distortion over time and multiple generations of communication. They did not have the luxury of downloading the YouVersion Bible app and all reading the same verses at the same time. Early Christians were dependent upon Old Testament scrolls and letters, none of which were in the possession of every believer. This allowed self-serving teachers to promote false teachings to serve their agendas.
Throughout Church history there have been several prominent heresies. Some believed Jesus was God but not human. Others taught Jesus’ humanity while denying His deity. One popular group of false teachers were Docetic, denying the full incarnation of Christ and the necessity of His death on the cross.
Truth
Truth is an essential component of understanding. The Greek word used by John, aletheia, means “truth, truthfulness, corresponding to reality.”
It should come as no surprise that in this environment John uses the word “truth” twenty times in his three short letters.
In today’s postmodern culture, one common belief is truth is relative. There is no such thing as absolute truth. There are several problems with such a statement, most notably how it declares an absolute truth in its very message—there is no such thing as absolute truth!
While it is true—pun intended—that some things are gray rather than black and white and messages are often subject to interpretation by the recipient, it does not negate the possibility of universal standards. Ironically many who deny absolute truth cling to science, a methodology that seeks consistent, repeatable results. We can debate whether or not it is true that the Detroit Tigers are a good baseball team or whether or not Lady Gaga is a good singer but I’m rather confident 1+1=2 and if I pour ice-water on my head it will be cold!
One of the greatest questions in the entire Bible came from the lips of Pilate as Jesus stood before him awaiting execution.
“What is truth?” Pilate asked. (John 18:38a)
John answered the question a few chapters earlier when he recorded Jesus’ words:
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Truth is more than words or ideas. Truth is a Person. Jesus is the truth. When we know Jesus, we know the truth. Even earlier in his biography of Jesus, John wrote
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)
Today our culture is often blind to the truth. As Jack Nicholason famously said, “Truth? You can’t handle the truth!”
We say, “Don’t confuse me with the facts.” “I want to believe whatever I want to believe.” “It doesn’t matter what they have discovered, ignorance is bliss.”
People in Ferguson, Missouri continue to react to things they have heard in the media, some of which has been deemed incorrect or untruthful.
Spirituality asks many questions about truth, including some good ones. What religion is true? What holy book is truth? What is the most truthful understanding of a difficult passage?
My friend, Alex McManus, says if the Bible isn’t true, it should be because it tells the most incredible story in history.
We don’t have time today to unpack all of the reasons I believe the Bible is true and billions throughout history have embraced it but suffice it to say truth is important. Without it we are lost, which is why many postmodern philosophers seem so detached from reality.
John obviously cared about truth. He wanted the Person and message of Jesus to spread to every man, woman and child—much as I do today. It was his task as a leader in the early Church to ensure the accuracy of the message.
Love
Love is the second prominent word in John’s letters. God is love. This does not mean God is nice or God wants us happy, but God is love which means…
Love means so many things in our English language. We love ice cream, we love our children, and we love God.
The famous Greek word used by John is agape. It is the active love of God for His Son and His people. It is the love we are to have for God, one another, and even our enemies. It is a love that looks out not for our interests but the interests of others. It is a giving, selfless love.
2 John
As we read this letter, truth and love will be repeated. It is not an accident!
The elder,
John. He is a church leader and an aged man (likely in his nineties).
To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth — and not I only, but also all who know the truth — because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever: (1-2)
This may be written to a woman and her children or to a church and its members. The Church is the Bride of Christ.
Truth is prominent. The truth is both the Word of God—the Bible—and Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). He is also writing to early believers.
We are not to love the world. We are not to love sin.
Unfortunately, it is easy to confuse the world with the truth. Our culture shapes us into conformity. It’s incredible how many so-called Christians have beliefs and practices that oppose the politically incorrect teachings of God. We can rationalize anything—especially if “everybody is doing it”—and we do!
We can’t have it both ways, friends. We can follow Jesus—the truth—or the world.
Remember, following the world isn’t accidental. We have a very real enemy that wants to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10) and lies are one of his greatest tools. That’s why we must know the truth. We must read the truth. We must discuss the truth. We must spend time with Jesus, the truth.
The light and the truth is the Word of God. Love and truth are inseparable. God is love. Jesus is Truth. We need to stand for the truth of God. We might be the only ones, but God will honor us for our faithfulness—and others around us might just discover the truth for the first time.
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love. (3)
Grace. mercy. peace. truth. love. What a great list!
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5)
Mercy is that in God which provided for the need of sinful man.
John 3:16
God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished — he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:25-26)
God has to be righteous and just. How did He become righteous and just? His mercy provided a Savior. Why? Because He loves us.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)
It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. (4-6)
Walking/Walk/Walk. Truth is essential. Walk is essential.
When I lived in Chicagoland I was in a band called Walk the Walk. We all know how easy it is to talk the talk, but walking the walk is something else entirely. Oh that we would all walk in the truth and not just talk about it.
God’s love language is obedience. Love is obedience. Obedience is love. We are to walk in that love. We are to live in that love. We are to share that love in word and deed.
John says this is old news. We are to love another. This is not mushy love or erotic love but agape love, unconditional love that looks out for the best interest of the other person.
What message would we send to Scio Township and the entire community if we loved one another well? It thrills me to hear about people loving one another, serving one another, helping one another, giving time and money to one another, encouraging one another, praying together, enjoying one another. That’s God’s design for the Church and for all of His children—that we love one another. We can’t run and hide and love God in a closet. We were created for community—messy community! I need you and you need me. We need to walk in love—together.
Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work. (7-11)
This is a huge warning. Last week we saw John emphasize the importance of hospitality—welcoming the stranger, especially traveling teachers. Here he says not all traveling teachers are worthy of hospitality. There were—and are—those who do not speak the truth. They do not know the truth. The speak heresy and falsehoods. They make people feel good but don’t communicate the deeper, more challenging things of God…like that hip and trendy message to DIE!
Aren’t we supposed to love our enemies? Yes. We must be careful with those who will lead us and others astray, though. You might love your uncle or aunt but not want them to spend extended time with your kids if they are a bad influence. John is warning these early Christians that not everyone is on the same team. There are wolves in sheep’s clothing. There are those who may claim to follow Jesus that teach and live a different gospel, a different “good news,” a different message.
Specifically, these false teachers denied Jesus as “coming in the flesh.” Today there are many non-Christians that believe in Jesus, but what do they believe? Muslims respect Jesus as a prophet but deny He ever actually died on the cross. If He didn’t die, the rest of the story is a waste! The Quran says Jesus never claimed to be the Son of God or claimed divinity. Don’t miss this—our faith has much in common with Islam, but many tremendous differences. I mention this because we can engage in dialog with people of other faiths and find common ground. We must discern, however, where the differences lie, respectfully disagree, and cast a compelling vision for a faith that features the Son of God who set aside His divinity to become one of us—fully human—who died and rose from the dead.
At the risk of over-complicating the nuances of our faith, let’s turn to the Apostle’s Creed, a series of statements from the 4th century that have served as something of a summary of our faith for hundreds of years:
1. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
2. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:
3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:
4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell:
5. The third day he rose again from the dead:
6. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:
7. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead:
8. I believe in the Holy Ghost:
9. I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints:
10. The forgiveness of sins:
11. The resurrection of the body:
12. And the life everlasting. Amen.
John concludes…
I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. (12)
The children of your chosen sister send their greetings. (13)
These are personal greetings. This was a short letter, perhaps because he had limited paper and ink. He made his points…truth and love.
So What?
Hopefully the application to all of this is obvious—we must know the truth and live lives of love. Truth and love go together. Truth is expressed in love. Love is always concerned about the truth. Obedience to God necessitates both. We must be aware of counterfeit Christians and false teachings while declaring the truth with our words and deeds to bring honor to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Credits: some ideas from J. Vernon McGee
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
3 John, 17 August 2014
18 08 14
Big Idea: Hospitality—welcoming the stranger— is a key characteristic of Christ-followers.
This series is designed to encourage reading the less-read books of the Bible (according to BibleGateway.com).
Overview: John writes to a Christian named Gaius, encouraging him to continue showing hospitality to others, even though a rogue church leader condemns it.
Background
Author: John (author of the Gospel of John, one of Jesus’ three best friends)
To: His friend Gaius (we know nothing more about him)
Date: around 90 AD (85-95 AD)
Setting: Diotrephes rejected itinerant teachers sent out by John. Gaius is encouraged to continue to extend hospitality to and support these teachers.
Gaius
He was beloved.
He was in a local church.
He is urged to extend hospitality to the true teachers of the Word.
The elder,
John is both a church elder and an old man when writing.
To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. (1)
John is writing to a dear friend who is obviously a fellow Christ-follower.
Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. (2-4)
John clearly loves Gaius.
John prays for good health and blessing.
What health is to the body, holiness is the the spirit/soul.
Gaius has been faithful to the truth.
John delights in seeing his disciples walk in the truth.
Gaius may not have been in good health but still served Bible teachers.
He walked in love and truth.
Walking in the truth also means walking in love, loving others.
“walk in the truth”
“walking in the truth”
Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth. (5-8)
John commends the faithfulness of Gaius again.
Hospitality is important.
1Pet. 4:9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
Rom. 12:13 Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Rom. 16:23a Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.
1Tim. 5:9-10 No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.
We are all different parts of the body. We can’t all preach, but we can all be a part of the proclamation of the Gospel.
2 John: warning against false teachers
3 John: receive the truth teachers
We don’t ask unbelievers to give to the cause of Christ.
I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. (9-10)
Diotrephes is a jerk! He is a selfish, gossipping heretic. He opposed John. He wouldn’t open his home to traveling evangelists (they had no Holiday Inns!).
John had five issues with Diotrephes:
This man wanted to run the church.
Humility is a rare trait in the church. We live in an era of Christian celebrity.
Why do you lead? Preach? Sing solos? For our glory or God’s? We need people in the spotlight, but search your heart first.
“If I come” may mean “when I come.”
Gaius: delightful brother
Diotrephes: dictator
Demetrius: dependable
Meekness does not mean weakness.
Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone — and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true. (11-12)
Imitate what is good. John is an example. Jesus is the ultimate example.
Demetrius is a good example.
We only have one verse about Demetrius. He is a humble saint. His name indicates he was raised a pagan. He was one of the men Diotrephes did not welcome.
I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.
There’s nothing like face to face.
Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name. (13-14)
Peace and greetings.
So What?
In a word…hospitality.
Church leaders are required to be hospitable.
1Tim. 3:2 Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
Titus 1:8 Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.
Heb. 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
What can you do to welcome strangers on Sunday? What can you do to welcome strangers during the week?
Credits: some ideas from J. Vernon McGee
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
This series is designed to encourage reading the less-read books of the Bible (according to BibleGateway.com).
Overview: John writes to a Christian named Gaius, encouraging him to continue showing hospitality to others, even though a rogue church leader condemns it.
Background
Author: John (author of the Gospel of John, one of Jesus’ three best friends)
To: His friend Gaius (we know nothing more about him)
Date: around 90 AD (85-95 AD)
Setting: Diotrephes rejected itinerant teachers sent out by John. Gaius is encouraged to continue to extend hospitality to and support these teachers.
Gaius
He was beloved.
He was in a local church.
He is urged to extend hospitality to the true teachers of the Word.
The elder,
John is both a church elder and an old man when writing.
To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. (1)
John is writing to a dear friend who is obviously a fellow Christ-follower.
Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. (2-4)
John clearly loves Gaius.
John prays for good health and blessing.
What health is to the body, holiness is the the spirit/soul.
Gaius has been faithful to the truth.
John delights in seeing his disciples walk in the truth.
Gaius may not have been in good health but still served Bible teachers.
He walked in love and truth.
Walking in the truth also means walking in love, loving others.
“walk in the truth”
“walking in the truth”
Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth. (5-8)
John commends the faithfulness of Gaius again.
Hospitality is important.
1Pet. 4:9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
Rom. 12:13 Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Rom. 16:23a Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.
1Tim. 5:9-10 No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.
We are all different parts of the body. We can’t all preach, but we can all be a part of the proclamation of the Gospel.
2 John: warning against false teachers
3 John: receive the truth teachers
We don’t ask unbelievers to give to the cause of Christ.
I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. (9-10)
Diotrephes is a jerk! He is a selfish, gossipping heretic. He opposed John. He wouldn’t open his home to traveling evangelists (they had no Holiday Inns!).
John had five issues with Diotrephes:
- must occupy the leading place
- refused to receive John
- made malicious statement against the apostles
- refused to entertain the missionaries (he wanted the spotlight)
- he ex-communicated those who supported the missionaries
This man wanted to run the church.
Humility is a rare trait in the church. We live in an era of Christian celebrity.
Why do you lead? Preach? Sing solos? For our glory or God’s? We need people in the spotlight, but search your heart first.
“If I come” may mean “when I come.”
Gaius: delightful brother
Diotrephes: dictator
Demetrius: dependable
Meekness does not mean weakness.
Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone — and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true. (11-12)
Imitate what is good. John is an example. Jesus is the ultimate example.
Demetrius is a good example.
We only have one verse about Demetrius. He is a humble saint. His name indicates he was raised a pagan. He was one of the men Diotrephes did not welcome.
I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.
There’s nothing like face to face.
Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name. (13-14)
Peace and greetings.
So What?
In a word…hospitality.
Church leaders are required to be hospitable.
1Tim. 3:2 Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
Titus 1:8 Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.
Heb. 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
What can you do to welcome strangers on Sunday? What can you do to welcome strangers during the week?
Credits: some ideas from J. Vernon McGee
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Haggai, 10 August 2014
11 08 14
Big Idea: God blesses obedience and provides consequences for disobedience…because He loves His children.
Overview: The Jews had put off rebuilding God’s temple, but had made nice houses for themselves. The prophet Haggai rallies the people to finish the temple and enjoy God’s blessings again.
God made a covenant with Abraham who became the father of the Jews. God said if Abraham’s ancestors would obey, God would bless them. If they disobeyed, God would punish them—not because He is mean, but because He loves them and wants them to wake up and return to Him. God often used prophets to call people to repentance and alert them of their sinful ways. Jonah, Joel and Zephaniah are three prophets we have already examined and now we look at a fourth: Haggai.
We actually know little about Haggai the prophet. His name means “festal” or “feast.” He was the first of three post-exile prophets from the Neo-Babylonian Exile of Judah (along with Zechariah, a contemporary, and Malachi who lived about one hundred years later). He may have witnessed the destruction of Solomon’s temple (2:3) which would mean he was in his seventies when he ministered.
We have surprisingly great detail about the time of this writing. This book contains five separate messages. First, some background. In 538 BC, Cyrus king of Persia issued a decree allowing Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. Zerubbabel led about 50,000 Jews back to Jerusalem where they completed the foundation of the temple in 536 (Ezra 3:87-11) causing great celebration. Unfortunately, the Samaritans and other neighbors felt threatened by this progress and opposed the continuation of the work. As we will see, the Jews abandoned the project leaving the temple unfinished.
In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest: (1:1)
He used a gentile king to date his writing. He is very specific. September 1, 520 BC Zerubbabel (“sown in Babylon”) is the political ruler.
This is what the LORD Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come for the LORD’s house to be built.’” (1:2)
When the people returned to the land, they were enthusiastic but they encountered great obstacles. They decided to maintain the status quo.
When things get hard, we often say, “The LORD is leading me elsewhere.”
Nehemiah encountered great opposition when rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.
Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” (3-4)
People decide to follow the LORD’s will until it requires sacrifice. When we decide to follow our will, we overcome the obstacles.
They used time as their excuse. It’s not the LORD’s will. It’s not the right time.
Following Jesus is rarely easy, safe and comfortable.
How much do you spend on God and how much do you spend on yourself? Money? Time? Energy?
Many tip the waitress more than they tip God!
“Many Christians are like those ancient Hebrews, somehow convincing themselves that economy in constructing church buildings is all-important while at the same time sparing no expense in acquiring their personal luxuries. Contrast this with medieval Europe where peasants lived in squalid conditions while great cathedrals were being built.”
-Expositor’s Bible Commentary
We are so comfortable! Prophets were stoned, not stars. They woke up the people.
Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” (1:5-6)
These are biting words!
This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. (7)
Twice God says, “Give careful thought to your ways.” “Put/set your heart upon your roads/ways” is more accurate. This is essential for us today. Why do you do what you do? What future are you planning? Most people spend more time planning for a vacation than they do eternity…or even the next season of their life.
Give careful thought to your ways.
God disciplines those He loves. (Hebrews 12:5-11; Revelation 3:19)
There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25)
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9)
What road are you on today? Where is it leading?
Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the LORD. (1:8)
People look for miracles but God says go to work! He does not bless lazyness.
Student: “Professor, the book you gave us to read is dry.”
Professor: “Dampen it with a little perspiration from your brow!”
We have spectator sports but are not to have spectator Christians.
Get in the game. Get to work!
Go to the mountain
Bring wood
Build the house
“You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the LORD Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands.” (1:9-11)
God withheld blessing.
Blame God. He says He’s responsible, but He will explain why.
- The Response of the People (1:12-15)
September 24, 520 BC
Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD.
Then Haggai, the LORD’s messenger, gave this message of the LORD to the people: “I am with you,” declares the LORD. (1:12-13)
God is with them. He is with us.
So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the LORD Almighty, their God, on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius. (1:14-15)
The people responded during the previous 23 days.They are ready to build the temple. Haggai inspired the people to action.
The civil leader: Zerubbabel the governor
Shealtiel means “asking of God in prayer”
- Second Message: The Temple will be Filled with Glory (2:1-9)
October 21, 520 BC
On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? (2:1-3)
See Ezra 3:8-13
But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away. (Ezra 3:12-13)
There were shouts of joy and the sounds of weeping. This temple is small compared to Solomon’s temple. “Back in the good old days…”
But now be strong, O Zerubbabel,’ declares the LORD. ‘Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the LORD, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the LORD Almighty. (2:4)
“Be strong, be strong, be strong…and work!”
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10)
God determines who is great.
‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’ (2:5)
“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty. ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the LORD Almighty.” (2:6-9)
All nations desire silver and gold. Solomon’s temple had millions of dollars worth of silver and gold. This new temple was nothing compared to the splendor of the first temple. A future temple is coming that may be in view here.
When Jesus returns to this earth, He will enter Jerusalem and bring peace.
God looks upon these series of temples as one house.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)
- The Third Message: The Defiled People will be Blessed and Purified (2:10-19)
December 24, 520 BC
On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Haggai: (2:10)
“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests what the law says: If a person carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, oil or other food, does it become consecrated?’”
The priests answered, “No.” (2:11-12)
Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?”
“Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.”
Then Haggai said, “‘So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares the LORD. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled. (2:13-14)
On this day, Haggai went to the priests and asked two things about the law:
Holiness is non-communicable.
Unholiness is transferrable/communicable.
The Mosaic law did not cover every possible scenario. The priests decided such matters and it became the law.
We have a similar method today. There is a difference between statute or statutory law (passed by legislation/congress) and common law (a matter brought before a court).
“‘Now give careful thought to this from this day on — consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the LORD’s temple. When anyone came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty. I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew and hail, yet you did not turn to me,’ declares the LORD. ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid. Give careful thought: Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit.
‘From this day on I will bless you.’” (2:15-19)
God says the people returned to the land but not to God. You can swim in holy water and it won’t make you holy. Baptism of your body won’t automatically change your heart.
“‘If a descendant of Aaron has an infectious skin disease or a bodily discharge, he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is cleansed. He will also be unclean if he touches something defiled by a corpse or by anyone who has an emission of semen, or if he touches any crawling thing that makes him unclean, or any person who makes him unclean, whatever the uncleanness may be. The one who touches any such thing will be unclean till evening. He must not eat any of the sacred offerings unless he has bathed himself with water. (Leviticus 22:4-6)
Ceremonies and religious rituals will not purify your heart.
“Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’” (Matthew 15:17-20)
By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. (Matthew 7:16-20)
You can’t make manure smell good by dumping perfume on it!
The heart must be changed. How?
Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”? (Proverbs 20:9)
“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. (Isaiah 1:18)
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. (1 Peter 1:18-19)
What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
God is saying the reason the people are not blessed is they have unclean hearts. Now that their hearts are right, they will be blessed.
Is your heart blocking God’s blessing in your life?
- The Fourth Message: The Promise to Zerubbabel (2:20-23)
December 24, 520 BC
Why two messages on the same day? Good question!
The word of the LORD came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: (2:20)
Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I will shake the heavens and the earth. I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother. (2:21-22)
God will overthrow all nations.
“‘On that day,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the LORD Almighty.” (2:23)
The signet ring is an identification of royalty. Zerubbabel is in the line of David.
The Messiah will not only come through David but also Zerubbabel. He appears in both Matthew 1 and Luke 3 genealogies.
Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. He will rule and reign someday.
The little temple built in Haggai’s day will one day welcome Jesus.
So What?
There are a few vital lessons we must understand from Haggai.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Overview: The Jews had put off rebuilding God’s temple, but had made nice houses for themselves. The prophet Haggai rallies the people to finish the temple and enjoy God’s blessings again.
God made a covenant with Abraham who became the father of the Jews. God said if Abraham’s ancestors would obey, God would bless them. If they disobeyed, God would punish them—not because He is mean, but because He loves them and wants them to wake up and return to Him. God often used prophets to call people to repentance and alert them of their sinful ways. Jonah, Joel and Zephaniah are three prophets we have already examined and now we look at a fourth: Haggai.
We actually know little about Haggai the prophet. His name means “festal” or “feast.” He was the first of three post-exile prophets from the Neo-Babylonian Exile of Judah (along with Zechariah, a contemporary, and Malachi who lived about one hundred years later). He may have witnessed the destruction of Solomon’s temple (2:3) which would mean he was in his seventies when he ministered.
We have surprisingly great detail about the time of this writing. This book contains five separate messages. First, some background. In 538 BC, Cyrus king of Persia issued a decree allowing Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. Zerubbabel led about 50,000 Jews back to Jerusalem where they completed the foundation of the temple in 536 (Ezra 3:87-11) causing great celebration. Unfortunately, the Samaritans and other neighbors felt threatened by this progress and opposed the continuation of the work. As we will see, the Jews abandoned the project leaving the temple unfinished.
- First Message (1:1-11) Rebuild The Temple
In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest: (1:1)
He used a gentile king to date his writing. He is very specific. September 1, 520 BC Zerubbabel (“sown in Babylon”) is the political ruler.
This is what the LORD Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come for the LORD’s house to be built.’” (1:2)
When the people returned to the land, they were enthusiastic but they encountered great obstacles. They decided to maintain the status quo.
When things get hard, we often say, “The LORD is leading me elsewhere.”
Nehemiah encountered great opposition when rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.
Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” (3-4)
People decide to follow the LORD’s will until it requires sacrifice. When we decide to follow our will, we overcome the obstacles.
They used time as their excuse. It’s not the LORD’s will. It’s not the right time.
Following Jesus is rarely easy, safe and comfortable.
How much do you spend on God and how much do you spend on yourself? Money? Time? Energy?
Many tip the waitress more than they tip God!
“Many Christians are like those ancient Hebrews, somehow convincing themselves that economy in constructing church buildings is all-important while at the same time sparing no expense in acquiring their personal luxuries. Contrast this with medieval Europe where peasants lived in squalid conditions while great cathedrals were being built.”
-Expositor’s Bible Commentary
We are so comfortable! Prophets were stoned, not stars. They woke up the people.
Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” (1:5-6)
These are biting words!
This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. (7)
Twice God says, “Give careful thought to your ways.” “Put/set your heart upon your roads/ways” is more accurate. This is essential for us today. Why do you do what you do? What future are you planning? Most people spend more time planning for a vacation than they do eternity…or even the next season of their life.
Give careful thought to your ways.
God disciplines those He loves. (Hebrews 12:5-11; Revelation 3:19)
There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25)
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9)
What road are you on today? Where is it leading?
Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the LORD. (1:8)
People look for miracles but God says go to work! He does not bless lazyness.
Student: “Professor, the book you gave us to read is dry.”
Professor: “Dampen it with a little perspiration from your brow!”
We have spectator sports but are not to have spectator Christians.
Get in the game. Get to work!
Go to the mountain
Bring wood
Build the house
“You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the LORD Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands.” (1:9-11)
God withheld blessing.
Blame God. He says He’s responsible, but He will explain why.
- The Response of the People (1:12-15)
September 24, 520 BC
Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD.
Then Haggai, the LORD’s messenger, gave this message of the LORD to the people: “I am with you,” declares the LORD. (1:12-13)
God is with them. He is with us.
So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the LORD Almighty, their God, on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius. (1:14-15)
The people responded during the previous 23 days.They are ready to build the temple. Haggai inspired the people to action.
The civil leader: Zerubbabel the governor
Shealtiel means “asking of God in prayer”
- Second Message: The Temple will be Filled with Glory (2:1-9)
October 21, 520 BC
On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? (2:1-3)
See Ezra 3:8-13
But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away. (Ezra 3:12-13)
There were shouts of joy and the sounds of weeping. This temple is small compared to Solomon’s temple. “Back in the good old days…”
But now be strong, O Zerubbabel,’ declares the LORD. ‘Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the LORD, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the LORD Almighty. (2:4)
“Be strong, be strong, be strong…and work!”
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10)
God determines who is great.
‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’ (2:5)
“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty. ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the LORD Almighty.” (2:6-9)
All nations desire silver and gold. Solomon’s temple had millions of dollars worth of silver and gold. This new temple was nothing compared to the splendor of the first temple. A future temple is coming that may be in view here.
When Jesus returns to this earth, He will enter Jerusalem and bring peace.
God looks upon these series of temples as one house.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)
- The Third Message: The Defiled People will be Blessed and Purified (2:10-19)
December 24, 520 BC
On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Haggai: (2:10)
“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests what the law says: If a person carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, oil or other food, does it become consecrated?’”
The priests answered, “No.” (2:11-12)
Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?”
“Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.”
Then Haggai said, “‘So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares the LORD. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled. (2:13-14)
On this day, Haggai went to the priests and asked two things about the law:
- Will the holy that touches the unclean make it holy? No.
- Will the unclean that touches the holy make it unclean? Yes.
Holiness is non-communicable.
Unholiness is transferrable/communicable.
The Mosaic law did not cover every possible scenario. The priests decided such matters and it became the law.
We have a similar method today. There is a difference between statute or statutory law (passed by legislation/congress) and common law (a matter brought before a court).
“‘Now give careful thought to this from this day on — consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the LORD’s temple. When anyone came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty. I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew and hail, yet you did not turn to me,’ declares the LORD. ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid. Give careful thought: Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit.
‘From this day on I will bless you.’” (2:15-19)
God says the people returned to the land but not to God. You can swim in holy water and it won’t make you holy. Baptism of your body won’t automatically change your heart.
“‘If a descendant of Aaron has an infectious skin disease or a bodily discharge, he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is cleansed. He will also be unclean if he touches something defiled by a corpse or by anyone who has an emission of semen, or if he touches any crawling thing that makes him unclean, or any person who makes him unclean, whatever the uncleanness may be. The one who touches any such thing will be unclean till evening. He must not eat any of the sacred offerings unless he has bathed himself with water. (Leviticus 22:4-6)
Ceremonies and religious rituals will not purify your heart.
“Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’” (Matthew 15:17-20)
By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. (Matthew 7:16-20)
You can’t make manure smell good by dumping perfume on it!
The heart must be changed. How?
Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”? (Proverbs 20:9)
“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. (Isaiah 1:18)
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. (1 Peter 1:18-19)
What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
God is saying the reason the people are not blessed is they have unclean hearts. Now that their hearts are right, they will be blessed.
Is your heart blocking God’s blessing in your life?
- The Fourth Message: The Promise to Zerubbabel (2:20-23)
December 24, 520 BC
Why two messages on the same day? Good question!
The word of the LORD came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: (2:20)
Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I will shake the heavens and the earth. I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother. (2:21-22)
God will overthrow all nations.
“‘On that day,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the LORD Almighty.” (2:23)
The signet ring is an identification of royalty. Zerubbabel is in the line of David.
The Messiah will not only come through David but also Zerubbabel. He appears in both Matthew 1 and Luke 3 genealogies.
Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. He will rule and reign someday.
The little temple built in Haggai’s day will one day welcome Jesus.
So What?
There are a few vital lessons we must understand from Haggai.
- God must truly be first in our lives. No other gods. No idols.
- God will bless us when we obey and discipline us when we disobey.
- God’s grace is amazing. He never gives up on us. His love is unconditional.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Zephaniah, 27 July 2014
27 07 14
Big Idea: God loves His children through wrath and blessings.
Overview: God is going to remove and restore everything: Israel, Judah, the surrounding nations—everything will be judged, and then everything will be made much, much better.
Introduction
I have had many defining moments in my life, but one day changed my life more than any other. It was on that day that I became a daddy as my bride gave birth to our first child, Kailey.
Since I became a dad, I have cherished my relationship with each of our three kids. There have been moments when we have had our differences, but they have always known my unconditional love for them, and though they have occasionally said otherwise in the heat of the moment, I have been secure in their love for me. Next to God, my family is the most important thing in my life. When our kids are good, I’m almost always good. When they struggle, it’s hard for me to think of anything but their struggles. When they are sick, I am burdened to pray and seek any possible healing resource.
Imagine after raising, feeding, clothing, and sheltering our children they left. I don’t mean they moved away, I mean they left the family. They went to the court and changed their last name to…Jones! Imagine they unfriended me on Facebook, changed their phone numbers, and did everything possible to prevent me from having a relationship with them. How would I feel? How would you feel?
God is all about relationships. From the very beginning He has created males and females for the purpose of relationships—relationships with Him and one another. Thousands of years ago after our first ancestors broke God’s heart by turning away from Him and rebelling, He made a covenant with Abraham which began the nation of Israel and God was their God, their King. Perhaps there was no greater pleasure God experienced than being with His people who enjoyed being with Him.
The Old Testament is filled with stories of Israel following God and rejecting Him, running to Him and wandering off, obeying Him and ignoring Him. It’s starting to sound a little like The Giving Tree, isn’t it?!
Although they had no King but God, eventually the people wanted a human king like the surrounding nations. God reluctantly granted them their wish, installing Saul as king, then David and Solomon. As they turned their attention from God and to the world, the nation of Israel split into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah. Both kingdoms fell as enemy armies invaded, first Israel and then Judah.
We are in the middle of a series called the most unread books of the Bible as discovered by BibleGateway.com.
First we looked at Jonah.
Then we examined Joel.
Last week we studied Jude.
Our book of the week is Zephaniah.
The book of Zephaniah was written after fall of Israel and before the fall of Judah while Josiah was good, arguably the last good king of Judah. Zephaniah was a prophet—not to be confused with Zechariah (something I did all last week!). Prophets did not predict the future, but they spoke for God on behalf of the people, serving as messengers, in most cases calling God’s people to repentance before judgment, a time often referred to as “the day of the LORD.” It is a phrase used throughout the Bible, especially in the prophets (we saw it in Joel two weeks ago).
Zephaniah presents two radically different messages:
This was true thousands of years ago and it’s still true today.
For the sake of time, we cannot read every verse in the book, despite it being only three chapters long. Instead, I want to highlight the beginning and the end (as read earlier during Scripture reading).
Zephaniah 1
The word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, during the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah: (1)
We get great details about Zephaniah’s family. He was not the only one with the name Zephaniah so this distinguishes himself from the others and offers the historical note of Josiah as king.
“I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD. “I will sweep away both men and animals; I will sweep away the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. The wicked will have only heaps of rubble when I cut off man from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD. “I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem. I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal, the names of the pagan and the idolatrous priests — those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who bow down and swear by the LORD and who also swear by Molech, those who turn back from following the LORD and neither seek the LORD nor inquire of him. (2-6)
This does not sound pleasant! God’s more than a little angry, but it is holy anger. Daddy knows best and He knows what is best is for people to love, follow and serve Him, not themselves, and certainly not idols.
Once again we go back to the first two Commandments—no other gods and no idols.
Baal and Molech were two common idols of surrounding nations adopted by Zephaniah’s contemporaries and mentioned throughout the Old Testament. Molech, in particular, was associated with death and the underworld. There is some debate as to whether people would fire-walk to appease Molech or even sacrifice children in fire. Either way, worshipping Baal and Molech was detestable to God, a Father heartbroken by His wayward children.
We get a clue as to why the people abandoned God.
At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, ‘The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.’ (1:12)
They underestimated God. He will do nothing good or bad. They think God is dead…or sleeping…or aloof. Perhaps they simply forgot about God’s judgment. This was the first lie of satan in the Garden of Eden.
“You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5)
“The great day of the LORD is near — near and coming quickly. Listen! The cry on the day of the LORD will be bitter, the shouting of the warrior there. (1:14)
Here we see the phrase “the day of the LORD” as mentioned in Joel and elsewhere, a day in which God will judge. For the ungodly, it will be a terrible day.
That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the corner towers. I will bring distress on the people and they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their entrails like filth. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the LORD’s wrath. In the fire of his jealousy the whole world will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live in the earth.” (1:15-18)
God will judge sin. He is a jealous God, not an insecure lover, but a loving Father who knows what’s best for His children. He wants an intimate relationship with them. He wants to be with them, to bless them, and to know them. When they run off and abandon Him, there is no greater pain, no greater loss.
Does that fit our view of a “loving” God? Theologian Miroslav Volf had a shift in his thinking after watching his country of Yugoslavia destroyed.
“I used to think that wrath was unworthy of God. Isn’t God love? Shouldn’t divine love be beyond wrath? God is love, and God loves every person and every creature. That’s exactly why God is wrathful against some of them. My last resistance to the idea of God’s wrath was a casualty of the war in the former Yugoslavia, the region from which I come. According to some estimates, 200,000 people were killed and over 3,000,000 were displaced. My villages and cities were destroyed, my people shelled day in and day out, some of them brutalized beyond imagination, and I could not imagine God not being angry. Or think of Rwanda in the last decade of the past century, where 800,000 people were hacked to death in one hundred days! How did God react to the carnage? By doting on the perpetrators in a grandfatherly fashion? By refusing to condemn the bloodbath but instead affirming the perpetrators’ basic goodness? Wasn’t God fiercely angry with them? Though I used to complain about the indecency of the idea of God’s wrath, I came to think that I would have to rebel against a God who wasn’t wrathful at the sight of the world’s evil. God isn’t wrathful in spite of being love. God is wrathful because God is love.”
So the people are in trouble with God. What are they to do?
Gather together, gather together, O shameful nation, before the appointed time arrives and that day sweeps on like chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD comes upon you, before the day of the LORD’s wrath comes upon you. Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger. (2:1-3)
Seek the LORD.
Seek righteousness.
Seek humility.
That’s their only hope.
Seek the LORD. Jesus said it plainly:
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)
How much time do you spend seeking the LORD?
Seek righteousness. Do the right thing. Follow the perfect example of Jesus. Fill your mind with God’s Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to convict you of any unknown sins. Get right with God.
Finally, seek humility. Don’t try to be humble. As soon as you think you’re humble, you’re not! We underestimate God when we overestimate ourselves. Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. It is how you think of others and God. How great is your God? It should put things in perspective quickly. Idolatry today does not usually involve statues of Baal and Molech but for me, at least, it involves the man in the mirror. Perhaps the best way to attack pride is serving those who cannot return the favor, anonymously blessing the poor, sacrificing your preferences for those of others. As Paul told the Church in Philippi:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)
So What?
I wish I could view Zephaniah’s audience as a bizarre tribe doing unimaginable things, but it sounds too much like our culture. We often revel in arrogance and pride, praising ourselves for our accomplishments, all the while ignoring our Creator whose very purpose in creating us was relationship.
God is not a monster out to harm people that don’t obey Him. He’s a loving Father longing to know and be known by His children.
This week my daughter will move away from her Father, but that won’t end our relationship (thanks to the phone, texting, FaceTime, and transportation). If she ever abandoned me—or if any of our kids renounced our family—I would pursue her out of love, knowing her life and mine will be more satisfying in relationship.
We serve a gracious God who loves prodigals. He is eager to welcome home the departed. He is a God of wrath to those that dishonor Him, but He’s also a loving Father when His children seek Him.
The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” “The sorrows for the appointed feasts I will remove from you; they are a burden and a reproach to you. At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you; I will rescue the lame and gather those who have been scattered. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they were put to shame. At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the LORD. (3:17-20)
No matter who you are or what you’ve done, God longs to know you. He takes great delight in His children, singing over us!
When our kids were little, I loved to sing to them. I loved to hold them and I still do! We can celebrate today knowing that God is alive, He is active, He loves us, and one day we will be with Him forever.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Overview: God is going to remove and restore everything: Israel, Judah, the surrounding nations—everything will be judged, and then everything will be made much, much better.
Introduction
I have had many defining moments in my life, but one day changed my life more than any other. It was on that day that I became a daddy as my bride gave birth to our first child, Kailey.
Since I became a dad, I have cherished my relationship with each of our three kids. There have been moments when we have had our differences, but they have always known my unconditional love for them, and though they have occasionally said otherwise in the heat of the moment, I have been secure in their love for me. Next to God, my family is the most important thing in my life. When our kids are good, I’m almost always good. When they struggle, it’s hard for me to think of anything but their struggles. When they are sick, I am burdened to pray and seek any possible healing resource.
Imagine after raising, feeding, clothing, and sheltering our children they left. I don’t mean they moved away, I mean they left the family. They went to the court and changed their last name to…Jones! Imagine they unfriended me on Facebook, changed their phone numbers, and did everything possible to prevent me from having a relationship with them. How would I feel? How would you feel?
God is all about relationships. From the very beginning He has created males and females for the purpose of relationships—relationships with Him and one another. Thousands of years ago after our first ancestors broke God’s heart by turning away from Him and rebelling, He made a covenant with Abraham which began the nation of Israel and God was their God, their King. Perhaps there was no greater pleasure God experienced than being with His people who enjoyed being with Him.
The Old Testament is filled with stories of Israel following God and rejecting Him, running to Him and wandering off, obeying Him and ignoring Him. It’s starting to sound a little like The Giving Tree, isn’t it?!
Although they had no King but God, eventually the people wanted a human king like the surrounding nations. God reluctantly granted them their wish, installing Saul as king, then David and Solomon. As they turned their attention from God and to the world, the nation of Israel split into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah. Both kingdoms fell as enemy armies invaded, first Israel and then Judah.
We are in the middle of a series called the most unread books of the Bible as discovered by BibleGateway.com.
First we looked at Jonah.
Then we examined Joel.
Last week we studied Jude.
Our book of the week is Zephaniah.
The book of Zephaniah was written after fall of Israel and before the fall of Judah while Josiah was good, arguably the last good king of Judah. Zephaniah was a prophet—not to be confused with Zechariah (something I did all last week!). Prophets did not predict the future, but they spoke for God on behalf of the people, serving as messengers, in most cases calling God’s people to repentance before judgment, a time often referred to as “the day of the LORD.” It is a phrase used throughout the Bible, especially in the prophets (we saw it in Joel two weeks ago).
Zephaniah presents two radically different messages:
- Woe to those the reject God
- Blessings to those who follow God
This was true thousands of years ago and it’s still true today.
For the sake of time, we cannot read every verse in the book, despite it being only three chapters long. Instead, I want to highlight the beginning and the end (as read earlier during Scripture reading).
Zephaniah 1
The word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, during the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah: (1)
We get great details about Zephaniah’s family. He was not the only one with the name Zephaniah so this distinguishes himself from the others and offers the historical note of Josiah as king.
“I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD. “I will sweep away both men and animals; I will sweep away the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. The wicked will have only heaps of rubble when I cut off man from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD. “I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem. I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal, the names of the pagan and the idolatrous priests — those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who bow down and swear by the LORD and who also swear by Molech, those who turn back from following the LORD and neither seek the LORD nor inquire of him. (2-6)
This does not sound pleasant! God’s more than a little angry, but it is holy anger. Daddy knows best and He knows what is best is for people to love, follow and serve Him, not themselves, and certainly not idols.
Once again we go back to the first two Commandments—no other gods and no idols.
Baal and Molech were two common idols of surrounding nations adopted by Zephaniah’s contemporaries and mentioned throughout the Old Testament. Molech, in particular, was associated with death and the underworld. There is some debate as to whether people would fire-walk to appease Molech or even sacrifice children in fire. Either way, worshipping Baal and Molech was detestable to God, a Father heartbroken by His wayward children.
We get a clue as to why the people abandoned God.
At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, ‘The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.’ (1:12)
They underestimated God. He will do nothing good or bad. They think God is dead…or sleeping…or aloof. Perhaps they simply forgot about God’s judgment. This was the first lie of satan in the Garden of Eden.
“You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5)
“The great day of the LORD is near — near and coming quickly. Listen! The cry on the day of the LORD will be bitter, the shouting of the warrior there. (1:14)
Here we see the phrase “the day of the LORD” as mentioned in Joel and elsewhere, a day in which God will judge. For the ungodly, it will be a terrible day.
That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the corner towers. I will bring distress on the people and they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their entrails like filth. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the LORD’s wrath. In the fire of his jealousy the whole world will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live in the earth.” (1:15-18)
God will judge sin. He is a jealous God, not an insecure lover, but a loving Father who knows what’s best for His children. He wants an intimate relationship with them. He wants to be with them, to bless them, and to know them. When they run off and abandon Him, there is no greater pain, no greater loss.
Does that fit our view of a “loving” God? Theologian Miroslav Volf had a shift in his thinking after watching his country of Yugoslavia destroyed.
“I used to think that wrath was unworthy of God. Isn’t God love? Shouldn’t divine love be beyond wrath? God is love, and God loves every person and every creature. That’s exactly why God is wrathful against some of them. My last resistance to the idea of God’s wrath was a casualty of the war in the former Yugoslavia, the region from which I come. According to some estimates, 200,000 people were killed and over 3,000,000 were displaced. My villages and cities were destroyed, my people shelled day in and day out, some of them brutalized beyond imagination, and I could not imagine God not being angry. Or think of Rwanda in the last decade of the past century, where 800,000 people were hacked to death in one hundred days! How did God react to the carnage? By doting on the perpetrators in a grandfatherly fashion? By refusing to condemn the bloodbath but instead affirming the perpetrators’ basic goodness? Wasn’t God fiercely angry with them? Though I used to complain about the indecency of the idea of God’s wrath, I came to think that I would have to rebel against a God who wasn’t wrathful at the sight of the world’s evil. God isn’t wrathful in spite of being love. God is wrathful because God is love.”
So the people are in trouble with God. What are they to do?
Gather together, gather together, O shameful nation, before the appointed time arrives and that day sweeps on like chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD comes upon you, before the day of the LORD’s wrath comes upon you. Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger. (2:1-3)
Seek the LORD.
Seek righteousness.
Seek humility.
That’s their only hope.
Seek the LORD. Jesus said it plainly:
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)
How much time do you spend seeking the LORD?
Seek righteousness. Do the right thing. Follow the perfect example of Jesus. Fill your mind with God’s Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to convict you of any unknown sins. Get right with God.
Finally, seek humility. Don’t try to be humble. As soon as you think you’re humble, you’re not! We underestimate God when we overestimate ourselves. Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. It is how you think of others and God. How great is your God? It should put things in perspective quickly. Idolatry today does not usually involve statues of Baal and Molech but for me, at least, it involves the man in the mirror. Perhaps the best way to attack pride is serving those who cannot return the favor, anonymously blessing the poor, sacrificing your preferences for those of others. As Paul told the Church in Philippi:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)
So What?
I wish I could view Zephaniah’s audience as a bizarre tribe doing unimaginable things, but it sounds too much like our culture. We often revel in arrogance and pride, praising ourselves for our accomplishments, all the while ignoring our Creator whose very purpose in creating us was relationship.
God is not a monster out to harm people that don’t obey Him. He’s a loving Father longing to know and be known by His children.
This week my daughter will move away from her Father, but that won’t end our relationship (thanks to the phone, texting, FaceTime, and transportation). If she ever abandoned me—or if any of our kids renounced our family—I would pursue her out of love, knowing her life and mine will be more satisfying in relationship.
We serve a gracious God who loves prodigals. He is eager to welcome home the departed. He is a God of wrath to those that dishonor Him, but He’s also a loving Father when His children seek Him.
The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” “The sorrows for the appointed feasts I will remove from you; they are a burden and a reproach to you. At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you; I will rescue the lame and gather those who have been scattered. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they were put to shame. At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the LORD. (3:17-20)
No matter who you are or what you’ve done, God longs to know you. He takes great delight in His children, singing over us!
When our kids were little, I loved to sing to them. I loved to hold them and I still do! We can celebrate today knowing that God is alive, He is active, He loves us, and one day we will be with Him forever.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Jude, 20 July 2014
21 07 14
Big Idea: Know the Truth and He will set you free!
Overview: Jude warns believers that certain ungodly people are creeping into the church, distorting the grace of God, and denying Jesus Christ.
Introduction
Are you protected? Do you use protection? For many years we have been warned to guard against…computer viruses. They can sneak onto our computers and wreak all sorts of havoc with our valuable information—or so I’ve been told! I won’t contribute to the endless Mac versus PC debate, but I happen to know many who have had computers infected with viruses. How do they occur? It could be through software that is installed on the machine. Sometimes they are e-mail attachments that are activated when opened. It’s important to be on alert, pay attention to what you open and install on your computer, and generally a good idea to have some type of antivirus protection on your device.
Today we continue our series The Most Unread Books of The Bible, a survey of some of the least-read Bible texts according to BibleGateway.com.
We began with Jonah. Last week we looked at another prophet, Joel. Today we examine another “J”—Jude.
Jude is one of a handful of books that are comprised of a single chapter.
genre: epistle/letter
author: Jude
date: between 70 and 80 AD
to: Christians
The big idea of Jude is to be on guard against those who want to corrupt your faith and, therefore, your life. It continues to amaze me how relevant a two thousand year-old book can be in our progressive, 21st century culture.
Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, (1a)
Jude is not only the brother of James, he is also the half brother of Jesus, though he does not consider himself an apostle (v. 17).
To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ: (1b)
Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. (2)
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. (3-4)
Notice the intentionality behind their actions. These are not uneducated, naive people. They are on a mission. They are secretive. They are subtle. They are godless. They change God’s grace, promote immorality, and deny Christ. They are false teachers, heretics, and liars. Have you ever encountered one? They’re all around! They take the Scriptures and twist them, distort them, and rip them out of context to be manipulated for their purposes. We should not be surprised. Satan did the exact same thing to Jesus while He was fasting in the desert for forty days.
Satan quoted Scripture!
He knows the Bible better than most of us!
The messages sound so good, so positive, so affirming, so politically correct.
“God helps those who help themselves.” Where is that in the Bible?
“God made me this way.” He created you and me, but we are all broken because of sin and The Fall, desperately in need of transformation by the power of the Holy Spirit.
“God loves everyone.” Yes He does, so much so that He wants what’s best for us which is often uncomfortable at the moment for our growth and future benefit.
“God wants me happy.” He is more concerned about Your relationship with Him and others than your temporary pleasure.
“God will forgive me.” Followers of Jesus are forgiven because of what Christ did on the cross, but that does not mean there won’t be painful consequences for our rebellion against God and others.
“God wants me rich.” He does want to bless us, but it may not be the way we envision and when we envision. His greatest blessings will be eternity with Him.
“I need to do great things for God so He will love me.” You’re already loved. We love Him and obey Him as a response because He first loved us. All of the social activism in the world won’t cause Him to love You any more than He already does.
Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home — these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. (5-7)
Jude says they already knew this, yet he offers a reminder of the consequences of sin. Tragically, many today think of Sodom and Gomorrah as an imaginary place that never existed—or worse, a place they’d like to visit. As Jude says, it was filled with sexual immorality and perversion and there are consequences—the punishment of eternal fire. The more I listen to the messages of our culture, the more it seems like we are told to seek immediate pleasure at all times. Nobody mentions responsibility, consequences, others, or even the radical idea of waiting, saving, delaying, or sacrificing now for rewards later. We not only want instant news, coffee, downloads, and entertainment, we want instant experiences, pleasures, and our every desire on demand.
Let me offer my most offensive statement of the day:
It’s not all about you!!!
I know that’s what we’re told, 24/7/365. I know it’s the prevailing message in our culture. I know every decision we make must first go through the “what’s in it for me?” filter, but it’s a lie!
The worst is when the religion of consumerism invades our relationship with God. I will love and serve God as long as He loves and serves me. I will go to church as long as I get something out of it. I will volunteer when it’s convenient and makes me feel good about myself. I’ll gladly share my leftovers of my time, talents and treasures with God if there is any!
In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals — these are the very things that destroy them. (8-10)
Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion. (11)
These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm — shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted — twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. (12-13)
Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. (14-16)
But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. (17-19)
So what?
But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. (20-21)
Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear — hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. (22-23)
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy — to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (24-25)
Conclusion
We are to guard our hearts against the devil’s schemes. They can be subtle. We need the full armor of God as we daily engage with the forces of God and the forces of evil whose mission is to steal, kill and destroy.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Overview: Jude warns believers that certain ungodly people are creeping into the church, distorting the grace of God, and denying Jesus Christ.
Introduction
Are you protected? Do you use protection? For many years we have been warned to guard against…computer viruses. They can sneak onto our computers and wreak all sorts of havoc with our valuable information—or so I’ve been told! I won’t contribute to the endless Mac versus PC debate, but I happen to know many who have had computers infected with viruses. How do they occur? It could be through software that is installed on the machine. Sometimes they are e-mail attachments that are activated when opened. It’s important to be on alert, pay attention to what you open and install on your computer, and generally a good idea to have some type of antivirus protection on your device.
Today we continue our series The Most Unread Books of The Bible, a survey of some of the least-read Bible texts according to BibleGateway.com.
We began with Jonah. Last week we looked at another prophet, Joel. Today we examine another “J”—Jude.
Jude is one of a handful of books that are comprised of a single chapter.
genre: epistle/letter
author: Jude
date: between 70 and 80 AD
to: Christians
The big idea of Jude is to be on guard against those who want to corrupt your faith and, therefore, your life. It continues to amaze me how relevant a two thousand year-old book can be in our progressive, 21st century culture.
Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, (1a)
Jude is not only the brother of James, he is also the half brother of Jesus, though he does not consider himself an apostle (v. 17).
To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ: (1b)
Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. (2)
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. (3-4)
Notice the intentionality behind their actions. These are not uneducated, naive people. They are on a mission. They are secretive. They are subtle. They are godless. They change God’s grace, promote immorality, and deny Christ. They are false teachers, heretics, and liars. Have you ever encountered one? They’re all around! They take the Scriptures and twist them, distort them, and rip them out of context to be manipulated for their purposes. We should not be surprised. Satan did the exact same thing to Jesus while He was fasting in the desert for forty days.
Satan quoted Scripture!
He knows the Bible better than most of us!
The messages sound so good, so positive, so affirming, so politically correct.
“God helps those who help themselves.” Where is that in the Bible?
“God made me this way.” He created you and me, but we are all broken because of sin and The Fall, desperately in need of transformation by the power of the Holy Spirit.
“God loves everyone.” Yes He does, so much so that He wants what’s best for us which is often uncomfortable at the moment for our growth and future benefit.
“God wants me happy.” He is more concerned about Your relationship with Him and others than your temporary pleasure.
“God will forgive me.” Followers of Jesus are forgiven because of what Christ did on the cross, but that does not mean there won’t be painful consequences for our rebellion against God and others.
“God wants me rich.” He does want to bless us, but it may not be the way we envision and when we envision. His greatest blessings will be eternity with Him.
“I need to do great things for God so He will love me.” You’re already loved. We love Him and obey Him as a response because He first loved us. All of the social activism in the world won’t cause Him to love You any more than He already does.
Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home — these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. (5-7)
Jude says they already knew this, yet he offers a reminder of the consequences of sin. Tragically, many today think of Sodom and Gomorrah as an imaginary place that never existed—or worse, a place they’d like to visit. As Jude says, it was filled with sexual immorality and perversion and there are consequences—the punishment of eternal fire. The more I listen to the messages of our culture, the more it seems like we are told to seek immediate pleasure at all times. Nobody mentions responsibility, consequences, others, or even the radical idea of waiting, saving, delaying, or sacrificing now for rewards later. We not only want instant news, coffee, downloads, and entertainment, we want instant experiences, pleasures, and our every desire on demand.
Let me offer my most offensive statement of the day:
It’s not all about you!!!
I know that’s what we’re told, 24/7/365. I know it’s the prevailing message in our culture. I know every decision we make must first go through the “what’s in it for me?” filter, but it’s a lie!
The worst is when the religion of consumerism invades our relationship with God. I will love and serve God as long as He loves and serves me. I will go to church as long as I get something out of it. I will volunteer when it’s convenient and makes me feel good about myself. I’ll gladly share my leftovers of my time, talents and treasures with God if there is any!
In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals — these are the very things that destroy them. (8-10)
Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion. (11)
These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm — shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted — twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. (12-13)
Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. (14-16)
But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. (17-19)
So what?
But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. (20-21)
Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear — hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. (22-23)
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy — to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (24-25)
Conclusion
We are to guard our hearts against the devil’s schemes. They can be subtle. We need the full armor of God as we daily engage with the forces of God and the forces of evil whose mission is to steal, kill and destroy.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Joel, 13 July 2014
14 07 14
Big Idea: The day of the Lord is coming. Are you ready?
Overview: Joel explains that a recent plague of locusts is a judgment from God and calls Judah to repent. Although God judges Judah now, He will avenge Judah of her enemies.
Introduction
The day of the LORD. Today is Sunday which many call the LORD’s day. One could make a case that every day is the LORD’s day since the psalmist wrote
“This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)
This fascinating phrase, the day of the LORD, appears several times throughout the Bible.
Last week we began our series The Most Unread Books of the Bible with a look at the book of Jonah. While the story is familiar, the book is infrequently read according to BibleGateway.com.
Joel
Last week’s lead character, Jonah, was called by God to proclaim God’s truth to the people of Nineveh.
Today we look at another prophet, Joel. He also was sent to proclaim God’s truth, but we have more details about the content of his message.
The Day of the Lord
In the Old Testament, God created Adam and Eve, saved humanity through Noah and his family in the arc, and made a covenant with Abraham to bless his offspring—the Jews—and ultimately Gentiles, too. For generations, God’s people vacillated between following God and obeying Him. Prophets were sent to urge the people to repent and follow God or face dire consequences. The day of the LORD meant the day of judgment, whether it was judgment for Israel or other nations.
The flood itself was one example of God’s judgment. Other punishments included invasions by enemy nations or even natural disasters. The book of Joel highlights one of these tragedies.
The book of Joel begins with these words
The word of the LORD that came to Joel son of Pethuel. Hear this, you elders; listen, all who live in the land. Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers? Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left other locusts have eaten. Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! Wail, all you drinkers of wine; wail because of the new wine, for it has been snatched from your lips. A nation has invaded my land, powerful and without number; it has the teeth of a lion, the fangs of a lioness. It has laid waste my vines and ruined my fig trees. It has stripped off their bark and thrown it away, leaving their branches white. Mourn like a virgin in sackcloth grieving for the husband of her youth. Grain offerings and drink offerings are cut off from the house of the LORD. The priests are in mourning, those who minister before the LORD. The fields are ruined, the ground is dried up; the grain is destroyed, the new wine is dried up, the oil fails. Despair, you farmers, wail, you vine growers; grieve for the wheat and the barley, because the harvest of the field is destroyed. The vine is dried up and the fig tree is withered; the pomegranate, the palm and the apple tree — all the trees of the field — are dried up. Surely the joy of mankind is withered away. Put on sackcloth, O priests, and mourn; wail, you who minister before the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you who minister before my God; for the grain offerings and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God. Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. Alas for that day! For the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. Has not the food been cut off before our very eyes — joy and gladness from the house of our God? The seeds are shriveled beneath the clods. The storehouses are in ruins, the granaries have been broken down, for the grain has dried up. How the cattle moan! The herds mill about because they have no pasture; even the flocks of sheep are suffering. To you, O LORD, I call, for fire has devoured the open pastures and flames have burned up all the trees of the field. Even the wild animals pant for you; the streams of water have dried up and fire has devoured the open pastures. (Joel 1)
A great plague of locusts has been unleashed on the earth as a consequence of sin and rebellion, with warnings of greater punishments.
If you’re like me you think, so what? They couldn’t stand a few locusts?
A few months ago I saw a moth in our home. It was small, easily captured, and didn’t seem to be much of a bother…until we discovered it had friends! For months we set traps to capture the dozens of flying pests that invaded our pantry and nearly every room in the house. We finally rid our home of them, but they were annoying and expensive to exterminate.
Locusts are pests like moths, but larger. They are basically grasshoppers. They look pretty cool when they are alone, but they can swarm and when they do it can be nothing short of a natural disaster.
Even small swarms may cover several square miles, and weigh thousands of tons. They eat the equivalent of their own weight in a day, and, flying at night with the wind, may cover over 300 miles! The largest known swarm covered 513,000 km², comprising approximately 12.5 trillion insects and weighing 27.5 million tons!
Wrath
Why would a kind, gentle, loving God ever send such disaster upon His children? Precisely because He loves them! Their behavior was destructive, they forgot Him, and He wanted to get their attention before they self-destructed.
God chastens those He loves, and that chastening calls people to repentance. He keeps His covenant by showing mercy—giving them warnings before punishment. He often sends prophets like Jonah and Joel to get the attention of wayward people.
Chapter one of Joel describes the immediate locust plague which lead to a call for repentance and prayer.
Chapter two is similar. It begins
Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand — (Joel 2:1)
A third scene (2:18-32) shows God’s response, returning destroyed crops and promising a future age of the Spirit.
Finally, judgment against the nations is presented, ending with God’s blessings on His forgiven people (3:17-21).
“Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her. “In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the LORD’s house and will water the valley of acacias. But Egypt will be desolate, Edom a desert waste, because of violence done to the people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood. Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations. Their bloodguilt, which I have not pardoned, I will pardon.” The LORD dwells in Zion! (Joel 3:17-21)
Joel mentions little about the details for the disobedience that led to the punishment. His audience likely knew their transgressions.
Amos is the first prophet to mention “the day of the LORD.” The pattern is commonly judgment followed by salvation. The locust is followed by the restoration of God’s people.
The Day of the LORD in the New Testament
The New Testament speaks of the day of the LORD, the second coming of Christ. Jesus came once as a little baby, but He promised to return and the coming is unexpected.
…for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. (1 Thessalonians 5:2)
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. (2 Peter 3:10)
So What?
Thousands of years ago a guy wrote about plagues followed by restoration. So what?
God hates sin.
God judges sin.
We must repent of our sins and receive His merciful forgiveness.
I can hardly go a day without hearing about a tornado, global warming, mudslides, hurricanes, famine, drought, or some other natural disaster. Wars are raging in the Middle East and beyond. Is it God’s judgment? Is it the natural consequence of sin? I have no idea, but I do know we’re all one moment, one event from catastrophe. I also know our country has had a reputation for seeking God, an idea that seems like ancient history. God judges all sin, all people, all nations.
The good news is that we all have access to mercy, forgiveness and grace not because of what we have done, but because of the death and resurrection of Jesus. All other religions are about doing things to make God love and accept us. Only the Christian faith describes a loving God who sent His son for us. Nothing you can do can make God love you more. Nothing you can do can make God love you less…but you must repent and receive the gift of grace, unmerited favor. That’s why Jesus died. That’s why we worship and celebrate, remembering the great sacrifice of God.
The great “day of the LORD” is someday in the future. It could be today. It could be tomorrow. You don’t have to subscribe to a stack of periodicals to realize our nation has been increasingly turning from God. Sin abounds, often unrepentant and even filled with pride. Judgment day is coming for all of us. Are you ready?
This is not one of those warm, happy sermons. People hated prophets because they were called to sound an alarm. So, too, I urge you to repent of your sins, get right with God, run into His arms, receive His gift of grace and mercy, and experience forgiveness and deep shalom peace.
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Oh how we need that today!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Overview: Joel explains that a recent plague of locusts is a judgment from God and calls Judah to repent. Although God judges Judah now, He will avenge Judah of her enemies.
Introduction
The day of the LORD. Today is Sunday which many call the LORD’s day. One could make a case that every day is the LORD’s day since the psalmist wrote
“This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)
This fascinating phrase, the day of the LORD, appears several times throughout the Bible.
Last week we began our series The Most Unread Books of the Bible with a look at the book of Jonah. While the story is familiar, the book is infrequently read according to BibleGateway.com.
Joel
Last week’s lead character, Jonah, was called by God to proclaim God’s truth to the people of Nineveh.
Today we look at another prophet, Joel. He also was sent to proclaim God’s truth, but we have more details about the content of his message.
The Day of the Lord
In the Old Testament, God created Adam and Eve, saved humanity through Noah and his family in the arc, and made a covenant with Abraham to bless his offspring—the Jews—and ultimately Gentiles, too. For generations, God’s people vacillated between following God and obeying Him. Prophets were sent to urge the people to repent and follow God or face dire consequences. The day of the LORD meant the day of judgment, whether it was judgment for Israel or other nations.
The flood itself was one example of God’s judgment. Other punishments included invasions by enemy nations or even natural disasters. The book of Joel highlights one of these tragedies.
The book of Joel begins with these words
The word of the LORD that came to Joel son of Pethuel. Hear this, you elders; listen, all who live in the land. Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers? Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left other locusts have eaten. Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! Wail, all you drinkers of wine; wail because of the new wine, for it has been snatched from your lips. A nation has invaded my land, powerful and without number; it has the teeth of a lion, the fangs of a lioness. It has laid waste my vines and ruined my fig trees. It has stripped off their bark and thrown it away, leaving their branches white. Mourn like a virgin in sackcloth grieving for the husband of her youth. Grain offerings and drink offerings are cut off from the house of the LORD. The priests are in mourning, those who minister before the LORD. The fields are ruined, the ground is dried up; the grain is destroyed, the new wine is dried up, the oil fails. Despair, you farmers, wail, you vine growers; grieve for the wheat and the barley, because the harvest of the field is destroyed. The vine is dried up and the fig tree is withered; the pomegranate, the palm and the apple tree — all the trees of the field — are dried up. Surely the joy of mankind is withered away. Put on sackcloth, O priests, and mourn; wail, you who minister before the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you who minister before my God; for the grain offerings and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God. Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. Alas for that day! For the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. Has not the food been cut off before our very eyes — joy and gladness from the house of our God? The seeds are shriveled beneath the clods. The storehouses are in ruins, the granaries have been broken down, for the grain has dried up. How the cattle moan! The herds mill about because they have no pasture; even the flocks of sheep are suffering. To you, O LORD, I call, for fire has devoured the open pastures and flames have burned up all the trees of the field. Even the wild animals pant for you; the streams of water have dried up and fire has devoured the open pastures. (Joel 1)
A great plague of locusts has been unleashed on the earth as a consequence of sin and rebellion, with warnings of greater punishments.
If you’re like me you think, so what? They couldn’t stand a few locusts?
A few months ago I saw a moth in our home. It was small, easily captured, and didn’t seem to be much of a bother…until we discovered it had friends! For months we set traps to capture the dozens of flying pests that invaded our pantry and nearly every room in the house. We finally rid our home of them, but they were annoying and expensive to exterminate.
Locusts are pests like moths, but larger. They are basically grasshoppers. They look pretty cool when they are alone, but they can swarm and when they do it can be nothing short of a natural disaster.
Even small swarms may cover several square miles, and weigh thousands of tons. They eat the equivalent of their own weight in a day, and, flying at night with the wind, may cover over 300 miles! The largest known swarm covered 513,000 km², comprising approximately 12.5 trillion insects and weighing 27.5 million tons!
Wrath
Why would a kind, gentle, loving God ever send such disaster upon His children? Precisely because He loves them! Their behavior was destructive, they forgot Him, and He wanted to get their attention before they self-destructed.
God chastens those He loves, and that chastening calls people to repentance. He keeps His covenant by showing mercy—giving them warnings before punishment. He often sends prophets like Jonah and Joel to get the attention of wayward people.
Chapter one of Joel describes the immediate locust plague which lead to a call for repentance and prayer.
Chapter two is similar. It begins
Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand — (Joel 2:1)
A third scene (2:18-32) shows God’s response, returning destroyed crops and promising a future age of the Spirit.
Finally, judgment against the nations is presented, ending with God’s blessings on His forgiven people (3:17-21).
“Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her. “In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the LORD’s house and will water the valley of acacias. But Egypt will be desolate, Edom a desert waste, because of violence done to the people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood. Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations. Their bloodguilt, which I have not pardoned, I will pardon.” The LORD dwells in Zion! (Joel 3:17-21)
Joel mentions little about the details for the disobedience that led to the punishment. His audience likely knew their transgressions.
Amos is the first prophet to mention “the day of the LORD.” The pattern is commonly judgment followed by salvation. The locust is followed by the restoration of God’s people.
The Day of the LORD in the New Testament
The New Testament speaks of the day of the LORD, the second coming of Christ. Jesus came once as a little baby, but He promised to return and the coming is unexpected.
…for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. (1 Thessalonians 5:2)
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. (2 Peter 3:10)
So What?
Thousands of years ago a guy wrote about plagues followed by restoration. So what?
God hates sin.
God judges sin.
We must repent of our sins and receive His merciful forgiveness.
I can hardly go a day without hearing about a tornado, global warming, mudslides, hurricanes, famine, drought, or some other natural disaster. Wars are raging in the Middle East and beyond. Is it God’s judgment? Is it the natural consequence of sin? I have no idea, but I do know we’re all one moment, one event from catastrophe. I also know our country has had a reputation for seeking God, an idea that seems like ancient history. God judges all sin, all people, all nations.
The good news is that we all have access to mercy, forgiveness and grace not because of what we have done, but because of the death and resurrection of Jesus. All other religions are about doing things to make God love and accept us. Only the Christian faith describes a loving God who sent His son for us. Nothing you can do can make God love you more. Nothing you can do can make God love you less…but you must repent and receive the gift of grace, unmerited favor. That’s why Jesus died. That’s why we worship and celebrate, remembering the great sacrifice of God.
The great “day of the LORD” is someday in the future. It could be today. It could be tomorrow. You don’t have to subscribe to a stack of periodicals to realize our nation has been increasingly turning from God. Sin abounds, often unrepentant and even filled with pride. Judgment day is coming for all of us. Are you ready?
This is not one of those warm, happy sermons. People hated prophets because they were called to sound an alarm. So, too, I urge you to repent of your sins, get right with God, run into His arms, receive His gift of grace and mercy, and experience forgiveness and deep shalom peace.
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Oh how we need that today!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Jonah, 6 July 2014
06 07 14
Big Idea: God can be trusted and obedience is His love language.
Series Introduction
Do you like books?
The Bible. It’s a great book. It’s a big book. Actually, it’s 66 books.
Over the past three and a half years since I’ve served as your pastor, we’ve examined several of these 66 books. Specifically, we have studied James, John, and Ephesians. They are all popular books found in the New Testament.
But what about the other 63? What about the Old Testament and those short New Testament books nobody every seems to talk about?
Recently a list was assembled of the least-read books of the Bible according to BibleGateway.com. This series will look at several of them, beginning with a popular story in an unpopular book…Jonah.
Most of you know the story. God sends Jonah to Nineveh, but Jonah runs from God. He's swallowed by a great fish, puked back up, and then goes to Nineveh to obey God…sorta! There’s a lot more to the book of Jonah than a whale—and there might not have even been a whale!
Before we look at the text of these books, we will briefly examine the context. This is essential when reading anything, especially the Bible. It has been said that you can make the Bible say anything you want, and that’s largely true, especially if you ignore the context, miss the big picture of the story of God, and merely extract sound bites. So here’s a little context:
First, the genre or type of literature is narrative. It tells a story. It is not poetry or a scientific textbook or a history book.
Second, the author was likely Jonah.
Third, the date of the writing is between 782 and 745 BC.
The location of the beginning is the city of Joppa.
Jonah is one of the minor prophets.
Veggie Tales made Jonah the subject of their first feature film.
Many know the main story. God tells Jonah to preach to the people of Nineveh, a wicked city but not a pagan city. They knew and worshipped God…at least they did at one point. This was not an evangelism mission to proclaim good news to unbelievers but a prophetic mission to call backslidden believers to repentance.
The story
The book of Jonah can be summarized in twenty words. Are you ready?
God decrees
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” (1:1-2)
Jonah flees
But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. (1:3)
Storms follow
Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. (1:4)
Fish swallows
But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights. (1:17)
The book of Jonah is either historical or allegorical/parabolic. For thousands of years it was believed to be a true account of actual events. In the 19th century, however, some began considering it a parable or allegory because of the alleged impossibility of surviving 3 days and nights in the belly of a fish.
It seems many now believe the events were possible and large fish—not necessarily whales—have been discovered. Some say it was a shark. There is an account of a sailor in 1758 that fell overboard in the Mediterranean and swallowed by a shark (Carcharias). Upon being hit by a cannon ball, the shark vomited out the sailor who was picked up by a boat with little injury. (Haupt: Jonah’s Whale in American Philosophical Society, vol. 46, 1907)
Some used to believe there were no whales in the Mediterranean, but sperm whales are found there and are large enough to swallow a man. The head of a giant sperm-whale may be more than 30 feet long!
I believe it is an historical account, but even if it was merely a story designed to teach like Jesus’ parables, it packs a punch! It’s also worth noting how Jesus referred to Jonah (Matt 12:38-41, Luke 11:29-30, 32).
Second chances
Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” (3:1-2)
Jonah advances
Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city — a visit required three days. (3:3)
God relents
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened. (3:10)
Now we come to the part of the story I want to emphasize.
Jonah’s lament
But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. (4:1)
Why? He hated the Ninevites. They were like Buckeyes! LOL! Seriously, though, they turned away from God and he didn’t want God to waste His love and blessings on those who abandoned the faith. It sounds a lot like the older brother in the story of the Prodigal son, doesn’t it?
Jonah is so upset about God showing grace—unmerited favor—to the Ninevites that he wants to die!
Jonah’s case
Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” (4:3)
These are strong words! Fortunately for the people of Nineveh, God wins the debate!
God’s grace
But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?” (4:11)
So What?
Jonah disobeyed, obeyed, and was angry that God was gracious (ironic!). So what?
Are you obeying God? Obedience is His love language. Obey and avoid the detour!
Are you compassionate for others? Regardless of how they look, smell, vote, talk or act, they are created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth. Jonah wanted the Ninevites destroyed. God had other ideas. It’s not our place to judge. The Great Commandment is to not only love God but to love others, and, of course, we love God by loving others.
God is in control. We are not. The book of Jonah is about God’s all-sovereign power and care. He is the God of second chances. He’s the God of mercy and grace.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Series Introduction
Do you like books?
The Bible. It’s a great book. It’s a big book. Actually, it’s 66 books.
Over the past three and a half years since I’ve served as your pastor, we’ve examined several of these 66 books. Specifically, we have studied James, John, and Ephesians. They are all popular books found in the New Testament.
But what about the other 63? What about the Old Testament and those short New Testament books nobody every seems to talk about?
Recently a list was assembled of the least-read books of the Bible according to BibleGateway.com. This series will look at several of them, beginning with a popular story in an unpopular book…Jonah.
Most of you know the story. God sends Jonah to Nineveh, but Jonah runs from God. He's swallowed by a great fish, puked back up, and then goes to Nineveh to obey God…sorta! There’s a lot more to the book of Jonah than a whale—and there might not have even been a whale!
Before we look at the text of these books, we will briefly examine the context. This is essential when reading anything, especially the Bible. It has been said that you can make the Bible say anything you want, and that’s largely true, especially if you ignore the context, miss the big picture of the story of God, and merely extract sound bites. So here’s a little context:
First, the genre or type of literature is narrative. It tells a story. It is not poetry or a scientific textbook or a history book.
Second, the author was likely Jonah.
Third, the date of the writing is between 782 and 745 BC.
The location of the beginning is the city of Joppa.
Jonah is one of the minor prophets.
Veggie Tales made Jonah the subject of their first feature film.
Many know the main story. God tells Jonah to preach to the people of Nineveh, a wicked city but not a pagan city. They knew and worshipped God…at least they did at one point. This was not an evangelism mission to proclaim good news to unbelievers but a prophetic mission to call backslidden believers to repentance.
The story
The book of Jonah can be summarized in twenty words. Are you ready?
God decrees
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” (1:1-2)
Jonah flees
But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. (1:3)
Storms follow
Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. (1:4)
Fish swallows
But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights. (1:17)
The book of Jonah is either historical or allegorical/parabolic. For thousands of years it was believed to be a true account of actual events. In the 19th century, however, some began considering it a parable or allegory because of the alleged impossibility of surviving 3 days and nights in the belly of a fish.
It seems many now believe the events were possible and large fish—not necessarily whales—have been discovered. Some say it was a shark. There is an account of a sailor in 1758 that fell overboard in the Mediterranean and swallowed by a shark (Carcharias). Upon being hit by a cannon ball, the shark vomited out the sailor who was picked up by a boat with little injury. (Haupt: Jonah’s Whale in American Philosophical Society, vol. 46, 1907)
Some used to believe there were no whales in the Mediterranean, but sperm whales are found there and are large enough to swallow a man. The head of a giant sperm-whale may be more than 30 feet long!
I believe it is an historical account, but even if it was merely a story designed to teach like Jesus’ parables, it packs a punch! It’s also worth noting how Jesus referred to Jonah (Matt 12:38-41, Luke 11:29-30, 32).
Second chances
Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” (3:1-2)
Jonah advances
Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city — a visit required three days. (3:3)
God relents
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened. (3:10)
Now we come to the part of the story I want to emphasize.
Jonah’s lament
But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. (4:1)
Why? He hated the Ninevites. They were like Buckeyes! LOL! Seriously, though, they turned away from God and he didn’t want God to waste His love and blessings on those who abandoned the faith. It sounds a lot like the older brother in the story of the Prodigal son, doesn’t it?
Jonah is so upset about God showing grace—unmerited favor—to the Ninevites that he wants to die!
Jonah’s case
Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” (4:3)
These are strong words! Fortunately for the people of Nineveh, God wins the debate!
God’s grace
But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?” (4:11)
So What?
Jonah disobeyed, obeyed, and was angry that God was gracious (ironic!). So what?
Are you obeying God? Obedience is His love language. Obey and avoid the detour!
Are you compassionate for others? Regardless of how they look, smell, vote, talk or act, they are created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth. Jonah wanted the Ninevites destroyed. God had other ideas. It’s not our place to judge. The Great Commandment is to not only love God but to love others, and, of course, we love God by loving others.
God is in control. We are not. The book of Jonah is about God’s all-sovereign power and care. He is the God of second chances. He’s the God of mercy and grace.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Great Commission Sunday, 22 June 2014
24 06 14
Big Idea: We are all called to make disciples.
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20)
We are on a mission. The church doesn’t have a mission. The mission has a church! The mission includes a commission—a command, an order, an assignment.
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
so that God is glorified.
To learn more about Great Commission Sunday including two videos and how to give, click here.
We are all called to make disciples. How? Time, talents and treasures.
Time: pray, build relationships online and in person, serve our global missionaries
Talents: go overseas short-term or long-term, study, serve in and through Scio & C&MA
Treasures: give financially (offering later)
Please pray for recent Global Missions Conference guests:
- the Volstads
- the Hanscomes
- The Careys
Please also pray for the Burns family, transitioning from an overseas assignment to a domestic one.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20)
We are on a mission. The church doesn’t have a mission. The mission has a church! The mission includes a commission—a command, an order, an assignment.
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
- serving our communities
- sharing our story
- sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
To learn more about Great Commission Sunday including two videos and how to give, click here.
We are all called to make disciples. How? Time, talents and treasures.
Time: pray, build relationships online and in person, serve our global missionaries
Talents: go overseas short-term or long-term, study, serve in and through Scio & C&MA
Treasures: give financially (offering later)
Please pray for recent Global Missions Conference guests:
- the Volstads
- the Hanscomes
- The Careys
Please also pray for the Burns family, transitioning from an overseas assignment to a domestic one.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Loneliness, 8 June 2014
09 06 14
Big Idea: We are never alone, must embrace that reality, and ensure others are loved and connected.
There are droves of lonely people in the church, and that includes senior pastors and priests. The isolation comes from a lack of identification and identification comes through open communication. When we can be vulnerable and honest with one another, we understand each other in a profound way.
A lonely person may walk in to a church alone and leave alone each Sunday. Although they appreciate the free coffee and donuts the fellowship hall offers, what they really want is fellowship. Taking time to get to know the people around you and then reaching out to them outside of the church will allow for a greater, more stable community.
Of course, every church is different and while one church may be stronger in one area, it may be weaker in others. These are just a few issues that we as the Church Body need to be willing to address. And as we talk about them, we must remember to address them with humility, understanding and grace, keeping in mind our role as fellow hospital patients, not museum curators.
(from http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/church/5-uncomfortable-issues-church-needs-start-talking-about)
Introduction
What is the one factor that produces happiness in people? According to a recent study it is the presence of rich, deep, meaningful relationships.
This should come as no surprise. Let’s go back—way back.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (Genesis 1:26)
God exists in community. God said let us make man in our image. Although we worship one God—unlike many polytheistic religions of the world—God exists in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and the often neglected God the Holy Spirit. One of our most precious hymns vibrantly declares this theological truth:
“God in three Persons/Blessed Trinity” (Holy, Holy, Holy)
God exists in community. I can’t entirely explain it, but there God is community. God is all about relationships.
If you don’t believe me, turn a page or two to day six of the creation account in Genesis 2.
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18)
The only thing that was not good during creation was a single man. It is not good for man to be alone! It is not good for woman to be alone.
Is it any wonder that loneliness can be so devastating?
“Ah look at all the lonely people.” - Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles
Recent Studies on Loneliness
If I had time, I could cite a barrage of research that indicates the negative effects of loneliness. It can affect our overall well-being. Disconnected, lonely people are more prone to an early death.
Elderly people without adequate social interaction were twice as likely to die prematurely as those with friends.
The increased mortality risk is similar to that of smoking and twice as dangerous as obesity.
http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000316
While loneliness is hardly new in our culture, it is growing. In the 1980’s about 20% of USAmericans were categorized as lonely.
One study of those 45 and older revealed 37% of men and 34% of women were lonely, though the older one got the less lonely they felt.
The percentage of lonely people has nearly doubled since the 80’s.
http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/general/loneliness_2010.pdf
How can this be when we are connected with cell phones, text, e-mail, video chat, and, of course, Facebook? After all, I have over one thousand Facebook friends so I couldn’t possibly ever experience loneliness. Right?!
A recent study of Facebook users found the more time you spend on Facebook, the less happy you feel throughout the day.
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0069841#s2
Are you lonely?
The Loneliness Quiz (based upon the UCLA Loneliness Scale; http://psychcentral.com/quizzes/loneliness.htm)
Even if you scored low, there is no guarantee you will never feel lonely. Let’s face it, there are seasons of life during which we feel more lonely than others. I have certainly felt more lonely since my relationship with my dad began to erode with his terminal dementia.
One study said 90% of men don’t have a true friend. That’s far more than a season. I must confess other than my wife, my best friend has lived in Delaware for more than twenty years. I cherish my relationship with him and we’ve been together at least once every single year, yet sometimes I wonder why I’ve been unable to establish such a relationship with someone local in more than two decades.
If you’re feeling lonely, you’re in good company with me, King David, and probably every person that has ever breathed air—including Jesus.
In our remaining time together I want to present three things:
Jesus understands loneliness
If you are lonely today, Jesus understands. Really.
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3)
Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20; Luke 9:58)
No matter how lonely you have felt, none of us have experienced the ultimate loneliness Jesus experienced on the cross—for us. Not only was He alone above the crowds (except for the two thieves hanging beside Him), He encountered the most horrific of all loneliness: separation from God.
About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” — which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34; this was a quote of Psalm 22:1)
Hell is eternal separation from God and others. It is ground zero for loneliness.
Jesus suffered my hell for me that I might one day enjoy His heaven with Him.
Jesus knows loneliness.
Jesus is with us in the midst of our loneliness
The final words of Jesus recorded by Matthew as Christ ascends into heaven are
…surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)
God said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5b; see Deuteronomy 31:6)
I realize it’s very possible to be lonely even though you know God is with you, but let’s face it, sometimes it’s hard to acknowledge something you can’t see.
For example, right now there are dozens and possibly hundreds of messages being sent to you and me. Can you hear them? Can you see them? Perhaps not, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t here. You can deny such waves exist, but that doesn’t make them go away. What we need, in fact, is a receiver to fully appreciate these messages. Any radio or television will allow us to tune in to these invisible waves.
If Jesus walked into this room or any room in which you find yourself lonely, would you be less lonely? Of course!
Jesus said something interesting when He left our planet.
But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)
Jesus is not here in this room in the flesh, but God is here. The Holy Spirit of God was unleashed on our planet about two thousand years ago and dwells within all believers. When we receive Jesus, we get the Holy Spirit, too.
If you are a Christ-follower, declare God’s truth over the lies of the enemy. Satan wants us lonely, depressed, and discouraged. We can’t threaten his agenda of death and destruction when we are consumed with our own sadness.
I’m not saying fake it and put on a happy face, but I am saying we need to know and speak the truth. If God is for us, who can be against us? We need to claim the authority we have in Jesus and the promises of God and acknowledge the presence of God with us. The Bible is like our radio or television, helping us see the reality of Emmanuel, God with us.
But if God was enough, there was no need to create Eve. Adam had God in the Garden of Eden, yet God said it was not good.
We need one another.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to wipe out loneliness
Look around the room. This is your family. I know, some of us are strange, but we’re all related by blood, the blood of Jesus. God has given us two simple yet daunting commands:
If we truly devoted ourselves to one another, I wonder how often we would be lonely. If we got beyond ourselves and intentionally reached out to one another, would it even be possible to be lonely?!
Perhaps the problem isn’t the people in this room but it’s you. Maybe you’ve refused the invitations of others into deeper fellowship. When did you stop trusting people? Many have been so hurt by others that they build walls to protect themselves from being hurt again. Does that describe you? I’m not saying it’s easy, but I urge you to be vulnerable. Be honest. Open up. Trust. It may not be the entire church, but what would happen if you took a risk and shared something with your Life Group or even one or two people? Last Sunday David Hobson courageously shared with our entire church his struggles, and doing so encourages us to respond to him with our story.
“You can only be loved to the extent that you're known.” That’s intimacy. I believe many are lonely because they’ve not let anyone in. I urge you to try…again. You might want to begin with a professional, biblical counselor. Family Counseling and Samaritan Counseling are two local centers that I’ve experienced. Their contact information:
Family Counseling 734.477.9999 (quality Biblical counseling)
Samaritan Counseling 734.677.0609 (quality Biblical counseling)
Eileen Aveni, ema@ndzh.com (quality Biblical counseling)
Another great loneliness killer is serving others. Volunteer at Hope Clinic or another area non-profit. Serving others takes the focus off of ourselves and our pain and frequently opens new relationships to us.
A Challenge
Scio Community Church, I want to urge you to intentionally welcome the stranger(s) among us. As followers of Jesus, we are called to wipe out loneliness. How can we love our neighbor if we ignore them. I’m not suggesting we harass them (!), but as we have said in recent days, people aren’t looking for a friendly church. They are looking for friends. As we have guests, we must do more than shake their hand and smile, though that’s a good start. The only way we are going to see new people join our family is if we get out of our comfort zones and seek relationships with them. Here are a few simple things you can do any Sunday:
Scio, we offer one of the greatest things people today are seeking—relationships! Our annual theme is connect and we’ve been called by God to connect people up to Him, in to one another, and out to our world.
The Bible is filled with exhortations regarding hospitality which is welcoming the stranger. Why? Because God is all about relationships. Are we?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
There are droves of lonely people in the church, and that includes senior pastors and priests. The isolation comes from a lack of identification and identification comes through open communication. When we can be vulnerable and honest with one another, we understand each other in a profound way.
A lonely person may walk in to a church alone and leave alone each Sunday. Although they appreciate the free coffee and donuts the fellowship hall offers, what they really want is fellowship. Taking time to get to know the people around you and then reaching out to them outside of the church will allow for a greater, more stable community.
Of course, every church is different and while one church may be stronger in one area, it may be weaker in others. These are just a few issues that we as the Church Body need to be willing to address. And as we talk about them, we must remember to address them with humility, understanding and grace, keeping in mind our role as fellow hospital patients, not museum curators.
(from http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/church/5-uncomfortable-issues-church-needs-start-talking-about)
Introduction
What is the one factor that produces happiness in people? According to a recent study it is the presence of rich, deep, meaningful relationships.
This should come as no surprise. Let’s go back—way back.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (Genesis 1:26)
God exists in community. God said let us make man in our image. Although we worship one God—unlike many polytheistic religions of the world—God exists in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and the often neglected God the Holy Spirit. One of our most precious hymns vibrantly declares this theological truth:
“God in three Persons/Blessed Trinity” (Holy, Holy, Holy)
God exists in community. I can’t entirely explain it, but there God is community. God is all about relationships.
If you don’t believe me, turn a page or two to day six of the creation account in Genesis 2.
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18)
The only thing that was not good during creation was a single man. It is not good for man to be alone! It is not good for woman to be alone.
Is it any wonder that loneliness can be so devastating?
“Ah look at all the lonely people.” - Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles
Recent Studies on Loneliness
If I had time, I could cite a barrage of research that indicates the negative effects of loneliness. It can affect our overall well-being. Disconnected, lonely people are more prone to an early death.
Elderly people without adequate social interaction were twice as likely to die prematurely as those with friends.
The increased mortality risk is similar to that of smoking and twice as dangerous as obesity.
http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000316
While loneliness is hardly new in our culture, it is growing. In the 1980’s about 20% of USAmericans were categorized as lonely.
One study of those 45 and older revealed 37% of men and 34% of women were lonely, though the older one got the less lonely they felt.
The percentage of lonely people has nearly doubled since the 80’s.
http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/general/loneliness_2010.pdf
How can this be when we are connected with cell phones, text, e-mail, video chat, and, of course, Facebook? After all, I have over one thousand Facebook friends so I couldn’t possibly ever experience loneliness. Right?!
A recent study of Facebook users found the more time you spend on Facebook, the less happy you feel throughout the day.
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0069841#s2
Are you lonely?
The Loneliness Quiz (based upon the UCLA Loneliness Scale; http://psychcentral.com/quizzes/loneliness.htm)
Even if you scored low, there is no guarantee you will never feel lonely. Let’s face it, there are seasons of life during which we feel more lonely than others. I have certainly felt more lonely since my relationship with my dad began to erode with his terminal dementia.
One study said 90% of men don’t have a true friend. That’s far more than a season. I must confess other than my wife, my best friend has lived in Delaware for more than twenty years. I cherish my relationship with him and we’ve been together at least once every single year, yet sometimes I wonder why I’ve been unable to establish such a relationship with someone local in more than two decades.
If you’re feeling lonely, you’re in good company with me, King David, and probably every person that has ever breathed air—including Jesus.
In our remaining time together I want to present three things:
- Jesus understands loneliness
- Jesus is with us in the midst of our loneliness
- As followers of Jesus, we are called to wipe out loneliness
Jesus understands loneliness
If you are lonely today, Jesus understands. Really.
- - man of sorrows
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3)
- - homeless
Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20; Luke 9:58)
- - betrayed by one of His disciples, Judas
- - one of His closest friends, Peter, denied Him three times
- - His best friends deserted Him in the hour of His greatest need in the Garden of Gethsemane prior to His arrest (Matthew 26; Mark 14)
- - He was tempted in every way and this included isolation (Hebrews 4:15)
No matter how lonely you have felt, none of us have experienced the ultimate loneliness Jesus experienced on the cross—for us. Not only was He alone above the crowds (except for the two thieves hanging beside Him), He encountered the most horrific of all loneliness: separation from God.
About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” — which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34; this was a quote of Psalm 22:1)
Hell is eternal separation from God and others. It is ground zero for loneliness.
Jesus suffered my hell for me that I might one day enjoy His heaven with Him.
Jesus knows loneliness.
Jesus is with us in the midst of our loneliness
The final words of Jesus recorded by Matthew as Christ ascends into heaven are
…surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)
God said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5b; see Deuteronomy 31:6)
I realize it’s very possible to be lonely even though you know God is with you, but let’s face it, sometimes it’s hard to acknowledge something you can’t see.
For example, right now there are dozens and possibly hundreds of messages being sent to you and me. Can you hear them? Can you see them? Perhaps not, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t here. You can deny such waves exist, but that doesn’t make them go away. What we need, in fact, is a receiver to fully appreciate these messages. Any radio or television will allow us to tune in to these invisible waves.
If Jesus walked into this room or any room in which you find yourself lonely, would you be less lonely? Of course!
Jesus said something interesting when He left our planet.
But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)
Jesus is not here in this room in the flesh, but God is here. The Holy Spirit of God was unleashed on our planet about two thousand years ago and dwells within all believers. When we receive Jesus, we get the Holy Spirit, too.
If you are a Christ-follower, declare God’s truth over the lies of the enemy. Satan wants us lonely, depressed, and discouraged. We can’t threaten his agenda of death and destruction when we are consumed with our own sadness.
I’m not saying fake it and put on a happy face, but I am saying we need to know and speak the truth. If God is for us, who can be against us? We need to claim the authority we have in Jesus and the promises of God and acknowledge the presence of God with us. The Bible is like our radio or television, helping us see the reality of Emmanuel, God with us.
But if God was enough, there was no need to create Eve. Adam had God in the Garden of Eden, yet God said it was not good.
We need one another.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to wipe out loneliness
Look around the room. This is your family. I know, some of us are strange, but we’re all related by blood, the blood of Jesus. God has given us two simple yet daunting commands:
- - love Him
- - love others
If we truly devoted ourselves to one another, I wonder how often we would be lonely. If we got beyond ourselves and intentionally reached out to one another, would it even be possible to be lonely?!
Perhaps the problem isn’t the people in this room but it’s you. Maybe you’ve refused the invitations of others into deeper fellowship. When did you stop trusting people? Many have been so hurt by others that they build walls to protect themselves from being hurt again. Does that describe you? I’m not saying it’s easy, but I urge you to be vulnerable. Be honest. Open up. Trust. It may not be the entire church, but what would happen if you took a risk and shared something with your Life Group or even one or two people? Last Sunday David Hobson courageously shared with our entire church his struggles, and doing so encourages us to respond to him with our story.
“You can only be loved to the extent that you're known.” That’s intimacy. I believe many are lonely because they’ve not let anyone in. I urge you to try…again. You might want to begin with a professional, biblical counselor. Family Counseling and Samaritan Counseling are two local centers that I’ve experienced. Their contact information:
Family Counseling 734.477.9999 (quality Biblical counseling)
Samaritan Counseling 734.677.0609 (quality Biblical counseling)
Eileen Aveni, ema@ndzh.com (quality Biblical counseling)
Another great loneliness killer is serving others. Volunteer at Hope Clinic or another area non-profit. Serving others takes the focus off of ourselves and our pain and frequently opens new relationships to us.
A Challenge
Scio Community Church, I want to urge you to intentionally welcome the stranger(s) among us. As followers of Jesus, we are called to wipe out loneliness. How can we love our neighbor if we ignore them. I’m not suggesting we harass them (!), but as we have said in recent days, people aren’t looking for a friendly church. They are looking for friends. As we have guests, we must do more than shake their hand and smile, though that’s a good start. The only way we are going to see new people join our family is if we get out of our comfort zones and seek relationships with them. Here are a few simple things you can do any Sunday:
- Invite them to Life Group following our worship gathering
- Invite them to lunch after Life Group
- Invite them to coffee this week
- Get their phone or e-mail, if appropriate, and contact them
- Invite them to your home for a meal or party
Scio, we offer one of the greatest things people today are seeking—relationships! Our annual theme is connect and we’ve been called by God to connect people up to Him, in to one another, and out to our world.
The Bible is filled with exhortations regarding hospitality which is welcoming the stranger. Why? Because God is all about relationships. Are we?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Addiction, 1 June 2014
04 06 14
Big Idea: We are all addicted to sin and need God’s grace.
At AA meetings and therapy sessions, talking about addiction makes sense, but for some reason, it's not a topic most church people want to hear about. Certain addictions are definitely more socially acceptable to talk about than others. For example, it's OK to bug Frank about his smoking, but John's alcoholism is more hush-hush.
And yes, in many churches, a person's addictions can become fodder for gossip. However, if the Church were to first approach one another as family, then addicts in the Church might feel safer to be vulnerable about their struggles. Often, they just need to be loved and feel safe enough to know they can expose this part of themselves in a community where the addiction isn't crushing them every second.
(from http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/church/5-uncomfortable-issues-church-needs-start-talking-about)
Introduction
One of the assumptions of this series is many—if not all—of us struggle with life in ways we’re not always comfortable in sharing. Is it acceptable to discuss sex with other Christians? What about mental illness or doubt? Today we explore the subject of addiction.
What comes to mind when you think of an addict?
For many, they think of a drug addict or alcoholic (which is also a drug addict since alcohol is a drug). Perhaps you thought of someone addicted to gambling or food or porn. Yet a confession by myself—or any Christian, for that matter—that I was addicted to drugs or porn or gambling would probably affect how you viewed me. As the Relevant magazine article states:
At AA meetings and therapy sessions, talking about addiction makes sense, but for some reason, it's not a topic most church people want to hear about. Certain addictions are definitely more socially acceptable to talk about than others. For example, it's OK to bug Frank about his smoking, but John's alcoholism is more hush-hush.
The number one word to describe Scio Community Church is “family.” The magazine article continues:
And yes, in many churches, a person's addictions can become fodder for gossip. However, if the Church were to first approach one another as family, then addicts in the Church might feel safer to be vulnerable about their struggles. Often, they just need to be loved and feel safe enough to know they can expose this part of themselves in a community where the addiction isn't crushing them every second.
I’m ashamed to announce that I am an addict…of sin. While I battle all sorts of sins and am tempted in countless ways, I’m especially prone to the root of all sins—pride. Hopefully I hide it well but I compare myself to people; I judge some and feel like an underachiever around others.
How do you know you are addicted to something? When it controls you.
The most common addictions in the USA, according to one report, are
It has been said that we are most vulnerable to desire and temptation when we are HALT:
Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired
Both the Old and New Testament declare we all sin. None of us is perfect. None is righteous. We all struggle with the holy and righteous standard God requires.
Jesus’ half brother wrote…
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:13-15)
There is a clear progression: temptation > desire > sin > death
We are all addicted to sin, anything that keeps us from God. You might be struggling with what I call a capital A addiction like drugs or gambling or a small a addiction which is any number of sins for which there are no 12-step groups. It could be pride, selfishness, materialism, white lies, gossip, or even fear. Yes, fear. The most common command in the Bible is “fear not.” It occurs 366 times, one for every day of the year including leap year!
The solution to dealing with sin is not to try harder. Sure, you may be able to improve your life, do less bad stuff, and feel less guilty, but the reality is we all sin. We’re all messed up. We all desperately need help.
The reality is we are all broken and need healing. I want to encourage you to do one simple yet difficult thing. This is really the only way to deal with addiction or sin. Die!
That is, of course, what Jesus did. He died for us. He invites us to die, too. Die of our pride. Die of our self. Die so that paradoxically we might come alive. He said
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. (Mark 8:34-35)
There is a spiritual principle here, but also a physical one. Jesus is saying that we need to die in order to truly live in HIm.
The image of baptism is so rich. I love baptisms! The significance is that of a water grave. We put to death our old, human, broken self and then are resurrected to new life with Jesus Christ.
Paul, the most prolific author of the New Testament in the Bible wrote
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
This may sound odd at first. In order to truly know Christ, we must die.
He also wrote
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. (Colossians 3:5)
It doesn’t say to manage your sin, try harder, or do better. He says to die.
Addicts can’t begin recovery until they first admit they have a problem.
Sinners can’t begin recovery until they admit they have a problem...sin!
But first we must die!
“Oh, but I don’t really need to die. I can just remodel my life a bit,“ you say. No. Die. This is why there are so many people that call themselves Christians and so few that truly look like Jesus. We must die first.
A few years ago I was driving on Washtenaw and I noticed something missing... a McDonald’s! They demolished the entire restaurant and built a new one. Most builders will tell you it’s much easier to start from scratch than it is to remodel, and that’s why Jesus said to die.
He wants nothing short of total surrender. Some of you are still hanging on to your past, your secret sins, your security, your money, your habits...He wants total surrender. We must be broken. Brokenness is painful, but it’s wonderful.
We must die, but when we do, God does great things.
One of the most important things we can do in dying and surrender is to give up control. I often say I cannot control another person, and I struggle enough trying to control myself.
The Serenity Prayer offers a powerful declaration of surrender. It says…
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
The more we die, the more Jesus can truly live in and through us. Amazingly…
God loves to use broken pots.
Too often the church is a place for condemnation rather than grace and forgiveness. As David said in the video, addicts need encouragement and support, not judgment and shame.
We are all broken and in need of healing and grace as sin addicts.
Paul wrote to the church in Corinth…
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (2 Corinthians 4:7)
But we must first be broken. We must first surrender. We must first die...and then we can truly live.
I want to invite and challenge you to die. Die to your flesh. Die to your desires, hopes and dreams. Surrender your time, talents and treasures to the One we call LORD. For Him to truly be LORD and for us to truly be free from sin and addiction we must surrender all to Jesus. He set the ultimate example for us when He willingly surrendered His life for us.
The beauty of dying to ourselves is how it frees us and allows us to be resurrected with Christ. Grace—unmerited favor—is generously offered. Forgiveness is lavished upon us.
Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good; He came to make dead people alive.
We are made new. Paul declared…
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
There is hope!
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. (Psalm 40:2-4)
One of the most effective tools for fighting addiction is a program called Celebrate Recovery (www.celebraterecovery.com). Similar to twelve-step groups, it clearly identifies the “higher power” as God. Here are the eight principles from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5):
1. Realize I’m not God. I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable.
“Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor.”
2. Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the pose to help me recover.
“Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
3. Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control.
“Happy are the meek.”
4. Openly examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust.
“Happy are the pure in heart.”
5. Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects.
“Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires.”
6. Evaluate all my relationships. Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others, except when to do so would harm them or others.
“Happy are the peacemakers.”
7. Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will.
8. Yield myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and by my words.
“Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires.”
Effective June 1, 2014, Celebrate Recovery is being offered on Tuesdays at 6:30 PM at Ann Arbor Church of the Nazarene on Packard Road in Ann Arbor.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
At AA meetings and therapy sessions, talking about addiction makes sense, but for some reason, it's not a topic most church people want to hear about. Certain addictions are definitely more socially acceptable to talk about than others. For example, it's OK to bug Frank about his smoking, but John's alcoholism is more hush-hush.
And yes, in many churches, a person's addictions can become fodder for gossip. However, if the Church were to first approach one another as family, then addicts in the Church might feel safer to be vulnerable about their struggles. Often, they just need to be loved and feel safe enough to know they can expose this part of themselves in a community where the addiction isn't crushing them every second.
(from http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/church/5-uncomfortable-issues-church-needs-start-talking-about)
Introduction
One of the assumptions of this series is many—if not all—of us struggle with life in ways we’re not always comfortable in sharing. Is it acceptable to discuss sex with other Christians? What about mental illness or doubt? Today we explore the subject of addiction.
What comes to mind when you think of an addict?
For many, they think of a drug addict or alcoholic (which is also a drug addict since alcohol is a drug). Perhaps you thought of someone addicted to gambling or food or porn. Yet a confession by myself—or any Christian, for that matter—that I was addicted to drugs or porn or gambling would probably affect how you viewed me. As the Relevant magazine article states:
At AA meetings and therapy sessions, talking about addiction makes sense, but for some reason, it's not a topic most church people want to hear about. Certain addictions are definitely more socially acceptable to talk about than others. For example, it's OK to bug Frank about his smoking, but John's alcoholism is more hush-hush.
The number one word to describe Scio Community Church is “family.” The magazine article continues:
And yes, in many churches, a person's addictions can become fodder for gossip. However, if the Church were to first approach one another as family, then addicts in the Church might feel safer to be vulnerable about their struggles. Often, they just need to be loved and feel safe enough to know they can expose this part of themselves in a community where the addiction isn't crushing them every second.
I’m ashamed to announce that I am an addict…of sin. While I battle all sorts of sins and am tempted in countless ways, I’m especially prone to the root of all sins—pride. Hopefully I hide it well but I compare myself to people; I judge some and feel like an underachiever around others.
How do you know you are addicted to something? When it controls you.
The most common addictions in the USA, according to one report, are
- alcohol
- smoking
- drugs
- gambling
- food
- video games
- Internet
- sex
- shopping
- work
It has been said that we are most vulnerable to desire and temptation when we are HALT:
Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired
Both the Old and New Testament declare we all sin. None of us is perfect. None is righteous. We all struggle with the holy and righteous standard God requires.
Jesus’ half brother wrote…
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:13-15)
There is a clear progression: temptation > desire > sin > death
We are all addicted to sin, anything that keeps us from God. You might be struggling with what I call a capital A addiction like drugs or gambling or a small a addiction which is any number of sins for which there are no 12-step groups. It could be pride, selfishness, materialism, white lies, gossip, or even fear. Yes, fear. The most common command in the Bible is “fear not.” It occurs 366 times, one for every day of the year including leap year!
The solution to dealing with sin is not to try harder. Sure, you may be able to improve your life, do less bad stuff, and feel less guilty, but the reality is we all sin. We’re all messed up. We all desperately need help.
The reality is we are all broken and need healing. I want to encourage you to do one simple yet difficult thing. This is really the only way to deal with addiction or sin. Die!
That is, of course, what Jesus did. He died for us. He invites us to die, too. Die of our pride. Die of our self. Die so that paradoxically we might come alive. He said
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. (Mark 8:34-35)
There is a spiritual principle here, but also a physical one. Jesus is saying that we need to die in order to truly live in HIm.
The image of baptism is so rich. I love baptisms! The significance is that of a water grave. We put to death our old, human, broken self and then are resurrected to new life with Jesus Christ.
Paul, the most prolific author of the New Testament in the Bible wrote
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
This may sound odd at first. In order to truly know Christ, we must die.
He also wrote
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. (Colossians 3:5)
It doesn’t say to manage your sin, try harder, or do better. He says to die.
Addicts can’t begin recovery until they first admit they have a problem.
Sinners can’t begin recovery until they admit they have a problem...sin!
But first we must die!
“Oh, but I don’t really need to die. I can just remodel my life a bit,“ you say. No. Die. This is why there are so many people that call themselves Christians and so few that truly look like Jesus. We must die first.
A few years ago I was driving on Washtenaw and I noticed something missing... a McDonald’s! They demolished the entire restaurant and built a new one. Most builders will tell you it’s much easier to start from scratch than it is to remodel, and that’s why Jesus said to die.
He wants nothing short of total surrender. Some of you are still hanging on to your past, your secret sins, your security, your money, your habits...He wants total surrender. We must be broken. Brokenness is painful, but it’s wonderful.
We must die, but when we do, God does great things.
One of the most important things we can do in dying and surrender is to give up control. I often say I cannot control another person, and I struggle enough trying to control myself.
The Serenity Prayer offers a powerful declaration of surrender. It says…
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
The more we die, the more Jesus can truly live in and through us. Amazingly…
God loves to use broken pots.
Too often the church is a place for condemnation rather than grace and forgiveness. As David said in the video, addicts need encouragement and support, not judgment and shame.
We are all broken and in need of healing and grace as sin addicts.
Paul wrote to the church in Corinth…
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (2 Corinthians 4:7)
But we must first be broken. We must first surrender. We must first die...and then we can truly live.
I want to invite and challenge you to die. Die to your flesh. Die to your desires, hopes and dreams. Surrender your time, talents and treasures to the One we call LORD. For Him to truly be LORD and for us to truly be free from sin and addiction we must surrender all to Jesus. He set the ultimate example for us when He willingly surrendered His life for us.
The beauty of dying to ourselves is how it frees us and allows us to be resurrected with Christ. Grace—unmerited favor—is generously offered. Forgiveness is lavished upon us.
Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good; He came to make dead people alive.
We are made new. Paul declared…
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
There is hope!
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. (Psalm 40:2-4)
One of the most effective tools for fighting addiction is a program called Celebrate Recovery (www.celebraterecovery.com). Similar to twelve-step groups, it clearly identifies the “higher power” as God. Here are the eight principles from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5):
1. Realize I’m not God. I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable.
“Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor.”
2. Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the pose to help me recover.
“Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
3. Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control.
“Happy are the meek.”
4. Openly examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust.
“Happy are the pure in heart.”
5. Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects.
“Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires.”
6. Evaluate all my relationships. Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others, except when to do so would harm them or others.
“Happy are the peacemakers.”
7. Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will.
8. Yield myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and by my words.
“Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires.”
Effective June 1, 2014, Celebrate Recovery is being offered on Tuesdays at 6:30 PM at Ann Arbor Church of the Nazarene on Packard Road in Ann Arbor.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Mental Illness, 18 May 2014
19 05 14
Big Idea: Mental illness has many of the same causes, cures, and complexities as physical ailments. We are holistic creatures and, therefore, our mind, body and soul are not disconnected but interrelated.
Special Guest: Eileen Aveni presented this week’s message. Her notes can be found here.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Special Guest: Eileen Aveni presented this week’s message. Her notes can be found here.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Honor, Mother's Day 2014
12 05 14
May 11, 2014
Big Idea: Parents are special, worthy of respect, love, obedience…and honor
Introduction
Happy Mother’s Day! This is a day of great celebration for some and sorry for others. Because it is a family day, it is a day of reflection upon those mothers who have passed away and buying or making gifts for those with us. It can be an emotional day. It can be a complicated day. One thing is for sure: each one of us has had a mother who labored in giving birth to us and, in most instances, raising us.
I want to talk about the Ten Commandments. When you think of God’s Top Ten List, what is the first command that comes to mind?
I want us to spend a few moments reflecting upon Command 5. It’s not a “thou shalt not” command, but rather a positive, affirming command with a promise.
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12)
We rarely use the word honor in our culture. It almost seem old-fashioned, unless it refers to someone in the military. The original Hebrew word, kabed, means “to be heavy, to be wealthy, honored, glorified, renowned, substantial.”
The Ten Commandments appear in Exodus 20 and again in Deuteronomy 5 where it says
“Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you. (Deuteronomy 5:16)
Don’t miss the promise: “that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is given you.” What land? This is God’s promise to the people of Israel as they prepare to enter the Promised Land after a forty year journey through the wilderness. This idea of honoring dad and mom is a really big deal!
Sometimes people mistakenly dismiss the Old Testament as somehow unimportant. They call themselves “New Testament Christians” and rarely turn to the front of their Bible. You cannot understand the New Testament without knowing the Old. It’s like walking into the second act of a play, having no clue about act one. Today, by the way, we are living in act three of God’s story…HiStory.
On several occasions Jesus referred to the Ten Commandments. Matthew and Mark both recorded His words:
For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ (Matthew 15:4)
For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ (Mark 7:10)
Did you catch the penalty for cursing or dishonoring dad or mom? Death!
Have you ever thought of that?!
The question of the day is how do we honor mothers? This is not always simple.
How do you honor an abusive mother?
How do you honor a deceased mother?
How do you honor an estranged mother?
How do you honor a mother you never knew?
Perhaps you may think your mother is not worthy of honor or glory.
We recently studied Paul’s instructions to the church in the city of Ephesus and beyond. He wrote
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” — which is the first commandment with a promise —“that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:1-3)
Here we see honor connected to obedience and a reminder of the promise. This gives us a hint at what is meant by the word honor.
Perhaps you may think your mother is not worthy of obedience. You may disagree with her instructions.
As we noted last week, God created man and woman and commanded them to be fruitful and multiply. Marriage and the family was God’s idea. When His commands are followed, we are able to flourish and thrive, experiencing joy, peace, and satisfaction. Tragically, sin affects all families and relationships, fighting against God’s design and seeking to steal, kill and destroy the abundant life God intends for each of us to encounter.
I’m reminded of another of Paul’s writings, one of my favorite verses:
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:17-21)
Notice it says, “as far as it depends on you” live at peace with everyone. We have an obligation to do our part, but can never control another.
As much as it depends on you, obey God’s commands.
As much as it depends on you, show honor and respect to your parents.
As much as it depends on you, seek reconciliation in broken relationships.
As much as it depends on you, live a life worth following, bringing honor to your family, your family’s name, and God.
For those of you with great, living moms, express your love and appreciation for them. Give them a hug, kiss them, tell them how much they mean to you, make a gift for them, or the greatest thing of all…buy them chocolate!!!
If mom is distant, call her or video chat with her. Visit her. Write a letter.
If your mom is no longer living, you can still write a letter, say a prayer, tell others about her, or reflect upon her life, thank God for the life she gave you, and live a life that would honor her.
Moms, how have you been honored by your children?
Children, how have you honored your mom?
Legacy
I often think about generations of families passing a baton from one generation to the next. If your baton was broken, ask God to bring healing and holy duct tape to it in order to provide a solid baton to the next generation. It’s never too late to begin a legacy of faith, hope and love even if it was never a part of your heritage.
As you may know, yesterday I had the privilege of honoring my dad by doing his funeral. It was one of the most important moments of my life as I desperately wanted to celebrate and pay tribute to the most influential man in my life, a great godly man that influenced so many lives, even during his many years of failing mental and physical health. While I worked hard to say the right words to pay homage to his life, the greater work begins today by my actions. I want not only my words but my life to bring honor to my dad…my mom…and my heavenly Father. What about you?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Big Idea: Parents are special, worthy of respect, love, obedience…and honor
Introduction
Happy Mother’s Day! This is a day of great celebration for some and sorry for others. Because it is a family day, it is a day of reflection upon those mothers who have passed away and buying or making gifts for those with us. It can be an emotional day. It can be a complicated day. One thing is for sure: each one of us has had a mother who labored in giving birth to us and, in most instances, raising us.
I want to talk about the Ten Commandments. When you think of God’s Top Ten List, what is the first command that comes to mind?
I want us to spend a few moments reflecting upon Command 5. It’s not a “thou shalt not” command, but rather a positive, affirming command with a promise.
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12)
We rarely use the word honor in our culture. It almost seem old-fashioned, unless it refers to someone in the military. The original Hebrew word, kabed, means “to be heavy, to be wealthy, honored, glorified, renowned, substantial.”
The Ten Commandments appear in Exodus 20 and again in Deuteronomy 5 where it says
“Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you. (Deuteronomy 5:16)
Don’t miss the promise: “that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is given you.” What land? This is God’s promise to the people of Israel as they prepare to enter the Promised Land after a forty year journey through the wilderness. This idea of honoring dad and mom is a really big deal!
Sometimes people mistakenly dismiss the Old Testament as somehow unimportant. They call themselves “New Testament Christians” and rarely turn to the front of their Bible. You cannot understand the New Testament without knowing the Old. It’s like walking into the second act of a play, having no clue about act one. Today, by the way, we are living in act three of God’s story…HiStory.
On several occasions Jesus referred to the Ten Commandments. Matthew and Mark both recorded His words:
For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ (Matthew 15:4)
For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ (Mark 7:10)
Did you catch the penalty for cursing or dishonoring dad or mom? Death!
Have you ever thought of that?!
The question of the day is how do we honor mothers? This is not always simple.
How do you honor an abusive mother?
How do you honor a deceased mother?
How do you honor an estranged mother?
How do you honor a mother you never knew?
Perhaps you may think your mother is not worthy of honor or glory.
We recently studied Paul’s instructions to the church in the city of Ephesus and beyond. He wrote
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” — which is the first commandment with a promise —“that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:1-3)
Here we see honor connected to obedience and a reminder of the promise. This gives us a hint at what is meant by the word honor.
Perhaps you may think your mother is not worthy of obedience. You may disagree with her instructions.
As we noted last week, God created man and woman and commanded them to be fruitful and multiply. Marriage and the family was God’s idea. When His commands are followed, we are able to flourish and thrive, experiencing joy, peace, and satisfaction. Tragically, sin affects all families and relationships, fighting against God’s design and seeking to steal, kill and destroy the abundant life God intends for each of us to encounter.
I’m reminded of another of Paul’s writings, one of my favorite verses:
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:17-21)
Notice it says, “as far as it depends on you” live at peace with everyone. We have an obligation to do our part, but can never control another.
As much as it depends on you, obey God’s commands.
As much as it depends on you, show honor and respect to your parents.
As much as it depends on you, seek reconciliation in broken relationships.
As much as it depends on you, live a life worth following, bringing honor to your family, your family’s name, and God.
For those of you with great, living moms, express your love and appreciation for them. Give them a hug, kiss them, tell them how much they mean to you, make a gift for them, or the greatest thing of all…buy them chocolate!!!
If mom is distant, call her or video chat with her. Visit her. Write a letter.
If your mom is no longer living, you can still write a letter, say a prayer, tell others about her, or reflect upon her life, thank God for the life she gave you, and live a life that would honor her.
Moms, how have you been honored by your children?
Children, how have you honored your mom?
Legacy
I often think about generations of families passing a baton from one generation to the next. If your baton was broken, ask God to bring healing and holy duct tape to it in order to provide a solid baton to the next generation. It’s never too late to begin a legacy of faith, hope and love even if it was never a part of your heritage.
As you may know, yesterday I had the privilege of honoring my dad by doing his funeral. It was one of the most important moments of my life as I desperately wanted to celebrate and pay tribute to the most influential man in my life, a great godly man that influenced so many lives, even during his many years of failing mental and physical health. While I worked hard to say the right words to pay homage to his life, the greater work begins today by my actions. I want not only my words but my life to bring honor to my dad…my mom…and my heavenly Father. What about you?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Sex, 4 May 2014
07 05 14
Big Idea: God loves sex. He created it! Like fire, it is beautiful within its proper boundaries and potentially deadly beyond.
Several months ago I came across an article entitled, “5 uncomfortable issues the church needs to talk about.” I read those words as a challenge! The article reads:
It has been said that the Church is not a museum of saints, but a hospital for sinners. Yet, most of us would much rather pretend to be a saint on display than call for an ambulance.
Week after week, many of us walk into a church, sit by people we have known for years and yet would never dream of sharing our innermost struggles with. While a large part of this is our pride, another factor is a Church that seems unwilling to talk about certain uncomfortable issues, choosing rather to ignore them, try to cover them up or simply reject people who bring them up.
There are many issues the Church as a whole needs to address, such as creationism, activism, environmental stewardship and many others. But there are many more issues that individuals in the Church are dealing with—issues that the Church Body should be talking about. In Galatians 6:2, Paul urged the Church to "Bear each other's burdens," so maybe with more grace and love we can turn on the light in the darkened rooms of each other’s hearts and let our churches become safe havens for the uncomfortable things we have to deal with.
Many of these issues need to be dealt with professionally first. But that should not be the end of it. Research shows just listening to someone and showing them you genuinely care for their situation can be a huge part of that person's healing process.
This is far from a comprehensive list—these are a few of the issues many people in churches around the world are dealing with, whether they admit it or not. And as people increasingly leave the Church, often over issues such as these, it is becoming more urgent that the Church talk about how to care for every one of its members.
The list includes doubt, loneliness, mental illness, addiction, and today’s topic, sexuality.
This series may frustrate you because we can’t fully unpack such important and challenging issues in thirty minutes. I hope to acknowledge the subject and provide resources for further study (see below). Once again, this will not be a comprehensive presentation but hopefully a starting point on a very important subject churches often fail to address. Tragically, our world never fails to address this issue of sexuality…and they are messed up! John 10:10 says
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
As we said a few weeks ago, we are in a battle. We have a real enemy who wants to steal, kill, and destroy you, me, our families, our planet. He cannot create anything. He can only distort and destroy that which God has made.
The contrast between God’s view of money and the world’s view is stark.
The contrast between God’s view of power and the world’s view is stark.
The contrast between God’s view of sexuality and the world’s view is stark.
Following Jesus is a radical endeavor! What I’m about to say may sound old-fashioned. It is. It’s about 6000 years old…and it still works today!!!
The Bible is the story of God. History is His story. While we are included, it’s not about us. It’s about God. God was in the beginning (John 1:1-2)
In the beginning God… (Genesis 1:1)
In the beginning God created… (Genesis 1:1)
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
As the song says, this is my Father’s world. He created it. He entrusted its care to us, but it is not ours.
2. God creates human beings in His image.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him… (Genesis 1:27a)
That is one of the greatest truths in the Bible. God created us in His image. We’re not junk! We’re not an accident! Every human has value, dignity and worth. Every human!
3. God creates human beings in His image as two distinct genders, male and female.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)
Male and female are different…by design. By God’s design.
When one of my kids was little, I began the sexuality conversation by asking what’s different about boys and girls. This child said, “Girls have long hair and boys have short hair!”
We are different, and it’s just our bodies that are different. We are wired completely differently. Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus! It’s easy to see this in the toys children enjoy and the way they communicate.
Men and women complement one another (yes, they can compliment one another, too!).
Our differences create challenges and conflicts, but those grow and shape us.
Men, don’t try to be women. Women, don’t try to be men. God created you male or female and He wants you to flourish in your gender, in your sexuality.
One of the reasons people are so confused about their sexuality is we are bombarded with messages that say we’re the same. We should wear the same clothes. We should wear the same cologne. We should act identically.
Men and women are not the same. Men and women are equivalent!
One dozen is not the same as twelve, but they are equivalent.
Four quarters is not the same as two halves, but they are equivalent.
God created male and female different. We are both equally important and loved. We are to celebrate and enjoy our differences, and there are many!
4. God’s commanded our ancestors to reproduce.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” (Genesis 1:28a)
Be fruitful and multiply. Have babies!
One flesh. Leave and cleave.
Sex was God’s idea. It was a command! Just do it! With one caveat.
5. Sex is like fire.
Several years ago I was talking to one of my children near our fireplace. I said, “Sex is like this fire.” I wish you could’ve seen the response!
When the fire remains within the boundary of the fireplace, it brings great warmth and beauty to our home.
However, if the same fire were to go beyond the fireplace, even a few inches, it would consumer our house in flames and destroy everything in its path.
The same is true for sex. Within marriage, sex is a beautiful gift from God. Outside of marriage, sex can be a destructive act, not only potentially leading to unplanned pregnancy or diseases but also permanent memories and scars. It can literally kill you.
I’ve often thought of sex as somewhat unique from other sins. When is murder acceptable? When is stealing acceptable? When is idolatry acceptable? When is sex acceptable? On the wedding day and beyond, but not a day sooner.
Why? It’s a powerful force. God created it for marriage, literally bringing together a husband and wife. Our bodies are beautifully designed to fit together, and doing so causes a sacred bond, like glue, making the two become one.
I wish I had time to read through the Song of Solomon this morning. It is the romance book of the Bible and gets quite steamy. Some prudes have said it’s nothing more than a metaphor for Jesus and the Church. WRONG! There may be parallels, but it is love poetry and required reading for every married person…and singles, too (but be careful!).
Paul wrote these words to the church in Corinth:
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. (1 Corinthian 6:15-17)
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
Finally…
6. We are to glorify God with our bodies
We just read that we are to honor God with our bodies.
If you are single, glorify God with your body.
If you are married, glorify God with your body.
Tragically, I’ve known too many singles who misuse sex and don’t glorify God with their bodies. They’ve bought the lie that their “pursuit of happiness” is life’s highest priority and ignore the boundaries of marriage established by God. The fire leaves the fireplace.
Tragically, I’ve known too many married people who misuse sex and don’t glorify God with their bodies. They have selfishly demanded from their spouse or withdrawn from their spouse and become selfish with their bodies rather than recognizing God delights when husband and wife surrender themselves to one another. They seek intimacy through pornography, flirting at the office, or fantasy rather than pursuing their life partner and intentionally creating time and space for mutual submission, love and pleasure.
Paul, again speaking to the church in Corinth wrote:
The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. (1 Corinthians 7:3-5)
Translation: married people should have great sex…with one another! This honors God.
Years ago I served at a church in Chicagoland and the pastor did a sermon series on worship. One of his messages was about worship in the bedroom. His premise was when a husband and wife come together to serve one another, it is a sacred act of worship.
I have never thought of worship the same ever since!!!
Seriously, though, we are to glory God with our bodies.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. (Romans 12:1)
Conclusion
God created sex. It’s His idea. He created us male and female to compliment one another, to procreate, to bond a husband and wife, and for pleasure in marriage. Like fire, it can destroy or delight. Few topics are more important. If you’re married, I pray you will have a fantastic sex life, serving one another. If you are single, I pray you will honor God with your body, too. This is a challenge for all of us in our sex-crazed, sex-confused culture.
Many of you here and listening online may be feeling guilt and shame at this moment. Know that forgiveness if available. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. From this day forward, you can honor God with your body.
One More Thing
Some religions are so sensitive about male/female relationships that they avoid any relationship with members of the opposite sex. This is far from the teachings of scripture. So how now shall we live? How do we treat one another?
Paul says as siblings.
Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. (1 Timothy 5:1-2)
For those of you dating, this is a great approach. That’s not to say a dating couple should never kiss—though I had a friend in college that saved his first kiss for his wedding day…and they courted for more than five years! I’m not suggested a kiss is necessarily inappropriate for a dating couple, but we are to treat one another as siblings. After all, we are a family…and we’re all related by blood…Jesus’ blood.
Recommended Resources For Further Study by Married Couples
Sheet Music: Uncovering the Secrets of Sexual Intimacy in Marriage by Kevin Leman
A Celebration Of Sex: A Guide to Enjoying God's Gift of Sexual Intimacy by Douglas Rosenau
Intended for Pleasure: Sex Technique and Sexual Fulfillment in Christian Marriage by Wheat M.D., Ed, Gaye Wheat and Dennis Rainey
What Wives Wish their Husbands Knew about Sex: A Guide for Christian Men by Richard Rupp, Ryan Howes, and Stephen Ph. D. Simpson
http://www.cwives.com
http://www.themarriagebed.com
Recommended Resources For Further Study by Singles (note: I have not read these but they look valuable)
The Sacred Search: What If It's Not about Who You Marry, But Why? by Gary Thomas
Sex and the Single Christian Girl: Fighting for Purity in a Rom-Com World by Marian Jordan Ellis
The Single Christian: Your Sassy Saved Single Girl's Guide to Sex, Dating & Relationship A series of encouragement... by Loria Hubbard
Praying for Your Future Husband: Preparing Your Heart for His by Robin Jones Gunn aRobin Jones Gunn and Tricia Goyer
Every Single Woman's Battle: Guarding Your Heart and Mind Against Sexual and Emotional Compromise by Shannon Ethridge
Every Man's Battle: Every Man's Guide to Winning the War on Sexual Temptation One Victory at a Time by Stephen Arterburn, Fred Stoeker and Mike Yorkey
Boundaries in Dating: How Healthy Choices Grow Healthy Relationships by Henry Cloud and John Townsend
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Several months ago I came across an article entitled, “5 uncomfortable issues the church needs to talk about.” I read those words as a challenge! The article reads:
It has been said that the Church is not a museum of saints, but a hospital for sinners. Yet, most of us would much rather pretend to be a saint on display than call for an ambulance.
Week after week, many of us walk into a church, sit by people we have known for years and yet would never dream of sharing our innermost struggles with. While a large part of this is our pride, another factor is a Church that seems unwilling to talk about certain uncomfortable issues, choosing rather to ignore them, try to cover them up or simply reject people who bring them up.
There are many issues the Church as a whole needs to address, such as creationism, activism, environmental stewardship and many others. But there are many more issues that individuals in the Church are dealing with—issues that the Church Body should be talking about. In Galatians 6:2, Paul urged the Church to "Bear each other's burdens," so maybe with more grace and love we can turn on the light in the darkened rooms of each other’s hearts and let our churches become safe havens for the uncomfortable things we have to deal with.
Many of these issues need to be dealt with professionally first. But that should not be the end of it. Research shows just listening to someone and showing them you genuinely care for their situation can be a huge part of that person's healing process.
This is far from a comprehensive list—these are a few of the issues many people in churches around the world are dealing with, whether they admit it or not. And as people increasingly leave the Church, often over issues such as these, it is becoming more urgent that the Church talk about how to care for every one of its members.
The list includes doubt, loneliness, mental illness, addiction, and today’s topic, sexuality.
This series may frustrate you because we can’t fully unpack such important and challenging issues in thirty minutes. I hope to acknowledge the subject and provide resources for further study (see below). Once again, this will not be a comprehensive presentation but hopefully a starting point on a very important subject churches often fail to address. Tragically, our world never fails to address this issue of sexuality…and they are messed up! John 10:10 says
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
As we said a few weeks ago, we are in a battle. We have a real enemy who wants to steal, kill, and destroy you, me, our families, our planet. He cannot create anything. He can only distort and destroy that which God has made.
The contrast between God’s view of money and the world’s view is stark.
The contrast between God’s view of power and the world’s view is stark.
The contrast between God’s view of sexuality and the world’s view is stark.
Following Jesus is a radical endeavor! What I’m about to say may sound old-fashioned. It is. It’s about 6000 years old…and it still works today!!!
- In the beginning God…
The Bible is the story of God. History is His story. While we are included, it’s not about us. It’s about God. God was in the beginning (John 1:1-2)
In the beginning God… (Genesis 1:1)
In the beginning God created… (Genesis 1:1)
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
As the song says, this is my Father’s world. He created it. He entrusted its care to us, but it is not ours.
2. God creates human beings in His image.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him… (Genesis 1:27a)
That is one of the greatest truths in the Bible. God created us in His image. We’re not junk! We’re not an accident! Every human has value, dignity and worth. Every human!
3. God creates human beings in His image as two distinct genders, male and female.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)
Male and female are different…by design. By God’s design.
When one of my kids was little, I began the sexuality conversation by asking what’s different about boys and girls. This child said, “Girls have long hair and boys have short hair!”
We are different, and it’s just our bodies that are different. We are wired completely differently. Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus! It’s easy to see this in the toys children enjoy and the way they communicate.
Men and women complement one another (yes, they can compliment one another, too!).
Our differences create challenges and conflicts, but those grow and shape us.
Men, don’t try to be women. Women, don’t try to be men. God created you male or female and He wants you to flourish in your gender, in your sexuality.
One of the reasons people are so confused about their sexuality is we are bombarded with messages that say we’re the same. We should wear the same clothes. We should wear the same cologne. We should act identically.
Men and women are not the same. Men and women are equivalent!
One dozen is not the same as twelve, but they are equivalent.
Four quarters is not the same as two halves, but they are equivalent.
God created male and female different. We are both equally important and loved. We are to celebrate and enjoy our differences, and there are many!
4. God’s commanded our ancestors to reproduce.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” (Genesis 1:28a)
Be fruitful and multiply. Have babies!
One flesh. Leave and cleave.
Sex was God’s idea. It was a command! Just do it! With one caveat.
5. Sex is like fire.
Several years ago I was talking to one of my children near our fireplace. I said, “Sex is like this fire.” I wish you could’ve seen the response!
When the fire remains within the boundary of the fireplace, it brings great warmth and beauty to our home.
However, if the same fire were to go beyond the fireplace, even a few inches, it would consumer our house in flames and destroy everything in its path.
The same is true for sex. Within marriage, sex is a beautiful gift from God. Outside of marriage, sex can be a destructive act, not only potentially leading to unplanned pregnancy or diseases but also permanent memories and scars. It can literally kill you.
I’ve often thought of sex as somewhat unique from other sins. When is murder acceptable? When is stealing acceptable? When is idolatry acceptable? When is sex acceptable? On the wedding day and beyond, but not a day sooner.
Why? It’s a powerful force. God created it for marriage, literally bringing together a husband and wife. Our bodies are beautifully designed to fit together, and doing so causes a sacred bond, like glue, making the two become one.
I wish I had time to read through the Song of Solomon this morning. It is the romance book of the Bible and gets quite steamy. Some prudes have said it’s nothing more than a metaphor for Jesus and the Church. WRONG! There may be parallels, but it is love poetry and required reading for every married person…and singles, too (but be careful!).
Paul wrote these words to the church in Corinth:
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. (1 Corinthian 6:15-17)
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
Finally…
6. We are to glorify God with our bodies
We just read that we are to honor God with our bodies.
If you are single, glorify God with your body.
If you are married, glorify God with your body.
Tragically, I’ve known too many singles who misuse sex and don’t glorify God with their bodies. They’ve bought the lie that their “pursuit of happiness” is life’s highest priority and ignore the boundaries of marriage established by God. The fire leaves the fireplace.
Tragically, I’ve known too many married people who misuse sex and don’t glorify God with their bodies. They have selfishly demanded from their spouse or withdrawn from their spouse and become selfish with their bodies rather than recognizing God delights when husband and wife surrender themselves to one another. They seek intimacy through pornography, flirting at the office, or fantasy rather than pursuing their life partner and intentionally creating time and space for mutual submission, love and pleasure.
Paul, again speaking to the church in Corinth wrote:
The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. (1 Corinthians 7:3-5)
Translation: married people should have great sex…with one another! This honors God.
Years ago I served at a church in Chicagoland and the pastor did a sermon series on worship. One of his messages was about worship in the bedroom. His premise was when a husband and wife come together to serve one another, it is a sacred act of worship.
I have never thought of worship the same ever since!!!
Seriously, though, we are to glory God with our bodies.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. (Romans 12:1)
Conclusion
God created sex. It’s His idea. He created us male and female to compliment one another, to procreate, to bond a husband and wife, and for pleasure in marriage. Like fire, it can destroy or delight. Few topics are more important. If you’re married, I pray you will have a fantastic sex life, serving one another. If you are single, I pray you will honor God with your body, too. This is a challenge for all of us in our sex-crazed, sex-confused culture.
Many of you here and listening online may be feeling guilt and shame at this moment. Know that forgiveness if available. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. From this day forward, you can honor God with your body.
One More Thing
Some religions are so sensitive about male/female relationships that they avoid any relationship with members of the opposite sex. This is far from the teachings of scripture. So how now shall we live? How do we treat one another?
Paul says as siblings.
Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. (1 Timothy 5:1-2)
For those of you dating, this is a great approach. That’s not to say a dating couple should never kiss—though I had a friend in college that saved his first kiss for his wedding day…and they courted for more than five years! I’m not suggested a kiss is necessarily inappropriate for a dating couple, but we are to treat one another as siblings. After all, we are a family…and we’re all related by blood…Jesus’ blood.
Recommended Resources For Further Study by Married Couples
Sheet Music: Uncovering the Secrets of Sexual Intimacy in Marriage by Kevin Leman
A Celebration Of Sex: A Guide to Enjoying God's Gift of Sexual Intimacy by Douglas Rosenau
Intended for Pleasure: Sex Technique and Sexual Fulfillment in Christian Marriage by Wheat M.D., Ed, Gaye Wheat and Dennis Rainey
What Wives Wish their Husbands Knew about Sex: A Guide for Christian Men by Richard Rupp, Ryan Howes, and Stephen Ph. D. Simpson
http://www.cwives.com
http://www.themarriagebed.com
Recommended Resources For Further Study by Singles (note: I have not read these but they look valuable)
The Sacred Search: What If It's Not about Who You Marry, But Why? by Gary Thomas
Sex and the Single Christian Girl: Fighting for Purity in a Rom-Com World by Marian Jordan Ellis
The Single Christian: Your Sassy Saved Single Girl's Guide to Sex, Dating & Relationship A series of encouragement... by Loria Hubbard
Praying for Your Future Husband: Preparing Your Heart for His by Robin Jones Gunn aRobin Jones Gunn and Tricia Goyer
Every Single Woman's Battle: Guarding Your Heart and Mind Against Sexual and Emotional Compromise by Shannon Ethridge
Every Man's Battle: Every Man's Guide to Winning the War on Sexual Temptation One Victory at a Time by Stephen Arterburn, Fred Stoeker and Mike Yorkey
Boundaries in Dating: How Healthy Choices Grow Healthy Relationships by Henry Cloud and John Townsend
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Best Kept Secret, Resurrection Sunday 2014
21 04 14
April 20, 2014
Big Idea: Jesus is alive but does anyone really know? If you’ve encountered Jesus, you cannot keep Him to yourself. Love isn’t love until you give it away.
Introduction
Happy Resurrection Sunday! He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Pray
You know the story. You know why we celebrate. Just to summarize the events of the past few days that we have commemorated, the Apostle’s Creed states that Jesus
Suffered under Pontius Pilate
was crucified
dead and buried
He descended into hell
The third day he rose again from the dead
We serve a living Savior who is in the world today. Jesus is alive!!!
So what? What does the resurrection mean to you?
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. (Matthew 28:1)
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. (Matthew 28:2-4)
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” (Matthew 28:5-7)
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. (Matthew 28:8)
Best Kept Secret
How does it feel when someone tells you a secret? Can you keep a secret?
One phrase I’ve often heard people use to describe a business is “the best kept secret in town.” Have you ever said or heard that about a business? What business? Why?
One of the primary fields within business is marketing. One of my undergraduate degrees is in marketing. What is marketing? According to Wikipedia it is “the process of communicating the value of a product or service to customers, for the purpose of selling that product or service.” Communicating value. What are some tools used in marketing to communicate value? Billboards, television commercials, spam e-mails, radio spots, newspaper ads, storefront signs, product placement in a movie, direct mail postcards…
What is the most effective form of marketing? Word of mouth!
If a business is the best kept secret in town, there are only a few possible reasons:
In a recent survey, people tell an average of nine people about a good experience and sixteen about a poor one.
(http://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/article/183007/Survey-Twice-as-many-people-tell-others-about-bad-service-than-good)
With social media, it’s possible to communicate with more people than ever. A simple Facebook or Twitter post praising or trashing a company can impact countless others.
Here’s the point: nobody wants to be the best kept secret in town—unless they are doing something illegal! If you have a great restaurant, you want the world to know. If you sell Amway or Pampered Chef or Mary Kay you want to make sure your friends know to buy from you. If you have a chiropractic office, you want the community to be aware of the health benefits they can experience under your care.
Marketing Jesus?
Many have balked at the idea of marketing Jesus. He’s not a business or a product to be sold. Remember the definition of marketing? Communicating value.
Do you value Jesus? Do you value His love? Do you value the sacrifice He made dying on the cross for you?
I believe Jesus Christ is the best-kept secret in town. It should not be!
You may think, “Everyone knows about Jesus,” but that’s simply not true. Many think they know about Jesus, but are there understandings correct?
A few years ago a group of churches in our region got together to form EACH: Everyone A Chance to Hear. The goal was and remains to allow every man, woman and child in southeastern Michigan to hear about Jesus—the real story.
The goal has not been to get everyone in the area to attend church, pray a prayer, or give money. The goal is simply to give everyone a chance to hear about Jesus, to receive an invitation to follow Jesus which they can choose to accept or reject.
Good News
Sharing Jesus is not selling Jesus. It’s not a consumerist exercise. It is sharing good news.
Everyone likes good news. Unfortunately, what is good for one person is not always perceived as good for another.
For example, I love the Philadelphia Phillies (they play baseball!). When I was a boy our family took a trip out east to visit the 13 Original Colonies. George Washington and Ben Franklin were among my boyhood heroes and my favorite city was Philadelphia, home of the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. That same summer I started getting interested in sports and collecting baseball cards and being the strange kid that I was—am!—I adopted Philadelphia’s sports teams as my favorites (I cheer for my Detroit home teams, too).
If I told you the Phillies won their game last night (they did/didn’t), would that be good news to you? Probably not. It would be great news to me…and the more you get to know and love me, the more you may grow interested in the Phillies. Over time, she has gotten to know me, the things and people I love, and is now a raging fan of the Fightin’ Phils! In my dreams!
Several weeks ago I was at the greenroom and I realized two friends of mine, Vince and Brad, had never met. Knowing they both played guitar, loved music, and had a passion for the poor, I was thrilled to introduce them to one another. You might call me a matchmaker, in a sense, and it brought me great joy to see them connect.
Sharing our faith is not about selling a product. It’s about introducing friends. It’s about introducing our best friend, Jesus, to those we know and love. It’s about sharing our story—His story—and encouraging others to journey with us toward knowing, loving, serving and obeying the One who demonstrated what it means to be truly human.
If you can’t get excited about Jesus, you’ve never truly encountered Him. You can’t know Jesus and not be changed. For many of us, it happened so long ago we can’t remember life without Him and we take Him for granted.
Meanwhile, our world is messed up, desperately searching for answers to life’s most challenging questions regarding purpose, meaning, peace, contentment and joy.
If you know Jesus and you keep Him to yourself, you are selfish! There, I said it! Good news is meant to be shared!
Why is sharing the good news of Jesus so much more difficult than talking about our favorite sports team, announcing a new job, or sending out party invitations?
1. Never discuss politics or religion. The problem with such discussions is they usually become debates with a winner and loser rather than a dialogue that seeks to build on common ground and further a relationship.
2. Fear of rejection. It might happen. In many parts of the world, merely talking about Jesus can get you arrested or even killed. We enjoy immense freedoms in this nation…and most of us take them for granted. You might get rejected. Jesus was rejected. There is a price to pay in following Jesus, but it is SO worth it!
Some of you have heard this quote:
“Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.”
Do you know who said it? There is a legend that states it was said by St. Francis of Assisi, but it is, in fact, just a legend. St. Francis never said such a thing because it is simply impossible to preach the Gospel without words. The Gospel is inherently verbal, and preaching the Gospel is inherently verbal behavior.
It is true that our credibility is vital. Some have said we are the only Bible many will ever read. One of the greatest objections people have with Christianity is how so-called Christians live and behave.
Let’s face it, Christians don’t have a great reputation in our culture, especially in Ann Arbor. We’re associated with hate, hypocrisy, and politics far more than faith, hope and love. We can change that. We MUST change that. We do it by living out our faith every day. We’re not perfect examples, but we’re living examples. When we screw up, we admit it, say we’re sorry, and seek forgiveness.
In some instances, our lives will be so radical, people will ask what’s different about our lives. Peter, one of Jesus’ closest friends, said
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:15-16)
Of course, if we only spend time with Christians, it’s tough. Have you ever told someone some exciting news only to discover they already knew! Ugh!
Friends, we must Love the lost. The word “lost” sounds negative, but Jesus used it. Perhaps you want to call it not-yet-found! We must know people that don’t know Jesus. Who do you know that is far from God. Love them. This is an area in which I struggle. I say that I love lost people, but I have few friends in my life that do not follow Jesus. I am striving to be more intentional about building friendships with non-Christians. Being a pastor can be an occupational hazard!
Then Pray for the lost. Last week we looked at these words from Paul in the book of Ephesians:
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)
Some people are afraid to talk about Jesus because they might not say the right things. There are two reasons not everyone on the planet follows Jesus:
When we talk about Jesus, we can address objection one and often deal with objection two as well. Do they really know the Jesus of the Bible or just the aroma of religious people? We’re dealing with spiritual realities. It’s important to know the Bible, but few follow Jesus because someone answered all of their intellectual questions. Most just get to know Jesus and discover His plans, love, and will are far better than our own.
We are not called to be sales people sent to get people to pray a prayer. We have been sent on a mission to seek and save the lost. We offer a compelling invitation and leave it up to the Holy Spirit of God to guide them to accept it. The greatest miracle is not when the sick are healed or the crippled can walk but when a sinner surrenders their life to Jesus. We can’t make that happen; we can only extend the invitation.
Talk with the lost. I did not say talk to them! We have two ears and one mouth. Listen. Inquire. One of my favorite questions is, “Where are you at on your spiritual journey?” You might ask simply, “Do you believe in God?” and ask why or why not. The goal is not necessarily to get them to repent on the spot and surrender their life to Jesus! The objective is to invite others to meet Jesus and take one step toward Him. It might be the defining moment or it might be an opportunity for one of many barriers between them and God to be removed. Actions may speak louder than words, but we need words, too. What do you say? Tell your story. That’s one of the best parts of baptism—hearing before and after stories. Nobody can argue with your story.
“I was blind but now I see.” (John 9:25b)
“Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and violent man, I was shown mercy. (1 Timothy 1:13a)
“I was depressed and suicidal and Jesus has given me purpose and hope.”
“I was addicted and out of control and now I have peace in my life.”
What has God done in your life? Anything? If so, share it!
Give to the lost. I don’t mean money; I mean ourselves and our community. Following Jesus is not a solo effort but a team activity, a family experience. Throw parties, inviting Christians and not-yet-Christians to connect. Tell people about our weekly gatherings where others like myself can join you in teaching others about the truths of God’s Word, the Bible. Without time and energy, no relationship can survive, much less thrive.
Welcome to the Family
This is all about family. Without babies, families will eventually die. Jesus’ message was simple: love God and love our neighbor. He said as we go about our lives to make disciples, and there’s nothing more loving than living like Jesus and inviting others to join us on the journey. It’s not about morality, rules, or organized religion. It’s about being a family on mission, living lives filled with faith, hope and love.
I believe as our world gets more chaotic, the search for meaning and purpose is only going to increase. We have an incredible opportunity to invite others to join us on the journey, to join us as adopted children of our Creator God in following our big brother Jesus who died and rose again to give us life—radical, abundant life now and forever (John 10:10).
Conclusion
A few weeks ago as I was walking into one of my favorite stores I saw “Store Closing” signs everywhere. I was saddened to learn this great business will soon be gone. Perhaps it was the best kept secret in town and, although I shopped there frequently, I rarely told others about my good experiences.
Good news must be shared.
It’s one thing to remain quiet about a store or restaurant but quite another to be silent about the greatest news ever, the love of God. John 3:16 says
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Jesus did not die just for us. He died for the world.
Jesus was not raised from the dead just for us. He was raised for the world.
But how can people call for help if they don’t know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven’t heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? (Romans 10:14, The Message)
We have good news. We’ve got great news! Don’t keep it to yourself. Let’s share it!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Big Idea: Jesus is alive but does anyone really know? If you’ve encountered Jesus, you cannot keep Him to yourself. Love isn’t love until you give it away.
Introduction
Happy Resurrection Sunday! He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Pray
You know the story. You know why we celebrate. Just to summarize the events of the past few days that we have commemorated, the Apostle’s Creed states that Jesus
Suffered under Pontius Pilate
was crucified
dead and buried
He descended into hell
The third day he rose again from the dead
We serve a living Savior who is in the world today. Jesus is alive!!!
So what? What does the resurrection mean to you?
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. (Matthew 28:1)
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. (Matthew 28:2-4)
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” (Matthew 28:5-7)
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. (Matthew 28:8)
Best Kept Secret
How does it feel when someone tells you a secret? Can you keep a secret?
One phrase I’ve often heard people use to describe a business is “the best kept secret in town.” Have you ever said or heard that about a business? What business? Why?
One of the primary fields within business is marketing. One of my undergraduate degrees is in marketing. What is marketing? According to Wikipedia it is “the process of communicating the value of a product or service to customers, for the purpose of selling that product or service.” Communicating value. What are some tools used in marketing to communicate value? Billboards, television commercials, spam e-mails, radio spots, newspaper ads, storefront signs, product placement in a movie, direct mail postcards…
What is the most effective form of marketing? Word of mouth!
If a business is the best kept secret in town, there are only a few possible reasons:
- The product or service is mediocre, despite the owner’s opinion!
- Few people have experienced the product or service so few can communicate.
- The people that have experienced the product or service don’t tell others.
In a recent survey, people tell an average of nine people about a good experience and sixteen about a poor one.
(http://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/article/183007/Survey-Twice-as-many-people-tell-others-about-bad-service-than-good)
With social media, it’s possible to communicate with more people than ever. A simple Facebook or Twitter post praising or trashing a company can impact countless others.
Here’s the point: nobody wants to be the best kept secret in town—unless they are doing something illegal! If you have a great restaurant, you want the world to know. If you sell Amway or Pampered Chef or Mary Kay you want to make sure your friends know to buy from you. If you have a chiropractic office, you want the community to be aware of the health benefits they can experience under your care.
Marketing Jesus?
Many have balked at the idea of marketing Jesus. He’s not a business or a product to be sold. Remember the definition of marketing? Communicating value.
Do you value Jesus? Do you value His love? Do you value the sacrifice He made dying on the cross for you?
I believe Jesus Christ is the best-kept secret in town. It should not be!
You may think, “Everyone knows about Jesus,” but that’s simply not true. Many think they know about Jesus, but are there understandings correct?
A few years ago a group of churches in our region got together to form EACH: Everyone A Chance to Hear. The goal was and remains to allow every man, woman and child in southeastern Michigan to hear about Jesus—the real story.
The goal has not been to get everyone in the area to attend church, pray a prayer, or give money. The goal is simply to give everyone a chance to hear about Jesus, to receive an invitation to follow Jesus which they can choose to accept or reject.
Good News
Sharing Jesus is not selling Jesus. It’s not a consumerist exercise. It is sharing good news.
Everyone likes good news. Unfortunately, what is good for one person is not always perceived as good for another.
For example, I love the Philadelphia Phillies (they play baseball!). When I was a boy our family took a trip out east to visit the 13 Original Colonies. George Washington and Ben Franklin were among my boyhood heroes and my favorite city was Philadelphia, home of the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. That same summer I started getting interested in sports and collecting baseball cards and being the strange kid that I was—am!—I adopted Philadelphia’s sports teams as my favorites (I cheer for my Detroit home teams, too).
If I told you the Phillies won their game last night (they did/didn’t), would that be good news to you? Probably not. It would be great news to me…and the more you get to know and love me, the more you may grow interested in the Phillies. Over time, she has gotten to know me, the things and people I love, and is now a raging fan of the Fightin’ Phils! In my dreams!
Several weeks ago I was at the greenroom and I realized two friends of mine, Vince and Brad, had never met. Knowing they both played guitar, loved music, and had a passion for the poor, I was thrilled to introduce them to one another. You might call me a matchmaker, in a sense, and it brought me great joy to see them connect.
Sharing our faith is not about selling a product. It’s about introducing friends. It’s about introducing our best friend, Jesus, to those we know and love. It’s about sharing our story—His story—and encouraging others to journey with us toward knowing, loving, serving and obeying the One who demonstrated what it means to be truly human.
If you can’t get excited about Jesus, you’ve never truly encountered Him. You can’t know Jesus and not be changed. For many of us, it happened so long ago we can’t remember life without Him and we take Him for granted.
Meanwhile, our world is messed up, desperately searching for answers to life’s most challenging questions regarding purpose, meaning, peace, contentment and joy.
If you know Jesus and you keep Him to yourself, you are selfish! There, I said it! Good news is meant to be shared!
Why is sharing the good news of Jesus so much more difficult than talking about our favorite sports team, announcing a new job, or sending out party invitations?
1. Never discuss politics or religion. The problem with such discussions is they usually become debates with a winner and loser rather than a dialogue that seeks to build on common ground and further a relationship.
2. Fear of rejection. It might happen. In many parts of the world, merely talking about Jesus can get you arrested or even killed. We enjoy immense freedoms in this nation…and most of us take them for granted. You might get rejected. Jesus was rejected. There is a price to pay in following Jesus, but it is SO worth it!
Some of you have heard this quote:
“Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.”
Do you know who said it? There is a legend that states it was said by St. Francis of Assisi, but it is, in fact, just a legend. St. Francis never said such a thing because it is simply impossible to preach the Gospel without words. The Gospel is inherently verbal, and preaching the Gospel is inherently verbal behavior.
It is true that our credibility is vital. Some have said we are the only Bible many will ever read. One of the greatest objections people have with Christianity is how so-called Christians live and behave.
Let’s face it, Christians don’t have a great reputation in our culture, especially in Ann Arbor. We’re associated with hate, hypocrisy, and politics far more than faith, hope and love. We can change that. We MUST change that. We do it by living out our faith every day. We’re not perfect examples, but we’re living examples. When we screw up, we admit it, say we’re sorry, and seek forgiveness.
In some instances, our lives will be so radical, people will ask what’s different about our lives. Peter, one of Jesus’ closest friends, said
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:15-16)
Of course, if we only spend time with Christians, it’s tough. Have you ever told someone some exciting news only to discover they already knew! Ugh!
Friends, we must Love the lost. The word “lost” sounds negative, but Jesus used it. Perhaps you want to call it not-yet-found! We must know people that don’t know Jesus. Who do you know that is far from God. Love them. This is an area in which I struggle. I say that I love lost people, but I have few friends in my life that do not follow Jesus. I am striving to be more intentional about building friendships with non-Christians. Being a pastor can be an occupational hazard!
Then Pray for the lost. Last week we looked at these words from Paul in the book of Ephesians:
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)
Some people are afraid to talk about Jesus because they might not say the right things. There are two reasons not everyone on the planet follows Jesus:
- They’ve never been introduced to Him.
- They have rejected Him.
When we talk about Jesus, we can address objection one and often deal with objection two as well. Do they really know the Jesus of the Bible or just the aroma of religious people? We’re dealing with spiritual realities. It’s important to know the Bible, but few follow Jesus because someone answered all of their intellectual questions. Most just get to know Jesus and discover His plans, love, and will are far better than our own.
We are not called to be sales people sent to get people to pray a prayer. We have been sent on a mission to seek and save the lost. We offer a compelling invitation and leave it up to the Holy Spirit of God to guide them to accept it. The greatest miracle is not when the sick are healed or the crippled can walk but when a sinner surrenders their life to Jesus. We can’t make that happen; we can only extend the invitation.
Talk with the lost. I did not say talk to them! We have two ears and one mouth. Listen. Inquire. One of my favorite questions is, “Where are you at on your spiritual journey?” You might ask simply, “Do you believe in God?” and ask why or why not. The goal is not necessarily to get them to repent on the spot and surrender their life to Jesus! The objective is to invite others to meet Jesus and take one step toward Him. It might be the defining moment or it might be an opportunity for one of many barriers between them and God to be removed. Actions may speak louder than words, but we need words, too. What do you say? Tell your story. That’s one of the best parts of baptism—hearing before and after stories. Nobody can argue with your story.
“I was blind but now I see.” (John 9:25b)
“Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and violent man, I was shown mercy. (1 Timothy 1:13a)
“I was depressed and suicidal and Jesus has given me purpose and hope.”
“I was addicted and out of control and now I have peace in my life.”
What has God done in your life? Anything? If so, share it!
Give to the lost. I don’t mean money; I mean ourselves and our community. Following Jesus is not a solo effort but a team activity, a family experience. Throw parties, inviting Christians and not-yet-Christians to connect. Tell people about our weekly gatherings where others like myself can join you in teaching others about the truths of God’s Word, the Bible. Without time and energy, no relationship can survive, much less thrive.
Welcome to the Family
This is all about family. Without babies, families will eventually die. Jesus’ message was simple: love God and love our neighbor. He said as we go about our lives to make disciples, and there’s nothing more loving than living like Jesus and inviting others to join us on the journey. It’s not about morality, rules, or organized religion. It’s about being a family on mission, living lives filled with faith, hope and love.
I believe as our world gets more chaotic, the search for meaning and purpose is only going to increase. We have an incredible opportunity to invite others to join us on the journey, to join us as adopted children of our Creator God in following our big brother Jesus who died and rose again to give us life—radical, abundant life now and forever (John 10:10).
Conclusion
A few weeks ago as I was walking into one of my favorite stores I saw “Store Closing” signs everywhere. I was saddened to learn this great business will soon be gone. Perhaps it was the best kept secret in town and, although I shopped there frequently, I rarely told others about my good experiences.
Good news must be shared.
It’s one thing to remain quiet about a store or restaurant but quite another to be silent about the greatest news ever, the love of God. John 3:16 says
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Jesus did not die just for us. He died for the world.
Jesus was not raised from the dead just for us. He was raised for the world.
But how can people call for help if they don’t know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven’t heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? (Romans 10:14, The Message)
We have good news. We’ve got great news! Don’t keep it to yourself. Let’s share it!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
We Are Victorious, 13 April 2014
16 04 14
Big Idea: We are victorious!
Introduction
Whether you know it or not, we are at war. It is not a war with Russia or North Korea or Iran—though that could be in our nation’s future. It is not one of the estimated 14,500 wars that have been fought in the past 5300 years (3600 BC to the present). We are at war with a real enemy, satan and demons. Ever since satan’s coup attempt to overthrow God failed, he’s been seeking every opportunity to destroy us.
C.S. Lewis wrote “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors, and hail a materialist or magician with the same delight” (C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters).
Many Christians ignore satan and demons. In fact, more people believe in angels than demons. Satan is not an impersonal force or a guy in a red suit with a pitchfork! At the same time, we must not give him too much credit. He is not God. He is powerful but not all-powerful.
How do I know satan is real? Pick up a newspaper. Check out CNN.com. Open your eyes and ears! Death and decay is all around. Homelessness, abuse, divorce, murder, violence, injustice, starvation, slavery, pride, self-righteous religion…this world is messed up!
A few weeks ago I spoke with the father of my friend who died from cancer. He told me never before has he felt death as an enemy. It’s not right! Present reality is a far cry from the Paradise God created for Adam and Eve to enjoy. Ever since sin entered the world through satan’s temptation we have been surrounded by pain, depravity and brokenness.
Often people talk about spiritual warfare in either a creepy or corny way. They get spooked about demons or think the armor of God is a costume for kids to wear on Halloween. Because satan masquerades as an angel of light, spiritual warfare is often subtle—so much so that more people believe in angels than demons, God than satan. Yet something has to account for the brokenness, pain, suffering and death we are exposed to every day on this planet that God originally called good.
After spending more than five chapters telling the early church about its identity in Christ and offering instructions for Godly living he concludes
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (10-13)
We are to be strong not in our strength or wisdom or experience or knowledge but in the Lord and in His mighty power. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). “Be strong” literally means “be strengthened.” The battle is the Lord’s, but we are not to merely hide. The devil is real and he is scheming. He is smart and crafty. He destroyed Job. He tempted Jesus. He plots destruction. The greater your passion for Jesus and the Kingdom of God, the greater threat you are to the enemy.
Paul wrote to the church in the city of Corinth…
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:3-4)
Part of the reason people are unaware of the battle is it often rages in our minds. Paul continues…
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
Paul says that battle is not against flesh and blood. People are not the enemy. Atheists or other non-Christians are not the enemy. They are merely deceived pawns of the enemy. The enemy is a spiritual creature that tempts humans to sin. There can be no greater contrast between the two sides of the spiritual battle.
God loves you.
Satan hates you.
God is life.
Satan is death.
God is true.
Satan is the father of lies.
God is light.
Satan masquerades as light.
God is for you.
Satan is against you.
God forgives sin.
Satan tempts us to sin and then accuses us of doing it.
Why, then, are we surprised when trouble enters the lives of Christians?!
We are at war and must know our enemy, be prepared to fight and be ready to stand.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (14-17)
belt of truth (against the father of lies)
We are to have the truth wrapped around us. If you don’t have your belt, you can lose your pants! Keep it on!
breastplate of righteousness (say no to sin and yes to righteousness)
The breastplate is defense for the front torso and vital organs. It was often composed of a solid piece of metal, but it could also contain many small pieces that were sewn to leather or cloth that overlapped much like the scales of a fish. These scales could number as many as 700 to 1,000 per “coat.” When the sun shone directly on the armor, it could become very hot. So to avoid being burnt, or even pinched, by the moving metal plates, the soldiers always wore a sturdy robe under the armor. We are to wear the robe of Jesus’ righteousness.
The breastplate covered the front, but not the back. We are to stand firm and never retreat, never run away, never surrender.
boots of peace (Jesus is the Prince of peace, our most powerful weapon)
Keep your boots on! Soldiers wear them to bed, always ready for battle.
shield of faith (an internal conviction that leads to an external action)
The shield was the first line of defense for a warrior. It could protect the entire body when the soldier crouched down. Jesus’ blood is our first defense against satan’s arrows of deception, temptation, and accusation. When temptation lodges in our body, it’s too late. We must be alert, anticipating the schemes of the enemy that will entice us toward greed, lust, envy, rage, discouragement, fear, and worry.
helmet of salvation (helmets guard the mind; never forget your salvation)
The mind controls the body. It is our most vital organ. All of our actions begin in our mind. What do you think? What do you feel? Who do you think you are?!
The sword of the Spirit. The other tools shield and protect. The sword is the weapon. It is what we use to fight. The Word of God is truth. It is offensive to the lies of the world. It spreads truth and sets captives free.
The sword of God’s Word will give the beast of Revelation 13 a deadly wound (13:3, 14).
Some have called the two edges of the double-edged sword the Old and New Testaments. It is used against the enemy and for personal use. The Bible is a practical tool—like a Swiss Army Knife—that can be used for every area of life.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (18)
Communication is essential in any battle. We need to know what our Commander is saying. We need to listen for His voice.
Paul ends his letter to the Ephesians by saying
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. (19-20)
We must pray for God to give us words to declare the Gospel, the good news, in word and deed.
Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you. (21-22)
This is an interesting note as Paul sends Tychicus to Ephesus. Finally…
Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. (23-24)
Peace
Love
Faith
Grace
Amen!
Conclusion
We have come to the conclusion of the book of Ephesians, this incredible book written to instruct us on how to know and live out our identity. Paul arguably saved the best for last, reminding believers that we are not to lounge around in comfort and luxury, but instead be engaged in the battle that has been raging since the beginning of time, a battle that will someday end with a victorious God and a defeated enemy. We caught a preview of this defeat at the cross, a moment we will remember this Friday. It is called “Good Friday” because
“Having disarmed principalities and powers, Jesus made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”
Through sin, we all surrendered to satan and were taken as captives in war. Though we were legally satan’s possession because of our debt to him through our sin, Jesus redeemed us through his victory on the cross. His final words from the cross, “It is finished,” declared our liberation. And his resurrection to life signifies His complete victory over Satan, sin, and death in the life of all believers.
In Christ, we are forgiven.
In Christ, we are clean.
In Christ, our captivity has been replaced with a new identity.
Who do you think you are? If you love and follow Jesus, you have a new identity in Christ. serve him, follow him, and call him your Lord and Savior. There’s good news: you have a new identity…in Christ. That means we are…
We are in Christ
We are saints
We are blessed
We are appreciated
We are saved
We are reconciled
We are included
We are heard
We are gifted
We are new
We are forgiven
We are adopted
We are loved
We are rewarded
We are victorious
Grace and peace to you…in Christ.
Credits:
Some ideas from
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
Whether you know it or not, we are at war. It is not a war with Russia or North Korea or Iran—though that could be in our nation’s future. It is not one of the estimated 14,500 wars that have been fought in the past 5300 years (3600 BC to the present). We are at war with a real enemy, satan and demons. Ever since satan’s coup attempt to overthrow God failed, he’s been seeking every opportunity to destroy us.
C.S. Lewis wrote “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors, and hail a materialist or magician with the same delight” (C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters).
Many Christians ignore satan and demons. In fact, more people believe in angels than demons. Satan is not an impersonal force or a guy in a red suit with a pitchfork! At the same time, we must not give him too much credit. He is not God. He is powerful but not all-powerful.
How do I know satan is real? Pick up a newspaper. Check out CNN.com. Open your eyes and ears! Death and decay is all around. Homelessness, abuse, divorce, murder, violence, injustice, starvation, slavery, pride, self-righteous religion…this world is messed up!
A few weeks ago I spoke with the father of my friend who died from cancer. He told me never before has he felt death as an enemy. It’s not right! Present reality is a far cry from the Paradise God created for Adam and Eve to enjoy. Ever since sin entered the world through satan’s temptation we have been surrounded by pain, depravity and brokenness.
Often people talk about spiritual warfare in either a creepy or corny way. They get spooked about demons or think the armor of God is a costume for kids to wear on Halloween. Because satan masquerades as an angel of light, spiritual warfare is often subtle—so much so that more people believe in angels than demons, God than satan. Yet something has to account for the brokenness, pain, suffering and death we are exposed to every day on this planet that God originally called good.
After spending more than five chapters telling the early church about its identity in Christ and offering instructions for Godly living he concludes
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (10-13)
We are to be strong not in our strength or wisdom or experience or knowledge but in the Lord and in His mighty power. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). “Be strong” literally means “be strengthened.” The battle is the Lord’s, but we are not to merely hide. The devil is real and he is scheming. He is smart and crafty. He destroyed Job. He tempted Jesus. He plots destruction. The greater your passion for Jesus and the Kingdom of God, the greater threat you are to the enemy.
Paul wrote to the church in the city of Corinth…
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:3-4)
Part of the reason people are unaware of the battle is it often rages in our minds. Paul continues…
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
Paul says that battle is not against flesh and blood. People are not the enemy. Atheists or other non-Christians are not the enemy. They are merely deceived pawns of the enemy. The enemy is a spiritual creature that tempts humans to sin. There can be no greater contrast between the two sides of the spiritual battle.
God loves you.
Satan hates you.
God is life.
Satan is death.
God is true.
Satan is the father of lies.
God is light.
Satan masquerades as light.
God is for you.
Satan is against you.
God forgives sin.
Satan tempts us to sin and then accuses us of doing it.
Why, then, are we surprised when trouble enters the lives of Christians?!
We are at war and must know our enemy, be prepared to fight and be ready to stand.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (14-17)
belt of truth (against the father of lies)
We are to have the truth wrapped around us. If you don’t have your belt, you can lose your pants! Keep it on!
breastplate of righteousness (say no to sin and yes to righteousness)
The breastplate is defense for the front torso and vital organs. It was often composed of a solid piece of metal, but it could also contain many small pieces that were sewn to leather or cloth that overlapped much like the scales of a fish. These scales could number as many as 700 to 1,000 per “coat.” When the sun shone directly on the armor, it could become very hot. So to avoid being burnt, or even pinched, by the moving metal plates, the soldiers always wore a sturdy robe under the armor. We are to wear the robe of Jesus’ righteousness.
The breastplate covered the front, but not the back. We are to stand firm and never retreat, never run away, never surrender.
boots of peace (Jesus is the Prince of peace, our most powerful weapon)
Keep your boots on! Soldiers wear them to bed, always ready for battle.
shield of faith (an internal conviction that leads to an external action)
The shield was the first line of defense for a warrior. It could protect the entire body when the soldier crouched down. Jesus’ blood is our first defense against satan’s arrows of deception, temptation, and accusation. When temptation lodges in our body, it’s too late. We must be alert, anticipating the schemes of the enemy that will entice us toward greed, lust, envy, rage, discouragement, fear, and worry.
helmet of salvation (helmets guard the mind; never forget your salvation)
The mind controls the body. It is our most vital organ. All of our actions begin in our mind. What do you think? What do you feel? Who do you think you are?!
The sword of the Spirit. The other tools shield and protect. The sword is the weapon. It is what we use to fight. The Word of God is truth. It is offensive to the lies of the world. It spreads truth and sets captives free.
The sword of God’s Word will give the beast of Revelation 13 a deadly wound (13:3, 14).
Some have called the two edges of the double-edged sword the Old and New Testaments. It is used against the enemy and for personal use. The Bible is a practical tool—like a Swiss Army Knife—that can be used for every area of life.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (18)
Communication is essential in any battle. We need to know what our Commander is saying. We need to listen for His voice.
Paul ends his letter to the Ephesians by saying
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. (19-20)
We must pray for God to give us words to declare the Gospel, the good news, in word and deed.
Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you. (21-22)
This is an interesting note as Paul sends Tychicus to Ephesus. Finally…
Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. (23-24)
Peace
Love
Faith
Grace
Amen!
Conclusion
We have come to the conclusion of the book of Ephesians, this incredible book written to instruct us on how to know and live out our identity. Paul arguably saved the best for last, reminding believers that we are not to lounge around in comfort and luxury, but instead be engaged in the battle that has been raging since the beginning of time, a battle that will someday end with a victorious God and a defeated enemy. We caught a preview of this defeat at the cross, a moment we will remember this Friday. It is called “Good Friday” because
“Having disarmed principalities and powers, Jesus made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”
Through sin, we all surrendered to satan and were taken as captives in war. Though we were legally satan’s possession because of our debt to him through our sin, Jesus redeemed us through his victory on the cross. His final words from the cross, “It is finished,” declared our liberation. And his resurrection to life signifies His complete victory over Satan, sin, and death in the life of all believers.
In Christ, we are forgiven.
In Christ, we are clean.
In Christ, our captivity has been replaced with a new identity.
Who do you think you are? If you love and follow Jesus, you have a new identity in Christ. serve him, follow him, and call him your Lord and Savior. There’s good news: you have a new identity…in Christ. That means we are…
We are in Christ
We are saints
We are blessed
We are appreciated
We are saved
We are reconciled
We are included
We are heard
We are gifted
We are new
We are forgiven
We are adopted
We are loved
We are rewarded
We are victorious
Grace and peace to you…in Christ.
Credits:
Some ideas from
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
We Are Adopted, 23 March 2014
26 03 14
Big Idea: We are adopted
Ephesians 5:1-21
Today’s passage reminds us that we are adopted.
The first professional musical I ever saw was Annie. My mom had an opportunity to see it when I was a child and took our family to see it when it came to town. I was very excited many years later to watch our kids perform the show. It’s a great story of a poor orphan who moves from the horrible conditions of an orphanage to becoming the adopted child of a very rich man. Her life is radically transformed by a loving father and she instantly receives the wealth and privileges of being in his family.
There’s a great story about an adopted boy who was teased on the playground for being adopted. He confidently said, “My parents chose me. Yours are stuck with you!”
Adoption is our story, too. We have been adopted into God’s family. Our identity as followers of Jesus is no longer that of hopeless, hell-bound enemy of God living in the slime of sin but adopted children of the King of kings.
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (1-2)
Kids love to imitate their parents.
We are to imitate our heavenly Dad. That is a life of love.
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person — such a man is an idolater — has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. (3-7)
This is quite a list! These are common sins in the world. They have no place in the Church. Not even a hint!
“If you can get into sin and it doesn’t bother you, you are not a child of God.”
- J. Vernon McGee.
We all sin. What is your attitude toward sin? Pride or repentance?
“Tell God all that is in your heart, as one unloads one's heart, it's pleasures, and it's pains, to a dear friend. Tell him your troubles, that he may comfort you; tell him your joys, that he may sober them; tell him your longings, that he may purify them; tell him your dislikes, that he may help you conquer them; talk to him of your temptations, that he may shield you from them; show him the wounds of your heart, that he may heal them; lay bare your indifference to good, your depraved tastes for evil, your instability. Tell him how self-love makes you unjust to others, how vanity tempts you to be insincere, how pride disguises you to yourself and others. If you thus pour out your weaknesses, needs, troubles, there will be no lack of what to say. You will never exhaust the subject. It is continually being renewed. People who have no secrets from each other never want for subject of conversation. They do not weigh their words, for there is nothing to be held back, neither do they seek for something to say. They talk out of the abundance of their heart, without consideration they say just what they think. Blessed are they who attain to such familiar, unreserved intercourse with God.”
Francois Fenelon
We need to tell God what is in our heart.
sexual immorality (porn, adultery, fornication)
any kind of impurity
greed (advertising and marketing tempt us)
obscenity
foolish talk or coarse joking (what if all of your words were posted online?)
What is left to do?!
but rather thanksgiving.
God judges His children. Judging and disciplining the children of others is generally considered inappropriate. Loving parents discipline.
We need to love people and be with them, but sometimes we can’t do what they’re doing.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (8-14)
Notice the contrast. We were not in darkness; we were darkness! Now we are light. God’s children are filled with kindness, goodness, and righteousness, truth, sincerity.
“Character is what you are in the dark.” - D.L. Moody
We are not only to avoid the darkness, we are to expose it, to shine a light on it. This doesn’t mean we are supposed to be a tattle-tale but we are to shine the light of Jesus. Your actions truly speak louder than your words.
We are not to judge or lecture people outside the church. We are just to shine the light.
An engaged woman gives great attention to her fiancé. Do we give great attention to Jesus?
Wake up! How can we wake from the dead? This is for believers who have wandered from Jesus.
Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. (15-17)
It’s all about the Lord’s will, God’s glory. If you are God’s child, you submit to God. You seek God’s will. It’s not about what you want but what God wants.
Does your use of your time bring glory to God?
Does your use of your money bring glory to God?
Does your use of your energy bring glory to God?
What is God saying to you?
What are you doing about it?
It’s easy to rationalize, excuse, and hide. If you have any relationship with God, the conviction of the Holy Spirit will usually alert you to those things that please and displease God.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (18-20)
God’s children are filled with God, with the Holy Spirit. This is not a text concerning alcohol, though alcohol has destroyed many lives. Paul tells us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Are you filled with the world or the Holy Spirit?
God’s children should not be controlled by any substance—alcohol, marijuana, nicotine, caffeine, food, etc.
God’s children should not be controlled by anything—Facebook, peer pressure, the boss, video games, …
We are to imitate God. We are to look and think and act like Jesus. How? By trying hard? No! By surrendering to the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. He empowered Jesus and He is available to empower us today.
A drunk is possessed by alcohol. A true believer is possessed by the Holy Spirit. They look like Jesus!
The image is one of sailing. Is your sail up? If not, it’s difficult to catch the wind of the Spirit.
We are to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit. It truly is like drinking. You may have had a cup of coffee yesterday but it won’t sustain you today.
You may be so full today and yet hungry tomorrow.
How do you know if you are filled with the Spirit?
Fruit.
Speaking psalms (from the book of Psalms), hymns and spiritual songs (less formal).
Singing.
Thanksgiving.
Give thanks right now!
As a musician, of course I love this text!
Best-selling author, John Maxwell, has three questions to determine passion:
What do you cry about?
What do you dream about?
What do you sing about?
I realize some enjoy singing more than others, but the point is not about notes so much as it’s about what’s inside. As we saw last week, Jesus said that out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). Here Paul takes it a step further to talk about singing.
What is the number one subject of pop songs? Love. When people are in love, they sing about it. Words alone often are inadequate.
When we sing at Scio, it’s not choir practice or glee club. It’s a way to express our love for God in ways that go beyond mere words.
Worship happens everywhere. In sports arenas, people yell and cheer for their team. On Wall Street, investors enthusiastically make money! In concerts, people sing along with rock stars. Where did we get the idea that it’s inappropriate to worship in church?!?!?
Have you ever been praying and you simply run out of words? I do all the time. Sometimes I resort to praying in Spanish, a language I studied in college. At times I wish I was given the spiritual gift of tongues just to express things I cannot express in my own vocabulary.
God has blessed me with a love language that often expresses that which I cannot do with mere words—music. I feel closest to God when I am in nature and when I have a nice piano to play. If I could get a cabin near water that had a grand piano, I’d be as close to God as possible on the earth, a perfect environment in which to compose music, sing, and worship the LORD. If you have one you’d like to let me borrow, let me know!
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (21)
This does not mean to blindly obey what everyone says not does it say to do what you want, but submitting ourselves to one another in the fear of God.
Submit means respond to one another as unto the LORD. We love Him because He first loved us.
How?
I thought about this for a sermon:
don’t commit adultery
don’t be greedy
don’t swear
don’t do anything bad
The problem, of course, is that you can’t just be good and try harder. Don’t think about a purple elephant!
How, then, shall we live? How do we obey God?
Going back to verse one,
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children…(Ephesians 5:1)
Religion says if we hear the words of Jesus, we can do the works of Jesus. It’s not that simple. Most of the time we know the right thing to do, we are just tempted to do otherwise. I know working out is good for my heart, but I’d rather watch basketball and eat ice cream!
The secret to obedience and following Jesus is to begin with the words of Jesus and the ways of Jesus.
If we imitate the ways of Jesus—they rhythms, the disciplines, the lifestyle—the works of Jesus will eventually emerge as fruit. We are to be imitators of God first. Jesus did not just naturally live a godly life. He spent time alone with the Father. He disciplines His body and mind.
What Now?
Be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Obey.
Consider how you can participate in adoption.
Today there are thousands of orphans around the world, including here in the USA. Many are abandoned or abused.
In the early church, Christians adopted unwanted kids. We’re adopted into God’s family and we should be eager to adopt, whether through foster care, overseas adoption, or even child sponsorship.
For the first time in history, 40% of children in our nation will go to bed without a father tonight. The majority of children born to women under 30 are born out of wedlock.
We’ve been adopted by our heavenly Father. He set a great example for us to follow. Become a foster parent. Adopt a child. Help a family in the adoption process through prayer, time, or finances.
Michigan Foster Care and Adoption Faith-Based Summit
Thousands of Michigan children need a home....some just need love and support temporarily while their parents make the changes necessary to provide the home these children deserve while others are waiting for a "forever" family. Finding a family for each and every one of these children is at the heart of the important journey that will begin at the Faith-Based Foster Care and Adoption Summit on April 29, 2014.
There is no cost to attend this event. Advanced registration is required. Please click here for detailed flyer and registration information.
Credits:
Some ideas from
Mike Breen, 3DMovements.com
J.I. Packer, Ephesians (sermon series audio)
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
Louie Giglio, Passion City Church sermon series
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Ephesians 5:1-21
Today’s passage reminds us that we are adopted.
The first professional musical I ever saw was Annie. My mom had an opportunity to see it when I was a child and took our family to see it when it came to town. I was very excited many years later to watch our kids perform the show. It’s a great story of a poor orphan who moves from the horrible conditions of an orphanage to becoming the adopted child of a very rich man. Her life is radically transformed by a loving father and she instantly receives the wealth and privileges of being in his family.
There’s a great story about an adopted boy who was teased on the playground for being adopted. He confidently said, “My parents chose me. Yours are stuck with you!”
Adoption is our story, too. We have been adopted into God’s family. Our identity as followers of Jesus is no longer that of hopeless, hell-bound enemy of God living in the slime of sin but adopted children of the King of kings.
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (1-2)
Kids love to imitate their parents.
We are to imitate our heavenly Dad. That is a life of love.
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person — such a man is an idolater — has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. (3-7)
This is quite a list! These are common sins in the world. They have no place in the Church. Not even a hint!
“If you can get into sin and it doesn’t bother you, you are not a child of God.”
- J. Vernon McGee.
We all sin. What is your attitude toward sin? Pride or repentance?
“Tell God all that is in your heart, as one unloads one's heart, it's pleasures, and it's pains, to a dear friend. Tell him your troubles, that he may comfort you; tell him your joys, that he may sober them; tell him your longings, that he may purify them; tell him your dislikes, that he may help you conquer them; talk to him of your temptations, that he may shield you from them; show him the wounds of your heart, that he may heal them; lay bare your indifference to good, your depraved tastes for evil, your instability. Tell him how self-love makes you unjust to others, how vanity tempts you to be insincere, how pride disguises you to yourself and others. If you thus pour out your weaknesses, needs, troubles, there will be no lack of what to say. You will never exhaust the subject. It is continually being renewed. People who have no secrets from each other never want for subject of conversation. They do not weigh their words, for there is nothing to be held back, neither do they seek for something to say. They talk out of the abundance of their heart, without consideration they say just what they think. Blessed are they who attain to such familiar, unreserved intercourse with God.”
Francois Fenelon
We need to tell God what is in our heart.
sexual immorality (porn, adultery, fornication)
any kind of impurity
greed (advertising and marketing tempt us)
obscenity
foolish talk or coarse joking (what if all of your words were posted online?)
What is left to do?!
but rather thanksgiving.
God judges His children. Judging and disciplining the children of others is generally considered inappropriate. Loving parents discipline.
We need to love people and be with them, but sometimes we can’t do what they’re doing.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (8-14)
Notice the contrast. We were not in darkness; we were darkness! Now we are light. God’s children are filled with kindness, goodness, and righteousness, truth, sincerity.
“Character is what you are in the dark.” - D.L. Moody
We are not only to avoid the darkness, we are to expose it, to shine a light on it. This doesn’t mean we are supposed to be a tattle-tale but we are to shine the light of Jesus. Your actions truly speak louder than your words.
We are not to judge or lecture people outside the church. We are just to shine the light.
An engaged woman gives great attention to her fiancé. Do we give great attention to Jesus?
Wake up! How can we wake from the dead? This is for believers who have wandered from Jesus.
Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. (15-17)
It’s all about the Lord’s will, God’s glory. If you are God’s child, you submit to God. You seek God’s will. It’s not about what you want but what God wants.
Does your use of your time bring glory to God?
Does your use of your money bring glory to God?
Does your use of your energy bring glory to God?
What is God saying to you?
What are you doing about it?
It’s easy to rationalize, excuse, and hide. If you have any relationship with God, the conviction of the Holy Spirit will usually alert you to those things that please and displease God.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (18-20)
God’s children are filled with God, with the Holy Spirit. This is not a text concerning alcohol, though alcohol has destroyed many lives. Paul tells us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Are you filled with the world or the Holy Spirit?
God’s children should not be controlled by any substance—alcohol, marijuana, nicotine, caffeine, food, etc.
God’s children should not be controlled by anything—Facebook, peer pressure, the boss, video games, …
We are to imitate God. We are to look and think and act like Jesus. How? By trying hard? No! By surrendering to the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. He empowered Jesus and He is available to empower us today.
A drunk is possessed by alcohol. A true believer is possessed by the Holy Spirit. They look like Jesus!
The image is one of sailing. Is your sail up? If not, it’s difficult to catch the wind of the Spirit.
We are to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit. It truly is like drinking. You may have had a cup of coffee yesterday but it won’t sustain you today.
You may be so full today and yet hungry tomorrow.
How do you know if you are filled with the Spirit?
Fruit.
Speaking psalms (from the book of Psalms), hymns and spiritual songs (less formal).
Singing.
Thanksgiving.
Give thanks right now!
As a musician, of course I love this text!
Best-selling author, John Maxwell, has three questions to determine passion:
What do you cry about?
What do you dream about?
What do you sing about?
I realize some enjoy singing more than others, but the point is not about notes so much as it’s about what’s inside. As we saw last week, Jesus said that out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). Here Paul takes it a step further to talk about singing.
What is the number one subject of pop songs? Love. When people are in love, they sing about it. Words alone often are inadequate.
When we sing at Scio, it’s not choir practice or glee club. It’s a way to express our love for God in ways that go beyond mere words.
Worship happens everywhere. In sports arenas, people yell and cheer for their team. On Wall Street, investors enthusiastically make money! In concerts, people sing along with rock stars. Where did we get the idea that it’s inappropriate to worship in church?!?!?
Have you ever been praying and you simply run out of words? I do all the time. Sometimes I resort to praying in Spanish, a language I studied in college. At times I wish I was given the spiritual gift of tongues just to express things I cannot express in my own vocabulary.
God has blessed me with a love language that often expresses that which I cannot do with mere words—music. I feel closest to God when I am in nature and when I have a nice piano to play. If I could get a cabin near water that had a grand piano, I’d be as close to God as possible on the earth, a perfect environment in which to compose music, sing, and worship the LORD. If you have one you’d like to let me borrow, let me know!
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (21)
This does not mean to blindly obey what everyone says not does it say to do what you want, but submitting ourselves to one another in the fear of God.
Submit means respond to one another as unto the LORD. We love Him because He first loved us.
How?
I thought about this for a sermon:
don’t commit adultery
don’t be greedy
don’t swear
don’t do anything bad
The problem, of course, is that you can’t just be good and try harder. Don’t think about a purple elephant!
How, then, shall we live? How do we obey God?
Going back to verse one,
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children…(Ephesians 5:1)
Religion says if we hear the words of Jesus, we can do the works of Jesus. It’s not that simple. Most of the time we know the right thing to do, we are just tempted to do otherwise. I know working out is good for my heart, but I’d rather watch basketball and eat ice cream!
The secret to obedience and following Jesus is to begin with the words of Jesus and the ways of Jesus.
If we imitate the ways of Jesus—they rhythms, the disciplines, the lifestyle—the works of Jesus will eventually emerge as fruit. We are to be imitators of God first. Jesus did not just naturally live a godly life. He spent time alone with the Father. He disciplines His body and mind.
What Now?
Be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Obey.
Consider how you can participate in adoption.
Today there are thousands of orphans around the world, including here in the USA. Many are abandoned or abused.
In the early church, Christians adopted unwanted kids. We’re adopted into God’s family and we should be eager to adopt, whether through foster care, overseas adoption, or even child sponsorship.
For the first time in history, 40% of children in our nation will go to bed without a father tonight. The majority of children born to women under 30 are born out of wedlock.
We’ve been adopted by our heavenly Father. He set a great example for us to follow. Become a foster parent. Adopt a child. Help a family in the adoption process through prayer, time, or finances.
Michigan Foster Care and Adoption Faith-Based Summit
Thousands of Michigan children need a home....some just need love and support temporarily while their parents make the changes necessary to provide the home these children deserve while others are waiting for a "forever" family. Finding a family for each and every one of these children is at the heart of the important journey that will begin at the Faith-Based Foster Care and Adoption Summit on April 29, 2014.
There is no cost to attend this event. Advanced registration is required. Please click here for detailed flyer and registration information.
Credits:
Some ideas from
Mike Breen, 3DMovements.com
J.I. Packer, Ephesians (sermon series audio)
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
Louie Giglio, Passion City Church sermon series
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
We Are Forgiven, 16 March 2014
26 03 14
Big Idea: We are forgiven.
Ephesians 4:25-32
The prohibitions from last week continue.
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. (4:25)
What’s therefore there for? Paul said we are made new, no longer children of Adam, but the new Adam, Jesus Christ. He is our Savior, Sanctified, Healer, and Coming King. He is our big brother, a perfect example for us to follow.
Paul says first not to lie. Speak the truth. Nothing destroys trust like lying. Nothing destroys unity like distrust.
This might sound obvious. Don’t lie. It’s one of the Ten Commandments. Everyone knows it’s wrong. How many do it, though?
Years ago a friend told me how he lied to his daughter. I was shocked! “How could you lie to your sweet child?” I thought. My friend said, “I told her I would play a game with her. I got busy, she went to bed, and I did not do what I said and, therefore, lied. I have since apologized.”
Wow! I challenged him on his assessment and he said sin is like layers of an onion. Just when we think we are righteous, we sin in our pride and have to repent of our godlessness.
I find I’m most prone to lie in what has been called the final 10%. Perhaps you are asked to recount a story and you share most of it, but there’s a little bit missing. Maybe you are asked to share your feelings and you reveal the majority of it, but you skip one or two details.
Brothers and sisters, we are all members of one body, and for the body to be healthy it must work together, it must speak the truth in love—even when it is difficult.
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. (4:26-27)
Notice this does not say do not get angry. Not all anger is sin. Jesus got angry. Don’t sin in anger. Resolve disputes. Don’t hold a grudge which would give the devil a foothold. God is angry with the wicked. He hates sin. He hates injustice. How do you deal with anger? Do you bottle it up? Ignore it? Express it violently? Rage on Facebook? Pray about it?
He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. (4:28)
Here’s another one of God’s Top Ten. Don’t steal. Further, if you want something, work. Notice the ending. Share. Don’t hoard. Be generous. Generosity is one of the most compelling signs of a child of the King of Kings who owns it all. We are to work, earn and share. Many are unable to do so and need our help. That’s what family does. Family helps family.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (4:29)
Oh dang! Oops! Keep your talk pure. The Bible is filled with instructions regarding our speech. Why? Out of the heart the mouth speaks.
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45)
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. (Proverbs 4:23-24)
This includes profanity, dirty jokes, sharp sarcasm (“anger in a clown suit”), and gossip (also known as confessing the sins of others!).
Words are very powerful. That line about sticks and stones is a big lie. Words have the power to kill and destroy, yet they can also encourage, edify, and bless.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (4:30)
What does this mean? The day of redemption is when the Holy Spirit presents us to Jesus. What grieves God? Sin. We can grieve God but we are sealed. We are forgiven, but that doesn’t give us a license to sin. God’s forgiveness does not negate human consequences of our words and actions.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (4:31-32)
Paul really lays it on here. Look at the list of prohibitions:
bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, malice
This is a common sequence. We are wronged and become bitter. Over time, the bitterness in our heart can grow into rage, anger, and outward actions of brawling, slander, and malice. This is not always the process, but Paul offers a compelling—if not radical—alternative. He says to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving. Easy for him to say, right?! He’s probably writing from a mountaintop cottage overlooking the ocean, living the high life as an early Christian celebrity, surrounded by assistants and caretakers. Except that he’s writing from prison!
Why forgive?
…forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (4:32b)
We forgive because we’ve been forgiven. Paul understood this. He was forgiven for persecuting the church, including his support of the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7 (Acts 8:1). Perhaps you have skeletons in your closet, but killing Christians is unlikely among them. Even if it were, you have been forgiven. We don’t deserve it. Nobody deserves to be forgiven—by definition.
We’ve all been wronged and we have two possible responses: bitterness and forgiveness. We know intellectually that bitterness only harms us—and Paul forbids it— but it’s so attractive. It’s easy to hold grudges, judge another, blame others, and hold their offenses against them. Forgiveness is obviously a superior response, but it can be so difficult. Perhaps part of the challenge is in our misunderstanding of forgiveness.
Forgiveness is…
canceling a debt owed to you
removing the control your offender has over you
giving a gift to your offender…and yourself
leaving ultimate justice in God’s hands
often an ongoing process
wanting good for your offender
forsaking revenge
moving forward
dropping resentment and grudge
a choice, a decision (not an emotion)
a step toward healing
an opportunity to display grace
An ancient Chinese proverbs says, “He who seeks revenge should dig two graves.”
Forgiveness is not…
denying the sin occurred or diminishing its evil
instant emotional healing
enabling sin
necessarily a response to a repentant apology
covering up sin committed against us
removing the consequences of the offense (legal action may even be required)
trust (forgiveness takes a moment; trust takes time to build and longer to rebuild)
reconciliation (it takes one to forgive and two to reconcile)
forgetting
My Story
I was apprehensive about preaching this message. It seems often when I speak on a subject, God gives me real-life experiences that correspond. This is why I love to preach on success, freedom, and prosperity and I’m sometimes nervous about speaking on trials! I had a sense that this week I would need to forgive someone and I actually imagined a scenario in which I would be in a car accident and need to forgive someone.
I was in a car accident this past week! Fortunately, it was relatively minor. During Wednesday’s snow storm I was stopped at a red light and a car slid into mine. There were no bodily injuries and just some dents in the vehicles. I thanked God all morning that I didn’t have to forgive someone more reckless and ruthless.
Story
On May 20, 2012, 18 year-old Takunda Mavima was driving home from a party when he lost control and crashed his car into an off-ramp near Grand Rapids, Michigan. Riding in the car were 17 year-old, Tim See, and 15 year-old, Krysta Howell. Both were killed in the accident.
Takunda Mavima lived.
Mavima pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to between 30 months and 15 years in prison.
Despite their unimaginable grief and anger, both the sister and the father of victim, Tim See, gave a moving address to the court on behalf of Mavima, urging the judge to give him a light sentence.
“I am begging you to let Takunda Mavima make something of himself in the real world — don’t send him to prison and get hard and bitter, that boy has learned his lesson a thousand times over and he’ll never make the same mistake again.”
And when the hearing ended, the victim’s family made their way across the courtroom to embrace, console, and publicly forgive Mavima.
Make sure this image sticks with you forever.
There will be a time in your life when someone will wrong you. God forbid they take the life of your child. But it will happen. And what matters most isn’t how it happened, but how you respond to it.
And if you’re a person of faith, the calling is even greater. The gospel of forgiveness isn’t a high calling for the heroic individual, or a counter-cultural description of heavenly perfection. It is a principle central to the gospel itself – the very heart of our faith in which we are called to embody.
In the swelling sea of human destruction, the little story of Takunda Mavima and a family from Michigan is a lighthouse on a hill, a beacon of hope, guiding the way for all our ships to pass through.
Right now, how can you prepare yourself with a clear plan of action to forgive in the darkest of times? (from Storyline Blog, March 8, 2013)
We are forgiven by God who gives us the power to forgive.
Who do you need to forgive?
Credits:
Some ideas from
J.I. Packer, Ephesians (sermon series audio)
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
Louie Giglio, Passion City Church sermon series
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Ephesians 4:25-32
The prohibitions from last week continue.
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. (4:25)
What’s therefore there for? Paul said we are made new, no longer children of Adam, but the new Adam, Jesus Christ. He is our Savior, Sanctified, Healer, and Coming King. He is our big brother, a perfect example for us to follow.
Paul says first not to lie. Speak the truth. Nothing destroys trust like lying. Nothing destroys unity like distrust.
This might sound obvious. Don’t lie. It’s one of the Ten Commandments. Everyone knows it’s wrong. How many do it, though?
Years ago a friend told me how he lied to his daughter. I was shocked! “How could you lie to your sweet child?” I thought. My friend said, “I told her I would play a game with her. I got busy, she went to bed, and I did not do what I said and, therefore, lied. I have since apologized.”
Wow! I challenged him on his assessment and he said sin is like layers of an onion. Just when we think we are righteous, we sin in our pride and have to repent of our godlessness.
I find I’m most prone to lie in what has been called the final 10%. Perhaps you are asked to recount a story and you share most of it, but there’s a little bit missing. Maybe you are asked to share your feelings and you reveal the majority of it, but you skip one or two details.
Brothers and sisters, we are all members of one body, and for the body to be healthy it must work together, it must speak the truth in love—even when it is difficult.
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. (4:26-27)
Notice this does not say do not get angry. Not all anger is sin. Jesus got angry. Don’t sin in anger. Resolve disputes. Don’t hold a grudge which would give the devil a foothold. God is angry with the wicked. He hates sin. He hates injustice. How do you deal with anger? Do you bottle it up? Ignore it? Express it violently? Rage on Facebook? Pray about it?
He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. (4:28)
Here’s another one of God’s Top Ten. Don’t steal. Further, if you want something, work. Notice the ending. Share. Don’t hoard. Be generous. Generosity is one of the most compelling signs of a child of the King of Kings who owns it all. We are to work, earn and share. Many are unable to do so and need our help. That’s what family does. Family helps family.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (4:29)
Oh dang! Oops! Keep your talk pure. The Bible is filled with instructions regarding our speech. Why? Out of the heart the mouth speaks.
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45)
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. (Proverbs 4:23-24)
This includes profanity, dirty jokes, sharp sarcasm (“anger in a clown suit”), and gossip (also known as confessing the sins of others!).
Words are very powerful. That line about sticks and stones is a big lie. Words have the power to kill and destroy, yet they can also encourage, edify, and bless.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (4:30)
What does this mean? The day of redemption is when the Holy Spirit presents us to Jesus. What grieves God? Sin. We can grieve God but we are sealed. We are forgiven, but that doesn’t give us a license to sin. God’s forgiveness does not negate human consequences of our words and actions.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (4:31-32)
Paul really lays it on here. Look at the list of prohibitions:
bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, malice
This is a common sequence. We are wronged and become bitter. Over time, the bitterness in our heart can grow into rage, anger, and outward actions of brawling, slander, and malice. This is not always the process, but Paul offers a compelling—if not radical—alternative. He says to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving. Easy for him to say, right?! He’s probably writing from a mountaintop cottage overlooking the ocean, living the high life as an early Christian celebrity, surrounded by assistants and caretakers. Except that he’s writing from prison!
Why forgive?
…forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (4:32b)
We forgive because we’ve been forgiven. Paul understood this. He was forgiven for persecuting the church, including his support of the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7 (Acts 8:1). Perhaps you have skeletons in your closet, but killing Christians is unlikely among them. Even if it were, you have been forgiven. We don’t deserve it. Nobody deserves to be forgiven—by definition.
We’ve all been wronged and we have two possible responses: bitterness and forgiveness. We know intellectually that bitterness only harms us—and Paul forbids it— but it’s so attractive. It’s easy to hold grudges, judge another, blame others, and hold their offenses against them. Forgiveness is obviously a superior response, but it can be so difficult. Perhaps part of the challenge is in our misunderstanding of forgiveness.
Forgiveness is…
canceling a debt owed to you
removing the control your offender has over you
giving a gift to your offender…and yourself
leaving ultimate justice in God’s hands
often an ongoing process
wanting good for your offender
forsaking revenge
moving forward
dropping resentment and grudge
a choice, a decision (not an emotion)
a step toward healing
an opportunity to display grace
An ancient Chinese proverbs says, “He who seeks revenge should dig two graves.”
Forgiveness is not…
denying the sin occurred or diminishing its evil
instant emotional healing
enabling sin
necessarily a response to a repentant apology
covering up sin committed against us
removing the consequences of the offense (legal action may even be required)
trust (forgiveness takes a moment; trust takes time to build and longer to rebuild)
reconciliation (it takes one to forgive and two to reconcile)
forgetting
My Story
I was apprehensive about preaching this message. It seems often when I speak on a subject, God gives me real-life experiences that correspond. This is why I love to preach on success, freedom, and prosperity and I’m sometimes nervous about speaking on trials! I had a sense that this week I would need to forgive someone and I actually imagined a scenario in which I would be in a car accident and need to forgive someone.
I was in a car accident this past week! Fortunately, it was relatively minor. During Wednesday’s snow storm I was stopped at a red light and a car slid into mine. There were no bodily injuries and just some dents in the vehicles. I thanked God all morning that I didn’t have to forgive someone more reckless and ruthless.
Story
On May 20, 2012, 18 year-old Takunda Mavima was driving home from a party when he lost control and crashed his car into an off-ramp near Grand Rapids, Michigan. Riding in the car were 17 year-old, Tim See, and 15 year-old, Krysta Howell. Both were killed in the accident.
Takunda Mavima lived.
Mavima pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to between 30 months and 15 years in prison.
Despite their unimaginable grief and anger, both the sister and the father of victim, Tim See, gave a moving address to the court on behalf of Mavima, urging the judge to give him a light sentence.
“I am begging you to let Takunda Mavima make something of himself in the real world — don’t send him to prison and get hard and bitter, that boy has learned his lesson a thousand times over and he’ll never make the same mistake again.”
And when the hearing ended, the victim’s family made their way across the courtroom to embrace, console, and publicly forgive Mavima.
Make sure this image sticks with you forever.
There will be a time in your life when someone will wrong you. God forbid they take the life of your child. But it will happen. And what matters most isn’t how it happened, but how you respond to it.
And if you’re a person of faith, the calling is even greater. The gospel of forgiveness isn’t a high calling for the heroic individual, or a counter-cultural description of heavenly perfection. It is a principle central to the gospel itself – the very heart of our faith in which we are called to embody.
In the swelling sea of human destruction, the little story of Takunda Mavima and a family from Michigan is a lighthouse on a hill, a beacon of hope, guiding the way for all our ships to pass through.
Right now, how can you prepare yourself with a clear plan of action to forgive in the darkest of times? (from Storyline Blog, March 8, 2013)
We are forgiven by God who gives us the power to forgive.
Who do you need to forgive?
Credits:
Some ideas from
J.I. Packer, Ephesians (sermon series audio)
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
Louie Giglio, Passion City Church sermon series
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
We Are New, 9 March 2014
03 03 14
Big Idea: We are made new in Christ.
Ephesians 4:17-24
Do you like you? Do you like what you see when you look in the mirror? I meet a lot of people who are not satisfied with who they are. They want to be someone else. They want to be different. They want to change. They want to become someone new.
Several weeks ago we talked about the contrast between Adam and the new Adam, Jesus Christ. Adam and Eve’s sin blew it for all of us, ushering an array of consequences so great we have little memory of the Garden of Eden.
Do you want to become someone new? If we’re honest, there’s plenty of junk in all of our lives that we want to change—habits, insecurities, addictions, fears…
This morning I want to encourage you to be painfully honest with yourself and with God about where you are—about who you are.
Paul pens from prison words that may or may not describe your present reality.
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. (17-19)
Here’s the text from The Message.
And so I insist—and God backs me up on this—that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. They’ve refused for so long to deal with God that they’ve lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. They can’t think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion. (Ephesians 4:17-19, The Message)
This is the life of an unbeliever. Tragically, this also describes many believers who have wandered from the faith.
Somewhere in recent history a myth spread that if you pray and prayer and believe the historical events of holy week—Jesus’ death and resurrection—that you have a free ticket to heaven and then you can live like everyone else until you die. That’s part of it.
The founder of the Christian & Missionary Alliance, A.B. Simpson, described Jesus in the Fourfold Gospel.
We all like the idea of Jesus as our Healer, providing divine life and physical healing (Isaiah 53:4-5).
We are grateful for Jesus being our Savior. He died on the cross for our sins and to make us right with God (John 3:16).
We want Jesus to be our Sanctifier, cleansing us from sin by the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).
We are generally ok with the idea of Jesus as a Coming King. We look forward to His return to fix the world we have broken (Acts 1:11).
However, He wants to be Lord and King now, which means we surrender everything to Him.
Friends, it’s not that God is on a power trip. It’s that you wand I were meant to live for so much more than destroying ourselves and our world with sin. Here’s why: Your Daddy loves you! Yes, I’m saying it again because it’s so essential to living the life God wants for us. He wants to do life with us. He wants to be with us, encourage us, guide us, and love us. Because He loves us, He wants us to experience abundant life, joy, peace, contentment, purpose, and meaning. When our lives are filled with sin, it’s impossible to experience all He desires since sin ultimately leads to death.
Many want Jesus to be Savior, but He also wants to be LORD. Mike Breen calls this “Invitation and Challenge.” He invited people into relationship with Him, but He also challenged them to pick up their cross daily and follow Him. It is wonderful that we have been adopted as children of God, but we must live into our true identity and sons and daughters of the King.
The truth is, none of us has truly made Jesus LORD. Every day we battle with our ego, our will, our reputation, our comfort, our security, and our pleasure. As we will see in the coming weeks we are in the midst of a war between good and evil. Like all relationships, we cannot simply rest on past investments, telling God how obedient we were years ago, how righteous we acted in the past, how we sacrificed in days gone by.
If you feel exempt from this discussion because you have lived a flawless life, you’re guilty of pride and self-righteousness. BAM!
Paul was religious. He was devout. He had perfect attendance in Sunday—er, Saturday—School! Outwardly, he was as religious as they come. What did he later call his righteousness?
Rubbish, filth, trash, …literally dog dung! That was Paul’s old religious life.
I want to invite you to join me in a time of confession. Many church traditions make confession a part of each worship gathering, and perhaps we should, too. Before we spend any more time in worship or study or fellowship, let’s have a time of confession.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
If!
Pause now to confess your sins.
How did that feel? Sometimes there’s nothing like a good bath, rinsing off the dirt and being cleansed. That’s what Jesus does, He cleanses us, forgives us, and loves us.
He makes all things new!
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:5)
That’s what we have to look forward to in the future, but as the Kingdom of God crashes into our world now, we can experience newness now, here, today!
This issue of identity really matters. Your identity may be divorcee, failure, geek, athlete, winner, loser, engineer, mom, alcoholic, victim, artist, or sinner. Paul tells us that whatever is in your past can stay there. You are now in Christ, and that identity trumps all others.
You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (20-24)
Paul gives us three commands:
- put off your old self, your former manner of life
- be made new in the attitude of your minds
- put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness
Confession is essential, but more is required—repentance. Repentance means to turn away, to change directions, to do a U-turn. In Paul’s language, it is to put off the old self and be made new. Baptism is a beautiful picture of this, entering a water grave, dying to our old self, and resurrecting with Christ, possessing a new attitude, a new self.
The NIV uses this phrase “new self,” but the more accurate translation would be “new man,” not to be sexist, but to recognize how we are born with a sin nature from Adam that must be put to death so we can live for the new Adam, Jesus.
You can use whatever metaphor you wish:
- taking off old clothes and putting on new garments
- caterpillar to a butterfly
- ugly duckling to a beautiful swan
- frog and prince
The question is, can people change? Yes, but it requires more than just the kiss of a princess. We must daily choose to make Jesus our LORD. We must accept HIs challenge to pick up our cross daily and follow Him. We must live into our identity as children of the King. It begins by surrendering to God, dying to ourselves, and being made alive in Christ.
Where do you need to more fully surrender to God? Finances? Time with Him? Relationships? Future plans?
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Hallelujah!
Credits:
Some ideas from
J.I. Packer, Ephesians (sermon series audio)
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
Louie Giglio, Passion City Church sermon series
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Ephesians 4:17-24
Do you like you? Do you like what you see when you look in the mirror? I meet a lot of people who are not satisfied with who they are. They want to be someone else. They want to be different. They want to change. They want to become someone new.
Several weeks ago we talked about the contrast between Adam and the new Adam, Jesus Christ. Adam and Eve’s sin blew it for all of us, ushering an array of consequences so great we have little memory of the Garden of Eden.
Do you want to become someone new? If we’re honest, there’s plenty of junk in all of our lives that we want to change—habits, insecurities, addictions, fears…
This morning I want to encourage you to be painfully honest with yourself and with God about where you are—about who you are.
Paul pens from prison words that may or may not describe your present reality.
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. (17-19)
Here’s the text from The Message.
And so I insist—and God backs me up on this—that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. They’ve refused for so long to deal with God that they’ve lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. They can’t think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion. (Ephesians 4:17-19, The Message)
This is the life of an unbeliever. Tragically, this also describes many believers who have wandered from the faith.
Somewhere in recent history a myth spread that if you pray and prayer and believe the historical events of holy week—Jesus’ death and resurrection—that you have a free ticket to heaven and then you can live like everyone else until you die. That’s part of it.
The founder of the Christian & Missionary Alliance, A.B. Simpson, described Jesus in the Fourfold Gospel.
We all like the idea of Jesus as our Healer, providing divine life and physical healing (Isaiah 53:4-5).
We are grateful for Jesus being our Savior. He died on the cross for our sins and to make us right with God (John 3:16).
We want Jesus to be our Sanctifier, cleansing us from sin by the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).
We are generally ok with the idea of Jesus as a Coming King. We look forward to His return to fix the world we have broken (Acts 1:11).
However, He wants to be Lord and King now, which means we surrender everything to Him.
Friends, it’s not that God is on a power trip. It’s that you wand I were meant to live for so much more than destroying ourselves and our world with sin. Here’s why: Your Daddy loves you! Yes, I’m saying it again because it’s so essential to living the life God wants for us. He wants to do life with us. He wants to be with us, encourage us, guide us, and love us. Because He loves us, He wants us to experience abundant life, joy, peace, contentment, purpose, and meaning. When our lives are filled with sin, it’s impossible to experience all He desires since sin ultimately leads to death.
Many want Jesus to be Savior, but He also wants to be LORD. Mike Breen calls this “Invitation and Challenge.” He invited people into relationship with Him, but He also challenged them to pick up their cross daily and follow Him. It is wonderful that we have been adopted as children of God, but we must live into our true identity and sons and daughters of the King.
The truth is, none of us has truly made Jesus LORD. Every day we battle with our ego, our will, our reputation, our comfort, our security, and our pleasure. As we will see in the coming weeks we are in the midst of a war between good and evil. Like all relationships, we cannot simply rest on past investments, telling God how obedient we were years ago, how righteous we acted in the past, how we sacrificed in days gone by.
If you feel exempt from this discussion because you have lived a flawless life, you’re guilty of pride and self-righteousness. BAM!
Paul was religious. He was devout. He had perfect attendance in Sunday—er, Saturday—School! Outwardly, he was as religious as they come. What did he later call his righteousness?
Rubbish, filth, trash, …literally dog dung! That was Paul’s old religious life.
I want to invite you to join me in a time of confession. Many church traditions make confession a part of each worship gathering, and perhaps we should, too. Before we spend any more time in worship or study or fellowship, let’s have a time of confession.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
If!
Pause now to confess your sins.
How did that feel? Sometimes there’s nothing like a good bath, rinsing off the dirt and being cleansed. That’s what Jesus does, He cleanses us, forgives us, and loves us.
He makes all things new!
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:5)
That’s what we have to look forward to in the future, but as the Kingdom of God crashes into our world now, we can experience newness now, here, today!
This issue of identity really matters. Your identity may be divorcee, failure, geek, athlete, winner, loser, engineer, mom, alcoholic, victim, artist, or sinner. Paul tells us that whatever is in your past can stay there. You are now in Christ, and that identity trumps all others.
You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (20-24)
Paul gives us three commands:
- put off your old self, your former manner of life
- be made new in the attitude of your minds
- put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness
Confession is essential, but more is required—repentance. Repentance means to turn away, to change directions, to do a U-turn. In Paul’s language, it is to put off the old self and be made new. Baptism is a beautiful picture of this, entering a water grave, dying to our old self, and resurrecting with Christ, possessing a new attitude, a new self.
The NIV uses this phrase “new self,” but the more accurate translation would be “new man,” not to be sexist, but to recognize how we are born with a sin nature from Adam that must be put to death so we can live for the new Adam, Jesus.
You can use whatever metaphor you wish:
- taking off old clothes and putting on new garments
- caterpillar to a butterfly
- ugly duckling to a beautiful swan
- frog and prince
The question is, can people change? Yes, but it requires more than just the kiss of a princess. We must daily choose to make Jesus our LORD. We must accept HIs challenge to pick up our cross daily and follow Him. We must live into our identity as children of the King. It begins by surrendering to God, dying to ourselves, and being made alive in Christ.
Where do you need to more fully surrender to God? Finances? Time with Him? Relationships? Future plans?
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Hallelujah!
Credits:
Some ideas from
J.I. Packer, Ephesians (sermon series audio)
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
Louie Giglio, Passion City Church sermon series
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
We Are Gifted, 2 March 2014
03 03 14
Big Idea: We are gifted.
Ephesians 4:1-16
Introduction
Do you like gifts? When do you usually receive a gift? When we get a gift, we usually think about how it can benefit us. Have you ever received a gift that you wanted to use to bless someone else? I’m not talking about regifting! I mean sharing a gift.
Two weeks ago I attended my friend’s daughter’s first birthday party. There was a huge pile of gifts. There were children there, too, that were interested in these gifts. Can you guess what happened?!
Today we continue our series on the book of Ephesians, Who Do You Think You Are? As we begin chapter four, a huge shift occurs, from doctrine to clear directives. Paul spent the first three chapters talking about who we are—and Whose we are. We are in Christ.
Ephesians parallels the book of Joshua. Joshua entered the land of Promised Land, leading the children of Israel over the Jordan speaking of the death, burial and resurrection to the Promised Land where we (should be) living today. Joshua had to take possession (the great word in Joshua).
Ephesians 1-3 is all about position, we are in Christ. Are we walking in possession? Now we enter the Promised Land to be a blessing to others.
We will see a shift from declarations to commands, from propositions to practical stuff for those in Christ.
Our culture often says if you do something, you can be somebody. God says be somebody and then you can do something as a result. Be in Christ. Becoming a child of God. Follow Jesus. Transformation follows.
I believe one of the great tragedies contributing to the decline of the movement of Jesus in our culture is the message we have sent to the world. Many churches communicate the need to behave, believe, and then belong. The order must be reversed. We must welcome the stranger and invite them into relationship with us and God. After they are loved and feel they belong it is likely they will believe, and once they believe and receive Jesus and the Holy Spirit, then and only then do they have the ability to behave.
As we begin Ephesians 4, these words are instructions to believers who are in Christ. Without Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit this text will be nothing more than futile, guilt-inducing moralizing. May it never be!
Paul the prisoner begins to instruct his readers, believers in the early Church.
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (1-3)
We could camp out on these three verses for weeks!
Live a life worthy of the calling you have received. J. Vernon McGee said people may not be telling you but they’re smelling you to see if your faith is genuine. It’s not only how we walk but where we walk, walking in the light (1 John 1:7). Is your life worthy of being called “Christian,” a “little Christ?”
Be completely humble. Humility has been a challenge for me…ever since I was eight years old, played a piano solo in our small church, and responded to a kind old lady who said, “You play very nice, young man” with the fateful words, “I know!” Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. Few things make loving relationships challenging more than pride. We will in a culture where so many are creating platforms, establishing their own personal brand identity, and seeking as many likes, friends and followers as possible. Those endeavors are not necessarily sinful, but the attitude behind them can be evil. Pride got Lucifer the angel kicked out of heaven where he then became satan. Are you seeking God’s fame or your own.
…and gentle. Gentleness—or meekness—is not weakness. Moses (shattering the stone tablets) and Jesus (turning over the tables in the Temple) were both meek. Meekness is bowing to God’s will.
Be patient, bearing with one another in love. Patience is a virtue, but patience with people is especially challenging. They don’t usually change as quickly as a traffic light!
- Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
This is one of Paul’s core messages—unity.
Perhaps the most significant verse for the people of Israel speaks to this idea of unity.
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. (Deuteronomy 6:4)
There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to one hope when you were called — one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (4-6)
One body (the Church)
One Spirit (the Holy Spirit)
One hope (blessed hope)
One Lord (Jesus)
One faith (Acts 2:42)
One baptism (baptism in the Holy Spirit)
One God and Father (the Father of believers)
God is transcendent, above His creation.
God is through and in all, too.
Unity is one of my four prayers for Scio: unity, passion, protection and direction. LORD, make us one. That was Jesus’ prayer for us (John 17).
But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.” (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) (7-10)
This is an interesting segue from unity to gifts. There are a few possible meanings behind this reference to Psalm 68:18. We know Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9). Some see “descended” as a reference to the Incarnation when Jesus came to earth as a baby. Others think it refers to when Jesus descended into Hell.
What is clear is God gives gifts to individuals to use not for themselves but for the Church, the Body of believers. It’s to bless others.
If you are a believer you have been given at least one gift to serve others. You are vital part of the body. With the possible exception of a haircut, no surgery is painless!
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (11-13)
Jesus gave the gifts.
He has the authority.
Every believer has at least one gift.
Nobody has all of the gifts.
It’s not that you have or don’t have a gift. There can be degrees.
Gifts may be lifelong or possibly temporary, like healing.
There is no comprehensive list of spiritual gifts.
There are four sections on spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, 1 Peter 4, Ephesians 4).
We are all called to be ministers.
As a pastor, I’m called to equip you to do the ministry, works of service.
Wisdom (1 Cor. 12:8)
Knowledge (1 Cor. 12:8)
Faith (1 Cor. 12:9)
Healing (1 Cor. 12:9)
Miracles (1 Cor. 12:9)
Discernment (1 Cor. 12:10)
Apostleship (1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11)
Teaching (Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11)
Helps and Service (Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:28; 1 Peter 4:11)
Administration (1 Cor. 12:28)
Evangelism (Eph. 4:11)
Pastoring/Counseling (Eph. 4:11)
Encouragement (Rom. 12:8)
Giving (Rom. 12:8)
Leadership (Rom. 12:8)
Mercy (Rom. 12:8)
Hospitality (Rom. 12:13)
Tongues (1 Cor. 12:8–10, 29
Prophecy (Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:10, 28; Eph. 4:11)
Do you know your spiritual gift or gifts? These questions from Mark Driscoll may help you identify them:
Whom/where do you have a passion to serve?
What do you have a burden to do?
What needs do you see in the church?
What do you find joy in doing for others?
What opportunities has God already provided for you to serve others?
What things are you best at and have the most success in?
What have godly people commended you for doing?
What acts of service have given you the deepest sense of satisfaction and joy?
What is the purpose of gifts? The maturity of the Church.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (14-16)
Grow up! We’re not supposed to remain as spiritual babies but we are to grow up. How do you know if someone is a mature person? How do you know if someone is a mature believer?
Questions
Where does your church need to grow towards maturity?
What gifts has God given to enable this to take place?
What challenges, what cunning tricks and false teaching, do you need to watch out for, and how can you combat it?
Not every Christian is called to full-time vocational ministry, but every Christian is called to the “work of ministry.”
Resource
You can take a free spiritual gifts inventory and experience other valuable tools at http://www.chazown.com.
Credits:
Some ideas from
J.I. Packer, Ephesians (sermon series audio)
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
Louie Giglio, Passion City Church sermon series
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Ephesians 4:1-16
Introduction
Do you like gifts? When do you usually receive a gift? When we get a gift, we usually think about how it can benefit us. Have you ever received a gift that you wanted to use to bless someone else? I’m not talking about regifting! I mean sharing a gift.
Two weeks ago I attended my friend’s daughter’s first birthday party. There was a huge pile of gifts. There were children there, too, that were interested in these gifts. Can you guess what happened?!
Today we continue our series on the book of Ephesians, Who Do You Think You Are? As we begin chapter four, a huge shift occurs, from doctrine to clear directives. Paul spent the first three chapters talking about who we are—and Whose we are. We are in Christ.
Ephesians parallels the book of Joshua. Joshua entered the land of Promised Land, leading the children of Israel over the Jordan speaking of the death, burial and resurrection to the Promised Land where we (should be) living today. Joshua had to take possession (the great word in Joshua).
Ephesians 1-3 is all about position, we are in Christ. Are we walking in possession? Now we enter the Promised Land to be a blessing to others.
We will see a shift from declarations to commands, from propositions to practical stuff for those in Christ.
Our culture often says if you do something, you can be somebody. God says be somebody and then you can do something as a result. Be in Christ. Becoming a child of God. Follow Jesus. Transformation follows.
I believe one of the great tragedies contributing to the decline of the movement of Jesus in our culture is the message we have sent to the world. Many churches communicate the need to behave, believe, and then belong. The order must be reversed. We must welcome the stranger and invite them into relationship with us and God. After they are loved and feel they belong it is likely they will believe, and once they believe and receive Jesus and the Holy Spirit, then and only then do they have the ability to behave.
As we begin Ephesians 4, these words are instructions to believers who are in Christ. Without Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit this text will be nothing more than futile, guilt-inducing moralizing. May it never be!
Paul the prisoner begins to instruct his readers, believers in the early Church.
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (1-3)
We could camp out on these three verses for weeks!
Live a life worthy of the calling you have received. J. Vernon McGee said people may not be telling you but they’re smelling you to see if your faith is genuine. It’s not only how we walk but where we walk, walking in the light (1 John 1:7). Is your life worthy of being called “Christian,” a “little Christ?”
Be completely humble. Humility has been a challenge for me…ever since I was eight years old, played a piano solo in our small church, and responded to a kind old lady who said, “You play very nice, young man” with the fateful words, “I know!” Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. Few things make loving relationships challenging more than pride. We will in a culture where so many are creating platforms, establishing their own personal brand identity, and seeking as many likes, friends and followers as possible. Those endeavors are not necessarily sinful, but the attitude behind them can be evil. Pride got Lucifer the angel kicked out of heaven where he then became satan. Are you seeking God’s fame or your own.
…and gentle. Gentleness—or meekness—is not weakness. Moses (shattering the stone tablets) and Jesus (turning over the tables in the Temple) were both meek. Meekness is bowing to God’s will.
Be patient, bearing with one another in love. Patience is a virtue, but patience with people is especially challenging. They don’t usually change as quickly as a traffic light!
- Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
This is one of Paul’s core messages—unity.
Perhaps the most significant verse for the people of Israel speaks to this idea of unity.
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. (Deuteronomy 6:4)
There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to one hope when you were called — one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (4-6)
One body (the Church)
One Spirit (the Holy Spirit)
One hope (blessed hope)
One Lord (Jesus)
One faith (Acts 2:42)
One baptism (baptism in the Holy Spirit)
One God and Father (the Father of believers)
God is transcendent, above His creation.
God is through and in all, too.
Unity is one of my four prayers for Scio: unity, passion, protection and direction. LORD, make us one. That was Jesus’ prayer for us (John 17).
But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.” (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) (7-10)
This is an interesting segue from unity to gifts. There are a few possible meanings behind this reference to Psalm 68:18. We know Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9). Some see “descended” as a reference to the Incarnation when Jesus came to earth as a baby. Others think it refers to when Jesus descended into Hell.
What is clear is God gives gifts to individuals to use not for themselves but for the Church, the Body of believers. It’s to bless others.
If you are a believer you have been given at least one gift to serve others. You are vital part of the body. With the possible exception of a haircut, no surgery is painless!
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (11-13)
Jesus gave the gifts.
He has the authority.
Every believer has at least one gift.
Nobody has all of the gifts.
It’s not that you have or don’t have a gift. There can be degrees.
Gifts may be lifelong or possibly temporary, like healing.
There is no comprehensive list of spiritual gifts.
There are four sections on spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, 1 Peter 4, Ephesians 4).
We are all called to be ministers.
As a pastor, I’m called to equip you to do the ministry, works of service.
Wisdom (1 Cor. 12:8)
Knowledge (1 Cor. 12:8)
Faith (1 Cor. 12:9)
Healing (1 Cor. 12:9)
Miracles (1 Cor. 12:9)
Discernment (1 Cor. 12:10)
Apostleship (1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11)
Teaching (Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11)
Helps and Service (Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:28; 1 Peter 4:11)
Administration (1 Cor. 12:28)
Evangelism (Eph. 4:11)
Pastoring/Counseling (Eph. 4:11)
Encouragement (Rom. 12:8)
Giving (Rom. 12:8)
Leadership (Rom. 12:8)
Mercy (Rom. 12:8)
Hospitality (Rom. 12:13)
Tongues (1 Cor. 12:8–10, 29
Prophecy (Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:10, 28; Eph. 4:11)
Do you know your spiritual gift or gifts? These questions from Mark Driscoll may help you identify them:
Whom/where do you have a passion to serve?
What do you have a burden to do?
What needs do you see in the church?
What do you find joy in doing for others?
What opportunities has God already provided for you to serve others?
What things are you best at and have the most success in?
What have godly people commended you for doing?
What acts of service have given you the deepest sense of satisfaction and joy?
What is the purpose of gifts? The maturity of the Church.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (14-16)
Grow up! We’re not supposed to remain as spiritual babies but we are to grow up. How do you know if someone is a mature person? How do you know if someone is a mature believer?
Questions
Where does your church need to grow towards maturity?
What gifts has God given to enable this to take place?
What challenges, what cunning tricks and false teaching, do you need to watch out for, and how can you combat it?
Not every Christian is called to full-time vocational ministry, but every Christian is called to the “work of ministry.”
Resource
You can take a free spiritual gifts inventory and experience other valuable tools at http://www.chazown.com.
Credits:
Some ideas from
J.I. Packer, Ephesians (sermon series audio)
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
Louie Giglio, Passion City Church sermon series
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
We Are Heard, 23 February 2014
24 02 14
Big Idea: We are heard by our Father—Daddy!
Ephesians 3:14-21
Our world is filled with noise. I don’t mean just sound, though sound is certainly a type of noise. We are daily bombarded with messages—thousands of them—from billboards to telemarketers to television, radio, texts, tweets, Facebook posts, phone calls, e-mails, snail mails, …
Stop the madness!
Is it any wonder that we struggle to communicate? Are we surprised that people are misunderstood? Despite all of our communication tools, we do not always effectively use them.
This is especially true in interpersonal relationships and listening. How many times have you realized someone didn’t listen to a word you said? I’ve got great news this morning. God listens to us. God hears us. He’s with us right now, wants to speak, wants to listen, and wants to do life with us.
We are in the middle of a series called “Who do you think you are?” a study of the book of Ephesians that examines our identity in Christ. We are in Ephesians chapter three, continuing what Jonathan Hurshman began last Sunday. J.I. Packer offers some profound thoughts about those first fourteen verses of Ephesians 3, a paragraph with a particular pattern:
Paul is Christ’s prisoner because he’s a preacher of God’s plan and purpose to pagan people, Gentiles (3:1). He counts it a personal privilege to be such a preacher (8) because of his previous poor performance and the power that prepared him for preaching (7) and because of the preciousness of the Person and promise he proclaims (6, 8) and because of the pleasure and the profit produced by his proclamation. He has performed with his pen (3) and now prepares to pray for true perception of the glorious things of which he has been speaking.
We have earlier noted how the first three chapters are filled with doctrine while the second half deals with application and ethics. Much of these first three chapters is actually a prayer rather than mere information including our text for today which begins:
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. (14-15)
Paul was a man of prayer. He bows before the Father. Posture is important. It communicates to us, God, and sometimes others.
kneel
stand
raise hands
dance
bow
lay prostrate on the floor
It’s not uncommon at the PACT Pastors Prayer Summit for people to kneel or even lay on the floor in prayer.
Paul prayed to the Father in the name of the LORD Jesus Christ. This is a model. Jesus said:
In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. (John 16:23)
Jesus is our intercessor. He prays for us. We are to pray to the Father or Dad. I actually prefer the word “Daddy.” I love it when my kids call me “Daddy” or even “Dad” since Father seems so formal.
Paul’s prayers were brief. Jesus’ prayers were brief, including John 17 (the Lord’s prayer for us). Actually, all prayers in the Bible are brief. We need not use vain repetition.
The shortest prayer in the Bible is…Peter as he was sinking:
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:30)
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (16-19)
Being a Christian is more than praying a prayer. It is to become a little Christ. Paul wants Christ to live in us. Christ is to be our possession.
New Testament scholar N.T. Wright translates verse 17
that the king may make his home in your hearts, through faith; that love may be your root, your firm foundation…
I love that. Jesus does not want to merely be an historical figure or even a living Person far away; He wants to live in our hearts. We talk about being Jesus with skin on or being the hands and feet of Jesus, but ultimately Jesus wants to live in our hearts. He wants us to be full of Himself!
This is the only place in the Bible where it says to have Jesus in your heart. He doesn’t want your heart to be a hotel where He stays occasionally but a home where He resides. He wants to live in us and work in and through us.
Are you full of Jesus? That’s His desire. He wants us full of love and power—His love and power. More of Jesus, less of me! Jesus wants to do life with us.
He wants us to know God and His love.
Only the Holy Spirit can lead us into God’s love (again we see the Trinity).
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (20-21)
God hears and answers! This is a fantastic way to conclude a prayer! Listen to these words:
immeasurably more
imagine
His power
within us
glory in the church
glory in Christ Jesus
all generations
Prayer is exciting and powerful!
You can pray for others…or yourself. It’s ok. Paul prayed three times for God to remove a thorn in his flesh (2 Cor. 12:7-8).
He is able to do more than we can imagine. I love that! I have quite the imagination, yet I often pray small, weenie prayers! The book of James tells us that “we have not because we ask not (James 4:2). We need to pray big, bold, audacious prayers and see what God does in response. He’s not a cosmic genie, but He loves His children.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Present your requests to God!
Thoughts on Prayer
Are you satisfied with your prayer life? Have you ever felt guilty because you don’t pray more? I’ve heard stories about people who spent hours every day on their knees in prayer and I think I’m a loser in comparison; after all, I get paid to pray 40 hours a week, right?!
Like evangelism, helping the poor, and giving money to charity, we all know prayer is the right thing to do and we should do it more, but it’s not easy. In fact, sometimes prayer can be work.
Fatherhood
The key to prayer is the recipient. Who is God? If you view Him as a weak grandpa or an angry monster, prayer will be difficult!
When we pray, we’re talking to our Dad. That’s it. You don’t need to use fancy words or get formal about it. Just talk to Dad. Don’t focus on prayer but on the Father.
For some of you, you had a bad dad and have father wounds or you didn’t know your dad. Start with God and His character rather than your earthly father. He promises to be a Father to the fatherless (Ps 68:5).
I’ve been blessed to have a great dad and watching his health deteriorate has been one of the most gut-wrenching things I’ve experienced. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to pick up the phone and call him, only realize we haven’t had a conversation in years. Nevertheless, the time I’ve spent with my dad has shaped me into the man I am today.
Becoming a dad has helped me understand God more than anything else. God loves me even more than I love our kids, which is a lot!
I love it when our kids talk with me. With one in Delaware, one in Grand Rapids, and one occasionally at home it’s often a highlight of my day to receive a text, e-mail, phone call, or—best of all—a FaceTime call from them. On Monday I celebrated a birthday (thanks for the cake last week!) and there was a moment when I was home with Heather and Kailey and I was video chatting with Trevor on one iPhone and Rachel on another so I saw all three of our kids at the same time! It was fantastic!
They could’ve said “happy birthday” and hung up but, instead, we had a great family conversation for a while, almost as if we were all together in the same room. I loved every second!
That’s how prayer is to God. The most beautiful sound in the universe to Him is the sound of your voice.
He loves it when you praise and thank Him for things, just as I do as a dad.
He loves it when you confess, apologize, and reconcile, just as I do as a dad.
He loves it when you ask Him for things, just as I do as a dad.
He even loves it when you are just still and quiet with Him, just as I do as a dad.
Your Dad loves to be with you, hear from you, and know you!
There’s nothing like time with your kids, regardless of their age. God doesn’t need us but He wants us.
How To Pray
Jesus’ followers struggled with prayer much like we do. In fact, they finally asked Jesus how to pray and He famously said
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:9b-13)
Notice Jesus said “our” Father. There’s something special about God’s children praying together. I could’ve had three individual FaceTime chats with our three children on Monday but there was something special about us all being together at once. Dad loves it when His kids get along and share their hearts together.
Individual Prayer Ideas
Perhaps you—like me—find it easier to pray with others. Maybe your mind wanders when you’re alone…or even fall asleep when you close your eyes to pray! I have a few practical suggestions for you.
Pray with others. That sounds obvious, doesn’t it? The Scio Soul lists various prayer gatherings that occur within Scio, including our 8:45 AM Sunday group. They would all love more participants.
Journal. Write out your prayers in a notebook or even a laptop. Some of my best prayers are done on my Mac. I don’t do it daily, but I have literally years worth of prayers that I’ve typed and they provide a great reference for me…and maybe someday my children.
Use a prayer list. This past week I realized I hadn’t looked at my prayer list in a while and discovered several prayer requests had been answered. A prayer list reminds you not only of things to pray for but also God’s faithfulness with past requests. Remember, God always answers our prayers, just not always how and when we desire.
Pray continuously. When our children are home, we talk throughout the day. We don’t have to set up a formal appointment. We may schedule a long conversation about a particular matter, but often the best chats are spontaneous and short. Talk with Dad…wherever, whenever. Sometimes I’ll turn off the stereo in my car and talk out loud as if He’s with me—because He is! It’s not uncommon for me to marvel at a sunset, pray for a friend when I see them on Facebook, or grab Heather’s hand and pray when alerted of a crisis.
Pray on the spot. Have you ever said to someone, “I’ll pray for you” and forgot? It’s embarrassing to have someone thank you for praying when, in fact, you never did! Years ago I e-mail a prayer request to a friend and he e-mailed a prayer back! I’ve done that on several occasions. I’ve also paused from activity to pray with or for someone in the moment.
Sing. Prayer doesn’t have to be just words. Praise and worship is one way to talk with God.
Listen. God speaks. It’s usually not audible, but through His Word, circumstances, the church, and prayer He is able to encourage, challenge, convict and guide us. My favorite verses in the Bible, Proverbs 3:5-6, tell us that if we trust Him, He will guide and direct our paths. He has certainly done that in my life more times than I can count. Prayer is not a one-way message but an interactive—albeit unique—conversation.
If there’s one thing to know about prayer, just do it! Talk with Dad. He loves you. He loves your voice. He’s listening, and your prayers—our prayers—are heard. Hallelujah!
Benediction
Our Dad loves us. He wants to know us. He loves to talk with us. He hears us.
Listen to Eugene Peterson’s translation of the final eight verses in The Message:
I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength— that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.
God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. (16-20)
Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes! (21)
Amen!
Credits:
Some ideas from
J.I. Packer, Ephesians (sermon series audio)
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
Louie Giglio, Passion City Church sermon series
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Ephesians 3:14-21
Our world is filled with noise. I don’t mean just sound, though sound is certainly a type of noise. We are daily bombarded with messages—thousands of them—from billboards to telemarketers to television, radio, texts, tweets, Facebook posts, phone calls, e-mails, snail mails, …
Stop the madness!
Is it any wonder that we struggle to communicate? Are we surprised that people are misunderstood? Despite all of our communication tools, we do not always effectively use them.
This is especially true in interpersonal relationships and listening. How many times have you realized someone didn’t listen to a word you said? I’ve got great news this morning. God listens to us. God hears us. He’s with us right now, wants to speak, wants to listen, and wants to do life with us.
We are in the middle of a series called “Who do you think you are?” a study of the book of Ephesians that examines our identity in Christ. We are in Ephesians chapter three, continuing what Jonathan Hurshman began last Sunday. J.I. Packer offers some profound thoughts about those first fourteen verses of Ephesians 3, a paragraph with a particular pattern:
Paul is Christ’s prisoner because he’s a preacher of God’s plan and purpose to pagan people, Gentiles (3:1). He counts it a personal privilege to be such a preacher (8) because of his previous poor performance and the power that prepared him for preaching (7) and because of the preciousness of the Person and promise he proclaims (6, 8) and because of the pleasure and the profit produced by his proclamation. He has performed with his pen (3) and now prepares to pray for true perception of the glorious things of which he has been speaking.
We have earlier noted how the first three chapters are filled with doctrine while the second half deals with application and ethics. Much of these first three chapters is actually a prayer rather than mere information including our text for today which begins:
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. (14-15)
Paul was a man of prayer. He bows before the Father. Posture is important. It communicates to us, God, and sometimes others.
kneel
stand
raise hands
dance
bow
lay prostrate on the floor
It’s not uncommon at the PACT Pastors Prayer Summit for people to kneel or even lay on the floor in prayer.
Paul prayed to the Father in the name of the LORD Jesus Christ. This is a model. Jesus said:
In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. (John 16:23)
Jesus is our intercessor. He prays for us. We are to pray to the Father or Dad. I actually prefer the word “Daddy.” I love it when my kids call me “Daddy” or even “Dad” since Father seems so formal.
Paul’s prayers were brief. Jesus’ prayers were brief, including John 17 (the Lord’s prayer for us). Actually, all prayers in the Bible are brief. We need not use vain repetition.
The shortest prayer in the Bible is…Peter as he was sinking:
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:30)
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (16-19)
Being a Christian is more than praying a prayer. It is to become a little Christ. Paul wants Christ to live in us. Christ is to be our possession.
New Testament scholar N.T. Wright translates verse 17
that the king may make his home in your hearts, through faith; that love may be your root, your firm foundation…
I love that. Jesus does not want to merely be an historical figure or even a living Person far away; He wants to live in our hearts. We talk about being Jesus with skin on or being the hands and feet of Jesus, but ultimately Jesus wants to live in our hearts. He wants us to be full of Himself!
This is the only place in the Bible where it says to have Jesus in your heart. He doesn’t want your heart to be a hotel where He stays occasionally but a home where He resides. He wants to live in us and work in and through us.
Are you full of Jesus? That’s His desire. He wants us full of love and power—His love and power. More of Jesus, less of me! Jesus wants to do life with us.
He wants us to know God and His love.
Only the Holy Spirit can lead us into God’s love (again we see the Trinity).
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (20-21)
God hears and answers! This is a fantastic way to conclude a prayer! Listen to these words:
immeasurably more
imagine
His power
within us
glory in the church
glory in Christ Jesus
all generations
Prayer is exciting and powerful!
You can pray for others…or yourself. It’s ok. Paul prayed three times for God to remove a thorn in his flesh (2 Cor. 12:7-8).
He is able to do more than we can imagine. I love that! I have quite the imagination, yet I often pray small, weenie prayers! The book of James tells us that “we have not because we ask not (James 4:2). We need to pray big, bold, audacious prayers and see what God does in response. He’s not a cosmic genie, but He loves His children.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Present your requests to God!
Thoughts on Prayer
Are you satisfied with your prayer life? Have you ever felt guilty because you don’t pray more? I’ve heard stories about people who spent hours every day on their knees in prayer and I think I’m a loser in comparison; after all, I get paid to pray 40 hours a week, right?!
Like evangelism, helping the poor, and giving money to charity, we all know prayer is the right thing to do and we should do it more, but it’s not easy. In fact, sometimes prayer can be work.
Fatherhood
The key to prayer is the recipient. Who is God? If you view Him as a weak grandpa or an angry monster, prayer will be difficult!
When we pray, we’re talking to our Dad. That’s it. You don’t need to use fancy words or get formal about it. Just talk to Dad. Don’t focus on prayer but on the Father.
For some of you, you had a bad dad and have father wounds or you didn’t know your dad. Start with God and His character rather than your earthly father. He promises to be a Father to the fatherless (Ps 68:5).
I’ve been blessed to have a great dad and watching his health deteriorate has been one of the most gut-wrenching things I’ve experienced. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to pick up the phone and call him, only realize we haven’t had a conversation in years. Nevertheless, the time I’ve spent with my dad has shaped me into the man I am today.
Becoming a dad has helped me understand God more than anything else. God loves me even more than I love our kids, which is a lot!
I love it when our kids talk with me. With one in Delaware, one in Grand Rapids, and one occasionally at home it’s often a highlight of my day to receive a text, e-mail, phone call, or—best of all—a FaceTime call from them. On Monday I celebrated a birthday (thanks for the cake last week!) and there was a moment when I was home with Heather and Kailey and I was video chatting with Trevor on one iPhone and Rachel on another so I saw all three of our kids at the same time! It was fantastic!
They could’ve said “happy birthday” and hung up but, instead, we had a great family conversation for a while, almost as if we were all together in the same room. I loved every second!
That’s how prayer is to God. The most beautiful sound in the universe to Him is the sound of your voice.
He loves it when you praise and thank Him for things, just as I do as a dad.
He loves it when you confess, apologize, and reconcile, just as I do as a dad.
He loves it when you ask Him for things, just as I do as a dad.
He even loves it when you are just still and quiet with Him, just as I do as a dad.
Your Dad loves to be with you, hear from you, and know you!
There’s nothing like time with your kids, regardless of their age. God doesn’t need us but He wants us.
How To Pray
Jesus’ followers struggled with prayer much like we do. In fact, they finally asked Jesus how to pray and He famously said
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:9b-13)
Notice Jesus said “our” Father. There’s something special about God’s children praying together. I could’ve had three individual FaceTime chats with our three children on Monday but there was something special about us all being together at once. Dad loves it when His kids get along and share their hearts together.
Individual Prayer Ideas
Perhaps you—like me—find it easier to pray with others. Maybe your mind wanders when you’re alone…or even fall asleep when you close your eyes to pray! I have a few practical suggestions for you.
Pray with others. That sounds obvious, doesn’t it? The Scio Soul lists various prayer gatherings that occur within Scio, including our 8:45 AM Sunday group. They would all love more participants.
Journal. Write out your prayers in a notebook or even a laptop. Some of my best prayers are done on my Mac. I don’t do it daily, but I have literally years worth of prayers that I’ve typed and they provide a great reference for me…and maybe someday my children.
Use a prayer list. This past week I realized I hadn’t looked at my prayer list in a while and discovered several prayer requests had been answered. A prayer list reminds you not only of things to pray for but also God’s faithfulness with past requests. Remember, God always answers our prayers, just not always how and when we desire.
Pray continuously. When our children are home, we talk throughout the day. We don’t have to set up a formal appointment. We may schedule a long conversation about a particular matter, but often the best chats are spontaneous and short. Talk with Dad…wherever, whenever. Sometimes I’ll turn off the stereo in my car and talk out loud as if He’s with me—because He is! It’s not uncommon for me to marvel at a sunset, pray for a friend when I see them on Facebook, or grab Heather’s hand and pray when alerted of a crisis.
Pray on the spot. Have you ever said to someone, “I’ll pray for you” and forgot? It’s embarrassing to have someone thank you for praying when, in fact, you never did! Years ago I e-mail a prayer request to a friend and he e-mailed a prayer back! I’ve done that on several occasions. I’ve also paused from activity to pray with or for someone in the moment.
Sing. Prayer doesn’t have to be just words. Praise and worship is one way to talk with God.
Listen. God speaks. It’s usually not audible, but through His Word, circumstances, the church, and prayer He is able to encourage, challenge, convict and guide us. My favorite verses in the Bible, Proverbs 3:5-6, tell us that if we trust Him, He will guide and direct our paths. He has certainly done that in my life more times than I can count. Prayer is not a one-way message but an interactive—albeit unique—conversation.
If there’s one thing to know about prayer, just do it! Talk with Dad. He loves you. He loves your voice. He’s listening, and your prayers—our prayers—are heard. Hallelujah!
Benediction
Our Dad loves us. He wants to know us. He loves to talk with us. He hears us.
Listen to Eugene Peterson’s translation of the final eight verses in The Message:
I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength— that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.
God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. (16-20)
Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes! (21)
Amen!
Credits:
Some ideas from
J.I. Packer, Ephesians (sermon series audio)
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
Louie Giglio, Passion City Church sermon series
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
We Are Reconciled, 9 February 2014
10 02 14
Big Idea: We are reconciled to God—and one another—in Christ.
Ephesians 2:11-22
Introduction
Who are you? As we continue our series on the book of Ephesians, a letter written by Paul from prison to the early church, we’re looking at this issue of identity. “Know thyself” was the famous declaration attributed to a number of ancient Greek sages.
Part of knowing ourselves is knowing others and how we are similar and different.
From the beginning of time, humans have experienced rivalry and conflict.
The differences between Cain and Abel resulted in the first murder.
The differences between Catholics and Protestants resulted in one of two Church splits.
The differences between those of European and African descent resulted in slavery.
The differences between USAmericans and al-Qaeda resulted in 9/11.
The differences between Buckeyes and Wolverines resulted in…
It’s a natural result of sin and the fall that we tend to see others as the enemy, especially if they are different (which ultimately includes every person on the planet!). Competition can lead to healthy fun and encourage growth. The Olympic games are a great example of this as athletes are motivated to train and perform knowing others are doing the same. When good sportsmanship leads to a great race, the world appreciates the dedication of both the gold medalist and those with lesser awards. Unfortunately rivalry and conflict can also lead to hostility, hatred and even death.
Differences can be celebrated and appreciated, but they must never overstep the second most important command given by God to love others.
Tragically our world is not filled with love. Sure, we see people that love their families and friends, but Jesus’ command to love our enemy may be the most radical statement in human history. Whether literally or figuratively, we have constructed walls to separate us from others.
The conflict we examine now is between Jews and Christians. Today that conflict may seem almost irrelevant. After all, when is the last time you heard about a Jew attacking a Christian? The Jewish/Muslim wall is far more visible, but the early church struggled to understand their role in relationship to the chosen ones of Israel. After all, God made a covenant with Abraham that included many special promises, including a Promised Land.
It’s impossible for us today to fully understand the depth of the hostility. Nothing in our present culture comes close. The differences between Jews and Gentiles resulted in division, pride, and tension. Many Jews believed Gentiles were created by God to be fuel for the fires of hell. The animosity was so great that it was against the law for a Jew to help a Gentile mother in her hour of greatest need need because it would bring another Gentile into the world. If a Jew married a Gentile, a funeral was performed for the Jew since such contact with a Gentile was the equivalent of death. (The Message of Ephesians by John Stott).
Jesus was Jewish while on the earth. His first converts and disciples were Jewish. Paul was Jewish. However, the church in Ephesus and other churches were in the region were composed primarily of Gentiles. You can imagine the challenges this presented, challenges that were addressed in nearly all of the New Testament letters. The obvious issue concerned the legitimacy of Gentiles that followed Yeshua, Jesus. Debates went beyond theology, however, to include cultural issues such as diet and circumcision.
Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men) — remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. (11-12)
It’s notable that the Gentiles are referred to in the negative, the “un”circumcised. Gentiles were without God and without hope.
Two thousands years later without God we have no hope. It’s no wonder people turn to drugs and pleasure and alcohol and a variety of other addictions. This is why it is so crucial for us to be filled with hope, filled with joy, and shine the light of Jesus to a dark, hopeless world. This is why God has a mission to seek and save the lost, and He has entrusted that mission—and the Great Commission—to you and me. These verses are written in the past tense to early believers, but to countless in our community there is presently no hope.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. (13)
There’s another “but.” But God. But “in Christ.” The blood of Christ brings us in. I love this verse! We were far away and now we are brought near.
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. (14-18)
Jesus is our peace (2:14). He doesn’t distribute peace. He’s not the peace-maker. He is our peace. Peace is found in Jesus, not the opinion others have of you, circumstances, self-esteem, your finances, your health, or anything other than Jesus. Living in Him we have peace with God. Peace isn’t the absence of conflict; it’s the presence of Jesus.
Jesus has made the two became one. Where have we heard that? Marriage!
Yesterday on this stage a man and a woman became one in marriage. Each held a lit candle representing their two lives and families and brought them together to light the unity candle symbolizing their new life together. Neither individual was lost, but together a new family began.
This past week I spent nearly three days praying with 32 other pastors from Washtenaw County. It was an incredible experience, not only to spend time with Jesus but also with many so different from myself—in every way except for Christ. We came together in Christ.
On the way to the PACT Pastors Prayer Summit I was talking with my dear friend, Rabbi Allen Singer, about this passage. Allen is a Messianic Jew who embraces not only the Old Testament but also every word of the New Testament. He agreed that like a marriage, it is not the Gentile that becomes a Jew or a Jew that becomes a Gentile, but rather that one new man—one new believer—emerges because of Jesus. Through the cross we are both reconciled. Through Jesus we both have access to the Father by the Spirit, another beautiful image of the Trinity—one God in three Persons. Through Christ, Jews and Gentiles have equal access to God. We take this for granted but this was a radical revelation, especially to early Christians that were surrounded by elitist Jews who alone had special access to God before Jesus came. What this means is that through Jesus we all have access to the Father. My prayers are no more or less accessible to God than yours or Billy Graham’s. Jesus didn’t simply die so you can go to heaven when you die. He died to reconcile all—Jew and Gentile—to God if we trust and follow Him and receive by faith the gift of life that He offers.
Our status is not based upon our race, color, nationality or earthly citizenship. It is based upon our identity “in Christ.” That’s what brings us together. Reconciliation doesn’t just happen because we say some flowery words or put on a nice show. It begins in the heart and our deepest common identity in Christ. God separated the Jews from the nations which led to spiritual pride and hatred between Jew and Gentile, but now there’s peace. Now there’s true shalom.
Through Jesus we are even able to overcome church divisions that for centuries have separated Catholics and Protestants. I have often said that I have never met anyone that loves Jesus more than Father Ed Fride—and in my younger days I didn’t even know if it was possible to be Catholic and a Christian!
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. (19-20)
Have you ever been in a strange place where you felt uncomfortable? Foreign countries are probably the most extreme example, especially when you don’t know the language. You quickly realize you are an outsider, and unless you are confronted with someone with the gift of hospitality, you feel like you don’t belong. Incidentally, this is true when people visit churches, too. They often feel alien until they are welcomed. Hospitality literally means welcoming the stranger.
In Christ we are not longer aliens. As we said weeks ago, we are saints. We are God’s children (1 John 2:12). David was God’s servant (2 Samuel 7:8). Moses was God’s servant (Number 12:7). We are fellow citizens. We belong to heaven now. Our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).
The apostles and prophets were not the foundation but laid the foundation. The foundation is Jesus (1 Cor. 3:11), the chief cornerstone. He is our foundation. He is our senior pastor. He is our big Brother, and because of Him, we receive the same love and treatment and access to the Father that He enjoys.
In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (21-22)
Paul refers to the Old Testament temple. We are living stones put together by Christ (1 Peter 2:5). The Church is under construction today. The temple is holy because the Holy Spirit fills each believer.
J. Vernon McGee said that God placed in a human-made structure is a pagan philosophy. God is in the house because we are in the house. When we come together to worship, the Holy Spirit is present, but when we all leave the building, the Holy Spirit leaves with us.
This building is important, but it’s not any more holy than your house, your car, your school, your office, or anywhere else you find yourself filled with the Holy Spirit. The house of God is not the church building…it’s you!!!
Conclusion
The first three chapters of Ephesians are filled with doctrine and theology that help us understand our identity, who we are. The second half of the book is filled with practical application.
To review,
we are in Christ
we are saints
we are blessed
we are appreciated
we are saved
We are reconciled—in Christ.
Paul was imprisoned for allegedly taking a non-Jew inside the temple of Jerusalem (Acts 21:27, 29). It was his efforts at reconciliation that led him to prison where he wrote this letter.
In some ways Ephesians is not unlike Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” a famous document written while imprisoned from the cause of reconciliation.
At the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games last week, IOC president Thomas Bach said
Olympic Games are always about building bridges to bring people together. Olympic Games are never about erecting walls to keep people apart. Olympic Games are a sports festival embracing human diversity in great unity.
He echoes the words of Paul, recognizing that despite our history, culture, race, income, nationality, gender, occupation or family of origin our primary identity and true unity can only be found—not in athletic competition—but “in Christ.”
We have more in common with believers of other nations, races and languages than non-believers from our own families. We are reconciled and made one in Christ.
Credits:
Some ideas from
J.I. Packer, Ephesians (sermon series audio)
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
Louie Giglio, Passion City Church sermon series
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Ephesians 2:11-22
Introduction
Who are you? As we continue our series on the book of Ephesians, a letter written by Paul from prison to the early church, we’re looking at this issue of identity. “Know thyself” was the famous declaration attributed to a number of ancient Greek sages.
Part of knowing ourselves is knowing others and how we are similar and different.
From the beginning of time, humans have experienced rivalry and conflict.
The differences between Cain and Abel resulted in the first murder.
The differences between Catholics and Protestants resulted in one of two Church splits.
The differences between those of European and African descent resulted in slavery.
The differences between USAmericans and al-Qaeda resulted in 9/11.
The differences between Buckeyes and Wolverines resulted in…
It’s a natural result of sin and the fall that we tend to see others as the enemy, especially if they are different (which ultimately includes every person on the planet!). Competition can lead to healthy fun and encourage growth. The Olympic games are a great example of this as athletes are motivated to train and perform knowing others are doing the same. When good sportsmanship leads to a great race, the world appreciates the dedication of both the gold medalist and those with lesser awards. Unfortunately rivalry and conflict can also lead to hostility, hatred and even death.
Differences can be celebrated and appreciated, but they must never overstep the second most important command given by God to love others.
Tragically our world is not filled with love. Sure, we see people that love their families and friends, but Jesus’ command to love our enemy may be the most radical statement in human history. Whether literally or figuratively, we have constructed walls to separate us from others.
The conflict we examine now is between Jews and Christians. Today that conflict may seem almost irrelevant. After all, when is the last time you heard about a Jew attacking a Christian? The Jewish/Muslim wall is far more visible, but the early church struggled to understand their role in relationship to the chosen ones of Israel. After all, God made a covenant with Abraham that included many special promises, including a Promised Land.
It’s impossible for us today to fully understand the depth of the hostility. Nothing in our present culture comes close. The differences between Jews and Gentiles resulted in division, pride, and tension. Many Jews believed Gentiles were created by God to be fuel for the fires of hell. The animosity was so great that it was against the law for a Jew to help a Gentile mother in her hour of greatest need need because it would bring another Gentile into the world. If a Jew married a Gentile, a funeral was performed for the Jew since such contact with a Gentile was the equivalent of death. (The Message of Ephesians by John Stott).
Jesus was Jewish while on the earth. His first converts and disciples were Jewish. Paul was Jewish. However, the church in Ephesus and other churches were in the region were composed primarily of Gentiles. You can imagine the challenges this presented, challenges that were addressed in nearly all of the New Testament letters. The obvious issue concerned the legitimacy of Gentiles that followed Yeshua, Jesus. Debates went beyond theology, however, to include cultural issues such as diet and circumcision.
Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men) — remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. (11-12)
It’s notable that the Gentiles are referred to in the negative, the “un”circumcised. Gentiles were without God and without hope.
Two thousands years later without God we have no hope. It’s no wonder people turn to drugs and pleasure and alcohol and a variety of other addictions. This is why it is so crucial for us to be filled with hope, filled with joy, and shine the light of Jesus to a dark, hopeless world. This is why God has a mission to seek and save the lost, and He has entrusted that mission—and the Great Commission—to you and me. These verses are written in the past tense to early believers, but to countless in our community there is presently no hope.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. (13)
There’s another “but.” But God. But “in Christ.” The blood of Christ brings us in. I love this verse! We were far away and now we are brought near.
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. (14-18)
Jesus is our peace (2:14). He doesn’t distribute peace. He’s not the peace-maker. He is our peace. Peace is found in Jesus, not the opinion others have of you, circumstances, self-esteem, your finances, your health, or anything other than Jesus. Living in Him we have peace with God. Peace isn’t the absence of conflict; it’s the presence of Jesus.
Jesus has made the two became one. Where have we heard that? Marriage!
Yesterday on this stage a man and a woman became one in marriage. Each held a lit candle representing their two lives and families and brought them together to light the unity candle symbolizing their new life together. Neither individual was lost, but together a new family began.
This past week I spent nearly three days praying with 32 other pastors from Washtenaw County. It was an incredible experience, not only to spend time with Jesus but also with many so different from myself—in every way except for Christ. We came together in Christ.
On the way to the PACT Pastors Prayer Summit I was talking with my dear friend, Rabbi Allen Singer, about this passage. Allen is a Messianic Jew who embraces not only the Old Testament but also every word of the New Testament. He agreed that like a marriage, it is not the Gentile that becomes a Jew or a Jew that becomes a Gentile, but rather that one new man—one new believer—emerges because of Jesus. Through the cross we are both reconciled. Through Jesus we both have access to the Father by the Spirit, another beautiful image of the Trinity—one God in three Persons. Through Christ, Jews and Gentiles have equal access to God. We take this for granted but this was a radical revelation, especially to early Christians that were surrounded by elitist Jews who alone had special access to God before Jesus came. What this means is that through Jesus we all have access to the Father. My prayers are no more or less accessible to God than yours or Billy Graham’s. Jesus didn’t simply die so you can go to heaven when you die. He died to reconcile all—Jew and Gentile—to God if we trust and follow Him and receive by faith the gift of life that He offers.
Our status is not based upon our race, color, nationality or earthly citizenship. It is based upon our identity “in Christ.” That’s what brings us together. Reconciliation doesn’t just happen because we say some flowery words or put on a nice show. It begins in the heart and our deepest common identity in Christ. God separated the Jews from the nations which led to spiritual pride and hatred between Jew and Gentile, but now there’s peace. Now there’s true shalom.
Through Jesus we are even able to overcome church divisions that for centuries have separated Catholics and Protestants. I have often said that I have never met anyone that loves Jesus more than Father Ed Fride—and in my younger days I didn’t even know if it was possible to be Catholic and a Christian!
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. (19-20)
Have you ever been in a strange place where you felt uncomfortable? Foreign countries are probably the most extreme example, especially when you don’t know the language. You quickly realize you are an outsider, and unless you are confronted with someone with the gift of hospitality, you feel like you don’t belong. Incidentally, this is true when people visit churches, too. They often feel alien until they are welcomed. Hospitality literally means welcoming the stranger.
In Christ we are not longer aliens. As we said weeks ago, we are saints. We are God’s children (1 John 2:12). David was God’s servant (2 Samuel 7:8). Moses was God’s servant (Number 12:7). We are fellow citizens. We belong to heaven now. Our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).
The apostles and prophets were not the foundation but laid the foundation. The foundation is Jesus (1 Cor. 3:11), the chief cornerstone. He is our foundation. He is our senior pastor. He is our big Brother, and because of Him, we receive the same love and treatment and access to the Father that He enjoys.
In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (21-22)
Paul refers to the Old Testament temple. We are living stones put together by Christ (1 Peter 2:5). The Church is under construction today. The temple is holy because the Holy Spirit fills each believer.
J. Vernon McGee said that God placed in a human-made structure is a pagan philosophy. God is in the house because we are in the house. When we come together to worship, the Holy Spirit is present, but when we all leave the building, the Holy Spirit leaves with us.
This building is important, but it’s not any more holy than your house, your car, your school, your office, or anywhere else you find yourself filled with the Holy Spirit. The house of God is not the church building…it’s you!!!
Conclusion
The first three chapters of Ephesians are filled with doctrine and theology that help us understand our identity, who we are. The second half of the book is filled with practical application.
To review,
we are in Christ
we are saints
we are blessed
we are appreciated
we are saved
We are reconciled—in Christ.
Paul was imprisoned for allegedly taking a non-Jew inside the temple of Jerusalem (Acts 21:27, 29). It was his efforts at reconciliation that led him to prison where he wrote this letter.
In some ways Ephesians is not unlike Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” a famous document written while imprisoned from the cause of reconciliation.
At the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games last week, IOC president Thomas Bach said
Olympic Games are always about building bridges to bring people together. Olympic Games are never about erecting walls to keep people apart. Olympic Games are a sports festival embracing human diversity in great unity.
He echoes the words of Paul, recognizing that despite our history, culture, race, income, nationality, gender, occupation or family of origin our primary identity and true unity can only be found—not in athletic competition—but “in Christ.”
We have more in common with believers of other nations, races and languages than non-believers from our own families. We are reconciled and made one in Christ.
Credits:
Some ideas from
J.I. Packer, Ephesians (sermon series audio)
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
Louie Giglio, Passion City Church sermon series
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
We Are Saved, 2 February 2014
02 02 14
Big Idea: We are saved by grace. We were dead but now we’re alive. Hallelujah!
Ephesians 2:1-10
Introduction
One of my many weaknesses is my propensity to see things in black and white in a world of grey. I tend to be all or nothing, going to extremes. I’ve learned this about myself and I am working to avoid the tendency but when I was younger it wouldn’t be uncommon for me to turn the volume of the radio down to 1 when someone complained that 11 was a little much, or if someone said I talked too much I would resort to silence.
Although much of life is grey, some things are clearly black or white, on or off, yes or no, Seattle or Denver!
The Wrath of God
Our series on the book of Ephesians is called Who Do You Think You Are? This is one of the most important questions in life. How you see yourself determines how you think and act and live. We live in a culture where most people see themselves as good people, at least in comparison to the criminals we see paraded in front of us on the nightly news. People will say, “I haven’t killed anyone, I paid—most of—my taxes, and I’m kind to animals so I’m pretty good.” But they’re not. I’m not. Romans 3:23 says that
“…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
We tend to focus on the first part, but what about the latter. God’s glory is perfection. He is holy. He is righteous. He hates sin—all sin!
I want to begin today with God’s wrath. It’s politically incorrect to discuss, but it’s real. We can deny it but does not change it. God hates sin and
“…the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23)
Ephesians 2 could’ve begun like this:
You are dead in your transgressions and sins in which you live, following the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also live among them, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we are by nature objects of wrath.
Objects of wrath. That means all sin will be destroyed. It’s like cancer. You wouldn’t want a doctor to remove 10% of your cancer or even 90%. The goal is to live 100% cancer free. God can only live in a sin-free environment. His wrath will come and destroy all sin…and that’s a good think—unless we are sinners. But we are! We are all sinners.
Celebrate Jesus
Today is a day of celebration. We’re not celebrating my birthday or yours. We’re not celebrating a Super Bowl championship since it is hours away. Today we are celebrating Jesus, and every day should be a celebration of Christ. Our text for today actually begins
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. (Ephesians 2:1-3)
It’s all past-tense because of Jesus!!!
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5)
But God. God butts in! He invades our broken planet that has been decimated by sin like our state has been invaded by snow and cold temperatures.
We were dead. Now we’re alive…with Christ. We are alive…in Christ.
Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people come alive!
I didn’t do it. You didn’t do it. Jesus did it!
We were dead and then Jesus made us alive!
I have a friend, Tony, who died six years ago at St. Joe’s Hospital. His heart was the worst the hospital had ever seen, but then a miracle occurred; he came back to life, and has never been the same since—in a good way. He was dead and now he’s alive.
What did Tony do to move from death to life? Nothing! He laid in the hospital bed and was healed in the midst of an ocean of prayer and a supernatural event not even the doctors can explain.
It’s the same way with us. We were dead and then Jesus made us alive. That’s grace!
Grace
Grace is unmerited favor. It doesn’t make sense. It’s not fair. You can’t do anything to get it. It’s amazing!
A week ago I was DJing with a friend and I explained it this way:
If you recklessly smash your car into mine (please don’t!), justice means you pay to get my car fixed—and me, too, if I’m injured.
Mercy means I shrug it off, forgive you, and pretend the accident never happened. Who likes mercy?!
Grace means I not only refuse payment to fix my car, I offer to pay to fix yours…and take you out for ice cream!
That’s insane, right? That’s grace! That’s what Jesus offers every man, woman and child.
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:6-7)
We are seated with Christ in the heavenly realms. This means we are invited to spend eternity with Almighty God. We are welcomed into His Kingdom, not because we were good, but because of grace.
Notice again the phrase “in Christ” and “with Christ.” It’s all Jesus. We’re just along for the ride. Literally.
I have a friend who owns a Ferrari. It’s a beautiful car probably worth more than my house. He has two sons and if he were to ever let them drive the Ferrari into town, it would be obvious that there is only one reason they were driving such nice wheels—their dad! They did nothing to deserve the privilege except be born.
That’s grace!
Don’t miss these next two verses. This is one of the most important passages in the entire Bible.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
What is our role in salvation? Nothing! It’s all a gift. Even faith is a gift of God!
We all deserve God’s wrath. You, me, Billy Graham, and—fill in the blank!
Religion has always tried to work hard to make God like us. Every religion I have ever encountered is spelled D-O; it’s about what we do. The problem is our works compared to God are like me trying to jump from here to the moon. It doesn’t matter how much I practice or how hard I work, there’s no way I could ever jump to the moon.
What I love about the movement of Jesus is we are the only ones with grace. Grace is spelled D-O-N-E. It’s not what we do, but what’s been done by Jesus. I’ve encouraged my three kids to check out other religions. Explore. We’re the only ones with grace. It’s amazing, it’s extravagant, it’s almost unbelievable!
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
There’s so much that can be said about this verse but I want to briefly highlight a few thoughts
We are God’s workmanship, His masterpiece, His creation, His treasure. He doesn’t make junk!
We were created “in Christ.” We were created by Christ and then recreated in Christ because of grace.
We were created to do good works. We don’t do good works and then get in. We encounter Jesus and do good works as a result. Our lives are lived not out of obligation but gratitude. One of the most important works we can do is let dead people know they are dead, and how they can become alive in Christ!
God knew us in our mother’s womb and prepared good words for us to do. He wants us to do two things: love Him and love others. When you ponder grace, don’t you want to dance, sing, and then obey whatever He says?!
We were dead. Because of Jesus we’re alive!
Credits:
Some ideas from
J.I. Packer, Ephesians (sermon series audio)
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
Louie Giglio, Passion City Church sermon series
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Ephesians 2:1-10
Introduction
One of my many weaknesses is my propensity to see things in black and white in a world of grey. I tend to be all or nothing, going to extremes. I’ve learned this about myself and I am working to avoid the tendency but when I was younger it wouldn’t be uncommon for me to turn the volume of the radio down to 1 when someone complained that 11 was a little much, or if someone said I talked too much I would resort to silence.
Although much of life is grey, some things are clearly black or white, on or off, yes or no, Seattle or Denver!
The Wrath of God
Our series on the book of Ephesians is called Who Do You Think You Are? This is one of the most important questions in life. How you see yourself determines how you think and act and live. We live in a culture where most people see themselves as good people, at least in comparison to the criminals we see paraded in front of us on the nightly news. People will say, “I haven’t killed anyone, I paid—most of—my taxes, and I’m kind to animals so I’m pretty good.” But they’re not. I’m not. Romans 3:23 says that
“…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
We tend to focus on the first part, but what about the latter. God’s glory is perfection. He is holy. He is righteous. He hates sin—all sin!
I want to begin today with God’s wrath. It’s politically incorrect to discuss, but it’s real. We can deny it but does not change it. God hates sin and
“…the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23)
Ephesians 2 could’ve begun like this:
You are dead in your transgressions and sins in which you live, following the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also live among them, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we are by nature objects of wrath.
Objects of wrath. That means all sin will be destroyed. It’s like cancer. You wouldn’t want a doctor to remove 10% of your cancer or even 90%. The goal is to live 100% cancer free. God can only live in a sin-free environment. His wrath will come and destroy all sin…and that’s a good think—unless we are sinners. But we are! We are all sinners.
Celebrate Jesus
Today is a day of celebration. We’re not celebrating my birthday or yours. We’re not celebrating a Super Bowl championship since it is hours away. Today we are celebrating Jesus, and every day should be a celebration of Christ. Our text for today actually begins
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. (Ephesians 2:1-3)
It’s all past-tense because of Jesus!!!
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5)
But God. God butts in! He invades our broken planet that has been decimated by sin like our state has been invaded by snow and cold temperatures.
We were dead. Now we’re alive…with Christ. We are alive…in Christ.
Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people come alive!
I didn’t do it. You didn’t do it. Jesus did it!
We were dead and then Jesus made us alive!
I have a friend, Tony, who died six years ago at St. Joe’s Hospital. His heart was the worst the hospital had ever seen, but then a miracle occurred; he came back to life, and has never been the same since—in a good way. He was dead and now he’s alive.
What did Tony do to move from death to life? Nothing! He laid in the hospital bed and was healed in the midst of an ocean of prayer and a supernatural event not even the doctors can explain.
It’s the same way with us. We were dead and then Jesus made us alive. That’s grace!
Grace
Grace is unmerited favor. It doesn’t make sense. It’s not fair. You can’t do anything to get it. It’s amazing!
A week ago I was DJing with a friend and I explained it this way:
If you recklessly smash your car into mine (please don’t!), justice means you pay to get my car fixed—and me, too, if I’m injured.
Mercy means I shrug it off, forgive you, and pretend the accident never happened. Who likes mercy?!
Grace means I not only refuse payment to fix my car, I offer to pay to fix yours…and take you out for ice cream!
That’s insane, right? That’s grace! That’s what Jesus offers every man, woman and child.
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:6-7)
We are seated with Christ in the heavenly realms. This means we are invited to spend eternity with Almighty God. We are welcomed into His Kingdom, not because we were good, but because of grace.
Notice again the phrase “in Christ” and “with Christ.” It’s all Jesus. We’re just along for the ride. Literally.
I have a friend who owns a Ferrari. It’s a beautiful car probably worth more than my house. He has two sons and if he were to ever let them drive the Ferrari into town, it would be obvious that there is only one reason they were driving such nice wheels—their dad! They did nothing to deserve the privilege except be born.
That’s grace!
Don’t miss these next two verses. This is one of the most important passages in the entire Bible.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
What is our role in salvation? Nothing! It’s all a gift. Even faith is a gift of God!
We all deserve God’s wrath. You, me, Billy Graham, and—fill in the blank!
Religion has always tried to work hard to make God like us. Every religion I have ever encountered is spelled D-O; it’s about what we do. The problem is our works compared to God are like me trying to jump from here to the moon. It doesn’t matter how much I practice or how hard I work, there’s no way I could ever jump to the moon.
What I love about the movement of Jesus is we are the only ones with grace. Grace is spelled D-O-N-E. It’s not what we do, but what’s been done by Jesus. I’ve encouraged my three kids to check out other religions. Explore. We’re the only ones with grace. It’s amazing, it’s extravagant, it’s almost unbelievable!
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
There’s so much that can be said about this verse but I want to briefly highlight a few thoughts
We are God’s workmanship, His masterpiece, His creation, His treasure. He doesn’t make junk!
We were created “in Christ.” We were created by Christ and then recreated in Christ because of grace.
We were created to do good works. We don’t do good works and then get in. We encounter Jesus and do good works as a result. Our lives are lived not out of obligation but gratitude. One of the most important works we can do is let dead people know they are dead, and how they can become alive in Christ!
God knew us in our mother’s womb and prepared good words for us to do. He wants us to do two things: love Him and love others. When you ponder grace, don’t you want to dance, sing, and then obey whatever He says?!
We were dead. Because of Jesus we’re alive!
Credits:
Some ideas from
J.I. Packer, Ephesians (sermon series audio)
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
Louie Giglio, Passion City Church sermon series
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
We Are Appreciated, 26 January 2014
26 01 14
Big Idea: We are appreciated…by God!
Ephesians 1:15-23
When did you most feel appreciated? Why?
When did you recently express appreciation to someone? Why? What did you do? How did it make you feel?
We all like to be appreciated. We may intellectually know that God loves us, but it’s quite another thing to hear the words “thank you” or receive a gift of appreciation.
Two things
There’s two things I want you to know: I appreciate you and God appreciates you.
Did it surprise you when I said God appreciates you? When I recently heard those words, I wasn’t so sure. God is God. I appreciate Him, but could He possibly appreciate me? He loves me, He died for me, but He appreciates me?
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. (1:15-16)
Paul is writing to a church, a church he started in the city of Ephesus. He likely was speaking to a broader audience, however, since this letter was circulated among many churches…and has continued to be read by churches around the planet for the past 2000 years!
The church was filled with faith in Jesus and love for people. Those are the two most important things according to Jesus—love God and love people. Period. That’s the goal. That’s the litmus test. That’s success.
Do you love God? Really? How do you know? Does God know?
Do you love people? Really? How do you know? Do they know?
We often equate love with what’s in our head. It’s easy to say we love something but action is entirely different.
This past week I read that a restaurant I loved closed. I loved their food. I loved their atmosphere. I loved the service I received.
I dined there once! My love in my head did not translate into action. They closed. Can I blame them for closing?
Paul was saying that these people genuinely loved God and others. Their faith was visible, not just intellectual. He says that these people are in his prayers and he appreciates them and continually gives thanks to God for them.
I love that! He’s a great pastor. Remember, he’s writing from prison. He can’t exactly bring them gifts or FaceTime them. He uses the only tools he has—prayer and letters—to communicate his appreciation and love.
In Revelation chapter two we learn that the church in Ephesus was a great church.
Paul could’ve used the precious ink and paper to complain about the conditions in prison and to ask them to pray for him. That’s what I would’ve likely done! I’d write, “Help! Pray for God to miraculously release me from prison again!”
How many of your prayers are cries for help? God loves any honest prayer, but like any Father—like any person—He loves to receive thanks, too. This is a prayer of thanksgiving. We don’t need to wait until November to give thanks!
Are you thankful to God for anyone? Take some time and pray prayers of Thanksgiving.
Paul appreciates these people, but he also speaks for God as he writes scripture. He appreciates them but so does God.
Scio, God appreciates you. He loves it when you obey Him, love others, and pray.
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. (1:17)
Paul gives thanks but also prays for them—and us—to know God better. There’s nothing more important than knowing God. Nothing. We were created to know God.
Here's another beautiful depiction of the Trinity. We see Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. Paul asks God to give them wisdom and revelation in order to know Him better.
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (1:18-21)
That’s a mouthful! Paul had a habit of writing run-on sentences!
The eyes of your heart, not mind. Intelligence does not guarantee understanding of spiritual truth. There are some things only the Spirit can teach us.
Paul does not pray for material things but spiritual blessings. He wants them to know hope, their inheritance, and His power.
If we truly understood God’s power, I believe our prayers and our lives would be radically different.
This month we have learned about the power of wind and cold and snow. The Detroit News headline on Friday said, “Enough already!” We often think about God’s power in creation or storms or the resurrection, but His power has been unleashed in other ways such as the ascension of Jesus into heaven. Can you imagine seeing Jesus lift off the ground into the sky?
The first three chapters of Ephesians are largely filled with doctrine and truths about God while the final three chapters provide practical instruction about how to apply the doctrine and live God-honoring lives. What I want you to see here is the vivid portrait of God.
This chapter ends with a reference to us, the church.
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (1:22-23)
We are the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, the church. Since we are in Christ, the Father views us as He views Jesus.
He loves Jesus. He loves us.
He appreciates Jesus. He appreciates us.
He loves to hear the voice of Jesus. He loves to hear our voices.
He will spend eternity with Jesus. He will spend eternity with us.
Daddy is nuts about you! He loves you! He appreciates you!
Credits:
Some ideas from
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Ephesians 1:15-23
When did you most feel appreciated? Why?
When did you recently express appreciation to someone? Why? What did you do? How did it make you feel?
We all like to be appreciated. We may intellectually know that God loves us, but it’s quite another thing to hear the words “thank you” or receive a gift of appreciation.
Two things
There’s two things I want you to know: I appreciate you and God appreciates you.
Did it surprise you when I said God appreciates you? When I recently heard those words, I wasn’t so sure. God is God. I appreciate Him, but could He possibly appreciate me? He loves me, He died for me, but He appreciates me?
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. (1:15-16)
Paul is writing to a church, a church he started in the city of Ephesus. He likely was speaking to a broader audience, however, since this letter was circulated among many churches…and has continued to be read by churches around the planet for the past 2000 years!
The church was filled with faith in Jesus and love for people. Those are the two most important things according to Jesus—love God and love people. Period. That’s the goal. That’s the litmus test. That’s success.
Do you love God? Really? How do you know? Does God know?
Do you love people? Really? How do you know? Do they know?
We often equate love with what’s in our head. It’s easy to say we love something but action is entirely different.
This past week I read that a restaurant I loved closed. I loved their food. I loved their atmosphere. I loved the service I received.
I dined there once! My love in my head did not translate into action. They closed. Can I blame them for closing?
Paul was saying that these people genuinely loved God and others. Their faith was visible, not just intellectual. He says that these people are in his prayers and he appreciates them and continually gives thanks to God for them.
I love that! He’s a great pastor. Remember, he’s writing from prison. He can’t exactly bring them gifts or FaceTime them. He uses the only tools he has—prayer and letters—to communicate his appreciation and love.
In Revelation chapter two we learn that the church in Ephesus was a great church.
Paul could’ve used the precious ink and paper to complain about the conditions in prison and to ask them to pray for him. That’s what I would’ve likely done! I’d write, “Help! Pray for God to miraculously release me from prison again!”
How many of your prayers are cries for help? God loves any honest prayer, but like any Father—like any person—He loves to receive thanks, too. This is a prayer of thanksgiving. We don’t need to wait until November to give thanks!
Are you thankful to God for anyone? Take some time and pray prayers of Thanksgiving.
Paul appreciates these people, but he also speaks for God as he writes scripture. He appreciates them but so does God.
Scio, God appreciates you. He loves it when you obey Him, love others, and pray.
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. (1:17)
Paul gives thanks but also prays for them—and us—to know God better. There’s nothing more important than knowing God. Nothing. We were created to know God.
Here's another beautiful depiction of the Trinity. We see Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. Paul asks God to give them wisdom and revelation in order to know Him better.
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (1:18-21)
That’s a mouthful! Paul had a habit of writing run-on sentences!
The eyes of your heart, not mind. Intelligence does not guarantee understanding of spiritual truth. There are some things only the Spirit can teach us.
Paul does not pray for material things but spiritual blessings. He wants them to know hope, their inheritance, and His power.
If we truly understood God’s power, I believe our prayers and our lives would be radically different.
This month we have learned about the power of wind and cold and snow. The Detroit News headline on Friday said, “Enough already!” We often think about God’s power in creation or storms or the resurrection, but His power has been unleashed in other ways such as the ascension of Jesus into heaven. Can you imagine seeing Jesus lift off the ground into the sky?
The first three chapters of Ephesians are largely filled with doctrine and truths about God while the final three chapters provide practical instruction about how to apply the doctrine and live God-honoring lives. What I want you to see here is the vivid portrait of God.
This chapter ends with a reference to us, the church.
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (1:22-23)
We are the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, the church. Since we are in Christ, the Father views us as He views Jesus.
He loves Jesus. He loves us.
He appreciates Jesus. He appreciates us.
He loves to hear the voice of Jesus. He loves to hear our voices.
He will spend eternity with Jesus. He will spend eternity with us.
Daddy is nuts about you! He loves you! He appreciates you!
Credits:
Some ideas from
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
We Are Saints, 12 January 2014
12 01 14
Big Idea: We are saints, God’s people set apart for His purposes, blessed with grace and peace.
Ephesians 1:1-2
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Introduction
Good morning, saints! Good morning, sinners!
Today we continue our new series, Who Do You Think You Are? It is a series about identity, and identity is one of the most important aspects of life. I believe theology and anthropology—understanding God and humans—are the two most important fields of study, for the more we understand God and ourselves, the more we will flourish.
Who are you? Who are we? These are the primary questions we will seek to answer throughout our study of the book of Ephesians.
As a review for those who braved the snow last week and a summary for those who didn’t, we noted that Ephesians…
I want to note a few additional things about this book.
Ephesians 1 begins…
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
This is a letter written by Paul from a Roman prison. Paul was once a religious zealot named Saul.
Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. (Acts 8:2-3)
His conversion may be the most remarkable in history, an encounter with the risen Christ (Acts 9). Later he goes by the name of Paul (Acts 13:9).
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
The word “apostle” is interesting. The Greek word means “messenger” or “envoy.” I like to say there are two types—Apostle and apostle. An Apostle is the highest office of the Church. They received their commission directly from Jesus. Even though Paul did not know Jesus during His earthly ministry, the glorified Jesus commissioned Paul. They also saw Jesus after His resurrection, often wrote scripture, and performed signs, wonders, and miracles (2 Cor. 12:112). They also started churches.
Today there are people that are called apostles. I consider myself an apostle. I have been involved in starting or planting churches. I’m a spiritual entrepreneur.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
As we said last week, the core message of Ephesians is that our identity is in Christ. Paul is a messenger of Jesus. He has no personal agenda. The messenger only delivers—they don’t create—the message. As he was repeatedly arrested and beaten, he must’ve thought, “Don’t shoot the messenger!”
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
It was clearly God’s will that Paul become an apostle. He was called for a very special purpose, specifically to write much of the New Testament and be the most prominent figure in it after Christ.
Note that God does the calling. He still calls people today. He calls people to start churches, to travel to foreign countries, and to become pastors. He calls people to be beacons of light amidst the darkness at factories, schools, offices, and homes across our county. Be ready for His call. Be ready to respond. Be ready to obey.
Jonah received a calling, did not obey, spent three nights in a fish, and eventually got on board with God’s will!
You may be waiting—patiently or impatiently—for His call. I had a friend who spent years asking God to show him what to do. Silence meant to continue to be faithful to his current assignment until the time was right for something new, something that eventually came. He now leads a church God called him to plant in Chicagoland.
You might not like your calling. Take it up with God!
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
I began with the greeting, “Good morning saints.” When you think of saints, perhaps you think of a New Orleans football team or a bunch of dead guys that have churches named after them!
A saint is a holy person.
The word “sinner” is used about 300 times in the Bible, often in conjunction with the 600 references to God’s wrath. It occurs no more than three times in reference to believers. God sees us as saints. Why don’t we? When we begin following Jesus as Lord, we become genuinely new creations, though not totally new. We are given a new nature, the nature of Jesus Christ when we identify with Him. That’s incredible!
Paul writes to the church…
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
…in Ephesus and to those in the region and calls them “God’s holy people” or saints.
A saint is not a perfect person. Saints (haggais) means separated or set aside for the sole use of God, holy vessels like those in the tabernacle.
J. Vernon McGee used to say there are two types of people today: saints and ain’ts!
We have been set apart for God’s use. Isn’t that incredible?!
We are saints and sinners. Notice what is next…
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
We are not saints because of how we act but because we are “in Christ.” Last week we briefly looked at nine uses of this phrase “in Christ” in the first thirteen verses of Ephesians. We are saints or God’s holy people “in Christ.” We are the faithful “in Christ.” We are full of faith.
You might be thinking, “I’m not always faithful.” True. This is where the faithfulness of Jesus kicks in. Paul wrote to Timothy an incredible truth.
Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
if we are faithless,
he remains faithful,
for he cannot disown himself. (2 Timothy 2:11-13)
Because we are in Christ, we are faithful. It’s not about what we do, but what He has done.
Imagine that your name was chosen in a radio contest and you’ve been given a backstage pass to a rock concert. You go backstage, someone asks your name and then asks you to leave. When you flash them your backstage pass, everything changes. You’re “with the band!” You are on their team. You didn’t sing or play an instrument or even setup the stage, but you’re with them. You have special privileges not because of who you are or what you’ve done but who you know.
Being in Christ is so much more. It’s having a backstage pass to heaven, not because of anything you’ve done, but because you’re with Jesus.
It’s actually much more.
The bird is in the air and the air is in the bird.
The fish is in the water and the water is in the fish.
The believer is in Christ and Christ is in the believer.
That’s radical!!!
Paul continues this idea when he says…
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace and peace. These are two of my favorite words.
What is grace?
It is unmerited favor.
Grace was the Gentile form of greeting.
Grace is the means by which God saves us. You must know God’s grace in order to have peace. The world can never know true peace until it knows God’s grace.
Outside the church we see “love” and “peace” but rarely “grace.” It is that amazing!
Peace was the religious word, shalom in Hebrew.
Peace means peace with God, to have our sins forgiven. It is more than the absence of war. Shalom means “to complete, to make sound.” It was used to describe the temple when it was finished (1 Kings 7:51). It is used to describe tranquility. The word was also used as a greeting, as it is here.
Last year our daughter, Kailey, talked about how she was going to focus on a word in 2013. I decided to follow her lead and have declared “peace” as my word for 2014. I have far more self-inflicted anxiety and fear and I’m choosing to embrace peace. Jesus is the Prince of peace. Paul blessed us with peace. I’m declaring peace on my life and I want to do the same for yours.
Grace and peace are two things you can have regardless of life’s circumstances. They’re yours if you accept them, much like salvation and God’s love.
Paul is greeting his friends and blessing them with grace and peace, not from Himself, but…
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit was already present in Ephesus. Now Paul ensures that the Father and Son are recognized.
Notice how often Christ Jesus is mentioned in this short section.
Christ is the title. Jesus was His human name. That’s why they’re used interchangeably. You can call me Pastor Kirk or Kirk the pastor. You can call Him Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus. Paul goes a step further and acknowledges Jesus as LORD. All glory and honor and praise is due Him for He is God, He deserves our praise, He is worthy of our worship.
Conclusion
We’ve spent a great deal of time on two short verses, just the greeting. If you’re reading through Ephesians with us, perhaps you blew past this passage, anxious to get to “the good stuff.” It’s here! In Christ we are saints. In Christ we are declared faithful. In Christ we are blessed with grace and peace.
This week I had this thought of Jesus talking to me. I didn’t have a vision or hear an audible voice, but I simply had the realization that Jesus truly loves me. He knows me. He is my friend. He’s God, but I’m on His team. He has given me His identity. I am in Christ and Christ is in me. Wow!
Every day we have a choice—to be saints or aints! We can choose to be lord of our lives or surrender to the LORD Jesus Christ. We can we His badge or risk it going alone, doing it our way. I urge you to embrace Jesus and the identity that is offered to you in Christ. It is truly a joy to say “Your will, Your way!”
Credits:
Some ideas from
J.I. Packer, Ephesians (sermon series audio)
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Ephesians 1:1-2
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Introduction
Good morning, saints! Good morning, sinners!
Today we continue our new series, Who Do You Think You Are? It is a series about identity, and identity is one of the most important aspects of life. I believe theology and anthropology—understanding God and humans—are the two most important fields of study, for the more we understand God and ourselves, the more we will flourish.
Who are you? Who are we? These are the primary questions we will seek to answer throughout our study of the book of Ephesians.
As a review for those who braved the snow last week and a summary for those who didn’t, we noted that Ephesians…
- - was written by Paul in prison in Rome
- - to the church in the city of Ephesus, a cosmopolitan city not unlike Ann Arbor
- - it was written not only to the church at Ephesus but to all in the region
- - it is, therefore, one of the most universal books of the Bible, filled with timeless truths
- - frequently speaks of what it means to be “in Christ,” our primary, true identity
I want to note a few additional things about this book.
- - It is about “the Church which is His body,” of which Christ is the head
- - Paul founded the church in Ephesus during his second missionary journey
- - Paul stayed in Ephesus for three years during his third missionary journey (Acts 19:8-10; 20:31)
- - This may be the epistle referred to in Colossians 4:16
- - Like many New Testament books, Ephesians has an Old Testament parallel—Joshua
- - The church in Ephesus had many great preachers including Paul, Apollos, John and Timothy; what a legacy!
Ephesians 1 begins…
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
This is a letter written by Paul from a Roman prison. Paul was once a religious zealot named Saul.
Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. (Acts 8:2-3)
His conversion may be the most remarkable in history, an encounter with the risen Christ (Acts 9). Later he goes by the name of Paul (Acts 13:9).
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
The word “apostle” is interesting. The Greek word means “messenger” or “envoy.” I like to say there are two types—Apostle and apostle. An Apostle is the highest office of the Church. They received their commission directly from Jesus. Even though Paul did not know Jesus during His earthly ministry, the glorified Jesus commissioned Paul. They also saw Jesus after His resurrection, often wrote scripture, and performed signs, wonders, and miracles (2 Cor. 12:112). They also started churches.
Today there are people that are called apostles. I consider myself an apostle. I have been involved in starting or planting churches. I’m a spiritual entrepreneur.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
As we said last week, the core message of Ephesians is that our identity is in Christ. Paul is a messenger of Jesus. He has no personal agenda. The messenger only delivers—they don’t create—the message. As he was repeatedly arrested and beaten, he must’ve thought, “Don’t shoot the messenger!”
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
It was clearly God’s will that Paul become an apostle. He was called for a very special purpose, specifically to write much of the New Testament and be the most prominent figure in it after Christ.
Note that God does the calling. He still calls people today. He calls people to start churches, to travel to foreign countries, and to become pastors. He calls people to be beacons of light amidst the darkness at factories, schools, offices, and homes across our county. Be ready for His call. Be ready to respond. Be ready to obey.
Jonah received a calling, did not obey, spent three nights in a fish, and eventually got on board with God’s will!
You may be waiting—patiently or impatiently—for His call. I had a friend who spent years asking God to show him what to do. Silence meant to continue to be faithful to his current assignment until the time was right for something new, something that eventually came. He now leads a church God called him to plant in Chicagoland.
You might not like your calling. Take it up with God!
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
I began with the greeting, “Good morning saints.” When you think of saints, perhaps you think of a New Orleans football team or a bunch of dead guys that have churches named after them!
A saint is a holy person.
The word “sinner” is used about 300 times in the Bible, often in conjunction with the 600 references to God’s wrath. It occurs no more than three times in reference to believers. God sees us as saints. Why don’t we? When we begin following Jesus as Lord, we become genuinely new creations, though not totally new. We are given a new nature, the nature of Jesus Christ when we identify with Him. That’s incredible!
Paul writes to the church…
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
…in Ephesus and to those in the region and calls them “God’s holy people” or saints.
A saint is not a perfect person. Saints (haggais) means separated or set aside for the sole use of God, holy vessels like those in the tabernacle.
J. Vernon McGee used to say there are two types of people today: saints and ain’ts!
We have been set apart for God’s use. Isn’t that incredible?!
We are saints and sinners. Notice what is next…
To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
We are not saints because of how we act but because we are “in Christ.” Last week we briefly looked at nine uses of this phrase “in Christ” in the first thirteen verses of Ephesians. We are saints or God’s holy people “in Christ.” We are the faithful “in Christ.” We are full of faith.
You might be thinking, “I’m not always faithful.” True. This is where the faithfulness of Jesus kicks in. Paul wrote to Timothy an incredible truth.
Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
if we are faithless,
he remains faithful,
for he cannot disown himself. (2 Timothy 2:11-13)
Because we are in Christ, we are faithful. It’s not about what we do, but what He has done.
Imagine that your name was chosen in a radio contest and you’ve been given a backstage pass to a rock concert. You go backstage, someone asks your name and then asks you to leave. When you flash them your backstage pass, everything changes. You’re “with the band!” You are on their team. You didn’t sing or play an instrument or even setup the stage, but you’re with them. You have special privileges not because of who you are or what you’ve done but who you know.
Being in Christ is so much more. It’s having a backstage pass to heaven, not because of anything you’ve done, but because you’re with Jesus.
It’s actually much more.
The bird is in the air and the air is in the bird.
The fish is in the water and the water is in the fish.
The believer is in Christ and Christ is in the believer.
That’s radical!!!
Paul continues this idea when he says…
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace and peace. These are two of my favorite words.
What is grace?
It is unmerited favor.
Grace was the Gentile form of greeting.
Grace is the means by which God saves us. You must know God’s grace in order to have peace. The world can never know true peace until it knows God’s grace.
Outside the church we see “love” and “peace” but rarely “grace.” It is that amazing!
Peace was the religious word, shalom in Hebrew.
Peace means peace with God, to have our sins forgiven. It is more than the absence of war. Shalom means “to complete, to make sound.” It was used to describe the temple when it was finished (1 Kings 7:51). It is used to describe tranquility. The word was also used as a greeting, as it is here.
Last year our daughter, Kailey, talked about how she was going to focus on a word in 2013. I decided to follow her lead and have declared “peace” as my word for 2014. I have far more self-inflicted anxiety and fear and I’m choosing to embrace peace. Jesus is the Prince of peace. Paul blessed us with peace. I’m declaring peace on my life and I want to do the same for yours.
Grace and peace are two things you can have regardless of life’s circumstances. They’re yours if you accept them, much like salvation and God’s love.
Paul is greeting his friends and blessing them with grace and peace, not from Himself, but…
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit was already present in Ephesus. Now Paul ensures that the Father and Son are recognized.
Notice how often Christ Jesus is mentioned in this short section.
Christ is the title. Jesus was His human name. That’s why they’re used interchangeably. You can call me Pastor Kirk or Kirk the pastor. You can call Him Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus. Paul goes a step further and acknowledges Jesus as LORD. All glory and honor and praise is due Him for He is God, He deserves our praise, He is worthy of our worship.
Conclusion
We’ve spent a great deal of time on two short verses, just the greeting. If you’re reading through Ephesians with us, perhaps you blew past this passage, anxious to get to “the good stuff.” It’s here! In Christ we are saints. In Christ we are declared faithful. In Christ we are blessed with grace and peace.
This week I had this thought of Jesus talking to me. I didn’t have a vision or hear an audible voice, but I simply had the realization that Jesus truly loves me. He knows me. He is my friend. He’s God, but I’m on His team. He has given me His identity. I am in Christ and Christ is in me. Wow!
Every day we have a choice—to be saints or aints! We can choose to be lord of our lives or surrender to the LORD Jesus Christ. We can we His badge or risk it going alone, doing it our way. I urge you to embrace Jesus and the identity that is offered to you in Christ. It is truly a joy to say “Your will, Your way!”
Credits:
Some ideas from
J.I. Packer, Ephesians (sermon series audio)
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, http://thruthebible.ca
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
We Are In Christ, 5 January 2014
05 01 14
Big Idea: Our identity can be found in ourselves, our world, or in Christ.
Who are you? Few questions are more important.
When you meet someone for the first time, how do you introduce yourself after you provide your name? An American? Married? Engineer? Mom? Athlete? Geek? Hunter? Fisherman? Musician?
What three words best describe you?
We tend to think what we do determines who we are. The opposite is true. Who we are determines what we do.
This idea was reinforced this past week in an article I read about swimmers.
In Rolf Dobelli’s book, The Art of Thinking Clearly, he explains how our ideas about talent and extensive training are well off-track:
“Professional swimmers don’t have perfect bodies because they train extensively. Rather, they are good swimmers because of their physiques. How their bodies are designed is a factor for selection and not the result of their activities.”
Did you catch that?
You are not who you are because of what you do, but what you do is because of who you are—your identity.
As we begin the new year, it’s a great time to reflect upon our identity.
Who are you?
I can ask who you think you are, but a more important question is…
Who does God say you are?
You are not your occupation, your IQ, your education, your income, or social status. You are a human being created with value, dignity and worth.
In the first book of the Bible, we see God’s plan for us.
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:26-28)
You and I were created by God in His image and likeness. We were made to mirror God to the world. When we love, forgive, speak truth, and are generous we reflect His character to others. The goal is not for the world to know us, but Him.
The question should not be “how does this make me look?” but “how does this make God look?” That’s worship, imaging God.
We are not God, but we’re also more than just an animal with thumbs.
We were created to rule over creation.
We were blessed. We didn’t deserve or earn blessing, but that’s God’s grace. We have been blessed to bless others.
Many think identity is about what they do, but our identity is received, not achieved.
You are not more or less valuable than anyone else, healthy or sick, rich or poor, born or unborn. This is unique about our faith, the belief that all are image-bearers. Your net worth has nothing to do with your self worth.
This is why we don’t believe in racism, sexism, classism.
God says we are cherished children, which begs the question…
Who does satan say we are?
Personal evil is real, a created angelic being who rebelled against God named satan. He wants to steal, kill and destroy. In Genesis 3, he lied and deceived Adam and Eve and destroyed them…and us. The power of a lie is contingent upon whether or not it is believed.
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ”
“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:1-5)
Here we see identity. Satan tempts them to be like God. We were already created like God! Our identity is received from God, not achieved by what we do.
Who are you?
Our new series on the book of Ephesians seeks to address this simple yet profound question, both in terms of who you are as an individual and who we are as a church, the Body and Bride of Jesus Christ.
Where: Ephesus
Have you been to Ephesus? I have not, but I know many things about it. First, it was the most important city in what is now western Turkey. It was a harbor city at an intersection of major trade routes which means…commerce, people, culture, diversity. Although Ann Arbor lacks a harbor, we have I-94, M-14, US-23, and nearby Detroit Metro Airport. Ephesus had a great pagan temple dedicated to Diana, a Roman goddess, one of the seven great wonders of the world. Ann Arbor has a great temple dedicated to…football (and an occasional hockey game!). Like our town, it had a huge library that is still visited today.
The church in this city flourished, though it later received a warning in Revelation 2:1-7.
The city had about 250,000 people which is about the population of the Ann Arbor area. Luke’s grave is there. It was a central hub for the early church.
The gospel transformed one of the greatest cities in the world.
They have dug up about 10-15% of the city. The streets are marble despite being thousands of years old.
They are unearthing New Testament homes, some of which are quite large, some with large great rooms to entertain and practice hospitality.
A 25,000 seat amphitheater is still standing. You can stand at the bottom, drop a coin at the bottom, and hear it at the top.
From: Paul
Paul wrote this letter, possibly around a.d. 60 while in a Roman prison. He knew Ephesus well as it was his base of operations for about three years of evangelism.
Some have said they like Jesus but not Paul. However, as an apostle, Paul speaks under the authority of Jesus. If you don’t like Paul, you can’t like Jesus!
To: Audience
Although we can summarize and call Ephesians a letter from Paul to the church in the city of Ephesus, his intended audience seems to be broader. Unlike other letters written to specific churches to address specific issues, this message is more universal and this letter was likely passed among various churches in the region. It may be the letter referenced in the book of Colossians as a letter to Laodicea. This makes it especially relevant for us since he is not reacting to unique circumstances but declaring God’s truth to multiple generations.
Paul does so with great precision. Paper was scarce, so he packed a tremendous amount of information in 155 verses. Despite their brevity, it took John Calvin about 700 pages to describe them and Dr Lloyd Jones five times as many! It’s as if Paul compressed a huge piece of theology into four pages like a zip file on your computer or even a loaf of bread that grows and expands when you let it sit.
Themes
In a word, Ephesians is about grace. In two words, our identity in Christ.
In Christ
We can find our identity in our job, family, nationality…or in Jesus. The Bible uses the word “Christian” three times but the phrase “in Christ” appears more than two hundred times! We’re not going to look at each today, but I want you to see nine that appear in the first thirteen verses of chapter one. We are
faithful in Christ (1:1; remember who you are, then you’ll know what to do)
blessed in Christ (1:3)
chosen in Christ (1:4)
made blameless in Christ (1:4)
we can know the will of God in Christ (1:9)
reconciled to God in Christ (1:10)
we have an inheritance in Christ (1:11)
our hope is in Christ (not your job, friends, family!) (1:12)
we have the Holy Spirit in Christ (1:13)
These are only nine of thirty things we’ll see we have in Christ.
Conclusion
Who are you? Who are we? From now until Easter we will examine these questions as we journey through the book of Ephesians. I encourage you to read through it—along with Psalms and Proverbs which we are using as the content for this year’s Scio Journal on our Facebook page. One of our Life Groups at 11 AM will provide opportunities for you to reflect and interact on these scriptures about identity.
Credits
Some ideas from
J.I. Packer, Ephesians (sermon series audio)
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Who are you? Few questions are more important.
When you meet someone for the first time, how do you introduce yourself after you provide your name? An American? Married? Engineer? Mom? Athlete? Geek? Hunter? Fisherman? Musician?
What three words best describe you?
We tend to think what we do determines who we are. The opposite is true. Who we are determines what we do.
This idea was reinforced this past week in an article I read about swimmers.
In Rolf Dobelli’s book, The Art of Thinking Clearly, he explains how our ideas about talent and extensive training are well off-track:
“Professional swimmers don’t have perfect bodies because they train extensively. Rather, they are good swimmers because of their physiques. How their bodies are designed is a factor for selection and not the result of their activities.”
Did you catch that?
You are not who you are because of what you do, but what you do is because of who you are—your identity.
As we begin the new year, it’s a great time to reflect upon our identity.
Who are you?
I can ask who you think you are, but a more important question is…
Who does God say you are?
You are not your occupation, your IQ, your education, your income, or social status. You are a human being created with value, dignity and worth.
In the first book of the Bible, we see God’s plan for us.
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:26-28)
You and I were created by God in His image and likeness. We were made to mirror God to the world. When we love, forgive, speak truth, and are generous we reflect His character to others. The goal is not for the world to know us, but Him.
The question should not be “how does this make me look?” but “how does this make God look?” That’s worship, imaging God.
We are not God, but we’re also more than just an animal with thumbs.
We were created to rule over creation.
We were blessed. We didn’t deserve or earn blessing, but that’s God’s grace. We have been blessed to bless others.
Many think identity is about what they do, but our identity is received, not achieved.
You are not more or less valuable than anyone else, healthy or sick, rich or poor, born or unborn. This is unique about our faith, the belief that all are image-bearers. Your net worth has nothing to do with your self worth.
This is why we don’t believe in racism, sexism, classism.
God says we are cherished children, which begs the question…
Who does satan say we are?
Personal evil is real, a created angelic being who rebelled against God named satan. He wants to steal, kill and destroy. In Genesis 3, he lied and deceived Adam and Eve and destroyed them…and us. The power of a lie is contingent upon whether or not it is believed.
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ”
“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:1-5)
Here we see identity. Satan tempts them to be like God. We were already created like God! Our identity is received from God, not achieved by what we do.
Who are you?
Our new series on the book of Ephesians seeks to address this simple yet profound question, both in terms of who you are as an individual and who we are as a church, the Body and Bride of Jesus Christ.
Where: Ephesus
Have you been to Ephesus? I have not, but I know many things about it. First, it was the most important city in what is now western Turkey. It was a harbor city at an intersection of major trade routes which means…commerce, people, culture, diversity. Although Ann Arbor lacks a harbor, we have I-94, M-14, US-23, and nearby Detroit Metro Airport. Ephesus had a great pagan temple dedicated to Diana, a Roman goddess, one of the seven great wonders of the world. Ann Arbor has a great temple dedicated to…football (and an occasional hockey game!). Like our town, it had a huge library that is still visited today.
The church in this city flourished, though it later received a warning in Revelation 2:1-7.
The city had about 250,000 people which is about the population of the Ann Arbor area. Luke’s grave is there. It was a central hub for the early church.
The gospel transformed one of the greatest cities in the world.
They have dug up about 10-15% of the city. The streets are marble despite being thousands of years old.
They are unearthing New Testament homes, some of which are quite large, some with large great rooms to entertain and practice hospitality.
A 25,000 seat amphitheater is still standing. You can stand at the bottom, drop a coin at the bottom, and hear it at the top.
From: Paul
Paul wrote this letter, possibly around a.d. 60 while in a Roman prison. He knew Ephesus well as it was his base of operations for about three years of evangelism.
Some have said they like Jesus but not Paul. However, as an apostle, Paul speaks under the authority of Jesus. If you don’t like Paul, you can’t like Jesus!
To: Audience
Although we can summarize and call Ephesians a letter from Paul to the church in the city of Ephesus, his intended audience seems to be broader. Unlike other letters written to specific churches to address specific issues, this message is more universal and this letter was likely passed among various churches in the region. It may be the letter referenced in the book of Colossians as a letter to Laodicea. This makes it especially relevant for us since he is not reacting to unique circumstances but declaring God’s truth to multiple generations.
Paul does so with great precision. Paper was scarce, so he packed a tremendous amount of information in 155 verses. Despite their brevity, it took John Calvin about 700 pages to describe them and Dr Lloyd Jones five times as many! It’s as if Paul compressed a huge piece of theology into four pages like a zip file on your computer or even a loaf of bread that grows and expands when you let it sit.
Themes
In a word, Ephesians is about grace. In two words, our identity in Christ.
In Christ
We can find our identity in our job, family, nationality…or in Jesus. The Bible uses the word “Christian” three times but the phrase “in Christ” appears more than two hundred times! We’re not going to look at each today, but I want you to see nine that appear in the first thirteen verses of chapter one. We are
faithful in Christ (1:1; remember who you are, then you’ll know what to do)
blessed in Christ (1:3)
chosen in Christ (1:4)
made blameless in Christ (1:4)
we can know the will of God in Christ (1:9)
reconciled to God in Christ (1:10)
we have an inheritance in Christ (1:11)
our hope is in Christ (not your job, friends, family!) (1:12)
we have the Holy Spirit in Christ (1:13)
These are only nine of thirty things we’ll see we have in Christ.
Conclusion
Who are you? Who are we? From now until Easter we will examine these questions as we journey through the book of Ephesians. I encourage you to read through it—along with Psalms and Proverbs which we are using as the content for this year’s Scio Journal on our Facebook page. One of our Life Groups at 11 AM will provide opportunities for you to reflect and interact on these scriptures about identity.
Credits
Some ideas from
J.I. Packer, Ephesians (sermon series audio)
Mark Driscoll, Who Do You Think You Are (book and podcast series)
GLO Bible
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Back to the Future, 29 December 2013
29 12 13
Big Idea: As we approach the new year, it’s a perfect time to give thanks for this year and prepare for the next.
Today we are in the in-between.
2013 is essentially over. Even though we have a few days left, I’ve seen the best sports plays of the year, read about the best movies of the year…it’s as if 2013 is in the rear view mirror.
2014 does not arrive until Wednesday. I’m excited about the Winter Olympics in February, my daughter’s graduation from college in April…but it’s not here yet.
The in-between even reminds me of Advent when we look back to the first coming of Jesus and look forward to His return, muddling in the space between.
Today we are going back to the future. We are going to look back at 2013 and ahead to 2014.
Psalm 8
Last Sunday we looked at King David. One of my favorite psalms written by David is Psalm 8.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. (Psalm 8:3-8)
It continues to boggle my mind how God not only creates us and loves us, but He also invites us to do life with Him. He woos us into a relationship…and then asks us to rule with Him.
He is so good. He created us. He loves us. He cares for us.
Psalm 136 says
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever. (Psalm 136:1-3)
I don’t know about you, but I’m almost always looking ahead…sometimes too far ahead. I need the discipline of reflection, of giving thanks. There are trials and challenges ahead, to be sure, but we are commanded throughout the scriptures to give thanks.
This past week I reviewed some of the highlights of 2013 and gave thanks to God for His goodness.
How has God been good to you in 2013?
2014: The Year Ahead
What is God saying to you about 2014?
I didn’t ask for new year’s resolutions, though they may be similar. I want you to take some time and prayerfully consider your next-steps.
It has been said that we overestimate what we can do in a day and underestimate what we can do in a year. For example, if I asked you to read the entire Bible today, you might feel a bit overwhelmed! How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! If you divided the Bible into 365 bites, you could read through the entire Bible in mere minutes each day. For some of you, that’s exactly what God is saying to you—read My Word!
Two years ago many of us read through the Bible together. In 2013, we’ve been reading the New Testament. In 2014, our Scio Journal is going to focus on the Psalms and Proverbs. You can read and interact on our Facebook page. Please join us!
Maybe 2014 is the year you finally take a risk and invite a friend to our Easter gathering, get to know your neighbors, serve a homeless person, get out of debt, break an addiction, embark on a missions trip, write your first book, forgive an old offense, go back to school…
What is God saying to you about 2014?
In about 365 days we may be together in this same room reflecting upon 2014. How will you live it? How does God want you to live it?
One word that keeps filling my mouth is “intentional.” We can go with the flow, letting the current of life move us downstream toward our eventual death or we can be proactive and seize the mission God has for our lives. He has created you and me to do good works which He prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
Listen to the words of Moses in Psalm 90:
Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (1-2)
You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.” A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—they are like the new grass of the morning: In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered. (3-6)
We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan. Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due. Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:7-12)
What is God saying to you about 2014?
We’ve reflected upon the past and looked ahead to the future, which leaves us with today. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. I challenge you to be fully present in the moment, not dwelling on the good old days or becoming anxious about the future, but thanking God for His faithfulness, right here, right now. One of the great things about God is He is timeless. He never changes. He is as real today as He was yesterday and will be just as faithful tomorrow.
In the final book of the Old Testament, Malachi, God Himself says
I the LORD do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. (Malachi 3:6)
James, the half-brother of Jesus, declared that
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)
Great Is Thy Faithfulness!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Today we are in the in-between.
2013 is essentially over. Even though we have a few days left, I’ve seen the best sports plays of the year, read about the best movies of the year…it’s as if 2013 is in the rear view mirror.
2014 does not arrive until Wednesday. I’m excited about the Winter Olympics in February, my daughter’s graduation from college in April…but it’s not here yet.
The in-between even reminds me of Advent when we look back to the first coming of Jesus and look forward to His return, muddling in the space between.
Today we are going back to the future. We are going to look back at 2013 and ahead to 2014.
Psalm 8
Last Sunday we looked at King David. One of my favorite psalms written by David is Psalm 8.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. (Psalm 8:3-8)
It continues to boggle my mind how God not only creates us and loves us, but He also invites us to do life with Him. He woos us into a relationship…and then asks us to rule with Him.
He is so good. He created us. He loves us. He cares for us.
Psalm 136 says
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever. (Psalm 136:1-3)
I don’t know about you, but I’m almost always looking ahead…sometimes too far ahead. I need the discipline of reflection, of giving thanks. There are trials and challenges ahead, to be sure, but we are commanded throughout the scriptures to give thanks.
This past week I reviewed some of the highlights of 2013 and gave thanks to God for His goodness.
How has God been good to you in 2013?
2014: The Year Ahead
What is God saying to you about 2014?
I didn’t ask for new year’s resolutions, though they may be similar. I want you to take some time and prayerfully consider your next-steps.
It has been said that we overestimate what we can do in a day and underestimate what we can do in a year. For example, if I asked you to read the entire Bible today, you might feel a bit overwhelmed! How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! If you divided the Bible into 365 bites, you could read through the entire Bible in mere minutes each day. For some of you, that’s exactly what God is saying to you—read My Word!
Two years ago many of us read through the Bible together. In 2013, we’ve been reading the New Testament. In 2014, our Scio Journal is going to focus on the Psalms and Proverbs. You can read and interact on our Facebook page. Please join us!
Maybe 2014 is the year you finally take a risk and invite a friend to our Easter gathering, get to know your neighbors, serve a homeless person, get out of debt, break an addiction, embark on a missions trip, write your first book, forgive an old offense, go back to school…
What is God saying to you about 2014?
In about 365 days we may be together in this same room reflecting upon 2014. How will you live it? How does God want you to live it?
One word that keeps filling my mouth is “intentional.” We can go with the flow, letting the current of life move us downstream toward our eventual death or we can be proactive and seize the mission God has for our lives. He has created you and me to do good works which He prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
Listen to the words of Moses in Psalm 90:
Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (1-2)
You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.” A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—they are like the new grass of the morning: In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered. (3-6)
We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan. Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due. Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:7-12)
What is God saying to you about 2014?
We’ve reflected upon the past and looked ahead to the future, which leaves us with today. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. I challenge you to be fully present in the moment, not dwelling on the good old days or becoming anxious about the future, but thanking God for His faithfulness, right here, right now. One of the great things about God is He is timeless. He never changes. He is as real today as He was yesterday and will be just as faithful tomorrow.
In the final book of the Old Testament, Malachi, God Himself says
I the LORD do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. (Malachi 3:6)
James, the half-brother of Jesus, declared that
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)
Great Is Thy Faithfulness!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
King David, 22 December 2013
23 12 13
Big Idea: The only greater king than David is Jesus. Will He be your King?
Scripture Reading, 1 Samuel 16:4-13
Introduction: Kings
What do you think of when you hear the word King? We struggle in our culture to understand royalty. Most USAmericans probably think of celebrity when words like “prince” or “lady” or “royal family” are mentioned. In England, there is great wealth in Queen Elizabeth’s family, but limited power. Unless something unexpected takes place, we will soon see King Charles, King William, and King George.
Imagine a land where one man ruled. He is sovereign and in complete control. He creates the law and is above it. He has unlimited riches…and power.
Would you prefer to live under such a person or dwell in a democracy like our nation? Why? It depends upon who is on the throne. Today millions are oppressed by dictators in nations such as North Korea. They can submit or die.
On this fourth Sunday of Advent, we are waiting for Jesus. For thousands of years, the world awaited the Messiah who arrived on the day we celebrate as Christmas. For the past two weeks we have examined agents of God that were forerunners of the Messiah. Each person radically changed history in anticipation of Emmanuel, God with us.
From the beginning of time, God has wanted to pursue us and be our king. Some have called Adam the first king. He and Eve were given dominion over creation in the Garden of Eden. They failed, of course. Two weeks ago we talked about Adam, our first father. He co-created with God but also introduced sin to our world through the Fall. Jesus is called the second Adam because He reversed the curse of death through His own.
Generations later, God makes a covenant with Abraham—our agent from last Sunday. Like Adam, Abraham was a deeply flawed man, yet God used him mightily. Out of Abraham the nation of Israel was born. God was their king, guiding Moses and the Israelites from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land. Despite God’s goodness and faithfulness, the people begged for a human king like the surrounding nations have, ultimately rejecting God as their LORD.
Today we’re looking at our third and final biblical character, a king. The scripture read moments ago records the search for a new king. Saul is the first king of Israel, but God told the prophet Samuel to find his successor, a shepherd boy who is both an unlikely yet a perfect choice to become king. His name is…David.
David was an agent of God. Few in human history have been more successful than the giant-killing shepherd boy who became the most famous king of Israel and, arguably, the most famous leader in human history other than Jesus. In fact, no person is mentioned more in the Bible besides Christ. To say that David was legendary is a great understatement.
There are three things to know about David.
First, he was immensely successful. Before thwarting Israelite slavery by killing Goliath, he had killed a lion and bear…without a gun (1 Samuel 17)! That was just the beginning. Women met King Saul, dancing and singing, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands. (1 Sam. 18:6-7)” He was a respected, powerful, magnificent ruler.
The second thing to know about David is he was immensely sinful. Other than Adam and Eve’s infamous fruit snack, David’s lust, adultery, rape, and murder are the most notorious evil in the Bible. It has been said that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. David is Exhibit A.
The third thing to know about David is he was a man after God’s own heart.
After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ (Acts 13:22)
He wrote most of the psalms, many filled with praise and others lament and question. He is my favorite Bible character other than Jesus. I love his passion, his honesty, and his musical skills. Many have wondered why a man with such a track record could be considered a man after God’s own heart. Psalm 51 reveals a broken, repentant man seeking reconciliation and restoration with the God he loves.
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (Psalm 51:1-4; 10-12)
David confessed his sins and repented. Despite his great power, he needed forgiveness. He needed a Savior. He needed a King.
King Jesus
For generations people waited for the true King. Not surprisingly, this Messiah was a descendent of King David. In fact, the very first words in the New Testament, Matthew 1:1, says
This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:
We won’t take the time to read the entire genealogy today, but verses 2 through 16 conclude with the record of
…Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. (Matthew 1:16b)
Jesus was a descendent of King David, though He hardly looked like a king during His thirty three years on our planet. He was born in a barn in a small town called Bethlehem. We know almost nothing about his first thirty years of life. When He goes public, the carpenter’s son teaches, performs miracles, and enters Jerusalem, not on a horse, but a humble donkey. The most surprising moment came when this promised King freely surrendered Himself to executioners who crucified Him, dashing all hopes that this Man was the Messiah who would set the people free from Roman tyranny. Or so they thought.
Although hijacked by Santa and shopping, this season celebrates a king, the King. He visited our planet once and will return soon to rule and reign over sin, death, and evil forever. Here’s a description of what is to come:
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Rev. 19:11-16)
So now we wait for the return of the King. In the very last chapter of the Bible, Revelation 22, we find these words…
“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” (Revelation 22:12-13, 16)
King Jesus is the root and the offspring of King David, the bright Morning Star. Jesus—the little baby we see in Nativity scenes—will rule and reign forever…with us, imparting to His followers His own glory and a share in His royal dominion. He is coming soon!
But wait, He’s here. We can’t see Him, but some of the greatest things in the world cannot be seen, like the wind, love, joy, or peace. But He’s here. He sent the Holy Spirit to live on our planet. Where? Inside every believer.
It’s easy to look back at the birthday of King Jesus.
It’s easy to look forward to the return of King Jesus.
We struggle with the in-between.
God is called Emmanuel which means “God with us.” We’ve sung it. We know it. But King Jesus is here…now…in this room. Yes, His physical body left the planet, but He sent the Holy Spirit to live and rule and reign…in us!
Challenge
In three days we will celebrate the birthday of a King. Will it be just another holiday, a day off work and reason to throw a party, or will it be a time to truly remember the King who became one of us…and who will return soon to rule and reign forever?
This Christmas as we celebrate the birth of a King, I encourage you to do two things:
1. Welcome Jesus into your life, your heart, your home. He is alive and wants nothing more than you—all of you. Kings do not have part-time subjects. Many love Jesus as Savior, but refuse to recognize Him as LORD. He gave everything for you when He died on the cross. He loves you so much, regardless of your past. Jesus is a King who willingly died for His subjects, asks everything in return, but then exchanges our broken, messed-up lives for abundant life filled with hope, joy, peace, purpose, and love. It’s the greatest gift ever!
2. Prepare for the return of the King. He will return on a white horse, not a donkey. He will rule the world with truth and grace. Forever. Are you ready?
Joy To The World
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Scripture Reading, 1 Samuel 16:4-13
Introduction: Kings
What do you think of when you hear the word King? We struggle in our culture to understand royalty. Most USAmericans probably think of celebrity when words like “prince” or “lady” or “royal family” are mentioned. In England, there is great wealth in Queen Elizabeth’s family, but limited power. Unless something unexpected takes place, we will soon see King Charles, King William, and King George.
Imagine a land where one man ruled. He is sovereign and in complete control. He creates the law and is above it. He has unlimited riches…and power.
Would you prefer to live under such a person or dwell in a democracy like our nation? Why? It depends upon who is on the throne. Today millions are oppressed by dictators in nations such as North Korea. They can submit or die.
On this fourth Sunday of Advent, we are waiting for Jesus. For thousands of years, the world awaited the Messiah who arrived on the day we celebrate as Christmas. For the past two weeks we have examined agents of God that were forerunners of the Messiah. Each person radically changed history in anticipation of Emmanuel, God with us.
From the beginning of time, God has wanted to pursue us and be our king. Some have called Adam the first king. He and Eve were given dominion over creation in the Garden of Eden. They failed, of course. Two weeks ago we talked about Adam, our first father. He co-created with God but also introduced sin to our world through the Fall. Jesus is called the second Adam because He reversed the curse of death through His own.
Generations later, God makes a covenant with Abraham—our agent from last Sunday. Like Adam, Abraham was a deeply flawed man, yet God used him mightily. Out of Abraham the nation of Israel was born. God was their king, guiding Moses and the Israelites from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land. Despite God’s goodness and faithfulness, the people begged for a human king like the surrounding nations have, ultimately rejecting God as their LORD.
Today we’re looking at our third and final biblical character, a king. The scripture read moments ago records the search for a new king. Saul is the first king of Israel, but God told the prophet Samuel to find his successor, a shepherd boy who is both an unlikely yet a perfect choice to become king. His name is…David.
David was an agent of God. Few in human history have been more successful than the giant-killing shepherd boy who became the most famous king of Israel and, arguably, the most famous leader in human history other than Jesus. In fact, no person is mentioned more in the Bible besides Christ. To say that David was legendary is a great understatement.
There are three things to know about David.
First, he was immensely successful. Before thwarting Israelite slavery by killing Goliath, he had killed a lion and bear…without a gun (1 Samuel 17)! That was just the beginning. Women met King Saul, dancing and singing, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands. (1 Sam. 18:6-7)” He was a respected, powerful, magnificent ruler.
The second thing to know about David is he was immensely sinful. Other than Adam and Eve’s infamous fruit snack, David’s lust, adultery, rape, and murder are the most notorious evil in the Bible. It has been said that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. David is Exhibit A.
The third thing to know about David is he was a man after God’s own heart.
After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ (Acts 13:22)
He wrote most of the psalms, many filled with praise and others lament and question. He is my favorite Bible character other than Jesus. I love his passion, his honesty, and his musical skills. Many have wondered why a man with such a track record could be considered a man after God’s own heart. Psalm 51 reveals a broken, repentant man seeking reconciliation and restoration with the God he loves.
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (Psalm 51:1-4; 10-12)
David confessed his sins and repented. Despite his great power, he needed forgiveness. He needed a Savior. He needed a King.
King Jesus
For generations people waited for the true King. Not surprisingly, this Messiah was a descendent of King David. In fact, the very first words in the New Testament, Matthew 1:1, says
This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:
We won’t take the time to read the entire genealogy today, but verses 2 through 16 conclude with the record of
…Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. (Matthew 1:16b)
Jesus was a descendent of King David, though He hardly looked like a king during His thirty three years on our planet. He was born in a barn in a small town called Bethlehem. We know almost nothing about his first thirty years of life. When He goes public, the carpenter’s son teaches, performs miracles, and enters Jerusalem, not on a horse, but a humble donkey. The most surprising moment came when this promised King freely surrendered Himself to executioners who crucified Him, dashing all hopes that this Man was the Messiah who would set the people free from Roman tyranny. Or so they thought.
Although hijacked by Santa and shopping, this season celebrates a king, the King. He visited our planet once and will return soon to rule and reign over sin, death, and evil forever. Here’s a description of what is to come:
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Rev. 19:11-16)
So now we wait for the return of the King. In the very last chapter of the Bible, Revelation 22, we find these words…
“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” (Revelation 22:12-13, 16)
King Jesus is the root and the offspring of King David, the bright Morning Star. Jesus—the little baby we see in Nativity scenes—will rule and reign forever…with us, imparting to His followers His own glory and a share in His royal dominion. He is coming soon!
But wait, He’s here. We can’t see Him, but some of the greatest things in the world cannot be seen, like the wind, love, joy, or peace. But He’s here. He sent the Holy Spirit to live on our planet. Where? Inside every believer.
It’s easy to look back at the birthday of King Jesus.
It’s easy to look forward to the return of King Jesus.
We struggle with the in-between.
God is called Emmanuel which means “God with us.” We’ve sung it. We know it. But King Jesus is here…now…in this room. Yes, His physical body left the planet, but He sent the Holy Spirit to live and rule and reign…in us!
Challenge
In three days we will celebrate the birthday of a King. Will it be just another holiday, a day off work and reason to throw a party, or will it be a time to truly remember the King who became one of us…and who will return soon to rule and reign forever?
This Christmas as we celebrate the birth of a King, I encourage you to do two things:
1. Welcome Jesus into your life, your heart, your home. He is alive and wants nothing more than you—all of you. Kings do not have part-time subjects. Many love Jesus as Savior, but refuse to recognize Him as LORD. He gave everything for you when He died on the cross. He loves you so much, regardless of your past. Jesus is a King who willingly died for His subjects, asks everything in return, but then exchanges our broken, messed-up lives for abundant life filled with hope, joy, peace, purpose, and love. It’s the greatest gift ever!
2. Prepare for the return of the King. He will return on a white horse, not a donkey. He will rule the world with truth and grace. Forever. Are you ready?
Joy To The World
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Adam, 8 December 2013
08 12 13
Big Idea: The “birth” and life of our oldest ancestor, Adam, has affected every human being since.
Introduction
On this second Sunday of Advent, we are waiting for Jesus. For thousands of years, the world awaited the Messiah who arrived on the day we celebrate as Christmas. For the next three weeks we will examine three agents of God that were forerunners of the Messiah. Each person radically changed history in anticipation of Emmanuel, God with us.
Before we look at today’s agent, I want to take a moment and review the story of God. Last week we finished a lengthy series that looked at the Gospel of John verse by verse. In this series we’ll examine the big picture.
What is the Gospel?
This is actually a hotly discussed topic these days. Many will say it is “good news,” which is the literal translation, and that it relates to God’s love for sinners like me. That’s true, but it’s not the whole story. The Bible does not begin at the cross, at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, or even at His birth. It began thousands of years earlier.
In the beginning. If you recall, this is not only how Genesis begins but also John.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
What is the greatest thing you have ever created? Parents, your kids don’t count! It might be a song, a building, a business, a painting, or website.
God is an artist, He has given us the ability to be creative, and we are His greatest masterpiece.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
The Greek word for handiwork, poi÷hma or poihma, means creation, workmanship, what is made.
Scholar N.T. Wright recently said, “It is God’s purpose, God’s mission, God’s aim, God’s project to make this creation a wonderful, flourishing, fulfilled, joyous place full of His love and His glory and His purpose and His wisdom.”
The story of God begins at creation in a garden. He has plenty of angels to lead, but He creates humans in His image with the ability to accept or reject Him, full will. God created humans for relationship. You can’t have a relationship with a robot, at least not a meaningful one. Relationships are forged through love, respect, honesty, and communication.
God’s first agent was a man named…Adam. Adam was born around 4004 BC. Wikipedia lists his birthday as October 23 at 9 A, but I wasn’t around to confirm that! Actually, the date was identified through a study by a group of theologians and scholars in 1630.
It’s really not important when Adam was created, but why. He was created to know God.
Adam was also created to know his wife, Eve, and create children. This is not merely for their benefit, but God’s. His agenda is to see a world filled with people He can love and that can love Him. Adam and Eve become His agents, co-creating with Him the miracle of life and co-ruling over creation. They represent creation to God and are supposed to reflect God to creation.
N.T. Wright says that when God created us in His image, it’s not like looking in a mirror but like an angled mirror so that God’s love and wisdom is reflected out into the world and the praises of creation are reflected back to God.
All of us can ultimately trace our ancestry back to Adam and Eve. In fact, last week the genealogy of Jesus in Luke 3 was read, tracing His roots back to Adam.
the son of Enosh,
the son of Seth,
the son of Adam,
the son of God. (Luke 3:38)
One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Genesis 2:25…
Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
They knew God and one another and enjoyed life together. They enjoyed creation…and co-creating with God. Twice in Genesis chapter one it says
God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number. (Genesis 1:22a; 1:28a)
Further more, they were to
…fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28b)
Adam and Eve are God’s agents of creation, co-creating and co-ruling with Him in paradise.
The End. Right?
The Garden of Eden was paradise…until satan entered the story, tempted Eve, and paved the way for sin to enter our world and introduce death and destruction. Our forefather failed and we’ve been suffering ever since, both humans and the planet itself, now filled with decay and pain.
To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’
“Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life. (Genesis 3:17)
Adam was created, walked with God, sinned, was kicked out of the Garden, fathered many children, and…
Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died. (Genesis 5:5)
It’s not the most inspiring story, is it?
Ever since sin entered our world through Adam and Eve we’ve been trying to make sense out of life, struggling to survive in a broken, messy world. For about 4000 years after Adam, God continued to pursue a relationship with humans, some of whom returned the favor and many others who rejected Him.
You might recall at one point He became so frustrated with evil that He destroyed the world with a flood, sparing only the lives of those who entered the ark built by Noah.
From generation to generation, God remained faithful, but nothing could truly address the sin issue. We needed a Savior. Romans 5:14 says that
…death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.
Fortunately, about 2000 years ago God took the radical step of becoming one of us to show us what it truly means to be human. Sin has more than tainted the image of God we were created to bear.
With Adam came not only life but death. With Jesus, however, His death brought us life. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:22)
and
So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being” ; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. (1 Corinthians 15:45)
Jesus can stand as representative for all of creation, and His faithfulness can redeem all of creation, just as He receives the punishment which belonged to all of creation.
So What?
It’s impossible to ignore Christmas in our culture. We are inundated with music, parties, food,…and shopping! I want to give you some homework.
Meditate on creation. Our world is amazing. God made it for us to enjoy.
Take a trip to the Toledo Zoo and admire God’s handiwork. Stare at a sunset, admire snowflakes, or capture beauty with a camera.
Think about how you and others have co-created with God. Visit the Detroit Institute of Arts. Attend tomorrow’s greenroom gathering in downtown Ann Arbor. Go to a musical concert or just listen carefully to your favorite album. Write a poem, paint a picture, or make a craft. Use your God-given imagination. The arts are a way to the center of truth. Handel and Bach set the Christian story to music. God wants creativity and imagination. He will make this world even more powerful and beautiful. He wants us to put up signposts that redemption and His return is coming.
Reflect upon ways in which you and your sin have damaged your relationship with God…and others. Confess your sins, repent and turn from evil, and bask in the forgiveness of the second Adam whose death brings life.
Wait for the return of Jesus. The true Human is coming back soon to bring healing and wholeness to our broken world. We pray, “Maranatha! Come quickly, LORD Jesus.”
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
On this second Sunday of Advent, we are waiting for Jesus. For thousands of years, the world awaited the Messiah who arrived on the day we celebrate as Christmas. For the next three weeks we will examine three agents of God that were forerunners of the Messiah. Each person radically changed history in anticipation of Emmanuel, God with us.
Before we look at today’s agent, I want to take a moment and review the story of God. Last week we finished a lengthy series that looked at the Gospel of John verse by verse. In this series we’ll examine the big picture.
What is the Gospel?
This is actually a hotly discussed topic these days. Many will say it is “good news,” which is the literal translation, and that it relates to God’s love for sinners like me. That’s true, but it’s not the whole story. The Bible does not begin at the cross, at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, or even at His birth. It began thousands of years earlier.
In the beginning. If you recall, this is not only how Genesis begins but also John.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
What is the greatest thing you have ever created? Parents, your kids don’t count! It might be a song, a building, a business, a painting, or website.
God is an artist, He has given us the ability to be creative, and we are His greatest masterpiece.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
The Greek word for handiwork, poi÷hma or poihma, means creation, workmanship, what is made.
Scholar N.T. Wright recently said, “It is God’s purpose, God’s mission, God’s aim, God’s project to make this creation a wonderful, flourishing, fulfilled, joyous place full of His love and His glory and His purpose and His wisdom.”
The story of God begins at creation in a garden. He has plenty of angels to lead, but He creates humans in His image with the ability to accept or reject Him, full will. God created humans for relationship. You can’t have a relationship with a robot, at least not a meaningful one. Relationships are forged through love, respect, honesty, and communication.
God’s first agent was a man named…Adam. Adam was born around 4004 BC. Wikipedia lists his birthday as October 23 at 9 A, but I wasn’t around to confirm that! Actually, the date was identified through a study by a group of theologians and scholars in 1630.
It’s really not important when Adam was created, but why. He was created to know God.
Adam was also created to know his wife, Eve, and create children. This is not merely for their benefit, but God’s. His agenda is to see a world filled with people He can love and that can love Him. Adam and Eve become His agents, co-creating with Him the miracle of life and co-ruling over creation. They represent creation to God and are supposed to reflect God to creation.
N.T. Wright says that when God created us in His image, it’s not like looking in a mirror but like an angled mirror so that God’s love and wisdom is reflected out into the world and the praises of creation are reflected back to God.
All of us can ultimately trace our ancestry back to Adam and Eve. In fact, last week the genealogy of Jesus in Luke 3 was read, tracing His roots back to Adam.
the son of Enosh,
the son of Seth,
the son of Adam,
the son of God. (Luke 3:38)
One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Genesis 2:25…
Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
They knew God and one another and enjoyed life together. They enjoyed creation…and co-creating with God. Twice in Genesis chapter one it says
God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number. (Genesis 1:22a; 1:28a)
Further more, they were to
…fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28b)
Adam and Eve are God’s agents of creation, co-creating and co-ruling with Him in paradise.
The End. Right?
The Garden of Eden was paradise…until satan entered the story, tempted Eve, and paved the way for sin to enter our world and introduce death and destruction. Our forefather failed and we’ve been suffering ever since, both humans and the planet itself, now filled with decay and pain.
To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’
“Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life. (Genesis 3:17)
Adam was created, walked with God, sinned, was kicked out of the Garden, fathered many children, and…
Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died. (Genesis 5:5)
It’s not the most inspiring story, is it?
Ever since sin entered our world through Adam and Eve we’ve been trying to make sense out of life, struggling to survive in a broken, messy world. For about 4000 years after Adam, God continued to pursue a relationship with humans, some of whom returned the favor and many others who rejected Him.
You might recall at one point He became so frustrated with evil that He destroyed the world with a flood, sparing only the lives of those who entered the ark built by Noah.
From generation to generation, God remained faithful, but nothing could truly address the sin issue. We needed a Savior. Romans 5:14 says that
…death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.
Fortunately, about 2000 years ago God took the radical step of becoming one of us to show us what it truly means to be human. Sin has more than tainted the image of God we were created to bear.
With Adam came not only life but death. With Jesus, however, His death brought us life. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:22)
and
So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being” ; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. (1 Corinthians 15:45)
Jesus can stand as representative for all of creation, and His faithfulness can redeem all of creation, just as He receives the punishment which belonged to all of creation.
So What?
It’s impossible to ignore Christmas in our culture. We are inundated with music, parties, food,…and shopping! I want to give you some homework.
Meditate on creation. Our world is amazing. God made it for us to enjoy.
Take a trip to the Toledo Zoo and admire God’s handiwork. Stare at a sunset, admire snowflakes, or capture beauty with a camera.
Think about how you and others have co-created with God. Visit the Detroit Institute of Arts. Attend tomorrow’s greenroom gathering in downtown Ann Arbor. Go to a musical concert or just listen carefully to your favorite album. Write a poem, paint a picture, or make a craft. Use your God-given imagination. The arts are a way to the center of truth. Handel and Bach set the Christian story to music. God wants creativity and imagination. He will make this world even more powerful and beautiful. He wants us to put up signposts that redemption and His return is coming.
Reflect upon ways in which you and your sin have damaged your relationship with God…and others. Confess your sins, repent and turn from evil, and bask in the forgiveness of the second Adam whose death brings life.
Wait for the return of Jesus. The true Human is coming back soon to bring healing and wholeness to our broken world. We pray, “Maranatha! Come quickly, LORD Jesus.”
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
The Comparison Game, John 21:15-25, 1 December 2013
01 12 13
Big Idea: There is no reason to compare yourself to others—only Jesus, the One who loves and accepts you.
God wants you. Jesus said to Peter, “I still want you.” He still wants you, regardless of your past.
Introduction
The comparison game. We’ve all played it. We look at someone and judge ourselves better or worse, richer or poorer, more physically attractive or not as good looking, more or less mature, talented, smart, …the list is endless.
Am I the only one that does this?!
It used to be the first question asked at a pastor’s conference after, “What is your name?” was “How big is your church?” In other words, are you more or less successful than me based upon Sunday’s attendance. Can you see anything wrong?
I recently heard someone say every reality TV show is designed to make us feel really good about ourselves or really bad. If you’ve ever watched an early season episode of American Idol you know what I mean. They tend to highlight the best and worst singers, placing viewers in the middle.
This happens among Christians, too. There’s a never-ending temptation to gauge the spirituality of others, either feeling smug and arrogant toward “sinners” or we screw up and feel inferior to others who have their act together—or so it appears. We either commend or condemn ourselves.
Let me remind you once again…
Nothing you can do can make God love you more.
Nothing you can do can make God love you less.
This is how I feel about my kids. They are mine. They will always be mine. I love them. I will always love them. Sure, they will disappoint me, but my love is unconditional. I always want what’s best for them.
When they screw up, there’s no shame. There’s not guilt. There’s forgiveness and grace. At least on my better days!
We are all messed up…but loved. If you don’t believe me, imagine denying Jesus…three times?
Back in John 18, Peter tastes his foot. Three times does exactly what Jesus said he would do—deny Him (John 13:38). These denials are so significant they are recorded in all four Gospels.
Have you ever hurt someone? How did you feel the next time you saw them? Guilt? Shame? Avoidance? Even if the interaction included an apology, it’s often uncomfortable for a while, right?
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” (15a)
Jesus had given Simon the name Peter (Matt. 16:18) which means “rock.” If you recall, last week Jesus had cooked breakfast for him and six other disciples. Now the conversation Peter knew was inevitable was occurring. He had denied Jesus three times and it’s time for reconciliation. The aroma of charcoal is still in the air, reminding Peter of that dreadful night.
What is “these?” The other disciples? Fish? The other disciples’ love for Jesus? We don’t really know, but clearly Jesus is engaging the one who denied Him three times. He asks Peter, “Do you love me?” The Greek word for love here is “agape,” the highest expression of love in the New Testament.
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Peter actually uses a different Greek word for love, “phileo” or brotherly love. This is why Philadelphia is called the city of brotherly love. These words were likely used interchangeably.
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” (15b)
A few weeks ago I had the privilege of attending a workshop led by Dr. Gary Chapman. Some of you may be familiar with his classic book The Five Love Languages. It is essential reading for everyone. He talks about how each of us speaks one of five primary love languages, though our spouse or others may not and, therefore, we need to discover their love language in order to effectively communicate with them.
Chapman has discovered there are five languages of apology:
a. Expressing regret with "I'm sorry that I..." but explain what and why you are sorry without "but" in the apology; erase the but! Luke 15:21; Psalms 51
b. Accepting responsibility. "I was wrong..." 1 John 1:9. This is the first step in teaching children to apologize
c. Making restitution. "How can I make this right?" Luke 19:8
d. Genuinely repenting. "I don't want this to keep happening." Acts 2:38
e. Requesting forgiveness. "Will you please forgive me?" Psalms 51:2
Not long ago my wife and I read about the importance of restitution. Often just saying “sorry” is insufficient; further action is required. This is clearly the case with Peter. Jesus could have simply said, “Peter, are you sorry for denying me?” and Peter could’ve said, “Yes” and the story would have ended, but Jesus wants more than an apology; He wants Peter to take action and feed His lambs.
Last week was about fish. This week Jesus talks about lambs. Jesus is the Good Shepherd (Psalm 23) and He wants Peter to be a good shepherd, too. He wants Peter to take care of His lambs. Jesus Himself is the Passover Lamb who takes away the sins of the world, including ours and Peter’s.
Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” (16)
It’s amazing that after such a dramatic failure, Jesus would entrust His sheep to Peter. He would entrust the responsibility of His mission to this knuckle headed disciple and his ten ragamuffin colleagues.
The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. (17)
Three denials, three questions, three response, three commands.
Notice the heart of the question is love for Jesus. If you are going to do anything for Jesus, you must love Him first. It’s so tempting to “do great things for God” and lose your first Love in the process. It’s easy to play religious games and fail to know and love Jesus. Sadly, I say this from experience. Each day I need to examine my own heart and my love for Jesus and let my “ministry” and life flow out of it.
Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” (18-19)
Jesus may be referring to crucifixion. It is believed that Peter was sentenced to crucifixion for his faith in Jesus, yet refused to die a similar death and asked to be crucified upside down.
Jesus’ invitation to His disciples back in John chapter 1 was simple: “follow me.” In chapter ten He said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
This is what it means to be a Christian. It is not about how often you attend church or how much of the Bible you have memorized. The true measure of your faith is how you follow Jesus. It might lead to martyrdom and death as it did for Peter.
The problem is we are easily distracted. We start comparing ourselves to others that are less mature and we commend ourselves. We get prideful when we should be looking to our perfect Example, Jesus.
It’s so easy to compare ourselves to others that are less mature—or more mature, in which case we condemn ourselves. One of the great hindrances of coming to God with child-like faith is shame. We know how we’ve screwed up and we wonder if God still loves us. The story of Peter is a great reminder that we’re sons and daughters by birth, not worth. Jesus says, “You’re mine. you’re forgiven. I love you I’m with you.”
If you get nothing out of this message, get this: ignore the temptation to play the comparison game. You will always lose. Revel in the fact that Your Daddy loves you. Period. Don’t commend yourself. Don’t condemn yourself. Just keep your eyes on Jesus. Listen to His voice and obey. Follow Jesus.
John concludes with three final things.
Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” (20-21)
Here we see Peter is still competing with John.
Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” (22-23)
Like the rest of the chapter, this is an interesting thing to include. Again, we’re quite sure the disciple Jesus loved was…John, the author of this Gospel. Of course, Peter and John both died.
Notice how Peter plays the comparison game and Jesus’ responds twice with the same question: “What is that to you?”
Have you ever envied someone else’s life? Have you ever wished you could be in their shoes?
Jesus has one invitation for you. He says, “Follow Me.” He doesn’t say be religious, join a church, or be a professional Christian. He doesn’t say to follow Billy Graham. He doesn’t necessarily say sell everything you have and move to Africa. He says to follow.
What is He calling you to do today? It may look different than what He is calling me to do. It may look different than what He called you to do in the past.
When we compare ourselves to others, we take our attention off Jesus.
Next, John says,
This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. (24)
John states again the truth of his experience and testimony. This is not a novel. It is an historical record of real events and a real Person. He takes a solemn oath of truth. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus never wrote a book? In fact, we only know for sure of one thing He wrote and that was in the dirt in the midst of religious people accusing a woman of sin (John 8).
Finally, he recognizes the impossibility of recording everything Jesus did.
Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. (25)
Jesus was and is larger than life. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
And with that, we conclude the Gospel of John, the good news biography of Jesus Christ!!! He experienced Jesus like no other. He suffered as a result, but appears to have no regrets. He wants everyone to know—even us 2000 years later—that Jesus is good. Jesus is God.
Unlike other biographies, we don’t have to rely exclusively on second-hand information. Jesus is alive and He wants your life to become a book in which His love is written on your heart. He doesn’t want you to compare yourself to others, but rather follow Him.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
God wants you. Jesus said to Peter, “I still want you.” He still wants you, regardless of your past.
Introduction
The comparison game. We’ve all played it. We look at someone and judge ourselves better or worse, richer or poorer, more physically attractive or not as good looking, more or less mature, talented, smart, …the list is endless.
Am I the only one that does this?!
It used to be the first question asked at a pastor’s conference after, “What is your name?” was “How big is your church?” In other words, are you more or less successful than me based upon Sunday’s attendance. Can you see anything wrong?
I recently heard someone say every reality TV show is designed to make us feel really good about ourselves or really bad. If you’ve ever watched an early season episode of American Idol you know what I mean. They tend to highlight the best and worst singers, placing viewers in the middle.
This happens among Christians, too. There’s a never-ending temptation to gauge the spirituality of others, either feeling smug and arrogant toward “sinners” or we screw up and feel inferior to others who have their act together—or so it appears. We either commend or condemn ourselves.
Let me remind you once again…
Nothing you can do can make God love you more.
Nothing you can do can make God love you less.
This is how I feel about my kids. They are mine. They will always be mine. I love them. I will always love them. Sure, they will disappoint me, but my love is unconditional. I always want what’s best for them.
When they screw up, there’s no shame. There’s not guilt. There’s forgiveness and grace. At least on my better days!
We are all messed up…but loved. If you don’t believe me, imagine denying Jesus…three times?
Back in John 18, Peter tastes his foot. Three times does exactly what Jesus said he would do—deny Him (John 13:38). These denials are so significant they are recorded in all four Gospels.
Have you ever hurt someone? How did you feel the next time you saw them? Guilt? Shame? Avoidance? Even if the interaction included an apology, it’s often uncomfortable for a while, right?
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” (15a)
Jesus had given Simon the name Peter (Matt. 16:18) which means “rock.” If you recall, last week Jesus had cooked breakfast for him and six other disciples. Now the conversation Peter knew was inevitable was occurring. He had denied Jesus three times and it’s time for reconciliation. The aroma of charcoal is still in the air, reminding Peter of that dreadful night.
What is “these?” The other disciples? Fish? The other disciples’ love for Jesus? We don’t really know, but clearly Jesus is engaging the one who denied Him three times. He asks Peter, “Do you love me?” The Greek word for love here is “agape,” the highest expression of love in the New Testament.
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Peter actually uses a different Greek word for love, “phileo” or brotherly love. This is why Philadelphia is called the city of brotherly love. These words were likely used interchangeably.
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” (15b)
A few weeks ago I had the privilege of attending a workshop led by Dr. Gary Chapman. Some of you may be familiar with his classic book The Five Love Languages. It is essential reading for everyone. He talks about how each of us speaks one of five primary love languages, though our spouse or others may not and, therefore, we need to discover their love language in order to effectively communicate with them.
Chapman has discovered there are five languages of apology:
a. Expressing regret with "I'm sorry that I..." but explain what and why you are sorry without "but" in the apology; erase the but! Luke 15:21; Psalms 51
b. Accepting responsibility. "I was wrong..." 1 John 1:9. This is the first step in teaching children to apologize
c. Making restitution. "How can I make this right?" Luke 19:8
d. Genuinely repenting. "I don't want this to keep happening." Acts 2:38
e. Requesting forgiveness. "Will you please forgive me?" Psalms 51:2
Not long ago my wife and I read about the importance of restitution. Often just saying “sorry” is insufficient; further action is required. This is clearly the case with Peter. Jesus could have simply said, “Peter, are you sorry for denying me?” and Peter could’ve said, “Yes” and the story would have ended, but Jesus wants more than an apology; He wants Peter to take action and feed His lambs.
Last week was about fish. This week Jesus talks about lambs. Jesus is the Good Shepherd (Psalm 23) and He wants Peter to be a good shepherd, too. He wants Peter to take care of His lambs. Jesus Himself is the Passover Lamb who takes away the sins of the world, including ours and Peter’s.
Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” (16)
It’s amazing that after such a dramatic failure, Jesus would entrust His sheep to Peter. He would entrust the responsibility of His mission to this knuckle headed disciple and his ten ragamuffin colleagues.
The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. (17)
Three denials, three questions, three response, three commands.
Notice the heart of the question is love for Jesus. If you are going to do anything for Jesus, you must love Him first. It’s so tempting to “do great things for God” and lose your first Love in the process. It’s easy to play religious games and fail to know and love Jesus. Sadly, I say this from experience. Each day I need to examine my own heart and my love for Jesus and let my “ministry” and life flow out of it.
Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” (18-19)
Jesus may be referring to crucifixion. It is believed that Peter was sentenced to crucifixion for his faith in Jesus, yet refused to die a similar death and asked to be crucified upside down.
Jesus’ invitation to His disciples back in John chapter 1 was simple: “follow me.” In chapter ten He said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
This is what it means to be a Christian. It is not about how often you attend church or how much of the Bible you have memorized. The true measure of your faith is how you follow Jesus. It might lead to martyrdom and death as it did for Peter.
The problem is we are easily distracted. We start comparing ourselves to others that are less mature and we commend ourselves. We get prideful when we should be looking to our perfect Example, Jesus.
It’s so easy to compare ourselves to others that are less mature—or more mature, in which case we condemn ourselves. One of the great hindrances of coming to God with child-like faith is shame. We know how we’ve screwed up and we wonder if God still loves us. The story of Peter is a great reminder that we’re sons and daughters by birth, not worth. Jesus says, “You’re mine. you’re forgiven. I love you I’m with you.”
If you get nothing out of this message, get this: ignore the temptation to play the comparison game. You will always lose. Revel in the fact that Your Daddy loves you. Period. Don’t commend yourself. Don’t condemn yourself. Just keep your eyes on Jesus. Listen to His voice and obey. Follow Jesus.
John concludes with three final things.
Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” (20-21)
Here we see Peter is still competing with John.
Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” (22-23)
Like the rest of the chapter, this is an interesting thing to include. Again, we’re quite sure the disciple Jesus loved was…John, the author of this Gospel. Of course, Peter and John both died.
Notice how Peter plays the comparison game and Jesus’ responds twice with the same question: “What is that to you?”
Have you ever envied someone else’s life? Have you ever wished you could be in their shoes?
Jesus has one invitation for you. He says, “Follow Me.” He doesn’t say be religious, join a church, or be a professional Christian. He doesn’t say to follow Billy Graham. He doesn’t necessarily say sell everything you have and move to Africa. He says to follow.
What is He calling you to do today? It may look different than what He is calling me to do. It may look different than what He called you to do in the past.
When we compare ourselves to others, we take our attention off Jesus.
Next, John says,
This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. (24)
John states again the truth of his experience and testimony. This is not a novel. It is an historical record of real events and a real Person. He takes a solemn oath of truth. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus never wrote a book? In fact, we only know for sure of one thing He wrote and that was in the dirt in the midst of religious people accusing a woman of sin (John 8).
Finally, he recognizes the impossibility of recording everything Jesus did.
Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. (25)
Jesus was and is larger than life. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
And with that, we conclude the Gospel of John, the good news biography of Jesus Christ!!! He experienced Jesus like no other. He suffered as a result, but appears to have no regrets. He wants everyone to know—even us 2000 years later—that Jesus is good. Jesus is God.
Unlike other biographies, we don’t have to rely exclusively on second-hand information. Jesus is alive and He wants your life to become a book in which His love is written on your heart. He doesn’t want you to compare yourself to others, but rather follow Him.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Miracles at Breakfast, John 21:1-14, 24 November 2013
28 11 13
Big Idea: God will surprise and delight us if we look to Him and follow.
Introduction
Have you ever experienced a miracle? Perhaps we should begin with defining a miracle.
- an unusual or wonderful event that is believed to be caused by the power of God
- a very amazing or unusual event, thing or achievement
The Bible is full of them. Well, our Bible is full of them. Thomas Jefferson literally cut all miracles out of his Bible, unable to acknowledge the presence of our Creator in our world, despite the gift of Emmanuel, God with us, and later the Holy Spirit who lives inside every believer.
Do you believe in miracles?
As we approach the conclusion of our series on the gospel or good news of John, we have read this compelling biography of Jesus, from His arrival on our planet to His death, resurrection, and two surprising appearances to His disciples in locked rooms. In John chapter 21, He makes a third appearance.
Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus ), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. (1-3)
Why did Peter go fishing? Wasn’t he supposed to be fishing for men? Perhaps he thinks his ministry future is over since he denied Christ, returning to his former occupation.
Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. (4)
John may be reminding us of another recent even involving Jesus early in the morning, a time when Mary did not recognize Him in the garden. He’s about 100 yards—or a football field—away. They could not see Him from that distance.
He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
“No,” they answered. (5)
These were experienced fishermen. They knew the sea. They spent all night fishing with no success. They’re even less likely to catch fish in the daytime.
He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. (6)
They could’ve said, “Jesus, you’re crazy. We are professionals. The fish aren’t biting. What difference does one side of the boat make versus the other? Clearly this is a miracle.
Have you been frustrated, unable to make progress in an arena of life? Maybe you just can’t land a job, fix a broken relationship, or break an addiction.
I often find myself stressed about things—money, parenting, preparing a good sermon, a tough decision—only to discover Jesus waiting for me to notice Him, listen and obey. Pride tells me to do it my way, but His ways are far better than mine.
Much earlier in an account recorded by Luke Jesus gave fishing lessons to His followers and they had an unbelievable catch of fish. Then, Peter begged Jesus to get away from him because he realized he was a sinner unworthy of Christ (Luke 5:1-10). This time he races toward Jesus.
Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. (7)
Peter had some unfinished business with Jesus which we’ll examine next Sunday. Days earlier he had denied Christ three times and was undoubtedly filled with shame and guilt. Here he impulsively jumps in the water, leaving the others in the boat to work with the fish.
Note, too, that rather than taking off clothes to swim, he puts them on. Perhaps he was hiding his shame like Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden.
The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. (8-9)
Why did John mention the charcoal? Smell is the most sensitive of the senses. Visual recall is about 50% after three months. We can remember smells with 65% accuracy…after a year! Furthermore, 75% of emotions are triggered by smell which is linked to pleasure, emotion and memory. One survey found 85% of participants remembering their childhood when they smelled Crayola crayons.
Do you think this charcoal fire triggered a memory for Peter? It was around a similar fire that he denied Jesus three times (John 18:18). Again, we’ll address that next Sunday.
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. (10-11)
That’s a lot of fish! Miracles abound, not only in the size of the catch but the strength of the net.
A first-century fishing boat was recently found by members of Kibbutz Ginosar in Galilee. I saw the boat, 26.5 feet long and 7.5 wide. If it was similar to Peter’s boat, it would be too small for seven men, so it is believed two boats may have been used.
Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. (12)
This is an odd verse. They knew it was him but they didn’t ask? N.T. Wright says this only makes sense if Jesus is recognizable yet somehow different. His body was obviously different, no longer subject to death or decay.
Wright compares it to someone in the sixteenth century seeing someone surf the Internet. They didn’t have electricity, much less computers! Jesus’ risen body is something from the future—our future. It isn’t magic. It’s real, but different.
God has blessed them with a huge catch of fish.
He has blessed them with breakfast.
He has blessed them with His presence.
Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. (13-14)
God’s cooking breakfast! He didn’t need their fish. He had His own—and bread, too. Loaves and fish. That reminds me of another story!
Jesus already had fish on the fire because He doesn’t need what we bring, but He wants it!
While they ate, He was sending a message: I love you.
So What?
This story has some unusual moments. The fact that it appears after the previous chapter which seemed to wrap up the entire book is unique. Jesus cooking fish while the disciples fail to catch any and then become inundated with them is interesting, to say the least. What are we to make of it all?
I think it’s a great reminder that God is alive, He is accomplishing His purposes, and we must always be ready to be surprised by God. At any moment He may ask us to do something crazy, like give away more money than is in our budget, engage in a conversation with someone that makes us uncomfortable, or sacrifice comfort and convenience for making space to serve strangers. We don’t always see God, we don’t always hear His voice, but He is here. He is with us. He lives inside us. How would our lives look differently if we truly pursued God and followed Him. Jesus provided daily bread—and fish—for His friends, and He still provides for us, today. So…
What is God saying to you? What are you going to do about it?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
Have you ever experienced a miracle? Perhaps we should begin with defining a miracle.
- an unusual or wonderful event that is believed to be caused by the power of God
- a very amazing or unusual event, thing or achievement
The Bible is full of them. Well, our Bible is full of them. Thomas Jefferson literally cut all miracles out of his Bible, unable to acknowledge the presence of our Creator in our world, despite the gift of Emmanuel, God with us, and later the Holy Spirit who lives inside every believer.
Do you believe in miracles?
As we approach the conclusion of our series on the gospel or good news of John, we have read this compelling biography of Jesus, from His arrival on our planet to His death, resurrection, and two surprising appearances to His disciples in locked rooms. In John chapter 21, He makes a third appearance.
Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus ), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. (1-3)
Why did Peter go fishing? Wasn’t he supposed to be fishing for men? Perhaps he thinks his ministry future is over since he denied Christ, returning to his former occupation.
Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. (4)
John may be reminding us of another recent even involving Jesus early in the morning, a time when Mary did not recognize Him in the garden. He’s about 100 yards—or a football field—away. They could not see Him from that distance.
He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
“No,” they answered. (5)
These were experienced fishermen. They knew the sea. They spent all night fishing with no success. They’re even less likely to catch fish in the daytime.
He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. (6)
They could’ve said, “Jesus, you’re crazy. We are professionals. The fish aren’t biting. What difference does one side of the boat make versus the other? Clearly this is a miracle.
Have you been frustrated, unable to make progress in an arena of life? Maybe you just can’t land a job, fix a broken relationship, or break an addiction.
I often find myself stressed about things—money, parenting, preparing a good sermon, a tough decision—only to discover Jesus waiting for me to notice Him, listen and obey. Pride tells me to do it my way, but His ways are far better than mine.
Much earlier in an account recorded by Luke Jesus gave fishing lessons to His followers and they had an unbelievable catch of fish. Then, Peter begged Jesus to get away from him because he realized he was a sinner unworthy of Christ (Luke 5:1-10). This time he races toward Jesus.
Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. (7)
Peter had some unfinished business with Jesus which we’ll examine next Sunday. Days earlier he had denied Christ three times and was undoubtedly filled with shame and guilt. Here he impulsively jumps in the water, leaving the others in the boat to work with the fish.
Note, too, that rather than taking off clothes to swim, he puts them on. Perhaps he was hiding his shame like Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden.
The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. (8-9)
Why did John mention the charcoal? Smell is the most sensitive of the senses. Visual recall is about 50% after three months. We can remember smells with 65% accuracy…after a year! Furthermore, 75% of emotions are triggered by smell which is linked to pleasure, emotion and memory. One survey found 85% of participants remembering their childhood when they smelled Crayola crayons.
Do you think this charcoal fire triggered a memory for Peter? It was around a similar fire that he denied Jesus three times (John 18:18). Again, we’ll address that next Sunday.
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. (10-11)
That’s a lot of fish! Miracles abound, not only in the size of the catch but the strength of the net.
A first-century fishing boat was recently found by members of Kibbutz Ginosar in Galilee. I saw the boat, 26.5 feet long and 7.5 wide. If it was similar to Peter’s boat, it would be too small for seven men, so it is believed two boats may have been used.
Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. (12)
This is an odd verse. They knew it was him but they didn’t ask? N.T. Wright says this only makes sense if Jesus is recognizable yet somehow different. His body was obviously different, no longer subject to death or decay.
Wright compares it to someone in the sixteenth century seeing someone surf the Internet. They didn’t have electricity, much less computers! Jesus’ risen body is something from the future—our future. It isn’t magic. It’s real, but different.
God has blessed them with a huge catch of fish.
He has blessed them with breakfast.
He has blessed them with His presence.
Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. (13-14)
God’s cooking breakfast! He didn’t need their fish. He had His own—and bread, too. Loaves and fish. That reminds me of another story!
Jesus already had fish on the fire because He doesn’t need what we bring, but He wants it!
While they ate, He was sending a message: I love you.
So What?
This story has some unusual moments. The fact that it appears after the previous chapter which seemed to wrap up the entire book is unique. Jesus cooking fish while the disciples fail to catch any and then become inundated with them is interesting, to say the least. What are we to make of it all?
I think it’s a great reminder that God is alive, He is accomplishing His purposes, and we must always be ready to be surprised by God. At any moment He may ask us to do something crazy, like give away more money than is in our budget, engage in a conversation with someone that makes us uncomfortable, or sacrifice comfort and convenience for making space to serve strangers. We don’t always see God, we don’t always hear His voice, but He is here. He is with us. He lives inside us. How would our lives look differently if we truly pursued God and followed Him. Jesus provided daily bread—and fish—for His friends, and He still provides for us, today. So…
What is God saying to you? What are you going to do about it?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Belief & Doubt, John 20:24-31, 17 November 2013
18 11 13
Big Idea: Belief and doubt are not opposites, but rather related components of faith.
Introduction
Jesus asks one thing of us…believe. It sounds simple, but it’s not always easy. Just ask Thomas.
And what does it mean to believe? It’s one thing to intellectually agree with propositional statements, but it’s another to take actions that prove belief.
It reminds of the old story of ham and eggs. The chicken is involved, but the pig is committed!
Thomas heard his friends talk about a risen Christ, but he needed to see for himself. He even stated that unless he saw, he would not believe.
Does that sound familiar? “Prove it,” shouts the skeptic. “If I could see Jesus, I would believe,” says the agnostic.
Yet here we are, two thousand years later with at least an element of belief in someone we have never seen. Yet questions remain. Doubts appear. What does that say about our faith?
As we continue to celebrate Easter in November, we’re going to look at this tension between doubt and belief.
John 20:24ff
Now Thomas (also known as Didymus ), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. (John 20:24)
Didymus means “the Twin.”
Where was he? We don’t know, but he missed the miraculous appearance of Jesus in a locked room, a passage (John 20:19-23) we examined last week.
So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (20:25)
One writer said, “Hardheaded skepticism can scarcely go further than this.”
Have you ever been skeptical or even obstinate about a situation?
Why did Thomas doubt? Sure, he spent time with Jesus, but He also watched Him slaughtered. Imagine someone tells you they saw your friend that was buried days earlier. You’d think they were crazy! They saw a ghost or a vision, but dead people don’t walk—except in zombie movies, right?
Thomas gets a bad rap for his skepticism, but don’t be fooled. The other ten disciples were just as surprised a week earlier. Remember it was John himself who wrote at the empty tomb, “He saw and believed.” (20:8b)
Jesus knows the human heart like no other. He said to the Capernaum official back in 4:48
“Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.” (John 4:48)
Why did Thomas doubt? Why do we doubt?
Faith contains an element of mystery because, by definition, you can’t prove it. Sure, Thomas was able to see Jesus, but what faith is required of something that you can prove? As Paul said, “We live by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7).
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” (26)
Does this sound familiar? Last week we looked at the same people in the same house with the same doors locked with the same Jesus suddenly appearing among them saying, “Peace be with you!”
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” (27)
Stop doubting and believe. Jesus says, “Bring it on!” If you need proof, I’ll give you proof. We don’t know if Thomas moved his finger and hand, but his response is legendary.
Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” (28)
It has been said that “the most outrageous doubter of the resurrection of Jesus utters the greatest confession of the Lord who rose from the dead.” (Beasley-Murray)
Notice how Thomas’ response is not merely, “My Savior” but “My Lord and my God.” He is the first person in John to call Jesus “God.” Many want Jesus as good teacher or even Savior, but Lord and God is something entirely different.
John began his Gospel by announcing that
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
Now as John approaches the finish line of his biography, the deity of Christ as God is crystal clear.
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (29)
This is the climax of the passage. It is Thomas’ seeing that is credited with his faith. He sees and believes.
Not everyone that saw Jesus believed. Many saw Jesus perform miracles and refused to believe. Nevertheless, Thomas’ faith is connected to his sight.
I love that Jesus speaks here about us! We have not seen Jesus or His wounds, but we’ve heard the story. We have been reading the eyewitness account from John.
Doubt
Do you doubt? Do you believe? Perhaps your answer to both is “yes.” You’re in good company, not only with Thomas, but countless men, women and children through the centuries that struggle with faith. Many agnostics want to believe but have lingering questions that hold them back. I read this week about a man who believed, then renounced his faith, then returned to it.
Faith is a gift. I can’t force it upon you. I can’t make you believe. I can only pray that the Holy Spirit would reveal the truth of Jesus to you. But even Jesus-followers have doubts.
When do people seem to doubt their faith? During trials and tragedies.
Matthew 28:16 is in intriguing passage as Jesus prepares to ascend:
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. (Matthew 28:16-17)
So much could be said about the doubts of believers, but perhaps the best thing I can share with you is a short interview between John Ortberg and Dallas Willard, two of my favorite authors. Ortberg asks Willard, who died earlier this year after decades of teaching at USC, about doubt.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiOIyP4VHOk
Doubt is okay. Questions are okay. If we’re honest, we all have them, which is why we need one another. We need to be able to ask, discuss, probe, and be challenged. Personally, I welcome your questions. I don’t promise answers since God is both knowable and mysterious. I’d love to serve you in any way possible, however, and guide you to people and resources that can help you on your journey.
This is especially true if you are listening via podcast or blog. I’d love to hear from you at kirk@sciocommunity.org.
Again, I don’t promise to have all of the answers, but I’d love to encourage you on your faith adventure.
Conclusion
Finally, John concludes this chapter with the following:
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (30-31)
Jesus did many other signs or miracles.
Jesus is the Christ (Greek: Christos, Hebrew Mashiach, the “anointed one”)
Do you believe in Jesus? Faith is more about relationship than creed. Perhaps the question should be asked, “Do you know Jesus?” He wants you to know Him, and we have the Bible and prayer as tools to develop that relationship.
Scholars have debated whether John intended to write to bring people to faith or to deepen the faith of Christians, one leading to evangelism and the other encouragement. In either case, he wrote that we may know Christ, the Good Shepherd who not only takes care of His sheep but lays down His life for them.
John tells us throughout His biography that Jesus is under trial. The religious leaders, high priest and Pilate made judgments about Jesus, but ultimately you and I must decide—who is Jesus? As C.S. Lewis stated, Jesus is a lunatic, a liar, or LORD? He is “Mad, Bad, or God.” John’s answer is crystal clear, and he should know. Jesus was his best friend. He was discipled for three years under the rabbi. As we saw a few weeks ago,
Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (John 20:8)
His faith was tested. He ultimately suffered for his faith in Christ, thrown in a vat of boiling oil.
The twentieth chapter of John provides us with four examples of faith:
Peter and John who race to the empty tomb
Mary Magdalene who is the first to encounter the risen Christ
The ten disciples who huddle in a locked room only to find Jesus in their midst
Thomas, a man like most of us who demands evidence
You either believe Jesus is God or you don’t. Even if you do believe, faith can be fragile. One of my favorite verses in the entire Bible is in Mark 9. A man’s son is possessed by an evil spirit.
“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
“ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:22-24)
I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief. That is one of my most common prayers.
I believe there are two types of faith—theoretical and tested. I can believe a chair will hold me, but until I sit in it, I’m not certain that the object of my faith is true.
I can believe someone will catch me when I fall, but the real test of my faith is my leaning back.
It’s possible to intellectual believe in an historical Jesus that lived, died, and rose but if I live my life as a practical atheist—filled with worry, selfishness, idolatry, and pride—is my faith actualized?
Jesus is not an idea or a religion, but an historical Person who walked the earth and will return soon.
Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. (John 11:25-26a)
Do you believe this? John wrote so that we may believe.
Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29b)
N.T. Wright says, “The resurrection is not an alien power breaking into God’s world; it is what happens when the creator himself comes to heal and restore his world, and bring it to its appointed goal. The resurrection is not only new creation; it is new creation.”
John never uses the noun “faith,” but rather the verb “believe” almost a hundred times. Faith is more about relationship than creed. Jesus wants to know you. He wants to be not only Savior but Lord and King and God.
And He can be trusted.
Do you believe?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
Jesus asks one thing of us…believe. It sounds simple, but it’s not always easy. Just ask Thomas.
And what does it mean to believe? It’s one thing to intellectually agree with propositional statements, but it’s another to take actions that prove belief.
It reminds of the old story of ham and eggs. The chicken is involved, but the pig is committed!
Thomas heard his friends talk about a risen Christ, but he needed to see for himself. He even stated that unless he saw, he would not believe.
Does that sound familiar? “Prove it,” shouts the skeptic. “If I could see Jesus, I would believe,” says the agnostic.
Yet here we are, two thousand years later with at least an element of belief in someone we have never seen. Yet questions remain. Doubts appear. What does that say about our faith?
As we continue to celebrate Easter in November, we’re going to look at this tension between doubt and belief.
John 20:24ff
Now Thomas (also known as Didymus ), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. (John 20:24)
Didymus means “the Twin.”
Where was he? We don’t know, but he missed the miraculous appearance of Jesus in a locked room, a passage (John 20:19-23) we examined last week.
So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (20:25)
One writer said, “Hardheaded skepticism can scarcely go further than this.”
Have you ever been skeptical or even obstinate about a situation?
Why did Thomas doubt? Sure, he spent time with Jesus, but He also watched Him slaughtered. Imagine someone tells you they saw your friend that was buried days earlier. You’d think they were crazy! They saw a ghost or a vision, but dead people don’t walk—except in zombie movies, right?
Thomas gets a bad rap for his skepticism, but don’t be fooled. The other ten disciples were just as surprised a week earlier. Remember it was John himself who wrote at the empty tomb, “He saw and believed.” (20:8b)
Jesus knows the human heart like no other. He said to the Capernaum official back in 4:48
“Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.” (John 4:48)
Why did Thomas doubt? Why do we doubt?
Faith contains an element of mystery because, by definition, you can’t prove it. Sure, Thomas was able to see Jesus, but what faith is required of something that you can prove? As Paul said, “We live by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7).
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” (26)
Does this sound familiar? Last week we looked at the same people in the same house with the same doors locked with the same Jesus suddenly appearing among them saying, “Peace be with you!”
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” (27)
Stop doubting and believe. Jesus says, “Bring it on!” If you need proof, I’ll give you proof. We don’t know if Thomas moved his finger and hand, but his response is legendary.
Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” (28)
It has been said that “the most outrageous doubter of the resurrection of Jesus utters the greatest confession of the Lord who rose from the dead.” (Beasley-Murray)
Notice how Thomas’ response is not merely, “My Savior” but “My Lord and my God.” He is the first person in John to call Jesus “God.” Many want Jesus as good teacher or even Savior, but Lord and God is something entirely different.
John began his Gospel by announcing that
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
Now as John approaches the finish line of his biography, the deity of Christ as God is crystal clear.
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (29)
This is the climax of the passage. It is Thomas’ seeing that is credited with his faith. He sees and believes.
Not everyone that saw Jesus believed. Many saw Jesus perform miracles and refused to believe. Nevertheless, Thomas’ faith is connected to his sight.
I love that Jesus speaks here about us! We have not seen Jesus or His wounds, but we’ve heard the story. We have been reading the eyewitness account from John.
Doubt
Do you doubt? Do you believe? Perhaps your answer to both is “yes.” You’re in good company, not only with Thomas, but countless men, women and children through the centuries that struggle with faith. Many agnostics want to believe but have lingering questions that hold them back. I read this week about a man who believed, then renounced his faith, then returned to it.
Faith is a gift. I can’t force it upon you. I can’t make you believe. I can only pray that the Holy Spirit would reveal the truth of Jesus to you. But even Jesus-followers have doubts.
When do people seem to doubt their faith? During trials and tragedies.
Matthew 28:16 is in intriguing passage as Jesus prepares to ascend:
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. (Matthew 28:16-17)
So much could be said about the doubts of believers, but perhaps the best thing I can share with you is a short interview between John Ortberg and Dallas Willard, two of my favorite authors. Ortberg asks Willard, who died earlier this year after decades of teaching at USC, about doubt.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiOIyP4VHOk
Doubt is okay. Questions are okay. If we’re honest, we all have them, which is why we need one another. We need to be able to ask, discuss, probe, and be challenged. Personally, I welcome your questions. I don’t promise answers since God is both knowable and mysterious. I’d love to serve you in any way possible, however, and guide you to people and resources that can help you on your journey.
This is especially true if you are listening via podcast or blog. I’d love to hear from you at kirk@sciocommunity.org.
Again, I don’t promise to have all of the answers, but I’d love to encourage you on your faith adventure.
Conclusion
Finally, John concludes this chapter with the following:
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (30-31)
Jesus did many other signs or miracles.
Jesus is the Christ (Greek: Christos, Hebrew Mashiach, the “anointed one”)
Do you believe in Jesus? Faith is more about relationship than creed. Perhaps the question should be asked, “Do you know Jesus?” He wants you to know Him, and we have the Bible and prayer as tools to develop that relationship.
Scholars have debated whether John intended to write to bring people to faith or to deepen the faith of Christians, one leading to evangelism and the other encouragement. In either case, he wrote that we may know Christ, the Good Shepherd who not only takes care of His sheep but lays down His life for them.
John tells us throughout His biography that Jesus is under trial. The religious leaders, high priest and Pilate made judgments about Jesus, but ultimately you and I must decide—who is Jesus? As C.S. Lewis stated, Jesus is a lunatic, a liar, or LORD? He is “Mad, Bad, or God.” John’s answer is crystal clear, and he should know. Jesus was his best friend. He was discipled for three years under the rabbi. As we saw a few weeks ago,
Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (John 20:8)
His faith was tested. He ultimately suffered for his faith in Christ, thrown in a vat of boiling oil.
The twentieth chapter of John provides us with four examples of faith:
Peter and John who race to the empty tomb
Mary Magdalene who is the first to encounter the risen Christ
The ten disciples who huddle in a locked room only to find Jesus in their midst
Thomas, a man like most of us who demands evidence
You either believe Jesus is God or you don’t. Even if you do believe, faith can be fragile. One of my favorite verses in the entire Bible is in Mark 9. A man’s son is possessed by an evil spirit.
“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
“ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:22-24)
I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief. That is one of my most common prayers.
I believe there are two types of faith—theoretical and tested. I can believe a chair will hold me, but until I sit in it, I’m not certain that the object of my faith is true.
I can believe someone will catch me when I fall, but the real test of my faith is my leaning back.
It’s possible to intellectual believe in an historical Jesus that lived, died, and rose but if I live my life as a practical atheist—filled with worry, selfishness, idolatry, and pride—is my faith actualized?
Jesus is not an idea or a religion, but an historical Person who walked the earth and will return soon.
Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. (John 11:25-26a)
Do you believe this? John wrote so that we may believe.
Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29b)
N.T. Wright says, “The resurrection is not an alien power breaking into God’s world; it is what happens when the creator himself comes to heal and restore his world, and bring it to its appointed goal. The resurrection is not only new creation; it is new creation.”
John never uses the noun “faith,” but rather the verb “believe” almost a hundred times. Faith is more about relationship than creed. Jesus wants to know you. He wants to be not only Savior but Lord and King and God.
And He can be trusted.
Do you believe?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Commissioning, John 20:19-23, 10 November 2013
14 11 13
Big Idea: We have been given authority. We have the Holy Spirit. We have been commissioned to make disciples.
Jesus has risen and appeared first to Mary Magdalene. Now He appears to ten disciples.
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” (19)
This is Sunday night. The disciples are behind locked doors, bolted to keep out the Jewish leaders. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is still underway so they are still in Jerusalem, unable to leave for home in Galilee.
Suddenly Jesus appears! What do we know about our future, glorified bodies? They are not subject to the laws of the material universe.
His greeting is the standard Jewish greeting, meant to communicate peace, similar to “God bless you” today. Even today it is common for a Jew to say to his friend, "Shalom aleichem," or "Peace be upon you," and the other will respond, `Aleichem shalom," or "Upon you be peace.” This is the peace of deity touching humanity. As we will see, He offers more than a greeting, but He fulfills the promises in John 14:27 and 16:33 to deliver peace.
After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. (20)
They knew Jesus. They saw His hands—including his wrists where the spikes were driven—and side.
His scars were for us.
The disciples are thrilled. They are rejoicing. Wouldn’t you?
Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (21)
Jesus repeats His greeting of peace. This may be a different peace than in verse nineteen. This is the peace of those in the will of God and are doing His will.
In Jewish tradition prophets often appointed their successors. Jesus is passing the baton.
One of the exciting things about being a part of the Christian & Missionary Alliance is the connection to previous generations leading back to the apostles. I’m not suggesting that John or James were Alliance members, of course, but our church is not an upstart organization someone created independently. To some extent, our history goes back to John 20:21. The Father sent Jesus. Jesus sent the eleven (actually ten here). They made disciples who made disciples who made disciples who…eventually disciples A.B. Simpson in New York City who eventually developed a global movement we now know as the Christian & Missionary Alliance.
What about you? What will do? Are you making disciples? The next generation is desperately in need of hope, joy, love, and life. It might begin with a simple conversation.
Jesus has sent us to make disciples…our our children, friends, neighbors, co-workers…
You may be thinking, “How do I begin?” First, realize you can’t. You can’t save anyone. You can’t even save yourself, but you can serve others and you can share your story. You can also pray…that the Holy Spirit would show you opportunities, provide you with words, and prepare others to surrender to Jesus. It’s a God thing!
And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. (22)
This is the climax of the entire Gospel of John. The promised Spirit is given to the disciples.
This is between the resurrection and Pentecost when the Holy Spirit is unleashed on believers worldwide.
This simple sentence is one of the most controversial in the Gospel. Here are three views, according to Dr. Gary Burge:
- a symbol: the disciples did not receive the Holy Spirit here, but rather a symbol of what it would be like in Acts 2
- a partial anointing: this view is that a partial gift of the Holy Spirit occurred here, but it will be completed at Pentecost as if this is an embryonic Paraclete or Holy Spirit
- a genuine anointing: John makes no mention of something to come and Easter Sunday; “that they would be empowered again, in a different way, on Pentecost does not eliminate the possibility that they were filled earlier.”
The disciples never asked for the Holy Spirit, but in Acts 2 the Comforter arrives.
The Church came into existence on Acts 2.
Jesus breathed on them. This expression appears nowhere else in the New Testament. Only when God breathed into Adam in Genesis 2:7 of the Greek Old Testament, the Septuagint, do we see this phrase.
(Gen. 2:7 Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. )
It is interesting to note that the Hebrew word for “spirit,” ruach, is also “breath” or “wind.”
If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” (23)
Wow! Does this mean the disciples forgive sins? No. They proclaim the forgiveness of sins. God is going to forgive sins through them. Remember, they were just given the Holy Spirit.
What forgives sins? The blood of Jesus. Until Jesus died, God couldn’t arbitrarily forgive. J. Vernon McGee says in the Old Testament God saved on credit, looking forward to the Messiah. Now we live with both the crucifixion and resurrection in the rear view mirror. Notice that Jesus states this in both positive and negative light. The disciples are given the other to forgive and also to not forgive. The death of Jesus provides both salvation and judgment to the world.
Salvation has come from the Jews and will extend to the Gentiles, including us! Jesus passes the baton to His disciples. They will do in and for the whole world what Jesus did in Israel. They will do what Jesus did…and so are we.
Just as Jesus followed the Father, so we are to follow Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
When we proclaim the Gospel, we act as God’s agents. We have been given authority. In fact, Jesus said to His disciples,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
We cannot change the world, but we have been sent to make disciples of all nations in the power of the Spirt. We have been given authority. We have been commissioned.
Let’s go!!!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Jesus has risen and appeared first to Mary Magdalene. Now He appears to ten disciples.
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” (19)
This is Sunday night. The disciples are behind locked doors, bolted to keep out the Jewish leaders. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is still underway so they are still in Jerusalem, unable to leave for home in Galilee.
Suddenly Jesus appears! What do we know about our future, glorified bodies? They are not subject to the laws of the material universe.
His greeting is the standard Jewish greeting, meant to communicate peace, similar to “God bless you” today. Even today it is common for a Jew to say to his friend, "Shalom aleichem," or "Peace be upon you," and the other will respond, `Aleichem shalom," or "Upon you be peace.” This is the peace of deity touching humanity. As we will see, He offers more than a greeting, but He fulfills the promises in John 14:27 and 16:33 to deliver peace.
After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. (20)
They knew Jesus. They saw His hands—including his wrists where the spikes were driven—and side.
His scars were for us.
The disciples are thrilled. They are rejoicing. Wouldn’t you?
Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (21)
Jesus repeats His greeting of peace. This may be a different peace than in verse nineteen. This is the peace of those in the will of God and are doing His will.
In Jewish tradition prophets often appointed their successors. Jesus is passing the baton.
One of the exciting things about being a part of the Christian & Missionary Alliance is the connection to previous generations leading back to the apostles. I’m not suggesting that John or James were Alliance members, of course, but our church is not an upstart organization someone created independently. To some extent, our history goes back to John 20:21. The Father sent Jesus. Jesus sent the eleven (actually ten here). They made disciples who made disciples who made disciples who…eventually disciples A.B. Simpson in New York City who eventually developed a global movement we now know as the Christian & Missionary Alliance.
What about you? What will do? Are you making disciples? The next generation is desperately in need of hope, joy, love, and life. It might begin with a simple conversation.
Jesus has sent us to make disciples…our our children, friends, neighbors, co-workers…
You may be thinking, “How do I begin?” First, realize you can’t. You can’t save anyone. You can’t even save yourself, but you can serve others and you can share your story. You can also pray…that the Holy Spirit would show you opportunities, provide you with words, and prepare others to surrender to Jesus. It’s a God thing!
And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. (22)
This is the climax of the entire Gospel of John. The promised Spirit is given to the disciples.
This is between the resurrection and Pentecost when the Holy Spirit is unleashed on believers worldwide.
This simple sentence is one of the most controversial in the Gospel. Here are three views, according to Dr. Gary Burge:
- a symbol: the disciples did not receive the Holy Spirit here, but rather a symbol of what it would be like in Acts 2
- a partial anointing: this view is that a partial gift of the Holy Spirit occurred here, but it will be completed at Pentecost as if this is an embryonic Paraclete or Holy Spirit
- a genuine anointing: John makes no mention of something to come and Easter Sunday; “that they would be empowered again, in a different way, on Pentecost does not eliminate the possibility that they were filled earlier.”
The disciples never asked for the Holy Spirit, but in Acts 2 the Comforter arrives.
The Church came into existence on Acts 2.
Jesus breathed on them. This expression appears nowhere else in the New Testament. Only when God breathed into Adam in Genesis 2:7 of the Greek Old Testament, the Septuagint, do we see this phrase.
(Gen. 2:7 Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. )
It is interesting to note that the Hebrew word for “spirit,” ruach, is also “breath” or “wind.”
If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” (23)
Wow! Does this mean the disciples forgive sins? No. They proclaim the forgiveness of sins. God is going to forgive sins through them. Remember, they were just given the Holy Spirit.
What forgives sins? The blood of Jesus. Until Jesus died, God couldn’t arbitrarily forgive. J. Vernon McGee says in the Old Testament God saved on credit, looking forward to the Messiah. Now we live with both the crucifixion and resurrection in the rear view mirror. Notice that Jesus states this in both positive and negative light. The disciples are given the other to forgive and also to not forgive. The death of Jesus provides both salvation and judgment to the world.
Salvation has come from the Jews and will extend to the Gentiles, including us! Jesus passes the baton to His disciples. They will do in and for the whole world what Jesus did in Israel. They will do what Jesus did…and so are we.
Just as Jesus followed the Father, so we are to follow Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
When we proclaim the Gospel, we act as God’s agents. We have been given authority. In fact, Jesus said to His disciples,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
We cannot change the world, but we have been sent to make disciples of all nations in the power of the Spirt. We have been given authority. We have been commissioned.
Let’s go!!!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Mary Magdalene and the Risen Jesus, John 20:11-18, 3 November 2013
05 11 13
Big Idea: Jesus is alive! Let’s tell the world!
We often approach communion with great reflection, and well we should. However, the story does not end on the cross. Last week we saw Mary Magdalene and others shocked to find the tomb of Jesus empty.
Jewish people spent seven days mourning the loss of a loved one. This meant they could not wash, work, study the law, or even have intercourse for a week. They knew how to express grief! An empty tomb prevented final acts of love to be done to Jesus. Even tomb raiders would usually leave behind the body.
We know “the rest of the story,” but those at the empty tomb
…still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. (20:9)
What does this mean? It means they did not understand! Have you ever read the Bible and seen something you never saw previously? Some Scriptures require experience to fully understand.
Jesus had said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? (John 16:19b)
Jesus had said, “You will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.” (John 16:20b)
Jesus had said, “Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” (John 16:22)
Sometimes we are just filled with disbelief.
When we ended last Sunday, we read that
Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. (10)
Jesus died. The tomb is empty.
Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. (20:11-12)
Imagine the week Mary has had. This is a woman that deeply loved Jesus. He had expelled numerous demons from her. He showed her great compassion. She cried at the foot of the cross as her hope literally died.
His body was buried quickly and two days later she comes with friends to bring spices for the body. The tomb is empty. Peter and John leave. Now she is crying outside the tomb…and she encounters two angels, two angels dressed in white, hardly appropriate during a time of mourning!
Where were the angels when the boys were around?
They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” (13a)
Why do they ask? They’re angels! They know. Jesus is alive, but Mary remains clueless.
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”
(13b)
She thinks someone moved the body.
At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. (14)
Mary didn’t recognize Jesus. Unbelief is blind. He was the last Person Mary expected to see. Did her tears mask His face?
He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” (15a)
Jesus echoes the angels, asking the reason for her tears. She hears His voice now and still has no idea who is before her.
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” (15b)
Was it common for gardeners to open tombs and hide bodies? Hardly! They were at the bottom of the social ladder and tended to gardening.
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” (16a)
The most important word in the world is your name. Jesus said that His sheep know His voice. One word changed everything for her.
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). (16b)
This means “my teacher” or “master.”
It’s easy for us to miss images and symbols John’s initial readers would recognize.
John is the only Gospel writer that tells us these events take place in a garden, a garden filled with spices, suggesting the imagery of the Song of Songs. Mary is a woman who finds the one she loves in a spice-filled garden and wants to be with Him.
Dr. Gary Burge notes,
“Miriam was the most famous sister of Moses, who oversaw her little brother’s journey down the Nile. In an ancient Jewish synagogue at Dura Europos on the Euphrates a fresco depicts this scene carefully. The floating bed of Moses becomes a coffin and tomb from which the baby Moses is raised to life (thus avoiding death).42 Old Testament Miriam even becomes a prophet (Ex. 15:20–21; Num. 12:1–2) who bears a message to Israel. While John refers to Mary in the narrative with the Greek word Maria, when Jesus (the new Moses) meets her in 20:16, oddly, he employs the Hebrew form of the name: Miriam (Gk. Mariam, Heb. Miryam). He names her “Miriam Magdalene”— where Magdalene connotes the Hebrew noun migdal, “tower.” This caretaker of the new Moses, this intimate helper, is now transformed from a mere “Mary” into a Miriam, into a migdal that now bears a prophetic message to the apostles.” (The NIV Application Commentary, John)
A woman in “paradise” encounters the Creator and Ruler of the Garden, Jesus.
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” (17)
Why did He say not to touch Him? Scholars have wondered for two thousand years. Some believe Jesus literally meant don’t touch His body, but Thomas would soon. Some have translated it “do not fear,” but that seems unlikely. Others suggest it is preparation for His ascension, His return to the Father. In other words, He may be saying, “Do not cling to Me. Go tell the disciples I will soon return to the Father.” He will leave our planet, but also leave the Holy Spirit, an even more intimate expression of God who will live inside every believer.
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. (18)
John records her as the first one to see the resurrected Messiah.
She has seen the empty tomb.
She has seen the LORD.
So What?
Mary Magdalene told the disciples the good news: Jesus is alive.
It is our privilege to tell our friends, neighbors and co-workers the good news: Jesus is alive!!!
Last week it struck me how the Gospel is good news. Who doesn’t want to share good news? It’s hard to deliver bad news, but it should be a joy to announce good news.
This text perhaps raises more questions than it answers, but one thing is clear…Jesus is alive! The One who died for us, who redeems us from sin and death, lives.
We don’t worship an idea, a concept, or a book. We worship a Person who entered human history and transformed it.
Listen to the words of John Updike in his poem “Seven Stanzas at Easter.”
Make no mistake: if He rose at all it was as His body;
if the cells’ dissolution did not reverse,
the molecules reknit, the amino acids rekindle,
the church will fall. . . .
Let us not mock God with metaphor, Analogy, sidestepping transcendence;
Making of the event a parable, a sign painted in the faded credulity of earlier ages:
Let us walk through the door.
The stone is rolled back, not papier-mâché, Not a stone in a story,
But the vast rock of materiality that in the slow grinding of time will eclipse for each of us,
The wide light of day.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
We often approach communion with great reflection, and well we should. However, the story does not end on the cross. Last week we saw Mary Magdalene and others shocked to find the tomb of Jesus empty.
Jewish people spent seven days mourning the loss of a loved one. This meant they could not wash, work, study the law, or even have intercourse for a week. They knew how to express grief! An empty tomb prevented final acts of love to be done to Jesus. Even tomb raiders would usually leave behind the body.
We know “the rest of the story,” but those at the empty tomb
…still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. (20:9)
What does this mean? It means they did not understand! Have you ever read the Bible and seen something you never saw previously? Some Scriptures require experience to fully understand.
Jesus had said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? (John 16:19b)
Jesus had said, “You will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.” (John 16:20b)
Jesus had said, “Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” (John 16:22)
Sometimes we are just filled with disbelief.
When we ended last Sunday, we read that
Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. (10)
Jesus died. The tomb is empty.
Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. (20:11-12)
Imagine the week Mary has had. This is a woman that deeply loved Jesus. He had expelled numerous demons from her. He showed her great compassion. She cried at the foot of the cross as her hope literally died.
His body was buried quickly and two days later she comes with friends to bring spices for the body. The tomb is empty. Peter and John leave. Now she is crying outside the tomb…and she encounters two angels, two angels dressed in white, hardly appropriate during a time of mourning!
Where were the angels when the boys were around?
They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” (13a)
Why do they ask? They’re angels! They know. Jesus is alive, but Mary remains clueless.
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”
(13b)
She thinks someone moved the body.
At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. (14)
Mary didn’t recognize Jesus. Unbelief is blind. He was the last Person Mary expected to see. Did her tears mask His face?
He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” (15a)
Jesus echoes the angels, asking the reason for her tears. She hears His voice now and still has no idea who is before her.
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” (15b)
Was it common for gardeners to open tombs and hide bodies? Hardly! They were at the bottom of the social ladder and tended to gardening.
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” (16a)
The most important word in the world is your name. Jesus said that His sheep know His voice. One word changed everything for her.
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). (16b)
This means “my teacher” or “master.”
It’s easy for us to miss images and symbols John’s initial readers would recognize.
John is the only Gospel writer that tells us these events take place in a garden, a garden filled with spices, suggesting the imagery of the Song of Songs. Mary is a woman who finds the one she loves in a spice-filled garden and wants to be with Him.
Dr. Gary Burge notes,
“Miriam was the most famous sister of Moses, who oversaw her little brother’s journey down the Nile. In an ancient Jewish synagogue at Dura Europos on the Euphrates a fresco depicts this scene carefully. The floating bed of Moses becomes a coffin and tomb from which the baby Moses is raised to life (thus avoiding death).42 Old Testament Miriam even becomes a prophet (Ex. 15:20–21; Num. 12:1–2) who bears a message to Israel. While John refers to Mary in the narrative with the Greek word Maria, when Jesus (the new Moses) meets her in 20:16, oddly, he employs the Hebrew form of the name: Miriam (Gk. Mariam, Heb. Miryam). He names her “Miriam Magdalene”— where Magdalene connotes the Hebrew noun migdal, “tower.” This caretaker of the new Moses, this intimate helper, is now transformed from a mere “Mary” into a Miriam, into a migdal that now bears a prophetic message to the apostles.” (The NIV Application Commentary, John)
A woman in “paradise” encounters the Creator and Ruler of the Garden, Jesus.
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” (17)
Why did He say not to touch Him? Scholars have wondered for two thousand years. Some believe Jesus literally meant don’t touch His body, but Thomas would soon. Some have translated it “do not fear,” but that seems unlikely. Others suggest it is preparation for His ascension, His return to the Father. In other words, He may be saying, “Do not cling to Me. Go tell the disciples I will soon return to the Father.” He will leave our planet, but also leave the Holy Spirit, an even more intimate expression of God who will live inside every believer.
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. (18)
John records her as the first one to see the resurrected Messiah.
She has seen the empty tomb.
She has seen the LORD.
So What?
Mary Magdalene told the disciples the good news: Jesus is alive.
It is our privilege to tell our friends, neighbors and co-workers the good news: Jesus is alive!!!
Last week it struck me how the Gospel is good news. Who doesn’t want to share good news? It’s hard to deliver bad news, but it should be a joy to announce good news.
This text perhaps raises more questions than it answers, but one thing is clear…Jesus is alive! The One who died for us, who redeems us from sin and death, lives.
We don’t worship an idea, a concept, or a book. We worship a Person who entered human history and transformed it.
Listen to the words of John Updike in his poem “Seven Stanzas at Easter.”
Make no mistake: if He rose at all it was as His body;
if the cells’ dissolution did not reverse,
the molecules reknit, the amino acids rekindle,
the church will fall. . . .
Let us not mock God with metaphor, Analogy, sidestepping transcendence;
Making of the event a parable, a sign painted in the faded credulity of earlier ages:
Let us walk through the door.
The stone is rolled back, not papier-mâché, Not a stone in a story,
But the vast rock of materiality that in the slow grinding of time will eclipse for each of us,
The wide light of day.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
The Empty Tomb, John 20:1-10, 27 October 2013
27 10 13
Big Idea: Sometimes tragedies are blessings in disguise.
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” (1-2)
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. (3-5)
Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. (6-7)
Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. (8-10)
Introduction
Do you like surprises? Why or why not?
Life is full of surprises. Some are good and some…!!!
We’ve spent the last several weeks meditating on Jesus’ death and burial. So now it’s time to celebrate Easter, right? Not yet!
Typical Easter celebrations are just that…celebrations. We sing happy songs, make colorful eggs, and eat chocolate bunnies. Who doesn’t love Easter?
Although the resurrection is one of the most miraculous and important events in human history, it wasn’t initially perceived as good news. At first, it was nothing short of shocking.
We know “the rest of the story,” but consider what it would have been like to be a character.
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. (1)
It’s Sunday, the first day of the week. Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb, though she was not alone. No woman would dare venture out alone in the dark, and the other Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke (the synoptic Gospels) make it clear that Mary Magdalene had company.
Jewish and pagan mourners were often known to visit tombs within the three days after the burial to bring more spices, to weep, or perhaps just to be there.
The first surprise was clearly the stone. The stone had been removed, something that may not have been immediately clear in the dark. Some tombs were blocked by disk-shaped stones that were rolled in a track.
What we now understand as wonderful was shocking and alarming. Who moved the stone? Why was the tomb empty? Who took the body away?
So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” (2)
Mary Magdalene is the first apostle, the apostle to the apostles, the first to deliver news of the empty tomb and later to encounter the risen Jesus…but that’s for next week!
Grave robbers were not uncommon, though there were severe punishments for such a crime.
Mary announces the empty tomb to Simon Peter and…the other disciple, the one Jesus loved…John? We’re not certain, but let’s assume it was John. Ancient Jewish men did not accept women as reliable witnesses for most legal purposes. Peter and John had to find out for themselves.
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. (3-5)
Peter and John have a race, and who wins?! John lets us know! John was younger, and presumably faster.
Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. (6-7)
John arrives first, but Peter enters first and gazes at the strips of linen. All of the linens remain. When Lazarus was resurrected, he remained wrapped. Once the linens were seen, it became obvious something was highly unusual. If the body was stolen, it would make no sense to unwrap it. Notice the cloth, commonly used to keep the mouth shut, was separate from the linen. It’s as if the body disappeared, leaving the linens behind. Jesus will appear to His disciples in a locked room (20:19, 26) and His resurrected body apparently passes through the linen wrappings similarly.
Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. (8-10)
John sees and believes. The eyewitness of two men renders the evidence admissible under the Jewish legal system according to Deuteronomy (17:6; 19:15).
So Peter and John leave the tomb.
What were they thinking? What were they feeling?
This was some surprise!
Conclusion
Life is filled with surprises. Some surprises we consider good and others bad, but we can be at peace knowing that God loves us and is in control, even when it doesn’t seem like it.
We celebrate the empty tomb because we know the rest of the story, but for Mary Magdalene and others it was an unexpected, startling scene. Their initial reaction was hardly one of joy. There’s more to come, though.
Are you facing an unpleasant surprise? Hold fast to Jesus. He promises to be with you. Your story is not over. There is more to come, and He has a remarkable habit of turning mourning into dancing, trials into triumphs, and tragedies into testimonies.
I certainly don’t want to minimize any pain you may feel at this moment, but I do want to encourage you and remind you that tomorrow is a new day. As Annie said, the sun will come out tomorrow. A God who loves you more than you can imagine is on the throne and is with you. Draw near to Him and He promises to draw near to you. It may feel like Good Friday, but Sunday’s coming…and next Sunday we’ll look at the exciting events that follow this scene at the empty tomb.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” (1-2)
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. (3-5)
Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. (6-7)
Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. (8-10)
Introduction
Do you like surprises? Why or why not?
Life is full of surprises. Some are good and some…!!!
We’ve spent the last several weeks meditating on Jesus’ death and burial. So now it’s time to celebrate Easter, right? Not yet!
Typical Easter celebrations are just that…celebrations. We sing happy songs, make colorful eggs, and eat chocolate bunnies. Who doesn’t love Easter?
Although the resurrection is one of the most miraculous and important events in human history, it wasn’t initially perceived as good news. At first, it was nothing short of shocking.
We know “the rest of the story,” but consider what it would have been like to be a character.
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. (1)
It’s Sunday, the first day of the week. Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb, though she was not alone. No woman would dare venture out alone in the dark, and the other Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke (the synoptic Gospels) make it clear that Mary Magdalene had company.
Jewish and pagan mourners were often known to visit tombs within the three days after the burial to bring more spices, to weep, or perhaps just to be there.
The first surprise was clearly the stone. The stone had been removed, something that may not have been immediately clear in the dark. Some tombs were blocked by disk-shaped stones that were rolled in a track.
What we now understand as wonderful was shocking and alarming. Who moved the stone? Why was the tomb empty? Who took the body away?
So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” (2)
Mary Magdalene is the first apostle, the apostle to the apostles, the first to deliver news of the empty tomb and later to encounter the risen Jesus…but that’s for next week!
Grave robbers were not uncommon, though there were severe punishments for such a crime.
Mary announces the empty tomb to Simon Peter and…the other disciple, the one Jesus loved…John? We’re not certain, but let’s assume it was John. Ancient Jewish men did not accept women as reliable witnesses for most legal purposes. Peter and John had to find out for themselves.
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. (3-5)
Peter and John have a race, and who wins?! John lets us know! John was younger, and presumably faster.
Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. (6-7)
John arrives first, but Peter enters first and gazes at the strips of linen. All of the linens remain. When Lazarus was resurrected, he remained wrapped. Once the linens were seen, it became obvious something was highly unusual. If the body was stolen, it would make no sense to unwrap it. Notice the cloth, commonly used to keep the mouth shut, was separate from the linen. It’s as if the body disappeared, leaving the linens behind. Jesus will appear to His disciples in a locked room (20:19, 26) and His resurrected body apparently passes through the linen wrappings similarly.
Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. (8-10)
John sees and believes. The eyewitness of two men renders the evidence admissible under the Jewish legal system according to Deuteronomy (17:6; 19:15).
So Peter and John leave the tomb.
What were they thinking? What were they feeling?
This was some surprise!
Conclusion
Life is filled with surprises. Some surprises we consider good and others bad, but we can be at peace knowing that God loves us and is in control, even when it doesn’t seem like it.
We celebrate the empty tomb because we know the rest of the story, but for Mary Magdalene and others it was an unexpected, startling scene. Their initial reaction was hardly one of joy. There’s more to come, though.
Are you facing an unpleasant surprise? Hold fast to Jesus. He promises to be with you. Your story is not over. There is more to come, and He has a remarkable habit of turning mourning into dancing, trials into triumphs, and tragedies into testimonies.
I certainly don’t want to minimize any pain you may feel at this moment, but I do want to encourage you and remind you that tomorrow is a new day. As Annie said, the sun will come out tomorrow. A God who loves you more than you can imagine is on the throne and is with you. Draw near to Him and He promises to draw near to you. It may feel like Good Friday, but Sunday’s coming…and next Sunday we’ll look at the exciting events that follow this scene at the empty tomb.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Blood & Water, John 19:31-37, 13 October 2013
16 10 13
Big Idea: Jesus died, predicted centuries prior in amazing detail lending credibility to the Bible and its message.
If you could know the future, would you want to?
Heather and I decided we did not want to know the sex of our children until they were born. Well, we almost decided! Actually, when our girls were born, it was a surprise. In fact, my mother-in-law was so convinced that our second child was a boy that she made blue outfits for him—uh, her. When I said, “It’s a girl!” she was in denial!
With our third, we wanted to keep it a surprise…until the doctor asked us if we wanted to know since she was 100% sure from the ultrasound. I said, “That must mean it’s a boy” and she said, “Not necessarily. The baby is just perfectly positioned.” The doctor left the room, Heather asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to know?” and in a moment of weakness when the doctor returned, I said, “OK, tell us!” much to the surprise of my wife. I cried tears of joy when I learned a baby boy was joining our family.
In that moment, I was able to know the future. We told one couple our news, but it was a complete surprise to the rest of the world when Trevor entered the visible world seventeen years ago.
If you could know the future, would you want to?
What about your death? If I could tell you when and how you would die, would you want to know?
Jesus knew. “Sure,” you say, “He’s God,” but any Jew familiar with the Old Testament had clear descriptions of the Messiah, how He would be conceived, where He would be born, and how He would die. Just to give you an idea, here is one list of Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled in Jesus:
http://www.bibleprobe.com/365messianicprophecies.htm
Simply put, Jesus uniquely fulfilled hundreds of prophecies that were written hundreds and even thousands of years before His birth.
John 19:31-37
Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. (31)
The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. (32-33)
Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. (34-35)
These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” (36)
he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. (Psalm 34:20)
…and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.” (37)
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. (Zechariah 12:10)
Jesus probably did not die of a broken heart but with a broken heart. I declare Jesus fulfilled hundreds of prophecies, and even in His death many came to pass. Oh, and one more thing…Jesus died. This may not sound radical, but to many, it is unimaginable. The Muslim Quaran, for example, states…
And [for] their saying, "Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah ." And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain. (Surat An-Nisa 4:157)
They believe someone that looked like Jesus died that resembled Him, but if Jesus did not die, we have no hope. If Jesus did not die, the ten martyred disciples wasted their lives, and the countless since. If Jesus did not die, we cannot know God, experience forgiveness, or have eternal life.
But John, an eyewitness, was there and saw what happened. He said plainly that Jesus died.
Believe it or not, some believe Jesus survived the crucifixion, which is utterly ludicrous. It is true that crucified people often remained alive, or half alive, for days, but Jesus was so badly beaten prior that it is little wonder He hung for three hours before declaring, “It is finished.”
No Roman soldier would let a condemned criminal escape death. It would cost them their life.
Jesus really died—so that we could live—and today we remember His death as He told his original twelve to do. We take the bread and remember His body that was broken and pierced for us. We drink the cup and remember His blood that was poured out for us. Jesus really died, and John was an eyewitness of the tragic yet wonderful event. Jesus died to show His love for us, to reconcile us to a holy God who cannot tolerate sin, to provide forgiveness of our messed up lives, to offer mercy and amazing grace.
Water and blood are so symbolic, not only in the Jesus story but the entire Bible, pointing to life, cleansing, purification, and forgiveness. Moses inaugurated the first covenant with blood and water. Jesus inaugurates another covenant through His death.
Jesus is the true Passover lamb who takes away the sin of the world, a lamb that, according to Exodus 12:46 and Numbers 9:12, could not have any broken bones.
It has been said that we don’t know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future. Actually, the holy Scriptures tell us much about the future, and among its revelations is that we will one day stand before a holy God and have to give an account for our lives. How did we live them? Who did we serve? How did we use our time, talents and treasures?
Jesus came and died…but that’s not the end of the story. Hallelujah! Because He lives, we can face tomorrow…and today…and prepare for His return.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
If you could know the future, would you want to?
Heather and I decided we did not want to know the sex of our children until they were born. Well, we almost decided! Actually, when our girls were born, it was a surprise. In fact, my mother-in-law was so convinced that our second child was a boy that she made blue outfits for him—uh, her. When I said, “It’s a girl!” she was in denial!
With our third, we wanted to keep it a surprise…until the doctor asked us if we wanted to know since she was 100% sure from the ultrasound. I said, “That must mean it’s a boy” and she said, “Not necessarily. The baby is just perfectly positioned.” The doctor left the room, Heather asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to know?” and in a moment of weakness when the doctor returned, I said, “OK, tell us!” much to the surprise of my wife. I cried tears of joy when I learned a baby boy was joining our family.
In that moment, I was able to know the future. We told one couple our news, but it was a complete surprise to the rest of the world when Trevor entered the visible world seventeen years ago.
If you could know the future, would you want to?
What about your death? If I could tell you when and how you would die, would you want to know?
Jesus knew. “Sure,” you say, “He’s God,” but any Jew familiar with the Old Testament had clear descriptions of the Messiah, how He would be conceived, where He would be born, and how He would die. Just to give you an idea, here is one list of Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled in Jesus:
http://www.bibleprobe.com/365messianicprophecies.htm
Simply put, Jesus uniquely fulfilled hundreds of prophecies that were written hundreds and even thousands of years before His birth.
John 19:31-37
Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. (31)
The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. (32-33)
Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. (34-35)
These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” (36)
he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. (Psalm 34:20)
…and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.” (37)
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. (Zechariah 12:10)
Jesus probably did not die of a broken heart but with a broken heart. I declare Jesus fulfilled hundreds of prophecies, and even in His death many came to pass. Oh, and one more thing…Jesus died. This may not sound radical, but to many, it is unimaginable. The Muslim Quaran, for example, states…
And [for] their saying, "Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah ." And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain. (Surat An-Nisa 4:157)
They believe someone that looked like Jesus died that resembled Him, but if Jesus did not die, we have no hope. If Jesus did not die, the ten martyred disciples wasted their lives, and the countless since. If Jesus did not die, we cannot know God, experience forgiveness, or have eternal life.
But John, an eyewitness, was there and saw what happened. He said plainly that Jesus died.
Believe it or not, some believe Jesus survived the crucifixion, which is utterly ludicrous. It is true that crucified people often remained alive, or half alive, for days, but Jesus was so badly beaten prior that it is little wonder He hung for three hours before declaring, “It is finished.”
No Roman soldier would let a condemned criminal escape death. It would cost them their life.
Jesus really died—so that we could live—and today we remember His death as He told his original twelve to do. We take the bread and remember His body that was broken and pierced for us. We drink the cup and remember His blood that was poured out for us. Jesus really died, and John was an eyewitness of the tragic yet wonderful event. Jesus died to show His love for us, to reconcile us to a holy God who cannot tolerate sin, to provide forgiveness of our messed up lives, to offer mercy and amazing grace.
Water and blood are so symbolic, not only in the Jesus story but the entire Bible, pointing to life, cleansing, purification, and forgiveness. Moses inaugurated the first covenant with blood and water. Jesus inaugurates another covenant through His death.
Jesus is the true Passover lamb who takes away the sin of the world, a lamb that, according to Exodus 12:46 and Numbers 9:12, could not have any broken bones.
It has been said that we don’t know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future. Actually, the holy Scriptures tell us much about the future, and among its revelations is that we will one day stand before a holy God and have to give an account for our lives. How did we live them? Who did we serve? How did we use our time, talents and treasures?
Jesus came and died…but that’s not the end of the story. Hallelujah! Because He lives, we can face tomorrow…and today…and prepare for His return.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Hurt: The Death of Jesus, John 19:25-30, 29 September 2013
29 09 13
Big Idea: We are hurt, we hurt one another, and we hurt Jesus with our sin.
Introduction
Have you ever been hurt? Of course! What hurt first came to mind? Physical? Emotional?
We all hurt others. They say that hurt people hurt people. Sometimes we intentionally hurt others, sometimes it is accidental, and sometimes we don’t even know we hurt someone. Have you ever learned after the fact that you hurt someone unknowingly?
There is a difference between hurt and harm. A vaccination shot at the doctor’s office hurts, but it is not meant to harm.
Last week we looked at the crucifixion of Jesus. The physical pain and agony He suffered is hard to imagine, yet the harm done to Him was more than physical.
Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. (John 19:25-27)
It is believed by most that John is the disciple mentioned. What is noteworthy is the likelihood that John was the only one of the eleven disciples that watched Jesus die.
In many wars and conflicts, while women are free to come and go since they are not viewed as a threat and they need to maintain the household including shopping. Men, however, are vulnerable to attack, kidnapping, or even murder.
In this scene, we see women at the foot of the cross, but John, too. He was probably very young and not viewed as a serious revolutionary. He may not have even had a beard, a common feature of grown men.
Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. (John 19:28-29)
Here we see another Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in the Messiah. In Psalm 69:21 it says
They put gall in my food
and gave me vinegar for my thirst. (Psalm 69:21)
The symbolism in these two verses is vast.
Jesus often spoke of water. Sign one was Jesus’ first miracle, turning water into premium wine, providing for the thirst of others (John 2). Now he receives low-grade sour wine. He offered living water to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). In John 7 He invites the thirsty to come to HIm and drink (7:37).
N.T. Wright sees a series of signs in Jesus’ ministry, beginning with the first miracle during which He made wine at a wedding, revealing His glory. The second sign is the healing of the nobleman’s son at Capernaum (4:46-54). The third is the healing of the paralyzed man at the pool (5:1-9). Then He multiplied the loaves and fishes (6:1-14), healed the man born blind (9:1-12) and raised Lazarus from the dead (11:1-44).
Seven is a biblical number and Wright believes the seventh sign to reveal God’s glory is Jesus being lifted up. It is fitting then that…
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (19:30)
In the original language, this phrase means, “It’s all done!” It’s a single word that is written on a bill after it has been paid. The price has been paid. Jesus’ work is complete. It’s finished. It’s done. Jesus has accomplished His mission.
So much happened in that moment. Although I’ve focused this series on John’s Gospel, Matthew records fascinating details.
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. (Matthew 27:50-52)
Let’s go back to Jesus’ mission that He accomplished. The hurt Jesus experienced was not only physical, but profoundly spiritual. The writer of Romans tells us
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)
Paul is explicit in his letter to the people in the city of Corinth.
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
I killed Jesus.
I nailed Jesus to the cross.
It was my sin that prompted His agonizing mission.
Hurt by Johnny Cash (originally by Nine Inch Nails)
The sins of others hurts me.
My sin causes others to hurt.
Our sins caused Jesus to hurt.
I killed Jesus.
I nailed Jesus to the cross.
It was my sin that prompted His agonizing mission.
Reflection and Confession
It’s easy to reflect on the cross and appreciate the sacrifice of Jesus for us without acknowledging our sins that necessitated it.
Each of us has a long history of sin. Big sins, small sins, public sins, hidden sins. Sins of things we did. Sins of things we failed to do.
Sin separates us from God. Sin is deadly to relationships and sometimes even human life.
That guilt you feel…it’s probably the result of sin. The number one reason people feel guilty is because they are guilty! There is false guilt, but Romans 3:23 tells us that all of us sin and fall short of God’s glory. All of us. You. Me. Billy Graham. All of us.
This isn’t about shame, but it is about honestly assessing our lives. How have we loved or hated God? How have we loved or hated our neighbor? How have we loved or hated ourselves?
Kyrie eleison (Greek: Κύριε, ἐλέησον "Lord, have mercy"). The phrase predates Christian usage.
There’s an old prayer of the Church that says, “LORD, have mercy”
I urge you to reflect upon your sin. Confess it to God. Repent and turn away from it. Experience His love and forgiveness. That’s why He died. That’s why we call it Good Friday.
LORD, Have Mercy
John later wrote
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
That is truly Good News! Hallelujah!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
Have you ever been hurt? Of course! What hurt first came to mind? Physical? Emotional?
We all hurt others. They say that hurt people hurt people. Sometimes we intentionally hurt others, sometimes it is accidental, and sometimes we don’t even know we hurt someone. Have you ever learned after the fact that you hurt someone unknowingly?
There is a difference between hurt and harm. A vaccination shot at the doctor’s office hurts, but it is not meant to harm.
Last week we looked at the crucifixion of Jesus. The physical pain and agony He suffered is hard to imagine, yet the harm done to Him was more than physical.
Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. (John 19:25-27)
It is believed by most that John is the disciple mentioned. What is noteworthy is the likelihood that John was the only one of the eleven disciples that watched Jesus die.
In many wars and conflicts, while women are free to come and go since they are not viewed as a threat and they need to maintain the household including shopping. Men, however, are vulnerable to attack, kidnapping, or even murder.
In this scene, we see women at the foot of the cross, but John, too. He was probably very young and not viewed as a serious revolutionary. He may not have even had a beard, a common feature of grown men.
Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. (John 19:28-29)
Here we see another Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in the Messiah. In Psalm 69:21 it says
They put gall in my food
and gave me vinegar for my thirst. (Psalm 69:21)
The symbolism in these two verses is vast.
Jesus often spoke of water. Sign one was Jesus’ first miracle, turning water into premium wine, providing for the thirst of others (John 2). Now he receives low-grade sour wine. He offered living water to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). In John 7 He invites the thirsty to come to HIm and drink (7:37).
N.T. Wright sees a series of signs in Jesus’ ministry, beginning with the first miracle during which He made wine at a wedding, revealing His glory. The second sign is the healing of the nobleman’s son at Capernaum (4:46-54). The third is the healing of the paralyzed man at the pool (5:1-9). Then He multiplied the loaves and fishes (6:1-14), healed the man born blind (9:1-12) and raised Lazarus from the dead (11:1-44).
Seven is a biblical number and Wright believes the seventh sign to reveal God’s glory is Jesus being lifted up. It is fitting then that…
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (19:30)
In the original language, this phrase means, “It’s all done!” It’s a single word that is written on a bill after it has been paid. The price has been paid. Jesus’ work is complete. It’s finished. It’s done. Jesus has accomplished His mission.
So much happened in that moment. Although I’ve focused this series on John’s Gospel, Matthew records fascinating details.
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. (Matthew 27:50-52)
Let’s go back to Jesus’ mission that He accomplished. The hurt Jesus experienced was not only physical, but profoundly spiritual. The writer of Romans tells us
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)
Paul is explicit in his letter to the people in the city of Corinth.
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
I killed Jesus.
I nailed Jesus to the cross.
It was my sin that prompted His agonizing mission.
Hurt by Johnny Cash (originally by Nine Inch Nails)
The sins of others hurts me.
My sin causes others to hurt.
Our sins caused Jesus to hurt.
I killed Jesus.
I nailed Jesus to the cross.
It was my sin that prompted His agonizing mission.
Reflection and Confession
It’s easy to reflect on the cross and appreciate the sacrifice of Jesus for us without acknowledging our sins that necessitated it.
Each of us has a long history of sin. Big sins, small sins, public sins, hidden sins. Sins of things we did. Sins of things we failed to do.
Sin separates us from God. Sin is deadly to relationships and sometimes even human life.
That guilt you feel…it’s probably the result of sin. The number one reason people feel guilty is because they are guilty! There is false guilt, but Romans 3:23 tells us that all of us sin and fall short of God’s glory. All of us. You. Me. Billy Graham. All of us.
This isn’t about shame, but it is about honestly assessing our lives. How have we loved or hated God? How have we loved or hated our neighbor? How have we loved or hated ourselves?
Kyrie eleison (Greek: Κύριε, ἐλέησον "Lord, have mercy"). The phrase predates Christian usage.
There’s an old prayer of the Church that says, “LORD, have mercy”
I urge you to reflect upon your sin. Confess it to God. Repent and turn away from it. Experience His love and forgiveness. That’s why He died. That’s why we call it Good Friday.
LORD, Have Mercy
John later wrote
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
That is truly Good News! Hallelujah!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
King of Love, John 19:16b-24, 22 September 2013
23 09 13
Big Idea: Jesus held out His arms and said, “I love you THIS much!” Does everyone know?
What is love?
This week I was talking with a friend who told me about a family that has no faith in God because they only believe in science, that which can be proven. I asked about love. Can you prove that love exists? What is it?
This is a question I return to again and again because it is used so often in our culture to describe so many different things. Frequently it is just a word used to manipulate someone into doing something, but love itself requires doing and action. Love is a verb.
Our text for today could actually be a short passage referenced months ago in the third chapter of John. It says
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
We continue our series on the Gospel or “good news” of John, a biography of Jesus written by one of His best friends. The next several weeks will address the final hours of Jesus before His burial. I must warn you that some of the content will be graphic and disturbing. Parents, be advised we have some short videos that involve the crucifixion. The suffering we have examined in the past few weeks was excruciating, but Jesus willingly experienced crucifixion, the ultimate Roman torture.
Before we look at what Jesus did, I want to be crystal clear about why He suffered and died. He did it for you and for me.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
For God so loved you and me that He sent Jesus to die for us.
Centuries earlier, the prophet Isaiah wrote
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)
So begins Mel Gibson’s film The Passion of the Christ, the most successful rated R movie in history, grossing over $370 million.
He was pierced, crushed, punished, and wounded…because He loves us.
Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. (19:16)
If you recall, Pilate desperately wanted to release Jesus as He found no reason for Him to be arrested, much less executed. Bowing to the pressure of the Jewish leaders and their threats of involving Caesar, Jesus was handed over to be crucified by the soldiers.
Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). (19:17)
They took Jesus outside the city to crucify Him. This is a fascinating detail because the traditional place of Jesus’ death is now a church, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, but it is inside the city. Personally, I found it to be something of a religious freak show, a series of buildings that actually house multiple churches, religious artifacts, and a large box built in 1810, the edicule of the Holy Sepulchre that is supposed to commemorate the tomb where Jesus was buried! I found the whole thing to be very strange, dark, extremely religious (and not in a good way) and depressing. I found it a very odd way to celebrate a living Christ!
There is another site outside the city that is believe to have possibly been the location because of its name, the place of the Skull.
John tell us…
There they crucified him, and with him two others —one on each side and Jesus in the middle. (19:18)
John does not give us details of the crucifixion.
One detail found in the other Gospels (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34) is Jesus quoting Psalm 22:
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish? (Psalm 22:1)
When you understand a bit about crucifixion, you quickly understand why Jesus felt forsaken. In order to understand the agony from a medical perspective, I found this video.
https://vimeo.com/20304062
Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” (19-21)
It was fairly common for condemned criminals to wear signs around their necks while on their way to execution to serve warning to others.
Jesus died for all and the sign was in multiple languages, the three most understood at the time. For God so loved the world. Even the declaration of Jesus’ Kingship was announced to all.
Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” (22)
Pilate infuriated the chief priests. He probably doesn’t believe Jesus is a king any more than they do, but he makes fun of them, a “calculated snub,” in the words of scholar N.T. Wright. Regardless, the words were true. Jesus is Israel’s Messiah and He died for every man, woman and child from every nation, tribe and tongue.
May he rule from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth. (Psalm 72:8)
May all kings bow down to him
and all nations serve him.
For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight. (Psalm 72:11-14)
Anyone familiar with the Scriptures had to see the promised Messiah, yet it was the most religious that had Jesus arrested and crucified.
When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. (23)
“Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,
“They divided my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.” (24)
Indeed Psalm 22, which we mentioned earlier, continues
Dogs surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce my hands and my feet.
All my bones are on display;
people stare and gloat over me.
They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment. (Psalm 22:16-18)
So this is what the soldiers did. (24b)
So What?
I struggled to prepare this message because it involved many disturbing images and accounts. At times, I found myself getting sick when I thought about the agony involved in crucifixion…but it was all part of Jesus’ ambition and plan to seek and save the lost, to offer hope to the hopeless, to offer forgiveness to us sinners, to offer reconciliation between us and our heaven Father we have rejected.
This is a love story. This is passion.
Have your received His love?
Have you shared His love?
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
What is love?
This week I was talking with a friend who told me about a family that has no faith in God because they only believe in science, that which can be proven. I asked about love. Can you prove that love exists? What is it?
This is a question I return to again and again because it is used so often in our culture to describe so many different things. Frequently it is just a word used to manipulate someone into doing something, but love itself requires doing and action. Love is a verb.
Our text for today could actually be a short passage referenced months ago in the third chapter of John. It says
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
We continue our series on the Gospel or “good news” of John, a biography of Jesus written by one of His best friends. The next several weeks will address the final hours of Jesus before His burial. I must warn you that some of the content will be graphic and disturbing. Parents, be advised we have some short videos that involve the crucifixion. The suffering we have examined in the past few weeks was excruciating, but Jesus willingly experienced crucifixion, the ultimate Roman torture.
Before we look at what Jesus did, I want to be crystal clear about why He suffered and died. He did it for you and for me.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
For God so loved you and me that He sent Jesus to die for us.
Centuries earlier, the prophet Isaiah wrote
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)
So begins Mel Gibson’s film The Passion of the Christ, the most successful rated R movie in history, grossing over $370 million.
He was pierced, crushed, punished, and wounded…because He loves us.
Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. (19:16)
If you recall, Pilate desperately wanted to release Jesus as He found no reason for Him to be arrested, much less executed. Bowing to the pressure of the Jewish leaders and their threats of involving Caesar, Jesus was handed over to be crucified by the soldiers.
Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). (19:17)
They took Jesus outside the city to crucify Him. This is a fascinating detail because the traditional place of Jesus’ death is now a church, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, but it is inside the city. Personally, I found it to be something of a religious freak show, a series of buildings that actually house multiple churches, religious artifacts, and a large box built in 1810, the edicule of the Holy Sepulchre that is supposed to commemorate the tomb where Jesus was buried! I found the whole thing to be very strange, dark, extremely religious (and not in a good way) and depressing. I found it a very odd way to celebrate a living Christ!
There is another site outside the city that is believe to have possibly been the location because of its name, the place of the Skull.
John tell us…
There they crucified him, and with him two others —one on each side and Jesus in the middle. (19:18)
John does not give us details of the crucifixion.
One detail found in the other Gospels (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34) is Jesus quoting Psalm 22:
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish? (Psalm 22:1)
When you understand a bit about crucifixion, you quickly understand why Jesus felt forsaken. In order to understand the agony from a medical perspective, I found this video.
https://vimeo.com/20304062
Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” (19-21)
It was fairly common for condemned criminals to wear signs around their necks while on their way to execution to serve warning to others.
Jesus died for all and the sign was in multiple languages, the three most understood at the time. For God so loved the world. Even the declaration of Jesus’ Kingship was announced to all.
Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” (22)
Pilate infuriated the chief priests. He probably doesn’t believe Jesus is a king any more than they do, but he makes fun of them, a “calculated snub,” in the words of scholar N.T. Wright. Regardless, the words were true. Jesus is Israel’s Messiah and He died for every man, woman and child from every nation, tribe and tongue.
May he rule from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth. (Psalm 72:8)
May all kings bow down to him
and all nations serve him.
For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight. (Psalm 72:11-14)
Anyone familiar with the Scriptures had to see the promised Messiah, yet it was the most religious that had Jesus arrested and crucified.
When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. (23)
“Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,
“They divided my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.” (24)
Indeed Psalm 22, which we mentioned earlier, continues
Dogs surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce my hands and my feet.
All my bones are on display;
people stare and gloat over me.
They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment. (Psalm 22:16-18)
So this is what the soldiers did. (24b)
So What?
I struggled to prepare this message because it involved many disturbing images and accounts. At times, I found myself getting sick when I thought about the agony involved in crucifixion…but it was all part of Jesus’ ambition and plan to seek and save the lost, to offer hope to the hopeless, to offer forgiveness to us sinners, to offer reconciliation between us and our heaven Father we have rejected.
This is a love story. This is passion.
Have your received His love?
Have you shared His love?
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
No King But Caesar, John 19:8-16a, 15 September 2013
15 09 13
Big Idea: Who is your king?
Introduction
Why are you? I didn’t ask who you are, but why are you who you are. Why did you become the person you are today, or put another way, how are you? I don’t mean how are you doing, but how did you become the person you are today.
Why are you?
How are you?
A more conventional question might be who and what has made the greatest impact on your life? We are the product of people and experiences that have shaped us. Perhaps you love sports because your dad loves sports. Maybe you joined the military after being moved by a movie or a book. Some of you have devoted great resources to care for those in need because of the example of a mentor or friend. When you think of who you are, why and how are you you?
These questions are almost irrelevant in many parts of the world. Freedoms are scarce. Occupations are given rather than chosen.
In our culture, however, we make hundreds or even thousands of choices each day about what to wear, how to spend our time, what kind of toothpaste to buy, what music to listen to, and what sources of information we will consume.
Some choices are easy.
Pizza or tacos?
iPhone or Android?
Coke or Pepsi?
Michigan or Ohio State?
What is the most difficult choice you have ever made? Why? How do you decide?
Last week we looked at Pontius Pilate and his inability to find guilt in Jesus despite the cries of the Jewish leaders who shouted for His crucifixion.
Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” (19:4-5)
As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.” (19:6)
The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” (19:7)
This brings us to today’s text.
When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” (19:8-10)
Notice Pilate’s fear. It has grown. He is beginning to panic. He is looking for any possible to way to decree a “not guilty” verdict and asks Jesus for help. He knows an innocent man stands before him, and a special man at that.
Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” (19:11)
Jesus uses this opportunity to teach about God’s providence! He doesn’t even discount Pilate’s authority, but refers to its source.
There are different types and severity of sin.
Pilate is again trying to release Jesus.
From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.” (19:12)
The Jewish leaders were going to report Pilate to Rome. Pilate is a politician, through and through. Power is dangerous.
The Jewish leaders used threats to Caesar as their last resort, their secret weapon.
When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.
“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. (19:13-14)
Jesus is being delivered into the hands of religious and political sinners.
The cross was a mercy seat where God could reach down and save sinners.
The cross was a sacrifice for Jesus, an offering for sin, an act of obedience.
The cross was a substitution for us as Jesus took our place.
The cross was a triumph for satan (Genesis 3:15) and ultimately a defeat.
The cross was a brutal murder to the world.
But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”
“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.
He continues to question their judgment.
“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. (19:15)
Notice these are the religious leaders declaring their devotion to a human leader. They fail to recognize God in their midst, the Messiah they had been anticipating for generations.
Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. (19:16)
The oldest creed of the Church says that Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He chose Caesar. The people chose Caesar.
Who do you choose?
Who is your king?
It may seem like a silly question since we have no king in our nation, no Caesar, no Pilate. Not even the most ardent supporter of a president or governor would call them king or lord or offer the allegiance afforded a king. We know the right answer on Sunday morning is “Jesus.”
But who do you really serve? Who is your God, your king? Who influences you? Whose voice do you hear? The world is loud. It screams that it’s all about you, your pleasure, your power, and your stuff. Phone companies have realized two years is too long to wait for a new cell phone. Your house is too small. You need more Facebook friends and Twitter followers. If it feels good, do it. He who dies with the most toys wins. Everything is relative. Don’t judge. We’re all supposed to be happy. As long as it doesn’t hurt someone, do whatever you want.
Despite our culture’s journey away from the Bible, many know the Ten Commandments, or at least some of them. Don’t murder. Don’t steal. Don’t lie.
What is the first and greatest commandment?
You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3)
No other kings. No greater influences. No higher allegiances.
Who is your king? Prove it with your life.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
Why are you? I didn’t ask who you are, but why are you who you are. Why did you become the person you are today, or put another way, how are you? I don’t mean how are you doing, but how did you become the person you are today.
Why are you?
How are you?
A more conventional question might be who and what has made the greatest impact on your life? We are the product of people and experiences that have shaped us. Perhaps you love sports because your dad loves sports. Maybe you joined the military after being moved by a movie or a book. Some of you have devoted great resources to care for those in need because of the example of a mentor or friend. When you think of who you are, why and how are you you?
These questions are almost irrelevant in many parts of the world. Freedoms are scarce. Occupations are given rather than chosen.
In our culture, however, we make hundreds or even thousands of choices each day about what to wear, how to spend our time, what kind of toothpaste to buy, what music to listen to, and what sources of information we will consume.
Some choices are easy.
Pizza or tacos?
iPhone or Android?
Coke or Pepsi?
Michigan or Ohio State?
What is the most difficult choice you have ever made? Why? How do you decide?
Last week we looked at Pontius Pilate and his inability to find guilt in Jesus despite the cries of the Jewish leaders who shouted for His crucifixion.
Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” (19:4-5)
As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.” (19:6)
The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” (19:7)
This brings us to today’s text.
When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” (19:8-10)
Notice Pilate’s fear. It has grown. He is beginning to panic. He is looking for any possible to way to decree a “not guilty” verdict and asks Jesus for help. He knows an innocent man stands before him, and a special man at that.
Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” (19:11)
Jesus uses this opportunity to teach about God’s providence! He doesn’t even discount Pilate’s authority, but refers to its source.
There are different types and severity of sin.
Pilate is again trying to release Jesus.
From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.” (19:12)
The Jewish leaders were going to report Pilate to Rome. Pilate is a politician, through and through. Power is dangerous.
The Jewish leaders used threats to Caesar as their last resort, their secret weapon.
When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.
“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. (19:13-14)
Jesus is being delivered into the hands of religious and political sinners.
The cross was a mercy seat where God could reach down and save sinners.
The cross was a sacrifice for Jesus, an offering for sin, an act of obedience.
The cross was a substitution for us as Jesus took our place.
The cross was a triumph for satan (Genesis 3:15) and ultimately a defeat.
The cross was a brutal murder to the world.
But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”
“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.
He continues to question their judgment.
“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. (19:15)
Notice these are the religious leaders declaring their devotion to a human leader. They fail to recognize God in their midst, the Messiah they had been anticipating for generations.
Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. (19:16)
The oldest creed of the Church says that Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He chose Caesar. The people chose Caesar.
Who do you choose?
Who is your king?
It may seem like a silly question since we have no king in our nation, no Caesar, no Pilate. Not even the most ardent supporter of a president or governor would call them king or lord or offer the allegiance afforded a king. We know the right answer on Sunday morning is “Jesus.”
But who do you really serve? Who is your God, your king? Who influences you? Whose voice do you hear? The world is loud. It screams that it’s all about you, your pleasure, your power, and your stuff. Phone companies have realized two years is too long to wait for a new cell phone. Your house is too small. You need more Facebook friends and Twitter followers. If it feels good, do it. He who dies with the most toys wins. Everything is relative. Don’t judge. We’re all supposed to be happy. As long as it doesn’t hurt someone, do whatever you want.
Despite our culture’s journey away from the Bible, many know the Ten Commandments, or at least some of them. Don’t murder. Don’t steal. Don’t lie.
What is the first and greatest commandment?
You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3)
No other kings. No greater influences. No higher allegiances.
Who is your king? Prove it with your life.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Here's The Man! John 19:1-7, 8 September 2013
09 09 13
Big Idea: Jesus is the ultimate man, the ideal human.
Introduction
We have been looking at the life of Jesus through the lens of John, one of His best friends. We are in the nineteenth chapter of his Gospel or “good news.” We will spend five weeks in this chapter exploring the final hours of His pre-resurrected life.
Last week Jonathan Hurshman taught on Jesus’ first encounter with Pilate in chapter eighteen. The Jewish leaders bring Jesus to the Roman governor’s palace and…
Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” (18:31)
Later, Pilate asks
“What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” (18:38-39)
They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising. (18:40)
Pilate wants to punt. Clearly Jesus is no threat to his authority and wants the Jewish leaders to go away and leave him alone. Hoping to satisfy them
Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. (19:1)
There were three types of flogging done by the Romans.
This flogging is believed to be the first and least severe punishment. Pilate sees nothing wrong with Jesus and wants to pacify the Jewish leaders.
Flogging was typically done with a whip of several strips of leather with bone and lead imbedded. The Jews had a limit of forty lashes, though they usually did thirty-nine in case of a miscount. The Romans, however, had no limit and their flogging often resulted in death.
The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. (19:2a)
The crown of thorns was possibly taken from a Sayla Tree with long, thick spikes, not small thorns from a rose stem. The thorns would not only cause bleeding, they would distort a person’s face as they sunk into the victim’s skull.
In Genesis 22, a ram’s head was caught in a thornbush and was offered up instead of Isaac as a sacrifice, a moving parallel to Jesus’ crown of thorns as He becomes our sacrifice.
They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face. (19:3)
Purple dye was rare and expensive, usually drawn from shellfish. It signified royalty. Note they repeatedly mocked Him, again and again.
If His body was not in enough agony, the emotional abuse He took was unimaginable. They say that sticks and stones may break your bones but names will never hurt you. What a lie! Words are sometimes more powerful and painful than sticks and stones. Jesus is experiencing it all, and He’s totally innocent…and He is the King of the Jews. He is being mocked with the truth.
He did it all for you and for me.
Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” (19:4)
Again, Pilate says, “Not guilty.”
Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” (19:5)
His intent was likely, “Look at the poor man? How can he be a threat to the government or anyone, for that matter?”
John repeatedly shows the humanity of Jesus and this is another example. Here is the man. Jesus is the man. He is the Son of man. He is the ideal man. He is the ultimate example of what it means to be human.
As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.” (19:6)
Pilate offers a third “not guilty” verdict (see also Luke 24:4, 14,22). He is sarcastic in his response for he knew the Jews lacked the authority to crucify but he was desperate to get them out of his sight. He just wants the whole situation to go away.
The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” (19:7)
Leviticus 24:15-16 states blasphemy as a capital offense.
Who is the real man in this account? Is it Pilate with power and authority or the humble Jesus who actually possessed all authority? Is it the politically correct, people-pleasing Pilate or the Biblically correct, God-pleasing Jesus? Which best describes your life?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
We have been looking at the life of Jesus through the lens of John, one of His best friends. We are in the nineteenth chapter of his Gospel or “good news.” We will spend five weeks in this chapter exploring the final hours of His pre-resurrected life.
Last week Jonathan Hurshman taught on Jesus’ first encounter with Pilate in chapter eighteen. The Jewish leaders bring Jesus to the Roman governor’s palace and…
Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” (18:31)
Later, Pilate asks
“What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” (18:38-39)
They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising. (18:40)
Pilate wants to punt. Clearly Jesus is no threat to his authority and wants the Jewish leaders to go away and leave him alone. Hoping to satisfy them
Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. (19:1)
There were three types of flogging done by the Romans.
- the fustigatio, a beating that served as a warning for smaller offenses
- the flagellatio, a more brutal punishment for more serious crimes
- the verberatio, the most heinous punishment
This flogging is believed to be the first and least severe punishment. Pilate sees nothing wrong with Jesus and wants to pacify the Jewish leaders.
Flogging was typically done with a whip of several strips of leather with bone and lead imbedded. The Jews had a limit of forty lashes, though they usually did thirty-nine in case of a miscount. The Romans, however, had no limit and their flogging often resulted in death.
The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. (19:2a)
The crown of thorns was possibly taken from a Sayla Tree with long, thick spikes, not small thorns from a rose stem. The thorns would not only cause bleeding, they would distort a person’s face as they sunk into the victim’s skull.
In Genesis 22, a ram’s head was caught in a thornbush and was offered up instead of Isaac as a sacrifice, a moving parallel to Jesus’ crown of thorns as He becomes our sacrifice.
They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face. (19:3)
Purple dye was rare and expensive, usually drawn from shellfish. It signified royalty. Note they repeatedly mocked Him, again and again.
If His body was not in enough agony, the emotional abuse He took was unimaginable. They say that sticks and stones may break your bones but names will never hurt you. What a lie! Words are sometimes more powerful and painful than sticks and stones. Jesus is experiencing it all, and He’s totally innocent…and He is the King of the Jews. He is being mocked with the truth.
He did it all for you and for me.
Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” (19:4)
Again, Pilate says, “Not guilty.”
Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” (19:5)
His intent was likely, “Look at the poor man? How can he be a threat to the government or anyone, for that matter?”
John repeatedly shows the humanity of Jesus and this is another example. Here is the man. Jesus is the man. He is the Son of man. He is the ideal man. He is the ultimate example of what it means to be human.
As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.” (19:6)
Pilate offers a third “not guilty” verdict (see also Luke 24:4, 14,22). He is sarcastic in his response for he knew the Jews lacked the authority to crucify but he was desperate to get them out of his sight. He just wants the whole situation to go away.
The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” (19:7)
Leviticus 24:15-16 states blasphemy as a capital offense.
Who is the real man in this account? Is it Pilate with power and authority or the humble Jesus who actually possessed all authority? Is it the politically correct, people-pleasing Pilate or the Biblically correct, God-pleasing Jesus? Which best describes your life?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Denials, John 18:15-27, 25 August 2013
01 09 13
Big Idea: We are all capable of heinous acts, but by the grace of God.
The biography of Jesus by His close friend, John, brings us to the final hours of the life of Christ before the crucifixion. Last week we studied the arrest of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Now the focus will include Peter.
Peter
Peter is one of the dominant figures in the Gospels, the good news accounts of Jesus. Jesus’ inner circle consisted of John, James, and Peter. Simon Peter was a fisherman who walked with Jesus on the Sea of Galilee. He was never shy about speaking his mind or expressing his emotions as he did in last week’s text by cutting the ear off a slave in the midst of Jesus’ arrest. We are about to see another famous—or infamous— episode featuring Peter.
Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in. (15-16)
Who is “the other disciple?” John. He got Peter a backstage pass!
It was early in the morning. There was a fire. It is dark (remember, this is before electricity!). The servant girl recognized Peter as being from Galilee.
“You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter.
He replied, “I am not.” (17)
It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself. (18)
Now the scene shifts from Peter to Jesus.
Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. (19)
“I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.” (20-21)
Jesus was asking why they questioned His public ministry.
When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.
The violence has begun. Actually, it began in the garden with Peter cutting off the ear of Malchus.
What would you do if someone slapped you in the face? Notice what Jesus does. He is under complete control. In the midst of injustice, He is calm and non-violent. What a powerful example for us when we were mistreated or persecuted.
“If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. (23-24)
No trial is to begin or end at night. They are breaking their own law. Since Caiaphas is not presiding here, this is more like a police interrogation than an actual trial. Annas is here as a witness in case Jesus does say something incriminating.
The probing of Jesus by Annas is obviously unsuccessful which is why He is sent to Caiaphas.
Now we go back to Peter.
Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” (25)
He denied it, saying, “I am not.”
One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow. (26-27)
I doubt Peter ever heard a sound as horrifying as that rooster, between 3 and 5 in the morning. If you recall, several chapters ago Jesus predicted this very event.
Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! (John 13:38)
Jesus stands up to those that question Him and denies nothing.
Peter cowers in the face of those that question him and denies everything.
Jesus tells the truth. Peter tells lies.
So What?
Can you imagine denying Jesus? Can you imagine denying Him three times?
It’s easy to criticize Peter for abandoning his best friend during His hour of greatest need. What was he thinking?
I’ve had similar thoughts about Adam and Eve. One rule! One, simple rule! Avoid one tree’s fruit! When I was a child, my least-favorite chore was pulling weeds. On hot, summer days while my friends were playing or swimming I would silently curse Adam and Eve for their sin that resulted in weeds I had to pull!
But I would do the same thing.
Sin is common to all of us. We are born with it. Contrary to some naive authors, children are not born good. That’s why their first word is usually, “No!”
We all sin. Listen to what the writer of the Gospel of John said later…
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:8-10)
This is why we need grace. This is why Jesus allowed Himself to be arrested and killed…in order to offer us forgiveness and grace, unmerited favor.
Maybe you think you’ve screwed up, big time. You’re in good company! Peter denied Jesus three times…and became the first Pope and one of the greatest Christians in history. Another guy, Saul, was in charge of murdering some of the first Christians…and wrote much of the New Testament after He encountered Jesus and became Paul.
Nothing you can do can make God love you more.
Nothing you can do can make God love you less.
Every day we make choices. Every day we choose to follow God or the world. Every day we face temptations that lead us to God or away from Him. What will you choose?
Prayer
Reflection Time
What is God saying to you?
What are you going to do about it?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
The biography of Jesus by His close friend, John, brings us to the final hours of the life of Christ before the crucifixion. Last week we studied the arrest of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Now the focus will include Peter.
Peter
Peter is one of the dominant figures in the Gospels, the good news accounts of Jesus. Jesus’ inner circle consisted of John, James, and Peter. Simon Peter was a fisherman who walked with Jesus on the Sea of Galilee. He was never shy about speaking his mind or expressing his emotions as he did in last week’s text by cutting the ear off a slave in the midst of Jesus’ arrest. We are about to see another famous—or infamous— episode featuring Peter.
Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in. (15-16)
Who is “the other disciple?” John. He got Peter a backstage pass!
It was early in the morning. There was a fire. It is dark (remember, this is before electricity!). The servant girl recognized Peter as being from Galilee.
“You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter.
He replied, “I am not.” (17)
It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself. (18)
Now the scene shifts from Peter to Jesus.
Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. (19)
“I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.” (20-21)
Jesus was asking why they questioned His public ministry.
When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.
The violence has begun. Actually, it began in the garden with Peter cutting off the ear of Malchus.
What would you do if someone slapped you in the face? Notice what Jesus does. He is under complete control. In the midst of injustice, He is calm and non-violent. What a powerful example for us when we were mistreated or persecuted.
“If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. (23-24)
No trial is to begin or end at night. They are breaking their own law. Since Caiaphas is not presiding here, this is more like a police interrogation than an actual trial. Annas is here as a witness in case Jesus does say something incriminating.
The probing of Jesus by Annas is obviously unsuccessful which is why He is sent to Caiaphas.
Now we go back to Peter.
Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” (25)
He denied it, saying, “I am not.”
One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow. (26-27)
I doubt Peter ever heard a sound as horrifying as that rooster, between 3 and 5 in the morning. If you recall, several chapters ago Jesus predicted this very event.
Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! (John 13:38)
Jesus stands up to those that question Him and denies nothing.
Peter cowers in the face of those that question him and denies everything.
Jesus tells the truth. Peter tells lies.
So What?
Can you imagine denying Jesus? Can you imagine denying Him three times?
It’s easy to criticize Peter for abandoning his best friend during His hour of greatest need. What was he thinking?
I’ve had similar thoughts about Adam and Eve. One rule! One, simple rule! Avoid one tree’s fruit! When I was a child, my least-favorite chore was pulling weeds. On hot, summer days while my friends were playing or swimming I would silently curse Adam and Eve for their sin that resulted in weeds I had to pull!
But I would do the same thing.
Sin is common to all of us. We are born with it. Contrary to some naive authors, children are not born good. That’s why their first word is usually, “No!”
We all sin. Listen to what the writer of the Gospel of John said later…
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:8-10)
This is why we need grace. This is why Jesus allowed Himself to be arrested and killed…in order to offer us forgiveness and grace, unmerited favor.
Maybe you think you’ve screwed up, big time. You’re in good company! Peter denied Jesus three times…and became the first Pope and one of the greatest Christians in history. Another guy, Saul, was in charge of murdering some of the first Christians…and wrote much of the New Testament after He encountered Jesus and became Paul.
Nothing you can do can make God love you more.
Nothing you can do can make God love you less.
Every day we make choices. Every day we choose to follow God or the world. Every day we face temptations that lead us to God or away from Him. What will you choose?
Prayer
Reflection Time
What is God saying to you?
What are you going to do about it?
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Arrested Development, John 18:1-14, 18 August 2013
18 08 13
Big Idea: Jesus willingly surrendered Himself for us.
Introduction
After months of studying the life of Jesus, we turn a sharp, dark corner. For the next few weeks, we will be examining those final, bloody hours before His death. As one of Jesus’ best friends, John gives a unique account of this scandalous expression of God’s love for us.
In the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) the humanity of Jesus is emphasized, His sufferings. John emphasizes the deity of Jesus, the God man. The emphasis is on His glory and His return to the Father.
When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. (1)
The 17th chapter of John records Jesus’ prayer for Himself, His disciples, and us. If you missed them, I urge you to listen to the podcast or read the message notes at PastorKirk.com.
John does not record the agony of Jesus sweating drops of blood, instead focusing on His glory, His ability to be in complete control.
David fled his son, Absalom, in 2 Samuel 15 after crossing this same Kidron Valley. Another interesting parallel is David’s counselor, Ahithophel, betrayed him and later hung himself, the person in the Bible besides Judas to hang himself. The agony of David and Jesus are oddly similar. Coincidence?
The scene is dark, both literally and figuratively.
Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. (2-3)
Earlier, Jesus eluded his enemies because it was not yet time. Now is the time for His arrest. A detachment is a tenth of a legion or as many as 1000 soldiers! It is unlikely that they all came, but imagine dozens or even hundreds of armed soldiers going after one man…one unarmed man!
One writer noted how they bring torches and lanterns to search for the Light of the World; they bring weapons against the Prince of Peace.
Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” (4)
Jesus approaches them! What kind of person goes out to their enemies?! I love that He knew all that was going to happen, yet He asks who they want.
Jesus’ first words in the Gospel of John were “What are you seeking?” (1:38). These people are seeking Jesus, not to know Him but to kill Him.
“Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. (5a)
“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. (5b-6)
Twice Jesus calls Himself “I Am.” John has given us many “I Am” statements already such as, “I am the bread of life” and “I am the resurrection and the life.”
Jesus is divine, yet notice they didn’t fall forward to worship Jesus but backward in fear and confusion in the presence of the LORD they do not know or recognize.
Psalm 27 says
The LORD is my light and my salvation —whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. (Psalm 27:1-2)
Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”
“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. (7)
Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” (8-9)
Jesus remains in complete control. He tells the crowd to let the disciples go and they obey Him. He issues orders to those arresting him! He is the Good Shepherd laying down His life for the sheep.
Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) (10)
Peter was a fisherman, not a soldier. He probably went after the neck and only got the ear! Why didn’t they go after Peter? Luke tells us Jesus healed the ear of Malchus (22:51). As is so often the case, Peter is clueless. He is out of control. He takes matters into his own hands. Then he is scolded by Jesus!
Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” (11)
There is the cup of salvation (Psalm 116:13), consolation (Jeremiah 16:7), but this is the cup of judgment that Jesus will bore for us on the cross. He is willing to drink the cup given to Him by the Father.
Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people. (12-14)
They didn’t need to bind Him. He willingly went with them. He went alone. His friends have all fled the scene.
Caiaphas was the one the Roman government accepted. Annas was the head of the religious leaders, their high priest.
Notice the final sentence. John shows us that it was predetermined that Jesus would die (see John 11:43-53). Jesus knew the plan and was in complete control of every moment. The true high priest will be put to death by the religious high priest.
So What?
In the beginning, there was a beautiful, perfect garden. Generations later, sinful men arrested the only perfect Man in a garden in order to restore humanity, in order to bring healing and reconciliation rather than violence and bloodshed.
Despite the nightmare He was about to face, He chose to follow the Father’s plan of seeking and saving us—broken, messed up sinners. Jesus willingly surrendered Himself for us. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
After months of studying the life of Jesus, we turn a sharp, dark corner. For the next few weeks, we will be examining those final, bloody hours before His death. As one of Jesus’ best friends, John gives a unique account of this scandalous expression of God’s love for us.
In the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) the humanity of Jesus is emphasized, His sufferings. John emphasizes the deity of Jesus, the God man. The emphasis is on His glory and His return to the Father.
When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. (1)
The 17th chapter of John records Jesus’ prayer for Himself, His disciples, and us. If you missed them, I urge you to listen to the podcast or read the message notes at PastorKirk.com.
John does not record the agony of Jesus sweating drops of blood, instead focusing on His glory, His ability to be in complete control.
David fled his son, Absalom, in 2 Samuel 15 after crossing this same Kidron Valley. Another interesting parallel is David’s counselor, Ahithophel, betrayed him and later hung himself, the person in the Bible besides Judas to hang himself. The agony of David and Jesus are oddly similar. Coincidence?
The scene is dark, both literally and figuratively.
Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. (2-3)
Earlier, Jesus eluded his enemies because it was not yet time. Now is the time for His arrest. A detachment is a tenth of a legion or as many as 1000 soldiers! It is unlikely that they all came, but imagine dozens or even hundreds of armed soldiers going after one man…one unarmed man!
One writer noted how they bring torches and lanterns to search for the Light of the World; they bring weapons against the Prince of Peace.
Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” (4)
Jesus approaches them! What kind of person goes out to their enemies?! I love that He knew all that was going to happen, yet He asks who they want.
Jesus’ first words in the Gospel of John were “What are you seeking?” (1:38). These people are seeking Jesus, not to know Him but to kill Him.
“Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. (5a)
“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. (5b-6)
Twice Jesus calls Himself “I Am.” John has given us many “I Am” statements already such as, “I am the bread of life” and “I am the resurrection and the life.”
Jesus is divine, yet notice they didn’t fall forward to worship Jesus but backward in fear and confusion in the presence of the LORD they do not know or recognize.
Psalm 27 says
The LORD is my light and my salvation —whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. (Psalm 27:1-2)
Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”
“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. (7)
Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” (8-9)
Jesus remains in complete control. He tells the crowd to let the disciples go and they obey Him. He issues orders to those arresting him! He is the Good Shepherd laying down His life for the sheep.
Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) (10)
Peter was a fisherman, not a soldier. He probably went after the neck and only got the ear! Why didn’t they go after Peter? Luke tells us Jesus healed the ear of Malchus (22:51). As is so often the case, Peter is clueless. He is out of control. He takes matters into his own hands. Then he is scolded by Jesus!
Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” (11)
There is the cup of salvation (Psalm 116:13), consolation (Jeremiah 16:7), but this is the cup of judgment that Jesus will bore for us on the cross. He is willing to drink the cup given to Him by the Father.
Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people. (12-14)
They didn’t need to bind Him. He willingly went with them. He went alone. His friends have all fled the scene.
Caiaphas was the one the Roman government accepted. Annas was the head of the religious leaders, their high priest.
Notice the final sentence. John shows us that it was predetermined that Jesus would die (see John 11:43-53). Jesus knew the plan and was in complete control of every moment. The true high priest will be put to death by the religious high priest.
So What?
In the beginning, there was a beautiful, perfect garden. Generations later, sinful men arrested the only perfect Man in a garden in order to restore humanity, in order to bring healing and reconciliation rather than violence and bloodshed.
Despite the nightmare He was about to face, He chose to follow the Father’s plan of seeking and saving us—broken, messed up sinners. Jesus willingly surrendered Himself for us. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Jesus Prays For Us: Unity, John 17:13-26, 1 August 2013
12 08 13
Big Idea: Jesus wants us to be joyful, missional, unified, and loved.
Introduction
Two weeks ago we began John 17, the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus in which He prayed for Himself and His disciples prior to His arrest and crucifixion. Essentially John allows us to eavesdrop on Jesus praying. We’re going to review some of our previous text beginning with verse 13 because much of what He prays for His disciples is relevant to us.
Jesus Prays For His Followers
“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.
My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. (13-19)
Sin always leads to death (chocolate poop!). Joy only comes from the LORD. Jesus said in chapter sixteen that He would send the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). The world is not where we find joy, but where we love and serve others. This world is not our home.
The mark of the Christian is joy, not the pursuit of happiness. Joy comes from the Holy Spirit. It is not dependent upon our circumstances. When—not if—we suffer and die, it can glorify God and be used to grow us and others.
Jesus prays that He would suffer well and that His disciples would suffer well.
We can’t do everything. We need wisdom to know how to live within our many limits.
Again He prays that the Father would protect them.
Sanctify them.
He wants us to be joyful missionaries. Missionaries used to be people that were sent to strange people that don’t know God and live alternative lifestyles…overseas. Those people live in Ann Arbor…and Ypsilanti, and Dexter, and all around us! The world is here and we can reach the world without a passport. We can reach other peoples with a passport, too, but Scio Community Church is a church on mission, God’s mission. I’ve said this many times but it’s worth repeating, Jesus did not come to earth to start another religion. His vision of the Church, His Body and Bride, is not to be a country club dispensing religious goods and services for its members. It is to be a mission outpost seeking and serving the lost in order that they might encounter Jesus and be saved.
We are Christ’s ambassadors, here to re-present Jesus to the world…at Meijer, on Facebook, at Ford and GM, at school, in the subdivision,…and Macedonia, too! It is not a duty but an honor.
Every two years billions of people around the world watch the Olympic games. I’ve often thought of the thrill of participating in the games, but athletes do more than represent themselves. They represent their nation. They stand with pride when medals are presented and the respective national anthem is played. A win for them is a win for their country.
In the same way, we are privileged to re-present the King of kings to the peoples of this world. We are not home nor are we here to make a name for ourselves. We are not here for ourselves, our comfort, or convenience. We are here for Jesus!
If you were a missionary overseas, you’d study the culture, learn the language, understand the traditions, and build bridges. We do the same here today.
Jesus is God sent into human history as a missionary, living and serving and loving in the culture. John tells us more than forty times that Jesus was “sent.”
God determines where and when we live (Acts 17). We are here now. God’s plan is for us to be missionaries here today. There are two aspects of being a missionary:
As we have said in previous weeks, there are two extremes that are dangerous. The first is syncretism. This is when we look and act just like everyone else. If we do not reflect the light of Christ in the darkness, we are just as dark as our surroundings. We are not sanctified, holy or distinct.
The other extreme is separatism. This is when we avoid the world, separating ourselves, ignoring the darkness and keeping the light to ourselves. We are not sent as missionaries, but rather huddle as members seeking shelter from “those people out there.” They know nothing about the world because they’re stuck in Christian subculture watching Christian TV, listening to Christian radio, reading Christian books, and drinking milk from a Christian cow! The question in this camp is, “When do we get to leave?” rather than “How can we live out God’s mission, the missio Dei?”
Jesus prayed against conservatives (separatists) and liberals (syncretists).
We are to be in the world but not of the world. This is a delicate balance, but this is what Jesus did and what He prays for us. The answers can be found in the Bible and by being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus wants us to be in Christ and in the culture, in the Word and the world.
Jesus Prays For Us
Have you ever wished you could be an eyewitness to biblical events? How cool would it be to walk with Jesus and have Him pray for you, not people thousands of years ago, but you!
The final seven verses are Jesus’ specific prayers for you and me…in 2013!
”My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one —I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (20-23)
Jesus sent His followers our two-by-two. We must work together. This point continues in verse 20.
Jesus does not pray for uniformity but unity.
This past week was the beginning of the NFL preseason. Teams of players are assembling. Players are not asked to all do the same thing, but to play a particular position on one, unified team with one unified mission. When they work together, great things can be accomplished. As the old acronym states, Together Everyone Achieves More, TEAM.
History is filled with examples of great groups of players that were unable to win together. They all tried to play the same role or had different missions. A team of good players working together will defeat a team of great individuals most every time.
What does a “win” look like for Scio Community Church? It is found in our mission statement:
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
so that God is glorified.
There is one God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We show God’s character to the world when we are unified. Unity comes from Jesus. We need to focus on Jesus. We need Jesus-centered homes and churches.
Like an isosceles triangle with Jesus at the top and us at the bottom, he closer we get to Jesus, the closer we get to one another. We can’t make unity the focus, but if Jesus is at the center, it will occur naturally.
Unity comes through mission, through working together. It also comes when we follow the Bible. Psalm 133 is all about unity. It begins
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
Unity is not uniformity. One of my favorite quotes is from Rick Warren: “We need different types of churches for different types of people,” so long as they partner together follow Jesus.
Unfortunately we are hardly known for our unity and partnerships. The single movement Jesus began has splintered…from one church to the great Catholic/Orthodox schism to Protestantism to more than 41,000 denominations!
There are open-handed and close-handed issues. Of course, there are disagreements on which is which, but open-handed issues like whether or not women can be pastors or what translation of the Bible to use or mode of baptism are different from close-handed issues like is Jesus God and is the Bible reliable.
One helpful metaphor is states and nations. We are one unified nation, the USA, even though there are differences between Michigan, Minnesota, and Montana. Buddhists and Muslims are different countries. We love them, but we are not on the same team.
I have been privileged to be one of the founding pastors of PACT, the Pastors Alliance for County Transformation. For more than a decade, about one hundred churches in Washtenaw County have worshipped together on Palm Sunday at Hosanna, served together at Operation Jumpstart, and prayed together through 40 Days of Prayer and Pastors Prayer Summits.
Is Jesus the center? Are people serving Jesus and His mission? Is the Bible the common language and authority? We can have disagreements without division.
Our tribe, the Christian & Missionary Alliance, wasn’t even a denomination a generation ago. It was and is a missional movement that partners with other groups.
Jesus prays for our unity.
I have four prayers prayers for Scio Community Church—direction, protection, passion, and unity.
Unity Is fragile.
We have a real enemy that wants to steal, kill and destroy. He knows that a house divided cannot stand. If you’ve ever been on a family vacation you know preferences and personalities can create conflict. In many ways, it would be easier if we all WERE similar with identical gifts and passions, but how boring would that be? God created us to be interdependent—dependent upon Him and each other.
I want to serve notice that Scio Community Church is in the midst of…changes. As our world changes, there are increasing needs to change our methods—never our message—to accomplish our mission.
As our one of the Alliance’s values states
Achieving God’s purposes means taking faith-filled risks. This always involves change. Hebrews 1
Every change, big and small, has the potential to be polarizing. If we paint the bathroom, you might like or dislike the color. The thing to remember is we are on a mission to make disciples. That is why we exist, and everything we do must be evaluated on that basis. Our mission must drive our focus and unity, not tradition or even popular vote.
I trust our senior Pastor, Jesus Christ, to guide us forward in making disciples in Scio Township and beyond. In Acts 1:8 Jesus says
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Our Jerusalem is Scio Township and the Ann Arbor area. This is where God has called us to gather and serve.
Judea is the Great Lakes District of Michigan and northwest Ohio. We have sister churches in the region with whom we partner.
Samaria is the area beyond our area—the United States. The Christian & Missionary Alliance provides us with countless connections to make disciples from sea to shining sea, serving in disaster zones like hurricanes.
Finally, the ends of the earth are…the ends of the earth. We have built-in networks with brothers and sisters from Vietnam to Brazil, Macedonia to Mongolia.
Needless to say, there is great diversity in the ways we worship and serve, but throughout we have unity in one LORD, one faith, and one baptism.
Next year we will celebrate our church’s 80th anniversary. God has guided us since the founding of the Ypsilanti Gospel Tabernacle in 1934 to today.
LORD, make us one! LORD, keep us one!
Finally, Jesus prays
“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. (24)
God is a perfect Dad. Prayer gets easier when we remember God is Dad.
“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” (25-26)
This world is not our home. We will be hated. We will be together with Jesus forever, home someday. We will have joy, unity, and a completed mission in a world free of sin and death.
Conclusion
Jesus is praying for us now…daily. Hallelujah!
Credits
Some ideas from The High Priestly Prayer sermon by Mark Driscoll, Mars Hill Church and The NIV Application Commentary, John by Gary Burge.
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
Two weeks ago we began John 17, the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus in which He prayed for Himself and His disciples prior to His arrest and crucifixion. Essentially John allows us to eavesdrop on Jesus praying. We’re going to review some of our previous text beginning with verse 13 because much of what He prays for His disciples is relevant to us.
Jesus Prays For His Followers
“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.
My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. (13-19)
- 1. Jesus wants us to experience joy
Sin always leads to death (chocolate poop!). Joy only comes from the LORD. Jesus said in chapter sixteen that He would send the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). The world is not where we find joy, but where we love and serve others. This world is not our home.
The mark of the Christian is joy, not the pursuit of happiness. Joy comes from the Holy Spirit. It is not dependent upon our circumstances. When—not if—we suffer and die, it can glorify God and be used to grow us and others.
Jesus prays that He would suffer well and that His disciples would suffer well.
We can’t do everything. We need wisdom to know how to live within our many limits.
Again He prays that the Father would protect them.
Sanctify them.
- 2. Jesus wants us to be missional.
He wants us to be joyful missionaries. Missionaries used to be people that were sent to strange people that don’t know God and live alternative lifestyles…overseas. Those people live in Ann Arbor…and Ypsilanti, and Dexter, and all around us! The world is here and we can reach the world without a passport. We can reach other peoples with a passport, too, but Scio Community Church is a church on mission, God’s mission. I’ve said this many times but it’s worth repeating, Jesus did not come to earth to start another religion. His vision of the Church, His Body and Bride, is not to be a country club dispensing religious goods and services for its members. It is to be a mission outpost seeking and serving the lost in order that they might encounter Jesus and be saved.
We are Christ’s ambassadors, here to re-present Jesus to the world…at Meijer, on Facebook, at Ford and GM, at school, in the subdivision,…and Macedonia, too! It is not a duty but an honor.
Every two years billions of people around the world watch the Olympic games. I’ve often thought of the thrill of participating in the games, but athletes do more than represent themselves. They represent their nation. They stand with pride when medals are presented and the respective national anthem is played. A win for them is a win for their country.
In the same way, we are privileged to re-present the King of kings to the peoples of this world. We are not home nor are we here to make a name for ourselves. We are not here for ourselves, our comfort, or convenience. We are here for Jesus!
If you were a missionary overseas, you’d study the culture, learn the language, understand the traditions, and build bridges. We do the same here today.
Jesus is God sent into human history as a missionary, living and serving and loving in the culture. John tells us more than forty times that Jesus was “sent.”
God determines where and when we live (Acts 17). We are here now. God’s plan is for us to be missionaries here today. There are two aspects of being a missionary:
- - sanctified: holy, set apart (like special China and silverware used for special occasions); every Christian is sanctified and set apart for their mission; we are to live lives that are different from the world; money, sex, and power are different for Christians; we are to be distinct because we belong to God
- - sent: we spend time with non-Christians; we get to know our neighbors; we b.l.e.s.s. others and our communities; we get to know what is happening around us
As we have said in previous weeks, there are two extremes that are dangerous. The first is syncretism. This is when we look and act just like everyone else. If we do not reflect the light of Christ in the darkness, we are just as dark as our surroundings. We are not sanctified, holy or distinct.
The other extreme is separatism. This is when we avoid the world, separating ourselves, ignoring the darkness and keeping the light to ourselves. We are not sent as missionaries, but rather huddle as members seeking shelter from “those people out there.” They know nothing about the world because they’re stuck in Christian subculture watching Christian TV, listening to Christian radio, reading Christian books, and drinking milk from a Christian cow! The question in this camp is, “When do we get to leave?” rather than “How can we live out God’s mission, the missio Dei?”
Jesus prayed against conservatives (separatists) and liberals (syncretists).
We are to be in the world but not of the world. This is a delicate balance, but this is what Jesus did and what He prays for us. The answers can be found in the Bible and by being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus wants us to be in Christ and in the culture, in the Word and the world.
Jesus Prays For Us
Have you ever wished you could be an eyewitness to biblical events? How cool would it be to walk with Jesus and have Him pray for you, not people thousands of years ago, but you!
The final seven verses are Jesus’ specific prayers for you and me…in 2013!
”My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one —I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (20-23)
- 3. Jesus wants us unified
Jesus sent His followers our two-by-two. We must work together. This point continues in verse 20.
Jesus does not pray for uniformity but unity.
This past week was the beginning of the NFL preseason. Teams of players are assembling. Players are not asked to all do the same thing, but to play a particular position on one, unified team with one unified mission. When they work together, great things can be accomplished. As the old acronym states, Together Everyone Achieves More, TEAM.
History is filled with examples of great groups of players that were unable to win together. They all tried to play the same role or had different missions. A team of good players working together will defeat a team of great individuals most every time.
What does a “win” look like for Scio Community Church? It is found in our mission statement:
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
- - serving our communities
- - sharing our story
- - sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
There is one God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We show God’s character to the world when we are unified. Unity comes from Jesus. We need to focus on Jesus. We need Jesus-centered homes and churches.
Like an isosceles triangle with Jesus at the top and us at the bottom, he closer we get to Jesus, the closer we get to one another. We can’t make unity the focus, but if Jesus is at the center, it will occur naturally.
Unity comes through mission, through working together. It also comes when we follow the Bible. Psalm 133 is all about unity. It begins
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
Unity is not uniformity. One of my favorite quotes is from Rick Warren: “We need different types of churches for different types of people,” so long as they partner together follow Jesus.
Unfortunately we are hardly known for our unity and partnerships. The single movement Jesus began has splintered…from one church to the great Catholic/Orthodox schism to Protestantism to more than 41,000 denominations!
There are open-handed and close-handed issues. Of course, there are disagreements on which is which, but open-handed issues like whether or not women can be pastors or what translation of the Bible to use or mode of baptism are different from close-handed issues like is Jesus God and is the Bible reliable.
One helpful metaphor is states and nations. We are one unified nation, the USA, even though there are differences between Michigan, Minnesota, and Montana. Buddhists and Muslims are different countries. We love them, but we are not on the same team.
I have been privileged to be one of the founding pastors of PACT, the Pastors Alliance for County Transformation. For more than a decade, about one hundred churches in Washtenaw County have worshipped together on Palm Sunday at Hosanna, served together at Operation Jumpstart, and prayed together through 40 Days of Prayer and Pastors Prayer Summits.
Is Jesus the center? Are people serving Jesus and His mission? Is the Bible the common language and authority? We can have disagreements without division.
Our tribe, the Christian & Missionary Alliance, wasn’t even a denomination a generation ago. It was and is a missional movement that partners with other groups.
Jesus prays for our unity.
- theological
- relational
- philosophical/styles
- missiological (what are we doing?)
- organizational (systems)
I have four prayers prayers for Scio Community Church—direction, protection, passion, and unity.
Unity Is fragile.
We have a real enemy that wants to steal, kill and destroy. He knows that a house divided cannot stand. If you’ve ever been on a family vacation you know preferences and personalities can create conflict. In many ways, it would be easier if we all WERE similar with identical gifts and passions, but how boring would that be? God created us to be interdependent—dependent upon Him and each other.
I want to serve notice that Scio Community Church is in the midst of…changes. As our world changes, there are increasing needs to change our methods—never our message—to accomplish our mission.
As our one of the Alliance’s values states
Achieving God’s purposes means taking faith-filled risks. This always involves change. Hebrews 1
Every change, big and small, has the potential to be polarizing. If we paint the bathroom, you might like or dislike the color. The thing to remember is we are on a mission to make disciples. That is why we exist, and everything we do must be evaluated on that basis. Our mission must drive our focus and unity, not tradition or even popular vote.
I trust our senior Pastor, Jesus Christ, to guide us forward in making disciples in Scio Township and beyond. In Acts 1:8 Jesus says
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Our Jerusalem is Scio Township and the Ann Arbor area. This is where God has called us to gather and serve.
Judea is the Great Lakes District of Michigan and northwest Ohio. We have sister churches in the region with whom we partner.
Samaria is the area beyond our area—the United States. The Christian & Missionary Alliance provides us with countless connections to make disciples from sea to shining sea, serving in disaster zones like hurricanes.
Finally, the ends of the earth are…the ends of the earth. We have built-in networks with brothers and sisters from Vietnam to Brazil, Macedonia to Mongolia.
Needless to say, there is great diversity in the ways we worship and serve, but throughout we have unity in one LORD, one faith, and one baptism.
Next year we will celebrate our church’s 80th anniversary. God has guided us since the founding of the Ypsilanti Gospel Tabernacle in 1934 to today.
LORD, make us one! LORD, keep us one!
Finally, Jesus prays
“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. (24)
God is a perfect Dad. Prayer gets easier when we remember God is Dad.
“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” (25-26)
- 4. Jesus prays that we would know that He loves us. He gives us Himself.
This world is not our home. We will be hated. We will be together with Jesus forever, home someday. We will have joy, unity, and a completed mission in a world free of sin and death.
Conclusion
Jesus is praying for us now…daily. Hallelujah!
Credits
Some ideas from The High Priestly Prayer sermon by Mark Driscoll, Mars Hill Church and The NIV Application Commentary, John by Gary Burge.
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Jesus Prays For Himself & His Disciples, John 17:1-19, 28 July 2013
28 07 13
Big Idea: We can learn much from listening to someone’s prayers.
Introduction
Have you ever eavesdropped on a conversation? Why? Perhaps you wanted to obtain some secret information or learn what is being said behind your back.
I believe you can learn much about a person by eavesdropping…on their prayers! I love listening to people pray because it often expresses their deepest thoughts and feelings, especially when those prayers are unedited.
Children are, of course, the greatest example of this. Their prayers are brutally honest. Imagine overhearing some of these actual prayers from kids:
"Dear God, I went to this wedding and they were kissing right there in church. Is that OK?"
"Dear God, thank You for the baby brother but what I prayed for was a puppy."
"Dear God, it must be super hard to love all the people in the world, especially my brother. I don't know how You do it."
"Dear God, I love Christmas and Easter. Could you please put another Holiday in the middle, there's nothing good in there now."
"Dear God, are you actually invisible or is that just a trick?"
"Dear God, I want to be just like my daddy when I grow up but without so much hair all over."
"Dear God, I wish you would not make it so easy for people to come apart I had to have 3 stitches and a shot."
"Dear God, did you mean for giraffes to look like that or was it an accident?"
"Dear God,maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each other so much if they each had their own rooms. It works out OK with me and my brother."
"Dear God, I heard the moon was made of cheese. Tonight half of it is missing. Did you get hungry?"
"Dear God, if You can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it. I'm having a real good time like I am!"
"Dear God, I say your prayer every night, 'lead us not into temptation and deliver us some e-mail' but I never get an e-mail from you. Do you have my right address?"
John 17
Today we turn to the seventeenth chapter of John, one of four biographies of Jesus. If you have a red-letter Bible with Jesus’ words in red, you’ll notice this entire chapter is a quote, but unlike His teachings, this is a record of His prayer to the Father before His arrest and crucifixion, the longest prayer in the Bible.
In Deuteronomy 32-33 we read Moses’ farewell prayer and Jesus’ here is similar.
The prayer has three sections that have parallel themes. We will look at the first two parts of the prayer today—Jesus’ prayer for Himself and His disciples—and examine His prayer for us in two weeks.
What is the LORD’s Prayer? It’s not “Our Father.” That is what He taught His followers to pray, but it was not His prayer. He had no sins to to be forgiven.
This is the prayer of our LORD Jesus Christ, a prayer that will summarize Jesus’ heart and ministry.
Jesus Prays For Himself
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
Before we look at His words, notice His posture. For some reason, evangelical Christians tend to ignore our bodies when we pray, yet people from other traditions and even religions are conscious of the physical when they engage the spiritual. It says that Jesus looked toward heaven, a common Jewish prayer posture. Although it is not explicit in the text, He likely raised His hands as well (Ex. 9:33; 17:11; Ps 28:2).
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. (1-5)
Prayer is not about you. It’s about the Father, our loving Father. Jesus’ Aramaic title for God was Abba. He’s Daddy. Even the adult children of my friend, Clark, call him Papa. I love that! It’s not a distant, formal “Father” but Daddy. He’s the focus. Jesus prays first for Himself. We can pray for ourselves, too.
What do you need? What do you want? Tell Daddy!
My kids have developed the ability to communicate what they want/need!
Jesus prays to the Father and knows it is time for Him to die.
The hour comes for all of us, our hour of suffering and/or death. We usually pray that suffering doesn’t come. Where do you go when you face trials? Alcohol, food, sex, gossip,…the best place to go is to your Daddy.
Jesus didn’t pray, “Get me out of this” but rather “get me through this.”
If you’re going to suffer, don’t waste it! Use it to honor and glorify God. To glorify means to praise or bring homage. Jesus was preparing for the cross, the most shameful place imaginable, yet for Jesus a place of honor as He is obedient to the Father’s mission.
Jesus has been given all authority…all authority! He even has the authority to forgive sins and reconcile sinners with their heavenly Father.
An integral part of our mission is the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20. The key to the commission is to make disciples, but we are only able to make disciples because Jesus has all authority.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Notice that “eternal life” comes from knowing God—not possessing knowledge about God as the religious leaders did, but rather the Hebrew knowing which includes experience and intimacy, obedience and love for God.
In verse five, Jesus clearly states He was with the Father in the beginning, Genesis 1:1, before the world began. Only God has glory (Isaiah 42:8).
Jesus prays for Himself, that He would suffer so sinners would know and follow Him.
“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. (6-8)
Here again we see this intimate relationship between Jesus and Daddy.
Verse 9 shifts to His followers. We see Him speaking like a shepherd about to lay down His life for His sheep.
Jesus Prays For His Disciples
I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. (9-12)
The word “world” in the Greek has several different meaning. Here it’s not that Jesus doesn’t love everyone—He will die for everyone—but that He doesn’t love the world’s system that hates Him.
Here again we see the intimate, shared relationship between the Father and Son.
Protect them. Jesus knows that there is a very real enemy that wants to steal, kill and destroy (Jn 10:10). Sheep without a shepherd are especially vulnerable. Daddies know their kids and keep an eye on them. God’s a good Daddy.
Make them one. There is one God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This prayer for unity will be echoed later. A house divided cannot stand. The goal is not unity for unity’s sake, though, but rather a common focus, mission, and relationship with the Father. We are to reconciled to God and to one another as Christians. Sometimes we fight and sin against one another but unity is God’s desire for us.
Many people in our culture see everything through the lens of “me.” What’s in it for me?
Jesus wants us to glorify Him first and think “we” next. Families have to love and submit to one another. Jesus prays that we are one.
What about Judas? He betrayed Jesus and hung himself. Judas never loved Jesus. He stole money from Jesus and sold Him out for thirty pieces of silver (see Zechariah 11:12-13; Matthew 27).
“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. (13-19)
The mark of the Christian is joy, not the pursuit of happiness. As we said last week, joy comes from the Holy Spirit. It is not dependent upon our circumstances. When, not if, we suffer and die, it can glorify God and be used to grow us and others. Joy only comes from the LORD. Jesus said in chapter sixteen that He would send the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). The world is not where we find joy, but where we love and serve others. This world is not our home.
Jesus prays that He would suffer well and that His disciples would suffer well.
We can’t do everything. We need wisdom to know how to live within our many limits.
Again He prays that the Father would protect them.
His final prayer is that they be sanctified, separated, made holy for a divine mission.
“For them” Jesus was sanctified and set apart. He was about to give His life for His followers…and us.
Conclusion
Jesus’ prayers reveal His true heart and mission. He wants to glorify the Father, Daddy. He affirms His deity and intimacy with the Father as one-third of the Trinity, one God in three Persons. He underscores what it means to know God and have eternal life. Joy, mission and unity are strong themes, and finally sanctification, being set apart.
We live in the now and the not yet, citizens of heaven yet residents of earth, called on mission to be in the world and love the people of the world but not become of the world and its systems and values that refuse to glorify God.
We are in the midst of a very real tension between heaven and earth, good and evil. In this life we will have trouble, Jesus said in the previous chapter, yet when we fix our eyes and hope on Jesus, we can pursue His mission for His glory.
Credits
Some ideas from The High Priestly Prayer sermon by Mark Driscoll, Mars Hill Church and The NIV Application Commentary, John by Gary Burge.
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
Have you ever eavesdropped on a conversation? Why? Perhaps you wanted to obtain some secret information or learn what is being said behind your back.
I believe you can learn much about a person by eavesdropping…on their prayers! I love listening to people pray because it often expresses their deepest thoughts and feelings, especially when those prayers are unedited.
Children are, of course, the greatest example of this. Their prayers are brutally honest. Imagine overhearing some of these actual prayers from kids:
"Dear God, I went to this wedding and they were kissing right there in church. Is that OK?"
"Dear God, thank You for the baby brother but what I prayed for was a puppy."
"Dear God, it must be super hard to love all the people in the world, especially my brother. I don't know how You do it."
"Dear God, I love Christmas and Easter. Could you please put another Holiday in the middle, there's nothing good in there now."
"Dear God, are you actually invisible or is that just a trick?"
"Dear God, I want to be just like my daddy when I grow up but without so much hair all over."
"Dear God, I wish you would not make it so easy for people to come apart I had to have 3 stitches and a shot."
"Dear God, did you mean for giraffes to look like that or was it an accident?"
"Dear God,maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each other so much if they each had their own rooms. It works out OK with me and my brother."
"Dear God, I heard the moon was made of cheese. Tonight half of it is missing. Did you get hungry?"
"Dear God, if You can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it. I'm having a real good time like I am!"
"Dear God, I say your prayer every night, 'lead us not into temptation and deliver us some e-mail' but I never get an e-mail from you. Do you have my right address?"
John 17
Today we turn to the seventeenth chapter of John, one of four biographies of Jesus. If you have a red-letter Bible with Jesus’ words in red, you’ll notice this entire chapter is a quote, but unlike His teachings, this is a record of His prayer to the Father before His arrest and crucifixion, the longest prayer in the Bible.
In Deuteronomy 32-33 we read Moses’ farewell prayer and Jesus’ here is similar.
The prayer has three sections that have parallel themes. We will look at the first two parts of the prayer today—Jesus’ prayer for Himself and His disciples—and examine His prayer for us in two weeks.
What is the LORD’s Prayer? It’s not “Our Father.” That is what He taught His followers to pray, but it was not His prayer. He had no sins to to be forgiven.
This is the prayer of our LORD Jesus Christ, a prayer that will summarize Jesus’ heart and ministry.
Jesus Prays For Himself
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
Before we look at His words, notice His posture. For some reason, evangelical Christians tend to ignore our bodies when we pray, yet people from other traditions and even religions are conscious of the physical when they engage the spiritual. It says that Jesus looked toward heaven, a common Jewish prayer posture. Although it is not explicit in the text, He likely raised His hands as well (Ex. 9:33; 17:11; Ps 28:2).
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. (1-5)
Prayer is not about you. It’s about the Father, our loving Father. Jesus’ Aramaic title for God was Abba. He’s Daddy. Even the adult children of my friend, Clark, call him Papa. I love that! It’s not a distant, formal “Father” but Daddy. He’s the focus. Jesus prays first for Himself. We can pray for ourselves, too.
What do you need? What do you want? Tell Daddy!
My kids have developed the ability to communicate what they want/need!
Jesus prays to the Father and knows it is time for Him to die.
The hour comes for all of us, our hour of suffering and/or death. We usually pray that suffering doesn’t come. Where do you go when you face trials? Alcohol, food, sex, gossip,…the best place to go is to your Daddy.
Jesus didn’t pray, “Get me out of this” but rather “get me through this.”
If you’re going to suffer, don’t waste it! Use it to honor and glorify God. To glorify means to praise or bring homage. Jesus was preparing for the cross, the most shameful place imaginable, yet for Jesus a place of honor as He is obedient to the Father’s mission.
Jesus has been given all authority…all authority! He even has the authority to forgive sins and reconcile sinners with their heavenly Father.
An integral part of our mission is the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20. The key to the commission is to make disciples, but we are only able to make disciples because Jesus has all authority.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Notice that “eternal life” comes from knowing God—not possessing knowledge about God as the religious leaders did, but rather the Hebrew knowing which includes experience and intimacy, obedience and love for God.
In verse five, Jesus clearly states He was with the Father in the beginning, Genesis 1:1, before the world began. Only God has glory (Isaiah 42:8).
Jesus prays for Himself, that He would suffer so sinners would know and follow Him.
“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. (6-8)
Here again we see this intimate relationship between Jesus and Daddy.
Verse 9 shifts to His followers. We see Him speaking like a shepherd about to lay down His life for His sheep.
Jesus Prays For His Disciples
I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. (9-12)
The word “world” in the Greek has several different meaning. Here it’s not that Jesus doesn’t love everyone—He will die for everyone—but that He doesn’t love the world’s system that hates Him.
Here again we see the intimate, shared relationship between the Father and Son.
Protect them. Jesus knows that there is a very real enemy that wants to steal, kill and destroy (Jn 10:10). Sheep without a shepherd are especially vulnerable. Daddies know their kids and keep an eye on them. God’s a good Daddy.
Make them one. There is one God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This prayer for unity will be echoed later. A house divided cannot stand. The goal is not unity for unity’s sake, though, but rather a common focus, mission, and relationship with the Father. We are to reconciled to God and to one another as Christians. Sometimes we fight and sin against one another but unity is God’s desire for us.
Many people in our culture see everything through the lens of “me.” What’s in it for me?
Jesus wants us to glorify Him first and think “we” next. Families have to love and submit to one another. Jesus prays that we are one.
What about Judas? He betrayed Jesus and hung himself. Judas never loved Jesus. He stole money from Jesus and sold Him out for thirty pieces of silver (see Zechariah 11:12-13; Matthew 27).
“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. (13-19)
The mark of the Christian is joy, not the pursuit of happiness. As we said last week, joy comes from the Holy Spirit. It is not dependent upon our circumstances. When, not if, we suffer and die, it can glorify God and be used to grow us and others. Joy only comes from the LORD. Jesus said in chapter sixteen that He would send the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). The world is not where we find joy, but where we love and serve others. This world is not our home.
Jesus prays that He would suffer well and that His disciples would suffer well.
We can’t do everything. We need wisdom to know how to live within our many limits.
Again He prays that the Father would protect them.
His final prayer is that they be sanctified, separated, made holy for a divine mission.
“For them” Jesus was sanctified and set apart. He was about to give His life for His followers…and us.
Conclusion
Jesus’ prayers reveal His true heart and mission. He wants to glorify the Father, Daddy. He affirms His deity and intimacy with the Father as one-third of the Trinity, one God in three Persons. He underscores what it means to know God and have eternal life. Joy, mission and unity are strong themes, and finally sanctification, being set apart.
We live in the now and the not yet, citizens of heaven yet residents of earth, called on mission to be in the world and love the people of the world but not become of the world and its systems and values that refuse to glorify God.
We are in the midst of a very real tension between heaven and earth, good and evil. In this life we will have trouble, Jesus said in the previous chapter, yet when we fix our eyes and hope on Jesus, we can pursue His mission for His glory.
Credits
Some ideas from The High Priestly Prayer sermon by Mark Driscoll, Mars Hill Church and The NIV Application Commentary, John by Gary Burge.
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Presence & Peace, John 16:16-33, 21 July 2013
22 07 13
Big Idea: No Jesus, no peace. Know Jesus, know peace.
Introduction
We conclude the sixteenth chapter of John. We read Jesus’ final words to His followers as His arrest and crucifixion approaches.
Before we begin I want to remind you of three things:
Pray
Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”
Some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.” (16-18)
He would be arrested, crucified, then resurrected.
Jesus knew they wanted to know what He meant.
Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. (19-20)
“Little while” may refer to Him leaving to die and then appear.
“Little while” may refer to Him leaving earth and then, someday soon, appear.
Joy is coming. Our sorrow will be turned into joy.
He cares about the broken hearted. He is close to them.
He gives this example:
A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. (21)
He continues
So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. (22-24)
This is the third time Jesus says to pray in His Name, to abide in Him, to obey Him.
Pray to the Father in Jesus’ Name. You can pray to Jesus, but He’s with the Father praying for us.
God wants to hear and answer prayer from those who follow and obey Jesus.
Followers of Jesus have instant, direct access into the presence of God Almighty.
Those that belong to Jesus—the branches connected to the Vine—have the same access to the Father that Jesus enjoys. When we pray in Jesus’ Name and for His glory, the Father gives whatever is asked. Why? As we will see in this next passage, the Father loves you!
“Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. (25-27)
Jesus often spoke in parables. Many of them are obvious to us because the Bible records His explanation, but so much of what He said was cryptic and mysterious. In fact, He frequently responded to questions with more questions rather than a simple answer.
In verse 25, He acknowledges how He has been speaking figuratively.
Mark Twain famously said, “It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”
The Holy Spirit will later guide them and remind them of Jesus’ words, both those things they understood and those that were unclear.
Some believe John 20:30-31 is the key to the book of John
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)
Verse 28 is also vital.
I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” (28)
Only Jesus could make this declaration.
Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.” (29-30)
Jesus is God in the flesh. They finally get it!
“You believe at last!” Jesus answered. “But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. (31-32)
These men will desert Jesus.
Later in the week there will be a moment when the Father is not with Jesus, on the cross forsaking Him as He bore our sins (Ps 22).
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (33)
This is the last thing He says to them. He wants these words to ring in the minds as they watch Him suffer and die. He wants them to remember His presence, power and peace when He ascends into heaven. When they suffer persecution and ten of them martyrdom, He wants to be certain that they have a peace that endures.
We can have peace in this life, only through Jesus.
No Jesus. No peace.
Know Jesus. Know Peace.
The only thing you can find in this world is trouble. Trouble and peace do not negate one another. As Don Miller notes, “We are not saved from trouble, but rather saved in trouble.”
Jesus doesn’t say, “Have courage and overcome the world.” Rather, the Greek emphasis is, “Have courage—I have overcome the world.”
Jesus’ victory is our victory. Only in dying to ourselves and receiving new life in Christ can we have peace and joy.
As Gary Burge concludes
“Christianity is the offer of God to live in His followers and achieve in them the victory demonstrated in His Son Jesus Christ. And in that indwelling, an indescribable peace will be ours despite the fury and foment of the world around us.”
- The NIV Application Commentary, John
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
We conclude the sixteenth chapter of John. We read Jesus’ final words to His followers as His arrest and crucifixion approaches.
Before we begin I want to remind you of three things:
- Your Daddy loves you if you trust in Jesus
- The presence of God is here, not in Jesus’ flesh and bones, but the Holy Spirit
- Peace is available to those who follow Jesus, regardless of the circumstances
Pray
Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”
Some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.” (16-18)
He would be arrested, crucified, then resurrected.
Jesus knew they wanted to know what He meant.
Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. (19-20)
“Little while” may refer to Him leaving to die and then appear.
“Little while” may refer to Him leaving earth and then, someday soon, appear.
Joy is coming. Our sorrow will be turned into joy.
He cares about the broken hearted. He is close to them.
He gives this example:
A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. (21)
He continues
So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. (22-24)
This is the third time Jesus says to pray in His Name, to abide in Him, to obey Him.
Pray to the Father in Jesus’ Name. You can pray to Jesus, but He’s with the Father praying for us.
God wants to hear and answer prayer from those who follow and obey Jesus.
Followers of Jesus have instant, direct access into the presence of God Almighty.
Those that belong to Jesus—the branches connected to the Vine—have the same access to the Father that Jesus enjoys. When we pray in Jesus’ Name and for His glory, the Father gives whatever is asked. Why? As we will see in this next passage, the Father loves you!
“Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. (25-27)
Jesus often spoke in parables. Many of them are obvious to us because the Bible records His explanation, but so much of what He said was cryptic and mysterious. In fact, He frequently responded to questions with more questions rather than a simple answer.
In verse 25, He acknowledges how He has been speaking figuratively.
Mark Twain famously said, “It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”
The Holy Spirit will later guide them and remind them of Jesus’ words, both those things they understood and those that were unclear.
Some believe John 20:30-31 is the key to the book of John
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)
Verse 28 is also vital.
I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” (28)
Only Jesus could make this declaration.
Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.” (29-30)
Jesus is God in the flesh. They finally get it!
“You believe at last!” Jesus answered. “But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. (31-32)
These men will desert Jesus.
Later in the week there will be a moment when the Father is not with Jesus, on the cross forsaking Him as He bore our sins (Ps 22).
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (33)
This is the last thing He says to them. He wants these words to ring in the minds as they watch Him suffer and die. He wants them to remember His presence, power and peace when He ascends into heaven. When they suffer persecution and ten of them martyrdom, He wants to be certain that they have a peace that endures.
We can have peace in this life, only through Jesus.
No Jesus. No peace.
Know Jesus. Know Peace.
The only thing you can find in this world is trouble. Trouble and peace do not negate one another. As Don Miller notes, “We are not saved from trouble, but rather saved in trouble.”
Jesus doesn’t say, “Have courage and overcome the world.” Rather, the Greek emphasis is, “Have courage—I have overcome the world.”
Jesus’ victory is our victory. Only in dying to ourselves and receiving new life in Christ can we have peace and joy.
As Gary Burge concludes
“Christianity is the offer of God to live in His followers and achieve in them the victory demonstrated in His Son Jesus Christ. And in that indwelling, an indescribable peace will be ours despite the fury and foment of the world around us.”
- The NIV Application Commentary, John
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
The Holy Spirit, John 16:1-15, 14 July 2013
15 07 13
Big Idea: When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we experience the fruit, gifts, and fullness of God in our lives to glorify Jesus.
Introduction
It could be said that one challenge people have with Jesus is that they can’t see Him. He’s not here. Jesus has left the building…and the planet. We worship a God who visited us for 33 years and then ascended into heaven more than 2000 years ago. But God is here; God the Holy Spirit.
Throughout the book of John, Jesus talks about the Holy Spirit. He predicts the events of the second chapter of Acts (one of the most exciting chapters in the entire Bible). We actually looked at the first verses of John 16 three weeks ago, but we’ll review them here. The context is Jesus predicting His death.
“All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. (1-3)
Paul, the writer of much of the New Testament of the Bible, was once one of these people. Before his conversion to Christianity, he was a brilliant religious scholar, a Pharisee, named Saul who encouraged the stoning of Stephen and other early followers of Jesus (Acts 8:1). The irony is striking, yet even today there are people around the world that think they are offering a service to God by killing Christians.
I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. (4a)
A few weeks ago we talked about expectations. Jesus prepared His followers for the temporary suffering they would face in order to reap eternal rewards. Virtually every religion tries to sell the benefits of their faith, yet Jesus repeatedly goes out of His way to let people know they must count the cost before flippantly following Him.
I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. (4b-6)
Can you blame them for being filled with grief?
Imagine you devote your entire life to another person. All married couples should at least be able to imagine this! Now imagine they said they were going to leave. Now imagine they warned you about being ostracized from your community or even killed for your relationship with them. I would have grief! Jesus continues…
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (7)
Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit. Why is the Holy Spirit coming rather than Jesus staying?
Furthermore,…
When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. (John 16:8-11)
Jesus has talked about how the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, will defend believers and strengthen their witness. Now the defender becomes the prosecutor and judge.
First, the world refuses to believe Jesus as God. This is true today, too. It wants its own way, not God’s.
Second, they don’t understand the cross will proclaim His innocence and righteousness.
Finally, it is the world and satan that will be judged, not Jesus and His followers.
The Holy Spirit will do these things and more.
Jesus then says
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” (John 16:12-15)
Dr. Gary Burge wrote,
“The Spirit's sole ambition is to draw attention to Jesus and to reveal to us that Jesus has been raised from the dead and has ascended to his heavenly Father, of whom he is the one and only Son.”
- The NIV Application Commentary, John
The Spirit does not take us deeper into ourselves but further out of ourselves where we find Jesus. The Spirit stirs us to long for Jesus.
So What?
The Holy Spirit may be the most underrated resource in the life of a follower of Jesus.
http://muddyrivermedia.org/media/propane
The Spirit is one of three Persons that make up the Trinity, our three-in-one God. The Trinity is a mystery, yet the Bible is clear that each is distinct yet fully God. When we receive Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit, too. The question is, are you filled with the Holy Spirit?
How do you know? In the previous chapter of John, Jesus said if we abide or connect with Him, we will bear fruit. Galatians 5 is explicit about what this fruit is:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23a)
Are you a more loving person than you were on New Year’s Day?
Would friends say you are more joyful than a year ago?
Do you feel peace despite your circumstances?
Are you becoming more patient?
Is kindness a clear and obvious trait to co-workers or fellow students?
When is the last time someone commented on your goodness?
Could faithfulness describe your character?
Do you have a reputation for being gentle?
When is the last time you were out of control?
I have a fear. My fear is that as individuals, many of us know the Bible but not Jesus. We are religious, but not filled with the Holy Spirit.
We need the Holy Spirit. We all need more of the Holy Spirit. We receive the Holy Spirit by confessing our sins and then inviting the Spirit to come and fill us. This is not a one-time event or even an annual process, but an ongoing lifestyle of passionately pursuing God.
This (Galatians 5:22-23a) is what we are to look like. This is the fruit we are to bear. I pray that the power of the Holy Spirit would ignite our hearts. I pray that He would break our hearts with the things that break His heart, the lost and hurting. I pray that He would do a new thing in our church, replacing fatigue with fire, apathy with zeal, and complacency with compassion.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, (Ephesians 5:18)
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. (Ephesians 6:18)
Every day we must pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit, sensitive to sin, and sensitive to the promptings of God.
In our text for today, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit. We are on the other side of that promise. We have 24/7 access to the Holy Spirit, but it is not automatic. Like oxygen in our lungs, we must breathe in the Spirit daily, hourly.
Are you filled with the Holy Spirit or are you trying to live life from the heat of the pilot light (see video above)?
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
It could be said that one challenge people have with Jesus is that they can’t see Him. He’s not here. Jesus has left the building…and the planet. We worship a God who visited us for 33 years and then ascended into heaven more than 2000 years ago. But God is here; God the Holy Spirit.
Throughout the book of John, Jesus talks about the Holy Spirit. He predicts the events of the second chapter of Acts (one of the most exciting chapters in the entire Bible). We actually looked at the first verses of John 16 three weeks ago, but we’ll review them here. The context is Jesus predicting His death.
“All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. (1-3)
Paul, the writer of much of the New Testament of the Bible, was once one of these people. Before his conversion to Christianity, he was a brilliant religious scholar, a Pharisee, named Saul who encouraged the stoning of Stephen and other early followers of Jesus (Acts 8:1). The irony is striking, yet even today there are people around the world that think they are offering a service to God by killing Christians.
I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. (4a)
A few weeks ago we talked about expectations. Jesus prepared His followers for the temporary suffering they would face in order to reap eternal rewards. Virtually every religion tries to sell the benefits of their faith, yet Jesus repeatedly goes out of His way to let people know they must count the cost before flippantly following Him.
I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. (4b-6)
Can you blame them for being filled with grief?
Imagine you devote your entire life to another person. All married couples should at least be able to imagine this! Now imagine they said they were going to leave. Now imagine they warned you about being ostracized from your community or even killed for your relationship with them. I would have grief! Jesus continues…
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (7)
Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit. Why is the Holy Spirit coming rather than Jesus staying?
- Jesus was restricted by His human body, able to only be in one place at a time.
- Jesus came for one purpose—to die! He is about to do that as He says these words.
- The Holy Spirit is able to dwell inside believers. God will live inside people!
- The Holy Spirit will provide various gifts to believers.
- The fruit of the Holy Spirit will be produced in the lives of believers.
Furthermore,…
When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. (John 16:8-11)
Jesus has talked about how the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, will defend believers and strengthen their witness. Now the defender becomes the prosecutor and judge.
First, the world refuses to believe Jesus as God. This is true today, too. It wants its own way, not God’s.
Second, they don’t understand the cross will proclaim His innocence and righteousness.
Finally, it is the world and satan that will be judged, not Jesus and His followers.
The Holy Spirit will do these things and more.
Jesus then says
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” (John 16:12-15)
Dr. Gary Burge wrote,
“The Spirit's sole ambition is to draw attention to Jesus and to reveal to us that Jesus has been raised from the dead and has ascended to his heavenly Father, of whom he is the one and only Son.”
- The NIV Application Commentary, John
The Spirit does not take us deeper into ourselves but further out of ourselves where we find Jesus. The Spirit stirs us to long for Jesus.
So What?
The Holy Spirit may be the most underrated resource in the life of a follower of Jesus.
http://muddyrivermedia.org/media/propane
The Spirit is one of three Persons that make up the Trinity, our three-in-one God. The Trinity is a mystery, yet the Bible is clear that each is distinct yet fully God. When we receive Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit, too. The question is, are you filled with the Holy Spirit?
How do you know? In the previous chapter of John, Jesus said if we abide or connect with Him, we will bear fruit. Galatians 5 is explicit about what this fruit is:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23a)
Are you a more loving person than you were on New Year’s Day?
Would friends say you are more joyful than a year ago?
Do you feel peace despite your circumstances?
Are you becoming more patient?
Is kindness a clear and obvious trait to co-workers or fellow students?
When is the last time someone commented on your goodness?
Could faithfulness describe your character?
Do you have a reputation for being gentle?
When is the last time you were out of control?
I have a fear. My fear is that as individuals, many of us know the Bible but not Jesus. We are religious, but not filled with the Holy Spirit.
We need the Holy Spirit. We all need more of the Holy Spirit. We receive the Holy Spirit by confessing our sins and then inviting the Spirit to come and fill us. This is not a one-time event or even an annual process, but an ongoing lifestyle of passionately pursuing God.
This (Galatians 5:22-23a) is what we are to look like. This is the fruit we are to bear. I pray that the power of the Holy Spirit would ignite our hearts. I pray that He would break our hearts with the things that break His heart, the lost and hurting. I pray that He would do a new thing in our church, replacing fatigue with fire, apathy with zeal, and complacency with compassion.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, (Ephesians 5:18)
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. (Ephesians 6:18)
Every day we must pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit, sensitive to sin, and sensitive to the promptings of God.
In our text for today, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit. We are on the other side of that promise. We have 24/7 access to the Holy Spirit, but it is not automatic. Like oxygen in our lungs, we must breathe in the Spirit daily, hourly.
Are you filled with the Holy Spirit or are you trying to live life from the heat of the pilot light (see video above)?
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Hated, John 15:18-16:4, 23 June 2013
25 06 13
Big Idea: The world will hate true followers of Jesus, but He is with us.
Introduction
As we continue our series on the Gospel of John, Jesus continues His farewell address to His eleven disciples prior to the crucifixion. Today’s text is especially sobering, especially in our USAmerican culture that values safety, comfort, pleasure, and popularity. I honestly wish passages such as this were not included, yet they are God’s Word and a vital reminder to us about the realities of following Jesus.
Jesus said
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. (18-19)
Do you like to be liked? We all love to be surrounded by friends, family and fans that love us.
Do you like to be criticized or even hated? It’s a silly question.
A child of God cannot be popular with the world.
I’ve heard of some Christians that act like jerks to people and blame Jesus, saying that they are martyrs for their faith. Jesus is not saying we’ll be hated because we offend people. He said we are not of this world and, therefore, as children of God, we serve Him and not the world.
There are two extremes that are dangerous. The first is syncretism. This is when we look and act just like everyone else. If we do not reflect the light of Christ in the darkness, we are just as dark as our surroundings.
The other extreme is separatism. This is when we avoid the world, separating ourselves, ignoring the darkness and keeping the light to ourselves.
We are called to participate in the missio dei, the mission of God. We are called to be light in the darkness. The darkness hates light, but some will be drawn to it.
Virtually everything Jesus said and did was revolutionary and radical. He said the first will be last. He said to save your life you must lose it. He said to serve rather than be served.
Expect to be hated in the process.
Expectations
I believe one of the most important things in life is expectations. It is one of the secrets to peace and contentment. Let me explain.
When I do pre-marital counseling with couples, I confront two very different, broken human beings, each with a lifetime of experiences and baggage. That may not sound pleasant, but that’s reality. Often, people enter a marriage expecting the other to meet their needs and, as one actress famously said, “complete.” Needless to say, the expectations are frequently unrealistic.
On the other hand, I remember one couple that asked me to marry them. I knew them both and the extensive challenges each had, yet when we discussed their expectations, I was overjoyed to learn they were modest and honest. Because they entered marriage knowing they would face many difficulties, it’s not surprise to me that many years later they are among the most happily married couples I know.
Jesus did not want to paint a fantasy picture for His followers, past and present. Throughout His ministry, He “raised the bar,” challenged people, told them to count the cost, and even watched many turn away, unwilling to make the necessary sacrifices to be His disciple.
When Jesus said Christians would be hated, He meant it. He didn’t say following Him would make us happy. He didn’t promise “best life now.” He never promised us a rose garden, a castle, or a Mercedes. Contrary to the message of a whole movement of so-called Christianity, it’s not about us. Jesus said it’s about His glory. He would die, and we would, too.
In this passage, Jesus contrasts following the world versus following Him. Like a man with one foot on a pier and the other on a boat about to drift away, we must make a choice. We can’t have it both ways.
Are you a follower of the world or a follower of Jesus?
We all know the right answer on Sunday morning, but tomorrow is the test. Will you go into debt like everyone else or save and give generously? Will you join the water cooler gossip or be a champion for the underdog and outcast? Will you tell that so-called “little white lie” or tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Will you fill your mind with the Word of God and devote yourselves to prayer or allow yourself to be entertained by the TV and Facebook?
Are you a follower of the world or a follower of Jesus?
Every day we answer this question with our checkbook and calendar.
Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. (20-22)
He who hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ (23-25)
Jesus is the light. The darkness hates the light.
At this moment, 50,000-70,000 of our brothers and sisters are facing hard labor and tortured in North Korea…for their faith. (http://www.eauk.org/current-affairs/politics/christians-imprisoned-and-tortured-in-north-korea.cfm)
That is just one of more than 50 nations where Christians are actively persecuted for their faith.
We must not be surprised when Jesus warned us more than 2000 years ago that this was inevitable, yet there are ways we can help, too. Visit persecution.com for details.
“When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. (26-27)
The Holy Spirit is predicted yet again.
When we are filled with the Holy Spirit by confessing our sins and inviting Him into our lives, the presence of God Almighty lives in us. We are never alone. He is with us.
“All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you. (16:1-14)
Conclusion
This text seems distant to us, yet at this moment many of our spiritual siblings are reading this very text from prison, perhaps from a smuggled Bible. There are a few things we can do in response:
Are you a follower of the world or a follower of Jesus?
Next Steps
http://www.prisoneralert.com/ This website is where people can choose a country/person, etc. of their choice and the website will populate a letter with up to 12 pre-selected phrases and translate them into the prisoner’s native tongue. Once complete, you print the letters and addresses. Some cases it is sent direct to the prisoner, and in others it is sent to the embassy or elected officials. . . you can track the number of letters receive updates on who has been released.
http://www.biblesunbound.com This website allows you to select a country or region of the world and send Bibles to those who have requested them. If it’s an open country, you will be sent a list of people who will receive your Bibles, so that you can pray for them as they receive and read them. And, near and dear to my heart, are the covert operations. You don’t get a list of names, but you assist in getting New Testaments into the hands of those behind closed or hostile areas (like Burma). These Bibles are delivered by courageous people who take these Bibles in at great risk. There is a map with little crosses to show you where your Bibles have been sent.
At http://www.persecution.com, under Give, is the opportunity to send funds specifically to the families of those who have been imprisoned for their faith and are no longer able to support their families. They also have a PSP program – which is similar to Compassion in sponsorship. In this instance, it’s a Christian worker in a persecuted country, that receives support to fund outreach and service to fellow Christians and non-believers. http://www.persecution.com/psp this page has detailed information on what criteria is used to determine eligibility to receive support through this program.
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
As we continue our series on the Gospel of John, Jesus continues His farewell address to His eleven disciples prior to the crucifixion. Today’s text is especially sobering, especially in our USAmerican culture that values safety, comfort, pleasure, and popularity. I honestly wish passages such as this were not included, yet they are God’s Word and a vital reminder to us about the realities of following Jesus.
Jesus said
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. (18-19)
Do you like to be liked? We all love to be surrounded by friends, family and fans that love us.
Do you like to be criticized or even hated? It’s a silly question.
A child of God cannot be popular with the world.
I’ve heard of some Christians that act like jerks to people and blame Jesus, saying that they are martyrs for their faith. Jesus is not saying we’ll be hated because we offend people. He said we are not of this world and, therefore, as children of God, we serve Him and not the world.
There are two extremes that are dangerous. The first is syncretism. This is when we look and act just like everyone else. If we do not reflect the light of Christ in the darkness, we are just as dark as our surroundings.
The other extreme is separatism. This is when we avoid the world, separating ourselves, ignoring the darkness and keeping the light to ourselves.
We are called to participate in the missio dei, the mission of God. We are called to be light in the darkness. The darkness hates light, but some will be drawn to it.
Virtually everything Jesus said and did was revolutionary and radical. He said the first will be last. He said to save your life you must lose it. He said to serve rather than be served.
Expect to be hated in the process.
Expectations
I believe one of the most important things in life is expectations. It is one of the secrets to peace and contentment. Let me explain.
When I do pre-marital counseling with couples, I confront two very different, broken human beings, each with a lifetime of experiences and baggage. That may not sound pleasant, but that’s reality. Often, people enter a marriage expecting the other to meet their needs and, as one actress famously said, “complete.” Needless to say, the expectations are frequently unrealistic.
On the other hand, I remember one couple that asked me to marry them. I knew them both and the extensive challenges each had, yet when we discussed their expectations, I was overjoyed to learn they were modest and honest. Because they entered marriage knowing they would face many difficulties, it’s not surprise to me that many years later they are among the most happily married couples I know.
Jesus did not want to paint a fantasy picture for His followers, past and present. Throughout His ministry, He “raised the bar,” challenged people, told them to count the cost, and even watched many turn away, unwilling to make the necessary sacrifices to be His disciple.
When Jesus said Christians would be hated, He meant it. He didn’t say following Him would make us happy. He didn’t promise “best life now.” He never promised us a rose garden, a castle, or a Mercedes. Contrary to the message of a whole movement of so-called Christianity, it’s not about us. Jesus said it’s about His glory. He would die, and we would, too.
In this passage, Jesus contrasts following the world versus following Him. Like a man with one foot on a pier and the other on a boat about to drift away, we must make a choice. We can’t have it both ways.
Are you a follower of the world or a follower of Jesus?
We all know the right answer on Sunday morning, but tomorrow is the test. Will you go into debt like everyone else or save and give generously? Will you join the water cooler gossip or be a champion for the underdog and outcast? Will you tell that so-called “little white lie” or tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Will you fill your mind with the Word of God and devote yourselves to prayer or allow yourself to be entertained by the TV and Facebook?
Are you a follower of the world or a follower of Jesus?
Every day we answer this question with our checkbook and calendar.
Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. (20-22)
He who hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ (23-25)
Jesus is the light. The darkness hates the light.
At this moment, 50,000-70,000 of our brothers and sisters are facing hard labor and tortured in North Korea…for their faith. (http://www.eauk.org/current-affairs/politics/christians-imprisoned-and-tortured-in-north-korea.cfm)
That is just one of more than 50 nations where Christians are actively persecuted for their faith.
We must not be surprised when Jesus warned us more than 2000 years ago that this was inevitable, yet there are ways we can help, too. Visit persecution.com for details.
“When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. (26-27)
The Holy Spirit is predicted yet again.
When we are filled with the Holy Spirit by confessing our sins and inviting Him into our lives, the presence of God Almighty lives in us. We are never alone. He is with us.
“All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you. (16:1-14)
Conclusion
This text seems distant to us, yet at this moment many of our spiritual siblings are reading this very text from prison, perhaps from a smuggled Bible. There are a few things we can do in response:
- Thank God for the freedoms we enjoy. They can be removed.
- Pray for the persecuted. Persecuted.com is a great place for resources. See below for other ways to get involved.
- Reflect upon your own life. If it became illegal to follow Jesus in this country, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Are you a follower of the world or a follower of Jesus?
Next Steps
http://www.prisoneralert.com/ This website is where people can choose a country/person, etc. of their choice and the website will populate a letter with up to 12 pre-selected phrases and translate them into the prisoner’s native tongue. Once complete, you print the letters and addresses. Some cases it is sent direct to the prisoner, and in others it is sent to the embassy or elected officials. . . you can track the number of letters receive updates on who has been released.
http://www.biblesunbound.com This website allows you to select a country or region of the world and send Bibles to those who have requested them. If it’s an open country, you will be sent a list of people who will receive your Bibles, so that you can pray for them as they receive and read them. And, near and dear to my heart, are the covert operations. You don’t get a list of names, but you assist in getting New Testaments into the hands of those behind closed or hostile areas (like Burma). These Bibles are delivered by courageous people who take these Bibles in at great risk. There is a map with little crosses to show you where your Bibles have been sent.
At http://www.persecution.com, under Give, is the opportunity to send funds specifically to the families of those who have been imprisoned for their faith and are no longer able to support their families. They also have a PSP program – which is similar to Compassion in sponsorship. In this instance, it’s a Christian worker in a persecuted country, that receives support to fund outreach and service to fellow Christians and non-believers. http://www.persecution.com/psp this page has detailed information on what criteria is used to determine eligibility to receive support through this program.
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
The Vine & The Branches, John 15:1-17, 2 June 2013
02 06 13
Big Idea: We must remain in Christ, even when we are being pruned.
Introduction
As we continue our series on the Gospel of John, Jesus continues His farewell address to His eleven disciples. They were in the Upper Room together before Jesus said, “Come now, let us leave” (14:31).
Now they are probably between the Upper Room and the Garden of Gethsemane. John 15 and 16 are likely describing their conversation during their walk.
Vines
Jesus may have walked by the gates of the temple. The gates were gold and woven with vines that stood for the nation of Israel.
There are several instances when vines are mentioned in the Old Testament as a symbol of Israel. In each, however, Israel was lacking somehow.
You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. (Psalm 80:8-9)
I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit. “Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad? Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled. I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there. I will command the clouds not to rain on it.” The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the garden of his delight. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress. (Isaiah 5:1-7)
I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine? (Jeremiah 2:21)
Israel was a spreading vine; he brought forth fruit for himself. As his fruit increased, he built more altars; as his land prospered, he adorned his sacred stones. (Hosea 10:1)
Jesus is going to talk about the vine, an image of the nation of Israel. Notice what He says.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. (15:1)
Jesus is not just any vine but the true vine. It’s easy for us to see this as merely a gardening metaphor but its symbolism is even more rich. If the vine is Israel and He is the true vine, He’s making a very bold statement.
True can be the opposite of false or the opposite of a counterfeit. Jesus is saying, “I’m the genuine vine.” Religion is not enough. Ceremonies and church attendance and giving to the poor is not enough. We need to identify with Jesus.
We must be joined to Jesus, the vine, in order to bear fruit.
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. (2-4)
“In” when it precedes Jesus refers to being in Christ, trust Him as both Savior and LORD. This passage is about believers.
Every unfruitful branch is cut off. Ouch!
He prunes/purges/cuts or washes it. The Word of God is a cleansing power.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (5-8)
The Parable of the Sower describes planting and harvesting.
What is fruit? The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
J. Vernon McGee said the fruit is
Prayer effectual (8)
Fruit perpetual (8)
Joy celestial (11)
How does God remove the branch? He takes them from the place of bearing fruit. They’re no longer effective in their ministry or they die (Ananias and Sapphira are an example).
Purge or pruning actually means “to cleanse” in the Greek. They used water to wash the vine from bugs and debris.
Pruning can be painful but it’s done to promote growth. We rarely grow through success, health, and happiness. Our greatest growth comes in the midst of defeat, loss, and suffering. A popular TV show years ago was called “Growing Pains.” No pain, no gain.
Pruning is not a sign that God is against us but that He loves us, He wants the best for us. As difficult as it is, we need to embrace pain.
The closer we get to the LORD, we less pain we feel. If you are ever in a fight, step toward the person.
Several years ago around New Year’s Day I was driving I-75 from Florida to Michigan. It’s a long drive, nearly 24 hours, and with everyone else in the vehicle sleeping I took some time to prayer, seeking God, His voice, and direction. I still remember five distinct words, not audible but clear: the tree will be pruned. I immediately knew He was speaking of the church where I was a pastor. It was a powerful, prophetic word that guided me throughout that year. We saw people leave our church, the numbers decreased, but the church became more healthy and strong.
Sometimes less is more. Sometimes God wants to clear out the baggage in our lives in order for us to produce more fruit—love, obedience and faithfulness in our lives.
Speaking of love, now we come to some love verses. Don’t mistaken these for greeting card sentiment. Jesus is going to tell us what love really is.
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (9-11)
He again connects love and obedience.
He also mentions joy, part of the fruit of the Spirit.
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other. (12-17)
We can’t…unless we are connected to the Vine.
Conclusion
I have one simple question: are you connected to the true Vine?
The metaphor is clear: if we’re disconnected, we die.
There are many good things in our world that will give you inspiration and energy, but connecting a branch to a can of Coke or an electric socket or an iPhone or even the Bible won’t allow it to grow. The only way a branch can grow is if it is connected to a living, breathing vine, in this case Jesus Christ.
I want to conclude with some thoughts from A.W. Tozer’s class book The Pursuit of God. Notice what he says about knowing Jesus Christ.
There is today no lack of Bible teachers to set forth correctly the principles of the doctrines of Christ, but too many of these seem satisfied to teach the fundamentals of the faith year after year, strangely unaware that there is in their ministry no manifest Presence, nor anything unusual in their personal lives…Thanks to our splendid Bible societies and to other effective agencies for the dissemination of the Word, there are today many millions of people who hold "right opinions," probably more than ever before in the history of the Church. Yet I wonder if there was ever a time when true spiritual worship was at a lower ebb. To great sections of the Church the art of worship has been lost entirely, and in its place has come that strange and foreign thing called the "program." This word has been borrowed from the stage and applied with sad wisdom to the type of public service which now passes for worship among us.…The modern scientist has lost God amid the wonders of His world; we Christians are in real danger of losing God amid the wonders of His Word. We have almost forgotten that God is a Person and, as such, can be cultivated as any person can.
- A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God, quoted in Intuitive Leadership by Tim Keel (p. 125)
How is your relationship with Jesus? Living things grow. Remain in Him!
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
As we continue our series on the Gospel of John, Jesus continues His farewell address to His eleven disciples. They were in the Upper Room together before Jesus said, “Come now, let us leave” (14:31).
Now they are probably between the Upper Room and the Garden of Gethsemane. John 15 and 16 are likely describing their conversation during their walk.
Vines
Jesus may have walked by the gates of the temple. The gates were gold and woven with vines that stood for the nation of Israel.
There are several instances when vines are mentioned in the Old Testament as a symbol of Israel. In each, however, Israel was lacking somehow.
You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. (Psalm 80:8-9)
I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit. “Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad? Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled. I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there. I will command the clouds not to rain on it.” The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the garden of his delight. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress. (Isaiah 5:1-7)
I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine? (Jeremiah 2:21)
Israel was a spreading vine; he brought forth fruit for himself. As his fruit increased, he built more altars; as his land prospered, he adorned his sacred stones. (Hosea 10:1)
Jesus is going to talk about the vine, an image of the nation of Israel. Notice what He says.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. (15:1)
Jesus is not just any vine but the true vine. It’s easy for us to see this as merely a gardening metaphor but its symbolism is even more rich. If the vine is Israel and He is the true vine, He’s making a very bold statement.
True can be the opposite of false or the opposite of a counterfeit. Jesus is saying, “I’m the genuine vine.” Religion is not enough. Ceremonies and church attendance and giving to the poor is not enough. We need to identify with Jesus.
We must be joined to Jesus, the vine, in order to bear fruit.
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. (2-4)
“In” when it precedes Jesus refers to being in Christ, trust Him as both Savior and LORD. This passage is about believers.
Every unfruitful branch is cut off. Ouch!
He prunes/purges/cuts or washes it. The Word of God is a cleansing power.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (5-8)
The Parable of the Sower describes planting and harvesting.
What is fruit? The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
J. Vernon McGee said the fruit is
Prayer effectual (8)
Fruit perpetual (8)
Joy celestial (11)
How does God remove the branch? He takes them from the place of bearing fruit. They’re no longer effective in their ministry or they die (Ananias and Sapphira are an example).
Purge or pruning actually means “to cleanse” in the Greek. They used water to wash the vine from bugs and debris.
Pruning can be painful but it’s done to promote growth. We rarely grow through success, health, and happiness. Our greatest growth comes in the midst of defeat, loss, and suffering. A popular TV show years ago was called “Growing Pains.” No pain, no gain.
Pruning is not a sign that God is against us but that He loves us, He wants the best for us. As difficult as it is, we need to embrace pain.
The closer we get to the LORD, we less pain we feel. If you are ever in a fight, step toward the person.
Several years ago around New Year’s Day I was driving I-75 from Florida to Michigan. It’s a long drive, nearly 24 hours, and with everyone else in the vehicle sleeping I took some time to prayer, seeking God, His voice, and direction. I still remember five distinct words, not audible but clear: the tree will be pruned. I immediately knew He was speaking of the church where I was a pastor. It was a powerful, prophetic word that guided me throughout that year. We saw people leave our church, the numbers decreased, but the church became more healthy and strong.
Sometimes less is more. Sometimes God wants to clear out the baggage in our lives in order for us to produce more fruit—love, obedience and faithfulness in our lives.
Speaking of love, now we come to some love verses. Don’t mistaken these for greeting card sentiment. Jesus is going to tell us what love really is.
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (9-11)
He again connects love and obedience.
He also mentions joy, part of the fruit of the Spirit.
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other. (12-17)
We can’t…unless we are connected to the Vine.
Conclusion
I have one simple question: are you connected to the true Vine?
The metaphor is clear: if we’re disconnected, we die.
There are many good things in our world that will give you inspiration and energy, but connecting a branch to a can of Coke or an electric socket or an iPhone or even the Bible won’t allow it to grow. The only way a branch can grow is if it is connected to a living, breathing vine, in this case Jesus Christ.
I want to conclude with some thoughts from A.W. Tozer’s class book The Pursuit of God. Notice what he says about knowing Jesus Christ.
There is today no lack of Bible teachers to set forth correctly the principles of the doctrines of Christ, but too many of these seem satisfied to teach the fundamentals of the faith year after year, strangely unaware that there is in their ministry no manifest Presence, nor anything unusual in their personal lives…Thanks to our splendid Bible societies and to other effective agencies for the dissemination of the Word, there are today many millions of people who hold "right opinions," probably more than ever before in the history of the Church. Yet I wonder if there was ever a time when true spiritual worship was at a lower ebb. To great sections of the Church the art of worship has been lost entirely, and in its place has come that strange and foreign thing called the "program." This word has been borrowed from the stage and applied with sad wisdom to the type of public service which now passes for worship among us.…The modern scientist has lost God amid the wonders of His world; we Christians are in real danger of losing God amid the wonders of His Word. We have almost forgotten that God is a Person and, as such, can be cultivated as any person can.
- A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God, quoted in Intuitive Leadership by Tim Keel (p. 125)
How is your relationship with Jesus? Living things grow. Remain in Him!
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
The Holy Spirit, John 14:15-31, 26 MAy 2013
28 05 13
Big Idea: Jesus loved us enough to leave…in order to usher in the Holy Spirit
Introduction
What is the greatest thing you’ve ever waited for?
- spouse
Chicago Cubs fans have been waiting for them to win the World Series since 1908!
Was it worth it?
Last week in Jesus’ farewell to His disciples, He said it’s good that He leaves because He’s going to prepare a place for them. He’s getting the house ready but He’ll return.
In today’s passage as we continue our series on the Gospel of John, Jesus continues His farewell address to His eleven disciples in the Upper Room.
It’s always hard to say goodbye to a loved one, but it’s easier if we know they are returning for a purpose...and that they will return.
Jesus is telling His friends that He is leaving, He is leaving for a noble purpose, He will die, AND He will return.
“If you love me, you will obey what I command. (14:15)
We don’t usually command people to obey, except, perhaps, a parent to a child. This word “command” could be translated, “to watch carefully or attend to; training the eyes.” We will be attentive to Jesus’ commands if we love Him.
If you love Me, you’ll care about what I have to say and you’ll listen to my instructions. If you love Me, attend to my teachings.
Actions speak louder than words.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (16-17)
The Greek word translated “Counselor” in the NIV, parakleton, might best be conveyed as “advocate,” someone like a defense attorney. “Para” means alongside and “kletos” is to call. The paraclete will come alongside and help in your defense.
Notice the Father will give “another” Counselor or advocate. The Father sent Jesus, and He will send the Holy Spirit.
Because of the Holy Spirit, we are better off today than the disciples. We have 24/7 access to God through the Holy Spirit. Last week we noted we will do greater things.
The Greeks used the same word for truth and reality. Usually it conveyed reality. Jesus is offering us a Spirit of reality, access to things that are most real. We live in a world of illusions and delusions.
For example, we believe we are entitled to at least seventy or eighty years of healthy living on this planet. Anything less and we are robbed. This is an illusion because every day is a gift we receive. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.
Jesus says, “I will introduce you to reality.”
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” (18-21)
I cannot imagine being an orphan. The pain of being alone in the world must be excruciating. Jesus says He will return.
What does Jesus mean when He says, “I will come to you? It could refer to one of three things.
- second coming
- the Holy Spirit
- most likely the resurrection on Easter
We are containing the divine. This is a radical reality.
Paul will write that we are “in Christ.”
Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” (22)
J. Vernon McGee notes Judas is the first missionary. His concern is for the world. Is yours?
Back in John 1:10, we saw Jesus in the that He made, yet the world didn’t know Him.
John 3:16 says God so loved the world.
Much of the world does not love God today.
Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. (23-24)
This is pretty straightforward.
Now Jesus gives a sneak preview of Pentecost Sunday, which was actually last Sunday on the Christian calendar. The second chapter of the book of Acts will record the moment in which the Holy Spirit is activated on earth. Jesus says,
“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (25-27)
Verse 25 was long a source of Church history, some believing the Father sent the Spirit and others saying the Father and the Son sent the Spirit (Nicene Creed).
Notice the Spirit will help John and the others remember what Jesus said and they will write it down!
Jesus’ legacy to His followers was Peace; Shalom. This is not a temporary, earthly peace but a divine peace with God (Romans 5:1) that cannot be disrupted.
The passage concludes with Jesus saying…
“You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.
Jesus knows satan is coming.
Finally...
“Come now; let us leave. (28-31)
Go...with the Word of the Father, the truth of the Holy Spirit, and the peace of God.
It’s almost time for us to leave, too!
As we await Your return, LORD Jesus, may the power of the Holy Spirit be alive in our lives. Fill us, Holy Spirit. In Jesus Name, amen.
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
What is the greatest thing you’ve ever waited for?
- spouse
- job
Chicago Cubs fans have been waiting for them to win the World Series since 1908!
Was it worth it?
Last week in Jesus’ farewell to His disciples, He said it’s good that He leaves because He’s going to prepare a place for them. He’s getting the house ready but He’ll return.
In today’s passage as we continue our series on the Gospel of John, Jesus continues His farewell address to His eleven disciples in the Upper Room.
It’s always hard to say goodbye to a loved one, but it’s easier if we know they are returning for a purpose...and that they will return.
Jesus is telling His friends that He is leaving, He is leaving for a noble purpose, He will die, AND He will return.
“If you love me, you will obey what I command. (14:15)
We don’t usually command people to obey, except, perhaps, a parent to a child. This word “command” could be translated, “to watch carefully or attend to; training the eyes.” We will be attentive to Jesus’ commands if we love Him.
If you love Me, you’ll care about what I have to say and you’ll listen to my instructions. If you love Me, attend to my teachings.
Actions speak louder than words.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (16-17)
The Greek word translated “Counselor” in the NIV, parakleton, might best be conveyed as “advocate,” someone like a defense attorney. “Para” means alongside and “kletos” is to call. The paraclete will come alongside and help in your defense.
Notice the Father will give “another” Counselor or advocate. The Father sent Jesus, and He will send the Holy Spirit.
Because of the Holy Spirit, we are better off today than the disciples. We have 24/7 access to God through the Holy Spirit. Last week we noted we will do greater things.
The Greeks used the same word for truth and reality. Usually it conveyed reality. Jesus is offering us a Spirit of reality, access to things that are most real. We live in a world of illusions and delusions.
For example, we believe we are entitled to at least seventy or eighty years of healthy living on this planet. Anything less and we are robbed. This is an illusion because every day is a gift we receive. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.
Jesus says, “I will introduce you to reality.”
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” (18-21)
I cannot imagine being an orphan. The pain of being alone in the world must be excruciating. Jesus says He will return.
What does Jesus mean when He says, “I will come to you? It could refer to one of three things.
- second coming
- the Holy Spirit
- most likely the resurrection on Easter
We are containing the divine. This is a radical reality.
Paul will write that we are “in Christ.”
Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” (22)
J. Vernon McGee notes Judas is the first missionary. His concern is for the world. Is yours?
Back in John 1:10, we saw Jesus in the that He made, yet the world didn’t know Him.
John 3:16 says God so loved the world.
Much of the world does not love God today.
Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. (23-24)
This is pretty straightforward.
Now Jesus gives a sneak preview of Pentecost Sunday, which was actually last Sunday on the Christian calendar. The second chapter of the book of Acts will record the moment in which the Holy Spirit is activated on earth. Jesus says,
“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (25-27)
Verse 25 was long a source of Church history, some believing the Father sent the Spirit and others saying the Father and the Son sent the Spirit (Nicene Creed).
Notice the Spirit will help John and the others remember what Jesus said and they will write it down!
Jesus’ legacy to His followers was Peace; Shalom. This is not a temporary, earthly peace but a divine peace with God (Romans 5:1) that cannot be disrupted.
The passage concludes with Jesus saying…
“You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.
Jesus knows satan is coming.
Finally...
“Come now; let us leave. (28-31)
Go...with the Word of the Father, the truth of the Holy Spirit, and the peace of God.
It’s almost time for us to leave, too!
As we await Your return, LORD Jesus, may the power of the Holy Spirit be alive in our lives. Fill us, Holy Spirit. In Jesus Name, amen.
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
The Way, John 14:1-14, 19 May 2013
22 05 13
Big Idea: Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
Introduction
Who are you? How do you introduce yourself?
We commonly ask people, “What do you…do?” Our occupation is very important, be it an engineer, a student, a barista, or a teacher. Much of life involves work, but it does not define who we are—or it shouldn’t.
Who are you?
We’re in the middle of a series studying the Gospel of John, a biography of Jesus written by one of His best friends, John.
Last Sunday in John 13 we saw Jesus begin His farewell address to His eleven disciples following Judas Iscariot’s departure. This extensive scene continues in chapter fourteen.
Here we will continue to see who Jesus is as described by John.
Who is Jesus?
Earlier this year, Pastor Judah Smith wrote a book called Jesus is ______. The companion website, www.Jesus-Is.org has some interesting submissions taken from visitors to the site.
John has used several words to describe Jesus thus far. Jesus is…
- the bread of life (6:35-51)
In today’s passage we will see at least three more words that Jesus uses to describe Himself.
I must warn you, though. We will examine what is probably the most offensive and controversial verse in the entire Bible.
The Scene: This is a continuation of last week’s passage, dubbed a farewell.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” (14:1-4)
Why were their hearts troubled? He was leaving! This is a continuation of last week’s passage dubbed a farewell. Their reaction is understandable! Like many farewells discourses, there is encouragement to not be afraid.
Jesus is preparing them for His departure while assuring them of His return. There’s a tremendous difference between “goodbye” and “see you later.” A departure is even easier to accept when there is a purpose behind it, a purpose which will benefit those left behind.
What is His Father’s house? How do we get to the Father’s house? Thomas doesn’t know, either!
Jesus used the expression of “his father’s house” once before in Luke 2:49 in reference to the Temple. The Temple was the place where earth and heaven met. Here we see Him talking about a new city, a new house. When God renews the whole world, heaven and earth will meet again.
The King James translation says “mansions.” Some have described “rooms” as “suites,” places where Jesus lives which are the places He desires for us to enter. “Dwelling places” is a good translation. Heaven is awaiting our arrival.
It was common in the day for a groom to build an addition onto his father’s house and use it for the home of him and his bride. Jesus says He is doing the same, preparing a place in His Father’s house for His Bride, the Church, the fellowship of believers.
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (5)
Get ready. Jesus is about to deliver what I believe is the most offensive, politically-incorrect message that has ever been made.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (6-7)
You don’t have to like it or believe it, but this is what Jesus said. This is His answer to the question, “Who are you?” If you deny it, you deny Him.
Jesus makes three statements in one sentence:
He is the way.
He is the truth.
He is the life.
Actually, the grammar suggests He is saying, “I am the way because I am the truth and because I am the life.”
Ancient Jewish literature refers to the “way(s) of truth” as a life lived according to God’s law (e.g. Ps. 119:30). Early Christ-followers were said to be followers of “The Way.”
In the Old Testament, what was the way? The law.
He leaves little doubt about His exclusive claims in the next verse by saying He is the only way to the Father. Furthermore, if we know Jesus, we know the Father (see Acts 4:12).
These claims are staggering, and ultimately get Him crucified. Once again Jesus says, “I am God. I am not merely a good teacher or prophet or miracle worker. I am God.”
In our spiritual culture today, conventional wisdom says that all roads lead to God. This really makes no logical sense, but it makes people feel good and avoids making anyone uncomfortable. If I disagree with you about something—even respectfully and with love—I’m quickly labeled intolerant and hateful. But think about this for a moment: what if I said that I believed my pathway to God was going in the back yard and digging a hole because I believed God was in the middle of the earth. Would you encourage me? What if I said I was waiting for Winnie the Pooh to come to my house and drive me to heaven in his Pooh-mobile? What if I said God told me the way to eternal life could only come by chopping down every tree in Ann Arbor and offering it as a burnt offering?
You would probably say I’m delusional. I’m not saying that followers of other religions are delusional, but I am saying that this notion that all roads lead to God is illogical. Most people of faith believe their way is the way, despite the messages of the media that you only need to be sincere. But what if you are sincerely wrong?
Jesus makes some radical claims in these three statements. He doesn’t say He’s a way to get to God like we would say I-94 is one way to get to Lansing (you could take I-96 or Grand River Avenue or others). He doesn’t say He’s a way to get to God like we would say you could take a car to Lansing…or a truck or train or helicopter or bicycle. He says He is the way like there is one way to enter a bird house or one way to buy gas at Sam’s Club (plastic; they don’t take cash or checks!) or one way to eat Oreos—dipping them first in milk (ha!). Like a computer password, there is only one correct response.
With all due respect to people of other faiths, only Jesus claimed to be God. Only Jesus died for you. Only Jesus offers grace. Only Jesus lived a perfect life. Only Jesus…
He is unique. He is greater. He is God. If there is any doubt, look at the following verses.
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” (8)
Thomas and Peter aren’t the only ones who are clueless. Philip doesn’t understand, either.
Moses asked to see the Father’s glory (Ex. 33:18). Isaiah was given a vision of “the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted” (Isaiah 6:1) before announcing that the glory of the Lord would be revealed through the Messiah (40:5).
Here Jesus is exasperated. How clueless can he be?!
Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. (9-11)
Again Jesus says that He is God, one-third of the Trinity, one God in three Persons, Father, Son and Spirit.
Jesus never makes a decision based upon His preferences or conventional wisdom, but rather the will of the Father.
Now we come to one of the most fascinating and misunderstood passages in the Bible.
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (12)
What has Jesus been doing?
Raising the dead, healing the sick, forgiving sins.
What does this say? If we have faith in Jesus, we will do what He has been doing…and even greater things. Wow! These are still works of Jesus, though. Following Jesus’ death on the cross, the power of death is defeated and new possibilities exist. The eleven disciples and others will succeed Jesus on earth, doing the work of the Father. Jesus’ works were evidence that the Father was at work in Him, and the disciples are about to receive the baton.
For example, after Jesus ascended to the Father, Peter preached to 3000 converts in one day. Jesus never did that! As we will see in future weeks, Jesus left the Holy Spirit whose presence is global rather than local.
The greatest miracle is not the blind seeing or water turned into wine, but dead people—spiritually dead people—coming to life. Jesus tells His friends that they will be empowered for ministry and missionary work around the globe.
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (13-14)
Jesus says He will do whatever is asked in His name. Does that mean we can ask to win the lottery and then add “in Jesus’ Name” and wait for the checks to arrive in the mail? Hardly, though many that follow “name it and claim theology” wrongfully teach God wants us to be rich and in perfect health, a complete insult to the life of Christ Himself who was the suffering servant.
Imagine that I worked for the IRS, I sent you a bill, and you wrote a check to the IRS and sent it to me. Is it my check? Can I cash it? Of course not. It’s not about me but about the IRS.
In the same way we are to pray in Jesus’ Name. We are to seek His will. We are to ask for things that honor and glorify God, and when we do, it will surely be. Anything we ask for in His Name and according to His will Jesus will do. It’s a promise!
Conclusion
In the words of NT Wright,
“Don’t come with a set, fixed idea of who God is, and try to fit Jesus into that. Look at Jesus, the Jesus who wept at the tomb of his friend, the Jesus who washed his followers’ feet, and you’ll see who is the true God. That was Jesus’ answer to Philip. It is His answer to the natural questions that arise i people’s minds today. Only when his followers are themselves continuing to do what Jesus did may they be believed when they speak the earth-shattering truth that he spoke.”
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
Who are you? How do you introduce yourself?
We commonly ask people, “What do you…do?” Our occupation is very important, be it an engineer, a student, a barista, or a teacher. Much of life involves work, but it does not define who we are—or it shouldn’t.
Who are you?
We’re in the middle of a series studying the Gospel of John, a biography of Jesus written by one of His best friends, John.
Last Sunday in John 13 we saw Jesus begin His farewell address to His eleven disciples following Judas Iscariot’s departure. This extensive scene continues in chapter fourteen.
Here we will continue to see who Jesus is as described by John.
Who is Jesus?
Earlier this year, Pastor Judah Smith wrote a book called Jesus is ______. The companion website, www.Jesus-Is.org has some interesting submissions taken from visitors to the site.
John has used several words to describe Jesus thus far. Jesus is…
- the bread of life (6:35-51)
- the light of the world (8:12)
- the I am (8:58)
- the gate (10:7, 9)
- the good shepherd (10:11,14)
- the resurrection and the life (11:25)
In today’s passage we will see at least three more words that Jesus uses to describe Himself.
I must warn you, though. We will examine what is probably the most offensive and controversial verse in the entire Bible.
The Scene: This is a continuation of last week’s passage, dubbed a farewell.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” (14:1-4)
Why were their hearts troubled? He was leaving! This is a continuation of last week’s passage dubbed a farewell. Their reaction is understandable! Like many farewells discourses, there is encouragement to not be afraid.
Jesus is preparing them for His departure while assuring them of His return. There’s a tremendous difference between “goodbye” and “see you later.” A departure is even easier to accept when there is a purpose behind it, a purpose which will benefit those left behind.
What is His Father’s house? How do we get to the Father’s house? Thomas doesn’t know, either!
Jesus used the expression of “his father’s house” once before in Luke 2:49 in reference to the Temple. The Temple was the place where earth and heaven met. Here we see Him talking about a new city, a new house. When God renews the whole world, heaven and earth will meet again.
The King James translation says “mansions.” Some have described “rooms” as “suites,” places where Jesus lives which are the places He desires for us to enter. “Dwelling places” is a good translation. Heaven is awaiting our arrival.
It was common in the day for a groom to build an addition onto his father’s house and use it for the home of him and his bride. Jesus says He is doing the same, preparing a place in His Father’s house for His Bride, the Church, the fellowship of believers.
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (5)
Get ready. Jesus is about to deliver what I believe is the most offensive, politically-incorrect message that has ever been made.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (6-7)
You don’t have to like it or believe it, but this is what Jesus said. This is His answer to the question, “Who are you?” If you deny it, you deny Him.
Jesus makes three statements in one sentence:
He is the way.
He is the truth.
He is the life.
Actually, the grammar suggests He is saying, “I am the way because I am the truth and because I am the life.”
Ancient Jewish literature refers to the “way(s) of truth” as a life lived according to God’s law (e.g. Ps. 119:30). Early Christ-followers were said to be followers of “The Way.”
In the Old Testament, what was the way? The law.
He leaves little doubt about His exclusive claims in the next verse by saying He is the only way to the Father. Furthermore, if we know Jesus, we know the Father (see Acts 4:12).
These claims are staggering, and ultimately get Him crucified. Once again Jesus says, “I am God. I am not merely a good teacher or prophet or miracle worker. I am God.”
In our spiritual culture today, conventional wisdom says that all roads lead to God. This really makes no logical sense, but it makes people feel good and avoids making anyone uncomfortable. If I disagree with you about something—even respectfully and with love—I’m quickly labeled intolerant and hateful. But think about this for a moment: what if I said that I believed my pathway to God was going in the back yard and digging a hole because I believed God was in the middle of the earth. Would you encourage me? What if I said I was waiting for Winnie the Pooh to come to my house and drive me to heaven in his Pooh-mobile? What if I said God told me the way to eternal life could only come by chopping down every tree in Ann Arbor and offering it as a burnt offering?
You would probably say I’m delusional. I’m not saying that followers of other religions are delusional, but I am saying that this notion that all roads lead to God is illogical. Most people of faith believe their way is the way, despite the messages of the media that you only need to be sincere. But what if you are sincerely wrong?
Jesus makes some radical claims in these three statements. He doesn’t say He’s a way to get to God like we would say I-94 is one way to get to Lansing (you could take I-96 or Grand River Avenue or others). He doesn’t say He’s a way to get to God like we would say you could take a car to Lansing…or a truck or train or helicopter or bicycle. He says He is the way like there is one way to enter a bird house or one way to buy gas at Sam’s Club (plastic; they don’t take cash or checks!) or one way to eat Oreos—dipping them first in milk (ha!). Like a computer password, there is only one correct response.
With all due respect to people of other faiths, only Jesus claimed to be God. Only Jesus died for you. Only Jesus offers grace. Only Jesus lived a perfect life. Only Jesus…
He is unique. He is greater. He is God. If there is any doubt, look at the following verses.
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” (8)
Thomas and Peter aren’t the only ones who are clueless. Philip doesn’t understand, either.
Moses asked to see the Father’s glory (Ex. 33:18). Isaiah was given a vision of “the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted” (Isaiah 6:1) before announcing that the glory of the Lord would be revealed through the Messiah (40:5).
Here Jesus is exasperated. How clueless can he be?!
Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. (9-11)
Again Jesus says that He is God, one-third of the Trinity, one God in three Persons, Father, Son and Spirit.
Jesus never makes a decision based upon His preferences or conventional wisdom, but rather the will of the Father.
Now we come to one of the most fascinating and misunderstood passages in the Bible.
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (12)
What has Jesus been doing?
Raising the dead, healing the sick, forgiving sins.
What does this say? If we have faith in Jesus, we will do what He has been doing…and even greater things. Wow! These are still works of Jesus, though. Following Jesus’ death on the cross, the power of death is defeated and new possibilities exist. The eleven disciples and others will succeed Jesus on earth, doing the work of the Father. Jesus’ works were evidence that the Father was at work in Him, and the disciples are about to receive the baton.
For example, after Jesus ascended to the Father, Peter preached to 3000 converts in one day. Jesus never did that! As we will see in future weeks, Jesus left the Holy Spirit whose presence is global rather than local.
The greatest miracle is not the blind seeing or water turned into wine, but dead people—spiritually dead people—coming to life. Jesus tells His friends that they will be empowered for ministry and missionary work around the globe.
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (13-14)
Jesus says He will do whatever is asked in His name. Does that mean we can ask to win the lottery and then add “in Jesus’ Name” and wait for the checks to arrive in the mail? Hardly, though many that follow “name it and claim theology” wrongfully teach God wants us to be rich and in perfect health, a complete insult to the life of Christ Himself who was the suffering servant.
Imagine that I worked for the IRS, I sent you a bill, and you wrote a check to the IRS and sent it to me. Is it my check? Can I cash it? Of course not. It’s not about me but about the IRS.
In the same way we are to pray in Jesus’ Name. We are to seek His will. We are to ask for things that honor and glorify God, and when we do, it will surely be. Anything we ask for in His Name and according to His will Jesus will do. It’s a promise!
Conclusion
In the words of NT Wright,
“Don’t come with a set, fixed idea of who God is, and try to fit Jesus into that. Look at Jesus, the Jesus who wept at the tomb of his friend, the Jesus who washed his followers’ feet, and you’ll see who is the true God. That was Jesus’ answer to Philip. It is His answer to the natural questions that arise i people’s minds today. Only when his followers are themselves continuing to do what Jesus did may they be believed when they speak the earth-shattering truth that he spoke.”
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Love One Another, John 13:18-38, 12 May 2013
13 05 13
Big Idea: Love one another!
Introduction
We’re in the middle of a series studying the Gospel of John, a biography of Jesus written by one of His best friends, John.
After twelve chapters chronicling the public ministry of Jesus, we began chapter thirteen last Sunday, the events leading up to the cross.
We saw Jesus in the Upper Room washing the feet of His disciples, demonstrating what it means to truly serve. In addition to audacious Peter, Judas Iscariot was both present and a recipient of Jesus’ love and service.
Jesus is in the midst of a tradition known as a farewell. It became a literary genre. We have the farewells of Moses, Solomon, and many others, either actual or possible.
All Jewish farewells had four parts:
Our culture does not usually contain farewells. I have experienced two, both from Alzheimer’s victims (my dad and Darrell Prichard).
If you had a week to live, what would you tell your family and friends? Would you talk about the new Leonard DiCaprio movie or the next iPhone?
Jesus knows He’s about to die, and though He wants to avoid the agony of it, He faces death itself with confidence, knowing it is the Father’s will.
Jesus has washed the feet of the disciples, perhaps the most humbling act possible, and now they engage in the traditional Passover meal. Verse 18 begins by Jesus saying
“I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: ‘He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.’ (18)
He quotes Psalm 41:9, referring to Judas Iscariot. It’s incredible to imagine Jesus washing the feet of the one who will betray Him moments later.
“I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He. I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.” (19-20)
After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me.” (21)
His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.” (22-24)
Nobody had a clue as to who it would be.
Who is the disciple that Jesus loved? John, almost certainly.
Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” (25)
Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. (26-27a)
This is Judas’ last chance, though He knew what Judas would do.
J. Vernon McGee says that God ratifies human decisions. We choose and God seconds the motion.
“What you are about to do, do quickly,” Jesus told him, but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night. (27b-30)
Do it quickly. The religious leaders didn’t want to crucify Jesus during the feast.
The disciples were clueless (again!). It was night, devil’s night. Judas leaves.
Night was both a description and a symbol that the end of Jesus’ life is coming. The grand farewell begins at verse 31.
When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. (31-32)
Jesus is preparing to be glorified in His death…and resurrection.
“My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. (33)
Why does He call them children? This is the only time John uses this Greek word, teknion, an endearing term used between parents and their children. It’s an intimate expression.
He’s about to leave them.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (34-35)
What’s new about it?
Leviticus 19 says to love your neighbor as yourself, something Jesus often quoted. This love is more descriptive—a dramatic, sacrificing love as He demonstrated. “As I have loved you.”
Jesus is concerned that His followers would love one another. This is His command.
What is the hallmark of followers of Jesus? Our theology? Our church attendance? Bible-reading? Mission trips? Charitable donations? The world will know we follow Jesus if we love one another.
Tertullian, a Roman historian who lived in the late second to early third centuries (AD 155-220), wrote that even those who opposed Christianity knew that the mutual love of those who followed Christ was unique. “Our care for the derelict and our active love have become our distinctive sign before the enemy … See, they say, how they love one another and how ready they are to die for each other.” (Apology 39)
We have failed and the world has noticed.
This clearly impacted John, who later wrote
We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 John 4:19)
Dr. Gary Burge has observed three things about the love Jesus describes.
Love is connected to obedience. It’s not merely a feeling but an action. (14:31)
Love is about sacrifice. Feet washing and the crucifixion are two examples. (15:31)
We know John 3:16. but 1 John 3:16 is also notable.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? (1 John 3:16-17)
Love is connected to witness. Our greatest testimony is not our words but our life together. (15:35)
You can’t force yourself to love someone. We can’t just try harder to love an lovable person. Instead we need divine intervention. We love because He first loved us. Only by knowing God and experiencing His love can we become like Jesus and love others.
Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” (36a)
Children ask this frequently? Where are you going? Can I come with you?
Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” (36b)
Where is Jesus going? He is going to die.
Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” (37)
He doesn’t want to wait. He wants to be with Jesus.
Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! (38)
Conclusion
I pray that we would be known by our love for one another.
Credits
Some ideas taken from Dr. Gary Burge, Willow Creek Midweek podcast, 4/12/12
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
We’re in the middle of a series studying the Gospel of John, a biography of Jesus written by one of His best friends, John.
After twelve chapters chronicling the public ministry of Jesus, we began chapter thirteen last Sunday, the events leading up to the cross.
We saw Jesus in the Upper Room washing the feet of His disciples, demonstrating what it means to truly serve. In addition to audacious Peter, Judas Iscariot was both present and a recipient of Jesus’ love and service.
Jesus is in the midst of a tradition known as a farewell. It became a literary genre. We have the farewells of Moses, Solomon, and many others, either actual or possible.
All Jewish farewells had four parts:
- A plea to obedience (Deut. 32:46)
- A plea to study the Word of God
- A promise that God’s Spirit will remain (Deut. 34)
- A promise/blessing of comfort (Deut. 33)
Our culture does not usually contain farewells. I have experienced two, both from Alzheimer’s victims (my dad and Darrell Prichard).
If you had a week to live, what would you tell your family and friends? Would you talk about the new Leonard DiCaprio movie or the next iPhone?
Jesus knows He’s about to die, and though He wants to avoid the agony of it, He faces death itself with confidence, knowing it is the Father’s will.
Jesus has washed the feet of the disciples, perhaps the most humbling act possible, and now they engage in the traditional Passover meal. Verse 18 begins by Jesus saying
“I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: ‘He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.’ (18)
He quotes Psalm 41:9, referring to Judas Iscariot. It’s incredible to imagine Jesus washing the feet of the one who will betray Him moments later.
“I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He. I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.” (19-20)
After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me.” (21)
His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.” (22-24)
Nobody had a clue as to who it would be.
Who is the disciple that Jesus loved? John, almost certainly.
Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” (25)
Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. (26-27a)
This is Judas’ last chance, though He knew what Judas would do.
J. Vernon McGee says that God ratifies human decisions. We choose and God seconds the motion.
“What you are about to do, do quickly,” Jesus told him, but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night. (27b-30)
Do it quickly. The religious leaders didn’t want to crucify Jesus during the feast.
The disciples were clueless (again!). It was night, devil’s night. Judas leaves.
Night was both a description and a symbol that the end of Jesus’ life is coming. The grand farewell begins at verse 31.
When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. (31-32)
Jesus is preparing to be glorified in His death…and resurrection.
“My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. (33)
Why does He call them children? This is the only time John uses this Greek word, teknion, an endearing term used between parents and their children. It’s an intimate expression.
He’s about to leave them.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (34-35)
What’s new about it?
Leviticus 19 says to love your neighbor as yourself, something Jesus often quoted. This love is more descriptive—a dramatic, sacrificing love as He demonstrated. “As I have loved you.”
Jesus is concerned that His followers would love one another. This is His command.
What is the hallmark of followers of Jesus? Our theology? Our church attendance? Bible-reading? Mission trips? Charitable donations? The world will know we follow Jesus if we love one another.
Tertullian, a Roman historian who lived in the late second to early third centuries (AD 155-220), wrote that even those who opposed Christianity knew that the mutual love of those who followed Christ was unique. “Our care for the derelict and our active love have become our distinctive sign before the enemy … See, they say, how they love one another and how ready they are to die for each other.” (Apology 39)
We have failed and the world has noticed.
This clearly impacted John, who later wrote
We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 John 4:19)
Dr. Gary Burge has observed three things about the love Jesus describes.
Love is connected to obedience. It’s not merely a feeling but an action. (14:31)
Love is about sacrifice. Feet washing and the crucifixion are two examples. (15:31)
We know John 3:16. but 1 John 3:16 is also notable.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? (1 John 3:16-17)
Love is connected to witness. Our greatest testimony is not our words but our life together. (15:35)
You can’t force yourself to love someone. We can’t just try harder to love an lovable person. Instead we need divine intervention. We love because He first loved us. Only by knowing God and experiencing His love can we become like Jesus and love others.
Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” (36a)
Children ask this frequently? Where are you going? Can I come with you?
Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” (36b)
Where is Jesus going? He is going to die.
Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” (37)
He doesn’t want to wait. He wants to be with Jesus.
Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! (38)
Conclusion
I pray that we would be known by our love for one another.
Credits
Some ideas taken from Dr. Gary Burge, Willow Creek Midweek podcast, 4/12/12
You can listen to the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Serving, John 13:1-17, 5 May 2013
06 05 13
Big Idea: We are to serve others as Jesus has served us.
Introduction
We’re in the middle of a series studying the Gospel of John, a biography of Jesus written by one of His best friends, John.
The first twelve chapters have presented Jesus’ public ministry and miracles, what some call the Book of Signs. Now everything shifts toward the cross and what follows.
The second half of the Gospel—or “good news”—is sometimes referred to as the Book of Glory.
Jesus gave four major discourses
Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount
Matthew 13, the Mystery Parable discourse
Matthew 24-25, the Olivet discourse
Now we come to the Upper Room discourse that covers John 13-17. It is the longest of the four.
It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. (13:1)
He knows He’s about to die. He prepares His final words to His followers.
If you knew one of your best friends was going to betray you, leading to the electric chair, what would you say or do?
The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. (13:2-5)
Jesus’ decision to wash his disciples’ feet flows from His assurance of His relationship with God (13:3). He knows both his origins and his destiny and, therefore, the authority He was given.
These four verses are actually one long sentence. He knows Judas is going to betray Him and He responds by washing the feet of His disciples. This is what He does on the cross—He washes and cleanses His enemies.
Some believe Jesus is washing feet today.
He set aside His robe and took a linen cloth. He takes on the role of a servant.
Feet Washing
This was a common practice in the day. Upon entering a home, either the slaves would do it for the guests or the basin would be provided for guests to wash their own feet. Servants did not wash the feet of others, only slaves. It was the lowest task in the society. Many Jews required Gentile slaves to wash feet rather than a Jewish slave. Rarely did a non-slave wash feet, but then always a servant or disciple washing their master’s feet.
Jesus not only washed the feet of His disciples, He knowingly washed the feet of His enemy, Judas Iscariot.
Prior to this account, the disciples were fighting about who was the greatest among them, a scene described in the other “synoptic” Gospels.
When we encounter others, do we pursue status or service?
Peter
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” (6)
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” (7)
“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” (8)
Jesus tells Peter He will have no fellowship with him. One of the primary gifts of the covenant dating back to Abraham is life with Jesus, life with God. Feet washing is not merely a gesture of fellowship. It is only the death of Jesus (and its acceptance by the believer) that brings eternal life.
Today we are cleansed by the Word of God.
If we are to have fellowship with Jesus, He must cleanse us.
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” (9)
Only Peter would have the audacity to say this!
Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. (10-11)
Jesus’ cleansing work—feet twashing, symbolizing spiritual cleansing on the cross—is complete in itself. Peter does not need more.
“A person who has a bath needs only to wash feet; his whole body is clean” may be a secondary exhortation underscoring the importance of a believer’s baptism. We are washed completely at baptism but as our feet gather dirt and sin we need to frequently wash them. We need to be purified along the pilgrim pathway. We get dirty on our life journey.
As John will later write,
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
The account continues…
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. (12-17)
“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
Although it is not so in the tradition of our tribe, the Christian & Missionary Alliance, there are other denominations and prominent church leaders that have considered feet washing an ordinance alongside baptism and communion. My ordination is through such a group, the Churches of God, General Conference. When I first heard feet washing had such significance, I was skeptical. After all, Jesus didn’t really mean for us to actually wash feet, right?
But what did He say?
“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
Feet washing is obviously not a recognized cultural expression as it was when people walked everywhere—in sandals. Theological, Leonard Sweet, has said that a modern-day equivalent might be shoe shines!
Regardless of the manner in which one serves, the point is clear: serve! Jesus reversed the cultural norms, the King of kings stooping down to serve His sinful subjects.
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
Are you a servant?
Husbands, how do you serve your wife?
Wives, how do you serve your husband?
Students, how do you serve your parents?
Singles, how do you serve your friends and co-workers? Your boss?
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
It’s not about whether or not someone deserves it or not. Love your enemies. Serve your enemies. Pray prayers of blessing on them.
No love is deserved. Eventually everyone will wrong you...and you will wrong them, too.
What if you made it a private game to out-serve those around you?
What if we did as a Scio family? How can we reach out to the poor, the widow, the orphan? Maybe it means becoming a foster parent. Perhaps it means volunteering at Hope Clinic. It might involve devoting more of your finances to those less fortunate.
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
It will involve sacrifice.
If you are at all like me, you think, “I’ll serve when it’s convenient, when I have extra time or energy. I’ll serve when I feel like it, when I feel good about it, when I get appreciated, and when it’s convenient to do so.”
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
Conclusion
Jesus’ love and service for us transform and empower us. Without His love, we cannot love others. Without His example of servanthood, we cannot serve others. We love because He first loved us.
You can listen to the podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
We’re in the middle of a series studying the Gospel of John, a biography of Jesus written by one of His best friends, John.
The first twelve chapters have presented Jesus’ public ministry and miracles, what some call the Book of Signs. Now everything shifts toward the cross and what follows.
The second half of the Gospel—or “good news”—is sometimes referred to as the Book of Glory.
Jesus gave four major discourses
Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount
Matthew 13, the Mystery Parable discourse
Matthew 24-25, the Olivet discourse
Now we come to the Upper Room discourse that covers John 13-17. It is the longest of the four.
It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. (13:1)
He knows He’s about to die. He prepares His final words to His followers.
If you knew one of your best friends was going to betray you, leading to the electric chair, what would you say or do?
The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. (13:2-5)
Jesus’ decision to wash his disciples’ feet flows from His assurance of His relationship with God (13:3). He knows both his origins and his destiny and, therefore, the authority He was given.
These four verses are actually one long sentence. He knows Judas is going to betray Him and He responds by washing the feet of His disciples. This is what He does on the cross—He washes and cleanses His enemies.
Some believe Jesus is washing feet today.
He set aside His robe and took a linen cloth. He takes on the role of a servant.
Feet Washing
This was a common practice in the day. Upon entering a home, either the slaves would do it for the guests or the basin would be provided for guests to wash their own feet. Servants did not wash the feet of others, only slaves. It was the lowest task in the society. Many Jews required Gentile slaves to wash feet rather than a Jewish slave. Rarely did a non-slave wash feet, but then always a servant or disciple washing their master’s feet.
Jesus not only washed the feet of His disciples, He knowingly washed the feet of His enemy, Judas Iscariot.
Prior to this account, the disciples were fighting about who was the greatest among them, a scene described in the other “synoptic” Gospels.
When we encounter others, do we pursue status or service?
Peter
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” (6)
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” (7)
“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” (8)
Jesus tells Peter He will have no fellowship with him. One of the primary gifts of the covenant dating back to Abraham is life with Jesus, life with God. Feet washing is not merely a gesture of fellowship. It is only the death of Jesus (and its acceptance by the believer) that brings eternal life.
Today we are cleansed by the Word of God.
If we are to have fellowship with Jesus, He must cleanse us.
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” (9)
Only Peter would have the audacity to say this!
Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. (10-11)
Jesus’ cleansing work—feet twashing, symbolizing spiritual cleansing on the cross—is complete in itself. Peter does not need more.
“A person who has a bath needs only to wash feet; his whole body is clean” may be a secondary exhortation underscoring the importance of a believer’s baptism. We are washed completely at baptism but as our feet gather dirt and sin we need to frequently wash them. We need to be purified along the pilgrim pathway. We get dirty on our life journey.
As John will later write,
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
The account continues…
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. (12-17)
“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
Although it is not so in the tradition of our tribe, the Christian & Missionary Alliance, there are other denominations and prominent church leaders that have considered feet washing an ordinance alongside baptism and communion. My ordination is through such a group, the Churches of God, General Conference. When I first heard feet washing had such significance, I was skeptical. After all, Jesus didn’t really mean for us to actually wash feet, right?
But what did He say?
“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
Feet washing is obviously not a recognized cultural expression as it was when people walked everywhere—in sandals. Theological, Leonard Sweet, has said that a modern-day equivalent might be shoe shines!
Regardless of the manner in which one serves, the point is clear: serve! Jesus reversed the cultural norms, the King of kings stooping down to serve His sinful subjects.
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
Are you a servant?
Husbands, how do you serve your wife?
Wives, how do you serve your husband?
Students, how do you serve your parents?
Singles, how do you serve your friends and co-workers? Your boss?
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
It’s not about whether or not someone deserves it or not. Love your enemies. Serve your enemies. Pray prayers of blessing on them.
No love is deserved. Eventually everyone will wrong you...and you will wrong them, too.
What if you made it a private game to out-serve those around you?
What if we did as a Scio family? How can we reach out to the poor, the widow, the orphan? Maybe it means becoming a foster parent. Perhaps it means volunteering at Hope Clinic. It might involve devoting more of your finances to those less fortunate.
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
It will involve sacrifice.
If you are at all like me, you think, “I’ll serve when it’s convenient, when I have extra time or energy. I’ll serve when I feel like it, when I feel good about it, when I get appreciated, and when it’s convenient to do so.”
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
Conclusion
Jesus’ love and service for us transform and empower us. Without His love, we cannot love others. Without His example of servanthood, we cannot serve others. We love because He first loved us.
You can listen to the podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Praise (God!) John 12:37-50, 28 April 2013
29 04 13
Big Idea: Do you seek the praise of God or the praise of people?
Introduction
We’re in the middle of a series studying the Gospel of John, a biography of Jesus written by one of His best friends, John.
Before we begin, I want to remind you of the context. We are going back to before the crucifixion where Jesus has just raised Lazarus from the dead.
Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (37-38)
Centuries earlier the prophet Isaiah said the Messiah’s signs would not lead everyone to faith. Contrary to what some people say, experiencing a miracle or even Jesus in the flesh does not guarantee faith.
Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? (Isaiah 53:1)
For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: “He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn — and I would heal them.” Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him. (39-40)
It’s possible for a man to wake up and say he won’t see by keeping their eyes closed.
Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” (Isaiah 6:10)
Faith is a gift from God, yet not all believe. Moses did multiple miracles in front of Pharaoh, a man who refused to believe. John told us in his first chapter (1:11) that Jesus’ own people would not receive Him. How is this possible? God’s sovereignty (in control) and human responsibility are held together consistently throughout John’s Gospel.
Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God. (42-43)
This is one of the most sobering passages in the Bible. People believed in Jesus. In fact, there were leaders that believed in Jesus. They knew He was the real deal. Whether it was His teaching or miracles or lifestyle, they believed in Him.
But!
“But” must be one of the most tragic words in the English language.
“I like you and all but…”
“They were going to, but…”
“I’d love to come…but…”
“They were winning the game, but…”
What kept these leaders from following Jesus? Fear!
They were afraid of the Pharisees. They feared expulsion from the Synagogue (see 9:22). They were afraid of offending others, though they didn’t fear offending Jesus.
How do we offend Jesus? It all goes back to the first two commandments, you know, God’s top ten list.
You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:3-6)
What is your god? For these leaders, it was the praise of men rather than the praise of God. Your god is what you seek.
I doubt you worship a statue. You probably don’t say prayers to the stars. It’s very tempting to please men—or even please yourself.
In David Platt’s book Radical, he notes
I could not help but think that somewhere along the way we had missed what is radical about our faith and replaced it with what is comfortable. We were settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves.
Whether it is approval addiction or self-absorption, the essence of faith is total surrender. As we said last week, we need to empty ourselves before the Holy Spirit can fill us. We need to die to ourselves in order for Christ to live in us.
“…they loved praise from men more than praise from God.” The Greek word here for “praise” could also mean “glory” or “reputation” or honor.” Doesn’t that describe us? I know that describes me. I don’t want to look like a fool. I want to keep my reputation intact. I don’t want to offend anyone or be controversial so I blend in. I make those around me comfortable…in order for me to be comfortable.
Jesus does not want secret followers. In fact, secret follower is likely an oxymoron! Jesus says choose: light or darkness, Jesus or the world/yourself, open-handed surrender or control
Don’t forget this promise from last week:
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. (John 12:26)
That’s how we get the praise of God…by serving and following Jesus.
Personal faith does not mean it is to remain private. We must go public and let our words and actions show others Jesus…and the Father.
Then Jesus cried out, “When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. (44-46)
Jesus cried out. There’s great emotion there. He is passionate about His relationship to the Father. He is the light.
“As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” (47-50)
It’s not enough to hear the Word. We must do what it says (Matthew 7:24-27; James 2:14-26)
The passage ends with a note about Jesus’ teaching, something we’ll pick up on next week in chapter thirteen.
Conclusion
My prayer for Scio is that we would be radical. We would glorify God on Sunday…and the rest of the week. We would b.l.e.s.s. those around us, getting beyond the safe, comfortable and convenient to really caring about the lost, the broken, the abandoned, the bullied, the outcast. We would not consider our time together as the end of our spiritual formation but rather the beginning of a week pursuing Jesus in order to become His beautiful Bride.
It begins with me. It begins with you.
We are blessed to know the Truth and be able to share it with others. Some will accept while others will reject it. It was true 2000 years ago and it’s true today. If we refuse to believe, the light disappears, and our nation seems to get darker as an increasing number of people reject faith in Christ.
Those who refuse to believe will experience judgment. Faith has eternal consequences.
Fear…or faith? The praise of people…or the praise of people?
You can listen to the podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
We’re in the middle of a series studying the Gospel of John, a biography of Jesus written by one of His best friends, John.
Before we begin, I want to remind you of the context. We are going back to before the crucifixion where Jesus has just raised Lazarus from the dead.
Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (37-38)
Centuries earlier the prophet Isaiah said the Messiah’s signs would not lead everyone to faith. Contrary to what some people say, experiencing a miracle or even Jesus in the flesh does not guarantee faith.
Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? (Isaiah 53:1)
For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: “He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn — and I would heal them.” Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him. (39-40)
It’s possible for a man to wake up and say he won’t see by keeping their eyes closed.
Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” (Isaiah 6:10)
Faith is a gift from God, yet not all believe. Moses did multiple miracles in front of Pharaoh, a man who refused to believe. John told us in his first chapter (1:11) that Jesus’ own people would not receive Him. How is this possible? God’s sovereignty (in control) and human responsibility are held together consistently throughout John’s Gospel.
Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God. (42-43)
This is one of the most sobering passages in the Bible. People believed in Jesus. In fact, there were leaders that believed in Jesus. They knew He was the real deal. Whether it was His teaching or miracles or lifestyle, they believed in Him.
But!
“But” must be one of the most tragic words in the English language.
“I like you and all but…”
“They were going to, but…”
“I’d love to come…but…”
“They were winning the game, but…”
What kept these leaders from following Jesus? Fear!
They were afraid of the Pharisees. They feared expulsion from the Synagogue (see 9:22). They were afraid of offending others, though they didn’t fear offending Jesus.
How do we offend Jesus? It all goes back to the first two commandments, you know, God’s top ten list.
You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:3-6)
What is your god? For these leaders, it was the praise of men rather than the praise of God. Your god is what you seek.
I doubt you worship a statue. You probably don’t say prayers to the stars. It’s very tempting to please men—or even please yourself.
In David Platt’s book Radical, he notes
I could not help but think that somewhere along the way we had missed what is radical about our faith and replaced it with what is comfortable. We were settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves.
Whether it is approval addiction or self-absorption, the essence of faith is total surrender. As we said last week, we need to empty ourselves before the Holy Spirit can fill us. We need to die to ourselves in order for Christ to live in us.
“…they loved praise from men more than praise from God.” The Greek word here for “praise” could also mean “glory” or “reputation” or honor.” Doesn’t that describe us? I know that describes me. I don’t want to look like a fool. I want to keep my reputation intact. I don’t want to offend anyone or be controversial so I blend in. I make those around me comfortable…in order for me to be comfortable.
Jesus does not want secret followers. In fact, secret follower is likely an oxymoron! Jesus says choose: light or darkness, Jesus or the world/yourself, open-handed surrender or control
Don’t forget this promise from last week:
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. (John 12:26)
That’s how we get the praise of God…by serving and following Jesus.
Personal faith does not mean it is to remain private. We must go public and let our words and actions show others Jesus…and the Father.
Then Jesus cried out, “When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. (44-46)
Jesus cried out. There’s great emotion there. He is passionate about His relationship to the Father. He is the light.
“As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” (47-50)
It’s not enough to hear the Word. We must do what it says (Matthew 7:24-27; James 2:14-26)
The passage ends with a note about Jesus’ teaching, something we’ll pick up on next week in chapter thirteen.
Conclusion
My prayer for Scio is that we would be radical. We would glorify God on Sunday…and the rest of the week. We would b.l.e.s.s. those around us, getting beyond the safe, comfortable and convenient to really caring about the lost, the broken, the abandoned, the bullied, the outcast. We would not consider our time together as the end of our spiritual formation but rather the beginning of a week pursuing Jesus in order to become His beautiful Bride.
It begins with me. It begins with you.
We are blessed to know the Truth and be able to share it with others. Some will accept while others will reject it. It was true 2000 years ago and it’s true today. If we refuse to believe, the light disappears, and our nation seems to get darker as an increasing number of people reject faith in Christ.
Those who refuse to believe will experience judgment. Faith has eternal consequences.
Fear…or faith? The praise of people…or the praise of people?
You can listen to the podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
It's Time! John 12:20-36, 21 April 2013
22 04 13
Big Idea: Do people see Jesus in you?
Introduction
We’re in the middle of a series studying the Gospel of John, a biography of Jesus written by one of His best friends, John.
Before we begin, I want to remind you of the context. We are going back to before the crucifixion where Jesus has just raised Lazarus from the dead.
Like a movie that has flashbacks, the next few weeks will seem like a step back in time, but keep in mind these events occur prior to Good Friday.
Palm Sunday has passed, the crowds have welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem, and now we begin at John 12:17...
Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” (12:17-19)
John 12:20-36
Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. (12:20-22)
Why would Greeks worship at the Passover feast? They may have been what we would call attendees rather than members. Most likely they were God-fearers repelled by the nationalism and requirements of Judaism, such as circumcision (can you blame them?!). They were Gentiles that had obviously heard about Jesus. Everyone in the region had heard about Jesus!
Notice their request: we would like to see Jesus.
I believe this is the cry of the human heart today. People struggle with identity. They struggle with anthropology—what it means to be human. Jesus is the ultimate example for us. He is the perfect human. He is the wisest man to ever walk the planet, the smartest man in human history, and the fullest expression of what we were created to become.
Jesus’ mission was not only to die and resurrect; it also included a demonstration of abundant life lived out for thirty three years.
It’s easy to call Jesus our Savior. Anyone faintly aware of their sin is quick to receive grace and salvation, salvation only He offers (Acts 4:12). But Jesus is more than our Savior.
He is also our Healer. We all like that, too. Who doesn’t like free health care?
Jesus is our coming King. That means He is LORD. When you serve a lord, you give up all of your rights and freedoms to become essentially a slave to your master. This quickly gets uncomfortable, doesn’t it? The good news is that He is a benevolent King, a LORD who loves us and wants our very best. He’s not out to get us and use and abuse us, but He is still King and bids us to come and die…but we’ll get there in a moment.
Jesus is also our sanctifier, meaning He wants us to be transformed and become more human—more like the ultimate Human, Jesus Himself. He wants us to be free from sin and be set apart for His purposes.
Most USAmerican Christians show little evidence in their lives that they have been separated from sin.
Most USAmerican Christians behave in ways that make it difficult to believe that they have been “set apart” for the service of God.
The people want to see Jesus. Today, people want to see Jesus. They may not say it that way. They may say they want to experience meaning and purpose, they long for a better world, they know this world is broken, and they wonder whether anyone really cares.
This past week in Boston we were reminded just how broken our world really is, and each day there are countless people searching ever more fervently for the Truth.
They struggle with issues of value, identity, and worth. They need to see a life well-lived, and no one has lived a better life than Jesus.
How can people see Jesus today? It has been said that you are the only Bible many will ever read. Jesus entrusted the Kingdom of God to us. We’re it! When people get connected to you, do they see Jesus?
If people were looking for you, what would you say? Here I am?!
Notice Jesus’ response...
Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. (12:23-26)
These people are looking for Jesus and He talks about seeds, plants, life, death, servants, and masters. Huh? Verse 32 will help us understand, but notice these stories.
These four verses are so powerful. Jesus says die…so you can live. What a paradox!
Remember, we know what follows, but His disciples are largely clueless about His talk of death.
The people are looking for Jesus, and He says if they want to see Him, they must know Him, and they know Him by dying, being planted, risking everything. In Romans 6, this picture of being planted is presented as dying with Christ in baptism and faith. Baptism is such a great image—we enter the water to die in a water grave and then we are resurrected to new life in Christ. Jesus wants everything. He wants you to die—not to harm you, but so that you may truly live.
Many times previously Jesus has said that it was not yet time. Now is the time. These are the final days before His death. It’s no wonder He continues...
“Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” (12:27-28a)
Jesus’ time has finally arrived and He is…troubled! The Word that became flesh is troubled. Does that surprise you? His soul is horrified by what He is about to face.
Notice it’s not about Him, though. It’s about glorifying the Father. Jesus sets the example for us yet again, seeking to glorify God the Father. He was willing to do whatever necessary to ensure God was glorified.
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. (12:28b-29)
Can you imagine hearing an audible voice from heaven? This wasn’t the first time (e.g. Luke 3:22; 9:35).
It’s fascinating how some thought it was thunder or an angel. What does the Word of God sound like to you?
Jesus said, “Father, glorify Your Name” and the Father said He would be glorified by the Son.
Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. (12:30-33)
The prince of this world, satan, looked like the victor on Good Friday, but it was actually his greatest defeat. Over the next few weeks as we look at the days before the cross, we’ll see satan repeatedly. If you’ve seen the film The Passion of the Christ, you surely remember the multiple times satan appears.
Jesus was lifted up on the cross and also later during His ascension into heaven.
Jesus will draw all men, Jews and Gentiles, men and women, young and old. For God so loved the whole world that He gave His Son, Jesus.
The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” (12:34)
They were expecting Messiah to overthrow the government. They never imagined the government would overthrow and crucify Him.
Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them. (12:35-36)
Throughout His ministry, Jesus was in complete control, not because He was belligerent, but rather because He was following the Father’s will and timing.
His message to the twelve is the same message to us: follow Me. Trust Me. Surrender to Me. Die so you may live. It’s time!
You can listen to the podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
We’re in the middle of a series studying the Gospel of John, a biography of Jesus written by one of His best friends, John.
Before we begin, I want to remind you of the context. We are going back to before the crucifixion where Jesus has just raised Lazarus from the dead.
Like a movie that has flashbacks, the next few weeks will seem like a step back in time, but keep in mind these events occur prior to Good Friday.
Palm Sunday has passed, the crowds have welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem, and now we begin at John 12:17...
Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” (12:17-19)
John 12:20-36
Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. (12:20-22)
Why would Greeks worship at the Passover feast? They may have been what we would call attendees rather than members. Most likely they were God-fearers repelled by the nationalism and requirements of Judaism, such as circumcision (can you blame them?!). They were Gentiles that had obviously heard about Jesus. Everyone in the region had heard about Jesus!
Notice their request: we would like to see Jesus.
I believe this is the cry of the human heart today. People struggle with identity. They struggle with anthropology—what it means to be human. Jesus is the ultimate example for us. He is the perfect human. He is the wisest man to ever walk the planet, the smartest man in human history, and the fullest expression of what we were created to become.
Jesus’ mission was not only to die and resurrect; it also included a demonstration of abundant life lived out for thirty three years.
It’s easy to call Jesus our Savior. Anyone faintly aware of their sin is quick to receive grace and salvation, salvation only He offers (Acts 4:12). But Jesus is more than our Savior.
He is also our Healer. We all like that, too. Who doesn’t like free health care?
Jesus is our coming King. That means He is LORD. When you serve a lord, you give up all of your rights and freedoms to become essentially a slave to your master. This quickly gets uncomfortable, doesn’t it? The good news is that He is a benevolent King, a LORD who loves us and wants our very best. He’s not out to get us and use and abuse us, but He is still King and bids us to come and die…but we’ll get there in a moment.
Jesus is also our sanctifier, meaning He wants us to be transformed and become more human—more like the ultimate Human, Jesus Himself. He wants us to be free from sin and be set apart for His purposes.
Most USAmerican Christians show little evidence in their lives that they have been separated from sin.
Most USAmerican Christians behave in ways that make it difficult to believe that they have been “set apart” for the service of God.
The people want to see Jesus. Today, people want to see Jesus. They may not say it that way. They may say they want to experience meaning and purpose, they long for a better world, they know this world is broken, and they wonder whether anyone really cares.
This past week in Boston we were reminded just how broken our world really is, and each day there are countless people searching ever more fervently for the Truth.
They struggle with issues of value, identity, and worth. They need to see a life well-lived, and no one has lived a better life than Jesus.
How can people see Jesus today? It has been said that you are the only Bible many will ever read. Jesus entrusted the Kingdom of God to us. We’re it! When people get connected to you, do they see Jesus?
If people were looking for you, what would you say? Here I am?!
Notice Jesus’ response...
Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. (12:23-26)
These people are looking for Jesus and He talks about seeds, plants, life, death, servants, and masters. Huh? Verse 32 will help us understand, but notice these stories.
These four verses are so powerful. Jesus says die…so you can live. What a paradox!
Remember, we know what follows, but His disciples are largely clueless about His talk of death.
The people are looking for Jesus, and He says if they want to see Him, they must know Him, and they know Him by dying, being planted, risking everything. In Romans 6, this picture of being planted is presented as dying with Christ in baptism and faith. Baptism is such a great image—we enter the water to die in a water grave and then we are resurrected to new life in Christ. Jesus wants everything. He wants you to die—not to harm you, but so that you may truly live.
Many times previously Jesus has said that it was not yet time. Now is the time. These are the final days before His death. It’s no wonder He continues...
“Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” (12:27-28a)
Jesus’ time has finally arrived and He is…troubled! The Word that became flesh is troubled. Does that surprise you? His soul is horrified by what He is about to face.
Notice it’s not about Him, though. It’s about glorifying the Father. Jesus sets the example for us yet again, seeking to glorify God the Father. He was willing to do whatever necessary to ensure God was glorified.
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. (12:28b-29)
Can you imagine hearing an audible voice from heaven? This wasn’t the first time (e.g. Luke 3:22; 9:35).
It’s fascinating how some thought it was thunder or an angel. What does the Word of God sound like to you?
Jesus said, “Father, glorify Your Name” and the Father said He would be glorified by the Son.
Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. (12:30-33)
The prince of this world, satan, looked like the victor on Good Friday, but it was actually his greatest defeat. Over the next few weeks as we look at the days before the cross, we’ll see satan repeatedly. If you’ve seen the film The Passion of the Christ, you surely remember the multiple times satan appears.
Jesus was lifted up on the cross and also later during His ascension into heaven.
Jesus will draw all men, Jews and Gentiles, men and women, young and old. For God so loved the whole world that He gave His Son, Jesus.
The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” (12:34)
They were expecting Messiah to overthrow the government. They never imagined the government would overthrow and crucify Him.
Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them. (12:35-36)
Throughout His ministry, Jesus was in complete control, not because He was belligerent, but rather because He was following the Father’s will and timing.
His message to the twelve is the same message to us: follow Me. Trust Me. Surrender to Me. Die so you may live. It’s time!
You can listen to the podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Awake My Soul, John 12:1-18, 31 March 2013
31 03 13
Big Idea: God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
Happy Resurrection Sunday! Many refer to it, appropriately, as Easter, though others find the pagan roots of the name disturbing. Whatever you call it, it’s a great day…and a great time of year. For many of you, today signifies the end of lent and you can go back to eating meat or watching TV or whatever you gave up for the season. Today signals that it’s time to be spring, whether it feels like it or not!
“Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time.” - Martin Luther
You may not know it, but today is actually the unofficial first day of spring, also known as baseball’s Opening Day (though the Tigers don’t start until tomorrow). Of course, the real celebration is that of the resurrection of Jesus. This is the Super Bowl, Academy Awards, 4th of July and New Year’s Day all wrapped up in one celebration, a celebration that comes once a year but is actually celebrated every day for followers of Christ.
We’re in the middle of a series studying the Gospel of John, a biography of Jesus written by one of His best friends, John. Last week we were in chapter 12. Today we are skipping ahead to chapter 20. The seven chapters in between tell the account of the week beginning with Palm Sunday that included the Last Supper, the crown of thorns, the crucifixion, and the resurrection. In future weeks we’ll go back to them, but following our remembrance of Christ’s death on Good Friday, we jump to the resurrection account.
Let me state up front that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, we are wasting our time—not only now but every time we gather, every moment we pray, and every minute we spend reading the Bible. The resurrection is the pivotal moment in human history, the day in which everything changed, literally.
Paul, once one of the greatest enemies of the movement of Jesus Christ, became one of His most ardent followers and said
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:17)
Put another way, if Jesus is dead, our faith is dead. Our hope is dead. Our life is dead.
But for more than 2000 years people have been searching for the dead body of Jesus and what have they discovered?
Nothing! Nada! Zip!
What a difference nothing makes!
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
John 20:1-18
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” (1-2)
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) (20:3-9)
Peter and John raced. John says he won!
No thief would’ve taken the time to fold the grave cloths!
Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. (10-12)
They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. (13-14)
“Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” (15)
Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). (16)
He knows your name, too!
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. (17-18)
I think it’s great that women are the first people that see the resurrected Jesus. He did so much to liberate women and this is no exception. They are the ones who get to tell the eleven disciples that Jesus is alive!
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
Jesus is not the only example.
Last week in John 12 we looked at the story of Jesus raising His friend Lazarus from the dead. Jesus was not the first—nor the last—person to come back from the dead. There are elements of The Walking Dead that are real!
Matthew’s biography of Jesus includes one of my favorite images in the entire Bible.
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:50-54)
Matthew’s Jewish readers would recognize this bizarre episode of the Walking Dead as similar to yet another example of God resurrecting the dead. The account is found in the Old Testament book of Ezekiel. The context is the people of Israel, an exiled nation longing to return to their homeland.
Ezekiel 37:1-14
The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “O Sovereign LORD, you alone know.” (37:1-3)
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’” (4-6)
So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. (7-8)
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet — a vast army. (9-10)
Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’” (11-14)
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead. (Isaiah 26:19)
“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people — everyone whose name is found written in the book — will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:1-3)
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
Jesus’ death and resurrection have a strong theological meaning for Matthew...and for us. God is restoring Israel, and on the back of Israel, He is restoring the nations, the Gentiles...us! Jesus’ death and resurrection were not isolated events in ancient history, but the most powerful and vivid reminder that our God is the God of salvation and restoration.
It’s easy to dismiss the resurrection of Jesus as merely an historical event. He came back from the dead, but He’s God, right?
Yes, but God has a habit of resurrecting the dead—not only Lazarus and Jesus and these dry bones, but also us today. As a pastor, I’ve had a front row seat watching God at work, resurrecting the dead. Here are a few examples:
What about you? What is dead that only God can resurrect? A relationship? Your career? Your broken body?
Don’t misunderstand me. God is not a cosmic genie waiting to obey our every command. He is, however, the author of life (Acts 3:15). He is life. As we saw a few weeks ago, Jesus said
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Did you catch that? Jesus is life—the way, the truth, the life. He is the only way to the Father. He is the only way to life.
Jesus did not die on the cross just so we could live comfortable, well-adjusted lives. His purpose is far deeper: He wants to make us like himself before he takes us to heaven. This is our greatest privilege, our immediate responsibility and our ultimate destiny. - Rick Warren
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
He wants to offer you life—eternal life…and rich, wild, and abundant life now (John 10:10). He wants to awaken your soul. He wants you to live a life of freedom, faith, hope and love. Jesus died so that you might have life!
You can listen to the podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Happy Resurrection Sunday! Many refer to it, appropriately, as Easter, though others find the pagan roots of the name disturbing. Whatever you call it, it’s a great day…and a great time of year. For many of you, today signifies the end of lent and you can go back to eating meat or watching TV or whatever you gave up for the season. Today signals that it’s time to be spring, whether it feels like it or not!
“Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time.” - Martin Luther
You may not know it, but today is actually the unofficial first day of spring, also known as baseball’s Opening Day (though the Tigers don’t start until tomorrow). Of course, the real celebration is that of the resurrection of Jesus. This is the Super Bowl, Academy Awards, 4th of July and New Year’s Day all wrapped up in one celebration, a celebration that comes once a year but is actually celebrated every day for followers of Christ.
We’re in the middle of a series studying the Gospel of John, a biography of Jesus written by one of His best friends, John. Last week we were in chapter 12. Today we are skipping ahead to chapter 20. The seven chapters in between tell the account of the week beginning with Palm Sunday that included the Last Supper, the crown of thorns, the crucifixion, and the resurrection. In future weeks we’ll go back to them, but following our remembrance of Christ’s death on Good Friday, we jump to the resurrection account.
Let me state up front that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, we are wasting our time—not only now but every time we gather, every moment we pray, and every minute we spend reading the Bible. The resurrection is the pivotal moment in human history, the day in which everything changed, literally.
Paul, once one of the greatest enemies of the movement of Jesus Christ, became one of His most ardent followers and said
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:17)
Put another way, if Jesus is dead, our faith is dead. Our hope is dead. Our life is dead.
But for more than 2000 years people have been searching for the dead body of Jesus and what have they discovered?
Nothing! Nada! Zip!
What a difference nothing makes!
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
John 20:1-18
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” (1-2)
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) (20:3-9)
Peter and John raced. John says he won!
No thief would’ve taken the time to fold the grave cloths!
Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. (10-12)
They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. (13-14)
“Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” (15)
Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). (16)
He knows your name, too!
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. (17-18)
I think it’s great that women are the first people that see the resurrected Jesus. He did so much to liberate women and this is no exception. They are the ones who get to tell the eleven disciples that Jesus is alive!
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
Jesus is not the only example.
Last week in John 12 we looked at the story of Jesus raising His friend Lazarus from the dead. Jesus was not the first—nor the last—person to come back from the dead. There are elements of The Walking Dead that are real!
Matthew’s biography of Jesus includes one of my favorite images in the entire Bible.
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:50-54)
Matthew’s Jewish readers would recognize this bizarre episode of the Walking Dead as similar to yet another example of God resurrecting the dead. The account is found in the Old Testament book of Ezekiel. The context is the people of Israel, an exiled nation longing to return to their homeland.
Ezekiel 37:1-14
The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “O Sovereign LORD, you alone know.” (37:1-3)
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’” (4-6)
So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. (7-8)
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet — a vast army. (9-10)
Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’” (11-14)
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead. (Isaiah 26:19)
“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people — everyone whose name is found written in the book — will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:1-3)
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
Jesus’ death and resurrection have a strong theological meaning for Matthew...and for us. God is restoring Israel, and on the back of Israel, He is restoring the nations, the Gentiles...us! Jesus’ death and resurrection were not isolated events in ancient history, but the most powerful and vivid reminder that our God is the God of salvation and restoration.
It’s easy to dismiss the resurrection of Jesus as merely an historical event. He came back from the dead, but He’s God, right?
Yes, but God has a habit of resurrecting the dead—not only Lazarus and Jesus and these dry bones, but also us today. As a pastor, I’ve had a front row seat watching God at work, resurrecting the dead. Here are a few examples:
- My friend who was on the verge of hopelessness and despair, lonely and broken. Since she surrendered her life to the risen Christ, she has come alive. Her soul has been awakened and she’s a new creation.
- Several years ago some dear friends approached my wife and I and said their marriage was a wreck. Lies and infidelity had invaded their relationship. After years of hard work and the risen Christ, their marriage has come alive. Their relationship has been awakened and they are not only together but now helping other seemingly hopeless marriages.
- In 2009 a family I know had more than $300,000 in medical bills that were not covered by insurance. Aside from their mortgage, they ended the year debt-free as God awakened their finances.
What about you? What is dead that only God can resurrect? A relationship? Your career? Your broken body?
Don’t misunderstand me. God is not a cosmic genie waiting to obey our every command. He is, however, the author of life (Acts 3:15). He is life. As we saw a few weeks ago, Jesus said
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Did you catch that? Jesus is life—the way, the truth, the life. He is the only way to the Father. He is the only way to life.
Jesus did not die on the cross just so we could live comfortable, well-adjusted lives. His purpose is far deeper: He wants to make us like himself before he takes us to heaven. This is our greatest privilege, our immediate responsibility and our ultimate destiny. - Rick Warren
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
He wants to offer you life—eternal life…and rich, wild, and abundant life now (John 10:10). He wants to awaken your soul. He wants you to live a life of freedom, faith, hope and love. Jesus died so that you might have life!
You can listen to the podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
The Walking Dead, John 11:38-57, 17 March 2013
17 03 13
Big Idea: Jesus specializes in raising the dead. He is life!
Zombies!
For reasons unknown to me, zombies are all the rage in our culture today. There are books, films, walks, and even festivals! Have you noticed? There are various definitions of zombies, but for our purposes let’s define them as dead people that come to life. It sounds crazy doesn’t it? It’s clearly the stuff of movies and TV shows like The Night of the Living Dead and The Walking Dead. Some are even preparing for a Zombie Apocalypse! Are you a fan of zombies?
Perhaps one of the attractions of zombies is that we are afraid of death, but zombies is such a ridiculous notion that we can get creeped out but not truly afraid since we all know zombies are fiction and dead people don’t come back to life…right?
If you’re easily offended, don’t read the Bible! There are some very disturbing images in the pages of Scripture, including today’s text. The Bible is not Rated G!
We continue our series on the Gospel of John, a biography written by one of Jesus’ best friends. His purpose in writing can be found in chapter 20:
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (20:30-31)
The first ten chapters have presented Jesus as a controversial figure, attracting great crowds through miracles and teachings while creating great hatred among the envious, legalistic, judgmental religious leaders.
It’s easy to skim through familiar stories, but as we read the narrative, imagine you had never heard it previously. Imagine that you have no idea what follows and each word is a choice mortal in your ears.
Last Week
The first part of John 11 describes Jesus being told that His friend, Lazarus, is sick. Instead of healing Him, Jesus hangs out for two days only to learn that He has died. Mary and Martha understandably question Jesus, saying that if only He had gone to their brother, He could’ve been healed and they would’ve been spared the tremendous grief and loss of this deeply-loved man. They said, “If only…” and the challenge last week was whether we love and trust God because of what He does for us or simply for who He is. Is your faith dependent upon answered prayer?
Jesus’ friend Lazarus is dead. His sisters can’t understand why Jesus didn’t heal him. But the story’s not over!
Scene Four
Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” (38-39)
Jesus is “once more deeply moved,” though the Greek verb mentioned last week is used again here, meaning outraged. Jesus is life, and here He is facing His opponent, death.
This was a “rolling stone” tomb that could be rolled, like a giant stone wheel.
We said last week that four days in the tomb was significant because the rabbinic teachings believed that when a person died, their spirit hovered over the body for three days so if the body was resuscitated, the spirit would return to it. After three days, the spirit was gone and there was no hope for the body.
In an early medieval Jewish tradition, Jews would actually go to the cemetery three days after burial to see if the person was living (I wonder how often they were surprised!).
Martha rightly cautions Jesus about the smell. Dead things stink, especially after four days! John wants us to know that Lazarus was clearly dead.
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” (40)
As we have noted so many times previously, God’s timing is never late but rarely early. His glory is far more important than our temporary happiness.
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” (41-42)
It is obvious that Jesus has already been praying for Lazarus. It’s not an impulsive request.
He looked up. This was common posture for Jewish prayer, looking up and likely with hands raised. He prays aloud not to impress, but to allow those around to hear His conversation with the Father. He says, “Father” rather than “our father” to show the intimacy in their relationship. Jesus was constantly following the mission and will of the Father.
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” (43-44)
Jesus uses an authoritative shout to call Lazarus.
Dead Man Walking! Here is one of the first zombies in the Bible! I love the phrase, “The dead man came out.” Wow!
Can you imagine being a character in this story? An eyewitness?
Dead bodies were considered unclean and untouchable in Jewish law, but Jesus had a reputation for touching the untouchable and most likely gave Lazarus an embrace that some would’ve found offensive.
Lazarus
There are many biblical stories that I wish were captured on video! This is certainly one of them. What was the reaction of Martha? Mary?
What was Lazarus’ reaction! What did he think about all of this? Would you want to return to this planet after four days of “sleeping?” I’m sure his sisters were delighted, but I wonder if Lazarus wanted to return! Of course, he did eventually. They say that death and taxes are the only certainties in life. Lazarus was given a second life—bonus time—but he eventually died. As we noted last week, death is merely sleeping for the believer. Jesus offers real, eternal life to those who respond to His invitation. He created us and is able to recreate us, providing freedom from both sin and death.
I often wonder how anyone can live without Jesus. Death surrounds us. You are one day closer to the grave than you were yesterday! You can be one day closer to eternal life with Jesus, though, which is far greater than anything this life can offer.
“Death is but a gateway to further life and fellowship with God.” - L. Morris
One More Thing…
You might think that anyone who witnessed this scene followed Jesus, but tragically that was not the case.
Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. (45-46)
This is Jesus’ last public appearance before His death. His public ministry ends here. Some saw the dead raised but they still didn’t believe. Instead, they tattled on Jesus to the religious leaders who would have Him crucified.
The problem is not with the evidence but the unbelief of man. Many say they will belief if they see Jesus or a miracle, but many saw dead Lazarus raised from the dead and still refused to believe. Signs alone cannot prompt faith. Experience alone is not enough to persuade the human heart. This is why we need words to accompany our deeds.
Not only did eyewitnesses not believe in Jesus, this beautiful miracle or resurrection actually led to Jesus’ death!
Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.
What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the Jews. Instead he withdrew to a region near the desert, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.
When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple area they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the Feast at all?” But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him. (John 11:47-57)
So what?
There are many people today that are zombies. They are the walking dead. They were at one point dead in their sin, yet they have come alive in Jesus Christ. Jesus is life! He is The way, The truth, and The life (John 14:6).
Sometimes God answers our prayers instantly. Sometimes He takes His time! Hebrews 11 tells us that many of us will live our entire lives seeking to understand God’s responses to our prayers, but Daddy knows best. His timing is perfect. His will and plans never fail. He can be trusted.
No matter where you find yourself today, no matter what is dead in your life, Jesus is life. He conquered sin and death. He caused the dead to rise. He did so Himself, in case you haven’t heard! We’ll talk about that in two weeks! We worship the God of miracles. He is alive today and wants you to experience life—abundant life (John 10:10), eternal life, supernatural life.
What is dead in your life that Jesus can resurrect?
You can listen to the podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Zombies!
For reasons unknown to me, zombies are all the rage in our culture today. There are books, films, walks, and even festivals! Have you noticed? There are various definitions of zombies, but for our purposes let’s define them as dead people that come to life. It sounds crazy doesn’t it? It’s clearly the stuff of movies and TV shows like The Night of the Living Dead and The Walking Dead. Some are even preparing for a Zombie Apocalypse! Are you a fan of zombies?
Perhaps one of the attractions of zombies is that we are afraid of death, but zombies is such a ridiculous notion that we can get creeped out but not truly afraid since we all know zombies are fiction and dead people don’t come back to life…right?
If you’re easily offended, don’t read the Bible! There are some very disturbing images in the pages of Scripture, including today’s text. The Bible is not Rated G!
We continue our series on the Gospel of John, a biography written by one of Jesus’ best friends. His purpose in writing can be found in chapter 20:
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (20:30-31)
The first ten chapters have presented Jesus as a controversial figure, attracting great crowds through miracles and teachings while creating great hatred among the envious, legalistic, judgmental religious leaders.
It’s easy to skim through familiar stories, but as we read the narrative, imagine you had never heard it previously. Imagine that you have no idea what follows and each word is a choice mortal in your ears.
Last Week
The first part of John 11 describes Jesus being told that His friend, Lazarus, is sick. Instead of healing Him, Jesus hangs out for two days only to learn that He has died. Mary and Martha understandably question Jesus, saying that if only He had gone to their brother, He could’ve been healed and they would’ve been spared the tremendous grief and loss of this deeply-loved man. They said, “If only…” and the challenge last week was whether we love and trust God because of what He does for us or simply for who He is. Is your faith dependent upon answered prayer?
Jesus’ friend Lazarus is dead. His sisters can’t understand why Jesus didn’t heal him. But the story’s not over!
Scene Four
Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” (38-39)
Jesus is “once more deeply moved,” though the Greek verb mentioned last week is used again here, meaning outraged. Jesus is life, and here He is facing His opponent, death.
This was a “rolling stone” tomb that could be rolled, like a giant stone wheel.
We said last week that four days in the tomb was significant because the rabbinic teachings believed that when a person died, their spirit hovered over the body for three days so if the body was resuscitated, the spirit would return to it. After three days, the spirit was gone and there was no hope for the body.
In an early medieval Jewish tradition, Jews would actually go to the cemetery three days after burial to see if the person was living (I wonder how often they were surprised!).
Martha rightly cautions Jesus about the smell. Dead things stink, especially after four days! John wants us to know that Lazarus was clearly dead.
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” (40)
As we have noted so many times previously, God’s timing is never late but rarely early. His glory is far more important than our temporary happiness.
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” (41-42)
It is obvious that Jesus has already been praying for Lazarus. It’s not an impulsive request.
He looked up. This was common posture for Jewish prayer, looking up and likely with hands raised. He prays aloud not to impress, but to allow those around to hear His conversation with the Father. He says, “Father” rather than “our father” to show the intimacy in their relationship. Jesus was constantly following the mission and will of the Father.
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” (43-44)
Jesus uses an authoritative shout to call Lazarus.
Dead Man Walking! Here is one of the first zombies in the Bible! I love the phrase, “The dead man came out.” Wow!
Can you imagine being a character in this story? An eyewitness?
Dead bodies were considered unclean and untouchable in Jewish law, but Jesus had a reputation for touching the untouchable and most likely gave Lazarus an embrace that some would’ve found offensive.
Lazarus
There are many biblical stories that I wish were captured on video! This is certainly one of them. What was the reaction of Martha? Mary?
What was Lazarus’ reaction! What did he think about all of this? Would you want to return to this planet after four days of “sleeping?” I’m sure his sisters were delighted, but I wonder if Lazarus wanted to return! Of course, he did eventually. They say that death and taxes are the only certainties in life. Lazarus was given a second life—bonus time—but he eventually died. As we noted last week, death is merely sleeping for the believer. Jesus offers real, eternal life to those who respond to His invitation. He created us and is able to recreate us, providing freedom from both sin and death.
I often wonder how anyone can live without Jesus. Death surrounds us. You are one day closer to the grave than you were yesterday! You can be one day closer to eternal life with Jesus, though, which is far greater than anything this life can offer.
“Death is but a gateway to further life and fellowship with God.” - L. Morris
One More Thing…
You might think that anyone who witnessed this scene followed Jesus, but tragically that was not the case.
Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. (45-46)
This is Jesus’ last public appearance before His death. His public ministry ends here. Some saw the dead raised but they still didn’t believe. Instead, they tattled on Jesus to the religious leaders who would have Him crucified.
The problem is not with the evidence but the unbelief of man. Many say they will belief if they see Jesus or a miracle, but many saw dead Lazarus raised from the dead and still refused to believe. Signs alone cannot prompt faith. Experience alone is not enough to persuade the human heart. This is why we need words to accompany our deeds.
Not only did eyewitnesses not believe in Jesus, this beautiful miracle or resurrection actually led to Jesus’ death!
Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.
What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the Jews. Instead he withdrew to a region near the desert, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.
When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple area they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the Feast at all?” But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him. (John 11:47-57)
So what?
There are many people today that are zombies. They are the walking dead. They were at one point dead in their sin, yet they have come alive in Jesus Christ. Jesus is life! He is The way, The truth, and The life (John 14:6).
Sometimes God answers our prayers instantly. Sometimes He takes His time! Hebrews 11 tells us that many of us will live our entire lives seeking to understand God’s responses to our prayers, but Daddy knows best. His timing is perfect. His will and plans never fail. He can be trusted.
No matter where you find yourself today, no matter what is dead in your life, Jesus is life. He conquered sin and death. He caused the dead to rise. He did so Himself, in case you haven’t heard! We’ll talk about that in two weeks! We worship the God of miracles. He is alive today and wants you to experience life—abundant life (John 10:10), eternal life, supernatural life.
What is dead in your life that Jesus can resurrect?
You can listen to the podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Enough, John 11:1-37, 10 March 2013
10 03 13
Big Idea: Do you trust God because of what He does or for who He is? Is Jesus enough…or is your love for Him conditional?
Song: I Give You My Heart by Rueben Morgan
Do you trust God? Completely?
LORD, I give You my heart
I give You my soul
I live for You alone
With every breath that I take
Every moment I’m awake
LORD have Your way in me
What would lead You to so fully surrender your life?
Is it because Jesus died for you?
Is it because God created you?
Is it because you have experienced His presence and power?
Is it because you have witnessed answered prayer?
Is it because someone told you it’s the proper thing to do?
Or is it simply because you love and want Jesus for who He is?
Introduction
We continue our series on the Gospel of John, a biography written by one of Jesus’ best friends. His purpose in writing can be found in chapter 20:
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (20:30-31)
The first ten chapters have presented Jesus as a controversial figure, attracting great crowds through miracles and teachings while creating great hatred among the envious, legalistic, judgmental religious leaders.
It’s easy to skim through familiar stories, but as we read the narrative, imagine you had never heard it previously. Imagine that you have no idea what follows and each word is a choice morsel in your ears. I’ll warn you: we are not going to finish the story today. You may know the ending, but suspend that information and absorb just today’s Scripture with me.
Much like a stage play, this story has several scenes.
Scene One: The Death of Lazarus (1-16)
Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” (1-3)
There are three siblings. They are not especially wealthy as Beth-any means “house of the poor.” Martha was a busybody who we’re told in Luke 10 worked around the house while her sister Mary sat at Jesus’ feet. Jesus loved Lazarus their brother and he was sick.
When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days. (4-6)
The Father is glorified through the glory of the Son.
I’m sure they were relieved to know that Lazarus’ sickness would not end in death. Still, if Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus, why did He linger for two days? Most likely He was praying, praying for Lazarus and wisdom. Remember, everything Jesus said and did had tremendous consequences from both the crowds and critics. He was a wanted man, in two different ways.
Then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” (7)
“But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?” (8)
Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s light. It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light.” (9-10)
Jesus is the light of the world.
After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” (11)
His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. (12-13)
Death has a new name for the believer: sleep. Only the body dies. The soul does not. Resurrection always refers to the body. Our bodies do not have souls. Rather, our souls have bodies.
So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” (14-15)
Jesus was glad? Jesus had spent time with the Father and obeyed His plan. God would redeem this tragic death and use it for His glory.
Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (16)
Thomas was hardly an optimist but at least he was willing to die. If you recall, Jesus is a wanted man and His followers would also be a threat to the religious authorities.
Jesus rarely follows conventional wisdom. When Lazarus was sick, He stayed away. When He said sleep, He meant dead. He said to go in the daytime to avoid tripping in the dark. N.T. Wright notes,
“If you try to steer your course by your own understanding, you’ll trip up, because you’ll be in the dark. But if you stick close to him, and see the situation from his point of view, then, even if it means days and perhaps years of puzzlement, wondering why nothing seems to be happening, you will come out at the right place in the end.”
Scene Two: The Resurrection and the Life (17-27)
On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. (17-20)
There is a small crowd here. Many Jews were there to comfort the sisters.
Four days in the tomb was significant because the rabbinic teachings believed that when a person died, their spirit hovered over the body for three days so if the body was resuscitated, the spirit would return to it. After three days, the spirit was gone and there was no hope for the body.
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” (21-22)
Martha says, “If only…”
Perhaps the tone (we don’t know) was, “You’re too late.”
Have you ever felt like that? God, if only…then…
Why didn’t you intervene? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why did I have to experience…? Why didn’t you do a miracle for me? Why didn’t I get chosen to win the lottery?
Notice her faith, though. She knew the Father would do whatever Jesus asked. She held out hope for a miracle. Jesus tells her to look forward to the future rather than remaining stuck in the present moment.
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” (23)
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” (24)
There were two popular religious tribe, the Pharisees who believed in the resurrection and the Sadducees who did not.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (25-26)
This is a great declaration! It is the fifth of seven “I am” statements Jesus will make in John. When He says He is the resurrection and the life, He is saying that He is the very power of God unto life. He is life for all of His people. If you believe in Him, you will never die. He doesn’t say He can perform resurrections, He says that He is the resurrection…and the life. Jesus is life (John 10:10)!
“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” (27)
This was the testimony of Simon Peter, too.
Scene Three: Jesus Goes To The Tomb (28-37)
And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. (28-31)
There is something powerful about the presence of friends in the midst of grief. It can be frustrating when we comfort others. What do we say? What do we do? I have learned that often words are unnecessary. “I’m sorry for your loss” and possibly a hug are enough.
When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (32)
Mary says, “If only…”
Perhaps the tone again (we don’t know) was, “You’re too late.”
It’s better for us to have the Holy Spirit than to have Jesus in the flesh.
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied. (33-34)
There are two words here that need to be clarified. In the Greek, the word translated “weeping” is better stated as “loud wailing and crying.” The word “troubled” in the original Greek was more accurately translated “irate.”
When Jesus saw her wailing, and the Jews who had come along with her also wailing, he was outraged and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied. (33-34; edited)
Jesus saw everyone around Him weeping and He groaned in anger. Why? The sisters’ lack of faith? I believe it was the reality of death. He created our beautiful universe and sin has been slowly destroying it. This world is not the way it’s supposed to be. Sometimes I get angry at death, at cancer, at disease, at injustice. In Jesus’ case, He knew that in a few days He would encounter death.
Jesus wept. (35)
There it is—the shortest verse in the Bible!
Jesus, the Son of God, the eternal Word of God, cried. Why? He lost a dear friend, but knew that loss would be reversed. Was it because of their unbelief? Most likely He cried as He grieved with Mary and Martha and their great loss. He could’ve said, “Hey! Stop crying! Watch this!” Instead, He has empathy and shares their heartache and pain.
Death is a horrible reality in our broken world and we need to grieve. Jesus grieved. Perhaps you’ve been told to ignore grief and sadness since “all things work together for the good” but that is to deny the emotions given to us by God and experienced by God. Romans 12:15 tells us to “rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”
Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” (36-37)
It was obvious that Jesus loved Lazarus. The Jews asked a fair question, and of course Jesus could’ve kept Lazarus from dying, but God’s ways are higher than our ways. His plans and purposes and timing far exceed our imagination. I think it’s perfectly appropriate to ask, “Why, LORD?” The Scriptures are filled with God-fearing men and women that asked questions of God.
Ultimately the question is do you trust God?
It’s rather audacious for us to think that we know better than God. Last Sunday night we watched the first episode of The Bible on The History Channel. It was a violent, bloody show depicting many Old Testament scenes that caused many to question how God could endorse the slaughter of first-born Egyptians, the destruction of Sodom, and let’s not forget the complete annihilation of every living creature that failed to get on Noah’s ark.
Doubt and questions expressed with humility and respect are one thing. Shaking your fist at God, judging Him, is quite another. After Job’s life was all but destroyed, God provided some perspective beginning with the 38th chapter.
Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? (Job 38:3-5)
“Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place, that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it? (Job 38:12-13)
“Do you give the horse his strength or clothe his neck with a flowing mane? Do you make him leap like a locust, striking terror with his proud snorting? (Job 39:19-20)
The LORD said to Job: “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!”
Then Job answered the LORD: “I am unworthy — how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer — twice, but I will say no more.” (Job 40:1-5)
If you judge God, remember that God himself got out of His judgment seat to become the chief of sinners and be judged with you and by you. God feels our pain more than we can imagine because He suffered and died…for us and for our sin. Nobody knows and understands pain like Jesus.
God is sovereign and in control.
God is omnipotent and all-powerful.
God is omniscient and knows all.
God is omnipresent and everywhere.
Again, I think it’s appropriate to ask questions of God, but making demands of Him is ludicrous. He’s God and we’re not. We can rejoice that He is not only all of those “omnis” but also that He is slow to anger and abounding in love, gracious, merciful and compassionate. We can celebrate that we don’t get what we deserve, for we have all offended the Holy God and fall short of His standards of righteousness.
This does not mean that we should turn funerals into parties and dance for joy in the midst of tragedy. It does mean, however, that God has a plan. He always has a plan. His timing can be trusted. His ways can be trusted. Yet knowing He is sovereign and in control and watching Him ignore or delay our cries for help necessitates and even increases our grief, but it is a hopeful grief—a very, very bitter but hopeful grief. The bottom line is not happiness, but His glory. LORD, be glorified!
I’m in the midst of one of the most urgent seasons of prayer in my life, begging God to heal my girl. The medical experts thought she should improve after three weeks of intense treatments, yet more than six months later she remains unable to walk.
What is your plan, LORD? What are You waiting for? I know You can heal her. Show Your power. The doctors gave up so now You can get all of the glory. We’ll even post her healing on Facebook for all of the world to see!
I believe with all of my heart that she will walk again. For months I have been wrestling with God about the timing! This week I cried, “Uncle!” and surrendered it to Him. Until I start to worry and get impatient again!
The story is not over. Your story is not over. There is more to come. An exciting future awaits us. In the meantime, we must trust God and wait patiently (Psalm 40).
One of my favorite musical artists, Kirk Franklin, posted this on Tuesday:
So if God has my problem already worked out, why do I still go through it? Because what He DOESN'T have worked out yet is your attitude...That's what the problem is for. Go.
Do you trust God because of what He does or for who He is? Is your love for Him conditional...or is Jesus enough?
You can listen to the podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Song: I Give You My Heart by Rueben Morgan
Do you trust God? Completely?
LORD, I give You my heart
I give You my soul
I live for You alone
With every breath that I take
Every moment I’m awake
LORD have Your way in me
What would lead You to so fully surrender your life?
Is it because Jesus died for you?
Is it because God created you?
Is it because you have experienced His presence and power?
Is it because you have witnessed answered prayer?
Is it because someone told you it’s the proper thing to do?
Or is it simply because you love and want Jesus for who He is?
Introduction
We continue our series on the Gospel of John, a biography written by one of Jesus’ best friends. His purpose in writing can be found in chapter 20:
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (20:30-31)
The first ten chapters have presented Jesus as a controversial figure, attracting great crowds through miracles and teachings while creating great hatred among the envious, legalistic, judgmental religious leaders.
It’s easy to skim through familiar stories, but as we read the narrative, imagine you had never heard it previously. Imagine that you have no idea what follows and each word is a choice morsel in your ears. I’ll warn you: we are not going to finish the story today. You may know the ending, but suspend that information and absorb just today’s Scripture with me.
Much like a stage play, this story has several scenes.
Scene One: The Death of Lazarus (1-16)
Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” (1-3)
There are three siblings. They are not especially wealthy as Beth-any means “house of the poor.” Martha was a busybody who we’re told in Luke 10 worked around the house while her sister Mary sat at Jesus’ feet. Jesus loved Lazarus their brother and he was sick.
When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days. (4-6)
The Father is glorified through the glory of the Son.
I’m sure they were relieved to know that Lazarus’ sickness would not end in death. Still, if Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus, why did He linger for two days? Most likely He was praying, praying for Lazarus and wisdom. Remember, everything Jesus said and did had tremendous consequences from both the crowds and critics. He was a wanted man, in two different ways.
Then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” (7)
“But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?” (8)
Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s light. It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light.” (9-10)
Jesus is the light of the world.
After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” (11)
His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. (12-13)
Death has a new name for the believer: sleep. Only the body dies. The soul does not. Resurrection always refers to the body. Our bodies do not have souls. Rather, our souls have bodies.
So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” (14-15)
Jesus was glad? Jesus had spent time with the Father and obeyed His plan. God would redeem this tragic death and use it for His glory.
Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (16)
Thomas was hardly an optimist but at least he was willing to die. If you recall, Jesus is a wanted man and His followers would also be a threat to the religious authorities.
Jesus rarely follows conventional wisdom. When Lazarus was sick, He stayed away. When He said sleep, He meant dead. He said to go in the daytime to avoid tripping in the dark. N.T. Wright notes,
“If you try to steer your course by your own understanding, you’ll trip up, because you’ll be in the dark. But if you stick close to him, and see the situation from his point of view, then, even if it means days and perhaps years of puzzlement, wondering why nothing seems to be happening, you will come out at the right place in the end.”
Scene Two: The Resurrection and the Life (17-27)
On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. (17-20)
There is a small crowd here. Many Jews were there to comfort the sisters.
Four days in the tomb was significant because the rabbinic teachings believed that when a person died, their spirit hovered over the body for three days so if the body was resuscitated, the spirit would return to it. After three days, the spirit was gone and there was no hope for the body.
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” (21-22)
Martha says, “If only…”
Perhaps the tone (we don’t know) was, “You’re too late.”
Have you ever felt like that? God, if only…then…
Why didn’t you intervene? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why did I have to experience…? Why didn’t you do a miracle for me? Why didn’t I get chosen to win the lottery?
Notice her faith, though. She knew the Father would do whatever Jesus asked. She held out hope for a miracle. Jesus tells her to look forward to the future rather than remaining stuck in the present moment.
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” (23)
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” (24)
There were two popular religious tribe, the Pharisees who believed in the resurrection and the Sadducees who did not.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (25-26)
This is a great declaration! It is the fifth of seven “I am” statements Jesus will make in John. When He says He is the resurrection and the life, He is saying that He is the very power of God unto life. He is life for all of His people. If you believe in Him, you will never die. He doesn’t say He can perform resurrections, He says that He is the resurrection…and the life. Jesus is life (John 10:10)!
“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” (27)
This was the testimony of Simon Peter, too.
Scene Three: Jesus Goes To The Tomb (28-37)
And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. (28-31)
There is something powerful about the presence of friends in the midst of grief. It can be frustrating when we comfort others. What do we say? What do we do? I have learned that often words are unnecessary. “I’m sorry for your loss” and possibly a hug are enough.
When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (32)
Mary says, “If only…”
Perhaps the tone again (we don’t know) was, “You’re too late.”
It’s better for us to have the Holy Spirit than to have Jesus in the flesh.
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied. (33-34)
There are two words here that need to be clarified. In the Greek, the word translated “weeping” is better stated as “loud wailing and crying.” The word “troubled” in the original Greek was more accurately translated “irate.”
When Jesus saw her wailing, and the Jews who had come along with her also wailing, he was outraged and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied. (33-34; edited)
Jesus saw everyone around Him weeping and He groaned in anger. Why? The sisters’ lack of faith? I believe it was the reality of death. He created our beautiful universe and sin has been slowly destroying it. This world is not the way it’s supposed to be. Sometimes I get angry at death, at cancer, at disease, at injustice. In Jesus’ case, He knew that in a few days He would encounter death.
Jesus wept. (35)
There it is—the shortest verse in the Bible!
Jesus, the Son of God, the eternal Word of God, cried. Why? He lost a dear friend, but knew that loss would be reversed. Was it because of their unbelief? Most likely He cried as He grieved with Mary and Martha and their great loss. He could’ve said, “Hey! Stop crying! Watch this!” Instead, He has empathy and shares their heartache and pain.
Death is a horrible reality in our broken world and we need to grieve. Jesus grieved. Perhaps you’ve been told to ignore grief and sadness since “all things work together for the good” but that is to deny the emotions given to us by God and experienced by God. Romans 12:15 tells us to “rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”
Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” (36-37)
It was obvious that Jesus loved Lazarus. The Jews asked a fair question, and of course Jesus could’ve kept Lazarus from dying, but God’s ways are higher than our ways. His plans and purposes and timing far exceed our imagination. I think it’s perfectly appropriate to ask, “Why, LORD?” The Scriptures are filled with God-fearing men and women that asked questions of God.
Ultimately the question is do you trust God?
It’s rather audacious for us to think that we know better than God. Last Sunday night we watched the first episode of The Bible on The History Channel. It was a violent, bloody show depicting many Old Testament scenes that caused many to question how God could endorse the slaughter of first-born Egyptians, the destruction of Sodom, and let’s not forget the complete annihilation of every living creature that failed to get on Noah’s ark.
Doubt and questions expressed with humility and respect are one thing. Shaking your fist at God, judging Him, is quite another. After Job’s life was all but destroyed, God provided some perspective beginning with the 38th chapter.
Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? (Job 38:3-5)
“Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place, that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it? (Job 38:12-13)
“Do you give the horse his strength or clothe his neck with a flowing mane? Do you make him leap like a locust, striking terror with his proud snorting? (Job 39:19-20)
The LORD said to Job: “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!”
Then Job answered the LORD: “I am unworthy — how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer — twice, but I will say no more.” (Job 40:1-5)
If you judge God, remember that God himself got out of His judgment seat to become the chief of sinners and be judged with you and by you. God feels our pain more than we can imagine because He suffered and died…for us and for our sin. Nobody knows and understands pain like Jesus.
God is sovereign and in control.
God is omnipotent and all-powerful.
God is omniscient and knows all.
God is omnipresent and everywhere.
Again, I think it’s appropriate to ask questions of God, but making demands of Him is ludicrous. He’s God and we’re not. We can rejoice that He is not only all of those “omnis” but also that He is slow to anger and abounding in love, gracious, merciful and compassionate. We can celebrate that we don’t get what we deserve, for we have all offended the Holy God and fall short of His standards of righteousness.
This does not mean that we should turn funerals into parties and dance for joy in the midst of tragedy. It does mean, however, that God has a plan. He always has a plan. His timing can be trusted. His ways can be trusted. Yet knowing He is sovereign and in control and watching Him ignore or delay our cries for help necessitates and even increases our grief, but it is a hopeful grief—a very, very bitter but hopeful grief. The bottom line is not happiness, but His glory. LORD, be glorified!
I’m in the midst of one of the most urgent seasons of prayer in my life, begging God to heal my girl. The medical experts thought she should improve after three weeks of intense treatments, yet more than six months later she remains unable to walk.
What is your plan, LORD? What are You waiting for? I know You can heal her. Show Your power. The doctors gave up so now You can get all of the glory. We’ll even post her healing on Facebook for all of the world to see!
I believe with all of my heart that she will walk again. For months I have been wrestling with God about the timing! This week I cried, “Uncle!” and surrendered it to Him. Until I start to worry and get impatient again!
The story is not over. Your story is not over. There is more to come. An exciting future awaits us. In the meantime, we must trust God and wait patiently (Psalm 40).
One of my favorite musical artists, Kirk Franklin, posted this on Tuesday:
So if God has my problem already worked out, why do I still go through it? Because what He DOESN'T have worked out yet is your attitude...That's what the problem is for. Go.
Do you trust God because of what He does or for who He is? Is your love for Him conditional...or is Jesus enough?
You can listen to the podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Son of God, John 10:19-24
04 03 13
Big Idea: We are sheep in desperate need of the Good Shepherd, the Son of God.
Introduction
We are continuing our series, The Gospel of John, a biography of Jesus written by one of His closest friends, John. Two week ago the scene had Jesus offending the religious leaders by healing a blind man on the Sabbath, something that was considered work by the scholars who knew the letter of the law but had no clue about the spirit of the law. They were envious of Jesus, His miracles, His teachings, and most of all the crowds He was attracting. Their insecurity continually rises from jealousy to rage as we will see yet again in a moment.
Last week we began John 10 where Jesus uses the common metaphor of a shepherd and sheep to illustrate Himself and His followers. The sheep of the Good Shepherd—mentioned in Psalm 23—know, listen and obey to the voice of their Shepherd.
It’s critical to understand a sheep before we move into today’s Scripture. Sheep are not the sharpest tool in the shed. They’re not the most brilliant animal on the farm. They aren’t the wisest beast in the field. They aren’t the smartest creature at the zoo. You get the idea!
Beyond their lack of intelligence, a sheep is weak and vulnerable. They cannot run fast. They don’t have poisonous venom, sharp teeth, or even dangerous claws. In other words, without the shepherd, they are one thing…dinner for a hungry animal!
In the first half of John 10, Jesus speaks of His Father—God the Father—and the authority given to Jesus by the Father. This infuriates the religious Jews all the more. It is here that we begin.
At these words the Jews were again divided. Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”
But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” (19-21)
Jesus is the most divisive Person that has ever walked the face of the earth. He is the most controversial Figure in history. Some thought He was a demon and others divine.
When Paul went to Athens, some believe and some do not believe.
Jesus explained why a few verses earlier from last week’s text.
When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” (4-5)
These religious leaders do not hear the voice of the Good Shepherd even though He’s right in front of them!
Blue Like Jazz Author Donald Miller notes several things about these people.
1. “They have a strong pre-conceived notion as to what the Christ will look and like like, and Jesus isn’t fitting that notion at all.” Jesus isn’t a member of their club. He dresses differently, talks differently. He’s doesn’t interpret the Scriptures the way they do, likely with a self-serving agenda.
6. “Jesus likes their enemies.” He loves sinners. They love Him! There are two common ways groups can form and unite—the first is to demonize a common enemy and the second is to take on a victim mentality, causing everyone to feel like the world is against them. If Jesus is a friend of sinners, He certainly cannot join their tribe.
Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” (22-24)
Winter in Jerusalem is cold! It is 3000 feet above sea level.
This feast is also called the Festival of Lights. It is not found in the Old Testament because it celebrates the victory of the Maccabees over the Seleucids in the second century BC. It is known today as Hanukkah! Jesus celebrated Hanukkah.
They ask, “Jesus, who are you?”
Who do you say that I am?
For hundreds of years the people were awaiting a liberating king. They were expecting God’s Anointed to free them from the tyranny of the Roman Empire. The people were awaiting a Messiah.
Jesus often revealed Himself to others in private settings but He resisted publicly proclaiming Himself the Messiah because the people were expecting the Messiah to come as a warrior and overthrow the government. They couldn’t imagine Him coming to suffer and die. The Messiah will, actually, come and rule as the King of kings, but that remains in the future!
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. (25-27)
Jesus says His works prove His identity. Actions speak louder than words.
The brand on the sheep is obedience.
Sheep hear His voice.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (28-30)
Did you catch that promise? No one can snatch them out of God’s hand. That’s great news! Remember, though, who Jesus is talking about. It’s not just anyone but those who follow Him (verse 27).
Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” (31-32)
I love this question! Jesus is playing with them. He knows the source of their rage. It’s His claim to be God that made them hysterical, and even though He dances around the issue and doesn’t explicitly say, “I am God,” the message is clear and affirmed by His audience.
“We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” (33)
God became man, yet they accuse Jesus of being a man who made Himself God.
There are many liberal Bible scholars that deny that Jesus was God, or that He ever claimed to be God. They can accept that a man named Jesus was a good teacher and perhaps could even do a miracle every now and then, but they fail to see Jesus as God. It was, of course, this very claim that put Jesus on the cross. Jesus claimed to be God, and then proved that He is God by conquering sin and death, resurrecting from the dead.
Jesus responds…
Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods’? If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came — and the Scripture cannot be broken — what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. (34-39)
Verse 34 quotes Psalm 82:6, a reference to judges that act on behalf of God as His representatives.
Verse 35 notes that “the Scripture cannot be broken.” He is affirming the authority of the Bible.
Jesus is in full control. Repeatedly in his Gospel, John describes Jesus’ ability to escape from the raging Jews that want to kill Him. It was not yet hIs time.
God is sovereign. That means He is in control. Even at His trial He was in control. He created everything so it stands to reason that He is sovereign over creation, time, and space. He was on a mission to die for us, but it was not yet time.
Our passage ends rather simply.
Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. Here he stayed and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John said about this man was true.” And in that place many believed in Jesus. (40-42)
Jesus just shows up and people believe. In many circles it was popular to believe, but that was always subject to change. We read that many followed, but many later deserted Jesus, too…especially as He died.
Yet many died for their belief. Throughout history millions of men, women and children have willingly surrendered their lives simply because of their faith in Jesus Christ.
What about you? Who do you say Jesus is? Do you live it or just believe it in your head? Maybe you’re like the religious leaders, finding it easier to judge others rather than examining your own life. Perhaps you have mental belief about Jesus, but your mouth remains closed for fear of rocking the boat and losing friends.
I’m humbled by the thought that one of Jesus’ best friends betrayed Him, another denied Him three times, and others doubted He was raised from the dead.
Conclusion
Whether you know it or not, we are all stinky sheep. We are weak, vulnerable, and very limited in the wisdom department. Left to our own devices, we will die. That’s where Jesus come in. Where religious is spelled “D-O,” what you do, Christianity is all about “D-O-N-E” and what Jesus has done for you. He died on the cross in your place and my place. Like a good shepherd, He sacrificed everything for dumb sheep like us. Today we celebrate that sacrifice. We celebrate not only His words, but His actions. Unlike celebrities in our culture, He didn’t gain fame and notoriety for His own sake, but rather to willingly be butchered in one of history’s most horrifying forms of torture so that we could experience grace, forgiveness, hope, purpose, and joy.
You can listen to the podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Introduction
We are continuing our series, The Gospel of John, a biography of Jesus written by one of His closest friends, John. Two week ago the scene had Jesus offending the religious leaders by healing a blind man on the Sabbath, something that was considered work by the scholars who knew the letter of the law but had no clue about the spirit of the law. They were envious of Jesus, His miracles, His teachings, and most of all the crowds He was attracting. Their insecurity continually rises from jealousy to rage as we will see yet again in a moment.
Last week we began John 10 where Jesus uses the common metaphor of a shepherd and sheep to illustrate Himself and His followers. The sheep of the Good Shepherd—mentioned in Psalm 23—know, listen and obey to the voice of their Shepherd.
It’s critical to understand a sheep before we move into today’s Scripture. Sheep are not the sharpest tool in the shed. They’re not the most brilliant animal on the farm. They aren’t the wisest beast in the field. They aren’t the smartest creature at the zoo. You get the idea!
Beyond their lack of intelligence, a sheep is weak and vulnerable. They cannot run fast. They don’t have poisonous venom, sharp teeth, or even dangerous claws. In other words, without the shepherd, they are one thing…dinner for a hungry animal!
In the first half of John 10, Jesus speaks of His Father—God the Father—and the authority given to Jesus by the Father. This infuriates the religious Jews all the more. It is here that we begin.
At these words the Jews were again divided. Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”
But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” (19-21)
Jesus is the most divisive Person that has ever walked the face of the earth. He is the most controversial Figure in history. Some thought He was a demon and others divine.
When Paul went to Athens, some believe and some do not believe.
Jesus explained why a few verses earlier from last week’s text.
When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” (4-5)
These religious leaders do not hear the voice of the Good Shepherd even though He’s right in front of them!
Blue Like Jazz Author Donald Miller notes several things about these people.
1. “They have a strong pre-conceived notion as to what the Christ will look and like like, and Jesus isn’t fitting that notion at all.” Jesus isn’t a member of their club. He dresses differently, talks differently. He’s doesn’t interpret the Scriptures the way they do, likely with a self-serving agenda.
- 2. “He threatens their power.” This is obvious. It’s also relevant to us. It was Jesus that said the first shall be last, to save your life you must lose it, and a host of other radical, uncomfortable things.
- 3. “These are zealous men.” All law, no grace…to the death…literally!
- 4. “…they would likely be threatened with physical retribution from their own community if they followed Christ.” How often do people succumb to peer pressure?!
- 5. “They are people who want clarity.” As Miller says, “They don’t like all this vague hippie talk coming from Jesus.” Everything is black and white to them.
6. “Jesus likes their enemies.” He loves sinners. They love Him! There are two common ways groups can form and unite—the first is to demonize a common enemy and the second is to take on a victim mentality, causing everyone to feel like the world is against them. If Jesus is a friend of sinners, He certainly cannot join their tribe.
Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” (22-24)
Winter in Jerusalem is cold! It is 3000 feet above sea level.
This feast is also called the Festival of Lights. It is not found in the Old Testament because it celebrates the victory of the Maccabees over the Seleucids in the second century BC. It is known today as Hanukkah! Jesus celebrated Hanukkah.
They ask, “Jesus, who are you?”
Who do you say that I am?
For hundreds of years the people were awaiting a liberating king. They were expecting God’s Anointed to free them from the tyranny of the Roman Empire. The people were awaiting a Messiah.
Jesus often revealed Himself to others in private settings but He resisted publicly proclaiming Himself the Messiah because the people were expecting the Messiah to come as a warrior and overthrow the government. They couldn’t imagine Him coming to suffer and die. The Messiah will, actually, come and rule as the King of kings, but that remains in the future!
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. (25-27)
Jesus says His works prove His identity. Actions speak louder than words.
The brand on the sheep is obedience.
Sheep hear His voice.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (28-30)
Did you catch that promise? No one can snatch them out of God’s hand. That’s great news! Remember, though, who Jesus is talking about. It’s not just anyone but those who follow Him (verse 27).
Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” (31-32)
I love this question! Jesus is playing with them. He knows the source of their rage. It’s His claim to be God that made them hysterical, and even though He dances around the issue and doesn’t explicitly say, “I am God,” the message is clear and affirmed by His audience.
“We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” (33)
God became man, yet they accuse Jesus of being a man who made Himself God.
There are many liberal Bible scholars that deny that Jesus was God, or that He ever claimed to be God. They can accept that a man named Jesus was a good teacher and perhaps could even do a miracle every now and then, but they fail to see Jesus as God. It was, of course, this very claim that put Jesus on the cross. Jesus claimed to be God, and then proved that He is God by conquering sin and death, resurrecting from the dead.
Jesus responds…
Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods’? If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came — and the Scripture cannot be broken — what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. (34-39)
Verse 34 quotes Psalm 82:6, a reference to judges that act on behalf of God as His representatives.
Verse 35 notes that “the Scripture cannot be broken.” He is affirming the authority of the Bible.
Jesus is in full control. Repeatedly in his Gospel, John describes Jesus’ ability to escape from the raging Jews that want to kill Him. It was not yet hIs time.
God is sovereign. That means He is in control. Even at His trial He was in control. He created everything so it stands to reason that He is sovereign over creation, time, and space. He was on a mission to die for us, but it was not yet time.
Our passage ends rather simply.
Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. Here he stayed and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John said about this man was true.” And in that place many believed in Jesus. (40-42)
Jesus just shows up and people believe. In many circles it was popular to believe, but that was always subject to change. We read that many followed, but many later deserted Jesus, too…especially as He died.
Yet many died for their belief. Throughout history millions of men, women and children have willingly surrendered their lives simply because of their faith in Jesus Christ.
What about you? Who do you say Jesus is? Do you live it or just believe it in your head? Maybe you’re like the religious leaders, finding it easier to judge others rather than examining your own life. Perhaps you have mental belief about Jesus, but your mouth remains closed for fear of rocking the boat and losing friends.
I’m humbled by the thought that one of Jesus’ best friends betrayed Him, another denied Him three times, and others doubted He was raised from the dead.
Conclusion
Whether you know it or not, we are all stinky sheep. We are weak, vulnerable, and very limited in the wisdom department. Left to our own devices, we will die. That’s where Jesus come in. Where religious is spelled “D-O,” what you do, Christianity is all about “D-O-N-E” and what Jesus has done for you. He died on the cross in your place and my place. Like a good shepherd, He sacrificed everything for dumb sheep like us. Today we celebrate that sacrifice. We celebrate not only His words, but His actions. Unlike celebrities in our culture, He didn’t gain fame and notoriety for His own sake, but rather to willingly be butchered in one of history’s most horrifying forms of torture so that we could experience grace, forgiveness, hope, purpose, and joy.
You can listen to the podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Voice, John 10:1-21, 24 February 2013
25 02 13
Big Idea: We can choose to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd or the voice of the their that wants to steal, kill and destroy.
Sound is an amazing thing. Whether you realize it or not, there are sounds around us constantly. True silence is rare. What do you hear right now?
There are a few sounds that stand out from the rest. An alarm usually gets our attention, unless you’re a tired teenager in bed! Living across the street from the Cleveland Clinic, the sound of an ambulance was a frequent interruption to the mundane traffic tones. The human ear is able to process a wide variety of frequencies and noises. Now think about human voices. We have the ability to recognize people that we cannot even see, just by their voice.
There’s something powerful about one’s connection to a familiar voice. Yesterday I was in Meijer and a friend was telling me about his grandson. They live several states away and video chat frequently, and when the little boy hears the voice of his grandpa, he gets so excited!
Perhaps nothing seizes our attention more, though, than the most captivating word to our ears—our name. What is your name?
As we continue our series on the Gospel of John, Jesus’ close friend and biographer tells us a lot about sound, voice, and your name.
Shepherds
Are you a shepherd? Have you ever met a shepherd? Sheep and shepherds are not common images in our culture today. They were very popular in the Middle East 2000 years ago, and remain so today. It’s not wonder that the Bible is filled with references to shepherds (e.g. Isaiah 40:10-11; Psalm 23). Moses and David were shepherds. There are several references in the scriptures to “false shepherds” (1 Kings 22:17; Jeremiah 10:21; 23:1-2).
Context
Last week in chapter nine, Jesus healed a blind man and the religious leaders went crazy because it was on the Sabbath. Biblical writers did not include chapter and verse references. Those were added centuries later, so from what we can see, Jesus is continuing His interaction with these self-righteous critics of His. The tenth chapter of John begins with red-letter text, words spoken by Jesus.
“I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. (1-6)
Can you imagine the scene?
First, the setting is the desert, a desperate place. Today Arab and Jewish children tell stories about the desert much like some cultures talk about deep, dark forests. In the desert food is rare, water is scarce, and deadly creatures roam. In addition, the terrain is often filed with steep cliffs, some with drops of over 1000 feet!
Sheep are prone to wander. The shepherd’s job is to keep the sheep together and safe. A sheep could be harmed by thieves, wild animals, and injury from wandering.
Just like my friend’s grandson recognizes my friend’s voice, and just like dogs typically know their owner’s voice, so sheep know the voice of their shepherd.
The Middle Eastern shepherd even today talks to and sings to his sheep. They often carry a short flute and the sheep learn both the voice of the shepherd and the sound of his flute.
“During the Palestinian uprising in the late 1980s the Israeli army decided to punish a village near Bethlehem for not paying its taxes (which, the village claimed, simply financed their occupation). The officer in command rounded up all of the village animals and placed them in a large barbed-wire pen. Later in the week he was approached by a woman who begged him to release her flock, arguing that since her husband was dead, the animals were her only source of livelihood. He pointed to the pen containing hundreds of animals and humorously quipped that it was impossible because he could not find her animals. She asked that if she could in fact separate them herself, would he be willing to let her take them? He agreed. A soldier opened the gate and the woman’s son produced a small reed flute. He played a simple tune again and again—and soon sheep heads began popping up across the pen. The young boy continued his music and walked home, followed by his flock of twenty-five sheep.”
In the desert, sheep need to follow the shepherd if they are to survive.
Jesus doesn’t lead any sheep, but “his own” (3b). Notice that the shepherd knows His sheep...by name. He knows your name! How cool is that?! The Creator of the universe knows your name.
Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (7-10)
That last verse is one of my favorites. Do you see the contrast between Jesus and satan, the thief and the Shepherd?
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. (11-13)
How far will the good shepherd go in caring for his sheep? All the way! To death!
Who influences you? So many respond to the teachings of people who are dead, celebrities with chaotic lives, or even friends that can be fickle. The Good Shepherd is willing to die for you...and He did!
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me — just as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life — only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” (14-18)
Throughout Jesus’ life, we see Him submitting to the Father and the Father’s timing.
As usual, Jesus upset the religious people.
At these words the Jews were again divided. Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”
But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” (19-21)
We’ll unpack the reaction of the Jews further next week.
So What?
Like sheep, we live in a dangerous world. It might not seem dangerous, but there is a real thief who wants to steal, kill and destroy. He will do anything and everything to speak lies, kill your passion for Jesus, and ultimately destroy you and everything good in your life.
The thing is, because he’s sneaky and because we often fail to spend time with the Good Shepherd, we mistaken the voice of the enemy for the voice of Jesus. We justify our behaviors because everyone else is doing it. We rationalize the importance of being politically correct and flee from controversy. We want to blend in, be liked, and do what’s popular.
We all need guidance to navigate through life, but we must make sure we are listening to the right voice. The only way to do that is to spend time with the Good Shepherd.
I can’t do that for you. Your parents or spouse cannot do that for you. Discerning the voice that brings abundant life requires time in prayer, solitude, silence, and study. Period. There are no shortcuts.
Whose voice matters to you? A recent study asked high school students where they would turn first in times of crisis or confusion. Mothers came in around number eleven and dads around 25. Friends and music were at the top!
Students, daddy often knows best. In the case of our heavenly Daddy, He always knows best.
Friends are influential, not only to students, but adults as well. When is the last time you experienced a tension between popular opinion and the teachings of Jesus? Do you even know the difference?
As we continue our annual theme of b.l.e.s.s. I want to encourage you to remain on your knees in prayer, listen to God, and study His Word. It’s not rocket science. The more time you spend with someone, the more you’ll know their voice.
C.S. Lewis said that there are two kinds of people, those who say to God, “Thy will be done” and those to whom God says, “Thy will be done.”
Do you know the voice of the Good Shepherd? Do you follow it?
You can listen to the podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Sound is an amazing thing. Whether you realize it or not, there are sounds around us constantly. True silence is rare. What do you hear right now?
There are a few sounds that stand out from the rest. An alarm usually gets our attention, unless you’re a tired teenager in bed! Living across the street from the Cleveland Clinic, the sound of an ambulance was a frequent interruption to the mundane traffic tones. The human ear is able to process a wide variety of frequencies and noises. Now think about human voices. We have the ability to recognize people that we cannot even see, just by their voice.
There’s something powerful about one’s connection to a familiar voice. Yesterday I was in Meijer and a friend was telling me about his grandson. They live several states away and video chat frequently, and when the little boy hears the voice of his grandpa, he gets so excited!
Perhaps nothing seizes our attention more, though, than the most captivating word to our ears—our name. What is your name?
As we continue our series on the Gospel of John, Jesus’ close friend and biographer tells us a lot about sound, voice, and your name.
Shepherds
Are you a shepherd? Have you ever met a shepherd? Sheep and shepherds are not common images in our culture today. They were very popular in the Middle East 2000 years ago, and remain so today. It’s not wonder that the Bible is filled with references to shepherds (e.g. Isaiah 40:10-11; Psalm 23). Moses and David were shepherds. There are several references in the scriptures to “false shepherds” (1 Kings 22:17; Jeremiah 10:21; 23:1-2).
Context
Last week in chapter nine, Jesus healed a blind man and the religious leaders went crazy because it was on the Sabbath. Biblical writers did not include chapter and verse references. Those were added centuries later, so from what we can see, Jesus is continuing His interaction with these self-righteous critics of His. The tenth chapter of John begins with red-letter text, words spoken by Jesus.
“I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. (1-6)
Can you imagine the scene?
First, the setting is the desert, a desperate place. Today Arab and Jewish children tell stories about the desert much like some cultures talk about deep, dark forests. In the desert food is rare, water is scarce, and deadly creatures roam. In addition, the terrain is often filed with steep cliffs, some with drops of over 1000 feet!
Sheep are prone to wander. The shepherd’s job is to keep the sheep together and safe. A sheep could be harmed by thieves, wild animals, and injury from wandering.
Just like my friend’s grandson recognizes my friend’s voice, and just like dogs typically know their owner’s voice, so sheep know the voice of their shepherd.
The Middle Eastern shepherd even today talks to and sings to his sheep. They often carry a short flute and the sheep learn both the voice of the shepherd and the sound of his flute.
“During the Palestinian uprising in the late 1980s the Israeli army decided to punish a village near Bethlehem for not paying its taxes (which, the village claimed, simply financed their occupation). The officer in command rounded up all of the village animals and placed them in a large barbed-wire pen. Later in the week he was approached by a woman who begged him to release her flock, arguing that since her husband was dead, the animals were her only source of livelihood. He pointed to the pen containing hundreds of animals and humorously quipped that it was impossible because he could not find her animals. She asked that if she could in fact separate them herself, would he be willing to let her take them? He agreed. A soldier opened the gate and the woman’s son produced a small reed flute. He played a simple tune again and again—and soon sheep heads began popping up across the pen. The young boy continued his music and walked home, followed by his flock of twenty-five sheep.”
- NIV Application Commentary
In the desert, sheep need to follow the shepherd if they are to survive.
Jesus doesn’t lead any sheep, but “his own” (3b). Notice that the shepherd knows His sheep...by name. He knows your name! How cool is that?! The Creator of the universe knows your name.
Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (7-10)
That last verse is one of my favorites. Do you see the contrast between Jesus and satan, the thief and the Shepherd?
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. (11-13)
How far will the good shepherd go in caring for his sheep? All the way! To death!
Who influences you? So many respond to the teachings of people who are dead, celebrities with chaotic lives, or even friends that can be fickle. The Good Shepherd is willing to die for you...and He did!
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me — just as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life — only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” (14-18)
Throughout Jesus’ life, we see Him submitting to the Father and the Father’s timing.
As usual, Jesus upset the religious people.
At these words the Jews were again divided. Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”
But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” (19-21)
We’ll unpack the reaction of the Jews further next week.
So What?
Like sheep, we live in a dangerous world. It might not seem dangerous, but there is a real thief who wants to steal, kill and destroy. He will do anything and everything to speak lies, kill your passion for Jesus, and ultimately destroy you and everything good in your life.
The thing is, because he’s sneaky and because we often fail to spend time with the Good Shepherd, we mistaken the voice of the enemy for the voice of Jesus. We justify our behaviors because everyone else is doing it. We rationalize the importance of being politically correct and flee from controversy. We want to blend in, be liked, and do what’s popular.
We all need guidance to navigate through life, but we must make sure we are listening to the right voice. The only way to do that is to spend time with the Good Shepherd.
I can’t do that for you. Your parents or spouse cannot do that for you. Discerning the voice that brings abundant life requires time in prayer, solitude, silence, and study. Period. There are no shortcuts.
Whose voice matters to you? A recent study asked high school students where they would turn first in times of crisis or confusion. Mothers came in around number eleven and dads around 25. Friends and music were at the top!
Students, daddy often knows best. In the case of our heavenly Daddy, He always knows best.
Friends are influential, not only to students, but adults as well. When is the last time you experienced a tension between popular opinion and the teachings of Jesus? Do you even know the difference?
As we continue our annual theme of b.l.e.s.s. I want to encourage you to remain on your knees in prayer, listen to God, and study His Word. It’s not rocket science. The more time you spend with someone, the more you’ll know their voice.
C.S. Lewis said that there are two kinds of people, those who say to God, “Thy will be done” and those to whom God says, “Thy will be done.”
Do you know the voice of the Good Shepherd? Do you follow it?
You can listen to the podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Vision, John 9, 17 February 2013
19 02 13
Big Idea: God wants us to see.
Introduction
There are several themes in this lengthy account. Religious leaders show their lack of vision while a blind man is able to see. The Sabbath, suffering, religion, and the influence of Jesus are all presented.
Scripture
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (1-2)
Some Hindus believe disabilities are punishment for sins committed in a previous life.
The book of Job is clear about this. Though God does discipline those that He loves, often our pain and trials are not the result of sin.
When our child was first hospitalized six years ago, there were those that subtly and not-so-subtly implied that her pain was the result of our sin. We were being punished for secret sins. My wife and I searched our hearts and came to the conclusion that if there was secret sin in our lives, it was so secret that we were unaware of it. We acknowledged that we were far from perfect, but there was nothing unusual in our actions that caused our child to be in excruciating pain.
So why do bad things happen to good people? We don’t have time to fully unpack that question, but let me briefly suggest two things. First, none of us are truly good. We all sin and fall short of God’s glory. Second, sin is the reason. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned, all of creation has been a mess.
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (3-5)
Don’t misunderstand this text.
God is not cruel, inflicting pain on people to glorify Himself.
At the same time, God is not fair. Bad things do happen to good people. But God is good and He can be trusted.
Daddy knows best…really!
“So that the work of God” likely refers not to what precedes it but rather to what follows. See how different it looks...
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus. “But so that the work of God might be displayed in his life, as long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (3-5)
God did not make the man blind to show His glory.
Rather, God sent Jesus to do works of healing to show His glory.
I want to pause here for a moment because many of you are experiencing pain and suffering. You might not be blind, but you or a loved one are in the midst of a disability, a shattered dream, or an overwhelming trial.
I’m with you!
I’ve tried to take the letter “Y” out of the alphabet because I find myself asking it all the time. Why God? Sometimes we discover why, sometimes we don’t, but God can be trusted.
Today I prayed for vision to see what God is doing. I don’t understand, but I know He is at work in and through me, my family, and the storm we are experiencing. I want Him to just change the situation. Sometimes He does. Sometimes He doesn’t. Daddy knows best.
Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. (6-7)
This would not be my preferred method of healing! Spit was thought to be a curse. Jesus was essentially cursing the blindness. The man is healed. This is great news, right? The man was blind, now he sees. Praise God! End of story.
Not so fast!
His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was.
Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”
But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”
“How then were your eyes opened?” they demanded. (8-10)
The people are demanding to know what happened.
He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”
“Where is this man?” they asked him.
“I don’t know,” he said. (11-12)
The man didn’t know, but the entire Gospel of John is written so that we can find Jesus.
They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” (13-15)
Whenever the Pharisees are involved, you know it’s going to get ugly!
Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”
But others asked, “How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?” So they were divided.
Finally they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”
The man replied, “He is a prophet.” (16-17)
This poor guy has been miraculously healed and all they can do is subject him to an interrogation.
The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” (18-19)
Talk about a lack of faith! They don’t believe that the man was ever blind.
“We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” (20-24)
This is a huge deal! Getting kicked out of the synagogue was not like being asked to leave a local church. It was like getting kicked out of the city. Even today, the synagogue is not merely the place of worship, but the social center of the Jewish community.
The Pharisees hated Jesus—as we have seen in previous weeks. They are jealous of Him and the crowds He is attracting from His miracles and teaching. The healed man’s parents are afraid.
He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”
Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?”
Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”
The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.
Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” (25-35)
We were all steeped in sin at birth, but the self-righteous Pharisees continued to believe that this man and his parents were responsible for his blindness.
“Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”
Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”
Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”
Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. (36-41)
The story ends the opposite of its beginning. The blind man can see and the accusers claim to see clearly when, in fact, they cannot.
The religious leaders that are supposedly righteous are filled with pride and envy while the supposed sinner is seen worshiping Jesus.
Which bring us to my favorite question about any text...so what?
Jesus healed a blind man and they both attracted self-righteous critics. So what?
Here are a few things to consider:
1. Suffering is part of our world. It is to be expected, yet it seems to surprise us.
It all goes back to the Garden. Sin entered the world—not just Adam and Eve—when they ate of the fruit.
2. We are addicted to comfort and safety.
2/3 of the world suffers daily...constantly.
This season of Lent and the very nature of fasting can help us empathize with others that have no food or those that are blind.
3. Following Jesus often makes life more difficult, not less. Jesus said clearly to His followers
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Jesus never promised us safety and comfort, but He did promise His presence. He said, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)
It is a lie to think that it’s just about you and Jesus. We were created for community. I need you and you need me. That’s a message for another time, but suffice it to say that we are to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those how mourn.
5. God may be seem distant or even absent in the midst of suffering, but He is always at work healing our inner lives (see Ephesians 3).
It is through suffering that I have felt the closest to God. Nobody knows pain like Jesus. Nobody. The apex of human history was Jesus hanging on the cross. He recognized how we had messed up this beautiful world and He came to reverse the curse. He conquered sin and death. It’s hard to experience peace when you are comfortable.
6. The more we can let go of the idols in our lives and cling to Jesus, the more joy we will experience.
Some of us look to our health, our bank account, our careers, or even our family members to bring us joy, but Jesus said to follow Him means we need to hate our family and even our own lives in comparison to our love for Him (Luke 14:26).
We need to live with our hands open—to give and receive.
Song: Blessed Be Your Name
7. The best is yet to come. Really.
We live in the space between the first and second comings of Jesus. We have been given the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit is powerful and active. God still heals the blind. There are documented cases all over the world. God still causes the lame to walk. I’m praying that for a special girl right now. Sometimes God says yes to our prayer requests, sometimes no, and sometimes wait. Why? I don’t know. I don’t have easy answers. I can recommend a pile of books. I can tell you to study the book of Job. I can quote you verse after verse of Paul telling us to rejoice, endure, and embrace suffering. I have plenty of questions myself, but I know God is in control, God is good, and God is faithful. This world is not the end. The best is yet to come.
In the Lord of the Rings film The Two Towers, there is a famous quote from Sam in which he says,
“I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.”
They kept going. Because they were holding on to something. What are you holding on to? Who are you holding on to?
Open our eyes, LORD, to see You at work in and through our lives...for Your glory.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Introduction
There are several themes in this lengthy account. Religious leaders show their lack of vision while a blind man is able to see. The Sabbath, suffering, religion, and the influence of Jesus are all presented.
Scripture
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (1-2)
Some Hindus believe disabilities are punishment for sins committed in a previous life.
The book of Job is clear about this. Though God does discipline those that He loves, often our pain and trials are not the result of sin.
When our child was first hospitalized six years ago, there were those that subtly and not-so-subtly implied that her pain was the result of our sin. We were being punished for secret sins. My wife and I searched our hearts and came to the conclusion that if there was secret sin in our lives, it was so secret that we were unaware of it. We acknowledged that we were far from perfect, but there was nothing unusual in our actions that caused our child to be in excruciating pain.
So why do bad things happen to good people? We don’t have time to fully unpack that question, but let me briefly suggest two things. First, none of us are truly good. We all sin and fall short of God’s glory. Second, sin is the reason. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned, all of creation has been a mess.
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (3-5)
Don’t misunderstand this text.
God is not cruel, inflicting pain on people to glorify Himself.
At the same time, God is not fair. Bad things do happen to good people. But God is good and He can be trusted.
Daddy knows best…really!
“So that the work of God” likely refers not to what precedes it but rather to what follows. See how different it looks...
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus. “But so that the work of God might be displayed in his life, as long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (3-5)
God did not make the man blind to show His glory.
Rather, God sent Jesus to do works of healing to show His glory.
I want to pause here for a moment because many of you are experiencing pain and suffering. You might not be blind, but you or a loved one are in the midst of a disability, a shattered dream, or an overwhelming trial.
I’m with you!
I’ve tried to take the letter “Y” out of the alphabet because I find myself asking it all the time. Why God? Sometimes we discover why, sometimes we don’t, but God can be trusted.
Today I prayed for vision to see what God is doing. I don’t understand, but I know He is at work in and through me, my family, and the storm we are experiencing. I want Him to just change the situation. Sometimes He does. Sometimes He doesn’t. Daddy knows best.
Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. (6-7)
This would not be my preferred method of healing! Spit was thought to be a curse. Jesus was essentially cursing the blindness. The man is healed. This is great news, right? The man was blind, now he sees. Praise God! End of story.
Not so fast!
His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was.
Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”
But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”
“How then were your eyes opened?” they demanded. (8-10)
The people are demanding to know what happened.
He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”
“Where is this man?” they asked him.
“I don’t know,” he said. (11-12)
The man didn’t know, but the entire Gospel of John is written so that we can find Jesus.
They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” (13-15)
Whenever the Pharisees are involved, you know it’s going to get ugly!
Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”
But others asked, “How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?” So they were divided.
Finally they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”
The man replied, “He is a prophet.” (16-17)
This poor guy has been miraculously healed and all they can do is subject him to an interrogation.
The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” (18-19)
Talk about a lack of faith! They don’t believe that the man was ever blind.
“We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” (20-24)
This is a huge deal! Getting kicked out of the synagogue was not like being asked to leave a local church. It was like getting kicked out of the city. Even today, the synagogue is not merely the place of worship, but the social center of the Jewish community.
The Pharisees hated Jesus—as we have seen in previous weeks. They are jealous of Him and the crowds He is attracting from His miracles and teaching. The healed man’s parents are afraid.
He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”
Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?”
Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”
The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.
Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” (25-35)
We were all steeped in sin at birth, but the self-righteous Pharisees continued to believe that this man and his parents were responsible for his blindness.
“Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”
Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”
Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”
Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. (36-41)
The story ends the opposite of its beginning. The blind man can see and the accusers claim to see clearly when, in fact, they cannot.
The religious leaders that are supposedly righteous are filled with pride and envy while the supposed sinner is seen worshiping Jesus.
Which bring us to my favorite question about any text...so what?
Jesus healed a blind man and they both attracted self-righteous critics. So what?
Here are a few things to consider:
1. Suffering is part of our world. It is to be expected, yet it seems to surprise us.
It all goes back to the Garden. Sin entered the world—not just Adam and Eve—when they ate of the fruit.
2. We are addicted to comfort and safety.
2/3 of the world suffers daily...constantly.
This season of Lent and the very nature of fasting can help us empathize with others that have no food or those that are blind.
3. Following Jesus often makes life more difficult, not less. Jesus said clearly to His followers
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Jesus never promised us safety and comfort, but He did promise His presence. He said, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)
- We need one another.
It is a lie to think that it’s just about you and Jesus. We were created for community. I need you and you need me. That’s a message for another time, but suffice it to say that we are to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those how mourn.
5. God may be seem distant or even absent in the midst of suffering, but He is always at work healing our inner lives (see Ephesians 3).
It is through suffering that I have felt the closest to God. Nobody knows pain like Jesus. Nobody. The apex of human history was Jesus hanging on the cross. He recognized how we had messed up this beautiful world and He came to reverse the curse. He conquered sin and death. It’s hard to experience peace when you are comfortable.
6. The more we can let go of the idols in our lives and cling to Jesus, the more joy we will experience.
Some of us look to our health, our bank account, our careers, or even our family members to bring us joy, but Jesus said to follow Him means we need to hate our family and even our own lives in comparison to our love for Him (Luke 14:26).
We need to live with our hands open—to give and receive.
Song: Blessed Be Your Name
7. The best is yet to come. Really.
We live in the space between the first and second comings of Jesus. We have been given the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit is powerful and active. God still heals the blind. There are documented cases all over the world. God still causes the lame to walk. I’m praying that for a special girl right now. Sometimes God says yes to our prayer requests, sometimes no, and sometimes wait. Why? I don’t know. I don’t have easy answers. I can recommend a pile of books. I can tell you to study the book of Job. I can quote you verse after verse of Paul telling us to rejoice, endure, and embrace suffering. I have plenty of questions myself, but I know God is in control, God is good, and God is faithful. This world is not the end. The best is yet to come.
In the Lord of the Rings film The Two Towers, there is a famous quote from Sam in which he says,
“I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.”
They kept going. Because they were holding on to something. What are you holding on to? Who are you holding on to?
Open our eyes, LORD, to see You at work in and through our lives...for Your glory.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Who's Your Daddy? John 8:31-59, 10 February 2013
11 02 13
Big Idea: We are all slaves to sin and need freedom through Jesus.
Intro
This passage is loaded with background that is essential in order to fully grasp and apply. The Jews were descendants of Abraham, the one with whom God made a covenant. If you’ve been around at all this year we’ve mentioned it every week—Abraham was blessed to be a blessing. The people of Israel had a relationship with God, a relationship that tragically turned into yet another religion filled with rules and regulations, stripped of intimacy, authenticity, and love.
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (8:31-32)
Who is Jesus’ audience? Jews who believed Him. What did they believe? Keep in mind that throughout His life, Jesus had followers that deserted Him. Many walked away, His best friends fell asleep when He needed their support, His closest friend denied Him three times, one betrayed Him. Believing in Jesus is just the start.
There is a huge difference between professing faith and saving faith. Anyone can pray a prayer, but that doesn’t mean we are true believers and possess faith. R.C. Sproul says, “We must possess what we profess.” Notice what Jesus says about discipleship: it’s not about knowledge, but obedience. This is huge! Real disciples follow Jesus’ teaching and then they are set free.
Freedom
We love freedom, don’t we? Our nation was largely founded upon the idea of freedom, though ironically and tragically slavery has been a prominent feature in our history. Many of our founding fathers who valued freedom owned slaves!
We take our freedoms for granted—until they are threatened or removed. There’s a lot of talk these days about the freedom to bear arms and other freedoms that may be in jeopardy, but that pales in comparison to what many face.
Tragically, slavery is alive and well in our nation. Watching the film Lincoln a few weeks ago, I couldn’t help but appreciate the incredible courage and dedication of Abraham Lincoln and others who abolished slavery in the USA, but tragically it is very real today.
In fact, there are more slaves today in our world than at any time in human history, between 10 and 30 million people! I urge you to visit www.EndItMovement.com. Sign the petition. Tell others about it. Most people are shocked to learn that slavery exists...right here in Washtenaw County!
They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” (8:33)
I’ve heard many say, “I’m a Christian. I went to church as a kid. I was born in the USA. Of course I’m a Christian.” Nobody enters the Kingdom of God because of their ancestors. We must all be born again (John 3:3).
The Jews understood slavery—in their history. Their ancestors were slaves, working in Egypt under Pharaoh until God called Moses to lead them to the Promised Land. Understandably, Jesus’ hearers couldn’t fathom being slaves.
Isn’t it interesting how many people are in bondage but don’t realize it? Millions are enslaved to alcohol, food, or work. Countless lives have been destroyed by debt, fear, or the approval of other people.
Next Jesus acknowledges the obvious—or not so obvious: we are all messed up!
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you do what you have heard from your father.” (8:34-38)
Sin sounds like such an old-fashioned word, doesn’t it? Sin destroys, yet it is an addiction for all of us.
Jesus makes it clear that being a child of Abraham is not the same as being a child of God. Tragically, the Jewish people that were to be a blessing and shine the light to the rest of the world were in the dark.
If the light is dark, we’ve got a problem!
Do you remember that song, “This Little Light of Mine”? What if we don’t shine?
“Abraham is our father,” they answered.
“If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do the things Abraham did. As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the things your own father does.”
“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.” (8:39-41)
Sonship is not about biology, but obedience. The conversation is getting a little heated now. Perhaps you’ve heard of father Abraham. He was the patriarch, you might say the original Jew. It was understood that tradition and heritage would bring freedom, but Jesus says it is truth that sets us free, but we can’t be freed from something until we are in bondage to something. You can’t set a bird that is in the wild free. It must first be taken captive.
Jesus is telling them that circumcision and diet and family heritage are not what brings freedom and a right relationship with God. True Jewishness is inward.
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” (8:42-47)
We are naturally born without a desire for God. Our human nature is sinful and wicked, which is why it’s such a miracle when the Holy Spirit brings conviction and repentance. The greatest miracle, in fact, is a transformed man, woman or child that follows Jesus rather than making an idol of themselves and their desires.
Jesus tells some important truths here about satan—he is a liar and the father of lies.
This is not an excerpt from Andrew Carnegie’s book How To Win Friends and Influence People!
We need to back up for a moment and remember that Jesus is a wanted Man—wanted by His followers, yes, but also His enemies. His ultimate enemy, of course, is...satan.
Ironically, Paul said in his first book to the people of Corinth (11:14) that “satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” Do you remember a moment ago, “this little light of mine”? What if satan’s plan was to have the most pious, respected leaders in the community destroy Jesus? Who would ever suspect such a thing? Murderers committing murder is so passé, but the religious people? Who would ever see that coming?
Spiritual warfare is real. We have a real enemy. He wants to steal, kill and destroy. He not only acts like an angel of light, he is full of lies. He is sneaky. He knows the Scriptures better than anyone in this room (remember the temptation of Jesus?). He is real.
Satan is a murderer and the Pharisees wanted to kill Jesus!
Notice, too, the politically incorrect teaching of Jesus. He doesn’t say all roads lead to God, but rather that we cannot have the Father and not have the Son, and we cannot have the Son and not the Father because the Father sent the Son. As we will see in a few weeks, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
Do you hear what God says? Do you belong to God?
Jesus claims the devil as their father. They return the favor.
The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?”
“I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” (8:48-51)
You have to admit that’s a bold statement, especially on the surface. As usual, Jesus speaks the truth. He is the truth, but He is not always clearly understood.
He’s not so much talking about himself, but the ‘father who sent’ Him.
At this the Jews exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” (8:52-53)
Notice here they claim Abraham as their father, though Jesus is speaking of God the Father.
Who do you think you are? This is one of the greatest questions in the entire Bible. Repeatedly I have said that the two most important questions in life are who are you and who is Jesus.
Jesus asked His follower, “Who do people say that I am?” and “Who do you say that I am?” (Matt. 16:13-15; Mark 8:27-29; Luke 9:18-20)
You can understand the Jews getting riled up about this. Jesus is shattering their paradigm of what it means to be righteous.
Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” (8:54-56)
These are audacious claims, right? He’s saying that Abraham—who was blessed to be a blessing—was looking ahead to Jesus Himself and the life and resurrection that He would offer us. Jesus Himself is embodying what Abraham’s God promised centuries earlier.
It gets better!
“You are not yet fifty years old,” the Jews said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” (8:57)
Good point, right?
“I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” (8:58)
That may seem like bad grammar, but here’s what Jesus was really saying—I am God. He speaks in the Name of the Father, the secret and holy Name of God, YHWH. He refers to Himself clearly as God. I created everything. John’s first words in this book say...
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. (1:1-2)
John is reminding us again in chapter 8 that Jesus was in the beginning. Through Him all things were made (1:3).
Needless to say, claiming to be God made the religious leaders go crazy! This was blasphemy, a capital offense—as was breaking the Sabbath earlier.
Jesus was no weak, gentle guy prancing in the woods. He was a radical revolutionary, unafraid of conflict, confronting His enemies, and turning upside down not only tables in the temple (another story) but everything the Jews understood about God Himself and the Way to HIm.
Predictably...
At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. (8:59)
Our story ends with an angry mob of Jews that believed in Jesus at the beginning of the narrative, but are now ready to kill HIm. Jesus, meanwhile, slips away because it wasn’t yet time for Him to die.
Our Story
Here’s my concern: I have a feeling if we were characters in this story, we’d be the Jews, grabbing stones at this controversial figure who is turning conventional wisdom upside down. He offends them. He literally introduces a completely different worldview to them, one that is not centered around being a privileged descendent, but rather one who radically obeys.
Does this sound familiar? It could be said that I’m a religious person devoted to Sunday worship gatherings, tithing 10% to the local church, driving the speed limit, and a daily Bible reader.
What would Jesus say to me? What we He say to you?
I think He would say, “Do you know me? Do you love me? Feed my sheep. Take care of the stranger, the widow and the orphan. Be a blessing to the nations. Listen to My voice like all good sheep listen to their Shepherd and know his voice. Practice hospitality and eat with those far from Me. Study Me. Share Me. Sound familiar?
I want to go back to where we began.
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (8:31-32)
If you obey Jesus—and He said a lot of hard things—You are really His disciple. Then you will know the truth and it will set you free...from the bondage of sin and death.
Author Gary Burge said, “The deepest paradox of John 8 is that Jesus suffers religious persecution.” He goes on to say, “The paradigm of the passage is then set: Jesus steps into a religiously devout environment and immediately splits his audience. Those who follow him become passionate believers. Those who stand opposed, who defend their traditions with zeal, suddenly become zealous opponents, enemies of God’s work in the world. This passage warns the custodians of tradition that their defense of these spiritual habits and rituals may well be their undoing.” Later he writes, “If Jesus stepped into our century, if he walked into our evangelical churches, if he picked up a religious symbol (as he did at the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles) and challenged the symbol’s original meaning, would we cheer or would we fight? Suddenly we might find ourselves defending Christendom instead of the Christian faith. We might explain that the old meaning, the old songs, the old forms had worked just fine for generations. We might challenge this newcomer and demand that he verify that he was indeed a messenger from God. And when he pressed his claims powerfully, suddenly we would be forced either to let go of our former position and become a believer or argue and rebel.”
Disciples of Jesus study Jesus, spend time in the Word, know the truth, and are set free. Tragically, the rest of the world is in slavery to sin, lies, and death that originate with satan.
What about you? Do you know Jesus? I didn’t ask if you were religious. I didn’t ask if you go to church and smile on Sundays. Do you know Jesus? If you do, there is freedom...from sin, death, and despair.
If you don’t know Jesus, I want to introduce you to Him. He’s Your Creator. He loves You so much that He gave His very life to give you life, freedom, purpose, joy, forgiveness, grace, and reconciliation to a God that finds sin completely unacceptable. Period. That’s why Jesus, His death, and resurrection are so important. Without Jesus, we’re hopeless. We’re slaves to sin. But because of Jesus, we can express life, joy, meaning, and freedom from sin...and religion.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Intro
This passage is loaded with background that is essential in order to fully grasp and apply. The Jews were descendants of Abraham, the one with whom God made a covenant. If you’ve been around at all this year we’ve mentioned it every week—Abraham was blessed to be a blessing. The people of Israel had a relationship with God, a relationship that tragically turned into yet another religion filled with rules and regulations, stripped of intimacy, authenticity, and love.
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (8:31-32)
Who is Jesus’ audience? Jews who believed Him. What did they believe? Keep in mind that throughout His life, Jesus had followers that deserted Him. Many walked away, His best friends fell asleep when He needed their support, His closest friend denied Him three times, one betrayed Him. Believing in Jesus is just the start.
There is a huge difference between professing faith and saving faith. Anyone can pray a prayer, but that doesn’t mean we are true believers and possess faith. R.C. Sproul says, “We must possess what we profess.” Notice what Jesus says about discipleship: it’s not about knowledge, but obedience. This is huge! Real disciples follow Jesus’ teaching and then they are set free.
Freedom
We love freedom, don’t we? Our nation was largely founded upon the idea of freedom, though ironically and tragically slavery has been a prominent feature in our history. Many of our founding fathers who valued freedom owned slaves!
We take our freedoms for granted—until they are threatened or removed. There’s a lot of talk these days about the freedom to bear arms and other freedoms that may be in jeopardy, but that pales in comparison to what many face.
Tragically, slavery is alive and well in our nation. Watching the film Lincoln a few weeks ago, I couldn’t help but appreciate the incredible courage and dedication of Abraham Lincoln and others who abolished slavery in the USA, but tragically it is very real today.
In fact, there are more slaves today in our world than at any time in human history, between 10 and 30 million people! I urge you to visit www.EndItMovement.com. Sign the petition. Tell others about it. Most people are shocked to learn that slavery exists...right here in Washtenaw County!
They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” (8:33)
I’ve heard many say, “I’m a Christian. I went to church as a kid. I was born in the USA. Of course I’m a Christian.” Nobody enters the Kingdom of God because of their ancestors. We must all be born again (John 3:3).
The Jews understood slavery—in their history. Their ancestors were slaves, working in Egypt under Pharaoh until God called Moses to lead them to the Promised Land. Understandably, Jesus’ hearers couldn’t fathom being slaves.
Isn’t it interesting how many people are in bondage but don’t realize it? Millions are enslaved to alcohol, food, or work. Countless lives have been destroyed by debt, fear, or the approval of other people.
Next Jesus acknowledges the obvious—or not so obvious: we are all messed up!
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you do what you have heard from your father.” (8:34-38)
Sin sounds like such an old-fashioned word, doesn’t it? Sin destroys, yet it is an addiction for all of us.
Jesus makes it clear that being a child of Abraham is not the same as being a child of God. Tragically, the Jewish people that were to be a blessing and shine the light to the rest of the world were in the dark.
If the light is dark, we’ve got a problem!
Do you remember that song, “This Little Light of Mine”? What if we don’t shine?
“Abraham is our father,” they answered.
“If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do the things Abraham did. As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the things your own father does.”
“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.” (8:39-41)
Sonship is not about biology, but obedience. The conversation is getting a little heated now. Perhaps you’ve heard of father Abraham. He was the patriarch, you might say the original Jew. It was understood that tradition and heritage would bring freedom, but Jesus says it is truth that sets us free, but we can’t be freed from something until we are in bondage to something. You can’t set a bird that is in the wild free. It must first be taken captive.
Jesus is telling them that circumcision and diet and family heritage are not what brings freedom and a right relationship with God. True Jewishness is inward.
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” (8:42-47)
We are naturally born without a desire for God. Our human nature is sinful and wicked, which is why it’s such a miracle when the Holy Spirit brings conviction and repentance. The greatest miracle, in fact, is a transformed man, woman or child that follows Jesus rather than making an idol of themselves and their desires.
Jesus tells some important truths here about satan—he is a liar and the father of lies.
This is not an excerpt from Andrew Carnegie’s book How To Win Friends and Influence People!
We need to back up for a moment and remember that Jesus is a wanted Man—wanted by His followers, yes, but also His enemies. His ultimate enemy, of course, is...satan.
Ironically, Paul said in his first book to the people of Corinth (11:14) that “satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” Do you remember a moment ago, “this little light of mine”? What if satan’s plan was to have the most pious, respected leaders in the community destroy Jesus? Who would ever suspect such a thing? Murderers committing murder is so passé, but the religious people? Who would ever see that coming?
Spiritual warfare is real. We have a real enemy. He wants to steal, kill and destroy. He not only acts like an angel of light, he is full of lies. He is sneaky. He knows the Scriptures better than anyone in this room (remember the temptation of Jesus?). He is real.
Satan is a murderer and the Pharisees wanted to kill Jesus!
Notice, too, the politically incorrect teaching of Jesus. He doesn’t say all roads lead to God, but rather that we cannot have the Father and not have the Son, and we cannot have the Son and not the Father because the Father sent the Son. As we will see in a few weeks, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
Do you hear what God says? Do you belong to God?
Jesus claims the devil as their father. They return the favor.
The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?”
“I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” (8:48-51)
You have to admit that’s a bold statement, especially on the surface. As usual, Jesus speaks the truth. He is the truth, but He is not always clearly understood.
He’s not so much talking about himself, but the ‘father who sent’ Him.
At this the Jews exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” (8:52-53)
Notice here they claim Abraham as their father, though Jesus is speaking of God the Father.
Who do you think you are? This is one of the greatest questions in the entire Bible. Repeatedly I have said that the two most important questions in life are who are you and who is Jesus.
Jesus asked His follower, “Who do people say that I am?” and “Who do you say that I am?” (Matt. 16:13-15; Mark 8:27-29; Luke 9:18-20)
You can understand the Jews getting riled up about this. Jesus is shattering their paradigm of what it means to be righteous.
Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” (8:54-56)
These are audacious claims, right? He’s saying that Abraham—who was blessed to be a blessing—was looking ahead to Jesus Himself and the life and resurrection that He would offer us. Jesus Himself is embodying what Abraham’s God promised centuries earlier.
It gets better!
“You are not yet fifty years old,” the Jews said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” (8:57)
Good point, right?
“I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” (8:58)
That may seem like bad grammar, but here’s what Jesus was really saying—I am God. He speaks in the Name of the Father, the secret and holy Name of God, YHWH. He refers to Himself clearly as God. I created everything. John’s first words in this book say...
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. (1:1-2)
John is reminding us again in chapter 8 that Jesus was in the beginning. Through Him all things were made (1:3).
Needless to say, claiming to be God made the religious leaders go crazy! This was blasphemy, a capital offense—as was breaking the Sabbath earlier.
Jesus was no weak, gentle guy prancing in the woods. He was a radical revolutionary, unafraid of conflict, confronting His enemies, and turning upside down not only tables in the temple (another story) but everything the Jews understood about God Himself and the Way to HIm.
Predictably...
At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. (8:59)
Our story ends with an angry mob of Jews that believed in Jesus at the beginning of the narrative, but are now ready to kill HIm. Jesus, meanwhile, slips away because it wasn’t yet time for Him to die.
Our Story
Here’s my concern: I have a feeling if we were characters in this story, we’d be the Jews, grabbing stones at this controversial figure who is turning conventional wisdom upside down. He offends them. He literally introduces a completely different worldview to them, one that is not centered around being a privileged descendent, but rather one who radically obeys.
Does this sound familiar? It could be said that I’m a religious person devoted to Sunday worship gatherings, tithing 10% to the local church, driving the speed limit, and a daily Bible reader.
What would Jesus say to me? What we He say to you?
I think He would say, “Do you know me? Do you love me? Feed my sheep. Take care of the stranger, the widow and the orphan. Be a blessing to the nations. Listen to My voice like all good sheep listen to their Shepherd and know his voice. Practice hospitality and eat with those far from Me. Study Me. Share Me. Sound familiar?
I want to go back to where we began.
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (8:31-32)
If you obey Jesus—and He said a lot of hard things—You are really His disciple. Then you will know the truth and it will set you free...from the bondage of sin and death.
Author Gary Burge said, “The deepest paradox of John 8 is that Jesus suffers religious persecution.” He goes on to say, “The paradigm of the passage is then set: Jesus steps into a religiously devout environment and immediately splits his audience. Those who follow him become passionate believers. Those who stand opposed, who defend their traditions with zeal, suddenly become zealous opponents, enemies of God’s work in the world. This passage warns the custodians of tradition that their defense of these spiritual habits and rituals may well be their undoing.” Later he writes, “If Jesus stepped into our century, if he walked into our evangelical churches, if he picked up a religious symbol (as he did at the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles) and challenged the symbol’s original meaning, would we cheer or would we fight? Suddenly we might find ourselves defending Christendom instead of the Christian faith. We might explain that the old meaning, the old songs, the old forms had worked just fine for generations. We might challenge this newcomer and demand that he verify that he was indeed a messenger from God. And when he pressed his claims powerfully, suddenly we would be forced either to let go of our former position and become a believer or argue and rebel.”
Disciples of Jesus study Jesus, spend time in the Word, know the truth, and are set free. Tragically, the rest of the world is in slavery to sin, lies, and death that originate with satan.
What about you? Do you know Jesus? I didn’t ask if you were religious. I didn’t ask if you go to church and smile on Sundays. Do you know Jesus? If you do, there is freedom...from sin, death, and despair.
If you don’t know Jesus, I want to introduce you to Him. He’s Your Creator. He loves You so much that He gave His very life to give you life, freedom, purpose, joy, forgiveness, grace, and reconciliation to a God that finds sin completely unacceptable. Period. That’s why Jesus, His death, and resurrection are so important. Without Jesus, we’re hopeless. We’re slaves to sin. But because of Jesus, we can express life, joy, meaning, and freedom from sin...and religion.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Share Your Story, b.l.e.s.s., 3 February 2013
04 02 13
Share Your Story
Big Idea: Share your story—HiStory
Scriptures: 1 Peter 3:13-16; Matthew 28:18-20
Introduction
Three weeks ago we began our new year with our new series and annual theme, b.l.e.s.s. We said that we have been blessed to be a blessing. This is a theme throughout history, most prominently in God’s covenant with Abram (Genesis 12:1-3)
Our first week’s challenge was to bless one person. Week two’s challenge was to spend one hour listening to God. Week three’s challenge was to eat with a lost person. Last week’s challenge was to study Jesus.
These are not one-time challenge, but rhythms, patterns for the new year, every week. Some would call them spiritual practices or disciplines. As our series logo illustrates, none of these five steps are a “have to” in order to kill guilt, but rather a “get to” privilege that comes from being so blessed and filled by God that it overflows to others. Put another way, Jesus said in John 15:14 that we must remain in Him. When we are connected to Jesus, we will bear fruit. Blessings will leak. The more we practice disciplines such as prayer, listening, eating with the lost, and studying Jesus, the more natural it will become. The more we are filled with the Holy Spirit, the more the Spirit will overflow to others around us.
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. (John 15:4)
The final letter is “S” and it stands for story. Everyone loves a good story. Whether it is a nursery rhyme, a movie, a book, or even a conversation, there’s nothing like an engaging story. The content of a story is obviously its most important feature, but the storyteller is vital, as well. Can you think of some good storytellers? What makes them good? We are all part of God’s story. Life is HiStory.
Story is built into our mission statement:
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
- serving our communities
- sharing our story
- sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
Jesus was a master story teller. Much of His teaching was not through verse-by-verse analysis of the ancient Scriptures, but rather through parables—stories.
What’s your favorite Bible story? One of my favorite stories in the Bible is found in the ninth chapter of the Gospel of John. A blind man was healed by Jesus. The Jews were furious and envious of Jesus and refused to believe Jesus had, indeed, allowed this man to see.
A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”
He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”
Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” (John 9:24-27)
The man said, “This is my story. End of discussion...unless you want to follow Jesus, too!” They couldn’t argue with what happened to this man when he encountered Jesus.
Your Story
What is your story? One of the great things about your story is that it’s yours and nobody and deny it. Sure, if your story involved unicorns and candy clouds and talking bunnies, you might get some strange looks, but for the most part your story is indisputable. What God has done and is doing in and through you does not need archeological artifacts, scientific laboratory proofs, or journals of scholarly evidence. Either God is at work in and through you or He’s not, and if He is, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and the same power that is at work transforming you to be more like Jesus is available to every man, woman and child.
Words...and actions
Although there are those that dispute it, many believe St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gospel at all times and If necessary, use words.” Have you heard that quote? The original quote was actually, “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary, use words.” Do you see the difference? We need words. We need to share our story. We need deed and word, serving and story. It’s yet another “and.” Whether he said it or not, what does it mean? We know that often actions speak louder than words. Our acts of kindness and blessing go a long way toward establishing credibility and trust with others that grant us permission to share our story and truly be heard.
Imagine someone saying, “Feed the hungry and if necessary, use food” or “Love your children and if necessary, spend time with them.” Words are necessary, but they are not necessarily where we begin.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15)
A Privilege For All Of Us
Some Christians think story telling is for paid professionals. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, in the eighth chapter of Acts everyone except the apostles spread the message of Jesus.
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:13-16)
Fruit
One of the challenges with sharing our story relates to our expectations. Personally, I want everyone to follow Jesus, not because I get brownie points, but because I can’t imagine a better way to live. If I truly love someone, I will want them to experience the ultimate love from the Author of love. Like many of you, I’ve shared my story in hopes that others will become followers of Jesus. I’ve had the privilege to see people begin their journey with Jesus, but most of the time my story is one of many steps in their spiritual adventure. Paul made this very clear in his letter to the people of Corinth:
What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe — as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. (1 Corinthians 3:5-9)
Actions and words plus time and the power of the Holy Spirit will produce fruit.
This Week’s Challenge: Share your story.
Why is it so scary for many of us to share our story? Perhaps we fear rejection. Maybe we wonder if it will raise questions we can’t answer. It is possible that we are just shy and don’t like to talk to anyone about anything!
Don’t forget there are many ways to share your story. It could be through a conversation, but it might be via a letter, an e-mail, a card, a Facebook post, or even a blog. We need actions, but we also need words. Both are required to truly bless the world…and God.
How?
So how do you share your story? It’s really quite simple. What was your life like before following Jesus, how did you encounter Him, and what has happened since? It doesn’t have to be a radical transformation account. For some of you, your story is colorful. That’s great. If not, that’s fine, too. Here’s mine:
I was raised in a Christian family. In fact, my parents named me “Kirk” which means “church” or “church dweller.” They wanted me to experience the faith, love, peace, joy, and purpose that they had found in Jesus. I was a pretty good kid and went to church, but didn’t get much out of it until I encountered peers that were passionate for God. They inspired me to pursue God, to not just know about Him, but to actually know my Creator through prayer and Bible study and community with others. That was the spark I needed to ignite my faith. In college, I tested my faith, explored other religions and world views, and kept returning to Jesus, the only One who died for me, demonstrated His love, and offers grace—unmerited favor. I deserve eternal death for the sins and failures in my life, but I’ve learned that it’s not what I DO, but what Jesus has DONE for me by dying for me that gives my life meaning and hope and a future with Him forever. Our family has spent the last six years dealing with a series of tragedies, but even through the storms, we have had peace and joy knowing the God is with us. I want everyone to experience the radical, exciting life that only comes through following Jesus.
What’s your story? If you’ve truly encountered Jesus, you have a story!
Maybe you don’t have one...yet. Perhaps you’ve never fully surrendered your life to Jesus. If that’s the case, I urge you to do so. Simply tell God you are sorry for your past sins, receive His love and forgiveness, and follow the words and deeds of Jesus.
Let His story become your story.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Big Idea: Share your story—HiStory
Scriptures: 1 Peter 3:13-16; Matthew 28:18-20
Introduction
Three weeks ago we began our new year with our new series and annual theme, b.l.e.s.s. We said that we have been blessed to be a blessing. This is a theme throughout history, most prominently in God’s covenant with Abram (Genesis 12:1-3)
Our first week’s challenge was to bless one person. Week two’s challenge was to spend one hour listening to God. Week three’s challenge was to eat with a lost person. Last week’s challenge was to study Jesus.
These are not one-time challenge, but rhythms, patterns for the new year, every week. Some would call them spiritual practices or disciplines. As our series logo illustrates, none of these five steps are a “have to” in order to kill guilt, but rather a “get to” privilege that comes from being so blessed and filled by God that it overflows to others. Put another way, Jesus said in John 15:14 that we must remain in Him. When we are connected to Jesus, we will bear fruit. Blessings will leak. The more we practice disciplines such as prayer, listening, eating with the lost, and studying Jesus, the more natural it will become. The more we are filled with the Holy Spirit, the more the Spirit will overflow to others around us.
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. (John 15:4)
The final letter is “S” and it stands for story. Everyone loves a good story. Whether it is a nursery rhyme, a movie, a book, or even a conversation, there’s nothing like an engaging story. The content of a story is obviously its most important feature, but the storyteller is vital, as well. Can you think of some good storytellers? What makes them good? We are all part of God’s story. Life is HiStory.
Story is built into our mission statement:
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
- serving our communities
- sharing our story
- sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
Jesus was a master story teller. Much of His teaching was not through verse-by-verse analysis of the ancient Scriptures, but rather through parables—stories.
What’s your favorite Bible story? One of my favorite stories in the Bible is found in the ninth chapter of the Gospel of John. A blind man was healed by Jesus. The Jews were furious and envious of Jesus and refused to believe Jesus had, indeed, allowed this man to see.
A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”
He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”
Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” (John 9:24-27)
The man said, “This is my story. End of discussion...unless you want to follow Jesus, too!” They couldn’t argue with what happened to this man when he encountered Jesus.
Your Story
What is your story? One of the great things about your story is that it’s yours and nobody and deny it. Sure, if your story involved unicorns and candy clouds and talking bunnies, you might get some strange looks, but for the most part your story is indisputable. What God has done and is doing in and through you does not need archeological artifacts, scientific laboratory proofs, or journals of scholarly evidence. Either God is at work in and through you or He’s not, and if He is, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and the same power that is at work transforming you to be more like Jesus is available to every man, woman and child.
Words...and actions
Although there are those that dispute it, many believe St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gospel at all times and If necessary, use words.” Have you heard that quote? The original quote was actually, “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary, use words.” Do you see the difference? We need words. We need to share our story. We need deed and word, serving and story. It’s yet another “and.” Whether he said it or not, what does it mean? We know that often actions speak louder than words. Our acts of kindness and blessing go a long way toward establishing credibility and trust with others that grant us permission to share our story and truly be heard.
Imagine someone saying, “Feed the hungry and if necessary, use food” or “Love your children and if necessary, spend time with them.” Words are necessary, but they are not necessarily where we begin.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15)
A Privilege For All Of Us
Some Christians think story telling is for paid professionals. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, in the eighth chapter of Acts everyone except the apostles spread the message of Jesus.
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:13-16)
Fruit
One of the challenges with sharing our story relates to our expectations. Personally, I want everyone to follow Jesus, not because I get brownie points, but because I can’t imagine a better way to live. If I truly love someone, I will want them to experience the ultimate love from the Author of love. Like many of you, I’ve shared my story in hopes that others will become followers of Jesus. I’ve had the privilege to see people begin their journey with Jesus, but most of the time my story is one of many steps in their spiritual adventure. Paul made this very clear in his letter to the people of Corinth:
What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe — as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. (1 Corinthians 3:5-9)
Actions and words plus time and the power of the Holy Spirit will produce fruit.
This Week’s Challenge: Share your story.
Why is it so scary for many of us to share our story? Perhaps we fear rejection. Maybe we wonder if it will raise questions we can’t answer. It is possible that we are just shy and don’t like to talk to anyone about anything!
Don’t forget there are many ways to share your story. It could be through a conversation, but it might be via a letter, an e-mail, a card, a Facebook post, or even a blog. We need actions, but we also need words. Both are required to truly bless the world…and God.
How?
So how do you share your story? It’s really quite simple. What was your life like before following Jesus, how did you encounter Him, and what has happened since? It doesn’t have to be a radical transformation account. For some of you, your story is colorful. That’s great. If not, that’s fine, too. Here’s mine:
I was raised in a Christian family. In fact, my parents named me “Kirk” which means “church” or “church dweller.” They wanted me to experience the faith, love, peace, joy, and purpose that they had found in Jesus. I was a pretty good kid and went to church, but didn’t get much out of it until I encountered peers that were passionate for God. They inspired me to pursue God, to not just know about Him, but to actually know my Creator through prayer and Bible study and community with others. That was the spark I needed to ignite my faith. In college, I tested my faith, explored other religions and world views, and kept returning to Jesus, the only One who died for me, demonstrated His love, and offers grace—unmerited favor. I deserve eternal death for the sins and failures in my life, but I’ve learned that it’s not what I DO, but what Jesus has DONE for me by dying for me that gives my life meaning and hope and a future with Him forever. Our family has spent the last six years dealing with a series of tragedies, but even through the storms, we have had peace and joy knowing the God is with us. I want everyone to experience the radical, exciting life that only comes through following Jesus.
What’s your story? If you’ve truly encountered Jesus, you have a story!
Maybe you don’t have one...yet. Perhaps you’ve never fully surrendered your life to Jesus. If that’s the case, I urge you to do so. Simply tell God you are sorry for your past sins, receive His love and forgiveness, and follow the words and deeds of Jesus.
Let His story become your story.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Study Jesus, b.l.e.s.s., 27 January 2013
28 01 13
Study Jesus
Big Idea: Study Jesus
Scriptures: Psalm 119
Introduction
Three weeks ago we began our new year with our new series and annual theme, b.l.e.s.s. We said that we have been blessed to be a blessing. This is a theme throughout history, most prominently in God’s covenant with Abram (Genesis 12:1-3)
Our first week’s challenge was to bless one person.
Week two’s challenge was to spend one hour listening to God.
Last week’s challenge was to eat with a lost person.
These are not one-time challenge, but new rhythms, patterns for the new year, every week. Some would call them spiritual practices or disciplines.
Today’s letter is “S” and it stands for study...study Jesus.
Do you like to study?
When I think of study, my mind jumps back to finals weeks in college, cramming facts and data moments before heading to class, hoping to remember the right formula, date, translation, or concept in order to pass the class. While striving for an “A” was something of a game, the whole thing was rather stressful and usually not meaningful to me. I’ve long ago forgotten the periodic table of the elements, the capital city of every nation in Africa, how to say “administrator” in Spanish, or our ninth vice-president.
For many, Bible study is done similarly. The pastor says to read a chapter a day, so we do it. The goal is to finish. It’s all about the destination.
The challenge this week is not to merely study or even study the Bible, but study Jesus. Study a Person.
Perhaps you remember the story of Steve Jobs’ biography. When Jobs asked Walter Isaacson to write a biography of his life, he said to tell everything—good and bad—so that his children could know their dad. That makes me so sad—that they would need a book to get to know their dad—yet it would be even more tragic if his kids had no interest in reading it!
We have God’s Word to help us know about God, but also to know God. We can study the life and teachings of Jesus in order to ultimately know Him, His heart, and become like Him...because unlike Jobs, Jesus is alive!
The Word of God
We’re going to look at a few verses in Psalm 119. There are two things unique about this chapter. First, it is the longest chapter of the Bible, 176 verses! Second, it is divided up into sections, each beginning with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet, from aleph to taw. It begins
[Aleph] Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways. You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me. (Psalm 119:1-8)
Have you ever read passages like today’s scripture reading and wondered what all the fuss was about? Consider this passage:
Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts. I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word. I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. (Psalm 119:97-104)
King David loved the Scriptures. He didn’t have a leather-bound copy of the Old and New Testament—obviously since he lived centuries before the advent of Jesus and the New Testament—but he recognized the wisdom of God and was desperate to know it. Oh that all of our political and military leaders—and business and entertainment and education and...you get the idea—would have such a desire to know not only the information contained in the Bible, but its main character, Jesus Christ.
One of the great distinctions between Christianity and most other religions is that we pursue a living person, not merely the teachings of a dead man—or woman. Truth is a Person. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
The word “Christian” means “little Christ,” so in order to authentically call yourself a Christian, you must be like Jesus, and in order to be like Jesus you must act like Jesus, and in order to act like Jesus you must know how Jesus acted, and in order to know how Jesus acted you must know the Bible and in order to know the Bible you must study it...not merely read it.
As much as I love the attitude between the old W.W.J.D. bracelets—What Would Jesus Do?—it’s often too late to ask the question. Our lives are filled with split-second decisions and actions that don’t allow time to prepare. If someone cuts me off on the expressway, I don’t have time to pause and reflect upon what Jesus would do (perhaps He would wave!).
The key to living like Jesus is to know Jesus—not just about Him, but actually know Him. The Bible is our primary source—as I mentioned two weeks ago when we talked about listening to God—but we can’t stop there. Many have read the Bible and remained skeptics. There are atheists that have read and even memorized much of the Bible! There is a difference between just reading the Bible and studying Jesus.
Love Letter
I have saved every letter and card that my wife has given me since I met her more than 27 years ago. Every one! Why? They are valuable to me because she is valuable to me. I never read a single word in order to fill my head with facts about her. I read them to know her, her heart, her essence. Her letters and cards were not written like a dictionary or encyclopedia. They are all communication vehicles to enhance our relationship. The same can be said of the Scriptures.
Psalm 119:9-16
[Beth] How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. (Psalm 119:9-16)
How did David study the heart of God? The goal of David’s study was not information, but transformation.
I often struggle in studying the Bible. For me, it’s almost too familiar. I am tempted to skim through it like I would a children’s book that I’ve read to my kids one hundred times. The reality is, there are new things to glean from the Bible each time I open it. Reading it for knowledge is one thing, but asking the Holy Spirit to speak through it—and for me to be still and listen to it—is something entirely different. Our attitude and approach are critical. Oh that we could all be like David, who wrote
[Gimel] Do good to your servant, and I will live; I will obey your word. Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me. My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times. You rebuke the arrogant, who are cursed and who stray from your commands. Remove from me scorn and contempt, for I keep your statutes. Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees. Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors. (Psalm 119:17-24)
What was the result of David’s pursuit of God? Twice he is called a man after God’s heart. He got it! As he got to know the heart of God, he became more like God. I can tell you three things that are on God’s heart: widows, orphans and strangers.
Many have memorized parts of the Bible, gone to church for decades, pray before every meal, and put a check in the offering, but that doesn’t mean we know the heart of God, much less have the heart of God. When we study Jesus, we discover the heart of God. John wrote
No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known. (John 1:18)
Jesus, in the incarnation and crucifixion, makes the heart of God known to us.
Scriptures
One of the most beautiful passages about God’s Word is found in the book of Joshua. Moses has just died, the baton has been passed to Joshua, and God gives him leadership instructions including the following:
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8)
What is God saying here?
Big Idea: Study Jesus
Scriptures: Psalm 119
Introduction
Three weeks ago we began our new year with our new series and annual theme, b.l.e.s.s. We said that we have been blessed to be a blessing. This is a theme throughout history, most prominently in God’s covenant with Abram (Genesis 12:1-3)
Our first week’s challenge was to bless one person.
Week two’s challenge was to spend one hour listening to God.
Last week’s challenge was to eat with a lost person.
These are not one-time challenge, but new rhythms, patterns for the new year, every week. Some would call them spiritual practices or disciplines.
Today’s letter is “S” and it stands for study...study Jesus.
Do you like to study?
When I think of study, my mind jumps back to finals weeks in college, cramming facts and data moments before heading to class, hoping to remember the right formula, date, translation, or concept in order to pass the class. While striving for an “A” was something of a game, the whole thing was rather stressful and usually not meaningful to me. I’ve long ago forgotten the periodic table of the elements, the capital city of every nation in Africa, how to say “administrator” in Spanish, or our ninth vice-president.
For many, Bible study is done similarly. The pastor says to read a chapter a day, so we do it. The goal is to finish. It’s all about the destination.
The challenge this week is not to merely study or even study the Bible, but study Jesus. Study a Person.
Perhaps you remember the story of Steve Jobs’ biography. When Jobs asked Walter Isaacson to write a biography of his life, he said to tell everything—good and bad—so that his children could know their dad. That makes me so sad—that they would need a book to get to know their dad—yet it would be even more tragic if his kids had no interest in reading it!
We have God’s Word to help us know about God, but also to know God. We can study the life and teachings of Jesus in order to ultimately know Him, His heart, and become like Him...because unlike Jobs, Jesus is alive!
The Word of God
We’re going to look at a few verses in Psalm 119. There are two things unique about this chapter. First, it is the longest chapter of the Bible, 176 verses! Second, it is divided up into sections, each beginning with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet, from aleph to taw. It begins
[Aleph] Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways. You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me. (Psalm 119:1-8)
Have you ever read passages like today’s scripture reading and wondered what all the fuss was about? Consider this passage:
Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts. I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word. I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. (Psalm 119:97-104)
King David loved the Scriptures. He didn’t have a leather-bound copy of the Old and New Testament—obviously since he lived centuries before the advent of Jesus and the New Testament—but he recognized the wisdom of God and was desperate to know it. Oh that all of our political and military leaders—and business and entertainment and education and...you get the idea—would have such a desire to know not only the information contained in the Bible, but its main character, Jesus Christ.
One of the great distinctions between Christianity and most other religions is that we pursue a living person, not merely the teachings of a dead man—or woman. Truth is a Person. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
The word “Christian” means “little Christ,” so in order to authentically call yourself a Christian, you must be like Jesus, and in order to be like Jesus you must act like Jesus, and in order to act like Jesus you must know how Jesus acted, and in order to know how Jesus acted you must know the Bible and in order to know the Bible you must study it...not merely read it.
As much as I love the attitude between the old W.W.J.D. bracelets—What Would Jesus Do?—it’s often too late to ask the question. Our lives are filled with split-second decisions and actions that don’t allow time to prepare. If someone cuts me off on the expressway, I don’t have time to pause and reflect upon what Jesus would do (perhaps He would wave!).
The key to living like Jesus is to know Jesus—not just about Him, but actually know Him. The Bible is our primary source—as I mentioned two weeks ago when we talked about listening to God—but we can’t stop there. Many have read the Bible and remained skeptics. There are atheists that have read and even memorized much of the Bible! There is a difference between just reading the Bible and studying Jesus.
Love Letter
I have saved every letter and card that my wife has given me since I met her more than 27 years ago. Every one! Why? They are valuable to me because she is valuable to me. I never read a single word in order to fill my head with facts about her. I read them to know her, her heart, her essence. Her letters and cards were not written like a dictionary or encyclopedia. They are all communication vehicles to enhance our relationship. The same can be said of the Scriptures.
Psalm 119:9-16
[Beth] How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. (Psalm 119:9-16)
How did David study the heart of God? The goal of David’s study was not information, but transformation.
I often struggle in studying the Bible. For me, it’s almost too familiar. I am tempted to skim through it like I would a children’s book that I’ve read to my kids one hundred times. The reality is, there are new things to glean from the Bible each time I open it. Reading it for knowledge is one thing, but asking the Holy Spirit to speak through it—and for me to be still and listen to it—is something entirely different. Our attitude and approach are critical. Oh that we could all be like David, who wrote
[Gimel] Do good to your servant, and I will live; I will obey your word. Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me. My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times. You rebuke the arrogant, who are cursed and who stray from your commands. Remove from me scorn and contempt, for I keep your statutes. Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees. Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors. (Psalm 119:17-24)
What was the result of David’s pursuit of God? Twice he is called a man after God’s heart. He got it! As he got to know the heart of God, he became more like God. I can tell you three things that are on God’s heart: widows, orphans and strangers.
Many have memorized parts of the Bible, gone to church for decades, pray before every meal, and put a check in the offering, but that doesn’t mean we know the heart of God, much less have the heart of God. When we study Jesus, we discover the heart of God. John wrote
No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known. (John 1:18)
Jesus, in the incarnation and crucifixion, makes the heart of God known to us.
Scriptures
One of the most beautiful passages about God’s Word is found in the book of Joshua. Moses has just died, the baton has been passed to Joshua, and God gives him leadership instructions including the following:
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8)
What is God saying here?
- Know it and speak it. Keep it in your mouth.
- Meditate on it day and night. Keep it in your mind.
- Do what it says. Keep it in your actions and life.
- Huddle
- For the past year, I’ve been beta-testing a discipleship tool called a Huddle with several men, including our elders. At the heart of the gathering are two simple questions:
- 1. What has God been saying to you?
- What are you going to do about it?
- It all starts with knowing Him, with reading about Him, with studying Him.
- This Week’s Challenge
- Which brings us to this week’s challenge. You already know what it is—study Jesus this week...every week! Engage in God’s Word and invite Jesus to be the center of your life.
- For some of you, Jesus is too familiar to you. You’ve spent decades with Him and you almost forget He’s with you. This happens often in marriage—we take our spouse for granted since they’re just always there.
- Ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you in fresh ways. Seek first His Kingdom, not your own desires. Before your feet hit the ground, lie in bed and say, “Jesus, I want to do today with You. You lead and I will follow. You speak and I will listen and obey.” Spend time every day in God’s Word. The Scio Journal on our Facebook page makes this particularly simple as we read one chapter of the New Testament together each day and then interact. I love what Wayne Cordeiro says, that being in God’s Word each day is like receiving fresh bread. Do you like fresh bread? Jesus is the bread of life and as we sit at His feet, follow His example, and participate in His mission to seek and save the lost and care for the widow, orphan and stranger we will know Him more daily.
- Most of you have no problem eating food each day. Make sure there is spiritual food in your daily diet, too. Jesus wants to know you and be known by you. Study Jesus.
- Your Word
- [Nun] Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. (Psalm 119:105)
- Credits: some materials borrowed from Charles Kiser (Storylinecommunity.com)
Eat with Someone, b.l.e.s.s., 20 January 2013
20 01 13
Eat With Someone.
Big Idea: Eat with one lost person each week.
Introduction
Two weeks ago we began our new year with our new series and annual theme, b.l.e.s.s. We said that we have been blessed to be a blessing. This is a theme throughout history, most prominently in God’s covenant with Abram.
The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1-3)
We have defined success for Scio Community Church. Perhaps you’ve seen this!
We are told in Revelation chapter 19 that there will be a great supper of the Lamb, the ultimate feast that will make Mardi Gras look like a trip to Chuck E. Cheese!
Eating was once central to life. Now we can eat alone, grab a quick bite to eat in a drive-thru, pop a tv dinner in the microwave, or even replace a meal with a shake or protein bar.
In Jesus’ day, eating was more than sustenance, it was social. Your meal colleague was someone you loved and cared for, someone that was part of your social class. This is why Jesus took such heat for eating at Matthew’s house, with him and his socially outcast friends.
But have you ever considered its power in conversation?
Food is found throughout the Bible. It provides a unique setting for conversation.
There are two short passages I want to look at together.
Acts 2
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:46-47)
This is part of a description of the early church. It describes food in the context of fellowship.
I want to draw a distinction between fellowship and hospitality. Fellowship is when we, the Church, gather together. We enjoy a potlucks, gatherings of food brought from our various homes—or favorite restaurants—to share with one another. This is one of the most important things we do as a church, especially since we are geographically scattered. There is something powerful about our conversations at potlucks. Have you noticed? They are often more meaningful than short chats in the hallway. Food brings us together.
If fellowship is what we do together, hospitality is when we welcome or love the stranger. Our potlucks also serve this function, as evidenced by one particular meal several months ago in which a conversation with first or second-time guests led to their family joining the Scio family. The potluck experience welcomed them.
Hospitality is one of the most underrated practices of the Church. One of the most fascinating verses is found in Hebrews.
Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2)
It kind of makes me want to throw a party! Seriously.
Hospitality is a requirement to be an elder (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8).
Peter said,
Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. (1 Peter 4:9)
Paul said,
Practice hospitality. (Romans 12:13b)
We were all once strangers—to God and one another, yet we were welcomed (Ephesians 2:19-22)
Jesus was a missional eater. He ate with people, intentionally. In the book Right Here Right Now, Alan Hirsch and Lance Ford write
“Sharing meals together on a regular basis is one of the most sacred practices we can engage in as believers. Missional hospitality is a tremendous opportunity to extend the kingdom of God. We can literally eat our way into the kingdom of God! If every Christian household regularly invited a stranger or a poor person into their home for a meal once a week, we would literally change the world by eating!”7
Change the world by eating!
This Week’s Challenge
So what does eating have to do with our annual theme. This week’s challenge is eat with one lost person. That’s it. You can do lunch, breakfast, or even coffee. You can welcome them to your home...or your favorite restaurant. The purpose is simple: eating furthers conversations, and the more conversations we have with people, the more spiritual conversations we will have, the more relationships we will form, and the greater our impact in our communities.
Just like week one, ask God to show you who...and maybe the person can provide the where.
Most of you will eat at least 21 times this week. Pick one and invite a friend...or make a friend. Eating together is a great way to bless them. And if you’re too uncomfortable one-on-one, grab a friend and have three or four at the table!
This one simple discipline may change your life...and our church. Imagine what would happen if each person spent 52 meals this year with unchurched people?
Credits: some materials borrowed from Charles Kiser (Storylinecommunity.com).
You can listen to the podcast here.
Big Idea: Eat with one lost person each week.
Introduction
Two weeks ago we began our new year with our new series and annual theme, b.l.e.s.s. We said that we have been blessed to be a blessing. This is a theme throughout history, most prominently in God’s covenant with Abram.
The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1-3)
We have defined success for Scio Community Church. Perhaps you’ve seen this!
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
- serving our communities
- sharing our story
- sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
Our first week’s challenge was to bless one person.
Last week’s challenge was spend one hour listening to God.
These are not one-time challenge, but new rhythms, patterns for the new year, every week. Some would call them spiritual practices or disciplines.
Do you like discipline? It’s not a very attractive word, is it? We often think of punishment or rules or no-pain-no-gain. In the realm of spiritual disciplines, we commonly think of prayer, fasting, silence, solitude, or Bible study. I’m not opposed to any of those and, in fact, I’ve done quite a bit of each, but they never fell into the category of “fun” for me. Like physical exercise and eating brussel sprouts, I often did them because they were good for me, not because I really wanted to do them.
Many years ago I read a book by John Ortberg entitled The Life You’ve Always Wanted. The subtitle is “spiritual disciplines for ordinary people.” As I began the book, somewhat tentative about all of the hard work it was going to guilt me into doing, I was struck by the first discipline: celebration.
“Celebration?” I thought. That doesn’t sound all that bad! The more I read, the more I realized I actually don’t celebrate enough. I’m wired to always be looking for the next hill to climb, the next task, the next project...and I don’t pause to celebrate enough.
Like celebration, this morning I want to challenge you with a discipline that you might actually enjoy! It could change your life...and the life of others, too.
Two weeks ago we said the “b” in bless is for bless everyone.
Last week we said the “l” in bless is for listen to God.
This week’s letter is “e” and it stands for eat with someone.
Do you like to eat? What do you like to eat? Why?
What is your favorite restaurant? Why?
This week an annual report on restaurants was released and they announced the worst extreme entree: The Cheesecake Factory’s Bistro Shrimp Pasta with 3120 calories!
We’re not talking about diet today, though what you eat —and how much—is very important. Food is powerful. We all know it is necessary for life. We all recognize it can be enjoyable to our taste buds—sometimes too enjoyable!
There are over 700 verses that talk about eating, often in mandated celebrations (did you catch that?). The Bible contains many instructions about what, where, and how to eat.
- - Passover
- - communion/the LORD’s Supper
- - Jesus made wine
- - Jesus ate at Matthew’s house (Matthew 9:9-13)
- - Jesus went to the house of Zacchaeus
- - Jesus multiplied loaves and fish, at least twice
- - Jesus referenced the food provided by God to the Israelites, manna
- - Jesus calls Himself the bread of life (John 6)
- - the Jews were very particular about their diet (kosher)
We are told in Revelation chapter 19 that there will be a great supper of the Lamb, the ultimate feast that will make Mardi Gras look like a trip to Chuck E. Cheese!
Eating was once central to life. Now we can eat alone, grab a quick bite to eat in a drive-thru, pop a tv dinner in the microwave, or even replace a meal with a shake or protein bar.
In Jesus’ day, eating was more than sustenance, it was social. Your meal colleague was someone you loved and cared for, someone that was part of your social class. This is why Jesus took such heat for eating at Matthew’s house, with him and his socially outcast friends.
But have you ever considered its power in conversation?
Food is found throughout the Bible. It provides a unique setting for conversation.
There are two short passages I want to look at together.
Acts 2
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:46-47)
This is part of a description of the early church. It describes food in the context of fellowship.
I want to draw a distinction between fellowship and hospitality. Fellowship is when we, the Church, gather together. We enjoy a potlucks, gatherings of food brought from our various homes—or favorite restaurants—to share with one another. This is one of the most important things we do as a church, especially since we are geographically scattered. There is something powerful about our conversations at potlucks. Have you noticed? They are often more meaningful than short chats in the hallway. Food brings us together.
If fellowship is what we do together, hospitality is when we welcome or love the stranger. Our potlucks also serve this function, as evidenced by one particular meal several months ago in which a conversation with first or second-time guests led to their family joining the Scio family. The potluck experience welcomed them.
Hospitality is one of the most underrated practices of the Church. One of the most fascinating verses is found in Hebrews.
Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2)
It kind of makes me want to throw a party! Seriously.
Hospitality is a requirement to be an elder (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8).
Peter said,
Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. (1 Peter 4:9)
Paul said,
Practice hospitality. (Romans 12:13b)
We were all once strangers—to God and one another, yet we were welcomed (Ephesians 2:19-22)
Jesus was a missional eater. He ate with people, intentionally. In the book Right Here Right Now, Alan Hirsch and Lance Ford write
“Sharing meals together on a regular basis is one of the most sacred practices we can engage in as believers. Missional hospitality is a tremendous opportunity to extend the kingdom of God. We can literally eat our way into the kingdom of God! If every Christian household regularly invited a stranger or a poor person into their home for a meal once a week, we would literally change the world by eating!”7
Change the world by eating!
This Week’s Challenge
So what does eating have to do with our annual theme. This week’s challenge is eat with one lost person. That’s it. You can do lunch, breakfast, or even coffee. You can welcome them to your home...or your favorite restaurant. The purpose is simple: eating furthers conversations, and the more conversations we have with people, the more spiritual conversations we will have, the more relationships we will form, and the greater our impact in our communities.
Just like week one, ask God to show you who...and maybe the person can provide the where.
Most of you will eat at least 21 times this week. Pick one and invite a friend...or make a friend. Eating together is a great way to bless them. And if you’re too uncomfortable one-on-one, grab a friend and have three or four at the table!
This one simple discipline may change your life...and our church. Imagine what would happen if each person spent 52 meals this year with unchurched people?
Credits: some materials borrowed from Charles Kiser (Storylinecommunity.com).
You can listen to the podcast here.
Listen to God, b.l.e.s.s., 13 January 2013
13 01 13
Bless Everyone
Series: b.l.e.s.s.
Big Idea: Listen to God.
Introduction
Last week we began our new year with our new series and annual theme, b.l.e.s.s. We said that we have been blessed to be a blessing. This is a theme throughout history, most prominently in God’s covenant with Abram.
The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1-3)
We have defined success for Scio Community Church:
4. Is it possible? If it is, it might not be from God. He loves to work through our weakness. If it seems crazy, it might be from God! (2 Corinthians 12:10)
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2)
Jesus Listened
Have you ever noticed how many times Jesus got away to pray? I used to think He did all of the talking, but He listened to the Father. He spent forty days fasting and praying before selecting the twelve disciples. He asked if there was a Plan B in the Garden of Gethsemane before He was arrested and crucified. He made time for the Father. See Luke 22:39-44 as an example.
I doubt Jesus spent time asking the Father for more safety, comfort, or pleasure. He was seeking the will of the Father, and we can seek it, too...but be prepared to act.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:22-25)
Acts 12:25 – 13:3
When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.
In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
How did the early church listen to God?
They heard from God as they worshipped and fasted…as they were laying down their own agendas for God’s. As the early church leaders were worshipping and fasting, they heard from God. God inspired them to send out Barnabas and Saul for the sake of blessing other people.
My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers
They said to Moses, ’You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die’ `—Exodus 20:19
We don’t consciously and deliberately disobey God— we simply don’t listen to Him. God has given His commands to us, but we pay no attention to them— not because of willful disobedience, but because we do not truly love and respect Him. “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Once we realize we have constantly been showing disrespect to God, we will be filled with shame and humiliation for ignoring Him.
“You speak with us, . . . but let not God speak with us . . . .” We show how little love we have for God by preferring to listen to His servants rather than to Him. We like to listen to personal testimonies, but we don’t want God Himself to speak to us. Why are we so terrified for God to speak to us? It is because we know that when God speaks we must either do what He asks or tell Him we will not obey. But if it is simply one of God’s servants speaking to us, we feel obedience is optional, not imperative. We respond by saying, “Well, that’s only your own idea, even though I don’t deny that what you said is probably God’s truth.”
Am I constantly humiliating God by ignoring Him, while He lovingly continues to treat me as His child? Once I finally do hear Him, the humiliation I have heaped on Him returns to me. My response then becomes, “Lord, why was I so insensitive and obstinate?” This is always the result once we hear God. But our real delight in finally hearing Him is tempered with the shame we feel for having taken so long to do so.
For Further Study
www.cwgministries.org/Four-Keys-to-Hearing-Gods-Voice
Credits: some materials borrowed from Charles Kiser (Storylinecommunity.com)
You can listen to the podcast here.
Series: b.l.e.s.s.
Big Idea: Listen to God.
Introduction
Last week we began our new year with our new series and annual theme, b.l.e.s.s. We said that we have been blessed to be a blessing. This is a theme throughout history, most prominently in God’s covenant with Abram.
The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1-3)
We have defined success for Scio Community Church:
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
- serving our communities
- sharing our story
- sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
Last week’s challenge was...bless one person. Who and how did you bless last week? Don’t stop! It is my hope and prayer that Scio is known as a community of people that bless others. Today I’m going to introduce a second thing that I hope we are known for, but first let’s pray.
Pray
We just prayed. What is prayer? I used to think it was talking to God, but it is talking with God.
Do you like to talk? It has been said that we were given one mouth and two ears, suggesting that we ought to spend more time...listening.
“L”
Today’s word is “listen.”
Have you noticed how hard it is to get someone to listen...really listen? You can’t even call customer service and get someone to listen...you have to wait for twelve pre-recorded prompts before you can even talk to a human being!
I find it challenging to be a good listener. Do you?
It has been said that the opposite of listening is not speaking, but rather waiting to speak. It’s easy to think about what you want to say rather than truly hearing the other person.
Don’t believe me? Check out these gems from RottenECards.com:
“I don’t like to think before I speak. I like to be just as surprised as everyone else by what comes out of my mouth.”
“I wasn’t ignoring you, I just simply forgot to listen.”
“If I’m not trying to interrupt you, I’m probably not listening.”
“Thanks for listening to my problems and somehow making it all about you.”
“Sure, I’m a good listener. As long as we are talking about how great I am.”
Being fully present in the moment and truly listening to another is rare. Listening may be as powerful as anything you ever say.
How many of you have heard God speak in an audible voice?
If we’re honest, we might not want God to speak to us. We might be afraid that He’ll send us to Africa or take away all of our fun. The truth is, our Father loves us and wants the best for us...always. Always. It’s a matter of trust. If prayer is more than talking to God, it obviously involves listening to God.
How Do I Listen?
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)
Being still and listening to God can feel very awkward.
There are actually many ways in which we can hear from God. The first one—seen in the video clip—is the Bible. This is why it’s essential for us to be in God’s Word every day—not simply to tell everyone at the end of the year that we’ve finished reading the New Testament, but to listen to God.
He also speaks through circumstances, people, and often a still, small voice in our hearts, a voice that is not audible, but often just as real.
What has God been saying to you lately?
God’s Timing
As much as I love to think about prayer as a conversation with God and not merely talking to God, I must admit that many of the most significant things that God has spoken to me were not instantaneous responses to my prayers/questions. In fact, when I have set aside a minute or an hour or a day...or even a few days at the annual Pastors Prayer Summit, He rarely speaks on demand. I always leave those listening times at peace, though, knowing that I quieted my heart in order to hear God if He did have something to say to me at that moment.
I found this brief interview with Mother Teresa. I can’t very its authenticity, but it seems legitimate.
Interviewer: So you talk to God?
Mother Teresa: Yes.
Interviewer: What do you say?
Mother Teresa: Nothing.
Interviewer: Does he talk back?
Mother Teresa: Yes.
Interviewer: What does he say?
Mother Teresa: Nothing.
Actions speak louder than words. Sometimes words get in the way. Presence is all you need.
God wants to speak to us. He wants nothing more than a relationship with us. Some Christians talk about a relationship, but what they mean is Jesus died, they prayed a prayer, and now they’re going to heaven and can live life like everyone else.
Friends, God speaks...today.
I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. (Proverbs 8:17)
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)
I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.
Then the LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. (Habakkuk 2:1-2)
Often, when I least expect it, God speaks to me...surprise! I don’t know if He would speak as clearly, though, if I had consistently ignored Him. Spend time with God and you will hear His voice...eventually.
Challenge
The challenge this week is simple: spend one hour listening to God. You have 168. Can you spare one?
“What do I do for an hour?” you may ask.
Be still. Be quiet. Some of you are ready right now and others are freaking out!
In case you are envisioning sitting in your room, silent, for an hour, staring at the wall, let me suggest some tools to assist you.
1. Prepare. This might include fasting or even asking others to pray for your time. It involves setting aside time. Don’t rush. You cannot expect to share a great dinner with a friend in 60 seconds, nor can you expect a great conversation with God on the fly. Also, find a good—usually quiet—place.
2. Ask Questions. One of the best ways to listen to God is to simply ask Him a question. Following last week’s message and our annual theme bless, ask God, “Who and how can I bless today?”
3. Listen.
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,... (James 1:19)
4. Take notes. Write down whatever thoughts/impressions you might have.
I often do what I call red-letter journaling. I will type out my prayers on my laptop and then change the text color to red, ask God to speak, and I type everything that comes to mind.
5.Obey.
A man once asked God, “Why don’t you feed the starving people around the world?” to which God replied, “Why don’t you feed the starving people around the world?”
Note: God may speak through others. Keep your ears open!
How Do You Know It Is God?
Many cults have been formed after a person thought they heard God...and didn’t. How do we know it is God? First, it takes time. Imagine that I called you on the phone for the first time...a phone without Caller ID! You’d probably be pleasant for a while and eventually ask, “Who is this?”
Disclaimer: for those under 25, a phone call is what we used to do with phones before texting!
If I called you a few more times, eventually you’d recognize my voice and say, “Hi Kirk!” You know my voice.
There are few ways you can test whether the message you think is from God is not bad lunch...or wishful thinking...or the enemy.
Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)
1. First and foremost, what does the Bible say? God will not contradict Himself. Period. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
- 2. Seek wise counsel. Godly men and women can often discern the source of messages. (Proverbs 11:14)
- 3. Pray for confirmation. If the message is persistent, it may be valid. (Matthew 18:16)
4. Is it possible? If it is, it might not be from God. He loves to work through our weakness. If it seems crazy, it might be from God! (2 Corinthians 12:10)
- 5. Do you have peace about it? (Colossians 3:15)
- 6. Obey God. This goes back to the first test. You have to know the Truth...Jesus and His Word. Don’t expect it to be politically correct, either!
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2)
Jesus Listened
Have you ever noticed how many times Jesus got away to pray? I used to think He did all of the talking, but He listened to the Father. He spent forty days fasting and praying before selecting the twelve disciples. He asked if there was a Plan B in the Garden of Gethsemane before He was arrested and crucified. He made time for the Father. See Luke 22:39-44 as an example.
I doubt Jesus spent time asking the Father for more safety, comfort, or pleasure. He was seeking the will of the Father, and we can seek it, too...but be prepared to act.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:22-25)
Acts 12:25 – 13:3
When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.
In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
How did the early church listen to God?
They heard from God as they worshipped and fasted…as they were laying down their own agendas for God’s. As the early church leaders were worshipping and fasting, they heard from God. God inspired them to send out Barnabas and Saul for the sake of blessing other people.
My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers
They said to Moses, ’You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die’ `—Exodus 20:19
We don’t consciously and deliberately disobey God— we simply don’t listen to Him. God has given His commands to us, but we pay no attention to them— not because of willful disobedience, but because we do not truly love and respect Him. “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Once we realize we have constantly been showing disrespect to God, we will be filled with shame and humiliation for ignoring Him.
“You speak with us, . . . but let not God speak with us . . . .” We show how little love we have for God by preferring to listen to His servants rather than to Him. We like to listen to personal testimonies, but we don’t want God Himself to speak to us. Why are we so terrified for God to speak to us? It is because we know that when God speaks we must either do what He asks or tell Him we will not obey. But if it is simply one of God’s servants speaking to us, we feel obedience is optional, not imperative. We respond by saying, “Well, that’s only your own idea, even though I don’t deny that what you said is probably God’s truth.”
Am I constantly humiliating God by ignoring Him, while He lovingly continues to treat me as His child? Once I finally do hear Him, the humiliation I have heaped on Him returns to me. My response then becomes, “Lord, why was I so insensitive and obstinate?” This is always the result once we hear God. But our real delight in finally hearing Him is tempered with the shame we feel for having taken so long to do so.
For Further Study
www.cwgministries.org/Four-Keys-to-Hearing-Gods-Voice
Credits: some materials borrowed from Charles Kiser (Storylinecommunity.com)
You can listen to the podcast here.
Bless Everyone, b.l.e.s.s., 6 January 2013
07 01 13
Bless Everyone
Series: b.l.e.s.s.
Big Idea: We have been blessed to be a blessing.
Scriptures: Genesis 12:1-3; John 6:1-13; Philippians 2:1-11
Happy New Year!
We have begun a new year, a year full of hopes and promise, possibility and potential. As we all know, one of the most common elements of the new year is the making of new year’s resolutions.
Have you made new year’s resolutions?
Have you have been able to maintain your resolutions for six days?!
Why do we make resolutions? We hope to change. We hope to grow.
This is really a great time of year to reflect, plan, and focus. There’s a myth that says as we get older, we’ll automatically get wiser. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Growth does not just occur...unless you’re talking about your waistline! Dr. John Maxwell says that we have to be intentional towards growth.
One of the keys to growth is perseverance. It’s easy to get impatient with our resolutions and goals. It is so important to stick to it!
This week I was reminded of the power of perseverance. If you swing an axe five times on a tree, most likely nothing much will happen—unless it’s a tiny tree! If tomorrow you do it again, you probably won’t see much change. If you take five swings every day, eventually it will fall, no matter how big the tree. Perseverance is the key.
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!
We have defined success for Scio Community Church:
Series: b.l.e.s.s.
Big Idea: We have been blessed to be a blessing.
Scriptures: Genesis 12:1-3; John 6:1-13; Philippians 2:1-11
Happy New Year!
We have begun a new year, a year full of hopes and promise, possibility and potential. As we all know, one of the most common elements of the new year is the making of new year’s resolutions.
Have you made new year’s resolutions?
Have you have been able to maintain your resolutions for six days?!
Why do we make resolutions? We hope to change. We hope to grow.
This is really a great time of year to reflect, plan, and focus. There’s a myth that says as we get older, we’ll automatically get wiser. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Growth does not just occur...unless you’re talking about your waistline! Dr. John Maxwell says that we have to be intentional towards growth.
One of the keys to growth is perseverance. It’s easy to get impatient with our resolutions and goals. It is so important to stick to it!
This week I was reminded of the power of perseverance. If you swing an axe five times on a tree, most likely nothing much will happen—unless it’s a tiny tree! If tomorrow you do it again, you probably won’t see much change. If you take five swings every day, eventually it will fall, no matter how big the tree. Perseverance is the key.
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!
We have defined success for Scio Community Church:
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
- serving our communities
- sharing our story
- sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
How? Let’s begin with why.
Genesis 12:1-3
The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Do you want to be blessed? We have all been richly blessed. We have not been blessed for merely our own pleasure, however, but to be a blessing to others. We are to be conduits of God’s blessing to our weary world that rejoices when they encounter Jesus Christ.
God’s covenant with Abram in chapter twelve of the Bible begins a thread that is found not only throughout the pages that follow, but also today and until the very end of the age when followers of Jesus will ultimately experience God’s presence forever.
The Hebrew word for "blessing" (JKårD;b, baœrak) means "to empower to strength." We seek God's blessing and pass that blessing on to others. We’ve been blessed to be a blessing. This applies to our finances, our freedoms, our resources, our relationships, and our salvation.
Today and for these first five weeks of 2013 we’re going to look at how we can be a blessing to others, and ultimately to God. To make it simple, throughout this series we will use the acronym b.l.e.s.s. Today’s “B” is simply “bless everyone.”
As I was studying this week, I was struck by one feature of a well-known story, Jesus multiplying the loaves and the fish. There were thousands of hungry people when Jesus tells His disciples that the people need food.
John 6:7-13
Philip answered him, “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” (John 6:7)
Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” (John 6:8-9)
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. (John 6:10-11)
When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. (John 6:12-13)
The boy did not need a miracle from God. In fact, he didn’t even need lunch. He brought his own! The boy offered what he had to Jesus. In doing so, his sacrifice was multiplied and thousands were fed, including the boy. John Maxwell said, “If you trust Him with your lunch, it is only a matter of time before you trust Him with your life. The more you put in His hands, the greater it becomes.”
How have you been blessed?
Philippians 2:1-8
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:1-4)
That might sound far-fetched, but this is what it means to follow Jesus. Paul continues...
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8)
Perhaps Jesus said it best. His entire ministry was filled with both words and deeds to express the love of God to those around Him. He said
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
I’ve been reading a book by Mark Russell called The Missional Entrepreneur. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to use their marketplace work as their mission field. The book highlights a study done by two teams of missionaries sent to Thailand.
You could call one team the “blessers” and the other team, the “converters.” The “converters” went with the sole intention of converting people and evangelizing everyone around them. The “blessers” went with the intention of “blessing” people. They would say, “I’m just here to bless whoever comes my way” or “I just want to be a blessing to the people in my community.”
The study followed both teams for a couple of years and here are two interesting observations. First, the “blessers” had a greater social impact than the “converters.” Blessing created social good. Secondly, the “blessers” had 48 times as many conversions as the “converters!” They were more successful at helping people encounter Jesus.
People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
From the very beginning, God’s way to change the world has been a “blessing strategy.” God blessed Abraham relationally, financially and spiritually; but the purpose of that blessing was not for him to simply receive that blessing. The intent of the blessing for Abraham and all who followed after him, including Jesus and us, is that we are being blessed to be a blessing. This is a subtle but important point – if you do not get this you will never discover your mission in life and nothing else you read in this book will make any sense! Every single blessing you’ve ever received was given to you so that you would in turn be a blessing to others. Yes, you were blessed to be a blessing!
Being a blessing to people is both how you accomplish the Jesus Mission and how you discover your own mission. How do you bless people? First, begin with prayer. Ask God to show you who and how you are to bless. One of my regular prayers living at the Ronald McDonald House in Cleveland is, “LORD, I have been blessed and I want to bless others. Show me who and how to bless.” Then obey!
Challenge
The challenge this week is simple: bless one person, preferably a person that does not know Jesus. Feel free to bless others, too, but ask God to show you who and how to bless. It may be a little thing like holding the door open for a stranger or something more significant like providing a meal for a sick neighbor or paying the bill of the people behind you in the drive-through (though that doesn’t provide much relational connection). One suggestion: ask your waiter, waitress or barista how you can pray for God to bless them. Other ideas can be found at http://www.vergenetwork.org/2011/08/23/25-simple-ways-to-be-missional-in-your-neighborhood/
Conclusion
Don’t live a solitary life. Bless everyone.
Resources
Aaron Niequist has created a series of interactive worship tools called "A New Liturgy." The second project is "Blessed To Be A Blessing,” a worthwhile download that would be a great next step. The audio package is $5 at iTunes.
You can listen to the podcast here.
O Come, O Come Emmanuel, Carols, 23 December 2012
24 12 12
O Come O Come Emmanuel
Big Idea: God is with us. Are you with God?
Welcome to the fourth Sunday of Advent. Advent is about expectant waiting and preparation. For generations, the Israelites awaited the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. We are awaiting His return. We are in between His first and second visits to our planet. We look back and forward.
During these four weeks during our preparation for Jesus’ birthday celebration, we’ve been looking at four classic Christmas Carols, their lyrics, and their biblical message. It is my hope and prayer that as you hear these songs, you’ll not only hum the melody, you’ll think about the timeless message.
We began with the line in O Holy Night that says, “A thrill of hope/the weary world rejoices/for yonder breaks/a new and glorious morn.”
Then two weeks ago we looked at O Come, All Ye Faithful and discovered that we can be joyful and triumphant despite the hardships of life.
Last week we said that although Away In A Manger mentions the “little LORD Jesus,” He is no longer an 8 lb. 6 oz. little baby Jesus but the King of kings and LORD of lords who warrants our attention, allegiance, devotion, and complete surrender.
Today we are looking at the key word in the carol O Come, O Come Emmanuel.
History
The lyrics were written between the 8th and 12th century. They would sing or chant these phrases that began with the letter “o.”
The key word is Emmanuel, God with us.
God was, God is, God will be with us.
Emmanuel: God with us. What does that mean to you?
Have you ever prayed for God to be with you?
We’ve all had moments of loneliness and desperation. I wonder how many S.O.S. prayers God hears each day!
It has been said that the essence of religion is man’s search for God.
One of my favorite stories is from David Platt, author of the book Radical that has been Scio’s theme this year. While in Indonesia, he engaged in a conversation with a Buddhist leader and a Muslim leader. He said,
“It sounds as though you both picture God (or whatever you call god) at the top of a mountain. It seems as if you believe that we are all at the bottom of the mountain, and I may take one route up the mountain, you may take another, and in the end we will all end up in the same place.” They smiled as I spoke. Happily they replied, “Exactly! You understand!” Then I leaned in and said, “Now let me ask you a question. What would you think if I told you that the God at the top of the mountain actually came down to where we are? What would you think if I told you that God doesn’t wait for people to find their way to him, but instead he comes to us?” They thought for a moment and then responded, “That would be great.” I replied, “Let me introduce you to Jesus.” This is the gospel.
The Gospel, or good news, is just that. God is with us, Emmanuel.
One of the things that I love about the gospel message is its history. We are involved in a story that began thousands of years ago and has transformed lives around the world for generations.
The prophet Isaiah around 700 BC wrote...
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
How many virgins have been with child?
More than 700 years before the birth of Christ, it was announced that Emmanuel would enter our world.
In Matthew chapter 1, an angel came to Joseph—who was engaged to a woman who was pregnant—and said
“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” — which means, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:20b-23)
People had waited centuries for this announcement.
This was the most earth-shattering news possible.
Before Jesus, people couldn’t handle the presence of God. They would die if they encountered Him.
The mere idea of God being with us—much less becoming One of us—was radical! It still is today.
We’ve been studying the Gospel of John. Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase in The Message tells it all in the first chapter.
The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish. (John 1:14, The Message)
You may not feel Him, but He is with us.
He was, is, and will be with us.
That’s Emmanuel. That’s Christmas. That’s the Gospel.
I don’t know about you, but if I were God in heaven, I’d stay there! I’d delegate to angels, write words in the sky, or do something safe and comfortable to connect with humanity.
Fortunately I’m not God! The real image of Christmas is not a baby, but a King who came, died, conquered sin and death, and who lives! God is still with us today!
Sometimes it’s easier to see God in the past than in the present. We can read that God was with Joseph, Moses, David, and others.
Jesus made a promise to His followers. During His final moments with them, He said
And surely I am with you always, even to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:20b)
That wasn’t just a metaphorical statement. When Jesus ascended from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem into heaven, He said it was actually good that He left because His departure would pave the way for the Holy Spirit.
But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)
In Acts 2, the Counselor, the Holy Spirit arrives and lives inside followers of Jesus.
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Do you need more proof?
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. (Romans 8:9-11)
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16)
Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you — guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. (2 Timothy 1:14)
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. (1 John 4:12, 15)
If you are a follower of Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit, too!
God is with us. God is within us!
This does not mean that we are God, but rather that God lives in those who welcome Him.
One of my favorite promises in the Bible comes from the book of Romans. Paul wrote
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39)
What can separate us from God’s love? Nothing. No thing.
Not a criminal record.
Not a divorce.
Not anything done to you.
Not your mistakes.
Not your sins.
All you have to do is receive the gift of Jesus Christ who became one of us to demonstrate His love for us.
As we said last week, the greatest gift you can give Jesus for His birthday is you, your heart.
Most of you would say you believe in God. You believe Jesus came as a baby. Great, but belief is not enough. The Bible says that demons believe that!
The question is have you fully surrendered your life to the LORD Jesus Christ? He came for you, but like any gift, it’s not yours until you receive it, embrace it, own it.
Emmanuel, God is with us.
Advent is about waiting. People waited for Jesus’ first visit to our planet. We await His return, but in the meantime, Emmanuel is not merely an historical figure. It’s not that God WAS with us. Through the Holy Spirit, He is with us right here, right now, right in this place, this Christmas.
God is with us.
Are you with God?
God is here.
Like love, you can’t see Him or touch Him, but you can experience Him, not only on His birthday, but every day of the year. For followers of Jesus Christ, every day is CHRISTmas, Christ’s day.
I urge you to truly make this Christmas about Christ. He is with us and wants nothing more than for you to be with Him.
Credits: Series theme and various ideas from Craig Groeschel, LifeChurch.tv
You can listen to the podcast here.
You can view a music video of O Come, O Come Emmanuel from LifeChurch.tv here.
Big Idea: God is with us. Are you with God?
Welcome to the fourth Sunday of Advent. Advent is about expectant waiting and preparation. For generations, the Israelites awaited the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. We are awaiting His return. We are in between His first and second visits to our planet. We look back and forward.
During these four weeks during our preparation for Jesus’ birthday celebration, we’ve been looking at four classic Christmas Carols, their lyrics, and their biblical message. It is my hope and prayer that as you hear these songs, you’ll not only hum the melody, you’ll think about the timeless message.
We began with the line in O Holy Night that says, “A thrill of hope/the weary world rejoices/for yonder breaks/a new and glorious morn.”
Then two weeks ago we looked at O Come, All Ye Faithful and discovered that we can be joyful and triumphant despite the hardships of life.
Last week we said that although Away In A Manger mentions the “little LORD Jesus,” He is no longer an 8 lb. 6 oz. little baby Jesus but the King of kings and LORD of lords who warrants our attention, allegiance, devotion, and complete surrender.
Today we are looking at the key word in the carol O Come, O Come Emmanuel.
History
The lyrics were written between the 8th and 12th century. They would sing or chant these phrases that began with the letter “o.”
The key word is Emmanuel, God with us.
God was, God is, God will be with us.
Emmanuel: God with us. What does that mean to you?
Have you ever prayed for God to be with you?
We’ve all had moments of loneliness and desperation. I wonder how many S.O.S. prayers God hears each day!
It has been said that the essence of religion is man’s search for God.
One of my favorite stories is from David Platt, author of the book Radical that has been Scio’s theme this year. While in Indonesia, he engaged in a conversation with a Buddhist leader and a Muslim leader. He said,
“It sounds as though you both picture God (or whatever you call god) at the top of a mountain. It seems as if you believe that we are all at the bottom of the mountain, and I may take one route up the mountain, you may take another, and in the end we will all end up in the same place.” They smiled as I spoke. Happily they replied, “Exactly! You understand!” Then I leaned in and said, “Now let me ask you a question. What would you think if I told you that the God at the top of the mountain actually came down to where we are? What would you think if I told you that God doesn’t wait for people to find their way to him, but instead he comes to us?” They thought for a moment and then responded, “That would be great.” I replied, “Let me introduce you to Jesus.” This is the gospel.
The Gospel, or good news, is just that. God is with us, Emmanuel.
One of the things that I love about the gospel message is its history. We are involved in a story that began thousands of years ago and has transformed lives around the world for generations.
The prophet Isaiah around 700 BC wrote...
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
How many virgins have been with child?
More than 700 years before the birth of Christ, it was announced that Emmanuel would enter our world.
In Matthew chapter 1, an angel came to Joseph—who was engaged to a woman who was pregnant—and said
“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” — which means, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:20b-23)
People had waited centuries for this announcement.
This was the most earth-shattering news possible.
Before Jesus, people couldn’t handle the presence of God. They would die if they encountered Him.
The mere idea of God being with us—much less becoming One of us—was radical! It still is today.
We’ve been studying the Gospel of John. Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase in The Message tells it all in the first chapter.
The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish. (John 1:14, The Message)
You may not feel Him, but He is with us.
He was, is, and will be with us.
That’s Emmanuel. That’s Christmas. That’s the Gospel.
I don’t know about you, but if I were God in heaven, I’d stay there! I’d delegate to angels, write words in the sky, or do something safe and comfortable to connect with humanity.
Fortunately I’m not God! The real image of Christmas is not a baby, but a King who came, died, conquered sin and death, and who lives! God is still with us today!
Sometimes it’s easier to see God in the past than in the present. We can read that God was with Joseph, Moses, David, and others.
Jesus made a promise to His followers. During His final moments with them, He said
And surely I am with you always, even to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:20b)
That wasn’t just a metaphorical statement. When Jesus ascended from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem into heaven, He said it was actually good that He left because His departure would pave the way for the Holy Spirit.
But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)
In Acts 2, the Counselor, the Holy Spirit arrives and lives inside followers of Jesus.
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Do you need more proof?
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. (Romans 8:9-11)
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16)
Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you — guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. (2 Timothy 1:14)
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. (1 John 4:12, 15)
If you are a follower of Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit, too!
God is with us. God is within us!
This does not mean that we are God, but rather that God lives in those who welcome Him.
One of my favorite promises in the Bible comes from the book of Romans. Paul wrote
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39)
What can separate us from God’s love? Nothing. No thing.
Not a criminal record.
Not a divorce.
Not anything done to you.
Not your mistakes.
Not your sins.
All you have to do is receive the gift of Jesus Christ who became one of us to demonstrate His love for us.
As we said last week, the greatest gift you can give Jesus for His birthday is you, your heart.
Most of you would say you believe in God. You believe Jesus came as a baby. Great, but belief is not enough. The Bible says that demons believe that!
The question is have you fully surrendered your life to the LORD Jesus Christ? He came for you, but like any gift, it’s not yours until you receive it, embrace it, own it.
Emmanuel, God is with us.
Advent is about waiting. People waited for Jesus’ first visit to our planet. We await His return, but in the meantime, Emmanuel is not merely an historical figure. It’s not that God WAS with us. Through the Holy Spirit, He is with us right here, right now, right in this place, this Christmas.
God is with us.
Are you with God?
God is here.
Like love, you can’t see Him or touch Him, but you can experience Him, not only on His birthday, but every day of the year. For followers of Jesus Christ, every day is CHRISTmas, Christ’s day.
I urge you to truly make this Christmas about Christ. He is with us and wants nothing more than for you to be with Him.
Credits: Series theme and various ideas from Craig Groeschel, LifeChurch.tv
You can listen to the podcast here.
You can view a music video of O Come, O Come Emmanuel from LifeChurch.tv here.
Away In A Manger, Carols, 16 December 2012
20 12 12
Away In A Manger
Big Idea: Jesus is more than a little baby. He is LORD.
Welcome to the third Sunday of Advent. Advent is about expectant waiting and preparation. For generations, the Israelites awaited the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. We are awaiting His return. We are in between His first and second visits to our planet. We look back and forward.
During these four weeks of preparation for Jesus’ birthday celebration, we’re looking at four classic Christmas Carols, their lyrics, and their biblical message. It is my hope and prayer that as you hear these songs, you’ll not only hum the melody, you’ll think about the timeless message. This week’s carol is Away In A Manger.
History:
It was first published in 1885 in Philadelphia. The texts was credited for many years to Martin Luther, but that seems to be only a fable. It is one of the most popular carols in Britain.
Lyrics
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head. The stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, But little Lord Jesus no crying He makes.
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay Close by me forever, and love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in thy tender care, And fit us for heaven, to live with Thee there.
Intro
Before we get started, I want to dispel two myths.
First, the manger probably did not look most of our wood and straw mangers found in nativity sets. It most likely was a hard, stone trough.
Second, it says “But little Lord Jesus no crying He makes.” He cried! Babies cry! Jesus cried! We know He even cried as an adult, but that’s another story.
Two weeks ago we talked about “O Holy Night” and how because of Jesus the weary world rejoices.
Last week we looked at “O Come All Ye Faithful” and said that although we are not always faithful, joyful, and triumphant, Jesus is and He allows us to experience faith, joy and victory.
This message will be more challenging. It challenged me! The phrase is simply this…“The little Lord Jesus.” There’s more to Jesus than just a 8 lb. 6 oz sweet little baby Jesus Jesus is LORD. 740 times in the NT He is referred to as LORD.
In Luke 2, the most detailed description of Jesus’ birthday, the shepherds were minding their own business in the fields and then an angel terrifies them!
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8-12)
We don’t use that word “lord” much outside of church.
What does it mean for Christ to be LORD?
The Greek word, kyrios, means master or lord, as in a master of property or slaves. It means supreme in authority, controller.
How does that sound? Jesus as master and you as slave?
Controller is a challenging word because we all want to be in control.
Jesus is LORD. How do we make Him LORD in our life? We don’t. God made Him LORD long ago. We surrender to what already is. We surrender to the One who is in control.
I believe there are three types of people in this world.
The first are what I call the unsurrendered. These are the people that have no illusions about Jesus as LORD. To them He’s a swear word, a myth, or a good teacher. They don’t pretend to follow Jesus. They live their lives for themselves or some other lord. While this group is apparently growing rapidly in the west, it creates exciting opportunities for us to share how and why Jesus has become LORD to so many, especially those in 2nd and 3rd world nations where the Gospel is spreading like wildfire.
The second type of person is the partially-surrendered life. This is where the majority of USAmerican Christians live. Casual or cultural Christians. Christian atheists believe in God but act as if He does not exist. Jesus said to the partially-surrendered that surrounded Him
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? (Luke 6:46)
Jesus is not an accessory that you add to your life. A LORD seizes control of everything!
Jesus is not a part-time LORD and He doesn’t want part-time followers.
We come under His Lordship.
If there’s one question I want you to think about, it’s this...
What have I not surrendered to the LORD?
What area am I still trying to control?
Kids? Future? A relationship? Money?
For me, money has been one of my greatest struggles—not so much giving, but worrying about having enough. It’s a trust thing for me, which is silly because God has been faithful to our family so many times that Great Is Thy Faithfulness has been our family hymn.
The more I follow Jesus, the more I have learned to trust Him.
In a similar way, I daily need to surrender my family to the LORD. It’s easy for them to become idols in my life, obsessed with their health and well-being rather than trusting that God loves them even more than I love them.
God can be trusted with our money, our children, our future, ...everything.
That’s what lords do...they are in control of everything! That leads to the the fully-surrendered life. This is a person who is a slave to Jesus, an indentured servant.
Slavery is obvious not a popular subject in our culture. Race-based slavery is one of the great embarrassments of our nation’s history. Tragically, there are more slaves today than at any time in human history, many of them children.
Not all slavery is evil, however.
Not all masters are cruel and self-serving.
In the book of Exodus, God made a provision for a freed servant to stay with his master.
“If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything. If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.
“But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life. (Exodus 21:2-6)
An indentured servant is one who chooses to serve their master.
This is the image of a person fully-surrendered to Jesus. They have made Him Lord. They give up their rights and entrust their time, talent, treasures, comfort, convenience, hopes, dreams,...everything to their Master. Their lives are not their own but rather belong to the LORD.
Paul’s letter to the people of Rome begins...
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God — (Romans 1:1)
The third word of his letter is servant, doulos in Greek. It means “servant, slave.”
“In the NT a person owned as a possession for various lengths of times (Hebrew slaves no more than seven years, Gentile slaves without time limit), of lower social status than free persons or masters; slaves could earn or purchase their freedom.”
Later in the letter Paul writes...
For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. (Romans 14:7-8)
Are you living? If we live, it is to honor…the LORD.
On my wedding day I was given a ring. I keep my wedding ring on. I belong to my wife.
I gave her a ring on our wedding day. How much did the ring cost her? Nothing. But when she received the gift, it cost her everything. She belongs to me. She’s mine. I belong to her. I’m hers. We belong to each other.
When Jesus died for you, He offered a free gift to you. Salvation costs Jesus everything and you nothing, but when you say yes, you surrender the rights of your life. Your life is no longer your own.
He is the supremely ruling, reigning King of the universe!!!
We don’t surrender in the areas of life where we don’t know Him. He is all-powerful, holy, good, trustworthy, …
If I truly believe God is my Provider and I am a steward, giving is how I surrender.
We need some reverent fear of God. He’s not your co-pilot! Get in the trunk!
Do you really know Him?
Jesus warned His followers...
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
These are sobering words.
What will He say to you?
We surrender to the lordship of Christ.
Jesus is no longer a little baby. He is the King of kings and the LORD of lords. Is He your King? Is He your Lord...of everything in your life?
Credits: Series theme and various ideas from Craig Groeschel, LifeChurch.tv
You can listen to the podcast here.
You can view a music video of Away In A Manger from LifeChurch.tv here.
Big Idea: Jesus is more than a little baby. He is LORD.
Welcome to the third Sunday of Advent. Advent is about expectant waiting and preparation. For generations, the Israelites awaited the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. We are awaiting His return. We are in between His first and second visits to our planet. We look back and forward.
During these four weeks of preparation for Jesus’ birthday celebration, we’re looking at four classic Christmas Carols, their lyrics, and their biblical message. It is my hope and prayer that as you hear these songs, you’ll not only hum the melody, you’ll think about the timeless message. This week’s carol is Away In A Manger.
History:
It was first published in 1885 in Philadelphia. The texts was credited for many years to Martin Luther, but that seems to be only a fable. It is one of the most popular carols in Britain.
Lyrics
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head. The stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, But little Lord Jesus no crying He makes.
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay Close by me forever, and love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in thy tender care, And fit us for heaven, to live with Thee there.
Intro
Before we get started, I want to dispel two myths.
First, the manger probably did not look most of our wood and straw mangers found in nativity sets. It most likely was a hard, stone trough.
Second, it says “But little Lord Jesus no crying He makes.” He cried! Babies cry! Jesus cried! We know He even cried as an adult, but that’s another story.
Two weeks ago we talked about “O Holy Night” and how because of Jesus the weary world rejoices.
Last week we looked at “O Come All Ye Faithful” and said that although we are not always faithful, joyful, and triumphant, Jesus is and He allows us to experience faith, joy and victory.
This message will be more challenging. It challenged me! The phrase is simply this…“The little Lord Jesus.” There’s more to Jesus than just a 8 lb. 6 oz sweet little baby Jesus Jesus is LORD. 740 times in the NT He is referred to as LORD.
In Luke 2, the most detailed description of Jesus’ birthday, the shepherds were minding their own business in the fields and then an angel terrifies them!
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8-12)
We don’t use that word “lord” much outside of church.
What does it mean for Christ to be LORD?
The Greek word, kyrios, means master or lord, as in a master of property or slaves. It means supreme in authority, controller.
How does that sound? Jesus as master and you as slave?
Controller is a challenging word because we all want to be in control.
Jesus is LORD. How do we make Him LORD in our life? We don’t. God made Him LORD long ago. We surrender to what already is. We surrender to the One who is in control.
I believe there are three types of people in this world.
The first are what I call the unsurrendered. These are the people that have no illusions about Jesus as LORD. To them He’s a swear word, a myth, or a good teacher. They don’t pretend to follow Jesus. They live their lives for themselves or some other lord. While this group is apparently growing rapidly in the west, it creates exciting opportunities for us to share how and why Jesus has become LORD to so many, especially those in 2nd and 3rd world nations where the Gospel is spreading like wildfire.
The second type of person is the partially-surrendered life. This is where the majority of USAmerican Christians live. Casual or cultural Christians. Christian atheists believe in God but act as if He does not exist. Jesus said to the partially-surrendered that surrounded Him
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? (Luke 6:46)
Jesus is not an accessory that you add to your life. A LORD seizes control of everything!
Jesus is not a part-time LORD and He doesn’t want part-time followers.
We come under His Lordship.
If there’s one question I want you to think about, it’s this...
What have I not surrendered to the LORD?
What area am I still trying to control?
Kids? Future? A relationship? Money?
For me, money has been one of my greatest struggles—not so much giving, but worrying about having enough. It’s a trust thing for me, which is silly because God has been faithful to our family so many times that Great Is Thy Faithfulness has been our family hymn.
The more I follow Jesus, the more I have learned to trust Him.
In a similar way, I daily need to surrender my family to the LORD. It’s easy for them to become idols in my life, obsessed with their health and well-being rather than trusting that God loves them even more than I love them.
God can be trusted with our money, our children, our future, ...everything.
That’s what lords do...they are in control of everything! That leads to the the fully-surrendered life. This is a person who is a slave to Jesus, an indentured servant.
Slavery is obvious not a popular subject in our culture. Race-based slavery is one of the great embarrassments of our nation’s history. Tragically, there are more slaves today than at any time in human history, many of them children.
Not all slavery is evil, however.
Not all masters are cruel and self-serving.
In the book of Exodus, God made a provision for a freed servant to stay with his master.
“If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything. If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.
“But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life. (Exodus 21:2-6)
An indentured servant is one who chooses to serve their master.
This is the image of a person fully-surrendered to Jesus. They have made Him Lord. They give up their rights and entrust their time, talent, treasures, comfort, convenience, hopes, dreams,...everything to their Master. Their lives are not their own but rather belong to the LORD.
Paul’s letter to the people of Rome begins...
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God — (Romans 1:1)
The third word of his letter is servant, doulos in Greek. It means “servant, slave.”
“In the NT a person owned as a possession for various lengths of times (Hebrew slaves no more than seven years, Gentile slaves without time limit), of lower social status than free persons or masters; slaves could earn or purchase their freedom.”
Later in the letter Paul writes...
For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. (Romans 14:7-8)
Are you living? If we live, it is to honor…the LORD.
On my wedding day I was given a ring. I keep my wedding ring on. I belong to my wife.
I gave her a ring on our wedding day. How much did the ring cost her? Nothing. But when she received the gift, it cost her everything. She belongs to me. She’s mine. I belong to her. I’m hers. We belong to each other.
When Jesus died for you, He offered a free gift to you. Salvation costs Jesus everything and you nothing, but when you say yes, you surrender the rights of your life. Your life is no longer your own.
He is the supremely ruling, reigning King of the universe!!!
We don’t surrender in the areas of life where we don’t know Him. He is all-powerful, holy, good, trustworthy, …
If I truly believe God is my Provider and I am a steward, giving is how I surrender.
We need some reverent fear of God. He’s not your co-pilot! Get in the trunk!
Do you really know Him?
Jesus warned His followers...
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
These are sobering words.
What will He say to you?
We surrender to the lordship of Christ.
Jesus is no longer a little baby. He is the King of kings and the LORD of lords. Is He your King? Is He your Lord...of everything in your life?
Credits: Series theme and various ideas from Craig Groeschel, LifeChurch.tv
You can listen to the podcast here.
You can view a music video of Away In A Manger from LifeChurch.tv here.
O Come, All Ye Faithful, 1 Peter 1:1-9, 9 December 2012
09 12 12
O Come All Ye Faithful
1 Peter 1:1-9
Big Idea: Jesus can make us faithful, joyful and triumphant.
Intro:
Welcome to the second Sunday of Advent. Advent is about expectant waiting and preparation. For generations, the Israelites awaited the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. We are awaiting His return. We are in between His first and second visits to our planet. We look back and forward.
During these four weeks during our preparation for Jesus’ birthday celebration, we’re looking at four classic Christmas Carols, their lyrics, and their biblical message. It is my hope and prayer that as you hear these songs, you’ll not only hum the melody, you’ll think about the timeless message.
This morning’s carol is O Come All Ye Faithful.
History
"Adeste Fideles," the original Latin name for the song, was likely written in the 13th century, most likely by John Francis Wade. The original four verses of the hymn were extended to a total of eight, and these have been translated into many languages. The English translation of "O Come, All Ye Faithful", by the English Catholic priest, Frederick Oakeley is widespread in most English speaking countries.
Lyrics
O come all ye faithful Joyful and triumphant O come ye O come ye to Bethlehem Come and behold Him Born the King of angels
O come let us adore Him O come let us adore Him O come let us adore Him Christ the Lord
Sing choirs of angels Sing in exultation O sing all ye bright Hosts of heav'n above Glory to God All glory in the highest
Yea Lord we greet Thee Born this happy morning Jesus to Thee be all glory giv'n Word of the Father Now in flesh appearing
- C. Frederick Oakeley | John Francis Wade
O come, all ye faithful
Joyful and triumphant!
Have you been faithful to God’s calling? Have you been obedient to everything He has asked you to do? Has your faithfulness matched His?
Let’s move to the second line. Joyful and triumphant.
Are you joyful? Triumphant?
If you’re like me, you often feel more defeated than triumphant.
I can’t say I’m always joyful—certainly not always happy.
Uh oh!!!
Are you ready for the good news? Jesus rarely calls the joyful and triumphant.
He calls the weary and burdened!
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Can you relate?
Wait, just in case you thought Jesus was talking about eggs, a yoke is a device that harnesses oxen together.
Why does He want the weary and burdened? They need rest. They need Him! Have you ever tried to share Jesus with someone who had everything together? There are exceptions, but it seems that the people most likely to follow Jesus are those that are broken and desperate. One of the reasons that serving those in need is so powerful is because those that have physical needs often have the most glaring spiritual needs…and openness.
He not only calls the weary and burdened, He calls sinners.
While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:10-13)
That’s me!
Here’s even better news: He not only calls the weary and burdened sinners, He doesn’t leave us weary and burdened.
He doesn’t leave you that way!
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
He helps us to become a new creation. He is in the transformation business!
How does that happen, you might ask?
First, Jesus helps us to become more faithful.
After the faith hall of fame in Hebrews 11, Paul writes
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
If you’re waiting for God to just zap you with faith and power and discipline you’ll be greatly disappointed. We must join Him in His work. Action is required on our part.
First, get rid of the junk. The sin. The time wasting. The selfish spending. The addictions.
On Thanksgiving Day—upon the invitation of my oldest daughter—I participated in my first race. Well, technically it was a Turkey Trot. Both words were appropriate for me! I didn’t just wake up on Thanksgiving and jog 5K. I had to train. First I had to make it to the end of my short driveway! Later I got up to a mile, then two, then three and I was nearly there.
I did not carry a backpack with me!
I did not carry a bag of groceries with me!
I didn’t even carry my iPad with me!
Runners want to be as light as possible and free from distractions.
I also learned that they need focus. They need a goal.
I ran with a program called Map My Run that would call out when I reached a mile…and two...and three. I set a target distance each time knowing that otherwise I’d just jog to the mailbox and then go eat gingerbread cookies!
On the final days of my training I determined in advance how far I was going to jog (you can hardly call my pace running!) and I refused to stop until I reached that goal. It’s about focus.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
We have to focus on Jesus, not Oprah or ESPN or Facebook…but Jesus. Only Jesus can help you become a new creation. Only Jesus brings true joy. Notice this verse. He experienced joy while He was on the cross. Is that crazy?
Joy is not happiness. It is far deeper. Joy comes from a right relationship with God, and that’s what Jesus had on the cross. His joy was not in the pain and agony He experienced, but knowing that He was glorifying the Father and doing His will.
One of the great things about fixing our eyes upon Jesus is He understands. We’re going to talk about this more in two weeks, but He knows suffering. He knows grief. He knows pain. He knows weary and burdened. He conquered sin and death.
What does it mean to fix our eyes on Jesus? It starts with the Word of God.
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17)
As we saw a few months ago in John 1…
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
Maybe your faith is being tried by the loss of a loved one, a dream, a job, health. Look to Jesus. Get in the Word. There is power and hope and joy in the Word.
If it’s hard to read, grab the New Living Translation or the Message. If you don’t know what to read, join us as we read through the entire Bible together at sciojournal.wordpress.com. If you missed the first 49 weeks, not problem! Finish this year in God’s Word. Start up again in January. The Word is life. The Word is power.
As an example, a few weeks ago I was discouraged, living in Cleveland, spending my days in a hospital waiting room with my daughter. The Scio Journal passage for the day included this…
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5; 4:8-10)
Wow! My faith began to rise. I was reminded that God was with me, that He understood, and that there was a purpose in my trouble—to let Christ overflow in my life and comfort others.
We need to fill our minds with the Word of God. The word of the world too often fills our minds with lies.
As we are in His Word, our faith grows. Jesus helps us to become more faithful.
Jesus helps us to become more joyful.
Our joy comes from a right relation with God, not something we produce.
Joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit. Joy (depends on Jesus) and happiness (depends on happenings) are worlds apart.
In Luke 2—the most detailed account of Jesus’ birth—it says
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:8-11)
Good news of great joy. For all the people. That’s Jesus!
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade — kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
Peter and Paul had a thing about long sentences! Notice that he is speaking in the present tense.
They have been given new birth into a living hope.
“That’s great,” you may be thinking, “but that was then and this is now. You don’t understand my messed-up life.”
Peter is writing to people that are in the midst of suffering. Look at the next verse:
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. (1 Peter 1:6)
How can they rejoice in the midst of suffering? How can we? It’s really quite simple: what is your hope?
Pastor Tim Keller says this so beautifully: any hope that is a finite object will disappoint. If your hope is in your health, family, job, wealth, fame…it can and will eventually be gone. For most people hope is a circumstance that can change, but if our hope is a living hope, it is fixed; it is not based upon circumstances.
Let’s go back for a moment to the previous verses…
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade — kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
Without the living hope, you either have joy or sorrow.
These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:7)
When you put gold into the fire, it gets brighter and more refined. A living hope not based upon circumstances means the sorrow actually drives you into joy and into Christ. Sorrow kicks on the joy. Sorrow doesn’t kill the joy because it’s not circumstantial.
The joy enables the sorrow. When most people experience grief, they run into indifference or anger.
With a living hope, sorrow makes you wiser. You don’t run from it, it deepens you. The joy gets brighter with the sorrow like the stars get brighter as it gets darker.
Your heart with a living hope is always great and growing.
Earlier we looked at Jesus’ joy on the cross.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
He sweated blood. He screamed on the cross. He had a living hope.
What is the living hope?
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade — kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
It is an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.
It is kept. It is secure. It is guaranteed. It cannot be removed.
It is the coming of the salvation…the last time, the end, but what is it?
These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:7)
Those who believe…praise, glory and honor…we will praise, glory and honor Jesus, right?
No! It says your faith may be proved genuine. The Greek grammar is not referring to praise, glory and honor to Jesus, but from Jesus.
We are going to get praise, glory and honor on the last day!
Jesus prayed at the end of His time on earth…
I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:23)
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Jesus took everything that we deserve. If you believe in Jesus, you get everything that He deserved.
This isn’t about what you have done, but what the death and resurrection of Jesus did. At the end, you will receive everything that Jesus deserved! Love, applause, approval, perfection, and purity.
It is kept! It is secure.
This is the new hope. What’s coming is the ultimate wealth, the approval of the King.
The foundation of your character is not your personality but your hope.
The Gospel is not if I try hard, maybe God will bless me someday. It is because Jesus died for me, I have a hope that is kept for me and someday I will be changed forever and even now it gives me hope so I can handle anything.
Religion: trying to be good, gambling that someday God will accept them; you’re saving yourself; I give God a righteous record and He owes me
The Gospel: live in the light of being accepted; you receive and rest in His salvation; God gives me a righteous record in Jesus Christ and I live for Him
To be born again is to live in the living hope that it is kept.
How?
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:8-9)
Unspeakable joy!
Jesus was even able to have joy at the cross. What was Jesus’ living hope?
After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light [of life] and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:11)
Us! Being with us forever!
You being His living hope is what makes Him your living hope.
Love Him!
Is this just for superstar Christians?
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: (1 Peter 1:1-2a)
Peter is writing to all of the Christians in the region. It’s for everyone. It’s for you!
Jesus helps us to become more triumphant.
We often feel defeated. Life is hard…but God is good. Our God is an awesome God. Our God will someday soon right all wrongs. The enemy may be winning some battles, but our LORD will win the war!
Isaiah understood Jesus was not just an 8 pound, 6 ounce sweet baby Jesus.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)
That’s our God. That’s our King! He will rule and reign forever!
The baby in the manger is the Creator of the universe, the King of kings, …
There is power in the presence of God.
There is faith in the presence of God.
There is joy in the presence of God.
There is victory in the presence of God.
He is born the King of angels.
We have come to adore Him.
Come all ye faithful (He is faithful even when we are not)
Joyful and triumphant
He is Christ the LORD
Prayer
Jesus calls the weary and the burdened. Some of you need to come back to God.
Credits: Series theme and various ideas from Craig Groeschel, LifeChurch.tv
Some notes from Tim Keller, Born Into Hope sermon
You can listen to the podcast here.
You can view a music video of O Come All Ye Faithful from LifeChurch.tv here.
1 Peter 1:1-9
Big Idea: Jesus can make us faithful, joyful and triumphant.
Intro:
Welcome to the second Sunday of Advent. Advent is about expectant waiting and preparation. For generations, the Israelites awaited the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. We are awaiting His return. We are in between His first and second visits to our planet. We look back and forward.
During these four weeks during our preparation for Jesus’ birthday celebration, we’re looking at four classic Christmas Carols, their lyrics, and their biblical message. It is my hope and prayer that as you hear these songs, you’ll not only hum the melody, you’ll think about the timeless message.
This morning’s carol is O Come All Ye Faithful.
History
"Adeste Fideles," the original Latin name for the song, was likely written in the 13th century, most likely by John Francis Wade. The original four verses of the hymn were extended to a total of eight, and these have been translated into many languages. The English translation of "O Come, All Ye Faithful", by the English Catholic priest, Frederick Oakeley is widespread in most English speaking countries.
Lyrics
O come all ye faithful Joyful and triumphant O come ye O come ye to Bethlehem Come and behold Him Born the King of angels
O come let us adore Him O come let us adore Him O come let us adore Him Christ the Lord
Sing choirs of angels Sing in exultation O sing all ye bright Hosts of heav'n above Glory to God All glory in the highest
Yea Lord we greet Thee Born this happy morning Jesus to Thee be all glory giv'n Word of the Father Now in flesh appearing
- C. Frederick Oakeley | John Francis Wade
O come, all ye faithful
Joyful and triumphant!
Have you been faithful to God’s calling? Have you been obedient to everything He has asked you to do? Has your faithfulness matched His?
Let’s move to the second line. Joyful and triumphant.
Are you joyful? Triumphant?
If you’re like me, you often feel more defeated than triumphant.
I can’t say I’m always joyful—certainly not always happy.
Uh oh!!!
Are you ready for the good news? Jesus rarely calls the joyful and triumphant.
He calls the weary and burdened!
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Can you relate?
Wait, just in case you thought Jesus was talking about eggs, a yoke is a device that harnesses oxen together.
Why does He want the weary and burdened? They need rest. They need Him! Have you ever tried to share Jesus with someone who had everything together? There are exceptions, but it seems that the people most likely to follow Jesus are those that are broken and desperate. One of the reasons that serving those in need is so powerful is because those that have physical needs often have the most glaring spiritual needs…and openness.
He not only calls the weary and burdened, He calls sinners.
While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:10-13)
That’s me!
Here’s even better news: He not only calls the weary and burdened sinners, He doesn’t leave us weary and burdened.
He doesn’t leave you that way!
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
He helps us to become a new creation. He is in the transformation business!
How does that happen, you might ask?
First, Jesus helps us to become more faithful.
After the faith hall of fame in Hebrews 11, Paul writes
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
If you’re waiting for God to just zap you with faith and power and discipline you’ll be greatly disappointed. We must join Him in His work. Action is required on our part.
First, get rid of the junk. The sin. The time wasting. The selfish spending. The addictions.
On Thanksgiving Day—upon the invitation of my oldest daughter—I participated in my first race. Well, technically it was a Turkey Trot. Both words were appropriate for me! I didn’t just wake up on Thanksgiving and jog 5K. I had to train. First I had to make it to the end of my short driveway! Later I got up to a mile, then two, then three and I was nearly there.
I did not carry a backpack with me!
I did not carry a bag of groceries with me!
I didn’t even carry my iPad with me!
Runners want to be as light as possible and free from distractions.
I also learned that they need focus. They need a goal.
I ran with a program called Map My Run that would call out when I reached a mile…and two...and three. I set a target distance each time knowing that otherwise I’d just jog to the mailbox and then go eat gingerbread cookies!
On the final days of my training I determined in advance how far I was going to jog (you can hardly call my pace running!) and I refused to stop until I reached that goal. It’s about focus.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
We have to focus on Jesus, not Oprah or ESPN or Facebook…but Jesus. Only Jesus can help you become a new creation. Only Jesus brings true joy. Notice this verse. He experienced joy while He was on the cross. Is that crazy?
Joy is not happiness. It is far deeper. Joy comes from a right relationship with God, and that’s what Jesus had on the cross. His joy was not in the pain and agony He experienced, but knowing that He was glorifying the Father and doing His will.
One of the great things about fixing our eyes upon Jesus is He understands. We’re going to talk about this more in two weeks, but He knows suffering. He knows grief. He knows pain. He knows weary and burdened. He conquered sin and death.
What does it mean to fix our eyes on Jesus? It starts with the Word of God.
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17)
As we saw a few months ago in John 1…
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
Maybe your faith is being tried by the loss of a loved one, a dream, a job, health. Look to Jesus. Get in the Word. There is power and hope and joy in the Word.
If it’s hard to read, grab the New Living Translation or the Message. If you don’t know what to read, join us as we read through the entire Bible together at sciojournal.wordpress.com. If you missed the first 49 weeks, not problem! Finish this year in God’s Word. Start up again in January. The Word is life. The Word is power.
As an example, a few weeks ago I was discouraged, living in Cleveland, spending my days in a hospital waiting room with my daughter. The Scio Journal passage for the day included this…
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5; 4:8-10)
Wow! My faith began to rise. I was reminded that God was with me, that He understood, and that there was a purpose in my trouble—to let Christ overflow in my life and comfort others.
We need to fill our minds with the Word of God. The word of the world too often fills our minds with lies.
As we are in His Word, our faith grows. Jesus helps us to become more faithful.
Jesus helps us to become more joyful.
Our joy comes from a right relation with God, not something we produce.
Joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit. Joy (depends on Jesus) and happiness (depends on happenings) are worlds apart.
In Luke 2—the most detailed account of Jesus’ birth—it says
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:8-11)
Good news of great joy. For all the people. That’s Jesus!
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade — kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
Peter and Paul had a thing about long sentences! Notice that he is speaking in the present tense.
They have been given new birth into a living hope.
“That’s great,” you may be thinking, “but that was then and this is now. You don’t understand my messed-up life.”
Peter is writing to people that are in the midst of suffering. Look at the next verse:
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. (1 Peter 1:6)
How can they rejoice in the midst of suffering? How can we? It’s really quite simple: what is your hope?
Pastor Tim Keller says this so beautifully: any hope that is a finite object will disappoint. If your hope is in your health, family, job, wealth, fame…it can and will eventually be gone. For most people hope is a circumstance that can change, but if our hope is a living hope, it is fixed; it is not based upon circumstances.
Let’s go back for a moment to the previous verses…
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade — kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
Without the living hope, you either have joy or sorrow.
These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:7)
When you put gold into the fire, it gets brighter and more refined. A living hope not based upon circumstances means the sorrow actually drives you into joy and into Christ. Sorrow kicks on the joy. Sorrow doesn’t kill the joy because it’s not circumstantial.
The joy enables the sorrow. When most people experience grief, they run into indifference or anger.
With a living hope, sorrow makes you wiser. You don’t run from it, it deepens you. The joy gets brighter with the sorrow like the stars get brighter as it gets darker.
Your heart with a living hope is always great and growing.
Earlier we looked at Jesus’ joy on the cross.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
He sweated blood. He screamed on the cross. He had a living hope.
What is the living hope?
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade — kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
It is an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.
It is kept. It is secure. It is guaranteed. It cannot be removed.
It is the coming of the salvation…the last time, the end, but what is it?
These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:7)
Those who believe…praise, glory and honor…we will praise, glory and honor Jesus, right?
No! It says your faith may be proved genuine. The Greek grammar is not referring to praise, glory and honor to Jesus, but from Jesus.
We are going to get praise, glory and honor on the last day!
Jesus prayed at the end of His time on earth…
I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:23)
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Jesus took everything that we deserve. If you believe in Jesus, you get everything that He deserved.
This isn’t about what you have done, but what the death and resurrection of Jesus did. At the end, you will receive everything that Jesus deserved! Love, applause, approval, perfection, and purity.
It is kept! It is secure.
This is the new hope. What’s coming is the ultimate wealth, the approval of the King.
The foundation of your character is not your personality but your hope.
The Gospel is not if I try hard, maybe God will bless me someday. It is because Jesus died for me, I have a hope that is kept for me and someday I will be changed forever and even now it gives me hope so I can handle anything.
Religion: trying to be good, gambling that someday God will accept them; you’re saving yourself; I give God a righteous record and He owes me
The Gospel: live in the light of being accepted; you receive and rest in His salvation; God gives me a righteous record in Jesus Christ and I live for Him
To be born again is to live in the living hope that it is kept.
How?
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:8-9)
Unspeakable joy!
Jesus was even able to have joy at the cross. What was Jesus’ living hope?
After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light [of life] and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:11)
Us! Being with us forever!
You being His living hope is what makes Him your living hope.
Love Him!
Is this just for superstar Christians?
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: (1 Peter 1:1-2a)
Peter is writing to all of the Christians in the region. It’s for everyone. It’s for you!
Jesus helps us to become more triumphant.
We often feel defeated. Life is hard…but God is good. Our God is an awesome God. Our God will someday soon right all wrongs. The enemy may be winning some battles, but our LORD will win the war!
Isaiah understood Jesus was not just an 8 pound, 6 ounce sweet baby Jesus.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)
That’s our God. That’s our King! He will rule and reign forever!
The baby in the manger is the Creator of the universe, the King of kings, …
There is power in the presence of God.
There is faith in the presence of God.
There is joy in the presence of God.
There is victory in the presence of God.
He is born the King of angels.
We have come to adore Him.
Come all ye faithful (He is faithful even when we are not)
Joyful and triumphant
He is Christ the LORD
Prayer
Jesus calls the weary and the burdened. Some of you need to come back to God.
Credits: Series theme and various ideas from Craig Groeschel, LifeChurch.tv
Some notes from Tim Keller, Born Into Hope sermon
You can listen to the podcast here.
You can view a music video of O Come All Ye Faithful from LifeChurch.tv here.
O Holy Night, Carols, 2 December 2012
02 12 12
O Holy Night (Cantique de Noël)
Lamentations 3:18-26
Big Idea: Knowing Jesus provides a thrill of hope in our weary world if we are willing to wait.
Welcome to the first Sunday of Advent. Advent is about expectant waiting and preparation. For generations, the Israelites awaited the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. We are awaiting His return. We are in between His first and second visits to our planet. We look back and forward.
In some traditions, December 25 is the beginning of the festivities, while for most in our culture it is the climax. This is the month of preparing for Christmas Day—shopping, wrapping, parties, baking, …and music!
Just for the record, I believe Christmas music should begin when we see Santa in the Thanksgiving Day parade. That is the signal to me that the season has officially started.
Anyone that knows me even casually knows that I love music. I’m a third-generation musician and I love everything about music. I suppose that’s why Christmas music is so meaningful to me. It is the soundtrack of the season, but more than that, its lyrics convey the true meaning of Christmas.
I’m not talking about “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” or “I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas.” I’m thinking more about the Christmas carols.
I have a confession to make. I love music, have over 20,000 songs in my iTunes library, and listen to music daily, but I rarely pay attention to the lyrics.
Sometimes, that’s a good thing, for song lyrics are often misunderstood, something known as mondegreen. Consider these examples:
Deck the Halls
Deck the halls with Buddy Holly
Deck the halls with boughs of holly
The First Noel
The first Noel, the angels did say, was to frighten poor shepherds..
The first Noel, the angels did say, was to certain poor shepherds..
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Get dressed ye married gentlemen, let nothing through this May
God rest ye merry, gentlemen, let nothing you dismay
We Three Kings
We three kings of Oregon are, bearing gifts, we travel so far.
We three kings of Orient are, bearing gifts we traverse afar
Silent Night
Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright, round young virgin…
Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright, ‘round yon virgin…
Joy To The World
Joy to the world! The Lord has gum.
Joy to the world! The Lord is come.
During the next four weeks during our preparation for Jesus’ birthday celebration, we’re going to look at four classic Christmas Carols, their lyrics, and their biblical message. It is my hope and prayer that as you hear these songs, you’ll not only hum the melody, you’ll think about the timeless message.
O Holy Night
This week’s carol is O Holy Night. It is one of my all-time favorite songs. I have more than 30 different recordings of it.
History
Here’s a bit of background to the song. In 1847, a parish priest asked a French wine seller, Placide Cappeau, to write a poem for Christmas. His Jewish friend, Adolphe Charles Adams, added the music. What is fascinating is that neither Cappeau nor Adams were Christians, but God used them to tell the Christmas story like no other.
On Christmas Eve in 1906, a Canadian inventor, Reginald Fessenden, did the first-ever AM radio broadcast which included a reading of Luke 2 and him playing this song on the violin.
Lyrics
O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining, It is the night of the dear Savior's birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining. Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices! O night divine, the night when Christ was born; O night, O Holy Night , O night divine! O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming, With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand. O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wise men from out of the Orient land. The King of kings lay thus lowly manger; In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger, Behold your King! Before him lowly bend! Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another, His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother. And in his name all oppression shall cease. Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, With all our hearts we praise His holy name. Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we, His power and glory ever more proclaim! His power and glory ever more proclaim!
Title
The word “holy” means set apart, sacred. Although God is holy, the song title refers to how sacred and distinct the first Christmas was.
Focus
We could spend all day dissecting the lyrics, but I want to focus on one sentence.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
We live in a weary world. Anxiety, fear, disease, uncertainty, and depression are everywhere. Such was the scene 2000 years ago.
The Roman Empire ruled and oppressed the people, especially the Jews that were longing for the promised Messiah to come and deliver them.
If that weren’t enough, imagine Mary and Joseph traveling between 80 and 120 miles to register for the census—on foot, or possibly with the aid of a donkey. Some of us complain when we’re in the car for 2 hours. Imagine their journey!
Is your world weary? For many, this season is one of celebration, but for others it can be downright depressing. They say that the holiday amplify your emotions, be they positive or negative.
Notice the words that surround “the weary world.”
“A thrill of hope” and “rejoices.”
There is a thrill of hope in the midst of the chaos of the holy night.
What a paradox!
The Bible records another scene of a weary world. The date is 586 BC. The Holy Temple has been destroyed. The city of Jerusalem was a wreck. The people were distraught. Jeremiah was lamenting. In fact, he wrote an entire book filled with his mourning, wailing, and weeping called…Lamentations.
So I say, “My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the LORD.” I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. (Lamentations 3:18-20)
Can you picture his weary world?
Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: (Lamentations 3:21)
This sounds promising. Notice that it is not on the front of his mind, but he will call it to mind. He remembers there is hope. What is it?
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. (Lamentations 3:22)
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:23)
Notice how he shifts from talking about God to praying to God. Great is Your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. (Lamentations 3:24-26)
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
This season we are preparing for the arrival of Jesus, celebrating His first arrival and awaiting His return.
When your world is weary, Jesus can bring a thrill of hope that causes you to rejoice.
Jesus brings us what we need.
This is not always what we want, but He provides for our needs. He is our portion as it says in verse 24. Scholars have debated what this word “portion” means exactly, but many believe is refers to the Israelites in the desert when God provided their portion of manna for that day. They needed God every day. Hoarding would result in rotten manna. Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” God already has everything you need for tomorrow. He is already there. You can be here, today.
Our family hymn is Great Is They Faithfulness, taken from this passage of Lamentations. One of my favorite lines is “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.” That’s what He offers. He is our portion and will provide what we need today. We have hope for tomorrow, too, but we must wait for it.
Jesus brings us the hope to keep going.
It is the thrill of hope in a weary world. Notice the next line of the song says “for yonder breaks/a new and glorious morn.” A new morning is coming. God is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him (25).
It has been said that we can live 40 days without food, 8 days without water, 4 minutes without oxygen, a few seconds without hope. People put their hope in risky places—bad relationships, a shaky stock market, politicians, sports teams, …
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)
Don’t ever let go…hold on to the hope, not the fear and anxiety we talked about last week (Phil. 4:6).
Finally, Jesus brings the help we are seeking.
Verse 26…sometimes you have to wait. The Jews waited for generations for the Messiah. We have been waiting 2000 years for His return.
One encounter with Jesus makes all the difference.
Because Jesus is here you can have hope in the middle of the night.
And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:11-12)
The night is nearly over and the day is almost here.
I was working on this message sitting in a hospital waiting room, wondering when the night would be over.
I still don’t know, but I have hope!
The sun/Son always rises again.
As Tony Campolo likes to say at Eastertime, It’s Friday…but Sunday’s coming!
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Credits: Series theme and various ideas from Craig Groeschel, LifeChurch.tv
You can listen to the podcast here.
You can view a music video of O Holy Night from LifeChurch.tv here.
Lamentations 3:18-26
Big Idea: Knowing Jesus provides a thrill of hope in our weary world if we are willing to wait.
Welcome to the first Sunday of Advent. Advent is about expectant waiting and preparation. For generations, the Israelites awaited the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. We are awaiting His return. We are in between His first and second visits to our planet. We look back and forward.
In some traditions, December 25 is the beginning of the festivities, while for most in our culture it is the climax. This is the month of preparing for Christmas Day—shopping, wrapping, parties, baking, …and music!
Just for the record, I believe Christmas music should begin when we see Santa in the Thanksgiving Day parade. That is the signal to me that the season has officially started.
Anyone that knows me even casually knows that I love music. I’m a third-generation musician and I love everything about music. I suppose that’s why Christmas music is so meaningful to me. It is the soundtrack of the season, but more than that, its lyrics convey the true meaning of Christmas.
I’m not talking about “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” or “I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas.” I’m thinking more about the Christmas carols.
I have a confession to make. I love music, have over 20,000 songs in my iTunes library, and listen to music daily, but I rarely pay attention to the lyrics.
Sometimes, that’s a good thing, for song lyrics are often misunderstood, something known as mondegreen. Consider these examples:
Deck the Halls
Deck the halls with Buddy Holly
Deck the halls with boughs of holly
The First Noel
The first Noel, the angels did say, was to frighten poor shepherds..
The first Noel, the angels did say, was to certain poor shepherds..
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Get dressed ye married gentlemen, let nothing through this May
God rest ye merry, gentlemen, let nothing you dismay
We Three Kings
We three kings of Oregon are, bearing gifts, we travel so far.
We three kings of Orient are, bearing gifts we traverse afar
Silent Night
Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright, round young virgin…
Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright, ‘round yon virgin…
Joy To The World
Joy to the world! The Lord has gum.
Joy to the world! The Lord is come.
During the next four weeks during our preparation for Jesus’ birthday celebration, we’re going to look at four classic Christmas Carols, their lyrics, and their biblical message. It is my hope and prayer that as you hear these songs, you’ll not only hum the melody, you’ll think about the timeless message.
O Holy Night
This week’s carol is O Holy Night. It is one of my all-time favorite songs. I have more than 30 different recordings of it.
History
Here’s a bit of background to the song. In 1847, a parish priest asked a French wine seller, Placide Cappeau, to write a poem for Christmas. His Jewish friend, Adolphe Charles Adams, added the music. What is fascinating is that neither Cappeau nor Adams were Christians, but God used them to tell the Christmas story like no other.
On Christmas Eve in 1906, a Canadian inventor, Reginald Fessenden, did the first-ever AM radio broadcast which included a reading of Luke 2 and him playing this song on the violin.
Lyrics
O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining, It is the night of the dear Savior's birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining. Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices! O night divine, the night when Christ was born; O night, O Holy Night , O night divine! O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming, With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand. O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wise men from out of the Orient land. The King of kings lay thus lowly manger; In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger, Behold your King! Before him lowly bend! Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another, His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother. And in his name all oppression shall cease. Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, With all our hearts we praise His holy name. Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we, His power and glory ever more proclaim! His power and glory ever more proclaim!
Title
The word “holy” means set apart, sacred. Although God is holy, the song title refers to how sacred and distinct the first Christmas was.
Focus
We could spend all day dissecting the lyrics, but I want to focus on one sentence.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
We live in a weary world. Anxiety, fear, disease, uncertainty, and depression are everywhere. Such was the scene 2000 years ago.
The Roman Empire ruled and oppressed the people, especially the Jews that were longing for the promised Messiah to come and deliver them.
If that weren’t enough, imagine Mary and Joseph traveling between 80 and 120 miles to register for the census—on foot, or possibly with the aid of a donkey. Some of us complain when we’re in the car for 2 hours. Imagine their journey!
Is your world weary? For many, this season is one of celebration, but for others it can be downright depressing. They say that the holiday amplify your emotions, be they positive or negative.
Notice the words that surround “the weary world.”
“A thrill of hope” and “rejoices.”
There is a thrill of hope in the midst of the chaos of the holy night.
What a paradox!
The Bible records another scene of a weary world. The date is 586 BC. The Holy Temple has been destroyed. The city of Jerusalem was a wreck. The people were distraught. Jeremiah was lamenting. In fact, he wrote an entire book filled with his mourning, wailing, and weeping called…Lamentations.
So I say, “My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the LORD.” I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. (Lamentations 3:18-20)
Can you picture his weary world?
Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: (Lamentations 3:21)
This sounds promising. Notice that it is not on the front of his mind, but he will call it to mind. He remembers there is hope. What is it?
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. (Lamentations 3:22)
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:23)
Notice how he shifts from talking about God to praying to God. Great is Your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. (Lamentations 3:24-26)
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
This season we are preparing for the arrival of Jesus, celebrating His first arrival and awaiting His return.
When your world is weary, Jesus can bring a thrill of hope that causes you to rejoice.
Jesus brings us what we need.
This is not always what we want, but He provides for our needs. He is our portion as it says in verse 24. Scholars have debated what this word “portion” means exactly, but many believe is refers to the Israelites in the desert when God provided their portion of manna for that day. They needed God every day. Hoarding would result in rotten manna. Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” God already has everything you need for tomorrow. He is already there. You can be here, today.
Our family hymn is Great Is They Faithfulness, taken from this passage of Lamentations. One of my favorite lines is “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.” That’s what He offers. He is our portion and will provide what we need today. We have hope for tomorrow, too, but we must wait for it.
Jesus brings us the hope to keep going.
It is the thrill of hope in a weary world. Notice the next line of the song says “for yonder breaks/a new and glorious morn.” A new morning is coming. God is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him (25).
It has been said that we can live 40 days without food, 8 days without water, 4 minutes without oxygen, a few seconds without hope. People put their hope in risky places—bad relationships, a shaky stock market, politicians, sports teams, …
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)
Don’t ever let go…hold on to the hope, not the fear and anxiety we talked about last week (Phil. 4:6).
Finally, Jesus brings the help we are seeking.
Verse 26…sometimes you have to wait. The Jews waited for generations for the Messiah. We have been waiting 2000 years for His return.
One encounter with Jesus makes all the difference.
- - Lazarus, dead for four days, he stinketh (KJV)
- - A woman was bleeding for 12 years
- - 38 years the man could not walk, he met Jesus at the pool of Bethsaida
Because Jesus is here you can have hope in the middle of the night.
And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:11-12)
The night is nearly over and the day is almost here.
I was working on this message sitting in a hospital waiting room, wondering when the night would be over.
I still don’t know, but I have hope!
The sun/Son always rises again.
As Tony Campolo likes to say at Eastertime, It’s Friday…but Sunday’s coming!
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Credits: Series theme and various ideas from Craig Groeschel, LifeChurch.tv
You can listen to the podcast here.
You can view a music video of O Holy Night from LifeChurch.tv here.
Give Thanks, Psalm 136, 25 November 2012
28 11 12
Big Idea: when we pause to give thanks, we realize we are very blessed.
I love the Thanksgiving holiday as much as anyone. For decades, it was my favorite holiday as around 100 Schneemanns would gather in a church fellowship hall for food, singing, playing music, football, and a memorable time of giving thanks. That tradition ended several years ago, yet the heart of it can be recreated whenever people pause to give thanks to God for His countless blessings.
I think it’s safe to say that our culture is not known for pause. We are busy. We are productive. We work hard. We play hard. But many of us rarely pause.
This would be a great segue to talk about the Sabbath—God’s commanded day of rest each week—but instead I want to seize this opportunity for us to pause, reflect, and give thanks.
So just do it! Give thanks! That’s hardly motivating on its own, though. It’s like when you mom says, “Say you’re sorry” or “Say thank you.” It’s not always genuine.
Paul repeatedly told his readers to focus on thanksgiving.
2 Corinthians 9:11
Ephesians 5:4
1 Timothy 2:1
1 Timothy 4:4
When we pause to reflect upon our blessings, thanksgiving is a natural response. That’s one of the reasons we gather together each week. It’s not that God will like you more if you are here every Sunday. You will probably like God more, however, as you reflect on His awesome power, love, wisdom, and goodness.
Earlier we sang and read the admonishment of the psalms:
Give thanks to the Lord.
In the NIV, this phrase is used 19 times.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
(1 Chronicles 16:34; Psalm 106:1, 107:1, 118:1, 29, 136:1; Jeremiah 33:11)
In each case, the Hebrew word for “thanks” is yadah.
to express praise, give thanks, extol, make a public confession, make an admission; to praise is to speak of the excellence of someone or something; to give thanks has a focus on the gratitude of the speaker
How often do you give thanks? Before you eat? On Thanksgiving?
But why give thanks?
Luke tells a great story of ten lepers that are healed. Only one returns to say thanks—and he’s a despised Samaritan. But notice what happens to him.
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him — and he was a Samaritan.
Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:15-19)
The Samaritan was not only healed, he was blessed—blessed to recognize the healing, blessed to encounter Jesus, blessed at being commended for his faith.
When we give thanks, we are blessed.
The Jews have had a long history of giving thanks. In fact, their God-ordained festivals of celebration and thanksgiving were more than a meal or even a day. They would praise God for a week or more! Let’s just say they know how to party! Seriously!
Thanksgiving blesses God, but it also changes us.
"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder." ~ G.K. Chesterton
“Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.” ~ John Milton
“A thankful heart cannot be cynical.” ~ A.W. Tozer
"We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts. How can God entrust great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things?" ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Choose to be thankful
"Gratitude as a discipline involves a conscious choice. I can choose to be grateful even when my emotions and feelings are still steeped in hurt and resentment. It is amazing how many occasions present themselves in which I can choose gratitude instead of a complaint. I can choose to be grateful when I am criticized, even when my heart still responds in bitterness. I can choose to speak about goodness and beauty, even when my inner eye still looks for someone to accuse or something to call ugly." ~ Henri Nouwen
"If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled." ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon
An old hymn by Johnson Oatman, Jr., Count Your Blessings, says
When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly, And you will keep singing as the days go by.
So, amid the conflict whether great or small, Do not be disheartened, God is over all; Count your many blessings, angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
Perhaps the most oft-quoted Scripture involving thanksgiving is Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
We live in a fast-paced, complicated world. We are bombarded with news—usually bad news—constantly. It is natural for us to be anxious and to fear, but that’s where followers of Jesus are called to be different, to live radical, counter-cultural lives.
What I find interesting about this verse is that we are to present our requests to God with thanksgiving. When we are thankful, it blesses God. Do you prefer to be kind to those who are thankful and appreciate your generosity or those that feel entitled and complain if you don’t respond to their every request?
When we give thanks to God, it doesn’t guarantee that He’ll answer on demand, but it does remind us of our blessings, His faithfulness, and orients us to seek and accept His will rather than viewing Him as a cosmic genie to be manipulated by our desires.
"When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time. Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs?" ~ G.K. Chesterton
Regardless of your circumstances, we all have so much for which to be thankful.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. (Psalm 100:4)
You can listen to the podcast here.
I love the Thanksgiving holiday as much as anyone. For decades, it was my favorite holiday as around 100 Schneemanns would gather in a church fellowship hall for food, singing, playing music, football, and a memorable time of giving thanks. That tradition ended several years ago, yet the heart of it can be recreated whenever people pause to give thanks to God for His countless blessings.
I think it’s safe to say that our culture is not known for pause. We are busy. We are productive. We work hard. We play hard. But many of us rarely pause.
This would be a great segue to talk about the Sabbath—God’s commanded day of rest each week—but instead I want to seize this opportunity for us to pause, reflect, and give thanks.
So just do it! Give thanks! That’s hardly motivating on its own, though. It’s like when you mom says, “Say you’re sorry” or “Say thank you.” It’s not always genuine.
Paul repeatedly told his readers to focus on thanksgiving.
2 Corinthians 9:11
Ephesians 5:4
1 Timothy 2:1
1 Timothy 4:4
When we pause to reflect upon our blessings, thanksgiving is a natural response. That’s one of the reasons we gather together each week. It’s not that God will like you more if you are here every Sunday. You will probably like God more, however, as you reflect on His awesome power, love, wisdom, and goodness.
Earlier we sang and read the admonishment of the psalms:
Give thanks to the Lord.
In the NIV, this phrase is used 19 times.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
(1 Chronicles 16:34; Psalm 106:1, 107:1, 118:1, 29, 136:1; Jeremiah 33:11)
In each case, the Hebrew word for “thanks” is yadah.
to express praise, give thanks, extol, make a public confession, make an admission; to praise is to speak of the excellence of someone or something; to give thanks has a focus on the gratitude of the speaker
How often do you give thanks? Before you eat? On Thanksgiving?
But why give thanks?
Luke tells a great story of ten lepers that are healed. Only one returns to say thanks—and he’s a despised Samaritan. But notice what happens to him.
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him — and he was a Samaritan.
Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:15-19)
The Samaritan was not only healed, he was blessed—blessed to recognize the healing, blessed to encounter Jesus, blessed at being commended for his faith.
When we give thanks, we are blessed.
The Jews have had a long history of giving thanks. In fact, their God-ordained festivals of celebration and thanksgiving were more than a meal or even a day. They would praise God for a week or more! Let’s just say they know how to party! Seriously!
Thanksgiving blesses God, but it also changes us.
"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder." ~ G.K. Chesterton
“Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.” ~ John Milton
“A thankful heart cannot be cynical.” ~ A.W. Tozer
"We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts. How can God entrust great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things?" ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Choose to be thankful
"Gratitude as a discipline involves a conscious choice. I can choose to be grateful even when my emotions and feelings are still steeped in hurt and resentment. It is amazing how many occasions present themselves in which I can choose gratitude instead of a complaint. I can choose to be grateful when I am criticized, even when my heart still responds in bitterness. I can choose to speak about goodness and beauty, even when my inner eye still looks for someone to accuse or something to call ugly." ~ Henri Nouwen
"If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled." ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon
An old hymn by Johnson Oatman, Jr., Count Your Blessings, says
When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly, And you will keep singing as the days go by.
So, amid the conflict whether great or small, Do not be disheartened, God is over all; Count your many blessings, angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
Perhaps the most oft-quoted Scripture involving thanksgiving is Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
We live in a fast-paced, complicated world. We are bombarded with news—usually bad news—constantly. It is natural for us to be anxious and to fear, but that’s where followers of Jesus are called to be different, to live radical, counter-cultural lives.
What I find interesting about this verse is that we are to present our requests to God with thanksgiving. When we are thankful, it blesses God. Do you prefer to be kind to those who are thankful and appreciate your generosity or those that feel entitled and complain if you don’t respond to their every request?
When we give thanks to God, it doesn’t guarantee that He’ll answer on demand, but it does remind us of our blessings, His faithfulness, and orients us to seek and accept His will rather than viewing Him as a cosmic genie to be manipulated by our desires.
"When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time. Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs?" ~ G.K. Chesterton
Regardless of your circumstances, we all have so much for which to be thankful.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. (Psalm 100:4)
You can listen to the podcast here.
Identity, John 8:12-30, 11 November 2012
12 11 12
Big Idea: Jesus was clear about His origin and identity. Are you?
Last week a friend on Facebook posed this question: What is the most important question every person must address?
I believe there are two essential questions:
Many people stumble with both questions.
Who is God?
Who are you? Really.
Identity is a tremendous issue in our culture. Children are raised without knowing their dad...or mom. We tell kids how wonderful they are, yet they reach adulthood and realize not everyone gets a trophy in the real world. Many draw their identity from their sexual orientation, believing that it defines them. Others see themselves through the lens of their business card, what they do, their career.
Fill in the blank: I am _______________________.
Jesus was secure. He knew who He was. He was aware of His origins, His background. As J. Vernon McGee said, “Jesus came to not only redeem man but to reveal God to man.”
Several times in John’s biography of Jesus we see Him revealing His identity, beginning with “I am.”
He said previously “I am the bread of life” (Jn 6:35, 48, 51)
He will later say
I am the gate (Jn 10:7, 9)
I am the good Shepherd (Jn 1011, 14)
I am the resurrection and the life (Jn 11:25)
I am the way, the truth, and the life (Jn 14:6)
I am the genuine vine. (Jn 15:1, 5)
I am the beginning and the end.
Today’s passage beginning with John 8:12 uncovers another thing about Jesus. Let me set the scene beginning with verse one. Jesus is in the temple courts surrounded by people. A woman is brought in by the religious leaders who caught her in adultery. They try to trap Jesus and, instead, He traps them, declaring that the first stone to punish this woman should be thrown by the one without sin. Everyone walked away except the woman and Jesus who, ironically, was the only one qualified to stone her. Instead, He tells her to go and leave her life of sin.
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
Genesis 1...let there be...light! God saw that the light was good...
God speaks light into existence.
Energy cannot be created and cannot be destroyed.
Everything comes out of Him.
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. (Romans 11:36)
For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. (Colossians 1:16)
Jesus created light. He is the light. He will forever be the light.
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. (Revelation 21:22-23)
Sometimes we don’t want the light in our eyes because it’s invasive. We want just enough light to see in the dark, but not so much that we can be clearly seen. We want God to be our night light. He exposes all of the sin, deceit, lies, and brokenness.
The light isn’t judgment but freedom and forgiveness. We saw in the verses prior that the light did not consume her, but it covered and forgave her.
He wants to be the light to expose our pride, arrogance, and sin in order to transform, love, and forgive us.
The more comfortable you are in the light, the closer you are to God.
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-7)
This doesn’t mean we’re perfect, but that we stop hiding.
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him. (1 John 2:9-11)
John heard Jesus say, “I am the light of the world.” In the light, there is love. In the light, there is forgiveness and compassion and life.
John Piper notes four things about light:
I can’t wait! Continuing onto verse 13, things take something of a detour.
The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.” (John 8:13)
They are accusing Him of boasting.
This is from John 5:31-32 when Jesus said, “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid. There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid.”
The next 17 verses follow their accusation.
Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. (John 8:14)
You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. (John 8:15)
2. He does not judge man according to the flesh.
But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” (John 8:16-18)
3. The Father testifies.
How would you respond to this line of reasoning? There was a voice from heaven that verified this (Mark 1:11).
Then they asked him, “Where is your father?”
“You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come. (John 8:19-20)
These are deeply offensive words Jesus uses. It should have incited a riot, but His time had not yet come.
God is sovereign and in control of all things, including time. It doesn’t always appear that God is in control, but that just speaks to our limited perspective.
Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”
This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”
But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am [the one I claim to be], you will indeed die in your sins.” (John 8:21-24)
Here Jesus reveals more of His identity. He begins by predicting His crucifixion and then says He’s from heaven. He was sent by the Father.
He also speaks clearly about our two eternal options—sin which leads to death, and belief which leads to life.
We live in a dying world. Billions around us are literally dying in their sins. This is a tragic reality that provides incredible opportunities for us. The light shines brightest in the darkness.
“Who are you?” they asked.
“Just what I have been claiming all along,” Jesus replied. “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”
They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am [the one I claim to be] and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him. (John 8:25-30)
They refuse to believe He is the Son of God. These are the type of statements that ultimately led to His crucifixion.
But look at the last sentence. Many put their faith in Him, not because of His miracles, not because of His personality, but because they heard and believed the Truth.
Jesus is the light. Do you know Him? Are you reflecting His light to the world? If you are truly a Christian or “little Christ,” there must be light in your life, a light that reflects the Son, much like the moon at night.
For some of you, here’s the real challenge:
Are you willing to enter darkness in order to shine, or do you prefer to shine your light close to other lights?
Sundays are a time when we gather. The lights are joined in songs of worship, fellowship, and study of the Bible. This week we will scatter and take the light of the world to the world. Our world desperately needs it!
Credit: some ideas from “I Am the Light of the World” by John Piper
You can listen to the podcast here.
Last week a friend on Facebook posed this question: What is the most important question every person must address?
I believe there are two essential questions:
- Who is God?
- Who am I?
Many people stumble with both questions.
Who is God?
Who are you? Really.
Identity is a tremendous issue in our culture. Children are raised without knowing their dad...or mom. We tell kids how wonderful they are, yet they reach adulthood and realize not everyone gets a trophy in the real world. Many draw their identity from their sexual orientation, believing that it defines them. Others see themselves through the lens of their business card, what they do, their career.
Fill in the blank: I am _______________________.
Jesus was secure. He knew who He was. He was aware of His origins, His background. As J. Vernon McGee said, “Jesus came to not only redeem man but to reveal God to man.”
Several times in John’s biography of Jesus we see Him revealing His identity, beginning with “I am.”
He said previously “I am the bread of life” (Jn 6:35, 48, 51)
He will later say
I am the gate (Jn 10:7, 9)
I am the good Shepherd (Jn 1011, 14)
I am the resurrection and the life (Jn 11:25)
I am the way, the truth, and the life (Jn 14:6)
I am the genuine vine. (Jn 15:1, 5)
I am the beginning and the end.
Today’s passage beginning with John 8:12 uncovers another thing about Jesus. Let me set the scene beginning with verse one. Jesus is in the temple courts surrounded by people. A woman is brought in by the religious leaders who caught her in adultery. They try to trap Jesus and, instead, He traps them, declaring that the first stone to punish this woman should be thrown by the one without sin. Everyone walked away except the woman and Jesus who, ironically, was the only one qualified to stone her. Instead, He tells her to go and leave her life of sin.
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
Genesis 1...let there be...light! God saw that the light was good...
God speaks light into existence.
Energy cannot be created and cannot be destroyed.
Everything comes out of Him.
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. (Romans 11:36)
For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. (Colossians 1:16)
Jesus created light. He is the light. He will forever be the light.
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. (Revelation 21:22-23)
Sometimes we don’t want the light in our eyes because it’s invasive. We want just enough light to see in the dark, but not so much that we can be clearly seen. We want God to be our night light. He exposes all of the sin, deceit, lies, and brokenness.
The light isn’t judgment but freedom and forgiveness. We saw in the verses prior that the light did not consume her, but it covered and forgave her.
He wants to be the light to expose our pride, arrogance, and sin in order to transform, love, and forgive us.
The more comfortable you are in the light, the closer you are to God.
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-7)
This doesn’t mean we’re perfect, but that we stop hiding.
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him. (1 John 2:9-11)
John heard Jesus say, “I am the light of the world.” In the light, there is love. In the light, there is forgiveness and compassion and life.
John Piper notes four things about light:
- the world has no other light than Him
- all the world needs Jesus as their light
- the world was made for this light; creation was made for this light to fill it; it exposes sin and enables us to see everything good in its true light; the light of Christ is native to the world, not foreign.
I can’t wait! Continuing onto verse 13, things take something of a detour.
The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.” (John 8:13)
They are accusing Him of boasting.
This is from John 5:31-32 when Jesus said, “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid. There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid.”
The next 17 verses follow their accusation.
Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. (John 8:14)
- He knows from where He came.
You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. (John 8:15)
2. He does not judge man according to the flesh.
But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” (John 8:16-18)
3. The Father testifies.
How would you respond to this line of reasoning? There was a voice from heaven that verified this (Mark 1:11).
Then they asked him, “Where is your father?”
“You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come. (John 8:19-20)
These are deeply offensive words Jesus uses. It should have incited a riot, but His time had not yet come.
God is sovereign and in control of all things, including time. It doesn’t always appear that God is in control, but that just speaks to our limited perspective.
Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”
This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”
But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am [the one I claim to be], you will indeed die in your sins.” (John 8:21-24)
Here Jesus reveals more of His identity. He begins by predicting His crucifixion and then says He’s from heaven. He was sent by the Father.
He also speaks clearly about our two eternal options—sin which leads to death, and belief which leads to life.
We live in a dying world. Billions around us are literally dying in their sins. This is a tragic reality that provides incredible opportunities for us. The light shines brightest in the darkness.
“Who are you?” they asked.
“Just what I have been claiming all along,” Jesus replied. “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”
They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am [the one I claim to be] and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him. (John 8:25-30)
They refuse to believe He is the Son of God. These are the type of statements that ultimately led to His crucifixion.
But look at the last sentence. Many put their faith in Him, not because of His miracles, not because of His personality, but because they heard and believed the Truth.
Jesus is the light. Do you know Him? Are you reflecting His light to the world? If you are truly a Christian or “little Christ,” there must be light in your life, a light that reflects the Son, much like the moon at night.
For some of you, here’s the real challenge:
Are you willing to enter darkness in order to shine, or do you prefer to shine your light close to other lights?
Sundays are a time when we gather. The lights are joined in songs of worship, fellowship, and study of the Bible. This week we will scatter and take the light of the world to the world. Our world desperately needs it!
Credit: some ideas from “I Am the Light of the World” by John Piper
You can listen to the podcast here.
Jesus For President, 28 October 2012
30 10 12
Big Idea: We need to be good citizens of our nation, yet remember that ultimately we are citizens of heaven.
The Bible should inform our Sunday activity, our Monday lifestyle, our politics, our vote, everything.
As we begin, let me remind you that we are just visiting this planet. Although we are citizens of this planet, we are first and foremost citizens of heaven. citizens of heaven. While we are here, we are to glorify God and do whatever we can to reflect God’s Kingdom. Jesus taught us to pray that God’s Kingdom would come and His will would be done on earth as it is in heaven. Obviously His Kingdom and our planet look very different from one another, but there is much we can do to change that.
God values order and has established governments. In fact, there are four institutions that God has created in order for us to experience abundant life.
It is the government’s job to support, not replace the other three.
Romans 13:1 says
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
This does not mean that we should always obey the authorities when they create laws that violate God’s laws such as Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
It does mean that ultimately God is in control. God is in charge. Governments are to reflect His rule. Our trust and allegiance should be to Him and not a party or politician. Tragically, many fear the government more than the LORD.
Freedom is actually one of God’s greatest gifts to us. He has given us a free will to make choices. His Kingdom is a kingdom of freedom, releasing people from illegitimate bondage.
Jesus said to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33).
We are to seek God’s Kingdom.
There are some parts of the Democratic platform that reflect the Kingdom of God, and some that don’t.
There are some parts of the Republican platform that reflect the Kingdom of God, and some that don’t.
The Kingdom of God is His rule, plan, and program. It is His comprehensive rule over all of creation. The Kingdom agenda then is the visible demonstration of the comprehensive rule of God over every area of life.
All of life is spiritual since it is all to be lived under His rule.
We are to seek God’s Kingdom.
As we prepare for November 6, I urge you to pray.
Pray for wisdom in voting.
Pray for our leaders, both current and future.
Pray for our nation.
I also want to urge you to unite.
Politics is all about division. That’s the world’s way. Everyone in the political system is pursuing a winner and loser.
The Kingdom of God is not about division, but it’s about unity. Not uniformity, but unity. As I said last week, one of my favorite images of the Church is a mosaic—a collection of broken, diverse pieces that come together to beautifully display light.
Every human is created with value, dignity and worth in the image of God. Rather than debating, seek dialog with people, whether the conversation concerns politics OR religion. When we establish common ground first, we can further the relationship and earn the right to be heard regarding our differences.
I also urge you to vote. Just do it! We have the privilege of seeking what will best advance God’s Kingdom and contributing to it. It’s not only a privilege, it’s a responsibility. You have been given a voice. Use it! You can argue and debate about many things regarding our founding fathers but two things are clear: they valued freedom and wanted the people to have a voice.
Our church’s mission—for us as individuals and together—is to ultimately glorify God. Glorify God in the voting booth. He is worthy! Study the candidates and issues. Do your homework.
But don’t take the election too seriously. We must trust. Our money says, “In God we trust.” It’s funny how we want God to bless America, but we don’t want to trust in Him. God can be trusted. He is faithful. He is true. And He’s on the throne today and He will be on the throne after all of the votes have been counted.
See, regardless of what happens, we win. God is sovereign and in control. If we elect men and women that guide us toward His Kingdom, we all benefit. If they lead us away from God’s plan, it just means we are that much closer to His return!
I want Jesus for President! I know, He’s not on the ballot, but ultimately He will win. In fact, He will get more than four or eight years!
I’ve read to the end of the Book!
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:11-16)
Are you ready?!
One of my favorite verses in the Bible is truly timeless...
You, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation. (Lamentations 5:19)
It’s important to remember that our God is greater than any politician, political party, ballot proposal, constitution, ideology, or philosophy.
I have one final plea: act. Voting is important, but it’s probably the lowest level of action you can take.
If you’re pro-life, five minutes every four years in a voting booth is insufficient. You need to do more.
If you care about the poor, flipping a lever or filling in a box is just the beginning.
If freedom matters, there’s so much more that can be done after November 6.
I pray that this election season will remind us all to seek God’s Kingdom, pray, unite, and ultimately glorify Him.
Credit: Some ideas from How Should Christians Vote? by Tony Evans
You can listen to the podcast here.
The Bible should inform our Sunday activity, our Monday lifestyle, our politics, our vote, everything.
As we begin, let me remind you that we are just visiting this planet. Although we are citizens of this planet, we are first and foremost citizens of heaven. citizens of heaven. While we are here, we are to glorify God and do whatever we can to reflect God’s Kingdom. Jesus taught us to pray that God’s Kingdom would come and His will would be done on earth as it is in heaven. Obviously His Kingdom and our planet look very different from one another, but there is much we can do to change that.
God values order and has established governments. In fact, there are four institutions that God has created in order for us to experience abundant life.
- * individual
- * family
- * Church
- * civil government
It is the government’s job to support, not replace the other three.
Romans 13:1 says
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
This does not mean that we should always obey the authorities when they create laws that violate God’s laws such as Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
It does mean that ultimately God is in control. God is in charge. Governments are to reflect His rule. Our trust and allegiance should be to Him and not a party or politician. Tragically, many fear the government more than the LORD.
Freedom is actually one of God’s greatest gifts to us. He has given us a free will to make choices. His Kingdom is a kingdom of freedom, releasing people from illegitimate bondage.
Jesus said to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33).
We are to seek God’s Kingdom.
There are some parts of the Democratic platform that reflect the Kingdom of God, and some that don’t.
There are some parts of the Republican platform that reflect the Kingdom of God, and some that don’t.
The Kingdom of God is His rule, plan, and program. It is His comprehensive rule over all of creation. The Kingdom agenda then is the visible demonstration of the comprehensive rule of God over every area of life.
All of life is spiritual since it is all to be lived under His rule.
We are to seek God’s Kingdom.
As we prepare for November 6, I urge you to pray.
Pray for wisdom in voting.
Pray for our leaders, both current and future.
Pray for our nation.
I also want to urge you to unite.
Politics is all about division. That’s the world’s way. Everyone in the political system is pursuing a winner and loser.
The Kingdom of God is not about division, but it’s about unity. Not uniformity, but unity. As I said last week, one of my favorite images of the Church is a mosaic—a collection of broken, diverse pieces that come together to beautifully display light.
Every human is created with value, dignity and worth in the image of God. Rather than debating, seek dialog with people, whether the conversation concerns politics OR religion. When we establish common ground first, we can further the relationship and earn the right to be heard regarding our differences.
I also urge you to vote. Just do it! We have the privilege of seeking what will best advance God’s Kingdom and contributing to it. It’s not only a privilege, it’s a responsibility. You have been given a voice. Use it! You can argue and debate about many things regarding our founding fathers but two things are clear: they valued freedom and wanted the people to have a voice.
Our church’s mission—for us as individuals and together—is to ultimately glorify God. Glorify God in the voting booth. He is worthy! Study the candidates and issues. Do your homework.
But don’t take the election too seriously. We must trust. Our money says, “In God we trust.” It’s funny how we want God to bless America, but we don’t want to trust in Him. God can be trusted. He is faithful. He is true. And He’s on the throne today and He will be on the throne after all of the votes have been counted.
See, regardless of what happens, we win. God is sovereign and in control. If we elect men and women that guide us toward His Kingdom, we all benefit. If they lead us away from God’s plan, it just means we are that much closer to His return!
I want Jesus for President! I know, He’s not on the ballot, but ultimately He will win. In fact, He will get more than four or eight years!
I’ve read to the end of the Book!
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:11-16)
Are you ready?!
One of my favorite verses in the Bible is truly timeless...
You, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation. (Lamentations 5:19)
It’s important to remember that our God is greater than any politician, political party, ballot proposal, constitution, ideology, or philosophy.
I have one final plea: act. Voting is important, but it’s probably the lowest level of action you can take.
If you’re pro-life, five minutes every four years in a voting booth is insufficient. You need to do more.
If you care about the poor, flipping a lever or filling in a box is just the beginning.
If freedom matters, there’s so much more that can be done after November 6.
I pray that this election season will remind us all to seek God’s Kingdom, pray, unite, and ultimately glorify Him.
Credit: Some ideas from How Should Christians Vote? by Tony Evans
You can listen to the podcast here.
Creative Worship Experience, 21 October 2012
30 10 12
Big Idea: This brief message was presented in the midst of Scio Community Church’s Creative Worship Experience that featured a number of artistic creations and presentations offered to God as worship. God is an artist, and you are His greatest masterpiece,
God is an artist. This is a phrase that we commonly declare at the greenroom on Monday nights. It’s appropriate to mention God’s creativity in the midst of a celebration of human creativity as we have experienced worship through dance, writing, visual arts, music, and drama—not merely presentations, but also creations.
Genesis 1-2 tell us about God’s work as an artist, creating the universe and beyond, but He saved His greatest work for day six, the formation of man and woman. Many today speak of humans as mere animals on par with monkeys, dolphins, and even frogs. Unlike other creatures, we are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). That image was affected by the Fall and we are unsure exactly how we resemble our Creator, but the fact remains that we were given a special place among living beings.
You are God’s masterpiece. Ephesians 2:10 tells that “we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” We are to resemble the Creator. We are to be His representatives on planet earth. Psalm 139 is filled with vivid images of how we were known in our mother’s womb and created unique and special.
Artists often sign their name to their work. It identified the creator with the creation. God has left His mark on you. What can people learn about the Artist by looking at your life?
You can listen to the podcast here.
God is an artist. This is a phrase that we commonly declare at the greenroom on Monday nights. It’s appropriate to mention God’s creativity in the midst of a celebration of human creativity as we have experienced worship through dance, writing, visual arts, music, and drama—not merely presentations, but also creations.
Genesis 1-2 tell us about God’s work as an artist, creating the universe and beyond, but He saved His greatest work for day six, the formation of man and woman. Many today speak of humans as mere animals on par with monkeys, dolphins, and even frogs. Unlike other creatures, we are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). That image was affected by the Fall and we are unsure exactly how we resemble our Creator, but the fact remains that we were given a special place among living beings.
You are God’s masterpiece. Ephesians 2:10 tells that “we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” We are to resemble the Creator. We are to be His representatives on planet earth. Psalm 139 is filled with vivid images of how we were known in our mother’s womb and created unique and special.
Artists often sign their name to their work. It identified the creator with the creation. God has left His mark on you. What can people learn about the Artist by looking at your life?
You can listen to the podcast here.
Contagious Worship, 14 October 2012
16 10 12
Big Idea: Authentic worship is contagious. Is yours?
We began our series several weeks ago talking about Who we worship, an awesome Creator who is worthy of our worship. We then had a worship “service” and put our faith into action, glorifying God with our hands as we served tornado victims in Dexter. We looked at why we worship and then how we worship on Sundays when we gather, saying it’s not about you and your preferences, but about God. Last Sunday we examined how to worship throughout the week, glorifying God with our work, rest, school work, diet, and everything we do.
What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word worship?
What do you think of when you hear the word contagious?
We are moving into the time of year when diseases are spread. Fortunately, germs and illness are not the only things that can be contagious! Worship can be contagious, to both those that follow Jesus and those that are not yet disciples of Christ.
I don’t know about you, but I’m often inspired by the worship of others. Whether it’s the artistry of a painter, the eloquence of a great sermon, a passionate musical performance, or even the demonstrative engagement with songs of praise, I am often drawn into worship by others.
It is one of my hopes that our worship would be so passionate that the presence of God would be so powerful that everyone in attendance, regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey, would know that God is real.
Worship—not merely songs, but a lifestyle of honoring and glorifying God—is contagious to the world, too. Historically, we’ve often approached unbelievers with judgment and condemnation. Instead of messages like “turn or burn” or even, “Do you know Jesus?” I am becoming increasingly aware of our need to practice what we preach and live a life that others want to imitate.
As we seek to make—and become—disciples of Jesus, one essential question must be considered...
Am I living a life that people want to follow?
We want to point people to Jesus, the ultimate example of what it means to be human. None of us is perfect, but our lives should increasingly look like His. Otherwise, our witness is not authentic. People can smell fake a mile away!
We are dishonest if we tell people how wonderful it is to know Jesus and yet live miserable lives ourselves.
What difference has Jesus made in your life? Really?
Do you just talk the talk, or do you walk the walk? Can people really see Jesus through you? Do you look more like Him each day? As you spend time with Christ in prayer and in His Word are you becoming transformed?
As we seek to glorify Jesus by loving Him and our neighbor, if we are filled with the Spirit and looking more like Jesus every day, if we are "Jesus with skin on" serving others, and if our worship is authentic and passionate, it will be contagious.
Look at what Peter, one of Jesus’ best friends, wrote
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:8-16)
What needs to happen in order for someone to ask the reason for the hope that you have? You have to have hope, and it has to be visible.
The more time we spend with Jesus, the more we will look like Jesus, and Jesus is attractive to the world. Ironically, He’s often unattractive to religious people, some of whom crucified Him!
Consider these words from Paul...
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 3:5-6)
People are watching you. They want to know if Jesus is real in your life. It has been said that you are the only Bible many people will ever read. What will they discover?
How do you treat your neighbor? Your co-worker? That odd family member? The guy that drives you crazy?
Jesus said...
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
Do you see the result of shining the light? People will praise God. They will glorify God. Worship will be contagious!
You can listen to the podcast here.
We began our series several weeks ago talking about Who we worship, an awesome Creator who is worthy of our worship. We then had a worship “service” and put our faith into action, glorifying God with our hands as we served tornado victims in Dexter. We looked at why we worship and then how we worship on Sundays when we gather, saying it’s not about you and your preferences, but about God. Last Sunday we examined how to worship throughout the week, glorifying God with our work, rest, school work, diet, and everything we do.
What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word worship?
What do you think of when you hear the word contagious?
We are moving into the time of year when diseases are spread. Fortunately, germs and illness are not the only things that can be contagious! Worship can be contagious, to both those that follow Jesus and those that are not yet disciples of Christ.
I don’t know about you, but I’m often inspired by the worship of others. Whether it’s the artistry of a painter, the eloquence of a great sermon, a passionate musical performance, or even the demonstrative engagement with songs of praise, I am often drawn into worship by others.
It is one of my hopes that our worship would be so passionate that the presence of God would be so powerful that everyone in attendance, regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey, would know that God is real.
Worship—not merely songs, but a lifestyle of honoring and glorifying God—is contagious to the world, too. Historically, we’ve often approached unbelievers with judgment and condemnation. Instead of messages like “turn or burn” or even, “Do you know Jesus?” I am becoming increasingly aware of our need to practice what we preach and live a life that others want to imitate.
As we seek to make—and become—disciples of Jesus, one essential question must be considered...
Am I living a life that people want to follow?
We want to point people to Jesus, the ultimate example of what it means to be human. None of us is perfect, but our lives should increasingly look like His. Otherwise, our witness is not authentic. People can smell fake a mile away!
We are dishonest if we tell people how wonderful it is to know Jesus and yet live miserable lives ourselves.
What difference has Jesus made in your life? Really?
Do you just talk the talk, or do you walk the walk? Can people really see Jesus through you? Do you look more like Him each day? As you spend time with Christ in prayer and in His Word are you becoming transformed?
As we seek to glorify Jesus by loving Him and our neighbor, if we are filled with the Spirit and looking more like Jesus every day, if we are "Jesus with skin on" serving others, and if our worship is authentic and passionate, it will be contagious.
Look at what Peter, one of Jesus’ best friends, wrote
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:8-16)
What needs to happen in order for someone to ask the reason for the hope that you have? You have to have hope, and it has to be visible.
The more time we spend with Jesus, the more we will look like Jesus, and Jesus is attractive to the world. Ironically, He’s often unattractive to religious people, some of whom crucified Him!
Consider these words from Paul...
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 3:5-6)
People are watching you. They want to know if Jesus is real in your life. It has been said that you are the only Bible many people will ever read. What will they discover?
How do you treat your neighbor? Your co-worker? That odd family member? The guy that drives you crazy?
Jesus said...
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
Do you see the result of shining the light? People will praise God. They will glorify God. Worship will be contagious!
You can listen to the podcast here.
How We Worship Monday through Saturday, 7 October 2012
04 10 12
Big Idea: Worship is not meant to be an hour on Sunday, but a lifestyle.
Introduction
What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word worship?
Last week we talked about how to worship God on Sundays. We previously said that our mission as a church—and as humans following Jesus—is ultimately to
glorify God.
We worship and glorify God because He deserves it. He is God. He is worthy.
As consumers, we easily make Sunday mornings—and the rest of the week—about us rather than Him.
Today our subject is how to worship God on Monday morning...and throughout the week.
Pray
Vocations
Several years ago I was speaking with a friend who attended our church. She was a medical professional who helped countless people with physical needs. During our conversation, she made mention of the fact that she admired me for choosing a ministry vocation while her work was so much less significant. I immediately corrected her and said, “God has called you to the marketplace. He has called me to professional church work. Neither is more spiritual or significant, so long as we are being faithful and obedient to our calling.”
How many of you are students?
How many of you are employed in the marketplace?
How many of you are stay-at-home men or women?
How many of you are full-time job seekers?
How many of you are retired?
How many of you are vocational ministers?
How many of you are still awake?!
Our text for this morning is a popular one written by Paul to a church in the city of Colossi.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:15-17)
This passage tells us how to live. It provides guidance on daily living. The most striking verse to me is the final one:
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)
Whatever you do. The original Greek word, tis, translated “whatever” means anything. The word “word” means word (!), spoken or written with a desire to communicate. Not surprisingly, the word that is translated “deed” (ergon in the Greek) means work, activity, task, or job.
Do you get the idea? The reason the first of the Ten Commandments speak of making God God and not ourselves is that He is God. He is the great, awesome, Artist. He deserves our best...everywhere...always. He is to be worshiped not only with songs on Sunday but devotion daily...every moment!
What did you eat for breakfast today? Did you know breakfast can be worship? Paul said in his first letter to the church in Corinth...
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
What does this say about our diet? Our bodies? Our time? Our lives?
Much of our time is spent working, so back in Colossians, the third chapter talks about workers—both free and slaves—and continues
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Colossians 3:23-24)
Whatever you do, do it in the name of Jesus.
Whatever you do, giving thanks to God.
Whatever you do, worship...glorify God.
This means make your work worship.
This means make your homework and study time worship.
This means make your recreational life worship.
This means make every part of your life worship.
Martin Luther understood this when he wrote, "The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays -- not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship."
Students, your work is school. Study hard...to glorify God. Do your homework...to honor your father and mother...but also to glorify God.
Some people see life as pieces of a pie. One piece is work, another education, finances, recreation, friends, etc. God is not intended to be a slice of your life. He is the crust upon which everything rests!
Worship is a lifestyle. Everything we do should bring glory to God.
Does it? Of course not! But we can choose to glorify Him with our time, talents, treasures, ...with everything!
Years ago a friend sent me a recording of a sermon he preached on worship. He said that whatever we do to glorify God is worship, including intimacy with his wife! Marriage is actually a beautiful portrait of the Trinity as a man and woman join with God to create a family. When a husband and wife are one with Christ at the center, it's three in one. My friend was known to say to his wife, “Hey, wanna worship tonight?”
Does that thought offend you? It shouldn’t. Everything that God made is good, and when we enjoy God’s gifts—be they a spouse, a sunset, freedom, music, friends—we glorify Him.
Let’s not forget that while work can be worship, so can rest. We have work and Sabbath. They are both to glorify God.
Do you remember what the Westminster Catechism said?
Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.
There is a dangerous tendency in the church to compartmentalize aspects of our faith. For instance, we often “come into God’s presence” in church, which implies we leave it when we leave church. We “enter into a time of worship” when the band stands up, which suggests when they sit down our worship ceases. We attend a worship “service” and hope to be served.
What if glorifying God was not something we do on Sundays, but a lifestyle?
Friends, for some of you I have great news, and for others not-so-great news:
God is watching!
Like Santa Clause, He sees you when you’re sleeping and He knows when you’re awake! More than your actions, He actually knows your heart, your motivations, your thoughts. He knows what you see on your computer, how you feel about your boss, when you are bitter, and when you are afraid.
Worship is about dying to yourself and living all of life for the glory of God.
Let’s worship!
You can listen to the podcast here.
Introduction
What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word worship?
Last week we talked about how to worship God on Sundays. We previously said that our mission as a church—and as humans following Jesus—is ultimately to
glorify God.
We worship and glorify God because He deserves it. He is God. He is worthy.
As consumers, we easily make Sunday mornings—and the rest of the week—about us rather than Him.
Today our subject is how to worship God on Monday morning...and throughout the week.
Pray
Vocations
Several years ago I was speaking with a friend who attended our church. She was a medical professional who helped countless people with physical needs. During our conversation, she made mention of the fact that she admired me for choosing a ministry vocation while her work was so much less significant. I immediately corrected her and said, “God has called you to the marketplace. He has called me to professional church work. Neither is more spiritual or significant, so long as we are being faithful and obedient to our calling.”
How many of you are students?
How many of you are employed in the marketplace?
How many of you are stay-at-home men or women?
How many of you are full-time job seekers?
How many of you are retired?
How many of you are vocational ministers?
How many of you are still awake?!
Our text for this morning is a popular one written by Paul to a church in the city of Colossi.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:15-17)
This passage tells us how to live. It provides guidance on daily living. The most striking verse to me is the final one:
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)
Whatever you do. The original Greek word, tis, translated “whatever” means anything. The word “word” means word (!), spoken or written with a desire to communicate. Not surprisingly, the word that is translated “deed” (ergon in the Greek) means work, activity, task, or job.
Do you get the idea? The reason the first of the Ten Commandments speak of making God God and not ourselves is that He is God. He is the great, awesome, Artist. He deserves our best...everywhere...always. He is to be worshiped not only with songs on Sunday but devotion daily...every moment!
What did you eat for breakfast today? Did you know breakfast can be worship? Paul said in his first letter to the church in Corinth...
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
What does this say about our diet? Our bodies? Our time? Our lives?
Much of our time is spent working, so back in Colossians, the third chapter talks about workers—both free and slaves—and continues
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Colossians 3:23-24)
Whatever you do, do it in the name of Jesus.
Whatever you do, giving thanks to God.
Whatever you do, worship...glorify God.
This means make your work worship.
This means make your homework and study time worship.
This means make your recreational life worship.
This means make every part of your life worship.
Martin Luther understood this when he wrote, "The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays -- not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship."
Students, your work is school. Study hard...to glorify God. Do your homework...to honor your father and mother...but also to glorify God.
Some people see life as pieces of a pie. One piece is work, another education, finances, recreation, friends, etc. God is not intended to be a slice of your life. He is the crust upon which everything rests!
Worship is a lifestyle. Everything we do should bring glory to God.
Does it? Of course not! But we can choose to glorify Him with our time, talents, treasures, ...with everything!
Years ago a friend sent me a recording of a sermon he preached on worship. He said that whatever we do to glorify God is worship, including intimacy with his wife! Marriage is actually a beautiful portrait of the Trinity as a man and woman join with God to create a family. When a husband and wife are one with Christ at the center, it's three in one. My friend was known to say to his wife, “Hey, wanna worship tonight?”
Does that thought offend you? It shouldn’t. Everything that God made is good, and when we enjoy God’s gifts—be they a spouse, a sunset, freedom, music, friends—we glorify Him.
Let’s not forget that while work can be worship, so can rest. We have work and Sabbath. They are both to glorify God.
Do you remember what the Westminster Catechism said?
Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.
There is a dangerous tendency in the church to compartmentalize aspects of our faith. For instance, we often “come into God’s presence” in church, which implies we leave it when we leave church. We “enter into a time of worship” when the band stands up, which suggests when they sit down our worship ceases. We attend a worship “service” and hope to be served.
What if glorifying God was not something we do on Sundays, but a lifestyle?
Friends, for some of you I have great news, and for others not-so-great news:
God is watching!
Like Santa Clause, He sees you when you’re sleeping and He knows when you’re awake! More than your actions, He actually knows your heart, your motivations, your thoughts. He knows what you see on your computer, how you feel about your boss, when you are bitter, and when you are afraid.
Worship is about dying to yourself and living all of life for the glory of God.
Let’s worship!
You can listen to the podcast here.
How We Worship on Sundays, 30 September 2012
04 10 12
Big Idea: We gather on Sundays to worship God, not ourselves.
I want to begin by stating the obvious...it’s not about you!
Scio Community Church exists to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
- serving our communities - sharing our story - sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
...so that God is glorified. It’s about Him. Period. We gather to glorify Him. Scio Community Church is not a distributor of religious goods and services. Our primary purpose does not involve meeting your needs, taking care of your kids, or making you feel good. That may happen, but that’s not ultimately why we are here.
David Platt, in his book Radical which has been our theme for 2012, wrote
when we gather in our church buildings to sing and lift up our hands in worship, we may not actually be worshiping the Jesus of the Bible. Instead we may be worshiping ourselves.
Ouch!
It’s hard to check our consumeristic impulses at the door on Sunday mornings. After all, we spend six days a week bombarded by messages that say it’s all about us.
As we noted three weeks ago, the first of the ten commandments tell us to have no other gods and no idols. It’s natural to do those things that make us comfortable and safe. But it’s dangerous.
Consumerism tells us to worship ourselves. Self-worship, according to The Satanic Bible, is the essence of Satanism, not the worship of Satan. When you worship, are you a consumer, or are you consumed by Jesus?
Without realizing it, we are all tempted to worship when and how and where we find convenient and comfortable. It is those preferences that bring about controversy and division.
Contemporary or traditional.
Hymns or praise songs.
Loud or soft.
Formal or casual.
Long or short gatherings.
King James or NIV.
Organs or guitars.
Good music or country!!!
Brothers and sisters, should it matter? If it’s truly about God, we should be able to worship Him wherever, however, whenever, with whomever! It’s about making Jesus smile, not us!
We have over 300 churches in Washtenaw County. They are separated by geography and theology, but much of the differences are methodology.
I’ll be the first to admit that I have preferences. Experiences in my past have shaped the type of music I prefer, the translation of the Bible I use, and the attire I wear. I must be careful to never let those cultural biases shift my focus away from the One I seek to worship. It’s not about me. It’s not about you. It’s about God being glorified.
The Power of Music
Worship is more than just singing songs, but music is a powerful way in which we express our worship to God. If you’ve ever been to a rock concert, you know it can bring thousands of people together like nothing else. A lullaby can calm a restless child. A dissonant song can scare a movie audience. A rousing anthem can fire up an athlete. A thumping dance beat can energize a crowd of dancers.
God created music. Contrary to what many said in the 1980’s, there is no such thing as music of the devil because satan cannot create anything. He can only copy, distort, and destroy. He takes beautiful things created by God and ruins them.
God created music, and the Bible is full of it! Over 100 verses mention singing in the Bible.
David would play the harp for King Saul and it would sooth his soul.
Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him. (1 Samuel 16:23)
Music has a spiritual power.
There are numerous accounts of people singing in the Scriptures. Maybe you’ve heard some of these:
Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: “I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea. (Exodus 15:1)
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. (Acts 16:25)
Music is often prayer. Look at this fascinating verse:
So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. (1 Corinthians 14:15)
We can sing with our spirit and mind!
We are also commanded to worship.
We read earlier in Psalm 100...
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalm 100)
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, ...(Ephesians 5:19)
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16)
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. (James 5:13)
Hebrews 13:15 tells us to “continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his Name.”
God Sings!
We were created in the image of God, so it should be no surprise that He also sings. In fact, He sings over us.
Has anyone ever sung over you? God has.
The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)
That verse alone should make us want to respond with worship and song.
We will sing in the future
And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. (Revelation 14:3)
Postures
I want to begin by stating the obvious...it’s not about you!
...so that God is glorified. It’s about Him. Period. We gather to glorify Him. Scio Community Church is not a distributor of religious goods and services. Our primary purpose does not involve meeting your needs, taking care of your kids, or making you feel good. That may happen, but that’s not ultimately why we are here.
David Platt, in his book Radical which has been our theme for 2012, wrote
when we gather in our church buildings to sing and lift up our hands in worship, we may not actually be worshiping the Jesus of the Bible. Instead we may be worshiping ourselves.
Ouch!
It’s hard to check our consumeristic impulses at the door on Sunday mornings. After all, we spend six days a week bombarded by messages that say it’s all about us.
As we noted three weeks ago, the first of the ten commandments tell us to have no other gods and no idols. It’s natural to do those things that make us comfortable and safe. But it’s dangerous.
Consumerism tells us to worship ourselves. Self-worship, according to The Satanic Bible, is the essence of Satanism, not the worship of Satan. When you worship, are you a consumer, or are you consumed by Jesus?
Without realizing it, we are all tempted to worship when and how and where we find convenient and comfortable. It is those preferences that bring about controversy and division.
Contemporary or traditional.
Hymns or praise songs.
Loud or soft.
Formal or casual.
Long or short gatherings.
King James or NIV.
Organs or guitars.
Good music or country!!!
Brothers and sisters, should it matter? If it’s truly about God, we should be able to worship Him wherever, however, whenever, with whomever! It’s about making Jesus smile, not us!
We have over 300 churches in Washtenaw County. They are separated by geography and theology, but much of the differences are methodology.
I’ll be the first to admit that I have preferences. Experiences in my past have shaped the type of music I prefer, the translation of the Bible I use, and the attire I wear. I must be careful to never let those cultural biases shift my focus away from the One I seek to worship. It’s not about me. It’s not about you. It’s about God being glorified.
The Power of Music
Worship is more than just singing songs, but music is a powerful way in which we express our worship to God. If you’ve ever been to a rock concert, you know it can bring thousands of people together like nothing else. A lullaby can calm a restless child. A dissonant song can scare a movie audience. A rousing anthem can fire up an athlete. A thumping dance beat can energize a crowd of dancers.
God created music. Contrary to what many said in the 1980’s, there is no such thing as music of the devil because satan cannot create anything. He can only copy, distort, and destroy. He takes beautiful things created by God and ruins them.
God created music, and the Bible is full of it! Over 100 verses mention singing in the Bible.
David would play the harp for King Saul and it would sooth his soul.
Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him. (1 Samuel 16:23)
Music has a spiritual power.
There are numerous accounts of people singing in the Scriptures. Maybe you’ve heard some of these:
Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: “I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea. (Exodus 15:1)
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. (Acts 16:25)
Music is often prayer. Look at this fascinating verse:
So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. (1 Corinthians 14:15)
We can sing with our spirit and mind!
We are also commanded to worship.
We read earlier in Psalm 100...
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalm 100)
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, ...(Ephesians 5:19)
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16)
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. (James 5:13)
Hebrews 13:15 tells us to “continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his Name.”
God Sings!
We were created in the image of God, so it should be no surprise that He also sings. In fact, He sings over us.
Has anyone ever sung over you? God has.
The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)
That verse alone should make us want to respond with worship and song.
We will sing in the future
And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. (Revelation 14:3)
Postures
In Hebrew, the word used for worship in the Old Testament—shachah—means more to bow down than anything else. When the Israelites spoke of worshiping God, they understood it as bowing down before Him. Similarly, in the New Testament, the commonly used Greek word for worship—proskuneo—suggests the act of getting down on one’s knees and adoring.
We can stand, kneel, dance, sing, lift up our hands, shout, and clap as we worship God. Doing or not doing does not make you more or less spiritual, but we have been given freedom to worship God, provided we respect those around us.
Other Things On Sunday
Can we worship on Sundays without music? Of course! Two weeks ago we worshiped by serving tornado victims. You can worship by serving others, whether it be teaching children, playing an instrument, running sound, or cleaning.
We worship God with our finances. When we give back to God a portion of what He has given to us, it can be an act of worship. Unlike the IRS, it is not forced, but all that we have belongs to Him, and when we offer up our money, time, talents, dreams, and relationships to Him in an effort to glorify Him, He is blessed.
Worship is an attitude of the heart. When you gather on Sundays, are you seeking to glorify God? Is it about Him?
Acceptable and unacceptable worship
It’s not enough to go through the motions. We see the outside, but God knows our heart.
One of the first offerings of worship was accompanied by the first homicide. How’s that for an association?
The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” (Genesis 4:4b-7)
Cain and Abel each provided offerings to God. For reasons we do not know for sure, Abel’s offering was acceptable and Cain’s was rejected. This may have been why Cain murdered his brother.
We do know that true worship is more than just outwardly singing songs or even putting money in the offering. Those are merely tangible ways we express our love and worship to the Almighty.
R.C. Sproul has said that
the giving of adoration and praise to God, the honoring and blessing and esteeming and reverence of God, an outward expression of an inward awe and reverence to God is worship. True faith that holds God in the highest possible esteem—the fear of the LORD—is required...Our most foundation of obligation as creatures is giving honor to God.
Praise is an attempt to express honor. However, God is never honored by flattery or insincere praise.
They honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me. (Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:8)
Every sacrifice I have offered has been tainted with sin.
Amazingly, God loves the sincere worship of His children. We don’t have to worship, but that’s what makes it so special to God. He could have made robots, but we can choose when, how, and even what we worship.
All of life should be about worship, reflecting the glory of God back to Him. It all begins with remembering the God we worship and His great love for us. We love because He first loves us.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Why We Worship, 23 September 2012
04 10 12
Big Idea: We worship God as we do life with God and realize He is worthy.
Two weeks ago we looked at our mission statement and said that we ultimately exist to glorify God. It’s about Him. It’s why we gather. It’s why we scatter. He created us to love Him and our neighbor and to make disciples. Every dollar we spend and every moment on the church calendar is about
so that God is glorified.
I want to focus on a simple question regarding glorifying God.
Why?
Sure, you could say it is because the elders put it in the mission statement, but seriously, why worship? Why glorify God?
Author Skye Jethani in his recent book With illustrates four ways we can approach God:
Life over God. This is life lived apart from God. We ignore Him and keep Him away. Science has control over the world and we don’t need God. Atheism is the most extreme view, but this could even be having a relationship with the Bible and its teachings but not a relationship with God.
Life under God. This is legalism. If we are good to God, He will be good to us. If we screw up, we’re in trouble. It’s all about what we do. Rituals and morality will result in God’s blessings. Go to church, be good, and God will bless you. You can control God by doing the right thing. It’s about controlling God predicated by fear.
Life from God. This is when we pursue God for what He can do for us. As consumers, we want God to be a cosmic genie, giving us everything we want, whether it is money or a spouse or even spiritual gifts. If we don’t get what we want, we assume He is dead or doesn’t love us and we try harder to appease Him. This is moralistic, therapeutic deism. Most USAmerican teenagers have this view of God, according to recent research. This view sees God as one-dimensional. God exists to serve me. This is the health-and-wealth gospel. God is a divine butler or a cosmic therapist. When He doesn’t serve their desires, they walk away. The Prodigal Son in Luke 15 doesn’t want a relationship with his father, but rather his father’s stuff. This is the epitome of consumer Christianity.
Life for God. This is where we reverse it. God doesn’t exist to serve you, you exist to serve God. You must live for the mission and purpose of God, which can be a good motive, but believe that God is disappointed with us when we struggle with sin. The way to avoid the fear of insignificance is to do more for God. The activist generation is good, but serving must be out of compassion, not searching for significance. Your value is not in what you accomplish.
The problem with all four approaches is that each includes fear and control.
The truth is, In the midst of your sin, God still loves you!
The other son in the Prodigal Son story is upset. He says, “I’ve served you all of these years but you never gave me a party, yet my playboy brother messes up his life and you celebrate.”
The father says that the most important thing was not the son’s obedience or his brother’s disobedience but his children’s presence.
Life for God, is a life lived for the mission, the life-purpose, rather than for the One who created your life. It is a life lived for the purpose and authentication provided by accomplishing the mission or goal, rather than remaining in relationship with God and letting Him provide our value.
There is a fifth way to view God.
Life with God. This is the essence of the Christian life.
Every other posture uses God. He is the how. Jesus taught that He is not just the Way but the Life. He is not just how to get the treasure. Jesus is the treasure.
John Piper has said that the gospel is not how people get to heaven; the gospel is how people get to God.
Do you want God?
The primary purpose of the Church before mission and teaching and music and community is to give a ravishing vision of who Jesus Christ is and let Him draw people to Himself.
We can surrender to the perfect God who loves us and will never let us go.
Before we are called to something or somewhere we are called to someone.
Why do we worship? Why do we serve, share, send? Why do we sing? It should not be out of guilt or obligation or to win God’s favor, but rather it should be a natural response to knowing and loving Him.
John said so simply that
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
He made the first move. Actually He made the first moves.
First, He created this amazing planet—and universe—for us to enjoy.
Then He created us, male and female.
After we corrupted ourselves and the world with sin, He was not satisfied with our condition. At one point He wiped out nearly every person on earth with a flood, but spared all living creatures on the ark built by Noah.
After hundreds of years of waiting, the Father sent Jesus Christ to live, teach, and ultimately die for us to demonstrate His love for us. It was on the cross that our sins were cast upon Jesus.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
We worship as a response to who God is. He is God. He is Creator. He is King. He is the ultimate Artist. He is the definition of love. He is the Beginning and the End. He is the all-powerful One. He is the ever-present One. He is the all-knowing One.
We worship because He is worthy. He deserves it.
The tragedy is that so many people are clueless. They don’t give a thought about God. Maybe it is that they’re too busy to notice the beauty around them. Perhaps it is because they bought the lie that we’re all just an accident, the result of random chance. We know from Scripture that the enemy has blinded them.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
Last month I took my son to Chicago for an overnight getaway. My to-do list included a baseball game and Giordano’s pizza. On the second day, we found ourselves downtown with a couple of hours to spare before the Megabus departed for Ann Arbor. Much to my surprise and delight, he asked me if we could go to the Art Institute.
They say that art is in the eye of the beholder, and there are certainly some odd things in most any art museum, but there are other works that evoke awe and wonder.
When we walked by Grant Wood’s American Gothic, a guide was explaining patterns, colors, alignment, and other details that I never noticed. Sure, it is a picture of a farmer and his daughter, but there is far more if you take the time to look and study.
I have been told that the greatest scientific discoveries today are done at the micro and macro level. We are learning more each day about tiny things invisible to the naked eye such as DNA and sub-atomic particles. We are also discovering planets and stars and galaxies that we never knew existed, that the universe is greater than anyone imagined a generation ago.
Most of the artists that created the works we saw in Chicago have died, but if they were living and stood beside their painting, I could not possibly ignore them. I would praise them for their artistry. I might ask questions about their inspiration and process. When we experience beauty, it is difficult to not respond.
Why do we worship? It is a natural response to who He is. If you don’t know who He is, it’s hard to worship Him! This is why we study His Word. This is why we use photos and videos to display His art. This is why many of us are so captivated by a walk at Gallup Park, a trip to the beach, or even a visit to the zoo.
Earlier this year our family traveled to southern California and as we shared our favorite places, I don’t think anyone mentioned Hollywood or an amusement park. Instead, everyone talked about the beach, the zoo, and especially the wild seals at La Jolla. We were in awe of God’s creation.
It has been said that we offer praise and thanksgiving for the things that God has done, but we worship just because of who He is. God is God, regardless of your health, your wealth, your marital status, or your grade point average. He is worthy of worship on sunny days and in the midst of storms. He is deserving of glory when you feel like it and when you don’t.
Worship is reflecting the glory of God back to Him. The more you know Him, the more you do life with Him, the more you will respond in worship.
Worship is offering your world back to God.
The real question this morning is do you want God?
The primary purpose of the Church before mission and healing and transforming the culture is to give a ravishing vision of who Jesus Christ is and let Him draw people to Himself. - Skye Jethani
The Heart of Worship
Perhaps your view and understanding of God and worship has shifted this morning. I know I have misunderstood worship. I’ve often made it about me. I’ve spent so much time worshiping myself—doing what I want, thinking about me—rather than pausing to get perspective on how great our God is and how weak and small and inadequate I am, yet also in awe of how much He loves a broken, sinful person like me. He invites us into His presence. He wants to be with us. He wants to live with us. He wants to know us. He wants to love us.
It’s all about Him.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Two weeks ago we looked at our mission statement and said that we ultimately exist to glorify God. It’s about Him. It’s why we gather. It’s why we scatter. He created us to love Him and our neighbor and to make disciples. Every dollar we spend and every moment on the church calendar is about
- serving our communities
- sharing our story
- sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
I want to focus on a simple question regarding glorifying God.
Why?
Sure, you could say it is because the elders put it in the mission statement, but seriously, why worship? Why glorify God?
Author Skye Jethani in his recent book With illustrates four ways we can approach God:
Life over God. This is life lived apart from God. We ignore Him and keep Him away. Science has control over the world and we don’t need God. Atheism is the most extreme view, but this could even be having a relationship with the Bible and its teachings but not a relationship with God.
Life under God. This is legalism. If we are good to God, He will be good to us. If we screw up, we’re in trouble. It’s all about what we do. Rituals and morality will result in God’s blessings. Go to church, be good, and God will bless you. You can control God by doing the right thing. It’s about controlling God predicated by fear.
Life from God. This is when we pursue God for what He can do for us. As consumers, we want God to be a cosmic genie, giving us everything we want, whether it is money or a spouse or even spiritual gifts. If we don’t get what we want, we assume He is dead or doesn’t love us and we try harder to appease Him. This is moralistic, therapeutic deism. Most USAmerican teenagers have this view of God, according to recent research. This view sees God as one-dimensional. God exists to serve me. This is the health-and-wealth gospel. God is a divine butler or a cosmic therapist. When He doesn’t serve their desires, they walk away. The Prodigal Son in Luke 15 doesn’t want a relationship with his father, but rather his father’s stuff. This is the epitome of consumer Christianity.
Life for God. This is where we reverse it. God doesn’t exist to serve you, you exist to serve God. You must live for the mission and purpose of God, which can be a good motive, but believe that God is disappointed with us when we struggle with sin. The way to avoid the fear of insignificance is to do more for God. The activist generation is good, but serving must be out of compassion, not searching for significance. Your value is not in what you accomplish.
The problem with all four approaches is that each includes fear and control.
The truth is, In the midst of your sin, God still loves you!
The other son in the Prodigal Son story is upset. He says, “I’ve served you all of these years but you never gave me a party, yet my playboy brother messes up his life and you celebrate.”
The father says that the most important thing was not the son’s obedience or his brother’s disobedience but his children’s presence.
Life for God, is a life lived for the mission, the life-purpose, rather than for the One who created your life. It is a life lived for the purpose and authentication provided by accomplishing the mission or goal, rather than remaining in relationship with God and letting Him provide our value.
There is a fifth way to view God.
Life with God. This is the essence of the Christian life.
Every other posture uses God. He is the how. Jesus taught that He is not just the Way but the Life. He is not just how to get the treasure. Jesus is the treasure.
John Piper has said that the gospel is not how people get to heaven; the gospel is how people get to God.
Do you want God?
The primary purpose of the Church before mission and teaching and music and community is to give a ravishing vision of who Jesus Christ is and let Him draw people to Himself.
We can surrender to the perfect God who loves us and will never let us go.
Before we are called to something or somewhere we are called to someone.
Why do we worship? Why do we serve, share, send? Why do we sing? It should not be out of guilt or obligation or to win God’s favor, but rather it should be a natural response to knowing and loving Him.
John said so simply that
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
He made the first move. Actually He made the first moves.
First, He created this amazing planet—and universe—for us to enjoy.
Then He created us, male and female.
After we corrupted ourselves and the world with sin, He was not satisfied with our condition. At one point He wiped out nearly every person on earth with a flood, but spared all living creatures on the ark built by Noah.
After hundreds of years of waiting, the Father sent Jesus Christ to live, teach, and ultimately die for us to demonstrate His love for us. It was on the cross that our sins were cast upon Jesus.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
We worship as a response to who God is. He is God. He is Creator. He is King. He is the ultimate Artist. He is the definition of love. He is the Beginning and the End. He is the all-powerful One. He is the ever-present One. He is the all-knowing One.
We worship because He is worthy. He deserves it.
The tragedy is that so many people are clueless. They don’t give a thought about God. Maybe it is that they’re too busy to notice the beauty around them. Perhaps it is because they bought the lie that we’re all just an accident, the result of random chance. We know from Scripture that the enemy has blinded them.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
Last month I took my son to Chicago for an overnight getaway. My to-do list included a baseball game and Giordano’s pizza. On the second day, we found ourselves downtown with a couple of hours to spare before the Megabus departed for Ann Arbor. Much to my surprise and delight, he asked me if we could go to the Art Institute.
They say that art is in the eye of the beholder, and there are certainly some odd things in most any art museum, but there are other works that evoke awe and wonder.
When we walked by Grant Wood’s American Gothic, a guide was explaining patterns, colors, alignment, and other details that I never noticed. Sure, it is a picture of a farmer and his daughter, but there is far more if you take the time to look and study.
I have been told that the greatest scientific discoveries today are done at the micro and macro level. We are learning more each day about tiny things invisible to the naked eye such as DNA and sub-atomic particles. We are also discovering planets and stars and galaxies that we never knew existed, that the universe is greater than anyone imagined a generation ago.
Most of the artists that created the works we saw in Chicago have died, but if they were living and stood beside their painting, I could not possibly ignore them. I would praise them for their artistry. I might ask questions about their inspiration and process. When we experience beauty, it is difficult to not respond.
Why do we worship? It is a natural response to who He is. If you don’t know who He is, it’s hard to worship Him! This is why we study His Word. This is why we use photos and videos to display His art. This is why many of us are so captivated by a walk at Gallup Park, a trip to the beach, or even a visit to the zoo.
Earlier this year our family traveled to southern California and as we shared our favorite places, I don’t think anyone mentioned Hollywood or an amusement park. Instead, everyone talked about the beach, the zoo, and especially the wild seals at La Jolla. We were in awe of God’s creation.
It has been said that we offer praise and thanksgiving for the things that God has done, but we worship just because of who He is. God is God, regardless of your health, your wealth, your marital status, or your grade point average. He is worthy of worship on sunny days and in the midst of storms. He is deserving of glory when you feel like it and when you don’t.
Worship is reflecting the glory of God back to Him. The more you know Him, the more you do life with Him, the more you will respond in worship.
Worship is offering your world back to God.
The real question this morning is do you want God?
The primary purpose of the Church before mission and healing and transforming the culture is to give a ravishing vision of who Jesus Christ is and let Him draw people to Himself. - Skye Jethani
The Heart of Worship
Perhaps your view and understanding of God and worship has shifted this morning. I know I have misunderstood worship. I’ve often made it about me. I’ve spent so much time worshiping myself—doing what I want, thinking about me—rather than pausing to get perspective on how great our God is and how weak and small and inadequate I am, yet also in awe of how much He loves a broken, sinful person like me. He invites us into His presence. He wants to be with us. He wants to live with us. He wants to know us. He wants to love us.
It’s all about Him.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Awesome God: Who We Worship, 9 September 2012
11 09 12
Big Idea: We worship and seek to glorify an awesome God.
What does glorified mean?
It means to make glorious!
To make glorious by bestowing honor, praise, or admiration
To light up brilliantly
To give glory to, as in worship
That’s the bottom line of why Scio exists...and why you were created.
It has been often said that we live in a consumeristic culture. Thousands of messages bombard us every day telling that it’s all about us. Have it your way. You deserve a break today. Obey your thirst. Part of human nature is to glorify or worship ourselves rather than God.
Have you ever heard of the Ten Commandments? What are they?
We usually think first of don’t steal, kill, or lie. Those are important, but the first ones are most important.
“You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments. “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:3-11)
These are not suggestions, but commands. These are more important than no adultery or coveting. The Ten Commandments begin with God. He wants to be LORD, King, Master.
Why? Because He is insecure? He has an ego problem? He is arrogant? No, because He is God! He deserves it! As we sang earlier, He is the Creator of all things. He Created the game, He can set the rules! Even better, He initiated this thing we call life and humanity and the universe and He loves it! He wants it to thrive! He saved His best for last when it all began.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26-27)
In 1647, a gathering of English and Scottish theological writers set out to summarize the Bible in order to train people in the faith. For hundreds of years it has been used in countless churches. The Westminster Shorter Catechism begins with a question:
What is the chief end of man?
Why am I here? What is my purpose? What meaning is there in life? The answer follows...
Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.
I love this statement because it provides two responses. The first is that we were created to glorify God. That is the purpose of this series. That is why Scio exists. That is why you exist! It is to glorify, honor, bless, love, serve, obey, recognize, follow God.
There is a real danger, though, in being told, “glorify God.”
Kids, have you ever asked your parents “why?” only to be told, “Because I said so!”?
The fifth commandment is to obey mom and dad, but sometimes we naturally want more incentive than “just do it.”
In two weeks, we’re going to focus on the why of worship. Today I want to show you one simple thing about meaning and purpose in life: it’s about God.
Not long ago I mentioned John Piper’s definition of a Christian hedonist:
God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.
How can we be satisfied in God? It begins with meditating on who He is.
I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you. They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. (Psalm 145:1-12)
Going back to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, we were created to glorify God...and to enjoy Him forever.
The more we know Jesus Christ, the more we not only learn of the command to love Him, the more we want to love Him. The more we understand His love, His grace, His mercy, His forgiveness, His hope, His joy, the more we naturally want to love Him, know Him, obey Him, and enjoy Him...forever!
Piper adds
We all make a god out of what we take the most pleasure in. Christian Hedonists want to make God their God by seeking after the greatest pleasure—pleasure in him. By Christian Hedonism, we do not mean that our happiness is the highest good. We mean that pursuing the highest good will always result in our greatest happiness in the end. We should pursue this happiness, and pursue it with all our might. The desire to be happy is a proper motive for every good deed, and if you abandon the pursuit of your own joy you cannot love man or please God.
We serve a truly awesome God. He spoke or possibly sang into existence the galaxies, the fish, the platypus, and humanity. The more we see how great God is, the more it puts into perspective our lives, our hopes, and our challenges.
This week I was reminded of this yet again. We received one of those dreaded late-night phone calls that said that one of our children was being taken to the ER. Panic set in. Fear gripped. Our first tangible action was prayer, not simply because we wanted to fire off an SOS to God—though we did—but also to be reminded that God is good, He is faithful, He is trustworthy, He is all-powerful, He is the definition of love, He is sovereign and in control, He is all-knowing and wise, He is an ever-present help in times of trouble, He is great and mighty, ...and somehow what seems so difficult and overwhelming to us seems downright manageable to Him!
A few days later I was meeting with a group of college students and one walked in, visibly stressed, and on the verge of despair. He said unless a miracle took place within a few hours, he would be unable to continue his education. His was a big deal! People were kindly giving advice, but it was obvious that no action on his part would solve the issue. We prayed, and a few hours later I received a phone call that a miracle had, indeed, occurred and that he would be able to stay in school.
Sometimes God answers prayer in the manner in which we want, but not always. In the case of our child, we’re still uncertain as to the ultimate outcome. To be honest, I worry and fear, and then I am reminded that though those are natural temptations, it is in. Worry says I don’t trust that God is able. It often means I have forgotten Him or who He truly is, an awesome God who is worthy of praise and worship and glory—not because of what He does, but because of who He is. Circumstances don’t change God, nor do they change His worth.
Conclusion
Our God is awesome. People use that word flippantly—that car is awesome, the Detroit Lions are awesome, that hamburger is awesome. I rarely use the word for anything but God. He awes me. He amazes me. His character and love and power and understanding and presence have no end. He is worth my time and talents and treasures. He deserves my devotion and love and obedience, just because of Who He is. The more I keep my eyes and ears and heart focused on Him, the more peace and joy and hope and purpose I inevitably experience as my attitude, priorities, and heart shift to the One who initiated it all...in the beginning. He is my pleasure. He is my treasure.
You can listen to the podcast here.
What does glorified mean?
It means to make glorious!
To make glorious by bestowing honor, praise, or admiration
To light up brilliantly
To give glory to, as in worship
That’s the bottom line of why Scio exists...and why you were created.
It has been often said that we live in a consumeristic culture. Thousands of messages bombard us every day telling that it’s all about us. Have it your way. You deserve a break today. Obey your thirst. Part of human nature is to glorify or worship ourselves rather than God.
Have you ever heard of the Ten Commandments? What are they?
We usually think first of don’t steal, kill, or lie. Those are important, but the first ones are most important.
“You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments. “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:3-11)
- No other Gods
- No idols
- Do not misuse the name of the LORD
- Take a Sabbath to the LORD your God
These are not suggestions, but commands. These are more important than no adultery or coveting. The Ten Commandments begin with God. He wants to be LORD, King, Master.
Why? Because He is insecure? He has an ego problem? He is arrogant? No, because He is God! He deserves it! As we sang earlier, He is the Creator of all things. He Created the game, He can set the rules! Even better, He initiated this thing we call life and humanity and the universe and He loves it! He wants it to thrive! He saved His best for last when it all began.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26-27)
In 1647, a gathering of English and Scottish theological writers set out to summarize the Bible in order to train people in the faith. For hundreds of years it has been used in countless churches. The Westminster Shorter Catechism begins with a question:
What is the chief end of man?
Why am I here? What is my purpose? What meaning is there in life? The answer follows...
Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.
I love this statement because it provides two responses. The first is that we were created to glorify God. That is the purpose of this series. That is why Scio exists. That is why you exist! It is to glorify, honor, bless, love, serve, obey, recognize, follow God.
There is a real danger, though, in being told, “glorify God.”
Kids, have you ever asked your parents “why?” only to be told, “Because I said so!”?
The fifth commandment is to obey mom and dad, but sometimes we naturally want more incentive than “just do it.”
In two weeks, we’re going to focus on the why of worship. Today I want to show you one simple thing about meaning and purpose in life: it’s about God.
Not long ago I mentioned John Piper’s definition of a Christian hedonist:
God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.
How can we be satisfied in God? It begins with meditating on who He is.
I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you. They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. (Psalm 145:1-12)
Going back to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, we were created to glorify God...and to enjoy Him forever.
The more we know Jesus Christ, the more we not only learn of the command to love Him, the more we want to love Him. The more we understand His love, His grace, His mercy, His forgiveness, His hope, His joy, the more we naturally want to love Him, know Him, obey Him, and enjoy Him...forever!
Piper adds
We all make a god out of what we take the most pleasure in. Christian Hedonists want to make God their God by seeking after the greatest pleasure—pleasure in him. By Christian Hedonism, we do not mean that our happiness is the highest good. We mean that pursuing the highest good will always result in our greatest happiness in the end. We should pursue this happiness, and pursue it with all our might. The desire to be happy is a proper motive for every good deed, and if you abandon the pursuit of your own joy you cannot love man or please God.
We serve a truly awesome God. He spoke or possibly sang into existence the galaxies, the fish, the platypus, and humanity. The more we see how great God is, the more it puts into perspective our lives, our hopes, and our challenges.
This week I was reminded of this yet again. We received one of those dreaded late-night phone calls that said that one of our children was being taken to the ER. Panic set in. Fear gripped. Our first tangible action was prayer, not simply because we wanted to fire off an SOS to God—though we did—but also to be reminded that God is good, He is faithful, He is trustworthy, He is all-powerful, He is the definition of love, He is sovereign and in control, He is all-knowing and wise, He is an ever-present help in times of trouble, He is great and mighty, ...and somehow what seems so difficult and overwhelming to us seems downright manageable to Him!
A few days later I was meeting with a group of college students and one walked in, visibly stressed, and on the verge of despair. He said unless a miracle took place within a few hours, he would be unable to continue his education. His was a big deal! People were kindly giving advice, but it was obvious that no action on his part would solve the issue. We prayed, and a few hours later I received a phone call that a miracle had, indeed, occurred and that he would be able to stay in school.
Sometimes God answers prayer in the manner in which we want, but not always. In the case of our child, we’re still uncertain as to the ultimate outcome. To be honest, I worry and fear, and then I am reminded that though those are natural temptations, it is in. Worry says I don’t trust that God is able. It often means I have forgotten Him or who He truly is, an awesome God who is worthy of praise and worship and glory—not because of what He does, but because of who He is. Circumstances don’t change God, nor do they change His worth.
Conclusion
Our God is awesome. People use that word flippantly—that car is awesome, the Detroit Lions are awesome, that hamburger is awesome. I rarely use the word for anything but God. He awes me. He amazes me. His character and love and power and understanding and presence have no end. He is worth my time and talents and treasures. He deserves my devotion and love and obedience, just because of Who He is. The more I keep my eyes and ears and heart focused on Him, the more peace and joy and hope and purpose I inevitably experience as my attitude, priorities, and heart shift to the One who initiated it all...in the beginning. He is my pleasure. He is my treasure.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Saints & Sinners, John 8:1-11, 2 September 2012
03 09 12
Big Idea: Are you a saint or a sinner?
This text is one of the most famous stories of Jesus. It has been the subject of countless studies and sermons, both for its context and content. By context I mean it is not included in all of the early Greek manuscripts of the New Testament. The Bible was not given to us by God leather-bound with gold page edges! The process is a fascinating one and the subject for another time. However, we have very reliable copies of the original documents, but virtually all of the originals are long gone.
You might wonder why these verses are included in our Bible. The overwhelming consensus among Bible scholars is that the account is authentic, though it may not have been written immediately after the seventh chapter of John.
While we’re on the subject of John’s writing, he wrote three letters in addition to this Gospel. The first of his letters offers a fascinating declaration that Pastor Judah Smith of The City Church in Seattle pointed out. John begins
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. (1 John 2:1a)
Here’s his purpose. We all sin (Romans 3:23). We all know sin is not good for us or our world. John is going to tell us how to avoid sin. Surprisingly, he doesn’t judge, condemn, yell, or shame. He doesn’t go postal on a megaphone. Instead, he takes a completely different approach. He points to Jesus...
But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense — Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1b-2)
John 8:1-11
At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. (John 8:2)
Jesus is teaching early in the morning, seated as was the custom. We know He had become incredibly popular—and controversial.
The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” (John 8:3-5)
The teachers and Pharisees were two different groups of people. The teachers or scribes were experts in interpreting the Old Testament. The Pharisees were a party, a movement of conservative religious practice. Pharisee actually means “separated one.”
These verses raise all sorts of questions that are never answered.
Who caught her? What were they doing? Where was the man? We can come up with a variety of theories, but they are actually incidental to the text because they really weren’t trying to stone her. They were trying to stone Jesus!
They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. (John 8:6a)
If Jesus said to stone her, He would be in trouble with the Romans who had the authority to execute, not the religious leaders (which is why Caiaphas the high priest sent Jesus to Pilate).
If Jesus said to let her go, He would be accused of denying the law of Moses.
As is typical for Jesus, His response is unconventional and surprising.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. (John 8:6b)
This is the only biblical account of Jesus writing. He bends down and writes in the dirt.
What did He write? Nobody knows for sure, but many commentators relate this action to Jeremiah 17:13
O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the LORD, the spring of living water. (Jeremiah 17:13)
He doesn’t say a word. He doesn’t look at them. He doesn’t look at the woman. He just writes in the dust.
It is thought by many that He started writing down their sins.
Rabbi Joe, greed.
Rabbi Sam, gossip.
Rabbi Frank, envy.
He knew their hearts and secret sins. He knew their stories.
When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. (John 8:7-8)
Jesus says very little in this story, but every word is choice!
Did this woman sin? Yes. Jesus makes it very clear in a moment.
Did these leaders sin? Yes. Jesus knew their wicked hearts.
The next verse fascinates me.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. (John 8:9)
This is why many believe He was writing out their sins. The elders left first, either because they were wiser or Jesus began with their sins!
Now Jesus and this desperate housewife are the only ones left. He finally looks at her. How did she feel? Scared? Relieved? Grateful? Preparing for Him to personally read her the riot act? Was He going to grab a stone?
Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” (John 8:10)
Sometimes we like it when others sin because it makes us feel better about ourselves. We like to accuse, to criticize, to condemn, whether it be toward a movie star or neighbor or another Christian. The problem is we have all sinned. We are all broken. We are all messed up and desperately in need of the grace of Jesus, the Cross.
Jesus has a sense of humor!
The accusers are gone. In Revelation 12:10 satan is called the accuser. He lays on the guilt and shame.
“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11)
Honestly, I don’t think He needed to tell her to leave her life of sin. First, it probably made her miserable. We don’t know the circumstances, but it’s hard to sleep at night when you are living a life of sin.
Second, she didn’t need a lecture. She probably knew the law, or at least knew that what she was doing was unacceptable, both to God and society.
Third, condemnation is not a good motivator. How many of you like to be judged?
As we noted earlier, John himself said the way to avoid sin is to look to Jesus.
The more we recognize how much He loves us, the more we want to honor and bless and obey Him. This is one reason we gather—to be reminded of how high and deep and wide is the love of Jesus Christ.
Jesus was not an accuser but an advocate, an intercessor, a consoler, a defender.
This woman did some terrible things. She was a sinner. So are we!
Jesus did not embrace her sin. He called a sin a sin! He embraced her, though.
I pray that we are an advocate for everyone in our communities.
We’re so blinded by our own sin. We accuse others but we condemn ourselves in the process with legalism. How did they find her?!
An advocate is slow to speak. Jesus is. God, make us slow to speak...and quick to pray.
Jesus is the great leveler. He sits, then He gets down in the dirt while the leaders stand with rocks. We need churches filled with people in the dirt with the broken, not standing in judgment. All of us have sin and fall short of God’s glory.
Is our Gospel big enough to welcome sinners?
I want to pastor the church in the dirt!
We need compassion and grace and love.
Grace sets people from sin, not traditions or laws or judgment.
Where are your accusers, Ann Arbor? Not in this church!
There’s a common expression I’ve heard many Christians say, love the sinner and hate the sin.
Brothers and sisters, we are all sinners. We are saints because of what Jesus has done for us, but we are sinners.
Love the sinner, hate your own sin!!!
You can listen to the podcast here.
This text is one of the most famous stories of Jesus. It has been the subject of countless studies and sermons, both for its context and content. By context I mean it is not included in all of the early Greek manuscripts of the New Testament. The Bible was not given to us by God leather-bound with gold page edges! The process is a fascinating one and the subject for another time. However, we have very reliable copies of the original documents, but virtually all of the originals are long gone.
You might wonder why these verses are included in our Bible. The overwhelming consensus among Bible scholars is that the account is authentic, though it may not have been written immediately after the seventh chapter of John.
While we’re on the subject of John’s writing, he wrote three letters in addition to this Gospel. The first of his letters offers a fascinating declaration that Pastor Judah Smith of The City Church in Seattle pointed out. John begins
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. (1 John 2:1a)
Here’s his purpose. We all sin (Romans 3:23). We all know sin is not good for us or our world. John is going to tell us how to avoid sin. Surprisingly, he doesn’t judge, condemn, yell, or shame. He doesn’t go postal on a megaphone. Instead, he takes a completely different approach. He points to Jesus...
But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense — Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1b-2)
John 8:1-11
At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. (John 8:2)
Jesus is teaching early in the morning, seated as was the custom. We know He had become incredibly popular—and controversial.
The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” (John 8:3-5)
The teachers and Pharisees were two different groups of people. The teachers or scribes were experts in interpreting the Old Testament. The Pharisees were a party, a movement of conservative religious practice. Pharisee actually means “separated one.”
These verses raise all sorts of questions that are never answered.
Who caught her? What were they doing? Where was the man? We can come up with a variety of theories, but they are actually incidental to the text because they really weren’t trying to stone her. They were trying to stone Jesus!
They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. (John 8:6a)
If Jesus said to stone her, He would be in trouble with the Romans who had the authority to execute, not the religious leaders (which is why Caiaphas the high priest sent Jesus to Pilate).
If Jesus said to let her go, He would be accused of denying the law of Moses.
As is typical for Jesus, His response is unconventional and surprising.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. (John 8:6b)
This is the only biblical account of Jesus writing. He bends down and writes in the dirt.
What did He write? Nobody knows for sure, but many commentators relate this action to Jeremiah 17:13
O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the LORD, the spring of living water. (Jeremiah 17:13)
He doesn’t say a word. He doesn’t look at them. He doesn’t look at the woman. He just writes in the dust.
It is thought by many that He started writing down their sins.
Rabbi Joe, greed.
Rabbi Sam, gossip.
Rabbi Frank, envy.
He knew their hearts and secret sins. He knew their stories.
When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. (John 8:7-8)
Jesus says very little in this story, but every word is choice!
Did this woman sin? Yes. Jesus makes it very clear in a moment.
Did these leaders sin? Yes. Jesus knew their wicked hearts.
The next verse fascinates me.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. (John 8:9)
This is why many believe He was writing out their sins. The elders left first, either because they were wiser or Jesus began with their sins!
Now Jesus and this desperate housewife are the only ones left. He finally looks at her. How did she feel? Scared? Relieved? Grateful? Preparing for Him to personally read her the riot act? Was He going to grab a stone?
Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” (John 8:10)
Sometimes we like it when others sin because it makes us feel better about ourselves. We like to accuse, to criticize, to condemn, whether it be toward a movie star or neighbor or another Christian. The problem is we have all sinned. We are all broken. We are all messed up and desperately in need of the grace of Jesus, the Cross.
Jesus has a sense of humor!
The accusers are gone. In Revelation 12:10 satan is called the accuser. He lays on the guilt and shame.
“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11)
Honestly, I don’t think He needed to tell her to leave her life of sin. First, it probably made her miserable. We don’t know the circumstances, but it’s hard to sleep at night when you are living a life of sin.
Second, she didn’t need a lecture. She probably knew the law, or at least knew that what she was doing was unacceptable, both to God and society.
Third, condemnation is not a good motivator. How many of you like to be judged?
As we noted earlier, John himself said the way to avoid sin is to look to Jesus.
The more we recognize how much He loves us, the more we want to honor and bless and obey Him. This is one reason we gather—to be reminded of how high and deep and wide is the love of Jesus Christ.
Jesus was not an accuser but an advocate, an intercessor, a consoler, a defender.
This woman did some terrible things. She was a sinner. So are we!
Jesus did not embrace her sin. He called a sin a sin! He embraced her, though.
I pray that we are an advocate for everyone in our communities.
We’re so blinded by our own sin. We accuse others but we condemn ourselves in the process with legalism. How did they find her?!
An advocate is slow to speak. Jesus is. God, make us slow to speak...and quick to pray.
Jesus is the great leveler. He sits, then He gets down in the dirt while the leaders stand with rocks. We need churches filled with people in the dirt with the broken, not standing in judgment. All of us have sin and fall short of God’s glory.
Is our Gospel big enough to welcome sinners?
I want to pastor the church in the dirt!
We need compassion and grace and love.
Grace sets people from sin, not traditions or laws or judgment.
Where are your accusers, Ann Arbor? Not in this church!
There’s a common expression I’ve heard many Christians say, love the sinner and hate the sin.
Brothers and sisters, we are all sinners. We are saints because of what Jesus has done for us, but we are sinners.
Love the sinner, hate your own sin!!!
You can listen to the podcast here.
Identity Crisis, John 7:25-53, 26 August 2012
03 09 12
Big Idea: Perhaps the most important question in all of life is, “Who is Jesus?”
Have you ever been mistaken for someone else?
Have you ever mistaken another person?
Friend who thought a man with long hair was a woman from behind!
Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
That’s not a very good question. Last week we heard about how Muslim people believe in Jesus. Mormons believe in Jesus. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in Jesus. Many atheists believe in Jesus. Satan and demons believe in Jesus.
What do you believe about Jesus? Put another way, “Who is Jesus?
At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah? But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”
They misunderstood what the prophets had said.
Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.”
At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. Still, many in the crowd believed in him. They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs than this man?”
The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.
Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I am going to the one who sent me. You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”
The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”
Here’s the climax of the passage:
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
They poured out water during the feast of tabernacles. He may have been standing ankle-deep in water when He said this. They were celebrating Moses getting water from the rock. We see free will here—anyone. Here’s election—the thirsty. If you are thirsty today and tired of drinking at the mud holes of this world, come to Jesus.
Jesus wasn’t talking about H2O, of course. He was talking about the coming of the Holy Spirit that occurred in Acts 2.
By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
The image of flowing water may have come from Isaiah 58:11
The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. (Isaiah 58:11)
This may be related to the theme of the Feast of Tabernacles:
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. (Isaiah 12:3)
While this references personal salvation, Isaiah 58:11 speaks of believers being a blessing to others.
When we receive salvation through Jesus, we get the Holy Spirit, too. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is not merely for our own pleasure, but to fill the earth with fruit and gifts, to bless others.
Just as God provided for His people in the wilderness—the purpose of the Feast of Tabernacles—so Jesus fulfills this symbolism, eventually providing both salvation and the Holy Spirit, who could not come until Jesus was glorified.
Notice the response of the people:
On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”
Others said, “He is the Messiah.”
Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.
Here again we see people confused about Jesus’ identity.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem but He didn’t stay there.
They couldn’t touch Him? Why? His hour had not yet come.
Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”
“No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied.
Many have been impressed with His teaching, including many today, but that wasn’t the ultimate purpose of HIs visitation to our planet.
“You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.”
Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”
Nick defends Jesus.
They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.” (52)
They were mocking Nick. Galilee was a hick town compared to the city.
Then each went to his own home. (53)
Today Jesus is on trial, too. There are believers, skeptics, seekers, and enemies. Just as His followers risked identification with Jesus, so today those that bear His Name risk consequences.
While we share Jesus in word and deed, don't expect people to quickly follow Jesus. The world is in rebellion against God. They are skeptical. Even those in the Church are often skeptical…is grace real? Don't we have to earn God's love? Should we judge those for whom Jesus died?
Who is Jesus? How does your life reflect your belief? Would others agree with your personal assessment?
You can listen to the podcast here.
Have you ever been mistaken for someone else?
Have you ever mistaken another person?
Friend who thought a man with long hair was a woman from behind!
Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
That’s not a very good question. Last week we heard about how Muslim people believe in Jesus. Mormons believe in Jesus. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in Jesus. Many atheists believe in Jesus. Satan and demons believe in Jesus.
What do you believe about Jesus? Put another way, “Who is Jesus?
At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah? But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”
They misunderstood what the prophets had said.
Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.”
At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. Still, many in the crowd believed in him. They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs than this man?”
The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.
Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I am going to the one who sent me. You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”
The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”
Here’s the climax of the passage:
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
They poured out water during the feast of tabernacles. He may have been standing ankle-deep in water when He said this. They were celebrating Moses getting water from the rock. We see free will here—anyone. Here’s election—the thirsty. If you are thirsty today and tired of drinking at the mud holes of this world, come to Jesus.
Jesus wasn’t talking about H2O, of course. He was talking about the coming of the Holy Spirit that occurred in Acts 2.
By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
The image of flowing water may have come from Isaiah 58:11
The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. (Isaiah 58:11)
This may be related to the theme of the Feast of Tabernacles:
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. (Isaiah 12:3)
While this references personal salvation, Isaiah 58:11 speaks of believers being a blessing to others.
When we receive salvation through Jesus, we get the Holy Spirit, too. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is not merely for our own pleasure, but to fill the earth with fruit and gifts, to bless others.
Just as God provided for His people in the wilderness—the purpose of the Feast of Tabernacles—so Jesus fulfills this symbolism, eventually providing both salvation and the Holy Spirit, who could not come until Jesus was glorified.
Notice the response of the people:
On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”
Others said, “He is the Messiah.”
Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.
Here again we see people confused about Jesus’ identity.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem but He didn’t stay there.
They couldn’t touch Him? Why? His hour had not yet come.
Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”
“No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied.
Many have been impressed with His teaching, including many today, but that wasn’t the ultimate purpose of HIs visitation to our planet.
“You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.”
Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”
Nick defends Jesus.
They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.” (52)
They were mocking Nick. Galilee was a hick town compared to the city.
Then each went to his own home. (53)
Today Jesus is on trial, too. There are believers, skeptics, seekers, and enemies. Just as His followers risked identification with Jesus, so today those that bear His Name risk consequences.
While we share Jesus in word and deed, don't expect people to quickly follow Jesus. The world is in rebellion against God. They are skeptical. Even those in the Church are often skeptical…is grace real? Don't we have to earn God's love? Should we judge those for whom Jesus died?
Who is Jesus? How does your life reflect your belief? Would others agree with your personal assessment?
You can listen to the podcast here.
Misunderstood, John 7:1-24, 12 August 2012
06 08 12
Big Idea: Jesus was misunderstood. We will be, too.
After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his own brothers did not believe in him. Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. (John 7:1-6)
“After this” refers to the previous chapter. This was actually about six months following chapter six which was during the Passover Feast. This is the final year of Jesus’ ministry which He focused on Judea.
Today Jesus is easily most controversial, misunderstood Person that ever walked the planet.
He has been avoiding Jerusalem, but now during the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev) which celebrated dwelling in tents in the wilderness. They lived in booths. They camped out. It was a joyful feast with trumpets.
Jesus never took advise, especially from His unbelieving brothers.
“My time is not YET come.” He is following the Father’s schedule.
It is official: Jesus is a wanted man. The people in power were out to get Him, and get Him they did—eventually.
Of course, it’s generally difficult to build an audience while in hiding. Years ago after penning a book called The Satanic Verses, author Salmon Rushdie went into hiding for fear of his life. To this day I cannot name another book he has written, but he gained notoriety for the price tag placed on his head. Literally.
Jesus, however, lived before texts and Tweets, CNN.com, CNN on TV, any TV, any radio, any newspapers, any periodicals, any telephones, Morse Code, the Pony Express...well, you get the idea.
This is one of many examples of people advising Jesus. Can you imagine telling Jesus what to do? Oddly enough, I do it all of the time. “Jesus, take away my headache, feed all of the starving children in the world, bring about world peace,...”
Notice the last sentence: even His own brothers did not believe in Him. Wow! Imagine that! Surely they must’ve thought something was up with Him.
(funny stories)
The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil.
You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee. (John 7:7-9)
Jesus condemns sin by His very presence.
Whenever we come to a therefore, we must ask what it is there for.
YET. His timing is perfect.
However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus and asking, “Where is he?” (John 7:10-11)
Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.”
Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders. (John 7:12-13)
There was division and discussion about Him. They were afraid of the Jewish leaders.
Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?” (John 7:14-15)
He appears suddenly in the temple. They were surprised that He didn’t have His Master’s degree!
Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me.
Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?” (John 7:16-19)
To reject Jesus is to reject God. He made Himself equal with God.
Love for the Word of God.
Human knowledge must be known to be loved.
Divine knowledge must be loved in order to be understood.
We have knowledge and love and obedience.
“You are demon-possessed,” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?” (John 7:20)
They don’t get it! They are clueless! They think He is paranoid.
Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle, and you are all amazed. Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath? Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” (John 7:21-24)
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
Conclusion
People will misunderstand you.
You will misunderstand me.
Please exercise grace.
“Help me understand.”
No gossip...go to the person.
Do you really believe in Jesus? LORD, I believe. Help me in my unbelief. Help me to trust You completely. Help me to avoid judging others and externals and trust You completely with everything and everyone.
You can listen to the podcast here.
After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his own brothers did not believe in him. Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. (John 7:1-6)
“After this” refers to the previous chapter. This was actually about six months following chapter six which was during the Passover Feast. This is the final year of Jesus’ ministry which He focused on Judea.
Today Jesus is easily most controversial, misunderstood Person that ever walked the planet.
He has been avoiding Jerusalem, but now during the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev) which celebrated dwelling in tents in the wilderness. They lived in booths. They camped out. It was a joyful feast with trumpets.
Jesus never took advise, especially from His unbelieving brothers.
“My time is not YET come.” He is following the Father’s schedule.
It is official: Jesus is a wanted man. The people in power were out to get Him, and get Him they did—eventually.
Of course, it’s generally difficult to build an audience while in hiding. Years ago after penning a book called The Satanic Verses, author Salmon Rushdie went into hiding for fear of his life. To this day I cannot name another book he has written, but he gained notoriety for the price tag placed on his head. Literally.
Jesus, however, lived before texts and Tweets, CNN.com, CNN on TV, any TV, any radio, any newspapers, any periodicals, any telephones, Morse Code, the Pony Express...well, you get the idea.
This is one of many examples of people advising Jesus. Can you imagine telling Jesus what to do? Oddly enough, I do it all of the time. “Jesus, take away my headache, feed all of the starving children in the world, bring about world peace,...”
Notice the last sentence: even His own brothers did not believe in Him. Wow! Imagine that! Surely they must’ve thought something was up with Him.
(funny stories)
The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil.
You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee. (John 7:7-9)
Jesus condemns sin by His very presence.
Whenever we come to a therefore, we must ask what it is there for.
YET. His timing is perfect.
However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus and asking, “Where is he?” (John 7:10-11)
Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.”
Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders. (John 7:12-13)
There was division and discussion about Him. They were afraid of the Jewish leaders.
Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?” (John 7:14-15)
He appears suddenly in the temple. They were surprised that He didn’t have His Master’s degree!
Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me.
Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?” (John 7:16-19)
To reject Jesus is to reject God. He made Himself equal with God.
Love for the Word of God.
Human knowledge must be known to be loved.
Divine knowledge must be loved in order to be understood.
We have knowledge and love and obedience.
“You are demon-possessed,” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?” (John 7:20)
They don’t get it! They are clueless! They think He is paranoid.
Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle, and you are all amazed. Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath? Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” (John 7:21-24)
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
Conclusion
People will misunderstand you.
You will misunderstand me.
Please exercise grace.
“Help me understand.”
No gossip...go to the person.
Do you really believe in Jesus? LORD, I believe. Help me in my unbelief. Help me to trust You completely. Help me to avoid judging others and externals and trust You completely with everything and everyone.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Deserting Disciples, John 6:60-71, 5 August 2012
05 08 12
Big Idea: Following Jesus is not easy, but it’s worth it.
Introduction:
Who do you follow, and why?
Who do you follow on Twitter?
Whose blog do you read?
Whose radio or television show do you listen to or watch?
What authors do you read?
Why?
I would like to propose that most everything that we do is based upon what we hope to get in return. For example, we eat so we are not hungry. We buy cars that we expect will transport us safely and effectively. Even our generosity has some measure of personal pleasure to it, that good feeling that we are helping someone in need.
One writer put it this way: “We use relationships for what they can do for us and what they can get us, but not for what we give to others and receive from them. We keep our distance from intimacy and trust through our cynicism and calloused hearts.”
Last week we looked at Jesus’ claim to be the Bread of Life.
Jesus feeds thousands of people. They not only enjoy the free lunch, they assume He will overthrow Rome, set them free, and be the ultimate political leader creating a utopian society. Quite simply, they liked Jesus for what they could get from Jesus.
Jesus knows us all too well. Nobody knows the human heart like its Creator. As He is teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum, He tells them
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever. (John 6:54-58)
Last week each person was offered a generous piece of bread. Would anyone like some of the leftovers? Of course not! Jesus says don’t pursue things that spoil. The bread you ate last week has gone bad. Jesus does not go bad. In fact, He is eternal.
While you may not be here today for physical bread, there are many that pursue fast-food spirituality. Give me a spiritual diet pill, minimize my inconvenience, serve me, feed me, tickle my ears, make me feel good, promise me that I will be blessed and rich and happy.
John 6:60-71
On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. (John 6:60-63)
Deep, authentic relationships are costly. They don’t always taste sweet. In fact, sometimes we have to swallow bitter pills. Sometimes, though, those difficult conversations help us grow. They help us become more like Christ. Sometimes, like a horse pill prescribed by the doctor, we need to take a big gulp and endure the momentary discomfort for long-term health.
The cup for us is sweet, but it was bitter for Jesus.
As we said last week, Jesus isn’t promoting cannibalism or Twilight vampires. He doesn’t mean to actually eat Him for lunch! The words are Spirit. Remember John 1:1, in the beginning was the Word, the logos, Jesus?
Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” (John 6:64-65)
Whosoever will may come.
From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. (John 6:66)
Can you imagine deserting Jesus?
This doesn’t just say the crowds, but disciples. Are you a follower of Jesus Christ? Why? Is it because of what Jesus can do for you?
This verse shows that it is not necessarily a permanent condition.
The Bible was not written with chapter and verse numbers. They were added much later to aid study. Nevertheless, notice the reference of this verse—666. This may be the only 6:66 in the Bible!
“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:67-69)
Why did Peter stay? He was chosen. John 6:37, 44, 57.
As a fisherman, Peter had to learn patience. He knows sometimes the net is empty and you endure hunger. He’s also seen Jesus perform miracles, feed crowds, and even instruct him on where and when to fish, to the point of his nets breaking from the weight of the fish!
One author wrote, “Whereas Judas steals form the money bag, Jesus has stolen Peter’s heart. Peter has both torn nets and a torn and broken spirit A broken and contrite heart before God is the most beautiful thing in the world. The true Christ-followers or disciples, like Peter, hold tightly to Jesus’ hard teaching, even if they don’t get what Jesus is saying. No doubt it’s because Jesus holds tightly to them. But it’s also because such followers have come to the end of themselves, the end of their resources, the end of self-sufficiency.”
People are searching today.
Do you want to leave Jesus? Check out the alternatives. We’re the only ones with grace! It’s the best deal in town! Only Jesus has the words of eternal life. Only Jesus died for you and proved His love.
Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.) (John 6:70-71)
John gives us a sneak preview of what is to come.
Jesus chose a devil to follow Him!
“I came from heaven. I came to give you life. I want you to surrender your life.”
Are you going to leave Jesus? When God doesn’t make sense, when our understanding of God goes south, are we going to desert Him?
Who are you going to live for? Who are you going to follow?
What areas of your life do you need to surrender to Jesus? He wants everything, not just your scraps and leftovers.
Conclusion
There’s an old expression that says, “You are what you eat.” I like to say that I love fruits and nuts!
We can feed on Jesus or on the things of this world. Think about this past week. How much time did you spend feeding your brain Jesus? How much time did you spend with Him, talking with HIm, reading His world, praising Him, talking about Him? How much time did you spend feeding your brain the things of this world? Music, movies, television, websites, advertising? Some of it is hard to avoid, but we are what we eat. We become what or Whom we follow.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Introduction:
Who do you follow, and why?
Who do you follow on Twitter?
Whose blog do you read?
Whose radio or television show do you listen to or watch?
What authors do you read?
Why?
I would like to propose that most everything that we do is based upon what we hope to get in return. For example, we eat so we are not hungry. We buy cars that we expect will transport us safely and effectively. Even our generosity has some measure of personal pleasure to it, that good feeling that we are helping someone in need.
One writer put it this way: “We use relationships for what they can do for us and what they can get us, but not for what we give to others and receive from them. We keep our distance from intimacy and trust through our cynicism and calloused hearts.”
Last week we looked at Jesus’ claim to be the Bread of Life.
Jesus feeds thousands of people. They not only enjoy the free lunch, they assume He will overthrow Rome, set them free, and be the ultimate political leader creating a utopian society. Quite simply, they liked Jesus for what they could get from Jesus.
Jesus knows us all too well. Nobody knows the human heart like its Creator. As He is teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum, He tells them
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever. (John 6:54-58)
Last week each person was offered a generous piece of bread. Would anyone like some of the leftovers? Of course not! Jesus says don’t pursue things that spoil. The bread you ate last week has gone bad. Jesus does not go bad. In fact, He is eternal.
While you may not be here today for physical bread, there are many that pursue fast-food spirituality. Give me a spiritual diet pill, minimize my inconvenience, serve me, feed me, tickle my ears, make me feel good, promise me that I will be blessed and rich and happy.
John 6:60-71
On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. (John 6:60-63)
Deep, authentic relationships are costly. They don’t always taste sweet. In fact, sometimes we have to swallow bitter pills. Sometimes, though, those difficult conversations help us grow. They help us become more like Christ. Sometimes, like a horse pill prescribed by the doctor, we need to take a big gulp and endure the momentary discomfort for long-term health.
The cup for us is sweet, but it was bitter for Jesus.
As we said last week, Jesus isn’t promoting cannibalism or Twilight vampires. He doesn’t mean to actually eat Him for lunch! The words are Spirit. Remember John 1:1, in the beginning was the Word, the logos, Jesus?
Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” (John 6:64-65)
Whosoever will may come.
From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. (John 6:66)
Can you imagine deserting Jesus?
This doesn’t just say the crowds, but disciples. Are you a follower of Jesus Christ? Why? Is it because of what Jesus can do for you?
This verse shows that it is not necessarily a permanent condition.
The Bible was not written with chapter and verse numbers. They were added much later to aid study. Nevertheless, notice the reference of this verse—666. This may be the only 6:66 in the Bible!
“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:67-69)
Why did Peter stay? He was chosen. John 6:37, 44, 57.
As a fisherman, Peter had to learn patience. He knows sometimes the net is empty and you endure hunger. He’s also seen Jesus perform miracles, feed crowds, and even instruct him on where and when to fish, to the point of his nets breaking from the weight of the fish!
One author wrote, “Whereas Judas steals form the money bag, Jesus has stolen Peter’s heart. Peter has both torn nets and a torn and broken spirit A broken and contrite heart before God is the most beautiful thing in the world. The true Christ-followers or disciples, like Peter, hold tightly to Jesus’ hard teaching, even if they don’t get what Jesus is saying. No doubt it’s because Jesus holds tightly to them. But it’s also because such followers have come to the end of themselves, the end of their resources, the end of self-sufficiency.”
People are searching today.
Do you want to leave Jesus? Check out the alternatives. We’re the only ones with grace! It’s the best deal in town! Only Jesus has the words of eternal life. Only Jesus died for you and proved His love.
Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.) (John 6:70-71)
John gives us a sneak preview of what is to come.
Jesus chose a devil to follow Him!
“I came from heaven. I came to give you life. I want you to surrender your life.”
Are you going to leave Jesus? When God doesn’t make sense, when our understanding of God goes south, are we going to desert Him?
Who are you going to live for? Who are you going to follow?
What areas of your life do you need to surrender to Jesus? He wants everything, not just your scraps and leftovers.
Conclusion
There’s an old expression that says, “You are what you eat.” I like to say that I love fruits and nuts!
We can feed on Jesus or on the things of this world. Think about this past week. How much time did you spend feeding your brain Jesus? How much time did you spend with Him, talking with HIm, reading His world, praising Him, talking about Him? How much time did you spend feeding your brain the things of this world? Music, movies, television, websites, advertising? Some of it is hard to avoid, but we are what we eat. We become what or Whom we follow.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Bread of Life, John 6:22-59, 29 July 2012
04 08 12
Big Idea: Jesus wants to be everything to us, our all-consuming Bread of Life.
John 6:22-59
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” (John 6:26-28)
We are always seeking to work hard and impress God. It’s not what we do but what He has done.
We don’t have to spend our resources to buy the Bread of life. He comes to us! We just have to receive it...and receiving a gift will almost always prompt a natural response.
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:29)
We don’t have to spend our resources to buy the Bread of life. He comes to us! We just have to receive it...and receiving a gift will almost always prompt a natural response.
So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ”
Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:30-33)
They were fed daily for forty years. They want to be fed. Manna gave physical life in the wilderness. God gives spiritual life.
“Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:34-35)
The woman at the well wanted water. These people want bread. Jesus is the manna from heaven that gave His life for the world. He is the Bread that we feed on constantly.
But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. (John 6:36-37)
Election or free will? This is a common theological question—does God choose us or do we choose Him? Verse 37 says yes! You can argue election, but if you come, you will be welcome.
All those the Father gives me will come to me (election), and whoever comes to me I will never drive away (free will).
You can argue election, but if you come, you will be welcome.
For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. (John 6:38)
He mentions the Christmas story, coming down from heaven.
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:39-40)
Do you want to know God’s will? The will of God is for you to come to Him. When a person accepts Christ, whom He justifies, He will glorify.
At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” (John 6:41)
He’s teaching His virgin birth.
They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”
They don’t understand His true Father.
“Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. (John 6:42-44)
The word “draw” here means “drag.” Think about that for a moment.
It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:45-51)
Jesus repeatedly declares Himself to be the bread of life.
Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (John 6:52)
He has a following and uses it as an opportunity to teach.
Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. (John 6:53-59)
Jesus is preparing His disciples for the Last Supper, the LORD’s Supper. This is not to be taken literally. He’s not saying they should become vampires and drink HIs blood and eat His flesh. The life of the flesh is in the blood. He will shed His blood and give His life for us.
This is not to sample or taste Jesus, but a full embrace of Him, a total surrender, to die completely and then become fully alive in Him.
Jesus declares Himself to be the Bread of Life. He didn’t mean He’s a bagel or a muffin. His audience understood bread not as a part of a meal but as THE meal. He didn’t say, “I’m the fish of life,” but bread.
The Romans only allowed the people to have 1600 calories/day. Bread was scarce. It was a means of control. The Roman soldiers only ate bread. The attitude of the people was if you can feed us, you can lead us.
What Jesus was really saying is that He wants to be not only the Bread of life, He wants to be our life! He wants to be our food. He will tell us in chapter ten that He gives live—abundant life.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you are aware of the Olympics that started this weekend in London. How many of you like the Olympics?
To prepare for the Olympics, you must be consumed with your sport. It cannot be merely a hobby or even a 9-5 job. It must become your life! For many athletes, that means no TV, no McDonald’s, limited friends and free time.
For Olympic athletes, it’s all about the goal, the medals, the game. Training is everything.
Jesus is saying He wants to be everything. He wants us to be consumed by Him. He doesn’t want to be an afterthought in our lives. He doesn’t want to be a hobby or a last resort when we’re desperate.
He wants you. He wants you to want Him.
We often sample Jesus, but He wants us to experience Him completely.
Taste and see that the LORD is good (Psalm 34:8).
You can listen to the podcast here.
John 6:22-59
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” (John 6:26-28)
We are always seeking to work hard and impress God. It’s not what we do but what He has done.
We don’t have to spend our resources to buy the Bread of life. He comes to us! We just have to receive it...and receiving a gift will almost always prompt a natural response.
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:29)
We don’t have to spend our resources to buy the Bread of life. He comes to us! We just have to receive it...and receiving a gift will almost always prompt a natural response.
So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ”
Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:30-33)
They were fed daily for forty years. They want to be fed. Manna gave physical life in the wilderness. God gives spiritual life.
“Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:34-35)
The woman at the well wanted water. These people want bread. Jesus is the manna from heaven that gave His life for the world. He is the Bread that we feed on constantly.
But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. (John 6:36-37)
Election or free will? This is a common theological question—does God choose us or do we choose Him? Verse 37 says yes! You can argue election, but if you come, you will be welcome.
All those the Father gives me will come to me (election), and whoever comes to me I will never drive away (free will).
You can argue election, but if you come, you will be welcome.
For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. (John 6:38)
He mentions the Christmas story, coming down from heaven.
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:39-40)
Do you want to know God’s will? The will of God is for you to come to Him. When a person accepts Christ, whom He justifies, He will glorify.
At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” (John 6:41)
He’s teaching His virgin birth.
They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”
They don’t understand His true Father.
“Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. (John 6:42-44)
The word “draw” here means “drag.” Think about that for a moment.
It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:45-51)
Jesus repeatedly declares Himself to be the bread of life.
Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (John 6:52)
He has a following and uses it as an opportunity to teach.
Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. (John 6:53-59)
Jesus is preparing His disciples for the Last Supper, the LORD’s Supper. This is not to be taken literally. He’s not saying they should become vampires and drink HIs blood and eat His flesh. The life of the flesh is in the blood. He will shed His blood and give His life for us.
This is not to sample or taste Jesus, but a full embrace of Him, a total surrender, to die completely and then become fully alive in Him.
Jesus declares Himself to be the Bread of Life. He didn’t mean He’s a bagel or a muffin. His audience understood bread not as a part of a meal but as THE meal. He didn’t say, “I’m the fish of life,” but bread.
The Romans only allowed the people to have 1600 calories/day. Bread was scarce. It was a means of control. The Roman soldiers only ate bread. The attitude of the people was if you can feed us, you can lead us.
What Jesus was really saying is that He wants to be not only the Bread of life, He wants to be our life! He wants to be our food. He will tell us in chapter ten that He gives live—abundant life.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you are aware of the Olympics that started this weekend in London. How many of you like the Olympics?
To prepare for the Olympics, you must be consumed with your sport. It cannot be merely a hobby or even a 9-5 job. It must become your life! For many athletes, that means no TV, no McDonald’s, limited friends and free time.
For Olympic athletes, it’s all about the goal, the medals, the game. Training is everything.
Jesus is saying He wants to be everything. He wants us to be consumed by Him. He doesn’t want to be an afterthought in our lives. He doesn’t want to be a hobby or a last resort when we’re desperate.
He wants you. He wants you to want Him.
We often sample Jesus, but He wants us to experience Him completely.
Taste and see that the LORD is good (Psalm 34:8).
You can listen to the podcast here.
Do You Want To Get Well? John 5:1-47, 8 July 2012
09 07 12
Big Idea: Do you want to get well?
John 5:1-47
What do you want? Really.
Yesterday I was listening to a podcast in which the hosts reflected upon what they’d do if they won the lottery.
If you found a lamp with a genie inside, what would be your three wishes?
Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. (John 5:1-9a)
Do you find anything unusual about this passage?
Jesus’ asks this paralyzed man if he wants to get well. Why?
Sometimes we don’t know what we want.
Sometimes we don’t really want what we think we want.
Sometimes we don’t want what we really need.
Most of us have heard stories about people who refuse to leave an abusive relationship.
Maybe you know someone struggling with an addiction but they won’t seek help. They don’t really want to change.
Change. That’s a loaded word!
Why is change so hard?
We fear the unknown.
The status quo is often comfortable.
Carl Sandburg once said, “There is an eagle in me that wants to soar, and there is a hippopotamus in me that wants to wallow in the mud.”
Jesus asks the man, “Do you want to get well?”
Jesus asks the best questions. They not only lead to an answer, they usually change the entire story.
How many loaves do you have?
Who touched Me?
Whose face is on this coin?
Will you give Me something to drink?
My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
Notice the man’s response. All he can see are the obstacles. He lacks vision.
These pools were believed to have had magical powers when they were stirred by an angel, but only the first person in the pool could be healed. This man could not walk, much less be the first one in the pool.
The man waited thirty-eight years to be healed in the pool. He never asked to be healed, but Jesus shows up, blows his mind, and heals his body...without the pool!
That sounds like Jesus...the friend of sinners, the compassionate One.
Look at the man’s response to Jesus’ question again. He does not say yes. He explains why he has not been healed.
Change is hard. If he is healed, he has to work rather than beg. He has to pay taxes. He has to buy a pair of shoes! Everything he has known for nearly 40 years is radically altered.
Jesus simply tells him to get up. That’s it! No prayer, no mud, no magic wand, no altar call, no plea for money. Get up!
There’s more to this story, though. One simple verse changes everything...
The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, (John 5:9b)
Uh oh! The rest of the chapter shows how religion got in the way of the relationship God wants to establish with us.
The rulers completely missed the point.
We’ve talked about the importance of the Sabbath. It is in God’s top ten list...the Ten Commandments. It was created for us to rest and know God.
Jesus heals...on the Sabbath. Ooohhh!
Jesus tells him to carry his mat...and it is the Sabbath. Ooohhh!
Jesus runs into the man again, though.Jesus tells the man to stop sinning, but rather than following Jesus, he blows the whistle on Him.
Was his sickness the result of sin? We don’t know, but it is possible that there was a correlation.
So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. (John 5:16-18)
Here Jesus is on trial.
They are prosecuting Jesus.
They are persecuting Jesus.
Jesus was not merely unpopular. It says that they tried to kill Him! Why?
1. He was breaking the Sabbath
2. He was accused of blasphemy by calling Himself God (which is why He had the authority to break the Sabbath)
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. (John 5:19-23)
That cleared it up, right?
The rest of the chapter continues with red-letter words of Jesus to the religious leaders that ultimately call for Jesus’ execution.
These are very important statements in which Jesus declares that He is God. He is LORD of all, including the Sabbath. The seeds that lead to the crucifixion are clearly sown here in the fifth chapter of John.
But I want to go back to the beginning...I want to end where we began...
What do you want?
Do you want to be healed?
Do you want a spouse?
Do you want a job?
Do you want peace?
Do you want to impact the lives of others?
Do you want God to do great things through—and in—you?
Don’t let your dreams fade!
Perhaps a more important question before going there is...
Do you want to be well? Maybe you think you are well. We’re all messed up. Each person in this room is sick. We are sick with sin. In fact, if you think you are well, you are more messed up than the rest of us because you are living in denial...and undoubtedly judging the rest of us...but we talked about that two weeks ago with the Samaritan woman.
It all begins with surrender. Perhaps you are thinking about what you have to do to be healed, but the Living Water has come to us.
There were various people at the pool:
Lame: in pain
Paralyzed: numb
Blind: no vision
This sounds like many in the Church. We lack vision, we are hurt and in bondage from our past, or feel detached.
Jesus doesn’t want us to merely survive like the sick man. He wants us to experience all of the life that He came to bring. That is not to say that there won’t be trials and persecution, but He has a vision for you...for me...for us...that He and only He can accomplish if we allow Him to do so.
Nothing is impossible with God...especially if you are pursuing His vision for your life.
It probably won’t happen as you expect it. The paralyzed man thought the pool was the only way to health, but Jesus surprised him.
It probably won’t happen when you expect it. He was paralyzed for thirty-eight years! Don’t give up. His timing is perfect, but usually slow in our estimation.
Can you let go of your own fear of change and allow God to make all things new? A new life, a new way of living, that is the Good News of God in Christ.
Get up and walk, in Jesus’ Name. Get your eyes up and look to Him. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, and get them off of yourself!!!
You can listen to the podcast here.
John 5:1-47
What do you want? Really.
Yesterday I was listening to a podcast in which the hosts reflected upon what they’d do if they won the lottery.
If you found a lamp with a genie inside, what would be your three wishes?
Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. (John 5:1-9a)
Do you find anything unusual about this passage?
Jesus’ asks this paralyzed man if he wants to get well. Why?
Sometimes we don’t know what we want.
Sometimes we don’t really want what we think we want.
Sometimes we don’t want what we really need.
Most of us have heard stories about people who refuse to leave an abusive relationship.
Maybe you know someone struggling with an addiction but they won’t seek help. They don’t really want to change.
Change. That’s a loaded word!
Why is change so hard?
We fear the unknown.
The status quo is often comfortable.
Carl Sandburg once said, “There is an eagle in me that wants to soar, and there is a hippopotamus in me that wants to wallow in the mud.”
Jesus asks the man, “Do you want to get well?”
Jesus asks the best questions. They not only lead to an answer, they usually change the entire story.
How many loaves do you have?
Who touched Me?
Whose face is on this coin?
Will you give Me something to drink?
My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
Notice the man’s response. All he can see are the obstacles. He lacks vision.
These pools were believed to have had magical powers when they were stirred by an angel, but only the first person in the pool could be healed. This man could not walk, much less be the first one in the pool.
The man waited thirty-eight years to be healed in the pool. He never asked to be healed, but Jesus shows up, blows his mind, and heals his body...without the pool!
That sounds like Jesus...the friend of sinners, the compassionate One.
Look at the man’s response to Jesus’ question again. He does not say yes. He explains why he has not been healed.
Change is hard. If he is healed, he has to work rather than beg. He has to pay taxes. He has to buy a pair of shoes! Everything he has known for nearly 40 years is radically altered.
Jesus simply tells him to get up. That’s it! No prayer, no mud, no magic wand, no altar call, no plea for money. Get up!
There’s more to this story, though. One simple verse changes everything...
The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, (John 5:9b)
Uh oh! The rest of the chapter shows how religion got in the way of the relationship God wants to establish with us.
The rulers completely missed the point.
We’ve talked about the importance of the Sabbath. It is in God’s top ten list...the Ten Commandments. It was created for us to rest and know God.
Jesus heals...on the Sabbath. Ooohhh!
Jesus tells him to carry his mat...and it is the Sabbath. Ooohhh!
Jesus runs into the man again, though.Jesus tells the man to stop sinning, but rather than following Jesus, he blows the whistle on Him.
Was his sickness the result of sin? We don’t know, but it is possible that there was a correlation.
So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. (John 5:16-18)
Here Jesus is on trial.
They are prosecuting Jesus.
They are persecuting Jesus.
Jesus was not merely unpopular. It says that they tried to kill Him! Why?
1. He was breaking the Sabbath
2. He was accused of blasphemy by calling Himself God (which is why He had the authority to break the Sabbath)
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. (John 5:19-23)
That cleared it up, right?
The rest of the chapter continues with red-letter words of Jesus to the religious leaders that ultimately call for Jesus’ execution.
These are very important statements in which Jesus declares that He is God. He is LORD of all, including the Sabbath. The seeds that lead to the crucifixion are clearly sown here in the fifth chapter of John.
But I want to go back to the beginning...I want to end where we began...
What do you want?
Do you want to be healed?
Do you want a spouse?
Do you want a job?
Do you want peace?
Do you want to impact the lives of others?
Do you want God to do great things through—and in—you?
Don’t let your dreams fade!
Perhaps a more important question before going there is...
Do you want to be well? Maybe you think you are well. We’re all messed up. Each person in this room is sick. We are sick with sin. In fact, if you think you are well, you are more messed up than the rest of us because you are living in denial...and undoubtedly judging the rest of us...but we talked about that two weeks ago with the Samaritan woman.
It all begins with surrender. Perhaps you are thinking about what you have to do to be healed, but the Living Water has come to us.
There were various people at the pool:
Lame: in pain
Paralyzed: numb
Blind: no vision
This sounds like many in the Church. We lack vision, we are hurt and in bondage from our past, or feel detached.
Jesus doesn’t want us to merely survive like the sick man. He wants us to experience all of the life that He came to bring. That is not to say that there won’t be trials and persecution, but He has a vision for you...for me...for us...that He and only He can accomplish if we allow Him to do so.
Nothing is impossible with God...especially if you are pursuing His vision for your life.
It probably won’t happen as you expect it. The paralyzed man thought the pool was the only way to health, but Jesus surprised him.
It probably won’t happen when you expect it. He was paralyzed for thirty-eight years! Don’t give up. His timing is perfect, but usually slow in our estimation.
Can you let go of your own fear of change and allow God to make all things new? A new life, a new way of living, that is the Good News of God in Christ.
Get up and walk, in Jesus’ Name. Get your eyes up and look to Him. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, and get them off of yourself!!!
You can listen to the podcast here.
Signs, John 4:43-54, 1 July 2012
02 07 12
Big Idea: Do you want Jesus or just miraculous signs?
John 4:43-54
After the two days he left for Galilee. (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there. (John 4:43-45)
If we think of Israel as Jesus’ country, the contrast is not between Judea and Galilee, but Samaria (where He was) and the Jewish regions of the country.
The people had seen what Jesus had done.
Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death. (John 4:46-47)
He’s back in Cana, but this time He’s not there to make wine.
This man was important. He likely worked for Herod Antipas in Galilee. He has a little boy who is likely his firstborn son who carried the heritage of the family.
Why didn’t he bring his son to Jesus? We don’t know!
Like the Samaritan woman at the well, he was desperate. He was broken. He had no where else to go. He is begging!
Desperation is what usually drives people to Jesus. I believe the primary reason why Christianity is dying in the western world is because we aren’t desperate for God. We have air-conditioned homes, cars with satellite radio, world-class hospitals, and iPhones. What else do we need?
Until that moment comes. The Visa bill. The report card! That word from the doctor. The late-night phone call.
There are people all around you and me that are in or about to experience a crisis. That’s the time they will be most receptive to the Gospel, the good news of Jesus.
“Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
“Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.” (John 4:48-49)
The Galileans wanted Jesus to prove Himself with miracles but don’t care about what God is really doing among them.
“Come down” is an imperative. The official gives Jesus an order.
“Go” is also an imperative. Jesus follows suit and gives the man an order.
Notice that Jesus doesn’t go. He is actually absent in the miracle. He is not confined to one place. His power and influence is beyond human imagination and ability.
The world can see God’s power at face value, but there is a relationship between miracles and life-changing faith.
Some say that if they could see Jesus, they would believe in Him. This is simply not true. Thousands saw Jesus and saw Him perform miracles. They were impressed, but not impacted by God in their presence. The human heart is prone to selfish action rather than humble obedience.
Miracles were an important part of Jesus’ ministry and they led many to faith, but He wants more. Anyone can be grateful for a free lunch, but true belief takes things to another level. Jesus wants people to not only believe in His miracles, but in Him.
The man took Jesus at his word and departed.
While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.” (John 4:50-52)
The man had to exercise his faith. He did so by leaving Jesus.
Jesus’ word is all that the man needed. After all, it was Jesus’ word that created the universe. Jesus’ word is power. It can be trusted.
God loves to bless us and intervene in our lives, but He doesn’t want that to be the focus.
Luke 16:19-31, the rich man and Lazarus; even if a person has every sign, they may not believe.
The people wanted signs. They wanted to see tricks.
They did not care about Jesus.
They did not care about being with Jesus
They just wanted what they could get from Him.
They wanted a genie that they could use and put back in the bottle when they were done.
Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.
This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee. (John 4:53-54)
Just like last week’s story of the Samaritan woman at the well, the result was this character and others believed.
All this man had was Jesus’ word. He had to act on faith. He had to take a step of faith...not a leap of faith, but a step of obedience.
What about you? Are you waiting for Jesus to perform a miracle and prove Himself to you? Today as we celebrate communion together, we remember that He did prove Himself. He proved His love. He backed up HIs words with action.
He also proved Himself by conquering the grave. He performed the greatest miracle ever...the one that not even Harry Houdini has been able to do—resurrect.
You can listen to the podcast here.
John 4:43-54
After the two days he left for Galilee. (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there. (John 4:43-45)
If we think of Israel as Jesus’ country, the contrast is not between Judea and Galilee, but Samaria (where He was) and the Jewish regions of the country.
The people had seen what Jesus had done.
Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death. (John 4:46-47)
He’s back in Cana, but this time He’s not there to make wine.
This man was important. He likely worked for Herod Antipas in Galilee. He has a little boy who is likely his firstborn son who carried the heritage of the family.
Why didn’t he bring his son to Jesus? We don’t know!
Like the Samaritan woman at the well, he was desperate. He was broken. He had no where else to go. He is begging!
Desperation is what usually drives people to Jesus. I believe the primary reason why Christianity is dying in the western world is because we aren’t desperate for God. We have air-conditioned homes, cars with satellite radio, world-class hospitals, and iPhones. What else do we need?
Until that moment comes. The Visa bill. The report card! That word from the doctor. The late-night phone call.
There are people all around you and me that are in or about to experience a crisis. That’s the time they will be most receptive to the Gospel, the good news of Jesus.
“Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
“Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.” (John 4:48-49)
The Galileans wanted Jesus to prove Himself with miracles but don’t care about what God is really doing among them.
“Come down” is an imperative. The official gives Jesus an order.
“Go” is also an imperative. Jesus follows suit and gives the man an order.
Notice that Jesus doesn’t go. He is actually absent in the miracle. He is not confined to one place. His power and influence is beyond human imagination and ability.
The world can see God’s power at face value, but there is a relationship between miracles and life-changing faith.
Some say that if they could see Jesus, they would believe in Him. This is simply not true. Thousands saw Jesus and saw Him perform miracles. They were impressed, but not impacted by God in their presence. The human heart is prone to selfish action rather than humble obedience.
Miracles were an important part of Jesus’ ministry and they led many to faith, but He wants more. Anyone can be grateful for a free lunch, but true belief takes things to another level. Jesus wants people to not only believe in His miracles, but in Him.
The man took Jesus at his word and departed.
While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.” (John 4:50-52)
The man had to exercise his faith. He did so by leaving Jesus.
Jesus’ word is all that the man needed. After all, it was Jesus’ word that created the universe. Jesus’ word is power. It can be trusted.
God loves to bless us and intervene in our lives, but He doesn’t want that to be the focus.
Luke 16:19-31, the rich man and Lazarus; even if a person has every sign, they may not believe.
The people wanted signs. They wanted to see tricks.
They did not care about Jesus.
They did not care about being with Jesus
They just wanted what they could get from Him.
They wanted a genie that they could use and put back in the bottle when they were done.
Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.
This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee. (John 4:53-54)
Just like last week’s story of the Samaritan woman at the well, the result was this character and others believed.
All this man had was Jesus’ word. He had to act on faith. He had to take a step of faith...not a leap of faith, but a step of obedience.
What about you? Are you waiting for Jesus to perform a miracle and prove Himself to you? Today as we celebrate communion together, we remember that He did prove Himself. He proved His love. He backed up HIs words with action.
He also proved Himself by conquering the grave. He performed the greatest miracle ever...the one that not even Harry Houdini has been able to do—resurrect.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Unquenchable Thirst, John 4:4-41, 24 June 2012
26 06 12
Big Idea: God gave. Seekers can find.
Big Idea: We are all in need of God’s amazing grace, but we must be thirsty.
John provides us with several narratives...and conversations. We have looked at Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus. Now He encounters a sinful Samaritan woman.
Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. (4:4-6)
The first sentence is significant. Jews hated the mixed race of the Samaritans. They would go around Samaria when they traveled.
This was an important place, Jacob’s well. The well has been active for almost 2000 years!
Jesus is tired, He’s in the middle of the desert at noon. He’s hot. He’s thirsty. He pulls off the road to go to a rest area.
Are you tired? Jesus knows what it’s like to be tired.
Are you thirsty? Jesus knows what it’s like to be thirsty.
Normally women came in the morning as a group to get their water for the day. She came at noon, alone, which tells us about her social status.
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) (4:7-8)
Jesus surprised her for several reasons:
1. She wasn’t expecting to see anyone at the well. Normally women came in the morning, as a group to get the family’s water for the day. She came at noon, alone, which tells us about her social status. It’s hot in the Middle East, especially at noon, and she was used to a solitary journey.
2. This was especially awkward because He was a man and she was not. Men and women rarely had any interaction unless they were married, and even then rarely in public. Single men never spoke to or touched a woman.
3. This man and woman were alone, which was even more unusual.
4. Jesus was a Jew and she was a Samaritan. Samaritans were second-class citizens. Jews were far superior.
When Jesus enters your life, expect the unexpected.
The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) (4:9)
Actually, Jews did associate with Samaritans, but they were business dealings. They would never share water or vessels.
A Rabbinic law from A.D. 66 said that Samaritan women were considered as continually menstruating and always unclean. A Jew drinking from a Samaritan woman’s vessel would become ceremonially unclean.
She knows this is not normal. Jesus goes there!
They did associate with Samaritans, but they were business dealings. They would never share water or vessels.
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” (4:10)
How’s that for a response?! If you only knew. Most people don’t really know who He is because most people never ask. He created an interest, a thirst.
Living water did not come from a well. It refers to flowing, moving water from a spring or river. It was precious and the only water that could be used for ritual, cleansing washings. There were no rivers or streams in this area, though, which is why Jacob had to dig a well 2000 years earlier to water his flocks.
The prophet Jeremiah said
“My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken me,
the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns,
broken cisterns that cannot hold water. (Jeremiah 2:13)
Our story continues...
“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” (4:11-12)
Now she addresses Him as “sir.” The animals drank from this well. Jesus knows all about this well! All she could think about was the physical.
Many of us are like that. Many scientists are like that, too.
Just like Nicodeus, earthly questioners cannot understand heavenly things.
He doesn’t have a bucket!
Are you greater than Jacob? In Greek, this question expects a negative answer, but He surprises yet again.
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (4:13-14)
He’s not talking about H2O, of course. He’s talking about something—Someone—who can satisfy like nothing else, the Holy Spirit.
The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” (4:15)
He was thirsty. Now she is thirsty.
How thirsty was she? How empty was her life? How empty was her soul?
She’s ready for it.
She has been desperately seeking something or someone to satisfy her thirst.
Her five husbands have not satisfied her...or vice versa.
She hates coming to the well, every day, alone, at the hottest time of day.
He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”
That’s an odd request? The water is available to all, but there must be a thirst. She had a quick response.
“I have no husband,” she replied.
She must have been thinking, “It’s hot, You’re weird, why do you care about my husband, and where’s this great water?”
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband.
The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”
OK, this is really getting creepy. She didn’t even post this information on her Facebook page! She knows He’s special.
“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
I love how she changes the subject and gets theological with Jesus!
Have you ever started talking with someone about something uncomfortable and they change the subject? Look, a squirrel!!!
Many people love to talk about religion but refuse to live it. They use it as a smokescreen.
Five husbands. This was not Elizabeth Taylor. In this culture, she did not divorce her husbands. They divorced her. Men could divorce women for any reason whatsoever and just kick them out of the home, leaving them destitute.
This woman was most certainly broken.
She was lonely. She was desperate.
She may have given up on marriage.
The man she was with may have been merely for survival.
She finally meets a man that respects her.
It’s a good thing it wasn’t a judgmental Christian but Jesus that she encountered.
We often say 3 strikes and you’re out. She had five husbands and was loved and accepted by Jesus. He did not give her a righteous lecture but an unfathomable offer.
Jesus reveals His true identity to this outcast woman.
She wanted to know where to worship. We are to worship everywhere, always! God is no longer limited to one place as He was in the Old Testament.
She is expecting the Messiah. Imagine what she thought when He identified HImself!
It’s a good thing it wasn’t a judgmental Christian but Jesus that she encountered.
We often say 3 strikes and you’re out. She had five husbands and was loved and accepted by Jesus. He did not give her a righteous lecture but an unfathomable offer.
Our worship must come from deep within our souls.
Are you just going through the motions? It’s not about our lips, but our hearts.
Are you worshipping 24/7 or just an hour?
Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”
No one asked!
Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.”
But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”
She left her water. Jesus is focused, so concerned about this woman. He is fully present.
She can’t wait to tell everyone. This is probably what she was thinking.
Who did she tell? What kinds of people?
We are to be a hospital, not a country club.
Who do you think you are? I’m one beggar telling others where to find bread.
This sketchy woman tells her village, “I met a man!” What else is new?!
Men and women of passion are contagious following a defining moment.
Do people know you have met Christ?
Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”
“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”
Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers.
It doesn’t say all of them, but many. Jesus couldn’t get the whole town, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t get the entire office. Just tell them what Jesus is doing in your life.
He stayed two days. He wasn’t in a hurry.
She was a vibrant evangelist. New Christians are often the most excited and contagious. God uses cracked pots.
They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
This is what we want people to say to us!
We get healed and He gets lifted in this worship.
The condition is thirst. We must be thirsty. Are you thirsty? Are you desperate for God? Do you need God?
You can listen to the podcast here.
Big Idea: We are all in need of God’s amazing grace, but we must be thirsty.
John provides us with several narratives...and conversations. We have looked at Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus. Now He encounters a sinful Samaritan woman.
Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. (4:4-6)
The first sentence is significant. Jews hated the mixed race of the Samaritans. They would go around Samaria when they traveled.
This was an important place, Jacob’s well. The well has been active for almost 2000 years!
Jesus is tired, He’s in the middle of the desert at noon. He’s hot. He’s thirsty. He pulls off the road to go to a rest area.
Are you tired? Jesus knows what it’s like to be tired.
Are you thirsty? Jesus knows what it’s like to be thirsty.
Normally women came in the morning as a group to get their water for the day. She came at noon, alone, which tells us about her social status.
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) (4:7-8)
Jesus surprised her for several reasons:
1. She wasn’t expecting to see anyone at the well. Normally women came in the morning, as a group to get the family’s water for the day. She came at noon, alone, which tells us about her social status. It’s hot in the Middle East, especially at noon, and she was used to a solitary journey.
2. This was especially awkward because He was a man and she was not. Men and women rarely had any interaction unless they were married, and even then rarely in public. Single men never spoke to or touched a woman.
3. This man and woman were alone, which was even more unusual.
4. Jesus was a Jew and she was a Samaritan. Samaritans were second-class citizens. Jews were far superior.
When Jesus enters your life, expect the unexpected.
The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) (4:9)
Actually, Jews did associate with Samaritans, but they were business dealings. They would never share water or vessels.
A Rabbinic law from A.D. 66 said that Samaritan women were considered as continually menstruating and always unclean. A Jew drinking from a Samaritan woman’s vessel would become ceremonially unclean.
She knows this is not normal. Jesus goes there!
They did associate with Samaritans, but they were business dealings. They would never share water or vessels.
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” (4:10)
How’s that for a response?! If you only knew. Most people don’t really know who He is because most people never ask. He created an interest, a thirst.
Living water did not come from a well. It refers to flowing, moving water from a spring or river. It was precious and the only water that could be used for ritual, cleansing washings. There were no rivers or streams in this area, though, which is why Jacob had to dig a well 2000 years earlier to water his flocks.
The prophet Jeremiah said
“My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken me,
the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns,
broken cisterns that cannot hold water. (Jeremiah 2:13)
Our story continues...
“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” (4:11-12)
Now she addresses Him as “sir.” The animals drank from this well. Jesus knows all about this well! All she could think about was the physical.
Many of us are like that. Many scientists are like that, too.
Just like Nicodeus, earthly questioners cannot understand heavenly things.
He doesn’t have a bucket!
Are you greater than Jacob? In Greek, this question expects a negative answer, but He surprises yet again.
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (4:13-14)
He’s not talking about H2O, of course. He’s talking about something—Someone—who can satisfy like nothing else, the Holy Spirit.
The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” (4:15)
He was thirsty. Now she is thirsty.
How thirsty was she? How empty was her life? How empty was her soul?
She’s ready for it.
She has been desperately seeking something or someone to satisfy her thirst.
Her five husbands have not satisfied her...or vice versa.
She hates coming to the well, every day, alone, at the hottest time of day.
He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”
That’s an odd request? The water is available to all, but there must be a thirst. She had a quick response.
“I have no husband,” she replied.
She must have been thinking, “It’s hot, You’re weird, why do you care about my husband, and where’s this great water?”
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband.
The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”
OK, this is really getting creepy. She didn’t even post this information on her Facebook page! She knows He’s special.
“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
I love how she changes the subject and gets theological with Jesus!
Have you ever started talking with someone about something uncomfortable and they change the subject? Look, a squirrel!!!
Many people love to talk about religion but refuse to live it. They use it as a smokescreen.
Five husbands. This was not Elizabeth Taylor. In this culture, she did not divorce her husbands. They divorced her. Men could divorce women for any reason whatsoever and just kick them out of the home, leaving them destitute.
This woman was most certainly broken.
She was lonely. She was desperate.
She may have given up on marriage.
The man she was with may have been merely for survival.
She finally meets a man that respects her.
It’s a good thing it wasn’t a judgmental Christian but Jesus that she encountered.
We often say 3 strikes and you’re out. She had five husbands and was loved and accepted by Jesus. He did not give her a righteous lecture but an unfathomable offer.
Jesus reveals His true identity to this outcast woman.
She wanted to know where to worship. We are to worship everywhere, always! God is no longer limited to one place as He was in the Old Testament.
She is expecting the Messiah. Imagine what she thought when He identified HImself!
It’s a good thing it wasn’t a judgmental Christian but Jesus that she encountered.
We often say 3 strikes and you’re out. She had five husbands and was loved and accepted by Jesus. He did not give her a righteous lecture but an unfathomable offer.
Our worship must come from deep within our souls.
Are you just going through the motions? It’s not about our lips, but our hearts.
Are you worshipping 24/7 or just an hour?
Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”
No one asked!
Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.”
But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”
She left her water. Jesus is focused, so concerned about this woman. He is fully present.
She can’t wait to tell everyone. This is probably what she was thinking.
Who did she tell? What kinds of people?
We are to be a hospital, not a country club.
Who do you think you are? I’m one beggar telling others where to find bread.
This sketchy woman tells her village, “I met a man!” What else is new?!
Men and women of passion are contagious following a defining moment.
Do people know you have met Christ?
Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”
“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”
Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers.
It doesn’t say all of them, but many. Jesus couldn’t get the whole town, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t get the entire office. Just tell them what Jesus is doing in your life.
He stayed two days. He wasn’t in a hurry.
She was a vibrant evangelist. New Christians are often the most excited and contagious. God uses cracked pots.
They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
This is what we want people to say to us!
We get healed and He gets lifted in this worship.
The condition is thirst. We must be thirsty. Are you thirsty? Are you desperate for God? Do you need God?
You can listen to the podcast here.
So Loved, John 3:1-21, 10 June 2012
12 06 12
Big Idea: God gave. Seekers can find.
John 3:1-21
But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person. (John 2:24-25)
Jesus knew what was in each person. He knows what is in you and me. He is God.
He also knew what was in the heart of a guy named Nicodemus.
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. (John 3:1)
He was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, likely a member of the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish court. He was an outstanding man. Today he would wear an Italian suit, drive a sports car, be a member at the country club, and command attention in every room he enters.
He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” (3:2)
Nick at night! He could not “see” spiritually. He came with a mask. “We” know. They recognized the miracles.
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” (3:3)
Jesus interrupts him and starts talking about the kingdom of God. Born again or born from above.
“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” (3:4)
This is a great question! Jesus wasn’t talking about a physical birth, though.
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. (3:5)
Water could refer to baptism or the womb but likely the sanctifying, cleaning power of the Word of God (Ezek. 36:25-27) through the Holy Spirit taking the Scripture and using it. The Spirit of God uses the Word of God through the man of God.
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. (3:6)
Our old, sinful nature does not change. It will die with our body.
The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. (Romans 8:7)
The spiritual birth is necessary. We are given a new nature because our old nature is put to death (baptism).
You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (3:7-8)
We still know little about the wind. We can’t stop tornados. We can barely predict them! We can recognize when it is blowing, though, despite the fact that we can’t see the wind. “You” must be born again is plural. The same Greek word for wind means Spirit. We can’t see or control the Holy Spirit, but we can experience His power and presence and observe His movement.
“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. (3:9)
Nick is no longer a Pharisee or a ruler but a spiritual seeker. The masks are gone. He gets real with Jesus, and that’s what we must do, too. I believe the greatest reason that people in the west reject God is they refuse to humble themselves and admit that they need God. We can’t impress God. We can’t put on a show for Him. We can only come on our knees in respectful reverence, awe, wonder, and desperation.
“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? (3:10)
Don’t miss Jesus’ sarcasm here!
Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. (3:11-13)
See Daniel 7:13-14
I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” (John 16:28)
Jesus is the only One who can speak of heaven because He’s the only One who has been there. Prior to Jesus, the righteous dead went to Abraham’s bosom.
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” (3:14-15)
The serpent represented the sin of the people. Christ was made sin for us on the cross. See Numbers 21:4-9. Jesus repeats that message in the most famous verse in the Bible:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (3:16)
The son of man must be lifted up. We must be born again. The love of God cannot save a sinner. It is by grace that we are saved. He loved so He gave. To believe in Christ means to trust Him for your sins. Believe is more than just mental agreement. Demons “believe” in Jesus, but they don’t trust Him for their sins and soul. They have not surrendered their lives to follow Him.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (3:17)
Jesus did not come to judge the first time. He came as the Savior. Next time He will come as the judge.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (3:18)
The name of Jesus, the Savior of the world. The Pharisees believed that the Messiah would come as a Savior and judge. They were correct, but those two roles would occur during two different occasions.
This week I heard a great quote from Billy Graham:
God judges. The Holy Spirit convicts. We are to love.
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. (3:19)
Nothing that grows in the dark would be welcome in your home!
Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (3:20-21)
Credits: Some ideas taken from J. Vernon McGee.
You can listen to the podcast here.
John 3:1-21
But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person. (John 2:24-25)
Jesus knew what was in each person. He knows what is in you and me. He is God.
He also knew what was in the heart of a guy named Nicodemus.
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. (John 3:1)
He was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, likely a member of the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish court. He was an outstanding man. Today he would wear an Italian suit, drive a sports car, be a member at the country club, and command attention in every room he enters.
He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” (3:2)
Nick at night! He could not “see” spiritually. He came with a mask. “We” know. They recognized the miracles.
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” (3:3)
Jesus interrupts him and starts talking about the kingdom of God. Born again or born from above.
“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” (3:4)
This is a great question! Jesus wasn’t talking about a physical birth, though.
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. (3:5)
Water could refer to baptism or the womb but likely the sanctifying, cleaning power of the Word of God (Ezek. 36:25-27) through the Holy Spirit taking the Scripture and using it. The Spirit of God uses the Word of God through the man of God.
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. (3:6)
Our old, sinful nature does not change. It will die with our body.
The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. (Romans 8:7)
The spiritual birth is necessary. We are given a new nature because our old nature is put to death (baptism).
You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (3:7-8)
We still know little about the wind. We can’t stop tornados. We can barely predict them! We can recognize when it is blowing, though, despite the fact that we can’t see the wind. “You” must be born again is plural. The same Greek word for wind means Spirit. We can’t see or control the Holy Spirit, but we can experience His power and presence and observe His movement.
“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. (3:9)
Nick is no longer a Pharisee or a ruler but a spiritual seeker. The masks are gone. He gets real with Jesus, and that’s what we must do, too. I believe the greatest reason that people in the west reject God is they refuse to humble themselves and admit that they need God. We can’t impress God. We can’t put on a show for Him. We can only come on our knees in respectful reverence, awe, wonder, and desperation.
“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? (3:10)
Don’t miss Jesus’ sarcasm here!
Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. (3:11-13)
See Daniel 7:13-14
I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” (John 16:28)
Jesus is the only One who can speak of heaven because He’s the only One who has been there. Prior to Jesus, the righteous dead went to Abraham’s bosom.
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” (3:14-15)
The serpent represented the sin of the people. Christ was made sin for us on the cross. See Numbers 21:4-9. Jesus repeats that message in the most famous verse in the Bible:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (3:16)
The son of man must be lifted up. We must be born again. The love of God cannot save a sinner. It is by grace that we are saved. He loved so He gave. To believe in Christ means to trust Him for your sins. Believe is more than just mental agreement. Demons “believe” in Jesus, but they don’t trust Him for their sins and soul. They have not surrendered their lives to follow Him.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (3:17)
Jesus did not come to judge the first time. He came as the Savior. Next time He will come as the judge.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (3:18)
The name of Jesus, the Savior of the world. The Pharisees believed that the Messiah would come as a Savior and judge. They were correct, but those two roles would occur during two different occasions.
This week I heard a great quote from Billy Graham:
God judges. The Holy Spirit convicts. We are to love.
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. (3:19)
Nothing that grows in the dark would be welcome in your home!
Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (3:20-21)
Credits: Some ideas taken from J. Vernon McGee.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Jesus the Winemaker, John 2:1-11, 27 May 2012
06 06 12
Big Idea: Jesus’ first miracle saves a wedding reception and offers are preview of another salvation
John 2:1-11
Introduction
If you were writing a fictional account of Jesus, you would never choose this to be His first miracle.
Why did Jesus do this miracle this way for His first one?
Who He came to be?
(8-9) The master of the banquet is like the toastmaster or master of ceremonies or the emcee, the hired life of the party. The party is about to crash and Jesus saves it, revealing that He is the real LORD of the feast, the real master.
He created about 150 gallons of amazing wine to keep the party alive. He comes to be the LORD of the feast. As
Isaiah 25: in that day..feast...wipe away tears...
Of all of the things Jesus could show and tell, He came to bring festival joy.
Why are most people not worshipping God this morning? Many would say they want to enjoy themselves and have fun and Christianity is anything but, right?!
Jesus is LORD of the feast to make the world run with wine. There are reasons to reject Jesus, but boredom is not one of them!
What He came to do?
(4) Woman is not “dear” or “mom” but He is upset. He is harsh and His troubled response shows us He is thinking about something else. He didn’t just change His mind and do the miracle.
The God of the Bible does not want to merely relate to us as king/subjects, shepherd/sheep, or even father/children but husband/wife. He wants to know us, love us, and unite with us. The image is of the bridegroom.
Matthew: why don’t your disciples fast? bridegroom
John 3 at end: John the Baptist: the bride is for the bridegroom
John at end of revelation: then I saw the holy city...bride...husband...wedding feast of the Lamb
Jesus is thinking about His wedding day. The ultimate union/consummation/embrace will be at the wedding feast of the Lamb
Jesus literally says “my hour has not yet come.” “Hour” in (John 8:20; 12:23) John means the hour of His death.
Jesus says, “It’s not my time to die yet.” He is looking into the future at which the present is a parable/pattern. He’s not talking about this wine or this wedding feast (He doesn’t have to die for that) but He realizes the only way for Him to unite with His bride is to die.
Moses once turned water into blood as a curse. Egypt died because water became blood.
Jesus sees wine and thinks of His blood as a blessing.
Jesus is sipping the coming sorrow because He can’t think about giving the cup of joy without thinking about what He will have to drink.
If He is going to feast with us, He has to go through the hour.
“Let this cup pass from me” He said.
If you don’t understand hell, you don’t understand God’s love.
Don’t fear the destruction of your body, but the destruction of your body in hell.
Physical torture is nothing compared to be rejected by God.
The only way Jesus can get to His wedding day is to go through the hour
He came to give His water/blood as our wine.
What does He offer?
Powerful sensation and complete reception.
Powerful sensation. Salvation is wine.
The Bible frequently uses sensory language to describe relationship with God
Ps 34:8, taste and see
Ps 119, open my eyes that I might...
Why does the Bible continually insist on using sensory language? You are not invited to anything less than this, to experience God, to receive a new sensory ability. The Bible pushes you beyond knowing to tasting.
“There is a difference between believing that God is holy and gracious, and having a new sense on the heart of the loveliness and beauty of that holiness and grace. The difference between believing that God is gracious and tasting that God is gracious is as different as having a rational belief that honey is sweet and having the actual sense of its sweetness” - Jonathan Edwards
You are not invited to sign a list of rules but to a feast.
The difference of knowing and tasting is like a blind man asking you the difference between red and blue. It is like the difference between a trumpet and an oboe? Not really.
The wine that Jesus offers creates a hunger for it.
The first step is a hunger and thirst for it.
Then you begin to delight. They ravish you. They become sweet.
They begin to satisfy.
Jesus offers you wine; a feast.
Complete reception. Feast in heaven.
When He says He’s the king/shepherd/father He tells us something about us.
If you’re the best man or groom, you see the bride coming at you. The only person that sees that repeatedly is us ministers. No matter what that woman looks like in reality, she is ravishing. Bridal style/ornaments/garments will make you ravishing no matter what you look like in reality. As she comes down, the groom is amazed. He’s never seen her look like this before.
When Jesus says He is the groom, He is saying we are ravishing and He can’t wait!
To become a Christian,
a. You can go to Him with little things. Why would Jesus use His power on such a small thing. He used His power to wipe the egg off of the face of teenagers.
You have power over your joy.
Jesus’ first miracle was not as a boy, but as a man.
Moses’ first miracle was turning water into blood.
Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine.
Credits: many ideas for this message taken from Dr. Tim Keller.
You can listen to the podcast here.
John 2:1-11
Introduction
If you were writing a fictional account of Jesus, you would never choose this to be His first miracle.
Why did Jesus do this miracle this way for His first one?
Who He came to be?
(8-9) The master of the banquet is like the toastmaster or master of ceremonies or the emcee, the hired life of the party. The party is about to crash and Jesus saves it, revealing that He is the real LORD of the feast, the real master.
He created about 150 gallons of amazing wine to keep the party alive. He comes to be the LORD of the feast. As
Isaiah 25: in that day..feast...wipe away tears...
Of all of the things Jesus could show and tell, He came to bring festival joy.
Why are most people not worshipping God this morning? Many would say they want to enjoy themselves and have fun and Christianity is anything but, right?!
Jesus is LORD of the feast to make the world run with wine. There are reasons to reject Jesus, but boredom is not one of them!
What He came to do?
(4) Woman is not “dear” or “mom” but He is upset. He is harsh and His troubled response shows us He is thinking about something else. He didn’t just change His mind and do the miracle.
- If you are single and go to a wedding, you tend to think about your own wedding. You are thinking about the future. If Jesus was thinking about His wedding, it would have stirred Him far deeper than it stirs us.
The God of the Bible does not want to merely relate to us as king/subjects, shepherd/sheep, or even father/children but husband/wife. He wants to know us, love us, and unite with us. The image is of the bridegroom.
Matthew: why don’t your disciples fast? bridegroom
John 3 at end: John the Baptist: the bride is for the bridegroom
John at end of revelation: then I saw the holy city...bride...husband...wedding feast of the Lamb
Jesus is thinking about His wedding day. The ultimate union/consummation/embrace will be at the wedding feast of the Lamb
- Many singles find wedding troubling because they don’t know if they will ever marry. Jesus knows, though. He’s not only thinking about His wedding but what it will take for Him to provide wine for His wedding feast.
Jesus literally says “my hour has not yet come.” “Hour” in (John 8:20; 12:23) John means the hour of His death.
Jesus says, “It’s not my time to die yet.” He is looking into the future at which the present is a parable/pattern. He’s not talking about this wine or this wedding feast (He doesn’t have to die for that) but He realizes the only way for Him to unite with His bride is to die.
- ceremonial washing; wash before entering the presence of God; sign of our sins that need to be cleansed
Moses once turned water into blood as a curse. Egypt died because water became blood.
Jesus sees wine and thinks of His blood as a blessing.
Jesus is sipping the coming sorrow because He can’t think about giving the cup of joy without thinking about what He will have to drink.
If He is going to feast with us, He has to go through the hour.
“Let this cup pass from me” He said.
If you don’t understand hell, you don’t understand God’s love.
Don’t fear the destruction of your body, but the destruction of your body in hell.
Physical torture is nothing compared to be rejected by God.
The only way Jesus can get to His wedding day is to go through the hour
He came to give His water/blood as our wine.
What does He offer?
Powerful sensation and complete reception.
Powerful sensation. Salvation is wine.
The Bible frequently uses sensory language to describe relationship with God
Ps 34:8, taste and see
Ps 119, open my eyes that I might...
Why does the Bible continually insist on using sensory language? You are not invited to anything less than this, to experience God, to receive a new sensory ability. The Bible pushes you beyond knowing to tasting.
“There is a difference between believing that God is holy and gracious, and having a new sense on the heart of the loveliness and beauty of that holiness and grace. The difference between believing that God is gracious and tasting that God is gracious is as different as having a rational belief that honey is sweet and having the actual sense of its sweetness” - Jonathan Edwards
You are not invited to sign a list of rules but to a feast.
The difference of knowing and tasting is like a blind man asking you the difference between red and blue. It is like the difference between a trumpet and an oboe? Not really.
The wine that Jesus offers creates a hunger for it.
The first step is a hunger and thirst for it.
Then you begin to delight. They ravish you. They become sweet.
They begin to satisfy.
Jesus offers you wine; a feast.
Complete reception. Feast in heaven.
When He says He’s the king/shepherd/father He tells us something about us.
If you’re the best man or groom, you see the bride coming at you. The only person that sees that repeatedly is us ministers. No matter what that woman looks like in reality, she is ravishing. Bridal style/ornaments/garments will make you ravishing no matter what you look like in reality. As she comes down, the groom is amazed. He’s never seen her look like this before.
When Jesus says He is the groom, He is saying we are ravishing and He can’t wait!
To become a Christian,
- Admit that you’re out. You are empty.
- Let Jesus fill you and get credit for what Jesus has done (the Master ran out of wine and got the credit for good wine)
a. You can go to Him with little things. Why would Jesus use His power on such a small thing. He used His power to wipe the egg off of the face of teenagers.
- b. Submit to His timing. He will tell you to do things that don’t make sense and seem counter-productive. Mary says, “Do whatever He says.” She remembers the angels who told her He was the Messiah.
- c. Some of you are disappointed about your marital status, married or single. There has never been a wedding like the marriage between us and Jesus. This relativizes the need for a perfect marriage because the ultimate marriage lies ahead.
You have power over your joy.
Jesus’ first miracle was not as a boy, but as a man.
Moses’ first miracle was turning water into blood.
Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine.
Credits: many ideas for this message taken from Dr. Tim Keller.
You can listen to the podcast here.
The First Recruits, John 1:35-51, 20 May 2012
23 05 12
Big Idea: Jesus recruits four disciples: Andy, Pete, Phil and Nate
John 1:35-51
The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” (John 1:35-38)
We talked about this last week. Jesus is again called the Lamb of God.
Because of John’s witness, two of his own disciples leave him and start to follow Jesus. John realizes he is number two. What humility!
Bestselling author Jim Collins who wrote Good To Great says that the highest form of leadership requires leadership. His formula is Humility + Will = Level 5 Leadership.
As we said previously, John prepared the way. He humbled himself for the sake of helping people encounter Jesus. That’s our role today.
This wasn’t a case of them getting a better offer, but John saying, “He’s the One I’ve been preparing you to meet.” They shift their allegiance from John the Baptist to Jesus...and it’s ok. It’s great. It’s supposed to happen.
Jesus asks why they are following Him! “What do you want?”
“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. (John 1:39)
Jesus says, “Come and see.” John includes a detail about it being 4:00. He was likely an eyewitness, and maybe one of the unnamed disciples in the previous verses.
Jesus invites them to spend the day with Him.
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter). (John 1:40-42)
Was Andrew excited about finding the Messiah? Had he heard Jesus was in the neighborhood?
“The first thing” Andrew did...
Andrew is often seen bringing people to Jesus (6:8; 12:22). What about you?
Cephas is also known as Simon and is renamed Peter which means “rock.” The Greek is petros. This is a nickname more than a common name, like we would call someone “Rocky” today.
Jesus’ authority to change Simon’s name is significant. He is casting a vision for what Simon will become, a rock.
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” (John 1:43)
Galilee is about one hundred miles north.
Jesus “finds” Philip and invites him to follow.
Philip is a popular Greek name that means “horse lover.”
It’s a simple invitation. He doesn’t beg, coerce, force, or yell. He just invites.
Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote —Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (John 1:44-46)
Philip recruits Nathanael, who might also be called Bartholomew.
Andrew recruits his brother Peter.
“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. (John 1:46a)
Nazareth obviously does not have a good reputation! Actually, it was probably not bad, just small. Nathanael was from Cana, a rival village. He had seen others claim to be the Messiah.
Don’t judge a book by its cover!
Philip replies...
“Come and see,” said Philip. (John 1:46b)
Do you see how Philip is already following Jesus. He says what Jesus said earlier: “Come and see.”
When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” (John 1:47-48)
How do you know me?
Jesus knew Nathanael before Nathanael knew Him.
Jesus knows you, too, whether you are aware of it or not.
Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” (John 1:49)
Nathanael gets it! He changes his tune about Jesus. He experiences a miracle and believes.
In one sentence we see three names for Jesus:
Rabbi, which we saw earlier literally means “teacher”
Son of God (deity)
King of Israel
Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.” (John 1:50-51)
The “you” is plural. He is no longer just speaking to Nathanael.
There is another instance of angels ascending and descending in Genesis 28.
Jesus is the stairway to heaven. He is greater than Jacob and greater than the ladder. He is the place where we meet God!
John is telling us in the first chapter of his Gospel that the entire Scriptures point to Jesus. He sees history through the story of Christ.
Conclusion
We have come to the conclusion of the first chapter of John. Only 20 more to go!
We have seen John the Baptist prepare the way for Jesus.
We have seen Jesus’ first recruits, though we know little about them. The focus is on Jesus.
We see that contact with Jesus leads to self-denial. This is true for John the Baptist and the first disciples of Christ.
Note that conversion is not about merely learning information; it is about personally taking action and following Jesus.
This passage shows us that loving God must be connected to knowing God. Christian faith is both commitment and content.
Who is Jesus? We have been introduced to Him in several ways...
Messiah (20, 41) the Prophet (21) Jesus (29) Lamb of God (29, 36) one who baptizes with the Spirit (33) chosen [Son] of God (34) rabbi/teacher (38, 49) Christ/anointed one (41) son of Joseph (45) Nazarene (45) Son of God (49) King of Israel (49) Son of Man (51)
In conclusion, we have been introduced throughout John’s first chapter to Jesus. He is God. He is human. He created everything. He came on mission. He invites others to follow Him, but doing so is not a casual thing. We must commit both our minds and our hearts.
The great news is that when we fully surrender to Jesus, He remains faithful to us...always. We don’t risk devoting ourselves to someone who will betray, abandon, or harm us. When we draw near to Him, He promises to draw near to us and be with us always, to the very end of the age.
You can listen to the podcast here.
John 1:35-51
The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” (John 1:35-38)
We talked about this last week. Jesus is again called the Lamb of God.
Because of John’s witness, two of his own disciples leave him and start to follow Jesus. John realizes he is number two. What humility!
Bestselling author Jim Collins who wrote Good To Great says that the highest form of leadership requires leadership. His formula is Humility + Will = Level 5 Leadership.
As we said previously, John prepared the way. He humbled himself for the sake of helping people encounter Jesus. That’s our role today.
This wasn’t a case of them getting a better offer, but John saying, “He’s the One I’ve been preparing you to meet.” They shift their allegiance from John the Baptist to Jesus...and it’s ok. It’s great. It’s supposed to happen.
Jesus asks why they are following Him! “What do you want?”
“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. (John 1:39)
Jesus says, “Come and see.” John includes a detail about it being 4:00. He was likely an eyewitness, and maybe one of the unnamed disciples in the previous verses.
Jesus invites them to spend the day with Him.
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter). (John 1:40-42)
Was Andrew excited about finding the Messiah? Had he heard Jesus was in the neighborhood?
“The first thing” Andrew did...
Andrew is often seen bringing people to Jesus (6:8; 12:22). What about you?
Cephas is also known as Simon and is renamed Peter which means “rock.” The Greek is petros. This is a nickname more than a common name, like we would call someone “Rocky” today.
Jesus’ authority to change Simon’s name is significant. He is casting a vision for what Simon will become, a rock.
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” (John 1:43)
Galilee is about one hundred miles north.
Jesus “finds” Philip and invites him to follow.
Philip is a popular Greek name that means “horse lover.”
It’s a simple invitation. He doesn’t beg, coerce, force, or yell. He just invites.
Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote —Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (John 1:44-46)
Philip recruits Nathanael, who might also be called Bartholomew.
Andrew recruits his brother Peter.
“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. (John 1:46a)
Nazareth obviously does not have a good reputation! Actually, it was probably not bad, just small. Nathanael was from Cana, a rival village. He had seen others claim to be the Messiah.
Don’t judge a book by its cover!
Philip replies...
“Come and see,” said Philip. (John 1:46b)
Do you see how Philip is already following Jesus. He says what Jesus said earlier: “Come and see.”
When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” (John 1:47-48)
How do you know me?
Jesus knew Nathanael before Nathanael knew Him.
Jesus knows you, too, whether you are aware of it or not.
Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” (John 1:49)
Nathanael gets it! He changes his tune about Jesus. He experiences a miracle and believes.
In one sentence we see three names for Jesus:
Rabbi, which we saw earlier literally means “teacher”
Son of God (deity)
King of Israel
Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.” (John 1:50-51)
The “you” is plural. He is no longer just speaking to Nathanael.
There is another instance of angels ascending and descending in Genesis 28.
Jesus is the stairway to heaven. He is greater than Jacob and greater than the ladder. He is the place where we meet God!
John is telling us in the first chapter of his Gospel that the entire Scriptures point to Jesus. He sees history through the story of Christ.
Conclusion
We have come to the conclusion of the first chapter of John. Only 20 more to go!
We have seen John the Baptist prepare the way for Jesus.
We have seen Jesus’ first recruits, though we know little about them. The focus is on Jesus.
We see that contact with Jesus leads to self-denial. This is true for John the Baptist and the first disciples of Christ.
Note that conversion is not about merely learning information; it is about personally taking action and following Jesus.
This passage shows us that loving God must be connected to knowing God. Christian faith is both commitment and content.
Who is Jesus? We have been introduced to Him in several ways...
In conclusion, we have been introduced throughout John’s first chapter to Jesus. He is God. He is human. He created everything. He came on mission. He invites others to follow Him, but doing so is not a casual thing. We must commit both our minds and our hearts.
The great news is that when we fully surrender to Jesus, He remains faithful to us...always. We don’t risk devoting ourselves to someone who will betray, abandon, or harm us. When we draw near to Him, He promises to draw near to us and be with us always, to the very end of the age.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Lamb of God, John 1:29-34, 13 May 2012
23 05 12
Big Idea: Jesus is identified as the Lamb of God who comes to take away our sin
John 1:29-34
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” (John 1:29-31)
John is the only New Testament author that refers to Jesus as the Lamb of God. It is a significant title as it denotes the One who will be the sacrifice for others just as a slaughtered lamb was offered as a sin offering before God.
Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.” (John 1:32-34)
The Trinity—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—is present at Jesus’ baptism. All of John’s efforts to prepare the way for Jesus bore fruit as people began to encounter the Messiah.
You can listen to the podcast here.
John 1:29-34
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” (John 1:29-31)
John is the only New Testament author that refers to Jesus as the Lamb of God. It is a significant title as it denotes the One who will be the sacrifice for others just as a slaughtered lamb was offered as a sin offering before God.
Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.” (John 1:32-34)
The Trinity—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—is present at Jesus’ baptism. All of John’s efforts to prepare the way for Jesus bore fruit as people began to encounter the Messiah.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Jesus' Opening Act, John 1:19-28, 6 May 2012
02 05 12
Big Idea: John the Baptist’s mission was to prepare the way for Jesus
John 1:19-28
Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.” (John 1:19-20)
Who are you? This is an important question for everyone to answer. John could have sought to build a following, but instead he is content to merely prepare the way for Jesus. He was not interested in making a name for himself. People were expecting the Messiah to arrive and these leaders traveled quite a distance when they heard John the Baptist was attracting attention.
They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” (John 1:21-22)
John the Baptist continues to divert the attention from himself. We are often tempted to become famous. John was already becoming famous, but he didn’t embrace it.
John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”
Now the Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” (John 1:23-25)
They want to know if he has a license to baptize! Where is his authority? What are his credentials? It was not uncommon for Gentiles to be baptized upon converting to Judaism, but John was baptizing Jews!
“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” (John 1:26-27)
A servant would do everything for his master except untie their shoes. John humbles himself before the LORD and recognizes that it’s not about him, but about Jesus.
This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. (John 1:28)
John the Baptist may have been an eyewitness to this and the other events in the first chapter of his gospel. There are many details presented that would likely not survive mere oral transmission of the story.
You can listen to the podcast here.
John 1:19-28
Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.” (John 1:19-20)
Who are you? This is an important question for everyone to answer. John could have sought to build a following, but instead he is content to merely prepare the way for Jesus. He was not interested in making a name for himself. People were expecting the Messiah to arrive and these leaders traveled quite a distance when they heard John the Baptist was attracting attention.
They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” (John 1:21-22)
John the Baptist continues to divert the attention from himself. We are often tempted to become famous. John was already becoming famous, but he didn’t embrace it.
John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”
Now the Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” (John 1:23-25)
They want to know if he has a license to baptize! Where is his authority? What are his credentials? It was not uncommon for Gentiles to be baptized upon converting to Judaism, but John was baptizing Jews!
“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” (John 1:26-27)
A servant would do everything for his master except untie their shoes. John humbles himself before the LORD and recognizes that it’s not about him, but about Jesus.
This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. (John 1:28)
John the Baptist may have been an eyewitness to this and the other events in the first chapter of his gospel. There are many details presented that would likely not survive mere oral transmission of the story.
You can listen to the podcast here.
John's Overture, 1:1-18, 29 April 2012
02 05 12
Big Idea: the first verses of the Gospel tell us about the deity of Jesus, John the Baptist, the depravity of the world, and hope as they preview the rest of the book
John 1:1-18
Why Four Gospels?
Just as marketing professionals use different approaches to communicate with different audiences, so the four Gospel writers uniquely wrote to various groups of people.
Matthew wrote to the Jews. He depicts Jesus as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and emphasizes righteousness.
Mark was intended to be read by Romans. He focuses on Jesus as servant and workman and speaks of miracles, strength and action.
The Greeks were Luke’s target. He is the Great Physician and Friend of Sinners. Mercy, wisdom and humanity are emphasized.
John was written to people of the east. Wise men came from the east to worship baby Jesus. Egyptians, Persians, Indians, Chinese, Babylonians. The mystery touched the misery of the world. We see Jesus as the Word of God, the light, life, and Living Bread. His divinity is prominent. John has more about the resurrected Christ than the other three put together. John mentions seven post-resurrection appearances.
J. Vernon McGee says that John is written for the wretched man, believers who have met Christ but try to follow Him in their own strength. That’s you. That’s me. John wrote at the request of the church that already had three Gospels but wanted something more spiritual and deep that would enable them to grow (Augustine).
The Overture of the Gospel
A prologue is an introduction, but an overture has pieces of the songs that follow. We get a preview of what is to come.
In The Beginning
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1).
In the beginning. Where have we heard that before?
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
John writes elsewhere
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched —this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. (1 John 1:1)
Jesus is the Word (logos in Greek).
He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:2-5)
In the beginning was the Word. It’s past tense. The word “was” is in the durative imperfect. It’s continued action. It doesn’t say in the beginning IS the Word. It says the Word was there in the beginning, the Ancient of Days. Eternal. Timeless.
In the beginning was, not is. When was this? 6000 years ago? Millions of years ago? Who knows?!
The Word was with God. The Word is not God the Father.
The Word was God. God was the Word. The Greek could not be clearer.
What is the Word? Who is the Word?
The Word is Jesus. The Greek word is logos. It meant reckoning.
Let’s look at it this way...
In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5)
He created all things. Jesus was the Creator. Jesus was not created!
The two most important questions you and I must answer are who am I and who is God. Many people believe in Jesus, but what do they believe? Who is Jesus? A good teacher? A prophet? An honorable man? He was an is God.
Arianism was an early heresy. The Arians did not believe Jesus was God and man.
He is life.
He is light.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. (1:6-8)
This is John the Baptist. We’re going to talk more about him next week.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (1:9-13)
Here we see that Jesus is the light.
The Greek word for “world” is “kosmos.” It is not a place, but a reference to everything. If you recall, in the Garden at creation, God said that everything He created besides a lonely man was “good.” Years later, God nearly destroyed it all when He saw how wicked and wretched things had become. Only Noah and his family were spared when the Flood covered the earth and consuming all life that was not hidden in the ark.
We often think of the world as a good place. We are taught that people are good. The reality is that we are all wicked and in rebellion toward God. We carry the DNA of Adam and Eve’s sin. We are messed up. One author has said, “Sin is not a series of bad choices, but a state of being from which bad choices continually come.”
Even in Jesus, we rejected Him. We killed Him. People love the darkness rather than the light. Throughout John we will see how we have rejected God.
We do not live in a nice world that God wants to make nicer. Instead, we live in an evil world that replaces the Truth of God for whatever man-made spirituality is politically correct.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (1:14)
John doesn’t take us to Bethlehem. This is the Christmas story in one verse.
This week I’ve been meditating on this simple verse. It is simple but so profound. God came to earth. Eugene Peterson’s translation of the Bible, The Message, says, “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.”
There are many ways in which God could’ve expressed His love for us, yet He chose to come and become one of us.
Jesus is fully God, yet He also became fully human. God understands. Really!
Are you tired this morning? God understands. He has been tired.
Are you struggling with temptation? God understands. He has been tempted in every way.
Are you discouraged? God understands. He was so discouraged that He sweat drops of blood!
Are you sick or in pain? God understands. He experienced the most agonizing pain, not only physically but emotionally and spiritually.
This is what Christmas is all about! God became human and moved into the neighborhood. He understands!!! Hebrews tells us that...
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are —yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to
help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16)
(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father,
has made him known. (1:15-18)
The Word is personified in Jesus. Many Jews rejected Jesus, instead claiming to be followers of Moses. John notes here that Moses never saw God, but those that saw Jesus saw God. Jesus came to fulfill everything that Abraham and Moses and David and Isaiah and every other Old Testament character longed to see and experience.
There is hope for our broken world. There is only one hope, and His Name is Jesus. One writer said, “Transformation and hope cannot be the fruit of some human endeavor. Only God can take the initiative, and men and women must see, receive, and believe the work he desires to do. And when they do, they are reborn to become God’s children.”
We talk a lot about change and transformation, but it’s not a human work; it is a divine work.
This passage “is not about a message that offers hope, but about The Message that is the only hope.”
We see that Jesus is God, Creator, timeless, eternal.
We see that we rejected Him.
We see that Jesus came to bring light and life and hope. Transformation is possible, not through methods or principles, but through a Person.
You can listen to the podcast here.
John 1:1-18
Why Four Gospels?
Just as marketing professionals use different approaches to communicate with different audiences, so the four Gospel writers uniquely wrote to various groups of people.
Matthew wrote to the Jews. He depicts Jesus as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and emphasizes righteousness.
Mark was intended to be read by Romans. He focuses on Jesus as servant and workman and speaks of miracles, strength and action.
The Greeks were Luke’s target. He is the Great Physician and Friend of Sinners. Mercy, wisdom and humanity are emphasized.
John was written to people of the east. Wise men came from the east to worship baby Jesus. Egyptians, Persians, Indians, Chinese, Babylonians. The mystery touched the misery of the world. We see Jesus as the Word of God, the light, life, and Living Bread. His divinity is prominent. John has more about the resurrected Christ than the other three put together. John mentions seven post-resurrection appearances.
J. Vernon McGee says that John is written for the wretched man, believers who have met Christ but try to follow Him in their own strength. That’s you. That’s me. John wrote at the request of the church that already had three Gospels but wanted something more spiritual and deep that would enable them to grow (Augustine).
The Overture of the Gospel
A prologue is an introduction, but an overture has pieces of the songs that follow. We get a preview of what is to come.
In The Beginning
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1).
In the beginning. Where have we heard that before?
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
John writes elsewhere
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched —this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. (1 John 1:1)
Jesus is the Word (logos in Greek).
He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:2-5)
In the beginning was the Word. It’s past tense. The word “was” is in the durative imperfect. It’s continued action. It doesn’t say in the beginning IS the Word. It says the Word was there in the beginning, the Ancient of Days. Eternal. Timeless.
In the beginning was, not is. When was this? 6000 years ago? Millions of years ago? Who knows?!
The Word was with God. The Word is not God the Father.
The Word was God. God was the Word. The Greek could not be clearer.
What is the Word? Who is the Word?
The Word is Jesus. The Greek word is logos. It meant reckoning.
Let’s look at it this way...
In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5)
He created all things. Jesus was the Creator. Jesus was not created!
The two most important questions you and I must answer are who am I and who is God. Many people believe in Jesus, but what do they believe? Who is Jesus? A good teacher? A prophet? An honorable man? He was an is God.
Arianism was an early heresy. The Arians did not believe Jesus was God and man.
He is life.
He is light.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. (1:6-8)
This is John the Baptist. We’re going to talk more about him next week.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (1:9-13)
Here we see that Jesus is the light.
The Greek word for “world” is “kosmos.” It is not a place, but a reference to everything. If you recall, in the Garden at creation, God said that everything He created besides a lonely man was “good.” Years later, God nearly destroyed it all when He saw how wicked and wretched things had become. Only Noah and his family were spared when the Flood covered the earth and consuming all life that was not hidden in the ark.
We often think of the world as a good place. We are taught that people are good. The reality is that we are all wicked and in rebellion toward God. We carry the DNA of Adam and Eve’s sin. We are messed up. One author has said, “Sin is not a series of bad choices, but a state of being from which bad choices continually come.”
Even in Jesus, we rejected Him. We killed Him. People love the darkness rather than the light. Throughout John we will see how we have rejected God.
We do not live in a nice world that God wants to make nicer. Instead, we live in an evil world that replaces the Truth of God for whatever man-made spirituality is politically correct.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (1:14)
John doesn’t take us to Bethlehem. This is the Christmas story in one verse.
This week I’ve been meditating on this simple verse. It is simple but so profound. God came to earth. Eugene Peterson’s translation of the Bible, The Message, says, “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.”
There are many ways in which God could’ve expressed His love for us, yet He chose to come and become one of us.
Jesus is fully God, yet He also became fully human. God understands. Really!
Are you tired this morning? God understands. He has been tired.
Are you struggling with temptation? God understands. He has been tempted in every way.
Are you discouraged? God understands. He was so discouraged that He sweat drops of blood!
Are you sick or in pain? God understands. He experienced the most agonizing pain, not only physically but emotionally and spiritually.
This is what Christmas is all about! God became human and moved into the neighborhood. He understands!!! Hebrews tells us that...
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are —yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to
help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16)
(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father,
has made him known. (1:15-18)
The Word is personified in Jesus. Many Jews rejected Jesus, instead claiming to be followers of Moses. John notes here that Moses never saw God, but those that saw Jesus saw God. Jesus came to fulfill everything that Abraham and Moses and David and Isaiah and every other Old Testament character longed to see and experience.
There is hope for our broken world. There is only one hope, and His Name is Jesus. One writer said, “Transformation and hope cannot be the fruit of some human endeavor. Only God can take the initiative, and men and women must see, receive, and believe the work he desires to do. And when they do, they are reborn to become God’s children.”
We talk a lot about change and transformation, but it’s not a human work; it is a divine work.
This passage “is not about a message that offers hope, but about The Message that is the only hope.”
We see that Jesus is God, Creator, timeless, eternal.
We see that we rejected Him.
We see that Jesus came to bring light and life and hope. Transformation is possible, not through methods or principles, but through a Person.
You can listen to the podcast here.
John The Writer, 15 April 2012
02 05 12
Big Idea: this message will introduce the writer and background of the Gospel of John
Introduction
Do you like books? What kind of books do you like to read? Why?
What is your favorite non-biblical book? Why?
Do you read mostly fiction? Non-fiction? Both?
It is common to know something about a book before reading it, right? Were it not the case, we would never worry about “judging a book by its cover.” In reality, that cover may be attractive and encourage us to read what is inside. The title may be compelling, the subject matter interesting, or the buzz surrounding a volume may be too much for us to ignore.
Book reviews, the notes on the back cover, and the title all provide us with information about a particular work, but there is another way we can usually learn about a book—learn about the writer.
John
We are beginning a comprehensive series on the Gospel of John. When I say comprehensive, this will take us several months, if not years! We’ll take breaks along the way, but this book will be our main focus for a while. Why would we spend so much time on one book? Here are some reasons:
Quotes
John’s purpose is not academic. He writes in order that men and women may believe... That is still the purpose of this book today.
-- D.A. Carson, The Pillar New Testament Commentary
John, last of all, conscious that the outward facts had been set forth in the Gospels, was urged on by his disciples, and, divinely moved by the Spirit, composed a spiritual Gospel.
-- Clement of Alexandria (2nd Century)
John says it plainly, he wrote his Gospel to lead to faith in Jesus, and therefore to life itself.
-- Dorothy Ann Lee, NIB One Volume Commentary
Of all the books of the Bible, none presents Christ as supremely as the Gospel of John.
-- A.W. Tozer, And He Dwelt Among Us
Christian readers through the centuries have fallen in love with the Jesus of the Gospel of John, and consequently with the Gospel itself.
-- J. Ramsey Michaels, The New International Commentary on the New Testament
In the final years of his life – when the nearness of death gives memories an eternal glow – and after having witnessed the most significant period of history the world has ever known, John wrote of his Master.
-- Charles Swindoll, Insights on John
John is an evangelist who wants others to know Jesus as he knows Him. Through Jesus, he has experienced the new life of God and wants other s to experience it as well.
-- Jonathan D. Huntzinger, Spirit-Filled Life New Testament Commentary
There is no other book in the Bible that to the same degree serves as a simple primer for new believers while at the same time continues to challenge the most learned scholars with its theological depths.
-- Robert H. Mounce, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary
These things are written so that you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, God’s Son, and that believing, you will have life in his name. -- The Apostle John
John The Writer
Before we look at the book itself, let’s spend some time examining the writer.
John was one of Jesus’ three best friends, His inner circle. Although He taught the crowds and led twelve disciples, Peter, James and John had a unique relationship with Christ, and John is the only one of the three to pen a Gospel, a word that means simply “good news.”
Consider the following examples of this special inner circle:
They are amazed at a miraculous catch of fish in Luke 5:8-10
They are mentioned first in the list of apostles in Mark 3:16-17, Matthew 10:2, and Acts 1:13.
They witnessed Jairus’ daughter raised from the dead (Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51).
They witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration (Mark 9:2; Matthew 17:1; Luke 9:28)
In fact, many believe that the repeated references in the Gospel of John to “the beloved disciple” refer to John himself.
The book of John, like all books of the Bible, was inspired by God, yet written with a human hand in a unique style that reflected the person writing. 1 Timothy 3:16-17 says
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (1 Timothy 3:16-17)
While the process remains something of a mystery, we believe that the Bible is unique collection of 66 books penned over thousands of years in multiple languages by a vast array of different writers, yet because it is all from God, it carries one unifying message from the beginning in Genesis to the “amen” that concludes Revelation.
So who wrote the book of John? The Gospel never explicitly tells us, but we have plenty of evidence to conclude that it was written by John, the son of Zebedee and one of Jesus’ inner circle that included his brother, James, and Peter. He obviously had a unique perspective on Jesus since he wrote from the perspective a close, personal friend rather than a journalist or biographer. He literally lived with Jesus for three years. According to Papias, who was a New Testament historian, John was the Bishop of Hierapolis near the city of Ephesus from about 70 to 145 A.D.
Purpose
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:31)
I encourage you to continue to read through the Bible according to our church-wide reading plan, but you may also want to take a peek at the Gospel of John. It will be a very exciting study of our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ, from possibly His closest friend.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Introduction
Do you like books? What kind of books do you like to read? Why?
What is your favorite non-biblical book? Why?
Do you read mostly fiction? Non-fiction? Both?
It is common to know something about a book before reading it, right? Were it not the case, we would never worry about “judging a book by its cover.” In reality, that cover may be attractive and encourage us to read what is inside. The title may be compelling, the subject matter interesting, or the buzz surrounding a volume may be too much for us to ignore.
Book reviews, the notes on the back cover, and the title all provide us with information about a particular work, but there is another way we can usually learn about a book—learn about the writer.
John
We are beginning a comprehensive series on the Gospel of John. When I say comprehensive, this will take us several months, if not years! We’ll take breaks along the way, but this book will be our main focus for a while. Why would we spend so much time on one book? Here are some reasons:
Quotes
John’s purpose is not academic. He writes in order that men and women may believe... That is still the purpose of this book today.
-- D.A. Carson, The Pillar New Testament Commentary
John, last of all, conscious that the outward facts had been set forth in the Gospels, was urged on by his disciples, and, divinely moved by the Spirit, composed a spiritual Gospel.
-- Clement of Alexandria (2nd Century)
John says it plainly, he wrote his Gospel to lead to faith in Jesus, and therefore to life itself.
-- Dorothy Ann Lee, NIB One Volume Commentary
Of all the books of the Bible, none presents Christ as supremely as the Gospel of John.
-- A.W. Tozer, And He Dwelt Among Us
Christian readers through the centuries have fallen in love with the Jesus of the Gospel of John, and consequently with the Gospel itself.
-- J. Ramsey Michaels, The New International Commentary on the New Testament
In the final years of his life – when the nearness of death gives memories an eternal glow – and after having witnessed the most significant period of history the world has ever known, John wrote of his Master.
-- Charles Swindoll, Insights on John
John is an evangelist who wants others to know Jesus as he knows Him. Through Jesus, he has experienced the new life of God and wants other s to experience it as well.
-- Jonathan D. Huntzinger, Spirit-Filled Life New Testament Commentary
There is no other book in the Bible that to the same degree serves as a simple primer for new believers while at the same time continues to challenge the most learned scholars with its theological depths.
-- Robert H. Mounce, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary
These things are written so that you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, God’s Son, and that believing, you will have life in his name. -- The Apostle John
John The Writer
Before we look at the book itself, let’s spend some time examining the writer.
John was one of Jesus’ three best friends, His inner circle. Although He taught the crowds and led twelve disciples, Peter, James and John had a unique relationship with Christ, and John is the only one of the three to pen a Gospel, a word that means simply “good news.”
Consider the following examples of this special inner circle:
They are amazed at a miraculous catch of fish in Luke 5:8-10
They are mentioned first in the list of apostles in Mark 3:16-17, Matthew 10:2, and Acts 1:13.
They witnessed Jairus’ daughter raised from the dead (Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51).
They witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration (Mark 9:2; Matthew 17:1; Luke 9:28)
In fact, many believe that the repeated references in the Gospel of John to “the beloved disciple” refer to John himself.
The book of John, like all books of the Bible, was inspired by God, yet written with a human hand in a unique style that reflected the person writing. 1 Timothy 3:16-17 says
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (1 Timothy 3:16-17)
While the process remains something of a mystery, we believe that the Bible is unique collection of 66 books penned over thousands of years in multiple languages by a vast array of different writers, yet because it is all from God, it carries one unifying message from the beginning in Genesis to the “amen” that concludes Revelation.
So who wrote the book of John? The Gospel never explicitly tells us, but we have plenty of evidence to conclude that it was written by John, the son of Zebedee and one of Jesus’ inner circle that included his brother, James, and Peter. He obviously had a unique perspective on Jesus since he wrote from the perspective a close, personal friend rather than a journalist or biographer. He literally lived with Jesus for three years. According to Papias, who was a New Testament historian, John was the Bishop of Hierapolis near the city of Ephesus from about 70 to 145 A.D.
Purpose
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:31)
I encourage you to continue to read through the Bible according to our church-wide reading plan, but you may also want to take a peek at the Gospel of John. It will be a very exciting study of our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ, from possibly His closest friend.
You can listen to the podcast here.
He's Still Alive! 8 April 2012
10 04 12
If you could have dinner with one deceased person other than a relative or Bible character, with whom would you dine? Why?
There are so many great historic figures that have changed the world. A few of them include
They have had tremendous influence on our lives, but each has one thing in common—they can do nothing further to change the world. Their work is done. They are, by definition, history.
As much as I love President’s Day, MLK Day, and other celebrations of great men and women, this day is different. Today is a celebration of Jesus. He’s still alive!
The Story
For decades Christians have been complaining about the commercialization and secularization of Christmas. I love Christmas, but as much as I appreciate Jesus’ birthday, today is the real day of celebration. Whether you call it easter or dismiss the pagan roots and refer to it as Resurrection Sunday, there is no greater celebration than that of a risen Jesus.
But did it really happen? Did Jesus really conquer death? The whole of the New Testament revelation rests on the resurrection as an historical fact.
Consider this...there was a very educated, respected, religious man named Saul. He was so zealous about his Jewish faith that he led the execution of countless Christians who threatened the organized religion of the day. God gripped his heart, changed his name to Paul, and this is what the former skeptic wrote:
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. (1 Corinthians 15:3-7)
Not only were there hundreds of eyewitnesses of Jesus after His resurrection, many died for their simple testimony to that fact. It would be foolish to die for a lie.
Paul continues a few verses later
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)
If Jesus is dead, let’s all go home!
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
He concludes
If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” (1 Corinthians 15:32)
Friends, because Jesus lives, we have hope. Because Jesus lives, we can face tomorrow. Because Jesus lives, we can discover meaning, and purpose and joy.
The Resurrection is the defining moment in the movement of Jesus, and arguably of all human existence.
By definition, faith is involved in following Jesus, or any, uh, faith! Jesus’ posture was always one of invitation. He said, “Follow me. Come and see.” Today He is still inviting men, women and children to follow Him. Notice I didn’t say obey a bunch of rules or engage in organized religion. His invitation is to Himself. It’s to know Jesus.
Unlike George Washington and Rosa Parks, it is possible to know Jesus, because Jesus is still alive!
There are two things that make Jesus unique from other world religions. First, He is alive. I can’t prove it 100% today, but for more than 2000 years people have been searching for His dead body and have come up, uh, empty. If Jesus is dead, our faith is dead. Our hope is dead. Our future is dead.
Second, following Jesus is truly about a relationship with God, not a religion. Religion is spelled D-O. It’s what people do to earn God’s favor, access to paradise after death, and the approval of their peers. Tragically, there are many people that practice the religion of Christianity, working hard to be good enough for a perfect and holy God, which is impossible! Jesus despises the religion of Christianity!!! Why, because it’s not what you DO but what has already been D-O-N-E on the cross. Only following and knowing a perfect Jesus who died on the cross for you can grant you reconciliation with God and the ability to know your Creator. It’s not enough to know about Jesus. You can know Him today!!!
Is your head filled with knowledge, but your heart empty? Have you been pursuing the religion of Christianity rather than the relationship of knowing Jesus Christ.
Paul, the writer of the letter we read earlier to the church in Corinth, wrote this to the people of the city of Philippi:
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
Paul was not content with knowledge of Jesus or religious gatherings and practices. He wanted to know Jesus, and you can only truly know a person who is living. Paul knew that Jesus understood suffering and death. Rather than a distant Creator, Jesus knows what it’s like to be human, to experience pain, to laugh and cry, and to journey through life. He’s not above it, He lived it...and He’s living today!
I can tell you from personal experience that my life changed when I went from knowing about God to knowing God. Amazingly, my faith is more than just reading about history in the Bible and trying to follow the rules. Every day is a new adventure of literally doing life with Jesus, because He’s still alive! Do you know Him?
No one can remain neutral regarding Jesus' resurrection. The claim is too staggering, the event is too earthshaking, the implications are too significant, and the matter is too serious. We must each either receive or reject it as truth for us, and to remain indifferent or undecided is to reject it. (Mark Driscoll)
Some words of encouragement or inspiration for celebrating Easter and beyond, from N. T. Wright's "Surprised by Hope" (pp 255-257):
But my biggest problem starts on Easter Monday. I regard it as absurd
and unjustifiable that we should spend forty days keeping Lent,
pondering what it means, preaching about self-denial, being at least a
little gloomy, and then bringing it all to a peak with Holy Week,
which in turn climaxes in Maundy Thursday and Good Friday… and then,
after a rather odd Holy Saturday, we have a single day of celebration.
All right, the Sundays after Easter still lie within the Easter
season. We still have Easter readings and hymns during them. But
Easter week itself ought not to be the time when all the clergy sigh
with relief and go on holiday. It ought to be an eight-day festival,
with champagne served after morning prayer or even before., with lots
of alleluias and extra hymns and spectacular anthems. Is it any wonder
people find it hard to believe in the resurrection of Jesus if we
don’t throw our hats in the air? Is it any wonder we find it hard to
live the resurrection if we don’t do it exuberantly in our liturgies?
Is it any wonder the world doesn’t take much notice if Easter is
celebrated as simply the one-day happy ending tacked on to forty days
of fasting and gloom? It’s long overdue that we took a hard look at
how we keep Easter in church, at home, in our personal lives, right
through the system. And if it means rethinking some cherished habits,
well, maybe it’s time to wake up. That always comes as a surprise.
You can listen to the podcast here.
There are so many great historic figures that have changed the world. A few of them include
- George Washington
- Thomas Edison
- Henry Ford
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Rosa Parks
- Steve Jobs
They have had tremendous influence on our lives, but each has one thing in common—they can do nothing further to change the world. Their work is done. They are, by definition, history.
As much as I love President’s Day, MLK Day, and other celebrations of great men and women, this day is different. Today is a celebration of Jesus. He’s still alive!
The Story
For decades Christians have been complaining about the commercialization and secularization of Christmas. I love Christmas, but as much as I appreciate Jesus’ birthday, today is the real day of celebration. Whether you call it easter or dismiss the pagan roots and refer to it as Resurrection Sunday, there is no greater celebration than that of a risen Jesus.
But did it really happen? Did Jesus really conquer death? The whole of the New Testament revelation rests on the resurrection as an historical fact.
Consider this...there was a very educated, respected, religious man named Saul. He was so zealous about his Jewish faith that he led the execution of countless Christians who threatened the organized religion of the day. God gripped his heart, changed his name to Paul, and this is what the former skeptic wrote:
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. (1 Corinthians 15:3-7)
Not only were there hundreds of eyewitnesses of Jesus after His resurrection, many died for their simple testimony to that fact. It would be foolish to die for a lie.
Paul continues a few verses later
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)
If Jesus is dead, let’s all go home!
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
He concludes
If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” (1 Corinthians 15:32)
Friends, because Jesus lives, we have hope. Because Jesus lives, we can face tomorrow. Because Jesus lives, we can discover meaning, and purpose and joy.
The Resurrection is the defining moment in the movement of Jesus, and arguably of all human existence.
By definition, faith is involved in following Jesus, or any, uh, faith! Jesus’ posture was always one of invitation. He said, “Follow me. Come and see.” Today He is still inviting men, women and children to follow Him. Notice I didn’t say obey a bunch of rules or engage in organized religion. His invitation is to Himself. It’s to know Jesus.
Unlike George Washington and Rosa Parks, it is possible to know Jesus, because Jesus is still alive!
There are two things that make Jesus unique from other world religions. First, He is alive. I can’t prove it 100% today, but for more than 2000 years people have been searching for His dead body and have come up, uh, empty. If Jesus is dead, our faith is dead. Our hope is dead. Our future is dead.
Second, following Jesus is truly about a relationship with God, not a religion. Religion is spelled D-O. It’s what people do to earn God’s favor, access to paradise after death, and the approval of their peers. Tragically, there are many people that practice the religion of Christianity, working hard to be good enough for a perfect and holy God, which is impossible! Jesus despises the religion of Christianity!!! Why, because it’s not what you DO but what has already been D-O-N-E on the cross. Only following and knowing a perfect Jesus who died on the cross for you can grant you reconciliation with God and the ability to know your Creator. It’s not enough to know about Jesus. You can know Him today!!!
Is your head filled with knowledge, but your heart empty? Have you been pursuing the religion of Christianity rather than the relationship of knowing Jesus Christ.
Paul, the writer of the letter we read earlier to the church in Corinth, wrote this to the people of the city of Philippi:
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
Paul was not content with knowledge of Jesus or religious gatherings and practices. He wanted to know Jesus, and you can only truly know a person who is living. Paul knew that Jesus understood suffering and death. Rather than a distant Creator, Jesus knows what it’s like to be human, to experience pain, to laugh and cry, and to journey through life. He’s not above it, He lived it...and He’s living today!
I can tell you from personal experience that my life changed when I went from knowing about God to knowing God. Amazingly, my faith is more than just reading about history in the Bible and trying to follow the rules. Every day is a new adventure of literally doing life with Jesus, because He’s still alive! Do you know Him?
No one can remain neutral regarding Jesus' resurrection. The claim is too staggering, the event is too earthshaking, the implications are too significant, and the matter is too serious. We must each either receive or reject it as truth for us, and to remain indifferent or undecided is to reject it. (Mark Driscoll)
Some words of encouragement or inspiration for celebrating Easter and beyond, from N. T. Wright's "Surprised by Hope" (pp 255-257):
But my biggest problem starts on Easter Monday. I regard it as absurd
and unjustifiable that we should spend forty days keeping Lent,
pondering what it means, preaching about self-denial, being at least a
little gloomy, and then bringing it all to a peak with Holy Week,
which in turn climaxes in Maundy Thursday and Good Friday… and then,
after a rather odd Holy Saturday, we have a single day of celebration.
All right, the Sundays after Easter still lie within the Easter
season. We still have Easter readings and hymns during them. But
Easter week itself ought not to be the time when all the clergy sigh
with relief and go on holiday. It ought to be an eight-day festival,
with champagne served after morning prayer or even before., with lots
of alleluias and extra hymns and spectacular anthems. Is it any wonder
people find it hard to believe in the resurrection of Jesus if we
don’t throw our hats in the air? Is it any wonder we find it hard to
live the resurrection if we don’t do it exuberantly in our liturgies?
Is it any wonder the world doesn’t take much notice if Easter is
celebrated as simply the one-day happy ending tacked on to forty days
of fasting and gloom? It’s long overdue that we took a hard look at
how we keep Easter in church, at home, in our personal lives, right
through the system. And if it means rethinking some cherished habits,
well, maybe it’s time to wake up. That always comes as a surprise.
You can listen to the podcast here.
How To Fish, 1 April 2012
03 04 12
Big Idea: We can learn how to fish by seeing how Jesus sent out the 70.
Passage, Luke 10:2-12:
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
Introduction
What does it look like to go “fishing for men”? The best way for us to learn how to do this is by looking closely at the life of Christ and to explore how he trained his disciples for the important task of “fishing for men.”
The need is great (10:2)
This past week the world population reached 7 billion people! Millions and millions of people have never heard of Jesus. Billions more are skeptical, blinded by sin, have rejected Christ, or have never encountered an authentic Christian.
Before Jesus sends out the 70, He tells them to pray for more workers.
The mission is going to be dangerous (10:3)
John Piper recently made this observation: “Brothers are being beheaded for what we believe. The difference is location. O Lord, make us real.”
"Enemy-occupied territory - that is what the world is." –CS Lewis
Oh that God would give us courage to join Him on this dangerous mission. May the Holy Spirit give us courage and boldness (see Acts 4:23-31)!!!
Obedience is radical...and dangerous.
The mission will require dependency on the Holy Spirit (10:4)
Imagine Jesus sent you on a mission but said to leave behind your cell phone, wallet, purse, and money. What else is there, right?! They had to fully rely on God.
Do we? When is the last time you truly prayed, “LORD, I’m desperate for You. I’m lost without You?”
"The great people of the earth today are the people who pray. I do not mean those who talk about prayer; nor those who can explain prayer; but I mean those people who take time and pray. They have not time. It must be taken from something else. This something else is important, very important and pressing, but still less important and less pressing than prayer." S.D. Gordon
Look for receptive people (10:5-7)
As we engage pockets of people with the good news of the Kingdom Jesus instructs us to go looking for receptive people. A “receptive person” or a “person of peace” is a man or woman who God has sovereignly prepared to receive the gospel message. Jesus instructs us to stay with that person and receive their hospitality and welcome. This is a revolutionary concept/strategy that we see all throughout the New Testament.
Mike Breen (author of “Launching Missional Communities”) offers the following advise:
o Find the person of peace, the person who is open to you, interested in you, likes you, wants to be around you...
o Go to their turf, where they’re comfortable...
o Allow them to serve you, show you hospitality...
o Spend intentional time with them...
o Be ready to do the works of the Kingdom and speak the words of the Kingdom. ...
This is exactly what Jesus did this with Zacchaeus, the woman at the well, and Matthew Levi! They were all very open to Jesus. Jesus met them on their turf (household) and allowed them to serve/host him...it was in this context that Jesus did His kingdom work and spoke His kingdom words. Look for and invest in receptive people.
He sends us out to serve/bless/meet needs (10:8-9a)
Our mission statement includes the line that we serve our communities. Actions speak louder than words. We are on a mission with words and deeds. Speaking of words...
He sends us out to proclaim/declare the gospel of the Kingdom (10:9b)
Another part of our mission is sharing our story. It is God’s story. It is both God’s plan for all of humanity as well as your story. Nobody can argue with your story. How is your life different because of Jesus?
There is no greater time of year to share your story. 2WordStory restarts next Sunday, which is also Easter. Wear your 2WordStory shirt. Invite people to join you next Sunday for Easter, the day people are most likely to respond to an invitation.
If Jesus has done nothing in your life, why celebrate it? I don’t celebrate Mexican independence on September 16 (not Cinco de Mayo!). It is irrelevant to me. I appreciate it, but it’s not personal. I do celebrate Independence Day on July 4 because I have personally experienced the benefits of living in a nation of freedom, liberty, and opportunity.
The word “gospel” means “good news.” We are to proclaim the good news that there is hope and freedom and forgiveness and life available to every man, woman and child on our planet. If we all go to heaven because we’re good, Jesus was a lunatic for being butchered on a cross for us.
“The Greek term “gospel” distinguished the Christian message from that of other religions. An ‘ev-angel’ was news of a great historical event, such as a victory in war or the ascension of a new king, that changed the listeners’ condition and required a response from the listener. So the gospel is news of what God has done to reach us. It is not advice about what we must do to reach God.” –Tim Keller
Celebrating Jesus’ birthday on December 25 is great, but the real celebration occurs this week as we remember the greatest demonstration of passion and love on the cross (as we did earlier) and our risen LORD, Savior and King.
Every kingdom has a king. The subjects dutifully serve the king and obey whatever he says. Most kings are tyrants and rule out of fear. Our king is benevolent and rules with love.
Credits
Much of this message was created by E.A.C.H., everyone a chance to hear, www.eachtoday.com
You can listen to the podcast here.
Passage, Luke 10:2-12:
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
Introduction
What does it look like to go “fishing for men”? The best way for us to learn how to do this is by looking closely at the life of Christ and to explore how he trained his disciples for the important task of “fishing for men.”
The need is great (10:2)
This past week the world population reached 7 billion people! Millions and millions of people have never heard of Jesus. Billions more are skeptical, blinded by sin, have rejected Christ, or have never encountered an authentic Christian.
Before Jesus sends out the 70, He tells them to pray for more workers.
The mission is going to be dangerous (10:3)
John Piper recently made this observation: “Brothers are being beheaded for what we believe. The difference is location. O Lord, make us real.”
"Enemy-occupied territory - that is what the world is." –CS Lewis
Oh that God would give us courage to join Him on this dangerous mission. May the Holy Spirit give us courage and boldness (see Acts 4:23-31)!!!
Obedience is radical...and dangerous.
The mission will require dependency on the Holy Spirit (10:4)
Imagine Jesus sent you on a mission but said to leave behind your cell phone, wallet, purse, and money. What else is there, right?! They had to fully rely on God.
Do we? When is the last time you truly prayed, “LORD, I’m desperate for You. I’m lost without You?”
"The great people of the earth today are the people who pray. I do not mean those who talk about prayer; nor those who can explain prayer; but I mean those people who take time and pray. They have not time. It must be taken from something else. This something else is important, very important and pressing, but still less important and less pressing than prayer." S.D. Gordon
Look for receptive people (10:5-7)
As we engage pockets of people with the good news of the Kingdom Jesus instructs us to go looking for receptive people. A “receptive person” or a “person of peace” is a man or woman who God has sovereignly prepared to receive the gospel message. Jesus instructs us to stay with that person and receive their hospitality and welcome. This is a revolutionary concept/strategy that we see all throughout the New Testament.
Mike Breen (author of “Launching Missional Communities”) offers the following advise:
o Find the person of peace, the person who is open to you, interested in you, likes you, wants to be around you...
o Go to their turf, where they’re comfortable...
o Allow them to serve you, show you hospitality...
o Spend intentional time with them...
o Be ready to do the works of the Kingdom and speak the words of the Kingdom. ...
This is exactly what Jesus did this with Zacchaeus, the woman at the well, and Matthew Levi! They were all very open to Jesus. Jesus met them on their turf (household) and allowed them to serve/host him...it was in this context that Jesus did His kingdom work and spoke His kingdom words. Look for and invest in receptive people.
He sends us out to serve/bless/meet needs (10:8-9a)
Our mission statement includes the line that we serve our communities. Actions speak louder than words. We are on a mission with words and deeds. Speaking of words...
He sends us out to proclaim/declare the gospel of the Kingdom (10:9b)
Another part of our mission is sharing our story. It is God’s story. It is both God’s plan for all of humanity as well as your story. Nobody can argue with your story. How is your life different because of Jesus?
There is no greater time of year to share your story. 2WordStory restarts next Sunday, which is also Easter. Wear your 2WordStory shirt. Invite people to join you next Sunday for Easter, the day people are most likely to respond to an invitation.
If Jesus has done nothing in your life, why celebrate it? I don’t celebrate Mexican independence on September 16 (not Cinco de Mayo!). It is irrelevant to me. I appreciate it, but it’s not personal. I do celebrate Independence Day on July 4 because I have personally experienced the benefits of living in a nation of freedom, liberty, and opportunity.
The word “gospel” means “good news.” We are to proclaim the good news that there is hope and freedom and forgiveness and life available to every man, woman and child on our planet. If we all go to heaven because we’re good, Jesus was a lunatic for being butchered on a cross for us.
“The Greek term “gospel” distinguished the Christian message from that of other religions. An ‘ev-angel’ was news of a great historical event, such as a victory in war or the ascension of a new king, that changed the listeners’ condition and required a response from the listener. So the gospel is news of what God has done to reach us. It is not advice about what we must do to reach God.” –Tim Keller
Celebrating Jesus’ birthday on December 25 is great, but the real celebration occurs this week as we remember the greatest demonstration of passion and love on the cross (as we did earlier) and our risen LORD, Savior and King.
Every kingdom has a king. The subjects dutifully serve the king and obey whatever he says. Most kings are tyrants and rule out of fear. Our king is benevolent and rules with love.
Credits
Much of this message was created by E.A.C.H., everyone a chance to hear, www.eachtoday.com
You can listen to the podcast here.
Where Fish, 25 March 2012
03 04 12
Big Idea: We must go to where the fish are rather than waiting for them to jump into the boat.
Passage, Mark 2:13-17:
Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.
While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Location
They say that the key to real estate is...location, location, location. Any fisherman (or woman) knows that there are good and not so good places to fish. If you’re fishing in a boat and catch nothing, you’re likely to move to another part of the lake or ocean in hopes of finding fish.
I have seen fish jump out of the water, but I have never seen fish jump into a fishing boat! Half of the fun of fishing is going out to where the fish are, right?
We talk a great deal around here about Jesus’ final words, often called the Great Commission. In Matthew 28:18-20 He said
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Did you notice that word “go?”
That might be the most challenging part of fishing.
Jesus Went
Our passage this morning shows Jesus in action. He is not content to merely hang out with his friends or spend HIs time shopping at the Jerusalem Mall. He goes out to the people.
Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. (Mark 2:13)
We could take a great deal of time to examine this passage, but suffice it to say that Jesus went to a hated tax collector and invited him into His life. This was so...radical!
Discipleship
Back in the day, the Jewish Model of Discipleship began with children around age 6 in schooling called Beth Shefer where they spent five years memorizing the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. They knew how to “hide God’s Word in their hearts.” How many of you have memorized the first five books of the Bible?
You would think that an 11 or 12 year-old with five books memorized would certainly be prepared for lifelong service to God, but most kids stopped there and returned to the family trade, be it fishing, blacksmith, construction, etc.
A few of the best students continued their education in schooling known as Beth Midrash. There they memorized the rest of the Tanakh (Old Testament). In addition to memorizing the actual text, they learned the different Rabbinic interpretations on the text. This is while they were 10-15 years old!
Most graduates of the program would return home, but the very, very best went to a third school called Beth Talmid. The Rabbi did not look to merely transfer knowledge to his student, but actually transfer his life. The goal was for the student to become the teacher. The young man would travel with the rabbi from age 15 to age 30. The student became a shadow of the rabbi, walking so close with him that they would literally be covered in the dust of the rabbi.
Needless to say, those that survived the 25 year learning process could become rabbis, the highest honor in the culture (like a movie or rock star today!). Discipleship was not simply knowledge transfer, but life transfer. It happened while doing life with the rabbi.
Matthew
Do you see how radical it was for Jesus to choose an ordinary, outcast tax collector like Matthew to follow Him? He did not memorize the Scriptures. He was not on anyone’s most likely to succeed list. Nevertheless, Jesus invites him into His inner circle.
This is how God works!
Consider this: Jacob was a cheater... Peter had a temper... David had an affair...Noah got drunk... Jonah ran from God...Paul was a murderer... Gideon was insecure...Mary was a worrier...Thomas was a doubter...Elijah was moody...Moses stuttered... Zaccheus was short...and Abraham was old...
In fact, Luke records this incident in the book of Acts: “The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13, NLT)
Where Do You Fish?
Maybe you’ve been looking for the perfect person to introduce to Jesus. You know, that really nice, friendly person with good morals and values that everyone likes. You think, they’re so great, but with Jesus, they’d be even better!
That’s not what Jesus did. He approached THAT guy!
Maybe rather than avoiding ordinary people, you avoid others because YOU are so ordinary. Perhaps you think that you’re JUST a stay at home mom, a high school student, an average guy. Ordinary people can do extraordinary things for the Kingdom of God when they follow Jesus!
Getting There
How many of you enjoy vacations? How many of you enjoy long drives or flights to get to your destination?
I often find myself in a place that I enjoy, yet there were obstacles to overcome in order to be there. For example, I love to see the Detroit Tigers, but I have never been a season ticket holder. Why not?
Some of these may seem lame, but the point is I always enjoy the games once I’m seated, but it can require great effort to arrive there.
The same is literally true with fishing, both for fish and for men. It doesn’t happen while you’re on the couch watching TV (or worse, watching a fishing show on TV!). You must go.
Comfort
Let’s face it, some people make us uncomfortable. We might not like their attitude, language, personality, or even their smell! It feels safer to surround yourself with Christians that have similar values and beliefs. Jesus never said to stay in the temple. He didn’t intend for the Church to be a country club for members, but rather a mission outpost. His entire purpose on earth was to “seek and save that which was lost.” One of the three parables He told in Luke 15 tells us that He left the 99 that He had to go after the one lost sheep.
Our text today says
While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:15-17)
Where did He go? He went where the people lived. Today He would probably spend most of His time in coffee shops, night clubs, parks, bus stops, and malls. He went to where people were at. I know of no Scripture that describes Him at home playing video games or even reading a book. In fact, at one point He describes Himself as homeless, spending his time amongst people. His culture was obviously different from ours, but I wonder how many of us would’ve criticized Him.
A hospital is for the sick! The Church was created to reach the sick and transform them into wounded healers that can reach others.
Statistics tell us that the longer someone is a follower of Jesus, the fewer non-Christian friends they have. Some of you have virtually no interaction with the very people we are on the planet to reach! Again, this is not about pressure or force or getting points for yelling and hating people, but it is about preaching the Gospel through your words and deeds, presenting an alternative story that says there is something much greater to live for than money, fame, and power.
A Confession
This part of the message is especially challenging for me. My family, neighborhood, and job is filled with Christians. I have to make a conscious effort to build relationships with non-Christians, and I’ve been working on it. My moonlighting DJ business has given me opportunities to have conversations with spiritual seekers. I spend several hours each week in a coffee shop that serves as my remote office where I’ve been intentionally getting to know the staff and, on occasion, talk with other patrons. I’m hardly a model fisherman, but I’m striving to be.
The Heart of the Matter
I believe the real reason we aren’t more involved in fishing for men is not that we don’t know how (though we’ll talk about that next week) or even that we don’t have the time, it’s that we don’t care. We really don’t love our friends, neighbors, and co-workers enough. Sure, there’s fear of rejection and our own egos and images, but at the core if we really loved others like Jesus does, we’d take more risks, engage in more conversations, and at the very least spend more time praying for the spiritual lives of others.
Conclusion
Where do you spend your time? Who do you spend it with? What pre-Christians can you invite to your graduation party? BBQ?
Presence is everything. Be present in the lives of pre-Christians. Chat with them on Facebook. Grab a cup of coffee with them. Be close to them.
“God became a man and entered the world through a birth canal just like the rest of us. He chose to come to us on our turf, rather then expecting us to rise to His. Jesus preached everywhere that the kingdom of God has come near. He came to seek and to save the lost, and He now invites us to join Him.” –Neil Cole
In the words of the great theologian, Winnie the Pooh,
"You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes." -‐Winnie the Pooh
Credits
Much of this message was created by E.A.C.H., everyone a chance to hear, www.eachtoday.com
You can listen to the podcast here.
Passage, Mark 2:13-17:
Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.
While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Location
They say that the key to real estate is...location, location, location. Any fisherman (or woman) knows that there are good and not so good places to fish. If you’re fishing in a boat and catch nothing, you’re likely to move to another part of the lake or ocean in hopes of finding fish.
I have seen fish jump out of the water, but I have never seen fish jump into a fishing boat! Half of the fun of fishing is going out to where the fish are, right?
We talk a great deal around here about Jesus’ final words, often called the Great Commission. In Matthew 28:18-20 He said
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Did you notice that word “go?”
That might be the most challenging part of fishing.
Jesus Went
Our passage this morning shows Jesus in action. He is not content to merely hang out with his friends or spend HIs time shopping at the Jerusalem Mall. He goes out to the people.
Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. (Mark 2:13)
We could take a great deal of time to examine this passage, but suffice it to say that Jesus went to a hated tax collector and invited him into His life. This was so...radical!
Discipleship
Back in the day, the Jewish Model of Discipleship began with children around age 6 in schooling called Beth Shefer where they spent five years memorizing the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. They knew how to “hide God’s Word in their hearts.” How many of you have memorized the first five books of the Bible?
You would think that an 11 or 12 year-old with five books memorized would certainly be prepared for lifelong service to God, but most kids stopped there and returned to the family trade, be it fishing, blacksmith, construction, etc.
A few of the best students continued their education in schooling known as Beth Midrash. There they memorized the rest of the Tanakh (Old Testament). In addition to memorizing the actual text, they learned the different Rabbinic interpretations on the text. This is while they were 10-15 years old!
Most graduates of the program would return home, but the very, very best went to a third school called Beth Talmid. The Rabbi did not look to merely transfer knowledge to his student, but actually transfer his life. The goal was for the student to become the teacher. The young man would travel with the rabbi from age 15 to age 30. The student became a shadow of the rabbi, walking so close with him that they would literally be covered in the dust of the rabbi.
Needless to say, those that survived the 25 year learning process could become rabbis, the highest honor in the culture (like a movie or rock star today!). Discipleship was not simply knowledge transfer, but life transfer. It happened while doing life with the rabbi.
Matthew
Do you see how radical it was for Jesus to choose an ordinary, outcast tax collector like Matthew to follow Him? He did not memorize the Scriptures. He was not on anyone’s most likely to succeed list. Nevertheless, Jesus invites him into His inner circle.
This is how God works!
Consider this: Jacob was a cheater... Peter had a temper... David had an affair...Noah got drunk... Jonah ran from God...Paul was a murderer... Gideon was insecure...Mary was a worrier...Thomas was a doubter...Elijah was moody...Moses stuttered... Zaccheus was short...and Abraham was old...
In fact, Luke records this incident in the book of Acts: “The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13, NLT)
Where Do You Fish?
Maybe you’ve been looking for the perfect person to introduce to Jesus. You know, that really nice, friendly person with good morals and values that everyone likes. You think, they’re so great, but with Jesus, they’d be even better!
That’s not what Jesus did. He approached THAT guy!
Maybe rather than avoiding ordinary people, you avoid others because YOU are so ordinary. Perhaps you think that you’re JUST a stay at home mom, a high school student, an average guy. Ordinary people can do extraordinary things for the Kingdom of God when they follow Jesus!
Getting There
How many of you enjoy vacations? How many of you enjoy long drives or flights to get to your destination?
I often find myself in a place that I enjoy, yet there were obstacles to overcome in order to be there. For example, I love to see the Detroit Tigers, but I have never been a season ticket holder. Why not?
- cost of tickets
- travel time
- travel expense
- finding companions
- possibility of bad weather
- finding a parking place
- parking expense
- walk to stadium
- walk inside stadium to my seat
Some of these may seem lame, but the point is I always enjoy the games once I’m seated, but it can require great effort to arrive there.
The same is literally true with fishing, both for fish and for men. It doesn’t happen while you’re on the couch watching TV (or worse, watching a fishing show on TV!). You must go.
Comfort
Let’s face it, some people make us uncomfortable. We might not like their attitude, language, personality, or even their smell! It feels safer to surround yourself with Christians that have similar values and beliefs. Jesus never said to stay in the temple. He didn’t intend for the Church to be a country club for members, but rather a mission outpost. His entire purpose on earth was to “seek and save that which was lost.” One of the three parables He told in Luke 15 tells us that He left the 99 that He had to go after the one lost sheep.
Our text today says
While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:15-17)
Where did He go? He went where the people lived. Today He would probably spend most of His time in coffee shops, night clubs, parks, bus stops, and malls. He went to where people were at. I know of no Scripture that describes Him at home playing video games or even reading a book. In fact, at one point He describes Himself as homeless, spending his time amongst people. His culture was obviously different from ours, but I wonder how many of us would’ve criticized Him.
A hospital is for the sick! The Church was created to reach the sick and transform them into wounded healers that can reach others.
Statistics tell us that the longer someone is a follower of Jesus, the fewer non-Christian friends they have. Some of you have virtually no interaction with the very people we are on the planet to reach! Again, this is not about pressure or force or getting points for yelling and hating people, but it is about preaching the Gospel through your words and deeds, presenting an alternative story that says there is something much greater to live for than money, fame, and power.
A Confession
This part of the message is especially challenging for me. My family, neighborhood, and job is filled with Christians. I have to make a conscious effort to build relationships with non-Christians, and I’ve been working on it. My moonlighting DJ business has given me opportunities to have conversations with spiritual seekers. I spend several hours each week in a coffee shop that serves as my remote office where I’ve been intentionally getting to know the staff and, on occasion, talk with other patrons. I’m hardly a model fisherman, but I’m striving to be.
The Heart of the Matter
I believe the real reason we aren’t more involved in fishing for men is not that we don’t know how (though we’ll talk about that next week) or even that we don’t have the time, it’s that we don’t care. We really don’t love our friends, neighbors, and co-workers enough. Sure, there’s fear of rejection and our own egos and images, but at the core if we really loved others like Jesus does, we’d take more risks, engage in more conversations, and at the very least spend more time praying for the spiritual lives of others.
Conclusion
Where do you spend your time? Who do you spend it with? What pre-Christians can you invite to your graduation party? BBQ?
Presence is everything. Be present in the lives of pre-Christians. Chat with them on Facebook. Grab a cup of coffee with them. Be close to them.
“God became a man and entered the world through a birth canal just like the rest of us. He chose to come to us on our turf, rather then expecting us to rise to His. Jesus preached everywhere that the kingdom of God has come near. He came to seek and to save the lost, and He now invites us to join Him.” –Neil Cole
In the words of the great theologian, Winnie the Pooh,
"You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes." -‐Winnie the Pooh
Credits
Much of this message was created by E.A.C.H., everyone a chance to hear, www.eachtoday.com
You can listen to the podcast here.
Why Fish, 18 March 2012
03 04 12
Big Idea: Fishing (for men and women) is joining God on His mission to seek and save the lost.
To really understand the idea of spiritual fishing, we need take a look at our mission at Scio Community Church:
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
- serving our communities
- sharing our story
- sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
This is the reason we exist—to follow the Great Commandment (love God and your neighbor) and fulfill the great commission which involves Jesus’ final command in Matthew 28:18-20
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Go..make disciples...of all nations. That’s the command. Put another way...go fish!!!
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” (Matthew 4:18-19)
Notice the three verbs in that last sentence.
Come.
Follow.
Send.
We are to go and be people of action. We are to love God, love our neighbors, and make disciples of all nations.
Today’s question is, “Why Fish?”
For many of you, you’re already bored. You’re thinking, “Been there, done that. Here’s another series on evangelism where we feel guilty for not getting everyone “saved” when I have my own doubts and questions and fears and don’t even know how to, uh, fish.”
Brothers and sisters, fishing is what Scio is about. It’s what Jesus is about. We’re on a mission...from God! If you’re actively engaged in the mission, great! I’d love to hear your stories. We’d all love to hear your stories. If not, let me remind you of THE story, His story. Our story. It’s pretty simple, actually, but we need to go back to the beginning!
It all began in a beautiful garden. He created an amazing planet for us to enjoy. Then He created man and woman. Then sin entered the world, first through a piece of fruit, and later through murder, deceit, and every imaginable sin. Death, violence, separation, and wickedness fill the earth and defile the image of God in man.
The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. (Genesis 6:5)
He establishes a covenant with a man name Abraham (Genesis 12:1-‐3). He promises to bless all the peoples of the world through the seed of Abraham. We discover that God chooses his people by grace (not by any merit of their own) (Deuteronomy 7:7-‐9) God rescues His people from slavery/oppression (Exodus 3:7) God gives the law/sacrificial system to show Israel how to live with him as their God (Deuteronomy 30:19) Israel was to be a people who display God’s glory to the nations (Isaiah 49:6).
They rebel again and live in their own ways (the definition of sin)—doing what was right in their own eyes. This cycle continues throughout the Old Testament (Isaiah 53:6; Judges 21:25; Jeremiah 2:12)
To summarize, Hugh Halter said, “Though the majority of the Old Testament focuses on God’s work with the Jewish people, spaced strategically throughout are windows to God’s larger redemptive plan with outsiders.”
The Old Testament is often viewed as more harsh than the New. We see God’s wrath and anger when the people of Israel rebel.
As we’ve been reading, God keeps HIs promises. He said to the Israelites, “Obey Me and be blessed, disobey and be cursed.”
God’s story is all about outreach, second chances, grace, and redemption. It’s also very inclusive. Jesus came not only for the Jews, but He radically loved Gentiles, too, infuriating the Jewish leaders of His day.
After 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testaments, God sends a Savior.
Hugh Halter, again, says, ““Like the first sprout of a beautiful tulip emerging from the dark, cold days of winter, God’s story of blessing pokes out of the ground again.”
John 3:16 famously tells us that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Jesus enters our world. At just the right time God puts his plan of reconciliation and redemption into action. Jesus is born of a virgin (fully human and fully God) (Matthew 1:22; John 1:1,14). He is baptized (identified with sinful humanity) (Matthew 3:13), led by the Spirit (Matthew 4:1), tempted (Matthew 4:10), lived a perfect life (He did what Adam didn’t do by overcoming the tempter and living a life of faith/trust), became a substitutionary atonement (John 1:29), offers forgiveness of sins (Luke 5:20), was crucified, raised from the dead, and declares Himself to be Lord over all (Matthew 28:18-‐20).
Halter again writes, “Are you beginning to see how these stories fit together? God’s plan to bless, reach, include, adopt, reclaim, and redeem has not been abandoned or forgotten. It is about to touch down in every neighborhood, village, and town.”
But why fish? It’s all because God invites us to join Him on mission. It’s not a burden, but a privilege.
In a few months, athletes from all over the world will represent their nation in London for the Olympics. They don’t have to. It’s an honor. Jesus passed the baton to His disciples who over the past 2000 years have passed it to us.
Jesus commissions his disciples to join Him on this incredible mission of reconciliation and restoration (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:18-‐20). His church will be made up of men and women from every tribe, tongue, people, and language (Revelation 5:9). The church has been commissioned to bring the blessing (gospel) of God to all the peoples of the earth in fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12:1-‐3). The disciples of Christ wait for the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14), the Holy Spirit is sent to empower the church for the mission (Acts 1:8), the gospel is proclaimed (Acts 2:36), the church multiplies, is scattered, and the gospel message spreads throughout the known world awaiting the return of King Jesus who bring full and final judgment and restoration.
Do you see it? Can you step back and see the greater picture? The beautiful mosaic that is the Word of God in its fullness. Do you see what God is calling us to be as HIS church? Do you see that you are a part of the on going story of God?
We are a church on mission because we serve a God on mission. God is calling us to join Him on the incredible mission to reconcile all things back to Himself through Christ! Peter made this declaration...
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)
“The church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, and sermons...are simply a waste of time. God became a Man for no other purpose.” - C.S. Lewis
Credits
Much of this message was created by E.A.C.H., everyone a chance to hear, www.eachtoday.com
You can listen to the podcast here.
To really understand the idea of spiritual fishing, we need take a look at our mission at Scio Community Church:
We exist to fulfill the Great Commission and follow the Great Commandment by
- serving our communities
- sharing our story
- sending disciples to bless the nations
so that God is glorified.
This is the reason we exist—to follow the Great Commandment (love God and your neighbor) and fulfill the great commission which involves Jesus’ final command in Matthew 28:18-20
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Go..make disciples...of all nations. That’s the command. Put another way...go fish!!!
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” (Matthew 4:18-19)
Notice the three verbs in that last sentence.
Come.
Follow.
Send.
We are to go and be people of action. We are to love God, love our neighbors, and make disciples of all nations.
Today’s question is, “Why Fish?”
For many of you, you’re already bored. You’re thinking, “Been there, done that. Here’s another series on evangelism where we feel guilty for not getting everyone “saved” when I have my own doubts and questions and fears and don’t even know how to, uh, fish.”
Brothers and sisters, fishing is what Scio is about. It’s what Jesus is about. We’re on a mission...from God! If you’re actively engaged in the mission, great! I’d love to hear your stories. We’d all love to hear your stories. If not, let me remind you of THE story, His story. Our story. It’s pretty simple, actually, but we need to go back to the beginning!
It all began in a beautiful garden. He created an amazing planet for us to enjoy. Then He created man and woman. Then sin entered the world, first through a piece of fruit, and later through murder, deceit, and every imaginable sin. Death, violence, separation, and wickedness fill the earth and defile the image of God in man.
The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. (Genesis 6:5)
He establishes a covenant with a man name Abraham (Genesis 12:1-‐3). He promises to bless all the peoples of the world through the seed of Abraham. We discover that God chooses his people by grace (not by any merit of their own) (Deuteronomy 7:7-‐9) God rescues His people from slavery/oppression (Exodus 3:7) God gives the law/sacrificial system to show Israel how to live with him as their God (Deuteronomy 30:19) Israel was to be a people who display God’s glory to the nations (Isaiah 49:6).
They rebel again and live in their own ways (the definition of sin)—doing what was right in their own eyes. This cycle continues throughout the Old Testament (Isaiah 53:6; Judges 21:25; Jeremiah 2:12)
To summarize, Hugh Halter said, “Though the majority of the Old Testament focuses on God’s work with the Jewish people, spaced strategically throughout are windows to God’s larger redemptive plan with outsiders.”
The Old Testament is often viewed as more harsh than the New. We see God’s wrath and anger when the people of Israel rebel.
As we’ve been reading, God keeps HIs promises. He said to the Israelites, “Obey Me and be blessed, disobey and be cursed.”
God’s story is all about outreach, second chances, grace, and redemption. It’s also very inclusive. Jesus came not only for the Jews, but He radically loved Gentiles, too, infuriating the Jewish leaders of His day.
After 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testaments, God sends a Savior.
Hugh Halter, again, says, ““Like the first sprout of a beautiful tulip emerging from the dark, cold days of winter, God’s story of blessing pokes out of the ground again.”
John 3:16 famously tells us that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Jesus enters our world. At just the right time God puts his plan of reconciliation and redemption into action. Jesus is born of a virgin (fully human and fully God) (Matthew 1:22; John 1:1,14). He is baptized (identified with sinful humanity) (Matthew 3:13), led by the Spirit (Matthew 4:1), tempted (Matthew 4:10), lived a perfect life (He did what Adam didn’t do by overcoming the tempter and living a life of faith/trust), became a substitutionary atonement (John 1:29), offers forgiveness of sins (Luke 5:20), was crucified, raised from the dead, and declares Himself to be Lord over all (Matthew 28:18-‐20).
Halter again writes, “Are you beginning to see how these stories fit together? God’s plan to bless, reach, include, adopt, reclaim, and redeem has not been abandoned or forgotten. It is about to touch down in every neighborhood, village, and town.”
But why fish? It’s all because God invites us to join Him on mission. It’s not a burden, but a privilege.
In a few months, athletes from all over the world will represent their nation in London for the Olympics. They don’t have to. It’s an honor. Jesus passed the baton to His disciples who over the past 2000 years have passed it to us.
Jesus commissions his disciples to join Him on this incredible mission of reconciliation and restoration (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:18-‐20). His church will be made up of men and women from every tribe, tongue, people, and language (Revelation 5:9). The church has been commissioned to bring the blessing (gospel) of God to all the peoples of the earth in fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12:1-‐3). The disciples of Christ wait for the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14), the Holy Spirit is sent to empower the church for the mission (Acts 1:8), the gospel is proclaimed (Acts 2:36), the church multiplies, is scattered, and the gospel message spreads throughout the known world awaiting the return of King Jesus who bring full and final judgment and restoration.
Do you see it? Can you step back and see the greater picture? The beautiful mosaic that is the Word of God in its fullness. Do you see what God is calling us to be as HIS church? Do you see that you are a part of the on going story of God?
We are a church on mission because we serve a God on mission. God is calling us to join Him on the incredible mission to reconcile all things back to Himself through Christ! Peter made this declaration...
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)
“The church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, and sermons...are simply a waste of time. God became a Man for no other purpose.” - C.S. Lewis
Credits
Much of this message was created by E.A.C.H., everyone a chance to hear, www.eachtoday.com
You can listen to the podcast here.
It All Belongs To God
13 03 12
Big Idea: Money brings happiness...for a while. We need to pursue that which brings true satisfaction—Jesus.
Introduction
Money seems to be on everyone’s mind this time of year. My vision for the series was to address the subject of money between the Christmas credit card bills and taxes. How many of you have done your taxes?
Actually, money seems to be on our minds throughout the year. The news is filled with economic news, recession statistics, fluctuating gas prices, get-rich-quick schemes, big sales at the mall, investment strategies, charity fundraising, mortgage refinancing, savings accounts, Groupons and Living Social deals,…
Money is not a newly-popular topic. Jesus said more about money than heaven and hell combined!
Why?
Our culture says that money will make you happy, and being happy is the ultimate goal. You’re heard that he who dies with the most toys wins, right?!
Does money buy happiness? Yes...for a while. Think about it. Do you remember how you felt when you got that first paycheck, the raise, an unexpected check in the mail, a gift of cash for your birthday, ... It feels great to get money!
Some people have a negative attitude toward money. They think it’s the root of all evil. Money itself is not a problem. It is a tool like time, talents, our bodies, technology, and other resources that can be used for good or not so good purposes. 1 Timothy 6:10a says
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
We are to be good stewards of the gifts that we have been given. Make no mistake—we have been given much.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)
Stewardship is wisely using those gifts.
But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:48)
Tithing
If you were looking for a guilt-inducing message today on giving, you may be disappointed. We are not in the middle of a building campaign. There is no thermometer on the wall that we are filling to reach a goal. Our church budget is not even in great trouble. There’s no hidden agenda for this series except to help you use money well.
Often churches talk about tithing. Tithing literally means 10%. Its history dates back to Abraham giving ten percent of his wealth to Melchizedek the priest after receiving a blessing in Genesis 14:18-20.
Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth.
And praise be to God Most High,
who delivered your enemies into your hand.”
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (Genesis 14:18-20)
Following, there are multiple Old Testament references to giving God ten percent. Many Christians are taught to give God ten percent of their income.
Were you taught as children to give God ten percent? One commonly taught formula is give 10%, save 10%, and keep 80%. There’s just one problem. 100% is God’s!
An Experiment
Several years ago I gave a message about stewardship and each person in attendance received an envelope with cash. I’m sorry, today is not that day! Each person received a different amount, some $5, some $10, and others $20 since God distributes gifts differently. We all have different talents, strengths, incomes, intellect, etc.
The purpose of the cash was not to buy everyone drinks at Starbucks, but instead to challenge each person to do something with God’s money and report back on how they used it to bless others, to invest in the Kingdom of God. One friend of mine who received a $20 bill told me he was really struggling with what to do with “God’s money.” I told him to take his decision seriously, but to also recognize that every dollar in his wallet, bank account, and retirement account also belonged to God.
Everything we have belongs to God. He is just loaning it to us.
Some of you faithfully give 10% of your income to Scio Community Church, which is great. We have to pay to keep the lights on, support missionaries, feed the pastor’s kids (!), ... but for some of you, 10% is nowhere near enough. While it is true that Jesus didn’t mention tithing explicitly, He always took the Old Testament commands and made them more challenging, not less.
In fact, He summarized God’s view of money quite succinctly when He said
Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12:33)
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Note: that phrase is also recorded in Matthew 6:21.
Where is your treasure? Is it in your 401k? Your garage? Your house? Your electronic gadgets?
Those things are fun. They make us happy...until they break, go out of style, get replaced by a better one, or cause us yearning for more.
I want to challenge you to be more generous. I didn’t say give more money to Scio—we already took the offering! I want to challenge you to earn more and spend less on yourself. We talked at Christmastime about not only special opportunities to change the world through providing clean water overseas and food through Hope Clinic locally, but also the Radical Experiment, sacrificially giving our money for a specific purpose.
Did you catch that word—sacrificially? For many of us, 10% is not a sacrifice. We give Lansing and Washington far more than that! If you make $100,000 a year, you can probably live off $90,000 okay! There are many wealthy people that give 90% and live off 10%.
For some of you, you’re not even close to 10%. What are you waiting for? More income? The beauty of tithing is it’s a percent, not an amount. Kids, begin by tithing your allowance, but don’t stop at 10%. Remember, it is all God’s! Every dime! Be generous!
Why?
Paul wrote to his protege’, Timothy, and said
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time —God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:6-16)
Conclusion
Money can make us happy, but only for a while. When we see our lives as conduits of blessing with money rather than containers to hold onto riches, we will experience true contentment and joy.
The first two commandments—no other Gods and no idols—speak directly to our temptation to love money. Those commands were not an ego trip for God. He knew that money and wealth and toys will not last. We will always want more.
Our pursuit of an all-powerful, ever-present, all-knowing, ever-creative God will bring peace, joy, and satisfaction like nothing in this world.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Introduction
Money seems to be on everyone’s mind this time of year. My vision for the series was to address the subject of money between the Christmas credit card bills and taxes. How many of you have done your taxes?
Actually, money seems to be on our minds throughout the year. The news is filled with economic news, recession statistics, fluctuating gas prices, get-rich-quick schemes, big sales at the mall, investment strategies, charity fundraising, mortgage refinancing, savings accounts, Groupons and Living Social deals,…
Money is not a newly-popular topic. Jesus said more about money than heaven and hell combined!
Why?
Our culture says that money will make you happy, and being happy is the ultimate goal. You’re heard that he who dies with the most toys wins, right?!
Does money buy happiness? Yes...for a while. Think about it. Do you remember how you felt when you got that first paycheck, the raise, an unexpected check in the mail, a gift of cash for your birthday, ... It feels great to get money!
Some people have a negative attitude toward money. They think it’s the root of all evil. Money itself is not a problem. It is a tool like time, talents, our bodies, technology, and other resources that can be used for good or not so good purposes. 1 Timothy 6:10a says
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
We are to be good stewards of the gifts that we have been given. Make no mistake—we have been given much.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)
Stewardship is wisely using those gifts.
But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:48)
Tithing
If you were looking for a guilt-inducing message today on giving, you may be disappointed. We are not in the middle of a building campaign. There is no thermometer on the wall that we are filling to reach a goal. Our church budget is not even in great trouble. There’s no hidden agenda for this series except to help you use money well.
Often churches talk about tithing. Tithing literally means 10%. Its history dates back to Abraham giving ten percent of his wealth to Melchizedek the priest after receiving a blessing in Genesis 14:18-20.
Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth.
And praise be to God Most High,
who delivered your enemies into your hand.”
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (Genesis 14:18-20)
Following, there are multiple Old Testament references to giving God ten percent. Many Christians are taught to give God ten percent of their income.
Were you taught as children to give God ten percent? One commonly taught formula is give 10%, save 10%, and keep 80%. There’s just one problem. 100% is God’s!
An Experiment
Several years ago I gave a message about stewardship and each person in attendance received an envelope with cash. I’m sorry, today is not that day! Each person received a different amount, some $5, some $10, and others $20 since God distributes gifts differently. We all have different talents, strengths, incomes, intellect, etc.
The purpose of the cash was not to buy everyone drinks at Starbucks, but instead to challenge each person to do something with God’s money and report back on how they used it to bless others, to invest in the Kingdom of God. One friend of mine who received a $20 bill told me he was really struggling with what to do with “God’s money.” I told him to take his decision seriously, but to also recognize that every dollar in his wallet, bank account, and retirement account also belonged to God.
Everything we have belongs to God. He is just loaning it to us.
Some of you faithfully give 10% of your income to Scio Community Church, which is great. We have to pay to keep the lights on, support missionaries, feed the pastor’s kids (!), ... but for some of you, 10% is nowhere near enough. While it is true that Jesus didn’t mention tithing explicitly, He always took the Old Testament commands and made them more challenging, not less.
In fact, He summarized God’s view of money quite succinctly when He said
Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12:33)
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Note: that phrase is also recorded in Matthew 6:21.
Where is your treasure? Is it in your 401k? Your garage? Your house? Your electronic gadgets?
Those things are fun. They make us happy...until they break, go out of style, get replaced by a better one, or cause us yearning for more.
I want to challenge you to be more generous. I didn’t say give more money to Scio—we already took the offering! I want to challenge you to earn more and spend less on yourself. We talked at Christmastime about not only special opportunities to change the world through providing clean water overseas and food through Hope Clinic locally, but also the Radical Experiment, sacrificially giving our money for a specific purpose.
Did you catch that word—sacrificially? For many of us, 10% is not a sacrifice. We give Lansing and Washington far more than that! If you make $100,000 a year, you can probably live off $90,000 okay! There are many wealthy people that give 90% and live off 10%.
For some of you, you’re not even close to 10%. What are you waiting for? More income? The beauty of tithing is it’s a percent, not an amount. Kids, begin by tithing your allowance, but don’t stop at 10%. Remember, it is all God’s! Every dime! Be generous!
Why?
- God commands it.
- It feels great.
- It blesses others.
- It destroys the money monster that says you need more.
- It is an eternal investment, storing up treasures in heaven
Paul wrote to his protege’, Timothy, and said
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time —God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:6-16)
Conclusion
Money can make us happy, but only for a while. When we see our lives as conduits of blessing with money rather than containers to hold onto riches, we will experience true contentment and joy.
The first two commandments—no other Gods and no idols—speak directly to our temptation to love money. Those commands were not an ego trip for God. He knew that money and wealth and toys will not last. We will always want more.
Our pursuit of an all-powerful, ever-present, all-knowing, ever-creative God will bring peace, joy, and satisfaction like nothing in this world.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Develop A Rule Of Life, 19 February 2012
21 02 12
Theme
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzero’s book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The 7 Pathways
1. Know Yourself that You May Know God
2. Going Back in Order to Go Forward
3. Journey Through the Wall
4. Enlarge Your Soul Through Grief and Loss
5. Discover the Rhythms of the Daily Office and Sabbath
6. Grow into an Emotionally Mature Adult
7. Take the Next Step to Develop a “Rule of Life.”
Most people live off of the spirituality of others. We use prayer to get God to serve us.
Os Guinness – The American Hour (adapted)
We are a part of the most powerful civilization that the world has ever known. We are about
- Information (not formation)
- Convenience
- Options
- Time maximization (people overloaded/anxious)
- Comfort
- Feeling good
- Happiness
- Independence
- Entertainment
- Instant gratification
- Skepticism
- Image, Style – (Beauty)
- Control
Summary: Narcissistic; it’s all about me!
From community to individualism
From authority to preference
From Jesus’ claims to all religions considered
The western Church is declining as there are few differences between how Christians and non-Christians live their lives.
There are pockets of radical followers of Jesus that are on a mission to transform the culture rather than be transformed by it.
Three anchors that can help us get centered on God are the Daily Office, Sabbath, and a Rule of Life.
The goal of disciplines is not the disciplines. That’s legalism. The goal is to develop your relationship with God in order to love God and love others.
“RULE” of LIFE
from the Greek word “trellis”
- a tool to help you grow upward and outward
- a framework or structure to help enable us continually pay attention to God and keep Him the center of our lives
Throughout history, people gathered together in communities around a rule of life. Some were as large as 5000 people in the Egyptian desert. A group of people known as the Desert Fathers were among the God-seekers.
Acts 2:42-3:1
This is the trellis or framework for the early church.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)
One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer — at three in the afternoon. (Acts 3:1)
“Devoted” to
1. Apostle’s Teaching
We’re a school of the LORD’s service. We are under the Scriptures.
2. Fellowship (Greek: “sharing”)
A new family/community is formed. Following Jesus is not an individual experience.
3. Breaking of Bread
They did it corporately and at home.
4. Prayer
a. Talking to God
b. Listening to God
c. Being with God
Intentionality
The early church was intentional. It has difficult. It required sacrifice. Many became martyrs. Their entire lives were God. They were breaking away from the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Growth does not occur automatically. The one thing that occurs naturally in nature is weeds. The one thing that occurs naturally within us is sin.
This is about resetting your entire life.
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)
A Sample Rule of Life:
PRAYER
a. Scripture (through the Bible in a year; lectio divina, memorization)
b. Silence and Solitude
c. Daily Office (the Divine Hours, Psalms, Book of Common Prayer)
d. Study (reading, learning, exploring)
REST
e. Sabbath
f. Simplicity
g. Play and Recreation (fun!)
ACTIVITY
h. Service and Mission
i. Care for the Physical Body
RELATIONSHIPS
j. Emotional Health
k. Family
l. Community (Companions for your journey)
What is your next step?
It must be a heart thing, not a to-do list.
“Your way of acting should be different from the world’s way. The love of Christ must come before all else.” -Benedict
Luke 18:9-14
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men — robbers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ (Luke 18:9-12)
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ (Luke 18:13)
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)
Are you growing in your love for your enemies?
The goal of a rule of life is a heart transformation, not self-righteous behavior. It’s a journey, not a destination.
What is your trellis? What is your plan to follow Jesus? What are your next steps?
God, not my will, but Yours!
You can listen to the podcast here.
Note: many ideas derived from Peter Scazzero’s book Emotionally Healthy Spirituailty.
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzero’s book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The 7 Pathways
1. Know Yourself that You May Know God
2. Going Back in Order to Go Forward
3. Journey Through the Wall
4. Enlarge Your Soul Through Grief and Loss
5. Discover the Rhythms of the Daily Office and Sabbath
6. Grow into an Emotionally Mature Adult
7. Take the Next Step to Develop a “Rule of Life.”
Most people live off of the spirituality of others. We use prayer to get God to serve us.
Os Guinness – The American Hour (adapted)
We are a part of the most powerful civilization that the world has ever known. We are about
- Information (not formation)
- Convenience
- Options
- Time maximization (people overloaded/anxious)
- Comfort
- Feeling good
- Happiness
- Independence
- Entertainment
- Instant gratification
- Skepticism
- Image, Style – (Beauty)
- Control
Summary: Narcissistic; it’s all about me!
From community to individualism
From authority to preference
From Jesus’ claims to all religions considered
The western Church is declining as there are few differences between how Christians and non-Christians live their lives.
There are pockets of radical followers of Jesus that are on a mission to transform the culture rather than be transformed by it.
Three anchors that can help us get centered on God are the Daily Office, Sabbath, and a Rule of Life.
The goal of disciplines is not the disciplines. That’s legalism. The goal is to develop your relationship with God in order to love God and love others.
“RULE” of LIFE
from the Greek word “trellis”
- a tool to help you grow upward and outward
- a framework or structure to help enable us continually pay attention to God and keep Him the center of our lives
Throughout history, people gathered together in communities around a rule of life. Some were as large as 5000 people in the Egyptian desert. A group of people known as the Desert Fathers were among the God-seekers.
Acts 2:42-3:1
This is the trellis or framework for the early church.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)
One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer — at three in the afternoon. (Acts 3:1)
“Devoted” to
1. Apostle’s Teaching
We’re a school of the LORD’s service. We are under the Scriptures.
2. Fellowship (Greek: “sharing”)
A new family/community is formed. Following Jesus is not an individual experience.
3. Breaking of Bread
They did it corporately and at home.
4. Prayer
a. Talking to God
b. Listening to God
c. Being with God
Intentionality
The early church was intentional. It has difficult. It required sacrifice. Many became martyrs. Their entire lives were God. They were breaking away from the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Growth does not occur automatically. The one thing that occurs naturally in nature is weeds. The one thing that occurs naturally within us is sin.
This is about resetting your entire life.
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)
A Sample Rule of Life:
PRAYER
a. Scripture (through the Bible in a year; lectio divina, memorization)
b. Silence and Solitude
c. Daily Office (the Divine Hours, Psalms, Book of Common Prayer)
d. Study (reading, learning, exploring)
REST
e. Sabbath
f. Simplicity
g. Play and Recreation (fun!)
ACTIVITY
h. Service and Mission
i. Care for the Physical Body
RELATIONSHIPS
j. Emotional Health
k. Family
l. Community (Companions for your journey)
What is your next step?
It must be a heart thing, not a to-do list.
“Your way of acting should be different from the world’s way. The love of Christ must come before all else.” -Benedict
Luke 18:9-14
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men — robbers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ (Luke 18:9-12)
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ (Luke 18:13)
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)
Are you growing in your love for your enemies?
The goal of a rule of life is a heart transformation, not self-righteous behavior. It’s a journey, not a destination.
What is your trellis? What is your plan to follow Jesus? What are your next steps?
God, not my will, but Yours!
You can listen to the podcast here.
Note: many ideas derived from Peter Scazzero’s book Emotionally Healthy Spirituailty.
Grow Into An Emotionally Mature Adult, 12 February 2012
12 02 12
Theme
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzero’s book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea
The sixth pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to grow into an emotionally mature adult.
Love
What is love?
Martin Buber has said that as we become emotionally mature, we experience each person as sacred (including ourselves), viewing them as a “Thou” and not “it.”
Loving well is the goal of the Christian life.
The Good Samaritan—Luke 10:25-37
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25)
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” (Luke 10:26)
He answered: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27)
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” (Luke 10:28)
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29)
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ (Luke 10:30-35)
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” (Luke 10:36)
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37)
Different Parts/Components of Who We Are
Emotional
Physical
Intellectual
Social
Spiritual
Becoming a follower of Jesus does not instantly transform every area of our lives.
Two Myths
1. When I accept Christ and He comes to live inside me, growing into an emotionally mature adult is natural.
2. Christian’s ability to love those around them is qualitatively different than those outside the church.
Emotional Maturity
Emotional maturity could be defined as loving well. Are you a good lover?
Infant
-- feels a need, but can only cry
-- must wait for parents to figure it out
-- becomes angry if parent is inattentive
Child
-- can communicate but still dependent on others
-- acts out feelings of pain, fear and resentment
-- lacks skill to openly discuss and negotiate getting needs met
Adolescent
-- rebels against parental authority
-- defines self in reaction to others, fears being treated as “child”
-- “don’t tell me what to do”
Adult as Emotional Infant
-- treats others as “objects to meet my needs”
-- acts like tyrant and wins through intimidation
-- unable to empathize with others
Adult as Emotional Child
-- acts out resentment through distance, pouting, whining, clinging, lying, withholding,
appeasing, lying.
-- does not openly and honestly express needs
Adult as Emotional Adolescent
-- cannot give without feeling controlled or resentful
-- capacity for mutual concern is missing
-- defensive, threatened by criticism
Adult
1. Able to ask for what they need, want, prefer – clearly, directly, honestly, respectfully.
2. Desire for relationships to win. Seeks win-win situations.
3. Able to listen with empathy.
4. Willing to risk saying what is needed without attacking.
5. Respects others without having to change them.
6. Able to resolve conflicts maturely and negotiate solutions.
7. Gives themselves and others room to make mistakes and not be perfect.
God’s Top Two
There are two primary commands in Scripture
a. love God
b. love others
Neighbor
The key question in the story involves the definition of one’s neighbor. Most people seek good neighbors when they move into a house. We want to be surrounded by people who are nice and safe. It obvious that the expert in the law had a narrow definition of neighbor. The biblical command was simple:
“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:18)
The Hebrew word is “rea” which means neighbor, friend, companion, or associate.
Jesus blows his mind with His definition of neighbor, the central argument of the story.
The Good Samaritan
The road traveled in this story descends about 3300 feet over a seventeen-mile path through desert and rocky country. Jericho was home to many religious leaders. Why did the priest and Levite walk on the other side of the road? Have you ever done such a thing to another person, not literally, perhaps, but figuratively?
The priest and the Levite have disconnected loving God and loving others. They knew the Bible and paraded religion, but their hearts were hard. They passed by.
The Samaritan takes pity. He is moved. The real scandal of this story is that Samaritans were viewed as second-class citizens by the Jews. The Talmud says that he who eats bread with a Samaritan is like the one who eats the flesh of pigs.
Who do you hate? Who do you know that is going to Hell?
The Samaritan is moved with deep compassion and he responds. Jesus tells us to “go and do likewise.”
Note that the Samaritan has enough self-awareness and self-respect to continue his own journey, yet still manages to serve the man in need. He delegates some of the care but provides the resources. We are all given many resources—time, talents, treasures, relationships—that can be leveraged to serve others.
Perspective
You and I are the person on the side of the road and Jesus is the One who had mercy on us, forgave us, gave His life for us, and rescued us. We are here by the grace of God.
Two Applications:
1. Become aware of your family of origin’s capability for emotional connection
Many families invested in our education, physical health, or even spiritual knowledge. Many fail to invest in our emotional maturity. Can you recall being comforted as a child after a time of emotional distress? Think of a time when one of your parents/caregivers comforted you when you were really upset, scared or sad for some reason?
The goal is not to find fault with our parents, but to ruthlessly face the truth of our upbringing in order to deal with issues from our past.
1. Did you learn to trust?
2. Did you learn to respect others?
3. Did you learn to wait and to take turns?
4. Did your parents/caregivers understand your behavior?
5. Were your feelings allowed?
6. Were you allowed to be the child?
7. Did you learn independence and dependence?
2. Take practical steps of discipleship to grow into an emotionally mature adult
It can be terrifying. Some of us do not even know how to feel. Where do we start?
We must follow the path of Abraham, leaving our pasts and families and cultures (the bad stuff) and turning to God. This is impossible apart from God.
We must repent (turn away) from our past and then move forward.
If you want to run a marathon, you must train and build up to it over time. Becoming an emotionally healthy adult requires baby steps.
Discipleship is a lifelong journey. It is hard. It takes time. It is worth it!
The alternative is living your life as a prisoner of your past.
We should love the best because we are loved the best.
“Being listened to is so close to feeling loved that for the average person they are indistinguishable.” -David Augsburger
We need to practice the presence of God (see book by Brother Lawrence) and practice the presence of people.
We are born sinful and selfish, but when we die to ourselves and allow Jesus Christ to live in and through us, we are able to love others the way Jesus loves us.
Paul said,
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8)
Fill In The Blank
I really appreciate ______________.
I really hope _________________.
Questions for Discussion
What does this text tell us about God?
What does this text tell us about ourselves?
Who do you love? Who do you hate?
How is it possible that we can love God and not our neighbor? Or is it possible?
Do you use people to get things or use things to serve people?
What would it look like for you to treat every human being as a “Thou,” created in God’s image with dignity, value and worth?
How would our world be different if everyone loved their neighbor?
Do you treat people differently on their birthday? What if you treated everyone as if every day was their birthday?
You can listen to the podcast here.
Note: many ideas derived from Peter Scazzero’s book Emotionally Healthy Spirituailty.
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzero’s book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea
The sixth pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to grow into an emotionally mature adult.
Love
What is love?
Martin Buber has said that as we become emotionally mature, we experience each person as sacred (including ourselves), viewing them as a “Thou” and not “it.”
Loving well is the goal of the Christian life.
The Good Samaritan—Luke 10:25-37
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25)
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” (Luke 10:26)
He answered: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27)
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” (Luke 10:28)
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29)
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ (Luke 10:30-35)
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” (Luke 10:36)
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37)
Different Parts/Components of Who We Are
Emotional
Physical
Intellectual
Social
Spiritual
Becoming a follower of Jesus does not instantly transform every area of our lives.
Two Myths
1. When I accept Christ and He comes to live inside me, growing into an emotionally mature adult is natural.
2. Christian’s ability to love those around them is qualitatively different than those outside the church.
Emotional Maturity
Emotional maturity could be defined as loving well. Are you a good lover?
Infant
-- feels a need, but can only cry
-- must wait for parents to figure it out
-- becomes angry if parent is inattentive
Child
-- can communicate but still dependent on others
-- acts out feelings of pain, fear and resentment
-- lacks skill to openly discuss and negotiate getting needs met
Adolescent
-- rebels against parental authority
-- defines self in reaction to others, fears being treated as “child”
-- “don’t tell me what to do”
Adult as Emotional Infant
-- treats others as “objects to meet my needs”
-- acts like tyrant and wins through intimidation
-- unable to empathize with others
Adult as Emotional Child
-- acts out resentment through distance, pouting, whining, clinging, lying, withholding,
appeasing, lying.
-- does not openly and honestly express needs
Adult as Emotional Adolescent
-- cannot give without feeling controlled or resentful
-- capacity for mutual concern is missing
-- defensive, threatened by criticism
Adult
1. Able to ask for what they need, want, prefer – clearly, directly, honestly, respectfully.
2. Desire for relationships to win. Seeks win-win situations.
3. Able to listen with empathy.
4. Willing to risk saying what is needed without attacking.
5. Respects others without having to change them.
6. Able to resolve conflicts maturely and negotiate solutions.
7. Gives themselves and others room to make mistakes and not be perfect.
God’s Top Two
There are two primary commands in Scripture
a. love God
b. love others
Neighbor
The key question in the story involves the definition of one’s neighbor. Most people seek good neighbors when they move into a house. We want to be surrounded by people who are nice and safe. It obvious that the expert in the law had a narrow definition of neighbor. The biblical command was simple:
“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:18)
The Hebrew word is “rea” which means neighbor, friend, companion, or associate.
Jesus blows his mind with His definition of neighbor, the central argument of the story.
The Good Samaritan
The road traveled in this story descends about 3300 feet over a seventeen-mile path through desert and rocky country. Jericho was home to many religious leaders. Why did the priest and Levite walk on the other side of the road? Have you ever done such a thing to another person, not literally, perhaps, but figuratively?
The priest and the Levite have disconnected loving God and loving others. They knew the Bible and paraded religion, but their hearts were hard. They passed by.
The Samaritan takes pity. He is moved. The real scandal of this story is that Samaritans were viewed as second-class citizens by the Jews. The Talmud says that he who eats bread with a Samaritan is like the one who eats the flesh of pigs.
Who do you hate? Who do you know that is going to Hell?
The Samaritan is moved with deep compassion and he responds. Jesus tells us to “go and do likewise.”
Note that the Samaritan has enough self-awareness and self-respect to continue his own journey, yet still manages to serve the man in need. He delegates some of the care but provides the resources. We are all given many resources—time, talents, treasures, relationships—that can be leveraged to serve others.
Perspective
You and I are the person on the side of the road and Jesus is the One who had mercy on us, forgave us, gave His life for us, and rescued us. We are here by the grace of God.
Two Applications:
1. Become aware of your family of origin’s capability for emotional connection
Many families invested in our education, physical health, or even spiritual knowledge. Many fail to invest in our emotional maturity. Can you recall being comforted as a child after a time of emotional distress? Think of a time when one of your parents/caregivers comforted you when you were really upset, scared or sad for some reason?
The goal is not to find fault with our parents, but to ruthlessly face the truth of our upbringing in order to deal with issues from our past.
1. Did you learn to trust?
2. Did you learn to respect others?
3. Did you learn to wait and to take turns?
4. Did your parents/caregivers understand your behavior?
5. Were your feelings allowed?
6. Were you allowed to be the child?
7. Did you learn independence and dependence?
2. Take practical steps of discipleship to grow into an emotionally mature adult
It can be terrifying. Some of us do not even know how to feel. Where do we start?
We must follow the path of Abraham, leaving our pasts and families and cultures (the bad stuff) and turning to God. This is impossible apart from God.
We must repent (turn away) from our past and then move forward.
If you want to run a marathon, you must train and build up to it over time. Becoming an emotionally healthy adult requires baby steps.
Discipleship is a lifelong journey. It is hard. It takes time. It is worth it!
The alternative is living your life as a prisoner of your past.
We should love the best because we are loved the best.
“Being listened to is so close to feeling loved that for the average person they are indistinguishable.” -David Augsburger
We need to practice the presence of God (see book by Brother Lawrence) and practice the presence of people.
We are born sinful and selfish, but when we die to ourselves and allow Jesus Christ to live in and through us, we are able to love others the way Jesus loves us.
Paul said,
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8)
Fill In The Blank
I really appreciate ______________.
I really hope _________________.
Questions for Discussion
What does this text tell us about God?
What does this text tell us about ourselves?
Who do you love? Who do you hate?
How is it possible that we can love God and not our neighbor? Or is it possible?
Do you use people to get things or use things to serve people?
What would it look like for you to treat every human being as a “Thou,” created in God’s image with dignity, value and worth?
How would our world be different if everyone loved their neighbor?
Do you treat people differently on their birthday? What if you treated everyone as if every day was their birthday?
You can listen to the podcast here.
Note: many ideas derived from Peter Scazzero’s book Emotionally Healthy Spirituailty.
Discover The Rhythms Of The Daily Office And Sabbath, 5 February 2012
05 02 12
Theme
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzero’s book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea
The fifth pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to discover the rhythms of the Daily Office and Sabbath.
Connecting With God
How do you connect with God? Many people engage in religious activities to learn about or appease God. The essence of Christianity, however, is a relationship with God. All relationships require time, effort, and dedication. Today we will be discussing two powerful tools to help you grow in your relationship with God. These are not two things to add to your to-do list. They are not a measure of your spirituality. If used, however, they will radically enhance your relationship with God and yourself.
Daniel 6
Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown into the lions’ den?” (Daniel 6:9-11)
Rhythms
Our culture knows nothing about rhythms. We live life 24/7, an expression that was unknown a decade ago. We use words like chaos, scattered, distracted, stressed, and overwhelmed to describe our existence. We are always on the way to something or somewhere. We strive for bigger, better, and faster.
How do I have a calm, centered life that is oriented around God?
You were created to know and love God and be known by and loved by Him.
We need to slow down to connect with God. How?
You cannot jump off a moving treadmill. You must slow it down first.
The Daily Office and Sabbath bring rhythm to our lives daily and weekly.
The Daily Office or Fixed-Hour Prayer: daily rhythm
Daniel is at the University of Babylon, essentially. His name is changed and the leaders attempt to take God out of him. Our culture is much like Babylon, trying to make us think and act like the world rather than God.
Daniel is a busy, respected man in service to the king.
Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. (Daniel 6:10)
Daniel prays three times each day on his knees. Posture is meaningful. This is not just a quick quiet time or devotional.
Office (opus) means “work of God” in Latin. My work is to seek and be with God.
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)
That is David’s work. An office is about being with God, not trying to get things from God. Our first work is to seek God and be with God.
How can you be aware of and conscious of God throughout the day? You must stop and pause throughout the day to be aware of His presence.
Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws. (Psalms 119:164)
It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, (Psalm 92:1-2)
Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. (Psalm 55:17)
The Psalms are a prayer book.
The Daily Office is frequently associated with Catholics or highly liturgical denominations. All followers of Jesus can benefit from books of prayer that incorporate Scripture and reflection.
The issue is not what you do, but getting connected with God through Scripture and silence where you can be still in the presence of God.
Kierkegaard said,
The present state of the world and the whole of life is diseased. If I were a doctor and were asked for my advice, I should reply: Create silence. All will be acquired in stillness and made divine in silence.
The only thing that can contain God is silence. The only way to experience it is to do it. It’s simple, but difficult.
Distractions are always present, but with practice they become easier to ignore.
The idea of the Daily Office is to stop several times throughout the day to pause and remember God. It is a discipline to order your day to remind you what is important in life: God. It centers you.
The four classic office periods are
- Morning: 6-9 AM
- Midday: 11 AM-2 PM
- Evening: 5-8 PM
- Bedtime: before you close your eyes!
Start and close your day with God and remember Him throughout the day. The Daily Office is like a mini Sabbath each day.
Most people live off of the spirituality of others because they do not make time for God.
The Daily Office may involve
- reading Scripture
- reading a prayer book
- taking a walk
- journaling
- whatever works for you to connect with God throughout the day
- breaks throughout the day of 5-30 minutes
Sabbath: weekly rhythm
This is a command by God for us to stop for a 24-hour period each week.
The Sabbath is the first holy thing mentioned in the Bible.
Do nothing one day a week.
Without the fourth and longest commandment, you cannot do the other nine.
God’s Top Ten: Exodus 20:1-17
1. You shall have no other gods before me
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
4. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord our God. On it you shall not do any work,... For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy”
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not give false witness.
10. You shall not covet.
God commands rhythm in our lives of work and rest.
Sabbath was made for us not us for the Sabbath.
Sabbath is about self-care. Our world says you are what you do. Your life is God alone, not your outputs and performance.
Qualities to Biblical Sabbath
-- Stopping
-- Resting
-- Delighting
-- Contemplating
You must prepare for the Sabbath. You can’t just do it.
The core issue is trusting God.
We taste heaven on the Sabbath.
Sabbath is very radical. It has always been revolutionary!
It’s like a snow day every week!
It’s not a punishment but a gift. There is no place for legalism, it is to be a delight.
Sabbath Scriptures
The word “Sabbath” appears 116 times in the NIV translation of the Bible.
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. (Exodus 20:8)
but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. (Exodus 20:10)
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:11)
“‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people. (Exodus 31:14)
For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death. (Exodus 31:15)
For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death. (Exodus 35:2)
“‘There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the LORD. (Leviticus 23:3)
“Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. (Deuteronomy 5:12)
Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. (Deuteronomy 5:15)
For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:8)
Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27-28)
Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment. (Luke 23:56)
The Ancient Practice of Silence/Solitude: Guidelines
1. Be Attentive and Open
2. Get Comfortable. Be Relaxed. Still
3. Take Deep Breath.
4. Close or Lower Your Eyes toward the Ground
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. (Psalms 130:5)
Conclusion
We live in Babylon. Our culture is diametrically opposed to God. We are bombarded by subtle and not-so-subtle messages that seduce us away from the things of God.
If you are serious about following Jesus, you will need to do radical, counter-cultural things with your time, talents, and treasures. An hour on Sunday is not enough to maintain a relationship with God. A quick prayer at dinner or bedtime is not sufficient either. None of us—myself included—are able to spend all of our waking hours in prayer and Bible study, but we can periodically incorporate Scripture and silence into our daily lives and pause for one day a week to do nothing.
There are no shortcuts to relationships. Ever!
We were created to know God. The Daily Office and weekly Sabbath are biblical, powerful, and revolutionary ways to breathe deeply, be with God, and become like Jesus. They require sacrifice—Daniel faced a den of lions for his prayers—but the reward is worth it.
A Sample Daily Office For Groups
1. Pause for two minutes of silence (Psalm 46:10)
2. Read aloud Psalm 90:4, 12, 17
3. Pause for 15 seconds of silence
4. Read aloud Psalm 33:20-22
5. Pause for 15 seconds of silence
6. Read aloud Matthew 6:9-14
7. Pause for 15 seconds of silence
8. Read aloud Isaiah 30:15 and Psalm 86:11, 13a
9. Pause for two minutes of silence
For Further Reading
The Divine Hours by Phyllis Tickle
Praying With The Church: Following Jesus Daily, Hourly, Today by Scot McKnight
The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre De Caussade
Too Deep for Words by Thelma Hall
Sabbath Presence by Kathleen Casey
The Divine Hours
Sacred Space
Pray As You Go (audio daily office)
Northumbria Community:
Morning
Midday
Evening
You can listen to the podcast here.
Note: many ideas derived from Peter Scazzero’s book Emotionally Healthy Spirituailty.
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzero’s book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea
The fifth pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to discover the rhythms of the Daily Office and Sabbath.
Connecting With God
How do you connect with God? Many people engage in religious activities to learn about or appease God. The essence of Christianity, however, is a relationship with God. All relationships require time, effort, and dedication. Today we will be discussing two powerful tools to help you grow in your relationship with God. These are not two things to add to your to-do list. They are not a measure of your spirituality. If used, however, they will radically enhance your relationship with God and yourself.
Daniel 6
Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown into the lions’ den?” (Daniel 6:9-11)
Rhythms
Our culture knows nothing about rhythms. We live life 24/7, an expression that was unknown a decade ago. We use words like chaos, scattered, distracted, stressed, and overwhelmed to describe our existence. We are always on the way to something or somewhere. We strive for bigger, better, and faster.
How do I have a calm, centered life that is oriented around God?
You were created to know and love God and be known by and loved by Him.
We need to slow down to connect with God. How?
You cannot jump off a moving treadmill. You must slow it down first.
The Daily Office and Sabbath bring rhythm to our lives daily and weekly.
The Daily Office or Fixed-Hour Prayer: daily rhythm
Daniel is at the University of Babylon, essentially. His name is changed and the leaders attempt to take God out of him. Our culture is much like Babylon, trying to make us think and act like the world rather than God.
Daniel is a busy, respected man in service to the king.
Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. (Daniel 6:10)
Daniel prays three times each day on his knees. Posture is meaningful. This is not just a quick quiet time or devotional.
Office (opus) means “work of God” in Latin. My work is to seek and be with God.
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)
That is David’s work. An office is about being with God, not trying to get things from God. Our first work is to seek God and be with God.
How can you be aware of and conscious of God throughout the day? You must stop and pause throughout the day to be aware of His presence.
Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws. (Psalms 119:164)
It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, (Psalm 92:1-2)
Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. (Psalm 55:17)
The Psalms are a prayer book.
The Daily Office is frequently associated with Catholics or highly liturgical denominations. All followers of Jesus can benefit from books of prayer that incorporate Scripture and reflection.
The issue is not what you do, but getting connected with God through Scripture and silence where you can be still in the presence of God.
Kierkegaard said,
The present state of the world and the whole of life is diseased. If I were a doctor and were asked for my advice, I should reply: Create silence. All will be acquired in stillness and made divine in silence.
The only thing that can contain God is silence. The only way to experience it is to do it. It’s simple, but difficult.
Distractions are always present, but with practice they become easier to ignore.
The idea of the Daily Office is to stop several times throughout the day to pause and remember God. It is a discipline to order your day to remind you what is important in life: God. It centers you.
The four classic office periods are
- Morning: 6-9 AM
- Midday: 11 AM-2 PM
- Evening: 5-8 PM
- Bedtime: before you close your eyes!
Start and close your day with God and remember Him throughout the day. The Daily Office is like a mini Sabbath each day.
Most people live off of the spirituality of others because they do not make time for God.
The Daily Office may involve
- reading Scripture
- reading a prayer book
- taking a walk
- journaling
- whatever works for you to connect with God throughout the day
- breaks throughout the day of 5-30 minutes
Sabbath: weekly rhythm
This is a command by God for us to stop for a 24-hour period each week.
The Sabbath is the first holy thing mentioned in the Bible.
Do nothing one day a week.
Without the fourth and longest commandment, you cannot do the other nine.
God’s Top Ten: Exodus 20:1-17
1. You shall have no other gods before me
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
4. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord our God. On it you shall not do any work,... For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy”
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not give false witness.
10. You shall not covet.
God commands rhythm in our lives of work and rest.
Sabbath was made for us not us for the Sabbath.
Sabbath is about self-care. Our world says you are what you do. Your life is God alone, not your outputs and performance.
Qualities to Biblical Sabbath
-- Stopping
-- Resting
-- Delighting
-- Contemplating
You must prepare for the Sabbath. You can’t just do it.
The core issue is trusting God.
We taste heaven on the Sabbath.
Sabbath is very radical. It has always been revolutionary!
It’s like a snow day every week!
It’s not a punishment but a gift. There is no place for legalism, it is to be a delight.
Sabbath Scriptures
The word “Sabbath” appears 116 times in the NIV translation of the Bible.
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. (Exodus 20:8)
but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. (Exodus 20:10)
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:11)
“‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people. (Exodus 31:14)
For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death. (Exodus 31:15)
For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death. (Exodus 35:2)
“‘There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the LORD. (Leviticus 23:3)
“Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. (Deuteronomy 5:12)
Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. (Deuteronomy 5:15)
For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:8)
Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27-28)
Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment. (Luke 23:56)
The Ancient Practice of Silence/Solitude: Guidelines
1. Be Attentive and Open
2. Get Comfortable. Be Relaxed. Still
3. Take Deep Breath.
4. Close or Lower Your Eyes toward the Ground
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. (Psalms 130:5)
Conclusion
We live in Babylon. Our culture is diametrically opposed to God. We are bombarded by subtle and not-so-subtle messages that seduce us away from the things of God.
If you are serious about following Jesus, you will need to do radical, counter-cultural things with your time, talents, and treasures. An hour on Sunday is not enough to maintain a relationship with God. A quick prayer at dinner or bedtime is not sufficient either. None of us—myself included—are able to spend all of our waking hours in prayer and Bible study, but we can periodically incorporate Scripture and silence into our daily lives and pause for one day a week to do nothing.
There are no shortcuts to relationships. Ever!
We were created to know God. The Daily Office and weekly Sabbath are biblical, powerful, and revolutionary ways to breathe deeply, be with God, and become like Jesus. They require sacrifice—Daniel faced a den of lions for his prayers—but the reward is worth it.
A Sample Daily Office For Groups
1. Pause for two minutes of silence (Psalm 46:10)
2. Read aloud Psalm 90:4, 12, 17
3. Pause for 15 seconds of silence
4. Read aloud Psalm 33:20-22
5. Pause for 15 seconds of silence
6. Read aloud Matthew 6:9-14
7. Pause for 15 seconds of silence
8. Read aloud Isaiah 30:15 and Psalm 86:11, 13a
9. Pause for two minutes of silence
For Further Reading
The Divine Hours by Phyllis Tickle
Praying With The Church: Following Jesus Daily, Hourly, Today by Scot McKnight
The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre De Caussade
Too Deep for Words by Thelma Hall
Sabbath Presence by Kathleen Casey
The Divine Hours
Sacred Space
Pray As You Go (audio daily office)
Northumbria Community:
Morning
Midday
Evening
You can listen to the podcast here.
Note: many ideas derived from Peter Scazzero’s book Emotionally Healthy Spirituailty.
Enlarge Your Soul Through Grief And Loss, 29 January 2012
01 02 12
Theme
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives,” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzeros’ book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea
The fourth pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to enlarge your soul through grief and loss.
Loss
Adrian Rogers said that everything in life relates to sin, sorrow and death.
All of life is about loss. We lose the safety of our mother’s womb, youth, dreams, control, illusions, and ultimately our health.
Grief and loss is done differently in various cultures and families.
Two-thirds of the Psalms deal with grief. They are called laments. The books of Job and Lamentations are also filled with grief and loss.
Scripture has been called the music of God.
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, (Ecclesiastes 3:4)
Job
Few understand loss and grief more than Job. He’s not the only one, though!
Matthew 26:36-46
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” (Matthew 26:36-38)
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39)
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” (Matthew 26:40-41)
He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” (Matthew 26:42)
When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. (Matthew 26:43-44)
Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” (Matthew 26:45-46)
Jesus is depressed and sorrowful. He is distressed. The word in the book of Mark means horror.
During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. (Hebrews 5:7)
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3)
He falls to His face to the ground. He is prostrate on the ground. His sweat was like drops of blood (Luke 22:44). He is experiencing loss, preparing for the loss of His life and, even worse, the loss of His connection to the Father. He will become sin, taking our sins upon Himself. He will bear the wrath and judgment of a holy God. He will lose his friend Judas. He will lose the support of His followers who will abandon Him. His creation will crucify Him…all in the name of God!
This is not an attractive image of the King of kings and LORD of lords! One element of the Scriptures that lends to their credibility is the raw, honest portrayals of the “heroes” of the Bible. The writers are never afraid to tell it like it is, warts and all!
This is not happy, successful, popular, wealthy Jesus!
This is our perfect model of what it means to be fully human.
Reactions To Pain
Divorce, death, breakups, failures, disappointments, shattered dreams, painful memories, and other forms of grief and loss invade our lives. Common reactions/defenses to grief and loss include
- denial
- minimizing (admitting something is wrong, but not acknowledging its impact)
- blaming others (or God)
- blaming yourself
- rationalizing (offering excuses and justifications)
- intellectualizing (analysis and theories to avoid personal awareness/feelings)
- distracting
- becoming hostile
- medicating
We love to bury the pain of grief with addictions that are followed by guilt and shame as we lose control.
Biblical Grieving
1. Pay attention
2. Wait in the confusing in-between (Ps. 37:7)
3. Embrace the gift of limits
In addition to loss, we are faced with limits in our life. Limits in our life include
- physical body
- family of origin
- marital status
- intellectual capacity
- talents and gifts
- material wealth
- educational opportunities
- raw material (personality, temperament)
- time
- work
- relationship realities
- spiritual understanding
- ministry
4. Climb the ladder of humility
The word humility comes from the Latin humus which means “of the earth.”
St. Benedict’s Ladder of Humility
Step 8 Transformation into the Love of God
Step 7 Speaking Less
Step 6 Deeply Aware of Being “Chief of All Sinners”
Step 5 Radical Honesty to Others About Your Weaknesses/Faults
Step 4 Patience To Accept The Difficulty of Others
Step 3 Willing To Subject Ourselves To The Direction of Others
Step 2 Doing God’s Will (Not Your Own Or Other People’s)
Step 1 Fear of God and Mindfulness of Him
Listening To The Interruption
Jesus doesn’t deny his grief. Why do so many Christians?
Jesus is real and authentic. He feels. He expresses His emotions.
He listens to the interruptions of His life.
Have you ever felt so bad that you could just die? That’s how Jesus felt.
This passage is difficult for some people who want Jesus the superhero. For the rest of us, it is reassuring that He understands our struggles and trials and agony.
It is human to feel and hurt.
Learning To Fall
I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. (John 12:24)
Book by Philip Simmons, contracted Lou Gehrig’s disease at age 35.
The trash of the grief may spell, but there are diamonds in the mess that God can use.
When we listen to the interruption and learn to fall, our souls will enlarge.
a. our self-will breaks
Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered (Hebrews 5:8)
Jesus had a human will. He was fully God but also fully human. His humanity did not want to obey the Father. He did not naturally obey the Father. He wanted out. He submitted His will to the Father’s will.
Jesus prayed three times for the Father’s will.
You learn obedience through the struggle of grief.
You lose control at the wall (last week’s message).
Life is more than a series of problems we need to solve. Life is a mystery.
b. we learn about prayer
Prayer is the center of our life with Christ. David, Job, Jeremiah, Jesus grieved with God through prayer.
c. we create space for God
In emptying ourselves, we make room for more of God. When we give up control, we can lean into God.
Resurrection
The beauty of dying to ourselves is the opportunity to be resurrected in Christ. This is beautifully illustrated in the water grave of baptism.
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
Jesus knows and understands life. He knows temptation (Hebrews 4:15) and suffering.
Patient Trust
Above all, trust in the slow work of God.
We are quite naturally impatient in everything
to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages.
We are impatient of being on the way to something
unknown, something new.
And yet it is a law of progress
that it is made by passing through
some stages of instability—
and that it may take a very long time.
And so I think it is with you.
Your ideas mature gradually—let them grow,
let them shape themselves, without undue haste.
Don’t try to force them on,
as though you could be today what time
(that is to say, grace and circumstance
acting on your own good will)
will make of you tomorrow.
Only God could say what this new spirit
gradually forming within you will be.
Give our Lord the benefit of believing
that his hand is leading you,
and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself
in suspense and incomplete.
- Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
You can listen to the podcast here.
Note: many ideas derived from Peter Scazzero’s book Emotionally Healthy Spirituailty.
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives,” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzeros’ book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea
The fourth pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to enlarge your soul through grief and loss.
Loss
Adrian Rogers said that everything in life relates to sin, sorrow and death.
All of life is about loss. We lose the safety of our mother’s womb, youth, dreams, control, illusions, and ultimately our health.
Grief and loss is done differently in various cultures and families.
Two-thirds of the Psalms deal with grief. They are called laments. The books of Job and Lamentations are also filled with grief and loss.
Scripture has been called the music of God.
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, (Ecclesiastes 3:4)
Job
Few understand loss and grief more than Job. He’s not the only one, though!
Matthew 26:36-46
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” (Matthew 26:36-38)
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39)
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” (Matthew 26:40-41)
He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” (Matthew 26:42)
When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. (Matthew 26:43-44)
Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” (Matthew 26:45-46)
Jesus is depressed and sorrowful. He is distressed. The word in the book of Mark means horror.
During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. (Hebrews 5:7)
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3)
He falls to His face to the ground. He is prostrate on the ground. His sweat was like drops of blood (Luke 22:44). He is experiencing loss, preparing for the loss of His life and, even worse, the loss of His connection to the Father. He will become sin, taking our sins upon Himself. He will bear the wrath and judgment of a holy God. He will lose his friend Judas. He will lose the support of His followers who will abandon Him. His creation will crucify Him…all in the name of God!
This is not an attractive image of the King of kings and LORD of lords! One element of the Scriptures that lends to their credibility is the raw, honest portrayals of the “heroes” of the Bible. The writers are never afraid to tell it like it is, warts and all!
This is not happy, successful, popular, wealthy Jesus!
This is our perfect model of what it means to be fully human.
Reactions To Pain
Divorce, death, breakups, failures, disappointments, shattered dreams, painful memories, and other forms of grief and loss invade our lives. Common reactions/defenses to grief and loss include
- denial
- minimizing (admitting something is wrong, but not acknowledging its impact)
- blaming others (or God)
- blaming yourself
- rationalizing (offering excuses and justifications)
- intellectualizing (analysis and theories to avoid personal awareness/feelings)
- distracting
- becoming hostile
- medicating
We love to bury the pain of grief with addictions that are followed by guilt and shame as we lose control.
Biblical Grieving
1. Pay attention
2. Wait in the confusing in-between (Ps. 37:7)
3. Embrace the gift of limits
In addition to loss, we are faced with limits in our life. Limits in our life include
- physical body
- family of origin
- marital status
- intellectual capacity
- talents and gifts
- material wealth
- educational opportunities
- raw material (personality, temperament)
- time
- work
- relationship realities
- spiritual understanding
- ministry
4. Climb the ladder of humility
The word humility comes from the Latin humus which means “of the earth.”
St. Benedict’s Ladder of Humility
Step 8 Transformation into the Love of God
Step 7 Speaking Less
Step 6 Deeply Aware of Being “Chief of All Sinners”
Step 5 Radical Honesty to Others About Your Weaknesses/Faults
Step 4 Patience To Accept The Difficulty of Others
Step 3 Willing To Subject Ourselves To The Direction of Others
Step 2 Doing God’s Will (Not Your Own Or Other People’s)
Step 1 Fear of God and Mindfulness of Him
Listening To The Interruption
Jesus doesn’t deny his grief. Why do so many Christians?
Jesus is real and authentic. He feels. He expresses His emotions.
He listens to the interruptions of His life.
Have you ever felt so bad that you could just die? That’s how Jesus felt.
This passage is difficult for some people who want Jesus the superhero. For the rest of us, it is reassuring that He understands our struggles and trials and agony.
It is human to feel and hurt.
Learning To Fall
I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. (John 12:24)
Book by Philip Simmons, contracted Lou Gehrig’s disease at age 35.
The trash of the grief may spell, but there are diamonds in the mess that God can use.
When we listen to the interruption and learn to fall, our souls will enlarge.
a. our self-will breaks
Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered (Hebrews 5:8)
Jesus had a human will. He was fully God but also fully human. His humanity did not want to obey the Father. He did not naturally obey the Father. He wanted out. He submitted His will to the Father’s will.
Jesus prayed three times for the Father’s will.
You learn obedience through the struggle of grief.
You lose control at the wall (last week’s message).
Life is more than a series of problems we need to solve. Life is a mystery.
b. we learn about prayer
Prayer is the center of our life with Christ. David, Job, Jeremiah, Jesus grieved with God through prayer.
c. we create space for God
In emptying ourselves, we make room for more of God. When we give up control, we can lean into God.
Resurrection
The beauty of dying to ourselves is the opportunity to be resurrected in Christ. This is beautifully illustrated in the water grave of baptism.
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
Jesus knows and understands life. He knows temptation (Hebrews 4:15) and suffering.
Patient Trust
Above all, trust in the slow work of God.
We are quite naturally impatient in everything
to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages.
We are impatient of being on the way to something
unknown, something new.
And yet it is a law of progress
that it is made by passing through
some stages of instability—
and that it may take a very long time.
And so I think it is with you.
Your ideas mature gradually—let them grow,
let them shape themselves, without undue haste.
Don’t try to force them on,
as though you could be today what time
(that is to say, grace and circumstance
acting on your own good will)
will make of you tomorrow.
Only God could say what this new spirit
gradually forming within you will be.
Give our Lord the benefit of believing
that his hand is leading you,
and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself
in suspense and incomplete.
- Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
You can listen to the podcast here.
Note: many ideas derived from Peter Scazzero’s book Emotionally Healthy Spirituailty.
Journey Through The Wall, 22 January 2012
23 01 12
Theme
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives,” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzero’s book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea
The third pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to journey through the Wall.
Journeys
Life is a journey. We are all at different places in the journey. It matters not where you are, but where you are headed.
The Bible is full of journeys. The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness between Egypt and the Promised Land. Jesus spent three years journeying with his disciples. Life is not a simple straight line. We have detours, curves...and obstacles or Walls.
Walls
What is the greatest obstacle in your life? It might be your job, finances, physical health, shattered dream, betrayal, a wayward child, being single, your marriage, etc. The Wall is not a traffic jam or getting the flu. It’s a season of testing or a severe trial.
If you’re honest, there are moments in our lives when we just don’t understand. Our faith does not appear to work. God seems distant or absent. We have more questions than answers. St. John of the Cross called it the dark night of the soul.
On Monday nights at the greenroom we’ve been talking about being real with God with our anger, fear, and even doubt. For reasons sometimes known only by God, we just don’t understand. We ask why. We cry out for help.
I’ve done that countless times—especially over the past several years. I’ve faced walls, I’ve searched for God, I’ve struggled with pain, uncertainty, and stress.
If you’ve ever felt like the door of heaven was closing when you prayed, you’re not alone. If you’ve ever felt helpless, empty, dry, or defeated, you’re in good company. Today we’re going to look at the story of a man who faced an incredible wall. In his case it wasn’t the absence of God, but God’s presence and outrageous command that challenged his faith and reality.
The Bible...and church history is filled with people who have faced walls.
Ignatius Loyola, John Wesley, Augustine, Teresa of Avila, Evelyn Underhill, and countless others have experienced stages of their faith.
David cried out to God for years when Saul and his men pursued him, and he
was forced to hide in caves.
Psalms 69, 70, 71 and others are filled with cries for help from God. In fact, the largest category of psalms—about 1/3 of them—are psalms of lament.
Consider Job. Satan challenged God to take away Job’s wealth, animals, children, and good health, all as a way to see if Job would continue to be upright. At first, Job cries out to God, but God does not answer right away (Job 13: 20-26). Eventually, God speaks up and Job repents and relents (Job 42:1-6).
Abraham
Abraham had his share of Walls in his life. He was asked to leave his family and travel to an unknown land. He arrived and encountered a famine, had a conflict with his nephew Lot, his wife was unable to have children, he bounced off that wall and had a son with his wife’s servant.
At age 110 he hit another wall. His promised son was finally born and then God asks him to do the unthinkable.
Genesis 22...
Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” (Genesis 22:1-2)
God does not tempt, but tests Abraham to confirm his faith and prove his commitment.
This seems so bizarre to us, yet in that day child sacrifices were commonly offered to pagan gods.
Tragically, 1/3 of my generation has been killed, but that’s another issue for another time.
Mount Moriah is now the covered with the Dome of the Rock in Israel, a Muslim structure.
Abraham faces a Wall, a test that he causes a crisis of faith.
Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” (Genesis 22:3-5)
Imagine that journey!
Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” (Genesis 22:6-7)
Good question!
Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied. (Genesis 22:8-11)
“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.” (Genesis 22:12-14)
Janet Hagberg and Robert Guelich developed a model in their work The Critical Journey: States in the Life of Faith that looks something like this...
Stage 1: the beginning; we recognize our need for God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness
Stage 2: we learn about God and what it means to follow Jesus.
Stage 3: we get involved, serving God and His people with our gifts and passions
We encounter the Wall which turns our world upside down. Our faith doesn’t seem to work.
Many people get stuck at the Wall and refuse to do the hard work necessary to journey through it. They give up their faith, mask their true heart, or self-medicate.
How do we get through the Wall?
- by the grace and timing of God
- on our hands and knees
- through deep introspection
- by releasing the trappings of this world
- with prayer and help from others
- with determined faith
- by not giving up hope or giving in to temptation
- by not losing sight of God
Stage 4: The Wall compels us to the inward journey. Sometimes the inward journey leads us to the Wall. It is ultimately God that brings us to the Wall.
Stage 5: after passing through our crisis of faith, we begin to serve God, but this time we give out of a new, grounded center of ourselves in God. We have a deep, inner stillness and an awareness of God’s deep, unconditional love for us.
Stage 6: the brokenness we have experienced coupled with the healing of the Holy Spirit brings us to a place where we surrender to God, His will, and His power.
There are several things that the Wall roots out in our lives.
- pride
- greed
- luxury (using God for your own pleasure)
- wrath (easily irritated)
- spiritual gluttony
- spiritual envy
- sloth
The Wall changes everything!
You may not know exactly when you begin to go through the Wall, or when you reach the other side. Ultimately God moves us through the Wall and there is a mystery to it, but you are making progress if you experience shifts in your life.
From Pride To Brokenness
Years ago there was a young preacher that was attracting huge crowds of people. An older, wise pastor was asked about him and said, “He’s gifted, but he’s not broken yet.”
When we journey through the Wall, we are forever changed. We are broken. We endure pain, but experience transformation in the process. Our affections and passions are purged.
Richard Rohr has written five realities that we must recognize if we are to grow into maturity.
- Life is hard.
- You are not that important.
- Your life is not about you.
- You are not in control.
- You are going to die.
From Pleasure To Appreciation
Rather than focusing on our own pleasures, we have an awareness of ourselves, God, and the world around us. We begin to seek His pleasure.
We don’t take things for granted.
We also have a greater awareness and appreciation of the mystery of God. We know He does not fit into a tidy box. As the classic line from the Narnia book says, we realize that He is not safe, but He’s good.
The more I know about God, the less I know about Him. That may sound like a bad thing, but actually it’s wonderful to have a child-like faith filled with awe and wonder, resting in the truth that God is in control...and I’m not!
From Impatience To Patience
I hate to wait, but I’m slowly—pun intended!—learning that God’s timing is perfect. He is never late, but rarely early.
I want things now, God knows best.
Look at Psalm 130.
A song of ascents.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all their
sins. (Psalm 130)
Here’s a man facing the Wall, yet aware of God’s perfect timing. He’s been through the wall previously.
Abraham learned to wait. He was 75 when he was told he would be a dad. Eleven years later, he got tired of waiting and birthed Ishmael through his maidservant Hagar. He waited another fourteen years for Isaac. Then he had to wait until the very last moment for God to provide a sacrifice in place of Isaac, his cherished son.
There are so many similar examples throughout the Bible, yet we literally read years or decades in a sentence or two.
From More To Enough
The purpose of the Wall is not to harm us, but to help us detach from certain selfish actions and desires and experience a more intimate, loving attachment to God.
Those who are most detached on the journey are best able to taste the purest joy in the beauty of created things.
They are able to experience contentment. They look to Jesus to be enough.
They are able to fully surrender to God and worship Him with all we are.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Note: many ideas derived from Peter Scazzero’s book Emotionally Healthy Spirituailty.
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives,” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzero’s book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea
The third pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to journey through the Wall.
Journeys
Life is a journey. We are all at different places in the journey. It matters not where you are, but where you are headed.
The Bible is full of journeys. The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness between Egypt and the Promised Land. Jesus spent three years journeying with his disciples. Life is not a simple straight line. We have detours, curves...and obstacles or Walls.
Walls
What is the greatest obstacle in your life? It might be your job, finances, physical health, shattered dream, betrayal, a wayward child, being single, your marriage, etc. The Wall is not a traffic jam or getting the flu. It’s a season of testing or a severe trial.
If you’re honest, there are moments in our lives when we just don’t understand. Our faith does not appear to work. God seems distant or absent. We have more questions than answers. St. John of the Cross called it the dark night of the soul.
On Monday nights at the greenroom we’ve been talking about being real with God with our anger, fear, and even doubt. For reasons sometimes known only by God, we just don’t understand. We ask why. We cry out for help.
I’ve done that countless times—especially over the past several years. I’ve faced walls, I’ve searched for God, I’ve struggled with pain, uncertainty, and stress.
If you’ve ever felt like the door of heaven was closing when you prayed, you’re not alone. If you’ve ever felt helpless, empty, dry, or defeated, you’re in good company. Today we’re going to look at the story of a man who faced an incredible wall. In his case it wasn’t the absence of God, but God’s presence and outrageous command that challenged his faith and reality.
The Bible...and church history is filled with people who have faced walls.
Ignatius Loyola, John Wesley, Augustine, Teresa of Avila, Evelyn Underhill, and countless others have experienced stages of their faith.
David cried out to God for years when Saul and his men pursued him, and he
was forced to hide in caves.
Psalms 69, 70, 71 and others are filled with cries for help from God. In fact, the largest category of psalms—about 1/3 of them—are psalms of lament.
Consider Job. Satan challenged God to take away Job’s wealth, animals, children, and good health, all as a way to see if Job would continue to be upright. At first, Job cries out to God, but God does not answer right away (Job 13: 20-26). Eventually, God speaks up and Job repents and relents (Job 42:1-6).
Abraham
Abraham had his share of Walls in his life. He was asked to leave his family and travel to an unknown land. He arrived and encountered a famine, had a conflict with his nephew Lot, his wife was unable to have children, he bounced off that wall and had a son with his wife’s servant.
At age 110 he hit another wall. His promised son was finally born and then God asks him to do the unthinkable.
Genesis 22...
Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” (Genesis 22:1-2)
God does not tempt, but tests Abraham to confirm his faith and prove his commitment.
This seems so bizarre to us, yet in that day child sacrifices were commonly offered to pagan gods.
Tragically, 1/3 of my generation has been killed, but that’s another issue for another time.
Mount Moriah is now the covered with the Dome of the Rock in Israel, a Muslim structure.
Abraham faces a Wall, a test that he causes a crisis of faith.
Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” (Genesis 22:3-5)
Imagine that journey!
Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” (Genesis 22:6-7)
Good question!
Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied. (Genesis 22:8-11)
“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.” (Genesis 22:12-14)
Janet Hagberg and Robert Guelich developed a model in their work The Critical Journey: States in the Life of Faith that looks something like this...
Stage 1: the beginning; we recognize our need for God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness
Stage 2: we learn about God and what it means to follow Jesus.
Stage 3: we get involved, serving God and His people with our gifts and passions
We encounter the Wall which turns our world upside down. Our faith doesn’t seem to work.
Many people get stuck at the Wall and refuse to do the hard work necessary to journey through it. They give up their faith, mask their true heart, or self-medicate.
How do we get through the Wall?
- by the grace and timing of God
- on our hands and knees
- through deep introspection
- by releasing the trappings of this world
- with prayer and help from others
- with determined faith
- by not giving up hope or giving in to temptation
- by not losing sight of God
Stage 4: The Wall compels us to the inward journey. Sometimes the inward journey leads us to the Wall. It is ultimately God that brings us to the Wall.
Stage 5: after passing through our crisis of faith, we begin to serve God, but this time we give out of a new, grounded center of ourselves in God. We have a deep, inner stillness and an awareness of God’s deep, unconditional love for us.
Stage 6: the brokenness we have experienced coupled with the healing of the Holy Spirit brings us to a place where we surrender to God, His will, and His power.
There are several things that the Wall roots out in our lives.
- pride
- greed
- luxury (using God for your own pleasure)
- wrath (easily irritated)
- spiritual gluttony
- spiritual envy
- sloth
The Wall changes everything!
You may not know exactly when you begin to go through the Wall, or when you reach the other side. Ultimately God moves us through the Wall and there is a mystery to it, but you are making progress if you experience shifts in your life.
From Pride To Brokenness
Years ago there was a young preacher that was attracting huge crowds of people. An older, wise pastor was asked about him and said, “He’s gifted, but he’s not broken yet.”
When we journey through the Wall, we are forever changed. We are broken. We endure pain, but experience transformation in the process. Our affections and passions are purged.
Richard Rohr has written five realities that we must recognize if we are to grow into maturity.
- Life is hard.
- You are not that important.
- Your life is not about you.
- You are not in control.
- You are going to die.
From Pleasure To Appreciation
Rather than focusing on our own pleasures, we have an awareness of ourselves, God, and the world around us. We begin to seek His pleasure.
We don’t take things for granted.
We also have a greater awareness and appreciation of the mystery of God. We know He does not fit into a tidy box. As the classic line from the Narnia book says, we realize that He is not safe, but He’s good.
The more I know about God, the less I know about Him. That may sound like a bad thing, but actually it’s wonderful to have a child-like faith filled with awe and wonder, resting in the truth that God is in control...and I’m not!
From Impatience To Patience
I hate to wait, but I’m slowly—pun intended!—learning that God’s timing is perfect. He is never late, but rarely early.
I want things now, God knows best.
Look at Psalm 130.
A song of ascents.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all their
sins. (Psalm 130)
Here’s a man facing the Wall, yet aware of God’s perfect timing. He’s been through the wall previously.
Abraham learned to wait. He was 75 when he was told he would be a dad. Eleven years later, he got tired of waiting and birthed Ishmael through his maidservant Hagar. He waited another fourteen years for Isaac. Then he had to wait until the very last moment for God to provide a sacrifice in place of Isaac, his cherished son.
There are so many similar examples throughout the Bible, yet we literally read years or decades in a sentence or two.
From More To Enough
The purpose of the Wall is not to harm us, but to help us detach from certain selfish actions and desires and experience a more intimate, loving attachment to God.
Those who are most detached on the journey are best able to taste the purest joy in the beauty of created things.
They are able to experience contentment. They look to Jesus to be enough.
They are able to fully surrender to God and worship Him with all we are.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Note: many ideas derived from Peter Scazzero’s book Emotionally Healthy Spirituailty.
Going Back In Order To Go Forward, 15 January 2012
15 01 12
Theme
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives,” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzero’s book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea
The second pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to embrace our past, breaking free from the destructive sinful patterns of our past to live the life of love that God intends.
Going Back In Order To Go Forward
Pete Scazzero notes two essential biblical truths:
1. The blessings and sins of our families going back two to three generations profoundly impact who we are today.
2. Discipleship requires putting off the sinful patterns of our family of origin and re-learning how to do life God’s way in God’s family.
The Background
We all come from broken families. Some are certainly more functional than others, but since the first child, Cain, killed his brother Abel, we have passed down dysfunction and sin from generation to generation.
Joseph’s story fills the last quarter of the book of Genesis. His family is about as dysfunctional as they come.
a. He comes from a blended family. His dad had children from two wives and two
concubines. Twelve sons all lived together.
b. Joseph was clearly the special son, making his brothers jealous.
c. Joseph’s brothers sell him off and tell their dad that he was killed by an animal.
He is sold into slavery, then rots in a prison for years on false rape charges.
How would you feel sitting in a prison cell for years for something you did not do? What would you think/feel about your family? About God?
Family Genogram
Joseph is the eleventh child, one of twelve brothers and one sister.
Take some time to sketch your family genogram.
Joseph has three major traumas
1. At age 17, he is thrown into a deep well by his brothers (Genesis 37).
2. He gets sold as a slave for $80,000 (two years wages) and his father is told he
is dead. He loses his language, culture, family, freedom, everything!
3. He was in prison unjustly for many years (Genesis 39-40).
Twenty-two years later, he encounters his brothers (Genesis 42).
He had every reason to be bitter and enslaved by his past. Instead, he clearly understands his heritage but allows God, not his family of origin, to determine his future.
Genesis 50:15-21
When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept. (Genesis 50:15-17)
His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said. (Genesis 50:18)
But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. (Genesis 50:19-21)
Joseph breaks from the “normal” family tradition by forgiving his brothers. What would you have done?
What has Joseph learned about himself, God, and his family (see 19-21)?
Genesis 50:20 is a summary of the Old Testament.
5 Basic Needs be Met for Healthy Development (Pesso)
-- need for “place” the world was waiting for your arrival; you were wanted
-- need for nurture words and touch
-- need for support loving, caring environments
-- need for protection physically, emotionally from harm
-- need for limits boundaries (see Townsend and )
Sin and rebellion destroy families from God’s original intention
Cain and Abel were just the beginning! All of our families are messed up! Jesus allows us to be born again, but we cannot ignore our past. We must put off the sinful elements of our past to become transformed and a blessing to the world.
Iceberg
We must know what went on deep beneath the surface of our family.
Ten Commandments of Your Family
Which of the following messages were sent to you by your family, spoken or unspoken?
1. Money. Money is the best source of security. The more money you have, the more important your are.
2. Conflict. Avoid conflict at all costs. Don’t get people mad at you. Loud, angry, constant fighting is normal.
3. Sex. Sex is not to be spoken about openly. Men can be promiscuous but women must be chaste. Sexuality in marriage will come easily.
4. Grief and Loss. Sadness is a sign of weakness. You are not allowed to be depressed. Get over losses quickly and move on.
5. Expressing Anger. Anger is dangerous and bad. Explode in anger to make a point. Sarcasm is an acceptable way to release anger.
6. Family. Duty to family & culture comes before everything. You owe your parents for all they’ve done for you. Don’t speak of your family’s “dirty laundry” in public.
7. Relationships. Don’t trust people. They will let you down. Nobody will ever hurt me again. Don’t show vulnerability.
8. Attitudes toward other cultures. Only be close friends with people who are like you. Do not marry a person of another race or culture. Certain cultures/races are not as good as mine.
9. Success. Is getting to into the ”best schools.” Is making lots of money. Is getting married and having children.
10. Feelings and Emotions. You are not allowed to have certain feelings. Your feelings are not important. Reacting with your feelings without thinking is okay.
3 Practical Applications
1. Recognize the iceberg in you from your family
We can easily ignore or underestimate it. The effect of our families is deeper than any of us realize. Your family is filled with patterns. We all have negative patterns. When we recognize them, we can choose to maintain or change them. When you are unaware of them, you are doomed to pass them on.
2. Discern the good God intends “in, through, and in spite of,” your family and past
God knew what He was doing. He has a great plan for you and your life. God is working in a hidden, mysterious way. He was doing it in Joseph’s life and He’s doing it in you. We are often unaware of what God is doing, but He can be trusted. Joseph trusts God. He knows that God is good and God is sovereign (in control). He knows God. He certainly spent many years in prayer and solitude.
3. Make the decision to do the hard work of discipleship
This includes silence, solitude, Scripture, and small groups. Discipleship is breaking the sinful patterns of our past and being recreated into the image of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Pete Scazzero writes
“Going back in order to go forward is something we must do in the context of community—with mature friends, a mentor, spiritual director, counselor, or therapist. We need trusted people in our lives of whom we can ask, ‘How do you experience me? Tell me the feelings and thoughts you have when you are with me. Please be honest with me.’ Prayerfully listening to their answers will go a long way toward healing and getting a perspective on areas of our lives that need to be addressed. Needless to say, this takes a lot of courage.”
God’s Plans
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (Genesis 50:20)
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails. (Proverbs 19:21)
Four Lessons From Joseph’s Life
1. He understood God’s goodness and love, even during the storms
2. He expressed his emotions and loss, allowing him to truly forgive
3. He moved forward despite his past
4. He partnered with God to bless others
The Good News
God is in the business of transformation! His grace (unmerited favor) and love are endless. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are a new creation. God is your father. Your sins are forgiven. You have been given a new name. You have been given a new inheritance. You have been given new brothers and sisters (Ephesians 1).
In the movie “Good Will Hunting,” Sean (Robin Williams) repeatedly tells his patient Will Hunting, “It’s not your fault.” We are all products of the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve. We have all been dealt an imperfect deck. But it can be restored. There is hope in Jesus Christ. His plans for you are fantastic!
Are you willing to go back in order to go forward? Ignoring it won’t make it go away. Fear of bringing secrets and sin into the light paralyzes so many followers of Jesus from truly experiencing the abundant life and transformation that Jesus wants us to experience.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
Questions for Discussion
What words would describe the way your family related to one another when you were growing up?
What does this text tell us about God?
What does this text tell us about ourselves?
On a scale of 1 (very troubled) to 100 (very nurturing), how would you describe your family?
What messages did you receive from your parents or guardians as a child?
What “earthquake” events sent “aftershocks” into your family?
How do these messages compare to messages you have received about God’s family?
What one area needs the most change?
How does your family of origin impact you today? What areas do you need to address in order to move forward?
Listen
You can listen to the podcast here.
Credits
Series outline and ideas from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero.
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives,” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzero’s book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea
The second pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to embrace our past, breaking free from the destructive sinful patterns of our past to live the life of love that God intends.
Going Back In Order To Go Forward
Pete Scazzero notes two essential biblical truths:
1. The blessings and sins of our families going back two to three generations profoundly impact who we are today.
2. Discipleship requires putting off the sinful patterns of our family of origin and re-learning how to do life God’s way in God’s family.
The Background
We all come from broken families. Some are certainly more functional than others, but since the first child, Cain, killed his brother Abel, we have passed down dysfunction and sin from generation to generation.
Joseph’s story fills the last quarter of the book of Genesis. His family is about as dysfunctional as they come.
a. He comes from a blended family. His dad had children from two wives and two
concubines. Twelve sons all lived together.
b. Joseph was clearly the special son, making his brothers jealous.
c. Joseph’s brothers sell him off and tell their dad that he was killed by an animal.
He is sold into slavery, then rots in a prison for years on false rape charges.
How would you feel sitting in a prison cell for years for something you did not do? What would you think/feel about your family? About God?
Family Genogram
Joseph is the eleventh child, one of twelve brothers and one sister.
Take some time to sketch your family genogram.
Joseph has three major traumas
1. At age 17, he is thrown into a deep well by his brothers (Genesis 37).
2. He gets sold as a slave for $80,000 (two years wages) and his father is told he
is dead. He loses his language, culture, family, freedom, everything!
3. He was in prison unjustly for many years (Genesis 39-40).
Twenty-two years later, he encounters his brothers (Genesis 42).
He had every reason to be bitter and enslaved by his past. Instead, he clearly understands his heritage but allows God, not his family of origin, to determine his future.
Genesis 50:15-21
When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept. (Genesis 50:15-17)
His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said. (Genesis 50:18)
But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. (Genesis 50:19-21)
Joseph breaks from the “normal” family tradition by forgiving his brothers. What would you have done?
What has Joseph learned about himself, God, and his family (see 19-21)?
Genesis 50:20 is a summary of the Old Testament.
5 Basic Needs be Met for Healthy Development (Pesso)
-- need for “place” the world was waiting for your arrival; you were wanted
-- need for nurture words and touch
-- need for support loving, caring environments
-- need for protection physically, emotionally from harm
-- need for limits boundaries (see Townsend and )
Sin and rebellion destroy families from God’s original intention
Cain and Abel were just the beginning! All of our families are messed up! Jesus allows us to be born again, but we cannot ignore our past. We must put off the sinful elements of our past to become transformed and a blessing to the world.
Iceberg
We must know what went on deep beneath the surface of our family.
Ten Commandments of Your Family
Which of the following messages were sent to you by your family, spoken or unspoken?
1. Money. Money is the best source of security. The more money you have, the more important your are.
2. Conflict. Avoid conflict at all costs. Don’t get people mad at you. Loud, angry, constant fighting is normal.
3. Sex. Sex is not to be spoken about openly. Men can be promiscuous but women must be chaste. Sexuality in marriage will come easily.
4. Grief and Loss. Sadness is a sign of weakness. You are not allowed to be depressed. Get over losses quickly and move on.
5. Expressing Anger. Anger is dangerous and bad. Explode in anger to make a point. Sarcasm is an acceptable way to release anger.
6. Family. Duty to family & culture comes before everything. You owe your parents for all they’ve done for you. Don’t speak of your family’s “dirty laundry” in public.
7. Relationships. Don’t trust people. They will let you down. Nobody will ever hurt me again. Don’t show vulnerability.
8. Attitudes toward other cultures. Only be close friends with people who are like you. Do not marry a person of another race or culture. Certain cultures/races are not as good as mine.
9. Success. Is getting to into the ”best schools.” Is making lots of money. Is getting married and having children.
10. Feelings and Emotions. You are not allowed to have certain feelings. Your feelings are not important. Reacting with your feelings without thinking is okay.
3 Practical Applications
1. Recognize the iceberg in you from your family
We can easily ignore or underestimate it. The effect of our families is deeper than any of us realize. Your family is filled with patterns. We all have negative patterns. When we recognize them, we can choose to maintain or change them. When you are unaware of them, you are doomed to pass them on.
2. Discern the good God intends “in, through, and in spite of,” your family and past
God knew what He was doing. He has a great plan for you and your life. God is working in a hidden, mysterious way. He was doing it in Joseph’s life and He’s doing it in you. We are often unaware of what God is doing, but He can be trusted. Joseph trusts God. He knows that God is good and God is sovereign (in control). He knows God. He certainly spent many years in prayer and solitude.
3. Make the decision to do the hard work of discipleship
This includes silence, solitude, Scripture, and small groups. Discipleship is breaking the sinful patterns of our past and being recreated into the image of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Pete Scazzero writes
“Going back in order to go forward is something we must do in the context of community—with mature friends, a mentor, spiritual director, counselor, or therapist. We need trusted people in our lives of whom we can ask, ‘How do you experience me? Tell me the feelings and thoughts you have when you are with me. Please be honest with me.’ Prayerfully listening to their answers will go a long way toward healing and getting a perspective on areas of our lives that need to be addressed. Needless to say, this takes a lot of courage.”
God’s Plans
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (Genesis 50:20)
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails. (Proverbs 19:21)
Four Lessons From Joseph’s Life
1. He understood God’s goodness and love, even during the storms
2. He expressed his emotions and loss, allowing him to truly forgive
3. He moved forward despite his past
4. He partnered with God to bless others
The Good News
God is in the business of transformation! His grace (unmerited favor) and love are endless. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are a new creation. God is your father. Your sins are forgiven. You have been given a new name. You have been given a new inheritance. You have been given new brothers and sisters (Ephesians 1).
In the movie “Good Will Hunting,” Sean (Robin Williams) repeatedly tells his patient Will Hunting, “It’s not your fault.” We are all products of the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve. We have all been dealt an imperfect deck. But it can be restored. There is hope in Jesus Christ. His plans for you are fantastic!
Are you willing to go back in order to go forward? Ignoring it won’t make it go away. Fear of bringing secrets and sin into the light paralyzes so many followers of Jesus from truly experiencing the abundant life and transformation that Jesus wants us to experience.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
Questions for Discussion
What words would describe the way your family related to one another when you were growing up?
What does this text tell us about God?
What does this text tell us about ourselves?
On a scale of 1 (very troubled) to 100 (very nurturing), how would you describe your family?
What messages did you receive from your parents or guardians as a child?
What “earthquake” events sent “aftershocks” into your family?
How do these messages compare to messages you have received about God’s family?
What one area needs the most change?
How does your family of origin impact you today? What areas do you need to address in order to move forward?
Listen
You can listen to the podcast here.
Credits
Series outline and ideas from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero.
Know Yourself That You May Know God, 8 January 2012
08 01 12
Theme
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives,” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzeros’ book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea
The first pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to know yourself.
Top Ten Symptoms of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality
1. Using God to run from God
2. Ignoring the emotions of anger, sadness and fear
3. Dying to the wrong things
4. Denying the past’s impact on the present
5. Dividing life into “secular” and “sacred” compartments
6. Doing for God instead of being with God
7. Spiritualizing away conflict
8. Covering over brokenness, weakness and failure
9. Living without limits
10. Judging the spiritual journeys of others
Know Yourself That You May Know God
How can you draw close to God when you are far from your own self?
- Augustine in Confessions, AD 500
Our wisdom…consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But as these are connected together by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes and gives birth to the other.
- John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, AD 1530
Who Are You?
From the beginning of sin in the Garden of Eden, we have been hiding ourselves from God and others.
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Genesis 3:6-7
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:8
We live our lives filled with guilt and shame so we put on masks.
Here are some symptoms that you are hiding your true self:
1. I say “yes” when I really mean “no.”
2. I get depressed when people are upset with me.
3. I have a need to be approved by others to feel good about myself.
4. I act nice on the outside, but inside “I can’t stand you!”
5. I often remain silent in order to “keep the peace”.
6. I believe that if I make mistakes, I myself am a failure.
7. I avoid looking weak or foolish for not having the answer.
8. I criticize others in order to feel better about myself.
9. I have to be doing something exceptional to feel alive.
10. I have to be needed to feel alive.
11. I am fearful and can’t take risks.
12. I do what others want so they don’t get mad at me
13. I use knowledge and competence to cover my feelings of inadequacy.
14. I want my children to behave well so others will think I am a good parent.
15. I compare myself a lot to other people.
1 Samuel 17:26-40 David
Goliath mocks God and defies the armies of Israel.
A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him. 1Samuel 17:4-7
King Saul and the Israelites are afraid.
On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. 1Samuel 17:11
Eighty times Goliath taunts them.
For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand. 1Samuel 17:16
Nobody can even imagine facing this giant.
When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear. 1Samuel 17:24
David knows himself, but He also knows God.
David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 1Samuel 17:26
They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.” 1Samuel 17:27
When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” 1Samuel 17:28
How’s that for a confidence boost? Even the best of families are messed up.
“Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?” He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him. 1Samuel 17:29-31
David stands up to his family (28-31).
David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” 1Samuel 17:32
Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth.” 1Samuel 17:33
David stands up to significant others with authority and experience (32-33).
King Saul and the people of Israel said they believed in God, but their acted like atheists. How often do we lack faith and act as if God does not exist?
But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 1Samuel 17:34-36
The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you.” 1Samuel 17:37
Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 1Samuel 17:38
David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.
“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. 1Samuel 17:39-40
David knows himself. He is an expert on himself and is able to discern wise counsel from unwise counsel.
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. Proverbs 15:22
We must seek counsel, but it is not always good for us.
Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. He looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him. He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” 1Samuel 17:41-44
David stands up to Goliath (vv.41-44)
Again, David knows himself and God.
David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” 1Samuel 17:45-47
As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. 1Samuel 17:48-49
So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. 1Samuel 17:50
David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword.
When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. 1Samuel 17:51
David didn’t face Goliath to look good, please people, or make a name for himself. He did not have the strength to defeat Goliath, but he had God and a slingshot. He did not lack common sense, but was aware of his God-given abilities with a slingshot and his God. He is afraid of nothing.
You and I have God-given abilities and tools if we will use them to glorify Him.
Do you know your strengths? Weaknesses? Spiritual gifts? Pathways to God? Personality? There are tools (see below) that can assist you in discovering how God uniquely wired you up.
We hurt ourselves and others when we are not true to ourselves.
The ultimate question once we know who we are goes back to last week. Do you seek to bring glory to God or yourself.
Four practical principles to begin making the radical transition to living faithful to our true self in Christ.
1. Pay Attention to Your Interior in silence and solitude
2. Find trusted companions
3. Move out of your comfort zone
4. Pray for courage
The people of Israel knew God intellectually, but not experientially.
David points to Jesus. They are both saviors and conquerors opposed to Satan.
He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Psalms 23:3
Reflection Questions
What does this text tell us about God?
What does this text tell us about ourselves?
What giants are drawn up against you in battle? How are they taunting you? Is your attitude toward them more like Saul’s or David’s? How does that attitude need to change?
What larger missionary purpose might be accomplished for God if you would turn that battle over to the LORD?
What’s holding you back from tackling the bull by the horns (or the Goliath by a slingshot)? What do you fear might happen if you turned and faced the enemy who taunts you and defies God? What’s the “worst case scenario”? Having imagined that, now re-write the end result with God on your side.
What Goliaths are there in society, defying God and Christians? How can you, small and unarmed, work to bring them down? What can your Journey Group do?
How important is the approval of people versus the depth of your soul?
Questions for Reflection
What are you angry about?
What are you sad about?
What are you afraid of?
What are you enjoying?
What brings you shame?
What do you dream about?
What do you sing about?
What do you cry about?
What are you beginning to realize/learn about yourself?
Recommended Resources
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero
Free Spiritual Pathway Discovery Tool
Free Spiritual Gifts Discovery Tool
Strengths Finder
You can listen to the podcast here.
Credits
Series outline and ideas from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero
Some study questions from Lyman Coleman (The Serendipity Bible and The Serendipity Student Bible). Used with permission from the author.
Other study questions from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Workbook by Peter Scazzero (Center for Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, 2007).
“Emotional health and contemplative spirituality, when interwoven together, offer nothing short of a spiritual revolution, transforming the hidden places deep beneath the surface of our lives,” says author and pastor Pete Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. This series is based upon the biblical themes of Scazzeros’ book in an effort to help us better understand ourselves in order to better love God and others.
The Big Idea
The first pathway to emotionally healthy spirituality is to know yourself.
Top Ten Symptoms of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality
1. Using God to run from God
2. Ignoring the emotions of anger, sadness and fear
3. Dying to the wrong things
4. Denying the past’s impact on the present
5. Dividing life into “secular” and “sacred” compartments
6. Doing for God instead of being with God
7. Spiritualizing away conflict
8. Covering over brokenness, weakness and failure
9. Living without limits
10. Judging the spiritual journeys of others
Know Yourself That You May Know God
How can you draw close to God when you are far from your own self?
- Augustine in Confessions, AD 500
Our wisdom…consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But as these are connected together by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes and gives birth to the other.
- John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, AD 1530
Who Are You?
From the beginning of sin in the Garden of Eden, we have been hiding ourselves from God and others.
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Genesis 3:6-7
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:8
We live our lives filled with guilt and shame so we put on masks.
Here are some symptoms that you are hiding your true self:
1. I say “yes” when I really mean “no.”
2. I get depressed when people are upset with me.
3. I have a need to be approved by others to feel good about myself.
4. I act nice on the outside, but inside “I can’t stand you!”
5. I often remain silent in order to “keep the peace”.
6. I believe that if I make mistakes, I myself am a failure.
7. I avoid looking weak or foolish for not having the answer.
8. I criticize others in order to feel better about myself.
9. I have to be doing something exceptional to feel alive.
10. I have to be needed to feel alive.
11. I am fearful and can’t take risks.
12. I do what others want so they don’t get mad at me
13. I use knowledge and competence to cover my feelings of inadequacy.
14. I want my children to behave well so others will think I am a good parent.
15. I compare myself a lot to other people.
1 Samuel 17:26-40 David
Goliath mocks God and defies the armies of Israel.
A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him. 1Samuel 17:4-7
King Saul and the Israelites are afraid.
On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. 1Samuel 17:11
Eighty times Goliath taunts them.
For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand. 1Samuel 17:16
Nobody can even imagine facing this giant.
When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear. 1Samuel 17:24
David knows himself, but He also knows God.
David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 1Samuel 17:26
They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.” 1Samuel 17:27
When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” 1Samuel 17:28
How’s that for a confidence boost? Even the best of families are messed up.
“Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?” He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him. 1Samuel 17:29-31
David stands up to his family (28-31).
David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” 1Samuel 17:32
Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth.” 1Samuel 17:33
David stands up to significant others with authority and experience (32-33).
King Saul and the people of Israel said they believed in God, but their acted like atheists. How often do we lack faith and act as if God does not exist?
But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 1Samuel 17:34-36
The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you.” 1Samuel 17:37
Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 1Samuel 17:38
David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.
“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. 1Samuel 17:39-40
David knows himself. He is an expert on himself and is able to discern wise counsel from unwise counsel.
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. Proverbs 15:22
We must seek counsel, but it is not always good for us.
Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. He looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him. He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” 1Samuel 17:41-44
David stands up to Goliath (vv.41-44)
Again, David knows himself and God.
David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” 1Samuel 17:45-47
As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. 1Samuel 17:48-49
So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. 1Samuel 17:50
David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword.
When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. 1Samuel 17:51
David didn’t face Goliath to look good, please people, or make a name for himself. He did not have the strength to defeat Goliath, but he had God and a slingshot. He did not lack common sense, but was aware of his God-given abilities with a slingshot and his God. He is afraid of nothing.
You and I have God-given abilities and tools if we will use them to glorify Him.
Do you know your strengths? Weaknesses? Spiritual gifts? Pathways to God? Personality? There are tools (see below) that can assist you in discovering how God uniquely wired you up.
We hurt ourselves and others when we are not true to ourselves.
The ultimate question once we know who we are goes back to last week. Do you seek to bring glory to God or yourself.
Four practical principles to begin making the radical transition to living faithful to our true self in Christ.
1. Pay Attention to Your Interior in silence and solitude
2. Find trusted companions
3. Move out of your comfort zone
4. Pray for courage
The people of Israel knew God intellectually, but not experientially.
David points to Jesus. They are both saviors and conquerors opposed to Satan.
He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Psalms 23:3
Reflection Questions
What does this text tell us about God?
What does this text tell us about ourselves?
What giants are drawn up against you in battle? How are they taunting you? Is your attitude toward them more like Saul’s or David’s? How does that attitude need to change?
What larger missionary purpose might be accomplished for God if you would turn that battle over to the LORD?
What’s holding you back from tackling the bull by the horns (or the Goliath by a slingshot)? What do you fear might happen if you turned and faced the enemy who taunts you and defies God? What’s the “worst case scenario”? Having imagined that, now re-write the end result with God on your side.
What Goliaths are there in society, defying God and Christians? How can you, small and unarmed, work to bring them down? What can your Journey Group do?
How important is the approval of people versus the depth of your soul?
Questions for Reflection
What are you angry about?
What are you sad about?
What are you afraid of?
What are you enjoying?
What brings you shame?
What do you dream about?
What do you sing about?
What do you cry about?
What are you beginning to realize/learn about yourself?
Recommended Resources
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero
Free Spiritual Pathway Discovery Tool
Free Spiritual Gifts Discovery Tool
Strengths Finder
You can listen to the podcast here.
Credits
Series outline and ideas from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero
Some study questions from Lyman Coleman (The Serendipity Bible and The Serendipity Student Bible). Used with permission from the author.
Other study questions from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Workbook by Peter Scazzero (Center for Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, 2007).
The Problem With Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality, 1 January 2012
01 01 12
Big Idea: The life of King Saul provides us with a portrait of an emotionally unhealthy man. His example can be a warning for us all, driving us to our knees and dependence upon God as we strip away the illusions in our lives and get real with ourselves, God, and others.
Happy New Year! Did you make New Year’s Resolutions? Perhaps the most common one is to get in shape. Our culture loves to focus on the physical, and why not? It’s the most obvious and visible to others. Years ago Billy Crystal’s character “Nando” used to say, “It’s not how you feel, but how you look...and darling, you look maaavelous!”
Our physical bodies are important. They are the temple in which the Spirit of God dwells. Jesus was asked how to inherit eternal life.
He answered: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27)
We are holistic beings. God created each of us with a heart, soul, body and mind and they impact one another. When your body is sick, you’re more likely to be crabby. When your mind is stimulated, you may be motivated toward physical action. When your soul is uplifted, there’s a good chance that your mood will become more positive.
Contrary to some western thinking, we are not compartmentalized creatures but multi-dimensional.
We begin the new year with a series entitled Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.
The purpose of this series is ultimately to draw you closer to God and, ultimately, to others. It has been said that some Christians are so heavenly minded that they’re no earthly good, and I’ve witnessed that. Perhaps you’ve met someone that is “spiritual” but miserable to be around.
Last month...last year!...I had a pastor friend say that he had a group of elderly people at his church that attended church every Sunday, had studied the Bible, and gave generously, but they were mean and grumpy!
Then I had a friend tell me about a family member who always talks about God but is filled with insecurity and envy.
Then I had a personal encounter with a family member who is a life-long Christian but was guilty of gossip and judging others.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could all be healthy and normal...like me? Ha!!!
Several years ago I was introduced to a book called The Emotionally Healthy Church by Peter Scazzero. The subtitle is “a strategy for discipleship that actually changes lives.” I was so impacted by the book that I gave it to all of the leaders at the church I was leading. Weeks after becoming the pastor here at Scio, I was informed of a monthly pastor’s gathering with the Alliance and began attending. This was the book we studied together. Later in the year, I was asked to attend a special seminar on the subject.
It’s a great book that I highly recommend, but when I read it for the first time, I remember being delighted by the “what” but asking “how?” Then I read the sequel!
Scazzero’s book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality is easily one of the top five books I have ever read. As he states on the cover, “It’s impossible to be spiritually mature, while remaining emotionally immature.” Although I rarely use a book other than the Bible for ideas (Radical was an exception), I taught much of the material I’ll be sharing with you when I was at Frontline Church and it was probably the most talked-about, transformation series I have ever done. I can’t think of a better way to start the new year than to get emotionally healthy.
In life, things are not always as they appear. An iceberg is a remarkable formation that appears large on the surface, but actually is much larger under the surface. In fact, only ten percent of an iceberg is visible about the water.
In a similar way, we can attend church gatherings on Sunday, put on a happy face, and mask our true self from others who we fear will judge or shame or shun us. It’s easy to be a Christ-follower for an hour on Sunday, but what really goes on in your life during the rest of the week? What really goes on in your heart the rest of the week?
How are you doing? No, really!
Christians can be the biggest fakers. There are written and unwritten expectations of how Christians are supposed to act. Can a Christian drink alcohol, attend an R-rated movie, swear, smoke, wear makeup, dance, or listen to rock music? These are just a few of the external behaviors that have been prohibited in many so-called Christian circles that never address the core heart issues and motivations that affect not just what we do but who we are.
The problem of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality is huge. Too many so-called Christians look great on the outside, but inside they are a wreck...and afraid to admit it. We’re afraid that if people know who we really are that they’d reject us.
We crave intimacy but are terrified by it, not only on Sundays, but for many of us in our own homes.
Can you think of anyone who has appeared on the outside to be have their act together, only to find out later that they were a mess inside?
The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (1Samuel 16:7b)
What you and I need is not a list of dos and don’ts to follow in this new year. Following Jesus is not about a checklist. A WWJD bracelet that reminds us to “act” (as in actor) like Jesus is a far cry from becoming like Jesus. We need to be transformed from the inside out. This is not something that just happens overnight. It will require changing unhealthy habits that you and I have embraced our entire lives. Reading, prayer, Sunday messages, and especially midweek interactions will all be powerful in the process of becoming whole and healthy. Jesus said that “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).
When our kids were younger, we had conversations about swearing and why the pronunciation of certain words was deemed in appropriate. We explained that the sounds are not bad in and of themselves, but it is the heart behind the words that makes the difference.
The true test of who you are is not how you behave on Sunday or at some public gathering, but who you are when nobody is watching. Another test is how you respond to stress and unexpected challenges. When the going gets tough… One definition of integrity is “the state of being whole and undivided.” That’s a beautiful image. We live in a culture that is obsessed with the external. What we need is a spiritual revolution that begins inside.
We’re going to look at a very emotionally unhealthy man who looked great on the outside. He had power, fame, money, and friends. He was very spiritual, too. He made a great mistake, though. He never dealt with the core of his being and his emotions sabotaged his success.
King Saul started out great, but went awry. He was commanded by God to wipe out the Amalekites. He partially obeys, but does not complete the mission. On the surface of Saul’s life, he looked great, but his life was out of order underneath the surface.
Let me set up the scene for you. Saul was appointed king of Israel by God after the people begged for a king like all of the surrounding nations despite God’s warning that it would be better to just serve God.
Saul is told to “attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’” (1 Samuel 15:3)
Saul kills his enemies, but keeps some animals.
But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?” Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.”
“Stop!” Samuel said to Saul. “Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.”
“Tell me,” Saul replied. (1 Samuel 15:14-16)
Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.’ Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?” (1 Samuel 15:17-19)
“But I did obey the LORD,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.” (1 Samuel 15:20-21)
But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23)
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I violated the LORD’s command and your instructions. I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them. (1 Samuel 15:24)
There are three signs of emotionally unhealthy spirituality in Saul.
1. He refuses reflection and self-awareness
He is doing some of God’s will, but he is more concerned about the opinion of people. He is out of touch with his own fear.
A few verses later Saul says to Samuel
“I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.” (1 Samuel 15:30)
There is jealousy in his life. He doesn’t want others to look better than he does, especially David. Here tries six times to murder David, so threatened by him. He believes he is doing God’s will but he is unaware of how shallow his spirituality is and his own sins. He was unaware of why he did the things that he was doing.
Why do you do what you do? So much of our lives are lived out of the layers beneath the surface. Reflection can be painful because we see our sin and feel guilty. It’s easier to deny our stuff and pretend.
Silence and solitude are required in order to examine our motives and feelings and thoughts on the inside. You can’t be in touch with God if you are not in touch with yourself.
Saul lived an illusion, presenting a false self to God, as if God could be tricked!
Many of us keep ourselves so busy and noisy that we cannot reflect.
Unlike David, Saul never spends time in silence and solitude. He never writes poems and songs, pouring out himself to God. David was aware of his own heart and expresses it to God.
2. He refuses to cultivate his own personal relationship with God
He began humble and blessed by God but never develops his relationship with God. He does not have a hidden life in God. He has a public one, but no personal relationship with God.
But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23)
The words “obey” and “listen” are the same in Hebrew.
Saul though he was a pretty good guy but instead Samuel exposed the wickedness in his heart, calling him out on witchcraft and idolatry. He never asks, “What is God saying to me?”
Do you ever ask God what He is saying to you? Christianity is not meant to be merely intellectual, but experiential. What is God saying to you? He is speaking. Are you listening?
Dallas Willard told John Ortberg. Ruthlessly eliminate hurry. Ortberg said, “Okay, what’s next?”!
Contemplation is about getting God from your head to your heart. Sermons are a good start, but they are not the end. You must digest this food through Journey Groups and time alone with God.
The Pharisees knew all about God, but they never cultivated their relationship with God.
You must take responsibility for your relationship with God. Nobody else can do that for you. We can challenge you, provide you with tools and resources and opportunities for growth, but only you can cultivate your relationship with God.
It’s like marriage. People can give me books on marriage, I can attend marriage seminars, talk to people about marriage, and even decide in my head that I want a great marriage but if I don’t invest time and energy into my relationship with my bride, I will never have a good marriage.
3. He refuses to be broken by setbacks and difficulties
Trials can draw us to God. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). This does not mean the financially poor, but those that are desperate for God, broken by life and in need of God. The Father longs to be with us, know us, and spend time with us. He will often allow things to occur in our lives to get our attention because He wants nothing more than us and our hearts.
You cannot have God without poverty of spirit. You can have yourself, but not God.
The writer of Hebrews said of Jesus...
Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. (Hebrews 5:8)
Jesus learned obedience through suffering. There are no shortcuts.
God is trying to humble Saul to make him great and Saul just wants to be great.
God wants to take the Saul out of us. There is a Saul in each of us. Our self-will and stubbornness must be removed.
There is nothing like testing and trials to destroy our illusions about ourselves, others, life. There is nothing like testing and trials to build our character. They bring about an authentic life.
This series is about emotional health and contemplative spirituality. Over the next several weeks we will be discussing these two subjects and how they can help us love God and love others.
Top Ten Symptoms of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality
1. Using God to run from God
2. Ignoring the emotions of anger, sadness and fear
3. Dying to the wrong things
4. Denying the past’s impact on the present
5. Dividing life into “secular” and “sacred” compartments
6. Doing for God instead of being with God
7. Spiritualizing away conflict
8. Covering over brokenness, weakness and failure
9. Living without limits
10. Judging the spiritual journeys of others
Which one item is God bringing to your attention? Listen to Him. He delights when you listen to Him.
You are messed up, but Jesus offers forgiveness, grace, and mercy. Don’t run away from God but run to Him. The Gospel means “good news.”
That’s what we celebrated with communion. That’s why Jesus died. That’s why we have peace and hope and joy. That’s why 2012 can be different.
My prayer for you...and for me in 2012 is to know Jesus and look like Jesus. My desire is that one year from now we will reflect upon 2012 and see how God has led us and shaped us and helped us grow. This series will give you several tools to help in the process. The Radical Experiment is a huge part of it.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Note: many ideas derived from Peter Scazzero’s book Emotionally Healthy Spirituailty
Happy New Year! Did you make New Year’s Resolutions? Perhaps the most common one is to get in shape. Our culture loves to focus on the physical, and why not? It’s the most obvious and visible to others. Years ago Billy Crystal’s character “Nando” used to say, “It’s not how you feel, but how you look...and darling, you look maaavelous!”
Our physical bodies are important. They are the temple in which the Spirit of God dwells. Jesus was asked how to inherit eternal life.
He answered: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27)
We are holistic beings. God created each of us with a heart, soul, body and mind and they impact one another. When your body is sick, you’re more likely to be crabby. When your mind is stimulated, you may be motivated toward physical action. When your soul is uplifted, there’s a good chance that your mood will become more positive.
Contrary to some western thinking, we are not compartmentalized creatures but multi-dimensional.
We begin the new year with a series entitled Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.
The purpose of this series is ultimately to draw you closer to God and, ultimately, to others. It has been said that some Christians are so heavenly minded that they’re no earthly good, and I’ve witnessed that. Perhaps you’ve met someone that is “spiritual” but miserable to be around.
Last month...last year!...I had a pastor friend say that he had a group of elderly people at his church that attended church every Sunday, had studied the Bible, and gave generously, but they were mean and grumpy!
Then I had a friend tell me about a family member who always talks about God but is filled with insecurity and envy.
Then I had a personal encounter with a family member who is a life-long Christian but was guilty of gossip and judging others.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could all be healthy and normal...like me? Ha!!!
Several years ago I was introduced to a book called The Emotionally Healthy Church by Peter Scazzero. The subtitle is “a strategy for discipleship that actually changes lives.” I was so impacted by the book that I gave it to all of the leaders at the church I was leading. Weeks after becoming the pastor here at Scio, I was informed of a monthly pastor’s gathering with the Alliance and began attending. This was the book we studied together. Later in the year, I was asked to attend a special seminar on the subject.
It’s a great book that I highly recommend, but when I read it for the first time, I remember being delighted by the “what” but asking “how?” Then I read the sequel!
Scazzero’s book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality is easily one of the top five books I have ever read. As he states on the cover, “It’s impossible to be spiritually mature, while remaining emotionally immature.” Although I rarely use a book other than the Bible for ideas (Radical was an exception), I taught much of the material I’ll be sharing with you when I was at Frontline Church and it was probably the most talked-about, transformation series I have ever done. I can’t think of a better way to start the new year than to get emotionally healthy.
In life, things are not always as they appear. An iceberg is a remarkable formation that appears large on the surface, but actually is much larger under the surface. In fact, only ten percent of an iceberg is visible about the water.
In a similar way, we can attend church gatherings on Sunday, put on a happy face, and mask our true self from others who we fear will judge or shame or shun us. It’s easy to be a Christ-follower for an hour on Sunday, but what really goes on in your life during the rest of the week? What really goes on in your heart the rest of the week?
How are you doing? No, really!
Christians can be the biggest fakers. There are written and unwritten expectations of how Christians are supposed to act. Can a Christian drink alcohol, attend an R-rated movie, swear, smoke, wear makeup, dance, or listen to rock music? These are just a few of the external behaviors that have been prohibited in many so-called Christian circles that never address the core heart issues and motivations that affect not just what we do but who we are.
The problem of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality is huge. Too many so-called Christians look great on the outside, but inside they are a wreck...and afraid to admit it. We’re afraid that if people know who we really are that they’d reject us.
We crave intimacy but are terrified by it, not only on Sundays, but for many of us in our own homes.
Can you think of anyone who has appeared on the outside to be have their act together, only to find out later that they were a mess inside?
The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (1Samuel 16:7b)
What you and I need is not a list of dos and don’ts to follow in this new year. Following Jesus is not about a checklist. A WWJD bracelet that reminds us to “act” (as in actor) like Jesus is a far cry from becoming like Jesus. We need to be transformed from the inside out. This is not something that just happens overnight. It will require changing unhealthy habits that you and I have embraced our entire lives. Reading, prayer, Sunday messages, and especially midweek interactions will all be powerful in the process of becoming whole and healthy. Jesus said that “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).
When our kids were younger, we had conversations about swearing and why the pronunciation of certain words was deemed in appropriate. We explained that the sounds are not bad in and of themselves, but it is the heart behind the words that makes the difference.
The true test of who you are is not how you behave on Sunday or at some public gathering, but who you are when nobody is watching. Another test is how you respond to stress and unexpected challenges. When the going gets tough… One definition of integrity is “the state of being whole and undivided.” That’s a beautiful image. We live in a culture that is obsessed with the external. What we need is a spiritual revolution that begins inside.
We’re going to look at a very emotionally unhealthy man who looked great on the outside. He had power, fame, money, and friends. He was very spiritual, too. He made a great mistake, though. He never dealt with the core of his being and his emotions sabotaged his success.
King Saul started out great, but went awry. He was commanded by God to wipe out the Amalekites. He partially obeys, but does not complete the mission. On the surface of Saul’s life, he looked great, but his life was out of order underneath the surface.
Let me set up the scene for you. Saul was appointed king of Israel by God after the people begged for a king like all of the surrounding nations despite God’s warning that it would be better to just serve God.
Saul is told to “attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’” (1 Samuel 15:3)
Saul kills his enemies, but keeps some animals.
But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?” Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.”
“Stop!” Samuel said to Saul. “Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.”
“Tell me,” Saul replied. (1 Samuel 15:14-16)
Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.’ Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?” (1 Samuel 15:17-19)
“But I did obey the LORD,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.” (1 Samuel 15:20-21)
But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23)
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I violated the LORD’s command and your instructions. I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them. (1 Samuel 15:24)
There are three signs of emotionally unhealthy spirituality in Saul.
1. He refuses reflection and self-awareness
He is doing some of God’s will, but he is more concerned about the opinion of people. He is out of touch with his own fear.
A few verses later Saul says to Samuel
“I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.” (1 Samuel 15:30)
There is jealousy in his life. He doesn’t want others to look better than he does, especially David. Here tries six times to murder David, so threatened by him. He believes he is doing God’s will but he is unaware of how shallow his spirituality is and his own sins. He was unaware of why he did the things that he was doing.
Why do you do what you do? So much of our lives are lived out of the layers beneath the surface. Reflection can be painful because we see our sin and feel guilty. It’s easier to deny our stuff and pretend.
Silence and solitude are required in order to examine our motives and feelings and thoughts on the inside. You can’t be in touch with God if you are not in touch with yourself.
Saul lived an illusion, presenting a false self to God, as if God could be tricked!
Many of us keep ourselves so busy and noisy that we cannot reflect.
Unlike David, Saul never spends time in silence and solitude. He never writes poems and songs, pouring out himself to God. David was aware of his own heart and expresses it to God.
2. He refuses to cultivate his own personal relationship with God
He began humble and blessed by God but never develops his relationship with God. He does not have a hidden life in God. He has a public one, but no personal relationship with God.
But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23)
The words “obey” and “listen” are the same in Hebrew.
Saul though he was a pretty good guy but instead Samuel exposed the wickedness in his heart, calling him out on witchcraft and idolatry. He never asks, “What is God saying to me?”
Do you ever ask God what He is saying to you? Christianity is not meant to be merely intellectual, but experiential. What is God saying to you? He is speaking. Are you listening?
Dallas Willard told John Ortberg. Ruthlessly eliminate hurry. Ortberg said, “Okay, what’s next?”!
Contemplation is about getting God from your head to your heart. Sermons are a good start, but they are not the end. You must digest this food through Journey Groups and time alone with God.
The Pharisees knew all about God, but they never cultivated their relationship with God.
You must take responsibility for your relationship with God. Nobody else can do that for you. We can challenge you, provide you with tools and resources and opportunities for growth, but only you can cultivate your relationship with God.
It’s like marriage. People can give me books on marriage, I can attend marriage seminars, talk to people about marriage, and even decide in my head that I want a great marriage but if I don’t invest time and energy into my relationship with my bride, I will never have a good marriage.
3. He refuses to be broken by setbacks and difficulties
Trials can draw us to God. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). This does not mean the financially poor, but those that are desperate for God, broken by life and in need of God. The Father longs to be with us, know us, and spend time with us. He will often allow things to occur in our lives to get our attention because He wants nothing more than us and our hearts.
You cannot have God without poverty of spirit. You can have yourself, but not God.
The writer of Hebrews said of Jesus...
Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. (Hebrews 5:8)
Jesus learned obedience through suffering. There are no shortcuts.
God is trying to humble Saul to make him great and Saul just wants to be great.
God wants to take the Saul out of us. There is a Saul in each of us. Our self-will and stubbornness must be removed.
There is nothing like testing and trials to destroy our illusions about ourselves, others, life. There is nothing like testing and trials to build our character. They bring about an authentic life.
This series is about emotional health and contemplative spirituality. Over the next several weeks we will be discussing these two subjects and how they can help us love God and love others.
Top Ten Symptoms of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality
1. Using God to run from God
2. Ignoring the emotions of anger, sadness and fear
3. Dying to the wrong things
4. Denying the past’s impact on the present
5. Dividing life into “secular” and “sacred” compartments
6. Doing for God instead of being with God
7. Spiritualizing away conflict
8. Covering over brokenness, weakness and failure
9. Living without limits
10. Judging the spiritual journeys of others
Which one item is God bringing to your attention? Listen to Him. He delights when you listen to Him.
You are messed up, but Jesus offers forgiveness, grace, and mercy. Don’t run away from God but run to Him. The Gospel means “good news.”
That’s what we celebrated with communion. That’s why Jesus died. That’s why we have peace and hope and joy. That’s why 2012 can be different.
My prayer for you...and for me in 2012 is to know Jesus and look like Jesus. My desire is that one year from now we will reflect upon 2012 and see how God has led us and shaped us and helped us grow. This series will give you several tools to help in the process. The Radical Experiment is a huge part of it.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Note: many ideas derived from Peter Scazzero’s book Emotionally Healthy Spirituailty
Receive (and love all), 25 December 2011
27 12 11
Big Idea: Jesus loves us, and we are to love others…everyone!
Kids are great because they know how to receive. There is no fear or pride or reservation in receiving. Jesus said
I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17)
I love that!
Joy To The World/the LORD is come/let earth receive her King!
No gift is yours until you receive it.
Once we receive a gift, we must take good care of it. One of my favorite Bible verses says
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. (James 1:17-18)
This word “word” or “logos” in the original Greek often refers to Jesus.
Last week we saw this same word in the first chapter of John.
The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish. (John 1:14, The Message)
Jesus is a gift. We must receive the gift.
Two verses earlier, John says of Jesus
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:12-13)
When we receive Jesus, we become adopted into His family as children of God. It’s not because we earned it. It’s not because we’re good enough to earn His approval. Christmas is all about Jesus leaving heaven to come to earth, to be with us, Emmanuel, and ultimately to die.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
This is Christmas, that God created a beautiful planet, created us, loved us, and when we screwed up our lives through sin He sent Jesus to die for us and give us a second chance. A hope. A purpose. Love.
My challenge to you first and foremost is to receive Jesus. After you have received Jesus, the challenge is to receive and love all.
If there is one word that best describes God, it is love. He is the definition of love. He is the source of love.
Our mission—our purpose for existing—is one thing: love.
Jesus said the entire law of Moses can be summarized in four words...
Love God. Love Others.
That’s it.
But you can’t love until you’ve experienced love.
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
Because He has loved us and when we receive His love, we are then able to love Him and others.
Who are we to love?
Love all. Serve all.
That’s the slogan for Hard Rock Cafe. That should be our slogan! That should be what followers of Jesus—followers of love—should be all about.
Tragically, love is not a word that often describes us. In fact, recent studies indicate words like homophobic, judgmental, and hateful more accurately describe followers of the God of love.
This past week I had a meeting with two representatives from Scio Township and I told them that it’s my dream that if we ever closed our doors, the community would ask, “Where did those amazing, kind, generous, loving people go?” We exist to love God and others. I don’t want a restaurant out-loving the Church!
This Christmas, I invite you to spend time with the Author of love, receive His love, bask in His unconditional love for you...and then share it. Don’t hoard it. Don’t keep it to yourself.
Give to help dig a well in Africa.
Serve a neighbor in need.
Sponsor a child with Compassion International.
Help a co-worker.
Children, obey your parents.
Look people in the eye.
Volunteer.
Listen.
Love.
This Christmas season and into 2012, it’s my prayer that we would
Worship (more)
Rebel (and spend less)
Give (presents)
Receive (and love all)
For God so loved the entire world—everyone man, woman and child—that He gave Jesus. Let’s live for Him. Let’s live like Him. That’s radical!
You can listen to the podcast here.
Kids are great because they know how to receive. There is no fear or pride or reservation in receiving. Jesus said
I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17)
I love that!
Joy To The World/the LORD is come/let earth receive her King!
No gift is yours until you receive it.
Once we receive a gift, we must take good care of it. One of my favorite Bible verses says
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. (James 1:17-18)
This word “word” or “logos” in the original Greek often refers to Jesus.
Last week we saw this same word in the first chapter of John.
The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish. (John 1:14, The Message)
Jesus is a gift. We must receive the gift.
Two verses earlier, John says of Jesus
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:12-13)
When we receive Jesus, we become adopted into His family as children of God. It’s not because we earned it. It’s not because we’re good enough to earn His approval. Christmas is all about Jesus leaving heaven to come to earth, to be with us, Emmanuel, and ultimately to die.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
This is Christmas, that God created a beautiful planet, created us, loved us, and when we screwed up our lives through sin He sent Jesus to die for us and give us a second chance. A hope. A purpose. Love.
My challenge to you first and foremost is to receive Jesus. After you have received Jesus, the challenge is to receive and love all.
If there is one word that best describes God, it is love. He is the definition of love. He is the source of love.
Our mission—our purpose for existing—is one thing: love.
Jesus said the entire law of Moses can be summarized in four words...
Love God. Love Others.
That’s it.
But you can’t love until you’ve experienced love.
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
Because He has loved us and when we receive His love, we are then able to love Him and others.
Who are we to love?
Love all. Serve all.
That’s the slogan for Hard Rock Cafe. That should be our slogan! That should be what followers of Jesus—followers of love—should be all about.
Tragically, love is not a word that often describes us. In fact, recent studies indicate words like homophobic, judgmental, and hateful more accurately describe followers of the God of love.
This past week I had a meeting with two representatives from Scio Township and I told them that it’s my dream that if we ever closed our doors, the community would ask, “Where did those amazing, kind, generous, loving people go?” We exist to love God and others. I don’t want a restaurant out-loving the Church!
This Christmas, I invite you to spend time with the Author of love, receive His love, bask in His unconditional love for you...and then share it. Don’t hoard it. Don’t keep it to yourself.
Give to help dig a well in Africa.
Serve a neighbor in need.
Sponsor a child with Compassion International.
Help a co-worker.
Children, obey your parents.
Look people in the eye.
Volunteer.
Listen.
Love.
This Christmas season and into 2012, it’s my prayer that we would
Worship (more)
Rebel (and spend less)
Give (presents)
Receive (and love all)
For God so loved the entire world—everyone man, woman and child—that He gave Jesus. Let’s live for Him. Let’s live like Him. That’s radical!
Give (presence), 18 December 2011
13 12 11
Big Idea: one way to make this Christmas season different is to give more presence than presents.
This week’s word is give…presence!
This week one of my teenagers asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I said what I want more than anything is time together as a family. I want to create memories. I want to be WITH my family more than anything FROM my family.
Right now many of you under age 25 are thinking—boring! Give me something with a battery!!!
I don’t know if it’s because I already have a bunch of toys or because I’m getting older or what, but I don’t need or even want more stuff. I crave intimacy—deep relationship with God, Heather, my kids, and my friends.
I was recently being mentored by Jeff Brown, our District Superintendent with the Christian & Missionary Alliance. In our conversation, I mentioned how I am head-over-heels in love with my wife. I love to go on exciting dates with her, I love to travel with her, and I even love to just be together, sitting on the couch, silently reading books. Her mere presence with me bring me so much joy.
Jeff asked me about my intimacy with God. I said that I’m not satisfied with it. I want more. I long to hear the voice of God, for Him to lead and guide me every moment of every day. I said that there are moment—particularly in worship and in nature—when I feel so close to God and want to feel that all of the time.
Jeff challenged me, asking me if just being with God was enough. Could I just sit on the couch and be joyful about God’s mere presence? Was I even spending quality, uninterrupted time with God?
Jeff reminded me of the quote from Pastor and author John Piper who said, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.”
This is Piper’s definition of Christian hedonism. Yes, Christian hedonism. He continues...
“We all make a god out of what we take the most pleasure in. Christian Hedonists want to make God their God by seeking after the greatest pleasure—pleasure in him. By Christian Hedonism, we do not mean that our happiness is the highest good. We mean that pursuing the highest good will always result in our greatest happiness in the end. We should pursue this happiness, and pursue it with all our might. The desire to be happy is a proper motive for every good deed, and if you abandon the pursuit of your own joy you cannot love man or please God.”
We’ve all been told that it’s better to give than to receive. This is true not only with presents that we buy, but also when we give presence.
Perhaps the most famous story of someone giving presence involves Jesus and two sisters.
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” - Luke 10:38-42
Does this passage convict anyone else or just me? I tend to want to be the busy person rather than slowing down, being still, and giving God and/or others my undivided attention.
Jesus modeled the value of presence.
John 1:14 tells us ...
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
God could’ve given us a gift from afar, but He comes close. Why? He values relationships above all.
I love Eugene Peterson’s translation of this in The Message.
The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.
This week I was reading through the book of Hebrews and was struck by these verses:
"By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water." - Hebrews 10:20-22 (New Living Translation)
Do you know the story? At the moment of Jesus’ death, the curtain that separated the people of Israel from the Holy of Holies was miraculously torn from top to bottom. No longer did people have to know God vicariously through a high priest, but could enter “right into the presence of God.”
The real gift of Jesus was not His miracles of healing or merely a ticket to heaven, but access to the presence of Almighty God forever!!!!
Do you see it? The greatest Christmas gift was the presence of God.
He could’ve sent angels, He could’ve made stars flash in the skies—and He did both of those—but He did something that was so much greater. He gave Himself. He didn’t delegate. He didn’t send merely send a messenger, though He sent several to prepare the way.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. - Isaiah 7:14
“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” — which means, “God with us.” - Matthew 1:23
There’s an old negro spiritual called “Give Me Jesus” that says, “You can have the world/Give me Jesus.”
What are you giving Jesus for His birthday? What He wants more than anything is you...not your presents, but your presence.
Years ago I joined a few friends for dinner with a well-known Christian author and I asked him how he defines success. At first, he said he never thinks about it. Easy for him to say as a celebrity!!!
Then he said, “Success is being fully present in the moment.”
Stop. Pay Attention. Focus. Where Are You?
Where is your heart? Where is your soul?
In a million different places. Mind on a million different things.
Distressed. What needs to be done? Will you finish that project?
Who won the game? Fretting over a to do list that is unfinished.
Talking on the phone. Checking Twitter. Updating your status.
Wondering what "they" are doing. What's going on "out there."
Will I ever get ahead? The past. The future. Distracted. Out of Control.
Be still and know that I am God.
Take a deep breath. Rest in Him. Be rooted. Immersed.
Get comfortable with silence. Listen. Find your true voice.
Who and what is right in front of you? See things you didn't see.
Feel things you didn't feel. Now engage in this moment.
Be. Here. Now.
What are you giving others? Give more than a product. Give yourself. Give your attention. Give your time. Give your presence. Give Jesus!!!
He does not want you to keep Him to yourself. We have been called to not only know God, but also to make Him known. We have been called to share Jesus and give our presence to the world.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Where is your heart? Where is your soul?
In a million different places. Mind on a million different things.
Distressed. What needs to be done? Will you finish that project?
Who won the game? Fretting over a to do list that is unfinished.
Talking on the phone. Checking Twitter. Updating your status.
Wondering what "they" are doing. What's going on "out there."
Will I ever get ahead? The past. The future. Distracted. Out of Control.
Be still and know that I am God.
Take a deep breath. Rest in Him. Be rooted. Immersed.
Get comfortable with silence. Listen. Find your true voice.
Who and what is right in front of you? See things you didn't see.
Feel things you didn't feel. Now engage in this moment.
Be. Here. Now.
Rebel (and spend less), 11 December 2011
13 12 11
Big Idea: one way to make this Christmas season different is to spend less and give more.
We are in the most chaotic season of the year, businesses are doing whatever possible to lure us into their stores or onto their websites, credit cards are being used more than snow blowers in Alaska, and calendars are filled with parties and special events. So much for, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”
We continue Advent Conspiracy. The conspiracy is to do the season differently. The celebration of a king’s birth, lying in an animal food trough on a silent night has become the most stress-filled, debt-producing, narcissistic season of the year. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Each week we are focusing on one word. Last week it was worship. We said to do the season differently we need to worship more, focusing our attention on the one who is worthy and deserving of our affections and attentions—Jesus Christ.
Today’s word is rebel. Does this surprise you? What comes to mind when you think of rebel? I don’t think most people in our culture would think of Jesus-followers as being rebels, yet for centuries, many have led radical, counter-cultural lives. The context of Jesus’ birth itself was filled with rebels.
Rebellion is part of our tradition as followers of Jesus. I often talk about the importance of context when reading the Bible, and the Advent narratives are no exception.
We talk a lot about Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, but one of the dominant characters in the story is Herod. Herod was a nasty man. Actually, there several people named Herod as there were several names Caesar or the Pope. Herod was a governor appointed by the Roman Empire. He began his rule at age 25. He was obviously a friend of Rome and extremely insecure about his empire. He killed three of his sons, a wife, his mother-in-law, siblings, and even one of his key advisors. His empire was built on power and might. Even though he wasn’t Jewish, he held the title “king of the Jews.”
He was an impressive man. He built stadiums and coliseums. He built a palace on a huge hill that he had built even higher. He even rebuilt the temple, super-sizing it and placing a Roman eagle on it. The temple then became a huge business, with people selling sacrifices. Do you remember the story? Jesus goes postal and knocks over their tables.
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’” (Matthew 7:1-6)
We looked at this passage last week. Jesus had the right to be on the throne according to the genealogies in Matthew, so rather than seeking Jesus to destroy, he kills all baby boys.
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:7-12)
Jesus is very aware of Herod, his power, and his influence. His cousin, John the Baptist, was beheaded by Herod.
At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”
He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day — for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem! (Luke 13:31-33)
Jesus knows He is going to die a political death. He is aware of Herod. We need to be aware of Herod. We need to be aware of our culture. Jesus wants us to pledge allegiance to a different empire. Which kingdom will we pledge allegiance to? That is the real question today. We can follow Jesus—the real King of Kings—or we can follow the kings and rules and marketers and leaders of this world.
Christ-followers for generations have been rebels. They have lived radical, counter-cultural lives. Many have given their lives for their faith, refusing to bow down to the idols and gods of this world.
What about us? Do we worship the idols of our world—money, success, power—or humbly surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ?
On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. (Luke 23:6-9)
Herod wants Jesus to entertain him!
Zealots were activists. They were protestors. Jesus did not join them.
How do we ignore the kingdom? We focus on another Kingdom.
Jesus ignored Herod because He was living for a different Kingdom.
My challenge to you is ignore Herod and our materialistic culture that says more and bigger is better. Do you need all of that stuff? Do you need to buy all of that stuff? Do you need to go into debt to get all of that stuff?
I’m not going Scrooge on anyone! I love to give and receive gifts. In fact, I’ve already done my part this year to stimulate the economy, but I’ve also done so challenged by the idea of spending less.
Are there gifts I can offer that aren’t found at Target? Can I give my presence rather than just a bunch of presents? Why do I give gifts? Really.
In 2007, film maker Morgan Spurlock of “Supersize Me” fame made a movie called “What Would Jesus Buy.” It’s makes quite a statement.
An article in this week’s AnnArbor.com noted that the Prosperity Gospel preached in many churches is to blame for some of the overspending. According to a Time magazine survey, more than 60 percent of Christians agree that “God wants people to be financially prosperous.”
Let’s be rebels this Christmas. Let’s be radical! Let’s give thought and care into not only what we buy, but why. Will it matter in six months? Will we still be paying for our gifts in six months? 50% of the people charging their purchases still owe for last year’s Christmas! Despite the recession, “the average American plans to spend $751 on gifts this year, up 22 percent from last year’s spending plans.”
Here’s a few questions to think about the next time you’re at the mall...
- why am I here?
- do I need this?
- how will I pay?
- what if I wait?
- where will I put it?
I want to offer two gift suggestions that will not end up in next year’s garage sale.
The first is a gift to Hope Clinic, our local ministry partner. We have catalogs of gifts you can purchase—everything from hot meals to medical care to prescriptions for needy in our community.
The second is clean water. Thousands of men, women and children die every DAY just because they lack clean drinking water. A gift to The Water Project can literally save lives.
We can serve MasterCard or the Master.
We can serve the king of this world or the King of kings.
We worship and live radical lives because He is worthy of our complete and total devotion.
Let’s worship more, spend less, give to Hope Clinic and the Water Project, and make this Christmas matter.
You can listen to the podcast here.
We are in the most chaotic season of the year, businesses are doing whatever possible to lure us into their stores or onto their websites, credit cards are being used more than snow blowers in Alaska, and calendars are filled with parties and special events. So much for, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”
We continue Advent Conspiracy. The conspiracy is to do the season differently. The celebration of a king’s birth, lying in an animal food trough on a silent night has become the most stress-filled, debt-producing, narcissistic season of the year. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Each week we are focusing on one word. Last week it was worship. We said to do the season differently we need to worship more, focusing our attention on the one who is worthy and deserving of our affections and attentions—Jesus Christ.
Today’s word is rebel. Does this surprise you? What comes to mind when you think of rebel? I don’t think most people in our culture would think of Jesus-followers as being rebels, yet for centuries, many have led radical, counter-cultural lives. The context of Jesus’ birth itself was filled with rebels.
Rebellion is part of our tradition as followers of Jesus. I often talk about the importance of context when reading the Bible, and the Advent narratives are no exception.
We talk a lot about Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, but one of the dominant characters in the story is Herod. Herod was a nasty man. Actually, there several people named Herod as there were several names Caesar or the Pope. Herod was a governor appointed by the Roman Empire. He began his rule at age 25. He was obviously a friend of Rome and extremely insecure about his empire. He killed three of his sons, a wife, his mother-in-law, siblings, and even one of his key advisors. His empire was built on power and might. Even though he wasn’t Jewish, he held the title “king of the Jews.”
He was an impressive man. He built stadiums and coliseums. He built a palace on a huge hill that he had built even higher. He even rebuilt the temple, super-sizing it and placing a Roman eagle on it. The temple then became a huge business, with people selling sacrifices. Do you remember the story? Jesus goes postal and knocks over their tables.
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’” (Matthew 7:1-6)
We looked at this passage last week. Jesus had the right to be on the throne according to the genealogies in Matthew, so rather than seeking Jesus to destroy, he kills all baby boys.
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:7-12)
Jesus is very aware of Herod, his power, and his influence. His cousin, John the Baptist, was beheaded by Herod.
At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”
He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day — for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem! (Luke 13:31-33)
Jesus knows He is going to die a political death. He is aware of Herod. We need to be aware of Herod. We need to be aware of our culture. Jesus wants us to pledge allegiance to a different empire. Which kingdom will we pledge allegiance to? That is the real question today. We can follow Jesus—the real King of Kings—or we can follow the kings and rules and marketers and leaders of this world.
Christ-followers for generations have been rebels. They have lived radical, counter-cultural lives. Many have given their lives for their faith, refusing to bow down to the idols and gods of this world.
What about us? Do we worship the idols of our world—money, success, power—or humbly surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ?
On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. (Luke 23:6-9)
Herod wants Jesus to entertain him!
Zealots were activists. They were protestors. Jesus did not join them.
How do we ignore the kingdom? We focus on another Kingdom.
Jesus ignored Herod because He was living for a different Kingdom.
My challenge to you is ignore Herod and our materialistic culture that says more and bigger is better. Do you need all of that stuff? Do you need to buy all of that stuff? Do you need to go into debt to get all of that stuff?
I’m not going Scrooge on anyone! I love to give and receive gifts. In fact, I’ve already done my part this year to stimulate the economy, but I’ve also done so challenged by the idea of spending less.
Are there gifts I can offer that aren’t found at Target? Can I give my presence rather than just a bunch of presents? Why do I give gifts? Really.
In 2007, film maker Morgan Spurlock of “Supersize Me” fame made a movie called “What Would Jesus Buy.” It’s makes quite a statement.
An article in this week’s AnnArbor.com noted that the Prosperity Gospel preached in many churches is to blame for some of the overspending. According to a Time magazine survey, more than 60 percent of Christians agree that “God wants people to be financially prosperous.”
Let’s be rebels this Christmas. Let’s be radical! Let’s give thought and care into not only what we buy, but why. Will it matter in six months? Will we still be paying for our gifts in six months? 50% of the people charging their purchases still owe for last year’s Christmas! Despite the recession, “the average American plans to spend $751 on gifts this year, up 22 percent from last year’s spending plans.”
Here’s a few questions to think about the next time you’re at the mall...
- why am I here?
- do I need this?
- how will I pay?
- what if I wait?
- where will I put it?
I want to offer two gift suggestions that will not end up in next year’s garage sale.
The first is a gift to Hope Clinic, our local ministry partner. We have catalogs of gifts you can purchase—everything from hot meals to medical care to prescriptions for needy in our community.
The second is clean water. Thousands of men, women and children die every DAY just because they lack clean drinking water. A gift to The Water Project can literally save lives.
We can serve MasterCard or the Master.
We can serve the king of this world or the King of kings.
We worship and live radical lives because He is worthy of our complete and total devotion.
Let’s worship more, spend less, give to Hope Clinic and the Water Project, and make this Christmas matter.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Worship (more), 4 December 2011
06 12 11
Big Idea: one way to make this Christmas season different is to worship more.
Welcome to Advent Conspiracy! We are in the most chaotic season of the year, businesses are doing whatever possible to lure us into their stores or onto their websites, credit cards are being used more than snow blowers in Alaska, and calendars are filled with parties and special events. So much for, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”
If you’re like me, you want this Christmas to be different. You want to remember the reason for the season. You want to focus on being present more than buying presents.
Or maybe not!
Black Friday sales were up nearly 7% over the previous year, a huge increase in the retail world. Stores that used to open at 5 of 6 AM opened at 3 AM, 2 AM, midnight, or even 10 PM on Thanksgiving Day. For many, Black Friday is a bigger holiday than Thanksgiving.
What is wrong with this picture?
How do we recalibrate our souls?
Throughout this four-week series, we are going to focus on one word. Today’s word is worship. If we worship more, we are likely to gain a healthy perspective on Advent.
When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:22-24)
The law—the Torah—required an ancient rite after the birth of a child. Joseph and Mary took their son to Jerusalem to present Jesus to the LORD. This was about six miles from their home in Bethelehem.
According to Leviticus 12, they were to sacrifice a lamb and a pigeon or dove. They were obviously poor because if you were not able to afford a lamb and a pigeon, two pigeons or doves were acceptable (2 turtle doves!).
All firstborns—people and animals—were to be dedicated to the LORD (v. 23; Ex. 13:2-13).
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. (Luke 2:25-26)
Simeon was promised by God that he would see the Messiah. He was an old man who waited his entire life for this moment.
Advent is all about waiting. For generations, people were waiting for the coming of Jesus. We are waiting for His second coming.
Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:27-32)
What was Simeon’s response to encountering Jesus?
He praised God! The Greek word is “eulogeo” which is where we get our word “eulogy.” It means to praise, give thanks, extol, bless, speak well of.
Simeon worships!
Others worshipped Jesus, too.
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)
They aren't Jews and yet they are more intent on finding the Messiah than any Jew (with the exception of Herod, who only wants to find him to kill him). Consider what they went through in their pursuit of the Messiah: a journey of maybe 1000 miles, or more, by camel that probably took months to complete. They asked people where to find him. They searched the Scriptures to learn about him. As a Christian, am I even willing to do that?
Second (Matt 2:2), they wanted to find a king and not just any king and not for their own sakes because they were already wealthy (judging by the gifts) and not for social status (according to Daniel 2:48 they were among the highest ranking officials in Babylon. "Historians tell us that no Persian was ever able to become king without mastering the scientific and religious disciplines of the magi and then being approved and crowned by them, and that this group also largely controlled judicial appointments - cf Esther 1:13" - from MacArthur Commentary on Matthew). The magi were looking for a king to worship.
Historical background on Herod.
1. Herod was a great builder who rebuilt the temple and made it larger and more efficient.
2. Herod was a ruthless leader who killed, through military might, to conquer the region of Judea.
3. Herod was a wealthy king who lived a life of luxury.
4. Herod was an insecure leader who killed his own family members when he felt his empire was threatened.
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:3-6)
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” (Matthew 2:7-8)
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:9-12)
They do meet the king, fall down to worship, offer their gifts, and then they disperse heeding God's call and likely taking the message with them back to their home country.
The most important thing about knowing Jesus, is Jesus. Too often the message of Jesus is wrapped up in what He can do for us, but the magi weren't looking for that, the magi were looking for the Messiah so they could worship him because He is the King. You don't go to the king and say, "King, you are so great, can I have.../will you do something for me.../I need.../I want.../". When you meet Jesus you don't ask him for things; you fall down and worship him. The magi were willing to risk months, travel hundreds of miles, ask questions, and diligently search to find the King. What am I willing to do?
So what’s the big idea? Worship more!
Everyone worships. We were made to worship. Some worship money, celebrities, or the person in the mirror. Even atheists worship. They give their attention, devotion, time, energy, and resources to those things that they value.
The word “worship” actually means “worth-ship.” We worship things that we think are worthy.
Worship is more than just singing songs. It’s a lifestyle.
How do you spend your time? Your treasures? Show me your calendar and checkbook and I’ll show you what you value and worship.
Obviously we are to worship God. Why? Because He told us too! Yes, but there’s so much more to worship.
Why Worship?
- reminds us that it’s not about us
- puts things in perspective
- reveals that God is in control
How Should We Worship?
- together
- party (Leviticus 23)
- give thanks
- voice (e.g. singing)
- time
- money
- obedience
"It must be an odd feeling to be thankful to nobody in particular. Everyone in the institution seems to be thankful ‘in general.’ It’s a little like being married in general." -Cornelius Plantingua, Jr
My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion. (Psalm 71:24)
- how you love your spouse
- pay attention to your friends
- everything you say, do, think, feel!
- how you act when things don’t go your way
- giving money to help build wells to provide clean water
Romans 12 tells us that everything is worship!
When?
- in good times
- when you don’t feel like it!
It’s often hard to worship when life is hard, but it’s often the most important thing for us to do. Not only does it declare our faith and allegiance, it reminds us that our God is greater than our current suffering.
Praise You in the Storm by Casting Crowns
Perry Noble has these thoughts about worship:
#1 – Repentance - Where there is no repentance there may be an emotional experience, but it’s not worship! Worship does not become worship until it IMPACTS the WAY WE LIVE!
#2 – Intellectual – We’re called to worship the Lord with our minds by renewing it and fixing it on Him. (Colossians 3:1-2)
#3 – Emotional- Worship is overwhelming when we realize how deeply we were entrenched in sin, how helpless we were and how incredible it is that Jesus would rescue us. (The reality of Romans 5:8 BLOWS ME AWAY!)
#4 – Intentional- No one accidentally follows Christ…if we are going to worship Him, it will be done purposefully!
#5 – Relational – Worship impacts every relationship we have, it is impossible to be a fully devoted worshipper of Christ and be a jerk to your wife or try as often as possible to take advantage of the opposite sex.
#6 – Financial – Until following Christ has impacted our finances in a sacrificial way we are not followers of Christ. Would you like to see the primary object of your worship…look at your checkbook!
#7 – Unconditional – (and NOT situational!) Worship is consistent, 24/7, not just when I feel good or God is giving me all that I want. If we worship only when things are good, we do not worship God…we worship a genie!
What if this Christmas God invites us into a song that He has been playing since the foundations of the earth; recent findings indicate that sound waves shape the cosmos the way; one science journal said “the early universe rang with the sound of countless cosmic bells and those sound waves moved like ripples on the surface of a pond and that is how the planets and the stars are formed. And they’re still picking up echoes of those soundings today.“ God “spoke” (the ancient Hebrew sages say “sang”) the universe into existence.
Everyone worships. We were made to worship. This Christmas, let’s worship more! Let’s seek the King as we prepare for His arrival…because Christmas begins and ends with Christ Jesus.
Credits: special thanks to Cliff Richardson for research and input.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Welcome to Advent Conspiracy! We are in the most chaotic season of the year, businesses are doing whatever possible to lure us into their stores or onto their websites, credit cards are being used more than snow blowers in Alaska, and calendars are filled with parties and special events. So much for, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”
If you’re like me, you want this Christmas to be different. You want to remember the reason for the season. You want to focus on being present more than buying presents.
Or maybe not!
Black Friday sales were up nearly 7% over the previous year, a huge increase in the retail world. Stores that used to open at 5 of 6 AM opened at 3 AM, 2 AM, midnight, or even 10 PM on Thanksgiving Day. For many, Black Friday is a bigger holiday than Thanksgiving.
What is wrong with this picture?
How do we recalibrate our souls?
Throughout this four-week series, we are going to focus on one word. Today’s word is worship. If we worship more, we are likely to gain a healthy perspective on Advent.
When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:22-24)
The law—the Torah—required an ancient rite after the birth of a child. Joseph and Mary took their son to Jerusalem to present Jesus to the LORD. This was about six miles from their home in Bethelehem.
According to Leviticus 12, they were to sacrifice a lamb and a pigeon or dove. They were obviously poor because if you were not able to afford a lamb and a pigeon, two pigeons or doves were acceptable (2 turtle doves!).
All firstborns—people and animals—were to be dedicated to the LORD (v. 23; Ex. 13:2-13).
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. (Luke 2:25-26)
Simeon was promised by God that he would see the Messiah. He was an old man who waited his entire life for this moment.
Advent is all about waiting. For generations, people were waiting for the coming of Jesus. We are waiting for His second coming.
Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:27-32)
What was Simeon’s response to encountering Jesus?
He praised God! The Greek word is “eulogeo” which is where we get our word “eulogy.” It means to praise, give thanks, extol, bless, speak well of.
Simeon worships!
Others worshipped Jesus, too.
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)
They aren't Jews and yet they are more intent on finding the Messiah than any Jew (with the exception of Herod, who only wants to find him to kill him). Consider what they went through in their pursuit of the Messiah: a journey of maybe 1000 miles, or more, by camel that probably took months to complete. They asked people where to find him. They searched the Scriptures to learn about him. As a Christian, am I even willing to do that?
Second (Matt 2:2), they wanted to find a king and not just any king and not for their own sakes because they were already wealthy (judging by the gifts) and not for social status (according to Daniel 2:48 they were among the highest ranking officials in Babylon. "Historians tell us that no Persian was ever able to become king without mastering the scientific and religious disciplines of the magi and then being approved and crowned by them, and that this group also largely controlled judicial appointments - cf Esther 1:13" - from MacArthur Commentary on Matthew). The magi were looking for a king to worship.
Historical background on Herod.
1. Herod was a great builder who rebuilt the temple and made it larger and more efficient.
2. Herod was a ruthless leader who killed, through military might, to conquer the region of Judea.
3. Herod was a wealthy king who lived a life of luxury.
4. Herod was an insecure leader who killed his own family members when he felt his empire was threatened.
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:3-6)
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” (Matthew 2:7-8)
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:9-12)
They do meet the king, fall down to worship, offer their gifts, and then they disperse heeding God's call and likely taking the message with them back to their home country.
The most important thing about knowing Jesus, is Jesus. Too often the message of Jesus is wrapped up in what He can do for us, but the magi weren't looking for that, the magi were looking for the Messiah so they could worship him because He is the King. You don't go to the king and say, "King, you are so great, can I have.../will you do something for me.../I need.../I want.../". When you meet Jesus you don't ask him for things; you fall down and worship him. The magi were willing to risk months, travel hundreds of miles, ask questions, and diligently search to find the King. What am I willing to do?
So what’s the big idea? Worship more!
Everyone worships. We were made to worship. Some worship money, celebrities, or the person in the mirror. Even atheists worship. They give their attention, devotion, time, energy, and resources to those things that they value.
The word “worship” actually means “worth-ship.” We worship things that we think are worthy.
Worship is more than just singing songs. It’s a lifestyle.
How do you spend your time? Your treasures? Show me your calendar and checkbook and I’ll show you what you value and worship.
Obviously we are to worship God. Why? Because He told us too! Yes, but there’s so much more to worship.
Why Worship?
- reminds us that it’s not about us
- puts things in perspective
- reveals that God is in control
How Should We Worship?
- together
- party (Leviticus 23)
- give thanks
- voice (e.g. singing)
- time
- money
- obedience
"It must be an odd feeling to be thankful to nobody in particular. Everyone in the institution seems to be thankful ‘in general.’ It’s a little like being married in general." -Cornelius Plantingua, Jr
My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion. (Psalm 71:24)
- how you love your spouse
- pay attention to your friends
- everything you say, do, think, feel!
- how you act when things don’t go your way
- giving money to help build wells to provide clean water
Romans 12 tells us that everything is worship!
When?
- in good times
- when you don’t feel like it!
It’s often hard to worship when life is hard, but it’s often the most important thing for us to do. Not only does it declare our faith and allegiance, it reminds us that our God is greater than our current suffering.
Praise You in the Storm by Casting Crowns
Perry Noble has these thoughts about worship:
#1 – Repentance - Where there is no repentance there may be an emotional experience, but it’s not worship! Worship does not become worship until it IMPACTS the WAY WE LIVE!
#2 – Intellectual – We’re called to worship the Lord with our minds by renewing it and fixing it on Him. (Colossians 3:1-2)
#3 – Emotional- Worship is overwhelming when we realize how deeply we were entrenched in sin, how helpless we were and how incredible it is that Jesus would rescue us. (The reality of Romans 5:8 BLOWS ME AWAY!)
#4 – Intentional- No one accidentally follows Christ…if we are going to worship Him, it will be done purposefully!
#5 – Relational – Worship impacts every relationship we have, it is impossible to be a fully devoted worshipper of Christ and be a jerk to your wife or try as often as possible to take advantage of the opposite sex.
#6 – Financial – Until following Christ has impacted our finances in a sacrificial way we are not followers of Christ. Would you like to see the primary object of your worship…look at your checkbook!
#7 – Unconditional – (and NOT situational!) Worship is consistent, 24/7, not just when I feel good or God is giving me all that I want. If we worship only when things are good, we do not worship God…we worship a genie!
What if this Christmas God invites us into a song that He has been playing since the foundations of the earth; recent findings indicate that sound waves shape the cosmos the way; one science journal said “the early universe rang with the sound of countless cosmic bells and those sound waves moved like ripples on the surface of a pond and that is how the planets and the stars are formed. And they’re still picking up echoes of those soundings today.“ God “spoke” (the ancient Hebrew sages say “sang”) the universe into existence.
Everyone worships. We were made to worship. This Christmas, let’s worship more! Let’s seek the King as we prepare for His arrival…because Christmas begins and ends with Christ Jesus.
Credits: special thanks to Cliff Richardson for research and input.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Prayer, 27 November 2011
06 12 11
Big Idea: prayer is powerful in many ways.
We’ve been going through the book of James, written by Jesus’ half-brother. The entire book of James is about practical, real faith, faith that works in real life.
Today we’re talking about the power of prayer. We pray because we can’t help it. The very word prayer comes from the Latin root precarius—a linguistic cousin to precarious.
Does prayer excite you or feel more like a task? Why?
Most people that I know—including myself—are frustrated by prayer for one reason or another.
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. (James 5:13)
Are you in trouble? Pray! Now!
The Greek word means “enduring hardship, experiencing misfortune, experiencing calamity.” Have you ever been there?
Are you happy? Thankful? We’ve just sung songs of praise.
Prayer and praise.
Prayer is talking with God. It is more than just asking God for stuff.
Sometimes we treat God like Santa Claus, always asking for things, often in desperation. We pray ONLY in times of trouble.
As a dad, it would drive me crazy if the only time my kids called my name was when they wanted something from me. I love it when they say thanks, share ideas, reveal their feelings, ask me questions, and offer kind words. When I have a relationship with them, I WANT to give them good things when they ask.
Many are frustrated with prayer because they don’t get immediate answers to their prayers, but petitions or requests are just one type of prayer. I fear that for some of us, if it weren’t for trouble, we would never talk with God.
Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. (James 5:14)
I think this verse is pretty clear. The word for “sick” means literally “to be without strength.” It’s not having the sniffles, but being truly sick.
This phrase “call the elders” is a command to the sick person.
Too often we call the doctor or grab head to the medicine cabinet. There’s nothing wrong with doctors or medicine, but the local church is the God-designed community where we are to love and serve one another. It is a joy to worship together, to bear one another’s burdens, to pray for each other.
And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. (James 5:15)
What makes prayer effective? Is it long prayers? Deep, intellectual words? Oil? No, it is faith-filled prayer.
Where does faith come from? It is a gift of God.
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17)
Do you have faith to believe God will answer your prayer?
One of the many Hebrew names for God is Yahweh Raphah, the LORD who heals.
The phrase “prayer offered in faith” literally means in the Greek “THE prayer of THE faith.”
What is the prayer of faith? John tells us...
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him. (1 John 5:14-15)
Philip Yancey said, “Prayer is the act of seeing reality from God’s point of view.”
Does God always heal as we desire, instantly and completely? No. Why not? Great question! He does not always answer the way we desire...or in our timing.
In some cases, we may be the reason we are sick. If he has sinned—sometimes sin causes sickness. Jesus often forgave sins during healing encounters.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)
Prayer matters. Prayer is powerful.
We looked at this verse several months ago when we talked about praying for one another. There’s something powerful about confession. The verb tense means “keep on confessing your sins to one another” and “keep on praying for one another so that you may be healed.”
Again, there is often—not always, but often—a relationship between sin and sickness.
Proverbs 15:29 says...
The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous. (Proverbs 15:29)
John 9:31 tells us...
We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. (John 9:31)
James continues with an example.
Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. (James 5:17-18)
Elijah was a role model for James. James’ nickname was “camel knees” because he spent so much time praying that calluses developed on his knees.
1 Kings 18 tells the story of Elijah’s powerful prayers.
Notice it says he was a man “just like us.” He did some great things, but he was also a coward.
God wants to see faith, real faith, faith that leads to prayer. When we pray according to God’s will, He will respond. Faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ and the more we hear the Word and spend time in prayer, the more we will know and understand God’s will and pray accordingly.
Matthew Henry said...
“It is not enough to say a prayer, but we must pray in prayer. Thoughts must be fixed, desires must be firm and ardent, and graces exercised. This instance of the power of prayer, encourages every Christian to be earnest in prayer.”
I love this...
"Everything in God’s store is on the bottom shelf–you have to get on your knees to get it.” - Robert Collier
After all of these verses on prayer, James concludes his book by saying...
My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins. (James 5:19-20)
Sheep wander. That’s why they need a shepherd.
It’s so easy to lose our way, especially when our world is so dark. None of us is perfect which is why we need one another. We have a strong enemy that will do anything to get us off the path, either sending us backward or just leading us to a picnic at the side of the road that prevents growth.
We were made for community and it is required if you truly want to follow Jesus. You can’t do it alone. Our culture says to reject authority and be your own person, but that’s not the message of the Bible. We were created to live interdependently. Brothers look out for brothers. Sisters care about sisters.
These two verses paint a beautiful picture of restoration, wisdom, and initiative. This is not, of course, speaking of harsh criticism and judgment, but rather speaking the truth in love.
Prodigals are always welcome here in the Scio family. Always.
Of course the greatest demonstration of this is introducing an unbeliever to Jesus. There is no greater joy!
We have noted previously that ...
Prayer Is The Primary Work Of God’s People (Phil. 4:6-7)
It is not a program or an event. It is what we do. It is not only the way in which we communicate with and know God, it is a way to bless others.
“Prayer Is The Soul’s Sincere Desire”
Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
unuttered or expressed,
the motion of a hidden fire
that trembles in the breast.
Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
the falling of a tear,
the upward glancing of an eye,
when none but God is near.
Prayer is the simplest form of speech
that infant lips can try;
prayer the sublimest strains that reach
the Majesty on high.
Prayer is the contrite sinners' voice,
returning from their way,
while angels in their songs rejoice
and cry, "Behold, they pray!"
Prayer is the Christians' vital breath,
the Christians' native air;
their watchword at the gates of death;
they enter heaven with prayer.
O Thou, by whom we come to God,
the Life, the Truth, the Way:
the path of prayer thyself hast trod;
Lord, teach us how to pray!
- James Montgomery, 1771-1854
You can listen to the podcast here.
We’ve been going through the book of James, written by Jesus’ half-brother. The entire book of James is about practical, real faith, faith that works in real life.
Today we’re talking about the power of prayer. We pray because we can’t help it. The very word prayer comes from the Latin root precarius—a linguistic cousin to precarious.
Does prayer excite you or feel more like a task? Why?
Most people that I know—including myself—are frustrated by prayer for one reason or another.
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. (James 5:13)
Are you in trouble? Pray! Now!
The Greek word means “enduring hardship, experiencing misfortune, experiencing calamity.” Have you ever been there?
Are you happy? Thankful? We’ve just sung songs of praise.
Prayer and praise.
Prayer is talking with God. It is more than just asking God for stuff.
Sometimes we treat God like Santa Claus, always asking for things, often in desperation. We pray ONLY in times of trouble.
As a dad, it would drive me crazy if the only time my kids called my name was when they wanted something from me. I love it when they say thanks, share ideas, reveal their feelings, ask me questions, and offer kind words. When I have a relationship with them, I WANT to give them good things when they ask.
Many are frustrated with prayer because they don’t get immediate answers to their prayers, but petitions or requests are just one type of prayer. I fear that for some of us, if it weren’t for trouble, we would never talk with God.
Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. (James 5:14)
I think this verse is pretty clear. The word for “sick” means literally “to be without strength.” It’s not having the sniffles, but being truly sick.
This phrase “call the elders” is a command to the sick person.
Too often we call the doctor or grab head to the medicine cabinet. There’s nothing wrong with doctors or medicine, but the local church is the God-designed community where we are to love and serve one another. It is a joy to worship together, to bear one another’s burdens, to pray for each other.
And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. (James 5:15)
What makes prayer effective? Is it long prayers? Deep, intellectual words? Oil? No, it is faith-filled prayer.
Where does faith come from? It is a gift of God.
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17)
Do you have faith to believe God will answer your prayer?
One of the many Hebrew names for God is Yahweh Raphah, the LORD who heals.
The phrase “prayer offered in faith” literally means in the Greek “THE prayer of THE faith.”
What is the prayer of faith? John tells us...
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him. (1 John 5:14-15)
Philip Yancey said, “Prayer is the act of seeing reality from God’s point of view.”
Does God always heal as we desire, instantly and completely? No. Why not? Great question! He does not always answer the way we desire...or in our timing.
In some cases, we may be the reason we are sick. If he has sinned—sometimes sin causes sickness. Jesus often forgave sins during healing encounters.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)
Prayer matters. Prayer is powerful.
We looked at this verse several months ago when we talked about praying for one another. There’s something powerful about confession. The verb tense means “keep on confessing your sins to one another” and “keep on praying for one another so that you may be healed.”
Again, there is often—not always, but often—a relationship between sin and sickness.
Proverbs 15:29 says...
The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous. (Proverbs 15:29)
John 9:31 tells us...
We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. (John 9:31)
James continues with an example.
Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. (James 5:17-18)
Elijah was a role model for James. James’ nickname was “camel knees” because he spent so much time praying that calluses developed on his knees.
1 Kings 18 tells the story of Elijah’s powerful prayers.
Notice it says he was a man “just like us.” He did some great things, but he was also a coward.
God wants to see faith, real faith, faith that leads to prayer. When we pray according to God’s will, He will respond. Faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ and the more we hear the Word and spend time in prayer, the more we will know and understand God’s will and pray accordingly.
Matthew Henry said...
“It is not enough to say a prayer, but we must pray in prayer. Thoughts must be fixed, desires must be firm and ardent, and graces exercised. This instance of the power of prayer, encourages every Christian to be earnest in prayer.”
I love this...
"Everything in God’s store is on the bottom shelf–you have to get on your knees to get it.” - Robert Collier
After all of these verses on prayer, James concludes his book by saying...
My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins. (James 5:19-20)
Sheep wander. That’s why they need a shepherd.
It’s so easy to lose our way, especially when our world is so dark. None of us is perfect which is why we need one another. We have a strong enemy that will do anything to get us off the path, either sending us backward or just leading us to a picnic at the side of the road that prevents growth.
We were made for community and it is required if you truly want to follow Jesus. You can’t do it alone. Our culture says to reject authority and be your own person, but that’s not the message of the Bible. We were created to live interdependently. Brothers look out for brothers. Sisters care about sisters.
These two verses paint a beautiful picture of restoration, wisdom, and initiative. This is not, of course, speaking of harsh criticism and judgment, but rather speaking the truth in love.
Prodigals are always welcome here in the Scio family. Always.
Of course the greatest demonstration of this is introducing an unbeliever to Jesus. There is no greater joy!
We have noted previously that ...
Prayer Is The Primary Work Of God’s People (Phil. 4:6-7)
It is not a program or an event. It is what we do. It is not only the way in which we communicate with and know God, it is a way to bless others.
“Prayer Is The Soul’s Sincere Desire”
Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
unuttered or expressed,
the motion of a hidden fire
that trembles in the breast.
Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
the falling of a tear,
the upward glancing of an eye,
when none but God is near.
Prayer is the simplest form of speech
that infant lips can try;
prayer the sublimest strains that reach
the Majesty on high.
Prayer is the contrite sinners' voice,
returning from their way,
while angels in their songs rejoice
and cry, "Behold, they pray!"
Prayer is the Christians' vital breath,
the Christians' native air;
their watchword at the gates of death;
they enter heaven with prayer.
O Thou, by whom we come to God,
the Life, the Truth, the Way:
the path of prayer thyself hast trod;
Lord, teach us how to pray!
- James Montgomery, 1771-1854
You can listen to the podcast here.
Patience, 20 November 2011
22 11 11
Big Idea: we must live as if Christ will return today, and patiently wait for Him as if He will come later.
Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you. (James 5:1-6)
What is James saying here? Very simply, we cannot rely on our riches but, instead, need to put our trust in God. We have repeatedly said that each of us is financially rich compared to the rest of the world.
Greed is not good.
We are to be good stewards of our wealth. Generosity honors God and blesses people.
Note that it is not wealth itself that is bad, but the love and hoarding of it.
One writer said to summarize this text, “A believer who seeks spiritual growth dare not become caught up in the accumulation of wealth for himself. He should share his possessions for God’s glory and the good of others.” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary by Walvoord and Zuck)
I used to consider myself a patient person...until I had kids!
It is difficult to be patient in our culture because things happen so rapidly. People live busy lives and when a slowdown occurs, we often don’t know how to react.
James writes...
Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. (James 5:7-8)
It’s easy to get impatient. This is true in the short-term when we are waiting for a red traffic light to turn green, for instance, but also in the long-term.
Students, how many of you can’t wait until graduation? For some of you it is years away!
We have singles in this room that may be impatient about finding a spouse.
There are hurting parents here today that have been waiting years for their wayward children to return to Jesus.
Most of us would say that we long for the return of Jesus. We are excited about heaven and eternity in the presence of Christ.
What I find interesting is that Jesus said He would return...when? Soon! I guess soon means different things to different people! 2000 years is not my definition of soon!
In life, we need to think of the long-term, the ultimate goal. The race we run is a marathon, not a sprint. The LORD’s coming is near and we need to be ready. We need to be ready to persevere until He returns. We need to be focused and intentional about how we live our lives. We need to live with the urgency of knowing that at any moment the trumpet could sound, signaling the arrival of Christ. Some have said, “Jesus is coming. Look busy!” That’s not exactly the point, but we are to be patient as we await His return, yet also stand firm, regardless of the circumstances that surround us.
Peter wrote…
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. (2 Peter 3:8-12)
We are to be patient and stand firm. We cannot speed up the return of Christ any more than the farmer can speed up the harvest.
Patience is a part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. If we ask for patience, we will surely receive...but asking for patience is a dangerous prayer!!!
James continues...
Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! (James 5:9)
Children have been known to misbehave when the teacher steps out of the classroom. Often someone will play lookout and warn everyone when the teacher is coming.
In a similar manner, the Judge, the King, Jesus Christ is coming and we need to be ready. We need to not only look busy, we need to be busy doing the business of our Father.
We need to be ready.
Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (James 5:10-11)
There have been countless martyrs throughout history that have been killed simply because of their faith in Jesus. At this moment there are brothers and sisters around the world facing persecution and execution for following Christ.
It’s going to be worth it.
Friends, this life is so short compared to eternity. Someday God will judge. He will set things straight. He will honor those who persevered like Job. Note that it does not say that Job had patience, but he endured and was steadfast despite his impatience with God!
That last sentence is powerful—the LORD is full of compassion and mercy. There are days when it doesn’t feel like it, times when it seems that God is taking a nap, moments when we wonder if He is good, but I’m here to tell you and James is here telling us that He is full of compassion and mercy. He can be trusted.
Above all, my brothers, do not swear — not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned. (James 5:12)
This is not speaking of profanity, but of an oath or promise. God is watching...and He will return soon so we are to always be honest and trustworthy or we will be condemned and fall under judgment.
So what’s the big idea? We are to persevere and patiently wait until the return of Jesus. He is watching. Our lives matter. Our actions matter.
We are to stand firm. We are not to grumble. We are to remain steadfast during trials. We are not to break promises.
This text reminds me that we are to live not only for today, but also for tomorrow. That’s what Jesus did. He modeled patience and endurance. He never grumbled or broke a promise. He remains our example, and promised to be with us always through the Holy Spirit.
King David wrote
I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. (Psalm 27:13-14)
Good things will eventually come to those that wait.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you. (James 5:1-6)
What is James saying here? Very simply, we cannot rely on our riches but, instead, need to put our trust in God. We have repeatedly said that each of us is financially rich compared to the rest of the world.
Greed is not good.
The Radical Experiment, 6 November 2011
08 11 11
Big Idea: the conclusion of our Radical series offers five next-steps for knowing Jesus more deeply.
Opening Video
We are concluding our series Radical based somewhat on the book of the same name by David Platt.
Last week I issued two cautions. One was that we would not take Jesus’ hard teaching seriously, rationalizing them away. The other is that we turn them into a legalistic to-do list that will get us to heaven or make God love us more.
Nothing you can do can make God love you more. Nothing you can do can make God love you less.
What I’m about to share with you has an additional caution—apathy. Jesus’ brother said simply...
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. – James 1:22
It’s easy to hear challenging teachings and nod our head or even compliment the preacher at the end, but what matters is not merely what we know but how we respond. Jesus was not merely a good teacher, He came to be LORD. Action is a natural response to love.
We have celebrated communion together, remembering all that Jesus has done for us. Anything that we do in obedience to Him is nothing more than a response, a privilege! The amazing thing is that when we obey Jesus, we are blessed. We experience what it means to be fully human. We encounter a depth in our relationship with our Creator that we can discover no other way. We are filled with joy and peace and satisfaction found nowhere else.
Today I want to invite you to The Radical Experiment. There are five parts to the Radical Experiment and they are just that, an experiment. These are five things that I believe will draw you closer to Jesus. They reflect His heart, His passion, and His commands. These five things are not magic, but I believe they can change your life, our church, and ultimately our world.
Pray for the entire world
This week the 7 billionth person entered our world. Billions have never even heard of Jesus. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few, Jesus said in Luke 10:2. “Ask the LORD of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into the harvest field.”
We can join God in His mission on our knees. Our denomination, the Christian & Missionary Alliance, states in its Core Values
Prayer is the primary work of God’s people. (Philippians 4:6-7)
OperationWorld.org will be our main tool for praying for the entire world. They have a book, a website, and other resources where you can learn about a different nation each day and pray for them.
We want God to bless America, but also all of the nations of the world. John 3:16 says that God so loved the...world! The first step in being a blessing to the nations is to pray for them.
Read through the entire Word
This relates to another value of the Christian & Missionary Alliance:
Knowing and obeying God’s Word is fundamental to all true success. (Joshua 1:8)
We can’t know it if we haven’t read it. Spiritual warfare is real. We need to know the Truth of God’s Word. The purpose, again, is not to perform a task but to know our Father.
Steve Jobs asked Walter Isaacson to write a biography of his life so that his children could know their dad. That makes me so sad, yet it would be even more tragic if his kids had no interest in reading it!
Our Father has given us not only information about Himself, but also wisdom for living, exciting stories, history, poetry, prophecy, and so much more. I want to challenge you to read through the Bible in 2012.
You may be saying, “2012? It’s not even December 2011!” You can use the next several weeks to practice or get a head start. We have a tool for this, too.
Dr. George Guthrie (www.readthebibleforlife.com) developed the Chronological Bible Reading Plan.
This plan takes the material of the Bible and organizes it to flow in chronological order. Since exact dating of some materials or events is not possible, the chronology simply represents an attempt to give you the reader the general flow and development of the Bible's grand story. Some passages are placed according to topic (e.g., John 1:1–3 in Week 1, Day 2; and many of the psalms). There are six readings for each week to give you space for catching up when needed.
In addition to the website and book, free apps are available for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch and it is fully compatible with the YouVersion website and apps. You can listen to the audio, read the book, visit online, or view the app. However you do it, we want to read through the entire Bible...together.
Imagine what it would be like if you told a friend about what you read that morning and they said, “Hey, I read that, too!” As a church family, we will all be able to read the same chapters each day and grow together. We’ll even build some of our Sunday morning texts from the reading plan.
In addition to the verses, ReadTheBibleForLife.com offers podcasts and videos with Michael Card and others that will help you read, understand, and apply God’s Word.
Sacrifice our money for a specific purpose
Everything that we have belongs to God—not 10%, not 50%, but 100%. As we have noted, every person in this room is financially rich compared to the other 7 billion people on the planet. What would happen if we committed to free up resources for urgent spiritual and physical needs around the world? Do you think God would honor our generosity if we take what is from Him and sacrificially use it for His purposes?
Instead of asking how much we can spare, what if we asked, “What will it take?”
The needs of our world are so overwhelming. Bob Pierce, the former president of World Vision said,
"Don't fail to do something just because you can't do everything."
Each of us can do something, whether it is to skip a meal, cancel cable, increase the percentage of our giving, sponsor a child with Compassion International, or even make a micro-finance loan through Kiva.org.
It has been said that Christians spend more money on dog food than missions! Seriously?
Everything we have belongs to God; we are His stewards. (1 Chronicles 29:14)
The world is not our home. Let’s stop living like it is.
Give our time in another context
I challenge you—and myself—to spend 2% of your time—or one week—in another context. This could be a missions trip to Africa or a week next summer in Detroit. We’ll be presenting opportunities in the coming days for youth, individuals, and families or you can create your own.
Lost people matter to God. He wants them found. (Luke 19:10)
Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple. (Matthew 28:19)
That means you!
Commit our lives to a multiplying community
Be a committed member of a local church, here or elsewhere.
Following Jesus is a team sport. We need each other. God created us to be interdependent. Just as the Father, Son and Spirit exist in community so we are to, also.
In 2012 we are going to pray for the world together, read the Word together, give together, and serve together.
The point is not to follow Christ but to follow Him together.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
- Acts 2:42-47
Do you see it?
They were radically committed to the Word of God and the apostle’s teaching.
They were radically committed to fellowship together, in public and in homes. They were radically committed to prayer, experiencing miracles. They were radically generous, giving to anyone as he had need. They were radically committed to one another, meeting together daily.
This was not a perfect church, but it was a radical one. I cannot imagine a more compelling vision for Scio—a group of normal but radical people, passionately committed to loving Jesus, one another, and their neighbors.
It doesn’t just happen, though. We can’t wish it into reality. It requires total surrender, but it’s worth it.
You might ask why we’re talking about 2012 in November of 2011. As I said with the Bible reading, this will give you some time to experiment. I urge you to prayerfully consider the challenge, especially as we head into the crazy holidays.
Finally, let me say once more that we must avoid legalism, thinking we need to follow man-made rules or even God-given commands in order to earn salvation or approval before God. Nothing you can do can make God love your more/less. God’s favor in your life is not based on your performance but on Jesus Christ and what He did for you. That’s what we celebrated earlier with communion. That’s also why do serve Him. We love and serve Him because He first loved and served us. This is our response.
Concluding Video
You can listen to the podcast here.
Opening Video
We are concluding our series Radical based somewhat on the book of the same name by David Platt.
This plan takes the material of the Bible and organizes it to flow in chronological order. Since exact dating of some materials or events is not possible, the chronology simply represents an attempt to give you the reader the general flow and development of the Bible's grand story. Some passages are placed according to topic (e.g., John 1:1–3 in Week 1, Day 2; and many of the psalms). There are six readings for each week to give you space for catching up when needed.
In addition to the website and book, free apps are available for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch and it is fully compatible with the YouVersion website and apps. You can listen to the audio, read the book, visit online, or view the app. However you do it, we want to read through the entire Bible...together.
Imagine what it would be like if you told a friend about what you read that morning and they said, “Hey, I read that, too!” As a church family, we will all be able to read the same chapters each day and grow together. We’ll even build some of our Sunday morning texts from the reading plan.
In addition to the verses, ReadTheBibleForLife.com offers podcasts and videos with Michael Card and others that will help you read, understand, and apply God’s Word.
Sacrifice our money for a specific purpose
Everything that we have belongs to God—not 10%, not 50%, but 100%. As we have noted, every person in this room is financially rich compared to the other 7 billion people on the planet. What would happen if we committed to free up resources for urgent spiritual and physical needs around the world? Do you think God would honor our generosity if we take what is from Him and sacrificially use it for His purposes?
Instead of asking how much we can spare, what if we asked, “What will it take?”
The needs of our world are so overwhelming. Bob Pierce, the former president of World Vision said,
"Don't fail to do something just because you can't do everything."
Each of us can do something, whether it is to skip a meal, cancel cable, increase the percentage of our giving, sponsor a child with Compassion International, or even make a micro-finance loan through Kiva.org.
It has been said that Christians spend more money on dog food than missions! Seriously?
Everything we have belongs to God; we are His stewards. (1 Chronicles 29:14)
The world is not our home. Let’s stop living like it is.
Give our time in another context
I challenge you—and myself—to spend 2% of your time—or one week—in another context. This could be a missions trip to Africa or a week next summer in Detroit. We’ll be presenting opportunities in the coming days for youth, individuals, and families or you can create your own.
Lost people matter to God. He wants them found. (Luke 19:10)
Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple. (Matthew 28:19)
That means you!
Commit our lives to a multiplying community
Be a committed member of a local church, here or elsewhere.
Following Jesus is a team sport. We need each other. God created us to be interdependent. Just as the Father, Son and Spirit exist in community so we are to, also.
In 2012 we are going to pray for the world together, read the Word together, give together, and serve together.
The point is not to follow Christ but to follow Him together.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Do you see it?
They were radically committed to the Word of God and the apostle’s teaching.
Concluding Video
Radical Abandonment, 30 October 2011
30 10 11
You can listen to the podcast here.
Radical Giving, 16, October 2011
19 10 11
Last week we said that we must have a radical urgency for the things of God and the two things He cares most deeply about are the lost and the poor. The Bible is jam-packed with God’s heart for the spiritual and physically needy.
I believe the primary reason why the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not taking root and flourishing in our nation is our lack of need.
Think about it.
Do we need healing? That’s what Advil and the doctor do.
Do we need daily bread? Most of us have a pantry full of food plus a refrigerator and maybe even a freezer.
Do we need education and knowledge? We have more information in our pockets than could fill a library 20 years ago.
Do we need relationships? We connect with our deepest friends at bars and on Facebook.
Friends, our world is filled with needs, and God wants us to meet them. That’s our purpose. That’s why we’re still here and not zapped up to heaven after begin to follow Jesus.
Last week we focused on urgency for the spiritually needs and today we turn to the physically poor. Today we’re talking about radical giving.
I want to begin by saying we are not in a building campaign. We are not fundraising today. In fact, we already took the offering! My hope is that at the end of our time together your heart will beat more in sync with God’s heart and recognize not only the needs around us but also how you can change the world, one life at a time.
If you have your Bible, either paper or electronic, please turn to Luke 16. Luke is one of four biographies of Jesus, written by a doctor who paid great attention to detail in his account.
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ (Luke 16:22-24)
Quick tangent: does Jesus ever talk about Hell? How is it described? Why did the beggar go to Abraham’s side (or heaven)? Why did the rich man end up in Hell?
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ (Luke 16:25-26)
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ (Luke 16:27-28)
My whole being will exclaim, “Who is like you, O LORD? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them.” - Psalm 35:10
I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy. - Psalm 140:12
There are so many more. Now let’s look at what Jesus said...
The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” - Luke 4:17-19
Jesus came for the spiritually and physically poor. He didn’t come for the religious people. His mission was not to help the rich gain greater wealth. His purpose was not to create a safe, comfortable life for Himself and His friends.
Perhaps the most famous statement ever made about the poor came in a passage known as the Beatitudes.
Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. - Luke 6:20-21
Notice Jesus doesn’t say wealth is bad or wrong or evil, though He did make it clear that it can become an idol. The root of all evil, after all, is not money but the LOVE of money.
We play now and pay later or pay now and play later.
I believe that God responds to the needs of the poor with compassion because they are in need, they are broken, they are humble, they are not too proud to beg, so to speak. This does not mean that every poor person gets an automatic ticket to heaven, but it does mean that God cares for them and so should we.
We hear about the poor all the time, don’t we? Politicians talk about the poor. Guilt-inducing statistics are shoved in our face through various fundraisers and infomercials.
I often judge the poor. I’m not proud of this, but I sometimes look at the exit guys—the beggars at the exit ramps—and think to myself, “Go get a job!” I look at bums downtown and think, “Quit drinking and smoking and do something with your life.” It’s easy to get callous toward the poor, especially when you hear stories about con-artists that make five or even six figures panhandling or addicts that take your cash right to a drug dealer.
There are many reasons people are poor, but globally it is rarely the result of their choices.
I thought about rattling off a barrage of statistics on poverty to help you see the needs of the poor in our world, but you’ve probably heard them already. I will share with you two.
Nearly 3 billion people live on less than $2 per day. That’s $730 per year.
Today 50,000 people will die due to poverty-related causes.
Behind every statistic is a face, a friend, a family member, a person formed in the image of God.
God responds to the needs of the poor with compassion.
The second thing I want you to know is God responds to those who neglect the poor with condemnation.
We are the rich man in the story. Yes, I’m talking to you. Most of you children have more wealth than billions of people on this planet. Billions!
We are dressed in fine linen inside a building that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to build. We will soon get into hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cars to go to homes worth millions of dollars combined. Meanwhile, there are poor at the gate, both across the street and across the planet.
Many of you know about the evil cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The term sodomy is derived from their behavior. Nevertheless, it was not their greatest sin.
“‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.
- Ezekiel 16:49
God has blessed us with great wealth...to share.
Have you ever prayed for God to bless the poor? He probably responded by saying, “Go for it!”
Have you ever prayed for God to provide for starving children? That’s our job!
Again, wealth is not bad—unless it is hoarded. Followers of Jesus should be the most radical givers. We should be known for our generosity.
The rich man was sent to hell not because he had money, but because money had him. He neglected the poor.
Are we throwing our scraps to the poor while we indulge in our pleasures. Is our giving like an extra chicken for the slaves at Christmas. This is not what the people of God do. Regardless of what we say or sing or study on Sunday morning, rich people who neglect the poor are not the people of God.
Even the world knows this.
“If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn’t help the poor, either we’ve got to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we’ve got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don’t want to do it.” - Stephen Colbert
One of my dreams for Scio is that it if we ever closed our doors, people would miss us. They would miss the positive impact we made. They would miss the way we lived modest lives and gave abundantly.
There is good news. Even though we can’t control famines or oppressive governments or other factors that lead poverty, we can make a difference.
Are we willing to ask God if he wants us to sell everything we have and give the money to the poor? Are we willing to ask and wait for an answer instead of providing one of our own or justifying our ideas of why he would never tell us to do this? This seems a bit radical, but isn’t it normal and expected when we follow a Master who said, “…any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33)
That means our wealth. We are not supposed to give God 10%. It ALL belongs to Him! One day we will stand before God and have to give an account for how we used our wealth. This is not only money but also our time and talents.
What is true and acceptable religion (James 1:27)? We are all so rich, which is not a bad thing. We need to be conduits of blessing to our communities...and the nations.
One man said the goal of every follower of Jesus should be to make as much money as possible and live off of as little as necessary. To whom much is given, much is required and we have all been given so much.
So what now? Here are a few suggestions:
1. Visit www.ONE.org
A story is told of a starfish.
One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?” The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.” “Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make a difference!” After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said, “I made a difference for that one.”
"Don't fail to do something just because you can't do everything." - Bob Pierce, former president of World Vision
David Platt notes,
“We look back on slave-owning churchgoers of 150 years ago and ask, “How could they have treated their fellow human beings that way?” I wonder if followers of Christ 150 years from now will look back at Christians in America today and ask, “How could they live in such big houses? How could they drive such nice cars and wear such nice clothes? How could they live in such affluence while thousands of children were dying because they didn’t have food and water? How could they go on with their lives as though the billions of poor didn’t even exist?””
Jesus said...
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. - Matthew 6:19-21
Radical giving is not rooted in guilt, but in the Gospel. It’s a part of following Jesus.
“So how do we care for the poor in a way that glorifies God? Be captivated by Christ. Long for the new creation. Set aside empty promises and earthly ideas of success, and trust that Christ will do what he has promised as we, with thankful hearts for the mercy that God has shown us, extend mercy in word and deed to those who so desperately need it, whether they're down the street or across the globe.” -Aaron Armstrong
We have been blessed to bless others.
Where is your treasure? Where is your heart?
You can listen to the podcast here.
Radical Urgency, 9 October 2011
11 10 11
Radical urgency does not come from what we know; it only comes from who we know.
There’s a great story of Jesus encountering a woman at a well. She is a Samaritan woman, a group despised by the Jews. Jesus had a radical disregard for the prejudices and hatred of men. His radical urgency transcended tribal boundaries. As I said a moment ago, you cannot encounter Jesus and not be changed, and this woman was no exception.
John 4:27 begins
Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” (John 4:27)
Did I mention not only did Jews not talk to Samaritans, men did not usually talk to women, certainly not alone, and certainly not rabbis. Jesus’ radical urgency for the lost person trumps all of our cultural and religious traditions.
Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him. (John 4:28-30)
What’s your story? Earlier this year we developed two-word stories. Of course, it helps to have someone to share it with.
This week I was reminded of radical urgency. My days on earth are numbered and when they end I have to give an account of how I spent them. There is a radical urgency that I do not waste a precious second.
Those around us are also going to face judgment someday. One conversation be all that is needed for their eternities to be transformed. Most of us live as if we’re indestructible with at least 80 or 90 years before we reach our expiration date, but some may die at 70 or 60…or 56.
This week you might encounter a 19 year-old searching for meaning and purpose in life. They may choose to follow Jesus because of your conversation or they may choose an alternate path, change the world, and spend eternity apart from God.
Steve Jobs, in his 2005 Stanford University commencement speech, said some timely words about his life and ours.
"No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Radical Compassion, 2 October 2011
04 10 11
Matthew 9:35-10:42
- Supernatural awareness of the condition of the lost
- Sacrificial obedience to the commission of Christ.
These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. (Matthew 10:5-8)
“Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. (10:11-16)
Jesus tells them to go to the dangerous.
What does the shepherd do? He protects sheep from the wolves. Why does the Good Shepherd send the sheep to the wolves?
Be as foolish as sheep but as smart as snakes. Go without reservation into areas of danger and be wise.
We do not need the power of God to live comfortable, safe lives.
“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. (Matthew 10:21-23)
The Kingdom of God is divisive.
When you are persecuted…not if.
Note: Many ideas borrowed from David Platt and his book Radical.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Not A Fan, 25 September 2011
26 09 11
We do not have time to waste our lives living out a Christian spin on the American Dream. – David Platt
Surrender!
Note: David Platt quotes are from his book Radical.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Here’s a bonus:
Follower vs. Fan.Is there a difference?
1. Followers are committed. Fans can be fickle.
2. Followers trust their leader. Fans trust in their leader only when it benefits them.
3. Followers want a vision. Fans want a show.
4. Followers ask “what have i done for you?” lately. Fans ask “what have you done for me lately?”
5. Followers are in for the long term. Fans are in for the short term.
6. Followers have an intrinsic connection; it’s not about wearing a t-shirt. Fans have an extrinsic connection; it’s ALL about wearing a t-shirt.
Are you a follower or a fan?
A Radical Command, 18 September 2011
20 09 11
Our Mission, 11 September 2011
14 09 11
Pride, 4 September 2011
09 09 11
Wisdom, 21 August 2011
09 09 11
Faith Works, 7 August 2011
09 08 11
Big Idea: Faith and works are marks of true believers.
When I was in middle school, I asked the question of friends, all of whom said heaven. “Why?” I asked. “Because I’m a good person and haven’t killed anyone,” they would usually respond.
“There’s a problem, though” I would say. “You’re not good enough. I’m not good enough.”
...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:23-24)
All of my goodness is as filthy rags it says in Isaiah 64:6.
Let’s look at some of Paul’s writings for a moment:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
How are we saved? By grace. Through faith. By God.
This is one of the most vital passages in the Bible. You are not good enough to go to heaven.
It’s not what you do that gets you to heaven but what was done by Jesus.
So does that mean that all dogs go to heaven, and people, too? No. We must receive the gift. Action is required. Faith is not merely something in your head, but something that is expressed.
Niagara Falls story
The Great Blondin - the man who invented the high wire act, announced to the world that he intended to cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope. More than five thousand people gathered to watch. Halfway across, Blondin suddenly stopped, steadied himself, back flipped into the air, landed squarely on the rope, and then continued safely to the other side. Blondin crossed the Falls again and again; blindfolded, carrying a stove, in chains, and on a bicycle. Just as he was about to begin yet another crossing, this time pushing a wheelbarrow, he turned to the crowd and shouted, "Who trusts that I can cross pushing this wheelbarrow?" Every hand in the crowd went up. Blondin pointed at one man:
"Do you trust that I can do it?" he asked.
"Yes, I trust you can." said the man.
"Are you certain that you trust me?" said Blondin.
"Yes" said the man.
"Absolute trust? Absolutely certain?"
"Yes, absolute trust, with absolute certainty."
"Thank you," said Blondin, "please get into the wheelbarrow."
On Thursday I took my son and two friends to see the Detroit Tigers. They were losing 5-0 near the end of the game and I told my friend, “If I was a betting man, I’d say the Tigers will lose.” After the Tigers scored two runs and had opportunities for more, I leaned over and said, “I’m glad I’m not a betting man.”
There’s a difference between saying you believe something and putting action behind it. It’s one thing to say the Tigers will win and another to put money on it, not that I’m advocating gambling!
Are you willing to get in the wheelbarrow?
Let’s look at today’s passage from the book of James.
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:14-17)
Here James refers to the poor again as he did in his definition of “pure religion.”
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (1:27)
Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words. That’s why I love Jesus. He didn’t just tell people, “I love you.” He demonstrated His love by giving His very life for us, dying on the cross in our place, receiving the punishment of our sins.
Martin Luther took issue with James, arguing that we are not saved by works, but instead by faith.
James' point is not to argue whether we are saved by faith or by works. His point is that our belief, which saves us, is only true belief if it is confirmed by our actions, if it is confirmed by hopping in the wheelbarrow.
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder. (2:18-19)
Check this out—satan believes in God, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to heaven!
It’s not enough to say you believe in God. Again, talk is cheap. Knowledge isn’t enough. Following Jesus is a verb, it involves action. Demons may believe in God, but they don’t serve Him, they don’t call Him LORD, they haven’t died to themselves in order to let Jesus live in and through them. Jesus said if we want to follow Him we must pick up our cross daily. We must die. We must put our faith into action.
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. (2:20-24)
Real faith requires action.
At this point it should be obvious that in context James is talking about works and faith being so tightly interwoven that to suggest you are saved, but do not do good works in response to that salvation then it's likely you are not really saved. Notice that James does not say, "You are justified by works alone." He very clearly unites works and faith. Either one alone is useless. It’s like a screen door on a submarine.
It’s so useless that James equates it to a body without a spirit, which is a dead body. The living dead. Those who claim to have faith but have no works are living with a dead thing; their dead spirit.
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (2:25-26)
Jesus did not die 2000 years ago to simply make history. His butchered body didn’t hang on a cross for people to say they witnessed a death. He died to demonstrate His love for us that we would die to ourselves, be recreated in His image, and make a difference in our world. Christians are to do more than talk the talk...we are to walk the walk. The world can’t see our mental beliefs, but they can see our actions...and often they FAIL to see our actions, making us hypocrites.
Jesus’ ministry was filled with good works as he healed the sick and fed the poor. That opened the door to dialogue about faith.
We need to walk in faith, not sit in faith.
So my challenge to you...and to me...is to walk the walk and put are faith into action. That’s what our Master did.
You can listen to the podcast here.
When I was in middle school, I asked the question of friends, all of whom said heaven. “Why?” I asked. “Because I’m a good person and haven’t killed anyone,” they would usually respond.
“There’s a problem, though” I would say. “You’re not good enough. I’m not good enough.”
...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:23-24)
All of my goodness is as filthy rags it says in Isaiah 64:6.
Let’s look at some of Paul’s writings for a moment:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
How are we saved? By grace. Through faith. By God.
This is one of the most vital passages in the Bible. You are not good enough to go to heaven.
It’s not what you do that gets you to heaven but what was done by Jesus.
So does that mean that all dogs go to heaven, and people, too? No. We must receive the gift. Action is required. Faith is not merely something in your head, but something that is expressed.
Niagara Falls story
The Great Blondin - the man who invented the high wire act, announced to the world that he intended to cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope. More than five thousand people gathered to watch. Halfway across, Blondin suddenly stopped, steadied himself, back flipped into the air, landed squarely on the rope, and then continued safely to the other side. Blondin crossed the Falls again and again; blindfolded, carrying a stove, in chains, and on a bicycle. Just as he was about to begin yet another crossing, this time pushing a wheelbarrow, he turned to the crowd and shouted, "Who trusts that I can cross pushing this wheelbarrow?" Every hand in the crowd went up. Blondin pointed at one man:
"Do you trust that I can do it?" he asked.
"Yes, I trust you can." said the man.
"Are you certain that you trust me?" said Blondin.
"Yes" said the man.
"Absolute trust? Absolutely certain?"
"Yes, absolute trust, with absolute certainty."
"Thank you," said Blondin, "please get into the wheelbarrow."
On Thursday I took my son and two friends to see the Detroit Tigers. They were losing 5-0 near the end of the game and I told my friend, “If I was a betting man, I’d say the Tigers will lose.” After the Tigers scored two runs and had opportunities for more, I leaned over and said, “I’m glad I’m not a betting man.”
There’s a difference between saying you believe something and putting action behind it. It’s one thing to say the Tigers will win and another to put money on it, not that I’m advocating gambling!
Are you willing to get in the wheelbarrow?
Let’s look at today’s passage from the book of James.
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:14-17)
Here James refers to the poor again as he did in his definition of “pure religion.”
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (1:27)
Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words. That’s why I love Jesus. He didn’t just tell people, “I love you.” He demonstrated His love by giving His very life for us, dying on the cross in our place, receiving the punishment of our sins.
Martin Luther took issue with James, arguing that we are not saved by works, but instead by faith.
James' point is not to argue whether we are saved by faith or by works. His point is that our belief, which saves us, is only true belief if it is confirmed by our actions, if it is confirmed by hopping in the wheelbarrow.
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder. (2:18-19)
Check this out—satan believes in God, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to heaven!
It’s not enough to say you believe in God. Again, talk is cheap. Knowledge isn’t enough. Following Jesus is a verb, it involves action. Demons may believe in God, but they don’t serve Him, they don’t call Him LORD, they haven’t died to themselves in order to let Jesus live in and through them. Jesus said if we want to follow Him we must pick up our cross daily. We must die. We must put our faith into action.
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. (2:20-24)
Real faith requires action.
At this point it should be obvious that in context James is talking about works and faith being so tightly interwoven that to suggest you are saved, but do not do good works in response to that salvation then it's likely you are not really saved. Notice that James does not say, "You are justified by works alone." He very clearly unites works and faith. Either one alone is useless. It’s like a screen door on a submarine.
It’s so useless that James equates it to a body without a spirit, which is a dead body. The living dead. Those who claim to have faith but have no works are living with a dead thing; their dead spirit.
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (2:25-26)
Jesus did not die 2000 years ago to simply make history. His butchered body didn’t hang on a cross for people to say they witnessed a death. He died to demonstrate His love for us that we would die to ourselves, be recreated in His image, and make a difference in our world. Christians are to do more than talk the talk...we are to walk the walk. The world can’t see our mental beliefs, but they can see our actions...and often they FAIL to see our actions, making us hypocrites.
Jesus’ ministry was filled with good works as he healed the sick and fed the poor. That opened the door to dialogue about faith.
We need to walk in faith, not sit in faith.
So my challenge to you...and to me...is to walk the walk and put are faith into action. That’s what our Master did.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Favoritism, 31 July 2011
01 08 11
Big Idea: God loves each of us equally and we are, likewise, to love others equally.
We all have preferences. That’s probably why there are dozens of different types of toothpaste to choose from when we go to the store. Jesus’ half-brother, James, had some strong words about favoritism.
My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (2:1-4)
Last week’s message could be boiled down to three words:
Just Do It (obey the Word)
This week’s message could be boiled down to three words from another 80’s slogan:
Just Say No (to favoritism)
The message is pretty simple to understand, yet it can be difficult to obey.
Why do people show favoritism?
I’m continually amazed that in a nation whose Declaration of Independence reads “all men are created equal,” it was nearly 100 years later in 1870 that race was removed as a barrier to voting and it took another 50 years in 1920 for women to vote. Favoritism?
By the way, note that it says that all are “created.” Just a thought!
God originated the idea of love, of respect, and of equality. In fact, He loves the underdog, the humble, and the weak. Why? He hates pride!
Today’s passage in James 2 comes on the heels of the final verses from last week. It’s important to note that the Bible was not written with chapters and verses. They were added centuries later. Right before James talks about favoritism, he writes
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (1:27)
God loves the poor and the orphan and the widow. He cares for them—uses us to show that love. The next time you pray for God to bless the hungry, He may ask you to feed them. The next time you pray for God to bless the orphans, be ready to become a foster parent or even adopt.
There’s an old saying that you can’t judge a book by its cover, yet we do. It’s our human nature to judge people by what we see or know about them, yet even if our assumptions are true, they are created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth.
One of the greatest examples of God’s concern for the underdog is found in 1 Samuel 16. Samuel is told by God to visit the home of Jesse where he would find the next king of Israel.
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.”
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:6-7)
I love that last sentence.
Why do we pay so much attention to outward appearance?
I’m ashamed to confess this, but this week I judged someone by their outward appearance. I got my hair cut at one of those walk-in places where you get whoever is available to cut your hair. I was hoping for one of the trendy-looking stylists and was called into the chair of an older, not-terribly attractive person…who then proceeded to give me a terrific haircut.
One of the greatest examples I have ever seen of judging the outward appearance of someone happened two years ago on a British television program. You can view it here.
I have a friend who is a multi-millionaire. You’d never know it by the way that he dresses. He told me of a time when he entered a car showroom ready to buy a new car—or two!—with cash!—yet was ignored by numerous salespeople who gave their attention to better-dressed shoppers.
That’s an unusual case of a rich man NOT getting preferential treatment, but there was obviously no perceived wealth. James continues
Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong? (2:5-7)
Why are we drawn to the rich? There’s nothing evil about being wealthy, but favoritism is clearly a sin. It’s amazing to me how some of the most rich and famous people are the most miserable—and make others around them miserable.
James continues...
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. (2:8-11)
There are only two things we must do as followers of Jesus—love God and our neighbor. The Golden Rule is referenced here. Love your neighbor as yourself. James is saying that’s the true test of our maturity and obedience. Too many people will tell you that they’re going to heaven because they haven’t killed anyone, but James is saying that favoritism is a sin and all sin leads to death. Period.
The early church certainly had their issues or else James would not have needed to write these words, yet they became known for taking care of the poor and the widow and the orphan and the outcast. The Good News of Jesus Christ is alive and well 2000 years later because men and women and children before us followed the Golden Rule and lived radical, counter-cultural lives of faith, hope and love.
The next time you are tempted to pre-judge someone, show favoritism, or discriminate against someone, remember Susan Boyle. Remember James. Remember Jesus. Remember the Golden Rule. Imagine what would happen if we treated everyone we encounter with the dignity, value and respect that they deserve as being created in the image of God.
James concludes...
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! (2:12-13)
James is referring to the Old Testament law that no one was able to follow perfectly, yet Jesus came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it. Mercy is not getting the punishment that we deserve and it’s only because of Jesus that we have the opportunity to experience both abundant and eternal life.
You can listen to the podcast here.
We all have preferences. That’s probably why there are dozens of different types of toothpaste to choose from when we go to the store. Jesus’ half-brother, James, had some strong words about favoritism.
My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (2:1-4)
Last week’s message could be boiled down to three words:
Just Do It (obey the Word)
This week’s message could be boiled down to three words from another 80’s slogan:
Just Say No (to favoritism)
The message is pretty simple to understand, yet it can be difficult to obey.
Why do people show favoritism?
I’m continually amazed that in a nation whose Declaration of Independence reads “all men are created equal,” it was nearly 100 years later in 1870 that race was removed as a barrier to voting and it took another 50 years in 1920 for women to vote. Favoritism?
By the way, note that it says that all are “created.” Just a thought!
God originated the idea of love, of respect, and of equality. In fact, He loves the underdog, the humble, and the weak. Why? He hates pride!
Today’s passage in James 2 comes on the heels of the final verses from last week. It’s important to note that the Bible was not written with chapters and verses. They were added centuries later. Right before James talks about favoritism, he writes
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (1:27)
God loves the poor and the orphan and the widow. He cares for them—uses us to show that love. The next time you pray for God to bless the hungry, He may ask you to feed them. The next time you pray for God to bless the orphans, be ready to become a foster parent or even adopt.
There’s an old saying that you can’t judge a book by its cover, yet we do. It’s our human nature to judge people by what we see or know about them, yet even if our assumptions are true, they are created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth.
One of the greatest examples of God’s concern for the underdog is found in 1 Samuel 16. Samuel is told by God to visit the home of Jesse where he would find the next king of Israel.
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.”
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:6-7)
I love that last sentence.
Why do we pay so much attention to outward appearance?
I’m ashamed to confess this, but this week I judged someone by their outward appearance. I got my hair cut at one of those walk-in places where you get whoever is available to cut your hair. I was hoping for one of the trendy-looking stylists and was called into the chair of an older, not-terribly attractive person…who then proceeded to give me a terrific haircut.
One of the greatest examples I have ever seen of judging the outward appearance of someone happened two years ago on a British television program. You can view it here.
I have a friend who is a multi-millionaire. You’d never know it by the way that he dresses. He told me of a time when he entered a car showroom ready to buy a new car—or two!—with cash!—yet was ignored by numerous salespeople who gave their attention to better-dressed shoppers.
That’s an unusual case of a rich man NOT getting preferential treatment, but there was obviously no perceived wealth. James continues
Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong? (2:5-7)
Why are we drawn to the rich? There’s nothing evil about being wealthy, but favoritism is clearly a sin. It’s amazing to me how some of the most rich and famous people are the most miserable—and make others around them miserable.
James continues...
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. (2:8-11)
There are only two things we must do as followers of Jesus—love God and our neighbor. The Golden Rule is referenced here. Love your neighbor as yourself. James is saying that’s the true test of our maturity and obedience. Too many people will tell you that they’re going to heaven because they haven’t killed anyone, but James is saying that favoritism is a sin and all sin leads to death. Period.
The early church certainly had their issues or else James would not have needed to write these words, yet they became known for taking care of the poor and the widow and the orphan and the outcast. The Good News of Jesus Christ is alive and well 2000 years later because men and women and children before us followed the Golden Rule and lived radical, counter-cultural lives of faith, hope and love.
The next time you are tempted to pre-judge someone, show favoritism, or discriminate against someone, remember Susan Boyle. Remember James. Remember Jesus. Remember the Golden Rule. Imagine what would happen if we treated everyone we encounter with the dignity, value and respect that they deserve as being created in the image of God.
James concludes...
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! (2:12-13)
James is referring to the Old Testament law that no one was able to follow perfectly, yet Jesus came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it. Mercy is not getting the punishment that we deserve and it’s only because of Jesus that we have the opportunity to experience both abundant and eternal life.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Words, 24 July 2011
01 08 11
Big Idea: We are to know the Word, obey the Word, and share the Word.
What is your favorite word? Probably your name. Words are the building blocks of communication. They are the subject of the game Scrabble and its newer rival Words with Friends. Words are powerful. They convey meaning. Words can encourage or destroy, inform or confuse.
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. (1:19-20)
That sounds simple, doesn’t it?
Quick to listen
Slow to speak
Slow to become angry
Let’s go back for a moment and review the context. The previous verses say
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. (James 1:16-18)
Notice that phrase...
...“word of truth.” The Greek is “logos” and means “word, spoken or written, often with a focus on the content of a communication.” Jesus is referred to as “The Word” in John 1:1 which emphasizes His own deity and the communication of who God is and what He is like.
We have been given the Word, both Jesus Christ and the Bible. God chose to give us new life and the Word.
Followers of Jesus that know Jesus and the Bible are to be...
Quick to listen
Slow to speak
Slow to become angry
When I was writing my message this week, I accidentally wrote
Quick to speak
Slow to listen
Slow to become angry
Unfortunately, that probably describes me more accurately. I love to speak (aren’t you glad!). It has been said, however, that God has given us one mouth and two ears. I’m trying to become a better listener. It’s difficult. Sometimes I catch myself thinking about what I’m going to say next rather than truly listening to the speaker.
We are also to be slow to anger. This is impossible without being filled with the Holy Spirit, something we talked about a few weeks ago. If you missed it, I encourage you to download the podcast because being filled with the Holy Spirit is one of the most vital and yet ignored aspects of following Jesus. We need to confess our sins, get rid of the junk in our lives, and invite the Holy Spirit to fill us. That’s exactly what the next verse says...
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. (1:19-21)
Is there any moral filth or evil in your life? Get rid of it!
Last week I mentioned my (weed) garden. Before I could plant my garden, I had to first remove all of the weeds from last year. I rototilled the soil and then planted seeds.
What is in the garden of your mind? Fox News? Facebook? Gossip? Lust? Or the Word?
Let me be very frank: if you are not filling your mind with the Word, it’s sin!
Last week I said there were sins of commission that we commit and sins of omission when we ignore things. You cannot follow Jesus if you don’t know Him. You can’t obey God’s Word if you don’t know what it says.
We have more resources and opportunities to fill our minds with God’s Word than ever before. People in other countries smuggle pages of the Bible, risking their own lives, in order to read it. We can listen to it in our cars, read it on our phones, buy countless translations and study editions, and even watch much of it on film.
If you spend any time online, I urge you to download the free YouVersion app or bookmark YouVersion.com on your computer. It’s a totally free resource where you can both read and listen to the Bible, post notes, interact with others, and view various reading plans. I’m reading through the Bible this year with the Life Journal reading plan. I begin most every day using my iPad to read the Bible before I even get out of bed. It’s a great way to start the day!
Perhaps you’ve tried to read the Bible and found it to be boring or difficult to understand. If so, a reading plan is great, especially one that takes you through both the Old and New Testament each day. I often find that out of the four or five chapters I read each day, if one or two are less than exciting, inevitably one or two will be timely and powerful. For daily reading, I’m using the New Living Translation and love it.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does. (1:22-25)
Did you catch that? Don’t just read the Bible, do what it says.
I’ve met people that love to study the Bible, but they never apply it. That’s like a soldier who spends all day polishing his gun collection but never goes into battle. There are many so-called Bible scholars that are atheists! They completely miss the point! They are educated, but not transformed. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were like that. Their brain was filled, but it never reached their heart.
Watching workout videos won’t help you lose weight!
Most of us are educated far beyond our level of obedience.
A common complaint to pastors is that they want deeper teaching. Deep teaching means I want you to confuse me so I don’t have to do anything about it! Mark Twain famously said, “It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”
Jesus said
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27)
They both heard the same word but had different outcomes.
Listen to this!
“That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:47-48)
We’re judged by what we do, not what we know (the opposite of most schools!).
James concludes...
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (1:26-27)
A few years ago I was talking with a man who told me that he was not into organized religion. I told him that I hated organized religion! He was surprised and said, “But I thought you were a pastor.” I explained that I follow Jesus, not a religion. I know Jesus through prayer and the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit. Religion is man’s attempt to know God, but Jesus didn’t come to start a new religion. He came to foster a relationship, to give us freedom and real life, and to establish His Kingdom. He has sent us on a mission to be His hands and feet, serving orphans and widows and the poor and needy. He wants us fully engaged in the world, but so filled with the Word that it transforms the world rather than the world polluting us.
It grieves me when I see Christianity reduced to information without transformation. We need information, but it most not stop with information. We need application which then leads to transformation.
We were created to know God, not merely know about God. Jesus Christ is the Word. Do you know Him? He gave Himself and also the Bible. Let’s get into the Word. Let’s let the Word get into us. Finally, let’s practice true religion and get the Word into the world, our broken world that is desperately in need of faith, hope, and love.
You can listen to the podcast here.
What is your favorite word? Probably your name. Words are the building blocks of communication. They are the subject of the game Scrabble and its newer rival Words with Friends. Words are powerful. They convey meaning. Words can encourage or destroy, inform or confuse.
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. (1:19-20)
That sounds simple, doesn’t it?
Quick to listen
Slow to speak
Slow to become angry
Let’s go back for a moment and review the context. The previous verses say
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. (James 1:16-18)
Notice that phrase...
...“word of truth.” The Greek is “logos” and means “word, spoken or written, often with a focus on the content of a communication.” Jesus is referred to as “The Word” in John 1:1 which emphasizes His own deity and the communication of who God is and what He is like.
We have been given the Word, both Jesus Christ and the Bible. God chose to give us new life and the Word.
Followers of Jesus that know Jesus and the Bible are to be...
Quick to listen
Slow to speak
Slow to become angry
When I was writing my message this week, I accidentally wrote
Quick to speak
Slow to listen
Slow to become angry
Unfortunately, that probably describes me more accurately. I love to speak (aren’t you glad!). It has been said, however, that God has given us one mouth and two ears. I’m trying to become a better listener. It’s difficult. Sometimes I catch myself thinking about what I’m going to say next rather than truly listening to the speaker.
We are also to be slow to anger. This is impossible without being filled with the Holy Spirit, something we talked about a few weeks ago. If you missed it, I encourage you to download the podcast because being filled with the Holy Spirit is one of the most vital and yet ignored aspects of following Jesus. We need to confess our sins, get rid of the junk in our lives, and invite the Holy Spirit to fill us. That’s exactly what the next verse says...
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. (1:19-21)
Is there any moral filth or evil in your life? Get rid of it!
Last week I mentioned my (weed) garden. Before I could plant my garden, I had to first remove all of the weeds from last year. I rototilled the soil and then planted seeds.
What is in the garden of your mind? Fox News? Facebook? Gossip? Lust? Or the Word?
Let me be very frank: if you are not filling your mind with the Word, it’s sin!
Last week I said there were sins of commission that we commit and sins of omission when we ignore things. You cannot follow Jesus if you don’t know Him. You can’t obey God’s Word if you don’t know what it says.
We have more resources and opportunities to fill our minds with God’s Word than ever before. People in other countries smuggle pages of the Bible, risking their own lives, in order to read it. We can listen to it in our cars, read it on our phones, buy countless translations and study editions, and even watch much of it on film.
If you spend any time online, I urge you to download the free YouVersion app or bookmark YouVersion.com on your computer. It’s a totally free resource where you can both read and listen to the Bible, post notes, interact with others, and view various reading plans. I’m reading through the Bible this year with the Life Journal reading plan. I begin most every day using my iPad to read the Bible before I even get out of bed. It’s a great way to start the day!
Perhaps you’ve tried to read the Bible and found it to be boring or difficult to understand. If so, a reading plan is great, especially one that takes you through both the Old and New Testament each day. I often find that out of the four or five chapters I read each day, if one or two are less than exciting, inevitably one or two will be timely and powerful. For daily reading, I’m using the New Living Translation and love it.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does. (1:22-25)
Did you catch that? Don’t just read the Bible, do what it says.
I’ve met people that love to study the Bible, but they never apply it. That’s like a soldier who spends all day polishing his gun collection but never goes into battle. There are many so-called Bible scholars that are atheists! They completely miss the point! They are educated, but not transformed. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were like that. Their brain was filled, but it never reached their heart.
Watching workout videos won’t help you lose weight!
Most of us are educated far beyond our level of obedience.
A common complaint to pastors is that they want deeper teaching. Deep teaching means I want you to confuse me so I don’t have to do anything about it! Mark Twain famously said, “It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”
Jesus said
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27)
They both heard the same word but had different outcomes.
Listen to this!
“That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:47-48)
We’re judged by what we do, not what we know (the opposite of most schools!).
James concludes...
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (1:26-27)
A few years ago I was talking with a man who told me that he was not into organized religion. I told him that I hated organized religion! He was surprised and said, “But I thought you were a pastor.” I explained that I follow Jesus, not a religion. I know Jesus through prayer and the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit. Religion is man’s attempt to know God, but Jesus didn’t come to start a new religion. He came to foster a relationship, to give us freedom and real life, and to establish His Kingdom. He has sent us on a mission to be His hands and feet, serving orphans and widows and the poor and needy. He wants us fully engaged in the world, but so filled with the Word that it transforms the world rather than the world polluting us.
It grieves me when I see Christianity reduced to information without transformation. We need information, but it most not stop with information. We need application which then leads to transformation.
We were created to know God, not merely know about God. Jesus Christ is the Word. Do you know Him? He gave Himself and also the Bible. Let’s get into the Word. Let’s let the Word get into us. Finally, let’s practice true religion and get the Word into the world, our broken world that is desperately in need of faith, hope, and love.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Temptation, 17 July 2011
01 08 11
Big Idea: James provides encouragement to those facing temptation.
Last week we began our current series, PrACTical Christianity, a study of the book of James. We saw how James was written by Jesus’ half-brother who led the Church in Jerusalem. We also said this is one of, if not, the most practical books in the Bible. The messages are fairly universal and relevant 2000 years later.
The focus of much of the first chapter of James is the Greek word peirasmo/ß, (peirasmos) which means trial or test…or temptation. James tells us to “consider it pure joy…whenever we face trials of many kinds” because they help us develop perseverance, grow, and mature. Although that’s not always much consolation in the midst of trials, it is encouraging to know that they serve a purpose, are meant for our ultimate good, and that God truly is in control, especially when we aren’t (which is always!).
Temptation began…in the Garden of Eden as Adam and Eve were tempted by satan to disobey God. Our enemy is real…and real crafty. Satan has no power to create, but he loves to distort and destroy God’s creation, including us.
It is important to realize that temptation is not sin. Many people feel guilty when they are tempted, yet it is possible to be tempted and not sin. Jesus proved this.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
I love that verse! How many of you struggle with temptation? Jesus understands! He really does. He did not have a superpower sin shield that kept him from temptation. He “has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.”
When you are tempted, pray! Jesus understands!
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; (James 1:13)
The Greek word for temptation is… peira¿zw, (peirazoœ). This is the same root as “trial” that we examined last week, but it has the emphasis of a trap. “The difference between a test and a temptation is found in the tester’s motivations and expectations; the devil tempts that the believer might fail God’s standards of faith and so sin; God tests that he might determine and sharpen true character, with no focus on making the believer fail.” (NIV Greek Dictionary)
What can we learn about God in this verse?
Who tempts? The devil or satan.
I found this helpful chart that shows the distinctions between God’s discipline, God-ordained trials, and God-allowed temptations (www.Acts 17-11.com).
Last week we began our current series, PrACTical Christianity, a study of the book of James. We saw how James was written by Jesus’ half-brother who led the Church in Jerusalem. We also said this is one of, if not, the most practical books in the Bible. The messages are fairly universal and relevant 2000 years later.
The focus of much of the first chapter of James is the Greek word peirasmo/ß, (peirasmos) which means trial or test…or temptation. James tells us to “consider it pure joy…whenever we face trials of many kinds” because they help us develop perseverance, grow, and mature. Although that’s not always much consolation in the midst of trials, it is encouraging to know that they serve a purpose, are meant for our ultimate good, and that God truly is in control, especially when we aren’t (which is always!).
Temptation began…in the Garden of Eden as Adam and Eve were tempted by satan to disobey God. Our enemy is real…and real crafty. Satan has no power to create, but he loves to distort and destroy God’s creation, including us.
It is important to realize that temptation is not sin. Many people feel guilty when they are tempted, yet it is possible to be tempted and not sin. Jesus proved this.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
I love that verse! How many of you struggle with temptation? Jesus understands! He really does. He did not have a superpower sin shield that kept him from temptation. He “has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.”
When you are tempted, pray! Jesus understands!
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; (James 1:13)
The Greek word for temptation is… peira¿zw, (peirazoœ). This is the same root as “trial” that we examined last week, but it has the emphasis of a trap. “The difference between a test and a temptation is found in the tester’s motivations and expectations; the devil tempts that the believer might fail God’s standards of faith and so sin; God tests that he might determine and sharpen true character, with no focus on making the believer fail.” (NIV Greek Dictionary)
What can we learn about God in this verse?
- - God cannot be tempted
- - God does not tempt; He tests us, but He does not lead us toward sin
- - God is holy; nothing about sin is appealing to God
Who tempts? The devil or satan.
I found this helpful chart that shows the distinctions between God’s discipline, God-ordained trials, and God-allowed temptations (www.Acts 17-11.com).
DISCIPLINE | TEST/TRIAL | TEMPTATION | |
FROM | The Lord | God, World, Satan | The Devil |
RESULT OF | Disobedience | Following God | Pride or Exposure |
HOW TO DISCERN | Fits Crime | Proves Faith | Leads Astray |
RIGHT RESPONSE | Repent! | Persevere | Resist! |
DO NOT | Make Light of | Shrink Back | Fall into |
GOD IS SAYING | We are Sons | His Name is in Us | The Flesh is Weak |
ENDS WITH | Fear and Holiness | Death and Glory | Sin or Victory |
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. (James 1:13-14)
Oswald Chambers said, "Until we are born again, [this is] the only temptation we understand. But by regeneration we are lifted into another realm where we face the kind of temptations Our Lord faced... Satan does not tempt us to do wrong things, he tempts us in order to make us lose... the possibility of being of value to God... Temptation is a suggested short-cut to the realization of the highest at which I aim--not at what I understand as evil, but towards what I understand as good... [At this point Satan] does not come along the line of tempting us to sin, but on the line of shifting the point of view, and only the Spirit of God can reveal this as a temptation of the devil."
Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (1:15)
Did you notice the progression?
Desire
Sin
Death
Years ago a famous televangelist was caught, uh, with his pants down. I remember him saying, “I never thought it could happen to me.” That was his problem. He thought he was above the possibility of sin.
The crazy thing is that we all have healthy, God-given desires. Again, it’s satan that distorts those desires or gets us to seek their fulfillment in inappropriate ways.
Think about Adam and Eve. Did they need to eat? Yes. The question was not should they eat, but should they eat from that tree.
People don’t just wake up one day and do crazy things. Our prisons are not filled with people who randomly decided to kill or steal. There was a desire that grew into a sin and all sin ultimately leads to…death.
Romans 6:23 clearly affirms this.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We are in the midst of a cosmic war between God and satan, good and evil.
C.S. Lewis: "No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. After all, you find out the strength of the German army by fighting against it, not by giving in. You find out the strength of a wind by trying to walk against it, not by lying down. A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it: and Christ, because he was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means--the only complete realist."
Two Types of Sin
Perhaps you are feeling pretty good right now thinking you’ve resisted temptation, after all, you’ve never killed anyone! There are sins of commission—wrongful things that we commit or do—and sins of omission—things that we should do that we don’t. Honestly, that’s where I get in the most trouble. God draws me to prayer, yet I choose to ignore him and talk to a friend on the phone. He draws me to read the Bible, yet I choose to read blogs online. He draws me to give generously to others, yet I choose to spend money on myself.
And how does that sin lead to death? It kills the potential for a deeper relationship with God.
Perhaps you are feeling pretty bad right now thinking about how you’ve messed up. Here’s the good news!
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
Because Jesus endured temptation without sinning, His death on the cross allows Him to forgive us from ALL unrighteousness. Hallelujah!
Help!
When tempted, we should pray. Jesus knows, understands, and the Holy Spirit can fill us and help us in our struggle.
Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak. (Matthew 26:41)
Understand that you’re not alone in being tempted. Everyone in this room faces it daily.
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. (1 Peter 5:8-10)
It’s so easy to become discouraged as we battle with sin, but don’t give up. Don’t ever give up! It’s worth the fight. It’s literally a fight for life, the abundant life that Jesus came to give us.
We can also share our struggles with one another, encouraging one another when we have gained victory and even when we’ve blown it.
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)
The wisdom of Proverbs says
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
Finally
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7b)
You can listen to the podcast here.
Trials, 10 July 2011
13 07 11
Big Idea: Trials are meant to help us grow, not harm us.
James
First, it was written by...James! That may seem obvious, but many New Testament books are named after their recipient, not their author. In fact, most of Paul’s writings such as Titus and Ephesians, were written to a man named Titus and a church in the city of Ephesus.
James is the author, believed by most to be Jesus’ half-brother. Imagine the sibling rivalry in that family! Actually, James was skeptical of the deity claims made by Jesus and later in life became a devoted follower.
James is probably the earliest of the New Testament writings. Where Paul wrote about inner saving faith from God’s perspective, James wrote about outward saving faith from the perspective of man.
I love the book of James because it is very practical and easy to understand, though challenging to completely obey. Many biblical books are written to a particular person or group in response to a particular situation. Therefore, we can’t just read and apply without understanding the context. James, however, begins with a very clear and broad audience.
The early church was the recipient, those Christians in churches around the world. In other words, James writes universal truths that are essentially for all people. It was clearly written for public reading as a sermon and authoritative. In fact, there is, on average, a call for action in every other verse in the book! It is both passionate and picturesque with rich metaphors, similes, and dozens of references to Nature.
He begins...
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
Greetings. (1:1)
Here we see that he is clearly a Christ-follower. He was a well-known, authoritative figure in the early Church. He actually led the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15). He calls himself simply a servant, the Greek word “doulos” meaning a bond-slave. He was God’s property.
He is writing to the twelve tribes, a reference to the Jews that were scattered from their homeland among the Gentiles.
He then writes, “Greetings.” He is obviously a friendly man!
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, (1:2)
Wait a minute! Did we read that correctly?
Did he write joy and trials in the same sentence? Are you kidding me? If you’re like me, you do everything to avoid trials. My flesh wants life to safe, comfortable, and convenient. I want things to go smoothly. Any unexpected interruption to my life is not a joy but a pain in the rear end! Trials in my life are met with groans and complaints.
Do you know what I mean? Perhaps that is why James needed to write these words!
The Greek word for trial here is peirasmo/ß, peirasmos, It means trial or temptation or test.
How many of you like to take tests in school? If you’re like me, there have been one or two tests that you actually looked forward to taking, the ones you studied hard for and felt confident and prepared. The purpose of a test is not to be a hardship or reveal your stupidity, but to show what you know. A test is given to see if a student can pass, not pass out! Trials are not to be seen as tribulations but tests. Our attitude is critical in the midst of trials.
James does not say to be happy, but to be joyful. He doesn’t say to be joyful for the trials, but in the midst of trials.
How do we find joy in trials?
...because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (1:3-4)
Tests have a purpose. If you pass your third-grade tests, you demonstrate your readiness for fourth-grade. If you pass the bar exam, you prove that you can be an attorney. James reminds us that endurance is one product of trials. James’ readers know this (notice “because you know”) but I’m afraid we’re not so quick to think about the benefits of trials in our culture. Athletes might be the exception.
No pain, no gain.
In this case, the testing is not done to prove our faith but to approve it. We develop endurance, but the goal is to be mature and complete. I think we all want to be complete, but it doesn’t just happen. Even physical maturity requires growing pains. It’s all part of God’s plan for our lives. He wants us to grow and mature and becoming complete in Him so He allows trials and testing to accomplish His purposes.
“But wait,” you might say, “I thought God loves me.” He absolutely does. Love is looking out for the best interest of another. He wants you to grow, become strong, and be a blessing to others.
Five years ago if you told me about your trials, I would’ve done my best to be kind and understanding, but I had no idea what real testing was all about. Through several events in the past few years, I have a completely different perspective. I know suffering. I know testing. It has changed me. It has transformed me. I’d like to think that I’m done, but I know there are more trials ahead.
Friends, you are either in a trial, coming out of a trial, or about to experience one. Don’t face that as bad news. It’s all part of God’s plan to make you more like Jesus, the One who faced the ultimate trials and testing.
Gold
The testing of our faith produces patience and perseverance. Faith is like gold. Gold endures no matter how hot the fire. Peter—who understood trials as did all of the early church leaders, most of whom died as martyrs, wrote
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:6-7)
When gold is heated, the impurities rise to the surface. The metal worker cannot take their eyes off of the gold, knowing that it is pure when they can see their face reflected in it. That’s what God does. He refines us through trials until all that is seen in us is Jesus.
Let me pause for a moment and say that there are two types of trials—those that come to us and those that are self-inflicted. I’m always amazed when I hear of teenage girls that say, “God, how could you allow me to get pregnant” or the person angry at God because they got caught speeding or stealing. Our actions have consequences. There are other things, however, like tsunamis, diseases, and the drunk driving of others over which we have no control.
We can face trials with joy because it will mature us and our faith to the point where we lack nothing.
But that’s easier said than done, right? How?! Fortunately, James continues….
Wisdom
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. (1:5)
Wisdom is not merely knowledge but the application of knowledge. Do you seek wisdom?
King Solomon had an Aladdin experience. He was given one wish from God.
That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” (2 Chronicles 1:7)
Solomon said
Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.” (2 Chronicles 1:10-12)
What does this verse promise us about asking for wisdom? God gives it generously to those who ask.
My greatest prayer is for wisdom. I pray daily for God to give me wisdom as I seek to lead my family, Scio, and most of all myself!
Keep in mind that the context of this request is in the midst of trials. If you’ve ever asked “why?” you have sought Godly wisdom to understand your situation. God loves it when we ask for wisdom. He loves to hear us pour out our hearts. He loves honest, authentic prayers.
Perhaps you’ve been told that there are certain things that appropriate to tell God. He knows it all! Keep it real! He can handle the truth!
But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. (1:6-8)
We must seek God and His wisdom in faith. One writer says that our answer from God depends upon our assurance in God.
I can tell you from experience that God can be trusted. He is love. Following Jesus doesn’t mean life will always be easy, but it will be satisfying. It will be filled with purpose. It will contain hope and meaning.
If you’re in the midst of a trial right now, I want to remind you that God is real. God cares. It might not feel like it, but I promise you that He does. I often think about a child at the doctor’s getting immunizations. Love is the last thing that they feel, yet the shots are actually the most loving thing a parent to can allow, providing endurance and strength to avoid devastating diseases.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
We may experience hurt that God allows to shape us but never harm. There is one that wants to harm us, though.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
The Rich
How many of you are rich? Compared to the rest of the world, the poorest in this room are filthy rich.
If you make $25,000/year, you are in the top 10% richest on the planet!
If you make $50,000/year, you are in the top 1% richest on the planet!
Of course, rich does not always refer to finances. We can be rich in health, friends, or spirit. James continues…
The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. (1:9-11)
Most of the Jewish converts were poor and perhaps considered their lowly position a hindrance in enduring trials. James reminds them that God honors the persistence of even the lowliest of people. The rich, on the other hand, are trusting in their riches which will whither and fade away. Life is a marathon, not a sprint.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. (1:12)
And everybody said…amen!
To summarize,
James
First, it was written by...James! That may seem obvious, but many New Testament books are named after their recipient, not their author. In fact, most of Paul’s writings such as Titus and Ephesians, were written to a man named Titus and a church in the city of Ephesus.
James is the author, believed by most to be Jesus’ half-brother. Imagine the sibling rivalry in that family! Actually, James was skeptical of the deity claims made by Jesus and later in life became a devoted follower.
James is probably the earliest of the New Testament writings. Where Paul wrote about inner saving faith from God’s perspective, James wrote about outward saving faith from the perspective of man.
I love the book of James because it is very practical and easy to understand, though challenging to completely obey. Many biblical books are written to a particular person or group in response to a particular situation. Therefore, we can’t just read and apply without understanding the context. James, however, begins with a very clear and broad audience.
The early church was the recipient, those Christians in churches around the world. In other words, James writes universal truths that are essentially for all people. It was clearly written for public reading as a sermon and authoritative. In fact, there is, on average, a call for action in every other verse in the book! It is both passionate and picturesque with rich metaphors, similes, and dozens of references to Nature.
He begins...
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
Greetings. (1:1)
Here we see that he is clearly a Christ-follower. He was a well-known, authoritative figure in the early Church. He actually led the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15). He calls himself simply a servant, the Greek word “doulos” meaning a bond-slave. He was God’s property.
He is writing to the twelve tribes, a reference to the Jews that were scattered from their homeland among the Gentiles.
He then writes, “Greetings.” He is obviously a friendly man!
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, (1:2)
Wait a minute! Did we read that correctly?
Did he write joy and trials in the same sentence? Are you kidding me? If you’re like me, you do everything to avoid trials. My flesh wants life to safe, comfortable, and convenient. I want things to go smoothly. Any unexpected interruption to my life is not a joy but a pain in the rear end! Trials in my life are met with groans and complaints.
Do you know what I mean? Perhaps that is why James needed to write these words!
The Greek word for trial here is peirasmo/ß, peirasmos, It means trial or temptation or test.
How many of you like to take tests in school? If you’re like me, there have been one or two tests that you actually looked forward to taking, the ones you studied hard for and felt confident and prepared. The purpose of a test is not to be a hardship or reveal your stupidity, but to show what you know. A test is given to see if a student can pass, not pass out! Trials are not to be seen as tribulations but tests. Our attitude is critical in the midst of trials.
James does not say to be happy, but to be joyful. He doesn’t say to be joyful for the trials, but in the midst of trials.
How do we find joy in trials?
...because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (1:3-4)
Tests have a purpose. If you pass your third-grade tests, you demonstrate your readiness for fourth-grade. If you pass the bar exam, you prove that you can be an attorney. James reminds us that endurance is one product of trials. James’ readers know this (notice “because you know”) but I’m afraid we’re not so quick to think about the benefits of trials in our culture. Athletes might be the exception.
No pain, no gain.
In this case, the testing is not done to prove our faith but to approve it. We develop endurance, but the goal is to be mature and complete. I think we all want to be complete, but it doesn’t just happen. Even physical maturity requires growing pains. It’s all part of God’s plan for our lives. He wants us to grow and mature and becoming complete in Him so He allows trials and testing to accomplish His purposes.
“But wait,” you might say, “I thought God loves me.” He absolutely does. Love is looking out for the best interest of another. He wants you to grow, become strong, and be a blessing to others.
Five years ago if you told me about your trials, I would’ve done my best to be kind and understanding, but I had no idea what real testing was all about. Through several events in the past few years, I have a completely different perspective. I know suffering. I know testing. It has changed me. It has transformed me. I’d like to think that I’m done, but I know there are more trials ahead.
Friends, you are either in a trial, coming out of a trial, or about to experience one. Don’t face that as bad news. It’s all part of God’s plan to make you more like Jesus, the One who faced the ultimate trials and testing.
Gold
The testing of our faith produces patience and perseverance. Faith is like gold. Gold endures no matter how hot the fire. Peter—who understood trials as did all of the early church leaders, most of whom died as martyrs, wrote
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:6-7)
When gold is heated, the impurities rise to the surface. The metal worker cannot take their eyes off of the gold, knowing that it is pure when they can see their face reflected in it. That’s what God does. He refines us through trials until all that is seen in us is Jesus.
Let me pause for a moment and say that there are two types of trials—those that come to us and those that are self-inflicted. I’m always amazed when I hear of teenage girls that say, “God, how could you allow me to get pregnant” or the person angry at God because they got caught speeding or stealing. Our actions have consequences. There are other things, however, like tsunamis, diseases, and the drunk driving of others over which we have no control.
We can face trials with joy because it will mature us and our faith to the point where we lack nothing.
But that’s easier said than done, right? How?! Fortunately, James continues….
Wisdom
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. (1:5)
Wisdom is not merely knowledge but the application of knowledge. Do you seek wisdom?
King Solomon had an Aladdin experience. He was given one wish from God.
That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” (2 Chronicles 1:7)
Solomon said
Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.” (2 Chronicles 1:10-12)
What does this verse promise us about asking for wisdom? God gives it generously to those who ask.
My greatest prayer is for wisdom. I pray daily for God to give me wisdom as I seek to lead my family, Scio, and most of all myself!
Keep in mind that the context of this request is in the midst of trials. If you’ve ever asked “why?” you have sought Godly wisdom to understand your situation. God loves it when we ask for wisdom. He loves to hear us pour out our hearts. He loves honest, authentic prayers.
Perhaps you’ve been told that there are certain things that appropriate to tell God. He knows it all! Keep it real! He can handle the truth!
But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. (1:6-8)
We must seek God and His wisdom in faith. One writer says that our answer from God depends upon our assurance in God.
I can tell you from experience that God can be trusted. He is love. Following Jesus doesn’t mean life will always be easy, but it will be satisfying. It will be filled with purpose. It will contain hope and meaning.
If you’re in the midst of a trial right now, I want to remind you that God is real. God cares. It might not feel like it, but I promise you that He does. I often think about a child at the doctor’s getting immunizations. Love is the last thing that they feel, yet the shots are actually the most loving thing a parent to can allow, providing endurance and strength to avoid devastating diseases.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
We may experience hurt that God allows to shape us but never harm. There is one that wants to harm us, though.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
The Rich
How many of you are rich? Compared to the rest of the world, the poorest in this room are filthy rich.
If you make $25,000/year, you are in the top 10% richest on the planet!
If you make $50,000/year, you are in the top 1% richest on the planet!
Of course, rich does not always refer to finances. We can be rich in health, friends, or spirit. James continues…
The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. (1:9-11)
Most of the Jewish converts were poor and perhaps considered their lowly position a hindrance in enduring trials. James reminds them that God honors the persistence of even the lowliest of people. The rich, on the other hand, are trusting in their riches which will whither and fade away. Life is a marathon, not a sprint.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. (1:12)
And everybody said…amen!
To summarize,
- - trials DO arrive in our lives
- - our attitude is critical, seeking joy and God
- - God is not out to harm us, though we may hurt
- - we can ask for wisdom when we ask “why?” during trials
- - we will be blessed by enduring trials and transformed through them
Fruit of the Spirit, 26 June 2011
27 06 11
Big Idea: Perhaps the best indicator of our spiritual maturity is not how often we attend church or how many Scripture verses we’ve memorized, but the prominence and growth of the Fruit of the Spirit in our character, attitudes, and actions.
Before we dive into the list of the fruit, let’s look at the context. Paul is writing to a church in a city called Galatia. The people are debating the value of the Old Testament law and its implications for followers of Jesus, particularly Gentiles. He writes
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
- Galatians 5:13-15
Sometimes it just amazed me how the more things change, the more they stay the same. Two thousand years ago people in the church were after each other. If we can’t get along inside the family of God, how in the world can we expect to act like Jesus when we leave this building to be missionaries in our community?
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
- Galatians 5:16-18
We must be filled with the Spirit as we talked about two weeks ago. We need to daily—hourly!—confess our sins and receive the power of the Holy Spirit.
Look at the contrast between the fruit of sin and the fruit of the Spirit.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
- Galatians 5:19-21
That sounds like our world, doesn’t it? If I had a nickel for every time I’ve seen these behaviors on television, at the movies, in my neighborhood, and in ME...I’d be a rich man!
Can you relate to these behaviors? Which one is the most challenging for you?
There is a better way. We can’t make it happen. We can’t do it on our own. As AA says, we need a higher power, the Holy Spirit. When we are filled with the Spirit, our lives will look like this...
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
- Galatians 5:22-26
This is one time when I like to see the word “but!”
I’ve heard a lot of religious people in my day talk about how holier-than-thou they are. I’ve heard people brag about how many Bible verses they have memorized, how many times they’ve been to church, how long they pray, how long they fast, how much of the Bible they have read, how much money they have given to the church—but enough about me!
If you really want to measure your spiritual growth and maturity, look at this list.
Are you more loving than a week ago? A month ago? A year ago?
The first three deal with our relationship with God. They are habits of the mind.
- Love (for God and man), agape, Rom. 13:10, I Cor. 13 (the foundation of the other graces; God’s agape love)
- Joy, chara, I Pet. 1:8; Neh. 8:10 (a deep and abiding inner rejoicing not dependent upon circumstances)
- Peace, eirene, Phil. 4:7, Rom. 5:1. (an inner quietness even in the face of trails that defies human understanding)
The next three deal with our relationship with others.
- Patience, makrothumia, (long-suffering), Eph. 4:2; Col. 1:11 (when wrongfully treated, no thought of revenge)
- Kindness, chrestotes, I Cor. 13:4, Eph. 2:7 (benevolence in action)
- Goodness, agathosune, Rom. 15:14; Eph. 5:9 (doing good even when it is undeserved and uprightness of the soul)
The final three address our personal character and relationship to ourselves. They are graces that guide our general conduct.
- Faithfulness, pistis, Matt. 23:23; Rom. 3:3; Titus 2:10 (trustworthy and reliable)
- Gentleness, prautes, II Cor. 10:1; Eph. 4:2, II Tim. 2:25 (submissive to God’s Word and considerate of others when discipline is needed)
- Self-control, egkrateia, Acts 24:25; II Peter 1:6. (self-mastery curbing fleshly impulses)
The Greek word here for fruit is karpos (karpo/ß). It is related to the Gifts of the Spirit and refers to many gifts but one fruit (“cluster”), the opposite of “works of the flesh.”
Perhaps like me you’ve called them the fruits of the Spirit but the word is singular.This seems to indicate a unity. In other words, they all should be found in a believer who is filled with the Holy Spirit.
Some have described it like a puzzle. Unlock the linchpin and the entire puzzle comes apart, and must be put together in the correct sequence, with the linchpin as the last piece or all is 'lost'. I kind of think of the Fruit of the Spirit like this - each one is a facet or slice that reflects God's character and by His very nature, they are interlocked/interwoven in such a way as to be inseparable. As we work on one, all are developed. If we look at the list again you will notice that since they are related, the goal isn't to focus on one. It's to focus on God. It can be overwhelming to think of working all nine listed aspects of the fruit of the Spirit at once, but as Dallas Willard points out, spiritual formation often works like a train: developing one virtue tends to “pull” others along with it.
Notice, too, that this list is simply a description of Jesus. He lived the ultimate human life. He was controlled by the power of the Holy Spirit despite temptation and trials and invites us to similarly be filled with the same Holy Spirit. This should describe us!
A recent research study was summarized in a book called unChristian.
When asked to describe Christians, what do you think non-Christians said?
Pasted Graphic
pastedGraphic
Which of the above is a part of the fruit of the Spirit? Do you see a problem here?
Jesus said...
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
What fruit are you bearing?
Remember, fruit takes time to mature. We don’t just pray a prayer and suddenly become Jesus! Maturity takes years—a lifetime. It doesn’t matter where you are today on your spiritual journey, but where you’ll be tomorrow. Are you growing? Are you becoming more like Jesus...or less? Is your faith growing or shrinking? Is your passion for those far from God increasing or waning?
How would your family members and best friends describe the fruit in your life?
Are you more loving than a week ago? A month ago? A year ago?
At the end of the day, there’s only two things we need to do—love God and love our neighbor.
The passage concludes saying this about the fruit of the Spirit...
Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
- Galatians 5:24-26
Here Paul states the obvious—of course no one would make laws against these characteristics. Imagine what our world would look like if we were all filled with the Spirit!
If we live by the Spirit—if we are filled with the Spirit—we will be like the Spirit, be like Jesus, love God, and love our neighbor. That’s a church family worth embracing!
We can’t make the fruit of the Spirit come alive in us by trying hard any more than we can make fruit grow on a tree by willing it. It’s a God thing. If we seek Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, He will respond.
It all begins with repentance and seeking the filling of the Spirit. More of Jesus, less of me.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Before we dive into the list of the fruit, let’s look at the context. Paul is writing to a church in a city called Galatia. The people are debating the value of the Old Testament law and its implications for followers of Jesus, particularly Gentiles. He writes
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
- Galatians 5:13-15
Sometimes it just amazed me how the more things change, the more they stay the same. Two thousand years ago people in the church were after each other. If we can’t get along inside the family of God, how in the world can we expect to act like Jesus when we leave this building to be missionaries in our community?
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
- Galatians 5:16-18
We must be filled with the Spirit as we talked about two weeks ago. We need to daily—hourly!—confess our sins and receive the power of the Holy Spirit.
Look at the contrast between the fruit of sin and the fruit of the Spirit.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
- Galatians 5:19-21
That sounds like our world, doesn’t it? If I had a nickel for every time I’ve seen these behaviors on television, at the movies, in my neighborhood, and in ME...I’d be a rich man!
Can you relate to these behaviors? Which one is the most challenging for you?
There is a better way. We can’t make it happen. We can’t do it on our own. As AA says, we need a higher power, the Holy Spirit. When we are filled with the Spirit, our lives will look like this...
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
- Galatians 5:22-26
This is one time when I like to see the word “but!”
I’ve heard a lot of religious people in my day talk about how holier-than-thou they are. I’ve heard people brag about how many Bible verses they have memorized, how many times they’ve been to church, how long they pray, how long they fast, how much of the Bible they have read, how much money they have given to the church—but enough about me!
If you really want to measure your spiritual growth and maturity, look at this list.
Are you more loving than a week ago? A month ago? A year ago?
The first three deal with our relationship with God. They are habits of the mind.
- Love (for God and man), agape, Rom. 13:10, I Cor. 13 (the foundation of the other graces; God’s agape love)
- Joy, chara, I Pet. 1:8; Neh. 8:10 (a deep and abiding inner rejoicing not dependent upon circumstances)
- Peace, eirene, Phil. 4:7, Rom. 5:1. (an inner quietness even in the face of trails that defies human understanding)
The next three deal with our relationship with others.
- Patience, makrothumia, (long-suffering), Eph. 4:2; Col. 1:11 (when wrongfully treated, no thought of revenge)
- Kindness, chrestotes, I Cor. 13:4, Eph. 2:7 (benevolence in action)
- Goodness, agathosune, Rom. 15:14; Eph. 5:9 (doing good even when it is undeserved and uprightness of the soul)
The final three address our personal character and relationship to ourselves. They are graces that guide our general conduct.
- Faithfulness, pistis, Matt. 23:23; Rom. 3:3; Titus 2:10 (trustworthy and reliable)
- Gentleness, prautes, II Cor. 10:1; Eph. 4:2, II Tim. 2:25 (submissive to God’s Word and considerate of others when discipline is needed)
- Self-control, egkrateia, Acts 24:25; II Peter 1:6. (self-mastery curbing fleshly impulses)
The Greek word here for fruit is karpos (karpo/ß). It is related to the Gifts of the Spirit and refers to many gifts but one fruit (“cluster”), the opposite of “works of the flesh.”
Perhaps like me you’ve called them the fruits of the Spirit but the word is singular.This seems to indicate a unity. In other words, they all should be found in a believer who is filled with the Holy Spirit.
Some have described it like a puzzle. Unlock the linchpin and the entire puzzle comes apart, and must be put together in the correct sequence, with the linchpin as the last piece or all is 'lost'. I kind of think of the Fruit of the Spirit like this - each one is a facet or slice that reflects God's character and by His very nature, they are interlocked/interwoven in such a way as to be inseparable. As we work on one, all are developed. If we look at the list again you will notice that since they are related, the goal isn't to focus on one. It's to focus on God. It can be overwhelming to think of working all nine listed aspects of the fruit of the Spirit at once, but as Dallas Willard points out, spiritual formation often works like a train: developing one virtue tends to “pull” others along with it.
Notice, too, that this list is simply a description of Jesus. He lived the ultimate human life. He was controlled by the power of the Holy Spirit despite temptation and trials and invites us to similarly be filled with the same Holy Spirit. This should describe us!
A recent research study was summarized in a book called unChristian.
When asked to describe Christians, what do you think non-Christians said?
Pasted Graphic
pastedGraphic
Which of the above is a part of the fruit of the Spirit? Do you see a problem here?
Jesus said...
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
- Matthew 7:15-20
What fruit are you bearing?
Remember, fruit takes time to mature. We don’t just pray a prayer and suddenly become Jesus! Maturity takes years—a lifetime. It doesn’t matter where you are today on your spiritual journey, but where you’ll be tomorrow. Are you growing? Are you becoming more like Jesus...or less? Is your faith growing or shrinking? Is your passion for those far from God increasing or waning?
How would your family members and best friends describe the fruit in your life?
Are you more loving than a week ago? A month ago? A year ago?
At the end of the day, there’s only two things we need to do—love God and love our neighbor.
The passage concludes saying this about the fruit of the Spirit...
Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
- Galatians 5:24-26
Here Paul states the obvious—of course no one would make laws against these characteristics. Imagine what our world would look like if we were all filled with the Spirit!
If we live by the Spirit—if we are filled with the Spirit—we will be like the Spirit, be like Jesus, love God, and love our neighbor. That’s a church family worth embracing!
We can’t make the fruit of the Spirit come alive in us by trying hard any more than we can make fruit grow on a tree by willing it. It’s a God thing. If we seek Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, He will respond.
It all begins with repentance and seeking the filling of the Spirit. More of Jesus, less of me.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Spiritual Gifts, 19 June 2011
19 06 11
Big Idea: The Holy Spirit gives gifts to Christ-followers in order to serve the Body of Christ, the Church.
1 Corinthians 12
Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. (1-3)
Paul is writing to the church in Corinth, instructing them concerning spiritual gifts. He makes it clear that spiritual gifts are all about revealing the lordship of Jesus as God over all things and people. If someone calls themselves a Christian but they don’t call Jesus LORD, they don’t have the Holy Spirit. Love and submission to Jesus are the primary evidence that someone has the Holy Spirit.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. (4-6)
These verses reflect the Trinity of Father, Son and Spirit. They also show that God loves unity in diversity. We are not all the same, but we are all loved the same. God gives the gifts. If you don’t like your gift(s), take it up with Him!
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. (7-11)
What’s the point? Paul lists several spiritual gifts that are distributed by God in order to build up the Church and glorify Jesus.
Paul then goes through a lengthy discussion on the body and the uniqueness and value of each part. He continues in verse 27
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? (27-30)
The answer, of course, is no!
We’ve all been given at least one gift, we have been given different gifts, and each is vital. We are all different parts of one Body, the Body of Christ.
We need you. We need your part. We need your gift. Every part is important.
Romans 12
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (4-8)
Did you notice that this list is different than the one in 1 Corinthians? There is no absolute list of spiritual gifts.
There are assessments that will help you discover your gift(s). Every assessment is slightly different so none is perfect, but you can find one at
http://www.churchgrowth.org/analysis/intro.php
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. - 1 Peter 4:10
Spiritual gifts are all about serving Jesus and His Bride, the Church. They should never be selfishly sought for our personal pleasure or benefit.
Seek the Giver not the gifts
Years ago my friend Paul told me about visits from his parents. Each time the car pulled into the driveway, his kids would run out to meet grandma and grandpa. After hugs and kisses, the grandparents always retrieved gifts for the kids out of the trunk. As the years went on, rather than greeting grandma and grandpa, the grandchildren ran to the trunk seeking after the gifts rather than the giver.
It’s the same way with spiritual gifts. We need to seek God and receive the gifts as a bonus. God is not our cosmic Santa Claus. He is worthy, holy, awesome God who chooses to bless us...to bless others.
The fourth and final passage relates primarily to church leaders, but it illustrates, again, God’s design, creativity, and diversity.
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. - Ephesians 4:11-13
Do you see the five different gifts?
Apostle
Prophet
Evangelist
Shepherd or pastor
Teacher
At Scio, our elder board has been intentionally formed to have each of these five gifts represented. Each of us is different, yet together we form one team with the mission to “prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature.
To conclude, spiritual gifts
are given by God benefit the Church and glorify God every believer gets at least one many members but one Body no gift given to everyone all gifts are needed develop your gift(s) use your gift(s) we need you!
You can listen to the podcast here.
1 Corinthians 12
Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. (1-3)
Paul is writing to the church in Corinth, instructing them concerning spiritual gifts. He makes it clear that spiritual gifts are all about revealing the lordship of Jesus as God over all things and people. If someone calls themselves a Christian but they don’t call Jesus LORD, they don’t have the Holy Spirit. Love and submission to Jesus are the primary evidence that someone has the Holy Spirit.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. (4-6)
These verses reflect the Trinity of Father, Son and Spirit. They also show that God loves unity in diversity. We are not all the same, but we are all loved the same. God gives the gifts. If you don’t like your gift(s), take it up with Him!
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. (7-11)
What’s the point? Paul lists several spiritual gifts that are distributed by God in order to build up the Church and glorify Jesus.
Paul then goes through a lengthy discussion on the body and the uniqueness and value of each part. He continues in verse 27
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? (27-30)
The answer, of course, is no!
We’ve all been given at least one gift, we have been given different gifts, and each is vital. We are all different parts of one Body, the Body of Christ.
We need you. We need your part. We need your gift. Every part is important.
Romans 12
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (4-8)
Did you notice that this list is different than the one in 1 Corinthians? There is no absolute list of spiritual gifts.
There are assessments that will help you discover your gift(s). Every assessment is slightly different so none is perfect, but you can find one at
http://www.churchgrowth.org/analysis/intro.php
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. - 1 Peter 4:10
Spiritual gifts are all about serving Jesus and His Bride, the Church. They should never be selfishly sought for our personal pleasure or benefit.
Seek the Giver not the gifts
Years ago my friend Paul told me about visits from his parents. Each time the car pulled into the driveway, his kids would run out to meet grandma and grandpa. After hugs and kisses, the grandparents always retrieved gifts for the kids out of the trunk. As the years went on, rather than greeting grandma and grandpa, the grandchildren ran to the trunk seeking after the gifts rather than the giver.
It’s the same way with spiritual gifts. We need to seek God and receive the gifts as a bonus. God is not our cosmic Santa Claus. He is worthy, holy, awesome God who chooses to bless us...to bless others.
The fourth and final passage relates primarily to church leaders, but it illustrates, again, God’s design, creativity, and diversity.
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. - Ephesians 4:11-13
Do you see the five different gifts?
Apostle
Prophet
Evangelist
Shepherd or pastor
Teacher
At Scio, our elder board has been intentionally formed to have each of these five gifts represented. Each of us is different, yet together we form one team with the mission to “prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature.
To conclude, spiritual gifts
You can listen to the podcast here.
How Can I Be Filled With The Holy Spirit? 12 June 2011
17 06 11
Big Idea: Being filled is a vital but not automatic experience that must be done continually. In Pentecost Sunday, we will look at what happened in Acts 2 and how we can experience the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Today we celebrate Pentecost, a tremendously significant day reported in the second chapter of Acts.
Last week we began our creatively titled series “The Holy Spirit” with a look at who the Holy Spirit is. We said that He is not a ghost, but a Person, God, one third of the Trinity, one God in three Persons. We saw, too, how Jesus said it was better for Him to leave and give us the Holy Spirit than for Him to stay on earth, so He ascended into heaven and promised the Holy Spirit. The Spirit arrived in a big way in Acts 2.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. – Acts 2:1-4
This is quite possibly the most popular passage of Scripture among charismatics and Pentecostals. These groups are often known for signs and wonders and miracles in their midst, something that should not surprise us since Jesus did them and said that we would do even greater things.
So why doesn’t the Church in USAmerica look more like the New Testament? Why are so few people doing “the stuff,” to quote John Wimber from last Sunday? Why aren’t people flocking here on Sunday mornings to get healed and set free from addictions and bondage?
Great questions!!!
Scio family, I can’t find a biblical answer to that question! How many of you want more of God? Really!
Have you ever been on a cruise? There was a man who wanted to go on a cruise in the worst way. He had heard about the wonderful experiences of others aboard ships and spent years saving up every possible penny in order to purchase a ticket. When the big day arrived, he proudly boarded the boat and waved goodbye to those less-fortunate people on the dock as the ship headed to sea.
Over the course of the cruise, he got acquainted with a man in a nearby cabin. After several days, the neighbor finally asked why his friend was never seen in the dining room during meals. The man replied, “I cannot afford the extravagant food on the ship so I eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in my room that I packed in my luggage.”
“My dear friend, all of the food is included with your cruise ticket!” the neighbor replied in disbelief. “It has been available to you all week!”
Friends, if you have surrender your life to Jesus Christ, you get the Holy Spirit, too. He is included!
So why do so many Christ-followers live such miserable lives? They have not been filled with the Holy Spirit!
Last week we looked at Luke 11:11-13
“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
It says that our Father in heaven will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.
How are we filled with the Holy Spirit? We must ask.
Jesus’ brother James said once,
You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. - James 4:2
So all we have to do is ask and the Holy Spirit will bring us gourmet meals, heal all of our diseases, enable us to do miracles, and we all live happily ever after? Not quite
The late Bill Bright, the founder of the international group Campus Crusade for Christ, called the process of being filled with the Holy Spirit “spiritual breathing.”
It begins with exhaling—repenting of our sins and getting the junk out. This is where we confess our sins, acknowledge that we have wronged God and possibly others, and commit to a new way of righteous, holy living.
Confess your sin -- agree with God concerning your sin and thank Him for His forgiveness of it, according to 1 John 1:9 and Hebrews 10:1-25. Confession involves repentance - a change in attitude and action.
Have you ever grabbed a drinking glass from the shelf only to discover that it was filled with junk inside? What do you do? You grab another glass!
I think God is much the same way. When He wants to show His power, I think He often looks for those that are truly seeking Him and His holiness. Understand, we’re not perfect, but because Jesus is, we can be forgiven and stand righteous before a holy God. When we agree with God that we have sinned, turn away from our sin, and follow Jesus it is called repentance and it delights the heart of God and brings us back into right relationship with Him.
The next step—inhaling—is simply to ask the Holy Spirit to come. Ask to be filled. When a glass is filled with dirty water, there’s no room for the pure stuff. When we receive the cleansing of Jesus, we make room for the Holy Spirit to come and fill us.
Inhaling is when we surrender the control of our lives to Christ, and appropriate (receive) the fullness of the Holy Spirit by faith. We must trust that He now directs and empowers us; according to the command of Ephesians 5:18 and the promise of 1 John 5:14, 15.
Spiritual breathing and being filled with the Holy Spirit is not just some fun thing to please ourselves. The second part of James 4 says
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
Being filled with the Spirit is a blessing for us, but ultimately it’s about Jesus and bringing honor and glory to Him. Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus (5:18)
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
Drunkenness was the besetting sin of the ancient world, but this is not a verse about wine. A drunk man is possessed by alcohol.The Holy Spirit should possess the believer, a divine intoxication. This isn’t emotionalism but a dynamic life that looks like Jesus, the ultimate human who was filled with the Spirit continually.
The Holy Spirit is given at the time of conversion when a person makes Jesus their LORD and Savior.
I love these words from John Piper:
“What we should seek is that God pour His Spirit out upon us so completely that we are filled with joy, victorious over sin, and bold to witness. And the ways He brings us to that fullness are probably as varied as people are. It may come in a tumultuous experience of ecstasy and tongues. It may come through a tumultuous experience of ecstasy and no tongues. It may come through a crisis of suffering when you abandon yourself totally to God. Or it may come gradually through a steady diet of God's word and prayer and fellowship and worship and service. However it comes, our first experience of the fullness of the Spirit is only the beginning of a life-long battle to stay filled with the Spirit.”
This word “filled” is not something that is done once, but the Greek verb means to continually be done. It’s like breathing. You don’t say, “I don’t need to breathe today because I breathed last week!” You constantly breathe and in the same way we are to constantly be spiritually breathing and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Years ago my pastor, Roger Schweigert, demonstrated it this way: when you put Nesquik powder in milk, it needs to be stirred. If it sinks to the bottom, it doesn’t consume the milk despite its presence. The Holy Spirit is a bit like chocolate powder! When you get Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit. Having something doesn’t mean that you are filled with it, though. We need to stir it up to allow it to permeate our entire being, and we need to keep stirring—every day—repenting of our sins and asking the Spirit to fill us.
This will enable you to walk in the Spirit. It doesn’t mean you’ll be perfect. You may fall like a child as you’re learning to walk, but you are to get up and try again.
What happens when you’re filled with the Holy Spirit? The next verse says
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Ephesians 5:19-20
The fundamental meaning of being filled with the Spirit is being filled with joy that comes from God and overflows in song. Luke wrote in Acts 13:52,
The disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
One of the core values of our denomination, the Christian & Missionary Alliance, says
Without The Holy Spirit’s Empowerment, We Can Accomplish Nothing
The Apostle Paul said, My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power (1 Corinthians 2:4–5).
This is the fiber of our being as believers and the sixth of our Alliance core values.
In addition to joy and empowerment, when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you will receive gifts and fruit, two things that we will look at the next two weeks.
Until then, I invite you to get out of your cruise ship cabin and get down to the dining room. Repent and be filled with the Holy Spirit. He is in your life waiting to be activated. If we all commit ourselves to spiritual breathing as much as physical breathing, I believe our church will begin to look a lot more like the New Testament and we’ll begin to see God show up in unexpected and wonderful ways to bring His Kingdom from heaven to earth.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Today we celebrate Pentecost, a tremendously significant day reported in the second chapter of Acts.
Last week we began our creatively titled series “The Holy Spirit” with a look at who the Holy Spirit is. We said that He is not a ghost, but a Person, God, one third of the Trinity, one God in three Persons. We saw, too, how Jesus said it was better for Him to leave and give us the Holy Spirit than for Him to stay on earth, so He ascended into heaven and promised the Holy Spirit. The Spirit arrived in a big way in Acts 2.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. – Acts 2:1-4
This is quite possibly the most popular passage of Scripture among charismatics and Pentecostals. These groups are often known for signs and wonders and miracles in their midst, something that should not surprise us since Jesus did them and said that we would do even greater things.
So why doesn’t the Church in USAmerica look more like the New Testament? Why are so few people doing “the stuff,” to quote John Wimber from last Sunday? Why aren’t people flocking here on Sunday mornings to get healed and set free from addictions and bondage?
Great questions!!!
Scio family, I can’t find a biblical answer to that question! How many of you want more of God? Really!
Have you ever been on a cruise? There was a man who wanted to go on a cruise in the worst way. He had heard about the wonderful experiences of others aboard ships and spent years saving up every possible penny in order to purchase a ticket. When the big day arrived, he proudly boarded the boat and waved goodbye to those less-fortunate people on the dock as the ship headed to sea.
Over the course of the cruise, he got acquainted with a man in a nearby cabin. After several days, the neighbor finally asked why his friend was never seen in the dining room during meals. The man replied, “I cannot afford the extravagant food on the ship so I eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in my room that I packed in my luggage.”
“My dear friend, all of the food is included with your cruise ticket!” the neighbor replied in disbelief. “It has been available to you all week!”
Friends, if you have surrender your life to Jesus Christ, you get the Holy Spirit, too. He is included!
So why do so many Christ-followers live such miserable lives? They have not been filled with the Holy Spirit!
Last week we looked at Luke 11:11-13
“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
It says that our Father in heaven will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.
How are we filled with the Holy Spirit? We must ask.
Jesus’ brother James said once,
You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. - James 4:2
So all we have to do is ask and the Holy Spirit will bring us gourmet meals, heal all of our diseases, enable us to do miracles, and we all live happily ever after? Not quite
The late Bill Bright, the founder of the international group Campus Crusade for Christ, called the process of being filled with the Holy Spirit “spiritual breathing.”
It begins with exhaling—repenting of our sins and getting the junk out. This is where we confess our sins, acknowledge that we have wronged God and possibly others, and commit to a new way of righteous, holy living.
Confess your sin -- agree with God concerning your sin and thank Him for His forgiveness of it, according to 1 John 1:9 and Hebrews 10:1-25. Confession involves repentance - a change in attitude and action.
Have you ever grabbed a drinking glass from the shelf only to discover that it was filled with junk inside? What do you do? You grab another glass!
I think God is much the same way. When He wants to show His power, I think He often looks for those that are truly seeking Him and His holiness. Understand, we’re not perfect, but because Jesus is, we can be forgiven and stand righteous before a holy God. When we agree with God that we have sinned, turn away from our sin, and follow Jesus it is called repentance and it delights the heart of God and brings us back into right relationship with Him.
The next step—inhaling—is simply to ask the Holy Spirit to come. Ask to be filled. When a glass is filled with dirty water, there’s no room for the pure stuff. When we receive the cleansing of Jesus, we make room for the Holy Spirit to come and fill us.
Inhaling is when we surrender the control of our lives to Christ, and appropriate (receive) the fullness of the Holy Spirit by faith. We must trust that He now directs and empowers us; according to the command of Ephesians 5:18 and the promise of 1 John 5:14, 15.
Spiritual breathing and being filled with the Holy Spirit is not just some fun thing to please ourselves. The second part of James 4 says
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
Being filled with the Spirit is a blessing for us, but ultimately it’s about Jesus and bringing honor and glory to Him. Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus (5:18)
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
Drunkenness was the besetting sin of the ancient world, but this is not a verse about wine. A drunk man is possessed by alcohol.The Holy Spirit should possess the believer, a divine intoxication. This isn’t emotionalism but a dynamic life that looks like Jesus, the ultimate human who was filled with the Spirit continually.
The Holy Spirit is given at the time of conversion when a person makes Jesus their LORD and Savior.
I love these words from John Piper:
“What we should seek is that God pour His Spirit out upon us so completely that we are filled with joy, victorious over sin, and bold to witness. And the ways He brings us to that fullness are probably as varied as people are. It may come in a tumultuous experience of ecstasy and tongues. It may come through a tumultuous experience of ecstasy and no tongues. It may come through a crisis of suffering when you abandon yourself totally to God. Or it may come gradually through a steady diet of God's word and prayer and fellowship and worship and service. However it comes, our first experience of the fullness of the Spirit is only the beginning of a life-long battle to stay filled with the Spirit.”
This word “filled” is not something that is done once, but the Greek verb means to continually be done. It’s like breathing. You don’t say, “I don’t need to breathe today because I breathed last week!” You constantly breathe and in the same way we are to constantly be spiritually breathing and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Years ago my pastor, Roger Schweigert, demonstrated it this way: when you put Nesquik powder in milk, it needs to be stirred. If it sinks to the bottom, it doesn’t consume the milk despite its presence. The Holy Spirit is a bit like chocolate powder! When you get Jesus, you get the Holy Spirit. Having something doesn’t mean that you are filled with it, though. We need to stir it up to allow it to permeate our entire being, and we need to keep stirring—every day—repenting of our sins and asking the Spirit to fill us.
This will enable you to walk in the Spirit. It doesn’t mean you’ll be perfect. You may fall like a child as you’re learning to walk, but you are to get up and try again.
What happens when you’re filled with the Holy Spirit? The next verse says
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Ephesians 5:19-20
The fundamental meaning of being filled with the Spirit is being filled with joy that comes from God and overflows in song. Luke wrote in Acts 13:52,
The disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
One of the core values of our denomination, the Christian & Missionary Alliance, says
Without The Holy Spirit’s Empowerment, We Can Accomplish Nothing
The Apostle Paul said, My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power (1 Corinthians 2:4–5).
This is the fiber of our being as believers and the sixth of our Alliance core values.
In addition to joy and empowerment, when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you will receive gifts and fruit, two things that we will look at the next two weeks.
Until then, I invite you to get out of your cruise ship cabin and get down to the dining room. Repent and be filled with the Holy Spirit. He is in your life waiting to be activated. If we all commit ourselves to spiritual breathing as much as physical breathing, I believe our church will begin to look a lot more like the New Testament and we’ll begin to see God show up in unexpected and wonderful ways to bring His Kingdom from heaven to earth.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Who Is The Holy Spirit? 5 June 2011
17 06 11
Big Idea: The Holy Spirit is a vital Person that is willing and able to transform us. He is not a “ghost” or a force. Jesus said it is better for us to have the Spirit than for Him to remain on the earth, which is quite a statement.
Have you ever felt that something was missing in your life? No, I don’t mean that $5 bill you lost or even that loyal friend you’ve spent your entire life seeking. I mean in your spiritual life, have you ever felt like something was missing—or someone?
Shortly after John Wimber became a Christian, he became a voracious Bible reader. The Scriptures excited him. Finally, after weeks of reading about life-transforming miracles in the Bible and attending boring church services, John asked one of the church leaders, "When do we get to do the stuff?"
"What stuff?" asked the leader.
"You know, the stuff here in the Bible," said John. "You know, like the stuff Jesus did—raising people from the dead, healing the blind and the paralyzed. You know, that stuff."
"Well, we don’t do that anymore," the man said.
"You don’t?"
"No."
"Well what do you do?" asked John.
"What we did this morning."
In frustration, John responded: "For that I gave up drugs?"
Like so many of us, John was taught by example that the contemporary Christian life was radically disconnected from the power and awesomeness of the Scriptures.
Have you ever read the Bible and wished you were an eyewitness to the events? People write books that are turned into movies in order for us to experience the story, but there’s nothing like being there.
Perhaps this is no more true than with Jesus. How many of you would like to spend the day with Jesus? If He walked into this room and said, “Who wants to hang out with Me tomorrow?” would you respond? Of course!
This leads me to one of the most provocative passages of the entire Bible, in my humble opinion.
But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. - NIV (1984)
Look what Jesus told His disciples. “It is for your good that I am going away,” He said. This is before He died, so we can understand His point being that He needs to go away and die to save us. Without His death, burial and resurrection He would be merely a good teacher, not a forgiving, grace-filled God who atoned for our sins, reconciling us to God.
The latest scholarship in the recent NIV translation makes a few clarifying changes.
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. - NIV (2011)
The word “Advocate” is used rather than the more passive “Counselor.”
Note, too, that Jesus’ return to Heaven is proof that righteousness is possible. It validated all that Jesus proclaimed. His acceptance into heaven proved that sin had been defeated and that one day we also will be accepted, not because of our righteousness, but His.
Today is known on the Church calendar as Ascension Sunday to commemorate the day Jesus left our planet to prepare a place for us.
Although the disciples experienced the tremendous grief and sadness when Jesus left them to die, they were not done with their goodbyes. Forty days after Jesus’ resurrection, He left them again, saying that He would return soon.
Just for the record, my first thought when Jesus said He was going to the Father would be, “Come back!” yet Jesus said it’s good that He leaves to allow the Counselor or the Advocate to come. Who is the Advocate?
The Holy Spirit is a Person—one of three Persons in the Trinity that includes the Father and Jesus. Because of that, we can say that the Holy Spirit is God.
The Holy Spirit is not a force or a ghost, though some old translations called Him the Holy Ghost. You don’t have to be afraid of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit has been around for a while—like forever!
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. - Genesis 1:1-2
The Spirit was present at Creation and appeared to particular people at particular times prior to Jesus.
Everything Jesus did was because of the Holy Spirit. He was continually filled with the Spirit and although Jesus was God, He became one of us—a human with limitations.
The unleashing of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 after Jesus left earth changed everything, however, and the Spirit became available to all believers 24/7. If you think about it, although we can’t see, hear, and touch the Spirit like we can Jesus, the 24/7 access is quite remarkable. The Spirit of the Living God is living within those of us who have received Jesus.
Listen to this account from the day of Christ’s ascension:
On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. - Acts 1:4-9
Jesus left to allow the gift of the Holy Spirit to come.
“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” - Luke 11:11-13
The Greek word para¿klhtoß or parakletos means “one who encourages and comforts, intercessor, helper.” This word in the NT exclusively refers to the Holy Spirit and Jesus, which makes sense because in John 14:15-17 Jesus said
“If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
Jesus said that the Father would send another comforter—one like Jesus.
What does the Holy Spirit do?
Indwell, guide, teach, empower believers, John 16:13; Acts 1:8
Convinces the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, John 16:7-11
Helps us to pray, Romans 8:26
Enables us to understand God’s Word, Ephesians 1:17-18
Regeneration, John 3:5; Titus 3:5
Assurance, Rom. 8:16
Justification, I Cor. 6:11
Adoption, Gal. 4:4-6; Rom. 8:15
Sanctification, II Thess. 2:13; Rom. 15:16; I Peter 1:2
Conversion
Repentance, Acts 11:15, 18
Faith, I Cor. 2:9, 12; 12:3
Good works, Gal. 5:22-23
Perseverance, Eph. 4:30; 1:13-14; II Cor. 1:22; 5:5
Are you filled with the Holy Spirit? How is that possible? We’ll examine that next Sunday. In the meantime,
It is my prayer that you will encounter the Holy Spirit in a way that truly transforms your life, whether you’ve been going to church your entire life or just investigating what it means to be a Christ-follower.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Have you ever felt that something was missing in your life? No, I don’t mean that $5 bill you lost or even that loyal friend you’ve spent your entire life seeking. I mean in your spiritual life, have you ever felt like something was missing—or someone?
Shortly after John Wimber became a Christian, he became a voracious Bible reader. The Scriptures excited him. Finally, after weeks of reading about life-transforming miracles in the Bible and attending boring church services, John asked one of the church leaders, "When do we get to do the stuff?"
"What stuff?" asked the leader.
"You know, the stuff here in the Bible," said John. "You know, like the stuff Jesus did—raising people from the dead, healing the blind and the paralyzed. You know, that stuff."
"Well, we don’t do that anymore," the man said.
"You don’t?"
"No."
"Well what do you do?" asked John.
"What we did this morning."
In frustration, John responded: "For that I gave up drugs?"
Like so many of us, John was taught by example that the contemporary Christian life was radically disconnected from the power and awesomeness of the Scriptures.
Have you ever read the Bible and wished you were an eyewitness to the events? People write books that are turned into movies in order for us to experience the story, but there’s nothing like being there.
Perhaps this is no more true than with Jesus. How many of you would like to spend the day with Jesus? If He walked into this room and said, “Who wants to hang out with Me tomorrow?” would you respond? Of course!
This leads me to one of the most provocative passages of the entire Bible, in my humble opinion.
But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. - NIV (1984)
Look what Jesus told His disciples. “It is for your good that I am going away,” He said. This is before He died, so we can understand His point being that He needs to go away and die to save us. Without His death, burial and resurrection He would be merely a good teacher, not a forgiving, grace-filled God who atoned for our sins, reconciling us to God.
The latest scholarship in the recent NIV translation makes a few clarifying changes.
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. - NIV (2011)
The word “Advocate” is used rather than the more passive “Counselor.”
Note, too, that Jesus’ return to Heaven is proof that righteousness is possible. It validated all that Jesus proclaimed. His acceptance into heaven proved that sin had been defeated and that one day we also will be accepted, not because of our righteousness, but His.
Today is known on the Church calendar as Ascension Sunday to commemorate the day Jesus left our planet to prepare a place for us.
Although the disciples experienced the tremendous grief and sadness when Jesus left them to die, they were not done with their goodbyes. Forty days after Jesus’ resurrection, He left them again, saying that He would return soon.
Just for the record, my first thought when Jesus said He was going to the Father would be, “Come back!” yet Jesus said it’s good that He leaves to allow the Counselor or the Advocate to come. Who is the Advocate?
The Holy Spirit is a Person—one of three Persons in the Trinity that includes the Father and Jesus. Because of that, we can say that the Holy Spirit is God.
The Holy Spirit is not a force or a ghost, though some old translations called Him the Holy Ghost. You don’t have to be afraid of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit has been around for a while—like forever!
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. - Genesis 1:1-2
The Spirit was present at Creation and appeared to particular people at particular times prior to Jesus.
Everything Jesus did was because of the Holy Spirit. He was continually filled with the Spirit and although Jesus was God, He became one of us—a human with limitations.
The unleashing of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 after Jesus left earth changed everything, however, and the Spirit became available to all believers 24/7. If you think about it, although we can’t see, hear, and touch the Spirit like we can Jesus, the 24/7 access is quite remarkable. The Spirit of the Living God is living within those of us who have received Jesus.
Listen to this account from the day of Christ’s ascension:
On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. - Acts 1:4-9
Jesus left to allow the gift of the Holy Spirit to come.
“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” - Luke 11:11-13
The Greek word para¿klhtoß or parakletos means “one who encourages and comforts, intercessor, helper.” This word in the NT exclusively refers to the Holy Spirit and Jesus, which makes sense because in John 14:15-17 Jesus said
“If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
Jesus said that the Father would send another comforter—one like Jesus.
What does the Holy Spirit do?
Indwell, guide, teach, empower believers, John 16:13; Acts 1:8
Convinces the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, John 16:7-11
Helps us to pray, Romans 8:26
Enables us to understand God’s Word, Ephesians 1:17-18
Regeneration, John 3:5; Titus 3:5
Assurance, Rom. 8:16
Justification, I Cor. 6:11
Adoption, Gal. 4:4-6; Rom. 8:15
Sanctification, II Thess. 2:13; Rom. 15:16; I Peter 1:2
Conversion
Repentance, Acts 11:15, 18
Faith, I Cor. 2:9, 12; 12:3
Good works, Gal. 5:22-23
Perseverance, Eph. 4:30; 1:13-14; II Cor. 1:22; 5:5
Are you filled with the Holy Spirit? How is that possible? We’ll examine that next Sunday. In the meantime,
It is my prayer that you will encounter the Holy Spirit in a way that truly transforms your life, whether you’ve been going to church your entire life or just investigating what it means to be a Christ-follower.
You can listen to the podcast here.
The Women at the Well: Satisfied, 22 May 2011
27 05 11
Big Idea: Jesus is the only thing that will fill the emptiness in your life.
Are you truly satisfied? Have you ever felt like something is missing?
What are some things that people seek for satisfaction?
Most of us know the “right” answer is “God.” If we’re honest, though, we often find ourselves craving the same things that the Rolling Stones found unsatisfying—money, sex, and power.
In John 4, we encounter a woman who is seeking satisfaction. First some background on the story.
Jesus is on His world tour and travels from Judea to Galilee. So what, right? Well, to get there, He had to travel through Samaria—or He could do what many Pharisees did—He could double His trip and go around Samaria.
The Samaritans were hated by the Jews who saw them as the offspring of Assyrians who intermarried with Jews and destroyed their heritage.
Can you imagine avoiding an entire region on your journey because of despising its residents? It’s not like this was just a little detour. It must have added hours to their trip, even if they had a fast camel!
Jesus arrives at Jacob’s well around noon (though it could have been 6 PM depending upon the clock system) and sits down by the well. Normally people drew water at the end of the day rather than midway so he may not have expected to see anyone.
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) - John 4:7-8
Notice the contrast between Jesus’ interaction with Nicodemus—a moral, respected Jew who pursued Jesus in the previous chapter that we examined a few weeks ago—and this despised, immoral Samaritan woman.
The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) - John 4:9
She knew Jesus wasn’t a local!
Public conversations between men and women were prohibited in the culture.
In addition, Jews viewed Samaritans as “unclean” so a Jew would become ceremonially unclean if he even used a cup handled by a Samaritan. A Rabbinic law of A.D. 66 said that Samaritan women were considered to be continually menstruating and, therefore, always unclean.
Many of the Samaritans early embraced the gospel (John 4:5-42; Acts 8:25; 9:31; 15:3). Of these Samaritans, there still remains a small population of about one hundred and sixty, who all reside in Shechem, where they carefully observe the religious customs of their fathers. They are the smallest and oldest sect in the World.” - Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” - John 4:10
In John’s Gospel, the word “gift” in the Greek is only used here. It emphasizes God’s grace through Christ. Jesus’ grace is a freely-given gift that must be received to be experienced. It refers to eternal life. It also refers to the Holy Spirit (Jer. 2:13; Zech. 14:8; John 7:38-39)
“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?” - John 4:11-12
The well was over 100 feet deep and Jesus forgot to buy a rope and bucket! This was Jacob’s well and the woman knew about its history.
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” - John 4:13-14
If you know anything about Jesus’ teachings, you know that He often spoke in parables and cryptic language that wasn’t always easy to understand. Here’s this woman in the desert, she came to draw water—a vital task reserved for women in the day—and this Jew tells her of a different kind of water, water that wells up or literally leaps up, the vigorous abundant life that He alone can give (see John 10:10).
The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” - John 4:15
What would you expect Jesus to say? You would expect Him to say something about water, but instead, He throws her a curveball.
He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” - John 4:16
Huh? We’d expect Him to at least tell her to pray or obey God or something, right? He brings up her husband, to which she replies...
“I have no husband,” she replied.
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” - John 4:17-18
I love Jesus’ assessment of the situation. He does not condemn her, but rather He affirms her.
Jesus obviously knows her story and how she has struggled with satisfaction. Five husbands is not an accident! Clearly she was looking for love in all of the wrong places! She was masking her thirst with something that actually made her more thirsty rather than quenched.
What’s the best thing to drink when you’re thirsty? It’s water.
Some people—especially kids—think that pop will quench their thirst, but actually it makes you more thirsty. The pop companies actually add sodium which causes dehydration and makes you more thirsty! What a great way to sell beverages!
If you want to quench your thirst for satisfaction, you need to recognize that things like money, sex and power will never satisfy. In fact, they’ll actually make you crave more. Billionaire Ted Turner was once asked how much money was enough and he said, “Just a little bit more.” The things in this life simply don’t satisfy. Sure, they will bring some happiness, but it’s temporary.
Remember all of those things you wanted so badly for Christmas? I wonder how many of them will end up on eBay or in a garage sale soon. We use external things to quench our internal thirst, and the Samaritan woman did the same thing.
“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. - John 4:19
This woman is sharp! A stranger told her about her multiple partners. She had an encounter with Jesus, the Messiah that she was waiting for (verse 25).
Just as Jesus knew the heart of Zacchaeus, He knew her heart...and He knows ours.
Like everyone that encounters Jesus, she was transformed. She met the Giver of life.
Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” -Revelation 7:16-17
I don’t know about you, but when I’m thirsty, I often crave pop or juice. Water seems boring and unexciting, yet it’s what I need. Water is the most valuable and essential thing on our planet. We are filled with it. We will die without it.
In the same way Jesus provides living water to each of us—but only if we are thirsty.
Where do you go for your satisfaction? I guarantee that no food, drug, drink, bank account, Facebook account, techno gadget, car, or even person can truly satisfy—only Jesus.
Later, the woman throws out a red herring and talks about an ancient dispute. However, the story concludes...
Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers.
They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” - John 4:39-42
My prayer is that many in our community would believe in Jesus because of our story...and experience true satisfaction.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Are you truly satisfied? Have you ever felt like something is missing?
What are some things that people seek for satisfaction?
Most of us know the “right” answer is “God.” If we’re honest, though, we often find ourselves craving the same things that the Rolling Stones found unsatisfying—money, sex, and power.
In John 4, we encounter a woman who is seeking satisfaction. First some background on the story.
Jesus is on His world tour and travels from Judea to Galilee. So what, right? Well, to get there, He had to travel through Samaria—or He could do what many Pharisees did—He could double His trip and go around Samaria.
The Samaritans were hated by the Jews who saw them as the offspring of Assyrians who intermarried with Jews and destroyed their heritage.
Can you imagine avoiding an entire region on your journey because of despising its residents? It’s not like this was just a little detour. It must have added hours to their trip, even if they had a fast camel!
Jesus arrives at Jacob’s well around noon (though it could have been 6 PM depending upon the clock system) and sits down by the well. Normally people drew water at the end of the day rather than midway so he may not have expected to see anyone.
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) - John 4:7-8
Notice the contrast between Jesus’ interaction with Nicodemus—a moral, respected Jew who pursued Jesus in the previous chapter that we examined a few weeks ago—and this despised, immoral Samaritan woman.
The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) - John 4:9
She knew Jesus wasn’t a local!
Public conversations between men and women were prohibited in the culture.
In addition, Jews viewed Samaritans as “unclean” so a Jew would become ceremonially unclean if he even used a cup handled by a Samaritan. A Rabbinic law of A.D. 66 said that Samaritan women were considered to be continually menstruating and, therefore, always unclean.
Many of the Samaritans early embraced the gospel (John 4:5-42; Acts 8:25; 9:31; 15:3). Of these Samaritans, there still remains a small population of about one hundred and sixty, who all reside in Shechem, where they carefully observe the religious customs of their fathers. They are the smallest and oldest sect in the World.” - Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” - John 4:10
In John’s Gospel, the word “gift” in the Greek is only used here. It emphasizes God’s grace through Christ. Jesus’ grace is a freely-given gift that must be received to be experienced. It refers to eternal life. It also refers to the Holy Spirit (Jer. 2:13; Zech. 14:8; John 7:38-39)
“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?” - John 4:11-12
The well was over 100 feet deep and Jesus forgot to buy a rope and bucket! This was Jacob’s well and the woman knew about its history.
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” - John 4:13-14
If you know anything about Jesus’ teachings, you know that He often spoke in parables and cryptic language that wasn’t always easy to understand. Here’s this woman in the desert, she came to draw water—a vital task reserved for women in the day—and this Jew tells her of a different kind of water, water that wells up or literally leaps up, the vigorous abundant life that He alone can give (see John 10:10).
The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” - John 4:15
What would you expect Jesus to say? You would expect Him to say something about water, but instead, He throws her a curveball.
He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” - John 4:16
Huh? We’d expect Him to at least tell her to pray or obey God or something, right? He brings up her husband, to which she replies...
“I have no husband,” she replied.
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” - John 4:17-18
I love Jesus’ assessment of the situation. He does not condemn her, but rather He affirms her.
Jesus obviously knows her story and how she has struggled with satisfaction. Five husbands is not an accident! Clearly she was looking for love in all of the wrong places! She was masking her thirst with something that actually made her more thirsty rather than quenched.
What’s the best thing to drink when you’re thirsty? It’s water.
Some people—especially kids—think that pop will quench their thirst, but actually it makes you more thirsty. The pop companies actually add sodium which causes dehydration and makes you more thirsty! What a great way to sell beverages!
If you want to quench your thirst for satisfaction, you need to recognize that things like money, sex and power will never satisfy. In fact, they’ll actually make you crave more. Billionaire Ted Turner was once asked how much money was enough and he said, “Just a little bit more.” The things in this life simply don’t satisfy. Sure, they will bring some happiness, but it’s temporary.
Remember all of those things you wanted so badly for Christmas? I wonder how many of them will end up on eBay or in a garage sale soon. We use external things to quench our internal thirst, and the Samaritan woman did the same thing.
“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. - John 4:19
This woman is sharp! A stranger told her about her multiple partners. She had an encounter with Jesus, the Messiah that she was waiting for (verse 25).
Just as Jesus knew the heart of Zacchaeus, He knew her heart...and He knows ours.
Like everyone that encounters Jesus, she was transformed. She met the Giver of life.
Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” -Revelation 7:16-17
I don’t know about you, but when I’m thirsty, I often crave pop or juice. Water seems boring and unexciting, yet it’s what I need. Water is the most valuable and essential thing on our planet. We are filled with it. We will die without it.
In the same way Jesus provides living water to each of us—but only if we are thirsty.
Where do you go for your satisfaction? I guarantee that no food, drug, drink, bank account, Facebook account, techno gadget, car, or even person can truly satisfy—only Jesus.
Later, the woman throws out a red herring and talks about an ancient dispute. However, the story concludes...
Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers.
They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” - John 4:39-42
My prayer is that many in our community would believe in Jesus because of our story...and experience true satisfaction.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Zacchaeus: Forgiven, 15 May 2011
17 05 11
Big Idea: God gives us unconditional forgiveness so that we can give it to others!
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. - Luke 19:1-4
Jesus was a celebrity. He was the most controversial figure of His day—or any day! The text says that Jesus was “passing through.” Crowds gathered around Him and Zach wanted to catch a glimpse.
When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. - Luke 19:5-6
What do you think Zach was thinking? What would YOU be thinking?
Jesus obviously knew Zach’s heart, just as he knew Nathanael’s in John 1:48. He knows your heart, too...and mine!
Notice the intensity of Jesus’ command—come down “immediately” and “I must” stay at your house. Why did He have to go to Zach’s house?
All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’” - Luke 19:7
It should be noted earlier that Zach is not only a tax-collector but the wealthy, chief tax-collector. He worked on commission—and set his own commission schedule, undoubtedly milking the people of excessive amounts of money. Jericho was a wealthy area and Zach was possibly the most hated man in the city.
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” - Luke 19:8
What happened?
When Jesus enters your home, things change!
We obviously don’t know everything that took place, but we do clearly see the transformation of a hated, wealthy man through his encounter with Jesus.
I doubt Jesus told him he had to be generous. I don’t think Zach was guilted into making changes in his life. In fact, I don’t see any indication that Jesus was angry or condemning of Zach, but rather loving and kind toward this hated man. It says in Romans 2:4 that God’s kindness leads us to repentance.
Most of us are not drawn to angry people, but to love and kindness. Zach experienced the kindness of Jesus and that led him to repent and change.
Jesus said in Luke 7:47 that the woman who poured oil on His head and feet had many sins that were forgiven, but “he who has been forgiven little loves little.”
Friends, you and I have been forgiven by Jesus, and it is His forgiveness that allows us to forgive others.
Others don’t deserve our forgiveness, and neither do we deserve God’s forgiveness.
It seems clear that Zach had many sins that were forgiven that day, leading him to respond greatly.
The arrogant religious leaders preferred to judge and condemn Zach without realizing their own sin in the process.
Forgiveness is not about justice or fairness, but about experiencing and then passing on mercy and grace.
The passage concludes
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” - Luke 19:9-10
Salvation came not only to Zach, but also all members of his household. The Jewish concept of the family under the Old Covenant meant that now Zach was a true son of Abraham, a child of the promise, and forgiven by Christ.
Note the purpose of Jesus’ mission in the final words—to seek and to save what was lost. Remember the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son that we examined a few weeks ago in Luke 15? God cares about the lost. Do we?
In many cases the lost are not attractive, loving people. They may be filled with anger, greed, or addictions. Like Zach they may be despised by the world and unworthy of love and forgiveness in human eyes. Nevertheless Jesus died for them, and our love and compassion and kindness may be exactly what they need in order to repent and change and encounter the transformational power of Jesus Christ.
You can listen to the podcast here.
You can listen to Joel Sherey’s story—Forgiven? Forgiven—here.
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. - Luke 19:1-4
Jesus was a celebrity. He was the most controversial figure of His day—or any day! The text says that Jesus was “passing through.” Crowds gathered around Him and Zach wanted to catch a glimpse.
When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. - Luke 19:5-6
What do you think Zach was thinking? What would YOU be thinking?
Jesus obviously knew Zach’s heart, just as he knew Nathanael’s in John 1:48. He knows your heart, too...and mine!
Notice the intensity of Jesus’ command—come down “immediately” and “I must” stay at your house. Why did He have to go to Zach’s house?
All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’” - Luke 19:7
It should be noted earlier that Zach is not only a tax-collector but the wealthy, chief tax-collector. He worked on commission—and set his own commission schedule, undoubtedly milking the people of excessive amounts of money. Jericho was a wealthy area and Zach was possibly the most hated man in the city.
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” - Luke 19:8
What happened?
When Jesus enters your home, things change!
We obviously don’t know everything that took place, but we do clearly see the transformation of a hated, wealthy man through his encounter with Jesus.
I doubt Jesus told him he had to be generous. I don’t think Zach was guilted into making changes in his life. In fact, I don’t see any indication that Jesus was angry or condemning of Zach, but rather loving and kind toward this hated man. It says in Romans 2:4 that God’s kindness leads us to repentance.
Most of us are not drawn to angry people, but to love and kindness. Zach experienced the kindness of Jesus and that led him to repent and change.
Jesus said in Luke 7:47 that the woman who poured oil on His head and feet had many sins that were forgiven, but “he who has been forgiven little loves little.”
Friends, you and I have been forgiven by Jesus, and it is His forgiveness that allows us to forgive others.
Others don’t deserve our forgiveness, and neither do we deserve God’s forgiveness.
It seems clear that Zach had many sins that were forgiven that day, leading him to respond greatly.
The arrogant religious leaders preferred to judge and condemn Zach without realizing their own sin in the process.
Forgiveness is not about justice or fairness, but about experiencing and then passing on mercy and grace.
The passage concludes
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” - Luke 19:9-10
Salvation came not only to Zach, but also all members of his household. The Jewish concept of the family under the Old Covenant meant that now Zach was a true son of Abraham, a child of the promise, and forgiven by Christ.
Note the purpose of Jesus’ mission in the final words—to seek and to save what was lost. Remember the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son that we examined a few weeks ago in Luke 15? God cares about the lost. Do we?
In many cases the lost are not attractive, loving people. They may be filled with anger, greed, or addictions. Like Zach they may be despised by the world and unworthy of love and forgiveness in human eyes. Nevertheless Jesus died for them, and our love and compassion and kindness may be exactly what they need in order to repent and change and encounter the transformational power of Jesus Christ.
You can listen to the podcast here.
You can listen to Joel Sherey’s story—Forgiven? Forgiven—here.
Esther: Trust, 8 May 2011
10 05 11
Big Idea: If you trust God, He can use you to change the world!
Greatness
You were created with value, dignity and worth...for a purpose. That purpose may be clear to you or you may be clueless. Regardless, God has blessed us with this life, this day, this breath.
For Such A Time As This
Andy Warhol famously said that everyone gets...15 minutes of fame. Rarely do we know when that moment will occur. Sure, Michael Phelps recognized as he traveled to the 2008 Olympic games that he would be on the world stage. Yes, Barack Obama knew on election day that he would be in the spotlight. Most of us, however, cannot anticipate our one shining moment.
Be Prepared
The key to greatness is not to seek it, but to be ready. The Boy Scout motto is...be prepared. Do people take CPR classes in order to save a life on a pre-determined day? Of course not. Do you buy a fire extinguisher for a particular event? No! You want to be ready.
Esther
Today we continue our series The Secret That Changes Everything. I’ll tell you the secret right now:
If you trust God, He can use you to change the world.
You. Not the person beside you. Not that celebrity you saw on TV, your favorite author, or a rock star. You. But you must be ready.
The Story
The story of Esther has been immortalized by films such as
One Night With The King and, of course, the Veggie Tales classic Esther: The Girl Who Became Queen.
For those of you unfamiliar with the story, here’s a summary:
After a six-month drinking feast, a drunk king summons his wife. The queen refused to come so the king forbids her from ever entering his presence and begins the search for a new queen.
A beautiful orphan girl, Esther, becomes the queen after more than a year of beauty treatments and overnight “interviews” with the king.
Her cousin, Mordecai, learns of a plan by Haman to destroy the Jewish people. Mordecai tells Esther to help by seeking the king’s help. She sends a message back to Mordecai and says
“All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that he be put to death. The only exception to this is for the king to extend the gold scepter to him and spare his life. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.” - Esther 4:11
When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. - Esther 4:12-13
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” - Esther 4:14
Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” - Esther 4:15-16
In a surprising turn of events, Mordecai is honored and Haman’s plan to destroy the Jews is exposed by Esther at dinner.
So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther, and as they were drinking wine on that second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”
Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life — this is my petition. And spare my people — this is my request. For I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.”
King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is the man who has dared to do such a thing?”
Esther said, “The adversary and enemy is this vile Haman.”
Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.
Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining.
The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”
As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A gallows seventy-five feet high stands by Haman’s house. He had it made for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”
The king said, “Hang him on it!” So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided.
- Esther 7:1-10
The Feast Of Purim
Thousands of years later, the Jews continue to celebrate the feast of Purim to remember Esther’s courage to approach the king and deliver the Jewish people from Haman’s plot to destroy them.
Earlier I said that the secret is “If you trust God, He can use you to change the world!”
What is God calling you to do?
It might not be something heroic like saving the lives of thousands of people, but it may be to share your 2WordStory and be used by God to save the eternal life of a friend, neighbor or co-worker.
This week a friend told me he was way beyond his comfort zone in sharing his faith with a friend. He said he was on the verge of giving up, but I encouraged him to press on.
If you can do it, it’s probably not God’s will.
If you can’t do it, it probably is God’s will.
God has a habit of using ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. - 1 Corinthians 1:26-29
You are here for a purpose, and it is to know God and make Him known.
The problem is we fear for our future and we have trouble trusting God with the things we can’t control. While most of us wrestle with this tension, it is certainly true for moms. It was true for Esther as well. Mordeci convinced Esther that she was in her role for a purpose and a reason (like every Mom). She was told she was good enough to perform the task even when facing fearful circumstances that could have cost her life.
The secret is trust. Trust God to take care of you when you need Him the most.
God can be trusted. He can be trusted in the midst of the storms of life. He can be trusted in sickness and in health, in wealth and poverty, in life and death.
The secret is “If you trust God, He can use you to change the world!”
Greatness
As I said earlier, you were created with value, dignity and worth...for a purpose. That purpose may be clear to you or you may be clueless. Regardless, God has blessed you with this life, this day, this breath. He has created you for such a time as this. Now it’s time to seize this moment and change the world.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Greatness
You were created with value, dignity and worth...for a purpose. That purpose may be clear to you or you may be clueless. Regardless, God has blessed us with this life, this day, this breath.
For Such A Time As This
Andy Warhol famously said that everyone gets...15 minutes of fame. Rarely do we know when that moment will occur. Sure, Michael Phelps recognized as he traveled to the 2008 Olympic games that he would be on the world stage. Yes, Barack Obama knew on election day that he would be in the spotlight. Most of us, however, cannot anticipate our one shining moment.
Be Prepared
The key to greatness is not to seek it, but to be ready. The Boy Scout motto is...be prepared. Do people take CPR classes in order to save a life on a pre-determined day? Of course not. Do you buy a fire extinguisher for a particular event? No! You want to be ready.
Esther
Today we continue our series The Secret That Changes Everything. I’ll tell you the secret right now:
If you trust God, He can use you to change the world.
You. Not the person beside you. Not that celebrity you saw on TV, your favorite author, or a rock star. You. But you must be ready.
The Story
The story of Esther has been immortalized by films such as
One Night With The King and, of course, the Veggie Tales classic Esther: The Girl Who Became Queen.
For those of you unfamiliar with the story, here’s a summary:
After a six-month drinking feast, a drunk king summons his wife. The queen refused to come so the king forbids her from ever entering his presence and begins the search for a new queen.
A beautiful orphan girl, Esther, becomes the queen after more than a year of beauty treatments and overnight “interviews” with the king.
Her cousin, Mordecai, learns of a plan by Haman to destroy the Jewish people. Mordecai tells Esther to help by seeking the king’s help. She sends a message back to Mordecai and says
“All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that he be put to death. The only exception to this is for the king to extend the gold scepter to him and spare his life. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.” - Esther 4:11
When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. - Esther 4:12-13
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” - Esther 4:14
Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” - Esther 4:15-16
In a surprising turn of events, Mordecai is honored and Haman’s plan to destroy the Jews is exposed by Esther at dinner.
So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther, and as they were drinking wine on that second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”
Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life — this is my petition. And spare my people — this is my request. For I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.”
King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is the man who has dared to do such a thing?”
Esther said, “The adversary and enemy is this vile Haman.”
Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.
Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining.
The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”
As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A gallows seventy-five feet high stands by Haman’s house. He had it made for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”
The king said, “Hang him on it!” So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided.
- Esther 7:1-10
The Feast Of Purim
Thousands of years later, the Jews continue to celebrate the feast of Purim to remember Esther’s courage to approach the king and deliver the Jewish people from Haman’s plot to destroy them.
Earlier I said that the secret is “If you trust God, He can use you to change the world!”
What is God calling you to do?
It might not be something heroic like saving the lives of thousands of people, but it may be to share your 2WordStory and be used by God to save the eternal life of a friend, neighbor or co-worker.
This week a friend told me he was way beyond his comfort zone in sharing his faith with a friend. He said he was on the verge of giving up, but I encouraged him to press on.
If you can do it, it’s probably not God’s will.
If you can’t do it, it probably is God’s will.
God has a habit of using ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. - 1 Corinthians 1:26-29
You are here for a purpose, and it is to know God and make Him known.
The problem is we fear for our future and we have trouble trusting God with the things we can’t control. While most of us wrestle with this tension, it is certainly true for moms. It was true for Esther as well. Mordeci convinced Esther that she was in her role for a purpose and a reason (like every Mom). She was told she was good enough to perform the task even when facing fearful circumstances that could have cost her life.
The secret is trust. Trust God to take care of you when you need Him the most.
God can be trusted. He can be trusted in the midst of the storms of life. He can be trusted in sickness and in health, in wealth and poverty, in life and death.
The secret is “If you trust God, He can use you to change the world!”
Greatness
As I said earlier, you were created with value, dignity and worth...for a purpose. That purpose may be clear to you or you may be clueless. Regardless, God has blessed you with this life, this day, this breath. He has created you for such a time as this. Now it’s time to seize this moment and change the world.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Nicodemus: Alive, 1 May 2011
02 05 11
Big Idea: Without a second birth we will never know true life.
Introduction:
Last Sunday was our celebration of the resurrection, the life of Jesus Christ after His death and the life that we can have because of His. Today we begin our 2WordStory series along with over 500 churches in the area...including these:
What makes you come alive?
Our Story
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” - John 3:1-2
Nicodemus was one of the most important men in his day. He was a teacher and a Pharisee. The Pharisees were powerful religious leaders. He was also a member of the the Jewish ruling council called the Sanhedrin. Suffice it to say, Nick was a powerful and respected man.
This is the original Nick at Nite! He’s not sneaking around at night to watch TV, though. Why does he go out at night? We don’t know! It seems that he was afraid, perhaps of the other Pharisees that condemned Jesus. He saw Jesus as something of a peer and wanted to have a Rabbi to Rabbi chat.
In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” - John 3:3
Born again. This is an expression that has been used to describe Christians, bit Nick had no clue what Jesus meant.
“How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” - John 3:4
And every mom in the room said, “Ouch!”
Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” -John 3:5-8
Born again or born from above is a spiritual transformation. We all have been given a physical birth, but being born again requires a spiritual birth. It’s about moving from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God.
Several interpretations have been given to this phrase “born of water,” but it seems most likely that Nick would see it as a reference to baptism, the water grave in which one dies to their flesh and is resurrected and regenerated by the Holy Spirit, coming alive.
I love Jesus’ use of the word pneuma which means both wind and Spirit. We can control neither the wind nor the Holy Spirit, but we can place ourselves in their path and be moved by them.
“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. - John 3:9
Notice how he still doesn’t understand, yet he doesn’t play it cool, pretending to get it. He honestly shares his confusion.
“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? - John 3:10
I love that! This great teacher doesn’t understand. Let’s face it, we wouldn’t have understood this, either!
Jesus continues.
I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven — the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. - John 3:11-13
Jesus is fully God yet fully human. He is the ladder between heaven and earth. He descended in the Incarnation at His birth in Bethlehem and later ascended on the Mount of Olives to heaven where He will one day return.
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. - John 3:14-15
In Number 21, Moses raised a bronze snake on a pole as a cure for the punishment the people received from God for their disobedience. In fact, you’ve probably seen the snake on a pole in the universal symbol of healing.
Dying people who looked upon the bronze snake were healed. In the same way, Jesus is foreshadowing His death on a tree and saying that the dying sinners who look to Him will be given eternal life.
This is the central message of our faith—that Jesus came, lived, died, and rose again for us. He did all of this to restore our broken relationship with our Creator. In fact, the very next verse is likely the most famous and significant verse in the entire Bible.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16
This is the Gospel, the good news. It’s about what Jesus did and our response. All other world religions are about what you DO, but Christianity is about what has been DONE by Jesus.
The love of God compelled Him to send His one and only, begotten, “only born-one” Son to earth for the purpose of dying.
As a dad, I have a much greater appreciation for this than I did prior. I have one son and I love him like crazy! I love my beautiful girls, too! When my son is gone overnight to a friend’s house, I miss him. When he’s away for several nights on a trip or at camp, I really miss him. I can’t imagine sending him away for 33 years...to another planet...to die...for sinful people! That’s love. In the words of Francis Chan, that’s crazy love.
This is why we sing. This is why we worship. This is why we give and serve and go and tell and seek to follow Jesus. It’s not because He is a great teacher, though He is. It’s not because He changed the world, though He did. It’s because He proved His love and died for us.
The text continues...
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. - John 3:17-18
The purpose of Jesus coming to earth was not to condemn. He does not delight in the death of the wicked (Ezek. 18:22-23) but wants everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9).
We have a choice. We can accept or reject Jesus. We can have a relationship with God and enjoy Him forever or we can reject Him and live forever apart from Him.
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” - John 3:19-21
Why do people love darkness? It’s not the dark itself that they enjoy, but what they are hiding. The Light exposes our sins and evil that lead to death. Jesus lovingly rebukes our sin and leads us to repentance and life. Jesus is the way, the truth, the Light, and the life!
We see later that Nick chose to follow Jesus. He defended Jesus when the Pharisees condemned Him (John 7:50-51). He even helped Joseph of Arimathea bury Jesus (John 19:39-40).
So what’s the secret? It’s not about what you do but what He’s done that gives you life.
Nick realized it did not matter how good he was, it wasn’t good enough. It doesn’t matter how many soup kitchens you serve, how many times you go to church, or how much money you give away if you don’t know Jesus. Do you know Him? I don’t mean know about Him, but do you really know Jesus? Do you love Him? Have you received His gift of eternal life?
Have you seen the Light? Have you received the Light? Are you alive?
You can listen to the podcast here.
Introduction:
Last Sunday was our celebration of the resurrection, the life of Jesus Christ after His death and the life that we can have because of His. Today we begin our 2WordStory series along with over 500 churches in the area...including these:
What makes you come alive?
Our Story
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” - John 3:1-2
Nicodemus was one of the most important men in his day. He was a teacher and a Pharisee. The Pharisees were powerful religious leaders. He was also a member of the the Jewish ruling council called the Sanhedrin. Suffice it to say, Nick was a powerful and respected man.
This is the original Nick at Nite! He’s not sneaking around at night to watch TV, though. Why does he go out at night? We don’t know! It seems that he was afraid, perhaps of the other Pharisees that condemned Jesus. He saw Jesus as something of a peer and wanted to have a Rabbi to Rabbi chat.
In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” - John 3:3
Born again. This is an expression that has been used to describe Christians, bit Nick had no clue what Jesus meant.
“How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” - John 3:4
And every mom in the room said, “Ouch!”
Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” -John 3:5-8
Born again or born from above is a spiritual transformation. We all have been given a physical birth, but being born again requires a spiritual birth. It’s about moving from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God.
Several interpretations have been given to this phrase “born of water,” but it seems most likely that Nick would see it as a reference to baptism, the water grave in which one dies to their flesh and is resurrected and regenerated by the Holy Spirit, coming alive.
I love Jesus’ use of the word pneuma which means both wind and Spirit. We can control neither the wind nor the Holy Spirit, but we can place ourselves in their path and be moved by them.
“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. - John 3:9
Notice how he still doesn’t understand, yet he doesn’t play it cool, pretending to get it. He honestly shares his confusion.
“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? - John 3:10
I love that! This great teacher doesn’t understand. Let’s face it, we wouldn’t have understood this, either!
Jesus continues.
I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven — the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. - John 3:11-13
Jesus is fully God yet fully human. He is the ladder between heaven and earth. He descended in the Incarnation at His birth in Bethlehem and later ascended on the Mount of Olives to heaven where He will one day return.
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. - John 3:14-15
In Number 21, Moses raised a bronze snake on a pole as a cure for the punishment the people received from God for their disobedience. In fact, you’ve probably seen the snake on a pole in the universal symbol of healing.
Dying people who looked upon the bronze snake were healed. In the same way, Jesus is foreshadowing His death on a tree and saying that the dying sinners who look to Him will be given eternal life.
This is the central message of our faith—that Jesus came, lived, died, and rose again for us. He did all of this to restore our broken relationship with our Creator. In fact, the very next verse is likely the most famous and significant verse in the entire Bible.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16
This is the Gospel, the good news. It’s about what Jesus did and our response. All other world religions are about what you DO, but Christianity is about what has been DONE by Jesus.
The love of God compelled Him to send His one and only, begotten, “only born-one” Son to earth for the purpose of dying.
As a dad, I have a much greater appreciation for this than I did prior. I have one son and I love him like crazy! I love my beautiful girls, too! When my son is gone overnight to a friend’s house, I miss him. When he’s away for several nights on a trip or at camp, I really miss him. I can’t imagine sending him away for 33 years...to another planet...to die...for sinful people! That’s love. In the words of Francis Chan, that’s crazy love.
This is why we sing. This is why we worship. This is why we give and serve and go and tell and seek to follow Jesus. It’s not because He is a great teacher, though He is. It’s not because He changed the world, though He did. It’s because He proved His love and died for us.
The text continues...
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. - John 3:17-18
The purpose of Jesus coming to earth was not to condemn. He does not delight in the death of the wicked (Ezek. 18:22-23) but wants everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9).
We have a choice. We can accept or reject Jesus. We can have a relationship with God and enjoy Him forever or we can reject Him and live forever apart from Him.
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” - John 3:19-21
Why do people love darkness? It’s not the dark itself that they enjoy, but what they are hiding. The Light exposes our sins and evil that lead to death. Jesus lovingly rebukes our sin and leads us to repentance and life. Jesus is the way, the truth, the Light, and the life!
We see later that Nick chose to follow Jesus. He defended Jesus when the Pharisees condemned Him (John 7:50-51). He even helped Joseph of Arimathea bury Jesus (John 19:39-40).
So what’s the secret? It’s not about what you do but what He’s done that gives you life.
Nick realized it did not matter how good he was, it wasn’t good enough. It doesn’t matter how many soup kitchens you serve, how many times you go to church, or how much money you give away if you don’t know Jesus. Do you know Him? I don’t mean know about Him, but do you really know Jesus? Do you love Him? Have you received His gift of eternal life?
Have you seen the Light? Have you received the Light? Are you alive?
You can listen to the podcast here.
Celebration, 24 April 2011, Easter
25 04 11
I was once looking at a book on world religions. It talked about Islam and Hinduism and Buddhism and other faiths and I was curious what it had to say about Christianity. It began by stating that Christianity is an historical religion. It did not begin with a philosophy or dream or vision. In fact, we are here today not even because Jesus was a wise teacher and healed people. It’s all about the resurrection. Period.
Few people argue that Jesus lived. Most acknowledge that He was crucified. Everything about our faith rises and falls on the resurrection. If Jesus is dead, we are wasting our time this morning. In fact, if Jesus is dead, we are wasting our lives!
The Account (Matthew 28)
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. - Matthew 28:1-4
The stone was like a giant wagon wheel. This particular stone is inside a track. What was the purpose of the stone?
This was not an ordinary burial, though. Let’s go back a few verses to the previous chapter:
As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb. - Matthew 27:57-61
The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” - Matthew 27:62-64
“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. - Matthew 27:65-66
So Jesus’ dead body was placed in the tomb, the tomb was covered with a stone, the stone had a seal, and a guard was posted.
I’ve always found it fascinating that the chief priests heard Jesus say He would rise again after three days, yet His followers were clueless.
Back to the story...
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” - Matthew 28:5-7
They entered the tomb. They saw where Jesus lay, yet He was not there!
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” - Matthew 28:8-10
Why were the women afraid?
The first thing Jesus says is “fear not.” This is the most common command in the Bible, given to us 366 times, one for every day of the year, including leap year! Fear not. Why? We’ll see in a moment.
While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day. - Matthew 28:11-15
Matthew tells us why some would not believe in the resurrection. A plan was devised to turn it into a myth.
For two thousand years people have been devising ways to explain away the resurrection. Maybe His body was stolen. One of my favorites is that maybe Jesus never died and just walked away (if you’ve ever seen “The Passion of the Christ” you know that was impossible, to say nothing of His heart being pierced and blood and water flowing out).
There’s one huge problem with anything that explains away the reality of the resurrection—hundreds of eyewitnesses with identical accounts. Some people have said it was just a hallucination on the part of His followers, but remember one thing: many of these people died for their belief in the resurrection. It’s one thing to make up a story or experience a vivid dream, but people don’t become martyrs over fairy tales.
Friends, the resurrection is not merely an important part of our faith. Everything rises and falls on it!
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. - 1 Corinthians 15:14
Finishing our story, it says
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:16-20
We recently looked at this passage as we talked about Jesus’ command to go and make disciples of all nations. Remember He told the women to fear not? Here’s why—I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
So what?
Some of you are Christ-followers. Without the resurrection there is no Easter, no Christianity, no church, no eternal life, no heaven, no hope, no joy, and no peace. Everything depends upon the resurrection. If we serve a dead God, our faith is no different than any other religion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burial_places_of_founders_of_world_religions
There’s only one tomb that is empty!
If you are truly a follower of Jesus, He tells us two things—go and fear not. We are on a mission that as we are going through life, we are to make disciples. We are to let others know about the incredible life that Jesus offers.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16
Tomorrow is the beginning of the E.A.C.H. campaign at 2WordStory.com. I hope you are ready to share your story...and His!
Some of you are not Christ-followers. I urge you to seriously consider Jesus. This is not about His teachings or miracles, it’s about His With all due respect to other religions, only Jesus died for you. Only Jesus demonstrated His love to you.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8
Only Jesus conquered sin and death and the grave. Only Jesus’ tomb is empty.
Jesus said to Martha
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” - John 11:25-26
Jesus said
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. - John 10:10
He said
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. - John 14:6
He is the way, the truth, and the life.
Celebration!
Today is a day of celebration. On Friday we remembered the murder of an innocent man who was also God, Jesus Christ. Today we celebrate His resurrection. Today we celebrate life—His and ours. The word celebration means to make public and that’s what Jesus told us to do. He didn’t tell His followers to keep His life and resurrection a secret. He told them to go! He told them to go public! We celebrate in this building today, but the real celebration begins as we leave this place to go public. That’s what 2WordStory is about. That’s what Scio is about. That’s what the Church is about—letting the whole world know that Jesus is alive!
You can listen to the podcast here.
Few people argue that Jesus lived. Most acknowledge that He was crucified. Everything about our faith rises and falls on the resurrection. If Jesus is dead, we are wasting our time this morning. In fact, if Jesus is dead, we are wasting our lives!
The Account (Matthew 28)
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. - Matthew 28:1-4
The stone was like a giant wagon wheel. This particular stone is inside a track. What was the purpose of the stone?
- contain the smell
- contain the body
This was not an ordinary burial, though. Let’s go back a few verses to the previous chapter:
As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb. - Matthew 27:57-61
The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” - Matthew 27:62-64
“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. - Matthew 27:65-66
So Jesus’ dead body was placed in the tomb, the tomb was covered with a stone, the stone had a seal, and a guard was posted.
I’ve always found it fascinating that the chief priests heard Jesus say He would rise again after three days, yet His followers were clueless.
Back to the story...
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” - Matthew 28:5-7
They entered the tomb. They saw where Jesus lay, yet He was not there!
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” - Matthew 28:8-10
Why were the women afraid?
The first thing Jesus says is “fear not.” This is the most common command in the Bible, given to us 366 times, one for every day of the year, including leap year! Fear not. Why? We’ll see in a moment.
While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day. - Matthew 28:11-15
Matthew tells us why some would not believe in the resurrection. A plan was devised to turn it into a myth.
For two thousand years people have been devising ways to explain away the resurrection. Maybe His body was stolen. One of my favorites is that maybe Jesus never died and just walked away (if you’ve ever seen “The Passion of the Christ” you know that was impossible, to say nothing of His heart being pierced and blood and water flowing out).
There’s one huge problem with anything that explains away the reality of the resurrection—hundreds of eyewitnesses with identical accounts. Some people have said it was just a hallucination on the part of His followers, but remember one thing: many of these people died for their belief in the resurrection. It’s one thing to make up a story or experience a vivid dream, but people don’t become martyrs over fairy tales.
Friends, the resurrection is not merely an important part of our faith. Everything rises and falls on it!
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. - 1 Corinthians 15:14
Finishing our story, it says
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:16-20
We recently looked at this passage as we talked about Jesus’ command to go and make disciples of all nations. Remember He told the women to fear not? Here’s why—I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
So what?
Some of you are Christ-followers. Without the resurrection there is no Easter, no Christianity, no church, no eternal life, no heaven, no hope, no joy, and no peace. Everything depends upon the resurrection. If we serve a dead God, our faith is no different than any other religion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burial_places_of_founders_of_world_religions
There’s only one tomb that is empty!
If you are truly a follower of Jesus, He tells us two things—go and fear not. We are on a mission that as we are going through life, we are to make disciples. We are to let others know about the incredible life that Jesus offers.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16
Tomorrow is the beginning of the E.A.C.H. campaign at 2WordStory.com. I hope you are ready to share your story...and His!
Some of you are not Christ-followers. I urge you to seriously consider Jesus. This is not about His teachings or miracles, it’s about His With all due respect to other religions, only Jesus died for you. Only Jesus demonstrated His love to you.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8
Only Jesus conquered sin and death and the grave. Only Jesus’ tomb is empty.
Jesus said to Martha
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” - John 11:25-26
Jesus said
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. - John 10:10
He said
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. - John 14:6
He is the way, the truth, and the life.
Celebration!
Today is a day of celebration. On Friday we remembered the murder of an innocent man who was also God, Jesus Christ. Today we celebrate His resurrection. Today we celebrate life—His and ours. The word celebration means to make public and that’s what Jesus told us to do. He didn’t tell His followers to keep His life and resurrection a secret. He told them to go! He told them to go public! We celebrate in this building today, but the real celebration begins as we leave this place to go public. That’s what 2WordStory is about. That’s what Scio is about. That’s what the Church is about—letting the whole world know that Jesus is alive!
You can listen to the podcast here.
Crowds & Critics, 17 April 2011
25 04 11
Big Idea
Jesus had crowds of followers...and critics. The critics had no idea who Jesus was. It was the children who understood. May we be like little children, praising our great God.
Crowds
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” - Matthew 21:1-5
This prophecy was quite unusual since kings normally arrived as conquerors riding on horses. Even then people thought it mattered what they drove!
A colt was a symbol of peace. It was a demonstration of humility. Imagine President Obama coming to Ann Arbor in a 1999 minivan rather than a 2011 Cadillac limo!
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. - Matthew 21:6
This might be one of the most important verses in the Bible. They obeyed! When is the last time you blindly obeyed God, even if the request seemed unusual?
They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. - Matthew 21:8
This was an act of homage to royalty in their culture.
A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. - Matthew 21:9
Most of the people in the crowd were not from Jerusalem like the ones that yelled “Crucify Him” days later, but pilgrims from Galilee in town to celebrate the Passover. Some were probably in Jesus’ fan club that had observed His miracles in Galilee. They were singing, but also shouting
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest!”
Even children joined in the action. What were they shouting? It was from another Old Testament passage.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you. - Psalm 118:26
Hosanna means, “save us, now.”
The previous verse in Psalm 118 says
O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success. - Psalm 118:25
So the shouts were both praises and a petition. The crowd knew Jesus was special, and they wanted Him to save them from the oppression of the Romans. They were excited to be with Him, but they wanted more than an autograph or a photo. They wanted physical salvation from their government. They wanted Him to overthrow the rulers and be their king.
This was a celebration of King Jesus, one of the few moments in the Gospels where Jesus’ glory is recognized on earth.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” - Matthew 21:10-11
Who is Jesus? This is maybe the most important question in the world. Literally.
The people announced to the city inhabitants that Jesus is the prophet, the One promised by Moses (Deut. 18:15). This event was the moment in which Jesus was presented to the nation of Israel as the rightful Son of David.
Critics
The crowds are singing and shouting praises and petitions to Jesus, but crowds can be fickle. Just ask any politician! Public opinion can change so quickly. One minute you are elected into office and the next people are demanding your resignation.
Multitudes often seem to approve the gospel, but few become consistent disciples. The next verses in Matthew 21 detail an event that likely occurred the next day.
Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’” - Matthew 21:12-13
This was not the first time Jesus cleared the Temple. John 2:13-25 records a similar yet different incident that occurred three years earlier.
Jesus shows emotion. He is not nice. He is not Mr. Rogers. He demonstrates righteous anger. He kicks booty!
Jesus didn’t throw them out to be mean, but to restore it. He didn’t just say the right things, He did it. He only drove out those that were selling and buying. He made room for those who wanted to worship God.
You would think that this upheaval would anger the greedy, ungodly religious leaders that were making money off of the Jewish system, but notice what it says next.
The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant. - Matthew 21:14-15
It wasn’t just His disruption that bothered the religious leaders, but the “wonderful things He did and the children shouting.”
The outcasts of society—the blind and lame—came to Jesus for healing. They were not usually welcome at the temple.
It was the “wonderful things” Jesus did and the sound of the children that caused the religious leaders to become indignant.
“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. ¶ “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’?” - Matthew 21:16
Jesus quotes Psalm 8:2.
From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise...- Psalm 8:2
Who is Jesus? That’s the crucial question for you and me and our world. That’s the basis for our 2WordStory.
The critics had no idea who Jesus was. It was the children who understood. May we be like little children, praising our great God.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Jesus had crowds of followers...and critics. The critics had no idea who Jesus was. It was the children who understood. May we be like little children, praising our great God.
Crowds
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” - Matthew 21:1-5
This prophecy was quite unusual since kings normally arrived as conquerors riding on horses. Even then people thought it mattered what they drove!
A colt was a symbol of peace. It was a demonstration of humility. Imagine President Obama coming to Ann Arbor in a 1999 minivan rather than a 2011 Cadillac limo!
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. - Matthew 21:6
This might be one of the most important verses in the Bible. They obeyed! When is the last time you blindly obeyed God, even if the request seemed unusual?
They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. - Matthew 21:8
This was an act of homage to royalty in their culture.
A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. - Matthew 21:9
Most of the people in the crowd were not from Jerusalem like the ones that yelled “Crucify Him” days later, but pilgrims from Galilee in town to celebrate the Passover. Some were probably in Jesus’ fan club that had observed His miracles in Galilee. They were singing, but also shouting
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest!”
Even children joined in the action. What were they shouting? It was from another Old Testament passage.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you. - Psalm 118:26
Hosanna means, “save us, now.”
The previous verse in Psalm 118 says
O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success. - Psalm 118:25
So the shouts were both praises and a petition. The crowd knew Jesus was special, and they wanted Him to save them from the oppression of the Romans. They were excited to be with Him, but they wanted more than an autograph or a photo. They wanted physical salvation from their government. They wanted Him to overthrow the rulers and be their king.
This was a celebration of King Jesus, one of the few moments in the Gospels where Jesus’ glory is recognized on earth.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” - Matthew 21:10-11
Who is Jesus? This is maybe the most important question in the world. Literally.
The people announced to the city inhabitants that Jesus is the prophet, the One promised by Moses (Deut. 18:15). This event was the moment in which Jesus was presented to the nation of Israel as the rightful Son of David.
Critics
The crowds are singing and shouting praises and petitions to Jesus, but crowds can be fickle. Just ask any politician! Public opinion can change so quickly. One minute you are elected into office and the next people are demanding your resignation.
Multitudes often seem to approve the gospel, but few become consistent disciples. The next verses in Matthew 21 detail an event that likely occurred the next day.
Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’” - Matthew 21:12-13
This was not the first time Jesus cleared the Temple. John 2:13-25 records a similar yet different incident that occurred three years earlier.
Jesus shows emotion. He is not nice. He is not Mr. Rogers. He demonstrates righteous anger. He kicks booty!
Jesus didn’t throw them out to be mean, but to restore it. He didn’t just say the right things, He did it. He only drove out those that were selling and buying. He made room for those who wanted to worship God.
You would think that this upheaval would anger the greedy, ungodly religious leaders that were making money off of the Jewish system, but notice what it says next.
The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant. - Matthew 21:14-15
It wasn’t just His disruption that bothered the religious leaders, but the “wonderful things He did and the children shouting.”
The outcasts of society—the blind and lame—came to Jesus for healing. They were not usually welcome at the temple.
It was the “wonderful things” Jesus did and the sound of the children that caused the religious leaders to become indignant.
“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. ¶ “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’?” - Matthew 21:16
Jesus quotes Psalm 8:2.
From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise...- Psalm 8:2
Who is Jesus? That’s the crucial question for you and me and our world. That’s the basis for our 2WordStory.
The critics had no idea who Jesus was. It was the children who understood. May we be like little children, praising our great God.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Coronation, 3 April 2011
07 04 11
Big Idea
Who is God? Who is Jesus? This passage beautifully reveals the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus at the beginning of HIs ministry.
Text (Matthew 3:13-17)
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Context
Before we can appreciate the text, we must set the scene. This account is one of the few accounts that is found in all four Gospels—Matthew, Mark (1:9-11), Luke (3:21-22) and John (1:29-34).
Baptism
The word “baptism” sparks different thoughts in our minds. You may think of an infant being baptized or a public confession of faith by a believer.
The Greek word for baptism is “baptizo” which means “immersion.” This was not a sprinkling or a pouring or a squirt gun fight but people getting dunked in the water.
What was the purpose of John baptizing people? Mark 1:4 says
Mark 1:4 And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
People would come to John and ask to be baptized for the remission of their sins. As we said a few weeks ago, repentance is agreeing that we have sinned against God (and often others) and turning away from our sins to live a new life.
“But Jesus had no sins (Hebrews 4:15)” you might say. That’s what John said, too!
But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
So why would Jesus insist on getting baptized? He came to do the will of the Father and to “fulfill all righteousness.” In other words, Jesus was baptized in obedience to the Father.
The entire third chapter of Matthew is the fulfillment of prophecy from the Italian prophet, Malachi!
Malachi 3:1 “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty.
Malachi 4:5-6 See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.”
Obedience
Sometimes God calls us to do things that don’t make sense. That’s where trust comes in. Imagine being Abraham and God telling you to grab your knife and start cutting foreskins. God told the prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute. He told Moses to speak to a rock and expect water to flow out.
Ultimately it’s a trust issue.
God is good. All the time.
God is sovereign and in control. All the time.
He can be trusted, even when it might not make sense at the moment.
John didn’t understand why Jesus would seek baptism, but God had a purpose that was revealed in the following verses.
The Coronation
There is tremendous fanfare and festivities that surround the coronation of a king or queen. The closest thing we know of in our country is a presidential inauguration. Did any of you see President Obama’s inauguration? It cost donors and our government more than $170 million for the weekend...all to formally acknowledge a new leader.
Jesus, our great King, had no such pageantry and spectacle. He had something far greater, however.
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
I’d call that a pronouncement! What does the Father say?
It kind of reminds me of a story Jesus told about three men given sums of money to invest (Matthew 25; Luke 19). At the end of the story, the master says, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
I live for two words—well done. That’s it. Although it seems crazy, I long for my heavenly Father to announce someday
Let me be clear, I’m not saying I am anything like Jesus. In fact, only by dying to myself and letting Jesus live through me do I even have a chance!
The Trinity
One of the most radical distinctions between orthodox Christianity and other religions is the Trinity. The Jewish Shema from Deuteronomy 6:4 proclaims
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
Our one LORD exists in three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This, admittedly, is a mystery that analogies fail to adequately express, but we worship one “God in three Persons, blessed Trinity” as the great hymn announces.
Church father Tertullian (155-220 ad) was one of the first to use the term ‘Trinity” and it wasn’t until the Council of Nicea in 325 that the doctrine became firmly established within orthodoxy.
To say that God exists as a Trinity is to say that there is one God with a unified essence who exists in three equal persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. By person it is meant that God thinks, feels, acts and speaks. The Westminster Confession of Faith (1647) summarizes the doctrine by saying, “In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.”
There are some Christians who deny the Trinity. They believe that God is a single Person who reveals Himself in three different modes or forms, but that the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit never all exist at the same time, only one after another.
Do you see a problem with this passage for the modalist?
We don’t have time to even begin a full treatment of Trinitarianism, but suffice it to say that our text today is one of several that reveal our one God existing simultaneously in three Persons.
Have You Been Baptized?
While we are on the subject, have you been baptized? It’s not only something He experienced, it’s something He commanded. Last week we saw His final words to His followers:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
- Matthew 28:18-20
Oh, did you notice the Trinity there?
Conclusion
To summarize, this text reveals Jesus’ submission and obedience to the Father. His baptism is Christ’s coronation as He begins His ministry. The Trinity is in full view, showing one God existing as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It’s also a reminder that each of us—unlike Jesus—is a sinner in need of God’s grace and forgiveness, something only available through Jesus, His life, death, and resurrection. Finally, it underscore the need for all Christ-followers to follow Him in baptism, publicly declaring their faith, dying to their old life, and becoming resurrected with Jesus in new life as a new creation.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Who is God? Who is Jesus? This passage beautifully reveals the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus at the beginning of HIs ministry.
Text (Matthew 3:13-17)
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Context
Before we can appreciate the text, we must set the scene. This account is one of the few accounts that is found in all four Gospels—Matthew, Mark (1:9-11), Luke (3:21-22) and John (1:29-34).
Baptism
The word “baptism” sparks different thoughts in our minds. You may think of an infant being baptized or a public confession of faith by a believer.
The Greek word for baptism is “baptizo” which means “immersion.” This was not a sprinkling or a pouring or a squirt gun fight but people getting dunked in the water.
What was the purpose of John baptizing people? Mark 1:4 says
Mark 1:4 And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
People would come to John and ask to be baptized for the remission of their sins. As we said a few weeks ago, repentance is agreeing that we have sinned against God (and often others) and turning away from our sins to live a new life.
“But Jesus had no sins (Hebrews 4:15)” you might say. That’s what John said, too!
But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
So why would Jesus insist on getting baptized? He came to do the will of the Father and to “fulfill all righteousness.” In other words, Jesus was baptized in obedience to the Father.
The entire third chapter of Matthew is the fulfillment of prophecy from the Italian prophet, Malachi!
Malachi 3:1 “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty.
Malachi 4:5-6 See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.”
Obedience
Sometimes God calls us to do things that don’t make sense. That’s where trust comes in. Imagine being Abraham and God telling you to grab your knife and start cutting foreskins. God told the prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute. He told Moses to speak to a rock and expect water to flow out.
Ultimately it’s a trust issue.
God is good. All the time.
God is sovereign and in control. All the time.
He can be trusted, even when it might not make sense at the moment.
John didn’t understand why Jesus would seek baptism, but God had a purpose that was revealed in the following verses.
The Coronation
There is tremendous fanfare and festivities that surround the coronation of a king or queen. The closest thing we know of in our country is a presidential inauguration. Did any of you see President Obama’s inauguration? It cost donors and our government more than $170 million for the weekend...all to formally acknowledge a new leader.
Jesus, our great King, had no such pageantry and spectacle. He had something far greater, however.
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
I’d call that a pronouncement! What does the Father say?
- this is His Son
- He loves His Son
- He is well pleased with His Son
It kind of reminds me of a story Jesus told about three men given sums of money to invest (Matthew 25; Luke 19). At the end of the story, the master says, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
I live for two words—well done. That’s it. Although it seems crazy, I long for my heavenly Father to announce someday
- I am His Son
- He loves me
- He is well pleased with me
Let me be clear, I’m not saying I am anything like Jesus. In fact, only by dying to myself and letting Jesus live through me do I even have a chance!
The Trinity
One of the most radical distinctions between orthodox Christianity and other religions is the Trinity. The Jewish Shema from Deuteronomy 6:4 proclaims
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
Our one LORD exists in three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This, admittedly, is a mystery that analogies fail to adequately express, but we worship one “God in three Persons, blessed Trinity” as the great hymn announces.
Church father Tertullian (155-220 ad) was one of the first to use the term ‘Trinity” and it wasn’t until the Council of Nicea in 325 that the doctrine became firmly established within orthodoxy.
To say that God exists as a Trinity is to say that there is one God with a unified essence who exists in three equal persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. By person it is meant that God thinks, feels, acts and speaks. The Westminster Confession of Faith (1647) summarizes the doctrine by saying, “In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.”
There are some Christians who deny the Trinity. They believe that God is a single Person who reveals Himself in three different modes or forms, but that the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit never all exist at the same time, only one after another.
Do you see a problem with this passage for the modalist?
We don’t have time to even begin a full treatment of Trinitarianism, but suffice it to say that our text today is one of several that reveal our one God existing simultaneously in three Persons.
Have You Been Baptized?
While we are on the subject, have you been baptized? It’s not only something He experienced, it’s something He commanded. Last week we saw His final words to His followers:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
- Matthew 28:18-20
Oh, did you notice the Trinity there?
Conclusion
To summarize, this text reveals Jesus’ submission and obedience to the Father. His baptism is Christ’s coronation as He begins His ministry. The Trinity is in full view, showing one God existing as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It’s also a reminder that each of us—unlike Jesus—is a sinner in need of God’s grace and forgiveness, something only available through Jesus, His life, death, and resurrection. Finally, it underscore the need for all Christ-followers to follow Him in baptism, publicly declaring their faith, dying to their old life, and becoming resurrected with Jesus in new life as a new creation.
You can listen to the podcast here.
2WordStory, 27 March 2011
29 03 11
Big Idea
The upcoming E.A.C.H. campaign is about God’s story...and yours!
Notes
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:18-20
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. - 1 Peter 3:15-16
Always be prepared to share your story. Can you share it in an hour? 30 minutes? 3 minutes? Two words?
Now is the time to order our gear and prepare our story. Beginning on Easter Sunday, billboards, bus signs, coffee sleeves, and other tools will promote 2WordStory. When someone sees you with your 2WordStory t-shirt, mug, or other gear, they will likely ask about it and then, BOOM!, you have an opportunity to share your story...and ask them about their story.
The E.A.C.H. strategy which focuses on your 2WordStory. If you missed it, I urge you to watch this video and/or listen to the podcast in order to prepare for this historic 40-day campaign that begins on Easter Sunday. You can get your 2WordStory gear here.
April 16, is the E.A.C.H. Prayer Walk. It starts at 9 AM at Comerica Park in downtown Detroit.
You can listen to the podcast here.
The upcoming E.A.C.H. campaign is about God’s story...and yours!
Notes
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:18-20
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. - 1 Peter 3:15-16
Always be prepared to share your story. Can you share it in an hour? 30 minutes? 3 minutes? Two words?
Now is the time to order our gear and prepare our story. Beginning on Easter Sunday, billboards, bus signs, coffee sleeves, and other tools will promote 2WordStory. When someone sees you with your 2WordStory t-shirt, mug, or other gear, they will likely ask about it and then, BOOM!, you have an opportunity to share your story...and ask them about their story.
The E.A.C.H. strategy which focuses on your 2WordStory. If you missed it, I urge you to watch this video and/or listen to the podcast in order to prepare for this historic 40-day campaign that begins on Easter Sunday. You can get your 2WordStory gear here.
April 16, is the E.A.C.H. Prayer Walk. It starts at 9 AM at Comerica Park in downtown Detroit.
You can listen to the podcast here.
The Biggest Party Ever! 20 March 2011
21 03 11
Big Idea
God is preparing the greatest party ever! We are not only invited, we are to distribute invitations to everyone around us.
Scriptures
On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine — the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken. - Isaiah 25:6-8
Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
But they paid no attention and went off — one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. - Matthew 22:1-10
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. - 2 Peter 3:8-13
Notes
For the past several week’s we’ve seen how God lost something, and He wants it back. That’s the theme from Genesis to Revelation. People think the Bible is a complicated book. Not really. It’s a deep book with a simple plot. It’s a straight-up love story. It’s a romance. The Father created a Bride for the Son. In Eden, that bride was seduced away by a deceiver. But the Son came into that Garden and vowed to fight to win back His precious bride. You’re no throw away. You’re worth fighting for. And that’s what the whole Bible is: The story of the Son’s fight to recapture His bride. When that battle is over, when every last person who will come back to the Son has come back, the Father will throw the biggest party ever – a wedding party.
When this party happens, death is dead. Tears are gone. Sadness and mourning have no place at the table. It will be time to celebrate, because the search and rescue mission has been completed. People from every tribe and tongue and nation will party with God!
The whole Bible is a romance story. God lost something . . . and He wants it back. But what we learn when we examine the plot more closely is that what was lost was the bride for the Son. The King wanted a bride for His Son. We, humanity, were supposed to be that bride. We were not just “made for God.” We were “made for Jesus,” to be His very own possession, His bride. When the serpent came into the Garden of Eden, he stole away the heart of the bride from the Bridegroom. But the Bridegroom has been fighting ever since to win us back. Right now, the Father is sending out invitations to fill up the wedding hall for His Son. People everywhere are being invited into a relationship with God that gives them a ticket to the greatest party ever.
You know what E.A.C.H. really is? It’s the King’s servants going to the streets to invite people to come to the wedding banquet of the Son. That‟s what we‟re doing. Handing out invitations to the greatest party ever. Many people will come. And many others will find excuses as to why they don‟t want to come to the Son‟s party. But our job is to be the inviters. The wedding hall will be filled with guests. God will see to that. Our job is to hand out the invitations: COME TO THE WEDDING BANQUET!
This explains why the entire story of the Bible ends with the biggest party ever – the wedding party for the Son and His bride. All of human history is moving toward this event – this massive wedding party. The Father will see to it that the Son WILL have His wedding day. He WILL have His bride. Everything in history is driving toward the fulfillment of this plan. The Son WILL be united with His bride, forever. That‟s what the last book of the Bible is about. The wedding of the Son and His bride.
When you read through Revelation, you can feel the anticipation building toward the wedding party of the Son. In fact, the actual title of this last book is: The Revelation of Jesus Christ. This last book is The Unveiling of Jesus Christ. The end of human history, as we now know it, is The Presentation of the Bridegroom.
Where is God right now? He’s waiting for more to come, for more to be found. And He wants to use US to do that finding. This is our job. This is what Jesus told the church to do. (Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:1-8).
And then, when He sees fit, the time will be over. The day of salvation will have ended.
Podcast
You can listen to the podcast here.
God is preparing the greatest party ever! We are not only invited, we are to distribute invitations to everyone around us.
Scriptures
On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine — the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken. - Isaiah 25:6-8
Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
But they paid no attention and went off — one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. - Matthew 22:1-10
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. - 2 Peter 3:8-13
Notes
For the past several week’s we’ve seen how God lost something, and He wants it back. That’s the theme from Genesis to Revelation. People think the Bible is a complicated book. Not really. It’s a deep book with a simple plot. It’s a straight-up love story. It’s a romance. The Father created a Bride for the Son. In Eden, that bride was seduced away by a deceiver. But the Son came into that Garden and vowed to fight to win back His precious bride. You’re no throw away. You’re worth fighting for. And that’s what the whole Bible is: The story of the Son’s fight to recapture His bride. When that battle is over, when every last person who will come back to the Son has come back, the Father will throw the biggest party ever – a wedding party.
When this party happens, death is dead. Tears are gone. Sadness and mourning have no place at the table. It will be time to celebrate, because the search and rescue mission has been completed. People from every tribe and tongue and nation will party with God!
The whole Bible is a romance story. God lost something . . . and He wants it back. But what we learn when we examine the plot more closely is that what was lost was the bride for the Son. The King wanted a bride for His Son. We, humanity, were supposed to be that bride. We were not just “made for God.” We were “made for Jesus,” to be His very own possession, His bride. When the serpent came into the Garden of Eden, he stole away the heart of the bride from the Bridegroom. But the Bridegroom has been fighting ever since to win us back. Right now, the Father is sending out invitations to fill up the wedding hall for His Son. People everywhere are being invited into a relationship with God that gives them a ticket to the greatest party ever.
You know what E.A.C.H. really is? It’s the King’s servants going to the streets to invite people to come to the wedding banquet of the Son. That‟s what we‟re doing. Handing out invitations to the greatest party ever. Many people will come. And many others will find excuses as to why they don‟t want to come to the Son‟s party. But our job is to be the inviters. The wedding hall will be filled with guests. God will see to that. Our job is to hand out the invitations: COME TO THE WEDDING BANQUET!
This explains why the entire story of the Bible ends with the biggest party ever – the wedding party for the Son and His bride. All of human history is moving toward this event – this massive wedding party. The Father will see to it that the Son WILL have His wedding day. He WILL have His bride. Everything in history is driving toward the fulfillment of this plan. The Son WILL be united with His bride, forever. That‟s what the last book of the Bible is about. The wedding of the Son and His bride.
When you read through Revelation, you can feel the anticipation building toward the wedding party of the Son. In fact, the actual title of this last book is: The Revelation of Jesus Christ. This last book is The Unveiling of Jesus Christ. The end of human history, as we now know it, is The Presentation of the Bridegroom.
Where is God right now? He’s waiting for more to come, for more to be found. And He wants to use US to do that finding. This is our job. This is what Jesus told the church to do. (Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:1-8).
And then, when He sees fit, the time will be over. The day of salvation will have ended.
Podcast
You can listen to the podcast here.
Asleep In The Light: Shine! 13 March 2011
15 03 11
Big Idea
Jesus is the light of the world. He told us that we are now the light of the world, reflecting His light to our dark world as the moon shines at night.
Notes
What in the world is the Church?
- Body
- Bride
- Spiritual Temple
- Family
The “church” is a movement of changed lives.
I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. - Matthew 16:18b
The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. - Revelation 1:20
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:14-16
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:18-20
So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. - Acts 1:6-9
Your business is not the end times; your business is the now times—the mission to seek and save the lost.
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. - Isaiah 9:2
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life — in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. - Philippians 2:14-16
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. - Revelation 2:4-5
You can listen to the podcast here.
Jesus is the light of the world. He told us that we are now the light of the world, reflecting His light to our dark world as the moon shines at night.
Notes
What in the world is the Church?
- Body
- Bride
- Spiritual Temple
- Family
The “church” is a movement of changed lives.
I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. - Matthew 16:18b
The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. - Revelation 1:20
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:14-16
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:18-20
So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. - Acts 1:6-9
Your business is not the end times; your business is the now times—the mission to seek and save the lost.
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. - Isaiah 9:2
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life — in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. - Philippians 2:14-16
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. - Revelation 2:4-5
You can listen to the podcast here.
Lost and Found, 6 March 2011
07 03 11
Big Idea
In Luke 15, Jesus tells three stores: a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son. God rejoices when one lost child is found, and we are privileged to be able to be a part of His search and rescue mission.
Notes
God lost something…and He wants it back.
God uses people to reach people.
Jesus was a trouble-maker. The religious leaders were offended that He cared for the lost and even partied with them. He said,
“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” - Matthew 9:12-13
Jesus’ entire ministry can be summed up in Luke 19:10
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
When we don’t understand God’s heart for people, our ‘religion’ can get pretty messed up.
The Pharisees grumbled over the very thing that heaven celebrates—the lost being found.
In the story of the lost son, the older brother didn’t have the heart of the father for the lost brother.
Those who think that they are close to God can, in fact, be as far from God as the irreligious, just in a different way.
Podcast
You can listen to the podcast here.
For Further Study
The Prodigal God by Tim Keller
In Luke 15, Jesus tells three stores: a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son. God rejoices when one lost child is found, and we are privileged to be able to be a part of His search and rescue mission.
Notes
God lost something…and He wants it back.
God uses people to reach people.
Jesus was a trouble-maker. The religious leaders were offended that He cared for the lost and even partied with them. He said,
“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” - Matthew 9:12-13
Jesus’ entire ministry can be summed up in Luke 19:10
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
When we don’t understand God’s heart for people, our ‘religion’ can get pretty messed up.
The Pharisees grumbled over the very thing that heaven celebrates—the lost being found.
In the story of the lost son, the older brother didn’t have the heart of the father for the lost brother.
Those who think that they are close to God can, in fact, be as far from God as the irreligious, just in a different way.
Podcast
You can listen to the podcast here.
For Further Study
The Prodigal God by Tim Keller
Just Like Jonah, 27, February 2011
28 02 11
Big Idea
God told Jonah to be a part of His search and rescue mission. Because he really didn’t care about the people of Nineveh, he took a detour! LORD, break my heart for the things that break Yours.
Notes
God lost something…and He wants it back.
God uses people to reach people.
“You are the salt of the earth.” - Jesus
The “found” have to be willing to become “finders.”
Most Christ-followers are not involved in the one thing that is most important to God—the search and rescue mission.
“Normal” Christianity at the outset was contagious Christianity.
Why aren’t we more engaged in outreach?
- Fear
- Inconsistency in our lives
- We really don’t care
Jonah was running away from God’s search and rescue mission.
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai:
“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. - Jonah 1:1-3
Jonah was running away from God’s search and rescue mission.
“Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” - Jonah 1:12
But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights. - Jonah 1:17
And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. - Jonah 2:10
God cares as much about the messenger as He cares about the mission.
Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” - Jonah 3:1-2
The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. - Jonah 3:5
But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. - Jonah 3:8
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction He had threatened.
God’s great desire is to free people trapped in sin; to forgive them and bring them home. - Jonah 3:10
There is NO sin that is a match for God’s grace.
Jonah proclaimed a 40-day window of opportunity for Nineveh.
E.A.C.H. is our proclamation of a 40-day grace period for southeastern Michigan.
Podcast
You can listen to the podcast here.
God told Jonah to be a part of His search and rescue mission. Because he really didn’t care about the people of Nineveh, he took a detour! LORD, break my heart for the things that break Yours.
Notes
God lost something…and He wants it back.
God uses people to reach people.
“You are the salt of the earth.” - Jesus
The “found” have to be willing to become “finders.”
Most Christ-followers are not involved in the one thing that is most important to God—the search and rescue mission.
“Normal” Christianity at the outset was contagious Christianity.
Why aren’t we more engaged in outreach?
- Fear
- Inconsistency in our lives
- We really don’t care
Jonah was running away from God’s search and rescue mission.
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai:
“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. - Jonah 1:1-3
Jonah was running away from God’s search and rescue mission.
“Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” - Jonah 1:12
But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights. - Jonah 1:17
And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. - Jonah 2:10
God cares as much about the messenger as He cares about the mission.
Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” - Jonah 3:1-2
The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. - Jonah 3:5
But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. - Jonah 3:8
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction He had threatened.
God’s great desire is to free people trapped in sin; to forgive them and bring them home. - Jonah 3:10
There is NO sin that is a match for God’s grace.
Jonah proclaimed a 40-day window of opportunity for Nineveh.
E.A.C.H. is our proclamation of a 40-day grace period for southeastern Michigan.
Podcast
You can listen to the podcast here.
I'm A Priest! 20 February 2011
21 02 11
Big Idea
God chose the nation of Israel to bless the world. He has also chosen us to join Him in His search and rescue mission. Each of us is a priest, called by God to re-present Him on planet earth.
Notes
God lost something, and He wants it back. All through the story, God uses people to help Him in the search and rescue mission.
The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” - Genesis 12:1-3
God chose one nation so that He could bless all nations of the Earth.
Abraham - Isaac - Jacob - 12 sons = 12 tribes - Joseph
Joseph was a ‘type’ or ‘foreshadowing’ of Jesus: the rejected brother becomes the savior. Jesus was the ultimate Passover Lamb, giving His blood to rescue us from divine judgment.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. - Romans 8:1-2
Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” - Exodus 19:5-6
God chose Israel to be a nation of priests who bring people back to God.
Law: training manual
History: record ups and downs
Prophets: commandment cops
The Old Testament is the story of Israel trying to do E.A.C.H.
Christ-followers are now God’s plan to save the world!
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. - 1 Peter 2:9-10
We are now priests!
Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. - 1 Peter 2:11-12
Our obedience to Jesus is intended to make God look good to the world.
Podcast
You can listen to the podcast here.
God chose the nation of Israel to bless the world. He has also chosen us to join Him in His search and rescue mission. Each of us is a priest, called by God to re-present Him on planet earth.
Notes
God lost something, and He wants it back. All through the story, God uses people to help Him in the search and rescue mission.
The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” - Genesis 12:1-3
God chose one nation so that He could bless all nations of the Earth.
Abraham - Isaac - Jacob - 12 sons = 12 tribes - Joseph
Joseph was a ‘type’ or ‘foreshadowing’ of Jesus: the rejected brother becomes the savior. Jesus was the ultimate Passover Lamb, giving His blood to rescue us from divine judgment.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. - Romans 8:1-2
Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” - Exodus 19:5-6
God chose Israel to be a nation of priests who bring people back to God.
Law: training manual
History: record ups and downs
Prophets: commandment cops
The Old Testament is the story of Israel trying to do E.A.C.H.
Christ-followers are now God’s plan to save the world!
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. - 1 Peter 2:9-10
We are now priests!
Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. - 1 Peter 2:11-12
Our obedience to Jesus is intended to make God look good to the world.
Podcast
You can listen to the podcast here.
In The Beginning, 13 February 2011
14 02 11
Big Idea:
God was the first missionary. He knew Adam and Eve were lost, hiding. Nevertheless, He came after them.
Scriptures:
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in Our image, in Our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them” - Genesis 1:26,27
He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” - Genesis 3:1-5
And they (Adam and Eve) heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" - Genesis 3:8-9
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel" - Genesis 3:15
“And the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them” - Genesis 3:21
“Look, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” - John 1:30
Notes:
God made the world for us. He made us for Himself.
Satan challenged God’s love for Adam and Eve.
Sin is a rupture in the love-relationship between God and us.
The ability to love God well and love others well came undone.
God lost something…and He wants it back!
God was the first to go out searching for lost people.
God made a Good News Promise (the Gospel) that He wants everyone to have a chance to hear.
God made a great sacrifice to win us back to Himself.
“Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.” - William Carey
You can listen to the podcast here.
God was the first missionary. He knew Adam and Eve were lost, hiding. Nevertheless, He came after them.
Scriptures:
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in Our image, in Our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them” - Genesis 1:26,27
He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” - Genesis 3:1-5
And they (Adam and Eve) heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" - Genesis 3:8-9
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel" - Genesis 3:15
“And the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them” - Genesis 3:21
“Look, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” - John 1:30
Notes:
God made the world for us. He made us for Himself.
Satan challenged God’s love for Adam and Eve.
Sin is a rupture in the love-relationship between God and us.
The ability to love God well and love others well came undone.
God lost something…and He wants it back!
God was the first to go out searching for lost people.
God made a Good News Promise (the Gospel) that He wants everyone to have a chance to hear.
God made a great sacrifice to win us back to Himself.
“Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.” - William Carey
You can listen to the podcast here.
Confess Sins To One Another, 6 February 2011
06 02 11
Big Idea:
We are created to live in community. Confession is good for the soul...and the body.
Scriptures:
“…confess your sins to each other…” - James 5:16
…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… - Romans 3:23
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. - Psalm 103:11-12
“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. - Isaiah 1:18
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men — the testimony given in its proper time. -1 Timothy 2:5-6
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. - James 5:13-16
“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. - 2 Chronicles 7:13-14
A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. - 1 Corinthians 11:28-30
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9
Notes:
There is something very powerful about hearing the words, “You are forgiven.” I believe that is one component of this passage in James. As we confess one to another, we are reminded of the reality of our forgiveness.
Confession is acknowledgment. Repentance is change.
The first step in repentance is conviction. We feel bad for our actions, either because the Holy Spirit convicts us, a police officer pulls up behind us, or a friend confronts us.
The second step is confession, agreeing that we have sinned. This is where we admit our sins to God and possibly a pastor, friend, spouse, or family member. This must be specific, not just, “Sorry God for sinning today.”
Repentance is then changing, literally doing a 180 turn away from our sin and toward God. It is choosing to pursue God rather than our selfish desires.
Repentance is an ongoing lifestyle that continues until death, not merely a one-time prayer and then do-what-you-want.
Martin Luther, one of the founders of the Protestant movement, said as part of his protest of the Catholic Church, “All of a Christian’s life is one of repentance.”
Confession and repentance can have profound effects in our lives. They can restore relationships with one another. They can reconcile our relationship with God. They can result in physical healing. They can even result in the transformation of societies.
Context matters in any form of communication. We have to embrace all of the Bible, not just the parts that we like. We also need to recognize the different types of literature that are contained in the 66 books. The stories in Genesis are not to be read in the same manner as the poetic Psalms, instructive letters of Paul, or the end-times apocalyptic writings of Revelation.
In studying the Bible we must first discern what it says, then assess what it meant to the original recipients, seek to understand its meaning for us today, and then apply it.
Confession releases the angst of secret sins.
Confession notifies others about how they can pray for you.
Confession destroys barriers of pride and anger that separate people.
If we struggle with a sin, we must confess it to those who can provide support. Loving your neighbor as yourself includes praying for them. It also reminds us that we are all sinners saved by grace. We journey together.
You can listen to the podcast here.
We are created to live in community. Confession is good for the soul...and the body.
Scriptures:
“…confess your sins to each other…” - James 5:16
…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… - Romans 3:23
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. - Psalm 103:11-12
“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. - Isaiah 1:18
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men — the testimony given in its proper time. -1 Timothy 2:5-6
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. - James 5:13-16
“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. - 2 Chronicles 7:13-14
A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. - 1 Corinthians 11:28-30
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9
Notes:
There is something very powerful about hearing the words, “You are forgiven.” I believe that is one component of this passage in James. As we confess one to another, we are reminded of the reality of our forgiveness.
Confession is acknowledgment. Repentance is change.
The first step in repentance is conviction. We feel bad for our actions, either because the Holy Spirit convicts us, a police officer pulls up behind us, or a friend confronts us.
The second step is confession, agreeing that we have sinned. This is where we admit our sins to God and possibly a pastor, friend, spouse, or family member. This must be specific, not just, “Sorry God for sinning today.”
Repentance is then changing, literally doing a 180 turn away from our sin and toward God. It is choosing to pursue God rather than our selfish desires.
Repentance is an ongoing lifestyle that continues until death, not merely a one-time prayer and then do-what-you-want.
Martin Luther, one of the founders of the Protestant movement, said as part of his protest of the Catholic Church, “All of a Christian’s life is one of repentance.”
Confession and repentance can have profound effects in our lives. They can restore relationships with one another. They can reconcile our relationship with God. They can result in physical healing. They can even result in the transformation of societies.
Context matters in any form of communication. We have to embrace all of the Bible, not just the parts that we like. We also need to recognize the different types of literature that are contained in the 66 books. The stories in Genesis are not to be read in the same manner as the poetic Psalms, instructive letters of Paul, or the end-times apocalyptic writings of Revelation.
In studying the Bible we must first discern what it says, then assess what it meant to the original recipients, seek to understand its meaning for us today, and then apply it.
Confession releases the angst of secret sins.
Confession notifies others about how they can pray for you.
Confession destroys barriers of pride and anger that separate people.
If we struggle with a sin, we must confess it to those who can provide support. Loving your neighbor as yourself includes praying for them. It also reminds us that we are all sinners saved by grace. We journey together.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Forgive One Another, 30 January 2011
31 01 11
Big Idea:
We are created to live in community. Part of being a family is forgiving one another.
Scriptures:
Bear with one another and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the lord forgave you. - Colossians 3:13
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. - Romans 12:18
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
- Romans 12:19-21
Bear with one another and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the lord forgave you. - Colossians 3:13
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. -Ephesians 4:26-27
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
- Matthew 6:14-15
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:2
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. - Colossians 3:13-14
He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’” - Luke 11:2-4
Notes:
Forgiveness is NOT forfeiting justice but it is appealing to a higher court.
Forgiveness is NOT something you do when you feel like it but a decision.
Forgiveness is NOT weakness but the ultimate portal to power.
Forgiveness is to release someone of a debt that they owe you because of the pain they caused you.
The forgiven forgive! We don’t forgive because it is deserved. We forgive because we have been forgiven.
You can listen to the podcast here.
We are created to live in community. Part of being a family is forgiving one another.
Scriptures:
Bear with one another and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the lord forgave you. - Colossians 3:13
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. - Romans 12:18
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
- Romans 12:19-21
Bear with one another and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the lord forgave you. - Colossians 3:13
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. -Ephesians 4:26-27
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
- Matthew 6:14-15
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:2
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. - Colossians 3:13-14
He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’” - Luke 11:2-4
Notes:
Forgiveness is NOT forfeiting justice but it is appealing to a higher court.
Forgiveness is NOT something you do when you feel like it but a decision.
Forgiveness is NOT weakness but the ultimate portal to power.
Forgiveness is to release someone of a debt that they owe you because of the pain they caused you.
The forgiven forgive! We don’t forgive because it is deserved. We forgive because we have been forgiven.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Love One Another, 23 January 2011
25 01 11
Big Idea: We are created to live in community. Jesus gives us a command to love one another.
Scriptures:
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. - John 13:34-35
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. - Romans 13:8
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. - 1 Peter 1:22
This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. - 1 John 3:11
And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. - 1 John 3:23
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. - 1 John 3:16
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. - 1 Corinthians 13:1-8a, 13
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. - 1 John 4:7-8
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. - 1 John 4:9-13
We love because he first loved us. - 1 John 4:19
If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. - 1 John 4:20-21
You can listen to the podcast here.
Scriptures:
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. - John 13:34-35
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. - Romans 13:8
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. - 1 Peter 1:22
This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. - 1 John 3:11
And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. - 1 John 3:23
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. - 1 John 3:16
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. - 1 Corinthians 13:1-8a, 13
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. - 1 John 4:7-8
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. - 1 John 4:9-13
We love because he first loved us. - 1 John 4:19
If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. - 1 John 4:20-21
You can listen to the podcast here.